Why Lou Reed Is Important Even Though He Didn't Sell a Ton of Records

Here's how my morning began. I walked into the kitchen to make a pot of coffee, and I turned on the radio only to hear that Lou Reed had died. Then, the radio station began playing "Hey babe, take a walk on the wild side", and The Beauty walked into the kitchen and said, "hey, they're playing your theme song". Yup. I loved and loved and still love that song.
But that wasn't the start for Lou Reed. By now, there are dozens of really good posts about why Lou Reed's band The Velvet Underground were so instrumental in redefining rock and roll as not just about being loved/ losing love/ never having know love, but about everything in life, including the seedier side.
The Velvet Underground played the clubs in New York in the East Village when I was of the age to go clubbing. They were unique, and as my contribution to the many tributes to Lou Reed, let me point out what he started.
Without The Velvet Underground breaking the Glass Love Ceiling,
could David Peel ever have written "Happy Mother's Day, Happy Father's Day, I am your son, I am a runaway"

Could John Lennon ever have written "Mother you had me, but I never had you"?

Could The Ramones ever have written a song about XMAS Eve called "I Wanna Be Sedated"?

Could The Sex Pistols have written a song about Abortion?

Could Nirvana have written anything?

Of course the answer is yes. Rock and Roll was ready to move away from the music themes of Sinatra's generation. And, it was Lou Reed and his Velvet Underground who were there to pioneer the future.
Well done Lou and thanks for the theme song.