Music: Most influential albums or music

[T REX]

PIXIES - GIGANTIC

WHY?

"Cobain drew influence from the Pixies — an alternative rock band — in composing his “pop” song. “I was basically trying to rip off the Pixies. I have to admit it. When I heard the Pixies for the first time, I connected with that band so heavily I should have been in that band — or at least in a Pixies cover band. We used their sense of dynamics, being soft and quiet and then loud and hard.”

Smells like teen spirit is a total rip off of Gigantic.

PIXIES!

 

[frisco]

Although they weren't the first, The Graduate and The Saturday Night Fever Soundtracks were notable as the biggest movie soundtracks using new original songs more or less specifically for the movie. Especially, if you don't include musicals that were turned movies and movies who had mood or thematic music written for it, but weren't really stand alone songs apart from the movie.

The Elvis movies also did this (or cowboy movies by the likes of Gene Autry), but in almost all cases, the songs were performances on screen as part of the plot. Sometimes, even as a substitute for dialogue.

A lot of the Bee Gees music was written before SNF, but their placement within the movie is seamless. Ditto Simon And Garfunkel and The Graduate.

My Best-Carey

 

[frisco]

The Miami Vice soundtrack was generally the first television soundtrack to use original songs specifically for the show. Basically, the first TV soundtrack that was presented like a traditional movie soundtrack. See above. The Monkees and Partridge Family among others, had TV soundtracks but these were performances by the stars of the show.

My Best-Carey

 

[Nogatco Rd]

I know this is a very nebulous topic that is for all intents and purposes impossible to objectively answer. Nonetheless, I think it is possible to attempt to objectively answer, and to do so successfully to some extent. Obviously, I am framing this openendedly. 'Influential for what?', one might retort. That's for you to decide. It could be cultural values in a certain time period or even politics. It could be the development of a certain style or genre, perhaps from the artist(s) being innovative or prescient in some way. It could be influential for some sort of music theory. One's personal tastes and biases are likely to reveal themselves in an attempt to answer this question, but there's nothing inherently wrong with that.

OT (kinda) but I dig the Brian Eno avatar

 

[Hierso]

 

[archangel2]

This very subjective to the type of music you like or how you describe influential.

 

[kihei]

George Gershwin's Porgy and Bess.

Like, I haven't bothered to check what the most covered songs of all-time are, but I bet "Summertime" is in the top 10, and I wouldn't be surprised if it was #1. So many artists/groups have recorded a version of it, especially in the late '50s and '60s.

Actually, it's Yesterday by the Beatles but Summertime isn't far behind.

These Are the 50 Most Covered Songs of All Time

Did you know your favorite version of a song might not be the original? From "Little Drummer Boy" to "Yesterday" here are the most covered songs of all time.

www.newsweek.com

In its way, Brian Eno's Music for Airports was very influential in terms of legitimizing ambient music and freeing it from the snoozefest, brain dead New Age category.

 

[VMBM]

Actually, it's Yesterday by the Beatles but Summertime isn't far behind.

Fine, whatever, but honestly I know about 20 different versions of "Summertime" but can't think of any covers of "Yesterday" (not that I've never heard 'em).

I got hugely into old soul and R&B a few years ago. I bought a lot of compilation albums (both various/single artists), and I'm not exaggerating much when I say that every friggin' one of them seemed to have "Summertime" on it. Not to mention its popularity among jazz singers/performers. Quite frankly I don't want to hear another version of that song ever again.

 

[Pranzo Oltranzista]

Fine, whatever, but honestly I know about 20 different versions of "Summertime" but can't think of any covers of "Yesterday" (not that I've never heard 'em).

I got hugely into old soul and R&B a few years ago. I bought a lot of compilation albums (both various/single artists), and I'm not exaggerating much when I say that every friggin' one of them seemed to have "Summertime" on it. Not to mention its popularity among jazz singers/performers. Quite frankly I don't want to hear another version of that song ever again.

I'm with you, I know I've heard a few Yesterday covers, but not a single "significant" one. As for Summertime, it's everywhere.

I know you don't want to hear it anymore, but just in case you feel like cheating, here's one I like quite a bit: