The 5 Best Classic Rock Albums of All Time
March 14, 2017
Everybody loves a good classic rock album. There are a billion factors that go into defining “good”: lyrics, melody, and timelessness are just a few examples. There are certain albums, though, that are a cut above all the others. What follows is the list of the 5 Best Classic Rock Albums of All Time. They’ll be listed, but not ranked. They’re all way too good to put them against each other. They’re all the best.
- Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band – The Beatles
When one hears the words “The Beatles”, they typically visualize the cover of this album. It’s colorful, fun, and theatrical, just like the album itself. It was released in 1967, which is widely considered to be the beginning of psychedelic rock, and it shows here. Surprisingly, the jazz influence on this album in really prominent. That’s unusual for a rock band like The Beatles. “Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds” is one of the most popular songs in history, and it’s easy to see why. “A Day in the Life” is widely considered to be the best Beatles song, and one of the best of all time. Songs like “When I’m Sixty-Four” aren’t as popular, but they’re good too.
- Led Zeppelin IV – Led Zeppelin
“Stairway to Heaven” is on this one. This too is one of one of the most popular rock songs in history. It’s softer than one might think a classic rock sign should be, but it’s still good, with awesome guitar and vivid lyrics. “Going to California” is the perfect song for a road trip with some good friends, and not just because of the title. It’s calm and gorgeous. “The Battle of Evermore” and a couple others sound like they come straight out of Lord of the Rings, and even references the classic book. It’s very folkish, with mandolins and intricate acoustic guitar.
- Dark Side of the Moon – Pink Floyd
It’s a no-brainer that this would appear on the list. The songs are all so unique, but this is one of those albums in which each song transitions into the next, so it’s one to listen all the way through. All the songs are super long too, so patience is key. Every single song is timeless in its own way, and that’s what makes this album great. “Speak To Me/Breathe” is the first song, and it’s perfect to set the tone, with lethargic guitar and soft vocals. “Us and Them” is a beautiful song as well, with the same mellow tone as the first.
- The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars – David Bowie
Even legends like David Bowie have to be discovered, and this album is what made the world discover him. This is a concept album, telling the story of Bowie’s most famous alter ego, Ziggy Stardust, an arrogant and charismatic rockstar. The titular song is arguably what made David Bowie famous in the 1970’s, but there are other equally good songs on this that are relatively unknown. “Five Years” is catchy and melodic, and fades slowly with a drum. “Moonage Daydream” is featured on Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy soundtrack, which is perfect because it is the sci-fi anthem. What makes this album great is how it showcases Bowie’s talent and eccentricity.
- A Night At the Opera – Queen
“Bohemian Rhapsody” is a song that everyone knows and loves, but this album, widely considered to be the band’s best, holds so much more than the one iconic song. Queen has a unique way of blending older styles of music with 70’s rock. “Seaside Rendezvous” sounds like your classic over-the-top vaudevillian showtune. “Death On Two Legs (Dedicated To…)” is climactic and angry, despite being the opening song, and not at all an indication of the tone of the album. Freddie Mercury’s piano skills are highly prominent of this album, and rightfully so. At the time of its release, it was the most expensive album ever made.
