The rise of Boston from near obscurity in the latter part of 1976 has long been part of the rock ‘n’ roll lexicon.

Their story is well-known to anyone familiar with popular music history: how Tom Scholz, a master’s graduate in mechanical engineering from MIT, used his savings from a job at Polaroid to build a recording studio in his basement; how, in the early to mid-’70s, he created demos of his songs; and how he presented those songs to Columbia Records, who provided funding for Boston’s debut album in Los Angeles. Instead, he refined his home demos with singer Brad Delp, playing most of the instruments himself and submitting the tapes to the label.

The rest, as they say, is history, as you will see in the list below of Boston Albums Ranked.

READ MORE: Top 35 Opening Songs on Debut Albums

Boston became an immediate success, selling so many copies in its first few months that it remains one of the best-selling debut albums of all time. Under pressure to release a follow-up album, Scholz and the other four members of Boston quickly produced Don’t Look Back, the first of the band’s two No. 1 albums, in 1978.

However, it all came crashing down as lawsuits, new labels, member turnover, and multiple delays between records became part of the Boston narrative. Only four additional albums have been released since Don’t Look Back, as the band faced both personal challenges (Delp died by suicide in 2007) and professional hurdles (a seventh Boston album has reportedly been in development since 2017). Despite these challenges, Scholz and the band consistently maintained their flair for the vibrant arena rock that defines their legacy.