Hmm, I expected "Dummy" and "Closer" to be much higher, given their positions in the previous poll. Pity, as they both rank among my personal favourites.

I enjoy the NHL, but it's not as big of a joke as other pro sports. But I'm moving away from hockey in general.

I prefer watching golf and tennis - mostly because the subjective component (read: referees) are removed, and the winner is the clear winner.

Decent album. To me it is the easiest of the great 4 (Beggars, Bleed, Sticky, Exile)

I thought I was alone in preferring Sticky Fingers (my # 70) to Exile. Nice.

John McEnroe would disagree with you. I enjoy watching golf as well but baseball is my passion.

Beggars-Exile-Sticky-Bleed for me (in order)

Apparently you haven't watched tennis in the past few years. Nowadays, the refs are just there for window-dressing; the real work is done by Hawk-Eye - a sensor controlled computer that determines if the ball is in or out.

#55



U2 – THE JOSHUA TREE (1987)

Total Points = 581.24

Appeared on 12 ballots (out of 47).

Fans: Chris (#6)

jonmarck:
This was the moment where U2 decided they weren't going to be a new wave punk group anymore. By shifting their gaze from north to west they discovered a land of gospel, blues and wide open space. U2's vision of America was one of courage and noble idealism. Put that way it doesn't sound half bad! Bono is doing his best Elvis here, bringing a showman quality to ballads "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" and "Running to Stand Still". Those songs emphasize the theme of spiritual longing that permeates the whole album, also coming across strongly in the political desire of "One Tree Hill" and "Mothers of the Disappeared" and wide-open freedom of "In God's Country" and "Red Hill Mining Town". This newfound fascination with America was brought to more obvious conclusions on the troubled Rattle and Hum album. On Joshua Tree its the subtleties that give it its peace.

Apologize, why? "Plastic Ono Band" is surely an album that - more than any other - you either love or hate. And that makes my feelings even stronger.

Baseball is headed in the same direction (at least for strike zone calls).

Back to the list:

Man, I hope this means Achtung Baby ends up higher than Joshua Tree.

20. OASIS "Definitely Maybe" in AM forum 2005

#54



The Strokes - IS THIS IT (2001)

Total Points = 582.07

Appeared on 17 ballots (out of 47).

Fans: Anthony (#

Anthony:
It seemed doomed from the beginning: an overhyped, post-9/11 indie-rock album from a band made up of five skinny, Chuck Taylor-clad NYC hipsters (of which the lead singer also happened to be the son of the head of a modeling empire.) A recipe for certain failure, yes, but that’s not what happened – “Is This It” became a huge success, and the band have yet to equal the achievement. It’s not a groundbreaking record, but it scores big for not being indulgent, or too lengthy, or stylistically different from song to song – it’s just a remarkably consistent album with 11 tight, well-crafted pop songs. Each hovers around the three-minute mark, bringing the total LP run time to 35 minutes - a perfect length for a perfect debut. One of the best albums of this decade.

Moonbeam:
The album almost single-handedly rescued rock music from the doldrums of Matchbox 20 and Third Eye Blind, which in and of itself warrants massive praise. Short, to the point, and instantly gratifying.

Honorio:
A widely influential album that defined the sound of the 00s. A back to basics rock ‘n’ roll with the influences on the sleeve, basically the NYC scene from Velvet Underground to Television. But they were not a revival band, they invigorated the rock scene creating a fresh a vital sound with pop melodies sung with distorted vocals, sharp guitars and the ease and insolence of the twenty-something.

35. THE ROLLING STONES "Sticky Fingers" in AM 2005

84. U2 "The Joshua Tree" in AM FORUM 2005

Hey don't knock on Third Eye Blind Moonbeam! Their debut is probably my biggest guilty pleasure.

93. THE STROKES "Is This It?" in AM FORUM 2005

I'll have to leave for today/tonight. If a Pearls Before Swine album comes in no. 51 and whoops of excitement are heard clear across the Atlantic seven hours from now, it'll be me opening up my computer

Thanks for all the excitement.

#53



New Kids on the Block - STEP BY STEP (1990)

Total Points = 600

Appeared on 46 ballots (out of 47).

Fans: EVERYONE

What's the temperature up there, Anthony? Because I think your cerebrum is frozen.

Who's the traitor who DIDN'T vote for them???

Is This It was 55 on my list, so I almost got spot on with that one.

It's only -1C right now! It's t-shirt weather, baby!

#53



Joni Mitchell – BLUE (1971)

Total Points = 587.68

Appeared on 13 ballots (out of 47).

