Music: Ranking the Best Albums of All Time

[Shareefruck]

Sure they did.

Which thing are you annoyed by? That they're both too high or that Sgt. Pepper's isn't #1?

 

[Chairman Maouth]

Which thing are you annoyed by? That they're both too high or that Sgt. Pepper's isn't #1?

I wouldn't say I'm annoyed. I've seen too many of these types of lists over the years to still be annoyed by them.

But I'll play along. I am "annoyed" by two things.

That Pet Sounds placed considerably higher than Sgt. Pepper.

And that Pet Sounds placed number one.

I'm not sure I would give either the top position but I would never place Pet Sounds above Sgt. Pepper and with that much separation. In my opinion Sgt. Pepper is considerably better than Pet Sounds, but even Sgt. Pepper doesn't necessarily deserve the number one position.

I'm backed up by overwhelming general consensus over the years, record sales, etc. Although I admit that record sales in and of itself is a ****** method for judging how good an album is. But when critical opinion and record sales combine that can be convincing.

And let's face it, there is no criteria or rulebook for judging what is the best in this type of exercise. It's an opinion poll, not a "best" poll. My opinion along with the majority of critics, musicologists, etc., is that Sgt. Pepper is superior to Pet Sounds. I am not right. It is my opinion.

 

[zombie kopitar]

Revolver>> Sgt. Peppers >Pet Sounds (But I see the argument)
Fun fact, Good Vibrations cost more to produce as a single than Pet Sounds cost as an album. It's a masterful record and he started it during the Pet Sounds sessions but wasn't satisfied.

Weren't they all pretty much all all-time classics/dad rock cannon stuff? What was included that could be considered hipster? If anything, it was guilty of being too generic, dull, and cliched.

Well I'm not going to even get into some of the 70's and 80's bands, which some are honestly pretty obscure

"WIDE-EYED AND MYSTIFIED" BY DOWNHERE
"FOCUS" BY CYNIC
"5" BY ALIZÉE
"SHE MUST AND SHALL GO FREE" BY DEREK WEBB
JOURNEYS BY DJ: 70 MINUTES OF MADNESS" BY COLDCUT
"GOAT" BY THE JESUS LIZARD
"CARNIVAL OF LOST SOULS" BY NOX ARCANA (Idk what to classify this as, idk why this is even sniffing a list like this, I listened to some and it's a complete joke)

mixed with all the compilation albums it just doesn't any fluidity

 

[Shareefruck]

Out of curiosity, what are some examples of published all-time lists that people think are actually spot on, though? Personally, I've never seen any (except the lists of individual people), so when I see something like this, which is more of the same, I'm resigned to just be like "ehh, all things considered, it's not as bad as it can be."

I wouldn't say I'm annoyed. I've seen too many of these types of lists over the years to still be annoyed by them.

But I'll play along. I am "annoyed" by two things.

That Pet Sounds placed considerably higher than Sgt. Pepper.

And that Pet Sounds placed number one.

I'm not sure I would give either the top position but I would never place Pet Sounds above Sgt. Pepper and with that much separation. In my opinion Sgt. Pepper is considerably better than Pet Sounds, but even Sgt. Pepper doesn't necessarily deserve the number one position.

I'm backed up by overwhelming general consensus over the years, record sales, etc. Although I admit that record sales in and of itself is a ****** method for judging how good an album is. But when critical opinion and record sales combine that can be convincing.

And let's face it, there is no criteria or rulebook for judging what is the best in this type of exercise. It's an opinion poll, not a "best" poll. My opinion along with the majority of critics, musicologists, etc., is that Sgt. Pepper is superior to Pet Sounds. I am not right. It is my opinion.

I didn't mean to use "annoyed by" in an accusational tone, it was just a random word to use.

I agree with the actual opinion, but I wouldn't pretend that record sales, even combined with critical consensus does anything to back it up. I certainly wouldn't think it is for something that I strongly disagree with, so I'd personally feel like a hypocrite to use it as evidence for something that I do. I haven't noticed critics consistently starting to treat Sgt. Pepper's as superior to Pet Sounds, though. They both seem to get top billing by most critics, give or take personal preferences. Sgt. Pepper usually gets favored a bit more, but not enough to draw anything from that, IMO.

Personally, I think Pet Sounds is tighter, more consistent/cohesive/fully realized than Sgt. Pepper's, but I always find it overly polished in its perfectionism, and any poignancy in its songs seems to get washed out by this busy sheen of gloss in its sound, and the whole thing ends up feeling a bit sterilized to me. I have no problem with people considering it good, but it's closer to the bottom rung of things that I respect and would recommend to people than the top. I actually admire it more when I listen to the isolated vocal tracks than the completed album. They're well conceived songs.

I think Sgt. Pepper's is far more bold, interesting, dynamic, and brilliant than Pet Sounds when it's on, but to me, it has massive glaring weak points that either feel out of place or just aren't up to the rest of the album's standards (Getting Better, Fixing a Hole, When I'm Sixty Four). I love the psychedelic/twisted/dense sound/tone of the thing in general, though, and if the whole album was the quality of one of the more representative songs, it would be among my greatest albums of all time.

Given that, I think Revolver is far superior to either one. Not much hesitation there. In fact, while there are brilliant things about the core five or six Beatles albums, I think that's probably the only one that can be called perfect from start to finish. Each of the others arguably come close but for me, they always have at least a few missteps somewhere that holds it back.

 

[Roo Returns]

Without a doubt compilation albums should not be on a best of all time list, in my opinion.

Some exceptions should be allowed like the Robert Johnson Anthology because in his days, a proper album wasn't really a thing.

 

[Roo Returns]

These lists are always going to be unfair because it's not like industry experts or producers etc. were all interviewed polled and also album sales/downloads/etc. because of the era they were released have to be normalized, and finally, skewness such as if an artist dies an album they released 20-30 years ago could all of a sudden become a best seller again.


And a 55-year-old white male who grew up with hippy parents in the suburbs will feel very different than a 25-year old black male with a single mother growing up in Compton.


Also, some people might really hate the 80s sounds with the gated drums and synths, and certain bands go through cool or uncool phases for whatever reason. No one is really talking about Radiohead nowadays like they did even in 2014, Jack White was once ranked like 11th greatest guitarist of all-time which to me is a joke, and about ten years ago it was uncool to like Led Zeppelin because some songs from their earlier records were criticized, and anytime John Frusciante isn't in Red Hot Chili Peppers, it becomes fashionable to bash them.

 

[Shareefruck]

Think I disagree with that. We all have biases, and underdeveloped appreciation of certain things, but that doesn't mean there aren't truths beyond those uncertainties that aren't worth arguing to death without needing to consult with the consensus among industry experts and professionals. Everything that we talk about is opinion and hearsay, but there's nothing wrong, uninteresting, unfair or non-worthwhile about that.

And yeah, that Robert Johnson album is the closest one I can think of to an amazing compilation album that to me, qualifies for consideration. Even so, I think it's a less perfect album experience than the top-drawer albums that were designed to be consumed as a single thing (even though I'm as blown away by Robert Johnson as any artist).

 

[Chairman Maouth]

Out of curiosity, what are some examples of published all-time lists that people think are actually spot on, though?

Zero. Because they are based on opinion and we all have different opinions.

Personally, I think Pet Sounds is tighter, more consistent/cohesive/fully realized than Sgt. Pepper's, but I always find it overly polished in its perfectionism, and any poignancy in its songs seems to get washed out by this busy sheen of gloss in its sound, and the whole thing ends up feeling a bit sterilized to me. I have no problem with people considering it good, but it's closer to the bottom rung of things that I respect and would recommend to people than the top. I actually admire it more when I listen to the isolated vocal tracks than the completed album. They're well conceived songs.

