The beautiful thing about music is that it is a universal language that everyone can understand and feel. It transcends all boundaries in society and truly unites us as a human race. For this reason it's no wonder an artist can pull millions to a concert in a foreign country where the majority do not even understand the lyrics, but can feel the power of the music. Music can help people connect or it can help them forget, here are some of those artists responsible for making a huge influence on all our lives.
Bob Dylan is one example of someone who used the medium of music to touch lives in a way that almost all musicians never will. Having won the Nobel prize for literature for having "created new poetic expressions within the great American song tradition," he was responsible for capturing the attention of teenagers by making poetry cool again. Besides being sat on stage next to Martin Luther king Jr. during his "I have a dream" speech, Bob Dylan also pledged the entire proceeds of his Christmas album to homeless charities in perpetuity.
Bob Marley is an artist synonymous with the reggae music genre since he was largely responsible for popularizing it in the West. Using music as a vehicle he used his voice to educate the West about his Rastafarianism religion and the culture of his home country Jamaica. His lyrics would never shy away from condemning the injustices that were prevailing at the time, and for this reason he will remain as an artist that helped change the world for the better.
Where one looks at sheer talent, Jimi Hendrix is at the top of the list. The self-trained guitarist is widely considered as a musical genius for his precision and speed while playing, singing and dancing simultaneously. It is widely considered that he is one of the most influential musicians in the history of rock, and has even gone so far as to inspire games by Net Entertainment. Jimi shaped rock music and was responsible for bringing it to new heights during his short career that lasted less than a decade. In 1969, he appeared at several benefit concerts for African-American causes And often spoke out against violence and encouraged tolerance for others.
The artists mentioned above were all worshipped as gods when they were at their peak. However, none comes close to the level of the king of rock -- Elvis Presley. According to an American demographics magazine, 84% of Americans say their life had been touched by Elvis Presley. What may seem like normal now was considered extremely controversial at that time, and Elvis was at the forefront of pushing musical boundaries.
The music that he made was said to be "corrupting the minds of young people," but given the state of the world at the time and the people making these statements we can say in hindsight that it was for the better.
These are just a few of the artists but the list can go on. Michael Jackson, the Beatles , Freddie Mercury and Prince are just as deserving to be on the list. These musical geniuses touched the world and shaped it into what it is today. Who would you add to the list?