Rolling Stones Top 500 Albums

[The Knize]

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.

 

[MntnMan62]

Nothing but a popularity contest. I don't listen to popular music. Therefore a Rolling Stone list is meaningless to me.

 

[The Knize]

I do not think the RS list corresponds that much with relative popularity. I do think they are trying to alter their rep for being anti-rap and arguably anti-Black music in general. RS seems generally out of touch, period, to me. Maybe even more so in 2020 than in 2003. I like the 2003 list better, but that is not saying much.

I meant to say earlier that throwing in couple of jazz albums does not help them. While their choices are masterpieces, I do not think RS knows anything about jazz. I think they should stick to rock and, say, R&B.

To me, in every age there is always good and terrible popular music around. And there is always excellent music that seems to be generally overlooked by anything like popular music outlets. Those who search out good music are rewarded.

 

[Proinsias]

Yeah, it reads like they've eventually given up on rap music just going away.

 

[Billski]

Nothing but a popularity contest. I don't listen to popular music. Therefore a Rolling Stone list is meaningless to me.

 

[The Knize]

Yeah, it reads like they've eventually given up on rap music just going away.

Well said!

 

[It's Hedley]

Um, they have Britney Spears in the top 500. Need I say more?

 

[Chef455]

Nothing but a popularity contest. I don't listen to popular music. Therefore a Rolling Stone list is meaningless to me.

Agreed. I must admit that I am curious as to what one with a Frank Zappa avatar ( which I completely respect) does listen to/place in their top 500.

 

[emwolf]

Who's Next is no longer in the top 25 like it used to be, and every song on that is classic.

 

[MntnMan62]

Agreed. I must admit that I am curious as to what one with a Frank Zappa avatar ( which I completely respect) does listen to/place in their top 500.

And being one who has never shied away of providing my opinion on anything, I'm happy to oblige. Besides FZ, I am a big fan of jazz, mostly bebop and avant garde. And as a drummer my tastes lie with stuff that has great drumming. So think Miles Davis with Tony Williams. Elvin Jones. Roy Haynes. It's a long list. None of it on the RS list. I'm also a huge fan of Fusion. So think Weather Report, Return to Forever, Brand X, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Pat Metheny Group, The Brecker Brothers. Another long list. I also dig some pop. Say what you will about Michael Jackson, I'll agree. But I also think his album Off The Wall is one of the best pop albums ever made. I love me some Motown. Funk. R&B. Rufus and Chaka Khan. Tower of Power. And then there's classic rock. That stuff would likely be on the list. But you get the idea.

 

[Owen Bawn]

I wonder does Playboy still do a piece on the top musicians each year? Does Playboy do anything any more? Does it even exist?

Their list would try to be cool AND esoteric and always ended up being neither. They'd have George Benson as Best Guitarist, Bob Crane (of Hogan's Heroes fame) as the Best Drummer, Paul McCartney as Best Bass Player, and Elton John as Best Keyboard Player.

EDIT- I found an illustration- I wasn't far off.

 

[Owen Bawn]

They have Snoop Doggy Dogg's 'Doggystyle' at #340? I have it at #337. Then they have Neutral Milk Hotel's 'In the Aeroplane Over the Sea' at #376 when no one in their right mind would place it any higher than #380. What the hell is wrong with them? They obviously know nothing about music.

Anyway, this is taking me away from the much more important task of compiling my list of the 100 Greatest Pittsburgh Penguins of the Twentieth Century. Where do you guys have Duane Rupp, anyway? He's at #71 on my list.

 

[The Knize]

But I also think his album Off The Wall is one of the best pop albums ever made.

I agree. RS arguably does, too, and has it at 36.

Miles Davis with Tony Williams

You don't like Jimmy Cobb? See 31.

Overall, though, I really do not think Rolling Stone ought to be rating jazz, fusion, or funk, to the extent it should be rating anything. I barely give them a pass on Motown and R&B.

Playboy published its last print issue in Spring of 2020, the internet tells me. Apparently they were going to go to digital. I cannot tell whether they actually did or not. It only recently went back to having nudes.

Their list would try to be cool AND esoteric and always ended up being neither.

Well said. I, too, found Playboy's annual music awards amusing. I had forgotten Edgar Winter played sax.

 

[MrSpeedy]

I've never understood the love for Sgt. Pepper's. The songs are good but not great. It's not a true "concept" album, despite what people say. For me, Revolver is better, and so is Abbey Road. Rubber Soul is arguably better.

I'm not sure The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill at #10 is right, but it's definitely top 20. Lyrically it was ahead of its time and the tracks sound good to this day.

 

[Doc4]

Anyway, this is taking me away from the much more important task of compiling my list of the 100 Greatest Pittsburgh Penguins of the Twentieth Century. Where do you guys have Duane Rupp, anyway? He's at #71 on my list.

"Mario, Jagr, Sid, Malkin, ... umm ... Denis Heron?"

 

[Owen Bawn]

"Mario, Jagr, Sid, Malkin, ... umm ... Denis Heron?"

Billy Tibbetts

 

[The Knize]

For me, Revolver is better, and so is Abbey Road. Rubber Soul is arguably better.

I am having trouble figuring out how I would define "better" for any list I made, but I would certainly rather listen to those three albums yet again than to SP.

I've never understood the love for Sgt. Pepper's.

I am tempted to say "you had to be there," but that does not seem to say much. It is a product of its times and helped create those times. I think it hangs together but is not really a concept album. I think John Lennon said specifically that it was not a concept album. I think there are many great cuts on the album. I do not know how to analyze "songs" for this purpose. I do not know that I want to hear anyone else do "A Day in the Life."

I admit that I do not really know Miseducation.

 

[SharpieB]

I haven’t paid attention to Rolling Stone ratings and reviews in years.

So many super positive reviews of absolute artsy fartsy garbage did it for me. An example is Atoms for Peace‘s debut album. They raved about it like it was the second coming and I literally threw it out my car window on the highway as it was so bad. Complete garbage and I love a Flea/RHCP and Radiohead.

Plus they always hated Rush and that was my favourite band growing up!

 

[SharpieB]

Anyway, this is taking me away from the much more important task of compiling my list of the 100 Greatest Pittsburgh Penguins of the Twentieth Century. Where do you guys have Duane Rupp, anyway? He's at #71 on my list.

Interesting... I am working on my top 100 Toronto Maple Leaf backup goalies list. After that, top 100 Leaf assistant coaches. I can‘t imagine what I will do with all of my extra free time when I retire...

P.s. Don’t forget to add Alex Daigle and Kelly Buchberger to YOUR list. They should be right near the top.

 

[Owen Bawn]

P.s. Don’t forget to add Alex Daigle and Kelly Buchberger to YOUR list. They should be right near the top.

Those 2 guys were on the Pens in the 21st century. I'm still working on my 20th century team.