95 replies to this topic

[BSLZackKiesel]

I have such mixed feelings on Billy Joel. Had he retired in like, 1982, he'd be my absolute all time favorite.

 

But he didn't. His 1970s stuff is all time good.

 

But once the "uptown girl" era started, man, just awful in my opinion.

Completely agree. Though Nylon Curtain had some of my favorite songs on it ("Allentown", "Goodnight Saigon") and I love "Leningrad" off of Storm Front. But you're right, for the most part his career went downhill in the early/mid-1980s. And he doesn't seem to enjoy performing at all anymore. He seems embarrassed of his old stuff, as shown when he took time off to be a "serious musician" and compose classical music. Of course, no one wanted to hear that and he's back touring again. He was a great songwriter, but I think the thing that separates him from Elton John is that Elton is still releasing new stuff. Billy Joel hasn't released ANYTHING in a very long time, so he doesn't have something new to feel proud of and to work towards.

 

Regardless, I still love his stuff, and The Stranger is an amazing album. "Movin' Out", "The Stranger", "Scenes From An Italian Restaurant", "Only the Good Die Young", and the list goes on. I really enjoy Turnstiles as well, along with Piano Man.

[mweb08]

I'm going to have to edit my list soon with classics. Also, very under appreciated, but there is just something to being blasted in the face while listening to "In The Aeroplane Over the Sea" by Neutral Milk Hotel. It's just perfect.

That would likely be in my top 10 list.

[Pedro Cerrano]

Some interesting responses here.

[You Play to Win the Game]

OK... some changes. (My favorites albums I enjoy listening to)

 

1.) Arcade Fire - The Suburbs

2.) Neutral Milk Hotel - In The Aeroplane Over The Sea

3.) Radio Head - OK Computer

4.) Arcade Fire - The Funeral

5.) Radio Head - In Rainbows (The Reckoner is one of my favorite songs of all time)

6.) Radio Head - The Bends

7.) The Beatles - Abbey Road

8.) The Doors - LA Woman

9.) R.E.M. - Mermur

11.) The Beatles - Sgt Peppet

12.) Brand New - Deja Entendu

13.) Death Cab for Cutie - Transatlanticism

14.) Foo Fighters - The Colour and the Shape

15.) Fleetwood Mac - Rumours

16.) Bob Dylan - Highway 61 Revisited

17.) R.E.M. - New Adventures in Hi-Fi

18.) Led Zeppelin - LZ IV

19.) Neil Young - After the Gold Rush

20.) Arcade Fire - Neon Bible

21.) Arcade Fire - Reflektor

22.) The Black Keys - El Camino

23.) Bob Dylan - Blonde On Blonde

24.) Bruce Springsteen - The River

25.) Green Day - Dookie

26.) Dr. Dre - The Chronic

27.) Eminem - The Marshall Mathers LP

28.) Linkin Park - Hybrid Theory

29.) Linkin Park - Meteora

30.) Outkast - Stankonia

31.) 2Pac - All Eyez On Me

32.) Creedence Clearwater Revival - Creedance Clearwater Revival

33.) The Jimi Hedrix Experience - Are You Experiened

34.) Foo Fighters - Foo Fighters

35.) The Police - Ghost in the Machine

36.) Elton John - Goodbye Yellow Brick Road

37.) Jimmy Eat World - Futures

38.) Death Cab For Cutie - Plans

39.) Queens of the Stone Age - Era Vulgaris

40.) Led Zeppelin - Houses of the Holy

41.) Eric Clapton - Unplugged

42.) The Doors - Strange Days

43.) The Beatles - The Beatles

44.) The White Stripes - White Blod Cells

45.) Queens of the Stone Age - ....Like Clockwork

46.) Brand New - Your Favorite Weapon

47.) Jack's Mannequin - The Glass Passenger

48.) Of Monster & Men - My Head Is an Animal

49.) Something Corporate - Leaving Through The Window

50.) The Black Keys - Turn Blue

 

A playlist of these 50 albums and I'd never need to make another playlist again. Sure, the rankings for many of these could be interchangable. And to be clear, I'd never argue that Brand New's "Deja Entendu" as The Beatles "Abbey Road". But these are MY favorites. Up for debate and all.

[SBTarheel]

Nice work, Ricker.

 

I never liked The Doors, a few songs (Peace Frog), but not a fan.

 

That's all I got.

[Pedro Cerrano]

Nice work, Ricker.

 

I never liked The Doors, a few songs (Peace Frog), but not a fan.

 

That's all I got.

 

When I was younger I really really liked the Doors, not so much anymore.

 

I will say that "LA Woman" particularly the title track, is phenomenal.  The Doors are at their best when they are bluesy.  That type of music and rhythm goes so so well with Morrison's baritone.

