# I'm a whole album kinda guy **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** music\ **Created:** [April 29, 2022, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-a-whole-album-kinda-guy/963685 "2022-04-29T17:18:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2022, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-a-whole-album-kinda-guy/963685/22 "2022-04-30T13:20:41Z")
> [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](#): > > I love this idea. How would I go about finding the list in a format that would be agreeable to being copied/pasted into Excel? > > mmm I think I probably have used this list here: [https://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/nme\_500\_greatest\_albums\_2013.htm](https://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/nme_500_greatest_albums_2013.htm) Paste into notepad to get rid of the pictures and then stick it in Excel. A lot of really interesting lists there. The main thing, from my point of view, was to get back to listening to a slab of someone’s music in a sitting, rather than a song here and there. So I do that now when I hear a song that I like by an artist new to me. I find the album and listen to it in some kind of context. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2022, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-a-whole-album-kinda-guy/963685/23 "2022-04-30T13:34:48Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > Care to share some examples? Artists that I listen to now that I was formerly indifferent to include Laura Marling, Artic Monkeys, Frank Ocean and Bon Iver. I had heard stuff by all of them but would never have bought one of their albums. ---
**Author:** ![lobotomyboy63](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobotomyboy63/32/2900_2.png) [@lobotomyboy63](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lobotomyboy63)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2022, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-a-whole-album-kinda-guy/963685/24 "2022-04-30T14:04:27Z")
The first album I ever bought was [Heart’s “Dreamboat Annie.”](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dreamboat_Annie). I don’t recall the exact numbers but my theory was “This has three songs I know I like—Magic Man, Dreamboat Annie (3 ways, what?!), and the AWESOME Crazy on You. If I bought 45 rpms of each of those it would cost…and this whole album costs…so the extra cost gets me some extra songs…” and I rolled the dice. The other songs were meh. I went back to 45s for awhile. Next album purchase: zero duds, and one of the best-selling of all time: [The Eagles/Their Greatest Hits 1971-1975.]([Their Greatest Hits (1971–1975) - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Their_Greatest_Hits_(1971%E2%80%931975)) > Worldwide, the album has sold over 45 million copies as of 2020.[[31]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Their_Greatest_Hits_(1971%E2%80%931975)#cite_note-31) Therefore, it’s the best-selling greatest-hits album, as well as the third best-selling album of all time. Whole albums can be great. There are some songs that don’t get played on the radio, sometimes due to their length. One early example of a song that stands out to me is Billy Joel’s [“Until the Night,”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MuV-zEqB2QQ) a song that’s better than a lot of his hits IMO. And when the hits get overplayed, the other songs that stay fresh…so the “Greatest Hits” approach has its flaw as well. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2022, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-a-whole-album-kinda-guy/963685/25 "2022-04-30T14:29:14Z")
Even if there isn’t a theme or concept to an album, there is usually a consistency in the studio and musicians used that make the songs a cohesive collection beyond just a sampling of the artist’s work. An album is also a snapshot of a particular stage in the artist’s development. That’s why I’m not a huge fan of Greatest Hits albums. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2022, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-a-whole-album-kinda-guy/963685/26 "2022-04-30T14:58:45Z")
Fair enough. One listens to music in different ways at different times. If I am at the gym, I want a single song I find motivating. If I am working, I want something I like but will not find too distracting. If I am purely listening for the music, I might listen to a whole album. Not usually, though. There are a few albums that are worth it and fewer still where that is the only really acceptable way to fo it. But Dude! That’s just my opinion, man. ---
**Author:** ![wguy123](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wguy123/32/3161_2.png) [@wguy123](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wguy123)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2022, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-a-whole-album-kinda-guy/963685/27 "2022-04-30T15:08:25Z")
> [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](#): > > Even if there isn’t a theme or concept to an album, there is usually a consistency in the studio and musicians used that make the songs a cohesive collection beyond just a sampling of the artist’s work. I agree with this. There are concept albums that I like listening to like Rush’s _2112_ or Nelson’s _Red Headed Stranger_, but there are plenty of albums that the artists have put the effort into making them flow. Like the above mentioned _Revolver_, how can you put on _Paul’s Boutique_ and not listen to it in order? I also listen to albums over and over and expect the songs to be in a certain order. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2022, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-a-whole-album-kinda-guy/963685/28 "2022-04-30T16:19:06Z")