That's a fair assessment I think. It's more of a concept album than Pepper is. Pepper is basically just a collection of Beatles songs like any other album bookended by a single song - "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" and at the end, the song's reprise. They could have done the same thing with The White Album and used the two versions of "Revolution" and called it that.

It's also a mitigating factor for me in regards to Pet Sounds that Wilson brought in outside help for the songwriting. A lot of those songs lyrics were written by Peter Asher, a non band member. Pepper is all Beatles.

I think Sgt. Pepper's is far more bold, interesting, dynamic, and brilliant than Pet Sounds when it's on, but to me, it has massive glaring weak points that either feel out of place or just aren't up to the rest of the album's standards (Getting Better, Fixing a Hole, When I'm Sixty Four).

I feel the same way about Pet Sounds - it has some amazing songs but also some stuff I've just never been able to get into it. Far more than Pepper has for me.

I'm with you on "When I'm Sixty Four" but I don't find "Getting Better" and "Fixing a Hole" to be lacking at all. In fact I wish they would have actually dug a hole and buried the tapes that "Within You Without You" were recorded on for them never to be seen again. That is the glaring weak spot on Pepper in my opinion. The first two songs on side 2 suck. And I like George and loved most of his music with The Beatles and as a solo artist.

I love the psychedelic/twisted/dense sound/tone of the thing in general, though, and if the whole album was the quality of one of the more representative songs, it would be among my greatest albums of all time.

Well it was groundbreaking. The recording techniques and innovations that they came up with along George Martin changed music. When you apply those to the songwriting talents of The Beatles you have a recipe for greatness.

Given that, I think Revolver is far superior to either one. Not much hesitation there. In fact, while there are brilliant things about the core five or six Beatles albums, I think that's probably the only one that can be called perfect from start to finish. Each of the others arguably come close but for me, they always have at least a few missteps somewhere that holds it back.

If I were writing for a magazine and the editor said "You need to rate the Beatles albums in order of greatness from number one to whatever their total is", and I had to back up my opinion with facts and arguments that others would challenge, I'm not sure which album I would have at number one. It could be Revolver, Pepper, Rubber Soul, or The White Album. That isn't a bad top 4 order as I look at it though.

 

[Shareefruck]

Heh.... Within You Without You is actually close to my favorite track on the album (only Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds and A Day in the Life, I like more). I think it's the best thing Harrison's done, personally.

But what I mean about the other Beatles albums is, I can't bring myself to call Rubber Soul, White Album, Sgt. Pepper, or Abbey Road untouchable masterpieces because tracks like When I'm Sixty Four, Octopus' Garden, Maxwell Silver's Hammer, What Goes On, and Don't Pass Me By compromises them a bit, for me. Which is a shame, because a huge chunk of the tracks on those albums are totally worthy of that distinction.

There isn't a track on Revolver that does that for me. Dr. Robert is probably the weakest, but I think it's still a damn solid track.

 

[Chairman Maouth]

Heh.... Within You Without You is actually close to my favorite track on the album (only Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds and A Day in the Life, I like more). I think it's the best thing Harrison's done, personally.

But what I mean about the other Beatles albums is, I can't bring myself to call Rubber Soul, White Album, Sgt. Pepper, or Abbey Road untouchable masterpieces because tracks like When I'm Sixty Four, Octopus' Garden, Maxwell Silver's Hammer, What Goes On, and Don't Pass Me By compromises them a bit, for me. Which is a shame, because a huge chunk of the tracks on those albums are totally worthy of that distinction.

There isn't a track on Revolver that does that for me. Dr. Robert is probably the weakest, but I think it's still a damn solid track.

Yeah I don't like WYWY. He's done so many more better songs in my opinion. While my Guitar Gently Weeps and a lot of stuff from All Things Must Pass are fantastic. Maybe it's the fact that I couldn't get into the Indian music thing unless it was just as complementary instruments on Beatles songs. The weak spot for me on Revolver is Yellow Submarine.

