Category: Music

There are many albums that end up being a product of their time and tend not to age all that well over the years. For most classic rock albums, though, that tends not to be the case (unless you’re talking strictly about some hair metal bands). 

There are many classic rock albums that are still beloved and critically acclaimed even decades after they were released. From the 1960s to the early 1990s, here are five classic rock albums that have withstood the test of time.

“Nevermind” by Nirvana

Nirvana wasn’t around for a long time as lead singer Kurt Cobain tragically took his own life in 1994, but he led the trio that put together a perfect album for its time that still holds up today. “Nevermind” starts with a memorable album cover and then hits you right in the face with “Smells Like Teen Spirit”, which would be the band’s anthem.

The great songs didn’t stop coming after the intro, either, as the next four songs were “In Bloom”, “Come As You Are”, “Breed” and “Lithium” which all ended up being grunge classics. There were even some deep tracks including “Drain You” and “Something in the Way” that were great, with the latter even being featured in the 2022 film “The Batman” and reaching the Billboard Hot 100 for the first time.

“Rumours” by Fleetwood Mac

If you were to ask a group of people to name a perfect album, there’s a good chance that a lot of them are going to say “Rumours” by Fleetwood Mac. The album was the band’s attempt at making a poppier version of a rock album, and the result was an 11-track masterpiece that reached number one on the charts and is still relevant to this day.

Of course, there are the big hits from “Rumours” that include “Don’t Stop” and “Go Your Own Way”, but there are plenty of other top-tier tracks that include “The Chain”, “Dreams” and “You Make Loving Fun”. There’s really not a single bad song on the album, which is why it was recognized as the Album of the Year at the 1977 Grammy Awards.

“Master of Puppets” by Metallica

You could really pick any of the Metallica albums from before the mid-1990s to appear on this list, but the one that really stands out is “Master of Puppets” for a lot of different reasons. First, there’s the memorable album cover that’s considered to be one of the greatest of all time, then there are eight tracks, all of which are hard-hitting classics.

For the first 14 minutes, listeners are treated with one of the best back-to-back openings in music history with “Battery” followed by the title track, “Master of Puppets”. There’s not much of a break as the album is high octane all the way through, including songs like “Welcome Home (Sanitarium)” and “Orion”, which many consider to be one of the most underrated Metallica songs since it wasn’t a big radio hit.

“Led Zeppelin IV” by Led Zeppelin

When you try to visualize what a classic rock album looks like in your head, you might picture “Led Zeppelin IV”. The 1971 album from the legendary British rock band was one of the greatest-selling albums in history and is considered by many music historians to be the best. Like “Master of Puppets”, there are eight songs total, and they’re all memorable.

The front side of “Led Zeppelin IV” features “Black Dog”, “Rock and Roll”, “The Battle of Evermore” and concludes with “Stairway to Heaven”. That list alone could be an entire album, but there’s also the second side that’s comprised of “Misty Mountain Hop”, “Four Sticks”, “Going to California” and “When the Levee Breaks”.

“Van Halen” by Van Halen

Van Halen has had a lot of great albums, especially when David Lee Roth was the frontman. However, their debut self-titled album released in 1978 remains their best work. It was a great introduction to the band, especially since the lead single was “You Really Got Me”, though the opening track on the album was “Runnin’ with the Devil”.

The hits kept coming thanks to songs like “Ain’t Talkin’ ‘bout Love”, “Feel Your Love Tonight” and “Ice Cream Man”. According to Roth himself, this was the band’s best work and was critically beloved upon its release.

There are a lot of albums that are considered to be among the greatest ever, but that list can end up getting pretty long when you start to think of your personal favorites. While your own tastes are certainly good, there are some albums that hit the general public with such an overwhelmingly positive response from fans and critics alike that it’s hard to not consider them to be among the greatest ever.

If you haven’t listened to too much music from the 1990s and earlier, there are some albums that you absolutely must listen to. These albums have memorable tracks from beginning to end, with the singles that were released from each album making their way up the charts. Here are the five classic albums that span generations and genres that everyone should own.

Rumours by Fleetwood Mac

Fleetwood Mac is a band with an incredible amount of notoriety, in part due to the lasting success of their eleventh studio album Rumours. It’s a classic soft rock album, released in February of 1977. The album features hit songs like “Dreams”, “Go Your Own Way”, and “The Chain”, songs that were written with influence from the bandmates’ lifestyles and relationships. Rolling Stones ranked Rumours at #25 of the 500 greatest albums of all time. 

