The New Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Albums List • Page 9

- no Rhapsody In Blue?

- is Duke Ellington on here?

- Cole Porter?

EDIT: or Louis Armstrong. Or Harry Belafonte.


i am 85 years old.

 

I said earlier that they clearly did not ask many people in the country music industry to vote on this, and the underrepresentation of Willie is one of the biggest signs of that. It’s not that there’s none, but almost every country artist on this list is given just one slot. One Cash, one Merle, one Willie, one Hank Williams (a comp), one Dolly, one Patsy, one Prine, one Isbell, one Dixie Chicks, one Shania, one Miranda, one Church, one Kacey, one Lucinda, etc. There are two Taylor Swift albums (fewer than I expected, honestly; Fearless should absolutely be on here), but only one from her “country” era.

And then no George Jones, no Garth Brooks, no Steve Earle, no Gram Parsons, no Waylon Jennings, etc., a few of which fell off the list since the last one.

I am not surprised there are three Beyoncé albums, though, or really that two of them are ranked (IMO) way, way too high. I know she means a lot to a lot of people, and that’s reflected here. I’m mostly just surprised that Taylor didn’t get a similar boost.

The thing with classical music is that it’s about the composition and the live performances. I don’t know if there is a definitive recorded version of Rhapsody in Blue. It’s hard to include stuff like that (or major symphonies, or choral albums, or operas, or the like) because there are often so many versions and interpretations out there by different ensembles. There are obviously exceptions, especially moving into modern classical music, but I don’t think most pop artists or music critics are super tapped into that scene. Classical is not and has never been as album-oriented as rock ‘n’ roll or hip-hop.

 

No Waylon albums is quite disappointing. Also, I would consider Sweetheart of the Rodeo and Gilded Palace of Sin GP albums, and they're probably at least both in his top 3

 

That's true. I was mostly looking at how Grievous Angel fell of the list, leaving none of his solo records.

 

Yeah it's crazy to represent all these legends with one a piece. Especially when they had Stardust and American Recordings and Guitar Town and Grievous Angel on past editions.

 

I really had hopes for Far East Suite or Plays W.C. Handy or Calypso on here.

 

Something from the American series should be on here, for sure. Those albums are riveting and really resurrected his career. Also, you could make an argument for any number of Willie records. Maybe the problem was that he has such a broad catalog that he ended up splitting his own vote a lot?

 

Also, I know Exile and Let It Bleed are higher up, but there is no way Sticky Fingers should be outside of the top 100. Maybe the best side 1 of any album ever?

 

Calypso was the first album to sell a million copies. I woulda guessed that would have given it a place of prominence.

And it’s an amazing album!

 

I think Bernstein & The NY Philharmonic is a pretty definitive version for Rhapsody. I imagine most everyone has heard that recording whether they realize it or not.


Classical is pretty album oriented within its world, but you’re right that it exists apart from popular music generally.

And while there may not be single definitive versions of things, there are def notable recordings. Im pretty clueless about it all, but for an example and a really cool journey to go on:

Beethoven's Ninth Symphony: the best recordings

Not surprised the genre isnt represented on the list of course. Was it on the older lists?


EDIT: if anyone’s interested in checking out some diff versions of Rhapsody In Blue, I made a playlist:

Kinds Of Blue, a playlist by Eric Carlson on Spotify

 

Not to mention it straight up introduced America to Caribbean music.

 

Plus it has their best song, "Sway".

 

I might be partial to “Can You Hear Me Knocking” as my all-timer. But fair argument for any of those first four being podium-worthy Stones songs. I also adore “Moonlight Mile.” Definitely the Stones album I reach for the most.

Also, an observation from listening to this album on my run today: no wonder Isbell cover not one but two songs from Sticky Fingers on his covers EP from a few years back. The guitarwork on that album sounds like where he learned a lot of his style.

 

I absolutely hear a lot of Mick Taylor in him.

 

Only belatedly listened through the Stones discography like a year ago and Sticky Fingers was their best by some margin if you ask me.
Exile is also fantastic. That lauded four-album run is kinda... a 2.5 album run though?
Let It Bleed is good but honestly it opens with the classic Gimme Shelter. Then it's a (decent) cover song. Then it's a far inferior version of a song they'd already had as a hit. Talk about killing the momentum. B side is strong.
Before that Beggar's Banquet is... kind of really bad? again the bookends are strong but everything in between kind of just sounds like they are making fun of country music. Not my cup of tea at all.

 

My jaw just dropped at Beggar’s Banquet being bad. “Street Fightin’ Man” and “Salt of the Earth”...?

 

BB is probably my most listened to Stones release

 

Two of the better tracks for sure. In fact I mentioned the bookends (Sympathy and Salt of the Earth) being the best tracks. Street Fightin Man my third favourite. Beyond that... Just not for me at all. If I want to listen to guys doing good country rock but concurrently poking fun at the artform, if prefer Ween's 12 Golden Country Greats. Which is the worst Ween album.

 

hmm no Master Volume on the list

interesting

maybe i’ll fuck around and make my own 500

 

Let It Bleed I think is great; it's not as rock solid as Sticky Fingers to me, but I don't have many problems with it. I'm also not quite as fond of Beggar's Banquet, but I can't agree with your assessment!

I probably like Some Girls better than both.

 

I was trying to think through what my ballot would look like for this. It was an interesting thought exercise, to balance your favorite records with the factors of importance/influence that you'd want to have for a list like this.

 

Was the ballot a top 10?

 

Also Stones Top 10!

1. Sticky Fingers
2. Exile on Mainstreet
3. Beggars Banquet
4. Let it Bleed
5. Some Girls
6. Emotional Rescue
7. Aftermath
8. Between the Buttons
9. Tattoo You
10. Goat’s Head Soup

 

1. Some Girls
2. Exile
3. Sticky Fingers
4. Beggar's
5. Aftermath
6. Black and Blue
7. Now!
8. Let It Bleed
9. Satanic Majesties
10. Tattoo You

 

I'm not sure, but I'm almost certain it was more than a top 10, and I think there were multiple rounds of voting. My guess would be a top 50 or top 100 from each person.