# Best Album Streaks
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-album-streaks/661235
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [June 18, 2013, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-album-streaks/661235 "2013-06-18T02:40:33Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 5
### Author:  [@Hippy\_Hollow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hippy_Hollow)
#### Post date: [June 20, 2013, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-album-streaks/661235/81 "2013-06-20T03:22:33Z")
> [@woodstockbirdybird](#):
>
> I don’t know - I always found the music on Synchronicity really bland (never got the love for “Every Breath You Take”) and the lyrics worse. “O my god you take the biscuit treating _me_ this way” says as much about Sting’s self-involvement as “King of Pain” (never trust millionaire rock stars when they talk about their souls being black spots on the sun). “Miss Gradenko” is a highlight, as is “Synchronicity II”, but the rest makes me think of the kind of album James Spader’s character from _Pretty in Pink_ would have on his stereo.
Love the image of James Spader admiring himself in the mirror with Synchronicity playing. I imagine him with a Spandau Ballet record playing, personally.
I find Synchronicity lyrically dark - it wouldn’t surprise me if Sting was clinically depressed at the time. I think “Walking In Your Footsteps,” “King Of Pain,” “Wrapped Around Your Finger,” and “Tea In The Sahara” to be standout tracks. I think Summers’ playing is amazing - he is using a lot of guitar synths on the record which makes it very atmospheric.
---
### Author:  [@Lobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobot)
#### Post date: [June 20, 2013, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-album-streaks/661235/82 "2013-06-20T03:29:20Z")
> [@Hippy\_Hollow](#):
>
> I always think of Ghost as the death knell of the band, for that very reason. I’ve heard the demos that Sting brought to Monserrat and they sound exactly the same as the final tracks - I think this is where Copeland said, “I’m not a session musician.” But Side 2 has “Secret Journey,” “Ωmegaman,” “Rehumanize Yourself,” and “Darkness” - Sting, Summers, Sting-Copeland, and Copeland compositions.
You’re right–“Darkness” in particular is a favourite of mine, and Side 2 sounds more like the product of a band than a solo artist. But still, I find the album kind of dull overall.
_Synchronicity_, OTOH, while on paper seems as much if not more Sting-centric, has a feel where Copeland and Summers seem more present and engaged, IMHO. And it feels more cohesive as a statement as well.
---
### Author:  [@Doctor\_Why\_Bother](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Why_Bother)
#### Post date: [June 20, 2013, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-album-streaks/661235/83 "2013-06-20T03:32:05Z")
In my opinion R.E.M. definitely deserve a mention. Every album they released from Murmur in 1983 to Reveal in 2001 got very good (and in some cases great) reviews. Admittedly, _Up_ was a somewhat controversial album in that it was considerably more experimental than its predecessors, and critical consensus was divided accordingly, but the balance of reviews were still quite positive. In fact, it wasn’t until 2004’s _Around The Sun_ that they released an album that failed to garner critical praise from a majority of reviewers, and even then the reviews weren’t _that_ bad, for the most part. So yeah,
Murmur (1983)
Reckoning (1984)
Fables of the Reconstruction (1985)
Lifes Rich Pageant (1986)
Document (1987)
Green (1988)
Out of Time (1991)
Automatic for the People (1992)
Monster (1994)
New Adventures in Hi-Fi (1996)
Up (1998)
Reveal (2001)
And then they came back with Accelerate (2008) and Collapse into Now (2011) which, again, got a great reception.
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### Author:  [@Johnny\_Angel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Angel)
#### Post date: [June 20, 2013, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-album-streaks/661235/84 "2013-06-20T03:49:14Z")
Come on, Tom Waits:
1973 - Closing Time
1974 - The Heart of Saturday Night
1975 - Nighthawks at the Diner
1976 - Small Change
1977 - Foreign Affairs
1978 - Blue Valentine
1980 - Heart Attack and Vine
1982 - One from the Heart
1983 - Swordfishtrombones
1985 - Rain Dogs
1987 - Frank’s Wild Years
1988 - Big Time
1992 - Bone Machine
1992 - Night on Earth
1993 - Black Rider
1999 - Mule Variations
2002 - Blood Money
2003 - Alice
That’s where my collection peters off, but even the weakest of those, in my view, One From the Heart is a gem in its own way.