Fans: David (#3), BillAdama (#10)

Loophole:
This is the Joni album that does it most for me, but I like her whole catalog. She’s an underrated songwriter. I really love “California.”

3. New Kids on the Block - STEP BY STEP (1990) in AM FORUM 2005

#52



David Bowie – LOW (1977)

Total Points = 592.70

Appeared on 16 ballots (out of 47).

Fans: Vrgd (#1)

Moonbeam:
Music as art - Low is Bowie's greatest artistic achievement, even if some of his other albums are more palatable. The care with which this album is crafted is second to none, and the results speak for themselves, even when there are no words.

Hell Snu, somehow the name Pearls Before Swine came to my mind as I read the name Third Eye Blind. No clue why, no relation but three words in a row, but now you've completed that mystery..

I love that one !

(so every one thinks he's the 47th)

Good to see Low so high. I prefer this and HD to Ziggy.

#51



Pixies – SURFER ROSA (198

Total Points = 604.10

Appeared on 14 ballots (out of 47).

Fans: BillAdama (#6)

Toni:
Dense album caracterized by a profusion of addictive melodies and refined textures hidden by noise. I think it's impossible to get tired of it.

jonmarck:
It's hard to discuss the Pixies without linking them to Nirvana. This is because most writers feel obligated to validate the group's efforts by relating them to commercial success, if not even their own. However this goes completely against the whole point of the Pixies. They were supposed to be the small neighbourhood garage band who appeared to be as talentless as the rest of the headbangers but secretly sang songs about female lust and the River Euphrates. Steve Albini captures the group's carefree nature on this seminal indie rock landmark. "Bone Machine", "Tony's Theme" and "Broken Face" are goofy fun and "Where Is My Mind?" shows the band can sound good when it wants to.

Loophole:
The soundtrack of my life, 1988-1989

If anyone does standard deviations on this I think I'll be the farthest away.

54. JONI MICTHELL "Blue" in AM FORUM 2005

Aaaannd, I'm spent (well, for today at least.)

The Top 50 will follow tomorrow. Sorry, schleuse.

Score one for my favorite band of the eighties.

and screw Rubber Soul

# 52 - Low : (silent)

# 53 - Surfer Rosa don't know)

Nice list and, as I said previously, quite unexpected so far. Maybe the Top 50 will be more predictable. We don't have any Dylan, Springsteen, Radiohead or Beatles album so far...
Awesome work, Anthony.

Frankly, I don't understand "Low"
It's so cold, so freezy
I don't understand intellectual music
It's like eating cardbox

A grand total of 2 albums (estimate) from this whole section in my entire top 100 (Belle and Sebastian + The Strokes).

Not to get all arrogant, but I'm so proud of my unconventional tastes! I might have contributed to a few of the non-suprises at the top though.

21. DAVID BOWIE "Low" in AM FORUM 2005

96. PIXIES "Surfer Rosa" in AM FORUM 2005

I have only 3 albums today
But a lot between 100 and 200

Aaand my count is 17 albums out of 50 at the halfway point....

I'm looking forward to reading the top 50 in one great lump on Sunday night.

My (realistic?) hope is to find more than one R.E.M. album in the top 50.

My (unrealistic!) hope is to find X's Los Angeles.

And hey, y'all don't believe Anthony if he sticks the Captain and Tennille at #4 or something...

Man, I LOVED that Pixies album when it came out. My roommates band opened for them at the local club so we were lucky enough to get in on the ground floor. For me there is no connection whatsoever to Nirvana. But it does vividly remind me of being a recent college graduate (English major) living in abject poverty in the ghetto of Kalamazoo, Michigan. Glad to see it in the top 100 (as it was only in the low 90's last time around).

It was the discovery of Public Enemy that finally shook the Pixies spell. I really miss the days when I was so obsessed by certain records. It's a lot more relaxed now.

Anthony, what do we do? This was great fun

14 of the bottom 50 in my top-100. (Different Class (#91), Dummy (#87), Graceland (#86), Otis Blue (#83), To Bring You My Love (#72), Songs In The Key Of Life (#70), Never Mind The Bollocks (#65), Slanted & Enchanted (#62), Homogenic (#59), Elephant (#51), Hunky Dory (#48), Is This It? (#43), White Blood Cells (#29), and Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain (#1).)

Anthony, awesome job.

I'm at 12 so far. (And holding out zero hope for Waylon Jennings "Honky Tonk Heroes" and Jerry Jeff Walker's "Viva Terlingua!")

