The 10 Greatest Classic Rock Albums | RANKED

[@dmorgans48]

Where is Who's Who's Next album? Surely deserves a place?

[@batmaniac66]

Deep Purple and Rainbow: perfection!

[@grassrootsflshp]

Deep Purple in Rock is my definitive 70s classic hard rock album, top 10 fave, along with LZ4! Indispensable and groundbreaking, both.

[@Bob-tq2jv]

Fire and Water is criminally underrated. Great shout Andy

[@milosdunjic8718]

Fully agree ... Deep Purple is the best virtuoso classic rock band of them all

[@Frip36]

Yep. It's true

[@drumsybatabamboom8022]

I will never forget living in the Philippines in 1970. A typhoon was building strength. No power save for police, hospitals and ...radio. In one magical night at 15 years old, I heard for the first time, Alright Now, Black Magic Woman/Gypsy Queen and Green Eyed Lady!!!!!

[@jazzpunk]

I first heard those on my parents' car radio...a car with only an AM radio.

[@jamesreeves6783]

The very first album I ever bought way back in the early 70's was Led Zeppelin IV. I was thinking earlier today about how underrated Free was. Their influence helped set the course for Rock.

[@richardsinger01]

I remenber when I first heard Freebird. It was the live version, played at the end of the Radio Caroline Roadshow at the Greyhound Hotel in Croydon some time in the late '70s.

[@anthonysilva5312]

Deep Purple In Rock was monumental (no pun intended) for me and EVH changed the rotation of the earth. RIP King Edward

[@Dan-zq5wt]

Andy, I really like your choices! I agree with In Rock, Black Sabbath 4 and Highway to Hell. It’s also hard to argue with Zep IV as the greatest of all time. I’d have to also vote for: Aerosmith Rocks and Montrose. Personally, I’d rate these albums above Fire and Water and Ace of Spades if you were keeping this to 10 (but that’s my personal taste). Hell with it: need a top 20. Tres Hombres, Physical Graffiti, Boston, Strangers in the Night and on and on. Wait: no Who?

[@Dutch2go]

Hey Andy, thought it was interesting that you have two bands with Richie Blackmore on this list. I quite agree with that. From Rainbow Rising you made a specific mention of Tarot Woman, and I love that track - it’s brilliant. I am interested in your opinion, why do you think Rainbow never played that song live?

[@BunnEFartz]

Dutch2go Good question. What a set opener that song would have been. I think there may be two reasons, 1) They had already written "Ki;; The King" and preferred to promote that, and 2) They maybe could not have replicated the opening keyboard in a live environment.

[@AntonXul]

Was Tony Carey gone by then? That may be the reason. His keyboard playing was their best they ever had. Too bad he got bullied out. Great musician. I love Rainbow. I just discovered them during the pandemic. Those 1st 3 albums are monster albums, but I also have to say I actually enjoy the ones that followed, too. Ritchie Blackmore is a damn musical genius.

[@nazaholicable]

My top 10 1. Signals - Rush 2. Focus 3 - Focus 3. Point of know return - Kansas 4. Eat me in St Louis - It Bites 5. Rampant - Nazareth 6. Abraxas - Santana 7. Sunburst Finish - Be bop deluxe 8. Don't look back - Boston 9. Bloody buccaneers - Golden Earring 10. Cheap Trick '97

[@georgecheung4271]

Hi Andy, Thanks. Anything with Free is ok with me. What an awesome ba nd and I loved and enjoyed your analysis. Equally awesome.

[@sonnyblu6299]

Free had so much SOUL.... I have always called them Hard Rock Soul... And the Highway album I believe is fantastic. Paul Kossoff was my "Juke Box Hero" His Vibrato along with Leslie West and Jimi Hendrix made me to create my own strong vibrato that to me... is very important, or was. Angus, Robin... Oh and Andy Frazier... what an incredible kind human being he was, besides such an awesome Bass stylist.

