1991-1995 Has to Be the Best 5 Year Block in the History of Rock Music....Hands Down!

[Eddy Munny]

It seems like rock music is pretty much dead, and has been for quite some time. But it wasn't always that way. It seems like only yesterday you could look forward to a new album every couple months or so that you just knew was gonna be killer. When I reminisce about the days when great bands were around every corner, and quality new music was spreading like wildfire, I have to give the nod to the years 1991-1995 as the best five years ever.

Below I've gone through each one of those years and listed five noteworthy albums. Obviously there are plenty of great bands/albums that aren't featured here but I didn't want to compile an exhaustive list that included everything..... But these are some of the ones I'm partial to and became fairly successful records in their time.

1991 (Arguably the single greatest year....the following albums are touchstone classics)

Nirvana.........................Nevermin d
Pearl Jam......................Ten
Red Hot Chili Peppers......Blood Sugar Sex Magik
Metallica........................Black Album
Guns N Roses.................Use Your Illusion I & II

1992

REM...............................Automa tic For the People
Rage Against the Machine...(Self Titled)
Alice in Chains.................Dirt
Blind Melon.....................(Self Titled)
Gin Blossoms...................New Miserable Experience

1993

Counting Crows...............August and Everything After
Nirvana...........................In Utero
Smashing Pumpkins...........Siamese Dream
Aerosmith.......................Get a Grip
Pearl Jam........................Vs.

1994 (Listed ten albums....couldn't narrow it down)

Stone Temple Pilots...........Purple
Weezer............................Blue Album
Nine Inch Nails..................The Downward Spiral
Green Day........................Dookie
Oasis...............................Defi nitely Maybe
Live..................................Th rowing Copper
Dave Matthews Band..........Under the Table and Dreaming
Bush................................Sixt een Stone
Soundgarden.....................Superunk nown
Tom Petty.........................Wildflower s

1995

Smashing Pumpkins...........Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness
Oasis................................Wha t's the Story Morning Glory?
Radiohead.........................The Bends
No Doubt..........................Tragic Kingdom
Alanis Morissette................Jagged Little Pill

[Kermit]

Can't really argue any of that. Some consider many of those bands as "alternative" but IMO that was just the evolution of rock.

Ozzy's No more Tears also released in 1991

[Eddy Munny]

Yeah, rock is a pretty broad term. The purest "rock" bands on here are probably Guns N Roses or Aerosmith. But like you said, the genre was undergoing a transformation at the time, so "alternative" became the new standard. Having No Doubt on the list is probably out of place for a rock list but oh well.

No More Tears is a good album, I agree. '91 was a banner year. They don't make 'em like that anymore.

[TheMoneyShot]

I would have to agree. Miss those days and years.

[Jimmy Proffett]

1990's is probably my favorite decade of music. 1992 was also the year Megadeth released Countdown to Extinction, which is a fantastic album. 1994... what an insane collection of music.

[Kermit]

1990's is probably my favorite decade of music. 1992 was also the year Megadeth released Countdown to Extinction, which is a fantastic album. 1994... what an insane collection of music.

I was going to mention that one as well.

[The Madcap]

You people are either on crack or prozac. 90's rock is what killed rock. You want a banner year? Here's a banner year:


1971:


The Rolling Stones.............Sticky Fingers
Led Zeppelin......................IV
The WHO...........................WHO's NEXT
Pink Floyd..........................Meddle
The Doors.........................LA Woman
Jimi Hendrix.......................The Cry of Love
Janis Joplin........................Pearl
Jethro Tull.........................Aqualung
Black Sabbath....................Masters of Reality
Allman Brothers.................At Filmore East
Marvin Gaye.......................What's Going On
John Lennon......................Imagine
Rod Stewart.......................Every Picture Tells a Story
David Bowie........................Hunky Dory
T-Rex................................Elect ric Warrior
Don McLean........................American Pie
Van Morrison......................Tupelo Honey
Cat Stevens........................Teaser and the Fire Cat
Elton John..........................Madman Across the Water
YES...................................Fr agile
Sly and the Family Stone......There's a Riot Goin On




That's 20 albums that pretty much all kick the shit out of anything that was made in the 90's. And just to put things even more in perspective, that top 20 is leaving out shit from Santana, ZZ Top, Grand Funk Railroad, Alice Cooper, P-Funk, Genesis, The Beach Boys, Joni Mitchell, The Kinks, Bad Finger, Fleetwood Mac, Little Feat, Chicago, Billy Joel, and Stevie Wonder. Best 5 year block in history?!? It can't even match one damn year from the 70's. I think you fellas need to take them old records off the shelf and sit and listen to them by yourself.

[GiveMeaBJ]

Rank me your top 5 rock albums of all time. I need some new tunes.

[The Madcap]

Rank me your top 5 rock albums of all time. I need some new tunes.

I'm guessing you've heard them all already unless you've been living in a cave the last 40 years. But if you give me a list of your favorite bands/types of music I might be able to toss some names out there you'd like that maybe you haven't listened to much before.

[grease lightnin]

Most most think the music of their youth is the best and that it will "never be like that again". It goes farther than music....haircut, style of clothes, etc... The music listed by the OP came out in my teen years and while it is good, it is old, tired and played out as most all good music gets. I try to stay in the loop and find new stuff regularly. There are plenty of good rock bands out there today...here are two that are touring together that I have tickets to go see this summer...

