Best Rock Albums of All Time (1-10)
Submitted by dcstar on Thu, 07/24/2003 - 10:44
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- 1)Highway 61 Revisited/Bob Dylan________ It was 1965. In the midst of a shifting planet, rock and roll had its place and that was that. The Beatles were swooning the teens (but not for long). Elvis had shaped rock into his own platform, as well as the mostly blues based black artists that sparked his interest before him. But, to take rock and roll and defy it, to force it to be what it should be at its purest element…leave it to Dylan. “Like A Rolling Stone”, the big bang of the 60’s, was the opener. Rock radio never sounded so sharply youthful and rebellious. On first listen, it’s quite unsettling, but after a while you get the point, like awakening from a deep sleep to decipher your dream. It was apparent that “something was happening here, but you don’t know what it is”, like the line suggested from “Ballad of A Thin Man”. The album, as one, was the Bob Dylan that he needed to be. There is rambling nonsense lyrics. There is harmonica solos that will make your ears bleed. There is garage rock. There is barroom blues. But, when all the smoke clears, there is a message to the world. Rock and roll is living inside a human being, an album, an America, and it’s ready to take a step forward.
- 2)Exile on Main Street/Rolling Stones________ When listening, I visualize a bunch of stragglers, ragged but ready, assembling slowly onto a tiny country barroom stage and pouring out songs of turmoil, exhaustion, and just plain chaotic life experiences. These songs live on this album. The Rolling Stones had achieved all there was. All the money and women they could have for a hundred lifetimes. They had recorded three genius albums previous to this one, as well as a powerful live record. However, it took a sweaty basement full of musicians somewhere in France (literally “exiled” from the States) with the vision of a rock album that could represent the blood and soul of all that was the lifestyle to leave their lasting mark. Twisting their sound to this hypnotic forefront was no doubt tiring and challenging. But, the lyrics are masterful. The rhythm section is relentless, the vocals are hard pressed, woven and from within. Finally, the loose strings were joined and the Stones were 100%. The album would work live as two sets next to a hot Mississippi riverside at night. The band dabbles with country gospel style in “Tumbling Dice” and “Shine A Light”. They open up with sprawling intensity in “Rocks Off”, and explore rockabilly with “Rip This Joint”. There’s even an attempt at a slave dance number in the gleaming “Sweet Black Angel”. The album is just so abundant. It would take an effort to find a dull moment. The perfect “Loving Cup” sums up the record’s message best: “Yes, I am nitty, gritty and my shirt’s all torn, but I would love to spill the beans with you till dawn”. Who could refuse?
- 3)Abbey Road/Beatles________ An album that could have been the greatest of all time, it was just too late. The Beatles were clawing at each other by now, musicianship was most likely a competitive thing, and you know that pesky Yoko thing. Anyhow, back to Abbey Road Studios they went, and despite the bitterness and turmoil, like soldiers they pushed on. The finished product, you ask? A cheerful, shiny delicate machine. Their most versatile album. The most flexible, with plenty of breathing room and space to wander. George is the star character, with his two most signature, emotional ballads, “Something” and the “Here Comes the Sun”- but that’s just the beginning. John showed up, swallowing his pride, penning songs with Paul for the last time, a duo never to be matched. “Come Together” works quite brilliantly, and the entire second half of the album brings tears to my eyes, most every time. “Once there was a way, to get back homeward”, Paul mutters under an orchestra, which fades back and forth through a reprise of the earlier “You Never Give Me Your Money”, one of the most genius codas ever assembled. It’s just the production: strictly professional, simply brilliant. The greatest Beatles album, I would dare to say so, if that counts for anything. The greatest of all time, almost, I just think there could have been a better collaboration overall. I want to think it was all smiles and handshakes, like the pioneering days back in Liverpool or perhaps the “Magical Mystery Tour”, but it was anything but, and it was all over- but no better way to close the curtain. “One sweet dream, came true that day…”
- 4)Murmur/R.E.M.________ …And in 1983, alternative is born. In their debut album, after a great EP, the most unassuming band from a rural town in Georgia build the bridge to a new artistic sound, very cool to discover. There are no extremes, much like the hair rock at the time and the “in your face” attitude of the new MTV. This really was an alternative to mainstream crap put out by Billy Idol or Phil Collins. There’s just a band so balanced that they refused to mix any of the instruments louder than the others, creating a unified sound. In my somewhat biased opinion (being from Georgia) this is the best achievement in rock from the south as well as the smartest release of the 80’s. Michael Stipe’s lyrics are mumbled and the band’s sounds and backing vocals are so eccentric that it’s nearly impossible to keep up at times. But, that’s the beauty. After a thousand listens, little snippets of piano or vocal layers can jump out at you like they never have before, or never will again. The album, experienced as a whole is pure and simply a mind-blowing thing. It’s superbly weird, off beat, and quirky, but that was R.E.M., and they let the world know. Their modest, dramatic noise, in the midst of such hollow art plaguing the record stores, is truly remarkable and deserves a spot among the most impressive alchemists to come along.
