Support NeoGAF

[Kimawolf]

So I was compiling a list of absolutely must listen to rock/metal albums for a friend of mine of the last 30 to 40 years. i heard part of this list on the radio but i filled it out with a few more myself. Just going to pick the top 5 or so and one or two special mentions. Basically, i want to give her a breadth of rock/metal without it veering off into some of the more obscure/metal/rock (so no Ministry mentions)

1. Appetite for Destruction- Guns and Roses
2. Back in Black- AC/DC
3. Master of Puppets- Metallica
4. Nevermind- Nirvana
5. Van Halen- Van Halen

Special shout out- Blizzard of Oz- Ozzy Osbourne/ Blood-In this Moment (a personal favorite and adds some diversity to the list although it isn't on the level of the others)


so what do you think Gaf? My list comprehensive enough? diverse enough? And what would be your list? keep it to 5 plus a few special mentions for the sake of time/reading.

 

[EvilKatarn]

1. Gojira - From Mars to Sirius
2. Mastodon - Crack the Skye
3. Death - Symbolic
4. Alcest - Les Voyages de l'Âme
5. Electric Wizard - We Live

 

[MadraptorMan]

So I assume Rock/Metal means this is limited to pretty "hard" stuff?

 

[nailbombxx]

Basically, i want to give her a breadth of rock/metal without it veering off into some of the more obscure/metal/rock (so no Ministry mentions)

Damn, i was totally ready to introduce your girlfriend to the glory that is The Lord Weird Slough Feg

EDIT:

I would recommend:

Black Sabbath - Master of Reality/Paranoid
Blue Oyster Cult - Secret Treaties
Yes - Close to the Edge
King Crimson - Red
My Bloody Valentine - Loveless
Slowdive - Souvlaki

 

[kingslunk]

Sleep - Dopesmoker

 

[modernlifeisANDY]

Converge - Jane Doe
Nirvana - Nevermind
Paint it Black - New Lexicons
Modern Life is War - Witness

 

[I Big JG I]

Tool
A Perfect Circle

Brilliance right there.

 

[Mozendo]

Sleep - Dopesmoker

Converge - Jane Doe
Nirvana - Nevermind
Paint it Black - New Lexicons
Modern Life is War - Witness

Dopesmoker and Jane Doe are amazing

 

[collige]

Mastodon absolutely needs a mention. I tend to lean towards Leviathan.

Also, AFI - Sing The Sorrow was basically a perfect mainstream rock album before the band fell into mediocrity.

 

[AfterTheFall]

Got to add At the Gates - Slaughter of the Soul to that list somewhere.

 

[asagami_]

Holy Diver - Dio
Keeper of the Seven Keys 1 & 2 - Helloween

 

[radioactivez0r]

Since nobody read the OP, I'd say something by Iron Maiden or Judas Priest would be important - maybe Number of the Beast. I was never a big fan of Nirvana so I'd probably swap something in like Alice in Chains.

I could sit here all day and recommend you metal albums, but the list seems to be pretty broad. I'd consider trying to push it to 10 - I mean, 30 years is a long damn time.

 

[PancakeBurglar]

1. Appetite for Destruction- Guns N Roses
2. Crack the Skye- Mastodon
3. Lateralus - Tool
4. Master of Puppets - Metallica
5. Led Zeppelin IV
6. War Eternal- Arch Enemy
7. From Mars to Sirius - Gojira
8. Rust in Peace - Megadeth
9. Number of the Beast - Iron Maiden
10. Obzen- Meshuggah
11. Option Paralysis- The Dillinger Escape Plan
12. Slaughter of the Soul- At The Gates
13. Reign in Blood - Slayer
14. Van Halen 1
15. Periphery II
16. Pantera- Vulgar Display of Power
17. Dirt- Alice In Chains
18. Never mind- Nirvana
19. Colors - Between the Buried and Me
20. Ten - Pearl Jam
21. Symbolic- Death
22. Painkiller - Judas Priest
23. Ashes of the Wake- Lamb of God
24. Paranoid - Black Sabbath
25. Clayman - In Flames

No particular order and just some off the top of my head.
Edit: sorry OP I kind of went a little overboard, but I think there's some good stuff in my list worth considering

 

[teruterubozu]

My Bloody Valentine - Loveless
Slowdive - Souvlaki

?

