The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars- David Bowie (1972)

Ziggy Stardust was a character that was created by David Bowie. The name was inspired by Legendary Stardust Cowboy, a musician from the '60's. Bowie used Ziggy as a way to cope with his mental health conditions. A whole life was created for his alter ego. He was the ultimate rock star. His sci-fi rock elements have showed up in Bowie’s work before. 'Space Oddity'is still one of David’s biggest songs, and conveys his interest in space and science fiction. The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars was considered his breakthrough record, and topped the UK charts. Many deemed it significant musically, artistically, and historically.

The Dark Side of The Moon- Pink Floyd (1973)

In 1973, British rock band, Pink Floyd, released their 8th record. Going down as one of the best selling records of all time, their hard work had finally paid off. It was #1 on the charts for 1 week, and stayed on the charts for 741 consecutive weeks. The concept of the record is very well thought out. It tells a story through each track. Many people have come up with theories about what the meaning is. We’ve gotten some explanation from the band for a few songs, but the meaning of the record is still a mystery to us. The Dark Side of The Moon is easily Pink Floyd’s most successful record, and quite possibly one of the greatest of all time.

Physical Graffiti- Led Zeppelin (1975)

Led Zeppelin returned from a 2 year hiatus with a new record called Physical Graffiti. The record topped the charts in the UK and US, and went platinum 16 times. The band had a long time to compose and record this. Lots of thought went into the art that they created. Even the cover was well thought out, which was a photograph taken of a building in The East Village of New York City. Many look past Physical Graffiti when listening to Led Zeppelin, but it is truly some of their best work.

Rumours- Fleetwood Mac (1977)

The year was 1977 and Fleetwood Mac had just debuted their record called Rumours. The record has sold more than 45 million copies, and is one of the highest-selling of all time. Although the release was successful, their brutally honest lyrics were based on personal turmoil. Through their heartbreak, one of rock’s greatest soap operas was born. Most of the conflict and trouble was between band members, so the lyrics have a he-said-she-said sense to them. Especially ‘The Chain’, which all of the members collaborated on. With 17 studio records, Rumours is easily one of the best. Mick Fleetwood has called Rumours the most important record they've ever written and released.

Nevermind- Nirvana (1991)

Nirvana’s ‘Nevermind’ is quite possibly one of the greatest grunge records. The record includes some of their biggest hits, such as ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’, ‘In Bloom’, and ‘Come as You Are’. They weren’t expecting it to be so successful, but they were proved wrong when it replaced Michael Jackson’s ‘Dangerous’ and hit #1 on the charts. Nirvana was responsible for bringing grunge to surface in the ’90’s. Frontman and lyricist, Kurt Cobain, was influenced by The Pixies, The Smithereens, The Melvins, and R.E.M. He began paving the way for grunge, but sadly couldn't finish when his life came to a tragic end 3 years after Nevermind was released.

Dookie- Green Day (1994)

In 1994, Green Day released their 3rd studio record, Dookie. Peaking at #2 on the Billboard charts, it sold over 20 million copies. The record was inspired by personal experiences of the band members such as anxiety, divorce, panic attacks, sexual orientation, and boredom. Green Day’s vocalist and guitarist, Billie Joe Armstrong, wrote ‘Basket Case’ based on his anxiety and being diagnosed with panic disorder. Through the hard times in their lives, one of the greatest records in the early punk-era was created.

The Colour and The Shape- Foo Fighters (1997)

2nd studio record from the punk band, Foo Fighters, has gone down as their most successful release. Dave Grohl came straight from Nirvana as a drummer, to being the frontman of a new band. They were an instant success. Singles ‘Monkey Wrench’ and ‘Everlong’ peaked within top 10 on the rock radio stations. Grohl had just gotten through a divorce, and the lyrics reflect his troubles during that time. The record was built to be like a therapy session. The first track, ‘Doll’, is about entering something that you weren't prepared for. From there, each track, in order, has a meaning. The ups and downs made it enjoyable for everybody. The Colour and The Shape has sold millions of copies, making it Foo Fighters’ best seller.

Enema of The State- Blink 182 (1999)

One of punk-rocks biggest bands, Blink-182, releases their 3rd studio record. They began gaining popularity on Warped Tour, and it’s only gone up from there. Blink created one of the most iconic punk records of all time. ‘What’s My Age Again?’ generated heavy radio play, along with ‘All The Small Things’ and ‘Adam’s Song’. Bassist and co-lead singer, Mark Hoppus, summarizes the record’s theme as ‘youthful angst, energy, and suburban unrest’. Not only did the punk trio write about teenage angst, they wrote about important matters. ‘Adam’s Song’ was written about depression and loneliness, inspired by a fan that committed suicide. They used influences from personal experiences and other bands. The lyric ‘I took my time, I hurried up, the choice was mine I didn't think enough’ came from Nirvana’s song ‘Come As You Are’. Hoppus used his loneliness on tour as an inspiration for the song. Enema of The State paved the way for Blink-182, and is one of the biggest punk records ever written.

Bleed American- Jimmy Eat World (2001)

Bleed American by Jimmy Eat World was released in 2001. Reaching platinum in it’s first year, they proved their record label, who didn't believe in them, wrong. In reality, it was a good thing, since it gave them motivation to put out an excellent record. Songs like ‘The Middle’ and ‘Sweetness’ became punk anthems, and influences for many bands. They weren’t sure if ‘The Middle’ would even make it on the track list. The song was written about open-mindedness and meeting in the middle on arguments over punk-rock. They made the right decision with putting it on the record, since it’s their most successful song. From iconic guitar riffs to lyrics everybody knows, Jimmy Eat World did an excellent job creating this punk record.

So Wrong It's Right- All Time Low (2007)

All Time Low’s first full length record was a huge success. So Wrong It’s Right sold 14,225 copies in the first week of being released. Eventually, the record went platinum. Debuting 3 new singles on a group of shows the December before the record was released, they began gaining some popularity. All of the lyrics were written by frontman, Alex Gaskarth. ‘Dear Maria Count Me In’ became their most popular song of all, along with multiple other tracks from the same record. Each track has a meaning and tells a story. ‘Stay Awake (Dreams Only Last For a Night)’ was written about not giving up and making sure to live every moment like it’s the last. Other tracks like ‘Remembering Sunday’ tell a sad love story. 10 years later, this record has gained tons of popularity for the music and the band. Every release since then has built and grown on the music that launched their career. A record full of nostalgia, youth, and hope, we’ll always go to All Time Low’s ‘So Wrong It’s Right’ for a feel-good, youthful anthem.