I also wonder just how many votes people got. Like 100% Rob Sheffield got the damn Harry Styles record on the list. But, like, did he say it was one of the TEN best records ever?
Also this list sorta makes me want to do the first Chorus installment of that User-Picked 100 Albums You Have to Hear thing we did thrice on AP.
It would be pretty fascinating to see what people would pick out now that most people’s tastes have broadened considerably. If you’ve read his books, it’s clear that Rob is just very fascinated with superstardom and fandom, sometimes as much as he is with the music itself. I think it informs a lot of what he ranks or rates highly, and it definitely benefits Harry. Still don’t know how that album would have gotten to the final list, though.
I would honestly hope that, like before, it was a heterogenous mix of predictable and weird. That mixture drove everyone nuts back then ("Why would you include The Starting Line?!?!") but it was honestly my goal from the very beginning. One of my favorite writers, period. In particular because of how much he's a fan as well as a critic. But yeah that album, while very good, is not an all-time classic.
Yeah, they were very cool lists. Enough familiar stuff to scroll through and say “I like a bunch of these!” but also enough under-the-radar stuff to fuel discovery. Definitely found a few new favorites through that. Do you still have those lists somewhere? Anyway, I’d be game to participate if you want to spearhead it!
I also wonder if anyone has the list we did in like 2015 where the general forum voted on their all-time favorite albums and we made a cumulative top 50 (I think?) that then got posted on the website, blurbs and all. Only issue with that one is that Brand New took the number 1 slot.
Upon really going through, the cuts that bum me out the most: Blood, Sweat and Tears - Child Is Father to the Man Cheap Trick - At Budokan Ray Charles - The Genius of Ray Charles Miles Davis - Sketches of Spain Bob Dylan - Desire Stan Getz and Joao Gilbert - Getz/Jilberto Jethro Tull - Aqualung Billy Joel - 52nd Street Albert King - Born Under a Bad Sign Meat Loaf - Bat Out of Hell The Meters - Rejuvenation Willie Nelson - Stardust Randy Newman - Good Old Boys The O'Jays - Back Stabbers Graham Parker and The Rumour - Squeezing Out Sparks The Pogues - Rum Sodomy and the Lash Quicksilver Messenger Service - Happy Trails Simon and Garfunkel - Bookends Frank Sinatra - Songs for Swingin' Lovers Soundgarden - Superunknown Richard and Linda Thompson - Shoot Out the Lights Various Artists - The Anthology of American Folk Music Tom Waits -The Heart of Saturday Night Muddy Waters - Folk Singer Barry White - Can't Get Enough Coolest inclusions: Neil Young - On the Beach Bill Withers - Still Bill Luther Vandross - Never Too Much Taylor Swift - Red Rufus - Ask Rufus Harry Nilsson - Nilsson Schmilsson Kacey Musgraves - Golden Hour Charles Mingus - Miingus Ah Um John Mayer - Continuum The Isley Brothers - 3 + 3 Billie Holiday - Lady in Satin Isaac Hayes - Hot Buttered Soul Daft Punk - Random Access Memories Sheryl Crow - Sheryl Crow Creedence Clearwater Revival - Cosmo's Factory Leonard Cohen - Songs of Leonard Cohen Chic - Risque 2pac - All Eyez on Me
Some interesting insights into the list-making process from Stephen Thomas Erlewine of All Music Guide here. Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Albums: Say Goodnight to the Rock & Roll Era He confirmed a few of the assumptions/suspicions I had about the list, including: -Ballots were 50 albums -He and many other voters left off a lot of the "usual suspects" (Beatles, Stones, Dylan, etc.) figuring they'd get plenty of support elsewhere. -He kept a "one album per artist" rule; would not be surprised if many other folks with ballots did the same. -He saw his ballot as a form of "advocacy" -- a way to boost albums that might not get as much attention on other ballots --rather than as his opinion on which albums were most "important" or "influential." Anyway, an interesting read that sheds some light on how this list came to be and why it looks like it does.
His thought process makes sense, but I definitely don't disagree with you. It's very clear that this list exists at least partially as a reaction to the last one, hence the "I don't need to vote for this; someone else will." Same. I hope other folks who voted for this (the critics at least) also publish their ballots. I'd love to compile those together and work through them for listening.
I've heard 33 out of his 50 (and 12 of his 18 shortlisted). Honestly expected to do worse. I wonder if Hyden voted. I'd love to see his.