Top 10 favorite Rock/Alt albums since 1980

[My Life Is A Stereo]

This might not go over well, and I'm not trying to piss anyone off but this is just meant to be a discussion opener and a way to get to "know" the people who frequent the rock/alt forum. So, to the mods, if you dont want this here, you can lock it, but since this would be the easiest forum for all of the rock enthusiasts to find it I figured it would be the best place to start.

So I wanted to know what your personal favorite albums are over the last nearly 30 years. Some of the "seasoned" people may be able to go back to that era and find some of their faves and some of the younger ones might only have faves that come from the last few years but that's all good. So I leave it up to you. You can list your favorite 10 from the last 28 years, or maybe list 5 from the 80's, 90's and 2000's. Whatever you want. I figured it would just be fun to see some of the different albums that everyone who comes in here enjoys from the past but limited to rock/alt artists and albums.

I'll post some of mine later, once I see if this is okay to keep opened. Have fun reminiscing.

[WotUNeed]

I may be taking a loose interpretation of the albums that qualify, so forgive me if my list is heading off course.

I can't really do a top ten without a lot of thought (and painstakingly obsessive ordering/reordering/starting over... yeah), so I'm just gonna ramble off a few.

The first thing that came to mind is U2's Achtung, Baby. U2 get a sort of special place for me, because the first album I ever bought was one of theirs. I know that's about as uninteresting a first artist to purchase as there could be, but whatever. Anyway, this album is one of my favorites of any genre. Incredibly cohesive, fresh, still attention-grabbing when it plays. Some albums that I play a lot lose that kind of edge - start becoming albums that I can't just listen to, have to have them on while doing something else or in the car or whatever because I've listened too many times and the spark is gone... but I don't think that could ever happen here. When I'm in the mood to listen to music as my activity for the time, this is one that I can reliably put on and be satisfied.

The next one I thought of was Something Happens's Stuck Together With God's Glue. Maybe this one's a little too pop-leaning for this thread? I think ultra-catchy lead single "Hello, Hello, Hello, Hello, Hello (Petrol)" charted at alt, though. That's the song that caught my attention, but the entire album is surprisingly strong. Not likely to show up on critics' lists any time soon, and perhaps it doesn't deserve to do so, but it's one of my surefire good mood type albums.

I seem to be stuck in the early 90s here. Maybe because these are the alt/rock albums I actually own, whereas older I end up with hits packages and later I get less impressed? I'm not sure. But anyway, the next one I'll submit is Elvis Costello's Mighty Like a Rose, which actually tends to be ranked pretty low in his catalogue. I guess I can understand where it would be comparatively (though I disagree), but taken in its own right it still kicks ass. "The Other Side of Summer" may be one of the coolest opening tracks ever. I do tend to skip "After the Fall" but the rest of the album, golden. If I were making an actual listing of favorites, this is probably the point where I'd scratch this out as not being a strong enough candidate upon reflection, but since I'm not, I'll leave this out there.

I'm determined to think of one thing that isn't from this general time period, but in the meantime... The Connells: Ring. I have a few of their albums, and I like them all, but this one stands out for me. The others are a little spottier, or maybe just less unique. This one, though... well-constructed. "Slackjawed" is such an amazing track. I bet it would have been great to hear that on the radio.

I'm sure if I started actually looking over my collection, I could think of some way more representative albums. Or at least some that would make better conversation pieces. But where's the fun in that?

Anyway, I quit for now. I guess the takeaway from this would be, ask me about alternative albums, and my head goes straight to late 80s and early 90s college rock, even though I bet, when I actually do start looking over rock albums in my collection, I'll find way more that fall outside this category than inside it.

Oct 9, 2008 3:16:32 GMT -5 My Life Is A Stereo said:

this is just meant to be a discussion opener and a way to get to "know" the people who frequent the rock/alt forum.

Well, if this mess of a post accomplished nothing else, you now "know" me better. Be afraid.

[jazklash]

Something Happens!... In the innocence of my 11 year old self in 1990, I remember listening to the radio once and they were doing this 20-minute special feature on them - yeah, back when they did things like that on the radio! And even back then, listening to it, I came to understand there was huge hype on them over on the British Isles, what with them beating some records on the Irish charts and getting rave reviews on the then still readable NME (this last part, of course, was only discovered years later).
Now I know the British music press has a long history of hyping up bands that don't deliver on their promise (no need to cite any examples; we would be here a week! ). But somehow, still today, Something Happens strikes me as one the greatest examples of an initial hype that went absolutely nowhere fast.

