Oldest And Best Classic Bands & Artists Still Releasing New Albums

10 Of The Oldest Rock Bands Still Putting Out New Music

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Our Oldest Classic Bands & Artists Still Releasing New Albums article was purposely written without putting a number in front of the title. The reason behind this is that we wanted to keep this one open-ended and add bands and artists that our readers thought should be on this list. After all, this classic rock site is written by music fans, not critics. It was started by myself, who spent my entire life as a musician and wanted to write about rock and roll music in the most respectful and loving way possible. Without the readers, without the people who comment on the site and on our Facebook page, this site would have never been successful. So, we want this article to be shared by all of us. We hope that the readers will add their own artists to this list in the comments.

This article is a special tribute to musical artists who have been with us for a very long time. The only criteria we had was that any artist on this list should have released a new album within the past five years. We think that’s fair. We could probably make a few exceptions, and maybe we will, and that’s why this list is open-ended. But the twelve that are featured here first are artists who have been constantly putting out new music over a very long period of time, have become true musical legends, and have continued to tour and bring us all joy and happiness. This one was really fun to write.

Willie Nelson

We wanted to ensure we paid our respects to the legendary Willie Nelson, one of the longest-running artists in musical history. Thats whay we opened this list with Willie. At the age of 91, Willie Nelson is releasing his newest studio album on November 1, 2024, titled Last Leaf on the Tree. The album’s title is inspired by the Tom Waits song “Last Leaf,” which appeared on Bad as Me. Willie Nelson has long been associated with rock and roll through the Outlaw Country movement. He has collaborated with many rock musicians throughout the years and remains a giant in music history. Nelson released his first album in 1962, entitled …And Then I Wrote on Liberty Records. Since then, he has put out 101 studio albums, 14 live albums, and 51 compilation albums.

Read More: Top 10 Willie Nelson Songs

Bob Dylan

I remember when Bob Dylan released his Time Out of Mind album in 1997, and in the song “Not Dark Yet,” he sang the words, “It’s not dark yet, but it’s getting there.” It seemed like the end was near for Dylan, but that was almost twenty years ago, and he’s still putting out new music. At 83 years old, Bob Dylan’s most recent album, Shadow Kingdom, was released on June 2, 2023. It features brand new studio recordings of songs from the early part of his career.

In 2020, he released Rough and Rowdy Ways, a studio album of all-new material. Dylan first appeared on the scene in 1962 with the release of his debut album, simply titled Bob Dylan. Since then, he has released 40 studio albums, 21 live albums, and 44 compilation albums. He has won many awards throughout his career, including the Nobel Prize for Literature in 2016. Bob Dylan stands as one of the most influential musical artists and poets of all time.

8 – Jethro Tull

We thought for sure that we had seen the last of Jethro Tull. The band’s last album was released in 2003, titled The Jethro Tull Christmas Album. Of course, Ian Anderson had been releasing solo albums, but in 2022, Anderson reformed Jethro Tull with new members under the legendary name and released the album The Zealot Gene. Just one year later, in 2023, Jethro Tull released another new studio album, RökFlöte. These are truly good records, and although Anderson is the only remaining original member of the band, the music is very representative of Tull’s earlier years.

Jethro Tull’s debut album, This Was, was released in 1968. Since then, Jethro Tull has released 23 studio albums, nine live albums, and 15 compilation albums. Led by the brilliant songwriting of Ian Anderson and featuring his spectacular flute playing, Jethro Tull stands as one of the most unique and original bands of all time, blending rock and roll with classical and folk influences.

Nazareth

While most rock fans in the United States know Nazareth from their very popular Hair of the Dog album and their huge hit single “Love Hurts,” the band’s popularity overseas is far more extensive and legendary than they are known for in the U.S. Nazareth’s most recent album, Surviving the Law, was released in 2022. The album features original band member Pete Agnew, who has been with the band on every album. Original singer Dan McCafferty left the band in 2013. Nazareth has released 25 studio albums, eight live albums, and seven compilation albums. Their debut album, titled Nazareth, was released in 1971.

Read More: Top 10 Nazareth Songs

6 – The Zombies

The Zombies are a band from the eastern side of the Atlantic, first formed in the early 1960s. The band became a household name in 1964 with their massive hit single “She’s Not There,” followed by other big-time hits, including “Tell Her No” and, in 1968, “Time of the Season.” Their debut album was released in 1965, titled The Zombies in the U.S. and Begin Here in the U.K. However, it was their 1968 album Odessey and Oracle that truly cemented their place in classic rock history.

The band took a long break after their second album but returned in 1990 with their third album, New World. Most recently, they released the album Different Game in 2023. The album featured original members, including Colin Blumstone on lead vocals and Rod Argent on keyboards, though he has since retired from touring.

Read More: 10 Best Songs Of The Zombies

Neil Young

Neil Young has been one of the most consistent musical artists in classic rock history. As most people know, his career began as a member of the group Buffalo Springfield. After leaving Buffalo Springfield, he became a member of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. With both groups, he composed some of the most extraordinary rock songs of all time. However, his contributions as a solo artist far exceeded what he released with Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young and Buffalo Springfield.

