# 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:** 5
**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 12, 2011, 11:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-do-this-what-are-your-ten-favorite-albums/592174/81 "2011-08-12T11:39:16Z")
> [@multimediac17](#): > > _HIStory_ came at just the right time for me (I got it when I was 13, though this was in 2003, years after it was actually released) and I just got obsessed with it, I loved how angry it was and how different it sounded to the most famous Michael Jackson singles. I know it’s not a critical favourite but blah, who cares. _Dangerous_, _Bad_ and _Thriller_ would be in my 11-20, in that order. > > As for Kate, she’s the most consistent artist I know, almost all of her albums are near-perfect. _Hounds_ and _The Dreaming_ are the two that are 10/10, in my opinion, with _Aerial_ and _The Sensual World_ being just slightly less amazing. I like all of her albums (except _The Kick Inside_, which just sounds totally cheesy to me), but _Hounds of Love_ is (in my view) the only good that’s great all the way through - _The Dreaming_ and _The Sensual World_ vacillate between second and third for me. ---
**Author:** ![Eonwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eonwe/32/240_2.png) [@Eonwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eonwe)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2011, 12:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-do-this-what-are-your-ten-favorite-albums/592174/82 "2011-08-12T12:20:07Z")
So many great albums to choose from. I set myself the guidelines that I’d only choose one from any given artist/group (I could fill almost the whole list with Genesis and Springsteen, if I was in the right mood), and to leave out any albums with tracks I can’t stand, even if the rest of the album is a work of art. Anyway, in random order: Simon and Garfunkel - Bookends Springsteen - Born To Run Pavement - Brighten the Corners Paul Simon - Graceland U2 - Actung Baby Joe Jackson - Night and Day Jethro Tull - Stand Up Traveling Wilburys - Traveling Wilburys, Vol I Genesis - A Trick of the Tail Tori Amos - Under the Pink . . . as with most people, this list is subject to change at a moment’s notice, blah blah blah . . . I’m wondering if anyone else was surprised by their own lists? There are three groups (The Band, Beatles, and The Who) who I was sure would be on here, but while I love all of those groups (The Band being solidly in my “top 3 favorite groups evar” list), none of them have whole albums that truly captivate me the whole way through (other than possibly Revolver, but it didn’t quite make this list). This was also fun as I went through my CD collection and got reminded of some great/favorite albums that I used to listen to a lot and am going to toss back into rotation. ---
**Author:** ![Ian\_D.Bergkamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Ian\_D.Bergkamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ian_D.Bergkamp)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2011, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-do-this-what-are-your-ten-favorite-albums/592174/83 "2011-08-12T15:51:50Z")
> [@multimediac17](#): > > 1. Antony & The Johnsons - _I Am A Bird Now_ I listened to this a couple of times shortly after it came out and it didn’t grab me, but I’ve seen it on a lot of lists like this one lately, so maybe I should give it another spin. As for my 10, in chronological order: Marillion - Misplaced Childhood (1985) The Smiths - Louder Than Bombs (1987) The Pogues - If I Should Fall From Grace With God (1988) The Connells - Fun and Games (1989) Neutral Milk Hotel - In the Aeroplane Over the Sea (1998) Bright Eyes - Lifted (2002) British Sea Power - The Decline of British Sea Power (2003) Okkervil River - Black Sheep Boy (2005) The Decemberists - The Hazards of Love (2009) Titus Andronicus - The Monitor (2010) Just missed the top 10: Life’s Rich Pageant by REM (1986) and Introducing the Hardline According to Terence Trent D’Arby (1987). ---
**Author:** ![Ian\_D.Bergkamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Ian\_D.Bergkamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ian_D.Bergkamp)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2011, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-do-this-what-are-your-ten-favorite-albums/592174/84 "2011-08-12T15:55:08Z")
> [@Eonwe](#): > > I’m wondering if anyone else was surprised by their own lists? There are three groups (The Band, Beatles, and The Who) who I was sure would be on here, but while I love all of those groups (The Band being solidly in my “top 3 favorite groups evar” list), none of them have whole albums that truly captivate me the whole way through (other than possibly Revolver, but it didn’t quite make this list). Definitely. Like you with your list, I’m surprised the Who didn’t make mine (Who’s Next would have been the closest contender). I’m also a big fan of the Brian Jonestown Massacre, who have a prodigious output, but there’s nothing I would have put above the ten (12, actually) that I listed. Not at the moment, anyway. ---
**Author:** ![infinitii](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e8c25b/32.png) [@infinitii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/infinitii)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2011, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-do-this-what-are-your-ten-favorite-albums/592174/85 "2011-08-12T16:22:25Z")
> [@multimediac17](#): > > Studio albums only: > > 1. Kate Bush - _Hounds Of Love_ > 2. Madonna - _Ray Of Light_ > 3. Michael Jackson - _HIStory: Past, Present & Future - Book 1_ (studio album disc) > 4. Kate Bush - _The Dreaming_ > 5. Prince & The Revolution - _Purple Rain_ > 6. Björk - _Homogenic_ > 7. The Rocky Horror Picture Show (Original Soundtrack) > 8. Kylie Minogue - _Impossible Princess_ > 9. The Beatles - _Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band_ > 10. Antony & The Johnsons - _I Am A Bird Now_ This is my favourite list other than my own – cool. ---
**Author:** ![Agent\_Foxtrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc29f/32.png) [@Agent\_Foxtrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Agent_Foxtrot)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2011, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-do-this-what-are-your-ten-favorite-albums/592174/86 "2011-08-12T16:47:46Z")
Ignore. ---
**Author:** ![Agent\_Foxtrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc29f/32.png) [@Agent\_Foxtrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Agent_Foxtrot)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2011, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-do-this-what-are-your-ten-favorite-albums/592174/87 "2011-08-12T16:51:05Z")
1. The Extremist - Joe Satriani 2. Exit Planet Dust - The Chemical Brothers 3. Empire - Queensÿrche 4. Stadium Arcadium: Red Hot Chili Peppers 5. Houses of the Holy: Led Zeppelin 6. The Wall - Pink Floyd 7. Operation: Mindcrime - Queensrÿche 8. October Rust - Type O Negative 9. Master of Puppets - Metallica 10. Led Zeppelin IV - Led Zeppelin ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2011, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-do-this-what-are-your-ten-favorite-albums/592174/88 "2011-08-12T17:06:53Z")
WIlco - Yankee Hotel Foxtrot Harry Connick, Jr - When Harry Met Sally soundtrack Jenny Lewis & the Watson Twins - Rabbit Fur Coat Old 97’s - Alive & Wired Barenaked Ladies - Maybe You Should Drive They Might Be Giants - Lincoln The Avett Brothers - I and Love and You Amy Winehouse - Back to Black Spoon - Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga Eels - With Strings (Live at Town Hall) ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2011, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-do-this-what-are-your-ten-favorite-albums/592174/89 "2011-08-12T17:31:46Z")
Well as with so many people these are really mostly random excerpts from the top 100. I tried to add just a bit of diversity, but I quickly got bogged down trying to decide one from another, so just shrugged on the last several. In no particular order: 1. **Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony** - Karajan/Berlin Philharmonic. I’m not a HUGE classical guy, probably have stuff from maybe a dozen composers at most. But as cliched a choice as this is, this album ALWAYS gets my heart pumping. One of my favorite road albums for driving around impressive natural features ( Grand Canyon, Canyon de Chelley, etc. ). 2. **This Year’s Model** - Elvis Costello. Could have easily been _Armed Forces_ or _Blood and Chocolate_. I don’t really have a favorite artist, but if I did Costello would be the slight favorite to take the title. 3. **Stop Making Sense** - Talking Heads. Definitive. My favorite of the Heads of the studio albums would be _Remain in Light_. 4. **Surfer Rosa** - Pixies. _Doolittle_ is probably the stronger album overall, but this was my first one and I still have the greater affection for it. 5. **A Love Supreme** - John Coltrane. My all-time favorite jazz piece is actually Coltrane’s _Afro-Blues_, but as a short album this is darn near perfect, despite my own lack of spirituality;). 6. **London Calling** - The Clash. The finest studio double-album ever released IMHO. There is scarcely any dross here, unlike the slightly bloated _Sandinista_. 7. **Time Tough: Anthology** - Toots and the Maytals. An anthology is kind of cheating, but there are NO bad tracks here. Compulsively listenable. 8. **Murder Ballads** - Nick Cave. Almost a place-keeper for Nick Cave in general, but this one is iconic and it does what it does extremely well. 9. **It’s Too Late to Stop Now** - Van Morrison. Similar to the TH album album above. Morrison at the top of his game from what was IMO his most productive period in the 1970’s. If I went with a studio album it would probably be _Astral Weeks_ or _Band and Street Choir_. 10. **Soup of the Century** - 3 Mustaphas 3. Kind of my introduction to world music. Again maybe not their best ( but maybe it is ), but superb any way you slice it. Looking at the above after pasting it I now want to change a few and add in more genres. But, eh, fuck it :D. Good enough for government work. ---