[Nicholas2.0]

Here are my 10 favorite albums released in the 1980s:

1. Nine Inch Nails - Pretty Hate Machine
2. Skid Row - s/t
3. Descendents - Milo Goes to College
4. Faith No More - The Real Thing
5. Prince - Purple Rain soundtrack
6. Paula Abdul - Forever Your Girl
7. Bobby Brown - Don't Be Cruel
8. Suicidal Tendencies
9. Violent Femmes
10. Dead Kennedys - Give Me Convenience or Give Me Death

1990s:
1. Tool - Ænima
2. Orgy - Candyass
3. Rancid - Life Won't Wait
4. Rancid - ...And Out Come the Wolves
5. 311 - s/t
6. Garbage - s/t
7. Foo Fighters - s/t
8. Garbage - Version 2.0
9. Social Distortion - White Light White Heat White Trash
10. Madonna - Ray of Light

2000s:
1. AFI - Sing the Sorrow
2. Avenged Sevenfold - City of Evil
3. Avenged Sevenfold - Waking the Fallen
4. AFI - The Art of Drowning
5. The Used - In Love and Death
6. Tool - Lateralus
7. Red Hot Chili Peppers - By the Way
8. Atreyu - The Curse
9. Avenged Sevenfold - s/t (with room to grow over time)
10. Good Charlotte - The Chronicles of Life and Death

Of All-Time (as of 2006):
1. Tool - Ænima
2. AFI - Sing the Sorrow
3. Avenged Sevenfold - City of Evil
4. Orgy - Candyass
5. Rancid - Life Won't Wait
6. Rancid - ...And Out Come the Wolves
7. Avenged Sevenfold - Waking the Fallen
8. 311 - s/t
9. Garbage - s/t
10. AFI - The Art of Drowning

[fran182]

I'm surprised you like Good Charlotte

[PHOBES]

Oct 10, 2008 17:23:19 GMT -5 @fran182 said:

I'm surprised you like Good Charlotte

Because M. Shadows and Synyster Gates played with them on The River haha. I'm just kidding, that was on Good Morning Revival anyway lol

[PHOBES]

My turn, this is actually really tough. I was never REALLY into music until a few years ago, and I listen to many different genres other than rock, such as Christian, Country, and a little Pop (Please don't shoot me). I'll try to limit it to artists that have at least charted on either Alternative or Active. And most of it is more recent.

1. Breaking Benjamin - Phobia (A shocker, I know)
2. Skillet - Comatose (Highly Underrated)
3. Switchfoot - The Beautiful Letdown (Great songs with deeper meanings)
4. Linkin Park - Meteora
5. Shinedown - The Sound of Madness
6. Alter Bridge - Blackbird
7. Breaking Benjamin - Saturate
8. Daughtry - Daughtry
9. Red - End of Silence
10. Breaking Benjamin - We Are Not Alone

Actually, just disregard the numbering after number 3. This is too hard for me lol. I'll probably edit this later.

[musicaddict]

Oct 10, 2008 20:57:49 GMT -5 PHOBES said:

My turn, this is actually really tough. I was never REALLY into music until a few years ago, and I listen to many different genres other than rock, such as Christian, Country, and a little Pop (Please don't shoot me).

Lulz, you even listen to country? :o

[PHOBES]

Oct 11, 2008 5:34:11 GMT -5 musicaddict said:

Oct 10, 2008 20:57:49 GMT -5 PHOBES said:

My turn, this is actually really tough. I was never REALLY into music until a few years ago, and I listen to many different genres other than rock, such as Christian, Country, and a little Pop (Please don't shoot me).

Lulz, you even listen to country? :o

Yeah man,

Montgomery Gentry, Jason Aldean, Brad Paisley, Kenny Chesney, Tim McGraw, etc.

Country Rocks

[Pipa]

1. Green Day - American Idiot
2. AC/DC - Back in Black
3. Def Leppard - Hysteria
4. Ozzy Osbourne - No More Tears
5. Guns N' Roses - Appetite for Destruction
6. Queen - The Game
7. Metallica - Black Album
8. Def Leppard - Pyromania
9. Nickelback - All The Right Reasons
10. Metallica - Death Magnetic

Well, that turned into a classic rock albums list soon enough. I'm sure a lot of these choices can be easily changed.