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=bpOSxM0rNPM

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Uj38xY5n3no

[The Madcap]

Most most think the music of their youth is the best and that it will "never be like that again". It goes farther than music....haircut, style of clothes, etc... The music listed by the OP came out in my teen years and while it is good, it is old, tired and played out as most all good music gets. I try to stay in the loop and find new stuff regularly. There are plenty of good rock bands out there today...here are two that are touring together that I have tickets to go see this summer...

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=bpOSxM0rNPM

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Uj38xY5n3no

The 90's were my youth too, and even as a pre-teen I knew Nirvana couldn't sniff Zeppelin's taint. That being said, the 90's stuff is certainly a shit load better than the limp wristed indy BS the art geek hipsters are trying to peddle as "rock" today. Radiohead is for fags and dudes who think pretending to be sissies is an easier way to get laid than acting like a man.

[grease lightnin]

The 90's were my youth too, and even as a pre-teen I knew Nirvana couldn't sniff Zeppelin's taint. That being said, the 90's stuff is certainly a shit load better than the limp wristed indy BS the art geek hipsters are trying to peddle as "rock" today. Radiohead is for fags and dudes who think pretending to be sissies is an easier way to get laid than acting like a man.

Music is not like sports, art is subjective bro. Neither one of the songs I posted is limpwristed. They both have driving distorted guitar as their backbone. As for Radiohead, I never liked em much either. It makes sense that you're my age with Lincoln Hawk as your avy. Lol

[jim]

any 5 years of the 70s blow away the whole of the 80s-90s-00s etc.

[greenhippo]

Madcap just took a shit all over this thread, some would say he went 'over the top' but I don't think so.

ANY 5 year period 68-79 rapes anything in the 90s.

[RubberKettle]

*Alternative Rock

[miamiken]

Gotta be the best!

[cecil127]

OP hasn't a clue....

remember this one fom'93...the 1st time the gubmet tried to blow up the WTC...LMAO!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=fefRy4_0QUo

[Jimmy Proffett]

Madcap just took a shit all over this thread, some would say he went 'over the top' but I don't think so.

ANY 5 year period 68-79 rapes anything in the 90s.

You can't just find albums made in 1971 by amazing bands and say that the albums are amazing. Hendrix was awesome; The Cry of Love isn't one of his definitive works. L.A. Woman is weak too, and I love The Doors. American Pie? LOL

I'll put it this way: the decade from 1965-1975 is the best decade of music. If one's going by the strictest definition of "decade" as in the years have to end with a zero, then the 90's are the best. Of course, imho

[Eddy Munny]

You people are either on crack or prozac. 90's rock is what killed rock. You want a banner year? Here's a banner year:


1971:


The Rolling Stones.............Sticky Fingers
Led Zeppelin......................IV
The WHO...........................WHO's NEXT
Pink Floyd..........................Meddle
The Doors.........................LA Woman
Jimi Hendrix.......................The Cry of Love
Janis Joplin........................Pearl
Jethro Tull.........................Aqualung
Black Sabbath....................Masters of Reality
Allman Brothers.................At Filmore East
Marvin Gaye.......................What's Going On
John Lennon......................Imagine
Rod Stewart.......................Every Picture Tells a Story
David Bowie........................Hunky Dory
T-Rex................................Elect ric Warrior
Don McLean........................American Pie
Van Morrison......................Tupelo Honey
Cat Stevens........................Teaser and the Fire Cat
Elton John..........................Madman Across the Water
YES...................................Fr agile
Sly and the Family Stone......There's a Riot Goin On




That's 20 albums that pretty much all kick the shit out of anything that was made in the 90's. And just to put things even more in perspective, that top 20 is leaving out shit from Santana, ZZ Top, Grand Funk Railroad, Alice Cooper, P-Funk, Genesis, The Beach Boys, Joni Mitchell, The Kinks, Bad Finger, Fleetwood Mac, Little Feat, Chicago, Billy Joel, and Stevie Wonder. Best 5 year block in history?!? It can't even match one damn year from the 70's. I think you fellas need to take them old records off the shelf and sit and listen to them by yourself.

I think you're kinda missing the point here. You just listed a bunch of bands and their respective albums for 1971 as if it's a sheer numbers game. I could have done the same thing with the '90's but I didn't want to write an encyclopedic thesis on the period..... The collection of albums I cited was done with minimal effort, just stuff I thought sort of represented the cream of the crop. But in no way is it comprehensive. To the contrary, I believe this list is like an introduction to the '90's......tip of the iceberg.

Jimmy Proffet pretty much hit the nail on the head when he pointed out that these albums you listed are by seminal artists, but not necessarily peak work. The spirit of The Doors, for example, was never better captured than the first two albums. By LA Woman, Morrison was fat, bearded, and erratic in the studio. The muse had departed. It was a perfunctory record, not the stuff of cosmic inspiration like "Crystal Ship" or "Moonlight Drive." I love the Doors, but for me, the band's mystique sagged after Waiting for the Sun (3rd album).

Pink Floyd needs no introduction, but c'mon, Meddle? Nobody remembers that band for that album. Diehards will soak up anything, but that's not quintessential Floyd. Jimi Hendrix set the world alight, but not with The Cry of Love....... Are You Experienced? or Axis is another story. On my list, I didn't cite albums like Nirvana's Incesticide ........I went with the bona fide classics, Nevermind and In Utero. That's the distinction.

I'll give you Led Zeppelin IV. That album is rock par excellence. Sticky Fingers is a good album also. But I would argue much of the list is garden-variety rock, not the kind of albums that cement legacies. When I referred to 1991 as a banner year, I provided examples of albums that were game changers:

Nevermind.............Every song is memorable. Heavy/soft dynamics with killer hooks. Vocals were insane, drumming brutal.

