Who’s Next by The Who (1971)
Coming off of the extremely successful Rock Opera Tommy, The Who decided to do another rock opera after feeling more disconnected from fans. Their next concept failed, causing their members to go through slight mental breakdowns, but subsequently helping them decide to tighten their visions, and start recording for themselves. They decided to pick a new sound, so new that it sounds new even today. From the very beginning to the very end, they sell their audience with their opening and closing track with equally successful anthems. “Baba O’Riley” establishes The Who’s goal, sets a theme and consequentially hypes you up for both the band’s performance and the album itself. The closing track, “Won’t Get Fooled Again” acts as an anthem, with Pete Townshend teaching a lesson he just learned, and singing words he really meant. At just over 40 minutes of what could very well be a best-of album, The Who delivers something bigger than themselves, blowing everyone away for the past 50 years.