[musicaddict]

Nickelback seem so out of place... LOL

[Nicholas2.0]

Oct 10, 2008 17:23:19 GMT -5 @fran182 said:

I'm surprised you like Good Charlotte

Lyrically, they can get a little cheesy on a couple songs per album, but those guys are pure masters of pop/rock songcraft and hooks, if you ask me. The Young & the Hopeless is when they stepped their game up and became a good band and they've only improved since then, with Good Morning Revival only being slightly lesser of an album than TCOL&D. (Seriously, it was in contention for my Top 10 of this decade.) It's frustrating that they still haven't been able to shake off their backlash and the naysayers and be noticed and given credit for this.

Oct 10, 2008 20:46:00 GMT -5 PHOBES said:

Because M. Shadows and Synyster Gates played with them on The River haha. I'm just kidding, that was on Good Morning Revival anyway lol

A lot of folks bitched and moaned and couldn't believe those bands were even friends. Being a huge fan of both, I didn't see what the big deal was. I don't think anyone was as excited as I was to learn they were actually working together on a song that was set to be the lead single from GC's new record. And I don't think anyone loved it as much as I did. That song stuck around on my chart for over a year and a half and was my favorite song of 2007.

Oct 11, 2008 5:34:11 GMT -5 musicaddict said:

Lulz, you even listen to country? :o

I've paid for albums by Big & Rich, Johnny Cash, Patsy Cline, the Dixie Chicks, Miranda Lambert, Dolly Parton, Shania Twain, Hank Williams, Gretchen Wilson.

I've got burned copies of albums by Garth Brooks, Johnny Cash, Loretta Lynn, Brad Paisley, and Hank Williams III.

Downloaded to my hard drive are albums by Trace Adkins, Brooks & Dunn, Glen Campbell, Johnny Cash, Sara Evans, Faith Hill, Loretta Lynn, Reba McEntire, Taylor Swift, and Keith Urban.

And for years now, I've been interested in adding some Tim McGraw, Willie Nelson, Kenny Chesney, Alan Jackson, Tammy Wynette, the Louvin Brothers, and Dwight Yoakam to my album collection.

[pen]

Oct 11, 2008 20:53:41 GMT -5 Nicholas2.0 said:

A lot of folks b***hed and moaned and couldn't believe those bands were even friends. Being a huge fan of both, I didn't see what the big deal was. I don't think anyone was as excited as I was to learn they were actually working together on a song that was set to be the lead single from GC's new record. And I don't think anyone loved it as much as I did. That song stuck around on my chart for over a year and a half and was my favorite song of 2007.

I love "The River", but I actually love "Misery" more. Things like that are why I'm glad I live in my own little fairy world, where people are sensible and scene points receive the death sentence. I don't know why people put so much energy into hating bands. If they put half that much energy into their lives, they could change the world or at least change the world enough to make it less of one where there is the possibility of me being yelled at.

[PHOBES]

The River rocks, but I don't think it would have been near as good without Synyster on it. M. Shadows was cool to have on it too, just not vital. It's easily my favorite GC song, but then again I only like a handful of their stuff. Lifestyles and Hold On being the only ones that come to mind immediately.

[musicaddict]

Nobody likes "We Believe"? That's their best imo!

[PHOBES]

Oct 12, 2008 15:22:32 GMT -5 musicaddict said:

Nobody likes "We Believe"? That's their best imo!

It's not bad, but like I said it doesn't stand out. I also remembered their big CHR hit in "Dance Floor Anthem." The thought of hearing GC on pop radio seems so weird now.

[Nicholas2.0]

Oct 12, 2008 15:22:32 GMT -5 musicaddict said:

Nobody likes "We Believe"? That's their best imo!

I'd put it 10th on the album. (Keep in mind that the album is my 10th favorite of the decade.)

Oct 12, 2008 15:59:32 GMT -5 PHOBES said:

The thought of hearing GC on pop radio seems so weird now.

Well other than "The River" and "Misery" (and arguably a couple others), it's not like the bulk of Good Morning Revival belonged on Alternative radio anyway.

[fran182]

The Chronicles of Life and Death it's their best album without doubts Imo....

Consistent as hell...It's a shame they didn't keep that kind of sound

It's difficult to rank....but from that album my top 5 songs would be something like this:

1.The Chronicles of Life and Death
2.Predictable
3.Mountain
4.The World Is Black
5.We Believe

[PHOBES]

Oct 9, 2008 18:43:55 GMT -5 Nicholas2.0 said:

Of All-Time (as of 2006):

Just out of curiosity. Why 2006? You haven't updated it since then, or you just wouldn't consider putting anything recent on there?

