Showing posts with label janis joplin. Show all posts

Tuesday, April 28, 2026

The Top 100 Singers of All Time

Singers:

Top 100

This list has been updated several times, most recently in 2026 after the Consequence.net ranking of the top 100 vocalists of all time. More than 70 lists – some of which focus on singers and some of which focus on greatest frontmen and women – have been aggregated to create this list.

Lists which purport to be “the best of all time” are usually flawed in several ways. First of all, they tend to focus on the rock era, oblivious that there was music before the 1950s. Second, they not only lean on that era, but tend to favor rock and roll artists. Third, those artists are overwhelmingly from English-speaking countries, namely the United States and the United Kingdom. While the third circumstance is still overwhelmingly obvious on this list, I have done my best to pull lists to represent different genres and eras as much as possible. It still isn’t perfect, but it does offer more diversity and representation than you’ll typically find on a best-of list.

See other lists of Acts/Music Makers by Categories.

Queen’s Freddie Mercury, image from Britannica.com

1. Freddie Mercury
2. Frank Sinatra
3. Aretha Franklin
4. Elvis Presley
5. Robert Plant
6. Janis Joplin
7. Stevie Wonder
8. Michael Jackson
9. Whitney Houston
10. David Bowie

Even though the sources behind this list heavily favor white male singers who front rock bands, the list makers still showed “Respect” to Aretha Franklin, the Queen of Soul. Image from rollingstone.com.

11. Marvin Gaye
12. Ella Fitzgerald
13. Ray Charles
14. Mariah Carey
15. John Lennon
16. Paul McCartney
17. Prince
18. Mick Jagger
19. Billie Holiday
20. Sam Cooke

Many of the names on this list wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for “The King of Rock and Roll.” Image from fanpop.com.

21. Bono
22. Jim Morrison
23. Elton John
24. James Brown
25. Otis Redding
26. Axl Rose
27. Tina Turner
28. Céline Dion
29. Bob Dylan
30. Roy Orbison

Divas like Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston, and Christina Aguilera show they deserve a place on this rock-heavy list.

31. Kurt Cobain
32. Nat “King” Cole
33. Stevie Nicks
34. Louis Armstrong
35. Johnny Cash
36. Roger Daltrey
37. Karen Carpenter
38. Bruce Springsteen
39. Smokey Robinson
40. Patsy Cline

Even a rock-heavy list can’t hold back jazz singer icons like Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, and Etta James. Image from music-wallpapers.net.

41. Nina Simone
42. Little Richard
43. Al Green
44. Etta James
45. Steven Tyler
46. Luther Vandross
47. Christina Aguilera
48. Steve Perry
49. Dolly Parton
50. Barbra Streisand

R&B legends like James Brown, Ray Charles, Marvin Gaye, Otis Redding, and Sam Cooke make the list. Image from johannasvisions.com.

51. Beyoncé
52. Joni Mitchell
53. Thom Yorke
54. Iggy Pop
55. Björk
56. Chris Cornell
57. Bing Crosby
58. Morrissey
59. Jeff Buckley
60. Neil Young

Pre-rock era crooners like Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby, Tony Bennett, and Nat “King” Cole couldn’t be denied. Image from queens-politics.com.

61. Bob Marley
62. Van Morrison
63. Adele
64. Tony Bennett
65. Ozzy Osbourne
66. Gladys Knight
67. Dusty Springfield
68. Amy Winehouse
69. Madonna
70. Eddie Vedder

Country stars like Johnny Cash, Dolly Parton George Jones, Patsy Cline, and Hank Williams made the cut even without rock and roll credentials. Image from abcnewsradioonline.com.

71. Dean Martin
72. Ann Wilson
73. Jimi Hendrix
74. Rod Stewart
75. George Michael
76. Maria Callas
77. Perry Como
78. Diana Ross
79. Hank Williams
80. Michael Stipe

Despite the shortcomings of lists such as these, don’t let that take away from rock gods like Robert Plant, Jim Morrison, and Mick Jagger who absolutely belong on this list. Image from thehelplessdancer.wordpress.com.

81. Patti Smith
82. Jon Bon Jovi
83. Debbie Harry
84. Ronnie James Dio
85. Joe Strummer
86. Bon Scott
87. Luciano Pavarotti
88. Bruce Dickinson
89. Lou Reed
90. George Jones

World music gets almost no love from the list makers, but at least Jamaican reggae star Bob Marley and French singer Edith Piaf make the list. Image from aarkangel.wordpress.com.

91. Tom Waits
92. Mary J. Blige
93. Judy Garland
94. Jackie Wilson
95. Tom Jones
96. Curtis Mayfield
97. Mel Tormé
98. Edith Piaf
99. Chuck Berry
100. Brian Wilson

Resources/Related Links:

Dave’s Music Database: Lists of Acts/Music Makers by Categories

First posted 7/17/2012; last updated 4/28/2026.

Friday, August 31, 2018

50 years ago: Janis Joplin charted with “Piece of My Heart”

Piece of My Heart

Big Brother & the Holding Company

Writer(s): Jerry Ragovoy, Bert Berns (see lyrics here)

First Charted: August 31, 1968

Peak: 12 US, 14 CB, 14 HR, 1 CL, 9 CN, 1 DF (Click for codes to singles charts.)

Sales (in millions): 1.0 US, -- UK, 1.03 world (includes US + UK)

Airplay/Streaming (in millions): 2.0 radio, 53.6 video, 154.6 streaming

Awards:

Click on award for more details.

About the Song:

In her Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee bio, Janis Joplin is described as “the greatest white urban blues and soul singer of her generation.” ^RH In 1968, she was still forging that voice, having come off a triumphant performance at the Monterey Pop Festival the summer before. Her San Francisco-based group, Big Brother & the Holding Company, charted soon after with their self-titled debut, but it stalled at #60. Their second album, Cheap Thrills, fared better, spending a whopping eight weeks atop the charts.

The same week the album launched its chart run, Janis & Co. hit the Billboard Hot 100 with their maiden entry, “Piece of My Heart.” The song peaked at #12, but reached iconic status. It has been inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame and is featured on the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s list of “The Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll.”

The song was written by Jerry Ragovoy and Bert Berns. Erma Franklin, the sister of Rock Hall inductee Aretha Franklin, recorded the song in 1967 and took it to the top ten in the R&B charts. Big Brother & the Holding Company’s rendition a year later has become the definitive version, but it has been notably covered by others, including Dusty Springfield, Sammy Hagar, Faith Hill, and as a duet between Melissa Etheridge and Joss Stone.

