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Rock List: The Twenty-Five Best Live Albums

11/26/07, 5:02 pm EST

Last week, we asked you to name your favorite live albums. After spending the entire Thanksgiving weekend going through record collections and deliberating, we now present our combined picks for Best Live Album. Remember, only “official” live albums made the list, so sorry to the Grateful Dead tape collectors and the Pearl Jam fans who really wanted the 6/19/00 Ljubljana, Slovenia show to make the cut. To check out the unranked (it was too hard to play favorites) top twenty-five albums, check out our gallery, where you can see photos from some of the shows the live albums were recorded at, as well as listen to the albums themselves.


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Comments

Trent | 11/26/2007, 5:38 pm EST

Of course, these lists are always subjective.

But you guys missed probably one of the best (and first?) live rap albums –

Boogie Down ProductionsLive Hardcore Worldwide (cassette and VHS — I owned both of them in mint condition!)

– Trent

Bryant | 11/26/2007, 6:08 pm EST

You have to squeeze The Roots Come Alive onto this list too.

Well, at least they indirectly made it to the list at #25, The Roots are Jay-Z’s band in this recording.

Anonymous | 11/26/2007, 6:17 pm EST

OK Great List. I couldn’t agree with you more but

WHERE’S “Lotus” by Santana?

Anonymous | 11/26/2007, 6:18 pm EST

SWANS ARE DEAD

No Mas | 11/26/2007, 7:46 pm EST

I wish this was a Top 30 or 40 or 50 list if that was the only way Dave Matthews Band was going to make it on here. Kind of seems unfair for us to have Phish, Wilco and Grateful Dead yet leave out the mighty DMB from some recognition!

Listener Supported, or Live @ Folsom!

Gabi Hoopasteak | 11/26/2007, 7:55 pm EST

Thank you for not including The Song Remains The Same from Zeppelin. I love that band, but that is not only THE most overrated live recording, but a lousy one at that. Rubber Plant’s vocals are weak and Jimmy Page’s guitar is sloppy. How The West Was Won was a much better choice.

kcv | 11/26/2007, 8:31 pm EST

mine is ‘CHEAP TRICK AT BUDOKAN’, what an amazing document of my all-time favorite live band.

lynx | 11/27/2007, 12:25 am EST

Of all the music artists who landed on RS’s list, Jimi Hendrix and Nirvana certainly were among the few with the shortest careers…what’s truly amazing is the lasting impact they made during such condensed spans of time. How The West Was Won & Stop Making Sense – also good live album selections.

Jake Burns | 11/27/2007, 8:14 am EST

Get Yer Ya Ya’s Out- Stones- The best live record by the best band ever.
It’s Alive- Ramones- GODS
French- Buzzcocks

Dr. Chicken | 11/27/2007, 9:06 am EST

So the “obscure” concert dates that rolling stone is complaining about not including…is that because they are not released by major label swine? Let alone undoctored unlike many of the “live” albums they list instead?

batukaMAN | 11/27/2007, 10:36 am EST

Agree with most but as someone has mentioned- Where is “LOTUS” from SANTANA?? Thw 10 minute version of “INCIDENT AT NESHABUR” alone is worth listing !!!

JP | 11/27/2007, 12:45 pm EST

I’m fairly surprised that Deep Purple’s “Made In Japan” didn’t make the cut… Yes, it’s a bit self indulgent, but it’s an excellent document, especially the expanded version…

PastyJournalist | 11/27/2007, 1:18 pm EST

I’m a bit bummed that Lucinda Williams’ ‘Live at the Fillmore’ wasn’t included. And no ‘best live albums’ list can be complete without the inclusion of Iron Maiden’s ‘Live After Death.’

Will | 11/27/2007, 6:46 pm EST

A Live One is a great album but as far as live Phish concerts go Live at Madison Square garden takes the cake.

Steel Dragon | 11/27/2007, 8:22 pm EST

give me a break. No wonder I no longer subscribe to Rolling Stone mag. All the mag does is blow Bob Dylan, Radiohead and few others. One of the greatest live albums ever is Rush’s Exit Stage Left, or any other Rush live album. No Pearl Jam Live at the Gorge either. GEEZ!!!

Dana Doll | 11/29/2007, 1:46 pm EST

Good. Thank you RS for not falling for that phony NIN voting crap!!!

PHOENIXAMAZON | 12/2/2007, 5:14 pm EST

Why is that when Nine Inch Nails receives a ton of votes its considered CRAP. Readers were asked to vote and readers voted. I know it’s like the last USA presidential election the voters have no say in the choosing a winner if the court has its own personal agenda.

r from r | 12/5/2007, 4:48 pm EST

Still no “Waiting for Columbus”, after so many readers mentioned it? Come on.

Dude Man | 6/19/2009, 12:26 pm EST

How did these not make the list:
Deep Purple- Made in Japan
Blue Oyster Cult- Some Enchanted Evening
UFO- Strangers in the Night
Budgie- Heavier than Air
Peter Frampton- Frampton Comes Alive!
Ted Nugent- Double Live Gonzo

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