It's Certainly A Thrill: 'Sgt. Pepper' Is Best Album (Better than the White Album?!)

usa today ^ | 11-17-03

[steppenwolffe]

To everyone's complete lack of surprise, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band has been anointed the best album ever in a new Rolling Stone poll.

The Beatles' consecrated 1967 classic tops ''The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time,'' a collector's issue on stands Friday. Though typically the odds-on favorite for such rankings, Sgt. Pepper wasn't a slam-dunk.

''There was a horse race,'' says Rolling Stone music editor Joe Levy. ''Early on, any number of albums in the top 10 were in the lead. The final result is no shock, but there's a reason for that. The Beatles, after all, were the most important and innovative rock group in the world. And Sgt. Pepper arguably set the tone for what an album could be.''

The Beatles have four albums in the top 10. Predictably, the list is weighted toward testosterone-fueled vintage rock. The top solo female is Joni Mitchell, whose 1971 Blue is No. 30.

The newest entry is this year's Elephant by the White Stripes, landing at No. 390. The most current disc in the top 20 is Nirvana's 1991 breakthrough, Nevermind. Recent albums by Coldplay and The Strokes also made the cut, as did all three Eminem releases and a wide range of hip-hop.

''A classic record proves itself over time,'' Levy says, ''so it's gratifying and surprising to see so many newer records on the list, considering they're competing against such beloved and titanic records as Rubber Soul and Dusty in Memphis.''

Rolling Stone asked musicians, critics, historians and key industry figures to rank their 50 favorites. The 273 participants included Beck, U2's The Edge, Jackson Browne, Art Garfunkel, Missy Elliott and members of Red Hot Chili Peppers, Metallica, Linkin Park and The Doors. The Ernst & Young accounting firm devised a point system to weight votes for 1,600 submitted titles.

Voters were invited to identify favorites from any period or genre, allowing a smattering of country (Johnny Cash), jazz (Miles Davis) and seminal blues (Howlin' Wolf). The list also accommodates greatest hits collections and live recordings; four James Brown picks include two sets of hits and Live at the Apollo (1963). Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis, Hank Williams, The Drifters and Loretta Lynn, who flourished during the era of 45s, are represented only by hits compilations.

''Artists whose best works were singles are not going to be well represented,'' Levy notes. For example, he adds, ''Disco is under-represented because it's a singles-driven genre.''

[Fresh Wind]

Interesting. I know the British releases often differed from the US pressings, did the Parlophone Revolver have different songs, or different mixes, or what?

There may be albums that were better musically, or had better lyrics, but Sgt. Pepper is one of only a couple of albums that I can honestly say changed my life. Weird, isn't it?

[NYCVirago]

What the heck? Abbey Road is better then either one.

Absolutely. If the poll were most overrated albums, then Sgt. Pepper should have won.

[Alberta's Child]

You're right. But even back in the 70s I can;t imagine a record company executive was happy with a five-year production period. LOL.

[aculeus]

Included in this list?

http://www.cenedella.com/stone/archives/2003_10.html

[Skooz]

Piper was actually a very fine album.

[TAIPAN22001]

As great as Dark Side Of The Moon was, their follow-up Wish You Were Here was even better. It's a masterpiece(two in a row for the Floyd)

[Revolting cat!]

In the end, as lasting as anything mentioned here. Especially, since we all seem to agree that quantity (of sales) equals quality. I'll take Astral Weeks and similar things that never sold and most never heard of, some of it by artists most never heard of. And now back to that other lowest common denominator, the living room idiot box! As my grandfather, the elitist, used to say, if it's popular there must be something wrong with it. Who was it that said 95% of everything is crap?

[Mr. Mojo]

And the follow-up to that, Animals is also worthy of note. ....a haunting album. "Sheep" is a masterpiece .....the opening keyboards, the way the vocals imperceptably trail into the guitar, the re-writing of the 23 Psalm, and the end where an imaginitive chord progression slowly fades into the bleating of sheep.

And "Dogs" (taking up all of side one) and "Pigs (three different ones)" aren't too shabby either.

[Revolting cat!]

And now for something completely different:

The Haze at his worst!

[eddie willers]

Staying Alive....Billy Jean...Fun Fun Fun ('til her daddy took her T-Bird Away).

You're getting the picture.

Beatle tunes that fit the catagory... "Can't By Me Love", "Daytripper", "A Hard Day's Night" and (you guessed it) many, many more.

