Best American Artist Tournament: Round 1, Day 1

[Listyguy]

With the update (and, by extension, the new bracketology) being pushed off for another month, I decided I’d run another poll in the meantime. Being the 4th of July was this past Friday, I decided a “Best American Artist” Tournament would be appropriate.

There are 64 artists in the running for the title. The selection process was based on their AM rankings; the top artist from each state, as well as Washington DC and Puerto Rico was taken first (unfortunately, Wyoming, South Dakota, and Alaska had no artist ranked and were therefore not included). The remaining spots in the top 64 were filled with “wild cards”, the highest ranked US artists not already included, regardless of state. These 64 were then seeded based solely on their AM ranking; statehood was not a factor. A three-way tie with Bubbling Under artists (62-64) was broken using random.org.

For each of the four match ups listed below, pick the artist you prefer. This poll will close at 12 forum time tomorrow (7 pm EDT).

Here are today’s matches:
1. Bob Dylan (Minnesota)
64. The Osmonds (Utah)

32. Charles Mingus (Arizona)
33. Animal Collective (Maryland)

17. Public Enemy (New York)
48. Dizzy Gillespie (South Carolina)

16. James Brown (Georgia)
49. The Killers (Nevada)

[GucciLittlePiggy]

1. Bob Dylan (Minnesota)
64. The Osmonds (Utah)

32. Charles Mingus (Arizona)
33. Animal Collective (Maryland)

17. Public Enemy (New York)
48. Dizzy Gillespie (South Carolina)

16. James Brown (Georgia)
49. The Killers (Nevada)

[whuntva]

Bob Dylan

Charles Mingus

Public Enemy

James Brown

[Nassim]

1. Bob Dylan (Minnesota)
64. The Osmonds (Utah)

32. Charles Mingus (Arizona)
33. Animal Collective (Maryland)
Charles Mingus is actually one of the few jazz artists I would listen to willingly, but AC would be on top 20 bands of all time.

17. Public Enemy (New York)
48. Dizzy Gillespie (South Carolina)
pass

16. James Brown (Georgia)
49. The Killers (Nevada)

[JimmyJazz]

Bob Dylan

Charles Mingus

Public Enemy

James Brown

[Nassim]

There are 64 artists in the running for the title. The selection process was based on their AM rankings; the top artist from each state, as well as Washington DC and Puerto Rico was taken first (unfortunately, Wyoming, South Dakota, and Alaska had no artist ranked and were therefore not included). The remaining spots in the top 64 were filled with “wild cards”, the highest ranked US artists not already included, regardless of state. These 64 were then seeded based solely on their AM ranking; statehood was not a factor. A three-way tie with Bubbling Under artists (62-64) was broken using random.org.

32. Charles Mingus (Arizona)
33. Animal Collective (Maryland)

17. Public Enemy (New York)

So PE's seed is the same as their AM ranking (US artists) but Charles Mingus is 23 places ahead. That means 23 artists between #18 and #55 did not make the list !
I wonder where the cut is for "artists who are not #1 of their state", I guess it must be somewhere around the Ramones

[DaveC]

Bob Dylan

Charles Mingus

Dizzy Gillespie

The Killers

[Jeff]

1. Bob Dylan (Minnesota)
64. The Osmonds (Utah)
Second easiest decision of this round for me.

32. Charles Mingus (Arizona)
33. Animal Collective (Maryland)
I do like some Mingus, but not really all that much.

17. Public Enemy (New York)
48. Dizzy Gillespie (South Carolina)
Tough one. Dizzy gets a slight edge since Chuck D can get a little overbearing at times.

16. James Brown (Georgia)
49. The Killers (Nevada)
Obviously.

[Brad]

Bob Dylan
Charles Mingus
Public Enemy
James Brown

[Luke JR68]

1. Bob Dylan (Minnesota)
64. The Osmonds (Utah)
I really don't care for Dylan, but I can't vote for the Osmonds in good faith

32. Charles Mingus (Arizona)
33. Animal Collective (Maryland)
I'm unfamiliar with Mingus' work, so pass on this one until I've heard more

17. Public Enemy (New York)
48. Dizzy Gillespie (South Carolina)

16. James Brown (Georgia)
49. The Killers (Nevada)
Ugh... Both of these guys are wonderful... But in the end "Sex Machine" > "Mr. Brightside" ever so slightly, so I'll go with Soul Brother No. 1

[TimmyWing]

1. Bob Dylan (Minnesota)

32. Charles Mingus (Arizona)

48. Dizzy Gillespie (South Carolina)

16. James Brown (Georgia)

[Greg]

Bob Dylan
Charles Mingus
Public Enemy
James Brown

[Bruno]

1. Bob Dylan (Minnesota)
64. The Osmonds (Utah)

32. Charles Mingus (Arizona)
33. Animal Collective (Maryland)

17. Public Enemy (New York)
48. Dizzy Gillespie (South Carolina)

16. James Brown (Georgia)
49. The Killers (Nevada)

[sonofsamiam]

Bob Dylan
Charles Mingus
Public Enemy
James Brown

[Jirin]

1. Bob Dylan (Minnesota)

32. Charles Mingus (Arizona)

17. Public Enemy (New York)

16. James Brown (Georgia)

Mingus/Animal Collective was the closest vote for me, but though I love MPP I just don't see consistency in the AC output.