[Nicholas2.0]

Oct 13, 2008 22:30:46 GMT -5 PHOBES said:

Just out of curiosity. Why 2006? You haven't updated it since then, or you just wouldn't consider putting anything recent on there?

Making the list at the end of 2006 (more like first couple of months of 2007) was so time consuming that I didn't even bother trying to update it last year. I may not this year, either.

And since fran.182 listed his top 5 from Chronicles, I'll go ahead and do the whole thing:
01. Predictable
02. S.O.S.
03. Walk Away (Maybe)
04. Ghost of You
05. I Just Wanna Live
06. It Wasn't Enough
07. The Truth
08. We Believe
09. The Chronicles of Life and Death
10. The World Is Black
11. In This World (Murder)
12. Mountain
13. Secrets
14. Falling Away
15. Meet My Maker
16. Once Upon a Time: The Battle of Life and Death

4.5/5

Note that "We Believe" is 8th and not 10th, as I had previously stated.

[halo19]

I'll go and include a bit more than what was asked for here, updating what I'd included nearly 7 months ago:

Top albums of this decade:
01. Thrice - Vheissu
02. VAST - Nude
03. VAST - Music for People
04. TV on the Radio - Return to Cookie Mountain
05. Tool - Lateralus
06. The White Stripes - De Stijl
07. Modest Mouse - We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank
08. The White Stripes - White Blood Cells
09. Shiny Toy Guns - We Are Pilots
10. Thrice - The Alchemy Index

1990's:
01. Depeche Mode - Violator
02. Radiohead - OK Computer
03. Garbage - Version 2.0
04. Nine Inch Nails - The Fragile
05. Refused - The Shape of Punk to Come
06. VAST - Visual Audio Sensory Theater
07. Beck - Odelay
08. Smashing Pumpkins - Siamese Dream
09. Smashing Pumpkins - Adore
10. OutKast - Aquemini
If #10 isn't enough rock/alt. for the post, then replace with Placebo's Without You I'm Nothing.

1980's:
01. Depeche Mode - Some Great Reward
02. Depeche Mode - Black Celebration
03. Joy Division - Closer
04. Violent Femmes - s/t
05. The Cure - Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me
06. Violent Femmes - Hallowed Ground
07. Nine Inch Nails - Pretty Hate Machine
08. Minor Threat - Out of Step (or the IME EP if not that.)
09. U2 - War
10. Pixies - Doolittle (well it's really DM's MFTM but I wanted to offer more variety.)

I'll extend to a top-twenty of all time:
01. Thrice - Vheissu
02. VAST - Nude
03. VAST - Music for People
04. Depeche Mode - Violator
05. TV on the Radio - Return to Cookie Mountain
06. Tool - Lateralus
07. Radiohead - OK Computer
08. Garbage - Version 2.0
09. Nine Inch Nails - The Fragile
10. The White Stripes - De Stijl
11. Refused - The Shape of Punk to Come
12. VAST - Visual Audio Sensory Theater
13. Modest Mouse - We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank
14. The White Stripes - White Blood Cells
15. Beck - Odelay
16. Smashing Pumpkins - Siamese Dream
17. Depeche Mode - Some Great Reward
18. Shiny Toy Guns - We Are Pilots
19. Thrice - The Alchemy Index (in full)
20. Porcupine Tree - Deadwing

In the nostalgia thread under "albums" I already gave the word about Refused's album, for the record.

[Nicholas2.0]

Jan 13, 2009 0:14:11 GMT -5 halo19 said:

Top albums of this decade:
01. Thrice - Vheissu
10. Thrice - Vheissu

Oops.

[halo19]

The longform part revealed what it would be instead.

[greysky]

00s:
1. Jimmy Eat World - Futures
2. Jimmy Eat World - Bleed American
3. Fall Out Boy - Infinity On High
4. My Chemical Romance - Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge
5. New Found Glory - Catalyst
5. New Found Glory - Sticks And Stones
5. New Found Glory - Coming Home
8. Fall Out Boy - Take This To Your Grave
9. Ash - Meltdown
9. Arctic Monkeys - Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not

90s:
1. Goldfinger - Hang-Ups
1. Less Than Jake - Hello Rockview
3. Jimmy Eat World - Clarity
4. The Offspring - Smash
5. Rancid - ... And Out Come The Wolves
6. Jimmy Eat World - Static Prevails
7. Incubus - S.C.I.E.N.C.E
8. Pearl Jam - Vitalogy
8. Rage Against The Machine - The Battle Of Los Angeles
10. AC/DC - The Razor's Edge

80s:
1. AC/DC - Back In Black
2. AC/DC - For Those About To Rock
3. Ramones - Pleasant Dreams
3. Ramones - Brain Drain
5. The Clash - Sandinista!

