The Who, ‘Live at Leeds’

On Valentine’s Day of 1970, one of the most famous rock bands in music history, The Who, performed at the University of Leeds. This performance was recorded and later turned into their first live album, Live at Leeds.

The English rockers performed six tracks for the live album, but later on, in other renditions of the album, they added 27 other songs that were played at that concert. Today, Live at Leeds is considered one of the best live rock recordings of all time.

James Brown, ‘Live at the Apollo’

Live at the Apollo is James Brown’s first live album. It was recorded on October 24, 1962, and he financed the entire show himself. Brown’s record label, King Records, didn’t realize the potential a live performance could have for Brown. However, Brown knew, and success went his way.

The 31-minute show spent 66 weeks on the Billboard charts and left fans wanting him to release more music as soon as possible. In 1998, the album was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame, and in 2004 it was chosen that year by the Library of Congress to be added to the National Recording Registry. Those are high honors!

Talking Heads, ‘Stop Making Sense’

The 1984 live album Stop Making Sense featured nine tracks from the live concert film with the same name released earlier that year. The film and the live album were recorded over three nights at Hollywood’s Pantages Theater in December of 1983.

The concert film and live album were released to promote Speaking in Tongues. The live album spent over two years on the Billboard 200 chart and ranked 345th on Rolling Stone magazine’s list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.

Fishmans, ‘98.12.28 Otokotachi no Wakare’

98.12.28 was the third and final live album recorded by the incredibly popular Japanese band Fishmans. The live album was recorded at the Akasaka Blitz, a music venue in Minato, Tokyo, on December 28, 1998. Polydor Records released it in Japan on September 29, 1999.

The live album documents the band’s final live performance with frontman Shinji Sato before passing away. The tour name, “A Men’s Farewell: December 28, 1998,” symbolized bassist Yuzuru Kashiwabara’s departure from the band at the end of their three-piece era.

Neil Young and Crazy Horse, ‘Rust Never Sleeps’

Rust Never Sleeps is another of the live albums recorded by singer and songwriter Neil Young and the famous rock band Crazy Horse. This album used the same 1978 recordings as the concert film and album Live Rust with an added twist.

This album also included added overdubs divided into electric and acoustic songs. Reprise Records released it on June 22, 1979. The album got its name because Young used the phrase “rust never sleeps” as a concept to tour progressively with Crazy Horse. Crazy!

The Allman Brothers Band, ‘At Fillmore East’

Recorded at the Fillmore East in New York City, At Fillmore East was the first live album and third overall album released by The Allman Brothers Band. It was recorded over three nights in March of 1972, and the band performed extended jam versions of their hit songs.

This album resulted in the band gaining a new loyal fanbase. Many concert-goers and music fans alike called this album one of the best live albums of all time, especially for jazz music. Like other albums on this list, in 2004, this album was selected for preservation in the Library of Congress by the National Recording Registry.