Classic Rock’s Greatest Follow-Ups: The 20 Best Second Albums

29 June 2026, 19:17 | Updated: 29 June 2026, 19:20

Great debuts are often hard to follow up. Here are the times when the sequel almost overshadowed the original.

1. The Who - A Quick One

   • Release date: 9th December 1966
   • Followed up: My Generation (December 1965)

   The mod pioneers' second album included the single Happy Jack. plus the hilarious Boris The Spider, So Sad About Us and the mini-rock opera A Quick One While He's Away.

   

2. The Doors - Strange Days

   • Release date: 25th September 1967
   • Followed up: The Doors (January 1967)

   After an assured debut, the LA psychedelic rock band swiftly made this sequel, which moves from the witchy title track, through the bluesy Love Me Two Times and the avant garde Horse Latitudes, winding up with the epic When The Music's Over. And there's a hit single in the shape of People Are Strange.

   

3. The Velvet Underground - White Light/White Heat

   • Release date: 30th January 1968
   • Followed up: The Velvet Underground & Nico (March 1967)

   The VU's second album is the last to feature John Cale and is more art-rock than the first, with the narrative tale of The Gift and the 17-minute ramble of Sister Ray, while maintaining their hugely influential sound on the title track and Here She Comes Now.

   

4. Pink Floyd - A Saucerful Of Secrets

   • Release date: 28th June 1968
   • Followed up: The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn (August 1967)

   The Floyd's second album saw decreasing input from their frontman Syd Barrett, whose mental health deteriorated during recording. The finished album includes only one of his songs, while new guitarist David Gilmour makes his first appearance. Highlights include the four part title track and Set The Controls For The Heart Of The Sun.

   

5. Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin II

   • Release date: 22nd October 1969
   • Followed-up: Led Zeppelin I (January 1969)

   From the orgasmic opener Whole Lotta Love to the ridiculously epic Ramble On, this is a fantastic follow-up that propelled Zeppelin towards their ambition to be the greatest rock band in the world.

   

6. The Stooges - Fun House

   • Release date: 7th July 1970
   • Followed up: The Stooges (August 1969)

   Iggy Pop and his pioneering proto-punk cohorts released their second album, which included the tracks TV Eye, Dirt and the incendiary 1970.

   

7. Black Sabbath - Paranoid

   • Release date: 18th September 1970
   • Followed up: Black Sabbath (February 1970)

   Issued hot on the heels of Sabbath's hugely influential debut album, the follow up had a huge international hit in Paranoid and was certified four times Platinum in the US.

   

8. John Lennon - Imagine

   • Release date 8th October 1971 (UK)
   • Followed up: John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band (December 1970)

   The ex-Beatle's second (proper) solo album was a softer affair than the previous Plastic Ono Band "primal scream" outing and included the famous title track, plus Jealous Guy and the McCartney-baiting How Do You Sleep?

   

9. Roxy Music - For Your Pleasure

   • Release date: 23rd March 1973
   • Followed up: Roxy Music (June 1972)

   The second album from the art rock collective was their final outing to feature founding member Brian Eno. The album included the hit Do The Strand and the epic In Every Dream Home A Heartache.

   

10. Eagles - Desperado

    • Release date: 17th April 1973
    • Followed up: Eagles (June 1972)

    The second album from the country rock legends included Tequila Sunrise, Outlaw Man and, of course, the classic title track.

    

11. Queen - Queen II

    • Release date: 8th March 1974
    • Followed up: Queen (July 1973)

    Queen's first album of '74 gave the band a Top 10 hit in Seven Seas Of Rhye. Also included were Funny How Love Is and White Queen (As It Began), plus an iconic cover photo by Mick Rock.

    

12. The Clash - Give 'Em Enough Rope

    • Released: 10th November 1978
    • Followed up: The Clash (April 1977)

    The second album from Joe Strummer's punks included the hit Tommy Gun.

    

13. The Police - Regatta de Blanc

    • Release date: 5th October 1979
    • Followed up: Outlandos d'Amour (November 1978)

    The pop-punk trio made a splash with their 1978 debut album, but its follow-up went one better, topping the UK charts and gaining Platinum status. The LP included their first two number one singles: Message In A Bottle and Walking On The Moon. The Police would only get bigger after this.

    

14. Iron Maiden - Killers

    • Release date: 16th February 1981
    • Followed up: Iron Maiden (April 1980)

    The second album from the British metallers was the last to feature original singer Paul Di'Anno. Singles includes Purgatory and Twilight Zone.

    

15. Pretenders - Pretenders II

    • Release date: 7th August 1981
    • Followed up: Pretenders (December 1979)

    The second and final album to be issued by the original Pretenders line-up of Chrissie Hynde, James Honeyman-Scott, Pete Farndon and Martin Chambers included the hits I Go To Sleep, Message Of Love and Talk Of The Town.

    

16. U2 - October

    • Release date: 12th October 1981
    • Followed up: Boy (October 1980)

    The second album from the Dublin post-punk quartet included the chart hits Fire and Gloria.

    

17. The Cult - Love

    • Release date: 18th October 1985
    • Followed up: Dreamtime (August 1984)

    The second album from the British band saw them embrace gothic rock, with singles like Rain, Revolution and the classic She Sells Sanctuary.

    

18. R.E.M - Reckoning

    • Release date: 9th April 1984
    • Followed up: Murmur (April 1983)

    The second album from Athens, Georgia's finest exports included the singles So. Central Rain (I'm Sorry) and (Don't Go Back To) Rockville.

    

19. Metallica - Ride The Lightning

    • Release date: 27th July 1984
    • Followed up: Kill 'Em All (July 1983)

    The second studio album from the metal legends included the classic song Creeping Death.

    

20. Guns N'Roses - GN'R Lies

    • Release date: 29th November 1988
    • Followed up: Appetite For Destruction (June 1987)

    The follow-up to the mammoth Appetite For Destruction was half the previously-released Live ?!*@ Like A Suicide EP and half acoustic tunes, including the single Patience, Used To Love Her and the controversial One In A Million.