Step Aside, Dark Side
Many music critics have pegged Pink Floyd's 1973 album The Dark Side Of The Moon as rock's greatest album, but there's another album that deserves the top spot—both in terms of influence and raw musical awesomeness. Here's a big hint: our pick for no. 1 features the song You Shook Me All Night Long.
44. Iggy And The Stooges: Raw Power (1973)
David Bowie, was associated with the post-production of this album whose sales weren’t listed. Still, it was different from other works because of the hard rock influences (courtesy of James Williamson, who was their guitarist). There's a documentary about this album by Morgan Neville somewhere on the internet.
N°1 - Iggy and The Stooges -Raw Power (Live Pression Live au Casino de Paris 2012) by Pression Live
43. The Clash: London Calling (1979)
“London Calling”, the title track and the lead single, made it to the top 20 charts in the U.K. This album sold 2 million and its sound went everywhere from punk rock to jazz to R&B. With how well the album, you’d forget that the songwriters experienced a writer’s block for almost a year!
The Clash - London Calling (Official HD Video) by The Clash
42. The Who: Who’s Next (1971)
It’s always purported that when something fails, another emerges. And this is exactly how Who’s Next came to be. It was born from the ashes of a failed rock opera, Lifehouse, which Pete Townshend had been working on. The album sold 3 million copies.
41. Styx: Paradise Theater (1981)
The Paradise Theatre concept album was done by Styx, released in 1981, and it narrates the account of the rise and downfall of the Paradise Theatre in Chicago. Their laser-etched vinyl made manufacturing costs skyrocket but they still sold about 3 million copies.
Styx - Too Much Time On My Hands by STYX
40. Twisted Sister: Stay Hungry (1984)
“We’re Not Gonna Take It” sparked Senate hearings being cited as inappropriate for children, but it never went beyond informal sessions. Internally, the producer, Tom Werman, and the band would disagree on creative decisions. Regardless, the album sold 3 million units during MTV’s peak.
Twisted Sister - Stay Hungry (Live 1984) (FULL CONCERT) by Twisted Sister
39. KISS: Destroyer (1976)
Just imagine rock music sung with a choir—spectacular, right? Well, KISS’s producer Bob Ezrin used a Detroit school choir for “Great Expectations”. The album salvaged the band’s career, selling 4 million copies. Even though Paul Stanley hated “Beth” initially, fans thought differently and loved it.
38. Kansas: Point Of Know Return (1977)
“Dust in the Wind” started as a finger-picking exercise by guitarist Kerry Livgren and in an interesting twist, his wife encouraged him to develop it into a full song. It became one of Kansas’s most famous tracks, the album selling 4 million copies. The album’s recording took just two months.
Kansas - Dust in the Wind (Official Video) by KANSAS
37. The Cars: Heartbeat City (1984)
Mutt Lange made The Cars record “Drive” so many times to get it right. And it paid off because Heartbeat City sold 4 million units. Andy Warhol, an American visual artist, film director, and producer, directed the “Hello Again” video, which has 4.2 million views on YouTube.
36. Heart: Heart (1985)
The Wilson sisters did not just create magic from one studio, but two—The Record Plant and The Plant Studios. The most popular track on the Heart album was “These Dreams”. The album sold 5 million copies even though the sisters fought over the transition of their style to a power ballad-heavy sound.
35. Rush: Moving Pictures (1981)
The “car-stopping” album’s cover shoot stopped traffic in downtown Toronto for six hours. Can you imagine that? The song "Tom Sawyer" evolved from a poem called “Louis the Lawyer” by Pye Dubois of Max Webster. Another song, “YYZ”, took multiple takes to perfect the rhythm. This 5-million-seller defined prog rock.
34. Quiet Riot: Metal Health (1983)
Admit it; you first saw “mental health,” right? Well, Quiet Riot made a 6-million-seller with Metal Health. This masterpiece was also the first metal album to top the Billboard charts. The original singer quit before the hit, but he came back later. East or west; home is?
