1. Rubber Soul and Revolver
Picking only one of these two would be impossible. Together, these albums are the pinnacle of the Beatles and of music in the 1960s. Rubber Soul calmed listeners down with its introspective folk-influenced tone, while Revolver pushed them deep into their psyches with electric guitar and surrealistic lyrics. Beyond that, all four Beatles were at their peak musically and creatively, turning each track into a benchmark for rock music. Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band may be at the top of most album lists, but its psychedelic colors are pastel next to these epics.
2. Highway 61 Revisited
This album by Bob Dylan shattered the genre boundaries — a perfect fusion of rock and folk, raw electric guitar and lyricism on par with T.S. Eliot. Tracks like ""Ballad of a Thin Man"" and ""Like a Rolling Stone"" became anthems for the counterculture, expressing distaste at the status quo and opening the door for music to say something real. Nothing he's ever done can touch this, even after 32 albums.
3. Pet Sounds
One of those rare albums that is a perfect experience when listened to straight through. This isn't ""Surfin' USA,"" this is Brian Wilson set free in sonic experimentation, mixing harpsichords and flutes with the incomparable melodies of the Beach Boys and his own depression-inspired lyrics. It's up and down at the same time.
