# Best rock album ... your preference. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 4, 2019, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-album-your-preference/842972 "2019-11-04T01:05:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2019, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-album-your-preference/842972/21 "2019-11-04T03:12:13Z")
Led Zeppelin - IV, followed closely by, Queen - A Night at the Opera ---
**Author:** ![Quercus\_alba](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quercus_alba/32/4061_2.png) [@Quercus\_alba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quercus_alba)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2019, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-album-your-preference/842972/22 "2019-11-04T03:35:29Z")
_Joshua Tree-_-U2 ---
**Author:** ![Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/face_intentionally_left_blank/32/288_2.png) [@Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Face_Intentionally_Left_Blank)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2019, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-album-your-preference/842972/23 "2019-11-04T05:40:20Z")
AS the OP says, there IS no right or wrong answer. Looking through this thread, I’m reminded of so many fantastic works. I’ve long been partial to, “The Nightfly”, by Donald Fagan, and it’s topped my Desert Island list for decades. My heart belongs to Arena Rock, though. Van Halen 1. . . oh man, side one. . . Boston’s first album’s been mentioned. Scholz’s fuzzy guitar and Delp’s clear, high voice are a combo that’s hard to beat. . .and don’t get me started on Zeppelin, especially the earlier albums. If I had to pick one though, it would have to be Meat Loaf’s, “Bat out of Hell”. It’s just bombastic overkill in the best possible sense. Love and sex and relationships as a rock opera. ---
**Author:** ![LoneRhino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lonerhino/32/1311_2.png) [@LoneRhino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LoneRhino)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2019, 7:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-album-your-preference/842972/24 "2019-11-04T07:50:35Z")
Animals - Pink Floyd ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2019, 7:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-album-your-preference/842972/25 "2019-11-04T07:51:17Z")
Today, it’s a tossup between _Doolittle_ and _The Stone Roses_ ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2019, 10:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-album-your-preference/842972/26 "2019-11-04T10:54:55Z")
I endorse many of the selections already mentioned - Blonde on Blonde, Blood on the Tracks, Born to Run, My Aim is True, London Calling. But… **Highway 61 Revisited** is my choice. (might also mention Abbey Road, Harvest, Imperial Bedroom, Who’s Next) ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2019, 11:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-album-your-preference/842972/27 "2019-11-04T11:14:56Z")
At the moment, I’m gonna have to go with **Secret Treaties** by Blue Öyster Cult. ---
**Author:** ![Art\_Rock](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/art_rock/32/525_2.png) [@Art\_Rock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Art_Rock)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2019, 11:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-album-your-preference/842972/28 "2019-11-04T11:56:06Z")
**Hounds of love** by Kate Bush. if that’s not rock enough for you, then **Wish you were here** by Pink Floyd. ---
**Author:** ![Author\_Balk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Author\_Balk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Author_Balk)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2019, 12:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-album-your-preference/842972/29 "2019-11-04T12:20:40Z")
Boston has been mentioned two other times. So, I will go with my second. Aja by Steely Dan ---
**Author:** ![ThisSpaceForRent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thisspaceforrent/32/345_2.png) [@ThisSpaceForRent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThisSpaceForRent)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2019, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-album-your-preference/842972/30 "2019-11-04T12:50:20Z")
_little feat_… [Waiting for Columbus](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B7oid155i6o&list=PLp7teE-mXtw5ztmyaqs_YHs0EOV40zs6j) ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2019, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-album-your-preference/842972/31 "2019-11-04T12:54:42Z")
_Abbey Road._ ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2019, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-album-your-preference/842972/32 "2019-11-04T14:43:59Z")
The original Jesus Christ Superstar. Extremely hard rocking and changed theatre history forever. ---
**Author:** ![Doyle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doyle/32/439_2.png) [@Doyle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doyle)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2019, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-album-your-preference/842972/33 "2019-11-04T14:54:19Z")
King Crimson - In the Court of the Crimson King ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2019, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-album-your-preference/842972/34 "2019-11-04T14:55:19Z")
> [@Personal](#): > > There are so many that could qualify, but in the end it comes down to Fair Warning by Van Halen. Nailed it in one! As stated so many could qualify but stuck on a deserted Island with only one record and player, I’d pick this one. ---
**Author:** ![Crotalus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crotalus/32/41_2.png) [@Crotalus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crotalus)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2019, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-album-your-preference/842972/35 "2019-11-04T15:07:05Z")
Many great albums listed here, but it has to be Who’s Next for me. Starts with Baba O’Reilly and ends with Won’t Get Fooled Again, with great stuff in between. Born To Run is a close second. ---
**Author:** ![Cardigan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardigan/32/187_2.png) [@Cardigan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardigan)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2019, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-album-your-preference/842972/36 "2019-11-04T15:11:22Z")
Wish You Were Here - Pink Floyd ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2019, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-album-your-preference/842972/37 "2019-11-04T15:33:48Z")
> [@Crotalus](#): > > Many great albums listed here, but it has to be Who’s Next for me. Starts with Baba O’Reilly and ends with Won’t Get Fooled Again, with great stuff in between. Born To Run is a close second. ‘Starts with Baba O’Reilly and ends with Won’t Get Fooled Again’ … that is for me the definition of a rock album. ‘Blood on the Tracks’ is a memorable album. Is it ‘rock’? It comes down to how you define ‘rock’ music. ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2019, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-album-your-preference/842972/38 "2019-11-04T16:09:21Z")
The Rise And Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars Sent from my LG-M150 using Tapatalk ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2019, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-album-your-preference/842972/39 "2019-11-04T16:09:31Z")
I would argue that all Dylan post-the first half of **Bringing it All Back Home** is rock. Remember the 1966 concert at Albert Hall? You don’t get much more “rock” than _“Play fucking LOUD.”_ ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2019, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-album-your-preference/842972/40 "2019-11-04T16:11:00Z")
Steely Dan just doesn’t do bad tracks, but the album for me that is the most consistently good to great is _The Royal Scam_. But I’ll throw out a new name. _Blind Faith_.\* I know some people knock it for the drum and bass solos in “Do What You Like,” but the guitar and organ solos are sublime. The rest of the songs are pure greatness. Clapton and Winwood could have been Lennon and McCartney and defined the 70s. \*I originally typoed that as Bling Faith, which would make a great album title today. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-album-your-preference/842972.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-album-your-preference/842972.md?page=3)