Rolling Stone's "500 Greatest Albums of All Time" (1 Viewer)

[Peter Mazur]

Queen: A Night At The Opera at #230?!?!!!

This list is just plain wrong.

 

[Craig S]

You can quibble about the ordering, but it's kind of hard to argue with their Top Twenty.

 

[Colin Jacobson]

The Motown sound seems to be very under represented in this list. Where's Diana Ross and the Supremes, Four Tops, Temptations and the likes.

So please name what great ALBUMS they produced. Of course, this list does include important compilations, so these acts - who really exemplified the term "singles acts" - could have appeared there. I guess they didn't think they could find any great Motown compilations...

 

[Jeremiah]

Why is Jimi Hendrix's Are You Experienced at #15 when his Electric Ladyland album is quite a bit better and is at #54? AYE is not to high, but how can EL be that low.

To people who don't like the 60's bands being the most dominant, maybe it isn't bias and maybe it is because these bands are better than anything recent. They are The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppilin, Jimi Hendrix, The Doors, these are the Supergroups. I think the albums are completely in the wrong rankings but my list would have mostly the Supergroups at the top. It's like when people discuss the greatest basketball players, you will always have the same names being talked about b/c well they are the greatest.

 

[Dave Bennett]

John_Bonner,
I'm with you on Counting Crows August and Everything After. I was never really a big Counting Crows fan(and I'll go on record as saying that I absolutely hate their cover of that Parking Lot song. Everytime I hear it at work I want to rip my eyes out) but last year I borrowed August and Everything After from a friend who was a Counting Crows fan. I was really impressed with the disc. A solid disc with a very unique sound. Not sure if their later stuff is closer to this or that song I can't stand but either way August and Everything After is a very good album worthy of a spot somewhere on this list.

 

[John Berggren]

At times the list seems wholly pulled out of thin air. There are albums that list that I wouldn't rate so high, there are albums that list far too low. There are albums that don't list at all.

I've seen "Little Earthquakes" in too many "top albums" lists to think it wouldn't rate in the top 500 of all time. Certainly moreso than 2 Eminem releases or Vitalogy (the most uneven Pearl Jam album).

How about Mellon Collie by the Pumpkins? A remarkably dissapointing followup to Siamese Dream that could easily have worked as one CD had they cut out all the B-sides.

As far as I know the "Immaculate Collection" was not an album, but a greatest hits release. If these count than the whole chart is off.

I don't see In Utero or Dookie rating as highly as they do. Both were well received in their time, but highly overated for posterity.

A Night at the Opera at 230? How many rock and roll acts pick that as one of their top influences?

Automatic for the People should have easily scored higher than 247, as the most perfect (IMHO) REM album.

I could go on, but I've only skimmed the list, and find it remarkably dissapointing.

In general it's silly to make such lists because every time, EVERY TIME, they are going to leave things off either because they "just didn't think" or because their PREFERENCE is other than someone elses. There are some remarkably albums and artists that are wholly missing from this list, while other albums and artists are overrepresented or overrated.

I guess after the AFI started doing their lists, Rolling Stone just wanted to get in on the act. If all goes well, some people may try new music that they've never considerred before, but I'd hardly call this an accurate representation of the very best of music.

 

[Colin Jacobson]

I guess after the AFI started doing their lists, Rolling Stone just wanted to get in on the act.

Actually, RS have been doing this kind of list for years. Albums, singles, concerts, blah blah blah - they're not copying AFI...

 

[Henry Gale]

As far as I know the "Immaculate Collection" was not an album, but a greatest hits release. If these count than the whole chart is off.

Than(sic) it's off.

