The 50 albums that changed music

[jjcourtright]

http://observer.guardian.co.uk/review/story/0,,1821230,00.html

They actually go into some depth about the albums, plus a "Without this..." for each.

Here's the top 10.

1 The Velvet Underground and Nico
The Velvet Underground and Nico (1967)
Without this, there'd be no ... Bowie, Roxy Music, Siouxsie and the Banshees and the Jesus and Mary Chain, among many others.


2 The Beatles
Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967)
Without this ... pop would be a very different beast.


3 Kraftwerk
Trans-Europe Express (1977)
Without this... no techno, no house, no Pet Shop Boys. The list is endless.


4 NWA
Straight Outta Compton (1989)
Without this ... no Eminem, no 50 Cent, no Dizzee Rascal.


5 Robert Johnson
King of the Delta Blues Singers (1961)
Without this ... no Rolling Stones, Cream, Led Zeppelin.


6 Marvin Gaye
What's Going On (1971)
Without this ... no Innervisions (Stevie Wonder) or Superfly (Curtis Mayfield).


7 Patti Smith
Horses (1975)
Without this ... no REM, PJ Harvey, Razorlight. And no powerful female pop icons like Madonna.


8 Bob Dylan
Bringing it All Back Home (1965)
Without this ... put simply, on this album and the follow-up, Highway 61 Revisited, Dylan invented modern rock music.


9 Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley (1956)
Without this ... no King, no rock and roll madness, no Beatles first album, no pop sex symbols.


10 The Beach Boys
Pet Sounds (1966)
Without this ... where to start? The Beatles acknowledged its influence; Dylan said of Brian Wilson, 'That ear! I mean, Jesus, he's got to will that to the Smithsonian.'

[FanGirl]

13 Frank Sinatra
Songs for Swingin' Lovers (1956)

Without this ... the 'singer as song interpreter' wouldn't have been born, karaoke menus would be much diminished.


I do have to seriously disagree with a few things though. New York Dolls were practically responsible for the whole Punk movement. Also, the Ramones were huge influences on a lot of bands.

You might argue Nirvana's landmark album changed nothing whatsoever.

What? Are they serious? Who could argue that? That album made the world aware of the Seattle scene. My mom knows about grunge because of that album on mainstream radio.

[crucialmayhemandflowers]

the white album should be on the top ten.
_________________________
helter skelter!!!

[BizarroPunisher]

4 NWA
Straight Outta Compton (1989)
Without this ... no Eminem, no 50 Cent, no Dizzee Rascal.

So, the world would be a better place?

[jjcourtright]

That argument has been made elsewhere on these boards. Something along the lines of Straight Outta Compton making gangsta rap the only commercially viable style of rap for many years. I'll see if I can find it.

[BizarroPunisher]

All I was meaning is that I personally don't like modern rap. I like some older rap (mainly Run DMC and a little Public Enemy), but that's about it. I just get tired of hearing about the same thing again and again about how "tough" someone is or how much of a "pimp" someone is.

[phit_demon]

So, the world would be a better place?
That's harsh. Dizee Rascall is really good.

[jjcourtright]

I've never even heard of Dizee Rascall.

[JamesW]

How the hell can they have a list like that without "Music From Big Pink"?

[JK]

...What? Are they serious? Who could argue that? That album made the world aware of the Seattle scene. My mom knows about grunge because of that album on mainstream radio.

I did a research paper in college on the impact of that album. Got an A-. HUGE influence on the music scene. But, it's not cool to like Nirvana anymore.


And they list the Spice Girls above Hendrix, Prince, and James Brown?

Oh, wait... this is a UK rag...

[BizarroPunisher]

I did a research paper in college on the impact of that album. Got an A-. HUGE influence on the music scene. But, it's not cool to like Nirvana anymore.

I just got my first Nirvana cd a couple weeks ago (From the Muddy Banks of the Wishkah) and love it. I'm still uncool! WOO-HOO!

[By-tor]

I just got my first Nirvana cd a couple weeks ago (From the Muddy Banks of the Wishkah) and love it. I'm still uncool! WOO-HOO!No chance.

[Robbo_the_Hood]

But, it's not cool to like Nirvana anymore.It wasn't cool to like Nirvana on April 5th, 1994 either. Then they found his body on the 8th, and he was the voice of a generation.

I may be showing my age, but I didn't know it stopped being cool to like Nirvana, since everyone is trying to re-make Nevermind.

And at the time, Nevermind changed the pop-music landscape. Maybe I'm old since I didn't know Nirvana isn't cool anymore.

[By-tor]

And at the time, Nevermind changed the pop-music landscape. Maybe I'm old since I didn't know Nirvana isn't cool anymore.I am old, and Nirvana will always be cool.

[Threadkiller]

I'm pretty old and I liked Nirvana even less after he died (because they got played more). As far as I'm concerned they were always overhyped and never cool. I can't say I completely dislike the direction that music has taken as a result of the Nirvana phenomenon but I still can't bring myself to listen to any of their stuff. I just don't like it.

[JK]

Some people just don't like it, different strokes, different pokes. But it seems that whenever a discussion about favorite bands comes up, I get blasted by the hipster-doofusses (doofusi?) whenever I mention Nirvana. And they all think Sonic Youth is the greatest thing since cheese-flavored tofu.

[s!l3nt-b()b]

im sorry but i disagree alot with that lost...there is no AC/DC???

Back in Black is the greatest album ever...so it changed everythin lol


i hate that list

[brodie696969]

Some people just don't like it, different strokes, different pokes. But it seems that whenever a discussion about favorite bands comes up, I get blasted by the hipster-doofusses (doofusi?) whenever I mention Nirvana. And they all think Sonic Youth is the greatest thing since cheese-flavored tofu.

I feel your pain. I catch flak for Nirvana all the time.

[jjcourtright]

I just picked up their boxset from the library. I haven't listened to anything else since then. The second disc is incredible.

[brodie696969]

I just picked up their boxset from the library. I haven't listened to anything else since then. The second disc is incredible.

That's my favorite disc of the collection as well. I love the Butch Vig mix of "Smells Like Teen Spirit". It sounds much better than the original.

[psychofiend]

I think it's funny that patti smith is higher on the list than the guy who started her carreer.

[DOOM2099]

I'm pretty old and I liked Nirvana even less after he died (because they got played more). As far as I'm concerned they were always overhyped and never cool. I can't say I completely dislike the direction that music has taken as a result of the Nirvana phenomenon but I still can't bring myself to listen to any of their stuff. I just don't like it.


Possibly cuz they sucked ballhair.

[JK]

Possibly cuz they sucked ballhair.

Just like your "comics"?