Most influential AOR albums of all time...

[cdjunky41]

We are talking Influential AOR discs here and not necessarily the best ones . The Bon Jovi debut was and still is excellent and the best thing they have ever done IMO, but he was helped out quite alot on that disc with various other people especially Aldo Nova, who's mark is all over that disc.

 

True! But everyone is influenced by someone. I also heard that B.J. was influenced by PROPHET.

I still believe that his debut influenced a shitload of bands (NEW JERSEY alone).

[Jimbo]

After mulling it over and reading everyone's comments, here's my list of the most influential AOR albums:

 

1. The Babys - Head First (One of the earliest AOR albums and still one of the best. Influenced Journey et al.)

 

2. Boston - Boston (Everyone on the planet has owned this record.)

 

3. Journey - Infinity (The first of the Perry era from the band that IS 70s AOR.)

 

4. Asia - Asia (Maybe the only true AOR supergroup, at least for two albums. Made AOR "cool" for hard rock enthusiasts.)

 

5. R.E.O. Speedwagon - Hi Infidelity (Made having an entire album full of power-ballads acceptable and paved the way for such albums as Survivor's "Vital Signs" and Toto's "IV".)

 

And some bonus "also-rans" (Besides Survivor and Toto)...

 

April Wine - Nature of the Beast

 

Foreigner - Foreignor

 

Styx - Grand Illusion

 

Loverboy - Get Lucky

 

Again, you could disagree. But you would be wrong.

[Nick C]

After mulling it over and reading everyone's comments, here's my list of the most influential AOR albums:

 

1. The Babys - Head First (One of the earliest AOR albums and still one of the best. Influenced Journey et al.)

 

2. Boston - Boston (Everyone on the planet has owned this record.)

 

3. Journey - Infinity (The first of the Perry era from the band that IS 70s AOR.)

 

4. Asia - Asia (Maybe the only true AOR supergroup, at least for two albums. Made AOR "cool" for hard rock enthusiasts.)

 

5. R.E.O. Speedwagon - Hi Infidelity (Made having an entire album full of power-ballads acceptable and paved the way for such albums as Survivor's "Vital Signs" and Toto's "IV".)

 

And some bonus "also-rans" (Besides Survivor and Toto)...

 

April Wine - Nature of the Beast

 

Foreigner - Foreignor

 

Styx - Grand Illusion

 

Loverboy - Get Lucky

 

Again, you could disagree. But you would be wrong.

 

Babys Head First is a brilliant album which came immediately to mind but I wasn't sure how many it influenced so I just went with Tims list plus Boston.

One of my fave albums though.

[Jimbo]

Babys Head First is a brilliant album which came immediately to mind but I wasn't sure how many it influenced so I just went with Tims list plus Boston.

One of my fave albums though.

 

Nicholas, you have excellent taste. I don't care what Blue Charvel says about you. (Which is alot. And unflattering. And vulgar. Really vulgar.)

[aMetalhead1966]

Babys Head First is a brilliant album which came immediately to mind but I wasn't sure how many it influenced so I just went with Tims list plus Boston.

One of my fave albums though.

 

Nicholas, you have excellent taste. I don't care what Blue Charvel says about you. (Which is alot. And unflattering. And vulgar. Really vulgar.)

Yes But Nick Is a Pirate, so it's all good...

[Jez]

Babys Head First is a brilliant album which came immediately to mind but I wasn't sure how many it influenced so I just went with Tims list plus Boston.

One of my fave albums though.

 

Nicholas, you have excellent taste. I don't care what Blue Charvel says about you. (Which is alot. And unflattering. And vulgar. Really vulgar.)

Yes But Nick Is a Pirate, so it's all good...

 

Nick, the Filthy Dirty Pirate haha!!

[eaglesfan3000]

Haha... I don't really know but a few choices from Tim and Bob had me puzzled. Just out of curiosity, what lead you chaps to choose Icon and even more so, Aviator? Both stunning albums (by FAR the best 2 mentioned so far in this thread), but who did they influence?