I agree with that list of songs of yours, particularly Maxwell Silver's Hammer. No doubt Paul McCartney is an amazing songwriter, but he has written some real **** including Maxwell and When I'm Sixty Four and Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da. I also think "Hello, Goodbye" is a piece of **** but his truly worst song is "Wonderful Christmastime". Beatles songs are played on a regular basis on the radio or whatever, but that turd of a song will be trotted out every Christmas long after all of us are dead and that is a crime against humanity. He should have to pay for that.

 

[Aladyyn]

Out of curiosity, what are some examples of published all-time lists that people think are actually spot on, though? Personally, I've never seen any (except the lists of individual people), so when I see something like this, which is more of the same, I'm resigned to just be like "ehh, all things considered, it's not as bad as it can be."

It can't be done if you're looking at music as a whole. Too much ground to cover.

 

[Aladyyn]

Also apparently Focus is far and away the best metal album of all time? yeeeeeah, that is pretty bad

 

[Shareefruck]

I think Yellow Submarine is a solid song, personally.

I might feel differently about Harrison's All Things Must Pass songs if I didn't feel they were neutered by Phil Spector's stupid wall of sound overproduction. A lot of people love that album, but I've always felt that Spector ruined what was otherwise solid/impressive material.

Agreed on the distaste for some of the things that McCartney gets into (although I find the ones on The White Album more tolerable because of the way that album feels as a whole). Lennon gets criticized for the same thing, but I just don't see it, personally. I don't mind his lesser songs nearly as much, and usually find them amusing and interesting.

It can't be done if you're looking at music as a whole. Too much ground to cover.

I shouldn't have said spot on-- I don't mean exact agreement, but simply respecting a list and finding the picks solid.

 

[Jumptheshark]

Seriously, even I identify various oversights. Not too impressed with that list over all.

no such thing of a perfect list

 

[Chairman Maouth]

I think Yellow Submarine is a solid song, personally.

I might feel differently about Harrison's All Things Must Pass songs if I didn't feel they were neutered by Phil Spector's stupid wall of sound overproduction. A lot of people love that album, but I've always felt that Spector ruined what was otherwise solid/impressive material.

That's a good point. I don't mind it on the more uptempo songs but a beautiful song that's ruined is Run of the Mill. Here it is, just Harrison on guitar and vocals. I much prefer this over the Spector produced version.

 

[Shareefruck]

Definitely.

 

[zombie kopitar]

Some songs are meant for the wall of sound treatment, like Be My Baby and River Deep, Mountain High
Some songs aren't, like basically every song written by a Beatle

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

It can't be done if you're looking at music as a whole. Too much ground to cover.

I don't agree with much of the list, but I respect this guy's opinion. He covers a lot of ground. As a somewhat culturally isolated prairie boy, he turned me onto some diverse music I didn't know about:

http://fastnbulbous.com/list-search/

 

[Aladyyn]

I don't agree with much of the list, but I respect this guy's opinion. He covers a lot of ground. As a somewhat culturally isolated prairie boy, he turned me onto some diverse music I didn't know about:

http://fastnbulbous.com/list-search/

I can't respect the opinion of someone who thinks Piece of Mind is the best Maiden album.

Looking through his metal list, here are some more straight inexcusable ones:

Ghost above Don't Break the Oath??????

Rust in Peace at 45?

Kill Em All 70 spots below RtL and MoP?

Uriah Heep on a metal list? Love the band but come on.

Bathory disrespect of highest degree.

Persecution Mania only 2 spots above AJFA is a complete joke lmfao this is should be so ainec I can't even

Altars of Madness and Melissa at 230, BELOW THE FINAL FRONTIER???? This is seriously blowing my mind. There is a person that exists who thinks The Final Frontier is better, or at worst comparable to Melissa. I think I need a glass of water or something, damn.