---
### Author:  [@woodstockbirdybird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woodstockbirdybird)
#### Post date: [June 20, 2013, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-album-streaks/661235/85 "2013-06-20T03:53:23Z")
> [@Hippy\_Hollow](#):
>
> Love the image of James Spader admiring himself in the mirror with Synchronicity playing. I imagine him with a Spandau Ballet record playing, personally.
>
> I find Synchronicity lyrically dark - it wouldn’t surprise me if Sting was clinically depressed at the time. I think “Walking In Your Footsteps,” “King Of Pain,” “Wrapped Around Your Finger,” and “Tea In The Sahara” to be standout tracks. I think Summers’ playing is amazing - he is using a lot of guitar synths on the record which makes it very atmospheric.
You’re definitely right about Spandau Ballet.
Don’t know what it is with Synchronicity - I guess it’s where I thought Sting finally turned into an irredeemable asshole. The fact that it’s right when I was getting into punk/alternative probably didn’t help the album’s standing in my mind. I’ve always appreciated Summers and Copeland, but this one didn’t work for me (though I do admit that overall it’s got more hooks than Ghost in the Machine).
---
### Author:  [@woodstockbirdybird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woodstockbirdybird)
#### Post date: [June 20, 2013, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-album-streaks/661235/86 "2013-06-20T03:56:12Z")
> [@Doctor\_Why\_Bother](#):
>
> In my opinion R.E.M. definitely deserve a mention. Every album they released from Murmur in 1983 to Reveal in 2001 got very good (and in some cases great) reviews. Admittedly, _Up_ was a somewhat controversial album in that it was considerably more experimental than its predecessors, and critical consensus was divided accordingly, but the balance of reviews were still quite positive. In fact, it wasn’t until 2004’s _Around The Sun_ that they released an album that failed to garner critical praise from a majority of reviewers, and even then the reviews weren’t _that_ bad, for the most part. So yeah,
>
> Murmur (1983)
> Reckoning (1984)
> Fables of the Reconstruction (1985)
> Lifes Rich Pageant (1986)
> Document (1987)
> Green (1988)
> Out of Time (1991)
> Automatic for the People (1992)
> Monster (1994)
> New Adventures in Hi-Fi (1996)
> Up (1998)
> Reveal (2001)
>
> And then they came back with Accelerate (2008) and Collapse into Now (2011) which, again, got a great reception.
Personally, as a huge fan from the first album on, I’d have a hard time defending Green, Monster, Up and (especially) Reveal as “great” albums. Most contained some great songs, but were pretty uneven.
---
### Author:  [@Doctor\_Why\_Bother](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Why_Bother)
#### Post date: [June 20, 2013, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-album-streaks/661235/87 "2013-06-20T04:16:17Z")
> [@woodstockbirdybird](#):
>
> Personally, as a huge fan from the first album on, I’d have a hard time defending Green, Monster, Up and (especially) Reveal as “great” albums. Most contained some great songs, but were pretty uneven.
Oh, I’m with you. Personally, I don’t really like _Green_ much at all (although I think _Monster_ might be my absolute fave). I was just going by the critical consensus, at least as I understand it.
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### Author:  [@DoctorJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DoctorJ)
#### Post date: [June 20, 2013, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-album-streaks/661235/88 "2013-06-20T04:54:59Z")
> [@woodstockbirdybird](#):
>
> Personally, as a huge fan from the first album on, I’d have a hard time defending Green, Monster, Up and (especially) Reveal as “great” albums. Most contained some great songs, but were pretty uneven.
Green is one of my favorites. The only track I don’t like is “Turn You Inside Out”. (Yes, I even like “Stand”.)
