Procol Harum-Live: In Concert with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra (1972)

There are songs that become cornerstones, symbols of an unrepeatable era, pivotal moments in a generation's memories, ultimately becoming mythical and timeless. One of these songs is "A Whiter Shade of Pale", a symbolic track from 1967 and Procol Harum's most famous composition. With this song, Procol Harum entered rock history, in an era so exciting and multifaceted that it continues to be analyzed, studied, and remembered almost meticulously despite the many years that have passed. Founded in 1960 by keyboardist Gary Brooker, who, along with Robin Trower on guitars, drummer B.J. Wilson, and bassist Chris Copping, performed under the name Paramounts in venues in the city of Southend, in the south of England. After five years of releasing singles with little success and touring England and Germany, where they supported Sandy Shaw, lyricist Keith Reid joined them. Together with Brooker, they composed "A Whiter Shade of Pale", which was released in the summer of 1967 and reached the top of the charts worldwide. By then, Procol Harum had already abandoned their blues and rock 'n' roll influences to delve into more complex developments focused on the emerging progressive and psychedelic sound of the time. That same year, the single "Homburg" was released, which also achieved great success in global markets. Both tracks were included on the album "A Whiter Shade of Pale", and the following album, "Shine on Brightly", included the title track. They closed out the decade with "A Salty Dog", another memorable album. From this point onwards, and well into the 1970s, the band would release some very memorable albums such as "Home", "Broken Barricades", "Grand Hotel" or the superb live album "Procol Harum Live: In Concert with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra".

Mott The Hoople-All The Young Dudes (1972)

Mott the Hoople is the group that represents the stylistic and chronological link between the English beat of the 1960s and the punk rock of the late 1970s. In the golden age of glam rock, they were one of the few who preserved the authentic spirit of rock 'n' roll, while almost everyone else embraced technological sophistication. Founded in Hereford, in the west of England, their initial lineup consisted of guitarist Mick Ralphs, drummer Pete Watts, and keyboardist Verden Allen. Later, Islands Records offered them a contract on the condition that they add singer and guitarist Ian Hunter. Ian Hunter's aggressive stage presence and enormous songwriting talent gave the group new energy. However, their first four albums did not achieve the expected success, criticized for their raw rock 'n' roll sound and for their singer's audacity in drawing inspiration from Bob Dylan. At this point in 1972, the band was on the verge of breaking up and officially announced their separation on March 26th of that year. However, it was David Bowie, one of their most illustrious admirers, who convinced them to postpone their decision, at least until they had recorded and released a song he had composed titled “All The Young Dudes”. Bowie produced the single, sang and played saxophone on it, and found them a new manager, Tony De Fries, who was already handling Bowie's business affairs. De Fries also secured them a new record deal with CBS. In the summer of 1972, "All The Young Dudes" reached number three on the British charts and became a classic in rock history. Bowie also produced their fourth album, also titled "All The Young Dudes", in which Mott the Hoople found a new musical formula. Here, Hunter was more original and charismatic in his vocal performances, the songs were much better structured, and the arrangements were more effective. With this album and the following one, "Mott", the group finally achieved success. On the latter, the band even reached the UK top ten with superb songs like "Honaloochie Boogie", "All the Way from Memphis", and the effervescent track "Roll Away the Stone".

Accept-Restless And Wild (1982)

With “Restless and Wild”, Accept took their definitive leap into the pantheon of rock, and although they still had such emblematic works as “Balls to the Wall” a year later to come, this album cemented the German band's status as one of the great heavy metal acts of the eighties. “Restless and Wild” pleasantly surprised critics and fans alike with its impeccable production and a series of tracks that remain as relevant today as ever, considered essential to the history of the genre, such as the overwhelming “Fast as a Shark”, the elegant “Neon Nights”, the meritorious “Ahead of the Pack”, “Shake Your Heads”, and “Princess of the Dawn”, and the brilliant title track. In short, “Restless And Wild” contains a superb string of songs full of huge metal riffs by the guitar duo Wolf Hoffmann and Herman Frank with that controlled fury, a devastating rhythm section by drummer Stefan Kaufmann and bassist Peter Baltes, all wrapped up in the powerful and raw voice of Udo, one of the most charismatic voices in world heavy metal.

