Albume de referinţă este o rubrică născută din dorinţa tinerilor de a cunoaşte istoria muzicală a acestei lumi şi prin ea, pe ei înşişi. Mulţi mi-au solicitat acest opis, dar odată cu apariţia acestui site dedicat muzicii ”care nu moare”, m-am hotărât să îl încep. Cea mai bună denumire ar fi Albume de Referinţă din Istoria Muzicii Rock sau simplu o putem numi şi “LISTA lui RADU”! Aşa cum va rămâne în mintea dvs. Cititorule aşa se va transmite mai departe din om în om! Din această listă vă veţi alege albumele pe care le consideraţi necesare în colecţia dvs. de audiofil şi vă veţi face o părere despre albumele „istorice” cu care visaţi să plecaţi într-o călătorie imaginară. De unele, o să vă convingeţi că sunt imperios necesare în colecţia unui audiofil.

Bineînţeles că aceasta va cuprinde toate stilurile înrudite sau derivate din muzica Rock! Stelele acordate fiecărui album sunt atribuite pe criterii obiective, dar vor exista probabil şi câteva excepţii subiective “din vina” celui care a creat-o!

Cu timpul acest Top va cuprinde câte o “motivaţie” pentru fiecare album de referinţă în parte. Pentru început vă prezint lista în ordine cronologică, dar aleator scrisă pînă la definitivarea ei în ordine alfabetică:

The Shadows - The Shadows (instrumental rock, Door Knob) 1961 *****

Alexis KORNER R&B from the Marquee (british Blues, Ace of Clubs) 1962 *****

The BEATLES - Rubber Soul (british invasion, Capitol) 1965 *****

Johnny CASH Sings the Ballads of the True West (country, Sony Music) 1965*****

John MAYALL Bluesbreakers with Eric Clapton (british blues, Deram) 1966 *****

The YARDBIRDS - Roger the Engineer (british blues, Edsel) 1966 *****

The YARDBIRDS - Over Under Sideways Down (british invasion, Epic) 1966 *****

Jefferson Airplane - Jefferson Airplane Takes Off (RCA) 1966****

The BEATLES Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (album rock, Capitol) 1967 *****

The Jimi HENDRIX Experience Are You Experienced? (Album Rock, MCA) 1967 *****

The Jimi HENDRIX Experience Axis: Bold as Love (Album Rock, MCA) 1967 *****

Eric BURDON Winds of Change (Psychedelic Rock, Spectrum) 1967 *****

PROCOL HARUM Procol Harum (British Psychedelia, Deram) 1967 *****

PINK FLOYD The Piper and the Gates of Dawn (Album rock, Capitol) 1967 *****

CREAM Disraeli Gears (blues rock, Polydor) 1967 *****

The DOORS The Doors (album rock, Elektra) 1967 *****

BLOOD, SWEET & TEARS Child Is Father to the Man (jazz rock, Columbia/legacy) 1967 *****

