The White Album was the best Beatles Album, IMO. Though Revolver as noted is the one that most folks seemed to choose. Here's a virgin poll taken in Sept 2000 and it's hard to believe that people are putting Radiohead up there with The Beatles.

No offense, Radiohead fans, but they won't be in the same league until they've stood 40 years of time.

T, plenty of great songs on White, but ultimately it kind of gets me down because you can feel it's essentially their first solo work that happens to be backed by the other members of the Beatles.

And I like Radiohead quite a bit, but the Beatles they are not. Of course, who is?

Eric,

I'd agree--it's a wonderful album, largely because the Beatles were smart enough after The White Album and Let It Be to give George Martin the same level of control over the production that he had on Sgt. Pepper, and it shows. It's as much a triumph of his producing and arranging techniques as it is their music. All four Beatles wanted the group's swan song to be a positive one after the Let It Be debacle, and they obviously succeeded.

Ed

I've long thought I was one of the few who didn't hold Sgt. Pepper as high as other releases in their catalog. In fact, and I may kill my integrity here, I love Past Masters, Vol. 2 as an album by itself - regardless of the fact that it's just a bunch of one-off singles compiled together. That album just rules.

But Abbey Road really surprised me the first time I heard it, being much more focused than I had heard it was and thought it would be. I'm not sure if it quite measures up to Rubber Soul for me, but I still rank it way high on my list of great albums . . .

Yeah, as impressive a technological and artistic achievement as Sgt. Pepper was, it was a pretty inconsistant album. I'd have to rank it in the bottom half of the Beatles catalogue. It has some great songs, but what Beatles album doesn't?

Abbey Road and Rubber Soul are definitely better. In fact, with all those quirky characters populating side two of Abbey Road, I think it even works better than Sgt. Pepper as a concept album.

Does anybody else think the American version of Rubber Soul was more cohesive than the British version? Take off "Drive My Car" and "If I Needed Someone" and add "I've Just Seen a Face", and you've got a great "unplugged" album.

Full agreement here Eric. Abbey Road is not only the best Beatles album, it is one of the greatest albums ever recorded by anybody. It is worth buying for "Here Comes the Sun" all by itself, and that side 2 suite, well, pop music just doesn't get any better.

Sgt. Pepper is overrated, and the White Album is depressing and anger-filled. No thanks.

My 2nd favorite is Rubber Soul, so JR and I are in agreement.

Thanks all, glad to know I'm not nuts.

Very much in agreement about the merits of Abbey Road. Probably my favourite Beatles album as well.

The suite of songs on the latter half of side two ending in, suitably, "The End" is as beautiful, rockin', symphonic, soulful and magnificent as the Beatles got, which is to say, as anyone can get. Abbey Road is a special album.

Abbey Road is not my fave (Rubber Soul for me), but I wouldn't put anyone down for thinking so - there's not a duff track on the disc.

Imagine seeing them pull off that medley live. The great downside of Beatlemania was that they didn't/couldn't play live after '65. Ah the suckatry.

Rand knows I'm all in favor of Abbey Road, but still. I could see an argument that it is the Beatles best accomplishment in some terms of sequencing and production techniques. However, I'll generally start with considering that an album ultimately ain't nothing but a collection of songs. Abbey Road sure had some classics, but it really doesn't have anything on Let It Be in terms of songs. The White Album, however, seems like it just about HAS to be considered the top collection of songs.

Mr. Brokaw has a point in saying that some of the songs from the White Album reflect themes of depression and anger. However, he may be overstating that point. Moreover, anger and depression are good creative material as well. Particularly, they are emotional spheres not usually prominent in Beatle music, thus making this album the more unique in their catalogue.

I think I agree, Eric.

Abbey Road is a great rock and roll album. A fantastic energized set of songs including what is most likely the best example of the synthesis of rock and classical elements on side two. Also, Abbey Road contains some of the best harmonizing; sometimes bringing to mind the earlier days of 'A Hard Days Night'.It is interesting to note that there is a definite dividing line between both the Let it Be project and what became Abbey Road. The Beatles resisted the temptation to redo some of the fine songs they had completed earlier in the year. The Beatles were a very competitive band. Always in tune to the cultural surroundings. With bands like CSN&Y, CCR, Dylan, Stones, The Band, Clapton, others not to mention the news topics of the day. Their effort grows more profound as time goes by.

I definitly agree with whoever said "Abbey Road" is a great collection of songs. But I still have to hold it second best to Revolver. Revolver was the height of creativity for the group as a whole, and probably their last total group effort. George has said in interviews that Pepper was "boring" for him and every other album post Revolver was more or less based on individual efforts. Even though Abbey Road was fantastic and the group agreed to make the album a group effort with all Beatles on every track, it was still an album of songs written individually. Revolver stands in my mind as the greatest album ever.

Hola!

What do you think about Apple Iogo? >:)