Name your top 10 favorite albums

[Dalton]

So, I am creating this list with the understanding that this is our top ten FAVORITE albums not necessarily what we believe the top ten BEST albums are correct?

With that in mind, in no particular order:

The Joshua Tree - U2
The Bends - Radiohead
Moondance - Van Morrison
Bad - Michael Jackson
Greatest Hits - Johnny Horton
Kicking Television - Wilco
I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning - Brighteyes
The Black Album - Jay Z
Secret World Live - Peter Gabriel
Villa Elaine - Remy Zero

Honorable Mention (songs that move in and out of this list):
Gold - Ryan Adams
Surfer Rosa - The Pixies
Bridge Over Troubled Water - Simon & Garfunkel
Elephant - The White Stripes
Pinkerton - Weezer

 

[cobl04]

1. U2 - Achtung Baby
2. U2 - Joshua Tree
3. Pink Floyd - Dark Side of the Moon
4. The Beatles - Abbey Road
5. David Bowie - The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars

 

[Axver]

I can never settle on anything definite for these threads. I'll stick to one album per band.

1. U2: The Unforgettable Fire
2. Anathema: Judgement
3. Porcupine Tree: Stupid Dream
4. Pure Reason Revolution: The Dark Third
5. Agalloch: The Mantle
6. Alcest: Souvenirs D'un Autre Monde
7. Orphaned Land: Mabool
8. Dream Theater: Awake
9. Joy Division: Unknown Pleasures
10. Crowded House: Together Alone
11. The Chills: Submarine Bells
12. Pink Floyd: Wish You Were Here
13. Split Enz: Frenzy

Yeah, 13 will do. Those are the 13 albums I always agonise over when making a top 10.

 

[Lancemc]

I'm just surprised, because with the exception of the Springsteen, all the others you listed are great ALBUMS, not just collections of good songs.

Hmm, now I find two things very interesting here.

One is that you don't consider E Street a great album, per se, when I think it's just as strong in that regard as something like Blood on the Tracks or Homogenic on my own list.

Second thing is how I've come to realize I've become much less interested in "great albums" recently, which is something I almost used to obsess about in years past. Maybe it has something to do with my interesting veering more towards film and more eclectic musical offerings.

 

[lazarus]

I think there's great stuff on Wild/Innocent but I don't know if it's overall as good a statement as Nebraska, Born to Run, The River, etc.

I was mainly taking exception to ATYCLB.

Also, I would imagine the interest in film would lead you even more to conceptual, thematic works than steer you away. And as far as eclecticism goes, there are certainly "great albums" in all genres, whether it be hip hop, country, electronic music, heavy metal, etc. Hell, Futuresexxx/Lovesounds is a great pop "album" more than a collection of hit singles, certainly moreso than Thriller.

 

[greenlight7-11]

1. R.E.M. - Automatic For The People
2. Nine Inch Nails - The Downward Spiral
3. Pearl Jam - Ten
4. U2 - Achtung Baby
5. Depeche Mode - Songs of Faith And Devotion
6. Morrissey - Vauxhall And I
7. The Cure - Wish
8. The Smiths - The Queen Is Dead
9. The Jesus And Mary Chain - Stoned And Dethroned
10. Echo And The Bunnymen - Heaven Up Here

 

[Zoots]

Love many of these lists! We interferencers have really similar tastes! I'm seeing a lot of Radiohead, Pearl Jam, R.E.M., U2... etc.

 

[MsMofoGone]

I can no longer listen to anything in the current era ... I'll stick to the more classic older bands every time.

U2 - War
Journey - Infinity
The Police - Reggatta De Blanc
Inxs - Kick
Cheap Trick - Heaven Tonight
Rush - Moving Pictures
Pink Floyd - The Wall
Led Zeppelin - IV
Def Leppard - High 'N Dry
The Cure - Disintegration
Depeche Mode - Violator
Boston - Boston
Tears For Fears - Tears Roll Down: Greatest Hits (82-92)
Stevie Nicks - Wild Heart
Heart - Dreamboat Annie
Genesis - Duke
REM - Out Of Time
Blue Oyster Cult - Agents of Fortune
Black Sabbath - Heaven and Hell
The Who - Who's Next
Scorpions - Blackout
AC/DC - Back in Black
Van Halen - 1984
David Bowie - Best of Bowie
ZZ Top - Eliminator

 

[LMP]

Achtung Baby - U2
Animals - Pink Floyd
Born to Run - Bruce Springsteen
Doolittle - Pixies
Funeral - Arcade Fire
IV - Led Zeppelin
OK Computer - Radiohead
The Rise & Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars - David Bowie
Revolver - The Beatles
Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots - The Flaming Lips
---

I had a list that ran about 25 deep, but this made it a lot harder.

