# Greatest Classic Rock Albums of All Time??? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 28, 2011, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-classic-rock-albums-of-all-time/587106 "2011-06-28T05:12:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![kelly5078](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/6f9a4e/32.png) [@kelly5078](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kelly5078)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2011, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-classic-rock-albums-of-all-time/587106/41 "2011-06-28T15:50:47Z")
I’d have to include the eponymous album by The Band pretty high up. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2011, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-classic-rock-albums-of-all-time/587106/42 "2011-06-28T15:51:12Z")
I think my list would start like this, but I’m not sure how to round it out yet: The Allman Brothers Band - At Fillmore East The Band - Northern Lights, Southern Cross The Beatles - White Album Cream - Goodbye Derek & The Dominos - Laya and Other Assorted Love Songs The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Electric Ladyland Neil Young & Crazy Horse - Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere Santana - Santana > [@K1LL\_4\_FUN](#): > > If we are talking about who the Best of all time is, my list looks a whole lot different, Steve Vai is my #1, then guys like Yngwie, Joe Satriani, ect. the Best of all time is probably some 15 year old Japanese kid that we will never hear of It sounds like you’re judging “Best” based on technical ability alone. That really doesn’t move me - it’s a little like saying the best guitar player is the guy who played the most E chords. It’s one aspect of playing, that’s all. I agree the Hendrix/Clapton/Vaughan thing would be a good topic of its own. ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2011, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-classic-rock-albums-of-all-time/587106/43 "2011-06-28T16:00:00Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > Queen’s “A Night at the Opera” deserves mention. If Queen’s not listed, I’m not interested. But then I know nothing about music. ---
**Author:** ![bramma23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@bramma23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bramma23)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2011, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-classic-rock-albums-of-all-time/587106/44 "2011-06-28T16:08:06Z")
The Allman Brothers - Live at the Fillmore ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2011, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-classic-rock-albums-of-all-time/587106/45 "2011-06-28T16:39:37Z")
Some alternates: Cream: Wheels of Fire. Much better than Goodbye, and while I see Disraeli Gears as a good choice, Wheels of Fire shows the studio Cream and the live Cream. Stones: Definitely not Beggars Banquet. While some great songs, some mediocre ones too. Let it Bleed is a good choice, but so is Sticky Fingers, and, from left field Between the Buttons. I find the production values on Exile on Main Street so muddy as to make it almost unlistenable. Beatles: Sergeant Pepper and Revolver - they merit two. The Band - The Band. Every song a gem, and groundbreaking. Led Zep - if we have to include them, the first album. Dylan: Highway 61 Revisited. Just pay attention to Mike Bloomfield’s guitar. Hendrix: Yeah, the first one is the best. The Who: The Who Sell Out. Traces of what would show up on Tommy, but shorter, and also very funny. The Odorono song/ad is both funny and heartbreaking. Who’s Next is a close second. Only 9, but I’m picky. ---
**Author:** ![NineToTheSky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5a626/32.png) [@NineToTheSky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NineToTheSky)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2011, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-classic-rock-albums-of-all-time/587106/46 "2011-06-28T16:50:58Z")
These are the albums that I really love that I’m sure that - at least to some degree - influenced people. They are also complete albums with hardly a bad track between them. Van Morrison- Astral Weeks Love - Forever Changes Beatles - Sgt Peppers Leonard Cohen - Songs Of Quicksilver Messenger Service - Happy Trails Byrds - Notorious Byrd Brothers Yes - The Yes Album Pink Floyd - Saucerful Of Secrets Incredible String Band - The Hangman’s Beautiful Daughter ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2011, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-classic-rock-albums-of-all-time/587106/47 "2011-06-28T16:53:44Z")