 

[karmaforgotme]

Acid Bath - When the Kite String Pops
Acid Bath - Paegan Terrorism Tactics
Black Sabbath - (the first 4 albums duh)
Bongripper - Satan Worshipping Doom
Faith No More - Angel Dust
Metallica - Master of Puppets
Slayer - Reign in Blood

Special mention: Jane's Addiction - Nothing Shocking, Megadeth - Peace Sells..

 

[Laevateinn]

5. Death - Symbolic
4. Judas Priest - Painkiller
3. Therion - Theli
2. Mayhem - De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas
1. Iron Maiden - The Number of the Beast

 

[nailbombxx]

?

Shoegaze is rock innit?

 

[the_batman]

metal is trash tho

in no particular order:

The Velvet Underground - all of it
The Beatles - from Revolver and on
Queen - A Night at the Opera
RHCP - Californication
Oasis - Definitely Maybe and (What's the Story) Morning Glory
Blur - Parklife
Weezer - the blue album
The Sex Pistols - Nevermind the Bollocks, here's The Sex Pistols
Smashing Pumpkins - Siamese Dream
The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Are You Experienced

and so much more i'm too lazy to type out.

 

[MadJackChurchill]

Lateralus - Tool
In the Court of the Crimson King - King Crimson
The Sound of Perseverance - Death
Paranoid - Black Sabbath
California - Mr. Bungle
Fragile - Yes
Master of Puppets - Metallica.
Self Titled - RATM
White Album - The Beatles

Spoiler

every Death Grips album

 

[FairFriend]

Metal:

Iron Maiden - Number of the Beast
Black Sabbath - Heavend and Hell
Saxon - Wheels of Steel
Judas Priest - Painkiller
Metallica - Ride the Lightning
Dio - Holy Diver

 

[Kill3r7]

Metal
Black Sabbath - Paranoid
Metallica - Master of Puppets
Iron Maiden - Number of the Beast
Pantera - Vulgar Display of Power
AC/DC - Back in Black

Honorable Mention: Megadeth - Rust in Peace

Hard Rock
Guns n Roses – Appetite for Destruction
Metallica – Master of Puppets
Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin IV
Nirvana - Nevermind
Van Halen - Van Halen

Honorable Mention: Tool - Lateralus

 

[teruterubozu]

Metal:

Iron Maiden - Number of the Beast
Black Sabbath - Heavend and Hell
Saxon - Wheels of Steels
Judas Priest - Painkiller
Metallica - Ride the Lightning
Dio - Holy Diver

+1

 

[admiraltaftbar]

1. Black Sabbath - Sabbath Bloody Sabbath (will also take Paranoid)
2. Sleep - Dopesmoker
3. Isis - Panopticon
4 Emperor - In the Nightshade Eclipse
5. Neurosis - Through Silver in Blood

 

[faridmon]

Your list comprehensive enough for a specific rock sound and era and what would you want is to mix and match between Genres, Eras, and even themes.

Since its an excuse to post my list, My top 5 would be:

1- Part of Grace - Lillies and Remains
2- Holding Hands with Jamie - Girl Band
3- Entertainment - Gang of Four
4- Substance - Joy Division
5- Scum - Napalm Death

 

[L4DANathan]

If you need something to ease her into metal, I would say Brave New World by Iron Maiden is a damn good place to dip your toes in. Pretty much every song starts slower/softer and gradually cranks it up.

 

[dietdracula]

Black Sabbath - Heaven and Hell
Van Halen - Van Halen
Thin Lizzy - Black Rose
Metallica - Master of Puppets
Judas Priest - British Steel
Slayer - Seasons in the Abyss
Anthrax - Among the Living
Baroness - Blue Record
Mastodon - Blood Mountain
Tool - AEnima
A Perfect Circle - Mer De Noms
Led Zeppelin - Physical Graffiti
Dio - Holy Diver
Deftones - White Pony

I listen to a lot more indie rock and hip-hop though, so my heavier music knowledge isn't that great, but those tend to be my immediate go to records.

