100 Best American Rock Albums (2000 Edition)
- 1.Bob Dylan/Hwy 61 Revisited (1965)
- 2.Elvis Presley/The Sun Sessions (1955/1987)
- 3.Nirvana/Nevermind (1991)
- 4.Bob Dylan/Bringing It All Back Home (1965)
- 5.The Byrds/Younger Than Yesterday (1967)
- 6.REM/Murmur (1983)
- 7.Marvin Gaye/What's Goin' On (1971)
- 8.Beach Boys/Pet Sounds (1966)
- 9.Television/Marquee Moon (1977)
- 10.Nuggets (1972)
- 11.The Stooges/Fun House (1970)
- 12.Sly and the Family Stone/There's a Riot Goin' On (1971)
- 13.Frank Zappa/Freak Out! (1966)
- 14.Aretha Franklin/Lady Soul (1968)
- 15.X/Los Angeles (1980)
- 16.Buddy Holly/The Chirpping Crickets (1957)
- 17.Patti Smith/Horses (1975)
- 18.Bob Dylan/Blood on the Tracks (1975)
- 19.New York Dolls/New York Dolls (1973)
- 20.The Byrds/Mr. Tamborine Man (1965)
- 21.Pere Ubu/The Modern Dance (1978)
- 22.Otis Redding/Otis Blue (1966)
- 23.The Velvet Underground/and Nico (1967)
- 24.Suicide/Suicide (1977)
- 25.Sam Cooke/Live at the Harlem Square Club (1963/1985)
- 26.Elvis Presley/From Elvis in Memphis (1969)
- 27.Pavement/Slanted and Enchanted (1992)
- 28.Nirvana/Unplugged (1994)
- 29.REM/Document (1987)
- 30.Bruce Springsteen/Nebraska (1982)
- 31.James Brown/Live at the Apollo (1963)
- 32.Al Green/Let's Stay Together (1972)
- 33.Liz Phair/Exile in Guyville (1993)
- 34.The Byrds/Sweetheart of the Rodeo (1968)
- 35.Bob Dylan/John Wesley Harding (1967)
- 36.Santana/Abraxas (1970)
- 37.Parliament/Mothership Connection (1976)
- 38.Jimi Hendrix/Are You Experienced? (1967)
- 39.Violent Femmes/Violent Femmes (1983)
- 40.Bob Dylan/The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan (1963)
- 41.DJ Shadow/Endtroducing (1996)
- 42.REM/Automatic for the People (1992)
- 43.The Byrds/Notorious Byrd Brothers (1968)
- 44.Elvis Presley/Elvis Presley (1956)
- 45.Adam Again/Dig (1991)
- 46.Lucinda Williams/Car Wheels on a Gravel Road (1998)
- 47.X/Wild Gift (1981)
- 48.Meat Puppets/Meat Puppets II (1983)
- 49.Beck/Odelay (1996)
- 50.Johnny Burnette/Tear It Up (1957)
- 51.Otis Redding/Live in Europe (1967)
- 52.Jeff Buckley/Grace (1994)
- 53.The Pixies/Surfer Rosa (1988)
- 54.Bob Dylan/Blonde on Blonde (1966)
- 55.Frank Zappa/Only in It for the Money (1968)
- 56.New York Dolls/Too Much Too Soon (1974)
- 57.Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young/Deja Vu (1970)
- 58.Nirvana/In Utero (1993)
- 59.The Doors/The Doors (1967)
- 60.13th Floor Elevators/The Psychedelic Sounds of (1966)
- 61.Beach Boys/20/20 (1969)
- 62.Lou Reed/Transformer (1972)
- 63.Sly and the Family Stone/ Stand! (1969)
- 64.Guns 'n' Roses/Appetite for Destruction (1987)
- 65.Sleater-Kinney/Dig Me Out (1997)
- 66.Bob Dylan/Desire (1976)
- 67.Aretha Franklin/I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You (1967)
- 68.Jimi Hendrix/Electric Ladyland (1968)
- 69.Beastie Boys/Paul's Boutique (1989)
- 70.Smashing Pumpkins/Siamese Dream (1993)
- 71.The Stooges/Raw Power (1973)
- 72.Beach Boys/Summer Days (and Summer Nights!) (1965)
- 73.The Replacements/Tim (1985)
- 74.The Byrds/Untitled (1970)
- 75.Nine Inch Nails/Pretty Hate Machine (1989)
- 76.Bob Dylan/Live at Royal Albert Hall (1966/1999)
- 77.Hole/Live Through This (1994)
- 78.REM/Reckoning (1984)
- 79.Tom Waits/Swordfishtrombones (1983)
- 80.Tori Amos/Little Earthquakes (1991)
- 81.Mission of Burma/Signals, Calls, and Marches (1982)
- 82.Stevie Wonder/Talking Book (1972)
- 83.Dead Kennedys/Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables (1980)
- 84.Talking Heads/Remain in Light (1980)
- 85.LSU/Shaded Pain (1987)
- 86.The Flaming Lips/The Soft Bulletin (1999)
- 87.Shelby Lynne/I Am Shelby Lynne (2000)
- 88.Creedence Clearwater Revival/Green River (1969)
- 89.Beach Boys/Surf's Up (1971)
- 90.The Byrds/Fifth Dimension (1966)
- 91.Mike Knott/Rocket and a Bomb (1994)
- 92.Pearl Jam/Ten (1991)
- 93.Van Halen/Van Halen I (1978)
- 94.Aerosmith/Toys in the Attic (1975)
- 95.Pavement/Westing (By Musket and Sextant) (1993)
- 96.Counting Crows/August and Everything After (1993)
- 97.Bob Dylan/Time Out of Mind (1997)
- 98.The Cars/The Cars (1978)
- 99.Beach Boys/Smiley Smile (1967)
- 100.Sam Phillips/Martinis and Bikinis (1994)
- 101.Moby/Play (1999)
