Top 100 Rock albums of all times
100 best rock albums ranked. 1 album per band, including almost every sub-genre like hard rock, shoegaze, post-punk, post rock and so on.
List won't include Punk nor metal albums whose deserves their own lists. |
| 101 |  | the kinks
The Village Green Preservation Society
(HONORABLE MENTIONS)
.the kinks- tvgps
.broken social scene - you forgot it in people
.cream - disraeli gears
.hum - downward is heavenward
.crippled black phoenix- i, vigilante |
| 100 |  | Farflung
A Wound In Eternity
One of the most overlooked stoner albums ever. A nice combination of heavy southern rock riffs and trippy reverb effects. |
| 99 |  | Neil Young
Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere
A feel good folk album, the title track is a little big piece of music. |
| 98 |  | God Is an Astronaut
All Is Violent, All Is Bright
Pretty different from other post rock music with shorter tracks, more electronic elements, huge space rock influences and compact drum sound . Forever lost may be one of the most intense instrumentals ever. |
| 97 |  | Jane's Addiction
Nothing's Shocking
This album had more influences on late 80's alt rock than peole give it credit for. Lots of genres contaminations such as funk, jazz, caraibic music and psychedelic rock. |
| 96 |  | r.e.m.
Automatic for the People
R.e.m.most mature and melancholic album, despite a couple of just ok songs . While everybody hurts is one of their most acclaimed songs i think that their highest pinnacle is nightswimming. That song is magic. |
| 95 |  | Lynyrd Skynyrd
Pronounced Leh-Nerd Skin-Nerd
Maybe the most beloved southern rock album ever. Not among my favorite sub-genres, still a great album nonetheless. Free Bird may be overplayed but it truly is a fantastic closer. |
| 94 |  | can
Tago Mago
I confess, i don't like krautrock. Still Can is the only band in the genre i could get into. Tago Mago is weird, repetitive, quirky, hypnotic and psychedelic, not so accessible but charming nonetheless. |
| 93 |  | Shiina Ringo
Kalk Samen Kuri no Hana
Speaking of weird stuff, this Japanese artist crafted a unique experimental album that's unpredictable, funny and eclectic |
| 92 |  | lapko
A New Bohemia
I can't explain how the fuck this band is so unknown. A new Bohemia is an alternative album with awesome drumming, aggressive guitars and soft catchy vocals that reminds a little of Fair to Midland. |
| 91 |  | The Flaming Lips
Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots
. A new psychedelia anthem with a touching concept, trippy vibes and well crafted production that adds more atmosphere to the odd experimentation that surrounds this work |
| 90 |  | Clutch
Blast Tyrant
"The Mob goes wild" alone makes this album worth listening, every song has manly attitude and terrific production that blends modern stoner and alternative to southern rock. |
| 89 |  | ride
Nowhere
Be sure to check the bonus track edition of this iconic shoegaze lp, the outro in"Vapour's trail" is majestic. |
| 88 |  | Steely Dan
Aja
I don't find myself listening to Aja so often, nor many other jazz rock. Yet I can't help but admire how smooth this jazz-rock album is, the title track is fucking elegant. |
| 87 |  | Van Halen
Van Halen
R.i.p. to one of the most influential and talented guitarists in rock music. |
| 86 |  | The Smiths
The Queen Is Dead
It's hard to believe that an annoying immature douchebag could write a masterpiece like There's a light that never goes out. |
| 85 |  | Giles Corey
Giles Corey
Dan Barret created a beautifully haunted album that's maybe even more depressive than deathconsciousness. Maybe. |
| 84 |  | Kairon IRSE!
Ujubasajuba
A shoegaze gem that needs more recognition. Valorians is like a modern Only shallow. But besides the obvious MBV influences this band managed to stay fresh and original throughout the songs. |
| 83 |  | Oceansize
Everyone Into Position
An interesting balance between aggressive alternative and uplifting post rock. There are a pair of just fine tracks but i can forgive them because of outstanding works like song for a nurse and the last of the wrongs. |
| 82 |  | primus
Sailing the Seas of Cheese
I prefer Frizzle Fry but being way heavier than this one i rather consider it more on the metal side.
Les is one of the best bassists ever and his passion for weird ass music perfectly shows in this oddball funk/experimental rock album. |
| 81 |  | Sonic Youth
Daydream Nation
I'll be honest, some tracks here drags a bit. Besides that, this album is a rebellious anthem that everyone should listen, the drumming is terrific. |
| 80 |  | Modest Mouse
The Lonesome Crowded West
A creative and eclectic album that even people that are not too much into indie rock (like me) will enjoy because of it's originality and versatility. |
| 79 |  | Chuck Berry
Chuck Berry Is on Top
Being product of it's time, this lp has some obvious problems like simple (yet fun) lyrics and some recycled stuff (there are like 4 songs with the same identical intro), yet this is one of the most important albums in rock that influenced thousands of bands to come. Songs like Johnny be good, maybellene and rolling over Beethoven are still awesome after 63 years. |
| 78 |  | Nirvana
Nevermind
I find nirvana to be the weakest out of the big 4 of grunge (list won't feature Alice in chains which fits better in the alternative metal label) and i always hated come as you are but besides that song and the other great singles Nevermind's best songs are the most overlooked ones like the ethereal something in the way, the punky breed and territorial pissings and the sludgy endless, nameless. |
| 77 |  | Karnivool
Sound Awake
A more accessible alternative rock Tool. Besides obvious huge inspiration they still managed to sound fresh with their personal touch. All i know is outstanding. |
| 76 |  | Brand New
The Devil and God Are Raging Inside Me
I generally dislike emo and i'm not too much into indie rock, so this album (and band in general) surprised me a lot. This album has a great pacing, every song sounds different and the songwriting is surprisingly mature. |
| 75 |  | The Stooges
Fun House
Chaotic, fuzzy and dirty proto-punk that compensate lack in technical skills with anarchist attitude, aggressive approach and sexual promiscuity. |
| 74 |  | Siouxsie and the Banshees
juju
Pioneers of post punk, their gothic imagery still works to these days. Into the light is their best song ever. |
| 73 |  | Fleetwood Mac
Rumours
One of the most memorable albums in pop rock. |
| 72 |  | Sufjan Stevens
Illinois
Basically the "Born in the USA" of modern indie.
This lush, melancholic and compelling concept contains some of the best songs by Mr. Stevens. |
| 71 |  | The Butterfly Effect
Final Conversation of Kings
Elegant alternative rock with prog and even some jazzy elements. 7 days is one hell of a power ballad |
| 70 |  | Thin Lizzy
Jailbreak
Rebellious Hard rock with fun lyrics, great dual guitars and anthemic songs that will stuck in the listener's brain for their catchiness. |
| 69 |  | we lost the sea
Departure Songs
Explosions in the sky-inspired post-rock but even more intense. The whole album is great but "A gallant gentleman" is just perfect. One of the most emotional instrumentals ever. |
| 68 |  | Rx Bandits
...And the Battle Begun
After their proggy punk masterpiece Rx bandits went totally progressive with this album that combines Jazz, ska, progressive' reggae and alternative in a great experimental result. |
| 67 |  | Catherine Wheel
Chrome
fronted by Bruce Dickinson's cousin, Chrome is one of the most interesting and sadly forgotten bands in shoegaze, every song works well with the others, expecially the closer and that masterpiece that is Crank. Not a great live band though |
| 66 |  | Idiot Flesh
fancy
The most absurd album on this the list. An a
experimental combination of dark cabaret and avant-garde rock filled with some of the blackest humour possible and some unsettling moments. |
| 65 |  | Frank Zappa
Joe's Garage
For albums like the previous one we have to thanks this demented genius. Joe's garage is an interesting concept about a dystopian world were musi is illegal. It's corny, ridiculous and vulgar yet it deals with some serious issues. The title track is Zappa's masterpiece, the whole first act is terrific fun. The other 2 acts features some fillers though and could've been shorter so it lowers a bit this yet great work. |
