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Classic Dad Rock Albums You Need on Vinyl (And Where to Buy Them)

5 Classic Dad Rock Albums You Need on Vinyl (And Where to Buy Them)
For those of you who are into dad rock (rightfully so), here are some classic dad rock albums you need on vinyl and where you can buy them.
As we've learned throughout our dad rock journey, there are several different eras and styles of dad rock. The bands your dad considers dad rock may be completely different than the ones you consider dad rock, and people younger than you may shock you with their dad rock selections just as well.
We've already broken dad rock down for each generation — Boomer, Gen X, Millennial and Gen Z. You already voted for the greatest dad rock band of all time during our March Dadness bracket tournament a few months ago.
But now it's time for you to add to, or start, your dad rock vinyl collection.
READ MORE: 10 Essential Rock + Metal Records Every New Vinyl Collector Should Own
For this list, we chose five of the greatest classic dad rock albums that you should pick up a copy of. Thus, the artists are all dad rock bands that also fall under the traditional classic rock umbrella. The first record we picked came out in 1973, and the most recent was released in 1989.
Are these the best albums by each of these artists? Not necessarily, but they were important to the bands' careers for other reasons. Under each album cover, we listed three key tracks to show you why the records are worth buying, as well as links to purchase them from the vinyl section of Loudwire's very own web store.
If you already own these, then congrats — you're a classic dad.
Led Zeppelin, Houses of the Holy (1973)
led zeppelin, houses of the holy
Key Tracks: "Over the Hills and Far Away," "D'yer Mak'er," "The Ocean"
AC/DC, Highway to Hell (1979)
ac/dc, highway to hell
Key Tracks: "Highway to Hell," "Girls Got Rhythm," "Touch Too Much"
Van Halen, 1984 (1984)
van halen, 1984
Key Tracks: "Jump," "Panama," "Hot for Teacher"
Guns N' Roses, Appetite for Destruction (1987)
guns n' roses, appetite for destruction
Key Tracks: "Welcome to the Jungle," "Sweet Child O' Mine," "Paradise City"
Aerosmith, Pump (1989)
aerosmith, pump
Key Tracks: "Love in an Elevator," "Janie's Got a Gun," "What It Takes"
The 'Big 4' of Boomer Dad Rock Bands
For kids of the '60s and early '70s, these bands led them through their teen years and stand the test of time as true icons!
Gallery Credit: Chad Childers, Loudwire
The 'Big 4' Bands of Gen X Dad Rock
If there were four bands to represent the Dad Rock of Generation X, it would be these.
Gallery Credit: Lauryn Schaffner
The 'Big 4' Bands of Millennial Dad Rock
Every generation has their own version of dad rock. Here, we look at the 'Big 4' of millennial dad rock.
Millennials are those born between 1981 and 1996, so that's a lot of musical ground to cover from their teen years!
Gallery Credit: Joe DiVita
The 'Big 4' Bands of Gen Z Dad Rock
The following bands are who we consider the 'Big 4' of Gen Z dad rock, as they were popular with teens between the years 2010 and 2025.
Gallery Credit: Lauryn Schaffner