​Concept albums (and rock operas are a type of concept album) tend to be pretty nerdy propositions on their own, as they insist on continuity in a medium in which it is not always welcome. Most people just want to listen to music, not get involved in some indulgent story about alien gynecologists or what have you. Yet the concept album must hold a powerful allure to sophomore bands, largely due to its habit of transforming a mere “collection of songs” into something resembling a “creative vision.” Whether or not it denotes actual artistic prowess, it at least gives the illusion of it.

Most concept albums are either based on intricate storylines thought up by the band members or adaptations of existing works. Sometimes, the adaptation can also be a backdoor dry run for a stage musical (which we will also see). Regardless, the fact that so many musicians are nerds at heart and the fact that concept albums came into vogue about the same time as progressive rock (the SINGLE GREATEST GENRE OF MUSIC EVER) means we have a large amount of material to work with. A lot of these are just classic works of literature that have inspired many, but somehow, when transformed into works of music even something everyone knows from high school can suddenly obtain an extra nerdy edge.

Continue reading “10 Nerdiest Literary Inspirations for Concept Albums” >

Read this article:
10 Nerdiest Literary Inspirations for Concept Albums