Entertainment magazine Variety quizzed key industry figures and polled readers for the list to mark its 100th birthday. Elvis is listed at #10, the Beatles came in first.
Executive editor Steven Gaydos said: "It seemed only natural to celebrate 100 of the people who gave us something to talk about. "We are excited to honour the Beatles, giving special recognition to the sole group which has most shaped the face of modern showbusiness."
Among the criteria for choosing icons were commercial and creative impact, number of imitators, enduring appeal and whether they appear on T-shirts. The list is meant to represent every side of showbusiness, including actors, directors, screenwriters, musicians, TV presenters, animals, comedians and even cartoon characters. However the top 10 is dominated by Hollywood screen stars and music legends.
After the Beatles come jazz genius Louis Armstrong, actress Lucille Ball of 50s TV series I Love Lucy and film stars Humphrey Bogart and Marlon Brando.
Film legends Charlie Chaplin, James Dean and Marilyn Monroe - the only other woman in the top 10 - come ahead of Mickey Mouse. But surprisingly Mickey beats Elvis Presley, who features only in tenth place despite still selling millions of records every year.
The top 10 are:
1. The Beatles
2. Louis Armstrong
3. Lucille Ball
4. Humphrey Bogart
5. Marlon Brando
6. Charlie Chaplin
7. James Dean
8. Marilyn Monroe
9. Mickey Mouse
10. Elvis Presley
Source: Mirror / Updated: Oct 15, 2005