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Many bands in classic rock history have released three great albums in a row. There are not as many that have released three perfect albums. Of course, the term perfect is a subjective phrase when it comes to the arts. Nonetheless, the bands we have included on this list have released what we would call many perfect albums in their careers besides just the three in a row. Since many classic rock bands have released great trilogies of rock albums, we thought we would lean to the heavy sides with a few exceptions for this article. Bands like Slayer, who were one of the most corrosive, ultra thrash/death blended sinister bands, took their place as one of the thrash metal world’s Big Four bands in the mid-80s. So, that’s where we will start our Classic Rock Bands That Released Three Perfect Albums In A Row article.
Slayer
Slayer’s first two albums, Show No Mercy and Hell Awaits, were dark, but they then created a string of albums in which they fueled the death metal genre with an almost indescribable power. The first, Reign In Blood, all 28 minutes of it, remains a metal milestone across the board for its fury and imagery. The band caught a lot of flak for the opening classic track “Angel Of Death,” which did nothing but discuss the horrific deeds of Nazi doctor/butcher Joseph Mengele. Even though the lyrics were definitely against the sadistic monster, some types naturally tried to paint them as Nazi’s, not apparently bothering to read the lyrics.
Slayer and metal fans were blown away at this incredible album. It has two additional tracks now, making it an actual marathon at 32 minutes, but such power wasn’t going to be quelled that quickly.
The band even slowed some of the tempos down a bit to establish some grooves, and the following two albums, which could have been a fine double album, cemented Slayer’s place in metal history, South Of Heaven and Seasons In The Abyss. Fans dubbed this string as “Unholy Trinity,” and while follow-ups had their share of the Slayer “magic.” these three are considered the top of the notch.
The Beatles
These guys did something truly unique, and it almost makes me want to call this trinity a quad-whatever. However, in the spirit of the article, first, let’s acknowledge the leap in songwriting on Help! over the older albums. The Beatles were exhausted when shoved into Abbey Road studios to rush out Beatles For Sale. While it had its charms, like McCartney’s “Eight Days A Week” overall with several cover tunes, it was clearly not a band at peak performance. But while the production of Help! wasn’t improved over previous albums, it had a considerable improvement in songs, including “Yesterday” and “Help!” “Ticket To Ride” and even Ringo’s cover of Buck Owens’ classic “Act Naturally.”
Nobody expected what was next: Rubber Soul.The sound wasn’t just better – it was astonishingly better and blew out all the competition for great sound except for a California genius named Brian Wilson, who was paying close attention and on the same creative level. I can only imagine this album’s impact as I was just five years old. But the fact it is still fresh and songs like “Norwegian Wood” and “Nowhere Man”, two of Lennon’s best ever songs, and “Michelle” has aged not one bit. But part two of this trilogy was Revolver, which is regarded by many as the greatest Beatles album ever and one of the most important in sonic innovation and songwriting development by any composer in any field.
From the burning “Taxman,” with George singing and letting Paul play that stinging lead to the R&B “Got To Get You Into My Life” and closer “Tomorrow Never Knows”, and what a closer – the bar was raised considerably. Brian Wilson responded with the equally majestic Pet Sounds. And we know what came next – Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. Since volumes of books have covered this incredible album, we’ll save the descriptions, but I think these three albums were indeed The Beatles’ greatest trilogy of albums.
The Rolling Stones
If anything, this band has several sets of trilogies because although while they have stayed the course as the world’s greatest rock and roll band, their sound has evolved dramatically. I submit the first “trilogy” as the albums most Rolling Stones fans agree make a fabulous three-record set. Brian Jones would die, and Keith Richards and the band decided the hippy stuff wasn’t their strong suit, and they were right – it wasn’t. But Beggars Banquet, Let It Bleed, and Sticky Fingers were the definitive albums to end the turmoil of the ’60s. Altamont was a disaster, through no fault of the Stones, where Mick Jagger begged and pleaded for calm from the stage. They would also record what may be the greatest live album ever, Get Yer Ya Ya’s Out to close the decade.
The second three were the next three, oddly enough. Starting with Exile On Main Street, their usually acknowledged greatest album, one that skirmishes sometimes with Sticky Fingers, this double album was rock and roll, blues and even a dash of country that is sheer brilliance from start to finish. Then, Goat’s Head Soup followed, one of my favorite Stones albums, and the last with the great Mick Taylor, It’s Only Rock and Roll.