| 64 |  | Renaissance
Scheherazade and Other Stories
With a fable like narration and atmosphere Reanaissance combines prog rock and classical music with elegance and originality. |
| 63 |  | pearl jam
ten
A must for any grunge lover, A good mix of dynamic and depressive songs, black and Jeremy's touching approach works perfectly. |
| 62 |  | The Stone Roses
The Stone Roses
Madchester's pioneers, Stone roses debut has catchy choruses, dance inducing riffs, iconic writing and an apt production that fits the songs. |
| 61 |  | The Dear Hunter
Act V: Hymns with the Devil in Confessional
I love the variety of this album that matches complex prog tracks to more heavier ones, indie rock oriented pieces,ethereal fantasy-like moments and even a showtune song. |
| 60 |  | Genesis
Selling England by the Pound
i admit i had a hard time getting into Genesis, yet i can't deny the beauty of this solemn prog rock journey. The opening and Firth of fifth are among prog's most memorable pieces. |
| 59 |  | Tom Waits
Rain Dogs
Tom Waits really has the storyteller essence and he really shines here in this weird dark cabaret album full of experimentation, bittersweet lyrics, polkas, dark ballads and hoarse vocals. |
| 58 |  | Daughters
You Won't Get What You Want
This lp is unnerving, cacophonic, nihilistic, distressing and unpleasant. Yet it's hypnotic, it just steal the listener's attention for it's entire duration. |
| 57 |  | Arcade Fire
Funeral
An instrospective journey shaped by some members personal tragedies and losses they were experiencing at the times of Funeral's writing. I love how despite the sad themes many songs has a sort of positive and optimistic vibe. |
| 56 |  | Soundgarden
Superunknown
One of the best grunge works ever, superunknown sacrifices badmotorfinger's heaviness to extol even more pessimism and depression despite some pretty aggressive moments. |
| 55 |  | Bruce Springsteen
Born to Run
Heartland rock's bosd delivered a triumphant passionate anthem of the 70's that sounds incredibly powerful even after 40 years and more. |
| 54 |  | Patti Smith
Horses
The punk poet laureate's debut helped craft the punk attitude before it was even a thing. As her nickname suggest, Patti Smith has a tough attitude in music and a deep poetry in lyrics, combining those elements with versatilty and eclectic style, horses is THE proto-punk album |
| 53 |  | Neutral Milk Hotel
In the Aeroplane Over the Sea
One of the best written albums in indie rock with lo-fi production perfectly fitting such an abstract and surreal sound. So why isn't it higher? Because in some parts Mangum's vocals are just unbearable. I get used to his vocals in most songs but there are some pieces that still irritates me a bit. Not enough to ruin such a great work though. |
| 52 |  | Slint
Spiderland
Descending from post-hardcore,spiderland is the second most important album for post rock development. It mostly consists in a ominous spoken narration that leads dark menacing crescendos, balanced between mysterious, relaxing and unsettling. |
| 51 |  | Bob Dylan
Highway 61 Revisited
Speaking about bad singers, Dylan never has been a good vocalist, but damn he is one of the best songwriters of his times. Highway 61 incorporates past folk music to more blues driven songs constellated of political and philosophical themes, sure one of the most important albums of 1965. |
| 50 |  | dredg
El Cielo
Ethereal and uplifting, el cielo combines alternative to proggy art rock elements and a bit of post-rock. Pieces like Sanzen and The canyon behind here are among the most beautiful modern rock songs i've heard. |
| 49 |  | Queens of the Stone Age
Songs for the Deaf
This album projects you into a desert summer atmosphere through a sort of stoner radio broadcast concept. The Meaty riffs, Dave Grohl's relentless drumming and Homme's vocals perfectly sets the mood of this driving journey. |
| 48 |  | The Rolling Stones
Exile on Main St.
