List of rock and roll albums

This is a list of rock and roll albums that are particularly notable or influential. It has been derived by compiling lists published by professional sources. Each album has appeared in at least two notable lists describing the most influential rock and roll albums. The numbers following each entry describe the sources, which are listed at the article's key, which assigns each source a number. All the lists are self-described as rock and roll (or rock or rock music or other variants, though not more specific substyles like hard rock), though some artists would more commonly be described as reggae, blues, calypso, jazz, soul, country, funk, heavy metal or hip hop. Many of the lists are ranked, but this is not taken into account—all albums on a list are included with the same cross-reference number, whether they are ranked #1 or #100 on that particular list.

A

• Al Green - Call Me (2, 4)
• Aretha Franklin - I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You (2, 4, 5, 8, 9, 13)
• Aretha Franklin - Lady Soul (2, 8, 14)

B

• The Band - The Band (3, 5, 8, 9, 14, 15)
• The Band - The Last Waltz (10, 13)
• The Band - Music from Big Pink (1, 3, 17)
• B.B. King - Live at the Regal (4, 9)
• The Beach Boys - Pet Sounds (1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 16, 17, 18)
• Beastie Boys - Paul's Boutique (2, 6, 8, 13, 14, 16)
• The Beatles - Abbey Road (1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 12, 13)
• The Beatles - A Hard Day's Night (9, 12)
• The Beatles - Revolver (1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18)
• The Beatles - Rubber Soul (1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 9, 13, 17)
• The Beatles - Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 9, 10, 12, 17, 18)
• The Beatles - The White Album (1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 13, 16, 18)
• Beck - Odelay (6, 8, 16)
• Big Brother and the Holding Company - Cheap Thrills (9, 12, 14)
• The Black Crowes Shake Your Money Maker
• Blondie - Parallel Lines (8, 13)
• Bob Dylan - Blonde on Blonde (1, 2, 3, 6, 8, 9, 11, 12, 15, 16, 17, 18)
• Bob Dylan - Blood on the Tracks (2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 18)
• Bob Dylan - Bringing It All Back Home (2, 3, 8, 9)
• Bob Dylan - Highway 61 Revisited (1, 2, 3, 7, 8, 12, 13)
• Bob Dylan - Live at Albert Hall (9, 14)
• Bob Dylan & The Band - The Basement Tapes (8, 9)
• Bo Diddley - Bo Diddley/Go Bo Diddley (8)
• Bo Diddley - Bo Diddley's Beach Party (4)
• Bonnie Raitt - Nick of Time (5, 8, 17)
• Boston - Boston (6, 16)
• Brian Eno - Another Green World (5, 8)
• Bruce Springsteen - Born to Run (1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 10, 12, 13, 16, 17)
• Bruce Springsteen - Born in the U.S.A. (3, 8, 12)
• Bruce Springsteen - Darkness on the Edge of Town (2, 13, 14)
• Bruce Springsteen - Nebraska (3, 4, 5, 12, 18)
• Buddy Holly - The "Chirping" Crickets (8, 14)
• Buddy Holly - 20 Golden Greats (8, 14)
• Buddy Holly - Buddy Holly
• Buddy Holly - That'll Be the Day
• Buddy Holly - The Buddy Holly Story
• Buddy Holly - The Buddy Holly Story, Vol. 2
• Buffalo Springfield - Buffalo Springfield Again (3, 8)
• The Byrds - The Byrds' Greatest Hits (8, 9)
• The Byrds - Sweetheart of the Rodeo (3, 5)
• The Byrds - Mr. Tambourine Man (9, 17)

D

• David Bowie - "Heroes" (10, 17)
• David Bowie - Hunky Dory (1, 2, 8, 13, 14)
• David Bowie - Low (1, 8, 13)
• David Bowie - The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars (1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 9, 12, 13, 16, 18)
• David Crosby - If I Could Only Remember My Name (5, 10)
• Deep Purple - In Rock (1, 9, 12)
• Deep Purple - Machine Head (1, 12)
• Deep Purple - Made in Japan (10, 17)
• Def Leppard - Hysteria
• Derek and the Dominos - Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs (2, 4, 8, 9, 13, 15)
• Dire Straits - Dire Straits (1, 10, 17)
• The Doors - The Doors (1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, 16, 17, 18)
• The Doors - L.A. Woman (1, 10)
• The Doors - Morrison Hotel(1,4,5)
• Dusty Springfield - Dusty in Memphis (2, 4, 8, 12, 13)

