A new TV music series coming this fall will try to answer an often debated question: Who is the greatest rock star? The answer may be Madonna. Or Stevie Nicks. Or Elton John. Or Tina Turner.
AXS TV is teaming with SPIN for the new series SPIN’s 100 Greatest Rock Stars Since That Was A Thing, which is inspired by a list the mag initially put out in 2021. The series, which premieres October 2 at 8 p.m., will spotlight artists who “best embody the ‘Rock Star’ spirit.”
On the original list, Madonna, Stevie, Elton and Tina were all included, as were Blondie‘s Debbie Harry, Gwen Stefani, Sinead O’Connor, Jon Bon Jovi, U2‘s Bono and the Eagles‘ Don Henley. Among those artists, the highest-ranked was Debbie Harry at #14; the lowest was Bono at #98.
The original 2021 article also had The Rolling Stones’ Keith Richards at #1, followed by Prince, but it’s certainly possible the list will be changed for the TV series.
“The problem with lists like this is they are invariably BS. So our prime objective was to make sure we didn’t do a BS list,” says SPIN founder Bob Guccione Jr. in a statement. “A rock star is, perhaps by definition, undefinable. They just are. They’re luminescent. Even when, in some cases, they didn’t want to be.”
He adds, “I’m excited to bring this list to life with AXS TV!”
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