300 Greatest Rock Albums Of All Time

album covers for Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band and Pet Sounds
Criteria: These Greatest Rock Albums were chosen for their Acclaim, Popularity, and Influence weighted equally. This list includes 'Studio', 'Live', and 'Soundtrack' albums.

Last Updated: 2022-11-19
Greatest Rock Albums
  1. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967) - The Beatles
  2. Pet Sounds (1966) - The Beach Boys
  3. Revolver (1966) - The Beatles
  4. What's Going On (1971) - Marvin Gaye
  5. Thriller (1982) - Michael Jackson
  6. Rubber Soul (1965) - The Beatles
  7. Dark Side Of The Moon (1973) - Pink Floyd
  8. Nevermind (1991) - Nirvana
  9. Live at the Apollo (1963) - James Brown
10. Are You Experienced? (1967) - Jimi Hendrix
11. Highway 61 Revisited (1965) - Bob Dylan
12. Elvis Presley (1956) - Elvis Presley
13. Blonde On Blonde (1966) - Bob Dylan
14. Abbey Road (1969) - The Beatles
15. It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back (1988) - Public Enemy
16. London Calling (1979) - The Clash
17. Born To Run (1975) - Bruce Springsteen
18. Purple Rain (1984) - Prince
19. The Joshua Tree (1987) - U2
20. Songs In The Key Of Life (1976) - Stevie Wonder
21. Led Zeppelin IV (1971) - Led Zeppelin
22. Who's Next (1971) - The Who
23. The Beatles (The White Album) (1968) - The Beatles
24. Exile On Main Street (1972) - The Rolling Stones
25. Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music (1962) - Ray Charles
26. Innervisions (1973) - Stevie Wonder
27. I Never Loved A Man the Way I Love You (1967) - Aretha Franklin
28. Led Zeppelin II (1969) - Led Zeppelin
29. Rumours (1977) - Fleetwood Mac
30. Raising Hell (1986) - Run-D.M.C.
31. Tommy (1969) - The Who
32. Blue (1971) - Joni Mitchell
33. Tapestry (1971) - Carole King
34. Paranoid (1970) - Black Sabbath
35. The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars (1972) - David Bowie
36. There's a Riot Goin' On (1971) - Sly & the Family Stone
37. The Doors (1967) - The Doors
38. Bringing It All Back Home (1965) - Bob Dylan
39. The Velvet Underground & Nico (1967) - The Velvet Underground & Nico
40. Ten (1991) - Pearl Jam
41. OK Computer (1997) - Radiohead
42. Born in the USA (1984) - Bruce Springsteen
43. Back in Black (1980) - AC/DC
44. Blood on the Tracks (1975) - Bob Dylan
45. Off the Wall (1979) - Michael Jackson
46. Saturday Night Fever (1977) - The Bee Gees and various artists
47. The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill (1998) - Lauryn Hill
48. Licensed to Ill (1986) - Beastie Boys
49. Straight Outta Compton (1988) - N.W.A
50. Led Zeppelin (1969) - Led Zeppelin
51. Let It Bleed (1969) - The Rolling Stones
52. Never Mind the Bollocks... Here's the Sex Pistols (1977) - Sex Pistols
53. Electric Ladyland (1968) - The Jimi Hendrix Experience
54. Hotel California (1976) - Eagles
55. The Marshall Mathers LP (2000) - Eminem
56. The Chronic (1992) - Dr. Dre
57. Appetite For Destruction (1987) - Guns N' Roses
58. To Pimp a Butterfly (2015) - Kendrick Lamar
59. My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (2010) - Kanye West
60. Automatic for the People (1992) - R.E.M.
61. Achtung Baby (1991) - U2
62. Stankonia (2000) - Outkast
63. Otis Blue/Otis Redding Sings Soul (1965) - Otis Redding
64. Murmur (1983) - R.E.M.
65. Metallica (The Black Album) (1991) - Metallica
66. The Wall (1979) - Pink Floyd
67. Bridge over Troubled Water (1970) - Simon & Garfunkel
68. Ramones (1976) - Ramones
69. After the Gold Rush (1970) - Neil Young
70. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (1973) - Elton John
71. Synchronicity (1983) - The Police
72. A Hard Day's Night (1964) - The Beatles
73. Disraeli Gears (1967) - Cream
74. Astral Weeks (1968) - Van Morrison
75. Beggars Banquet (1968) - The Rolling Stones
76. The College Dropout (2004) - Kanye West
77. The Blueprint (2001) - Jay-Z
78. Kid A (2000) - Radiohead
79. Jagged Little Pill (1995) - Alanis Morissette
80. Master of Puppets (1986) - Metallica
81. Graceland (1986) - Paul Simon
82. Remain in Light (1980) - Talking Heads
83. The Clash (1977) - The Clash
84. 3 Feet High and Rising (1989) - De La Soul
85. John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band (1970) - John Lennon
86. Superfly (1972) - Curtis Mayfield
87. Talking Book (1972) - Stevie Wonder
88. Sticky Fingers (1971) - The Rolling Stones
89. 1999 (1982) - Prince
90. Run-D.M.C. (1984) - Run-D.M.C.
91. Control (1986) - Janet Jackson
92. Van Halen (1978) - Van Halen
93. Moondance (1970) - Van Morrison
94. A Night at the Opera (1975) - Queen
95. The "Chirping" Crickets (1957) - Crickets
96. Here's Little Richard (1957) - Little Richard
97. Speakerboxxx/The Love Below (2003) - Outkast
98. Horses (1975) - Patti Smith
99. good kid, M.A.A.D city (2012) - Kendrick Lamar
100. Dookie (1994) - Green Day

