# The Essential Music Library: Modern Rock **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 17, 2005, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-essential-music-library-modern-rock/326546 "2005-10-17T02:06:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2005, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-essential-music-library-modern-rock/326546/1 "2005-10-17T02:06:52Z")
The Essential Music Library project is an attempt to get the many musical minds of the SDMB to sit down and discuss what works are absolutely necessary for a well-stocked musical library. There will be roughly 20 threads detailing a variety of genres so that we can get the depth that would be missing from a single-threaded discussion and the breadth necessary to cover what’s out there. The topic of this thread is modern rock, ranging from 1980 or so up until the present day. Give us your grunge, your alt-rock, your indie rock and your corporate rock. Previous threads: [Project Planning](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=335665) | [Classical](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=336834) | [Rock](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=337956) | [Jazz](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=339051) ---
**Author:** ![Faust\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e56c9b/32.png) [@Faust\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Faust_1)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2005, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-essential-music-library-modern-rock/326546/2 "2005-10-17T02:26:04Z")
Pixies - Surfer Rosa Sonic Youth - Daydream Nation Nirvana - In Utero Flaming Lips - Clouds Taste Metallic Neutral Milk Hotel - In the Aeroplane Over the Sea Slint - Spiderland Deerhoof - Reveille Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy - I See a Darkness Breeders - Last Splash Belly - Star Luna - Penthouse The Pogues - If I Should Fall From Grace with God Radiohead - OK Computer Tindersticks - Tindersticks (I) Cocteau Twins - Head Over Heels ---
**Author:** ![brianjedi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3be4f8/32.png) [@brianjedi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brianjedi)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2005, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-essential-music-library-modern-rock/326546/3 "2005-10-17T02:39:39Z")
Alice in Chains - Dirt Metallica - The Black Album Soundgarden - Superunknown Foo Fighters - The Colour and the Shape Jerry Cantrell - Degradation Trip Vol. 1 and 2 ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2005, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-essential-music-library-modern-rock/326546/4 "2005-10-17T02:44:41Z")
Mind if I ask why the Jerry Cantrell albums are on there? No disrespect to the guy, but if you’ve got [probably] the most essential Alice in Chains album already on the list, I have trouble seeing his solo stuff on there. Cantrell wrote most of AiC’s songs anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2005, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-essential-music-library-modern-rock/326546/5 "2005-10-17T02:51:48Z")
The White Stripes - White Blood Cells ---
**Author:** ![jweb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/71c47a/32.png) [@jweb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jweb)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2005, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-essential-music-library-modern-rock/326546/6 "2005-10-17T02:52:51Z")
Nine Inch Nails: either Pretty Hate Machine or The Downward Spirial. Personally, I’d pick PHM. Tool: Aenima ---
**Author:** ![brianjedi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3be4f8/32.png) [@brianjedi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brianjedi)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2005, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-essential-music-library-modern-rock/326546/7 "2005-10-17T03:20:24Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > Mind if I ask why the Jerry Cantrell albums are on there? No disrespect to the guy, but if you’ve got [probably] the most essential Alice in Chains album already on the list, I have trouble seeing his solo stuff on there. Cantrell wrote most of AiC’s songs anyway. I’ll admit, I’m a bit biased toward that double album, because IMO it’s the best “grunge” album released after the early 90s. A shame it didn’t get more radio play, because almost all the critics loved it. ---
**Author:** ![Treviathan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/838e76/32.png) [@Treviathan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Treviathan)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2005, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-essential-music-library-modern-rock/326546/8 "2005-10-17T04:43:37Z")
Off the top of my head, and limiting myself to one album per artist: The Great Escape - Blur The Queen is Dead - The Smiths Pinkerton - Weezer Odelay - Beck Slanted and Enchanted - Pavement Definitely Maybe - Oasis The Joshua Tree - U2 Automatic for the People - R.E.M. Loveless - My Bloody Valentine ---
