no good music in the last 20 years? um, i think we may need to add the adjective "geriatric" somewhere in that marketing association's name ;)

love pet sounds, btw!

Okay, it is a good diversion. But the top ten is bullshit.

I don't get 3 and ironically 9. This is one reason I don't do music posts on the web. This is like arguing about the weather. Except less productive.

Is there really a bigger waste of time?

Some of this is nuts. Seriously, 3 and 9 all-time Definitive Albums? Thriller really changed my life.

Look at 15 through 25. There is a better top ten.

15. BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN – BORN TO RUN
16. PRINCE – PURPLE RAIN
17. AC/DC – BACK IN BLACK
18. ROLLING STONES – LET IT BLEED
19. DOORS – DOORS
20. GRATEFUL DEAD – AMERICAN BEAUTY
21. SHANIA TWAIN – COME ON OVER
22. WHO – WHO’S NEXT
23. STEVIE WONDER – SONGS IN THE KEY OF LIFE
24. FLEETWOOD MAC – RUMOURS
25. PINK FLOYD – WALL

There's some more current stuff on the full list.

I just counted, and I only have 50 from the list, and some of those are on vinyl.

I'm not clear on how this list could omit Allman Bros. Live at Fillmore East yet include Kennny G's Breathless.

I guess part of the drill on these Top X Lists is to make them controversial, as this one will no doubt be.

That's a lot of prince. The White Stripes? seriously?

And Dylan sucks.

---
SayUncle
Can't we all just get a long gun?

as obvious and focused-grouped as contemporary payola clear-channel radio.

I think that probably sums it up best.

doesn't rock-and-roll originate from african american music traditions? and, if so, is this list racist?

There's no Parliament Funkadelic/George Clinton anywhere in the top 200. Clearly, whoever compiled this list is a Philistine.

--Socialist With A Gold Card

15 thru 25 would be a top 11.

R. Kelly? Alicia Keys? 50 Cent? Kid Rock? Kenny G? Shania Twain (ranked highter than the Who??? more like WTF)

contemporary payola indeed. no wonder people have abandoned the recording industry and simply share/download singles.

The Titanic soundtrack must be pretty awesome.

My own top ten:

1) Rolling Stones: Exile on Main Street
2) Elvis Presley: Sun Sessions
3) James Brown: Live at the Apollo
4) Gram Parsons: Grievous Angel
5) Johnny Cash: Live from Folsom Prison
6) Curtis Mayfield: Superfly Soundtrack
7) Beatles: White Album
8) Emmylou Harris: Live at the Ryman
9) Replacements: Hootenanny
10) NRBQ: Live at Yankee Stadium (not actually a live album)

And for 11 and a more recent entrant:
Neko Case: Furnace Room Lullaby

No Ray Charles, no definitive list. I don't think I saw CCR on there either. A lot of stuff left off.

Minutemen -- Double Nickels on the Dime
Big Star -- #1 Record / Radio City
XTC -- English Settlement
Steve Earle -- Guitar Town
Elvis Costello & the Attractions -- My Aim Is True
Hoodoo Gurus -- Stoneage Romeos
The Kinks -- The Kinks are the Village Green Preservation Society
Jorge Ben Jor -- Samba Esquema Novo
Gang of Four -- Entertainment!
The Clash -- London Calling

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Recursive blogwhore.

Guitar Town is still a defensible choice. It was the first album that Earle made after kicking around Nashville for over a decade (gigging as Guy Clark's bass player and delivering pies for Sir Pizza), it had about 8 anthemic songs, the personnel list is impressive (Emory Gordy, Harry Stinson, and Richard Bennett inclusive) and despite the appearance of "Little Rock N Roller," it's the too-country-for-Nashville album that any local singer-songwriter would kill or die to have made.

Actually, if I were to sub something in for Guitar Town, I'd probably take the Louvin Brothers "Tragic Songs of Life" or Dwight Yoakam's "Guitars, Cadillacs, Etc." or Lyle Lovett's "Joshua Judges Ruth" before I took FBB. Just on a personal level, I connect more to those.

____________________________

Recursive blogwhore.

The Louvin Brothers are a bit too obscure.

Obscure, perhaps. Still, they influenced everybody. I think that defines "definitive." You think there'd be the close harmonies on "Devil in Disguise" if Gram Parsons wasn't ripping off the Louvins?

If Ira hadn't died in 1965, they would be far more well known. Look for the Charlie Louvin album coming out here soon.

I still haven't figured out if Lovett is a jazz man.

Jazz, blues, bossa, big band, swing -- I think he's covered those bases well.

Of course, I think Hank Williams was a jazz man, so who knows?

If Hank ain't, Willie sure enough is. (Put Willie Nelson's Teatro on the list, while we're at it.)

____________________________

Recursive blogwhore.

May as well throw in my unadulterated opionion as well...I think the Beatles and Dylan both suck ass...dont even get me started on the Beach Boys....uggh...

No Peter Gabriel at all either. Plus, they list Nevermind as being released in 1996. It was released in 1991.

