4 Must-Have Classic Rock Albums To Test Out Your New Turntable

The rebirth of vinyl over the past decade or so has sparked an interest in music fans in buying turntables. Maybe you’re already an expert on the sonics of it all and can set the thing up so that it blasts you right out of your living room.

But if you’re a novice, it might be smart to get some rock albums that will demonstrate just how great your record player can sound. We suggest these four classic rock albums as a starting point.

‘Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band’ by The Beatles

The Beatles were already trending towards pushing the envelope in the studio heading into 1967. Their decision to stop touring gave them much more time to see what they could do in that respect. Working with producer George Martin, the four men tested the boundaries of sonic experimentation. They ladled all of that on top of songs that mostly told of the routine, even the mundane. This LP will leave you agape at the aural marvels on display, especially considering that the group was working with mostly primitive (compared to now) equipment. Bonus points for the fact that the group added a bit of party noise after the last song so that there’d be something playing over the runout groove.

‘Days Of Future Passed’ by The Moody Blues

The Moody Blues started their career as a typical R&B-based British Invasion band. But they then went through some major turnover. Denny Laine, who’d spearheaded their first hit “Go Now”, headed out the door. In came Justin Hayward and John Lodge, two guys who brought songwriting chops with them. The new unit decided to try something relatively novel, combining rock song structures with orchestral backing. Days Of Future Passed comes with trippy trappings, such as a little bit of spoken-word poetry. But when the band hits their pinnacles on songs like “Nights In White Satin”, and the strings and horns swell behind them, your listening area will be booming with the grandeur of it all.

‘Exile On Main St.’ by The Rolling Stones

You know one guy who wouldn’t agree with our assessment that Exile Main St. is a wonderful turntable record? Mick Jagger, the guy who was responsible for writing and singing a good deal of it. Jagger has always complained that the mix was too murky for him. But we actually think that the earthiness of the record makes for an excellent listening experience on vinyl. It’s more satisfying than the digital mix, which makes this record sound a little too clean. We like our Exile On Main St. full of grit and lived-in texture. After all, that’s in keeping with the spirit of how it was made. The Stones recorded it in a dank, claustrophobic basement, after all. Only analog can locate that vibe.

‘The Dark Side Of The Moon’ by Pink Floyd

Pink Floyd had already developed a reputation as the ultimate headphone band before they got around to making their masterpiece. The quirky psychedelia of the Syd Barrett era gave way to the ambient waves of their late 60s, early 70s stretch. Once they handed the lyrical duties over to Roger Waters, they had a concept on which to hang their musical ambition. The Dark Side Of The Moon muses on madness. By including interviews with random folks in the margins of the music, the band will make you think you’re hearing voices. The sound effects are massive and on-point, offset by the utter beauty of the music in places. This should be high on your list of LP purchases when you buy your turntable.