The Best Rock Albums
From British blues to stadium anthems — the records that built the canon.
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1Abbey RoadThe Beatles
Abbey Road
The Beatles' last recorded album and arguably their most polished, balancing Lennon's bite, McCartney's melody and a side-two medley that ties loose song fragments into one sweeping finale. Harrison contributes two of his finest in 'Something' and 'Here Comes the Sun'. A warm, confident farewell from a band at the peak of its studio craft.
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2Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club BandThe Beatles
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
The album that reframed the LP as a complete artistic statement rather than a singles vehicle, dressed in orchestral flourishes, music-hall whimsy and studio trickery. Its influence on production and album-as-concept thinking is hard to overstate. Best heard start to finish, the way it was designed.
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3RevolverThe Beatles
Revolver
The pivot from pop group to studio explorers: tape loops, backwards guitar and Indian drones sit beside some of their sharpest songwriting. It is short, varied and astonishingly forward-looking for 1966, closing with the proto-psychedelic 'Tomorrow Never Knows'. Many fans rate it the single best Beatles record, and it is the natural place to start.
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4The Dark Side of the MoonPink Floyd
The Dark Side of the Moon
A seamless suite on time, money, madness and mortality, built from sighing synths, saxophone, heartbeat pulses and tape collage. It spent years on the charts for good reason: the production still sounds vast and the sequencing flows as one continuous piece. The benchmark for hi-fi demonstration and a cornerstone of any collection.
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5Wish You Were HerePink Floyd
Wish You Were Here
A grieving, beautiful record shaped by absent friend Syd Barrett and disillusion with the music business, anchored by the sprawling 'Shine On You Crazy Diamond'. Warmer and more human than Dark Side, it rewards patience and a good pair of speakers. One of the great headphone albums.
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6Led Zeppelin IVLed Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin IV
Untitled and adorned only with runic symbols, this is the band's most complete statement, from the folk delicacy of 'The Battle of Evermore' to the slow build of 'Stairway to Heaven'. Bonham's drum sound on 'When the Levee Breaks' alone has been sampled for decades. Heavy, mystical and endlessly influential.
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7Exile on Main St.The Rolling Stones
Exile on Main St.
A loose, murky double album cut largely in a French villa basement, where blues, country, gospel and rock'n'roll bleed into one another. It sounded ramshackle on release and is now widely held to be their masterpiece. Let it wash over you a few times before its depth reveals itself.
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8Who's NextThe Who
Who's Next
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.
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9RumoursFleetwood Mac
Rumours
Recorded as the band members' relationships disintegrated, the tension fuels every track, turning heartbreak into impossibly hooky soft-rock. The harmonies, the songwriting balance across three writers and the crystalline production made it one of the best-selling albums ever. Comfort listening with real emotional undertow.
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10The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from MarsDavid Bowie
The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars
Bowie's glam-rock concept album about a doomed alien rock star turned him into a superstar and changed what a pop performer could be. The songs are tight and theatrical, the playing sharp, the whole thing over in 38 thrilling minutes. The essential entry point to his catalogue.
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11Hunky DoryDavid Bowie
Hunky Dory
A songwriter's album of wit, warmth and ambition, from the shape-shifting 'Changes' to the tender 'Life on Mars?'. It arrived just before Ziggy made him famous and many devotees quietly prefer it. Piano-led, melodic and endlessly replayable.
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12A Night at the OperaQueen
A Night at the Opera
Queen's lavish, everything-at-once masterpiece, home to 'Bohemian Rhapsody' and a riot of music-hall, hard rock and balladry. Expensive, ambitious and irresistible. Their defining statement.
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13Pet SoundsThe Beach Boys
Pet Sounds
Brian Wilson's orchestral pop masterpiece, a fragile, intricate song-cycle of longing that reshaped what a pop album could be. Endlessly influential, not least on the Beatles. One of the greatest records ever made.
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14Born to RunBruce Springsteen
Born to Run
The make-or-break record where Springsteen poured everything into a widescreen, Spector-sized vision of escape and longing. Every track strains for transcendence and mostly reaches it, from the title song to the closing 'Jungleland'. Romantic, exhausting and thrilling.
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15Highway 61 RevisitedBob Dylan
Highway 61 Revisited
Dylan plugs in fully and the results are electric in every sense, opening with 'Like a Rolling Stone' and never letting up. The wordplay is savage and funny, the band loose and wild. A foundational rock record that still sounds dangerous.
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16Blood on the TracksBob Dylan
Blood on the Tracks
Often called the great break-up album, its songs of love gone wrong are among the most affecting Dylan ever wrote. The arrangements are spare and the storytelling extraordinary, especially 'Tangled Up in Blue'. Mature, wounded and beautiful.
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17The Velvet Underground & NicoThe Velvet Underground
The Velvet Underground & Nico
Commercially ignored on release and quietly one of the most influential records ever made, pairing pop melody with feedback, drone and unflinching lyrics. Nico's icy vocals and Reed's street poetry still feel startling. Countless bands started after hearing it.
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18Are You ExperiencedThe Jimi Hendrix Experience
Are You Experienced
A debut that rewrote the rules of electric guitar, full of fuzz, feedback and psychedelic invention. Revolutionary and thrilling. Where modern rock guitar begins.
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19The Beatles (White Album)The Beatles
The Beatles (White Album)
A sprawling, contradictory double album recorded amid growing tensions, lurching from hard rock to folk to musique concrète. Its inconsistency is part of the charm, capturing four songwriters pulling in different directions. Endlessly debated, endlessly rewarding.
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20Rubber SoulThe Beatles
Rubber Soul
The hinge between the early pop group and the studio innovators, folding in folk-rock, soul and a new lyrical maturity. Cohesive and warm, it set the template for the album as a unified work. A turning point that still charms.
