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Our Classic Rock Bands That Released Four Perfect Albums In A Row list picks up where our last one in which we listed three in a row left off. One of the challenges we faced when we did our original article was that many of the bands had actually released more than three in a row. That forced us to pick a place to start in a band’s catalog which sadly left off a great album. We face the same situation again where there are many bands like The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, and Pink Floyd that released more than four perfect albums in a row. So what that does is force us to pick the most perfect four in a row which in many ways makes it more fun to do. So the article becomes just not about which bands released four in a row, but what part of a band’s catalog featured the best four in a row.
The second big question to answer when composing an article like this is what constitutes a perfect album. Of course, that is a subjective answer and opinion. To us here at classicrockhistory, a perfect album is a record in which every song is great. It’s as simple as that.
The big question we had with this list was should we include live albums. We decided that because the live album was such an important element in the story of classic rock we would include live albums in our picks. Of course, that choice just made it more difficult to decide where to start and end in a band catalog.
The list of bands are in no particular order……. we just kind of start out the list with our favorites and the first ones that came to mind.
Blue Oyster Cult
One of our favorite bands of all time and possibly one of the most underrated classic rock groups in history is the legendary Blue Oyster Cult. The group made our three in a row list very easily. We were torn as to whether to start with their first album and leave out Agents of Fortune on that original list, but with four in a row we did not have to. With Blue Oyster Cult, their first four in a row were chosen from their first four amazing rock and roll records.
# 1 – Blue Öyster Cult (1972)
# 2 – Tyranny and Mutation (1973)
# 3 – Secret Treaties (1974)
# 4 – Agents of Fortune (1976)
Foghat
With the band Foghat we struggled with whether we should we start at Rock And Roll Outlaws and end at Foghat Live or start with Fool For The City and end at Stone Blue. Foghat stands as one of our personal favorite bands of all time. We saw them many times in the 7os. They were so loved by rock and roll teens during that decade.
# 1 – Fool For The City – 1975
# 2 – Night Shift -1976
# 3 – Foghat Live – 1977
# 4 – Stone Blue – 1978
Queen
Queen’s first two albums are very much underrated rock and roll records. Their second album in our opinion is their best. This one takes a different approach from our previous list.
# 1 – Queen – 1973
# 2 – Queen II -1974
# 3 – Sheer Heart Attack – 1974
# 4 – A Night At The Opera – 1975
Pink Floyd
Pink FloydThis one was pretty easy. This is one of the most impressive four album stretches in classic rock history. We saw them live in 1977 and it was one of the greatest concerts we have ever seen. It was also only two weeks after seeing Led Zeppelin. What a summer!
# 1 Dark Side Of The Moon – 1973
# 2 – Wish You Were Here – 1975
# 3 – Animals – 1977
# 4 – The Wall – 1979
Led Zeppelin
And speaking of Led Zeppelin. Our favorite band here at classicrockhistory.com would actually make the list of 8 perfect albums in a row if we had one. Nonetheless, this list limits it to four so that makes it pretty tough to pick which four album stretch we thought was their best. There will probably be a lot of arguing over this one…… We had to have Physical Graffiti and Led Zeppelin IV in the mix so the choice came down to Led Zeppelin III or Presence. Since we saw the Presence tour and love “Achilles Last Stand” and “Nobody’s Fault But Mine,” we went with the latter. Of course, it’s so painful to not include Led Zeppelin I or II on this list.
# 1- Led Zeppelin IV – 1971
# 2 – Houses of the Holy – 1973
# 3 – Physical Graffiti -1975
# 4 – Presence – 1976
or
Led Zeppelin – 1969
Led Zeppelin – 1969
Led Zeppelin III – 1970
Led Zeppelin IV – 1971
The Beatles
And here we go again with another group in which would could actually pick way more than four perfect albums in a row. The Beatles only released thirteen original albums. All of them are perfect with the exception of maybe Yellow Submarine and Magical Mystery tour which kind of throw a wrench into the four in a row concept because they isolate The White Album and Abbey Road from being included in this list. Nonetheless, it’s still hard to argue against the four we picked below.
# 1 – Help! – 1965
# 2 – Rubber Soul – 1965
# 3 – Revolver -1966
# 4 – Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band – 1967
The Rolling Stones
The Beatles and Rolling Stones go hand in hand in many ways. Like The Beatles, there are amazing stretches of spectacular albums with an occasional release that kind of throws everything off. We could have started in a few different places on this one.
