Your top five rock operas:

Posted by: joerand on 02 February 2016

  1. Pink Floyd. The Wall.  easy choice
  2. The Who. Tommy.  a classic and maybe the incarnation
  3. Green Day. American Idiot.  could be #1 if not for my reverence for the aforementioned bands
  4. Meat Loaf. Bat Out Of Hell.  powerful, impassioned vocal performances despite the shit SQ
  5. Jesus Christ Superstar.  maybe more of a musical - I've not heard it for a long while, but have fond memories from back in the day
Posted on: 02 February 2016 by oldneil

Pretty Things: S.F. Sorrow

Posted on: 02 February 2016 by SamS

In no particular order

Quadrophenia; A Passion Play; Tommy; Berlin; Thick as a Brick

There are more but you said 5 - honourable mention to Journey to the Centre of the Earth, JC Superstar, The Wall, Amused to Death, SF Sorrow, Rocky Horror Picture Show

Posted on: 02 February 2016 by Stevee_S

I like all those mentioned above and would be hard pressed to pick a top five but would like to include the original Jeff Wayne War of The Worlds with Richard Burton doing the narration. 

Posted on: 02 February 2016 by DrMark

1) Quadrophenia

2) Tommy

3) The Wall

4) JC Superstar

5) Many of the others mentioned above

Posted on: 02 February 2016 by Innocent Bystander

There are so many possibilities, and difficult to pick favourites as it depends on mood. So, having considered all those already mentioned, and these as a sample of  others : Radio Kaos, Pros & Cons of Hitchiking (Roger Waters), Stationary Traveller & others by Camel, Scenes from a Memory (Dream Theater), Felona & Sarona (Le Orme), Oora (Edgar Broughton), Sgt Pepper, Three Friends (Gentle Giant) and The Alchemist (Home), I think my top 5 would probably be:

  • The Wall
  • Tommy
  • Lamb Lies Down on Broadway (Genesis)
  • Misplaced Childhood (Marillion)
  • Thick as a Brick

(in no particular order)

Posted on: 02 February 2016 by TOBYJUG

If we are not discounting sound track releases then..

Pick of Destiny. 

The Graduate.

Rattle and Hum.

Lord of the Dance.

Bad News.

 

image

Posted on: 02 February 2016 by CariocaJeff

Tommy

Quadrophenia

The Wall

lamb lies down on Broadway

A Quick One While he's away

 

Posted on: 02 February 2016 by Dan43
Stevee_S posted:

I like all those mentioned above and would be hard pressed to pick a top five but would like to include the original Jeff Wayne War of The Worlds with Richard Burton doing the narration. 

+1 , the recent new version just isn't the same. Going to check if a 24bit version with Richard Burton exists.

 

Tommy is the only Rock Opera thats worth its salt IMHO and the 96/24 version is excellent, is Quadrophenia allowed too (see thats included above with cariocajeff and DRMARK oops)?

As a single song thats Rock Opera can we have with Bohemian Rhapsody to get started? Or even better Death On Two Legs...

Posted on: 02 February 2016 by Stevee_S
Dan43 posted:
Stevee_S posted:

I like all those mentioned above and would be hard pressed to pick a top five but would like to include the original Jeff Wayne War of The Worlds with Richard Burton doing the narration. 

+1 , the recent new version just isn't the same. Going to check if a 24bit version with Richard Burton exists.

 

Dan I haven't found a 24 bit version but if you do would you let me know please. 

Steve

Posted on: 02 February 2016 by Dan43
Stevee_S posted:
Dan43 posted:
Stevee_S posted:

I like all those mentioned above and would be hard pressed to pick a top five but would like to include the original Jeff Wayne War of The Worlds with Richard Burton doing the narration. 

+1 , the recent new version just isn't the same. Going to check if a 24bit version with Richard Burton exists.

 

Dan I haven't found a 24 bit version but if you do would you let me know please. 

Steve

Will do.

Posted on: 02 February 2016 by Innocent Bystander
Dan43 posted:
Stevee_S posted:
Dan43 posted:
Stevee_S posted:

I like all those mentioned above and would be hard pressed to pick a top five but would like to include the original Jeff Wayne War of The Worlds with Richard Burton doing the narration. 

+1 , the recent new version just isn't the same. Going to check if a 24bit version with Richard Burton exists.

 

Dan I haven't found a 24 bit version but if you do would you let me know please. 

Steve

Will do.

