Picking the number one spot for a list of the most influential rock performers in music history is always going to involve a degree of subjectivity - measuring the significance of one artist over another is often a tricky thing to do, not least because often the great artists tend to influence one another in a continual feedback loop. Still, it's hard to argue with the fact that few other musicians ever to have graced a stage managed to wield a guitar with quite the same effortless dexterity and mind-blowing originality as Jimi Hendrix. With a career spanning just four years Hendrix emerged as someone almost universally regarded as the greatest instrumentalist in the history of music, not least through his revolutionary use of the wah-wah pedal and transforming feedback and distortion into musical expressions. Technically innovative as well as one of the most awe-inspiring performers, Jimi Hendrix has left a legacy which most other artists would die for, influencing artists and musicians involved in punk, funk, rock, soul, hip hop and many more. And all before his unfortunate death at the age of 27. What other influential rock artists would you include on this list? Why not let us know in the comments?
