Best Ever Albums

Re: Do extended EPs count as albums?

Ironic Karma — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 19:41:26 GMT

Author: Ironic Karma

Posted: 09/23/2009 23:41

badfaith wrote:

Well, it is an important distinction, as a studio album represents many months of labour and craft for a band, to create a whole and unified single piece of art...

Not always, Nick Drake's Pink Moon was put together in two 2-hour sessions and a lot of others are like that. But I get what you're saying, because the production, publicity, and release does take a lot of time and hard work.

Quote:

Compilations are great for those who aren't familiar with an artist's work, for those who are familiar with an artist's work and only want the hits/best of, and for those fans who want everything an artist releases. If the stuff didn't sell, labels wouldn't issue them.

Very true, I started U2 with their 1980-1990 Greatest Hits album and it got me hooked and I got lots of their early albums after that. I think that Complitation albums are very important to an artist's career, it's a way for a very moderate fan to get all the hits and enjoy the artist that way.

But, I do enjoy the artist through various albums to get the whole message and feel of the album.

Re: Do extended EPs count as albums?

RFNAPLES — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 18:27:06 GMT

Author: RFNAPLES

Posted: 09/23/2009 22:27

Compilations are great for those who aren't familiar with an artist's work, for those who are familiar with an artist's work and only want the hits/best of, and for those fans who want everything an artist releases. If the stuff didn't sell, labels wouldn't issue them.

Re: Do extended EPs count as albums?

badfaith — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 17:58:11 GMT

Author: badfaith

Posted: 09/23/2009 21:58

Well, it is an important distinction, as a studio album represents many months of labour and craft for a band, to create a whole and unified single piece of art... Whereas compilations are often cobbled together by greedy executives trying to screw another buck out of us from already existing material.

OK, yeah, I know, I've probably already answered my own question... I'll shut up now, sorry.

Re: Do extended EPs count as albums?

CellarDoor — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 17:27:21 GMT

Author: CellarDoor

Posted: 09/23/2009 21:27

joannajewsom wrote :

Quote:

Anywho, if the site already recognizes EPs, what's this thread about?

Exactly.

Re: Do extended EPs count as albums?

badfaith — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 16:53:00 GMT

Author: badfaith

Posted: 09/23/2009 20:53

Beta band's Three EPs is the best example actually... Considered by many their best work, but is, as the name suggests, er, ... Three EPs.

(Also, Beta band side project King Biscuit Time EP No Style is great.)

I Walk the Earth.

Re: Do extended EPs count as albums?

joannajewsom — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 16:48:23 GMT

Author: joannajewsom

Posted: 09/23/2009 20:48

CellarDoor wrote:

Pixies' "Come On Pilgrim" anyone ????????

My Bloody Valentine's "You Made Me Realise " ???????

Why exclude good music just because the format's shorter (in running time, not quality) ?

There are some very good EPs out there, and "Come On Pilgrim " will still stay in my chart for the moment.

Both good EPs that I own, but far from as satisfying as an album, I think.

Anywho, if the site already recognizes EPs, what's this thread about?

Re: Do extended EPs count as albums?

CellarDoor — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 16:25:30 GMT

Author: CellarDoor

Posted: 09/23/2009 20:25

Pixies' "Come On Pilgrim" anyone ????????

My Bloody Valentine's "You Made Me Realise " ???????

Why exclude good music just because the format's shorter (in running time, not quality) ?

There are some very good EPs out there, and "Come On Pilgrim " will still stay in my chart for the moment.

Re: Do extended EPs count as albums?

joannajewsom — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 15:20:03 GMT

Author: joannajewsom

Posted: 09/23/2009 19:20

The Gollux wrote:

i disagree...i dont think eps should be counted out. eps are still original material released as the artist intended. just like lps only shorter. there are some pretty good eps out there too...beta bands "three eps", nine inch nails "broken" to name a few.

isnt radioheads "my iron lung" a b-side? b-sides should not be included, nor should compilations imo.

All in all, I really don't care, since it takes nothing away from my experience on the site. But if I were albummaster, I don't think it would be worth the effort of putting together some separate chart for EPs. Even if we allowed EPs to just go on the album chart, seeing that there aren't many, if any, "greatest eps of all-time" lists by critics, and very few people would probably wouldn't bother with putting an EP on a chart, I don't see it making enough of a difference to warrant a drastic change to the site criteria.

On a related note, is there even some kind EP "canon" of any sort? We should start a greatest EPs thread and call it a day.

Re: Do extended EPs count as albums?

Charicature — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 14:46:37 GMT

Author: Charicature

Posted: 09/23/2009 18:46

The Gollux wrote:

What about tribute albums? I have one on my list.

Re: Do extended EPs count as albums?

