If it’s one thing that music fans love more than music itself, its arguing about music.
Recent polls over the Best Song of The Millennium and even the greatest Melbourne songs of all-time (topped by New Zealand artists) certainly provoked discussion, but nothing seems to stoke passionate debate quite like the fierce arguments over albums, and specifically the most important and influential of all-time.
Following on from English taste-makers NME revealing their list of The 500 Greatest Albums Ever (with a bunch of 80s Brits topping #1, of course), now there’s an Aussie list of the Top 100 Albums any self-respecting music fan should have in their collection – digital, physical, or otherwise.
The list comes via News Ltd and their national live music writer, Cameron Adams, who has put together the ‘Ultimate Music Collection’ – “some of the best – and most influential – albums of all time which no iPod should be without.”
Grouped into five broad categories and organised not by rank but in “alphabetical not awesome order”, The Top 100 list is “not designed to be a definitive list of the best albums ever made, just an overview of essential albums that may have escaped your attention.” Which might explain the inclusion of Jay-Z’s The Blueprint 3 over the more widely acclaimed The Black Album or selections from the Meredith-bound electronicist Jon Hopkins, mid-oughties also-rans Travis, and house DJ curios Deep Dish.
But it’s not landmark LPs like Diesel And Dust, Kick, or Murder Ballads that make the grade.
…Instead, it’s 20,000 Watt R.S.L., Definitive, and The Best Of…
Don’t fret however Rock and Pop fans, the familiar music canon still makes an appearance, including The Beatles, Radiohead, U2, the Velvet Underground, and the Big Day Out cancelling Blur, as well as high-rolling earners like Madonna, Coldplay, and Michael Jackson. Interestingly, the list also tries to keep it more democratic, by generally choosing just one album per act in an effort to avoid the likes of The Beatles and The Stones scooping the pool.
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Being an Australian publication, the News Ltd list also has a healthy presence of homegrown artists and bands that sometimes get overlooked by international list-makers, with classic albums from AC/DC, The Go-Betweens, and more recent faves by You Am I and The Avalanches making the cut.
There’s also some patriotic selections from Cold Chisel, INXS, Midnight Oil, Kylie Minogue, and Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds.
But it’s not landmark LPs like Diesel And Dust, Kick, or Murder Ballads that make the grade. No, instead, it’s 20,000 Watt R.S.L., Definitive, and The Best Of…
That’s right, this Top 100 Albums collection breask that most major of list taboos by inducting a selection of Greatest Hits compilations, in their very own category.
Admitting that the Best Of inclusions will very likely ruffle the feathers of album purists, the list comes with the disclaimer: “we’ve taken the Greatest Hits cop out because who doesn’t love a Greatest Hits? Especially if they serve as an entreé to discovering someone’s career.”
Also downplaying any negative reactions, the News Ltd adds: “save your angry and/or disappointed tweets, we already know there’s some classic albums, classic artists and classic genres missing from the list.”
D’you hear that Pink Floyd diehards? Save your hate mail over Dark Side Of The Moon being snubbed for Robbie Williams’ In And Out Of Consciousness: Greatest Hits 1990-2010, you’ve already got a copy of the former anyhow.
Top 100 Music Albums You Must Have In Your Collection
according to News Ltd
Rock
AC/DC – Back In Black
Arctic Monkeys – Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not
The Beatles – Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band
Jeff Buckely – Grace
Coldplay – A Rush Of Blood To The Head
The Cure – Disintegration
Fleetwood Mac – Rumours
Metallica – Metallica
Nirvana – In Utero
Oasis – (What’s The Story) Morning Glory?
Pixies – Doolittle
Radiohead – OK Computer
R.E.M. – Out Of Time
The Rolling Stones – Exile On Main St.
The Smiths – The Queen Is Dead
The Stone Roses – The Stone Roses
The Strokes – Is This It
U2 – Achtung, Baby
The Velvet Underground & Nico – The Velvet Underground & Nico
You Am I – Hi Fi Way
Pop
Adele – 21
The Beach Boys – Pet Sounds
Kate Bush – Hounds Of Love
Björk – Debut
Blur – Parklife
Crowded House – Woodface
Depeche Mode – Violator
Duran Duran – Rio
Electric Light Orchestra – A New World Record
Fatboy Slim – You’ve Come A Long Way, Baby
The Go-Betweens – 16 Lovers Lane
Happy Mondays – Pills ‘N’ Thrills And Bellyahces
The Human League – Dare
Carole King – Tapestry
Madonna – Like A Prayer
Michael Jackson – Thriller
Prince – Purple Rain
Travis – The Man Who
Primal Scream – Screamadelica
Talking Heads – Naked
Electronic
2 Many DJs – As Heard On Radio Soulwax Pt. 2
Aphex Twin – Richard D James Album
The Avalanches – Since I Left You
The Chemical Brothers – Dig Your Own Hole
Daft Punk – Discovery
Deep Dish – Junk Science
Brian Eno – Ambient 1: Music For Airports
Everything But The Girl – Walking Wounded
Goldfrapp – Black Cherry
Jon Hopkins – Insides
Kraftwerk – The Man Machine
LCD Soundsystem – This Is Happening
Leftfield – Leftism
Massive Attack – Protection
Orbital – Orbital [The Brown Album]
Pet Shop Boys – Introspective
Portishead – Dummy
The Prodigy – The Fat of The Land
DJ Shadow – Endtroducing…
Underworld – Dubnobasswithmyheadman
Greatest Hits
ABBA – The Definitive Collection
The Beatles – 1
The Bee Gees – The Greatest Hits – The Record
Blondie – Greatest Hits
David Bowie – Best Of Bowie
Johnny Cash – The Legend Of Johnny Cash
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds – The Best Of…
Cold Chisel – The Best Of Cold Chisel: All For You
The Eagles – The Very Best Of…
INXS – Definitive INXS
Michael Jackson – The Essential Michael Jackson
Elton John – Rocket Man – Definitive Hits
Paul Kelly – Songs From The South: Volumes 1 & 2
Bob Marley – One Love
Kylie Minogue – Ultimate Kylie
Midnight Oil – 20,000 Watt RSL
New Order/Joy Division – Total
Bruce Springsteen – The Essential Bruce Springsteen
Queen – Absolute Greatest
Robbie Williams – In And Out Of Consciousness: Greatest Hits 1990-2010
Hip Hop and Soul
2Pac – All Eyez On Me
A Tribe Called Quest – People’s Instinctive Travels & The Paths Of Rhythm
Beastie Boys – Paul’s Boutique
De La Soul – 3 Feet High And Rising
Eminem – The Marshall Mathers LP
Fugees – The Score
Lauryn Hill – The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill
Whitney Houston – Whitney Houston
Maxwell – Maxwell’s Urban Hang Suite
Notorious B.I.G. – Ready To Die
N.W.A. – Straight Outta Compton
Outkast – Speakerboxxx/The Love Below
Public Enemy – Fear Of A Black Planet
Run DMC – Raising Hell
Dusty Springfield – Dusty In Memphis
Tricky – Maxinquaye
Kanye West – My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
Amy Winehouse – Back In Black
Stevie Wonder – Songs In The Key Of Life
Jay-Z – The Blueprint 3
