Like my hometown Hoosier hero W Axl Rose, I'm calling out the punks over at Spin magazine for this crappy list supposedly representing the 100 greatest albums of the last two decades. Get in the ring. This has to be the worst, plain stupidest such list I've seen since the time some years ago when Spin picked "It Takes Two" by Rob Base as the greatest single. When was the last time any of y'all actually listened to that bit of effluvia?
What exactly are the qualifications to write for Spin? Judging by this list, it doesn't have anything to do with knowing or appreciating anything about music. One has to suspect that it has more to do with who's shtupping who at biz parties than with actually listening to the recordings.
Now, on the same general principles by which it is understood that a stopped clock is right twice a day, Spin picked out maybe half a dozen or so records out of the 100 that actually deserved to be there. There's no arguing against Sign O the Times, certainly. Of course, Appetite for Destruction continues to rule. White Blood Cells has actual outstanding SONGS. Fear of a Black Planet may be the greatest rap album ever. I put up Amazon links here for their decent picks.
Most of the rest of this crap is just tuneless nonsense hardly worth a listen even once. Certainly, there exists plenty of room for arguing aesthetic principles and matters of tastes. If you want to argue that the Stones were better than the Beatles or that U2 beats the Who, you might could make a reasonable case.
However, if you say that The Blueprint by Jay Z is superior to Macy Gray preaching On How Life Is (not on the list), then you're just wrong. And if you say that Master of Puppets rates over anything that Paul Simon's done, then obviously you are an idiot regarding music.
Hell, half the people on this list are not really musicians at all in any meaningful sense of the word. Is Courtney Love really even a musician? She could not begin to try to compete against, say, Alicia Keys (also not on the list) just on the basis of basic professional knowledge and skills. Time at the conservatory doesn't necessarily mean you've got anything to say, but basic musical competence is something of a prerequiste. If Courtney Love actually had something significant to say, she wouldn't have the musical fluency to express it.
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - Aaron, Duke De Mondo
96. Rum, Sodomy & the Lash The Pogues 1985
that it's on the list AT ALL is a marvellous suprise. that it's so shamefully low, is, alas, expected these days.
great article, Al. you never cease to amuse an delight.
2 - Tan The Man
I always thought SPIN magazine had a severe leaning towards hard rock. I didn't think their critics could critique any music other than hard rock. At least that's the impression I got with the magazine. I more or less agree with top 10. I need more time to sink before looking over the next 90. I'm surprised that At The Drive In's album is on the list. And why is Pearl Jam so low?
3 - gonzo marx
no Tool...especially Undertow or even AEnima
no Primus...Sailing the Seas of Cheese anyone?
no Bad Motorfinger by Soudgarden?
no Rage Against the Machine?
no End of Silence by Henry Rollins?
no Pretty Hate Machine by Nine Inch Nails?
no Jagged Little Pill from Alanis Morrisette?
no Tori Amos?
no Rush?
no brains or ears or taste at Spin magazine!
nuff said?
Excelsior!
4 - ihateoreilly
Oh my Gosh..it's blog critic Al! I thought you would have committed suicide after Madonna gave what is considered to be the greatest television performance since the Beatles appeared on Ed Sullivan. Must hurt, Al! This is going to be a bigger ouch...my brother attended the concert in Hyde park. Not even a big Madonna fan, he said he has NEVER seen an audience so moved by a performance in his whole entire life (he picked up the albums Ray of Light and Music today). And all you right wingers can do is post pictures of Madonna jokingly giving the middle finger to her keyboardist during rehearsals and say, "Oh...she sweared..how terrible." Got news for you Al..the rest of the year will be a nightmare. New album comes out soon and it's said to be like "Ray of Light" pumped up 200 percent. HA HA HA Boo hoo Boo hoo....THE QUEEN IS BACK!
5 - Jose Alvarez
This list is a joke. Where is "Ray of Light" by Madonna or "Jagged Little Pill" by Alanis Morisette.
6 - DJRadiohead
Nice they included "Definitely Maybe" but how the hell could they have left off "(What's the Story) Morning Glory?" Insane.
I knew Mark Lanegan wouldn't make the list, but he should have.
7 - uao
I truly hate lists like this, but I'm a sucker for 'em too.