Jefferson Airplane - Surrealistic Pillow (RCA) 1967*****

PROOF 5th Anniversary Phonograph Record (blues rock, Akarma) 1968 ****

The Jimi HENDRIX Experience Electric Ladyland (Album Rock, MCA) 1968 *****

The BEATLES The Beatles (The White Album) (album rock, Capitol) 1968 *****

SAVOY BROWN Getting to the Point (british blues, Deram) 1968 *****

CREAM Wheels of Fire (blues rock, Polydor) 1968 *****

Leonard COHEN The Songs of Leonard Cohen (folk rock, Columbia) 1968 *****

The BAND Music From The Big Pink (folk rock, Capitol) 1968 *****

LOVE SCULPTURE blues Helping (blues rock, EMI) 1968*****

Jeff BECK Truth (Sony Music) 1968*****

Soft Machine The Soft Machine (One way Rec) 1968*****

Jefferson Airplane - Crown of Creation (Mobile Fidelity) 1968****

COLOSSEUM Valentyne Suite (prog rock, Vertigo) 1969 *****

GRATEFUL DEAD Aoxomoxoa (psychedelic, Warner) 1969 ****

GRATEFUL DEAD Live Dead (psychedelic folk-rock, Warner) 1969 *****

CAPTAIN BEEFHEART Trout Mask Replica (experimental rock, Reprise) 1969 *****

C.C.R. Willy and the Poor Boys (rock and roll, Fantasy) 1969 *****

CHICAGO Chicago Transit Authority (jazz rock, Chicago) 1969 *****

LED ZEPPELIN I (hard rock, Atlantic) 1969 *****

LED ZEPPELIN II (hard rock, Atlantic) 1969 *****

JETHRO TULL Stand Up (Album rock, Chrysalis) 1969 ****

BLIND FAITH Blind Faith (blues rock, Polydor) 1969 *****

John MAYALL The Turning Point (british blues, BGO) 1969 *****

Jack BRUCE Songs for a Tailor (album rock, Polygram) 1969 *****

CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL Green River (rock and roll, Fantasy) 1969 *****

The BEATLES Abbey Road (album rock, Capitol) 1969 *****

ZEPHYR Zephyr (blues rock, One Way Records)  1969*****

BEE GEES Odessa (baroque rock, Polydor) 1969 *****

Johnny CASH Johnny Cash at San Quentin (country, Columbia) 1969*****

Jack BRUCE Songs for a Taylor (album rock, Polydor)1969*****

King Crimson In the Court of the Crimson King (Pony Canyon) 1969*****

Spooky Tooth - Spooky Two (A&M) 1969*****

Santana – Santana (Columbia) 1969*****

Jefferson Airplane - Volunteers (RCA) 1969*****

GRATEFUL DEAD American Beauty (album rock, Warner) 1970 *****

LED ZEPPELIN III (hard rock, Atlantic) 1970 *****

ELP Emerson, Lake and Palmer (album rock, Rhino) 1970 ****

The BEATLES Let It Be (album rock, Capitol) 1970 *****

DEEP PURPLE In Rock (hard rock, Warner) 1970 *****

Jimi HENDRIX Band of Gypsys (Album Rock, Capitol) 1970 *****

BLACK SABBATH Black Sabbath (hard rock, Warner) 1970 *****

CAT STEVENS Tea for the Tillerman (folk rock, A&M) 1970 *****

CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL Cosmo’s Factory (rock and roll, Fantasy) 1970 *****

Joe COCKER Mad Dogs & Englishmen (blues rock, A&M) 1970 *****

The DOORS Morrison Hotel (album rock, Elektra) 1970 *****

GENTLE GIANT Gentle Giant (art rock, Mercury) 1970*****

Jack BRUCE Things We Like (prog rock, Polydor)1970*****

King Crimson In the Wake of Poseidon (Caroline Distribution) 1970*****

Van der Graaf Generator The Least We Can Do Is Wave to Each Other (EMI) 1970*****

Soft Machine Third (Columbia) 1970*****

Spooky Tooth - The Last Puff (A&M) 1970*****

Mountain - Climbing! (Columbia) 1970*****

Santana – Abraxas (Mobile Fidelity) 1970*****

UFO Flying (space rock, Beacon Records) 1971 *****

LED ZEPPELIN IV (hard rock, Atlantic) 1971 *****

ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND At Fillmore East (southern rock, Warner) 1971 *****

COLOSSEUM Live (jazz-rock, Bronze) 1971 *****

BLACK SABBATH Paranoid (hard rock, Warner) 1971 *****

FOCUS Moving Waves (prog rock, IRS) 1971 *****

ELP Tarkus (album rock, Rhino) 1971 *****

PINK FLOYD Meddle (Album rock, Capitol) 1971 *****

BREAD Manna (soft rock, Rhino) 1971 *****

JETHRO TULL Aqualung (Album rock, Chrysalis) 1971 *****

CACTUS Cactus (hard rock, Atlantic) 1971 *****

The DOORS L.A. Woman (album rock, Elektra) 1971 *****

CAT STEVENS Teaser and the Firecat (folk rock, A&M) 1971 *****

GENTLE GIANT Aquiring the Taste (art rock, Polydor) 1971*****

Peter Hammill Fool's Mate (EMI) 1971 ****

Soft Machine Fourth (One way Rec) 1971****

Gong Camembert Electrique (Charly Rec) 1971*****

Mountain – Nantucket Sleighride (Columbia) 1971****

Mountain – Flowers of Evil (Sony) 1971****

Uriah Heep - Look at Yourself (Mercury) 1971****

Santana – Santana III (Columbia) 1971*****

ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND Eat A Peach (album rock, Polydor) 1972 *****

