what is the least controversial "classic" record?

Message Bookmarked

Bookmark Removed

In other words, yeah, a lot of people love the Beatles, but a lot of people love to snipe at them, too. Ditto Stones, Bowie. Hell, I've even seen John Coltrane-bashing on this list. DAYDREAM NATION has also gotten slagged around here of late. More recently, 90's records like IN THE AEROPLANE OVER THE SEA, SLANTED AND ENCHANTED, and anything by Radiohead have their fervent admirers but also virulent detractors.

So: what are the records that everybody (or the highest percentage of everybody possible) agrees are classic? (Or: if we were all at a party, what would nobody bitch about if it were on the stereo?)

offhand guesses: something by the Velvet Underground or the Pixies. Maybe LOVELESS. Something by Ornette Coleman.

― doug, Tuesday, 26 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

vitalogy by pearl jam

― steve k, Tuesday, 26 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

It Takes a Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back

― sundar subramanian, Tuesday, 26 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I don't believe such a record exists. The previous two examples are obviously wrong because I have a thorough dislike for both.

― electric sound of jim, Tuesday, 26 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

KISS Alive!, of course.

― Tadeusz Suchodolski, Tuesday, 26 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Guns 'n' Roses - Appetite for Destruction.

I've never personally understood the appeal of the Velvet Underground.

― jel --, Tuesday, 26 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

The Beatles, Stones and Bowie may have their fair share of detractors, but surely their 'classic' records are uniformly regarded as such?

Even if not, I'll play along. The key, I think, is to pick the records that weren't SO big that even the hacks got their hands on them:

* Charles Mingus - Ah Um * Television - Marquee Moon * DJ Shadow - Endtroducing * Talk Talk - Spirit Of Eden * Joni Mitchell - Blue

Oui? Non?

― Mark, Tuesday, 26 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Plenty of people dislike Television, and certainly plenty of people dislike Joni Mitchell (tho i like both).

Now if I may suggest that Remain In Light is the Greatest Album of All Time, and every must love it.

― Keiko, Tuesday, 26 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

i guess everyone likes Pet Sounds, kind of...

it would appear to be the least contested of The Big Classic Albums anyway..

― Wyndham Earl, Tuesday, 26 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

You've got to be pretty brave to start slagging off "Astral Weeks"...

― john-paul, Tuesday, 26 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Forever changes by Love or the first Ramones album??

― Kris England, Tuesday, 26 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I'm not entirely sure but I think it would be hard to criticize a "classic" such as Lennon's Plastic Ono Band. Imagine is a really great record also.

My fav from the 90's is either Sylvian/Fripp's The First Day (or Sting's Ten Summoner's Tales, or Tool's Undertow, or Jonatha Brooke's Plumb,....

― brian, Tuesday, 26 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

T.Rexs' "Electric Earrior"

― Jim Hargraves, Tuesday, 26 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

T.Rexs' "Electric Warrior"

― Jim Hargraves, Tuesday, 26 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Sundar is OTM

― John Darnielle, Tuesday, 26 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Is OTM on the mark or off the map?

― Alex in SF, Tuesday, 26 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

The Spector Back to Mono Box

― Arthur, Tuesday, 26 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

it depends on who "eveyone", as stated in the question, means? everyone in the world, or everyone on this board? if it were the whole world, i'd say the thriller album. between us here it'd agree with pixis' doolittle

― dyson, Tuesday, 26 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

side one of joan jett and the blackhearts, good music

astral weeks indeed!!

― mark s, Tuesday, 26 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

dyson - more the latter than the former. I basically mean people who are apt to have an opinion about the Velvet Underground, Television, Public Enemy, John Coltrane, and such.

― doug, Tuesday, 26 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

jim: I just think it's the least controversial of classic albums, not that it's unanimously loved (which is impossible). I was mostly thinking along doug's lines though. There are of course lots of people who can't stand rap at all. Appetite better not be less controversial than Nation of Millions;).

― sundar subramanian, Tuesday, 26 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Although I wouldn't actually mind if Appetite was on at a party. In fact, it's the best album in some people's collections so jel may well be right.

― sundar subramanian, Tuesday, 26 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

In terms of "least controversial", as opposed to universally liked, i'm starting to side with Astral Weeks.

― electric sound of jim, Tuesday, 26 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

So: what are the records that everybody (or the highest percentage of everybody possible) agrees are classic? (Or: if we were all at a party, what would nobody bitch about if it were on the stereo?)

Try issue 537RS July 97 The RS 200: "The definitive library of the best albulms ever made." Easy to snigger at the title, but hard to argue with most of the choices, actually hope Julio doesnt read this as Im sure he could tear the list to shreds, so Ill qualify it to say generally these albulms are regarded as classic...

― kiwi, Wednesday, 27 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Kind Of Blue by Miles Davis.

How can you slag off a record like that?

― mt, Wednesday, 27 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

It's boring.

