Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time

[Alexander]

If one is paying attention to such things on the net, the most recent issue of Rolling Stone has generated a bit of contraversy. I'm not a huge fan of the "All-Time" lists, but I thought this was a pretty good one. Predictibly, younger fans are chafing at the lack of recent music in the top 100. Older fans resent the presence of people like Nas and Eminem on the list. Yes fans are apparently ticked-off that Yes didn't make the list (can't say I blame Rolling Stone for that one). Sure, I would have done some things differently. I would have put "Revolver" at number one and "Sgt. Pepper" at number 3, for example. But I thought it was a thought provoking list, and it's made me go back and listen to a lot of stuff I hadn't heard in ages (such as the Zombies' "The Odyssey and the Oracle"). Plus, Miles Davis made the list three times, Coltrane made it twice, and Stan Getz made it once. Not too shabby for a rock magazine!

Anyway, here's the list. Bitch away.

******************************************************************

1. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, The Beatles

2. Pet Sounds, The Beach Boys

3. Revolver, The Beatles

4. Highway 61 Revisited, Bob Dylan

5. Rubber Soul, The Beatles

6. What's Going On, Marvin Gaye

7. Exile on Main Street, The Rolling Stones

8. London Calling, The Clash

9. Blonde on Blonde, Bob Dylan

10. The Beatles ("The White Album"), The Beatles

11. The Sun Sessions, Elvis Presley

12. Kind of Blue, Miles Davis

13. Velvet Underground and Nico, The Velvet Underground

14. Abbey Road, The Beatles

15. Are You Experienced?, The Jimi Hendrix Experience

16. Blood on the Tracks, Bob Dylan

17. Nevermind, Nirvana

18. Born to Run, Bruce Springsteen

19. Astral Weeks, Van Morrison

20. Thriller, Michael Jackson

21. The Great Twenty-Eight, Chuck Berry

22. Plastic Ono Band, John Lennon

23. Innervisions, Stevie Wonder

24. Live at the Apollo (1963), James Brown

25. Rumours, Fleetwood Mac

26. The Joshua Tree, U2

27. King of the Delta Blues Singers, Vol. 1, Robert Johnson

28. Who's Next, The Who

29. Led Zeppelin, Led Zeppelin

30. Blue, Joni Mitchell

31. Bringing It All Back Home, Bob Dylan

32. Let It Bleed, The Rolling Stones

33. Ramones, Ramones

34. Music From Big Pink, The Band

35. The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars, David Bowie

36. Tapestry, Carole King

37. Hotel California, The Eagles

38. The Anthology, 1947 - 1972, Muddy Waters

39. Please Please Me, The Beatles

40. Forever Changes, Love

41. Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols, The Sex Pistols

42. The Doors, The Doors

43. The Dark Side of the Moon, Pink Floyd

44. Horses, Patti Smith

45. The Band, The Band

46. Legend, Bob Marley and the Wailers