[@FundamentalsUK]

Agree with Free Andy, multi faceted, subtle, acoustic and hard blues rock

[@briansmith5046]

Great video Andy loved all the bands and albums, you more or less went through my vinyl collection 😀 The list of classic albums is quite endless!! Great fan of Rush , brilliant musicians but I do have to hold my hand up & say I was never a big fan of Geddy Lees vocals but that's just me yeah timeless classics of the 70's ❤

[@alanansara2190]

One of my all time favorite live albums was Rush's 1st live album. "All the World's a Stage" after 2112 came out. Like a lot of 70's era live albums the sound isn't great. But the live version of By-Tor and the Snow Dog is absolutely awesome. They were also (obviously) doing lots of stuff from the early albums and Anthem, Bastille Day and Working Man are great as well.

[@chetthebee1322]

Who's Next by The Who #1 hands down

[@CVGuitar]

Great video Andy -- 19:24 Exactly -- my favorite Van Halen to listen to is either live bootlegs from their heyday or the old "club days" bootlegs that are plentiful these days -- they supercharge all those old cover tunes (which were actually current hits at the time) like The Rover and Sweet Emotion and Waitin' for the Bus and even In For the Kill by Budgie!!

[@lupcokotevski2907]

The track 'Freedom' (1973) by Australian heavy rock band Buffalo was a significant influence on grunge. From the album Volcanic Rock.

[@wayneelliott7011]

Volcanic Rock has a huge influence on Stoner Rock, Only Want You For Your Body influenced Punk. Great Band Buffalo.

[@paulkazakoff9231]

@@wayneelliott7011 Yes indeed and their first album is a very good one with a brilliant cover !

[@lupcokotevski2907]

Australian band Supernaut emerged in 1976. Their big hit was I Like it Both Ways. They have interesting English connections post Supernaut.

[@gregsmith7949]

I can't believe Spinal Tap's "Smell the Glove" is not on your list! After all, they ARE one of England's loudest bands.

[@WowbaggerTheInfinitelyProlonge]

That album cover was sexy! Although I think "Shark Sandwich" was their best work.

[@wolftree3948]

Skynyrd is not one of my favorite bands, but 'Street Survivors' from '77 is one of my favorite albums of all time. I get why 'Pronounced' has to be mentioned as one of the classics, but for a musician like yourself, if you have not heard this all the way through, you would be thoroughly impressed with the sheer quality of compositions and playing. For me, its a peak and essential. As always, a great video and lots learned which makes these a lot of fun for me.

[@roy421000]

you are right on the money. The playing on STREET SURVIVORS is fantastic.

[@wolftree3948]

@@roy421000 thanks and glad you also enjoy it that much, too

[@harryurz]

Decent choices. The only others albums I could suggest is the Montrose debut and Jimi Hendrix 'Are you experienced'.

[@johannhauffman323]

Wonderful job with the impossible list. Thanks for the walk down memory lane. Just checked out an amazing drum cover of Cosmic Strut btw. Kicked @ss. I guess I am about 7 years older than you. My last year as a teenager was 1980. We have much in common in regards to music exposure and appreciation. I must agree with your number one, I wore the groves off Led Zeppelin IV. Your videos make me very aware of how fortunate I was, in regards to music exposure. In my city we had two traditional Jazz radio stations….(didn’t know at the time it was weird for a young boy to be into Jazz)… Two independent Stations…. They would play anything they felt like From Blue Grass to Weather Report, Genesis, Gong. Plus many opportunities to hear music played live. Caught David Allen live, Genesis‘ wind and weathering tour, Won free tickets for Peter Gabriel‘s first tour off WGTB Radio, Double dated to a Renaissance concert where Al De Meola opened, set me off on a Return to Forever buying spree. Billy Cobham played a small club in D.C. that set me off on Mahavishnu Orchestra. The greatest face melting show for me was Frank Zappa in the late 70‘s. The band was as tight as you would expect, but that night Frank‘s improv was off the charts. The best I have ever experienced. Now, in the middle of this, as I was 15 I caught 2 Led Zeppelin shows in one weekend. Absolutely amazing. The last night I sneaked my way down to the forth row of a large basketball arena. Every song was a highlight of the night. At one point Jimmy was in a green laser pyramid thing and pulled out his violin bow. I think it was Dazed and Confused or Whole lotta Love, sorry I can’t remember for sure, but at the end Jimmy broke into a lead that made the arena go absolutely crazy. For me is no doubt Led Zeppelin deserves your number one spot. So to my point: Going to California is not a week track. They came out and played it sitting on 4 stools together. At the end Robert held a high note for 15 seconds or so. The girls went Crazy. Maybe the biggest response of the night. Looking forward to your next video.

