Top 100 Greatest Music Albums by AvalancheGrips

From slatsheit 03/05/2025 15:51

I can't stand some of the stuff in your top 20, but the list is so eclectic and thoughtful that I have to give it some credit.

I think you're missing my point. Don't add soul and jazz just because I suggested it. Don't bow to social pressure at all. Add something that you authentically love, but that won't win you points with the snobs. Yes, some of your choices aren't commonly seen on BEA charts. But they fit in with the general snob-core tone of the rest of your list. It's ok to like those albums. But do you like anything that wouldn't be snob-approved? Do you have any guilty pleasures? Something that might get ridiculed by the music elitists? Add THAT! Then I would respect your list a lot more. It could be any genre. And from any era. Doesn't matter if it's boomer or zoomer. (why are you obsessed with generational distinctions?) And the genres I suggested were just picked at random. It could be ska, or blues, or K-pop, or Hindustani classical music (hmm, that one might actually be a logical next step for a Swans fan).

And when I suggested mainstream pop, what I meant was popular/Top 40 music that isn't indie-approved. Yes, Gorillaz and Outkast are popular, but when I say 'mainstream pop' I mean stuff like Bruno Mars, or Harry Styles, or Elton John, etc. For example, a recent Chart-of-the-Day had multiple John Mayer albums on it. Personally, I never much liked John Mayer, and I still don't. But I respect that user's bravery and guilelessness. Because they had a mix of critic-approved and critic-panned stuff, I found their list much more interesting and individualistic than yours. Of course, that's just my opinion. And it shouldn't hurt your feelings that not everyone loves your kind of Top 100.

As for my own Top 100, you're free to hate it. But when you call it "run-of-the-mill Rolling Stones magazine boomer bullshit", it shows you have no idea what you're talking about. My chart has 2 albums each from Julian Cope, Lisa Germano, and SFA. And NONE of them have ever shown up on any RS chart. RS barely knows they exist. In fact, well over 50% of my chart is stuff that RS ignored or shat on. Is there some overlap with RS charts? Sure. It would be odd if there wasn't. But it's minimal. Your chart has plenty that's also on Pitchfork's charts. So if I called it "run-of-the-mill Pitchfork zoomer bullshit", I'd have a much stronger case. As for adding a hip-hop album from the last decade to my Top 100, if BEA allowed us a Top 300, you would see a few: Kendrick, Little Simz, Danny Brown, Tyler maybe. I like those albums a lot. Just not enough to supplant the ones I already have in my Top 100. So I guess you'll have to keep thinking I'm a racist. Oh well. I'll try not to lose any sleep over it.

From AvalancheGrips 05/14/2024 13:53

@BorderFreeAndrew most of these criticisms fall completely flat to me because there are albums on my chart that I've literally never seen on others (e.g. Lift to Experience, Nicolas Jaar, Elza Soares, even Low is rare on this site). Meanwhile, your chart is the same boring run-of-the-mill Rolling Stones magazine boomer bullshit. 64 albums from the 60s and 70s is sickening to me, where's the diversity? Another funny thing is I've never used RYM, you're yelling at clouds dude. I really think that you're projecting your resentment of the young RYM hipsters onto me and that's really sad man. Sure, I'll put more soul and jazz on my chart, I've been meaning to, but I want you to put one (1) hip-hop album from the last decade on yours or I'll still think you're racist. Also, you're saying I'm anti-pop? My favorite album is from one of the most popular artists of the last decade; Gorillaz, Jessie Ware, Stevie Wonder, and OutKast are all pop artists. I know you've listened to tons of music from the last decade so where is it?

What, no Glenn Miller? No Dinah Shore? Where's the Bing Crosby and Doris Day records? I takes it back to the oooooooold skool:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3d1phCytJyg&ab_channel=Key%26Peele

But seriously, stop being so shallow and petty just because someone isn't impressed with your Beginning-Hipster's-Starter-Kit of a Top 100. BTW, I actually saw your #9, Lift To Experience live in Austin, TX back in 2001 when nobody cared who they were. I'm such an "old conservative man" who's "uncurious and bland".

Edit: You want me to say something substantial about your chart? Sure, no prob. First off, the fact that you'd think my light-hearted comment above could be "racist" illustrates your problem: You're demonstrating a worldview that is narrow and short-sighted. And this shows in your chart. As someone who you're certain is "uncurious and bland", I've heard almost all your chart entries. And I like most of them. The reason I don't like your chart is because it's too stylistically samey and predictable. I don't care whether it's newer or older stuff. I'm just tired of seeing the same RYM-core over and over again (since you brought them up). I like charts that surprise me. I like charts that introduce me to something I hadn't already heard about, or remind me of something I'd forgotten. Your chart does that only once: I'd never heard of Ciśnienie, so I may check them out now. Most importantly, I like charts that show diversity (you know, cuz I'm such a "racist"). Where is the funk? The jazz? The folk? Even the inclusion of some mainstream pop would be a nice indication that you're not self-consciously trying to impress the anti-pop snob brigade. As for classic soul, you've got one token Stevie Wonder album. "Racists" like me like a lot more classic soul and R&B than that. And the Swans are fine. But 3 of your top 6? I don't doubt that you sincerely love these albums. But this suggests to me that you need to expand your horizons and explore a wider variety of music (both past and present). Your chart makes you seem a lot more "uncurious" than me. I'm not "mad" at your retaliatory comment/rating, or it's blatant ageism. I'm just disappointed at the insecurity it displays ("your rating did literally nothing to my overall average, people love my shit"). Gain the maturity to accept that not everybody is gonna "love your shit" and that's ok.

From EyeKanFly 05/10/2024 14:23

Lots of stuff I don't care for (Swans, Tool), but also lots in common. Love the thought and dedication put into the comments, great chart!

From Tamthebam 08/28/2023 10:15

A young persons chart only 22 albums from the 60's, 70's & 80's but your descriptions are brilliant so that lifts the chart to 85/100

Great descriptions accompanying the entries. Good chart

From Keatownrodriguez 02/07/2023 17:33

That's a lot of depressing albums. Also, Komm Susser Tod is definitely one of the greatest songs ever!

From DommeDamian 10/31/2022 22:52

I was right, this thing DOES increase in quality based on fascinating descriptions.

From AvalancheGrips 08/10/2022 20:11

@leniad

I have heard all of those albums actually lol. Bitches Brew by Miles Davis is just outside of my top 100 and was on here for a little bit. Jazz on its own isn't my favorite, I love it when it's incorporated with other genres, à la progressive rock, post-rock, Hip-Hop