Top pop albums, ever of all time, forever

For some weird ass reason this was bouncing around in my head for a week. If I didn’t write it down, MJ’s ghost would haunt me until I justified his pop existence. So…..here’s a little review of albums that, sold millions of records each, still were able to keep the integrity of the artist, and age well with time. So I’m writing these in no particular order. Some of these are obvious and some not so much. So maybe it’s time ya give em a chance?

Peter Gabriel – So (1986)
This is a great example of a veteran musician making a record to sell, but still keep his sound and integrity. He had come a long way from being the curious 19 year old dressing up like a vegetable and playing 15 minute long prog songs. Check this lyric from “Big Time” (I’ve had enough, I’m getting out to the city, the big big city, Ill be a big noise with all the big boys, there’s so much stuff I will own.) Tell me he wasn’t self-aware of his soon to be worldwide popularity. The song is clearly pointing out his potential rise to fame and living the superstar life. Gotta respect the artists who were self-aware. It almost made it seem like he took stardom with a grain of salt. Gabriel had four huge hits, “Red Rain”, Sledgehammer”, “Big Time”, and “In Your Eyes”. But also managed to sneak in his dark, brooding sense of experimentation with the haunting “We Do What Were Told” and the oddly uplifting “Don’t give up”. In the entire genre that would be 80’s adult pop/contemporary or whatever, this is the best there is. Inventive songwriting, catchy hooks, thoughtful lyrics, all wrapped up in a nice pop package, ready for middle class white folk to gobble up. Don’t forget about those ground-breaking videos that one could say were responsible for MTV’s early success.

BeeGees/Various Artists – Saturday Night Fever Soundtrack
For anyone who was too young for disco and asks about it, just play this record and nothing else, (ok maybe some visual aids of John Travolta in that white suit could help). They could get an entire portrait of the disco era. Skip the ABBA and Donna Summer, this was better, well some ABBA’s pretty good though. I used to hate this shit. But I never listened to it. Disco is really easy to hate. Give it a chance, really. I think what gets overlooked about this album is Barry Gibbs amazing singing. Remember that this was before Auto-tune and digital editing, and the harmonies on songs like “Night Fever” and “How Deep Is Your Love” are perfection. With 15 million copies sold, that doesn’t even seem enough, this thing was a national obsession. Discos opened up all over, and everyone wanted to shop at Disco Pants & Haircuts, so they could walk down the street to “Stayin’ Alive” with their best strut. There were some hidden gems on the record too. How cool was Walter Murhpy’s classical music regurgitation? It was saying, hey i know this music is campy and fun and I’m gonna parody the genre by putting some of the greatest pieces of music ever over a disco beat. Hip-Hop artists figured that out about 12 years later by putting recognizable hooks over hip-hop beats. This album was an event.

Tears for Fears – Songs from the Big Chair (1985)
I love this album. And this was written to sell, Roland Orzobal once said he wrote “Shout” because he heard the word a lot in other hits from the past. But guess what? that song is amazing, It’s simple and original, and nothing sounds like it. “Everybody Wants To Rule the World” completely embodies the 80’s get rich, greed filled, cocaine, live fast die young lifestyle. You know the stuff Patrick Bateman would like. Well, he might think it’s a little too “new wave” for his tastes. But what I think what makes this album still great today is the production. Orzobal and Smith were notoriously detail oriented in the studio (I think only second to Steely Dan). Its pitch perfect in every way. Just think of that scene in Donnie Darko where “Head over Heals” plays and it pans through the hallways of the high school. That song is the 80’s. It did what every other pop/new wave artist wanted to do: sell records, but not make another Rick Astley piece of crap. It had real emotion attached to it, real passion. Meticulous song writing made these songs really stand out in an era full of some of the worst music ever made. I’m looking at you Billy Ocean. But take it away from its era, and it still resonates with any steely-eyed youth. It was the logical step for the band to take after the deeply intense debut “The Hurting.” What ended up being too dark for mainstream audiences, was necessary for the process to culminate with “Big Chair,” their best selling and most relevant record to date. Following “Big Chair,” with the solid but bloated “Seeds of Love,” and subsequent albums thereafter, the band substituted audience awareness for musical conceit. Too bad they never recovered.

Michael Jackson – Thriller (1982)
Duh, i mean who doesn’t like “Thriller?” Seven out of the nine songs on the record were top 10 singles. It sold 110 million copies worldwide. Even the library of congress preserved it, deeming it culturally significant. So when robots have finally taken over and its been thousands of years and they want to learn about the human race, they can head on over to the library of congress, read countless blueprints from the Apollo program, watch David Lynch’s Eraserhead, and dance the night away to “Thriller.” I’m not even gonna bother talking about each song. We all know them. But what’s great about this record is that it hits just as hard as it did in 1982. Play this at any wedding, club, or sweet 16 birthday and you’ve got everyone doing the moonwalk and trying to stand on their toes. No single musician in history is as recognizable or worshiped as MJ was, and still is. Even the hits that people don’t think about too much anymore still resonate. P.Y.T and Wanna be Starting Something are packed with amazing production value and great hooks. Its the King at his peak. You got Jesus, and then MJ.

