07.10.2020
16:08
Life is too short to spend time listening to bad music
October 7, 2020 Share on FacebookShare Share on TwitterTweet Share on WhatsAppShare
Photo: Led-Zeppelin, file
Fueled by the success of The Byrds and the Beatles , in the mid-1960s, rock and roll went from mere youth dance music to a true art form, according to Simon CW Reynolds, author of Blissed Out: The Raptures of Rock .
The development of the genre not only helped music fans to take it more seriously, it also created the opportunity for critics to share their opinions on the albums with the world. It is the birth of rock criticism. Magazines like Crawdaddy! and Rolling Stone elevated rock singers to the status of ” seers and wise men ” who capture the spirit of the age in their lyrics and melodies.
Life is too short to spend time listening to bad music. The task of rock critics is to help listeners discover the best of the best. They act as gatekeepers, influencing what is played on the radio (today streaming services), while simultaneously solidifying a ” musician’s place in rock history ,” writes Kembrew McLeod in One and a Half Stars: A Critique of Rock Criticism . Y
Although critics may not always agree on a particular album, their opinions can give a pretty good idea when it comes to music. It’s an ideal place to start if you’re looking for, say, great rock albums from the last half century.
The Newsweek portal made a list of the 100 best rock albums of all time, according to the opinion of critics:
100. ‘The Futureheads’ / The Futureheads
@BrumHour
Although The Futureheads didn’t pay much attention to the typical verse-chorus-verse structure on their self-titled album, it still features tons of irresistibly catchy songs like “ Hounds of Love ” and “ Decent Days and Nights, ” for example.
99.’Feast of Wire ‘/ Calexico
The rugged and fascinating sounds of the southwestern desert come to life at Calexico’s “Feast of Wire ” . The album draws on a wide range of musical influences including surf-rock, jazz, mariachi, and even field recordings to create “an exceptionally broad range,” according to Eric Swedlund of The AV Club.
98. ‘Black Sheep Boy’ / Okkervil River
Okkervil River came close to giving up a year before releasing ” Black Sheep Boy .” Bankrupt and living in a van, the indie-rock band channeled all of their challenges into one final album, which was critically praised upon release, according to Consequence of Sound’s Nina Corcoran. Frontman Will Sheff’s hyperliterary lyrics received special praise from Kelefa Sanneh of The New York Times.
97. ‘We Used to Think the Freeway Sounded Like a River’ / Richmond Fontaine
Willy Vlautin, a Richmond Fontaine lyricist and singer, used his novelist skills to paint compelling portraits in “We Used to Think the Freeway Sounded Like a River .” While this alternative rock record isn’t necessarily a masterpiece, it does have flashes of brilliance, according to David Gassmann of PopMatters.
96. ‘LCD Soundsystem’ / LCD Soundsystem
LCD Soundsystem earned a Grammy nomination for their debut studio album. Tom Ridge of Neumu wrote that the record was “at its maximum freshness ” with a sound that can be described as “bare wires, exposed work, pre- engineered for maximum accessibility .”
95. ‘Sno Angel Like You’ / Howe Gelb
Howe Gelb recruited the Canadian gospel choir Voices of Praise for ” Sno Angel Like You .” It’s not a gospel album though: the pop-rock record is “slick, loose … humble ” with infectious tracks and upbeat, gritty blues sounds, according to AllMusic’s Thom Jurek.
94. ‘Thunder, Lightning, Strike’ / The Go! Team
For their debut album ” Thunder, Lightning, Strike “, The Go! Team captured ideas and samples on cassette with a low-fidelity four-track recorder and gave each one a ” pretty awesome title .” The album was ranked number 8 on Pitchfork’s 2004 Best Albums list.
93. ‘You Forgot It in People’ / Broken Social Scene
Broken Social Scene recorded “ endless repeatable perfect pop ” tracks for their second studio album, according to Pitchfork’s Ryan Schreiber. However, the album’s airy breadth and dense, baroque instrumentation elevate it beyond an excellent pop album.