**Author:** ![cjepson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9adbd/32.png) [@cjepson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cjepson)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2011, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-do-this-what-are-your-ten-favorite-albums/592174/90 "2011-08-12T17:41:19Z")
> [@koeeoaddi](#): > > Hangman’s Beautiful Daughter - The Incredible String Band And that explains the username… (and a great album, as well) ---
**Author:** ![unwashed\_brain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/a9adbd/32.png) [@unwashed\_brain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/unwashed_brain)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2011, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-do-this-what-are-your-ten-favorite-albums/592174/91 "2011-08-12T17:56:22Z")
Here’s my list from 1999-ish. It used to be published on my website. 1. “disintegration” by **the cure** 2. “ten” by **pearl jam** 3. “aenima” by **tool** 4. “seal” by \*\*seal \*\*(his first eponymous album) 5. “a storm in heaven” by **the verve** 6. “undertow” by **tool** 7. “ok computer” by **radiohead** 8. “low end theory” by **a tribe called quest** 9. “songs from the big chair” by **tears for fears** 10. “angel dust” by **faith no more** I don’t really agree with that list any more. Let’s give this a shot (new stuff in italics): 1. “disintegration” by **the cure** 2. “ten” by **pearl jam** 3. “undertow” by **tool** 4. “ok computer” by **radiohead** 5. “seal” by \*\*seal \*\*(his first eponymous album) 6. “songs from the big chair” by **tears for fears** 7. “a storm in heaven” by **the verve** _8. “100th window” by **massive attack** _ _9. “el cielo” by **dredg** _ \*10. “the big roar” by **the joy formidable** \* Hard to kick some of those oldies out in favor of newer stuff. **The Joshua Tree** and _something_ by **Mike Patton** deserve spots, but my more recent crushes win the day. Musical tastes are transitory, after all. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2011, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-do-this-what-are-your-ten-favorite-albums/592174/92 "2011-08-12T17:58:31Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > I want to add ELO - “A New World Record” to my list now. Great album! For me, any one of their three albums from that '75-'77 time period (Face the Music, A New World Record, Out of the Blue) could have easily made my list. ---
**Author:** ![unwashed\_brain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/a9adbd/32.png) [@unwashed\_brain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/unwashed_brain)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2011, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-do-this-what-are-your-ten-favorite-albums/592174/93 "2011-08-12T18:13:24Z")
> [@Blackhawk441](#): > > Very difficult. Any of them could move a spot or two up or down. > > 1. **Public Enemy** - _Fear of a Black Planet_ I’d give the edge to “It Takes a Nation of Millions…” due to some of the weirder stuff on 2nd half of “Fear”. My to 3 rap albums are: “Low End Theory” by A Tribe Called Quest “It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back” by P.E. “Paid in Full” by Eric B & Rakim I guess that’s ancient school these days. ---
**Author:** ![Gray\_Ghost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c0e974/32.png) [@Gray\_Ghost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gray_Ghost)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2011, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-do-this-what-are-your-ten-favorite-albums/592174/94 "2011-08-12T19:10:08Z")
With most of the disclaimers you all have already added to your lists, along with the idea that these are the albums that I think are objectively the greatest; they’re just the albums I like the most: **the Cure** --------------------------_Disintegration_ **Miles Davis** -----------------------_Kind of Blue_ **Pink Floyd** ------------------------_The Wall_ **The Allman Brothers Band** ----_The Fillmore Concerts_ **Siouxsie and the Banshees** —_A Kiss in the Dreamhouse_ **U2** ---------------------------------(either)_The Joshua Tree_ or _Achtung Baby_ **They Might Be Giants** ----------_Flood_ **Talking Heads** -------------------_Stop Making Sense_ **Warren Zevon** -------------------(either) _Excitable Boy_ or _Warren Zevon_ **the Smiths** -----------------------_The Queen is Dead_ So many bands I only know through “best ofs”: the Stones, Zeppelin, the Beatles, Bowie, the Police. And I prefer the best ofs in the cases of: Alabama 3; Chuck Prophet; Zevon, really; the Smiths. Fun series of post and responses to read. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2011, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-do-this-what-are-your-ten-favorite-albums/592174/95 "2011-08-12T19:58:07Z")
In no particular order: “Fully Completely” and “Day for Night,” The Tragically Hip “Vitalogy,” Pearl Jam “Us,” Peter Gabriel “Synchronicity,” The Police “The Joshua Tree,” U2 “Ill Communication,” The Beastie Boys “Full Moon Fever,” Tom Petty “Gordon,” Barenaked Ladies “Automatic for the People,” REM Just missing the cut: “Graceland” by Paul Simon; “Thriller” by Michael Jackson; basically any Led Zeppelin LP; Traveling Wilburys, Vol. I; Sgt. Petter’s Lonely Hearts Club Band; “So” by Gabriel; “Born in the USA”, Springsteen; “Ten” by Pearl Jam; “Out of Time” by REM; “1984” by Van Halen. ---
