Rock Albums Released in April
– without a documented release date
April is a month marked by creative awakening that has been a key time for rock albums that herald the year’s musical direction. In the 1960s and 1970s precise release dates were not always tracked and several influential rock records emerged in April without a clearly documented day. These albums often reflected the season’s spirit of growth and experimentation, blending the introspective tones of winter with the fresh energy of spring. April became a launchpad for groundbreaking sounds and ambitious projects, with artists taking bold creative steps that often defined the year.
These albums represent some of rock’s legacy in April—bold debuts, genre-defining classics, and timeless explorations that continue to inspire. Each record is a testament to the transformative power of rock and roll, even when their exact release dates remain a mystery.
Year
Artist – Album
1999
Shelby Lynne – I Am Shelby Lynne
1997
The Toy Dolls – One More Megabyte
1996
No Knife – Drunk on the Moon
Paul Westerberg – Eventually
Far – Tin Cans with Strings to You
1995
Terence Trent D’Arby – Vibrator
Behemoth – Sventevith (Storming Near the Baltic)
1992
The Samples – No Room
1991
Wire – The Drill
The Young Gods – The Young Gods Play Kurt Weill
1990
The Soup Dragons – Lovegod
The Afghan Whigs – Up in It
Dave Edmunds – Closer to the Flame
1989
Green Day – 1,000 Hours
Front Line Assembly – Gashed Senses & Crossfire
Dramarama – Stuck in Wonderamaland
The Vandals – Slippery When Ill
W.A.S.P. – The Headless Children
In the Nursery – Counterpoint
The Triffids – The Black Swan
Carole King – City Streets
Concrete Blonde – Free
1988
Jane Wiedlin – Fur
Joe Jackson – Live 1980/86
Graham Parker – The Mona Lisa’s Sister
1987
Ozzy Osbourne and Randy Rhoads – Tribute
Carly Simon – Coming Around Again
Joe Jackson – Will Power
The Neville Brothers – Uptown
Happy Mondays – Squirrel and G-Man Twenty Four Hour Party People
Wire – The Ideal Copy
Hawkwind – Out & Intake
The Young Gods – The Young Gods
1986
Aerosmith – Classics Live I and II (Live)
Joe Cocker – Cocker
Lou Reed – Mistrial
Mylène Farmer – Cendres de Lune
Tuxedomoon – Ship of Fools
38 Special – Strength in Numbers
1985
Richard Thompson – Across a Crowded Room
Thor – Only the Strong
1984
Styx – Caught in the Act (Live)
Venom – At War with Satan
Steve Perry – Street Talk
Lou Reed – New Sensations
Nena – 99 Luftballons
1983
Twisted Sister – You Can’t Stop Rock ‘n’ Roll
Meat Loaf – Midnight at the Lost and Found
Fastway – Fastway
Aztec Camera – High Land, Hard Rain
Sparks – In Outer Space
Dave Edmunds – Information
Rick Springfield – Living in Oz
Madness – Madness
Michael Bolton – Michael Bolton
Minor Threat – Out of Step
Robert Palmer – Pride
Pete Townshend – Scoop
Steve Miller Band – Steve Miller Band Live!
1982
Motörhead – Iron Fist
Rory Gallagher – Jinx
Camel – The Single Factor
Uriah Heep – Abominog
Men Without Hats – Rhythm of Youth
Cold Chisel – Circus Animals
Blue Öyster Cult – Extraterrestrial Live (Live)
A Flock of Seagulls – A Flock of Seagulls
Diamond Head – Four Cuts EP
Robert Palmer – Maybe It’s Live
Ry Cooder – The Slide Area
Rainbow – Straight Between the Eyes
Split Enz – Time and Tide
1981
Jim Steinman – Bad for Good
Gary U.S. Bonds – Dedication
David Lindley – El Rayo-X
Goddo – Goddo Live: Best Seat in the House (Live)
Kim Carnes – Mistaken Identity
Holocaust – The Nightcomers
The Exploited – Punks Not Dead
1980
Motörhead – The Golden Years
X – Los Angeles
Australian Crawl – The Boys Light Up
The Feelies – Crazy Rhythms
Witchfynde – Give ‘Em Hell
Lou Reed – Growing Up in Public
Toronto – Lookin’ for Trouble
Magnum – Marauder (Live)
Boz Scaggs – Middle Man
Bad Manners – Ska ‘n’ B
Tommy Tutone – Tommy Tutone
Sweet – Waters Edge
1979
Robert Fripp – Exposure
Ramones – It’s Alive
The Rezillos – Mission Accomplished But the Beat Goes On
New England – New England
Blackfoot – Strikes
1978
Kiss – Double Platinum
Saga – Saga
Heart – Magazine (Re-issue with re-recordings)
Television – Adventure
REO Speedwagon – You Can Tune a Piano, but You Can’t Tuna Fish
Carly Simon – Boys in the Trees
Jerry Garcia Band – Cats Under the Stars
Camel – A Live Record (Live)
The Only Ones – The Only Ones