The Specials - More Specials

Blondie - Parallel Lines

― N., Wednesday, 27 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Nobody likes that Ska-punk-Brummie hybrid schtick N.

And Parallel Lines is chock full of filler.

I think Pet Sounds is the best suggestion so far. It's a ludicrous question but.

― powertonevolume, Wednesday, 27 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Stevie Wonder - Songs in the key of life
Marvin Gaye - Let's get it on
Sly and the Family Stone - There's a riot goin on
James Brown - Live at the Apollo

Classic soul albums pretty uncontentious, no? Appeal both to peeps who don't like rock and peeps who don't like most black music..

― jacob, Wednesday, 27 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

i find kind of blue oppressive (and don't get me started on A LOVE SUPREME)

stevie wonder: talking book

― mark s, Wednesday, 27 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Doing this with songs = exercise in futility. Ten times harder with lps I expect. BTW I veto everything that's been nominated so far - ha ha.

― Jeff W, Wednesday, 27 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Pet Sounds? Are you out of your mind? I know LOADS of people who can't stand the Beach Boys and in particular, my sister complained about me playing it once and said it was DRIPPY. Do not mess with my sister.

I don't know anyone who hates More Specials. We obv. move in different circles.

Re: Parallel Lines. All right then - The Best of Blondie.

― N., Wednesday, 27 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

N is on grate comedy form re. 1) 'It's boring'; 2) 'Best of Blondie'

I nominate Darling Buds, Crawdaddy

― the pinefox, Wednesday, 27 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

com on... has to be something from the Beatles

― kiwi, Wednesday, 27 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I'm gonna give this one shot (and them I'm gonna give up cause like JeffW I think this might be impossible):

Shangri La's Myrmidons of Melody

I don't know anyone (young or old) for whom these gals aren't at least a guilty pleasure.

― Alex in SF, Wednesday, 27 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Why on earth would it be a guilty pleasure? The Shangri-Las are hipper than hip! Anyway - yeah I don't know anyone who slags them off but I don't think that compilation is really well known enough to be classed as a "classic" record.

― N., Wednesday, 27 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Well it's what I own. Polygram has a more well known greatest hits collection called Greatest Hits I think.

Bunch of classic songs on it. Should be a classic record, right.

― Alex in SF, Wednesday, 27 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Should be maybe, but I ain't never seen a Shangri-Las compilation in any top 100 best records of all time ever list (this is why they are hip).

― N., Wednesday, 27 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Compilations are pretty rare for top 100 lists period, I guess.

Too bad. Total gyp for singles bands.

― Alex in SF, Wednesday, 27 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I haven't seen a good suggestion yet. And some of them are just ludicrous. As if, "You can't deny that The Romantics' first record is a classic" - yeah. Anything that's either the least bit esoteric or the least bit stupid is a bad choice.

What does that leave? Nothing. But I'm willing to keep searching.

― Dave225, Wednesday, 27 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Well someone doesn't like the Shangri Las. Damn.

― Alex in SF, Wednesday, 27 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

What about Miss America (Mary Margaret O'Hara)? I've never heard it but you guys seem to like it.

― powertonevolume, Wednesday, 27 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

It's quite tempting to do a votations.com survey, or a reverse DUEL thing with this material. I'm usually surprised to discover vociferous opposition to the most innocuous/pleasant of albums on this board. Which is a GOOD thing. To me.

Nobody's mentioned Neil Young, Harvest. What about an REM album.

― Alan Trewartha, Wednesday, 27 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Harvest is Neil Young's worst album. Of all the ones that people think are good, for example not Re.Ac.Tor.

― powertonevolume, Wednesday, 27 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I asked for Miss America for Christmas when I was 17 or so. My aunt gave it to me and said "Are you sure you want this Nick? I listened to it and it's awful"

― N., Wednesday, 27 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

BTW, I love Re.Ac.Tor

And Alex, my post was not directed at the Shangri Las - in fact, it's one of the better suggestions.

― Dave225, Wednesday, 27 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

(nb - i am not vetoing Shangri Las either; and myrmidons has been out long enough now to be called classic in its own right. those good taste tips rule.)

― Jeff W, Wednesday, 27 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

It's a good record that has its plusses and minuses and some would say it is unfairly maligned and unfairly overlooked as one of the founding stones for grunge, but it isn't generally held in high regard as instead people choose to listen to Ha(MO)Rvest.

― powertonevolume, Wednesday, 27 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Maybe something from Billy Joel's classic period - say "Turnstiles" or "Glass Houses"?

― o. nate, Wednesday, 27 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Keep movin'. Nothing to see here....

― Dave225, Wednesday, 27 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Huey Lewis & The News - "Sports"

― Stuart, Wednesday, 27 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

YES!

― Dave225, Wednesday, 27 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

... and by "YES!" I mean, of course, "Fuck no."

― Dave225, Wednesday, 27 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

My best guesses would have been Pet Sounds, Astral Weeks, What's Going On and Otis Blue. I'd suggest Jerry Lee Lewis Live At The Star Club, but it's not well enough known. Massive Attack's Blue Lines is one of the stronger recent choices, I'd have thought (along with Endtroducing and Nation Of Millions).