Ten..................... Vedder offered baritone vocals with astonishing range. Part of the Seattle scene, but the twin guitar attack evoked a touch of classic rock era. Songs all over the FM dial.

BloodSugarSexMagik...... The album that made RHCP stars. Funk drenched energy in spades, but songwriting took a major step forward from previous efforts.

Black Album.........Metallica was already big when this album came out, but mostly with metalheads. This vaulted them into the stratosphere and put them on the path to legendary status.

Use Your Illusion........ Technically, there were two separate albums, but I considerit to be a double-disc release. At the time, Guns were probablythe biggest band on the planet and UYI's didn't disappoint.

So yeah, I'd give albums like these the nod over stuff like T-Rex and Cat Stevens. I didn't even mention other bands with quality albums from the '90's such as:

U2
Tool
The Black Crowes
Jeff Buckley
Liz Phair
Blur
Sonic Youth
Jane's Addiction
Veruca Salt
Pantera
Candlebox
The Verve
Sponge
The Flaming Lips
Faith No More
Pavement
Queensryche
The Offspring
Megadeth
Sublime
Collective Soul
Dream Theater
Echobelly
The Cranberries

Etc............


If I had to pick a second 5 year block, it would probably be somewhere in late sixties as you have late era Beatles coinciding with early Doors and Zep albums. That was a very exciting period for music, but overall the early nineties get my vote for have both quantity and quality.

If someone told me I could only listen to only a five year period of music for the rest of my life, it would be 1991-1995 (although, admittedly, it would suck to be limited to any specific 5 years). Don't forget, it was also a landmark period for hip hop with albums like The Chronic, Doggystyle, Me Against the World, Illmatic, Ready to Die, Enter the **-Tang, and so forth.

[Kermit]

My favorite album in 1991 was Slave to the Grind by Skid Row. That was the first "Metal" album to ever debut at #1 on the Billboard 200.

[Eddy Munny]

My favorite album in 1991 was Slave to the Grind by Skid Row. That was the first "Metal" album to ever debut at #1 on the Billboard 200.

Good one. I meant to mention Skid Row in my previous post. They sort of get lumped in with '80's bands because their first record was in 1988, but Slave to the Grind and Subhuman Race were nineties albums. Sebastian Bach, in his prime, was one of the greatest vocalists ever imo. I challenge any human being with a soul to listen to "In a Darkened Room" and not get chills from that vocal performance.

[Kermit]

Good one. I meant to mention Skid Row in my previous post. They sort of get lumped in with '80's bands because their first record was in 1988, but Slave to the Grind and Subhuman Race were nineties albums. Sebastian Bach, in his prime, was one of the greatest vocalists ever imo. I challenge any human being with a soul to listen to "In a Darkened Room" and not get chills from that vocal performance.

Yeah, I loved the original band with Bach. They tried to replace him, but the new guy isn't even in the same ballpark. I seen Skid Row on their Grind tour back in 91 or 92 with Pantera.

[The Madcap]

You can't just find albums made in 1971 by amazing bands and say that the albums are amazing. Hendrix was awesome; The Cry of Love isn't one of his definitive works. L.A. Woman is weak too, and I love The Doors. American Pie? LOL

I'll put it this way: the decade from 1965-1975 is the best decade of music. If one's going by the strictest definition of "decade" as in the years have to end with a zero, then the 90's are the best. Of course, imho

have you listened to all these albums, or do you only know these bands in "greatest hits" form? (not saying that to be a dick, just asking)


I'll certainly grant you that "Cry of Love" isn't one of Hendrix's seminal works, but it's still a damn good album and certainly worthy of mention anywhere "In Utero" is.



As for LA Woman, call it weak all you want, but it still had "Riders on the Storm"/"Love Her Madly"/"LA Woman" on it and that's more than enough to compete with the shit he threw up there from the Gin Blossoms/Blind Melon.


And sorry, but 70-79 rocked the shit out of 90-99 and it's not even close. Now I could list out the top 10 albums from each year in the 70's and put 'em side by side against the 90's to prove my point, but that's totally unnecessary. Here's all you need to know: Tom Petty's "Wildflowers" was far and away one of the top albums of 1994; his album with "American Girl"/"Breakdown" couldn't even crack the Top 50 in 1976.

http://www.besteveralbums.com/yearstats.php?y=1976&f=&fv=&orderby=Rank&sortdir=asc&page=5

[The Madcap]

I think you're kinda missing the point here. You just listed a bunch of bands and their respective albums for 1971 as if it's a sheer numbers game. I could have done the same thing with the '90's but I didn't want to write an encyclopedic thesis on the period..... The collection of albums I cited was done with minimal effort, just stuff I thought sort of represented the cream of the crop. But in no way is it comprehensive. To the contrary, I believe this list is like an introduction to the '90's......tip of the iceberg.

Jimmy Proffet pretty much hit the nail on the head when he pointed out that these albums you listed are by seminal artists, but not necessarily peak work. The spirit of The Doors, for example, was never better captured than the first two albums. By LA Woman, Morrison was fat, bearded, and erratic in the studio. The muse had departed. It was a perfunctory record, not the stuff of cosmic inspiration like "Crystal Ship" or "Moonlight Drive." I love the Doors, but for me, the band's mystique sagged after Waiting for the Sun (3rd album).