 

[compo]

I haven't listened to the heavier end of the rock spectrum in a long time, but two albums from my generation I feel are worthy are:

Coheed and Cambria - In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 3
Thursday - Full Collapse

Those are debatable, since a lot of people would probably consider them too emo (at least Thursday). But they were what was popular early 2000's.

 

[Spectral Glider]

Judas Priest - Screaming for Vengeance
Black Sabbath - Paranoid
AC/DC - High Voltage
Overkill - The Years of Decay
Savatage - Hall of the Mountain King
Megadeth - Peace Sells

 

[KrellRell]

Avenged Sevenfold - Waking The Fallen
Within The Ruins - Elite
The Black Dahlia Murder - Nocturnal
Protest The Hero - Scurrlious

 

[Ohnonono]

Conan- Blood Eagle
High on Fire- Death is this Communion
Electric Wizard- Dopethrone
Mgla- With Hearts Toward None
Darkthrone- A Blaze in the Northern Sky
Sleep- Dopesmoker
Obed Marsh- Innsmouth
Bell Witch- Four Phantoms

 

[Chained Prometheus]

Here's my list for both rock and metal, in no particular order.

For Rock:
1. Yes - Fragile
2. Rainbow - Rising
3. Guns N Roses - Appetite for Destruction
4. AC/DC - Back in Black
5. Jackson Browne - Late for the Sky
6. Rush - Permanent Waves
7. Van Halen - Van Halen
8. Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin II
9. Elton John - Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
10. Marillion - Clutching at Straws
11. Genesis - A Trick of the Tail
12. Captain Beyond - Captain Beyond
13. Pink Floyd - Animals
14. The Eagles - Hotel California
15. King Crimson - In the Court of the Crimson King

For Metal
1. Mastodon - Crack the Skye
2. Black Sabbath - Heaven and Hell
3. Bruce Dickinson - The Chemical Wedding
4. Death - The Sound of Perseverance
5. Fates Warning - Theories of Flight
6. Megadeth - Rust in Peace
7. Metallica - Master of Puppets
8. Opeth - Still Life
9. Kamelot - The Black Halo
10. Savatage - Hall of the Mountain King
11. Dio - Holy Diver
12. Ozzy Osbourne - Diary of a Madman
13. Queensryche - Rage for Order
14. Seventh Wonder - The Great Escape
15. Iron Maiden - Seventh Son of a Seventh Son

 

[EVO]

The essentials:

1. Led Zeppelin - IV
2. Pink Floyd - Dark Side of the Moon
3. The Doors - The Doors

 

[JimiNutz]

I think you would definitely need some Zeppelin, Sabbath and Pink Floyd on any definitive list.

If we are looking at modern bands the only ones I can think of that are worth including are Tool, Opeth and Mastodon.

 

[Morrigan Stark]

Metal (keeping it mainstream since OP doesn't want too obscure stuff):

Iron Maiden - Seventh Son of a Seventh Son
Black Sabbath - Master of Reality
Judas Priest - Painkiller
Dio - Holy Diver
Mercyful Fate - Don't Breath the Oath

Rock:

Pink Floyd - Animals
Blue Cheer - Vincebus Eruptum
Deep Purple - Machine Head
Rainbow - Rising
Alice Cooper - Billion Dollar Babies

Metal:

Iron Maiden - Number of the Beast
Black Sabbath - Heavend and Hell
Saxon - Wheels of Steels
Judas Priest - Painkiller
Metallica - Ride the Lightning
Dio - Holy Diver

5. Death - Symbolic
4. Judas Priest - Painkiller
3. Therion - Theli
2. Mayhem - De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas
1. Iron Maiden - The Number of the Beast

Solid list. Though I'm not sure about Death and Mayhem, might be too extreme for the OP. (But if so I'd replace Mayhem with Immortal - At the Heart of Winter, or Darkthrone - A Blaze in the Northern Sky)

