Lou Reed covered much ground in the nearly 50 years that he made music. After The Velvet Underground broke up in 1970, Reed's solo career took him from glam (Transformer) to ear-bending sonic experimentation (Metal Machine Music) to concept records about Edgar Allen Poe (The Raven). He remained an exciting rock 'n' roll songwriter throughout, whether he was creating drug-addled characters or peering into his own heart.