# Possibly your Top Ten favorite pop/rock albums



## Ashermusic (Mar 20, 2009)

Let's do something positive. I know it is hard to pick ten. Anything but Classical, Jazz, or Film Score. No greatest hits comps.

In no particular order.

"Revolver" The Beatles

"Rubber Soul" The Beatles

"Out Of Our Heads" The Rolling Stones

"Born To Run" Bruce Springsteen (Brrruuuuuucccce!)

"Sail Away" Randy Newman

"Hotel California" The Eagles

"For The Roses" Joni Mitchell

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## Nick Batzdorf (Mar 20, 2009)

"Court and Spark" Joni Mitchell
"Abbey Road" Beatles (and all the other ones - Yellow Submarine, etc.)
"Street Life" the Crusaders (not really jazz, okay Jay?)
"Blow by Blow" Jeff Beck
"John Barleycorn" Traffic
"Talking Book" Stevie Wonder
"Innervisions" Stevie Wonder
"Songs in the Key of Life" Stevie Wonder
[Pick any album from the early 70s] Elton John
"My Old School" Steely Dan
"Tapestry" Carole King

There are lots more. I can't pick ten.


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## Dave Connor (Mar 20, 2009)

Most the Beatle Albums

James Brown Sex Machine

Dylan's Highway 61

Who's Next

Led Zeppelin II

The Beach Boys Yesterday and Today

Pet Sounds

So (Peter Gabriel)

Chicago Transit Authority

Abraxus

Sticky Fingers

The Allman Bros Live At The Filmore East/Eat A Peach

Edit: Shoot didn't mention Stevie Wonder! 'Music Of My Mind'


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## tobyond (Mar 20, 2009)

In no particular order:

Jeff Buckley - Grace
Led Zeppelin - II
Bob Dylan - Highway 61 Revisited
The Doors - The Doors
The Beatles - Rubber Soul (so hard to choose)
Stevie Wonder - Talking Book
Van Morrison - Moondance
David Bowie - Ziggy Stardust
Muse - Absolution
Jimi Hendrix - Are You Experienced


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## Hans Adamson (Mar 20, 2009)

Billie Holiday, "Lady Sings the Blues"
Chet Baker, "Chet Baker Sings"
Ray Charles, "Mess Around"
Diana Ross & the Supremes, "You Can't Hurry Love"
Otis redding, "Live at the Whiskey A GoGo" 
The Beatles, "The White Album"
Rolling Stones, "Get Yer Ya-Ya's Out" 
Carole King, "Tapestry"
Joe Cocker, "Joe Cocker, Mad Dogs and Englishmen"
Elton John, "Elton John"
Stevie Wonder, "Talking Book"
Earth Wind And Fire, "Gotta get you into My Life"

10, right? (o) 

Ok I cheated too, and some are singles, but they represent the series of singles in a row in which they were released, so that's kind of like an album.

Just outside the list:
Tina Turner, "Sweet Rhode Island Red"
Billy Preston, "A Whole New Thing"
Stevie Wonder, "Songs in the Key of Life"
Don Mclean, "American Pie"
Canned Heat, "Boogie with Canned Heat"
Elton John, "Caribou"

Also, I could really have picked anything by Stevie Wonder and the Beatles. OK, and I forgot Aretha. she should be in there somewhere. I'll update tomorrow... 8)

Hmmm, Credence Clearwater Revival should have been in there too.. this is impossible... 10 is not enough Jay!!


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## bryla (Mar 21, 2009)

I'll try to get more time so I can write my list, but Hans:
Do you mean Jamiroquai or is there a band named Canned Heat?


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## re-peat (Mar 21, 2009)

Bryla, yes, there is a band called Canned Heat. They had 2 rather big hits with "On The Road Again" and "Going Up The Country" and gave a memorable performance at the Woodstock festival. Steaming blues-rock.

Hans, apologies for the schoolmaster-attitude: it's not _'Yeah Yeahs'_, but _'Ya Yahs'_ in the title of that Stones' album: _"Get Yer Ya Yas Out!"_.

_


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## david robinson (Mar 21, 2009)

hi,

random order:

Revolver - Beatles.

Axis, Bold as Love - Jimi Hendrix

Hot Rats - Frank Zappa.

Blow by Blow - Jeff Beck.

Led Zep II.

We're Only in it for the Money - Mothers of Invention.

Electric Ladyland - Jimi Hendrix.

