Go to the NEW FORUM
Funny, I don't remember that rare alternative album cover for "If You're Feeling Sinister"
Alright, we're back on track after adding VF1000's list. A few somewhat significant changes but nothing crazy happened. Here's the revised 94-500:
[94] Elvis Costello | My Aim Is True | 1977
[95] The Cure | Disintegration | 1989
[96] TV on the Radio | Dear Science | 2008
[97] Arcade Fire | The Suburbs | 2010
[98] The White Stripes | Elephant | 2003
[99] Beck | Odelay | 1996
[100] Beck | Sea Change | 2002
[101] Nirvana | In Utero | 1993
[102] Kanye West | The College Dropout | 2004
[103] Björk | Homogenic | 1997
[104] Charles Mingus | The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady | 1963
[105] Animal Collective | Merriweather Post Pavillion | 2009
[106] Stevie Wonder | Talking Book | 1972
[107] The National | Boxer | 2007
[108] Pixies | Surfer Rosa | 1988
[109] Curtis Mayfield | Superfly | 1972
[110] The White Stripes | White Blood Cells | 2001
[111] Beastie Boys | Paul's Boutique | 1989
[112] Bruce Springsteen | Darkness on the Edge of Town | 1978
[113] Joni Mitchell | Court and Spark | 1974
[114] PJ Harvey | To Bring You My Love | 1995
[115] Neil Young | Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere | 1969
[116] Neil Young | Harvest | 1972
[117] Carole King | Tapestry | 1971
[118] Vampire Weekend | Vampire Weekend | 2008
[119] OutKast | Stankonia | 2000
[120] Pavement | Slanted and Enchanted | 1992
[121] Arcade Fire | Neon Bible | 2007
[122] Creedence Clearwater Revival | Cosmo's Factory | 1970
[123] Otis Redding | Otis Blue/Otis Redding Sings Soul | 1965
[124] Lou Reed | Berlin | 1973
[125] De La Soul | 3 Feet High and Rising | 1989
[126] Sufjan Stevens | The Age of Adz | 2010
[127] Blur | Parklife | 1994
[128] The Knife | Silent Shout | 2006
[129] The Replacements | Let It Be | 1984
[130] Sly and the Family Stone | Stand! | 1969
[131] Steely Dan | Aja | 1977
[132] Bruce Springsteen | Nebraska | 1982
[133] Robert Wyatt | Rock Bottom | 1974
[134] Bruce Springsteen | Born in the U.S.A. | 1984
[135] Sex Pistols | Never Mind the Bollocks - Here's the Sex Pistols | 1977
[136] The Flaming Lips | Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots | 2002
[137] Sly and the Family Stone | There's a Riot Goin' On | 1971
[138] The Velvet Underground | Loaded | 1970
[139] R.E.M. | Reckoning | 1984
[140] The Velvet Underground | White Light/White Heat | 1968
[141] The Magnetic Fields | 69 Love Songs | 1999
[142] The Beatles | Help! | 1965
[143] Kraftwerk | Trans-Europa Express | 1977
[144] The Jesus and Mary Chain | Psychocandy | 1985
[145] Bob Dylan | The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan | 1963
[146] Brian Eno | Another Green World | 1975
[147] Nick Drake | Bryter Layter | 1970
[148] Daft Punk | Discovery | 2001
[149] The Band | The Band | 1969
[150] Smashing Pumpkins | Siamese Dream | 1993
[151] Bob Marley | Exodus | 1977
[152] Neil Young | On the Beach | 1974
[153] Talking Heads | Fear of Music | 1979
[154] Interpol | Turn On the Bright Lights | 2002
[155] King Crimson | In the Court of the Crimson King | 1969
[156] Roxy Music | For Your Pleasure | 1973
[157] The Smiths | The Smiths | 1984
[158] Antony and The Johnsons | I Am a Bird Now | 2005
[159] Guns N' Roses | Appetite for Destruction | 1987
[160] Janelle Monae | The ArchAndroid | 2010
[161] The Clash | The Clash | 1977
[162] Mercury Rev | Deserter's Songs | 1998
[163] Led Zeppelin | Led Zeppelin II | 1969
[164] Neil Young | Rust Never Sleeps | 1979
[165] Led Zeppelin | Led Zeppelin | 1969
[166] The Who | Tommy | 1969
[167] The Avalanches | Since I Left You | 2000
[168] Ramones | Ramones | 1976
[169] PJ Harvey | Stories From the City, Stories From the Sea | 2000
[170] The Beatles | Let It Be | 1970
[171] PJ Harvey | Let England Shake | 2011
[172] TV on the Radio | Return to Cookie Mountain | 2006
[173] Oasis | Definitely Maybe | 1994
[174] Sigur Rós | Agaetis Byrjun | 1999
[175] The Beach Boys | Surf's Up | 1971
[176] Serge Gainsbourg | Histoire de Melody Nelson | 1971
[177] Wilco | Summerteeth | 1999
[178] Blondie | Parallel Lines | 1978
[179] Led Zeppelin | Physical Graffiti | 1975
[180] Björk | Debut | 1993
[181] John Lennon | Imagine | 1971
[182] Portishead | Third | 2008
[183] The Verve | Urban Hymns | 1997
[184] The Kinks | Something Else by the Kinks | 1967
[185] The National | High Violet | 2010
[186] Primal Scream | Screamadelica | 1991
[187] The United States of America | The United States of America | 1968
[188] Depeche Mode | Violator | 1990
[189] Dave Brubeck Quartet | Time Out | 1959
[190] Weezer | Weezer (The Blue Album) | 1994
[191] Pink Floyd | The Wall | 1979
[192] U2 | War | 1983
[193] Massive Attack | Mezzanine | 1998
[194] Air | Moon Safari | 1998
[195] The Rolling Stones | Aftermath | 1966
[196] Kraftwerk | Die Mensch Maschine | 1978
[197] Wu-Tang Clan | Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) | 1993
[198] The Byrds | The Notorious Byrd Brothers | 1968
[199] The Smiths | Strangeways, Here We Come | 1987
[200] Prince and The Revolution | 1999 | 1982
[201] Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young | Deja Vu | 1970
[202] Kate Bush | Hounds of Love | 1985
[203] The Cure | Seventeen Seconds | 1980
[204] The National | Alligator | 2005
[205] Led Zeppelin | Houses of the Holy | 1973
[206] Coldplay | A Rush of Blood to the Head | 2002
[207] Big Star | #1 Record | 1972
[208] Derek and The Dominos | Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs | 1970
[209] Bruce Springsteen | The Wild, the Innocent & the E Street Shuffle | 1973
[210] Big Star | Radio City | 1974
[211] Miles Davis | Bitches Brew | 1970
[212] The Beatles | A Hard Day's Night | 1964
[213] Massive Attack | Blue Lines | 1991
[214] DJ Shadow | Endtroducing... | 1996
[215] Joni Mitchell | The Hissing of Summer Lawns | 1975
[216] Bon Iver | For Emma, Forever Ago | 2007
[217] R.E.M. | Document | 1987
[218] Franz Ferdinand | Franz Ferdinand | 2004
[219] Michael Jackson | Off the Wall | 1979
[220] Joanna Newsom | Ys | 2006
[221] Weezer | Pinkerton | 1996
[222] LCD Soundsystem | This Is Happening | 2010
[223] King Crimson | Red | 1974
[224] Radiohead | Amnesiac | 2001
[225] The Shins | Chutes Too Narrow | 2003
[226] Scott Walker | Scott 4 | 1969
[227] Tom Waits | Bone Machine | 1992