 

Ah come on Geoff an album that good from Aviator had to influence somebody. Your probably right that disc came out in the mid to late 80's....my bad...but it's so damn good.

[Nick C]

Babys Head First is a brilliant album which came immediately to mind but I wasn't sure how many it influenced so I just went with Tims list plus Boston.

One of my fave albums though.

 

Nicholas, you have excellent taste. I don't care what Blue Charvel says about you. (Which is alot. And unflattering. And vulgar. Really vulgar.)

Yes But Nick Is a Pirate, so it's all good...

 

Nick, the Filthy Dirty Pirate haha!!

 

Yes yes...it's true all that Pete chap says is true ...SOB! Alas and alackaday I am undone! Where's me rum?????

[mosvalve]

Honestly, I think the answer to this depends on how wide a net you cast in defining AOR, and how far back you are willing to go. Was Lynyrd Skynyrd AOR ? They influnenced the So. Rock movement of the late '70s / early '80s (Blackfoot, Molly Hatchet, Point Blank, .38 Special), and the ENTIRE "Crossover Country" genre that is still going on today. How about Beatles , Zeppelin , or The Who? Was Fleetwood Mac "Rumours" or Eagles' "Hotel California" AOR ? Influential or just huge - selling ? Just random thoughts to open up the discussion a little...or a lot. but anyway, from a partially - graying guy who heard it all when it first came out:

 

Journey - "infinity"

"Boston"

"Foreigner"

"The Cars"

Eagles' - "Hotel California"

 

 

at least give me a head start before you start shooting !

[Jez]

Honestly, I think the answer to this depends on how wide a net you cast in defining AOR, and how far back you are willing to go. Was Lynyrd Skynyrd AOR ? They influnenced the So. Rock movement of the late '70s / early '80s (Blackfoot, Molly Hatchet, Point Blank, .38 Special), and the ENTIRE "Crossover Country" genre that is still going on today. How about Beatles , Zeppelin , or The Who? Was Fleetwood Mac "Rumours" or Eagles' "Hotel California" AOR ? Influential or just huge - selling ? Just random thoughts to open up the discussion a little...or a lot. but anyway, from a partially - graying guy who heard it all when it first came out:

 

Journey - "infinity"

"Boston"

"Foreigner"

"The Cars"

Eagles' - "Hotel California"

 

 

at least give me a head start before you start shooting !

 

I certainly wouldn't put the Mighty Skynyrd in the AOR bracket, just good old Southern/Country rock. No denying they were a huge influence on many bands of the day (and still are today for that matter) with All those you mention and a whole load more being linked to them. A damned fine band indeed.

[mosvalve]

Yeah. when I read my own post, I realized how preposterous it was to bring them up in this thread; but down here in stars 'n bars country, its pretty hard to avoid - even if your roots aren't here ! Looking through some of my collection, I realized how cool the '73 Montrose s/t debut is, and couldn't help thinking that some bands were probably influenced by it as well.

[Jez]

Yeah. when I read my own post, I realized how preposterous it was to bring them up in this thread; but down here in stars 'n bars country, its pretty hard to avoid - even if your roots aren't here ! Looking through some of my collection, I realized how cool the '73 Montrose s/t debut is, and couldn't help thinking that some bands were probably influenced by it as well.

 

Fuck, is that Montrose Debut still a kick ass record, even 35 years later. I've had the vinyl for decades, but only got it on CD the other month for the first time. Someone shoot me.

[dethuniverse]

1. Strangeways - Walk In The Fire

2. Ambrosia - One Eighty

3. Journey - Escape

4. Magnum - Vigilante

5. FM - Indiscreet

[Shawn Of Fire]

IMO, these have been instrumental in shaping the music as we know it:

 

Journey - Escape

Boston - s/t

Foreigner - 4

Bon Jovi - Bon Jovi

Def Leppard - Hysteria