Controversial but data-backed ranking of the 20 best live albums

13  - Duke Ellington and his Orchestra - Ellington At Newport 

More jazz with a master of the art, possibly giving his best performance. In jazz terms, it’s an absolute classic and a must-have album. Duke Ellington and his orchestra were recorded at the Newport Jazz Festival in July 1956, with the album following that November. It represented a renaissance in Ellington's career. His music was becoming less popular until this scintillating performance at the festival hit the headlines. The show’s reviews demanded a record, the live release followed, and his career took off again. 

12 - MC5 - Kick Out The Jams

MC5 led the way for the emergence of punk in the 1970’s. Their live show from Detroit in 1968 and released the following February revealed why. Kick Out The Jams wasn’t a huge seller, but it was a blast. Noisy, energetic, by no means perfect playing at times, but giving a superb performance. The band played loudly and proudly, and the audience went wild. It captures pure rock n roll on the record. One of the best live albums in the true sense. 

11 - Deep Purple - Made In Japan

The top lineup of Deep Purple, Ian Paice, Jon Lord, Ian Gillan, Roger Glover, and Richie Blackmore were all in excellent form on this release. Recorded in Japan, it is a superb live record of those greats on stage together. They had a more mixed view, and Blackmore apparently had never listened to it. Paice reckoned it's probably the best live rock n roll album ever made. Many fans would agree. 

Continued on next slide