I had to share this one with you all......
The Arctic Monkeys have beaten The Beatles in a list of the all-time greatest British albums. "Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not" came fifth despite only being released Monday. Revolver was the Beatles top entry at 9th.
Top of the NME (Note - this refers to the New Musical Express, still highly regarded by musicians and music lovers alike...it's been Britains premier music paper since the 60's, and possibly even before that....) poll was the Stone Roses debut album released in '89.
Arctic Monkeys are set to have the fastest-selling debut album of all time with nearly 120, 000 sold on its first day in the shops
The top 20 are.....
1 The Stone Roses - The Stone Roses
2 The Smiths - The Queen is dead
3 Oasis - Definitely Maybe
4 Sex Pistols - Never Mind The Bollocks
5 Arctic Monkeys - Whatever People......etc
6 Blur - Modern Life Is Rubbish
7 Pulp - Different Class
8 The Clash - London Calling
9 The Beatles - Revolver
10 - The Libertines - Up The Bracket
11 - Radiohead - The Bends
12 - The Specials - Specials
13 - The Verve - A Northern Soul
14 - Bowie - Hunky Dory
15 - Primal Scream - Screamadelica
16 - Dexy's Midnight Runners - Searching For The Young Soul Rebels
17 - The Streets - Original Pirate Material
18 - Franz Ferdinand - Franz Ferdinand
19 - The Smiths - Strangeways, Here We Come
20 - The Beatles - Rubber Soul
OK a few observations - how representative is this poll? Well it doesn't actually say how many people voted - but judging from the LP's there, I'm guessing that NME's core readership is now aged 35, give or take a few years, with a healthy smattering of mature teenagers/early20's....
No rap music in there, or even what passes for R'n'B these days - but then again the NME has always been a ROCK oriented magazine....
There is no ethnic diversity in there - there were a couple of West Indians in the Specials, and that's it.....
My daughter informs me that the Arctic Monkeys music has been widely available -in demo form, for free downloads - on the net for ages WITH THE CONSENT OF THE BAND....this is why the album is selling so well - who was it said file-sharing would kill Album sales?
Interesting to note the top three bands are all from Manchester....Liverpool ruled the pop world in the 60's but the 80's and 90's definitely belonged to Manchester (although the Hollies did pretty well for a Manchester band in the 60's....
Now a few quibbles......
Best British Albums? No Disraeli Gears? Who's Next? Beggar's Banquet? Sticky Fingers?Band on The Run? Imagine?
No Yes, ELP, Led Zeppelin, Free, Mott The Hoople.....only one Bowie Album?
I could go on and on about omissions, but this just goes to show how representative polls are....in other words, NOT AT ALL!
Most of the "heavy hitters" (to use an American Term!) on this site are in their 40's and 50's.....I bet if we took a straw poll between British members of, ahem, a certain age there'd be a lot more Beatles, Stones, Who, Kinks, Yes, ELP, Led Zep, ELO, Mott, Black Sabbath, Deep Purple etc etc - mostly 60's and 70's......
My top 5 British albums, in no particular order, would be....
Led Zeppelin II
The Plastic Ono Band
Sticky Fingers
Beggars Banquet
Rubber Soul
(just going back for a second - the two Beatle's albums that made the top 20, Rubber Soul and revolver - probably my two fave Beatles albums, but I'd stick my neck out and say that in a poll of GN members, The White Album would probably finish top.....and I hate most of that LP.....)
Just for fun, let's see what GN members think is the greatest Brish album ever? I bet there's a few eclectic choices, to say the least.....
And if you do reply, give a rough age guide - teenage/20's/30's etc.....
:D :D :D
Vic
"Sometimes the beauty of music can help us all find strength to deal with all the curves life can throw us." (D. Hodge.)
Interesting what your daughter came up with. I have always thought that would be the case.
My top British albums??
Who's Next- absolutely a great album.
Led Zeppelin II
Led Zeppelin IV
Rubber Soul- My favorite Beatle's album.
The Slider- T Rex
Electic Warrior- T Rex
Machine Head- Deep Purple
Disraeli Gears- Cream
Yes
Mott the Hopple
Bowie
The Animals
The Zombies
The Yardbirds
I am very similar to you Vic. I was really into the British Invasion. That should happen again. :D
If you know something better than Rock and Roll, I'd like to hear it - Jerry Lee Lewis
Before reading the list, I thought of Who's Next, London Calling, Disraeli Gears and Wish You Were Here.
But I'm more than a little pleased and surprised to see The Specials (yeah!) and London Calling up there along with Revolver and Rubber Soul (expected).