[@treff9226]

Man, I enjoyed the hell out of reading that! Never got to see my holy grail of music, Led Zep, in concert, but after reading your excellent story of Zep live magic.....I FEEL EVEN WORSE THAT I NEVER GOT CLOSE TO WITNESSING THEIR WIZARDRY! Haha! Great post-thanks for that!

[@lupcokotevski2907]

Australian session guitarist Simon Hosford and band's live performance of Van Halen 1 at the Melbourne Guitar Show 2019 is gobsmacking. Just read the comments from die-hard VH fans. Simon also does Racer X covers.

[@geoffccrow2333]

Shredder

[@geoffccrow2333]

First two Australian released acdc albums. Thats where its at. Its pure groove. They had it from the start.genius

[@DamnableReverend]

I love your content and this was a great list. I have a question though. All your videos seem to be between, say, 22 and 25 minutes, and they feel strangely front-loaded. At the beginning you'll go into some really nice detail talking about records or artists and your experience with them, your views on specific areas of the music and so on, while by the end you seem to be rushing through, almost as if there's a time limit involved. is there a specific reason for this? I personally wouldn't mind if you talked for a bit longer so each album or artist could get sort of equal treatment.

[@AndyEdwardsDrummer]

When I( first started thismchannel some of my videos were over an hour, but the average watch time is ten minutes. So I decided to keep my videos 20-25 minutes. My video chats are unplanned and un researched. I just go with what I know. This video without a doubt was mis timed by me, and I spent too much time talking about the early albums which is why i made anothet 25 minute video just to talk about Led Zep IV. But the reason for this is often because I'm aware people stop watching after ten minutes.

[@geoffccrow2333]

@@AndyEdwardsDrummer people stop watching? Stuff them:). Your vids are all killer no filler

[@trajan6927]

​@@AndyEdwardsDrummerThe Mighty Who, greatest live band.

[@markmirche7760]

I was 13 when Black Sabbath vol 4 came out and saw them live soon after. I was the only kid at school that was into Black Sabbath, the album has a special place in my heart…

[@Palmpilotusmc29]

Great list Andy!

[@davidreichert9392]

Zeppywhoeycreamy rock. That is absolutely being added to my own personal lexicon.

[@gilesglossop5071]

Brilliant list, I got into 'heavy rock' - the term of the day, perhaps even more than 'heavy metal' - at exactly the same time and in the same way (through early Kerrang! essentially) and never grew out of it. Great to see Free included in this top ten, my favourite band ever.

[@AndyEdwardsDrummer]

Cool, thanks!

[@spinozacelt]

Great list.Re Motorhead I had listened to Overkill and thought it was ok but not anything special then a pal gave me Ace of Spades and that was it.I played the hell out of that album.I just couldnt stop listening to it and to this day the moment I hear that thunderous opening bass I'm like "oh yeah." Funnily enough Overkill is now my favourite MH album.The 70's are my fave era in heavy rock.This is when so many of the foundations were laid and,imo,have never been bettered.

[@AndyEdwardsDrummer]

I agree...

[@martinrussell6174]

Great stuff, Andy. Been a huge admirer of your playing ever since seeing some of the Frost videos a while back. I'm exploring your channel and liking, well, everything so far....any chance that you could do a ranking of Robert Plant's solo catalogue at some point? I think that could be pretty illuminating given your own tenure in his thing. I'm assuming that you probably went quite deep into his career, if only out of interest...

[@AndyEdwardsDrummer]

I have never listened to either Alison Krauss albums just to give you an idea how impossible that would be for me...

[@palacerevolution2000]

Good choices. And I see your reasoning. Having watched a good many of your clips now, I have learned just a tiny bit about your values. No Stones?

