Greatest Rock Albums of All Time (Revision Version)

[Zach]

GPT proceeds to give examples of previous non-rock albums, thus proving Sampson's point.

I wouldn't say that. Samp's claim was that nobody understood the album as a unified creative exercise before LatA. In the rock context specifically, it would need to be demonstrated that rock artists started treating albums as cohesive artistic statements because of LatA, and there doesn't seem to be much at all to substantiate that. The album is cohesive because it documents a continuous concert, not because it pioneered the studio-album-as-art approach later associated with records like Rubber Soul or Pet Sounds.

[Zach]

Also, nothing personal against Sampson--he hasn't posted here in years--but those of us who've been on the forum for a long time probably remember that he often had a tendency to romanticize certain artists or records while presenting the conclusions as fully objective. After 20+ years here, that pattern was pretty apparent to me, along with a habit of framing his interpretations as authoritative. He's undoubtedly a gifted and passionate writer and music history buff, and I respect that; I just think it's important to fact-check his claims because, while they're clearly rooted in deep knowledge of the music, they often involve a fair amount of interpretation and occasionally push the historical case further than the evidence really supports. Even tools like ChatGPT--imperfect as they are--are still pretty good for a quick bit of historical context.

[ManPerson]

GPT proceeds to give examples of previous non-rock albums, thus proving Sampson's point.

I wouldn't say that. Samp's claim was that nobody understood the album as a unified creative exercise before LatA. In the rock context specifically, it would need to be demonstrated that rock artists started treating albums as cohesive artistic statements because of LatA, and there doesn't seem to be much at all to substantiate that. The album is cohesive because it documents a continuous concert, not because it pioneered the studio-album-as-art approach later associated with records like Rubber Soul or Pet Sounds.

That's a good point, actually. Just because both are meant to be continuous works of art, it seems disingenuous to trace a direct line between a recording of a live performance and something like Sgt. Pepper or Pet Sounds. I think it's still highly influential, but I also don't think it necessarily needs to be any higher than it is right now.

[Tim]

What's Going On has only grown in stature, topping the last RS list and you guys want to move it down? I'd have it over Revolver honestly, like it used to be. It was like the Sgt. Pepper's for black artists.

It's true that What's Going On's stature has been on a raise which I guess does make my call for moving it down a bit a little awkward but album's stature (acclaim) is only one part of criteria. My argument was more from standpoint that we overremphasize acclaim and underremphasize popularity when it comes to these lists' top spots.

[ManPerson]

How about this?
1. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967) - The Beatles
2. Pet Sounds (1966) - The Beach Boys
3. Revolver (1966) - The Beatles
4. Thriller (1982) - Michael Jackson
5. What's Going On (1971) - Marvin Gaye
6. Nevermind (1991) - Nirvana
7. Rubber Soul (1965) - The Beatles
8. Dark Side Of The Moon (1973) - Pink Floyd

[Tim]

I was thinking:

1. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967) - The Beatles
2. Pet Sounds (1966) - The Beach Boys
3. Revolver (1966) - The Beatles
4. Thriller (1982) - Michael Jackson
5. Nevermind (1991) - Nirvana
6. What's Going On (1971) - Marvin Gaye
7. Dark Side of the Moon (1973) - Pink Floyd
8. Rubber Soul (1965) - The Beatles
9. Live at the Apollo (1963) - James Brown
10. Are You Experienced? (1967) - The Jimi Hendrix Experience

[ManPerson]

Nevermind vs What's Going On
Influence: What's Going On
Acclaim: What's Going On close
Popularity: Nevermind fairly easily

I guess I could go either way

Rubber Soul vs Dark Side
Influence: Rubber Soul fairly easily
Acclaim: Close
Popularity: Dark Side fairly easily

I could also go either way

[Tim]

I'd give Nevermind a lot of credit in influence though with it being such a big break for more hard rock/punk-influenced side of alt rock.

[ManPerson]

Maybe...
1. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967) - The Beatles
2. Pet Sounds (1966) - The Beach Boys
3. Revolver (1966) - The Beatles
4. Thriller (1982) - Michael Jackson
5. Nevermind (1991) - Nirvana
6. What's Going On (1971) - Marvin Gaye
7. Rubber Soul (1965) - The Beatles
8. Dark Side of the Moon (1973) - Pink Floyd
9. Live at the Apollo (1963) - James Brown
10. Are You Experienced? (1967) - The Jimi Hendrix Experience

[Dubrow555]

Is Thriller > Revolver out of the question??

[ManPerson]

I think Revolver takes acclaim and influence for sure, so I'd rather keep it ahead.

