I’m a little bit older than you - my formative Rock years were mid-to-late 60’s. I agree with you about Paul Simon, but until he had his nervous breakdown, I think Brian Wilson (Beach Boys) was his equal. “Pet Sounds” was an incredible album.
Definitely with you on The Who. I bought “Tommy” when it was first released. I remember the band I was in at the time (I played bass) practicing “The Overture” and “The Underture” again and again and again... Didn’t have a French Horn though... :-)
Love Reign O’er Me is maybe the most intriguing rock song I’ve ever heard. I should have also thought about Chicago and Lynyrd Skynyrd too. Skynyrd for the southern rock genre and Chicago for that easy listening rock segment.
25 or 6 to 4 is the one song that ALWAYS gets me to stop the station switching.
Didn’t listen to the Beach Boys enough to know.
What about Pet Rocks? Will historians recognize a Pet Rock Star?