The 10 Albums Every Rock Fan Must Own

When I started working at my current job, my core team was pretty amused by my passion for music. Over the past few months, these coworkers have come to better understand my passion - and truly get that music is...me.  Anyway, one of my coworkers has recently gotten reinterested in music. I say "reinterested" because he once had quite a passion for rock and then grew away from it all.

Now he's rebuilding his collection and I want to help him.

Today, this coworker - and we'll call him Mark because that's his name - mentioned that he literally only owns a handful of CDs.

To me, this is unfathomable. It's not like he has a massive digital collection, either. He doesn't own an MP3 player, so the small stack of CDs is basically all she wrote.

I decided I would post my list of the 10 albums every rock fan must own. Then, I thought you could also list your 10 choices. This way, Mark should have a very good foundation on which to rebuild his collection.

Note: I say "rock fan" in the title of this article, not Glam. I want to keep this a little broader than just Glam so Mark gets a well-rounded collection.

Now, my list in no special order:

01. Aerosmith - Rocks
02. Guns n' Roses - Appetite for Destruction
03. Pink Floyd - Dark Side of the Moon
04. Led Zeppelin - Physical Graffiti
05. Beatles - A Hard Days Night
06. Motley Crue - Shout at the Devil
07. Fleetwood Mac - Rumours
08. AC/DC - Back in Black
09. Van Halen - Van Halen
10. Who Are You - The Who

I look forward to reading your lists of the 10 albums every rock fan must own. I'm sure Mark also appreciates the help.

Comments

[Vince]

1.The White Album - The Beatles
T
his album has everything, you can´t get tierd.
I don´t have to write that mutch, just give it a listen if you haven´t
I almost forgot the album has Helter Skelter, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OM9KRpEkGfY

2.Crimson Idol - W.A.S.P(Blackie Lawless)

Well the story of this rock opera is a bit ordinary, but the songs in this album is so fucking good.
The best album by one of the most unrated band in the 80´s. The songs is so good, The Idol, chainsaw charlie and heartbreak station to name a few song´s that are worldclass.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifRjyISMxZM

3. Heartbreak Station - Cinderella

Cinderella changed direction if Night Song´s and

Long Cold Winter is glam with soulrock. Heartbreak station is soulrock with glam, the title track is so awsome. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XK8gzOo1wEI
This album failed in sales, but in my opinion one of the deepest album that an "glam" band has done, EVER.

4.Shout At The Devil - Mötley Crüe

Mötley has never been harder than at the Shout At Devil Era, the band just exploded with attitude and hunger, this album has one of my favorite song´s(Knock Em Dead). This is how an Heavy Metal album should be done, it´s just smells adrenaline.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MYHr1Y_U7E0

5.Cruel Town - Brother Daniel(Broder Daniel)

Brother Daniel isn´t famous outside Northern Europe I think, but in Scandinavia they represent the outsiders, the one´s that got their dreams shattred.
This is their last Album, and the song´s is so strong, if you arent touched by this band or this album your not an human.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-jXVhu6k9s just listen to this awsome track

6.
The Stone Roses - The Stone Roses

This album is very experimental, long bass lines and it got the attitude of Mr Ian Brown, the man that formed and Liam Gallagher, great song´s, great hooks. Well in my book this is the greatest album that have come from England in 30 years.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-cme2q0N7nM

7.
Rocks - Aerosmith

Aerosmith dident have to do any other album, they could have quit after this one, this album is so fucking great. This album captured what Aerosmith was(not Armagedon...), not any weak songs, just a perfect rock album.

8.
Crashdïet - Rest In Sleaze

In Sweden, the sleaze/glam scene is good quite big and there are many good sleaze/glam band´s from this country. The reason? Crashdïet´s Rest In Sleaze.
Is just an explosion, it´s Skidrow clashing with GG Allin. It´s just some raw and true energy in this album, really good songs. Too bad that Dave Leppard hasnt seen all that he have done, this album is great. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-cme2q0N7nM

9.
Darkness on the Edge of Town - Bruce Springsteen

This album is the best that Bruce have done, this album capture the melancholy and pain you can feel for life and what happens. Bruce has never sounded more wounded.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c23Zh7HaNFc

10.
Who´s Next - The Who

Man, if you havent heard Baba O'Riley or Behind Blue Eyes, you have sleept under a stone for many years.
This is overall an great album, but this two song´s make it fantastic.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hKUBTX9kKEo

[JT]

A lot of good lists here. I would choose:

GNR "Appetite for Destruction"
Motley Crue "Dr. Feelgood"
Poison "Greatest Hits" (either one...I didn't see any restrictions against "best of" packages...if so, "Open Up and Say Ahhh")
Aerosmith "Permanent Vacation"
AC/DC "Back in Black"
Van Halen "1984"
Bon Jovi "New Jersey"
Ozzy Osbourne "Blizzard of Ozz"
Quiet Riot "Metal Health"
Def Leppard "Hysteria"

Yes, they are all big name bands and mostly big name albums, but if you're creating an "essential" list, these would be the first 10 on my list.

[tony]

Guns N Roses-Appetite For Destruction, AC/DC-Back In Black, Van Halen 1984, Motley Crue- Shout At The Devil, Ratt-Out Of The Cellar, Poison-Look What The Cat Dragged In, Cinderella-Night Songs, Whitesnake-S/T(1987), Def Leppard-High N Dry, ZZ Top-Elimimator, Ozzy Osbourne-The Ultimate Sin.

