# Tell me about the science of album sorting

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-the-science-of-album-sorting/961715>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Tags:** music\
**Created:** [March 25, 2022, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-the-science-of-album-sorting/961715 "2022-03-25T19:34:59Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 3

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**Author:** ![ekedolphin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ekedolphin/32/10003_2.png) [@ekedolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekedolphin)\
**Post date:** [March 27, 2022, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-the-science-of-album-sorting/961715/41 "2022-03-27T21:07:17Z")

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> [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](#):
>
> You know, like how you have to flip your iPhone over after “Mr. Kite” is done

That’s _"Being_ for the Benefit of Mr. Kite"!

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**Author:** ![K364](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k364/32/5_2.png) [@K364](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/K364)\
**Post date:** [March 28, 2022, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-the-science-of-album-sorting/961715/42 "2022-03-28T00:22:55Z")

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Speaking of which, George Martin said that he would put a song at the end of a side if it had a vibe that made it difficult to follow. BFTBOMK, Long Long Long, I Want You (She’s so Heavy).

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**Author:** ![Snooooopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)\
**Post date:** [March 28, 2022, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-the-science-of-album-sorting/961715/43 "2022-03-28T04:52:57Z")

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I recall somewhere that one of my favorite guitar players, Bob Mould, likes to put what he considers to be the album’s strongest song in the third slot. I don’t know why. Maybe he thinks that listeners should have a bit of a warm-up before he fires the big gun.

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**Author:** ![california\_jobcase](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@california\_jobcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/california_jobcase)\
**Post date:** [March 29, 2022, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-the-science-of-album-sorting/961715/44 "2022-03-29T00:33:25Z")

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Tomorrow Never Knows fits that list.

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**Author:** ![si\_blakely](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d9b06d/32.png) [@si\_blakely](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/si_blakely)\
**Post date:** [March 29, 2022, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-the-science-of-album-sorting/961715/45 "2022-03-29T03:51:17Z")

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> [@Cervaise](#):
>
> Another example that comes to mind is Pink Floyd’s _Wish You Were Here._ The album works, and almost certainly was conceived, as a continuous emotional narrative.

_Pink Floyd_ held out against releasing their music on streaming services for a very long time, arguing against single song purchases in favour of whole-album purchases and easy whole-album gapless listening.

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