Metal
Black Sabbath - Paranoid
Metallica - Master of Puppets
Iron Maiden - Number of the Beast
Pantera - Vulgar Display of Power
AC/DC - Back in Black

Honorable Mention: Megadeth - Rust in Peace

Hard Rock
Guns n Roses – Appetite for Destruction
Metallica – Master of Puppets
Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin IV
Nirvana - Nevermind
Van Halen - Van Halen

Need to flip these from your lists yo

 

[Kill3r7]

Need to flip these from your lists yo

I could just change it to Metallica - Black Album. ;-)

 

[Morrigan Stark]

I could just change it to Metallica - Black Album. ;-)

You could, yes. Your list would then be more genre-accurate, but also, very inferior


To be honest I am a little sad that people recommend Master of Puppets, when Kill 'Em All and Ride the Lightning are the far superior albums. But, better MoP than the s/t, that's for sure.

 

[HammerOfThor]

Not gonna number this list; but must listens in my opinion just off the top ob my head:

Metallica - all albums except St. Anger and Death Magnetic.
Manowar - albums up to and including Fighting the World
Dio - Holy Diver
Black Sabbath - Black Sabbath, Paranoid, Heaven and Hell
Iron Maiden - Number of the Beast, Seventh Son, Somehwere in Time, Powerslave
Testament - Everything up to and including The Ritual
Twisted Sister - You can't stop rock and roll, Stay Hungry
King Diamond - Abigail, Them, The Eye
Mercyful Fate - Don't Break the oath
Megadeth - Rust in Peace, Youthanasia, Countdown to Extinction.

 

[Kill3r7]

You could, yes. Your list would then be more genre-accurate, but also, very inferior


To be honest I am a little sad that people recommend Master of Puppets, when Kill 'Em All and Ride the Lightning are the far superior albums. But, better MoP than the s/t, that's for sure.

I agree on Ride the Lightning. The evolution they made from Kill 'Em All to Ride the Lightning is quiet the feat, especially when you consider it only took them 9 months to record. I think Kill 'Em All is inferior to both Master of Puppets and Ride the Lightning.

 

[Screaming Meat]

No particular order:

In Utero - Nirvana
Spiderland - Slint
Loveless - My Bloody Valentine
To Bring You My Love - PJ Harvey
OK Computer - Radiohead


Honourable mentions:

Confusion is Sex/Kill Yr Idols - Sonic Youth
The Great Annihilator - Swans
Oxxes - Oxes
An Evil Heat - Oxbow
Atomizer - Big Black
Unknown Pleasures - Joy Division
We Are The Romans - Botch
Yank Crime - Drive Like Jehu
Relationship of Command - At the Drive-In
Slow Riot in Zero Kanada - Godspeed You! Black Emperor
Cellscape - Melt Banana
La Novia - Acid Mothers Temple
WOW2 - Boredoms
Raw Power - Stooges

 

[WaffleTaco]

From a modern era:

1. Avenged Sevenfold - Avenged Sevenfold
2. Avenged Sevenfold - Nightmare
3. Slipknot - .5: The Grey Chapter
4. Slipknot - All Hope is Gone
5. Stone Sour - The House of Gold and Bones Part 1 and Part 2

 

[Tigress]

Master of Puppets - Metallica (gotta get some thrash in there and using Metallica's best album I think is the best way to do that.. though part of me wants to argue for thrash "Ride the Lightning" would be a better example)
Something by Black Sabbath (not a huge Black Sabbath fan to know the albums, just think that if we are doing hard rock/metal, they are essential)
Something by Led Zeppelin (Same reason as the Black Sabbath)
Apetite for Destruction - Guns 'N' Roses (not my favorite album by them but for hard rock/metal, it is a better example than my favorite, Use Your Illusion 2)
BadMotorfinger - Soundgarden (to round things up to show metal/hard rock spreading out into different things. Soundgarden isn't my favorite grunge band but I like them, they are good, and probably the most influenced by hard rock/metal)

 

[WaffleTaco]

From a modern era:

1. Avenged Sevenfold - Avenged Sevenfold
2. Avenged Sevenfold - Nightmare
3. Slipknot - .5: The Grey Chapter
4. Slipknot - All Hope is Gone
5. Stone Sour - The House of Gold and Bones Part 1 and Part 2

 

[Isocr4cy]

Metal

Cynic - Traced in Air (2008)
Fallujah - The Flesh Prevails (2014)
ERRA - Impulse (2011)
Destrage - The King is Fat 'n' Old (2010)
The Contortionist - Language (2014)

Some of my favorite modern metal albums. I recommend Cynic to anyone regardless of there enjoyment of metal.