IMO, the one that’s hard to defend as great is Out of Time. “Country Feedback” is a stone classic, I almost love “Me in Honey”, and “Losing My Religion” is so ubiquitous that it’s hard to judge objectively. On the other hand, “Shiny Happy People” is dreadful and “Radio Song” is even worse, and the rest is pretty meh. I hate to say this because it was the album that brought me into the band, but it’s true–it just hasn’t held up. It’s easier to make a case for Monster, though I’m not sure I would.
Up and Reveal have their moments but I wouldn’t defend them as essential. Murmur through Document are, of course, unimpeachable.
It’s a short streak, but I always thought The Hold Steady’s run from 2004 to 2006 with Almost Killed Me, Separation Sunday, and Boys and Girls in America was an impressive stretch for a new band.
---
### Author:  [@woodstockbirdybird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woodstockbirdybird)
#### Post date: [June 20, 2013, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-album-streaks/661235/89 "2013-06-20T05:06:25Z")
I think “Near Wild Heaven”, “Endgame” and “Half A World Away” are worthy songs, too. Like all right-thinking people, I can’t stand “Radio Song” or “Shiny Happy People”.
I saw them on the _Green_ tour. The audience got way more excited by the older songs than anything off that album.
---
### Author:  [@Chicagojeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chicagojeff)
#### Post date: [June 20, 2013, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-album-streaks/661235/90 "2013-06-20T05:13:43Z")
> [@Voyager](#):
>
> Except, maybe, Let it Be. But everything else, definitely.
>
> Dylan
>
> Freewheeling
> The Times they Are A’changing
> Another Side of Bob Dylan
> Bringing it All Back Home
> Highway 61
> Blonde on Blonde
> John Wesley Harding
>
> Some will include Nashville Skyline. I like his first album quite a lot. But I think we’d all agree he ran into a wall with Self Portrait.
Really? I love Let it Be.. one after 909.. for you blue.. Get back.. Long and winding road..
Okay my add is Steely dan all the way until Gaucho.. not a huge fan of that one.. the first six… absolutely money..
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### Author:  [@Valgard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Valgard)
#### Post date: [June 20, 2013, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-album-streaks/661235/91 "2013-06-20T05:20:43Z")
One of my favorite bands, AC/DC put out 12 extremely good albums in 15 years and that’s not including stuff like the awesome “Live” double CD set from Castle Donnington.
1975 - High Voltage and TNT
1976 - High Voltage (intl) and Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap
1977 - Let There Be Rock
1978 - Powerage
1979 - Highway To Hell
1980 - Back In Black (just the other day I read that’s still the #2 selling LP of all time, 50M+ sold)
1981 - For Those About To Rock We Salute You
1983 - Flick Of The Switch (some folks don’t care for it but I think it’s quite good)
1985 - Fly On The Wall
1988 - Blow Up Your Video
1990 - The Razor’s Edge
Ballbreaker (1995) and Stiff Upper Lip (2000) were not so good, a couple of good songs but overall “meh”.
Then in 2008 they came back with Black Ice which shows they’ve still got it.
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### Author:  [@Accidental\_Martyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Accidental_Martyr)
#### Post date: [June 20, 2013, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-album-streaks/661235/92 "2013-06-20T06:09:48Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#):
>
> Why leave off 1970’s Elton John and Tumbleweed Connection? The first had several good songs and the second is a first rate themed album. They are technically separated from the others by Friends, but that’s a soundtrack album, and 17-11-70, but that’s a recording of a radio broadcast that the label rushed into production because of a bootleg version. I think they’re stronger than some of those later albums, and besides you left out the live album Here and There so we’re talking a straight string of studio albums.
> [@woodstockbirdybird](#):
>
> I think “Near Wild Heaven”, “Endgame” and “Half A World Away” are worthy songs, too. Like all right-thinking people, I can’t stand “Radio Song” or “Shiny Happy People”.
>
> I saw them on the _Green_ tour. The audience got way more excited by the older songs than anything off that album.
_Out of Time_ was never one of my favorites. I think “Low” is by far the best song on that record.
---
### Author:  [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)
#### Post date: [June 20, 2013, 7:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-album-streaks/661235/93 "2013-06-20T07:08:02Z")
I think Billy Joel deserves at least an honorable mention in this thread. I can’t think of a bad album he’s put out.
