OT #1 - Touch the Sky

[Angie]

@dahliaclone posted this on Facebook, and we had a discussion about it, and thought it would be an interesting conversation.

Rolling Stone updated their top 500 albums of all time list. LINK. Here are the top 25:

25. Carole King, Tapestry
24. The Beatles, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
23. Velvet Underground, Velvet Underground and Nico
22. Notorious BIG, Ready to Die
21. Bruce Springsteen, Born to Run
20. Radiohead, Kid A
19. Kendrick Lamar, To Pimp a Butterfly
18. Bob Dylan, Highway 61 Revisited
17. Kanye West, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
16. The Clash, London Calling
15. Public Enemy, It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back
14. Rolling Stones, Exile on Main Street
13. Aretha Franklin, I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You
12. Michael Jackson, Thriller
11. The Beatles, Revolver
10. Lauryn Hill, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill
9. Bob Dylan, Blood on the Tracks
8. Prince & the Revolution, Purple Rain
7. Fleetwood Mac, Rumours
6. Nirvana, Nevermind
5. The Beatles, Abbey Road
4. Stevie Wonder, Songs in the Key of Life
3. Joni Mitchell, Blue
2. Beach Boys, Pet Sounds
1. Marvin Gaye, What's Going On

What are your thoughts? What would you change, what would you add or take away? Very few of the top 25 are from the last 20 years; should there be more of those?

Some of my fast takes:

- The Beatles are great, but there shouldn't be two of their albums higher than the Stones.
- That is likely Kanye's best album, but To Pimp a Butterfly is better. Kendrick should be higher.
- Sorry, but Blue is not better than Rumours.
- I may sound like a betrayal to my generation, but Nirvana hasn't aged as well as some of the other grunge bands (Soundgarden, PJ, STP, Foo Fighters, Alice in Chains are obvious answers). Nirvana may have been more important as a pivoting point, but this list isn't asking what the most important albums were in society. If it did, Meet the Beatles (which is what brought them to the US) would be the highest on their list, rather than the better albums musically. I think Nirvana is top 50, but not in this narrow group. And Nirvana is empirically NOT better than Prince.
- Aretha is great, but is she better than Billie Holiday? Nina Simone? IDK, that's a big statement.
- IMO, The Velvet Underground is better than Nico. Sorry to anyone who disagrees because you're just wrong, "Pale Blue Eyes" is their best song.

 

[mj4cy]

@dahliaclone posted this on his Facebook wall, and we had a discussion about it, and thought it would be an interesting conversation.

Rolling Stone updated their top 500 albums of all time list. LINK. Here are the top 25:

25. Carole King, Tapestry
24. The Beatles, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
23. Velvet Underground, Velvet Underground and Nico
22. Notorious BIG, Ready to Die
21. Bruce Springsteen, Born to Run
20. Radiohead, Kid A
19. Kendrick Lamar, To Pimp a Butterfly
18. Bob Dylan, Highway 61 Revisited
17. Kanye West, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
16. The Clash, London Calling
15. Public Enemy, It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back
14. Rolling Stones, Exile on Main Street
13. Aretha Franklin, I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You
12. Michael Jackson, Thriller
11. The Beatles, Revolver
10. Lauryn Hill, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill
9. Bob Dylan, Blood on the Tracks
8. Prince & the Revolution, Purple Rain
7. Fleetwood Mac, Rumours
6. Nirvana, Nevermind
5. The Beatles, Abbey Road
4. Stevie Wonder, Songs in the Key of Life
3. Joni Mitchell, Blue
2. Beach Boys, Pet Sounds
1. Marvin Gaye, What's Going On

What are your thoughts? What would you change, what would you add or take away? Very few of the top 25 are from the last 20 years; should there be more of those?

Some of my fast takes:

- The Beatles are great, but there shouldn't be two of their albums higher than the Stones.
- That is likely Kanye's best album, but To Pimp a Butterfly is better. Kendrick should be higher.
- Sorry, but Blue is not better than Rumours.
- I may sound like a betrayal to my generation, but Nirvana hasn't aged as well as some of the other grunge bands (Soundgarden, PJ, STP, Foo Fighters, Alice in Chains are obvious answers). Nirvana may have been more important as a pivoting point, but this list isn't asking what the most important albums were in society. If it did, Meet the Beatles (which is what brought them to the US) would be the highest on their list, rather than the better albums musically. I think Nirvana is top 50, but not in this narrow group. And Nirvana is empirically NOT better than Prince.
- Aretha is great, but is she better than Billie Holiday? Nina Simone? IDK, that's a big statement.
- IMO, The Velvet Underground is better than Nico. Sorry to anyone who disagrees because you're just wrong, "Pale Blue Eyes" is their best song.