This is great fun. Kudos, Anthony!

Glad to see VILLAGE GREEN, LOW and MOONDANCE make it.

12 of the 2005 list's top 50 albums have appeared so far. By the end of the day tomorrow, I would be very surprised not to see all of the other 38. Anyone want to speculate which of those albums might be most likely -not- to be in the new top 50?

I think only a dozen of mine have made it but I don't care because there's not an album on this list that doesn't deserve it (I guess I'll have to hear Rock Bottom now too).

What I'm really looking forward to are seeing the individual lists because it's a great way to get recommendations.

I'll guess that Murmur may be on the outside looking in (despite my vote).

Yeah, good REM (Reckoning, Document, Murmur) always loses out to their mainstream years. Nothing against those albums but it pains me everytime I see Automatic For the People and Out of Time above Reckoning and Document.

Thanks for the kudos guys. Happy to be a part of this.

Document and Murmur way better than Out of Time. Out of Time's just a decent album with one great song.

I like the list overall so far. At least, more than any magazine list I've ever seen.

I prefer Automatic for the People and Out of Time to all other R.E.M. records, what's wrong with them? They're great!

12 albums on my list so far, excellent work once again Anthony.

Me too. I'll take the popular REM over the alternative one, but that's coming from a self-avowed non-REM fan.

Really? I don't think there is even a contest. Although, I don't like Murmur all that much. But, Document and Reckoning were both in my top 100.

murmur.or.out of time_or-yay!-!let's-waste-more-words-about-the-essence-of-Fremdschämen...

So when does the next list drop? I just hope Neil Young got a spot, even if just for (the overrated) Harvest.

Though I doubt that he'll have any more besides the best album of all time, I'm just glad that Van the Man got some respekt.

Actually I think Murmer might be okay. I had it , Life's Rich Pageant, and their best album of the 90's, New Adventures in Hi fi in my list.

There may be hope for R.E.M.'s Document yet, reading all the comments.
I have 21 albums from my list in the bottom 50. I'm not surprised I have a high amount, but I am surprised it's that freakin' high.
Keep up the good work tomorrow, I'll actually be able to watch some of it live.

Also, none of my top ten have made the list yet. Don't know if that's a good or bad thing. Although three of my 11-20 made it: "The Joshua Tree," "Moondance" and "Sign o' the Times."

I had MURMUR and DOCUMENT on my list, with MURMUR being considerably higher. I like AUTOMATIC a lot, but it's not in my top 100; however, I have little doubt that it will rank very high, especially given its stunning #2 finish in the 1990s poll.

A majority of the albums so far aren't on my list, probably around 15-20 are, I haven't counted. But, most of the ones that aren't are albums that although I didn't put on my list, I would rank rather high.

I think that the only R.E.M. album that will made the Top 50 will be "Automatic for the People" but maybe I'm wrong seeing the previous comments. And about Neil Young I hope that "After the Goldrush" could make it.

You guys ended the night/day in style, I see. Only three of my picks in the bottom 50: Sticky Fingers a bit higher than in my list, Patti Smith and P.J. Harvey much lower. So Jonah, you're not alone in being proudly unconventional.

And, alas, No Pearls Before Swine ... (their two first albums are actually at all-time # 2342 and 2110 on AM ... it coulda been ...). But anyway, with NKOTB at # 53, there's no accusing the forum of being conformist and predictable.

(Happy to have cleared up that Third Eye Blind / Pearls Before Swine thing, Netjade. Is that what they call an assonance -- when the vowels sort of rhyme, but the consonants don't quite?)

"And about Neil Young I hope that "After the Goldrush" could make it."

I agree. It barely made my list but it is the only Neil Young album I truly love. I can say I truly love every album in my top 100 start to finish and it would be a minor win for me if that makes it and Harvest doesn't. I doubt it though.

Oh, and, Honorio, I think Neil Young will make it. He was at # 67 in the '05 poll -- I'd like to think he's climbed 17 steps rather than dropping a full 34

Whoops, didn't see your post, John, we seem to have a Goldrush supporter's club here.

I'll join you on the Goldrush club. It is my number 6.
But I'm an absolute fan of Neil and Harvest is in my top 20. being "mainstream" (as the vinegar-pissing critics and snobs say with a twisted mouth and pinched nose)it is very easy to bash. I think it is a great country album.
In fact there are 5 Young albums in my top 100 : Goldrush (#6), Harvest (16), Zuma (23), Everybody knows this is nowhere (25), Tonight's the night (58)
And Rust Never Sleep is #120.

