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Thursday, September 29, 2016

Rolling Stone's Top 500 Albums of All Time, Picked Apart (151-200)

By Michael Drinan
@mdrinan380


We carry on with our bashing of Rolling Stone’s list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time by tackling entries 101-150 (Part 3 is HERE).

151. Bruce Springsteen - Darkness on the Edge of Town
152. The B-52’s - The B-52’s
153. Howlin’ Wolf - Moanin’ In The Moonlight
154. A Tribe Called Quest - The Low End Theory
155. The Pretenders - The Pretenders
156. The Beastie Boys - Paul’s Boutique
157. Joy Division - Closer
158. Elton John - Captain Fantastic and The Brown Dirt Cowboy
159. Kiss - Alive
160. T. Rex - Electric Warrior

Not a whole lot here that I have a problem with. My favorite Springsteen album kicks off this section and I do think it should be ranked higher. It usually makes Top 100 lists (even with RS) so I’m a little surprised it’s as low as it is. The album aches with broken dreams and its characters are reaching for something that is not quite within their reach. It’s a lonely man’s record and no one does it better than The Boss.

A lot of people rank Paul’s Boutique higher but I like it where it’s at. Its influence in hip hop is undeniable and it really gave The Beastie Boys credibility within the genre, but it’s not an album I tend to go back to a lot. Maybe a few songs, but it doesn’t age very well.

161. Otis Redding - The Dock of the Bay
162. Radiohead - O.K. Computer
163. Prince - 1999
164. Linda Ronstadt - Heart Like A Wheel
165. Marvin Gaye - Let’s Get It On
166. Elvis Costello - Imperial Bedroom
167. Metallica - Master Of Puppets
168. Elvis Costello - My Aim Is True
169. Bob Marley & The Wailers - Exodus
170. The Who - Live At Leeds

Radiohead’s O.K. Computer is another album that is consistently in Top 100 lists so again, I’m a little surprised it’s as low it is here.

I expect three Metallica albums to show up on this list and it ends up being Master of Puppets as the first Metallica album to appear. I agree with it since it is the best Metallica album but I do expect Kill ‘em All and The Black Album to show up sooner rather than later.

I have a tough time with Bob Marley albums. They all sound similar to me. It might be the genre itself, I’m not sure. Too many Marley albums for my liking on this list.

171. The Byrds - The Notorious Byrd Brothers
172. Rod Stewart - Every Picture Tells A Story
173. Todd Rundgren - Something/Anything?
174. Bob Dylan - Desire
175. The Carpenters - Close to You
176. Aerosmith - Rocks
177. Parliament/Funkadelic - One Nation Under A Groove
178. The Byrds - Greatest Hits
179. Curtis Mayfield & The Impressions - The Anthology 1961-1977
180. ABBA - The Definitive Collection

Three greatest hits round out this section and it keeps getting more and more infuriating. Curtis Mayfield & The Impressions Anthology? I’m sorry. I think I missed where The Beatles Anthology was ranked because OH THAT’S RIGHT, it’s not ranked. Come on people! Also, ABBA. Fuck outta here with that! ABBA is LIT-ER-ALLY the worst group of all time hands-down. Their Definitive Collection is just a summary of all their shitty songs. Fuck ABBA.

181. The Rolling Stones - The Rolling Stones Now!
182. Bob Marley & The Wailers - Natty Dread
183. Fleetwood Mac - Fleetwood Mac
184. Willie Nelson - Red Headed Stranger
185. The Stooges - The Stooges
186. Sly & The Family Stone - Fresh
187. Peter Gabriel - So
188. Buffalo Springfield - Buffalo Springfield Again
189. Quicksilver Messenger Service - Happy Trails
190. Elvis presley - From Elvis In Memphis

The Rolling Stones Now! should not be on this list. It’s a way for RS to throw them on the list as many times as possible. It’s not a bad album but give me a break.

Peter Gabriel’s So is #187. Are you new? That album is easily Top 100 material.

191. The Stooges - Fun House
192. The Flying Burrito Brothers - The Gilded Palace of Sin
193. Green Day - Dookie
194. Lou Reed - Transformer
195. John Mayall and The Blues Breakers - Bluesbreakers
196. Various Artists - Nuggets: Original Artyfacts From The First Psychedelic Era 1965-1968
197. R.E.M. - Murmur
198. Little Walter - The Best of Little Walter
199. AC/DC - Highway to Hell
200. Nine Inch Nails - The Downward Spiral

Numbers 191- 200 is easily my least favorite section. It’s so maddening. Green Day’s Dookie is too low on this list. For me, if it’s not in the Top 100 it’s in the Top 110. I feel as if that album was a significant album of its time and beyond. You can’t talk about music of the 90s or in general without talking about that album. It brought punk to the mainstream without sacrificing any of its values and no-bullshit attitude. Plus it still holds up today.

Bluesbreakers should be higher too. Fantastic album.

#196 - I’m just going to give you the number because I’m not typing all that shit again. Are you kidding me with this shit? This is BY FAR the worst entry on this list. It’s worse than an artist’s greatest hits being included because it’s by VARIOUS ARTISTS! It’s not even one artist’s body of work. What the fuck is next? Now! That’s What I Call Music Volume 58!?!?!?! What are we doing here? How can anyone take this seriously? Maybe we need to include Rolling Stone in a “You Used To Be Sooooooo Good” entry on this site because this is ridiculous. (JB Note: Dynamite drop-in!!)

How on Earth is The Downward Spiral listed at #200? That album is a goddamn masterpiece. Well, I mean, of course it’s not better than ABBA’s Definitive Collection. *eye roll*

Fuck that noise.


Alright, two hundred down and three hundred to go. Stay tuned for Part 5!

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