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Quod erat demonstrandum

Made in Japan cover art

NME is running a readers’ poll of the greatest live albums of all time, which we announced back in April. Mission accomplished: Made in Japan is leading the poll, and by a good margin.

Here’s top 10 as of September 21:

  1. Deep Purple — Made In Japan — 9.95
  2. Pink Floyd — Pulse — 7.48
  3. The Who — Live At Leeds — 7.25
  4. Iron Maiden — Live After Death — 7.08
  5. Lynyrd Skynyrd — One More From The Road — 6.88
  6. Led Zeppelin — The Song Remains The Same — 6.78
  7. Thin Lizzy — Live And Dangerous — 6.75
  8. Motorhead — No Sleep Til Hammersmith — 6.55
  9. Tom Waits — Glitter And Doom Live — 6.30
  10. AC/DC — If You Want Blood — 6.27

Thanks to Andrey Gusenkov for the info.



63 Comments to “Quod erat demonstrandum”:

  1. 1
    Antonio Carlos Andre says:

    great album

  2. 2
    Charles Bongiorno says:

    among the top 5

  3. 3
    Evelyne Chaprier says:

    Je l’ aime ++++++++.eve

  4. 4
    Mirek Szymankiewicz says:

    That’s THE ONE!

  5. 5
    John Michael Trott says:

    The best live album ever.

  6. 6
    Diego Masiero says:

    THE BEST BAND IN THE WORLD!!!! I LOVE YOU!!!!

  7. 7
    Dave Berry says:

    there are some good deep purple live dvds too – ”perihelion” from recent years…

  8. 8
    Javi Benavides says:

    Rompi dos pares del made in japan de tanto oirlos ,geniales.

  9. 9
    al says:

    Old News! there is no doubt about it.

  10. 10
    Finn says:

    Should have 12 out of 10 in the vote.

  11. 11
    José del Olmo says:

    The best live album since 1972: http://silavesdilehola.blogspot.com.es/2012/12/made-in-japan.html

  12. 12
    Louie Villanueva says:

    Have this on cd. Gota love it

  13. 13
    Louie Villanueva says:

    Ian Paice on the drums YEAH!!!!!!!

  14. 14
    Thorsten Nickel says:

    Holy Grail !

  15. 15
    David Selby says:

    Made in Japan,,,,,,Lazy is my favourite…..

  16. 16
    John says:

    Where is Uriah Heep Live 1973 in my opinion the best live album ever along with Made in Japan these 2 albums defined the live album

  17. 17
    Javier Sahagun Frias says:

    Lazy too.

  18. 18
    Adrian Wheeler says:

    the greatest live album of all time? how can there be a serious rival to this one?

  19. 19
    greg anders says:

    made in japan..is one of the greatest live albums for sure…….but lets not forget….strangers in the night..by ufo……unleshed in the east..by judus priest

  20. 20
    cyclone says:

    #1 Made in Japan…no surprise here. True rock fans have to list this at the top. Best band ever.

  21. 21
    Robert Daems says:

    Can we have everything louder than everything else??

  22. 22
    Kevin says:

    1. Made in japan. 2. Live and Dangerous. 3. Strangers in the night.
    Must admit I had forgot about uriah heeps 73 live double… must dig it out sometime!

  23. 23
    Mario Meneses says:

    Vinilo histórico, album doble:Deep Purple made in Japan. !!LO VENDO!!

  24. 24
    Robert Ferguson says:

    such a good live album,deserves to be No 1. nothing else comes close. can’t wait for october 13th in glasgow 🙂

  25. 25
    Tracy Heyder (Zero the Hero) says:

    Though Purple always stated they didn’t want to do a Live album and fought against Made in Japan being released, it happens to be the album that put them into the realm of Super Stars…. Many other bands had the same result from Live albums back in the 70’s. Grand Funk – Live Album, KISS- Alive, Peter Frampton- Frampton Comes Alive, are a couple that come to mind that truly got them recognition. When a live album captures the energy and sound of the masterful performance, it catapulted bands to new heights and brought them huge success toward opening the eyes of the public to them. Thank GOD Purple didn’t wait until ‘The Last Concert in Japan’ with MK4 to be their first Live album….. Made in Japan Rules over them all…..

    !Ch-BeerZ?

  26. 26
    Carl says:

    Made In Japan is the best by a mile for me (Space Trucking, SOTW, HS, Lazy, CIT….pure bliss), followed by UFO’s Strangers In The Night and Scorpions’ Tokyo Tapes.

  27. 27
    T says:

    UFO Strangers in the Night should be on the list as well. But Made in Japan? Hard to argue against Deep Purple at their height.

    When I think of what Deep Purple represents, it is this era that comes to my mind and this Japanese tour is the epitome of live Purple.

    Things would never be the same. That the line-up and management could not work out their differences is one of the most profound tragedies in the history of hard rock.

  28. 28
    Carsten Lusch says:

    Quod erat expectatum!

