Essential Rock
Albums
Must-have albums for your collection
By Sean Doorly
Crank up the iPod, tune your air guitar and click the button to get the facts on 10 essential rock albums.
Rock 'n' roll turns 50 this year. Celebrate by adding these albums to your collection. Your favorite artists of today, from Simple Plan to Linkin Park, owe their success to these rock pioneers.
We poured over the ChannelOne.com message boards to find the classic albums you consider must-haves. Then we boiled it all down to a list of 10. It wasn't easy -- we barely scratched the surface. So post your own top 10 list on our message boards.
Abbey Road
Artist: The Beatles
Year released: 1969
Peak chart position: 1
Essential songs:"Here Comes the Sun," "Come Together"
Why it matters: The Beatles' last recorded album is polished and elaborately
structured. It was recorded in two months in the summer of '69, in London's
Abbey Road Studios. John Lennon's "Come Together" is one of
the hardest rocking Beatles tunes.
Born to Run
Artist: Bruce Springsteen
Year released: 1975
Peak chart position: 3
Essential songs:"Thunder Road," "Born to Run"
Why it matters: Springsteen's third album is a rocking tribute to working-class
heroes. It speaks to the underdog in all of us. This timeless album crackles
with the raw energy of "The Boss" and his tireless companions--
the E-Street Band. This album turned Springsteen into a genuine rock star.
Dark Side of the
Moon
Artist: Pink Floyd
Year released: 1973
Peak chart position: 1
Essential songs:"Breathe," "Money"
Why it matters: This groundbreaking album combined sound effects, spoken
word and music to form a multilayered sensory overload. It spent a record-setting
14 years on Billboard's albums chart.
Elvis Presley
Artist: Elvis Presley
Year released: 1956
Peak chart position: 1
Essential songs:"Blue Suede Shoes," "I Got a Woman"
Why it matters: He's the King. Witness the birth of rock 'n' roll with
Presley's first full-length album.
Joshua Tree
Artist: U2
Year released: 1987
Peak chart position: 1
Essential songs:"Where the Streets Have No Name," "With
or Without You"
Why it matters: The Irish lads from Dublin take on American mythology
with their fifth album, which is chock full of instant classics. It was
their first No. 1 album, and it won the 1987 Album of the Year Grammy
award.
Led Zeppelin IV
Artist: Led Zeppelin
Year released: 1971
Peak chart position: 2
Essential songs:"Stairway to Heaven," "When the Levee Breaks"
Why it matters: This thundering blues-rock album contains the ultimate
rock ballad, "Stairway to Heaven," which is the No. 1 most requested
song in rock radio history.
Murmur
Artist: R.E.M.
Year released: 1983
Peak chart position: 36
Essential songs:"Radio Free Europe," "Talk About the Passion"
Why it matters: R.E.M's full-length debut album spawned the "college
rock" genre, and it was a touch stone for indie rockers for the rest
of the '80s. The dark and moody album combined folk-rock with Michael
Stipe's earnest and occasionally unintelligible lyrics.
Nevermind
Artist: Nirvana
Year released: 1991
Peak chart position: 1
Essential songs: "Smells Like Teen Spirit," "Come As You
Are"
Why it matters: Nirvana's second album killed hair metal and thrust grunge
into the limelight. It simultaneously assaulted your gut and illuminated
your mind. "Here we are now, entertain us." With this album,
Nirvana does just that.
A Night at the
Opera
Artist: Queen
Year released: 1975
Peak chart position: 4
Essential songs:"Bohemian Rhapsody," "You're My Best Friend"
Why it matters: Yes, the album is over the top, operatic and theatrical,
but it rocks. At the time of its release, it was one of the most expensive
rock records ever made. "Bohemian Rhapsody" alone took nearly
three weeks to record.
Pet Sounds
Artist: Beach Boys
Year released: 1966
Peak chart position: 10
Essential songs:" Wouldn't It Be Nice," "God Only Knows"
Why it matters: It was a commercial bust when it was initially released,
but now many critics consider it a masterpiece. Brian Wilson's genius
lay in using complex overlapping vocals to produce a lush sound. Plus:
It was considered an important influence on The Beatles' "Sgt. Peppers
Lonely Hearts Club Band."