The greatest albums of all time

Belial · Post by **Belial** » Fri Oct 13, 2006 7:10 am

Allrighty. Thought it was time for some hearty music discussion again.
There has allready been a tpoic about 'good albums', but which do you think is the greatest/most important of all time?

You don't even have to like them, just recognize they've help inspire/shape the world of music.

Lexy · Post by **Lexy** » Fri Oct 13, 2006 7:25 am

Okay, I'll start with Led Zeppelin's unnamed album, sometimes referred to as IV

Belial · Post by **Belial** » Fri Oct 13, 2006 7:38 am

Lexy: Why?

For me, I'll start of mentioning Nirvanas 'Nevermind'. I'm not such a big fan of Nirvana, but it is undeniable that it has had a giant impact on the world.

Ilokir lúinwë · Post by **Ilokir lúinwë** » Fri Oct 13, 2006 8:49 am

1. Blind Guardian: Nightfall in Middle Earth
This simply is the best disc I have. It tells about the struggle to greatness and fall of Morgoth. Especcially the epic battle between Fingolfin and Morgoth 'Time stands still at the Iron Hill' is superb. Truly recommended to you metal fans out there

2. Metallica: Ride the lightning
This one is a real classic. It is their first real great album. kill 'em all was almost a copy of their demo, and was a very good disc, but on Ride the Lightning, they just blow you off your feet. Imo, on Masters of Puppets, they could once more achieve the same level. This was truely the greatest band of its period.

3. Radiohead: OK Computer
astounding sound, astounding voice. So different from their earlier work.

edit: and it was the Pixies who had such an influence on Nirvana

Durloth · Post by **Durloth** » Fri Oct 13, 2006 9:06 am

I guess i have to say "Rock around the Clock". As the first rock single it have to be one of the most influential releases. Eventhough rock and roll lived as a large underground before it, this was the release that brought it to the masses.

Personally I thorn between Loreens McKennitt`s "The Mask and Mirror" and Ulver`s "Bergtatt". As greatest and Seigmen`s "Total" as most important.

Victor simic · Post by **Victor simic** » Fri Oct 13, 2006 9:29 am

On a global level, I reckon `Never mind the Bollocks, here`s the Sex Pistols` by The Sex Pistols Circa.1976 had the biggest impact on the music world. Prior to this new movement labelled `Punk`, music was very `corporate`. Sanitised bands shovelled up to the masses was the norm (bit like now really). There have always been Anti-establishment musicians and bands that have defied convention, however The Sex Pistols and their first album, hit the music industry between the eyes with a sledgehammer. The bands bad attitude and vile anti-social behaviour had a dramatic effect on the middle classes. This was a band who were a successfully contrived blitzkreig on an apathetic mass that was the music scene in the mid seventies. Rock and Roll would never be the same again.

On a local level (Australia) AC/DC`s `Highway to Hell`, and Radio Birdman`s `Radios Appear`, are two of the best Aussie albums of all time. `Highway to Hell` was the meanest, heaviest record made in Australia at that time, and Bon Scott inspired a legion of heavy rock fans that multiplied and still prosper today. `Radios Appear` is probably the least known, most ignored, and most influential discs to be cut in Oz. Much maligned in their heyday, Radio Birdman created loud, intense, and brilliant rock and roll, that was emulated by their contempories, and had a direct influence on many ledgendary Aussie bands.

Legion noir · Post by **Legion noir** » Fri Oct 13, 2006 9:44 am

Pinky & Perky did it for me, I liked the Sex Pistol album too & metal box by PiL took it one step further, and its such a laugh that some modern junk call themselves punk..................dream on!

Victor simic · Post by **Victor simic** » Fri Oct 13, 2006 10:05 am

and its such a laugh that some modern junk call themselves punk..................dream on!

Yeah. Basically Boy Bands with distorted guitars. Sickening.

Hali · Post by **Hali** » Fri Oct 13, 2006 10:14 am

Tool - Lateralus

I would say 10,000 Days but it's more of an extension of Lateralus to me rather than the actual album itself. Simply one of the best composed albums in the world, and I will never have enough of the bueatiful execution and thought put into Maynard's lyrics.