  29. 29
    purrfect stranger says:

    Made In Japan is not only the greatest live album it is the greatest album EVER. But as far as live albums are concerned I am surprised The Stones are not on this list with GET YER YA YAS OUT and how about ONSTAGE RAINBOW or Live in Germany.
    It seems Rainbow always gets left out of the mix and for NO GOOD REASON mind you. UFO had a great live album once as well.

  30. 30
    Carlos Tello says:

    uno de los mejores

  31. 31
    fabrizio sbarufatti says:

    pulse?pink floyd are not live band…
    on stage…

  32. 32
    MacGregor says:

    What they need to ask is, what favourite live albums that have NOT been touched up in the studio afterwards? We are pretty sure MIJ is straight from the desk, no add ons or studio over dubs etc! So many ‘live’ albums are ‘polished up’ afterwards!
    John @ 16- I agree totally, Uriah Heep (Friday Night in Birmingham) Live is a classic, at the peak of their career also! Cheers.

  33. 33
    Bruce Weldin says:

    adslolutely number 1 nothing comes close

  34. 34
    Kerry says:

    Cheap Trick at Budokan deserves a spot here as well.

  35. 35
    stoffer says:

    John @16 I totally agree, Uriah Heep Live is an awesome album, and then there’s MIJ without a doubt the best, NOTHING COMES CLOSE…one of my other personal favorites Rainbow “On Stage” Ritchie and Ronnie at their Best!?

  36. 36
    stoffer says:

    here are some other,not heavy rock, but damn good live albums, Bob Seger Live Bullet, Rare Earth Live In Concert & Foghat Live

  37. 37
    leonr2z says:

    Not just my favourite live album, but my favourite album ever! Five guys at the absolute height of their powers. Agree that Uriah Heeps Live in ’73 should be on that list too.

  38. 38
    Steve says:

    Remarkable, considering the band didn’t think it would be well received.

  39. 39
    henrik says:

    Made in Japan is obviously no. 1. But I think Made in Europe is a close second. You can’t vote for it, though.

  40. 40
    Philip W says:

    I find this absolutely fascinating and on a number of levels. Firstly, if one is to read a current edition of the NME, it can be plainly seen that they are definitely not a supporter of anything further back than about 2006 (yeah, I know, they occasionally mention Bob Dylan, Tom Waits, Paul McCartney, etc., but’ I think the clue is in the their title ‘NEW’. Secondly, after asking for a reader’s poll on ‘greatest live albums’, they must have known what was coming as, in the main, no band from the last twenty years that they purport to entertain as ‘current hip’ has bothered to produce a ‘live in concert’ album. So, inevitably, that does leave us with the 70’s and 80’s and, at a pinch, a squeeze through into the 90’s. Nonetheless, we have a list and with DP’s ‘LIJ’ right at the top, we have to ask, who is voting? And, at the same time, who is or is not buying the current ‘Now! What?’ release? This current album is really terrific and to have a live album from the 70’s making the grade but not the current output making a dent in the ‘charts’ seems to suggest a demographic issue is in place.
    Anyway, that aside, and despite the currently published list being ‘OK…’, I offer my own ‘missing’ live albums list (in ‘band’ alphabetical order) and all from the 70’s (bar a couple) which really capture a band’s performance:-
    Argent – Encore
    Camel – A Live Record and Coming Of Age
    Caravan – Caravan and The New Symphonia (or any other for that matter)
    Emerson, Lake and Palmer – Welcome Back My Friends….etc
    Jethro Tull – Bursting Out
    Porcupine Tree – Warszawa and Octane Twisted
    TheMahavishnu Orchestra – Between Nothingness and Eternity
    Wishbone Ash – Live dates (I & II)
    Yes – YesSongs and YesShows (along with all the others except ‘Union Live’!)
    Blah, blah……honestly, it really could go on!
    Hopefully, a ‘top ten’ is just ‘cherry picking’ as there are loads of live albums out there that demonstrate, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that real musicians can actually play real music!! Still – DP top with ‘LIJ’@ That’s quite cool after all this time!!

  41. 41
    Sandor Biro says:

    I have this !

  42. 42
    Kim Peters says:

    Rock ‘n’ roll at it’s peak!!

  43. 43
    Martin says:

    When I was eleven years my brother came home with and 8 track cassette named “When we rock, we rock, and when we roll, we roll” a deep purple compilation that includes Smoke On The Water from Made In Japan, that day changed my life !!, no doubt about it !!
    Later I got Made In Japan in cassette and listened to it everyday for months !!!
    Best recording ever listened !!

  44. 44
    nupsi59 says:

    Deep Purple – Made in Japan

    Of course No.1! Every second is exciting, the whole band in peak form, my all-time-favourite!

    There are a few others I like to mention:

    Eric Clapton – Just one Night: Fine Bluesrock-Live-Album with Clapton + band in full flight.

    Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band – Live Bullet: Explosive Live statement, pure, sweaty rock.