There would be a pause as Ron Wood was hired for Black And Blue, a reggae tinged album that wasn’t frankly up to the Stones’ normal standards. The next trilogy was Some Girls, Tattoo You and Emotional Rescue before the band took some time off. No more trilogies would emerge, but there was plenty of good stuff. Really, you can’t go wrong even now with The Rolling Stones.
Blue Oyster Cult
This metal band was considered competition for Black Sabbath, but Blue Oyster Cult, far and away, were more progressive musicians, and their trilogy was referred to as the “dark albums.”
These first three albums had a much heavier but no less musically brilliant style but were not to be trifled with.
The self-titled debut, the scorching Tyranny and Mutation, and Secret Treaties are just genius. From a slam in the gut with “The Red And The Black” the psychic jazz of “She’s As Beautiful As A Foot” to the ethereal “Astronomy,” every one of these albums belongs in your collection.
Motorhead
This great band had its share of great albums, but we hard heads for the legendary line-up of the late Lemmy Kilmister, Fast Eddie Clark on guitar and maniac drummer Phil “Philthy Animal” Taylor think creating the loudest, trashiest and utterly great rock and roll of the late ’70’s and early ’80’s was the responsibility of these hooligans.Anchored by an incredible sense of swing and really great drumming, for all their bombast Motorhead understood rock and roll had to be able to move.
The second album, Overkill, marks the first of the trilogy, the debut self-titled album a bit too raw and sloppy, and that title track alone is the very definition of rock and roll as a lifestyle. Other tunes like the ripper “No Class” and “Damage Case” make this as heavy as it gets. Bomber, the next album, follows and continues the same progression, and we barely have time to exhale when Ace Of Spades explodes.
Again, no description is necessary, but if you like your rock and roll as loud, slamming, and great as it gets, you better have this album. Other greats would follow – Another Perfect Day, 1916, Inferno, etc.
Black Sabbath
Our next legendary group on our Classic Rock Bands That Released Three Perfect Albums In A Row is one of the heaviest and most loved metal bands of all time in a group we all know as Black Sabbath. Here we’re dealing with multiple line-ups, all with various degrees of excellence in vocals.
Since this article is dealing with sequencing and excluding live albums, it is, therefore, necessary to select the trilogy that actually, as far as doom-laden, scary guitar dives and demented vocals courtesy of Ozzy Osbourne, the same albums that would, along with Judas Priest, define metal for heaviness, speed and darkness from then until today with no end in sight.
I was too young, but hearing that opening riff to “Black Sabbath” dubbed a Satanic chord progression by enemies of rock would have had to been a real mind blower. Add Paranoid and Master Of Reality and the spell has been forever cast.
AC/DC
They have survived the loss of their original singer Bon Scott, and most recently, rhythm guitarist and primary songwriter Malcolm Young, yet remain one of rock and roll’s most loved bands.
The studio albums do well, but really, AC/DC is most at home on the stage, and seem just as happy to crank out the older tunes as the new ones, no doubt due to the reaction of their always ecstatic fans. But there is a trilogy that arguably marks their greatest music, and Powerage starts off with the most hooks and catchy music ever on an AC/DC album. It is their high water mark perhaps with Back In Black for memorable riffs. Songs like “Down Payment Blues” “Riff Raff” their greatest scorching song, and “Sin City” make it legendary.
Then, Highway To Hell comes through, with Bon Scott’s best vocal performance and the title track that opens the US market in a big way as openers for the most significant bands crisscrossing the states, and probably sorry they asked the Young brothers to come along. Of course, the last part of the trilogy period here needs no introduction or historical visit, Back In Black. When Bon Scott suddenly died of alcohol poisoning, the band decided to get on with it, found and hired the gravel-voiced Brian Johnson, and created one of the highest-selling albums of all time. Follow-up albums had their ups and downs, but this was the golden age for AC/DC.
Led Zeppelin
I was going to stay away from Led Zeppelin because they had such a significant body of music. However, I thought a little about it, and there are indeed two “trilogy” eras – the first six albums. Allow me to explain. Led Zeppelin came on like gangbusters after Jimmy Page decided after Keith Moon’s comment that his (Jimmy’s) new band would go over like a lead Zeppelin to name his group precisely that. But finding John Paul Jones wasn’t tricky; both Jimmy Page and Jones are well-seasoned studio musicians in London. Somehow, Robert Plant and his incredible voice found its way to the attention of Page, who liked it, and Plant wanted John Bonham as drummer.
