It was 44 years ago that...

-Hendrix Are You Experienced = Global change in electric guitar playing, (not just in rock).
-1st Velvet Underground laid down a foundation that hundreds built on, (Bowie, Roxy Music, Sonic Youth...).
-1st Black Sabbath, grudgingly must admit had a big hand in establishing metal.
-1st Van Halen, busted open another smaller door.
-Captain Beefheart, Trout Mask Replica, helped shape a wide range of punkers, outside rockers and jazzers who were looking to push the edge.
-Sex Pistols Nevermind the Bollocks, 1st Cars and Nirvana Nevermind showed that there was still some flavor left in what appeared to be stale chewing gum.

Nevermind had pop hooks and a unique intoxicating quality that had a powerful effect on a lot of listeners. The record didn't have a huge budget and got big based mostly on consumer demand. Nirvana was larger than life before Cobain's death. Musical "talent" isn't some easily quantifiable attribute that's accurately measured w/ one yardstick or one persons opinion. Attempting to rank the best moments of of the Pixies, The Melvins, Soundgarden, Mudhoney, Nirvana and Alice in Chains is pretty much a clueless turd in the punchbowl exercise.