Pink Floyd needs no introduction, but c'mon, Meddle? Nobody remembers that band for that album. Diehards will soak up anything, but that's not quintessential Floyd. Jimi Hendrix set the world alight, but not with The Cry of Love....... Are You Experienced? or Axis is another story. On my list, I didn't cite albums like Nirvana's Incesticide ........I went with the bona fide classics, Nevermind and In Utero. That's the distinction.

I'll give you Led Zeppelin IV. That album is rock par excellence. Sticky Fingers is a good album also. But I would argue much of the list is garden-variety rock, not the kind of albums that cement legacies. When I referred to 1991 as a banner year, I provided examples of albums that were game changers:

Nevermind.............Every song is memorable. Heavy/soft dynamics with killer hooks. Vocals were insane, drumming brutal.

Ten..................... Vedder offered baritone vocals with astonishing range. Part of the Seattle scene, but the twin guitar attack evoked a touch of classic rock era. Songs all over the FM dial.

BloodSugarSexMagik...... The album that made RHCP stars. Funk drenched energy in spades, but songwriting took a major step forward from previous efforts.

Black Album.........Metallica was already big when this album came out, but mostly with metalheads. This vaulted them into the stratosphere and put them on the path to legendary status.

Use Your Illusion........ Technically, there were two separate albums, but I considerit to be a double-disc release. At the time, Guns were probablythe biggest band on the planet and UYI's didn't disappoint.

So yeah, I'd give albums like these the nod over stuff like T-Rex and Cat Stevens. I didn't even mention other bands with quality albums from the '90's such as:

U2
Tool
The Black Crowes
Jeff Buckley
Liz Phair
Blur
Sonic Youth
Jane's Addiction
Veruca Salt
Pantera
Candlebox
The Verve
Sponge
The Flaming Lips
Faith No More
Pavement
Queensryche
The Offspring
Megadeth
Sublime
Collective Soul
Dream Theater
Echobelly
The Cranberries

Etc............


If I had to pick a second 5 year block, it would probably be somewhere in late sixties as you have late era Beatles coinciding with early Doors and Zep albums. That was a very exciting period for music, but overall the early nineties get my vote for have both quantity and quality.

If someone told me I could only listen to only a five year period of music for the rest of my life, it would be 1991-1995 (although, admittedly, it would suck to be limited to any specific 5 years). Don't forget, it was also a landmark period for hip hop with albums like The Chronic, Doggystyle, Me Against the World, Illmatic, Ready to Die, Enter the **-Tang, and so forth.

Fine, have it your way....


these game changers enough for you?




1970:


Led Zeppelin.....................Zeppelin III
Black Sabbath...................Paranoid/Black Sabbath (debut)
The Stooges.....................Fun House
Velvet Underground...........Loaded
Derek and The Dominos..... Layla & other Assorted Love Songs
James Brown.....................Sex Machine
The Beatles.......................Let it Be
CCR..................................Cos mo's Factory
Carlos Santana..................Abraxas
The Guess Who................American Woman
Neil Young........................After the Gold Rush
Allman Brothers................Idlewild South
Grateful Dead...................American Beauty/Workingman's Dead
Van Morrison...................Moondance


1971:

Led Zeppelin....................Zeppelin IV
The Who........................Who's Next
Rolling Stones.................Sticky Fingers
Janis Joplin......................Pearl
Jethro Tull.......................Aqualung
Allman Brothers...............At Filmore East
Marvin Gaye....................What's Goin On
David Bowie.....................Honky Dory
Yes.................................Frag ile

1972:


The Rolling Stones.............Exile On Main Street
David Bowie......................The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust
Lou Reed..........................Transforme r
Deep Purple.......................Machine Head
Allman Brothers.................Eat a Peach
The Band..........................Rock of Ages
The Doobie Brothers..........Toulouse Street
The Eagles........................The Eagles (debut)
Grateful Dead....................Europe '72
Neil Young........................ Harvest
Steely Dan........................Can't Buy a Thrill
Uriah Heep........................Demons & Wizards
Yes..................................Clo se to the Edge
Alice Cooper......................School's Out



1973:

Pink Floyd.............................Dark Side of the Moon
Led Zeppelin.........................Houses of the Holy
The Who..............................Quadrop henia
Bob Marley and the Wailers....Catch a Fire/Burnin
Lynyrd Skynyrd....................Pronounced Leh-nerd Skin-nerd
The Eagles...........................Despera do
Genesis................................S elling England by the Pound
The Doobie Brothers.............The Captain and Me
Allman Brothers................... Brothers and Sisters
Black Sabbath......................Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
Lou Reed.............................Berlin
The Stooges........................Raw Power
Alice Cooper.........................Billion Dollar Babies
ZZ Top...............................Tres Hombres
Stevie Wonder.....................Innervisions
Elton John...........................Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
Tom Waits...........................Closing Time
Marvin Gaye.........................Let's Get it On
James Brown.......................They Payback
Billy Joel..............................Piano Man
Procol Harum.......................Grand Hotel
Golden Earring.....................Moontan
Little Feat............................Dixie Chicken
Waylon Jennings..................Honky Tonky Heroes
Queen.................................Qu een (debut)
Aerosmith...........................Aero smith (debut)


1974:

Eric Clapton............................461 Ocean Blvd
Bad Company.........................Bad Company
Lynyrd Skynyrd......................Second Helping
Genesis................................. The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway
Queen................................... Queen II/Sheer Heart Attack
Bob Marley.............................Natty Dread
Kiss.................................... ..Kiss (debut)
Blue Oyster Cult.....................Secret Treaties
Joe Walsh..............................So What
Jackson Browne......................Late For the Sky
Supertramp............................Cr ime of the Century
Frank Zappa............................Apostro phe