92. ‘Rings Around The World’ / Super Furry Animals
James Moore of Drowned in Sound describes Super Furry Animals’ fifth studio album as ” essential “, with its dreamy, experimental and bizarre sound. The eclectic album, incorporating everything from death metal to techno, was the first to be released simultaneously as an audio album and DVD.
91. ‘The Decline of British Sea Power’ / British Sea Power
While the name of British Sea Power’s debut album may have raised little expectations, it garnered rave reviews. It features a “provocative, post-punk sound ” with intellectual complexity and inquisitive lyrics about Czech history and Russian literature, according to Rough Trade.
90. ‘Quicksand / Cradlesnakes’ by Califone
A mix of rock, blues, country, electronic, and folk, “Quicksand / Cradlesnakes” is the safest album by experimental rock band Califone, according to Delusions of Adequacy . Combine futuristic sounds inspired by Brian Eno.
LCD Soundsystem Cover
89. ‘Separation Sunday’ / The Hold Steady
Dubbed a “life-changing rock ‘n’ roll album ” by The AV Club’s Kenneth Partridge , “Separation Sunday” is a concept album that explores a girl’s introspective search for herself and a higher power.
88. ‘Robyn’ / Robyn
Hook-and-loop dance songs and synth-pop tracks earned Robyn critical acclaim for her self-titled album. The record led Paul Taylor of the Manchester Evening News to describe the singer as “a mini Madonna in the making .”
87. ‘Mirrored’ / Battles
The experimental rock group Battles departed from the style of their previous EPs, which were strictly instrumental, when they added prominent vocals to “Mirrored.” Critics loved it, and Spin magazine called it ” rock that’s both exciting and progressive .”
86. ‘Comicopera’ / Robert Wyatt
Robert Wyatt collaborated with several other musicians, including Brian Eno, Phil Manzanera and Paul Weller on his 2007 album ” Comicopera .” The experimental rock record has a three-act structure that begins with the personal, progresses to the decidedly political, and concludes with a protest, according to Joshua Klein of Pitchfork.
85. ‘Sound of Silver’ / LCD Soundsystem
“Sound of Silver” delivers a devastating emotional punch, with The Guardian’s Dorian Lynskey describing the album as ” adult dance-rock .” It earned a Grammy nomination for Best Electronic / Dance Album.
84. ‘Mass Romantic’ / The New Pornographers
Indie rock finds its powerful pop side in The New Pornographers’ “Mass Romantic, ” according to AllMusic’s Tim DiGravina. The album features catchy vocals and a diverse musical palette influenced by everyone from The Beatles and David Bowie to T. Rex and Todd Rundgren.
83. ‘Phantom Power’ / Super Furry Animals
Super Furry Animals tried to design their own music for the first time on ” Phantom Power .” The result is a more laid-back sound that spawned what some critics touted as the band’s best album to date, according to the BBC’s Matt Walton .
82. ‘Seven Swans’ / Sufjan Stevens
Folk rocker Sufjan Stevens explored the theme of Christian spirituality on “Seven Swans.” The album is deeply heartfelt and features a lot of banjo, according to Nick Sylvester of Pitchfork.
81. ‘Children Running Through’ / Patty Griffin
Patty Griffin’s voice soars on the tracks with evangelical overtones in “Children Running Through,” wrote Scott Mervis of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. It features acoustic tracks and powerful ballads, including a song about an aerialist that features Emmylou Harris.
80. ‘The Creek Drank the Cradle’ / Iron & Wine
Sam Beam, the artist behind Iron & Wine, intended to run demos of songs he recorded at home with Calexico for rhythm work. Instead, they ended up with “The Creek Drank the Cradle,” which Now Toronto’s Tim Perlich calls “the best thing he’s ever done .”
arcade Fire
79. ‘Favorite Colors’ / The Sadies
The Sadies strike a balance between their various interests, including surfing, garage and country, in “Favorite Colors,” according to Joe Tangari of Pitchfork . He went on to call the album ” stylistically and sonically brilliant .”
78. ‘Yankee Hotel Foxtrot’ / Wilco
After Wilco’s record label refused to release “Yankee Hotel Foxtrot,” the band decided to stream it for free via their website. It was officially released the following year, with Pitchfork’s Brent S. Sirota calling it a “masterpiece.”
