Rock Albums Released in May
before the year 2000 record industry practices were less meticulous, some albums released in May entered the world without an exact documented day, reflecting a more fluid approach to distribution. These albums often captured the transitional energy of spring, blending the reflective tones of earlier months with the vibrant anticipation of summer. Whether pioneering new sounds or solidifying existing trends, these records became milestones in their own right, even as their precise origins remain elusive.
Year
Artist – Album
1999
Linkin Park – Hybrid Theory
The Pretenders – ¡Viva El Amor!
1997
Ozric Tentacles – Curious Corn
Harem Scarem – Karma Cleansing
The Stereo Bus – The Stereo Bus
1995
David Bowie – Rarestonebowie
Paul Weller – Stanley Road
Takara – Taste of Heaven
1992
Napalm Death – Utopia Banished
Testament – The Ritual
Hawklords – Hawklords Live
Grateful Dead – Two from the Vault
Devil Doll – Sacrilegium
1991
Meshuggah – Contradictions Collapse
Jawbox – Grippe
Richard Thompson – Rumor and Sigh
1990
Mike Oldfield – Amarok
Joe Cocker – Joe Cocker Live
Wire – Manscape
1989
Phranc – I Enjoy Being a Girl
The Boom – A Peacetime Boom
Pere Ubu – Cloudland
Magnum – Invasion Live
Wire – It’s Beginning To And Back Again
1988
Red Hot Chili Peppers – The Abbey Road E.P.
Wire – A Bell Is a Cup
Hothouse Flowers – People
1987
Hoodoo Gurus – Blow Your Cool!
Steve Harley and Cockney Rebel – Greatest Hits
1986
Melvins – Melvins
Sonic Youth – Evol
Blaine L. Reininger – Live In Brussels 02/1986
The Shadows – Moonlight Shadows
Sodom – Obsessed by Cruelty
1985
Grim Reaper – Fear No Evil
Black Flag – Loose Nut
David Thomas – More Places Forever
David Byrne – Music for “The Knee Plays”
Hawkwind – Space Ritual
The Adventures – Theodore and Friends
1984
Alcatrazz – Live Sentence
Joe Cocker – Civilized Man
The Box – The Box
Red Rider – Breaking Curfew
Play Dead – From the Promised Land
Lizzy Borden – Give ‘Em The Axe
The Boomtown Rats – In the Long Grass
Chris de Burgh – Man on the Line
Nick Lowe – Nick Lowe and His Cowboy Outfit
Russ Ballard – Russ Ballard
Hagar Schon Aaronson Shrieve – Through the Fire
1983
Motörhead – Another Perfect Day
Jon and Vangelis – Private Collection
The Creatures – Feast
The Fixx – Reach the Beach
The Who – Who’s Greatest Hits
Barclay James Harvest – Ring of Changes
Joe Walsh – You Bought It, You Name It
Billy Bragg – Life’s a Riot with Spy vs Spy
Hanoi Rocks – Back to Mystery City
The Waitresses – Bruiseology
Magnum – The Eleventh Hour
Play Dead – The First Flower
Uriah Heep – Head First
Mark Stewart – Learning to Cope with Cowardice
Blackfoot – Siogo
1982
Jon Anderson – Animation
The Alan Parsons Project – Eye in the Sky
Joe Cocker – Sheffield Steel
Toronto – Get It on Credit
Bow Wow Wow – The Last of the Mohicans
Peter Criss – Let Me Rock You
Cheap Trick – One on One
Fear – The Record
38 Special – Special Forces
Squeeze – Sweets From a Stranger
Eric Clapton – Time Pieces: The Best of Eric Clapton
Marshall Tucker Band – Tuckerized
Kansas – Vinyl Confessions
Leo Sayer – World Radio
1981
Frank Zappa – Tinsel Town Rebellion
The Plasmatics – Beyond the Valley of 1984
The Undertones – Positive Touch
The Reels – Quasimodo’s Dream
The Sports – Sondra
X – Wild Gift
1980
Magazine – The Correct Use of Soap
Joan Jett – Bad Reputation
The Vapors – New Clear Days
Streetheart – Quicksand Shoes
The Cramps – Songs the Lord Taught Us
Mi-Sex – Space Race
Suicide – Suicide: Alan Vega and Martin Rev
Billy Squier – The Tale of the Tape
Cabaret Voltaire – Three Mantras
Prism – Young and Restless
Burton Cummings – Woman Love
1979
Saxon – Saxon
Lou Reed – The Bells
Kansas – Monolith
Rick Wakeman – Rhapsodies
Steve Hackett – Spectral Mornings
Ted Nugent – State of Shock
Gerry Rafferty – Night Owl
Riot – Narita
Various Artists – Rock ‘n’ Roll High School
Saga – Images at Twilight
James Taylor – Flag
Peter Green – In the Skies
The Undertones – The Undertones
Michael Nesmith – Infinite Rider on the Big Dogma
Jennifer Warnes – Shot Through the Heart
1978
U.K. – U.K.