E

• The Eagles - Desperado (5, 10)
• The Eagles - Hotel California (1, 2, 8, 12, 17)
• Elton John - Elton John
• Elton John - Tumbleweed Connection
• Elton John - Honky Château
• Elton John - Don't Shoot Me I'm Only the Piano Player
• Elton John - Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (1, 5)
• Elton John - Rock of the Westies
• Elvis Costello - Armed Forces (5, 13)
• Elvis Costello - My Aim Is True (2, 3, 8, 13, 17)
• Elvis Costello - This Year's Model (1, 6, 16, 18)
• Elvis Presley - Elvis (1, 3)
• Elvis Presley - Elvis' Golden Records (6, 8)
• Elvis Presley - The Memphis Record (3, 8)
• Elvis Presley - The Sun Sessions (2, 3, 7, 8, 18)
• Eric Clapton - 461 Ocean Boulevard (6, 12, 16)
• Emerson, Lake & Palmer - Brain Salad Surgery
• The Everly Brothers - Cadence Classics: Their 20 Greatest Hits (3, 8)

F

• Fleetwood Mac - Rumours (2, 6, 8, 12, 13, 16, 17)
• The Flying Burrito Brothers - The Gilded Palace of Sin (8, 17)
• Frank Zappa - Apostrophe (6, 16)
• Frank Zappa - Hot Rats (5, 9)
• Frank Zappa & the Mothers of Invention - Freak Out! (8, 17)
• Frank Zappa & the Mothers of Invention - We're Only in It for the Money (9, 12)

G

• Genesis - Selling England by the Pound (6, 10, 16, 17)
• Grateful Dead - American Beauty (5, 6, 13, 16)
• Grateful Dead - Live/Dead (8, 9, 10, 17)
• Guns N' Roses - Appetite for Destruction (2, 8, 17)

H

• Hole - Live Through This (8, 13, 17)
• Hot Tuna - Hot Tuna (10)
• Hüsker Dü - Zen Arcade (8, 11, 17)

J

• Jackson Browne - Late for the Sky (8, 10)
• Jackson Browne - Running on Empty (10, 17)
• James Brown - Live at the Apollo (3, 6, 14, 16)
• James Brown - Star Time (4, 8)
• James Taylor - Sweet Baby James (2, 5, 8, 17)
• Jane's Addiction - Nothing's Shocking (8, 17)
• Janis Joplin - Pearl (1, 5, 17)
• Jeff Buckley - Grace (1, 2, 13, 17)
• Jefferson Airplane - Surrealistic Pillow (8, 9, 13)
• Jethro Tull - Aqualung (1, 5, 12, 17)
• Jethro Tull - Stand Up (9, 12)
• The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Axis: Bold as Love (2, 8)
• The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Electric Ladyland (1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 9, 10, 12, 17, 18)
• Jimi Hendrix Experience - Are You Experienced (1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 14, 16, 18)
• Joe Cocker - Mad Dogs and Englishmen (1, 17)
• John Hiatt - Bring the Family (3, 10)
• John Lennon - Imagine (1, 5, 8, 17)
• John Lennon - Plastic Ono Band (3, 4, 5, 8, 14)
• John Mayall - Blues Breakers with Eric Clapton (1, 8, 9)
• Johnny Cash - The Sun Years (4, 8)
• Joni Mitchell - Blue (2, 7, 8, 13, 14, 17)
• Joni Mitchell - Court and Spark (3, 9)
• Joy Division - Closer (1, 8, 13)

K

• King Crimson - In the Court of the Crimson King (5, 10, 17)
• The Kinks - Greatest Hits! (4, 8)
• The Kinks - Something Else by The Kinks (8, 14)
• The Kinks - The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society (1, 18)

L

• Lauryn Hill - The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill (2, 13)
• Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin (2, 12)
• Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin II (1, 2, 8, 9, 10, 12)
• Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin III (15, 16, 18, 20, 28, 30)
• Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin IV (1, 5, 6, 8, 9, 12, 16, 17)
• Led Zeppelin - Houses of the Holy (11, 16, 20, 24, 25, 26, 30, 31)
• Led Zeppelin - Physical Graffiti (1, 2, 5, 7, 10, 12, 14)
• Led Zeppelin - Presence (15, 16, 17, 18, 20)
• Leonard Cohen - Songs of Leonard Cohen (17, 18)
• Liz Phair - Exile in Guyville (2, 8, 13)
• Lou Reed - New York (3, 17)
• Lou Reed - Transformer (1, 5, 18)
• Love - Forever Changes (12, 13, 18)
• Lynyrd Skynyrd - (pronounced 'lĕh-'nérd 'skin-'nérd) (2, 12)