Joplin embarked on a solo journey after Cheap Thrills, but her days were numbered. A heroin overdose cut her life short at 27 years old on October 4, 1970. 1971’s Pearl and “Me and Bobby McGee” were posthumous #1 hits.

Resources:

DMDB encyclopedia entry for Big Brother & the Holding Company
^RH Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (inductee bio)

Wednesday, March 8, 2017

3/8/1968: The Fillmore East opened

Posted 3/8/2017.

image from boweryboogie.com

The Fillmore East opened its doors on March 8, 1968. The space on Second Avenue near East 6th Street in the Manhattan borough of New York City, was built in 1925 as the Commodore Theatre, a showcase for vaudeville and film, which seated 2830. ^BB It later became the Loews Commodore movie theater and then the Village Theatre before legendary concert promoter Bill Graham took over in 1968 and launched it as a companion to his Fillmore Auditorium and its successor, the Fillmore West in San Francisco. ^WK

The venue, which became known as “The Church of Rock and Roll,” hosted two-show, triple-bill concerts several nights a week. ^WK Graham was all about the fan experience, printing “ornate, hand-rendered posters…to announce gigs;” commissioning the Joshua Light Show to provide “lavish psychedelic visuals;” and equipping the venue with a “35,000-watt, 26 speaker sound system custom designed by Bill Hanley.” ^RS

The Allman Brothers Band “Whipping Post” – live at the Fillmore East

Janis Joplin, performed the first show with her band Big Brother and the Holding Company. Led Zeppelin played in early 1969 as an opening act for Iron Butterfly. The Allman Brothers Band, whose legendary At Fillmore East was recorded at the venue, performed there so often some christened them Bill Graham’s house band. Jimi Hendrix’s New Year’s Day 1970 performance was released as Band of Gypsys and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young’s 4 Way Street album was also a Fillmore concert event. Other acts to perform there included the Band, Chuck Berry, Joe Cocker, Derek and the Dominos, Fats Domino, the Doors, the Grateful Dead (43 shows), Jefferson Airplane, Elton John, Janis Joplin, B.B. King, the Kinks, Taj Mahal, Joni Mitchell, Pink Floyd, Santana, Sly & the Family Stone, Ike & Tina Turner, the Who, and Frank Zappa with the Mothers of Invention.

“After arguably the most influential three years in the history of rock n roll,” ^BB hosted its last show – an event headlined by none other than the Allman Brothers Band – on June 27, 1971. Graham had tired of competing with bigger venues like Madison Square Garden and the “borderline cost-prohibitive” asking prices for acts he did book. ^RS While its time was short lived, the Fillmore East “left proverbial footprints large enough to rival those of Radio City and the Beacon.” ^BB As Rolling Stone said, “few venues in rock history can match the hallowed legacy of the Fillmore East.” ^RS

Resources:

^BB BoweryBoogie.com (3/15/2012). “Live at the Fillmore East: A History of 105 2nd Avenue” by Allison B. Siegel.
^RS RollingStone.com (6/27/2016). “Fillmore East: 15 Great Shows” by Corbin Reiff
^WK Wikipedia.org: “Fillmore East”

Thursday, August 25, 2011

Rock 'n' Roll 101: How to Handle a Dead Star

Originally published in my "Aural Fixation" column on PopMatters.com on Aug. 25, 2011. See original post here.

image from popmatters.com

April 10, 1994 was my 27th birthday. That same week my generation’s greatest musical icon – Nirvana’s Kurt Cobain – ended his life with the same number of candles on his recent birthday cake. The music press went into high gear reporting the shock of Cobain’s tragic ending while simultaneously reflecting on its inevitability. After all, he was a troubled soul with a history of substance abuse, failed rehab stints, overdoses, and suicide attempts.

It didn’t take long before finger pointing began. In their grief, family, friends, and fans were reluctant to accept that their loved one died by his own hand. It was easier to blame someone else. Cobain’s marriage to Courtney Love was less than idyllic and she was loathed by many in the Nirvana community. This made her an obvious scapegoat. Eventually, conspiracy theorists floated the idea that Cobain’s death wasn’t a suicide at all, but that Love had him murdered.

While the music community mourned the loss of one of its giants, the spin moved on to Cobain’s legacy. He’d only lived long enough to spearhead three proper studio albums with Nirvana, but in the process was hailed as a revolutionary who’d birthed a new genre of music. Should he be immortalized alongside other musical icons who died at age 27? Was it fair to utter his name in the same breath as Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison, Brian Jones, and Robert Johnson?

These are all plays straight out of the Rock ‘n’ Roll 101 handbook, specifically the chapter on how to handle a rock star who checks out in his or her prime. It goes like this. First, express shock over Young Rock Star’s death and report on the outpouring of love and respect from the musical community. While that reality is still sinking in, switch gears completely and report on the inevitability of said Rock Star’s demise. After all, in light of his or her habits and lifestyle, who didn’t see this coming?

Next, the public wants answers. Not only should they be offered gory and gruesome details as if this were an episode of CSI or some other crime investigation show, but supplied with detailed exploits of the Young Rock Star’s last days.

The fans also need a target upon whom to vent their anger. Why wasn’t the record company babysitting its star more? Shouldn’t the family have done more to intervene? How about that destructive relationship? Sure the Young Rock Star may have exhibited every sign of a death wish, but can’t we ultimately blame someone else for this?

With Young (now Dead) Rock Star barely in the grave, it’s time to focus on his or her legacy. After all, our beloved hero has been dead for days! It’s about time we move on and figure out our idol’s place in the whole of musical history. How should this Dead Young Rock Star be remembered? Also, to generate controversy, plenty of press should be afforded to detractors who callously lambast Young Rock Star as overrated.

The final matter is two-fold: 1) how can Dead Young Rock Star be immortalized with such a slim discography and; 2) how can record companies shamelessly profit on Dead Young Rock Star’s death by raiding the vaults for unreleased material?

Amy Winehouse’s recent death required anyone associated with the recording industry or music journalism to dust off their Rock ‘n’ Roll 101 manuals. A quick overview shows her story to be eerily reminiscent of Cobain’s. Tabloids salivated over her exploits with substance abuse, failed rehab attempts, and a not quite two-car-garage-and-picket-fence marriage to Blake Fielder-Civil. It didn’t take long before Winehouse’s father publicly blamed his daughter’s death on the ex-husband because he had introduced Amy to drugs.

