Classic Albums (1997–present)

1. S01E01Paul Simon: GracelandApril 14, 1997 5.0This premiere episode spotlights Paul's 1986 Grammy-winning 'comeback' album. Introduced by Ringo Starr, each song is examined from the stud
2. S01E02Grateful Dead: Anthem to BeautyApril 15, 1997 7.0The chronicles of the making of the Grateful Dead albums Anthem of the Sun (1969) and American Beauty (1970). These releases were an importa
3. S01E03Stevie Wonder: Songs In The Key Of LifeApril 16, 1997—Stevie's 1976 double album is looked at here. Stevie had already released the smash album, Innervisions, but as Berry Gordy explains, he too
4. S01E04The Band: The BandApril 17, 1997—Robbie Robertson, Levon Helm, Rick Danko, and Garth Hudson discuss the making of their classic 1969 release. Each member explains how they a
5. S01E05The Jimi Hendrix Experience: Electric LadylandApril 18, 1997—Jimi is recalled here with archival footage, and current interviews with Noel Redding, Mitch Mitchell, and engineer Eddie Kramer, explain th
6. S01E06Season's bestFleetwood Mac: RumoursJuly 22, 1997 7.7The band's Grammy-winning 1977 album is given the Classic Albums treatment. We hear from all the band members, and technicians who worked on

Season 1 ranked & reviewed

1. S02E01U2: The Joshua TreeOctober 27, 1999—'Joshua Tree' elevated U2 to superstar status internationally, and confirmed their position as one of rock's most influential and powerful f
2. S02E02Phil Collins: Face ValueNovember 2, 1999 5.0Phil's first solo album, which launched his career outside of Genesis, is examined here. Engineer Hugh Padgham peels the layers of sound bac
3. S02E03Meat Loaf: Bat Out Of HellNovember 9, 1999 6.5In 1977, Marvin Lee Aday, aka Meat Loaf, shocked the music world by releasing this 30 million-selling blockbuster. Previously little-known a
4. S02E04Bob Marley & The Wailers: Catch A FireDecember 1, 1999 5.0Producer Chris Blackwell is the main focus of this episode, as he recounts bringing in some top American session men to the studio, in an at
5. S02E05Season's bestSteely Dan: AjaFebruary 3, 2000 7.0Donald Fagen and Walter Becker delve into the master tapes to discuss the year-long effort that went into this, their biggest album. Well kn

Season 2 ranked & reviewed

1. S03E01Iron Maiden: Number of the BeastNovember 1, 2001 6.5Iron Maiden has been both criticized and praised for their unforgiving presentation of hard rock. This album took them to worldwide stardom,
2. S03E02Elton John: Goodbye, Yellow Brick RoadNovember 6, 2001 6.5Elton John, along with some of his past and present band members discuss the creation of his opus, 'Goodbye, Yellow Brick Road'. Producer Gu
3. S03E03Metallica: Metallica (Black Album)November 13, 2001 5.0Metallica's 12 million selling breakthrough album is examined in depth. Taped at One on One Studios, where it was recorded, Producer Bob Roc
4. S03E04Lou Reed: TransformerNovember 26, 2001 3.0Co-produced by David Bowie and Mick Ronson, this 1972 landmark album took Lou Reed from cult idol to glam superstar status. Here Reed examin
5. S03E05Judas Priest: British SteelDecember 10, 2001 6.5The metal classic 'British Steel' is examined here. The band, minus drummer Dave Holland, explain the songwriting process and lyrical ideas,
6. S03E06Season's bestElvis Presley: Elvis PresleyDecember 29, 2001 7.5The debut album of the King is examined here. It was the first million-selling rock album, and the first million-selling popular music album

Season 3 ranked & reviewed

1. S04E01Def Leppard: HysteriaJanuary 6, 2003 6.0Def Leppard labored for more than a year to record this, their follow-up to 'Pyromania'. Producer Mutt Lange and the group describe track by
2. S04E02The Sex Pistols: Never Mind The BollocksJanuary 13, 2003 7.5The Sex Pistols only released one album before breaking up, but it set off the punk movement, and turned the British music industry on its h
3. S04E03Deep Purple: Machine HeadFebruary 1, 2003 5.0The 1972 early metal classic is examined here. After a brief recount of Deep Purple's history prior, all five members of the group from that
4. S04E04Season's bestPink Floyd: Dark Side of the MoonMay 4, 2003 7.8Engineers Chris Thomas and Alan Parsons peel layers off the master tapes from this 1973 masterpiece. The songs are dissected methodically, a

Season 4 ranked & reviewed

1. S05E01Simply Red: StarsJanuary 7, 2005 3.0Simply Red, the loosely based group of musicians led by Mick Hucknall, take us into the studio to examine the making of this album. While no
2. S05E02Season's bestNirvana: NevermindFebruary 18, 2005 5.0In 1991 Nirvana’s Nevermind, with the songs of Kurt Cobain, changed the music business without compromise, record company hype or media over
3. S05E03Motorhead: Ace Of SpadesMarch 1, 2005 4.0This album, while not a huge seller in the US, was definitely a landmark in the annals of crushingly loud hard rock. Bassist/singer Lemmy an