47. A Love Supreme, John Coltrane

48. It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back, Public Enemy

49. At Fillmore East, The Allman Brothers Band

50. Here's Little Richard, Little Richard

51. Bridge Over Troubled Waters, Simon and Garfunkel

52. Greatest Hits, Al Green

53. The Birth of Soul: The Complete Atlantic Rhythm and Blues Recordings, 1952 - 1959, Ray Charles

54. Electric Ladyland, The Jimi Hendrix Experience

55. Elvis Presley, Elvis Presley

56. Songs in the Key of Life, Stevie Wonder

57. Beggars Banquet, The Rolling Stones

58. Trout Mask Replica, Captain Beefheart and His Magic Band

59. Meet the Beatles, The Beatles

60. Greatest Hits, Sly and the Family Stone

61. Appetite for Destruction, Guns n' Roses

62. Achtung Baby, U2

63. Sticky Fingers, The Rolling Stones

64. Phil Spector, Back to Mono (1958 - 1969), Various Artists

65. Moondance, Van Morrison

66. Led Zeppelin IV, Led Zeppelin

67. The Stranger, Billy Joel

68. Off the Wall, Michael Jackson

69. Superfly, Curtis Mayfield

70. Physical Graffiti, Led Zeppelin

71. After the Gold Rush, Neil Young

72. Purple Rain, Prince

73. Back in Black, AC/DC

74. Otis Blue, Otis Redding

75. Led Zeppelin II, Led Zeppelin

76. Imagine, John Lennon

77. The Clash, The Clash

78. Harvest, Neil Young

79. Star Time, James Brown

80. Odessey and Oracle, The Zombies

81. Graceland, Paul Simon

82. Axis: Bold as Love, The Jimi Hendrix Experience

83. I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You, Aretha Franklin

84. Lady Soul, Aretha Franklin

85. Born in the U.S.A., Bruce Springsteen

86. Let It Be, The Beatles

87. The Wall, Pink Floyd

88. At Folsom Prison, Johnny Cash

89. Dusty in Memphis, Dusty Springfield

90. Talking Book, Stevie Wonder

91. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, Elton John

92. 20 Golden Greats, Buddy Holly

93. Sign 'o' the Times, Prince

94. Bitches Brew, Miles Davis

95. Green River, Creedence Clearwater Revival

96. Tommy, The Who

97. The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan, Bob Dylan

98. This Year's Model, Elvis Costello

99. There's a Riot Goin' On, Sly and the Family Stone

100. In the Wee Small Hours, Frank Sinatra

101. Fresh Cream, Cream

102. Giant Steps, John Coltrane

103. Sweet Baby James, James Taylor

104. Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music, Ray Charles

105. Rocket to Russia, Ramones

106. Portrait of a Legend 1951 - 1964, Sam Cooke

107. Hunky Dory, David Bowie

108. Aftermath, The Rolling Stones

109. Loaded, The Velvet Underground

110. The Bends, Radiohead

111. Court and Spark, Joni Mitchell

112. Disraeli Gears, Cream

113. The Who Sell Out, The Who

114. Out of Our Heads, The Rolling Stones

115. Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs, Derek and the Dominos

