Paul McCartney has contributed to the creation of some of the most iconic albums in history. He’s a huge music fan, though, and has spoken at length about the songs and artists he loves. Here are three of the albums he said he considers complete classics.

Paul McCartney shared three of his favorite albums

McCartney said his three favorite albums come from his contemporaries. They always bring him back to the eras in which he first listened to them.

“My favourite albums by other people tend to be: Music from Big Pink by The Band, Pet Sounds by the Beach Boys, and Harvest by Neil Young,” he said in a Q&A on his website. “They are the three classics that I love to listen to, and they all remind me of certain times in my life.”

McCartney has spoken at length about his love of Pet Sounds. He said it sparked a period of greater creativity in The Beatles.

“’God Only Knows’ is one of the few songs that reduces me to tears every time I hear it,” he told the BBC. “It’s really just a love song, but it’s brilliantly done. It shows the genius of Brian. I’ve actually performed it with him and I’m afraid to say that during the sound check I broke down.”

He has the same feeling when he listens to his own recordings. They remind him of the recording sessions with John Lennon, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr. 

“When I perform my own songs, the great thing is that they often bring back memories of recording them,” he said. “That can often entail memories of John and George in the studio — sweet memories!”