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#20-
Thriller by Michael Jackson
I'm very surprised that this is so far down the list.
Although, I'm not a huge fan and I don't listen to my vinyl of this
as much as I should, the production is achingly beautiful. Also, "Wanna
Be Startin' Somethin'" is included in the Vice City Soundtrack. |
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#26-
The Joshua Tree by U2
Strangely, I bought this CD after I already read the
Rolling Stone list. I've always loved it though. The deep cuts
like "Running to Stand Still," "Red Hill Mining Town"
and "In God's Country" outshine even the really popular
songs from this album. I also have a special place in my heart for
"One Tree Hill," since it's a hill in New Zealand. |
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#46-
Legend by Bob Marley
I believe that Rolling Stone cheated by picking
this one as well as all other greatest hits albums the magazine picked..
Greatest hits albums aren't cohesive moments of musical consciousness
in the same way as individually released albums are. Nevertheless,
this is one of the best greatest hits packages ever. Totally full
of grooves and dance music with messages. |
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#62-
Achtung Baby by U2
My sister-in-law's sister gave me this tape when the
two of us sat next to each other in ninth grade biology. I have no
idea why she didn't want it, but in my opinion her giving it to me
was a big mistake on her part. Although I now prefer The Joshua
Tree to this one, Achtung Baby did a great job of bringing
some of my classic-rock friends into listening to a more modern sound. |
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#72- Purple
Rain by Prince and the Revolution
For the most part, the movie sucks pretty bad. The
musical sequences in the movie are brilliant, though. This one deserves
to be considered Prince's best. It's very varied. How can "Take
Me With You," "When the Doves Cry" and "Let's
Go Crazy" all come from the same source at one point in history? |
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#162-
OK Computer by Radiohead
I probably prefer Kid A, maybe. You really have
to be in a special mood to listen to Radiohead. My friend gave this
one to me for my birthday and it took me years to get into it. I listened
to it for a while after that and it was wonderful, but now I'm out
of the mood again. |
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#197-
Murmer by R.E.M.
I bought this one before I knew that musical journalists
heralded it as the best R.E.M. I'm sure they're all just talk. The
songs don't come close to some of the early 90's stuff the band did.
I never hear them mention the songs specifically. It must just be
cool to talk about it as cool. I actually bought it because Mike Mills
claimed that the song "Perfect Circle" was the first song
to emotionally move him. It's a great song, but I still don't understand
it. |
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#221- War
by U2
I got this vinyl in New Zealand. Honestly, I mostly
love the cover. I'm surprized this one made it in. Rolling Stone
has a serious crush on U2 to include All That You Can't Leave Behind
and Boy as well. Seconds is a pretty cool tune, though. |
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#247- Automatic
for the People by R.E.M
It's really good. Most people would say it's better
than Out of Time, but I disagree. I disagree vehemently especially
since Out of Time didn't make the list at all. Still, Try
Not to Breathe is one of my very very favorites. |
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#278- The Immaculate
Collection by Madonna
Once again, greatest hits album -- cheating! Still,
if you don't have it, you're not human. If nothing else, this collection
proves that her music will long outlive her public character. |
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#326-
Disintigration by The Cure
The South Park kids say this is the greatest album
ever made. It's kind of funny how there are Cure fans everywhere,
but not enough to make the band the mainstream phenomenon they could've
been. This album is considered the darkest of the dark. I prefer my
Cure with touches of pop -- that way the dark songs seem even darker. |
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#342-
Violator by Depeche Mode
Good. It made it. The fact that this album made the
list prevented me from personally complaining to the magazine. Certainly,
this is the Depeche Mode one that deserves to be noted. Its mere nine
songs never disappoint. Its smooth electric sound is balanced by just
enough production grit. The cover is cool and simple. It's the last
great album of the eighties (even thought it came out in 1990). Oh,
and Halo is my favorite song ever. |
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#361-
Substance by New Order
CHEATING! New Order makes it difficult, however. They
had enough of an impact on popular music to get recognized, but there
isn't one album they had that really tells us that. Unfortunately,
my favorite New Order projects came along after this particular greatest
hits package came about. Oh well, at least they got recognized. Go
Blue Monday! |
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#363-
Ray of Light by Madonna
The only reason I have this one is because when I was
a part of Columbia House, this was the featured CD of the month and
I forgot to send in the little card. I will say this though - Madonna
did a great job of showing that techno can have emotion to it. |
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#367-
Is This It by The Strokes
I really love this one, but I think in a few years
Rolling Stone is gonna wonder why they pushed The Strokes as
much as they did. |
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#390-
Elephant by The White Stripes
It's fitting that The White Stripes are nestled right
next to The Strokes. This album is great, but it's just their breakout,
not their best. The songs on White Blood Cells are much more
memorable. Of course, it still is a really fabulous album. Minimalism
rules. Who'd of thought that bass didn't matter that much? |
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#413- Beauty
and the Beat by The Go-Gos
I have it on vinyl. I've never listened to it. |
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#442-
Boys Don't Cry by The Cure
Rolling Stone failed
to mention that this first Cure release was the only American album
to showcase the original bassist, Michael Dempsey. Dempsey moved the
band toward a blues groove, but I guess Robert Smith went against
it. Dempsey was taken out of the band and Smith hired his old friend,
Simon Gallup who stayed with The Cure pretty much until today. Ever
see a picture of the band? Gallup is the one who most looks like he
belongs. Anyway, compare the basslines of "Accuracy" to
"A Forest." That's the difference a Gallup makes (and still
makes). |
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#455-
Synchronicity by The Police
Way down at 455? That's just plain silly. The two title
tracks alone should put it in the 300s somewhere and "Every Breath
You Take" should bump it into the late 100s at least. I heard
today that that song is about the government. I don't believe it.
Honestly, I don't. I think that has to be a total load. Oh! Oh! Also,
it should move up another 20 spots for the line: "And every single
meeting with his so-called superior is a humiliating kick in the crotch." |
