The Greatest Live Album Of All Time

Tokyo is a good place to make a live album - and Unleashed in the East is no different. Recorded on the Hell Bent For Leather tour, Judas Priest rock the far east with an explosive set that features their biggest and best hits from 1969 to 1979. A real contender for a hard-rocking live album.

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Recorded in three countries across one gigantic tour, Live & Dangerous captured Thin Lizzy at their best. The Irish rockers played 17 of their biggest hits, even finding a way to medley Cowboy Song into the crowd-pleasing The Boys are Back in Town. Thin Lizzy were always in their element performing live - and Phil Lynott, Scott Gorham, Brian Robertson and Brian Downey certainly know how to rock an audience.

undefined

Recorded in Osaka and the world-famous Budokan in Tokyo (appropriately), Made in Japan was a last minute decision for Deep Purple. Originally meant for only for a Japanese release, Warner Bros. changed their minds and released it in the US - only for it to skyrocket to platinum in a mere two weeks.

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UFO guitarist Michael Schenker left the band at the conclusion of this tour, making it his last live appearance as a member of the band - that is, until he reunited with them in 1993. As a result, Schenker never got the chance to overdub any of his guitar work - making this live album a rare, untouched recording that showcases just how incredible UFO were both in the studio and on the road.

undefined

Who hasn't heard of the legendary Live at Leeds concert? Containing enormous hits from The Who's catalogue, as well as a healthy smattering of tunes from rock-musical Tommy, the album is held by some to be the best live concert recording of all time - but is it yours?

undefined

Notable for the cover alone (in which Angus Young appears to have impaled himself on a Gibson SG - whoops), If You Want Blood, You Got It was ACDC's first live album. Recorded in Glasgow, the Australian rockers blazed through a ten song set before returning for an encore in the Scottish national football strip. Talk about playing up to the home crowd.

undefined

Recorded throughout the band's World Slavery tour, Iron Maiden crammed heavy metal classic after classic into their setlist - reading much like a greatest hits compilation of 80s Maiden. Each concert in the tour kicked off with an extract of Winston Churchill's We shall fight on the beaches speech - seriously, how many other albums can count Winston Churchill as credited writer?!

undefined

Recorded across the entirety of Pink Floyd's Division Bell tour, PULSE runs for over two hours, including a live version of the entirety of Dark Side of the Moon - an impressive amount for a live album. Attendees of the tour were also given the chance to win a customised Pink Floyd Volkswagen Golf every night, designed to David Gilmour's specifications - bonus!

undefined

Frampton Comes Alive is a legendary figure in the rock pantheon. The rock epic shot him to fame, selling millions and topping both the US and Canadian Billboard charts and spawning three top 40 singles. Do You Feel Like We Do? still holds the distinction for being one of the longest songs to ever chart in the top 10.

undefined

Who'd have thought it - KISS' biggest selling album of all time isn't Dressed to Kill, Destroyer or Love Gun - it's Alive! Recorded in the summer of 1975 across their American tour, the album managed to capture the showmanship and theatricality that KISS live shows are famous for.

undefined

Seconds Out is Genesis' second live album, recorded across four dates in Paris. Featuring an assortment of songs from their previous eight albums, the recording captures Genesis in their Phil Collins-fronted prime. Uniquely, the concert was designed to have a symmetrical effect, with the opening bars of the show being the same as the closing ones - sweet stuff.

undefined

Uninspired title aside (there are at least fifteen other bands with a live album called Live!), The Quo rocked the house down in Glasgow, delivering a solid ninety minutes of classic rock to the screaming crowd. The RossiParfitt pairing is one of the most enduring in all of rock - and so is this album.

undefined

Fancy a prog-rock odyssey? Look no further! Yessongs includes recordings from the band's 1972 world tour, and the impressive run-time highlights just how eclectically symphonic Yes were at their best.

