# What is the best rock album of all time? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 22, 2007, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-rock-album-of-all-time/405114 "2007-05-22T18:45:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2007, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-rock-album-of-all-time/405114/1 "2007-05-22T18:45:35Z")
I have my opinions, but I want to hear yours first. ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2007, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-rock-album-of-all-time/405114/2 "2007-05-22T18:49:16Z")
[QUOTE=tdn] I have my opinions, but I want to hear yours first. [/QUOTE] Led Zeppelin II ---
**Author:** ![Autumn\_Almanac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d26b3c/32.png) [@Autumn\_Almanac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autumn_Almanac)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2007, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-rock-album-of-all-time/405114/3 "2007-05-22T18:49:18Z")
By decade: '60s - The Beatles: _The Beatles_ '70s - Big Star: _Radio City_ '80s - XTC: _English Settlement_ '90s - Radiohead: _OK Computer_ '00s - Sleater-Kinney: _The Woods_ For overall #1, I’d say the White Album. (I struggle between that and _The Kinks are the Village Green Preservation Society_ though. Ask me the same question tomorrow, and I may name _VGPS_ instead.) ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2007, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-rock-album-of-all-time/405114/4 "2007-05-22T18:49:32Z")
Allman Brothers Live at the Fillmore East ---
**Author:** ![Eonwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eonwe/32/240_2.png) [@Eonwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eonwe)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2007, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-rock-album-of-all-time/405114/5 "2007-05-22T18:50:29Z")
Well, I think that there is no true answer to this question, due to differences in preference in style, etc etc. But, if I were choosing just one, my vote would go to Springsteen’s **Born to Run**. Great album coherency, orchestration, dynamic range, emotional output, and power. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2007, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-rock-album-of-all-time/405114/6 "2007-05-22T18:51:56Z")
I’d probably have to go with _Abbey Road_. ---
**Author:** ![woodstockbirdybird](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/woodstockbirdybird/32/7905_2.png) [@woodstockbirdybird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woodstockbirdybird)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2007, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-rock-album-of-all-time/405114/7 "2007-05-22T19:01:41Z")
I’d have a few contenders: The Beatles - _Revolver_ The Clash - _The Clash_ Gang of Four - _Entertainment!_ Husker Du - _Warehouse: Songs and Stories_ Elvis Costello - _This Year’s Model_ ---
**Author:** ![TLDRIDKJKLOLFTW](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/51bf81/32.png) [@TLDRIDKJKLOLFTW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TLDRIDKJKLOLFTW)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2007, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-rock-album-of-all-time/405114/8 "2007-05-22T19:03:27Z")
T. Rex - “the slider” Big Star - “radio city” Husker Du - “new day rising” Wire - “chairs missing” Led Zeppelin - “houses of the holy” Black sabbath - “paranoid” ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2007, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-rock-album-of-all-time/405114/9 "2007-05-22T19:04:10Z")
Descendants - _Milo Goes To College_ ---
**Author:** ![NoCoolUserName](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5fc32e/32.png) [@NoCoolUserName](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NoCoolUserName)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2007, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-rock-album-of-all-time/405114/10 "2007-05-22T19:16:30Z")
Who’s Next. ---
**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:** [May 22, 2007, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-rock-album-of-all-time/405114/11 "2007-05-22T19:17:16Z")
I am Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band ---
**Author:** ![Eutychus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Eutychus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eutychus)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2007, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-rock-album-of-all-time/405114/12 "2007-05-22T19:22:43Z")
[QUOTE=NoCoolUserName] Who’s Next. [/QUOTE] Agreed. No contest. This thread is done. ---
**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 22, 2007, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-rock-album-of-all-time/405114/13 "2007-05-22T19:22:43Z")
Such a field to choose from. Depending on my mood, I’d probably choose one of the above Sometimes it’s _Who’s Next_. Other days it’s _Born To Run_. But today I’m going to go with _Dark Side of the Moon_. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2007, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-rock-album-of-all-time/405114/14 "2007-05-22T19:24:03Z")
The Stones --\* Let It Bleed.\* ---
**Author:** ![Doug\_Bowe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/df788c/32.png) [@Doug\_Bowe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doug_Bowe)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2007, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-rock-album-of-all-time/405114/15 "2007-05-22T19:25:39Z")
[QUOTE=Annie-Xmas] I am Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band [/QUOTE] This June will be 40 years ago today. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2007, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-rock-album-of-all-time/405114/16 "2007-05-22T19:25:57Z")
[QUOTE=silenus] But today I’m going to go with _Dark Side of the Moon_. [/QUOTE] I feel better now that my two choices have been mentioned. My other is Abbey Road. ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2007, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-rock-album-of-all-time/405114/17 "2007-05-22T19:28:54Z")
[QUOTE=Doug Bowe] This June will be 40 years ago today. [/QUOTE] Or as I like to put it, it was 20 years ago today that it was 20 years ago today. ---
**Author:** ![PlasticCloud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/bbe5ce/32.png) [@PlasticCloud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PlasticCloud)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2007, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-rock-album-of-all-time/405114/18 "2007-05-22T19:33:46Z")
There’s no one album that’s an answer to this question, but off the top of my head here are 14 not already mentioned that would be on my short list: **Thirteenth Floor Elevators** : _Easter Everywhere_ **Relatively Clean Rivers** : _Relatively Clean Rivers_ **Johnny Burnette** : _And the Rock 'n Roll Trio_ **Bad Brains** : s/t **The Zombies** : _Odessey and Oracle_ **Love** : _Forever Changes_ **Minutemen** : _Double Nickels on the Dime_ **Them** : _The Angry Young Them_ **The Remains** : _The Remains_ **Dave Bixby** : \*Ode to Quetzacoatl \* (the best christian folk-rock LP I’ve ever heard, although perhaps too much folk for this list) **Stephen David Heitkotter** : _Heitkotter_ (the most Incredibly Stange LP of all, and a real vision of howling madness) **Wire** : _Pink Flag_ **Funkadelic** : _Maggot Brain_ **Badfinger** : _Straight Up_ ---
**Author:** ![Wee\_Bairn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/90db22/32.png) [@Wee\_Bairn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wee_Bairn)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2007, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-rock-album-of-all-time/405114/19 "2007-05-22T19:42:02Z")
Love- Forever Changes ---
**Author:** ![pinkfreud](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pinkfreud/32/17603_2.png) [@pinkfreud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pinkfreud)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2007, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-rock-album-of-all-time/405114/20 "2007-05-22T19:44:11Z")
Another vote for **Dark Side of the Moon**. Unlike many other albums from the '70s, this one never seems dated. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-rock-album-of-all-time/405114.md?page=2)