I suspect it will too. I haven't done any analytics yet, but my guess is that when all is said and done here, my list will over index on stuff between '88-'95, and Sam's will have a similar band starting a few years later.
As Sam notes, where/if/how these lines cross has been really fascinating to watch.
Now we’re really starting to get into the meat of these lists, can’t wait to see what the next few weeks brings! Jumping into this week’s list I’m seeing even more homework for me than last week, which is fantastic!
I was very late to the Daniel Britt party, possibly not listening to any of his music until his 2012 album with Divine Fits. Spoon’s Lucifer on the Sofa found its way into my AOTY list at #13 for 2022. But I’m not sure I’ve listened to any of their earlier albums.
I feel you on Dr. Dre’s album Kevin. I feel the same way about Eminem. For a short time I was into The Marshall Mathers LP and The Eminem Show, so much more so for the flow and rhymes than the lyrical content. It wasn’t long before I could no longer co-sign the misogyny that pervades both of those albums.
I so love to see Disintegration here, it’s an amazing album. Not sure it’s my favorite Cure album but it would be pretty close!
My god, somehow I’d forgotten what an incredible album Unknown Pleasures was. I don’t remember what year I first bought it on cassette but probably the early 80s. I have this vivid recollection of sitting next to the combination dual deck cassette-tuner-turntable stereo in my bedroom as this played and being in awe of what I was hearing. I’d just never heard anything like it at that point in my life and it opened a lot of musical doors for me.
I’ve spent a fair bit of time with Gaye’s Here My Dear and that’s an amazing album but not sure I’ve ever heard the entire What’s Going On? album. Will have to rectify that asap!
Portishead’s Dummy is one of my Desert Island Discs and it’s great to see it included here.
Oh wow, Give Me Back My Man is such a great song but I’ve never listened to that entire album and this is a good reminder to get on that.
Not sure I’ve ever actually listened to John Hiatt. Ditto on Fugazi. More homework for me!
You need to listen to "What's Going On?" ASAP. It is truly one of the GOAT albums. I'm aware that this is a bit of a spoiler on my end, but I will go to bat for this album any day of the week.
If you're getting into Spoon, I'd start with "Kill the Moonlight" -> "Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga" -> "A Series of Sneaks" then go from there. What makes Spoon amazing is their consistency. They may not ever blow your mind with experimentation or throwing you any crazy curveball, but you can expect that every album they drop will be at least a very good listen.
I also forgot how amazing "Unknown Pleasures" was. I loved it in high school, then I moved on to New Order. Kevin's pick motivated me to go back to it and "Closer" and damn, they hit hard.
Lucifer on the Sofa was on my AOTY list as well. Thanks also for mentioning Eminem and your thoughts on his records. I can generally separate the art form the artist, but this is obviously about the art itself and our feelings toward it a few decades later.
It was a tape in a car, but hearing Unknown Pleasures for the first time blew me away as well.
Four picks that we are on the same page with. Godspeed....We saw them live in a local medium size venue and their show is a sonic and visual trip, a trip well worth the price of admission.
I take both of Joy Disision's albums as one, good music any way that you listen to it.
Marvin Gaye, What's Going On? is an album that has been taken apart and analyzed over and over, your take on it is fair.
The B52s-Wild Planet I've been spinning this album since it was released and it is still a good listen.
Bob Dylan- Highway 61 Revisited I listened to this album the day before yesterday. Not his best record but still a good on. In a top 100 list I would go with Desire.
Happy to see another Godspeed fan here. Saw them live for the first time two years ago and they just knocked my dick off. Seeing them again in November and I'm beyond excited.
For Dylan, I was stuck between "Highway 61" and "Blonde on Blonde." I went with the more broadly influential album.
There are SO many great artists/albums here that I'd be hard pressed to pick my favorite. I think a playlist with the best tracks from these is in order!
Maggot Brain was seminal for me. I had no previous interest in black music, none whatsoever. But when I heard that hard, hard funk my ears were suddenly opened up.
I love your writing and many of the albums on the list. Last year, I attended The Cure concert, and it was one of the best shows I’ve ever seen. They improvised during the instrumental parts and let the music flow, creating some of the most magical moments I’ve ever experienced. This is why I love music so much! It can heal, connect, tell a story, or transport you to a dream world just by feeling it
Really enjoying the list! 3 thoughts on the list so far:
1. Very glad to see Ella Fitzgerald getting due appreciation.
2. Disappointed that Rickie Lee Jones has not made an appearance here. I assume that she won’t be in your all-time top 30 (I wouldn’t put her there either), but her debut album and (for me, especially) Pirates both deserve places in the top 100.
3. I am holding my breath to see where The Clash, London Calling lands on your list. At the time it was released, a friend (a huge fan of Springsteen and Dylan) said that it was the greatest rock album ever made, and would always be the greatest, unless the Clash released a better one. Of course, they never did, and all these years later I would still rank London Calling among the greatest ever.
Good to see "Maggot Brain" and "What's Going On?" there.
Both bangers but “What’s Going On?” Needs to be higher!
I have a feeling I’m going to get dragged for this as the day goes on…
But it gets the people going lol
Lol. True!
Very interesting picks from you and Sam. I need to compile my top 100. How will my age factor into my list? I suspect , very much so.
Seeing how our upbringings and contexts influenced the music we listened to has been a very interesting takeaway from this project.
