Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums-2020 Version

Auggie

Auggie

Well-known member
Rolling Stone gets even more woke with this list: https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/best-albums-of-all-time-1062063/

Top 10

1) Marvin Gaye - What's Going On
2) Beach Boys - Pet Sounds
3) Joni Mitchell - Blue
4) Stevie Wonder - Songs in the Key of Life
5) The Beatles - Abbey Road
6) Nirvana - Nevermind
7) Fleetwood Mac - Rumors
8) Prince & The Revolution - Purple Rain
9) Bob Dylan - Blood on the Tracks
10) Lauryn Hill - The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill

The music fans on this board will not be happy with this list but it's basically curated by industry insiders based out of NYC & LA, so what do you expect? If anything its a starting point for discussions.
 
 
Strange list. As you say, a good starting point for discussion, but I'm not sure any of those would be in my top ten. I always felt "Abbey Road" was overrated...not my favorite Beatles. "Rumors" is a great album, but not top ten (maybe). I never cared for Nirvana and their angst routine. Joni Mitchell "Blue"? No thanks. Prince is a critic's favorite ever since he died. Not even Dylan's best. "Innervisions" might be better than "Songs in the Key of Life". No comment on Lauryn Hill. "Pet Sounds" is typically on the top ten lists, but not I'm not a huge Beach Boys fan. Same with "What's Going On".

No "Dark Side of the Moon" or "The Wall". No "Sgt. Pepper". No Zeppelin.
 
1) Marvin Gaye - What's Going On - Love, but top ten? And, especially #1? No.
2) Beach Boys - Pet Sounds - See BH's comment. Maybe top ten, but not #2.
3) Joni Mitchell - Blue - Great voice, but that's all I can say. Have never heard the album.
4) Stevie Wonder - Songs in the Key of Life - See BH's comment. Innervisions is very good. In my collection.
5) The Beatles - Abbey Road - Disagree with BH on this, but that's okay. Have this and Sgt. Pepper. Top ten.
6) Nirvana - Nevermind - Nevermind.
7) Fleetwood Mac - Rumors - Doubtful top ten, especially w/o Zeppelin ^^^ in the list.
8) Prince & The Revolution - Purple Rain - Appreciate the music more now than at the time, but not top ten.
9) Bob Dylan - Blood on the Tracks - Have never heard. Not a big fan, though I recognize his contribution to rock.
10) Lauryn Hill - The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill - Recognize the name, but that's it. Country?
 
^^^I had to look up Lauryn Hill. Not country. Wikipedia calls it neo soul and R&B, with some hip hop soul and reggae. Whatever all that means.
 
Pet Sounds was unique and groundbreaking in many ways (driven by Brian Wilson's craziness and drug use) but I never thought it was great. Also was not a fan of Lauren Hill's Miseducation of Lauren Hill. I was never a Fleetwood Mac fan. I can live with the rest, though the order may change. Happy that Nevermind made it.
 
My quick takes>

1) Marvin Gaye - What's Going On Mature soul from the heart. Top 10 maybe but not #1.
2) Beach Boys - Pet Sounds Along with the Beatles invented the modern version of what an album should be, bonus points for the musicianship and sound on this one. Top 5 in my book.
3) Joni Mitchell - Blue I don't get it. Spoke to women born before 1960 so it can come off like a Hillary Clinton speech. Carol King's Tapestry was better. Not worthy of top 10.
4) Stevie Wonder - Songs in the Key of Life Fantastic album but is Innervisions better? It comes down to quantity over quality. Borderline top 10 at best
5) The Beatles - Abbey Road My favorite Beatles album, a fitting coda to a great career. Revolver may be more innovative so I have that one higher. Still top 10.
6) Nirvana - Nevermind Shocked an industry back to its roots when it came out. Well written with no filler, top 10.
7) Fleetwood Mac - Rumors Captured the smooth rock sound of the '70s well. Not a clunker on the album but not top 10.
8) Prince & The Revolution - Purple Rain Captured the pop rock sound of the '80s well. Not a clunker on the album but not top 10.
9) Bob Dylan - Blood on the Tracks My favorite Dylan album, every song is strong and the lyrics are fantastic. Maybe not as important as earlier albums but still top 10 worthy.
10) Lauryn Hill - The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill I don't get it. Spoke to urban women born after 1980 so it can come off like a Jemele Hill speech. Not worthy of top 10.

Some additional ones I would have in my top 10>
Beatles - Revolver
Rolling Stones - Sticky Fingers
The Clash - London Calling
Amy Winehouse - Back to Black
 
To show you how woke this list is there is not a single country artist in the top 100. While not a fan of the genre it still should be represented on a top 100 album list. Unless I missed something the highest ranked pure country artist is Hank Williams at 132 with his greatest hits collection. The highest ranked country album is the one R&B star Ray Charles did, Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music at 127.
 
It’s no coincidence their #1 album was conceptualized after witnessing police brutality against protesters in Berkeley lol.

What a flipping joke.
 
These are the ones I know well enough to comment on. I don't have a problem with any of them in the top 10.

2) Beach Boys - Pet Sounds
5) The Beatles - Abbey Road
6) Nirvana - Nevermind
7) Fleetwood Mac - Rumors
8) Prince & The Revolution - Purple Rain

I would put Prince's "Sign 'O' the Times" in over Purple Rain and probably put it in the top 5.

Not seeing Pink Floyd is a little bit of a disappointment.
 
I still listen to Pet sounds, Abby Road and Nevermind. I did go out of my way to listen to Songs in the key of life 2 years ago. It didn't hold up to my memory of it.
 
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