#11. Elvis
#21. Chuck Berry
#27. Robert Johnson
#30. Muddy Waters
#52. Al Green
#53. Ray Charles
#60. Sly
#64. Spector
#92. Buddy
#129. Hank
#135. Elton
#147. Otis
#178. Byrds
#179. Curtis Mayfield
#180. Abba
#196. Nuggets
#198. Little Walter
#220. Fess
#222. Neil Diamond
#225. Complete Hank Williams (which makes #129 unnecessary)
#234. Patsy Cline
#242. Jerry Lee Lewis, The Killer, The Hawk...and you really NEED to own his entire Sun Collection, at least!

 

[Dick]

Jim: Yeah, I realize this is a totally subjective kind of list, and none of us should take it personally. I am admittedly a big Moody Blues fan and do not share your opinion regarding their redundancy. But look at it this way:

11 out 13 Beatles albums listed
3 Big Star's
3 Black Sabbath's
6 David Bowie's
3 Jackson Browne's
5 Byrd's
4 Elvis Costello's
ALL THREE Eminem's
2 Funkadelic's
4 Grateful Dead's
6 Elton John's
2 Kiss'
5 Bob Marley's
4 Madonna's (!)
3 Randy Newman's
3 Nirvana's
2 Pearl Jam's
4 of 5 Police's
4 Prince's
3 Public Enemy's
3 Radiohead's
10 Rolling Stones'
4 Roxy Music's
4 Sly and the Family Stone's
2 Smashing Pumpkin's
4 Smiths'
3 Stooges (couldn't resist)
4 Talking Heads'
5 U2's
4 Velvet Underground's
3 Tom Waits'
7 Who's
2 ZZ Top's

AND NOT ONE MOODY BLUES???

C'mon. This is a band that has recently released its 15th studio album in 34 years ("December"), is beloved for its terrific melodic hooks, early use of synthesizer (Mellotron), incredibly beautiful vocals by Justin Hayward, and ability to weather the many changes in musical tastes of its audiences.

I submit that at least ONE of this band's many superb albums is more universally admired than, say, anything by:

Bjork
Buzzcocks
Alice Cooper
Depeche Mode
Devo
Hole
Husker Du
Cyndi Lauper
MC5
and many of the other bands represented by this enormously narrow-minded list from an obviously too like-minded group of judges.

But, okay, now that I've raved about one of my favorite bands (BARCLAY JAMES HARVEST and STRAWBS are two others, and also no-shows here, probably because few American's have been exposed to them), I feel better and more able to accept the fact that top-xxx lists of anything represent only the opinions of a very few.

P.S. Although I don't feel satisfied that they are included and occupy more than twenty spots on this list, I can't entirely disagree that Greatest Hits collections are included, as this is a list of the 500 "Greatest Albums," which really by definition excludes no type of album, anthology or otherwise.

 

[Philip Hamm]

Actually I was surprised that Devo's "Q: Are We Not Men A: We Are DEVO" was not higher on the list. It's difficult to understate the importance of that album, Brian Eno's fantastic production and DEVO's amazing quirky music. For evidence of its importance, look how many bands have covered DEVO songs, from Soundgarden to Rage Against The Machine and others. A huge number of current musicians cite DEVO as an influence.

 

[Lee Scoggins]

Brian Eno's fantastic production and DEVO's amazing quirky music

I saw them play a small club at the Univ. of Pennsylvania in 1989. They were just awesome and hilarious to watch. A very creative team of musicians like the Talking Heads but quirkier.

 

[BrianB]

I submit that at least ONE of this band's many superb albums is more universally admired than, say, anything by:

Bjork
Buzzcocks
Alice Cooper
Depeche Mode
Devo
Hole
Husker Du
Cyndi Lauper
MC5
and many of the other bands represented by this enormously narrow-minded list from an obviously too like-minded group of judges.

I'd be curious how many albums you have by those artists vs the Moody Blues, Dick It's obvious you're a big big fan of them, but regardless of that, the likes of the MC5s, Depeche mode, Devo, Husker Du were big big influences on music in the 80s & 90s. Bjork is an artist who will be remembered years from now & thoroughly deserves the recognition she's been getting lately.

