The Kinks
They may not be as famous as The Beatles, but the Kinks are among the finest bands ever to come out of Britain. They’re mostly famous for Dave Davies’ incendiary pre-punk riff on the 1964 single You Really Got Me, but what ensured their lasting success and influence was Ray Davies’ (Dave’s brother of course) very special songwriting, ranging from Victorian vignettes to social protest songs and a love song for a transvestite.