The real "best artist"

I'd like to put an end to these endless discussions about who is the "best artist" or "why is my favorite artist not considered as the best artist?"
The answer is quite simple, the real "best artist" of all times is: "Mozart".

He performed live, he toured Europe, he left a huge catalogue of music, that still is relevant 223 years after his death. His music is still performed daily in many parts of the world.
No other artist has reached this so far, most are forgotten after few years or decades. And we will never know, who else will also reach 224 years - not to forget, that by then Mozart is still 223 years ahead.

 

I am not a fan of Mozart ( except towards the end ), so I would put several other classical composers ahead of him, Bach Handel Wagner etc but towering above them all would be Beethoven. Like the Beatles he changed the game, he moved music massively forward just as they did. the shifts were seismic.

 

I don't want to start a new discussion about the best classical composers, but even here Mozart wins cause Beethoven's music has "only" survived 188 years....

 

Blue Öyster Cult.






Really, it's gonna be different for everyone. You dig what you're into.

 

If we use length of time as the factor, then we should go with Haydn.

Haydn wrote at least 400 pieces of music, including 107 Symphonies.
Haydn started singing professionally when he was 7.
Haydn wrote his first music at 26 years old.
Haydn composed his first symphony at 27 years old.
Mozart was only 3.

But if we are looking at the Best as a musical Artist, we are still faced with the fact that Mozart was a genius.

Mozart started playing piano at 3.
Mozart composed his first music at 5 years old.
Mozart composed his first symphony at 8 years old.
Mozart only wrote about 40 symphonies, but he wrote at least 600 pieces of music.

So I might list them like this:
1 Mozart
2 Haydn
3 Prince

 

'50s: Chuck Berry
'60s: Beatles
'70s: Neil Young
'80s: Prince
'90s: ??

And I'll let the forum decide who is best among those.

 

The OP is more interested in objective judgments about artists' aesthetic achievments. Personal preferences shouldn't come into it.

 

Johann Sebastian Bach

 

Zeppelin could blow Mozart off the stage.

 

4. Blue Oyster Cult

 

Many would argue that the pure genius of the shadowy tales of Imaginos, cast in shadow, exceeds nearly all others...a 'career of evil' indeed. In less poetic terms, name another group and/or artist who's entire (as of 2015, 47 year) career more or less revolved around one concept.

 

Bernard Herrmann

 

Robert Cray

A young woman once said to me, "Can't he write about something other than nailing women and feeling guilty about it?"

 

Does this mean I can't listen to The Beatles anymore?

 

Yes. Zeppelin would certainly blow Mozart off the stage. Most likely, by playing a Mozart piece, claiming it to be their own.

 

By that benchmark, I believe Pink Floyd documented some of the earliest Artists with "Several Species of Small Furry Animals Gathered Together and Grooving With A Pict".

 

Unless Paul Simon is opening--he'll beat Zeppelin to it.

 

Can we just put it this way?

THERE. IS. NO. BEST. ARTIST.

Best artist is suggestive. At least I think it should be.

 

Perhaps I should have said "and managed to be creative and keep it interesting whilst letting it unfold", or something like that.

 

Suggestive as in...dirty?

Then it is Prince after all!

 

JS Bach was dead before Mozart was born, so Bach, for the longevity win.
"Classical music is the heaviest of metal." - Joey Ramone

 

"Mozart was a bad composer who died not too early but too late." - Glenn Gould
(Not saying I agree with Gould, but it's a refreshing antidote to all the hype elevating Mozart to God-like status.)