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21Led Zeppelin IILed Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin II
The album that defined heavy rock, built on Page's riffs and Bonham's thunder, from 'Whole Lotta Love' on. Loud, swaggering and hugely influential. The blueprint for hard rock.
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22Physical GraffitiLed Zeppelin
Physical Graffiti
A double album with room to roam, from the towering 'Kashmir' to acoustic excursions and pure blues-rock muscle. It shows the full breadth of the band's powers in one set. The deep cuts reward repeat listens as much as the famous tracks.
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23The WallPink Floyd
The Wall
An ambitious rock opera about isolation and breakdown, theatrical and bleak, with 'Comfortably Numb' as its emotional peak. It works as narrative and as a run of strong individual songs. Best taken in one sitting.
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24AnimalsPink Floyd
Animals
A bleak, Orwellian concept album of long, simmering tracks and Gilmour's searing guitar. Angrier and more political than Dark Side. A favourite among devotees.
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25Beggars BanquetThe Rolling Stones
Beggars Banquet
The return to raw, rootsy form after psychedelic detours, opening with 'Sympathy for the Devil'. Loose, dark and the start of their greatest run. Essential.
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26Let It BleedThe Rolling Stones
Let It Bleed
A dark, swampy classic bookended by 'Gimme Shelter' and 'You Can't Always Get What You Want', capturing the Stones at their most ominous and assured. Country, blues and gospel all feed in. A peak-era essential.
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27Sticky FingersThe Rolling Stones
Sticky Fingers
Loose, sleazy and superb, home to 'Brown Sugar', 'Wild Horses' and the slow-burning 'Can't You Hear Me Knocking'. The playing is greasy and confident throughout. One of their two or three best.
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28TommyThe Who
Tommy
The rock opera that proved the form could carry a full narrative, following a 'deaf, dumb and blind' pinball prodigy. Ambitious and occasionally overwrought, it remains a landmark of scale and intent. Townshend's songwriting holds it together.
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29QuadropheniaThe Who
Quadrophenia
A double-album rock opera about a conflicted mod, grander and more cohesive than Tommy. Townshend's synths and Daltrey's voice power it. A high point of 70s concept records.
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30LowDavid Bowie
Low
The first of the Berlin-era records, split between fractured art-pop and chilly ambient instrumentals co-shaped by Brian Eno. Bleak, beautiful and decades ahead of its time, it rewired what a rock star's album could contain. A grower that becomes a favourite.
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31Station to StationDavid Bowie
Station to Station
A transitional masterpiece between funk and the Berlin era, anchored by the ten-minute title track and the Thin White Duke persona. Cold, propulsive and brilliant. A pivotal record.
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32“Heroes”David Bowie
“Heroes”
The centrepiece of the Berlin trilogy, its title track one of the great rock anthems of yearning. Eno's textures and Fripp's guitar give it grandeur. Triumphant and strange.
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33Bringing It All Back HomeBob Dylan
Bringing It All Back Home
Half electric, half acoustic, the record where Dylan reinvented folk and rock at once. Witty, surreal and prophetic. A pivotal moment in 1960s music.
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34Blonde on BlondeBob Dylan
Blonde on Blonde
Often called the first great double album, a sprawling, mercurial set of wild imagery and 'thin, wild mercury' sound. Dense and brilliant. A peak of his electric trilogy.
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35Darkness on the Edge of TownBruce Springsteen
Darkness on the Edge of Town
Lean, hard-bitten songs of work, fathers and thwarted dreams, recorded after a long legal exile. Tougher than Born to Run. A favourite among devotees.
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36NebraskaBruce Springsteen
Nebraska
A stark solo home-recording of murder ballads and desperation, just voice, guitar and tape hiss. Haunting and uncompromising. Unlike anything else in his catalogue.
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37Born in the U.S.A.Bruce Springsteen
Born in the U.S.A.
A massive, misread blockbuster whose anthemic surface hides bitter Vietnam-era disillusion. Seven hit singles deep. His commercial peak.
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38News of the WorldQueen
News of the World
Leaner and harder than its predecessor, opening with the inescapable one-two of 'We Will Rock You' and 'We Are the Champions'. Anthemic and stadium-ready. A crowd-pleasing classic.
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39TuskFleetwood Mac
Tusk
The sprawling, eccentric follow-up to Rumours, lurching from pop to lo-fi experiment on a then-record budget. Divisive then, beloved now. A brave left turn.
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40Electric LadylandThe Jimi Hendrix Experience
Electric Ladyland
A sprawling double album of studio experimentation and blues-rock fire, climaxing in a definitive 'All Along the Watchtower'. Ambitious and brilliant. Hendrix's fullest statement.
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41The DoorsThe Doors
The Doors
A dark, hypnotic debut balancing pop singles with the sprawling 'The End'. Morrison's poetry and Manzarek's organ define it. A definitive 60s record.
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42Cosmo's FactoryCreedence Clearwater Revival
Cosmo's Factory
A peak of swampy roots-rock hit machinery, from 'Up Around the Bend' to a sprawling 'Heard It Through the Grapevine'. Tight and tuneful. Their finest.
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43Hotel CaliforniaEagles
Hotel California
The band's slick, ambitious peak, its title track a perfectly crafted six-minute allegory of California excess. Polished and enormous. A 70s soft-rock landmark.
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44AjaSteely Dan
Aja
Immaculate jazz-rock of obsessive studio polish and cryptic lyrics, played by session legends. Smooth on the surface, deep underneath. An audiophile favourite and their masterpiece.
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45The BandThe Band
The Band
The 'brown album' of vivid, lived-in songs about an older America, beautifully played. Timeless and warm. Often called their masterpiece.
