The 1959 album that “defines rock”, according to Joe Perry: “My favourite record of all time”
Aerosmith guitarist Joe Perry named Chuck Berry’s 1959 album *Berry Is On Top* as his favourite record of all time, saying it “defines rock and roll”. His choice highlights Berry’s lasting influence on the genre and the foundations he laid for later rock musicians.
In a 1999 interview, Perry called Berry the most influential guitarist he had heard. He said many musicians covered Berry’s songs but found it difficult to capture their distinctive feel, especially the “push-pull” and rhythm; Perry viewed even Aerosmith’s sound as indebted to Berry’s example.
- Joe Perry called *Berry Is On Top* his favourite record.
- He said the 1959 album defines rock and roll.
- Perry praised Chuck Berry’s enduring influence on guitarists.
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Chuck Berry was an American singer and guitarist whose songs and guitar playing helped shape early rock and roll in the 1950s. His records combined blues rhythms with sharp guitar parts and lyrics about teenage life, cars and dancing.
Berry’s influence spread through later generations of musicians, including British and American bands that performed his songs. Aerosmith guitarist Joe Perry has described Berry as a major influence, particularly for the distinctive rhythm and feel of his playing.
That influence matters because rock developed through musicians building on earlier styles and adapting them. Berry’s work is often discussed as part of the foundations on which later guitar-led rock was built.