The 100 Greatest Classic Rock Albums Of All Time: 60. Van Halen (4 Viewers)

[timschochet]

100. Bachman-Turner Overdrive II-
Bachman-Turner Overdrive
99. A Day At The Races-
Queen
98. In Through The Out Door-
Led Zeppelin
97. Bella Donna-
Stevie Nicks
96. 52nd Street-
Billy Joel
95. Leftoverture-
Kansas
94. Infinity-
Journey
93. Blind Faith-
Blind Faith
92. Pieces of Eight-
Styx
91. Fire and Water-
Free
90. One Of These Nights-
Eagles
89. Jazz-
Queen
88. Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers-
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
87. Out of the Blue-
Electric Light Orchestra
86. Brothers And Sisters-
The Allman Brothers Band
85. Little Queen-
Heart
84. Madman Across The Water-
Elton John
83. Second Helping-
Lynyrd Skynyrd
82. Crosby, Stills & Nash-
Crosby, Stills & Nash
81. Willy and the Poor Boys-
Creedence Clearwater Revival
80. Abraxas-
Santana
79. Some Girls-
The Rolling Stones
78. Night Moves-
Bob Seger
77. Point Of Know Return-
Kansas
76. Pronounced Leh-Nerd Skin-Nerd-
Lynyrd Skynyrd
75. Imagine-
John Lennon
74. Honky Chateau-
Elton John
73. Cosmo’s Factory -
Creedence Clearwater Revival
72. Can’t Buy A Thrill-
Steely Dan
71. Electric Ladyland-
The Jimi Hendrix Experience
70. Breakfast In America-
Supertramp
69. Dreamboat Annie-
Heart
68. News Of The World-
Queen
67. The Grand Illusion-
Styx
66. Band On The Run-
Paul McCartney & Wings
65. Green River-
Creedence Clearwater Revival
64. Hard Promises-
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
63. Toys In The Attic-
Aerosmith
62. Tres Hombres-
ZZ Top
61. Fragile-
Yes
60. Van Halen-
Van Halen

 

[Dan Lambskin]

 

[Ghost Rider]

Looks like Thick as a Brick is out since there’s no way it can have two songs played on the radio. Lol

Anyway, I’ll follow this and opine where necessary.

 

[Dr. Octopus]

Why not just do the top albums of that time period instead of artificially limiting it based on your definition of "classic rock" - just more curious than being critical but I guess I'm just getting tired of "labels/genres" when discussing music and the stupid bickering that goes along with it.

 

[Doug B]

Why not just do the top albums of that time period instead of artificially limiting it based on your definition of "classic rock" - just more curious than being critical but I guess I'm just getting tired of "labels/genres" when discussing music and the stupid bickering that goes along with it.

I think of it more as discussing a specific radio format than a label/genre. Not that the boundaries around the radio format weren't arbitrary ... but IMHO the edges of "classic rock radio playlists circa 1982-92" weren't particularly fuzzy.

 

[timschochet]

Why not just do the top albums of that time period instead of artificially limiting it based on your definition of "classic rock" - just more curious than being critical but I guess I'm just getting tired of "labels/genres" when discussing music and the stupid bickering that goes along with it.

Good question.

Because I don’t really want to compare Led Zeppelin II to Innervisions, or London Calling. I want to compare LZII to Who’s Next and Dark Side of the Moon. Does that make sense? The classic rock label is obviously imperfect but it’s useful.

 

[Uruk-Hai]

but I guess I'm just getting tired of "labels/genres" when discussing music and the stupid bickering that goes along with it.

I've been fighting this battle for over 20 years here. Welcome aboard!

 

[Ghost Rider]

I agree about labels/genres, but I view this is as a good excuse to talk about good tunes. The order and labeling is incidental.

 

[timschochet]

but I guess I'm just getting tired of "labels/genres" when discussing music and the stupid bickering that goes along with it.

I've been fighting this battle for over 20 years here. Welcome aboard!

You have and I don’t disagree with your argument in general. But I’m doing this for fun, not to make some larger characterization of how music should be categorized.

 

[Doug B]

Because I don’t really want to compare Led Zeppelin II to Innervisions, or London Calling. I want to compare LZII to Who’s Next and Dark Side of the Moon. Does that make sense? The classic rock label is obviously imperfect but it’s useful.

