There are some music stars -- Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder and Prince, to name a few -- whose musical legacies will influence generations to come.  In 2004, Rolling Stone's panel of experts named those acts among the 50 greatest artists of all time, dubbing them "the Immortals." 

Now, nearly a decade later, Rolling Stone has announced another list of artists who they believe "will stand the test of time -- the kind of acts whose names we wouldn't be surprised to see on a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ballot at some point down the road when they become eligible."  The magazine calls the group of 14 stars "the New Immortals," and the ranks include Kanye West, Beyonce, Rihanna and Questlove.

Rolling Stone points out Kanye's underdog beginnings, adding, "virtually no one expected him to become a superstar.  No one, that is, except Kanye West."  After crafting dope beats for Jay-Z's 2001 album The Blueprint, Kanye delivered his 2004 solo debut, College Dropout, and since then he's "got even more ambitious with each release," Rolling Stone writes. 

As for Beyonce, Rolling Stone notes that even if her career had ended with Destiny's Child, the singer would be remembered for the group's string of hits.  Instead of stopping there though, Bey has proven herself an unstoppable solo artist.  "Her many smash singles, from 'Crazy in Love' to 'Irreplaceable' to 'Single Ladies,' make up one of the past decade's strongest pop portfolios," Rolling Stone writes.

In the case of Rihanna, cold, hard numbers have notched her a spot in history.  "Her digital sales add up to 100 million -- more than anyone, anywhere, ever," Rolling Stone notes.  On top of that, the magazine writes, "She's a star in the truest sense: a wild, larger-than-life personality you just can't look away from."

Rolling Stone calls The Roots the greatest hip-hop band of all time, and as a driving force behind the crew, Questlove deserves special recognition.  After years of touring, The Roots took on a gig as the house band on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon.  "This could have heralded a comfortable retirement –- but instead they've somehow become even more prolific, releasing some of their most fearless music to date and jamming on national television with everyone from Bruce Springsteen to Prince," Rolling Stone writes.

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