101. (What's the Story) Morning Glory? (1995) - Oasis
102. The Queen Is Dead (1986) - The Smiths
103. Ready to Die (1994) - The Notorious B.I.G.
104. Blood Sugar Sex Magik (1991) - Red Hot Chili Peppers
105. Harvest (1972) - Neil Young
106. The Number of the Beast (1982) - Iron Maiden
107. Machine Head (1972) - Deep Purple
108. Live at Leeds (1970) - The Who
109. Black Sabbath (1970) - Black Sabbath
110. The Band (1969) - The Band
111. Please Please Me (1963) - The Beatles
112. The Downward Spiral (1994) - Nine Inch Nails
113. The Score (1996) - Fugees
114. Like a Virgin (1984) - Madonna
115. Illmatic (1994) - Nas
116. Stand! (1969) - Sly & The Family Stone
117. In The Court of the Crimson King (1969) - King Crimson
118. This Year's Model (1978) - Elvis Costello
119. Sign o' the Times (1987) - Prince
120. American Idiot (2004) - Green Day
121. Daydream Nation (1988) - Sonic Youth
122. In Utero (1993) - Nirvana
123. Enter The Wu-Tang (1993) - Wu-Tang Clan
124. Paid in Full (1987) - Eric B. & Rakim
125. Rage Against The Machine (1992) - Rage Against The Machine
126. The Low End Theory (1991) - A Tribe Called Quest
127. Elephant (2003) - The White Stripes
128. Bo Diddley (1958) - Bo Diddley
129. Radio (1985) - LL Cool J
130. Axis: Bold as Love (1967) - The Jimi Hendrix Experience
131. Surrealistic Pillow (1967) - Jefferson Airplane
132. Music from Big Pink (1968) - The Band
133. Lady Soul (1968) - Aretha Franklin
134. FutureSex/LoveSounds (2006) - Justin Timberlake
135. Is This It (2001) - The Strokes
136. Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness (1995) - The Smashing Pumpkins
137. Superunknown (1994) - Soundgarden
138. Hot Buttered Soul (1969) - Isaac Hayes
139. At Last! (1960) - Etta James
140. Doolittle (1989) - Pixies
141. 21 (2011) - Adele
142. 1989 (2014) - Taylor Swift
143. Mr. Tambourine Man (1965) - The Byrds
144. Boston (1976) - Boston
145. MTV Unplugged in New York (1994) - Nirvana
146. Rio (1982) - Duran Duran
147. Bat Out of Hell (1977) - Meat Loaf
148. Lemonade (2016) - Beyonce
149. Channel Orange (2012) - Frank Ocean
150. Parallel Lines (1978) - Blondie
151. My Aim Is True (1977) - Elvis Costello
152. Marquee Moon (1977) - Television
153. Brothers in Arms (1985) - Dire Straits
154. 1984 (1984) - Van Halen
155. CrazySexyCool (1994) - TLC
156. Siamese Dream (1993) - The Smashing Pumpkins
157. All Eyez On Me (1996) - 2pac
158. Paul's Boutique (1989) - Beastie Boys
159. Bad (1987) - Michael Jackson
160. If You Can Believe Your Eyes and Ears (1966) - The Mamas & the Papas
161. Whitney Houston (1985) - Whitney Houston
162. Cosmo's Factory (1970) - Creedence Clearwater Revival
163. Deja Vu (1970) - Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
164. Trans-Europe Express (1977) - Kraftwerk
165. One Nation Under a Groove (1978) - Funkadelic
166. Sweetheart of the Rodeo (1968) - The Byrds
167. Curtis (1970) - Curtis Mayfield
168. Kick Out the Jams (1969) - MC5
169. Low (1977) - David Bowie
170. Dare (1981) - The Human League
171. The Slim Shady LP (1999) - Eminem
172. Green River (1969) - Creedence Clearwater Revival
173. Late Registration (2005) - Kanye West
174. Beauty and the Beat (1981) - The Go-Go's
175. Mothership Connection (1975) - Parliament
176. Dirt (1992) - Alice in Chains
177. Fear of a Black Planet (1990) - Public Enemy
178. Weezer (The Blue Album) (1994) - Weezer
179. Exodus (1977) - Bob Marley & the Wailers
180. Damn (2017) - Kendrick Lamar
181. Definitely Maybe (1994) - Oasis
182. Out of Time (1991) - R.E.M.
183. Aquemini (1998) - Outkast
184. Days of Future Passed (1967) - Moody Blues
185. Something Else by the Kinks (1967) - The Kinks
186. Life After Death (1997) - The Notorious B.I.G.
187. War (1983) - U2
188. Like a Prayer (1986) - Madonna
189. That's the Way of the World (1975) - Earth, Wind & Fire
190. Come Away With Me (2002) - Norah Jones
191. Songs In A Minor (2001) - Alicia Keys
192. Let's Get It On (1973) - Marvin Gaye
193. Beyoncé (2014) - Beyoncé
194. A Rush of Blood to the Head (2002) - Coldplay
195. Tha Carter lll (2008) - Lil Wayne
196. The Fame (2008) - Lady Gaga
197. Call Me (1973) - Al Green
198. The Unforgettable Fire (1984) - U2
199. Me Against the World (1995) - 2pac
200. Closer (1980) - Joy Division