[Don]

in no praticular order and purposely only choosing one album per artist
1. Bon Jovi - New Jersey
2. Warrant - Dog Eat Dog
3. Beatles - Revolver
4. Def Leppard - Pyromania
5. Cinderella - Night Songs
6. Guns n Roses - Chinese Democracy
7. Paul McCartney & Wings - Band on the Run (sort of cheating but its a classic)
8. Van Halen - 5150
9. Foreigner - 4
10. Thornley - Thornley

[gary]

In the same spirit of Ryo Vie about his/her? choice of listing pure "album" releases...here's mine, in some particular order:

Cinderella...Night Songs
Honerable mention: Heartbreak Station

Poison...Open up
HM: Look what the cat dragged in

VH: 1
HM: VH:2

VH: 1984
HM: VH: Women/children first

Led Zeppelin: 4
HM: Van Halen 5150

Quiet Riot: Metal Health
Honorable mention: Mental Health

Madonna (1983)
Honorable Mention: Howard Stern (2009)

Bon Jovi: New Jersey
HM: Bon Jovi: New Jersey

David Lee Roth: EEAS
HM: DLR: YFLM

Jackie Martling Comedy
Homorable Mention: Jim Florentine

Others:

[Loremaster]

ok so if it has to be all-round rock collection ( I think it's the best way to really pick up a genre that you like the most)

AC/DC - Black Album
Aerosmith - Pump
Faith No More - Angel Dust
Guns N' Roses - Appetite for Destruction
Jeff Buckley - Grace
Metallica - Black Album
Ozzy Osbourne - Blizzard of Ozz
Ramones - Ramones
The Beatles - White Album
Rolling Stones - Exile on a Main Street

[Loremaster]

Geez I fucked up AC/DC album name, it's of course Back in Black

[gerry g]

i am shocked that i am the only one -- so far -- to pick Beatles Sgt Pepper; also, no one has picked Bowie ...

[Sweet Lou]

In response to gerry g...Sgt Pepper while a great album, Revolver or White album would be the Beatle's albums to choose LOL. I think what we're missing (yes, even myself..BUT I tried) is to pick ALBUMS NOT BANDS or ARTIST that influenced a generation/genre etc. It is a list of BEST ROCK RECORDS..if it were Artist; THAT list would be crazy hard to put together. hahahaha

[gary]

In response to sweet lou...you need to lighten up and relax. not everything that is written is about you or needs in-depth analysis or monday morning quarter-backing. I try (painstakingly) to post things toungue in cheek, hoping that some people out there who read these websites, will cast a smile. That's all, just smile a bit.

It's upsetting how judgmental and self righteous you are. I read the same interview. Several times..In every conceivable fashion to understand your thought process. you purposely try to find fault.

If you're the same guy that owns the bar in ohio, stick to running your bar and watch nancy grace and gloria allred.

[Tony]

1. The Cult Electric
2. UFO - Walk on Water
3. Legs Diamond - Captured Live
4. Starz - Coliseum Rock
5. Aerosmith - Draw The Line
6. Ron Wood - Slide on This
7. Motorhead - Inferno
8. David Bowie - Changesbowie
9. Rainbow - Long Live Rock & Roll
10. Van Halen - II

[Brandon]

In no particular order:

Motley Crue-Any of the first five albums

Alice Cooper-Trash

Tesla-Psychotic Supper

Queensryche-Operation Mindcrime

Warrant-Dog Eat Dog

Skid Row-Skid Row

Poison-Look What the Cat Dragged In

Winger-Pull

Cinderella-Heartbreak Station

Kix-Live

and the list goes on............

[Sweet Lou]

Gary...NO I don't own a bar in Ohio. I don't even LIVE or TRAVEL to Ohio. You have taken my comments and totally misunderstood and twisted them for your OWN agenda. If you have a problem with someone, do you think YOU should use this site to take it out on them? Who was truly being self righteous; me making a comment about people chosing artists over albums or you being yourself showing what greatness and cheer YOU bring to this site? If you have a problem with me or my "thought process" please feel free to email me with any comments in the future instead of us cluttering Allyson's website...
GlamSLAMinc@aol.com
Cheers!

[Loremaster]

Alice Cooper Trash ?
h come one , he has better albums "Billion Dollar Babies" "Killer" and "School's out " Comes to mind

[DVick]

Better late than never...I look at it this way, if the house is burning here are the cds I'm grabbing.

1.Alive - Kiss
2.Alive 2 - Kiss
3.Shout at the Devil - Crue
4.World Wide Live - Scorps
5.Back for the Attack - Dokken
6.Frampton Comes Alive - Peter Frampton
7.Van Halen
8.Standing Hampton - Sammy Hagar
9.Double Live Gonzo - Uncle Ted
10.Out of the Cellar - Ratt

and if there's time..

11.Rage for Order - Ryche
12.Tooth & Nail - Dokken
13.3 Lock Box - Sammy Hagar
14.Destroyer - Kiss
15.Live at Budokan - Cheap Trick
16.Midnight Madness - Night Ranger
17.Love and War - Lillian Axe
18.High & Dry - Def Leppard
19.Master of Puppets - Metallica
20.Holy Diver - DIO

[MotleyCrue666]

This was awhile ago but i forgot

BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE - SCREAM, AIM, FIRE

[Mike Winters]

Hmm, that's tough.

1-UFO-Force It
2-Alice Cooper-Killer
3-Motorhead-Ace of Spades
4-Overkill-The Years of Decay
5-Scorpions-Virgin Killer
6-Ted Nugent-Ted Nugent
7-Deep Purple-In Rock
8-Boston-Boston
9-The WHO-Live at Leeds
10-Metallica-Master of Puppets