Lou Reed

Lou Reed remains one of rock music's most uncompromising figures, a poet of urban decay who transformed the avant-garde into populist art. As founder of The Velvet Underground, he pioneered a stark, drone-based sound that rejected psychedelic optimism for unflinching narratives about addiction, sexuality and alienation. His monotone vocal delivery and minimalist guitar approach, influenced by free jazz and the poetry of Delmore Schwartz, created a template for punk and alternative rock decades before those terms existed.

After the Velvets' commercial failure but critical consecration, Reed's solo career yielded Transformer (1972), produced by David Bowie, which gifted mainstream culture "Walk on the Wild Side". Berlin (1973) presented a harrowing song cycle about doomed romance. Metal Machine Music (1975) tested audience patience with an hour of guitar feedback, whilst New York (1989) returned him to literate social commentary.

Reed's cultural significance transcends sales figures. He legitimised transgressive subject matter within rock's vocabulary, proving that popular music could engage with literature, sexuality and philosophy without compromise. His influence permeates generations of artists who value authenticity over commerciality.