[@frankpentangeli7945]

Nice list! Here's mine: 1. Deep Purple: Made in Japan 2. Black Sabbath: Vol. 4 3. Alice Cooper: Billion Dollar Babies 4. Led Zeppelin: Houses of the Holy 5. CCR: Cosmo's Factory 6. Bad Company: Straight Shooter 7. The Guess Who: Live at the Paramount 8. Steppenwolf: Live 9. Grand Funk Railroad: On Time 10. Spooky Tooth: Spooky 2 Honorable mentions: 11. Pink Floyd: Wish You Were Here 12. Uriah Heep: Demons and Wizards

[@MrMrh1958]

Machine head. Montrose 1st album should be on the list!

[@Fuxerz]

Paper money is killer. Machine Head is a masterpiece

[@larryh8072]

I have the first Rush Album. I bought it as soon as it came out. I had seen them locally in Port Dover in Ontario. I can’t remember if they played our high school but they may have. I learned just recently that the record I have was produced by Moon records and is one of 5 thousand produced.. They sell on discogs for well over $1000. No way I’m selling that one.

[@johnpace5774]

Great list! What are your thoughts on Uriah Heep? Look At Yourself would certainly be in my top ten 70’s heavy rock albums.

[@AndyEdwardsDrummer]

When I was IQ we used to play a game called Uriah Heep...in this game you win if you can name a band that everyone knows but no one can name a song by....

[@johnpace5774]

@@AndyEdwardsDrummer 😂 July Morning? They were pretty huge for a while, especially around the Demons and Wizards/Magician’s Birthday era, though my preference is for their earlier stuff. Loved the vocal harmonies, Hammond organ, Mick Box’s liquid guitar, Gary Thain’s bass. Lee Kerslake’s drum sound. It was an interesting move when John Wetton joined. Bit of a fan boy, I guess.

[@AndyEdwardsDrummer]

@@johnpace5774 My mate plays drums for them now and John Jowitt from my band RAIN depped on bass for them for around 10 shows...

[@johnpace5774]

They’ve managed to attract great musicians through the years. Still making fine music (in my view!), and I’ve always thought Mick one of the most underrated guitarists.

[@jamesgriffithsmusic]

Unlikely as it sounds, the secret to AC/DC's arrangements in the 1970s is they would work them out on piano first with the help of Harry Vanda and George Young. Malcolm revealed that in an interview back in the day.

[@jember2001]

Uriah Heep look at yourself with the song July Morning in it is my favorite.love from the Philippines.

[@_j_a_z_z_9892]

You explained that well Andy. Your choices are also specific and not as boring as other greatest lists of all time blah blah

[@Captain_Rhodes]

For me the first 3 ACDC records are easily the best - TNT/High voltage and dirty deeds. Best production by far and they were at their greasiest and most punk.

[@OMW66]

That´s a brilliant list. Very close to what mine would be.

[@rickwigington2771]

No Allman Brothers?

[@charlesandrews2360]

Live at Fillmore East.

[@rickdicl]

Fire and Water, by all means, hypnotic

[@moose6509]

What a list ! Hat´s off to you, especially for the love of Black Sabbath 4 and Rainbow Rising, absolute classics. For me personally I would have Physical Graffiti and Sheer Heart Attack in there somewhere but hey, all eargasms.

[@dereksupernaut]

1Band Of Gypsys 2Wish You Were Here 3Abbey Road 4Dark Side Of The Moon 5Led Zeppelin IV 6Led Zeppelin I 7Piper At The Gates Of Dawn 8Live At Leeds 9Magical Mystery Tour 10Exile On Main Street... fax!!!

[@jacqueshebert5604]

And the Rolling Stones?

[@WELLBRAN]

Humble pie live at the Fillmore is in my head Purple live in Japan Black Sabbath 1st album Deep purple in Rock Jimi electric ladyland Groundhogs.. Split..

[@attichatchsound-bobkowal5328]

Nice to see Free on here. Almost more of an R&B band because of Andy Fraser's Jamerson style playing. Are Live albums a cheat? I would have The Who "Live at Leeds" on here: Intellegent and primal, sophisticated and dangerous all at the same time.

[@AndyEdwardsDrummer]

I'm going to do greatest classic rock live albums soon

[@Amber_xo_133]

5. Aerosmith - TITA 4. Rush - 2112 3. Heart - LQ 2. Zeppelin - PG 1. Beatles - Pepper

[@martinhowell7473]

Oh man, you're doing it again. I'm 7 minutes in and it is clear you are ranking bands and then picking one of their albums. So the video needs to be renamed the greatest classic rock bands and my favourite album for each. I'm still watching you bro ( and subscribed).

