# What are the best back-to-back albums ever produced by the same artist?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-back-to-back-albums-ever-produced-by-the-same-artist/193943
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [August 8, 2003, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-back-to-back-albums-ever-produced-by-the-same-artist/193943 "2003-08-08T23:53:15Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Lizard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lizard)
#### Post date: [August 8, 2003, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-back-to-back-albums-ever-produced-by-the-same-artist/193943/1 "2003-08-08T23:53:15Z")
I have two nominees:
Night Moves and Stranger In Town by Bob Seger. Two of the best albums of 1970s mainstream rock, of a genre now called “classic rock.” Seger’s scratchy, emotive voice on truly moving songs like “Night Moves” and “We’ve Got Tonite”; great backup work on guitar and percussion from the Silver Bullet band on songs like “Mainstreet” and “Hollywood Nights,” etc. Against the Wind may have outsold both these albums, but they remain Seger’s best work artistically, and some of the best the decade had to offer.
War and The Joshua Tree by U2. The pattern followed by these two albums is similar to that of Seger above: the first disc displayed a raw talent and power that helped the group break out into a wider audience, while the second fulfilled the artists promise and established lasting stardom.
Anyway, these are the kinds of things one thinks about on boring Friday afternoons. Hope someone else has something to contribute.
---
### Author:  [@pepperlandgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pepperlandgirl)
#### Post date: [August 9, 2003, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-back-to-back-albums-ever-produced-by-the-same-artist/193943/2 "2003-08-09T00:05:25Z")
Rubber Soul and Revolver.
---
### Author:  [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)
#### Post date: [August 9, 2003, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-back-to-back-albums-ever-produced-by-the-same-artist/193943/3 "2003-08-09T00:11:26Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by pepperlandgirl \*
> \*\*Rubber Soul and Revolver. \*\*
I’ll second that.
And add:
ELO: A New World Record & Out of the Blue
Blondie: Plastic Letters & Parallel Lines
Fleetwood Mac: Fleetwood Mac & Rumours
---
### Author:  [@Wumpus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wumpus)
#### Post date: [August 9, 2003, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-back-to-back-albums-ever-produced-by-the-same-artist/193943/4 "2003-08-09T00:11:38Z")
Kind of Blue and Sketches of Spain
Highway 61 Revisted and Blonde on Blonde
My Aim Is True and This Year’s Model
The Bends and OK Computer
---
### Author:  [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)
#### Post date: [August 9, 2003, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-back-to-back-albums-ever-produced-by-the-same-artist/193943/5 "2003-08-09T00:13:31Z")
The Kinks released five masterpieces in a row: _Face To Face, Something Else, Village Green Preservation Society, Arthur (or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire),_ and _Lola vs. Powerman and the Moneygoround._
---
### Author:  [@Bob\_Scene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bob_Scene)
#### Post date: [August 9, 2003, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-back-to-back-albums-ever-produced-by-the-same-artist/193943/6 "2003-08-09T00:26:22Z")
_Los Angeles_ and _Wild Gift_ by X.
---
### Author:  [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)
#### Post date: [August 9, 2003, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-back-to-back-albums-ever-produced-by-the-same-artist/193943/7 "2003-08-09T00:31:27Z")
Michael Jackson’s Off The Wall and Thriller.
Patiently awaiting the tomatoes all of Doperhood will throw at me for daring to mention Michael Jackson in a “Best of” thread.
---
### Author:  [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)
#### Post date: [August 9, 2003, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-back-to-back-albums-ever-produced-by-the-same-artist/193943/8 "2003-08-09T00:33:49Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Biggirl \*
> \*\*Michael Jackson’s Off The Wall and Thriller.
>
> Patiently awaiting the tomatoes all of Doperhood will throw at me for daring to mention Michael Jackson in a “Best of” thread. \*\*
Well, _Off the Wall_ was a pretty good album while _Thriller_ was okay. So I’m tossing some cherry tomatoes at you. 😃
---
### Author:  [@Ms\_Macphisto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ms_Macphisto)
#### Post date: [August 9, 2003, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-back-to-back-albums-ever-produced-by-the-same-artist/193943/9 "2003-08-09T01:32:01Z")
I hate to nitpick, **Lizard** , but War and The Joshua Tree weren’t released back-to-back. U2 released The Unforgettable Fire in between those two albums, which I guess wasn’t all that unforgettable. 🙂 To get really picky they also put out live EP Under a Blood Red Sky a few months after War came out, but I don’t really count that because it’s primarily songs off of War, with a bit of earlier stuff thrown in. I agree that War and The Joshua Tree are both great albums though.
