My two cents: The last 6 or 7 years have been pretty thin.

Lots of good albums, not so many great albums.

The coming of age of Kieran Heben (Four Tet), the appearance of Gorillaz and Sigur Ros, and Vespertine are noteworthy for 2001; and a number of good rootsy records such as from Dylan and Williams and Welch also cheer the heart, but FKA has a point.

Interesting that I just noticed this topic today. I spent the better part of yesterday putting together top 10 lists for each year since 1965, (the true beginning of the album era). I'm a teacher, so I have a lot of free time this time of year. Here was my list for 2001:

1. Frank Black and the Catholics- Dog in the Sand
2. Bob Dylan- Love and Theft
3. Gordon Downie- Coke Machine Glow
4. Radiohead- Amnesiac
5. The Shins- Oh, Inverted World
6. Microphones- The Glow, pt. 2
7. Spoon- Girls Can Tell
8. Stephen Malkmus- Stephen Malkmus
9. The Strokes- Is This It
10. Guided by Voices- Isolation Drills

Not too much there that hasn't already been mentioned, with the exception of the Gordon Downie record, (which is outstanding, and almost completely overlooked).

As for weak years... any suggestions for 1976 or 1981? My lists were pretty bare for those years.

I vote that it was a decent year for music.

1. Joe Strummer - "Global A Go-Go"
2. White Stripes - "White Blood Cells"
3. Bob Dylan - "Love and Theft"
4. Strokes - "Is This It?"
5. Bjork - "Vespertime"
6. Low - "Things We Lost in the Fire"
7. Basement Jaxx "Rooty"
8. Lucinda Williams "Essence"
9. Mary Chapin Carpenter "Time*Sex*Love"
10. Suzanne Vega "Songs in Red and Gray"
11. Alicia Keys "Songs in A Minor"
12. Paul McCartney "Driving Rain"
13. Weezer "The Green Album"
14. System of the Down "Toxicity"
15. Donnas "Turn 21"
16. Pink "Misunderstood"
17. Sterolab "Sound-Dust"
18. Blink-182 "Take Off Your Pants and Jacket"
19. Garbage "Beautiful Garbage"
20. No Doubt "Rock Steady"

I would still lean towards the opinion that 2001 was a bit weaker than some of the other years. I still love all of these albums but in an overall scope I would now say that this was a pretty decent year. This has changed a bunch and probably will continue to do so:

1. Andrew Bird – The Swimming Hour
2. Spoon – Girls Can Tell
3. The White Stripes – White Blood Cells
4. The Strokes – Is This It
5. Björk – Vespertine
6. Black Rebel Motorcycle Club – s/t
7. Jay-Z – The Blueprint
8. Bob Dylan – Love and Theft
9. Radiohead – Amnesiac
10. Drive-By Truckers – Southern Rock Opera
11. Gorillaz – Gorillaz
12. System of a Down – Toxicity

quote:

Originally posted by superabound:
As for weak years... any suggestions for 1976 or 1981? My lists were pretty bare for those years.

These are some of my favorite albums for 1976, listed alphabetically with my top album pick in bold. I don't think '76 was a weak year, these albums are some of the best of all time:

David Bowie – Station to Station
The Doobie Brothers – Takin’ it to the Streets
Bob Dylan – The Basement Tapes
Eagles – Hotel California
Tom Waits – Small Change
Stevie Wonder – Songs in the Key of Life

And for 1981 all I have to offer is Ghost in the Machine by The Police.

When I look at my lists for other years since 2000, I have to agree with FKA that 2001 was slightly weaker, both at the top and in terms of depth. However, there were still a lot of good albums.

quote:

Originally posted by Ralph M:
I vote that it was a decent year for music.

1. Joe Strummer - "Global A Go-Go"
2. White Stripes - "White Blood Cells"
3. Bob Dylan - "Love and Theft"

Those albums all rule. The other album I didn't mention earlier was Kirsty MacColl's Tropical Brainstorm. I bought that and Joe & the Mescalero's album on the same day, and we took it on an important family vacation, so those are special.

quote:

The Strokes- Is This It

The album I owe it all to .

quote:

Originally posted by superabound:
As for weak years... any suggestions for 1976 or 1981? My lists were pretty bare for those years.

I don't know what you have on your lists for those years, but here are some of my faves from those years:

'76-

The Ramones - S/T
The Modern Lovers - S/T
Bob Dylan - Desire
Tom Waits - Small Change
Stevie Wonder - Songs in the Key of Life

'81

The Stray Cats - S/T
The Rolling Stones - Tattoo You
Rick Springfield - Working Class Dog
The Pretenders - II
X- Wild Gift

quote:

Originally posted by ericg75:

quote:

Originally posted by superabound:
As for weak years... any suggestions for 1976 or 1981? My lists were pretty bare for those years.

I don't know what you have on your lists for those years, but here are some of my faves from those years:

'76-

The Ramones - S/T
The Modern Lovers - S/T
Bob Dylan - Desire
Tom Waits - Small Change
Stevie Wonder - Songs in the Key of Life

'81

The Stray Cats - S/T
The Rolling Stones - Tattoo You
Rick Springfield - Working Class Dog
The Pretenders - II
X- Wild Gift

My list for '76 has the Ramones, Modern Lovers, and 'Desire'. 'Small Change' is next on my list of Tom Waits purchases. Two recommendations for 'Songs in the Key of Life' suggest that I need to give Stevie Wonder another chance. I borrowed a copy of 'Talking Book' from a friend a couple of years ago, but it just didn't really do much for me.
FKA, I have Dylan, (and THE BAND'S) 'Basement Tapes' listed as '75. However, most of it was recorded in '67, which only further confirms that year as the best ever, hands down.

