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Lovely rock

Classic rock masterpieces: a roundup of must-listen albums

If you don’t usually listen to Western rock music, you might be thinking, “I want to give it a try, but I don’t know where to start,” and feel a bit stuck.

For those people, I recommend starting with the can’t-miss albums that have long been regarded as “classic masterpieces” in the rock scene.

In this article, we’ll introduce a host of landmark albums that have left their mark on rock history all at once.

From albums by legendary rock bands to records packed with songs everyone has heard at least once, we’ve gathered a wide range.

Use this as a guide and take your first steps into the world of Western rock.

Playlist

Classic rock masterpieces: a roundup of must-listen albums
show_chartTitlePlaylistReview
1eastAppetite for DestructionGuns N’ Roses
Appetite for DestructionGuns N' Rosesplay_arrow
Guns N’ Roses’ masterful debut
2eastNevermindNirvana
NevermindNirvanaplay_arrow
The appeal of Nirvana’s classic album Nevermind
3eastAbbey RoadThe Beatles
Abbey RoadThe Beatlesplay_arrow
The Beatles’ masterpiece, the Abbey Road edition
4eastThe Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from MarsDavid Bowie
The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from MarsDavid Bowieplay_arrow
David Bowie's signature work Ziggy Stardust
5eastNever Mind the Bollocks, Here’s the Sex PistolsSEX PISTOLS
Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex PistolsSEX PISTOLSplay_arrow
Legendary punk music album
6east(What’s the Story) Morning Glory?Oasis
(What's the Story) Morning Glory?Oasisplay_arrow
Oasis’s classic album (What’s the Story) Morning Glory?
7eastBack in BlackAC/DC
Back in BlackAC/DCplay_arrow
AC/DC’s iconic song about overcoming adversity
8eastThe Dark Side of the MoonPink Floyd
The Dark Side of the MoonPink Floydplay_arrow
Introduction to Pink Floyd's classic albums
9eastIn The Court Of The Crimson KingKing Crimson
In The Court Of The Crimson KingKing Crimsonplay_arrow
King Crimson’s masterful debut album
10eastExile on Main StreetThe Rolling Stones
Exile on Main StreetThe Rolling Stonesplay_arrow
The Stones’ masterpiece album, an immortal classic
11eastWho’s NextThe Who
Who’s NextThe Whoplay_arrow
The allure and history of The Who’s classic album Who’s Next
12eastBon JoviBon Jovi
Bon JoviBon Joviplay_arrow
Bon Jovi’s debut release is a huge hit
13eastThe Velvet Underground & NicoThe Velvet Underground
The Velvet Underground & NicoThe Velvet Undergroundplay_arrow
The Velvet Underground’s classic album
14eastDookieGreen Day
DookieGreen Dayplay_arrow
Green Day’s signature work, Dookie
15eastMeteoraLinkin Park
MeteoraLinkin Parkplay_arrow
An album of the evolutionary fusion of rock and hip-hop
16eastOK ComputerRadiohead
OK ComputerRadioheadplay_arrow
A Radiohead masterpiece. Social critique and innovative sound.
17eastBlood Sugar Sex MagikRed Hot Chili Peppers
Blood Sugar Sex MagikRed Hot Chili Peppersplay_arrow
Red Hot Chili Peppers' classic album
18eastCalifornicationRed Hot Chili Peppers
CalifornicationRed Hot Chili Peppersplay_arrow
Red Hot Chili Peppers’ signature work, Californication
19eastThe Joshua TreeU2
The Joshua TreeU2play_arrow
The allure of U2’s masterpiece, The Joshua Tree
20eastLed Zeppelin IVLed Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin IVLed Zeppelinplay_arrow
Led Zeppelin IV masterpiece classic
21eastPearlJanis Joplin
PearlJanis Joplinplay_arrow
Janis Joplin’s posthumous classic album, Pearl
22eastPet SoundsThe Beach Boys
Pet SoundsThe Beach Boysplay_arrow
The innovative nature of the Beach Boys’ masterpiece Pet Sounds
23eastAre You ExperiencedThe Jimi Hendrix Experience
Are You ExperiencedThe Jimi Hendrix Experienceplay_arrow
Hendrix’s innovative guitar shocks music history
24eastLondon CallingThe Clash
London CallingThe Clashplay_arrow
The Clash’s masterpiece album “London Calling”
25eastThe DoorsThe Doors
The DoorsThe Doorsplay_arrow
The Doors' debut is a masterpiece.
26eastClose To The EdgeYES
Close To The EdgeYESplay_arrow
A British progressive rock band, highly acclaimed for its innovative musicality
27eastGreatest HitsQueen
Greatest HitsQueenplay_arrow
A masterpiece by Queen, a gem that distills all their charm
28eastWheels of FireCream
Wheels of FireCreamplay_arrow
Cream’s masterpiece album “Wheels of Fire”
29eastWiredJeff Beck
WiredJeff Beckplay_arrow
Jeff Beck's 'Wired' is a masterpiece of fusion music
30eastMachine HeadDeep Purple
Machine HeadDeep Purpleplay_arrow
Deep Purple's classic album is powerful
31eastBest Of Volume 1Van Halen
Best Of Volume 1Van Halenplay_arrow
Van Halen Greatest Hits
32eastToys in the AtticAerosmith
Toys in the AtticAerosmithplay_arrow
Aerosmith masterpiece, hard rock revolution
33eastThe Very Best of Deep PurpleDeep Purple
The Very Best of Deep PurpleDeep Purpleplay_arrow
Deep Purple's Greatest Hits
34eastNews of the WorldQueen
News of the WorldQueenplay_arrow
A classic Queen album with a simple rock sound
35eastAjaSteely Dan
AjaSteely Danplay_arrow
Steely Dan’s masterpiece album “Aja”
36eastThe Freewheelin’ Bob DylanBob Dylan
The Freewheelin' Bob DylanBob Dylanplay_arrow
Dylan’s masterpiece that laid the foundation of folk music
37eastElvis PresleyElvis Presley
Elvis PresleyElvis Presleyplay_arrow
Elvis Presley's classic debut album
38eastMaster of PuppetsMetallica
Master of PuppetsMetallicaplay_arrow
Introducing Metallica’s masterpiece, Master of Puppets
39eastDestroyerKISS
DestroyerKISSplay_arrow
The appeal and evolution of Kiss’s classic album Destroyer
40eastTenPearl Jam
TenPearl Jamplay_arrow
Pearl Jam’s debut release was a huge hit
41eastBorn to RunBruce Springsteen
Born to RunBruce Springsteenplay_arrow
Bruce Springsteen’s masterpiece album “Born to Run”
42eastRumoursFleetwood Mac
RumoursFleetwood Macplay_arrow
Fleetwood Mac’s masterpiece album