The Gollux — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 12:35:05 GMT

Author: The Gollux

Posted: 09/23/2009 16:35

i disagree...i dont think eps should be counted out. eps are still original material released as the artist intended. just like lps only shorter. there are some pretty good eps out there too...beta bands "three eps", nine inch nails "broken" to name a few.

isnt radioheads "my iron lung" a b-side? b-sides should not be included, nor should compilations imo.

Re: Do extended EPs count as albums?

joannajewsom — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 08:23:52 GMT

Author: joannajewsom

Posted: 09/23/2009 12:23

badfaith wrote:

Perhaps the first question should be then- Are there enough good quality EPs with enough track on to justify a chart of their own?

No.

Re: Do extended EPs count as albums?

badfaith — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 07:07:07 GMT

Author: badfaith

Posted: 09/23/2009 11:07

Perhaps the first question should be then- Are there enough good quality EPs with enough track on to justify a chart of their own?

Also, as you've pointed out, compilation albums are a varied species in themselves... collections of singles not released as, or part of original albums, b-side albums, best ofs, genre, label comps, etc.

For an example from a sad Genesis fan: Genesis to Revelation album is deleted as an original, but varied releases of the material plus early singles and B sides exist... am I to Name the original album, or the subsequent release if that is what I have, even though some of that material did not appear in the first release, and may be therefore considered a compilation?

Re: Do extended EPs count as albums?

Detroit Rock Citizen — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 11:15:33 GMT

Author: Detroit Rock Citizen

Posted: 09/22/2009 15:15

By the guidelines I use for myself (only one album per group and only use comps for early material) MMT wouldn't make it to my top 100 anyway. I do have Elvis's Sun Sessions on my chart and if we go any bigger (I'm all for it) Chuck Berry's Great 28 will be there but other than that?

Re: Do extended EPs count as albums?

joannajewsom — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 10:45:31 GMT

Author: joannajewsom

Posted: 09/22/2009 14:45

I miss 8-tracks wrote:

joannajewsom wrote:

I miss 8-tracks wrote:

gotta agree with Mr. Naples on this one. That's one of the reasons that I feel Magical Mystery Tour doesn't belong as a Best Ever Album

What's wrong with having Magical Mystery Tour? It was released as an LP, after all. It belongs on this site as much as any compilation.

Adding EPs, though, is ridiculous.

Maybe we should have a seperate chart for Compilations?

I would dig a compilation chart. Maybe when we get the genre charts going that could be applied. But they'll still be in individual charts. Personally, I wouldn't put a compilation on my chart unless it was something like Robert Johnson, but I don't mind that other people do.

Re: Do extended EPs count as albums?

Detroit Rock Citizen — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 10:36:19 GMT

Author: Detroit Rock Citizen

Posted: 09/22/2009 14:36

joannajewsom wrote:

I miss 8-tracks wrote:

gotta agree with Mr. Naples on this one. That's one of the reasons that I feel Magical Mystery Tour doesn't belong as a Best Ever Album

What's wrong with having Magical Mystery Tour? It was released as an LP, after all. It belongs on this site as much as any compilation.

Adding EPs, though, is ridiculous.

Maybe we should have a seperate chart for Compilations?

Re: Do extended EPs count as albums?

joannajewsom — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 08:49:34 GMT

Author: joannajewsom

Posted: 09/22/2009 12:49

I miss 8-tracks wrote:

gotta agree with Mr. Naples on this one. That's one of the reasons that I feel Magical Mystery Tour doesn't belong as a Best Ever Album

What's wrong with having Magical Mystery Tour? It was released as an LP, after all. It belongs on this site as much as any compilation.

Adding EPs, though, is ridiculous.

Re: Do extended EPs count as albums?

badfaith — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 07:18:31 GMT

Author: badfaith

Posted: 09/22/2009 11:18

That's a shame though, because if they shouldn't really appear on album charts, and they couldn't be thought of as singles, that's a lot of good stuff in limbo... the undead of the music world!

Let us take a moment to bow our heads and shed a tear for EPs.

Re: Do extended EPs count as albums?

Ironic Karma — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 20:53:29 GMT

Author: Ironic Karma

Posted: 09/22/2009 00:53

This reminds me of how you give someone candy, you have to give everyone candy back in kindergarden.

It's basically the same situation; if they put in one or two "extended" EPs they're going to have to let in all the EPs, which will get wacky.

Re: Do extended EPs count as albums?

Detroit Rock Citizen — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 12:11:16 GMT

Author: Detroit Rock Citizen

Posted: 09/21/2009 16:11

gotta agree with Mr. Naples on this one. That's one of the reasons that I feel Magical Mystery Tour doesn't belong as a Best Ever Album

Re: Do extended EPs count as albums?

RFNAPLES — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 10:04:17 GMT

Author: RFNAPLES

Posted: 09/21/2009 14:04

No, that's why they are called EPs