The only Greil Marcus you'll ever need, unless you want to read one guy writing the same book about Dylan four or five times. Important, but not as much as the above

THE best book about hard rock, because it's actually about the music. Homophobic and weirdly redneck, but he's listened to everything and knows his stuff

Essential counterweight to the foregoing; a manic fan's-eye-view of many of the same bands. A scary labour of love

Same genre, totally different experience. Marvel as Hunter negotiates between VD-riddled groupies and sleazy hangers-on, bumping into Zappa and Bowie along the way

Still the finest book on Hendrix, although unlike the Fabs the competition isn't very impressive. Superbly written and intelligent

Interesting counter-argument by American critic, with the typical US bias against the Sgt Pepper-era stuff. Unusual, imaginative and well-argued