T his week should have witnessed the start of The Who’s UK tour. Instead, the band have become one of the many acts who have been affected by the coronavirus pandemic.

Now in their fifth decade as a recording act, the original quartet remain the quintessential drums, bass, guitar and vocalist rock band. The third part of the great triumvirate of English bands of the Sixties (with due respect to The Kinks), The Who were a force of nature both on stage and in the studio. Roger Daltrey was the charismatic front man, the manic Keith Moon – dwarfed by his massive drum kit – assailed his instrument, and Pete Townshend’s flailing whirlwind guitar action provided a strong visual focus. Meanwhile, laid-back bassist John Entwistle just stood and yawned while anchoring the overall sound. And it was all possible because of Pete Townshend’s wonderful songs, celebrated here on this list of the 20 greatest Who tracks.

20) “I’m a Boy” (single, 1966)

Astonishingly, for all their phenomenal achievements, The Who have never had a number one single. “I’m a Boy”, with its gender identity theme, was an unlikely No 2 smash. Full of wonderful harmonies, this quirky study of a young man who rejects his mother’s attempts to raise him as a girl is one of Townshend’s most humorous, poignant and unusual songs.

19) “Blue, Red and Grey” (The Who by Numbers, 1975)

“Blue, Red and Grey” is rarely mentioned in lists of greatest Who songs, Roger Daltrey is a big fan of this charming low-key number – the eternally self-examining Townshend less so. Composed on the ukulele during a depressed time in his life, the only other instrumentation is the Hovis advert-themed brass, as Townshend sings about the simple joys of life no matter the time of day.

18) “The Song is Over” (Who’s Next, 1971)

One of the many highlights of the masterpiece that is Who’s Next is Pete Townshend’s vocal contributions, his highly affecting lighter voice provides an effective counter balance to Daltrey’s epochal hard rock sound. The Daltrey/Townshend vocal tag-team on this beautiful ballad, rescued from the abandoned Lifehouse project, is a delight (with the lyrics possibly referring to the ending of a love affair).

17) “Young Man Blues” (Live at Leeds, 1970)

Fittingly, the band touted by many as the greatest live act of the Seventies released an album capturing everything that made them great in the concert arena. It marked the end of The Who’s first great era and heralded the beginning of a new one. The powerhouse version of Mose Allison’s “Young Man Blues” found the quartet in their absolute pomp.

16) “Pictures of Lily” (single, 1967)

A boy falls in love with a picture of a Vaudeville artist only to be told that she had died in 1929. A la Peter Ibbotson, he finds comfort in his dreams with the subject of his desires. Or as Townshend says, it could simply be about masturbation. Regardless, it’s a power-pop classic of adolescent longing.

15) “Who Are You” (Who Are You, 1978)

The title refers to a fraught meeting with covetous ex-Beatles and Rolling Stones manager, Allan Klein, prompting Townshend to go on a massive bender with Paul Cook and Steve Jones of the Sex Pistols. Alternatively proggy, hard rocking and melodious, the original quartet’s last hurrah is a fitting epitaph for Keith Moon, who died soon after it was released.

14) “Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere” (single, 1965)

The famous Who harmonies are all over this Top 10 single, which is that rarest of beasts – a Townshend/ Daltrey co-write (the only time they wrote together). And how far ahead of the game this must have seemed in 1965, with its riot of feedback and distortion midway through. Nothing quite like it had ever been heard before and it proved infinitely influential.

13) “The Real Me” (Quadrophenia, 1973)

All four members are at the peak of their powers on Quadrophenia’s glorious scene-setter, although it’s tempting to say that “The Real Me” is all about the bass. John Entwistle possessed an incredible ability to turn his bass guitar into a lead instrument, and his work here drives a dynamic song reflecting the conflicted personality of Jimmy, Quadrophenia’s protagonist.