77. ‘Neon Bible’ / Arcade Fire
The Arcade Fire It built on the success of their first album with their second release, “Neon Bible,” in 2007. It was recorded in a church in Canada, and according to Josh Modell of The AV Club, it features crisp lyrics and “ triumphant melodies ”.
76. ‘Gala Mill’ / The Drones
Although The Drones remained true to their signature punk-blues style, the band also dabbled in folk rock for their album “Gala Mill.” The album’s lyrics explore the colonial history of Australia, with a narrator (a prisoner) on a track that tells the story of his arrival from Ireland.
75. ‘Ágætis Byrjun’ / Sigur Rós
The exuberant orchestration and cello guitar work on “Ágætis Byrjun” helped propel Icelandic post-rock group Sigur Rós to international recognition, writes Zack Ruskin of SF Weekly. Songs from the album appear frequently on soundtracks for films such as “Vanilla Sky” and “The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou.”
74. ‘xx’ / The xx
“Xx” includes melancholic songs that are inspired by R&B, post-punk, alternative rock and electronica. While the album didn’t immediately rise up the charts, it became a huge influence on the indie-rock scene after winning the Mercury Award in 2010. Other musicians, including Shakira and Damon Albarn, covered songs from the song. disk.
73. ‘Franz Ferdinand’ / Franz Ferdinand
Winner of the 2004 Mercury Award, Franz Ferdinand’s self-titled debut album was hailed ” a masterpiece of funky, punk, smooth and fresh from the first track to the last ” by the BBC’s Simon Fernand. In addition to receiving critical acclaim, the album also enjoyed commercial success and was certified platinum by the RIAA.
72. ‘A Feather in the Engine’ / David Kilgour
David Kilgour balances intricately composed tracks with more abstract and free sounds on “A Feather in the Engine,” said Joe Tangari of Pitchfork . In particular, he praised the album for its beauty, which makes listeners hardly feel like spending time while listening.
71. ‘Let’s Stay Friends’ / Les Savy Fav
Gamers may recognize the song “Raging in the Plague Age” from this album, which appeared on Grand Theft Auto IV. But more than a contributor to a video game soundtrack, “A Feather in the Engine” is an album that rivals the energy and excitement of Les Savy Fav’s live shows, making it a true fan delight.
70. ‘And Their Refinement of the Decline’ / Stars Of The Lid
Stars of the Lid did not expect “And Their Refinement of the Decline” to achieve the same levels of success as their previous album, believing that the iPod would kill sales. However, it ended up outselling “The Tired Sounds of the Stars of the Lid,” the band told Rolling Stone .
Home Drive-By Truckers @callsignENIAC
69. ‘Now, More Than Ever’ / Jim Guthrie
Jim Guthrie showed advancements in his singing ability when he released “Now, More Than Ever,” according to AllMusic’s Sean Carruthers .
68. ‘Things We Lost In The Fire’ / Low
Low pushed the boundaries of his characteristically pretty, deliberately paced sound on “Things We Lost in the Fire,” indicating a level of maturity for the band, wrote Stephen Thompson of The AV Club. Infuse tracks with a mix of infectious pop, guitar fuzz, and fuller instrumentation.
67. ‘World Without Tears’ / Lucinda Williams
Singer-songwriter Lucinda Williams’ seventh studio album, “World Without Tears,” reflected changes in her life, particularly her move to Los Angeles from Nashville. His songs are ” louder and grander ” compared to those on his previous album, wrote Will Hermes of Entertainment Weekly.
66. ‘Cold House’ / Hood
Hood made significant progress from his earlier experimental post-industrial beats and irreverently remixed songs on his fifth studio album, “Cold House,” wrote Phillip Sherburne of Cleveland Scene . The album combines indie rock folk with experimental electronics and the result is deeply melancholic.
65. ‘The Town And The City’ / Los Lobos
The Wolves looked to Jack Kerouac’s debut novel for the title of their twelfth studio album. Explore the experience of Mexican American immigration, touching on themes such as loneliness and longing.