I like hits Box Sets. George Strait and Merle Haggard had long careers and just their box set of hits is 4 cd’s. I can spend an entire morning listening to Haggard and reading the news. Same thing with Straits box set. I’m not a fan of box sets that include _everything_ a band recorded. I don’t need to hear six alternate takes of a song. The Motown Singles Collection (1959-1971) is a fantastic Box Set. Some Time Life Box sets are really good. ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2022, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-a-whole-album-kinda-guy/963685/29 "2022-04-30T16:29:47Z")
> [@lobotomyboy63](#): > > And when the hits get overplayed, the other songs that stay fresh…so the “Greatest Hits” approach has its flaw as well. Man, is this the truth. I _still_ can’t listen to _Hey, Jude._ ---
**Author:** ![Steven\_Maven](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steven_maven/32/3272_2.png) [@Steven\_Maven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steven_Maven)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2022, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-a-whole-album-kinda-guy/963685/30 "2022-04-30T20:32:20Z")
Mark me as “equivocal” on this question. On one hand, there are certain albums where the whole is far greater than the sum of its parts. Everybody had their favorites, and I endorse several of the suggestions in this thread. On the other hand, I love living in the digital era where I can pick the tracks I like and skip the filler. I have a bunch of playlists titled “[artist], Loose Ends,” with a few songs each from several albums. “Greatest Hits” albums almost always disappoint me, especially those originally from the vinyl era with the 11 song maximum. They usually leave out at least one important song. There is no room for under-appreciated rarities. Most importantly, they invariably include 1 or 2 stinkers. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2022, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-a-whole-album-kinda-guy/963685/31 "2022-04-30T20:50:35Z")
> [@don\_t\_ask](#): > > Artists that I listen to now that I was formerly indifferent to include Laura Marling… I KNEW I recognized that name! From a fun video from days gone by… wow, almost fifteen years! [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/qz-FoGp3p0s/hqdefault.jpg "Mystery Jets - Young Love (Featuring Laura Marling) video") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qz-FoGp3p0s) ---
**Author:** ![mordecaiB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mordecaib/32/7725_2.png) [@mordecaiB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mordecaiB)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2022, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-a-whole-album-kinda-guy/963685/32 "2022-04-30T21:18:47Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > There aren’t a half dozen albums I like every song on. Everybody comes up with a clunker. And really, everybody has half a dull album most of the time. > [@epbrown](#): > > There’s almost no artist I like that’s done an entire album that I enjoy, and typically it’s early stuff. Count me in at number three. Except I can’t think of a single album where I like every song on it. I’m definitely a song person, not an album person or even a band person. A year or so back someone started a thread about albums where all the songs were great. I thought maybe I could pick up on something good I had missed. Nope, album after album that I may have liked one song off of. Many times it was no songs. It has saved me a considerable amount of money tho, because I never purchased any music until digital downloads started. Otherwise I just listen to the radio, where I’ve developed the ability to have it on for a couple of hours and only hear the songs I like. The rest is just background noise. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2022, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-a-whole-album-kinda-guy/963685/33 "2022-04-30T22:29:06Z")
As for whether a soundtrack is an album… > **[Why The '90s Was The Last Great Decade For Film Soundtracks](https://www.huffpost.com/entry/90s-last-decade-great-soundtracks_n_6268074ae4b0ea625c0d0597)** > > From "Waiting to Exhale" to "Clueless," the decade brought us consistently popular albums associated with movies. And then that stopped. ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2022, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-a-whole-album-kinda-guy/963685/34 "2022-05-01T01:06:24Z")
I was a teen when cassettes became de rigueur. Since it was a PITA to skip a song, I would listen to the whole side. So I listened to the non-hits and a lot of them became enjoyable parts of the album as well. ---
**Author:** ![minor7flat5](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/minor7flat5/32/258_2.png) [@minor7flat5](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minor7flat5)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2022, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-a-whole-album-kinda-guy/963685/35 "2022-05-01T01:13:20Z")
Usually an album is either “full side” worthy, or it absolutely isn’t. But there are a few full-side albums that crop up with one unbearable song in the middle. The one that defines the category for me is “Sergeant Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band”. I can listen to that album all the way through…almost. As soon as I hear the sitar in “Within You Without You” I have to skip it. That song breaks up the flow in a terrible way. And that’s why mix tapes exist, to fix tiny flaws like that in otherwise perfect albums! ---
**Author:** ![alovem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b38774/32.png) [@alovem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alovem)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2022, 7:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-a-whole-album-kinda-guy/963685/36 "2022-05-01T07:36:50Z")
> [@minor7flat5](#): > > That song breaks up the flow in a terrible way. Yeah, and, just after that, Blue Jay Way. I’ve never really liked either track, and, since they were both written by George Harrison, it put me off him for a long time. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-a-whole-album-kinda-guy/963685.md?page=1)