The 20 best albums of 1995 ranked Show all 20 1 /20 The 20 best albums of 1995 ranked The 20 best albums of 1995 ranked 20. Cast – All Change Retro Sixties meets Britpop on the Liverpool band’s excellent debut. John Leckie produced and main man John Power brought his La’s credentials, so guitars and harmonies shine. Hit singles “Walkaway”, “Alright” and “Sandstorm” are among the highlights and “Promised Land”, with fuzzed Neil Young guitars and a Ritchie Furay-like vocal, wouldn’t have sounded out of place on Buffalo Springfield’s first album. Polydor The 20 best albums of 1995 ranked 19. The Jayhawks – Tomorrow the Green Grass Channeling the spirit of Gram Parsons, the alt/country luminaries’ fourth album found them in their mid-career pomp. Gorgeous melodies and wistful vocals illuminate “Two Hearts” and aching opener “Blue”, while “Real Light” and “Ten Little Kids” display a rockier approach. The cover of “Bad Time” achieves the near impossible feat of weaving silk from a Grand Funk Railroad song. American Recordings The 20 best albums of 1995 ranked 18. Blur – The Great Escape “Country House” might have won the singles race with Oasis, but The Great Escape’s reputation has fluctuated over the years. Still, there’s a broad scope to the songs here, the best of which – “Fade Away”, “The Universal” (one of Blur’s most ambitious), the Kinks-like “Charmless Man” and touching ballad “Yuko and Hiro” – ensure The Great Escape has a place on this list. Virgin The 20 best albums of 1995 ranked 17. Alanis Morissette – Jagged Little Pill One of the biggest and most unexpected successes of 1995, the Grammy album-of-the-year winner put the highly wrought Morissette on the confessional singer-songwriter map. Some found the unrelenting navel-gazing and uncompromising language overwhelming. Nevertheless, powerful songs such as “Ironic”, “You Oughta Know” and “Hand in My Pocket” struck a chord with many and the album sold shed-loads. Maverick, Reprise The 20 best albums of 1995 ranked 16. Black Grape – It’s Great When You’re Straight… Yeah This phoenix-like rise from the ashes of the Happy Mondays topped the charts. Relics of the old sound remained, but on mighty epics “Reverend Black Grape”, “Kelly’s Heroes” and “Shake Your Money”, Shaun Ryder, joined by rapper Kermit and remixing guru Danny Saber, unashamedly looted various back catalogues, adding hip hop, rock, soul and funk to the 24-hour party. Radioactive The 20 best albums of 1995 ranked 15. Garbage – Garbage This knowing, grungy mix of styles – presided over by Shirley Manson, one of the faces and personalities of the year – was a superb debut, laced with loops and samples. Arresting opener “Supervixen” immediately grabs the attention with its stop/start motif, and in among the multifaceted groove lie banging singles “Stupid Girl”, “Queer” and “Only Happy When It Rains”. Almo The 20 best albums of 1995 ranked 14. Paul Weller – Stanley Road With Steve Winwood guesting on “Woodcutter’s Son” and “Pink on White Walls”, a lovely Traffic vibe permeates the autobiographical successor to Wild Wood. Described by Weller as the culmination of his solo career to that point, blistering opener “The Changingman”, soulful ballads “You Do Something to Me” and “Wings of Speed”, and the menacing “Porcelain Gods” rank among Weller’s finest. Go! Discs Island The 20 best albums of 1995 ranked 13. The Smashing Pumpkins – Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness “The impossible is possible,” Billy Corgan exhorts on the outstanding “Tonight, Tonight”, which follows the opening instrumental and really kick-starts this post-grunge classic. Corgan then attempts to prove it on a wildly ambitious and breathtakingly audacious double album – which, even at two hours long, and with a dazzling array of styles, doesn’t overreach itself, and which also includes other essential Pumpkins songs “1979”, “Zero” and “Muzzle”. Virgin The 20 best albums of 1995 ranked 12. Elliott Smith – Elliott Smith Smith’s lo-fi second album was the template for his future success and acclaim. A dark album with Smith baring his soul throughout, it has finger-picked guitars and hushed delivery that recall Nick Drake. Addiction and depression haunt beautifully structured songs like “Needle in the Hay”, “The Biggest Lie” and “Christian Brothers”, but this fragile, intimate record rewards repeated listening. Kill Rock Stars The 20 best albums of 1995 ranked 11. Elastica – Elastica Fronted by glacial ice maiden Justine Frischmann, these magpies threatened to become better known for the bands they were ripping off on early singles “Connection” (Wire) and “Waking Up” (The Stranglers), both found here. However, Elastica’s debut album quickly powered its way to No 1 in the charts, their brand of spiky punk attitude