64. ‘Workbook’ / Bob Mold
One year after the rock band Hüsker Dü split, guitarist and vocalist Bob Mold went solo and released his debut album “Workbook.” Folk is the dominant genre of the tracks on this album, but Mold also includes occasional heavy guitar riffs.
63. ‘The Dirty South’ / Drive-By Truckers
Southern rock band Drive-By Truckers explores the complexities of southern culture and dispels the myths of some of the region’s best-known figures in “The Dirty South.” Amid a “southern rock resurgence,” the band offered a deeper and more introspective take on the genre, ultimately turning the album into the “roadside home memorial” of human tragedies, reports Pitchfork’s Stephen M. Deusner.
62. ‘Dig !!! Lazarus Dig !!! ‘ / Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds
Recorded in five impressively short days, “Dig !! Lazarus Dig !! ” is the latest album from Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds to feature Mick Harvey, founding member of the band. Pitchfork’s Stephen M. Deusner said of the album, ” This is how rock musicians are supposed to age .”
61. ‘Decoration Day’ / Drive-By Truckers
“Decoration Day” lived up to the hype the Drive-By Truckers built after the success of their previous album, “Southern Rock Opera.” But while that record featured heavier southern rock, “Decoration Day” took a softer, more naked approach.
60. ‘The Argument’ / Fugazi
Radiohead played on the night of Wednesday the 19th in Tel Aviv, breaking with the anti-Israeli cultural boycott
Post-hardcore group Fugazi came out strong with their last studio album (to date), “The Argument,” released in 2001. It still had the art-punk vibe of the group’s previous albums, but also began to incorporate strings and piano for a different sound, according to AllMusic’s Chris True.
59. ‘Person Pitch’ / Panda Bear
Panda Bear (artist alias Noah Lennox) manipulated a mixture of samples and loops, along with layered vocals, to create his third solo album, “Person Pitch.” The album captures the sunlight of the artist’s foster home in Lisbon, Portugal , and proves to be “ overwhelming and inspiring, ” according to Pitchfork’s Mark Richardson .
58. ‘Blue Record’ / Baroness
“Blue Record” is considered by LA Weekly as one of the best metal albums in history. The 44-minute disc features songs that blend into one another with a mix of acoustic interludes and interlocking lyrics, according to Pitchfork’s Grayson Currin . It is an album that accompanies the previous Baroness album, “Red Album”.
57. ‘Fleet Foxes’ / Fleet Foxes
David Simpson praised Fleet Foxes’ self-titled debut studio album as ” a milestone in American music .” The album, strongly influenced by nature, plays surf rock and English folk.
56. ‘Leaves Turn Inside You’ / Unwound
On “Leaves Turn Inside You”, Unwound continued the musical path they started on two of their previous albums, “Challenge for a Civilized Society” and “Repetition.” The band used a Mellotron, an electronic-mechanical instrument that can produce the sounds of orchestral instruments, to give the record a distinctive sound.
55. ‘Pacific Ocean Blue’ / Dennis Wilson
Dennis Wilson went solo with “Pacific Ocean Blue,” selling more copies than other Beach Boys albums that were released around the same time, according to American Way’s Bob Mehr. It had a harder and more progressive sound than the one his band was producing.
54. ‘For Emma, Forever Ago’ / Bon Iver
Indie folk group Bon Iver released their debut album, ” For Emma, Forever Ago, ” after singer-songwriter Justin Vernon decided to take a solo retreat to his father’s hunting cabin in a remote area of Wisconsin, where he they recorded the tracks. The tracks feature natural imagery and soft acoustic strumming reminiscent of the stage the musician went through to create them, according to Stephen M. Deusner of Pitchfork.
53. ‘Exit’ / Shugo Tokumaru
On “Exit,” musician Shugo Tokumaru used more than 50 instruments, mostly in a major key, according to Matthew Shaer of The Boston Globe . He described it as ” a symphony of found noise ,” with Tokumaru pointing to old Beatles tapes as his source material.