Out of curiosity: Are there any albums on your own list that approach the edge of the radio format as you understand it ? Anything that most person would fairly say "That's classic rock all day!" but also a few people would fairly say "I don't know man ... MY classic rock station never played that!"

 

[Uruk-Hai]

4. For an album to be eligible for this list, at least TWO songs have to be played on Classic Rock radio on a regular basis. Two is the minimum; many of these albums are in the 4 or 5 range. (If the number is even higher than that you can expect the album will be pretty highly ranked.) This will leave off many albums that many people consider excellent. But there is room for only so many and again, I’m focused on what Classic Rock radio believed should be played.

Tim, are you using some kind of playlist to tell you how many songs from an LP got regular play? Or just going by gut feel?

The reason I'm asking is that CR radio was pretty regional in the '80s. It later became completely (or almost so) homogenized when the big corporations started buying the stations up. But a station in, say, Jersey would play a lot more Springsteen while one in Michigan would play more Seger. For the vast majority of your selections, it won't matter but it could on some.

 

[Dr. Octopus]

Does that make sense?

No, but I'll accept it.

 

[Uruk-Hai]

but I guess I'm just getting tired of "labels/genres" when discussing music and the stupid bickering that goes along with it.

I've been fighting this battle for over 20 years here. Welcome aboard!

You have and I don’t disagree with your argument in general. But I’m doing this for fun, not to make some larger characterization of how music should be categorized.

That's fine. I was speaking to a larger point. You laid out your parameters so we should all know what to expect.

 

[Dr. Octopus]

London Calling

I know they're considered punk (although that album is more ska really) - but not sure why it wouldn't be included as "classic rock" as well though. I've heard songs from that album on classic rock radio often

I promise not to do this again in the thread but I'm already seeing the pitfalls of the "label".

Anyway, there's plenty of great albums for you to cover here and I'm looking forward to it.

 

[timschochet]

Because I don’t really want to compare Led Zeppelin II to Innervisions, or London Calling. I want to compare LZII to Who’s Next and Dark Side of the Moon. Does that make sense? The classic rock label is obviously imperfect but it’s useful.

Out of curiosity: Are there any albums on your own list that approach the edge of the radio format as you understand it ? Anything that most person would fairly say "That's classic rock all day!" but also a few people would fairly say "I don't know man ... MY classic rock station never played that!"

I don’t know; I haven’t really thought about it. I guess we can discuss that as each album is reviewed.

 

[timschochet]

London Calling

I know they're considered punk (although that album is more ska really) - but not sure why it wouldn't be included as "classic rock" as well though. I've heard songs from that album on classic rock radio often

I promise not to do this again in the thread but I'm already seeing the pitfalls of the "label".

Anyway, there's plenty of great albums for you to cover here and I'm looking forward to it.

During the first decade of Classic Rock radio you would NEVER hear a song from London Calling. In the decades since the 90s, a lot of New Wave and Post Punk songs have merged with the “golden age of classic rock” era that I’m covering on this list.

 

[timschochet]

4. For an album to be eligible for this list, at least TWO songs have to be played on Classic Rock radio on a regular basis. Two is the minimum; many of these albums are in the 4 or 5 range. (If the number is even higher than that you can expect the album will be pretty highly ranked.) This will leave off many albums that many people consider excellent. But there is room for only so many and again, I’m focused on what Classic Rock radio believed should be played.

Tim, are you using some kind of playlist to tell you how many songs from an LP got regular play? Or just going by gut feel?

The reason I'm asking is that CR radio was pretty regional in the '80s. It later became completely (or almost so) homogenized when the big corporations started buying the stations up. But a station in, say, Jersey would play a lot more Springsteen while one in Michigan would play more Seger. For the vast majority of your selections, it won't matter but it could on some.

It’s largely based on memory so I guess you could call it gut feel. But if you think at any point I’m missing out on something please correct me.

 

[timschochet]

Because I don’t really want to compare Led Zeppelin II to Innervisions, or London Calling. I want to compare LZII to Who’s Next and Dark Side of the Moon. Does that make sense? The classic rock label is obviously imperfect but it’s useful.

Out of curiosity: Are there any albums on your own list that approach the edge of the radio format as you understand it ? Anything that most person would fairly say "That's classic rock all day!" but also a few people would fairly say "I don't know man ... MY classic rock station never played that!"

