What genre of music do you think is most influential?

Well seeing as how a lot of music today really sucks, I'd have to say it's a three way tie between old and new hardcore punk, rap and hip hop.

Alternative.

Depends on the person. Playing guitar for me is a passion, so rock music has always been most inflential for me. I wouldn't have any hobbys if it wasn't for rock music since I play guitar every day.

Classical music.

Boogie, Blues and Hillbilly. The combination of the three has influenced all music to come after.

The FIRST genre of music, whatever it was. Without IT, there'd BE NO music.

Edit: Then Jazz. Without jazz, we'd have no rock 'n' roll, rock, pop, rap, r&b, techno, electronica, etc, etc, etc.

Either jazz or classical. Jazz stems from classical, and from Jazz stems countless music styles such as rock, pop, R&B and others. "It", the evolution of music, either started with jazz or classical. These are the foregrounds of music itself, imo.

Pop. Theres so much of it that someones bound to be inspired by at least one song.

Rap, but not in a good way. I've seen so many people change because of RAP music, and it's never a good change :(

rap

think of all the people dead because of gang fights started by rap feuds otherwise Blues because of the whole slave thing