33. Foreigner: 4 (1981)
Foreigner worked with the producer Mutt Lange who made them replay “Urgent” several times to perfect it. In this same song, Junior Walker recorded the sax solo in one take. It paid off because 4 spent a substantial amount of weeks at #1. 6 million copies proved their commercial peak.
Foreigner - Urgent (Official Music Video) by RHINO
32. Yes: 90125 (1983)
An album’s name usually has a story behind it; this one was simple: 90125 was its catalog number. Yes’s only #1 hit, “Owner of a Lonely Heart”, used innovative production techniques like digital samplers. Before Trevor Rabin joined the band, he wrote most of the songs, which boosted the album’s 6 million sales.
YES - Owner of a Lonely Heart (Official Music Video) by yesofficial
31. The Rolling Stones: Some Girls (1978)
Punk and disco influenced this 6-million-selling comeback when Mick Jagger wrote “Miss You” after a night out at Studio 54. The original album cover had a die-cut design with peepholes revealing images of the band members and female celebrities. This led to multiple lawsuits, warranting a redesign.
The Rolling Stones - Miss You - OFFICIAL PROMO by The Rolling Stones
30. Motley Crue: Dr. Feelgood (1989)
Unlike most bands that lose themselves to substance abuse, Motley Crue made Dr. Feelgood's record after their quest for sobriety. The producer, Bob Rock, made them re-record some parts to nail every tune perfectly. All four singles hit the Top 40 and made 6.6 million sales.
Mötley Crüe - Dr. Feelgood (Official Music Video) by Mötley Crüe
29. Scorpions: Love At First Sting (1984)
One take. Two take. Many takes. This seemed to be what the Scorpions did for “Rock You Like a Hurricane” recordings, which took multiple recording attempts to become what it is today. Thanks to such dedication, this album sold 7 million copies worldwide. Sadly, MTV banned the original cover art.
Scorpions - Rock You Like A Hurricane (Official Music Video) by Scorpions
28. Deep Purple: Machine Head (1972)
Machine Head, which sold approximately 7 million copies, was recorded in Montreux, Switzerland, in the Rolling Stones Mobile Studio after a fire destroyed Montreux Casino—their initial recording venue. This dramatic incident bore the song “Smoke on the Water”, which takes you through what happened.
Deep Purple - Smoke On The Water (Live) by Deep Purple Official
27. Journey: Frontiers (1983)
The Journey’s Frontiers sold 8 million copies. Neal Schon, the lead guitarist and founding member, recorded guitar parts in complete darkness to get a unique tone. Thankfully, five singles reached the Top 40—“Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)”, “Faithfully”, “Send Her My Love”, “After the Fall”, and “Chain Reaction”.
Journey - Send Her My Love (Official HD Video - 1983) by journey
26. Aerosmith: Toys In The Attic (1975)
Aerosmith’s breakthrough album moved 8 million units with tracks like “Walk This Way” which originally had no lyrics. Recording sessions started at noon because Steven Tyler needed mornings for his voice training sessions. Talk about dedication! The title track took only a few takes to perfect.
RUN DMC - Walk This Way (Official HD Video) ft. Aerosmith by Run DMC
25. The Police: Synchronicity (1983)
When you listen to this album, you’ll feel the raw energy. The reason behind this is that there were band tensions as they created their biggest success, selling 8 million copies. Each member recorded in separate rooms to avoid fights. “Every Breath You Take” was written in under an hour, BTW.
The Police - Every Breath You Take (Official Music Video) by The Police
24. The Rolling Stones: Sticky Fingers (1971)
Andy Warhol’s zipper cover cost extra to produce and this cut into profits of the 9 million copies sold. The recording sessions for Sticky Fingers were incredibly productive, yielding enough material for the Rolling Stones to use on their next album, Exile on Main St., which also became a hit.
The Stones In The 70’s Part 2: Exile On Main St by Jeff Whitcher Vinyl Destination
23. Van Halen: 1984 (1984)
Rockstars really do give it their all when they create, because in this case Eddie actually built his own recording studio, 5150 Studios, for this 10-million-seller. The song “Jump” was rejected by the band for years for using synthesizer, but it actually became one of the best performers.
