# Favorite albums



## Jaberg (Feb 7, 2007)

I have a great passion for well produced albums. Be the hip-hop, rock, metal, indie, or what not, I think that one of the greatest things an artist can do is create a full album. So, without futher adieu, here's my list of top ten favorite albums.

10. The Who - Tommy (The first great concept album which brought the rock-opear genre to life)
9. The Roots - Game Theory (The newest album from Philadelphia based hip-hop group The Roots, it features some fantastic beat-making by Questlove along with a very solid group of MC's headlined by Black Thought that covers many social issues of the current day)
8. Third Eye Blind - Third Eye Blind (The first self-titled album from this group. I don't enjoy much of their later stuff, but, as a teenager, this album was constantly in my cd player)
7. Kanye West - The College Dropout (Probably the best produced mainstream rap album I've heard in the past ten years)
6. NoFX - Punk In Drublic (The quintessential punk album that defined my punk days of the late 90's).
5. Counting Crows - August and Everything After (It was a toss up here between this album and Recovering the Satelites, but, when in doubt, go with the early stuff).
4. Led Zeppelin - Zoso (also known as Led Zeppelin 4 and Symbols, this album features the immortal tunes Black Dog, Rock 'n Roll, Going to California, and When the Levee Breaks. And, oh yeah, it also has Stairway to Heaven on it...)
3. The Fugees - The Score (The most well produced hip-hop album ever. It has everything a fan of the genre would like: intelligent lyrics played out by smart MCs with a penchant for timing, a group that plays well off of each other, and it is also amazingly well produced by Wyclef Jean. Best hip-hop album of all time)
2. Led Zeppelin - House of the Holy (While many people would put Zoso above this, I frankly can't do it. With two of my top-five favorite Zeppelin songs on it, and with every other tune on it almost just as good, it's hard to beat)
1. Hootie and the Blowfish - Cracked Rearview (Don't hate, but this song has defined my entire childhood and adult life, I've listened to it from the moment it came out until present day and I still love it).

Well, that's my list folks, whaddya you have in this regards?


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## Thorin (Feb 7, 2007)

I guess it depends which genre you are talking about. Is this strictly rop/pop/hip/hop or does it include all other genres?

Of the top of my head, here is my list for rock/pop/heavy metal.
These albums are not in order of importance, just merely laid down randomly.

10. Judas Priest - Defenders of the Faith - With incredible songs like 'Freewheel Burning' and 'The Sentinel', this album will always be the best Priest album.

9. Scorpions - Blackout - This album put the German rockers on the map with songs like 'Dynamite' and 'Blackout'

8. Iron Maiden - Number of the Beast - 'Run to the Hills' enough said.

7. Fleetwood Mac - Greatest Hits - This has all the great songs and alot of them too. Wonderful listening

6. Jann Arden - Love is the Only Soldier - What a fantastic album this one is. I just discovered it a few months ago. 'When You Left Me' and 'Ruby Red' are incredible tunes.

5. Rush - Exit Stage Left - Anybody who says that Rush is a lame band hasn't heard any of their music from the late 70s to early 80s. This live album has some of the best Rush songs of this era. 'Beneath Between Behind, 'YYZ' 'Spirit of the Radio' and 'Tom Sawyer' are just a few.

4. Metallica - Ride the Lightning - This was the best Metallica album, not tame like their later stuff and not so raw to be unprofessional like 'Kill em All' was. They are polished, professional and sounding rip-roaringly fantastic on this one. 'Trapped Under Ice' remains one of the best Metallica songs yet.

3. Abba - Gold - All the great tunes of Abba on one album.

2. Trooper - Hot Shots - 'Raise a Little Hell' and 'Here For a Good Time' are just a few of the great rocking tunes on this album.

