Best Epic Guitar Music Albums (Rank Ordered)
Submitted by baker on Mon, 01/24/2005 - 09:36
Tags:
Albums
- El Cielo (Dredg, 2002)
- Lateralus (Tool, 2001)
- Siamese Dream (The Smashing Pumpkins, 1993)
- Undertow (Tool, 1993)
- The Fragile (Nine Inch Nails, 1999)
- Train of Thought (Dream Theater, 2003)
- Aenima (Tool, 1996)
- Mer de Noms (A Perfect Circle, 2000)
- Leitmotif (Dredg, 2001)
- Year Zero (Nine Inch Nails, 2007)
- Mellon Collie & the Infinite Sadness (The Smashing Pumpkins, 1995)
- The Bends (Radiohead, 1995)
- Led Zeppelin II (Led Zeppelin, 1969)
- Kid A (Radiohead, 2000)
- Weezer (Weezer, 1994)
- Scenes From a Memory (Dream Theater, 1999)
- Element (Portal, 2005)
- The Battle for Los Angeles (Rage Against the Machine, 1999)
- Blood Red Tape (Portal, 2008)
- Catch Without Arms (Dredg, 2005)
- Sixteen Stone (Bush, 1994)
- The Downward Spiral (Nine Inch Nails, 1994)
- The Sickness (Disturbed, 2000)
- Metallica (Metallica, 1991)
- A Rush of Blood To the Head (Coldplay, 2002)
- OK, Computer (Radiohead, 1997)
- Absolution (Muse, 2003)
- Houses of the Holy (Led Zeppelin, 1973)
- Fashion Nugget (Cake, 1996)
- In Rainbows (Radiohead, 2007)
- Everything Must Go (Manic Street Preachers, 1996)
- Strangeitude (Ozric Tentacles, 1989)
- Wish You Were Here (Pink Floyd, 1975)
- A Taste of Things To Come (Portal, 2005)
- Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence (Dream Theater, 2002)
- Black Holes and Revelations (Muse, 2006)
- Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (The Beatles, 1967)
- Boston (Boston, 1978)
- Awake (Dream Theater, 1994)
- Rage Against the Machine (Rage Against the Machine, 1992)
- 10,000 Days (Tool, 2006)
- Nevermind (Nirvana, 1991)
- Californication (Red Hot Chili Peppers, 1999)
- Broken (Nine-Inch-Nails, 1992)
- Billy Joel's Greatest Hits
- Audioslave (Audioslave, 2002)
- Flyleaf (Flyleaf, 2006)
- X&Y (Coldplay, 2005)
- Origin of Symmetry (Muse, 1999)
- Rumours (Fleetwood Mac, 1977)
- Third Eye Blind (Third Eye Blind, 1997)
- Creedence Clearwater Revival Chronicle Volume 1 (CCR, 1976)
- Weezer (Red Album) (Weezer, 2008)
- Falling Into Infinity (Dream Theater, 1997)
- Master of Puppets (Metallica, 1986)
- f#a# (infinity) (Godspeed! You Black Emperor, 1998)
- Pisces Iscariot (The Smashing Pumpkins, 1994)
- Led Zeppelin IV (Led Zeppelin, 1971)
- Octavarium (Dream Theater, 2005)
- With Teeth (Nine Inch Nails, 2005)
- Physical Grafitti (Led Zeppelin, 1975)
- In Utero (Nirvana, 1994)
- ...And Justice For All (Metallica, 1988)
- Amnesiac (Radiohead, 2001)
- Liquid Tension Experiment (Liquid Tension Experiment, 1997)
- Greatest Hits Volume 1 (Van Halen, 1996)
- Opiate (Tool, 1992)
- Pinkerton (Weezer, 1996)
- Play (Moby, 1999)
- February Son (Oleander, 1999)
- Images and Words (Dream Theater, 1992)
- Lynyrd Skynyrd All Time Greatest Hits (Lynyrd Skynryd, 2000)
- The Wall (Pink Floyd, 1979)
- De-Loused In the Comatorium (The Mars Volta, 2003)
- Pablo Honey (Radiohead, 1992)
- Joyride (Oleander, 2003)
- Golden State (Bush, 2001)
- Core (Stone Temple Pilots, 1992)
- Joshua Tree (U2, 1987)
- Dark Side of the Moon (Pink Floyd, 1973)
- No. 4 (Stone Temple Pilots, 1999)
- Greatest Hits (U.S. Edition) (Queen, 1992)
- Thirteenth Step (A Perfect Circle, 2003)
- Break the Cycle (Staind, 2001)
- Showbiz (Muse, 1999)
- Appetite For Destruction (Guns'N'Roses, 1987)
- A Change of Seasons (Dream Theater, 1995)
- Awake: The Best of Live (Live, 2004)
- Ride the Lightning (Metallica, 1984)
- IV (Godsmack, 2006)
