10 Best Classic Rock Double Live Albums Released In The 1970s

10 Best Classic Rock Double Live Albums Released In The 1970s

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Our “10 Best Classic Rock Double Live Albums Released in the 1970s” article looks at one of the most popular trends in 1970s classic rock music. The double live album became one of the most cherished rock and roll style LP releases of all time. The reason was that so many great ones were released in a decade in which musicians played their hearts out on stage. Rock and roll was always about live performances, and these albums helped showcase the talents of so many legendary rockers.

Many of these artists would expand on their studio takes, making them so much more exciting on the live stage. Just compare the live version of “Free Bird” to the studio version. It all began with The Allman Brothers’ At Fillmore East album. The double live album infiltrated mass culture in the middle of the decade when Peter Frampton released Frampton Comes Alive!, which became one of the best-selling albums of all time. There are so many great ones to choose from, so narrowing this list down to ten will be tough. What would you choose?

This list does not include three record sets like YESSONGS or All Things Must Pass. Those will be placed in a separate article.

# 10 – Alive! – Kiss

We open our “10 Best Classic Rock Double Live Albums Released” list with the legendary Alive! album by KISS. Just about every kid who grew up in the 1970s had a copy of this one in their record collection. What is really interesting about this album is that in all the “10 Albums That Changed My Life” articles we have published, featuring so many of rock and roll’s legendary guitar players, this is one of the albums that comes up almost all the time. It just shows how influential this album was on so many people.

Alive! was released in 1975 and is the album that really broke the band into the mainstream. Fueled by the hit single “Rock and Roll All Nite,” the album features Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, Peter Criss, and Ace Frehley in all their glorious, over-the-top performances. It became a massive commercial success, breaking into the US Billboard Top 200 album charts and peaking at number nine. In Canada, it went all the way to number three.

Read More: Tommy Thayer Of Kiss: The ClassicRockHistory.com Interview

# 9 – It’s Too Late To Stop Now – Van Morrison

I have seen Van Morrison a few times over the years, but it was during the latter part of his career in the 90s and 2000s. During those shows, he was not much of an entertainer, pretty much staying in the background like a backup singer. However, people who saw him in the early seventies have said he was just stunning. If you take a listen to this record, it becomes pretty apparent that he was. This is one of the most heralded live albums ever released. The band sounds fantastic, and Van Morrison’s vocals are on fire. There’s so much soul, groove, and wonderful Celtic vibes here that it’s just an album that’s hard to put down.

The album, released in February of 1974, showcases a time when Van Morrison was really into playing live. The album was produced by Ted Templeman, who captured the live sound of the band and orchestra perfectly.

# 8 – Irish Tour ’74 –  Rory Gallagher

If you’re a big-time fan of Rory Gallagher, you’re probably pretty happy to see this album on this list because you know just how good he was. If you’re unfamiliar with the man, that’s the reason we put this album on this list—because you need to listen to it right now. Rory Gallagher stands as one of the greatest guitar players of all time, and this live album is a true showcase of that talent. Irish Tour ’74 was released in 1974, which makes sense given the title. The album features Rory Gallagher on vocals and guitar, as well as Gerry McAvoy on bass, Lou Martin on piano, and Rod de’Ath on drums. This is a scorching rock and roll record that must be heard.

Read More: Gerry McAvoy of The Rory Gallagher Band 10 Albums That Changed My Life

# 7 – Made In Japan – Deep Purple

In the number seven position on our “10 Best Classic Rock Double Live Albums Released in the 1970s” list is the classic live album from Deep Purple called Made in Japan. We are big-time Deep Purple fans here at Classic Rock History. I mean, how could you not be if you’re a rock and roll fan? This is one of the greatest bands of all time, and they are still going strong in 2024 with a brand new album and tour. I love these guys. This live album is just smoking. It was released in December 1972 in the UK and March 1973 in the United States.

At the time, the band consisted of Ritchie Blackmore on lead guitar, Ian Gillan on lead vocals, Roger Glover on bass, Jon Lord on organ, and Ian Paice on drums. Made in Japan was a worldwide success, hitting number one in multiple countries like Germany and Australia, while also being a top 10 album hit in the US, Finland, Canada, and many more countries. If you don’t have this one, what are you waiting for? Go ahead, go get it.

Read More: Ian Paice of Deep Purple: The ClassicRockHistory.com Interview

# 6 – Live and Dangerous – Thin Lizzy

Thin Lizzy was the first true rock and roll band I ever saw live in concert. It was 1976, and they were opening for Queen. “The Boys Are Back in Town” was a massive hit single, and I didn’t really know much more about the band outside of the songs on the Jailbreak album. Well, let me tell you, they blew my mind with how good they were in concert. Phil Lynott just commanded the stage with his bass playing, fiery vocals, and dynamic personality. All of that is captured on this tremendous live album released in 1978.