Season 5 ranked & reviewed

1. S06E01Queen: A Night at the OperaMay 17, 2006 4.0The musicianship that went into one of rock's premier achievements is examined. Surviving members Brian May and Roger Taylor talk about Fred
2. S06E02Season's bestThe Who: Who's NextOctober 19, 2006 5.0Interviews with Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend, along with the late John Entwhistle, who reminisce about the failed attempt to present a r
3. S06E03Cream: Disraeli GearsNovember 3, 2006 5.0Ginger Baker, Jack Bruce, and Eric Clapton are interviewed in the studio for a track by track analysis of their 1967 classic. Each of them p

Season 6 ranked & reviewed

1. S07E01Frank Zappa: Apostrophe (')/Over-Nite SensationMay 1, 2007 3.0Tells the story of the recording of Frank Zappa and The Mothers of Invention's "Over-Nite Sensation" and Zappa's solo album "Apostrophe (')"
2. S07E02Jay Z: Reasonable DoubtOctober 3, 2007—Behind-the-scenes look at the creation of Jay-Z's 1996 debut album Reasonable Doubt.

Season 7 ranked & reviewed

1. S08E01The Doors: The DoorsApril 14, 2008 5.0The Making of the Doors' Debut Album traces the history of the revolutionary 1967 album in a 90-minute package that features live footage an
2. S08E02John Lennon: Plastic Ono BandJune 24, 2008 3.0Examines in detail the creation of John Lennon's first solo album and the effect it had on music, and the people who created it.
3. S08E03Season's bestDuran Duran: RioNovember 22, 2008 6.5Tells the story behind the writing, recording and subsequent success of Rio through interviews, musical demonstrations, and archive footage.

Season 8 ranked & reviewed

1. S09E01Season's bestBlack Sabbath: ParanoidMay 1, 2010 6.5With Paranoid celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, the Classic Albums/Black Sabbath episode is particularly timely. Music buffs will
2. S09E02Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers: Damn the TorpedoesJune 9, 2010 5.0The latest addition to Eagle s critically acclaimed and highly successful Classic Albums series is Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers 1979 breakt
3. S09E03Rush: 2112 & Moving PicturesJune 26, 2010 6.02112 was the album that saw Rush break through to major chart success, going to No.1 in their native Canada and Top 75 in the USA where it w
4. S09E04The Rolling Stones: Beggar's BanquetNovember 17, 2010—
5. S09E05The Beach Boys: Pet SoundsNovember 19, 2010—A look at the creation of the Beach Boys' classic album "Pet Sounds", including conversations with Brian Wilson and group members, lyricist

Season 9 ranked & reviewed

1. S10E01Primal Scream: ScreamadelicaMay 6, 2011 4.0Primal Scream's seminal album Screamadelica was released in 1991, and synthesized the band's rock 'n' roll roots with the dance culture of t
2. S10E02Peter Gabriel: SoMarch 23, 2012 4.0So stands as one of the greatest records of the 1980s, helping define its time to become a true classic album. The film features interviews
3. S10E03The Who: TommyNovember 9, 2013—1968 was a time of soul-searching for the Who - with three badly performing singles behind them, they needed a big new idea to put them back
4. S10E04Carly Simon: No SecretsMay 5, 2017—Carly Simon reveals the challenges behind No Secrets - the classic album that made her a global star and included the enigmatic song You're
5. S10E05Don McLean: American PieDecember 8, 2017 5.0Series focusing on the albums that have influenced the course of music. This edition looks at Don McLean's album American Pie, crowned by it
6. S10E06Amy Winehouse: Back to BlackSeptember 14, 2018 3.0The true story of how Amy Winehouse’s best known and most celebrated body of work came into being. Featuring previously unseen footage of Am
7. S10E07The Crickets: The Chirping CricketsJuly 12, 2019—The story of the first album by The Crickets, crowned by four of their best-loved songs: That’ll Be the Day, Not Fade Away, Maybe Baby and O
8. S10E08Tears for Fears: Songs from the Big ChairFebruary 14, 2020—Documentary that explores Songs from the Big Chair, Tears for Fears second, seminal album, which saw the band's music transform from synth-p
9. S10E09Season's bestThe Who Sell OutApril 23, 2021 8.0
10. S10E10Soul II Soul: Club Classics Vol. 1April 30, 2021—
11. S10E11Suede: Coming UpMay 7, 2021—
12. S10E12Gil Scott-Heron: Pieces Of A ManSeptember 24, 2021—
13. S10E13The Doors: Morrison HotelOctober 1, 2021—A look at the American rockers' fifth studio album. It saw them return to their blues-rock style and earned them their highest charting albu
14. S10E14Freak Out!October 8, 2021—The Mothers of Invention's 1966 cult classic debut "Freak Out!" is analyzed, with insights from Frank Zappa's band members, family and fans.

Season 10 ranked & reviewed