As Roy Lee says in October Sky after hearing about the launch of Sputnik, “Let ‘em have outer space—we got rock n roll.” And while America didn't really leave space alone, the Americans here at ManScore have got the essential classic rock albums every man should know. They’ll illuminate your life, give voice to your pained thoughts, and help you celebrate the good times. Check them out.

Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band | The Beatles (1967)
We begin with The Beatles, as most things should. Considered by musicologists to be one of the great early concept albums, Sgt. Pepper aided the development of prog rock with its extended form, and marked the beginning of the “Album Era.” The album’s release followed closely on the heels of a personal favorite of mine, the Beach Boys’ Pet Sounds, and captured the essence of the 60s with its hard rocking hits and memorable ballads. Arguably regarded as the Beatles’ best album, it seamlessly blends classic rock n roll, pop, traditional Indian music, circus, and vaudeville standards, ushering in a new era of psychedelic-inspired music.

Exile on Main St. | The Rolling Stones (1972)
It doesn’t get more rock n roll than The Rolling Stones, and Exile on Main St. is one of their most peculiar albums. It’s a double record that received mixed reviews when it first came out, and—excepting “Tumbling Dice”—It doesn’t really contain any hit singles. Nevertheless, this album is now regarded as one of the all-time greats, and an example of The Rolling Stones at their very best. Exile is ragged, it’s bluesy, it’s beautiful, it’s scrappy. It’s full of the pouring life of hard core technical masters jamming away with all their might (in a French villa nonetheless), juxtaposing the flawless right up against the deeply flawed.

Led Zeppelin IV | Led Zeppelin (1971)
The kings of the heavy rock sound that ultimately presaged heavy metal, Led Zeppelin revolutionized the rock world while pulling from a variety of musical styles such as blues, folk music, and the psychedelia that came before them. Their untitled fourth album is a string of 8 hit songs in a row. Kicking off with electric blues hits “Black Dog” and “Rock and Roll”, the album then turns to the archaic folk with “The Battle of Evermore” before gliding into the epic masterpiece and prog rock progenitor, “Stairway to Heaven”. Don’t miss this one.

The Dark Side of The Moon | Pink Floyd (1973)
A novice who had never heard a guitar before could probably guess this was one of the great rock albums of all time, simply by the market saturation of the album’s artwork on everyday apparel. As Pink Floyd’s most commercially successful (and critically regarded) album, this musical work of art steps back from the extended instrumental riffs for which they were known and dives into an exploration of wide-ranging themes such as the lust for money, the inevitability of time and mortality, and mental illness. Many of the famous quotations heard throughout the album were recordings of Pink Floyd’s road crew and the staff members of the recording studio (including the studio’s Irish doorman who features in The Great Gig in The Sky).

Back in Black | AC/DC (1980)
After achieving international fame with the 1979 album Highway to Hell, AC/DC hit what would normally be a career-ending rut: their lead singer died after a night of copious drinking. Coaxed on by friends and family, the remaining singers held auditions for a new lead singer and lyricist and hit upon the ex-Geordie singer, Brian Johnson. They toiled to record through tropical storms in the Bahamas and ended up with an album that went on to be the #2 greatest selling album of all time. Back in Black is hard-hitting with every track, at times edging the border of metal. If you’re looking for great hits to blare while tearing down the freeway, this is your ticket.

Are You Experienced? | The Jimi Hendrix Experience (1967)
Released the same year as Sgt. Pepper, Are You Experienced? is widely regarded as one of—If not the—greatest debut rock albums of all time. This left-handed guitarist defined “cool” with his dedicated stage antics (such as lighting his guitar on fire and then destroying it), but all that was eclipsed by his innovative songwriting and technical finesse. This album changed the face of psychedelic and hard rock, featuring some of the gnarliest guitar riffs with hits like, “Foxy Lady,” “Purple Haze,” “Hey Joe,” “Fire,” “Manic Depression,” and “The Wind Cries Mary.”