I don’t know; I haven’t really thought about it. I guess we can discuss that as each album is reviewed.

Actually…there is at least one album that may fall into this category. Maybe more.

 

[Doug B]

During the first decade of Classic Rock radio you would NEVER hear a song from London Calling.

My experience as well. There were several rock genres that 80s classic rock stations would ignore entirely.

 

[Stoneworker]

Tim, please reconsider somehow including a limited number (<5?) of live albums.

There were a few live rock albums that absolutely epitomize an artist's unique sound and in fact the helped define both their career and the entire genre (e.g. Seger: Live Bullet, Frampton Comes Aive, Kiss: Alive). For those artists in particular it's doubtful they would otherwise have an album that makes the cut.

I get it that many live albums are just different takes on a studio version and so can see the general exclusion.

Your list, your rules so just a request.

 

[Dr. Octopus]

During the first decade of Classic Rock radio you would NEVER hear a song from London Calling.

My experience as well. There were several rock genres that 80s classic rock stations would ignore entirely.

You guys never heard London Calling or Train in Vain on classic rock radio? - Combat Rock had a lot of songs on that format as well. Maybe NY Radio is just hipper.

 

[Uruk-Hai]

During the first decade of Classic Rock radio you would NEVER hear a song from London Calling.

My experience as well. There were several rock genres that 80s classic rock stations would ignore entirely.

You guys never heard London Calling or Train in Vain on classic rock radio? - Combat Rock had a lot of songs on that format as well. Maybe NY Radio is just hipper.

Not in the 80s. They went 1964 to about 1976 at the beginning and then later stretched it out to around 1980 - but only with legacy artists. The Clash, punks, and New Wave wasn't included for years and years - at least not any channel I ever listened to back then. I think it was the Cars who eventually broke the NW ice.

 

[Doug B]

During the first decade of Classic Rock radio you would NEVER hear a song from London Calling.

My experience as well. There were several rock genres that 80s classic rock stations would ignore entirely.

You guys never heard London Calling or Train in Vain on classic rock radio? - Combat Rock had a lot of songs on that format as well. Maybe NY Radio is just hipper.

Never, and especially not in the 1980s.

 

[Doug B]

I think it was the Cars who eventually broke the NW ice.

The main New Orleans and Baton Rouge classic radio stations were playing The Cars regularly by ~1990. So much so that I never really considered them New Wave (they were all over Top 40 radio when they're music was new).

 

[Stoneworker]

I think it was the Cars who eventually broke the NW ice.

The main New Orleans and Baton Rouge classic radio stations were playing The Cars regularly by ~1990. So much so that I never really considered them New Wave (they were all over Top 40 radio when they're music was new).

The Cars' first album was 1978. I vividly remember what a distinct sound they had the first time Just What I Needed was played on CR album radio. Would definitely agree with @Uruk-Hai on his characterization of breaking the ice for NW to cross over. There may have been someone else before them with a single song but not an entire album IMHO.

 

[Uruk-Hai]

I think it was the Cars who eventually broke the NW ice.

The main New Orleans and Baton Rouge classic radio stations were playing The Cars regularly by ~1990. So much so that I never really considered them New Wave (they were all over Top 40 radio when they're music was new).

Right - same here. It was almost a decade before they were included even though they were extremely popular when CR radio started.

 

[Doug B]

... even though [The Cars] were extremely popular when CR radio started.

I think that was a factor in making early CR-radio format playlists: An artist would be excluded for essentially being "too relevant" or "too active" contemporarily. The Cars and The Clash (to name two) were bands "of the now" in the early 1980s. Classic rock radio was largely "bands of the then" with a few legacy acts given a pass (e.g. The Rolling Stones, The Who, solo Paul McCartney).

 

[Uruk-Hai]

... even though [The Cars] were extremely popular when CR radio started.

I think that was a factor in making early CR-radio format playlists: An artist would be excluded for essentially being "too relevant" or "too active" contemporarily. The Cars and The Clash (to name two) were bands "of the now" in the early 1980s. Classic rock radio was largely "bands of the then" with a few legacy acts given a pass (e.g. The Rolling Stones, The Who, solo Paul McCartney).

I think Boston was the "newest" artist to make the cut when CR started. I don't think Petty was played at the beginning, but I may be wrong about that.

