20 Most IMPORTANT Classic Rock Albums Ever Made

20. Purple Rain - Prince

At the beginning of the 80's, the rock sphere was just starting to get infiltrated by a little upstart network known as MTV. While many bands of the 70's had to blow you away with their music, this new medium gave audiences a chance to see the people behind their favorite songs. Though it was a time to flaunt your looks, Prince took the entire concept of rock and molded it in his own image.

On the surface, Purple Rain doesn't really feel like a classic rock album, with all of the R&B flavors and soft tunes laced throughout the album. What gives this record depth though is Prince's insatiable thirst to be the king of the pop heap. Each track does feel like a care-free party, but all of it is carefully refined, with the Purple One providing everything from guitar effects to his shrieking falsetto.

Anyone who even dares to deny the rock chops on display has to listen to the guitar freakout at the end of "Let's Go Crazy" or the solo to end all solos on the title track. Rock may have been changing its look, but Purple Rain is one of those rare records that goes in a thousand different directions and hits a bullseye every time.