POLL: Best Livestreamed Classic Rock Music Moment of 2020
There’s no denying that one of the worst parts of 2020 was the concert industry shutting down, but countless artists stepped up with a variety of livestream performances to fill that concert void.
There were plenty of great livestream moments including
- The Rolling Stones performing during One World: Together at Home with Charlie Watts' epically cool air drumming.
- Bono and The Edge covering 'Stairway to Heaven'.
- Sammy Hagar honoring Eddie Van Halen during his 'Birthday Bash.'
But which livestream classic rock moment was the best? Vote in our poll below!
Rockâs Greatest Live Albums: Top 40 Ranked
40. Billy Joel – âSongs In The Atticâ (1981)
ShareBilly Joel made excellent records in his early career, but nearly every song on this collection (recorded at various venues on his 1980 tour) sounds better live. The single LP was so packed he didnât even bother to include âPiano Man.â
39. Yes – âYessongsâ (1973)
ShareProgressive rock at its finest. This triple (!) live LP came on the heels of the only two albums recorded with the bandâs best lineup (Chris Squire on bass, Jon Anderson on vocals, Bill Bruford on drums, Steve Howe on guitar and Rick Wakeman on keyboards) -- âFragileâ and âClose To The Edge.â But Bruford quit at the beginning of the tour, so most of this album features Alan White, whose playing was much better suited for the arenas that Yes was now headlining.
38. The Kinks – âOne For The Roadâ (1980)
ShareThe classic version of âLolaâ comes from this live album, and that alone earns it a spot on this list.
37. Thin Lizzy – âLive And Dangerousâ (1978)
ShareLike a lot of other albums on this list, thereâs at least a bit of post-production sweetening here, but the final result is one of the greatest albums -- âliveâ or otherwise -- in â70s hard rock.
36. Rush – âExit⊠Stage Leftâ (1981)
ShareComing off of their best album, 1981âs âMoving Picturesâ was the perfect time for Rush to show off their live prowess; the heavy prog rock band somehow went from cult phenomenon to arena headliners. The album was so packed with classics that even âLimelightâ (a song from âMoving Picturesâ that was an ode to playing live) didnât make the album, despite being a recent radio hit. Neil Peartâs drum solo in âYYZâ is so iconic, many fans who arenât even drummers know it by heart.
35. Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers – âThe Live Anthologyâ (2009)
ShareFor some reason, Petty never had a definitive live album, but this collection, with performances from 1978 through 2007 is an amazing collection that shows that Petty and the Heartbreakers were one of the best live bands in the â70s, â80s, â90s and the â00s.
34. Neil Young & Crazy Horse – âLive Rustâ (1979)
ShareAs the â70s came to a close, punk rock bands were making the hippies from the â60s look obsolete. Neil Young was an exception and this raging, roaring live album with Crazy Horse shows why: on songs like âHey, Hey, My, My (Into The Black)â and âSedan Delivery,â they play as furiously as the Sex Pistols. Not that they left psychedelic jams in the past: âCortez The Killerâ and âLike A Hurricaneâ were improvisational gems, and Young still was great at playing solo folk, as he demonstrated on âSugar Mountainâ and âI Am A Child.â
33. Lynyrd Skynyrd – âOne More From The Roadâ (1976)
ShareIf you never had the opportunity to see Lynyrd Skynyrd during Ronnie Van Zantâs lifetime (and letâs give props to Johnny Van Zant, who has done a great job fronting the band for decades), this is the closest that youâll get. They released this after having only three studio albums, which gave them more than enough material for a double live album. Besides showing off their southern pride on ââTâ For Texasâ they also provied themselves to be blues-rock equals of their idols in Cream on Robert Johnsonâs âCrossroads.â And of course, this album has the definitive -- âWhat song is it you want to hear?â -- âFreebird.â
32. Janis Joplin – âThe Woodstock Experienceâ (1998)
ShareRecorded at the Woodstock festival in 1969, Joplin performed ten hours later than scheduled, and partially due to that, she wasnât as transcendent as she was at her Monterey Pop Festival performance a few years earlier. But Jopin at less than full power is better than most artists on their best night, as evidenced here. Robert Plant, Steven Tyler, Ann Wilson and Axl Rose are among the singers still carrying Joplinâs influence today.