[@Baz63]

Re Rush...Moving Picture is, for most, their magnum opus but your choice is interesting. Saw the band on tour promoting 2112 and, from memory, there was unrest as the music was unfamiliar to some and indeed it sags during the prolonged middle section. Stray were support and personally i preferred their performance.

[@AndyEdwardsDrummer]

I didn't want to pick anything from the 80s or beyond as that may well be a later video.

[@robhughes2890]

I liked your choice of Rush album. FBN does rock really hard, and to my mind "By-Tor" is an unprecedented achievement. It invents prog-metal in one fell swoop. There's a section in it that suggests to me that they'd heard "Lost" by VdGG, but who knows where the rest of that song came? Brilliant. Agree with you wholeheartedly that AC/DC are geniuses. Powerage is my go-to for them, although I remember when Highway to Hell came out and how much my friends and I loved it and learned from it.

[@AndyEdwardsDrummer]

I really love Let Ther Be Rock...I had Powerage as a kid and never liked it as much as the other Bon albums. Many DC fans think it's their greatest so I must be wrong...for me it's Highway to Hell and Touch to Much mught just be the greatest rock song ever.

[@narosgmbh5916]

THE WHO? I had never an album from The Who. But i can remember they were end 60/early 70 on the same level as Led Zep. Another US Band Aerosmith I have also in mind And in a very special way Alice Cooper who I know with the anthem "school s out".

[@Oenloveslife]

You are so right about the "magic" of Free's "Fire and Water" (and several of the others)! And I mostly agree with you on all these great records. But Motorhead? I think once you put that on the list, I got confused about what you meant by "classic rock". Admittedly, I've NEVER listened to Motorhead until today, when I paused you and went right over and listened to Ace of Spades. It's pretty heavy, and punky and rocking, but where's the magic? Classic Rock? I'm confused now! ACDC is magic. Led Zeppelin? Magic! Rainbow? Magic! Skynyrd? Magic! Van Halen? Magic! Rush? Magic! Deep Purple? Magic! Sabbath? Magic! But Motorhead? Not in my world!

[@danu6718]

Or "One Size Fits All" - FZ DSOTM - PF Too many 😊😊♥️

[@georgemorley5926]

From Australia , Deep Purple anything , Peace from down under

[@kevinbutler3665]

Good choices--------i'd have thrown in Rising if asked myself, so not choosing that my ten no specific order would be-top of my head. 1.Deep Purple, ----Machine Head 2. Black Sabbath -----Sabotage 3. Van Halen-----Fair Warning 4. Led Zeppelin----Physical Graffiti 5. Montrose--Montrose 6. Blue Oyster Cult---Cultosaurus Erectus. 7.I'll throw in Rainbow---Long Live Rock And Roll. 8. Thin Lizzy---Jailbreak. 9. Diamond Head---White album,Lightning To The Nations 10. Alice Cooper, --Muscle Of Love,or Billion Dollar Babies honourable mention, Scorpions, ----Love Drive.

[@AndyEdwardsDrummer]

Brian Tatler from Diamond Head lives up the road from me...it would be nice to get him on my channel...he is a big prog fan too

[@kevinbutler3665]

Diamond Head for me were easily my fav band from the NWOBHM. Silverwing supported them i think 81,their guitarist was my entry level guitar tutor. Your musical background seems very similar to mine,i've watched quite a few of your posts.Good stuff.

[@DrumBragg]

Good to see some Lizzy there!

[@kevinbutler3665]

@@DrumBragg I was torn between Jailbreak and Johnny The Fox, but i had to go the way I went.

[@DrumBragg]

@@kevinbutler3665 - Yes,though I love Johnny the Fox- 'Jailbreak' is the better known album. I love Vagabonds...Nightlife, Renegade! :) (As well as the two mentioned - and Fighting!)

[@riffmondo9733]

Love all of these records. Cannon.