Van Halen - Jump (Official Music Video) by Van Halen
22. ZZ Top: Eliminator (1983)
ZZ Top is a huge fan of cars, and in Eliminator, he used a 1933 Ford coupe custom car. This 10-million-seller record surprised critics with its unlikely use of synthesizer sound. Trivia: Do you know the (beard-less) drummer’s surname? Beard. LOL.
21. Black Sabbath: Paranoid (1970)
You’d think that a 12 million-seller would take a while, but not in this case because Paranoid was ready in a short time. The title track “Paranoid” was indeed written quickly, but it took about 20 minutes to write the music and a couple of hours to complete the lyrics.
20. Queen: A Night At The Opera (1975)
“Bohemian Rhapsody” almost didn’t make it because EMI thought it was too long. However, Freddie Mercury was determined to include it as it was. The album cost £45,000 to produce. And thankfully, it all came back by selling 12 million copies worldwide.
Queen – Bohemian Rhapsody Official Video Remastered by МУЗЫКА ВЕЛИКИХ
19. Led Zeppelin: Physical Graffiti (1975)
Another Led Zeppelin success took three years of recordings from various sessions to make the final cut. The cover featured a tenement block located at 96 and 98 St. Mark’s Place in New York City. “Kashmir’s” distinctive sound came from alternate guitar tuning DADGAD. It sold 16 million copies worldwide.
Bruce Alan Bennett, Shutterstock
18. Boston: Boston (1976)
Boston was one of many recorded "basement" albums, specifically Tom Scholz’s basement studio. Scholz, the band’s founder and mastermind, spent about six years perfecting the songs to ensure the debut sold well, and it did—17 million copies strong. If you listen keenly, you’ll hear 1968 Gibson Les Paul guitar strings.
Boston - More Than a Feeling (Official HD Video) by Boston
17. REM: Automatic For The People (1992)
Automatic for the People was REM’s darkest album with some introspect, but it ironically became successful at 18 million copies sold. One of their songs “Everybody Hurts” was explicitly written for teenagers experiencing hard times. Michael Stipe was determined to make the album unique, even recording some vocals lying down.
R.E.M. - Everybody Hurts (Official HD Music Video) by remhq
16. Supertramp: Breakfast In America (1979)
“The Logical Song” featured in Breakfast in America took a unique blend of keyboards, guitars, and saxophone arrangements. Because of this, Supertramp sold six million copies in the US alone and approximately 20 million copies worldwide. Everything about this production was expensive—recording for 8 months and creating the concept cover.
Supertramp - Breakfast in America (Live In Paris '79) by GIGS
15. Def Leppard: Hysteria (1987)
Three years and four producers, including Mutt Lange, created this masterpiece that became a 20-million-seller. Drummer Rick Allen learned to play one-armed after his accident using a specially designed electronic drum kit. What most don’t know is that their hit “Pour Some Sugar on Me” was a happy accident.
Def Leppard - Hysteria (Long Version) by DEF LEPPARD
14. Queen: Greatest Hits (1981)
Topping 25 million sales, this compilation broke U.K. records. Another feat is that every track became a top 20 hit somewhere globally. The track order sparked heated band debates, but this is always expected with a greatest-hits album. The album spent over 900 weeks on the U.K. charts.
Heiko Kueverling, Shutterstock
13. U2: The Joshua Tree (1987)
The American scenery inspired this 25-million-selling breakthrough. Before the release, the band had thought of having the title as “The Two Americas” but they finally settled on The Joshua Tree. The iconic album cover was shot in the California desert by photographer Anton Corbijn.
12. Bon Jovi: Slippery When Wet (1986)
New Jersey’s finest shocked the rock world and sold 28 million copies of Slippery When Wet. The title was inspired by a visit to a club in Vancouver called The No.5 Orange. The band was so energized by the experience they decided to name the album on it.
