I think I’d have to make the difficult choice and say, The Boston Pops. The range of music they recorded would last me.

The Eagles.

Journey is a close second.

Well......

I don't disagree with your assessment of the Beatles, but in the interest of picking another group, it'll come as no surprise to most that I'll choose Genesis. Both the Prog and Pop versions.

That said, thank God this is a hypothetical because to me, with anything but particularly with music, variety is the spice of life! Although my go-to genre is 80s anything, it would be a sad day for me to have to give up all the rest. Good question, though.

No problem here. Elton John

The Beatles with Simon and Garfunkel a close second.

Wouldn't. No one artist/group could be the only thing I listen to for more than a day or so. I tend to choose radio stations that play music that was popular long before I hit high school. Elimination would be easier. Anything produced after 1990.

I’d have to say The Beatles or The Eagles for their influence on popular rock music (although there are certainly others who come to mind). Crosby Stills Nash and Young for example, and even Elvis (not a favorite of mine but boy howdy did he ever change things).

For country music and actually crossover music in general The Carter Family is generally known and recognized as the most influential. And of course one of the offspring, June Carter Cash and Johnny Cash, as well as many others (Hank Williams, Loretta Lynn, etc) have had huge impact.

I like so many different types of music, it is hard to pick one favorite. Kinda like picking a favorite ice cream.

arcy, can you go along with the admittedly odd premise?

Pick one, what's your selection?

Kind of thinking along bpath’s line, my initial thought was something like the London Philharmonic. That might be kind of cheating though, as would picking a very broad range cover band. But then, Elmer included ”and the work of its members individually,” so where does it stop? Maybe I’d go with Ringo’s All Starr Band or something similarly expansive?

ps How about them Eagles, Elmer? 😉

As I was reading the original post, I also immediately came to the Beatles.

I don't know if I had to pick a second, who that would be.

When I read Lily's answer ( Beatles and Simon and Garfunkle) that sounded like a good answer for me. I might have the Doors in second place but the Beatles is a no brainer and absolutely the one .

" ps How about them Eagles, Elmer? "

Good memory, food.

I couldn't decide between Queen, Pink Floyd, the Doobie Brothers, Joan Baez, and the Eagles (sorry Madame Scorpion).So I went to the Beatles as a fallback.

" Elmer included ”and the work of its members individually,” so where does it stop? "

I really didn't have in mind future gigs of a clarinetist or cymbal player but rather those individually or noticeably responsible for innovation. And frankly, as orchestras and conductors do little or no innovation or new things on their own (other than new arrangements, yawn), for me, they kinda fall out of contention. But, there are no rules, say who it is you want to listen to.

I couldn't possibly respect any drummer more than Ringo. One of the best ever and I applaud him for staying very active and a vital part of the live music scene through all these years. Various versions of his All Star Band, which I've seen many times, were a joy to see. But, it's a group of performers, not a group who've worked collaboratively to innovate.

Edit to add:

I left off one band from the list in the first whole paragraph above, in this comment. No need to mention it, someone else did further down.

Billy Joel would be a contender but I’m not there yet.

Picking a single group is HARD!! My tastes are broad. The Beatles would never top my list but the Eagles are certainly in contention, as would be Jethro Tull, AC-DC, and the Rolling Stones. But I think my heart really belongs to Queen. I never tire of listening to them or watching old YouTube videos.

Chicago!!!

Bruce & the E street band

I might be able to listen to Laurie Anderson forever. I once played O-Superman for 2 weeks straight.

^Gotta agree with bothell regarding Bruce, but it would be a VERY tough choice. Like many, my taste in music is all over the place.

Ok I asked my wife and son and they both came up Billy Joel pretty quickly. I think that’s helped cement that choice for me.

edit - Ok, so fifteen minutes later my son comes to me and asks, "If I pick the Beatles can I include their solo careers and bands?" Asked with no knowledge of anything discussed on this thread.

Beatles/Grateful Dead

Willie Nelson and his country music buddies because they are who we listened to where I grew up. But I learned to like tenors singing opera. So glad that I really do not have to choose just one.

Or maybe they're not awake yet. Here on the East Coast it is only 5:15 am. But then again I have no clue who the Sorority members might be.

I'd vote for the Beatles too.

So, Elmer, who is the OTHER band you said got mentioned?

So curious.

Hmmmm...Neil Diamond, Billy Joel, Elton John, Bon Jovi, Harry Connick, Jr., Tom Jones,

Fleetwood Mac, Rod Stewart, Queen, Beatles, Elvis, Journey, Meghan Trainor, Adam Lambert, Lionel Ritchie, The Eagles, Michael Buble, even Andy Williams, Adele,

and on and on and on and on.

cannot do it, my music file is the largest file on my computer...thankfully I don't have to

get rid of any and they are all my favorites! Now...I can do it backwards...keep as

many as I want and get rid of one....I'd chose Lukas Graham to delete from my list,

would still keep one of his...."What Happened To Perfect".