Thriller by Michael Jackson

Michael Jackson’s Thriller album is the highest-selling album of all time, globally. Indefinitely a classic album everyone should have as a part of their collection. Michael Jackson had a legendary career that has and will continue to leave a lasting impression on the world of pop. Thriller is the sixth studio album the King of Pop released in November of 1982, featuring sensational songs like “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’”, “Billie Jean”, “P.Y.T.”, “Beat It”, and of course “Thriller”. Critics gave the album incredible praise, claiming it changed the music industry for the better and was ahead of its time. 

Jagged Little Pill by Alanis Morrissette

Alanis Morrissette is a force to be reckoned with, even to this day. Her third studio album Jagged Little Pill was released in June of 1995 and features hit songs like “Hand in my Pocket”, “See Right Through You”, “You Learn”, “Ironic”, “Head Over Feet”, and the infamous “You Oughta Know”. She won two Grammys, and five Juno awards, and placed #69 in the 2020 edition of The Rolling Stone’s list of Greatest Albums of All Tim. It’s a classic 90s alternative rock album that is full of angst and deep emotion. 

Purple Rain by Prince

Prince was and still is a legend among the world of musicians. Purple Rain was Prince’s sixth studio album, released in June of 1984. It featured hit songs like “When Doves Cry”, “Darling Nikki”, “Baby I’m a Star”, and “Purple Rain”, all of which, and more, served as the soundtrack for the movie “Purple Rain”. The song Darling Nikki and the music video for When Doves Cry were both surrounded by a certain degree of controversy due to the sexual subject matter. Purple Rain still remains a classic that stood the test of time. 

Back in Black by AC/DC

AC/DC’s seventh studio album Back in Black is one of the best-selling metal albums of all time as well as the fourth best-selling album of all time in the US. It was released in July of 1980, with powerful songs like “Hells Bells”, “Back in Black”, “You Shook Me All Night Long”, and “Rock and Roll Ain’t Noise Pollution”. It’s the first album released by the band with new singer Brian Johnson, following the death of their previous lead singer Bon Scott. Back in Black is a classic hard rock and the heavy metal masterpiece that revived and molded the world of metal music, making way for the metal bands of today. 

It seems that these days, most concerts are held in stadiums that were made for football/soccer or indoors at basketball and hockey arenas. While they serve their purpose as being venues that can get a lot of fans into the seats and have large open flooring sections, the acoustics aren’t always preferable.

There are some venues, though, where the atmosphere is tremendous and the sound is second to none. These venues are located all around the world, with some being outdoors while others are tucked away in smaller indoor spots. Out of all of the concert venues in the world, these five stand out as the place where musicians truly want to play for a multitude of reasons.

Sydney Opera House

Located in Bennelong Point in Sydney Australia, the Sydney Opera House is one of the most incredible and uniquely built structures of our time. The fabulous building rests on the Sydney Harbour and stands out to anyone within the general vicinity. 

The Sydney Opera House was fully erected in 1973 and has been home to some of the world’s most impressive acts, such as the Sydney Symphony Orchestra and Australian Ballet, as well as popular performances by Sting, Bob Dylan, and Prince.

Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre

Located in Morrison Colorado, the Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre, also known more simply as the Red Rocks, is one of the most stunning music venues in all of America. The outdoor, open-air venue is stunning and well-constructed. Famous acts like U2, The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, Rush, and Colorado native John Denver. 

The stunning architecture of the surrounding nature and manmade features creates an awe-inspiring scene for any concert performed at the Red Rocks. Concertgoers and performers alike have commented on its beauty and claim it may be the best venue out there.

Hollywood Bowl

Another eye-catching Amphitheatre is the Hollywood Bowl, located in the Hollywood Hills in Los Angeles California. It’s been deemed as one of the best music venues in the world, even making it on Rolling Stone’s list of the top ten live music venues in 2018. 

It was initially opened in 1922 and underwent renovations in the early 2000s. Superstar acts like The Beatles, The Supremes, The Doors, The Jackson 5, and Elton John have all performed at the legendary venue. Plays like Mamma Mia, Rent, Westside Story, and Les Misérables have also made their way to the Hollywood Bowl, with all-star casts performing the popular shows. 

Dalhalla

Dalhalla is an open-air venue, opened in 1995, and located a whopping 200 feet below sea level in an old limestone quarry in Rättvik, Sweden. Artists like Bjork, Iggy Pop, Sting, and Arcade Fire have performed in the extraordinarily unique venue that seats 4,000. 