[@davewaterford281]

Hi Andy, like your list just staggered no mention of The Who. Really surprised by that. Otherwise a good list - would replace Lynyrd Skynnerd with them.

[@AndyEdwardsDrummer]

I considered Who's Next but in the end I think the Skinnerd album is better.

[@paulkazakoff9231]

I would put Who's Next in for sure.A total classic !

[@trajan6927]

Quadrofenia and Physical Graffiti

[@Gearoffod]

Andy Fraser’s solo on Mr Big, Heavy Load is devastating…

[@markmiwurdz202]

"Bridge Of Sighs" - Robin Trower. "Montrose" - 1st album. "Ted Nugent" - same.

[@peterjohansen3853]

Got em all,Great stuff.

[@rosiemason-rk4cm]

Don't know how you can say Vol.4 is heavier than Master of Reality - Into The Void is the heaviest song Sabbath ever did & Lord Of This World is not far behind. I love all the Ozzy albums & would find it difficult to choose a favourite but I can definitely say MOR was the heaviest. Where is 1972's Doremi Fasol Latido by Hawkwind on your list? The best stuff Lemmy ever recorded & the bass solo on Time We Left This World Today still makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up, far better than anything he ever did with Motorhead. Glad someone in the comments mentions Montrose's debut album. Equally glad the dreadful Queen are not mentioned in your list.

[@TheJohnmb46]

Favourite Queen album? - the first one! Liar is a classic!

[@jasperburchfield2028]

I'm with you on Sabbath Vol. 4. My own list would include Aerosmith's 1st album.

[@goncalomarques2711]

When you talked about Free being the fourth, I kinda understand, but I allaways seen then more in the Grand Funk Railroad, Humble Pie, groovy hard rock thing... I allways thought that the fourth would be Uriah Heep, they are (in my opinion) closer to Deep Purple, Zeppelin, Sabbath. Great List, and just for the record I think Fire and Water is better than anything Heep did. although Demons and Wizards is close enouth

[@hughsnow830]

My top 10: Van Halen I Darkness on the Edge of Town Fair Warning Van Halen II Physical Graffiti 1984 Signals Houses of the Holy Boston Dirt (not exactly classic rock, but hey it's 30 years old)

[@lupcokotevski2907]

Wide Open (January, 1971) by Australian band Kahvas Jute led by Bob Daisley is fantastic sophisticated hard rock with great musicianship and songs riddled with hooks. Jimmy Page was a fan. Daisley's bass playing is stellar.

[@johncrocker-nh7ey]

Always loving to hear your opinions and I don't really have a problem with them the problem I always have and any kind of a list is for me personally if I was to come up with my top 10 albums I would immediately start my next top 10 albums and then my next top 10 albums whether it's in classic rock Psych country rock Folk Progressive I just like listening to music and what I may not have liked when I was 17 I find that at 67 I like it I'm a lot more forgiving of the '80s than I ever was when I was living in the '80s very little they had to offer me his way of rock and roll yes metal started to get better and it may have been part of the Saving Grace but really when the '80s hit there was a handful of bands that saved it for me and that would have been John Cougar Mellencamp Dire Straits The Stray Cats were different enough from the hair metal I was not impressed with Motley Crue they reminded me too much of Aerosmith Whitesnake reminded me too much of Zeppelin did not like the over techno sound I like more organic rock and roll even Emerson Lake and Palmer and yes that you synthesizers they weren't techno bands the '90s came along with alternative rock and grunge and started to bring me back into the fold I found them interesting but in the '80s I pretty much went to Outlaw country and became a big fan of it but Rock and roll's already begin to lose me in the 2000s and I may like it if God allows me to live another 10-20 years I may look back on the and say you know I missed out on a lot of good music because I'm a naturally backward person don't do well with change and yet music is perpetually changing so suck it up and get used to it I keep reminding myself keep up the good work brother and I guarantee you everybody listening to you could always throw in their favorite band and that is a big difference between my favorites and what I know to be the best my favorites will always win out

[@neokio.f]

I so far agree on your personal thou musically objective 10 Greatest ... Ranks. Exception Rush Fly by Night. Did it sell heavyly and was it not where the band was still on the way finding the way? Some of that material was not grown with Neil. and btw ... please give us a list 1-10 in any post for your ranks ;)) ... next time

[@thekeywitness]

Surprised to see Fly by Night making the cut. Great album though. I agree that 2112 is uneven.

