RS' top 100 albums poll

Lucifer · Post by **Lucifer** » Thu Oct 03, 2002 4:23 am

So Rolling Stone magazine has conducted a poll wherein about 24,000 people wrote in to vote for their favorite albums ever. Seems like a good idea, because it's the opinion of the people (or at least RS' demographic) and not some douchebag music critics. Just so this post isnt a mile long, here's the top 50:

50. Vs. - Pearl Jam
49. War - U2
48. Highway 61 Revisited - Dylan
47. Jagged Little Pill - Alanis
46. Use Your Illusion - Guns N Roses
45. Californication - Peppers
44. Are You Experienced - Hendrix
43. Rumours - Fleetwood Mac
42. Metallica - Black album
41. Definitely Maybe - Oasis
40. Grace - Jeff Buckley
39. Blood On The Tracks - Dylan
38. Dookie - Green Day
37.Marshall Mathers LP - Eminem
36. Who's Next - The Who
35. Blood Sugar Sex Magik - Peppers
34. Blonde On Blonde - Dylan
33. What's The Story Morning Glory - Oasis
32. Born To Run - Springsteen
31. The Wall - Pink Floyd
30. Sticky Fingers - Rolling Stones
29. Ray of Light - Madonna
28. Siamese Dream - Smashing Pumpkins
27. Aenima - Tool
26. Kid A - Radiohead
25. Automatic for the People - REM
24. The Eminem Show - Eminem
23. Rubber Soul - Beatles
22. In Utero - Nirvana
21. Green album - Weezer
20. Pet Sounds - Beach Boys
19. Ten - Pearl Jam
18. Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness - Pumpkins
17. The Bends - Radiohead
16. Pinkerton - Weezer
15. All that You Cant Leave Behind - U2
14. London Calling - Clash
13. Exile On Main St. - Rolling Stones
12. Thriller - Michael Jackson
11. Dark Side Of The Moon - Pink Floyd
10. Achtung Baby - U2
9. Led Zeppelin 4
8. OK Computer - Radiohead
7. Appetite For Destruction - Guns N Roses
6. Abbey Road - Beatles
5. White Album - Beatles
4. The Joshua Tree - U2
3. Sgt. Pepper's - Beatles
2. Nevermind - Nirvana
1. Revolver - Beatles

The rest of the list is at RS' website. The people have spoken! Comments?

The Green Knight · Post by **The Green Knight** » Thu Oct 03, 2002 4:55 am

I don't like most of those groups... so I obviously don't agree with those rankings... mine would look much, much different...

BigMaki · Post by **BigMaki** » Thu Oct 03, 2002 5:04 am

Please tell me this isn't one of those "Greatest of all time" lists. Let's see...

Mellon Collie ranked higher than Siamese Dream? Please.

Appetite for Destruction the #7 album OF ALL TIME? Please.

All That You Can't Leave Behind, Pinkerton and The Bends in the top 20? Please.

Green Album and Kid A in the top 30? Please.

Eminem Show as (apparently) the best rap album ever? Please.

Looks like the only products of the '60s were the Beatles and Rolling Stones. Jimi, anybody?

Try something outside of '90s rock if you don't mind. Where's Marvin Gaye's What's Going On? Miles' Kind of Blue? Ramones? Countless others? Almost all of these are really good albums (save for Mellon Collie and In Utero), but this is pretty pathetic. I should expect no less from Rolling Stone and their readers...

Lucifer · Post by **Lucifer** » Thu Oct 03, 2002 5:10 am

Whats Going On and Kind Of Blue were a bit higher on the list, but made it nonetheless.

Yeah, it seems like only a bunch of college kids voted.

Sir Auros · Post by **Sir Auros** » Thu Oct 03, 2002 5:13 am

Originally posted by BigMaki

Looks like the only products of the '60s were the Beatles and Rolling Stones. Jimi, anybody?

Try something outside of '90s rock if you don't mind. Where's Marvin Gaye's What's Going On? Miles' Kind of Blue? Ramones? Countless others? Almost all of these are really good albums (save for Mellon Collie and In Utero), but this is pretty pathetic. I should expect no less from Rolling Stone and their readers...

Yeah, f*cking kids today don't understand good music. Must be all the N'Sync and syphillis going around...

Blues Clues · Post by **Blues Clues** » Thu Oct 03, 2002 9:45 am

No Chili Peppers in the top 30?? This list is obviously rigged!;)

Ravage · Post by **Ravage** » Thu Oct 03, 2002 1:06 pm

I think the number of Beetles albums was a bit much too.

Scarrita · Post by **Scarrita** » Thu Oct 03, 2002 2:25 pm

I've said it before and I'll say it again...
Rolling Stone can suck my... yeah.

