While I'll jump at any chance to root for the Telecaster, being a biased Tele player myself, I don't think I'd be stepping out of line claiming that it may have been the most iconic guitar during the birth of rock and roll and the evolution of the electric blues. Muddy Waters is often credited as the godfather of the electric blues and possibly rock and roll, getting his first electric in 1945 and becoming one of the first blues musicians to regularly utilize the electric guitar in a full band configuration.
The Rolling Stones, one of the first bands to really define rock music as it's own genre.
The Kinks, one of the first bands to really popularize distortion in rock music.
Eric Clapton's Yardbird's / Blind Faith days.
Led Zeppelin's early days.
That being said, many of these early Tele players picked up Les Pauls and Strats in the early 70's when rock music became more visceral.