In Your opinion, what are the 5 best albums. These are the 5 albums you couldn't live without.
here are mine

The Scorpions "humanity hour 1"- Thats right, the new Scorpions album is THAT GOOD!!! I have had that cd in my car for the last 2 months and I'm still not sick of it.

Van Halen- Self titled- Love this CD, just bought the Digitally remastered version of this cd, even though I already own a regular copy of the cd.

Led Zeppelin- "House of the Holy"- Love this cd. "the ocean" is my favorite Zeppelin song of all time.

Guns n Roses "appetite for destruction"- As overplayed as this album is, I still LOVE IT! I actually own 2 copies of this cd, I love it THAT MUCH! The songs never get old, even when you have heard them for the 10 millionth time.

Rolling Stones- "let it bleed"- Most people think "sticky fingers" is the best Stones album of all time, but I disagree. "gimme Shelter" is the best stones song.

Screw the beatles, I think The beach boys are waaaaaaay better than the Beatles. And don't even get me started with "Wings".

"Silly Love song" by Wings is by far one of the worst songs ever recorded!!

Only two that I know for sure, based on what I've played each month

Manhattan Transfer, Extensions

(A perfect piece of vinyl in both production and execution.)

SAGA, Worlds Apart

(The album that tells a story. It's like a movie each time you listen.)

Well, maybe three!

Pink Floyd, "The Wall"

I'm really about artists more than specific albums.

Sammy Hagar - I Never Said Goodbye

Scorpions - Humanuty Hour 1

Pink Floyd - A Momentary Lapse of Reason (I Can Relate)

Styx - Come Sail Away Anthology (OK, it's a compilation but it's a must have for me. It even goes way back to their early days under the Wooden Nickel label.)

Boston - Greatest Hits

Carole kings Tapestry
Carley Simons, Simply Carley
Best of hank Williams jr
Best of Alabama

Pink Floyd - Dark Side of the Moon
Led Zeppelin - 4
Radiohead - OK Computer
A Flock of Seagulls - 1
The Monkees - More of the Monkees

Of course, my list is always in flux, but the top 2 never changes.

And what is wrong with the Monkees, most of their songs were written by great writters, and a lot of peole liked their songs.

Led Zeppelin III

The Allman Brothers Band Live At The Fillmore East

The Band Music From Big Pink

Grateful Dead American Beauty

Traffic The Low Spark Of High Heeled Boys

Taco - After Eight (the record that had "Putting On The Ritz")
Airto - Seeds On The Ground
Lake - Lake (self titled)
Bangles - Different Light
The Beatles - Sgt. Pepper's
and pretty much anything by Frank Sinatra and Bing Crosby.

U2 - The Joshua Tree
Crowded House - Temple of Low Men
Beatles - Sgt. Pepper
Queen - News of the World
Pearl Jam - Vs.

1 - Pink Floyd - Dark Side of the Moon

2 - ??? I'll have to really think about this one. Maybe Arlo Guthrie's Alice's Restaurant.

3 - Harry Chapin - Greatest Stories Live

4 - ??? Maybe Cat Stevens - Foreigner Suite

I'm with Skeptical. Mine kind of changes depending on the mood I'm in.

1. Rush - 2112
2. AC/DC - Back In Black
3. Van Halen - 1984
4. Rush - Moving Pictures
5. Well, I can go a bazillion different directions here so I'll leave it blank.

Really after the top two, it can interchange but those two are must-have.

Here are five of my favorite albums (in no particular order):

1. Van Halen - Van Halen
2. The Who - Live at Leeds (or, "Who's Next")
3. The Beatles - Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
4. The Jimi Hendrix Experience: Are You Experienced?
5. Paul Simon: Graceland

More than one person mentioned Pink Floyd (and different albums, too!). I'm currently reading "Comfortably Numb: The Inside Story of Pink Floyd" by Mark Blake. Terrific book. I'm not a huge Pink Floyd fan but I appreciate their music and find their history fascinating!

Andrew

Pearl Jam - Vitalogy (who would have guessed?)
Rush - Moving Pictures
Guns N Roses - Appetite for Destruction
Alice in Chains - Dirt
Van Halen - Van Halen

Honorable mention:

Boston - Boston
Pearl Jam - No Code
Pink Floyd - Dark Side of the Moon
Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin I
Journey - Escape
Metallica - Master of Puppets
Dr. Dre - The Chronic

How about Queensryche "Empire"? Great Album.

There is a lot of Buzz about the new Radiohead album and I just don't get it.
I loved Radioheads first album Pablo Honey, but every album after that I cant stand. To me the new Radiohead album is really BORING! I've tried to get into it, but just can't. Their songs are so bland. I really want to like Radiohead, but I just can't. Maybe their new album is an aquired taste that I just havent acquired.