31. Ozzy Osbourne – âRandy Rhoads Tributeâ (1987)
ShareRecorded in 1980 and 1981 during Ozzyâs first tours as a solo artist. His two albums with his original guitarist Randy Rhoads (who tragically died in a plane crash in 1982) held up to his earlier material with Black Sabbath, and his live band (Rhoads, bassist Rudy Sarzo and drummer Tommy Aldridge) packed almost as much of a punch as Sabbath. Someone send this (along with âBlizzard of Ozâ and âDiary of a Madmanâ) to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame voters, already: Randy Rhoads needs to be inducted.
30. The Runaways – âLive In Japanâ (1977)
ShareItâs a rough and ragged live album, and thatâs appropriate: weâre talking about the Runaways here. Opening with âQueens Of Noiseâ (a theme song of sorts), they owned iconic songs like the Velvet Undergroundâs âRock and Rollâ and the Troggsâ âWild Thing.â And their own classic, âCherry Bomb,â holds its own against those two timeless jams.
29. Queen – âLive Killersâ (1979)
ShareIn the â80s, Queen kept cranking out pop singles, but by the end of the â70s, they were still very much a rock band and thatâs on full display here. While the critics didnât love the album, they didnât get Queen anyway, and for years, this was the only authorized documentation of a Queen concert.
28. Iron Maiden – âLive After Deathâ (1985)
ShareIn 1984, when this album was recorded, Maiden was graduating to arena-headlining status, and they did it without having to rely on hit singles: they were the rare band to achieve that kind of popularity without having to hear complaints of âselling out.â It might have been hard to imagine them headlining such big venues with original singer Paul DiâAnno, but Bruce Dickinson, who had fronted the band for three studio albums at this point, had the voice and the presence to deliver Maidenâs metal to the largest venues imaginable (and they still play to enormous crowds today, particularly overseas).
27. The Rolling Stones – âGet Yer Ya-Yaâs Outâ (1970)
ShareThis album, recorded in 1969, came at a particularly great era for the Stones; Mick Taylor had just replaced Brian Jones a few months before, tightening up the bandâs live sound. This was also the last tour before they started adding extra musicians: youâre just hearing Taylor, Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Bill Wyman, Charlie Watts and longtime touring pianist Ian Stewart. The classic version of âMidnight Ramblerâ comes from this album.
26. Otis Redding – âLive In Europeâ (1967)
ShareRedding was one of the greatest singers in the world in the late â60s, and on this album, he was backed by one of the greatest bands: Booker T & The MGs. Together, they were a force of nature. Highlights included âRespectâ (Otis sang it before Aretha), his cover of the Rolling Stonesâ â(I Canât Get No) Satisfactionâ and the Beatlesâ âDay Tripper.â
25. The Yardbirds – âFive Live Yardbirdsâ (1964)
ShareThis also happens to be the Yardbirdsâ debut album; their lead guitarist at the time was a young Eric Clapton who quickly outgrew the band but his playing here holds up to nearly anything heâs done since.
24. Pearl Jam – âOctober 31st, 2009 â The Spectrum, Philadelphiaâ (2009)
ShareThere are so many Pearl Jam performances to choose from, as theyâve released authorized bootlegs of all of their shows for more than ten years. But this show had a special energy to it: it was the last concert ever at Philadelphiaâs Spectrum, it was on Halloween, it was across the highway from a New York Yankees/Philadelphia Phillies World Series game, and it was the longest show the band had ever played at that point. It featured, among other surprises, their first performance of âBugs,â and the rarely performed âOut Of My Mindâ and âSweet Lew.â Not to mention a cover of âWhip Itâ in full Devo costumes.
23. David Bowie – âLive Santa Monica â72â (2008)
ShareOriginally available as a bootleg, it was later legitimately released, and some may prefer âZiggy Stardust: The Motion Pictureâ from this same tour. But the Santa Monica show was recorded months earlier, when Bowie was still all-in with the âZiggy Stardustâ persona and has a bit more intensity and less weariness. The band, led by guitarist Mick Ronson, was in top form.
22. AC/DC – âIf You Want Blood, Youâve Got Itâ (1978)
ShareOf course, AC/DCâs biggest success came with singer Brian Johnson, but as a live band, they were at their best when the late Bon Scott gripped the mic. As the late Malcolm Young once said about the album, âWe were young, fresh, vital and kicking ass."
21. Nirvana – âLive At Readingâ (2009)
ShareThis is the 1992 show where Kurt Cobain was rolled onto the stage in a wheelchair while wearing a hospital gown. He, and the band, were still having fun with their success, even as they questioned it. They were on top of the world thanks to the meteoric success of âNevermind,â and they played most of that album. Cobain gave a shoutout to his 12-day old daughter and led the audience in chanting, âCourtney, we love you!â The performances were furious and proved why Nirvana was the band that everyone was watching, and listening to, in â92.
