# That \*outstanding\* album of an artist/band **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** music\ **Created:** [November 6, 2026, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-outstanding-album-of-an-artist-band/1034562 "2026-11-06T16:52:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2026, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-outstanding-album-of-an-artist-band/1034562/81 "2026-11-07T00:23:49Z")
Led Zeppelin – IV Aerosmith – Toys in the Attic Butthole Surfers – Hairway to Steven Beatles – White Album backing up others, here, on Bowie’s “Ziggy…” Velvet Underground – Loaded The Jesus Lizard – Liar Rolling Stones – gotta be a tie between Beggar’s Banquet and Let it Bleed. Nile – In Their Darkened Shrines AxCx – Everyone Should Be Killed agree with **Blondebear** ’s The Who – Who’s Next/Live at Leeds Big Black – Songs About Fucking Neil Young – gotta be (I think an obvious?) tie with After the Gold Rush and Harvest agree with **scuirophobic** ’s Blondie – Parallel Lines King Crimson – ugh – if I had to choose between “Lark’s Tongues in Aspic”, “Starless and Bible Black” and “Red” – I’d go with – ah, hell, I’ll go with all three. Black Sabbath – Vol. 4 The Fall - Nation’s Saving Grace (but others - SO CLOSE) Gang of Four – Entertainment Steely Dan - Can’t Buy a Thrill Rush - tie again – Farewell to Kings and Permanent Waves agree with **QQ Switcheroo** – Billy Joel – The Stranger (by a gigantic longshot) Jimi Hendrix - Cry of Love ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2026, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-outstanding-album-of-an-artist-band/1034562/82 "2026-11-07T00:50:54Z")
[Not Available](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Not_Available), of course. ---
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2026, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-outstanding-album-of-an-artist-band/1034562/83 "2026-11-07T00:56:24Z")
> [@Guest-starring\_Id](#): > > Butthole Surfers – Hairway to Steven I’d have to go with _Locust Abortion Technician_ From “Sweat Loaf” to both “Graveyards” to “22 Going on 23”. Just a masterpiece. > [@Guest-starring\_Id](#): > > Big Black – Songs About Fucking “Warning! Not as good as _Atomizer_, so don’t get your hopes up, cheese!” - Big Black (Yeah, that sticker actually appeared on _Headache_. Too good to pass up!) > [@Guest-starring\_Id](#): > > Neil Young – gotta be (I think an obvious?) tie with After the Gold Rush and Harvest Well, I’d pick _Rust Never Sleeps_. “Hey Hey, My My (Into the Black)” and “Powderfinger” are my favorite songs of his. ---
**Author:** ![ShadowFacts](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shadowfacts/32/2934_2.png) [@ShadowFacts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShadowFacts)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2026, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-outstanding-album-of-an-artist-band/1034562/84 "2026-11-07T01:00:02Z")
I’m going to add Meatloaf - _Bat Out of Hell_ here. Every song on that album is a powerhouse and he (and Jim Steinman) never came remotely close to those heights again, even when they recorded the “sequel.” ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2026, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-outstanding-album-of-an-artist-band/1034562/85 "2026-11-07T01:00:27Z")
> [@scabpicker](#): > > Locust Abortion Technician Yeah, another goodie, but no love for my favourite off that one - “The O-Men”? 🙃 EDIT: Discordance Axis - The Inalienable Dreamless (oh my goodness) ---
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2026, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-outstanding-album-of-an-artist-band/1034562/86 "2026-11-07T01:10:00Z")
> [@Guest-starring\_Id](#): > > Yeah, another goodie, but no love for my favourite off that one - “The O-Men”? 🙃 Yep, every track off of it is beautiful. 🤡 “USSA”, “Hay”, gimme them all! Sonic Youth - _Daydream Nation_ ETA: The Cramps - _Songs the Lord Taught Us_ ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Burden](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/958977/32.png) [@Jack\_Burden](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Burden)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2026, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-outstanding-album-of-an-artist-band/1034562/87 "2026-11-07T01:19:49Z")
Bit of a cheat but… Sex Pistols - Anarchy in the UK will also suggest: Dire Straits - Making Movies Eagles - Hotel California Hootie and the Blowfish - Cracked Rear View Wilco - Yankee Hotel Foxtrot Agree that Beatles, Stones, Springsteen, Dylan, REM and Petty have such extensive and varied catalogs that choosing just as their best is completely subjective. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2026, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-outstanding-album-of-an-artist-band/1034562/88 "2026-11-07T01:28:46Z")
Ten Years After/ A Space In Time Deep Purple / Machine Head ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2026, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-outstanding-album-of-an-artist-band/1034562/89 "2026-11-07T02:24:47Z")
And “All The World’s A Stage” by Rush. I also nominate: Murmur - R.E.M. Fun? - The Candy Skins Fountains - Starcastle (the above two bands have never heard of you, either) Forever Changes - Love War - U2 Boston - s/t Jane Siberry - s/t ---
**Author:** ![caligulathegod](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/caligulathegod/32/9685_2.png) [@caligulathegod](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/caligulathegod)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2026, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-outstanding-album-of-an-artist-band/1034562/90 "2026-11-07T03:33:03Z")
Meatloaf _Bat out of Hell_ Concrete Blonde _Bloodletting_ Cyndi Lauper _She’s So Unusual_ Beach Boys _Pet Sounds_ Talking Heads _Stop Making Sense_ Jane’s Addiction _Nothing’s Shocking_ ---
