Best Double Albums of All Time
Sprawling, ambitious records that needed two discs to say everything — landmark double LPs worth the shelf space.
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1Exile 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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2The 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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3London CallingThe Clash
London Calling
A sprawling double album that blew punk wide open, folding in reggae, ska, rockabilly and soul without losing its urgency. Politically charged and endlessly tuneful, it is regularly named among the greatest rock records ever. The ideal entry point to the band.
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4Blonde 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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5Sign o' the TimesPrince
Sign o' the Times
A sprawling double album that shows the full range of Prince's genius, from stark social commentary to ecstatic funk and tender soul. Often cited as his masterpiece. Dense, generous and rewarding.
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6Mellon Collie and the Infinite SadnessThe Smashing Pumpkins
Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness
A sprawling double album of grandeur and angst, ranging from delicate to ferocious. Maximalist and beloved. Their most ambitious statement.
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7Songs in the Key of LifeStevie Wonder
Songs in the Key of Life
A double album of staggering range and generosity, the centrepiece of Wonder's golden run. Funk, jazz, ballads and social commentary all sit comfortably together. Exhaustive, joyous and essential.
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8The RiverBruce Springsteen
The River
A sprawling double album balancing bar-band joy and stark ballads. Generous and beloved. A peak.
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9Physical 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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10Speakerboxxx/The Love BelowOutKast
Speakerboxxx/The Love Below
A sprawling double solo set, home to the inescapable 'Hey Ya!'. Adventurous and huge. A genre-blurring blockbuster.
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11All 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.