Top Ten Albums

[MarkGrace]

Has this already been done? This past fall one of our local stations, 90.3 KEXP, asked listeners to submit a list of their ten favorite albums ever. The station compiled the results and then counted down from 903 to 1 as part of a weekend long fundraiser. This was the list I submitted:

#1 OKC by Radiohead
#2 Dark Side of the Moon by Pink Floyd
#3 Sgt. Peppers by The Beatles
#4 Ten by Pearl Jam
#5 Nevermind by Nirvana
#6 IV by Led Zeppelin
#7 Kid A by Radiohead
#8 Pet Sounds by The Beach Boys
#9 Doolittle by Pixies
#10 Funeral by Arcade Fire

The first 7 were pretty easy calls, though at times subject to some shifting. Spots 8-10 were a bit more difficult as there are probably another 20 records that could take those spots on any given day.

Here was their final list (which was clearly reflective of their demographic): http://kexp.org/top2008/

So, what would your ten be?

(DDD, I'm making a specific request that you submit a ten since I know you're going to say that (1) you don't like lists and (2) there are two many albums to mention; just do it!)

[Guest]

A problem I have with these lists (KEPX's) is some only post the "correct" answers.

This is not a jab at you MG, but an honest question...Pet Sounds? I know its significance, but do you really dust off Pet Sounds and listen to Sloop John B often?

On the KEXP list...How can Illinois be in the top 20 or Boxer in the top 50? Of all time? Come on.

I'll think about and post a list.

[RC Vikings]

1. Autung Baby - U2
2. Who's Next - The Who
3. Abby Road - The Beatles
4. Back in Black - ACDC
5. Harvest - Neil Young
6. Born to Run - Bruce
7. The Joshua Tree - U2
8. Automatic for the People - REM
9. Hotel California - Eagles
10. Something/Anything - Todd Rundgren

[MarkGrace]

A problem I have with these lists (KEPX's) is some only post the "correct" answers.

This is not a jab at you MG, but an honest question...Pet Sounds? I know its significance, but do you really dust off Pet Sounds and listen to Sloop John B often?

On the KEXP list...How can Illinois be in the top 20 or Boxer in the top 50? Of all time? Come on.

I'll think about and post a list.

This is my favorite part about lists...seeing the reactions.

I listened to Pet Sounds last week.

[TripletDaddy]

My Top 10 favorite ever....

Some are similar to yours. Your list is solid. Mine in no particular order (although this is always subject to change):

1. The Beatles - Sgt Pepper's
2. Radiohead - OK Computer
3. Michael Jackson - Thriller
4. The Smiths - The Queen is Dead
5. Nirvana - Nevermind
6. The Clash - Sandanista!
7. REM - Life's Rich Pageant
8. The Beautiful South - Welcome to The Beautiful South
9. Ramones - Ramones
10. Radiohead - Kid A

[creekster]

1. Autung Baby - U2
2. Who's Next - The Who
3. Abby Road - The Beatles
4. Back in Black - ACDC
5. Harvest - Neil Young
6. Born to Run - Bruce
7. The Joshua Tree - U2
8. Automatic for the People - REM
9. Hotel California - Eagles
10. Something/Anything - Todd Rundgren

You and I are clearly the same age.

[MarkGrace]

My Top 10 favorite ever....

Some are similar to yours. Your list is solid. Mine in no particular order (although this is always subject to change):

1. The Beatles - Sgt Pepper's
2. Radiohead - OK Computer
3. Michael Jackson - Thriller
4. The Smiths - The Queen is Dead
5. Nirvana - Nevermind
6. The Clash - Sandanista!
7. REM - Life's Rich Pageant
8. The Beautiful South - Welcome to The Beautiful South
9. Ramones - Ramones
10. Radiohead - Kid A

Alright! (This just about made my day)

I haven't heard three of those (The Clash, that particular REM album, and The Beautiful South), so maybe I'll check them out.

Props on the Thriller inclusion. That is a rocking record.

[TripletDaddy]

Alright! (This just about made my day)

I haven't heard three of those (The Clash, that particular REM album, and The Beautiful South), so maybe I'll check them out.

Props on the Thriller inclusion. That is a rocking record.

I should note that by "favorite album," this means that for me, I pretty much love every single track on the record. every song is great.

There are plenty of other albums that I love, but they may have a weak track here or there. The 10 on my list are all sublime from start to finish.

The Beautiful South....one of my top 5 bands of all time and a record collector's obsession. They have since disbanded, but they are a fantastic mix of beuatiful melodies and bizarre/violent lyrics. One of the tracks on WTTBS.....Woman in the Wall....is about a guy who loves his wife, but he has a drinking problem. One night in a drunken rage, he kills his wife, chops her up, puts her in a vacuum bag, and hides the bag in the wall. Later, the flesh starts to decompose and starts to give away the husband's secret. The thing is...the song is such a fun, happy melody, you would never guess the dark tone unless you paid attention to the lyrics. Much of TBS's music is this way. In fact, the band burned through 2 lead singers over the course of 4 or 5 albums because ultimately, the women got sick of the lyrical themes. This is one band that my wife and I love equally and never tire of the music.

