Elvis Presley, also known as The King of Rock & Roll, is widely considered one of the most significant cultural icons of the 20th century. Born in Tupelo, Mississippi, the musician quickly became a pioneer of rockabilly, an uptempo, backbeat-driven fusion of country music and rhythm and blues. At the height of Elvis’s career, his combination of high-energy, sexualized, and provocative tones, and the inclusion of many musical influences across racial lines made him one of the most popular people in the world. Not to forget his signature hip thrusts.
The king of rock is the best-selling solo artist in the history of recorded music and succeeded to gain massive followings across many genres, including pop, country, blues, and gospel. Presley went on to accumulate an unbelievable amount of awards and was even recently awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Donald Trump in 2018, years after his passing.
Recommended Listening: Elvis’s most popular song, “Jailhouse Rock,” was written for his 1957 film by the same name. We recommend this song to anyone who wants a taste of what The King of Rock had to offer in the prime of his successful career.
Talking Heads
Considered by many to be one of the most critically acclaimed bands of the '80s, the Talking Heads were an American band from New York City. They helped pioneer new wave music by combining funk, punk, and rock with the clean style of some of rock's more soft contemporaries.
The band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2002 and had four of their albums appear in Rolling Stone's '500 Greatest Albums of All Time list.
Recommended Listening: The Talking Head's hit song, "Burning Down The House," is arguably the best song from the band's breakthrough album, delivering a post-punk song that masquerades as anything but. Give it a listen and decide for yourself.
Alice Cooper
With a career spanning over 50 years, Alice Cooper (who was born in Detroit, Michigan), is widely regarded as "The Godfather of Shock Rock". The singer, songwriter, and actor claim to have found his inspiration in a combination of horror films, vaudeville, and garage rock. The heavy metal entertainer is known for experimenting with various musical styles, including art rock, hard rock, heavy metal, new wave, glam metal, and industrial rock.
Cooper’s performances often include fake blood, snakes, baby dolls, guillotines, electric chairs, and dueling swords, and he is credited with helping shape the look and sound of heavy metal, even being described as the musician who "first introduced horror imagery to rock and roll, and whose stagecraft and showmanship have permanently transformed the genre." Cooper was awarded the Living Legend in 2006 by the Classic Rock and Roll Honour annual awards program.
Recommended Listening: Alice Cooper's album "School's Out" quickly became a major success, and our favorite track by the band is the single title track from this album. 'School's Out' is a rebellious teenage celebration of the last day of school, many people immediately smile when they remember the classic lyrics, "We got no class / And we got no principles / And we got no innocence / We can't even think of a word that rhymes.".
Aerosmith
The band that managed to combine Led Zeppelin’s hard rock and The Rolling Stones’ smooth blues tones, Aerosmith, which was formed in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1970, is best known for their charismatic and outspoken singer Steven Tyler. One of the best-selling American hard-rock bands of all time, with over 150 million records sold worldwide, Aerosmith is one of those bands that every man, woman, and child has at least one favorite song from.
The band was originally influenced by The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, and others. What's interesting is that Aerosmith ended up becoming a major influence on many of the world's most famous bands. According to Perry, Eddie Van Halen once told him that his band Van Halen "started out on the suburban L.A. club circuit, playing Aerosmith songs". Aerosmith is credited for being a huge inspiration to iconic bands such as Guns N' Roses, Metallica, and Mötley Crüe.
Recommended Listening: Released in 1973 in their debut album, the song 'Dream On' took a few years to catch on, but once it was discovered by the general public, it quickly turned into one of the '70s most emotional and motivating ballads and a personal favorite among many fans and non-fans alike.
The Allman Brothers Band
The Allman Brothers Band was an American band that incorporated elements of blues, jazz, and country music. Formed in Jacksonville, Florida in the late ‘60s by brothers Duane and Gregg Alman, as well as Dickey Betts, Berry Oakley, Butch Trucks, and Jai Johanson. The band was known for its mix of jazz, blues, and country music, and their live shows were often described as sounding like improvised jam sessions.
The band was considered to be one of the pioneers of southern rock, although they chose to identify themselves as "a progressive rock band from the south." At that time, having two lead guitarists play in a band was still quite unheard of, and the brothers managed to complement each other to create an influential sound that is still considered iconic today. The band, unfortunately, suffered a tragic history, with multiple members passing away for various reasons. The band was since recognized and inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995, as well as receiving a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2012.
Recommended Listening: One of the band's most beloved and legendary songs, "Whipping Post," was released in 1969 back when Gregg Allman was just in his 20s. The song is a brilliant piece of southern rock, and you can find both a 5-minute studio version as well as a 23-minute live centerpiece from their live album "At Fillmore East."