Best Albums of 1969

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41.

The Allman Brothers Band 

 The Allman Brothers Band

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"Incredible debut, the founding father of southern rock albums, rarely if ever equaled. It doesn't get much better than this. Solid lineup of tracks from beginning to end. Highlights include, 'Black Hearted Woman' which has an almost Hendrix sound to it, and one of the greatest LP climax's with 'W...""Incredible debut, the founding father of southern rock albums, rarely if ever equaled. It doesn't get much better than this. Solid lineup of tracks from beginning to end. Highlights include, 'Black Hearted Woman' which has an almost Hendrix sound to it, and one of the greatest LP climax's with 'Whipping Post'. Perfect balance between blues and southern rock. The boys bare all in a way that later albums would never capture. "  [+]  Reply

- Tiki-bar | Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful) A maximum of 5 top-voted qualifying comments are selected for each album. To provide the best experience for visitors, comments are excluded if they refer to data corrections, contain excessive profanity, are written in all caps, are non-English, are too short, consist of conversations between users, or contain lists of best tracks etc.

Year of Release:

1969

Appears in:

273 charts

Rank Score:

1,335

Rank in 1969:

41

Rank in 1960s:

136

Overall Rank:

1,288

Average Rating:

 80 (259 votes)

Comments:

12

42.

Ummagumma 

 Pink Floyd

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"Ummagumma, is the dreaded two record set. Still, this one is saved by the fact they decided to give half the record over to a live recording. The live disc is great with, Eugene, and, heart of the sun, especially brilliant. The groans start on the second disc. Oh,no, this is a band without a clue...""Ummagumma, is the dreaded two record set. Still, this one is saved by the fact they decided to give half the record over to a live recording. The live disc is great with, Eugene, and, heart of the sun, especially brilliant. The groans start on the second disc. Oh,no, this is a band without a clue, without inspiration, without direction. It's just a load of middle class musical doodling, with only Water's, granchester meadows,and, the narrow way, worth a mention. The live disc is Pink Floyd at their best, the studio disc is the band at their worst, it's obvious that they were creatively stumped by Syd Barrett's departure, and it would take another few albums to finally break those shackles off and find their own voice and character."  [+]  Reply

- garycottier | Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +4 votes (4 helpful | 0 unhelpful) A maximum of 5 top-voted qualifying comments are selected for each album. To provide the best experience for visitors, comments are excluded if they refer to data corrections, contain excessive profanity, are written in all caps, are non-English, are too short, consist of conversations between users, or contain lists of best tracks etc.

Year of Release:

1969

Appears in:

344 charts

Rank Score:

1,282

Rank in 1969:

42

Rank in 1960s:

142

Overall Rank:

1,327

Average Rating:

 69 (751 votes)

Comments:

39

43.

Live/Dead 
Live

 Grateful Dead

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"If I had to pick the best 10 live albums ever, this would definitely be in the list and close to the top."  Reply

- NickVolos | Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +2 votes (2 helpful | 0 unhelpful) A maximum of 5 top-voted qualifying comments are selected for each album. To provide the best experience for visitors, comments are excluded if they refer to data corrections, contain excessive profanity, are written in all caps, are non-English, are too short, consist of conversations between users, or contain lists of best tracks etc.

Year of Release:

1969

Appears in:

275 charts

Rank Score:

1,276

Rank in 1969:

43

Rank in 1960s:

143

Overall Rank:

1,333

Average Rating:

 79 (287 votes)

Comments:

15

44.

Uncle Meat 

 The Mothers Of Invention

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"While it isn't my favorite Mothers release, I do think it is the perfect culmination of all the ideas present in the early part of Zappa's career. It has the pop flavor of Freak Out as well as the heavy jazz influence of Hot Rats."  Reply

- darksideofthebro | Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +3 votes (3 helpful | 0 unhelpful) A maximum of 5 top-voted qualifying comments are selected for each album. To provide the best experience for visitors, comments are excluded if they refer to data corrections, contain excessive profanity, are written in all caps, are non-English, are too short, consist of conversations between users, or contain lists of best tracks etc.

Year of Release:

1969

Appears in:

167 charts

Rank Score:

1,102

Rank in 1969:

44

Rank in 1960s:

155

Overall Rank:

1,544

Average Rating:

 78 (253 votes)

Comments:

11

45.

I Got Dem Ol' Kozmic Blues Again Mama! 

