Recordings
The 1970s were the LP's golden era. Here's the greatest album from each '70s year
From glam to punk, prog to soul, the 1970s defined the album era—here are the decade’s standout releases, year by year.
Alfred Brendel: these seven stellar recordings will stand as the pianist's great legacy
We salute the late, great pianist Alfred Brendel by picking out seven outstanding recordings from his impressive discography
Adventures at the edge of music: ranking the King Crimson albums
From that explosive, visionary debut onwards, King Crimson have constantly pushed at the boundaries of prog, jazz and hard rock. We assess their wildly inventive back catalogue
RIP, Brian Wilson. Here are the Beach Boys' 21 greatest songs, ranked
To mark the passing of their creative powerhouse Brian Wilson, here are the 21 greatest Beach Boys songs of all time
Ranked: the 15 greatest jazz-rock fusion albums of all time
From Miles Davis to Mahavishnu Orchestra, we run through the 15 greatest albums fusing jazz and rock into captivating new forms
40 years ago: Dire Straits' 'Brothers in Arms' ushers in the CD era
Four decades ago, Dire Straits’ Brothers in Arms reshaped pop and revolutionized the CD era—an audiophile benchmark and global digital milestone.
Prog rock '69: 15 incredible albums from prog's Year Zero
1969 was prog rock’s explosive dawn. From King Crimson to Zappa, discover 15 groundbreaking albums that redefined rock with ambition, complexity, and sonic adventure
Best Mozart piano concerto: his 11 greatest masterpieces, ranked
Join us as we rank Mozart’s 11 greatest piano concertos—from stormy minor masterpieces to sunlit Classical gems that enchant audiences
Vivaldi Four Seasons: in search of the best recording (and the strangest)
These four revolutionary violin concertos remain Vivaldi's most-loved works. Lucy Chaudhuri rounds up the best recordings of The Four Seasons to date, and adds in three wild cards for good measure
When music gets weird: 14 gloriously strange concept albums you must hear
From musical Inuits to four-disc madness, these daring albums stretch imagination with surreal narratives, bizarre sounds, and sheer unforgettable weirdness
Prog rock '75: the 15 best progressive rock albums turning 50 this year
1975 was a landmark year for progressive rock, delivering groundbreaking albums that pushed musical boundaries and redefined the genre’s scope. Here are the 15 best
Obscure prog rock albums: 15 underrated masterpieces you must hear
Discover 15 mind-blowing prog rock gems you’ve (probably) never heard—bold, beautiful, and criminally overlooked masterpieces await
Genesis albums ranked: all 15 of the legendary band's LPs, from worst to best
We rank every Genesis studio album, from their early prog masterpieces to the stadium filling pop-rock of the 1980s
Here's the best recording of each Beethoven symphony for your collection
No composer changed the symphony more radically than Beethoven... Here is a guide to all nine of his symphonies and their best recordings
Ranked: the 15 greatest folk albums of all time
From Bob Dylan to Bon Iver, here are the 15 greatest folk albums of all time, showcasing timeless storytelling, emotion, and musical mastery
Ranked: the 15 greatest prog rock albums of all time
Did King Crimson hit the prog heights for you? Or were Yes or Genesis at the top of the prog tree? We rank the 15 greatest prog albums of all time
Best albums of all time: 50 magnificent classical recordings you must hear
Our round-up of the best must-have performances of classical music. Update your collection with the great symphonies, choral works, operas, chamber and instrumental works
Beethoven piano sonatas: six of the best cycles
We name some of the best recordings of Beethoven's sonatas, peformed by the great and the good of the piano world
The Planets: a world-by-world guide to Holst's cosmic work
We bring you the best recordings of each movement of Holst's The Planets
Death and the Maiden: Schubert's harrowing string quartet and most emotive recordings
Erik Levi picks out the finest recordings of Schubert's Death and the Maiden, a piece in which the Austrian composer plumbs the very depths of despair
Stravinsky Rite of Spring: the work that shattered classical music tradition
We explore Stravinsky's groundbreaking ballet The Rite of Spring and its seminal place in music history, before picking out some very best recordings
Winterreise: the tale of Schubert's brilliantly bleak song cycle - and four great recordings
Michael Tanner sets out on one of the bleakest and loneliest journeys in classical music, as he selects the finest recordings of Schubert's harrowing song-cycle, Winterreise
Mahler Symphony 5: a guide to this journey from darkness to triumph, and its best recordings
We name the greatest recordings of Mahler's legendary Fifth Symphony
18 weird and wonderful Christmas album covers: our pick of the best
Christmas over the years has inspired a glorious array of quirky covers from record company designers. We present our favourites…