FOCUS III (prog rock, IRS) 1972 *****

GENESIS Foxtrot (album rock, ATCO) 1972 *****

ELP Trilogy (album rock, Rhino) 1972 ****

Return to Forever Light as a Feather (fusion, Polydor) 1972 *****

JETHRO TULL Thick As a Brick (Album rock, Chrysalis) 1972 *****

YES Fragile (Album rock, Atlantic) 1972 *****

Tommy BOLIN Private Eyes (Album rock, Columbia) 1972 *****

DEEP PURPLE Made in Japan (hard rock, PSP) 1972 *****

DEEP PURPLE Machine Head (hard rock, Warner) 1972 *****

Blue Öyster Cult Blue Öyster Cult (Album rock, Columbia) 1972 *****

YES Close to the Edge (Album rock, Atlantic) 1972 *****

GENTLE GIANT Octopus (art rock, Sony Music) 1972*****

GENTLE GIANT Three Friends (art rock, Columbia)1972*****

West, Bruce & Laing - Why Dontcha (Columbia) 1972*****

Uriah Heep - Demons and Wizards (Mercury) 1972*****

Santana – Caravanserai (Columbia) 1972*****

DAVID BOWIE Aladin Sane (glam rock, Virgin) 1973 *****

LED ZEPPELIN Houses of the Holy (hard rock, Atlantic) 1973 *****

RENAISSANCE Ashes Are Burning (prog rock, OneWay) 1973 *****

GENESIS Selling England by the Pound (album rock, ATCO) 1973 *****

ELP Brain Salad Surgery (album rock, Atlantic) 1973 *****

Mike OLDFIELD Tubular Bells (electronic art rock, Virgin) 1973 *****

BUDGIE Never Turn Your Back on a Friend (hard rock, MCA) 1973 *****

PINK FLOYD The Dark Side of the Moon (Album rock, Capitol) 1973 *****

DEEP PURPLE Burn (hard rock, Warner) 1973 *****

YES Yessongs (Live) (Album rock, Atlantic) 1973 *****

Rick WAKEMAN The Six Wives of Henry VIII (Art rock, A&M) 1973 *****

Roger DALTREY Daltrey (soft rock, MCA) 1973 *****

Beck Bogert & Appice Beck Bogert & Appice (blues rock, Epic) 1973 *****

GENTLE GIANT In a Glass House (art rock, Chrysalis)1973*****

King Crimson Larks' Tongues in Aspic (EG Rec) 1973*****

Robert FRIPP No Pussyfooting (EG Rec) 1973*****

Peter Hammill Chameleon in the Shadow of the Night (Blue Plate) 1973 *****

West, Bruce & Laing - Whatever Turns You Ontcha (Esoteric Rec) 1973****

Uriah Heep - The Magician's Birthday (Castle Music) 1973*****

Uriah Heep - Live (Mercury) 1973*****

FOCUS Hamburger Concerto (prog rock, ATCO) 1974 *****

Ry COODER Paradise and Lunch (blues rock, Reprise) 1974 *****

Leonard COHEN New Skin for the Old Ceremony (folk rock, Columbia) 1974 *****

RENAISSANCE Turn of the Cards (prog rock, Repertoire) 1974 *****

GENESIS The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway (album rock, ATCO) 1974 *****

Rick WAKEMAN Journey to the Centre of the Earth (Art rock, Mobile Fidelity) 1974 *****