Conflicting accounts emerged regarding events in the days leading up to her death. Had she gone on a drug-buying spree just the night before? Had a physician just proclaimed her to be in good health? Did she die because she was fighting so hard to overcome her demons that her body collapsed from alcohol withdrawl? Posing these questions naturally draws out anyone who ever partied with Winehouse, sat in on a recording session, or hung out with her in a seedy bar. All of them weigh in with their takes on what she was really like.

Even with the public still grieving, talk turned to Winehouse’s status in Rock ‘n’ Roll Heaven. Does she deserve enshrinement alongside other musicians who passed on to that great gig in the sky, with only 27 years on planet Earth?

The matter of her slim two-album discography led detractors to say no. The jazzy Frank (2003) was critically hailed, but certainly not considered a game changer. The 2006 follow-up, Back to Black, was hailed as a landmark of both retro-soul and neo-soul. No, I’m not sure how it can be both, either. Whatever it is genre-wise, is Back to Black truly deserving of the “classic album” tag?

Whatever title was latched to her sound, it became the consensus that Winehouse launched a wave of white, British, female R&B/pop singers like Adele, Duffy, and Florence & the Machine.

Finally, there’s the “What will the record companies do next?” route. Winehouse hadn’t been dead a week before stories flooded the Internet about what was or wasn’t in the vaults that might see the light of day. Depending on the account, there’s the “let’s respect the family’s wishes” angle or the idea that if there’s a tape of Winehouse farting, let’s release it to the public – you know, because we deserve to hear it all.

Are there three albums worth of material? Is it just a handful of demos? When someone recently broke into her house, how much music did they steal? Will something be released before the end of the year? I think of the song “Paint a Vulgar Picture” by the Smiths: “At the record company meeting/ On their hands a dead star/ And oh, the plans they weave/ And oh, the sickening greed.”

What gets overlooked amidst the sensationalism are detailed expositions on what led to the tragedy. Why does our entertainment culture salivate over both the construction and destruction of its stars? Is the same quality that drives attention seekers to the spotlight what also causes them to self-destruct?

History is littered with artistic geniuses who could barely run their personal lives even as the world worshiped them. The urge to create is often a double-edged sword saddled with a propensity to destroy. Our greatest musical legends are often troubled souls who likely would have had difficult lives in or out of the limelight.

Through it all, however, we should never lose sight of some basics. The Rock ‘n’ Roll 101 Handbook doesn’t acknowledge that its Dead Young Rock Stars had parents, siblings, spouses, children, and friends. They had their problems but were adored by millions. They made music which touched people’s souls and changed people’s lives. The Kurt Cobains, Amy Winehouses, and other musical geniuses who walked this planet for far too short a time deserve to be embraced. They were flawed, but they were also beloved.

R.I.P., Dead Young Rock Stars.

Thursday, June 16, 2011

The Monterey Pop Festival: June 16-18, 1967

June 16-18, 1967: The Monterery Pop Festival was held at the Monterey County Fairgrounds in Monterey, California. Pete Townshend smashed his guitar, Jimi Hendrix lit his on fire, and the Summer of Love ignited.

More than 200,000 people turned out for a lineup of 32 performers at what the Encyclopædia Britannica called “the first commercial American rock festival.” It set the template for large rock festivals, most notably 1969’s Woodstock. Included on the bill were future Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees the Animals, Booker T. & the MGs, Buffalo Springfield, the Byrds, the Grateful Dead, Jimi Hendrix, Jefferson Airplane, Janis Joplin (as part of Big Brother and the Holding Company), the Mamas and the Papas, Otis Redding, Simon & Garfunkel, and the Who. See the set list here

Also performing were the Association, the Paul Butterfield Blues Band, Canned Heat, Country Joe & the Fish, the Electric Flag, Al Kooper, Hugh Masakela, Scott McKenzie, the Steve Miller Band, Moby Grape, Laura Nyro, Quicksilver Messenger Service, Lou Rawls, Johnny Rivers, and Ravi Shankar.

Most of the artists performed for free so that revenue could be donated to charity. The festival boasted an innovative sound system which served as the model for the larger-scale PA systems of the future. The electronic music synthesizer developed by Robert Moog was also introduced at a booth at the festival.

Read a couple first-hand accounts from festival attendees here and here. Also check out John Bassett McCleary’s summary of Monterey Pop’s place in shaping the hippie counterculture in The Herald.

Then, in the next best thing to being there, check out the 3-disc DVD collection The Complete Monterey Pop Festival: The Criterion Collection. It extends the 1968 Monterey Pop documentary shot by D.A. Pennebaker. You can also check out the 2-CD collection Monterey International Pop Festival.

Thursday, May 13, 2010

The Best Frontmen and Women of All Time

Note: This blog entry was modified on 7/2/11. Click here to see the original post, now archived on the DMDB Facebook page in the Notes section.

Q Magazine – The 100 Greatest Frontmen

Wow. The latest list from Q Magazine (think British Rolling Stone – if RS actually devoted all their attention to music) is maddening. As a music list fanatic, I frame each list in context. It is important to know that Q debuted about the same time as the Britpop movement (helmed by acts such as the Stone Roses and Happy Mondays) in the late ‘80s. As a result, they have an understandable bias toward the acts that helped them establish their cred and, perhaps even more importantly, sell magazines.

Hence it is no surprise that the mag salivated over the Blur vs. Oasis rivalry of the ‘90s like the National Enquirer drools every time Brad and Angelina break wind. Q is similarly giddy over every noise that Thom Yorke and Radiohead fart out. I’m not a big fan, but there is no arguing with the success and influence they’ve mustered and Q embraces that like a proud parent.

It also is forgivable that Q has wet themselves all over again, thanks to the new breed of Britpop faves in the last decade. The over-hyped Coldplay leads the pack, but other bands, including Keane, Kasabian, Muse, and Razorlight also figure prominently.

This is all well and good when reporting on new music – what’s hot, what’s going to be hot, and what won’t really be hot at all. However, when making big and bold proclamations like “the best ever” or “greatest of all time,” biases should be set aside. Some of the aforementioned bands might merit inclusion on best-of lists somewhere. Even the best of these, however, don’t belong at or close to the top – not in the context of ALL TIME. Those lofty heights should be reserved for the established giants.

