# Top 10 albums **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 7, 2004, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-10-albums/253886 "2004-07-07T01:11:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Ilsa\_Lund](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/a6a055/32.png) [@Ilsa\_Lund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ilsa_Lund)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2004, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-10-albums/253886/41 "2004-07-08T01:11:03Z")
Tie between The Beatles-Abbey Road-Revolver - The Beatles Joan Armatrading - Joan Armatrading Songbird - Eva Cassidy OK Computer - Radiohead Bringing It All Back Home - Bob Dylan Let It Bleed - The Rolling Stones Tigerlily - Natalie Merchant Axis: Bold As Love - The Jimi Hendrix Experience Original Motion Picture Soundtrack - Carousel Whatever And Ever Amen - Ben Folds Five Everybody Else Is Doing It, Why Can’t We? - The Cranberries Dixie Chicken - Little Feat The Joshua Tree - U2 Before The Flood - The Band & Bob Dylan Live At Fillmore East - The Allman Brothers Band Graceland - Paul Simon Bridge Over Troubled Water - Simon & Garfunkel Born To Run - Bruce Springsteen So Far - Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young Harvest - Neil Young ---
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2004, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-10-albums/253886/42 "2004-07-08T01:26:12Z")
I tend to favor live albums. It may be cheating a bit since most of them are live versions of greatest hits, but I prefer the energy and sound of live vs. canned. Simon and Garfunkel, “Live from Central Park” (live) Elvis Presley, “Aloha from Hawaii” (live) Eagles “Hotel California” “Purple Rain” soundtrack (Prince and the Revolution) “City of Angels” soundtrack Pink Floyd “Delicate Sound of Thunder” (live) Bee Gees “Here at Last…Live” (live) Vangelis, “Heaven and Hell”) “Grease” soundtrack George Michael “Faith” ---
**Author:** ![Dancer\_Flight](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dancer_flight/32/7601_2.png) [@Dancer\_Flight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dancer_Flight)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2004, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-10-albums/253886/43 "2004-07-08T05:22:31Z")
Here’re mine, soundtracks included and in no particular order: 1. Matthew Good Band – The Audio of Being 2. Naomi Striemer – Naomi Striemer (Pre-release) 3. Buffy Cast – Once More With Feeling 4. La Femme Nikita – Music From the T.V. Show 5. Tori Amos – Little Earthquakes 6. Beth Orton – Pass in Time 7. Our Lady Peace – Gravity 8. Roxette – Crash! Boom! Bang! 9. Sarah McLachlan – Fumbling Towards Ecstacy 10. The Cardigans – Long Gone Before Daylight -DF ---
**Author:** ![The\_Universe\_Lashes\_Out](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8797f3/32.png) [@The\_Universe\_Lashes\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Universe_Lashes_Out)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2004, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-10-albums/253886/44 "2004-07-08T05:38:40Z")
In no particular order: The Clash - London Calling Sonic Youth - Daydream Nation OutKast - Stankonia Wilco - Being There Radiohead - OK Computer Beastie Boys - Paul’s Boutique Pixies - Surfer Rosa Sex Pistols - Never Mind The Bollocks Modern Lovers - Modern Lovers Bob Dylan - Blonde On Blonde ---
**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:** [July 8, 2004, 6:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-10-albums/253886/45 "2004-07-08T06:20:18Z")
In no particular order, and by no means a definitive list: My Bloody Valentine — _Loveless_ The Pixies — _Doolittle_ The Beatles — _Abbey Road_ The Beach Boys — _Pet Sounds_ Wire — _154_ Guns N Roses — _Appetite for Destruction_ REM — _Murmur_ Boogie Down Productions — _Criminal Minded_ Led Zeppelin — _Led Zeppelin II_ Sleater-Kinney — _Call the Doctor_ ---
**Author:** ![Nightime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Nightime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nightime)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2004, 6:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-10-albums/253886/46 "2004-07-08T06:33:11Z")
1. Love - Forever Changes 2. Tim Buckley - Starsailor 3. Big Star - Third/Sister Lovers 4. Belly - Star 5. X-Ray Spex - Germ Free Adolescents 6. Slint - Spiderland 7. Richard and Linda Thompson - I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight 8. Charles Mingus - The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady 9. Neutral Milk Hotel - In the Aeroplane Over the Sea 10. Mercury Rev - Yerself is Steam ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2004, 7:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-10-albums/253886/47 "2004-07-08T07:21:26Z")
