Fvorite pop/rock albums of all time


Notice I said "favorite" and not "best".

Ok, here's my top five favorite:

1. Abbey Road, Beetles
2. Allman Brothers Live at the Filmore East- The ABB
3. Let it Bleed, Rolling Stones
4. What's Going On- Marvin Gaye
5. Exodus- Bob Marley and The Wailers

I bet you can guess my age by this list.

There are allot of runner ups that don’t make it on my list because of one or two songs that aren’t quite right to me (Nirvana’s Nevermind is one example). The common thread in these albums is that every song seems right and the album has a coherency from beginning to end.
128x128lokie
Allman Brothers "Live at the Filmore East"
It's very difficult to top this album in ANY catagory in which it fits....Blues/Jazz,Blues Rock,Pop,Live Album etc.
Here's mine:

1. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road-Elton John
2. Rubber Soul-Beatles
3. AJA-Steely Dan
4. Dire Straits-Dire Straits
5. Hotel California-Eagles
Good choices, Lokie! I agree with all of them.

My all time favorite:
The Velvet Underground & Nico -- IMHO, considering the time it was made, the most audacious & innovative rock album. I still listen often.

I'd also add:

Sgt. Pepper, The Beatles
Get Your Ya-Yas Out, Rolling Stones
Beggar's Banquet, Rolling Stones
Blood on the Tracks, Bob Dylan
Are You Experienced?, Jimi Hendrix
L.A. Woman, The Doors
Harvest, Neil Young
Layla, Derek and the Dominos
Europe '72, Grateful Dead
Led Zeppelin I & II
Blind Faith
Every Picture Tells A Story, Rod Stewart

I could go on . . .
Abbey Road
Dark Side of the Moon
Electric Ladyland
After the Gold Rush
Aja
Let it Bleed
Fragile
Lamb Lies Down on Broadway
The Wheel
Highway 61
Brain Salad Surgery
Blood on the Tracks
Crown of Creation
Zeppelin 3
Alone Together
Nantucket Sleighride
A Night at the Opera
Automatic For the People
Heart Like a Wheel
Hellbound Train
Desperado
Graceland
Who's Next
Thick as a Brick
Joshua Tree
Harvest
(in no particular order...) I could listen to any one of these indefintely...

1. Pink Floyd - The Wall
2. Kate Bush -Hounds of Love
3. LZ -Physical Graffiti
4. Peter Gabriel - So
5. Deep Purple - Fireball
Here are my top 5:

Supertramp Crime of the Century
Steely Dan Pretzel Logic
Pink Floyd Dark Side of the Moon
Elton John Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
The Beatles Please Please Me
Honorable Mention: Weather Report Heavy Weather
Richard Thompson "More Guitar" or "Shoot out the Lights"
Sam Cooke "Night Beat"
Jackie Leven "Shining Brother Shining Sister"
John Hiatt "Bring the Family"
Subdudes "Annunciation"
Tom Waits "Nighthawks at the Diner" or "Closing Time"
Nick Drake "Bryter Layter"
Boz Scaggs "Boz Scaggs" or "My Time"
Not might be ususally classified pop/rock
4. What's Going On- Marvin Gaye

I have never quite understood the appeal of this album. I see it consistently rated as being influential - that's a different ranking, and one it may deserve.

On a personal level, what is it about this album that appeals to you? It never crossed my radar.

