By Teja Beetan
Whether you prefer watching an action packed movie or throwing yourself into a swoon-worthy romance novel, both forms of media have one thing in common: the indulgence in a drawn out, interesting plot. For music lovers, the equivalent of this is the concept album. Instead of relying on the skill of directors, writers, and actors, concept albums rely on the skill of the musician to create a narrative strung throughout an entire album, creating a cinematic experience for our ears. The first concept album is frequently attributed to The Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (1966), and many other highly notable concept albums are credited to the rock genre.
Pink Floyd’s The Wall (1979) is, in my (perhaps unpopular) opinion, the best of the band’s discography. One of the greatest concept albums ever recorded, it follows the life of a character elusively named Pink, a rockstar who becomes increasingly isolated from the world around him as we progress through the tracks. He builds a metaphorical “wall” to shield himself from the societal pressures he faces on the other side. At the end of the album, he figuratively tears down the wall, with the track Outside the Wall. My favourite songs from the album include Young Lust and the iconic Comfortably Numb. The transition from Young Lust to One of My Turns is seamless and buttery smooth, which adds to the atmosphere of the album, making listeners feel like they are truly situated within the world of Pink.
Another iconic concept album came from rock legend David Bowie, with the release of The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars (1972). Ziggy Stardust is, in essence, an androgynous alien of a rockstar from outer space. The album covers Ziggy’s leap to fame and his eventual demise, highlighting similar themes to The Wall in terms of identity and social pressures. My two favourite songs on the album beautifully illustrate both the rise and fall. Starman, one of David Bowie’s most famous songs, captures Ziggy in an up-and-coming hotshot attitude, whereas Rock ‘n’ Roll Suicide details his eventual and problematic end. Lady Stardust deserves an honourable mention as well, for its hypnotic piano and addicting vocals.
Concept albums as presented by rock bands caused people to stop viewing albums as just a set of separate songs, but as one coherent piece of art. In the early sixties and prior, ‘albums’ were more akin to a collection of singles. Concept albums not only encouraged artists to think harder about the message behind their art; it also allowed listeners to appreciate music from their favourite bands in a whole new way. To unfold and interpret the story from a unique perspective, to relate emotionally to the characters and concepts, bringing people together in an entirely new way. After all, is that emotional connection not the intention of good music in its own right? It also allowed musicians to start getting more creative with their music, with room to design more intricate and detailed storylines. The initial influence of these classic rock bands has swept the concept album into the 21st century, spanning many different genres. Some modern examples of concept albums include Kendrick Lamar’s good kid m.A.A.d city, Frank Ocean’s Blonde, Radiohead’s Kid A, and Green Day’s American Idiot. This type of album prevailing decades later, along with the initial creative breakthroughs associated with the birth of the concept album, proves how rock bands have changed the way we listen to music forever.