Best Ever Albums

Re: What was the best year ever for albums?

craola — Thu, 13 Jul 2017 17:09:38 GMT

Author: craola

Posted: 07/13/2017 21:09

2015 was hella good. every album in my top-11 has been my #1 of that year at some point in the last couple years. a whole lotta stellar albums.

Re: What was the best year ever for albums?

LordMark — Wed, 12 Jul 2017 14:53:04 GMT

Author: LordMark

Posted: 07/12/2017 18:53

Definitely 1994

Definitely Maybe
MTV Unplugged In New York
Superunknown
Naveed
Weezer (Blue Album)
Dummy
Dog Man Star
Dookie
Illmatic
Sixteen Stone
Protection
Parklife
Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain
Jar of Flies EP
Music for the Jilted Generation
Silver

Re: What was the best year ever for albums?

Komorebi-D — Wed, 12 Jul 2017 09:02:21 GMT

Author: Komorebi-D

Posted: 07/12/2017 13:02

HoldenM wrote:

Some people would say Reflektor--even though I personally believe it's a bloated, failed experiment.

Yeah... I'm one of those people you speak of... but you're on the money about the 10s.

Re: What was the best year ever for albums?

bobbyb5 — Tue, 11 Jul 2017 20:24:17 GMT

Author: bobbyb5

Posted: 07/12/2017 00:24

[quote="Fischman"]

bobbyb5 wrote:

Fischman wrote:

1967--(even when I discard Pepper and Velvet, the former of which I can live without and the latter which I can't stand), the year is still awesome with Days of Future Passed, Something Else by the Kinks, Born Under a Bad Sign, Surrealistic Pillow, Disraeli Gears, The Who Sell Out and two great albums each by The Doors and Jimi Hendrix.

1971--Easily the best overall with the best ever by The Who (Who's Next) and the Stones (Sticky Fingers) plus the Moodies' Every Good Boy Deserves Favour, the first two of the great albums by Yes (The Yes Album and Fragile), Tull's masterpiece, Aqualung, Mahavishnu Orchestra killing it with Inner Mountain Flame, Funkadelic's best ever (Maggot Brain), plus Tarkus, Zep IV, LA Woman, Master of Reality, Nursery Cryme, Fireball, Tapestry, and Argent's grossly underrated Ring of Hands.

Here's something else extraordinary about 1971. It was about the only year in which the very best music was also the most popular in the country. If you look at the number one album on the charts in the country for 1971 it's like an unbroken chain of great albums. It went from the Stones to Every Picture Tells a Story to Tapestry to The Who to Led Zeppelin 4 and it's just an unbroken chain of great albums. Its unusual for the best music to also be the most popular, but in 1971 it was.

These were also number one albums in 1971. If you can think of a year that beats this for Number One albums, let me know.

All Things Must Pass George Harrison
Pearl Janis Joplin
Imagine John Lennon
Shaft Isaac Hayes
Santana 3
There's a riot goin on Sly and the Family Stone
4 Way Street. CSNY/quote]

Very astute observation-- and shame on me go forgetting All Things Must Pass, Pearl, and Shaft!

if it hadn't been for Carole King dominating the year so much, even more great albums would have reached the number one spot. But a lot of them were kept out of the top spot by Tapestry, which was the number one album for almost 4 months But these albums just missed Number One and reached number 2.

Led Zeppelin 4
Marvin Gaye. What's Going On
Yes. Fragile
Moody Blues. Every Good Boy
Doors. LA Woman
Cat Stevens. Teaser and the Firecat
Jethro Tull. Aqualung

Re: What was the best year ever for albums?

Fischman — Tue, 11 Jul 2017 20:08:20 GMT

Author: Fischman

Posted: 07/12/2017 00:08

bobbyb5 wrote:

Fischman wrote:

Here's something else extraordinary about 1971. It was about the only year in which the very best music was also the most popular in the country. If you look at the number one album on the charts in the country for 1971 it's like an unbroken chain of great albums. It went from the Stones to Every Picture Tells a Story to Tapestry to The Who to Led Zeppelin 4 and it's just an unbroken chain of great albums. Its unusual for the best music to also be the most popular, but in 1971 it was.

These were also number one albums in 1971. If you can think of a year that beats this for Number One albums, let me know.

