There have been so many live albums over the years that there are almost too many to listen to. Previous decades were crammed with great examples of live music from a variety of artists. I’m still a huge fan of the 1970s and its stunning collection of live albums.
Other decades are close rivals to that earlier period. As technology moved on there was the ability to capture the live performances at a much higher quality than before. Filming shows and issuing a DVD alongside an audio CD became the norm. It remained important though to retain that true live feeling. To make sure the often electric atmosphere of a live gig was conveyed and not polished out through later studio editing and production work.
When it comes to selecting just ten great live albums released in the 2000s that deliver on all that it’s no easy task, there are more than plenty to choose from. I will undoubtedly have missed some people's favorites in doing so. I’ll apologize now for that, but these are ten favorites of mine from back then which I rate as exceptional.
Ten great examples of top live albums from the 2000s
The Killers - Live From The Royal Albert Hall
Let’s start with this double album from The Killers. They played and recorded two nights at the Royal Albert Hall, London in July 2009 and released this, their first live album, a few months later in November of that same year. I always like a quick turnaround for a live album, it helps allay fears of lots of edits, dubbing, and production work. There was also a DVD of the show alongside the album.
This album conveys the ultimate style and classiness that The Killers have in abundance. Both as a band and from their frontman and singer Brandon Flowers. It delivers 17 songs which included terrific versions of “Human” as an opening track and crowd pleaser “Mr. Brightside”. It's a great album for existing Killers fans, as a wrap-up of their best songs live, it’s also a superb starting point for new listeners too.
Two captivating live albums from the 2000s
Green Day - Bullet In A Bible
Green Day was riding high after their American Idiot album in 2004 gave the band their first number-one on the Billboard 200. There had been a decline in interest in Green Day after their breakthrough album Dookie some ten years earlier. Bullet In A Bible was recorded in the UK in July 2005 during their World American Idiot tour in front of a huge 130,000 crowd. They were definitely back and the live album, released a few months later that same year, showed why.
By that point Green Day has mastered the art of arena punk, playing their songs to enormous crowds in big stadiums. They have the edge and energy their music brings but also have the massive crowd in their hands. This is another rush of hits from a top band in front of a lively audience, it’s well worth a listen.
Radiohead - I Might Be Wrong: Live Recordings
Taken from the band at various locations on their I Might Be Wrong tour in 2001 the focus is very much on their previous two albums, Kid A and Amnesiac. Given their experimental style and at times unique sound it’s easy to wonder how that translates into a live gig. This 2001 live album portrays a very distinct human touch to their music. Radiohead is very much a band that comes to life on stage as the album shows.
If you know the songs already you can hear the variations applied for the live show. There are plenty of rearrangements and added touches, presenting some songs quite differently. Sometimes that can be a distraction but here it’s a bonus and makes the album even more of a must-have for your collection. They did break away from the two albums drawn on for this set with a beautiful “True Love Waits” in pure acoustic style, voiced perfectly by lead singer Thom Yorke. It’s a tremendous show closer for sure.
Live Rocking In Rio
Rush - Rush In Rio
When a band like Rush has released 11 live albums it’s not going to be easy to name their best one. Rush In Rio was their fifth live album when released in 2003. All, bar a couple of added bonus tracks, were taken from a single night in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil during their Vapor Trails tour. It’s a stunner of a live album.
Rush was phenomenal live and this album reinforces that fact. It’s a great capture of a single night, the setlist in order, and the crowd enthusiastic and driving the band on. The three musicians responded superbly to that and delivered a great performance, probably their best on record.
Iron Maiden - Rock In Rio
What is it about the Brazilian capital that brings out the best in bands? Certainly several factors all combined perfectly here for this live album by Iron Maiden. The band had fresh energy after the return of lead singer Bruce Dickinson and Adrian Smith on guitar shortly beforehand. The recording was on the final night of their Brave New World tour and that also happened to be at the 2001 Rock In Rio festival in front of around 250,000 fans.
Like Rush, Iron Maiden aren’t short of live albums in their back catalogue but this one is well worth its place there. The band sounds amazingly good and is running on high energy throughout. Sometimes returning to a band can be a bad move all around. Dickinson has improved over the years and his vocals are superb here. This has Iron Maiden as good, if not better than ever, and listening to the album helps you recognize their status as a top live act.