That's all i can think of, right now.

DR9.


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## Hans Adamson (Mar 21, 2009)

bryla @ Sat Mar 21 said:


> I'll try to get more time so I can write my list, but Hans:
> Do you mean Jamiroquai or is there a band named Canned Heat?


Bryla,

My favorite psychedelic album cover: http://www.flickr.com/photos/timotheusnewberg/2598734184/

Canned Heat was a white blues band, with a passion for "older" blues. Their renditions were colored by the times they lived in (flower power). They were kind of "west-coast" psychedelic blues. With my favorite harmonica player Alan Wilson who died young early on.

Re-peat, thanks for the correction.


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## madbulk (Mar 21, 2009)

oh what a terrible idea... damn you.

In something pretty close to correct order:
beatles: revolver
stevie: songs in the key of life gets the nod over innervisions
who: who's next
pinkfloyd: dark side of the moon
eagles: hotel california
billy joel: turnstiles (studio) songs in the attic (if we're allowed live compilations)
zep: zeppelin 4
stevie: innervisions
beatles: magical mystery tour (I'm a fool on the hill, penny lane sort of beatles fan as opposed to the rubber soul sort.)
aerosmith: toys in the attic

kinda approached that as a historian more than as a fan... probably not the most interesting path. I would suggest everybody do the opposite from here on out.


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## choc0thrax (Mar 21, 2009)

Not in any particular order:


The Downward Spiral - Nine Inch Nails

The Fragile - Nine Inch Nails

Ok Computer - Radiohead

The Bends - Radiohead

Nevermind - Nirvana

Follow The Leader - Korn

Korn(self titled) - Korn

The Joshua Tree - U2

Tragic Kingdom - No Doubt

Antichrist Superstar - Marilyn Manson

Sehnsucht - Rammstein

Siamese Dream - Smashing Pumpkins

EDIT: Somehow forgot about smashing pumpkins!. What a different list than everyone else.


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## Nick Batzdorf (Mar 21, 2009)

Hans cheated and included jazz albums. That's too easy. 

I'd also have to add something by The Police to my list above. "I'll Be Watching You" is great, for instance. And there are lots of individual songs, for example "Time After Time" (Cyndi Lauper).


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## alphabetgreen (Mar 21, 2009)

Ashermusic @ Sat 21 Mar said:


> alphabetgreen @ Sat Mar 21 said:
> 
> 
> > Oooh! This is going to be easy:
> ...



Music *is* subjective, my friend!


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## Thonex (Mar 21, 2009)

alphabetgreen @ Sat Mar 21 said:


> Music *is* subjective, my friend!



You forgot Hanna Montanna


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## alphabetgreen (Mar 21, 2009)

Thonex @ Sat 21 Mar said:


> alphabetgreen @ Sat Mar 21 said:
> 
> 
> > Music *is* subjective, my friend!
> ...



No I didn't! I was only allowed 10, remember.


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## Ashermusic (Mar 21, 2009)

alphabetgreen @ Sat Mar 21 said:


> Ashermusic @ Sat 21 Mar said:
> 
> 
> > alphabetgreen @ Sat Mar 21 said:
> ...



Indeed, it is.


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## Ashermusic (Mar 21, 2009)

I started this discussion about full length works i.e. albums but some folks have mentioned some singles, so:

The conventional wisdom, and it is probably correct, is that Elvis Presley's Sun recordings and very early RCA records were his best work, and that later on it was mostly schlock.

Still, every once in a while he would put out a record that would knock your socks off and remind you of what an amazing and powerful singer he was.

I just listened to "Are You Lonesome Tonight", the great Hank Williams song that has been recorded by so many artists. Elvis understated reading of the lyric just infuses every syllable with ache and longing. Man, is it good!

Another is "Suspicious Minds." Killer song, killer vocal performance. When he had material that was worthy of him, he was still "The King."


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## Patrick de Caumette (Mar 21, 2009)

not in order:

Pink Floyd: Dark Side of the Moon
Led Zep: a bit of II, IV and V
Santana: Caravanserail
Stevie Wonder: Songs in the Key of Life
Yes: Close to the Edge/Fragile
Jeff Beck: Wired
Beatles: Abbey Road
Genesis: Selling England by the pound
Sly & the Family Stone: Woodstock
Lou Reed: Rock'n Roll Animal


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## Christian Marcussen (Mar 22, 2009)

These lists are surely lacking Michael Jackson


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## alphabetgreen (Mar 22, 2009)

Christian Marcussen @ Sun 22 Mar said:


> These lists are surely lacking Michael Jackson



Aye, and Billy Ocean.