Sticky fingers is regarded as their highlight but i find exile much more appealing and complete, and it sounds shorter than it actually is. They built a legacy with such unforgettable rythmic sections and hedonistic approach. |
| 47 |  | Chelsea Wolfe
Abyss
I don't see Chelsea Wolfe mentioned enough so i'll try to give her the respect she deserves. This album is one of the most amazing darkwave works i've ever listened to. Her soft vocals is balanced with heavy downtuned guitars, the gothic rock imagery feels renewed. The album title is accurate, it feels like progressively sinking in the abyss. |
| 46 |  | Porcupine Tree
In Absentia
Wilson combined uplifting music with darker lyrics, often about serial killers psychology, this contraposition contributed in a pretty unique result. There are also technical pieces such as "the creator has a mastertape" and minimal ones such as the closer. A superb modern prog album. |
| 45 |  | The Microphones
The Glow Pt. 2
The best slacker rock ever. A gloomy abstract lo-fi volume with neo-folk influences and avant-garde elements. |
| 44 |  | Creedence Clearwater Revival
Cosmo's Factory
Old swamp/southern rock is not exactly thr most well aged genre ever. These guys are a true exception. In particular this album still works combining old catchy swamp songs with a more "modern" approach, it combines incredibly fun songs like "travelin band" and "up around the bends" with more complex and longer composition such as "ramble tamble" and "i heard it through the grapevine". A pretty unique album in it's genre |
| 43 |  | camel
Mirage
This album came pretty late compared to the other Canterbury scene bigs but outclassed any of them.
Mirage is trippy, epic, technical, psychedelic anf groundbreaking. |
| 42 |  | Thought Industry
Short Wave on a Cold Day
Thought industry has a pretty unique artistic path. They started as an experimental Thrash act, then flowed into pure avant-garde metal and ended their career with this absurf alternative space rock album which is the best among their extremely solid catalogue. An awesome swan song with original composition, abstract themes and psychedelic atmosphere. One of the most underrated bands ever. |
| 41 |  | Jethro Tull
Thick as a Brick
A huge song divided in 2 acts that proved Jethro Tull is one of the most creative prog acts out there. The song flows pretty well and shows ironic and satirical lyrics embraced by technical and uncommon musicianship that combines avant-folk with progressive rock. |
| 40 |  | Unwound
Leaves Turn Inside You
Unwound's final album improved all the elements that makes the band good, the chaotic post-hardcore and noise rock elements are well balanced with haunting post rock atmospheres, heavy usage of reverbs and screeching guitars sounds oddly great with soft piano and whispered vocals. |
| 39 |  | The Mothers of Invention
One Size Fits All
Another superb final work, mothers of invention's sofa album is maybe the most complete, solid and complex Frank Zappa one, while not weird like Joe's garage by Zappa still it features weird ones, jazzy elements and some of their most intricate compositions like "Inca Roads" and "Andy". Both funny and compelling. |
| 38 |  | The Who
Who's Next
The charismatic and talented quartet made their catchiest and most iconic songs within this work, there's a couple of still good songs that i skip sometimes but other tracks like "Behind blue eyes", "Won't get fooled again" and "Baba o'Riley" are some of the best songs in the rock scene. |
| 37 |  | The Mars Volta
De-Loused in the Comatorium
Wonderfully written and executed, Volta's debut is a surreal, almost paranormal experience, a strange yet apt union of futuristic chaotic progressive and transcendental psychedelic moments. |
| 36 |  | Anathema
A Natural Disaster
Anathema's solid discography made difficult to choose which album deserved the mention, while Judgement is often considered their highlight i always loved this album's contaminations with post rock, the production is just perfect to deliver the deserted lonely vibe of a natural disaster, most of all "are you there?" may be one of the most depressive songs ever made. "pulled under..." is a pretty heavy song though and many tracks are proggy at best, the instrumental closer is great too. |
| 35 |  | The Jimi Hendrix Experience
Are You Experienced
(Be sure to get the 1997 re-issue version since the bonus tracks are among their best works)
Along with bands like king crimson, blue cheer and cream TJHE is one of the heaviest 60s bands, Hendrix had one of the most original styles of all times, with this album TJHE helped to craft a whole new type of guitar-playing through a psychedelic acid blues rock masterpiece. |
| 34 |  | Talk Talk
Laughing Stock