[Kingoftonga]

1. Bob Dylan (Minnesota)
32. Charles Mingus (Arizona)
17. Public Enemy (New York)
49. The Killers (Nevada)

[slick]

Here are today’s matches:
1. Bob Dylan (Minnesota)
64. The Osmonds (Utah)

32. Charles Mingus (Arizona)
33. Animal Collective (Maryland)

17. Public Enemy (New York)
48. Dizzy Gillespie (South Carolina)

16. James Brown (Georgia)
49. The Killers (Nevada)

James Brown is probably my 3rd favorite of these 8 but I am a huge Killers fan. I thought taking The Osmonds might be funny and then I realized comedy is not in my future...

[antonius]

Bob Dylan (Minnesota)
Charles Mingus (Arizona)
Public Enemy (New York)
James Brown (Georgia)

[Listyguy]

So PE's seed is the same as their AM ranking (US artists) but Charles Mingus is 23 places ahead. That means 23 artists between #18 and #55 did not make the list !
I wonder where the cut is for "artists who are not #1 of their state", I guess it must be somewhere around the Ramones

Madonna was the last wild card (US rank #28). Among the highest ranked artists not in the tournament are Sonic Youth, Tom Waits, Ray Charles, Kanye West, and Simon and Garfunkel.

[Listyguy]

Bob Dylan (duh)
Charles Mingus (While I'm not a huge fan of either, Mingus is a lot less boring than AC)
Public Enemy (Easy choice)
James Brown (I don't hate the Killers, but come on)

[Rocky Raccoon]

1. Bob Dylan (Minnesota)
33. Animal Collective (Maryland)
17. Public Enemy (New York)
16. James Brown (Georgia)

[Mattceinicram]

1. Bob Dylan (Minnesota)
64. The Osmonds (Utah)

Obvious for me

32. Charles Mingus (Arizona)
33. Animal Collective (Maryland)

This was extremely difficult for me, two of my favorite artists of all time really. I will be thrilled with either going to the next round, but Animal Collective has a slight edge for me.

17. Public Enemy (New York)
48. Dizzy Gillespie (South Carolina)

Again, really enjoy both, but I love Public Enemy a bit more.

16. James Brown (Georgia)
49. The Killers (Nevada)

Easy

[DocBrown]

Bob Dylan
Charles Mingus
Dizzy Gillespie
The Killers

Only the fourth one is troubling. While watching Eddie Murphy's parody of James Brown, I realized Eddie Murphy does a better James Brown than James Brown. The Killers produced one of the best debut albums ever and began a long downward slide which continues to this day. Both meh choices. For me.

[Listyguy]

While I'm at it, here are the states with multiple artists in the tournament:
Minnesota (2)
Washington (2)
Georgia (3)
Michigan (3)
New York (5)
California (6)

[jamieW]

1. Bob Dylan (Minnesota)
32. Charles Mingus (Arizona)
17. Public Enemy (New York)
16. James Brown (Georgia)

Only Public Enemy and Dizzy were close for me. (And I do like The Killers...)

[Listyguy]

Here are the winners from Day 1:

1. Bob Dylan (Minnesota) 20
64. The Osmonds (Utah) 0

32. Charles Mingus (Arizona) 12
33. Animal Collective (Maryland) 7

17. Public Enemy (New York) 15
48. Dizzy Gillespie (South Carolina) 4

16. James Brown (Georgia) 15
49. The Killers (Nevada) 5

[Live in Phoenix]

Oddly enough, considering how few national acts Arizona has produced in any way, shape, or form, in my 36 years I've never heard people talk about Charles Mingus here, or seen any local articles about him. Pretty much it's Alice Cooper, the Meat Puppets, and Gin Blossoms.

[DocBrown]

(unfortunately, Wyoming, South Dakota, and Alaska had no artist ranked and were therefore not included).

Alaska : surprised she's not ranked anywhere; Jewel, a couple of big hits in the 90's. Not, I admit, a critical success. Or Bearfoot, still putting out alternative folk.

South Dakota: Haley Bonar just released a new album in May, somebody to watch, well respected both in her adopted state of Minnesota and now in the Pacific Northwest. Strangely enough, while her bios list S. Dakota as home, she was actually born in Brandon, Manitoba, another secret Canadian. Played in Andrew Bird's band, who is ranked.

Wyoming: Best I can do is the Avett Brothers, a respectable folk duo from Caspar. However, Anton Dvorak's fifth cousin is a whitewater guide in Wyoming.