 

[hardyharhar]

Got it down to 20. And that wasn't easy. But still fun...

Ok, I'm kinda old & the stuff I grew up with seems to stick out:

Led Zeppelin - II
The Beatles - Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
Genesis - Foxtrot
Pink Floyd - Dark Side of the Moon
The Kinks - Kink Kronikles
David Bowie -The Rise & Fall of Ziggy Stardust
Elvis Costello & the Attractions - This Year's Model
Neil Young - After the Gold Rush
Midnight Oil - Blue Sky Mining
The Clash - Sandinista
The Pogues - Rum, Sodomy & the Lash
English Beat - I Just Can't Stop It
Devo - Duty Now for the Future
The Who - Live at Leeds
Dead Kennedys - Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables
White Stripes - Elephant
Traffic - Low Spark of High Heeled Boys
Van Der Graaf Generator - Pawn Hearts
The Specials -The Specials
Psychedelic Furs - Talk Talk Talk

 

[corianderstem]

This thread is about favorite albums. Debating whether or not something is "great" is beyond the point. To debate whether or not someone's favorite album is great, you're pretty much just saying "dude, you have shitty taste in music."






PS: Your favorite band/album/U2 song sucks.

 

[Lancemc]

Well, some people really do have shitty taste.

What's the harm in talking about it.

 

[corianderstem]

I'm sure I have an answer somewhere, but I can't be bothered to find it.

Knock yourselves out.

 

[impy13]

I'll try to limit it to one per artist.

1. U2 - Achtung Baby
2. Radiohead - OK Computer
3. Wilco - Yankee Hotel Foxtrot
4. The Beatles - Abbey Road
5. Coldplay - A Rush Of Blood To The Head
6. Sigur Ros - ( )
7. Broken Social Scene - You Forgot It In People
8. The Flaming Lips - Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots
9. Beck - Sea Change
10. Ryan Adams & The Cardinals - Cold Roses

 

[Zoots]

This thread is about favorite albums. Debating whether or not something is "great" is beyond the point. To debate whether or not someone's favorite album is great, you're pretty much just saying "dude, you have shitty taste in music."

Yeah exactly! Favorite albums = Best albums in our opinion! Everything is opinion anyway... even Greatest Albums Ever lists.

 

[SeattleVertigo]

I'm not really an album person anymore. If I were, I'd know which Wilco album to include, for example, but I know Wilco through playlists and shuffle much more than by album!

In no order, one per artist:

Van Morrison - Moondance
U2 - The Joshua Tree
Pink Floyd - Dark Side of the Moon
Coldplay - A Rush of Blood to the Head
Paul Simon - Graceland
Sting - The Soul Cages
R.E.M. - Automatic for the People
Radiohead - OK Computer
Beatles - Magical Mystery Tour (would do the Blue Album, except it's more of a greatest hits package)
Tori Amos - Little Earthquakes
Arcade Fire - Neon Bible
Bruce Springsteen - Born To Run
Peter Gabriel - So

If we were doing live concerts/compilations, I'd include these two double discs -- some of my all-time favorite music on both of them.

Peter Gabriel - Secret World Live
Paul Simon - Concert in the Park

Really like Andrew Bird's latest, Aimee Mann's Lost In Space, Billy Bragg & Wilco's Mermaid Avenue, tons of Bob Dylan albums, Dave Matthews' Some Devil, PJ Harvey's Stories from the City, Robbie Robertson's Contact from the Underworld of Redboy, well, I could go on for hours.

 

[LMP]

Yeah exactly! Favorite albums = Best albums in our opinion! Everything is opinion anyway... even Greatest Albums Ever lists.

Definitely.

Music is too subjective, Rolling Stone Magazine.

I can see praising of the production of an album or the technical skill of a musician, but not how it makes you feel. The difference between fact and opinion is something you should learn in elementary school.

 

[lazarus]

I don't really agree with Best=Favorite at all. You can appreciate something without it REALLY being your thing. Do I think the work of Beethoven's 9th, or for modernity's sake John Coltrane's A Love Supreme is more accomplished than Smashing Pumpkins' Siamese Dream? Of course. But I'd put the Pumpkins higher on my list of favs.