**Author:** ![multimediac17](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/839c29/32.png) [@multimediac17](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/multimediac17)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2011, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-do-this-what-are-your-ten-favorite-albums/592174/96 "2011-08-13T01:49:50Z")
> [@infinitii](#): > > This is my favourite list other than my own – cool. It was great to see Girls Aloud on your list! None of their albums are perfect to me but they’re still one of my favourite groups, with so, so many great singles. ---
**Author:** ![koeeoaddi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/koeeoaddi/32/408_2.png) [@koeeoaddi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/koeeoaddi)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2011, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-do-this-what-are-your-ten-favorite-albums/592174/97 "2011-08-13T02:24:13Z")
**From other Dopers’ lists in the thread**. Put 'em on a roulette wheel and spin. Any of these could populate my top ten list: Revolver - The Beatles Beatles - Abbey Road The Beatles- Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band The Beatles - The White Album Carole King - Tapestry Canyon – Paul Winter Consort Cure for Pain - Morphine Traffic – John Barleycorn Must Die Astral Weeks, Van Morrison Sticky Fingers, The Rolling Stones Lady Soul, Aretha Franklin King Crimson: In the Court of the Crimson King Who: Tommy Procol Harum – A Salty Dog Innervisions - Stevie Wonder Bookends - Simon and Garfunkel The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band (et.al.)… Will the circle be Unbroken Blue: Joni Mitchell Neil Young – Harvest (not to mention After the Goldrush and Everybody Knows this is Nowhere!) Al Stewart, Year of the Cat The Doors - The Doors Moody Blues, Days of Future Passed Volunteers - Jefferson Airplane Court & Spark - Joni Mitchell Melissa Manchester-----Home to Myself Greg Brown-The Poet Game Are You Experienced - The Jimi Hendrix Experience Yes - The Yes Album Cosby, Stills & Nash (& Young) Get Away from Me – Nellie McKay Jethro Tull - Stand Up Stop Making Sense - Talking Heads Warren Zevon-------------------(either) Excitable Boy or Warren Zevon ---
**Author:** ![KRC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/45deac/32.png) [@KRC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KRC)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2011, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-do-this-what-are-your-ten-favorite-albums/592174/98 "2011-08-13T02:27:06Z")
**The Wall** by Pink Floyd **Led Zeppelin’s 4th** **Dark Side of the Moon** by Pink Floyd **Quadrophrenia** **Never Mind the Bullocks, Here’s the Sex Pistols** **Metaphysical Graffiti** by the Dead Milkmen. **Flowers of Romance** by PiL **Lust for Life** by Iggy Pop Random Victor Jara collection Random Leadbelly collection. ---
**Author:** ![Tarwater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9de0a6/32.png) [@Tarwater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tarwater)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2011, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-do-this-what-are-your-ten-favorite-albums/592174/99 "2011-08-13T02:39:53Z")
Swans - Children of God Angels of Light - We Are Him The Birthday Party - Prayers On Fire The Pixies - Doolittle Palace Music - Viva Last Blues Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy - I See A Darkness Slint - Spiderland My Bloody Valentine - Loveless Tom Waits - Bone Machine And bedgrudgingly, Pavement - Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain ---
**Author:** ![Blackhawk441](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/76d3ee/32.png) [@Blackhawk441](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blackhawk441)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2011, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-do-this-what-are-your-ten-favorite-albums/592174/100 "2011-08-13T04:24:55Z")
> [@unwashed\_brain](#): > > I’d give the edge to “It Takes a Nation of Millions…” due to some of the weirder stuff on 2nd half of “Fear”. > > My to 3 rap albums are: > “Low End Theory” by A Tribe Called Quest > “It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back” by P.E. > “Paid in Full” by Eric B & Rakim > > I guess that’s ancient school these days. Nothing wrong with that, rap’s gone pretty far downhill since the deaths of Eazy-E/Biggie/Tupac. Both _Fear_ and _It Takes a Nation of Millions_ were classics, but I tend to like _Fear_ more because it had a funkier sound and more complex production. There were several great tracks on _Apocalypse '91_ as well, but as a whole it wasn’t as good as _Fear_. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-do-this-what-are-your-ten-favorite-albums/592174.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-do-this-what-are-your-ten-favorite-albums/592174.md?page=6)