Storytelling through music is nothing new, as artists have long done so through individual songs. But what does it mean when a whole album tells a story?

Concept albums are records in which each song is unified under a single idea or narrative. While most traditional albums typically have a song selection where each track can stand on its own, concept albums require the context of the album’s themes to be fully understood. While this definition is very broad and can be applied to things like Christmas albums or soundtracks, they are generally associated with the approach of crafting an album based on a clear narrative.

Some of the greatest concept albums all follow a very specific direction and theme. Through the track list, each song works with the others and is best understood within the context of the album as a whole. Whether the artist is telling a deeply personal story throughout or trying to convey an important message, the right execution can become a defining part of not only their discography but also their career.

The original concept albums

One of the first known concept albums is “Dust Bowl Ballads” by American folk singer Woody Guthrie in 1940. The record focuses on the Dust Bowl era of the Great Depression. One song from the album, “Do Re Mi,” encapsulates the troubles of living during this era with high prices and no money, especially in states like California, a state that the song directly names as “a garden of Eden.”

The format was later popularized by singer Frank Sinatra with his string of albums, starting with his debut album “The Voice of Frank Sinatra” in 1946. The record’s theme revolves around a lost love and comprises eight tracks. Many of Sinatra’s works after this album are also considered concept albums including “Songs for Young Lovers” in 1954 and “Come Fly With Me” in 1958.

Concept albums continued to emerge as artists found more stories to tell through music. Albums like “Pet Sounds” by The Beach Boys in 1966 and “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” by The Beatles in 1967 are often cited as early examples of concept albums. Other artists like David Bowie and The Who would later use the format with “The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars“ and “Tommy” respectively.

Shaping a narrative

With concept albums, the entire composition deals with a singular idea or theme. Some like “Discovery” by electronic duo Daft Punk explore childhood and growing up. Others like “American Idiot” by rock band Green Day focus on political commentary in relation to the 21st century, especially with songs like the title track and “Holiday.” Modern concept albums continue this approach, with Kendrick Lamar’s “good kid, m.A.A.d. city” and Tyler, The Creator’s “CHROMAKOPIA” drawing from the artists’ own childhood experiences.

One of the most iconic artists commonly associated with concept albums is the English rock band Pink Floyd. While a majority of their discography is comprised of concept albums, their most well-known is “The Wall” from 1979. The project was written by bassist Roger Waters and is about the character of Pink and his life story, based on the events of Waters’ own life. The album depicts this through its songs like “Comfortably Numb,” addressing his experiences with drugs, and “The Happiest Days of Our Lives / Another Brick in the Wall Pt. 2,” exploring his abusive childhood in school. The narrative is reinforced by repeating leitmotifs that occur throughout the album’s track list. “The Wall” later received a film adaptation in 1982 and was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2008.

Concept albums are important as facets of storytelling, they can provide insight into an artist’s mind. Though different from traditional albums, they are still incredibly interesting to analyze and to figure out the story of what they are trying to tell. Even as more individual songs continue to be more mainstream, concept albums allow the listener to engage with the music in a more complete way.

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