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## Dan Selby (Mar 22, 2009)

Good thread, Jay!

In no particular order:

Gordon Lightfoot - Gordon Lightfoot
Marvin Gaye - What's Goin' On
Young MC - Stone Cold Rhymin'
Portishead - Dummy
Bob Marley - Natty Dread
Sting - Dream of the Blue Turtles
Curtis Mayfield - There's No Place Like America Today
Alanis Morissette - Jagged Little Pill
The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Axis Bold As Love
Lauryn Hill - The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill
Donny Hathaway - Donny Hathaway Live
Bjork - Debut
Bob Dylan - Street Legal (or maybe Blonde on Blonde, I can't decide)
The Eagles - Hotel California

Gah, up to 14 and I know I've missed stuff.


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## Thonex (Mar 22, 2009)

In no particular order:

Pink Floyd: Dark Side of the Moon
Yes: Fragile
Peter Garbriel: So
Beatles: St. Peppers
U2: Joshua Tree
Police: Synchronicity
Led Zepplin: House of the Holy
Supertramp: Even in the Quietest Moments
Queen: A Night at the Opera
Who: Who Are You / Tommy



In doing this list, I realize that all of the albums are from my youth... and I started to ask myself... why no more recent albums??? I think the answer is:

1) I've been too busy scoring and listening to scores and NPR (talk) radio when not scoring
2) I think there are a lot of great albums in the recent years, but they haven't been around long enough to make the list. I'm thinking Cold Play, Radiohead, the killers, Airborn Toxic Event, Wheezer, etc.

Good topic.

T


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## alphabetgreen (Mar 22, 2009)

Thonex @ Sun 22 Mar said:


> In no particular order:
> 
> Pink Floyd: Dark Side of the Moon
> Yes: Fragile
> ...



Radiohead released their first album over 15 years ago. Just how long do these bands have to be on probation, Thonex?


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## Ashermusic (Mar 22, 2009)

alphabetgreen @ Sat Mar 21 said:


> Ashermusic @ Sat 21 Mar said:
> 
> 
> > I have an irrational prejudice against singers who don't write their own material.
> ...



That is indeed a shame. Not only do you miss Elvis, Tom Jones, etc, but pre-rock era greats like Nat King Cole, Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald,

Once Paul Anka, Bobby Darin, Roy Orbison, and of course, The Beatles, showed that it was possible to be great interpreters of their own material, the flood gates were unleashed.

As a result we have some good singers who are lousy writers and some good writers who are lousy singers making records alongside those who do both well.

I am relieved that your list was a joke. Ah, the famous dead pan British wit


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## Thonex (Mar 22, 2009)

alphabetgreen @ Sun Mar 22 said:


> Radiohead released their first album over 15 years ago. Just how long do these bands have to be on probation, Thonex?



well... I've been scoring for over 20 years... so that makes sense LOL

_
"Just how long do these bands have to be on probation, Thonex?"_

oh... I don't know... until I feel they have influenced me more than the ones listed above? But as you said... we could only list 10 :wink:


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## Patrick de Caumette (Mar 22, 2009)

Yep. Shorter to type...



alphabetgreen @ Sun Mar 22 said:


> Patrick de Caumette @ Sun 22 Mar said:
> 
> 
> > not in order:
> ...


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## mikebarry (Mar 22, 2009)

i will try.

in no order after number 2:

1) Abbey Road (especially the sequence starting from Mean Mr. Mustard) 
2) Stone Temple Pilots - Purple


3) Green Day Dookie
4) Stone Temple Pilots - Core
5) Nirvanna Unplugged In NY
6) Pearl Jam Ten
7) Soundgarden - Superunknown
8) Dr Dre - The Chronic (#1)
9) Dropkick Murphey's The Warriors Code
10) Red Hot Chili Peppers - Blood Sugar Sex Magic


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## alphabetgreen (Mar 22, 2009)

Ashermusic @ Sun 22 Mar said:


> alphabetgreen @ Sat Mar 21 said:
> 
> 
> > Ashermusic @ Sat 21 Mar said:
> ...



You're perfectly right of course. I'm at complete odds with myself. If I wrote a set of songs and employed a singer to sing them (I can't sing to save my life), and they did it well, I would be their number one fan.

