@2WL: I believe Hendrix was still evolving and experimenting at the time of his death. He did revolutionize how electric guitar was played (and viewed as an art form). There's really no telling how much more he would have done if he had lived, but it's a guarantee he wouldn't have stopped exploring the limits. I think our opinion of his work would have remained high even if he had put out some less than stellar work in his later years.

Elvis contributed to basically all music across the board in one way or another. Yes, there are exceptions, but really, given the cultural bridge he provided, not many.

+1 U2
+1 David Bowie

I wasn't going to vote in these pairings, but I feel the need to now. The Eurythmics were not nearly as influential or great as U2. Nice new wave synth-punk band, but not much more. U2 is gigantic. They were one of the biggest international touring bands of the 80s and 90s. Their career hasn't been interrupted by internal artistic squabbles.

And really, I like the music of the Eurythmics better than that of U2, but they are undeniably less great than U2.

Jimi Hendrix is undoubtedly one of the most innovative guitarists of all time. But Jimi's career and path to greatness was cut short, even though he left behind a treasure trove of recordings.

David Bowie's consistency over 4 decades, and his ability to both set and respond to trends in popular music makes him earn my vote.

U2 7 - Eurthymics 3
Hendrix 5 - Bowie 6

Bowie and U2 win unless I miscounted. Still can't believe SoaD won. Fuckin' eh.

The round of 32 is:

90s - Present
Kanye
Spoon
Jack White
Eminem
Daft Punk
Bjork
Animal Collective
System of a Down

80s/90s:

Dire Straits
REM
Nirvana
The Beastie Boys
Phil Collins
Green Day
Phish
U2

60s/70s:

CCR
Led Zeppelin
The Rolling Stones
Queen
Elton John
Bob Dylan
The Beatles
David Bowie

Pre-1960:

Buddy Holly
Miles Davis
Johnny Cash
Mozart
James Brown
Beethoven
Louis Armstrong
Bach

Are we going to re-organize them? Go by Bo's brackets? What?

Definitely still some clunkers that made it through but, overall, I'm not too upset.

My brackets are pretty solid. I'll update them later but the opening matchups should already be there.

Bo's brackets, for sure. But I don't have the ability to update them myself.

For reference:
Http://challonge.com/webdipmusic1
http://challonge.com/webdipmusic2
http://challonge.com/webdipmusic3
http://challonge.com/webdipmusic4

Looks like Kanye West vs Spoon and Buddy Holly vs Miles Davis.

+1 Spoon
+1 Miles

90s - Present
Kanye vs Spoon
Jack White vs Eminem
Daft Punk vs Bjork
Animal Collective vs System of a Down

80s/90s:

Dire Straits vs REM
Nirvana vs The Beastie Boys
Phil Collins vs Green Day
Phish vs U2

60s/70s:

CCR vs Led Zeppelin
The Rolling Stones vs Queen
Elton John vs Bob Dylan
The Beatles vs David Bowie

Pre-1960:

Buddy Holly vs Miles Davis
Johnny Cash vs Mozart
James Brown vs Beethoven
Louis Armstrong vs Bach

Abstain - Spoon and Kanye are both fine choices. I preferred Spoon's live show but Kanye is Kanye.

##Miles Davis.

Kanye............... 0 - 1..................Spoon
Buddy Holly.......0 - 2..........Miles Davis

Spoon and Davis

I don't even like Kanye. Kanye and Miles

Spoon Davis

Kanye/Miles Davis

Spoon just to spite Kanye, and I suppose Buddy Holly

'just to spite kanye' what's that about obi? kanye

I don't think Kanye is looking in this thread, you don't have to spite him.

-1 Kanye

Kanye / Miles

Kayne/Miles

While we're voting, here's Primus's cover of "Golden Ticket" from Willy Wonka.
http://www.spin.com/articles/primus-golden-ticket-stream-tour-willy-wonka-chocolate-factory/?utm_source=spinfacebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=spinfacebook

God damn, they're weird. But they've got some great tunes and are awesome live.

I don't mean Kanye personally, but the same way that if it were, say, Leslie Marmon Silko vs. Stephen King...

Not a huge Silko fan, but I REALLY dislike King's writing and writing ethos.

I'm indifferent to Kanye and can't stand the guy's ethos, hence the vote the other way.

Dude had a whole rant at a guy in a freaking wheelchair at a concert, because EVERYONE must stand before Kanye, and he couldn't POSSIBLY start the song with 99% of the people standing, no no no no NO, ALLLLLL must praise Yeezus!

Ugh. -_-

Even if the guy wasn't in a wheelchair--really? You have to call a guy out for daring not to stand at your concert? Dude paid for a ticket, he can sit if he wants, stop pestering him and singling him out like an entitled egotistical prick!

Glad to see Bowie won.

Have you read up on that, because it was really misreported... I mean, I know when it comes to world affairs you just go with what you're told and don't read into things so I don't know why I even ask if you bothered reading up on this.

Well, maybe you make the daily doings of Kanye West the top feed of your news feed, Socrates, but sadly, I don't...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/style-blog/wp/2014/09/14/kanye-west-stops-concert-singles-out-audience-members-to-stand-up-except-one-is-in-a-wheelchair/

That's what I've read of it...if you have another link, by all means, Share the Good News of the TRUTH of Yeezus!!!

Ah yes, the old "sorry I'm too highbrow to bother knowing what I'm talking about with pop culture happenings" defense, a classic, Greate Worke Obie