The Kinks first gained prominence in 1964 with their third single, "You Really Got Me", written by Ray Davies. It became an international hit upon release, topping the charts in the UK and reaching the Top 10 in the US. In the remainder of the decade Ray Davies' writing skills slowly evolved, and the group became known for songs and concept albums reflecting on English culture and lifestyle. Albums such as Face to Face, Something Else, The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society, Arthur, Lola versus Powerman and the Moneygoround, Part One, Muswell Hillbillies and their accompanying singles are considered amongst the most influential recordings of the period. During the New Wave era, groups such as The Jam, The Knack, and The Pretenders covered Kinks songs and Britpop acts such as Blur, Oasis and Supergrass have cited them as a major influences. The Kinks' influence has carried on until today; in the VH1 documentary HEAVY: the Story of Metal The Kinks are mentioned as one of the early bands that can be traced with a heavy metal sound. The group have been the recipient of several awards and in 1990, their first year of eligibility, The Kinks were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
As self-professed Kinks fan Pete Townshend said for The History of Rock 'n' Roll: "The Kinks were much more quintessentially English. I always think that Ray Davies should one day be Poet Laureate. He invented a new kind of poetry and a new kind of language for pop writing that influenced me from the very, very, very beginning."
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