10 Most Important Rock Albums Of All Time

9. Tommy - The Who

As the '60s started to get underway, rock was becoming much more than just a catchy tune. Thanks to acts like the Beatles and Led Zeppelin, the idea of rock and roll branching out into other areas started to seem intriguing for the next wave of artists coming down the line. Though the Who were smack in the middle of the '60s revolution, they blew past their contemporaries on Tommy.

Compared to the other episodic songs coming down the pipeline, this album was the first of its kind to really sell the idea of the rock opera. Set to the story of a deaf, dumb and blind boy, Pete Townshend really created a masterclass in songwriting with this album, perfectly balancing the storyline within the confines of his guitar prowess. For as much orchestration was on here, there was no mistaking this for a rock album at its core, from the way that the songs are played to the massive amount of energy coming from Keith Moon's drums.

Above all else, this showed that the Who were much more than just noise, with this being the crowned jewel that songs like My Generation had only hinted at a few years earlier. With albums like the Wall and American Idiot coming after it, Tommy deserves the real credit for being the beginnings of the theatrical side of rock and roll.

 
Posted On: 
Contributor
Contributor

I'm just a junkie for all things media. Whether it's music, movies, TV, or just other reviews, I absolutely adore this stuff. But music was my first love, and I love having the opportunity to share it with you good people. Follow Me On Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/timcoffman97