Aerosmith was one of the biggest bands of the '70s, setting the style for the next decades with their swagger. The quintet found the middle ground between menace and sleaze, developing a lean boogie as hard as a diamond. On his own, he was the biggest star of the '80s. Few bands embodied the excess of the '70s like Queen. Paul Simon has established himself among the best pop songwriters of his era.
Most bands are tight units that develop through years of playing in clubs.
Steely Dan never subscribed to that aesthetic. As the vehicle for Walter Becker and Donald Fagen , Steely Dan defied all rock conventions. The founder of Island Records, Blackwell was among the most successful entrepreneurs in pop history. He rocked as hard as Jerry Lee Lewis , his lyrics were as complicated as Bob Dylan's , and his concerts were celebrations of all that was best in the music. Yet his place as one of the great rock singers is secure, backed up by a wealth of smaller hits that rate among the best rockabilly of all time.