52. ‘I Am a Bird Now’ / Antony and the Johnsons
Devandra Banhart, Lou Reed and Boy George appear as guests on “I Am a Bird Now,” the second album by Antony and the Johnsons. The album explores themes of sexual identity, disease and love, wrote Anthony Gibbons of Drowned in Sound.
51. ‘Abattoir Blues / The Lyre Of Orpheus’ by Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds
With two albums, Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds’ thirteenth album is ” full of wonder ” and joy, according to Playlouder . It was the first album the group created without its former member Blixa Bargeld, who had been replaced by James Johnston.
50. ‘Monoliths & Dimensions’ / Sunn O)))
Sunn O))) told Metal Underground that “Monoliths & Dimensions” was his most musical and powerful album yet. The album works both as art and as an exciting experience, and Drowned in Sound’s John Doran called it ” easily the best album to come out this year .”
49. ‘Kill The Moonlight’ / Spoon
Spoon reduced their sound to highlight individual instruments such as pianos and tambourines on his fourth album, ” Kill the Moonlight .” Jakob Dorof of Tiny Mix Tapes referred to it as the band’s “ masterpiece ”.
48. ‘The Woods’ / Sleater-Kinney
Sleater-Kinney ” tells a feminist fairy tale ” on her seventh studio album, “The Woods,” according to Rolling Stone . The album fuses metal music in the style of the 1970s with the indie-rock sounds that were popular in the 1990s.
47. ‘In Rainbows’ / Radiohead
Lacking major record label representation, Radiohead made headlines when they released “ In Rainbows, ” their seventh studio album, to their fans paying what they wanted. The experimental digital download had high piracy rates, although it was obtainable for free, according to NPR’s Eric Garland.
46. ‘From a Basement on the Hill’ / Elliott Smith
Elliott Smith’s sixth studio album, ” From a Basement on the Hill, ” was released after his death in 2003. It contains tracks the artist recorded beginning in 2000, many of which explore Smith’s struggle with abuse. of substances and mental health problems.
45. ‘Rejoicing in the Hands’ / Devendra Banhart
Devandra Banhard recorded the lo-fi tracks from “ Rejoicing in the Hands ” in the living room of her recording engineer, Lynn Bridges. Logo magazine said of the album: ” It’s so simple … [and] as amazing as the songwriting can be .”
44. ‘Where Shall You Take Me?’ / Damien Jurado
Damian Jurado altered his brilliant indie pop sound into ” a more organic spirit ” rooted at the heart of his fifth studio album “Where Shall You Take Me?” Wrote Sarah Liss of Now Toronto . The album celebrates Jurado’s powerful voice and authentically crafted melodies.
43. ‘Destroyer’s Rubies’ / Destroyer
” Destroyer’s Rubies ” was designed to resemble a band performing in a room, a strikingly different sound from Destroyer’s previous release, “Kaputt,” according to Thomas Hannan of The Line of Best Fit. It features dense lyrics and a guitar-centric sound, according to Metacritic.
42. ‘Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea’ / PJ Harvey
English rocker PJ Harvey’s fifth studio album is like a love letter to New York City, where she spent time filming a movie in 1998, according to Sal Cinquemani of Slant Magazine . Contains at least 10 references to attractions in the Big Apple, including different districts, buildings, and bridges.
41. ‘Return to Cookie Mountain’ / TV on the Radio
Several notable guests including David Bowie, Celebration’s Katrina Ford, and Blonde Redhead’s Kazu Makino make television appearances on Radio’s second studio album, “Return to Cookie Mountain.” SPIN’s Brian Josephs called the album a gem in the band’s catalog.
40. ‘Dear Science,’ / TV on the Radio
The third album by this band was called ” sonically vivid, angry and sensual ” by the Los Angeles Times . It features a clever take on pop and deeply layered sounds.
A fan wearing a Soundgarden T-shirt reacts following a funeral for Chris Cornell at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery on Friday, May 26, 2017, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Chris Pizzello / Invision / AP)
39. ‘Ta Det Lugnt’ / Dungen
“Ta Det Lugnt” is the third album by Swedish psych-rock group Dungen . Pitchfork’s Brandon Stosuy called the album ” consistently mind-blowing and aesthetically powerful .” The album helped the group hold its own.