 Janis Joplin

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"I feel like this album could have been (and still could be) better received if it had better packaging and marketing, and a better title, which sounds weird maybe, but people weren't prepared for what a change of direction it is. If you tell me something is cosmic blues, I'm expecting loosey-goos...""I feel like this album could have been (and still could be) better received if it had better packaging and marketing, and a better title, which sounds weird maybe, but people weren't prepared for what a change of direction it is. If you tell me something is cosmic blues, I'm expecting loosey-goosey somewhat-psychedelic white-boy blues noodling....like Big Brother. But this isn't that, it's basically urban R&B, what they called Soul back then, and it's a big swerve for her, and it should have been framed that way. I agree it could be a little better mixed and mastered, but I think the arrangements are good...really good. She got away from her "big brothers" and took control of her own sound, and maybe people weren't ready for that. Also, I think there's a lot of "They don't give a damn about any trumpet playin' band/It ain't what they call rock and roll" reaction to this record. I don't tend to love vocalist-over-studio-band records, but this one is really good, it's not a collection of songs like a lot of those tend to be, but a single work with a nice arc and pace. Underrated as hell, I'd say. "  [+]  Reply

- | Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +2 votes (2 helpful | 0 unhelpful) A maximum of 5 top-voted qualifying comments are selected for each album. To provide the best experience for visitors, comments are excluded if they refer to data corrections, contain excessive profanity, are written in all caps, are non-English, are too short, consist of conversations between users, or contain lists of best tracks etc.

Year of Release:

1969

Appears in:

155 charts

Rank Score:

1,013

Rank in 1969:

45

Rank in 1960s:

161

Overall Rank:

1,671

Average Rating:

 79 (178 votes)

Comments:

12

46.

Clouds 

 Joni Mitchell

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"Joni has been blowing my mind lately. I previously had only a passing knowledge of her work, and in my head I almost thought of Blue as her coming out party, her first great album. I thought of her jazz albums as her most revered albums and perhaps that is true, but I just didn't have a clear pic...""Joni has been blowing my mind lately. I previously had only a passing knowledge of her work, and in my head I almost thought of Blue as her coming out party, her first great album. I thought of her jazz albums as her most revered albums and perhaps that is true, but I just didn't have a clear picture of her capabilities as a musician or as a lyricist. For my much more quickie 1968 list I discovered her debut and I was incredibly impressed. I was wondering why that album was not mentioned as one of the great debut albums of the 60s or even of all time. It was delicate, detailed, featured moments of intensely inventive musical expression. And it was number 4 for 68. And as I looked ahead at 69-72, my mouth watered with all the surely great albums I'd get to yap about in the future. Which brings us to this album, 1969's sophomore album Clouds. And you know what? This is a masterpiece. It takes everything which made Song To The Seagull so vibrant and brilliant to me and turns it up even further. Joni just honed her talents to a bright, razor sharp level here. The lyrics became more personal and biting and, to me, more beautiful, the guitar playing is the same level of insane but more clear and mesmerizing, the arrangements were less busy and have more room to breathe. And here's the thing, when I hear the songs "Chelsea Morning, "That Song About The Midway", "The Gallery", "I Think I Understand" and "Both Sides Now" I am filled up with an intense affinity for Joni. Like, I am just in love, I feel like I hearing someone I just really like, I empathize, and I just smile and say "Sing it, I feels you". That is a silly point perhaps, but I just want to say that cuz its unique. I don't have that feeling about solo artists much where I just love hearing them speak their minds like I'm hearing a peer and I am just filling up with joy. Dylan on Nashville Skyline and Blood On The Tracks and Freewheelin' and Another Side has that going for it, Townes on Live At The Old Quarter in particular, Joni on this and Ladies of the Canyon and Blue, and there may be a few other examples, but its a rare feeling is all I'm saying. Okay, and even on the songs which are a bit darker and detached from that feeling of kinship I feel on half this album, songs like "Tin Angel", "Songs To Aging Children" etc, I feel something else almost as powerful. Its like Joni could convey a whole complete world and feeling with some perfectly chosen guitar chords or piano chords and sing out these deep lyrics with such musical prowess that I just instantly buy in. Okay, and I'm not on my game today expressing why I love this album. Its great! Okay!? The way she says "I am Dead!" with that strange accent or something on "The Gallery" and the whole chorus just kills me! Its just so impossibly great! The mood and the dark, hypnotic beauty of the opener "Tin Angel", and the unearthly harmonies in "Songs to Aging Children", oh my gosh oh my gosh, the sheer joyeous beauty of the entirety of "Chelsea Morning", the sweet then sad then sweet etc yo-yo of "That Song About The Midway" with its just amazing everything,, and of course the stunning and hall of fame level perspective and joy and reality of "Both Sides Now", etc etc I just love so much about this album. Now when I laid out these ranks a few days ago, I didn't foresee my sudden upsurge in love for that Steve Young album. So maybe when I get to the rating it will seem strange that this is higher than that. But really, I stand by these rankings. Cuz the highs of this album, the happiness and empathy I feel here is much greater than for Rock Salt and Nails, even if I feel that may be a better all around album. I will say also that the A Capella (spelling that right? doubtful ryan, doubtful) performance of "The Fiddle and the Drum" grates on me a bit. scratch that, it grates on me a lot. Just annoys me and ruins the whole momentum of the otherwise genius album. Also the song "Roses Blue" is strange and has cool and strange effects and all but it just doesn't work for me by and large. And.... those are the gripes I have. This album is great, Joni is the greatest vocalist on this list (sorry Tim Buckley) she is one of the best guitarists here. She is top 5 lyricist probably all time. She is/was a greater songwriter with a better ear for music than almost everyone who has ever existed on earth. And she is great. There. "Moons and Junes and Ferris wheels The dizzy dancing way you feel As every fairy tale comes real I've looked at love that way But now it's just another show You leave 'em laughing when you go And if you care, don't let them know Don't give yourself away I've looked at love from both sides now From give and take, and still somehow It's love's illusions I recall I really don't know love at all" - Joni Mitchell Rating: 9.4/10"  [+]  Reply

