Best Artists/Tracks at Chord Changing

I dont think its about how simple the changes are, or how complicated the progression is or how often it is used.Good music could mean someone using one chord or throwing everything but the kitchen sink in a tune.But I seem to be attracted to good songwriting and well performed pieces ,rather than songs that are more or less a platform for a musician to show everyone how fast he can play,or how many tricks he can do.I would rather listen to Hubert S. with Howling Wolf do Smoke Stack Lightning than,,,,,,,,,well,any number of the so called super players. Some folks can make 3 chords sound so good.Having said this,I also Love Steely Dan,Early Yes,Frank Zappa,Jaco,many busy players.

I agree that Petty plays a pretty straightforward rhythm guitar. IIRC, Petty often plays a major chord thru a measure and susses either the second, the fourth or both of those beats - very simple but very catchy. It's not difficult or unique, but it's a distinctive feature of his songs and I understand the appeal.

Mike Campbell OTOH has chops and plays the tricky (i.e. lead) parts in The Heartbreakers.

Marty

Someone's got to mention Robert Fripp, so I'll do it. Strumming or picking - in fact, picking in particular. And they're not majors.

Also, every rhythm guitarist on Talking Heads' Speaking In Tongues, Alex Weir in particular. See esp. Girlfriend is better, Pull Up The Roots.

Oh and Carlos Alomar.

Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers' sound attracted me not so much for the chord changes (I'm a guitar player who played in bands around NJ and NY in the 60's and 70's), but the sound of Petty's electric 12-string. Very Byrds-like due to his use of a Rickenbacker (just like Roger McGuinn back in the Byrds days).