38. ’69 Love Songs’ / Magnetic Fields
The title of Magnetic Fields’ sixth studio album describes exactly what it contains: 69 love songs divided into three volumes. Frontman Stephin Merritt was inspired for the album by Charles Ives’ “114 Songs” as well as the music of Stephen Sondheim.
37. ‘Hypermagic Mountain’ / Lightning Bolt
Lightning Bolt surpassed its 2003 release, “Wonderful Rainbow,” with “Hypermagic Mountain” two years later, according to Aaron Richter of Prefix magazine. He added that the album’s combination of various moods with heavy rock was evidence that the band was more ” than one giant sound .”
36. ‘Yours, Mine & Ours’ / Pernice Brothers
“Yours, Mine & Ours” features calm, relaxing songs that lend themselves to a casual summer cruise, according to Amanda Petrusich of Pitchfork . The opening track, “The Weakest Shade of Blue,” was featured in a Sherwin-Williams commercial.
35. ‘Superunknown’ / Soundgarden
Soundgarden decided to work with a new producer (Michael Beinhorn) for their fourth studio album, “Superunknown,” which would become their breakthrough and first-place debut on the Billboard 200. Frontman Chris Cornell told Dave Thompson of Alternative Press band members had much more freedom on this album compared to previous releases, which only featured songs that everyone in the group liked.
34. ‘I Was Trying to Describe You to Someone’ / Crime in Stereo
Long Island-based hardcore band Crime in Stereo combines corrosive hymns with effects pedals and reverberating vocals, according to Alternative Press . The album marked an evolution of the band’s previous album, “Is Dead,” and contained more mature tracks, according to a review by Delusions of Adequacy.
33. ‘Songs for the Deaf’ by Queens of the Stone Age
“Songs for the Deaf” takes listeners on a 14-song road trip from heavily trafficked Los Angeles to serene Joshua Tree, writes Albert Mudrian of TheFade.net. The album became the first from Queens of the Stone Age to be certified gold in the United States.
32. ‘Merriweather Post Pavilion’ / Animal Collective
Animal Collective sought privacy for the recording of their eighth studio album, so they headed to Mississippi’s Sweet Tea recording studio for sessions. While there, they experimented with unorthodox recording techniques, like outfitting the control room with public address systems, to try and give “Merriweather Post Pavilion” a sound similar to their live shows, according to Tom Doyle of Sound on Sound.
31. ‘Fed’ / Plush
Plush’s second album, “Fed,” was released in Japan six years before it came to the West. The Guardian’s Betty Clarke called the album ” a symphony of Burt Bacharach-inspired pop, blaxploitation-influenced soul and timeless ballads .”
30. ‘Bachelor No. 2 or, the Last Remains of the Dodo’ / Aimee Mann
Without the help of a record company, singer-songwriter Aimee Mann released her third studio album exclusively on her website in May 2000. It was one of the first albums to achieve sales success solely via the Internet, according to Ben Cramer of Playboy . Much of the material from “Bachelor No. 2” also appeared on the soundtrack of the movie “Magnolia.”
29. ‘Nevermind’ / Nirvana
The historic “Nevermind” contains some of Nirvana’s most famous songs, such as its lead single, “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” as well as “Come as You Are.” It was the first album to include drummer Dave Grohl. The album is also known for its cover: a naked baby swimming towards a fishing hook with a dollar bill.
28. ‘HoboSapiens’ / John Cale
In the seven years before recording “HoboSapiens,” John Cale spent time working on a variety of other projects, from writing ballet and classical pieces to making film scores. He told Time Out New York’s Jay Ruttenberg that the extracurricular work helped him speed up the writing process and take advantage of new recording techniques, ultimately giving the album a polished and elegant feel.
27. ‘Modern Times’ / Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan’s 32nd studio album, “Modern Times,” was his first record on the US charts since releasing “Desire” 30 years earlier. The success of the album helped the 65-year-old man become the oldest person in American history to rise directly to the top of the Billboard chart , according to NME.
