#20. Joni Mitchell
Up-and-coming artists and contemporary stars like Clairo and Harry Styles are always including a Joni Mitchell shout-out in some of their songs, or even covering their personal favorites from the folk legend. This is great news, because it attracts young music fans of the Spotify-era to her mesmerizing voice.
While it's true that some of her older followers are at the end of their tether (as they're waiting for a new studio album since 2007), there's already 19(!) LPs for everyone to back to, and many of them are awesome. Amongst her live albums, Miles of Aisles, released in 1974, is probably the most stunning of them all, since it was recorded immediately after her breakthrough with Court and Spark.
#19. Talking Heads
With songs like Psycho Killer, Burning Down the House, and Once in a Lifetime, David Byrne and company achieved something that seems impossible: the band never fails to sound groovy and catchy, while also going for an avant-garde or art-rock style that was always ahead of the curve.
The band called it a day in 2002, but listening to Stop Making Sense, their live album from 1984, is the best way to experience the Talking Heads' equally freaky and funky instincts. Additionally, their tunes are enhanced even further with the aid of two members of Parliament Funkadelic in this concert, so listening to it is a must!
#18. Soda Stereo
The name of this band may a ring a bell for you, but chances are you haven't listened to any album of theirs. The language barrier proved to be too much for the Argentinians to break into the mainstream of America's rock scene in the 80s and 90s, but they're considered the biggest band of Latin America.
Even Coldplay has played a cover of their most popular song, De Música Ligera. Where should you start with the iconic output of Gustavo Cerati and company? Canción Animal has their greatest hits, but it's Me Verás Volver, the live album that chronicles their reunion tour from 2007 that shows the best versions of their incredible tunes.
#17. U2
Rumor has it that when U2 stopped at Mexico for their massive Zoo Tv Tour, they stumbled upon Soda Stereo's latest release, the shoegaze-influenced Dynamo. A couple of months later, U2 dropped Zooropa, and one of the songs' (Lemon) intro sounded a lot like Claroscuro, one of the tracks from Dynamo. How about that!
But enough rock gossip, we’re here to talk about U2's most prominent live record, and that's got to be Under a Blood Red Sky, which was released in 1983. From its unforgettable cover to the breathtaking setting of Denver's Red Rocks Amphitheater and the eerie atmosphere provided by the electric storm, everything that happened that night was stunning!
#16. Duke Ellington
Many music fans that wish to expand their tastes slowly dip their toes into jazz. If you've been through this already, chances are you decided to listen to Miles Davis or John Coltrane, bur there's more to jazz than Kind of Blue and A Love Supreme! Take Ellington at Newport, for example, one of the wildest live albums in history.
Jazz pianists like Bill Evans and Duke Ellington are definitely worthy of your time and concentration. In fact, Duke collaborated with Coltrane on numerous occasions, and they seemed to share a vision about music. "There are always new sounds to imagine; new feelings to get at", said Coltrane in an interview. Ellington's sublime catalog can also be defined with that pursuit that Coltrane talks about, and Ellington at Newport, which came out in 1956, sees the pianist and his band take risks and improvise jaw-dropping jams.
#15. B. B. King
The epic of a concert is many times boosted by the socio-cultural context or the atmosphere of the venue. Winning over a tough crowd takes guts, skill, and sometimes even a lot of empathy, and B. B. King definitely had all of these attributes in spades when he played at Cook County Jail in 1970.
The prospect of playing in front of such an intimidating crowd is a huge challenge, but the Blues legend relied on his humbleness and sense of humor to win the convicts' sympathy. His brilliant performance obviously helped, but there's a unique sense of liberation and joy lingering through the entirety of this concert that exceeds the music itself.
#14. Deep Purple
Deep Purple's members has changed throughout the decades, and that's one of the reasons behind the band's stylistic changes. The group has tackled heavy-metal, psychedelia, prog-rock, and mainly hard-rock across 20 studio albums.
So, which is the best lineup of the metal pioneers? Most fans would immediately assert that the Gillan-Blackmore-Lord-Glover-Paice quintet is the formation that took their trademark explosive hard-rock tunes to the next level. Trust me and listen to Made in Japan, their live album from 1972, which features an astonishing 20-minute version of Space Truckin' and other classics!