116. At Last, Etta James

117. Sweetheart of the Rodeo, The Byrds

118. Stand!, Sly and the Family Stone

119. The Harder They Come Original Soundtrack, Various Artists

120. Raising Hell, Run-DMC

121. Moby Grape, Moby Grape

122. Pearl, Janis Joplin

123. Catch a Fire, Bob Marley and the Wailers

124. Younger Than Yesterday, The Byrds

125. Raw Power, The Stooges

126. Remain in Light, Talking Heads

127. If You Can Believe Your Eyes and Ears, The Mamas and the Papas

128. Marquee Moon, Television

129. 40 Greatest Hits, Hank Williams

130. Paranoid, Black Sabbath

131. Saturday Night Fever Original Soundtrack, Various Artists

132. The Wild, the Innocent and the E Street Shuffle, Bruce Springsteen

133. Ready to Die, The Notorious B.I.G.

134. Slanted and Enchanted, Pavement

135. Greatest Hits, Elton John

136. Tim, The Replacements

137. The Chronic, Dr. Dre

138. Rejuvenation, The Meters

139. All That You Can't Leave Behind, U2

140. Parallel Lines, Blondie

141. Live at the Regal, B.B. King

142. Phil Spector, A Christmas Gift for You, Various Artists

143. Gris-Gris, Dr. John

144. Straight Outta Compton, N.W.A

145. Aja, Steely Dan

146. Surrealistic Pillow, Jefferson Airplane

147. Dreams to Remember: The Otis Redding Anthology, Otis Redding

148. Deja Vu, Crosby Stills Nash and Young

149. Houses of the Holy, Led Zeppelin

150. Santana, Santana

151. Darkness on the Edge of Town, Bruce Springsteen

152. The B-52's, The B-52's

153. Moanin' in the Moonlight, Howlin' Wolf

154. The Low End Theory, A Tribe Called Quest

155. Pretenders, The Pretenders

156. Paul's Boutique, Beastie Boys

157. Closer, Joy Division

158. Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy, Elton John

159. Alive, Kiss

160. Electric Warrior, T. Rex

161. The Dock of the Bay, Otis Redding

162. OK Computer, Radiohead

163. 1999, Prince

164. Heart Like a Wheel, Linda Ronstadt

165. Let's Get It On, Marvin Gaye

166. Imperial Bedroom, Elvis Costello

167. Master of Puppets, Metallica

168. My Aim Is True, Elvis Costello

169. Exodus, Bob Marley

170. Live at Leeds, The Who

171. The Notorious Byrd Brothers, The Byrds

172. Every Picture Tells a Story, Rod Stewart

173. Something/Anything?, Todd Rundgren

174. Desire, Bob Dylan

175. Close to You, The Carpenters

176. Rocks, Aerosmith

177. One Nation Under a Groove, Parliament/Funkadelic

178. Greatest Hits, The Byrds

179. The Anthology 1961 - 1977, Curtis Mayfield and the Impressions

180. The Definitive Collection, Abba

181. The Rolling Stones, Now!, The Rolling Stones

182. Natty Dread, Bob Marley and the Wailers

183. Fleetwood Mac, Fleetwood Mac

184. Red Headed Stranger, Willie Nelson

185. The Stooges, The Stooges

186. Fresh, Sly and the Family Stone

187. So, Peter Gabriel

188. Buffalo Springfield Again, Buffalo Springfield

189. Happy Trails, Quicksilver Messenger Service

190. From Elvis in Memphis, Elvis Presley

191. Funhouse, The Stooges

192. The Gilded Palace of Sin, The Flying Burrito Brothers

193. Dookie, Green Day

194. Transformer, Lou Reed

195. Bluesbreakers, John Mayall With Eric Clapton

196. Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First Psychedelic Era 1965 - 1968, Various Artists

197. Murmur, R.E.M.

198. The Best of, Little Walter

199. Highway to Hell, AC/DC

200. The Downward Spiral, Nine Inch Nails

201. Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme, Simon and Garfunkel

202. Bad, Michael Jackson

203. Wheels of Fire, Cream

204. Dirty Mind, Prince

205. Abraxas, Santana

206. Tea for the Tillerman, Cat Stevens

207. Ten, Pearl Jam

208. Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere, Neil Young With Crazy Horse