striking gold in Britpop’s banner year. Deceptive The 20 best albums of 1995 ranked 10. Leftfield – Leftism Club music entered the mainstream with this Mercury Prize-nominated album. Techno, punk, trance, ragga, tribal chants, it’s all here – and familiar even to the uninitiated, thanks to the frequent media use of tracks like “Release the Pressure” and “Song of Life”. It’s notable, too, for highly successful collaborations with Toni Halliday (“Original”), and John Lydon’s ferocious vocal on “Open Up”. Hard Hands The 20 best albums of 1995 ranked 9. PJ Harvey – To Bring You My Love Harvey’s rootsy third album tempered the rage of earlier works, however Harvey’s enduring themes, such as the paradox between the carnal and the spiritual, remain on tracks such as “The Dancer”. “Send His Love to Me” was a mainstream breakthrough, while the key track on arguably her best album, “Down by the Water”, was a chilling slice of swamp blues. Island The 20 best albums of 1995 ranked 8. Bjork – Post With scant regard for the difficult second album cliche, this truly original artist produced a brilliantly eclectic album, exploring ambient and electronica along with the usual pop and avant-garde elements. The quirky single “It’s Oh So Quiet” grabbed the headlines but the string-laden “Isobel”, the wonderful folk/techno hybrid “Hyperballad”, and the industrial beats of “Army of Me” proved much more rewarding. One Little Indian The 20 best albums of 1995 ranked 7. Teenage Fanclub – Grand Prix All the hallmarks of the art cherished by so many are here – great harmonies and melodies, jangly guitars, ramshackle yet finely crafted production on a suite of glorious Big Star, Byrds and Beach Boys-influenced songs. “Verisimilitude”, “Don’t Look Back”, the euphoric “I’ll Make It Clear” and “Sparky’s Dream” are absolute wonders, making this the Fannies’ finest record. Creation The 20 best albums of 1995 ranked 6. Mercury Rev – See You on the Other Side More accessible than the avant-garde psychedelia of previous works, the dreamy ambience and gloriously off-kilter sounds of Mercury Rev’s third album anticipated Deserter’s Songs. David Baker’s departure handed vocal duties to Jonathan Donahue and jazzy flourishes and lush orchestration dominated. “Sudden Ray of Hope”, “Everlasting Arm” and “Racing the Tide” are just some of the majestic, expansive marvels on display here. Beggars Banquet The 20 best albums of 1995 ranked 5. Pulp – Different Class Jarvis Cocker trained his jaundiced eye on British social and sexual mores on Pulp’s breakthrough album, establishing himself as the wittiest, most articulate songsmith of his generation. The autobiographical “Mis-Shapes” and the voyeuristic “I Spy”, on which he made it quite clear what to do with your year in Provence, dazzle, and in the cherished “Common People”, Cocker created an anthem for the ages. Island Records The 20 best albums of 1995 ranked 4. Supergrass – I Should Coco. A joy from start to finish, full of humour, manic punk energy, great hooks and melodies in a wide range of styles, encompassing all manner of Sixties and Seventies influences. “Caught by the Fuzz”, “Alright”, “Mansize Rooster”, “Lenny” and “Time” are just some of the singalong classics that earned this classic debut a special place in the nation’s hearts. Parlophone The 20 best albums of 1995 ranked 3. Tricky – Maxinquaye A brooding paranoia inhabits this disturbing but totally compelling journey through the mind of the trip hop maestro. Tricky merged various genres, sampling Public Enemy, The Smashing Pumpkins, Isaac Hayes, and Michael Jackson over deathly slow hip-hop beats and off-kilter sounds, juxtaposed with ethereal, occasionally sinister female vocals. A quarter of a century on, Maxinquaye remains innovative, influential and damn-near perfect. 4th & B'Way The 20 best albums of 1995 ranked 2. Oasis – (What’s the Story) Morning Glory The only matter still up for debate about this album is whether or not it trumps Definitely Maybe as Oasis’s finest hour. For me, the masterful songwriting and assured performances here just edge it, and there’s barely a misstep. “Champagne Supernova”, “Cast No Shadow”, “Morning Glory”, “Don’t Look Back in Anger” and “Wonderwall” are wonderful, with the rest not far behind. Creation The 20 best albums of 1995 ranked 1. Radiohead – The Bends Downbeat, melancholic, yet wonderfully melodic and uplifting, with Thom Yorke’s tortured lyrics and anguished falsetto perfectly matched to soaring guitar-driven soundscape, rarely has such sweeping ambition been so bountifully fulfilled than on Radiohead’s boundary pushing second album. Epic in stature and vision, yet remarkably intimate, The Bends stood apart from Britpop and everything else in the storied year of 1995. Parlophone/Capitol