Eric CLAPTON 461 Ocean Boulevard (album rock, Polydor) 1974 *****

BAD COMPANY Bad Co. (blues rock, Swan Song) 1974 *****

King Crimson Starless and Bible Black (EG Rec) 1974*****

King Crimson Red (EG Rec) 1974*****

Peter Hammill The Silent Corner and the Empty Stage (Blue Plate) 1974 *****

Hatfield and the North (Plan 9) 1974*****

Maggie Bell Queen of the Night (Repertoire) 1974****

Mountain – Twin Peaks (Columbia) 1974*****

Santana – Lotus (Columbia) 1974*****

Supertramp - Crime of the Century (A&M) 1974****

Ry COODER – Paradise and Lunch (blues rock, Reprise) 1974*****

NAZARETH Hair of the Dog (hard rock, A&M) 1975 *****

CHRIS SQUIRE Fish Out of Water (prog rock, Arista) 1975 *****

SPIRIT Spirit of ’76 (art rock, Mercury) 1975 ****

LED ZEPPELIN Physical Graffitti (hard rock, Swan Song) 1975 *****

RENAISSANCE Scheherazade & Other Stories (prog rock, Repertoire) 1975 *****

PINK FLOYD Wish You Were Here (Album rock, Capitol) 1975 *****

JETHRO TULL Minstrel in the Gallery (Album rock, Chrysalis) 1975 ****

GENTLE GIANT Free Hand (art rock, One Way records) 1975*****

Jeff BECK Blow By Blow (album rock, Legacy) 1975*****

Jack BRUCE Live at the Manchester Free Trade Hall (rock, Polydor)1975*****

Hatfield and the North The Rotters' Club (Plan 9) 1975*****

Gong - Shamal (Virgin) 1975****

Maggie Bell Suicide Sal (Repertoire) 1975*****

Supertramp - Crisis? What Crisis? (A&M) 1975****

Jefferson Starship – Red Octopus (RCA) 1975*****

RUSH 2112 (album rock, Mercury) 1976 *****

GENESIS Trick of the Tail (album rock, ATCO) 1976 *****

AC/DC Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap (hard rock, Epic) 1976 *****