**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:** [October 17, 2005, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-essential-music-library-modern-rock/326546/9 "2005-10-17T04:43:58Z")
The Cure- Disintegration The Verve - A Storm in Heaven Faith No More - Angel Dust Tool - Aenima Failure - Fantastic Planet The Strokes - Is this It? Dredg - El Cielo The Afghan Whigs - 1965 Pearl Jam - Ten Nirvana - Nevermind Nine Inch Nails - Pretty Hate Machine A Perfect Circle - Mer de Noms The Joshua Tree - U2 Radiohead - OK Computer ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2005, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-essential-music-library-modern-rock/326546/10 "2005-10-17T14:11:53Z")
Nirvana - Nevermind Green Day - Dookie Metallica - s/t Weezer - first s/t Radiohead - OK Computer U2 - Joshua Tree Pixies - Surfer Rosa REM deserve something on the list, but I’m not familiar enough with their work to say what. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2005, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-essential-music-library-modern-rock/326546/11 "2005-10-17T14:16:18Z")
> [@ultrafilter](#): > > REM deserve something on the list, but I’m not familiar enough with their work to say what. Agreed. I think _Automatic for the People_ is probably the right pick, based on what I’ve heard. ---
**Author:** ![party\_store](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f9ae1b/32.png) [@party\_store](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/party_store)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2005, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-essential-music-library-modern-rock/326546/12 "2005-10-17T16:18:39Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally Posted by Marley23_ > Agreed. I think Automatic for the People is probably the right pick, based on what I’ve heard. Depends on what you call essential. AFTP would have the most hits, but R.E.M.'s best and most influential work was done in the '80s. Hmm… why don’t we make this easy and have a couple R.E.M. ones. They have been one of the defining modern rock bands. I would suggest the following, some of which have already been suggested. I have included quite a lot of records from the '00s, but that’s because I think great rock continues to be made to the present day. i have thought my selections through and I consider my recent selections to be just as worthy of inclusion as the older ones. **The Clash - London Calling** Obvious place to start, and even though it was released in the UK in '79, it’s US release was 1980, so it squeezes in. I just noticed there’s a punk thread planned, so perhaps this should be held off until that, but the record is diverse enough to be considered under the modern rock banner. **U2 - The Joshua Tree, Achtung Baby** U2’s best records and most representative. War would be a good third choice, particularly because it shows the groups early more post-punk sound, but it’s more an essential U2 record than an essential modern rock record. **R.E.M. - Lifes Rich Pageant, Out of Time and Automatic For The People** They really do deserve three albums here. Most modern rock is basically permutations of The Pixies, R.E.M., and more recently, Radiohead. LRP may not be as good as Murmur but its the best introduction to their '80s sound, which really made them famous. It also has the better singles, and is a pretty good representation of the band - “Begin The Begin” shows their rocking anthemic side, “Cuyahoga,” their jangliness, “Fall On Me,” their ability to write unforgettable singles. Out of Time has their biggest hits, and some of the biggest hits of the '90s - “Losing My Religion” and “Shiny Happy People” as well as classic like “Near Wild Heaven.” Automatic For The People was the completion of their transition into the mainstream, and is a great album, all six singles are essential and is one of the strongest, most musically and thematically consistent and cohesive records of the period. **The Cure - Disintegration** I think this is generally agreed to be the classic. It’s tricky though, because The Cure are also a great singles band. **The Smiths - The Queen Is Dead** **The Replacements - Pleased To Meet Me** I’m putting this in tentatively. Love the Replacements, but I get their records confused a bit. They certainly need to be on this list. **Sonic Youth - Daydream Nation, Goo** **Nirvana - Nevermind, In Utero** I would argue that both records need to be included, to show both the catchy, hooky side of the band and the reactionary, noisy side. **Pixies - Surfer Rosa, Doolittle** Wrote the blueprint for indie rock. **My Bloody Valentine - Loveless** **Pearl Jam - Ten, Vitalogy** **The Smashing Pumpkins - Siamese Dream, Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness** The greatness of SD seems to be accepted, but some people are less fond of MCatIS. It could be argued that at a double it is too bloated, but even if you do take issue with that, the quality of the songs is undoubtable - Zero, Bullet with Butterfly Wings, 1979, Stumbleine, Tonight Tonight **Beck - Odelay** **Pavement - Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain; Slanted and Enchanted** **Radiohead - The Bends, OK Computer, Kid A** I think all three of these must be included. The Bends showed their greatness as a pop group, OK Computer remains one of the greatest albums of all time, completely flawless (yes, even Fitter Happier is perfect) and Kid A is the prickly, left-field equal to Ok Computer. I must emphasize this point - as far as I am concerned, there is no doubt that Kid A is as good as OK Computer, if