Only 7 albums out of 50 for me : Rock Bottom (#2,and I'm proud to be the one who helped it make it to the top 100), Homogenic (66), Transformer (76), Songs in The key (13), Moondance (67), Rain Dogs (9), Sign O'The Times (54).

I expected that. I looked back at my top 100 and I think I'll have about 25 albums in the end.
I made a much bigger list (350 and growing) so I wasn't afraid to put 5 albums from the same artist in the top 100.
And the fact I like (but not love) some of the classics of alternative music you praise so much (REM, U2, Pixies, Strokes, Nirvana, Joy D et al) doesn't help much. In fact some of these albums are between #100 and 200 for me.

But anyway, with NKOTB at # 53, there's no accusing the forum of being conformist and predictable.

You did realise that was a joke right?

And I think Young might have some luck, because I too included both Harvest and Goldrush. Go Neil!

I’m a big fan of Neil Young too. In fact recently I’ve been recording three Young songs with my band for a CD with three other bands that played in a tribute concert. The three songs that we recorded were “Harvest Moon”, “Powderfinger” and “Rockin’ in a Free World” (I’ve recorded a quite beautiful Spanish guitar solo for “Powderfinger”).

Probably no one cares, but these are my favourite albums and songs of Young:

Top 10 albums:
1. Neil Young “After the Goldrush” (1970)
2. Neil Young & Crazy Horse “Rust Never Sleeps” (1979)
3. Neil Young “Tonight’s the Night” (1975)
4. Neil Young “Harvest” (1972)
5. Neil Young “Freedom” (1989)
6. Neil Young “Comes a Time” (1978)
7. Neil Young & Crazy Horse “Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere” (1969)
8. Neil Young “Harvest Moon” (1992)
9. Neil Young “On the Beach” (1974)
10. Neil Young + Crazy Horse “Ragged Glory” (1990)

And three more (with a little help from his friends):
1. Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young “Déjà vu” (1970)
2. Buffalo Springfield “Buffalo Springfield Again” (1967)
3. Neil Young “Mirror Ball” (1995)

Top 25 songs:
1. Neil Young & Crazy Horse “Like a Hurricane” (1977)
2. Neil Young “Tired Eyes” (1975)
3. Neil Young & Crazy Horse “Hey Hey My My (Into the Black)” (1979)
4. Neil Young “Heart of Gold” (1972)
5. Neil Young “Only Love Can Break Your Heart” (1970)
6. Neil Young “Rockin’ in the Free World” (1989)
7. Neil Young “Harvest Moon” (1992)
8. Neil Young & Crazy Horse “Cowgirl in the Sand” (1969)
9. Neil Young “Star of Bethlehem” (1977)
10. Neil Young “Ambulance Blues” (1974)
11. Buffalo Springfield “Broken Arrow” (1967)
12. Neil Young & Crazy Horse “Days That Used to Be” (1990)
13. Neil Young “Southern Man” (1970)
14. Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young “Helpless” (1970)
15. Neil Young “Comes a Time” (1978)
16. Neil Young & Crazy Horse “Cortez the Killer” (1975)
17. Neil Young “Alburquerque” (1975)
18. Neil Young “After the Goldrush” (1970)
19. Neil Young & Crazy Horse “Cinnamon Girl” (1969)
20. Neil Young “Crime in the City (Sixty to Zero, part 1)” (1989)
21. Neil Young “I’m the Ocean” (1995)
22. Neil Young & Crazy Horse “Lotta Love” (1978)
23. Neil Young “The Needle and the Damage Done” (1972)
24. Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young “Looking Forward” (1999)
25. Neil Young “Mellow My Mind” (1975)

And my favourite 5 covers:
1. Pixies “Winterlong” (1989)
2. Emmylou Harris “Wrecking Ball” (1995)
3. Roxy Music “Like a Hurricane” (1983)
4. Saint Etienne “Only Love Can Break Your Heart” (1990)
5. David Bowie “I’ve Been Waiting” (2002)

I wrote a comment for every album and song some months ago, but in Spanish.

Like Jonmarck I'm eager to see individual lists, perhaps more than the general list which would reflect a consensus.

Honorio, I'd be glad to hear these covers you made.
When I was in a band we were filmed by French TV while playing "Rocking in the free world" in the street at "la fête de la musique", a great festival in France that takes place on the 21st of june; Every musician goes out in the street to play on that night.
When I was in a folk duet a few years ago, we played "Everybody knows this is nowhere".