[Mr. Mojo]

Harmlessly passing your time in the grassland away;
Only dimly aware of a certain unease in the air.
You better watch out,
There may be dogs about
I've looked over Jordan, and I have seen
Things are not what they seem.

What do you get for pretending the danger's not real.
Meek and obedient you follow the leader
Down well trodden corridors into the valley of steel.
What a surprise!
A look of terminal shock in your eyes.
Now things are really what they seem.
No, this is no bad dream.

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want
He makes me down to lie
Through pastures green He leadeth me the silent waters by.
With bright knives He releaseth my soul.
He maketh me to hang on hooks in high places.
He converteth me to lamb cutlets,
For lo, He hath great power, and great hunger.
When cometh the day we lowly ones,
Through quiet reflection, and great dedication
Master the art of karate,
Lo, we shall rise up,
And then we'll make the bugger's eyes water.

Bleating and babbling I fell on his neck with a scream.
Wave upon wave of demented avengers
March cheerfully out of obscurity into the dream.
Have you heard the news?
The dogs are dead!
You better stay home
And do as you're told.
Get out of the road if you want to grow old.    

[SaveTheChief]

No, but the review was just two words. ;-)

[ItsOurTimeNow]

"Where'd they print that? You can't print that!"

[my_pointy_head_is_sharp]

Did anyone hear the new "Let It Be - Naked"? They played it in SF on an oldies station, then had a sort of round-table discussion with famous people calling in and saying what they thought of it. I thought it was just so-so. What did you all think of it?

[eddie willers]

They played it in SF on an oldies station,

FM sounds like crap.
I remember hearing Paul Simon's "You Can Call Me Al" on the radio and thought, "Ho hum...boring."

But I bought the CD because of the title cut (Graceland) and then "You Can Call Me Al" just blew me away

It just ain't the same until you can hear the tight trumpet blasts, the running bass line and the (Steve Gadd?) pounding drums.

I'll wait until I hear "Let It Be...Naked" through my rig before passing judgment.

[giant sable]

Here's this old rock critic's list:

1. Astral Weeks
2. Revolver
3. Elvis: the Sun Sessions
4. Pet Sounds
5. Sgt. Peppers
6. Let it Bleed
7. Something Else
8. What's Going On
9. Nevermind
10. The Basement Tapes

[steppenwolffe]

Help me out here. I thought Starship was Jefferson Starship (Grace Slick, "We Built This City"). But they did a gig at a church? I missed that bit of music trivia.

[AmishDude]

At least 4 of the songs on that album are what would be termed "rock anthems". I didn't count "greatest hits" albums (even though this survey did).

Actually, I wonder if albums have been rated by (a) number of #1 hits and (b) number of top 10 hits. I'd be curious to see which albums win on that scale.

[wardaddy]

I grew up literally as a grade school lad on the first Beatles...I think their very first music to land here hit when I was a 2nd grader. They had steady AM top forty play till the bitter end.

Since mid- High School....72-75, I have never really listened to much besides White, Revolver and Rubber Soul. That's just me.

Now, firmly middle aged I realize I prefer Floyd, Zepplin, Stones, Skynyrd, early Fleetwood Mac, later Byrds etc more than the Beatles.

In conclusion...and this may change....I find Pink Floyd has the best and most soothing legs...I have Pulse in my Jeep right now. Sounds funny but most of their songs are so acutely about life that I think anyone with some experience can really relate to the stories recounted by their music and Gilmour's guitar and voice just make one feel good and grounded sort of. Hard to explain. Pink Floyd is more understandable now.

I like Zepplin and Skynyrd for rowdier music.

My true musical experience really starts with early Beatles/Stones/Beach Boys/Dave Clark Five/Kinks/Animals/Beach Boys and ends with grunge. Throw Motown and Chess and Stax in there for early AM "black music" and that's about the run of it. Evrything else whether very old blues or 50s rock and roll or cuntry or what very little 90s music was all discovered by me rather than my being in the presence of the music timeline wise.

The Beatles just seem more odd now and most of it just doesn't do it for me like the others.

I still listen to pre (Death of Pig Pen) Dead music too.

Regards.

[AmishDude]

According to this, the top selling albums are:

1. Eagles: Their Greatest Hits
2. Michael Jackson: Thriller (got to give very grudging props to the freaky one himself)
3. Pink Floyd: The Wall
4. Led Zeppelin: Untitled (IV)
5. Billy Joel: Greatest Hits Volume I & II

Boston's self titled is #11.