 

[Anarchy99]

I don't think Petty was played at the beginning, but I may be wrong about that.

Breakdown and Amercian Girl are off of the debut TP album back in 1976. He got FM radio airplay from jump street.

 

[Leroy Hoard]

I hear Ramones now on classic rock but not back then.

 

[PIK95]

#2 Combat Rock
#1 Wish You Were Here

/thread

 

[Uruk-Hai]

I don't think Petty was played at the beginning, but I may be wrong about that.

Breakdown and Amercian Girl are off of the debut TP album back in 1976. He got FM radio airplay from jump street.

I'm talking about classic rock radio as it appeared in the early '80s, not AOR (which played currents).

 

[Anarchy99]

I don't think Petty was played at the beginning, but I may be wrong about that.

Breakdown and Amercian Girl are off of the debut TP album back in 1976. He got FM radio airplay from jump street.

I'm talking about classic rock radio as it appeared in the early '80s, not AOR (which played currents).

I guess I am confused. Petty was popular in the late 70's and still popular in the 80's. He was a current artist when classic rock started, but so were other bands like VH, Aerosmith, Springsteen, PF, Queen, ZZ Top, etc. Where I lived, I never noticed a distinction between current and older tracks . . . the "classic" part had more to do with the style and sound than the age of the song. The opposite of "classic rock" was "alternative" . . . which at the time was more new wave, post-punk, electronic type artists than straight guitar driven songs . . . The Cure, Depeche Mode, R.E.M. Peter Gabriel, etc. At least that's how I remember it.

 

[Dr. Octopus]

Well at least there's no petty bickering over the "classic rock" label, like I thought there would be.

 

[BassNBrew]

Why not just do the top albums of that time period instead of artificially limiting it based on your definition of "classic rock" - just more curious than being critical but I guess I'm just getting tired of "labels/genres" when discussing music and the stupid bickering that goes along with it.

Because technically you would need to include country. There are very few people who can rank both country, pop, and rock in an unbiased manor. I like Tim's labels because it's much easy to argue Floyd v. Zep rankings than Waylon Jennings/Charlie Pride v. ACDC/Eagles v. BeeGees/Donna Summer.

 

[Dr. Octopus]

Because technically you would need to include country. There are very few people who can rank both country, pop, and rock in an unbiased manor.

ok

 

[BassNBrew]

Well at least there's no petty bickering over the "classic rock" label, like I thought there would be.

If it was in the regular MTV rotation it's not classic rock?????

 

[Uruk-Hai]

I don't think Petty was played at the beginning, but I may be wrong about that.

Breakdown and Amercian Girl are off of the debut TP album back in 1976. He got FM radio airplay from jump street.

I'm talking about classic rock radio as it appeared in the early '80s, not AOR (which played currents).

I guess I am confused. Petty was popular in the late 70's and still popular in the 80's. He was a current artist when classic rock started, but so were other bands like VH, Aerosmith, Springsteen, PF, Queen, ZZ Top, etc. Where I lived, I never noticed a distinction between current and older tracks . . . the "classic" part had more to do with the style and sound than the age of the song. The opposite of "classic rock" was "alternative" . . . which at the time was more new wave, post-punk, electronic type artists than straight guitar driven songs . . . The Cure, Depeche Mode, R.E.M. Peter Gabriel, etc. At least that's how I remember it.

As I said, Petty may have gotten in at the beginning - I can't recall. I know Boston did. And I'm pretty sure VH came along on CR radio shortly thereafter. The other acts you mentioned all started way before 1976, so they were grandfathered in. But the classic rock stations in my area in the early 80s played very little newer music. It was basically '64 to '76. They expanded that range by the late '80s.

I think there may be some confusion on formats - CR wasn't the same as AOR.

 

[Dr. Octopus]

Well at least there's no petty bickering over the "classic rock" label, like I thought there would be.

If it was in the regular MTV rotation it's not classic rock?????

The Stones, The Who, David Bowie, Queen, Genesis.....plus many others....were all on MTV, so not sure that works.

 

[Uruk-Hai]

Well at least there's no petty bickering over the "classic rock" label, like I thought there would be.

I'm just talking about the radio format as it was when it started. I was there and listened to it. It's not the same as AOR, which played currents (as sad as they were in the early 80s) and sprinkled in some oldies. I think it was Doug that said above that CR captured a time period.