In this case, the list is for the greatest frontmen of all time. Even the title is a misnomer since it implies that 1) everyone on the list is male, and that 2) these males all front bands. The presence of both solo stars and female singers invalidates the term. Granted, “singer” is too simplistic – the term “frontman” suggests a quality beyond vocal talent; it is also about a stage presence that captivates an audience. I don’t have a better term yet; “singers who know how to command an audience” seems a bit too wordy, but I’m working on it.

Anyway, without further ado (‘cause God knows I’ve overloaded with you “ado”), here’s their list:

Q Magazine’s “Top 100 Greatest Frontmen” (May 2010 issue)

Liam Gallagher “picked” as the best frontman of all time.

1. Liam Gallagher (Oasis)
2. Bono (U2)
3. Freddie Mercury (Queen)
4. Damon Albarn (Blur/Gorillaz)
5. Chris Martin (Coldplay)
6. Jim Morrison (The Doors)
7. Bob Marley
8. Matt Bellamy (Muse)
9. John Lennon/ (The Beatles)
10. Paul McCartney (The Beatles)

Q readers says Matt Bellamy is better than the Beatles’ John Lennon AND Paul McCartney. So there.

11. Robbie Williams (Take That)
12. Debbie Harry (Blondie)
13. Mick Jagger (The Rolling Stones)
14. Morrissey (The Smiths)
15. John Lydon (Sex Pistols/Public Image Ltd.)
16. James Brown
17. Bruce Springsteen
18. Robert Plant (Led Zeppelin)
19. Tom Meighan (Kasabian)
20. Joe Strummer (The Clash)

Robbie Williams is prepared to challenge Mick Jagger to a sing-off any day, any time.

21. Chuck D (Public Enemy)
22. Billie Joe Armstrong (Green Day)
23. Ian Curtis (Joy Division)
24. Axl Rose (Guns N’ Roses)
25. Jarvis Cocker (Pulp)
26. Caleb Followill (Kings of Leon)
27. Dave Gahan (Depeche Mode)
28. Kurt Cobain (Nirvana)
29. Roger Daltrey (The Who)
30. Thom Yorke (Radiohead)

Even Thom Yorke can’t get his head around the idea of being ranked higher than Elvis Presley.

31. Jack White (The White Stripes/Raconteurs/Dead Weather)
32. Mark E. Smith (The Fall)
33. Iggy Pop (The Stooges)
34. Elvis Presley
35. Dave Grohl (Foo Fighters/Nirvana)
36. Ian Brown (Stone Roses)
37. Nick Cave
38. Florence Welch (Florence + the Machine)
39. Paul Weller (The Jam/Style Council)
40. Eddie Vedder (Pearl Jam)

41. Keith Flint (Prodigy)
42. Bryan Ferry (Roxy Music)
43. Anthony Kiedis (Red Hot Chili Peppers)
44. Jon Bon Jovi (Bon Jovi)
45. Alex Turner (Arctic Monkeys)
46. Michael Stipe (R.E.M.)
47. Bon Scott (AC/DC)
48. Michael Hutchence (INXS)
49. Sly Stone (Sly & The Family Stone)
50. Eminem

51. Rod Stewart
52. Chrissie Hynde (Pretenders)
53. Julian Casablancas (The Strokes)
54. Karen O (Yeah Yeah Yeahs)
55. David Bowie
56. Shane MacGowan (Pogues)
57. Prince
58. Shaun Ryder (Happy Mondays)
59. Jay-Z
60. Richard Ashcroft (The Verve)

Yes! Chris Martin says that I, Richard Ashcroft, am the best singer of all time. He should know what he’s talking about – he’s ranked #5 while nobodies like Elton John are ranked below me.

61. James Hetfield (Metallica)
62. Siouxsie Sioux (Siouxsie & The Banshees)
63. Josh Homme (Queens of the Stone Age)
64. Courtney Love (Hole)
65. James Dean Bradfield (Manic Street Preachers)
66. Syd Barrett (Pink Floyd)
67. Lou Reed (Velvet Underground)
68. Steven Tyler (Aerosmith)
69. Joey Ramone (Ramones)
70. Peter Gabriel (Genesis)

71. Wayne Coyne (Flaming Lips)
72. Terry Hall (The Specials)
73. Elton John
74. Lemmy (Motorhead)
75. George Clinton (Funkadelic/Parliament)
76. Marc Bolan (T-Rex)
77. Bruce Dickinson (Iron Maiden)
78. Kelly Jones (Stereophonics)
79. Little Richard
80. Ozzy Osbourne (Black Sabbath)

81. Alice Cooper
82. Pete Doherty (The Libertines)
83. Kevin Rowland (Dexy’s Midnight Runners)
84. Ian McCulloch (Echo & The Bunnymen)
85. Howlin’ Pelle Almqvist (The Hives)
86. Bjork (Sugarcubes)
87. Mike Patton (Faith No More)
88. Phil Lynott (Thin Lizzy)
89. Gene Vincent
90. Brandon Flowers (The Killers)

I’m Kevin Rowland and I’m a better frontman than David Lee Roth.

91. George Michael (Wham!)
92. Noddy Holder (Slade)
93. Johnny Borrell (Razorlight)
94. Andre 3000 (Outkast)
95. Black Francis (Pixies)
96. Henry Rollins (Black Flag)
97. David Lee Roth (Van Halen)
98. Ian Dury (The Blockheads)
99. Howard Devoto (Buzzcocks)
100. Perry Farrell (Jane’s Addiction)

I’m not sure what planet Q lives on where Liam Gallagher outrates Freddie Mercury and James Brown is inferior to Chris Martin, but there you have it. In Q’s world, seeing Mick Jagger prancing about singing “Satisfaction” holds less appeal than seeing Robbie Williams (America can now sigh a collective “who?”). And who the hell would pay to see Robert Plant front Led Zeppelin when they can see Matt Bellamy with Muse? And don’t you really want to see Kasabian’s Tom Meighan instead of Roger Daltrey belting out Who songs? And let’s face it, if you gotta choose, aren’t you gonna opt for the Stereophonics’ Kelly Jones over Ozzy Osbourne and Razorlight’s Johnny Borrell over David Lee Roth?

That’s right. I’m Tom Meighan and I beat Roger Daltrey on the Q poll. Screw your generation! We’re talkin’ ‘bout my generation now!

For those unfamiliar with Dave’s Music Database, let me clue you in to what happens next. It goes something like this – I find a list like the one above. Its imperfections spark frustration and I seek out other similar-themed lists. Then I average these lists together to create a still-imperfect list, but one which weeds out some of the most glaring errors. The end result is featured as a “best of…according to Dave’s Music Database.”

