Classic albums you haven't listened to.

[The Nal]

Travelin listened to and immediately ordered off of that ebay.

Edited January 14, 2014 by The Nal

[PastCaring]

That 12,000 greatest albums site makes interesting reading - quite a few old favourites there, as would be expected. Some surprising positioning there, though, and, even more surprising was the amount of artists that I swear I have never heard of before, which, I suppose, must represent the artists who have influenced other artists.

In the end, though, it has to come down to personal taste - for example, I, personally, love Dylan and I own quite a few of his albums (including Bringing It All Back Home, which I love in its entirety!) but quite a few people here are not so keen. Same goes for Led Zep. My personal music hate is Michael Jackson (all that squeeking sets my teeth on edge!) but many people think he's god. I could go on ....

One thing I would like to know, however - can somebody please explain to me the attraction of Neutral Milk Hotel? Having read so many rave reviews, I tried YouTubing them, and what I'm hearing is a kind of formless ramble - am I missing something somewhere?

[theDandy]

That 12,000 greatest albums site makes interesting reading - quite a few old favourites there, as would be expected. Some surprising positioning there, though, and, even more surprising was the amount of artists that I swear I have never heard of before, which, I suppose, must represent the artists who have influenced other artists.

In the end, though, it has to come down to personal taste - for example, I, personally, love Dylan and I own quite a few of his albums (including Bringing It All Back Home, which I love in its entirety!) but quite a few people here are not so keen. Same goes for Led Zep. My personal music hate is Michael Jackson (all that squeeking sets my teeth on edge!) but many people think he's god. I could go on ....

One thing I would like to know, however - can somebody please explain to me the attraction of Neutral Milk Hotel? Having read so many rave reviews, I tried YouTubing them, and what I'm hearing is a kind of formless ramble - am I missing something somewhere?

[windy_miller]

In the end, though, it has to come down to personal taste

[kaosmark2]

I'm not sure it does. I will happily admit that there are some Bob Dylan albums that are undeniably classics, even though I don't like him. A classic is something that has been around for at least about 10-15 years, and has widespread critical acclaim. Or this...

[Babyquack]

I don't quite understand the big hype around Neutral Milk Hotel, however am yet to give the full album a listen

Edited January 15, 2014 by Babyquack

[zero000]

On the topic of Aphex Twin, Selected ambient works is an absolute classic IMO. If you like electronic music at all you should give it a go.

[mrtourette]

I'm not sure it does. I will happily admit that there are some Bob Dylan albums that are undeniably classics, even though I don't like him. A classic is something that has been around for at least about 10-15 years, and has widespread critical acclaim.

[mrtourette]

One thing I would like to know, however - can somebody please explain to me the attraction of Neutral Milk Hotel? Having read so many rave reviews, I tried YouTubing them, and what I'm hearing is a kind of formless ramble - am I missing something somewhere?

[Wooderson]

Yeah this is the point that I was trying to make. Good or bad come down to personal taste, but does classic or legendary? Is there something else there that makes an album classic other than whether you like it or not? I think there has to be, otherwise you're just arguing about what you like or don't like and the use of the term classic is redundant.

[kaosmark2]

Influence.

[Wooderson]

In which case, the most classic albums are Talking Heads ones.

[kaosmark2]

It is. Fear of Music is phenomenal as well.

[grumpyhack]

I got back from Glastonbury after the Brian Wilson set and was talking to my (then) 15 year old nephew and he asked who I'd seen.

When I said The Beach Boys he said: "Who?"

I went through various other bands and got an equally blank response.

So I decided to put together a CD for him entitled "10 Songs Everyone Should Know."

I started on my list and realised it was much my personal opinion and very skewed to the 60s. (I am of a certain age).

So I started asking friends, people in bands and promoters I know to suggest their 10 songs. The guidance was "Without this ..... would never have happened."

Part of the problem was there had to be a Beatles song - but which one - as it was songs, not albums or bands.

When I got the responses I weighted them and came up with an overall consensus. In the end there was space for more than 10 but this was the result. They are in chronological order so you can see how one song might have influenced what followed musically.