Converge on a metal list lul

Korpiklaani lul

At The Edge of Time, an embarrassment to Blind Guardian's fantastic discography, somehow finds its way onto this list, a couple spots above Agent Orange of all things (somewhat overrated but a fantastic album nonetheless)

Poison the Well on a metal list lul

This order of Death albums is so wrong

I'm pretty sure I saw at least 3 Entombed albums above Left Hand Path

Coalesce on a metal list lul

Like An Everflowing Stream at 471, pretty sure this person actually hates death metal

Battle of Mice below Death Magnetic made me punch the wall

>Dragonforce

The 2 best Death albums are at 600+

638 albums better than Defenders of the Faith?

Only 1 Darkthrone album?

Too many things about the list straight up **** me off

 

[zombie kopitar]

This inspired me to work on my own list for a bit of fun. It's a blend of objectively respected albums I enjoy, and some stuff I think is underrated on it's influence in it's particular genre. Including a few that I think have majorly shaped the current music scene (xx, Back to Black, Is This It...ect)
*detonates compilation album (there are a select handful where it's easier than picking one album)

1. Revolver-The Beatles
2. A Love Supreme-John Coltrane
3. Highway 61 Revisited -Bob Dylan
4. Illmatic-Nas
5. Pet Sounds-The Beach Boys
6. Sgt. Peppers-The Beatles
7. Kind of Blue-Miles Davis
8. Dark Side of the Moon-Pink Floyd
9. Exodus- Bob Marley & the Wailers
10. What’s Going On-Marvin Gaye
11. At Folsom Prison- Johnny Cash
12. Electric Ladyland- The Jimi Hendrix Experience
13. Let it Bleed- The Rolling Stones
14. Born to Run-Bruce Springsteen
15. London Calling-The Clash
16. Abbey Road- The Beatles
17. Rumours-Fleetwood Mac
18. Innvervisions-Stevie Wonder
19. The Sun Sessions*-Elvis Presley
20. Graceland-Paul Simon
21. Exile on Main Street- The Rolling Stones
22. Nevermind-Nirvana
23. Are You Experienced?- The Jimi Hendrix Experience
24. The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust-David Bowie
25. Astral Weeks- Van Morrison
26. Thriller-Michael Jackson
27. Portrait of a Legend 1951- 1964*- Sam Cooke
28. The Birth of Soul*-Ray Charles
29. Blue-Joni Mitchell
30. Led Zeppelin I- Led Zeppelin
31. The Velvet Underground & Nico- The Velvet Underground
32. Live at the Apollo- James Brown
33. The Doors- The Doors
34. Ramones- The Ramones
35. Otis Blue- Otis Redding
36. Paranoid- Black Sabbath
37. It Takes A Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back- Public Enemy
38. The Modern Lovers- The Modern Lovers
39. Nevermind the Bullocks, Here’s the Sex Pistols- The Sex Pistols
40. Is This It-The Strokes
41. Funeral- Arcade Fire
42. In the Wee Small Hours- Frank Sinatra
43. The White Album- The Beatles
44. Rubber Soul-The Beatles
45. The Joshua Tree- U2
46. King of The Delta Blues Singers Vol 1*-Robert Johnson
47. The Great Twenty Eight*-Chuck Berry
48. Bridge Over Troubled Water-Simon & Garfunkel
49. Tommy- The Who
50. Here’s Little Richard- Little Richard
51. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road- Elton John
52. Axis Bold as Love-The Jimi Hendrix Experience
53. Imagine- John Lennon
54. Meat is Murder- The Smiths
55. Pink Moon-Nick Drake
56. Back to Black- Amy Winehouse
57. Blonde on Blonde-Bob Dylan
58. Led Zeppelin IV- Led Zeppelin
59. MTV Unplugged- Nirvana
60. The Wall- Pink Floyd
61. Brothers in Arms- Dire Straits
62. The Bends- Radiohead
63. Purple Rain-Prince
64. Grace- Jeff Buckley
64. I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You- Aretha Franklin
65. Let it Be- The Beatles
66. The Number of the Beast- Iron Maiden ; p
67. Songs in the Key of Life- Stevie Wonder
68. Meet the Beatles-The Beatles
69. Ready to Die- The Notorious B.I.G.
70. Harvest-Neil Young
71. A Night at the Opera-Queen
72. Master of Puppets-Metallica
73. Who’s Next- The Who
74. Blood on the Tracks- Bob Dylan
75. Carole King- Tapestry
76. Straight Outa Compton-N.W.A
77. The Clash-The Clash
78. I’m Still in Love With You-Al Green
79. Enter the Wu Tang (36 Chambers)-The Wu Tang Clan
80. Unknown Pleasures-Joy Division
81. Horses- Patti Smith
82. Going to a Go-Go- Smokey Robinson and the Miracles
83. Disraeli Gears- Cream
84. The Chronic- Dr. Dre
85. Willy and the Poor Boys- Creedence Clearwater Revival
86. Rage Against the Machine- Rage Against the Machine
87. 21-Adele
88. Remain in Light-Talking Heads
89. Endtroducing…- Dj Shadow
90. Low End Theory-A Tribe Called Quest
91. At Fillmore East- The Allman Brothers Band
92. Doolittle- The Pixies
93. Dirt- Alice in Chains
94. The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill- Lauryn Hill
95. xx- The xx
96. The B-52’s- The B-52’s
97. llinois-Sufjan Stevens
98. The Suburbs- Arcade Fire
99. Appetite for Destruction-Guns N Roses
100. Run DMC- Run DMC
101. Toxicity- System of a Down
102. Sublime-Sublime
103. Ten- Pearl Jam
104. Elephant-The White Stripes
105. Superfly- Curtis Mayfield
106. Yankee Hotel Foxtrot-Wilco
107. In the Airplane Over the Sea- Neutral Milk Hotel
108. The Blueprint- Jay-z
109. Leviathan-Mastodon
110. Come Away With Me-Norah Jones
111. The Lonesome Crowded West- Modest Mouse

