4 Live Albums From the 20th Century That Will Make You Want To Go to Concerts Again

These live albums from the 20th century are still some of my favorites. If you love classic rock, you might feel the same way. Let’s dive into a few decades-old live albums that will make you want to rock out at concerts again!

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‘Alive!’ by KISS (1975)

This live album was the one that put KISS on the map early on in their career, and I can see why. They are best remembered as a live act, and Alive! captured their essence as a live act perfectly.

Alive! was a smash hit back in 1975, peaking at No. 9 on the Billboard 200.

‘Live At Leeds’ by The Who (1970)

Few live albums from the 20th century are as widely loved as Live At Leeds by The Who. The whole vibe of this record is very bootleg DIY, and that’s part of the appeal. The Who knew how to put on one heck of a show, and it was captured beautifully on this 1970 record.

Live At Leeds took over the charts internationally, making it to No. 3 on the UK Albums chart and No. 4 on the Billboard 200 back in 1970.

‘Wings Over America’ by Wings (1976)

This three-LP live album isn’t underrated by any stretch, but I do wish it got more love nowadays. Wings dropped some incredible studio records, but there’s something about Wings Over America that just hits so well. Perhaps that’s because it includes some of the best of the band, plus some of the best of Paul McCartney (“Maybe I’m Amazed”, for example) and even some of the best of The Beatles.

Wings Over America topped the Billboard 200 upon its release and also made it to No. 8 on the UK Albums chart.

‘MTV Unplugged In New York’ by Nirvana (1994)

The 1990s didn’t yield a ton of amazing live albums, but Nirvana’s Unplugged set remains one of the best from the decade… and from the 20th century as a whole. Something about this grunge band, stripped down to the basics with a carefully curated setlist, just never seems to get old.

Nirvana’s MTV Unplugged album topped numerous charts globally, including the Billboard 200 and UK Albums chart.

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