undefined

Straight out of the Heavy Horses tour, Jethro Tull rocked across Europe with fantastic live versions of some of their biggest hits, including Aqualung and Cross-Eyed Mary. Plus - each concert finished with an arrangement of The Dambuster's theme. Because why not, eh?

undefined

Space Ritual was, in all senses of the word, an extravaganza. Featuring dancing, light shows, science fiction, poetry and space rock music, the show presented itself as far more than just another gig. There's a strong case that Space Ritual is the best experimental live album of all time - what do you think?

undefined

It's a well-known fact in music - if your band plays at the Budokan, you've officially made it. Cheap Trick's gigs there rocked all of Japan, and the live recording rocketed up charts across the world. Featuring a great selection of dynamite Cheap Trick tunes (as well as an incredible cover of Fats Domino's Ain't That a Shame), At Budokan is surely a contender for the best live album of all time.

undefined

Recorded at various venues in the UK, the tidy four-piece Wishbone Ash rocked venue after venue with their own brand of hard prog rock. Ending with an extraordinary 17 minute long version of Phoenix, Wishbone Ash prove that they're as good live as they are in the studio.

undefined

Recorded in 1973 (and accompanied by a concert film), Led Zep rocked New York's Madison Square Garden with great selections from their first five albums. Although The Song Remains the Same was initially badly received, the combination of powerful blues rock with trademark Zeppelin riffs ensures that this live album is one to be remembered.

undefined

If you ever saw Queen live, count yourself lucky. Recorded across the European leg of their Jazz world tour, Live Killers captures Queen at their stadium-rocking best as Brian, John, Roger and Freddie blaze through their biggest and brightest hits. If there ever was a live album that could double as a band's greatest hits, this is it.

undefined

Rush push the medley, one of the best things about live performances, to the very limit, blending nearly every song together. Listening to the live version of 2112 on All The World's A Stage is probably the closest you'll ever come to an out of body experience.

undefined

Recorded at The Apollo, Glasgow, Exit Stage Left captures an incredible period in Rush's career, featuring hits like The Spirit of Radio, YYZ and Tom Sawyer. Whilst their previous live album All the World's A Stage references Shakespeare in the title, Exit Stage Left borrows from the catchphrase of the cartoon character Snagglepuss. Both are equally legitimate, I'm sure.

undefined

One More From the Road has the sad distinction of being the only live album to come out of the Lynyrd Skynyrd ‘classic era', recorded a year before the plane crash that killed Ronnie Van Zant and Steve and Cassie Gaines. Regardless of the tragic circumstances, One More From the Road rocks harder than any southern rock live album, bringing together hit after hit that shows just how incredible those good ol' boys were.

undefined

Widely regarded as the loudest band ever (with decibel readings to back it up too), Motorhead do not disappoint with No Sleep ‘Til Hammersmith. Recorded across a five date tour in 1981 (ironically there were no Hammersmith shows on the tour), the album ultimately peaked at #1 on the UK charts, and it remains to this day their only chart topper.

undefined

Although only containing one original song, Humble Pie certainly rock the New York based Fillmore East with a wide selection of bluesy covers. Steve Marriott and Peter Frampton's twin guitar attack tears through an amazing sixteen minute version of Muddy Waters' Rollin' Stone before rolling into a sweet mix of Ray Charles' Hallelujah, I Love Her So. Great musicians, great songs - great album.

undefined

Recorded during a Birmingham concert in 1973, Uriah Heep put the hard in rock with a fantastic selection of solid tunes. The album even includes a great throwback medley of 50s rock ‘n' roll tracks, showing just how diverse the London based group could be.

undefined

Recorded in 1972 but only officially released in 2003, How the West Was Won collects two Los Angeles gigs into one epic volume. Jimmy Page considered the album to be indicative of Led Zeppelin's peak - and it's hard to disagree with him based on the quality of each of the live tracks. It's Led Zeppelin - was this ever going to be bad?