I agree DT, though I think Operation: Mindcrime is absolutely brilliant as well. One of the best concept albums ever.

Oh oh, Nwokie likes The Monkees, so my always in flux top 5 has been updated: The Monkees -- OUT, U2 -- The Joshua Tree -- IN!

Kid A and OK Computer are the best Radiohead albums in my book.

Best of Stan Kenton
Led Zeppelin-Houses of the Holy
Bachman Turner Overdrive-1st album
Eagles-Greatest Hits
Steely Dan-Countdown to Ecstasy

This is a great thread!

Damn, that is a tough question to answer, but here are a half dozen:

The Beach Boys, Pet Sounds
The Kinks, Village Green Preservation Society
The Rolling Stones, Beggars Banquet
Ella Fitzgerald, Ella in Berlin
Willie Nelson, Red Haired Stranger
Nino Rota, 8 1/2

Hey LittleSongs, scroll down in the following link till you get to the photo of Bob Swanson
http://www.pdxhistory.com/html/portland_radio.html
I don't know why but when I saw it I thought of you, you think there is a little resemblance there?

Hey Vitalogy, I can't believe you think that Pearl Jam's Vitalogy is a better album than 10. Pearl jam's 10 is an EPIC album, one of the best of the 90's.

I liked Ten, but I'd rank Vitalogy, No Code, Vs, and maybe even Yeild as being better. I also really liked their most recent self titled album as well.

10 is what you call "seminal." (Highly influential in an original way; constituting or providing a basis for further development)

Like Music From Big Pink, Sgt. Peppers, Disraeli Gears (which should be in my top 5 but I spazzed), Overnight Sensation, Pet Sounds, Child Is Father To The Man, B.B. King live at the Regal, Tres Hombres, Blonde On Blonde, Couldn't Stand The Weather, ... I'd better stop.

I'm afraid to post my top five.

Pat Boone?

Shhhhhh

Captain & Tennille????

I thought I saw Chris Taylor running down the street singing "physical" by Olivia Newton John.

Darktemper, I am flattered as heck. Bob was a monster! :0)

Andy, I look at 10 in a different light. When Pearl Jam was gaining a great deal of traction, I could not help but think of all the other bands that sounded like that and didn't get the brass ring. Like Nirvana, they are not original, but they are very important.

Chris Taylor's top five? I would venture a few guesses like Jaco Pastorius because of his thunderbroom, or Bach and Handel because of their gorgeous spiritual music. I dunno, but it can't be that embarrassing. I'll shut up now. :0)

Chris, go for it!

The first post says ...In your Opinion....

To me, that means there is no right or wrong choice. Just what you like!

James Taylor maybe?

Burl Ives?

Michael Bolton? Nobody will make fun of you Chris if you're a fan of "when a man loves a woman"- The Michael Bolton Version. Heck, rumor has it that TRIXTER had the exact same mullet as Michael Bolton did back in the early 90's.

Marcel Marceau's Greatest Hits?

Pia Zadora?

Raffi?

Who was it that listed Pia Zadora as a concert they've seen? That one REALLY stuck out to me. Was that you Magic Eye?

The Wall- Pink Floyd
Brothers In Arms- Dire Straits
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Heats Club Band- The Beatles
Under The Table And Dreaming- The Dave Matthews Band
Can't Buy A Thrill- Steely Dan

Man, this was hard. I'd say I'd take these five albums with me if I were to be stranded on a desert island with only five albums.

"Who was it that listed Pia Zadora as a concert they've seen? Was that you Magic Eye?"

Not me! But I do remember someone else mentioning her awhile back, too.

It wasn't Chris either!

Author: Kq4
Wednesday, January 16, 2008 - 8:39 pm

Al Hirt
Brown Sugar
Cate Bros.
Finnigan and Wood
Fly By Nite Band
Holy Modal Rounders
Michael Murphey
Notary Sojac
Overtime
Pia Zadora
Pleasure
Portland Symphony
Rare Earth
Roberta Flack
Woody Herman and His Thundering Herd

here

Guilty as charged!

Before you pile on Kq4, here is some compelling evidence that his reasoning was sound. :0)

Yeah. A lot of poeple don't know this about Pia Zadora; You know those pictures of her on that website linked above?

They are actual size.

This week my list would be:

Beatles - Abbey Road
Led Zeppelin II
Steely Dan - Aja
The Alarm - Eye of the Hurricane
Little Steven - Freedom: No Compromise

... and some honorable mentions:

Here Are The Sonics
X - See How We Are
Fabulous Thunderbirds - Tuff Enuff

Upon further consideration, I think my #2 would have to be either Creedence Clearwater Revival's Cosmo's Factory or one of their greatest hits albums.