**Joe Satriani** _Strange, beautiful music_ **Bozzio, Levin and Stevens** _Situation Dangerous_ **Steve Morse** _Stressfest_ **Steve Stevens** _Flamenco-a-go-go_ **Marc Bonilla** _EE Ticket_ **Deep Purple** _Machine Head_ \*_Deep Purple \*\* Purpendicular **The Dickies** Stukas over Disneyland **Rob Balducci** \* Mantra_ **Joe Satriani** _Crystal Planet_ ---
**Author:** ![Freejooky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ba8739/32.png) [@Freejooky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freejooky)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2004, 7:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-10-albums/253886/48 "2004-07-08T07:30:20Z")
Of all time? Of the week? Of Whenever? Here’s what I’m playing this week, incessantly: 1. Sonic Youth - “Sister” 2. Mouse on Mars- “radical connector” 3. the Divine Comedy- “absent friends” 4. Bruce Haack - “Electric Luciver” 5. the Congos- “heart of the congos” 6. His name is alive - “rare tracks in the snow” 7. Kan Kick - “the traditional heritage” 8. Minutemen- “double nickles on the dime” 9. OMD - “dazzle ships” 10. various - “the third unheard: conneticut hip hop '79-'83” ---
**Author:** ![Freejooky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ba8739/32.png) [@Freejooky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freejooky)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2004, 7:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-10-albums/253886/49 "2004-07-08T07:31:32Z")
> [@Nightime](#): > > 1. Love - Forever Changes > 2. Tim Buckley - Starsailor > 3. Big Star - Third/Sister Lovers > 4. Belly - Star > 5. X-Ray Spex - Germ Free Adolescents > 6. Slint - Spiderland > 7. Richard and Linda Thompson - I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight > 8. Charles Mingus - The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady > 9. Neutral Milk Hotel - In the Aeroplane Over the Sea > 10. Mercury Rev - Yerself is Steam Great, great, great stuff. I think “yerself” is inferior to “boces,” but I’ll be damned if “coney island cyclone” isn’t one of the best Rev songs. And big ups on “i want to see the bright lights tonight” - one of my perennial favorites. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Master\_Killer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/34f0e0/32.png) [@The\_Master\_Killer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Master_Killer)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2004, 12:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-10-albums/253886/50 "2004-07-08T12:48:01Z")
Man…It looks like good ole Metal is being forgotten about. I’ll wave the battleflag and put down my idea of the greatest in Metal!!! (in no particular order, mind you…) 1. Slayer - Reign in Blood (This is truly my #1!! It doesnt get any better than this folks!! I just wish the album were a whole lot longer.) 2. Metallica - Kill 'em All 3. Megadeth - Rust in Peace 4. Anthrax - Among The Living 5. Sepultura - Beneath The Remains 6. Black Sabbath - Paranoid 7. Ozzy - Blizzard of Oz 8. Exodus - Bonded By Blood 9. Agnostic Front - Victim in Pain (NYHC at it’s best!!) 10. S.O.D. - Speak English or Die (Just plain heavy, baby!!) Later… ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2004, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-10-albums/253886/51 "2004-07-08T14:18:49Z")
> [@Nightime](#): > > 1. Mercury Rev - Yerself is Steam I considered putting Mercury Rev on there, but decided that since my appreciation of them is recentish I’d wait a while to elevate them to that status. Besides, I’ve been on an early-Bowie kick and was astonished to note the similarities; have to go back to Rev and decide if it’s theft or tribute. And man, I wish I had more room. I thought I was vaguely justified in listing 35 titles because I own about 3,000 CDs; narrowing it to just 10 would be agonizing. But reading this thread makes me sad for the stuff I left off: > [@Freejooky](#): > > 1. Sonic Youth - “Sister” > [@HowieReynolds](#): > > OutKast - Stankonia > Pixies - Surfer Rosa > [@Dancer\_Flight](#): > > 1. The Cardigans – Long Gone Before Daylight[The First Band on the Moon] > [@Chefguy](#): > > Chet Baker, “Stella By Starlight” > [@SolGrundy](#): > > 1. El Oso [Ruby Vroom] - Soul Coughing > [@Art Vandelay](#): > > “Lady in Satin” [The Birthday Concert] by Billie Holliday > “Rufus Wainwright” by (of course!) Rufus Wainwright > [@Monkey Chews](#): > > 1. Dummy - Portishead And a few more; I just got tired of cutting and pasting. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2004, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-10-albums/253886/52 "2004-07-08T14:44:39Z")