I would agree that Nirvana has aged well in terms to what is popular today. They were so good and so simple with most of their music. Our culture now likes complex and extra. Also, I thought In Utero was a better album than Nevermind.

I'd move Michael Jackson even higher. Phenomimal.

 

[dahliaclone]

No Led Zeppelin in the top 50 in case anyone was wondering. That seems...very wrong.

 

[madguy30]

I put Blonde on Blonde over Blood on the Tracks, and if I'm being honest What's Going On is kinda boring and repetitive iirc. Maybe I should revisit it.

I wish Lauryn Hill would have done more.

 

[Angie]

I put Blonde on Blonde over Blood on the Tracks, and if I'm being honest What's Going On is kinda boring and repetitive iirc. Maybe I should revisit it.

I wish Lauryn Hill would have done more.

I would agree with every part of this. I like Marvin Gaye a lot, but would posit that maybe Otis Redding is just as talented.

 

[SoapyCy]

I don't like most of this music so my opinion is going to be way different, but there's too much 60's/70's music. Rolling Stone wants to live in a certain era.

U2 The Joshua Tree or Auchtung Baby should be top 15 at a minimum. Stevie Ray Vaughn should be higher. You may not like him, but Garth Brooks had massive hits with incredible songs in the early 90's. No Fences was a game-changing album for country music.

Dr. Dre The Chronic 2001 should be on there. And let's be honest, in a short time Avicii changed the world of music. He should be represented on there.

 

[moores2]

Also, the Eagles Hotel California album is left off this list too.

 

[cyclones500]

My first take, beginning w/ The Beatles, "Revolver" should be ranked above "Abbey Road."

I agree w/ @Angie that "Nevermind" is a high-impact pivot-point, but top 10 seems like a stretch.

 

[NWICY]

@Angie knocking out three Friday OTs in one day! I'm bowing out of this one. I pretty much listen to anything depending on my mood.

 

[cyclones500]

- IMO, The Velvet Underground is better than Nico. Sorry to anyone who disagrees because you're just wrong, "Pale Blue Eyes" is their best song.

Agree. But I fully expect "And Nico" to be ranked higher in these types of lists forever. It got there first, so it always gets the nod.

 

[Angie]

My first take, beginning w/ The Beatles, "Revolver" should be ranked above "Abbey Road."

I agree w/ @Angie that "Nevermind" is a high-impact pivot-point, but top 10 seems like a stretch.

Revolver is likely my favorite Beatles album, artistically. I agree it's their #1, and Abbey Road is probably #2. (Strong case for Sgt. Pepper, also.)

Agree. But I fully expect "And Nico" to be ranked higher in these types of lists forever. It got there first, so it always gets the nod.

And Nico is always awesome, for sure. But I just love the more raw, stripped-down sound of Velvet Underground. It is sort of how I associate their essence?

 

[nhclone]

My teenage self is screaming for Linkin Park - Hybrid Theory to be on there.

 

[JM4CY]

My thoughts:

- Nirvana hasn't aged well. I agree. I recently have dived back into grunge era music and agree with this take. Soundgarden, FF, etc. have some absolute classics that deserve more love. However, I get what Nirvana did for music changed things.
- The Eagles should be on there. I'm wondering if there inner-squabbling through the years pissed of someone at RS that's why they are not.
- I just don't get the newer hip-hop stuff on there. At all. Yes, while you're at it, please remove yourself from my front lawn.

 

[JM4CY]

I don't like most of this music so my opinion is going to be way different, but there's too much 60's/70's music. Rolling Stone wants to live in a certain era.

U2 The Joshua Tree or Auchtung Baby should be top 15 at a minimum. Stevie Ray Vaughn should be higher. You may not like him, but Garth Brooks had massive hits with incredible songs in the early 90's. No Fences was a game-changing album for country music.

Dr. Dre The Chronic 2001 should be on there. And let's be honest, in a short time Avicii changed the world of music. He should be represented on there.

They are never, EVER going to acknowledge Garth, but your 100% right. When talking about the GOATs of American music, you can't have an honest conversation without including him. This is coming from a guy who is far and away from being any kind of a country fan. It's just not my thing.

 

[Clonefan32]

My first take, beginning w/ The Beatles, "Revolver" should be ranked above "Abbey Road."

I agree w/ @Angie that "Nevermind" is a high-impact pivot-point, but top 10 seems like a stretch.