209. Wish You Were Here, Pink Floyd

210. Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain, Pavement

211. Tattoo You, The Rolling Stones

212. Proud Mary: The Best of Ike and Tina Turner, Ike and Tina Turner

213. New York Dolls, New York Dolls

214. Bo Diddley/Go Bo Diddley, Bo Diddley

215. Two Steps From the Blues, Bobby Bland

216. The Queen Is Dead, The Smiths

217. Licensed to Ill, Beastie Boys

218. Look-Ka Py Py, The Meters

219. Loveless, My Bloody Valentine

220. New Orleans Piano, Professor Longhair

221. War, U2

222. The Neil Diamond Collection, Neil Diamond

223. Howlin' Wolf, Howlin' Wolf

224. Nebraska, Bruce Springsteen

225. The Complete Hank Williams, Hank Williams

226. Doolittle, Pixies

227. Paid in Full, Eric B. and Rakim

228. Toys in the Attic, Aerosmith

229. Nick of Time, Bonnie Raitt

230. A Night at the Opera, Queen

231. The Kink Kronikles, The Kinks

232. Mr. Tambourine Man, The Byrds

233. Bookends, Simon and Garfunkel

234. The Ultimate Collection, Patsy Cline

235. Mr. Excitement!, Jackie Wilson

236. The Who Sings My Generation, The Who

237. Like a Prayer, Madonna

238. Can't Buy a Thrill, Steely Dan

239. Let It Be, The Replacements

240. Run-DMC, Run-DMC

241. Black Sabbath, Black Sabbath

242. The Jerry Lee Lewis Anthology: All Killer No Filler!, Jerry Lee Lewis

243. Freak Out!, The Mothers of Invention

244. Live Dead, Grateful Dead

245. Bryter Layter, Nick Drake

246. The Shape of Jazz to Come, Ornette Coleman

247. Automatic for the People, R.E.M.

248. Reasonable Doubt, Jay-Z

249. Low, David Bowie

250. The River, Bruce Springsteen

251. The Otis Redding Dictionary of Soul, Otis Redding

252. Metallica, Metallica

253. Trans-Europe Express, Kraftwerk

254. Whitney Houston, Whitney Houston

255. The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society, The Kinks

256. The Velvet Rope, Janet Jackson

257. Stardust, Willie Nelson

258. American Beauty, Grateful Dead

259. Crosby Stills and Nash, Crosby Stills and Nash

260. Buena Vista Social Club , Buena Vista Social Club

261. Tracy Chapman, Tracy Chapman

262. Workingman's Dead, Grateful Dead

263. The Genius of Ray Charles, Ray Charles

264. Child Is Father to the Man, Blood, Sweat and Tears

265. Cosmo's Factory, Creedence Clearwater Revival

266. Quadrophenia, The Who

267. There Goes Rhymin' Simon, Paul Simon

268. Psycho Candy, The Jesus and Mary Chain

269. Some Girls, The Rolling Stones

270. The Beach Boys Today!, The Beach Boys

271. Going to a Go-Go, Smokey Robinson and the Miracles

272. Nightbirds, Labelle

273. The Slim Shady LP, Eminem

274. Mothership Connection, Parliament

275. Rhythm Nation 1814, Janet Jackson

276. Anthology of American Folk Music, Harry Smith, ed.

277. Aladdin Sane, David Bowie

278. The Immaculate Collection, Madonna

279. My Life, Mary J. Blige

280. Folk Singer, Muddy Waters

281. Can't Get Enough, Barry White

282. The Cars, The Cars

283. Five Leaves Left, Nick Drake

284. Music of My Mind, Stevie Wonder

285. I'm Still in Love With You, Al Green

286. Los Angeles, X

287. Anthem of the Sun, Grateful Dead

288. Something Else by the Kinks, The Kinks

289. Call Me, Al Green

290. Talking Heads: 77, Talking Heads

291. The Basement Tapes, Bob Dylan and the Band

292. White Light / White Heat, The Velvet Underground

293. Greatest Hits, Simon and Garfunkel

294. Kick Out the Jams, MC5

295. Meat Is Murder, The Smiths

296. We're Only In It For the Money, The Mothers of Invention

297. Weezer (Blue Album), Weezer

298. Master of Reality, Black Sabbath

299. Coat of Many Colors, Dolly Parton

300. Fear of a Black Planet, Public Enemy

301. John Wesley Harding, Bob Dylan

302. The Marshall Mathers LP, Eminem

303. Grace, Jeff Buckley