Two US rock bands at their live best
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers - The Live Anthology
When this was released in 2009 there was a bit of a gap to be filled in terms of a live album from Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. Earlier live release in 1986 Pack Up The Plantation Live! didn’t quite hit the mark and disappointed many. The Live Anthology more than compensated with its 48 songs on a four-disc box set. But of course, having lots of material isn’t always a positive move.
Much detailed research and time were invested, though, in going through available recordings and selecting the best tracks over the years for this collection. It spans the period from 1978 to 2007 and offers an amazing insight into the man and his band live on stage. There are plenty of extended versions, improvised solos, live jamming, and good old rock n roll to please fans and collectors.
Wilco - Kicking Television: Live in Chicago
This live album from Wilco has an odd background. When you know that the concerts were also filmed for a DVD but not released you wonder why. Learning that the band didn’t like the footage and the way it didn’t reflect their strong energy on stage doesn’t help either. What would the record sound like? Well, there was more than enough great live music from their four shows in Chicago to fill a double album with 23 songs and a bonus track when released in 2005.
The band is on fire here and has the crowd singing along noisily. It’s loud and brash at times. It’s full of the best of Wilco at that point in time, both in terms of the selected songs and the live performances. Let’s not worry about the DVD, the album rocks incredibly well without it.
Two UK bands live at Wembley Stadium
Muse - HAARP
The UK three-man rock band Muse is known for their extravagant and loud live shows. They excelled themselves on that during their Black Holes And Revelations tour in 2007. The tour had two nights at Wembley Stadium, London in front of a combined 180,000-strong crowd, and recorded those gigs for this 2008 live album HAARP. The album name refers to a US government research program using high-frequency radio waves and was used as a theme on the backdrop for their stage set.
Not unexpectedly HAARP includes plenty of tracks from the tour album, but a good number of other favourites too. The opening song “Knights of Cydonia” is a great way to begin their set. Muse’s mix of guitar, keyboards, bass, drums, and bombastic techno-style rock comes across very well with amazing sound quality. Lead guitarist Matt Bellamy is full of amazing riffs and flourishes, adding more to the original and already complex playing on the studio versions. Those differences add to the live feel of the album making it one to listen to again and again.
Oasis - Familiar to Millions
Timing can be everything when releasing a record. Oasis had rocketed to stardom with their early records. But in 2000 when this live album was recorded and released they seemed to have lost direction. Recent albums hadn't the same power or success as their earlier records and there were disagreements within the lineup. The band was though still popular with their fans and able to sell out Wembley stadium where they recorded Familiar To Millions.
At times the sound quality is questionable. At other points, you can hear and feel the tension between Liam and Noel Gallagher on stage or in Liam’s case as he wanders offstage at times. It does work as a great live record by virtue of their amazing collection of songs combined with their swaggering approach. Nonetheless, their ability to take a huge crowd with them and have their vocal backing throughout. Critics and music experts may not rate this one, but fans of Oasis, of which there are many, will love it, especially if they were there at Wembley.
Led Zeppelin - How the West Was Won
This was the third live record from Led Zeppelin when released in 2003. It came afterThe Song Remains The Same and then BBC Sessions in release timing. But it sits in between those two in recording date terms. All three have the band live at their early 1970s peak. How The West Was Won features the band on two June 1972 dates in California.
The Song Remains The Same has mixed reviews and multiple versions but still leaves listeners divided. How The West Was Won gets much more warmth and respect, perhaps that's down to Jimmy Page’s hand in compiling it. By selecting and mixing the best elements from the two shows Page may have disrupted the true flow and sequence of the sets. But he has been able to build a quite stunning musical view of the band at that time.
Spread out over a triple album there is room for long songs and the way they expanded live, like a 23-minute brilliant version of “Whole Lotta Love” with diversions into old-time rock and roll covers and a complete “Stairway To Heaven”. Those fit alongside another 16 songs, all classics from the band. The superb John Bonham drum-led “Rock and Roll” is a personal favorite.
This is the Led Zeppelin live album which usually features most often and highest in the many best live album lists. It has the backing of Jimmy Page and it’s a real positive and memorable blast to listen to. The BBC Sessions album is a great listen for an early sample of the band, but this is an excellent ‘live at their prime’ album.