1. Yes- Close to the Edge (1972)
The fifth studio album from the English progressive rock group is considered among the best albums in the genre. The title track opens the album, clocking in at about 19 minutes, followed by the well-composed "And You and I" and concludes with "Siberian Khatru." Lead vocalist Jon Anderson's lyrics can seem a bit strange (a seasoned witch can call you from the depths of your disgrace and rearrange your liver to the solid mental grace), but his singing combined the with superb music performed by guitarist Steve Howe, bassist Chris Squire, keyboardist Rick Wakeman, and drummer Bill Bruford, makes this album a perfect beginner album for those who wish to give progressive rock a chance listen. I personally love this album because of its complex nature using numerous time signatures and creating an array of moods. My favorite track is "And You and I" because even though it is 10 minutes long, it is incredibly listenable due to its folk style and keyboard laced atmospheres.
2. Rush- Moving Pictures (1981)
As Rush's best-selling and commercially successful album, Moving Pictures is when the band ultimately defined the style of its music. It contains the group's signature tune, "Tom Sawyer," the live favorite "Limelight," and the instrumental "YYZ." An underrated track to me on the album is the 11 minute long "The Camera Eye" that is about the sights and sounds of two of the major cities in the world: New York City and London, England. Geddy Lee's vocals, the guitar work of Alex Lifeson, and the always superb drumming and lyrics of Neil Peart makes the album an enjoyable listen and is the quintessential introductory Rush work for those who want to start exploring the band's music. I can not pinpoint any favorites since all of the songs on the album are awesome!
3. Fleetwood Mac- Rumours (1977)
Rumours is the second Fleetwood Mac album with the band's definitive lineup of guitarist and vocalist Lindsey Buckingham, vocalist Stevie Nicks, bassist John McVie, keyboardist and vocalist Christine McVie, and drummer Mick Fleetwood. The album contains the classic rock hits "Dreams," "Don't Stop," "Go Your Own Way," "The Chain," and "You Make Loving Fun." Other highlights of this album include Buckingham's performed and penned "Never Going Back Again" and the beautiful, soulful piano-laced "Songbird" sung by Christine McVie. Rumours is basically my go-to album for the ultimate classic rock listening experience. 40 minutes of pure bliss!
4. Genesis- A Trick of the Tail (1976)
A Trick of the Tail is the first Genesis album with drummer Phil Collins as lead vocalist after the departure of Peter Gabriel in 1975. Guitarists Steve Hackett and Mike Rutherford along with keyboardist Tony Banks round out the lineup and this album definitely showcases their skills as talented musicians. The approximately 50 minute album consists of eight songs and each song is a gem. Every time I listen to this album, I can easily listen to it in order track by track. My favorite songs from the album are the mellow "Entangled," the loud rocking "Squonk," the Tony Banks penned "Mad Man Moon," and the wonderfully written "Ripples."
5. Billy Joel- The Stranger (1977)
Mostly known for his signature tune "Piano Man," Billy Joel did not establish commercial and critical success until he recorded The Stranger. The album contains the hits "Movin' Out (Anthony's Song)," "Just the Way You Are," "Only the Good Die Young," "Scenes from an Italian Restaurant," the title track, and "She's Always A Woman." "Vienna" is always a live favorite and "Everybody Has A Dream" is one of his most underrated songs. Of the hits, "She's Always A Woman" is my favorite because of its simplistic instrumentation and Joel's flattering Gordon Lightfoot style vocals. Overall, The Stranger is nearly flawless front to back.
6. Bruce Springsteen- Born to Run (1975)
As the ultimate album of heartland rock, Born to Run is without a doubt one of the greatest albums of all-time and the definitive work of "the Boss." Classics such as the title track, "Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out" and "Thunder Road" gives the listener an exhilarating rush of excitement and an appetite for adventure. The beautiful element about this album as well as the rest of Springsteen's music is that the melodies are simple, yet can be complex at times, and that the lyrics are incredibly straightforward. The final track, "Jungleland," is personally my favorite Springsteen tune because of its sheer power and profoundness.
7. Pink Floyd- The Dark Side of the Moon (1973)
As one of the best selling albums of all-time, Dark Side of the Moon cemented Pink Floyd as one of the best bands of all-time and as a popular live act around the world. "Breathe," "On the Run," "Time," "The Great Gig in the Sky," "Money," "Us and Them," "Any Colour You Like," "Brain Damage," and "Eclipse" are the album's songs and are all fantastic. From the insightful lyrics written by bassist Roger Waters to the superb guitar playing of David Gilmour, this album captures the universal themes of life, time, greed, and death. Personally, a stand-out on this album is Clare Torry's hauntingly beautiful wordless vocals on "The Great Gig in the Sky," which gives me chills each and every listen. Overall, this an album you need to listen to before you die.
8. The Who- Who's Next (1971)
To me, the Who guitarist Pete Townshend is one of greatest rock songwriters of all-time. This is very much apparent for the songs contained in Who's Next. The classic rock anthems "Baba O'Riley." "Behind Blue Eyes," and "Won't Get Fooled Again" highlight the album, but the album contains many underrated gems. Of the underrated songs, my favorites are "My Wife" penned and sung by bassist John Entwistle as well as the ironically titled "The Song Is Over," in which Townshend and regular lead vocalist Roger Daltrey share vocals. Keith Moon's unorthodox drumming style makes each track an interesting listen throughout the band's best known non-concept album.
9. Renaissance- Ashes Are Burning (1973)
The progressive rock group Renaissance is most notable for one of the rare bands to have a female lead vocalist. Annie Haslam's vocals alone make this album a great listen. All six songs on the album are extremely melodic, especially with folk rock sounding "On the Frontier" and "Carpet of the Sun." "At the Harbour" is perhaps my favorite track on the album due to its outstanding composition, both musically and lyrically. The title track is also a worthy listen and has been a live favorite of the band for decades.
10. Jethro Tull- Thick As A Brick (1972)
Jethro Tull is known for making the flute sound cool in rock music. Following the release of Aqualung, principal songwriter, flautist, and lead vocalist Ian Anderson wanted to address all of the misconceptions from music critics that the album was a concept album. What better way to respond than to write the mother of all concept albums that parodies concept albums? Under the pseudonym Gerald Bostock, Anderson wrote lyrics that were perfect examples of British "tongue-in-cheek" humor. Despite the ludicrous nature of the story, the music is well composed and the musical execution is spot-on. Definitely a well spent 40 minutes of listening!