304. Car Wheels on a Gravel Road, Lucinda Williams

305. Odelay, Beck

306. Songs for Swingin' Lovers, Frank Sinatra

307. Avalon, Roxy Music

308. The Sun Records Collection, Various Artists

309. Nothing's Shocking, Jane's Addiction

310. BloodSugarSexMagik, Red Hot Chili Peppers

311. MTV Unplugged in New York, Nirvana

312. The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, Lauryn Hill

313. Damn the Torpedoes, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers

314. The Velvet Underground, The Velvet Underground

315. Surfer Rosa, Pixies

316. Rock Steady, No Doubt

317. The Eminem Show, Eminem

318. Back Stabbers, The O'Jays

319. Burnin', Bob Marley and the Wailers

320. Pink Moon, Nick Drake

321. Sail Away, Randy Newman

322. Ghost in the Machine, The Police

323. Station to Station, David Bowie

324. The Very Best of Linda Ronstadt, Linda Ronstadt

325. Slowhand, Eric Clapton

326. Disintegration, The Cure

327. Jagged Little Pill, Alanis Morissette

328. Exile in Guyville, Liz Phair

329. Daydream Nation, Sonic Youth

330. In the Jungle Groove, James Brown

331. Tonight's the Night, Neil Young

332. Help!, The Beatles

333. Shoot Out the Lights, Richard and Linda Thompson

334. Wild Gift, X

335. Squeezing Out Sparks, Graham Parker

336. Superunknown, Soundgarden

337. Aqualung, Jethro Tull

338. Cheap Thrills, Big Brother and the Holding Company

339. The Heart of Saturday Night, Tom Waits

340. Damaged, Black Flag

341. Play, Moby

342. Violator, Depeche Mode

343. Bat Out of Hell, Meat Loaf

344. Berlin, Lou Reed

345. Stop Making Sense, Talking Heads

346. 3 Feet High and Rising, De La Soul

347. The Piper at the Gates of Dawn, Pink Floyd

348. At Newport 1960, Muddy Waters

349. Roger the Engineer (a.k.a. Over Under Sideways Down), The Yardbirds

350. Rust Never Sleeps, Neil Young and Crazy Horse

351. Brothers in Arms, Dire Straits

352. 52nd Street, Billy Joel

353. Having a Rave Up With the Yardbirds, The Yardbirds

354. 12 Songs, Randy Newman

355. Between the Buttons, The Rolling Stones

356. Sketches of Spain, Miles Davis

357. Honky Chateau, Elton John

358. Singles Going Steady, Buzzcocks

359. Stankonia, Outkast

360. Siamese Dream, The Smashing Pumpkins

361. Substance, New Order

362. L.A. Woman, The Doors

363. Ray of Light, Madonna

364. American Recordings, Johnny Cash

365. Louder Than Bombs, The Smiths

366. Mott, Mott the Hoople

367. Is This It, The Strokes

368. Rage Against the Machine, Rage Against the Machine

369. Reggatta de Blanc, The Police

370. Volunteers, Jefferson Airplane

371. Siren, Roxy Music

372. Late for the Sky, Jackson Browne

373. Post, Bjork

374. The Eagles, The Eagles

375. The Ultimate Collection (1948 - 1990), John Lee Hooker

376. (What's the Story) Morning Glory?, Oasis

377. CrazySexyCool, TLC

378. Funky Kingston, Toots and the Maytals

379. Greetings from Asbury Park, Bruce Springsteen

380. Sunflower, The Beach Boys

381. Modern Lovers, Modern Lovers

382. More Songs About Buildings and Food, Talking Heads

383. A Quick One (Happy Jack), The Who

384. Pyromania, Def Leppard

385. Pretzel Logic, Steely Dan

386. Enter the Wu-Tang: 36 Chambers, Wu-Tang Clan

387. Country Life, Roxy Music

388. A Hard Day's Night, The Beatles

389. The End of the Innocence, Don Henley

390. Elephant, The White Stripes

391. The Pretender, Jackson Browne

392. Willy and the Poor Boys, Creedence Clearwater Revival

393. Good Old Boys, Randy Newman

394. For Your Pleasure, Roxy Music

395. Blue Lines, Massive Attack

396. Eliminator, ZZ Top

397. Rain Dogs, Tom Waits

398. Anthology, The Temptations

399. Californication, Red Hot Chili Peppers

400. Illmatic, Nas

401. (Pronounced Leh-Nerd Skin-Nerd), Lynyrd Skynyrd

402. Dr. John's Gumbo, Dr. John

403. Radio City, Big Star

