Background, Context, and Assumptions
Of course people can judge music by whatever criteria you want. How do you judge good music (don't just say you just like it!). For instance you can judge music by these criteria:
- How hard it is to play. For me this is not an important criteria. I guess if you play an instrument, you could enjoy a solo artist really push themselves. Craftsman ship is important. But at the end of the day, you can punch notes into a computer, and a computer could replace Eddie Van Halen's finger, but I hope it could not replace his best lyrics. Lavish craftsmanship looses most all of its appeal when not used to support an important truth.
- How innovative it is. Creativity is a great way to decorate music, but you have to have the substance of good music, and a good melody. I have read some great criticisms of experimental a-tonal college music.
- Good songs can just be songs that capture a feeling really well, but in order for a song to be considered great, you would think that you would rank everything a 10... There is nothing wrong with listening to OK songs, but when listing the best songs, you should only include songs that have great lyrics with good meanings, good message, a great melody, etc...
Rolling Stone's list of Best Songs of all time is a good one
Best reasons to disagree: -
- I would like a list of best albums that totally ignored cover art. I propose that albums should not be judged by cover art, which Rolling Stones mentions many times praising Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.
- I would like to see a list of the best music, that does not reward musicians for trying to be too clever. It seems like that kind of stuff comes and goes, but you can't listen to it very often, because it gets old. Lyrics should not be obscure. People are too afraid to live life, and so they hide any meaning by trying to be clever. Musicians need to learn the importance of being Ernest.
- Good music is music from cool people saying important things in a sincere and beautiful way. Cool people are not people who suck at life. Good music is not music written by self-obsessed losers at the middle of the night, when they can't get their life together after their girl-friend broke up with them. Its not music telling people how cool they are. It is not music from someone you don't respect saying something stupid. It is written by people you can respect, who have lived a good life and have something to say. You shouldn't be allowed to write music when your a teenager. You don't have anything to say.
- Music shouldn't be important because it created the hippy movement, or got girls to stop wearing bras for a few years... The music should be important if it had messages that successful people are able to believe for hundreds of years.
# of reasons to agree: +0
# of reasons to disagree: -4
# of reasons to agree with reasons to agree: +0
# of reasons to agree with reasons to disagree: -0
Rolling Stone's list of Best Songs of all time, with reasons to agree or disagree that they are "great" songs
1 Bob Dylan Like A Rolling Stone
Best reasons to disagree: -
- This song is just some immature looser experiencing schadenfreude when a girl falls. We all know people like this. They are called jerks. It is stupid that some guy going on about how awesome it is is when someone is having a hard time is considered the best our culture has to offer.
2 Rolling Stones Satisfaction
3 John Lennon Imagine
Best reasons to disagree: -
- Communalism does not work
4 Marvin Gaye What's Going On
5 Aretha Franklin Respect
6 Beach Boys Good Vibrations
7 Chuck Berry Johnny B. Goode
8 Beatles Hey Jude
9 Nirvana Smells Like Teen Spirit
10 Ray Charles What'd I Say (Live Berlin) 1962
11 Who My Generation
12 Sam Cooke A Change Is Gonna Come
13 Beatles Yesterday
14 Bob Dylan Blowin' in The Wind
15 The Clash London Calling
16 Beatles I Want To Hold Your Hand
17 Jimi Hendrix Purple Haze
18 Chuck Berry Maybellene
19 Elvis Presley Hound Dog
20 Beatles Let It Be
21 Bruce Springsteen Born To Run
22 The Ronettes Be My Baby
23 Beatles In My Life
24 The Impressions People Get Ready
25 Beach Boys God Only Knows
26 Otis Redding (Sitting On) The Dock Of The Bay
27 Derek And The Dominos Layla
28 Beatles A Day In The Life
29 Beatles Help
30 Johnny Cash I Walk The Line
31 Led Zeppelin Stairway To Heaven
32 Rolling Stones Sympathy For The Devil
33 Tina Turner River Deep, Mountain High
34 The Righteous Brothers You've Lost That Loving Feeling
35 The Doors Light My Fire
36 U2 One
37 Bob Marley No Woman No Cry
38 Rolling Stones Gimme Shelter
39 Buddy Holly That'll Be The Day
40 Martha And The Vandellas Dancing In The Streets
41 Band The Weight
42 Kinks Waterloo Sunset
43 Little Richard Tutti Frutti
44 Ray Charles Georgia On My Mind
45 Elvis Presley Heartbreak Hotel
46 David Bowie Heroes
47 Jimi Hendrix All Along The Watchtower
48 Simon And Garfunkel Bridge Over Troubled Water
49 The Eagles Hotel California
50 Smokey Robinson The Tracks Of My Tears
51 Grandmaster Flash The Message
52 Prince When Doves Cry