Accept-Metal Heart (1985)

"Metal Heart" marked the definitive era of Accept's signature sound, characterized by aggressive, frenetic, and furious heavy metal. Their third album, "Breaker", had already begun to establish their status with energetic and catchy guitars, addictive choruses, a powerful, heavily amplified drum sound, and highly addictive compositions. Their subsequent releases would overwhelmingly confirm this, as demonstrated by their iconic album "Balls to the Wall". Produced by the renowned Dieter Dierks, the album contains a powerful collection of tracks such as "Midnight Mover", "Living For Tonite", "Bound To Fail", "Dogs on Leads", "Metal Heart", and "Wrong Is Right". With this album, the German band completed a fabulous trilogy comprised of "Restless and Wild" (1982), "Balls to the Wall" (1983), and "Metal Heart".

Al Kooper-Naked Songs (1973)

Emerging from the vibrant New York cultural scene of the late 1950s, Al Kooper would become known for his controversial personality and eccentric musical vision. Amidst the burgeoning growth of styles like blues rock, Kooper, then in his twenties, became one of the driving forces behind the movement. Aside from his countless collaborations in the 1960s, his most recognized work was as a keyboardist on Bob Dylan's legendary album "Highway 61", as well as his participation in Dylan's controversial performance at the Newport Folk Festival in 1966. From then on, his activity became frenetic, contributing to numerous projects such as Dylan's "Blonde on Blonde", Blood, Sweat & Tears' "Child Is Father to the Man", the Rolling Stones' "Let It Bleed", and Jimi Hendrix's "Electric Ladyland", in addition to his own solo projects like "Supersession" with Mike Bloomfield and Stephen Stills, "I Stand Alone" and "You Never Know Who Your Friends Are", and his membership in the legendary Blues Project. After founding his own record label, he released one of his best works, "Naked Songs" in 1973, which includes the unforgettable tracks "As the Years Go Passing By" and "Sam Stone". During the following years, Kooper would launch bands like the southerners Lynyrd Skynyrd, Wet Willie and the Atlanta Rhythm Section to worldwide fame, or become one of the most prolific and famous producers and managers of the 1970s.

Pat Benatar-Crimes Of Passion (1980)

The love affair between rock and women is intense, but also very stormy and often fraught with obstacles. A prime example of this relationship is Pat Benatar. Pat Benatar arrived on the rock scene in the early eighties, and unlike other women of that era (Debby Harry or Patti Smith), she never hid behind an artificial, hyper-feminine persona or a mask of intellectual hermaphrodite. In 1980, she released her second album, "Crimes of Passion", which sold over three million copies. This album contains the hit "Hit Me with Yogurt Best Shot", which earned her a Grammy Award. Produced by Keith Olson, the album develops the trends of an aggressive yet tightly woven rock sound, enhancing its personality with tracks like "Hell is for Children" and "Treat Me Right", as well as the extraordinary cover of "Wuthering Heights", a huge hit for Kate Bush, and exploring its melodic side in the captivating "I'm Gonna Follow Me". With its next release, the fantastic "Precious Time", it would once again top the charts and win its second Grammy of a total of four that it would achieve consecutively, thus reaching a unique and unprecedented milestone in the history of rock.

Rory Gallagher-Rory Gallagher (1971)

In 1970, Rory Gallagher disbanded his first band, Taste, for various reasons, including the ongoing tensions between his two bandmates, drummer John Wilson and bassist Richard McCracken. Almost a year later, the Irishman released his first solo album, accompanied by a devastating trio of Gerry McAvoy on bass, Wilgar Campbell on drums, and Vincent Crane on piano. On this debut album, Gallagher showcased his powerful blues rock and emotive Irish folk, delivering great riffs and imaginative, distorted guitar solos. Songs like "Laundromat", "Just the Smile", "I Fall Apart", "Can't Believe It's True", "Sinner Boy", and "Hands Up" make up a near-perfect album of rock, blues, and folk, featuring catchy melodies, memorable arrangements, and blistering guitar solos.