M

• Marvin Gaye - What's Going On (1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 16)
• Massive Attack - Blue Lines (7, 8, 12, 13, 15, 17)
• Metallica - Ride the Lightning
• Metallica - Master of Puppets (6, 8, 16, 17)
• Metallica - The Black Album (1, 5)
• Miles Davis - Bitches Brew (2, 5)
• The Minutemen - Double Nickels on the Dime (8, 13)
• The Modern Lovers - The Modern Lovers (13, 18)
• My Bloody Valentine - Loveless (2, 8, 13)

N

• Neil Young - After the Gold Rush (1, 5, 8, 13, 17)
• Neil Young - Harvest (1, 5, 6, 7, 12, 16)
• Neil Young - Rust Never Sleeps (3, 8, 10, 18)
• Neil Young - Tonight's the Night (4, 8, 14)
• New York Dolls - New York Dolls (8, 13)
• Nick Drake - Bryter Layter (3, 13)
• Nirvana - Nevermind (1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 8, 13, 14, 16, 17, 18)

O

• Otis Redding - Otis Blue: Otis Redding Sings Soul (2, 9, 14)

P

• Patti Smith - Horses (2, 6, 8, 13, 14, 17, 18)
• Paul McCartney & Wings - Band on the Run (1, 12)
• Paul Simon - Graceland (2, 3, 13, 17)
• Pavement - Slanted and Enchanted
• Pavement - Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain
• Pearl Jam - Ten (2, 5, 8, 10, 17)
• Pere Ubu - The Modern Dance (8, 11)
• Peter Gabriel - So (2, 17)
• Pink Floyd - The Piper at the Gates of Dawn (1967) (8, 9, 14)
• Pink Floyd - The Dark Side of the Moon (1973) (1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14, 16, 17, 18)
• Pink Floyd - Wish You Were Here (1975) (1, 12, 14)
• Pixies - Doolittle (1, 15, 17)
• Pixies - Surfer Rosa (8, 13)
• PJ Harvey - To Bring You My Love (13, 18)
• PJ Harvey - Dry (8, 17)
• The Police - Synchronicity (2, 6, 13, 16)
• The Pretenders - Pretenders (2, 3, 4, 8, 10, 13)
• Prince - 1999 (2, 3)
• Prince - Sign o' the Times (2, 4, 7, 8, 10, 13, 14, 17, 18)
• Prince & the Revolution - Purple Rain (2, 3, 6, 8, 13, 16)

Q

• Queen - A Night at the Opera (17,19)

R

• Radiohead - Kid A (1, 8, 9, 12)
• Radiohead - OK Computer (1, 2, 13, 14, 17)
• Radiohead - The Bends (2, 3, 4, 8, 12)
• The Ramones - The Ramones (1, 2, 5, 8, 13, 17)
• The Ramones - Rocket to Russia (1, 14)
• Randy Newman - 12 Songs (3, 8, 9, 15)
• Randy Newman - Good Old Boys (5, 12)
• Ray Charles - Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music (2, 8)
• Red Hot Chili Peppers - Blood Sugar Sex Magik (5, 17)
• R.E.M. - Automatic for the People (14, 17, 18)
• R.E.M. - Murmur (2, 6, 8, 13, 16)
• R.E.M. - Out of Time (1, 5)
• The Replacements - Let It Be (2, 8, 13)
• The Replacements - Tim (2, 8, 13, 14)
• Richard & Linda Thompson - Shoot Out the Lights (3, 4, 15)
• Rod Stewart - Every Picture Tells a Story (1, 3, 4, 8, 9, 14)
• The Rolling Stones - Beggars Banquet (1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 9, 12)
• The Rolling Stones - Exile on Main St. (1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 16, 17)
• The Rolling Stones - Let It Bleed (2, 5, 8, 10, 13, 18)
• The Rolling Stones - Get Yer Ya-Ya's Out! The Rolling Stones in Concert (1, 5, 9, 18)
• The Rolling Stones - Some Girls (5, 8)
• The Rolling Stones - Sticky Fingers (1, 2, 8, 12, 13, 18)
• Roxy Music - For Your Pleasure (1, 13, 18)
• Roy Orbison - For the Lonely: 18 Greatest Hits (3, 4)