53 Percy Sledge When A Man Loves A Woman
54 The Kingsmen Louie Louie
55 Little Richard Long Tall Sally
56 Sex Pistols Anarchy In The U K
57 Procol Harum A Whiter Shade Of Pale
58 Michael Jackson Billie Jean
59 Bob Dylan The Times They Are A-changin'
60 Al Green Let's Stay Together
61 Jerry Lee Lewis Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On
62 Bo Diddley Bo Diddley
63 Buffalo Springfield For What It's Worth
64 Beatles She Loves You
65 Cream Sunshine Of Your Love
66 Bob Marley Redemption Song
67 Elvis Presley Jailhouse Rock
68 Bob Dylan Tangled Up In Blue
69 Roy Orbison Crying
70 Dionne Warwick Walk On By
71 James Brown Papa's Got A Brand New Bag, Pt.1
72 Beach Boys California Girls
73 Stevie Wonder Superstition
74 Cochran Eddie Summertime Blues
75 Led Zeppelin Whole Lotta Love
76 Beatles Strawberry Fields Forever
77 Elvis Presley Mystery Train
78 James Brown I Feel Good
79 The Byrds Mr. Tambourine Man
80 Kinks You Really Got Me
81 Marvin Gaye I Heard It Through The Grapevine
82 Fats Domino Blueberry Hill
83 Beatles Norwegian Wood (this Bird Has Flown)
84 The Police Every Breath You Take
85 Patsy Cline Crazy
86 Bruce Springsteen Thunder Road
87 Johnny Cash Ring Of Fire
88 Temptations My Girl
89 The Mamas & The Papas California Dreamin'
90 The Five Satins In The Still Of The Night
91 Elvis Presley Suspicious Minds
92 The Ramones Blitzkrieg Bop
93 U2 I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For
94 Little Richard Good Golly Miss Molly
95 Carl Perkins Blue Suede Shoes
96 Jerry Lee Lewis Great Balls Of Fire
97 Chuck Berry Roll Over Beethoven
98 Al Green Love And Happiness
99 Creedence Clearwater Revival Fortunate Son
100 Gnarls Barkley Crazy
Rolling Stone's list of Best Albums of all time is a good one
Find reasons to agree or disagree that the albums below deserve their spot.
1 Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band The Beatles 1967
Best reasons to disagree: -
- The first song on the album "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" has no meaning. It is nonsense We are a stupid species if we are still playing it, outside of a history lesson, for personal enjoyment, 200 years from now. The words could be in a language that you don't understand, and the song would be better for you because they wouldn't distract you. Lyrics should make you think. It might be fine for them to set up the album with an alternative band, so they could do whatever they wanted, but they didn't have to subject us to it, and we shouldn't keep playing it, as if it is still important or insightful. You shouldn't be nostalgic over stupid things. If this song means anything to you, you are stupid.
2
Pet Sounds
Beach Boys
1966
3
Revolver
The Beatles
1966
4
Highway 61 Revisited
Bob Dylan
1965
5
Rubber Soul
The Beatles
1965
6
What's Going On
Marvin Gaye
1971
7
Exile On Main St.
Rolling Stones
1972
8
London Calling
The Clash
1979
9
Blonde On Blonde
Bob Dylan
1966
10
The Beatles (The White Album)
The Beatles
1968
11
The Sun Sessions
Elvis Presley
1976
12
Kind Of Blue
Miles Davis
1959
13
Velvet Underground & Nico
Velvet Underground
1967
14
Abbey Road
The Beatles
1969
15
Are You Experienced?
Jimi Hendrix Experience
1967
16
Blood On The Tracks
Bob Dylan
1975
17
Nevermind
Nirvana
1991
18
Born To Run
Bruce Springsteen
1975
19
Astral Weeks
Van Morrison
1968
20
Thriller
Michael Jackson
1982
21
The Great Twenty-Eight
Chuck Berry
1982
22
Plastic Ono Band
John Lennon
1970
23
Innervisions
Stevie Wonder
1973
24
Live At The Apollo
James Brown
1963
25
Rumours
Fleetwood Mac
1977
26
The Joshua Tree
U2
1987
27
King Of The Delta Blues Singers, Vol. 1
Robert Johnson
1961
28
Who's Next
The Who
1971
29
Led Zeppelin I
Led Zeppelin
1969
30
Blue
Joni Mitchell
1971
31
Bringing It All Back Home
Bob Dylan
1965
32
Let It Bleed
Rolling Stones
1969
33
Ramones
Ramones
1976
34
Music From Big Pink
The Band
1968
35
The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars
David Bowie
1972
36
Tapestry
Carole King
1971
37
Hotel California
The Eagles
1976
38
The Anthology, 1947 - 1972
Muddy Waters
2001
39
Please Please Me
The Beatles
1963
40
Forever Changes
Love
1968
41
Never Mind The Bollocks, Here's The Sex Pistols
Sex Pistols
1977
42
The Doors
The Doors
1967
43
Dark Side Of The Moon
Pink Floyd
1973
44
Horses
Patti Smith
1975
45
The Band
The Band
1969
46
Legend
Bob Marley & The Wailers
1984
47
A Love Supreme
John Coltrane
1964
48
It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back
Public Enemy
1988
49
At Fillmore East
Allman Brothers Band
1971
50
Here's Little Richard
Little Richard
1957
51
Bridge Over Troubled Water
Simon & Garfunkel
1970
52
Greatest Hits
Al Green
1975
53
The Birth of Soul: The Complete Atlantic Rhythm and Blues Recordings, 1952 - 1959
Ray Charles
1991
54
Electric Ladyland
Jimi Hendrix Experience
1968
55
Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
1956
56
Songs In The Key Of Life
Stevie Wonder
1976
57
Beggars Banquet
Rolling Stones
1968
58
Trout Mask Replica
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
1969
59
Meet The Beatles!
