I’ve been listening to and thinking about a whole lot of classic rock recently. Mostly on my playlist is 60’s and 70’s rock and later music inspired by the same. While going through the playlist and thinking about the songs I need to find and download, I was left thinking about all the great rock artists from the period when Elvis was King and pop was a very classy Sinatra. What followed right after the 1950’s rock revolution in the US was a long list of musicians who found new and better ways to make music. Each individual, group or band had a unique sound and was constantly experimenting with that particular sound. Rock music was art.

And on top of the list of geniuses creating this art, oddly enough, were bunches of British rockers. It was musicians in Britain who began experimenting with sounds and compositions. They were the one willing to step away from the lead guitar and work with orchestras, complex bass lines, variations in song structures and other such nuances which gave British rock a distinctly grander feel than the string-dominated US rock. That said the Brits were no kiddies on playing the lead either. The virtuoso lead could be found as early as Cliff Richards and The Shadows in the 1950 and the tradition continued with some of the best guitarists the world has ever seen. Three such masters played for the same band at one time or another. The Yardbirds created the sound that would later be the basis of 80s pop-rock. The Yardbirds also gave to the world Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton and Jimmy Page.

But before The’Birds, or any other band from the wrong side of the pond made it big, there were a group of young men from Liverpool called The Quarrymen who changed their name and made it big with their happy-happy sound and clean-cut image. Inspired and influenced by The Shadows, as well as the ballad-rock flowing from the US, The Beatles shot to the top with preppy, fun music and guitars galore. Yet, it was the success of this clean, adorable group of admirable young men that gave rise to the rebels who followed suit.

The most notable of these Beatlemania reactionaries were a minimally known band called the Rolling Stones. The ‘Stones need little introduction and can’t get no ‘Satisfaction’ with the acclaim they have already received. The had a sound oddly similar to the Beatles considering their severe disdain for the Great Ones. Others on the list of Beatle inspired bands included the ‘Birds, The Who, The Kinks and Herman’s Hermits.

The Who, led by the brilliant Pete Townshend, reached their peak later in the 60s and early 70s and redefined the scope of rock music. Townshend created the idea of the concept album and the rock opera. Tommy, a rock opera with each song telling a continuing story, was a massive hit and spawned countless TV, movie and stage performances. The Who and the ‘Stones can easily be credited with at least three of the top ten rock songs of all time—Satisfaction, Baba O’Riley and Won’t get Fooled Again. Among that top-ten would also be Queen with Bohemian Rhapsody, Pink Floyd with Another Brick in the Wall and The Beatles with Hey Jude. Each one of those songs redefined the way rock music was played and inspired generations of music listeners. Easily recognizable for their distinct openings, each song is a trademark in its own.

Just in terms of experimentation and creative genius, the Brits beat their American counterpart by a wide margin. When the Beatles “arrived” in the West with their guitar-y sound, they were proclaimed yesterday’s news. When they hit it big globally with Love Me Do, they were already the most popular band in Britain.

The Who, with their instrumental variations and experimentation with sound were responsible for innovations in sound amplification and instrumental tweaking that were then taken up by such notables as Jimi Hendrix. Hendrix famously took amp-advice regularly from Pete Townshend and even consulted him for guitar sound, feel and action.

Queen, with front-man and creative force Freddy Mercury, took the musical innovation to another level. Not only did Mercury create a brand for the band, he also created an image of uniqueness and artistic daring that few bands have ever reached. The only comparison that can be found in the United States of the kind of musical theatre created by The Who and Queen are the psychedelic works of The Doors. In terms of building a drama in the song, these three stand out on top of the pack.

For those who don’t appreciate this innovation and dismiss it as corruption of true rock (and I know you’re out there) there’s Clapton and Page and Beck and a long line of guitarists willing to let it rip with the most paradoxical subtlety that would leave you astounded. Yes, American guitarists reached a possibly higher level of proficiency in pure skill but they also took over the band. Rock sound in the US was defined by how wicked the lead could be. All music then centered around that.

With classic rock in Britain, the sound was all about the mix—building the perfect combination of each element with particular emphasis on the finished product rather than the 2-minute lead surrounded by some words and other instruments thrown in for the heck of it. I love that sound too and can fully appreciate it but it still leaves me with a sense of one-dimensional music. I love the heavier feel of 70s and 80s rock in the US but its not the definition of rock that I adhere to.

Like all things rock though, this entire post will have its opponents. People will read it and question my sanity. I know I’ve left out a lot of bands and people. I know I haven’t fully done justice to the issue. But that’s only a reflection of my own limited knowledge. As time passes, I wish to be able to modify my own appreciation of music. Those who disagree please do so openly and tell me why I’m wrong. Give me alternatives, introduce me to new music and better sounds and, above all, show me why the six songs I’ve listed above as part of the top ten rock songs are not the definitive top-6 rock songs of all time.