not better. Not only does it have great songs - Idioteque, Everything In Its Right Place, The National Anthem, as an album it is an astounding experience, 40 minutes where everything _is_ in its right place. So what if it doesn’t have guitars? **Mogwai - Young Team** **Neutral Milk Hotel - In The Aeroplane Over The Sea** **The Flaming Lips - Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots** I like it better than the Soft Bulletin, although that record could easily substitute for this one. **Wilco - Summer Teeth, Yankee Hotel Foxtrot** **Modest Mouse - The Moon And Antarctica** **At The Drive-In - Relationship Of Command** Every time I return to this record it amazes me again with its power. How sad that they had to become the disappointing Sparta and the wretched Mars Volta. **Interpol - Turn On The Bright Lights** Almost gets passed over because it just perfectly works a sound that has been done before, but the quality of the songs make this an equal to the other records on this list. **Red Hot Chili Peppers - Blood Sugar Sex Majick** **The White Stripes - White Blood Cells** **The Strokes - Is This It** \*\*The Arcade Fire - Funeral Death Cab For Cutie - We Have The Plans And We’re Voting Yes Built To Spill - There’s Nothing Wrong With Love\*\* There’s nothing wrong with Built To Spill in their more adventurous, guitar-hero mode, but I prefer their indie-pop simplicity. Substitute with Perfect From Now On if you wish. **The Shins - Chutes Too Narrow** They’ll change your life. 😉 \*\*Wolf Parade - Apologies To The Queen Mary Bright Eyes - Lifted, Or The Story Is In The Soil, Keep Your Ear To The Ground Belle and Sebastian - If You’re Feeling Sinister\*\* Feel free to substitute Tigermilk. **Weezer - Blue Album, Pinkerton** Both are vital. \*\*Billy Bragg - Talking to the Taxman About Poetry Jeff Buckley - Grace Blur - Parklife Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Fever To Tell\*\* ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2005, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-essential-music-library-modern-rock/326546/13 "2005-10-17T19:38:52Z")
Some I haven’t seen yet: **Elvis Costello** absolutely must be on the list, represented by one or more of _My Aim Is True_, _This Year’s Model_, _Armed Forces_, or _Imperial Bedroom_. **Paul Simon** ’s _Graceland_, and quite possibly also _Rhythm of the Saints_. (If you want to argue that these aren’t rock, then tell me where they do belong, because they ought to be on _some_ list.) **They Might Be Giants** , represented by one of their earlier albums or a compilation. **XTC** : Either _Skylarking_ or _Oranges and Lemons_. Something by **Billy Joel** or **Tom Petty**? They kind of straddle the 1980 boundary. There are some (sub)genres that maybe ought to show up somewhere in a representative collection, but I’d be hard pressed to single out a particular album or artist: **metal/pop metal** (e.g. Def Leppard, Van Halen, Guns n Roses) **radio-friendly arena rock** (e.g. Journey, REO Speedwagon, Styx) **MTV-friendly 80s New Wave** (e.g. Duran Duran, Eurythmics, Culture Club, Men At Work) **British pop-ska** (e.g. Madness, the Specials, the English Beat) I’m sure rock snobs will dismiss some of these, but I want a list with broad appeal. ---
**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:** [October 17, 2005, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-essential-music-library-modern-rock/326546/14 "2005-10-17T19:44:41Z")
You don’t have the genre I listen to in your Essential Library, but I suppose these could go into the ‘Modern Rock’ slot: **Kate Bush - Hounds of Love** (The Dreaming is my favorite album by her, but HOL is probably the one that regular people should have) **Peter Gabriel - PGIII (melted face)** (PGIV (Security) is my favorite, but this would do for an Essentials list) **Tori Amos - Little Earthquakes** (Under the Pink is my favorite) **Sarah McLachlan - Fumbling Towards Ecstacy** (Solace is my favorite) **Genesis - The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway** (my favorite, whoo!) **Bjork - Debut** **Brian Eno & David Byrne - My Life In The Bush of Ghosts** **Siouxsie & the Banshees - Once Upon A Time: The Singles** Essential to me, but wouldn’t be to someone who was trying to build a library like yours: **Kirsty MacColl - Electric Ladyland** **Happy Rhodes - Many Worlds Are Born Tonight** **Sinead O’Connor - Universal Mother** **Eddi Reader - Mirmama** **Jane Siberry - When I Was A Boy** **Bel Canto - Shimmering Warm & Bright** **Noe Venable - The World Is Bound By Secret Knots** **Cocteau Twins - Treasure** **Dead Can Dance - Within The Realm Of A Dying Sun** **The Innocence Mission - Umbrella** **Komeda - What Makes It Go** **Sheila Chandra & Monsoon - Third Eye** **Two Loons For Tea - Looking For Landmarks** **Julee Cruise - Floating Into The Night** **Danielle Dax - Dark Adapted Eye** **Nina Hagen - Nunsexmonkrock** **Diamanda Galas - You Must Be Certain Of The Devil** (even I wouldn’t choose Plague Mass) **Lene Lovich - The Stiff Years** **Mary Margaret O’Hara - Miss America** **Mary Coughlin - Under The Influence** **Penguin Cafe Orchestra - Broadcasting From Home** **The Sundays - Reading Writing & Arithmetic** **Victoria Williams - Happy Come Home** **Zap Mama - Zap Mama** **Zoe - Hammer** **Loreena McKennitt - The Visit** **Lost In The Stars - The Music Of Kurt Weill** (old music yes, but done by modern musicians like Tom Waits and Lou Reed) **Tricky - Maxinquaye** **Camper Van Beethoven - II & III** (that’s the name of the album, it’s their 2nd) **Eva Cassidy - Songbird** **Hector Zazou - Songs From The Cold Seas** **This Mortal Coil - It’ll End In Tears** My brain just went blank. ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2005, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-essential-music-library-modern-rock/326546/15 "2005-10-17T19:54:53Z")