Musicians on this album include Phil Lynott on lead vocals and bass, Scott Gorham on lead guitar, Brian Robertson on guitar, and Brian Downey on drums. There’s also a guest appearance by Huey Lewis playing harmonica on “Baby Drives Me Crazy.” I bet you didn’t know that.

Read More: Scott Gorham of Thin Lizzy: The ClassicRockHistory.com Interview

# 5 – Live’ Bullet  – Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band

If you have ever seen Bob Seger live in concert, then you know why this live album is being included on this list. Even if you’ve never seen him live but have this album, you know why it’s being included. This is a blazing rock and roll album filled with all his early hits like “Katmandu,” “Nutbush City Limits,” “Beautiful Loser,” “Ramblin’ Gamblin’ Man,” and of course the hit single from the album “Turn the Page.” This wonderful two-record set was released in April of 1976. Seger had been a big name at the time, but this double live album made him even more popular.

The live performances captured on this album showcase Bob Seger’s powerful voice and the high-energy performances of the Silver Bullet Band. The band lineup at the time included Drew Abbott on lead guitar, Alto Reed on saxophone, Robyn Robbins on keyboards, Chris Campbell on bass, and Charlie Allen Martin on drums.

# 4 – Tie  Live Album – Grand Funk Railroad / Live Killers – Queen

Grand Funk Railroad has released two fabulous live albums in their catalog. Live Album, and Caught in the Act, which was released a few years later. I love both of these albums; Caught in the Act has incredible sound, especially on the opening track “Heartbreaker.” Nonetheless, it’s Grand Funk’s Live Album that gets the most love from their vast body of fans. The sound quality on this one isn’t as good as Caught In The Act, but the playing is just out of this world. This was a trio that just locked in together and were completely on fire on stage. It’s almost hard to find the words to describe how good these guys were.

Live Album was also a pretty huge success, being released in 1970 and breaking into the Billboard Top 200 album charts, peaking at number five. Interestingly, it also broke into the US R&B album chart, peaking at number 17. If you’re unfamiliar with the band for whatever reason, you could be young—it’s okay. This album features Mark Farner on lead vocals and guitars, Don Brewer on drums and vocals, and the incredible Mel Schacher on bass. If you don’t have this one, like all the others on this list, what are you doing? You can’t let that happen. You have to leave right now, go to your record store if you can find one, and buy this album. Even if you have to drive 100 miles to find a record store, go get it. It’s very important. Why are you still reading? Go! Well, okay, finish the article first and then go.

Read More: Don Brewer of Grand Funk Railroad: The ClassicRockHistory.com Interview

Queen’s Live Killers, was released on June 22, 1979. It captured the band’s electrifying performances during their European tour from January to March 1979. . The recording took place across various European venues, with the band self-producing the album. Mixing was conducted at Mountain Studios in Montreux, Switzerland. The lineup featured Freddie Mercury on lead vocals and piano, Brian May on guitar and vocals, John Deacon on bass guitar, and Roger Taylor on drums and vocals. The production emphasized the energy of Queen’s live performances, with minimal overdubs to maintain the authenticity of the concert experience.

Upon its release, Live Killers achieved notable commercial success, reaching number three on the UK Albums Chart and number sixteen on the US Billboard 200. It earned a double Platinum certification in the United States, Gold in the UK, and Gold in Germany, underscoring its enduring popularity.

# 3 – Frampton Comes Alive – Peter Frampton

I wonder how many people purchased this album in 1976 without ever having bought a Peter Frampton studio album before? I know I did; I had really never heard of Peter Frampton before I bought this album. Hey, I was only in the 9th grade and still just kind of finding my way around rock and roll. You know, there’s so much to discover. All I knew was that I loved this record the first time I popped it on my turntable. It just sounded so good. A lot of people were already aware of the songs “Show Me the Way” and “Baby, I Love Your Way,” which were big hits, but there was just so much more to it. This is a great rock and roll album. I remember being blown away by the song “Something’s Happening.” Other highlights that really jumped out at you were the songs “It’s a Plain Shame,” “Shine On,” “Penny for Your Thoughts,” and, of course, the 14-minute closer “Do You Feel Like We Do.”

The band at the time consisted of Peter Frampton on lead vocals and guitar, Bob Mayo on rhythm guitar and keys, Stanley Sheldon on bass, and John Siomos on drums. Frampton Comes Alive! would go all the way to number one on the Billboard Top 200 a few months after its release and would become the biggest-selling album of 1976. It was one of the longest-running albums on the Billboard charts. While there may have been other live albums we could have ranked a little higher than this one, we placed it this high just because of the sheer impact it had on the music business.