Possibly the most important album for Post rock development. Contrary to Spiderland , laughing stock is musically uplifting and positive sounding. However the lyrics are much darker, the concept is a biblical view of earth being cleansed for mankind's sins, this contraposition makes the final result both sombre and spiritual. I'm not religious by any mean but i still find how they treated the concept kind of unique. |
| 33 |  | Comus
First Utterance
The fact that First Utterance came out in 1971 blows my mind. Part because it sounds so experimental and ahead of the curve for early 70's and part because it sound straight from 1200. This avant-folk masterpiece delivers witchcraft atmosphere and a sort of pagan occult vibe. Oh and some lyrics are downright disturbing. |
| 32 |  | Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin IV
I'm not one of those guys yelling how led zeppelin is the best band on earth, while i really like them i think they are a bit overrated, still i'll be a liar if i said that IV isn't a masterpiece. Basically a collection of their best works. An hard rock institution with bluesy chords and many folk elements, while Stairway may be overplayed it really is one of the best songs ever. Side A is basically flawless. However side B has four sticks that i never liked and lowers the quality a bit, still the album ends with the monumental "When the levee breaks" which perfectly closes the album. |
| 31 |  | Have a Nice Life
Deathconsciousness
Funereal, pessimistic, apathetic and utterly depressive. Deathconsciousness managed to combine static and repetition to versatile and multifaceted. It has elements of Drone, Gothic rock, shoegaze, industrial and post-punk. Pieces like "Bloodhail" represent pure depression and disillution while the opener and the closer are long deserted hypnotic anthems. |
| 30 |  | Joy Division
Unknown Pleasures
The most iconic post-punk/gothic rock release ever. Joy division takes a step away from punk's rebellion and gives up to an ominous feeling of alienation and anxiety. The more you go through the song, the more listeners will feel bleaker. |
| 29 |  | Alice Cooper
Welcome To My Nightmare
The undisputed king of shock rock released lots of great works but this journey into a madman's nightmares is the most fun album Mr.Cooper has ever written. Every song has it's own identity, the tracklist ranges from hard rock, glam, rock opera to eclectic contamination such as dark cabaret, jazzy parts, creepy theatrical pieces, spoken interludes and child-singing anthems. |
| 28 |  | yes
Close to the Edge
This 3 song progressive masterpiece distinguished for having one of the most majestic gargantuan songs in the genre, often considered the best prog song ever. While it may not be my absolute favorite i think that this title track was something unbelievable for it's time, ranging from atmospheric buildings, symphonic elements, chaotic passages and complex technicism, overall a unique construction. The following songs can't compare to the epicness of the opener but still they are more than great. |
| 27 |  | ween
Quebec
Just listening to the first 3 tracks a casual listener could be very confused by the huge diversity of these songs: an aggressive punk opener followed by an hallucinating hymn to a psychiatric drug and then Transdermal celebration which is one of the best songs ever written. The whole album is like this, weird completely different sonhs that are somehow cohesive. A great absurd work. |
| 26 |  | Television
Marquee Moon
I said this list won't include punk albums but i think Television are somehow a step away from punk's general festures, it's not direct, aggressive and straightforward. It's an existential philosophical work that has almost nothing to do with punk genre deapite being rooted in it so i'll make an exception. Lloyd and Verlaine's performance are universally acclaimed as some of the best in rock genre, take their improvisations in the title track, perfect melodic dual harmonies in "see no evil" and melancholic riffs in "elevation" and "torn curtains" as best examples. A rule-changing album. |
| 25 |  | Pixies
Doolittle
I love when movies contrapose conceptual or graphic violence to soft and happy music, the best example is Clockwork orange's ultraviolence with Classical music as soundtrack. Doolittle took this concept and used it to create one, if not THE most influential album in alternative rock. Dark and nihilistic lyrics portraied by catchy sing along songs. Love Kim's backing vocals and the pretty wide variation through the songs. |
| 24 |  | the cure
Disintegration
A dark romantic wonder that helped to craft the gothic aesthetic through sombre themes, sentimentalism, cold atmosphere and poetry. Some tracks are pretty grim like "lullaby" while others are totally uplifting, like "plainsong" which is also one of the biggest influences for dream pop. 71 immersive minutes. |