1. Sweet - Desolation Boulevard - 'Fox on the Run' and 'Ballroom Blitz' alone make this a great album.


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## Varokhâr (Feb 7, 2007)

I don't think I could put them in any real order, since I crave different music at different times, but here's my shot at it:

Emperor's _In the Nightside Eclipse_

Everything by Iron Maiden, especially _Dance of Death_

Danzig's _Danzig_ and _Lucifuge_

Gorgoroth's _Incipit Satan_, _Pentagram_, and _Antichrist_

Satyricon's _Nemesis Divina_

Mayhem's _De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas_

Nokturnal Mortum's _Lunar Poetry_, _Goat Horns_, _NeChrist_, and _To the Gates of Blasphemous Fire_

Blind Guardian's _Nightfall in Middle-earth_

Agalloch's _Pale Folklore_ and _Ashes Against the Grain_

Darkthrone's _Transilvanian Hunger_, _A Blaze in the Northern Sky_ and _Under a Funeral Moon_

Burzum's _Hvis Lyset Tar Oss_

Summoning's _Minas Morgul_

Xasthur's _To Violate the Oblivious_

Mental Home's _Black Art_

All of Ludwig van Beethoven's symphonies, especially the Ninth

Everything by Enya

Ok... way more than ten albums (or bands), but I don't think I could maintain my sanity without those fine works of art


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## Jaberg (Feb 7, 2007)

Good lists folks.

Thor: I struggled with not putting a Rush album on my list seeing as how they are one of my favorite bands. If I were going to, I would probably say 2112 or Moving Pictures, but Exit Stage Left is an amazing work. (Interesting bit of knowledge: Rush started sucking the moment Alex Liveston and Geddy Lee cut their hair into mullets sometime around 1984.) 

Varok: I love Blind Guardian, and Nightfall on Middle Earth is my favorite album simply because of it's subject matter. But I decided I couldn't pick an album just for my love of the Simarillion.


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## Aiwendil2 (Feb 7, 2007)

I'm going to list my favorite twenty (only rock/pop, i.e. not including jazz or classical):

1. Abbey Road (The Beatles)
2. Days of Future Passed (The Moody Blues)
3. Dark Side of the Moon (Pink Floyd)
4. Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (The Beatles)
5. Smile (Brian Wilson)
6. Pet Sounds (The Beach Boys)
7. Moving Waves (Focus)
8. Tommy (The Who)
9. The White Album (The Beatles)
10. All Things Must Pass (George Harrison)
11. Rubber Soul (The Beatles)
12. Blind Faith (Blind Faith)
13. Bridge Over Troubled Water (Simon and Garfunkel)
14. Odessey and Oracle (The Zombies)
15. Surrealistic Pillow (Jefferson Airplane)
16. Revolver (The Beatles)
17. Déjà Vu (Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young)
18. Let It Be (The Beatles)
19. Fragile (Yes)
20. Forever Changes (Love)


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## Jaberg (Feb 7, 2007)

Aiwen! Finally, someone else who appreciates the awesomeness that is Love! That album was the last one I cut from my list. It's an amazing album from a group that was unheralded at the time, but they ended up influencing a lot of Los Angeles based bands of the late 60's and early 70's. Very good stuff.

And I just can't seem to get into Dark Side of the Moon now that I no longer partake. :\


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## Ghorim (Feb 7, 2007)

Wow! Good stuff, indeed. I must confess that I dig your picks too, Aiwen. Love and the Zombies are vintage '60s gems that often get overlooked in favor of bigger names from that era - of which there are plenty. And props on giving the Roots some love, Jaborg. Apparently ?uestlove's been really bummed that _Game Theory_ didn't appear on more "Best of 2006" lists. I personally think it's the most focused and consistent thing they've ever produced. Oh yes... and some of my favorite records?

The Band - _Music From Big Pink_, _The Band_
Pixies - _Doolittle_
Radiohead - _OK Computer_, _Kid A_
The Beatles - _Rubber Soul_, _Revolver_
XTC - _Skylarking_
The Beach Boys - _Pet Sounds_
The Zombies - _Odessey & Oracle_
Stevie Wonder - _Innervisions_
The dB's - _Repercussion_
Beastie Boys - _Paul's Boutique_, _Check Your Head_
Stan Getz & Joao Gilberto - _Getz/Gilberto_
Nick Drake - Entire Discography
R.E.M. - _Murmur_
Elliott Smith - _Either/Or_
Dusty Springfield - _Dusty In Memphis_
Wu-Tang Clan - _Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)_

And more! So many more... I'm stumbling across new and exciting things all the time.


