Just an example:
It's Depressing, But True - U2 Are The Most Influential Band Of The Last 25 Years
Coldplay, Keane, Snow Patrol, even the reborn Take That – all the biggest selling acts of the past ten years have adopted a U2-like sheen.
Noel Gallagher learned how to write anthems by listening to U2. Early tunes like ‘Live Forever’ and ‘Slide Away’ are essentially ‘One’ with a northern accent, communal, arms-aloft ballads that sound big and impassioned but frustratingly aren’t about anything at all.
...
In those verses lie the first traces of the billowing clouds of bullshit that would later waft from the vocal cords of Chris Martin, Liam Gallagher, Gary Lightbody et al.
It's Depressing, But True - U2 Are The Most Influential Band Of The Last 25 Years - In The NME Office - NME.COM - The world's fastest music news service, music videos, interviews, photos and free stuff to win
Well, I didn't write this. Someone asked for an example earlier in this thread.
Totally, although the timing of that distinction would have made me gag. Maybe wait until they're out of the news.
For the record, I fully agree with placing U2 at the top. Can't think of too many other acts that have held significant relevance from 1986 to the present. It's fairly remarkable what they've done, love 'em or hate 'em.