Inspired by me claiming on the controversial opinions thread that Lar's double kick part on One is the most influential metal drum part ever (in fairness I might be talking out of my hole for that one specifically...).
What I notice online is that every discussion about most influential devolves into a race to try and name the first. Then it becomes the much murkier debate of, because they planted the seeds from which everything grew, are they the most influential by default?
I don't buy into this. I think the artist who popularized the sound is by far the most important. Not necessarily the most popular band in the genre in general (though often), but the one who became popular with the sound first and introduced it to the wider world. For example, The Ramones and New York Dolls would be nothing more than barely known, regional New York bands if it wasn't for the Sex Pistols. Even though they ripped off those two bands, punk as a genre wouldn't exist without the Pistols, and they are by far the most influential band on it's sound, look, and attitude. Nirvana didn't invent grunge, but are far and away it's most influential band. Van Halen didn't invent tapping, but is far and away it's most influential source.
Do you agree, or do you define influence the other way, by where it started?
I'm guessing something that is most influential is the one that has had most effect on the most people, but does that pass down the line, lets say Slayer is influenced by Judas Priest, if you are influenced by Slayer do you automatically get some of that Judas Priest DNA?
I guess that's the whole question of the debate, which carries more weight as influential? SRV popularized blues guitar way more than Albert King ever did, but SRV copped his style from King (and obviously developed it), so who is the more influential player? If SRV is your hero, you're definitely playing a lot of King licks whether you know it or not, but I still think it would be false to claim that that means King is actually your biggest influence.