Whenever I have looked at reviews for an album in RS, more times than not, I have completely disagreed. I guess I'm just not cool enough.

Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness= Waste of money!

Aenima should have been much higher on that list. Well, at least Tool was representin', as one of the best bands of today, and definately will achieve legendary status, scratch that... HAS achieved legendary status, Tool deserves much more respect than they get.

Houbatron · Post by **Houbatron** » Thu Oct 03, 2002 2:59 pm

Originally posted by BigMaki

All That You Can't Leave Behind, Pinkerton and The Bends in the top 20? Please.

Actually, I'd personally put Pinkerton in my personal top 10; it most certainly has an addictive catchiness that lasts and is absolutely a masterpiece, without a doubt. Much better than anything else Weezer ever created after that... But for the rest, I don't think it should be in this list, to be honest.
As goes for most of the albums listed; Guns n' Roses, U2, Eminem, Madonna... What they're doing in this list is beyond me.
People have a very selective memory and the real masterpieces are never remembered by the big public... Why isn't Sonic Youth's Daydream Nation in there? The Velvet Underground & Nico? Where's Joy Division's Unknown Pleasures? Shouldn't Tom Waits appear in this list at some point? How about Pavement? David Bowie? Nick Drake? Jeff Buckley?

Of course, everyone has a different understanding of classics, and the ones I've listed now probably won't be recognized as such by some of you, but there's quite a few albums in this RS list that shouldn't belong in *any* list, save for "Most Overrated Albums Ever" lists.
I'd rather read a list with the opinions of "douchebag music critics" than the predictable opinions of the big masses, actually. Those same big masses are also responsible for the popularity of all the Nickelbacks, Creeds and Puddle of Mudds in this world... Nuff said.

Scarrita · Post by **Scarrita** » Thu Oct 03, 2002 4:35 pm

Originally posted by Houbatron
Of course, everyone has a different understanding of classics...
...but there's quite a few albums in this RS list that shouldn't belong in *any* list, save for "Most Overrated Albums Ever" lists.

I'd rather read a list with the opinions of "douchebag music critics" than the predictable opinions of the big masses, actually. Those same big masses are also responsible for the popularity of all the Nickelbacks, Creeds and Puddle of Mudds in this world... Nuff said.

Couldn't. Have. Said. It. Better.
Although you forgot Limp Bizkit, hopefully everyone else will too.

Some could also throw in Korn, but if their last album is any clue to what their future sound is going to be... I can't say I mind it at all. It was rather good, musically that is, compared to their other stuff.

And as for those names you have listed, I agree.

nmathew · Post by **nmathew** » Thu Oct 03, 2002 4:37 pm

Well, the voting clearly doesn't spread a large group of people. Howelse would you get 4 Beatles albums in the top 6, and 3Radiohead albums in the top 30?

BigMaki · Post by **BigMaki** » Thu Oct 03, 2002 5:06 pm

Ever notice how it takes a really, really, really bad album by a major artist for Rolling Stone to give it any less than 3 stars? If they recognize you, you're pretty much guaranteed to get at least those 3...

Though I think Spin magazine is crap for the most part, I like the fact that they made their list "The Top 90 Albums of the '90s." It makes more sense to divide by decades, otherwise you get results like these...

I actually think Madonna's Ray of Light is exactly where it needed to be on this list, surprisingly enough. It's an amazing album that combined enough of the electronic influence while still maintaining a pop sensibility. Too bad it was pretty much the death knell for electronica. Just don't judge it by the tracks from the radio... Some of the best ones stayed on the album. "Mer-Girl", "Swim", and "Drowned World/Substitute For Love" (which I think made it out as a single) are just incredible. "Mer-Girl" shows that you don't need a perfect voice to sing a great song, and emotion goes a long way...

OK Computer is also about where I'd put it. Bump the other Radiohead albums a lot further down, though...

Anyone got a direct link to the full list?

Houbatron · Post by **Houbatron** » Thu Oct 03, 2002 11:35 pm

Originally posted by BigMaki

Anyone got a direct link to the full list?

http://www.rollingstone.com/features/fe ... p?pid=1113
At least, that's the starting page to the Top 100, placing only 1 album per page... I really hope there's one list with them all somewhere on the site, but I haven't found it yet, unfortunately. Hardly had the patience to go through it entirely in this state; maybe tomorrow.

Lucifer · Post by **Lucifer** » Thu Oct 03, 2002 11:43 pm

Edited in the full top 50 for you guys...