- Into the Great Wide Open (Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, 1991)
- Boston: Greatest Hits (Boston, 1997)
- Unplugged (Eric Clapton, 1992)
- Godsmack (Godsmack, 1997)
- The Best of the Moody Blues (The Moody Blues, 1997)
- Animals (Pink Floyd, 1977)
- The Power to Believe (King Crimson, 2003)
- Out of Exile (Audioslave, 2005)
- The Matrix Soundtrack (Various Artists, 1999)
- Simon & Garfunkel Live From Central Park (1982)
- Nirvana: Unplugged (Nirvana, 1994)
- Led Zeppelin (Led Zeppelin)
- My Generation - The Very Best of the Who (The Who, 1996)
- S & M (Metallica, 1999)
- Comfort Eagle (Cake, 2001)
- All That You Can't Leave Behind (U2, 2000)
- Whither, Blister, Burn, and Peel (Stabbing Westward, 1996)
- The Science of Things (Bush, 1999)
- My Own Prison (Creed, 1997)
- Ten (Pearl Jam, 1991)
- Soundsystem (311, 1999)
- Purple (Stone Temple Pilots, 1994)
- Double Vision (Foreigner, 1978)
- Foreigner (Foreigner, 1977)
- Vs. (Pearl Jam, 1993)
- Awake (Godsmack, 2000)
- Machina II: Friends & Enemies of Modern Music (The Smashing Pumpkins, 2000)
- Americana (The Offspring, 1998)
- The Beatles Anthology (The Beatles, 1995)
- Gish (The Smashing Pumpkins, 1991)
- Prolonging the Magic (Cake, 1998)
- Hail to the Thief (Radiohead, 2003)
- Automatic For the People (R.E.M., 1992)
- Evil Empire (Rage Against the Machine, 1996)
- Crash (Dave Matthews Band, 1996)
- () (Sigur Ros, 2002)
- Presence (Led Zeppelin, 1978)
- Human Clay (Creed, 1992)
- Come With Us (Chemical Brothers, 2002)
- Know Your Enemy (Manic Street Preachers, 2001)
- When Day and Dream Reunite [bootleg] (Dream Theater, 2004)
- Epitaph (King Crimson, 1969)
- Horrorscope (Eve 6, 2000)
- Odelay (Beck, 1996)
- Wonder What's Next (Chevelle, 2002)
- Further Down the Spiral (Nine Inch Nails, 1995)
- Greatest Hits: The Doors (The Doors, 1996)
- Back in Black (AC/DC, 1980)
- Songs About Fucking (Big Black, 1987)
- Dysfunction (Staind, 1999)
- Rubber Soul (The Beatles, 1965)
- The Moon & Antarctica (Modest Mouse, 2000)
- Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits
- The Singles 1992-2003 (No Doubt, 2003)
- Motorcade of Generosity (Cake, 1994)
- The Better Life (3 Doors Down, 2000)
- Exile on Main Street (The Rolling Stones, 1972)
- Rude Awakening (Megadeth, 2002)
- SuperUnknown (Soundgarden, 1994)
- Thriller (Michael Jackson, 1982)
- Blood Sugar Sex Magik (The Red Hot Chili Peppers, 1991)
- Razorblade Suitcase (Bush, 1996)
- Mary Star of the Sea (Zwan, 2003)
- Fallen (Evanescence, 2003)
- Achtung Baby (U2, 1991)
- Lions (The Black Crowes, 2001)
- Renegades (Rage Against the Machine, 2000)
- Tiny Songs From the Vatican (Stone Temple Pilots, 1996)
- Silver Side Up (Nickelback, 2001)
- Pretty Hate Machine (Nine Inch Nails, 1989)
- Weathered (Creed, 2001)
- Load (Metallica, 1996)
- Reload (Metallica, 1997)
- Killers (Iron Maiden, 1981)
- Salival (Tool, 2000)
- Something Like Human (Fuel, 2000)
- Led Zeppelin III (Led Zeppelin, 1970)
- Tragic Kingdom (No Doubt, 1995)
- In Through the Out Door (Led Zeppelin, 1979)
- Pressure Chief (Cake, 2004)
- Believe (Disturbed, 2002)
- The Beatles 1 (The Beatles, 2000)
- Pet Sounds (The Beach Boys, 1966)
- ANThology (Alien Ant Farm, 2001)
- The Division Bell (Pink Floyd, 1994)
- Everything You Want (Vertical Horizon, 1999)
- Adore (The Smashing Pumpkins, 1998)
- eMotive (A Perfect Circle, 2004)
- Short Bus (Filter, 1995)
- Judas 0 - B-Sides and Rarities (The Smashing Pumpkins, 2003)
- Version 2.0 (Garbage, 1998)
