Going Commando Posted November 21, 2015 Share Posted November 21, 2015 Created in response to Billboard's robotic top 200 list (thread found here), a list created with some standard of taste applied. This is our own list of the 200 best and/or most important albums from 1950 to 1990. Rules: - Only go from 1950 to 1990. Why stop at 1990? Because. We'll make a separate thread for 1990 to present. - The list isn't in order from best to least best. Just number your entries to make it easier to organize. - Entry must be a full length album, not a single or EP. - When you post your entry, write the year of release, and if you want, write a small explanation of why it's great or important. Some of these entries might be new to many of us and we may need some context. - Wait a turn before you post another entry. - If you don't want to bog the thread down in ten different entries of Beatles albums, you can post two or more albums from the same artist in the same entry if you deem the subsequent albums as natural "follow ups." For example, the artist went through a particular thematic phase that gets explored over multiple consecutive albums, or put out albums where they're using leftover songs from the previous session. - As a group, we'll periodically update and post the list like we did in the ES 500 songs to listen to before you die thread. That way I don't get stuck with having to do it in the OP. I'll update the list in the OP at the end. So it begins. 1 - Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band - The Beatles - 1967 2 - Grace Under Pressure - Rush - 1987 3 - Van Halen - Van Halen - 1978 4 - Abbey Road - The Beatles - 1969 5 - Pet Sounds - The Beach Boys - 1966 6 - Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs - Derek and the Dominoes - 1970 7 - Tons of Sobs - Free - 1969 8 - In the Court of the Crimson King - King Crimson - 1969 9 - Beginnings - The Allman Brothers Band - 1973 10 - Axis: Bold as Love - The Jimi Hendrix Experience - 1967 11 - Truth - Jeff Beck - 1968 12 - I Got a Name - Jim Croce - 1973 13 - Smash Hits - The Jimi Hendrix Experience - 1968 14 - The Doors - The Doors - 1967 15 - Strange Days - The Doors - 1967 16 - Sin after Sin - Judas Priest - 1977 17 - Thriller - Michael Jackson - 1982 18 - The Great Otis Redding Sings Soul Ballads - Otis Redding - 1965 19 - Complete & Unbelievable: The Otis Redding Dictionary of Soul - Otis Redding - 1966 20 - Exile on Main St. - The Rolling Stones - 1972 21 - Moondance - Van Morrison - 1970 22 - Physical Graffiti - Led Zeppelin - 1975 23 - Led Zeppelin I - IV - Led Zeppelin - 1969-1971 24 - Sheer Heart Attack - Queen - 1974 25 - Murmur - R.E.M. - 1983 26 - Back in Black - AC/DC - 1980 27 - Songs in the Key of Life - Stevie Wonder - 1973 28 - What's Going On - Marvin Gaye - 1971 29 - At Fillmore East - The Allman Brothers Band - 1971 30 - Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music - Ray Charles - 1962 31 - Then Play On - Fleetwood Mac - 1969 32 - A Long Time Comin' - Electric Flag - 1968 33 - Together For the First Time - Live - B.B. King & Bobby Bland - 1974 34 - Couldn't Stand the Weatehr - Stevie Ray Vaughan - 1984 35 - The Best of the Atlanta Rhythm Section - Atlanta Rhythm Section - 1982 36 - Blues Breakers with Eric Clapton - John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers - 1966 37 - Let's Hide Away and Dance Away With Freddie King - Freddie King - 1961 38 - Machine Head - Deep Purple - 1972 39 - Tommy - The Who - 1969 40 - Folk Singer - Muddy Waters - 1963 41 - Relaxin' With the Miles Davis Quintet - The Miles Davis Quintet - 1955 42 - Elton John Greatest Hits - Elton John - 1974 43 - Rocket to Russia - Ramones - 1977 44 - Band of Gypsies - Jimi Hendrix - 1970 45 - The Joshua Tree - U2 - 1987 46 - Born To Run - Bruce Springsteen - 1975 47 - Some Girls - The Rolling Stones - 1978 48 - Rocks - Aerosmith - 1977 49 - Remain in Light - Talking Heads - 1980 50 - Graceland - Paul Simon - 1986 51 - It Serve You Right to Suffer - John Lee Hooker - 1966 52 - Life's Rich Pageant - REM - 1986 53 - Rock and Roll Animal - Lou Reed - 1974 54 - Live and Dangerous - Thin Lizzy - 1978 55 - Fascination Street - The Cure - 1988 56 - Rumours - Fleetwood Mac - 1977 57 - A Charlie Brown Christmas - Vince Guaraldi Trio - 1965 58 - It's Only a Movie - The Raybeats - 1983 59 - Kind of Blue - Miles Davis - 1959 60 - Master of Puppets - Metallica - 1986 61 - The Stone Roses - The Stone Roses - 1989 62 - Appetite for Distruction - Guns N' Roses - 1987 63 - Doolittle - Pixies - 1989 64 - Who's Next - The Who - 1971 65 - East-West - The Butterfield Blues Band - 1966 66 - On the Beach - Neil Young - 1974 67 - Time Out - The Dave Brubeck Quartet - 1959 68 - ... And Justice for All - Metallica - 1988 69 - Revolver - The Beatles - 1966 70 - Straight Outta Compton - N.W.A - 1988 71 - Sabotage - Black Sabbath - 1975 72 - Crosby, Stills & Nash - Crosby, Stills & Nash - 1969 73 - At Last! - Etta James - 1961 74 - Ritual de lo habitual - Janes Addiction - 1990 75 - The Cars - The Cars - 1978 76 - Bleach - Nirvana - 1989 77 - The Royal Scam - Steely Dan - 1976 78 - Leftoverture - Kansas - 1976 79 - Let It Be - The Replacements - 1984 80 - The Queen Is Dead - The Smiths - 1986 81 - Dirty Mind - Prince - 1980 82 - The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spider From Mars - David Bowie - 1972 83 - At Folsom Prison - Johnny Cash - 1968 84 - The Clash - The Clash - 1977 85 - Blood on the Tracks - Bob Dylan - 1975 86 - Damn the Torpedoes - Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers - 1979 87 - My Favorite Things - John Coltrane - 1961 88 - American Beauty - Grateful Dead - 1970 89 - Dark Side of the Moon - Pink Floyd - 1973 90 - Moanin' in the Moonlight - Howlin' Wolf - 1959 91 - 1984 - Van Halen - 1984 92 - Toys in the Attic - Aerosmith - 1975 93 - Like a Virgin - Madonna - 1984 94 - Five Man Acoustical Jam - Tesla - 1990 95 - Fifth Dimension - The Byrds - 1966 96 - It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back - Public Enemy - 1988 97 - Disraeli Gears - Cream - 1967 98 - Paid in Full - Eric B. & Rakim - 1987 99 - Ghost in the Machine - The Police - 1981 100 - Music from Big Pink - The Band - 1968 101 - The Band - The Band - 1969 102 - Kind of Blue - Miles Davis - 1959 103 - Power, Corruption, & Lies - New Order - 1983 104 - Please Please Me, With the Beatles, A Hard Day's Night, Beatles For Sale, Help!, Rubber Soul, Magical Mystery Tour, The Beatles (White Album), Let it Be - The Beatles - 1963-1970 105 - Aftermath - the Rolling Stones - 1966 106 - Willy and the Poor Boys - Creedence Clearwater Revival - 1969 107 - Loaded - Velvet Underground - 1971 108 - LA Woman - The Doors - 1971 109 - Raw Power - Iggy & the Stooges - 1973 110 - Trans-Europe Express - Kraftwerk - 1977 111 - Computer World - Kraftwerk - 1982 112 - Closer - Joy Division - 1980 113 - Animals - Pink Floyd - 1977 114 - Sonic Temple - The Cult - 1989 115 - License to Ill - Beastie Boys - 1986 116 - King of Rock - Run-D.M.C. - 1985 117 - Raising Hell - Run-D.M.C. - 1986 118 - Bach: The Goldberg Variations - Glen Gould - 1956 119 - Hot Buttered Soul - Isaac Hayes - 1969 120 - The Chicago Transit Authority - The Chicago Transit Authority - 1969 121 - Feats Don't Fail Me Now - Little Feat - 1974 122 - Beggars Banquet - The Rolling Stones - 1968 123 - Let it Bleed - The Rolling Stones - 1969 124 - Innervisions - Stevie Wonder - 1973 125 - The Stranger - Billie Joel - 1977 126 - Tapestry - Carole King - 1971 127 - Violent Femmes - Violent Femmes - 1983 128 - The Specials - The Specials - 1979 129 - Paul's Boutique - Beastie Boys - 1989 130 - Marquee Moon - Television - 1977 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hail2skins Posted November 21, 2015 Share Posted November 21, 2015 I'll just start with Sgt Pepper Lonely Hearts Club Band, Beatles, 1967. Just because. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TradeTheBeal! Posted November 21, 2015 Share Posted November 21, 2015 Rush - Grace Under Pressure 1984 Perfectly splits the difference between 70s hard rock and 80s new wave. Fantastic musicianship. Utterly unique. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busch1724 Posted November 21, 2015 Share Posted November 21, 2015 Van Halen - Van Halen I from 1978 one of the most important albums ever as far as changing the way the guitar was approached. Not since Hendrix was something done with the instrument that sent nearly everyone back to the woodshed to figure out the new vocabulary Eddie had just introduced. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Springfield Posted November 21, 2015 Share Posted November 21, 2015 The Beatles - Abbey Road - 1969 It is a perfect album, from beginning to end, with no missing or unneeded tracks. It is the culmination of the life's work of the greatest band of all time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Momma There Goes That Man Posted November 21, 2015 Share Posted November 21, 2015 The Beach Boys - Pet Sounds Fantastically written, unique and an absolute testament to the genius of Brian Wilson I'll let LKB expand on this for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riggo-toni Posted November 21, 2015 Share Posted November 21, 2015 Layla - Derek and the Dominoes Tons of Sobs - Free In the Court of the Crimson King - King Crimson Beginnings - Allman Brothers Axis Bold as Love - Hendrix Blow by Blow - Jeff Beck Truth - Jeff Beck I Got a Name - Jim Croce Smash Hits - Hendrix Seventh Sojourn - Moody Blues Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TradeTheBeal! Posted November 21, 2015 Share Posted November 21, 2015 Layla - Derek and the Dominoes Tons of Sobs - Free In the Court of the Crimson King - King Crimson Beginnings - Allman Brothers Axis Bold as Love - Hendrix Blow by Blow - Jeff Beck Truth - Jeff Beck I Got a Name - Jim Croce Smash Hits - Hendrix Pothead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morrison J Posted November 21, 2015 Share Posted November 21, 2015 The Doors - The Doors The Doors - Strange Days Both 1967. Just outstanding songs that still sound as fresh as ever today. Morrison one of the great lyricists of all time. Got to be in there. Strange Days contains songs left over from the debut but each one is just as amazing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Going Commando Posted November 21, 2015 Author Share Posted November 21, 2015 Damn Riggotoni, you're supposed to put the year and do one artist at a time. Anarchist in addition to pothead. Let me looks some years up . One artist at a time everybody or we're going to fill up this list in like an hour. Alright, here is the list so far: 1 - Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band - The Beatles - 1967 2 - Grace Under Pressure - Rush - 1987 3 - Van Halen - Van Halen - 1978 4 - Abbey Road - The Beatles - 1969 5 - Pet Sounds - The Beach Boys - 1966 6 - Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs - Derek and the Dominoes - 1970 7 - Tons of Sobs - Free - 1969 8 - In the Court of the Crimson King - King Crimson - 1969 9 - Beginnings - The Allman Brothers Band - 1973 10 - Axis: Bold as Love - The Jimi Hendrix Experience - 1967 11 - Truth - Jeff Beck - 1968 12 - I Got a Name - Jim Croce - 1973 13 - Smash Hits - The Jimi Hendrix Experience - 1968 14 - The Doors - The Doors - 1967 15 - Strange Days - The Doors - 1967 Excellent choices so far. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Momma There Goes That Man Posted November 21, 2015 Share Posted November 21, 2015 ^^^ surprise pick from Morrison J Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Springfield Posted November 21, 2015 Share Posted November 21, 2015 ^^^ surprise pick from Morrison J Great albums. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TradeTheBeal! Posted November 21, 2015 Share Posted November 21, 2015 Judas Priest - Sin After Sin 1977 Basically, the origin of Speed/Thrash/Power Metal. Ridiculously heavy for its time. Destroys all poseurs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Momma There Goes That Man Posted November 21, 2015 Share Posted November 21, 2015 Michael Jackson - Thriller 1982 Highest selling album of all time. 5 No 1s off it, launched an already superstar Jackson into the stratosphere. Marked a great deal of growth for him musically. Iconic to this day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Going Commando Posted November 21, 2015 Author Share Posted November 21, 2015 18 - The Great Otis Redding Sings Soul Ballads - Otis Redding - 1965 19 - Complete & Unbelievable: The Otis Redding Dictionary of Soul - Otis Redding - 1966 More people probably cite Otis Blue as Otis Redding's best album, but I like these two best. The hits were incredible. Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa & It's Too Late & Mr Pitiful & Try a Little Tenderness & That's How Strong My Love Is... some of the finest soul recordings ever made. Any of Otis's solo albums that he recorded while he was alive could be on this list. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morrison J Posted November 21, 2015 Share Posted November 21, 2015 The Rolling Stones - Exile On Main St. 1972. The hardest of the classic Stones albums to get into but the most rewarding once you do. They do soulful numbers well, they do raunchy hard-edged rock well, the ballads are just beautiful. Their masterpiece. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Momma There Goes That Man Posted November 21, 2015 Share Posted November 21, 2015 Van Morrison - Moondance 1970 One of my favorite albums, personal and intimate, full of soul, beautiful. Listening to Morrison sing through this album feels like adventure, without a missed note along the way. I actually used Into the Mystic as my send off at my wedding. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
d0ublestr0ker0ll Posted November 21, 2015 Share Posted November 21, 2015 Led Zeppelin - Physical Graffiti A few Zep albums will almost certainly make the list, but Physical is an incredible mixture of styles from the guys. They added tracks to it that didn't make it on to earlier albums. Funny how those songs are still great. You've got stoner tracks like "Custard Pie", "In the Light" and "In My Time of Dying" - to blues rock tracks like "Boogie With Stu" and "Black Country Woman" - to heavy tracks like "Trampled Under Foot" and "Kashmir" - to tracks that give ya nostalgia like "Down by the Seaside" and "Ten Years Gone." Funny how the songs I HAVEN'T mentioned are still good. Favorite album of all time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Springfield Posted November 21, 2015 Share Posted November 21, 2015 Led Zeppelin I, II, III, IV - 1969-1971. Take your choice. I prefer I-III over the more commercially successful IV. The first two were more strong to the blues roots of the band compared to the latter 2 which were more rock and experimental. I don't want to throw all 4 albums in there even though they should all be in there probably at respective positions. For my money, I or III are the best Led Zeppelin. I'm sure I could get different opinions all day. Zeppelin is my second favorite classic rock band behind The Beatles. Led Zeppelin - Physical Graffiti A few Zep albums will almost certainly make the list, but Physical is an incredible mixture of styles from the guys. They added tracks to it that didn't make it on to earlier albums. Funny how those songs are still great. You've got stoner tracks like "Custard Pie", "In the Light" and "In My Time of Dying" - to blues rock tracks like "Boogie With Stu" and "Black Country Woman" - to heavy tracks like "Trampled Under Foot" and "Kashmir" - to tracks that give ya nostalgia like "Down by the Seaside" and "Ten Years Gone." Funny how the songs I HAVEN'T mentioned are still good. Favorite album of all time. Great minds Stroker. I prefer the earlier Zep to the later stuff though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
d0ublestr0ker0ll Posted November 21, 2015 Share Posted November 21, 2015 Great minds Stroker. I prefer the earlier Zep to the later stuff though. I agree. Zeppelin 1 is a close second for me, and Zep 2 never gets enough love. "The Lemon Song" is my damn song man - my damn lemon song. I think Physical sounds more like the first four albums than even Houses of the Holy (which came before Physical). Physical is even more bluesy than Zeppelin III and IV. It's like Zeppelin 1.5.....except it's actually Zeppelin VI. You lost yet? Lol. I don't really enjoy the heck out of Houses of the Holy or Presence, but Physical was the album released in between those two. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Going Commando Posted November 21, 2015 Author Share Posted November 21, 2015 We're going to cheat and put Led Zeppelin 1-4 all in one entry. They all deserve to be on the list, but I want to leave room open for a variety of artists. BTW, Physical Graffiti is my favorite Zeppelin album too. God it's good. First time I really listened to it I was painting a house, and it was incredible how easy it made the day go. I listen to it start to finish almost every time. In My Time of Dying from Physical Graffiti is my favorite Zeppelin recording. They caught lightning in a bottle with it that day in the studio and it's the definitive performance of that song IMO. Down By the Seaside is also an incredible recording. Surprisingly complex. Its Doors-esque. I love it. Also wanted to say that Strange Days is another one of my favorite albums. So good. I like LA Woman too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Going Commando Posted November 21, 2015 Author Share Posted November 21, 2015 24 - Sheer Heart Attack - Queen - 1974 My favorite Queen album. You have to listen to it as loud as you can stand. Completely overwhelming, it's like a glamorous, cocaine-fueled 1970's orgasm. Brian May's multi-tracked guitar work is iconic and launched a style that was imitated--less effectively--by innumerable hair metal and glam rock bands that followed. Killer Queen is one of my favorite songs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
d0ublestr0ker0ll Posted November 21, 2015 Share Posted November 21, 2015 BTW, Physical Graffiti is my favorite Zeppelin album too. God it's good. First time I really listened to it I was painting a house, and it was incredible how easy it made the day go. I listen to it start to finish almost every time.That's a lot like how I was introduced to it. Spring cleaning, listened to it for the first time, couldn't believe every song was so good.In My Time of Dying from Physical Graffiti is my favorite Zeppelin recording. They caught lightning in a bottle with it that day in the studio and it's the definitive performance of that song IMO.Agreed. Zeppelin fans know that "In My Time of Dying" is inexplicably good. It's hard for me to choose my favorite Zeppelin song ever, but that's a safe choice. I liken it to them sounding like they're playing during a rainstorm, with wind driving against their faces, and they're defying it. Eyes wide open, sinister looks on their faces, going absolutely mad on their instruments (and Plant on the mic)."In My Time of Dying" on the Zeppelin DVD is my favorite musical performance to watch. That entire Earl's Court section of the DVD is awesome. Best part of the DVD though? The Zeppelin 1 jam session when they were all around 20 years old. Phenoms. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Going Commando Posted November 21, 2015 Author Share Posted November 21, 2015 Swinging back to Thriller, it's the greatest pop album ever IMO. The masterpiece by the greatest pop musician. It turned albums into a multi-media experience and it's some of the most inspired music of Michael Jackson's career. This article talks about the way he wrote songs, and you understand how truly extraordinary he was. http://www.nme.com/blogs/nme-blogs/the-incredible-way-michael-jackson-wrote-music Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sticksboi05 Posted November 21, 2015 Share Posted November 21, 2015 R.E.M. - Murmur - 1983 One of the all-time great debut albums and one of the best of the 80s also. Literally not a weak song on the album and laid the blueprint for a lot of alternative rock moving forward. It will be interesting if this list is similar to the 500 Greatest Albums List we did several years back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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