I spent just a few hours on it, so it's hardly perfect and I do get a bit more bias near the end, but I tried my best to spread the love in all genres and decades while staying true to my feelings.

 

[expatriatedtexan]

Late to the party but...I'm going to fall on the side of those that don't like compilations being used in a list of albums.

It's not that I don't like compilations. There are plenty of artists who have greatest hits packages I enjoy quite well...but would never want to spend the money to buy all the albums to get those songs. (I'm old I know...I don't buy songs, I buy albums.) Also, some of the compilation albums can be a great gateway to new forms of music. Chris LeDoux's 4-disc set "All American Cowboy" got me hooked on rodeo music and reintroduced me to western music in general.

All that being said, a list like this can probably only please the individual that makes it. "Best" is a relative term...there is no basis for what makes something better than something else. There was some stuff that I flat out didn't like that got listed and some of my favorite artists didn't even get a sniff...let alone 2+ mentions like many. That being said, some of the albums listed intrigued me and led me to add a few albums to my amazon cart while flicking through the list. I'm interested in getting Miles Davis and John Coltrane and added both "Sketches of Spain" and "Love Supreme" for my next purchases.

I got hooked on Ink Spots a few years ago, and that lead me into a lot of 40s and 50s music (Bing, Frank, Dino, Glenn Miller, Sam Cooke)...I'm hoping these two new albums will get me into jazz the same way.

 

[Shareefruck]

I think there is SOME basis for what makes something better than something else.... you can't expect an exact identical match between two different people of course, but it's not JUST about subjectivity and every list being as good as the next. You could still very reasonably look at a list and criticize it for shamelessly pandering, having indefensible picks that don't meet any sort of a standard, selected in a way that feels mechanical/artificial, and having no internal consistency.

I'd prefer if these lists became MORE subjective if anything-- I think they would benefit from it-- At least you would have an easier time seeing where somebody's coming from.

