10 Best Albums of All-Time

[MooseDog]

Originally Posted by Paul S

Biil, with all due respect, how can you even begin to moderate a thread like this? It's all totally subjective.

Yeah, a thread like this will get an overwhelming response and let's face it, we all like pushing our opinions out there, either for some validation, or to stir up some shite or some even to prove how cool they are...given the wide range of age and taste, and even geographic location it's impossible to agree on a top 10 of anything related to music.

That being said, I'm going to chime in with my top 10, and the chosen were based on overall quality of the entire album (is every track great?); quality of the performance, recording, and songwriting; execution of concept (if a concept type album); my personal tastes (all over the place); and LONGEVITY (how has the album held up over time?)

I'll put on my flame retardant suit once I hit "send".

In no particular order:

PINK FLOYD "Dark Side of the Moon"
Everyone knows this one but from my own perspective, this album really got my mind going in a forward direct (and no, I don't get stoned so that wasn't it...) I upbringing was very sheltered - I was allowed to listen to classical and "wholesome" music but the lyrics really opened my eyes and the music my ears.

EAGLES "Hotel California"
Those of us who live out here in CA probably identify with this album better than others but man, this hits on so many levels. Loss of innocence, wretched excess, broken dreams. But we are still here. As the song says, "You can check out any time you like, but you can never leave..."

NEIL DIAMOND "Hot August Night"
People know I like music sometimes ask me about live albums. I keep telling them that this is the best live album, or at least my favorite. I'm almost glad there is no video of these concerts and it would probably ruin the magic. Like him or hate him, and in recent years he seems to be a parody of himself the man was an incredible live performer. This albums catches him at his creative peak, a star in full glory and he gives it all on every song. Some might fault his style as overly dramatic, but that's what performing is all about.

MARVIN GAYE "What's Goin' On"
This forum is probably not the best place to find fans of soul music but growing up in Oakland I was exposed to wide variety of music. See my comments about Dark Side above, I had to learn about this album way after release and after a lot of the events Marvin writes about had faded to memory. As I became more away of the real world around me this album hit a lot themes I was beginning to understand. But listening to it these days one realizes not much has changed and the themes are still things we need to address today. Unlike many Motown artitst Marvin was a songwriter too. This was a protest album with a groove.

ENYA "Shepherd Moons"
I'm probably going to get a lot of flack for this one, but while I have always enjoyed fine hard rock and roll, this New Age album is simply the most beautiful music I've every heard on one CD. It works as background music (doesn't get in your way with catchy lyrics or backbeats) and you can experience some of the same mental/sonic pyrotechnics as Dark Side while listening to it in the dark on headphones.

BEATLES "Rubber Soul"
Greatest collection of pop songs, ever.

THE WHO "Tommy"
I can still listen to this one start to finish. There are some personal themes that resonate with me too, but I just love the guitar lines.

SARAH McLACHLAN "Surfacing"
I'm probably going to lose all my remaining man points with this pick. I guess I'm attracted to the "introspective singer/songwriter" type. Mostly because they seem to be able to express things that I can't. When Sarah sings "...you're a beautiful f**cked up man..." I think she's talking about me.

AC/DC "Back in Black"
In a previous life I used to work concessions at local concerts. It was a great way to get paid (very little) but see some cool shows. I was never a huge AC/DC fan but was simply (and literally) blown away by their show (and this was a Brian Johnson show, not a Bon Scott). BnB is not just a great hard rock album, I think it belongs on any "greatest" list. And no, this wasn't just to get some of those man points back.

TALKING HEADS "Remain in Light"
When I was still young and stupid (as opposed to old and...well) I could not get enough of this album. It was so different than anything else out at the time (end of disco era and start of punk/anti-music movement). Every now and then I pop it into the CD player and am amazed how still "futuristic" the sound is.

There you go.