10 Most Timeless Classic Rock Albums
No expiration date.
It almost goes without saying that any classic rock album has withstood the test of time. The idea of an album still having staying power after decades of airplay is already a testament to its quality. However, only a few choice rock albums are able to sound just as good as they did in their prime.
For as much as people like to wax poetic about the great albums of the '70s and '80s, it's easy to tell where most of these albums come from just from one listen to the music. Whether it's the really thin production layers or the dated effects on display, not every album from rock's glory days necessarily sounds current in this day and age.
On the other hand, many albums from rock's glory years still sound absolutely spectacular decades after its initial release. Whether it's the style of music they were making or the different instruments at play, these records have decades under their belt yet still feel like they could have been recorded last week.
No artist can really anticipate their record carrying that kind of weight, but by some divine circumstance, these albums have been completely oblivious to the passing of years. That's what music is all about though: making art that will last long after you've departed from the Earth.
10. So - Peter Gabriel
For a little while in the ‘80s, it looked like Peter Gabriel had really gotten a raw deal. Though his solo career outside of prog titans Genesis was off to a decent on his first few records, he seemed to be destined for obscurity while his former band prospered with Phil Collins. However, all this time was spent gaining traction for what would be one of the greatest pop records ever released.
Sticking with the basics for the cover, So is an absolute rainbow of sound from the first moment you listen to it. Even though many ‘80s-centric instruments are present like the slap bass and mammoth drum sound, they don’t really detract but actually add weight to the pop melodies overhead.
The key to the record sounding timeless is also not in the songs themselves but in the construction. While working on the album, Gabriel traveled all over the globe for different musicians to assist him in his masterpiece, with everyone from Kate Bush to percussionist Manu Katche contributing their talents. What results is straight ahead pop tunes that have a vague world music undercurrent sprinkled throughout the track listing. Gabriel probably didn’t set out to make such a colossal record, but what we were given was some of the most forward-looking pop music that has ever been released.