- 5)Sgt Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band/Beatles________ The most complex game of perception ever assembled…the point of no return for popular music period. The album is regarded by the majority of experts as the finest pop recording of the century, progressing beyond the boundaries of the album format previously experienced. No other band had transformed in such a way…because the Beatles had so dramatically altered themselves, it made others do the same. The influence is endless. Coming off the success of Revolver, the Beatles steered all their creative talent and effort towards a truly supreme release of musical explorations. The touring had ceased, the drug use was quite heavy, and the brilliance of McCartney and Lennon was emerging even further. Volumes could be written about the tracks of Sgt. Pepper. The initial impact was unlike Revolver, personally, yet the time stopping sheer quality was elevated. Every track fits like a puzzle, and perhaps for the first time tells a complete story like a novel. The themes seem to be absurdly uncommon. The instrumentation is genius. Pop icons, such as the Beatles, accelerated further the void between them, and other bands of the time. Yet, similar to the conversational Bob Dylan masterpiece Bringing it all Back Home or the always friendly Pet Sounds by the Beach Boys, both from 1965, this album propels the attentive listener to imagine a world where such things that are hideously unconventional can be made to seem delightful. “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds”, “Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite!”, and “Within You Without You” are all unforgettable for their never before heard quality on a pop album. The Sgt. Pepper’s album had advance sales of over a million, so the Beatles certainly could have slapped some songs together out of the air and been heralded as stars just the same. Sgt. Pepper’s, in the end, coming out of this chaotic scene that it was surrounded in, became the most iconic album in the sixties, and was in many ways the Beatles crowning achievement. They loved to turn you on, as suggested by the finale of all finales, “A Day in the Life”. If this song doesn’t enflame your senses in some way, I’m not sure you’re alive. The extravagant production of it all is beautiful. Like the album cover displayed, the Beatles were in the eyes of everyone, young and old, mentors and protégés, mysterious and outspoken, everyone was affected, everyone was experiencing mainstream collapse and it was spectacular.
- 6)London Calling/The Clash________ Punk attitude and visionary songwriting composition spend the day together. Eclectic and stirring, humble and radiant, London Calling is certainly amidst rock’s very finest moments. Spitting “anger can be power” (“Clampdown”) and announcing “without your love, I can’t make it through” (“Train in Vain”) in the same record is fascinating. It’s been said by anyone who knows, but the alarming variety of the songs and styles exhibited here is where the greatness lies. My personal favorites are the un-Clash like “Card Cheat” and thunderous “Hateful”. “The Only Band That Matters” was the label they had to live up to, and the fact that that slogan is still remembered speaks for itself. Buy this album today if you haven’t heard it. I envy you for getting to hear it for the first time.