Regards,
Pet Sounds
White Album
Fog on the Tyne (Lindisfarne)
Pipedream (Alan Hull)
Exile on Main Street
John Wesley Harding
Mars Hotel
American Beauty
Ziggy Stardust
Axis Bold as Love
Benefit
Meddle
Muswell Hillbillies
Europe 72
Quah (Jorma)
Eat a Peach

I'll stop there.
Sinatra at the sands
Sinatra September song
Ella sings cole porter
Belefonte sings the blues
Lena Horne at the copa
the doors strange days
Blodwyn pig a head rings out
Humble Pie rock on
Savoy brown Raw sienna
Jimi Hendrix Electric Ladyland
Led zeppelin stairway to heaven
Mountain Nantucket Sleighride
Savoy brown looking in from the outside
Moody blues days of the future past
Rolling stones high tide and green grass
Rolling stones santanic majestic request
Rolling stones sticky fingers
Derek and the Dominos layla
Ray Charles country western on ABC
Judy Garland at carnegie
B.B King live at the regal
Tull Aqualung
Tull Benefit

I had made a list a while back. I think these top x lists are not worth all that much if there's no explanation given. With that said...

Top 6 albums of all time.

Criteria

-Nearly every track needs to be good. These must be discs you can put on and listen to start-to-finish or at least the first 7 or 8 tracks.
-Discs I still listen to several times a year
-Didn’t walk over the CDs and look at them trying to decide.

1) Lloyd Cole and the Commotions – Rattlesnakes (1984). This was their first album. It’s a perfect mixture of romantic reminisces, great melodies, memorable metaphors (“her heart’s like crazy paving, upside down and back to front”), and Neil Clark’s guitar. These songs conjure evocative places and times. Places you might have been.
2) Paul Weller – As Is Now (2005). A surprise. He has a large body of very good work and has changed his style several times over the decades. Of course, he was a founding member of The Jam, then did the Style Council for a couple of discs in the 80s and has about 5 solo albums since the early 90s. If it had been 6 months ago I would have said his second album “Wildwood” was easily his best. But his new album is quite good. I don’t know where this guy’s creative well comes from but this album is contemporary (As is now!) and more importantly still rocks. You can hear the maturity in his lyrics and stuff obvious influenced by midlife and the times, e.g. kids, war, relationship things. Just so happens I can relate to that.
3) Bryan Ferry – Bete Noire (1987). Perfect in every way. Production, lyrics, music. Amazing job in the studio. Some would say over-produced but this is studio perfection. He wrote this after his break up with Jerry Hall. Unfortunately, he’s been happily married since then and has really only turned out one good album since – a disc of covers (Taxi) with Robin Trower in the early 90s. Of course his work with Roxy Music is great as well but only one title per artist.
4) Greg Allman – Just Before the Bullets Fly (1988). I’ve always preferred Greg’s solo stuff to the Allman Brothers. Dickey Betts is a great guitarist but somebody needed to rein him in a bit more. All that noodling gets tedious after a while. Greg has the best musicians on JBTBF, especially guitarist Dan Toler. Guitarist and production again excellent. “… a spark of life brought down from an angel, to raise a stranger from the dead.” Can you dig it?
5) Steeley Dan – The Royal Scam (1976). Tough choice. Just about any of their albums could be on the top 10 list. I picked Royal Scam because they reached a perfect balance between the rawer early albums and later overproduced ones. Interesting songs, great music, go!
6) Frank Zappa – Shiek Yerbouti (1979). Perfect album for the times. Makes fun of everything – something offensive for everyone. Also as a bonus has the greatest guitar solo of all time on Yo Mama. Band included Terry Bozzio (Missing Persons), Andrian Belew (King Crimson, Talking Heads).
Could not forget:
Odyssey and Oracle (Zombies)
The Yes Album
Forever Changes
Tommy
In Search of the Lost Chord
Selling England by the Pound
Zep III

So many others.
Metralla,

First of all, I love soul music and "What's going on" is by far the most profoundly introspective music of that genre. Wrapped in a package of sweet soulful melodies he delivers a message of geo political, environmental, racial and personal injustices in a way that is completely accessible by anyone. This is nothing short of genius and is the best of what music and art has to offer society. There are also parallels with society in the early seventies as Marvin became a serious man, outgrowing the parental chains of Motown and deciding that there were important things to ponder. The beauty and fun of the music was still there but there was imminently more depth in the lyrics.
In no order...all of these most have got played at least 1,000,000,000,000 times way back when.

