Villains, the seventh studio album by Californian rockers Queens Of The Stone Age, has been chosen as Classic Rock Magazine’s album of the year for 2017. Other albums featured in the top five include Black Country Communion’s BCCIV, Foo Fighters’ Concrete And Gold, Robert Plant’s Carry Fire, and The Optimist by Anathema. The entire Top 50 can be viewed below.
The Top 50 was compiled for the current issue of Classic Rock by more than 25 staffers and freelancers, and is the second time in a row that an album featuring Queens Of The Stone Age mainman Josh Homme has been voted into the top position: in 2016, Iggy Pop’s Homme-produced collection Post Pop Depression topped the vote.
“The most important aspect of making this record was redefining our sound,” asking and answering the question ‘what do we sound like now?’, mused Homme, at the time of the album’s release. “If you can’t make a great first record, you should just stop—but if you can make a great record but you keep making records and your sound doesn’t evolve, you become a parody of that original sound.”
On Sunday, Homme issued an apology after kicking a photographer in the head during a Queens Of The Stone Age set in Los Angeles.
The new issue of Classic Rock – which features reviews of all 50 albums plus interviews with many of their creators – is on sale now, and also includes interviews with Black Sabbath’s Tony Iommi, Marillion’s Steve Hogath, Cats In Space, Queen’s Brian May, Joe Elliott, Walter Trout, Bill Bailey, Beth Hart and much, much more.
- Foo Fighters - Concrete And Gold album review
- Robert Plant - Carry Fire album review
- Black Country Communion - BCCIV album review
- Anathema - The Optimist album review
Classic Rock Magazine’s 50 Albums of 2017
50) Styx - The Mission
49) Eric Gales - Middle of the Road
48) Hiss Golden Messenger - Hallelujah Anyhow
47) Procol Harum - Novum
46) Solstafir - Berdreyminn
45) Biters - the Future Aint what It Used To Be
44) Walter Trout - We’re All In This Together
43) Amplifier - Trippin’ With Dr Faustus
42) Gun - Favourite Pleasures
41) Mastodon - Emperor Of Sand
40) Hawkwind - Into The Woods
39) Europe - Walk The Earth
38) Alice Cooper - Paranormal
37) Chris Robinson Brotherhood - Barefoot In The Head
36) David Crosby - Sky Trail
35) The War On Drugs - A Deeper Understanding
34) Steve Hackett - The Night Siren
33) Ray Davies - Americana
32) Cats In Space - Scarecrow
31) Lionize - Nuclear Soul
30) Marilyn Manson - Heaven Upside Down
29) Sparks - Hippopotamus
28) Lindsey Buckingham And Christine McVie - Lindsey Buckingham/Christine McVie
27) Ryan Adams - Prisoner
26) Cadillac Three - Legacy
25) Royal Blood - How Did We Get So Dark?
24) Koyo - Koyo
23) The Von Hertzen Brothers - War Is Over
22) Benjamin Booker - Witness
21) Tyler Bryant & The Shakedown - Tyler Bryant & The Shakedown
20) Roger Waters - Is This The Life We Really Want?
19) Prophets of Rage - Prophets Of Rage
18) The Magpie Salute - The Magpie Salute
17) Cheap Trick – We’re All Alright
16) Steven Wilson - To The Bone
15) Low Cut Connie - Dirty Pictures (Part 1)
14) Jim Jones & The Righteous Mind - Super Natural
13) Big Big Train - Grimspound
12) Deep Purple - InFinite
11) Thunder - Rip It Up
10) H.e.a.t - Into The Great Unknown
9) All Them Witches - Sleeping through the War
8) Black Star Riders - Heavy Fire
7) Royal Thunder - WICK
6) Bash & Pop - Anything Could Happen
5) Anathema - The Optimist
4) Robert Plant - Carry Fire
3) Foo Fighters - Concrete & Gold
2) Black Country Communion - BCCIV
1) Queens Of The Stone Age - Villains
You can read the Full Top 50, including reviews of each entry, plus interviews with many of those involved, in Classic Rock 244. Buy it online or become a TeamRock+ member to read it right now.