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46(Pronounced 'Leh-'nerd 'Skin-'nerd)Lynyrd Skynyrd
(Pronounced 'Leh-'nerd 'Skin-'nerd)
A landmark Southern-rock debut, home to 'Free Bird' and 'Simple Man'. Tough and tuneful. A genre cornerstone.
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47Highway to HellAC/DC
Highway to Hell
The album that made AC/DC global, Bon Scott's last with the band, all swagger and killer riffs. Raucous and fun. Hard rock perfected.
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48Back in BlackAC/DC
Back in Black
A thunderous tribute to the late Bon Scott and one of the best-selling albums ever, riff after immortal riff. Lean and monstrous. A hard-rock cornerstone.
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49Appetite for DestructionGuns N' Roses
Appetite for Destruction
A dangerous, electric debut that revived raw rock'n'roll in the hair-metal era. 'Sweet Child o' Mine' and 'Welcome to the Jungle' lead it. A blockbuster classic.
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50Full Moon FeverTom Petty
Full Moon Fever
A breezy, hook-laden solo record of perfect radio rock, from 'Free Fallin'' on. Warm and effortless. His most beloved album.
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51Brothers in ArmsDire Straits
Brothers in Arms
A polished, digital-era blockbuster of immaculate guitar and 'Money for Nothing'. Slick and enormous. A CD-era landmark.
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52The Joshua TreeU2
The Joshua Tree
The album that made U2 the biggest band in the world, widescreen and spiritual, anchored by its towering opening trio. Anthemic and assured. Their masterpiece.
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53Achtung BabyU2
Achtung Baby
A bold reinvention into irony, distortion and dance textures, recorded in Berlin. 'One' is its heart. A brave, brilliant pivot.
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54Blood Sugar Sex MagikRed Hot Chili Peppers
Blood Sugar Sex Magik
The funk-rock breakthrough produced by Rick Rubin, balancing party energy with the tender 'Under the Bridge'. Loose and huge. Their defining record.
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55CalifornicationRed Hot Chili Peppers
Californication
A melodic, reflective comeback after years of turmoil, their most song-focused record. Warm and massive. A late-90s staple.
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56The Colour and the ShapeFoo Fighters
The Colour and the Shape
The album that made the Foos a real band, balancing crushing rock with melody on 'Everlong'. Emotional and tuneful. Their definitive record.
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57TenPearl Jam
Ten
A passionate, anthemic debut that helped define grunge's mainstream, from 'Alive' to 'Jeremy'. Earnest and huge. A 90s cornerstone.
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58SynchronicityThe Police
Synchronicity
The band's polished, tense final album, home to 'Every Breath You Take'. Sleek and dark. Their commercial peak.
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59Let It BeThe Beatles
Let It Be
Their troubled final release, rooftop-concert energy wrestling with Phil Spector's overdubs, yet home to 'Let It Be' and 'The Long and Winding Road'. Ragged but moving. A fitting, complicated farewell.
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60A Hard Day's NightThe Beatles
A Hard Day's Night
The first all-original Beatles album, bursting with jangle and youthful energy. Tight and joyful. The sound of Beatlemania at full tilt.
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61Help!The Beatles
Help!
A transitional peak balancing pop and folk-rock, home to its title track and 'Yesterday'. Tuneful and beloved. A bridge to greater ambition.
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62Magical Mystery TourThe Beatles
Magical Mystery Tour
A patchy but rich psychedelic set gathering film songs and singles, including 'Strawberry Fields Forever' and 'I Am the Walrus'. Colourful and inventive. A trippy snapshot.
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63Some GirlsThe Rolling Stones
Some Girls
A lean, punchy late-70s comeback that absorbed disco and punk energy without losing the swagger. 'Miss You' and 'Beast of Burden' lead it. Their last truly great album.
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64Tattoo YouThe Rolling Stones
Tattoo You
A polished late peak assembled from outtakes, home to 'Start Me Up'. Tuneful and big. Their last great commercial record.
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65AftermathThe Rolling Stones
Aftermath
The first all-original Stones album, where Jagger and Richards came into their own. Sharp and varied. A 60s turning point.
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66Led ZeppelinLed Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
A thunderous debut welding blues to heavy riffing, announcing a new kind of band. Raw and electrifying. The start of a legend.
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67Led Zeppelin IIILed Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin III
A surprising acoustic-leaning turn toward folk and Celtic textures alongside the riffs. More varied than expected. A grower among fans.
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68Houses of the HolyLed Zeppelin
Houses of the Holy
More varied and playful than its predecessors, stretching into funk, reggae pastiche and lush balladry. A confident band exploring its range. An underrated peak.
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69MeddlePink Floyd
Meddle
A transitional record building toward their classic era, anchored by the side-long 'Echoes'. Atmospheric and exploratory. A devotee favourite.
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70The Piper at the Gates of DawnPink Floyd
The Piper at the Gates of Dawn
A whimsical, psychedelic debut led by Syd Barrett. Inventive and strange. A 60s landmark.
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71Aladdin SaneDavid Bowie
Aladdin Sane
Ziggy goes to America, harder and more fractured, with Mike Garson's wild piano on the title track. Glam at its most adventurous. A thrilling follow-up.
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72Diamond DogsDavid Bowie
Diamond Dogs
A glammy, apocalyptic concept record drawing on Orwell, all decadence and dread. Theatrical and dark. A cult-loved Bowie chapter.
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73Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps)David Bowie
Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps)
A sharp, art-rock peak that closed his classic run, home to 'Ashes to Ashes'. Angular and assured. Often called his last great album of the era.
