20 of the Cheapest Rock + Metal Albums Ever Made

Here are 20 of the cheapest rock albums ever made.

The music industry has been worth billions of dollars for decades, but that doesn’t mean one has to break the bank to make the big time.

Step one, of course, is a debut album, and for newly minted bands and blossoming solo artists, there usually isn’t a whole lot of cash lying around for a fresh act. Record companies are often hesitant to invest when they aren’t sure of their return, leading many musicians to simply work on their own time and dime. The Black Keys, the White Stripes and Boston all developed what would become their debut releases in their own homes, working with whatever equipment they were able to afford at the time.

There are ways, however, to stretch a dollar when it comes to making music, and sometimes the most affordably made albums end up becoming beloved releases. Bruce Springsteen recorded Nebraska using a relatively cheap recording machine in his bedroom in New Jersey. A little over a decade earlier, Paul McCartney had done something similar, which led to his very first solo album in 1970. The Velvet Underground‘s Live at Max’s Kansas City was captured by an audience member who happened to have a habit of carrying a recording machine around with her — it turned out to be the last live show Lou Reed played with the band.

READ MORE: 80 Rock + Metal Bands With Multiple Platinum Albums

Below, we’re taking a look at 20 of the Cheapest Rock Records Ever Made, proof that you don’t need a giant budget to make an epic impact.