Gibson declares Van Halen “Top Guitar Album of All Time”

If you’re a music fan, you’ve probably seen countless lists ranking the best albums in rock and roll history. But what about the albums that highlight rock’s greatest instrument: that six-stringed portable orchestra, the guitar? Here at Gibson, we decided that the time had come to count down the Top 50 Guitar Albums of All Time.

Below is the full rundown, from 1 to 50. (For an in-depth look at the previous entries click here for #50-41, #40-31, #30-21, #20-11 and #10-1.)

Special thanks to all of our readers who voted. In addition, we would like to thank Zakk Wylde, Billy Morrison, Jeff Cease and Bart Walsh for taking part, as well as the Gibson.com writing and editorial staff.

So, without further adieu…

Top 50 Guitar Albums of All Time

1. Van Halen, Van Halen (1978)
2. The Jimi Hendrix Experience, Are You Experienced (1967)
3. Led Zeppelin, Led Zeppelin IV (1971)
4. Derek and the Dominos, Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs (1970)
5. Guns N’ Roses, Appetite for Destruction (1987)
6. Led Zeppelin, Led Zeppelin II (1969)
7. The Allman Brothers Band, At Fillmore East (1971)
8. Cream, Disraeli Gears (1967)
9. The Jimi Hendrix Experience, Electric Ladyland (1968)
10. AC/DC, Back in Black (1980)
11. Television, Marquee Moon (1977)
12. Pink Floyd, The Dark Side of the Moon (1973)
13. The Who, Live at Leeds (1970)
14. Robert Johnson, King of the Delta Blues Singers (1961)
15. The Sex Pistols, Never Mind the Bollocks, Here’s the Sex Pistols (1977)
16. Jeff Beck, Blow by Blow (1975)
17. Ozzy Osbourne, Blizzard of Ozz (1980)
18. The Rolling Stones, Exile on Main St. (1972)
19. The Who, Who’s Next (1971)
20. Black Sabbath, Paranoid (1970)
21. Ozzy Osbourne, Diary of a Madman (1981)
22. The Rolling Stones, Sticky Fingers (1971)
23. Van Halen, Van Halen II (1979)
24. Chuck Berry, The Great Twenty-Eight (1982)
25. The Stooges, Fun House (1970)
26. AC/DC, Highway to Hell (1979)
27. The Beatles, Revolver (1966)
28. Aerosmith, Rocks (1976)
29. Led Zeppelin, Led Zeppelin (1969)
30. Oasis, Definitely Maybe (1994)
31. Stevie Ray Vaughan, The Sky is Crying (1991)
32. Lynyrd Skynyrd, One More from the Road (1976)
33. The Beatles, Rubber Soul (1965)
34. The Mahavishnu Orchestra, The Inner Mounting Flame (1971)
35. Frank Marino and Mahogany Rush, Live (1978)
36. John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers, Blues Breakers with Eric Clapton (1966)
37. Thin Lizzy, Jailbreak (1976)
38. Def Leppard, High ’n’ Dry (1981)
39. Roy Buchanan, Roy Buchanan (1972)
40. The Shadows, Dance with the Shadows (1964)
41. Deep Purple, Machine Head (1972)
42. Jeff Beck, Truth (1968)
43. The White Stripes, Elephant (2003)
44. Stevie Ray Vaughan, Texas Flood (1983)
45. Chuck Berry, Chuck Berry in London (1965)
46. Danny Gatton, 88 Elmira St. (1991)
47. The Wildhearts, Earth vs. The Wildhearts (1993)
48. Led Zeppelin, Physical Graffiti (1975)
49. Pink Floyd, Wish You Were Here (1975)
50. David Bowie, The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars (1972)

23. Van Halen, Van Halen II (1979)

The task for Van Halen was daunting: follow-up their gargantuan and über-groundbreaking debut album – one so colossal it instantly changed the game. As revolutionary a guitar album as Van Halen was, Van Halen II might be even better. Eddie’s pyrotechnics are more dazzling and varied — and more explosive. Just check out “Spanish Fly,” where he proved he could make mincemeat out of an acoustic guitar, too. Highlights include “Beautiful Girls,” “D.O.A.” and “Somebody Get Me a Doctor.” – Sean Dooley

The ’70s rule! Well, at least that’s the decade that ruled our Top 50 Guitar Albums list. The “Me Decade” was responsible for more than half of the ranked LPs. The ’60s came in at a distant second place. As for newer artists, only on album from the past 10 years (actually, it ends up being the last 16 years) made the cut. The White Stripes’ 2003 release, Elephant, came in at #43.

1960s: 11
1970s: 27
1980s: 7
1990s: 4
2000s: 1