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74Young AmericansDavid Bowie
Young Americans
Bowie's 'plastic soul' record, embracing Philly soul and funk. Slick and surprising. The album that broke him in America.
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75The Man Who Sold the WorldDavid Bowie
The Man Who Sold the World
A heavy, proto-metal turn with Mick Ronson's guitar to the fore. Dark and underrated. An early sign of his range.
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76LodgerDavid Bowie
Lodger
The most accessible of the Berlin trilogy, worldly and angular. Underrated and inventive. A grower among fans.
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77The Freewheelin' Bob DylanBob Dylan
The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan
The album that established Dylan as the voice of a generation, home to 'Blowin' in the Wind'. Spare and powerful. A folk landmark.
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78DesireBob Dylan
Desire
A loose, romantic mid-70s record co-written with Jacques Levy, anchored by the epic 'Hurricane'. Warm and narrative. A fan favourite.
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79John Wesley HardingBob Dylan
John Wesley Harding
A spare, parable-like retreat from psychedelia toward acoustic mystery. Quiet and influential. A pivotal record.
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80The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation SocietyThe Kinks
The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society
A wry, nostalgic song-cycle about a vanishing England, overlooked then revered. Charming and English to the core. A cult masterpiece.
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81Disraeli GearsCream
Disraeli Gears
A psychedelic blues-rock landmark, home to 'Sunshine of Your Love' and Clapton's heavy riffing. Colourful and influential. A 60s classic.
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82Machine HeadDeep Purple
Machine Head
A hard-rock cornerstone built on 'Smoke on the Water' and tight, heavy riffing. Loud and tuneful. Hugely influential.
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83In RockDeep Purple
In Rock
The album that launched their classic hard-rock era, loud and virtuosic. Heavy and influential. A genre cornerstone.
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84AqualungJethro Tull
Aqualung
A heavy, folk-tinged prog landmark of religion and the dispossessed, with Anderson's flute up front. Distinctive and ambitious. Their best-known record.
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85In the Court of the Crimson KingKing Crimson
In the Court of the Crimson King
The album that launched progressive rock, dark and majestic from '21st Century Schizoid Man'. Ambitious and influential. A genre cornerstone.
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86Close to the EdgeYes
Close to the Edge
Prog at its most refined, three long, intricate suites of dazzling musicianship. Grand and cohesive. Often called their masterpiece.
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87FragileYes
Fragile
A prog peak balancing band epics and solo showcases, home to 'Roundabout'. Intricate and beloved. A high point.
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88Selling England by the PoundGenesis
Selling England by the Pound
The peak of the Gabriel era, theatrical and intricate English prog. Witty and elaborate. A genre high point.
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89Moving PicturesRush
Moving Pictures
Rush's most accessible peak, balancing prog ambition with tight songs like 'Tom Sawyer' and 'Limelight'. Polished and powerful. Their defining record.
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902112Rush
2112
A bold concept record whose side-long title suite saved their career. Ambitious and heavy. A prog-rock landmark.
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91Hot RatsFrank Zappa
Hot Rats
A dazzling jazz-rock instrumental record of virtuosic playing and 'Peaches en Regalia'. Inventive and warm. His most accessible.
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92AbraxasSantana
Abraxas
A sublime fusion of Latin rhythm and rock guitar, home to 'Black Magic Woman' and 'Oye Como Va'. Hypnotic and warm. Their masterpiece.
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93At Fillmore EastThe Allman Brothers Band
At Fillmore East
A peak of live Southern rock and improvisation, twin guitars soaring. Loose and electric. One of the great live albums.
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94The RiverBruce Springsteen
The River
A sprawling double album balancing bar-band joy and stark ballads. Generous and beloved. A peak.
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95Damn the TorpedoesTom Petty and the Heartbreakers
Damn the Torpedoes
A tight, tuneful breakthrough of perfect heartland rock. Confident and hook-filled. Their commercial arrival.
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96EliminatorZZ Top
Eliminator
A synth-and-boogie blockbuster, home to 'Sharp Dressed Man' and 'Legs'. Sleek and huge. Their commercial peak.
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97Van HalenVan Halen
Van Halen
A debut that reinvented rock guitar via Eddie's fretboard fireworks. Explosive and fun. A hard-rock landmark.
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981984Van Halen
1984
A synth-driven peak, home to 'Jump' and 'Panama'. Bright and huge. Their commercial high.
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99Toys in the AtticAerosmith
Toys in the Attic
The album that defined Aerosmith's swaggering blues-rock, home to 'Walk This Way' and 'Sweet Emotion'. Tight and raunchy. Their peak.
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100RocksAerosmith
Rocks
A raw, swaggering hard-rock peak that influenced a generation. Tough and beloved. A genre cornerstone.
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101BostonBoston
Boston
A pristine, layered arena-rock debut, home to 'More Than a Feeling'. Polished and huge. A 70s landmark.
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102EscapeJourney
Escape
A blockbuster of arena-rock anthems, home to 'Don't Stop Believin''. Polished and huge. Their commercial peak.
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103JailbreakThin Lizzy
Jailbreak
A twin-guitar hard-rock peak, home to 'The Boys Are Back in Town'. Tuneful and beloved. Their finest.
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104Electric WarriorT. Rex
Electric Warrior
The album that defined glam rock, all boogie riffs and cosmic cool, anchored by 'Get It On'. Sexy and stylish. A genre cornerstone.
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105Roxy MusicRoxy Music
Roxy Music
An audacious art-rock debut of glam, lounge and the avant-garde. Stylish and strange. Hugely influential.
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106For Your PleasureRoxy Music
For Your Pleasure
A darker, more experimental art-rock peak before Eno's exit. Bold and acclaimed. A high point.