Dalhalla hosts around 30 events during the summer months, mainly composed of opera, jazz, and popular musicians. The interesting location makes for an amazing acoustic sound that turns any and all instrumentals and vocals into even more beautiful works of art. 

Carnegie Hall

The famous Carnegie Hall venue is located in Manhattan, New York. William Burnet Tuthill designed the wondrous historic structure that was then built by and named after Andrew Carnegie. Carnegie Hall opened in 1891 and has been home to performances by the Boston Symphony Orchestra, the Philadelphia Symphonic Orchestra, Billie Holiday, Judy Garland, Nina Simone, The Beatles, and Led Zeppelin. 

The Hall earned its place on the list of US National Historic Landmarks as well as the US National Register of Historic Places. The Italian Renaissance style structure remains a beloved masterpiece in the heart of Manhattan for tourists and locals, adding a sophisticated touch to the city.  

There are certain genres of music where the album covers just mean a little more. In metal, an album cover is one of the most important aspects of the album itself. Many metal albums are epics that tell an entire story and have themes, and the covers tend to match those themes. Because of this, there have been some truly iconic metal album covers over the years, but these five really stand out as the best.

5. Leviathan by Mastodon

The newest album to be included on the list is 2004’s “Leviathan” by Mastodon, which was a concept album that was based on the famous novel “Moby Dick”. With songs such as “Iron Tusk” and “I Am Ahab”, “Leviathan” has a cover that matches the theme of the entire album.

Philadelphia native Paul Romano is the man responsible for the cover art for “Leviathan”, and much of his work has been featured on album covers throughout the years. The album itself only shows a small portion of the full picture, which can only be described as truly epic. The mix of colors and clashing themes seems like it’s straight out of a fantasy story and makes “Leviathan” really stand out.

4. Sad Wings of Destiny by Judas Priest

Judas Priest was still in the early years as a band when they released “Sad Wings of Destiny” in 1976, which was just their second album. “Sad Wings of Destiny” had a little something for all metal fans no matter the mood, and the album was propelled by memorable songs including “Deceiver” and “The Ripper”.

Patrick Woodroffe was tabbed to create the cover art for “Sad Wings of Destiny”. The official title of the painting is “Fallen Angel”, which shows the band’s symbol within the imagery. Woodroffe would also create cover art for bands including Budgie, Mike Batt, and even Tiesto. Still, it’s his “Fallen Angel” piece that fans remember the most.

3. Peace Sells…But Who’s Buying? by Megadeth

Following the success of “Killing Is My Business…and Business Is Good!”, Megadeth released “Peace Sells…but Who’s Buying?” the following year in 1985. The album was commercially successful thanks to the title track and other songs including “Wake Up Dead” and “The Conjuring”.

Megadeth loved using artist Ed Repka and their mascot Vic Rattlehead, and that’s how the cover of “Peace Sells” came to be. Repka drew Vic in front of a destroyed United Nations Building and set up a sign to sell the real estate. Repka said it was a cornerstone moment for his career, and he’d go on to create art for several Megadeth albums including “Hangar 18”, “No More Mr. Nice Guy” and “From Beyond”.

2. Master of Puppets by Metallica

There’s always a debate amongst Metallica fans as to what the best album in the band’s catalog is, with many making a case for “Master of Puppets”. Released in 1986, the album received near-perfect reviews across the board thanks to songs including “Battery”, “Welcome Home”, and “Disposable Heroes”.

The cover of “Master of Puppets” fits the theme and name of the album, showing subconscious manipulation. The white crosses mark all of those that were being controlled by higher powers, including those having their lives ended by war. “Master of Puppets” was actually designed mostly by Metallica, though they enlisted the help of Peter Mensch and painter Don Brautigam to bring their idea to life.

1. Holy Diver by Dio

“Holy Diver” was the result of Ronnie James Dio wrapping up his first stint with Black Sabbath, using many of the bandmates that he had worked with up to that point. The album produced a lot of memorable tracks, including the title track, “Stand Up and Shout”, and “Rainbow in the Dark”.

Dio used a mascot named Murray that was prominently featured in much of the band’s work, and that includes the “Holy Diver” album cover. Randy Berrett was the artist that brought Murray to life in this one, which shows him wrapping up a priest with his whip-like chain from a mountain high above the water. Naturally, this cover drew some controversy, but it was very much on-brand for Dio.

Home recording is a rewarding way to spend free time and let your creativity flow. If you get good enough at home recording, you may even be able to make a career out of your hobby.

Some hobbies have a steep learning curve, and home recording can be one of those hobbies. Investing in the right equipment, reading about home recording and allowing your creativity to flow can make getting started with home recording much easier. Here’s what to know. 

