I don't claim to be an authority on rock, nor English music as a whole. But as a fan of rock and rock-related music, I don't think the albums I'll list don't deserve a place in the top 20, though other deserving contenders might be left out. I'm pretty old-school in my tastes and I think Britpop is exactly that - pop. So certain British bands which claim to be making rock music would not find a place in my list. If you have a prob with that, sorry. But you might as well try these albums out, mate.
1.Dark side of the moon - Pink Floyd: Show me a list which doesn't have this album. Whether or not you consider this the Floyd's finest effort, it's undoubtedly unique in their discography for its unwavering focus and crystal-clear direction. There's more to be said for the songwriting, the musicianship and the recording - even in these times, the original 1973 recording is the litmus test for fidelity of sound. It wasn't as if everything they did on the album was completely unprecedented; it was just an unprecedented way of cutting an album.
2.Led Zeppelin - IV - Led Zeppelin:Where there is Floyd, can Led Zep be far behind? This is overall an excellent work, what with concert favourites Black Dog and Rock and roll opening the album. But, if nothing else, go for this album for the sake of Jimmy Page's solo at 5:01 minutes in Stairway to heaven. You just heard history being created.
3.Who's Next - The Who: Can an album that is opened by Baba O Reilly be ignored at all? One of the definitive 70s hard rock albums.
4.Salisbury - Uriah Heep:If you loved the early heavy metla monster Gypsy but didn't go for thsi one, what are you waiting for? The title track has a to-die-for three minute guitar solo.
5.Sabbath Bloody Sabbath - Black Sabbath:This is Black Sabbath in all its raw, unrefined, almost sloppy-sounding sludge juxtaposed with incongruous popish parts and spacey synthesizers. The result is surprisingly effective. Warning: You either love or loathe Ozzy's decidedly wacky style.
6.Machine head - Deep Purple:You can burn rubber on the "Highway star" or breathe in the "Smoke on the water" or simply go "Space Truckin". Take your pick.
7.Taken by force - Scorpions:** This is an album by a Scorpions who existed before Lovedrive, Blackout or Love at First Sting was made and had Uli Roth as lead guitarist. Though the band, then as later, focussed on dual-guitar driven melodic heavy metal/hard rock, the music of the Roth era was much more experimental and creative, in the process pushing at the limits of hard rock and paving the way for the New wave of British heavy metal and later the metal mania of the 80s. It's hard to choose between the earlier In Trance and this one. This is more streamlined with the clearly commercial rocker Steamrock fever. And yet, it has the finest heavy metal song by the band, Sails of Charon and possibly THE finest Scorpions song, We'll burn the sky. Download it if you will, but listen to it to appreciate a dimension of Scorpions you may not be aware of.
8.Heaven and hell - Black Sabbath:This will likely be the first post-Ozzy Sabbath album you hear and you'll be pleasantly shocked to hear a band which plays fast and cuts crisp songs with a new-found tunnel vision. To top it all, Ronnie James Dio's pleasing yet powerful voice presents an all-new Sabbath. OK, if you never thought Iommi would ever get beyond weird, but repetitive palm-muting, listen to this album, every song of it.
9.Moving pictures - Rush:Between the irreverent, sometimes empty-headed joy of pop and the "doomsday has arrived" menace of hard rock, Rush provided the missing shades of grey. This album delights, observes, worries, scares and blushes in alternation. All that with a trio of accomplished Canadians and never you mind if Geddy Lee sounds nasal and even feminine on occasion.
10.Blackout - Scorpions:Sorry, but the Scorps are very dear to me and this is a wonderful, wonderful album by the German band. There's pop-rock, uber-ballads, speed metal and psychedelia in a tightly packed hard-rocking cut which never runs out of steam, save in the closer "When the smoke is going down". And by then, you're out of breath, so that's perfectly welcome.
11.Ride the lightning - Metallica:It's always a toss-up between THE three 80s albums of Metallica after their debut. With Dave Mustaine's songwriting still finding its way into Metallica's music, this album is one amazing collection of masterpieces - be it Call of Ktulu, Creeping death, Fade to black or the title cut or the ultra-furious opener, aptly titled Fight Fire with Fire. Oh, hell, that's nearly the whole album. CAUTION: Only recommended for fans of any kind of heavy metal. The rest of you - try Fade to black. If you're still OK, try Creeping Death. If you are still not afraid to ask for more, then go for it.
12.Rust in peace - Megadeth: Now, I don't like Megadeth, I really don't. But I have to say that the Marty Friedman - Mustaine guitar duel is a delicious treat for fans of metalrock and - dare I say it - progressive rock. R.I.P.
13.Appetite for destruction - Guns N' Roses:Again, not a band I care much about, except for one of its members - Slash. And who can get over his wonderful, wonderful solo in Sweet Child O' Mine?
14.Nevermind - Nirvana**: Once you're into heavy metal/prog-rock, Nirvana is no longer as interesting as it used to be for you. But one can hardly blame Kurt Cobain for that. This easily gets into the top 20 for so completely changing the rock soundscape.
15.OK Computer - Radiohead:Before embarking on your favourite gripe - the slow death of rock - try this. This pessimistic album will make you optimistic about the future of rock.
16.Supernatural - Santana:After a long self-imposed exile, Santana made music again in 1999. And it was as if the Gods had descended. I don't understand a word of Spanish, but it sounds beautiful to my ears, so here I go, "Migra, migra.".
17.Powerslave - Iron Maiden:Chronologically, this should have been earlier in the list, but I forgot only to remember now to include it. This is a top-and-bottom heavy album. The tracks in the middle are not so great, but that's a small price to pay when you've got your hands on this masterpiece.
18.Division Bell - Pink Floyd:This is gonna get some flak, but methinks this is a fine, overlooked swansong for the band. There's track after elegant track with simple, meaningful https://lyrics. You must have a hard heart to decrie this album.
19.Experience Hendrix - The best of Jimi Hendrix - Jimi Hendrix:Everything you wanted to hear of this guitar god. If you don't have it, you ain't heard no guitaring yet.
20.Greatest Hits - Kenny G: This is the only Kenny G compilation I own. But I love it dearly. If Kenny G fans know of a better compilation in the market, please do tell me about it. Never heard a more soothing instrumental work than this.
Brickbats N bouquets welcome.
