Sat, Mar 28, 1998
"The 100 Greatest Artists of Rock & Roll" was the very first installment of the long running "100 Greatest..." franchise for VH1. Hosted by 'Kevin Bacon', the mini-series of 5 one-hour episodes counted down the 100 most influential artists according to a VH1 survey of rock stars, pop stars, band members, musicians and producers.
Mon, Jul 21, 2003
You can quote them in an instant, reference them with just one name, and even dress up like them for Halloween. In this always-expanding pop culture of ours, there are plenty of stars, but precious few icons. On its latest edition of the acclaimed Greatest countdown series, VH1 burrows into the pop persona's that have made the ultimate impact; names so familiar they're recognized and revered in the world's most far-flung spots. What makes an "Icon?" It's not enough to just be famous or to have won a couple of awards. You have to pass one or more of the following criteria: Do they pass the one-name test? Can you dress up as them for Halloween? Did they blaze a trail in pop culture? Did they create a signature character in pop culture? Can you quote them, or their character, in 10 seconds or less? Did society imitate their sense of fashion? Hairstyle? Did "SNL" create a sketch satirizing them? Did someone write a song about them? Was or is there merchandising or paraphernalia that bears their image? Can they be connected to Kevin Bacon? Too large to be a "100 Greatest" special, VH1 will expand its reach and recognize 200 of America's most outstanding and outrageous personalities with "VH1's 200 Greatest Pop Culture Icons," Each one hour episode is illustrated by celebrated artist Robert Risko, and will take a fun and lighthearted look at the individuals and moments that now live immortally in American pop culture. Risko accepted his first assignment from Andy Warhol and has been drawing the likenesses of hundreds of notables from the worlds of film, television, music and politics for over twenty years. The 200 Greatest Pop Culture Icons is wide in scope, accounting for television characters (Gilligan and Miss Piggy) cartoon crazies (Bugs Bunny and Scooby Doo), Hollywood heroes (Rock Hudson and Jim Carrey), and of course rock stars (Jimi Hendrix and The Rolling Stones). Hey, we're even throwing in The Three Stooges somewhere along the line. Each will be the subject of a pithy profile that's sure to reveal new tidbits of info while reminding you of their subject's longstanding cultural significance. Each will be scrutinized by awed celebrities and witty critics. Along the way you'll get new insights into how and why these gods and goddesses rose to the pop culture heavens. Sex and the City (1998)'s Kristin Davis is your host through five night's worth of intriguing installments. All-star interviews include Katie Couric, Jay Leno, The Osbourne Family, Hugh Hefner, Shania Twain, 'Denis Leary', Lisa Marie Presley, William Shatner, Susan Lucci, Britney Spears, Ringo Starr, Kevin Bacon, Penny Marshall and many, many more. Each one-hour episode is a fun and entertaining look at some of America's favorite personalities and features exclusive interviews with Hollywood legends, sports figures, TV stars, and musical icons. It is a celebration of the people and the moments that live immortally in pop culture. So there it is. From 'Abba (I)' to Wonder Woman (no, there are no Z's on the list), The 200 Greatest Pop Culture Icons is coming to make sense of uber fame's timeless nature.