No Ramones fan here, but I've heard enough about them to know that they have a diehard following within certain circles, being considered a seminal band in the realm of punk. Joey Ramone seems like a nice enough guy, the few times I've seen him on TV: poignantly articulate and reasonably intelligent.

As far as their music being influential, well.... Probably not as commercially viable to reach a wide enough audience. Not in any sense like The Beatles, for instance.