The Top 50 American Rock Albums, unsurprisingly, were made by some of the biggest artists in the history of popular music.
As you will see in the below list, which the UCR staff chose, even after you remove the Beatles, the Rolling Stones and other rock giants, there’s still much to love. You won’t find many one-hit wonders here; almost every band, singer-songwriter and performer is a legendary act. That’s why several of them check in with more than one record.
The albums included are some of the biggest and bestselling of all time; most of them sealed their classic status decades ago. The list features LPs from the ’50s through the ’90s, rock music’s most fertile years. And it includes everyone from Elvis Presley to Green Day. It’s an expansive selection that represents rock music’s huge scope.
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What’s not here are artists who straddle the line between U.S. and other countries. Half of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young were born outside of the States, including Canadian Neil Young. Fellow Canuck Joni Mitchell also didn’t qualify. Neither did the Jimi Hendrix Experience or the Pretenders, American-led groups based in the U.K.
And then there’s Fleetwood Mac, a British band that had its most productive and successful years while based in the United States and led by two Americans. All of these artists would have certainly been included in the Top 50 American Rock Albums, maybe with even more than one record, under different circumstances. As it stands, though, the below albums represent the very best made by American artists.
Top 50 American Rock Albums
Even after you take out the Beatles, the Stones and other giants, there’s still a lot to love here.
Gallery Credit: Michael Gallucci
