Carole King

No self-respecting 1970s co-ed dorm was without a copy of Carole King's Tapestry, a mondo hit that did for female singer-songwriters what Paul Simon did for the guys. One of the main consequences of this key album was that the public got clued into all the great songs King had written -- often with Jerry Goffin -- for other artists when the Brill Building ruled '60s pop. Such wonders as "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow" and "You've Got a Friend" are ultra-catchy, yet have a depth that is sorely missing in today's market of disposable singles. King's career was the inspiration behind the movie Grace of My Heart.