Note: that list was originally part of this blog entry. The DMDB list of The Top 100 Singers of All Time has now been updated and appears on the DMDB Facebook page. Click here to see the original post as archived on the DMDB Facebook page in the Notes section.

Here’s the commentary that followed the DMDB list and the differences between it and the Q list:

So just how flawed is the Q list? Well, more than half the Q list got bumped from the DMDB list. You’ll just have to contend with a list that opts for Aretha Franklin, Roy Orbison, Sam Cooke, and Ray Charles instead of Damon Albarn, Chris Martin, Robbie Williams, and Tom Mieghan. If that has you singing the blues, well, at least try to do it with stage presence.

Aretha Franklin got no “respect” on the Q list.

The DMDB list still absurdly short changes any singer who dared utter a note before Elvis came along – apparently Billie Holiday, Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Nat “King” Cole, Etta James, and many others existed before time began, at least according to some of the lists gathered by the DMDB. What other explanation is there for these vocal greats missing the cut on so many of these “all time” lists?

Links:

DMDB Facebook page

Original post for The Best Frontmen and Women of All Time (5/13/10)

The Top 100 Singers of All Time (updated version)

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Woodstock: 40th Anniversary

Originally posted August 29, 2009. Last updated March 2, 2019.

Woodstock

various artists

Woodstock 2

Recorded: August 15-18, 1969 (all of below as well)

Released: June 6, 1970

Peak: #1⁴ US

Sales (in millions): 2.0 US

Genre: classic rock (all of below as well)

Woodstock 2

Released:April 10, 1971

Peak: #7 US

Sales (in millions): 0.5 US

Released: June 21, 1994

Peak: --

Sales (in millions): 0.1 US

Woodstock: Three Days of Peace and Music

Released: August 27, 1994

Peak: #186 US

Sales (in millions): --

Woodstock Diary

Released: August 30, 1994

Peak: --

Sales (in millions): 0.025 US

Woodstock: 40 Years On – Back to Yasgur’s Farm

Released: August 18, 2009

Peak: --

Sales (in millions): --

Tracks:

* The list below reflects, in order of performance, what has been commercially released on any of collections referenced on this page. For track listings of each of those collections individually, check the links under “Review Source(s).”

Day 1:

Set 1: RICHIE HAVENS: Choppity Choppity [John Morris stage announcement] ^W40, I Can’t Make It Anymore ^WD, Handsome Johnny ^{W25, W40}, Freedom (Motherless Child) ^{W1, WB, W25, W40}
Set 2: SWEETWATER: Look Out ^W40, Two Worlds ^W40
Set 3: BERT SOMMER: Jennifer ^W40, And When It’s Over ^W40, Smile ^W40
There Goes Marilyn! [John Morris] ^W40
Set 4: TIM HARDIN: Hang on to a Dream ^W40, If I Were a Carpenter ^{W25, WD}, Simple Song of Freedom ^W40
Flat Blue Acid [John Morris] ^W40
Set 5: RAVI SHANKAR: Raga Puriya-Dhanashri/ Gat in Sawarital ^W40
Set 6: MELANIE: Momma Momma ^W40, Beautiful People ^{W2, W25, W40}, Birthday of the Sun ^{W2, W40}
Set 7: ARLO GUTHRIE: Coming into Los Angeles ^{W1, W25, W40}, Wheel of Fortune ^W40, Walkin’ Down the Line ^W25, Every Hand in the Land ^W40
All You Funny People [John Morris] ^W40
Set 8: JOAN BAEZ: Joe Hill ^{W1, WB, W25, W40}, Sweet Sir Galahad ^{W2, W25, W40}, Hickory Wind ^W40, Drug Store Truck Drivin' Man [with Jeffrey Shurtleff] ^{W1, W25, W40}
Bring Scully His Asthma Pills [John Morris stage announcement] ^W40
Insulin/ Quill Intro [John Morris stage announcement] ^W40

Day 2:

Set 1: QUILL: They Live the Life ^W40, That's How I Eat ^W40
I Understand Your Wife Is Having a Baby [Chip Monck] ^W40
Set 2: COUNTRY JOE McDONALD: Donovan's Reef ^W40, The "Fish" Cheer/I-Feel-Like-I'm-Fixin'-To-Die Rag ^{W1, WB, W25, W40}
Set 3: SANTANA: Persuasion ^W40, Soul Sacrifice ^{W1, WB, W25, W40}
Set 4: JOHN SEBASTIAN: How Have You Been ^W40, Rainbows All Over Your Blues ^{W1, W25, W40}, I Had a Dream ^{W1, WB, W25, W40}
Set 5: KEEF HARTLEY BAND: --
Set 6: THE INCREDIBLE STRING BAND: The Letter ^W40, When You Find Out Who You Are ^W40
She Is Lost [Chip Monck] ^W40
We're in Pretty Good Shape [Chip Monck stage announcement] ^W40
Set 7: CANNED HEAT: Going Up the Country ^{W1, WB, W25, W40}, Leaving This Town ^W25, Woodstock Boogie ^{W2, W40}
The Brown Acid Is Not Specifically Too Good [Chip Monck stage announcement] ^{W1, W40}
Set 8: MOUNTAIN: Blood of the Sun ^{W2, W25, W40}, Theme for an Imaginary Western ^{W2, W25, W40}, For Yasgur's Farm ^W40, Southbound Train ^WD
For Those of You Who Have Partaken of the Green Acid... [Chip Monck] ^W40
Green Acid Advice [Country Joe McDonald] ^W40
Set 9: GRATEFUL DEAD: Dark Star ^W40
Set 10: CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL: Green River ^{W25, W40}, Ninety-Nine and a Half Won’t Do ^W25, Commotion ^W25, Bad Moon Rising ^W40, I Put a Spell on You ^{W25, W40}
Set 11: JANIS JOPLIN: Try (Just a Little Bit Harder) ^{W25, WD}, Work Me, Lord ^{W25, W40}, Ball and Chain ^{W25, WD, W40}
Set 12: SLY & THE FAMILY STONE: Medley: Dance to the Music/Music Lover/I Want to Take You Higher ^{W1, W25, W40}, Love City ^WD
The Politics of the Situation [Abbie Hoffman] ^W40
Set 13: THE WHO: Amazing Journey ^W40, Pinball Wizard ^W40, Abbie Hoffman vs. Pete Townshend ^W40, We're Not Gonna Take It ^{W1, WB, W25, W40}
Set 14: JEFFERSON AIRPLANE: The Other Side of This Life ^W40, Volunteers ^{W1, WB, W25, W40}, Saturday Afternoon/Won’t You Try ^{W2, W25, W40}, We Got a Whole Lot of Orange [Grace Slick stage announcement] ^W40, Eskimo Blue Day ^W2, Uncle Sam’s Blues ^W25, Somebody to Love ^{W25, WD, W40}, White Rabbit ^{W25, WD}
Breakfast in Bed for 400,000 [Wavy Gravy] ^{W1, W40}
It Just Keeps Goin’ [John Morris] ^W40
Max Yasgur Speaks [Max Yasgur] ^W40

