# Enduring musical acts whose SECOND albums were their best. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 14, 2011, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enduring-musical-acts-whose-second-albums-were-their-best/585481 "2011-06-14T20:12:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2011, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enduring-musical-acts-whose-second-albums-were-their-best/585481/1 "2011-06-14T20:12:41Z")
Obviously inspired by [this](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=612363) thread, which mentions \*\* Meat Loaf\*\*. Meat Loaf’s second album **Bat Out Of Hell** is his best seller, his best, and a rock classic. Period. I’d go with The Silver Tongue Devil and I as Kristopherson’s best. Ditto the Doors and Strange Days. Who else? ---
**Author:** ![Jas09](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d07c76/32.png) [@Jas09](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jas09)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2011, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enduring-musical-acts-whose-second-albums-were-their-best/585481/2 "2011-06-14T20:19:06Z")
Nirvana, Nevermind ETA: Mixed up album with hit single ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2011, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enduring-musical-acts-whose-second-albums-were-their-best/585481/3 "2011-06-14T21:17:54Z")
The Band’s **The Band**. ---
**Author:** ![FordTaurusSHO94](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f07891/32.png) [@FordTaurusSHO94](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FordTaurusSHO94)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2011, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enduring-musical-acts-whose-second-albums-were-their-best/585481/4 "2011-06-14T21:27:07Z")
Maybe Garth Brooks - No Fences, but I celebrate his entire catalog. ---
**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:** [June 14, 2011, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enduring-musical-acts-whose-second-albums-were-their-best/585481/5 "2011-06-14T22:04:54Z")
These aren’t clear-cut, but I would say: **Wire** - Chairs Missing **The Smashing Pumpkins** - Siamese Dream **Pixies** - Doolittle **Van Morrison** - Astral Weeks **Public Enemy** - It Takes a Nation To Hold Us Back **Nirvana** - Nevermind All those are arguable. ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2011, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enduring-musical-acts-whose-second-albums-were-their-best/585481/6 "2011-06-15T01:54:27Z")
Doors. **Strange Days**. . ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2011, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enduring-musical-acts-whose-second-albums-were-their-best/585481/7 "2011-06-15T02:56:58Z")
Nevermind by Nirvana for sure. **Alice in Chains - Dirt** ---
**Author:** ![lisiate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f05b48/32.png) [@lisiate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lisiate)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2011, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enduring-musical-acts-whose-second-albums-were-their-best/585481/8 "2011-06-15T03:22:16Z")
Shamelessly lifted from **NDP** ’s post in the companion thread: Cowboy Junkies – The Trinity Session (1988) ---
**Author:** ![Don\_Draper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Don\_Draper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_Draper)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2011, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enduring-musical-acts-whose-second-albums-were-their-best/585481/9 "2011-06-15T03:22:20Z")
Arguably **Surrealistic Pillow** by Jefferson Airplane. ---
**Author:** ![ushimitsudoki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e9a140/32.png) [@ushimitsudoki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ushimitsudoki)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2011, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enduring-musical-acts-whose-second-albums-were-their-best/585481/10 "2011-06-15T03:32:41Z")
Many people would argue that Metallica’s second (or third) album was their never-bettered masterpiece. ---
**Author:** ![mnemosyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c4cdca/32.png) [@mnemosyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mnemosyne)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2011, 6:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enduring-musical-acts-whose-second-albums-were-their-best/585481/11 "2011-06-15T06:48:14Z")
Live, **Throwing Copper** ---
**Author:** ![installLSC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/54ee81/32.png) [@installLSC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/installLSC)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2011, 6:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enduring-musical-acts-whose-second-albums-were-their-best/585481/12 "2011-06-15T06:59:00Z")
> [@Don\_Draper](#): > > Arguably **Surrealistic Pillow** by Jefferson Airplane. Funny I always though “Crown of Creation” and “Volunteers” were better. “Pillow” seemed way too mellow. How about “This Year’s Model” by Elvis Costello? It’s clearly his hardest rocking album, and it doesn’t suffer from Costello’s often misguided attempts later on to show he can do everything. ---
**Author:** ![Sparky812](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eb9ed0/32.png) [@Sparky812](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sparky812)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2011, 12:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enduring-musical-acts-whose-second-albums-were-their-best/585481/13 "2011-06-15T12:25:35Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > Obviously inspired by [this](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=612363) thread, which mentions **Meat Loaf**. > > Meat Loaf’s second album **Bat Out Of Hell** is his best seller, his best, and a rock classic. Period. > ? Except **Bat out of Hell** is his first album as a solo artist. [read.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=13917791&postcount=99) For second albums. \*\*Collective Soul \*\* ---
**Author:** ![Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/6bbea6/32.png) [@Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Living_Well_Is_Best_Revenge)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2011, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enduring-musical-acts-whose-second-albums-were-their-best/585481/14 "2011-06-15T13:43:10Z")
PJ Harvey, Rid of Me ---
**Author:** ![Small\_Clanger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9fc348/32.png) [@Small\_Clanger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Small_Clanger)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2011, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enduring-musical-acts-whose-second-albums-were-their-best/585481/15 "2011-06-15T14:53:54Z")
For a certain reading of ‘enduring’ The Soft Boy’s #2 **Underwater Moonlight** A lot of **Can of Bees** is bloody excellent but Moonlight is just perfect\*. - the re-issue is logically therefore _beyond perfect_ since it adds stuff like Only the Stones Remain, Where are the Prawns, There’s Nobody Like You… ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2011, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enduring-musical-acts-whose-second-albums-were-their-best/585481/16 "2011-06-15T15:46:47Z")
James Taylor, **Sweet Baby James**. ---
**Author:** ![Meurglys](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/258eb7/32.png) [@Meurglys](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meurglys)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2011, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enduring-musical-acts-whose-second-albums-were-their-best/585481/17 "2011-06-15T16:13:44Z")
_Carole King_ - **Tapestry** ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2011, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enduring-musical-acts-whose-second-albums-were-their-best/585481/18 "2011-06-15T16:21:16Z")
Enya’s _ **Watermark.** _ ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2011, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enduring-musical-acts-whose-second-albums-were-their-best/585481/19 "2011-06-15T18:48:02Z")
> [@installLSC](#): > > How about “This Year’s Model” by Elvis Costello? It’s clearly his hardest rocking album, and it doesn’t suffer from Costello’s often misguided attempts later on to show he can do everything. I second this. Although I’d say that one counterexample of his trying to expand his directions is _Imperical Bedroom_, which isn’t all punk or straight up rock but nonetheless excellent. But in general, yes, he does have some miscues here and there when he strays from cynical (alt-)rockerdom. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Peyote\_Coyote](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/5f8ce5/32.png) [@The\_Peyote\_Coyote](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Peyote_Coyote)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2011, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enduring-musical-acts-whose-second-albums-were-their-best/585481/20 "2011-06-15T19:08:55Z")
Another vote for \*Surrealistic Pillow \*by the Airplane [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enduring-musical-acts-whose-second-albums-were-their-best/585481.md?page=2)