What's the Best Way to Close an Album?

[Butteredpeanut]

The End- The Doors, is a masterpiece at ending an album. Even though the album itself is more a poppy 60s album, as it goes on it gives a darker atmosphere, and that exactly how The End finishes off the album. I believe The End is the closest thing to perfection an album has ever ended on

[HanzsKlopek]

Eclipse (Dark Side of the Moon) has to be one of the best way to end an album. So powerfull.

[Chefawsemo]

When the Levee Breaks from Led Zeppelin's IV is one of my favorites. Slowed down guitars, sludgy sounding harmonica and a restrained but powerful drum beat give me chills when it comes on. I'm not sure if it would be a climax, meditation or a combination of the two.

[sammcivor]

Tomorrow Never Knows is one of my favourite closing tracks to an album. It completely ushers in a new era for music with how experimental it is.

[mystery]

A more recent one I love is ‘I know The End’ on Phoebe Bridgers’ Punisher. It falls into the climactic category, as it narrates a sort of apocalypse and the music swells to be big, loud and brassy. As the music hits its peak, we hear the singer scream for several long seconds and the song begins to wind down as the scream stops and is followed by the sound of the singer seemingly trying to catch her breath. I don’t know how to explain it, but it feels cathartic in a way similar to Pink Floyd’s ‘The Great Gig in the Sky’ . Also, the final lyrics of the song (and by extension, the album) are “the end is here” (when earlier in the song she sings that “the end is near”). It’s both affirming the end of the world has arrived in the song and cheekily telling the listener that the song and album are over. I love this song and if you read this far and haven’t listened to it, I recommend you do!

[Trobed-mwjt]

mortal man from tpab not only explains the title, it also recontextualizes the whole album with the poem finally being read in full. it also includes a crazy and poignant interview and that’s not mentioning the song itself which is also beautiful and profound.

[tss]

Contact by Daft Punk. With the hindsight that Random Access Memories was their final album, this song isn't just the duo flipping the switch back to their signature electronic sound after a journey through their musical nostalgia and influences. Contact is an ode to everything they created through their experimentation and deep love for humanity. The track ends with a frantic soundscape, as if we're hearing them launch into the stratosphere to depart from our world, moving on to make their next discovery.

[schaddalton]

"A Day in The Life" is the only way to appropriately end an album.

The way it starts, the chaotic build to the middle section and it's change of feel, the return to the original tune, repeating the chaos to the dead end...then that final chord that resonates endlessly. Perfection.

[chinosarah]

The Show Must Go On from Innuendo is such a perfect climax to the album and Queen’s entire career. An incredible vocal performance combined with beautiful lyrics that evoke the themes of preserving through hard times, a call back to their early career, and a promise that everything was going to be okay because “I can fly my friends”.

[itsbricket]

ARE WE STILL FRIENDS? in Tyler the Creator’s IGOR is one of the best album climaxes i’ve ever heard with every emotion in this album being summed up in this giant cathartic song. Best part, it ends in a synth chord that is then resolved in the first song of the album, IGOR’S THEME, starting the cycle again and proving that exactly what you run from you end up chasing.

[Zebraworm-fjkn]

One of the all time album closers has to be Tomorrow Never Knows from Revolver. I don't know how Lennon managed to write such a perfect song. It encapsulates everything The Beatles have done up until 1966. The mix of reversed guitar and tape sounds mixed with Ringo's drums is killer (Its also used in a scene in Mad Men which is really good too).

[E-Zp]

In my opinion "The court of the Crimson King" is the best album closure ever made; it's the perfect closure for an album like "In the court of the Crimson King" that encapsules many themes.

[ericmulligan]

Purple Rain has gotta be one of the best album closers of all time. Such a euphoric and climactic end to an incredible record

[renderingqueue]

the court of the crimson king is my personal favourite, the build up from moonchild and the sheer length of the song makes it so perfect. this song really makes you feel like you're there, in the last few minutes where its mainly just the drummer going at it in that moment it really makes you feel like you are there in the court of the crimson king

[isaacness]

Something in the way in Nirvana's Nevermid has always been my favorite, the almost whispering vocals contrast so good with the whole noise and energy of the rest of the album, yet is equally impressionistic and deep.

