20 Most IMPORTANT Classic Rock Albums Ever Made

Before the age of music videos and shock entertainment, the best way a band could get their music to the masses was to go out on the road. Whereas bands like the Beatles and Pink Floyd tended to stay within the confines of the studio, these bands were the ultimate road dogs who made their living delivering their signature magic night after night. Live shows are always known to be fun, but Cheap Trick's live performances ended up saving their career.

With the release of the band's first two albums, the general consensus on Cheap Trick was a good band that were a bit all over the place. The songs may have been hard-edged, but the melodies were too poppy for their own good. Almost as an act of desperation, the band decided to release a live album of them performing at Budokan Arena in Japan, where their sound was embraced fully.

Once the audience was added to the mix, everything began to click. Songs that were originally seen as meandering on record now became radio-ready anthems like "Surrender" and "I Want You To Want Me." It may have been a slow rise for Cheap Trick to reach the top, but once At Budokan exploded, they had set the template for what would later become known as power pop.