www.Definitive200.com or www.RockHall.com

Will be revealed March 6.

It will be a ranked list. An ad appears in the new Entertainment Weekly, so we know at least 8 of them. :)

(how they appear in the ad)

Madonna, Madonna
David Bowie, Ziggy Stardust
Al Green, Let's Stay Together
The Who, Tommy
Stevie Wonder, Songs in the Key of Life
Bob Dylan, Highway 61 Revisited
Santana, Supernatural
The Doors, The Doors

A committee of music retailers came up withthe list. Actually a good way to promote the *album* in this digital age.


NARM, Hall Of Fame To Unveil 'Definitive 200'
January 22, 2007 - Retail

by Ed Christman, N.Y.
Billboard.com

In March, the National Assn. of Recording Merchandisers and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, working together, will launch the Definitive 200 campaign aimed at promoting the most commercial or critically successful albums in history.

Beginning March 6, the albums on the list -- which should be in everyone's music collection, according to the two organizations -- will be highlighted at retail stores nationwide. The promotion will be enhanced by artist appearances and live performances.

"If it's in the Definitive 200, you can be assured that the CD is a classic, with enduring relevance," says NARM president Jim Donio. "This list came from the retailers' perspective. Both new and old titles, from rock, country, soul, everything. These are the albums that our members have seen, over time, continue to move people and be a significant part of their lives."

NARM members have nearly 7,000 outlets and represent 85% of U.S. music sales. The list, which will exclude greatest hits albums, is apparently timed to coincide with the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction dinner, which will be held on March 12 in New York. The promotion will get an additional boost in New York -- March 12 will be declared "Definitive 200 Day" by Mayor Bloomberg, according to a joint press release issued by the two organizations.

"We are pleased to be working with NARM's retailers and music labels to bring the Definitive 200 to the public so people have the opportunity to add to -- or replace -- their collections with the music that has defined our times," says Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation CEO and president Joel Peresman.

The Definitive 200 campaign primarily celebrates the art form of the album, which is in contrast to the growing popularity of single song downloads that are now so popular in the digital era.

------------------------------------------------------
Brian Wilson to Perform Songs From the Beach Boys' Legendary 'Pet Sounds' Album

Promotion Highlights 200 of Popular Music's Greatest Albums

LOS ANGELES, Feb. 23 /PRNewswire/ -- NARM, the National Association of Recording Merchandisers, and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame have announced
they will co-host, along with EMI Music Marketing, a special press conference to introduce the "Definitive 200;" a list of 200 classic albums and soundtracks selected by music retailers that should be in every music collection. The ranked list will be revealed on the morning of March 6, when the nationwide promotion begins at retail stores across America.

"It's only fitting that we be joined at our press conference on March 7 heralding the Definitive 200 promotion by a living musical legend who is the creative genius behind one of the greatest albums ever made," said NARM president, Jim Donio. "It's our honor to announce that Brian Wilson will perform songs from The Beach Boys album, 'Pet Sounds' at this event."

The albums and their rankings on the Definitive 200 list were determined by a committee comprising a cross-section of NARM member music retailers. "They looked for what makes a classic album," said Donio. "Our members chose the albums that have consistently excited record buyers over the years and those that have the potential for continued success based on enduring popularity. Some of them are recognizable landmark albums, while others are very new by contemporary artists. We have Pop, Country, R&B, Rock, Rap, Punk, Jazz, Soul, Reggae, and more. Hopefully, the inevitable debate about the 200 must-own albums will underscore just how much the music and the art form mean to everyone."

The performance and press conference will take place in Studio A inside Capitol Studios, which is in the iconic Capitol Records building in Los Angeles. Studio A has been the site of recordings by iconic artists including Frank Sinatra, The Beach Boys, Dean Martin, and many others. In addition to Brian Wilson's acoustic performance, several speakers will
offer remarks, beginning at 10:30 AM sharp. They are: Jim Donio, president of NARM; Susan B. Peterson, NARM's chairman of the board, from Target Stores; Ronn Werre, president of EMI Music Marketing; Bill Gagnon, SVP catalog marketing for EMI Music Marketing; Todd Mesek, vice president of communications at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum.

"The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is so proud of this promotion, celebrating the album, and so excited that Brian Wilson is performing some of his most beloved songs at our press conference," said Joel Peresman,
president of The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation, which oversees the inductions in New York and the museum in Cleveland. "It's especially timely
for us, because we're opening an exhibit on the Beach Boys in the Rock Hall museum in Cleveland in June. The Beach Boys exhibit will run from June through December. All of these elements are reflected in our partnership with NARM on the Definitive 200 promotion: connecting successful, classic existing albums to current artists and new music, looking for new classics to come and inviting music lovers to visit their favorite music retailers to complete their collections."