Day 3:

Set 1: JOE COCKER/ THE GREASE BAND: Feelin' Alright ^W40, Let's Go Get Stoned ^{W25, WD, W40}, I Shall Be Released ^WD, With a Little Help from My Friends ^{W1, WB, W25, W40}
The Rainstorm ^W40
Let the Sunshine In [AUDIENCE] ^W2
Set 2: COUNTRY JOE McDONALD & THE FISH: Rock & Soul Music ^{W1, W25, W40}, Thing Called Love ^W40, Not So Sweet Martha Lorraine ^W40, Summer Dresses ^W40, Silver and Gold ^W40, Rock & Soul Music (Reprise) ^W40
Set 3: TEN YEARS AFTER: I’m Goin’ Home ^{W1, WB, W25}
Set 4: THE BAND: Long Black Veil ^W25, The Weight ^{W25, WD}, Loving You Is Sweeter Than Ever ^W25
Set 5: JOHNNY WINTER: Leland Mississippi Blues ^W40, Mean Town Blues ^{W25, WD, W40}
Set 6: BLOOD, SWEAT & TEARS: You've Made Me So Very Happy ^W40
Set 7: CROSBY, STILLS & NASH/YOUNG: Suite: Judy Blue Eyes ^{W1, W25, W40}, Blackbird ^WD, Guinnevere ^{W2, W25, W40}, Marrakesh Express ^{W2, W25, W40}, 4 + 20 ^{W2, W25, W40}, Sea of Madness ^{W1, W25, W40}, Wooden Ships ^{W1, WB, W40}, Find the Cost of Freedom ^W25

Day 4:

Set 1: PAUL BUTTERFIELD BLUES BAND: No Amount of Loving ^W40, Love March ^{W1, W25, W40}, Everything’s Gonna Be Alright ^{W2, W40}
Set 2: SHA NA NA: Get a Job ^W40, At the Hop ^{W1, W25, W40}, Get a Job (Reprise) ^W40
Set 3: JIMI HENDRIX: Get My Heart Back Together ^W2, Jam Back at the House (aka “Beginnings”) ^W2, Izabella ^W2, Voodoo Chile (Slight Return)/ Stepping Stone ^{W25, WD}, The Star Spangled Banner/ Purple Haze/ Woodstock Improvisation ^{W1, WB, W25, W40}
Woodstock Farewell [Chip Monck] ^W40

Review:

This page highlights only the most significant various artists collections out of a myriad of official and bootleg albums that have covered much of the music featured at the August 15-18, 1969 events at Yasgur’s field. The 1970 Woodstock Soundtrack is the highest ranked of the batch in the Dave’s Music Database. The best way to get this version is the 2009 Rhino remaster, “but even it has problems: the source tapes were problematic at best. It restores the original LP order, features new liners by Gene Sculatti, and has more photos in the booklet.” ^J1

There’s also the 1971 sequel, Woodstock 2, which was combined with the original Woodstock soundtrack on the Mobile Fidelity triple-CD version. ^BE

In 1994, a 25th anniversary, four-disc box set was released and then in 2009 another box set, Woodstock: 40 Years On – Back to Yasgur’s Farm, celebrated the 40th anniversary by expanding to six discs. This is the best place to go for the most complete view of Woodstock.

Check out Wikia Entertainment for the full schedule and setlists of each performer. WoodstockProject.com is a great resource for tracking down all the commercially and bootlegged Woodstock material.

Here’s the highlights of each set.

Woodstock Soundtrack:
“It’s almost impossible to regard the soundtrack albums for the Michael Wadleigh documentary Woodstock, simply as music, apart from the event that inspired them or what that event has come to represent. Music from the Original Soundtrack and More: Woodstock was originally released by Atlantic’s Cotillion imprint as a three-LP set in a gatefold sleeve” ^J1. It “was really rock’s first ‘coffee table’ album. Bought by millions but not really listened to that often, it’s amid a flood of wrong notes and the inherent flaws in recording live in front of hundreds of thousands of people in a temporary, makeshift venue. It was more satisfying for journalists and scholars than for ordinary listeners, what with its artists represented by one or two tracks and no more than 15 minutes of music by any single performer. But it did sell in the millions (and yielded a follow-up, Woodstock 2), fueled by the mystique surrounding the event and the release of the accompanying movie, and at times it did have a certain amount of energy to help drive it.” ^BE

“There were some telling moments: the second-ever public appearance by Crosby, Stills & Nash, not in great voice but surprisingly adequate given that they were trying to harmonize in front of 250,000 people, and the introduction of Neil Young as the fourth member of the group; Joan Baez, at her most politically defiant and at the height of her reach with younger audiences, doing what is probably the definitive version of Gram Parsons’ Drugstore Truck Driving Man; Canned Heat near the end of the road for its classic lineup; Joe Cocker on his way up the superstar ladder; Jefferson Airplane near the end of its classic era; and Jimi Hendrix in one of his biographically (if not musically) transcendant public appearances.” ^BE

“Musically, the second disc sounds the least dated with its over the top performances by a shockingly great Santana with Soul Sacrifice, Ten Years After’s guitar workout on I’m Goin’ Home, Jimi Hendrix’s Star Spangled Banner medley (still a stunner after all these decades); the Jefferson Airplane’s rocking and raucous version of Volunteers, and the orgiastic Sly & the Family Stone medley that includes Dance to the Music, Music Lover, and an insanely great I Want to Take You Higher. There is some filler as well thanks to a drippy John Sebastian track called Rainbows All Over Your Blues, and an indulgent Love March by an out-of-their-prime Butterfield Blues Band.” ^J1