26. ‘Neon Golden’ / The Notwist
“Neon Golden” was a groundbreaking album for German independent rockers The Notwist. The Moody Rock album incorporates glitchy electronics to create different textures, according to Metacritic.
25. ‘Z’ / My Morning Jacket
The psych-rock group My Morning Jacket relied heavily on the synthesizer to create the spatial sounds of their fourth studio album, “Z.” The evolution in the band’s signature sound reflects a change in membership at the time: drummer Patrick Hallahan had just joined the band, and keyboardist Danny Cash and guitarist Johnny Quaid had also recently been replaced, according to Margaret Wappler of Los Angeles Times.
24. ‘XTRMNTR’ / Primal Scream
This album, pronounced ” Exterminator “, was one of Primal Scream’s first attempts to take a political stance, with harsh criticism directed at the government, the police and capitalism. The album features an aggressive sound inspired by industrial music.
23. ‘In Utero’ / Nirvana
Nirvana moved away from the polished production of previous albums and opted for a more raw sound on their latest studio album, “In Utero.” David Browne of Entertainment Weekly described it as ” fascinating, cathartic rock-and-roll .”
22. ‘Funeral’ / Arcade Fire
Dramatic and edgy, “Funeral” was praised for its original and heartfelt sound by Pitchfork’s David Moore. The album made it to more than a dozen charts like Spin, Paste, and Rolling Stone .
21. ‘Alice’ / Tom Waits
Some songs from “Alice” were already well known to fans before their official release in 2002. The pirated versions were sold after a record case was stolen from Tom Waits’ car, according to an interview he did with Keith Phipps of The AV Club . The official version still garnered critical acclaim and, in 2006, was certified as a “ diamond ” by the Impala European Music Sales Awards.
20. ‘Illinois’ / Sufjan Stevens
While produced in New York City, “Illinois” chronicles the state of the same name and its culture, geography, history and art that singer-songwriter Sufjan Stevens learned through research. Its lyrical depth and complex orchestrations helped make it Stevens’ first album to hit the Billboard 200.
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19. ‘Is This It?’ / The Strokes
The Strokes caused a sensation with melodic rock and the interplay of two guitars on their debut album “ Is This It? ”In 2001. His cover art, with a latex-gloved hand on someone’s bare butt, sparked controversy when it hit UK retail stores and was replaced by more abstract images prior to its release in the United States, according to TIME’s Wook Kim .
18. ‘Raw Power’ / Iggy & the Stooges
“Raw Power” has earned astronomical cult recognition since its release in 1973, according to Jonathan Hatchman of DIY Magazine . Featuring eight songs co-written by Iggy Pop and James Williamson , the album plays on a mix of jazz and proto-punk rock and creates a sound that continues to feel fresh.
17. ‘Elephant’ / The White Stripes
After gaining momentum on their previous three albums, The White Stripes finally achieved legendary status with the album “Elephant.” David Frick of Rolling Stone called it “a job of pulverizing perfection .” The first song on the album, “Seven Nation Army,” earned the rock duo a Grammy.
16. ‘Lost in the Sound of Separation’ / Underoath
“Lost in Sound of Separation” is known as much for its powerful and passionate heavy music as it is for its artistry. The deluxe edition received a nomination for the Dove Award for Best Recorded Music Packaging in 2010, according to The Christian Post.
15. ‘Brighten the Corners’ / Pavement
“Brighten the Corners” is brimming with mysterious and abstract lyrics, but also a fully realized approach, writes Nathan Brackett of Rolling Stone. The five members of Pavement were together to record the album, a first for the band.
14. ‘Achtung Baby’ by U2
Three years after receiving harsh criticism for their album “Rattle and Hum”, U2 turned things around with “Achtung Baby”. The Irish rock band’s seventh studio album remains one of their most successful, debuting at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 . It also earned the band a Grammy for ” Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Voice .”
13. ‘The Name of this Band Is Talking Heads’ / Talking Heads
Contains live recordings of some of the most popular tracks from Talking Heads’ first four studio albums. The name of the album works to emphasize the band’s preference to have their name spelled without a definite article (“Talking Heads” as opposed to “The Talking Heads”).
