Retirement Rock: Top 25 Albums Released After Age 65

In classic rock, the term "golden years" takes on an entirely new meaning. Some of the genre's biggest names have put out important and well-received albums at an age when everyone else their age is retired.

Some of these LPs were, in fact, gold-sellers – including certifications for David Bowie, Bob Dylan and Robert Plant. But all of the following LPs, released when these rock stars were 65 or older, set new standards for consistency and longevity. They build upon legacies that were confirmed decades earlier.

It's been a remarkable and historic era. Eight of these retirement-age albums have arrived in the last three years alone. Digging into the numbers, there were a series of blockbuster moments for older rock acts. Five albums made the list from 2016. Four albums arrived just last year. Three of these records date to 2012, and they're all in the Top 10.

Who Put Out the Best Rock Record After Age 65?

These studio projects weren't simply lauded by critics and their legions of hard-won fans. Bowie reached No. 1 everywhere. Plant's best retirement-age LP shot to No. 2 in his native U.K. Dylan's album hit No. 3 in both the U.S. and U.K.

The Beach Boys got to No. 3 in America, too. Deep Purple notched a Top 5 hit in the U.K. Paul Simon scored an international Top 10 hit. Neil Young's rose to No. 8 on the Billboard chart.

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Among those recognized here, the youngest rocker at the time of album release was 66 – just a bit older than retirement age. But the list reveals a striking longevity: The oldest rocker was 83. Another was 77. Several were 76.

Who put out the best rock record after age 65? Let's count them down:

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