My Top 50

[musicsnob]

My top 50 albums(some are bands because I didn't want to have 10 albums from the band in the list for the sake of diversity). I tried to keep the descriptions short because it's easier to just youtube it and develop your own opinion and also because I'm lazy.


1. Nick Drake - Pink Moon
-a sort of dark, eery album. I've probably listened to it more than any other, partially due to it's short length(28 minutes or so), partially due to how much i relate to Nick, but mostly due to how beautiful and moving i find the album. he has a really soothing, some call 'virginal' voice, and he's very good at playing his acoustic guitar. Drake killed himself 2 years after this, his last album.

2. Weezer - Pinkerton
-a quirky synthed up album from Weezer before they went to ****. Cuomo compared the songs to something like being drunk and saying a lot of things you regret because of how true and personal they are. Very well written songs, including catch melodies and clever lyrics that an alienated/isolated dork could surely relate to, but everyone can enjoy.

3. Adam and the Ants - Antics in the Forbidden Zone
-Compilation of Adam Ant's best songs. Great/weird singer/yodeler?. Unique, but catchy 80s sound.

4. Hendrix - Band of Gypsys
-His last album, and first all black band/album. They had a much greater chemistry than the Experience, and Buddy Miles really added an interesting dimension to the music with his soulful singing. Awesome guitar playing of course, amazing songs, and Hendrix even cracks a joke about Vietnam.

5. Neil Young - After the Gold Rush
-mostly sad songs, but very beautiful.

6. Incubus - A Crow Left of the Murder
-love every song on the album. I don't know what Incubus did on this album, but it was great, and I wish they had kept doing it.

7. Beck - Mellow Gold
-weirdo rock to the max. Awesome unconventional music. I only Love half of the songs, but the album is still worth listening to in it's entirety.

8. The Prodigy - Fat of the Land
I assocaite this album with X so much that just listening to Breathe makes me have to poop. Couldn't imagine rolling without this album.
Awesome sampling and beats.

9. RATM - Self titled/Evil Empire
One of the most important bands of the past 20 years. Innovative style/guitar and a talent for making you want to beat the **** out of something.

10. SOAD - Toxicity
Another great crunkness album. I could listen to it non-stop for hours if it didn't wear me out physically. One of the few albums with growling that I like.

11. Butthole Surfers - Locust Abortion Technician
One of the strangest albums that I've found very listenable. Acid fueled punk madness with everything from echoes of "Satan" played to evil sounding metal-ish guitar to "hay" played backwards to say "moo" while a woman from a radio talk show talks about her sexual history.

12. Interpol - Turn on the Bright Lights
Very good softer album. "Post punk" revival music. The singer sounds sort of like the guy from Joy Division. They make very good songs about everything from suicide to serial killers.

13. The Slits - Cut
Found this album on Cobain's top 50. Very cool punk-reggae sound. RIP Ari

14. The Velvet Underground - Peel Back Slowly and See
Lots of demos, etc., but also hidden away are some very interesting 60s psychedelic songs. Also some simple pop songs like "I'm Sticking With You" and "After Hours" with Nico singing along. The first album in the comp. was a financial failure, but considered one of the most influential and best albums ever made.

15.The Beatles - One
Great compilation of the best band ever's best songs.

16. Alice in Chains - Dirt
Very morbid metal/grunge with good musicianship, especially the lead singer who has inspired many with his vocal style. Most of the songs are about drug use and death. \m/

17. Nine Inch Nails - The Downward Spiral
Another really dark album that is good for setting the mood for the end of the world or something equally cheerful. Produced where Sharon Tate was stabbed (appropriately), it's a gem of dark, but beautiful music.

18. The Police - Outlandas d'Amour
Before they went all 80s they made great reggae music, and the occasional poem about ****ing a blow up doll.

19. Tool - Aenima
Moody metal that tips it's hat to the destruction of L.A., opening your third eye, and selling out to the man.

20. Deftones - Adrenaline
The album title pretty much gives the album away. It's an album to beat a bunch of annoying ****ney *******s' faces in.

21. Sublime - Self Titled
Everyone knows this album by heart except sheltered Canadians....because it's ****ing awesome.

22/23 Pink Floyd - Wish You Were Here/ Dark Side of the Moon
Everyone also knows these albums of course. Timeless classics that need no commenting.

24. David Bowie - Ziggy Stardust
Glam rock with hooks that will sink into your brain and have you thinking about dressing in drag within no time. Also voted the gayest album ever in Out magazine.

25. Beck - Buck **** Iowa -92 Demo Tape
Lots of neato covers and original songs with a lo-fi/DIY/'who gives a ****' sound that I find irresisitble. Beck may have been stranger/more inspired before becoming famous- judging by these songs.

26. David Bowie - Hunky Dory/The Man Who Sold the World
Bowie on his way to becoming an androgynous god. Songs are somewhat different than Ziggy, but still almost just as good.
27. Vampire Weekend - Self Titled
Another great new band that's seeing the merit in interesting african melodies. They're from some fancy school and it's reflected in some of their fancy instrumental sounds as well as their song Campus.

28. Gorillaz - Self Titled
Animated band with a diverse sound and a great album.

29. Jimi Hendrix - Are You Experienced
I haven't listened to it in a long time, but there are so many amazing, timeless songs on this album that it has to be on the top 50.

