slaw,
You must be frustrated at the turn this thread has taken, because members are largely just listing bands and albums that they like. I have to admit that your question is a really difficult one to answer, because it is really hard to commit to one artist; and I think that is what some thoughtful respondents have stated.
I really like the way some have listed a number of their foundational artists, and then mentioned that there are of course many others. That is how I feel after further thought.
