Click HERE to see this thread with all of the graphics, features, and links.

Self-explanatory really.

Go.

Feel free to also list a SINGLE (for the idiots who don't get it first time around, SINGLE) album that you feel goes by your criteria of what makes a great album.

Don't say "I can't pick one" and list five. If you can't pick one, pick none.

-AC

Theres plenty I like, but I'll pick Blink 182 - Enema of the State.
I love every single song on that album, no flaws. I dont think any of their other albums have matched it so far. Take Off Your Pants and Jacket by comparison has some damn good songs, but when they throw in rubbish like Mother's Day and Happy Holidays You Bastard, which arent even real songs, they reduce the point of an album and just use it to fill time.

For a good album, you should be able to tell just by listening, how much time and effort went into making it. What I like about Enema is that not all the songs are the same, some are slow, some are fast...mixing it up helps and doesnt make you feel like your listening to the same song 15 times over. Speaking of, if you can listen to each song by itself over and over and not get tired of it, theres a good album.

A great Album. There are multiple things a truly great album needs. Of course on the one hand the quantity of good songs on it (or at least the ratio great songs to not so great songs) . Then if one can listen it from start to end easily and enjoy it (do the songs work with each other). I like when it has different sounds on it, so that it'S not the same again and again, too. There are probably way more things but I can't be bothered writing them down.

Now I feel that "Kid A" (Radiohead) for example is a great Album...

And jsut to piss AC off, "Louder than bombs" (The Smiths) justifies as one as well (and I do realize that it is just a compilation, it is a great Album nonetheless.)

Why can't people just adhere to criteria? I said one album. If one deviates from criteria, everyone will start to. Just one example please.

Besides that, great post.

-AC

Originally posted by Alpha Centauri
Why can't people just adhere to criteria? I said one album. If one deviates from criteria, everyone will start to. Just one example please.

Besides that, great post.

-AC

It was necessary...your first post just asked for it.

But I wonder, how would you define a great Album .....but only ONE example.

Originally posted by Bardock42
It was necessary...your first post just asked for it.

But I wonder, how would you define a great Album .....but only ONE example.

My post specifically requested that it didn't happen. It isn't acceptable for you to then do the opposite .

I never post mine until I get a good few replies. No specific reason, just the way I am with threads. I didn't post it to talk about my opinion, I posted it to see others.

-AC

I understand perfectly, and it is my burden to live with this mistake until judgement day, I am a tragic figure.

Ok, I can understand that. Which reminds me, you made a smiliar thread aboot a month ago I think...was it "What makes a good song"?

I don't recall making that...

A good song doesn't make a great album but I'm curious, though. Albums that I think are truly amazing might be viewed as not that good to others. Albums that other people think are great might not be that good to me, or good at all. I think a lot of people tend to use the term "great" in replace of the term "good". Instead of it being applied to things they believe are truly great, it gets applied to a lot of mediocre material.

I really, really like At the Drive-In for example. I wouldn't go and say that Relationship of Command is a "great" album just because I like it a lot. If I called it great, then you went and looked at a Mr. Bungle album that I also call great, it wouldn't add up.

-AC

A truly great album: an album with great songs that form a unified whole

Example: Master of Puppets

Thats my take on it

I see what you mean, I think. But is it even possible to apply the term "great" to any album then. I think what one thinks is good is always subjective. So everyone has other albums they find "great" (I use "great" as "some of the better" in this case). Do you mean that great is something objective while good is something everyone has to decide for themself?

I found the thread I meant "What makes a legendary song?"

Originally posted by Bierbommetje
A truly great album: an album with great songs that form a unified whole

Example: Master of Puppets

Thats my take on it

I was thinking about that today. Infact I was going to use it as my example. Music preference depending, there really is not a bad or just "good" song on that album. It's all very good or excellent. Master of Puppets truly is a great album.

Originally posted by Bardock42
I see what you mean, I think. But is it even possible to apply the term "great" to any album then. I think what one thinks is good is always subjective. So everyone has other albums they find "great" (I use "great" as "some of the better" in this case). Do you mean that great is something objective while good is something everyone has to decide for themself?

I found the thread I meant "What makes a legendary song?"

I'm not saying there's a right or wrong. Just asking what people think is TRULY great. Just think, is it an album you like a lot? Is that what great means to you? If so, name the album and say why. If great means something unbelievably and extraordinary, then do the same.

With that past thread, not to go off topic, I was trying to see what people thought made a legendary song. Not necessarily a good one. EG: YMCA is legendary.

-AC

Originally posted by Bardock42
I see what you mean, I think. But is it even possible to apply the term "great" to any album then. I think what one thinks is good is always subjective. So everyone has other albums they find "great" (I use "great" as "some of the better" in this case). Do you mean that great is something objective while good is something everyone has to decide for themself?

