Appraising Amy

Dear followers

After Amy Winehouse's funeral earlier today, The London Evening Standard quoted George Michael's view that "she should be remembered as one of the greatest singer-songwriters of all time." Of all time? Really?

Only those without an ounce of compassion could fail to be moved by the tragically early death of a highly talented young woman who should have had many more decades of music in her - although the cold blooded slaughter of dozens of innocent young Norwegians the day before should put Winehouse's sad but ultimately self-inflicted descent into a wretched abyss of addiction in perspective. But in the aftermath of any artist's death, especially a premature one, too many observers instinctively fall over themselves in search of gushing superlatives rather than offering a more objective, rational appraisal of the individual's true legacy. This is in some ways understandable, as noone wants to seem churlish or mean spirited in such circumstances, but nevertheless, The Sage intends to debunk the fast-emerging myth that Winehouse warrants a place in the pantheon of musical geniuses.

First, the evidence in favour of her greatness. She was certainly incredibly popular in the UK - Back To Black was the country's best selling album of 2007, and also got to number 2 in the notoriously hard to conquer American chart. At the precocious age of 19, her debut record Frank was nominated for the Mercury Music Prize. Her voice was an expressive, smoky delight, rich in the kind of world-weary emotion that one would expect from a veteran of the Deep South soul scene rather than a young Jewish girl from Finchley; her songwriting confident and effortlessly 'classic' from the start. Furthermore, she was the first of a new generation of distinctive, adventurous young British female singer-songwriters that has gradually broken through over the past decade, paving the way for the likes of Florence and the Machine and Adele, as they themselves acknowledge.

But when we talk about the greatest singer-songwriters there have ever been, the Sage thinks of names like Bob Dylan - or, if you prefer something a bit more upbeat, Michael Jackson. Winehouse released two albums - these artists have been consistently great for decades. Songs like Knockin' On Heaven's Door, Blowin' In The Wind, Thriller and Billie Jean are part of pop music's indelible history, known across the world and across generations. Will many people be able to name a Winehouse song in 30 years time?

Even the next tier down from the absolute greats, there's a strong argument that someone like Kate Bush, with her unique voice, enduring if fitful recording career and highly innovative stage presence, is a far more significant and influential British artist than Winehouse, who for all her flair and appeal wasn't ever actually doing anything that hasn't been done before.

Much has been written over the past few days about the '27 club', the unusually large number of iconic popular musicians who died at that age, often as the result of substance abuse or psychological torment. Once again, Winehouse's inclusion in that hallowed list strikes the Sage as glib convenience rather than a true reflection of her talent. Jimi Hendrix revolutionised the way rock music's most emblematic instrument was played, inspiring countless other guitarists that have followed in his wake. Kurt Cobain dragged alternative rock music kicking and screaming into the mainstream. Like Dylan and Jackson, they and other members of the '27 club' such as Jim Morrison created an impact and a body of work that continues to resonate today.

The key thing about Hendrix, Morrison and Cobain is that their early demise, while undeniably an important factor in their popularity, does not define them as artists. Unfortunately, one suspects that Amy Winehouse will probably be remembered more for going spectacularly off the rails than for what she achieved when she was on track, which to be brutally honest fell some way short of the accolades bestowed upon her since her untimely demise.