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107AvalonRoxy Music
Avalon
A lush, sophisticated farewell of romantic art-pop, immaculately produced. Smooth and atmospheric. A late peak.
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108TransformerLou Reed
Transformer
Reed's glam-era breakthrough, produced by Bowie, home to 'Walk on the Wild Side' and 'Perfect Day'. Witty, seedy and tuneful. His most accessible record.
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109BerlinLou Reed
Berlin
A bleak, theatrical song-cycle of addiction and despair. Harrowing and acclaimed. A cult masterpiece.
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110Lust for LifeIggy Pop
Lust for Life
A vital, Bowie-assisted solo record, all motorik drive and dark wit, from its iconic title track. Raw and tuneful. A proto-punk classic.
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111The IdiotIggy Pop
The Idiot
A cold, Bowie-shaped art-rock debut of fractured menace. Influential and strange. A post-punk forerunner.
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112L.A. WomanThe Doors
L.A. Woman
A loose, bluesy late peak recorded just before Morrison's death, home to 'Riders on the Storm'. Relaxed and assured. A fitting farewell.
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113Strange DaysThe Doors
Strange Days
A darker, more assured follow-up to the debut. Atmospheric and beloved. A strong second record.
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114Green RiverCreedence Clearwater Revival
Green River
A peak of lean, swampy roots-rock, home to its title song and 'Bad Moon Rising'. Tight and beloved. A high point.
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115Deja VuCrosby, Stills, Nash & Young
Deja Vu
A peak of harmony-rich folk-rock, blending four songwriters into something greater. Warm and varied. A defining 70s record.
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116Sweetheart of the RodeoThe Byrds
Sweetheart of the Rodeo
The album that birthed country-rock, a brave pivot guided by Gram Parsons. Influential and gentle. A genre origin point.
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117American BeautyGrateful Dead
American Beauty
The Dead's warmest studio record, full of country-folk songcraft like 'Box of Rain' and 'Ripple'. Mellow and beloved. An ideal entry point.
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118Workingman's DeadGrateful Dead
Workingman's Dead
A spare, country-folk turn of warm harmony, home to 'Uncle John's Band'. Mellow and beloved. A landmark.
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119Music from Big PinkThe Band
Music from Big Pink
A rustic, soulful debut that turned rock back toward Americana, home to 'The Weight'. Warm and influential. A landmark of the roots revival.
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120SoPeter Gabriel
So
Gabriel's accessible, art-pop blockbuster, home to 'Sledgehammer' and 'In Your Eyes'. Polished and soulful. His commercial peak.
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121Dire StraitsDire Straits
Dire Straits
A laid-back debut of bar-band cool, home to 'Sultans of Swing'. Tuneful and acclaimed. A strong start.
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122Breakfast in AmericaSupertramp
Breakfast in America
A bright, hook-laden prog-pop blockbuster of wit and melody. Polished and enormous. A late-70s staple.
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123Out of the BlueElectric Light Orchestra
Out of the Blue
A lavish, symphonic-pop double album of orchestral hooks. Polished and beloved. Their peak.
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124Goodbye Yellow Brick RoadElton John
Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
A sprawling double album of Elton's peak songcraft, from 'Bennie and the Jets' to the title ballad. Lavish and tuneful. His masterpiece.
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125Honky ChateauElton John
Honky Chateau
A warm, tuneful peak, home to 'Rocket Man' and 'Honky Cat'. Beloved and acclaimed. A turning point.
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126Madman Across the WaterElton John
Madman Across the Water
A lush, piano-led peak, home to 'Tiny Dancer' and 'Levon'. Beautiful and acclaimed. A high point.
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127The StrangerBilly Joel
The Stranger
Joel's breakthrough of sharp, cinematic pop-rock, home to 'Scenes from an Italian Restaurant'. Polished and beloved. His defining record.
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128GracelandPaul Simon
Graceland
A landmark fusion of pop and South African music, joyful and intricate. Controversial and acclaimed. One of the great 80s albums.
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129All Things Must PassGeorge Harrison
All Things Must Pass
A vast, generous triple album of pent-up songcraft, Spector-produced and spiritual. Lush and beloved. The best of the solo Beatles records.
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130Plastic Ono BandJohn Lennon
Plastic Ono Band
A raw, stripped-bare primal-scream record of startling honesty. Spare and powerful. His most uncompromising work.
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131ImagineJohn Lennon
Imagine
A warmer, more melodic solo peak built around its utopian title song. Tuneful and direct. His most beloved record.
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132Band on the RunWings
Band on the Run
McCartney's triumphant return to form, inventive and tuneful from its title suite on. Polished and warm. His best post-Beatles album.
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133PretendersPretenders
Pretenders
A sharp, tuneful debut of new-wave swagger, home to 'Brass in Pocket'. Tough and beloved. A landmark.
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134WarU2
War
A fierce, political early peak, home to 'Sunday Bloody Sunday' and 'New Year's Day'. Urgent and anthemic. The album that broke them.
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135All That You Can't Leave BehindU2
All That You Can't Leave Behind
A back-to-basics comeback of anthems, home to 'Beautiful Day'. Tuneful and big. A commercial peak.
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136My GenerationThe Who
My Generation
A raw, explosive debut of mod fury, home to its iconic title track. Vital and influential. A genre cornerstone.
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137The Who Sell OutThe Who
The Who Sell Out
A playful concept album framed as pirate radio, complete with jingles, home to 'I Can See for Miles'. Inventive and fun. A pop-art gem.
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138Goats Head SoupThe Rolling Stones
Goats Head Soup
A loose, sultry follow-up to Exile, home to 'Angie'. Mellow and beloved. A solid peak-era record.
