1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die

[Flick James]

This list has been around since 2005. Each year the book is updated, some older selections are deleted to make room for more recent titles. Being somewhat of an eclectic audiophile myself, I have to say I find the list pretty decent. I don't doubt there are biases, but they seem to take ernest pains to keep things fair to multiple genres. Rock and popular music of the Western world dominates, naturally, but the list includes may seminal works from just about any genre you can think of, those what have been critically acclaimed, or were particularly influential or popular. Older titles may be those that have stood the test of time, or in some cases were simply very influential in their time even if not particularly listened to now. I'm impressed by the list moreso than something by Rolling Stone because their lists seem to be too heavily biased for my tastes while this one seems at least somewhat more even-handed. It begins in 1955 with Frank Sinatra's In the Wee Small Hours, and the 2011 version ends in 2010 with Arcade Fire's The Suburbs.

Below is a link to the list from the 2011 edition. I've been plugging in a lot of the artists into Pandora and discovering lots of music I've never heard before. I have to enter in tracks from the album because, unfortunately, Pandora only accepts artists and song titles, not album titles, although they should in my opinion.

Anyway, check out the list and discuss.

http://rateyourmusic.com/lists/list_view?list_id=319133&show=100&start=0

[voltron]

Killing Joke's first album (INCREDIBLE!) and Napalm Death's Scum (bats**t nutty grind) automatically get a  from me. I could do without some of the more modern albums, though.

[Flick James]

Well, yeah, I'm not saying I agree with all the choices. I wasn't too keen on Joanna Newsome, for example. I'm sure there will be others as I delve deeper. I am discovering some stuff I genuinely like though, even from the newer stuff and at my semi cranky age of 44. I'm glad I discovered The Black Keys, for example.

[Rev. Powell]

No albums from before 1955, and no classical or world music? The list is way too rock oriented for a "1000 Best"; I'm not even sure why they bothered to put  the occasional jazz or blues album on it.  Just call it 1000 rock/pop albums to hear before you die.

I'll stick with  Tom Moon's 1000 Recordings to Hear Before You Die. I'm slowly working my way through that one, into the "J's".

[HappyGilmore]

Overall, I'm not disappointed with this list.  But, was anything by Nine Inch Nails on it? I forget at this point.

Well, yeah, I'm not saying I agree with all the choices. I wasn't too keen on Joanna Newsome, for example. I'm sure there will be others as I delve deeper. I am discovering some stuff I genuinely like though, even from the newer stuff and at my semi cranky age of 44. I'm glad I discovered The Black Keys, for example.

Not quite sure if you've heard the albums my MGMT or Arcade Fire, but both are worth a listen:

From MGMT's Oracular Spectacular:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9dSYgd5Elk&ob=av2e

From Arcade Fire's The Suburbs:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Euj9f3gdyM

But, that's myself, personally.  I love the Black Keys, and dig both of these groups.  Not saying you will, but, well.

[Flick James]

No albums from before 1955, and no classical or world music? The list is way too rock oriented for a "1000 Best"; I'm not even sure why they bothered to put  the occasional jazz or blues album on it.  Just call it 1000 rock/pop albums to hear before you die.

I'll stick with  Tom Moon's 1000 Recordings to Hear Before You Die. I'm slowly working my way through that one, into the "J's".

Yeah I know, Rev. I had a feeling you might comment along those lines. The list does start with the early rock and roll era and certainly focuses on rock and popular music from that point on. World music does show up periodically, though. I think it's a legit list as far as it's perpective goes. I am absolutely going to start going through the list you have provided, however, audiophile that I am.

[Flick James]

Not quite sure if you've heard the albums my MGMT or Arcade Fire, but both are worth a listen:

Not yet with MGMT, but a little with Arcade Fire. So far so good. I'm starting mostly from the most recent and working backwards, since I am already familiar with most of the older albums.

[zombie no.one]

same with most lists it comes down to personal taste , but looking at it as objectively as is possible I'm not sure how anyone could argue you need to hear albums as comparatively generic as David Grey - White Ladder, Alanis Morrissette - Jagged Little Pill, Madonna - Music, Coldplay - Parachutes etc... not saying they're bad albums, but they're hardly original in the context of the past 50 years of recorded music.

[Flick James]

same with most lists it comes down to personal taste , but looking at it as objectively as is possible I'm not sure how anyone could argue you need to hear albums as comparatively generic as David Grey - White Ladder, Alanis Morrissette - Jagged Little Pill, Madonna - Music, Coldplay - Parachutes etc... not saying they're bad albums, but they're hardly original in the context of the past 50 years of recorded music.

It's debatable. I think the angle is kind of like, if you haven't seen Caddyshack you probably should at some point because it is significant in some way.

Overall I like the list and I've gotten something out of it. It is a less condescending list that something Rolling Stone might put out. it is what it is. I'm looking forward to going through the list Rev posted as well.

[Allhallowsday]

I'm looking through the list now; lots of records on here I love and have.   
Then he's got stuff like IRON BUTTERFLY's In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida.    I'm sorry but, really?  Plus, albums that are nice (BEBEL GILBERTO Tanto Tempo or RYAN ADAMS Gold or COLDPLAY Parachutes) but "must hear"?  I have or had the records I mention, so I'm familiar with them.  The list starts with a great FRANK SINATRA album, but not his greatest by a long shot.  I'm with Gidget there, not all these records are "must hear". 

[Flick James]

You mean you don't all agree with all 1001 titles? Wow, and here I thought it was going to be a virtual certainty.

Come on, guys, I'm just saying I it was a halfway decent list.

[HappyGilmore]

You mean you don't all agree with all 1001 titles? Wow, and here I thought it was going to be a virtual certainty.

Come on, guys, I'm just saying I it was a halfway decent list.

Overall, yeah.  I agree.

Except for Coldplay.

Nothing of their's is really 'must hear' by any stretch of the imagination.  But that's just personal preference.

[Allhallowsday]

You mean you don't all agree with all 1001 titles? Wow, and here I thought it was going to be a virtual certainty.

Come on, guys, I'm just saying I it was a halfway decent list.

You suggested "discuss".  Thazwhaweedooeeng.  
NORA JONES Come Away With Me? ROYSKOPP Melody A.M.?  Lots and lots of recent records plus three NICK CAVE AND THE BAD SEEDS (at least).  A list from anyone's collection, who is bound to have some good stuff, but has been shooting fish in a barrel.  There's a good amount of middle-of-the-road and commercial material which is contemporaneous but hardly "must hear".   There I go again!      

Let me clarify that for me, going through this list is an exercise of "I have that one... I had that one..."

[Allhallowsday]

He's got Frampton Comes Alive!  He's got Pacific Ocean Blue... this guy must be sneakin' in my records at night.  
Just because I own them or listen to them or love them doesn't mean I don't know what they are...  
He's got Pacific Ocean Blue before My Aim Is True.    

I'm also amazed at how many records on this list I had on vinyl.  Most are long gone now.  

Or cassette tape, this one was very good: TERENCE TRENT D'ARBY Introducing the Hardline According to Terence Trent D'Arby

[HappyGilmore]

 

Or cassette tape, this one was very good: TERENCE TRENT D'ARBY Introducing the Hardline According to Terence Trent D'Arby

I have this one on cd still.