All Things Must Pass George Harrison
Pearl Janis Joplin
Imagine John Lennon
Shaft Isaac Hayes
There's a riot goin on Sly and the Family Stone
4 Way Street. CSNY
What's going on Marvin Gaye

Very astute observation-- and shame on me go forgetting All Things Must Pass, Pearl, Tapestry and Shaft!

Re: What was the best year ever for albums?

Ianlucadp — Tue, 11 Jul 2017 18:34:40 GMT

Author: Ianlucadp

Posted: 07/11/2017 22:34

2016: Weezer(White Album), Blackstar, A Moon Shaped Pool, California, Revolution Radio
2006: Whatever People Say I Am, Sam's Town, Inside In/ Inside Out, First Impressions
2001: Is This It

Re: What was the best year ever for albums?

craola — Tue, 11 Jul 2017 18:27:07 GMT

Author: craola

Posted: 07/11/2017 22:27

HoldenM wrote:

Seriously, the 2010s have been a mind-blowing decade. I'll throw in 2013, which had m b v, Trouble Will Find Me, Yeezus, Sunbather, Modern Vampires of the City, Settle, Shaking the Habitual, Heartthrob, Acid Rap, We Are the 21st Century Ambassadors of Peace and Magic, AM, ...Like Clockwork, The Next Day, Comedown Machine, Psychic, etc. Some people would say Reflektor--even though I personally believe it's a bloated, failed experiment. Seriously. This is a year so good that a terrific Sigur Rós album got completely forgotten.

i agree about the 10s. it's all about what's happening now. bigger, faster, stronger, gracer.

asking it small not to piss off the wonderboy. gotta wonder, if the the banana or the prism-make-rainbow were released today, would they even make a splash?

Re: What was the best year ever for albums?

HoldenM — Tue, 11 Jul 2017 18:09:07 GMT

Author: HoldenM

Posted: 07/11/2017 22:09

Seriously, the 2010s have been a mind-blowing decade. I'll throw in 2013, which had m b v, Trouble Will Find Me, Yeezus, Sunbather, Modern Vampires of the City, Settle, Shaking the Habitual, Heartthrob, Acid Rap, We Are the 21st Century Ambassadors of Peace and Magic, AM, ...Like Clockwork, The Next Day, Comedown Machine, Psychic, etc. Some people would say Reflektor--even though I personally believe it's a bloated, failed experiment. Seriously. This is a year so good that a terrific Sigur Rós album got completely forgotten.

Re: What was the best year ever for albums?

bobbyb5 — Tue, 11 Jul 2017 16:54:28 GMT

Author: bobbyb5

Posted: 07/11/2017 20:54

Fischman wrote:

Here's something else extraordinary about 1971. It was about the only year in which the very best music was also the most popular in the country. If you look at the number one album on the charts in the country for 1971 it's like an unbroken chain of great albums. It went from the Stones to Every Picture Tells a Story to Tapestry to The Who to Led Zeppelin 4 and it's just an unbroken chain of great albums. Its unusual for the best music to also be the most popular, but in 1971 it was.

These were also number one albums in 1971. If you can think of a year that beats this for Number One albums, let me know.

All Things Must Pass George Harrison
Pearl Janis Joplin
Imagine John Lennon
Shaft Isaac Hayes
There's a riot goin on Sly and the Family Stone
4 Way Street. CSNY
What's going on Marvin Gaye

Re: What was the best year ever for albums?

AAL2014 — Tue, 11 Jul 2017 16:31:49 GMT

Author: AAL2014

Posted: 07/11/2017 20:31

^^^^

Clockwork Angels is so underrated. One of my favorites of 2012.

Re: What was the best year ever for albums?

Fischman — Tue, 11 Jul 2017 16:25:29 GMT

Author: Fischman

Posted: 07/11/2017 20:25

1967--(even when I discard Pepper and Velvet, the former of which I can live without and the latter which I can't stand), the year is still awesome with Days of Future Passed, Something Else by the Kinks, Born Under a Bad Sign, Surrealistic Pillow, Disraeli Gears, The Who Sell Out and two great albums each by The Doors and Jimi Hendrix.

1971--Easily the best overall with the best ever by The Who (Who's Next) and the Stones (Sticky Fingers) plus the Moodies' Every Good Boy Deserves Favour, the first two of the great albums by Yes (The Yes Album and Fragile), Tull's masterpiece, Aqualung, Mahavishnu Orchestra killing it with Inner Mountain Flame, Funkadelic's best ever (Maggot Brain), plus Tarkus, Zep IV, LA Woman, Master of Reality, Nursery Cryme, Fireball, Tapestry, and Argent's grossly underrated Ring of Hands.