20. Talking Heads – âStop Making Senseâ (1984)
ShareStop Making Senseâ is generally regarded as one of the greatest concert films ever, but even divorced of the visuals, the live album is a classic. Talking Heads made great records, but these live versions of âGirlfriend Is Betterâ and âLife During Wartimeâ top the originals.
19. Johnny Cash – âAt Folsom Prisonâ (1968)
ShareThe line, âI shot a man in Reno, just to watch him dieâ might get a rise out of a lot of audiences. But when Johnny Cash sang it for an audience of inmates at Folsom Prison, it obviously took on a new meaning; some of the faces looking back at Cash may actually have done just that, and they were paying the price. Cash sings some of his heaviest numbers, including â25 Minutes To Goâ and âDark As A Dungeon,â but maintained his sense of humor in his in-between song banter, and also on âBusted.â
18. Elton John – â11-17-70â (1971)
ShareElton John himself has cited this as his best live recording. The album title commemorates the date that it was recorded, and on November 17, 1970, he wasnât yet a star. Itâs hard to imagine these days, but in 1970, Elton John was an up-and-coming artist with something to prove, and he played like his life depended on it. He hadnât yet added guitarist Davey Johnstone to his band; back then, it was just the trio of him, bassist Dee Murray and drummer Nigel Olsson. Legend has it that Elton cut his hand during the show, and by the time it was over, the piano keys were covered with blood. And it sounds like it.
17. Bob Dylan – âThe Bootleg Series Vol. 4: Live 1966, âThe Royal Albert Hallâ Concertâ (1998)
ShareâThe Royal Albert Hallâ is in quotes because (as most Dylan fans know) this concert t was actually recorded at the Manchester Free Trade Hall during Dylan's world tour in 1966, but the much-bootlegged show was often falsely attributed to the Royal Albert Hall on the illicit recordings. The show is legendary for its second set, which featured an electric rock band, much to the horror of Dylanâs folkie fans. The acoustic songs are great -- Dylan was a master solo performer, even though he was losing interest -- but the electric set was Dylan as his most defiant; itâs almost punk rock at points.
16. Cheap Trick – âAt Budokanâ (1979)
ShareSure, Cheap Trickâs first three albums were great, but when you want to hear âSurrenderâ or âHello Thereâ or âBig Eyesâ or âI Want You To Want Me,â youâre gonna reach for your âAt Budokanâ LP. Like some of the other live albums on this list, it took the band from the trenches and made them stars.
15. Bruce Springsteen – âHammersmith Odeon, London â75â (2006)
ShareWhen Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band hit Europe on their âBorn To Runâ tour, the hype was so overwhelming that there was a certain skepticism from the audience, and even Springsteen was annoyed with his record label. But this show, recorded on November 18, 1975 launched him as a major star in Europe; he remains incredibly popular there to this day.
14. Deep Purple – âMade In Japanâ (1973)
ShareLike Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple took their muscular blues-based compositions to different places in concert via their improvisational jams. Singer Ian Gillan really shines here, particularly on âChild In Timeâ (possibly his finest moment). This album is one of the blueprints for live heavy metal for decades to come.
13. U2 – âUnder A Blood Red Skyâ (1983)
ShareOnce upon a time, U2 were a post-punk band who wore their hearts on their sleeves; they were trying to take over the world, they hadnât yet discovered sarcasm, they still thought mullets were cool and they didnât bother with stage production of any kind. âUnder A Blood Red Skyâ caught them towards the end of the era before they were huge rock stars, but were intent on stepping into the shoes of the Who and the Clash.
12. Aretha Franklin – âLive At Fillmore Westâ (1971)
ShareA great singer can sing anything; Franklin was one of the greatest (maybe *the* greatest) and so when she hit the storied rock venue the Fillmore West, she had some appropriate covers in her set: the Beatlesâ âEleanor Rigby,â Stephen Stillsâ âLove The One Youâre Withâ and Simon & Garfunkelâs âBridge Over Troubled Water.â Those interpretations held up to her own repertoire, which included âRespectâ and âDr. Feelgood.â Bonus: Ray Charles shows up for âSpirit In The Dark.â
11. Motorhead – âNo Sleep âTil Hammersmithâ (1981)
ShareReleased at the peak of Motorheadâs career, it follows their âOverkill,â âBomberâ and âAce of Spadesâ albums - records that had impossibly fast jams. And, crazily enough, they got even faster on âNo Sleep.â Motorhead released a lot of live albums, but this is the best of them.