"We're pleased to join with NARM and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame to honor all of the stellar albums and artists represented in the Definitive 200 list," said Bill Gagnon, SVP catalog marketing for EMI Music Marketing.

"The Beach Boys' 'Pet Sounds' is universally cited as one of the best albums ever recorded, and we're thrilled that Brian Wilson will join us at
Capitol Studios to celebrate this new honor. We'll announce some exciting Beach Boys news from Capitol/EMI at the event, as well."

Consumers will become aware of the Definitive 200 promotion through advertising as well as signage and displays in stores and on web sites. Beginning on March 6, you can find the complete ranked list of the
Definitive 200 and much more information about the albums and artists at http://www.definitive.com and http://www.rockhall.com.

I don't know about this. I found a link to a press release on Billboard.com about the Definitive 200: http://www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/content_display/industry/e3ic9adfeb7027dbbf0f31c34df2cf09202.

Based on this, I'm not even sure this sure-to-be-widely-hyped list is even eligible for inclusion on Acclaimed Music. The telling phrase is that the list is "from the retailer's point of view" - hence the apparent presence of SUPERNATURAL (one of the biggest-selling and most Grammy-honored albums of all time, but far from a critical favorite; it's at #2496 on AM right now) and no doubt of other commercial behemoths as well.

The list is sure to have a lot of great albums on it, of course. But we'll see just how "definitive" it is.

JR posted the complete Billboard.com story at _exactly_ the same moment I posted the link and my comments. Synergy!

How 'bout that? :)

I think that we should get a looksie at the list first, like you said, before making determinations.

At least Supernatural is on AM, though- now, if we see albums from Backstreet Boys, Britney Spears, Celine Dion, etc. on this list, then that's a definite problem. :)

The list is up at http://www.Definitive200.com. Here's the top ten, which is straightforward enough:

1. SGT. PEPPER’S...
2. THE DARK SIDE OF THE MOON
3. THRILLER
4. LED ZEPPELIN IV
5. THE JOSHUA TREE
6. EXILE ON MAIN STREET
7. TAPESTRY
8. HIGHWAY 61 REVISITED
9. PET SOUNDS
10. NEVERMIND

From there, it gets goofy. SUPERNATURAL is #13. COME ON OVER is #21. There are Dave Matthews, Faith Hill, Creed and Celine Dion albums in the top 100.

Again, it isn't that there aren't a lot of truly great albums here - there are, and if people are motivated to buy some of them by this list, which is going to be all over every major music retailer in the U.S., then it will be worth something. But I don't think it belongs on Acclaimed Music.

Take from JR's post above:

In March, the National Assn. of Recording Merchandisers and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, working together, will launch the Definitive 200 campaign aimed at promoting the most commercial or critically successful albums in history.

...

Our members chose the albums that have consistently excited record buyers over the years and those that have the potential for continued success based on enduring popularity.

It's clear that popularity was in focus rather than quality, and hence the list will not be included at Acclaimed Music.

I just did some quick artist checks on the 200. There are three Dylan albums on the list: HIGHWAY 61 REVISITED, BLOOD ON THE TRACKS, and BRINGING IT ALL BACK HOME.

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the only top 200 albums list in the history of top 200 albums lists that does not include BLONDE ON BLONDE.

End of story.

While there obviously are some great albums included, it looks like commercial success indeed was the driving force behind most of the selections.

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the only top 200 albums list in the history of top 200 albums lists that does not include BLONDE ON BLONDE.

Hopefully it will establish a precedent

Henrik said: "...the list will not be included at Acclaimed Music."

Thank God.

Here is the complete list.

