# \*That\* Is Rock 'n' Roll! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 3, 2005, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-is-rock-n-roll/302223 "2005-05-03T13:34:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2005, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-is-rock-n-roll/302223/1 "2005-05-03T13:34:22Z")
The [Beatles](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=314711) thread was actually a tangent – what I was originally thinking about, as I was blasting down the interstate passing far more powerful cars, was, “What are the five quintessential rock albums?” And I’m defining rock as I did in the OP of the other thread – it makes you turn up the volume, press down on the gas, and sing at the top of your lungs. (Playing drums on the steering wheel is, I think, optional.) My nominees: [ul] [li]_Who’s Next_ – The Who[/li][li]_Sticky Fingers_ – the Stones. For the first few chords of “Bitch,” if for no other reason.[/li][li]_Live at the Fillmore_ – The Allman Brothers. Forget Clapton, Duane Allman is God.[/li][li]_The Pretenders_ – The Pretenders[/li][li]_Santana_ – Santana[/ul][/li] First alternate: _Exile in Guyville_ – Liz Phair. Just because Rock and Roll Will Never Die. ---
**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:** [May 3, 2005, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-is-rock-n-roll/302223/2 "2005-05-03T14:01:32Z")
\*Who’s Next \* - The Who. Yep. My first choice too. \*Born To Run \* - Bruce Springsteen. Cars, girls, choices…it doesn’t get any better than this. \*Led Zeppelin IV \* - Overblown and pretentious…and harder rocking than you can believe. Too many early Stones albums to count… 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2005, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-is-rock-n-roll/302223/3 "2005-05-03T14:08:34Z")
My first choice was also going to be Who’s next! other powerful rock albums (not necessarily top 5 but top 5 that I have): 30º Everywhere - The Promise Ring This Year’s Model - Elvis Costello Do Or Die - Dropkick Murphys Ramones Mania (can we do best of’s?) ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2005, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-is-rock-n-roll/302223/4 "2005-05-03T14:12:08Z")
“On–ly-- teen—age waste–land…” (boomity boomity boom) ---
**Author:** ![The\_Unkempt\_One](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b782af/32.png) [@The\_Unkempt\_One](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Unkempt_One)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2005, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-is-rock-n-roll/302223/5 "2005-05-03T14:15:05Z")
_Disraeli Gears_ - Cream _Abbey Road_ - The Beatles _The Allman Brothers at Fillmore East_ - The Allman Brothers _Metallica_ - Metallica _Appetite for Destruction_ - Guns N’ Roses ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2005, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-is-rock-n-roll/302223/6 "2005-05-03T14:21:56Z")
> [@Ludovic](#): > > This Year’s Model - Elvis Costello You rang? AC/DC - Back in Black Guns’n’Roses - Appetite for Destruction The Who - Who’s Next Led Zep 2 or 3 (whichever one it is with The Immigrant Song) ---
**Author:** ![tnetennba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@tnetennba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tnetennba)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2005, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-is-rock-n-roll/302223/7 "2005-05-03T14:23:57Z")
- The Doors - Led Zeppelin IV - Never Mind the Bollocks, Here’s the Sex Pistols - Nevermind (Nirvana) - No Depression (Uncle Tupelo) ---
**Author:** ![tnetennba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@tnetennba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tnetennba)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2005, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-is-rock-n-roll/302223/8 "2005-05-03T14:25:01Z")
> [@This Year's Model](#): > > You rang? > > AC/DC - Back in Black > Guns’n’Roses - Appetite for Destruction > The Who - Who’s Next > Led Zep 2 or 3 (whichever one it is with The Immigrant Song) It’s on III. But II had “Whole Lotta Love.” I struggled with which of the first four Led Zep albums to put on my list, and already regret not just putting I. ---
**Author:** ![Yorikke](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yorikke/32/4335_2.png) [@Yorikke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yorikke)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2005, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-is-rock-n-roll/302223/9 "2005-05-03T14:50:06Z")
In no particular order… AC/DC Highway to Hell Nirvana Nevermind Ramones Ramones (The first album) Beatles Sgt Pepper’s… Metallica Master of Puppets Highly biased… I never like the Who or the Stones very much. I recognize their importance, but just can’t make myself put 'em on my list! george ---