[228] Neil Young | Tonight's the Night | 1975
[229] Buena Vista Social Club | Buena Vista Social Club | 1997
[230] Hüsker Dü | Zen Arcade | 1984
[231] Iggy and The Stooges | Raw Power | 1973
[232] Spiritualized | Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space | 1997
[233] Björk | Post | 1995
[234] Slint | Spiderland | 1991
[235] Funkadelic | Maggot Brain | 1971
[236] Aretha Franklin | I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You | 1967
[237] M.I.A. | Kala | 2007
[238] Wire | Pink Flag | 1977
[239] Charles Mingus | Mingus Ah Um | 1959
[240] Nas | Illmatic | 1994
[241] David Bowie | Station to Station | 1976
[242] The XX | XX | 2009
[243] Pearl Jam | Ten | 1991
[244] Kraftwerk | Computerwelt | 1981
[245] Violent Femmes | Violent Femmes | 1982
[246] A Tribe Called Quest | The Low End Theory | 1991
[247] Björk | Vespertine | 2001
[248] Pink Floyd | The Piper at the Gates of Dawn | 1967
[249] George Harrison | All Things Must Pass | 1970
[250] R.E.M. | Life's Rich Pageant | 1986
[251] The Millennium | Begin | 1968
[252] Fever Ray | Fever Ray | 2009
[253] Jay-Z | The Blueprint | 2001
[254] The Who | The Who Sell Out | 1967
[255] Can | Tago Mago | 1971
[256] Gang of Four | Entertainment! | 1979
[257] Kanye West | Late Registration | 2005
[258] Bill Evans | Sunday at the Village Vanguard | 1961
[259] Guided by Voices | Bee Thousand | 1994
[260] Beck | Mutations | 1998
[261] The Mothers of Invention | We're Only in It for the Money | 1968
[262] James Brown | 'Live' at the Apollo | 1963
[263] Scott Walker | Scott 3 | 1969
[264] Leonard Cohen | Songs of Love and Hate | 1971
[265] The Jimi Hendrix Experience | Axis: Bold as Love | 1967
[266] LCD Soundsystem | LCD Soundsystem | 2005
[267] OutKast | Speakerboxxx/The Love Below | 2003
[268] Richard and Linda Thompson | I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight | 1974
[269] Queens of the Stone Age | Songs for the Deaf | 2002
[270] Captain Beefheart and His Magic Band | Trout Mask Replica | 1969
[271] Bruce Springsteen | The River | 1980
[272] The Streets | Original Pirate Material | 2002
[273] The Smashing Pumpkins | Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness | 1995
[274] Eagles | Hotel California | 1976
[275] Public Enemy | Fear of a Black Planet | 1990
[276] New Order | Technique | 1989
[277] Madonna | Like a Prayer | 1989
[278] The Beatles | Beatles for Sale | 1964
[279] Joni Mitchell | Hejira | 1976
[280] Miles Davis | In a Silent Way | 1969
[281] Simon and Garfunkel | Bookends | 1968
[282] Prince and The Revolution | Parade | 1986
[283] Elton John | Goodbye Yellow Brick Road | 1973
[284] The Cure | The Head on the Door | 1985
[285] Todd Rundgren | Something/Anything? | 1972
[286] Moby | Play | 1999
[287] The Wrens | The Meadowlands | 2003
[288] Elvis Costello | Armed Forces | 1979
[289] T. Rex | Electric Warrior | 1971
[290] XTC | Skylarking | 1986
[291] Minutemen | Double Nickels on the Dime | 1984
[292] Prefab Sprout | Steve McQueen/Two Wheels Good | 1985
[293] Rod Stewart | Every Picture Tells a Story | 1971
[294] The Go-Betweens | 16 Lovers Lane | 1988
[295] Tim Buckley | Starsailor | 1970
[296] Deerhunter | Halcyon Digest | 2010
[297] Curtis Mayfield | Curtis | 1970
[298] Talking Heads | Talking Heads: 77 | 1977
[299] The Beach Boys | Sunflower | 1970
[300] Paul McCartney and Wings | Band on the Run | 1973
[301] Paul Simon | There Goes Rhymin' Simon | 1973
[302] Pere Ubu | The Modern Dance | 1978
[303] Sufjan Stevens | Michigan | 2003
[304] Tindersticks | Tindersticks | 1993
[305] Liz Phair | Exile in Guyville | 1993
[306] Bob Dylan | Desire | 1976
[307] Dusty Springfield | Dusty in Memphis | 1969
[308] Suicide | Suicide | 1977
[309] Elliott Smith | From a Basement on the Hill | 2004
[310] Van Morrison | Veedon Fleece | 1974
[311] Steely Dan | Pretzel Logic | 1974
[312] The Band | Music from Big Pink | 1968
[313] Peter Gabriel | So | 1986
[314] Super Furry Animals | Rings Around the World | 2001
[315] Coldplay | Parachutes | 2000
[316] Queen | A Night at the Opera | 1975
[317] David Bowie | "Heroes" | 1977
[318] Cat Stevens | Tea for the Tillerman | 1970
[319] Leonard Cohen | I'm Your Man | 1988
[320] Yo La Tengo | I Can Hear the Heart Beating as One | 1997
[321] Grateful Dead | American Beauty | 1970
[322] Modest Mouse | The Moon & Antarctica | 2000
[323] Nirvana | MTV Unplugged in New York | 1994
[324] Radiohead | Hail to the Thief | 2003
[325] Simon and Garfunkel | Parsley, Sage, Rosemary & Thyme | 1966
[326] Talk Talk | Spirit of Eden | 1988
[327] Black Sabbath | Paranoid | 1970
[328] Primal Scream | XTRMNTR | 2000
[329] The Modern Lovers | The Modern Lovers | 1976
[330] Belle and Sebastian | Tigermilk | 1996
[331] Damien Rice | O | 2002
[332] Gorillaz | Demon Days | 2005
[333] Big Star | Third/Sister Lovers | 1978
[334] Talking Heads | More Songs About Buildings and Food | 1978
[335] Bob Marley | Catch a Fire | 1973
[336] Arctic Monkeys | Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not | 2006
[337] Prince | Dirty Mind | 1980
[338] Vampire Weekend | Contra | 2010
[339] The Antlers | Hospice | 2009
[340] Os Mutantes | Os Mutantes | 1968
[341] Sleater-Kinney | The Woods | 2005
[342] Elvis Costello and The Attractions | Imperial Bedroom | 1982
[343] New York Dolls | New York Dolls | 1973
[344] Billy Joel | The Stranger | 1977
[345] Pavement | Wowee Zowee | 1995
[346] Eric Dolphy | Out to Lunch! | 1964
[347] R.E.M. | Out of Time | 1991
[348] AC/DC | Back in Black | 1980
[349] The La's | The La's | 1990
[350] The Original Soundtrack | The Harder They Come | 1972
[351] PJ Harvey | Rid of Me | 1993
[352] The Beach Boys | The Beach Boys Today! | 1965
[353] Tricky | Maxinquaye | 1995
[354] Tracy Chapman | Tracy Chapman | 1988
[355] Sigur Rós | Takk... | 2005
[356] Belle and Sebastian | The Life Pursuit | 2006
[357] Animal Collective | Strawberry Jam | 2007
[358] N.W.A | Straight Outta Compton | 1988
[359] Johnny Cash | At Folsom Prison | 1968
[360] Sleater-Kinney | One Beat | 2002
[361] The Byrds | Sweetheart of the Rodeo | 1968
[362] David Bowie | Scary Monsters | 1980
[363] Miles Davis | Sketches of Spain | 1960
[364] The Cars | The Cars | 1978
[365] John Cale | Paris 1919 | 1973
[366] Sigur Rós | ( ) | 2002
[367] Fleet Foxes | Helplessness Blues | 2011
[368] Modest Mouse | The Lonesome Crowded West | 1997
