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ALBUMISM SELECTS: The 50 Greatest Live Albums of All Time

May 13, 2018 Albumism Staff

Photo: Leslie del Moral

By the name of our site alone, it’s obvious that we are enamored with the albums that come to fruition as a result of the days, weeks, months and, in some cases, years that artists and bands spend holed up in recording studios. But we’re equally inspired by witnessing the songs contained within these LPs come to life on stage firsthand, in our favorite venues across the globe. And it’s this shared devotion to the more experiential elements of our music obsession that has inspired our team to select what we believe to be the 50 greatest live albums ever committed to wax.

Click “Explore List” below to read our team's perspectives on each of our 50 selections or for easier exploring, click on the album cover art in the index below. Please also let us know which live albums you would have included within the comments section!

EXPLORE LIST >
5TH_Dimension_Live.jpg
Adderley_Cannoball_Quintet_CountryPreacher.jpg
Badu_Erykah_Live.jpg
Bauhaus_Gotham.jpg
Benson_George_WeekendInLA.jpg
Brown_James_RevolutionofTheMind.jpg
Callier_Terry_Alive.jpg
Cash_Johnny_AtFolsomPrison.jpg
Cole_Natalie_Live.jpg
Collins_Phil_SeriousHitsLive.jpg
Commodores_The_Live.jpg
Cooke_Sam_LiveAtTheHarlemSquareClub1963.jpg
Corrs_The_LiveInDublin.jpg
Cure_The_Entreat.jpg
Davis_Miles_TheCompleteLiveAtThePluggedNickel.jpg
Floetry_Floacism.jpg
FooFighters_SkinAndBones.jpg
Frampton_Peter+FramptonComesAlive.jpg
Franklin_Aretha_LiveAtFillmoreWest.jpg
Gaye_Marvin_Live.jpg
Gaye_Marvin_LiveInMontreux1980.jpg
Hathaway_Donny_Live.jpg
Jacksons_The_Live.jpg
Jarreau_Al_LookToTheRainbow.jpg
Joel_Billy_Kohuept.jpg
KISS_AliveII.jpg
Marley_Bob_Live.jpg
Mayfield_Curtis_Live.jpg
Minogue_Kylie_IntimateAndLive.jpg
Portishead_Roseland_NYC_Live.jpg
Queen_LiveKillers.jpg
Radiohead_IMightBeWrong_LiveRecordings.jpg
Roots_The_TheRootsComeAlive.jpg
Runga_Bic_LiveInConcertWithTheChristchurchOrchestra.jpg
SimonAndGarfunkel_TheConcertInCentralPark.jpg
Simone_Nina_AtTownHall.jpg
SimpleMinds_LiveInTheCityofLight.jpg
Sting_BringOnTheNight.jpg
Summer_Donna_LiveandMore.jpg
Summer_Donna_LiveandMoreEncore.jpg
TalkingHeads_StopMakingSense.jpg
TragicallyHip_LiveBetweenUs.jpg
U2_UnderABloodRedSky.jpg
VariousArtists_DaveChappellesBlockParty.jpg
VariousArtists_NYRockAndSoulRevue_liveAtTheBeaconTheatre.jpg
VariousArtists_TheSolarGalaxyOfStarsLive.jpg
VariousArtists_Wattstax.jpg
Waits_Tom_NighthawksAtTheDiner.png
Waters_Muddy_AtNewport1960.jpg
Withers_Bill_Live_At_Carnegie_Hall.jpg
In LISTS Tags Live Albums
← ALBUMISM SELECTS: 50 Fantastic “Flying Solo” AlbumsAlbumism’s Writers Select Their Five Favorite Albums of 2017 →

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