Styx (The Grand Illusion)
Pink Floyd (The Wall)
Supertramp (Crime of the century)
U2 (Joshua Tree)
Van Halen (Van Halen)
CSN&Y (Deja Vu)
Rush (2112)
Nazareth (Hair of the Dog)
Iron Butterfly (In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida)
Led Zeppelin (1-2-3-4)
Pink Floyd (Dark side of the moon)

Dave
DaRK sIDe of the Mo0n
MuSic from BiG PinK
AmerIcAn BeautY
IDyLWILD SOUtH
LET IT bLeeD

yOU SAiD 5
Abbey Road -- The Beatles
Pink Floyd -- The Wall
Document -- REM
Blue -- Joni Mitchell
Blonde on Blonde -- Bob Dylan
The Bends -- Radiohead

All timeless. I'll probably listen to them regularly ten years from now. How can this be limited to five.
Led Zeppelin - Houses of the Holy
The Beatles - Abbey Road
The Rolling Stones - Exile on Main Street
Dave Matthews - Under the Table Dreaming
Sheryl Crow - Tuesday Night Music Club
Derek and the Dominos,
Santana (first)
Beatles- Sgt. Peppers
Dr. John- Gumbo Music
Rolling Stones- Let it Bleed
Aja
Crisis, What Crisis?
Low Spark of High Heeled Boys
Elton John's Greatest Hits
Close to the Edge

only 5?? I gots so much more
A few rock/pop that I would play If I had to before many many others that I Used to listen In moons past but no longer listen to. In no particular disorder;
Powerslave- Iron Maiden
The Wall- The floydmasters
6 Wives of Henry the large- Wick Wakeman,
Blue for you-Status Quo
Made In Japan- Deep Poiple
Back In Black-AC/DC
Welcome to the Pleasuredome-Frankie Goes to Hollywood
The Future-Mr Leonard Cohen
Physical Graff- Led Zepnee
Blazing Away-Marianne Faithful
Sunshine On Leigh- The Proclaimers
Most of my first string has been cited, but here are a few interesting candidates not yet mentioned:

Patti Smith ""Horses"
Kid Creole "Kiss Me Before The Light Changes" (also my "Best Album Title")
Todd Rundgren "Hermit of Mink Hollow" and "Something/Anything"
Richard Thompson "Rumor & Sigh"
E " Broken Toy Shop" and "Man Called E"
Graham Parker "Squeezing Out Sparks"
Steven Stills "Steven Stills"
Replacements "All Shook Down"
Clash "London Calling"
Stevie Wonder "Inner Visions"
Marti Jones "Used Guitars"

Marty

Wireless - "Rattlesnakes" is a great record - might not be in my top 5, but close and I'll certainly give it top 5 least appreciated.
UFO - no heavy petting
Robin Trower- live!
Thomas Dolby- the flat earth
Loggins & Messina- sittin in
Kings X- Gretchen goes to Nebraska
Gov't Mule- Dose
Cheap Trick- in color
Led Zeppelin II
Dust - Hard Attack
Capt. Beefheart - Spotlight Kid
Silver Apples
Fred McDowell - I Do Not Play No Rock 'n Roll
Nazareth - Hair of the dog
Led Zep - Physical graffitti
Yes - Fragile
Queen - Sheer heart attack
Deep Purple - Machine head
if there were only one...spooky tooth-spooky two....for me, this record delivers on many levels, and i never get tired of it.
Neutral Milk Hotel-In The Aeroplane Over The Sea
Faith No More-The Real Thing
The Frogs-It's Only Right And Natural
Kraftwerk-Trans-Europe Express
Depeche Mode-Violator
Built To Spill-Keep It Like A Secret
Nick Drake-Pink Moon
Pixies-Surfer Rosa
The Shaggs-Philosophy Of The World
Otis Redding-Otis Blue:Otis Redding Sings Soul
The Beatles-Abbey Road
My 11...tried to pick some stuff that hasn't been mentioned.
Bob Mould - Black Sheets of Rain
Flowerhead - Ka Bloom
Tenderloin - Let It Leak
The Henry Rollins Band - The End of Silence
The Jesus Lizard - Show
The Jon Spencer Blues Explosin - Now I Got Worry
Jeff Beck - Beck Bogart and Appice
Blue Rodeo - Lost Together
Melvins - Houdini
Swervedriver - Mezcal Head
Spooky Tooth - Spooky Two

