I haven't seen the edition as of yet, but it's the "Essnetial Music Guide," touting "Every Album and Track You'll Ever Need." Is this something that could be AM material? The cover can be seen here: http://www.q4music.com/nav?page=q4music.about.currentissue

I hear it also features the five essential acts: the Beatles, Bob Dylan, Madonna, U2 and The Velvet Underground.

At first I was surprised that "Like a Prayer" wasn't listed for Madonna's tracks, but maybe that's because the LAP album is the cited album. And, rare to see Who's That Girl and Causing a Commotion listed among her best singles.

Holiday
Borderline
Material Girl
Like A Virgin
Crazy For You
Into The Groove
Papa Don't Preach
La Isla Bonita
Open Your Heart
Live To Tell
Who's That Girl
Causing A Commotion
Vogue
Justify My Love
Ray Of Light
Frozen
Drowned World/Substitute For Love
Beautiful Stranger
Music
Hollywood

And if you only buy one album... Like A Prayer. Always more interesting when not seeking novelty, Madonna hit artistic and commercial gold with Like A Prayer, her best and least contrived album. The title track, all swirling choruses and kitchen-sink production, remains her major statement, but Express Yourself was ferocious dance, while on the rarely lauded Dear Jessie she had never sounded so human.

Cool! But where's "Burning Up"?

for the most part. I don't think it's ever been featured in any critics' lists for tracks (though it gets good comments when the album is discussed). Glad she drug it out of the closet for the Re-Invention Tour, though.

I have to get my hands on this edition, as it sounds like a keeper. Also interested in seeing the lists for the other 4 essentials (plus whatever else is featured).

I'm trying to track it down. If I can't find it in my area (within a 30-45-mile vicinity), hopefully a New York contact can get it for me.

This is quite a feature Q has in its latest edition.

By my count, there are 123 albums cited, and- including 5 artists' top 20 picks- 646 tracks cited.

There is a section near the end that says something like, "If you only have 100 pounds, get these"..., and that repeats some tracks previously cited (and also mentions some individually, that probably had been cited as part of an album).

Looks very enjoyable!

Henrik-

How will you treat tracks that aren't cited because the parent albums were cited? I.e. looking at the five essential artists- there are no tracks cited in their essential 20, that originate from the album that is cited as the must-get. Those particular tracks shouldn't be penalized, correct?

Madonna and U2 are two of five most essential acts? Q editors must have been really drunk when they made this list.

If it is obviously the case that tracks from the picked album are excluded, then I will blank them in the spreadsheet.

now, if Madonna and U2 weren't pretty well-acclaimed acts, I'd understand your comment. But being that they are- and are pretty deserving of such, Snap Out Of It! It's not like some non-notably acclaimed act was cited as one of the essentials artists.

That's what I figured, H, just wanted to confirm.

Do people agree with the albums picked for the essential acts? No surprise for Like a Prayer to be the Madonna pick, or Revolver for Beatles. But, I was a little surprised tosee Achtung Baby chosen over The Joshua Tree. And what about Dylan's Blood on the Tracks?

The tracks choices are pretty good. Some of the Madonna contingent were complaining that no tracks from 1992-1997 period were cited, but Q wasn't big on that Madonna period, so I wasn't surprised to see the omissions (though Q did include "Erotica" in a recent list).

JR,

I know Madonna and particularly U2 are both well respected and critically acclaimed artists, but I there are other acts that are far more deserving of inclusion on such a list i.e. the Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, David Bowie or Pixies just to name a few. And if you wanted to choose an 80's pop artist Prince would be a much better pick than Madonna. By the way is this list available on the net or do you need to buy the magazine to see it?

I think the Stones are cited quite well enough as acclaimed/essential acts, so the love needs to be spread around a bit.

Rocklist.net has all the info- I plan on getting the issue anyhow, though, for the commentary and such. I'm not sure if thre's commentary/little bits for every album/track cited, but I know that there is for the essential acts. I'd think there would be for every album/track, though, since it's a 44-page feature inthe issue.

Hi. I know this is a long shot, but I don't suppose anybody still has a copy of this issue and could type up the top 20 Beatles tracks as recommended by Q? Thanks, James.

the rocklist site, James. Keep in mind that the top 20 doesn't include anything from Revolver, since that album was cited as *the* album to have.

A friend got me the issue, but I haven't seen it yet.

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current features

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JR,
Madonna and U2 may *deserve* being in the absurdly small group of essential acts, but you gotta agree with Jacek that it's slightly unexpected, compared to what critics usually do with such exclusive praise, right?

Personally I don't have an opinion on Madonna, but one thing I've learned from visiting this forum is I'd better check up on her soon :-)

Jacek,
If forced at gunpoint to choose only one Dylan studio album, I'd go with Blood On The Tracks too. I guess his mid-60'es albums were more original and influential, but there's a coherence and an all-pervading atmosphere to B.O.T.T. which is irresistible to me.

Huh? I didn't make any comments about "Blood on the Tracks" in this thread. But you happen to be right, Snusmumrik, that I don't like this album much. "Idiot Wind" is marvelous, his best song by a long shot, but that's it. Then again Dylan is definitely not among my favourite artists, as I find most of his music boring.

Whoops, sorry, Jacek,

That was JR too, and not you asking "Do people agree with the albums picked for the essential acts? ... what about Dylan's Blood on the Tracks?" :-)