> [@Thudlow Boink](#): > > **They Might Be Giants** , represented by one of their earlier albums or a compilation. Flood. > [@](#): > > **metal/pop metal** (e.g. Def Leppard, Van Halen, Guns n Roses) > > **radio-friendly arena rock** (e.g. Journey, REO Speedwagon, Styx) > > **MTV-friendly 80s New Wave** (e.g. Duran Duran, Eurythmics, Culture Club, Men At Work) > > **British pop-ska** (e.g. Madness, the Specials, the English Beat) I think all of those will fit into the punk/post-punk/new wave and metal threads. > [@Equipoise](#): > > You don’t have the genre I listen to in your Essential Library, but I suppose these could go into the ‘Modern Rock’ slot: I don’t see where any of those don’t fall under rock or modern rock. The list is incomplete cause I wanted to keep the thread count down and still hit all the major areas. Oh, and here’s an easy one: Talking Heads, Stop Making Sense. ---
**Author:** ![sleestak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/919ad9/32.png) [@sleestak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sleestak)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2005, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-essential-music-library-modern-rock/326546/16 "2005-10-17T20:42:26Z")
Well, on the hard rock/metal side you’d have to have: Ozzy- Blizzard of Oz and Diary of a Madman, though I think Blizzard came out late 79. Metallica- Kill 'Em All, Ride the Lightning and Master of Puppets Van Halen: Women and Children First. Possibly another album. I don’t like VH so I don’t know what would be the best pick but they gotta be in there somwhere. Iron Maiden - The Number Of The Beast Judas Priest - Screaming For Vengeance Guns N’ Roses - Appetite For Destruction Rush- Moving Picutres. Dream Theater - Images And Words Queensryche - Operation Mindcrime and Rage for Order. Yngwie Malmsteen - Rising Force. Yeah, Yngwie is an ass and over plays way too often but this brought semi-classical shred guitar to the world for better or worse. Slee ---
**Author:** ![Ass\_For\_A\_Hat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ec9cab/32.png) [@Ass\_For\_A\_Hat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ass_For_A_Hat)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2005, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-essential-music-library-modern-rock/326546/17 "2005-10-18T01:17:12Z")
> [@party store](#): > > **The Replacements - Pleased To Meet Me** > I’m putting this in tentatively. Love the Replacements, but I get their records confused a bit. They certainly need to be on this list. PTMM shouldn’t be included, since it lacks the frenetic, twisted lead guitar of Bob Stinson. From the smart-ass title, to the brilliant songwriting, Let It Be was the Mats at their finest. I’m not sure how well they’re known outside of Minnesota, but **Low** has made some of the most quietly beautiful music of the last ten years. I would nominate _Secret Name_ as their album worthy of inclusion on this list. In the alt-country arena: \*\*Uncle Tupelo \*\* - No Depression \*\*Son Volt \*\* - Trace \*\*The Jayhawks \*\* - Hollywood Town Hall \*\*Lucinda Williams \*\* - Car Wheels On Gravel Road ---
**Author:** ![Kilvert\_s\_Pagan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c37758/32.png) [@Kilvert\_s\_Pagan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kilvert_s_Pagan)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2005, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-essential-music-library-modern-rock/326546/18 "2005-10-18T01:26:44Z")
> [@Equipoise](#): > > **Genesis - The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway** (my favorite, whoo!) I love this album too, but I don’t think it qualifies under this category (80’s and beyond “modern” rock). I assume that there will be a separate prog thread someday. On the other hand, I think **King Crimson** jumped into the 80’s pretty nicely with **Discipline**. Especially given their influence upon NIN and Tool. ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2005, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-essential-music-library-modern-rock/326546/19 "2005-10-18T01:31:59Z")
> [@Kilvert's Pagan](#): > > I love this album too, but I don’t think it qualifies under this category (80’s and beyond “modern” rock). I assume that there will be a separate prog thread someday. No separate prog thread. Instead, it’s split between rock and modern rock. If you think the rock thread is short on prog, feel free to add some. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2005, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-essential-music-library-modern-rock/326546/20 "2005-10-18T02:22:17Z")
Probably way overplayed, and didn’t exactly breakl new ground, but deservedly popular: **Hootie and the Blowfish** : _Cracked Rear View_ **Collective Soul** (their self-titled) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-essential-music-library-modern-rock/326546.md?page=2)