undefined

Live at Wembley '86 was the perfect mix of the showmanship and spectacular that defined Queen's live performances. Rocking out for two hours, the band don't miss a beat - and neither does the album.

undefined

The original four members of Asia reunited in 2007 and hit the road once more - heading East to Tokyo for a fantastic greatest hits concert. Fantasia rocks out originals as well as covers from the members' previous bands - and contains a live version of Heat of the Moment that is certifiably better than the original studio version!

undefined

Despite Troubles erupting in Belfast, Rory Gallagher made the journey there in his 1974 Irish Tour. Blazing his way through a red-hot blues set, Gallagher doesn't disappoint once - every jam note improvised, yet utterly perfect.

undefined

Live in the Heart of the City is a compilation of the ever hard-rocking Whitesnake's tours between 1978 and 1980, bringing together songs from Trouble, Snakebite and Lovehunter. Although missing some Whitesnake classics because of a very early release in the band's career, it still shows that Coverdale et al could rock hard from the very start.

undefined

Recorded just over six months before Duane Allman's untimely death, At Fillmore East captures the classic Allman Brothers in their prime. Duane's consistently brilliant, wonderfully imaginative guitar playing drives the whole band forward, shaking all of Fillmore East to the ground. Southern rock sounds so much better live.

undefined

Recorded at the Command Theatre, London, Slade Alive was born out of desperate times - with their previous two albums flopping, Slade fell back on the consistent income of touring. Slade Alive revitalised the band's sales and coincided with them hitting the top of the charts with Coz I Luv You. A great live album that really highlights what Slade do best.

undefined

No-one thought it would work. Classical music and heavy metal? They're mad. But it better than worked. James Hetfield's ‘broken' voice is at its best, singing songs that become completely different animals with the merging of Michael Kamen's magnificent symphony orchestra. Breathtaking and ass-kicking - all at the same time.

undefined

Recorded in New York and Maryland in 1969, Get Yer Ya Ya's Out was the first Stones live album to hit the number one spot. The concert featured a whistle-stop tour of the Stones' late-60s hits, showcasing their sound as well as the willful exuberance that Mick J, Keith, Mick T, Charlie and Bill all had when they rocked out live.

undefined

Free's fifth album (and only live album) was recorded from two separate gigs and compiled into one amazing album that defines pub rock. Live was a hit, clocking in at #4 on the UK charts - and the stripped down, accessible, chord-driven sound of Free's classic rock is held right in this album.

undefined

Recorded on the Rio leg of Rush's 2002 Vapor Trails tour, the perennial Canadian rockers prove they're able to recreate studio quality sound without the aid of an actual recording booth. Lifeson, Lee and Peart's playing is as tight as ever - and the album even includes a rare stripped-down version of Resist. Worth the listen for that gem alone.

undefined

Thunder's final gig went out with a bang, with the British rockers jamming together at the Hammersmith Apollo before going their separate ways. 20 Years and Out is an excellent greatest hits compilation and is a marvellous live celebration of Thunder's whole career.

undefined

The Ronnie James Dio years were arguably Rainbow's best - and this live album is slap-bang in the middle of them. Dio's voice is still unmatched in rock, and hearing him and Rainbow in their prime is a real treat.

undefined

Come on, of course this was going to be on the list. The seminal concert of the 20th century bought in a huge variety of acts for three days of peace and music. Featuring The Who, Jefferson Airplane and (of course) Jimi Hendrix - the sheer breadth of talent in this album qualifies it as one of the best live albums and best live performances of all time.

undefined

Recorded on Gilmour's On An Island tour, Live in Gdansk features a mix of Pink Floyd songs and Gilmour's own. Accompanied by the Baltic Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra, Live in Gdansk does the impossible - makes Pink Floyd music even more trippy and transcendental.

