Some relative newbies…
Muse
AWOLNation
MGMT
Broken Bells
Twenty One Pilots
Any star/legend potential here? Probably too early to say.
It’s of note to me that Celine Dion and Mariah Carey sell quite a lot of records/concert tickets, are acknowledged as being talented technical singers, but haven’t been mentioned as being legends thus far. Why not? (I’m not a fan one way or the other, just throwing it out there)
Well, at least in Celine’s case, I don’t think she writes much of her own music.
I don’t think they qualify as legendary but as far as originality and moving music in a new direction:
Gorillaz (I think Damon Albarn is great)
Daft Punk
And then you have all the groups that have helped with a resurgence of American folk and folk-rock:
Avett Brothers
Mumford and Sons
The Lumineers
The Head and the Heart
Ohh… Gorillaz! And definitely Daft Punk.
We call this “the Charlie’s Song” because helookslikethedammitdoggiewhoissomissed!
Tina Turner, Ray Charles, Loretta Lynn - who else have had award winning movies made about them?
Johnny Cash for legend and a movie.
Jim Morrison.
re: 101
I would call both Mariah and Celine legends. If I’m not mistaken Mariah Carey is the top-selling female artist of all time – maybe top, period – and Celine had a bunch of huge hits, including the theme of one of the biggest and most-rewarded movies of all time.
Writing helps to solidify the musicianship, I suppose, but Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra, Whitney Houston and Madonna didn’t write their own music (or rarely did, anyway), and they’re certainly legends. Did Michael Jackson write? If not, that’s another legend who was not a songwriter.
MJ wrote most of his own stuff.
And if we are including Loretta Lynn then don’t forget Patsy Cline.
How about the artist who made YouTube change its number of views count limit? 
That’s definitely legendary!! B-) B-) B-)
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-30288542
Just kidding. 
Looking through my music, a few personal favorites who I would include that I don’t think have been mentioned yet:
Bill Withers
Elvis Costello
Fleetwood Mac
Neil Young
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
Who/what is “Coldplay” and “Bruno Mars”?
I couldn’t name a Justin Timberlake, Kanye West, Radiohead, Sufan Stevens, Bon Iver song if my life depended on it.
Gloria Estevan, has she been mentioned?
She’s always front row at Heat games.
I think people (at least me) were focusing on artists that are alive. Freddy Mercury is undoubtedly a legend, as is Bowie, Jim Morrison, Bob Marley, among many others. Somehow, I don’t think Adam Lambert will ever make it into the legends category.
The challenges with the under-30/40 crowd is that in most cases it’s too soon to tell. After all, who would have thought that Leonardo DiCaprio would be an acclaimed actor based upon Growing Pains? I think Bruno Mars, Ed Sheehan, John Legend, and Adele all have the potential. As much as I enjoy Lady Gaga, I don’t see her as a legend.
Again, a “legend” is like top couple % of the particular scene - in this case music.
Also, to me, a “legend” - when we are talking comparable to people like MJ or Prince - is someone that EVERYONE knows - has effected a large number of the population in some way.
Finally, when I think of a legend I think of an individual. A group - like the Beatles, Coldplay, Maroon 5 - if they lose a member - it can be devastating - but is sort of another category than an individual legend.
Glad you are all having fun with this! Many listed though are in the over 50 crowd. Which brings credibility to the original statement - does today’s music have what it takes to be a legend???
Someone referred to 8th grade splits over music. We got called in to talk to our daughter’s 6th grade teacher after she got into a fistfight with a boy over the relative merits of Dar Williams and Korn. (Everyone but the 6th graders thought it was pretty hilarious though.)
Early hip-hop/rap: My understanding is that it started with Jamaican djs in the Bronx isolating instrumental tracks and beats and using double turntables to recombine them into a unique dance trap, while talking over them in the style that later became “dancehall.” This was picked up by Afrika Bambataa and Grandmaster Flash in the mid-70s, who also brought in aspects of African-American folk poetry called “toasts” and “dozens”. Rappers Delight in late 1979 (and then Blondie’s Rapture shortly afterward) took the style to the radio, but didn’t invent it.
There’s no question that Subterranean Homesick Blues taps into the same vein of African-American oral poetry that also heavily informed rap, but lots of “talking blues” songs did that throughout the 40s, 450s, and 60s. Dylan sped it up and rocked it up, sure, but it’s a stretch to call it the first hip hop.
Kanye West: I certainly agree that he seems like an unpleasant person and a thoroughly annoying personality. However, anyone who doesn’t acknowledge him as an important artist is seriously not paying attention to his work (or is not taking anything about hip hop seriously). My Beautiful Dark Fantasy is one of the best albums of the current millennium.
Beck…sorry if he has been mentioned already
I find it very revealing that 90% of the artists listed in a thread titled “musical artists of today” are bands and singers that were around 30, 40 or even 50 years ago.
I think it has more to do with the posters skewing older and not really being that familiar with current artists and their music.
I let my kids choose the radio station in the car so I don’t become hopelessly out of touch. Personally, I like Coldplay, Maroon 5, Adele, and yes, Lady Gaga (put her in the Madonna category, who has iconic status as far as I’m concerned).
Taylor Swift, Kelly Clarkson, Rihanna, Selena Gomez, meh, not so much. Justin Bieber, double meh.
Ok…I DO listen to lots of music…I do. When I think of a “legend” I think of names that would be recognized by just about anyone reading those names. Gotta say…there are some on here I’ve never heard of before. Not legen status, in my opinion.
Also, some of these folks are already music legends…I would include the Beatles in that group…and the Rolling Stones, Elton John.