13 of the best albums to listen to on headphones

Here are 13 albums that deserve the full treatment: headphones on, eyes closed, volume up… Enjoy.

Along with the mighty Powertrip, this is arguably Monster Magnet's finest album, and sheer perfection when it comes to headphone listening – not least because you'll notice all the subtleties in production that might otherwise get lost. For subtleties, read ‘weird, trippy shit’. But you get the idea. It's an absolute masterpiece.

It's pretty much impossible to pick the ultimate Clutch album, since they've yet to make a bad one. But for the purposes of headphone listening, let's go out on a limb and pick their self-titled second album and their first foray into stoner rock. ‘Law low, watch the universe expand!’

For every album on this list, it's just as much about picking up on the nuances you'll miss if just casually listening to the album as it about getting lost in the music. And like all Queens Of The Stone Age albums, the classic Rated R is full of them. Layered vocals, whispered words… And even Nick Oliveri singing in Dutch!

The best way to listen to this epic Kyuss offering is to head out into the desert, miles away from anyone. Which, alas, won’t be possible for everyone. Maybe turn the heating up full blast and crank up the headphones instead. Like it says on the liner notes, ‘Listen without distraction.’

The opening line says it all: 'Drop out of life with bong in hand, follow the smoke toward the riff-filled land.' Normally you might not have time for an album that's over an hour long and has just one track, but why not indulge yourself? Colossal!

This was Kerrang!’s album of the year in 2004, which, in itself, should be a good enough reason to dig it out and give it a blast. A concept album loosely based on Herman Melville's 1851 novel Moby Dick, it is heavier than the whale from whence the inspiration came, and, some would argue, Mastodon's finest work to date.

Speaking of classic albums that you may not have given your full attention for a while… Of course, we wouldn't think for a second that you don't know this one like the back of your hand, but sometimes the joy is in revisiting an old favourite and playing it so loud that your teeth vibrate…

And speaking of Metallica… Did you know that James Hetfield provided backing vocals on two songs – Twist Of Cain and Possession – for Danzig's debut album? Due to contractual reasons, he wasn't credited, but the use of headphones will enable you to hear them much better. Not to mention it's a cracking record.

It may be worth remembering that if everything was perfect back in the day, then raging albums like this would never have been made. Play it loud and yearn for the bad old days when you were just generally pissed off.

With 22 studio albums in their arsenal and God knows how many rarities and bootlegs, you could literally listen to Motörhead for months and they'd still be playing. Which may not be such a bad idea, and the mighty Overkill seems like as good a starting place as any.

Metal fans will argue until the end of time about which is the best Sepultura album, but thanks to Ross Robinson's incredible production job, none of them are as good through headphones as Roots. Listen, in particular, for the guest vocals on Lookaway from Mike Patton, Jonathan Davis and DJ Lethal. And for the haunting hidden track Canyon Jam!

In a 2005 Kerrang! poll of the greatest British rock albums ever made, Arc’tan’gent came in at number 79 of 100. Given that this little band from Nottingham were up against… well, every British rock album ever, this is pretty spectacular. As is the album. All killer, no filler, and proof, if ever it were needed, that earthtone9 should have been massive.

In case you wondered what was number one in the aforementioned poll… Over 50 years since its release, Black Sabbath's self-titled debut remains a go-to for the full-on headphone experience. The tolling bells and pissing rain of the opening track, Ozzy's harmonica on The Wizard, the bass at the start of N.I.B… We need say no more. Recorded in 12 hours, with us forever.