# The most revolutionary albums in rock history **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 7, 2010, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-revolutionary-albums-in-rock-history/542285 "2010-06-07T16:08:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kolak_of_twilo/32/73_2.png) [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolak_of_Twilo)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2010, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-revolutionary-albums-in-rock-history/542285/21 "2010-06-08T00:22:30Z")
_Highway 61 Revisited_ - Bob Dylan _Murmer_ - R.E.M. _Never Mind the Bollocks, Here’s the Sex Pistols_ - Sex Pistols _Ramones_ - Ramones _Sweetheart of the Rodeo_ - The Byrds _Nevermind_ - Nirvana _Fear of Music_ - Talking Heads _Revolver_ - The Beatles _Cosmo’s Factory_ - Creedence Clearwater Revival _Let It Be_ - The Replacements I would argue each of these albums represented a significant break with what came before and/or had a strong influence on the direction later musicians would take. Of course, tomorrow I would probably come up with a totally different list. Limiting a list like this to 10 is always going to leave out a ton of albums that were equally influential. ---
**Author:** ![Rrose\_Selavy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bcef8e/32.png) [@Rrose\_Selavy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rrose_Selavy)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2010, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-revolutionary-albums-in-rock-history/542285/22 "2010-06-08T01:12:29Z")
1. Bowie’s “Low” . Influenced itself by so called “krautrock” , Before the rest of the world caught up. One day, years later , “electronic” music was going to be big. - ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2010, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-revolutionary-albums-in-rock-history/542285/23 "2010-06-08T01:18:33Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > The Moody Blues _Days of Future Passed_ created progressive art rock. And King Crimson’s _Court of the Crimson King_ kicked it into overdrive. It was only after this album that we got album side-long suites by the likes of Yes and Genesis. ---
**Author:** ![kidneyfailure](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9f8e36/32.png) [@kidneyfailure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kidneyfailure)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2010, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-revolutionary-albums-in-rock-history/542285/24 "2010-06-08T02:18:09Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > How about OK Computer by Radiohead. More like one of the most over-hyped albums and overrated bands in rock history… ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2010, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-revolutionary-albums-in-rock-history/542285/25 "2010-06-08T02:34:41Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > The Moody Blues _Days of Future Passed_ created progressive art rock. This would be my choice. They took a chance with this album–fusing a symphony orchestra with a rock band to tell a story over the space of an album. I’m not the first to suggest _Days of Future Passed_ in this thread, but I’ll throw my vote behind it. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2010, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-revolutionary-albums-in-rock-history/542285/26 "2010-06-08T02:47:40Z")
> [@kidneyfailure](#): > > More like one of the most over-hyped albums and overrated bands in rock history… Out of curiosity, how old are you? It came out when I was a senior in high school. Between then and the end of college, I’d be willing to bet I listened to it over a thousand times. I don’t think over-hyped and overrated describe them at all. ---
**Author:** ![kidneyfailure](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9f8e36/32.png) [@kidneyfailure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kidneyfailure)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2010, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-revolutionary-albums-in-rock-history/542285/27 "2010-06-08T03:00:17Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > Out of curiosity, how old are you? It came out when I was a senior in high school. Between then and the end of college, I’d be willing to bet I listened to it over a thousand times. I don’t think over-hyped and overrated describe them at all. I’m 30. I bought it when it first came out because I also had Pablo Honey and The Bends and I considered Radiohead to be a band I liked alot. Not one of my favorites, mind you, but a group I liked better than, say, Pulp or many others. Ok Computer was cool, but I just never got the whole “culture-shifting masterpiece” hype around it. Once all the praise went to Radiohead’s head and they started making turgid concept albums instead of straightforward rock songs I gave up on them. Call me simple-minded if you want, but I never saw the allure. ---
**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 8, 2010, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-revolutionary-albums-in-rock-history/542285/28 "2010-06-08T03:26:26Z")
**Tapestry** , by Carole King. This was a giant female writing talent bursting onto the scene with songs that were poetic and complex. They still hold up today. ---
**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 8, 2010, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-revolutionary-albums-in-rock-history/542285/29 "2010-06-08T03:36:44Z")
Most of mine are covered. Let’s see what’s missing … Kraftwerk’s **Autobahn** Black Sabbath’s **Paranoid** Chuck Berry’s **Chuck Berry is on Top** ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2010, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-revolutionary-albums-in-rock-history/542285/30 "2010-06-08T03:54:22Z")
> [@kidneyfailure](#): > > I’m 30. I bought it when it first came out because I also had Pablo Honey and The Bends and I considered Radiohead to be a band I liked alot. Not one of my favorites, mind you, but a group I liked better than, say, Pulp or many others. Ok Computer was cool, but I just never got the whole “culture-shifting masterpiece” hype around it. Once all the praise went to Radiohead’s head and they started making turgid concept albums instead of straightforward rock songs I gave up on them. Call me simple-minded if you want, but I never saw the allure. So we’re about the same age (I’m 29). OK Computer was one of those albums that I just ‘connected’ with. Looking back, a lot of it has to do with it being one of the albums in the sound track of my college years, so that may have a lot to do with it. Also, I should mention that I’m a Pre Kid-A guy. Kid-A and after never appealed to me at all. ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2010, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-revolutionary-albums-in-rock-history/542285/31 "2010-06-08T04:45:48Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Black Sabbath’s **Paranoid** Either that or their self-titled debut. It’s hard to pick just one. ---
