#35 Who's Next by The Who
The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time
- 2025 Album Rank
- 35
- 2011 Album Rank
- 23
- Total Points
- 1501
- Year Released
- 1971
- Billboard 200 Chart Peak
- 4
- Weeks at #1
- N/A
- RIAA Sales Certification
- 3,000,000 (Multi Platinum)
- Buy Album
- Apple Music Amazon
Who's Next Album Details
Who's Next emerged from the ashes of Pete Townshend's ambitious but ultimately abandoned Lifehouse project, a futuristic rock opera meant to follow Tommy. What survived the collapse became one of the most powerful and cohesive albums in rock history. The record merges synth-driven innovation with raw guitar power, framed by Roger Daltrey's commanding vocals and Keith Moon's frenetic drumming. Tracks like Baba O'Riley and Won't Get Fooled Again were originally conceptualized as part of Lifehouse, and their inclusion gave the album a philosophical edge that transcended straightforward rock.
The album showcases the band's technical and creative peak, with a sound that was both futuristic and firmly rooted in rock tradition. Its polished production (by Glyn Johns), sonic experimentation, and stadium-sized anthems made it a defining statement of The Who's maturity as a band. Rather than feeling like remnants from an unfinished project, the songs on Who's Next work as a unified statement of rebellion, resilience, and reinvention.
Interesting Facts About Who's Next
- Who's Next was recorded primarily at Olympic Studios in London, with some sessions held at Mick Jagger's Stargroves estate using the Rolling Stones Mobile Studio.
- Baba O'Riley features a repeating synthesizer loop that was programmed by Townshend to represent the personality of a character in Lifehouse.
- The famous scream at the climax of Won't Get Fooled Again was improvised by Daltrey and became one of the most iconic moments in rock vocals.
- The haunting ballad Behind Blue Eyes was also part of the Lifehouse concept, intended to express the inner conflict of the story's antagonist.
- Townshend recorded many demos for Lifehouse, some of which later appeared on his solo albums or deluxe reissues, such as Pure and Easy, which was originally intended to be the emotional centerpiece of Who's Next.
- Producer Glyn Johns played a crucial role in reshaping the failed Lifehouse material into a coherent album, convincing the band to focus on the strength of the individual songs rather than the overarching narrative.
- The album was a major commercial and critical success, reaching #1 in the UK and #4 in the US, and it helped cement The Who's reputation as one of the greatest live acts of the era.
- Live versions of many of these tracks, particularly Won't Get Fooled Again and Baba O'Riley, became staples of The Who's concerts and are often accompanied by visual nods to the abandoned Lifehouse story.
- The album was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2007 for its cultural and historical significance.
Who's Next Track List
- Baba O'Riley
- Bargain
- Love Ain't for Keeping
- My Wife
- The Song Is Over
- Getting in Tune
- Going Mobile
- Behind Blue Eyes - Reached #34 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart
- Won't Get Fooled Again - Reached #15 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart
