Originally Posted by Pedestrian

Truthfully, it does matter to me, and I think a lot of classic albums consider their track order when they're putting together an album. For instance, the arc of Hissing Fauna would make no sense if the album weren't organized as it is, and regardless of lyrical concept, it would make no structural sense to open an album with the Antlers' Wake or Epilogue, which close it out together.

Even albums that aren't such substantial pieces feel different out of order. I coped The Presets' Apocalypso for a friend, but the mislabeled files caused a track-order shuffling, and the resulting album that we listened to five times on the road trip was awkward and lackluster, because the punch-and-come-down order of things had been destroyed.

I'm a big believer in going with what the artist's intent is for the listener, unless my enjoyment of an album hinges on one song I can't stand that taints the whole thing for me. Impossible Soul, I'm looking at you.