[MartyFunkhouser]

1. John Coltrane: Complete Live at the Village Vanguard (nice to get 4 discs in)
2. Medeski, Martin, and Wood: Tonic
3. John Zorn - Masada: Live at Tonic 2001
4. John Coltrane: Ascension
5. Soulive: Turn it Out
6. Critters Buggin: Host
7. Freddie Hubbard: Straight Life
8. Ornette Coleman: Free Jazz
9. Digable Planets: Blowout Comb
10. D'Angelo: Voodoo

[MartyFunkhouser]

Alright! (This just about made my day)

I haven't heard three of those (The Clash, that particular REM album, and The Beautiful South), so maybe I'll check them out.

Props on the Thriller inclusion. That is a rocking record.

I am going to agree that Thriller is a great inclusion, but in many ways Off the Wall is a better album. Michael Jackson was great back when Quincy Jones was producing his music.

[TripletDaddy]

Also, if you do track down Sandanista, which I am sure you will, do me a favor. Read up a bit on the album before you pop it in. Try to get a feel for what this album accomplished and how impactful it was at the time of its release. Many view London Calling at the pinnacle of Joe Strummer's work, but I actually think Sandanista! was the deepest and richest Clash album, by far. In fact, I can think of precious few other discs by any group that show such an obvious and disparate array of music styles on one single recording. One possible example may be Graceland by Paul Simon, but that doesn't even come close. Sandanista has pop, punk, reggae, rock, and even gospel and R&B.

It was also a blatantly political, but touching on current events that were not widely known at the time. The Sex Pistols, for example....they critiqued Britain's socioeconomic strata through the eyes of working-class gutter punks. However, this was not unique. You had the Oi movement, ska artists, amongst others that were also complaining about the plight of working class England. In this recent Joe Strummer documentary that I watched, one researcher made a point that The Clash's Sandanista was the first exposure many teens and young adults had to any political issues in Central or South America. I mean, seriously....has anyone else ever made an album about Nicaraguan guerillas? Who does that? The band even took to wearing the Sandanista red bandanas onstage as part of their wardrobe. That part of their clothes remained, even through the 80s and Combat Rock.

You can still see Joe wearing the Sandanista bandana here in this vid-cap of the Rock the Casbah video. The album was incredibly important to them as a band and you can see that they took a bit of it with them to future albums.



In my estimation, it is the magnum opus of The Clash. And really of all punk bands of all time. Just my 2 cents.

[ERCougar]

I should note that by "favorite album," this means that for me, I pretty much love every single track on the record. every song is great.

There are plenty of other albums that I love, but they may have a weak track here or there. The 10 on my list are all sublime from start to finish.

The Beautiful South....one of my top 5 bands of all time and a record collector's obsession. They have since disbanded, but they are a fantastic mix of beuatiful melodies and bizarre/violent lyrics. One of the tracks on WTTBS.....Woman in the Wall....is about a guy who loves his wife, but he has a drinking problem. One night in a drunken rage, he kills his wife, chops her up, puts her in a vacuum bag, and hides the bag in the wall. Later, the flesh starts to decompose and starts to give away the husband's secret. The thing is...the song is such a fun, happy melody, you would never guess the dark tone unless you paid attention to the lyrics. Much of TBS's music is this way. In fact, the band burned through 2 lead singers over the course of 4 or 5 albums because ultimately, the women got sick of the lyrical themes. This is one band that my wife and I love equally and never tire of the music.

I love the Beautiful South. I loved them when they were the Housemartins. They remind me a little of the Smiths. And I can't tell you how proud I am to know a band that MG doesn't.

[TripletDaddy]

I love the Beautiful South. I loved them when they were the Housemartins. They remind me a little of the Smiths. And I can't tell you how proud I am to know a band that MG doesn't.

Yes, The housemartins were also excellent. I love them, although different style.

Truthfully, the only full Housemartin/TBS band member was Paul Heaton (lead singer). Dave Hemmingway was the drummer for The People Who Grinned Themselves to Death, but was not part of the band for London 0 Hull 4 or the bodgers babes demo tapes. Sean Welch was a roadie for The Housemartins, but not a band member.

Arguably, the most famous Housemartin of all didn't even join TBS. He was Norman Cook, aka FatBoy Slim....the weapon of choice.

[ERCougar]

Yes, The housemartins were also excellent. I love them, although different style.

Truthfully, the only full Housemartin/TBS band member was Paul Heaton (lead singer). Dave Hemmingway was the drummer for The People Who Grinned Themselves to Death, but was not part of the band for London 0 Hull 4 or the bodgers babes demo tapes. Sean Welch was a roadie for The Housemartins, but not a band member.

Arguably, the most famous Housemartin of all didn't even join TBS. He was Norman Cook, aka FatBoy Slim....the weapon of choice.

I didn't realize there was such a change. I dug that green and black album of the Housemartins--can't remember the name. Then, when Beautiful South released their album, I bought it and loved it. 36D, Red Eyes is Back, that cover of Sweet Dreams they did...good stuff.

[venkman]

In no particular order (ask me again in a month, a week, a day, and it could change)

Led Zeppelin III
Led Zeppelin IV
Pink Floyd: Wish You Were Here
Metallica: Ride the Lightning
AC/DC: Highway to Hell
The Cult: Electric
Motley Crue: Dr. Feelgood
Van Halen: 1984
Pearl Jam: Ten
Iron Maiden: Piece of Mind (The Trooper!!!)