Prince – Purple Rain (1984)
This was a soundtrack, but kinda. Somewhere along the line when writing these songs, someone decided to make a movie using these jams. Good decision. “Sign ‘O The Times” may be musically stronger, but being a double album, its hard to put it ahead of this one. Purple Rain just fucking rocks. There is so much fun packed into this record, you find something new every time. Put this on loud and dance with your significant other in your apartment until the neighbors call the cops. It’s awesome. Also, It seems to be the most focused of Prince’s releases, even with his foray into pop, he doesn’t give up his funk and R&B roots. His songwriting was at it’s peak, and with the help of the revolution, it all came together more ambitiously yet focused than ever before. With the eerie “When Dove’s Cry” to the menacing grind of “Darling Nikki,” Prince managed to do his thing without compromising the pop sensibilities. This album in particular has influenced a wider range of artists than one would expect. Foo Fighters have covered “Darling Nikki”, Green Day and Incubus cover “Let’s Go Crazy” while the indie rock band, Of Montreal cover “Computer Blue”. It just seems to get better with age.

Carole King – Tapestry (1971)
It’s too bad I only recently got into this record. I missed out on playing this for chicks when I was single. They would’ve eaten this shit up. I was at work, which at one point turned into the set of VH1’s Free Radio, and there was this poster of some chick with a cat sitting in a window. So I’m like who’s this? After giving me some shit for not knowing, my boss tells me it was huge and it had all these hits, blah blah blah. So I take a listen to this thing, and do it with your lady, you might get some for being sensitive. Nelly Furtado, Alanis Morrisette, Fiona Apple, Sarah McLaughin all owe Carole King their respective careers. I may not be a fan of any of them, well pretty much anyone who would play at Lilith Fair, but it’s cool. I don’t think I’m the proper demographic they’re looking for. Ok maybe Nelly Furtado and Fiona Apple, they have some pretty interesting stuff. Something else cool about this is the minimal production which really brought out intimate lyrics, very easy to listen to, and easy to like. Good thing James Taylor said to start singing your own songs, and stop writing huge hits for everyone else, she came out with a standard for the genre.

Fleetwood Mac – Rumours (1977)
Pop music is unpredictable. In Fleetwood Mac’s case the departure of guitarist Bob Welch — who’d reduced the band to re-cutting pointless and pretentious versions of old standards — amounted to the biggest break they ever had. With that and the addition of Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks, Fleetwood Mac suddenly became a California pop group; instead of boring ass blues/rock jams, they started turning out bright little three-minute singles with a hook in every chorus. Beautiful vocal harmonies and lyrics about relationships sell records. In the two years since the previous album, things had become rather difficult within the group. “They didn’t realize this immediately,” said McVie, “but them creating such a good album together lifted them out of their misery.” How awkward was it for Stevie Nicks singing backups for “Go Your Own Way” on stage. It’s too bad FM radio has ruined some of the songs on this album, perhaps a rant on that some other time. They just have a habit of playing the same tracks over and over. But that’s not the band’s fault, I just wish I could’ve heard this one for the first time without thinking of Bill Clinton’s campaign run. Just skip tracks 4 and 5 and its still got some sweet jams.

Beach Boys (ok, Brian Wilson)- Pet Sounds (1966)
I like “Pet Sounds.” Brian Wilson is a musical genius. Listen to this record with headphones and you can hear his deeply personal lyrics and real emotion pouring out. Put it on in the background and it sounds like bright catchy pop. This album has two distinct levels. More so than any other on this list. The Beatles heard it and made Sgt. Peppers. Actually Capitol records, the label, considered not releasing the album at all. They thought it wasn’t accessible enough. Yeah, good call douchebags. Pretty much any musician of importance in the past 30 years has also cited Pet Sounds as one of the all time classic albums. Eric Clapton stated that “I consider Pet Sounds to be one of the greatest pop LPs to ever be released. It encompasses everything that’s ever knocked me out and rolled it all into one.” Elton John has said of the album, “For me to say that I was enthralled would be an understatement. I had never heard such magical sounds, so amazingly recorded. It undoubtedly changed the way that I, and countless others, approached recording. It is a timeless and amazing recording of incredible genius and beauty.” Bob Dylan has said of Brian Wilson’s talents, “That ear — I mean, Jesus, he’s got to will that to the Smithsonian.” Yup.

The Beatles – Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967)
I decided on this Beatles album because it’s their most focused pop album, at least is to me the week. I go through phases with their releases. At different points in my life I’ve sworn each album is the best. I guess it all depends of where I am in my life. With this one they wanted to emulate Pet Sounds, so they did. I think its better, Rolling Stone doesn’t think so. But what do they know, they put U2’s “Joshua Tree” as a better album than “Dark Side of the Moon” on their top 500 list. I can remember the first time I heard this thing, I mean really heard it. I think everyone knew these songs from somewhere else, (thanks Joe Cocker and The Wonder Years.) But the first time it all came together was when i got ahold of a used record player for free and needed stuff to play on it. So I sifted through my parents old LP’s and actually found some gems. At first I was obsessed with side A of the White Album. No one could convince me any other Beatles was better. So i put on Sgt. Peppers while doing some cleaning around my apartment, and once I was done, I sat down and finished listening to it while staring at the cover and artwork thinking, well that’s it. Everyone’s just trying to be like this. It all sounded oddly familiar, not because I had heard this album before, but because i had heard the last 30 years of music try to sound like it. Some people say “A Day in the Life” is the best song ever written. Even though that’s way too ridiculous to even come up with the prerequisites for this, you would be hard pressed to not include that song in the argument

Hey Hipster, just because they were popular and your parents liked them, doesn’t make them lame, so steal em from your parents’ cd collection when you go home for Thanksgiving.