[Tim]

I'd say

Influence: Revolver clearly
Acclaim: Revolver clearly
Popularity: Thriller easily

Close but I do feel Revolver is a more well-rounded album by criteria

[Tim]

Leaving the top 10 aside for a min, attempt at full top 300 revision according to Man's suggestions in this thread (and some independent moves):

1. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967) - The Beatles
2. Pet Sounds (1966) - The Beach Boys
3. Revolver (1966) - The Beatles
4. Thriller (1982) - Michael Jackson
5. Nevermind (1991) - Nirvana
6. What's Going On (1971) - Marvin Gaye
7. Rubber Soul (1965) - The Beatles
8. Dark Side of the Moon (1973) - Pink Floyd
9. Live at the Apollo (1963) - James Brown
10. Are You Experienced? (1967) - The Jimi Hendrix Experience
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. Back in Black (1980) - AC/DC
33. Appetite for Destruction (1987) - Guns N' Roses
34. Paranoid (1970) - Black Sabbath
35. The Velvet Underground & Nico (1967) - The Velvet Underground & Nico
36. OK Computer (1997) - Radiohead
37. Ten (1991) - Pearl Jam
38. Saturday Night Fever (1977) - The Bee Gees and various artists
39. The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill (1998) - Lauryn Hill
40. There's a Riot Goin' On (1971) - Sly & the Family Stone
41. Tapestry (1971) - Carole King
42. Blue (1971) - Joni Mitchell
43. The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars (1972) - David Bowie
44. The Doors (1967) - The Doors
45. Bringing It All Back Home (1965) - Bob Dylan
46. Born in the USA (1984) - Bruce Springsteen
47. Blood on the Tracks (1975) - Bob Dylan
48. Off the Wall (1979) - Michael Jackson
49. Licensed to Ill (1986) - Beastie Boys
50. Straight Outta Compton (1988) - N.W.A
51. Led Zeppelin (1969) - Led Zeppelin
52. My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (2010) - Kanye West
53. Let It Bleed (1969) - The Rolling Stones
54. Never Mind the Bollocks... Here's the Sex Pistols (1977) - Sex Pistols
55. Electric Ladyland (1968) - The Jimi Hendrix Experience
56. Hotel California (1976) - Eagles
57. The Marshall Mathers LP (2000) - Eminem
58. The Chronic (1992) - Dr. Dre
59. Master of Puppets (1986) - Metallica
60. To Pimp a Butterfly (2015) - Kendrick Lamar
61. Automatic for the People (1992) - R.E.M.
62. Achtung Baby (1991) - U2
63. Stankonia (2000) - Outkast
64. Otis Blue/Otis Redding Sings Soul (1965) - Otis Redding
65. Murmur (1983) - R.E.M.
66. Metallica (The Black Album) (1991) - Metallica
67. The Wall (1979) - Pink Floyd
68. Bridge over Troubled Water (1970) - Simon & Garfunkel
69. Ramones (1976) - Ramones
70. After the Gold Rush (1970) - Neil Young
71. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (1973) - Elton John
72. Synchronicity (1983) - The Police
73. A Hard Day's Night (1964) - The Beatles
74. Disraeli Gears (1967) - Cream
75. Astral Weeks (1968) - Van Morrison
76. Beggars Banquet (1968) - The Rolling Stones
77. The College Dropout (2004) - Kanye West
78. Illmatic (1994) - Nas
79. The Blueprint (2001) - Jay-Z
80. Paid in Full (1987) - Eric B. & Rakim
81. Kid A (2000) - Radiohead
82. Jagged Little Pill (1995) - Alanis Morissette
83. Graceland (1986) - Paul Simon
84. Remain in Light (1980) - Talking Heads
85. The Clash (1977) - The Clash
86. 3 Feet High and Rising (1989) - De La Soul
87. John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band (1970) - John Lennon
88. Superfly (1972) - Curtis Mayfield
89. Talking Book (1972) - Stevie Wonder
90. Sticky Fingers (1971) - The Rolling Stones
91. 1999 (1982) - Prince
92. Run-D.M.C. (1984) - Run-D.M.C.
93. Control (1986) - Janet Jackson
94. Van Halen (1978) - Van Halen
95. The Low End Theory (1991) - A Tribe Called Quest
96. Moondance (1970) - Van Morrison
97. A Night at the Opera (1975) - Queen
98. The "Chirping" Crickets (1957) - Crickets
99. Enter The Wu-Tang (1993) - Wu-Tang Clan
100. Here's Little Richard (1957) - Little Richard
101. Back to Black (2006) - Amy Winehouse