# 1 – Beggars Banquet – 1968
# 2 – Let It Bleed – 1969
# 3 – Sticky Fingers – 1971
# 4 – Exile on Main St. – 1972
The Who
Should we start with The Who’s Sell Out and leave off The Who By Numbers, or vice versa? That was the tough one if we were just going with studio albums but Live at Leed saves the day.
Tommy – 1969
Live At Leeds – 1970
Who’s Next – 1971
Quadrophenia – 1973
Elton John
W could have started with Elton John’s Madman Across The Water and included Honky Château and then moved on to Don’t Shoot Me I’m Only the Piano Player and Goodbye Yellow Brick Road. Yet that would have left out Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy which we could not leave out so we went with starting at Don’t Shoot Me I’m Only the Piano Player and it’s still four amazing albums in a row.
Don’t Shoot Me I’m Only the Piano Player -1973
Goodbye Yellow Brick Road – 1973
Caribou -1974
Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy – 1975
or
Madman Across the Water (1971)
Honky Château (1972)
Don’t Shoot Me I’m Only the Piano Player (1973)
Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (1973)
Bruce Springsteen
If we ever get to bands and artists that released eight perfect albums in a row, Bruce Springsteen will still be on this list. There are our four favs by Bruce in a row. No doubt about this one.
The Wild, the Innocent & the E Street Shuffle -1973
Born to Run -1975
Darkness on the Edge of Town -1978
The River -1980
Van Halen
These guys’ first four albums were 100 percent perfect!
Van Halen – 1978
Van Halen II -1979
Women and Children First -1980
Fair Warning -1981
and all the rest……..
Elvis Costello
My Aim Is True – 1977
This Year’s Model – 1978
Armed Forces – 1979
Get Happy!! – 1980
Yes
The Yes Album – 1971
Fragile – 1971
Close to the Edge – 1972
Tales from Topographic Oceans – 1973
Genesis
Selling England by the Pound – 1973
The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway – 1974
A Trick of the Tail – 1976
Wind & Wuthering – 1976
Grand Funk
Phoenix – 1972
We’re an American Band – 1973
Shinin’ On – 1974
All the Girls in the World Beware!!! – 1974
Rush
2112 – 1976
A Farewell to Kings -1977
Hemispheres – 1978
Permanent Waves – 1980
or
A Farewell to Kings (1977)
Hemispheres (1978)
Permanent Waves (1980)
Moving Pictures (1981)
Jethro Tull
Stand Up – 1969
Benefit – 1970
Aqualung – 1971
Thick as a Brick – 1972
The Allman Brothers Band
The Allman Brothers Band – 1969
Idlewild South – 1970
At Fillmore East – 1971
Eat a Peach – 1972
Aerosmith
Aerosmith – 1973
Get Your Wings – 1974
Toys in the Attic – 1975
Rocks – 1976
or
Get Your Wings – 1974
Toys in the Attic – 1975
Rocks – 1976
Draw The Line -1977
Metallica
Ride the Lightning – 1984
Master of Puppets – 1986
…And Justice for All – 1988
Metallica – 1991
Billy Joel
Turnstiles -1976
The Stranger -1977
52nd Street -1978
Glass Houses – 1980
Joni Mitchell
Blue – 1971
For the Roses – 1972
Court and Spark – 1974
The Hissing of Summer Lawns -1975
AC/DC
Powerage (1978)
Highway to Hell (1979)
Back in Black (1980)
For Those About to Rock We Salute You (1981)
David Bowie
The Man Who Sold the World (1970)
Hunky Dory (1971)
The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars (1972)
Aladdin Sane (1973)
or
Diamond Dogs (1974)
Young Americans (1975)
Station to Station (1976)
Low (1977)
Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath (1970)
Paranoid (1970)
Master of Reality (1971)
Vol. 4 (1972)
Journey
Evolution (1979)
Departure (1980)
Escape (1981)
Frontiers (1983)
The Doors
The Doors (1967)
Strange Days (1967)
Waiting for the Sun (1968)
The Soft Parade (1969)
Creedence Clearwater Revival
Bayou Country (1969)
Green River (1969)
Willy and the Poor Boys (1969)
Cosmo’s Factory (1970)
Steely Dan
Pretzel Logic (1974)
Katy Lied (1975)
The Royal Scam (1976)
Aja (1977)
Frank Zappa
Over-Nite Sensation -1973
Apostrophe (‘) -1974
Roxy & Elsewhere -1974
One Size Fits All – 1975
Stevie Ray Vaughan
Texas Flood (1983)
Couldn’t Stand the Weather (1984)
Soul to Soul (1985)
Live Alive (1986)
The Police
Reggatta de Blanc (1979)
