Normpoll: Ten Favorite Rock Artists

Norm Geras has another of his intriguing polls. This time he is asking for our all-time favourite rock stars. Norm leaves it to us to define the borders of the genre. Which is no little problem. Recently, Peter Guralnik was interviewed by NPR on the 50th anniversary of Elvis' first SUN single, "That's Allright, Mama." Guralnik, author of what is said to be the definitive Elvis bio and the superb Sweet Soul Music said that rock did not define a musical genre, but a marketing category.

That segmentation has been largely racial. There have been a few periods when the racial barriers have receeded--the late 1960s and early 1970s. Prince and Lenny Kravitz broke through in a latter period. But a cultural curmudgeon still might define rock as "black-influenced music made by white musicians for white consumers."

Here's my list

Rolling Stones
Cream
Allman Brothers
Creedence Clearwater Revival
Aretha Franklin
Bob Dylan
Bruce Springsteen
Electric Flag
Van Morrison
Otis Redding

Honorable mentions: Chuck Berry, Jimi Hendrix,The Band, Booker T and the MGs. Ray Charles, Santana, The Who,Was Not Was, Buffalo Springfield, Steely Dan, Sly and the Family Stone, Joni Mitchell, Shelby Lynn, Sheryl Crow, Ike and Tina Turner, The Beatles, Living Colour, Los Lobos, The Doors, Grateful Dead, Phish, Elvis Presley, Blood Sweat and Tears (Al Kooper, Stevie Wonder, James Brown