Move Arlo to #4 and Cat Stevens to #5.

I’m surprised that no one brought up Creedence. IMHO, they could possibly the most perfect band that has ever been!

Aja is a superb album.

I don't know SkyB, "Green River" is as good as Cosmo's although it doesn't have anything like that 11 min Heard It On The Grapevine track.

Why no one mentioned them?
Good question. I think picking 5 albums (around 50 songs or so) is a somewhat obsolete approach when you can carry 10,000 tracks around in your pocket.

Stuck in Lodi, again!

" Aja is a superb album. "

I'm reading ( actually listening to a downloaded audio version ) a book called " Your brain on music." Steely Dan has been cited for MANY MANY reasons. It's a very interesting read for those that appreciate how an album or song hits your ears ( especially in headphones ) and what it does to your brain. It's a book that really dissects why we respond to certain chord progressions and notes. Steely Dan has been, in the book, broken down to expose some really amazing stuff that I could never articulate. But boy, when I heard it put that way, I went nuts with the " Wow. YES! That's what music does to ME too!"

Plus, it helps me program my station with that kind of stuff in mind and people seem to respond to it positively. Even if they aren't exactly sure why.

Hey, everyone has their thing - that topic is my thing.

Hey Darktemper, (or anyone else that cares)
Check out the video "Hour 1"- The new Scorpion's single. I Blew my car speakers in the Yugo the other day because I had this song cranked so loud.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GAe0bt_A1SQ&feature=related

The Cult - Sonic Temple.

Cornerstone album for me. It's in my top 6, I guess.

I love it when someone on TV is listing their top whatever and they say " Oh yeah - that sports figure - definitely in my top 11."

Gee. Wonder which position.

Oh, by the way, I have beer. Tune in.

Jan and Dean Meet Batman
Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons On Broadway
The Beach Boys Pet Sounds
The Best of ABBA
Carly Simon Boys in the Trees

.......I'd say I'd take these five albums with me if I were to be stranded on a desert island with only five albums......

Yet, you don't say that you would also take a record player with you, or, where you would plug in said record player on said island....

At least with a carly simon album you always have the cover to keep you company.

:-D

Well here ya go. I finally caved in.

Matters of the Heart- Bob Bennett
Fairwell Fairbanks-Randy Edelman
High Sierra- Dan'L
That's the Way of World-Earth, Wind & Fire
Hot August Night- Neil Diamond ( I love the opening orchestration)

And a bonus album of Beethovan.

Whats up with Steely Dan? That is another artist I have tried to get into and never could. I guess Id rather put in an ACDC cd than a Steely Dan Cd.

I appreciate their talent more than their songs. You know? I get it. Just ain't my bag.

The thing that drew me into Steely Dan was the fusion jazz element in a lot of their music. Being backed by some of the best LA studio musicians like Tom Scott, Larry Carlton, "Skunk" Baxter, and Ernie Watts doesn't hurt, either. "Aja" was actually my gateway to becoming a true fan, then I went looking back into their previous releases.

Chris, Bob Bennett may be the most under-rated performer ever in Christian music. He comes across as honest and "real," which doesn't always go over well among some in the American Christian subculture who prefer to go around with pasted-on yellow smiley faces proclaiming that "true Christians" shouldn't have any real-world problems.

<<Motozak2 Said:
Lake - Lake (self titled)
Holy Crap...I didn't think ANYONE knew about this great band. Time Bomb...One of my all time favorites. I've got all 4 of the LP's (the pink one with the flamingo? Great art!)

Randy-

Michael Card years ago at a concert in Portland said of the album "Matters of the Heart"-"I want to make an album like that!!"

Bob is in many ways a poet first then singer. Under-rated, under appreciated by the mainstream Christian cultural but highly respected in songwriting circles.

JR: 30 posts in FIVE years?

Dude, jump in! We won't bite.

What are YOUR faves?

Hey Merkin, 5 post in the last 6 days?????? Jump back in yerself!

Bob Bennett's "Man of the Tombs" is the rare song that will actually give me goosebumps.

Herb

Have you seen Bob Bennett in concert Herb? It's a treat.

I have a compilation album of Elvis's early hits, that's a great album.
Lisa Minnili (sp), did a tv special a lot of years ago, that's a great album.
Alice Coopers ballads.
Ricky Nelsons greatest hits

Alice Cooper ballads?? Like what?