1975:

Led Zeppelin........................Physical Graffiti
Queen.................................A Night at the Opera
Pink Floyd............................Wish You Were Here
The Eagles...........................One of These Nights
Bob Dylan............................Blood on the Tracks
AC/DC.................................High Voltage
Aerosmith...........................Toys in the Attic
ZZ Top...............................Fandan go
Bruce Springsteen................Born to Run
Ted Nugent.........................Ted Nugent
Nazareth..............................Ha ir of the Dog
Jeff Beck..............................Blow by Blow
Parliament............................Mo thership Connection
Alice Cooper........................Welcome to my Nightmare
Willie Nelson.........................The Red Headed Stranger


1976:

The Eagles...................Hotel California
Rush..........................2112
Steve Miller Band..........Fly Like an Eagle
Aerosmith...................Rocks
Kiss............................Destroye r
Queen.........................A Day at the Races
The Ramones...............The Ramones
Boston........................Boston
Kansas.........................Leftovert ure
Bob Seger....................Night Moves
Thin Lizzy.....................Jailbreak
Warren Zevon................Warren Zevon
Bob Dylan....................Desire

1977:

Fleetwood Mac...................................Ru mours
Sex Pistols................................. .......Never Mind the Bollocks
Pink Floyd................................... .......Animals
The Clash................................... .......The Clash
Lynyrd Skynyrd................................. Street Survivors
Eric Clapton................................. .....Slowhand
Steely Dan..................................... ..Aja
Bob Marley.................................. .....Exodus
Ted Nugent.................................. ....Cat Scratch Fever
Styx.................................... ............The Grand Illusion
Meatloaf................................ ...........Bat out of Hell
Electric Light Orchestra......................Out of the Blue
Billy Joel.................................... .......The Stranger
Jackson Browne................................Ru nning on Empty
Iggy Pop..................................... .....A Lust for Life
Cheap Trick................................... ...Cheap Trick
Foreigner............................... ..........Foreigner

1978:

Van Halen.................Van Halen
Dire Straights............Dire Straights
The Band..................The Last Waltz
Bruce Springsteen......Darkness on the Edge of Town
Little Feat................Waiting for Columbus
Blondie....................Parallel Lines
The Police.................Outlandos D'Amour
Bob Seger................Stranger in Town
Rolling Stones..........Some Girls
The Cars..................The Cars
Journey....................Infinity
Kenny Rogers...........The Gambler



1979:

Pink Floyd.......................The Wall
AC/DC............................Highway to Hell
The Clash.......................London Calling
Talking Heads..................Fear of Music
Foreigner.........................Double Vision
Van Halen........................Van Halen II
Motorhead.......................Overkill
Frank Zappa.....................Joe's Garage Act I
The B 52s........................The B52s

[rkelly110]

Nice thread, brings back memories. The one thing we can all agree on is, RAP IS CRAP! (at least I hope so)

[GiveMeaBJ]

I'm guessing you've heard them all already unless you've been living in a cave the last 40 years. But if you give me a list of your favorite bands/types of music I might be able to toss some names out there you'd like that maybe you haven't listened to much before.

No sir, just 24 so this was all before my time. Obviously, I have heard most of the classics but I enjoy listening to albums from start to finish which I have never touched on in the classic rock genre. So if you can give me your best five albums to start out with it would be much appreciated. No year in particular.

[Eddy Munny]

Fine, have it your way....


these game changers enough for you?




1970:


Led Zeppelin.....................Zeppelin III
Black Sabbath...................Paranoid/Black Sabbath (debut)
The Stooges.....................Fun House
Velvet Underground...........Loaded
Derek and The Dominos..... Layla & other Assorted Love Songs
James Brown.....................Sex Machine
The Beatles.......................Let it Be
CCR..................................Cos mo's Factory
Carlos Santana..................Abraxas
The Guess Who................American Woman
Neil Young........................After the Gold Rush
Allman Brothers................Idlewild South
Grateful Dead...................American Beauty/Workingman's Dead
Van Morrison...................Moondance


1971:

Led Zeppelin....................Zeppelin IV
The Who........................Who's Next
Rolling Stones.................Sticky Fingers
Janis Joplin......................Pearl
Jethro Tull.......................Aqualung
Allman Brothers...............At Filmore East
Marvin Gaye....................What's Goin On
David Bowie.....................Honky Dory
Yes.................................Frag ile

1972:


The Rolling Stones.............Exile On Main Street
David Bowie......................The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust
Lou Reed..........................Transforme r
Deep Purple.......................Machine Head
Allman Brothers.................Eat a Peach
The Band..........................Rock of Ages
The Doobie Brothers..........Toulouse Street
The Eagles........................The Eagles (debut)
Grateful Dead....................Europe '72
Neil Young........................ Harvest
Steely Dan........................Can't Buy a Thrill
Uriah Heep........................Demons & Wizards
Yes..................................Clo se to the Edge
Alice Cooper......................School's Out



1973:

