The Kinks

During the late '60s and early '70s, The Kinks reigned as one of the top rock bands, with signature songs like "You Really Got Me", "Tired of Waiting for You" and "All Day and All of the Night". The were among the first bands to experiment with concept albums, notably The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society.

Not only were The Kinks a critical and commercial success, their influence on rock music is still felt long after the band dissolved. Their breakthrough single, "You Really Got Me" has been credited as the first seed of heavy metal. They were early adopters of the concept album formet. Bands like The Who, Van Halen, The Pretenders, Ramones, The Clash, Oasis and Blur were strongly influenced by The Kinks' music.

The band formed in 1963 with the Davies brothers (Ray as lead vocalist, Dave as lead guitarist,) drummer Mick Avory and bassist Pete Quaife. The band's popularity began to decline in the mid-80s, but they held on until calling it quits in 1996. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame the first year they became eligible, 1990.