Top 5 Music Albums That Changed the Course of Music History
Music history is filled with many legendary albums. Some have inspired people to pick up instruments, while others have inspired people to get out of the various dark phases of life they were in but some albums have gone even a few steps further than this and have completely changed the course of music history. Here are five of them which arguably changed the course of music history:
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band – The Beatles
Released in 1967, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band is often considered one of the greatest albums ever made. This album introduced the concept of a ‘concept album’ which is a record where all tracks contribute to a central theme or narrative rather than functioning as disconnected songs. The albums also introduced experimental recording techniques, orchestral arrangements and deep narratives.
It also was one of the cornerstone albums that defined the ‘psychedelic rock’ and the ‘hippie movement’ of the 1960s. Songs like ‘Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds’ and ‘A Day in the Life’ pushed the limits of what popular music could achieve. The Beatles also changed their perception with this album, transitioning from a poppy boy band to a full on psychedelic rock band.
No other album defined pop culture more than the King of Pop’s highest grossing album, ‘Thriller’. The album was released in 1982, and became the best-selling album of all time and turned Michael Jackson into a global phenomenon. The album had a unique ability to blend pop, rock, funk, R&B, and dance music into one polished package. Tracks like Billie Jean, Beat It, and Thriller became worldwide sensations. The album also showcased the importance of a good music video and the Thriller short film completely changed visual storytelling in music and helped MTV become a cultural powerhouse.
In the late 1980s to early 1990s hair metal dominated music and people were getting sick of its repetitive formula and then came Nirvana with its hard hitting alternative rock commonly referred to as ‘grunge’. Kurt Cobain’s raw vocals on songs like ‘In Bloom’ and ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’ spoke to the youth and was very popular to the masses who were tired with overproduced music.
Frontman Kurt Cobain became the voice of a generation, and the success of Nevermind opened the doors for alternative rock bands worldwide. The album proved authenticity could be more powerful than glamour.
Very few albums have had the long-lasting influence of The Dark Side of the Moon. Released in 1973, the album explored themes like time, mental health, greed, and human existence.
Pink Floyd combined progressive rock with experimental sound recordings and created a deep immersive listening experience with songs like ‘Time’ and ‘Money’.
Its iconic prism cover became one of the most recognisable images in music history. Even today, artists in electronic music, rock, and experimental genres continue to draw inspiration from its innovative production style.
Hip hop was already growing in popularity in the early 1990s with rappers like ‘MC Hammer’ and ‘ Run DMC’, however they were providing the audiences with a very commercial side of hip- hop which was not liked by the youth who wanted something rebellious.
Then came DR Dre who recently split with N.W.A and was on the lookout for a breakthrough record for his individual career and he did exactly that with ‘The Chronic’ which introduced the world to G-funk, a west coast sound inspired by funk music.
The album launched the careers of several artists, including Snoop Dogg, and helped hip-hop become a dominant force in mainstream music. It is still considered as one of the best rap albums of all time and a cornerstone for laying the foundation of the sound of west coast rap.
These albums are just a few examples of records that changed the direction of global music forever. Over the decades, many other legendary albums have also left a massive impact on culture, genres, and the evolution of modern music like ‘Paranoid’ by Black Sabbath and Metallica’s ‘Black Album’
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band – The Beatles
Released in 1967, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band is often considered one of the greatest albums ever made. This album introduced the concept of a ‘concept album’ which is a record where all tracks contribute to a central theme or narrative rather than functioning as disconnected songs. The albums also introduced experimental recording techniques, orchestral arrangements and deep narratives.
It also was one of the cornerstone albums that defined the ‘psychedelic rock’ and the ‘hippie movement’ of the 1960s. Songs like ‘Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds’ and ‘A Day in the Life’ pushed the limits of what popular music could achieve. The Beatles also changed their perception with this album, transitioning from a poppy boy band to a full on psychedelic rock band.
Thriller – Michael Jackson
No other album defined pop culture more than the King of Pop’s highest grossing album, ‘Thriller’. The album was released in 1982, and became the best-selling album of all time and turned Michael Jackson into a global phenomenon. The album had a unique ability to blend pop, rock, funk, R&B, and dance music into one polished package. Tracks like Billie Jean, Beat It, and Thriller became worldwide sensations. The album also showcased the importance of a good music video and the Thriller short film completely changed visual storytelling in music and helped MTV become a cultural powerhouse.
Nevermind – Nirvana
In the late 1980s to early 1990s hair metal dominated music and people were getting sick of its repetitive formula and then came Nirvana with its hard hitting alternative rock commonly referred to as ‘grunge’. Kurt Cobain’s raw vocals on songs like ‘In Bloom’ and ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’ spoke to the youth and was very popular to the masses who were tired with overproduced music.
Frontman Kurt Cobain became the voice of a generation, and the success of Nevermind opened the doors for alternative rock bands worldwide. The album proved authenticity could be more powerful than glamour.
The Dark Side of the Moon – Pink Floyd
Very few albums have had the long-lasting influence of The Dark Side of the Moon. Released in 1973, the album explored themes like time, mental health, greed, and human existence.
Pink Floyd combined progressive rock with experimental sound recordings and created a deep immersive listening experience with songs like ‘Time’ and ‘Money’.
Its iconic prism cover became one of the most recognisable images in music history. Even today, artists in electronic music, rock, and experimental genres continue to draw inspiration from its innovative production style.
The Chronic – Dr. Dre
Hip hop was already growing in popularity in the early 1990s with rappers like ‘MC Hammer’ and ‘ Run DMC’, however they were providing the audiences with a very commercial side of hip- hop which was not liked by the youth who wanted something rebellious.
Then came DR Dre who recently split with N.W.A and was on the lookout for a breakthrough record for his individual career and he did exactly that with ‘The Chronic’ which introduced the world to G-funk, a west coast sound inspired by funk music.
The album launched the careers of several artists, including Snoop Dogg, and helped hip-hop become a dominant force in mainstream music. It is still considered as one of the best rap albums of all time and a cornerstone for laying the foundation of the sound of west coast rap.
These albums are just a few examples of records that changed the direction of global music forever. Over the decades, many other legendary albums have also left a massive impact on culture, genres, and the evolution of modern music like ‘Paranoid’ by Black Sabbath and Metallica’s ‘Black Album’
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