| 23 |  | queen
A Night at the Opera
I was to choose Queen 2 because of their best song ever (march of the black queen) but after i listened ANATO again i just couldn't ignore how complete this album really is. I consider it a sort of summary of the past Queen works combined to the higher maturity of the band and the new experimentation. Death on two legs and sweet lady has the heavier sound of their debut, I'm in love with my car is a sort of macho parody, 39 is a pretty original folk piece, love of my life and you're my best friend are classic radio hits, Bohemian Rhapsody and Prophet's song expanded the dreamy complex sound of queen 2. Plus this is one of the most expensive records ever so the production is superb. |
| 22 |  | Blue Oyster Cult
Secret Treaties
Secret Treaties combines Hard rock, psychedelic, dark sarcastic lyrics, bluesy riffs, a little bit of early heavy metal influences and the typical wicked theatrical sound that's the trademark of BOC. This is one of their masterpieces that anyone should listen, Astronomy is one of the best songs ever written. |
| 21 |  | Slowdive
Souvlaki
An overwhelming hypnotic trip, the second best shoegaze album ever, the reverb is masterfully used to create druggy atmosphere, the space rock influences makes it even more immersive and the dual vocals works perfectly. Despite the inevitable MBV influences this album has it's own identity without being derivative despite following shoegaze's aesthetics. |
| 20 |  | Spiritualized
Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space
Ex Spacemen 3 member Jason pierce managed to exceed expectation with a space rock odissey that surrounds the listener with a massive wall of sound. This album is alienating, bittersweet and has many genres influences such as gospel, dream pop, noise rock neo psychedelia and art rock. |
| 19 |  | The Smashing Pumpkins
Siamese Dream
That guitar sound. Corgan's magnus opus is a cynic bittersweet work balanced by an alternance of immediate aggressive grungy songs such as Cherub rock and Mayonnaise, heavy pieces like silverfuck, geek USA and shoegazy ones like hummer. My favorite is Disarm which imo is their purest work ever.
An essential Alternative rock album. |
| 18 |  | The Velvet Underground
The Velvet Underground & Nico
A dissonant Avant-garde masterpiece. Unnerving strings, Nico's Apathetic vocals, Lou Reed's alienated singing, the urban psychedelic atmosphere and the noisy production are some of the recipes for the godfather of experimental rock, every song has it's own special role. Heroin is the musical equivalent of overdose and sunday morning has oddly nostalgic vibes. |
| 17 |  | Deep Purple
Deep Purple In Rock
(REISSUE WITH BLACK NIGHT AS FINAL TRACK)
Deep purple are one of the most important early influences for heavy metal (besides Black Sabbath obviously). This album is incredibly heavy for 1970. Speed king's hard rock is reslly close to 80's nwobhm and bloodsucker is even heavier. Blackmore shines with the proggier tracks like flight of the rats (which contains a lovely funky passage) with some of the best solos of the 70s. Paice and Glover's chemistry with bass and drums shines on the more bluesy tracks like into the fire and livin wreck, but obviously the highlight of DP's career is Child in time, a monolithic 10 minutes piece with Gillan's performance of a lifetime. |
| 16 |  | Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds
Murder Ballads
It was hard to choose which Cave album deserved the spot since he's one of my favorites singer-songwriters, i love "let love in" and it's diversity and "skeleton tree" deserted depression but the concept of Nick Cave being a murder ballad's storyteller fits him so well that i can't help but choose this one.
The tone of this album swings betweena dark fable melancholia (Henry Lee, Where the wild wind roses), happy folk music with creepy lyrics (the curse of Millheaven, Death is not the end) and downright disturbing (Song of joy, kindness of strangers). |
| 15 |  | Talking Heads
Remain in Light
One of the most celebrated albums in history. Talking heads decided to create a quirky work that sounds like something completely new. I'm not a huge fan of new wave nor afrobeat but this album made me love them. The inclusion of those genres blended with some of the most experimental rock ever and funk influences contributed to create a unique work of art with repetitive hypnotic beats, anthropological existential lyrics and catchy choruses.
Born under punches sounds like something Mr.Bungle would make 15 years later.
Listening wind's mystic vibes are great and once in a lifetime is one the best songs ever. |
| 14 |  | Fair to Midland
Fables From a Mayfly: What I Tell You Three Times is True
The fact that FtM disbanded so early because of lack of funds is depressive.