As a solo artist, and with his band Crazy Horse, who are a legendary group themselves, Neil Young has released 44 solo studio albums. These records have been released almost year by year since his debut album, Neil Young, was released in 1968. He has rarely gone more than three years between albums. His latest album of new music, World Record, was released in 2022. Additionally, he has released two other albums, Chrome Dreams (2023) and Early Daze (2024), which were recorded in the late 1960s and 1970s with Crazy Horse.

Bruce Springsteen

Bruce Springsteen’s debut album, Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J., was released in 1973. Later that same year, he released The Wild, the Innocent & the E Street Shuffle. However, it was in 1975, with the release of Born to Run, that he became a household name, especially in the United States. Nearly ten years later, when Born in the U.S.A. was released in 1984, Springsteen became one of the biggest musical stars in the world.

Throughout his career, Bruce Springsteen has released 21 studio albums. His most recent album of new material, Letter to You, was released in 2020. In 2022, he released another album, Only the Strong Survive, which featured covers of Motown classics. Despite being 74 years old, Springsteen continues to tour constantly and shows no signs of slowing down..

Foghat

Even though Foghat has only one remaining original member, the band’s heart and soul, driven by the phenomenal Roger Earl, is still alive, still touring, and still putting out new music. Foghat was originally formed in 1971 when Dave Peverett, Tony Stevens, and Roger Earl left the group Savoy Brown to form their own band. With the addition of Rod Price on guitar, the group went on to release some of the greatest rock and roll records of the 1970s.

Throughout the years, the band went through many lineup changes, including the additions of Tony Stevens, “Lonesome” Dave Peverett, Craig MacGregor, Kenny Aaronson, Charlie Huhn, and, most recently, Bryan Bassett (who has been with the band since 1999), Rodney O’Quinn (since 2015), and Scott Holt, who joined in 2022. Foghat’s most recent album, Sonic Mojo, was released in 2023—and it still rocks hard.

Elton John

For many of us here at ClassicRockHistory.com, Elton John was one of the first musical artists we fell in love with. For me, my first Elton John album was Elton John’s Greatest Hits, which I bought in 1974. We all grew up with Elton John, who has brought us so much joy throughout our lives. I think it’s fair to say that many people in their 60s probably share a similar experience, with their first album purchase being an Elton John record.

Elton John’s debut album, Empty Sky, was released in the United Kingdom in 1969. Since then, Elton John has released 31 studio albums. His most recent album, The Lockdown Sessions, was released in 2022. It was a collaborative project recorded during the COVID-19 lockdown, featuring younger artists as well as longtime legends.

Deep Purple

This band continues to amaze all of us. Deep Purple has a reputation as one of the greatest and hardest rock bands of all time, constantly putting out great material since their debut album, Shades of Deep Purple, was released in 1968. The band has gone through many lineup changes, with the only consistent member being drummer Ian Paice. However, Roger Glover has also been a crucial part of much of the band’s history.

Deep Purple is well-known for showcasing some of the greatest guitar players in rock and roll, including the original guitarist Ritchie Blackmore, Tommy Bolin, Joe Satriani, and, for a long time, Steve Morse. Their newest guitarist, Simon McBride, brings his own unique style that blends seamlessly with the rest of the band. On vocals, Ian Gillan is still delivering electrifying performances.

The band’s newest album, =1, was just released a few months ago in 2024. I spoke with Ian Paice recently about the new record and his love of touring. His passion defines what rock and roll is all about, and his attitude toward keeping rock music alive while enjoying every moment he can is truly inspiring.

Paul McCartney

What is there to say about Paul McCartney that hasn’t already been said many times before? We all know how his legacy began with The Beatles and the wonderful songs he wrote with John Lennon that have shaped the soundtrack of our lives. Of course, he has also had a tremendously long solo career, constantly putting out new material—first as a solo artist, then with his band Wings, and later simply as Paul McCartney.

As a solo artist, McCartney has released 26 studio albums. His most recent album of new material, McCartney III Imagined, was released in 2021. It was a remix of McCartney III, which came out in 2020. He has been very consistent in releasing new music, rarely going long without putting out something new.

The Rolling Stones

While The Rolling Stones haven’t put out much new music in the past 20 years, they recently released a brand new studio album that stands as one of the best they’ve produced since Some Girls in 1978. Released in 2023, Hackney Diamonds is a true Rolling Stones rock album, filled with great songs and incredible performances. Watching Mick Jagger perform at 80 years old on stage is inspiring to all of us who are getting up there in age.

The Rolling Stones were formed long ago, in 1962. Their debut album was released in 1964 in the United Kingdom, titled The Rolling Stones. In the U.S., a variation of that album was released as England’s Newest Hitmakers. Since then, The Rolling Stones have released 31 studio albums.

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