You say "universally admired" - well, obviously you're wrong about that or the Moody Blues would be on that list, right?

A whole bunch of my favourite records aren't on that list. Am I going to get my knickers in a twist over it? Not a chance

Do I like the list? Not really, it's much the same as any other "top 500" list in magazines, and has just as much value. I generally don't like any lists like these - their value, to me, is like the AFI lists: a way to get some reccomendations to things a little off the beaten path. A list of Rolling Stones & Beatles albums doesn't tell me anything new.

Pitchforkmedia is in the middle of doing their revamped "top 100 albums of the 90s", it's interesting how little crossover there is. Anyone who repeats the old mantra of there not being any good music these days needs to have a browse through their list & take a few risks.

 

[John Berggren]

Bjork is an artist who will be remembered years from now & thoroughly deserves the recognition she's been getting lately.

Another instance where lists like this aren't wholly well advised. I myself think Bjork deserved MORE recognition on the list. Dick felt otherwise. But we agree that Eminem is overrepresented.

Music, like all art, can't effectively be quantified. It's not the sum of it's parts or a mathematical formula as to which disc is better than the next. It's personal and artistic. The only thing you can be sure of when you make such a list is that you are going to have a great deal of disagreement on the contents of that list... or that which is left off altogether.

 

[Philip Hamm]

I saw them play a small club at the Univ. of Pennsylvania in 1989. They were just awesome and hilarious to watch. A very creative team of musicians like the Talking Heads but quirkier.

Then you saw the "TOTAL DEVO" tour. I also saw them during this period, they were fantastic live, and I was amazed at how precise they were as musicians.

 

[Grant B]

Not one Jam/Style Council/Paul Weller album! OK I agree the chart is screwed up!
Trying to rate all albums together is impossible; apples agaist apples - not apples against bowling balls.
It sells copies by getting people pissed off and gets extra promotion because radio & TV picks it up as a fluff story

#27. Robert Johnson

You could say this is a greatest hits album but it's also the complete collection when you throw in Vol 2.

Think about it, try to rate Cyndi Lauper against Robert Johnson??? That's another level completely.

 

[Henry Gale]

greatest hits album... the complete collection

Whatever, the Robert made 78s. I doubt that he had a table of them for sale at his gigs either...and no T-shirts!
I'm not sure what the point of this discussion was, Cohesive albums vs. compilations?

 

[Lee Scoggins]

Then you saw the "TOTAL DEVO" tour. I also saw them during this period, they were fantastic live, and I was amazed at how precise they were as musicians.

I agree Philip - a great performance.

 

[Carl Miller]

Jim: Yeah, I realize this is a totally subjective kind of list, and none of us should take it personally. I am admittedly a big Moody Blues fan and do not share your opinion regarding their redundancy. But look at it this way:

I'm not a huge Moody Blues fan, but I do agree there should be a place for them on that list. On The Threshold of a Dream would be my specific choice.

I don't think the Moody Blues are universally admired however, I think they're universally familiar thanks to Nights in White Satin.

 

[Henry Gale]

It was 1968, in Hollywood. She was beautiful but the lights had dimmed on her partial deck of cards.
It would be years before I could listen to that album again without all the baggage. Tuesday Afternoon and Nights in White Satin are lovely.

 

[Roger Wink]

I don't have a problem with soundtrack albums if it is original material. What's the difference between a soundtrack of original material by, say, Tangerine Dream and a non-soundtrack album by the same group?

As far a greatest hits, it really depends on the artist. Linda Ronstadts hits album does not belong there as many of her albums stand on their own. Abba's hits album does as they were primarily a singles artist (and one that Pete Townsend once said was more rock and roll than the Beatles).

The one MAJOR mistake on the GH side are the two Hank Williams albums on the list. They are both GH albums and, though I don't have the track listings in front of me, most likely have the same recordings.