- Alice In Chain's Greatest Hits (2001)
- Unwind (Oleander, 2001)
- Weezer (Green Album) (Weezer, 2001)
- Machina: The Machines of God (The Smashing Pumpkins, 2000)
- Hold Me Up (Goo Goo Dolls, 1990)
- Infest (Papa Roach, 2000)
Box Sets
- Led Zeppelin [BOX SET] (Led Zeppelin)
- The Aeroplane Flies High [BOX SET] (The Smashing Pumpkins)
- In My Lifetime [BOX SET] (Neil Diamond)
Soundtracks
- Top Gun Soundtrack (various)
- Cocktail Soundtrack (various)
- Girl Next Door Soundtrack (various)
- Wayne's World Soundtrack (various)
- Lost Highway Soundtrack (various)
- Call of Duty Soundtrack (Michael Giacchino)
- Can't Hardly Wait Soundtrack (various)
Classical/Other-Than-Rock Music
- The Eminem Show (Eminem)
- Beethoven: Symphonies #5 & #7 (Beethoven)
- Beethoven: Symphony No. 9, Op. 125, "Choral" (Beethoven)
- Tune Your Brain With Mozart: Energize (Mozart)
- A Day Without Rain (Enya)
- Paint the Sky with Stars: The Best of Enya (Enya)
- Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego? (Rockapella)
- 100 Masterpieces Vols. 1-4 (various)
- The Point (Nilsson)
- Summon the Heroes (John Williams)
- Canon (Pachelbel)
Author Comments:
Please post suggestions if you have similar taste in music!
great list!! I invite you to look some of my music lists! Arcade fire's cd could be somewhere in the list, here it! :)
I've got Led Zeppelin BBC/Peel Sessions and Nirvana Peel Sessions if you want   a sample.
No thanks. I appreciate the offer, though.
I always enjoy seeing Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers appear in fellow listologists' lists but... Into The Great Wide Open might be their least interesting album... so if you have the time, chance, hunch, feeling, luck,... to listen to any other TP&HB albums, I would expect them to find a place on your list... maybe intead of Into the great wide open, even... I wouldn't be surprised, no sir... and you may check this if you like... thank you
Yeah, I realize this list doesn't do them justice. The only reason is because I haven't listened to their other albums. Into the Great Wide Open surprised me because I enjoyed it so much, even though I knew it wasn't one of their more popular albums. I'd love to hear their other stuff, but they're not high on my buying list right now, especially with all the great albums coming out this year (see "Comments"). I am considering their greatest hits album, but I know that most true fans of a band look down at greatest hits albums because they can't get all the good stuff on one disc.
Just answering your post here:
If you like R.E.M check out "Automatic For The People". "Murmur" is great as well, but not for everyone.
If you want to hear the original "Tool" (and better in my opinion) check out Joy Division.
They're basically Tool (before Tool) without the long-winded Metallica aspect there. The albums "Unknown Pleasures" and "Closer" are both masterpieces. But be warned: Closer is among the most powerful albums in existence and probably the most depressing album ever made.
I can tell by your list that you'd almost certainly love "The Holy Bible" by Manic Street Preachers. If I met you in person this is the first album I would think to let you borrow. It is an impressive mixture of all the styles which most dominate your list here.
I would also be willing to bet you're eccentric enough in your musical tastes that you could handle one of the greatest albums ever made (according to me) "In The Aeroplane Over The Sea" by Neutral Milk Hotel (1998).
