The Observer published the top 50 albums that influenced music. It is a very nice review, describing each album and mentioning to each of them what whould have/have not happened wihout it.
I think the list is pretty well put up, even though, as music is highly subjective, a lot of comments can be added to. For example, Metallica’s Kill ‘Em All album is missing from the list, while it influenced a lot of future (speed) metal bands.
Likewise, Oasis is missing, while they influenced Brit music greatly. 2 PAC influenced hip hop a lot and is not there, Madonna or Elton John are not in the top 50 either and this could go on and on…. but it is a very nice effort and I think a lot of the albums deserve to be where they are – even though I would put Bob Dylan‘s higher in the list.
I know someone will feel very good finding Velvet Underground on the first place :)
3 comments so far
oh I’m such an ignorant! There are bands/singers on this list of which I haven’t heard before… Some of them are on the top 10 (such as nwa. well I’m not really into gangsta rap, so that explains it)
Maddonna is not in the top because she was influenced by Patti Smith and Michael Jackson (according to the same list)
Oasis were again influenced by The Smiths! :)
As for Elton John, honestly, no artist comes to my mind that wouldn’t have existed in a world without Elton John!
Personally, I was happy to see Yossou N’Dour’s album on the 24th place. World music was not ignored!
All in all, nice list!
You are right about Madonna and Oasis being influenced by others. Still, this does not mean they did not have a great influence on new artists, as well.
I am not sure what they meant by “influence”…is it influencing a great number of artists or influencing artists which became great in the end …. hmmm
Indeed, a very British list. I might pick a bone here or there, but all in all the list is very UK and not very American, where I think the Top 50 would have been quite different.
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