Paul McCartney

With the possible exception of Bob Dylan or Mick Jagger, Sir Paul McCartney remains the ultimate rock idol and the world's most influential living singer/songwriter/musician. Even so, McCartney's relevance since the demise of the Beatles has been fiercely debated. From his self-titled solo debut to his work throughout the Eighties, Nineties, and today, McCartney's output has been derided as "silly love songs" (to borrow the title of one of his many Seventies hits). Paul apologists continue to battle that assertion, citing albums like Band on the Run, Flowers in the Dirt, and Tug of War as proof of his importance. But really, when you've been a guiding force behind the greatest rock band of all time, the only standard you need to meet is your own. And this Friday, when Paul and company launch into any of the dozens of Beatles and solo classics, even the most cynical observer will be silenced.