Know Your Budget

Your home recording studio will require an initial investment from you, because you’ll need to purchase equipment and set up space at home. Most people need to invest at least $300 in their studio, if they’re starting from scratch. This includes basic equipment and a microphone.

Costs vary depending on what you’re planning on purchasing. Shop around, and if you’re on a tight budget, you may need to purchase your recording equipment over a long period of time, which could delay your progress.

This cost does not include the price of a good computer. People who engage in home recording rely on good computers. Recording can make big files that require a powerful computer to manipulate. Just having a basic computer at home isn’t good enough – you’ll need a computer that’s designed to process and store large files. As you’re making your budget, you may need to add in some money for a new computer. Shop around to get the best, most affordable deal. 

Set Up Your Studio

Once you’ve got the money set aside, it’s time to make purchases.  

A Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) is a type of software that allows people who record at home to record audio and mix their music from their personal workstation. There are a variety of DAW products available for home recording buffs. You’ll learn more about the best DAW products by doing research and by networking with people who enjoy this hobby for themselves.  

Other purchases you’ll need to make include:

• Audio interface
• Monitor speakers
• Headphones
• Microphphone (including cable and stand)
• Popshield

If you’re serious about home recording, you may also want to purchase acoustic treatments that help soundproof the room where you’ll be working.  

Record Your First Track

Once you’ve purchased and set up your equipment, you’re ready to record your first track. Some tips:

Name the track before you start recording. Come up with a naming convention to make it easier to store and organize your digital files.

Set the recording levels. The loudest parts of your track should fall around -10 dbfs (decibels relative to full scale). 

Avoid heavy-duty mixing in the beginning. Mixing tracks adds a level of complication that can leave many beginners feeling lost. Basic mixing is hard enough, so keep your mixing to a minimum at first. 

Home recording takes a lot of time to learn and get good at, so your first tracks may not live up to your own expectations. Keep practicing, and you’ll get better with time.

You may love the piano chops of Elton John or Billy Joel, but if you’re just venturing into pop music on your keyboard you might find it hard to duplicate their adroit fingering. It’s better to begin with some easier tunes and build your confidence. Here are five first songs to learn when you’re starting out.

You can buy sheet music for these tunes, or you might prefer to watch an instructional video clip and imitate what you see and hear. As with any piece, you can add complexity and make it as difficult as you like, but they all have a straightforward structure that make them good starter songs.

1. Yesterday

This Beatles hit was written by Paul McCartney. The melody came to him in a dream, and he wrote it down when he woke up. It has a distinct and creative chord progression. It starts in G, then goes to F sharp minor seventh, then B, E minor and back to G. It’s best played arpeggio – chords played one note at a time.

Another way is to play each phrase of melody with the right hand and with transpositions of the chord progression with the left.

2. Imagine

A haunting tune by the other half of the great Beatles songwriting team, John Lennon, was penned after the Fab Four broke up. A big part of its appeal is that it’s beautiful but simple.

It’s not hard to learn. A tonic and fourth, C and F, anchor the song in the left hand. The right hand can follow the melody and optionally sneak in the little riff at the end of each line.

3. Unchained Melody

This was written by Alex North and Hy Zaret in 1955 and has been recorded repeatedly, but the most famous is the Righteous Brothers 1965 rendition. One way to play it is to follow the chord progression – D, B minor, G, A – with the left hand while arpeggiating the chords with the right. You can also do the arpeggios in the left hand and play chords that include the melody note on the right side.

4. A Thousand Miles

This Vanessa Carlton song begins with the famous and widely recognized riff. It might be a little tricky to master, but once you have it, you have it for the whole song. The harmonies are easier and they also repeat. There’s a bit of syncopation is this number, which may take some getting used to. However, the technique carries over to many songs, and once you start syncopating, you may want to do more of it.

5. Ain’t No Mountain High Enough

Tuneful melodies are nice, but every pianist ought to be able to crank our something with a little soul. This classic, recorded by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell among others, has an easy melody and a rhythm that is essentially simple but begs for syncopation. In some arrangements, the left hand drives. It’s a good introduction to playing jazzy music.

Once upon a time, DJs or disc jockey’s played music on radios all over the world. Today, it is a career option that spans music publishing, clubs, and even mobile work like weddings and other significant events. But, like any profession, there are some principles that all DJs should follow, like these five. 

1. Be Willing to Adapt

It is one of the guiding principles of being a good DJ. You don’t always know what you will get at a venue or what might impact your show. DJs need to be able and willing to adapt to the various situations as they come. 