[369] The Beatles | Please Please Me | 1963
[370] Richard and Linda Thompson | Shoot Out the Lights | 1982
[371] Roxy Music | Roxy Music | 1972
[372] Genius/GZA | Liquid Swords | 1995
[373] The Beatles | With the Beatles/Meet the Beatles! | 1963
[374] The B-52's | The B-52's | 1979
[375] Wire | Chairs Missing | 1978
[376] Sonic Youth | Sister | 1987
[377] Jacques Brel | Ces gens-la | 1966
[378] Dinosaur Jr. | You're Living All Over Me | 1987
[379] The Feelies | Crazy Rhythms | 1980
[380] Beach House | Teen Dream | 2010
[381] Brian Eno | Here Come the Warm Jets | 1973
[382] The Police | Synchronicity | 1983
[383] Big Boi | Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty | 2010
[384] The Original Soundtrack | Saturday Night Fever | 1977
[385] Lou Reed | New York | 1989
[386] Dire Straits | Brothers in Arms | 1985
[387] Tom Waits | Closing Time | 1973
[388] Al Green | Call Me | 1973
[389] The Doors | L.A. Woman | 1971
[390] Herbie Hancock | Maiden Voyage | 1965
[391] Can | Ege Bamyasi | 1972
[392] Cannibal Ox | The Cold Vein | 2001
[393] Morrissey | You Are the Quarry | 2004
[394] Brian Wilson | SMiLE | 2004
[395] Madonna | Ray of Light | 1998
[396] New Order | Power, Corruption & Lies | 1983
[397] Pharoah Sanders | Karma | 1969
[398] The Allman Brothers Band | At Fillmore East | 1971
[399] Animal Collective | Sung Tongs | 2004
[400] Joanna Newsom | The Milk-Eyed Mender | 2004
[401] Howlin' Wolf | Moanin' in the Moonlight | 1959
[402] My Bloody Valentine | Isn't Anything | 1988
[403] Eminem | The Marshall Mathers LP | 2000
[404] Joe Jackson | Look Sharp! | 1979
[405] Bob Marley and The Wailers | Natty Dread | 1974
[406] Burial | Untrue | 2007
[407] Wilco | Sky Blue Sky | 2007
[408] Ramones | Rocket to Russia | 1977
[409] Sinéad O'Connor | I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got | 1990
[410] Laura Nyro | New York Tendaberry | 1969
[411] John Coltrane | Ascension | 1966
[412] Paul Simon | Paul Simon | 1972
[413] Coldplay | Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends | 2008
[414] Chet Baker | Chet Baker Sings | 1954
[415] Metallica | Ride the Lightning | 1984
[416] The Tallest Man on Earth | The Wild Hunt | 2010
[417] Parliament | Mothership Connection | 1975
[418] Built to Spill | Perfect from Now On | 1997
[419] The Divine Comedy | Promenade | 1994
[420] Cults | Cults | 2011
[421] Boards of Canada | Geogaddi | 2002
[422] Stevie Wonder | Fulfillingness' First Finale | 1974
[423] Leonard Cohen | Songs from a Room | 1969
[424] Wilco | Being There | 1996
[425] Deerhunter | Microcastle / Weird Era Cont. | 2008
[426] Johnny Cash | American III: Solitary Man | 2000
[427] Stereolab | Emperor Tomato Ketchup | 1996
[428] Randy Newman | Sail Away | 1972
[429] Elvis Presley | Elvis Presley | 1956
[430] Frank Sinatra | In the Wee Small Hours | 1955
[431] Lauryn Hill | The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill | 1998
[432] The Who | Quadrophenia | 1973
[433] Godspeed You Black Emperor! | Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven | 2000
[434] Madvillain | Madvillainy | 2004
[435] The Shins | Oh, Inverted World | 2001
[436] Supergrass | I Should Coco | 1995
[437] Roxy Music | Avalon | 1982
[438] Van Dyke Parks | Song Cycle | 1968
[439] Portishead | Portishead | 1997
[440] Wire | 154 | 1979
[441] Fairport Convention | Liege and Lief | 1969
[442] Prefab Sprout | Jordan: The Comeback | 1990
[443] PJ Harvey | White Chalk | 2007
[444] Aretha Franklin | Lady Soul | 1968
[445] Bob Marley and The Wailers | Live! | 1975
[446] Red Hot Chili Peppers | Blood Sugar Sex Magik | 1991
[447] Radiohead | The King of Limbs | 2011
[448] Tindersticks | Tindersticks (II) | 1995
[449] Spoon | Kill the Moonlight | 2002
[450] Boston | Boston | 1976
[451] The Tallest Man on Earth | Shallow Grave | 2008
[452] Gram Parsons | Grievous Angel | 1974
[453] Pink Floyd | Meddle | 1971
[454] Patti Smith Group | Easter | 1978
[455] John Coltrane | My Favorite Things | 1961
[456] Van Halen | Van Halen | 1978
[457] Fela and Africa 70 | Zombie | 1977
[458] Bonnie "Prince" Billy | I See a Darkness | 1999
[459] Michael Jackson | Bad | 1987
[460] Tortoise | Millions Now Living Will Never Die | 1996
[461] Dexys Midnight Runners | Searching for the Young Soul Rebels | 1980
[462] The Byrds | Mr. Tambourine Man | 1965
[463] OutKast | Aquemini | 1998
[464] Sleigh Bells | Treats | 2010
[465] The Byrds | Younger Than Yesterday | 1967
[466] Pavement | Brighten the Corners | 1997
[467] Herbie Hancock | Head Hunters | 1973
[468] The Pains of Being Pure at Heart | The Pains of Being Pure at Heart | 2009
[469] Kurt Vile | Smoke Ring For My Halo | 2011
[470] Jorge Ben | A Tábua de Esmeralda | 1974
[471] Joanna Newsom | Have One on Me | 2010
[472] The Chemical Brothers | Dig Your Own Hole | 1997
[473] Animal Collective | Feels | 2005
[474] Bob Dylan | John Wesley Harding | 1967
[475] The Crickets | The "Chirping" Crickets | 1957
[476] Nine Inch Nails | Pretty Hate Machine | 1989
[477] Stan Getz and João Gilberto | Getz/Gilberto | 1964
[478] Captain Beefheart and His Magic Band | Safe as Milk | 1967
[479] Frank Zappa | Hot Rats | 1969
[480] White Noise | An Electric Storm | 1968
[481] The Boo Radleys | Giant Steps | 1993
[482] Gene Clark | No Other | 1974
[483] Pretenders | Pretenders | 1980
[484] Cream | Disraeli Gears | 1967
[485] Bloc Party | Silent Alarm | 2005
[486] Pere Ubu | Dub Housing | 1978
[487] Yes | Close to the Edge | 1972
[488] The Streets | A Grand Don't Come for Free | 2004
[489] Metallica | Master of Puppets | 1986
[490] Kraftwerk | Autobahn | 1974
[491] Neu! | Neu! | 1972
[492] Paul and Linda McCartney | Ram | 1971
[493] Creedence Clearwater Revival | Green River | 1969
[494] Camera Obscura | Let's Get Out Of This Country | 2006
[495] This Heat | Deceit | 1981
[496] Elvis Costello and The Attractions | Get Happy!! | 1980
[497] The Smiths | Meat Is Murder | 1985
[498] Le Mystère des Voix Bulgares | Le Mystère des Voix Bulgares | 1975
[499] Hüsker Dü | New Day Rising | 1985
[500] Led Zeppelin | Led Zeppelin III | 1970
I wouldn't consider myself a Beck fan, but I absolutely adore Sea Changes, however contradictory that may sound. I just haven't been able to get into his other albums. Sea Changes is just a completely different direction in comparison to his previous works.