“Disc one is more complex. There are some fine moments here, especially the CS&N and CSN&Y tunes, including Suite: Judy Blue Eyes (perhaps not perfect in voice but a very inspired performance), and Wooden Ships, with a decent if not thrilling Sea of Madness, in between. There is a desultory We’re Not Gonna Take It from the Who that is out of context, given they performed the entirety of Tommy. While Canned Heat’s Goin’ Up the Country has aged well, Country Joe & the Fish’s The ‘Fish’ Cheer/ I-Feel-Like-I’m-Fixin’-to-Die Rag has not, nor has Joan Baez’s performance of ‘Drug Store Truck Drivin’ Man.’ Her version of Joe Hill is generic.” ^J1 “Richie Havens’ Freedom (which is really a rewrite of ‘Motherless Child’)” ^BE “is still thrilling, especially since it is preceded by Sebastian opening the entire set up with another duller-than-dull I Had a Dream.” ^J1

“Freedom” and “Arlo Guthrie’s Comin’ into Los Angeles give listeners about the same level of intimacy on their acoustic guitars. And listening to CSNY’s Suite: Judy Blue Eyes, while it might not be the group’s best harmonizing or tightest performance, Stephen Stills does one hell of a great job and offers a sample of what he’d deliver on his stunning first solo album a little down the road.” ^BE

The most out of place thing here is Sha Na Na’s At the Hop, which sounds surreal but ragged and right, and Joe Cocker’s With a Little Help from My Friends, that closes disc one; it’s electrifying if rather out of tune.” ^J1

“The original, domestic triple-LP vinyl version had notoriously noisy pressings, and the original master suffered from all of the sound leakages and other defects inherent in recording live in the open air in front of several hundred thousand people.” ^BE The album, and its sequel, also “took the music out of the historical sequence of the festival and re-ordered (and edited) it for a sense of flow. Whether or not it accomplished its objective has been the subject of much debate…What is relevant is that these performances signified via their spotty recording quality – and sometimes dodgy performances – that there was an amazing array of legendary talent on hand at Woodstock; though not all of it is captured here.” ^J1

“So as it stands, Woodstock is a wildly mixed bag, and not particularly pleasant to listen to, but it does indeed have a significant place in the rock pantheon and should be regarded more as an artifact than as an album in its own right.” ^J1

Woodstock Two:
The original 1970 soundtrack “sold so well that Cotillion issued a sequel double album of more music from the festival that never appeared in the film.” ^J1 “This set featured many of the same artists who’d appeared on the first volume, with two additions: Mountain and Melanie. If anything, this set, more concise and more focused, is a better bet than its predecessor. Disc one is a stunner on more than one level. First, there are three tracks by Jimi Hendrix and his expanded lineup after breaking up the Experience (adding guitarist Larry Lee), and a trio of percussionists along with Mitch Mitchell and bassist Billy Cox. There’s the killer Jam Back at the House, which rolls in riffs and an instrumental array of tunes from his catalog including ‘Rainy Day Dream Away’; there’s a killer take on Izabella that’s raggedy but full of killer improvisation – check the interaction between Cox and Mitchell – and Get My Heart Back Together, also known as ‘Hear My Train A’ Comin’.’ These 20 minutes of music make it worth the purchase of this collection if you don’t already possess the Jimi Hendrix Live at Woodstock disc.” ^J2

“Jefferson Airplane is also here with an extra 12 minutes of music. Judging by this contribution and the inclusion of ‘Volunteers,’ on volume 1, this ranks as one of their greatest live sets ever issued. They begin Saturday Afternoon/ Won’t You Try with a medley of tunes from After Bathing at Baxter’s, issued early on in their career. The vocal performances by Marty Balin, Grace Slick, and Paul Kantner are simply stellar, but Jorma Kaukonen’s guitar as a guiding light also really shines here, and it screams on their other selection, Eskimo Blue Day, from the Volunteers album, even if its basic structure aped Bob Dylan’s ‘All Along the Watchtower.’ Disc one ends with the Butterfield Blues Band redeeming themselves with Little Walter’s Everything’s Gonna Be Alright, after the indulgent debacle of ‘Love March’ on volume one.” ^J2

“Disc Two features a trio of fine cuts by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young including Marrakesh Express, and a pair from Mountain: the stellar rocker Blood of the Sun, and the more pastoral Theme from an Imaginary Western. Canned Heat’s 13-minute Woodstock Boogie is a bit monotonous, but it’s a blast all the same. The tracks by Melanie and Joan Baez included here add nothing to this set and should have been left off in favor of some other artists who weren’t included on either volume, but that's personal preference. The Rhino edition of Woodstock Two contains new liner notes by Gene Sculatti, new photos, and completely remastered sound that’s a grand improvement on any CD edition released thus far.” ^J2

The Best of Woodstock:
This is a completely unnecessary CD since it simply distills the Woodstock Soundtrack from a two-disc collection down to one. Consequently, this “is far from a thorough overview of the festival – some of the artists aren’t represented by their most enduring material, and, after all, you can't cover three days’ worth of music in just one disc. Despite those limitations, the sampler does contain some of the festival's best moments, like Country Joe & the Fish’s ‘I-Feel-Like-I'm-Fixin'-to-Die Rag’ and Jimi Hendrix’s ‘Star Spangled Banner’ and Purple Haze. In the absence of the actual Woodstock album, this can be an affordable substitute.” ^H

25th Anniversary Box:
“In 1995, the Woodstock: Three Days of Peace & Music [25th Anniversary] four-CD box appeared, combining virtually all the key parts” ^BE of “the original three-record Woodstock set from 1970, its two-LP 1971 sequel, Woodstock II, and a generous store of previously unreleased tracks from Creedence Clearwater Revival, Janis Joplin, the Band, Jimi Hendrix, and others.” ^S “Like the famed August 1969 rock festival it chronicles [the set] is something of a sprawling, disorderly, engaging mess.” ^S “There’s plenty of chaff to go with the wheat (one is tempted to conclude John (‘Far out!’) Sebastian’s blissed-out rant hasn’t aged well, but it’s just as likely most of the crowd at Yasgur’s Farm would have gagged him if given half a chance, and Jefferson Airplane and Crosby, Stills & Nash clearly had better days). But Sly & the Family Stone, Joe Cocker, Santana, and Richie Havens shine, the stage patter has become part of the lexicon, and the whole package now stands as a remarkable account of a pivotal musical and cultural event.” ^S