201. Unknown Pleasures (1979) - Joy Division
202. Bookends (1968) - Simon & Garfunkel
203. Crosby, Stills & Nash (1969) - Crosby, Stills & Nash
204. Wish You Were Here (1975) - Pink Floyd
205. Rhythm Nation 1814 (1989) - Janet Jackson
206. The Bends - (1995) - Radiohead
207. All Things Must Pass (1970) - George Harrison
208. Grace (1994) - Jeff Buckley
209. So (1986) - Peter Gabriel
210. Odelay (1996) - Beck
211. Doggystyle (1993) - Snoop Doggy Dogg
212. Catch a Fire (1973) - Bob Marley and the Wailers
213. Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs (1970) - Derek and the Dominos
214. Funeral (2004) - Arcade Fire
215. The Piper at the Gates of Dawn (1967) - Pink Floyd
216. LA Woman (1971) - The Doors
217. Hunky Dory (1971) - David Bowie
218. Use Your Illusion I (1991) - Guns N' Roses
219. Use Your Illusion II (1991) - Guns N' Roses
220. Random Access Memories (2013) - Daft Punk
221. Take Care (2011) - Drake
222. At Fillmore East (1971) - The Allman Brothers Band
223. Imagine (1971) - John Lennon
224. Physical Graffiti (1975) - Led Zeppelin
225. Back to Black (2006) - Amy Winehouse
226. Magical Mystery Tour (1967) - The Beatles
227. In Rainbows (2007) - Radiohead
228. Quadrophenia (1973) - The Who
229. (Pronounced 'Leh-'nérd 'Skin-'nérd) (1973) - Lynyrd Skynyrd
230. Blonde (2016) - Frank Ocean
231. Blackstar (2016) - David Bowie
232. The Suburbs (2011) - Arcade Fire
233. The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society (1968) - The Kinks
234. Cheap Thrills (1968) - Big Brother and the Holding Company
235. Trout Mask Replica (1969) - Captain Beefheart and His Magic Band
236. Dusty in Memphis (1969) - Dusty Springfield
237. Forever Changes (1967) - Love
238. Bad Girls (1979) - Donna Summer
239. The Ice Man Cometh (1968) - Jerry Butler
240. Californication (1999) - Red Hot Chili Peppers
241. Rain Dogs (1985) - Tom Waits
242. Vs (1993) - Pearl Jam
243. Abraxas (1970) - Santana
244. Hysteria (1987) - Def Leppard
245. Slippery When Wet (1986) - Bon Jovi
246. Elvis Is Back! (1960) - Elvis Presley
247. Disintegration (1989) - The Cure
248. Fulfillingness' First Finale (1974) - Stevie Wonder
249. Pearl (1971) - Janis Joplin
250. Court and Spark (1974) - Joni Mitchell
251. From Elvis In Memphis (1969) - Elvis Presley
252. Let It Be (1970) - The Beatles
253. Tracy Chapman (1988) - Tracy Chapman
254. Hounds of Love (1985) - Kate Bush
