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.''

[IowaHawk]

[Petronski]

Someone's feelings were hurt, that's for sure.

[Skooz]

Well, he just smiled, took the sheet of paper, and told me to get back to class.

Mr. Corley ruled. The only principal I really liked.

[xp38]

as they use to say at Marvel nuff said....

[theelephantway]

Even Simon & Garfunkle thought it was good stuff...

"goo goo ga goob Mrs. Robinson"

[Mr. Mojo]

Yep. ...And speaking of great albums, S & G's Bookends was certainly one.

[AmishDude]

And "A Day in the Life" is only interesting because of the change in musical styles (see "Bohemian Rhapsody" for an excellent use of this), but the poetry is stilted. Hotel California has plays on words: "Tiffany twisted", "Mercedes bends". It has metaphors: Dancing, voices, dinners. It has a better vocabulary: "shimmering", "corridor". The Beatles would have had to work around "shiny" and "hallway".

[republicofdavis]

"The Beatles did not age well."

Must be why their most recent release "1" went straight there.

[snowstorm12]

'Sgt. Pepper' Is Best Album (Better than the White Album?!)

No noway better than the White Album

[Yardstick]

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

Yeah, I agree -- and it's really not even a close call in my opinion, especially between Abbey Road and Sgt. Pepper.

[AmishDude]

If the Beatles had released sounds of bodily functions -- or equivalently, anything by Yoko -- it would have gone to #1. Lots of people with incomplete collections when that came out.

[republicofdavis]

"Also, the (Beatles) lyrics were quite lame.

For the record, Boston's self-titled album is the best ever."

Smokin', smokin, cookin' tonight just keep on tokin'.

It's not fair to compare the Beatles to such a lyrical high standard.

[Skooz]

As a third rate, hack, amateur poet, I must respectfully disagree.

The flow of the lyrics is superb, like pouring water from a jar. It is pleasing to hear as well as read. It is anything but stilted, and certainly not forced.

It's actually quite good.

[eddie willers]

So since everything else came afterward, you conclude everything else was derived therefrom?

Yep....pretty much.

Rock and Roll had only been around for less than 10 years and was dying as fast as you could say "Elvis is outta the Army....and he's NOT the same".

Yep....I'm saying without them, Rock and Roll would have never have matured into "ROCK", there would have been no Who, Stones, Traffic, or Steely Dan etc.

Without the lovable mop tops, The Beach Boys would have continued writing "Little Duce Coupe" and Dwayne Allman would have never picked up the guitar.
(and wouldn't that be a shame)

[ruoflaw]

My favorite is Abbey Road too!

[AmishDude]

Oh, I didn't compare the Beatles' lyrics to Boston's. The lack of lyrical depth was Boston's weakness, but their album is full of recognizable songs and distinguishable music.

[republicofdavis]

"And "A Day in the Life" is only interesting because of the change in musical styles"

I'm speechless

[IowaHawk]

Fifty Million Mullets Can't Be Wrong....

Journey! Styx! Boston! Night Ranger!

[republicofdavis]

"Oh, I didn't compare the Beatles' lyrics to Boston's. The lack of lyrical depth was Boston's weakness, but their album is full of recognizable songs and distinguishable music."

Hold on now. You said that Boston was the greatest album of all time and in the same post said that the Beatles lyrics sucked. Now you're saying that lack of lyrical depth is a Boston weakness. Yet it's still the greatest album of all time. I guess lyrics don't matter that much to you. So what are you picking on the Beatles for?

[eddie willers]

Elvis put out singles...not albums (in the sense we're talking here)

And even at that, he never topped his very first ("That's All Right Mama") though "Jail House Rock" came close.