The Beatles' impact on rock & roll and Western culture has them unmistakably as the greatest of all time. Virtually all rock & roll experiments have some sort of Beatle precedent; no group has transformed the sound and significance of rock & roll like the Beatles. In the Top 100 Albums of All Time, the Beatles have 6 albums, 4 albums in 10 recognized including #1 "Revolver."

Jimi Hendrix is perhaps the single most important electric guitar player in the instruments history (perhaps right after Charlie Christian). His influence is heard far and wide, including Stevie Ray Vaughan, super rocker Eddie Van Halen, or Mike McCready of Pearl Jam. Hendrix pioneering the use of the guitar as an electric sound source; simply put, he changed electric guitar forever. In the top 100 Rock & Roll Albums of All Time, Hendrix has three albums recognized including #5 "Are You Experienced?"

Like its predecessor the Yardbirds, Zeppelin's roots laid heavy in blues, but they were an evolution never seen before. Jimmy Page, former Yardbirds lead ax, was a true virtuoso guitarist that pushed the limits of rock guitar. Much like Hendrix, Page used his guitar, as well as his studio, as an electronic instrument that displayed his deep understanding for rock music like only a few posses. With over a 100 million records sold, and three albums recognized in the Top 100 Rock & Roll Albums of All Time, Zeppelin will forever be a part of the rock gods.

For the last 40 years Bob Dylan has been the most influential American musician rock & roll has seen. Whole schools of musicians have taken to his style, ideas and lyric content; even politicians have cited his lyrics in speech. Through it all Dylan still has maintained the ability to change, infuriate and surprise listeners. In the top 100 Rock & Roll Albums of All Time, Dylan has four albums recognized including #9 "Blonde On Blonde."

The Godfather of Soul, James Brown was perhaps the most successful and well-known black artist of the 60's and early 70's. Music today would not be the same without Brown introducing the world to his polyrhythmic funk that virtually reshaped dance music. His legacy and influence can be heard in a wide range of genres, including rock, soul, jazz, R & B and hip hop. With over 800 songs in his repertoire and the #34 album the Top 100 Albums of All Time, "Sex Machine," James Brown is a rock & roll icon.

The equivalent of a musical chameleon, Bowie's career through the 60's and 70's featured many difference appearances and projects; folk singer, soul man, decadent and modern rock star, each or which spawned waves of imitators. Constantly trying out new styles of music and changing with the times, Bowie remains one the more adventurous of classic rock survivors. In the top 100 Rock & Roll Albums of All Time, Bowie was recognized twice.

Elvis was a white southerner that brought about the union of American music from both sides of the color line; and he did it all with a hip swivel and sexuality that made him a teenage rebel role model for generations to come. Elvis set the stage for a cultural revolution; rock & roll was here to stay and it was time for mainstream America to let go. Over 25 years after his death, and 1 billion records sold and counting, Presley's imagine and influence remain undiminished; he is the King. In the top 100 Rock & Roll Albums of All Time Presley "Sun Sessions" was rated #21.

In the history of rock & roll it is hard to find a band as influential as The Who. The pioneers of the Rock Opera, the use of synthesizers (they were among the first), and godfathers to punk rock music, The Who stand among a few rock legends at the top of the mountain. There emotional style of play (including their infamous stage, instrument, and hotel smashings) gave way to the anthem for the next generation. In the top 100 Rock & Roll Albums of All Time, The Who have three albums recognized, including #13 "Who's Next."

Their sound won the world over. Based on the lines laid down from Sting's bass, their tunes incorporated ideas from funk, punk, Indian, Arab and African music. The Police also had an incredible guitar player in Andy Summers with his atmospheric way of playing, and a drum god in Stewart Copeland, who is one of the most influential ever. In the top 100 Rock & Roll Albums of All Time, The Police's "Synchronicity" was voted #50.