You may want to check out "Daydream Nation" by Sonic Youth as well seeing as you like extended guitar freak outs. It's a little more swampy and not as melodic as your top picks, but I think with a few listens you'd really take to it. It's one of the best albums of the 80's no doubt about it.
And definitely, definitely, definitely by the looks of it you'd like the Pixies. Check out "Doolittle" by The Pixies and "Surfer Rosa" by them as well.
You may also want to give "Double Nickels On A Dime" by The Minutemen a shot, as well as "Spiderland" by Slint, and I am near certain you'd like the bands The Jesus Lizard and Scratch Acid, and Big Black especially "Songs About F@cking". Yes its really called that and the cover is classic.
You should also look into the band Godspeed! You Black Emperor!
One more thing though: where the heck is Kid A by Radiohead? In a list this large especially, I'd expect to see it.
Anyway, interesting picks, and I hope these choices end up changing your life like I predict they will based on what I can percieve your tastes to reflect.
Sorry about the last comment. I just realized Kid A is on there after all!
Nicely done my fellow Listologist! (:
Wow, thanks alot for all the recommendations. I really appreciate it. Your suggestions are like a musical goldmine for me. I recognize most of the bands you mentioned, but have not heard much of their stuff. As I have just finished completing my Dream Theater collection, I'm ready to start looking for my next awesome music fix.
Regarding Kid A, yeah, I'm sure you were surprised to find it so low on my list. It's the only Radiohead album I've yet to own and it's been sitting on my wish list for at least a year by now. I'll just have to finally go out and get it.
Hey, thanks again for your recommendations. I've listened to samples and I'm really psyched about getting stuff by Manic Street Preachers, Big Black, and Godspeed! You Black Emperor. Just today I went out and bought Kid A and Automatic For the People.
Right on. I envy you for being in the early stages of listening to Kid A. I assume your affection for it will only grow, until it becomes some sort of an obsession (as it has with me). It is a truly astonishing album.
Automatic For The People is a grower, but it's really, really beautiful. The song "Nightswimming" especially.
I thought of a few other recommendations as well:
Ladies And Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space by Spiritualized (1997). It's absolutely amazing, but make sure you either have a really good system to play it on with high-wattage (at least 150 or more), or a really great set of headphones. Most systems below this can't quite clearly and distinctly bring across all the different instruments, sounds and rhythms going at once, so what I said above makes the experience better. Undoubtedly one of the finest, most jaw-dropping albums of the 90's though.
Loveless-My Bloody Valentine (1991). I think you'd like this a lot. It is universally regarded as one of the best albums of the 90's. It is quite loud but also almost serenely beautful AT THE SAME TIME. Groundbreaking.
The Soft Bulletin-The Flaming Lips. I'm not totally sure on this one if you'd really like it or not. It is unquestionably magnificent, it has loads of melody, and it's really bombastic and overflowing with quirky emotion. Through brilliant sequencing it gains depth as it goes along, even though the first third is rather silly in content (though no less magnificent). Rarely has an album used drums to such awesome and thunderous effect. Also widely regarded as one of the best of the 90's. The only reason for my uncertainty is some people can't handle it's quirkiness and playfulness but after awhile it becomes more of a strength then a weakness.
I just realized that I put these on here without mulling over your list again to find out if they're on there, so I'll apologize ahead of time if I just wasted some words.
Otherwise, check 'em out and enjoy! Don't let anyone ever tell you there are only a few masterpieces out there, or that only the ones from earlier eras like the 60's and 70's are worth your while. While those are infact great, there are plenty more throughout each decade. If you search in dependable sources and ask dependable people you'll find what you're looking for, and there will always be something you don't have, which is what makes searching for the best albums so damn fun in the first place.
Have you had a chance to hear my recommendation for you, yet?
I listened to some sound clips and I definitely plan to buy it. Lately, I've been listening to the new Tool album, 10,000 Days, and all of the albums by Muse, which I just recently got into.
I am wondering how you have the time and money to listen to so many different music albums. Do you have Napster subscription or something similar in which you can download unlimited songs for an ongoing monthly fee?
Lots of ripped library CDs, lots of free music, AllOfMp3, illegal sources, etc.
Finally got around to buying Strangeitude by Ozric Tentacles. Awesome recommendation. I love it. It sounds so much ahead of its time. Definitely steered me right on that one.