The other thread by BadDog (
http://www.gofuckyourself.com/showthread.php?t=731253) on Rock Stars since the 90's, motivated this one ...
If the differentiation is to be made using some sort of criteria or formula, that went say something like this ...
Brand Recognition (at their PEAK or PEAKS, how much of a household name were they and would the majority of people across all age groups recognize their songs if played) ....
plus
Brand Longevity (over how many years / decades / generations did not just the commercial success at the time but their continued day-to-day influence permeate? How long since they started are they as a musician or as a song title or as lyrics still revisited, remixed or re-used and still accepted as "household" words) ....
plus
Pure Economics (how many records did they sell, how long did they spend in the various charts, how many awards did they win, how many songs did they release and on how many albums over how long)....
plus
Market Reponsiveness (how many times over how long a time period did they revisit themselves, be it to underscore the way they have always been or to strike new creative directions) ....
I would start a list something like this (just for starters):
ROCK GODS
Paul McCarthey/John Lennon (Beatles)
Mick Jagger (Stones)
Madonna
Elton John
U2 (hard just to seperate Bono, but could if necessary)
ROCK LEGENDS
Janis Joplin
Jimmy Hendrix
Robert Plant
Eric Clapton
ROCK STARS
Kurt Cobain
Marilyn Manson
Bruce Springsteen
Debate/comment/flame away.