The rest is history, and there are several books you can read about it. But the first album, pretty much a parallel album if not a knockoff of Jeff Beck Group’s Truth, was rawer and with faster tunes like “Communication Breakdown” and psychedelic portions thrown in; it was more significant with the younger high school-age classes, who liked their music a little heavier than their older brothers and sisters who still thought The Byrds and CSN & Y were heavy enough. We see the pattern for the first triple set. II followed, again, with more blues and a definite rip-off of “The Lemon Song” of Robert Johnson, but “Whole Lotta Love” alone got the fans going.
Led Zeppelin III was a head-scratcher, with Jimmy Page displaying not just his rock and roll chops on “The Immigrant Song” and the blues of “Since I’ve Been Loving You” but also his considerable acoustic work. Now, the second trilogy was set because, like The Beatles, things were going to change quickly. Zoso, IV, or just plain Led Zeppelin, was the album that set the rock and roll world upside down. Everything was different – the sound, the power, especially Bonham’s drums on tunes like “Four Sticks” and “When The Levee Breaks,” the sinister feel, and that song.
Again, I was older but still not hip enough to pay attention. I do recall that when I heard “Stairway To Heaven” the first time, I knew something was going on deep inside my psyche. Page had touched people, and Robert’s vocals and lyrics were perfect. Now add to that “Rock And Roll,” “Black Dog,” and “Misty Mountain Hop,” and you have an album that was in the league of Revolver, Are You Experienced, Sticky Fingers or maybe in a class by itself. That’s up for the fan to decide.
We follow up this monumental album with the equally stunning experimental Houses Of The Holy that wisely stays off IV’s turf but gives us some fantastic material, “The Rain Song,” “No Quarter,” and “Over The Hills And Far Away.” To close this trilogy and article, we got Physical Graffiti. It is my favorite Led Zeppelin album, and the songs are untouchable. It is a masterpiece and is ageless. “Kashmir,” “In The Light,” and “Ten Years Gone” alone make this album the brilliant music it is. No wonder the “trilogy” stopped here.
More Classic Rock Bands That Released Three Perfect Albums In A Row
Queen
A Night At The Opera
A Day At The Races
News Of The World
Elton John
Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
Caribou
Captain Fantastic And The Brown Dirt Cowboy
Billy Joel
Turnstiles
The Stranger
52nd Street
Foghat
Fool For The City
Night Shift
Stone Blue
Def Leppard
High n Dry
Pyromania
Hysteria
The Kinks
Metallica
Ride the Lightning
Master of Puppets
And Justice for All
Jethro Tull
Benefit
Aqualung
Thick as a Brick
Bruce Springsteen
The Wild, the Innocent & the E Street Shuffle
Born to Run
Darkness on the Edge of Town
The Allman Brothers Band
The Allman Brothers Band
Idlewild South
At Fillmore East
Van Halen
Van Halen
Van Halen II
Woman And Children First
Yes
The Yes Album
Fragile
Close to the Edge
Pink Floyd
The Dark Side of the Moon
Wish You Were Here
Animals
Iron Maiden
The Number Of The Beast
Piece of mind
Powerslave
Rush
2112
A Farewell to Kings
Hemispheres
Bad Company
Bad Company
Straight Shooter
Run With The Pack
Genesis
Selling England by the Pound
The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway
Trick of the Tail
The Jimi Hendrix Experience
Are You Experienced
Axis: Bold as Love
Electric Ladyland
Ramones
Ramones
Leave Home
Rocket to Russia
Foreigner
Foreigner
Double Vision
Head Games
Creedence Clearwater Revival
Green River
Willy and the Poor Boys
Cosmo’s Factory
Aerosmith
Toys in the Attic (1975)
Rocks (1976)
Draw the Line (1977)
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
Tarkus
Pictures at an Exhibition
Trilogy
KISS
Destroyer
Rock And Roll Over
Love Gun
Classic Rock Bands That Released Three Perfect Albums In A Row article published on Classic RockHistory.com© 2024
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1) The Yes Album
2) Fragile
3) Close to the Edge.