And so many more.
Tsugury, nice call with Gretchen goes to Nebraska that one and Out of the silent planet are masterpeice's.
And now for something completely current:
Radiohead "In Rainbows"
Arcade Fire "Neon Bible"
Ryan Adams "Easy Tiger"
Klaxons "Myths of the Near Future"
Stephen Stills "Just roll tape"
Led Zeppelin - 3
Neil Young - Hawks and Doves
Frank Zappa and Mothers: Waka Jawkaka
Santana: Abraxas
Allman Bros: Live at the Fillmore East
Grateful Dead: American Beauty
Grateful Dead: WOrkingman's Dead
Rolling Stones: Let it Bleed
Rolling Stones: Exile on Main Street
James Gang: James Gang Rides again
A few off the top of the head;

Ian Dury-New Boots and panties.
Status Quo -Blue for you.
Supertramp-Breakfast in America
The Sugercubes-Life's to good
Iron Maiden-Powerslave
Lez dep-Phys graff
Floyd- The Wall
Radiohead-the bends (indie)
ELP-Brain salid Surgery
Wick Wakeman-6 wives of henry the phat man
Bon Jovi-Keep the faith
Rock Follies-sound track
Marianne Faithful-Broken English
The Cure-Disintegration
Bowie-Ziggy Stardust
Placebo-Placebo
The Who-Who's next
The Sex Pistols-Never mind the bollox.....
MJ-Bad
Bad Co-Bad Co
Roxy Music-For your Pleasure
Devo-Are we not men?
Jethro Tull-Aqualung
Meatloaf-Bat outta Hell!
Can't resist chiming in. Here are some of my faves:

Yes - Fragile
Yes - Close to the Edge
Todd Rundgren - Something/Anything
Todd Rundgren - Hermit of Mink Hollow
Genesis - Selling England by the Pound
CSN&Y - Deja Vu
Steely Dan - Aja
Born to Run
CSN (first record)
For Everyman (Jackson Browne)
After the Goldrush
Idelwild South
Abbey Road

Led Zeppelin II

Core - Stone Temple Pilots

Proimse - Sade

Dark Side of the Moon

Who's Next

Goodbye Yellow Brick Road

Zenyota Mondata
Absolutely EVERY (Bon Scott) AC/DC album
Cheap Trick- Cheap Trick, the first one
Cheap Trich- Heaven Tonight
Norah Jones- Come Away With Me
Elton John- Yellow Brick Road
Aerosmith-Rocks
John Mellenkamp-Scarecrow
Nazareth-Close Enough For Rock and Roll
Lyle Lovette- Pontiac
Bruce Springsteen- The Rising
Billy Squire- Don't Say No
Here are a few from some female headed bands-
Pat Benatar- In the Heat of the Night
Heart- Dreamboat Annie
Dido- No Angel
Some of my favorites are;
Pink Floyd- The Wall
Rush- Moving Pictures
Queensryche- Operation Mindcrime
Journey- Infinity
The Who- Who's Next
AC/DC- Back in Black
Yes- 90125
Steely Dan- Aja
Roxy Music- Avalon
Beatles- any of them
Michael Stanley Band- Heartland
John Hiatt- Bring the Family, The Housemartins-The People Who Grinned Themselves to Death, The Grateful Dead-Anything from the '77 tour, Bob Dylan- Highway 61 Revisited, Buddy Holly- Best Of, Little Richard-This is Little Richard, Otis Redding-Live in Europe