#13. Ramones
And talking about relentlessly explosive bands, a live album from Ramones was a must for this list, that's for sure. It's Alive, a double-LP that was recorded during the last of their 4-night stint at London's Rainbow Theater in 1977 is so wild that words fail to describe the energy that's felt in that concert.
Indeed, rumor has it that the British punk-heads were so engaged with the Ramones' fiery performance of their first three studio albums that they literally ripped off their seats and threw them at the stage! If you liked this one, don't miss #1!
#12. Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden can boast that they have one the most illustrious streaks in rock history. Indeed, the band was in top-notch form from 1981 to 1988, and they released some of the most iconic heavy metal albums of all time during that unstoppable period.
The Number of The Beast, Piece of Mind, Powerslave… it's crazy to think that this trio of mindblowing records was created in less than 4 years! Moreover, Iron Maiden's live shows were obviously mad as well, and Live After Death, from 1985, is the live LP that shows them at their best.
#11. James Brown
Can an album whose length is shorter than half an hour be considered amongst the greatest records of all time? If there's one contestant, it has to be James Brown's Live at the Apollo. In fact, when Rolling Stone put out their "500 greatest albums of all time" list, they included this one at #25. Impressive, right? We all know that James Brown is amongst the best performers of all time, but what makes this show that took place at Harlem's iconic venue in 1963 so legendary?
First, the fact that the head of Kings Records opposed the idea of releasing a live album "because it wouldn't sell". After Brown's pressure, he budged and accepted (only because James himself offered to finance the recording) and it immediately became a national sensation upon its release. The Godfather of Soul and his band's airtight and extremely intense performance went on to inspire countless musicians on how a memorable concert should sound like.
#10. John Coltrane
Jazz fans were over the moon two years ago when Impulse! Records announced that they were going to release a yet unheard-of album from the saxophonist's most proficient era. That's right, Both Directions at Once: The Lost Album had been recorded in 1963, but it only saw light in 2018, and the stir it caused rocketed it into the top 30 of Billboard 200.
Why do we mention this? Because it proves that the interest in Coltrane's massive catalog is still alive. New jazz artists that dazzle us with their thrilling abilities (Kamasi Washington, for instance) have reignited the curiosity for the genre's towering legends like Coltrane himself or Miles Davis. But where to start with the best saxophonist of all time? Live! At the Village Vanguard is my personal recommendation, it serves as a testament to John's fascinating prowess at his peak, in 1962.
#9. Bob Marley
From Jamaica to global superstardom, from rags to riches, all with politically charged songs that urged the oppressed to 'get up, stand up'. The year was 1975, Bob Marley and The Wailers had added a key member (guitarist Al Anderson) to the group's entrancing live performances and they were sounding as sharp as ever.
Their acclaim had been constantly on the rise for the last several years: Catch a Fire, Burnin’, and Natty Dread (some of the best reggae albums of all time) had been released in 1973 and 1974. After the American leg of the tour, Bob and his mates flew to London, and the head of Island Records knew that one of those concerts had to be recorded. 'Live!' is undoubtedly the genre's greatest live LP, and it includes the most memorable version of No Woman, No Cry.
#8. The Who
Sometimes relegated in favor of The Beatles or The Rolling Stones when classic rock fans discuss about the greatest band of the 60s, The Who can boast of having had the definitive live show of the decade. It's not much of a surprise, considering the band had Keith Moon and John Entwistle, considered by many as the best rock and roll drummer and bassist, respectively.
If you add a powerful voice like the one of frontman Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend's aggressive guitar playing (and don't forget about his knack for writing brilliant concept rock-operas like Tommy or Quadrophenia) and you've got the best live rock band of the 60s, period. In case you think we're bluffing, do yourself a favor and listen to Live at Leeds, which came out in 1970, a true masterpiece of a record.
#7. Aretha Franklin
Aretha Franklin sadly passed away in 2018, but the legacy of her work will continue to live and influence new generations of R&B and Soul artists. Most people don't know that Aretha's career only began to take off after some years. That's right, her commercial breakthrough started after getting signed to Atlantic Records in 1966.
