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Top 10 Irish Albums Of All Time

Tell us what your top ten would be...
1. Astral Weeks Cover Van Morrison - Astral Weeks (1968)

This beautiful gem of an album fully deserves its reputation as one of the greatest albums of modern musical history. 'Astral Weeks' is a flood of raw emotion set to some incredible music.
Tracks
  1. Astral Weeks
  2. Beside You
  3. Sweet Thing
  4. Cyprus Avenue
  5. The Way Young Lovers Do
  6. Madame George
  7. Ballerina
  8. Slim Slow Slider
2. Irish Tour '74 album cover Rory Gallagher - Irish Tour '74 (1974)

Rory Gallagher was a passionate musician and a genius of a guitar player who left a long catalogue of great studio albums. He lived for playing live in front of his fans and many of his live recordings capture some of the special energy that came from his live performances. 'Irish Tour '74', taken from several live concerts all over Ireland in 1974 captures the late great Rory at best.
Tracks
  1. Cradle Rock
  2. I Wonder Who
  3. Tattoo'd Lady
  4. Too Much Alcohol
  5. As the Crow Flies
  6. A Million Miles Away
  7. Walk on Hot Coals
  8. Who's That Coming?
  9. Back on My Stompin' Ground
  10. Maritime
3. Book Of Invasions album cover Horslips - The Book Of Invasions (1977)

While their debut 'Happy to meet... Sorry to part' may have been their most ground-breaking in it's revolutionary mixing of Irish traditional music with rock, 'The Book Of Invasions' is probably the finest album by one of Irelands most inovative bands.
Tracks
  1. Daybreak
  2. March into Trouble
  3. Trouble (With a Capital T)
  4. Power and the Glory
  5. Rocks Remain
  6. Dusk
  7. Sword of Light
  8. Dark
  9. Warm Sweet Breath of Love
  10. Fantasia (My Lagan Love)
  11. King of Morning, Queen of Day
  12. Sideways to the Sun
  13. Drive the Cold Winter Away
  14. Ride to Hell
4. Rum, Sodomy & The Lash album cover The Pogues - Rum, Sodomy & The Lash (1985)

The Pogues were an absolute revolution when they burst onto the scene in the early eighties with their original blend of punk infused Irish folk music. Their second album 'Rum, Sodomy & The Lash' is a masterpiece from the ripping opener 'The Sick Bed of Cúchulaínn' to the tortured emotion of the closing track 'The Band Played Waltzing Matilda'.
Tracks
  1. The Sick Bed of Cúchulaínn
  2. The Old Main Drag
  3. Wild Cats of Kilkenny
  4. I'm a Man You Don't Meet Every Day
  5. A Pair of Brown Eyes
  6. Sally Maclennane
  7. A Pistol for Paddy Garcia
  8. Dirty Old Town
  9. Jesse James
  10. Navigator
  11. Billy's Bones
  12. The Gentleman Soldier
  13. The Band Played Waltzing Matilda
5. Black Rose album cover Thin Lizzy - Black Rose (1979)

Black Rose is just one of the classic Thin Lizzy albums of the late '70s which include 'Jailbreak', 'Johnny the Fox', 'Bad Reputation' and 'Live and Dangerous', so it is a very close call when it comes to picking the top Lizzy album. Black Rose contains a great set of classic Lizzy songs, features Garry Moore on guitar, and ends with the celtic rock epic title track.
Tracks
  1. Do Anything You Want To
  2. Toughest Street in Town
  3. S&M
  4. Waiting for an Alibi
  5. My Sarah
  6. Got to Give It Up
  7. Get Out of Here
  8. With Love
  9. Roisin Dubh (Black Rose): A Rock Legend
6. Inflammable Material album cover Stiff Little Fingers – Inflammable Material (1979)

Inflammable Material was one of the best albums to come out of the late 70's punk scene. Stiff Little Fingers turned their punk anger and energy to themes very close to home and turned out a true Irish classic.
Tracks
  1. Suspect Device
  2. State of Emergency
  3. Here We Are Nowhere
  4. Wasted Life
  5. No More of That
  6. Barbed Wire Love
  7. White Noise
  8. Breakout
  9. Law and Order
  10. Rough Trade
  11. Johnny Was
  12. Alternative Ulster
  13. Closed Groove
7. Achtung Baby album cover U2 – Achtung Baby (1991)