**Author:** ![TwoTrouts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a9adbd/32.png) [@TwoTrouts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TwoTrouts)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2005, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-is-rock-n-roll/302223/10 "2005-05-03T14:56:19Z")
Good choices, all. My list: _Led Zep I_ The Jimi Hendrix Experience - _Are You Experienced?_ Stones - _Aftermath_ off the beaten path: Iggy & The Stooges - _Raw Power_ and just for stretching the rules fun: _Woodstock_ ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2005, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-is-rock-n-roll/302223/11 "2005-05-03T15:13:29Z")
For pure rock: Who’s Next Allman Brothers Band Live at Fillmore East Led Zeppelin I Let it Bleed The Wild, the Innocent, and the E Street Shuffle ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2005, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-is-rock-n-roll/302223/12 "2005-05-03T16:43:47Z")
Physical Graffeti Hot Rocks Decade Legend Abbey Road If Hot Rocks and Decade don’t fit your definition of an album, then I’ll substitute Let It Bleed and Harvest. ---
**Author:** ![plnnr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@plnnr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/plnnr)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2005, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-is-rock-n-roll/302223/13 "2005-05-03T16:52:29Z")
> [@lieu](#): > > Physical Graffeti > Hot Rocks > Decade > Legend > Abbey Road > If Hot Rocks and Decade don’t fit your definition of an album, then I’ll substitute Let It Bleed and Harvest. Harvest? On the liner notes for “Decade,” Young points out that “With ‘Harvest’ I headed for the middle of the road, but grew tired of it quickly and headed back to the ditch. You meet more interesting people there.” How 'bout Rust Never Sleeps instead? My list: Who’s Next Let It Bleed White Album Live at the Fillmore A disc to be named later ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2005, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-is-rock-n-roll/302223/14 "2005-05-03T17:05:24Z")
Hey Hey, My My was the only one off RNS that really spoke to me. With Harvest I think Old Man alone makes it a classic. Then you add The Needle and the Damage Done, Harvest, A Man Needs a Maid and Heart of Gold. That’s pretty stout. As mentioned though with Decade you also get Cinnamon Girl, Down By The River, Mr. Soul, I Am A Child, Broken Arrow, Sugar Mountain, The Loner, Cowgirl In The Sand, After The Gold Rush, Southern Man, Walk On, Long May You Run and Ohio and dang… I’m happy for hours on end with this’n. ---
**Author:** ![Ol\_Gaffer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Ol\_Gaffer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ol_Gaffer)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2005, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-is-rock-n-roll/302223/15 "2005-05-03T17:08:06Z")
I love these threads, but I swear if you ask me tomorrow I’ll have five different answers. ACDC - Back in Black Metallica - Master of Puppets Springsteen - Born to Run The Doors - L.A. Woman and finally (with a nod to **Ludovic** for the first mention of these guys) Dropkick Murphys - Sing Loud, Sing Proud ---
**Author:** ![fessie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c37758/32.png) [@fessie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fessie)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2005, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-is-rock-n-roll/302223/16 "2005-05-03T17:55:03Z")
Who’s Next Led Zep 1 Aerosmith Gr Hits Vol I (the red one) Nevermind Heart Gr Hits (with their old stuff) ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2005, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-is-rock-n-roll/302223/17 "2005-05-03T18:02:35Z")
I’ve got to say, I’m tickled to death to see so many votes for _Who’s Next_. I know I’ve mentioned this way too many times in one thread or another – but the first rock concert I ever saw, when I was just a wee twickster, was the Who, the Who’s Next tour, in San Diego, when I was in high school. Sometimes one’s own life is just way too cool. ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2005, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-is-rock-n-roll/302223/18 "2005-05-03T18:05:39Z")
No love for Ozzy and the boys? _Black Sabbath_ and _Paranoid_ are arguably the two most essential early 70s rock recordings, and no list of the best rock albums is complete without at least one of those. ---
**Author:** ![kayT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayt/32/3633_2.png) [@kayT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayT)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2005, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-is-rock-n-roll/302223/19 "2005-05-03T18:13:30Z")
Janis Joplin, Pearl ---
**Author:** ![Reeder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Reeder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeder)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2005, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-is-rock-n-roll/302223/20 "2005-05-03T18:28:26Z")
My five in random order… Lady in Waiting…The Outlaws Glass Houses…Billy Joel Eat a Peach…The Allman Brothers Layla And Other Assorted Love Songs…Derek and the Dominoes tie… Funkadelic…Free your mind and your ass will follow…Maggot Brain. IMHO…Just the best black rock ever done. Hendrix not withstanding. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-is-rock-n-roll/302223.md?page=2)