12 to 22
12. Guns n’ Roses – Appetite for Destruction
Though I don’t like this band very much, G n’ R deserve credit for their fantastic debut album Appetite for Destruction, which was a superb way to revive classic raw energy rock amidst the Pop era of the late eighties. With 4 evergreen singles like Welcome to the Jungle, Paradise City, Mr. Brownstone and Sweet Child O’ Mine, this is a welcome album in my list.
(Other albums include the well appreciated Use Your Illusion 1 & 2)
13. Aerosmith – Pump
Aerosmith, the band that clearly inspired Guns n’ Roses and the likes, were very popular in the 70s for their new raunchy swaggering style of music which was trendsetting. Pump released in 1989 showed the same power and aggression as their 70s albums like Toys in the Attic & Rocks. An instant hit in US, this album contains Love in an Elevator, Janie’s got a Gun, The Other Side and the trademark power ballad What It Takes.
(Album recommendations: Rocks, Toys in the Attic, Permanent Vacation, Get a Grip)
14. Deep Purple – Deepest Purple (compilation)
Deep Purple, along with Black Sabbath can be credit to be among the first bands to start HARD ROCK. Progressive rock, with patent guitar sounds, riffs that will become eternal, lyrics about fast cars and knights and warriors and demons and space, wow you must listen to this album.
The band has gone thru several line– up changes, but this album features songs from two of their best lineups – Mark 2 with Ian Gillan on Vocals, Mark 3 with David Coverdale on vocals. Each track is a gem, listen to all!!! Incidentally my first true album in rock was this.
(Great albums include Black Night, Machine Head and the latest Bananas)
15. Led Zeppelin – IV
Then God said “Let There Be Heavy Metal!!!” and lo and behold Led Zeppelin was formed in 1968. Out of the remains of the highly acclaimed Yardbirds (which featured Eric Clapton in their earlier lineup), and resurrected by lead guitarist Jimmy Page, Led Zeppelin would become the first band to combine the forces of blues with distortion guitar; a genre that would soon be defined as ‘Heavy Metal’.
Radically titled with 4 Symbols, this album contains the legendary immortal eternal classics like Stairway to Heaven, Black Dog and Rock n’ Roll. My other favorite track in this album is Misty Mountain Hop.
(Led Zeppelin is one of my most favorite bands of all times and I recommend each and every album they have recorded and they are: Led Zeppelin 1, 2, 3, 4, House of the Holy, Physical Graffiti, Presence, In Through the Outdoor and Coda)
16. Iron Maiden – Somewhere In Time
Another one of my favorite bands, Iron Maiden gave the term Heavy Metal its true meaning right from the word go. With twin leads by Dave Murray and Adrian Smith and piercing strong operatic vocals of Bruce ****inson, the galloping bass and compositions of Steve Harris and the gripping drums of Nicko McBrain, Iron Maiden is any budding heavy metal band’s dream line– up Somewhere in Time is a great album to start off with, including great tracks like Caught Somewhere in Time, Wasted Years and Heaven Can Wait.
(All their albums are outright classics including Number of the Beast, Powerslave, Piece of Mind and Seventh Son of a Seventh Son)
17. Van Halen – MCMLXXXIV (1984)
Did you know that the awesome lead guitar played in Michael Jackson’s classic song Beat It was by this super– guitarist called Eddie Van Halen? With his band, Eddie Van Halen redefined how to play the electric guitar with his self– taught techniques of tapping, hammer– ons, pull– offs and incredible sound effects. 1984 is perhaps the band’s best recorded album ever and it was their last fling with fellow vocalist David Lee Roth. If you’ve seen the flick Back to the Future, Michael J, Fox uses this album beginning to frighten his father (in the past) with UFO sounds. That apart, songs like Jump, Panama, I’ll Wait and Hot for Teacher are fresh and demand repeated listening.
(Since I personally also like this band, I would recommend all albums but as a must– hear set goes here are a few: Van Halen (1), Women and Children First, 5150, and For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge.
18. Ozzy Osbourne – The Ozzman Cometh (compilation)
I’ve deliberately put this album in the list, and not included the band Black Sabbath, because this compilation features a few tracks of Black Sabbath as well. Paranoid, War Pigs, Crazy Train, Mr. Crawley, Bark At The Moon, Mama I’m Coming Home, No More Tears, the list is endless.
(Recommended albums: Blizzard of Oz, Diary of a Madman, Bark at the Moon, Tribute to Randy Rhoads)
19. Judas Priest – Pain Killer
If you want to experience sheer power of dual lead guitars, double bass drums, screeching vocals, and shredding bass lines, Pain Killer is ‘The Album’. Suddenly out of nowhere, arrived a new revitalized Judas Priest, with new sound, new style and surprisingly the same old lineup. Songs like the title track Pain Killer, Night Crawler, Touch of Evil and Metal Meltdown, are the highlights of the album.
(Other albums I like are: Ram it Down, Hell Bent for Leather, Stained Class, Sad Wings of Destiny, British Steel, Point of Entry and Screaming for Vengeance)
20. Metallica – Metallica
Another not– so– favorite band of mine, but then Metallica cannot be ignored. This was a ground breaking album with great sound engineering & new low sounds never heard before. A must have album to complete this list, this album includes classics like Enter Sandman, Sad But True, The Unforgiven, Nothing Else Matters and Wherever I May Roam.
(Other albums worth a hearing are Kill ‘Em All, Ride the Lightning, Master of Puppets and …And Justice for All)
21. Nirvana – Nevermind
An album and a band that I don’t like at all, but then when we speak of Rock, Nirvana had a huge, huge fan following and after Kurt Cobain’s shocking suicide, the band’s music became more popular. Don’t feel like writing anything else here, just listen to the album, maybe you’ll like it. Though many think that alternative music started with Nirvana, I would rather credit REM for that. Please don’t mind.
22. Pearl Jam – 10
Pearl Jam is another band that I don’t like, but Ten is a real nice album and was among the primary albums that made the Grunge & Alternative genre more popular.
That’s it then, but please note I’ve left out a few hundred bands and a few hundred albums which I regret myself, but then I guess 22 are enough to kick start your own research on this beautiful subject. Some acts I personally like but are not mentioned here are Rolling Stones, The Who, Cream, Uriah Heep, Yes, Emerson Lake & Palmer, T-Rex, Supertramp, Black Sabbath, Grateful Dead, Credence Clearwater Revival, Jimi Hendrix, Wings, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Queen, Rush, Steely Dan, Traffic... Long live Rock n’ Roll
