ABSTRACT
Canons are underpinned by narratives of influence, progress and tradition, and each artist or work central to the canon has an important role in what is retrospectively conceived of as a coherent and logical story. Such narratives of influence, progress and tradition are evident in the reception of rock albums, and each album is shown to either embody a pivotal moment of revolution in rock or represent the highest achievement of a particular genre. Influence is as important to narratives of rock music as it is to the canons of literature and classical music, as has already been proven through the retrospective importance of The Velvet Underground & Nico. The canon is most usually represented by key artists and works in a story of progressive evolution. Another expression for such rapid evolution and originality is the idea of transcendence, yet another concept that has migrated from the canons of literature and classical music into the reception of rock music.