Nope. Nothing. Reminds me of Mandy

Hahahahahahaha. Wow. Yeah, memorable doesn't necessarily mean life-impacting. (I've never quite heard Steely Dan as a fussy, high-gloss version of Manilow, but I like it. I can totally hear Fagen dead-panning about Rico and his diamond.)

As another example, I've had legions of Rush fans try to explain to me how meaningful that their music is, but I still don't think that even their best work holds up very well. (2112 was basically the Canadian equivalent of Kilroy Was Here without the painful DeYoungian Broadway pretense.)

____________________________

Recursive blogwhore.

At least Public Enemy made it down the list.

Not a beatles fan either.

public enemy and no ice cube? shameful.

And Korn's first album should have made the list since it basically redefined the whole metal genre.

---
SayUncle
Can't we all just get a long gun?

Re: Ice Cube. NWA's Straight Outta Compton is on there ...

My major problem with the list is that some of the newer bands didn't get enough cred... for the love of God, out of 200 albums, Weezer didn't make the list. Keep in mind these are not my favorites, they are just the albums I'd consider the most influential of my generation (Generation X/Y... the real man's generation).

1) Green Day - Dookie
2) Nirvana - Nevermind
3) Linkin Park - Hybrid Theory
4) Smashing Pumpkins - Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness
5) Oasis - What's the Story Morning Glory
6) Alanis Morrisette - Jagged Little Pill
7) Green Day - American Idiot
8) Weezer - The Blue Album
9) Rage Against the Machine - Self titled
10)The Offspring - Smash

I think the next CD I buy, will be one of Nora Jones #27 Does anyone know if she is any relation to Ricky Lee Jones, a singer back in the late 70's. From the few songs I've heard from Nora, their style is very similar.

Adrift in the Sea of Humility

My wife is a HUGE Norah Jones fan. I even took her the the concert here in Knoxville a couple years ago.

Her album "Come Away with Me" is the one I know the best...

Not to get too personal or sappy, but my wife and I's "song" is on the CD.

"they are just the albums I'd consider the most influential of my generation (Generation X/Y... the real man's generation)."

No hip-hop, huh?

I could add the Louvin Brothers, or Ray Charles, or Public Enemy or Big Star and I'd be perfectly satisfied. It's hard to fit it all in 10 spots. Oh, how about Faces' Long Player?

Forget Elvis Costello, how about Graham Parker or Nick Lowe? Or even Jonathan Richman.

Other odd exceptions to the 'definitive' list...

No Loretta Lynn ("Coal Miner's Daughter"),

George Jones (maybe the greatest country voice),

George Strait (52 No. 1 songs and counting),

Garth Brooks (who sold tens of millions, was responsible for a resurgance of country in the 80's and 90's and is one of the top 5 draws ever in Central Park),

Merle Haggard (legend, who is still sought out by young and old, rock and country)

East Tennessee's own Dolly Parton or even

Bill Monroe, the father of Bluegrass?

Yet, we have Faith Hill and Shania Twain, not to mention a number of rock/pop acts who have had limited impact and/or success? NARM includes some country artists, but clearly lacks depth or insight.

Come on Knoxville...what the hell! THis is far bigger rubbish then rolling stones top 100 guitarist, Oh and trust me that was the biggest pice of rubbish ever.

How was this list even thought up? ON the greatness of the albums? how influential the album/artist was in this album? The album in general compared to others? the popularity of the album? Or is it what the music industry calls the best?

First of all i have to admit, somethings just cant be rated-just too good. But this list is complete rubbish. It is the most narrow-minded list. They mention influential groups yes...and good albums but they missed so many influential albums and on big genre. I saw the sex pistols in there but no mention of PIL, Which showcased rotten at vocals...oh and did i mention that PIL started a music revolution that was supposed to be punk and influenced more bands then the sex pistols (all they did was show punks to be dicks and play simple shitty music and that selling out is cool). Second American Idiot before the London Calling? WTF? Finally no mention of The Minutemen's Double Nickels on the Dime, which along with PIL and London Calling are the three best punk/post-punk albums. The minutemen influenced so many groups. Infact Flea from your lovely Red Hot Chili Peppers(I love me too) who made it up there twice, shots kudos to Mike Watt from the minutemen all the time.

Keasby Nights-by Streetlight Manifesto, Tom the modern beetoven Look at bandits of the acoustic revolution.

More Ranting: Eminem-twice wtf-his rhymes and beats cant compare to mcs like twalib, mos def, the coup, asheru, dead prez, i can go on all day. LEARN SOME GOOD HIP HOP. MOs def-black on both sides-epic level.
Outkast-twice?

If i spent any more time at this list I will probably kill myself..it is seriously that bad.

Well real quick this is just me..But i stonily believe Bob Dylan Highway 61 or Blond On Blond Should be number one. Bob Dylan pretty much influenced the all great Beatles...especially in SGT. Peppers.

Well I lost all hope in Humanity. Thank You!