- 7)Dark Side of the Moon/Pink Floyd________ It’s the first music in my rock journey that made me feel as if you’re living and breathing inside the notes and lyrics that spill out of the speakers. It made dream rock accessible and really very poignant. With the immense power that’s involved with this album, it’s hard to believe that it had universal success. The songs are very unconventional and hard to swallow. To put it best, Dark Side is really just Pink Floyd’s most well thought out work-one of the most original pieces of rock and roll they ever recorded. It still stands light years away from any other project they took on, except maybe Animals, including Wish You Were Here and The Wall and its brilliance just shines and shines. It influences all progressive rock after it and could be considered the first modern rock album, the lyrics are incredible, and like the pulsing heartbeat that continues throughout, the praises continues…Standout tracks certainly are “Us and Them”, “Great Gig in the Sky”, “Time”, “Money”, and of course the sweeping finale ”Eclipse”.
- 8)Blonde on Blonde/Bob Dylan________ The “golden” third record in the trilogy of ground breaking albums from Mr.Zimmerman in the mid-60’s, following Bringing it All Back Home and another album higher on this list. Blonde is simply timeless in every sense of the word. The Hawks, Bob’s backing band at the time, as well as other session musicians truly standout here, sustaining the exact sound Dylan was searching for, that “ thin, wild, mercury sound…”. Wild, indeed. However, this album searches a few genres for it’s definitive sound, but Bob was too eccentric for just a single one. The man that shocked the culture with his harsh lyrics and fantastically unordinary style of rhetoric pushed the boundaries to the edge finally. It is here that Bob was his most rock ‘n’ roll, his most humorous, his most vintage, the razor sharp perfection of his game. Not meant for one sitting, this was perhaps the genesis of the double LP, adding to the record’s depth. It explores country (recorded at Columbia in Nashville), blues, and includes some of Bob’s most perfected folk moments, such as “4th Time Around” and “Visions of Johanna”. Stylish love ballads were included as well, with “Just Like a Woman” and the sing along “I Want You”. I’m entertained mostly by the rockers though. The lively “Absolutely Sweet Marie”, and the lovely “One of Us Must Know (Sooner or Later)” both exhibit the sheer genius of the album. Lyrically captivating, your attention is kept quite focused throughout. Shortly after the release, Dylan was in a serious motorcycle accident, altering everything going on in his life. He emerged again with a total new sound, releasing the countrified John Wesley Harding, which has in my opinion the best harp on any of his albums. That album, Blonde on Blonde and its predecessor were at their time the most important pieces of music ever recorded-completely essential to any collection.
- 9)Rumours/Fleetwood Mac________ The classiest of the classics, a recording full of passion. I suppose that emotion, which everyone loves to express at one time or another, is really what fueled the colossal sales of this glossy pop creation. As far as I know, there is no other band that could have a sound quite like this. This is the richest, most heartfelt album that came from the late 70’s. Punk was emerging, and disco was almost dead, but Rumours was its own planet in which to escape. It’s really a hit-machine that was interested in quality rather than emptiness; there are at least five unforgettable FM standards like the sublime “Go Your Own Way” and magical “Gold Dust Woman”. It’s just one of those generation branding albums. Fleetwood Mac was the 70’s, in a way, struggling to remain collective, like so many artists…expressing feelings of betrayal, doubt, and loneliness that relates to the heart and a fading music landscape.
- 10)Let It Bleed/Rolling Stones________ Here you go, an album to bid farewell to the 60’s, by The Rolling Stones, a band whose first record was titled “England’s Newest HitMakers” in 1964. That album established the Stones as the prototypical “bad boy” rockers, which was very un-Beatlish. And, boy did they ever “make” some hits in the process. Then there was Beggers Banquet, the first album to really be taken serious by the band. That album paved the way for the rootsy sound that they would be known for in the dark epic Let It Bleed. The spooky feel most likely stems from the death of Brian Jones during the recording process, but Keith and Mick surely channeled their doubts about the band’s resonance into some of the most greatly crafted songs of all time, and an album to finally put the Stones in a category all their own. The gorgeous, lazy feel of the first side is complimented finely by the strong second side, with two of the most excellent songs they ever wrote, “You Can’t Always Get What You Want” and “Monkey Man”. Also, a personal favorite is the title track, “Let It Bleed”, a showcase for the talented musicians they had really become. This is the band’s most important album, and first on my list for 60’s albums that made a difference in the following decade.