**Author:** ![sleestak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/919ad9/32.png) [@sleestak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sleestak)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2010, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-revolutionary-albums-in-rock-history/542285/32 "2010-06-08T04:52:14Z")
I’ll add either Ride The Lightning or Kill "em All by Metallica. Those brought heavy fast music out in a big way. Slee ---
**Author:** ![Joanie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e95f7d/32.png) [@Joanie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joanie)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2010, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-revolutionary-albums-in-rock-history/542285/33 "2010-06-08T04:56:10Z")
> [@Dr.Rieux](#): > > The Who’s _Tommy_ Sorry. But I have to disagree. I have listened to this album many times and listened carefully. I saw the film and listened to what some of the band members had to say. IMO, this album was mostly about “experimentalization”. It was a big experiment - some of which was interesting - some of which was not. Some of it was good - some of it was not. The concept of a “rock opera” - to the best of my knowledge - was not repeated very often - if it was ever repeated at all. The music was bloated - meaning there were 24 tracks. I believe the album would have been a lot better if half of those tracks were edited out. Also IMO - the idea behind the album - a deaf dumb and blind kid playing pinball was just lame. Who gives a shit? What is the interesting appeal there? I couldn’t find any. When you hear FM stations playing “compilations”, how many tracks do you ever hear from Tommy? I can’t remember ever hearing any. ---
**Author:** ![MTCicero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a4c791/32.png) [@MTCicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MTCicero)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2010, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-revolutionary-albums-in-rock-history/542285/34 "2010-06-08T05:04:49Z")
What, no **Astral Weeks** yet? Also: **The Lion and the Cobra** , by Sinéad O’Connor, and **Dirty Mind** , by Prince. ---
**Author:** ![Rrose\_Selavy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bcef8e/32.png) [@Rrose\_Selavy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rrose_Selavy)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2010, 10:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-revolutionary-albums-in-rock-history/542285/35 "2010-06-08T10:36:56Z")
I like a lot of different music. and lots of s folk etc but of all the “classic” albums so far i just can’t even get through Astral Weeks. I had to take it off after a couple of tracks. What is the appeal of this album? ---
**Author:** ![Labdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/439d5e/32.png) [@Labdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labdad)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2010, 11:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-revolutionary-albums-in-rock-history/542285/36 "2010-06-08T11:21:45Z")
**Fresh Cream** - introduced the concept of the power trio. **Truth** by Jeff Beck - introduced the concept of heavy metal. ---
**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:** [June 8, 2010, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-revolutionary-albums-in-rock-history/542285/37 "2010-06-08T13:54:14Z")
> [@Joanie](#): > > The concept of a “rock opera” - to the best of my knowledge - was not repeated very often - if it was ever repeated at all. You ever hear of _Jesus Christ Superstar_? Definitely deserves a mention in this thead. ---
**Author:** ![kelly5078](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/6f9a4e/32.png) [@kelly5078](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kelly5078)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2010, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-revolutionary-albums-in-rock-history/542285/38 "2010-06-08T15:20:18Z")
“Meet the Beatles” completely changed my idea of what rock music should be. I don’t think I’m alone in this. The only album that comes close to MtB in influencing what I listened to afterward (and it comes very, very close) is “Liege and Lief.” I assume that “Elvis Presley” had roughly the same effect as MtB on people a few years older than me. ---
**Author:** ![cjepson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9adbd/32.png) [@cjepson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cjepson)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2010, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-revolutionary-albums-in-rock-history/542285/39 "2010-06-08T15:47:26Z")
> [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](#): > > _Never Mind the Bollocks, Here’s the Sex Pistols_ - Sex Pistols Not sure I agree about this one, mainly because of the delay in its release… by the time it came out, it was a bit behind the times. Still, just because of all the hype, it was probably “the first punk album” for a lot of people. ---
**Author:** ![cjepson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9adbd/32.png) [@cjepson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cjepson)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2010, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-revolutionary-albums-in-rock-history/542285/40 "2010-06-08T15:50:14Z")
> [@NicePete](#): > > _Trout Mask Replica_ is both fast and bulbous. Yes, The Mascara Snake! However, I would consider this to be an example of the kind of thing I tried to rule out in the OP… it’s way out there but it sure didn’t change the course of music. In fact, except for the Edgar Broughton Band, I’m not sure I can come up with another artist about whom I would say, “Wow! You can really hear the major Beefheart influence there!” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-revolutionary-albums-in-rock-history/542285.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-revolutionary-albums-in-rock-history/542285.md?page=3)