King Crimson-Beat (1982)

For King Crimson leader Robert Fripp, recording a new album after the astonishing "Discipline" of 1981 would be no easy task. In a way, history was repeating itself from ten years earlier, when in 1970 they released "In the Wake of Poseidon", a massive and monumental album that was overshadowed by its predecessor, "In the Court of the Crimson King", While "Discipline" showcased the group's new and innovative side, venturing into pop and new wave under the influence of complex and progressive sounds, "Beat" saw Adrian Belew's influences take center stage, bringing the band's sound closer to the funk-pop-rock style of his previous band, Talking Heads. Despite not displaying the majesty and compositional genius of their best albums, this release still contains some highly redeeming elements, such as the dynamic instrumental "Sartori in Tangier" and the frenetic "Neurotica", tracks brimming with polyrhythmic guitars courtesy of Belew and Fripp and a precise and complex rhythm section, executed by two true masters: Bill Bruford and Tony Levin. The aforementioned references to Talking Heads are present in the catchy "Neil and Jack and Me" and "Heartbeat", while the haunting "Two Hands" and the sophisticated "Waiting Man" demonstrate that on this ninth album, the band remained deeply committed to creating enigmatic, captivating, and avant-garde music, despite the backlash it received from a large portion of their more orthodox fans, who dismissed it as a mere watered-down copy of the previous album, "Discipline".

Ramones-Rocket To Russia (1977)

For many, this is the definitive punk album, a record from the first and longest-running band of the genre, who, along with other bands with a style close to early punk rock, such as The Stooges and New York Dolls, spearheaded this revolutionary sound in North America. Their influences from 1950s rock and roll and 1960s pop rock were adapted to their basic instrumental and compositional structures. "Rocket to Russia" was the New Yorkers' third release, the album that definitively cemented their status as "the best punk band on the planet," showcasing a repertoire brimming with jovial, direct, and energetic tracks. With a string of classics like "Here Today, Gone Tomorrow", "Surfin' Bird", "I Wanna Be Well", "Teenage Lobotomy", "Sheena Is A Punk Rocker", "Rockaway Beach" or "Cretin Hop", this album became the pinnacle of the genre and a clear influence on British punk bands of the late seventies and early eighties.

The Doobie Brothers-The Doobie Brothers (1971)

Formed in the early 1970s, The Doobie Brothers are one of the seminal bands of American rock. Throughout their long career, they have showcased a versatile range of styles, evolving from the Southern rock of their beginnings to the jazz, rock, country, soul, and blues sounds of their subsequent releases. In 1971, their lineup consisted of Tom Johnstone (electric and acoustic guitars, harmonica, and vocals), Patrick Simmons (electric and acoustic guitars and vocals), John Hartman (drums and percussion), and Dave Shogren (bass, keyboards, and vocals). Produced by the renowned Ted Templeman, they released their self-titled debut album in mid-1971, already demonstrating their talent with a sound brimming with country rock, boogie rock, and rhythm and blues. Although still developing their style, this album features several of their legendary songs, such as the rhythmic "Nobody" and the country-rock anthem "Greenwood Creek". The dusty "The Master" and the beautiful vocal melodies of "Growin' a Little Each Day", "Closer Every Day", and "Travelin' Man" are other highlights of this seminal album, which received little of the media attention it deserved. A year later, the band achieved considerable success with their next release, "Toulouse Street", which incorporated other musical elements such as jazz and rural American sounds like bluegrass. These, combined with Southern country rock, became one of the defining styles of this magnificent band.

The Notting Hillbillies-Missing... Presumed Having a Good Time (1990)

In the late 1980s, Mark Knopfler had practically declared the Dire Straits story over, although in 1991 he returned with the album "On Every Street", a kind of revival with nods to the multi-platinum "Brothers in the Arms", ​​but without even coming close to its musical excellence. On "On Every Street", Knopfler recruited a legion of musicians outside the original members of the group, with the exception of bassist John Illsley. Therefore, it is unofficially considered a solo album by the guitarist, rather than a typical Dire Straits record. However, a year earlier, Mark Knopfler collaborated with renowned British blues and folk musicians such as Steve Phillips, Brendan Croker, Guy Fletcher, Paul Franklin, Marcus Cliffe, and Ed Bicknell, forming the project The Notting Hillbillies. They recorded and released a single album titled "Missing...Presumed Having A Good Time". On this single release, this gathering of talented musicians crafted a refined collection of blues, country, and folk tracks, featuring both covers and original compositions. Among these covers are the traditional 1870 blues song "Railroad Worksong", the folk song "Weapon of Prayer" by The Louvin Brothers, the country song "Feel Like Going Home" by Charlie Rich, the traditional "One Way Gal", the jazzy bluesy "Bewildered" by Teddy Powell, and the bluesy folk song "Blues Stay Away from Me" by The Delmore Brothers. Among the original compositions by the band, the country song "Will You Miss Me" by Steve Phillips stands out. Its commercial reception was very positive in various countries around the world, achieving several gold records and confirming the influence of these styles that have always been present in Mark Knopfler's music.

Eric Clapton-Backless (1978)

In 1978, Eric Clapton had just achieved immense success with his fifth album, "Slowhand", which reached number two on the Billboard charts, earning half a dozen gold and platinum records. Reuniting with the same musicians, studios, and producer (Glyn Johns), Clapton recorded his sixth album, "Backless". Released at the end of 1978, this new release saw the guitarist repeat the same musical formula as its predecessor, although it didn't contain as exciting a repertoire. The album was conceived without too many pretensions, as at that point in his career, Clapton no longer had anything to prove or surprise anyone, given his fabulous trajectory. Even so, the album is somewhat overshadowed by "Slowhand", due to the substantial difference between the two. However, Clapton once again delivers a series of noteworthy tracks, such as the outstanding country version of Feldman and Linn's "Promises", which showcases the guitarist's exceptional technique. There are also two songs written by Bob Dylan, "Walk Out In The Rain" and "If I Don't Be There By Morning", both of mediocre quality despite the British musician's skillful playing. The rhythmic version of J.J. Cale's "I'll Make Love To You Anytime" and "Tulsa Time", another cover, this time of Danny Flowers, are the most notable of the cover compositions. But it is his own songs that are the highlight of this album, starting with the appealing "Watch Out For Lucky" and the outstanding blues "Early In The Morning", while the ballads "Golden Ring" and "Tell Me That You Love Me" are relatively unremarkable. Commercially, "Backless" performed quite well, achieving platinum status and selling over a million copies in the North American market.