Do you ever wonder?

I think it is all a matter of timing. The events and the struggles of the times in past history and the general mood of the people motivated musicians and songwriters to create some of the best and most enduring songs. Some even becoming anthem status. Because everyone has differant tastes and reasons for liking or disliking certain bands or solo artists is subjective. Present day I personaly find that far too many of the artists get noticed for the wrong reasons and talent is not always first and foremost. That said the likes of Michael Bolton or Lady GaGa don,t make me wonder....they make me hit the search button immediately. Cheers

It may also be important to note that many artists can be clearly segregated into early years when they cared about the music and later years when they cared about the money or ran out of material. Early success begets the later album sales because fans always hope to recapture that initial magic of an artist.

Elton John - great up to "Caribou"
Stones - great up until after "Some girls"
Chicago - great until IV
Boston - great until their second album

One man's "quirky" is another man's genius. Paul was a great Beatle, not a great solo artist. Songwriting? Way overrated. Not much of a lyricist. And kingd of girly.

These lists are so personal and idiosyncratic that they're just about meaningless. One person loves Norah Jones while another detests her. Both are right, there's really no argument. One person likes chunky peanut butter, another likes smooth, while still another hates peanuts. It's what makes the world go around. 8^)

One thing is clear: mainstream tastes almost always favor the ignorant masses who just want something mildly pleasing that won't make them think too hard. God forbid, they might hurt themselves.