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.''

[Revolting cat!]

the White Album?!

Here it is!

[eddie willers]

Neil Young's "Decade" and the Allman Brothers' "Decade of Hits" belong in any list of Top 10 albums of all time

As good as they are (I was "into" Neil begining with The Buffalo Springfield and The Allman Brothers played at my 1970 high school graduation dance) Greatest Hits compilations should NEVER be considered as albums.

An album should be a singular event and artistic endeavor

So that being said....I vote for "Tonight's The Night" and "Idlewild South". :-)

[Petronski]

The Allman Brothers played at my 1970 high school graduation dance . . . .

That is probably the coolest thing I've ever heard. Dayum!

[Revolting cat!]

Not the best album!

[Skooz]

My mom bought this album for me when I was 8 years old in the second grade. I wore the grooves off of it then. I continued to listen to it through my teens, into my twenties, and now--at age 43--it still sounds as good as ever.

If that isn't a definition of greatness, I don't know what is.

[eddie willers]

And I defy anyone to name a better rock tune than "Won't Get Fooled Again".

"I Can't Get No Satisfaction".

[Vinomori]

Oh no, Abbey Road was better!

[Alberta's Child]

You've got to be kidding. That's not even the best Rolling Stones tune! ("Waiting On A Friend," "Gimme Shelter," etc.)

[eddie willers]

Procul Harum's "Whiter Shade of Pale"

Their "A Salty Dog" album is one my Desert Island Discs.

[pau1f0rd]

The Beatles were overproduced and are still wildly overrated

Underrated! ;-)

[oh8eleven]

Number ONE!

[Alberta's Child]

I knew I was getting old when I realized that half of my "Desert Island Discs" were country music CDs. LOL.

[B Knotts]

Bah. This is all boomer crap.

It's not all bad, but these people ignore so much outside of the particular cultural niche in which they live.

How about Jane's Addiction's "Nothing's Shocking?"

Where's Glenn Miller, Kay Kyser or Les Brown?

Hank Williams?

Ralph Stanley?

[Skooz]

Robert Johnson?

[Petronski]

Number ONE!

So is piss.

[Weimdog]

Post #44 is the answer to Post #46.

[KellyAdmirer]

I would put Abbey Road and Sgt. Pepper at the top of this kind of list. The second side of Abbey Road is the best sustained musical experience of the rock era imho.

[republicofdavis]

"The Beatles were overproduced and are still wildly overrated."

OK, I'll bite. Since you obviously don't like them I doubt I can convince you to change your mind. Musical taste is very subjective. I would just put it to you that any band that can put out 2 double albums worth of greatest hits (and could have probably filled another) is worthy of great consideration. Don't think commercial consideration accounts for much? You've got to give it to them for staying power. People of all kinds of tastes listen to them and stations with all kinds of formats play them.

They were amazingly creative in a very short period of time and somehow achieved an unbelievable increase of skill, ability and musicianship throughout that entire period.

And yes, they had good production. That doesn't make Hey Jude or A Day in the Life lesser songs. It makes them great.

[Psycho_Bunny]

The Beatles produced the "best album ever"?

How can this article not be a joke?

[arthurus]

Bach, Hayden, Handel, Mozart

Popular as they were those fellows just didn't get around to recording much.