Week 48: 50 Albums That Changed Music

[Swish]

Well, only two more to go to finish this project and it appears the authors have run out of really good selections, although that shouldn't be the case since many worthy records have not made the list. While I liked the choice this week, I don't believe it belongs on the list, mainly because it was more derivative than trend-setting, but I also think it's too recent to really stake its claim in the history of rock music. The Strokes - Is This It? (2001)

Five good-looking young men hauled the jangling sound of Television and the Velvet Underground into the new millennium, reinvigorating rock's obsession with having a good time. Without this....a fine brood of heirs would not have been spawned: among them, Franz Ferdinand and the Libertines.

With such a short article supporting the critic's choice, it's apparent to me that this was a stretch at best. I would submit that Television's debut belongs on here in its stead, or perhaps Script of the Bridge by the Chameleons. Then the could say "Without this....no Strokes, no Interpol, no Franz Ferdinand...".

G Swish

[bobsticks]

Sad and rather provincial wouldn't you say? Without this...nothing cuz the boys rom FF and the Libertines would still have listened to their older brothers record collection. Kinda an insult to alot of other albums.


NP~Permanent:Joy Division

[MindGoneHaywire]

Without this record...which changed music enough to be on this list...no Franz Ferdinand or Libertines...


HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

[Rae]

I'm going to quibble with you guys a little bit and say that I do think that this record was a little bit of a watershed moment in a resurgence of a certain sound, but I agree that there should probably be some kind of a ten-year waiting period before something can be included in this kind of a list. Or not. I mean, it's pretty arbitrary anyway.

It's easy to forget now that popular rock music back in 2000 was nearly as stagnant as it was ten years earlier when Nevermind dropped in "the year punk broke." I wouldn't personally have put the Strokes on the same level as Nirvana, but this did sound awfully fresh alongside Staind, Creed, etc... I mean, this came out at a time when it would've been unthinkable for any "indie favorites" like the Shins, Spoon, or Built to Spill to even chart, let alone do the kind of huge numbers that they do today. I sort of feel like this record along with the White Stripes White Blood Cells really paved the way for those acts to hit the mainstream, although I would probably point to Modest Mouse's Good News for People Who Love Bad News as the one that really opened the floodgates.

Yeah, musically, though, I sorta feel like the most that the Strokes did was make the world safe for instantly stale acts like Jet and the Vines.

~Rae

[Troy]

Pathetic choice.

The Strokes is simply a 70s rehash band. All the other 21st Century 70's rehash bands owe everything to the 70s, not The Strokes.

[kexodusc]

Wow...this selection just feels like the author picked a personal favorite to throw on the list for the soul purpose of creating some controversy.

Oh well, the title isn't "50 albums that changed music the most"...just "50 albums that changed music".

I suppose even Weird Al changed music a little bit...

I don't recall any christian rock groups on the list? anyone?

[3-LockBox]

I sort of feel like this record along with the White Stripes White Blood Cells really paved the way for those acts to hit the mainstream, although I would probably point to Modest Mouse's Good News for People Who Love Bad News as the one that really opened the floodgates.

Yeah, musically, though, I sorta feel like the most that the Strokes did was make the world safe for instantly stale acts like Jet and the Vines.

~Rae

Just a bunch of jangle rock. The Strokes borrowed as much from The Black Crowes, but then again, the Black Crowes were retro 70s jangle rock too. If you can put The Strokes on this list, then you have to put The White Stripes on it too.

For me, The Strokes represent the same thing they do for you...a time when there were a glut of interchangeble retro acts. Not saying The Strokes didn't put out a good first couple of albums, but changed music? nah...

[-Jar-]

no Strokes, no Interpol, no Franz Ferdinand...".

G Swish

we can dream...

[-Jar-]

I don't recall any christian rock groups on the list? anyone?

I'm sure there were Christian Rock groups that changed Christian rock..

don't know much beyond that.

[SlumpBuster]

I'm gonna start a band in my garage and do my best Peter Wolf and J. Geils impersonation and change the history of music!