 

[disappeared]

Baroness - Blue Record
Mars Volta - Deloused in the Comatorium

 

[Fall Into The GAF]

Pink Floyd - DSOTM or Wish You Were Here
Metallica - The Black Album or Master of Puppets
System Of A Down - Toxicity
Meshuggah - Nothing or Catch 33
Slipknot - Self Titled or Iowa (Bonus: MFKR if you want to get really weird)
Tool - Any of their albums, but my personal favorite is Lateralus.
Strapping Young Lad - Alien or City
Devin Townsend - Ziltoid or Ocean Machine or any other album. Good luck going down that rabbit hole.
Alcest - Souvenirs D'un Autre Monde or Écailles De Lune.
Primus - Pork Soda or Frizzle Fry
Rammstein - Mutter or Sehnsucht
Porcupine Tree - Deadwing
Opeth - Blackwater Park or Deliverance/Damnation
Ghost - Meliora
Deftones - White Pony or Diamond Eyes (I'll probably get shit for the last one as I seem to be in the minority with that album.)
Deafheaven - Sunbather or Bermuda
Alice in Chains - Dirt or Jar of Flies

 

[Interfectum]

Guns N' Roses - Appetite for Destruction
Metallica - Master of Puppets
Megadeth - Rust in Peace
Pantera - Vulgar Display of Power
Slayer - Seasons in the Abyss

 

[Playsage]

Good beginner picks, OP (conflicted about the Metallica pick. While MoP is gold standard Metallica, Black Album might be easier on the ear)
Other suggestions:
Pearl Jam - Ten
Alter Bridge - Blackbird
Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin II
Iron Maiden - The Number of The Beast


Also pick some girl bands and/or female vocalist like
Heart - Dreamabout Annie
The Runaways - The Runaways
Nightwish - Oceanborn
Halestorm - The Strange Case Of..

Damn, people suggesting full on prog rock and metal here lol

 

[pablito]

It's hard for me to do lists like this since I feel like I have to put everything. So I'll just pick random 5 rock and metal favorites.

Coachwhips - Bangers vs Fuckers
Swans - Filth
The Cure - Pornography
David Bowie - Ziggy Stardust
Jeff Buckley - Grace

Gorguts - Obscura
Demilich - Nespithe
Arcturus - The Sham Mirrors
Catharsis - Samsara
Opeth - Blackwater Park

Deftones - White Pony or Diamond Eyes (I'll probably get shit for the last one as I seem to be in the minority with that album.)

Nah man Diamond Eyes is great. I wouldn't give anyone a hard time for any of their albums being a favorite

Spoiler

unless they were SNW or Gore

 

[Skiptastic]

To be honest I am a little sad that people recommend Master of Puppets, when Kill 'Em All and Ride the Lightning are the far superior albums. But, better MoP than the s/t, that's for sure.

Master of Puppets is more accessible. I agree with your assessment of superiority, but it's probably easier to go with MoP for a relative newbie to the genre.

Just like I think Animals is Pink Floyd's best album, right by Wish You Were Here, but I'd recommend people listen to DSotM before Animals. Sometimes, you have to let people walk before they run.

 

[Ultramantaro1]

1. Gojira - From Mars to Sirius
2. Mastodon - Crack the Skye
3. Death - Symbolic
4. Alcest - Les Voyages de l'Âme
5. Electric Wizard - We Live

My brother! Top 3 would be the same for me. Symbolic by Death is the go to album for people trying to get into Death Metal but feeling apprehensive about growled vocals.

Would probably throw in an Opeth recorde in there too, and an old school Megadeth record to get a good coverage of the different metal genres.