The revised version is really much better! "Let It Be", "Help!", and even "Please Plase Me" rose astoundingly in more deserving positions representing their quality according to me "Lady Soul" is finally included, with two Aretha Franklin albums now representing this fabulous singer in the Top 500, even in such low rankings. "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" and "Straight Outta Compton" also took serious benefit from this "update" especially the first one. And "Document" is above "Life's Rich Pageant" as well. Whoah, even the Sex Pistols are higher, even not to a rudicilously big rate which should ! Anyway, awesome!
OK, "In Utero" going out for the sake of "Sea Change" is so totally not my cup of tea but it's VanillaFire's preferences, not mine. Some others sadly fell too ("The Clash", "Screamadelica", "Definitely Maybe", "Imagine") but thankfully not much.
There are some fantastic albums in there!
Let me add to the earlier set that I totally agree that Unknown Pleasures is definitely better than Closer.
I'm sad to see Songs in the Key of Life fall so much, and to see it behind (What's the Story) Morning Glory? makes me very, very sad.
Hooray for Transformer's boost. nicolas is right - it captures a scene so well, and there are great songs beyond the big 3. My picks are "Vicious", "Wagon Wheel" and "I'm So Free".
Viva Pubilc Enemy, #1 rap album! Much deserved.
Yeah! Fleet Foxes keep their position in the top 80. It's really good to see that gem of an album ranking among stablished classics like Daydream Nation, Soft Bulletin, Transformer and Morning Glory. The most impressive thing of their music is that they make it seem so easy for everyone to compose and perform those tracks. The first time I heard it in 2008, my first active year on AM, I thought to myself: great to know good albums like this are things that appear every now and then. But no, since then nothing with the same flow and effortless musicality has appeared anymore, even though there are a few more recent albums above it in my own list. And, nicolas, I don't consider that their "jam" moments hurt the album, in fact, it makes for the audition always turning into a pleasing travel. I consider "He Doesn't Know Why" my favorite song of last decade.
Time to make some comments about the top 200-101:
- I don't remember where Fear of Music placed last times, but it was an awesome surprise to see it near the top 150. For me it's one of the most underrated albums ever, topping even the unique Remain In Light. The Heads appear there at their most urgent, creating a threatening climate that I have never found in another album. Sometimes it really seems the music is persecuting you (Cities, Memories Can't Wait, Air), while Heaven must be their most poignant song.
- Didn't expect to see Reckoning so high. I also consider it R.E.M's best album after their 2 big ones.
- Well, even if I had a little hope of seeing Parklife back to top 100, I accept it's rank. At least it looks to have stablished a position among the classic ones, in the contrary of other Britpop acts that seem to be fading as time passes. It has been my all time #2 for half a decade (I began listening to "music" in 2005) and can't see it going down.
- Of course the hugest surprise of it all is Vampire Weekend at #118. I always thought I was a bit alone in liking that album so much. Like VanillaFire1000 has said, much of it's appeal comes from it's way of combining afropop melodies and textures to their new wave influences, creating a beautiful musical landscape as well as a fresh and clean sound. Now get this style and with it create perfect pop tracks like "Boston", the synthy "One", the running "Walcott", the soaring-savannah-feel "The Kids Don't Stand a Chance", not to mention the 5 leading and almost equally acclaimed tracks, and then you have one of the masterpieces of last decade. Many may consider I'm exagerating for such a recent album, but it has been slowly rising in my all time list since it's discovery until surprisingly reaching the top 10 this time.
- Glad to see Paul's Boutique as the 2nd best '80s rap album. Another one I didn't expect to see this high.
- Last, another of my deceptions was the fall of Surfer Rosa, which had been near number 50 in the last two polls. I consider it a much better and more cohesive piece than Doolittle.
I am disheartened at the drop of Loveless. Absolutely the disappointment of the poll for me; I was hoping it would rise at least into the top 40.
Even after 40+ listens, by far more than any other album since in the last three or so years, Loveless is a magical experience every time. Its sound is simply more beautiful, more fully realized than any album I've heard. It flows together incredibly well as a front-to-back experience while also having massive standouts "Soon," "To Here Knows When," and "Sometimes." This album is number one with a bullet for me, far ahead of the rest of my top 10. It's hard to anticipate it being passed for any reason other than wearing it out. Not to say nothing could ever be better, but it would take true musical paradise to beat this out.
I cringe every time a journalist compares a new band to MBV. Give me a break. No one's come close to this. Other dream-pop/shoegaze standouts like Souvlaki or A Strangely Isolated Place may use similar techniques, but nothing can capture the emotional intensity or production of Loveless for me.
PopMatters had a great article about Loveless as part of its recent series on Nevermind and 1991 music. I usually am turned off by this much hyperbole being applied to music, but Loveless really deserves it.
70-61
I'm quite surprised by Wish you Were Here in the top 100, but if it's your choice...
Rumors and Bridge Over Troubled Water prove that soft rock has a real place here in this forum. It seems there's a silent group of soft rock lovers (because we hear many comments about albums from the 00's but few about the others.
The rise of Tom Waits is an excellent thing. I never understood why Swordfishtrombones, although excellent (my #211 but only my 5th favorite Tom Waits album) is his most acclaimed album. Rain Dogs IMO is far more better, and this forum knows it too. An incredible album, like an aquarium of strange and beautiful songs and characters. Like Ry Cooder, Tom is an archeologist of music, and in Rain Dogs you can hear the music of all the different nations that made America. It's rock, it's country, it's blues, it's Gypsy, and as in any good Tom Waits the ballads ("Time", "Hang Down Your Head") are highlights. And Tom Waits is a fantastic lyricist too. BTW it was my #7. Nad as a gift, Marc Ribot's guitar (ahh "Jockey Full Of Bourbon") inspired by Waits' strange instructions in the studio ("play that song like it's the bar mitzvah of a dwarf")
Sound Of Silver (#191) : epic and hectic, another great NY album. The last track, in contrast with the rest, is totally beautiful.
Public Enemy (214) was almost in my top 200 and I'm happy to see them here.
I have a problem with Costello and after reading such a vibrant review of "Loveless" by jackson, I'm a little embarrassed to say that it's my second least favorite album of this top 100 (after Unknown Pleasures). You can't like everything, can you ?
Great group of albums here. I wouldn't say I'm the biggest Tom Waits fan (no albums in my top 200) but I understand his importance to music. Loveless and Wish You Were Here are two albums that have grown on me considerably in the past year. After disliking Pink Floyd my entire life, something just clicked with me. Maybe that will happen soon with Zeppelin, but I doubt it. But MBV created a record that is just a sonic assault to your head. Just hearing the intro to "Only Shallow" is like getting synesthesia.