> [@Voyager](#): > > Cream: Wheels of Fire. Much better than Goodbye, and while I see Disraeli Gears as a good choice, Wheels of Fire shows the studio Cream and the live Cream. That’s a logical choice. As far as I’m concerned every Cream album has at least one total clunker of a song (on Wheels of Fire it’s Pressed Rat and Warthog and there may be others I’m forgetting) and I figured Goodbye has the highest ‘batting average.’ Cream is a band that’s well sreved by compilations, and if I’d started by listening to their studio albums instead of the Strange Brew compilation, I’m not sure how often I would have come back to them. > [@](#): > > The Band - The Band. Every song a gem, and groundbreaking. Also outstanding. I went with Northern Lights to be different and I do love a bunch of the songs on that album. But it almost feels like cheating not to pick The Band for The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down, Cripple Creek, Rag Mama Rag, Unfaithful Servant and King Harvest. ---
**Author:** ![K1LL\_4\_FUN](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e68b1a/32.png) [@K1LL\_4\_FUN](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/K1LL_4_FUN)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2011, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-classic-rock-albums-of-all-time/587106/48 "2011-06-28T16:54:28Z")
> [@Voyager](#): > > The Band - The Band. Every song a gem, and groundbreaking. > Led Zep - if we have to include them, the first album. > Dylan: Highway 61 Revisited. Just pay attention to Mike Bloomfield’s guitar. > Hendrix: Yeah, the first one is the best. > The Who: The Who Sell Out. Traces of what would show up on Tommy, but shorter, and also very funny. The Odorono song/ad is both funny and heartbreaking. Who’s Next is a close second. > > Only 9, but I’m picky. I like The Band, but for me they can’t be in my top albums list, not saying they shouldn’t be on yours but they don’t make the cut for me. ---
**Author:** ![Truman\_Burbank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecc23a/32.png) [@Truman\_Burbank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Truman_Burbank)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2011, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-classic-rock-albums-of-all-time/587106/49 "2011-06-28T17:12:24Z")
Upon reflection, I’d probably add Stevie Wonder’s Talking Book, and Chicago’s first album. ---
**Author:** ![cjepson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9adbd/32.png) [@cjepson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cjepson)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2011, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-classic-rock-albums-of-all-time/587106/50 "2011-06-28T17:21:38Z")
I really can’t do a Top 10 rock albums of all time list because there are too many albums that would have to be on it. Plus, for me, about 6 of them would be Beatles albums. 🙂 But I’m going to throw in a few titles I haven’t seen yet – _Aqualung_, _The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars,_ and _American Beauty._ ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2011, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-classic-rock-albums-of-all-time/587106/51 "2011-06-28T17:30:30Z")
What, no love for Frampton Comes Alive? It’s not my favorite, but it seems like a classic Classic Rock album. If we’re expanding into the late '70s, early '80s, I’d probably go with this list (not in exact order): The Cars, The Cars and Candy-O Elvis Costello, This Year’s Model Led Zep 1, 2, 4 The Police, Outlandos d’Amour Beatles Revolver or Rubber Soul? I can’t choose Yes, Fragile (The question: “What are albums you played until they wore out?”) ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2011, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-classic-rock-albums-of-all-time/587106/52 "2011-06-28T17:37:29Z")
> [@cjepson](#): > > _The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars,_ Seconded. My Beatles pick would be _Abbey Road_. And I, personally, would want a Kinks album on there, though I’m not sure which one; _Arthur_ is their masterpiece, _Village Green_ is something special, and _Lola_ is classic rock. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2011, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-classic-rock-albums-of-all-time/587106/53 "2011-06-28T17:44:12Z")
