My favorite part of Sound City is the section where he is explaining how the supergroup can achieve what they (he) are going for in a song. I don't even like the Beatles much (though I do understand how what they did fundamentally changed music--I'm not a Philestine!), but that was just masterful.
And
hossenpepper , I agree with you--a band or individual doesn't have to be hugely popular or one of my personal favorites to have had great influence. I loathe most psychedelia (unfortunately, that is what our current chapter is covering, and what I've had to listen to all week) and prog rock, but they play a fundamental part in shaping rock. I'm interested in the study you read--do you possibly have a link or reference I can refer to?
I've decided to go with the letter of the law, so to speak, and limit what I'm researching to 1988 and later musicians. This is probably the best class I've ever taken (even though I had to listen to the most godawful song I've ever been subjected to--"Tomorrow Never Knows" (Beatles). Horrible, horrible stuff.).