3 Legendary Rock Albums That Hit the Reset Button on the Genre

These three albums completely shook up rock music. Nothing like them existed before they came out, and their novelty left fans wanting more. These records are timeline branches; a family tree of essential rock movements. Without these albums, rock would’ve been stuck in the same place. These efforts gave rock momentum, even if they took it in diverging directions.

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‘The Velvet Underground & Nico’ — The Velvet Underground & Nico

Nothing like The Velvet Underground’s self-titled record existed before it was released. That work effectively rewrote the rock rulebook, breaking down any preconceived notions about the genre. When this record hit the shelves, Lou Reed basically pressed a big red reset button.

In its day, The Velvet Underground & Nico wasn’t an instant success. The world took a while to catch up to the pure genius of this art-rock masterpiece. Once it caught on, it spread like wildfire, moving many other bands to push boundaries and throw a little experimentation into rock. Even today, The Velvet Underground remains a vital inspiration for many of rock’s most adventurous musicians.

‘Led Zeppelin I’ — Led Zeppelin

Rootsy sounds in rock weren’t unheard of before Led Zeppelin released their debut album, but no one had done it quite the same way. Zeppelin turned up the dial, delivering unprecedented volume. This record gave rock a new edge, setting a new standard for any musicians who dared to follow in their footsteps.

Moreover, the vocals on this record were transformative. This was showmanship on another level. Robert Plant immediately set himself up as an extremely important frontman, giving rock a new face. Though no one has really been able to do exactly what Plant did, many tried to have the same rough-around-the-edges appeal. Plant introduced a new kind of frontman that rock fans demanded for most of the 1970s.

‘Nevermind’ — Nirvana

Fast-forward a few decades, and we have Nirvana’s Nevermind. This record killed every other sub-genre that came before, immediately ushering in a post-classic rock era. Grunge was a whole new ballgame, and Nirvana was the starting buzzer.

This record completely transformed rock music. The genre’s classic sounds gave way to fuzzy, distorted tones and morose lyricism. Equally activist and apathetic, Nevermind wasn’t just music; it was a mantra for rock bands to subscribe to and for fans to receive like gospel.

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