The Album as an art form

[RFNAPLES]

So there is no doubt, my canon list was for concept albums, not necessarily the greatest/best ever albums of all time. I am still not sure of the definition being used here for an art album.
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[Boogn1sh]

For me, the first time popular music entered the realm of art (or a conscious effort towards art) was with the Frank Sinatra 1955 album In The Wee Small Hours of the Morning. It was one of the first instances where songs were recorded specifically for an album, as opposed to just a collection of random singles. There is a consistent mood and theme, a series of ballads about a lost love, which are commented on in the cover art. This deliberate effort to sequence similarly themed songs and create an overall effect, make something that's more than the sum of it's parts, that's art to me.

[Detroit Rock Citizen]

sf sorrow by the pretty things needs to be added to the list.
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My chart
http://www.besteveralbums.com/thechart.php?c=689

[Elston]

I think it was sometime in the early-mid 60s the album became an art form. As for what modern albums I would consider art, well I find the whole distinction to be pointless. The difference is between good art/bad art, not art/not-art. Anything can be art because you can see beauty or ideas in pretty much anything. The question is: is it good and is it interesting? Most albums aren't.

As for 90s works that have tried to really push the idea of what an album can be, I would say:

Twin Infinitives - Royal Trux
Lullaby Land - Vampire Rodents
Spiderland - Slint
Bricolage - Amon Tobin
Downward Spiral - Nine Inch Nails
Slow, Deep & Hard - Type O Negative
Niandre Lades & Usually Just a T-Shirt - John Frusciante
Millions Now Living Will Never Die - Tortoise

[ctsimcox]

just to add to the albums in recent years that work as albums

The Antlers - Hospice
Fiery Furnaces - Blueberry Boat
Okkervil River - Black Sheep Boy

[cartoken]

[quote="ctsimcox"]

The Antlers - Hospice[/quote]

one of the essential of 2009 !!!