Elvis Loses Out In Major Pop Polls

[Brian Quinn]

CNN) -- The votes are in and Michael Jackson is your number one global music icon.

Almost 100,000 of you voted to tell us that the self-styled "King of Pop," who died suddenly in June 2009, is the musician you rate above all others.

British pop group The Beatles, late Canto pop sensation Leslie Cheung, rock 'n' roller Elvis Presley and Reggae godfather Bob Marley also made the top five.

No female artists made the list, although U.S. pop queen, Madonna came in at number six, narrowly missing a place.

Last month CNN's arts and culture program, icon, asked you to vote for your top five most iconic musicians of all time.

To add insult to injury I thought I would post the other Poll Results that have just been released:

Beatles, Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson Top Greatest Musicians of All Time List

By Peter Fowler at 25 Aug 14:38

Michael Jackson, the Beatles, Bob Dylan, Led Zeppelin and the Rolling Stones have topped VH1's '100 Greatest Music Artists of All Time' List. VH1 goes back to its music roots and revisits the age-old question: "Who is the greatest music artist for all time?"

Determined by a poll of well-known music artists and music experts in the industry, VH1 will reveal this definitive and sure-to-be highly controversial list declaring who is the greatest of the great.

Hosted by Jim Shearer (VH1's "Top 20 Video Countdown"), the 4-night special, VH1's "100 Greatest Artists of All Time," premieres Monday, September 6 at 10/9c with a 2-hour premiere.

This definitive countdown covers all genres of music - from rock to pop to rap to metal - to answer who is worthy to possess the title as "the greatest music artist of all time."

Over the 200 musicians including Alicia Keys, Ozzy Osbourne, Sean "Diddy" Combs, Iggy Pop, Nas, Rob Halford (Judas Priest), Geddy Lee (Rush), Alex Lifeson (Rush), Michael Diamond (Beastie Boys), Daryl Hall, John Oates, Noel Gallagher (Oasis), Gene Simmons (KISS), Adam Levine (Maroon Five), 50 Cent, Nelly Furtado, Mandy Moore, Carrie Underwood, Adam Clayton (U2) and many more voted on who they believe deserves this highly coveted title.

In 1998, VH1 launched the same list as the channel's first countdown special; however; much has changed since the dawn of the new millennium. VH1 puts this debate up for a vote again to see which rock pioneers still matter and which new acts rate in the age of download-to-own music and ever-changing pop culture. The countdown will include special, rarely-seen performance footage along with brand new, totally original interviews with music's most famous faces including interviews by Adele, Backstreet Boys, Brandy, Bret Michaels, Chris Daughtry, Hall & Oates, Keane, Ozzy Osbourne, Ray J, Sheryl Crow, Usher, Whitney Houston and many more.

VH1's "100 Greatest Artists of All Time" has changed since its first poll in 1998. Some notable changes include: -- Michael Jackson was number 40 in the 1998 poll; however, in the current list Jackson is in the top 5.

-- Artists from the 1960s and 1970s are still relevant with today's artists. Younger musicians like Adam Levine, Jason Mraz, Chris Daughtry and Carrie Underwood cast votes for classic acts like the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin and Stevie Wonder.

-- Contemporary artists like Beyonce, Jay-Z, Alicia Keys, Eminem, Coldplay and Green Day are in the Top 100. However, current headliners Lady Gaga, Kanye West, Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Lil' Wayne and The White Stripes failed to make the cut.

-- The poll reflects changing tastes. The list features over 30 artists who did not make the cut in 1998 including ABBA, Journey, Hall and Oates, Rush, George Michael, Mariah Carey, Sade and Cheap Trick.

-- The 1998 list included very few Hard Rock artists. This time, Black Sabbath, AC/DC, Metallica, Judas Priest and Def Leppard made the list.

-- The 1998 list ignored Hip Hop entirely. Now Jay-Z, OutKast, Run-DMC, Public Enemy, Tupac Shakur, Notorious B.I.G., LL Cool J and N.W.A. are in the top 100. However no hip hop artist broke the top 40. Jay-Z was highest at #47.

