X

Besides being an awesome rock 'n' roll band, X was extremely influential to American popular music. They had a major impact on the underground Punk rock movement and also the Roots, folk, and Americana revival scenes. Just as importantly, they were the band that put independent labels on the map (selling 100,000 copies seemingly out of the blue). They stood head and shoulders above the rest of America's Punk bands of the late '70s and quickly came to national prominence with their combination of raw energy, beatnik-style lyrics, intertwining vocal harmonies, and buzzsaw guitar (courtesy of Rockabilly veteran Billy Zoom). That diversity and a never-ending supply of good songs via John Doe and Exene Cervenka were the keys to their success. They never lived up to major label expectations and lost focus after their first three (essential) albums but their entire output has merit. They parted ways in the late '80s but still get back together from time to time to play for a whole new generation of fans.