    Neil Diamond – Hot August Night: Full of beautiful played songs, very basic equipment, no “Las Vegas charme”

    Rare Earth – Get ready: Of course the live-played title-song!

    10cc – Live and let live: One of the best bass/guitar solos in music history at the end of “Feel the Benefit”

    Led Zeppelin – Celebration Day: No comment.

    Have a good day!

  45. 45
    evillouie says:

    Can’t argue with “Made In Japan”…but where are “Yessongs” and ELP’s “Welcome Back My Friends”? Those 2 never seem to get a fair shake…

  46. 46
    Mark M. says:

    The only other ablum that compares……and surprisingly is not in the top 10 is “The Allman Brothers Live at Fillmore East”

  47. 47
    Kidd Purple says:

    Live At The Olympia isn’t too shabby either!

  48. 48
    Patrick Mcnulty says:

    this is the greatest live album ever…end of discussion…

  49. 49
    Dean says:

    Johnny Winter – Captured Live! Get it, you’ll never regret it.

  50. 50
    Peter Chrisp says:

    Two more classics that should have got a mention or three, “Scorpions” World Wide Live, and
    the next 4 weeks will see deluxe editions Ten Years After “Recorded Live” and the ever popular Humble Pie “Performance Rockin’ The Fillmore” a massive 4 disc box set.

  51. 51
    Oleg says:

    Great ablum but also Uriah Heep” ’73 Live”, Rainbow “On Stage” and of course DP “Made in Europe”!

  52. 52
    micke says:

    @ 39 Henrik, you are right here, Made in Europe is a killer live album too!!

  53. 53
    ZombifiedMorsie says:

    Mark M. – I agree. No love for the “Allman Brothers Live at the Fillmore East”? Not only does it deserve to be on the list, I WAS THERE for the midnight show on one of the nights when it was recorded.

  54. 54
    John says:

    Thanks to those who agreed with me about Heep Live 73. Interesting no one has touched on the double live album of Purple In concert 1970 and 1972 taken from the BBC In Concert programmes, I wouldn’t put in top 10 but worth listening too, I notice some people backing Rainbow On Stage but I prefer the recording from Deutschland Tournee 1976 the Kolner Sporthalle gig with superb “Do you close your eyes” and agree with people mentioning Made in Europe where Hughes histrionics thankfully kept to minimum

  55. 55
    Ariel Bender says:

    When the requisite double live album was the order of the day there were so many 70’s artistes rushing them out in quick succession thought being if you didnt have one you were’nt worth your sand.
    Most were not complete representations of the then current live performance, or so much post production noodling, it should’nt have been considered live. I have always like the “wart and all approach”
    I think we most definitely get that with Made in Japan spread over those 3 nights and one could possibly choose any one individual evening for posterity’s sake .
    My choice : 1. Made in Japan ’72
    2. UfO Stangers ’78..(I was there)
    3. Blue Oyster Cult On your Feet ’75
    4. Allman Bros. Fillmore Concerts/East ’71
    5.Led Zeppelin How the West was won ’72
    6. Uriah Heep Live 1973
    7. Humble Pie Rockin the Fillmore ’71
    8. Black Sabbath KBFH Asbury PArk 1975 ( there too)
    9. Who Live at Leeds ’70
    10. Thin Lizzy Live and Dangerous’ 77
    alt. Wishbone Ash Live Dates 73/Slade Alive 71, Live Status Quo 77
    There are of course more but I like hard rock and as a child of the sixties/seventies these really hit the mark and I still listen to them even today..Cheers Rock on

  56. 56
    Stawik says:

    Procol Harum Live in Edmonton
    Doors Absolutely live

  57. 57
    Claude Charly says:

    le meileur des lives

  58. 58
    Drumguy1988 says:

    My Top 5 Greatest Live Albums:

    1. MADE IN JAPAN
    2. MADE IN JAPAN
    3. MADE IN JAPAN
    4. MADE IN JAPAN
    5. MADE IN JAPAN

    When I heard Paicy’s solo on The Mule for the first time I was blown away. Right then and there I new That’s how I wanted to sound. Or at least come some what close. Still working on it.

  59. 59
    byron says:

    MIJ yeah.but don’t forget Heep Live 73 ,UFO ‘s,”Strangers..” and Thin Lizzy ‘s Live and Dangerous (but the last one was hugely overdubbed in studio)
    And what about “Live tapes” from Wishbone Ash?
    But there are so many great live double albums from the 70’..

  60. 60
    Jack says:

    The best live álbum of all time…followed very close by UFO’s Strangers in the Night

  61. 61
    Jack says:

    And of course another great in concert albums are Grand Funk’s Live Album and Uriah Heep Live!!!

  62. 62
    Richard legris says:

    Ma bible.
    My bible.

    Long live Deep Purple.

    Elprupdeep.

  63. 63
    alf * says:

    Judas Priest “priest…live!”
    Deep Purple “made in europe”

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