[InventorZahran]

The End (by The Beatles) is my favorite album-closer. It encapsulates everything I love about The Beatles in one song: simple yet profound lyrics; epic guitar and drum solos, evocative harmonies, and a luscious orchestral finale. It's truly the perfect ending to Abbey Road, and The Beatles' career as a whole.

[nateds]

The Beatles and Pink Floyd were the absolute best rock bands when it came to closing albums. Pink Floyd have Echoes, Eclipse, Shine on you Crazy Diamond, and Outside the Wall. The Beatles have Tomorrow Never Knows, All You Need is Love(if you can't that one since it was a single first), The End/Her Majesty, Good Night, and ESPECIALLY A Day In the Life which is just about the greatest album closer ever written. Having such a grasp of how to close an album is why I love both of these bands so much.

[sebastianherrera]

I think “Hacker” by death grips is one of the best album closers of ALL time, it encapsulates everything that album was about while also giving us provably one of the best beats known to man, and i mean that.

[douglasskinner]

Brain Damage/Eclipse is hands down the best album closer of all time. You failed to mention that the heartbeat at the end that closes the album is the same that opens the album, creating a loop.

With that said, here are some of my favorite album closers. Several fall into the categories you mentioned.

"Why Can't This Night Go On Forever" by Journey from Raised on Radio (1986). A song about the fans, especially at concerts, it would be the last single from the album but never performed live by Steve Perry, since he left the band in mid-tour prior to the song's release.
"Open Arms" by Journey from Escape (1981). The song that sparked the power ballad movement, was almost left on the cutting room floor. Neal Schon disliked the song, and the producers couldn't find anywhere to put in on the rest of album. Steve Perry insisted it be placed, so they slapped it at the end thinking nobody would hear it. It became the bands biggest hit until over 20 years later when the first song on that same album surpassed it.
"Rubicon" by Journey from Frontiers (1983). A song about never giving up cops the otherwise downtrodden album.
"Opened the Door" by Journey from Infinity (1978). The first album featuring Steve Perry, this song closes bigger than much of the rest of the album, considering the other big tracks like "Wheel In the Sky, " "Winds of March, " and "Patiently."

"Alma Mater" by Chicago from Chicago V (1972). A song written and performed by Terry Kath, this is a simple song about brotherhood and moving on despite interpersonal issues.
"It Better End Soon" & "Where Do Go From Here" by Chicago from Chicago II (1970). A song about the Viet Nam War and a call to action.
"Victorious" by Chicago from Chicago 19 (1988). A rare power ballad by Robert Lamm, this song starts off with R&B over tones rarely heard from Chicago and closes with nice harmonies and nice, big instrumentals at the end.

"Can't Live Without Love" by the Storm from the Storm (1991). Like Dark Side of the Moon, this power ballad ends the album with the same background sound it began with (a thunderstorm in this case.)

"Would?" by Alice In Chains from Dirt (1992). A song written about the late, great Andrew Wood (Mother Love Bone/Malfunkshun) it tells a dark story of addiction, sadness and regret that sums up the whole of Dirt.

"The Last Resort" by Eagles from Hotel California (1976). A song about "How the West was lost, " the epic song starts off like a slow country song and ends in an powerful country rock ballad (almost requiem) about how the American Dream failed and took people with it.

"I'm So Afraid" by Fleetwood Mac from Fleetwood Mac (1975). Probably the bands hardest rocker, it closes out an otherwise melodic album the band would be come known for; however, "I'm So Afraid" stands out on its own and closes the album as if preparing the listener for the turmoil that would be their next album, Rumours (1977)

"Heart of the Matter" by Don Henley from The End of the Innocence (1989). A touching, simple person song about forgiving that come from an album with big songs with big meanings,

"After the Thrill Is Gone" by Eagles from Greatest Hits vol. II (1980). Although this song was from One of These Night (1975), it was chosen as the last song on his album to sum up how the band felt about breaking up. They wouldn't get back together for 14 years after this release.

"When the Levee Breaks" by Led Zeppelin from Led Zeppelin VI (1971). A powerful blues song that closes one of the greatest albums of all time.

"Albuquerque" by Weird Al Yankovic from Running with Scissors (1999). An epic tale that runs over 11 minutes and is the longest song of his career so far.

[kingalpaca]

The title song from Prince's "Purple Rain" is one of the best album closers I've ever listened to, another great one is "Something in the way" from Nirvana's "Nevermind"