1 BEATLES SGT. PEPPER'S LONELY HEARTS CLUB BAND 1967 Rock
2 PINK FLOYD DARK SIDE OF THE MOON 1973 Rock
3 MICHAEL JACKSON THRILLER 1982 Pop
4 LED ZEPPELIN LED ZEPPELIN IV 1971 Rock
5 U2 JOSHUA TREE 1987 Rock
6 ROLLING STONES EXILE ON MAIN STREET 1972 Rock
7 CAROLE KING TAPESTRY 1971 Adult Contemporary
8 BOB DYLAN HIGHWAY '61 REVISITED 1965 Rock
9 BEACH BOYS PET SOUNDS 1966 Rock
10 NIRVANA NEVERMIND 1996 Rock
11 PEARL JAM TEN 1991 Rock
12 BEATLES ABBEY ROAD 1969 Rock
13 SANTANA SUPERNATURAL 1999 Rock
14 METALLICA METALLICA 1991 Rock
15 BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN BORN TO RUN 1984 Rock
16 PRINCE PURPLE RAIN 1984 Pop
17 AC/DC BACK IN BLACK 1980 Rock
18 ROLLING STONES LET IT BLEED 1969 Rock
19 DOORS DOORS 1967 Rock
20 GRATEFUL DEAD AMERICAN BEAUTY 1970 Rock
21 SHANIA TWAIN COME ON OVER 1997 Country
22 WHO WHO'S NEXT 1971 Rock
23 STEVIE WONDER SONGS IN THE KEY OF LIFE 1976 R&B
24 FLEETWOOD MAC RUMOURS 1977 Pop
25 PINK FLOYD WALL 1979 Rock
26 ALANIS MORISSETTE JAGGED LITTLE PILL 1995 Pop
27 NORAH JONES COME AWAY WITH ME 2002 Pop
28 EMINEM MARSHALL MATHERS LP 2000 Rap
29 OUTKAST SPEAKERBOXX-LOVE BELOW 2003 R&B
30 DR. DRE CHRONIC 1992 Rap
31 BEASTIE BOYS LICENSED TO ILL 1986 Rap
32 GUNS 'N ROSES APPETITE FOR DESTRUCTION 1987 Rock
33 DIXIE CHICKS WIDE OPEN SPACES 1998 Country
34 MILES DAVIS KIND OF BLUE 1959 Jazz
35 EAGLES HOTEL CALIFORNIA 1976 Rock
36 DEF LEPPARD HYSTERIA 1987 Rock
37 SOUNDTRACK GREASE 1980 Soundtrack
38 MARVIN GAYE WHAT'S GOING ON 1971 R&B
39 BEATLES WHITE ALBUM 1968 Rock
40 SOUNDTRACK SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER 1977 Soundtrack
41 JIMI HENDRIX ARE YOU EXPERIENCED? 1967 Rock
42 BEATLES REVOLVER 1966 Rock
43 BOSTON BOSTON 1976 Rock
44 BON JOVI SLIPPERY WHEN WET 1986 Rock
45 U2 ACHTUNG BABY 1991 Rock
46 WHITNEY HOUSTON WHITNEY HOUSTON 1985 R&B
47 LED ZEPPELIN LED ZEPPELIN II 1969 Rock
48 DAVE MATTHEWS BAND CRASH 1996 Rock
49 ROLLING STONES STICKY FINGERS 1971 Rock
50 GREEN DAY DOOKIE 1994 Rock
51 LED ZEPPELIN HOUSES OF THE HOLY 1973 Rock
52 JONI MITCHELL BLUE 1971 Rock
53 ELVIS PRESLEY ELVIS PRESLEY AT SUN 2004 Rock
54 AEROSMITH TOYS IN THE ATTIC 1975 Rock
55 LAURYN HILL MISEDUCATION OF LAURYN HILL 1998 R&B
56 BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN BORN IN THE U.S.A. 1984 Rock
57 50 CENT GET RICH OR DIE TRYIN' 2003 Rap
58 AC/DC HIGHWAY TO HELL 1979 Rock
59 NOTORIOUS B.I.G. LIFE AFTER DEATH 1997 Rap
60 VAN HALEN VAN HALEN 1978 Rock
61 GREEN DAY AMERICAN IDIOT 2004 Rock
62 BLACK SABBATH PARANOID 1975 Rock
63 EMINEM EMINEM SHOW 2000 Rap
64 JEWEL PIECES OF YOU 1995 Pop
65 COLDPLAY RUSH OF BLOOD TO THE HEAD 2002 Pop
66 MEATLOAF BAT OUT OF HELL 1977 Rock
67 USHER CONFESSIONS 2004 R&B
68 KID ROCK DEVIL WITHOUT A CAUSE 1998 Rock
69 GEORGE HARRISON ALL THINGS MUST PASS 1970 Pop
70 BILLY JOEL STRANGER 1977 Pop
71 EAGLES HELL FREEZES OVER 1994 Rock
72 VAN MORRISON MOONDANCE 1970 Rock