404. Sandinista!, The Clash

405. Rid of Me, PJ Harvey

406. I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got, Sinead O' Connor

407. Strange Days, The Doors

408. Time Out of Mind, Bob Dylan

409. 461 Ocean Boulevard, Eric Clapton

410. Pink Flag, Wire

411. Double Nickels on the Dime, Minutemen

412. Mezzanine, Massive Attack

413. Beauty and the Beat, Go-Go's

414. Greatest Hits, James Brown

415. Van Halen , Van Halen

416. Mule Variations, Tom Waits

417. Boy, U2

418. Band on the Run, Wings

419. Dummy, Portishead

420. With the Beatles, The Beatles

421. The "Chirping" Crickets, Buddy Holly and the Crickets

422. The Best of the Girl Groups, Volumes 1 and 2 , Various Artists

423. Greatest Hits, The Mamas and the Papas

424. King of the Delta Blues Singers, Vol. 2, Robert Johnson

425. Changesone, David Bowie

426. The Battle of Los Angeles, Rage Against the Machine

427. Presenting the Fabulous Ronettes Featuring Veronica, The Ronettes

428. Kid A, Radiohead

429. Grievous Angel, Gram Parsons

430. At Budokan, Cheap Trick

431. Anthology, Diana Ross and the Supremes

432. Sleepless, Peter Wolf

433. Another Green World, Brian Eno

434. Outlandos D'Amour, The Police

435. To Bring You My Love, PJ Harvey

436. Here Come the Warm Jets, Brian Eno

437. All Things Must Pass, George Harrison

438. #1 Record, Big Star

439. In Utero, Nirvana

440. Sea Change, Beck

441. Tragic Kingdom, No Doubt

442. Boys Don't Cry, The Cure

443. Live at the Harlem Square Club, 1963, Sam Cooke

444. Criminal Minded, Boogie Down Productions

445. Rum Sodomy and the Lash, The Pogues

446. Suicide, Suicide

447. Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo!, Devo

448. In Color, Cheap Trick

449. The World Is a Ghetto, War

450. Fly Like an Eagle, Steve Miller Band

451. Back in the USA, MC5

452. Music, Madonna

453. Ritual de lo Habitual, Jane's Addiction

454. Getz/Gilberto, Stan Getz and Joao Gilberto Featuring Antonio Carlos Jobim

455. Synchronicity, The Police

456. Third/Sister Lovers, Big Star

457. For Everyman, Jackson Browne

458. John Prine, John Prine

459. Strictly Business, EPMD

460. Love It to Death, Alice Cooper

461. How Will the Wolf Survive?, Los Lobos

462. Here, My Dear, Marvin Gaye

463. Tumbleweed Connection, Elton John

464. The Blueprint, Jay-Z

465. Golden Hits, The Drifters

466. Live Through This, Hole

467. Love and Theft, Bob Dylan

468. Elton John, Elton John

469. Metal Box, Public Image Ltd.

470. Document, R.E.M.

471. Heaven Up Here, Echo and the Bunnymen

472. Hysteria, Def Leppard

473. A Rush of Blood to the Head, Coldplay

474. Live in Europe, Otis Redding

475. Tunnel of Love, Bruce Springsteen

476. The Paul Butterfield Blues Band, The Paul Butterfield Blues Band

477. The Score, Fugees

478. Radio, LL Cool J

479. I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight, Richard and Linda Thompson

480. Faith, George Michael

481. The Smiths, The Smiths

482. Armed Forces, Elvis Costello and the Attractions

483. Life After Death, The Notorious B.I.G.

484. Branded Man, Merle Haggard

485. All Time Greatest Hits, Loretta Lynn

486. Maggot Brain, Funkadelic

487. Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness, The Smashing Pumpkins

488. Voodoo, D'Angelo

489. Guitar Town, Steve Earle

490. Entertainment!, Gang of Four

491. All the Young Dudes, Mott the Hoople

492. Vitalogy, Pearl Jam

493. That's the Way of the World, Earth, Wind and Fire

494. She's So Unusual, Cyndi Lauper

495. New Day Rising, Husker Du

496. Destroyer, Kiss

497. Yo! Bum Rush the Show, Public Enemy

498. Tres Hombres, ZZ Top

499. Born Under a Bad Sign, Albert King

500. Touch, Eurythmics

Edited November 30, 2003 by Alexander

[7/4]

No King Crimson or Johnny Winter!

