Which band has the best discography?

Possibly controversial, but I would definitely nominate Cocteau Twins. People can argue about weaker spots in their discography but I have varying amounts of love for all of it, even like BBC Sessions (some of the recordings on which top the original album versions).

Like they're probably the only band with a sizeable catalog whose discography I would (and have, a number of times) happily run through front-to-back without skipping over anything.

Radiohead, Pablo Honey notwithstanding.

*ducks*

I like Badu, D'Angelo (3 classic albums!), and Low (and Radiohead tbh). There's probably a lot of punk Sex Pistols-type examples of bands who broke up quickly, right? Unless they all ruined it with reunions.

And I know it's divisive, but there's a case to be made for Neutral Milk Hotel - one early album, one indie classic, then retire full stop.

Was going to add The Feelies ... but don’t know enough about the later releases.

i think old lunch is otm about cocteau twins

and while i wouldn't say i love everything, felt have one of the coolest discographies ever

Go-Betweens

are we gonna poll these

I would think D'Angelo, Badu and Broadcast (maybe Roxy Music too) would be the consensus front-runners. Maybe Steely Dan too. There's enough Beatles and Zep haters on board to keep them out of the running, I would think.

Current 93

I'm a fan, but no

I love Zep but their discography kinda sags the further you get from the middle. Lop off a couple albums from the front and/or back and it's a pretty unimpeachable run.

Gorguts are pretty damn solid throughout.

gorguts otm

autechre is the right answer, but then it's sometimes hard to be subjective about it, if that's the right word. there sound is so sui generis you can't really gauge it against anything else.

I wanted to say Oval but, oof, the vocals on that first album. Oof.

Was going to add The Feelies ... but don’t know enough about the later releases.

the first comeback album is fine but kind of a snooze. second one is good though

if we're going short but sweet...I guess Soul Coughing had basically a flawless discography. some dud tunes for sure but all 3 of their albums are really great

Big Star

I love Steely Dan but I don’t think this could be any band that has reunion albums which are clearly good but on a lower plane. Maybe ATCQ could be the exception that proves the rule.

Kraftwerk, Drexciya, Shellac

I always forget those Steely Dan reunion albums even exist!

d'oh

Magma also seems like a good answer here

Dunno about that, have you heard their LinnDrum-led funk/soul album from the 80s? Guess it has some fans.

Was going to suggest Kraftwerk but I can’t say I thought much of that Tour De France album they put out

Arthur Russell

Dunno about that, have you heard their LinnDrum-led funk/soul album from the 80s? Guess it has some fans.

I have - I think the first track is very bad but I actually love the second side a lot

xxp I'd call Tour De France solid, certainly not a disgrace. People have differing views on the pre-Autobahn records of course.

wait you mean there are some people who don't like those? madness.

so I've heard!

I'd say the only blot on the Kraftwerk discography is some of the dated-sounding reworkings on "The Mix", if that even counts.

The Mix was the first Kraftwerk album I ever heard and it's still one of my favorites.

Thinks of The Pretenders
Looks up on discogs
Realizes they put out albums after Learning To Crawl
Oh well.

Arthur Russell

― fetter, Wednesday, January 29, 2020 11:53 AM (one hour ago) bookmarkflaglink

Almost said Russell and his discography is the most intriguing and resonant to me has been the most rewarding to revisit over the last few years, but there's still a few things I haven't heard.

xp after the deaths of Honeyman-Scott and Farndon they were a different band anyway

Oneohtrix Point Never came to my mind immediately. there's not a single record of him i don't like. and his last soundtrack for 'uncut gems' is really incredible.

yeh i like that call

the correct answer is Prince and the Revolution

I see what you did there

good answer

My very unpopular take:

Ashra (incl. Gottsching solo).

Yes 2 Prince and the Revolution, A+ cheat. Makes me wish Bowie had thought to append a band name to his '70s albums.

The Prince and the Revolution discography is not that good, they have some great songs of course, but they're not quite as strong as albums as 1999 or Sign o' the Times, for example. Around the World and Parade especially have several meh filler tunes.

only song I don't think is great on ATWIAD is Condition of the Heart

1999 is Prince and the Revolution

and "Condition of the Heart" pwns

intentionally hueg image so you can see the backwards "and the Revolution" on the football hovering over the 1 in "Pr1nce":

https://townsquare.media/site/960/files/2017/10/1999.jpg?w=980&q=75

And Parade is all-killer, no-filler, gtfo.

I feel like this thread is really about trolling me

Prince and Autechre have huge volumes of bullshit output. The correct answer is a band that only made three albums but they were all good

I've never been seriously disappointed by Godspeed You! Black Emperor. Or Stars of the Lid, for that matter.

SotL is a good answer!

The way Prince uses the Joni ethos to structure, harmonies and weds it to this improvisatory approach in "Condition of the Heart" redeems its album; it's as if he's willing the girl and the condition into being in the act of singing and playing.