....Oh... The Strokes already did that? Nevermind then.

Seriously, I listened to both sides of Sticky Fingers this weekend and your telling me the Strokes. FU.

[nobody]

I think the author may be stretching a bit in an attempt to throw out something current.

But, I'm not so sure this list shouldn't include at least something more current and I'm not so sure this isn't a good choice. Like Rae said, this was quite influential with a number of bands who have moved up the status ladder since it came out. It's been listened to extensively by most younger rock fans and serves as a decent signpost of its time. What more do you want? Was it influenced by others? Sure, but so have all the other choices. If you just wanna play trace the influence back until most people lose the trail, you just end up with a bunch of bands 40-50 years old and nothing can ever break into the cannon...not really the way I think rock should be looked at.

Personally, I'd have prefered White Stripes from a similar time zone, but would also agree Modest Mouse would make sense, as would Wilco's Yankee Hotel Foxtrot.

[Swish]

I think the author may be stretching a bit in an attempt to throw out something current.

But, I'm not so sure this list shouldn't include at least something more current and I'm not so sure this isn't a good choice. Like Rae said, this was quite influential with a number of bands who have moved up the status ladder since it came out. It's been listened to extensively by most younger rock fans and serves as a decent signpost of its time. What more do you want? Was it influenced by others? Sure, but so have all the other choices. If you just wanna play trace the influence back until most people lose the trail, you just end up with a bunch of bands 40-50 years old and nothing can ever break into the cannon...not really the way I think rock should be looked at.

Personally, I'd have preferred White Stripes from a similar time zone, but would also agree Modest Mouse would make sense, as would Wilco's Yankee Hotel Foxtrot.

I don't think it did, and I also don't think it's been around long enough to judge, and your argument about newer bands having a tough time breaking in is kind of difficult to support. Not that I don't agree to some degree, but I think time is crucial in any kind of 'best of' list that I can think of off the top. This list had a bunch of seminal choices from the late 50s and early 60s, but there were nearly as many from the late 80s and early 90s, so they did give props to more recent releases.

Again, I like this record, but I don't think it belongs on a top 50 list of records that 'Changed Music'.

G Swish

[3-LockBox]

This list had a bunch of seminal choices from the late 50s and early 60s, but there were nearly as many from the late 80s and early 90s, so they did give props to more recent releases.

Right. They give credit were credit isn't due. The Strokes are a fine band and their debut was a strong one, but they didn't take music anyplace it hadn't already been. But what they did do, they did well. Might make them influential, but changed music?

[Rae]

Dudes, I'm going to go back a little bit on what I said earlier and say that I think it did change music. Nobody remembers what was dominating the airwaves before this came out? This changed music in the sense that it kicked down the door for a thousand indie bands to get more exposure... it ensured that every dude with model looks and a shred of talent was at least trying to imitate the MC5 instead of Velvet Revolver or Hoobastank when they formed a band in order to get chicks. Without this... Kelly Clarkson never tries to sound like the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. Without this... Stroke 9 is blasting on the Spiderman 3 soundtrack instead of Rogue Wave and the Walkmen. Without this... no Pixies, Stooges, or Burma reunions (okay, maybe the Pixies and the Stooges were money grabs. But if you are trying to deny me The Obliterati, we are fighting). I mean... maybe it only changed popular music, but to borrow a page from the Book of Darius... is there really any other kind that matters?

~Rae

[nobody]

Remember when you say they let in more current bands and mention the 80s...this is 2007, the 80s are like 20 years old now...hardly what I would consider new bands. Maybe the 40-50 year old albums was a stretch, but the rock establishment and the accepted wisdom of what is and isn't great in rock has certainly become a bit to the conservative side with trotting out the tride and true and being slow to let new music enter the discussion. I see nothing wrong and a lot right with including at least one band from the current decade, already half gone. Music is still changing and all that so someone more current that a decade or more old has to be influencing that. Or do you think all young rock musicians just sit around and listen to records from 20+ years back?