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## Thorin (Feb 11, 2007)

Jaberg said:


> Good lists folks.
> 
> Thor: I struggled with not putting a Rush album on my list seeing as how they are one of my favorite bands. If I were going to, I would probably say 2112 or Moving Pictures, but Exit Stage Left is an amazing work. (Interesting bit of knowledge: Rush started sucking the moment Alex Liveston and Geddy Lee cut their hair into mullets sometime around 1984.)



Yes, I agree. Though there are some good songs on 'Signals', Rush started sucking the big one from then on. I love the guys and IMO nobody is better at bass or drums then Geddy and Neil, but they just left behind the awesome sound of their early albums after 'Signals'. You cannot compare 'Presto' and 'Grace Under Pressure' to your above mentioned albums.

These other posts are reminding me of some other albums I forgot...

Non 'rock/heavy metal' albums in my top ten:

1) Agnus Dei (A collection of fantastic choral music)

2) Enya - 'Amarantine'

3) Fellowship of the Ring - Soundtrack

4) Steve Green - 'The Letter'

5) Steve Bell - 'Simple Songs' (Canadian Christian guitarist/singer/songwriter)

6) Gordon Lightfoot - 'The United Artists Collection'

7) Nitty Gritty Dirt Band - 'Acoustic'

8) The Cathedral Quartet - 'High and Lifted Up'

9) Beethoven - '5th and 6th Symphonies'

10) The Eagles - 'Greatest Hits: Vol 1'


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## Ermundo (Feb 11, 2007)

I can only think of two albums right now. Only because I don't like to think much before breakfast. Or lunch. Dinner though, I think way to much. 

_Meteora _ Linkin Park

Hybrid Theory_ Linkin Park

_


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## Aiwendil2 (Feb 11, 2007)

Jaberg, Ghorim - yes, Love is certainly one of the most underappreciated 'Classic Rock' groups (and so are the Zombies). _Forever Changes_ has some incredible songs on it that are really quite sophisticated both harmonically and lyrically. The only other Love album I have is _Da Capo_, which, to be honest, I was a little bit disappointed with. It's got some good tracks, but the long piece on the second side is somewhat unfocused and a bit bland. Is there other stuff by Love I should be looking for? I have heard a couple of songs by the later incarnation of the group and thought they were rather good.

Ghorim - The Band is probably my favorite group that didn't make my list. Both _Music From Big Pink_ and _The Band_ are amazing albums.


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## Noldor_returned (Feb 12, 2007)

Hmm, only ten?

Nirvana - Nevermind
Metallica - Ride the Lightning or the Black Album
Mudvayne - Lost and Found
Slipknot - Vol. 3: The Subliminal Verses
System Of A Down - Toxicity
Wolfmother - Wolfmother
AC/DC - Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap
Stone Sour - Stone Sour
Sex Pistols - Forget the Bullocks, Here's The Sex Pistols
Guns 'n' Roses - Appetite For Destruction

Needless to say there are countless wonderful albums, but these are my favourites. Although, any greatest hits album is good.

Recently there was a poll of Australia on the nation's favourtie album, from memory, the top ten were:

Can't remember
Dark Side of The Moon (Pink Floyd) [This may have been first, not sure
OK Computer (Radiohead)
A Beatles album
" "
Nevermind (Nirvana)
Blood Suga *** Magick (Red Hot Chilli Peppers)
Then there was also Joshua Tree Road (U2) and another I can't remember. You can probably google it and get it.


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## Jaberg (Feb 14, 2007)

I still say the only Pink Floyd album worth listening to whilst not under the influencing of anything is "Wish You Were Here".  And even that takes some doing.

Aiw - Frankly, you've already heard more Love than I have. I was mostly drawn to them after hearing one of their tracks on an internet radio station, so I did some research and read that "Forever Changes" is the best Love album, so I purchased it. From what I've read, it's the only Love album worth owning, but that's for each to decide. I just know it's an immaculate album.


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## Aiwendil2 (Feb 15, 2007)

> I still say the only Pink Floyd album worth listening to whilst not under the influencing of anything is "Wish You Were Here".



