I'm talking in terms of overall hugeness: Which artist is more popular, has had more hits, has had more of an impact on society, and is a bigger cultural icon? And don't let your personal preference affect your opinion.
Paul Simon is bigger. Why? Because "Sound of Silence" was something of an anthem of the 60s, and the closest Bowie comes is Ziggy Stardust. And the 80s comebacks? Well Bowie brought us "Let's Dance" which was a huge hit, but in the end it didn't really change or add anything to the music that was popular in the 80s, it just kind of reinforced it. Whereas "Graceland" was not only hugely popular, it brought the South African musicians into pop music, and, I'd argue, paved the way for Dave Matthews in the 90s.
Now I say all this having never bought Graceland and only realizing that "Me and Julio" was a Paul Simon song as of about 3 months ago. And being a huge Bowie fan, right up to and past his "Outside" and "Earthling" phases. So, now you see how I make a personal sacrifice in the interest of recording whoisbigger. Cause we have to be honest here.
14 comments:
what about taking into account bowie's influence on other artists?
thanks for the comment hablealamano. i think the amount of influence both artists had in the 60s is kind of a wash. S&G on funk and pop up to Brian Wilson, Bowie on iggy and later the pixies et al. but in terms of 80s resurgence, Simon comes out on top. Dave Matthews is big...possibly even tier 3a.
i mean "folk", not "funk"
Personally I would vote for Simon, but i think the people would say Bowie. Bowie's more of a rockstar, whereas Simon is a straight-up musician grinding it out in the trenches.
Personally, I like Bowie more but there is no question in my mind that Simon is bigger. Bowie is a huge popstar and played around with some gender issues but Simon reached into some serious social and political realms -- not just in 60s but over the course of three decades. The South African stuff he did in the 80s was pretty big. Americans had never heard that music until he brought it over. And most people weren't paying much attention to Apartheid either. I think you've got to give Simon a lot of credit for attaching himself to that African sound in Graceland. Bowie gets props for turning himself into a public company on the stock market in the 90s but, again, that just seems like fun and games sort of.
Personally David Bowie and Paul Simon have never been on my playlist. I'd say Paul Simon is bigger though. Why? First, my father who has never been one to really listen to music, surprised us all 20 years ago by buying "Graceland". I would never dream of him buying anything from Bowie. The point being that Paul Simon reaches audiences beyond the obvious.
Second, looking at the political and social aspects as Paul Simon's music as aaron did, Bowie loses out. He must have had some similar comments and views hidden in his music too, but not so obvious.
Third, whistle "Let's Dance" and "Sounds of Silence" to 10 people you meet on the street and see which song is more familiar to them.
Great blog, dshugrue. Just waiting for the Take That vs. New Kids on the Block comparison. ;-)
I say Simon because I think he reached a wider audience. Although David Bowie got into acting, and isn't half bad IMO. But decades from now I think people will still be appreciating Simon while Bowie will be remembered as a freak who kept unsuccessfully trying to reinvent himself.
This seems a bit like apples and oranges to me (but then, I'm mostly a jazz guy). I don't think Bowie has the same folk reach of Paul Simon.
How about Paul Simon vs. Joni Mitchell, or even Bob Dylan?
Excellent question. Rolling Stone ranked Bowie and Simon & Garfunkel 39 and 40 respectively on their Greatest Artists of All Time list. Simon was not ranked as a solo artist. Here is a point by point comparison:
Hits
Bowie: Heroes, Fame, Let’s Dance, Modern Love, China Girl, Under Pressure, Starman, Suffragette City, Ziggy Stardust, Space Oddity, Young Americans, Golden Years, Rebel Rebel, All the Young Dudes, Changes.
Simon: (Sounds of Silence, Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme, Bridge Over Troubled Water, Mother and Child Reunion, Kodachrome, 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover, Slip Slidin' Away, Cecelia, the Boxer, I am a Rock, 59th Street Bridge Song, America, Hazy Shade of Winter, Scarborough Fair, Homeward Bound, Me and Julio, Still Crazy After All These Years, You Can Call Me Al, Late in the Evening, Love Me Like a Rock, Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes, Graceland.
Winner: Simon
Top 40 Hits
Bowie: 4
Simon: 13
Winner: Simon
Grammys
Bowie: Best Video, ’85; Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award 2006
Simon: 3 Album of the Year (Bridge ’71; Still Crazy ’76; Graceland, 88); 3 Record of the Year (Mrs. Robinson, ’69; Bridge, ’71; Graceland, ’88)
Winner: Simon. It won’t be long for his LAA.
R&R Hall of Fame
Bowie: 1996
Simon & Garfunkel: 1991; Paul Simon: 2001
Winner: Simon
Concert
Bowie: Madison Square Garden ‘97
Simon: Simon & Garfunkel Reunion Concert, Central Park ‘81
Winner: Simon
Longevity
Bowie: 1969-present
Simon: 1957-present
Winner: Tie
Best Cover
Bowie: Queen’s “Under Pressure”
Simon: The Bangles’ "Hazy Shade of Winter"
Winner: Bowie
Cover by Most Famous Artist
Bowie: Queen’s “Under Pressure”
Simon: Elvis Presley, “Bridge”; Johnny Cash, “Bridge”; Bob Dylan, “The Boxer (other covers by Aretha, Frank, Paul McCartney, Karen Carpenter, Rosemary Clooney, Ray Charles, David Bowie)
Winner: Simon
Duet
Bowie: "Dancing in the Street" with Jagger
Simon: "Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard" with the kids from Sesame Street
Winner: Simon. Do you remember how ridiculous Bowie and Jagger looked in this video?
Saturday Night Live Appearances
Bowie: 3-time musical guest
Simon: 3-time host, 8-time musical guest
Winner: Simon
Video
Simon: "You Can Call Me Al" with Chevy Chase
Bowie: “Dancing in the Streets” with Jagger
Winner: Simon.
Film
Bowie: Pontius Pilate in The Last Temptation of Christ; Andy Warhol in Basquiat, Goblin King in Labyrinth
Simon: Annie Hall
Winner: Bowie
Wives
Bowie: supermodel Iman
Simon: Princess Leia, Edie Brickel
Winner: Bowie. Marrying Princess Leia should have secured this category for Simon, but, turns out Leia is actually Carrie Fisher.
Performance with a Puppet
Simon: The Muppet Show (the only episode to use only the songs of one songwriter)
Bowie: Jim Henson’s Labyrinth
Winner: Simon
Most Prestigious Award
Bowie: VH1 Sexiest Artist #12
Simon: Gerschwin (1st ever for a pop artist)
Winner: Simon
Overall winner: Simon
in a strange coincidence, PBS did a two hour special tribute to Simon last night. turns out everyone from Elvis to Johnny Cash to Whitney Houston have covered Simon...and he was the first pop artist ever to receive the Gershwin Award. So, Simon it is...
I'd say Paul Simon is bigger as a musician while Bowie is bigger as a rock star or "personality".
Paul Simon is one of the best song writers of the late 20th century. Right up there with Dylan.
I'm a huge Bowie fan, but Simon is huge in the cultural influence world.
"America" was covered by Bowie
http://www.coversproject.com/artist/david%20bowie
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