Among my favorites that apparaently left no impression on the Spin crew include:
The Verve: (any of their three studio albums)
Spiritualized: Ladies And Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space
Mazzy Star: So Tonight That I Might See
Death In Vegas: Scorpio Rising
Happy Mondays: Pills N Thrills N Bellyaches
Tiny Lights: Hazel's Wreath
10,000 Maniacs: In My Tribe
Squirrel Bait Skag Heaven
However, I'm pleased they didn't forget Skylarking.
8 - Al Barger
Ihateoreilly, you seem to think I sit around spiting Madonna all day, apparently because I'm "right wing." That's cool if it gets you any entertainment.
However, look for my come correct album list in a day or two, and try not to be too disappointed to find a Madonna album or two on it. She hasn't written a real song in a dozen or more years, but going back 20, you're getting into prime time.
9 - Rodney Welch
I can't speak for all the stuff on the list, but Courtney Love's Live Through This, Sonic Youth's Daydream Nation, and PJ Harvey's To Bring You My Love are all great albums, and I truly believe they'll last for years to come. Especially Love's, which if anything probably should have cut the top ten.
Other thoughts:
*No real quarrel with the Top Ten, although I don't make a habit of either listening to or admiring OK Computer. The Public Enemy record is brilliant.
*I've never really "gotten" Pavement. Maybe you had to be there.
*Ditto Liz Phair.
*Glad to see the irreplaceable Replacements have not been forgotten.
*Ditto Smashing Pumpkins.
*I agree Elvis is a serious omission; King of America is a great record. Also, if you're going to include wimpy arty heart on the sleeve stuff, why go for a lame Belle and Sebastian disc when you can have Magnetic Fields' magisterial 69 Love Songs?
10 - Aaman
It's surprising The Verve's "Urban Hymns" didn't make this list - Live 8 someone called it(Bittersweet Symphony) the best song ever
Elvis Costello is perhaps not hot across the pond
11 - uao
I'm reminded of a story Cameron Crowe used to tell about the time he tried to interview Jimmy Page back in the 70's.
Page was pissed that Rolling Stone had panned Led Zeppelin in the past, and wasn't willing to talk.
Crowe said, "You know, if you bought every album Rolling Stone gave five stars to, you'd have the worst record collection in history"
Page mulled that over, and granted the interview.
Similarly, one could put together a pretty good list of the top 100 albums not on Spin's list, and I bet it would be a better collection than theirs.
12 - Rodney Welch
It certainly wouldn't be as bad a collection as the records Cameron Crowe himself gave five stars to; that jackoff wrote the liner notes to Peter Frampton's execrable I'm in You, which he dubbed "bloody great."
13 - uao
He got Page before he listened to I'm In You, so it didn't matter. ;-)
14 - Rodney Welch
If you have not only heard, but actually spent time, with Jimmy Page, and then go on to say that Frampton is a great guitarist, well -- maybe there's just no hope for you.
15 - HW Saxton
No "Biz Never Sleeps" by Diabolical Biz
Markie, No "Killer Kuts" by Kool G Rap &
DJ Polo, No Afrika Baambata at all(the
guy really deserves some props here as
he was influential as all hell on many
different genres in many different ways)
Also there is no: "Shoki,Shoki" by Femi
Kuti,No:"God Knows I've Tried" by Junior
Kimbrough, No "Don't Give Up On Me" by
Solomon Burke,No "Funeral For A Friend"
by The Dirty Dozen Brass Band, No "Oh No
It's Red Rat" by Red Rat, No "Burnside
On Burnside" by RL Burnside,No "Burned
Mind" by Wolf Eyes, No "Make Way For The
Indian"(Feat."Boom Shak A Lak")by Apache
Indian and on and on and on.
Why don't these jokers ever try to think
outside of their limited little spectrum
once in a while? No Dancehall,Neo-Soul,
Blues,Jazz,Ska or anything just a little
different. These lists are so monotonous
nothing but popularity contests it seems
to me.
"Make Way For The Indian"(it has
"Boom Shak A Lak" on there)by Apache Indian
16 - Scott
The Pixies "doolittle" should be where "surfer rosa" currently is. And "Achtung Baby" but no "Joshua Tree"? Spin is on crack
17 - Al Barger
Never having listened to Pavement, the Spin listing prompted me to hunt down the Slanted Enchanted album. WTF? Does anybody here want to make a case for what sounds like a mediocre bunch o' nothin?
