The essential episodes of Classic Albums
Watch these 15 in order and you've got Classic Albums — each pick states its reason.
- 01
This premiere episode spotlights Paul's 1986 Grammy-winning 'comeback' album. Introduced by Ringo Starr, each song is examined from the studio perspective. Paul considers the title track to be "The best I ever did". He describes how he came up with the musical and lyrical ideas, and we hear comments from the engineers and from prominent critics, and some of the South African musicians who contributed.
- 02
Grateful Dead: Anthem to Beauty
The chronicles of the making of the Grateful Dead albums Anthem of the Sun (1969) and American Beauty (1970). These releases were an important step in the rise of the Grateful Dead to legend status. Mickey Hart, Phil Lesh, Bob Weir, along with some interviews with Jerry Garcia, discuss what went into the writing and recording.
- 03
The band's Grammy-winning 1977 album is given the Classic Albums treatment. We hear from all the band members, and technicians who worked on the project. Each track is examined and the master tapes are analysed. Included is some archival performance footage, along with some home movies.
- 04
In 1977, Marvin Lee Aday, aka Meat Loaf, shocked the music world by releasing this 30 million-selling blockbuster. Previously little-known as an actor and singer , he hooked up with writer Jim Steinman, producer Todd Rundgren, and vocalists Ellen Foley and Carla Devito, to create one of the top five sellers of all time. Kasim Sultan and Max Weinberg, who also played on the album are heard from, and Todd isolates some of the masters to show how the sounds were created.
- 05
Donald Fagen and Walter Becker delve into the master tapes to discuss the year-long effort that went into this, their biggest album. Well known as perfectionists in the studio, this labor of love is dissected layer by layer. Producer Gary Katz and engineer Roger Nichols help explain the craft and detail that the Dan, along with Michael McDonald and some other session players, spent on the Grammy-winning jazz-rock classic.
- 06
Iron Maiden: Number of the Beast
Iron Maiden has been both criticized and praised for their unforgiving presentation of hard rock. This album took them to worldwide stardom, and awoke accusations of backward masking, subliminal messages, and Satanism. Producer Martin Birch dissects the master tapes with the five band members, who discuss the writing and recording of each song, while looking for the 'hidden' elements.
- 07
The debut album of the King is examined here. It was the first million-selling rock album, and the first million-selling popular music album for RCA. We hear from some of the producers and musicians who contributed, and each track is discussed in depth. Five of the songs were taken from Elvis' Sun Sessions, and Sam Phillips is on hand to discuss those sessions. Elvis' version of Carl Perkins' classic, 'Blue Suede Shoes' is dissected, and his first smash single, 'Heartbreak Hotel', is included, though not originally on the album.
- 08
The Sex Pistols: Never Mind The Bollocks
The Sex Pistols only released one album before breaking up, but it set off the punk movement, and turned the British music industry on its head. Featuring interviews with John Lydon (Johnny Rotten), Steve Jones and Paul Cook, plus original bassist Glen Matlock, along with producer Chris Thomas, Classic Albums looks at the way it was written and recorded. Also shown is some rare television footage from that time, and some concert performances by the groundbreaking band.
- 09
Pink Floyd: Dark Side of the Moon
Engineers Chris Thomas and Alan Parsons peel layers off the master tapes from this 1973 masterpiece. The songs are dissected methodically, and Roger Waters, David Gilmour, Nick Mason, and Rick Wright are on hand, (though separately), to demonstrate how simplistic some of the writing was.
- 10
In 1991 Nirvana’s Nevermind, with the songs of Kurt Cobain, changed the music business without compromise, record company hype or media overkill. The album replaced Michael Jackson at the top of the American charts and so began a rapid rise to international superstardom for the band. This is the story of how Nirvana came to record Nevermind and the effect the record had on the music world and on the band themselves. It offers an insight into the songwriting genius of Kurt Cobain and reveals why Nevermind remains a milestone in rock history.
- 11
Interviews with Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend, along with the late John Entwhistle, who reminisce about the failed attempt to present a rock musical stage show called Lifehouse, tell us how the project evolved into the 1971 classic, Who's Next. Some archival footage is presented, and we are shown by Pete how he developed the synthesized keyboard riffs that gave sonic charges to the album.
- 12
Frank Zappa: Apostrophe (')/Over-Nite Sensation
Tells the story of the recording of Frank Zappa and The Mothers of Invention's "Over-Nite Sensation" and Zappa's solo album "Apostrophe (')".
- 13
Tells the story behind the writing, recording and subsequent success of Rio through interviews, musical demonstrations, and archive footage. Original band members Simon Le Bon, Nick Rhodes, John Taylor and Roger Taylor are all interviewed along with director Russell Mulchay, former manager Paul Berrow, journalist Beverley Glick, designer Antony Price and Bob Geldolf amongst others.
- 14
With Paranoid celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, the Classic Albums/Black Sabbath episode is particularly timely. Music buffs will relish at the 97-minute DVD that touches upon everything from Black Sabbath’s influences, the songwriting process behind tracks like “War Pigs and “Iron Man,” the band’s introduction into America, and even hands-on explanations of the riff work from Tony Iommi and Geezer Butler. In stark contrast to the band’s self-titled debut album (recorded over two days and mixed in one), Paranoid was allowed an opportunity to be crafted in more accommodating studio environment. Those sessions bore a variety of intriguing stories, specifically one that details how “Paranoid” was written off-the-cuff after executives requested a “short song.”
- 15
Shows like Classic Albums
The closest matches on shared genres, ranked by match strength and popularity.
- 01MusicThe essential episodes of The Voice2011–present·NBC
The Voice is a singing competition where famous musicians serve as coaches to mentor aspiring artists through a series of blind auditions, battles, and live performances, with the ultimate goal of finding and crowning… - 02MusicThe essential episodes of America's Got Talent2006–present·NBCWith the talent search open to acts of all ages, America's Got Talent has brought the variety format back to the forefront of American culture by showcasing performers from across the country.
- 03Music·ComedyThe essential episodes of Saturday Night Live1975–present·NBC
Saturday Night Live is an Emmy Award-winning late-night comedy showcase.Since its inception in 1975, "SNL" has launched the careers of many of the brightest comedy performers of their generation. - 04Music·ComedyThe essential episodes of Schmigadoon!2021–2023
Schmigadoon! is a parody of iconic musicals, which follows a couple on a backpacking trip designed to reinvigorate their relationship when they discover a magical town in which everyone is living in a studio musical… - 05Music·Horror·SupernaturalThe essential episodes of Anne Rice's The Vampire Lestat2026–present·AMC+The Vampire Lestat goes on tour while being haunted by "muses" from his past.
- 06MusicThe essential episodes of American Idol2002–present·ABC
American Idol is an American singing competition show, where contestants perform in front of a panel of star judges, representing the music industry.
