SPECIAL SERIES:My Top 25 Albums Among the Top 100

Well, I'm finally getting around to drawing your attention to Top 10 of the Top 100 Rock albums list compiled by Andrew Careaga and voted on my his friends. Here's my comments on any albums I listed that made it into the Top 10. Watch for a regular feature to begin discussing each of my Top 25 albums.

#s 10-1:Coming in at number 6 on the final list is U2 War, which I ranked as number 8 saying, "Sunday Bloody Sunday" came to define the protest rock of a generation, but this is also when U2 still sounded like they came from the streets of Ireland, a recording that came with those qualities worked into the mix." Number 4 on the final list is my number 5: The Clash London Calling: "while certainly the Sex Pistols defined punk, London Calling continues to be noted as influential for so many bands and musicians."

Here is my complete Top 25 List:
Attempting to compile a list of the Top 25 Rock albums is an extremely daunting task, and one that proved hard to begin.

First of all, you feel obligated to consider the classics (can other really surpass them?). Secondly, you have to consider the charts (can something obscure be in the top 25?). Finally, there are only so many spots.

Therefore, I have made a list based on albums which I feel have made a significant influence on the style and sound of rock music. I have tried to select albums which cover many different cross-sections of the rock world. What else do you expect from a guy who puts his CDs in order by style and not alphabetically? Would Rob from High Fidelity approve? You make the call.

25. Counting Crows – August & Everything After – here’s where you could take rock music—accordions, sensitive lyrics, and an acoustic base that is the music before MTV’s Unplugged imposed it
24. Van Morrison – Moondance – a meld of rock and jazz exhibited now by the likes of Jesse Harris and Norah Jones
23. Pogues – If I Should Fall from the Grace of God – a punk/rock band that uses Irish folk songs way before “Tubthumper”
22. Prince – Purple Rain – no one else had bridged R&B and rock like Prince
21. Violent Femmes – Violent Femmes – the great favorite of every awkward teen, lyrics of pure honesty while done on blistering acoustic guitar
20. BoDeans – Love & Hope & Sex & Dreams – country and rock found a fitting match here, the kind of songs that invite you to sing along
19. Jane’s Addiction – Ritual de lo Habitual – while containing instant radio favorites, opening the airwaves to a broader rock sound, this album also features, “Three Days,” a rock sound with near-perfect orchestration on many levels
18. Pixies – Surfer Rosa – scratchy lyrics, distorted guitar, pounding bass, and trashy drums—and the melody was easy to find; an album which combined thrash, rock, and pop
17. Nine Inch Nails – Pretty Hate Machine – electronics meets hard rock which transformed what uses of technology were seen as credible in the rock world
16. Pink Floyd – The Wall – brought progressive rock to the mainstream (albeit through a radio edit of “Another Brick in the Wall”)
15. X – Los Angeles – AltCountry’s punk purveyors
14. Bruce Springsteen – Born to Run – epic rock meets its grand leader
13. Dave Matthews Band – Under the Table and Dreaming – who else has made a violin sound like a lead electric guitar? A singer-songwriter with a truly incredible band
12. The Replacements – Pleased to Meet Me – an album that combines the hilarity and quirkiness of garage rock with the soaring anthems and ballads of Westerberg
11. Greg Brown – the poet game – the relatively unknown Dylan behind so many of today’s singer-songwriters
10. Run-DMC – Raising Hell – the defining rap/hip hop album for a generation which also gained crossover appeal with the help of Aerosmith
9. Stone Roses – Stone Roses – launched the English Rock sound which blossomed in the 1990’s
8. U2 – War – “Sunday Bloody Sunday” came to define the protest rock of a generation, but this is also when U2 still sounded like they came from the streets of Ireland, a recording that came with those qualities worked into the mix
7. Bob Dylan – The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan – a folk singer who changed the rock world in terms of lyrics, melody, and style
6. The Beatles – Help! – gorgeous pop rock of harmony and melody
5. The Clash – London Calling – while certainly the Sex Pistols defined punk, London Calling continues to be noted as influential for so many bands and musicians
4. Led Zeppelin – II – the great blend of blues and rock ‘n’roll which took Robert Johnson and others to the stadiums
3. Nirvana – Nevermind – claimed as the anthem for a generation and a tremendous step forward in rock’s creativity, claims which are actually. . .true
2. R.E.M. – Murmur – the indie rock foundation, catchy songs, obscure lyrics, and a simple approach to the sound which made the album sound like it was recorded just down the block by some friends
1. The Smiths – The Smiths – there is no better combination of singer and guitarist than Morrissey and Marr, the combination that has inspired so many towards greater lyricism with guitar work which carries the weight of the lyrics

Complete Top 100 List

For my other posts about this list, see the sidebar on this page.