Top 10 Influential Bands

Though my hatred of "labeling" music is well known, the editors here at ETM.net seem to think readers enjoy discussing and ridiculing top 10 lists. The lists below were compiled based on the artists level of overall influence to their particular genre. By no means does it mean, for instance, that R.E.M. is better than Fugazi. Enjoy and start sending the hate mail asap!

by B.B. Nutts

Indie:
  1. The Velvet Underground
  2. The Smiths
  3. The Cure
  4. The Pixies
  5. R.E.M.
  6. Sonic Youth
  7. Talking Heads
  8. Elvis Costello
  9. Fugazi
10. Pavement

Metal/Hard Rock:
  1. Black Sabbath
  2. Metallica
  3. Led Zeppelin
  4. Judas Priest
  5. Janes Addiction
  6. Nirvana
  7. Iron Maiden
  8. AC/DC
  9. Slayer
10. Ozzy Osbourne

Punk/Hardcore
  1. The Ramones
  2. Sex Pistols
  3. The Clash
  4. Bad Brains
  5. Minor Threat
  6. Misfits
  7. Operation Ivy
  8. Black Flag
  9. Dead Kennedys
10. Descendants

Hip Hop
  1. Run DMC
  2. Public Enemy
  3. N.W.A.
  4. Eric B & Rakim
  5. Boogie Down Productions/KRS-One
  6. A Tribe Called Quest
  7. Wu Tang Clan
  8. LL Cool J
  9. Sugar Hill Gang
10. The Roots

---

B.B. Nutts is a freelance writer and ex-cop based in Baltimore, MD. He was recently interviewed for Secretary of Homeland Security but was denied due to "past excusions" with a certain female co-worker.