10 Most Timeless Classic Rock Albums

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.