From Bob Marley to Queen, via Harmonium, revisit 25 cult albums which will celebrate their fiftieth anniversary over the next year.
Sheer Heart Attack, Queen
Third studio album from the legendary group led by Freddie Mercury, he gave us the timeless song Killer Queen. In addition to being certified platinum multiple times, this opus ranked in the top 25 in seven countries upon its release.
Kiss, Kiss
We will agree, this first project from the Kiss group was not the most prolific in its history, but it is still the beginning of the famous adventure of the glam-rockers. Did you know that a good part of this album was written while Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley were working with the band Wicked Lester, which disbanded in 1973?
Caribou, Elton John
Elton John showed up in all his extravagance for his eighth outing, which opens with the catchy The Bitch is Back. The Briton’s fourth consecutive album to reach number one in the United States, it also cracked the top 10 in 12 other countries.
Harmonium, Harmonium
Without a doubt one of the most important projects for music in our province, he spoiled us with great classics such as For an instant And A musician among many. This first tour of Harmonium also marks the beginning of the relationship between Judi Richards and Quebec culture, she who participated in the recording.
Natty Dread, Bob Marley & The Wailers
Despite the light nature of its reggae sounds, this album is politically charged and was important to the Jamaican people, as well as the legacy of Bob Marley. “A hungry mob is an angry mob», he sings on the title Them Belly Full (But We Hungry), which denounces the conditions of poor neighborhoods in the city of Kingston.
Faces of love, Charles Aznavour
Even if it doesn’t contain legendary titles like Bohemian Or Take me, this project still takes us on a beautiful journey into the exquisite universe of the prolific French singer. On this 25e momentum of Aznavour in 21 years, this is the piece All faces of love which stands out the most, for its melody and its lyrics.
It’s Only Rock’n’Roll, The Rolling Stones
This twelfth Stones album, produced by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards themselves, reached the top 12 in nine countries in 1974, in addition to having received platinum certification in the United States and gold in France, as well as than in the United Kingdom. The simple ones It’s Only Rock’n’Roll (But I Like It) And Ain’t Too Proud to Beg have also spent many weeks at the top of the rankings, almost everywhere on the planet.
Second Helping, Lynyrd Skynyrd
One title, three words: Sweet Home Alabama. Lynyrd Skynyrd’s second album brought to life one of the most universally known songs of all time, and for that reason alone, it deserves its place on this chart.
Walls and Bridges, John Lennon
This is an important project in the post-Beatles era, since it is a John Lennon deprived of his Yoko Ono who pours his feelings into it. Whatever Gets You Through the Night was one of Lennon’s first solo songs to reach the top of the charts in the United States.
Great shame, Great shame
Even 50 years later, The seal’s lament in Alaska And December 23 remain engraved in the collective memory. Add to that pieces like Ginette And The woodpeckeramong others, then you get a cult project in the history of Quebec.
Get Your Wings, Aerosmith
Building on a first impulse which included the immortelle Dream On: critics agree that it is on this second opus that Aerosmith really found its niche. Get Your Wings, which contains the simple Same Old Song and Dancefinished 1974 in 74e position on the Billboard 200, in addition to being certified platinum three times in the United States.
Fulfillingness’ First Finale, Stevie Wonder
With three Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year, this outburst from Stevie Wonder is a classic of soul music. The titles You Haven’t Done Nothin’ And Boogie On Reggae Woman particularly stood out, reaching first and third place respectively on the Billboard Hot 100.
On the Beach, Neil Young
Classified by Rolling Stone among the 500 best albums of all time, On the Beach is considered the Toronto singer’s most emotional project. Following the success of Harvest (1972), it was a Neil Young overwhelmed by glory who created this momentum, certified gold in the United States.
Crime of the Century, Supertramp
The year 1974 was that of the commercial blossoming of the English group, thanks to Crime of the Century. This project, certified gold in five countries and diamond in Canada, was described as a “masterpiece of progressive rock” by the magazine Classic Rock.
Charlebois, Robert Charlebois
Rock, blues, disco; Robert Charlebois was all fired up on this project, which we unfortunately tend to forget when we think of his repertoire. Special mentions to the pieces I dream of Rio, Que.-Can. Blues And shovel handle, which demonstrate all the versatility of the Quebec singer.
Diamond Dogs, David Bowie
Despite poor reviews at the time of its release, Diamond Dogs still ranked in the top 50 sales charts in more than a dozen countries. The simple Rebel Rebel, more particularly its electric guitar riff, is today considered a precursor of the punk rock style which was popularized in the following years.
Waterloo, ABBA
Winning the hugely popular Eurovision contest with the title track from this project, in 1974, ABBA was then catapulted to international fame. The piece Waterloo managed to reach number six on the American charts, and ABBA were the first foreign group to take part in Eurovision to reach the British charts.
The Lamb lies down on Broadway, Genesis
Certified gold in four countries and applauded by major rock critics, this album is Peter Gabriel’s last with Genesis. Gabriel and his teammate, Phil Collins, believe that this project represents one of the highlights of the group’s career.
Love each other, Ginette Reno
The great singer offered us, with this opus, the popular simple Crescents of sun. Special mention to the interpretation of the song Love each other, written by Yvon Deschamps, who was inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame by SOCAN in 2019.
On the Border, Eagles
This third impulse of the interpreters of Hotel California is certified platinum twice in the United States and gold in Canada. It contains the group’s first single to reach the top of the American charts, The Best of my Love, as well as the title trackOn the Border. The latter refers to the Watergate Scandal, which led to the resignation of American President Richard Nixon.
RedKing Crimson
Did you know that this album inspired a certain Kurt Cobain, during the creation of In utero, of Nirvana? Although it did not have the expected success at the commercial level, Red is today considered, by the Rolling Stone, among others, as being one of the most influential projects in the world of progressive rock.
The blue wordsChristopher
Considered one of the best French rock albums of all time by several major critics, the album The blue words and its title track are credited with shaping the “slow dances” of the 1970s.
New Skin for the Old Ceremony, Leonard Cohen
The Montreal artist has swapped his puritanical style to add several melodies to his voice on this fourth project, which includes the title Chelsea Hotel #2, which recounts a night spent with the late Janis Joplin.
Rush,Rush
Rush’s first opus was very well received by critics and is now certified gold in Canada, as well as in the United States. It was the start of a great career in music, but also in philanthropy, for the Canadian group.
Apostrophe(‘), Frank Zappa
This album being the greatest commercial success of the American artist, it is by putting forward his great humorous and satirical side, among others on Don’t Eat the Yellow Snow, that Zappa managed to slip into tenth place on the American Billboard 200.