 

[Dr. Octopus]

But the classic rock stations in my area in the early 80s played very little newer music.

Yeah, they would occasionally play a new song from a legacy band like say The Who and call it an "instant classic" or something like that.

 

[Stoneworker]

I don't think Petty was played at the beginning, but I may be wrong about that.

Breakdown and Amercian Girl are off of the debut TP album back in 1976. He got FM radio airplay from jump street.

While that would make intuitive sense in terms of release dates, IIRC the earlier TP material (e.g. Breakdown) did not get significant CR airplay until after Damn the Torpedoes (i.e. Refugee) broke through for them in very early 1980. Until then they were kind of fringe.

Tom Petty was much bigger in UK/Europe before gaining traction in the U.S.

 

[BassNBrew]

But the classic rock stations in my area in the early 80s played very little newer music.

Yeah, they would occasionally play a new song from a legacy band like say The Who and call it an "instant classic" or something like that.

Damn you have your finger on the pulse.

 

[Dr. Octopus]

While that would make intuitive sense in terms of release dates, IIRC the earlier TP material (e.g. Breakdown) did not get significant CR airplay until after Damn the Torpedoes (i.e. Refugee) broke through for them in very early 1980. Until then they were kind of fringe.

They were actually marketed as "new wave" when they first broke, because no one really knew what to call it. Wasn't quite "country". Wasn't quite "southern rock". Wasn't "classic rock".

 

[Dr. Octopus]

But the classic rock stations in my area in the early 80s played very little newer music.

Yeah, they would occasionally play a new song from a legacy band like say The Who and call it an "instant classic" or something like that.

Damn you have your finger on the pulse.

Not sure what you're trying to say - maybe it's a mock?

 

[Anarchy99]

I guess I am wondering out loud why there needs to be any distinction between AOR and classic rock for this? Can't it just be top rock albums from 1967 - 1981? The range is 42-57 years ago. It's all "classic" compared to now. I think it's pretty easy to exclude Off The Wall (Michael Jackson), Rhinestone Cowboy (Glen Campbell), Tapestry (Carole King), Windsong (John Denver), Songs In The Key Of Life (Stevie Wonder), Saturday Night Fever (Bee Gees), etc. as not being rock albums. I suppose I should just think "not my thread, not my problem," but I think there could be some confusion over who fits and who doesn't (and some performers may have songs that fit and songs that don't).

 

[Uruk-Hai]

Can't it just be top rock albums from 1967 - 1981?

That's what it's going to be. Tim mentioned CR radio in 1982 and he's going to be choosing stuff that wasn't played on that format for a decade. He's the one that brought up the radio format. I was just trying to clarify what was actually played on it back then.

 

[Doug B]

Well at least there's no petty bickering over the "classic rock" label, like I thought there would be.

If it was in the regular MTV rotation it's not classic rock?????

This was a good rule of thumb ... there were exceptions, but very few.

A more precise rule was that if MTV "made" the artist -- if the artist had no profile until their MTV airplay launched them -- then that artist wouldn't get touched by an 80s Classic Rock station.

 

[BassNBrew]

But the classic rock stations in my area in the early 80s played very little newer music.

Yeah, they would occasionally play a new song from a legacy band like say The Who and call it an "instant classic" or something like that.

Damn you have your finger on the pulse.

Not sure what you're trying to say - maybe it's a mock?

As soon as you said "instant classic", I chuckled because you sounded just like the DJs back in the day when they were covering for a current release being played on "classic rock". Your memory/description covers it perfectly and succinctly. The post was kudos to you for pulling out that phrase from the past.

 

[Stoneworker]

While that would make intuitive sense in terms of release dates, IIRC the earlier TP material (e.g. Breakdown) did not get significant CR airplay until after Damn the Torpedoes (i.e. Refugee) broke through for them in very early 1980. Until then they were kind of fringe.

They were actually marketed as "new wave" when they first broke, because no one really knew what to call it. Wasn't quite "country". Wasn't quite "southern rock". Wasn't "classic rock".

Yes. For Damn the Torpedoes TP switched producers to Jimmy Iovine who helped give Petty a little angrier, punchier rock sound that helped him finally gain traction.

Iovine had engineered/mixed for the Boss on Born to Run and had just produced punk rocker Patti Smith's crossover Because the Night (co-written by Springsteen).