Artists Pick Personal Favorites in Playlist Issue of ‘Rolling Stone’

Posted November 30, 2010 by J Matthew Cobb in Features

In December issue, ‘Rolling Stone’ goes the Playlist route and profiles fifty different artists on their favorite songs, artists and genres

Rolling Stone, that super-cool magazine designed for uber rock junkies, expanded their recent December issue with a jumble of 50 different artists, songwriters and producers as they salute some of their influences and favorite musical moments. It’s a super-star cast paying tribute to the suns that made them shine.

Bono takes on David Bowie:

“What I’ve chosen from David Bowie is very strict. It’s my teenage life as a Bowie fan. I am still a Bowie fan…these songs had a real impact.”

Hip-hop superstar Drake, the nephew of legendary bassist Larry Graham, talks about his love for Jimi Hendrix:

“When I played Seattle, we drove out to his grave site. I left a note for him that said, ‘Still inspired.”

Producer dynamo Mark Ronson lists his favorite Stevie Wonder songs, even explaining when and how me got hooked to the Master Blaster while in college. A friend turned him on to Wonder’s music. She said to him, “You’ve never heard “Maybe Your Baby”?’ and I said, ‘No. what that?'” After hearing it, he said “F***, I could have been listening to this my entire life!'”

Ozzy Osbourne takes on the Beatles. Amazingly, “Lucy In the Sky With Diamonds” didn’t make his list.

Keith Richards, now a proud author of best-selling memoir Life, shakes it up a little and focuses on the classics and reggae. Of course, being so influenced by Chuck Berry and rhythm-and-blues made a big impact on his decision-making for his top 10.

He’s not the only Stone in the bunch. Mick Jagger pulls out his favorite blues tunes, ranging from Ray Charles (“Lonely Avenue”) to Muddy Waters (“40 Days and 40 Nights”).

Annie Lennox proves “sisters are still doing it for themselves” with her womens’ only soul-inspired playlist:
“If you think of soul music as the black R&B style, well that’s one brand. But all music is of the soul.”

But there’s more: Jim James pulls out his favorite Curtis Mayfield songs, Nas digs into hip-hop’s best lyrics, Rod Stewart champions Sam Cooke, Jack Johnson goes reggae for Bob Marley, Elton John focuses on his modern pop favorites, L.A. Reid celebrates the legacy of Michael Jackson, Coldplay’s Chris Martin celebrates the ’80’s, Erykah Badu goes into ’70’s soul, Rick Rubin zooms in on Led Zeppelin, Maroon 5’s Adam Levine picks his favorite Sting & the Police gems and The Roots’ drummer Ahmir “?uestlove” Thompson pulls out his batch of vinyl and reveals his favorite obscure songs from the Purple One’s catalog.