I think Zeppelin released 6 perfect albums in a row
There’s that! Not everybody was quite as enamored with “Presence”, although it’s just a question of just how good the stuff through “Physical Graffiti” was to me. Thanks for commenting!
No question how great they are (were). I didn’t include live albums so I stopped after “Physical Graffiti”. Nothing wrong with live albums, but I was looking at the quality of the studio work for this article’s theme. But thanks for commenting!
Status Quo did 5 and not even a mention. PILEDRIVER, HELLO, QUO, ON THE LEVEL, BLUE FOR YOU. Some of those other bands i have never heard of?? Crazy prodiction
Pink Floyd –
Dark Side Of The Moon
Wish You Were Here
Animals
100% Correct
I had forgotten about Floyd until I sent off the article, but this is a fine set as well. “Meddle” is also a masterpiece, so maybe it’s a quad for these guys. Thanks for commenting.
Or “Meddle”, to make it the four best. I didn’t, one, because I didn’t think of Floyd at the time I was writing, but also because, and please forgive me, I’m not as enamored with “Wish You Were Here”. A fine album but compared to the other three, for me it’s the weakest link. Thanks for your input!
Wish u were here a weakest link? What makes it weak? Its such an underrated album… It has masterpieces… Shine on is a song that would propel a band to greatness, if it was the only song they’ve ever made…. Have a cigar, one of the greatest riffs ever made… Wish u were here as a solo song, by itself, a polished diamond…. U cannot say wish u were here is a weak link.. Its a masterpiece
The Wall
And The Wall, that’s 4
Haha! The Wall being a double can be 2 of 3.
Agreed. Saw Them on those tours. Great memories!
Re: Rolling Stones and Altamont violence, “thru no fault of their own”? You haven’t read the history.
1) Wishbone Ash
2) Pilgrimage
3) Argus
I prefer There’s the Rub
Big miss on Leppard… 3 of rocks finest back to back to back releases:
High n Dry
Pyromania
Hysteria
Great call on BOC!
I like Def Leppard okay, but for me “On Through The Night” and “High ‘n Dry” were their best. Many folks loved that poppy edge too, though, and you sure can’t argue with the results. I know Blue Oyster Cult had great albums after “Secret Treaties” but there were more than three in a row that fit into the mold that was set with “Agents Of Fortune”. Otherwise, through “Cultosaurus Erectus” it’s great stuff. Thanks!
No Metallica? This list is null and void without them. Kill em all, Ride the Lightning, Master of Puppets and many would say And Justice for All.
I had trouble deciding whether to start at “Kill ‘Em All” or “Ride The Lightning”. So I left this one to you readers, and I was running short on time because I could have gone on and on, but I thought the “trilogy” concept was mildly interesting. Thanks for commenting!
Yes, Metallica has to be up there, especially for their trilogy of commercially successful albums:
1. The Black Album
2. Load
3. Re-Load
2112
Farewell to kings
Hemispheres
Permanent waves
Moving pictures
Signals
Want me to continue……
Right there brothers
Todos tienen 3 o a lo sumo 4, Rush tiene 7 mínimo, la mejor banda de todos los tiempos
Deep Purple
In Rock
Fireball
Machine Head
Wheels of Steel
Strong Arm Of The Law
Denim And Leather
Saxon! I knew I couldn’t remember them all, but I’m glad you remembered this great metal band. Too bad they didn’t get as huge as Judas Priest or Motorhead because they sure had the music and chops, but they are still doing pretty well, and that’s great. “Strong Arm Of The Law” is a long time fave for me. Thanks for commenting!
Allman Brothers
Fillmore East
Eat a Peach
Brothers and Sisters
This ain’t complete without Tool
Undertow
Aenima
Lateralus
Tommy
Live At Leeds
Who’s Next
Quadrophenia
You’re absolutely right; these were missing. Almost a rock opera trilogy!
Just a slight correction on your article about Traffic’s One Hit Wonder of “Give Me Some Lovin” Please note that this song was earlier, a British Invasion Hit where a young 16 yr old Phenom named Steve Winwood sang the lead and played keyboards for SPENCER DAVIS GROUP, He also had the Hit cover of I’m a Man
Fleedwoid mac. Rumors. Tusk. Mirage. Possibly.
Since this article was not afraid to acknowledge the heavier a de of things I think it is noteworthy to mention Pantera. Undeniably vulgar display of power , far beyond driven and maybe the best metal album ever made in my opinion!! the great southern trendkill. Are 3 masterful albums in a row.
