# Albums where (almost) every song is known **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 29, 2015, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/albums-where-almost-every-song-is-known/741606 "2015-12-29T01:14:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2015, 12:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/albums-where-almost-every-song-is-known/741606/21 "2015-12-29T12:08:28Z")
Steely Dan’s _Aja_; _Black Cow Aja Deacon Blues Peg Home at Last I Got the News Josie_ I think _Home at Last_ is only track that didn’t get heavy airplay on top “###” AM radio in the late 70s / early 80s. _The Royal Scam_ was almost as successful. CMC fnord! ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2015, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/albums-where-almost-every-song-is-known/741606/22 "2015-12-29T12:32:02Z")
**The Pretenders** - first album: Side one 1.“Precious” – 3:36 2.“The Phone Call” – 2:29 3.“Up the Neck” – 4:27 4.“Tattooed Love Boys” – 2:59 5.“Space Invader” (Pete Farndon, James Honeyman-Scott) – 3:26 6.“The Wait” (Hynde, Farndon) – 3:35 7.“Stop Your Sobbing” (Ray Davies) – 2:38 Side two 8.“Kid” – 3:06 9.“Private Life” – 6:25 10.“Brass in Pocket” (Honeyman-Scott, Hynde) – 3:04 11.“Lovers of Today” – 5:51 12.“Mystery Achievement” – 5:23 **The Police** - Ghost in the Machine Side one 1. “Spirits in the Material World” 2:59 2. “Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic” 4:22 3. “Invisible Sun” 3:44 4. “Hungry for You (J’aurais toujours faim de toi)” 2:52 5. “Demolition Man” 5:57 Side two 6. “Too Much Information” 3:43 7. “Rehumanize Yourself” (Sting, Stewart Copeland) 3:10 8. “One World (Not Three)” 4:47 9. “Ωmegaman” (Andy Summers) 2:48 10. “Secret Journey” 3:34 11. “Darkness” (Copeland) One or two don’t get played. **drad dog** you’re right; I wouldn’t have considered Neil Diamond, but that’s impressive. I also assume someone has mentioned **Appetite for Destruction** by Gn’R - I’ll go check… ETA: Nope, I didn’t see it. There are a few songs that don’t get a ton of play. How about **The Rolling Stones** - Some Girls Side one 1. “Miss You” 4:48 2. “When the Whip Comes Down” 4:20 3. “Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me)” Norman Whitfield, Barrett Strong 4:38 4. “Some Girls” 4:36 5. “Lies” 3:11 Side two 6. “Far Away Eyes” 4:24 7. “Respectable” 3:06 8. “Before They Make Me Run” 3:25 9. “Beast of Burden” 4:25 10. “Shattered” ---
**Author:** ![Meurglys](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/258eb7/32.png) [@Meurglys](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meurglys)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2015, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/albums-where-almost-every-song-is-known/741606/23 "2015-12-29T12:56:12Z")
I’d guess **Carole King** ’s _Tapestry_. I Feel the Earth Move So Far Away It’s Too Late Home Again Beautiful Way Over Yonder ``` You've Got a Friend Where You Lead Will You Love Me Tomorrow? Smackwater Jack Tapestry (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman ``` ---
**Author:** ![GESancMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gesancman/32/2923_2.png) [@GESancMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GESancMan)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2015, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/albums-where-almost-every-song-is-known/741606/24 "2015-12-29T15:11:05Z")
Genesis had two of these in the 80s. From the _Genesis_ album, the only song that didn’t get radio airplay was “Silver Rainbow” (and, I suppose, “Second Home By the Sea,” but I think of both parts as a single song). From _Invisible Touch_, all songs got airplay except “Domino” and “The Brazillian.” ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2015, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/albums-where-almost-every-song-is-known/741606/25 "2015-12-29T17:13:40Z")
> [@crowmanyclouds](#): > > Steely Dan’s _Aja_; > > _Black Cow > Aja > Deacon Blues > Peg > Home at Last > I Got the News > Josie_ > > I think _Home at Last_ is only track that didn’t get heavy airplay on top “###” AM radio in the late 70s / early 80s. _The Royal Scam_ was almost as successful. > > CMC fnord! I think this is the closest to the OP. And Home at Last is one of the best tracks too. It took so long to get Aja out that they got around to just about all the songs on Royal Scam on FM radio, in these parts anyway, and some too much even for this fan. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2015, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/albums-where-almost-every-song-is-known/741606/26 "2015-12-29T17:54:28Z")
> [@Novelty\_Bobble](#): > > Air, Talkie-Walkie. > > You may not know them by name but you’ll certainly know the tunes. You could same the same for a lot of Brian Eno’s work as well. Ah, I’m guessing this must be a UK vs US thing. You hardly hear any Air here in the US. (I’m only familiar with _Moon Safari_, and I didn’t recognize anything on the bits of _Talkie-Walkie_ I sampled, although I do know the album by name.) ---
