Not that I want to get into a habit of agreeing with anything Don Smitty says, but the three artists he listed are vital to the fabric of American rock music. I recall a 1998 VH-1 special that used the same phrase Smitty referenced.

Elvis was vital to the beginning of rock-n-roll in the 50's, Dylan in the 60's and 70's, and Springsteen in the 70's, 80's, and today. Each artist is flawed. Elvis didn't write a lot of his material but he had a dynamic voice and a great stage presence. Dylan and Springsteen are not the best vocalists or guitar players. However they are two of the best songwriters ever. Dylan released a number of influential albums, from Highway 61, Blood on the Tracks, Bringing It All Back Home, John Wesley Harding to name a few.

Springsteen's contributions have been equally important: Born to Run, Darkness on the Edge of Town, Nebraska, Born in the USA, and The Rising. And I would challenge that Springsteen is a better live performer, today at age 56, than 95% of his competitors in the music industry. And from 1975-1988, Springsteen was second-to-none in terms of energy, giving every show 110%, and delivering a 3 hour-plus set every night. His shows would vary greatly from night to night, incorporating classic and rare covers, along with unreleased and original material.

Are these 3 the best artists ever? Probably not. But they certainly form the nucleus of what is great about rock music.