Interesting. Follows in the path of Rolling Stone, which is the only other major publication I know that's compiled a songs list from such a long time span. The major difference, which is logistically smart, is that they choose to start from 1977...Clearly, P4K's staff is younger and less knowledgeable about music earlier than this. I saw through it when they decided not to make an albums list for the 60s, and instead made that dubious "200 songs" list.
Based on the way I consume music, I could comment on the strength of an albums list from decades past, but "songs" really opens up the field past my knowledge. Basically, I only feel qualified to comment on music from 2000+ since that's when I began following music extensively.
Anyway here are my comments for the 2000+ songs they chose:
Songs that don't deserve placement: Intro-introspection is no longer interesting post-Girl Talk. "You Are the Generation That Bought More Shoes and You Get What You Deserve" is a pretty good epic pop song, but nowhere near the quality of plenty of other epic pop songs ("Ageless Beauty" by Stars, for instance). Songs missing: Digital Love (Daft Punk), 10AM Automatic (Black Keys), something by Okkervil River, IZZO (Jay-Z), Frontier Psychiatrist (The Avalanches), Fell in Love with a Girl (The White Stripes)... Right band wrong song: Is "America's Most Blunted" Madvillain's best? Is "Take Time" The Books' best (see: "Tokyo" and "Enjoy Your Worries")? Is "She Sends Kisses" the Wrens' best (see: "Per Second Second" or "Hopeless")? What about "The Calendar Hung Itself" by Bright Eyes("Lua" or "Easy/Lucky/Free")? "Here I Dreamt I Was an Architect" instead of "On the Bus Mall"? Excellent, unexpected inclusions: Distortion by Clinic, The Way that He Sings by My Morning Jacket, Good Times Roll pt. 2 by RJD2, Daylight by Aesop Rock, The Rat by The Walkmen.
It's interesting to see their change of opinions too - you can use their "Best Songs from 2000-2004" as a reference point.
Wow this list is almost too much to digest, I tried to look at it and got a sugar rush now I need to sit down.
One important thing to know before I look at it further is the criteria and rules they used. Is it singles only? Any song off any album/EP/soundtrack/Bside? Is there a limit of 1 or two songs per artist (most only have 1), is it when the album was released or when the song was released?
The head of state has called for me, but I don't have time for him
Posts: 344 | Location: Sydney, Australia | Registered: 07 September 2006
I hear the book isn't all that great. It could be a nice CD/DVD perhaps but I don't really understand the benefit of having this list in a big hard-bound, unless it has good coffe-table style pictures.
Songs missing: Digital Love (Daft Punk), 10AM Automatic (Black Keys), something by Okkervil River, IZZO (Jay-Z), Frontier Psychiatrist (The Avalanches), Fell in Love with a Girl (The White Stripes)...
It was only one song per album, so Digital Love, Frontier Psychiatrist and Fell in Love with a Girl were ineligeble. That's not to say they should have been left off the list, I personally prefer all three of these songs vs. the ones Pitchfork chose.
I asked for and got the book at Christmas and was interested in hearing a bunch of the songs I wasn't familiar with, so I went looking on the internets. So now I've got all 501 songs (The list has 2 Kraftwerk songs together counted as one song) at 192kbps filed together as a giant compilation on my iTunes. You can find the torrent out there if you want. Its really a pretty amazing set of songs, and I've loved putting it on shuffle and listening for the past few months.
And as far as the book goes, I'm enjoying it greatly. Its good bathroom reading for sure, so I'd recommend it.
And I guess if I got inspired, I could upload the entire songlist to a .zip file and put it on mediafire or something if that was something you guys were interested in.
Posts: 1781 | Location: The Coastal Empire | Registered: 24 December 2004
Ok one song per album, but surely How to disappear completely is best song on Kid A and Pyramid song is better than life in a glass house? Also surely there is room in the 03-06 list for there there?
The head of state has called for me, but I don't have time for him
Posts: 344 | Location: Sydney, Australia | Registered: 07 September 2006
Ok one song per album, but surely How to disappear completely is best song on Kid A and Pyramid song is better than life in a glass house? Also surely there is room in the 03-06 list for there there?
Life in a Glass House is certainly the best song on Amnesiac (not to say Pyramid Song isn't amazing as well).
Originally posted by crob3888: Life in a Glass House is certainly the best song on Amnesiac (not to say Pyramid Song isn't amazing as well).
I could see those two songs being a toss up. But Amnesiac, in my opinion, was a B-side collection. And being so, it was full of misfits and experiments (such as "Glass House"). And I think the most succesful experiment on the album is "Like Spinning Plates".
Anyway. It's dumb to praise Pitchfork for this list. It's easy to list a bunch of really good songs. This list is no more impressive than I would imagine most any music listener on this forum could come up with if making the list was their full time job for a month and a half.