I agree that '76 didn't seem to be a terrific year though, superabound. Of the five I mentioned, The Ramones and Modern Lovers discs are the only ones I think are flat out classics. Dylan, Wonder, and Waits are all good, but all three had better albums.

quote:

Originally posted by superabound:
Two recommendations for 'Songs in the Key of Life' suggest that I need to give Stevie Wonder another chance. I borrowed a copy of 'Talking Book' from a friend a couple of years ago, but it just didn't really do much for me.

Yeah you really should give him another chance. I disagree with eric because I think that Songs in the Key of Life is his best album but that's just me. I love, love, love that album and would put it in my top ten albums of all time--maybe. Again, that's just me because I hold Wonder in such high regard. Eric is right though that Dylan and Waits released better albums than their albums from 1976--that's not to say that these aren't essentials though.

quote:

Originally posted by superabound:
FKA, I have Dylan, (and THE BAND'S) 'Basement Tapes' listed as '75. However, most of it was recorded in '67, which only further confirms that year as the best ever, hands down.

You are right, it was released in 1975, so I think I have the wrong album there and it should be Desire for 1976. However, the best year ever for music was 1959, in my opinion.

quote:

Originally posted by FragileKidA:
However, the best year ever for music was 1959, in my opinion.

'59 was a banner year for jazz, and of course a ton of great rock and R&B singles. Still, I've gotta stick with '67, although the two albums that I'd argue as the all-time best are from '66 ('Revolver', 'Pet Sounds'). Is there already a thread on this topic? If so, perhaps we should move the discussion over there...

quote:

Originally posted by FragileKidA:
Yeah you really should give him another chance. I disagree with eric because I think that Songs in the Key of Life is his best album but that's just me. I love, love, love that album and would put it in my top ten albums of all time--maybe. Again, that's just me because I hold Wonder in such high regard. Eric is right though that Dylan and Waits released better albums than their albums from 1976--that's not to say that these aren't essentials though.

My only beef with Songs in the Key of Life is that's it's a tad long, which is to be expected from any double album. I think Innervisions is more solid. You can't beat the one-two punch of "Sir Duke" and "I Wish" though.

I think Small Change is the best of Waits' early years, but IMO, it's tough to beat his 80s-early 90s stuff he recorded for Island Records. All those albums are essential.

Desire has some really good stuff on it. It obviously doesn't compare to his 60s stuff, but I like the addition of Emmylou Harris, and songs like "Hurricane" and "One More Cup Of Coffee" are pretty essential Dylan tracks. Dylan had a good run in the mid-70s with The Basement Tapes, Blood on the Tracks and this.

quote:

Originally posted by superabound:

quote:

Originally posted by FragileKidA:
However, the best year ever for music was 1959, in my opinion.

'59 was a banner year for jazz, and of course a ton of great rock and R&B singles. Still, I've gotta stick with '67, although the two albums that I'd argue as the all-time best are from '66 ('Revolver', 'Pet Sounds'). Is there already a thread on this topic? If so, perhaps we should move the discussion over there...

There might be, but I will just say this and we can move on back to 2001. 1959 had some of the best albums of all time and it definitely was Jazz powered.

But I have no problem with you feeling that Revolver and Pet Sounds are the two best albums of all time--at all.

quote:

Originally posted by ericg75:

quote:

Originally posted by superabound:
As for weak years... any suggestions for 1976 or 1981? My lists were pretty bare for those years.

I don't know what you have on your lists for those years, but here are some of my faves from those years:

'76-

The Ramones - S/T
The Modern Lovers - S/T
Bob Dylan - Desire
Tom Waits - Small Change
Stevie Wonder - Songs in the Key of Life

'81

The Stray Cats - S/T
The Rolling Stones - Tattoo You
Rick Springfield - Working Class Dog
The Pretenders - II
X- Wild Gift

The worst year in rock music was 1981. The best albums I can come up with are the Birthday Party's "Prayers On Fire" and The Cure's "Faith".
1976 was fine - Aerosmith "Rocks"!!!!!!
and 2001, with great albums by The White Stripes, The Strokes, and Dylan was not bad at all.
1998 was a bit dodgy for me - the best I can come up with is Beck's "Mutations" and Cat Power's "Moon Pix".

1981; I agree is the worst 'year' I can think of.
Very small bunch of classics, which I can't be bothered listing right now.

quote:

Originally posted by Stocky:
1998 was a bit dodgy for me - the best I can come up with is Beck's "Mutations" and Cat Power's "Moon Pix".

There were also these excellent albums in 1998:

Black Star - s/t
Garbage - Version 2.0
Lauryn Hill - The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill
Outkast - Aquemini
Elliott Smith - XO

Two people just mentioned 1998 without mentioning Neutral Milk Hotel's In The Aeroplane Over The Sea. You guys just lost your preferred Indie Rock club status. Leave your membership cards on my desk on your way out.

Umm...maybe because it isn't that good?

quote:

Originally posted by FragileKidA:
Umm...maybe because it isn't that good?

Shut yo mouth.

I'm just talking about Neutral Milk Hotel.