Peter Frampton will forever be associated with the 1976 blockbuster live album that bears his name. But there’s so much more to the versatile singer, songwriter and guitarist, as the below list of Peter Frampton Albums Ranked shows.
At 16, he joined the Herd and almost instantly became a pop star in his native U.K. thanks to a handful of hit singles. Worn down by the pinup status that now greeted his every move, Farmpton left the band for former Small Faces member Steve Marriott‘s new band, Humble Pie.
But the demands of that outfit soon wore him down, too. Downplaying his flexible guitar skills in favor of loud, raucous hard rock, he left the band in 1971 for a solo career that showcased his evolving proficiency on guitar. Four albums of varying material, ranging from hushed acoustic whispers to soulful covers, followed. And then everything changed with the arrival of his next record.
READ MORE: Top 100 Live Albums
Frampton’s musical story can’t be told without his 1976 concert album Frampton Comes Alive! as part of the conversation. That is why it’s included in the list below, and unsurprisingly, where it ranks on the list. The double LP changed his career, and in many ways, it influenced how the industry handled live LPs by below-the-radar artists in the future.
But Frampton Comes Alive! is only a chapter, albeit a most significant one, in his recording history. Stages came before and after that life-altering album; the survey below puts them into perspective, from the humble beginnings of his solo career to later releases that found Frampton returning to his first love.
Peter Frampton Albums Ranked
‘Frampton Comes Alive!’ made him a star. This is his story before and after that career-defining blockbuster.
Gallery Credit: Michael Gallucci