---------------------------- There's an ember in the rafters and it's gonna burn this whole thing down.
I could see those two songs being a toss up. But Amnesiac, in my opinion, was a B-side collection. And being so, it was full of misfits and experiments (such as "Glass House"). And I think the most succesful experiment on the album is "Like Spinning Plates".
Anyway. It's dumb to praise Pitchfork for this list. It's easy to list a bunch of really good songs. This list is no more impressive than I would imagine most any music listener on this forum could come up with if making the list was their full time job for a month and a half.
Well, I used to be anti-Amnesiac, but I like it now.
As for praising p4k for the list, I agree. Anybody could come up with a list of awesome songs.
Originally posted by BContrat: Interesting. Follows in the path of Rolling Stone, which is the only other major publication I know that's compiled a songs list from such a long time span. The major difference, which is logistically smart, is that they choose to start from 1977...Clearly, P4K's staff is younger and less knowledgeable about music earlier than this. I saw through it when they decided not to make an albums list for the 60s, and instead made that dubious "200 songs" list.
i'm going to have to call you on that.
the album as a cohesive form wasn't established until the late 60's, so the prime medium for releasing music was the single. if you were to make a 60's album list, you'd have to pass on a lot of decade defining singles. this is stated in the preface to the list.
as for their decision to start the 500 in '77, i can't comment. i don't personally own the book, but i would guess they acknowledge the decision at some point. i doubt it's because the writers are "less knowledgeable" towards music prior. my guess is that the period prior to punk ("classic rock") has already been so thoroughly canonized that p4k really couldn't make an interesting list.
I love this book. The book isn't necessarily about which songs are the best but which songs best represented the best from that artist's accomplishments from that specific time period. The list does have a few odd choices for best songs but overall I think the only band they missed was Okkervil River.
Originally posted by BContrat: Interesting. Follows in the path of Rolling Stone, which is the only other major publication I know that's compiled a songs list from such a long time span. The major difference, which is logistically smart, is that they choose to start from 1977...Clearly, P4K's staff is younger and less knowledgeable about music earlier than this. I saw through it when they decided not to make an albums list for the 60s, and instead made that dubious "200 songs" list.
i'm going to have to call you on that.
the album as a cohesive form wasn't established until the late 60's, so the prime medium for releasing music was the single. if you were to make a 60's album list, you'd have to pass on a lot of decade defining singles. this is stated in the preface to the list.
as for their decision to start the 500 in '77, i can't comment. i don't personally own the book, but i would guess they acknowledge the decision at some point. i doubt it's because the writers are "less knowledgeable" towards music prior. my guess is that the period prior to punk ("classic rock") has already been so thoroughly canonized that p4k really couldn't make an interesting list.
You are probably right about the first part, but I definitely do believe that P4K writers are experts on 80-90s music just based on their age range.
Anyway, since I actually am hearing good things maybe I will pick it up.
I could see those two songs being a toss up. But Amnesiac, in my opinion, was a B-side collection. And being so, it was full of misfits and experiments (such as "Glass House"). And I think the most succesful experiment on the album is "Like Spinning Plates".
Anyway. It's dumb to praise Pitchfork for this list. It's easy to list a bunch of really good songs. This list is no more impressive than I would imagine most any music listener on this forum could come up with if making the list was their full time job for a month and a half.
Well, I used to be anti-Amnesiac, but I like it now.
As for praising p4k for the list, I agree. Anybody could come up with a list of awesome songs.
Mmm disagree. I'm sure plenty of publications (Rolling Stones, et al) could find ways to fuck it up. They would include The Thong Song or one of it's brethren..
As someone else mentioned, I got the book around Christmas time as well and flip through it every few days. I wouldn't say they have all the best songs from each period but definitely have a very good selection. A person could argue all day about what's included and what isn't but it's definitely mentioned a few bands/songs I've never heard before and will be checking out just because of their recommendation.
Mmm disagree. I'm sure plenty of publications (Rolling Stones, et al) could find ways to fuck it up. They would include The Thong Song or one of it's brethren..
I certainly wasn't implying that Pitchfork's list was an awesome list, and all other attempts at making such a list are futile.
It is a good list, and that is a fact. But one inclusion (namely, The Thong Song) certainly wouldn't screw up a list by Rolling Stone or any publication or any blogger.
As far as it goes, just because p4k and RS are on opposite sides of the critical spectrum doesn't mean that one is bad and one is good. Rolling Stone's list of the 500 Greatest Songs of all Time in many ways trumps Pitchfork's list; and vice versa. Both of these lists have helped me to find great music and to relish in the often large shadow and legacy of music history.
I aint picky, and I certainly don't think there exists the "perfect" 500 songs list.
