The three “best” albums of all time, according to Howard Stern
To be a radio DJ was, for a time, to hold all the cards of the music industry in one hand. It would allow you to dictate a playlist that resonated across the country. Since he became one of the most distinctive voices on the airwaves in the 1980s, Howard Stern has taken things ot a new level.
Stern didn’t just make a career out of his shock jock ways, often pushing the boundaries of radio entertainment too far, but he has also been arguably the most revered sage of rock music. It means his view on the pillars of the rock music pantheon is worth listening to.
A lifelong lover of music in all its forms, largely owing to his father’s job as a recording engineer, Stern has seen many acts come and go over the years, with him never afraid to over his honest opinion about some of the most prominent names within the industry.
Whether it be waxing lyrical about classic rock bands such as Black Sabbath or delivering lines such as “fuck Elvis”, Stern’s dedication to being simple in regards to music has seen him cultivate a status that has seen millions tune in to his show for decades. It is, in very many ways, a complete dedication to the rebellion at the centre of the rock and roll ethos.
In January 2022, Stern provided one of his most significant moments on air by naming what he believes are the three best albums of all time. Coming by way of three monumental acts, there was no real surprise that they’re from the classic rock era. These were The Beatles’ 1967 psychedelic masterpiece Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, 1969’s Led Zeppelin II, and The Jimi Hendrix Experience’s debut album, 1967’s Are You Experienced.
Stern’s revelations emerged after a caller named Meat Loaf’s 1977 debut album Bat Out of Hell one of the best albums ever. Confounded by this outlandish claim, Stern asserted, “The hits were great—not the entire album,” before revisiting the criteria of what makes an album superior to others. “You’re saying, what are the … best albums where every song is fucking killer.”
Stern then confidently named his picks for the three greatest albums ever. “If you were going to pick number one, it would have to be a Beatles album, I’d probably say it’s ‘Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band,’” he said. “The other album that comes to mind, the second Led Zeppelin album [‘Led Zeppelin II’], you know, with ‘Heartbreaker’ into ‘Living Loving Maid’ … if I put that whole album on it’s mesmerising.”
Finishing, Howard chose Jimi Hendrix’s debut album. “If I’ve got to pick a third, I’d have to even consider Jimi Hendrix Experience [‘Are You Experienced’] because every song is mind-blowing,” he said. “People would put Beach Boys’ Pet Sounds on there, but that’s bullshit.”
“There are musicians who vow to the Beach Boys,” Stern’s co-host Robin Quivers added, “but that’s like a musician thing, not a people listening thing.”
Looking at the three records, it’s hard to imagine that they would fall short in the top 20 of the most important rock albums of all time. While Stern has rarely bent his opinion to land with the public view, it feels like this time he may have actually aligned with Joe Public.
Howard Stern’s three favourite albums:
- The Beatles – Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967)
- The Jimi Hendrix Experience – Are You Experienced (1967)
- Led Zeppelin – Led Zeppelin II (1969)
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