Just curious and not intending to start the "real" music agrument, which bands or artist do you all like in regards to musicianship (artistic) skills? or another way of putting it bands that have the "complete package"?
Me personally:

KISS-#1 all around, great songs,showmanship, rock and roll!

Iron Maiden- lyrics (all tell a story!!) mucisianship, never once heard any band as tight as these dudes!!!awesome drumming and bass playing.

Ronnie James Dio- songwritting!! I love songs that tell me bedtime stories

Malmsteen and Masi- I love to hear a classicaly trained guitar picker!

AC/DC- Three cord rock and roll, doesn't get much simpler than this and still kick butt!

Lennon & McCartney- need I say more?

Enya- OH! I'm sleepy, great flying music!!

Stratovarious-metal,classical,lyrics AWESOME!

Stevie Wonder- All around amazing!!

Elvis- He needs to be added!

Simon& Garfunkel- another song writting team that can't be beat.

I could go on and on, but I won't what about you guys(gals) ?

Easy on yourself if 47 is old I'm no spring chicken at 35, you need to give me some hope!!
And yes The Who and Dylan are on my list too!!
Tommy- a odd story and a real masterpiece!!
Everybody who was (and is) anybody took part in it!!

The Rolling Stones - Sex ,Drugs 'n' Rock'n'Roll at it's best...

Too many to list. Here's some of my old favourites in no particular order.

Crickets
Eddie Cochran
Chuck Berry
Everly Brothers
Rolling Stones
Beatles
The Who
Searchers
Kinks
Queen
Simon & Garfunkel
Josh White
Dire Straits
Eagles
Abba
Dave Brubeck Quartet
James Burton
Les Paul
Freddy King
Buddy Guy
Tony Joe White
Jeff Beck
Hank Marvin
Eric Clapton
The Carpenters
JJ Cale
Jimi Hendrix
John Williams (classical gutarist)
Julian Bream
Charlie Christian
Django Rheinhardt
Wes Montgomery
Kenny Burrel
Barney Kessel
Charlie Byrd .................etc, etc
Jimmy Smith
Joe Morello
Gene Krupa
Louis Bellson
Eric Delaney
Ella Fitzgerald
Frank Sinatra
Matt Monroe
Nat "King" Cole
Fats Waller
Gladys Knight
Eva Cassidy

I think you should get the picture.

PS. I added a couple more.

Quote:

Paul Simon wrote all the Simon & Garfunkel stuff. He also used to play a mean guitar before being restricted by injury to his left hand. He's probably the most inventive of all modern "pop" musicians. IMHO

Foz me old lad.

I never said I'm not musical. I made quite a nice living at it for 12 years or so. Made more doing that than my proper job. I don't happen to consider myself an expert on certain types of music - that's all.

HAGER, judging from your list you must play guitar?
You have a broad list from awesome guitarist-drummers.
Yes Simon did the writing but the two together made the song (my opinion) . And inventive indeed!

PAZ, He needs to be in my list just because he's Elvis, he is considered by me to be the "complete package" just because of the influance he had on the world. Ask anyone , anywhere, any age and they know who Elvis is.
I would venture a bet that more people in the world know who Elvis is than Bach.

I have too many, gonna see how many I can name off the top of my head....

Rolling Stones
Beatles
The Who
Eagles
Floyd
Zeppelin
Megadeth
Dio
Hendrix
Zappa
BB King
.....Crap I can't think of anymore...

Sock

Joe Satriani
Queen
Dire Straits
Led Zeplin

AC/DC - They kick Rock'n Roll ARSE, the ultimate in heavy rock and roll. They are the tightest and most amazing live act I have EVER seen they are masters of showmanship and they are just so unbelievebly cool 8) It may not be the most complex music ever but there are some of the best riffs in history under their belts with subtleties in the music that are brilliant. Their tunes are good enough to reduce other bands to tears and then vomit with rage at why they are not good enough. 8) You can't tell i like them can you?

The Darkness - The first decent band in years. They have very good videos, they are good live as well. Good solos that ooze talent.

Metallica (old albums) - Different to this new metal stuff that they seem to have descended into, some very powerful stuff. My favourite is the S&M album performed with the San-Fransisco symphony orchestra, it is almost unbelieveble how good it sounds with the heavy metal, Enter Sandman sounds AMAZING.

Pink Floyd - Very talented writing. The music is so full and such innovative songs that I could listen to them all day. They are the only band that has a 17 minute song that I am willing to listen to all the way through.

I am sure I can think of a few more but those are my favourites.