BOSTON Boston (Album rock, Epic) 1976 *****

Jon ANDERSON Olias of Sunhillow (Art rock, Wounded Bird) 1976 *****

Jeff BECK Wired (album rock, Epic) 1976*****

Eagles Hotel California (Asylum) 1976*****

Soft Machine Softs (See For Miles) 1976*****

Gong - Gazeuse! (Virgin) 1976****

Peter Frampton - Frampton Comes Alive! (A&M) 1976*****

RUSH A Farewell to the Kings (album rock, Mercury) 1977 ****

WEATHER REPORT Heavy Weather (fusion, Columbia/Legacy) 1977 *****

CRAWLER Crawler (album rock, Epic) 1977 *****

AC/DC Let There Be Rock (hard rock, Epic) 1977 ****

PROCOL HARUM Something Magic (art rock, Chrysalis) 1977 *****

Peter GABRIEL Peter Gabriel 1 (prog rock, Universal) 1977*****

Eric CLAPTON Slowhand (Polygram) 1977*****

Peter Hammill Over (Blue Plate) 1977 *****

National Health (Get Back Rec) 1977****

Supertramp - Even in the Quietest Moments... (Universal) 1977*****

AC/DC If You Want Blood You've Got It (hard rock, Epic) 1978 *****

Mike OLDFIELD Incantations (electronic art rock, Blue Plate) 1978 *****

David GILMOUR David Gilmour (Art rock, Columbia/Legacy) 1978 ****

JETHRO TULL Bursting Out: Jethro Tull Live (Album rock, Chrysalis) 1978 ****

DIRE STRAITS Dire Straits (rock’n’roll, Warner) 1978 *****

Rick WAKEMAN Criminal Record (Art rock, Hip-O Select) 1978 *****

The BAND The Last Waltz (album rock, Capitol) 1978 ****

Peter GABRIEL Peter Gabriel 2 (prog rock, Universal) 1978*****

WEATHER REPORT 8:30 (fusion, Columbia) 1979 *****

AC/DC Highway to Hell (hard rock, Epic) 1979 ****

PINK FLOYD The Wall (Album rock, Capitol) 1979 *****

Steve HOWE The Steve Howe Album (instrumental rock, Atlantic) 1979 *****

Peter GREEN – In the Skies (Sanctuary) 1979 *****

Mick TAYLOR – Mick Taylor (Columbia) 1979*****

Eagles Long Run (Asylum) 1979****

Robert FRIPP Exposure (EG Rec) 1979*****

Peter Hammill pH7 (Blue Plate) 1979 *****

Gong - Downwind (Arista) 1979****

Supertramp - Breakfast in America (A&M) 1979****

Foreigner – Head Games (Album rock, Atlantic) 1979****

Muddy Waters – Muddy „Mississippi” Waters Live (Chicago Blues, Sony) 1979***

RUSH Permanent Waves (album rock, Mercury) 1980 *****

AC/DC Back in Black (hard rock, Epic) 1980 *****

Peter GABRIEL Peter Gabriel 3 (prog rock, Universal) 1980*****

The Police – Zenyatta Mondatta (A&M) 1980*****

GRATEFUL DEAD Reckoning (jam bands, Arista) 1981 ****

RUSH Moving Pictures (album rock, Mercury) 1981 *****

Foreigner – 4 (Album rock, Atlantic) 1981*****

ASIA Asia (prog rock, Geffen) 1982 *****

Andy Summers & Robert Fripp - I Advance Masked (A&M) 1982*****

YES 90125 (Album rock, ATCO) 1983 *****

COVERDALE / PAGE Coverdale / Page (hard rock, Geffen) 1983 *****

DIRE STRAITS Alchemy: Dire Straits Live (rock’n’roll, Warner) 1983 *****

The Police – Synchronicity (A&M) 1983*****

David GILMOUR About Face (Art rock, Columbia) 1984 *****

DIRE STRAITS Brothers in Arms (rock’n’roll, Warner) 1985 *****

Sting - The Dream of the Blue Turtles (A&M) 1985****

Stewart Copeland – The Rhythmatist (A&M) 1985*****

Joe ZAWINUL Dialects (world fusion, Columbia) 1986 *****

Steve WINWOOD Back in the High Life (album rock, Island) 1986 *****

Peter GABRIEL So (prog rock, Universal) 1986****

Sting - Bring on the Night (A&M) 1986****

Paco De LUCIA Siroco (flamenco, Verve) 1987 *****

Sting - Nothing Like the Sun (A&M) 1986*****

Joe Satriani – Surfing with the Alien (Guitar Virtuoso, Epic) 1987*****

Jeff HEALEY See The Light (blues rock, BMG) 1988 *****

TRACY CHAPMAN Tracy Chapman (pop rock, Elektra) 1988 *****

Cowboy Junkies The trinity Session (alternativ, RCA) 1988****

Queensryche – Operation: Mindcrime (Prog, EMI/DCC) 1988*****

RUSH Presto (album rock, Mercury) 1989 ****

Dick DALE King of the Surf Guitar: The Best of Dick Dale (rock’n’roll, Rhino) 1989 *****