**Author:** ![The\_wind\_of\_my\_soul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecc23a/32.png) [@The\_wind\_of\_my\_soul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_wind_of_my_soul)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2015, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/albums-where-almost-every-song-is-known/741606/27 "2015-12-29T18:25:18Z")
I’ve heard seven of the twelve tracks off of No Doubt’s Tragic Kingdom on the radio. Though from your OP, it sounds like you may mean songs that are still widely played, and in that case, I think “Don’t Speak” is the only one that still gets played a lot. ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2015, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/albums-where-almost-every-song-is-known/741606/28 "2015-12-29T19:09:18Z")
Two albums I can think of with few or no wasted cuts-- **Lyle Lovett and his Large Band** and **Come On Come On** by Mary Chapin Carpenter-- might be completely unknown outside their fan base. But within those fan bases, these albums are _solid!_ **Time Out** by the Dave Brubeck Quartet has to be in the same league. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2015, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/albums-where-almost-every-song-is-known/741606/29 "2015-12-29T19:32:49Z")
**Getz/Gilberto** : the album that popularized bossa nova in the USA. It included tunes like _The Girl From Ipanema_, _Corcovado_ and _Desafinado_. **Santana Abraxas** would be a candidate. **Cheap Thrills** , Janis Joplin (Big Brother and the Holding Company) ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2015, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/albums-where-almost-every-song-is-known/741606/30 "2015-12-29T20:06:56Z")
Depends on the audience. When I was in college, everyone knew all the songs on **Woodstock** and **Tommy** ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2015, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/albums-where-almost-every-song-is-known/741606/31 "2015-12-29T20:37:22Z")
On Crosby Still Nash LP: The least (known) song IMO is Lady of the Island. Pretty good lineup. I’ve heard it all at one time or another on the air. ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2015, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/albums-where-almost-every-song-is-known/741606/32 "2015-12-30T03:25:25Z")
If soundtracks aren’t cheating, the soundtrack to Saturday Night Fever would probably qualify. ---
**Author:** ![Defensive\_Indifference](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/defensive_indifference/32/6502_2.png) [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2015, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/albums-where-almost-every-song-is-known/741606/33 "2015-12-30T05:13:54Z")
Huey Lewis and the News’ _Sports_ has 9 songs, including 5 that you could not escape in the 80s and early 90s: “The Heart of Rock & Roll” “Walking on a Thin Line” “If This Is It” “Heart and Soul” “I Want a New Drug” ---
**Author:** ![HowSoonIsThen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e56c9b/32.png) [@HowSoonIsThen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HowSoonIsThen)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2015, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/albums-where-almost-every-song-is-known/741606/34 "2015-12-30T05:58:40Z")
As others have said, it depends on the audience (age, location, etc). A few Beatles albums would probably count. Thriller’s a good shout, too. I’d throw in Nevermind as well. I don’t know how many “hits” were on the album besides Smells Like Teen Spirit and Come As You Are, but most of the songs pop up in film/tv/video games. That’s a lie, I barely ever hear any of those songs outside of my itunes. But I know them all and that’s all that matters to me. ---
**Author:** ![actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e79b87/32.png) [@actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/actualliberalnotoneofthose)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2015, 6:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/albums-where-almost-every-song-is-known/741606/35 "2015-12-30T06:32:41Z")
I know Thriller is the obvious one, but I think Michael Jackson had a remarkable FOUR album run of just about every track finding some success at radio. His weak album of the bunch only had 4 top-10 singles. Crazy. I’m realizing this now, as I was looking up the performance of Bad to make the argument Bad was possibly in the same league as Thriller as far as successful radio singles to total number of album songs ratio. Off the Wall- 5 Singles, 4 were legit hits in US, 5 in UK if you count the #41 one Thriller- 7 Hit singles out of 9 songs Bad- 9 Hit Singles in UK, 7 US, but the 2 international singles were played in the US. I’ve definitely heard (bonus track) “Leave me Alone” for example, and I’ve never owned a MJ recording. Out of 11 songs, 9 made the top 15 in the UK and/or US, and 1 of the 2 non-singles even featured Stevie Wonder. Dangerous- 9 Singles, again 2 that didn’t play as much in the US but are still recognizable. More filler with 14 tracks total, but when I read through the track-listing there are only 2 I really have no idea about. ---
**Author:** ![actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e79b87/32.png) [@actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/actualliberalnotoneofthose)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2015, 6:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/albums-where-almost-every-song-is-known/741606/36 "2015-12-30T06:36:01Z")
Thinking of Michael Jackson made me think of Prince, and I would have to say I know every song from Purple Rain. I’ve never owned it, never played it, but heard it all. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2015, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/albums-where-almost-every-song-is-known/741606/37 "2015-12-30T19:00:00Z")