The latest issue of Q Magazine (a British Publication) features their list of the Top 100 British Rock albums, so I decided that an American list was in order. I had a few rules in making this list. I had to hear an album to put it on this list, which betrays ignorance in a couple of places; for instance, I've heard Prince's singles, but I've never really listened to any of his proper albums. I've also never heard acclaimed albums by Captain Beefheart, Tim Buckley, Fred Neil, or Moby Grape. Any of these artists could likely make the list if I had more exposure to them. Also, only albums could be included here, not greatest hits compilations. I have two exceptions to this rule on the list, Elvis' Sun Sessions and the Nuggets Box Sets; both of these sets are important and good enough to warrant inclusion. Finally, I didn't include any Rap albums, not out of dislike but because I'm not as knowledgable about Rap, and I feel I would only embarrass myself if I tried to rank any Rap albums alongside the Rock ones. So with these caveats, please discuss; that's the whole motive behind a list of this sort.
This list is a remarkable achievement, a massive work that obviously took much time and love of music. I'll throw some random comments down here:
1) It's pretty hard to pick at your top ten, which is excellent. So maybe Television's album wouldn't rank quite as high on my list, but I won't deny its excellence. Solid. The top two, along with some of the sadly forgotten Sam Cooke's work, are pretty much the cornerstones of American rock, if we limit ourselves to only American albums.
2) I've got to buy you some Prince, Captain Beefheart, and The Band albums! Unless, of course, you count The Band, the masters of Americana, as Canadian.
3) Don't ya wish there were more good American trip-hop artists?
4) I was a bit surprised to see Lady Soul on your list above I Never Loved a Man, and I was also very surprised to see The Beach Boys' 20/20 on here. I had no idea you would place these albums this high.
5) I still think some of the 90s albums you have chosen are a bit over-rated (particularly the Smashing Pumpkins disc), but you already knew that.
6) Special kudos for including many older yet brilliant artists and for giving Dylan his due. It is very nice to see Adam Again and Mike Knott grace this list. Also great to see Nuggets represented.
I could quibble a bit with the ordering, but why? This is a great list, and both your knowledge and your personal taste shine through. A great addition to Listology! Perhaps I'll break from my CC kick long enough to dare to put together a list such as this!
Shalom, y'all!
L. Bangs
I'd second the sentiment that this is a great addition to The Listology. Not being nearly the music expert that you or lbangs are, I'll stick to semantics . . .
At various times the usage of the word "best" vs. "favorite" has come up here. "Best" implying some kind of quantifiable greatness, while "favorite" simply meaning "most enjoyable personally."
So my question is, did you really mean "best" (and given the work you've put in, I don't begrudge you that), and if so how do you define it?
Thanks for the compliment, Jim; I'm just glad to have found a well-done site where things like this can be posted.
Your semantics question is a little more difficult to answer, so I'll just kind of talk it out and see if it makes sense. I definitely mean best in that I think these are the highest quality and original albums in American Rock. Having said that, I will admit that my personal taste played a role in determining what is best. That doesn't mean I equate my taste with quality, but I do think that I've been exposed to enough music considered great to have somewhat sharpened sensibilities. An earlier draft of this list had a few albums higher on the chart than they now are because other critics seemed to have such high regard for them. Later, I decided to just trust my instincts and put albums where I thought they should go quality-wise. A good example is the Velvet Underground, who I originally included in the top 10, but dropped down later because I'm not as fond of them as some people are. So to sum up, I hoped to do a personally flavored "Best" list. Maybe I'm still not defining my criteria well enough, but I'll keep thinking it over.
