# What are the best back-to-back albums ever produced by the same artist? **URL:** \ **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:** 3
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2003, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-back-to-back-albums-ever-produced-by-the-same-artist/193943/41 "2003-08-09T12:15:50Z")
Joni Mitchell: _Song to a Seagull/Clouds_. Nick Drake - a triple - the only albums released while he was alive: _Five Leaves Left/Bryter Later/Pink Moon_. ---
**Author:** ![Agrippina](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8797f3/32.png) [@Agrippina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Agrippina)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2003, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-back-to-back-albums-ever-produced-by-the-same-artist/193943/42 "2003-08-09T14:09:54Z")
“Weird Al” Yankovic’s _Bad Hair Day_ and _Running With Scissors_. ---
**Author:** ![Gail](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Gail](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gail)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2003, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-back-to-back-albums-ever-produced-by-the-same-artist/193943/43 "2003-08-09T14:11:20Z")
“The Cars” and “Candy-O” by The Cars…and then, after that, the Cars ran out of gas. ---
**Author:** ![Dragon\_Phoenix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bcef8e/32.png) [@Dragon\_Phoenix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dragon_Phoenix)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2003, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-back-to-back-albums-ever-produced-by-the-same-artist/193943/44 "2003-08-09T14:15:14Z")
It’s difficult to top the already mentioned Pink Floyd sequence Meddle The dark side of the moon Wish you were here Animals The wall From this quintet, TDSOTM/WYWH would get my vote for the OP. ---
**Author:** ![fessie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c37758/32.png) [@fessie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fessie)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2003, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-back-to-back-albums-ever-produced-by-the-same-artist/193943/45 "2003-08-09T14:27:38Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by if6was9 \* > \*\*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: \*\* Actually the order is: Meddle - 1971 Dark Side of the Moon - 1973 Wish You Were Here - 1975 Animals - 1977 The Wall - 1979 [hijack] Shouldn’t we be celebrating the 30th anniversary of one of the best years in music - ever? DSOTM, Quadrophenia, Houses of the Holy…[/hijack] ---
**Author:** ![fessie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c37758/32.png) [@fessie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fessie)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2003, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-back-to-back-albums-ever-produced-by-the-same-artist/193943/46 "2003-08-09T14:29:53Z")
Geez, Dragon, you had me beat & I didn’t even see it on preview!:eek: (I was rifling through my CD inserts, trying desperately to find another back-to-back sequence…alas!) ---
**Author:** ![New\_Improved\_Scott](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f17d59/32.png) [@New\_Improved\_Scott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/New_Improved_Scott)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2003, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-back-to-back-albums-ever-produced-by-the-same-artist/193943/47 "2003-08-09T14:59:24Z")
> [@](#): > > \*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, that was one ove the ones that came to my mind when I read to OP, so no tomatoes from me. Aside from that, I’d toss in: Metallica : …And Justice for All and the Black album Portishead: Dummy and Portishead Sloan: Smeared and Twice Removed and One Chord to Another Nirvana: Bleach and Nevermind Pearl Jam: Ten and Vs. ---
**Author:** ![punkkid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7feea3/32.png) [@punkkid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/punkkid)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2003, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-back-to-back-albums-ever-produced-by-the-same-artist/193943/48 "2003-08-09T15:58:57Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Interrobang!? \* > \*\ ***Velvet Underground:** _Velvet Underground and Nico_ followed by _White Light/White Heat_ followed by _The Velvet Underground_. Oh hell yeah! Totally forgot about those three… ---
**Author:** ![Stephe96](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Stephe96](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stephe96)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2003, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-back-to-back-albums-ever-produced-by-the-same-artist/193943/49 "2003-08-09T16:15:00Z")
“The Rutles” and “Archaeology” by The Rutles. Case closed. Might as well close the thread as well… ---
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2003, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-back-to-back-albums-ever-produced-by-the-same-artist/193943/50 "2003-08-09T17:20:21Z")
Two acts I’m surprised haven’t been mentioned here" - _Talking Book, Innervisions, Fulfillingness’ First Finale,_ and\* Songs in the Key of Life\* by Stevie Wonder - _Permanent Waves_ and\* Moving Pictures\* by Rush ---