102. Speakerboxxx/The Love Below (2003) - Outkast
103. Horses (1975) - Patti Smith
104. good kid, M.A.A.D city (2012) - Kendrick Lamar
105. Dookie (1994) - Green Day
106. (What's the Story) Morning Glory? (1995) - Oasis
107. Beyoncé (2014) - Beyoncé
108. The Queen Is Dead (1986) - The Smiths
109. Ready to Die (1994) - The Notorious B.I.G.
110. Blood Sugar Sex Magik (1991) - Red Hot Chili Peppers
111. Harvest (1972) - Neil Young
112. The Number of the Beast (1982) - Iron Maiden
113. Machine Head (1972) - Deep Purple
114. Live at Leeds (1970) - The Who
115. Black Sabbath (1970) - Black Sabbath
116. The Band (1969) - The Band
117. Please Please Me (1963) - The Beatles
118. The Downward Spiral (1994) - Nine Inch Nails
119. The Score (1996) - Fugees
120. Like a Virgin (1984) - Madonna
121. Stand! (1969) - Sly & The Family Stone
122. In The Court of the Crimson King (1969) - King Crimson
123. This Year's Model (1978) - Elvis Costello
124. Sign o' the Times (1987) - Prince
125. American Idiot (2004) - Green Day
126. Daydream Nation (1988) - Sonic Youth
127. In Utero (1993) - Nirvana
128. Rage Against The Machine (1992) - Rage Against The Machine
129. The Fame/The Fame Monster - Lady Gaga (2008; 2009)
130. FutureSex/LoveSounds (2006) - Justin Timberlake
131. Bo Diddley (1958) - Bo Diddley
132. Radio (1985) - LL Cool J
133. Axis: Bold as Love (1967) - The Jimi Hendrix Experience
134. Surrealistic Pillow (1967) - Jefferson Airplane
135. Music from Big Pink (1968) - The Band
136. Lady Soul (1968) - Aretha Franklin
137. Is This It (2001) - The Strokes
138. Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness (1995) - The Smashing Pumpkins
139. Superunknown (1994) - Soundgarden
140. Hot Buttered Soul (1969) - Isaac Hayes
141. Elephant (2003) - The White Stripes
142. At Last! (1960) - Etta James
143. Doolittle (1989) - Pixies
144. 21 (2011) - Adele
145. 1989 (2014) - Taylor Swift
146. Mr. Tambourine Man (1965) - The Byrds
147. Boston (1976) - Boston
148. MTV Unplugged in New York (1994) - Nirvana
149. Rio (1982) - Duran Duran
150. Bat Out of Hell (1977) - Meat Loaf
151. Take Care (2011) - Drake
152. Lemonade (2016) - Beyonce
153. Parallel Lines (1978) - Blondie
154. My Aim Is True (1977) - Elvis Costello
155. Marquee Moon (1977) - Television
156. Brothers in Arms (1985) - Dire Straits
157. 1984 (1984) - Van Halen
158. CrazySexyCool (1994) - TLC
159. Siamese Dream (1993) - The Smashing Pumpkins
160. All Eyez On Me (1996) - 2pac
161. Paul's Boutique (1989) - Beastie Boys
162. Bad (1987) - Michael Jackson
163. If You Can Believe Your Eyes and Ears (1966) - The Mamas & the Papas
164. Whitney Houston (1985) - Whitney Houston
165. Cosmo's Factory (1970) - Creedence Clearwater Revival
166. Deja Vu (1970) - Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
167. Trans-Europe Express (1977) - Kraftwerk
168. One Nation Under a Groove (1978) - Funkadelic
169. Sweetheart of the Rodeo (1968) - The Byrds
170. Curtis (1970) - Curtis Mayfield
171. Kick Out the Jams (1969) - MC5
172. Low (1977) - David Bowie
173. Dare (1981) - The Human League
174. The Slim Shady LP (1999) - Eminem
175. Green River (1969) - Creedence Clearwater Revival
176. Late Registration (2005) - Kanye West
177. Beauty and the Beat (1981) - The Go-Go's
178. Mothership Connection (1975) - Parliament
179. Dirt (1992) - Alice in Chains
180. Fear of a Black Planet (1990) - Public Enemy
181. Weezer (The Blue Album) (1994) - Weezer
182. Exodus (1977) - Bob Marley & the Wailers
183. Channel Orange (2012) - Frank Ocean
184. Blonde (2016) - Frank Ocean
185. Damn (2017) - Kendrick Lamar
186. Definitely Maybe (1994) - Oasis
187. Out of Time (1991) - R.E.M.
188. Aquemini (1998) - Outkast
189. Days of Future Passed (1967) - Moody Blues
190. Something Else by the Kinks (1967) - The Kinks
191. Life After Death (1997) - The Notorious B.I.G.
192. War (1983) - U2
193. Like a Prayer (1989) - Madonna