Muse of harganeth · Post by **Muse of harganeth** » Fri Oct 13, 2006 10:31 am

I'd have to agree with Led Zeppelin IV. It is one of the most classic albumns in history. Every one has probably heard one of their songs, wether they know it or not.

Nirvirna was also quite influential, though it it classified as grunge, they were the only grunge band. I'd credit them with starting the heavy movement.
Ac DC though influentional High way to hell wasn't influentional.
And that radio bird man guy, well i haven't heard of (poor deprived childhood).
I'd say that Back in black was a much more influentional band, however in australia, you can't denie foriegn bands are more popular (depends who you ask though).

Rock around the clock, though not influentional i can garauntee most people have heard it. And yes Durloth is right it did start the rock and roll era, befor 'bigband' or Jaz was in the large.

Xizor · Post by **Xizor** » Fri Oct 13, 2006 11:50 am

Hali wrote:Tool - Lateralus

I would say 10,000 Days but it's more of an extension of Lateralus to me rather than the actual album itself. Simply one of the best composed albums in the world, and I will never have enough of the bueatiful execution and thought put into Maynard's lyrics.

A good choice for sure.

for me it has to be Killswitch Engage: Alive or Just Breathing. To me that album is just metal perfected.

Really randomly, my second choice would probably be Linkin Park: Hybrid Theory!!!

I realise these arent the "greatest", more my own opinion, but meh!

Arcael · Post by **Arcael** » Fri Oct 13, 2006 12:38 pm

Queensryche - Operation Mindcrime - Amazing story... listen to it start to finish and read the album insert while doing it. You will then see how amazing this album really is.

Van Halen - 1984 - Some of the most rockin guitar riffs of all time. Not sure how it was accepted in the rest of the world but anyone in America who was older then 5 in the 80's knows this album

Beastie Boys - License to Ill - What a great album, the roots of rap at it's best.

Maynard Ferguson - Chameleon - With tunes like Gospel John (now considered a jazz standard), Chameleon and Superbone how could you not love this album. MF was the last of the great big band leaders and plugged away until the week before he died.

Gnosis · Post by **Gnosis** » Fri Oct 13, 2006 4:31 pm

You're all quite wrong. The best album of all time is Dark Side of the Moon by Pink Floyd. An album that marked the beginning of the era of modern rock.

Infection · Post by **Infection** » Fri Oct 13, 2006 6:01 pm

Damnation, you are very right in what you say however i personally find somesongs sound a little too experimental for me...My favourite album is OK computer by radiohead as someone has already mentioned but the question is what is the greatest, i feel Sgt. Peppers lonely hearts club is the greatest, very very good music and very influential at the time, also showed the beatles in a new light compared to their previous albums.

Oompaloompa · Post by **Oompaloompa** » Fri Oct 13, 2006 7:12 pm

Two genres, two albums that mean the most to me.

Airdrawndagger - DJ Sasha (changed the way I listen to electronic music)

Aenima/Lateralus - Tool (they are the masters of rock. Enough said)

Or Walk Away Alphas new album... eventhough it doesnt have a name yet

Rasputinii · Post by **Rasputinii** » Fri Oct 13, 2006 7:36 pm

Damnation wrote:You're all quite wrong. The best album of all time is Dark Side of the Moon by Pink Floyd. An album that marked the beginning of the era of modern rock.

Thats what I would say as well. Might not be my favourie album ever, but from POV its the most impotant as it relly did change alot of music, having a huge impact on wht coul be played, a bit like Duchamps Urinal (SP?).

Whiteboypolka · Post by **Whiteboypolka** » Fri Oct 13, 2006 9:41 pm

I have to say that Iron Maiden has probably had, for me, the largest impact on the music I listen to. I'm a huge fan of Power Metal, and maiden had such a massive impact on this (sub) genre that I can't let this thread go by without mentioning them.

Rasputinii · Post by **Rasputinii** » Fri Oct 13, 2006 9:47 pm

I cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdgnieg.