Zenyatta Mondatta (1980)
Ghost in the Machine (1981)
Synchronicity (1983)
Lynyrd Skynyrd
Nuthin’ Fancy – 1975
Gimme Back My Bullets – 1976
One More from the Road – 1976
Street Survivors – 1977
Bad Company
Bad Company (1974)
Straight Shooter (1975)
Run with the Pack (1976)
Burnin’ Sky (1977)
Van Morrison
Astral Weeks (1968)
Moondance (1970)
His Band and the Street Choir (1970)
Tupelo Honey (1971)
Bob Dylan
Another Side of Bob Dylan (1964)
Bringing It All Back Home (1965)
Highway 61 Revisited (1965)
Blonde on Blonde (1966)
Bob Seger
Night Moves (1976)
Stranger in Town (1978)
Against the Wind (1980)
The Distance (1982)
Foreigner
Foreigner (1977)
Double Vision (1978)
Head Games (1979)
4 (1981)
The Ramones
Ramones (1976)
Leave Home (1977)
Rocket to Russia (1977)
Road to Ruin (1978)
Linda Ronstadt
Heart Like a Wheel (1974)
Prisoner in Disguise (1975)
Hasten Down the Wind (1976)
Simple Dreams (1977)
Tom Waits
Nighthawks at the Diner (1975)
Small Change (1976)
Foreign Affairs (1977)
Blue Valentine (1978)
or
Blue Valentine (1978)
Heartattack and Vine (1980)
Swordfishtrombones (1983)
Rain Dogs (1985)
Kiss
Dressed to Kill (1975)
Destroyer (1976)
Rock and Roll Over (1976)
Love Gun (1977)
R.E.M
Murmur (1983)
Reckoning (1984)
Fables of the Reconstruction (1985)
Lifes Rich Pageant (1986)
Electric Light Orchestra
Face the Music (1975)
A New World Record (1976)
Out of the Blue (1977)
Discovery (1979)
Alice Cooper
Love It to Death (1971)
Killer (1971)
School’s Out (1972)
Billion Dollar Babies (1973)
Emerson Lake & Palmer
Tarkus (1971)
Pictures at an Exhibition (1971)
Trilogy (1972)
Brain Salad Surgery (1973)
Deep Purple
Deep Purple in Rock (1970)
Fireball (1971)
Machine Head (1972)
Made In Japan (1972)
Iron Maiden
Killers (1981)
The Number of the Beast (1982)
Piece of Mind (1983)
Powerslave (1984)
Stevie Wonder
Talking Book (1972)
Innervisions (1973)
Fulfillingness’ First Finale (1974)
Songs in the Key of Life (1976)
The Velvet Underground
The Velvet Underground & Nico (1967)
White Light/White Heat (1968)
The Velvet Underground (1969)
Loaded (1970)
Kansas
Song for America (1975)
Masque (1975)
Leftoverture (1976)
Point of Know Return (1977)
Neil Young
After the Gold Rush (1970)
Harvest (1972)
On the Beach (1974)
Tonight’s the Night (1975)
Jimi Hendrix
Are You Experienced (1967)
Axis: Bold as Love (1967)
Electric Ladyland (1968)
Band of Gypsys (1970)
Updated November 28, 2023
Classic Rock Bands That Released Four Perfect Albums In A Row article published on Classic RockHistory.com© 2023
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A four set list. Very interesting concept and it makes for some even more diverse opinions and discussions. Me, it was a case of moving maybe one from the back so the fourth would be the selected album. It’s all just opinion, and there is little argument anyway. I do believe The Who’s “Live At Leeds” belong there, in place of “The Who By Numbers”, because it is such a powerful album.
The Stones, my favorite band right now, although that status does change depending on my interest at any given time, with their history could have several great four perfect albums.
But here’s a toughie – nobody can argue with “Beggar’s Banquet” as the start of what most consider their three greatest albums, up through “Exile On Main St.” I however think “Get Yer Ya Ya’s Out” is a must have for any Stones fan, as it is probably the greatest live album they did. Which means one four perfect album group could start with “Beggars’ Banquet” and end with “Sticky Fingers” or make it a six album list so the extremely underrated “Goat’s Head Soup” could be included. That album is great, and doesn’t get the credit it deserves for being one of their most rocking albums, and containing “Angie” on top of that.
Pink Floyd – again this is just me but I’d put “Meddle” at the front of the line and finish with “Animals”. For me the band was getting along better then, and “The Wall”, for all its brilliance had that chaotic and near psychotic vibe, and I listen to it much less. I couldn’t miss “Meddle”‘s “Echoes”!