I was inclined to agree with you on "Nevermind", but when I look back at that tracklist there are some tremendous songs on there. It's not just "Smells Like Teen Spirit."

"Come As You Are" "Lithium" "On a Plain" "Polly"...all great songs.

 

[20eyes]

Not to pile on...but everyone is right about Nirvana.

But more importantly, Dark Side of the Moon and Wish You Were Here are two off the most brilliantly constructed albums of all time. They're genius. When you listen to them you're listening to genius.

Shame on RS for the omission of one of them (WYWH would be my choice).

 

[Gonzo]

@dahliaclone posted this on Facebook, and we had a discussion about it, and thought it would be an interesting conversation.

Rolling Stone updated their top 500 albums of all time list. LINK. Here are the top 25:

25. Carole King, Tapestry
24. The Beatles, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
23. Velvet Underground, Velvet Underground and Nico
22. Notorious BIG, Ready to Die
21. Bruce Springsteen, Born to Run
20. Radiohead, Kid A
19. Kendrick Lamar, To Pimp a Butterfly
18. Bob Dylan, Highway 61 Revisited
17. Kanye West, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
16. The Clash, London Calling
15. Public Enemy, It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back
14. Rolling Stones, Exile on Main Street
13. Aretha Franklin, I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You
12. Michael Jackson, Thriller
11. The Beatles, Revolver
10. Lauryn Hill, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill
9. Bob Dylan, Blood on the Tracks
8. Prince & the Revolution, Purple Rain
7. Fleetwood Mac, Rumours
6. Nirvana, Nevermind
5. The Beatles, Abbey Road
4. Stevie Wonder, Songs in the Key of Life
3. Joni Mitchell, Blue
2. Beach Boys, Pet Sounds
1. Marvin Gaye, What's Going On

What are your thoughts? What would you change, what would you add or take away? Very few of the top 25 are from the last 20 years; should there be more of those?

Some of my fast takes:

- The Beatles are great, but there shouldn't be two of their albums higher than the Stones.
- That is likely Kanye's best album, but To Pimp a Butterfly is better. Kendrick should be higher.
- Sorry, but Blue is not better than Rumours.
- I may sound like a betrayal to my generation, but Nirvana hasn't aged as well as some of the other grunge bands (Soundgarden, PJ, STP, Foo Fighters, Alice in Chains are obvious answers). Nirvana may have been more important as a pivoting point, but this list isn't asking what the most important albums were in society. If it did, Meet the Beatles (which is what brought them to the US) would be the highest on their list, rather than the better albums musically. I think Nirvana is top 50, but not in this narrow group. And Nirvana is empirically NOT better than Prince.
- Aretha is great, but is she better than Billie Holiday? Nina Simone? IDK, that's a big statement.
- IMO, The Velvet Underground is better than Nico. Sorry to anyone who disagrees because you're just wrong, "Pale Blue Eyes" is their best song.

List is wobbly at best. Including 'Kid A' over 'OK Computer' from Radiohead is surprising. I love 'Kid A' but I know other ardent followers don't. And not including The Replacements 'Tim' or 'Pleased to Meet Me' in the top-25 renders the list kind of meaningless for me.

 

[madguy30]

My thoughts:

- Nirvana hasn't aged well. I agree. I recently have dived back into grunge era music and agree with this take. Soundgarden, FF, etc. have some absolute classics that deserve more love. However, I get what Nirvana did for music changed things.
- The Eagles should be on there. I'm wondering if there inner-squabbling through the years pissed of someone at RS that's why they are not.
- I just don't get the newer hip-hop stuff on there. At all. Yes, while you're at it, please remove yourself from my front lawn.

Not that there aren't great albums, but doesn't something need some time to really soak in? Seems like many of those listed are highly influential and historically significant.

 

[Angie]

List is wobbly at best. Including 'Kid A' over 'OK Computer' from Radiohead is surprising. I love 'Kid A' but I know other ardent followers don't. And not including The Replacements 'Tim' or 'Pleased to Meet Me' in the top-25 renders the list kind of meaningless for me.

Yeah, and I'd maybe put MC5 over The Clash, personally. There are a lot of little things I'd change, for sure. It's got a lot of "really?" moments on it, mixed in with a lot of super-safe stuff in weird orders.

 

[cyclones500]

I was inclined to agree with you on "Nevermind", but when I look back at that tracklist there are some tremendous songs on there. It's not just "Smells Like Teen Spirit."

"Come As You Are" "Lithium" "On a Plain" "Polly"...all great songs.

Good point, definitely more than "Spirit," a good share of strong tracks. To me, a little too high up the list (or at least I'm surprised it ranked that high).