On This Day, Aug. 14, 1971: The Who releases ‘Who’s Next’

On This Day, Aug. 14, 1971…

English rockers The Who released their iconic album Who’s Next, featuring such future Who classics as “Baba O’Riley,” “Won’t Get Fooled Again” and “Behind Blue Eyes.”

The album was originally conceived as another rock opera, Lifehouse, following their 1969 hit Tommy. Pete Townshend eventually scrapped the whole project.

Who’s Next was a critics’ darling, and consistently lands on lists of the greatest albums of all time. The album was the band’s only #1 in the U.K.; it hit #4 on the Billboard 200 Albums chart and has been certified triple Platinum by the RIAA.

The Who revisited Who’s Next/Lifehouse in 2023 with a new 10-CD/Blu-ray set that featured 155 tracks, with 89 songs that had never been released and 57 fresh remixes. It included Lifehouse demos, various session recordings and two complete concerts from 1971: one recorded at London’s Young Vic theater and one recorded at San Francisco’s Civic Auditorium.

The Who is getting ready to launch their last tour of North America. The Song is Over North American Farewell tour will kick off Saturday in Sunrise, Florida, and wrap Sept. 28 in Las Vegas.

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