Top 10 Rock and Roll Albums That Changed Music Forever

These albums changed the game when it came to their respective genres and served as lightning rods for the cultural zeitgeist. For this list, we’ll be ranking the rock LPs that sent turntables spinning. Our countdown of the greatest rock albums of all time includes “Purple Rain”, “Nevermind”, “The Dark Side of the Moon”, and more! What’s your favorite album from this list? Let us know in the comments!

Watch more great rock videos here:

Become a channel member to get access to special perks:

Challenge friends and family on our multiplayer Trivia!

Have your idea become a video!

Subscribe for more great content!

Visit our shop for awesome merch!

Your trusted authority for Top 10 lists, reviews, tips and tricks, biographies, origins, and entertainment news

#Rock
#Music
#Album
#RockAndRoll
#TheBeatles
#PinkFloyd
#LedZeppelin
#RockAlbums
#Nirvana
#LP

[WatchMojo]

What’s your favorite album from this list? Let us know in the comments!

[beezig]

The dark side of the moon just does not age, 50 years, still sounds so damn good. IMO the greatest Album ever recorded

[goblinemperorschneider]

A little fun fact: When The Beatels recorded "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band", Pink Floyd recorded their first album "The Piper at the Gate of Dawn" in the same recording studio at the same time. Both bands have influenced each other's recordings, meaning there's a close connection between the top two spots on this list.

[tallogden]

The Velvet Underground and Nico, Music From the Big Pink, and CSN's first record all fueled large changes in rock's history.

[BelldandyAsuna]

Black Sabbath inspired a lot of rock/ metal bands today..
.Pantera, White Zombie, Ugly Kid Joe, Faith no More, Sepultra, ..just to name a few. They set the stone for music that wasn't about flower power, peace and making love. Black Sabbath grabs you by the throat and takes you down a dark and fascinating ride. 💀

[alexweeks]

Could quite easily make another top 10 or more in this genre:

Elvis Presley - Elvis Presley
The Who - Tommy
Queen - A Night at the Opera
The Stone Roses - The Stone Roses
Michael Jackson - Thriller
Meat Loaf - Bat out of Hell
Public Enemy - It Takes a Nation of Millions
Bob Dylan - Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan
Green Day - Dookie
Kanye West - College Dropout

[rejexpace]

It was always ever going to be the Beatles - one of my fondest childhood memories is playing Beatles rock band (basically Guitar hero) while having my family actually participating and singing like a band, including my parents who didn't always get along. Simply timeless.

[Strongbad]

#10: Purple Rain - Prince & the Revolution (1984)
#9: London Calling - The Clash (1979)
#8: Black Sabbath - Black Sabbath (1970)
#7: Are You Experienced - The Jimi Hendrix Experience (1967)
#6: Bringing It All Back Home - Bob Dylan (1965)
#5: Nevermind - Nirvana (1991)
#4: Pet Sounds - The Beach Boys (1966)
#3: Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin (1969)
#2: The Dark Side of the Moon - Pink Floyd (1973)
#1: Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band - The Beatles (1967)

Honorable Mentions:
• Rumours - Fleetwood Mac (1977)
• Van Halen - Van Halen (1978)
• Exile on Main Street - The Rolling Stones (1972)
• Born to Run - Bruce Springsteen (1975)
• The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars - David Bowie (1972)

[tattales]

Metal is a huge genre with a big following. You can't deny the impact Metallica's first album, Kill Em All had on metal and thrash. Yes, Black Sabbath is arguably the founder of heavy metal, but Kill Em All changed the game.

[corynovik]

The fact that AC/DC's Back In Black album wasn't mentioned is ridiculous. That album ushered in a new era of Rock along with the new era of vocals for the band.

[ChopperPlayed]

Nevermind by Nirvana will never not give me chills when I listen to it god damn

[maryallen]

Great list, but Rubber Soul (which inspired Pet Sounds) belongs on this list as well, IMHO. Also Tommy by The Who.

[potatomatop]

My most favorite is Black Sabbath's first album. The one that has Warning and The Wizard.

[tariqthomas]

God I miss Prince.

Purple Rain is not only one of the greatest rock albums of all time, but it’s probably the greatest pop album of all time.

[jaylenharmon]

"Purple Rain" and "The Dark Side of the Moon" is my favorite albums ❤

[kawashnasim]

When sergeant peppers came out on radio (they used to radio the whole album as one) the pink Floyd crew were in the car and stopped on the side of the road. They were in awe and loved the direction wanting to expand upon it further with the dark side of the moon. syd said later I first though the Beatles were boring until I saw them live, but after listening to sgt peppers I knew who stood at the top.

[andrewpappas]

I’m surprised that Hendrix and Sabbath were so low since they revolutionized guitar playing in the late ‘60s and ‘70s (and plus Black Sabbath is credited with creating heavy metal) but Floyd and Sgt. Pepper’s are definitely deserving of the top picks, though here are a number of albums that I’m surprised didn’t make the cut

- AC/DC - Back In Black (1980)
- Metallica - Master of Puppets (1986)/Metallica (1991)
- Ozzy Osbourne - Blizzard of Ozz (1980)
- Queen - A Night At the Opera (1975)
- Judas Priest - British Steel (1980)
- Iron Maiden - The Number of the Beast (1982)
- The Who - Tommy (1969)
- King Crimson - In the Court of the Crimson King (1969)
- Chuck Berry - Chuck Berry Is On Top (1959)
- Elvis Presley - Elvis Presley (1956)
- Guns ‘N’ Roses - Appetite For Destruction (1987)
- Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble - Texas Flood (1983)
- Radiohead - OK Computer (1997)

[mel]

Can't argue with #1 and #2. Groundbreaking pillars of modern music! All the other LPs named on the list are spot on, except for a couple. I think this is the most accurate and hard-to-debate list WM had ever done.

[Raineyluwho]

I would just like to mention Grand Funk Railroad, Mettalica, Iron Butterfly, The Doors, The Who, Queen, and so on. Yes, I had all the albums mentioned from the 60s and 70s.

[steveperyer]

You don’t realize that the roots from that are The Beatles, Everly Brothers, Muddy Waters, Emerson, Lake, and Palmer, and Grand Funk Railroad, that gave the others something to build from. By the 70’s, things were changing at a supersonic rate, trying to beat the best, to become the best. We love them all😊