Pink Floyd.............................Dark Side of the Moon
Led Zeppelin.........................Houses of the Holy
The Who..............................Quadrop henia
Bob Marley and the Wailers....Catch a Fire/Burnin
Lynyrd Skynyrd....................Pronounced Leh-nerd Skin-nerd
The Eagles...........................Despera do
Genesis................................S elling England by the Pound
The Doobie Brothers.............The Captain and Me
Allman Brothers................... Brothers and Sisters
Black Sabbath......................Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
Lou Reed.............................Berlin
The Stooges........................Raw Power
Alice Cooper.........................Billion Dollar Babies
ZZ Top...............................Tres Hombres
Stevie Wonder.....................Innervisions
Elton John...........................Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
Tom Waits...........................Closing Time
Marvin Gaye.........................Let's Get it On
James Brown.......................They Payback
Billy Joel..............................Piano Man
Procol Harum.......................Grand Hotel
Golden Earring.....................Moontan
Little Feat............................Dixie Chicken
Waylon Jennings..................Honky Tonky Heroes
Queen.................................Qu een (debut)
Aerosmith...........................Aero smith (debut)


1974:

Eric Clapton............................461 Ocean Blvd
Bad Company.........................Bad Company
Lynyrd Skynyrd......................Second Helping
Genesis................................. The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway
Queen................................... Queen II/Sheer Heart Attack
Bob Marley.............................Natty Dread
Kiss.................................... ..Kiss (debut)
Blue Oyster Cult.....................Secret Treaties
Joe Walsh..............................So What
Jackson Browne......................Late For the Sky
Supertramp............................Cr ime of the Century
Frank Zappa............................Apostro phe


1975:

Led Zeppelin........................Physical Graffiti
Queen.................................A Night at the Opera
Pink Floyd............................Wish You Were Here
The Eagles...........................One of These Nights
Bob Dylan............................Blood on the Tracks
AC/DC.................................High Voltage
Aerosmith...........................Toys in the Attic
ZZ Top...............................Fandan go
Bruce Springsteen................Born to Run
Ted Nugent.........................Ted Nugent
Nazareth..............................Ha ir of the Dog
Jeff Beck..............................Blow by Blow
Parliament............................Mo thership Connection
Alice Cooper........................Welcome to my Nightmare
Willie Nelson.........................The Red Headed Stranger


1976:

The Eagles...................Hotel California
Rush..........................2112
Steve Miller Band..........Fly Like an Eagle
Aerosmith...................Rocks
Kiss............................Destroye r
Queen.........................A Day at the Races
The Ramones...............The Ramones
Boston........................Boston
Kansas.........................Leftovert ure
Bob Seger....................Night Moves
Thin Lizzy.....................Jailbreak
Warren Zevon................Warren Zevon
Bob Dylan....................Desire

1977:

Fleetwood Mac...................................Ru mours
Sex Pistols................................. .......Never Mind the Bollocks
Pink Floyd................................... .......Animals
The Clash................................... .......The Clash
Lynyrd Skynyrd................................. Street Survivors
Eric Clapton................................. .....Slowhand
Steely Dan..................................... ..Aja
Bob Marley.................................. .....Exodus
Ted Nugent.................................. ....Cat Scratch Fever
Styx.................................... ............The Grand Illusion
Meatloaf................................ ...........Bat out of Hell
Electric Light Orchestra......................Out of the Blue
Billy Joel.................................... .......The Stranger
Jackson Browne................................Ru nning on Empty
Iggy Pop..................................... .....A Lust for Life
Cheap Trick................................... ...Cheap Trick
Foreigner............................... ..........Foreigner

1978:

Van Halen.................Van Halen
Dire Straights............Dire Straights
The Band..................The Last Waltz
Bruce Springsteen......Darkness on the Edge of Town
Little Feat................Waiting for Columbus
Blondie....................Parallel Lines
The Police.................Outlandos D'Amour
Bob Seger................Stranger in Town
Rolling Stones..........Some Girls
The Cars..................The Cars
Journey....................Infinity
Kenny Rogers...........The Gambler



1979:

Pink Floyd.......................The Wall
AC/DC............................Highway to Hell
The Clash.......................London Calling
Talking Heads..................Fear of Music
Foreigner.........................Double Vision
Van Halen........................Van Halen II
Motorhead.......................Overkill
Frank Zappa.....................Joe's Garage Act I
The B 52s........................The B52s

Well first off, you listed an entire decade..... I did five years. 1991 and 1994, in particular, would better any of these years imo.

To be perfectly honest with you, much of the music you cited here bores me to tears. I have nothing against classic rock, but I could do without 80% of the stuff on here and never miss it. Never Mind the Bollocks, for example, gets a lot of hype for it's impact and is a trendy selection on certain music lists, but I don't know anyone who actually listens to that album simply on musical merit. It's just not that good.

A band like Foreigner has some catchy tunes I'll admit, but I'm never compelled to cue up "Juke Box Hero" on my ipod to scratch some musical itch that couldn't be better satisfied by another band.

Alice Cooper has only ONE song I can think of that I actually enjoy (Poison), and that didn't even come out 1989. That means it's a helluva lot closer to being a '90's song than an '70's song.

Yes (the band) is unlistenable, every Velvet Underground song sounds like a cheap demo, and Ted Nugent is just plain corny. I could go on and on. I think there's a lot of dead weight here.

You mentioned something to the effect of LA Woman taking a poop all over the Gin Blossoms and Blind Melon. But I stand by my opinion that the Doors later albums became these pedestrian excursions into bluesy, barroom type rock records and lost a lot of the magic from the first 2 or 3 albums. That being said, I would gladly listen to New Miserable Experience over LA Woman if given the choice. NME showcases some really good songwriting by a band that was actually inspired to record. I'm not saying the Gin Blossoms are better than The Doors, but I don't believe a band gets an automatic pass simply because of their "status."