S

• Sam Cooke - The Man and His Music (3, 8)
• Santana - Abraxas (1, 2, 5, 12, 17)
• Sex Pistols - Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols (1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 16, 17, 18)
• Simon & Garfunkel - Bookends (2, 3, 9, 13, 14)
• Simon & Garfunkel - Bridge over Troubled Water (1, 2, 5, 17)
• Sinéad O'Connor - I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got (3, 8, 13)
• Sly & the Family Stone - Greatest Hits (3, 8, 9)
• Sly & the Family Stone - Stand! (2, 14)
• Sly & the Family Stone - There's a Riot Goin' On (3, 4, 8)
• The Smashing Pumpkins - Siamese Dream (6, 8, 16)
• The Smiths - The Queen Is Dead (1, 10, 13, 14, 18)
• Sonic Youth - Daydream Nation (1, 8, 13, 17)
• The Specials - The Specials (6, 10, 16)
• Stevie Wonder - Innervisions (2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 12, 13, 14, 16)
• Stevie Wonder - Songs in the Key of Life (2, 7, 12, 13)
• Stevie Wonder - Talking Book (8, 9, 12)
• The Stone Roses - The Stone Roses (8, 13)
• The Stooges - Fun House (8, 13, 14, 17, 18)

T

• T. Rex - Electric Warrior (1, 5, 14, 18)
• Talking Heads - Remain in Light (2, 3, 8, 10, 13, 14, 17)
• Talking Heads - Stop Making Sense (6, 16)
• Talking Heads - Little Creatures
• Television - Marquee Moon (2, 10, 13, 17)
• The Temptations - Anthology (4, 9)
• The Tragically Hip - Fully Completely
• Tina Turner - Private Dancer (2, 4)
• Tom Waits - Rain Dogs (10, 13)

U

• U2 - Achtung Baby (2, 5, 8, 14, 18)
• U2 - The Joshua Tree (2, 3, 5, 8, 10, 17)
• U2 - The Unforgettable Fire (6, 12, 16)

V

• Van Halen - Van Halen (6, 16)
• Van Morrison - Astral Weeks (1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 11, 12, 13, 14, 16, 18)
• Van Morrison - Moondance (2, 3, 8, 9, 12, 13, 17)

Var

• Various Artists - Atlantic Rhythm and Blues 1947-1974 (3, 8)
• Various Artists (mostly by Jimmy Cliff) - The Harder They Come (8, 9)
• Various Artists (mostly by The Bee Gees) - Saturday Night Fever (2, 6, 8, 16)

Ve

• The Velvet Underground - The Velvet Underground (1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, 16, 17, 18)
• The Velvet Underground - The Velvet Underground & Nico (1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 16, 17, 18)
• The Velvet Underground - White Light/White Heat (10, 13)

Vi

• Violent Femmes - Violent Femmes

W

• The Wailers - Burnin' (8, 17)
• The Wailers - Catch a Fire (4, 5, 13, 14)
• The Who - Meaty Beaty Big and Bouncy (4, 8)
• The Who - My Generation (9, 18)
• The Who - Tommy (1, 2, 5, 8, 9, 17)
• The Who - Quadrophenia (14, 19, 20)
• The Who - Who's Next (1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16)
• Wilco - Yankee Hotel Foxtrot

X

• X (US) - Los Angeles (8, 13)

Y

• Yes - Fragile (2,6)

Z

• The Zombies - Odessey and Oracle (13, 18)

References

• Alternative Melbourne - The Top 100 Rock/Pop Albums - 1
• VH1's 100 Greatest Albums of Rock and Roll - 2
• Bill Shapiro's Top 100 Rock Compact Discs - 3
• Jimmy Guterman's 100 Best Rock and Roll Records of All Time - 4
• Rod Underhill's Top 100 Rock/Pop Albums - 5^{[dead link]}
• Illinois Entertainer's 50 Great Albums (A Rock Time Capsule) - 6
• Dagbladet's 25 Best Rock and Pop Albums of the Century - 7
• Rolling Stone's 200: The Essential Rock Collection - 8
• Charlie Gillett and Simon Frith's 100 Essential Rock Albums, published in Rock File 3 by Panther (1975) - 9
• Italian e-zine Viceversa - 10
• 100 Greatest Rock Albums by Scaruffi.com - 11
• Rockweb Top 100 - 12
• The Larry Page - 13
• Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time - 14
• AudioEnz (New Zealand) Top Ten - 15
• AcclaimedMusic.net - 16
• The Jam (Italy) - 17
• The All-TIME 100 Albums - 18
• IGN: Top 25 Classic Rock Albums - 19
• IGN: Top 14 Greatest Rock Operas/Concept Albums Of All Time - 20