The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid aoccdrnig to rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoatnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit a porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe.

Tehre you go ldiaes and gmelnteen...

Ras

Sha'a'alaar · Post by **Sha'a'alaar** » Fri Oct 13, 2006 10:12 pm

In no particular order:

Ziggy Stardust - David Bowie
London Calling - The Clash
Bringing it all back home / Blood on the Tracks - Bob Dylan
Peter Gabriel (I - IV)
Specials - Specials
OK Computer - Radiohead
Tom Waits - anything!
John Lee Hooker - anything!
Robert Johnson - anything
Dean Martin - anything

cheers
Sha'a'alaar

Amarel · Post by **Amarel** » Fri Oct 13, 2006 11:15 pm

Ilokir wrote:2. Metallica: Ride the lightning
This one is a real classic. It is their first real great album. kill 'em all was almost a copy of their demo, and was a very good disc, but on Ride the Lightning, they just blow you off your feet. Imo, on Masters of Puppets, they could once more achieve the same level. This was truely the greatest band of its period.

Thus proving that Cliff Burton was, by far, the most important member of Metallica. Also, as you said, Pixies (Doolittle probably) deserves a mention.

Considering this topic is about important albums I'm surprised at the lack of Beatles and Rolling Stones mentions.

Falahk · Post by **Falahk** » Fri Oct 13, 2006 11:33 pm

Painkillers(re-master)-Judas Priest

simply the best album I have heard so far, normaly ther are a few crapy songs on every album, but i havent found one on painkillers

Sirist · Post by **Sirist** » Sat Oct 14, 2006 12:00 am

*sigh* I think it depends on genre. There is no single greatest album of all time. Different albums did different things. For instance, for the sort of music I listen to, the greatest album of all time was 'Merveilles', by Malice Mizer. It represents the popularization of goth-rock in Japan, is the first (and only) full length album to contain both Gackt (eventually and still a pop-icon in his own right) and Mana (whom went on to popularize Elegant Gothic Lolita and Visual Gothic Lolita), and the only album the iconic band signed with a major recording label: Nippon Crown. It does NOT, however, represent the introduction of visual kei to the popular scene. Several other bands get that honor, including Aliene Marriage and X-Japan. Hmm. Maybe I should nominate something from X-Japan, now that I think about it... Visual kei's a big deal in America, too...

As for American rock, I'd stretch waaaaay back there. Probably something of Ray Charles. No Stones or Beatles. Certainly no Tool (I think their lead singer is "slow", to put it kindly). I find it very difficult to nominate anything modern, because the album's effect on its genre would be near impossible to see right now. Metallica... maybe. But, in general, I think American music of any kind is born from one to five people whom don't know how to play their instruments, and then borrowed their 'How To' book from the last group/soloist. I refuse to say artist, because, again, art requires the use of skill.

Maybe I should nominate 'A Fever You Can't Sweat Out' by Panic at the Disco simply to be "cute".

I don't think I've heard the song about the bride being a whore enough times, yet.

Heptzul · Post by **Heptzul** » Sat Oct 14, 2006 8:34 am

The Beatles' first album was the best seller for almost a year. Most people today wouldn't rate it that highly, though.

Zardock · Post by **Zardock** » Sat Oct 14, 2006 8:55 am

For me the most influencial album was Rage Against the Machine- The Battle for L.A. They were a revelutionary band and brought me into a whole new genre of music. also personaly Tenacious d's first album was one of my faves.

Belial · Post by **Belial** » Sat Oct 14, 2006 3:52 pm

Xizor wrote:
for me it has to be Killswitch Engage: Alive or Just Breathing. To me that album is just metal perfected.

Amen Brother. It was the revival of metalcore as we know it today.

I'll also go with OK Computer. And Nevermind the bollocks. And Dark Side Of The Moon.

But another one I just thought of was Dresden Dolls - Yes, Virginia, with the reason that it is quite the piece(I wont go as far as master-), and there is not a single filler on the album. Plus their sense of music is IMO unique.