Cream - Fresh Cream

When the band formed in 1966, Eric Clapton was already fairly well known by this time, having already performed and recorded with the Yardbirds and John Mayall's Bluesbreakers. But it wasn't until Cream that Clapton became a global superstar. Breaking free of the traditional rock and roll song for a more improvisational/jazz influenced take, the band's long jams gave birth to a whole new approach to rock music. When their debut album Fresh Cream was released in 1966 it immediately became the standard by which all other bands of the era were judged.