Who can forget that classic Alice Cooper ballad "Make-Up on a Man"
Or that slow jamz "I'm Too Short to Play Basketball"
My personal favorite "Marilyn Manson Sucks"

Great slow hits from Alice Cooper.

you asked
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jYPCPeC9SKU

You thief, you stole that from one of Merkins post's! The Noive of some people! Geeeesh!

"Have you seen Bob Bennett in concert Herb?"

No I haven't, but if what I've heard is any indication, the guy must be incredible live.

Herb

Bob has a son serving in Iraq or at least had served. If you want to hear a song he wrote about this go to this web site http://www.bob-bennett.com/ and on the left side of the home page look for the link "Iraq" Song.

Then choose which format you want to hear the song "My Heart Across the Ocean." I believe you can download it for free.

It's a deeply honest song which is typical of Bob.

This is Bob performing the song I was trying to access on line.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4T48WrA0RsY

Not neccessarily "best", but my favorites:

1. TIE: Pet Sounds & Surfs Up-Beach Boys
2. Disraeli Gears-Cream
3. Born To Run - Bruce Springsteen
4. Woodface - Crowded House
5. Faded Seaside Glamour - Delays

Honorable mention: Hail To The Thief - Radiohead, Revolver - Beatles, Bayou Country - Creedence, The Great 28 - Chuck Berry, Girlfriend - Matthew Sweet, Lost and Gone Forever - Guster, and many, many more.

Ask me again later and it'll probably be different.

BTW: I love The Monkees and would add "Headquarters" to my honorable mentions. I have many Michael Nesmith albums as well.

Oh, one more honorable: "Songs In The Key Of Life" - Stevie Wonder

Okay, all of you MONKEES fans come out of the closet now and identify yourselves!

.....um, hi. My name is Edselehr, and I'm a Monkee's fan. This will be in my garage someday...

OK, so this doesn't fit with the "Top 5 Albums" thread directly, but it is music related!

I just heard a song on Sirius 16, The Vault, that I remember them playing on 105.9 The River when it first went on the air.

Sill Got The Blues by Gary Moore.

Great tune!

Does KINK still play that? They used to.

(I love "The Vault" channel! Listened to it all the way home from Seattle on Sunday!)

Does KINK still play that? They used to.

I'm not sure. I haven't listened to much commercial radio since I got my Sirius receiver.

The Vault (16) and Classic Vinyl (14) are my two favorites, although I listen to Margaritaville (31) quite a bit also.

Edseler, what do you think, there's a 2 barrel carb hidden in that "blower"?

I'm gonna build one of these and plow my way down the freeways.
http://www.tigersweat.com/images/anim14.jpg
So if you see DEATH in your rear view mirror you better get the hell out of the way!

Tommy Boyce, Bobby Hart, Carole King, Gerry Goffin, and Neil Diamond, John Stewart etc were the writers for the Monkees songs, plus great session musicians.

Bon Jovi "New Jersey"- 1988 BABY! The year I graduated from high School. That CD still sounds great today. How can you not like "bad medicine" or " Lay your hands on me"??- CLASSICS. Plus, If you wanted to get laid back in 1988, You better have had "I'll be there for you" by Bon Jovi Cranked in the Bedroom!!! A total Panty dropper! It worked for me

"Edseler, what do you think, there's a 2 barrel carb hidden in that "blower"?"

I've heard that also. Mike Nesmith was the primary driver of that car, and said it was nowhere near as fast as it looked, but still was a cool ride.

In no particular order:


Chicago (self-titled aka. Chicago II)

U2 - _War_

_The_2_Tone_Collection_(A_Checkered_Past)_ (This is a Chrysalis Records compilation of late 1970s era ska)

Amy Winehouse - _Back_To_Black_

REM - _Automatic_For_the_People_


Honorable Mention:

Nerdy Girl - _Twist_Her_

Billy Joel - _The_Stranger_

Jenna Mammina - _Under_the_Influence_

"Weird Al" Yankovic - _Weird_Al_Yankovic_In_3D_
(sorry, I couldn't help myself on that one)

Thanks for the reminder on Chicago II. I borrowed my sister's copy of this album and almost wore the grooves flat. The songs were great, but what I remember most was "getting" the idea of what an album could be. Each side of the LP was a cohesive flow from one song to the next with a beginning, middle and end. The likes of which we'll never see again, thanks to "shuffle" mode.

Rolling Stones- Let it bleed
James Brown- Live at the Apollo
Elvis- From Elvis in Memphis
Sly and the Family Stone- There's a riot goin on
Marvin Gaye- What's Going On **I forgot how great this Marvin album was... from start to finish it is solid**

In the Chicago II album, there is even a note that says, "Producer's Note: This endeavor should be experienced sequentially."