I found the thread I meant "What makes a legendary song?"

I say good albums have 50-50 or so good songs/bad songs, nothing to write home about, but worth a listen. A great album has almost all songs on it that are definitely better than other works.

Originally posted by Alpha Centauri
I'm not saying there's a right or wrong. Just asking what people think is TRULY great. Just think, is it an album you like a lot? Is that what great means to you? If so, name the album and say why. If great means something unbelievably and extraordinary, then do the same.

-AC

Hmm..after reading this...its kinda harder to pinpoint a 'great' album....for the latter part, I'd pick SoaD - Mezmerize. Its just.....awesome.

IMO AC, I think there are several criteria that make a good album, and then I will give you an example of one....again in IMO, of one that fits the criteria.

The criteria are as follows, not in any order:
a) sales
b) quantity of songs that made it "mainstream"- (not necessarily some top 40 music chart either)
c) longevity of the songs- (aka-do they still get air time on the radio)
d) longevity of the band- (do people know who the heck they are)

Lastly, bonus points awarded if the album revolutionized music or pioneered a new genre

An example for me would be the Beatles Sgt. Peppers.

Originally posted by Alpha Centauri
I'm not saying there's a right or wrong. Just asking what people think is TRULY great. Just think, is it an album you like a lot? Is that what great means to you? If so, name the album and say why. If great means something unbelievably and extraordinary, then do the same.

With that past thread, not to go off topic, I was trying to see what people thought made a legendary song. Not necessarily a good one. EG: YMCA is legendary.

-AC

Well I believe you will always have to judge yourself. Great is nothing absolute. So although many people might agree that Master of Puppets, Ok Computer, Lateralus are great albums just as many won't. Now, this is slightly touching the debate you have in teh Us vs. Uk thread but I think just technique, also measurable, doesn't account for a great album..neither does lack of it account for a bad one. The only thing one can maybe use as scale are the sales/download histories...but really...do you think that "Simon and Garfunkel: Live in Central Park", "Beatles - 1" or "50 Cent - Get Rich or Die trying" are great albums? Well they sold very well though. You can't really pinpoint an absolute "great" album, the only thing you can show is why you, yourself think an album is great.

You see what BobbyD said, is all measurable...but at least for me..and I dont think for you either....that doesn't make a great Album (I mean I liek Sgt. Pepper, but "great" ...not in my opinion.) Like you said, there'S a difference between Legendary and Great.

Originally posted by Bardock42
Well I believe you will always have to judge yourself. Great is nothing absolute. So although many people might agree that Master of Puppets, Ok Computer, Lateralus are great albums just as many won't. Now, this is slightly touching the debate you have in teh Us vs. Uk thread but I think just technique, also measurable, doesn't account for a great album..neither does lack of it account for a bad one. The only thing one can maybe use as scale are the sales/download histories...but really...do you think that "Simon and Garfunkel: Live in Central Park", "Beatles - 1" or "50 Cent - Get Rich or Die trying" are great albums? Well they sold very well though. You can't really pinpoint an absolute "great" album, the only thing you can show is why you, yourself think an album is great.

You see what BobbyD said, is all measurable...but at least for me..and I dont think for you either....that doesn't make a great Album (I mean I liek Sgt. Pepper, but "great" ...not in my opinion.) Like you said, there'S a difference between Legendary and Great.

What are you talking about you mental asylum inmate? I know it's all subjective as to what a great album is. That's the point.

-AC

Originally posted by Alpha Centauri
What are you talking about you mental asylum inmate? I know it's all subjective as to what a great album is. That's the point.

-AC
HEY....there's nothing wrong with being mentally insane....the Mad Hatter told me. But that's what I am saying...I just wanted to clarify my view......a bit......

Originally posted by BobbyD
IMO AC, I think there are several criteria that make a good album, and then I will give you an example of one....again in IMO, of one that fits the criteria.

The criteria are as follows, not in any order:
a) sales
b) quantity of songs that made it "mainstream"- (not necessarily some top 40 music chart either)
c) longevity of the songs- (aka-do they still get air time on the radio)
d) longevity of the band- (do people know who the heck they are)

Lastly, bonus points awarded if the album revolutionized music or pioneered a new genre

An example for me would be the Beatles Sgt. Peppers.

None of this has to do with the quality of the music. By your criteria, Britney Spears is great.

-AC

True, but.....no one would dare consider her albums to be amongst the best of all time. So w/o a nomination, none of her albums would ever enter the equation. See what I mean?

The cover has the word ''Opeth'' on it.