194. That's the Way of the World (1975) - Earth, Wind & Fire
195. Let's Get It On (1973) - Marvin Gaye
196. A Rush of Blood to the Head (2002) - Coldplay
197. Tha Carter lll (2008) - Lil Wayne
198. Call Me (1973) - Al Green
199. The Unforgettable Fire (1984) - U2
200. Me Against the World (1995) - 2pac
201. Closer (1980) - Joy Division
202. Disintegration (1989) - The Cure
203. Unknown Pleasures (1979) - Joy Division
204. Bookends (1968) - Simon & Garfunkel
205. Crosby, Stills & Nash (1969) - Crosby, Stills & Nash
206. Wish You Were Here (1975) - Pink Floyd
207. Rhythm Nation 1814 (1989) - Janet Jackson
208. The Bends - (1995) - Radiohead
209. All Things Must Pass (1970) - George Harrison
210. Grace (1994) - Jeff Buckley
211. So (1986) - Peter Gabriel
212. Odelay (1996) - Beck
213. Doggystyle (1993) - Snoop Doggy Dogg
214. Catch a Fire (1973) - Bob Marley and the Wailers
215. Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs (1970) - Derek and the Dominos
216. The Piper at the Gates of Dawn (1967) - Pink Floyd
217. LA Woman (1971) - The Doors
218. Hunky Dory (1971) - David Bowie
219. Use Your Illusion I (1991) - Guns N' Roses
220. Use Your Illusion II (1991) - Guns N' Roses
221. Born to Die - Lana Del Ray (2012)
222. Random Access Memories (2013) - Daft Punk
223. At Fillmore East (1971) - The Allman Brothers Band
224. Imagine (1971) - John Lennon
225. Physical Graffiti (1975) - Led Zeppelin
226. Magical Mystery Tour (1967) - The Beatles
227. 808s & Heartbreak (2008) - Kanye West
228. Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not (2006) - Arctic Monkeys
229. In Rainbows (2007) - Radiohead
230. Quadrophenia (1973) - The Who
231. (Pronounced 'Leh-'nérd 'Skin-'nérd) (1973) - Lynyrd Skynyrd
232. The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society (1968) - The Kinks
233. Cheap Thrills (1968) - Big Brother and the Holding Company
234. Trout Mask Replica (1969) - Captain Beefheart and His Magic Band
235. Funeral (2004) - Arcade Fire
236. Dusty in Memphis (1969) - Dusty Springfield
237. Graduation (2007) - Kanye West
238. Forever Changes (1967) - Love
239. Bad Girls (1979) - Donna Summer
240. The Ice Man Cometh (1968) - Jerry Butler
241. Californication (1999) - Red Hot Chili Peppers
242. Rain Dogs (1985) - Tom Waits
243. Vs (1993) - Pearl Jam
244. Abraxas (1970) - Santana
245. Hysteria (1987) - Def Leppard
246. Slippery When Wet (1986) - Bon Jovi
247. Elvis Is Back! (1960) - Elvis Presley
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. When We All Fall Asleep Where Do We Go (2019) - Billie Eilish
272. American Beauty (1970) - Grateful Dead
273. Pretenders (1979) - Pretenders
274. The Stranger (1977) - Billy Joel
275. Urban Hymns (1997) - The Verve
276. Darkness on the Edge of Town (1978) - Bruce Springsteen
277. Help! (1965) - The Beatles
278. Faith (1987) - George Michael
279. Odessey and Oracle (1968) - The Zombies
280. AM (2013) - Arctic Monkeys
281. Nothing's Shocking (1988) - Jane's Addiction
282. Ray of Light (1998) - Madonna
283. Anti (2016) - Rihanna
284. Risqué (1979) - Chic
285. Freak Out! (1966) - The Mothers of Invention
286. Fragile (1971) - Yes
287. Aqualung (1971) - Jethro Tull
288. Red (2012) - Taylor Swift
289. Blackstar (2016) - David Bowie
290. Come Away With Me (2002) - Norah Jones
291. Songs In A Minor (2001) - Alicia Keys
292. Get Rich or Die Tryin' (2003) - 50 Cent
293. The Eminem Show (2002) - Eminem
294. Toys in the Attic (1975) - Aerosmith
295. Blue Lines (1991) - Massive Attack
296. Daydream (1994) - Mariah Carey
297. Band on the Run (1973) - Paul McCartney and Wings
298. The Beach Boys Today! (1965) - The Beach Boys
299. Young, Gifted & Black (1972) - Aretha Franklin
300. Deep Purple in Rock (1970) - Deep Purple

[ManPerson]

You have Late Registration listed twice.

[Tim]

My bad, fixed.

[ManPerson]

Ten looks a bit high now. I don't think it needs to be ahead of There's a Riot Goin' On, Blue, Bringing it All Back Home, Ziggy Stardust, etc.