The Alan Parsons Project – Pyramid
The Saints – Eternally Yours
Alternative TV – The Image Has Cracked
Graham Parker and The Rumour – The Parkerilla
The Sports – Reckless
Foghat – Stone Blue
1977
UFO – Lights Out
Heart – Little Queen
38 Special – 38 Special
Steve Miller Band – Book of Dreams
Ted Nugent – Cat Scratch Fever
10cc – Deceptive Bends
Poco – Indian Summer
Burton Cummings – My Own Way to Rock
Dan Fogelberg – Nether Lands
The Tubes – Now
The Gregg Allman Band – Playin’ Up a Storm
Prism – Prism
Sandy Denny – Rendezvous
Dr. Feelgood – Sneakin’ Suspicion
Little Feat – Time Loves a Hero
1976
Uriah Heep – High and Mighty
UFO – No Heavy Petting
Black Oak Arkansas – Balls of Fire
Steve Miller Band – Fly Like an Eagle
Sammy Hagar – Nine on a Ten Scale
Steely Dan – The Royal Scam
Donovan – Slow Down World
Jeff Beck – Wired
Poco – Rose of Cimarron
1975
Hot Tuna – America’s Choice
Armageddon – Armageddon
James Taylor – Gorilla
Bachman–Turner Overdrive – Four Wheel Drive
Robert Wyatt – Ruth Is Stranger Than Richard
Spirit – Spirit of ’76
1974
Focus – Hamburger Concerto
Kevin Ayers – The Confessions of Dr. Dream and Other Stories
Cher – Dark Lady
Sha Na Na – Hot Sox
Santana – Lotus
Man – Rhinos, Winos and Lunatics
Brownsville Station – School Punks
Edgar Winter – Shock Treatment
1973
Kevin Ayers – Bananamour
Commander Cody – Country Casanova
Edgar Broughton Band – Oora
Nazareth – Razamanaz
John Entwistle – Rigor Mortis Sets In
Spooky Tooth – You Broke My Heart So I Busted Your Jaw
1972
Rory Gallagher – Live in Europe
Lou Reed – Lou Reed
Bob Weir – Ace
Bloodrock – Bloodrock Live
Joy of Cooking – Castles
Janis Joplin – In Concert
The Flying Burrito Brothers – Last of the Red Hot Burritos
Roy Orbison – Roy Orbison Sings
Randy Newman – Sail Away
Little Feat – Sailin’ Shoes
1971
Bo Diddley – Another Dimension
Edgar Broughton Band – Edgar Broughton Band
Lee Michaels – 5th
Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds – Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds
Ian Matthews – If You Saw Thro’ My Eyes
Johnny Winter – Live Johnny Winter And
John Entwistle – Smash Your Head Against the Wall
Roy Harper – Stormcock
Steve Winwood – Winwood
1970
Hot Tuna – Hot Tuna
The Beach Boys – Live in London
Quatermass – Quatermass
The Groundhogs – Thank Christ for the Bomb
1969
Sly & the Family Stone – Stand!
The 5th Dimension – The Age of Aquarius
Booker T. & the M.G.’s – The Booker T. Set
The Hollies – Hollies Sing Dylan
Delaney & Bonnie – Home
Traffic – Last Exit
The Meters – The Meters
Lotti Golden – Motor-Cycle
1968
Blues Magoos – Basic Blues Magoos
The Mamas & the Papas – The Papas & The Mamas
Quicksilver Messenger Service – Quicksilver Messenger Service
The West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band – Volume 3: A Child’s Guide to Good and Evil
1967
Pretty Things – Emotions
The Turtles – Happy Together
Chuck Berry – Chuck Berry’s Golden Decade
Cliff Richard – Don’t Stop Me Now!
Blues Magoos – Electric Comic Book
The Electric Prunes – The Electric Prunes
1966
The Ventures – Go with the Ventures!
1964
The Shadows – Dance with The Shadows
Elvis Presley – Viva Las Vegas
1963
Jan and Dean – Jan & Dean Take Linda Surfing
Del Shannon – Hats Off to Del Shannon
1962
Bobby Vee – A Bobby Vee Recording Session
1961
Bobby Darin – The Bobby Darin Story
1957
Chuck Berry – After School Session