Best Ever Albums

Re: What criteria determine "greatness"?

Anonymous — Sat, 2 Feb 2013 16:06:56 GMT

Author: Anonymous

Posted: 02/02/2013 21:06

I don't go by radio play anymore. But for my BEST ALBUM criteria, I choose:

1. Songs above 7/10 compared to songs below 7
2. How well the songs fit the vibe of the album
3. Critical reception
4. How much of an impact it's had on the world and/or my life
5. How Well the Album is produced
6. Skill of the instruments and vocals

Usually I just go with number 1, but sometimes I use more.

Ex. Nevermind is low on my chart because it has some bad, bad songs. I didn't use 3 or 4 for judging this album.
I used all four to judge Van Halen, LZ4, Bat, Hysteria, Appetite for Destruction, Boston, and a few more.

Really it can be kinda random. I know it's a strange criteria, but I'm a strange guy. I'm a nerd, and I'm freakin' proud. LONG LIVE SOCIAL AWKWARDNESS!!!

Re: What criteria determine "greatness"?

Anonymous — Sat, 2 Feb 2013 14:27:21 GMT

Author: Anonymous

Posted: 02/02/2013 19:27

iF I likE thE musiC

Re: What criteria determine "greatness"?

Anonymous — Sat, 2 Feb 2013 14:13:19 GMT

Author: Anonymous

Posted: 02/02/2013 19:13

Whatever has the highest averaged score between Scaruffi and Pitchfork.

Re: What criteria determine "greatness"?

Anonymous — Sat, 2 Feb 2013 13:59:01 GMT

Author: Anonymous

Posted: 02/02/2013 18:59

I'm going to say all of the above.

To judge albums purely on one criteria would be downright silly.

Re: What criteria determine "greatness"?

Anonymous — Sat, 2 Feb 2013 13:51:53 GMT

Author: Anonymous

Posted: 02/02/2013 18:51

JMan wrote:

How much of it do you expect us to read? I wanna listen to albums while I do stuff and concentrating on reading and music is hard.

Just read parts from time to time, it's hilarious.

Re: What criteria determine "greatness"?

Romanelli — Sat, 2 Feb 2013 11:58:55 GMT

Author: Romanelli

Posted: 02/02/2013 16:58

tekin wrote:

Read this thread people (from early days of BEA when most of us [new users] were not around):http://www.besteveralbums.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=528

It's actually great to see that. And great to see Naples being passionate about an opinion. And great to be able to actually agree with him.

Re: What criteria determine "greatness"?

Anonymous — Sat, 2 Feb 2013 11:41:29 GMT

Author: Anonymous

Posted: 02/02/2013 16:41

tekin wrote:

Read this thread people (from early days of BEA when most of us [new users] were not around):http://www.besteveralbums.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=528

How much of it do you expect us to read? I wanna listen to albums while I do stuff and concentrating on reading and music is hard.

Re: What criteria determine "greatness"?

Anonymous — Sat, 2 Feb 2013 11:15:10 GMT

Author: Anonymous

Posted: 02/02/2013 16:15

Read this thread people (from early days of BEA when most of us [new users] were not around):http://www.besteveralbums.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=528

Re: What criteria determine "greatness"?

Anonymous — Sat, 2 Feb 2013 11:05:07 GMT

Author: Anonymous

Posted: 02/02/2013 16:05

albummaster wrote:

If you look at the same question in a different way. If you listen to "xyz's greatest hits", you might have an album of 10-12 great tracks, but they don't stand together as a unit. "No filler" on its own is not a strong enough criteria to determine a great album, you need bridges between songs to link things together into a cohesive unit. I agree with Mr. Shankly about a great album taking you on a journey.

Emotional impact is a vague criteria, I might listen to an album and it might make me sad, happy, pensive, wistful, romantic etc but if the music isn't melodic, if the songs are repetitive, if the lyrics are meaningless (and a 101 other factors), then it is not going to stand alone as a "great" album.

A lot of the great albums have trodden new ground in terms of their innpvation, or tried something a bit different to what has gone before. But, it is not enough to just be innovative. It's the *combination* of these factors that counts.

�'� �'� Wise, wise words from the Administrator.

Re: What criteria determine "greatness"?

GARY — Sun, 26 Jun 2011 23:37:49 GMT

Author: GARY

Posted: 06/27/2011 03:37

Bork wrote:

Good post to dig up, although none of the options are good enough for making me cast a vote.

I'm kinda along Elstons line two years ago, although all the five choices for voting have their place in there somewhere, what really matters to me is if just listening to it makes me go 'Man. I wanna play this one again' or not.

Thank you Bork 😁

The other kids all called me "gravedigger" 😢

.

Re: What criteria determine "greatness"?

Bork — Sun, 26 Jun 2011 23:31:48 GMT

Author: Bork

Posted: 06/27/2011 03:31

Good post to dig up, although none of the options are good enough for making me cast a vote.

I'm kinda along Elstons line two years ago, although all the five choices for voting have their place in there somewhere, what really matters to me is if just listening to it makes me go 'Man. I wanna play this one again' or not.

Re: What criteria determine "greatness"?

GARY — Sun, 26 Jun 2011 22:22:00 GMT

Author: GARY

Posted: 06/27/2011 02:22

SquishypuffDave wrote:

The term 'greatness' to me implies that it's something that should be listened to by everyone, and connotes importance. Not sure how you'd determine an album's importance though, or what should be listened to by everyone. It's another one of those terms that seems to be grasping for some objective measurement of quality, which there simply ain't.

