GirlsAloudFan
Blue Crack Addict
Off the RS list I'd like to say Jack White. Dude's released eight (I think) albums this decade, including one of the very best in Elephant. The White Stripes were also a huge band in the early 00s garage band boom and have easily outlived it. Just a shame he's never seemed to cross into the mainstream on the level other nominees have.
Oh, indeed. Jack needs to be in the conversation. Let's not forget that he also produced one of the decade's best and most critically acclaimed country music albums...Loretta Lynn's Van Lear Rose.
But I think, when all's said and done, the 'artist' who has defined this decade in the same way as The Beatles did in the 60s is Simon Cowell. His contribution to modern popular music, for better or for worse, really sums up the iTunes, single orientated, disposable culture is impossible to deny. I don't know about American Pop Idol, but X Factor UK is the biggest show on TV for the past few years and dominates the charts. Over the past month, three out of four UK number one singles have been X Factor / Pop Idol graduates. Yes, most fade away quickly but not until the next season starts. Some though, like Girls Aloud and Leona Lewis, are mega huge. Oh and Susan Boyle.
Simon Cowell has been behind all this, so he grudgingly gets my vote for defining the decade musically.
Oh, indeed. The impact of American Idol is just as strong as the X Factor. The weekly downloadable performances dominate the iTunes charts. And two winners of the contest, Carrie Underwood and Kelly Clarkson, are two of the best selling pop acts of the decade in the States. And other schmucks like Daughtry and David Cook have had astounding chart success. Simon Cowell's got his fingers in all the pies.
Good call.