1976--Many of my faves sit here: 2112, Leftoverture, Blackfoot's horribly unknown Flyin' High, Agents of Fortune, solo debuts by both Jaco Pastorius and Pat Metheny as well as Return to Forever, the Boston debut, Zeppelin's underrate Presence, Genesis doubling up with A Trick of the Tail and Wind and Wuthering, Thin Lizzy doubling up with Jailbreak and Johnny the Fox, Steely Dan's The Royal Scam, Tommy Bolin killing it on Private Eyes, far and away ELO's best with A New World record, and another horribly unknown album that happens to be the group's best, Grand Funk Railroad's Good Singin' Good Playin'. Plus, believe it or not, a wicked good album from Henry Mancini! (Symphonic Soul)

1981--the last of the truly great years. Moving Pictures, Long Distance Voyager, Mob Rules, Hang on for Your Life, Allied Forces, Marauder, Zebop!, Give the People What They Want, Tattoo You, Fire of Unknown Origin, Face Dances, Diary of a Madman, Modern times, The Broadsword and the Beast ...

1991--A resurgence: Fates Warning/Parallels, Rush/Roll the Bones, Buddy Guy/Damn Right I Got the Blues, Steve Howe/Turbulence, Steve Morse/Southern Steel, Loreena McKennitt/The Visit, Soundgarden/Badmotorfinger
Danny Gatton/88 Elmira Street, Albert Collins/Iceman, Johnny Winter/Let Me In, Bela Fleck and the Flecktones/

... big gap ...

2012--Rush returns to form with Clockwork Angels, Asia comes storming back with their best, XXX, the progressive rock supergroups Flying Colors and Spectrum Road release their debuts, Ian Ianderson mounts the insurmountable with Thick as a Brick Two, Bela Fleck turns out a great solo with Across the Imaginary Divide, Joe Walsh releases his most consistent album, Analog Man, symphonic metal rockers Xandria give us Neverworld's End, Mark Knopfler hits us with the great double disc, Privateering, and two great hard rock/metal acts return to form: Lacuna Coil with Dark Adrenaline, and The Cult with Choice of Weapon.

Re: What was the best year ever for albums?

Daydreamer — Tue, 11 Jul 2017 10:55:26 GMT

Author: Daydreamer

Posted: 07/11/2017 14:55

I feel that 1995 is slightly underrated because it came after the stellar 1994, but it does some both amazing albums and solid depth. I think it probably has a stronger top 10 than 1994 but has less depth.

Re: What was the best year ever for albums?

AfterHours — Tue, 11 Jul 2017 02:14:21 GMT

Author: AfterHours

Posted: 07/11/2017 06:14

Only considering Rock at the moment... Tough call between a year like 1967 -- which probably has the best "top 10" of any year -- and a year like those from 1990-1994 that didn't quite have such a "top 10" but the depth of quality was seemingly endless.

Re: What was the best year ever for albums?

bobbyb5 — Tue, 11 Jul 2017 00:31:51 GMT

Author: bobbyb5

Posted: 07/11/2017 04:31

glynspsa wrote:

1967
1969
1970
1974
1978
1984
i think 1970 is best followed closely by 1969

You really can't go wrong with ANY year from the 1970s.
Or any year from 96 to 99
There IS no wrong answer. Heh heh.

Re: What was the best year ever for albums?

Luigii — Mon, 10 Jul 2017 22:02:31 GMT

Author: Luigii

Posted: 07/11/2017 02:02

I might include 1998 to my list. From some of the more overlooked records to the records in the top 20, 98 sounded like a killer year for music.

Re: What was the best year ever for albums?

glynspsa — Mon, 10 Jul 2017 20:59:55 GMT

Author: glynspsa

Posted: 07/11/2017 00:59

i had 1989 on my list but deleted it just before i posted it

Re: What was the best year ever for albums?

glynspsa — Mon, 10 Jul 2017 20:58:59 GMT

Author: glynspsa

Posted: 07/11/2017 00:58

1967
1969
1970
1974
1978
1984
i think 1970 is best followed closely by 1969

Re: What was the best year ever for albums?