18 - Aaman
HW, I'm impressed that you would recommend, let alone be aware of Apache Indian - much kudos
19 - HW Saxton
Aaman, Thanks mucho. I love Raggamuffin
stuff. I'm listening to "Red Rat" on the
PC as I write this,LOL!
20 - Temple Stark
>>Spin picked "It Takes Two" by Rob Base
That got me laughing out loud though not quite spitting my (iced) coffee.
Did that really happen? And don't forget EZ-Rock
21 - Temple Stark
I had a lot of laughs along the way. Thanks Al. Even though you beat some of my favorites over the head with a Cat O Nine Tails. Your rants are much more fun when they're non-political.
Master of Puppets is the best Metallica album there is for sheer crunch and subject matter factors - followed by And Justice For All and Ride The Lightning (though that wouldn't be in the 1985-2005 timeframe).
Your mention of PJ Harvey made me bring out Dry, Is This Desire, Rid of Me, To Bring You My Love and, er Tricky's "Maxinquaye" because the awesome power of "Strugglin" came into my head when I saw it there.
I'm on a PJ Marathon.
VS is the best Pearl Jam there is, though Ten is right there.
And Sonic Youth at their best are just sonic killers. You either get it or you don't though and some of it is terrible.
No Tori? She's been on their cover like eight times. I know, I have most of them. It's the only times I've ever bought their mag. Well, except for their five and 10 year anniversary issues.
Graceland was a milestone.
I think Spin is onto something regarding country (and for all you country fans "regarding" means about ;-) ) More than any other genre there really aren't any great country ALBUMS but only a few songs. Still and all it saddens me to see no Johnny Cash.
Michael Jackson - this is about the last 20 years remember?
Pavement No. 4. ????? You're right they're fooked up in the head. The Fall? Etc etc.
The list is a joke and probably just a reaction to something similar from Rolling Stone. It's meant to be a "cool kids" list more than anything.
If this is the best they can do it's certainly an indictment of the last 20 years of music. Or more likely just an indictment of the last 20 years of Spin (who always seemed to be trying too hard)
Sheela Na Gig Sheela Na Gig ... you exhibitionist. ....
22 - HW Saxton
Hey!!! I like "It Takes Two". It was a
good catchy Hip/Pop single.When I hear
that song it always reminds me of going
to the roller rink to pick up my little
sister and cousins from skating.That and
"Planet Rock" by Afrika Baambaata.They
would always turn out the lights and put
the black lights on for that one.Oh gawd
how dorky! Were the 1980's really that
bad???
I have developed a sort of amnesia like
soldiers do,where you will conveniently
forget and repress the horrors of some
situations so that you don't have to re-
ive it, in regards to the 1980's.
I would never ever go so far as to call
"It Takes Two" the "GREATEST" single or
anything even close to that though.I'd
save that dubious distinction for Humpty
Dance by The Digital Underground. LOL.
23 - Thad Anderson
"*I've never really "gotten" Pavement. Maybe you had to be there."
"Never having listened to Pavement, the Spin listing prompted me to hunt down the Slanted Enchanted album. WTF? Does anybody here want to make a case for what sounds like a mediocre bunch o' nothin?"
Pavement is definitely one of those "acquired taste"-type bands, especially on first listen. But if you keep listening to "Slanted and Enchanted," the songs start rising out of the noise, and get pretty addictive. I can't really explain it, and won't try to, but I love that album.
24 - Thad Anderson
"Consider some of what does NOT make their list. They've got plenty of room for multiple mediocre Radiohead and Husker Du records, but for starters there's no Paul Simon. Uh, Graceland, anyone? Nor is there any Elvis Costello. Apparently he's not cool anymore. There's no Sinead O'Connor here, or Tori Amos. Plus, there's no Michael Jackson. Terence Trent D'Arby? Richard Frickin' Thompson?!
Also, there's nothing here resembling a country album. There's no Johnny Cash, most egregiously. He did some of the finest work of his whole career in those last ten years at American. Dolly Parton has made some great bluegrass oriented records here recently. Granted, she's no Hole, but really. Oh, and there's June Carter."
I think the point of the list is to make a SPIN Top 100 list . . . meaning a top 100 list reflecting the music SPIN focuses on, alternative rock and hip hop.
25 - Al Barger
Yes Temple, Spin really picked "It Takes Two" as the the greatest single ever.
HW, I will defend the honor of the Digital Underground. Sex Packets will probably make my list, most significantly because of "The Humpty Dance"- though I would never pick that as the greatest single ever.