My prejudice stems from the likes of people like Cliff Richard, who is regarded (especially by the blue rinse brigade) as the messiah to a lot of people. And all his hits are regarded as his hits. Where's the justice in that? As if he alone was responsible for the existence of such songs. However, I sincerely dislike the man and his pseudo-religious sanctimony, so that may have something to do with it.


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## lux (Mar 22, 2009)

[quote:1e7f7eb5bc="Thonex @ Sun Mar 22, 2009 6:08 am"]In no particular order:

In doing this list, I realize that all of the albums are from my youth... and I started to ask myself... why no more recent albums??? I think the answer is:

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## Hans Adamson (Mar 22, 2009)

I just realized there is a recent album that would make my list:
Herbie Hancock: "Possibilities" - and it is not jazz...


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## alphabetgreen (Mar 22, 2009)

mikebarry @ Sun 22 Mar said:


> i will try.
> 
> in no order after number 2:
> 
> ...



A big Seattle 90s influence there, I see.


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## Nick Batzdorf (Mar 22, 2009)

"I just realized there is a recent album that would make my list: 
Herbie Hancock: "

Oh, if Herbie Hancock is allowed than I have to include "Headhunters." I still listen to that a lot.

As I said, as soon as you include jazz it all becomes a lot easier. All I have to do is walk to the other side of my room and point at my records at random.


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## dcoscina (Mar 22, 2009)

Turn of a Friendly Card- Alan Parsons Project
Seal (II)- Seal *the Kiss from a Rose album
Emerson, Lake and Palmer- ELP
Superunknown- Soundgarden
Moving Pictures- Rush
Ten- Pearl Jam
Dark Side of the Moon- Pink Floyd


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## Hans Adamson (Mar 23, 2009)

Nick Batzdorf @ Sun Mar 22 said:


> "I just realized there is a recent album that would make my list:
> Herbie Hancock: "
> 
> Oh, if Herbie Hancock is allowed than I have to include "Headhunters." I still listen to that a lot.
> ...


But "Possibilities" is not a jazz record: Christina Aguilera, Paul simon, Sting, Annie Lennox, Santana, Johnny lang, John Mayer, and other fantastic artists sing covers of pop songs. Definitely not jazz. When I did the first list I hadn't read the thread title carefully enough though, but Possibilities should qualify even though it is produced by Herbie....

I think this a great thread. I had no idea I would pick almost the same albums as Nick, and it is cool to get an idea about artists and albums still there to discover.


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## RMWSound (Mar 23, 2009)

Sorry, can't choose just 1 from the Beatles....

1. Beatles - Abbey Road
2. Elton John - Tumbleweed Connection
3. Beatles - White Album
4. David Bowie - Ziggy Stardust
5. Beatles - Sgt. Peppers
6. Beatles - Revolver
7. Beatles - Magical Mystery Tour
8. Queen - Night at the Opera (tough to pick one, but I had to have 1 on here from them)
9. Bob Dylan - Highway 61 Revisited
10. Beatles - Rubber Soul


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## alphabetgreen (Mar 23, 2009)

RMWSound @ Mon 23 Mar said:


> Sorry, can't choose just 1 from the Beatles....
> 
> 1. Beatles - Abbey Road
> 2. Elton John - Tumbleweed Connection
> ...



Easier to pick two - Sheer Heart Attack & Queen 1


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## R. Soul (Mar 23, 2009)

"Anything but Classical, Jazz, or Film Score." - yet no one mentions any electronic music :(

Here's my list (which changes weekly btw)

Shpongle - Are you Shpongled?
Massive Attack - Mezzanine
Niyaz - Niyaz
BT - Movement in still life
Gnarls Barkley - St. Elsewhere
Crystal Method - Vegas
Celldweller - Celldweller
Sorten Muld - Mark 3
Linkin Park - Hybrid theory
Fatboy Slim - You've come a long way baby


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## Nick Batzdorf (Mar 23, 2009)

> "Thrust" (the followup album) is even better don't you think?



I have it, but I haven't heard it for a *very* long time and will have to listen again.  You're probably right.

Actually, some of the people on that album formed a group called Headhunters that has an album. It's also great, and I'll have to listen to it again.


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## alphabetgreen (Mar 23, 2009)

Well goodness me! Does anyone of you fine fellows fancy giving me a few pointers in this thread:

http://vi-control.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=11970


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