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139Out of Our HeadsThe Rolling Stones
Out of Our Heads
An early peak, home to '(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction'. Tuneful and beloved. A breakthrough.
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140PresenceLed Zeppelin
Presence
A leaner, guitar-forward record made under duress, home to 'Achilles Last Stand'. Heavy and underrated. A fan favourite.
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141In Through the Out DoorLed Zeppelin
In Through the Out Door
A keyboard-leaning final studio album of softer textures. Varied and reflective. A bittersweet close.
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142Obscured by CloudsPink Floyd
Obscured by Clouds
An underrated soundtrack peak of warm, concise songs. Tuneful and beloved. A cult favourite.
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143The Final CutPink Floyd
The Final Cut
A bleak, Waters-dominated song-cycle of war and grief. Sombre and divisive. A poignant late record.
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144BlackstarDavid Bowie
Blackstar
A dark, jazz-inflected final statement released days before his death, mortality woven throughout. Brave and haunting. A profound farewell.
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145The Next DayDavid Bowie
The Next Day
A surprise comeback of sharp, classicist art-rock. Bold and acclaimed. A late-career return.
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146Let's DanceDavid Bowie
Let's Dance
Bowie's glossy, Nile Rodgers-produced pop blockbuster, home to its irresistible title track. Slick and huge. His commercial high.
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147The Times They Are a-Changin'Bob Dylan
The Times They Are a-Changin'
A stark, protest-focused folk peak, home to its anthemic title song. Direct and influential. A 60s landmark.
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148Another Side of Bob DylanBob Dylan
Another Side of Bob Dylan
A more personal, playful turn away from protest. Witty and warm. A pivotal record.
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149Nashville SkylineBob Dylan
Nashville Skyline
A gentle country turn of warm, simple songs, home to 'Lay Lady Lay'. Mellow and beloved. A surprising pivot.
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150Time Out of MindBob Dylan
Time Out of Mind
A weathered, atmospheric comeback of mortality and blues. Bold and Grammy-winning. A late masterpiece.
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151Love and TheftBob Dylan
Love and Theft
A loose, witty roots-music peak of American song forms. Warm and acclaimed. A late high point.
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152The Wild, the Innocent & the E Street ShuffleBruce Springsteen
The Wild, the Innocent & the E Street Shuffle
A sprawling, jazzy early peak of street-poetry songcraft. Ambitious and beloved. A cult favourite.
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153Sheer Heart AttackQueen
Sheer Heart Attack
The album where Queen found their range, balancing heavy rock with ornate pop and proving they were more than a hard-rock act. Tight and inventive. An early peak.
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154Queen IIQueen
Queen II
An ambitious, layered early peak of hard-rock drama. Bold and beloved. A cult favourite.
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155A Day at the RacesQueen
A Day at the Races
A lush, varied companion to A Night at the Opera, home to 'Somebody to Love'. Tuneful and beloved. A strong record.
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156The GameQueen
The Game
A leaner, hit-packed peak, home to 'Another One Bites the Dust' and 'Crazy Little Thing Called Love'. Tuneful and huge. A commercial high.
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157Morrison HotelThe Doors
Morrison Hotel
A bluesy, back-to-basics peak after experimental detours. Tough and beloved. A strong late record.
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158Something Else by the KinksThe Kinks
Something Else by the Kinks
A witty, melodic peak, home to 'Waterloo Sunset'. Beautiful and beloved. A high point.
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159Arthur (Or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire)The Kinks
Arthur (Or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire)
A witty, melodic concept album on British life. Sharp and beloved. A high point of their run.
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160Wheels of FireCream
Wheels of Fire
A half-studio, half-live double album of blues-rock virtuosity. Bold and beloved. A high point.
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161BurnDeep Purple
Burn
A fiery, Coverdale-fronted hard-rock peak. Powerful and beloved. A high point.
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162RelayerYes
Relayer
A complex, jazzy prog peak. Ambitious and acclaimed. A high point.
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163Going for the OneYes
Going for the One
A tighter, more focused prog peak. Tuneful and acclaimed. A strong late record.
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164FoxtrotGenesis
Foxtrot
An early prog peak, home to the side-long 'Supper's Ready'. Ambitious and beloved. A high point.
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165The Lamb Lies Down on BroadwayGenesis
The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway
An ambitious, surreal double-album rock opera, Gabriel's last with the band. Bold and acclaimed. A cult landmark.
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166A Trick of the TailGenesis
A Trick of the Tail
A confident first album of the Collins-fronted era. Tuneful and acclaimed. A strong pivot.
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167A Farewell to KingsRush
A Farewell to Kings
An intricate prog peak, home to 'Closer to the Heart'. Ambitious and beloved. A high point.
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168HemispheresRush
Hemispheres
A dense, ambitious prog peak of side-long suites. Bold and beloved. A high point.
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169Permanent WavesRush
Permanent Waves
A tighter, new-wave-influenced pivot, home to 'The Spirit of Radio'. Sharp and beloved. A turning point.
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170We're Only in It for the MoneyFrank Zappa
We're Only in It for the Money
A scabrous satire of 60s counterculture and Sgt. Pepper. Inventive and biting. A cult landmark.
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171Apostrophe (')Frank Zappa
Apostrophe (')
An accessible, funny peak of jazz-rock invention. Inventive and beloved. His best-selling record.
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172CaravanseraiSantana
Caravanserai
An ambitious, jazzy-instrumental pivot. Bold and acclaimed. A creative high.
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173Can't Buy a ThrillSteely Dan
Can't Buy a Thrill
A sharp, tuneful debut, home to 'Reelin' in the Years' and 'Do It Again'. Polished and beloved. A strong start.
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174Countdown to EcstasySteely Dan
Countdown to Ecstasy
A sharp, jazzy early peak. Sophisticated and beloved. A high point.