How about The Who .
Tommy
Who’s Next
Quadrophenia
You guys dis Jethro Tull so! Stand Up, Benefit, Aqualung, TAAB, A Passion Play, WarChild, Minstrel, Too old (nix the title cut), Songs, Heavy Horses. That ten una row, extraordinary in their diversity, lyrical and musical construction, Ian’s stage presence, wit and the way the arrangements play off each other has never been duplicated and never will! And he has played over twenty distinct instruments on his collective recordings; the only one l am aware of who has done so but Jann Wenner and damn Rolling Stone have blackballed him in favor of rap artists in the Rock n Roll HOF? Bullshit!
Agree Jethro Tull has a great catalog and absolutely should be in the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame
A big swing and a miss not mentioning
Jane’s Addiction
Triple X
Nothing’s Shocking
Ritual de la Habitual
Van Halen
Van Halen
II
Women and Children First
Iron maiden
The number of the beast
Piece of mind
Powerslave
Scott, you can’t forget Disturbed, and the 3 masterpiece albums that started their career.
1. The Sickness
2. Believe
3. Ten Thousand Fists
Plus, Draiman is a perfect dead ringer for Howie Mandel to top it all off.
Totally missed on this list
Aerosmith
Get Your Wings
Toys in the Attic
Rocks
100% correct !!
Damn right about Blue Oyster Cult….so where is the outrage that they cannot even sniff the Rock HOF???
Hey dude! It’s Dustin, aka McNulty. What a surprise, this article showed up on my newsfeed, only to scroll down and see who the author was!
I’m going to respectfully disagree with you on the Queen listings though. Take those three out and sub in Queen I, Queen II, and Sheer Heart Attack 🙂
The Beatles trio is technically inaccurate since the author skipped “Yesterday and Today” which is considered an album. I would argue Hemispheres, Permanent Waves, Moving Pictures trio of albums is superior to 2112, Farewell to the Kings, and Hemispheres.
The rest of the lists here are spot on. Most of these are absolute, unarguable no brainers like Zeppelin, the Stones, and Iron Maiden.
Yesterday and Today is not an original Beatles album, it’s one of the 1960s US issues that mixed songs from the original UK albums and singles. The Beatles never released an album called Yesterday and Today, US Capitol Records did.
Check out the article below
Beatles Discography
I’m with Brian Harrington Rush undoubtedly has them all beat 19 studio albums and 17 in a row with maybe 1 album people may not understand. From there debut record all the way through 40 years of making music pure music genius.
Genesis Selling England by the Pound The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway Trick of the Tail Wind and Wuthering
Great lists!
Beggars Banquet
Let it bleed
Get Yer Ya-Ya’s out
Sticky Fingers
Exile on Main Street
All in 5 years! Tough to match that.
Tom Petty has to be on the list
Damn the Torpedoes
Hard Promises
Long after Dark
You go go elsewhere in his discography. So much good stuff.
The Man Who Sold the World
Hunky Dory
The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars
I would throw in the vastly underappreciated King’s X.
Out Of The Silent Planet
Gretchen Goes To Nebraska
Faith Hope Love
As far as I’m concerned Presence is number 1 in my book. Not because of the Plants accident but because Page worked such magic with the guitar! Every song rocks and that holds sway over everything else. Including Tea for one. Outstanding in my thinking. Then four then fifth .
Days of the New Yellow, Green, Red
Creed My Own Prison, Human Clay, Weathered
Elvis Costello:
My Aim Is True
This Year’s Model
Armed Forces
(Get Happy and Trust could make it five straight)
Not known for their studio output, but the Grateful Dead hit a trifecta in the mid 70’s with WAKE OF THE FLOOD, FROM THE MARS MOTEL, and BLUES FOR ALLAH.
Cheap Trick: Cheap Trick, In Color & Heaven Tonight. These three were even put together into a box set.
Peter Gabriel
So
Us
Up
ELO
Face the Music
A New World Record
Out of the Blue
Missing:
Megadeth
Rust in Peace
Countdown to Extinction
Youthanasia
Steely Dan.
Humble Pie
Town and Country
As Safe As Yesterday Is
Rock On
Budgie
Squawk
Never Turn Your Back on A Friend
In For The Kill
Bandolier