FIVE ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL ALBUMS FROM 1971

THE WHO Who’s Next

THE SIGNIFICANCE: Who’s Next warrants inclusion among the greatest albums of all time, not only due to its sheer musical majesty, but also because it, along with Tommy and Quadrophenia, showed The Who were more than mere Mod upstarts fueled by ambition and insurgence, but also a band capable of creating anthemic music that resonated with both craft and credence. Indeed, it introduced songs that became the basis of their concert catalog going forward, songs that defined their stance while still showing they could remain as vital and defiant in the ‘70s as they were the decade before. Few albums could claim to be as monumental, heroic and resolute, while still retaining the visceral power that was so essential to their efforts.

With the success of two years earlier, Pete Townshend had moved on from his rowdy, rebellious reputation and into a more refined and carefully crafted realm. It found him sharing sounds that expressed meaningful sentiments about age versus adolescence, all intended to rally a collective consciousness and spur the masses to both rock, Townshend rethought the idea, salvaged some of its songs and reconfigured the piece to more manageable proportions. Early versions of the songs were recorded in New York with Al Kooper and Leslie West sitting in, but later reworked back in England with producer Glyn Johns at the helm. If, in fact, anything could top , was the album that could do it.