That might mean being willing to play music outside your genre and to listen to what your audience is telling you they want to hear. It may also mean taking breaks in the show based on what the host or venue needs as opposed to the DJ’s personal preference. 

2. Learn to Read the Room

The job is entertainment, and for that to be effective, DJs must be able to read the room. Well-known DJ Argy calls this a necessity. He states that a good DJ can walk into a room and know exactly what is happening within five minutes. 

They need to be able to judge the mood of the people in the room, develop an understanding of their insecurities and look for ways to make them feel good. It could be the difference between having a regular gig and never working again. 

3. Check Your Ego at the Door

DJing is an art form, and like all artists, some DJs let their egos get in the way of pleasing the audience and making good music. Choose cohesive music that will play well in the room. If you love a mix, but the quality is poor, it will not sound good when played. 

It’s not about playing just what you like, it is about pleasing the audience, and that means putting together tracks that make sense and that play well. And if they ask you to change your music, suck it up and do what it takes to keep the audience dancing. 

4. Invest in Your Craft

Treat being a DJ like you would any startup business. As you make money, put it back into your company.  For DJs, that often means buying better equipment. You won’t get top gigs with cheap, poor-quality equipment. 

Once you get the top-of-the-line equipment, keep investing. You might put that money into marketing, for example. Consider publishing mixes to grow your career and make even more money when getting the best gigs. 

5. Don’t Get Drunk

It is common for venues to offer free or discounted drinks to the DJs. After all, the more they drink, the more entertaining they can be, but maybe not in a good way. Don’t let drinking alcohol get in the way of doing your job. You want to have fun because you want your audience to have fun but know your limits. 

DJing is a profession like any other. If you want to do it well, you must know the principles for success. 

 

Inspiration is flowing through your head. But something’s missing. No home studio. You’re not interested in paying studio fees. But you also aren’t ready to invest big money in a home studio. 

Can you record at home without a studio and still produce a professional sound? Just follow these 5 fundamentals.

1. Find a Soundproof Location

So it probably won’t be 100% soundproof at home. That’s okay. Just find the quietest place in your home. Then take steps to reduce the sound seeping in even further.

Choose a time of day when noise is at its lowest, as long as the recording won’t wake the neighbors.

Close the doors and windows. Better yet, choose a room with no windows.

Use mattresses and pillows to block sound. Focus these around doors, windows, and vents, and noisier walls since you won’t be able to cover the whole room. Thicker materials are better. Egg crate toppers look like a good choice but usually don’t do much.

Empty room? No furniture = echoes, so put some furniture with soft surfaces in there too. 

2. Get Some Basic Equipment

You don’t have to spend a lot of money. But you need some basics. Buy, beg, or borrow from friends as needed:

• A computer
• A decent microphone
• DAW (Digital Recording Workstation). It’s software that allows you to adjust the sound quality on your computer.
• Audio interface. It changes sound into a format your computer can understand and work with.

Alternatively, if you have a decent smartphone, check its recording capabilities to save money and time wrangling up this stuff.  Garageband is a free audio interface on Apple devices that is great for beginners. Bandlab is another.

If you have some cash, you shouldn’t spend more than $200 on an audio interface starting out. You can get basic ones for around $50.

Some decent options under $200 are:

• Behringer U-Phoria UMC202HD 

• Audient iD4 MKII USB-C Audio Interface 

• M-Audio M-Track Solo 

3. Check Your Levels

You got some basic equipment for a reason. Before you go live or start recording, do a sound check. As a general rule, a recording level over 0 will create distortion, so shoot for -10 to -12 as a starting point.

Play it back. See how it sounds. Make adjustments to get the highest quality while reducing distortion. 

4. Start with a Basic Recording

Don’t put your heart and soul into your first recording.

You won’t get it perfect the first time. That’s how it’s supposed to be.

Get a feel for your equipment. Make note of how close you need to be, how loud, if you’re in key.

Work on these basics before you give it your all.  Otherwise, you’ll wear yourself out before you actually get to the REAL recording.

5. Keep Working on Quality and Equipment

Because you didn’t overspend early on, you’ll be able to invest in your quality and professional sound as you gain traction in the industry. 

You may need better:

• Microphone
• DAW
• Audio interface

And a good set of headphones can up your quality game. 

You may not have the funds or time to do it all at once. But always think about how you can make this better. 

Recording At Home Without a Studio

Yes, you can produce professional sound at home without a studio. Few but the most attuned ears would know the difference if you follow these basic tips. 

Your audience awaits.