The Byrds

The Byrds formed in Los Angeles in 1964 and became the bridge between folk and rock, between the Beatles and Bob Dylan. Roger McGuinn's twelve-string Rickenbacker guitar — jangling, shimmering, and compressed — created one of the most imitated sounds in rock history. Mr. Tambourine Man (1965), their electric reimagining of Dylan, launched folk rock as a genre. Eight Miles High (1966) pioneered psychedelic rock. Sweetheart of the Rodeo (1968), with Gram Parsons, invented country rock. Their influence runs through Tom Petty, R.E.M., the Smiths, and every jangle-pop band that followed. The original lineup included Gene Clark, David Crosby, Chris Hillman, and Michael Clarke. Despite constant personnel changes, the band's innovations across folk rock, psychedelia, and country rock make them one of the most important American groups of the 1960s.