ROUND 2: Led Zeppelin IV vs. Maggot Brain
Led Zeppelin - Untitled (Led Zeppelin IV) (1971) Genre: Hard rock, heavy metal Singles: Black Dog / Misty Mountain Hop, Rock and Roll / Four Sticks, Stairway to Heaven* Grammys: N/A RIAA Certification: 2x Diamond (24x Platinum) Rolling Stone Rank: 58
Widely considered to the be the greatest of their albums, Led Zeppelin's fourth untitled record is one of the best-selling records of all time. Blending rock and roll, blues, folk, and heavy metal, the album showcases the breadth of the band's musical range, from quiet acoustic pieces to thunderous drums solos and guitar riffs; in retrospect, aside from its massively durable commercial success, the album has been hugely influential on hard rock and heavy metal, and often places highly on "best of all time" lists.
Funkadelic - Maggot Brain (1971) Genre: Psychedelic funk, funk rock, R&B Singles: You and Your Folks, Me and My Folks; Can You Get to That; Hit It and Quit It Grammys: N/A RIAA Certification: N/A Rolling Stone Rank: 136
Panned on release by critics who denounced it as strange and sonically unpleasant, Funkadelic's intense third studio album would get its flowers in retrospect, with more recent critics lauding the project as a cornerstone of psychedelic funk and, vividly, "the most evocative expressions of birth and annihilation ever put on record." Most famous for its 10-minute title track, a raw and eerie improvised guitar solo recorded in one take, Maggot Brain examines topics like interracial relationships, the Vietnam war, and class consciousness with a uniquely nervy, LSD-drenched sound that cements it as one of the most singular albums of its time.
Which album is more iconic?
Led Zeppelin IV
Maggot Brain