73 REM AUTOMATIC FOR THE PEOPLE 1992 Pop
74 PHIL COLLINS NO JACKET REQUIRED 1985 Pop
75 METALLICA MASTER OF PUPPETS 1986 Rock
76 FAITH HILL BREATHE 1999 Country
77 JOHNNY CASH AT FOLSOM PRISON 1971 Country
78 JOHN COLTRANE LOVE SUPREME 1964 Jazz
79 PINK FLOYD WISH YOU WERE HERE 1975 Rock
80 MICHAEL JACKSON OFF THE WALL 1979 Pop
81 MARVIN GAYE LET'S GET IT ON 1973 R&B
82 BOB SEGER NIGHT MOVES 1976 Rock
83 PAUL SIMON GRACELAND 1986 Pop
84 LINKIN PARK HYBRID THEORY 2000 Rock
85 PRINCE 1999 1983 Pop
86 DEF LEPPARD PYROMANIA 1983 Rock
87 JANET JACKSON CONTROL 1986 R&B
88 RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS BLOOD SUGAR SEX MAGIK 1991 Rock
89 DIRE STRAITS BROTHERS IN ARMS 1985 Rock
90 TUPAC ALL EYEZ ON ME 1996 Rap
91 MATCHBOX TWENTY YOURSELF OR SOMEONE LIKE YOU 1996 Pop
92 RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS CALIFORNICATION 1999 Rock
93 LED ZEPPELIN PHYSICAL GRAFFITI 1975 Rock
94 NELLY COUNTRY GRAMMAR 2000 Rap
95 CREED HUMAN CLAY 1999 Rock
96 CLASH LONDON CALLING 1979 Rock
97 CELINE DION FALLING INTO YOU 1996 Adult Contemporary
98 NEIL YOUNG HARVEST 1968 Rock
99 SOUNDTRACK DIRTY DANCING 1987 Soundtrack
100 DIXIE CHICKS HOME 2002 Country
101 TOM PETTY FULL MOON FEVER 1989 Rock
102 VAN HALEN 1984 1984 Rock
103 SOUNDTRACK TITANIC 1997 Soundtrack
104 CROSBY STILLS & NASH DEJA VU 1970 Rock
105 TLC CRAZYSEXYCOOL 1999 R&B
106 BECK ODELAY 1994 Rock
107 KENNY G BREATHLESS 1992 Adult Contemporary
108 NWA. STRAIGHT OUTTA COMPTON 1989 Rap
109 SEX PISTOLS NEVER MIND THE BOLLOCKS 1977 Rock
110 BEATLES RUBBER SOUL 1965 Rock
111 RADIOHEAD O.K. COMPUTER 1993 Rock
112 SIMON & GARFUNKEL BRIDGE OVER TROUBLE WATER 1970 Adult Contemporary
113 DIXIE CHICKS FLY 1999 Country
114 METALLICA AND JUSTICE FOR ALL 1988 Rock
115 MICHAEL JACKSON DANGEROUS 1992 Pop
116 MARIAH CAREY DAYDREAM 1995 Pop
117 SOUNDTRACK TOP GUN 1999 Soundtrack
118 ELTON JOHN GOODBYE YELLOW BRICK ROAD 1973 Pop
119 POLICE SYNCHRONICITY 1983 Rock
120 NO DOUBT TRAGIC KINGDOM 1995 Pop
121 ROLLING STONES BEGGAR'S BANQUET 1967 Rock
122 R KELLY R 1998 R&B
123 TOOL LATERALUS 2001 Rock
124 OASIS WHAT'S THE STORY MORNING GLORY 1995 Rock
125 BOB MARLEY EXODUS 1977 Reggae
126 JOURNEY ESCAPE 1981 Rock
127 CHRISTINA AGUILERA CHRISTINA AGUILERA 1999 Pop
128 JAY-Z BLUEPRINT 2001 Rap
129 ALICIA KEYS DIARY OF ALICIA KEYS 2003 R&B
130 SOUNDTRACK O BROTHER WHERE ART THOU? 2000 Soundtrack
131 CARS CARS 1978 Pop
132 ENYA DAY WITHOUT RAIN 2000 Adult Contemporary
133 NATALIE COLE UNFORGETTABLE WITH LOVE NATALIE COLE 1991 R&B
134 SOUNDTRACK FOOTLOOSE 1984 Soundtrack
135 LIONEL RICHIE CAN'T SLOW DOWN 1983 Pop
136 SARAH MCLACHLAN SURFACING 1997 Adult Contemporary
137 BONNIE RAITT NICK OF TIME 1989 Rock
138 METALLICA RIDE THE LIGHTNING 1984 Rock
139 SHERYL CROW TUESDAY NIGHT MUSIC CLUB 1993 Pop
140 FRANK SINATRA IN THE WEE SMALL HOURS 1954 Standards
141 EARTH WIND FIRE GRATITUDE 1975 R&B
142 ZZ TOP ELIMINATOR 1983 Rock