As for Blind Melon, I will go to bat any day for this band. Most people think they were only "No Rain" and not much else, which is downright criminal. The band had solid musical chops all around, good songwriting, and a talented, charismatic frontman in Shannon Hoon. The irony here is that you obviously have a strong affinity for classic rock, and Blind Melon owed a lot of their sound/vibe to that era. If you've never really delved into BM's material, I would suggest you at least check out these songs before casting your verdict:

Soup
Galaxie
St. Andrew's Fall
Walk
Mouthful of Cavities
Time
Soul One (There is the original cut, and a heavier, electric version.......both fantastic)

[The Madcap]

No sir, just 24 so this was all before my time. Obviously, I have heard most of the classics but I enjoy listening to albums from start to finish which I have never touched on in the classic rock genre. So if you can give me your best five albums to start out with it would be much appreciated. No year in particular.

Well it's really hard to say what direction to point you without knowing if you prefer hard rock/pop/blues/jam bands etc. or what kind of drugs you're currently taking, but if you haven't listened to these albums in their entirety I'd say it's a damn good place to start....


(If you like these I've recommended some follow up albums in parenthesis)



Pink Floyd......................Dark Side of the Moon (The Wall)
Led Zeppelin..................Zeppelin IV (Zeppelin III)
Rolling Stones................Exile on Main Street (Sticky Fingers)
The Who.......................Who's Next (Tommy)
Allman Brothers............Eat a Peach (At Filmore East)
Grateful Dead................Live Dead (American Beauty/Workingman's Dead)



By and large those bands pretty much encompass the whole of the blues/rock sound of the 60's/70's.



Now there are some bands that simply didn't put out great "albums" per se, but their "greatest hits" collections are ridiculous. As far as putting on a straight no nonsense rock record and just hitting play there's none better than Creedence Clearwater Revival's "Chronicle vol. I."




Now you've probably heard the best songs off most of these albums on the radio or in a movie (or god forbid a cellphone commercial) at some point I would think, so here's a couple that I think fly under the radar too often...(plus they're good to have around for the ladies)


Sam Cooke.......Portrait of a Legend
Van Morrison.....Moondance

[Kermit]

I am a huge Alice Cooper fan and he had some pretty big songs in the 70's including one of the top Rock Anthems in History with "School's Out" from 1972. And then in 1973 "No More Mr. Nice Guy" was a hit from the Billion Dollar Babies album.

He had a Greatest Hits decade just in the 70's

School's Out
No More Mr. Nice Guy
Be My Lover
I Never Cry
Welcome To My Nightmare
Only Women Bleed
I'm Eighteen
How You Gonna See Me Now
Under My Wheels
Go To Hell
Billion Dollar Babies
Elected
You And Me

[The Madcap]

Well first off, you listed an entire decade..... I did five years. 1991 and 1994, in particular, would better any of these years imo.

To be perfectly honest with you, much of the music you cited here bores me to tears. I have nothing against classic rock, but I could do without 80% of the stuff on here and never miss it. Never Mind the Bollocks, for example, gets a lot of hype for it's impact and is a trendy selection on certain music lists, but I don't know anyone who actually listens to that album simply on musical merit. It's just not that good.

A band like Foreigner has some catchy tunes I'll admit, but I'm never compelled to cue up "Juke Box Hero" on my ipod to scratch some musical itch that couldn't be better satisfied by another band.

Alice Cooper has only ONE song I can think of that I actually enjoy (Poison), and that didn't even come out 1989. That means it's a helluva lot closer to being a '90's song than an '70's song.

Yes (the band) is unlistenable, every Velvet Underground song sounds like a cheap demo, and Ted Nugent is just plain corny. I could go on and on. I think there's a lot of dead weight here.

You mentioned something to the effect of LA Woman taking a poop all over the Gin Blossoms and Blind Melon. But I stand by my opinion that the Doors later albums became these pedestrian excursions into bluesy, barroom type rock records and lost a lot of the magic from the first 2 or 3 albums. That being said, I would gladly listen to New Miserable Experience over LA Woman if given the choice. NME showcases some really good songwriting by a band that was actually inspired to record. I'm not saying the Gin Blossoms are better than The Doors, but I don't believe a band gets an automatic pass simply because of their "status."

As for Blind Melon, I will go to bat any day for this band. Most people think they were only "No Rain" and not much else, which is downright criminal. The band had solid musical chops all around, good songwriting, and a talented, charismatic frontman in Shannon Hoon. The irony here is that you obviously have a strong affinity for classic rock, and Blind Melon owed a lot of their sound/vibe to that era. If you've never really delved into BM's material, I would suggest you at least check out these songs before casting your verdict:

Soup
Galaxie
St. Andrew's Fall
Walk
Mouthful of Cavities
Time
Soul One (There is the original cut, and a heavier, electric version.......both fantastic)

Well I thought I'd give you the full ten years so you could pick whatever five year run in there you thought was the best.


and hey, don't get me wrong, a lot of that shit I listed you couldn't pay me to listen to. I was just trying to illustrate the insane variety. I'd buy an extra copy of Bon Jovi's "Slippery When Wet" before I ever spent money on something like "Goodbye Yellowbrick Road."



As for everything else, if you think the best work of Nirvana/Chili Peppers/Pearl Jam/Metallic/Guns n Roses was better than Led Zeppelin/Pink Floyd/The Who/Bob Marley/Lynyrd Skynyrd/Allman Brothers then there's no point in having this conversation. I'll just say this, "rock and roll" is about two things more than anything else: being loud and having a good time. Most of the albums/bands you've listed are more concerned with their bed-wetting feelings than either of those things. If I was such a colossal failure the only way I could let off steam was by rage dancing in a mosh pit or I just felt the need to sit at home by myself depressed and thinking about suicide I'd order up your 91/94 mix tape post haste. But if I just wanted to go out and meet some chicks and cut loose and get laid? Not in a million penetrating years. I don't think "good time" when I think 90's music. I think angry/spoiled teenagers bitching about a world they've never even experienced. But maybe that's just me.