I suspect it will too. I haven't done any analytics yet, but my guess is that when all is said and done here, my list will over index on stuff between '88-'95, and Sam's will have a similar band starting a few years later.
As Sam notes, where/if/how these lines cross has been really fascinating to watch.
Now we’re really starting to get into the meat of these lists, can’t wait to see what the next few weeks brings! Jumping into this week’s list I’m seeing even more homework for me than last week, which is fantastic!
I was very late to the Daniel Britt party, possibly not listening to any of his music until his 2012 album with Divine Fits. Spoon’s Lucifer on the Sofa found its way into my AOTY list at #13 for 2022. But I’m not sure I’ve listened to any of their earlier albums.
I feel you on Dr. Dre’s album Kevin. I feel the same way about Eminem. For a short time I was into The Marshall Mathers LP and The Eminem Show, so much more so for the flow and rhymes than the lyrical content. It wasn’t long before I could no longer co-sign the misogyny that pervades both of those albums.
I so love to see Disintegration here, it’s an amazing album. Not sure it’s my favorite Cure album but it would be pretty close!
My god, somehow I’d forgotten what an incredible album Unknown Pleasures was. I don’t remember what year I first bought it on cassette but probably the early 80s. I have this vivid recollection of sitting next to the combination dual deck cassette-tuner-turntable stereo in my bedroom as this played and being in awe of what I was hearing. I’d just never heard anything like it at that point in my life and it opened a lot of musical doors for me.
I’ve spent a fair bit of time with Gaye’s Here My Dear and that’s an amazing album but not sure I’ve ever heard the entire What’s Going On? album. Will have to rectify that asap!
Portishead’s Dummy is one of my Desert Island Discs and it’s great to see it included here.
Oh wow, Give Me Back My Man is such a great song but I’ve never listened to that entire album and this is a good reminder to get on that.
Not sure I’ve ever actually listened to John Hiatt. Ditto on Fugazi. More homework for me!
You need to listen to "What's Going On?" ASAP. It is truly one of the GOAT albums. I'm aware that this is a bit of a spoiler on my end, but I will go to bat for this album any day of the week.
If you're getting into Spoon, I'd start with "Kill the Moonlight" -> "Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga" -> "A Series of Sneaks" then go from there. What makes Spoon amazing is their consistency. They may not ever blow your mind with experimentation or throwing you any crazy curveball, but you can expect that every album they drop will be at least a very good listen.
I also forgot how amazing "Unknown Pleasures" was. I loved it in high school, then I moved on to New Order. Kevin's pick motivated me to go back to it and "Closer" and damn, they hit hard.
Will definitely get into What’s Going On? And thanks for the primer on where to start with Spoon!
Lucifer on the Sofa was on my AOTY list as well. Thanks also for mentioning Eminem and your thoughts on his records. I can generally separate the art form the artist, but this is obviously about the art itself and our feelings toward it a few decades later.
It was a tape in a car, but hearing Unknown Pleasures for the first time blew me away as well.
Godspeed You! Black Emperor-Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven (2000)
Joy Division- Unknown Pleasures (1979)
Marvin Gaye- What’s Going On? (1971)The B52s-Wild Planet (1980)
The B52s-Wild Planet (1980)
Bob Dylan- Highway 61 Revisited (1965)
Four picks that we are on the same page with. Godspeed....We saw them live in a local medium size venue and their show is a sonic and visual trip, a trip well worth the price of admission.
I take both of Joy Disision's albums as one, good music any way that you listen to it.
Marvin Gaye, What's Going On? is an album that has been taken apart and analyzed over and over, your take on it is fair.
The B52s-Wild Planet I've been spinning this album since it was released and it is still a good listen.
Bob Dylan- Highway 61 Revisited I listened to this album the day before yesterday. Not his best record but still a good on. In a top 100 list I would go with Desire.
Happy to see another Godspeed fan here. Saw them live for the first time two years ago and they just knocked my dick off. Seeing them again in November and I'm beyond excited.
For Dylan, I was stuck between "Highway 61" and "Blonde on Blonde." I went with the more broadly influential album.
There are SO many great artists/albums here that I'd be hard pressed to pick my favorite. I think a playlist with the best tracks from these is in order!
I have some good news!
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7kqox2TvziehvjUoU4phWl?si=v70nSSx_SR20mQ7cSS1CRw
Maggot Brain was seminal for me. I had no previous interest in black music, none whatsoever. But when I heard that hard, hard funk my ears were suddenly opened up.
I love your writing and many of the albums on the list. Last year, I attended The Cure concert, and it was one of the best shows I’ve ever seen. They improvised during the instrumental parts and let the music flow, creating some of the most magical moments I’ve ever experienced. This is why I love music so much! It can heal, connect, tell a story, or transport you to a dream world just by feeling it
Really enjoying the list! 3 thoughts on the list so far:
1. Very glad to see Ella Fitzgerald getting due appreciation.
2. Disappointed that Rickie Lee Jones has not made an appearance here. I assume that she won’t be in your all-time top 30 (I wouldn’t put her there either), but her debut album and (for me, especially) Pirates both deserve places in the top 100.
3. I am holding my breath to see where The Clash, London Calling lands on your list. At the time it was released, a friend (a huge fan of Springsteen and Dylan) said that it was the greatest rock album ever made, and would always be the greatest, unless the Clash released a better one. Of course, they never did, and all these years later I would still rank London Calling among the greatest ever.