(Credits: Far Out / Alamy)
Mon 18 August 2025 1:00, UK
You have to wonder how Paul McCartney ever had time to discover new music by his contemporaries while he was with The Beatles.
Considering how prolific the band were in the studio, and how many live performances they did up until they retired from touring in 1967, it was surprising that they ever had any free time to kick back and truly enjoy the other musical delights that were being released at the time. Releasing 12 studio albums in the space of eight years isn’t something that happens without hard work, and with McCartney being one of the two primary songwriters in the band, he would have been required to put in the extra effort.
However, if you were to ask McCartney about his favourite albums of all time, which a fan did in a question posted to his official website, he’ll tell you that the three unmatchable masterpieces that have remained a constant part of his life and source of inspiration all come from a period of six years, beginning in 1966 when the Beatles were at their peak, up until 1972, when he was embarking on the next chapter of his career as a solo artist and with Wings.
So, what are Paul McCartney’s three albums that he considers “classics”? After being posed the question, he took the time to respond thoughtfully, declaring: “My favourite albums by other people tend to be: Music from Big Pink by the Band, Pet Sounds by the Beach Boys, and Harvest by Neil Young. They are the three classics that I love to listen to, and they all remind me of certain times in my life.”
While these are all stunning records in their own right, and are all deserving of being regarded as classic albums, we’ve decided to take it upon ourselves to rank this trio of untouchable works, and while it wasn’t easy, we think there’s a few things that make some stand out more than others.
The three albums Paul McCartney called “classics”, ranked:
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