Finally, we're into March Madness terms! The Sweet 16 is upon us, and boy, what a lineup of artists we have left. Congratulations to those who made it, for this blog considers you the best of the best (just go with it guys) in music history. However, 15 of these artists still need to be eliminated in the coming weeks. Luckily, it's not a fight to the death like some sort of musical Hunger Games. At this point, we've gone way past background information. Going back to Acclaimedmusic.net--the fantastic site that made the rankings of this bracket possible--I have a brief yet comprehensive report on each artist's critical acclaim. The reason I mention Acclaimedmusic.net's rankings and nothing else is that any other critics list I might mention is almost surely included in their calculations. Also, I have now put pictures in the document instead of just linking to them (helps to have more room) and instead of just one key track, I linked to the first and last ranked song chronologically from Acclaimedmusic.net.
Okay that's it, I'll stop talking now. Well, one more thing...
Artist remaining (overall ranking by Acclaimedmusic.net):
The Beatles (1)
The Rolling Stones (2)
Bob Dylan (3)
David Bowie (4)
Led Zeppelin (6)
Jimi Hendrix (10)
The Beach Boys (12)
The Velvet Underground (13)
Neil Young (14)
Marvin Gaye (16)
Nirvana (19)
Pink Floyd (21)
Talking Heads (25)
The Doors (32)
Beastie Boys (34)
Creedence Clearwater Revival (43)
1 The Beatles
Critical Recommendations: 13 albums and 51 songs in top 3000, 12 albums and 24 songs in top 1000
Impressive Accolade: Five (!) albums in the top 30 most recommended all time
First and Last Tracks: Love Me Do to The Long and Winding Road
Vs.
2 The Velvet Underground
Critical Recommendations: 6 albums and 11 songs in top 3000, 5 albums and 6 songs in top 1000
Impressive Accolade: "The Velvet Underground & Nico" is 4th most recommended album of all time
First and Last Tracks: All Tomorrow's Parties to Rock and Roll
1 The Rolling Stones
Critical Recommendations: 15 albums and 36 songs in top 3000, 11 albums and 15 songs in top 1000
Impressive Accolade: (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction is 2nd most recommended song of all time
First and Last Tracks: It's All Over Now to Start Me Up
Vs.
2 Marvin Gaye
Critical Recommendations: 5 albums and 11 songs in top 3000, 3 albums and 7 songs in top 1000
Impressive Accolade: Top 10 placements in most recommended albums ("What's Going On" - 6th) and songs ("I Heard It Through the Grapevine" - 8th)
First and Last Tracks: Can I Get a Witness to Sexual Healing
4 The Doors
Critical Recommendations: 6 albums and 7 songs in top 3000, 3 albums and 3 songs in top 1000
Impressive Accolade: "The Doors" is 24th most recommended album of all time
First and Last Tracks: Break On Through (To the Other Side) to Riders on the Storm
Vs.
3 Pink Floyd
Critical Recommendations: 9 albums and 10 songs in top 3000, 4 albums and 4 songs in top 1000
Impressive Accolade: Every top 1000 album is in top 200 most recommended all time ("Dark Side of the Moon", "The Piper at the Gates of Dawn", "The Wall" and "Wish You Were Here"
First and Last Tracks: Arnold Layne to Comfortably Numb
5 Beastie Boys
Critical Recommendations: 5 albums and 9 songs in top 3000, 5 albums and 3 songs in top 1000
Impressive Accolade: Dominating 1986 with an album ("Licensed to Ill" - 207th) and 4 songs, including "(You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (To Party!)" at 291st most recommended all time
First and Last Tracks: The New Style to Intergalactic
Vs.
6 Creedence Clearwater Revival
Critical Recommendations: 4 albums and 10 songs in top 3000, 3 albums and 5 songs in top 1000
Impressive Accolade: Three albums released in 1969 made it to top 1500 most recommended all time, two of which are top 400 all time
First and Last Tracks: Proud Mary to Have You Ever Seen the Rain
1 David Bowie
Critical Recommendations: 12 albums and 17 songs in top 3000, 8 albums and 10 songs in top 1000
Impressive Accolade: Three albums in the top 100 most recommended all time ("Ziggy Stardust", "Hunky Dory" and "Low")
First and Last Tracks: Space Oddity to Let's Dance
Vs.
2 Neil Young
Critical Recommendations: 15 albums and 15 songs in top 3000, 9 albums and 4 songs in top 1000
Impressive Accolade: Two albums in the top 100 most recommended all time ("After the Gold Rush" and "Harvest")
First and Last Tracks: Cinnamon Girl to Rockin' in the Free World
4 Talking Heads
Critical Recommendations: 7 albums and 9 songs in top 3000, 5 albums and 2 songs in top 1000
Impressive Accolade: Has a Top 400 most recommended all time album in four consecutive years (1977-80)
First and Last Tracks: Psycho Killer to Road to Nowhere
Vs.
2 Jimi Hendrix
Critical Recommendations: 5 albums and 12 songs in top 3000, 4 albums and 5 songs in top 1000
Impressive Accolade: Three top 150 most recommended all time albums in two years ("Are You Experienced", "Electric Ladyland" and "Axis: Bold as Love")
First to Last Tracks: Hey Joe to The Star Spangled Banner
1 Led Zeppelin
Critical Recommendations: 6 albums and 11 songs in top 3000, 6 albums and 5 songs in top 1000
Impressive Accolade: Three albums in top 100 most recommended all time ("Led Zeppelin IV", "Led Zeppelin II" and "Physical Graffiti")
First and Last Tracks: Dazed and Confused to Kashmir
Vs.
3 Nirvana
Critical Recommendations: 5 albums and 8 songs in top 3000, 3 albums and 6 songs in top 1000
Impressive Accolade: 3rd most recommended album ("Nevermind") and song ("Smells Like Teen Spirit") of all time
First and Last Tracks: About a Girl to Where Did You Sleep Last Night?
1 Bob Dylan
Critical Recommendations: 22 albums and 29 songs in top 3000, 14 albums and 13 songs in top 1000
Impressive Accolade: Three albums in top 25 most recommended all time ("Blonde on Blonde", "Highway 61 Revisited" and "Blood on the Tracks")
First and Last Tracks: Blowin' in the Wind to Mississippi
Vs.
2 The Beach Boys
Critical Recommendations: 10 albums and 14 songs in top 3000, 3 albums and 7 songs in top 1000
Impressive Accolade: "Pet Sounds" is the most recommended album of all time, with two top 50 most recommended songs ("Good Vibrations" and "God Only Knows") written in its sessions
First and Last Tracks: Surfin' USA to Surf's Up
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