Here are the latest results on the live album polls.
If you’ve voted, thanks. It really helps to identify which are the best live albums.
If you haven’t voted yet, why not take this opportunity to share your knowledge and opinions of the best live albums you’ve heard. You’ll find a complete list of the categories available at Best Live Albums Polls.
I’ll share the results by artists and groups first, building up the suspense for the category results.
Best Live Albums By Group Or Artist
To qualify for the list below, the best rated album had to receive at least ten votes. There are plenty of polls where the best rated albums haven’t yet received ten votes and to see those results, you’ll need to go to the individual polls.
AC/DC – If You Want Blood
Blue Oyster Cult – On Your Feet
David Bowie – Nassau Coliseum 76 – this famous bootleg is officially released with StationToStation.
Deep Purple – Made In Japan
Bob Dylan – Live 1966 – another famous bootleg that was finally released by the artist.
Genesis – Seconds Out
Grateful Dead – a tie between Live/Dead and Europe 72
Jimi Hendrix – Band Of Gypsys
King Crimson – The Great Deceiver vols 1 & 2
Kiss – Alive!
Led Zeppelin – How The West Was Won
Van Morrison – It’s Too Late To Stop Now
Ted Nugent – Double Live Gonzos
Pink Floyd – Live At Wembley 74 – this concert has been split between the re-releases of Dark Side Of the Moon and Wish You Were Here but captures prime-time Floyd including Roger Waters performing many of their most famous songs.
Queen – Live At Wembley 86
The Rolling Stones – The Brussels Affair 73 – another famous bootleg that finally received official release as a digital download.
Bruce Springsteen – Hammersmith Odeon 75
The Who – Live At Leeds
Neil Young – Live Rust
The Rolling Stones poll has been the most popular so far with a total of 161 voters.
I wouldn’t argue too strongly against the results of the popular vote except for Bob Dylan (where my first choice is unusual) and Jimi Hendrix (I prefer the live albums by the Experience partly because the contain more of the classic songs).
If you don’t agree, you should cast your own votes.
I’d love to see a Springsteen recording from 78, a Queen recording from December 75 to mid 76 and The Who in 74 when they were promoting Quadrophenia. I’d like to see a proper release of the Floyd live at Wembley album as well since it would add Echoes as the encore.
Best Live Albums By Category
Art Rock – a tie between two David Bowie albums, Stage and Live Nassau Coliseum
Blues – Live At The Regal by BB King
Blues Rock – Live At Filmore East by the Allman Brothers Band
Classic Rock – Frampton Comes Live by Peter Frampton – I don’t understand it but many people love this album.
Heavy Metal & Hard Rock – Made In Japan by Deep Purple
Indie & Alternative Rock – MTV Unplugged in New York by Nirvana
Progressive Rock – Yessongs by Yes
Singer-Songwriter – Live Rust by Neil Young
Soul – Live At Harlem Square by Sam Cooke
Southern Rock – a tie between the Allman Brothers Band Live At Filmore East and Lynyrd Skynyrd with One More From The Road
Again, if you disagree, cast you own votes.
Overall Thoughts
I’m very pleased how well the cream is rising to the top in the polls.
Inevitably this processes the most popular of the best live albums but it does mean that some great hidden nuggets are being hidden from view. You can find my personal favourites here.