# Your favorite "concept" cd? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 9, 2001, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-concept-cd/86261 "2001-10-09T03:49:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2001, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-concept-cd/86261/1 "2001-10-09T03:49:44Z")
By that I mean cd’s that follow a story or idea throughout the entire cd. For example Pink Floyed’s “The Wall” or Quennsryche’s “Operation Mindcrime” My personal favorite is a little know jew called “Amused to Death” by Roger Waters. Best cd I ever heard in my life! Anyone else? ---
**Author:** ![RocknRoll\_Killing\_Machine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/5daacb/32.png) [@RocknRoll\_Killing\_Machine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RocknRoll_Killing_Machine)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2001, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-concept-cd/86261/2 "2001-10-09T05:17:36Z")
I’d guess it would be Godspeed You Black Emperor!'s **F# A# Infinity.** However, all their stuff is somewhat thematic, so if that counts, so does all of their stuff. Others would be Nine Inch Nail’s **The Downward Spiral** and (I would argue)the Beastie Boy’s _Ill Communication_\* [Edited by Ukulele Ike on 10-09-2001 at 05:56 PM] ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2001, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-concept-cd/86261/3 "2001-10-09T05:25:35Z")
The best concept album I ever heard was _Alice Cooper Goes To Hell_. ---
**Author:** ![dalovindj](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/65b543/32.png) [@dalovindj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalovindj)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2001, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-concept-cd/86261/4 "2001-10-09T05:29:37Z")
Eminem’s albums continually tell the story of his alter-ego Slim Shady’s exploits. Love it. I would have to say “The Slim Shady LP” is my favorite. I never knew how many times a guy could murder his wife . . . DaLovin’ Dj ---
**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:** [October 9, 2001, 6:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-concept-cd/86261/5 "2001-10-09T06:15:30Z")
The lamb lies down on Broadway - Genesis (two CD’s) Merlin - Kayak (half a CD, actually) ---
**Author:** ![blur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/dbc845/32.png) [@blur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blur)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2001, 6:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-concept-cd/86261/6 "2001-10-09T06:16:36Z")
My favorite is Queensryches Operation:Mindcrime. ---
**Author:** ![woodstockbirdybird](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/woodstockbirdybird/32/7905_2.png) [@woodstockbirdybird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woodstockbirdybird)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2001, 6:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-concept-cd/86261/7 "2001-10-09T06:25:09Z")
**Husker Du** - _Zen Arcade_ ---
**Author:** ![Eutychus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Eutychus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eutychus)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2001, 9:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-concept-cd/86261/8 "2001-10-09T09:06:12Z")
**Gentle Giant** _Three Friends_ ---
**Author:** ![Harvey\_The\_Heavy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Harvey\_The\_Heavy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harvey_The_Heavy)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2001, 9:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-concept-cd/86261/9 "2001-10-09T09:10:09Z")
KISS _Destroyer_ The Beach Boys _Pet Sounds_ ---
**Author:** ![Why\_A\_Duck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/13edae/32.png) [@Why\_A\_Duck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Why_A_Duck)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2001, 12:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-concept-cd/86261/10 "2001-10-09T12:21:29Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by SHAKES \* > **My personal favorite is a little know jew called “Amused to Death” by Roger Waters. Best cd I ever heard in my life!** Ummm… A typo I hope? As for the OP, I like **Tommy** , **The Wall** , **Queen II** , and Tom Wait’s **Frank’s Wild Years**. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2001, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-concept-cd/86261/11 "2001-10-09T12:42:04Z")
“Lola vs. Powerman and the Moneygoround” by the Kinks. Extra points because, for purposes of the album (its about the record business), the artist involved had a hit single – and “Lola” is that song. ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2001, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-concept-cd/86261/12 "2001-10-09T14:41:21Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by blur \* > \*\*My favorite is Queensryches Operation:Mindcrime. \*\* I have to agree with you, **blur**. Great album. Ever get to see it live? ---
**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:** [October 9, 2001, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-concept-cd/86261/13 "2001-10-09T16:05:42Z")
For me, _Operation:Mindcrime_ and _The Wall_ are the definitive concept albums (I’ll never ‘CDs’!). More that deserve to be mentioned: - **Styx** ’s _The Grand Illusion_ and _Paradise Theater_. Their _Mr. Roboto_ was an inferior effort to the two mentioned, IMHO. - **Pink Floyd** again with _Animals_. - **Rush** ’s _2112_. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Red\_Menace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/82dd89/32.png) [@The\_Red\_Menace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Red_Menace)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2001, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-concept-cd/86261/14 "2001-10-09T18:03:16Z")
**Pink Floyd** yet again with _The Final Cut_. I used to hate it, or at the very least find it pretty mediocre. Now I love. I don’t mind later day Floyd, but they were definetly Roger Water’s band. ---
**Author:** ![Tygr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/df788c/32.png) [@Tygr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tygr)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2001, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-concept-cd/86261/15 "2001-10-09T18:49:57Z")
I think this qualifies: The Alan Parson’s Project - _Edgar Allen Poe: Tales of Mystery and Imagination_ One song for each of Poe’s greatest stories/poems, with “The Raven” being my favorite. ---
**Author:** ![Infovore](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/infovore/32/420_2.png) [@Infovore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Infovore)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2001, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-concept-cd/86261/16 "2001-10-09T20:22:10Z")
I have several, clustered around a few artists: From the Alan Parsons Project: **Tales of Mystery and Imagination** , **Freudiana** , **Turn of a Friendly Card** From Savatage: **The Wake of Magellan** , **Dead Winter Dead** , **Poets and Madmen** From Styx: **Kilroy Was Here** , **Paradise Theater** From Rush: **2112** ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2001, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-concept-cd/86261/17 "2001-10-09T20:33:40Z")
Other choices: Rick Wakeman – “Six Wives of Henry VIII” The Beatles – “Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” The Who – “Tommy,” of course, but also “Quadrophrenia.” Someone once argued that “The Who by Numbers” was also a concept album, but I don’t buy that. “The Who Sell Out” is an very early concept album, too. Van Dyke Parks – “Song Cycle” [Amazon.com](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/feature/-/3613/107-4370832-5582948) has an interesting page listing concept albums. They’re right about “Pet Sounds” and I’m delighted they thought of “12 Dreams of Dr. Sardonicus.” ---
**Author:** ![Lucki\_Chaarms](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9de0a6/32.png) [@Lucki\_Chaarms](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucki_Chaarms)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2001, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-concept-cd/86261/18 "2001-10-09T21:06:09Z")
Favorite concept album: Mechanical Animals by Marilyn Manson. Tells the story of the band Omega and The Mechanical Animals, in their self-destructive rock opera drug orgy glory. Omega has an obsession with a girl/drug named Coma White. LC ---
**Author:** ![Fern\_Forest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/71c47a/32.png) [@Fern\_Forest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fern_Forest)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2001, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-concept-cd/86261/19 "2001-10-09T21:34:30Z")
I’ve always loved **Days of Future Passed** by The Who. It just takes me nice places from the beginning to the end of a whole day. ---
**Author:** ![Moe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moe/32/2972_2.png) [@Moe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moe)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2001, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-concept-cd/86261/20 "2001-10-09T22:25:11Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Osiris \* > \*\*I’ve always loved **Days of Future Passed** by The Who. It just takes me nice places from the beginning to the end of a whole day. \*\* Might you mean _by The Moody Blues_? Unless _The Who_ also have an album by tht name that I am unaware of. Just wanted to come in here and second **The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway** by _Genesis_. I’ll add **Olias of Sunhillow** by _Jon Anderson_. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-concept-cd/86261.md?page=2)