9 Classic Rock Albums Ranked by Critics’ Scores, From Lowest to Highest

Critics rarely agree on anything, so a pile of near perfect scores for old rock records says something. Metacritic averages professional reviews into a single Metascore, and its rock rankings are full of albums from the late sixties and seventies.

One caveat shapes everything below. Many of the highest scores belong to reissued or remastered editions, because that’s often where the aggregated reviews live. The ranking runs from lowest to highest, and ties are noted where they happen.

The Rolling Stones, Live at the El Mocambo

This is the lowest score on the list, and it’s still a strong one. The two disc release from The Rolling Stones features the official recording of two secret 1977 shows at Toronto’s 300 capacity El Mocambo club. Metacritic lists it with a Metascore of eighty six.

It came out in 2022, which makes it the newest release here. The score suggests critics treated it as a worthwhile document of a band playing in a tiny room, not as an essential studio statement. That’s a fair distinction, and it explains the gap between this entry and the rest.

Led Zeppelin II

The remastered edition of the band’s second album holds a Metascore of ninety five. The reissue came in deluxe versions including a disc of alternative mixes and an unreleased track named “La La.” Metacritic’s user score for it is a strong nine out of ten.

AllMusic’s review took a measured view. It said the album lacks the eclecticism of the group’s debut, but is arguably more influential. Even at the bottom of the Zeppelin run, the critical response was glowing.

Led Zeppelin I

The debut moves up two points, to a Metascore of ninety seven. Its reissue was remastered, with deluxe versions that added a disc of live tracks from an October 1969 concert in Paris. The release date was June 2014, the same day as the second album’s reissue.

Its user score is nine out of ten, matching the sequel. Critics tend to credit the first record for establishing the band’s heavy blues direction, though that’s a general reading and not part of the score itself.

Jimi Hendrix, Electric Ladyland

The 50th Anniversary Deluxe Edition of this 1968 double album also scores ninety seven on Metacritic. That puts it level with Led Zeppelin I in the aggregated ranking. It’s the only Hendrix record to appear on this list.

Its user score is among the higher ones here, at roughly eight and a half to nearly nine out of ten. The sprawling double album format didn’t stop critics from rating it near the top of the rock chart.

Led Zeppelin III

Here the scores climb into the upper tier. The 1970 third studio album was reissued and remastered, with deluxe versions including a disc of unreleased outtakes and mixes. It carries a Metascore of ninety eight.

Its user score is a little under nine out of ten. The record is often described as the band’s quieter, more acoustic turn, though its aggregate rating shows critics weren’t bothered by the change of pace.

Led Zeppelin, Houses of the Holy

The 1973 album ties with the third record at ninety eight. Its remastered reissue included deluxe versions with a disc of unreleased instrumentals and alternate mixes. That edition arrived in October 2014.

Its user score sits just under that of its predecessor. Together, the two records show how consistently the Zeppelin reissue campaign was reviewed.

London Calling, 25th Anniversary Legacy Edition

The Clash’s 1979 album reaches a perfect Metascore of one hundred in its 25th Anniversary Legacy Edition. It’s one of only a few rock releases on Metacritic’s list to hit that mark. It also stands out as the one punk influenced record among a field of hard rock and blues heavy albums.

The ranking puts it near the very top of Metacritic’s rock list, sitting directly after the Rolling Stones’ Exile reissue. Critics clearly judged it as more than a punk record, which helps explain why it belongs in any classic rock conversation.

The Rolling Stones, Exile on Main Street

The reissue of this 1972 double album also earns a one hundred. Metacritic’s blurb says the reissue was long overdue, because Exile captures when the band became one of the greatest rock and roll bands in the world. The reissue appeared in May 2010.

Its user score is a bit over eight out of ten, lower than several Zeppelin entries. Critics still placed it among the top few rock records on the site, a rare combination of looseness and consistency.

Led Zeppelin IV

The top spot goes to Led Zeppelin IV, with a Metascore of one hundred. The 1971 untitled fourth studio release was reissued and remastered with deluxe versions including a disc of unreleased instrumentals and alternate mixes. It appeared in October 2014.

Strictly speaking, it ties with Exile on Main Street and London Calling at the maximum score. Metacritic lists it first among rock albums, so it takes the final slot here. Its user score is a little over eight and a half out of ten.