Achtung Baby was a sonic re-invention for Ireland's rock Goliaths which resulted in their most compelling album.
Tracks
  1. Zoo Station
  2. Even Better Than the Real Thing
  3. One
  4. Until the End of the World
  5. Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses
  6. So Cruel
  7. The Fly
  8. Mysterious Ways
  9. Tryin' to Throw Your Arms Around the World
  10. Ultra Violet (Light My Way)
  11. Acrobat
  12. Love Is Blindness
8. Loveless ablum cover My Bloody Valentine – Loveless (1991)

With just two studio releases My Bloody Valentine started an entire music scene which became known as shoegazing. Their latter release, Loveless, perfects their volumptious, trippy, ethereal sound.
Tracks
  1. Only Shallow
  2. Loomer
  3. Touched
  4. To Here Knows When
  5. When You Sleep
  6. I Only Said
  7. Come in Alone
  8. Sometimes
  9. Blown a Wish
  10. What You Want
  11. Soon
9. I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got ablum cover Sinead O’Connor - I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got (1990)

'I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got' is a highly acomplished and very diverse album which showcases Sinead O’Connor's great emotion filled voice and diverse range.
Tracks
  1. Feel So Different
  2. I Am Stretched on Your Grave
  3. Three Babies
  4. The Emperor's New Clothes
  5. Black Boys on Mopeds
  6. Nothing Compares 2 U
  7. Jump in the River
  8. You Cause as Much Sorrow
  9. The Last Day of Our Acquaintance
  10. I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got
10. 'O' album cover Damien Rice - O (2002)

Spare, passionate and at times operatic, O is a beautifully crafted album with a sound best described by it's opening track - delicate.
Tracks
  1. Delicate
  2. Volcano
  3. The Blower's Daughter
  4. Cannonball
  5. Older Chests
  6. Amie
  7. Cheers Darlin'
  8. Cold Water
  9. I Remember
  10. Eskimo

Enter Your Comments / Your Top 10

 What do you think of the Irish Rockers top ten albums? What would your top ten Irish albums be? Enter your comments here:
Your Name:
Comment:

Your Views:

James wrote on 2/17/2007:
Rory should have been number one. sure theres some great albums, and van the man is a great Irish musician and everything, but its not like he was the nicest guy to come out of Ireland or the most talented.
sheila wrote on 2/11/2007:
why wasnt,ringleader of the tormentors,by morrissey included in the top ten????brilliant album,great to gig.
treacle wrote on 2/11/2007:
does anybody remember spider simpson??i've been searching for information on him,but to no avail.
bombom wrote on 2/11/2007:
where are no sweat now????
Carlo Marinello wrote on 2/6/2007:
Although I like Van Morrison and I am a HUGE U2 fan I would still list 1990's STUCK TOGETHER WITH GOD'S GLUE by Something Happens as the best of all-time. I know it might be sacreligious on my part but, really I consider it the best CD/LP ever!!!
Thanasis wrote on 2/6/2007:
Where is Joshua Tree? oeo
Shawn @ Paddy-Whacked Radio™ wrote on 2/6/2007:
I don't know in what order but I'd include: U2 - Boy, Sinead O'Connor - The Lion and the Cobra, The Frames - Burn the Maps, The Red Rose Cafe - The New Year tapes, Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova - The Swell Season.
exer wrote on 1/26/2007:
Sorry I don't IM.. but without a doubt the theme here is bands & artists who do some of their very best work live. Nothing beats live music. The hearts, Scullion, stocktons wing, mamas boys and on to Cork jazz fesitval, Lisdoon, Balisodare (sic), and on..
Mendoza wrote on 1/23/2007:
No Sweat's self titled debut (and only) album is definitely among the top ten albums.
John Sulllivan wrote on 1/3/2007:
Rory Gallagher should have been number one.
kevin flynn wrote on 12/3/2006:
daydreaming at night sean o connor and the lookalikes. also black rose thin lizzy should be no 3.
simon wrote on 11/2/2006:
yes there is the better irish band !! rory, van morrison, thin lizzy, sinéad o'connor, U2, the pogues, horslips, .... that's a dream !!
justin Flanigin wrote on 10/24/2006:
i live in America and i the band that is starting to get big here is carbonleaf!
Bobby wrote on 10/5/2006:
Rollerskate Skinny should definitely be there!
larry fogarty wrote on 9/24/2006:
best irish album is david mc williams volume i
larry fogarty wrote on 9/24/2006:
volume i by david mc williams
Deb C wrote on 9/12/2006:
An Irish Top Ten without the Frames' For the Birds? Joshua Tree is U2's best but it's all opinion. Own all but the Sinead.
Kris Soal wrote on 9/10/2006:
still think the joshua tree is the best irish album ever. but the list is pretty good. good to see Gallagher horslips, slf and thin lizzy.
Tony Bannon wrote on 9/1/2006:
Glad to see Thin Lizzie, Rory Gallagher Horslips and U2 there along with SLF disappointed that there was no Boomtown Rats Undertones but overall it would be difficult to come up with a list that please everyone Vive la Difference!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Shelly wrote on 8/21/2006:
IM Should be No1, without a doubt!
andy from seattle wrote on 8/17/2006:
SLF, Lizzy, Rory!! ... the ultimate hat trick. Missing: Undertones, Planxty (or any Christy Moore).
SOTV1 wrote on 8/15/2006:
Can't take a little criticism eh? Dickheads. Censorship eh lol. So gag me.
Mark (exiled in OZ) wrote on 8/14/2006:
Great selection. Which U2 or Sinead album is a tough choice. SLF are under rated universally but great to see them in the list.
SOTV1 wrote on 8/14/2006:
For the lyrics to Wasted Life alone Inflammable should be top
gaz wrote on 8/12/2006:
inflammable material, for me is number 1, it changed my life and SLF still mean as much to me now as they did when they first burst on to the scene, imo the most underated band ever.
Neil Walkinshaw wrote on 8/11/2006:
Excellent line up. SLF should be 2nd behind Rory Gallagher 'Stagestruck' tho!!!
IrishRockers.com wrote on 8/11/2006:
Wow, some serious support for SLF's Inflammable Material coming out of the woodwork! But hey, you can't argue with top slots for Van, Rory, Horslips, Pogues & Lizzy! Comming right behind that lot says something for SLF!
Jont wrote on 8/11/2006:
Inflammable Material should be higher than this. I also think the Undertones and Therapy? are more worthy of a mention than some of the other artists here (eg. Damien Rice!!!!)
Rua wrote on 8/11/2006:
Glad to see Inflammable Material is in the top ten but I'd have rated it higher myself. 1 or 2 with Rum Sodemy and the lash.
Jake Burns wrote on 8/11/2006:
I'm flattered people belive "IM" should be higher. The best Irish rock albums for my money: "The Joshua Tree", "Black Rose" & "Rory Gallagher-Live in Europe".
danby1 wrote on 8/10/2006:
inflammable material # 1 nobdy's heroes #2 live and dangerous #3 nuf said
Kenny Mackie wrote on 8/10/2006:
Impressive list, but Inflammable Material should be in the top 5 at least!
cup wrote on 8/10/2006:
Wise up - Inflammable Material ONLY #6??? No Outcasts, No Defects - whats going on?
sandra wrote on 8/10/2006:
Inflammable Material should be #1 - SLF rule
SOTV1 wrote on 8/10/2006:
None of the rest is anywhere near Inflammable Material
Doug Main wrote on 8/10/2006:
Inflammable Material set an as then unprecedented tone - without it perhaps no Greenday etc etc still a very relevant band for many thousands of people
Gary Doherty wrote on 8/10/2006:
All great Irish classics, but definately believe that Inflammable Material should be higher up as it inspired so many bands and people. (still does)
Lee Templeton wrote on 8/9/2006:
It was a tough decision for me between Rory's Irish Tour and Europe Tour. I picked the one; you went with the other. You may have made the better choice!