# 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:** 2
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2007, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-rock-album-of-all-time/405114/21 "2007-05-22T20:30:57Z")
The Yes Album. ---
**Author:** ![Ichbin\_Dubist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/51bf81/32.png) [@Ichbin\_Dubist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ichbin_Dubist)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2007, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-rock-album-of-all-time/405114/22 "2007-05-22T20:38:52Z")
_London Calling._ Although, if only one album would survive the apocalypse, it should be the White Album, because you could reconstruct almost everything else from it. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Rieux](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@Dr.Rieux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Rieux)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2007, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-rock-album-of-all-time/405114/23 "2007-05-22T20:41:39Z")
Led Zeppelin IV ---
**Author:** ![Argen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a698b9/32.png) [@Argen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argen)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2007, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-rock-album-of-all-time/405114/24 "2007-05-22T20:41:46Z")
Led Zeppelin IV, by far. Surprised it got this far without a mention of it. šŸ˜› ---
**Author:** ![Argen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a698b9/32.png) [@Argen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argen)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2007, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-rock-album-of-all-time/405114/25 "2007-05-22T20:42:54Z")
[QUOTE=Dr. Rieux] Led Zeppelin IV [/QUOTE] Damn, I was beaten. ā˜¹ ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2007, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-rock-album-of-all-time/405114/26 "2007-05-22T21:30:11Z")
Revolver Exile on Main St. (I have songs I prefer but as an overall Stones _album_, nothing beats Exile) Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars Whatā€™s Goinā€™ On Sign Oā€™ The Times Physical Graffiti ---
**Author:** ![Common\_Tater](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/common_tater/32/13846_2.png) [@Common\_Tater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Common_Tater)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2007, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-rock-album-of-all-time/405114/27 "2007-05-22T22:21:07Z")
I think _Blonde On Blonde_ would have to be right up there. ---
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2007, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-rock-album-of-all-time/405114/28 "2007-05-22T22:37:47Z")
[QUOTE=Ichbin Dubist] _London Calling._ [/QUOTE] Thatā€™s what I was coming in to say. Otherwise I would pick Sgt. Pepperā€™s Lonely Hearts Club Band just because of its influence and reputation. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2007, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-rock-album-of-all-time/405114/29 "2007-05-22T23:04:49Z")
[QUOTE=Eonwe] 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 Springsteenā€™s **Born to Run**. Great album coherency, orchestration, dynamic range, emotional output, and power. [/QUOTE] Yep, if I had to pick one. Youth fading fast, fast cars, desperation, love, sexā€¦and what you said ! ---
**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, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-rock-album-of-all-time/405114/30 "2007-05-22T23:28:57Z")
While Iā€™m at it, I might as well mention the best garage album of all time: **The Sonics** : _Here Are The Sonics_. Twelve songs, less than half an hour, of straight up screaming, blazing punk rock ā€˜nā€™ roll. In 1965. ---
**Author:** ![HelloKitty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ecccb3/32.png) [@HelloKitty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HelloKitty)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2007, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-rock-album-of-all-time/405114/31 "2007-05-22T23:54:36Z")
Hmmm. One of the first hard driving rock -n- roll albums that really made me sit up and listen was: **Back in Black** - AC/DC ā€“ I still think this is one of the absolute best rock albums. Ever. **Diary of a Madman** - Ozzy Osbourne ā€“ A close second ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2007, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-rock-album-of-all-time/405114/32 "2007-05-22T23:55:20Z")
[QUOTE=PlasticCloud] While Iā€™m at it, I might as well mention the best garage album of all time: **The Sonics** : _Here Are The Sonics_. Twelve songs, less than half an hour, of straight up screaming, blazing punk rock ā€˜nā€™ roll. In 1965. [/QUOTE] \*\* Have Love, Will Travel\*\* flat out _rocks_. ---
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2007, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-rock-album-of-all-time/405114/33 "2007-05-23T00:28:11Z")
One of my personal favorites: **From Elvis in Memphis** ā€œWearinā€™ That Loved on Lookā€ ā€œIā€™ll Hold You in My Heartā€ ā€œLong Black Limousineā€ - George, Stovall ā€œIt Keeps Right on A-Hurtinā€™ā€ ā€œGentle on My Mindā€ ā€œIn the Ghettoā€ The king has spoken. Long live the king. ---