undefined

Tokyo is a good place to make a live album - and Unleashed in the East is no different. Recorded on the Hell Bent For Leather tour, Judas Priest rock the far east with an explosive set that features their biggest and best hits from 1969 to 1979. A real contender for a hard-rocking live album.

undefined

Recorded in three countries across one gigantic tour, Live & Dangerous captured Thin Lizzy at their best. The Irish rockers played 17 of their biggest hits, even finding a way to medley Cowboy Song into the crowd-pleasing The Boys are Back in Town. Thin Lizzy were always in their element performing live - and Phil Lynott, Scott Gorham, Brian Robertson and Brian Downey certainly know how to rock an audience.

undefined

Recorded in Osaka and the world-famous Budokan in Tokyo (appropriately), Made in Japan was a last minute decision for Deep Purple. Originally meant for only for a Japanese release, Warner Bros. changed their minds and released it in the US - only for it to skyrocket to platinum in a mere two weeks.

undefined

UFO guitarist Michael Schenker left the band at the conclusion of this tour, making it his last live appearance as a member of the band - that is, until he reunited with them in 1993. As a result, Schenker never got the chance to overdub any of his guitar work - making this live album a rare, untouched recording that showcases just how incredible UFO were both in the studio and on the road.

undefined

Who hasn't heard of the legendary Live at Leeds concert? Containing enormous hits from The Who's catalogue, as well as a healthy smattering of tunes from rock-musical Tommy, the album is held by some to be the best live concert recording of all time - but is it yours?

undefined

Notable for the cover alone (in which Angus Young appears to have impaled himself on a Gibson SG - whoops), If You Want Blood, You Got It was ACDC's first live album. Recorded in Glasgow, the Australian rockers blazed through a ten song set before returning for an encore in the Scottish national football strip. Talk about playing up to the home crowd.

undefined

Recorded throughout the band's World Slavery tour, Iron Maiden crammed heavy metal classic after classic into their setlist - reading much like a greatest hits compilation of 80s Maiden. Each concert in the tour kicked off with an extract of Winston Churchill's We shall fight on the beaches speech - seriously, how many other albums can count Winston Churchill as credited writer?!

undefined

Recorded across the entirety of Pink Floyd's Division Bell tour, PULSE runs for over two hours, including a live version of the entirety of Dark Side of the Moon - an impressive amount for a live album. Attendees of the tour were also given the chance to win a customised Pink Floyd Volkswagen Golf every night, designed to David Gilmour's specifications - bonus!

undefined

Frampton Comes Alive is a legendary figure in the rock pantheon. The rock epic shot him to fame, selling millions and topping both the US and Canadian Billboard charts and spawning three top 40 singles. Do You Feel Like We Do? still holds the distinction for being one of the longest songs to ever chart in the top 10.

undefined

Who'd have thought it - KISS' biggest selling album of all time isn't Dressed to Kill, Destroyer or Love Gun - it's Alive! Recorded in the summer of 1975 across their American tour, the album managed to capture the showmanship and theatricality that KISS live shows are famous for.

undefined

Seconds Out is Genesis' second live album, recorded across four dates in Paris. Featuring an assortment of songs from their previous eight albums, the recording captures Genesis in their Phil Collins-fronted prime. Uniquely, the concert was designed to have a symmetrical effect, with the opening bars of the show being the same as the closing ones - sweet stuff.

undefined

Uninspired title aside (there are at least fifteen other bands with a live album called Live!), The Quo rocked the house down in Glasgow, delivering a solid ninety minutes of classic rock to the screaming crowd. The RossiParfitt pairing is one of the most enduring in all of rock - and so is this album.

undefined

Fancy a prog-rock odyssey? Look no further! Yessongs includes recordings from the band's 1972 world tour, and the impressive run-time highlights just how eclectically symphonic Yes were at their best.

undefined

Straight out of the Heavy Horses tour, Jethro Tull rocked across Europe with fantastic live versions of some of their biggest hits, including Aqualung and Cross-Eyed Mary. Plus - each concert finished with an arrangement of The Dambuster's theme. Because why not, eh?