 

[expatriatedtexan]

I think there is SOME basis for what makes something better than something else.... you can't expect an exact identical match between two different people of course, but it's not JUST about subjectivity and every list being as good as the next. You could still very reasonably look at a list and criticize it for shamelessly pandering, having indefensible picks that don't meet any sort of a standard, selected in a way that feels mechanical/artificial, and having no internal consistency.

I'd prefer if these lists became MORE subjective if anything-- I think they would benefit from it-- At least you would have an easier time seeing where somebody's coming from.

So are you saying that because my tastes traditionally run towards arena rock, I would be ok in blasting this list for ignoring the likes of Journey, REO Speedwagon, Asia, Night Ranger and countless others while giving the Beatles multiple passes? And while also allowing compilation albums to be considered?

I don't get it. To each their own I guess. I find this list completely lacking as I am aware of much of what was presented but not a fan of it by any means....but I am also thankful that it might help me expand my musical horizons by being the deciding the factor on purchasing some new music. I just find the "Best 100" thing completely distasteful and completely inaccurate.

Unobjectively, I hope we can all agree that these lists sorta suck. Your mileage will very greatly depending upon the author. No stock should be placed on these things. If an alien came to earth and wanted to understand us as humans and his 100 albums did not include a single Jimmy Buffett (escapism), Hank Williams Sr., George Strait, George Jones, Alabama or any other real country artist, I'd be heartbroke. You might not be. To each their own...these lists are just so incredibly biased that I find them somewhat distasteful...even if they do introduce me to good tunes. I'd much rather wade through a post of people talking about their favorite song, artist, album and why it means so much to them. Perspective...that can add to the experience. Some random list of 100 albums with less than a paragraph (many of which do not do justice to the work) is just plain sloppy and click-bait. Something to fill an hour of my time by clicking through and searching on youtube for songs and albums. It's by no qualitative measure a coherent or even adequate list of the best albums of all times.

All that being said...your multiple posts about Miles Davis combined with the little knowledge of him that I possess plus this article combined to me ordering the "Sketches of Spanish Rain." I haven't been a fan of free-form jazz....just not to my personal tastes yet...but I imagine it could be like whiskey or scotch...it might grow on me. I'm hoping something good comes of this ordeal.

 

[Nalens Oga]

Gang of Four and Talking Heads but no XTC? C'mon son.

Also they included Wire/The Sound/Joy Division but not The Chameleons' debut which is imo better than any of the ones above.

Also Laughing Stock by Talk Talk and Heaven or Las Vegas by Cocteau Twins, come to think of it did that list even have anything on it since the 90s? Bit too much canon worship going on with that.

 

[zombie kopitar]

I think there is SOME basis for what makes something better than something else.... you can't expect an exact identical match between two different people of course, but it's not JUST about subjectivity and every list being as good as the next. You could still very reasonably look at a list and criticize it for shamelessly pandering, having indefensible picks that don't meet any sort of a standard, selected in a way that feels mechanical/artificial, and having no internal consistency.

I'd prefer if these lists became MORE subjective if anything-- I think they would benefit from it-- At least you would have an easier time seeing where somebody's coming from.

It's impossible to not have a blend of both. I mean my list here is subjective in that I think Electric Ladyland is the superior Hendrix album, for recording technique alone. But when I see these type of lists I want to see it with some objective merit as well. Things are considered great for a reason, it's up to you to agree or disagree.

Commercial prowess and greater influence are important to me, so if it's something 'underrated' I want to understand what made it special and what impact it had to the overall landscape of popular music. I like to see Modern Lovers high on lists because while it wasn't a commercial success, it was one of if not the biggest influence on punk/proto punk.


So some of the albums on my list aren't my absolute favorite, but I'm quite familiar with everything I listed at the very least. And some are.
-also meant to say denotes not detonates in my post, but I don't feel like fixing it lol.