I didn't listen enough to the 80s to make a top 10 :(

[My Life Is A Stereo]

Oct 9, 2008 18:43:55 GMT -5 Nicholas2.0 said:

Here are my 10 favorite albums released in the 1980s:

1. Nine Inch Nails - Pretty Hate Machine
2. Skid Row - s/t
3. Descendents - Milo Goes to College
4. Faith No More - The Real Thing
5. Prince - Purple Rain soundtrack
6. Paula Abdul - Forever Your Girl
7. Bobby Brown - Don't Be Cruel
8. Suicidal Tendencies
9. Violent Femmes
10. Dead Kennedys - Give Me Convenience or Give Me Death

1990s:
1. Tool - Ænima
2. Orgy - Candyass
3. Rancid - Life Won't Wait
4. Rancid - ...And Out Come the Wolves
5. 311 - s/t
6. Garbage - s/t
7. Foo Fighters - s/t
8. Garbage - Version 2.0
9. Social Distortion - White Light White Heat White Trash
10. Madonna - Ray of Light

2000s:
1. AFI - Sing the Sorrow
2. Avenged Sevenfold - City of Evil
3. Avenged Sevenfold - Waking the Fallen
4. AFI - The Art of Drowning
5. The Used - In Love and Death
6. Tool - Lateralus
7. Red Hot Chili Peppers - By the Way
8. Atreyu - The Curse
9. Avenged Sevenfold - s/t (with room to grow over time)
10. Good Charlotte - The Chronicles of Life and Death

Of All-Time (as of 2006):
1. Tool - Ænima
2. AFI - Sing the Sorrow
3. Avenged Sevenfold - City of Evil
4. Orgy - Candyass
5. Rancid - Life Won't Wait
6. Rancid - ...And Out Come the Wolves
7. Avenged Sevenfold - Waking the Fallen
8. 311 - s/t
9. Garbage - s/t
10. AFI - The Art of Drowning

I never noticed this at first but I have to say that I love that you have Paula Abdul in your 80's list. I have no qualms in admitting the pop stuff I loved and grew up with and I wore out that on tape.....twice...lol.

Oh and once I sang Bobby Brown's "Dont' Be Cruel" at karaoke.....I was really really drunk...and it was really REALLY bad..but at least I got the waitresses to dance on tables for it.

[Nicholas2.0]

Jan 14, 2009 1:09:41 GMT -5 My Life Is A Stereo said:

I never noticed this at first but I have to say that I love that you have Paula Abdul in your 80's list. I have no qualms in admitting the pop stuff I loved and grew up with and I wore out that on tape.....twice...lol.

I got the cassette for my 9th birthday. I listened to the radio in the late spring and early summer of '89 (and didn't actually ask for the tape until the following year), which is how I got to know and love at least "Forever Your Girl." Probably "Straight Up," too. I also remember seeing the "Opposites Attract" and "Cold Hearted" videos at my grandparents' houses on MTV (my family didn't have cable then). Anyway, that tape was one of the few modern things I listened to for at least another couple of years until I got back into Pop music and stuck with it full swing. To this day I still love every song on it and bought a used copy of the CD 10 years ago (which I haven't listened to anywhere close to as much.) I loved Paula Abdul until her music career kind of faded away after '95/'96. (Though I liked each album significantly less than its predecessor.) And while I've only actively watched the show a scant few times (one of them being last night, strangely enough), I'm glad she's back in the public eye, judging on American Idol.

Jan 14, 2009 1:09:41 GMT -5 My Life Is A Stereo said:

Oh and once I sang Bobby Brown's "Dont' Be Cruel" at karaoke.....I was really really drunk...and it was really REALLY bad..but at least I got the waitresses to dance on tables for it.

Then all was right with the world (assuming the waitresses weren't uggos. And don't bother to tell me whether they were or not. I'll just assume they were hot.) Now that you mention it, singing Bobby Brown songs at karaoke sounds like an awesome idea I'll have to try at some point. During my aforementioned flirtation with Pop radio in '89, I really enjoyed "Every Little Step" and "On Our Own." But when "Humpin' Around" came out in '92, that was hands down my favorite song for almost literally a whole year. I was obsessed with that guy and his music when that song came out. That is until Janet Jackson's "If" came out the following summer and became my favorite song for at least the next 6 months. Anyway, I didn't even buy the Don't Be Cruel cassette until 1993, and that was because at my young age, I didn't want my parents to know that the album I really wanted at the time contained a song called "Humpin' Around." I didn't actually get around to buying the Bobby CD until 1995, way after my moment was gone. And coincidentally, like Paula Abdul, his career faded afterward, too. How's he not gonna bother following that up until 5 years later, when nobody even cares anymore? Come on now...