1. Alice in Chains - Dirt 2. Nirvana - Nevermind 3. Beatles - Seargeant Pepper 4. Sepultura - Roots 5. Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Rings: Soundtrack 6. Stone Temple Pilots: Purple 7. Pearl Jam: their fourth album 8. Billy Joel: River of Dreams 9. Nirvana - In Utero 10. Alice in Chains - Self Titled(or Tripod). ---
**Author:** ![Futile\_Gesture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f05b48/32.png) [@Futile\_Gesture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Futile_Gesture)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2004, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-10-albums/253886/53 "2004-07-08T14:56:22Z")
This task is totally impossible. Only ten? In order? Soo… Just to make it more interesting. I’ve compiled **my** top ten from **everyone elses** top tens. The tricky thing about this is although I have and love all the following, the wouldn’t necessarily be my choice for each artist’s best album. No particular order though… Out of the Blue - ELO Belle and Sebastian - If You’re Feeling Sinister So- Peter Gabriel Steely Dan, Aja Ben Folds - Live English Settlement – XTC Whatever And Ever Amen - Ben Folds Five Time - ELO Belle and Sebastian - The Boy With the Arab Strap Teenage Fanclub - Songs From Northern Britain ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2004, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-10-albums/253886/54 "2004-07-08T15:42:29Z")
Thrash isn’t really my favorite style, but there are ten good albums on **The Master Killer** ’s list. I’m not going to try to put this in any kind of numerical order, but here’s a reasonable guess at my top ten: Black Sabbath, _Paranoid_ Death, _The Sound of Perseverance_ Emperor, _Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk_ Helloween, _Keeper of the Seven Keys Pt. 1_ Lacrimosa, _Fassade_ Morbid Angel, _Covenant_ Opeth, _Morningrise_ Symphony X, _V: The New Mythology Suite_ Therion, _Theli_ Within Temptation, _Mother Earth_ ---
**Author:** ![The\_Master\_Killer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/34f0e0/32.png) [@The\_Master\_Killer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Master_Killer)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2004, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-10-albums/253886/55 "2004-07-08T18:05:04Z")
> [@ultrafilter](#): > > Thrash isn’t really my favorite style, but there are ten good albums on **The Master Killer** ’s list. > > I’m not going to try to put this in any kind of numerical order, but here’s a reasonable guess at my top ten: > > Black Sabbath, _Paranoid_ > Death, _The Sound of Perseverance_ > Emperor, _Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk_ > Helloween, _Keeper of the Seven Keys Pt. 1_ > Lacrimosa, _Fassade_ > Morbid Angel, _Covenant_ > Opeth, _Morningrise_ > Symphony X, _V: The New Mythology Suite_ > Therion, _Theli_ > Within Temptation, _Mother Earth_ Ultrafilter, ``` You have some very good bands listed there, though I would choose different albums... (not a disagreement, just differing tastes.) ``` Death - Spiritual Healing Opeth - Deliverance I think I left some stuff off my list and I’d like the opportunity to rectify that here… Celtic Frost - To Mega Therion Kreator - Extreme Aggression Sodom - Persecution Mania Biohazard - Biohazard (Thier first and, in my opinion, best album. Straight up NYHC.) Wargasm - Ugly Damn…there are just so many. I couldnt survive without the stuff on these lists, but when I think about it, there is so much more that I depend upon for my headbanging and listening enjoyment. But, I dont limit myself to just metal…so here’s a list of my essential Rap… also in no particular order. 1. Public Enemy - It takes a nation of millions to hold us back. 2. Ice-T - O.G. 3. Geto Boys - Geto Boys 4. Kool G. Rap - Live and Let Die. (This is, without a doubt, my favorite album in this genre. G. Rap is just such a bad ass gangsta storyteller. It’s all about the stories with G. Rap and they are all good.!!) 5. N.W.A. - Straight Outta Comption 6. Beastie Boys - Pauls Boutique 7. Dr. Dre - The Chronic 8. Snoop Doggy Dog - DoggyStyle 9. EPMD - Business, Never Personal 10. Beastie Boys - License to Ill Later… ---