[@TheJohnmb46]

What about the Allman Brothers?

[@andyboerger]

Secret Treaties by Blue Oyster Cult and Toys in the Attic by Aerosmith are missing from this list. Also Aqualung.

[@cazgerald9471]

It's not my favorite Rush album, but you gotta put "Moving Pictures"

[@DavyDredd14]

10 Classic Rock Albums : The Stooges - Fun House (1970) Status Quo - Blue for You (1976) Led Zeppelin III (1970) Rainbow - Rising (1976) Rolling Stones - Exile On Main St (1972) AC/DC - Powerage (1978) Slade - Old New Borrowed and Blue (1974) Van Halen (1978) Queen II (1974) Motorhead - Overkill (1979)

[@charlesandrews2360]

Rock IS blues, Andy.

[@thetruthhurts6652]

Love LZ4 but my favorite is Machine Head. It has everything plus the X factor is Jon Lord.

[@TheJohnmb46]

Andy Fraser was an absolutely unique bass player!

[@devereauxclandestine1272]

That first LS album is a great one, but if you'd asked me to guess hat your favourite southern rock band was I would have guessed the Allmans!

[@AndyEdwardsDrummer]

I checked ot Live at The Fillmore before I did this video...its great but too bluesy, I do have a problem with Blues that I might discuss here one day. LS have so much more, love the singing, the songs and the great guitar playing....

[@devereauxclandestine1272]

@@AndyEdwardsDrummer I thought you might be swayed by the Allmans tendency to improv. I'd be interested in hearing your take on the blues - I'm a fan myself but alternative views always welcome. Although you've got to admit ' I have a problem with the Blues' does sound a bit like the title of a blues tune!😁

[@barrymoore4470]

The Allman Brothers Band is certainly the quintessential southern rock group for me (I do appreciate Lynyrd Skynyrd, among others, as well).

[@AndyEdwardsDrummer]

@@devereauxclandestine1272 This might be interesting to you: drummerandyedwards.blogspot.com/2021/03/my-little-problem-with-blues.html

[@jazzpunk]

I read NO WAY OUT a few years ago...I keep saying this: From the book, the ABB did not like being labele as "Southern Rock". They preferred an "improvising band from the South". :-)

[@TheSteveSteele]

Master of Reality and Sabotage are darker and heavier than Vol 4, IMO.

[@SwampEye1]

In about 91.4 % I agree with your opion(s) ... but the best from the Southern Rock department are ZZ Top ... IMHO .... In terms of Rush I'd go for 2112

[@AndyEdwardsDrummer]

I think 2112 is flawed. I could have put Tres Hombres in the list instead but I think the LS is the stronger album. Freebird is an absolute classic.

[@ozuidema]

Mm, good list but to me, this is more a list of best ‘70’s hard rock than “classic rock”. With the term “classic rock”, I think more of bands like Queen, Dire Straits, Eagles, Fleedwood Mac, Meatloaf, ELO. Of course, there are no fixed definitions here.

[@keithparker1346]

Nice to see Meatloaf get some love as other than when Meatloaf and Steinmann died the songs have largely been ignored by reviewers/commenters

[@andrewrobinson427]

Motorhead was the first band I saw live 27th October 1980

[@AndyEdwardsDrummer]

Same here...but my first ever gig was in 1982...Iron Fist tour on the day the Falklands war broke out

[@andrewrobinson427]

You never forget these things. Awesome energy from lemmy and the lads

[@aero2zero]

Rocka Rolla, 2024 remaster should be there.

[@jimdistad7459]

Kansas should be considered and I really like the debut album the best

[@markdraine3571]

Ya, and the problem I have with his list is that it really isn't Classic Rock..It's closer to Classic 70's metal with some Skynyrd thrown in . I like Dio as much as next guy, but no way it is in same level as Who's Next..

[@sfmag1]

All or most are blues based. That's been gone now for a while. Also, I would add Foghat,ZZ Top,and Grand Funk Railroad.

Wishbone Ash "Argus" should count as one of the greatest classic rock albums of the 1970s.