> [@WordMan](#): > > **The Pretenders** - first album: > Side one > 1.“Precious” – 3:36 > 2.“The Phone Call” – 2:29 > 3.“Up the Neck” – 4:27 > 4.“Tattooed Love Boys” – 2:59 > 5.“Space Invader” (Pete Farndon, James Honeyman-Scott) – 3:26 > 6.“The Wait” (Hynde, Farndon) – 3:35 > 7.“Stop Your Sobbing” (Ray Davies) – 2:38 > > Side two > 8.“Kid” – 3:06 > 9.“Private Life” – 6:25 > 10.“Brass in Pocket” (Honeyman-Scott, Hynde) – 3:04 > 11.“Lovers of Today” – 5:51 > 12.“Mystery Achievement” – 5:23 I recognize none of these, and it’s not like I was on another planet during the Pretenders’ heyday. And “Back On the Chain Gang” is one of my all-time favorite songs. But I’m drawing a blank here. > [@](#): > > **The Police** - Ghost in the Machine > Side one > > 1. “Spirits in the Material World” 2:59 > 2. “Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic” 4:22 > 3. “Invisible Sun” 3:44 > 4. “Hungry for You (J’aurais toujours faim de toi)” 2:52 > 5. “Demolition Man” 5:57 > > Side two > 6. “Too Much Information” 3:43 > 7. “Rehumanize Yourself” (Sting, Stewart Copeland) 3:10 > 8. “One World (Not Three)” 4:47 > 9. “Ωmegaman” (Andy Summers) 2:48 > 10. “Secret Journey” 3:34 > 11. “Darkness” (Copeland) Hell, I _own_ this one, and I don’t remember half the tracks. Where I am, maybe “Every Little Thing” pops up on classic rock every now and then. Lord knows when the last time is that I’ve heard tracks 3,6,7, and 8. And 4,5,9,10, and 11 I haven’t heard since I last listened to this album, a couple of decades back, nor do I have the faintest recollection of what they sound like. IMHO, this album suffered from being after Zenyatta Mondatta and before Synchronicity. > [@](#): > > How about **The Rolling Stones** - Some Girls > > Side one > > 1. “Miss You” 4:48 > 2. “When the Whip Comes Down” 4:20 > 3. “Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me)” Norman Whitfield, Barrett Strong 4:38 > 4. “Some Girls” 4:36 > 5. “Lies” 3:11 > > Side two > 6. “Far Away Eyes” 4:24 > 7. “Respectable” 3:06 > 8. “Before They Make Me Run” 3:25 > 9. “Beast of Burden” 4:25 > 10. “Shattered” 3 out of 10 get airplay around here: tracks 1, 9, 10. Haven’t heard the title song since the year or two after the album was released, and I wouldn’t recognize any of the others. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2015, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/albums-where-almost-every-song-is-known/741606/38 "2015-12-30T19:56:04Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > I recognize none of these, and it’s not like I was on another planet during the Pretenders’ heyday. Yeah, that’s one of my all-time favorite albums, but there are only a small handful of songs I hear from that album on the air. You should recognize “Brass in Pocket,” though. And maybe “Stop Your Sobbing” and “Kid,” but definitely “Brass in Pocket.” And “Tattoed Love Boys” is you’ve played Guitar Hero or Rock Band (I forget which one has it.) ---
**Author:** ![buddha\_david](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ee7513/32.png) [@buddha\_david](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buddha_david)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2015, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/albums-where-almost-every-song-is-known/741606/39 "2015-12-30T19:57:09Z")
**Yes** had three albums in a row where nearly every song got airplay or were concert faves. The Yes Album: “Yours is No Disgrace”, “Clap”, “Starship Trooper”, “I’ve Seen All Good People” and “Perpetual Change”. Only “A Venture” is forgettable. Fragile: “Roundabout”, “South Side of the Sky”, “Long Distance Runaround”, “Mood for a Day” and “Heart of the Sunrise”. Of course you’ll have to ignore the silly solo bits. Close to the Edge: “Close to the Edge”, “And You and I”, “Siberian Khatru”. Songs too long for most radio, but all were concert staples. Later, there was the massively popular 90125, with nearly every track a radio hit: “Owner of a Lonely Heart”, “Hold On”, “It Can Happen”, “Changes”, “Leave It”, “City of Love” and “Hearts”. Only “Cinema” and “Our Song” rarely (if ever) made it to radio. ---
**Author:** ![JKilez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e5b9ba/32.png) [@JKilez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKilez)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2015, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/albums-where-almost-every-song-is-known/741606/40 "2015-12-30T20:12:10Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Ah, I’m guessing this must be a UK vs US thing. You hardly hear any Air here in the US. (I’m only familiar with _Moon Safari_, and I didn’t recognize anything on the bits of _Talkie-Walkie_ I sampled, although I do know the album by name.) I was going to say the same thing. Most of Moby’s songs I least recognize as background tracks for ads or intros, but none of the tracks on Air’s _Talkie-Walkie_ sound familiar at all. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/albums-where-almost-every-song-is-known/741606.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/albums-where-almost-every-song-is-known/741606.md?page=3)