**Author:** ![stpauler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@stpauler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stpauler)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2004, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-10-albums/253886/56 "2004-07-08T19:05:57Z")
1-The Stone Roses-The Stone Roses (US) 2-Patty Griffin-Living With Ghosts 3-Cheryl Wheeler-Driving Home 4-John Wesley Harding-JWH’s New Deal 5-Greg Brown-The Poet Game 6-Imani Coppola-Chupacabra 7-Janis Ian-Between the Lines 8-Tom Waits-Nighthawks at the Diner 9-Whiskeytown-Pneumonia 10-Bran Van 3000-Discosis Very honorable mentions: Alison Krauss-Forget About It Barenaked Ladies-Gordon Galaxie 500-On Fire Hart Rouge-Beaupre’s Home Janis Joplin-I Got Dem Ol Kozmic Blues Again, Mama Jill Sobule-Happy Town John Southworth-Mars, Pennsylvania Joni Mitchell-Blue Josh Rouse-Under Cold Blue Stars Nanci Griffith-Flyer P.J. Olsson-Words For Living Poi Dog Pondering-Volo Volo Prince-Purple Rain Tori Amos-Little Earthquakes Yo La Tengo-Fake Book ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2004, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-10-albums/253886/57 "2004-07-08T19:23:15Z")
> [@stpauler](#): > > 1-The Stone Roses-The Stone Roses (US) > 6-Imani Coppola-Chupacabra > Josh Rouse-Under Cold Blue Stars > P.J. Olsson-Words For Living Dude! I love those albums! and nobody else has ever heard of them! I neglected to name Chupacabra as an alternate to my top ten. ---
**Author:** ![Mal\_Adroit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df788c/32.png) [@Mal\_Adroit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mal_Adroit)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2004, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-10-albums/253886/58 "2004-07-08T19:51:28Z")
> [@The Master Killer](#): > > Man…It looks like good ole Metal is being forgotten about. Agreed. I’ll second (third, fourth?) the motion: my 10 Must-Have Heavy Brits\* List Black Sabbath, _Sabotage_ Uriah Heep, _Very 'Eavy, Very 'Umble_ Deep Purple, _Made in Japan_ Rainbow, _Rising_ AC/DC, _High Voltage_ Judas Priest, _Sad Wings of Destiny_ Judas Priest, _Screaming for Vengeance_ Iron Maiden, _Piece of Mind_ Iron Maiden, _Powerslave_ Bruce Dickinson, _Accident of Birth_ \*and one bunch o’Aussies More Than Honorable mentions- Deep Purple, _Machine Head_ Iron Maiden, _Number of the Beast_ Saxon, _The Eagle Has Landed_ UFO, _Strangers in the Night_ AC/DC, _Highway to Hell/Back in Black_ ---
**Author:** ![vl\_mungo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/bc8723/32.png) [@vl\_mungo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vl_mungo)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2004, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-10-albums/253886/59 "2004-07-08T21:59:54Z")
In no particular order… **Double Nickels on the Dime** - The Minutemen **Can’t Stand The Rezillos** - The Rezillos **Revolver** - The Beatles **Road To Ruin** - Ramones **Never Make It Home** - Split Lip Rayfield **The Men Who Loved Music** - The Young Fresh Fellows **Reflections** - Gil Scott-Heron **Machine Gun Etiquette** - The Damned **Furnace Room Lullaby** - Neko Case **Underwater Moonlight** - The Soft Boys ---
**Author:** ![Denis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/5e9695/32.png) [@Denis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Denis)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2004, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-10-albums/253886/60 "2004-07-09T05:36:04Z")
**Rush** -_Moving Pictures_ **SRV** -_Texas Flood_ **Pink Floyd** -_Dark Side of the Moon_ **Led Zeppelin** -_Physical Graffiti_ **Neil Young with Crazyhorse** -_Rust Never Sleeps_ **Yes** -_Fragile_ **U2** -_War_ **Blondie** -_Parallel Lines_ **Metallica** -_Master of Puppets_ **AC/DC** -_High Voltage_ These are the bits that find their way into my CD changer most often, or some of them would if I owned the CD, rather than a compilation. **lissener** , you’re right. KEXP is the best music radio I’ve heard. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-10-albums/253886.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-10-albums/253886.md?page=4)