They said rock ‘n’ roll wouldn’t last. Try telling that to these 15 rock stars, who each put out new studio albums way back in 1973, and then did so again in 2023.
That’s a 50-year career, minimum. To compare that to another field, think about how amazing it is that Lebron James’ NBA career is currently entering its 20th year. Never mind that most of these musicians started performing live way before releasing their first album, and that for most of them those 1973 albums weren’t even their first releases. For example, the Rolling Stones were 11 years and 10 records into their career (measuring by their British discography) before releasing 1973’s Goats Head Soup.
Classic Rock Endured Many Changes Between 1973 and 2023
Of course, much has changed for each of these artists or bands over the five decades between their 1973 and 2023 albums. From the five-man Goats Head Soup lineup, only Mick Jagger and Keith Richards remain active members of the Stones on their 2023 release Hackney Diamonds – although recently departed drummer Charlie Watts appears posthumously on a pair of tracks.
READ MORE: The Rolling Stones Come Down on ‘Goats Head Soup’
In our list you’ll find the occasional pairing of solo artists and their former bands. For instance, Peter Gabriel was one of the main driving creative forces behind Genesis’ 1973 album Selling England by the Pound. He left the band two years later, and went on to launch a successful solo career. His 10th solo album, I/O, was previewed by the full moon release of eleven new songs over the past year, and arrives in stores in December 2023.
Two other big names came close to earning a spot on this list. Neil Young released a live album of all-new material named Time Fades Away in 1973. But so far this year he has yet to release or announce a studio collection of new original music, instead largely focusing on archival releases. Ringo Starr’s Ringo album also came out in 1973, but so far this year he has only released the Rewind Forward EP.
15 Rock Stars Who Put Out New Albums in Both 1973 and 2023
They said rock and roll wouldn’t last. These 15 artists have proved them wrong.
Gallery Credit: Matthew Wilkening
