# Let's do this: What are your ten favorite albums? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 10, 2011, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-do-this-what-are-your-ten-favorite-albums/592174 "2011-08-10T05:52:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![punch\_line\_loser](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8e7dd6/32.png) [@punch\_line\_loser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/punch_line_loser)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2011, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-do-this-what-are-your-ten-favorite-albums/592174/1 "2011-08-10T05:52:18Z")
Now I have to know. Anyone who is interested, please list your ten favorite albums of all time in this thread. A few requests: 1. We assume innocence on the part of all posters - this is not a pissing contest. I want you to be honest, and I don’t want you to be accused by others of posturing. 2. This ain’t the Pit, so if you think someone else’s choice sucks, try to frame it as something more like “Why that one?” than "That sucks!"I promise to be good. 3. If you DO want to get on my case, [keep it organized.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=619459) 4. All lists are subject to revision at any time. We all know how capricious these lists can be. I hope you all believe me this time when I say I’m genuinely curious, and uninterested in criticizing anyone else’s choices. That said, my list as it stands now: 1. …And You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead - Source Tags and Codes 2. Life Without Buildings - Any Other City 3. Hum - Downward Is Heavenward 4. bis - This Is Teen-C Power! 5. Shudder to Think - Pony Express Record 6. Pavement - Slanted and Enchanted 7. Stars of the Lid - And Their Refinement of the Decline 8. blink182 - Enema of the State 9. My Bloody Valentine - Tremolo EP 10. The Spinanes - Strand Note: After the top 3, the order gets a little shaky, but I think it’s a good start. ---
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2011, 7:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-do-this-what-are-your-ten-favorite-albums/592174/2 "2011-08-10T07:32:32Z")
deleted to change something that will take longer than the edit window allows ---
**Author:** ![fjs1fs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/9e8a1a/32.png) [@fjs1fs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fjs1fs)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2011, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-do-this-what-are-your-ten-favorite-albums/592174/3 "2011-08-10T13:36:26Z")
Very fast and unscientific: 1. Led Zep IV 2. Beatles - Rubber Soul 3. Led Zep - Houses of the Holy 4. Beatles - White Album 5. Pink Floyd - Dark Side of the Moon 6. Rocky Horror Picture Show (Movie Soundtrack) 7. Meatloaf - Bat out of Hell 8. Pink Floyd - The Wall 9. The Who - Tommy 10. Beatles - Abbey Road ---
**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:** [August 10, 2011, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-do-this-what-are-your-ten-favorite-albums/592174/4 "2011-08-10T13:51:02Z")
In no particular order: Spirit – 12 Dreams of Dr. Sardonicus Blood, Sweat, and Tears – Child is Father to the Man The Beatles – Abbey Road Pink Floyd – Atom Heart Mother Lambert, Hendricks, and Ross – The Hottest New Group in Jazz The Youngbloods – Elephant Mountain Traffic – John Barleycorn Must Die It’s a Beautiful Day Flash and the Pan Lyle Lovett – Live in Texas (At the moment. On other days, things would be different.) ---
**Author:** ![42fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/4/b487fb/32.png) [@42fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/42fish)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2011, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-do-this-what-are-your-ten-favorite-albums/592174/5 "2011-08-10T14:01:44Z")
(Not necessarily in this order) 1. Rubber Soul, The Beatles 2. Blonde on Blonde, Bob Dylan 3. Who’s Next, The Who 4. London Calling, The Clash 5. Astral Weeks, Van Morrison 6. Sticky Fingers, The Rolling Stones 7. Lady Soul, Aretha Franklin 8. Born to Run, Bruce Springsteen 9. Paul’s Boutique, The Beastie Boys 10. The Cole Porter Songbook, Ella Fitzgerald ---
**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:** [August 10, 2011, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-do-this-what-are-your-ten-favorite-albums/592174/6 "2011-08-10T14:03:48Z")
I’ll just post what I posted in the thread from two months ago: My top 10: 1. Pet Sounds - The Beach Boys 2. Loveless - My Bloody Valentine Those two are pretty much immutable for me. Everything below is in constant flux. I’ve had the Zombies, X-Ray Spex, Radiohead, and the Pixies make the list, but they get shuffled in and out depending on my mood. 1. Revolver - The Beatles 2. London Calling - The Clash 3. Marquee Moon - Television 4. Chairs Missing - Wire 5. Entertainment - Gang of Four 6. Led Zeppelin IV - Led Zeppelin 7. Kinks - Village Green Preservation Society 8. Pretenders - Pretenders ---
