Final answer:
Roger Linn and Ikutaro Kakehashi are influential to modern pop music due to their contributions to electronic music and music technology, including the creation of the LinnDrum machine and Roland synthesizers and drum machines.
Step-by-step explanation:
Roger Linn and Ikutaro Kakehashi can be considered influential to modern pop music because of their contributions to electronic music and music technology.
Roger Linn is known for creating the LinnDrum machine, which revolutionized the way drum sounds were produced in the 1980s. The LinnDrum's realistic drum sounds and programmability made it popular among pop music producers and helped shape the sound of many hit songs.
Ikutaro Kakehashi is the founder of Roland Corporation, a leading manufacturer of electronic music instruments. Roland synthesizers and drum machines, such as the TB-303, TR-808, and TR-909, have been widely used in pop music production, influencing genres like synth-pop and hip hop.
Both Roger Linn and Ikutaro Kakehashi's innovations in music technology have had a lasting impact on modern pop music, shaping the sounds and production techniques used by artists today.