Musical help needed (shock horror)

[Barney Rubble]

Right. Everyone knows I have largely dire taste in music, so now that my latest student loan instalment is in the bank and I have some money, I shall soon (i.e. once my exams finish on the 30th) be going on a massive CD-buying spree. And by massive, I mean pretty huge - I intend for it to be £100+, which means 10 or so albums.

It's also been brought to my attention recently that I don't own enough of the real classic albums that everyone should own - I need suggestions as to which albums I need to get to bring my collection up to scratch. Currently this is the list of albums I already own which people tell me are "essential":

Pink Floyd - Dark Side of the Moon
The Verve - Urban Hymns
Guns N' Roses - Appetite For Destruction
Rage Against The Machine - Rage Against The Machine
Radiohead - OK Computer
Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin IV
AC/DC - Back In Black

And this is the list of artists who I'm looking to get hold of - ideally people could suggest which album is best to start off with :

Joy Division/New Order
Queen (already got their Greatest Hits)
The Smiths (got The Very Best Of)
David Bowie
The Clash (got The Essential)
The Jam
Metallica
Jimi Hendrix (got Voodoo Child: The Best Of The Jimi Hendrix Experience)
Johnny Cash
Manic Street Preachers
Nirvana (got Nirvana, want Nevermind)
Pink Floyd (got Dark Side Of The Moon, want The Wall)
U2
Jeff Buckley
The Who
Radiohead (got OK Computer, want The Bends)
The Ramones
R.E.M. (got In Time: The Very Best Of)

That's all I can think of for now. Help me out, people.

 

[Langeveldt]

Don't Aqua have a new album out?

 

[Matteh]

Joy Division - Substance
Nirvana - In Utero (is better than Nevermind anyway)

 

[Barney Rubble]

Don't Aqua have a new album out?

Helpful, Rich.

 

[C_C]

Pink Floyd's 'dark side of the moon' is often the best rated but i personally like 'Atom heart mother' more.
If you are looking into classics, i'd suggest Tchaikovsky and Vivaldi - I've known a lot of 'newbies' going for 'bigger names' like Mozart/Beethoven and Bach and they are not a bad choice except for Bach- who is (or atleast, according to me and most classical fans i know) excruciatingly boring. Tchaikovsky's music is quite rich in emotional content and so is Vivaldi (though Vivaldi gets carried away a bit too much IMO). But usually, its Tchiakovsky who is 'the man' for most new-commers and oldies alike.

There are some good jazz pieces out there too but my introduction to Jazz is very recent to do recommendations.

I'd also recommend a few of Marley's CDs and for Radiohead, i preferred Kid-A to Bends.

 

[BoyBrumby]

All recommendations based on what I consider to be the best introduction to the respective artists:

Joy Division/New Order: Substance & Substance (weirdly both have a "best of" compo with same name)
The Smiths (got The Very Best Of): The Queen is Dead
David Bowie: best of Bowie
The Clash (got The Essential): London Calling
The Jam: Snap
Metallica: Metallica (AKA The Black Album)
Jimi Hendrix (got Voodoo Child: The Best Of The Jimi Hendrix Experience): Electric Ladyland
Johnny Cash: Live at Fulsom Prison
Manic Street Preachers: Forever Delayed
Nirvana (got Nirvana, want Nevermind): Unplugged in New York
Pink Floyd (got Dark Side Of The Moon, want The Wall): Echoes
U2: Actung Baby
Jeff Buckley: Grace
The Who: Live at Leeds
Radiohead (got OK Computer, want The Bends): I'd stick with those two, frankly.
The Ramones: All the stuff (& more) vol 1
R.E.M. (got In Time: The Very Best Of): Automatic For The People

 

[Barney Rubble]

All recommendations based on what I consider to be the best introduction to the respective artists:

Joy Division/New Order: Substance & Substance (weirdly both have a "best of" compo with same name)
The Smiths (got The Very Best Of): The Queen is Dead
David Bowie: best of Bowie
The Clash (got The Essential): London Calling
The Jam: Snap
Metallica: Metallica (AKA The Black Album)
Jimi Hendrix (got Voodoo Child: The Best Of The Jimi Hendrix Experience): Electric Ladyland
Johnny Cash: Live at Fulsom Prison
Manic Street Preachers: Forever Delayed
Nirvana (got Nirvana, want Nevermind): Unplugged in New York
Pink Floyd (got Dark Side Of The Moon, want The Wall): Echoes
U2: Actung Baby
Jeff Buckley: Grace
The Who: Live at Leeds
Radiohead (got OK Computer, want The Bends): I'd stick with those two, frankly.
The Ramones: All the stuff (& more) vol 1
R.E.M. (got In Time: The Very Best Of): Automatic For The People

Thanks Dale, big help. A lot of it is gonna depend on what's on offer in HMV/Virgin/Fopp though.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Thanks Dale, big help. A lot of it is gonna depend on what's on offer in HMV/Virgin/Fopp though.

No bother. Others that any self-respecting collection would feel nude without (IMHO, obviously):

The Stone Roses - The Stone Roses
Astral Weeks - Van Morrison
Giant Steps - The Boo Radleys
Five Leaves Left - Nick Drake
Divine Madness - Madness

With possible exception of Giant Steps I doubt you'd have to pay more than a fiver for any of 'em.