1. Cross Roads Blues - Robert Johnson 1936 (2:40)
2. Fly Me To The Moon - Frank Sinatra 1953 (2:28)
3. Hound Dog - Elvis Presley 1956 (2:17)
4. Johnny B Goode - Chuck Berry 1959 (2:42)
5. Like a Rolling Stone - Bob Dylan 1965 (6:10)
6. My Generation - The Who 1965 (3:24)
7. Respect - Aretha Franklin 1967 (2:29)
8. Good Vibrations - The Beach Boys 1967 (3:34)
9. Hey Jude - The Beatles 1968 (7:03)
10. All Along The Watchtower - Jimi Hendrix 1968 (4:01)
11. Brown Sugar - The Rolling Stones 1971 (3:50)
12. Imagine - John Lennon 1971 (3:04)
13. Bohemian Rhapsody - Queen 1976 (5:54)
14. Anarchy In the UK - Sex Pistols 1976 (3:30)
15. Billie Jean - Michael Jackson 1982 (4:54)
16. Sunday Bloody Sunday - U2 1983 (4:41)
17. Smells Like Teen Spirit - Nirvana 1991 (5:01)
18. Wonderwall - Oasis 1995 (4:18)
19. Boulevard of Broken Dreams - Green Day 2004 (4:20)

Lights blue touch paper and stands back for comments. In fairness, it was done a few years ago.

Edited January 15, 2014 by grumpyhack

[kaosmark2]

1. Anarchy In the UK - Sex Pistols 1976 (3:30)
2. Boulevard of Broken Dreams - Green Day 2004 (4:20)

Lights blue touch paper and stands back for comments

[grumpyhack]

Where the hell did that green day song come from?

[kaosmark2]

I didn't like it 10 years ago and I don't like it now. Formulaic unimaginative music feigning an alternative image for the sake of sales. Terrible stuff.

[grumpyhack]

I didn't like it 10 years ago and I don't like it now. Formulaic unimaginative music feigning an alternative image for the sake of sales. Terrible stuff.

[mrtourette]

Yeah that Green Day song is the best one from that era?

Apart from that it's a really good idea and well put together, flows pretty well through the history of music. I'd probably take out John Lennon and find places for The Ramones and The Smiths.

[kaosmark2]

You could say that it ushered in an era of that.

[PastCaring]

I hate Boulevard of Broken Dreams (what a dirge!) but American Idiot always makes me smile!

On the subject of classic albums, when I was a kid, there was one album that you used to hear everywhere (for example, I remember it being played on a loop on a ferry journey) to the extent that, although I've never owned it, I know the tracks off by heart. That album is Bridge Over Troubled Water. Does that all pervasiveness make it a classic album? In my eyes, I suppose it does. And what about those albums that everyone seemed to own, like, for example, Nevermind or 10 - I would see those as classic albums, but, I guess, ownership would have been mainly restricted to people of a certain age group and musical taste,so we're back, once again, to subjectivity ....

[MrZigster]

I like this thread.

Boulevard Of Broken Dreams is famously a complete rip off of Wonderwall isn't it? Which is probably a complete rip off of something else, Noel Gallagher being the plagiarists plagiarist.

http://youtu.be/KniyOd1kwac

I have to admit to being slightly called out on the Dylan thing earlier. I probably only used to skip a couple of tracks from BIABH, but side one of Desire? With the exception of Sara I prefer to leave it at side one. I'm glad to know people still get the concept of "albums" having "sides". It's been a while since Brothers In Arms and the CD revolution after all

I'd like to add that I think Hunky Dory is a far better album than Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars.

[The Nal]

"Sides" are coming back in. Theres a vinyl renaissance happening.

[kaosmark2]

I'd like to add that I think Hunky Dory is a far better album than Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars.

[PastCaring]

Unfortunately, I simply don't have the space for a record deck, let alone a record collection, in spite of the fact that I know that they are much more tactile objects - I have to make do, in the main, with mp 3s, without the lovely cover art and sleeve notes Although, I suppose it is much cheaper!

I would agree that Hunky Dory is Bowie's best album. Although, I can't say that I listen to Bowie all that much these days.