# Quintessential classic rock albums **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 20, 2010, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quintessential-classic-rock-albums/533166 "2010-03-20T20:22:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2010, 12:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quintessential-classic-rock-albums/533166/21 "2010-03-22T12:12:22Z")
Excellent questions. What I had in mind was some combination of massive popularity at the time (you couldn’t walk down the hall of a college dorm between '65 and '75 without hearing it from a dozen different stereos) with a level of quality that makes it still not only listenable but interesting today. Those who have mentioned _Aqualung_ and Led Zep IV – yeah, exactly. Picking “the” Beatles album and “the” Stones album will be tough, though the concurrent Stones thread seems to be pointing at _Exile on Main Street_ (the first album I bought my first week of school, on sale for $5). I will withdraw Rod Stewart as not really in that top rank, though it is indeed a ridiculously well-crafted album and the one that got me ruminating on this. ---
**Author:** ![Ian\_D.Bergkamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Ian\_D.Bergkamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ian_D.Bergkamp)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2010, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quintessential-classic-rock-albums/533166/22 "2010-03-22T12:22:56Z")
> [@K364](#): > > _Rumours_ - Fleetwood Mac [Murray Hewitt] No, it’s true. [/Murry Hewitt] 🙂 > [@wheresgeorge04](#): > > I’d take out Tres Hombres and MAYBE Born to Run, and add White Light / White Heat by Velvet Underground, and Everybody Knows This is Nowhere by Neil Young & Crazy Horse. _Tres Hombres_ was definitely the most questionable inclusion on my list, but I wanted something to represent that country & western Texas influence. And I love that album. [QUOTE=twickster; 12251537] I will withdraw Rod Stewart as not really in that top rank, though it is indeed a ridiculously well-crafted album and the one that got me ruminating on this. [/QUOTE] It is indeed a fantastic album. My first car was a 1970 Cutlass Supreme with an 8-track deck and that album was one of the only 8-tracks I had (this was in the late 80s, so 8-tracks were no longer widely available). Got a lot of play, that one did. ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2010, 12:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quintessential-classic-rock-albums/533166/23 "2010-03-22T12:43:07Z")
_Music from Big Pink._ ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2010, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quintessential-classic-rock-albums/533166/24 "2010-03-22T12:50:54Z")
> [@Sigmagirl](#): > > _Music from Big Pink._ See the OP. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2010, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quintessential-classic-rock-albums/533166/25 "2010-03-22T12:58:44Z")
Sorry. Migraine today. I am not well. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2010, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quintessential-classic-rock-albums/533166/26 "2010-03-22T13:27:53Z")
No real order. Ones I listened to a lot when they were current and I know it’s too many: Sticky Fingers - Stones Astral Weeks - Van Morrison Blonde On Blonde - Dylan Cheap Thrills - Joplin Disraeli Gears - Cream Electric Ladyland - Hendrix Kick Out the Jams - MC5 L.A. Woman - Doors Led Zeppelin IV – Zep Odessey and Oracle - Zombies Songs of Leonard Cohen The Piper at the Gates of Dawn - Floyd Who’s Next – The Who Willy And The Poor Boys - CCR Others that I didn’t listen to so much but great albums: Hunky Dory – David Bowie After The Gold Rush - Young At Folsom Prison - Cash Born To Run – Bruce Springsteen Five Leaves Left - Nick Drake Hotel California – The Eagles Dusty In Memphis Trout Mask Replica - Captain Beefheart ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2010, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quintessential-classic-rock-albums/533166/27 "2010-03-22T13:33:48Z")
Cream - **Disraeli Gears** The Who - **Who’s Next** Beatles - **Abbey Road** The Rolling Stones - **Let It Bleed** Deep Purple - **Machine Head** Doors - **L.A. Woman** Jim Hendrix Experience - **Are You Experienced?** Jethro Tull -\*\* Aqaulung\*\* Led Zeppelin **IV** Pink Floyd - **Dark Side of the Moon** AC/DC - **Back In Black** I’m trying to pare one but I just can’t do it. ---
**Author:** ![VunderBob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/839c29/32.png) [@VunderBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VunderBob)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2010, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quintessential-classic-rock-albums/533166/28 "2010-03-22T13:58:02Z")
My top 10. I’m setting my range as mid 60s to 1989, so there. I had a hell of a time paring the list down, because there were albums I wanted to consider for 1 particular song, and that wasn’t right. In no order: \*Abbey Road \*– The Beatles \*Brothers In Arms \*– Dire Straits \*Machine Head \*– Deep Purple \*Led Zeppelin IV \*– Led Zeppelin _Hotel California_ – The Eagles \*Yessongs \*– Yes _Duke_ – Genesis _Wish You Were Here_ – Pink Floyd (this one is better than _DSOTM_, but doesn’t get the respect) _Quadrophenia_ – The Who _Lynyrd Skynyrd_ – Street Survivors ---
**Author:** ![Fiddle\_Peghead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddle_peghead/32/3506_2.png) [@Fiddle\_Peghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiddle_Peghead)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2010, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quintessential-classic-rock-albums/533166/29 "2010-03-22T19:36:35Z")
I do not mean to offend anyone, but you simply cannot understand the music of the 60’s without considering Dylan. I’d go for “Highway 61 Revisited.” ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2010, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quintessential-classic-rock-albums/533166/30 "2010-03-22T19:52:58Z")
