Well, as a historian who has written a little on rock music (”You Keep Me Hangin’ On,” with Mark Stein of Vanilla Fudge about three years ago, for example), I would say:
1. Without question, the Beatles transformed music. American rock was moribund and in a valley when the Beatles came along. Presley had stopped doing real rock hits, Buddy Holly and Ritchie Valens died in the plane crash, the Beach Boys were just starting, Little Richard had found Jesus, and Jerry Lee Lewis was in legal trouble.
Even if they had little talent, the freshness of the Beatles would have produced a major change in American music, but they had lots of talent. As a group, the Beatles were far more talented than any one of them, and I think that bothered a couple of them.
2. Probably the Stones, though not for any particular song as much as for their counter-Beatle sound.
3. Cream and Hendrix, both because of the virtuosity of the performers.
4. Maybe the Doors/Morrison and Janis Joplin because, well, they died early.
For guitarists, Hendrix was IT!
Someone on the thread referred to who was influenced by whom?
Ask Larry Cornell. He!!, ask Clapton!
“Even if they had little talent, the freshness of the Beatles would have produced a major change in American music, but they had lots of talent. As a group, the Beatles were far more talented than any one of them, and I think that bothered a couple of them.”
+1
You had to be there to appreciate just how strong a break with the past the Beatle’s sound was. Like a knife edge.
And the Beatles appeared with their simple upbeat music almost simultaneously with Kennedy’s assassination, as if the fall of 1963 marked some turning point in history.