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175Pretzel LogicSteely Dan
Pretzel Logic
A tight, jazzy peak, home to 'Rikki Don't Lose That Number'. Sophisticated and beloved. A high point.
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176The Royal ScamSteely Dan
The Royal Scam
A darker, guitar-forward peak. Sophisticated and beloved. A high point.
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177GauchoSteely Dan
Gaucho
An immaculate, glossy final-era peak. Polished and acclaimed. A high point.
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178EaglesEagles
Eagles
A tuneful country-rock debut, home to 'Take It Easy'. Warm and beloved. A strong start.
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179DesperadoEagles
Desperado
An Old West concept album of harmony-rich country-rock. Tuneful and beloved. A high point.
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180One of These NightsEagles
One of These Nights
A polished peak that bridged country-rock and pop. Tuneful and huge. A commercial high.
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181WildflowersTom Petty
Wildflowers
A warm, sprawling solo peak of mature songcraft. Tuneful and acclaimed. A fan favourite.
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182Speaking in TonguesTalking Heads
Speaking in Tongues
A funky, accessible peak, home to 'Burning Down the House'. Danceable and beloved. A commercial high.
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183Little CreaturesTalking Heads
Little Creatures
A bright, accessible peak, home to 'Road to Nowhere'. Tuneful and beloved. A high point.
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184Zenyatta MondattaThe Police
Zenyatta Mondatta
A peak of reggae-tinged new wave, home to 'Don't Stand So Close to Me'. Tuneful and beloved. A high point.
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185Ghost in the MachineThe Police
Ghost in the Machine
A horn-tinged peak, home to 'Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic'. Polished and beloved. A high point.
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186Making MoviesDire Straits
Making Movies
A cinematic, romantic peak, home to 'Romeo and Juliet'. Lush and acclaimed. A creative high.
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187Love over GoldDire Straits
Love over Gold
An ambitious, long-form peak, home to 'Telegraph Road'. Cinematic and acclaimed. A creative high.
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188The Unforgettable FireU2
The Unforgettable Fire
An atmospheric, Eno-and-Lanois-shaped turn, home to 'Pride'. Bold and acclaimed. A pivotal record.
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189BoyU2
Boy
An urgent, atmospheric debut of youthful post-punk. Bold and acclaimed. A striking start.
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190ZooropaU2
Zooropa
An experimental, electronic-leaning peak. Bold and acclaimed. A creative swerve.
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191Tumbleweed ConnectionElton John
Tumbleweed Connection
An Americana-themed peak of warm songcraft. Beautiful and beloved. A high point.
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192Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt CowboyElton John
Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy
An autobiographical concept peak of intricate songcraft. Ambitious and acclaimed. A high point.
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19352nd StreetBilly Joel
52nd Street
A jazzy, sophisticated peak, home to 'My Life'. Polished and Grammy-winning. A strong follow-up to The Stranger.
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194A New World RecordElectric Light Orchestra
A New World Record
A tight, hook-laden symphonic-pop peak. Tuneful and beloved. A high point.
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195Crime of the CenturySupertramp
Crime of the Century
A polished, ambitious prog-pop breakthrough. Tuneful and acclaimed. Their finest.
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196Tago MagoCan
Tago Mago
A sprawling, hypnotic krautrock landmark of motorik grooves and studio experiment. Influential and strange. A genre cornerstone.
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197Ege BamyasiCan
Ege Bamyasi
A funky, hypnotic krautrock peak, home to 'Vitamin C'. Inventive and beloved. A high point.
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198Future DaysCan
Future Days
A serene, ambient-leaning krautrock peak of hypnotic flow. Beautiful and influential. A high point.
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199Neu!Neu!
Neu!
A minimalist krautrock debut whose motorik beat shaped decades of music. Stark and propulsive. Hugely influential.
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200SuperunknownSoundgarden
Superunknown
A heavy, psychedelic grunge peak of dark melody, home to 'Black Hole Sun'. Ambitious and huge. Their masterpiece.
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201BadmotorfingerSoundgarden
Badmotorfinger
A heavy, riff-driven grunge peak before Superunknown. Powerful and acclaimed. A high point.
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202DirtAlice in Chains
Dirt
A bleak, sludgy grunge landmark about addiction, Cantrell's riffs and Staley's voice intertwined. Heavy and harrowing. Their defining record.
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203CoreStone Temple Pilots
Core
A heavy, hook-laden grunge debut. Tough and huge. A breakthrough.
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204Ritual de lo HabitualJane's Addiction
Ritual de lo Habitual
A sprawling, theatrical alt-rock peak, home to 'Been Caught Stealing'. Bold and beloved. Their finest.
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205Nothing's ShockingJane's Addiction
Nothing's Shocking
A wild, genre-blurring debut that bridged metal, punk and art-rock. Adventurous and influential. An alt-rock landmark.
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206Vs.Pearl Jam
Vs.
A rawer, harder follow-up to Ten of urgent energy. Tough and beloved. A strong second record.
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207VitalogyPearl Jam
Vitalogy
A raw, experimental peak of anti-fame defiance. Bold and beloved. A high point.
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208Second HelpingLynyrd Skynyrd
Second Helping
A peak of Southern rock, home to 'Sweet Home Alabama'. Tough and beloved. A high point.
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209Live at LeedsThe Who
Live at Leeds
Widely held to be one of the greatest live rock albums, ferocious and loud. Powerful and beloved. A landmark.
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210Lola Versus Powerman and the Moneygoround, Part OneThe Kinks
Lola Versus Powerman and the Moneygoround, Part One
A witty, melodic peak, home to 'Lola'. Sharp and beloved. A high point.
