The Hollies Albums Ranked

The Hollies are a British rock group best known for their pioneering and distinctive three-part vocal harmony style. The Hollies became one of the leading British groups of the 1960s and into the mid-1970s. The band was formed by Allan Clarke and Graham Nash in 1962 as a Merseybeat-type music group in Manchester, although some of the band members came from towns further north in East Lancashire. Graham Nash left the group in 1968 to form Crosby, Stills & Nash.
They enjoyed considerable popularity in many countries (at least 60 singles or EPs and 26 albums charting somewhere in the world, spanning over five decades), although they did not achieve major US chart success until “Bus Stop” was released in 1966. The Hollies had over 30 charting singles on the UK Singles Chart and 22 on the Billboard Hot 100.
The Hollies are one of the few UK groups of the early 1960s, along with the Rolling Stones, that have never disbanded and continue to record and perform. In recognition of their achievements, the Hollies were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2010. Here are all of The Hollies’ albums ranked.

Don’t miss out on the CLASSIC hits of The Hollies! Click and enjoy the harmonies of this Rock and Roll Hall of Fame awardees!

10.Confessions of the Mind (1970)

“The Hollies’ late 1970 album Confessions of the Mind is one of those albums that scream ‘I am a masterpiece’ from the beginning but whose masterpiece quality is actually quite hard to find. If we are graced with such immediate classic as the wonderful “Man Without a Heart” at #2, why must we have an obvious filler like “Little Girl” at #3? Or is it just me who doesn’t get that songs like “Little Girl” and “Too Young to Be Married” are no fillers but important part of the whole, or even better, good enough to stand boldly on their own? It is true that I first mistakenly considered the latter a misplaced and misdated (early 1960s style) teen ballad, but when I listened to it more carefully, it turned out to be about teen pregnancy.”

9. Dear Eloise / King Midas in Reverse (1967)

“Could this be the best Hollies album? easily! They were without a doubt one of the better british groups from the 1966-70 period.This would be pretty close to their version of Revolver or Sgt.Pepper, with experimental songs like “Maker”(Sitar), “Peguasus”(Pepper and MMT type horns),and “Try It”(Backward loops).The Pop/rock ditties, “Wishyouawish”, “Charlie & Fred”, and “Leave Me”. “Butterfly” is mellow and nice.Pop/rock/folk songs like the following are amazing, “Away,Away,Away”, “Would You Believe”, The two titled songs, and “Do The Best You Can”.Packed with all Hicks,Clark,Nash written songs. with 4 bonus tracks, songs 4,9,10 and 15.You can’t go wrong with this 1967 album, The organs, the flutes, the banjo, great sounding bass guitar from Calvert, Elliott on drums did a darn good job, and the folk/pop sound will hook you.If you like the Hollies this is the one to get. Buy and enjoy.”

8. Hollies (1974)

“The Hollies released many excellent albums. Hollies (1974) has some ingredients of yet another almost classic, but it obviously falls a little short of that. For example, the first three tracks on the album all sound all right but not at all special. “Love Makes the World Go Round”, then, is a nostalgic 1950s/early 1960s pastiche, and to my surprise, it is my favorite track up to this. The song is stylishly crafted, and the vocals are quite powerful.”

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7. Would You Believe? (1966)

“The best of the first four Hollies albums: the albums that made them popular, but also showed that they were a singles band. This album has better songs overall, and they sound more serious than on the previous works. “Would You Believe?” has very few weak points, and songs like ‘I Take What I Want’, ‘That’s How Strong My Love Is’, ‘Sweet Little Sixteen’, ‘Oriental Sadness’, Paul Simon’s ‘I Am A Rock’, ‘Don’t You Even Care’, ‘Stewball’ and my personal favorite ‘Fifi The Flea’ (which I consider one of the best songs The Hollies ever recorded). After this album, The Hollies made three great albums (and were an album band for a while) with songs written by themselves – before Graham Nash left and they turned into a (successful) singles band again.”

6. Romany (1972)

“Hot on the heels of the group’s biggest US hit single & album (“Long Cool Woman” and “Distant Light”) and the band’s biggest (ever) US concert tour, The Hollies’ first album with their new lead singer Mikael Rickfors turned out to be one of their very best. The material is tailored towards Rickfors’ rich, deep singing, and the new vocal harmony blend is as refreshing as a glass of lemonade on a hot summer’s day. A perfect blend of electric & acoustic numbers, with what may be their best single ever, “Magic Woman Touch”, the album stays at this high level of quality, with great, galvanizing rockers like “Won’t We Feel Good” and country-tinged tracks such as “Delaware Taggett & The Outlaw Boys”. And “Down River” is simply stunning; if this doesn’t touch your emotions, nothing will. The Hollies during this period showed they were far better vocally than CSNY or The Eagles. Fabulous harmonies & excellent instrumentation abound here. It should be noted that long-time producer Ron Richards took a walk, so this was the first album the band produced themselves. And what a beauty it is. “

5. In the Hollies Style (1964)

“About as good as the Hollies debut album, although it has less highlights. Hardly anything wonderful here, and they certainly weren’t The Beatles, but somehow they have a very particular sound. The first four albums aren’t classics, and that’s simply because they were a singles band back then (when Tony Hicks, Graham Nash and Allan Clarke began writing the songs for the 1966 “For Certain Because” album, the albums got much better). Still, I was impressed by the song ‘To You My Love’, which is really beautiful (and better than any song on “Stay With The Hollies”). There’s lots of filler, but overall the album is very listenable.”

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4. For Certain Because… (1966)

“”For Certain Because” marked the beginning of probably the most creative period in the career of the Hollies. It was also the album that introduced Tonys Hicks’ banjo which is very prominent on the big single hit “Stop Stop Stop”. Their songwriting had been steadily growing since their ealiest effort usually credited as Ransford songs. Outstanding originals written by Clarke/Hicks/Nash dominate the album, which for the first time consists of sheer original material.”

3. Distant Light (1971)

“Sister ship to “Romany”. Great album art. One of my all time faves. In fact, the sleeve pretty much makes up for the boring music. Two great tracks: “Long Cool Woman” (no brainer) and “Long Dark Road”. Both available on Hollies greatest hits collections everywhere.”

2. Butterfly (1967)

“This album is the peak of The Hollies creativity, their true “Evolution” album in which they finally turned into a beautiful Butterfly. While a short album at only 35:00 every moment is 60s pop perfection with tinges of psychedelia and soft introspective moments courtesy of Graham Nash. It’s unfortunate that this would be their last great album and their last with Nash, whose absence would be painfully felt from here on out.  This album does a great job of relaxing me when I feel tense, and thus is my go to album when I want to just drift away for a while. I can’t really pick out any major highlights, the album just flows as one.”

1. Evolution (1967)

“Which one is better, Evolution or Butterfly? According to the users of RYM, the answer is the latter – and I agree: it is slightly more whimsical and adventurous. But my point here is that I consider Evolution an excellent album as well, and that is why I have to ask myself whether it is even better than its follow-up. Albums that are as stubbornly feel-good as this are rare – think of The Beatles doing A Hard Day’s Night with a Magical Mystery Tour attitude. Only “Rain on the Window”, possibly joined by “Leave Me” and “Stop Right There”, doesn’t match the joy of the rest of the album. I don’t like those songs that much, but still, if “Stop Right There” is the worst song of some album it means the album must be good.”