143 WILLIE NELSON RED HEADED STRANGER 1975 Country
144 JOHN LENNON IMAGINE 1971 Rock
145 TONI BRAXTON TONI BRAXTON 1993 R&B
146 ETTA JAMES AT LAST 1961 Blues
147 ELVIS PRESLEY ELVIS PRESLEY 1956 Rock
148 CAT STEVENS TEA FOR THE TILLERMAN 1970 Pop
149 SMASHING PUMPKINS MELLON COLLIE & THE INFINITE SADNESS 1995 Rock
150 DAVE BRUBECK TIME OUT 1959 Jazz
151 JANET JACKSON JANET 1993 R&B
152 QUEEN A NIGHT AT THE OPERA 1975 Rock
153 OZZY OSBOURNE BLIZZARD OF OZZ 1980 Rock
154 WILL SMITH BIG WILLIE STYLE 1997 Rap
155 PRINCE SIGN OF THE TIMES 1987 Pop
156 PUBLIC ENEMY IT TAKES A NATION OF MILLIONS TO HOLD US BACK 1988 Rap
157 BOB DYLAN BLOOD ON THE TRACKS 1975 Rock
158 GEORGE MICHAEL FAITH 1987 Pop
159 BOYZ II MEN COOLEYHIGHHARMONY 1993 R&B
160 DESTINY'S CHILD WRITING'S ON THE WALL 1999 R&B
161 JAY-Z BLACK ALBUM 2003 Rap
162 AVRIL LAVIGNE LET GO 2002 Pop
163 FUGEES SCORE 1996 R&B
164 MADONNA LIKE A VIRGIN 1984 Pop
165 LED ZEPPELIN LED ZEPPELIN 1969 Rock
166 STEVIE RAY VAUGHN TEXAS FLOOD 1983 R&B
167 STONE TEMPLE PILOTS CORE 1992 Rock
168 ORIGINAL CAST PHANTOM OF THE OPERA 1988 Soundtrack
169 JETHRO TULL AQUALUNG 1971 Rock
170 TUPAC ME AGAINST THE WORLD 1995 Rap
171 DAVID BOWIE RISE AND FALL OF ZIGGY STARDUST 1972 Rock
172 SHAKIRA LAUNDRY SERVICE 1998 Pop
173 SOUNDTRACK FORREST GUMP 2001 Soundtrack
174 AL GREEN CALL ME 1973 R&B
175 CURTIS MAYFIELD SUPERFLY 1972 R&B
176 LIVE THROWING COPPER 1994 Rock
177 GEORGE BENSON BREEZIN' 1976 Jazz
178 WHITE STRIPES WHITE BLOOD CELLS 2001 Rock
179 LYNYRD SKYNYRD PRONOUNCED LEH-NERD SKIN-ERD 1973 Rock
180 SADE DIAMOND LIFE 1984 Adult Contemporary
181 FLEETWOOD MAC FLEETWOOD MAC 1975 Pop
182 PAUL MCCARTNEY & WINGS BAND ON THE RUN 1973 Rock
183 BEYONCE DANGEROUSLY IN LOVE 2003 R&B
184 ANITA BAKER RAPTURE 1986 R&B
185 NAS IIIMATIC 1994 Rap
186 BARBARA STREISAND A STAR IS BORN 1976 Soundtrack
187 EARTH WIND FIRE THAT'S THE WAY OF THE WORLD 1975 R&B
188 ANITA BAKER RHYTHM OF LOVE 1994 R&B
189 JAY-Z IN MY LIFETIME VOL 1 1997 Rap
190 LL COOL J MAMA SAID KNOCK YOU OUT 1990 Rap
191 STEELY DAN AJA 1991 Rock
192 WILLIE NELSON STARDUST 1978 Country
193 ARETHA FRANKLIN SPARKLE 1976 R&B
194 ANDREA BOCELLI ANDREA 2004 Classical
195 BOB DYLAN BRINGING IT ALL BACK HOME 1965 Rock
196 LUTHER VANDROSS NEVER TOO MUCH 1981 R&B
197 U2 ALL THAT YOU CAN'T LEAVE BEHIND 2000 Rock
198 RUSH 2112 1976 Rock
199 OUTKAST AQUEMINI 1998 R&B
200 GRAND FUNK RAILROAD WE'RE AN AMERICAN BAND 1973 Rock

This list should bring a lot of critics out of retirement.

Damn, 1999 needs a boost. It used to be around 120.

Weird list! To a great extent its fairly straight-forward and relevant (perhaps even unimaginative), but then occassionaly and seemingly randomly, it throws in real CRAP... supernatural=13??!

All I have to say is London Calling is right below Creed. C'mon.

the fact that it was compiled by record merchants, and looked at popularity/commercial success BIG time for many of the titles.