Like any great music enthusiast, Dave Grohl has his favorite albums. And what better than sharing the albums we love the most among fans? In this post, we will explore seven of Dave Grohl’s personal favorite records.
The leader of Foo Fighters has already established a solid discography with his band. An outspoken rock music fan, Dave Grohl has never had a problem talking about the albums that have inspired him, the songs he likes to listen to, and the artists he admires.
Among Dave Grohl’s personal favorite albums, we find echoes of Punk, Hardcore, and Heavy. But like any good rock musician, the former Nirvana drummer has also paid attention to pop classics.
We have already covered Foo Fighter’s musical influences, as well as the band’s top ranking albums. Now, which are David Grohl’s favorite albums? Let’s check them out.
CODA (1982), by Led Zeppelin
“Led Zeppelin completely moulded the way I play the drums… Coda was the best, ‘cos ‘Bonzo’s Montreux’ was on it, John Bonham’s one drum symphony.”
Dave Grohl about Led Zeppelin, quoted in Far Out Magazine, Septemnber 7, 2022.
Led Zeppelin has defined Dave Grohl’s musical style, even with a compilation album like the one listed here. The Foo leader has mentioned his passion for Robert Plant and Jimmy Page’s band on several occasions. He has also had the privilege of playing alongside John Paul Jones in the Them Crooked Vultures project. But when it comes to listing his favorite album, it’s clear that Dave admires Bonzo, Zeppelin’s drummer, the most.
Sounds interesting? You can check out our post about Led Zeppelin’s album ranking according to their streaming volume.
The White Album (1968), by The Beatles
“This album “has some of my favorite Beatles songs, like ‘Blackbird,’ ‘Revolution #9,’ ‘Revolution,’ and ‘Helter Skelter.'”
Dave Grohl about The Beatles, quoted in Far Out Magazine, September 3, 2022.
A classic among classics in The Beatles’ discography, the self-titled album is Dave Grohl’s favorite. It’s not surprising, as he mentions some of the most powerful songs by the Liverpool quartet, such as Helter Skelter and Revolution. If there’s one Beatles album every rock fan should listen to, it’s definitely this one.
The B-52’s (1979), by The B-52’s
“I remember seeing the B-52’s, and that introduced me to the world of somewhat strange music. Songs like ’52 Girls’ and ‘Rock Lobster’ opened up a completely new world for me.”
Dave Grohl about The B-52’s, quoted in Melody Maker 2000. Source: Foo’s Archive.
Of all the great rock from the late seventies, Dave Grohl highlights the debut album of The B-52’s. The band combined elements of experimental psychedelic music with the prevailing Post-Punk and New Wave, creating their own sound. The distinctive vocal style of The B-52’s, with the combinations between Fred Schneider, Kate Pierson, and Cindy Wilson, strongly caught the attention of the former Nirvana drummer.
Surfer Rosa (1988), by The Pixies
“It was so necessary at that time for someone to incorporate some peculiar elements of punk into pop. Probably, this is the most influential album of the last 15 years.”
Dave Grohl about The Pixies, quoted in Melody Maker 2000. Source: Foo’s Archive,.
Released in 1988, The Pixies’ debut LP has been praised by Kurt Cobain, David Bowie, P.J. Harvey, Radiohead’s Thom Yorke, and obviously, Dave Grohl. The band led by Black Francis had a sound so original, catchy, and quirky that it was impossible to ignore. As Dave Grohl rightly comments, this album by The Pixies shaped the sound of alternative rock in the nineties.
Want to learn a bit more about this noisy band? We also covered their career in The Pixies History Time Line.
Zen Arcade (1984), by Hüsker Dü
“Zen Arcade is one of the most underrated American rock”roll records of all time.”
Dave Grohl about Husker Du, quoted in Mojo. Source: Foo’s Archive.
Dave Grohl has said it himself several times: Hüsker Dü is one of the Hardcore bands from which Foo Fighters have drawn a lot of ideas. In terms of musical arrangements and structures in their songs, the influence of Bob Mould’s band on Dave Grohl is undeniable.
Rock for Light (1983), by Bad Brains
“This might be my all-time favorite record. It was the first time I’d heard a hardcore band that had that supreme musicianship, but kept it kind of simple.”
Dave Grohl about Bad Brains, quoted in Far Out Magazine, April 25, 2022.
Hardcore is one of the main musical influences of Foo Fighters. It’s not surprising that Dave Grohl’s favorite album is from this musical style. With a powerful, compact, fast, and intelligent style, Bad Brains has been a huge influence on alternative rock in general and on Dave in particular.
Blues for the Red Sun (1992), by Kyuss
“This album changed my life… Something about the grooves and the guitar sounds and the drums and the bass made this new noise that kinda sounded familiar, like you’d heard it in the early ‘70s, but you’d never heard it that good.”
Dave Grohl about Kyuss, quoted on Far Out Magazine, September 13, 2023.
Dave Grohl enjoys some stoner rock from time to time: the heavy, dark, and psychedelic sound of one of the most interesting bands of the early nineties. With a clear resemblance to seventies rock, Blues For The Red Sun is a hidden gem from its very origins. Kyuss was founded by Josh Homme, who is the current frontman of Queens of the Stone Age. Also, he is a frequent friend and collaborator of David Grohl.
Freddie Mercury and Queen’s History Time Line
I wrote and designed the content for this article originally in Spanish. It was published in the web magazine La Cueva Cultural, and you can check the post right here below: