Rolling Stone apparently released a major revision of its top 500 albums ever list on September 22, 2020. Seems like a dubious exercise, to me, anyway, but, again, to me, cements Rolling Stone magazine's position as irrelevant to anything going on in 2020. List was apparently first published in 2003 and "slightly revised" in 2012.
Among many other interesting things that I am sure were in part intended to create controversy and discussion, from 2003 to 2020, Sgt. Pepper's went from 1 to 24 (just after 23, The Velvet Underground & Nico, The Velvet Underground), with Marvin Gaye's What's Going On now in the top spot, moving up from 6 in 2003. Pet Sounds retains the 2 spot. Joni Mitchell's Blue moves from 30 to 3. The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill comes in at 10, just ahead of Revolver at 11, which moved down to there from 3 in 2003. Highway 61 goes from 4 to 18, with Blood on the Tracks going from 16 to 9, as the highest ranked Dylan LP in 2020. Hendrix Are You Experienced, is the sole Hendrix entry both years, 15 in 2003 and 30 in 2020.
Talk among yourselves, if you like. I would hardly know where to begin. But no, I like The Velvets but none of their mostly excellent albums is better than Sgt. Peppers in any objective sense, much less does Miseducation "top" Revolver. And just because Blue is one of my all time favorite albums, does not make me think it is the third "top" album of all time. And while I think two songs on Pet Sounds are among the best ever recorded, and two more are favorites of mine, that does not make it the second top album ever. I may be the only Dylan fan who does not even like Blood on the Tracks.
Among many other interesting things that I am sure were in part intended to create controversy and discussion, from 2003 to 2020, Sgt. Pepper's went from 1 to 24 (just after 23, The Velvet Underground & Nico, The Velvet Underground), with Marvin Gaye's What's Going On now in the top spot, moving up from 6 in 2003. Pet Sounds retains the 2 spot. Joni Mitchell's Blue moves from 30 to 3. The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill comes in at 10, just ahead of Revolver at 11, which moved down to there from 3 in 2003. Highway 61 goes from 4 to 18, with Blood on the Tracks going from 16 to 9, as the highest ranked Dylan LP in 2020. Hendrix Are You Experienced, is the sole Hendrix entry both years, 15 in 2003 and 30 in 2020.
Talk among yourselves, if you like. I would hardly know where to begin. But no, I like The Velvets but none of their mostly excellent albums is better than Sgt. Peppers in any objective sense, much less does Miseducation "top" Revolver. And just because Blue is one of my all time favorite albums, does not make me think it is the third "top" album of all time. And while I think two songs on Pet Sounds are among the best ever recorded, and two more are favorites of mine, that does not make it the second top album ever. I may be the only Dylan fan who does not even like Blood on the Tracks.