Good to see Bridge over Troubled Water move up this year.
Someday Tom Waits will stop being the hip artist to like just like Beefheart used to be. His music annoys me to no end. Yes, even here like Rym I am ruthless!
Jackson, you managed to pick the only good Fleetwood Mac song ("Rhianon") not from Rumours for the quote.
Tom Waits ? Hip artist ? Find something else, John ! I'm a fan since 1986
Among roots musicians, he's a sort of God. And he's much more talented than Beefhart. Probably one of the best on stage. Too bad you can't get past his voice Henry. My grandma was like that too. Seriously, he's probably the living artist I admire the most along with the Boss. A scholar on music. And what a funny guy !
Hey guys am I gonna be the only 1 to defend Tom Waits ? Rise up and speak !
I actually Tom Waits a lot more than Beefheart. Both "Rain Dogs" and "Swordfishtrombones" were in my top 200. The first Tom Waits song I heard was "Underground" and the instant the vocals kicked in I wanted nothing more than to shut the song off. Now I love his vocals. His music sets a very particular scene, and his vocals are essential for that scene to properly work. I guess all I can say is that his vocals are an acquired taste.
Apparently the critic Daniel Durchholz described his vocals as sounding like "like it was soaked in a vat of bourbon, left hanging in the smokehouse for a few months, and then taken outside and run over with a car."
This just goes to prove that nj is actually Marvel Comics' Dead Pool.
I'm pretty sure the "forum" doesn't exist at all.
Try to find it when the morphine wears off.
I like Swordfishtrombones more than Rain Dogs, only for the reason that there were attempts of creating something accessible. Swordfishtrombones was career defining for Waits, and Rain Dogs was an extension of that success. The thing is, (as unreasonable as it may sound), I don't enjoy long albums, especially ones which are intended to be difficult and messy/sprawling. Double albums are usually only bearable if they are intended to be seperate pieces of art like Hounds of Love. One of the reasons why I love Nick Drake's Pink Moon is the running length of 28 minutes!
ps: no Nick Cave album in the t500 (both 1.0 and 1.1)...... sooo
is he the REAL VOTESPLITTER after all?? (shushh.... don't tell Hasbro)
Hooray for Sound of Silver and This Year's Model! Great, great albums, those!
As for Tom Waits, I much prefer Swordfishtrombones to Rain Dogs. Rain Dogs is good, but Swordfishtrombones makes me feel like I've woken up in a twisted carnival with no way out, and I like the feeling!
"We shine like a burning star"
[60] U2 | Achtung Baby | 1991
Points: 2144 | Votes: 22 | AM Rank: 82 | 2009 Poll Rank: 52 (-8)
Biggest Fan: Penguin (10)
"You know the day destroys the night"
[59] The Doors | The Doors | 1967
Points: 2149 | Votes: 26 | AM Rank: 24 | 2009 Poll Rank: 71 (+12)
Biggest Fan: Listyguy (13)
"In another world, in another time"
[58] Van Morrison | Astral Weeks | 1968
Points: 2213 | Votes: 23 | AM Rank: 15 | 2009 Poll Rank: 35 (-23)
Biggest Fan: Antonius (1)
"I want a shot at redemption"
[57] Paul Simon | Graceland | 1986
Points: 2228 | Votes: 20 | AM Rank: 76 | 2009 Poll Rank: 69 (+12)
Biggest Fans: Marc, VanillaFire1000 (1)
"You were right about the stars
Each one is a setting sun"
[56] Wilco | Yankee Hotel Foxtrot | 2002
Points: 2231 | Votes: 22 | AM Rank: 71 | 2009 Poll Rank: 70 (+14)
Biggest Fan: Jonathan (6)
"Not everyone can carry the weight of the world"
[55] R.E.M. | Murmur | 1983
Points: 2258 | Votes: 21 | AM Rank: 65 | 2009 Poll Rank: 46 (-9)
Biggest Fan: Andre (3)
"I will sit right down, waiting for the gift of sound and vision"
[54] David Bowie | Low | 1977
Points: 2258 | Votes: 24 | AM Rank: 89 | 2009 Poll Rank: 39 (-15)
Biggest Fan: Stephen (7)
"Give me a reason to love you"
[53] Portishead | Dummy | 1994
Points: 2258 | Votes: 25 | AM Rank: 70 | 2009 Poll Rank: 60 (+7)
Biggest Fan: Henrik (2)
"She was more like a beauty queen from a movie scene"
[52] Michael Jackson | Thriller | 1982
Points: 2264 | Votes: 23 | AM Rank: 27 | 2009 Poll Rank: 62 (+10)
Biggest Fan: Georgie (9)
"I want to belong to the living"
[51] Joni Mitchell | Blue | 1971
Points: 2292 | Votes: 21 | AM Rank: 48 | 2009 Poll Rank: 61 (+10)
Biggest Fan: Stephen (1)
My two cents on the last bunch:
Achtung Baby: Listening to it for the first time now. The presence of "One" had turned me off to it, but thankfully there are much better songs on here. I definitely like it more than The Joshua Tree.
The Doors: This album is a classic in every sense of the word. Sublimely psychedelic at times.
Astral Weeks: In what world is this worse than Moondance? This should be a universal classic that finishes in the top 20. "Sweet Thing" and the title track are just ridiculously good. I'd like to hear why anyone doesn't like this album.
Graceland: Not my cup of tea, but I definitely see why people like it.
Yankee Hotel Foxtrot: This towers over the rest of their output IMO. One Beat passed it recently as my favorite of 2002, but this album still finished as my number 70.
Murmur: Never gotten into it. I've always like R.E.M.'s big songs but never their albums. More on that later in the poll.
Low: Bowie's best IMO. One of the few albums that successfully pulls off having two completely different sounding sides.
Dummy: This album will only rise with time. The perfect nighttime listen.
Thriller: No one else will say it, so I'm going to: this is an important, massive album, but not a great one in this kind of company. The singles are great of course, but too many songs are just unlistenable.
Blue: Jury's still out on this one, only heard it for the first time recently.
Low:
This is a bit of a meh bunch. Low is fantastic and I also really like The Doors, although it is slipping a bit in my esteem. I agree that Thriller is out of its depth here. MJ has at 3 albums better than it, I think. Dummy is a funny one. I enjoy it more than I expect when it's on, but I never get the urge to play it. Achtung Baby is good and better than The Joshua Tree, but I like Zooropa even better.
61-70 is a great bunch. I'm surprised how high both the big Waits albums finished, but they're both in my top 20. Wish You Were Here is easily my favorite Floyd.
51-60 isn't as strong. I love Blue, but generally that group, IMO, are 'Most acclaimed albums' by groups who have much better albums.
60-51
I stopped paying attention to U2 after The Joshua Tree. I don't really know why. I have no memory of Achtung Baby except for One a great song I re-discovered through JOhnny Cah's cover.
I have nothing to add to Jackson's comment on The Doors (my #32). You summed it up.
Astral Weeks : to add to Jackson's pertinent comment, I will say that this album is very unique and special (Van's vocals, the arrangements), and like Tom Waits, can also repel. But like on Wait's albums, just take away the vocals and the musical setting and the album loses its appeal. The first seconds of "Beside You" always send a shiver down my spine. And the title track...