Can't get rid of my antique LP Vinyl Records, 45's, Tapes, I-Pod nanos, or copies of any either. ;) and

just have them stored away.

No, no, no, no!!!!!

( LOL )

If I had to pick one, it would be Nina Hagen.

Number two would be Beck.

I don’t know if I am considered part of - The Peanut Gallery Sorority 🤷‍♀️. I thought we were done calling names Elmer?

I pondered the question yesterday and could not do it. My taste in music seems to depend on my current mood. Actually trying to narrow it down seemed depressing and I no longer focus on depressing things so I blew it off. I considered Aerosmith and Journey but the thought of omitting AC/DC and P!nk was just too much for me.

I can’t pick just one and thank goodness I will never have to. Music is so important in my life.

" Music is so important in my life. "

Well said. It's like that for so many. Myself included. But not for everyone and I accept that too.

Tough question but I'll go with Queen.

Final answer Regis.

Nina Hagen, I had to look that one up and sample a bit. Oh my.

Perhaps obvious, but to me this isn’t just about just really liking an artist, it’s about being able to appreciate snd enjoy them as the only choice for forever. While I’ve never been overly fond of the Beatles, i can totally see where that’d be a super solid choice for many. I can listen to a band like Avenged Sevenfold all day long, but that couldn’t be my forever choice..

We all have our own tastes. No one is better or worse than any other. I always enjoy lars' contributions to the Friday music threads. His music scene differs from mine and I appreciate the light he shines on performers he likes that I didn't previously know of.

Nina Hagan was an interesting punk style performer, of an outrageous/overly dramatical type. Quite entertaining. Here's one of her performances. I think her earrings are particularly clever.

I forgot to mention one of my favorite singers that I’ve been listening to a lot lately. I should have put him at the top of my list in the country music category. Chris Stapleton. His lyrics are worth listening to and his so are most of his songs. I know many don’t care for this genre and I didn’t either as a younger adult. As I’ve aged I’ve come to appreciate it more and more. There is still a part of the older music I don’t like but i could say the same for some rock music too.

Elmer, I totally agree about different tastes, diversity makes life interesting and I appreciate exposure to something new. I wasn’t so much criticizing NH as imagining life with no musical choice but that!

Sorry food, I wasn't commenting on what you'd said. I was sharing lars' choice with others. Because I found it interesting and hoped others would too but thought perhaps others may not. Your "Oh my" was appropriate, her schtick is for sure unique.

Whatever orchestra, or ensemble has recorded the most J S Bach.

Maybe Pharoah Sanders as second.

I’d like more complicated and intricate music if that’s my one choice, not that I don’t enjoy other types.

nancy, do you like modern/contemporary and/or modern experimental orchestral music?

I enjoy chamber music, from early music to contemporary.

Also a fan of classical Persian music.

I’m reminded of my parents. Baroque was their genre, but they’d stretch from Rennaisanse to early Classical. Anything outside of that was generally considered noise, intolerable noise if it came from the latter 20th century or beyond.

Considering music was a very important part of their lives, I have no idea how they could be so strictly and narrowly focused.

FOAS, I am surprised that you were not familiar with Nina Hagen, since she is from East Germany (East Berlin) but lives in Los Angeles/Malibu now (unless she has moved).

Here is one of her first songs:

from her 1979 Unbehagen LP, which was all in German, as I remember. She started out Punk but quickly morphed into New Wave/Neue Deutsche Welle. I had a difficult time choosing from her and Der Plan or Deutsch-Amerikanische Freundschaft. Nina was trained as an opera singer, which I think shows. I met her in San Francisco in 1982, shortly after her album NunSexMonkRock was released, which mixed a lot of English lyrics with German. She autographed a couple of albums for me, and I saw her in concert afterwards. I've seen her perform three times - she is extremely good on stage. I also have a huge photo book on her, which is now out of print.

" Considering music was a very important part of their lives, I have no idea how they could be so strictly and narrowly focused. "

I have no response to this but rather an opposite experience.

My parents had very narrow and unsophisticated music taste. They didn't listen to music much but when they did, it was big band/swing music from the 30s-40s, what was popular during their later teen and then wartime and early adult years. Nothing else.

But they were limitlessly open-minded. About anything and everything.

Phil Collins - Genesis.

Elmer, I should’ve made my choice before reading the entire thread! I did list who first popped into my mind though. I liked Led Zeppelin too back in the day when I lived in Germany for a couple of years. But, I couldn’t take them all day then or now. So many listed here that I could be content listening to… easier to eliminate what I couldn’t bear to listen to.

Nancy, I asked about what kind of music you like because I wondered about if you liked modern music. There's an annual modern music event called the Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music that's held at the nearby beach town, Santa Cruz. Some people we know are quite keen on this style and we've been to a few concerts with them.

As a person with a slight but not intense appreciation of classical music, I find the contemporary stuff difficult to enjoy.

The festival has apparently been in existence for many decades so there's an audience for this kind of music as for most others.

Van Morrison has a large catalog of music I would be content with on a loop.

Nina simone. i love you porgy.