She immediately took advantage of the opportunity and released the stunning I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You in 1967. Her streak of notable records continued, and in 1971 she put out Live at Fillmore West, where she offers a tantalizing and spiritual performance of her songs.
#6. Neil Young
After making such a huge impact with the folk-rock bands Buffalo Springfield and Crosby Stills Nash & Young, one could've guessed that Neil, the melody magician with an angelical voice, was ready to take a break and enjoy the success.
However, he embarked on an amazing solo career where he displayed some of rock and roll's most striking guitar solos (Like a Hurricane) and more than a few overwhelming ballads (After the Gold Rush, Hey Hey, My My). Every side of Young's hypnotizing universe can be heard on Live Rust, which was recorded in 1978 with Crazy Horse, his outstanding backing band.
#5. The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones have put out tons of compilations and live albums. While some of them present run-of-the-mill material that still manages to succeed commercially (because, well, they're still The Rolling Stones), a few of these releases show Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and the rest of the band at their thrilling peak.
This is exactly the case of Get Yer Ya Ya’' Out!: The Rolling Stones In Concert. Undoubtedly the best live album of their post-Brian Jones era and a crucial part of their discography; a staggering 9-minute version of Midnight Rambler, a Chuck Berry cover, hits like Jumpin' Jack Flash and Sympathy for the Devil... what else is there to say? When the Stones are feeling it, it's bound to be a breathtaking night.
#4. Jimi Hendrix
Most people tend to reminisce about Jimi's fabled Woodstock concert. Fair enough, Woodstock was a massive cultural phenomenon and it crowned him as a dominating figure of epic proportions, but that shouldn't overshadow Jimi Plays Monterrey.
The ones who are familiar with rock history associate that concert with Hendrix's controversial guitar-burning stunt, and indeed it was a legendary moment in music. But don't forget about the album itself, pals: nine air-tight performances by Jimi Hendrix Experience which include B. B. King, Howlin' Wolf, and Bob Dylan covers that were released posthumously in 1986.
#3. Led Zeppelin
Do you remember when we talked about the game-changing dexterity of The Who's members? Well, Led Zeppelin had nothing to envy them, that's for sure. After all, Robert Plant is usually regarded, along with Freddie Mercury, as rock's greatest singer.
Jimmy Page is on everyone's top five guitarists of all time, John Bonham can claim the spot as the most talented hard-rock drummer, and John Paul Jones completed the band's incredible rhythm section. Their first four self-titled studio albums are ridiculously good, and The Song Remains The Same, which came out in 1976 ( but was recorded in 1973), shows them playing a 30 minute (!) version of Dazed and Confused. That's all I have to say, fellas.
#2. Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan and Grateful Dead, so the story goes, are the artists who have been bootlegged the most. This means that tons of unofficial recording of their concerts have been disseminated amongst the hardcore fans of each artist. In 1991, Bob surprised everybody by putting out previously unreleased tracks under the name The Bootleg Series, Volumes 1-3.
Nowadays, the Bootleg Series includes 15 volumes, and #4 is perhaps the most memorable one of them all. Vol 4 is also called The Royal Albert Hall Concert, and it presents one of the icon's most enduring and controversial performances of all time. The second half of the show sees him go electric, and a member of the audience (presumably a folk purist) furiously calls him Judas, to which Bob answers: "I don't believe you! You're a liar!"
#1. Nirvana
This is a hot take, but yes, Nirvana's MTV Unplugged in New York is our favorite live album of all time. It was recorded on November 1993, a few months after In Utero had dropped and before Kurt Cobain's devastating suicide. The frontman's mental health was already hitting rock bottom, but he still managed to pull off a moving performance with his band.
Some unpredictable choices (two excellent Meat Puppets covers), a stunning performance of Bowie's The Man Who Sold the World, a breathtaking rendition of Where Did You Sleep Last Night as the legendary closer. And don't get me started on the sublime version of All Apologies! The somber setting, Kurt's calmness and the palpable tension in the room... everything worked out perfectly.