Salvaged from the abandoned Lifehouse project, it became the Who's most powerful studio record, pairing Townshend's pioneering synthesizer sequences with Daltrey's roar and Moon's chaos. 'Baba O'Riley' and 'Won't Get Fooled Again' bookend it with genuine grandeur. A high-water mark for arena rock done with brains. Released in 1971, it's a key entry in The Who's run.
On vinyl: Vintage copies and modern reissues both circulate — worth comparing condition and remaster notes before you buy.
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- Baba O'Riley on Best Rock Songs of All Time, Best 1970s Rock Songs
We don't reproduce full tracklists — only the songs from this record we've featured in our best-of lists.
More from The Who — where to go next
If you have Who's Next, these are the The Who records worth reaching for next.
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1
Live at Leeds1970 · RockStart here
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2
My Generation1965 · RockEssential
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3
Tommy1969 · RockEssential
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4
The Who Sell Out1967 · RockClassic
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5
Who's Next1971 · you're viewing this oneClassic