Meddle is a great album, but Obscured By Clouds came after it, so it breaks the chain of four perfect Pink Floyd albums. Thanks to you Scott for starting this series with your original idea. Everyone should know this was your concept that started back a few months ago.
You’re welcome. I forgot about “Obscured By Clouds”. It had “Free Four” and was a soundtrack album, as you know, but it is not as well known as the others. I did a trio style column a while back, didn’t I? Thanks for your kind words. My wife is doing well after her surgery so maybe this summer will be an easier one for us.
Cheap Trick’s first 4 should be on that list…
Absolutely! Now, do you refer to the first four studio albums up through “Dream Police”? I would have a tough time on this one because their music is so good, and the “Budokan” live albums are some of the best live albums ever. They could go from poppy tunes on records like “How Are You?” and “I Want You To Want Me”, but live they were and are just an awesomely powerful band. Robin Zander is one of the greatest singers ever, bar none.
Alice Cooper; Love it to Death, Killer, Schools Out and Billion Dollar Babies
Sorry fellow Beatles fans, “She’s Leaving Home ” is a whiney clunker in an otherwise perfect album.
Talk about whiney..good grief!
The Doors
The Doors are listed. They forgot the KINKS!
There’s a lot of REAL stretches in this list. To classify led zeps “Presence”, Pink Floyd’s “Animals” and Yes’ “Tales” as “perfect” for starters. The Who’s “By Numbers” shouldn’t even be included in the company of their other three (and I like the album). Your decision to exclude “Live at Leeds” from their release sequence is especially puzzling. You have included live albums in many other artist’s lists. “Live at Leeds” is WIDELY recognized as one of the best live albums ever made. Bowie’s “Pinups” does not include a single song written by Bowie and (while enjoyable) was more-or-less a toss off. “Diamond Dogs” doesn’t compare to it’s predecessors. There’s a lot of generosity here but if you didn’t actually make FOUR “perfect” albums (Beatles, Stones, Dylan.) in a row then this list would be significantly shorter.
Bowie’s Pinups is not included in either of the two four album lists, so it is not really clear what your point is. I would disagree with you about Diamond Dogs also, perhaps illustrating why such exercises are interesting but ultimately futile.
Considering you had such all-time greats as Genesis, The Who, and Pink Floyd, I was really surprised you didn’t include Electric Light Orchestra. As for which albums, you can pretty much just pick four in a row.
Moody Blues
Days of Future Passed (1967)
In Search of the Lost Chord (1968)
On the Threshold of a Dream (1969)
To Our Children’s Children’s Children (1969)
A Question of Balance (1970)
Every Good Boy Deserves Favour (1971)
Huh? REM but no U2? Boy, war, under a blood red sky and Joshua Tree
You forgot Jackson Browne
Late for the Sky
The Pretender
Running on Empty
Hold Out
AC/DC should be High voltage through Flick of the switch. Their first 10 albums
I David Bowie’s case it should surely be ‘and’ not ‘or’ in between the two runs of four albums.
I guess it doesn’t matter what we write someone will always find d something to complain about. It’s pretty comical.
The Electric Light Orchestra was my first ‘favorite band’ when I was 13, back in 1977. “Telephone Line” was the first single I ever bought and Out Of The Blue one of my first albums. By 1979 I had acquired their entire catalog, which was an incredible run of seven perfect albums. When Discovery was released, it fell well short of that standard and signaled a change of direction further enforced by their side on the Xanadu soundtrack. They were not the same band at that point. Out Of The Blue was the end of the run so I would revise their perfect four to be Eldorado (an absolute masterpiece), Face The Music, A New World Record and Out of The Blue for the casual listener. I would personally shift it further back to ELO II, On The Third Day, Eldorado and Face The Music as I really prefer the level of creativity on those early albums. But Discovery? Yeah, no.
I saw ELO a few times in the 1970s as I am a little older than you. Nonetheless, thanks for your comment and for looking at the article. It’s all opinion on what albums are the best, unless you’re going by charts success and sales. We are going to keep this one the way we composed it. So Discovery? yeah,yes!
BOC: On Your Feet or On Your Knees (Live album) was between Secret Treaties and Agents of Fortune, so kind of breaks the string there. I loved it at the time, but I suppose it hasn’t worn well over the years.
We don’t recognize live albums breaking strings of great studio albums, but we will add them to a string if they are memorable.
Fleetwood Mac? Fleetwood Mac, Rumourrs, Tusk, Mirage