Graceland (#173) : a heart choice. I remember when it came out, in the climax of the anti-apartheid movement. I like how Paul Simon mixes Africa and America (great Louisiana influence too) here, without being too head-on politically. The music speaks for itself. that's why I could get over those beatboxes (why not using a real drummer ? or is it a real drummer with tons of effects and reverb on the drum sound? at last in 1995 they gave up putting reverb on the drums). And the invention of Vampire Weekend.
Yankee Hotel Foxtrot : Wilco second best album (Jonathon, I'm invoking you )
Murmur not my kind of R.E.M. album. I prefer the early 90s REM.
Low : Hipsters
Dummy I love the songs but Beth Gibbons is too depressed for me. Nah, it's beautiful.
Thriller : Hey, I like "The Girl Is mIne", even if it is a stupid song. This album is very difficult to rank. My criteria are usually 90 % pleasure and 10 % musical importance. THriller is more 50-50. Some songs are dated ("The Lady in My Life"), and Off the Wall is musically superior IMO but it was so huge when it came out that it symbolises the 80s to me. And "Billie Jean" is one of my very very favorite songs. The only record I remember being so huge was Nevermind. Everybody was talking about it. So it ended up at #114 in my list (behind Off the Wall)
Blue / Hipst.. (no, the best jokes are the shorter). I don't get that woman's music, but I recognize her trmendous influence. That said, Blue is my favorite Joni album (and all-time #441). Some great songs there ("Little Green" is a splendor). I'm a little irritated by her voice and her egocentrism, but I owe that record a new chance.
Wow Portishead's self-titled is good. I can see why Dummy and Third are ranked higher, but the gap shouldn't be nearly as wide. Anyone who likes Dummy should like the s/t. Can't believe it took me this long to hear it.
I'm pretty pleased with where Blue was placed in this list. I firmly believe it's my favourite record of all time.
There has never been such a geniune album like Blue. It's deeply personal and depicts Joni at her most fragile state. Joni says "The Blue album, there's hardly a dishonest note in the vocals. At that period of my life, I had no personal defenses. I felt like a cellophane wrapper on a pack of cigarettes. I felt like I had absolutely no secrets from the world and I couldn't pretend in my life to be strong. Or to be happy. But the advantage of it in the music was that there were no defenses there either."
I can understand why Joni would be irritated being compared to the likes of Bob Dylan as legendary as he may be - as Joni would put it: "We are like day and night, he and I". I love Bob Dylan's work but his career has been built on deception and numerous personas. Not that there is anything wrong with that, but if anything it's the complete opposite to Joni's music.
The lyric from "All My Friends" is definitely "I wouldn't trade one stupid decision for another five years of life."
allright replace "soft rock" with "mainstream 70s pop/rock" or "records from your parents' collection"
and I might be the only one here who didn't know that "In The Aeroplane" was a concept album about Anne Frank
Here we go with the top 50:
"When a rocket ship explodes
And everybody still wants to fly"
[50] Prince | Sign 'O' the Times | 1987
Points: 2324 | Votes: 21 | AM Rank: 26 | 2009 Poll Rank: 53 (+3)
Biggest Fan: Moonbeam (6)
"The Earth looks better from a star
That's right above from where you are"
[49] Neutral Milk Hotel | In the Aeroplane Over the Sea | 1998
Points: 2376 | Votes: 22 | AM Rank: 490 | 2009 Poll Rank: 40 (-9)
Biggest Fans: Penguin, SR (1)
"We were born before the wind"
[48] Van Morrison | Moondance | 1970
Points: 2397 | Votes: 24 | AM Rank: 94 | 2009 Poll Rank: 68 (+20)
Biggest Fan: Otisredding (3)
"Well I stand up next to a mountain
And I chop it down with the edge of my hand"
[47] The Jimi Hendrix Experience | Electric Ladyland | 1968
Points: 2423 | Votes: 22 | AM Rank: 22 | 2009 Poll Rank: 31 (-16)
Biggest Fan: Billadama (3)
"It's just a shot away"
[46] The Rolling Stones | Let It Bleed | 1969
Points: 2588 | Votes: 27 | AM Rank: 36 | 2009 Poll Rank: 34 (-12)
Biggest Fan: Antonius (16)
I'm shocked Electric Ladyland and Let It Bleed both fell.
The thing about Tom Waits is, if rough vocals and noise are deal-breakers, you're just not going to like him. For me, he's a master at combining rootsy influences in his own idiosyncratic, textured way. He's got a massive emotional range, let everything he feels at you can come from nobody but him.
I do like Portishead's self-titled, I just don't think it stands out. It's similar to Dummy only comes off like they're trying harder and are less emotionally invested.
And of course, everyone who disagrees with me has nefarious motives!
Hey guys, don(t you think that "shocked" is a little too much of a word ? it's just a music list.
Chose the correct answer :an AMer is shocked
1)because of the Israelo-Palestinian conflict
2)because of the government debt rising and rising
3)because of the situation in Somalia
3)because Electric Ladyland has moved down to #47 in the all time album poll
It seems like we're seeing, with Hendrix and the Stone, alot of shake-up in this range compared to the last poll. It will be interesting to see if that favors 00s albums or if more older classics are seen better.
50-41
Sign O the times (my #53): Open house at Paisley Park. I love double albums, especially made by geniuses, but I'm also happy Purple Rain is ahead.
In the Aeroplane Over the Sea : I pass cause I think I only heard it once and I remember a mix of good and bad moments, but it was just one listen 4 years ago or so. One album I'd never heard of before joining AMF.
Moondance (63) the more accessible nature of this album explains it is slightly above Astral Weeks. As a matter of fact, I placed it higher my self but it was a mistake (i f...ed up with Moonbeam's program and the middle of my list wasn't right). Fantastic moments here too and also a great blue-eyed soul unity and cohesion.
Electric Ladyland 21 : My favorite Hendrix. A fully accomplished and personal album where Hendrix moves away from the classic pop format. And what he does with a guitar (in terms of sound, not only virtuosity) is amazing.
Let It Bleed 94 : All the 1968-72 RS tetralogy is almost in my top 100 (Sticky Fingers is at #104). I place it third after Beggars end Exile. But all these albums are one. They revisit roots music like no one did.
yeah, and I was joking too about AMers, including myself in the process , so please do not take any of my words too seriously. I meant to entertain, not to judge.
That is beyond my vocabulary competences... Or not ?
Here are some omissions that I am surprised by so far (that I would be just as surprised if they popped up in the top 50):
AC/DC - Highway to Hell
Bob Dylan - Time Out of Mind; Love and Theft; Modern Times
Eminem - The Eminem Show
Green Day - Dookie; American Idiot
MGMT - Oracular Spectacular
Metallica - Metallica (The Black Album)
Alanis Morissette - Jagged Little Pill
Pink Floyd - Animals
Robert Plant & Alison Krauss - Raising Sand
U2 - All That You Can't Leave Behind; How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb; The Unforgettable Fire
Dennis Wilson - Pacific Ocean Blue
A shock involves some sort of surprise, which those really aren't.
Daniel: None of those are really surprising though.
"You used to be alright
What happened?"
