Top 10 Most Influential Rock Albums ?

Originally posted by mtthw
OK Computer is a fantastic album - my favourite on that list. But most influential? I haven't noticed too many band copying that sound.

Originally posted by cmsMaster
Radiohead deserves that spot.

I've never felt that U2 was very influential. More like...smelly piles of crap. 😕

I'm not big on punk and its origins, but what about:

Led Zeppelin II - A masterclass in blues rock.

Dark Side of the Moon - Life from start to finish with stunning songwriting and production (personally this is still probably my favourite album of all time, I just keep coming back to it time and time again).

Electric Ladyland- Hendrix forcing his own vision ahead and possibly the coolest album sleeve of its day.

Hot Rats - the first album ever to be recorded fully on 16 track equipment and brimming with Zappa's genius newly realised on modern equipment.

Originally posted by uzless
These are as stated by Edge 102.1 in Toronto. Anyone care to disagree?

1. Velvet Underground - Velvet Underground (1st album)
2. David Bowie - Ziggy Stardust
3. The Ramones - The Ramones (1st album)
4. The Clash - London Calling
5. Beastie Boys - License to Ill
6. U2 - The Jo ...[text shortened]...
9. Nirvana - Smells like Teen Spirit
10. Radiohead - Ok Computer

Originally posted by cmsMaster
I think bands definitely copy Radiohead, and that album's only been out for a decade.

Originally posted by Dragon Fire
We can all tell your age from this.

Originally posted by darvlay
Which is?

Originally posted by Dragon Fire
Much younger than me as you missed off most of the older iconic stars who have had the greatest influence.

Any list must have a Beatles _I'll pick Abbey Road
Sexistols - Never Mind the Bullocks
Clash - London Calling
Nirvana - Nevermind
Stones - Exile, Sticky Fingers or maybe Let it Bleed

Elvis has incrdibly influential songs but unless you include complete Sun Records recordings, not really an album. The Sun Records were compiled long after the songs were created.

James Brown also comes to mind - perhaps Live at the Whiskey

Originally posted by uzless
These are as stated by Edge 102.1 in Toronto. Anyone care to disagree?

1. Velvet Underground - Velvet Underground (1st album)
2. David Bowie - Ziggy Stardust
3. The Ramones - The Ramones (1st album)
4. The Clash - London Calling
5. Beastie Boys - License to Ill
6. U2 - The Jo ...[text shortened]...
9. Nirvana - Smells like Teen Spirit
10. Radiohead - Ok Computer

thats probably one of the worst selections of influential albums EVER!!!sorry but who ever compiled it must have a very limited liking for rock even putting all other other variations of music aside

Two ways in which a band can be influential: sell millions of copies, and inspire lots of kids to start their own band (Elvis, Beatles, Hendrix, Zeppelin, Nirvana) or

never make the big time, but influence bands who did. For example, Nirvana was influenced by Green River, Mudhoney, Melvins (and much more). So if Nirvana influenced heaps of bands, and Green River influenced Nirvana, which is the more influential?

I think any list would have to include a Sabbath album (Master of Reality, perhaps) for influencing all the down-tuning bands out there today, and metal in general.

Ok, here's mine:

1. Pet Sounds - Beach Boys: spurred the Beatles to respond with Sgt Pepper
2. Velvet Underground and Nico: Velvet Underground: almost no-one bought this, but everyone who did starfted a band, as the legend has it
3. Are you experienced? - the Jimi Hendrix Experience: expanded the possibilities of the electric guitar while expanding the minds of the flower power generation
4. Just about any 60s Stones album (not the flower power one): archetypal hard blues rock
5. Masters of Reality - Black Sabbath: influenced generations of down-tuned metal riffsters
6. Ziggy Stardust - David Bowie: invented rock as art
7. Raw Power - Iggy and the Stooges: as responsible as anyone for punk
8. One of Eno's early ones: invented ambient
9. Die Mensch Maschine - Kraftwerk: proto-techno
10. Low - David Bowie: didn't sell too well, but was expontially influential on the 80s and beyond

EDIT: i deliberately omitted anyone from the 50s, as this era was more singles based than album based.

Originally posted by mtthw
OK Computer is a fantastic album - my favourite on that list. But most influential? I haven't noticed too many band copying that sound.

Originally posted by Dragon Fire
We can all tell your age from this.

Definate musts to be included

Pink Floyd - Dark Side of the Moon;
Beatles - (probably) Sgt Peppers;
Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin;
Black Sabbath - Sabbath Bloody Sabbath or Paranoid;
Rolling Stones - (a good few choices here, so many great albums);
Beach Boys - Pet Sounds;
Queen - (something belongs, not sure ...[text shortened]...

I'd like to find a place for Chuck Berry and Little Richard, 2 more greats of Rock and Roll.