Bon Jovi - Livin' On A Prayer by Bon Jovi
11. Dire Straits: Brothers In Arms (1985)
Brothers in Arms is one of the first-ever digital recordings, selling 30 million copies. “Money for Nothing” featured Sting's vocals, for which he received credit and royalties, including the famous “I want my MTV” line. Not many know, but the songs on the CD version were longer than the ones on the vinyl.
Dire Straits - Money For Nothing (Live at Wembley 1985) by Dire Straits
10. Nirvana: Nevermind (1991)
That album with the child on the cover, yes. Spencer Elden (the baby), earned $200 for the shoot. Kurt Cobain had mixed feelings about the final mix of the album. He felt it was too polished and commercial compared to the band’s grungier sound. Nonetheless, they released and sold 30 million copies.
Stefano Chiacchiarini '74, Shutterstock
9. Guns N’ Roses: Appetite For Destruction (1987)
Initially slow to catch on, this album took 12 months to reach #1. The gem in this one is “Sweet Child O’ Mine” which actually started as a string-skipping exercise during band practice. The original cover art was banned from many stores, forcing a redesign. Still, sales clocked 30 million.
Guns N' Roses - Sweet Child O' Mine (Official Music Video) by Guns N' Roses
8. Metallica: Metallica (The Black Album) (1991)
Producer Bob Rock made Metallica record “Enter Sandman” several times to get it right. And it was fruitful because the band’s mainstream breakthrough sold 31 million copies. The simpler song structures alienated some fans but attracted millions of new ones. Recording costs topped $1 million (a first for the band).
7. Eagles: Hotel California (1976)
This SoCal classic moved 32 million units. The title track’s guitar solo took Don Felder and Joe Walsh a couple of days to perfect. The album cover was of the Beverly Hills Hotel, although it is not named on the cover. Most tracks became radio staples.
Eagles - Hotel California (Live 1977) (Official Video) [HD] by Eagles
6. Pink Floyd: The Wall (1979)
Roger Waters’ semi-autobiographical concept album moved 33 million units globally. The double album cost $4 million to produce, becoming the most expensive rock record ever made. “Another Brick in the Wall (Part 2)” crossed charts in six countries. The accompanying film starring Bob Geldof added to its cultural impact.
Pink Floyd - Another Brick In The Wall (Part 2) [PULSE Restored & Re-Edited] by Pink Floyd
5. Led Zeppelin: Led Zeppelin IV (1971)
Did you know that “Stairway to Heaven” took seven takes to perfect? Yes, it did, and recording an album in a mansion with no electricity resulted in a 37-million-seller. The band refused to put their name on the cover, using four mysterious symbols instead.
Jim Summaria, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
4. Eagles: Their Greatest Hits 1971–1975 (1976)
Released to fulfill a contract obligation, no one expected to perform well. But boy, were they wrong because Their Greatest Hits 1971–1975 sold 38 million in domestic sales. The success was something the Eagles didn’t predict, and surprisingly, it created tension within the group.
3. Fleetwood Mac: Rumours (1977)
Amid personal turmoil, the band created a 40-million-selling masterpiece. Two couples in the band—John and Christine McVie and Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks—broke up during recording. But they still ended up creating classics like “Go Your Own Way”, “Dreams”, and “The Chain”.
Fleetwood Mac - Go Your Own Way (Official Music Video) [HD Remaster] by Fleetwood Mac
2. Pink Floyd: The Dark Side Of The Moon (1973)
Released during rock’s golden age, this psychedelic masterpiece has sold 50 million copies worldwide. The album spent a record-breaking 917 weeks on Billboard’s Top 200. Recording took three months at Abbey Road Studios, with revolutionary quadraphonic sound mixing. Pink Floyd’s perfectionism paid off— “Money” became their first US hit single.
Pink Floyd - The Dark Side of The Moon Live 1972 / 73 by HDPinkFloyd
1. AC/DC: Back In Black (1980)
Following lead singer Bon Scott’s demise, AC/DC created the second-highest-selling album ever at 50 million copies. Brian Johnson helped write all the lyrics together with Malcolm and Angus Young. Back In Black’s signature sound came from recording the drums in a stairwell.
