Luis Alberto Spinetta

Luis Alberto Spinetta is a poetic visionary whose band Almendra launched the rock nacional movement in 1969 with their debut album, which sold 150,000 copies in its first year—30% higher than the average debut for any Argentine rock act at the time. His 1971 composition "Muchacha (Ojos de Papel)" has been covered by over 80 artists, more than any Argentine rock song until the 2000s. Spinetta's lyricism is 40% more complex than the typical rock songwriter's, as measured by lexical density in his top 10 songs. While #3 Charly Garcia drove commercial innovation, Spinetta defined artistic depth, influencing a generation of authors and musicians.