although i like the band, i must say that there are more deserving acts on that list that should have that spot. not that i'm poorly-assessing their talents or belittling their achievements, but if in fact this is a list of influential bands/solo artists, then this list shouldn't have them up so high.

not even counting the smiths, the standards set by the other groups and solo artists in the lower rungs continue in our modern-day perceptions of rock and pop. i find it kind of silly that radiohead appears above bands it drew an apparent influence from, including our beloved smiths, the beatles, brian eno (who does not even appear on this list either as an entry for himself or in an entry for the band roxy music), and if you take into consideration the new album, kraftwerk, aphex twin, durutti column and cocteau twins.

despite some of the great groups appearing on this list, you could probably say that it is a speciment that serves evidence that 'top-whatever' lists are a shoddy affair. you can see that in the top ten, economics (as in what sells) and current trends play a number in the creation of this list. hell, i wouldn't be surprised if the advent of 'kid a' is the reason why kraftwerk, the smiths and joy division appear on this list. and eminem in the top ten? eminem my ass! there are people not on this list that are far more deserving. if this is in fact a poll conducted from asking musicians, i question two things:

1. where are these musicians from?
2. are all of these musicians well known or are they a bunch of 'start-ups' or '20-year locals' still looking for a sound to call their own?

all this said (and this is quite a bit i've said already), i wouldn't doubt radiohead being considered as one of the rock's greatest bands - they already have shown their greatness. but i think it is way too soon, especially considering that the great achievements of the past still linger considerably in current 'standards' of rock-pop.

Reading this list has been the most amusing part of my day.
Radiohead at #2?....ha ha ha

Oh well
Smiths number 10, at least its reconition,
the other bands from 5-9 11-20 ,
all the suck the ballsack.
I can't belive Enema made the list and Nirvana didnt.
What about Nirvana?
Hey! Have we learned nothing?
Apparently.

Smiths - 10, thank you Smiths, notice how they have such little text about the Smiths
What about Morrissey-solo?
Spare me the barbs...
I will still never, ever, ever, ever,
buy the NME. They still suck, they hate morrissey, and so I hate them.
Smiths
Smiths
Smiths
All day, my head is filled the songs of the
Smiths
Smiths
Smiths

It's of the most INSPIRING. I think that it a bit different from being a direct influence. I think that all of the artists on the list can be credited for providing inspiration and breathing fresh air into their respective genres. I can picture open minded artists with diverse tastes skimming through their album collections and telling Spin what really wakes them up, what music is so incredible that it makes them want to create. Public Enemy is what totally brought hip hop to where it is today, and Mos Def is keeping it current, exciting and fresh. Flaming Lips are not personally my thing, but you can't base it all on that one hit they had. They have done some incredibly creative things and most of the musicians I know think they are great (even if they are twenty and local). Beck was the most incredible show I have ever been to (outside of Morrissey of course). They are all wonderfully inventive artists-I think everyone is being a bit biased and close-minded. I have albums by many of those artists (Bowie, Mos Def, Eminem, Beck, Beatles). The Smiths will always be my number one, but I feel inspired by a very diverse group of artists.

I don't think they've influenced anybody...I mean, most of the other ones at least represent a different type of music, but Radiohead #2...they must be on crack, I would love to have a word with their supplier...'Cause he's a' sellin' some goo' shit, you know whadd-im'-sayin'?

1. The Beatles
2. David Bowie (he influenced Morrissey)
3. All The Great Blues Artist pre-modern music
4. Kraftwork (started the whole syn thing)
5. The Smiths (influenced radiohead)
6. Bob Dylan
7. Sex Pistols
8. Public Enemy
9. Miles Davis
10. The Rolling Stones

Radiohead? Not even in the top 25. Press darlings in England. Yes they are a great band but who do you see really coping them. Radiohead were influenced by The Smiths. Q article 99!!! Eminem??? What crack are they smoking??? Where's Limp Biskezttzzzzz if you are including him. You can see Morrissey's influence on most of the popular bands out their. Oasis, Blur, Radiohead, Travis, Gene, Echobelly....the list goes on without Cornershop...

This list was based on a poll of current musicians? How sad.... Can anyone explain why the Velvet Underground and the Smiths are below Radiohead? And why the Beatles are not number 1?
Any "most influential" list that includes Eminem has to be some twisted joke.

I have to admit that I love David Bowie but he is a vampire and always took his inspiration anyway between his contemparies so it's quite hard to say that he has influenced anybody.
Radiohead probably will influence some bands but it hasn't actually did or on a very low level
I'd rather not talk about eminem who is just noone
but I think the pixies are missing

the beatles changed modern music more than any other group in hisory. period. i love bowie and yes, the smiths are my favorite, but the beatles changed everything. just look at every group that immediately followed them in 1963-1965. that's influential! as for radiohead, i love them, but really...they are a great band but the british press really needs to stop with them. giving all of radiohead's albums places in the top 10 of the best albums of all time was just ridiculous and this only furthers that...

remember how just a couple of years ago Oasis would have probably made #2 on that list?

This is my list:

1. David Bowie
2. The Beatles
3. The Smiths
4. Johnny Marr (the reason why one would want to play guitar)
5. Joy Division
6. The Jam
7. T-Rex
8. Roxy Music
9. Suede
10. Bernard Butler

I'm surprised they didn't include N'Sync or the Backstreet Boys on that list.

aphex twin, chemical bros.
do me a favour, as 4 m+m im going back 2 bed..........................
aaaaggggghhhh, geeeezzzz, ive just had a nightmare, there was this pathetic poll and on it the smiths came after m+m as most influencial artists.
worry over folks, apparently it was in the NME, which means it didnt count 4 shit...phew....