Blondie’s eponymous album from the 70s. An early female rocker that influenced many who followed. Also Janis Joplin’s first album with Big Brother: it literally left people with their jaws on the floor. Nobody had ever heard a self-described “white chick who tries to sing the blues” belt a song like her soul was on fire. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2011, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-classic-rock-albums-of-all-time/587106/54 "2011-06-28T17:59:16Z")
> [@K1LL\_4\_FUN](#): > > This is a list of the top 10 Rock albums of all time as I see it, all of the Bands on my list are “Classic Rock” bands but they don’t have to be, if someone wants to put Nirvana, Creed, Nickelback and Santana as their top 4 then so be it. I would question that list greatly, but it’s mostly your opinion. I’m just trying to get a good musical discussion flowing. Then that question I’ve answered before. My top 10: 1. Pet Sounds - The Beach Boys 2. Loveless - My Bloody Valentine Those two are pretty much immutable for me. Everything below is in constant flux. I’ve had the Zombies, X-Ray Spex, Radiohead, and the Pixies make the list, but they get shuffled in and out depending on my mood. 1. Revolver - The Beatles 2. London Calling - The Clash 3. Marquee Moon - Television 4. Chairs Missing - Wire 5. Entertainment - Gang of Four 6. Led Zeppelin IV - Led Zeppelin 7. Kinks - Village Green Preservation Society 8. Pretenders - Pretenders ---
**Author:** ![ScatteredFrog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8c91f0/32.png) [@ScatteredFrog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ScatteredFrog)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2011, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-classic-rock-albums-of-all-time/587106/55 "2011-06-28T18:03:55Z")
I must interject a few rather unpopular opinions here…but I knew these would come up in a “greatest albums” thread… Personally, I don’t see the attraction in **any** Pink Floyd album that came after _The Piper at the Gates of Dawn_. Roger Waters took a band that was turning out some exciting experimental music that still had some catchiness to it, and completely destroyed it and churned out dreary, draggy dirges that make me so depressed I want to slit my wrists. And Led Zeppelin’s fourth album (which never officially had a title, I don’t care what ANYBODY says)…the most hackneyed, overplayed, and frankly boring rock’n’roll album ever made… Finally, _Forever Changes_ – I’ve tried…honestly, I’ve tried to listen to that album. Many times. I forced myself. And I just don’t get it. Seriously, it’s freakin’ boring. I tried the stereo version. The mono version. To me, the only thing noteworthy about the album is that it sounds like Arthur Lee just got a new 12-string and he wants to test it out. I much prefer Love’s self-titled album and, to a slightly lesser extent, _Da Capo_. As for my picks, in no particular order: _Pet Sounds_ - which is consistently in the #1 position on my “best” list. I fell in love with this album as a 16-year-old on Christmas Eve 1990, and I met my wife because of this album. 'Nuff said. _Abbey Road_ - personally, I feel that it’s much more coherent than _Sgt. Pepper’s…_ and has more of a solid sound than _Revolver_, and it gave The Beatles the opportunity to put out what you could say was their master’s thesis: it’s the result of everything they’ve ever learned, and the thesis statement: “And in the end the love you take is equal to the love you make.” _The Twain Shall Meet_ by Eric Burdon & The Animals – a sorely underappreciated album. _Younger Than Yesterday_ by The Byrds – much more coherent, IMHO, than _The Notorious Byrd Brothers_, which most people seem to put on their lists, and I do truly feel that when people include _Sweetheart of the Rodeo_ on their lists, they do so because they subconsciously feel that they _have to_; no other reason. _Who’s Next_ by The Who – after hearing _Lifehouse_, I’m actually glad that that project fell apart…_Who’s Next_ is way better. _Destroyer_ by Kiss – good, solid rock with a nice variety. _Ram_ by Paul & Linda McCartney – just a personal favorite, that’s all. _Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd._ by The Monkees – yeah, I know everybody likes _The Monkees’ Headquarters_, and I think it’s great, too, but…to me, probably the greatest representation of what 1967 is all about (except Vietnam, of course!) is PAC&Jl – provided you can sit through “Hard To Believe.” _Child Is Father To The Man_ by BST – good representation of the band’s versatility. And I disagree, btw, with those who say that David Clayton Thomas ruined the band; he made them (temporarily) more commercial, but I don’t think he ruined 'em… _Strange Days_ by The Doors – don’t get me wrong, the debut album is fantastic, but I think its follow-up holds up better, has a cooler ending, and has fewer clunkers. (Man, I hate “Take It As It Comes” and “I Looked At You.”) ---
