The popularity of classic rock is what gave birth to the many subgenres of rock we have today – blues rock, folk rock, soft rock, indie-rock, alt-rock, pop-rock, pop-punk… the list goes on. Every rock subgenre we listen to is most likely influenced by classic rock in one way or another.
Within this plethora of new music, it’s important to revisit the classics, to understand what started it all. When you listen to a classic rock album, often enough, you’ll stumble upon a technique or two that a modern band you know and love uses.
Finding the source of well-loved music is always a special kind of feeling. So, here are 10 of the best classic rock albums, that everyone should know.
Our list is made from five others: Loudwire, Louder, Album of the Year, Ultimate Classic Rock and Shortlist’s classic rock album rankings. Finding albums that were mentioned on each list and recording which appeared most often, combined with their ranking on each list, led us to their placement for each of the ten records on our own list.
Below are 10 of the best classic rock albums.
- IV (1971), Led Zeppelin
- Appetite for Destruction (1987), Guns N Roses
- The Dark Side of the Moon (1973), Pink Floyd
- A Night At The Opera (1975), Queen
- Are You Experienced? (1967), The Jimi Hendrix Experience
- The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars (1972), David Bowie
- Who’s Next (1971), The Who
- The Doors (1967), The Doors
- Back in Black (1980), AC/DC
- Rumours (1977), Fleetwood Mac
1. IV (1971), Led Zeppelin
I consider IV to be Led Zeppelin’s peak– the record was simply them at their best. There’s nothing particularly innovative or new on the record, but the refinements to their sound and image on this record are nearly immaculate.
Due to its elevated techniques, IV is one of the most accessible classic rock albums. The record isn’t too folky, or eccentric, but it’s complex within its simplicity.
Two of Led Zeppelin’s most famous songs are on the record, ‘Black Dog’ and ‘Stairway to Heaven,’ with the latter holding incredibly prevalent cultural relevancy. Everyone knows ‘Stairway to Heaven.’
2. Appetite for Destruction (1987), Guns N Roses
Appetite for Destruction was considered, by many, to be the peak of hair metal – the most mainstream hair metal had actually become. Guns N Roses embodied the sexuality and tension of the 80s and hair metal – this record was the definition of ‘sex, drugs, and rock’n’roll.”
I believe that nostalgia plays a part in the ranking of this record, but it’s impossible to argue with this being one of the last true hair metal albums before the scene went under in the early 90s.
3. The Dark Side of the Moon (1973), Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd originally started as a psychedelic rock band, but strayed from their path, before finding their way back to ‘classic’ Floyd. The Dark Side of the Moon was the result of the band finding ‘Floyd’ again.
It’s an album that makes you think – it’s mature, and it’s refined. I think the record’s focus was on the sound, rather than the eccentric lyrics, in classic Pink Floyd fashion.
4. A Night At The Opera (1975), Queen
During the 70s, A Night At The Opera was one of Queen’s most controversial records. And it wasn’t due to content, but rather the length of the songs – radio stations didn’t want to play songs from the record due to listeners’ attention spans, and the fear of losing their interest.
Which, in my opinion, is a shame because it’s an eccentric and theatrical album, incredibly camp, both sonically and lyrically – an opera-like record with classic rock instrumentation.
5. Are You Experienced? (1967), The Jimi Hendrix Experience
Are You Experienced? marked Jimi Hendrix’s breakthrough into the mainstream music scene. Hendrix originally struggled due to people in the industry who were unwilling to take him seriously, but eventually became an icon for rockstars.
This record is considered to be one of the ‘founding fathers’ of psychedelic rock and a perfect blueprint for good psychedelic rock.
With experimental guitars, where Hendrix played both rhythm and lead at the same time on the same six strings, a technique I could never quite wrap my head around, the record is quite literally a ‘wavy’ experience due to heavy studio panning, an early adaptation of guitar effects.
6. The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars (1972), David Bowie
The excellence of this record is less about the album itself and more about the eccentricity of David Bowie. I love how he leaned into the popularity of the glam-rock aesthetic, with long hair and platform boots, but did so as a solo act, rather than with an ensemble.
Bowie’s career was mainly based on personas, with Ziggy Stardust as Bowie’s first official major character, characterised by a lightning bolt painted on Bowie’s face. His eccentric ideas, combined with his androgynous appearance, made this record well-received by the younger generation.
7. Who’s Next (1971), The Who
The Who signalled the US’s second wave of the ‘British Invasion’. While there were only a few years between the first wave, The Beatles, and the second wave, Led Zeppelin, The Who, of the ‘British Invasion,’ lyrical development was extreme due to the historical context.
With Vietnam a major factor in the US at the time, the second wave included political statements and commentary, compared to the romanticised lyrical aspects of The Beatles and the early Rolling Stones.
Who’s Next has well-refined lyrics and instrumentals, nothing is over or under-done, and the album pushes and pulls in all of the right places.
8. The Doors (1967), The Doors
While yes, this is another psychedelic rock record, it is one of the best psychedelic rock records out there. Jim Morrison, the lead vocalist/songwriter of The Doors, was slightly off-centre, with eccentric ideals and was often under the influence.
Morrison was heavily into peyote, a cactus with psychedelic chemistry, and the occult, in general, with the last track on the record being called, ‘The End’ which is a walkthrough of the Oedipus complex – he was the king of the hippies – he advocated for drug use and ‘free love.’
No song on this record is the same, yet the lyrical style remains similar – stream-of-consciousness poetry, as strange as that may be.
9. Back in Black (1980), AC/DC
AC/DC are arguably the most successful out of the late 70s, early 80s bands at the time, due to their simple approach to rock ’n ’ roll.
The genre had faded out of the mainstream due to the popularity of glam rock, psychedelic rock, and other sub-genres of rock’n’roll in the 70s, but AC/DC took power chords and screaming vocals to reignite the interest and love for mainstream rock’n’roll.
While there are no bells and whistles, and it’s a rather stereotypical representation of rock’n’roll, due to its refinement and expertise, the record showcases the genre the way it’s supposed to be. I get goosebumps every time I listen to this record.
10. Rumours (1977), Fleetwood Mac
Rumours was written in the midst of the band’s two couples’ separations. The entire record was recorded live, in the studio, with all of the members, adding a level of emotion and heartbreak to the record that has captured people’s attention over the last 40 years.
The simplistic, soft-rock instrumentals are a background to emphasise the lyrical emotion in the record. The album includes country-style guitars and classic rock-style drums, but of course, the emotional pull of this record is truly what makes it one of the best classic rock albums of all time.
FAQs
What is considered the best rock album?
It’s important to distinguish the importance between rock and classic rock. Classic rock is a subgenre of rock, while rock is an all-encompassing genre. If you’re asking about the best rock album, you’re asking about the best album out of many subgenres.
Think of it like an umbrella. There is no definitive answer for rock in general. Still, for classic rock, critics often argue Led Zeppelin’s IV, Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side of the Moon, The Beatles’ Revolver, and Radiohead’s Kid A should be considered the best classic rock album of all time.
What is the most-sold classic rock album of all time?
The Eagles hold the title of having the most-sold classic rock album of all time, with over 38 million sales for their Their Greatest Hits (1976). With tracks like ‘One Of These Nights’ and ‘Take It Easy,’ Their Greatest Hits showcases the best of The Eagles.
What was the best year for classic rock albums?
Most journalists and critics would hands down declare that 1971 was the best year for modern music. Period. It was a creative and successful period for many musicians such as Led Zeppelin, David Bowie, Pink Floyd and so many more who weren’t on our 10 of the best classic rock albums list.