Originally posted by BobbyD
True, but.....no one would dare consider her albums to be amongst the best of all time. So w/o a nomination, none of her albums would ever enter the equation. See what I mean?

Not really. There probably are people that consider her Albums to be the best. And by your equation she'd beat every decent band of the last 50 years...maybe short of the Beatles.

Great, is something different....that's for sure.

I suppose, Bardock. But then someone nominating any of her albums I would see as someone who hasn't been around long enough to experience the many tastes and sounds of great music, or in this case has experienced other great albums.

Originally posted by BobbyD
I suppose, Bardock. But then someone nominating any of her albums I would see as someone who hasn't been around long enough to experience the many tastes and sounds of great music, or in this case has experienced other great albums.
thereS where teh subjective gets into play again..as much as I wish it was possible to proof that my taste is more sophisticated of a random 13year old teen girl....I can't. That'S why I think everyone has their own standards to touch music by, and they are all equal (leave out measurable things).

You are correct as much as I want to disagree with what you just said.

Originally posted by BobbyD
IMO AC, I think there are several criteria that make a good album, and then I will give you an example of one....again in IMO, of one that fits the criteria.

The criteria are as follows, not in any order:
a) sales
b) quantity of songs that made it "mainstream"- (not necessarily some top 40 music chart either)
c) longevity of the songs- (aka-do they still get air time on the radio)
d) longevity of the band- (do people know who the heck they are)

Lastly, bonus points awarded if the album revolutionized music or pioneered a new genre

An example for me would be the Beatles Sgt. Peppers.

So I guess all underground music is rubbish

Yes but if you can stop ruining the thread with things we already know. We all know that in terms of what we hear, everything is subjective. This needn't be debated, we all know it. Good? Great.

No 12 year old girls will be debating here, so if anyone would like to mention sensible suggestions I'd be grateful. Sales and popularity don't equal greatness to anyone with sense or in relation to the quality of the music. Which is what the thread is about.

-AC

Well, I think I know what you're trying to achieve AC, but I'm not so sure it's possible. Would not sales be a good representation of what people think IS good music?

Ok, Ill try and specify some criteria:

1: Great songs
2: Good flow (the songs have to be ordered in a way that it doesnt get repetive or boring)
3: The album has to feel unified, no song must feel out of place.
4: The album is so memorable that you never forget how the album sounds and you can hear the music in your head at any time.

Those are pretty much conditions that have to be met by an album for it to be truly great.

And another thing, lyrics are a nice bonus but I judge greatness purely based on the music.

I will give probs to albums that created or inspired a new genre. But by no means is that enough to make it a great album. In the end, Its all about the music.

Originally posted by BobbyD
Well, I think I know what you're trying to achieve AC, but I'm not so sure it's possible. Would not sales be a good representation of what people think IS good music?

Who is talking about what PEOPLE think? I'm talking about posters on this board posting their opinion of what makes a great album. It's quite clear to anyone with taste that I'm not referring to sales or popularity.

I thought that was obvious (it was).

Disclaimer for those with a lack of anything: The only criteria here is that it be about musical quality in YOUR opinion with regards to what makes a great album to you.

I'll never understand why, when someone makes a reasonable thread, there need be two pages explaining what it's about.

-AC

Well AC, I did give my opinion. Forgive me, if I interpreted what you meant differently.

All you did was respond with the Britney Spears comment.

If you're looking for what makes a "technically" great album, maybe the thread should have been written differently? If I'm still wrong, then my tastes for what makes something great are different than your tastes for what makes something great, no?

There is no reason to be upset, my friend.

No upset, just bewilderment at how the simplest of tasks is made into an arduous one.

Let's start again:

What makes a great album TO YOU? Not what you think makes a great album universally.

-AC

Well namely, does it have SEVERAL songs (at least half of which) that have a combination of the following: fun to listen to/catchy, possess good sound, have good rythms, good beats, good lyrics, good singing, well played instrumentation, and lastly, perhaps is it inspirational/moving?

To ME, that's what makes a good album. Example GNR's Appetite for Destruction, though I'd also include many others.

Did I do better, AC?

More like it .

-AC

One word: gestalt.

What makes an album great to me? - If I like it! Self explanatory really, my perception of the pleasure it engenders from me.

a truely great album has to be able to span decades without sounding dated and easily identifiable as part of a music movement as these things tend to constrict an albums ability to appeal over a long period of time

take guns n roses for example...appetite for destruction is a superb album but while it still sounds good...it also sounds dated

so for me a great album that is timeless would be "blue" by joni mitchell

Great choice. I think a more commendable achievement is also sounding timeless at the time of release.

A lot of Weezer stuff is like that.

-AC