[45] Radiohead | In Rainbows | 2007
Points: 2603 | Votes: 23 | AM Rank: 127 | 2009 Poll Rank: 65 (+20)
Biggest Fan: Gillingham (1)
"Ticking away the moments that make up the dull day"
[44] Pink Floyd | The Dark Side of the Moon | 1973
Points: 2618 | Votes: 24 | AM Rank: 21 | 2009 Poll Rank: 25 (-19)
Biggest Fan: Henry (4)
"I don't have to sell my soul"
[43] The Stone Roses | The Stone Roses | 1989
Points: 2625 | Votes: 23 | AM Rank: 55 | 2009 Poll Rank: 33 (-10)
Biggest Fan: Kingoftonga (1)
"People often change, but memories of people can remain"
[42] The Kinks | The Kinks Are The Village Green Preservation Society | 1968
Points: 2627 | Votes: 25 | AM Rank: 187 | 2009 Poll Rank: 51 (+9)
Biggest Fan: Jackson (2)
"It's the freakiest show"
[41] David Bowie | Hunky Dory | 1971
Points: 2632 | Votes: 26 | AM Rank: 62 | 2009 Poll Rank: 66 (+25)
Biggest Fan: Fred (8)
My take on the last ten:
Sign o the Times: I really, really need to listen to this. Pretty sure I'd like it more than Purple Rain.
In the Aeroplane over the Sea: The first half of this album surprises me with just how good it is. "Holland, 1945" is a blistering track.
Moondance: I love Astral Weeks, but don't care for this at all. I want to like it, but the primal emotional intensity just isn't here with this outing.
Electric Ladyland: Some of his best tracks, but I rarely if ever listen to it all the way through. Maybe it's time for another spin.
Let it Bleed: The opening track is the Stones' all-time best, but you can give or take the rest.
In Rainbows: Radiohead's most overrated album by far. Only a few tracks (15 Steps, Reckoner, Jigsaw Falling into Place) are memorable and on the same plane as their 1997-2001 run.
Dark Side of the Moon: Meh.
The Stone Roses: Great songs, I just wish some of the sounds and production techniques weren't so dated. The last few songs rule.
The Kinks: What can I say, it's my #2 overall. I think Village Green has the best lyrics of any album. Often oversimplified to being an album about old English life, this album is a fascinating take on nostalgia and our place in the world. Davies is incredible at making his points through character studies and stories, and with this album he retains his wittiness while touching on serious issues. The title track, "Do You Remember Walter," and "Big Sky" are the lyrical standouts. It's unbelievable what this album accomplishes in such a short running time.
Hunky Dory: The only Bowie classic I don't like. Life on Mars is outstanding, the rest leaves me unmoved and often moves into cheesiness.
Humor and translation...
The French verb choquer has the same meaning as appal. He doesn't really implies any surprise. But I thought you'd get the picture. What was supposed to be a light joke about our nerdness became a big flop.
Now let's move on. All the comments are the property of their author.
In Rainbows so high seems a little exagerated, but that's my opinion and I'm no 00s expert. I'm shocked . Do Radiohead really deserve 3 albums in the top 50 ? Magnifying glass effect ? Or is it me ? Or did they come too late for me ? (possible explanation). But, to tell the truth, I find them too serious. Where's the fun with these guys ? I like when I sense that people take pleasure in making music. Not that I don't like this record (it should be in my top 400).
Dark Side is better than the sum of its parts. I have many good memories with this album. Incredible.
Stone Roses Who ????? pass
Village Green missed my list. Not by far though. As I said it's difficult to get the words without reading them, and listening to songs without paying attention to the lyrics has become a habit even if my English has improved.
Hunky Dory same comment as for Dark Side. one of the records of my twenties. I'm a big fan of early Bowie, before he turned into a machine.
And Dan, you're spot on about Tom Waits. He's the ultimate roots rock musician, because he could create something new and unique with old material.
Tom Waits: I can see why hipsters like his music. It’s theatrical and over-the-top in a weird enough way and his voice puts enough people off, so it’s cool to like him. But to associate a modern concept like “hipster” with music that often sounds as old as time itself doesn’t really make sense to me. It’s this ancient-sounding, earthy quality that I like most about Waits’ music. Rain Dogs and Swordfishtrombones may be surreal and obscure but at their core they are both roots records. And the wildly creative way Tom Waits twists and bends roots music is distinctive and unique and at its most thrilling on these two 80s gems. As for his “gravelly” voice, gravel = sand and rock = earth, so for me it compliments his music and just adds to his appeal.
Rumours and Bridge Over Troubled Water: Needless to say, there’s nothing hipster about either of these two, and it’s nice to see the relatively high placement of two such uncool but marvellous albums.
70-61
I like Pink Floyd ("The Wall" is their most mature and spellbinding work if you ask me) but all that bucketload talk from critics citing them among the greatest bands ever just isn't for me. Their early work hasn't aged that well and their latest (meaning everything they made after "The Wall") is too boring and unimaginative to be described. "Wish You Were Here" is very fine but yet not anything groundbreaking or shockingly perfect.
I dislike Belle and Sebastian but I won't expand this issue...
Though I should be happy for two of my all-time favorites making the 100 I am having a bitter aftertaste. "It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back" ultimately, finally, extraordinaringly defined the very standards of the hip-hop/rap sound. That of course wouldn't be much if it wasn't such an astounding explosion in terms of innovation in the structure of music itself. Never before has an album been so much centered to its lyrics. Few other albums have been so edgy in terms of views about politics and social issues, furthermore combined with the ingenious, full of rage and ready-to-attack-and-swipe-it-all tunes. And the gigantic amount of sampling works greatly as a touch of pop-culture referencial trivia, revealing not only their very own influences and roots but also blinking the eye to an older crowd. Since then, no Dr. Dre, Eminem or Kanye West has surpassed or will ever surpass this. Nor will anyone from any other music genre at least for a very long time.
Now about "This Year's Model", it's just so damn addictive. OK, far from being the only one reason it's in such a high place in my heart, it does contain the most creative, "songy", catchy, playful, exciting and energetic sum of songs than every other record I have ever listened to. 33 years on, it still sounds very ahead of its time. Aside the fact that Costello himself seems like he was born to do those vocals played on this music. From the very first seconds "No Action" plays, it drags me immediately down to a very special, almost outlandish music universe. "Radio Radio" personally is my favorite from this big collection of fabulous tunes, the most rebellious one, with absolutely perfect songwriting and being in general among my all time favorite songs (not that I have made a list or something, but I would include it if I had one anyway ).
To the rest, I'm far from being a Waits fanboy (with "Swordfishtrombones" able to be in my Top 20 "I don't get the love it gets" list, also if I had one ) but "Rain Dogs" is rightfully above the forementioned album, an atmospherical and very enjoayble piece of work, even to a person not very familiar with this singer.
Happy for the emotional and astounding "Sound Of Silver" being in such a high rank (though not the finest of the LCD Soundsystem's fantastic discography) and for "Bridge Over Troubled Water" of course, the magnus opus of a band which somehow belongs to the '60s mostly. "Loveless" is absolutely amazing too, although it could be somewhat lower.
60-51
OK, "Achtung Baby" touches a great amount of epicness especially at some moments ("Even Better Than The Real Thing", "The Fly") but it somewhat sounds too self-conscious like "Oh, come on babe, I'm a masterpiece" and therefore not as accomplished or balances as "War" and, obviously, "The Joshua Tree".
All hail "The Doors"! The ultimate listen to gain experience in pure psychedelic music and probably the best of its genre. Very dark but not depressive, totally ambitious but not overblown, it might just be also one of the greatest (if not THE greatest) album debuts of all time. So much that in fact no other of their works touched such levels of quality-though I have to admit I liked "L.A. Woman" a lot.