For me, the most important thing listed is emotional impact, because all the other options are things that I think should be used in service of that goal.

Hey Squishy, your looking good as always 😁

.

Re: What criteria determine "greatness"?

SquishypuffDave — Sun, 26 Jun 2011 20:13:04 GMT

Author: SquishypuffDave

Posted: 06/27/2011 00:13

The term 'greatness' to me implies that it's something that should be listened to by everyone, and connotes importance. Not sure how you'd determine an album's importance though, or what should be listened to by everyone. It's another one of those terms that seems to be grasping for some objective measurement of quality, which there simply ain't.

For me, the most important thing listed is emotional impact, because all the other options are things that I think should be used in service of that goal.

Re: What criteria determine "greatness"?

alelsupreme — Sun, 26 Jun 2011 15:57:31 GMT

Author: alelsupreme

Posted: 06/26/2011 19:57

Really, I'd say it's pure quality. I don't care how well someone can play or how many funk-lounge-thrash bands they inspired. I'll take the Sex Pistols over some over the top prog metal band who don't know when to stop playing an yday.

Re: What criteria determine "greatness"?

GARY — Sun, 26 Jun 2011 15:06:31 GMT

Author: GARY

Posted: 06/26/2011 19:06

purple wrote:

wow... somebody's been digging

Well, ya, but dat wuz zum bad ass weed last night 😨

Re: What criteria determine "greatness"?

Anonymous — Sun, 26 Jun 2011 11:52:33 GMT

Author: Anonymous

Posted: 06/26/2011 15:52

wow... somebody's been digging

Re: What criteria determine "greatness"?

GARY — Sun, 26 Jun 2011 00:56:00 GMT

Author: GARY

Posted: 06/26/2011 04:56

I went with consistency of the quality of the songs is most important.

I rate an album with all good songs on it higher than an album with 2 classic great songs and 8 songs that are just filler. And there are a LOT of albums like that. 🤣

Re: What criteria determine "greatness"?

maxxy — Tue, 4 Aug 2009 19:07:42 GMT

Author: maxxy

Posted: 08/04/2009 23:07

Really hard question, but I think that no one criterion can determine weather or not an album is great. For example: Kind of blue is great because of its significance, musical virtuosity, and enjoyability, I guess. Then you have something like London Calling. No offense to jones, simonon and strummer, but they aren't masters of their instruments like Davis or Coltrane. However, London Calling is hugely inventive and influential, and is just as an enjoyable listen as Kind of Blue. Originality can't really define greatness either; for example, the smiths weren't all that original. Sure, they did some new stuff, but nothing as drastic as an album such as VU & Nico or Shape of Jazz to Come. Does it mean the smiths aren't awesome? No.

Actually, I think the true definition of greatness is how well something stands the test of time. Journey were hugely popular in their heyday, but does anyone really give a crap about them now? No. On the flipside, the Velvet Underground were unheard of in the late 60s, but are today considered one of the greatest bands of all time.

Re: What criteria determine "greatness"?

albummaster — Tue, 4 Aug 2009 18:54:36 GMT

Author: albummaster

Posted: 08/04/2009 22:54

If you look at the same question in a different way. If you listen to "xyz's greatest hits", you might have an album of 10-12 great tracks, but they don't stand together as a unit. "No filler" on its own is not a strong enough criteria to determine a great album, you need bridges between songs to link things together into a cohesive unit. I agree with Mr. Shankly about a great album taking you on a journey.

Emotional impact is a vague criteria, I might listen to an album and it might make me sad, happy, pensive, wistful, romantic etc but if the music isn't melodic, if the songs are repetitive, if the lyrics are meaningless (and a 101 other factors), then it is not going to stand alone as a "great" album.

A lot of the great albums have trodden new ground in terms of their innpvation, or tried something a bit different to what has gone before. But, it is not enough to just be innovative. It's the *combination* of these factors that counts.

Re: What criteria determine "greatness"?

Mr. Shankly — Tue, 4 Aug 2009 15:56:42 GMT

Author: Mr. Shankly

Posted: 08/04/2009 19:56

It's an interesting question. Music is such an abstract ephemeral thing, so it's hard to put it in simple concrete terms why one connects with certain albums. What does it mean for a connection to be emotional? I'm not sure. It's such an individual thing, but I do know what it feels like to be moved by music. The thing about emotional impact though is it can be one or two songs that move you or it can be the full emotional impact of a "great" album, the feeling of having gone on a journey of sorts, been made to think or feel, or just having been thoroughly entertained for 30 minute or more.

But in the case of judging an album as an art form, consistency and lack of filler, I think is the key. For example: Small Change is not one of Tom Waits's best albums , but there are few more powerful emotional gems in his canon than the opening track, "Tom Traubert's Blues." But again, that's a great song, but a great song does not necessarily make a great album. A great album must be filled with great songs and have a consistency or overall feel to it. R.E.M.'s Murmur and Automatic for the People are great for maintaining a certain mood or feel throughout. What's Going On by Marvin Gaye comes to mind too. But again, the album as an art form is about its overall impact from the first note on the first track to the last. In that sense, when judging an album, I'm not sure if emotional connection and consistency are mutually exclusive.

Perhaps the next question is, is an album just a collection of songs or does it have its own identity? I think it can be either, but the best of the best usually exist as their own entity.