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211Muswell HillbilliesThe Kinks
Muswell Hillbillies
A warm, music-hall-tinged peak of working-class English songcraft. Charming and acclaimed. A cult favourite.
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212Crosby, Stills & NashCrosby, Stills & Nash
Crosby, Stills & Nash
A harmony-rich debut that defined a soft-rock era. Beautiful and beloved. A landmark.
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213Buffalo Springfield AgainBuffalo Springfield
Buffalo Springfield Again
A peak of folk-rock songcraft from a star-laden band. Tuneful and acclaimed. A high point.
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214Younger Than YesterdayThe Byrds
Younger Than Yesterday
A peak of jangly, psychedelic folk-rock invention. Tuneful and acclaimed. A high point.
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215SunflowerThe Beach Boys
Sunflower
A warm, underrated post-Pet Sounds gem of lush harmony and gentle craft. Overlooked on release and quietly beloved since. A grower for devotees.
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216Surf's UpThe Beach Boys
Surf's Up
A reflective, ambitious post-Pet Sounds peak of fragile beauty. Underrated and acclaimed. A high point.
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217Band of GypsysThe Jimi Hendrix Experience
Band of Gypsys
A funky, heavy live peak with a new trio, home to 'Machine Gun'. Powerful and beloved. A landmark.
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218PearlJanis Joplin
Pearl
Joplin's posthumous peak of raw, bluesy soul-rock, home to 'Me and Bobby McGee'. Powerful and poignant. Her finest.
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219Cheap ThrillsBig Brother and the Holding Company
Cheap Thrills
A raw, electric peak of Janis Joplin's blues-rock fire. Powerful and beloved. A 60s landmark.
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220Waiting for the SunThe Doors
Waiting for the Sun
A varied peak, home to 'Hello, I Love You'. Tuneful and beloved. A high point.
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221Surrealistic PillowJefferson Airplane
Surrealistic Pillow
A defining record of the San Francisco sound, home to 'Somebody to Love' and 'White Rabbit'. Psychedelic and tuneful. A 60s classic.
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222Eat a PeachThe Allman Brothers Band
Eat a Peach
A double album mixing studio and live jamming, partly recorded after Duane's death. Beautiful and beloved. A high point.
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223Brothers and SistersThe Allman Brothers Band
Brothers and Sisters
A warm, country-leaning peak, home to 'Ramblin' Man'. Tuneful and beloved. A high point.
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224Street SurvivorsLynyrd Skynyrd
Street Survivors
A strong final peak before tragedy, home to 'What's Your Name'. Tough and beloved. A poignant high point.
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225Tres HombresZZ Top
Tres Hombres
A peak of gritty Texas boogie, home to 'La Grange'. Tough and beloved. A high point.
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226PumpAerosmith
Pump
A polished, hit-stuffed comeback peak. Tuneful and huge. A commercial high.
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227Toto IVToto
Toto IV
A polished pop-rock blockbuster, home to 'Africa' and 'Rosanna'. Slick and huge. Their peak.
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228Live and DangerousThin Lizzy
Live and Dangerous
One of the great live hard-rock albums, electric and tight. Powerful and beloved. A landmark.
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229Night MovesBob Seger
Night Moves
A warm, heartland-rock breakthrough, home to its title song. Tuneful and beloved. A high point.
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230The SliderT. Rex
The Slider
A glam peak of boogie hooks, home to 'Metal Guru' and 'Telegram Sam'. Sexy and beloved. A high point.
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231Peter Gabriel (Melt)Peter Gabriel
Peter Gabriel (Melt)
A dark, art-rock peak, home to 'Games Without Frontiers'. Inventive and acclaimed. A creative high.
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232The Kick InsideKate Bush
The Kick Inside
A startling, theatrical debut, home to 'Wuthering Heights'. Singular and acclaimed. A landmark first record.
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233The DreamingKate Bush
The Dreaming
An experimental, dense art-pop peak of restless invention. Bold and acclaimed. A cult favourite.
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234PretendersThe Pretenders
Pretenders
A sharp, tuneful debut of new-wave swagger, home to 'Brass in Pocket'. Tough and beloved. A landmark.
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235The CarsThe Cars
The Cars
A near-perfect new-wave debut, hook after hook of sleek power-pop. Tight and timeless. A 70s staple.
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236Cheap Trick at BudokanCheap Trick
Cheap Trick at Budokan
A blockbuster live album of power-pop hooks, home to 'I Want You to Want Me'. Fun and huge. Their breakthrough.
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237Larks' Tongues in AspicKing Crimson
Larks' Tongues in Aspic
A bold, improvisational prog peak of tension and texture. Adventurous and acclaimed. A high point.
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238RedKing Crimson
Red
A heavy, angular peak of 70s Crimson, tense and powerful. Influential on metal and prog alike. A genre high point.
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239DisciplineKing Crimson
Discipline
A taut, polyrhythmic 80s reinvention. Inventive and acclaimed. A creative high.
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240Thick as a BrickJethro Tull
Thick as a Brick
A sprawling, single-song prog satire of the concept album. Ambitious and beloved. A high point.
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241FireballDeep Purple
Fireball
A heavy, energetic early-classic-era peak. Powerful and beloved. A high point.
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242RisingRainbow
Rising
A bombastic, Dio-fronted hard-rock peak. Powerful and beloved. A genre highlight.
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243#1 RecordBig Star
#1 Record
The cult power-pop landmark that sold almost nothing on release yet shaped generations of jangly, melodic guitar bands that followed.
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244Layla and Other Assorted Love SongsDerek and the Dominos
Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs
Eric Clapton and Duane Allman trading guitar lines across a sprawling double album built around one of rock's most enduring title tracks.