If you could include one modern band, say one that has started making records in the past 10 years or less...would you? If so, who would it be? What record would you point to?

[SlumpBuster]

If you could include one modern band, say one that has started making records in the past 10 years or less...would you? If so, who would it be? What record would you point to?

It wouldn't be The Strokes.

It's a tough call, but it would be a DJ record. Maybe Crystal Method, Fat Boy Slim, Daft Punk, or Massive Attack (weren't they on this list?). I was tempted to name a DJ like Oakenfold or Digweed, but I don't think they have the comercial appeal. I can't decide which record it was, but 10 years ago was 1997. That was the year I graduated college. I was the only guy I knew with 1 turntable, let alone two and a mixer. Then those big records hit: Vegas, You've Come Along Way Baby, Discovery and Mezzanine. Not even to mention Chemical Brothers, Prodigy, and Aphex Twin.

After that you couldn't even go into a Bestbuy or Circuit City without seeing a "DJ Mix Package" (two turntables and a mixer). Bands started adding "turntablists" and the DJ was elevated in status. DJ mags started comming out. DJs weren't just for rap acts anymore. Those records helped change the instrumentation of a rock band. Little kids wanted turntables for Christmas instead of an electric guitar. The effect of DJ culture is still felt 10 years later. That is changing music.

Yeah, if I had to name one: Crystal Method - Vegas That sound is still heard on the radio, in movies, on TV, in commercials, ect.

[SlumpBuster]

Massive Attack (weren't they on this list?).

Yep, there they are:
Massive Attack - Blue Lines (1991)

Obliterators of rap's boundaries, Massive Attack pioneered the cinematic trip hop movement. After graduating from one of Britain's premier sound systems, the Bristol-based Wild Bunch, Andrew 'Mushroom' Vowles and Grant 'Daddy G' Marshall joined forces with graffiti artist 3D. Massive Attack's debut LP spawned the unforgettable 'Unfinished Sympathy' and remains a modern classic. Without this...no Roots Manuva, no Dizzee. In fact, there would be no British urban music scene to speak of.

But, Blue Lines was 1991 - more than 10 years ago, and I still stand by Vegas as a better choice and a totally different sound.

[nobody]

Yeah, Crystal Method does sound like a good choice.

While the whole electro/dance/DJ thing never took off to the extent some people were predicting, it has certainly gone from fringe element to an accepted, highly visable presence in modern music. Absolutely a big change for music. And, that Vegas album was big.

Funny how around the mid 90 there was a whole slew of stuff like Crystal Method, Fatboy Slim, Prodigy, etc... that formed a little genre that really seemed to rise and fall quickly. But, yeah, the lingering effects are still around. And, Smack My Btch Up is still a kick ass song.

[Monkey Bones]

I mean... maybe it only changed popular music, but to borrow a page from the Book of Darius... are you all bigots?

I like the Strokes first record, but Broken Social Scene would get my vote for the 2000's. Almost 5 years ago already! Anyone remember how refreshing it was to hear Broken Social Scene back then? Still a big favorite, maybe rates a 9 out of 10. Probably would've been considered an underground rock classic if the date was 1973, or 1983 -- instead of 2003. Seems so effortless, like they love what they are doing. Infectious. Best of 2003. Might be best of the decade. Very influential, without it ... no Arcade Fire eruption 2 years later.

[OSWorker]

....yeah -- i agree, people are basically getting sick of the same old rock/hip-hop/r&b bullsh*t ..... and there is just this big upsurge from a new style coming out of Europe -- best place i've found it so far is a compilation series called 'euro club hits' on itunes -- or check this link:

http://electricfilebox.com/tracks

[noddin0ff]

can we arrest anyone for emoticon abuse?

[bobsticks]

.

Seriously, I listened to both sides of Sticky Fingers this weekend and your telling me the Strokes. FU.

Classic.

[Swish]

Classic.

I didn't think it was all that special at first, but it did spark a lot of interest at times. Maybe I can find another 'best of' or whatever and see what happens. Maybe not.

Swish