Era
70s-80s Post-Punk Era
The late 1970s and 1980s saw punk's raw energy evolve into something more atmospheric and experimental. Post-punk bands introduced chorus-laden guitars, angular rhythms, and dark atmospherics that laid the groundwork for shoegaze, dream pop, and alternative rock.
AC/DC artist profile — Australian hard rock built on massive riffs, power chords, and relentless energy. Highway to Hell, Back in Black, and beyond.
Alex Lifeson — Rush's progressive rock guitarist whose layered textures and complex voicings defined prog-rock guitar.
Bad Brains — D.C. hardcore legends whose superhuman speed and reggae-punk fusion shattered every boundary punk had set.
Bauhaus artist profile — gothic rock pioneers known for Daniel Ash's angular, effects-laden guitar and theatrical post-punk.
Billy Gibbons — ZZ Top's blues-rock titan whose Pearly Gates Les Paul and tiny-pick technique forged an unmistakable tone.
Black Flag — hardcore punk's founding band whose DIY ethic, SST Records label, and Greg Ginn's abrasive guitar built the American underground.
Bruce Springsteen artist profile — working-class rock anthems, marathon live shows, and the Boss's five-decade American songbook.
Cocteau Twins artist profile — dream pop pioneers known for Elizabeth Fraser's ethereal vocals and Robin Guthrie's processed guitar textures.
David Bowie artist profile — glam rock pioneer whose restless gear experiments and Mick Ronson's Les Paul defined an era of theatricality and sonic reinvention.
David Gilmour — Pink Floyd's guitar voice whose soaring bends and atmospheric tone on Comfortably Numb defined emotional guitar playing.
Dead Kennedys — politically razor-sharp punk whose East Bay Ray's surf-inflected guitar and Jello Biafra's satirical fury redefined the genre.
Elton John artist profile — piano-driven pop-rock, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, and five decades of flamboyant, hit-making brilliance.
Iggy Pop artist profile — proto-punk godfather whose Stooges weaponized Les Paul distortion, Marshall volume, and raw fuzz into the blueprint for punk rock.
Iron Maiden — NWOBHM legends whose galloping rhythms, twin-guitar harmonies, and epic songwriting defined modern heavy metal.
Joe Walsh — inventive rock guitarist whose talk box wizardry and Hotel California solo defined classic rock's golden era.
Joy Division artist profile — post-punk originators known for sparse, chorus-laden guitar, melodic bass, and Martin Hannett's cavernous production.
Judas Priest — the architects of heavy metal whose twin-guitar attack and Rob Halford's operatic vocals defined the genre.
Marc Bolan artist profile — the architect of glam rock, from acoustic folk origins to Les Paul-driven electric swagger through Orange amplification.
Mott the Hoople artist profile — glam rock with hard-rock muscle, blending Les Paul riffs, piano, and Bowie-penned anthems.
My Bloody Valentine artist profile — shoegaze pioneers known for Loveless and dense, pitch-bent guitar textures.
New York Dolls artist profile — proto-punk glam from the Lower East Side, built on raw Gibson SG grit and Marshall overdrive.
Ozzy Osbourne — the Prince of Darkness whose solo career with Randy Rhoads and Zakk Wylde defined metal guitar virtuosity.
Roxy Music artist profile — art-glam pioneers pairing EMS VCS3 synthesis with angular guitar to create sophisticated, experimental rock.
Sex Pistols — punk's most incendiary band whose brief, explosive career rewrote the rules of rock music and British culture.
Slade artist profile — glam rock's loudest band, powered by Marshall-driven Les Paul riffs, Telecaster grit, and anthemic stomp.
Sonic Youth artist profile — noise rock innovators known for alternate tunings, prepared guitars, and the bridge between avant-garde and indie rock.
Sparks artist profile — eccentric art-glam built on Oberheim synths, Les Paul muscle, and Ron and Russell Mael's restless invention.
Stevie Ray Vaughan — Texas blues virtuoso who reignited electric blues with staggering Stratocaster tone and raw emotional power.
Suzi Quatro artist profile — glam rock's bass-driving force, powering hits with Fender Precision punch through a Marshall stack.
Sweet artist profile — heavy glam built on ES-335 crunch, Marshall power, and multi-part harmonies that belied their pop appeal.
T. Rex artist profile — Marc Bolan's glam rock machine, built on doubled Les Paul riffs, Leslie-swirled guitar, and irresistible boogie grooves.
The Clash — punk's most ambitious band, fusing raw energy with reggae, ska, and rock into politically charged anthems that transcended genre.
The Cure artist profile — Robert Smith's chorus-drenched guitar, flanger textures, and atmospheric post-punk that shaped dream pop and shoegaze.
The Damned — punk pioneers who released the genre's first UK single and album, then helped invent gothic rock.
Wire — minimalist punk pioneers whose three rapid-fire albums invented post-punk and influenced generations of guitar music.