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### Author:  [@Ken001](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ken001)
#### Post date: [June 20, 2013, 9:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-album-streaks/661235/94 "2013-06-20T09:07:12Z")
Ok agree with quite a few of the above. The originators of heavy rock -
Black Sabbath:
Black Sabbath
Paranoid
Master of Reality
Volume IV
Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
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### Author:  [@BeeDubU2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BeeDubU2)
#### Post date: [June 20, 2013, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-album-streaks/661235/95 "2013-06-20T17:09:53Z")
No mention of the Jackson 5/Michael Jackson albums? Thriller was his last GREAT album, but truly, everything prior to that was amazing.
Kanye West has yet to put out a stinker, either, love him or hate him.
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### Author:  [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)
#### Post date: [June 20, 2013, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-album-streaks/661235/96 "2013-06-20T18:32:12Z")
> [@Chicagojeff](#):
>
> Really? I love Let it Be.. one after 909.. for you blue.. Get back.. Long and winding road..
> Okay my add is Steely dan all the way until Gaucho.. not a huge fan of that one.. the first six… absolutely money..
The summer of 1973 I was working in a lab where the guy who had the radio turned it to a Boston Top 40 station. The Long and Winding Road was played every ten minutes. (Kodachrome played in the other slot.) So I went right off that album.
“Let it Be Naked” is much better - and I had a bootleg of much of that material, but it doesn’t exactly count. Anyhow, I might be biased.
---
### Author:  [@SykoSkotty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SykoSkotty)
#### Post date: [June 20, 2013, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-album-streaks/661235/97 "2013-06-20T18:42:14Z")
I won’t discount anyone’s choices here but I have to go with KISS:
KISS 1974
Hotter Than Hell 1974
Dressed To Kill 1975
Alive! 1975
Destroyer 1976
Rock And Roll Over 1976
Love Gun 1977
Most of the songs from these first few records are still part of the live shows to this day.
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### Author:  [@Bradjam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bradjam)
#### Post date: [June 20, 2013, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-album-streaks/661235/98 "2013-06-20T19:05:53Z")
Metallica is another that deserves mention:
1983 - Kill 'Em All
1984 - Ride the Lightning
1986 - Master of Puppets
1988 - …And Justice For All
1991 - Metallica (The Black Album)
Pretty good run there for the metal category.
---
### Author:  [@Purd\_Werfect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Purd_Werfect)
#### Post date: [June 20, 2013, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-album-streaks/661235/99 "2013-06-20T22:18:43Z")
A lot of bands I would have mentioned have already been mentioned, though I probably would have set the quality dropoff earlier, especially with REM, but that’s just me. If they were mentioned, I didn’t see it, but I’ll nominate the Pixies for every full length album they released. I also don’t recall The Mekons or Thin White Rope ever releasing an album that was unexceptional.
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### Author:  [@buddha\_david](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buddha_david)
#### Post date: [June 20, 2013, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-album-streaks/661235/100 "2013-06-20T22:38:43Z")
> [@Mister\_Rik](#):
>
> Rush:
>
> 1976: _2112_
> 1977: _All The World’s a Stage_ (live)
> 1978: _A Farewell to Kings_
> 1979: _Hemispheres_
> 1980: _Permanent Waves_
> 1981: _Moving Pictures_
Let me finish that for you:
**1974: _Rush_
1975: _Fly by Night_
1975: _Caress of Steel_**
1976: _2112_
1977: _All The World’s a Stage_ (live)
1978: _A Farewell to Kings_
1979: _Hemispheres_
1980: _Permanent Waves_
1981: _Moving Pictures_
**1981: _Exit…Stage Left_ (live)
1982: _Signals_
1984: _Grace Under Pressure_
1985: _Power Windows_
1987: _Hold Your Fire_
1988: _A Show of Hands_ (live)
1989: _Presto_**
After that, things get a bit dodgy. Their latest, _Clockwork Angels_, does kick ass though.
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