Swan Songs: The 10 Greatest Farewell Albums In Rock

Beatlesfarewell

[Artwork courtesy of Apple Records]

CreamFarewell

[Artwork courtesy of Atlantic Records]

StrangewaysFarewell

[Artwork courtesy of Rough Trade Records]

ickyfarewell

[Artwork courtesy of Third Man Records]

facesfarewell

[Artwork courtesy of Rhino Records]

pinkmoonfarewell

[Artwork courtesy of Island Records]

farewellCoda

[Artwork courtesy of Atlantic Records]

FarewellInUtero

[Artwork courtesy of Geffen Records]

simonfarewell

[Artwork courtesy of Columbia Records]

thewindfarewell

[Artwork courtesy of Artemis Records]

Rock ‘n roll history is rife with bands that break up and reunite many years later only to release, well...not so great albums. But for some of the most iconic artists of all time, we’ve watched them burn out instead of fade away. Whether it’s due to the death of a prominent band member or tensions that led to the dissolution of the group, these artists just simply weren’t able to continue. And though they might have felt like abrupt endings at the time, the good news is that some of these groups ended on very high notes, releasing great albums – in some cases even putting out the best collections of their entire careers. From The Beatles to Simon & Garfunkel, Nirvana to The White Stripes, rock’s past is filled with examples of phenomenal artists releasing arguably their best work toward the end of their existence. Here’s a list of the 10 greatest farewell albums in rock history, records that signified the end of the bands, but the beginning of their legacies.