[@kubhlaikhan2015]

If I remember right, "Lynyrd Skynyrd" was originally "Leonard Skinnard" - the name of one of their school teachers, co-opted just to wind him up. They changed the spelling just because it looked better (and maybe to avoid being sued).

[@douglasanderson8636]

Did he just say 'it takes your face off'?! I thought you,d go for the Allmans re,southern rock

[@Frip36]

Not sure if Andy is messing with us Americans. He is not pronouncing Lynyrd Skynyrd correctly. He's saying it as if 'ol Lynyrd was an Oxford professor. He was a high school gym teacher in Florida. Andy's version: LAIN-ahd-skin AHD Correct pronunciation: Len-ERRD-skin-ERRD Lots of hard R's. Andy isn't just doing the R's wrong, he's leaving them out completely.

[@marknovak6498]

As a kid played the hell out if Led Zeppelin IV

[@AndyEdwardsDrummer]

I still do

[@danmayberry1185]

Dear 1982: Do tell us more about your invention of thrash/speed metal - love, Fireball and In Rock c/o Ian Paice.

[@AndyEdwardsDrummer]

Brilliant...

[@bakeone4406]

Surprised at how many landmark, truly foundational albums got missed here... stuff that really shaped rock music. Completely agree w/ picking In Rock from Deep Purple and a few of the others, but it kind of seems like the attempt to drop personal bias failed a bit...a few omissions that really belong on this sort of list: -Are You Experienced -The Who Live At Leeds -ZZ Top Tres Hombres -Led Zeppelin I or II... not III -Allman Brothers Live at Fillmore East -Alice Cooper Killer -Best of Cream (only because it really does contain more of their best songs than any other record) -The Velvet Underground & Nico -Pink Floyd Dark Side of The Moon -Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars (maybe not his best, but this one probably made the biggest impact at the time it was released) Some of these were released in the 60's because sticking to one decade (the 70's) omits too much of what was architecturally significant.

[@AndyEdwardsDrummer]

I had a set of rules for this that I described at the start. Nothing from the sixties, no live albums and not nore than one album from each artist.

[@bakeone4406]

Why stick a no 60's but one from the 80's rule in... oh, and no live albums either? Should we believe that recordings have to be made exclusively in a studio to be groundbreaking or influential or that music suddenly changes course at the beginning or the end of a decade? Omission is always the big crime in these kinds of lists. Sticking in something from The Cars, Yes, Santana or The Ramones might have helped to reflect the development of "classic rock", as a whole. Keep it up Andy...I'll stop wasting your time now.

[@axxellein]

Randy Rhoads=TRES Heavy Classically Trained Legend!

[@joannalam832]

i agree with you on rush

[@johncrocker-nh7ey]

Love your choices don't believe I would have taken any of them off not even sure if I would even adjusted the order I've enjoyed your talk but I would love some honorable mentions especially from the American Rockside I think we started pushing back against the British Invasion earlier then Skynyrd I grew up listening to the James gang Funk 49 from 47 I think Grand Funk Railroad their first album for sure was tremendous especially in helping pushing back some of the Psychedelic wave which I did enjoy some psychedelic but the same Bunch that brought up ZZ Top Chicago with I'm a man 25 or 6 to 4 just having one of the greatest guitarists at the time I don't believe Lynyrd Skynyrd would have ever existed one for the Allman Brothers Allman Brothers almost single-handedly invented the jam before them you didn't really hear 20-30 minutes songs were individual instruments had their 10 minutes solos I think they were extremely instrumental to that free form improv Rock this is not my show so I'm going to hang up now I'm shooting from the hip but I love your pics I think you are spot on keep up the good work

[@littlejohn725]

Electric Ladyland is the greatest.

[@johnthursfield3056]

Absolutely agree, my fave of all time

[@wayneelliott7011]

Without question.

[@DrumBragg]

Yes - but from the 60s.

[@paulkazakoff9231]

@@DrumBragg Just missed the 70's boat I believe.Just by a little bit.

[@DrumBragg]

@@paulkazakoff9231 - released late(ish) 1968. And I have a copy of the vinyl (with the women on the front - which I got by swapping some 'singles' for!)