- Mercury | Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +7 votes (7 helpful | 0 unhelpful) A maximum of 5 top-voted qualifying comments are selected for each album. To provide the best experience for visitors, comments are excluded if they refer to data corrections, contain excessive profanity, are written in all caps, are non-English, are too short, consist of conversations between users, or contain lists of best tracks etc.

Year of Release:

1969

Appears in:

223 charts

Rank Score:

999

Rank in 1969:

46

Rank in 1960s:

163

Overall Rank:

1,691

Average Rating:

 78 (256 votes)

Comments:

12

47.

Johnny Cash At San Quentin 
Live

 Johnny Cash

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""At San Quentin" is one of the all-time essential live albums. Johnny Cash had released the live album "At Folsom Prison" just a year before but "At San Quentin" is its equal in every way (well, except for the fact that this album lacks the song "Cocaine Blues"). The defining moment comes on the ..."""At San Quentin" is one of the all-time essential live albums. Johnny Cash had released the live album "At Folsom Prison" just a year before but "At San Quentin" is its equal in every way (well, except for the fact that this album lacks the song "Cocaine Blues"). The defining moment comes on the song "San Quentin." The crowd of convicts simply EXPLODES with adoration for Cash and vitriol for the prison as they hang on to every word of the song: "San Quentin, may you rot and burn in hell! May your walls fall and may I live to tell! May all the world forget you ever stood. And may all the world regret you did no good." The response is so thunderous that Cash plays the song a second time immediately thereafter. Here you have one of the biggest stars in the world speaking directly to the hearts of some of the "lowest" men in the world and the connection is electric. Add to that the fact that you have Cash favorites "I Walk the Line" and "Folsom Prison Blues," plus the premiere of two great new songs: the Bob Dylan/Johnny Cash penned "Wanted Man" and Shel Silverstein's hilarious "A Boy Named Sue." And of course, if you pick up an extended CD re-release of the album, it has even more classics than the 10 issued on the original release. Cash always amazes me with his ability to mix humor, vulgarity and spirituality. His mastery of all three are what made the prisoners love him, and why this album will always be one of my favorites."  [+]  Reply

- johnnyonthespot1 | Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +5 votes (5 helpful | 0 unhelpful) A maximum of 5 top-voted qualifying comments are selected for each album. To provide the best experience for visitors, comments are excluded if they refer to data corrections, contain excessive profanity, are written in all caps, are non-English, are too short, consist of conversations between users, or contain lists of best tracks etc.

Year of Release:

1969

Appears in:

243 charts

Rank Score:

993

Rank in 1969:

47

Rank in 1960s:

165

Overall Rank:

1,698

Average Rating:

 79 (292 votes)

Comments:

11

48.

