From Bob Marley to Queen and Harmonium: discover 25 cult albums that will celebrate their fiftieth anniversary next year.
Just a heart attack, queen
The third studio album by the legendary group around Freddie Mercury gave us the timeless song “Killer Queen”. Not only did this work go multi-platinum, but it also charted in the top 25 in seven countries upon its release.
Kiss, kiss
We agree that this first project of the Kiss group was not the most productive in its history, but it is still the beginning of the famous adventure of the glam rockers. Did you know that much of this album was written while Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley were working with the band Wicked Lester, which broke up in 1973?
Caribou, Elton John
Elton John was in all his flamboyance in his eighth performance, which begins with the catchy The Bitch is Back. The Brit's fourth consecutive album reached number one in the United States and also made the top 10 in twelve other countries.
Harmonium, harmonium
Undoubtedly one of the most important musical projects in our province, he treated us to great classics such as “Pour un Instant” and “A Musician” and many others. This first harmonium tour also marks the beginning of the relationship between Judi Richards and the Quebec culture involved in the recording.
Natty Dread, Bob Marley and the Wailers
Despite the lightness of its reggae sounds, this album is politically charged and important to the Jamaican people and the legacy of Bob Marley. “A hungry mob is an angry mob,” he sings on the track Them Belly Full (But We Hungry), which denounces conditions in poor areas of the city of Kingston.
faces of love, Charles Aznavour
Even though it doesn't contain legendary tracks like La Bohème or Emmenez-moi, this project still takes us on a beautiful journey into the exquisite universe of the prolific French singer. On this, Aznavour's 25th performance in 21 years, it is the song “All the Faces of Love” that stands out the most for its melody and lyrics.
It's just rock n roll, The Rolling Stones
This twelfth Stones album, self-produced by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, reached the Top 12 in nine countries in 1974 and was also certified Platinum in the United States and Gold in France and the United Kingdom. The singles “It's Only Rock'n'Roll (But I Like It)” and “Ain't Too Proud to Beg” spent many weeks at the top of the charts almost everywhere in the world.
second aid, Lynyrd Skynyrd
One title, three words: Sweet Home Alabama. Lynyrd Skynyrd's second album brought to life one of the most iconic songs of all time and for that reason alone it deserves its place on this chart.
walls and bridges, John Lennon
This is an important project in the post-Beatles era as it is a John Lennon stripped of his Yoko Ono and pouring his emotions into it. “Whatever Gets You Thru the Night” was one of Lennon's first solo songs to reach the top of the charts in the United States.
Big shame, Big shame
Even 50 years later, The Lament of the Seal in Alaska and December 23rd remain anchored in the collective memory. Add to that pieces like Ginette and Le picbois, among others, and you have a cult project in Quebec history.
Get your wings, Aerosmith
Building on an initial impulse that included the immortal Dream On, critics agree that Aerosmith truly found their niche in this second effort. “Get Your Wings,” which includes the single “Same Old Song and Dance,” charted at number 74 on the Billboard 200 in 1974 and was certified three times platinum in the United States.
The first finale of fulfillment, Stevie Wonder
With three Grammy Awards including Album of the Year, this breakout from Stevie Wonder is a soul music classic. Of particular note are the tracks “You Haven't Done Nothin'” and “Boogie On Reggae Woman”, which reached first and third place on the Billboard Hot 100, respectively.
At the beach, Neil Young
On the Beach was named one of Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time and is considered the Toronto singer's most emotional project. After the success of 1972's Harvest, it was a fame-struck Neil Young who provided this resurgence, which went gold in the United States.
crime of the century, Supertramp
The year 1974 was the year of the English group's commercial rise thanks to Crime of the Century. This project, certified gold in five countries and diamond in Canada, was described by Classic Rock magazine as a “masterpiece of progressive rock.”
Charlebois, Robert Charlebois
rock, blues, disco; Robert Charlebois was enthusiastic about this project, something we unfortunately often forget when we think about his repertoire. Special mention goes to the pieces I dream in Rio, Que.-Can. Blues and Manche de Pelle, which demonstrate the full versatility of the singer from Quebec.
diamond dogs, David Bowie
Despite poor reviews at the time of release, “Diamond Dogs” still ranked in the top 50 sales charts in over a dozen countries. The single “Rebel Rebel”, particularly its electric guitar riff, is now considered a forerunner of the punk rock style that became popular in the following years.
Waterloo, ABBA
ABBA was catapulted to international fame by winning the hugely popular Eurovision competition with this project's theme song in 1974. The song “Waterloo” reached number six on the American charts and ABBA became the first foreign group to take part in the Eurovision Song Contest and reach the British charts.
The lamb lies down on Broadway, genesis
This album was certified gold in four countries and received praise from major rock critics. It is Peter Gabriel's last album with Genesis. Gabriel and his teammate Phil Collins believe that this project represents one of the highlights of the group's career.
Love each other, Ginette Reno
With this work, the great singer gave us the popular single Des croissants de soleil. Special mention deserves the performance of the song Aimons-nous written by Yvon Deschamps, which was inducted into the pantheon of Canadian authors and composers by SOCAN in 2019.
On the border, Eagle
This third performance by the Hotel California artists was certified twice platinum in the United States and gold in Canada. It contains the group's first single to reach the top of the American charts, “The Best of my Love”, as well as the title track “On the Border”. The latter alludes to the Watergate scandal that led to the resignation of American President Richard Nixon.
RedKing Crimson
Did you know that this album inspired one Kurt Cobain to write Nirvana's “In Utero”? Although it did not have the expected success on a commercial level, Red is now considered by Rolling Stone, among others, to be one of the most influential projects in the world of progressive rock.
The blue wordsChristopher
The album Les mots bleus and its title song are considered by several major critics to be one of the best French rock albums of all time and are considered defining of the “slow dances” of the 1970s.
New skin for the old ceremony, Leonard Cohen
The Montreal artist has changed his puritanical style and added several melodies to his voice on this fourth project, which also includes the track Chelsea Hotel #2, about a night with the late Janis Joplin.
Rush'Hurry
Rush's first work was critically well received and is now certified gold in both Canada and the United States. For the Canadian band, it was the beginning of a great career in music, but also in philanthropy.
Apostrophe('), Frank Zappa
Since this album is the American artist's greatest commercial success, Zappa managed to showcase his great humorous and satirical side on Don't Eat the Yellow Snow, among others, reaching tenth place on the US Billboard 200 to slide.