What was essential music?

What bands or songsor artists were essential to you growing up?

Off the top of my head:

"Eye of the Tiger" was the first song I ever loved. I was eight, or something.
"Brandy (You're a fine girl)" was the first good song I ever loved, maybe I was ten now.
When I was twelve, I think I listened to Supertramp's "Breakfast in America" until the tape wore out.

Then in high school:
Springsteen's "Born to Run"
Prince in the 80s.
The Replacements "Let it Be" changed my life.

I loved Dire Straits too. Why am I embarrassed to admit that now?

John Hiatt, John Mellencamp - heartland sincerity.

Harry Chapin, Jim Croce, James Taylor - 70s sincerity

I've got to think about this stuff some more. I know I'm forgetting a lot.

some local band images

Watch this!

DIY indie band shots

Images from First Avenue

late 90s video.

The sound, the sensitive boy attitude. Did these guys invent the crappy stuff that is called pop rock today?

And do they have every pop rock pose down to science? Arms out wide, the emphatic but rhythmic down stroke on the guitar, the lose shirt cuffs, and the leather - o so much leather.

It's like a textbook.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Xf-Lesrkuc

Posters from the 1990s