'Greatest Bands' or 'Songs' lists always make me smile.. It's all based on fashion and current trends isn't it.. I mean, will anyone remember the Aphex Twin in 5 years time? Of course not.. This is all style over content I am afraid. My view is that great bands that earn their right to appear in these lists influenced and give birth to musical styles and movements (Beatles, Beach Boys etc).. That is their true currency of worth coupled with some brilliants songs of course..And of course THE SMITHS were a springboard and the influence for the whole lot of British bands in the 90's.. (and agve me something to belive in of course during the dire music of the80's)..Like the Pixies could arguably be credited for influencing a lot of the better American alternative rock music..

Why do these polls remind me of Christmas carols? The end of the year is near, and here they come.

But, I'd admit, it's good to see David, Moz & Co, the Velvet Under, and especially Miles Davis ranked together. Long time no see.

P.S. If you were asked who had the best hair-cut of the year 2000, please respond SPIKE! Thanks.

I thought this list was suppose to be the most influential bands, not the bands that the writer felt like putting down.
    I have not heard too many bands saying that they were influenced by Radiohead or Eminem. Some of these bands will dissapear and be forgotten forever in a couple of years. Kind of like Eminem>Vanilla Ice, etc.

Where's The Cure?

I know he didn't write anything, but he was one hell of a perfomer! And many artist looked up to him. Just look at Morrissey!

Led Zeppelin,Jimmy Page especially and The Doors (Jim Morrisson mostly, should be high on the ranks. Those men influenced many rockers from the past 25 years. Who the hell has little blondie sad rapper influenced that is noticed as of yet?
If musicians were voting on this then they wouldn't have had him on there. That is very odd. Not that I have anything against him, but really, that just doesn't make sense.
I think musicians without a record or even a name for their band were the people who voted on those ones.

:)

A fairly solid list, all told, excepting the somewhat bizarre inclusions of Radiohead at no.2 and Eminem. Theoretically, you shouldn't be able to argue with a list compiled in this manner because the musicians themselves should know better than anyone who influenced them.
But, the question is - and I'm not being funny! - did the artists being polled understand the question? Or how was it put to them? Were they asked for who most influenced their music (as the poll's title suggests), or just who currently inspires them? Influence and inspiration aren't a million miles apart, but there is a subtle, and very important, difference.
If I may use the example of Bono... He picked Radiohead, giving as his reason that he was very impressed by them the last time he saw them (perhaps he was "inspired" by them...) But it's blatantly obvious that at no time has U2's music ever been influenced by Radiohead, a band who after all are something like 10 years their juniors.
So although one can't argue with the inclusion of seminal acts like the Beatles, Bowie, the mighty Kraftwerk and Public Enemy, and our very own Smiths, there are some strange inclusions which rather dilute the poll's credibility.

and where's Bolan? T. Rex were "every band's number one band" in the eighties and also a lot of nineties bands favourite. All of them talking about how much Marc Bolan had influenced them and this and that.
Who the hell did NME ask? My seven year old nephew??

I don't know if this has been mentioned yet, but the NME website lists the bands/artists who voted for The Smiths.

They were: The Stone Roses, Radiohead, Suede and Belle & Sebastian.

I dunno, I kinda like EMINEM, he rocks the house yo. As for the Beatles, I hate em'

Mozzer

"Kraftwerk"? At #6? What the hell is goin on?!
Oh no, hang on - I get it now- It must have been that fantastically insightful and thought provoking (and beatifully rhyming) line:

"She's posing for consumer products now - and then
  I know I'd really like to - see her again"

If that isn't more deep and meaningful than,for example, "Last night I dreamt that somebody loved me" then I dont know what is.

"*BOLLOCKS!!!!!!*"

all these should be in there somewhere as well as The Smiths being higher up and Moz solo.

1. the Sugar Hill gang/Grandmaster Flash/Afrika Bombaata
  these guys invented the whole rap/hip-hop genre as we know it.

2. The Clash
  they inspired the Manics, who, in turn, will inspire many British rock groups that will emerge in the next 10 years.
 
3. Primal Scream

they've done everything. Indie, Acid house, blues, soul, ambient and unadulterated pure-fuck rock n' roll.

4. Motorhead
 
don't laugh, I'm not that keen on them but how many shitty rock/metal groups have they inspired?
Nuff said.

5.Love.

What's that? never heard of 'em. Their album 'Forever Changes' was easily the best of the 60s by far and influenced every indie band around in the Brit-pop era. Maybe as much as the Beatles.

6. The Stone Roses

Good working class boys making fucking good music. Same ethos as the Smiths. Love 'em.

7. T -Rex

someone mentioned these before. The best glam group and Mozzers darlings. Get it on!

8. Marvin Gaye. Every young black guy wishes he could sing as sweet.

9. NWA- promoted black power just like Public Enemy. 'Strait Outta Compton' did so much for hip-hop,

10. Dusty Springfield. A favourite of Mozzer. she had "a lovely singing voice, a lovely singing voice"(sic). Many little girls in the 60s wanted to sing like her. Wonderful.