TheGreatest.VH1.com will have exclusive extras including interviews and commentary. Additionally, online visitors will be able to participate by using VH1's voting tool that allows users to pick their favorite artists, weigh in their opinions and socially broadcast their take on the list through Twitter.com and Facebook.com. "VH1's 100 Greatest Artists of All Time" List:

TOP 5, IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER

1. The Beatles 2. Bob Dylan 3. Michael Jackson 4. Led Zeppelin 5. Rolling Stones

NUMBER 6 - 11, RANKED

6. Jimi Hendrix 7. Prince 8. Elvis Presley 9. James Brown 10. Stevie Wonder 11. Bob Marley 12. David Bowie 13. The Who 14. Nirvana 15. The Beach Boys 16. Madonna 17. Queen 18. Pink Floyd 19. U2 20. Marvin Gaye 21. Bruce Springsteen 22. The Clash 23. AC/DC 24. The Velvet Underground 25. Chuck Berry 26. Neil Young 27. Aretha Franklin 28. Elton John 29. Radiohead 30. Aerosmith 31. John Lennon 32. Black Sabbath 33. Guns N' Roses 34. Tina Turner 35. Johnny Cash 36. Paul McCartney 37. Fleetwood Mac 38. Sly & The Family Stone 39. The Kinks 40. The Police 41. Van Halen 42. Metallica 43. Ray Charles 44. Joni Mitchell 45. Al Green 46. Ramones 47. Jay-Z 48. Rage Against The Machine 49. Parliament-Funkadelic 50. Sade 51. Billy Joel 52. Beyonce 53. Little Richard 54. Public Enemy 55. Peter Gabriel 56. KISS 57. Iggy & The Stooges 58. Cheap Trick 59. Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers 60. Whitney Houston 61. Cream 62. Genesis 63. Notorious B.I.G. 64. Talking Heads 65. The Doors 66. Justin Timberlake 67. Coldplay 68. Otis Redding 69. Tupac Shakur 70. Def Leppard 71. R.E.M. 72. Janis Joplin 73. Van Morrison 74. The Cure 75. Rush 76. Run-D.M.C. 77. Lynyrd Skynyrd 78. Judas Priest 79. Eminem 80. Mary J. Blige 81. ABBA 82. Steely Dan 83. Earth, Wind and Fire 84. Curtis Mayfield 85. The Band 86. N.W.A. 87. George Michael 88. Bee Gees 89. Beastie Boys 90. Elvis Costello 91. Green Day 92. LL Cool J 93. Pearl Jam 94. Mariah Carey 95. OutKast 96. Journey 97. Pretenders 98. Depeche Mode 99. Hall & Oates 100. Alicia Keys

(C) NewsRoom America 2010


Brian

[italianfan]

Annoying yes, but I take these things with a pinch of salt. It depends on who votes on these things, perhaps if the whole world voted then the results would represent general opinion but in reality only a small number of people vote (and probably keep voting). I think alot of the results of these poles could be changed if EPE took some action. IMO EPE need to get a bit creative. VH1 is a music channel, but they never show Elvis. Why don't EPE get some TTWII footage on there? or some 50s footage, or 68 special footage? They need to talk to those radio stations that play only rock to get Elvis played or even do an Elvis special or something. Its about targetting the audience who take these poles IMO.

[Brian Quinn]

Annoying yes, but I take these things with a pinch of salt. It depends on who votes on these things, perhaps if the whole world voted then the results would represent general opinion but in reality only a small number of people vote (and probably keep voting). I think alot of the results of these poles could be changed if EPE took some action. IMO EPE need to get a bit creative. VH1 is a music channel, but they never show Elvis. Why don't EPE get some TTWII footage on there? or some 50s footage, or 68 special footage? They need to talk to those radio stations that play only rock to get Elvis played or even do an Elvis special or something. Its about targetting the audience who take these poles IMO.

I agree 100%.

Brian

[Jimmy1966]

ELVIS PRESLEY will always be the greatest recording artist of all time TO ME. . . I Don't care what others believe.

[May]

ELVIS PRESLEY will always be the greatest recording artist of all time TO ME. . . I Don't care what others believe.

Absolutely!

