Greatest Album of All Time?

[jokabofe]

So here we go. If you had to pick one album - one (1) - not a list of top three, not a list of "these are my favorites" - one single album that you feel is the greatest album of all time, never to be matched again by any musical artist past, present, or future... what would it be?

I'm a huge music lover, I like all kinds of music, have over 5,000 cd's in my collection, so if I can single out a single album, you can too. For me, there can be only 1:



SLAYER - REIGN IN BLOOD
1. Angel Of Death
2. Piece By Piece
3. Necrophobic
4. Altar Of Sacrafice
5. Jesus Saves
6. Criminally Insane
7. Reborn
8. Epidemic
9. Postmortem
10. Raining Blood


Arriving in 1986, this was the fastest, most aggressive, insane metal album I had heard up to that point, and it still is to this day. Clocking in at a ridiculous 28 minutes of unbridled ferocity never to be matched, it's a disc I've listened to hundreds of times over the past 18 years (Geez, 18 years. I'm getting old  ). And I can still, to this day, put this disc in my player, hit the repeat button, and listen to it non-stop for hours at a time. Never get tired of it. I've worn out three copies on disc already, and I'm sure I'll be wearing out a few more before I go "postmortem" myself.

So, what's your greatest album of all time?

[Morgbug]

Ya sorta ruined it by putting in all the caveats.  Strangely for me, it's either a Zeppelin or Floyd album (guess that shows my age to some extent ). 

I guess I'll go with Zeppelin II.  Just an all out solid album.  Great mix of tempo, obvious blues influence and a really, really hard edge for its time.  I can listen to it to relax or fire myself up.  Great tunes for the office, no one seems to mind and fantastic for the hour drive to work. 

(The Floyd album, not that you asked, would be the Wall.  Little different though and lacks in the firing up ability, so number two for me.  )

I'll agree with Dave, Slayer is lightning fast metal.  But that one wouldn't make my top ten, not that much of a speed metal freak, I suppose. 

[Jim]

Close 2nd

[Scott]

Man, this is tough, I'd like to say its a Beatles album but even then I couldn't pick from Abbey Road, Rubber Soul or Revolver as my own favorite not to mention Sgt Pepper's which many think is the greatest of all time (I think its overrated)  Then there is my favorite band's album of which Ten, Vs and Vitalogy (somewhat lessened by some crap)  Then there are a bunch of individual albums which I adore like Petty's Wildflowers and AIC Jar of Flies.  I keep going back to a sentimental favorite though and when you listen to it, track 1 to track 12 is just great kick ass rock n roll. 



4 absolutely amazing songs in Jungle, Paradise City, Sweet Child and Rocket Queen, 4 solid songs that would be hits for any other band in Brownstone, Think About You, Nightrain and My Michelle and the rest of the CD is not bad filler.

1. Welcome to the Jungle 
2. It's So Easy   
3. Nightrain
4. Out Ta Get Me 
5. Mr. Brownstone
6. Paradise City   
7. My Michelle
8. Think About You 
9. Sweet Child O' Mine   
10. You're Crazy   
11. Anything Goes 
12. Rocket Queen 

[Mikey D]

Real tough decision - albums I could always listen to no matter what include Led Zeppelin's II and Soundgarden's Superunknown but I think I'll go with:



A solid, flat out balls to the walls rock and roll album.  Consider the circumstances preceding the albums' release and what it would have done to other bands.  To get through that with a new singer and put out a great album is amazing.  Back in Black always has a place in my CD player

[Matt Carroll]

Picking one is always so tough. So many CD's are in the regular rotation most of the time (AC/DC's Back in Black, Pearl Jam's Vs., Nirvana's Nevermind, many Beatles albums, Van Halen's 1984, U2's The Joshua Treeetc.), but the one that as of late never leaves the player and I can listen to over and over again is:



1. Zoo Station
2. Even Better Than the Real Thing
3. One
4. Until the End of the World
5. Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses
6. So Cruel
7. The Fly
8. Mysterious Ways
9. Tryin' To Throw Your Arms Around the World
10. Ultra Violet
11. Acrobat
12. Love is Blindness

It's an interesting album that often gets overlooked due to The Joshua Tree. It's hard to believe the band was thinking of breaking up before recording this album, but it really set the stage for the direction they took during the '90's.

[Scott]

Nice choice Matt and I agree that its better than Joshua Tree...excited to hear the new one too (although I can't stand the new iPod commercial already)

[Famine]

Can I make a prediction? Based on my tastes?

Collision Course from the biggest name in rap, Jay Z, and the most innovative band, in my oppinion, Linkin Park. For me, this is the biggest collaboration I have heard of since ever. The special has been on MTV, and the CD/DVD release is set for later this month. I honestly think this will break the rules and set standards for future crossovers in the music industry. Rerecording and reworked tracks and lyrics laced over performance tracks...I get goosebumps just thinking about it.