ZZ Top at 498??? They're getting to the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame this year!

[kulu se mama]

the most amazing thing about this list - number 432 - "sleepless" by peter wolf.

this is a good record that went completely unnoticed when it was released last year, and now it shows up on the greatest 500 albums of all time.

totally amazing.

[sidewinder]

WOT - No 'Sidewinder' or 'Song For My Father'

Not to fret though - Billy Joel and Whitney are in there .. ...

[Claude]

Alexander, you forgot to highlight "246. The Shape of Jazz to Come, Ornette Coleman". I wonder how many Rolling Stone reader have heard that album

In my view, they should not have included any jazz album and restricted the list to pop records. That's where Rolling Stone is competent.

I'm relieved to see that I know the names of most artists in the list and have heard one third of the albums (though most of them a long time ago). I thought I didn't know much about pop history.

Some entries surprised me (Cindy Lauper), but her music must be somehow representative for a style, and so including her album is justified. But I don't understand why there are two Eminem albums in the list, and four by Madonna!

Edited November 28, 2003 by Claude

[7/4]

No Jeff Beck???

[tonym]

Sorry, was this a public vote thing or just another rock journo's little baby?

If it was the latter (and we have been treat with them before; Mojo, Q etc.) how can they differentiate between what's 56'th on the list and what's 256'th?

And, "quell surprise" another Beatles album at number one, fanning the flames of that timeless arguement --- should it have been 'Revolver' or 'Sgt. Pepper's'.

Also, it's not just rock mags that do this stuff, Jazzwise had, a few years back, the top one hundred jazz albums.

Unfortunately the poor soul who thought up that one duplicated about a half dozen albums within the list.

But I'm just miffed because the Pumpkins or Soundgarden didn't appear in the first 300

[GregK]

lists like these are such a joke it's not even worth anyone's time to discuss. Why on earth those jokers at RS would include jazz on a list like is baffling. In that case all of the jazz ones they listed should rank from #1 on down, and then add the pop records. Also, why is rap included??

[cayetano]

1) beatles, 11

2) rolling stones, 10

bob dylan, 10

4) bruce springsteen, 8

5) david bowie, 6

elton john, 6

7) led zeppelin, 5

neil young, 5

u2, 5

the byrds, 5

otis redding, 5

12)grateful dead, 4

police, 4

elvis costello, 4

the velvet underground, 4

talking heads, 4

sly & the family stone, 4

stevie wonder, 4

simon & garfunkel, 4

prince, 4

madonna, 4

Edited December 1, 2003 by cayetano

[Jim Alfredson]

Guns & Roses? Are they serious?!? And no. 61 no less?

[Jim R]

lists like these are such a joke it's not even worth anyone's time to discuss.In

In a nutshell.

Carole King- #36. B.B. King- #141. Just one example of why these things are depressing to look at.

BTW, Claude, there are not two, but three Eminem titles listed.

[Jazz]

Why this list really sucks

12. Kind of Blue, Miles Davis

94. Bitches Brew, Miles Davis

102. Giant Steps, John Coltrane (come on)

246. The Shape of Jazz to Come, Ornette Coleman

356. Sketches of Spain, Miles Davis

454. Getz/Gilberto, Stan Getz and Joao Gilberto Featuring Antonio Carlos Jobim

And the number one reason why this list eats yak brains:

47. A Love Supreme, John Coltrane

A love supreme. A Love Supreme. A LOVE SUPREME RANKS RIGHT UNDER BOB MARLEY?!?!!??