Well, now about "Thriller", what needs to be said that it hasn't been mentioned before? Just repeating the obvious: endless appreciation to Jackson's absolute killer tunes, not ignoring his soul past ("Human Nature") or the era's rise of the hard rock genre ("Beat It"). But "Thriller" is not an element combination work: at the end, what remains is a highly refreshing, very exhilarating pop sound that, unfortunately, had the bad luck to be copy-pasted a hundred-thousand times from very poor artists of the mainstream MTV kind in terms of "homage". Whatever, this one will remain a classic for the ages, those brats whoever their names are not. And no, this goes way back, a long time ago before Justin Bieber, just to mention.
"Graceland" to me is the classical case of lyrics being so mind-blowingly well written but the music being not as much epic. Anyway it's really great and admittedly Simon's best solo work. "Astral Weeks" is very melodical and beautiful too, but just not exactly my kind of preference.
Actually, I would have expected Pacific Ocean Blue to land somewhere in the 300-400 range, based on it's success in the first Moderate.
I'm surprised to see Village Green Preservation Society as high as it is.
Oasis has lots of great singles, but in my opinion, no complete great albums.
The problem with Britpop is that whenever there's a great Britpop band, the British recording industry decides that every Britpop album must copy it. Meanwhile the British press is putting so much pressure on them to carry the Beatles flag that anything the record industry will let them record is automatically a disappointment.
@Nicolas
You know The Bends hasn't come out yet, right?
I was hoping NMH would crack the T30, I guess it wasn't meant to be. I'm also surprised by drops from Jimi Hendrix and The Rolling Stones. The high finish by Village Green Preservation Society is nice though.
50-45
Prince at his most mature and contemplative moment, with an impressively minimalistic use of beats ("Sign 'O' The Times" itself as the greatest example of that, awesome lyrics too) and yet it's 50? OK it's not like the Sex Pistols thing but I expected it just a lil' bit higher. I think Moonbeam agrees too
Moondance>Astral Weeks glad to see it in the poll too.
"Electric Ladyland" to me is a monument to rock 'n' roll music. A masterpiece. Not only it is witness to Hendrix at the absolute perfection of his guitar technique, there are a lot of songs that test the very barrier between mainstream, commercial guitar sound and highly experimental, difficult-to-get additions that are so harmonically combined they can be hardly imagined as separate ("1983... A Merman I Should Turn To Be", "Voodoo Chile (Slight Return)". I would rank it into a Top 20 without a doubt.
"Let It Bleed" is also exceptional and the Stones' record with the most authentic rock'n'roll feeling of them all (despite the elements of country and soul in "You Can't Always Get What You Want" which of course are not unwelcome at all). Better to me than "Exile In Main St.".
...In Rainbows? Really? Ahead of albums like Sign O The Times? Wow.
And there's three more to come...
I'm guessing the Bends will come out in the next batch, Kid A in the 25-30 batch, and Ok Computer in the last batch.
So Let It Bleed is considered the worst of the 1968-1972 Stones albums? Very interesting, because I utterly love Let it Bleed (Midnight Rambler is as close to perfect as you can get, epitomising everything I love about the Stones), and I've yet to really listen to Sticky Fingers and Exile.
I've bitched about it before, and I'll probably bitch about it again:
Radiohead is soooo overrated.
In Rainbows coming close to beating The Dark Side of the Moon, and Beating some great album (In utero, Grace, The Doors, ect.) is sickening.
And the Bends and Kid A are both unworthy of the top 50.
And Ok Computer shouldn't be number 1.
My guess is that Ok Computer will probably take the top spot *Roll of the eyes*. I like Radiohead, but I think we have a little bit of unbalance here.
@BIllAdama : No, I didn't realize that The Bends were in the top 40. that's even more ridiculous IMO. But not surprising. Thank you for telling me I won't be shocked
That just means that like the Beatles, the Stones or Dylan, Radiohead has become a solid reference and common ground for a lot of us (I only had OK Computer in the 70-80 section, especially the youngest (I wish there were age/country statistics). And that they released a sufficient number of acclaimed albums to place 4 of them in the top 50.
I'm really happy that the 4 great Rollling Stones albums of the 68-72 tetralogy are in the top 50 (or 60 I don't remember).
@Jackson : I'd love to have the spreadshett when this will be over. You can send it to Henrik and he'll post it on the site.
I think I had never listened to Astral Weeks, because Moondance made a weak impression of me. Obviously it was a mistake, the best songs on Astral Weeks sound like uplifted Nick Drake tracks. I guess this could become a strong grower (and become the 11th 60s album in my top 200 ?)
By the way, there would be 2 new entries if I did my list today : Pieces of a Man by Gil-Scott Heron and Computer World by Kraftwerk.
Another thing : with Björk kicked out after the Vanillafire update, there is no album from outside the Anglo-saxon world in the top 100.
That doesn't feel right.
"I want to tear down the walls that hold me inside"
[40] U2 | The Joshua Tree | 1987
Points: 2668 | Votes: 25 | AM Rank: 38 | 2009 Poll Rank: 36 (-4)
Biggest Fan: Chris K, Marc (5)
"Please allow me to introduce myself"
[39] The Rolling Stones | Beggars Banquet | 1968
Points: 2704 | Votes: 25 | AM Rank: 30 | 2009 Poll Rank: 49 (+10)
Biggest Fan: Gillingham (3)
"I won't forget to put roses on your grave"
[38] The Rolling Stones | Sticky Fingers | 1971
Points: 2762 | Votes: 25 | AM Rank: 43 | 2009 Poll Rank: 47 (+9)
Biggest Fan: Listyguy (7)
"You don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows"
[37] Bob Dylan | Bringing It All Back Home | 1965
Points: 2808 | Votes: 29 | AM Rank: 73 | 2009 Poll Rank: 41 (+4)
Biggest Fan: DavidM (2)
"If I could be who you wanted all the time"
[36] Radiohead | The Bends | 1995
Points: 2812 | Votes: 25 | AM Rank: 86 | 2009 Poll Rank: 44 (+8)
Biggest Fan: Dr. Robert (1)
great to see The Joshua Tree in the top 40! it's #8 on my all time list and has grown on me a lot! i still haven't heard The Unforgettable Fire, but i guess it's pretty damn close to it.
I was happy to see two album in my top 10 (Bringing it All Back Home and Sticky Fingers) until I saw The Bends right ahead of them.
At least Sticky Fingers took 2 for the Stones albums.
[40] U2 | The Joshua Tree | 1987
My number 187. The first side is impressing. I'm happpy it beat Achtung. nj, are you all right ?
[39] The Rolling Stones | Beggars Banquet | 1968
My number 27 and favorite Stones album, not only for the hits (Sympathy, Street Fighting) but for the fantastic acoustic blues songs (Dear Dr and Prodigal Son)
[38] The Rolling Stones | Sticky Fingers | 1971
My number 108. Great album, more produced than the others of the tetralogy. More electric.
[37] Bob Dylan | Bringing It All Back Home | 1965
my number 137 and the 5th of 6 Dylan albums in my list.
[36] Radiohead | The Bends | 1995
This is too much.
#37... well, i don't mind Beat musicians at all. i truly love Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich and The Paintermen.
But this Dylan guy really stretches it with his "demanding" voice and his cold lyrics... well, i guess, i'm not underground enough after all to get his "grooves"