Listed below are the overall rankings for the best albums in history as determined by their aggregate positions in over 58,000 different greatest album charts on BestEverAlbums.com! (Chart last updated: 2 hours ago).
"I remember 2001... I thought the music industry was spiraling downhill... dominated by boy bands, Shaggy, Limp Biskit, Linkin Park, Staind, Creed, etc... Those were dark days indeed. When the Strokes and White Stripes burst onto the scene with their huge 2001 albums, it restored my faith in the m...""I remember 2001... I thought the music industry was spiraling downhill... dominated by boy bands, Shaggy, Limp Biskit, Linkin Park, Staind, Creed, etc... Those were dark days indeed. When the Strokes and White Stripes burst onto the scene with their huge 2001 albums, it restored my faith in the music industry. This album is stripped down, but features great songcraft and playing. Awesome."[+]Reply
"A classic punk record full of energy and urgency. It's not quite The Clash of, London calling, a few years down the line, this is a much more rawer and looser band. Good songs, but I don't think there's anything spectacular, but that doesn't really matter, it's an album, and it does exactly what ...""A classic punk record full of energy and urgency. It's not quite The Clash of, London calling, a few years down the line, this is a much more rawer and looser band. Good songs, but I don't think there's anything spectacular, but that doesn't really matter, it's an album, and it does exactly what it needs to do - make people sit up and take notice. Good debut. "[+]Reply
"Say what you want about Pitchfork but I find it hard to talk bad about them, as they introduced me to so much good music that I would otherwise never listen to. This album is one example. So good."Reply
"Bruce Springsteen's record company probably didn't no whether to laugh or cry when he handed them his new album. Nebraska, wasn't exactly commercial material, it was an 11 track album, full of acoustic demo's, that Springsteen had failed to turn into an E street band record. Possibly, Springsteen...""Bruce Springsteen's record company probably didn't no whether to laugh or cry when he handed them his new album. Nebraska, wasn't exactly commercial material, it was an 11 track album, full of acoustic demo's, that Springsteen had failed to turn into an E street band record. Possibly, Springsteen promised Columbia, a more accessible album the next time round. Nebraska is a bleak, monochrome, postcard of an America full of serial killers, down on their luck gamblers, wayward brothers of small town cops, and, every day blue collar guys. It certainly isn't a barrel of laughs, and unlike later acoustic releases, the ghost of Tom Joad, and, devils' n' dust, it's a lot less slick, it's rawness is almost unsettling. The title track was inspired by a real life event, and also by Terence Malick's brilliant movie version, badlands. Atlantic city, is probably the best song on the album, with, Johnny 99, highway patrolman, and, reason to believe, also standouts. It certainly would be interesting to hear the attempted E street band versions, maybe that will be Springsteen's next box set release. Nebraska, is a challenging listen, and I would have thought it would only be enjoyed by boss fans, but i know people who aren't Springsteen fans, but like this album. It's definitely one of his most important records, and has been hugely influential on the lo-fi/alt.country scene. If Springsteen had given his assurances about his next release being more commercial, he certainly didn't let them down. Next for Bruce was, born in the USA, and superstardom. "[+]Reply
"Finally, after more than forty years, the Beach Boys' unfinished album "Smile" has been released in its entirety - to the extent possible. "Smile" was in 1966 Brian Wilson's most ambitious project, and he wanted to create music that was as innovative as that of the Beatles - a group which he both...""Finally, after more than forty years, the Beach Boys' unfinished album "Smile" has been released in its entirety - to the extent possible.
"Smile" was in 1966 Brian Wilson's most ambitious project, and he wanted to create music that was as innovative as that of the Beatles - a group which he both admired and wished to match.
Wilson dropped tour-life to concentrate on writing and recording music, while the other Beach Boys occasionally came in the studio and recorded vocals on the new songs.
The amazing single "Good Vibrations" was an indication of directions Wilson's musical ideas took. The single became a huge hit and there were naturally great expectations for the album that would follow.
Unfortunately, Wilson broke down under the stress of the high expectations and his own ambtions before the album was completed. In fact, a cover drawn with a charming beautiful colorful front and a back side with a preliminary tracklist.
Some of the songs were practically finished, while others were under development when the project was dropped. However several of the Smile songs appeared on the next Beach Boys albums where the overall musical ambitions were lowered and the other Beach Boys began to take more part in the songwriting.
The best of these are now well known classics, especially "Heroes and Villains," "Surf's Up," "Wind Chimes" and "Vegetables."
In early 2000 years Brian Wilson re-recorded the Smile songs and also went on tour with them. Although these were fine and impressive performances, they also meant that the wishes the the original versions, with different beautiful Beach Boys voices, became even stronger.
This 2 CD version contains the versions of the many Smile recordings which Brian Wilson believes are the best. CD 1 contains the finished versions of the songs, or in some cases as finished as possible. CD 2 gives a little insight into the work in the studio, and numerous recordings and overdubs behind these contemporary loose shots.