Johnny Waco
I started to reply to this, and realized that I have to give more thought to the issue myself (one of the things I love about this site is that it often forces me to do that). I'll get back to you.
Okay, almost five months later and I think I've given this enough thought. What I've come up with is embarrassingly simple (either a sign that I've distilled the issue to its essence, or failed to plumb its depths - I suspect the latter). Anyway . . .
I figure to create a "best" list the author must be educated and experienced enough on the subject to quantifiably disqualify other contenders from the list.
I told you it was embarrassing. But I think it has some merit. Clearly, "quantifiably" is kinda tough it matters of art, and I'm not even going to try to pin it down.
As for "disqualifying other contenders", the list author must be broadly experienced to be able to do this well (out of a field of say 1000 entries, anybody can just pick the top 10 and call them "best", but for that to be viable, they should also be able to say why the other 990 don't make the cut). I'm not saying that the list author has to have seen/read/heard everything, but it should be a substantial body of work (what do I mean by "substantial"? who knows?).
The list itself doesn't have to address the bulk of work that didn't qualify, but the author should be able to field "what about so-and-so" questions (just a personal guideline).
Anyway, that's my best shot for now. It feels weak. Sorry! For what it's worth, this is why I don't make "best" lists - I don't feel I know enough.
Thanks Les! Man, if only America had been graced with some Trip-Hop and Shoegazer, I could just die and go to Amero-centric heaven! But alas, guess I got to keep those Brits around. I also would consider the Band, but if I did I think Neil Young would have to be included; he seems just as American as the Band to me. What do you think?
You should definitely make one of these lists also. Oh, and by the way, if you really want to buy me some Prince and Beefheart, I'll send you my address;)
Johnny Waco
PS What do you think about Jim's question about the difference between best/favorite? I know that issue can be tricky. What do you think of my explanation? Does it hold water?
As for the Band and Neil Young, I'm afraid Neil Young is definitely Canadian. If I were to claim The Band as American, it would only be because one of the members was an American. Even then, that might be stretching things a bit.
As for the best / favorite issue, I'm the wrong person to ask. Call me cocky, but I believe that if an album is someone's favorite, they should have the cajones to claim it as the best, excepting, of course, albums he or she may not have heard yet or sentimental reasons. Otherwise, you're either 1) judging by some criteria divorced from the total effect of the work of art (which, to me, is the ultimate measure) or 2) second-guessing the opinions of others. Most lists claiming to list great art as opposed to favorites are really giving entirely too much weight to influence and to the loftiness of subject matter, two elements I don't believe affect great art in a major way in and of themselves. For example, is Schindler's List better than Bringing Up Baby just because it tells an Holocaust story and Baby is simply a goofy comedy. I say no.
I don't see much use for either motive one or two above on a great art list.
Just my two cents...
Shalom, y'all!
L. Bangs
Well, this is what I'll say about my criteria; lbangs has helped me screw up my courage: my criteria, I suppose, really is what I think is best. I can't escape knowledge of historical importance or critical consensus, but the way I ranked the albums is the way I like them. For instance, as the list came into clearer focus, I did eliminate albums that I thought were good but I didn't necessarily like to listen to. Every album here is one I love and love listening to. So I consider these albums the best according to my personal criteria, i.e. my own opinion of their quality. How does that sound?
I must say I liked X-Wild Gift better than Los Angeles.
There are several songs on Wild Gift that are the equals or better of Los Angeles, but I think it's not quite as consistent overall. By the way, I haven't heard anything beyond these two albums. Can you recommend anything?
Johnny Waco
Neither have I Johnny. They have a compilation album of some sort with different stuff on it, but I do not know what its called.
OK, at some point this list will have to be overhauled. I've heard some albums in the last year that belong, and my opinions on others have changed. No major changes I think, but I need to stop procrastinating and do it!
Johnny Waco
I'm laughing. I need to update my own top 100 list, but you know what? Right now, I'm just too lazy. I'm rather happy letting that beast sleep a little longer before I stir it again!
Shalom, y'all!
L. Bangs
Yeah, these monster lists are some real Pandora's boxes, huh?
Indeed, and like a good Jocasta, I'm electing to ignore the problem right now.
Did I say problem? What problem?
Shalom, y'all!
L. Bangs
Still baffled by the complete absence of any Tom Petty/Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers records in your list... Do you hold a grudge against the guy ? Albums worth your consideration could be their debut from 76, Damn The Torpedoes from 1979, Full Moon fever from 1989 and Wildflowers from 1994.
I'm actually pretty unhappy with this list--I made it in 2000, and since then, my opinions have changed quite a bit, and I've also heard a lot more albums. Damn the Torpedoes would definitely a revised list.
One of these days I'll revamp it...
Johnny Waco