The Beatles
1964
60
Greatest Hits
Sly & The Family Stone
1970
61
Appetite For Destruction
Guns N' Roses
1987
62
Achtung Baby
U2
1991
63
Sticky Fingers
Rolling Stones
1971
64
Phil Spector, Back to Mono (1958 - 1969)
various artists
1991
65
Moondance
Van Morrison
1970
66
Led Zeppelin IV
Led Zeppelin
1971
67
The Stranger
Billy Joel
1977
68
Off The Wall
Michael Jackson
1979
69
Superfly
Curtis Mayfield
1972
70
Physical Graffiti
Led Zeppelin
1975
71
After The Gold Rush
Neil Young
1970
72
Purple Rain
Prince
1984
73
Back In Black
AC/DC
1980
74
Otis Blue: Otis Redding Singles Soul
Otis Redding
1965
75
Led Zeppelin II
Led Zeppelin
1969
76
Imagine
John Lennon
1971
77
The Clash
The Clash
1977
78
Harvest
Neil Young
1972
79
Star Time
James Brown
1991
80
Odessey & Oracle
The Zombies
1968
81
Graceland
Paul Simon
1986
82
Axis: Bold As Love
Jimi Hendrix Experience
1968
83
I Never Loved A Man The Way I Love You
Aretha Franklin
1967
84
Lady Soul
Aretha Franklin
1968
85
Born In The U.S.A.
Bruce Springsteen
1984
86
Let It Be
The Beatles
1970
87
The Wall
Pink Floyd
1979
88
Johnny Cash At Folsom Prison
Johnny Cash
1968
89
Dusty In Memphis
Dusty Springfield
1968
90
Talking Book
Stevie Wonder
1972
91
Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
Elton John
1973
92
20 Golden Greats
Buddy Holly
1978
93
Sign O' The Times
Prince
1987
94
Bitches Brew
Miles Davis
1970
95
Green River
Creedence Clearwater Revival
1969
96
Tommy
The Who
1969
97
The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan
1963
98
This Year's Model
Elvis Costello
1978
99
There's A Riot Goin' On
Sly & The Family Stone
1972
100
In The Wee Small Hours
Frank Sinatra
1954
We can create a better list of really great songs than Rolling Stone Magazine(Songs that aren't afraid of having meaning)
Best reasons to agree: -
- Time by Pink Floyd is better than any of the top 10 songs on the Rolling Stone List. Your life would not be missing anything important if you never listened to "Like a Rolling Stone" by Bob Dillion. But I would feel a little bad for you if you have never really listened to Time by Pink floyed.
Time has an important message that you should not let your life slip by. It doesn't really tell you what to do, but it much better than the other songs.
- Cats in the Cradle by Harry Chapin has a great message. It tells you that you get out of a relationship what you put into it, and that you should sieze the day. These are important messsenges, and they are done well in the song.
- Forever Young is a good song, because it expresses a real emotion, that is productive to explore. Thinking about mortality is benificial unlike the way that Bob Dillion is just expressing his joy at someone who used to be Rich, getting their come-up-ins in his song "Like A Rolling Stone", that Rolling Stone was the highest achiviment of Western Music.
- Hallelujah by Rufus Wainwright summerizes a lot of history and relationships in an insightful way.
- Just The Two Of Us by Will Smith allows people who are overly concerned with looking manley, see themselves as good dads.
- You can disagree with Charlene but "I've Never Been To Me" makes her argument about what is important in life very well.
- "Kiss An Angel Good Morning" by Charley Pride gives practical marriage advice. One by Creed is sort of Cheesy, but it is a great call for unity.
- What A Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong has a great message of appreciation. Armstrongs voice is great.