Author Comments:
Here is the list of the top 25 albums that I hold in high esteem on a continuing basis. I believe these are mankind's greatest noises...
The list was the hardest project I have ever taken on.
It's been my labor of love for quite some time.
I hope everyone enjoys, and most importantly debates whole-heartedly.
Truly, the most complete and comprehensive list I am yet to see on this site. That said, I must also say that our musical tastes could not be more different. I respect this list. It stinks of Dylan and The Stones, and I believe Costello and Wilco are ill-placed, but I can't deny that this list is powerful. Fantastic work! I gotta go shoot some pool, but I would love to give this more thought later.
cheers
Wow. I love it! I'm usually out of my depth on music lists, so I don't have much in the way of criticism, but I loved reading this. Great, great list.
I hate to see lists absolutely lacking of emotion. I hate these idealist lists people post, not for themselves, but because it will please others, trying to fill some certain imaginary ideal. This list is the opposite of all of that. I loved to read how heartfelt the comments were. You really believe what you wrote and I found that fantastic. Very Cool.
Suggestions,
No, Joshua Tree?
Maybe Pavement?
Def Leppard?
I'm not a big Dylan or Stones fan, but I respect those who are. 20-25 came off as a little forced. Costello rocks, but top 25? Hell, I was Costello last Halloween, glasses and all, but I can't see him top 25. Then again, I put INXS in my top 25. Do they belong there? Chances are, no, but they rock me too hard. I loved the new Wilco, but didn't see it as top material. Personally, I have loathed Nico since my introduction. In the end, great list.
Def Leppard - Their state fair tour is rocking this year. Check it out if you can.
Cheers
Def Leppard? GOD NO
Pavement- Probably not
U2 Joshua Tree- Definitely
What's with the Billy Joel bashing by the way dcstar? Putting out mainstream crap? Are you alright buddy? I haven't really heard Billy Joel called popular crap before I suppose there are first's for everything.
I agree with gsucyclist about 20-25, they do seem a bit forced and out of place in the context of the rest of the albums on the list. The top ten are hard to argue with choice wise, I do think this list reads like something out of Rolling Stone magazine, but nonetheless it stands out because of the heart that shines through in the comments section, wonderful job.
Well, grizham1, thanks for the praises, Im sure you mean it...
But,I think you are referring to Billy Idol instead of Billy Joel. I never mentioned Billy Joel. He is a great songwriter.
I agree. Def Leppard is awful. They wouldnt make my top 500. Pavement's Slanted and Enchanted is a five star album, but it falls short of a list like this, because after repeated listens, it dosent quite hold up like these 25.
The Joshua Tree very well could be in the elite of all 80's albums, and I respect it as one of the greatest records in history. But, again, I'm not sure it holds up...Don't get me wrong, the production and the lyrics are top notch.
I'm not sure if that's an insult about Rolling Stone. That's surely not what I was going for. I'm not trying to sell magazines or kiss some rock stars behind. My writing style for this list is just rather formal, because the subject of the top 25 albums is something that I take serious.
As for 20-25, they weren't really forced and I don't think they are out of context. Just because Elvis Costello is mentioned, and Velvet Underground gets a spot dosen't mean that I don't put them in the same category with the Stones or Pink Floyd. The White Album, which is in my final five, would make some people's top five of all time, and I think it is truly great, so it's not ill-placed or out of context to me.
Def Leppard was a joke!
I definitely see Slanted and Enchanted before Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. Just my opinion.
Just to say it again, Def Leppard does not belong on this list.
cheers
You do know that our tastes are so close, it is almost scary?
I especially found your Abbey Road review insightful. Great list!
Shalom, y'all!
L. Bangs