OK, we are a gift, stationery and homeware trade site and we know that (in theory) we’re stepping way out of our box, but this is 2020 so anything goes, right?!
Having just glanced – boot faced – at Rolling Stone magazine’s latest ‘Top 50 albums’ selection, we were so saddened by certain ommissions/placements/inclusions that we were compelled to come up with an alternative top 50, just for our own peace of mind.
This list was put together fast and we don’t want to give our albums a particular pecking order, except for putting Ommadawn in its rightful place at the top of the pyramid. Items appear in pretty much in the order in which they popped into our minds and there is some crossover with the official ‘mostly baloney’ list. We are open to modifications if people can persuade us the list is wrong in some way.
And before anyone complains, if the baloney list can miss off Led Zep, Pink Floyd and Dire Straits, we can miss out The Rolling Stones and The Beatles. Change my mind!
From the top of our heads:
Mike Oldfield, Ommadawn – my most played album by a countrymile, I’ve been listening to it since I emerged from the womb into the big, bad world and I’ve never stopped playing it since. Esoteric Avalonian depth psychology and spiritual contact at its finest.
Led Zeppelin, Physical Graffiti – Rolling Stone did not have ONE Led Zep album in their top 50, how is this possible, have they even been born?!)
Led Zeppelin IV – frankly, we could have included every Led Zep album made but for the sake of variety stopped at two.
Primal Scream, Screamadelica – If you lived through the Summer of Love you will know why this is in the list.
Bruce Springsteen, The River – oh so depressing, but oh such genius, Sherry Darling and Hungry Heart save us from suicide. We could have put in more from The Boss, but variety, etc.
Fleetwood Mac, Rumours – Rolling Stone got this one right
Fleetwood Mac, Tusk – at least as good as Rumours, no excuse for missing it off
Ziggy Stardust – they managed to get this right as well
Iggy Pop, Lust for Life – if you’re going to include Ziggy you need to include Iggy #theend
Michael Jackson, Off the Wall – two more that RS correctly included
Michael Jackson, Thriller
Prince, Purple Rain – also made the ‘official’, mostly baloney list.
Pink Floyd, Dark Side of the Moon – There was no Pink Floyd in the RS top 50; another great reason to produce any other list.
Pink Floyd, The Wall
Blue Lines, Massive Attack – one of the most perfect studio productions of all time, a thing of beauty.
Songs in the Key of Life, Stevie Wonder – Also part of officialdom.
Carole King, Tapestry – Another non-baloney part of the mostly baloney list
Blondie, Parallel Lines – rightfully recommended by a friend, Blondie deserves a place at the top of the pile.
Soul II Soul Club Classics – just because, Keep on Movin’, more Summer of Love bliss.
LTJ Bukem, Logical Progression – a perfect DnB classic, included mostly for the peerless ‘Western’ by PFM and MC Conrad.
Bob Marley, Exodus – RS included Legend, again, below Beyonce but mercifully above Jay-Z, but failed to include the Masterpiece that is Exodus. Unforgivable!
Bob Marley, Legend
The Cross of Changes, Enigma – in our opinion every Enigma album deserves a place in the top 50 of all time, but we’re trying to be reasonable here. Magical music for initiatory experiences.
Saturday Night Fever – try telling me I’m wrong
Eddy Grant, Killer on the Rampage – there’s no way on Earth this Reggae-Pop master should be anywhere other than the top of the tree.
Depeche Mode, Violator – no excuse whastsoever for overlooking one of the best bands and live acts of all time
New Order, Substance – anyone growing up near Manchester in the 80s will understand.
David Bowie, Scary Monsters – Bowie is too much of a genius to only have one entry.
Dire Straits, Making Movies – Mark Knopfler’s baby could justifiably be included several times in any top 50 albums list but we’ve kept it trim with our personal favourite.
Bluebell Knoll, Cocteau Twins – pure unadulterated magic courtesy of one of the most hauntingly brilliant voices of all time.
Simon & Garfunkel, The Concert – need to be in there somewhere don’t they!
Linda Rondstadt, Different Drum – Rolling Stone was for long contemptuous of one of the greatest female artists of all time. Not so on G&G Review, we love Linda, rock chica extraordinaire!
Stone Roses, Stone Roses – see New Order entry
Seal, Seal – So many good songs! But if only you could see them, you would know from their faces there were kings and queens followed by princes and princesses, there were future power people – from the loved to the loveless – Shining a light ’cause they wanted it seen.
Third World, You’ve got the Power – Try Jah Love, you won’t be sorry!
Abba Live – change my mind.
Talking Heads, Stop Making Sense – one of the best live performances of all time.
Sade, Diamond Life – diamonds meet silk, you can’t miss out Sade.
Sade, Love Deluxe – there must have been an angel by my side, something heavenly led me to you....music to fall in love to.
Joan Armatrading, Track Record – too many great songs on this to leave it out, call it the Weakness in Me.
Grosvenor Washington Junior, Winelight – play it now and tell me I’m wrong.
Cat Stevens, Teaser and the Firecat – forget Rolling Baloney, ride the damn Peace Train!
Paul Simon, Graceland – the first choice of our other half, he’s allowed one entry and this is it.
The Doors, The Doors – if you don’t want to break on through to the other side there’s something wrong with you.
Eurythmics, Revenge – is sweet, best-served cold etc, not missing this out.
Guns n Roses, Appetite for Destruction – soft rock for teens, take me back to the Paradise City sometime soon!
Neil Diamond, Hot August Night II – saw this dude live at Glass-Ton-Berry, he’s been with us since childhood and is still there by our side.
Enigma, Le Roi et Mort, Vive le Roi – no apologies
Enya, Watermark – Celtic beauty and brilliance that can’t be missed.
Olivia Newton-John and ELO, Xanadu – hahaha, F U Rolling Baloney, YOU HAVE TO BELIEVE WE ARE MAGIC, NOTHING CAN STAND IN OUR WAY!!!