My favorite NY songs (in no particular order)

After the gold rush
The Needle and the damage done
Don't let it bring you down
Cortez the killer
Looking for a love
Out on the week end
Mellow my mind

But there are so many great songs in his repertoire

Thanks, Nicolas, the songs are not mixed yet but I'll be glad to send you. I would like to see your TV performance too!!

Of course, Honorio. In fact, I've included in my list nine albums of his "fantabulous" discography.

btw thanks Anthony and sorry for letting out a negative comment on "Low" (which is rather unfair because there are a couple songs I like in the album, at the beginning)
I'll be nice tonight

honorio, I'm afraid the video is lost.

By the way, my Top Ten Albums by Neil Young is:

1. Neil Young (1969)
2. Harvest (1972)
3. Harvest Moon (1982)
4. Freedom (1989)
5. Comes a Time (1978)
6. Tonight's the Night (1975)
7. This Note's for You (1988)
8. On the Beach (1974)
9. Rust Never Sleeps (1979)
10. Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere (1969)

Glad to see that every Neil Young fan loves "Harvest", although it's rarely anyone's favorite

Hi, Miguel. Nice to see you here.

Nicolas, actually "Low" slipped outside my top 100 because of the average A side. If all the instrumental tracks from "Low" and "Heroes" were released together on the same LP, it would be the best ambient album by far, probably in my all-time top 20.

It is funny because I have the contrary opinion !
But I only listened to Low a couple of times thanks to AM
My best friends and former musicians in my band love the Bowie of the beginnings and they always told me Low was not worth a listen
So I'll try to listen to it again
I think the ambient tracks are more Eno's work, aren't they ?

Hi, Henrik, Honorio, Otis and Nicolas.... and good bye: I'm afraid I'll be disconnected from now until next Tuesday. And by the way, again: Nicolas' list of his favourite songs by Neil Young is almost the same as mine!

I'm a big fan of Neil Young too, but the only albums that made my top 100 were "Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere" and "Deja Vu", and they are both near the bottom of the list. "After the Goldrush", "Harvest" and "Harvest Moon" were parked just outside of it.

Don't worry, Neo, I did realise NKOTB was a joke. But for 1½ wonderful seconds I was in doubt whether I was not yet fully awake or perhaps mixing up album covers or band names in my drowsy mind -- and then I fell off the chair laughing!

About Harvest: I can't think of a Neil Young album I dislike, not excepting e.g. Old Ways, so I sure don't feel like knocking Harvest. My favourites would be Goldrush, Rust never Sleeps, Ragged Glory, Zuma, don't know which one to put next ...

By the way, Schwah, I just manged to get Rhythm of the Saints at the library. Only just put it in the player.

Snusmumrik

i did the same for Rhythm of the Saints but it was already borrowed (maybe by some anonymous and silent AM insider)

Glad to hear you're giving ROTS a try Snusmumrik. Obviously, many people saw it as a poorer little brother to Graceland so recognize my opinion is an outlier.

On the Neil Young tip: I have always been very ambivalent about NY. But there is one album that I am aunreservedly amazed by. You'll (maybe?) see when it comes up in Part 3.

And my favorite Neil Young cover comes off one of my top-100 albums that won't make the list. On "New Moon Daughter," Cassandra Wilson delivers a languid, sensual "Harvest Moon" that is worth checking out.

Schwah,

New Moon Daughter is indeed a wonderful album. I haven't heard it in ages and ages. Don't have a copy. Should get one.

Rhythm of the Saints sounds interesting. I'll have to give it a few more spins to form an opinion.

Neil Young seems to be shaping up to be one dark horse in part 3?

So it's just as I've always thought- you can't beat a great #69.

Apologies if that pathetic English smut didn't translate to anyone. And even more sincere apologies if it did...

Just checking in on Neil. "After the Goldrush" was the only one that made my list. Thinking back, I probably should have included "Harvest" and "Nowhere" too. Oh well. Looks like Goldrush will make it.

I dunno about other languages, EdAmes, but it comes across fine in Danish ...

I have AFTER THE GOLDRUSH in my top 50. The only other NY album on my list is RUST NEVER SLEEPS.

In regards to Harolds original question above I just had a look at the 2005 list. Afetr eliminating the 90's and 00's albums which seem to be getting a lot of love on this current list and the sacred cows(Beatles, Dylan, Stones) My pick would probably be the Who, sitting at #45, who I don't see talked about here too much. Dark horse picks would be Miles Davis (#36) who was only on 6 ballots last year and despite there career resurgence this year, Joy Division (#30)whose Closer dropped 46 spots this year.