undefined

Space Ritual was, in all senses of the word, an extravaganza. Featuring dancing, light shows, science fiction, poetry and space rock music, the show presented itself as far more than just another gig. There's a strong case that Space Ritual is the best experimental live album of all time - what do you think?

undefined

It's a well-known fact in music - if your band plays at the Budokan, you've officially made it. Cheap Trick's gigs there rocked all of Japan, and the live recording rocketed up charts across the world. Featuring a great selection of dynamite Cheap Trick tunes (as well as an incredible cover of Fats Domino's Ain't That a Shame), At Budokan is surely a contender for the best live album of all time.

undefined

Recorded at various venues in the UK, the tidy four-piece Wishbone Ash rocked venue after venue with their own brand of hard prog rock. Ending with an extraordinary 17 minute long version of Phoenix, Wishbone Ash prove that they're as good live as they are in the studio.

undefined

Recorded in 1973 (and accompanied by a concert film), Led Zep rocked New York's Madison Square Garden with great selections from their first five albums. Although The Song Remains the Same was initially badly received, the combination of powerful blues rock with trademark Zeppelin riffs ensures that this live album is one to be remembered.

undefined

If you ever saw Queen live, count yourself lucky. Recorded across the European leg of their Jazz world tour, Live Killers captures Queen at their stadium-rocking best as Brian, John, Roger and Freddie blaze through their biggest and brightest hits. If there ever was a live album that could double as a band's greatest hits, this is it.

undefined

Rush push the medley, one of the best things about live performances, to the very limit, blending nearly every song together. Listening to the live version of 2112 on All The World's A Stage is probably the closest you'll ever come to an out of body experience.

undefined

Recorded at The Apollo, Glasgow, Exit Stage Left captures an incredible period in Rush's career, featuring hits like The Spirit of Radio, YYZ and Tom Sawyer. Whilst their previous live album All the World's A Stage references Shakespeare in the title, Exit Stage Left borrows from the catchphrase of the cartoon character Snagglepuss. Both are equally legitimate, I'm sure.

undefined

One More From the Road has the sad distinction of being the only live album to come out of the Lynyrd Skynyrd ‘classic era', recorded a year before the plane crash that killed Ronnie Van Zant and Steve and Cassie Gaines. Regardless of the tragic circumstances, One More From the Road rocks harder than any southern rock live album, bringing together hit after hit that shows just how incredible those good ol' boys were.

undefined

Widely regarded as the loudest band ever (with decibel readings to back it up too), Motorhead do not disappoint with No Sleep ‘Til Hammersmith. Recorded across a five date tour in 1981 (ironically there were no Hammersmith shows on the tour), the album ultimately peaked at #1 on the UK charts, and it remains to this day their only chart topper.

undefined

Although only containing one original song, Humble Pie certainly rock the New York based Fillmore East with a wide selection of bluesy covers. Steve Marriott and Peter Frampton's twin guitar attack tears through an amazing sixteen minute version of Muddy Waters' Rollin' Stone before rolling into a sweet mix of Ray Charles' Hallelujah, I Love Her So. Great musicians, great songs - great album.

undefined

Recorded during a Birmingham concert in 1973, Uriah Heep put the hard in rock with a fantastic selection of solid tunes. The album even includes a great throwback medley of 50s rock ‘n' roll tracks, showing just how diverse the London based group could be.

undefined

Recorded in 1972 but only officially released in 2003, How the West Was Won collects two Los Angeles gigs into one epic volume. Jimmy Page considered the album to be indicative of Led Zeppelin's peak - and it's hard to disagree with him based on the quality of each of the live tracks. It's Led Zeppelin - was this ever going to be bad?

undefined

Live at Wembley '86 was the perfect mix of the showmanship and spectacular that defined Queen's live performances. Rocking out for two hours, the band don't miss a beat - and neither does the album.

