NaN/100 votesLoading...#1 - The Rolling Stones: Beggar's Banquet
Season 9 Episode 4 - Aired 11/17/2010
No description available
Director: N/A
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NaN/100 votesLoading...#2 - The Crickets: The Chirping Crickets
Season 10 Episode 7 - Aired 7/12/2019
The story of the first album by The Crickets, crowned by four of their best-loved songs: That’ll Be the Day, Not Fade Away, Maybe Baby and Oh, Boy!
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
NaN/100 votesLoading...#3 - Tears for Fears: Songs from the Big Chair
Season 10 Episode 8 - Aired 2/14/2020
Documentary that explores Songs from the Big Chair, Tears for Fears second, seminal album, which saw the band's music transform from synth-pop into arena-ready anthems.
Director: N/A
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NaN/100 votesLoading...#4 - The Who Sell Out
Season 10 Episode 9 - Aired 4/23/2021
No description available
Director: N/A
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#5 - Soul II Soul: Club Classics Vol. 1
Season 10 Episode 10 - Aired 4/30/2021
No description available
Director: N/A
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#6 - Suede: Coming Up
Season 10 Episode 11 - Aired 5/7/2021
No description available
Director: N/A
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#7 - Gil Scott-Heron: Pieces Of A Man
Season 10 Episode 12 - Aired 9/24/2021
No description available
Director: N/A
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NaN/100 votesLoading...#8 - The Doors: Morrison Hotel
Season 10 Episode 13 - Aired 10/1/2021
A look at the American rockers' fifth studio album. It saw them return to their blues-rock style and earned them their highest charting album in the UK.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
NaN/100 votesLoading...#9 - Freak Out!
Season 10 Episode 14 - Aired 10/8/2021
The Mothers of Invention's 1966 cult classic debut "Freak Out!" is analyzed, with insights from Frank Zappa's band members, family and fans.
Director: N/A
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6.3/1040 votesLoading...#10 - Jay Z: Reasonable Doubt
Season 7 Episode 2 - Aired 10/3/2007
Behind-the-scenes look at the creation of Jay-Z's 1996 debut album Reasonable Doubt.
Director: N/A
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6.7/1035 votesLoading...#11 - Simply Red: Stars
Season 5 Episode 1 - Aired 1/7/2005
Simply Red, the loosely based group of musicians led by Mick Hucknall, take us into the studio to examine the making of this album. While not as commercially successful in the US, it was the biggest selling album in the UK in 1991, and shipped 8.5 million copies worldwide. The musicians who were with the group at that time runite and take us through the tracks. Included is an interview with songwriting legend Lamont Dozier.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
6.7/1059 votesLoading...#12 - Primal Scream: Screamadelica
Season 10 Episode 1 - Aired 5/6/2011
Primal Scream's seminal album Screamadelica was released in 1991, and synthesized the band's rock 'n' roll roots with the dance culture of that time; for many, the album's sound and imagery came to be regarded as quintessential symbols of the acid house era, perfectly catching the spirit and mood of the early 90s. Using rare archive footage and special performances, this film tells the story of Screamadelica and its hit singles and dance anthems Loaded, Movin' On Up, Come Together and Don't Fight It, Feel It. From the formation of the band in Glasgow to winning the first-ever Mercury prize, the band members explain the record's inception with insights from main producer Andrew Weatherall, Creation Records founder Alan McGee and many others involved with or inspired by this joyful record. Screamadelica both defines a generation and transcends its time, and is a true Classic Album.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
7.0/10213 votesLoading...#13 - Phil Collins: Face Value
Season 2 Episode 2 - Aired 11/2/1999
Phil's first solo album, which launched his career outside of Genesis, is examined here. Engineer Hugh Padgham peels the layers of sound back, and Phil explains how the lyrics to many of the songs wrote themselves, as he was going through a bitter divorce. Tony Banks, Mike Rutherford, and Darrell Stuermer are on hand, and many of the studio musicians who contributed are seen as they describe working with Phil.