**Author:** ![I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/i_love_me_vol.i/32/521_2.png) [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Love_Me_Vol.I)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2026, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-outstanding-album-of-an-artist-band/1034562/91 "2026-11-07T04:32:26Z")
Kansas - _Leftoverture_? It could be _Point of Know Return_ but I think _Leftoverture_ is the outstanding, stand-out album. > [@Jack\_Burden](#): > > Agree that Beatles, Stones, Springsteen, Dylan, REM and Petty have such extensive and varied catalogs that choosing just as their best is completely subjective. This was the problem that kept me from coming up with a good answer for Genesis. ---
**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:** [November 7, 2026, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-outstanding-album-of-an-artist-band/1034562/92 "2026-11-07T05:03:06Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > The one I expect no one to agree with: > Iron Maiden- Seventh Son of a Seventh Son Agreed! Good album but I’ll still take the first four. > [@aurora\_maire](#): > > Matthew Sweet - Girlfriend Pure GOLD! Saw him play at U of Idaho on his 100% Fun tour. I’m sad to know about his health issues and hope he can someday recover. My contribution: The Strokes - First Impressions of Earth. I’m a huge Strokes fan, but love this one the most. I know most people would list _Is this It_. BTW, they are the musical host on SNL tomorrow. ---
**Author:** ![SunUp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea5d25/32.png) [@SunUp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SunUp)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2026, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-outstanding-album-of-an-artist-band/1034562/93 "2026-11-07T05:48:21Z")
“Weird Al” Yankovic - Dare to be Stupid The Call - Let The Day Begin The Swirling Eddies - Zoom Daddy Leonard Nimoy - Two Sides of Leonard Nimoy ---
**Author:** ![Dag\_Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@Dag\_Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dag_Otto)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2026, 8:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-outstanding-album-of-an-artist-band/1034562/94 "2026-11-07T08:07:16Z")
> [@Jas09](#): > > Counting Crows - August and Everything After While I agree that ‘August and Everything After’ is a perfect album and one of my favorites, I submit that ‘Butter Miracle’ and ‘Somewhere Under Wonderland’ are better and much more fun to listen to. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2026, 11:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-outstanding-album-of-an-artist-band/1034562/95 "2026-11-07T11:58:20Z")
> [@nearwildheaven](#): > > Fun? - The Candy Skins > > **Fountains - Starcastle** > > (the above two bands have never heard of you, either) What if I told you I used to have a Turbo C/C++ programming guide written by Herb Schildt? ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2026, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-outstanding-album-of-an-artist-band/1034562/96 "2026-11-07T12:33:56Z")
> [@wguy123](#): > > Agreed! Good album but I’ll still take the first four. Other albums had more of the radio hits but I think this one is better as a cohesive whole. Each song fits in perfectly with each other. Someone above answered incorrectly for Steely Dan. It’s The Royal Scam. ---
**Author:** ![xtenkfarpl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/c2a13f/32.png) [@xtenkfarpl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xtenkfarpl)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2026, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-outstanding-album-of-an-artist-band/1034562/97 "2026-11-07T12:41:33Z")
No mention of Joni Mitchell’s ‘Blue’ yet? Amazing! ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Mouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mighty_mouse/32/7776_2.png) [@Mighty\_Mouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Mouse)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2026, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-outstanding-album-of-an-artist-band/1034562/98 "2026-11-07T12:57:18Z")
Los Lobos: How Will the Wolf Survive? ---
**Author:** ![XOldiesJock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/ec9cab/32.png) [@XOldiesJock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XOldiesJock)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2026, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-outstanding-album-of-an-artist-band/1034562/99 "2026-11-07T13:29:41Z")
“Electric Ladyland” by the Jimi Hendrix Experience. Not just for “All Along the Watchtower” and “Voodoo Child (Slight Return)”, which are still played on Classic Rock radio stations 58 years later. The long, bluesy version of “Voodoo Chile” still makes my heart speed up a few beats per minute. With Jimi as Producer, it’s one of the iconic Rock albums of all time. And the list of backing musicians is a virtual who’s-who of rock & roll royalty of the time period. ---
**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:** [November 7, 2026, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-outstanding-album-of-an-artist-band/1034562/100 "2026-11-07T13:35:06Z")
There’s just _something_ about sophomore albums… _Nevermind_ - Nirvana _Doolittle_ - The Pixies _Wild Gift_ - X _The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan_ - Bob Dylan _This Year’s Model_ - Elvis Costello _Dawn of the Dickies_ - The Dickies [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-outstanding-album-of-an-artist-band/1034562.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-outstanding-album-of-an-artist-band/1034562.md?page=6)