BigMaki · Post by **BigMaki** » Fri Oct 04, 2002 1:41 am

Mariah Carey's Daydream on there, no less ahead of Velvet Underground and Nico? Madonna's Music on there at all, better yet, at #52? SOAD's Toxicity and LP's Hybrid Theory? Def Leppard's Hysteria? Zooropa over Unforgettable Fire, for god's sake? And what's Madonna's greatest hits album doing on there? My sides hurt from the laughter.... :rolleyes:

At least The Smiths' The Queen Is Dead makes an appearance, as does Buckely's Grace.

Two Eminem albums, and they're the only rap entries on the list. That's just a ****ing disgrace. Where's Public Enemy? NWA? Dr. Dre? Outkast? (not my favorite but praised enough to make a list...) Sad, very, very sad. Hype wins out once again. The worst part? Slim Shady LP is probably Eminem's best record, and it's not even on the list!

Who else gets the feeling that if this list had come out in 1990, Jesus Jones, EMF, Vanilla Ice and MC Hammer would be on there somewhere?

Post by **Denyer** » Fri Oct 04, 2002 1:50 am

"In Utero" is far better than "Nevermind", IMO...

47. Jagged Little Pill - Alanis
46. Use Your Illusion - Guns N Roses
45. Californication - Peppers
42. Metallica - Black album
38. Dookie - Green Day
35. Blood Sugar Sex Magik - Peppers
33. What's The Story Morning Glory - Oasis
22. In Utero - Nirvana
17. The Bends - Radiohead
7. Appetite For Destruction - Guns N Roses
2. Nevermind - Nirvana

I quite like those, anyway... haven't heard quite a few of the rest, and don't particularly like the Beatles...

So many bands omitted, though...

Houbatron · Post by **Houbatron** » Fri Oct 04, 2002 10:04 am

The Strokes were in it as well. Now don't get me wrong, Is this it is a decent album, but in a few years hardly anyone will still recall it, unless they come up with even better material in the rest of their career. But an All Time Classic among albums? I don't believe it for a minute... It's too retro for that.
And what's Weezer's Maladroit doing in there?? It's almost as bad as The Green Album... I really don't get it. Why are The Green Album and Maladroit in that list, but not The Blue Album? I'd trade those two terrible and pitiful excuses for a Weezer record for their debut anytime...
Oh well, at least there's only one Queen record in the entire list. A good sign that the public is slowly forgetting about them. A few years back, they'd at least have 4 or 5 albums in there, including those annoying Greatest Hits compilations.

Though at the same time, the terribly overrated Dave Matthews Band is in there twice.
As for the rest, I pretty much agree with BigMaki...

BigMaki · Post by **BigMaki** » Fri Oct 04, 2002 12:05 pm

Houbatron, Weezer's Blue Album is on there, actually. They rank Blue and Green on there as one, since they said they weren't sure who was voting for what when they put down "Weezer" on their vote. I'd like to think most were voting on Blue, but I doubt it, being RS and all...

Yes, Maladroit was a mistake.

It does seem odd to me to have The Strokes album on there and not put any Television. Guess the kids don't know who their bands are ripping off...

Though I love the Dave Matthews Band, mostly for their live show (Tampa, Florida, December 10th, I'll be there!

), I'd agree that none of their albums should be on there. All are good, but none are definitive works. It's much like Elvis Presley. None of his records stand out as being "the top of the heap," but that doesn't make him any less good as an artist.

Lucifer · Post by **Lucifer** » Fri Oct 04, 2002 12:19 pm

I actually think Mellon Collie had some good stuff on it, but they really should've whittled away all the meaningless filler and made it a single LP.

And yeah, Straight Outta Compton or All Eyez On Me are definitely better than anything by Eminem.

Houbatron · Post by **Houbatron** » Sat Oct 05, 2002 12:20 am

Originally posted by BigMaki
Houbatron, Weezer's Blue Album is on there, actually. They rank Blue and Green on there as one, since they said they weren't sure who was voting for what when they put down "Weezer" on their vote. I'd like to think most were voting on Blue, but I doubt it, being RS and all...

Ah! I never got that far; got tired from going through all those pages and I didn't bother to check the last 30 ones, as Lucifer already listed them over here. So I missed the bit about combining both the Blue and the Green one. It's making a bit more sense now, fortunately...

As for The Strokes: Television or Jesus and The Mary Chain should have been in there as well if The Strokes find their place in it, yes. Oh well, just mark my words: if The Strokes don't come up with any brilliant or good-selling stuff in the future, they'll be forgotten in no time...

btw, just noticed they named Man on the Moon as the most essential track on R.E.M's Automatic for the People. I bought that CD when I was 11 years old (second CD for me personally ever) and I've loved it ever since, but I wouldn't list Man on the Moon as the best song on it... Probably Drive or Nightswimming.

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