The 40 best rock albums of the year… so far

As the world begins to put the chaos and uncertainty of the last two years behind it, there’s no greater proof that rock has kept rolling than our round-up of the best albums of the year so far. 

While it’s been a quiet year in some respects – no new albums from big hitters like AC/DC, Aerosmith, Iron Maiden or Metallica – there’s plenty to savour, and the fact that our list features the opening act on the already-fabled Stadium Tour alongside one of the headliners suggests that new bands are capable of breaking through at a time when the old guard are still producing the goods. 

So here they are: young bucks and old stagers, guitar wranglers and prog noodlers, blues greats and faux-gospel cult rock misfits. All life is here, and it sounds good.