Metallica　

American quartet Metallica were one of the most influential heavy metal bands of the ’80s and ’90s, inspiring generations of rockers with their early thrash and later hard rock sounds before settli ..more

Beach Boys　

Beginning their career as the most popular surf band in the nation, the Beach Boys finally emerged by 1966 as America’s preeminent pop group, the only act able to challenge (for a brief time) the o ..more

Jeff Beck　

While he was as innovative as Jimmy Page, as tasteful as Eric Clapton, and nearly as visionary as Jimi Hendrix, Jeff Beck never achieved the same commercial success as any of those contemp ..more

Willie Nelson　

As a songwriter and performer, Willie Nelson played a vital role in post-rock ＆ roll country music. Although he didn’t become a star until the mid-’70s, Nelson spent the ’60s writing songs that ..more

Elton John　

Elton John was the biggest pop star of the ’70s, grabbing headlines and generating hits throughout the world. As it turned out, this was merely the first act in a remarkable career that kept him at ..more

Neil Young　

After Neil Young left the California folk-rock band Buffalo Springfield in 1968, he slowly established himself as one of the most influential and idiosyncratic singer/songwriters of his generati ..more

Now　

Foo Fighters　

When Foo Fighters released a debut album written and recorded entirely by leader Dave Grohl -- at that point known only as the powerhouse drummer for Nirvana -- in the summer of 1995, few wou ..more

Eagles　

With five number one singles, 14 Top 40 hits, and four number one albums, the Eagles were among the most successful recording artists of the 1970s. At the end of the 20th century, two of those albu ..more

AC / DC　

AC/DC’s mammoth power chord roar became one of the most influential hard rock sounds of the ’70s, and is now one of the defining sounds of rock and metal. In its own way, it was a reaction against ..more

U2　

Through a combination of zealous righteousness and post-punk experimentalism, U2 became one of the most popular rock ＆ roll bands in the world -- equally known for their sweeping sound as for thei ..more

Aerosmith　

Aerosmith were one of the most popular hard rock bands of the ’70s, setting the style and sound of hard rock and heavy metal for the next two decades with their raunchy, bluesy swagger. The Boston- ..more

TOTO　

B.B.King　

Universally hailed as the king of the blues, the legendary B.B. King was without a doubt the single most important electric guitarist of the last half of the 20th century. His bent notes and stacca ..more

T.Rex　

The most iconic band of the U.K. glam rock scene of the ’70s, T. Rex were the creation of Marc Bolan, who started out as a cheerfully addled acolyte of psychedelia and folk-rock until he turned ..more

Frank Zappa　

Composer, guitarist, singer, and bandleader Frank Zappa was a singular musical figure during a performing and recording career that lasted from the 1960s to the ’90s. His disparate influences inclu ..more

IRON MAIDEN　

Known for such powerful hits as Two Minutes to Midnight and The Trooper, Iron Maiden are one of heavy metal’s most influential bands. They’re also one of metal’s most enduring and distinctive a ..more

Rush　

Over the course of their decades-spanning career, Canadian power trio Rush emerged as one of hard rock’s most highly regarded bands; although typically brushed aside by critics and rarely the recip ..more

ABBA　

The most commercially successful pop group of the 1970s, the origins of the Swedish superstars ABBA dated back to 1966, when keyboardist and vocalist Benny Andersson, a onetime member of the ..more

Grateful Dead　

Rock’s longest, strangest trip, the Grateful Dead were the psychedelic era’s most beloved musical ambassadors as well as its most enduring survivors, spreading their message of peace, love, and min ..more