106 Comments
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Andre Moss's avatar

Great list, I would just add Waiting for Columbus by Little Feat.

Ted Fay's avatar

++ on Waiting for Columbus.

Simon and Garfunkel in Central Park (despite it being abused by PBS for decades)

The Kinks - Lola from the One From the Road…much of the rest of the album can be skipped

Adam B.'s avatar

Seconded. Word is it was fairly heavily overdubbed in studio but I don’t really care, the live effect it communicates is amazing.

LLD3's avatar

Yes, the quintessential rock & roll live album.

Goldenstash Lives!'s avatar

Seger. Live Bullet

Matt Fish's avatar

Rock solid pick :)

Nobina Robinson's avatar

Interesting list. I would add Edgar Winter Roadwork and Lou Reed Rock and Roll Animal.

Matt Fish's avatar

The Lou Reed one was on the longlist during the outlining stage. Thanks for reading!

Robert Burkhardt's avatar

All great choices but I didn’t see one of my favorites: Jerry Lee Lewis Live at the Star Club. He takes no prisoners.

Matt Fish's avatar

What an icon <3

Jeremy Shatan's avatar

Many greats here, including James Brown, Miles Davis, and The Who! A couple of my go-tos are Bob Marley & The Wailers - Babylon By Bus and Bob Dylan - Hard Rain. And one more people need to know about is Desvio Onirico by Brazilian psych-rockers Boogarins.

Matt Fish's avatar

Some great picks there, all worth checking out. Thanks Jeremy!

Robert Dunn's avatar

Where is Little Feat?! Dude

Dr AMM's avatar

Thin Lizzy ‘Live and Dangerous’ (1977) is worth a shout too. Saw them live twice. Awesome performances. Lynott was a hugely charismatic frontman.

Matt Fish's avatar

Another solid pick here, thanks for sharing!

Arcadeist's avatar

I loved the whole MTV unplugged series, especially Neil Young and Nirvana. Personally I would have Jeff Buckley Mystery White Boy and Pearl Jam Live on 2 Legs on a list but that’s just personal taste. It’s a great list🍻

Matt Fish's avatar

Thanks for commenting! I’ve only ever heard the Pearl Jam record, will have to add the other to my list.

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Mar 7, 2025
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Matt Fish's avatar

Exceptional <3

Alcondigas's avatar

All great selections on that list. I’ve heard most of them, and some of them I’ve genuinely worn out as a teenager… the albums Live At Fillmore, Frampton Comes Alive, At Budokan, and Live In Japan were all worn out by the end of the 70’s.

I also would like to recommend a few that might have been overlooked: “Live And Dangerous” by Thin Lizzy, “Strangers In The Night” by UFO, “Rust Never Sleeps” by Neil Young & Crazy Horse, and of course “Get Yer Ya-Ya’s Out” by The Stones… All great, and listened to so many times by myself that I wore out those ones too!

Great Memories, Thanks

Ricardamundo's avatar

That Allman Brothers double live album is a killer.

One of my old favourites is Delaney and Bonnie and Friends with Eric Clapton Live (sort of the precursor for Layla).

Matt Fish's avatar

I’ve never heard that one! Adding to my list 🤘

Chris Stott's avatar

Where is Get your Ya’s Ya’s Out”?

Matt Fish's avatar

It was one of the last ones cut.

Chris Stott's avatar

While Cheap Trick catches lightning in a bottle with “ Budakon”, “Ya -Ya’s “ is the world’s greatest rock n roll band-when they actually were.

David Nee's avatar

I prefer their THREE Sides Live but Genesis’ Seconds Out really belongs on any best live album list.

Don Quixote's Reckless Son's avatar

There's so many great live jazz albums but both Bill Evans and John Coltrane recordings "Live at the Village Vanguard" are on par with any.

Does "Let it Be" count as a live album? Then there's the Grateful Dead, who's studio recordings never captured the spark of their live shows. The all acoustic "Reckoning" predates the Americana label by 15 years or so. And The Band's "Last Waltz" predates that by another 5 years.

Oh, and how could I forget "Shadows and Light" and "Miles of Aisles" from Joni?

Gus's avatar

Seconds Out, Genesis

Space Ritual, Hawkwind

Live ... In The Heart of The City, Whitesnake (the proper version before Coverdale shat the bed)

Live at the Marquee, Nine Below Zero

Live at the Star Club Hamburg, Jerry Lee Lewis

Stourley Kracklite's avatar

lemme just say- in full appreciation of this post-the replies are worthy as well,

Lynn Rugh's avatar

Waiting For Columbus.