[Pedro Cerrano]

Nice work, Ricker.

 

I never liked The Doors, a few songs (Peace Frog), but not a fan.

 

That's all I got.

 

"LA Woman" and "Roadhouse Blues" are must-listens.

[You Play to Win the Game]

Yeah, bluesy Doors is just amazing. Some of there stuff is out there... but I'm a huge fan. Aren't too many lyricist as talented as Jim Morrison, IMO. But there are some epic lyricist in my favorite list.

[SBTarheel]

"LA Woman" and "Roadhouse Blues" are must-listens.

Good songs, yes, but don't do much for me other than, "yea, good songs".

 

I had a very short Doors phase after the Val Kilmer movie, but it didn't last.

[FlavaDave10]

Alternative: Arcade Fire - The Suburbs

Rap/Hip-Hop: Outkast- Speakerbox/Love Below

Rock: I've always been a huge sucker for Hot Fuss by The Killers. I also love Dark Side Of The Moon. Not sure where to classify it, but Good Apollo I'm Burning Star IV Volume One by Coheed and Cambria is definitely one of my favorites. Also not sure where to classify it, but Bad Hair Day by Weird Al Yankovic STILL makes me laugh. In general, Weird Al rules. 

[Markus]

The Doors are my #1 favorite band of all time, hands down, bar none.  And "Riders on the Storm" is my absolute favorite song of all time, hands down, bar none.   I got into them early on in my youth and something about 'em just clicked with me.

[BSLMikeLowe]

Spent time trekking through Europe in 1996-97 with the ex, and the last stop was Paris. It was her "must-see" city, not so much for me. While she made the list of art museums we had to schlep to, I added just one item to the very top of the list....Morrison's grave site at Père Lachaise. It felt like a pilgrimage.

[You Play to Win the Game]

The Doors are my #1 favorite band of all time, hands down, bar none.  And "Riders on the Storm" is my absolute favorite song of all time, hands down, bar none.   I got into them early on in my youth and something about 'em just clicked with me.

 

When I'm in.... a certain state of mine... I could listen to "Ridgers on the Storm" on repeat for hours and not even notice.

[You Play to Win the Game]

I would highly enourage everyone compiling a list of at least their top 50. It's a hard exercise. You'll get stuck a few times. But it's gratifying. Having albums come back to you that you absolutely loved to listen to at one point and time. There aren't any wrong answers either, and in my case, is a nice kick in the balls to go ahead and put together a playlist of my top 50 albums. I'll be working on that. Should take a while.

[NewMarketSean]

Some others that I didn't include are (in no order):

 

Set Yourself on Fire, Stars

Funeral, Arcade Fire

The Bends, Radiohead

Kid A, Radiohead

In Rainbows, Radiohead

Is This It?, The Strokes

Room on Fire, The Strokes

Apologies to the Queen Mary, Wolf Parade

High Violet, The National

Fox Confessor Brings the Flood, Neko Case

Without Feathers, The Stills

Silent Alarm, Bloc Party

[Pedro Cerrano]

Hipster correction here.

 

The Strokes' album with "Reptilia" on it is actually called "Room on Fire"

 

Carry on

[You Play to Win the Game]

Could never get into the Strokes.

[Pedro Cerrano]

Completely agree. Though Nylon Curtain had some of my favorite songs on it ("Allentown", "Goodnight Saigon") and I love "Leningrad" off of Storm Front. But you're right, for the most part his career went downhill in the early/mid-1980s. And he doesn't seem to enjoy performing at all anymore. He seems embarrassed of his old stuff, as shown when he took time off to be a "serious musician" and compose classical music. Of course, no one wanted to hear that and he's back touring again. He was a great songwriter, but I think the thing that separates him from Elton John is that Elton is still releasing new stuff. Billy Joel hasn't released ANYTHING in a very long time, so he doesn't have something new to feel proud of and to work towards.

 

Regardless, I still love his stuff, and The Stranger is an amazing album. "Movin' Out", "The Stranger", "Scenes From An Italian Restaurant", "Only the Good Die Young", and the list goes on. I really enjoy Turnstiles as well, along with Piano Man.

 

"The Stranger" is definitely in my top 30 or so, which is impressive.

 

I also really love "Turnstiles"

 

As for his mid-80s stuff, I gotta confess I dig most of it.  It's very poppy, very cheesy and very 80s, but the doo-wop on songs like "Tell Her About It" catch my ear.

[NewMarketSean]

Hipster correction here.

 

The Strokes' album with "Reptilia" on it is actually called "Room on Fire"

 

Carry on

Crap. You're right.

[Pedro Cerrano]

Could never get into the Strokes.

 

Really?  "Is This It" is an amazing record.  Their other stuff isn't quite up to snuff.