If you want to make a list "adjusted" for what I think is the best, it would look something like this (only the first is in order):

Sgt. Pepper's
Exile on Main Street
Highway 61 Revisited
Pet Sounds
The Velvet Underground & Nico
Achtung Baby
Patti Smith, Horses
The Joshua Tree
Revolver
A Love Supreme
OK Computer
Miles Davis, Bitches Brew
Joni Mitchell, Blue
The Clash, London Calling

If you look at my list of favs, there's only a little overlap:

Achtung Baby
The White Album
The Replacements--Pleased to Meet Me
Pavement--Wowee Zowee
The Afghan Whigs--Black Love
Steely Dan--Countdown to Ecstasy
Sugar--Copper Blue
Pixies--Doolittle
New Order--Brotherhood
Bob Dylan--Oh Mercy
Lifes Rich Pageant
Prince--Sign O' the Times
Liz Phair--Exile in Guyville
Super Furry Animals--Rings Around the World
Miles Davis--Bitches Brew

 

[tabela]

U2-The Unforgettable Fire
The Smiths- Strangeways, Here We Come
Bob Marley-Exodus
Pearl Jam-Ten
The Police-Synchronicity
REM-Automatic For the People
Radiohead-OK Computer
Rolling Stones-Let It Bleed
Tragically Hip-Up To Here
Van Morrison-Moondance

 

[nextlife]

Talk Talk- Spirit Of Eden
Radiohead- Ok Computer
U2- Achtung Baby
Radiohead- Kid A
Besnard Lakes- Besnard Lakes
Doves- Lost Souls
Galaxie 500- On Fire
Jeff Buckley- Grace
Pink Floyd- Dark Side
A Northern Chorus- Bitter Hands Resign
Wilco- A Ghost is Born
Beatles- Sgt Pepper's

 

[Salome]

1. Brian Wilsom - Smile
2. The Beach Boys - Pet Sounds
3. U2 - The unforgettable Fire
4. R.E.M. - Out of time
5. John Coltrane - A love supreme
6. Frank Zappa - One size fits all
7. Miles Davis - Bitches Brew
8. AC/DC - Let there be rock
9. Marvin Gaye - What's going on?
10. Aphex Twin - Richard D. James album

 

[elevation2u]

andrew bird - armchair apocrypha
bob dylan - blood on the tracks
bright eyes - i'm wide awake it's morning
bruce springsteen - the wild, the innocent, and the e street shuffle
flaming lips - transmission from the satellite heart
jeff buckley - grace
radiohead - kid a
ryan adams - cold roses
television - marquee moon
wilco - a ghost is born

a bunch of random shit i love to pieces
u2 - pop
neil young - harvest moon
libertines - " "
mos def - black on both sides
elliot smith - figure 8
michael penn - mr hollywood jr, 1947
manu chao - proxima estacion
the smiths - the queen is dead
locust - plague soundscapes
john coltrane - giant steps
bjork - debut
damien rice - o
mars volta - deloused in the comatorium
devendra banhart - rejoicing in the hands
shuggie otis - inspiration information
elvis costello - my aim is true
the killers - sam's town
tom waits - swordfishtrombone
rem - out of time
the police - ghost in the machine
sufjan stevens - come and feel the illinoise
beatles - white album

 

[Aygo]

01 How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb
02 Achtung Baby
03 Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
04 Kid-A
05 The Joshua Tree
06 The Beatles/"White Album"
07 Ok Computer
08 Definitely Maybe
09 American Life
10 Automatic For The People

A list that's always changing... next week it'll be different

 

[intedomine]

1. The Stone Roses - The Stone Roses (am I the only one who appreciates the ultimate musical beauty?)

2. The Queen Is Dead - The Smiths (every second is a delight!)

3. The Man Who - Travis (only recently has this album enchanted me endlessly, an album for all moods)

4. Achtung Baby - U2 (former favourite, but still an immense joy to listen to)

5. (What's The Story) Morning Glory - Oasis (Anthem after anthem after anthem - my first ever album, so it has a special place)

6. The Joshua Tree - U2 (Lyrical genius, breathtaking sounds)

7. OK Computer - Radiohead (A remarkable record, dazzling)

8. Revolver - The Beatles (A bit of everything, Short, snappy and oh so sweet)

9. Throwing Copper - Live (Live have never matched this and never will, the benchmark of all post-grunge, all else in this broad genre pales in comparison)

10. Pop - U2 (U2's boldest moment, delivered in bizarre fashion, has a rustic charm about it)

Apologies:

Dreamland - Rob Miles
Shoot This - Motor Ace
The Unforgettable Fire - U2
Dig Your Own Hole - Chem Bros
Pills, Thrills 'n Bellyaches - Happy Mondays
A Rush of Blood to the Head - Coldplay
Out Of Time - REM
Music Of The Spheres - Ian Brown

 

[LPU2]

Impossible! But I'll try.