Sure, 'Shine On You Crazy Diamond' is good; but overall I always feel a bit let down by _Wish You Were Here_. DSotM is consistently strong. Another great Pink Floyd album, by the way, is their first - _The Piper at the Gates of Dawn_. Very different from the '70s stuff (as this was before Syd Barrett was kicked out of the band).


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## Noldor_returned (Feb 16, 2007)

For me, I'll always love the Wall. It's a great concept album, possibly the greatest ever. Few others match up to it, in my opinion.


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## Halasían (Mar 5, 2007)

*My Favorite albums*

These things are always tough, but they do get me thinking about all the albums I like. I think it means more when you give a bit of explanation as to why particular albums are on your favorite list.

I'll give ten of mine that come to mind as of this writing. I won't put them in any real order though, and I'll only list one album from any one band. Not that I didn't like other albums by the bands, just trying to cover a wider scope. Ask me next week and I may give you a different ten... 


*Led Zeppelin* - _*Physical Graffiti:*_ It came out when I was a senior in high school and Led II , II, & IV were getting heavy rotation at the keggers, so it was highly anticipated to see if it would bring the Led back from the somewhat yawniness that Houses of the Holy was after the solid #IV. It was! And a double album to boot!
*Black Sabbath* - _*Masters of Reality:*_ I struggled with listing _Paranoid_ here as it got just as much turntable time, but _Masters of Reality_ was the album that introduced me to the heavy meatgrinding rock that Ozzy, Tommi, Geezer, and Bill put out, leading me to get _Paranoid_!
*Rolling Stones - Sticky Fingers: *It is to me the best Rolling Stones album, and was the pinnicle of their career. Sure they had some good songs after this, but they started to decline, and the departure of Mick Taylor pretty much spelled the end of my interest in them. Going back earlier, _*Through The Past, Darkly* (U.S version)_ is a good album of theirs. I had to think about this one as it was a toss-up between this one and _High Tide & Green Grass_. Sis had got that one when it came out and I played it to death, but I got Darkly, and the songs were more to my Stones liking. There's not a stinker on the whole album.
*Yardbirds* - _*Roger The Engineer:*_ The jams on this album of this Led Zep precurser band are simply amazing! Keith Relf really had a rock/blues vocal coupled with solid harmonca playing, and the cover of the old blues tune _Smokestack Lightning_ really rocks!
*Nirvana* - _*Unplugged:*_ Recorded just months before Kurt Cobain took his life _(or was murdered if you're into conspiracies)_, it really showcased the power of the Nirvana songs. Sure they were good on the original albums, but the passion, complete with mistakes, that was captured on this recording really put the band up as a good blues band... especially the last cut of Leadbelly's _Where Did You Sleep Last Night_. Such intensity and imperfection in Kurt's singing was so powerful, you could almost feel that he was writhing with the pain that drove him to his doom.
*Doors* - _*Waiting For The Sun:*_ Another of my early musical influences as my big sis was in love with Jim and had actually bought _two_ Doors albums! It was a toss-up with the self-titled album in making this list as I played both frequently when sis wasn't home _(She would have killed me if she caught me playing her records)_. The darkness of _The End_ drew me to the first album, but the overly radio-played and cheesy _Light My Fire_ drove me away from it. I would have to pick up the needle to turn the album over to avoid playing that one. I liked all of the songs on _Waiting For The Sun_. My favs were _Not To Touch The Earth, Spanish Caravan, & My Wild Love._
*Wolfmother* - _*Wolfmother EP*:_ I got the EP sent to me by a dear lady in 2004 and I fell in love with their ability to squeeze out a unique style by blending bits of all the old greats together. The full album was released with more songs and she sent that to me as well. I can hear bits of Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, early Black Sabbath, & early Rush, pulled together by a tight Cream/James Gang/Emerson, Lake, & Palmer style power trio of great musicians. It was a joy to see them live in a small theatre back in December 2006. As for the dear lady? I moved to Australia and married her in 2008.
*Cream* - _*Disraeli Gears:*_ Another one that rarely was off my turntable in the weeks after I bought it. Totally trippy, I was drawn deep into the tales as I basked in the sunshine of my love...
*77's* - _*Tom Tom Blues:*_ The tight musicianship sucked me into this album, which then led me to seek out other albums by them. But the semi-grungy, semi-clean mix were really a joy to listen to. The song _Outskirts_ is one of the best blues-rock songs of all time me thinks.
*Alice Cooper* - _*Killers*_ : What can I say ... I liked several albums of his, but this one received extensive turntable time at parties, and the blunt evilness of _Dead Babies_ ... it made every parent cringe!
There you have it. Too many great albums, most which at one time or another were a "favorite", so it was tough to pull out ten. I tried to hit all decades of my music listening days, and picked ones I still listen to today, though not as much. They have to compete with Wolfgang's Vault, Radio Paradise, KZAM, and Triple Z these days. Maybe I'll add more later.