Anyway, I never noticed until now that you started this topic three months ago and have yet to put up your own lists. What's up with that? ;)

[banet2001]

I have not done an all time rankings of albums since the late 1990's. For me it is very hard to compare albums I listen to in my youth, which ultimately pushed me to the direction I listen to today versus recent albums, which will never have as much impact as the music of my youth.

Some of my early favorites include:

Kate Bush - Hounds of Love
Kate Bush - The Dreaming
The Stone Roses - The Stone Roses
The Smiths - The Queen Is Dead
Peter Gabriel - Peter Gabriel 3
DePeche Mode - Violator
Radiohead - OK Computer
REM - Automatic For The People

[My Life Is A Stereo]

So seeing as I started this nearly a year ago and still haven't actually done it yet, I thought I'd give this a go. I'm NOT going to lie......this list is a retrospective of the albums I loved at the time.....not necessarily reflecting albums I think are great now. This is a journey back through my growing up with this music. I'll pick 10 from the 80's and 90's but leave the 00's alone for now. This may take a few entries to complete.

The 80's

In my early "formative" music years I was subjected to liking whatever the radio told me to, haha. I'll freely admit that my tastes were never geared towards thinking about complexity of the music, or interpreting the lyrics. Basically if my ears liked it then I listened to it. Some of the albums listed I still like to this day but as I've grown its more for the nostalgia than anything else. But these were some of my fave and most played albums of the rock 80's.

10. Honeymoon Suite - The Big Prize / Start off with some Canadian content. I was obsessed with this band as a kid. This album was wore out. First band I ever saw in concert (they sucked that night). Saw them just recently and were soooo much better.

Fave Songs - All Along You Knew, What Does It Take, Feel It Again, Bad Attitude

9. Metallica - ...And Justice For All / My first real forray into metal as a kid. My uncle tried to get me into it earlier but I never liked it. He gave me a tape for Christmas in 81 I believe and the only song I liked was BOC's - Burnin' For You. Hanging out with some "bangers" I got into this album.

Fave Songs - And Justice For All, Blackened, Harvester Of Sorrow and of course the epic One

8. Van Halen - 1984 - Although I actually to this day prefer some of the other 80's Van Halen to this, 1984 was my first vinyl purchase and I played it incessantly when it came out. Nostalgia points for this one.

Fave songs - Jump, Panama , Hot For Teacher

7. Europe - The Final Countdown - Wow did I geek out to this album for a VERY long time. To this day I'm not even sure why but I loved it. Definite nostalgia factor for this.

Fave Songs - Final Countdown, Carrie, Cherokee, Rock The Night, Danger On The Track

6. REM - Document - I remember before this album I never understood how anyone could like this band. Of course I was like 10 when I pondered that. The minute I heard "The One I Love" I fell in love with REM and still love them to this day.

Fave Songs - The One I Love, Its The End Of The World, Finest Worksong, Welcome To The Occupation

5. Peter Gabriel - So - This album would probably be on my list just for the fact it contains one of my favorite songs ever, In Your Eyes. The rest is gravy

Fave Songs - Sledgehammer, In Your Eyes, Big Time, Red Rain, Don't Give Up (with Kate Bush)

4. Faith No More - The Real Thing - My head considers this a 90's album because that's when I found it but since it was released in the 80's here it is. This album began the change for me heading towards more alternative type musics.

Fave Songs - Epic, Falling To Pieces, From Out Of Nowhere, Edge Of The World

3. Depeche Mode - Some Great Reward - Absolute classic for me. When I first heard it the music and voices sounded like they were from outer space....I later came to learn that was just England.

Fave Songs - People Are People, Master And Servant, Blasphemous Rumours, Lie To Me, Somebody

2. Bon Jovi - Slippery When Wet In 1986 you had to listen to it to pick up 13 year old chicks. But I'll admit I loved it still.

Fave Songs - You Give Love A Bad Name, Livin' On A Prayer, Never Say Goodbye(this was "our song", my first crush, lol) , I'd Die For You, Wanted Dead Or Alive

1. Glass Tiger - Thin Red Line Bookend the 80's with more Canadian content. Can't explain this one, it was right time, right place, right age for me.