My pick? Out of Time and Automatic for the People by R.E.M.
And an honourable mention for Achtung Baby and Zooropa by U2. Zooropa may not be their best album, but it fits so well with Achtung Baby.
---
### Author:  [@TripleAnt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TripleAnt)
#### Post date: [August 9, 2003, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-back-to-back-albums-ever-produced-by-the-same-artist/193943/10 "2003-08-09T01:38:30Z")
How about Soft Bulletin and Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots by the Flaming Lips??
---
### Author:  [@Ms2001](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ms2001)
#### Post date: [August 9, 2003, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-back-to-back-albums-ever-produced-by-the-same-artist/193943/11 "2003-08-09T02:13:39Z")
TMBG: _John Henry_ and _Factory Showroom_.
---
### Author:  [@rolandgunslinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rolandgunslinger)
#### Post date: [August 9, 2003, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-back-to-back-albums-ever-produced-by-the-same-artist/193943/12 "2003-08-09T02:40:45Z")
AC/DC-“BACK IN BLACK” and “FOR THOSE ABOUT TO ROCK…WE SALUTE YOU”
---
### Author:  [@punkkid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/punkkid)
#### Post date: [August 9, 2003, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-back-to-back-albums-ever-produced-by-the-same-artist/193943/13 "2003-08-09T02:47:15Z")
- The Clash\*, \* Give 'Em Enough Rope\*, and \* London Calling\* by The Clash.
Truly revolutionized music!
---
### Author:  [@Albert\_Rose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Albert_Rose)
#### Post date: [August 9, 2003, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-back-to-back-albums-ever-produced-by-the-same-artist/193943/14 "2003-08-09T02:48:05Z")
Van Morrison’s _Astral Weeks_ was released in the late 60s, and _Moondance_ was released in 1970. I also like the Band’s early double – _Music from Big Pink_ and then _The Band_. And I’ll mention more R.E.M. – _Lifes Rich Pageant_ and _Document_.
Bob Dylan fans will be along eventually, I assure you.
---
### Author:  [@Cholo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cholo)
#### Post date: [August 9, 2003, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-back-to-back-albums-ever-produced-by-the-same-artist/193943/15 "2003-08-09T03:06:15Z")
The Rolling Stones’ **Sticky Fingers** and then **Exile on Main Street** takes the prize!
---
### Author:  [@5\_time\_champ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/5_time_champ)
#### Post date: [August 9, 2003, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-back-to-back-albums-ever-produced-by-the-same-artist/193943/16 "2003-08-09T03:30:22Z")
How about the trifecta of _Tommy, Who’s Next_ & _Quadraphrenia_ by **The Who**?
---
### Author:  [@JKilez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKilez)
#### Post date: [August 9, 2003, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-back-to-back-albums-ever-produced-by-the-same-artist/193943/17 "2003-08-09T03:31:54Z")
So many. I will second most of the above (even MJ) and nominate:
Pink Floyd: Dark Side of the Moon & Wish You Were Here
The Who: Tommy & Live at Leeds & Who’s Next
The Housemartins: London 0 Hull 4 & The People Who Grinned Themselves to Death (their only two albums)
Public Enemy: It Takes a Nation of Millions… & Fear of a Black Planet
Tom Petty: Damn the Torpedoes & Hard Promises
---
### Author:  [@Yorikke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yorikke)
#### Post date: [August 9, 2003, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-back-to-back-albums-ever-produced-by-the-same-artist/193943/18 "2003-08-09T04:07:05Z")
AC/DC - Highway to Hell and Back in Black
Zeppelin - IV and Houses of the Holy
Public Enemy - Yo! Bum Rush the Show! and It Takes a Nation of Millions…
Almost any 2 Beatles Albums… really, is there any question? like 8 classics in a row…
hrh
---
### Author:  [@pesch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pesch)
#### Post date: [August 9, 2003, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-back-to-back-albums-ever-produced-by-the-same-artist/193943/19 "2003-08-09T04:07:44Z")
Personal favorite: Elton John’s **Goodbye Yellow Brick Road** and **Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy**.
---
### Author:  [@if6was9](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/if6was9)
#### Post date: [August 9, 2003, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-back-to-back-albums-ever-produced-by-the-same-artist/193943/20 "2003-08-09T04:23:56Z")
I may be wrong but didn’t Pink Floyd do Meddle, Animals, Wish You Were Here and Dark Side of The Moon all in a row? :eek:
[Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-back-to-back-albums-ever-produced-by-the-same-artist/193943.md?page=2)