Hard rock evolved from several popular music factors at the beginning of the ’70s. From electric blues to garage rock to pop radio, shifts in tastes and performance blurred the line between rock ‘n’ roll and its more muscular counterpart as the 1960s drew to a close.
As seen in the list below of the Best Album by Hard Rock’s 15 Biggest Artists, the 1970s were a peak decade for the genre to make a mark. Several components contributed to this moment: Rock music found its voice in the past decade after its rise in the 1950s, and a new generation latched onto artists who reflected both their ideals and the turbulent times.
The greatest acts outlived the expiration dates they were given at the time. Decades later, many of these artists still tour and release records. The very best of them transcended genres; hard rock is just a starting point for many of them.
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Discussion of popular music is impossible without bands like Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, the Who and the others below. Their impact on rock music, especially hard rock, contributed to the genre’s growth during the 1970s and ’80s.
Whether chugging out riffs that are still heralded today or laying the groundwork for what came after them, these influential albums are the key records in great, lasting careers. It’s not always easy to separate the thin lines among rock’s various genres, but these records, one loud guitar at a time, still rise above the noise.
The Best Album by Hard Rock’s 15 Biggest Artists
The most essential recordings from the bands that shaped a genre.
Gallery Credit: Michael Gallucci