Fave Songs - EVERY SINGLE SONG. There is not one song on this album that I even kind of don't like. They are all mini treaures for me. I still love them today although I admit most are nostalgia and are hard for others who never knew them to appreciate.

Honorable Mentions

The Clash - Combat Rock
Journey - Escape
Twisted Sister - Stay Hungry
Whitesnake - Whitesnake
White Lion - Pride
Van Halen - 5150
Bon Jovi - New Jersey
Tom Petty - Full Moon Fever
Foreigner - 4

Top Pop Albums

Duran Duran - Rio
Madonna -Like A Virgin
Madonna - True Blue
Madonna - Like A Prayer
Roxette - Look Sharp!
Milli Vanilli - Girl You Know Its True (Yep I said it!!)
Chicago - Chicago XVII
REO Speedwagon - Hi Infidelity
Michael Jackson - Thriller
Prince - Purple Rain
Fleetwood Mac - Tango In The Night

I'm sure I'm missing a few but most other albums I didn't like a majority of the songs so I'm not including them. If I get bored maybe I'll make a list of favorite songs of the 80's.

So there is a short overview of the 80's. Admittedly,even though I could come up with lots of albums I liked, the 80's was more about the singles and songs, rather than albums as a whole. The 90's is where I found more appreciation for entire albums.

Now, as the kid from Jerry Maguire said, I gotta go to bed.....

[Ron57]

Oct 11, 2008 23:15:50 GMT -5 pen said:

Oct 11, 2008 20:53:41 GMT -5 Nicholas2.0 said:

A lot of folks b***hed and moaned and couldn't believe those bands were even friends. Being a huge fan of both, I didn't see what the big deal was. I don't think anyone was as excited as I was to learn they were actually working together on a song that was set to be the lead single from GC's new record. And I don't think anyone loved it as much as I did. That song stuck around on my chart for over a year and a half and was my favorite song of 2007.

I love "The River", but I actually love "Misery" more. Things like that are why I'm glad I live in my own little fairy world, where people are sensible and scene points receive the death sentence. I don't know why people put so much energy into hating bands. If they put half that much energy into their lives, they could change the world or at least change the world enough to make it less of one where there is the possibility of me being yelled at.

Hey, someone who actually feels the same as I do.
I've always loved Misery. Favorite track from the album.

[onefrayedrepublic]

1. FAIR TO MIDLAND "Fables From A Mayfly" -- Unquestionably the best album of our era. Every song on this ethereal album screams to be appreciated. While the sizzling hit "Dance of The Manatee" was quite the attention grabber, second single "Tall Tales..." packed quite a punch while the downright heart-stopping "The Wife, The Kids and The White Picket Fence" features one of the most amazing performances of a modern vocalist.

Best Songs: All of them. Yes. I actually mean that.

2. PROJECT 86 -- Truthless Heroes -- This vastly unappreciated hard rock album featuring the profound lyrics and notable chops of lead singer Andrew Schwab take the listener on an dark, entrancing and in some ways sensual journey of a 60-minute American television drama that features its protagonist rise through society by destroying his soul; the last two songs find the hero rotten inside; devoid of hope, meaning or abliity to go on, only feebly warning society before he fades to black.

Recommended songs (in order, 1st song is my favourite...): "Hollow Again", "Soma" "Shelter Me Mercuty" "Your Heroes Are Dead" "Little Green Men"

3. SYSTEM OF A DOWN -- Toxicity

To this day, this album rains as the best hard rock album of our time. Coming from Armenia, System, after a fine first album with the frenetic "Sugar" paving the way, dropped a doozy. Toxicity would be the forerunner for a whole horde of alternative metal bands, featuring the beastly "Toxicity" the haunting "Chop Suey" and the mesmerizing "Aerials" this album featured both soul and power with its crunchy guitars and the blisteringly effective vocals of Serj Tankian. Though this band is one of my favourites, never again would they put together such a cohesive, raw and entrancing set of songs.

Recommended Songs: "Chop Suey", "Aerials", "Deer Dance", "Toxicity"

4. EVERCLEAR -- Songs From An American Movie Vol. 1: Learning How To Smile

Everclear has always been a band that got a little too emotional. The raw and painful life experience expressed by lead singer Art Alexakis is drenched with sorrow and regret. While it is often too much of a downer to try to listen to all of an Everclear album in one sitting, this one is different. Featuring wonderfully crafted pop melodies sharing happier times "Brown Eyed Girl" "AM Radio" along with the sadder side, epitomized by the tear-jerkingly effective "Wonderful." This album is a trip to listen to, taking you through the highs and lows of a broken man backed with wonderfully simple and pleasing melodies.