10. Bob Marley & The Wailers – âLive!â (1975)
ShareThe studio version of âNo Woman No Cryâ from 1974âs âNatty Dreadâ was lovely, but the live version, taken from this album, is the definitive one. How did reggae cross over from Jamaica to huge audiences in America? âLive!â had a lot to do with it.
9. Peter Frampton – âFrampton Comes Aliveâ (1976)
ShareBy 1975 when this album was recorded, former Humble Pie singer/guitarist Peter Frampton had released four solo albums, none of which made much impact. But, true to the albumâs title, some of the songs came alive in concert; âFrampton Comes Alive!â topped the album charts and was the best selling album of 1976, making Frampton a huge star.
8. Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band – âLive Bulletâ (1976)
ShareSeger tells the audience during the second concert taped for this album, âAs I told everybody last night, I was reading in Rolling Stone where they said, âDetroit audiences are the greatest rock & roll audiences in the world.â I thought to myself, âS---! I've known that for ten years!ââ That audience may well have inspired the performances here, which are now iconic. In 1975, when the album was recorded, Seger was huge in the Motor City, but soon after the release of this album, he became one of Americaâs biggest rock stars.
7. KISS – âAliveâ (1975)
ShareâYou wanted the best? You got the best! The hottest band in the world: KISS!â That quote, which opens every KISS concert to this day, has become something of a cliche in recent decades. But in 1975, it was actually true. And even though a lot of post-production tightened up the live album, it captures the excitement of KISSâs live shows back when KISS werenât yet a merchandising machine and they still had something to prove.
6. Santana – âThe Woodstock Experienceâ (2009)
ShareSantana hadnât yet released their debut album, but after their performance at the 1969 Woodstock festival, they were stars. Listen to this album and youâll understand why. Even if their entire career ended here, theyâd still be legendary. âSoul Sacrificeâ is one of the greatest live performances ever.
5. The Allman Brothers Band – âAt Fillmore Eastâ (1971)
ShareRecorded at the Fillmore East in New York In March of 1971 the album was released in July of that same year, just three months before leader and guitarist Duane Allmanâs tragic death. âAt Fillmore Eastâ truly marked the end of an era, and saw one of rockâs greatest talents in peak form. The rest of the band were incredible as well -- particularly singer Gregg Allman. This is improvisational rock music at its finest.
4. James Brown – âLive At The Apollo, 1962â (1963)
ShareWhile Brown wouldnât have considered himself ârock and roll,â he certainly made an impact on any rock and roll frontperson with his records and his live shows. Mick Jagger, Roger Daltrey, Steven Tyler and Bruce Springsteen all took note of Brownâs power as a live performer (and Springsteen surely noted the tight ship that Brown ran when it came to leading his band).
3. Jimi Hendrix – âLive At Montereyâ (1986)
ShareYes, this is the historic 1967 concert where he blew minds, torched his guitar and became a star in the U.S. (he was already popular in the U.K.). That context is useful, but even without it, this performance shows the Jimi Hendrix Experience at the top of their game. Hendrix made some iconic songs his own (âLike A Rolling Stone,â âWild Thingâ and of course, âHey Joeâ) and showed that his own material could hold up to those classics.
2. Led Zeppelin – âHow The West Was Wonâ (2003)
ShareBetter late than never: it took more than two decades after Led Zeppelinâs dissolution for the band to put out the definitive live document of their live prowess. Compiled from two 1972 shows, it showcases the band at the peak of their powers. Their shorter songs pack a mighty punch, but they also flex their improvisational muscles on extended versions of âDazed And Confusedâ and âWhole Lotta Love.â And of course, their acoustic set (with âGoing To California,â âThatâs The Wayâ and âBron-Y-Aur Stompâ) was gorgeous.
1.The Who – âLive At Leedsâ (1970)
ShareThe Whoâs studio albums make up one of the greatest discographies in popular music, but none of them matched the raw power of âLive At Leeds.â In recent years, the Whoâs concerts have featured Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey with five other musicians, and sometimes, a full orchestra. Back then, they made more noise with just John Entwistle and Keith Moon. These days, you can buy an extended version of âLive At Leedsâ with 30+ songs. The original tracklist included just six: three covers (âYoung Man Blues,â âSummertime Bluesâ and âShakinâ All Overâ) and three originals (âSubstitute,â âMagic Busâ and a 14-minute long âMy Generationâ). And while we should be grateful for every last second that was captured for the full length, it was the original six-song version that inspired most of the hard rock and heavy metal bands of the â70s (and surely alienated some of the Whoâs early-â60s mod fans).
