One of the great girl groups of all time, the Shirelles were a huge force at the dawn of the 60’s, but like so many with their sound they seemed so irrelevant five years later.  History has been very kind to the Shirelles and their music has regained a timeless beauty.

They were multi racial, multi gendered and all the way Funky.  Sly & the Family Stone were as relevant as they were fun and there aren’t many who can pull that off.

They called themselves the “Greatest Rock and Roll Band in the World” and they have the swagger to back it up.  Their career is as impressive as anyone else on this list.

A certified legend in Rock and Roll, Blues, Gospel and Soul, it can be easily argued that the first fifteen years of Ray Charles’ career should be required listening for anyone who really wants to understand Rock’s early days.