Album Rewinds

Given the test of time and the wisdom of hindsight, how do significant albums from the past sound and play today? Our critics take a second look from a fresh perspective

The Byrds’ ‘Mr. Tambourine Man’ LP—A Folk Rock Manifesto

With worthwhile covers, solid originals and no filler, the LP sustained a level of quality that invited favorable comparison with their heroes, the Beatles.

Read More

The Go-Go’s’ ‘Beauty and the Beat’: A Scene of Their Own

No matter the level of personal and professional drama, the musical legacy remains, with their first LP as an early peak.

Read More

David Bowie’s ‘Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars’: Glam-Rock Goes Global

The album didn’t only elevate his career. It influenced many artists and kickstarted the entire punk movement.

Read More

The Bee Gees’ ‘Main Course’: The Turning Point

Just when it seemed as if their career might be over, the brothers Gibb drastically altered their style. They would soon find out what success really was!

Read More

Dire Straits’ ‘Brothers in Arms’: Mark Knopfler Completes the Transition to Stadium-Friendly Band

One of the first all-digital albums recorded with the compact disc in mind, it vaulted the British band into the rock stratosphere.

Read More

‘Broken English’: The Return of Marianne Faithfull

The 1979 album shows the influence of punk, reggae and jazz, and the lyrics often flowed from her still-in-process romantic and artistic collaborations.

Read More

Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble’s ‘Texas Flood’: Out of the Gate

Recorded as a demo over a long holiday weekend, the album launched the career of the legendary bluesman and gave the genre itself a huge boost.

Read More

Rod Stewart: ‘Every Picture Tells a Story’—Don’t It?

The man who once said, “I’m a rock star because I couldn’t be a soccer star,” broke through with his solo third album, which included the smash “Maggie May.”

Read More

Wings’ ‘Venus and Mars’ @50: What the Man Said

Following the breakup of the Beatles, McCartney just wanted to be another band member. He finally got his chance (sort of) with this 1975 LP.

Read More

Elton John’s ‘Don’t Shoot Me, I’m Only the Piano Player’: A High-Water Mark

The album marked a burgeoning ascent to superstardom and continued a solid streak of hits that are, to the present day, certified as classics.

Read More