VH1 Top 100 Artists

The cable network VH1 has presented numerous top 100 lists for various music related topics.  Recently, they did a Top 100 Greatest Artists.  As with any list of this nature, it is somewhat subjective.  Some people and groups that appeared on the list had fans scratching their heads in puzzlement while for other fans, the omission of some artists and groups were cause for wonder.

There were groups and artists that got their starts in schools and other that started in churches.  Some even started playing together in their parent’s garage, probably forced by their neighbors to play with the garage door closed.

Some of the artists were British and others were from the United States.  Some were from the US but got their big break by going to England.  The groups and artists represented most every genre of music played over the last sixty years.  Artists and groups from all parts of the United States, large cities and small towns.  Some of the artists on the list most likely grew up listening to other, older artists on the list  Some of the artists died young and some lived long full lives.  Some escaped from drugs and alcohol while others succumbed.

One of the clichés over the years has been the stereotypical garage band that starts out playing out behind the garage door, practicing together and creating their particular “sound” although for some of the musical styles on the list, it wouldn’t matter if the garage door were open or closed as the sound would be loud or louder.  Other artists most likely couldn’t be heard very far away even if they were practicing in the garage with the garage door open.  But all were considered great enough to be on the list of the 100 Greatest Artists of all time.

Some of the artists toured incessantly over the years playing sometimes in small clubs then graduating to arenas before going back to the small clubs.  They’ve played before crowds of hundreds of thousands at festivals and as small as one hundred in the intimate basement clubs.  

Some of the artists had multiple platinum and gold records while others barely managed to reach the best seller charts once or twice over their careers and never came close to a number 1 hit.

But whether they started behind a garage door (that maybe was damaged due to the loudness of their playing), started in the church choir, or started with open mic nights at a small club somewhere, they were considered enough of an artist to be voted onto the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time.  And that’s an accomplishment that only 100 artists and groups can lay claim to having.