Alex Chilton and his band of Memphis misfits were years ahead of their time - when they released Radio City in 1974, hardly anyone heard it. But like the Velvet Underground, they became hugely influential when future generations discovered them and got their minds blown. Big Star came up with their own skewed pop sound, filtering their love of the Beatles through their Memphis-soul roots. "September Gurls" and "Life Is White" should have been hits, soaring with the sweetly eccentric guitar chime and the romantic ache in Chilton's voice.
Big Star appears on the list 3 times.
All notes from rollingstone.com