30/31/32 The Beatles - White Album/Abbey Road/Let It be
The 3 post-psychedelic Beatles albums, with a more mature, less gimicky sound. The Beatles at their creative peak-absolute must have albums.

33. Led Zep
I'm just gonna put all of their stuff into one catergory because I don't really know one album from the other since I usually listen to it all at once.
No one can not like Led Zep or deny their influence on rock. Even Puff Daddy bowed before Mr. Page.

34. MIA -Kala/Arular
Her 2 albums have really grown on me recently. Political, energetic, unique, ethnic, interesting. Many words to describe MIA's music

35. Mindless Self Indulgence - Frankenstein Girls Will Seem Strangely Sexy
I've heard it's for Hot Topic emo kids, but damnit I like it! Old video game sounds mixed in with high tempo eccentric metal and some homoeroticly themed songs. Interesting to listen to at the least.

36. Nirvana
Nirvana also gets grouped together because all of their albums are about equally awesome. Probably the last band that has had a massive, undeniable impact on rock.

37. Pavement - Wowee Zowee
Indie emo-ish band. They went for a diverse sound with this album, spanning genres. I love about 1/2 the songs on this album.

38. PJ Harvey - Dry
The woman from the grunge era who made good music.

39. Radiohead - Kid A/Amnesiac
Must have albums for tripping, but also great for eery/sad/beautiful/trippy music on the go.

40. The Postal Service - Self Titled
It took me a while to get into this album, but now I can't get enough of it often times. Especially good listening when I'm not in a great mood or around bed time. Fragile pretty-boy vocals conveying some pretty surprisingly deep and dark things considering the tone.

41. The Flaming Lips - Clouds Taste Metallic
I think half of the songs on this album were meant for some kids movie, but they're still great. The Flaming Lips are probably one of the most interesting semi-well known bands that are still making music today.

42. The XX - Self Titled
Newer band from London. Ambient, slow bass-heavy rock with pretty back and forth between male/female singer.

43. The Vaselines - The Way of the Vaselines
A collection of all 20 or so of their songs. An alternative band from Scotland's 80s -they were Cobain's favorite song writers, and understandably so. Wonderful songs.

44. The Shaggs - Philosophy of the the World
A very strange late 60s 3 piece girl band. They sound Japanese, and play/sing in a very different, but somehow alluring way.

45. Talking Heads - The Best of....
One of the best quirky 80s bands.

46. Bob Marley - Burnin'
I always shied away from him for some reason, but recently listened closely to a few albums and fell in love. His lyrics are inspiring, and radical -they make me believe the CIA conspiracy about his death. His music is chilled out and relaxing, but moving when combined with the gravity of the lyrics.

47. Gang of Four - Entertainment!
Post-punk political band. Sounds a lot like the 2000-ish post punk revival bands, but better.

48. Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavillion
I've been listening to this incessantly for the past year or so. They have great melodies and a cool hippie vibe. Anti-materialism, psychedelic synths, and african melodies.

49. Local Natives - Gorilla Manor
These guys really know how to make great melodies/harmonies. Some of their songs kind of remind me of The Police. I really look forward to their next album.

50. Saul Williams - Self titled
This intelligent blend of rap and rock helped get me into rap.

[s_k]

Originally Posted by musicsnob

1. Nick Drake - Pink Moon
4. Hendrix - Band of Gypsys
5. Neil Young - After the Gold Rush
6. Incubus - A Crow Left of the Murder
7. Beck - Mellow Gold
8. The Prodigy - Fat of the Land
14. The Velvet Underground - Peel Back Slowly and See
15.The Beatles - One
19. Tool - Aenima
21. Sublime - Self Titled
22/23 Pink Floyd - Wish You Were Here/ Dark Side of the Moon
24. David Bowie - Ziggy Stardust
29. Jimi Hendrix - Are You Experienced
30/31/32 The Beatles - White Album/Abbey Road/Let It be
39. Radiohead - Kid A/Amnesiac
46. Bob Marley - Burnin'

Some pretty good stuff here.
I must say I woulde have gone for old Neil's Harvest, Tool's 10k days, Hendrix' Axis Bold as love, Incubus' Make yourself and Marley's Exodus (or probably another reaggae album ). But still, very nice .

[Batty]

First got into Marley in '75 after hearing his live album on the radio.

[s_k]

Nice .
Marley triggered my interest in reggae, but I must admit that I rarely play Marley now. There's much more .

[Batty]

So many songs, so little time

[s_k]

Well getting to know new music definately got easier using the Internet.

[Batty]

Shhhh, don't tell anyone about the internet.

[s_k]

Oh yeah, that's right.
I (wiki)leaked a bit, I guess .

[Batty]

Best let this get back on topic

[musicsnob]

Originally Posted by s_k

Some pretty good stuff here.
I must say I woulde have gone for old Neil's Harvest, Tool's 10k days, Hendrix' Axis Bold as love, Incubus' Make yourself and Marley's Exodus (or probably another reaggae album ). But still, very nice .

Really, I like all of Neil's early-mid 70s stuff - especially Harvest and Everybody Knows...
10,000 days is probably my second favorite, but Aenima is just a bit better I think.
I have to strongly disagree with Incubus... A Crow Left stands miles above their other albums I think - even Make Yourself