Old, guilty pleasures that will never make it to anyone's list but mine include Sunburst Finish (Bebop Deluxe), Argosy (Wishbone Ash) and English Settlement (XTC)
Age? Pretty much the same as Vic and Wes.
-=tension & release=-
So, was this list a readers poll or determined by sales figures?
At any rate, in no particular order here's my Top 20:
01)Jeff Beck- Truth
02)Stones- Exile on Main Street
03)Stones- Sticky Fingers
04)Kinks- Face to Face
05)Yardbirds- Having a Rave Up
06)Yes- Close to the Edge
07)John Mayall- BluesBreakers with Eric Clapton
08)Mott the Hoople- Mott
09)The Who- Live at Leeds
10)Cream- Wheels of Fire
11)Fleetwood Mac- Live in Boston
12)Spencer Davis Group- I'm a Man
13)Jimi Hendrix- Are you Experienced
14)Small Faces- Small Faces
15)The Animals- Animalization
16)Led Zeppelin- Led Zeppelin II
17)Procol Harum- Procol Harum
18)Long John Baldry- Long Johns Blues
19)Manfred Mann- Cock A Hoop
20)Free- Fire and Water
Immature? Of course I'm immature Einstein, I'm 50 and in a Rock and ROll band.
New Band site http://www.myspace.com/guidedbymonkeys
i'm glad the kinks made the list, Tele. they should have several on there.
#4491....
i'm glad the kinks made the list, Tele. they should have several on there.
Most of those bands should, I was just picking my favorite Album by each band
Immature? Of course I'm immature Einstein, I'm 50 and in a Rock and ROll band.
New Band site http://www.myspace.com/guidedbymonkeys
I cannot say albums because i only like some songs from each album ...
Teleplayer - it was a reader's poll - which I why was guessing the average age of the readers.....interesting you consider Hendrix under "British Albums" - I know he was based in England and Redding and Mitchell were English, but I've always considered him American....
Other bands who missed out were the Small Faces, U2, Nazareth, Pink Floyd - considering Dark Side of the Moon was in the album charts for years (as was Rumours) I'm surprised they didn't make it....
:D :D :D
Vic
"Sometimes the beauty of music can help us all find strength to deal with all the curves life can throw us." (D. Hodge.)
all goes to back my theory that taste in music has gone to hell in a handbasket,
it does not matter what side of the "pond" you are on.
just the bands you mentioned that didn't make the list prove that.
#4491....
Teleplayer - interesting you consider Hendrix under "British Albums" - I know he was based in England and Redding and Mitchell were English, but I've always considered him American....
:D :D :D
Vic
While he was American by birth it wasn't until Linda Keith and Chas Chandler took him back to England that he got the kind of credit he deserved. Just like the blues, it took the British to awaken us here to a National Treasure, which is why I list him under British Albums
Immature? Of course I'm immature Einstein, I'm 50 and in a Rock and ROll band.
New Band site http://www.myspace.com/guidedbymonkeys
Can we apply the Hendrix rationale to the Pretenders? At least 3/4ths British, and Chrissie Hynde lived in England (and was writing for the NME!) at the time they were formed. One of the best debut albums ever, IMHO.
My other faves:
Yardbirds - Rave Up (though I also like the garage quality of Five Live Yardbirds)
Who - My Generation (the "deluxe" edition really captures "mod"-era Who)
Clash - London Calling (that album that proved punk was already dead - in 1979!)
Zep - IV (or II, or Physical Grafitti, or ... )
Elvis Costello - This Year's Model (is there something ironic about that album's title?)
"Everybody got to elevate from the norm."
Oops, forgot 'Quadrophenia'
-=tension & release=-
The Who - Live at Leeds and The Stones - Get Yer Ya-Ya's out are probably still two of the best live albums by any band......
(in my opinion anyway!)
Others I'm surprised didn't make the list
Queen (especially Night at the Opera)
Mike Oldfield - Tubular Bells - another one that was in the charts for years
George Harrison - All Things Must Pass
Clapton - 461 Ocean Boulevard
Deep Purple - In Rock & Machine Head
Another observation - some of the bands in there haven't had many LP's - others (Beatles, Stones, Clapton, Led Zep) have had so many the votes may well have been split.....
:D :D :D
Vic
"Sometimes the beauty of music can help us all find strength to deal with all the curves life can throw us." (D. Hodge.)
Don't forget Judas Priest (especially Sad Wings of Destiny, Rocka Rolla, British Steel)
I'll only be down there (in the basement practicing) for a couple of minutes or so...
My SoundClick Page: http://www.soundclick.com/bands/pagemusic.cfm?bandID=470725