255. The River (1980) - Bruce Springsteen
256. The Message (1982) - Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five
257. Violator (1990) - Depeche Mode
258. Baduizm (1997) - Erykah Badu
259. Ill Communication (1994) - Beastie Boys
260. The Temptations Sing Smokey (1965) - The Temptations
261. Going To a Go-Go (1965) - Smokey Robinson and the Miracles
262. Green Onions (1962) - Booker T. and the MG's
263. Highway to Hell (1979) - AC/DC
264. Aenima (1996) - Tool
265. Unplugged (1992) - Eric Clapton
266. Wheels Of Fire (1968) - Cream
267. The Stone Roses (1989) - The Stone Roses
268. Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere (1969) - Neil Young and Crazy Horse
269. Captain Fantastic & The Brown Dirt Cowboy (1975) - Elton John
270. She's So Unusual (1983) - Cyndi Lauper
271. American Beauty (1970) - Grateful Dead
272. Pretenders (1979) - Pretenders
273. The Stranger (1977) - Billy Joel
274. Urban Hymns (1997) - The Verve
275. Darkness on the Edge of Town (1978) - Bruce Springsteen
276. Help! (1965) - The Beatles
277. Faith (1987) - George Michael
278. Odessey and Oracle (1968) - The Zombies
279. Nothing's Shocking (1988) - Jane's Addiction
280. Ray of Light (1998) - Madonna
281. Risqué (1979) - Chic
282. Freak Out! (1966) - The Mothers of Invention
283. Fragile (1971) - Yes
284. Aqualung (1971) - Jethro Tull
285. Red (2012) - Taylor Swift
286. Get Rich or Die Tryin' (2003) - 50 Cent
287. The Eminem Show (2002) - Eminem
288. Toys in the Attic (1975) - Aerosmith
289. Blue Lines (1991) - Massive Attack
290. Daydream (1994) - Mariah Carey
291. Band on the Run (1973) - Paul McCartney and Wings
292. The Beach Boys Today! (1965) - The Beach Boys
293. Young, Gifted & Black (1972) - Aretha Franklin
294. Deep Purple in Rock (1970) - Deep Purple
295. Fun House (1970) - Iggy Pop & the Stooges
296. Reign in Blood (1986) - Slayer
297. Ace of Spades (1980) - Motörhead
298. A Christmas Gift for You from Phil Spector (1963) - various artists
299. We're Only in It for the Money (1968) - The Mothers of Invention
300. Maggot Brain (1971) - Funkadelic



Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band album cover

Pet Sounds album cover

What's Going On album cover

Dark Side Of The Moon album cover

Revolver album cover

Live at the Apollo album cover

Highway 61 Revisited album cover

Thriller album cover














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