[KPM]

ANY-poll like this is just a moment in time-MJ just died a little over a year ago, he has very loyal fans who are much more savvy about internet polls, and at this moment they have momentum with them because of the recent year of publicity involving his death and all that it involved.
As for the VH1 poll-lets face it the VH1 crowd has no interest in Elvis-It does not bother me-he is given little chance on their network.
When the Rubberneckin video came out I did not see it on either of the music channels (or its subsidiaries)when I inquired as to why... VH1 and MTV each told me in separate e-mails that they just have little interest in playing any Elvis videos, they say there is no demand for them-and they play what people want. I pointed out that I was requesting they play it and they said "not enough people were requesting it"
A steady stream of videos with very new hot sounding songs would have to be in the cards, and its too expensive to do for the returns by Sony......if they had a never ending source of quality unreleased new songs by EP they would have a reason to make the videos, but they just have nothing new......so they will pick and choose and only do something for the big years such as this 75th celebration year. VHI will not get the steady stream of videos and Elvis will continue to get little exposure there.

[JRtherealJR]

These endless polls come and go all the time. It's a pity that Elvis did not get his deserved No.1 but recency plays a lot in these polls and they often reflect the public consciousness at the time. Remember that poll a couple of years ago where Robbie Williams was voted the greatest singer of all time!?!?!
MJ only got to No.1 here because of his death- in the years before he died, he wasn't even making the top 10 in any poll at all- but Elvis was!
In 2000 there was a massive UK-wide vote by HMV and Channel 4 to find the Star of the Millenium and of course Elvis won.
Just wait and see if MJ will be No.1 in any poll at all 33 years after his death like Elvis is.

[SleepyJack]

These things just are what they are...little time-passing exercises..not too many people care what they say,it`s just the views of a few people who took the time to vote on them. You could probably put together another list of at least 100 artists who never even made that particular list and most of them would be of a lot more importance,both musically and socially, than most of those people.
As for VH1 and MTV not being interested in Elvis.... Who cares? Most of the time they are quite happy to play their little games of musical snobbery anyway..just like so many of the modern-day music magazines..what most of them really know about music would fit in a very small 2-page magazine supplement. I used to get really wound-up by all that one time,a lot of the people I know read those magazines like Mojo and Uncut...and they believe everything they read in them..they are also great at name-dropping artists and albums at the drop of a hat..without ever having listened to any of them....it`s all just show.

[Nicole Presley]

Who did the ask? They didn´t ask us!

[Joe Car]

These kind of polls don't bother me, either way. I'm very secure in Elvis' legacy and how the world, truly feels about him. His phenomenal appeal, not too mention the thousands of fans that attend his anniversary, each and every year, are a testament to this.

[Raised on Rock]

In fact Elvis in the top 5 and top 10 is a great thing!

I mean, this polls depend 100% on currend trends you see, a lot of people that was not on the poll 10 years ago it is now, and a lot of people that it was, is no longer there. Ten years from now lots of people won't be there anymore, include many people in the top10.

So it is not that important to be on the No.1 spot, as it is to KEEP BEING ON THE TOP 10, Elvis was there 10 years ago, 20 years ago, it is there now, and it will be 10, 20, 30 years from now, that's the big deal. From all those names only a small bunch will be there 50 years from now, and Elvis will be on that bunch, thats for sure, so never mind whatever starlet might enjoy an "aparently" undeserved high spot today, nevermind Elvis not being in the no.1. Elvis happened only half century ago, lets wait and see who will be reminded from all those names A HUNDRED YEARS FROM NOW!

[monk37]

the general public has a short memory and yeah, Jackson having just died is gonna win

but, if we look at it closely, no one cared about Jackson for 15 years before his death - people in the entertainment industry openly referred to him as a pedophile and he never sued or defended himself for whatever reason

the expected crowds did not materialize for Jackson the way that they died for Diana, Elvis or even Valentino during the week of Jackson's death

nor did any materialize in noticeable numbers on the first anniversary


The Beatles are better managed than Elvis - that hook up with the Rock band video game was genius to bring the Beatles to a new audience

Elvis as a singer, doesn't transport to that game - but there could easily have been an Elvis cross over into the Sims - there were many fan made Elvis skins and related houses and clothes.

FTD could offer digital download sales of their releases - especially the deleted ones

mostly, it's the constant hits compilations and poor marketing that Elvis has always been subjected to

it's always been amazing to me, not so much what Elvis accomplished - but that he did it with a manager and record company and movie studios who didn't understand him as an artist and who acted on the premise that Elvis was a fad, so get while the getting is good.