[Eddy Munny]

I am a huge Alice Cooper fan and he had some pretty big songs in the 70's including one of the top Rock Anthems in History with "School's Out" from 1972. And then in 1973 "No More Mr. Nice Guy" was a hit from the Billion Dollar Babies album.

He had a Greatest Hits decade just in the 70's

School's Out
No More Mr. Nice Guy
Be My Lover
I Never Cry
Welcome To My Nightmare
Only Women Bleed
I'm Eighteen
How You Gonna See Me Now
Under My Wheels
Go To Hell
Billion Dollar Babies
Elected
You And Me

I understand....... I'm just saying Alice never appealed to me personally. I've heard these songs but didn't think much of 'em. "Poison" was the first/only Alice song that grabbed me. It's impossible to remove subjectivity from a discussion like this, because everyone has their own tastes. Give me Alice in Chains over Cooper any day.

[Kermit]

I understand....... I'm just saying Alice never appealed to me personally. I've heard these songs but didn't think much of 'em. "Poison" was the first/only Alice song that grabbed me. It's impossible to remove subjectivity from a discussion like this, because everyone has their own tastes. Give me Alice in Chains over Cooper any day.

The problem with Alice Cooper is that he has a TON of great music that you would never hear because they just don't play his newer stuff on the radio for some reason.

Poison is probably one of my least favorite songs that he has done, probably because it was so overplayed.

I am a big AIC fan as well. In fact I grew up with everything from the 60's and 70's (I was born in 74) and I have adjusted to everything along the way. I like some and I hate some, but I understand what was important even if I didn't care for it.

Another great breakout album from 1992 was the Excellent White Zombie La Sexorcisto: Devil Music Volume 1

[Kermit]

Not to stray too far off topic, but I finally bought Dazed and Confused on Blu Ray last Saturday. That is such an awesome movie with a equally awesome 70's soundtrack.

[Eddy Munny]

Well I thought I'd give you the full ten years so you could pick whatever five year run in there you thought was the best.


and hey, don't get me wrong, a lot of that shit I listed you couldn't pay me to listen to. I was just trying to illustrate the insane variety. I'd buy an extra copy of Bon Jovi's "Slippery When Wet" before I ever spent money on something like "Goodbye Yellowbrick Road."



As for everything else, if you think the best work of Nirvana/Chili Peppers/Pearl Jam/Metallic/Guns n Roses was better than Led Zeppelin/Pink Floyd/The Who/Bob Marley/Lynyrd Skynyrd/Allman Brothers then there's no point in having this conversation. I'll just say this, "rock and roll" is about two things more than anything else: being loud and having a good time. Most of the albums/bands you've listed are more concerned with their bed-wetting feelings than either of those things. If I was such a colossal failure the only way I could let off steam was by rage dancing in a mosh pit or I just felt the need to sit at home by myself depressed and thinking about suicide I'd order up your 91/94 mix tape post haste. But if I just wanted to go out and meet some chicks and cut loose and get laid? Not in a million penetrating years. I don't think "good time" when I think 90's music. I think angry/spoiled teenagers bitching about a world they've never even experienced. But maybe that's just me.

That's a really narrow minded take on the '90's. No period in time can be given that strict a label simply for convenience sake. Alternative music (and other '90's rock) was more than teen angst or depression. Every era had their "sad, sulky" moments......the 90's just did it at a higher volume, and with more distortion in the guitars. When John Lennon lamented "I'm a Loser" on Beatles for Sale or moped on about receiving "No Reply," is that not a universal feeling that transcends time and genres?

The Chili Peppers had plenty of fun, effervescent music.

Weezer's debut (Blue Album) showcases some of the catchiest, poppiest tunes I've ever heard. That album is impossible to listen to with a frown on your face.

Even Nirvana had their moments.....it's not like every song they wrote was "Lithium" (which is great btw). Take "Breed" for example.....the lyrics are pure nonsense but the melody and the meter suggest a band in a very playful mood. "Lounge Act" is another song that defies your claim with it's bouncy, danceable bassline.

Nobody would accuse No Doubt or Sublime of being purveyors of suicidal thoughts.

Just today I heard the song "Here and Now" by Letters to Cleo (a 90's band that I had forgotten all about) on the radio and was reminded of just how good that song was and it's definitely not a "bed-wetter's" anthem.

Oasis........insanely good band......lot of feel-good type music.

Dave Matthews Band was quirky and upbeat most of the time.

Smashing Pumpkins has a reputation for being "angry/sad" music but the emotions on MCIS run the gamut. But the sad songs have their place too. I mean it is an emotion that humans experience, is it not? Artists write music for human beings, not robots.

Lastly, it's funny you should mention Bon Jovi because 1992's Keep the Faith and 1995's These Days are really good albums from them that I hadn't even mentioned, further illustrating the diversity of the period. Yes, the nineties were heavy on the "alternative" music but even that sub-genre offers a wide array of possibilities.

[Kermit]

Oasis is a band that I was never a huge fan of(I don't hate them, but never bought or downloaded anything of theirs), but What's the Story Morning Glory selling over 20 million copies is pretty impressive. That is like Appetite for Destruction numbers.