**Author:** ![Fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bc8723/32.png) [@Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fish)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2003, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-back-to-back-albums-ever-produced-by-the-same-artist/193943/51 "2003-08-09T17:48:15Z")
I’ll second the AC/DC _Highway to Hell_ and _Back in Black_ above. And it’ll be hard to beat the Pink Floyd lineup. But it’ll be fairly hard to top this setup, too, at least in my mind: Billy Joel _The Stranger_ (biggest-selling album for Columbia Records from release in 1977 until 1985; “Just the Way You Are,” “Movin’ Out,” “Always A Woman,” “Only the Good Die Young,” four top 20 hits, two Grammies) 1977 _52nd Street_ (#1 album fall 1978; “My Life,” “Big Shot,” “Honesty”; two Grammies) 1978 _Glass Houses_ (#1 album spring 1980; “You May Be Right,” “Still Rock ‘n’ Roll To Me,” “Don’t Ask Me Why”; one Grammy) 1980 FISH ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2003, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-back-to-back-albums-ever-produced-by-the-same-artist/193943/52 "2003-08-09T17:49:50Z")
**Warren Zevon** - _Warren Zevon_ and _Excitable Boy_ **RadioHead** - _OK Computer,_ and _Kid A_. **Supertramp** - _Even in the Quiestest Moments_ and _Breakfast in America_ (Almost a threepeat with _Crime of the Century_, but the forgettable _Crisis? What Crisis?_ was in between there). **The Eagles** - _One of These Nights_, _Hotel California_ and _The Long Run_ ---
**Author:** ![Mockingbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c68b51/32.png) [@Mockingbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mockingbird)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2003, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-back-to-back-albums-ever-produced-by-the-same-artist/193943/53 "2003-08-09T17:53:16Z")
Madonna - True Blue and Like A Prayer Depeche Mode - Music for the Masses and Violator Eurythmics - Sweet Dreams(Are Made of This), Touch, Be Yourself Tonight ---
**Author:** ![if6was9](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e47c2d/32.png) [@if6was9](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/if6was9)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2003, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-back-to-back-albums-ever-produced-by-the-same-artist/193943/54 "2003-08-09T18:52:31Z")
Also, I would be remiss if I didn’t add Jimi’s _Are You Experienced, Axis/Bold As Love, Electric Ladyland._ ---
**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:** [August 9, 2003, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-back-to-back-albums-ever-produced-by-the-same-artist/193943/55 "2003-08-09T19:49:23Z")
I’ll take obscure British art-rock bands for $500, Alex. **Camel** - “Mirage”, “Moonmadness”, and “The Snow Goose”, (one of my favoritest albums of all time). ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2003, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-back-to-back-albums-ever-produced-by-the-same-artist/193943/56 "2003-08-10T04:07:16Z")
I came in to post a Pink Floyd string but since I’ve been beaten to it… Alan Parsons Project, _Tales of Mystery and Imagination_ was followed by _I, Robot_ which in turn was followed by _Pyramid_. I’m pretty sure that Tori Amos didn’t put out anything in between _Under the Pink_ and _Boys for Pele_. ---
**Author:** ![hazel-rah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/73ab20/32.png) [@hazel-rah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hazel-rah)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2003, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-back-to-back-albums-ever-produced-by-the-same-artist/193943/57 "2003-08-10T04:45:25Z")
(2) Kate Bush: The Dreaming and Hounds of Love. (3) Cocteau Twins: Head Over Heels, Treasure, Victorialand. Of course they had half a dozen EPs between these albums. Also, Galaxie 500’s entire output. (4) Felt: Crumbling the Antiseptic Beauty, The Splendour of Fear, The Strange Idols Pattern and Other Short Stories, Ignite the Seven Cannons. Then Maurice Deebank left. Also, Moose’s entire output to date. (5) Much harder… David Bowie, although nobody would agree _which_ five, certainly did five classics in a row somewhere. -fh ---
**Author:** ![Dryga\_Yes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/838e76/32.png) [@Dryga\_Yes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dryga_Yes)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2003, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-back-to-back-albums-ever-produced-by-the-same-artist/193943/58 "2003-08-10T21:06:10Z")
**Sonic Youth** released _EVOL_,\* Sister\* and _Daydream Nation_ all in a row between '86 and '88. Not only are they all amazing albums, but it’s also pretty fascinating how much they manage to change as a band in those few years. They go from free-form avant-garde to indie/college rock (without getting accused of selling out!) Yowza. other good ones: **Pavement** - _Slanted & Enchanted_ followed by _Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain_ **The Pixies** - _Surfer Rosa_ followed by _Doolittle_ **Can** - _Tago Mago_, _Ege Bamyasi_ and _Future Days_ ---
**Author:** ![Petey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f1d935/32.png) [@Petey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Petey)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2003, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-back-to-back-albums-ever-produced-by-the-same-artist/193943/59 "2003-08-11T17:26:42Z")
**Boston** - _Boston_ and _Don’t Look Back_ **Foreigner** - _Foreigner_ and _Double Vision_ ---
**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2003, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-back-to-back-albums-ever-produced-by-the-same-artist/193943/60 "2003-08-11T17:46:46Z")
Radiohead: THE BENDS and OK COMPUTER [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-back-to-back-albums-ever-produced-by-the-same-artist/193943.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-back-to-back-albums-ever-produced-by-the-same-artist/193943.md?page=4)