SMG Poll: What’s the Most Influential Rock Guitar Album of all Time?

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20 Responses to “SMG Poll: What’s the Most Influential Rock Guitar Album of all Time?”

steve messenger Reply August 5, 2011 at 8:14 am

Cream’s “Wheels of Fire”!!!

Side 1: “Sittin’ On Top of the World”,
Side 2: “Politician”
Side 3: “Crossroads” AND “Spoonful” from 3/10/68 Winterland show

it never gets better than this!
Ian walsh Reply August 5, 2011 at 10:41 am

John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers album featuring Eric Clapton, surely!?
Loni Specter Reply August 6, 2011 at 9:37 am

“Are You Experienced” was the turning point in creativity with the guitar and recording process. Other records of the period offered incredible playing, such as Clapton/Mayall, Zeplin, or mood,Pink floyd, but only Hendix opened the door to new approaches to the sonic alchemy that the Strat/amp/console, had to offer.
Jeremy C Reply August 6, 2011 at 11:23 am

Robert Johnson
King of the Delta Blues Singers vol I and II

Not a rock guitar album, but look at the list of songs written and recorded by Robert Johnson and then think of all the rock guitarists who recorded them and you’ll know why I put it on this list.
Heidi Bresilge Reply August 6, 2011 at 2:45 pm

Beatles~ Revolver
t Reply August 6, 2011 at 7:14 pm

The Who Live at Leeds
zed Reply August 7, 2011 at 12:30 am

Agree with this one-
“John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers album featuring Eric Clapton, surely!?”

How is Sgt pepper an influential “Guitar” album?

I understand a lot of people like it, but I’ve never seen it in that light.

Perhaps someone who voted for it can explain that to enlighten me.

And I mean that honestly–not sarcastically.
mickey Reply August 7, 2011 at 11:42 am

Looks like a lot of Beatles fans have shown the love for this post
Ed Dennison ( Wabash) Reply August 8, 2011 at 5:27 am

The Kinks
Owlgarden Reply December 28, 2011 at 6:35 pm

Blonde in Blonde made it possible for every artist to move beyond “teenage love ballads” to sophisticated poetry and personal honesty.
Luis Reply March 28, 2012 at 4:29 pm

I wanted to play guitar only after I heard bands from the 80′s. Theres something about the 80′s.
Floridawork Reply March 29, 2012 at 5:04 am

MSG – One Night at Budokan – awesome tone and very very melodic.
Dave Hogan Reply March 29, 2012 at 8:07 pm

1979 – Pink Floyd – The Wall # 1
The most spectacular album at the time. Van Halen – Van Halen II ( something different at the time # 2 ) Molly Hatchet – ” Flirtin with Disaster ” Best Southern Rock effort Period.
Greg Boiarsky Reply March 31, 2012 at 4:07 pm

Never Mind the Bollocks, by the Sex Pistols.

The choices in the list are a bit mainstream; most influence comes from importing non-mainstream music.
zontar Reply March 31, 2012 at 7:26 pm

They may be considered mainstream now–but most of the albums on that list were not mainstream when they came out.

If they’re mainstream now it’s because they became mainstream after they were influential.
Aaron Rummage Reply April 5, 2012 at 1:55 pm

“Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere” by Neil Young. so many great tunes, emotional playing and textures.
Gloria Brown (Precisionb) Reply April 18, 2012 at 8:15 pm

Zappa is so underated. As is Gary Moore and Blind Faith. Shall I go on????
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Lickthatriff Reply December 5, 2012 at 9:32 am

It’s all relative for every person. Whatever was influential to you at the time. I live for all these albums but as I’m from a younger generation I’d go for The Darkness – Permission To Land, or, Muse – Origin of Symmetry. At the time, nothing made me want to pick up the guitar more
- Mickey Richardson Reply December 5, 2012 at 9:47 am
  
  Hey Ben, thats a great point. Glad to hear that you found music you dig that inspired you to play!