 

[Barney Rubble]

No bother. Others that any self-respecting collection would feel nude without (IMHO, obviously):

The Stone Roses - The Stone Roses
Astral Weeks - Van Morrison
Giant Steps - The Boo Radleys
Five Leaves Left - Nick Drake
Divine Madness - Madness

With possible exception of Giant Steps I doubt you'd have to pay more than a fiver for any of 'em.

Ta. Stone Roses is also something I've been meaning to get for ages, but I have to admit the others are stuff I'd never have considered.

 

[Matteh]

I think you need to buy !!! - Louden Up Now.

 

[Burpey]

I think you need to buy !!! - Louden Up Now.

You took the words right out of my mouth.




That's not an endorsement for Meatloaf by the way.

 

[ash chaulk]

save your money listen to the radio

 

[pasag]

I'd recommend Wish You Were Here or Meddle for Pink Floyd. Both amazing albums.

For David Bowie, start with The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars. or Hunky Dory.

For Queen - A Night At The Opera and Queen II are easily their best imo.

 

[Barney Rubble]

I'd recommend Wish You Were Here or Meddle for Pink Floyd. Both amazing albums.

For David Bowie, start with The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars. or Hunky Dory.

For Queen - A Night At The Opera and Queen II are easily their best imo.

Cheers, Saggers.

 

[steds]

Right. Everyone knows I have largely dire taste in music, so now that my latest student loan instalment is in the bank and I have some money, I shall soon (i.e. once my exams finish on the 30th) be going on a massive CD-buying spree. And by massive, I mean pretty huge - I intend for it to be £100+, which means 10 or so albums.

It's also been brought to my attention recently that I don't own enough of the real classic albums that everyone should own - I need suggestions as to which albums I need to get to bring my collection up to scratch. Currently this is the list of albums I already own which people tell me are "essential":

Pink Floyd - Dark Side of the Moon
The Verve - Urban Hymns
Guns N' Roses - Appetite For Destruction
Rage Against The Machine - Rage Against The Machine
Radiohead - OK Computer
Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin IV
AC/DC - Back In Black

And this is the list of artists who I'm looking to get hold of - ideally people could suggest which album is best to start off with :

Joy Division/New Order
Queen (already got their Greatest Hits)
The Smiths (got The Very Best Of)
David Bowie
The Clash (got The Essential)
The Jam
Metallica
Jimi Hendrix (got Voodoo Child: The Best Of The Jimi Hendrix Experience)
Johnny Cash
Manic Street Preachers
Nirvana (got Nirvana, want Nevermind)
Pink Floyd (got Dark Side Of The Moon, want The Wall)
U2
Jeff Buckley
The Who
Radiohead (got OK Computer, want The Bends)
The Ramones
R.E.M. (got In Time: The Very Best Of)

That's all I can think of for now. Help me out, people.

From the above:
Joy Division: Substance
The Smiths: The Queen Is Dead
The Clash: The Clash is their best, imo, but London Calling is "iconic"
The Jam: Sound Affects
Metallica: Master of Puppets
Jimi Hendrix: Electric Ladyland
U2: The Joshua Tree
Jeff Buckley: Grace
Radiohead: The Bends

Others I'd suggest include Never Mind The Bollocks, Here's The Sex Pistols, Lou Reed's Transformer and Daydream Nation by Sonic Youth.

 

[ripper868]

U2: 18singles...yes its a greatest but it is pretty damn good.

Pendulum: Hold your colour....not a classic per-se, more trance dance sorta stuff but if you give it a shot it will grow on you...it did on me.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

Based on the list you gave, I'd suggest picking up:

Joy Division - Substance or Unknown Pleasures
The Smiths - The Smiths (IMO, though they have more famous records)
The Clash - London Calling
Metallica - I'd get And Justice For All. Puppets is generally rated more highly, but AJFA is their most inventive and interesting record by a country mile.
Johnny Cash - Live At Folson Prison/San Quentin is definitely the record to go for. Doesn't have a studio album which hits such consistent heights IMO. The greatest live album ever.
Nirvana - Nevermind is the most famous one. In Utero is the best one IMO.
Jeff Buckley - Grace, obviously.
Radiohead - If you have OK Computer you've hit their peak IMO. The Bends is also a very good record though, and I really liked Amnesiac, though not too many people did.
R.E.M. - Difficult to choose one, they have a number of very good albums. Automatic For The People is probably my favourite.

Also, if you're looking for a broad musical education, there's plenty more albums that qualify as essential listening IMO that didn't make your lists. Here's a few:

Sex Pistols - Never Mind The Bollocks
Bob Dylan - Highway 61 Revisited (or a greatest hits album, if you're so inclined)
The Pogues - If I Should Fall From Grace With God
At The Drive-In - Relationship Of Command
The Cure - Probably a band you can get away with owning a Best Of for. Staring At The Sea: The Singles is a good one.

 

[James90]

The following are neccesary IMO.

Jeff Buckley - Grace
Nirvana - Nevermind
The Smiths - Queen Is Dead

I'm hoping you have a reasonable Beatles collection (most people do).

Other recommendations:
The Clash - London Calling
Pixies - Surfer Rosa
The Cure - Disintegration

 

[NZTailender]

I think you need to buy !!! - Louden Up Now.

You can't be serious?



Most horribly overrated band since "Clap Your Hands Say Yeah"

 

[NZTailender]

Oh and get a Talking Heads best of to get into them, and then go from there.