― Martin Skidmore, Wednesday, 27 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

"Something/Anything" by Todd Rundgren. There's nothing about it that inspires controversy. It's not even the Toddster's best album--it's just difficult to aggressively hate it, which I think it is the goal here.

― J, Wednesday, 27 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Astral Weeks and What's Going On are out...

What abt: STRANDED by Roxy Music? Or MOTT by Mott the Hoople (didn't they sort of win the other thread?)

― mark s, Wednesday, 27 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

: There's nothing about it that inspires controversy. It's not even the Toddster's best album--it's just difficult to aggressively hate it, which I think it is the goal here.

Well, the goal wasn't (at least in my mind) to seek out the most tepid album imaginable (and I haven't heard any Rundgren, just sort of going by your description), but interestingly, that may be what necessarily devolves out of this.

Although nobody has stepped up to say "I hate the Pixies", directly.

― doug, Wednesday, 27 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Marley - "Legends"?

You guys have to think what those seething masses of uninterested partygoers enjoy on a wide scale. That means they absolutely have to have heard the album so as to be familiar on a potential-sing-along level with many of the songs. Thriller, maybe... But no fucking way is it Loveless or anything by VU. Let's Get It On is a contender. People don't want to hear the Beach Boys - not Pet Sounds, at least.

― Stuart, Wednesday, 27 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

"uninterested" = not music geeks. Of course.

― Stuart, Wednesday, 27 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I hate the Pixies. Sorry. That guy's (uh, Frank Black or Black Francis or Blank Frackis or whatever) voice gives me hives.

― Alex in SF, Thursday, 28 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Dusty in Memphis, surely no one can dislike the godlike Ms Springfield?

― Billy Dods, Thursday, 28 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

ABC - Lexicon of Luv

― Dr. C, Thursday, 28 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Eric Satie - Gymnopédies or even older Johann Sebastian Bach: Goldberg Variations. I think there is more chance to find a record everyone likes in the classics section. But if I think about it "everyone" is far too restrictive. I'd say if 95% liked the record, that would be difficult enough.

― alex in mainhattan, Thursday, 28 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Electro-shock blues?

It's loved by all ages, too. Including my 3 year old niece and 81 year old grandmother. Although they might have just been enjoying seeing each other dance to the bouncy tracks ...

― dan, Thursday, 28 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Portishead Dummy.

― nathalie, Thursday, 28 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

You know, finding the lowest common denominator is why we have Elton John and Michael Bolton.

― Dave225, Thursday, 28 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I thought they were for Human Sacrifice Tuesdays at my local pub. Damn, who are we offer to our dark god now?

― Alex in SF, Thursday, 28 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

the pixies & portishead are both worse than elton john & (maybe even) michael bolton!

― duane, Thursday, 28 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Maybe, but I still think that Michael Bolton would make funnier noises if you poked him in the eye with a sharp stick.

― Alex in SF, Thursday, 28 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

The white album has to be less controversial than most of the records mentioned so far.

― sundar subramanian, Thursday, 28 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

to whoever said "Imagine" the album is mediocre and the song is probably my least favorite song of all time, discounting the work of Creed of course. The White Album is good unless compared to other Beatles albums, or to its ridiculous godlike status.

I've never met someone who had anything bad to say about Blackalicious's Nia. As for the less obscure, I'd have to agree with What's Going On, maybe Superfly.

― Jim, Saturday, 30 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

What about The Stooges?! Funhouse... Raw Power?

― Johnathan, Saturday, 30 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

superfly is the one that gets everyone dancing but i would put across live at folsom prison . Baddass enough to be rock, Emotional enought to be country .

― anthony, Saturday, 30 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Oh, I think maybe I gave the wrong impression. It's not tepid, it's actually quite wonderful. It's just really noncontroversial. It's got nice hit singles tha nobody hates, it's got funny stuff that nobody hates, it's even got some over-the-top pretentious stuff that nobody hates because Todd takes the piss out of it in the liner notes.

It's easy to hate albums that some people really love -- for example. I personally think "Astral Weeks" is the greatest thing ever recorded, but I have a friend who can't stand it so much that she has to leave the room when it comes on. Same thing for those who champion "Funhouse," "Trout Mask Replica," "White Heat / White Light," "Rio," "London Calling," "Never Mind the Bollocks," "I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You," "After the Gold Rush," "Thriller," "Revolver," "Aftermath," "Doolittle," ad infinitum. So when you as for the least controversial "classic" record, you're by definition asking for the one that the least amount of people vehemently despise. Ergo, Todd.

― J, Saturday, 30 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

But what about the Shangri Las? Would he leave the room then?

― Alex in SF, Saturday, 30 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I love the Shangris, yes, the shangris may be it

― anthony, Saturday, 30 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

You must be logged in to post. Please either login here, or if you are not registered, you may register here.