Writers and other artists of 20 century which in your opinion will be remembered

[dumbledore11214]

.> Steve:
> <snip>
>.> To determine what is truly classic, we have to see into the future well beyond that artist's lifetime, and likely well beyond our own.
> 
> So, in the mid to later 20th Century can anyone think of any iconic artists who have the potential to out last the centuries? 
> 
> One modern writer comes to mind - Salman Rushdie. He certainly has made a significant contribution, but whether that contribution will endure is uncertain.   

Alla:

Yeah, maybe many will disagree with me, but two works by Rushdie that I tried (my usual limit to see if I like the author which is new to me) just did not do much for me. I mean they were certainly written very well, but I was not spell binded and that is an understatement.


Steve:
> In terms of music; music is all about money. The art is secondary, I suspect if there are any enduring classics, they will be obscure in the moment, while enduring in the long run. 
> 
> Pop music is to transient, and based on the whims and emotions of the public. Justin Beiber, while insanely popular, will fade quickly when the 'cute' wears off. There are countless pop idols who come and go with no more than the tiniest blip on the radar screen of history. But what among modern music will endure, only time and history can tell us. 
> 
> To illustrate, a British artist, Edward Sheeran, has recently done a cover of "The Wayfaring Stranger" which has spawned countless YouTube cover videos, all attributing the song to Ed Sheeran. 
> 
> I'm just a poor wayfaring stranger
> I'm traveling through this world of woe
> Yet there's no sickness, toil nor danger
> In that bright land to which I go ...
> 
> They see this as a modern song by a modern artist, yet is is an early 19th century spiritual folk ballad. An obscure song that has endured for TWO centuries, and has been covered by countless artists. A 2 century old ballad covered by countless artist of that span of time, yet how many people have actually heard it? There is something somewhat ironic in the obscurity of enduring fame. 
> 
> For those a bit long in the tooth, this was the signature song of Burl Ives. Burl Ives ... anyone ... Burl Ives? He was once, not that long ago, a house hold name across America. 

Alla:

Very interesting about that ballad Steve, but yes, I do not believe in longetivity of a lot of pop music either, but I do listen to a lot of it as kind of relaxation technique :). You know, music where lyrics let you completely not engage your brain? :)

I listen to a lot of Russian pop music, and I wonder sometimes why do they bother with lyrics at all? They certainly make little sense and have  A LONG way to go to qualify as something which remotely resembles poetry. I was hoping (when I was less able to understand the words in english speaking pop music) that in general the lyrics are stronger - I do not think so anymore. I mean, obviously there are exceptions, but in general I am just far from being pleased.



> 
> So, what lives and what dies in the field of art, only time and history can really tell. 
> 
> For what it is worth. 
> 
> Steve/bboyminn
>