This underrated album has a unique sound that blends Surreal fable-like vibes, alternative rock with heavy guitars, cryptic lyrics that sounds like post-modern existential tales, some progressive element and a strongly artistic vein. Every song is intense and tells a story in it's unique way. Darroh Sudderth was one of the best singers around, he blends pitches, melancholic verses and even some harsh pseudo-growls and a brief mongolian throath chant. |
| 13 |  | Kate Bush
Hounds of Love
Due to the complex nature of this album it's difficult to classify it with a genre, some people may argue that doesn't fit into the Rock label but i'll dare to call it art pop/rock with a progressive component. Hounds of love is a surreal dreamy experience that features relaxing tunes with space rock vibes such as hello earth, a totally fucked up avant-garde song (waking the witch), a fantastic esoteric folk song (jig of life), iconic radio hits, many experimental pieces and other genres contaminations like Baroque pop, synthpop, progressive and psychedelic. Like Radiohead and Faith no more she dared to risk a career suicide going through totally unknown musical territory and achieved one of the best and most original works in music. |
| 12 |  | rush
Moving Pictures
I'm not the biggest fan of Lee's vocals, besides that Moving pictures is musically perfect. Neil Peart was THE drummer, icredibly influential and technical without falling into free wankery, Lee's aforementioned vocals are actually pretty fine considering i'm not so much into it, still he's one of the best bassists in rock music and Lifeson's melodic guitar lines keeps the songs catchy. In fact differently from most prog album, MP is extremely catchy other than memorable, take as examples the majestic Limelight and the iconic Tom Sawyer. YYZ being in musical morse code is pure genius abd Vital sign's experimentation with electronic music is great. |
| 11 |  | David Bowie
The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars
A triumphant landmark of the 70s. The White duke's magnus opus is an extraordinary work that enstablished the stage rock institution due to it's glam aesthetic and satire over the plastic RN'R singer, as Bowie would say. The concept was pretty progressive too: a Pansexual alien (later Bowie claimed he was a human space traveler) that as earth's harbringer prophesies society's decline and an impending apocalypse. So Ziggy works both as David Bowie's alter ego and rise and fall of humanity.
Five years is one of the best openers of all time, starman has an amazing melancholic yet hopeful vibe, not to mention the epic closer.
The whole album is pervaded by a retro sci-fi sound that perfectly fits with the glam rock attitude. |
| 10 |  | My Bloody Valentine
Loveless
The Album that made shoegaze. A textured record consisting in heavy distorted guitars, oneiric vibes due to a perfect use of reverb, soft siren-like female vocals and melancholic male vocals perfectly blending together, layered colorful sound despise the minimal composition. Loveless sounds like a warm?, hazy dream. |
| 9 |  | Sigur Ros
Agætis byrjun
One of the best example of pure pristine art.
An uplifting abstract work that features heavenly composition, creative instrumentation (eg.cellotar) and uses vocals as an instrument. What Agætis birjun does best is projecting the listener into a glacial ethereal soundscape that almost seems like coming from an unknown civilization. It's hard to understand the mood of the album, it's like a perfect balance between depressive and peaceful. The palindrome song "Staràlfur" is flawless. Hjarttad hamast has a terrific apocalyptic vibe. |
| 8 |  | The Doors
The Doors
Darkly poetic psychedelia. This is the best way to describe the doors debut, it has a weird lush imagery combined to hypnotic and sometimes happy sounding music (whiskey bar and take it as it comes sounds happy but has weird tricky vibes that somehow creates uncanny atmospheres). The album features many influences like blues, jazz and psychedelic. The end is more than a song, is an experience. |
| 7 |  | King Crimson
In the Court of the Crimson King
21st schizoid man. That song alone would make this album top 10 regardless. One of the heaviest and most complex songs of the 60s, technical, pessimistic and way ahead of it's time. And it's not even the only highlight, the title track is a monumental closer that contrary to the opener is a slow burning calming piece, showing Fripp's versatility. Of course Epitaph and I talk to the wind are classics as well, McDonald, Giles and Lake did a great job on vocals and Sinfield's vocals are great. The only reason this album is not in the top 3 is that moonchild improvisation. I mean, i don't mind free improvisations and i would have loved 4 or 5 minutes of it but over 10 minutes drags a lot, even Fripp admitted it was just to reach 43 minutes but honestly 38 minutes would have been perfect. A masterpiece nonetheless. |