**Author:** ![cjepson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9adbd/32.png) [@cjepson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cjepson)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2011, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-do-this-what-are-your-ten-favorite-albums/592174/7 "2011-08-10T14:04:58Z")
The problem with a Top 10 list is that, for me, about 8 of them would be Beatles albums. So I’m going to leave the Beatles out entirely and give a list of my favorite 10 non-Beatles LPs which I created back in 1993. It’s still valid, as each of these has major personal meaning for me from way back. As others have said, there’s easily another 10 or 20 that could displace these on any given day, but it’s a reasonable approximation. I list them in alphabetical order. David Bowie: The Rise & Fall of Ziggy Stardust… Cream: Disraeli Gears Jimi Hendrix Experience: Are You Experienced? It’s a Beautiful Day: It’s a Beautiful Day Jefferson Airplane: Surrealistic Pillow Jethro Tull: Stand Up King Crimson: In the Court of the Crimson King Rolling Stones: Beggars Banquet Velvet Underground: The Velvet Underground & Nico Who: Tommy ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2011, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-do-this-what-are-your-ten-favorite-albums/592174/8 "2011-08-10T14:05:31Z")
A lot of great albums have fallen off my list simply because I’ve heard them too many times- that’s why \*\*\*Who’s Next \*\*\*(which was #1 on my list for many years) isn’t here. That said, I envy the kid who hears \*\*\*Who’s Next \*\*\* (or _ **Disraeli Gears or Back in Black or Led Zeppelin II** _) for the first time. Aerosmith -\*\*\* Rocks\*\*\* Beatles -_ **Revolver** _ Creedence Clearwater Revival - _ **Cosmo’s Factory** _ Deep Purple - _ **In Rock** _ Dire Straits - _ **Making Movies** _ Dubliners- _ **A Drop of the Hard Stuff** _ Enya - _ **Watermark** _ _ **Fiddler on the Roof** _ Soundtrack (original Broadway cast) _ **The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society** _ Small Faces - _ **Ogden’s Nutgone Flake** _ Yes - _ **Close to the Edge** _ I know that’s eleven. Sue me ---
**Author:** ![Labdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/439d5e/32.png) [@Labdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labdad)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2011, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-do-this-what-are-your-ten-favorite-albums/592174/9 "2011-08-10T14:16:25Z")
In no order other than alphabetic: The Allman Brothers Band The Beatles – Abbey Road Jeff Beck - Truth Blood, Sweat, and Tears – Child is Father to the Man (Excellent call, **Reality Chuck**!) Steve Earle – El Corazon Procol Harum – A Salty Dog Rolling Stones – Beggar’s Banquet Paul Simon - Graceland Thunderclap Newman – Hollywood Dream Warren Zevon – Sentimental Hygiene Check back with me in a half-hour or so and the list will have changed! ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2011, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-do-this-what-are-your-ten-favorite-albums/592174/10 "2011-08-10T14:24:18Z")
1. **Guns ‘n’ Roses** _Appetite for Destruction_ 2. **Clutch** _Clutch_ 3. **Talking Heads** _Little Creatures_ 4. **Liz Phair** _Exile In Guyville_ 5. **Integrity** _…Those Who Fear Tomorrow_ 6. **Public Enemy** _Apocalypse '91… The Enemy Strikes Black_ 7. **Nine** _Nine Livez_ 8. **Stevie Ray Vaughan** _In Step_ 9. **Sue Foley** _Without A Warning_ 10. **Beastie Boys** _Paul’s Boutique_ ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2011, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-do-this-what-are-your-ten-favorite-albums/592174/11 "2011-08-10T14:26:27Z")
In no particular order, and subject to change tomorrow: 1. The Doors - The Doors 2. Deep Purple - Machine Head 3. The Who - Who’s Next 4. Carole King - Tapestry 5. David Bowie - Ziggy Stardust 6. The Beatles - Abby Road 7. The Who - Tommy 8. The Cars - The Cars 9. The Beatles - Rubber Soul 10. Alice Cooper - Welcome to My Nightmare ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2011, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-do-this-what-are-your-ten-favorite-albums/592174/12 "2011-08-10T14:26:40Z")
In roughly the order they became favorites: - The Music from “Peter Gunn” – Henry Mancini - Time Out – Dave Brubeck Quartet - Kind of Blue – Miles Davis - The Music from “Mr. Lucky” – Henry Mancini - Dizzy on the French Riviera – Dizzy Gillespie - Allman Brothers Live at the Fillmore East – Allman Brothers Band - Dark Side of the Moon – Pink Floyd - Travels – Pat Metheny Group - Canyon – Paul Winter Consort - A Song For You – Kenny Rankin (with the proviso that I will think of at least five replacements before the thread has hit 50 replies!) ---
