
5 Classic Dad Rock Albums You Need on Vinyl (And Where to Buy Them)
For those of you who are into dad rock (rightfully so), here are some classic dad rock albums you need on vinyl and where you can buy them.
As we've learned throughout our dad rock journey, there are several different eras and styles of dad rock. The bands your dad considers dad rock may be completely different than the ones you consider dad rock, and people younger than you may shock you with their dad rock selections just as well.
We've already broken dad rock down for each generation — Boomer, Gen X, Millennial and Gen Z. You already voted for the greatest dad rock band of all time during our March Dadness bracket tournament a few months ago.
But now it's time for you to add to, or start, your dad rock vinyl collection.
READ MORE: 10 Essential Rock + Metal Records Every New Vinyl Collector Should Own
For this list, we chose five of the greatest classic dad rock albums that you should pick up a copy of. Thus, the artists are all dad rock bands that also fall under the traditional classic rock umbrella. The first record we picked came out in 1973, and the most recent was released in 1989.
Are these the best albums by each of these artists? Not necessarily, but they were important to the bands' careers for other reasons. Under each album cover, we listed three key tracks to show you why the records are worth buying, as well as links to purchase them from the vinyl section of Loudwire's very own web store.
If you already own these, then congrats — you're a classic dad.
Led Zeppelin, Houses of the Holy (1973)
Key Tracks: "Over the Hills and Far Away," "D'yer Mak'er," "The Ocean"
AC/DC, Highway to Hell (1979)
Key Tracks: "Highway to Hell," "Girls Got Rhythm," "Touch Too Much"
Van Halen, 1984 (1984)
Key Tracks: "Jump," "Panama," "Hot for Teacher"
Guns N' Roses, Appetite for Destruction (1987)
Key Tracks: "Welcome to the Jungle," "Sweet Child O' Mine," "Paradise City"
Aerosmith, Pump (1989)
Key Tracks: "Love in an Elevator," "Janie's Got a Gun," "What It Takes"
The 'Big 4' of Boomer Dad Rock Bands
Gallery Credit: Chad Childers, Loudwire
The 'Big 4' Bands of Gen X Dad Rock
Gallery Credit: Lauryn Schaffner
The 'Big 4' Bands of Millennial Dad Rock
Gallery Credit: Joe DiVita
The 'Big 4' Bands of Gen Z Dad Rock
Gallery Credit: Lauryn Schaffner