| 6 |  | Swans
To Be Kind
I see the swans as Sigur Ros evil cousins, they both do long songs with unique atmospheres, renewing their sound each album, uses vocals as an instrument, overwhelms you with oneiric feelings etc. but while Sigur Ros uplift the listener through a dream the swans scares the shit out of him with nightmares. While The Seer was even more gloomy, to be kind is unsettling and disturbing, every song makes you feel uncomfortable without even know why. Gira's apathetic vocals sings disturbing lyrics often sexual and existential, most songs are structured with intense repetitive crescendos with a bass that sounds organic and distorted guitars. Screenshot opens the album almost like it was giving birth to it, just a little boy's laughters crestes a paranoid feeling, a little god in my head sounds like a demented jazzy track, Kirsten supine, to be kind and Some things we do are minimal yet nightmarish tracks and oxygen's sort of roylttej post punk is weird at best. Yet the highlight is the 17 minu |
| 5 |  | Nine Inch Nails
The Downward Spiral
The best industrial rock album ever. A nihilistic representation of a spiral through depression. The album starts with more dynamic and aggressive tracks and progressively becomes darker and more depressive, ending with hurt, which may be the most depressive song in the genre. The concept explores subjects such as anger, self loathing, sexuality, perversions, suicide, hopelessnes and addiction. The songs are perfectly portrayed through a structured chaotic production, versatile changes of styles, a combination of electronics and rock, wise songwriting and a terrific performance by Trent Reznor. |
| 4 |  | Godspeed You! Black Emperor
F♯ A♯ ∞
The soundtrack to a post-apocalyptic world.
Three monolithic songs that carries the listener to a cold desolate soundscape. Every second of the album is wisely constructed to make you feel lonely through a nocturnal and depressive yet beautiful atmosphere, the field recordings and preachers yelling perfectly transpose the suspenseful feeling of dread and impending doom.12 members that created a post rock masterpiece. |
| 3 |  | The Beatles
Revolver
The most important Rock album ever? Most likely. Completely different from the previous works Revolver embraces the psychedelic aesthetic and amalgamates experimentation to their catchy pop style of older albums making it a transitional passage for the band. Eleaonor Rigby was something completely new, both for the unexpected use of classical strings and it's utterly depressive themes.
Tomorrow Never Knows is the most important Psychedelic composition in music history, a true existential piece of art. There are more traditional rock songs like taxman that contains great political lyrics, baroque pop songs like for no one, dreary ones like i'm only sleeping and anthemic chants like yellow submarine. Overall this album may be a turning point for music itself and after 56 it's still regarded as one of the best albums in history. |
| 2 |  | Pink Floyd
The Dark Side of the Moon
An epic trip through time and space, i think that's the best description for this album. As much as i live IWYWH i think that the cohesiveness of this album makes the transcendental journey idea behind it totally successful. Besides it's complex concept almost every song work on it's own: Time is just outstanding, the combination of clock noise, bell transition and beginning of the first verse remains one of the most flawless moments in music history. Money's satyrical approach and jazzy music is a perfect break before the intensity of Us and them, the great gig in the sky contains my favorite female vocal solo ever along deftones "knife prty", the final combo that is brain damage/eclipse ends the album in a perfect triumphant way, almost like the entirety of the album converge in that final minute. What a timeless masterwork. |
| 1 |  | Radiohead
OK Computer
How original huh? I actually got the beauty of this album pretty recently. I listened most of Radiohead's albums when i was like 15 and didn't get them but 2 years ago as a 23 years old i fully understood the perfection behind Ok computer's philosophy and composition. The concepts and lyrics are more actual than 25 years ago embracing a hopeless urban description of a decaying society and a delusional apathy. The production is flawless, incorporating loops, electronic elements, dissonances and futuristic sound effects. While the mood of the album is mainly depressive and anxious every song has it's own identity; Let down is a perfect depiction of urban depression and disappointment, no surprises explore the misery of the average life and despite being depressive is in major key, electioneering is an political rock anthem, Paranoid Android is a surreal three acts masterpiece, S.H.A. has a weird psychedelic atmosphere contraposed to the dark climbing up the walls and exit music. |
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