> [@Fiddle\_Peghead](#): > > I do not mean to offend anyone, but you simply cannot understand the music of the 60’s without considering Dylan. I’d go for “Highway 61 Revisited.” But if you’re sober, you really can’t understand his lyrics unless someone is doing a cover version… ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2010, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quintessential-classic-rock-albums/533166/31 "2010-03-22T20:28:00Z")
> [@In\_Winnipeg](#): > > Another album that I have a soft spot for is Never Mind the Bullocks. Is that the PG version? ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2010, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quintessential-classic-rock-albums/533166/32 "2010-03-23T01:21:17Z")
> [@don\_t\_ask](#): > > Cheap Thrills - Joplin Janis, yes – but I’d vote for _Pearl._ ---
**Author:** ![Don\_Draper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Don\_Draper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_Draper)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2010, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quintessential-classic-rock-albums/533166/33 "2010-03-23T14:26:15Z")
I’ll just chime in to mention a few I think should go on the list, but haven’t seen mentioned yet: 1. _Horses_ - the Patti Smith Group 2. _Imagine_ - John Lennon 3. “_Surrealistic Pillow_” and “_Volunteers_” - Jefferson Airplane 4. _Tapestry_ - Carole King 5. _In the Court of the Crimson King_ - (who else?) King Crimson 6. _Louder Than Bombs_ - the Smiths 7. _In My Tribe_ - 10,000 Maniacs 8. _Nothing’s Shocking_ - Jane’s Addiction 9. _Let It Be_ - the Replacements 10. _the Lamb Lies Down on Broadway_ - Genesis (with Peter Gabriel) 11. “_Blue_” and “_Court & Spark_” - Joni Mitchell 12. _London Calling_ - the Clash ---
**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:** [March 23, 2010, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quintessential-classic-rock-albums/533166/34 "2010-03-23T15:47:43Z")
The cast recordings of Hair & Jesus Christ Superstar ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2010, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quintessential-classic-rock-albums/533166/35 "2010-03-23T16:49:50Z")
> [@casdave](#): > > Music for the Jilted Generation The Prodigy is definitely not rock. Especially not that album. My ten: 1. _Physical Graffiti_ - Led Zep 2. _Angel Dust_ - Faith No More 3. _Appetite for Destruction_ - Guns and Roses 4. _Who’s Next_ - The Who 5. _Violator_ - Depeche Mode 6. _Doolittle_ - The Pixies 7. _London Calling_ - The Clash 8. _Killers_ - Iron Maiden 9. _Rage For Order_ - Queensryche 10. _Eye In the Sky_ - Alan Parsons Project ---
**Author:** ![janis\_and\_c0](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/janis_and_c0/32/21_2.png) [@janis\_and\_c0](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/janis_and_c0)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2010, 11:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quintessential-classic-rock-albums/533166/36 "2010-03-25T11:16:14Z")
Pearl Pet sounds Bridge Over Troubled Water Led Zep IV The Wall White Album Thriller Bat out of Hell At Folsom Prison Rumors ---
**Author:** ![Ruby\_Slippers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/94ad74/32.png) [@Ruby\_Slippers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruby_Slippers)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2010, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quintessential-classic-rock-albums/533166/37 "2010-03-25T16:26:43Z")
1 Who’s Next - The Who - 1971 2 Inna Gadda da Vida - Iron Butterfly - 1968 3 Golden Grass - Grass Roots - 1968 4 Surrealistic Pillow - Jefferson Airplane - 1967 5 The Doors - The Doors - 1967 6 Days of Future Passed - Moody Blues - 1967 7 Three Dog Night - Three Dog Night - 1968 8 The Hollies Greatest Hits - The Hollies - 1967 9 Canned Wheat - The Guess Who - 1969 10 Steppenwolf - Steppenwolf - 1968 Many of these made my list because I owned the album in more than one format, vinyl LP, cassette, or CD. In fact, many of them are on my computer right now. I had a few others on my list but they fell outside the 1965-1975 range – for example, Hotel California and Joshua Tree. I tried to stick to the early years. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2010, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quintessential-classic-rock-albums/533166/38 "2010-03-25T16:37:37Z")
> [@In\_Winnipeg](#): > > Another album that I have a soft spot for is _Never Mind the Bullocks: It’s the Sex Pistols_ but no one has mentioned it (and with a release in 1977, I would think that it’s outside of the “early 70s” requirement. > [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](#): > > Is that the PG version? It was a concept album - a bizarre fusion of punk and cows mooing. > [@Ruby\_Slippers](#): > > I tried to stick to the early years. I didn’t. You people are old. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Ruby\_Slippers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/94ad74/32.png) [@Ruby\_Slippers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruby_Slippers)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2010, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quintessential-classic-rock-albums/533166/39 "2010-03-25T16:49:50Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > I didn’t. You people are old. 😃 As the thread title clearly states, we are quintessential classics! 😃 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quintessential-classic-rock-albums/533166.md?page=1)