Well, at least we know that John Coltrane is officially better than Public Enemy. Thank you Rolling Stone for your obviously well thought out critical analyzation. The next time I go to pop in some Coltrane, I'll know that there are 46 other greater and more rewarding albums to listen to! Including the great and timeless Ramones by the Ramones. I wanna be sedated takes on a whole new meaning.

Facetiously,

Jazz

[Joe G]

Did RS say that the list was meant to be in order of greatness? I would think that listing the 500 greatest albums in no particular order would be more than enough. I mean, who was better, Stevie Wonder or the Beatles. Two totally different animals...

BTW, was Stevie Ray Vaughan in there?

[Jim R]

If they had presented it as "The 500 Best-Selling Albums of All Time", I could at least respect it at face value.

As for Stevie Ray... I always liked him too, but if Albert King BARELY cracked the top 500... I'm sorry, but Stevie wouldn't quite belong on there, IMO. I don't see Freddie King or Buddy Guy on there, either...

[dave9199]

With The Beatles & Meet The Beatles are essentially the same album. I don't think both should be on there.

[Jazz]

Did RS say that the list was meant to be in order of greatness? I would think that listing the 500 greatest albums in no particular order would be more than enough. I mean, who was better, Stevie Wonder or the Beatles. Two totally different animals...

BTW, was Stevie Ray Vaughan in there?

heh good point. I guess I just assumed they were listing in order of importance. Although, if they weren't listing in order of importance, they might have made a point to put the Beatles farther down. Since, you know, that's always the best album of all times on these lists.

Anywho, pay no attention to the man behind the curtain. B)

*edited to put the quote in there. Man you guys type awfully fast around here!!

Edited November 28, 2003 by Jazz

[Jim R]

With The Beatles & Meet The Beatles are essentially the same album. I don't think both should be on there.

I'm with you on that, but just be content that you've got THE hippest avatar on the site. B)

[Joe G]

As for Stevie Ray... I always liked him too, but if Albert King BARELY cracked the top 500... I'm sorry, but Stevie wouldn't quite belong on there, IMO. I don't see Freddie King or Buddy Guy on there, either...

True. But if it's rock or pop albums, then I would put Stevie in there over some of the original blues cats. However, since they included Trane, Miles, etc., any meaning this list might have had is pretty much negated.

[danasgoodstuff]

As always at Rolling Stone, this list is in effect, if not nec'ly intent, 500 Albums Our Readers Will Be Flattered We Think are Hip... Most of the complaints on their web site (OK, I only sampled the large response) show the readers tastes to be, if anything, worse than the rag's...

[JSngry]

Any list that has Sinatra on it and doesn't even list ONLY THE LONELY has no credibility with me.

Not like that's the only reason, but...

[Quincy]

...you forgot to highlight "246. The Shape of Jazz to Come, Ornette Coleman". I wonder how many Rolling Stone reader have heard that album 

Probably not many, but some old Spin readers might.

I know a 3 different people who mainly listen to indie bands, the more obscure the better. Yet each one of these folks owns "The Shape Of Jazz To Come." The other common jazz album between them is Zorn's "The Big Gundown." Though I've never asked (or accused ) I find it interesting that 2 jazz artists (and I think the only 2) featured in the Spin Alternative Record Guide (1995) are none other than Ornette Coleman and John Zorn and both albums listed above scored a 10.

[7/4]

Let's face it: RS hasn't been very important for 25 years. I hear Cream is coming back, let's see if they can get it together.

[Guy Berger]

In my view, they should not have included any jazz album and restricted the list to pop records. That's where Rolling Stone is competent.

"Competent" is a serious stretch when Rolling Stone comes to mind.

Guy

[Jazz]

hehe!

Hey I just spotted Loveless - MBV in there, at least they remembered to include it.

The obligatory Sonic Youth album they picked was Daydream Nation though, can't say I agree with that one...

[JSngry]

Let's face it: RS hasn't been very important for 25 years. I hear Cream is coming back, let's see if they can get it together.

The band Cream?

Or the magazine Creem?

(gimme my prunes before I get cranky! )