What Frampton Comes Alive! did was to show the record companies that rock and roll could become a mass cultural phenomenon and make billions of dollars on a worldwide scale, unlike they had ever expected. This just wasn’t for a small group of fans anymore; rock and roll and pop music could make big-time money, much bigger than they ever expected. This was the album that led the way.

# 2  Tie – One More from the Road – Lynyrd Skynyrd / The Song Remains The Same – Led Zeppelin 

Just off the top spot on our “10 Best Classic Rock Double Live Albums Released” is the memorable double live album by Lynyrd Skynyrd entitled One More From The Road. The album was released on September 13, 1976. It was fueled by live shows recorded at the Fox Theater in Atlanta, Georgia. How could a live album like this have been recorded anywhere else? While Skynyrd had been a popular band at the time, this live album probably tripled or quadrupled their popularity among rock fans worldwide. Of course, the highlight of the album was the 11-minute version of “Freebird,” which closed the record. Nonetheless, this was a two-record set filled with all of their big hits, with scorching versions of songs like “Gimme Three Steps,” “Workin’ for MCA,” which opened the album “I Ain’t the One,” “Saturday Night Special,” and many more. Multiple editions have been released over the years, especially the 25th-anniversary edition released in 2001, including bonus tracks.

This album represented the quintessential Skynyrd band, which consisted of Ronnie Van Zant on lead vocals, Steve Gaines, who had just joined the band, on guitar, Allen Collins on guitar, Gary Rossington also on guitar, Leon Wilkeson on bass, Artimus Pyle on drums, and Billy Powell on keyboards. The backing vocalists consisted of JoJo Billingsley, Cassie Gaines, and Leslie Hawkins. It also featured Sam McPherson on harmonica. One More From The Road would become a top 10 hit on the US Billboard 200, peaking at number nine. Even in the UK, Southern rock broke into the charts, becoming a top 20 hit. If you don’t have this rock and roll album in your collection, you’re missing out on one of the greatest albums ever released.

Led Zeppelin’s The Song Remains the Same is a late addition to this list because when we first put it together, we always thought of it as a soundtrack album. It’s what the band always said it was. They argued profusely that it wasn’t a true live album but a soundtrack album. In the end, though, it’s a two-record live set, and it’s Led Zeppelin, so we’re putting it on here. The album presented the performances during their 1973 North American tour. Recorded over three electrifying nights from July 27 to 29 at Madison Square Garden in New York City, the album was released on October 22, 1976, under Swan Song Records. The recording process was helmed by Eddie Kramer, utilizing the Wally Heider Mobile Studio truck, with subsequent mixing at Electric Lady Studios in New York and Trident Studios in London.

Critically, The Song Remains the Same received a spectrum of reviews, with some praising its raw energy and others critiquing the production quality. Despite this, the album achieved commercial success, reflecting Led Zeppelin’s immense popularity during the 1970s. A significant remastering occurred in 2007, aligning the album’s tracklist more closely with the original concert setlist and enhancing the audio quality. Further, on September 7, 2018, a newly remastered edition was issued in multiple formats, including a multi-disc, super deluxe boxed set, Blu-ray audio with a hi-resolution stereo and new 5.1 surround mix, 180-gram vinyl, CD, streaming, and downloads, including 24-bit/96k hi-res audio files for the first time.

# 1 – At Fillmore East – The Allman Brothers Band

The Allman Brothers Band’s classic double live album At Fillmore East is undeniably one of the greatest live albums ever released. This album set a new standard for live recordings, featuring extended jam versions of songs like “In Memory of Elizabeth Reed” and “Whipping Post,” which blew the minds of rock and roll fans. Produced by the legendary Tom Dowd, the album was so important that it was eventually preserved in the Library of Congress. Over the years, many different variations of this album have been released as the record company sought to capitalize on its enduring popularity. However, the original two-record set, concluding with “Whipping Post” filling the entire side four, remains iconic. It doesn’t get better than this.

When the album was released, The Allman Brothers Band consisted of Duane Allman on guitar, Gregg Allman on vocals and keys, Dickey Betts on guitar, Berry Oakley on bass, Jaimoe Johanson on drums, and Butch Trucks on drums. There were also guest appearances on the record, including Bobby Caldwell, Rudolph Carter, Elvin Bishop, and Steve Miller. At Fillmore East became a top 20 hit, peaking at number 13 on the US Billboard 200.

Updated January 23, 2025

10 Best Classic Rock Double Live Albums Released In The 1970s article published on Classic RockHistory.com© 2025

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