Recommended Songs: "Wonderful", "Wonderful", "Brown Eyed Girl", "Here We Go Again", "Wonderful" "Annabella's Song"

5. CHEVELLE -- Wonder What's Next

This sizzling album brought Chevelle into the spotlight, revealing them as more than mere Tool knock-offs. This album smashed to success of the strength of hit after hit. Looking past the obvious hits, there is a depth found in this album that isn't apparent in their others. Every song here has a meaning, there's no filler and no excuses. Every song packs a punch, there's a ton of musical diversity, both straight aggression "Send The Pain Below" and moodier cuts such as "Don't Fake This."

Look past the hits... this album went platinum. I bet that if the single were as followed:

Lead Single: Forfeit, 2nd Single Don't Fake This, 3rd Single Family System, that this album easily still would have gone gold. This album is just so good throughout...a rarity in harder rock.

Recommended Songs "The Red", "Forfeit", "Closure", "An Evening With El Diablo" "Don't Fake This", "Send The Pain Below

6. OUR LADY PEACE -- Gravity

I'm on a forum that loves OLP. Therefore this pick needs little explanation except that I favour this over Happiness ever so slightly because I think "All For You" and "Somewhere Out There" are more individually powerful songs that anything on Happiness.

Recommended Songs: "All For You", "Somewhere Out There", "Not Enough", "Bring Back The Sun"

7. CHRONIC FUTURE -- This Phoenix-based trio puts on a sweet show with their Rap/Punk/Alt Rock approach. As lame as this sounds, this band put it together. With a rapper that sounds like Eminem at times--particularly in the 2nd verse of "New York, NY" and very well done, though not outstanding instrumentation, this quirky album is a highlight. While the songs aren't as good here as most of the other albums on this list, and this album at times sounds underproduced, there's a raw sound to it, you can feel the band's passion. If you've only heard lead single "Time And Time Again", keep looking, there's better stuff inside.

Recommended Songs: "Memories In F Minor", "Shellshocked", "New York, NY", "Wicked Games" and reluctantly, "Time And Time Again"

8. 10 YEARS -- The Autumn Effect

This album has got to be one of the least-appreciated albums featuring a #1 hit "Wasteland" in recent history. The even more powerful second single "Through The Iris" bombed on rock radio and the band disappeared for a few years until "Beautiful" came onto the airwaves. This album is an exceptionally powerful piece of rock, effectively melding their alternative and progressive rock influences into one flowing yet urgent album.

Starting with a slow but building intro "Waking Up", the album continues to grow stronger and darker through the first four tracks until a crescendo unleashes by the name of "Wasteland." After this, the album pauses, collects itself with some slower numbers and then explodes into its second crescendo, the even more bombastic "Through The Iris." The album recedes before throwing one more tidal wave at you "Paralyzing Kings" and then ending with the immensely powerful "The Autumn Effect." (make sure to get the album proper, don't get the shortened version of songs... "Cast It Out" is 5 and a half minutes, "The Autumn Effect" over 9, but there's a bad version floating around the internet. I proudly own, however, a physical copy of this tremendous album.

Recommended Songs: "Through The Iris," "Wasteland," "Paralyzing Kings," "The Autumn Effect," "Cast It Out"

9. BILLY TALENT "Billy Talent II"

Short and sweet on this one. Some bands have one great album in them. Billy Talent is one of these bands. Unlike the pleasant but not gripping debut nor the chaotic mess that is Billy Talent III, Billy Talent II is one smooth ride through a wonderful world of punk. More than just "Red Flag", this album really does take you to a "Perfect World". 'Red Flag", despite it's popularity, is not the best song here. Actually the single choices for this album sucked. Also, you must see this band live before you die.

Recommended Songs: "Perfect World", "Fallen Leaves", "Red Flag", "Surrender", "Devil In A Midnight Mass."

10. OUR LADY PEACE -- Happiness Is Not A Fish You Can Catch

Need I say anything? I remember falling... in love the first time I heard the wonderfully unique vocals of Canadian Rock God Raine Maida in "One Man Army." While One Man Army has always had a special place in my heart, the whole album is uninterrupted excellence.

Recommended Songs: "One Man Army," "Is Anybody Home?," "Happiness & The Fish," "Thief"