**Author:** ![Mllz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Mllz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mllz)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2011, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-do-this-what-are-your-ten-favorite-albums/592174/13 "2011-08-10T14:27:38Z")
In no particular order, and the answer could be _very_ different on a different day! Also, I’m consciously limiting it to rock-ish albums; couldn’t really find an adequate way to directly compare jazz and other stuff. _Get Happy!_ - Elvis Costello & the Attractions _Let it Bleed_ - Rolling Stones _Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain_ - Pavement _Marquee Moon_ - Television _Velvet Underground_ - Velvet Underground _Revolver_ - Beatles _What Is?!_ - King Khan and the Shrines _Double Nickels on the Dime_ - Minutemen _Cure for Pain_ - Morphine _Astral Weeks_ - Van Morrison (What?? No Pixies? Bowie? Kinks? Replacements??? This list is terribly flawed and I just made the damn thing!) ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2011, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-do-this-what-are-your-ten-favorite-albums/592174/14 "2011-08-10T14:40:21Z")
1. _Revolver_ - Beatles 2. _Pet Sounds_ - Beach Boys 3. _Get Yer Ya Ya’s Out_ - Rolling Stones 4. _IV_ - Led Zeppelin 5. _Lifes Rich Pageant_ - R.E.M. 6. _Aqualung_ - Jethro Tull 7. _Innervisions_ - Stevie Wonder 8. _Bookends_ - Simon and Garfunkel 9. _OK Computer_ - Radiohead 10. _Welcome Black_ - Negro Problem ---
**Author:** ![infinitii](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e8c25b/32.png) [@infinitii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/infinitii)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2011, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-do-this-what-are-your-ten-favorite-albums/592174/15 "2011-08-10T14:56:50Z")
Eric Dolphy - Out to Lunch John Zorn - Kristallnacht Girls Aloud - Chemistry Bjork - Homogenic Natalie Imbruglia - Left of the Middle DJ Spooky - Riddim Warfare Uncle Tupelo - No Depression Meg & Dia - Here, Here and Here Natural Born Killers Soundtrack Astor Piazzolla – Tango: Zero Hour ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2011, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-do-this-what-are-your-ten-favorite-albums/592174/16 "2011-08-10T15:04:09Z")
This is hard! In no particular order: The Dark Side of the Moon – Pink Floyd Abbey Road – The Beatles Roots to Branches – Jethro Tull Songs from the Wood – Jethro Tull Sweet Warrior – Richard Thompson Disraeli Gears – Cream Sugar Tree – The Franc Graham Band Something There – Michael Mantler The Division Bell – Pink Floyd We Want Miles – Miles Davis ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2011, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-do-this-what-are-your-ten-favorite-albums/592174/17 "2011-08-10T15:05:50Z")
In no particular order and subject to change upon reflection: _Thunder Perfect Mind_- **Current 93** _Cosmologamma_- **Lunar Abyss Quartet** _Who Can I Turn to Stereo_- **Nurse With Wound** _Force the Hand of Chance_- **Psychic TV** _Not Available_- **The Residents** _Illness of Green Color_- **Bardoseneticcube** _Songs for Swinging Larvae_- **Renaldo & The Loaf** _Music to Play in the Dark Vol. 1_- **Coil** _Escape From Noise_- **Negativland** _Greatest Hits_- **Throbbing Gristle** ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2011, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-do-this-what-are-your-ten-favorite-albums/592174/18 "2011-08-10T15:08:33Z")
Difficult. Pink Floyd- Dark Side of the Moon Metallica - Master of Puppets Guns N Roses - Appetite for Destruction Fleetwood Mac - Rumours Nirvana - Nevermind Johnny Cash - Live at Folsom Prison The Beatles - Abbey Road Nine Inch Nails - Pretty Hate Machine Led Zeppelin - IV Black Sabbath - Paranoid ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2011, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-do-this-what-are-your-ten-favorite-albums/592174/19 "2011-08-10T15:34:33Z")
Mmm, probably changed since the last time I did this, so here goes (no particular order) Isn’t Anything -\*\* My Bloody Valentine\*\* Various Failures - **Swans** Century Flower - **Shelleyan Orphan** MTV Unplugged - **10,000 Maniacs** Aion - **Dead Can Dance** Psychocandy - **Jesus and Mary Chain** Rattlesnakes - **Lloyd Cole & The Commotions** No Angel -\*\* Dido\*\* Talking With The Taxman About Poetry - **Billy Bragg** L’Eau Rouge -\*\* The Young Gods\*\* Honourable mentions should go to **Siouxie & the Banshees** ’ _Hyæna_, _Hole by Jim Thirwell (as_ Scraping Foetus off The Wheel\*\*), _[Aloha Sayonara](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=91vr7hpgM-w)_ by the\*\* Honolulu Mountain Daffodils\*\*, _Victorialand_ by **Cocteau Twins** and **The Smiths** ’ _Meat is Murder_ ---
**Author:** ![Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a183cd/32.png) [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barkis_is_Willin)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2011, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-do-this-what-are-your-ten-favorite-albums/592174/20 "2011-08-10T15:37:14Z")
Wow this is hard, and subject to change from one hour to the next. I feel like it’s cheating to include “Greatest Hits” albums, so I won’t. U2 - Achtung Baby The Beatles - The White Album Simon and Garfunkel - Bookends Michael Jackson - Thriller Bruce Springsteen - Born in the USA Led Zeppelin - IV Bob Seger - Live Bullet Pearl Jam - Ten Stone Temple Pilots - Core Guns N Roses - Appetite for Destruction [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-do-this-what-are-your-ten-favorite-albums/592174.md?page=2)