undefined

The original four members of Asia reunited in 2007 and hit the road once more - heading East to Tokyo for a fantastic greatest hits concert. Fantasia rocks out originals as well as covers from the members' previous bands - and contains a live version of Heat of the Moment that is certifiably better than the original studio version!

undefined

Despite Troubles erupting in Belfast, Rory Gallagher made the journey there in his 1974 Irish Tour. Blazing his way through a red-hot blues set, Gallagher doesn't disappoint once - every jam note improvised, yet utterly perfect.

undefined

Live in the Heart of the City is a compilation of the ever hard-rocking Whitesnake's tours between 1978 and 1980, bringing together songs from Trouble, Snakebite and Lovehunter. Although missing some Whitesnake classics because of a very early release in the band's career, it still shows that Coverdale et al could rock hard from the very start.

undefined

Recorded just over six months before Duane Allman's untimely death, At Fillmore East captures the classic Allman Brothers in their prime. Duane's consistently brilliant, wonderfully imaginative guitar playing drives the whole band forward, shaking all of Fillmore East to the ground. Southern rock sounds so much better live.

undefined

Recorded at the Command Theatre, London, Slade Alive was born out of desperate times - with their previous two albums flopping, Slade fell back on the consistent income of touring. Slade Alive revitalised the band's sales and coincided with them hitting the top of the charts with Coz I Luv You. A great live album that really highlights what Slade do best.

undefined

No-one thought it would work. Classical music and heavy metal? They're mad. But it better than worked. James Hetfield's ‘broken' voice is at its best, singing songs that become completely different animals with the merging of Michael Kamen's magnificent symphony orchestra. Breathtaking and ass-kicking - all at the same time.

undefined

Recorded in New York and Maryland in 1969, Get Yer Ya Ya's Out was the first Stones live album to hit the number one spot. The concert featured a whistle-stop tour of the Stones' late-60s hits, showcasing their sound as well as the willful exuberance that Mick J, Keith, Mick T, Charlie and Bill all had when they rocked out live.

undefined

Free's fifth album (and only live album) was recorded from two separate gigs and compiled into one amazing album that defines pub rock. Live was a hit, clocking in at #4 on the UK charts - and the stripped down, accessible, chord-driven sound of Free's classic rock is held right in this album.

undefined

Recorded on the Rio leg of Rush's 2002 Vapor Trails tour, the perennial Canadian rockers prove they're able to recreate studio quality sound without the aid of an actual recording booth. Lifeson, Lee and Peart's playing is as tight as ever - and the album even includes a rare stripped-down version of Resist. Worth the listen for that gem alone.

undefined

Thunder's final gig went out with a bang, with the British rockers jamming together at the Hammersmith Apollo before going their separate ways. 20 Years and Out is an excellent greatest hits compilation and is a marvellous live celebration of Thunder's whole career.

undefined

The Ronnie James Dio years were arguably Rainbow's best - and this live album is slap-bang in the middle of them. Dio's voice is still unmatched in rock, and hearing him and Rainbow in their prime is a real treat.

undefined

Come on, of course this was going to be on the list. The seminal concert of the 20th century bought in a huge variety of acts for three days of peace and music. Featuring The Who, Jefferson Airplane and (of course) Jimi Hendrix - the sheer breadth of talent in this album qualifies it as one of the best live albums and best live performances of all time.

undefined

Recorded on Gilmour's On An Island tour, Live in Gdansk features a mix of Pink Floyd songs and Gilmour's own. Accompanied by the Baltic Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra, Live in Gdansk does the impossible - makes Pink Floyd music even more trippy and transcendental.

undefined

Tokyo is a good place to make a live album - and Unleashed in the East is no different. Recorded on the Hell Bent For Leather tour, Judas Priest rock the far east with an explosive set that features their biggest and best hits from 1969 to 1979. A real contender for a hard-rocking live album.

undefined