rolling stone's 500 greatest albums of all time

Marvin Gaye=rock?
Muddy Waters=rock?

Anyway, this is deserved, as those non-rock genres aren't as important anyway

WRONG

Never read Rolling Stone but it seems as if the list attempts to justify some of the lamer artists/genres it seems to have championed through the years. For example, it always seems to be said that Billy Joel, average 70's country-blues-rock and a dilettantish enjoyment of, ahem, 'black music' etc is what Jann Wenner is all about.

That the list was compiled from other people's lists make this even sadder.

Doesn't matter. Both records are hopelessly overrated and *neither* deserves the top spot.

thus rendering my Sign 'O' the Times book superfluous. damn you, Geir Hongro!

1. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, The Beatles (pop)
2. Pet Sounds, The Beach Boys (pop)
3. Revolver, The Beatles (pop)
5. Rubber Soul, The Beatles (pop)
6. What's Going On, Marvin Gaye (soul)
10. The Beatles ("The White Album"), The Beatles (pop - although some of the tracks are rock on this particular album)
12. Kind of Blue, Miles Davis (jazz)
14. Abbey Road, The Beatles (pop)
20. Thriller, Michael Jackson (pop/disco/soul)
23. Innervisions, Stevie Wonder (soul/pop)
24. Live at the Apollo (1963), James Brown (soul/funk)
25. Rumours, Fleetwood Mac (pop)
27. King of the Delta Blues Singers, Vol. 1, Robert Johnson (blues)
30. Blue, Joni Mitchell (pop/folk)
36. Tapestry, Carole King (pop/folk)
37. Hotel California, The Eagles (pop)
38. The Anthology, 1947 - 1972, Muddy Waters (blues)
39. Please Please Me, The Beatles (pop)
46. Legend, Bob Marley and the Wailers (reggae)
47. A Love Supreme, John Coltrane (jazz)
48. It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back, Public Enemy (hip-hop)
51. Bridge Over Troubled Waters, Simon and Garfunkel (pop/folk)
52. Greatest Hits, Al Green (soul)
53. The Birth of Soul: The Complete Atlantic Rhythm and Blues Recordings, 1952 - 1959, Ray Charles (soul)
56. Songs in the Key of Life, Stevie Wonder (soul/pop)
58. Trout Mask Replica, Captain Beefheart and His Magic Band (contemporary avant garde)
59. Meet the Beatles, The Beatles (pop)
60. Greatest Hits, Sly and the Family Stone (funk)
67. The Stranger, Billy Joel (pop)
68. Off the Wall, Michael Jackson (pop/disco/soul)
69. Superfly, Curtis Mayfield (funk)
72. Purple Rain, Prince (a little bit of rock, but just as much pop, funk and soul)
74. Otis Blue, Otis Redding (soul)
79. Star Time, James Brown (funk)
80. Odessey and Oracle, The Zombies (pop)
81. Graceland, Paul Simon (pop/world)
83. I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You, Aretha Franklin (soul)
84. Lady Soul, Aretha Franklin (soul)
86. Let It Be, The Beatles (pop)
88. At Folsom Prison, Johnny Cash (country)
89. Dusty in Memphis, Dusty Springfield (pop/soul)
90. Talking Book, Stevie Wonder (soul/pop)
91. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, Elton John (pop)
93. Sign 'o' the Times, Prince (see "Purple Rain)
94. Bitches Brew, Miles Davis (jazz/fusion)
97. The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan, Bob Dylan (folk)
99. There's a Riot Goin' On, Sly and the Family Stone (funk)
100. In the Wee Small Hours, Frank Sinatra (pop/jazz)

So what's your point about the Top 100 being almost all rock?

how do you decide whether it's pop/soul or soul/pop? is it a gender thing, a race thing, a nationality thing, or some combination thereof?

lastly, everyone is correct in pointing out the comp issues, especially since, again, the allowance of comps is arbitrary. if we really are talking about the relative merits of albums, then lets use albums, and if we are going to include comps, why not include some from genres that would certainly benefit (techno and hip hop ARE weak from an album perspective, but there are certainly shitloads of comps that amaze for their durations).

-- Geir Hongro (geirhon...), November 25th, 1983. (later) (link)

I'd sooner burn off the face of the earth any Beatles music than never be able to hear hip hop again.

I have never been interested in skin colour. Why should people with different skin colour necessarily have to make different music? Aren't they all equal anyway.

Jimi Hendrix and Lenny Kravitz have understood something crucial here.

Unless you are speaking about the blues (which is also found in rock, as opposed to melodic song-oriented pop )then you are right. Otherwise, rap is directly influenced by African traditions rather than American ones.

Because ppl of different races have different traditions, different cultures, histories, priorities, means of expression established over time. These differences MEAN something to people. They don't all regard the music YOU like as inherently superior.

And i bet it'll tear you up the day you finally realise that ALL (and i mean ALL) modern popular music is based primarily on African musical attributes. If you don't believe me listen to European poular music pre 20th century. It has NOT been the major influence on modern music.

You're a music fascist.

Basically, I would say the rhythm is African, the melodic and harmonic sophistication is European, while the simplicity and rawness is American (read: folk/country)

You could listen to Muddy Waters from now till next decade and you wouldn't understand it. You just don't have the vocabulary.

1) What year is it again?
2) Which genre pretty much rules the charts right now?
3) Who currently sells more records right now
   a) Jay-Z or
   b) Bob Seger?
4) Who currently sells more records right now
   a) Missy Elliot or
   b) Lita Ford?
5) Whos the hottest producer right now
   a) Timbaland or
   b) Mitchell Froom?

You won't be in any position to make anymore unprovable assertions until you answer those questions.

3) Who currently sells more records right now
a) Jay-Z or
b) The White Stripes?
4) Who currently sells more records right now
a) Missy Elliot or
b) Pink?
5) Who's the hottest producer right now
a) Timbaland or
b) Steve Albini?

You'd still make your point without, well, cheating.