A Salty Dog 

 Procol Harum

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"A Salty Dog was the last Procol Harum album to feature the original 5-piece line-up. Compared to the previous two, which were very much dominated by Gary Booker's songs and vocals ( not a negative thing at all ), more space is given to guitarist Robin Trower and organist Matthew Fisher. Robin Tro...""A Salty Dog was the last Procol Harum album to feature the original 5-piece line-up. Compared to the previous two, which were very much dominated by Gary Booker's songs and vocals ( not a negative thing at all ), more space is given to guitarist Robin Trower and organist Matthew Fisher. Robin Trower debuts as leadsinger on his own "Crucifiction Lane" and he wrote "Juicy John Pink" - both songs show the roots of Procol Harum as a tight r&b band. Trower also co-wrote the acoustic "Too Much Between Us" with Brooker - beautifully sung by Brooker, by the way. Matthew Fisher produced the album, and arranged the orchestra for three of the songs - most note-worthy the title track, which is one of the greatest songs ever written and recorded. Compared to Brooker's Fisher's voice may appear somewhat thin, but he sings his two songs "Wreck of the Hesperus" and "Pilgrim's Progress" beautifully, and both songs fit in nicely on the album. "Pilgrim's Progress" bears big resemblance to the classic "A Whiter Shade of Pale". The charming "Boredom" with its Carribean rhythms is a Brooker/Fisher collaboration, adding to the great variety in styles which characterize the album. Apart from the unique "A Salty Dog", the album features another Brooker classic "All This and More" - classic Procol Harum sound. Inspiration from the Band's recently released "Music From Big Pink", shines through on "The Milk of Human Kindness". The Band was a big inspiration for Procol Harum. "The Devil Came From Kansas" is one of the few tracks I often consider skipping over - too heavy and noisy; seems somewhat out of place on the album. Much better is the B-side "Long Gone Geek"; another heavy thing, which sounds inspired by The Small Faces or Humble Pie. Among the bonus-track you may find there are four rare live-tracks from a 1969 April tour in the States. Great to hear the original band live - again their r&b roots shine through. With this album you could say that the band scored a natural hat trick; having their debut and "Shine on Brightly" in mind. "  [+]  Reply

- Rovers | Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +4 votes (5 helpful | 1 unhelpful) A maximum of 5 top-voted qualifying comments are selected for each album. To provide the best experience for visitors, comments are excluded if they refer to data corrections, contain excessive profanity, are written in all caps, are non-English, are too short, consist of conversations between users, or contain lists of best tracks etc.

Year of Release:

1969

Appears in:

162 charts

Rank Score:

976

Rank in 1969:

48

Rank in 1960s:

168

Overall Rank:

1,730

Average Rating:

 76 (187 votes)

Comments:

9

49.

Moondog (1969) 

 Moondog

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"A nice blend of late romantic classical music, jazz, and percussion. Very calming. 9/10."  Reply

- alexandermause | Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful) A maximum of 5 top-voted qualifying comments are selected for each album. To provide the best experience for visitors, comments are excluded if they refer to data corrections, contain excessive profanity, are written in all caps, are non-English, are too short, consist of conversations between users, or contain lists of best tracks etc.

Year of Release:

1969

Appears in:

143 charts

Rank Score:

923

Rank in 1969:

49

Rank in 1960s:

176

Overall Rank:

1,819

Average Rating:

 78 (156 votes)

Comments:

2

50.

Then Play On 

 Fleetwood Mac

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"The best album produced by the best British blues guitarist, Peter Green. WARNING: this isn't your "Don't Stop" Fleetwood Mac -- this is closer to a mix of Cream and Zeppelin."  Reply

- JuJu83 | Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +10 votes (10 helpful | 0 unhelpful) A maximum of 5 top-voted qualifying comments are selected for each album. To provide the best experience for visitors, comments are excluded if they refer to data corrections, contain excessive profanity, are written in all caps, are non-English, are too short, consist of conversations between users, or contain lists of best tracks etc.

Year of Release:

1969

Appears in:

232 charts

Rank Score:

894

Rank in 1969:

50

Rank in 1960s:

181

Overall Rank:

1,871

Average Rating:

 77 (241 votes)

Comments:

10

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Total albums: 1,000. Page 5 of 100

Best Albums of 1969 composition

Top 1,000 Top 500 Top 250 Top 100

Artist	Albums	%
Various Artists	14	1%
Aretha Franklin	4	0%
Creedence Clearwater Revival	3	0%
James Brown	3	0%
Fleetwood Mac	3	0%
The Hollies	3	0%
Miles Davis	3	0%
Show all

Country	Albums	%
	516	52%
	214	21%
	49	5%
	34	3%
	27	3%
	22	2%
	19	2%
Show all

Compilation?	Albums	%
No	950	95%
Yes	50	5%

Live?	Albums	%
No	983	98%
Yes	17	2%

Soundtrack?	Albums	%
No	985	99%
Yes	15	2%