Which historical figure dead or alive has left the biggest impact on pop culture?

[RoyKent]

Following watching Elvis and being curious over the origin of "Elvis has left the building" my sister and I were discussing if Elvis was/is the most famous person to have ever lived. Does anyone else have a cultural footprint that comes close?
I contenders for second might include The Beatles (Lennon in particular), Marilyn Monroe and maybe Marlon Brando but I still feel none of these have the same global and timeless impact.
Would love to know others' thoughts!

It would, indeed, since inventors don't fit the premise of the thread. Their inventions are known, but the inventors themselves are often not popularly known in popular culture.

MJ obviously opens up an interesting discussion between separating the artist and the art as his music is simply unparalleled- as is his branding and image making.

I like the music of MJ and acknowledge what a huge star he was, but I honestly don't think he will be much remembered in 100 + years' time.

The Queen

Princess Diana

Steven Spielberg

Marc Bolan

Horses

The Beatles
Bowie

MJ, and therefore his legacy, is tainted and because of this his 'cultural footprint' will contract not expand over time.

Freddie Mercury
Marc Bolan

It’s just totally relative though, isn’t it? An actor might say that James Dean has had the biggest impact on pop culture. But a director might argue that actually Elia Kazan had the bigger impact because he was the one directing Dean in his first movie so taught him all about being a movie actor. An aspiring writer would then argue that actually Steinbeck has had a bigger impact as he is the one that wrote the material that was made into that first movie. Then a priest would say well actually East of Eden was influenced by the story of Cain and Abel so the Bible and religious culture has had a bigger influence than any of the above.

Then someone else would say ‘I’m not much into films, I prefer music and of course The Beatles have influenced music more than any other pop culture act.’ And someone else would say but they were influenced by Elvis and Little Richard. But they were influenced by soul music, which is often linked to gospel music… back to the Bible.

In short I think it’s so impossible to pin down who has had the most influence on pop culture because firstly it’s relative to how you view pop culture and secondly those who influence have in turn been influenced. So it becomes a never ending chain. It’s interesting though. I guess if I was going to throw my hat into the ring I’d say Walt Disney. Somehow managed to market movies into ‘magic’ and make that magic available to purchase.

You're not really going to know a living person who will make a cultural footprint because we are living it, we won't notice the impact on future generations.

Posters suggesting generic manufactured pop bands such as Spice Girls, Spears are just saying what has been an impact for them personally, it's not wrong but they won't be remembered for anything in another 50 years.

It's the same kind of principal where I could say Frankie Knuckles, Larry Levan because they was instrumental in the early days of electronic dance music, Tony wilson and New Order for essentially bringing it to the UK to forment the UK scene which became a global export.

NWA, Public Enemy has had a bigger cultural impact despite the likes of Sugarhill Gang and Grandmaster flash being 10 years senior, same with Nirvana hitting the mainstream.

All have a common theme, they all was a figure head of the youth fighting back against the world that was accepted because the media machine realised it would pay money, Elvis had his gyrating hips and danger of Rock and Roll, Beatles was phsocelic, NWA/Public enemy was championing ganag violence, Dance scene was listening to car alarms and kids dying from "cake", Nirvana was depressive shut ins.

People younger than me will cite many artists that will make an impact, it is down to the media to reflect on what does, but that has been somewhat slanted, not so much now with the internet but it does play into a lot of recent popular culture.

You're not really going to know a living person who will make a cultural footprint because we are living it, we won't notice the impact on future generations.

Yes, I agree.

Think of the 19th century - as the most recent century from which we no longer have any living people - how many 19th century cultural icons are readily remembered by the average 'person on the street'?

The further you go back, the fewer people are remembered. Of course, we have to bear in mind that the archive of information from the 20th century will be huge compared to the 19th century, but that won't necessarily result in more people being remembered - it's more likely to dilute those who are.

Actually I think Barack Obama is a global icon.

Sister Rosetta Tharpe. No her, no rock and roll.

Bowie. Hands Down.

Agree with some but not all on here.

One that deserves a place amongst they icons mentioned is Stevie Wonder

Mark Zuckerberg for popular culture.

Simon Cowell for pop music.

Prince

If we look at least at “Western” culture, including literature, politics, society, it’s massively shaped by Christian ideas, such as for example, the value of individual worth - which arguably gives rise to liberalism - of which pop music is but one form of expression

My vote would be for Shakespeare

Bob Marley, Beatles, Madonna, Michael Jackson. I think Britney Spears is up there too. These are not necessarily my taste in music but they are legends whose fame has endured through generations. Rolling Stones, too.

I don't think we're quite able to claim yet that Britney's music has endured for generations, she's in her 40s isn't she, give it a few more years 🙄

She has been releasing music since she was a teenager, easily two generations. Eye roll right back at you Grumpy Pants.

Not a chance as most people do not believe the allegations against Michael Jackson and his Spotify audience has just grown significantly in last few years too. In 2020, he had 24 million monthly listeners, but in 2022 he has 31.5 million monthly listeners and counting. Bit more than twice what Bowie has. He's the most popular legacy artist on Spotify - the new generation is listening to his music. They're also going to a Cirque show in Las Vegas and a musical is opening on Broadway.

As a singer, dancer and songwriter, Michael Jackson is hugely influential and certainly in the field of music videos or short films he's huge. He'll not be forgotten any time soon.

Eventually, everyone's influence will contract over time. We've been seeing Elvis' numbers declining since 2009 when Michael Jackson became the top earning deceased celebrity.

I define influencing pop culture as causing a global change in music, fashion, film etc tastes. Every artist has influences, but not all iconic artists propelled a change in the entire look and feel of a time like Elvis did and The Beatles did.

Elvis was huge for the Beatles, and his music and look defined the 50s, the Beatles' hair was styled like his until about 1961. But they then morphed into something completely different with their own sound and look (and hairstyle!) which can be heard and seen in bands even now. They pretty much invented the concept of a band, before it was always a pretty singer and a backing group.

I agree with Bowie, Michael Jackson and Madonna (who definitely influenced fashion and attitudes) but I personally think their direct influence on pop culture was a bit more diluted than TB and Elvis. Just because of how much was going on by then. (Folk, electronica, etc).

Hip Hop changed music too. I don't know the genre well enough to pinpoint one artist.