Director: Jeremy Marre
Writer: N/A
7.0/10259 votesLoading...#14 - Bob Marley & The Wailers: Catch A Fire
Season 2 Episode 4 - Aired 12/1/1999
Producer Chris Blackwell is the main focus of this episode, as he recounts bringing in some top American session men to the studio, in an attempt to break Bob Marley to the US audiences. Wailer Peter Tosh, and instrumentalists Wayne Perkins and Rabbit Bundrick are interviewed, and we see some rare clips of Bob himself.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
7.0/10125 votesLoading...#15 - Duran Duran: Rio
Season 8 Episode 3 - Aired 11/22/2008
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.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
7.3/10135 votesLoading...#16 - The Beach Boys: Pet Sounds
Season 9 Episode 5 - Aired 11/19/2010
A look at the creation of the Beach Boys' classic album "Pet Sounds", including conversations with Brian Wilson and group members, lyricist Tony Asher, and members of the studio supergroup The Wrecking Crew.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
7.4/10226 votesLoading...#17 - Paul Simon: Graceland
Season 1 Episode 1 - Aired 4/14/1997
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.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
7.4/10517 votesLoading...#18 - U2: The Joshua Tree
Season 2 Episode 1 - Aired 10/27/1999
'Joshua Tree' elevated U2 to superstar status internationally, and confirmed their position as one of rock's most influential and powerful forces. Here we examine the making of the album, with the four group members, along with producers Brian Eno, Steve Lillywhite, and Daniel Lanois. Elvis Costello is also on hand to lend friendly comments.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
7.4/10256 votesLoading...#19 - Lou Reed: Transformer
Season 3 Episode 4 - Aired 11/26/2001
Co-produced by David Bowie and Mick Ronson, this 1972 landmark album took Lou Reed from cult idol to glam superstar status. Here Reed examines each track, discussing with engineer Ken Scott the creation process. Bassist Herbie Flowers shows us how the riff for 'Walk On The Wild Side', was recorded, and we see some archives of Lou's performances.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
7.4/10169 votesLoading...#20 - Judas Priest: British Steel
Season 3 Episode 5 - Aired 12/10/2001
The metal classic 'British Steel' is examined here. The band, minus drummer Dave Holland, explain the songwriting process and lyrical ideas, interspersed with live footage of performances from that period. Producer Tom Allom demonstrates how the sound effects were achieved, and the two guitarists show how their 'trademark' twin guitar sound is generated.
Director: Tim Kirkby
Writer: N/A
7.4/10225 votesLoading...#21 - Elvis Presley: Elvis Presley
Season 3 Episode 6 - Aired 12/29/2001
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.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
7.4/10170 votesLoading...#22 - Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers: Damn the Torpedoes
Season 9 Episode 2 - Aired 6/9/2010
The latest addition to Eagle s critically acclaimed and highly successful Classic Albums series is Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers 1979 breakthrough album Damn The Torpedoes . The band s third album defined their musical style and took them into the mainstream hitting No.2 on the US charts and spawning the top 10 single Don t Do Me Like That . The DVD features newly filmed contributions from the band members Tom Petty, Mike Campbell, Benmont Tench, Ron Blair and Stan Lynch along with co-producer Jimmy Iovine and engineer Shelly Yakus as they analyse the tracks from the original multi-track tapes and through new and archive performances. Damn The Torpedoes has stood the test of time as one of the great American rock albums of its era and is a worthy addition to the Classic Albums series.
Director: N/A
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7.5/10202 votesLoading...#23 - Grateful Dead: American Beauty
Season 1 Episode 2 - Aired 4/15/1997
This 1970 release was 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.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
7.5/10106 votesLoading...#24 - Stevie Wonder: Songs In The Key Of Life
Season 1 Episode 3 - Aired 4/16/1997
Stevie's 1976 double album is looked at here. Stevie had already released the smash album, Innervisions, but as Berry Gordy explains, he took the experimentation to a new level. Quincy Jones and Herbie Hancock are in the studio with Stevie, along with some other top musicians who contributed, as we examine the creation and recording process, of what many consider Stevie Wonder's finest hour.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
7.5/10255 votesLoading...#25 - Elton John: Goodbye, Yellow Brick Road
Season 3 Episode 2 - Aired 11/6/2001
Elton John, along with some of his past and present band members discuss the creation of his opus, 'Goodbye, Yellow Brick Road'. Producer Gus Dudgeon and engineer David Henschel pull up some of the original multi-tracks, and demonstrate how the music was played and sang. Bernie Taupin is also on hand to describe his lyric writing, and some rare footage of rehearsals, and photos shot in the studio, are presented.
Director: N/A
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The Worst Episodes of Classic Albums
Every episode of Classic Albums ranked from worst to best. Explore the Worst Episodes of Classic Albums!
A documentary series about pop and rock albums that are considered the best or most distinctive of a well-known band or musician or that exemplify...
Genre:Documentary
Worst Episodes Summary
"The Rolling Stones: Beggar's Banquet" is the worst rated episode of "Classic Albums". It scored N/A/10 based on 0 votes. Directed by N/A and written by N/A, it aired on 11/17/2010. This episode scored NaN points lower than the second lowest rated, "The Crickets: The Chirping Crickets".