Recordings

Outliers: these 21 albums sound like nothing else their bands ever made
Some albums defy expectations. From Beatles to Neil Young, these outliers reveal bands daring to experiment... and sometimes bewildering their fans

Essential Christmas albums: 10 timeless recordings to get you in the Christmas spirit
What is the perfect music to get oneself into the festive spirit? We ask ten of our writers to name the albums they couldn’t imagine Yuletide without

Prog rock 1975: ranking the 17 greatest prog albums turning 50 this year
1975 was a landmark year for progressive rock, delivering groundbreaking albums that pushed musical boundaries and redefined the genre’s scope. Here are the 15 best
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Ranked: the 21 greatest country rock albums of all time
When rock met country, magic happened — steel guitars, road songs, and restless hearts. These 21 albums defined that bittersweet crossroads

These 15 stone-cold classic albums were a nightmare to make
From Fleetwood Mac to Tears for Fears: 15 classic rock albums that cost blood, sweat and tears to put together

Genesis: all 15 albums ranked from worst to best (the top 5 were SO tough)
We rank every Genesis studio album, from their early prog masterpieces to the stadium filling pop-rock of the 1980s

These are the 31 greatest classical albums to start your collection
Our round-up of the best must-have performances of classical music. Update your collection with the great symphonies, choral works, operas, chamber and instrumental works

9 'classic' albums that fell flat (and what went wrong)
Even legends falter. From the Stones to McCartney, 9 albums that should’ve been masterpieces — but instead missed the mark in fascinating ways

Ranked: rock's 17 most captivating concept albums
From musical Inuits to four-disc madness, these daring albums stretch imagination with surreal narratives, bizarre sounds, and sheer unforgettable weirdness

These are the 21 greatest prog rock albums of all time – ranked
Did King Crimson hit the prog heights for you? Or were Yes or Genesis at the top of the prog tree? We rank the 15 greatest prog albums of all time

Creedence Clearwater Revival albums ranked (the top 3 were tough)
From gritty bayou riffs to fiery protest songs, we rank Creedence’s albums, celebrating swamp-rock mastery, timeless hooks, and raw American energy

Bruce Springsteen albums, ranked worst to best
From forgotten detours to timeless anthems, we rank Bruce Springsteen’s albums — the missteps, the masterpieces, and everything in between

Elegy for a vanished world: the timeless mystery of Elgar's Cello Concerto
Written in the shadow of war and decline, Elgar’s Cello Concerto is a haunting farewell to an England that had vanished forever

The strange tale of The Beach Boys' 'Smile': paranoia, breakdowns, and a haunting lost masterpiece
Brian Wilson’s doomed Smile was meant to outshine Pet Sounds. Instead, it collapsed into paranoia, fragments, and myth — becoming rock’s greatest unfinished masterpiece

Black Sabbath: all 19 of their albums ranked, from worst to best
From genre-defining classics to cult curiosities, we rank all 19 Black Sabbath albums — the highs, lows, and heavy milestones that shaped metal’s dark legacy

Best Beethoven recordings of all time: 21 incredible Beethoven releases
We name the best albums and recordings every Beethoven lover needs to add to their collection

50 years of 'A Night at the Opera': how Queen rewrote rock's rulebook
Exploding with invention, defiance, and flamboyant charm, Queen’s A Night at the Opera remains a dazzling milestone—where glam met grandeur and rock became theatre

Greatest spiritual jazz albums: 15 transcendent masterpieces, ranked
Journey beyond genre with these transcendent, soul-stirring albums that define the cosmic, meditative heart of spiritual jazz.

Ranked: the 17 greatest krautrock albums of all time
From hypnotic rhythms to mind-expanding soundscapes, these krautrock classics reshaped rock, electronic, and experimental music forever

Blondie songs ranked: the New Wave pioneers' 15 greatest tracks
From punk to disco to pop perfection, these 15 Blondie classics show why their style, swagger and songs still captivate

Genesis: their 16 greatest songs, ranked
Explore Genesis’s greatest songs—from epic prog masterpieces to iconic hits—ranked for their creativity, emotion, and lasting impact.

Alfred Brendel: these seven stellar recordings will stand as the pianist's great legacy
We salute the late, great pianist Alfred Brendel by picking out seven outstanding recordings from his impressive discography

Beach Boys songs: their 21 greatest tracks, ranked
To mark the passing of their creative powerhouse Brian Wilson, here are the 21 greatest Beach Boys songs of all time

40 years ago: Dire Straits' 'Brothers in Arms' ushers in the CD era
Four decades ago, Dire Straits’ Brothers in Arms reshaped pop and revolutionized the CD era—an audiophile benchmark and global digital milestone.