There's an SACD version - needs Playstation 3 to rip.

Posted on: 02 February 2016 by Dan43
Innocent Bystander posted:
Dan43 posted:
Stevee_S posted:
Dan43 posted:
Stevee_S posted:

I like all those mentioned above and would be hard pressed to pick a top five but would like to include the original Jeff Wayne War of The Worlds with Richard Burton doing the narration. 

+1 , the recent new version just isn't the same. Going to check if a 24bit version with Richard Burton exists.

 

Dan I haven't found a 24 bit version but if you do would you let me know please. 

Steve

Will do.

There's an SACD version - needs Playstation 3 to rip.

Thats what I have found, the 24bit are the New Generation versions. Can't see a SACD copy for purchase as a HiRes file or DSD etc. Still looking though.

Posted on: 02 February 2016 by Bert Schurink

I am a bit challenged to define the exact scope of a rock opera but would agree to the suggestion up. I would like to add:

- Be from Pain of Salvation

- The Human Equition from Ayreon

- The Astonishing from Dream Theater

 

Posted on: 02 February 2016 by Bert Schurink

Forgot to add one of the most impressive ones and a good one from Transatlantic

Posthumus Silence from Sylvan

The Whirlwind from Transatlantic

Posted on: 02 February 2016 by Clive B

Another vote for 'Quadrophenia' closely followed by 'The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway'. After those two masterpieces I'd say in no particular order 'Tommy', 'The Wall' and 'Too Old to Rock and Roll, Too Young to Die'.

 I wonder if 'Tales from Topographic Oceans' would qualify? 

Posted on: 02 February 2016 by bishopla

Tommy

Quadrophenia

The Wall

lamb lies down on Broadway

Aqualung

 

Posted on: 02 February 2016 by joerand

I had considered several of the Tull albums for my list. Thick As A Brick is very good while Too Old To RR .... comes with a nice graphic comic of the story . The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway has piqued my interest. Not a big Genesis fan but I'll have to grab a used CD next time I see one.

Yeah, as single songs go, Bohemian Rhapsody is probably the epitome of a rock opera.

I have to ask, for those that agreed with albums mentioned so far, how does American Idiot fit in? I don't see Green Day mentioned very often in the music room.

Posted on: 03 February 2016 by R.K

Hair. Original London Cast (rather than Broadway or soundtrack)

Posted on: 03 February 2016 by osprey

The ultimate list is:

S.F. Sorrow

Arthur (Or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire)

Tommy

Joe's Garage

Hair / The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical (the original Broadway cast of course)

American Idiot is good and have its merits but cannot compete these ones.

 

Posted on: 08 February 2016 by David O'Higgins

I would add "Evita" and "Cats"

Posted on: 11 February 2016 by GerryMcg

More recently, The  Decemberists " The Hazards of Love"

Posted on: 14 February 2016 by osprey
Bert Schurink posted:
 

- The Astonishing from Dream Theater

 

I believe this is just released (not heard myself yet). Is it so good, as the name suggest, that it can immediately be put in the same league with the past classics? (i.e. is it a must buy?)

Posted on: 14 February 2016 by Bert Schurink
osprey posted:
Bert Schurink posted:
 

- The Astonishing from Dream Theater

 

I believe this is just released (not heard myself yet). Is it so good, as the name suggest, that it can immediately be put in the same league with the past classics? (i.e. is it a must buy?)

It's not as good as Scenes of a Memory in my eyes. But in the rock opera genre it's in my eyes competing with the others. I will see it live soon and will be able to give a better feel for it.

on the negative side, it has perhaps too many ballads, might be a bit more raw and it could be shorter...

Posted on: 14 February 2016 by osprey
Bert Schurink posted:
osprey posted:
Bert Schurink posted:
 

- The Astonishing from Dream Theater

 

I believe this is just released (not heard myself yet). Is it so good, as the name suggest, that it can immediately be put in the same league with the past classics? (i.e. is it a must buy?)

It's not as good as Scenes of a Memory in my eyes. But in the rock opera genre it's in my eyes competing with the others. I will see it live soon and will be able to give a better feel for it.

on the negative side, it has perhaps too many ballads, might be a bit more raw and it could be shorter...

Ok thanks. I think I'll need to give this a try then. 

Posted on: 14 February 2016 by Borders Nick
GerryMcg posted:

More recently, The  Decemberists " The Hazards of Love"

Must give this a spin again soon.  A quirky one !