The 500 greatest albums as decided by Rolling Stone magazine.
Last up – 15.08.12
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I have fixed the first 50 albums to match the RS list again. If they stay like that for some time, I will do the rest.
Looks like someone decided to edit the list – it no longer matches the list source. This is no longer the Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Albums of All Time list.
This list, along with almost all lists of the ‘greatest’ albums, is so pathetic that only when you understand the commercial and biased nature of Rolling Stone will you be able to contemplate how such a historically inaccurate list could be published.
First of all, no serious musician contributed to the writing of this list. Of course Rolling Stone recruited some half-wit pop sensation such as Sting or David Bowie to help them with their already predetermined Beatles fetishism (one of the worst and most overrated bands in the history of recorded music), clearly not that they would have needed it.
Secondly, this list has seemingly no appreciation for artists with actual talent. These being artists such as Tim Buckley, The Mothers Of Invention, Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band, Soft Machine, The Velvet Underground, Faust, The Residents, Pere Ubu, Robert Wyatt, Charles Mingus, The Red Krayola, John Coltrane, Henry Cow, Albert Ayler, Morphine etc. The majority of what you’ll find on this list is the same juvinile nonsense as every other list, just in different order. Furthermore, including albums like Captain Beefheart’s ‘Trout Mask Replica’, or the Velvet Underground’s ‘White Light / White Heat’ (two of the greatest albums ever recorded) is actually insulting to them, seeing as how they are denigrated by being ranked under mediocre embarrassments like Nirvana, Elvis Presley, Michael Jackson, The Beach Boys and U2.
Bottom line, this list has nothing other than the vested interests of the music industry in mind.
i dont know way too much about classic rock and i agree for the most part with the rock albums, but the rap albums on here are way out of order.eminems stuff is way too high, and no tupac?? nwa and beastie boys do not belong where they are either. it should be illmatic, nation of millions, enter wu tang, me against the world, ready to die, low end theory, reasonable doubt, the chronic, and the rest doesnt matter
yay love sgt. pepper’s loney heart club band at 1 and revolver. almost all the beatles albums
I think Rolling Stone should update this list every year, or at least every five years, like They Shoot Pictures do for their Top 1000 Films list, and IGN do for their Top 100 Video Games list. Both websites have reconsidered each product’s longevity and innovative potential, and have thus made more defined lists.
None of the albums over the past five years have been very innovative at all, so I don’t expect any of them to be added to an updated list. However, I do think updating this list would bring great albums that have withstood the test of time better than others, such as Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon and Led Zeppelin IV up higher on the list, and bring down compilation albums that haven’t had anywhere near the longevity, such as Chuck Berry’s Great Twenty Eight, and The Muddy Waters Anthology. Don’t get me wrong, both Chuck Berry and Muddy Waters are incredible, but it was their songs more than their albums that redefined blues and rock and roll. I believe putting compilation albums higher than well-produced, innovative, and top-selling albums is what’s damaging this list the most, and if Rolling Stone were to fix that problem, I think this list would be much better.
There are so many things wrong with this list that I can hardly count them all.
First of all, this list presents an extreme bias towards 1960’s rock. No list of the greatest albums of all time should have four albums by the same band in the top ten. Even if they are The Beatles. Bob Dylan is of course also overrepresented.
Nostalgia for failed 1960’s cultural revolution definitely trumps musical ingenuity on this list.
The only album on the top 20 that was published after 1990 is Nirvana’s “Nevermind.” This is really sad. This demonstrates a great ignorance of modern rock music.
And of course, I don’t really understand why someone like Madonna even needs to be on this list, especially when truly great musicians like Frank Zappa are either underrepresented or left off entirely.
Progressive rock is no where to be found on this list. Sure, I’m not mad that there’s no Genesis here, but to completely omit King Crimson’s “Red” and “In the Court of the Crimson King” is just plain stupid, anti-intellectual even. Gentle Giant should be seen SOMEWHERE at least.
Also, the inclusion of Jazz albums is a big mistake. It’s insulting to every Jazz musician included or not included on this list. There is no fair basis of comparison between pop music and Jazz. Stupid.
Ultimately, this list is just a sad mixture between suedo-political rockers of the 60’s and a bunch of feel good pop that some critics probably voted for because they are being paid by record labels.
True political revolutionaries such as Dead Prez are of course left off.
I wish that someone would produce an alternative list that accounts better for the truly great moments of pop music’s history. It’s would have to shorter no doubt. Maybe 100 items. They’re haven’t been that many great moments, really.
Well, its taken about 3 years and lots of trips to the library but this week I have completed listening to, and collecting ALL the Rolling Stone 500 list…all except for ONE song !!!
(1) Yes, just one song !!! Anyone can probably guess what that one is, because I don’t think it is available on CD in the United States, and is exorbitant to purchase. And that is the Fabulous Ronettes featuring Veronica
I can put together a version using the Best of the Ronettes, but it is missing a few of their songs. I found a copy of Chapel of Love easy enough, but it is the last one I have not been able to find… so I am appealing to the listers to help direct me to where I can get it…
It is the What’d I Say song.
If anyone knows where I can get it, or if you have it and would be willing to send me the file, I would be very grateful!! And of course I would trade you something you need or are looking for…I got everything else covered for ya!
Thanks in advance,
Oodb
Generally thumbs up – better than many lists these days that are desperate to be cool, avoid certain artists like the plague. Good to find some greatest hits collections- why not? Amazing that would-be buffs usually only include studio not compilation albums. Must be part of same must-be-cool problem
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