Dylan wins Nobel Prize in Literature

Dylan
Ellington
Davis
Cash
Springsteen
Billie Holiday
Robert Johnson
Mahalia Jackson
Michael Jackson

Based on total influence and impact, these are the contenders in my mind for greatest American individual musical artists of the last 100 years.

Whoops, how did I forget Elvis?   Presley, not Costello.

Great comments, Mapman.

mapman, Nobel prize can be nominated to anyone not only Americans. I believe that Canadian Leonard Cohen also fits in your list.

Czar, many others around the world as well I am sure, but well, I live in America, so I am certainly not qualified to judge other countries artistic icons, nor who qualifies most for an international award. I can only speak for my guys, and Dylan is one of those. Apparently others overseas feel the same.

Frogman, thanks for that. Hope I didn’t mangle my choices too much. :^)

My son is doing overseas studies in St. Petersburg Russia this semester.  I'm looking forward to asking him what he may have observed about such things from that perspective when he returns.