Sandy DENNY The Best of (folk rock, Hannibal) 1989 *****

Ry COODER – Paris, Texas (Rock, Warner Bros.) 1989****

Joe Satriani – Flying in a Blue Dream (Guitar Virtuoso, Epic) 1989*****

Mike OLDFIELD Amarok (opera rock, Caroline) 1990 *****

Jack BRUCE A Question of Time (album rock, Epic) 1990****

Steve VAI – Passion and Warfare (Guitar virtuoso, Epic) 1990*****

Queensryche – Empire (Prog, EMI/DCC) 1990*****

GEORGE DALARAS Greek Voice (world, Trop) 1991 *****

DEAD CAN DANCE A Passage in Time (worlds fusion, Rykodisc) 1991 *****

Sting - The Soul Cages (A&M) 1991****

Eric CLAPTON Unplugged (blues rock, Reprise) 1992 *****

CRY OF LOVE Brother (hard rock, Columbia) 1992 *****

Dream Theater – Images and Words (Neo Prog, Elektra) 1992*****

Jon MARK Alhambra (electronic prog, Polydor) 1993 ****

Steve HOWE The Grand Scheme of Things (instrumental rock, Relativity) 1993 *****

Sting - Ten Summoner's Tales (A&M) 1993****

Dream Theater – Live at the Marquee (Neo prog, WP) 1993****

Joe Satriani – Time Machine (Guitar Virtuoso, Sony) 1993*****

Warren Haynes – Tales of Ordinary Madness (Blues rock, SPV) 1993*****

Paul GILBERT A Tribute to Jimi Hendrix (hard rock, European Import) 1994 *****

Eric CLAPTON From the Cradle (blues rock, Reprise) 1994 *****

DAVE MATTHEWS BAND Under the Table and Dreaming (rock, RCA) 1994 *****

Dream Theater – Awake (Neo Prog, Elektra) 1994****

Jeff HEALEY Cover To Cover (blues rock, BMG/Arista) 1995 *****

Sheryl CROW Sheryl Crow (pop rock, A&M) 1996 *****

The SPENCER DAVIS GROUP Eight Gigs a Week: The Steve Winwood Years (british invasion, Island) 1996 *****

YES Keys to Ascension (Album rock, CMC International) 1996 *****

Joey DeFRANCESCO Joey DeFrancesco's Goodfellas (hard bop, Concord) 1998 ****

Dream Theater – Metropolis Part 2: Scenes from a Memory (Neo Prog, Elektra) 1999****

Joe BONAMASSA A New Day Yesterday (rock, Premier Artists) 2000****

Raimundo Amador – Un Okupa en Tu Corazon (Latin rock, Polydor) 2000*****

Drive-By Truckers Southern Rock Opera (rock, Universal) 2001*****

John MAYALL 70th Birthday Concert (british blues, Eagle) 2003 *****

Dream Theater – Train of Thought (Neo Prog, Elektra) 2003*****

Joe BONAMASSA Had To Cry Today (rock, Premier Artists) 2004****

Johnny CASH My Mother's Hymn Book (gospel, American) 2004*****

Joe Satriani – G3: Rockin in a Free World (Guitar Virtuoso, Epic) 2004****

Paul GILBERT Spaceship One (guitar virtuoso, Shrapnel) 2005*****

CREAM Royal Albert Hall: London May 2-3-5-6 2005 (blues rock, Polydor) 2005 ****

Steve VAI – Real Illusions Reflections (Guitar virtuoso, WK) 2005****

David GILMOUR On An Island (Art rock, Columbia) 2006 *****

Mick TAYLOR – Little Red Rooster, Live 2001 (WT) 2007****

Ry COODER – My Name is Buddy (blues, Nonesuch) 2007*****

Dream Theater – Dark Side of the Moon (Cover series, Ytsejam) 2007**** 

Paul GILBERT Silence Followed by a Deafening Roar (guitar virtuoso, Shrapnel) 2008 *****

Jeff BECK Performing This Week...: Live at Ronnie Scott's (hard rock, Eagle Rec.) 2008****

Jack BRUCE, Robin TROWER Seven Moons (rock, V 12) 2008****

Steve VAI – Where the Wild Things Are (Fusion, Favoured Nations Rec.)2009****

Jeff BECK Emotion and Commotion (album rock, Rhino, Warner Music) 2010****

Jimi HENDRIX Valleys of Nepture (rock, Exp. Hendrix, Sony Music) 2010***

Joe BONAMASSA Black Rock (rock, Premier Artists) 2010*****

Philip SAYCE Innerevolution (rock, Provogue) 2010*****

Johnny CASH American VI: Ain't No Grave (country, Lost Highway) 2010*****

Black Country Communion – 1 (Hard rock, J&R Adventures) 2010*****

Cyndi Lauper – Memphis Blues (Modern Blues, Mercer Street Rec.) 2010****

Charlie Musselwhite – The Well (Modern Blues, Alligator) 2010****

Warren Haynes – Man in Motion (Southern Soul, Stax) 2011****