Woodstock Diary:
With Best of Woodstock and the 25th anniversary box set already having been released in 1994, “this album, may, at first glance, seem like an afterthought. Actually, it’s a pretty neat compilation. Shorn of the long, indulgent jams, crowd chants, and warnings against bad acid that were an integral part of the earlier, better-known records, Woodstock Diary is a polished little gem – an alternate take on the mother of all rock festivals. Woodstock minus the melodrama, if you will. It isn’t a faultless set list by any means: Jimi Hendrix’s performance – revelatory and inspired as it was – has been covered enough elsewhere, so you can’t help wishing that they’d given his 12 minutes to, say, the Grateful Dead or Blood Sweat and Tears, both of whom haven’t been featured on any of the Woodstock compilations to date. That said, there are lovely moments aplenty: Crosby, Stills and Nash doing the Beatles’ Blackbird; Johnny Winter dropping hot riffs all over Mean Town Blues (the only song he performed at Woodstock); and Joe Cocker’s cover of I Shall Be Released, on which he manages to be affecting without burning the tune down to the ground like he did far more famously on ‘With a Little Help from My Friends.’ Along with the Band’s The Weight, Richie Havens’ tender version of Gordon Lightfoot’s I Can’t Make It Anymore, and Tim Hardin’s If I Were a Carpenter, they make this album predominantly a celebration of the quieter moments at Woodstock. Nine of the 14 tracks here are featured on the 1994 box set, so, for those who own that album, this may not be vital.” ^M, although it is important to note that those five tracks do not appear on any of the other Woodstock collections referenced on this page. Also, “as a companion piece to the Woodstock and Woodstock 2 albums, it is excellent value.” ^M

40th Anniversary Box:
In 2009, Woodstock was boxed again, this time as a six-CD set, making it “the most comprehensive collection ever available of artists that performed at the original festival.” ^AZ “It can be argued that this is merely a cash-in, but a number of things should be considered when critically looking at a set of this size, covering one of the most important events in rock music history. Perhaps the most significant aspect of this set is that it contains tracks by almost every single artist who appeared on the Woodstock stage in their proper sequence. The exceptions are the Band and Ten Years After as well as the introductory speech by Swami Satchidananda.” ^J40

The collection features “38 previously unreleased recordings, including the Grateful Dead, The Who, Tim Hardin, Jefferson Airplane, Country Joe & The Fish, and others.” ^AZ “In addition to the music, the set offers considerable amount of ancillary material sprinkled throughout the discs,” ^AZ including “stage announcements by Chip Monck, John Morris, and Wavy Gravy” ^J40, “lysergic babble, the sounds of rain, a cameo appearance by Abbie Hoffman, and the graciousness of Max Yasgur’s address to the crowd, heard for the first time in its entirety.” ^AZ

“In presenting a historical document of this proportion there are some interesting judgment calls to make. Producers Andy Zax, Mason Williams, and Cheryl Pawleski” ^J40 “pored over every inch of multitrack tape in search of the strongest parts of each of the 33 sets.” ^AZ “The sound, which was done by Eddie Kramer, is as good as it can possibly get…The book is a monster, loaded with photos and featuring Bud Scoppa’s wonderfully researched and presented liner essay, whose chapters account for each day, act by act.” ^J40

“Ultimately, however, it all comes down to the music. While we only get Dark Star by the Dead, we get (a bit) more music from the Who. The three tracks by CCR are all monsters, and hearing the five tracks by…[CSN/Y] all in correct sequence between BS&T and the Butterfield Blues Band makes total sense. One of the more welcome surprises is the expanded set by Sha Na Na. Fans of individual acts here will be delighted or complain about the treatment individual artists receive. Even though there is a bit more music, the Who still get short-sheeted (but we do get to hear the infamous row between Pete Townshend and Abbie Hoffman), as do the Dead. We didn’t need more of Arlo Guthrie than we already had, and why we still needed three tracks by Melanie or more by the completely unmusical Country Joe & the Fish is a mystery. We could have used more of the Incredible String Band or Richie Havens! But these are individual complaints. The set as it stands is the ultimate document – thus far – and will likely be for some time to come.” ^J40

Review Source(s):

^AZ Amazon.com ^W40
^BE Bruce Eder, All Music Guide ^W1
^H Steve Huey, All Music Guide ^WB
^J1 Thom Jurek, All Music Guide ^W1
^J2 Thom Jurek, All Music Guide ^W2
^J40 Thom Jurek, All Music Guide ^W40
^M Leslie Mathew, All Music Guide ^WD
^S Steven Stolder, Amazon.com ^W25
Wikia Entertainment – full schedule of acts and set lists
WoodstockProject.com – detailed list for tracking down both official and bootleg releases of Woodstock material

Awards (for Woodstock soundtrack):

Tuesday, April 5, 1994

Kurt Cobain commited suicide: April 5, 1994

Originally posted April 5, 2012.

image courtest of billboard.com

On August 8, 1994, an electrician found Kurt Cobain’s body at his home in a room above the garage. He was dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. A gun and suicide note were nearby. The coroner determined the 27-year-old rock singer/songwriter had died on April 5.

Nirvana, the band Cobain fronted, attained global fame in 1991-92 with Nevermind, a #1 album which achieved sales of 10 million in the U.S. and more than 20 million worldwide. It ranks in the top 10 albums of all time. That album’s lead single, “Smells Like Teen Spirit”, is also considered a landmark in music history, ranking in the top ten of the DMDB book The Top 100 Songs of the Rock Era, 1954-1999.

The huge success of that album and song put Nirvana at the forefront of the grunge movement. Considered the most vital music genre to come about in years, Cobain was heralded as its John Lennon – the voice of a generation of dissatisfied teens and young adults in their twenties.

Cobain was tortured by a chronic stomach ailment, heroin abuse, depression. In death, he became – some say intentionally – a member of “the 27 club,” a group of musicians including Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison, and later Amy Winehouse, who all died at age 27. Quoting from a Neil Young song in his suicide note, he said it was “better to burn out than to fade away” (read note here), an indication of his desire to go out on top.

CNN’s repot on Cobain’s death

NBC’s report on Cobain’s death

Awards:

Amazon.com Widgets

Resources and Related Links:

Kurt Cobain’s DMDB Music Maker Encyclopedia entry
Nirvana’s DMDB Music Maker Encyclopedia entry
BBC: Rock musician Kurt Cobain shoots himself
Spinner.com: 15 Rock Stars Who Died at 27 Years Old by Garin Pirnia (4/5/2011)

Saturday, March 20, 1971

Janis Joplin “Me and Bobby McGee” hit #1