The Kinks

Life ain't so happy in your little Shangri-la.
Ray Davies's work is anthropological, a keen participant observation of the shortcomings of modern Western man. Finally emancipated, free to drink tea, take photos, buy a proper hat, drive a thousand miles, emigrate to Australia where fortune resides. Free to fill his head with nonsense, paranoia, frustrations, with ego and its envies.
The Kinks blend self-deprecating social criticism with a melodic flair that is beyond competition. They paint provocations that have no walls, describing the great carousel of monotony with the lightness of those who know how to make fun of themselves.
These are just a few reasons that place the band among the greatest pop artists ever. The existential void that Ray sings about was relevant in the '60s of economic growth and will still be tomorrow, when the economic man continues to invent caricatures of himself.