**Author:** ![racer72](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/racer72/32/3075_2.png) [@racer72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racer72)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2007, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-rock-album-of-all-time/405114/34 "2007-05-23T00:36:03Z")
[QUOTE=Dr. Rieux] Led Zeppelin IV [/QUOTE] No question. ---
**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 23, 2007, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-rock-album-of-all-time/405114/35 "2007-05-23T00:40:50Z")
The fun thing about these threads is discovering what crappy taste your fellow Dopers have in music! That is, those of you who donā€™t have impeccable taste in music. No, Iā€™m not going to mention names. šŸ˜ƒ ---
**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:** [May 23, 2007, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-rock-album-of-all-time/405114/36 "2007-05-23T00:43:04Z")
Before reading the thread, I tried to guess what The Answer would beā€”that is, what albums would be sure to be named, and, if there was any kind of consensus, what it would be. And I guessed that, if there was an answer that most of us could agree on, it would have to be either something by the Beatles (probably either _Revolver_, _Sgt. Pepper_, or _Abbey Road_)), or Led Zeppelin (most likely _IV_), with possible runners-up by the Rolling Stones and The Who. (I didnā€™t think of Pink Floyd, but I should have.) My own personal answer is _Abbey Road_. ---
**Author:** ![PlasticCloud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/bbe5ce/32.png) [@PlasticCloud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PlasticCloud)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2007, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-rock-album-of-all-time/405114/37 "2007-05-23T00:59:52Z")
[QUOTE=Thudlow Boink] Before reading the thread, I tried to guess what The Answer would beā€”that is, what albums would be sure to be named, and, if there was any kind of consensus, what it would be. And I guessed that, if there was an answer that most of us could agree on, it would have to be either something by the Beatles (probably either _Revolver_, _Sgt. Pepper_, or _Abbey Road_)), or Led Zeppelin (most likely _IV_), with possible runners-up by the Rolling Stones and The Who. (I didnā€™t think of Pink Floyd, but I should have.) My own personal answer is _Abbey Road_. [/QUOTE] And I pretty much guessed before I opened this thread that there would be multiple mentions of _Dark Side of the Moon_, LZIV, _London Calling_, _Whoā€™s Next_, _Sgt. Pepper_, and the rest of the Rolling Stone Top Albums usual suspects. In fact, Iā€™m kind of suprised no one has dropped _Pet Sounds_ in here yet. šŸ˜› ---
**Author:** ![Suburban\_Plankton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suburban_plankton/32/219_2.png) [@Suburban\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suburban_Plankton)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2007, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-rock-album-of-all-time/405114/38 "2007-05-23T01:01:39Z")
Most of my favorites have already been mentioned, but I do have one more, which is currently at the top of my list: **The Grateful Dead** , _American Beauty_ ---
**Author:** ![PlasticCloud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/bbe5ce/32.png) [@PlasticCloud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PlasticCloud)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2007, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-rock-album-of-all-time/405114/39 "2007-05-23T01:26:01Z")
[QUOTE=Suburban Plankton] Most of my favorites have already been mentioned, but I do have one more, which is currently at the top of my list: **The Grateful Dead** , _American Beauty_ [/QUOTE] If you like _American Beauty_ (as I do, too), you really owe it to yourself to check out **Relatively Clean Rivers**. To me itā€™s one of the finest west-coast rural post-60s albums (circa 1975) ever recorded. Itā€™s got a phenomenal story behind it, and the music is absolutely top notch. It doesnā€™t hurt that itā€™s got one of the [best covers ever](http://www.popsike.com/pix/20060510/4878148191.jpg), either. Hereā€™s a few audio samples [WARNING: sound (obviously!)]: [Hello Sunshine](http://minorcrisis.net/files/HelloSunshine.mp3) [Easy Ride](http://minorcrisis.net/files/EasyRide.mp3) [Journey Through the Valley of O](http://minorcrisis.net/files/Journey%20Through%20The%20Valley%20Of%20O%201.mp3) The CD reish has gone out of print recently, but can still be found [online](http://www.forcedexposure.com/artists/relatively.clean.rivers.html). Of course, itā€™ll probably get reissued again now that Jeff Tweedy has apparently learned about the album and has been dropping its name in interviewsā€¦ ---
**Author:** ![ForumBot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ee59a6/32.png) [@ForumBot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ForumBot)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2007, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-rock-album-of-all-time/405114/40 "2007-05-23T01:36:44Z")
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