**Author:** ![K1LL\_4\_FUN](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e68b1a/32.png) [@K1LL\_4\_FUN](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/K1LL_4_FUN)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2011, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-classic-rock-albums-of-all-time/587106/56 "2011-06-28T18:12:13Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Then that question I’ve answered before. > > My top 10: > > 1. Pet Sounds - The Beach Boys > 2. Loveless - My Bloody Valentine > 3. Revolver - The Beatles > 4. London Calling - The Clash > 5. Marquee Moon - Television > 6. Chairs Missing - Wire > 7. Entertainment - Gang of Four > 8. Led Zeppelin IV - Led Zeppelin > 9. Kinks - Village Green Preservation Society > 10. Pretenders - Pretenders Even though I don’t love some of the bands on your top ten, I do love the fact that this might be the most honest personal top 10 I’ve seen on here so far. There are 4 or 5 albums on your top 10 that wouldn’t make my top 100, and that’s exactly what I wanted to see when I started this thread, DIVERSITY BABY (Dicky V voice). ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2011, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-classic-rock-albums-of-all-time/587106/57 "2011-06-28T18:22:57Z")
> [@K1LL\_4\_FUN](#): > > Even though I don’t love some of the bands on your top ten, I do love the fact that this might be the most honest personal top 10 I’ve seen on here so far. There are 4 or 5 albums on your top 10 that wouldn’t make my top 100, and that’s exactly what I wanted to see when I started this thread, DIVERSITY BABY (Dicky V voice). Yeah, I don’t think there’s anything _too_ wacky or controversial on my list, but it is more of a “favorites” list than an attempt at an objective ranking of “best” (though I probably would not change my #1 & #2 even if I tried to be as objective as possible.) I think the Pretenders album might be the only one that is an overachiever, but the others are pretty solid, with an obvious skewing towards punk and post-punk (although none of my top 3 are of that genre.) That #10 slot used to be filled by X-Ray Spex’s _Germ-Free Adolescents_, so it’s more of a wildcard, throw-in-something-a-little-different slot than anything else. ---
**Author:** ![K1LL\_4\_FUN](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e68b1a/32.png) [@K1LL\_4\_FUN](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/K1LL_4_FUN)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2011, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-classic-rock-albums-of-all-time/587106/58 "2011-06-28T18:27:12Z")
I can’t argue against anyone who says Pet Sounds is their favorite album, and I can’t say anything bad about a single album by The Beatles, as far as Zeppelin (4 untitled) goes I say it’s the greatest from Zep almost because of it’s mass apeal, which seems counter-rock and roll but… ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2011, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-classic-rock-albums-of-all-time/587106/59 "2011-06-28T18:32:57Z")
> [@K1LL\_4\_FUN](#): > > I can’t argue against anyone who says Pet Sounds is their favorite album, and I can’t say anything bad about a single album by The Beatles, as far as Zeppelin (4 untitled) goes I say **it’s the greatest from Zep** almost because of it’s mass apeal, which seems counter-rock and roll but… You might want to look up the phrase “damning with faint praise.” 😃 If we ranging that far afield, you have to consider _Rumours_. ---
**Author:** ![K1LL\_4\_FUN](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e68b1a/32.png) [@K1LL\_4\_FUN](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/K1LL_4_FUN)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2011, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-classic-rock-albums-of-all-time/587106/60 "2011-06-28T18:45:50Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > You might want to look up the phrase “damning with faint praise.” 😃 > If we ranging that far afield, you have to consider _Rumours_. Not really faint praise, I love Pet Sounds, #2 on my list, and The Beatles are my all time favorite band. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-classic-rock-albums-of-all-time/587106.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-classic-rock-albums-of-all-time/587106.md?page=4)