12. ‘Love And Theft’ / Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan made a successful comeback at the end of his career with the release of “Love And Theft” in 2001, considered the musician’s best album in two decades, according to Michael Gallucci of Ultimate Classic Rock. Although heavily influenced by blues, the album includes elements of jazz, rock, folk, and R&B.
11. ‘Some Girls’ / The Rolling Stones
Billboard’s Chuck Arnold has called “Some Girls” the perfect last album from The Rolling Stones. It ended the band’s creative slump, rose to the top of the Billboard 200, and earned a Grammy nomination for Album of the Year.
10. ‘Led Zeppelin II’ / Led Zeppelin
Some of Led Zeppelin’s most beloved songs, including “Ramble On ” and ” Whole Lotta Love, ” appeared on the band’s second studio album. Although the album had ” staggering local sales ,” its harsh sound made it unsuitable for radio, according to Billboard’s Ritchie York .
Jimi Hendrix in a stock photograph (Pixabay)
9. ‘Histoire de Melody Nelson’ / Serge Gainsbourg
Serge Gainsbourg challenged genres with his album “Histoire de Melody Nelson,” which has a sonic world ” like no other in rock, ” according to Tom Ewing of Pitchfork . He went on to influence a variety of other bands, including Portishead, Beck, Faith No More, and Arctic Monkeys.
8. ‘Electric Ladyland’ / The Jimi Hendrix Experience
The last studio album released before Jimi Hendrix’s death in 1970, “Electric Ladyland” is regarded as the musician’s ” true masterpiece, ” full of ” new colors, flavors and sonic adventures ,” according to Dan Epstein of Rolling Stone. . Creating the album was a frustrating experience for Hendrix, a perfectionist who had a hard time trying to bring the sounds he envisioned to tape.
7. ‘Led Zeppelin’ / Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin’s debut album showed the world a new take on emerging hard rock, one that infused blues into the harshest sound. While critics gave the album poor reviews after its release, it was a hit with music fans, and many of the songs are now considered classic rock staples.
6. ‘Brian Wilson Presents SMiLE’ / Brian Wilson
Beach Boys member Brian Wilson resurrected the ambitious album “Smile” that the band had shelved nearly four decades earlier, and released it as “Brian Wilson Presents SMiLE” in 2004. Wilson combined parts the band had recorded with different musicians at different studios over the years, adding evocative Van Dyke Parks lyrics to the tracks. Rock journalist Robert Christgau gave the album a rare A + rating.
5. ‘Houses of the Holy’ / Led Zeppelin
Rolling Stone’s Jordan Runtagh called Led Zeppelin’s fifth album ” a brilliant, transitional LP .” The highly varied album explored funk and reggae, and even featured a Viking death song.
4. ‘Led Zeppelin III’ / Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin began exploring folk music and a more acoustic sound on their third studio album, which debuted in October 1970. The album was written while the band was taking a break in the Cambrian Mountains, a bucolic setting that influenced the music, after a whirlwind year of touring, according to Classic Rock’s Jaan Uhelszki .
3. ‘London Calling’ / The Clash
The Clash expanded beyond its punk roots to explore reggae, rockabilly, ska, and even R&B on “London Calling.” The band wrote the album in a secluded room in a London garage, which gave them the privacy they needed to explore various musical influences, according to Mental Floss’s Kenneth Partridge.
2. ‘Exile On Main Street’ / The Rolling Stones
Exploring themes like hedonism and sex, the Rolling Stones’ 10th studio album features many of their basic concerts. While initially receiving mixed reviews, the commercially successful album became a legacy for the band, with Rolling Stone calling it ” a dirty whirlwind of blues and boogie .”
1. ‘Led Zeppelin IV’ / Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin’s fourth studio album sold more than 32 million copies and spent more than 15 months topping the charts, with songs like “Stairway to Heaven,” “Black Dog” and “Going to California” going down in history. rock music. The band created a lot of mystique around the album by releasing it without a title or explanation of the symbols that adorn it, according to The Build Network.