Steve Hackett – Please Don’t Touch
Kevin Ayers – Rainbow Takeaway
The Vibrators – V2
1977
The Moody Blues – Caught Live + 5
Detective – Detective
Spirit – Future Games
Dave Edmunds – Get It
Cat Stevens – Izitso
Dave Mason – Let it Flow
Sweet – Off the Record
Peter Hammill – Over
Van Morrison – A Period of Transition
Jonathan Cain – Windy City Breakdown
1976
Rick Wakeman – No Earthly Connection
Camel – Moonmadness
Todd Rundgren – Faithful
America – Hideaway
Dr. Hook & the Medicine Show – A Little Bit More
Pat Travers – Pat Travers
Joe Cocker – Stingray
Leon and Mary Russell – Wedding Album
The Tubes – Young and Rich
1975
King Crimson – USA
Nazareth – Hair of the Dog
Black Oak Arkansas – Ain’t Life Grand
The Beau Brummels – The Beau Brummels
Bob Seger – Beautiful Loser
Joan Baez – Diamonds & Rust
Richard and Linda Thompson – Hokey Pokey
Ian Hunter – Ian Hunter
Joe Cocker – Jamaica Say You Will
Blood, Sweat & Tears – New City
Carly Simon – Playing Possum
Dave Edmunds – Subtle as a Flying Mallet
Sensational Alex Harvey Band – Tomorrow Belongs to Me
1974
Ten Years After – Positive Vibrations
Procol Harum – Exotic Birds and Fruit
New Riders of the Purple Sage – Home, Home on the Road
West, Bruce and Laing – Live ‘n’ Kickin’
Gryphon – Midnight Mushrumps
The Guess Who – Road Food
Captain Beefheart & the Magic Band – Unconditionally Guaranteed
Tom Fogerty – Zephyr National
Elf – Carolina County Ball
1973
Cher – Bittersweet White Light
John Fogerty – The Blue Ridge Rangers
Seals and Crofts – Diamond Girl
Humble Pie – Eat It
Arlo Guthrie – Last of the Brooklyn Cowboys
The Marshall Tucker Band – The Marshall Tucker Band
Rare Earth – Ma
Incredible String Band – No Ruinous Feud
Steeleye Span – Parcel of Rogues
Jefferson Airplane – Thirty Seconds Over Winterland (Live)
Uriah Heep – Uriah Heep Live
Museo Rosenbach – Zarathustra
1972
T. Rex – Bolan Boogie (Compilation)
Quicksilver Messenger Service – Comin’ Thru
David Clayton-Thomas – David Clayton-Thomas
Richard Thompson – Henry the Human Fly
Arlo Guthrie – Hobo’s Lullaby
The Rascals – The Island of Real
Tom Rush – Merrimack County
Buffy Sainte-Marie – Moonshot
Mountain – Mountain Live: The Road Goes Ever On (Live)
April Wine – On Record
Al Kooper – A Possible Projection of the Future / Childhood’s End
Procol Harum – Procol Harum Live: In Concert with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra
Jim Croce – You Don’t Mess Around with Jim
1971
Elton John – 17-11-70
The Guess Who – The Best of The Guess Who
Bloodrock – Bloodrock 3
Mother Earth – Bring Me Home
Procol Harum – Broken Barricades
Chase – Chase
John Sebastian – Cheapo Cheapo Productions Presents Real Live John Sebastian (Live)
Pearls Before Swine – City of Gold
The Nice – Elegy (Live)
Gary Wright – Extraction
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band – Mirror Man (Recorded 1967)
Blue Cheer – Oh! Pleasant Hope
Amboy Dukes – Survival of the Fittest Live (Live)
James Gang – Thirds
1970
Randy Newman – 12 Songs
The Flying Burrito Brothers – Burrito Deluxe
Ike & Tina Turner – Come Together
Bee Gees – Cucumber Castle
Eric Burdon & War – Eric Burdon Declares “War”
Colosseum – The Grass Is Greener
Incredible String Band – I Looked Up
Cream – Live Cream
Booker T. & the M.G.s – McLemore Avenue
Ray Charles – My Kind of Jazz
Blues Image – Open
Al Stewart – Zero She Flies
1969
Taste – Taste
Savoy Brown – Blue Matter
Various Artists – Hair (London Cast)
Friendsound – Joyride
The Youngbloods – Elephant Mountain
1968
Sly & the Family Stone – Dance to the Music
Steve Miller Band – Children of the Future
Amboy Dukes – Journey to the Center of the Mind
Spanky and Our Gang – Like to Get to Know You
1910 Fruitgum Company – Simon Says
Eric Burdon & The Animals – The Twain Shall Meet
1967
Pretty Things – Emotions
The Turtles – Happy Together
Chuck Berry – Chuck Berry’s Golden Decade
Cliff Richard – Don’t Stop Me Now!
Magoos – Electric Comic Book Blues
The Electric Prunes – The Electric Prunes
1966
Elvis Presley – Frankie and Johnny
Bobby Darin – Bobby Darin Sings The Shadow of Your Smile
The Seeds – The Seeds
1965
The Beau Brummels – Introducing The Beau Brummels
1963
Jackie Wilson – Baby Workout
Bobby Vee – Meets the Ventures
The Ventures – Surfing
1960
Bill Haley & His Comets – Bill Haley and His Comets