10 Most Influential Rock Bands

10. The Police

Once rock triggered the punk and new wave movements, many bands were delivering rock music that had a primitive but artistic approach. While initially lumped into the new wave category, The Police took the reins of the mainstream and refused to let go.

Working as a trio, The Police were an unstoppable force as they ruled the late 70's and early 80's with the sophisticated melodies of Sting. Though it was just simple pop song structure, the band's chops gave the music a sense of professionalism with Stewart Copeland's jazz-inspired drums and Andy Summer's sonic guitar landscapes. These ethereal tones would go on to foreshadow later guitar-based bands from the Smiths to U2.

From a lyrical perspective, the band always had a twisted bent on the pop song formula, with catchy tunes describing stalking ("Every Breath You Take"), prostitution ("Roxanne") and even flirtations with underage partners ("Don't Stand So Close To Me.") This blew the doors wide open for pop artists to put more thought into their lyrics rather than the standard party song. In a time when bands got back to basics, the Police showed how to mix up many different styles without losing your musical identity.