12) “Pinball Wizard” (Tommy, 1969)

The story of “the deaf, dumb and blind kid” reached No 4 in the UK and remains inexorably linked with Tommy, but is strong enough to transcend the rock opera and to even survive a cover by the New Seekers. Fantastic strummed acoustic guitars and slashing riffs from Townshend and an archetypal Daltrey vocal can both be heard on arguably the Who’s most famous song.

11) “See Me, Feel Me” (Tommy, 1969)

Actually part of Tommy’s closing song “We’re Not Gonna Take It”, “See Me, Feel Me” was extracted from that track as a stand-alone single after a legendary performance at the Woodstock festival. Unlike “Pinball Wizard”, it failed to chart in the UK – the song’s strength and resonance lay in its status as the emotional and spiritual highpoint in the finale of Tommy.

10) “The Kids Are Alright” (My Generation, 1965)

A Byrds’ influence is detectable on the jangly guitars of the ultimate Mod anthem, with a 20-year-old Townshend maturing quickly in terms of his songwriting. Here, his narrator is leaving someone or something behind – either his wife or the Mod movement itself. But he’s satisfied that “the kids are alright”.

9) “5.15” (Quadrophenia, 1973)

Documenting a drug fuelled train journey, this tremendous brass-driven single from Quadrophenia offers sweet and sour vocals, thumping percussion and blistering Townshend riffs, and culminates in the heartbreaking “why should I care?” coda. The band gave an ill-advised but memorable performance of “5.15” on Top of the Pops and, predictably enough, they destroyed their equipment and ran riot afterwards.

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8) “I Can’t Explain” (single, 1965)

The first of a run of classic three-minute hit singles has an edginess underneath the innocent charm. Perhaps that’s down to the power of 18-year-old Keith Moon or the garage rock/power pop fusion fuelled by the Kinks influence, in particular “You Really Got Me”, but as an opening statement, “I Can’t Explain” is pretty much unbeatable.

7) “Behind Blue Eyes” (Who’s Next, 1971)

Who’s Next’s reputation rests not only on its power chord numbers, but the glorious ballads too. This is the best of them, although it still rocks out. Lyrics like “No one knows what it’s like/to be the sad man/behind blue eyes”, seem like a twist on “Tracks of My Tears”, however by any standards, “Behind Blue Eyes” is a Who classic.

6) “Love, Reign o’er Me” (Quadrophenia, 1973)

The epic and hugely emotional conclusion to Quadrophenia is almost classical in its conception and execution. The instrumentation is world class, with Moon’s thunderous drums, Entwistle’s driving basslines and Townshend’s whiplash guitar and synthesised strings, vital components. However, “Love Reign o’er Me” is Roger Daltrey’s song, and his stunning, soaring vocal over the heartbreaking melody provides the majesty it deserves.

5) “Substitute” (single, 1966)

An intricate study of confused identity with the self-deprecating lyrics masterfully delivered by Daltrey. Townshend was moving on apace as a songwriter with some wonderful imagery here (“I see right through your plastic mac”). Power pop at its finest with the opening acoustic guitar chords and bass-driven solo etched on the memory, “Substitute” is perhaps The Who’s most-loved single.

4) “Baba O’Riley” (Who’s Next, 1971)

The anthemic opening track from The Who’s greatest album demonstrated how far Townshend’s song craft had progressed, even from the triumphant Tommy. The “Teenage Wasteland” lyric reflected Townshend’s observations of drug-addled fans at rock festivals, and the music is simply sensational, from the hypnotic synthesiser intro all the way through to the memorable electric fiddle climax. Daltrey’s essential vocal is the icing on the cake.

3) “I Can See for Miles” (The Who Sell Out, 1967)

The huge production with thundering Keith Moon drums and Townshend’s jagged riffs is the key to what Pete Townshend has described as the “ultimate Who record”. Townshend was crushed when this fantastic single stalled at No 10, but perhaps this rare excursion into psychedelia, with its themes of deceit and paranoia had too ominous a vibe for the trippy scene of 1967.

2) “My Generation” (My Generation, 1965)

The Who’s early career-defining song spoke for and to a generation of disaffected youths. Entwistle’s incredible bass runs, Daltrey’s iconic stuttering vocal with implied expletive, Moon’s frenetic drumming, Townshend’s opening riff and closing feedback, and one of the most famous lines in rock, “Hope I die before I get old”, make this as influential as any one record can possibly be.

1) “Won’t Get Fooled Again” (Who’s Next, 1971)