What follows is two lists that outline my favourite musical groups and solo artists. I’ve thought about this a lot, and I dare say it’s still not perfect, not definitive. And anyway, it’s still a work in progress as I’m always discovering new or old bands and artists. I think of these as my main sequence music favourites, after the scientific definition of main sequence star systems. Genres are mentioned, though I’m not sure if all the categories match up with the artists (ie, were Australian Crawl a rock band or a pop band?). I’ve highlighted my most important bands and artists in red. These lists give a good indication of where my musical interests have fallen over the years. Obviously, my interests have scaled down considerably over the last few years. These days my main focus is on Kpop, especially a fabulous group I love to death called Twice (see above). It’s been quite a journey!
Main Sequence Groups
Pop | Rock | Hard Rock | Indie/Alternative | |
50s | Everly Brothers Doo Wop Groups | |||
60s | the Beach Boys Girl Groups The Shangri-Las the Hollies Manfred Mann the Bee Gees the Zombies Bubblegum the Monkees The Association the Lovin’ Spoonful Simon & Garfunkel | the Beatles the Kinks the Rolling Stones the Who the Byrds the Small Faces the Easybeats Buffalo Springfield the Doors the Moody Blues Creedence Clearwater Revival CSN the Guess Who the Band Jethro Tull Badfinger the Flying Burrito Brothers Fairport Convention | the Yardbirds Cream Psychedelic Hendrix Experience Santana Led Zeppelin Steppenwolf Prog Pink Floyd Genesis Yes King Crimson The Master’s Apprentices Fleetwood Mac (1) | Love Velvet Underground MC5 Captain Beefheart The Stooges |
70s | the Carpenters 10cc Sherbet Little River Band Wings Abba ELO the B52’s Disco Earth, Wind &Fire The Sports | Steely Dan Roxy Music The Sweet Daddy Cool Little Feat Big Star The Dingoes Skyhooks Steve Miller Band The Doobie Brothers Ozark Mountain Daredevils Atlanta Rhythm Section the Eagles Fleetwood Mac (2) America Stars New Wave the Jam Ultravox XTC Foreigner Jo Jo Zep the Cars Cheap Trick Blondie Dire Straits the Police the Pretenders the Motels REO Speedwagon | Heavy Metal Black Sabbath The Faces Free Aerosmith Allman Brothers Bad Company Judas Priest BTO Hush ZZ Top the Runaways Kiss Queen Boston Meatloaf Thin Lizzy Punk Sex Pistols The Ramones the Clash AC/DC Heart Cold Chisel | The Modern Lovers the Residents Joy Division Gang of Four the Only Ones Magazine |
80s | Australian Crawl Mental As Anything New Romantics Human League OMD Altered Images Prefab Sprout Quarterflash the Go Betweens Lloyde Cole and the Commotions | U2 Simple Minds The Sunnyboys The Numbers Matt Finish REM Hoodoo Gurus Mi Sex the Go Go’s the Bangles the Church the Smiths the Triffids Los Lobos | Midnight Oil Divinyls X (LA) Motley Crue Guns N Roses The Pixies Hard Ons Doom Metal The Obsessed St Vitus | The Birthday Party Yellow Magic Orchestra The Cramps Dream Syndicate The Violent Femmes Sonic Youth Jesus and Mary Chain Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds 10,000 Maniacs The La’s The Replacements |
90s | Britpop Blur Pulp Spice Girls All Saints TLC Travis | The Sundays The Stone Roses Teenage Fanclub Redd Kross Manic Street Preachers Buffalo Tom The Posies Belly The Breeders Radiohead Oasis Pavement Placebo Deadstar the Verve | Grunge Soundgarden Nirvana Pearl Jam Smashing Pumpkins Spirit Caravan Fur Cathedral Driveby Truckers Sheavy Electric Wizard You Am I Magic Dirt Powderfinger Kyuss Concrete Blonde Def FX The Hidden Hand | Died Pretty Mazzy Star Lush Underground Lovers the Clouds Stereolab Guided By Voices Sleater Kinney Portishead Massive Attack |
00s | Goldfrapp The Bird and the Bee | The White Stripes Coldplay Kings of Leon | Within Temptation Evanescence Lacuna Coil | Fleet Foxes Deap Vally Camera Obscura Deerhoof The Shimmys The Jacknives |
10s | Kpop BTS Twice Blackpink Jpop Perfume | Deep Sea Arcade Howling Bells | Camp Cope | |
20s | Aespa Nmixx Newjeans Misamo XG |
Main Sequence Solo Artists
Pop/Soul | Rock | Country/Folk | Indie/Alternative | |
50s | Frank Sinatra Elvis Presley Chuck Berry Little Richard Doris Day Rick Nelson | Bob Wills Hank Williams Johnny Cash Wanda Jackson | ||
60s | Gene Pitney Roy Orbison Del Shannon Esquivel Dusty Springfield Shirley Bassey Nancy Sinatra Francoise Hardy Serge Gainsbourg Stevie Wonder Aretha Franklin Curtis Mayfield | Bob Dylan Neil Young Joni Mitchell Joe South Gene Clark | George Jones Merle Haggard Gordon Lightfoot Nick Drake Leonard Cohen Tammy Wynette Loretta Lynn Freddy Fender | |
70s | Neil Diamond Carly Simon James Taylor Cat Stevens Kate Bush Judie Tzuke Bryan Ferry Billy Joel Elton John Van Morrison Don McLean Leo Sayer Gerry Rafferty Paul Simon Donna Summer Olivia Newton John Linda Ronstadt Nicolette Larson Roberta Flack Ray Thomas | Paul McCartney John Lennon George Harrison David Bowie Bruce Springsteen Suzi Quatro Tom Waits Rod Stewart Elvis Costello Eric Clapton John Fogerty Peter Gabriel Rick Wakeman Justin Hayward Bob Seger Bob Marley Patti Smith Lou Reed Dave Davies Steve Forbert Warren Zevon | Emmylou Harris Gram Parsons Ralph McTell JJ Cale Bobbie Gentry Sandy Denny | Jonathan Richman Michael Pinder Brian Eno |
80s | Suzanne Vega Tracy Chapman Brian Wilson | Joe Jackson Ian Dury Rachel Sweet Pat Benatar Broderick Smith Lene Lovich Paul Kelly | ||
90s | Aimee Mann Neneh Cherry | Tori Amos Susanna Hoffs Frank Black Ray Davies | Lucinda Williams Lisa Miller | Elliott Smith Nick Cave Fabienne Delsol |
00s | Amy Winehouse | Wino | Lanie Lane | Jolie Holland Robert Forster |
10s | Taeyeon | Jack White | Kasey Musgraves | |
20s | Nayeon Jihyo Chaeyoung Nana Mizuki Taeyeon |