CharlieBarley — Mon, 10 Jul 2017 20:49:13 GMT

Author: CharlieBarley

Posted: 07/11/2017 00:49

I like classic 60s and 70s years but one I like in living memory is 1989
My 2 favourite albums are

The Cure - Disintegration
The Stone Roses - The Stone Roses

Plus there was also:

Pixies - Doolittle
Elvis Costello - Spike
De La Soul - 3 Feet High & Rising
Depeche Mode - 101 (ok a live album but it's ace)
Deacon Blue - When The World Knows Your Name
Neneh Cherry - Raw Like Sushi
Soul ll Soul - Club Classics vol 1
Nirvana - Bleach
Paul McCartney - Flowers in the Dirt
Beastie Boys - Paul's Boutique
Rolling Stones - Steel Wheels
Kate Bush - The Sensual World
Nine Inch Nails - Pretty Hate Machine
Slint - Tweez
Roy Orbison - Mystery Girl
Fine Young Cannibals - The Raw and The Cooked
Lou Reed - New York

Plus guilty pleasure Runaway Horses by Belinda Carlsile.

Also lest we forget Michael Bolton's Soul Provider?
One of the most awful listening experiences you can have.
Although Prince's Batman soundtrack was a close second. What went wrong there with the great purple one?

Re: What was the best year ever for albums?

Komorebi-D — Sun, 9 Jul 2017 03:07:13 GMT

Author: Komorebi-D

Posted: 07/09/2017 07:07

My other personal picks:

2015: To Pimp a Butterfly, I Love You, Honeybear, Currents, The Epic, Carrie & Lowell, In Colour & Sometimes I Sit and Think, Sometimes I Just Sit.

2007: In Rainbows, The Sound of Silver, Strawberry Jam, Person Pitch, Boxer & Neon Bible.

2000: The Moon & Antarctica, KID A, Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas To Heaven, Since I Left You & Voodoo.

1991: Loveless, Nevermind, Laughing Stock, Spiderland, The Low End Theory & Screamadelica.

1989: Doolittle, On Fire, The Stone Roses, Disintegration, Paul's Boutique & 3 Feet High and Rising.

1984: The Smiths, Purple Rain, Let It Be, Zen Arcade, Born To Run, Reckoning & Ride The Lightning.

1979: Unknown Pleasure, Entertainment!, The Wall, London Calling, Metal Box, Fear of Music & Off The Wall.

1975: Wish You Were Here, Another Green World, Blood On the Tracks, Born To Run, Physical Graffiti, Horses & Tonight's The Night.

1969-72: Loaded, Abbey Road, Blue, The Rise & Fall of Ziggy Stardust & The Spiders From Mars, Bitches' Brew, Pink Moon, Sticky Fingers, Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere, Hunky Dory, Ege Bamyasi, The Velvet Underground, Exile on Main St., Who's Next, After The Gold Rush, Led Zeppelin's II, Bryter Layter and Tago Mago.

Honourable mentions: 1965-68, 2001-3, 1993-5, 1986, 1973 & 1980.

Re: What was the best year ever for albums?

Komorebi-D — Sun, 9 Jul 2017 02:14:51 GMT

Author: Komorebi-D

Posted: 07/09/2017 06:14

babyBlueSedan wrote:

I was going to mention 2012 until I realized it didn't have great depth outside of Lonerism, Channel Orange, Good Kid, and Attack on Memory (my personal favorite from that year). I mean, those are some landmark albums but like with many years of this decade there's not a lot of albums from that year that come close. That's why I thought 2016 was such a great year - it had some perfect albums but also a deep crop of really good ones.

I'll agree with you on 1997 though. Not a huge fan of some of the ones you listed but through in F#A#, Life After Death, and the Boatman's Call and you've got me.

Ok, I can get behind that about 2012. Personally though, I think most of what I listed were landmarks and I love Attack On Memory. I also forgot to mention, Fiona Apple's The Idler Wheel... and Godspeed's 'Allelujah! Don't Bend! Ascend! from that year.

Honestly, Boatman's Call & F# A# Infinity would've been my next two picks. Throw Mogwai's Young Team in there as well.

Ben4 wrote:

Personally, I'd say 1994.
Superunknown
Illmatic
Dookie
Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain
Weezer
Welcome to Sky Valley
Ready to Die

I'd include There's Nothing Wrong With Love, Parklife, Dummy, Bee Thousand and Diary in that list too.