A side-note on the Rush discussion.... They really stuffed many of their old fans when they went to the synth-heavy sound of Grace Under Pressure. Their albums, starting with their first, all the way to Moving Pictures were for the most part amazing hard rock. Signals started showing what was to come coupled with them shortening their live shows as well. The best thing I got out of the Grace Under Pressure tour in 1984 was a cool painters cap! 

_Edit Dec 2020 - I edited this slightly as I wrote this up when I was first in Australia living with my soon-to-be-wife. My list stands the test of time but I could make another ten list to make it a top twenty._


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## Noldor_returned (Mar 6, 2007)

I read your post and was listening to Mind's Eye by Wolfmother. It really is a good album, and my first thought of influences was AC/DC due to their simple sounding but complex guitar. Gotta love Tales on that album...Colossal too.


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## Majimaune (Mar 8, 2007)

These are in no particular order except the order they came to my head.


SOAD - Toxcicity
Wolfmother - Wolfmother
Nirvana - Nevermind
Eskimo Joe - Black Fingernails, Red Wine
Rammstein - Rosenrot
Blink 182 - Greatest Hits
Shihad - General Electirc
Jack Johnson - Inbetween Dreams
My Chemical Romance - Black Parade
Red Hot Chili Peppers - By The Way
Red Hot Chili Peppers - Blood Sugar Sex Magik
Red Hot Chili Peppers - Stadium Arcadium
System Of A Down - Steal This Album!
U2 - Joshua Tree
Yellow Card - Ocean Avenue
Thats my top 15 in no particular order. As you can see by it I like metal, punk, rock and some softer stuff like Jack Johnson. Strange taste in music but I find it comes in use when someone starts talking about music because of the range I listen to. WILL NOT LISTEN TO R'N'B OR SIMPLE PLAN FOR ANY MONEY!!!!


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## baragund (Mar 9, 2007)

Here are tennish of my favorite albums. Not only are they some of my favorite songs and favorite bands, but the the _whole package_ really appeals to me. I'm really dating myself here but I own all of these on *vinyl!*

Quadrophenia - The Who
The Wall - Pink Floyd
Abbey Road and The White Album - The Beatles
Duke - Genesis
Days of Future Past - The Moody Blues
So - Peter Gabriel
Stop Making Sense - Talking Heads
Fragile - Yes
Learning to Crawl - The Pretenders
Aja - Steely Dan
War - U2

All these fall into the "Classic Rock" bucket but I'll listen to pretty much everything... except Country & Western and Hip Hop.


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## Noldor_returned (Mar 13, 2007)

I got bored, and decided to post...

I have about 15 favourite albums, but my top ten changes regularly, depending on my mood. For instance if I'm angry, some of my favourties will be Iowa (Slipknot), Nevermind (Nirvana), Lost and Found (Mudvayne). However, when I'm in a good mood some of the following are more to my liking: A Fever You Can't Sweat Out (Panic! at the Disco), Wolfmother (Wolfmother), Get Born (Jet). If I'm not caring it tends to be whatever I flick to, such as any System of a Down album.


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## Halasían (Dec 8, 2020)

(My dumpster-dive thread of the month...)

I have to say that in the 13+ years since I first posted my list here, I've expanded heavily into a lot of Euro-Pagan-Folk and Middle Eastern music. Some bands and their albums I like are:

*Faun - Renaissance*
*Heilung - Lifa*
*Shireen - Matriarch*
*Wardruna - Skald*
*Trobar de Morte - Ouroboros*
*Elane - Arcane*
I could go on and on...


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