Since there never was any final decision on tracklisting, anyone can try to put an album that may match or perhaps overpass the group's previous album "Pet Sounds" which is considered as the group's masterpiece. I have put such an album together which after the contemporary standards has14 songs and which lasts about 40 minutes. In fact, I think this "album" in respects in on the level of "Pet Sounds", which after all also does contain songs of lesser significance
Side one of this imaginary vinyl version looks like this: Side one 1. You're Welcome / 2. Good Vibrations / 3. Surf's Up / 4. Wonderful / 5. Cabin Essence / 6. Child Is Father Of The Mon 7. Look (Song For Children) - Side two 1. Our Prayer / 2.Heroes And Villains / 3 Holidays / 4. Wind Chimes / 5. Vega-Tables / 6. Gee / 7. Do You Like Worms (Roll Plymouth Rock).
I've played this compilation many times and am very satisfied with it, and I believe it would have received deserved recognition in its time, even if individual numbers may seem a little incomplete.
In any rate, this bunch of beautiful songs constitute an important part in music history.
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"I can't disagree more with the review that says this seems dated based on the fact that it sounds hollow and shallow. That was the ENTIRE point. The album has a hollow, dead flat sound throughout. That was the goal. It's symbolic of the emptiness of everything. The drums provide a pattern but no ...""I can't disagree more with the review that says this seems dated based on the fact that it sounds hollow and shallow. That was the ENTIRE point. The album has a hollow, dead flat sound throughout. That was the goal. It's symbolic of the emptiness of everything. The drums provide a pattern but no beat for you to dance to or to give life to the album. That is by design. That's the genius of it... it sound alike what it says. Also find it strange that people are overlooking A Strange Day, which is the best song."[+]Reply
"Strangwayss is a real mix. While it's sound is complicated, experimental and lacking a bit of structure, it is also exceptional in terms of its quality. This is by far and away the best produced Smiths album, a far cry from the rougher sound created at Strawberry Studios on their debut. But in mu...""Strangwayss is a real mix. While it's sound is complicated, experimental and lacking a bit of structure, it is also exceptional in terms of its quality. This is by far and away the best produced Smiths album, a far cry from the rougher sound created at Strawberry Studios on their debut.
But in much the same way that Meat is Murder was a transitional album, this is too. Lots of new instruments were employed here, including lots of piano, saxophones, stings and even sound effects. Marr was really on to something with the dirtier, overdrive guitar found on "I Started Something" and "Stop Me", while Morrissey adjusted his mopey tone that defines The Smiths for a more pessimistic and disgruntled feel. This is transitional without a doubt.
But while that is all well and good, there are signs of issues here; Joyce and Rourke get very little time in the limelight, and it seems that Morrissey was perhaps taking over the band. You can hear the imminent demise of this band in this record, despite how little the lyrics refer to this.
And it begs the question, what would have come after Strangeways? Considering the quality of the production and the new sounds being tried out here, I reckon it would have been their absolute best. But that will never occur now sadly.
Yet perhaps ending the band in almost unfinished state with a transitional album is a blessing in disguise. It only adds to the romanticised mythos of The Smiths, and it leaves a brilliant legacy. Even when they weren't absolutely decided on they were going for with an album, The Smiths were still fucking brilliant.
And let's not forget that some of their best moments can be found here. "Girlfriend In A Coma" is borderline timeless in its comedic, totally inappropriate tone that is so brilliantly matched with its Bubbly, jangly melody; "Stop Me" is the song I recommended that anyone wanting to get into The Smiths starts off with, as it has a good mix of classic Morrissey lyrics and an easy-going sound; "Paint a Vulgar Picture", however ironic, is a sure-footed statement of what the band stood for, not being the typical Top Of The Pops act that was controlled by their label. There's very little to say about Strangeways that is negative, even if it is rough in some patches.
As far as final albums go, this for me does the job. An end to the band that creates the strongest of opinions as to whether they're bloody awful or whether they're the best band of the last 50 years. The band that has one of the most instantly recognisable sounds, and some of the best lyrics ever written. A band that had influenced all aspects of modern Alt Rock and defined British music in the 1980s. That's a hard thing to bring to an end, and yet they did it without leaving on a bad note, instead finishing with the prospect of what have might been. "[+]Reply
"Classic Californian rock. Surrealistic pillow, is a superb record. Released at the time when the psychedelic scene was in full swing, this album isn't quite as out there as their next record would be, in fact, surrealistic pillow, is just a damn good rock'n'roll record. Somebody to love, today, a...""Classic Californian rock. Surrealistic pillow, is a superb record. Released at the time when the psychedelic scene was in full swing, this album isn't quite as out there as their next record would be, in fact, surrealistic pillow, is just a damn good rock'n'roll record. Somebody to love, today, and, plastic fantastic lover, are all quality cuts but the real clincher is, white rabbit. Along with Procul Harum's, whiter shade of pale, white rabbit, is one of the greatest songs/singles to be released during the flower power era. A great song from a great album. "[+]Reply
"Honestly I can't understand the people who give this album a 20, 10 or 5 rating. Seriously, we all can see you didnt like the album, but seriously a "5"?? Every single band just for the fact they made an album should deserve more than a 5. If you are angry that currently this album is in No. 1, w...""Honestly I can't understand the people who give this album a 20, 10 or 5 rating. Seriously, we all can see you didnt like the album, but seriously a "5"?? Every single band just for the fact they made an album should deserve more than a 5.
If you are angry that currently this album is in No. 1, well save the rating for yourself.
This is a brilliant album, and their music should be appreciated or at least respected.
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