Achtung Baby-U2
Revolver-Beatles
Tumbleweed Connection - Elton John
March 16-20-Uncle Tupelo
Trace-Son Volt
Murmur-REM
Fisherman's Blues-Waterboys
Please to Meet Me-Replacements
Doolittle-Pixies
Joshua Tree-U2

The most disturbing thing? The most recent album on that list was recorded about 10 years ago.

 

[Yahweh_OMG]

1. Achtung Baby -- U2
2. Pornography -- The Cure
3. Morning Euphoria -- Chris Cornell
4. Boy -- U2
5. Desintegration -- The Cure
6. Superunknown -- Soundgarden
7. Origin of Simmetry -- Muse
8. Bloodflowers -- The Cure
9. Joshua Tree -- U2
10. Never Mind -- Nirvana

 

[MrPryck2U]

Not too much in any order, but here's my Top 10:

Achtung Baby- U2
Abbey Road- Beatles
Sgt. Pepper- Beatles
Led Zeppelin IV- Led Zeppelin
Dark Side of the Moon- Pink Floyd
Wish You Were Here- Pink Floyd
No Code- Pearl Jam
The Joshua Tree- U2
Vs. - Pearl Jam
Odelay- Beck

 

[Justin24]

1. U2-All That You Can't Leave Behind
2. 2Pac- All Eyez on Me
3. Pink Floyd- Dark Side of the Moon
4. U2- The Joshua Tree
5. Hanz Zimmer- Gladiator Soundtrack
6. Amos Lee- Supply and Demand
7. Bruce Springsteen- We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions
8. Sigur Ros- Takk
9. Bob Marley- Exodus
10. Jimmie Hendrix- Are You Experienced

 

[LemonMelon]

I actually made a top 50 this one time, multiple artists allowed:

1. Beatles – Abbey Road
2. Radiohead – OK Computer
3. U2 – Zooropa
4. Steely Dan – Aja
5. Led Zeppelin – Houses Of The Holy
6. Beatles – Magical Mystery Tour
7. Aerosmith – Pump
8. David Bowie – Station To Station
9. U2 – The Joshua Tree
10. Def Leppard – Hysteria
11. Kinks – Village Green Preservation Society
12. REM – Automatic For The People
13. Beck – Midnite Vultures
14. Led Zeppelin - IV
15. Stone Roses – The Stone Roses
16. Supergrass – I Should Coco
17. Oasis – Definitely Maybe
18. Randy Newman – Sail Away
19. Pink Floyd – Animals
20. Donald Fagen – The Nightfly
21. Beck – Sea Change
22. Paul McCartney - Ram
23. Gorillaz – Demon Days
24. Funkadelic – One Nation Under A Groove
25. Todd Rundgren – Something/Anything?
26. Prince – Sign O The Times
27. Pink Floyd - Meddle
28. Pulp – Different Class
29. Joni Mitchell – Court And Spark
30. Stevie Wonder - Innervisions
31. Super Furry Animals - Radiator
32. Arcade Fire - Funeral
33. Flaming Lips – Transmissions From The Satellite Heart
34. Radiohead - Kid A
35. Yes - Fragile
36. Flaming Lips – Clouds Taste Metallic
37. My Bloody Valentine - Loveless
38. Blur - Parklife
39. Who – Who’s Next
40. White Stripes - Elephant
41. Franz Ferdinand – You Could Have It So Much Better
42. Spoon – Girls Can Tell
43. Shins – Oh, Inverted World
44. Nick Drake – Pink Moon
45. My Morning Jacket - Z
46. Beastie Boys – Paul’s Boutique
47. Moody Blues – Days Of Future Passed
48. Elton John – Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
49. Wilco – Yankee Hotel Foxtrot
50. The Rolling Stones – Sticky Fingers

 

[lazarus]

I actually made a top 50 this one time, multiple artists allowed:

You can't do that!


Nice list, though. I'm amazed you have the courage, defiance, whatever, to put Hysteria on there (let alone that high) and release it to the public. I was a pretty big fan at the time (13th row on the Hysteria tour!), but I can't quite say it still does it for me. I will not deny, however, the still-effective pop charms of "Armageddon It".

Speaking of my high school days, I would gladly include some Iron Maiden on my list, as their best work (Killers and Number of the Beast, for me) holds up quite nicely.