I honestly think this will go down as the greatest album of all time, at least for the true fans of both artists.

Kevin

If anyone can, listen to a copy of the single Encore/Numb from the CD, and also, the special will be on MTV Tonight at 10:30 EST.

[hansolo_506]

Sorry, this will show my age... but I am torn between either "Sgt Peppers" or "The White Album", both by the beatles.  I have experienced so much music in the 40+ years of my life, it's hard to come up with just one great album.

But, if you define a great album by being the kind of album you could sit and listen to front to back straight through and not want to skip through any of the tracks, I would have to say those are the two choices I can think of.

[SPIDERLEGS]

THE SMITHS - THE QUEEN IS DEAD (1986)

1: The queen is dead
2: Frankly, Mr. Shankly
3: I know it's over
4: Never had no one ever
5: Cemetry gates
6: Bigmouth strikes again
7: The boy with the thorn in his side
8: Vicar in a tutu
9: There is a light that never goes out
10: Some girls are bigger than others

[Ben]

Yeah, it's pretty 1997 of me (not to mention pretentious), but this is the only album I can listen to and not feel the urge to skip the track.

[CorranHorn]

Ok you all are nuts!!  Though some good choices, and though Morgbug got it close, the greatest album of all time is.......



Led Zeppelin IV!!

This album is the pinnacle of rock as it turned Zeppelin in rock gods. Every song on this album became a single  and thus a #1 hit. Each is a staple of any true rock station today as a week can't go by where I won't hear each song played on the radio. For those who may not be familiar with this album (shame on you if you aren't!) here's the tracklist to THE Greatest Album Of ALL Time....

1. Black Dog
2. Rock and Roll   
3. Battle of Evermore   
4. Stairway to Heaven   
5. Misty Mountain   
6. Four Sticks     
7. Going to California   
8. When the Levee Breaks 

[jjks]

Oh boy, this is always such a hard choice for me, but I suppose if I had to absolutely only choose one album as being the best of all time, it would be this one:



1. Special
2. Turning Me On
3. Slide Along Side
4. Lolita
5. You're Beautiful
6. Magical
7. A Better Place
8. Halo Interlude
9. Shorty Rock
10. When We Were Young
11. Take Away The Pain
12. All Along

This is just such a complete album in every musical sense of the word, that I struggle to think of another CD that dares even touch the plastic wrap it was sealed in. I mean, this man created the force that was Crazytown, remember them!!??

[jokabofe]

Some great choices. It is really tough to narrow it down to a single album as being the "greatest" of all time. Some of the other choices here (Appetite, Ten, Revolver, The Wall, Zep 4) are only decimal points away from being my choice as the greatest, but nothing can outdo Reign in Blood for me.

[Sems Fir]

While I personally agree that CorranHorn has made a good decision for a great album, (as are all the previous albums stated above my response thus far) a couple of corrections need to be stated about some information in regards to Led Zeppelin's fourth album effort.  First, Led Zeppelin's untitled fourth album never did reach the number one spot on the charts in the United States and only went as high as number two.  The album was unable to knock off Carole King's "Tapestry" release from the top spot in the United States.  The album did reach number in other parts of the world including the U. K. though. 8>)

Led Zeppelin were ruling the music business long before this album, with their January 1969 self titled debut album reaching the top ten closely followed the same year by the October 1969 release of Led Zeppelin II.  Led Zeppelin's second effort even dislodged the Beatles' "Abbey Road" album from the top spot on the charts.

Not every song on this album was released in the United States as a single as only two singles were released from the album in the United States.  Those two songs being Black Dog backed with Misty Mountain Hop as a B side and Rock and Roll backed with Four Sticks as a B side.  Stairway To Heaven has never been released as a single in the United States.  It has however appeared on an Atlantic promo in 1972 as well as in Australia as part of an EP album.  In addition not one song from this album ever hit number one in the United States.  In addition, while the fourth album was at one time the biggest selling album in the United States, it has been surpassed by several albums in overall units sold according to the RIAA.  One thing to remember though is the RIAA only conducts audits of a catalogue when hired to do so, so the numbers on their website are from the most recent audit done on that artist's catalogue, which in most cases is outdated statistically.

It's a great album to listen to regardless.  For recommended reading in regards to the mysterious runes (symbols) that each member of the band utilized to represent themselves I highly suggest to check out (fellow Star Wars collector and Led Zeppelin expert) Robert Godwin's book titled "The Making of..(four symbols).  In addition, a highly researched book called "Symbology and Led Zeppelin" is a very detailed read about the meaning's of each symbol.  This book is written by Duncan Watson.  While Duncan's book is not about Led Zeppelin per se it does explore the meaning of each symbol as well as the influence traditional blues had on Led Zeppelin.

Led Zeppelin's another hobby. 

Robert
Behindthetoys.com
Lead Editor
BLACK S. U. N.