NME Top 10 Albums 1985

[clive gash]

What's happening Brother?

[Bent Fabric]

What's happening Brother?

Will our ball club win the pennant?

[Your Friendly Neighbourhood Postman]

[trans-chigley express]

12. Layla - Derek & The Dominoes
over
13. The Velvet Underground & Nico - The Velvet Underground

GFTO

Yeah Going for the One is every bit as good as those two!

funny cos it's true

[The Modernist]

As a point of comparison, here's Mojo's top 100 albums from 2000.
Thoughts?
I'd say it's actually got worse. The Ramones number 3?

1. What's Going On...Marvin Gaye (1971)
2. Horses...Patti Smith (1975)
3. Ramones...Ramones (1976)
4. Marquee Moon...Television (1977)
5. Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band...The Beatles (1967)
6. London Calling...The Clash (1979)
7. Innervisions...Stevie Wonder (1973)
8. Pet Sounds...Beach Boys (1966)
9. Revolver...The Beatles (1966)
10. Exile on Main Street...The Rolling Stones (1972)
11. Trout Mask Replica...Captain Beefheart and His Magic Band (1969)
12. Live at the Apollo...James Brown (1962)
13. Led Zeppelin IV...Led Zeppelin (1971)
14. The Stone Roses...The Stone Roses (1989)
15. Sign ‘O’ the Times...Prince (1987)
16. The Bends...Radiohead (1995)
17. Never Mind the Bollocks, Here’s the Sex Pistols...Sex Pistols (1977)
18. Unknown Pleasures...Joy Division (1979)
19. Born to Run...Bruce Springsteen (1975)
20. Grace...Jeff Buckley (1994)
21. The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars...David Bowie (1972)
22. The Doors...The Doors (1967)
23. Different Class...Pulp (1995)
24. Blood on the Tracks...Bob Dylan (1975)
25. Sticky Fingers...The Rolling Stones (1971)
26. Definitely Maybe...Oasis (1994)
27. New York Dolls...New York Dolls (1973)
28. Piper at the Gates of Dawn...Pink Floyd (1967)
29. Liege and Lief...Fairport Convention (1969)
30. Transformer...Lou Reed (1972)
31. Tapestry...Carole King (1971)
32. Otis Blue...Otis Redding (1965)
33. Talking Book...Stevie Wonder (1972)
34. There's a Riot Goin' On...Sly and the Family Stone (1971)
35. Raw Power...The Stooges (1973)
36. Blonde on Blonde...Bob Dylan (1966)
37. Velvet Underground & Nico...Velvet Underground & Nico (1967)
38. Are You Experienced?...The Jimi Hendrix Experience (1967)
39. Blue...Joni Mitchell (1971)
40. Rumours...Fleetwood Mac (1977)
41. Nevermind...Nirvana (1991)
42. Plastic Ono Band...John Lennon (1970)
43. Psychocandy...The Jesus and Mary Chain (1985)
44. For Your Pleasure...Roxy Music (1973)
45. The Clash...The Clash (1977)
46. Darkness on the Edge of Town (1978)
47. I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight...Richard & Linda Thompson (1974)
48. The Nightfly...Donald Fagen (1982)
49. Physical Graffiti...Led Zeppelin (1975)
50. Hounds of Love...Kate Bush (1985)
51. Time Out of Mind…Bob Dylan (1997)
52. OK Computer…Radiohead (1997)
53. Highway 61 Revisited...Bob Dylan (1965)
54. Forever Changes...Love (1967)
55. The Beatles (aka “The White Album”)...The Beatles (1968)
56. Abbey Road...The Beatles (1969)
57. Electric Ladyland...The Jimi Hendrix Experience (1968)
58. Is This It…The Strokes (2001)
59. The Band...The Band (1969)
60. Kind of Blue...Miles Davis (1959)
61. Up the Bracket…The Libertines (2002)
62. Third/Sister Lovers...Big Star (1975)
63. Kick Out the Jams...The MC5 (1968)
64. Closer...Joy Division (1980)
65. Black Monk Time...The Monks (1966)
66. Maxinquaye…Tricky (1995)
67. High Land, Hard Rain...Aztec Camera (1983)
68. Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere...Neil Young (1969)
69. I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You...Aretha Franklin (1967)
70. Fire and Water...Free (1970)
71. Cut...The Slits (1979)
72. Grievous Angel...Gram Parsons (1974)
73. Can’t Buy a Thrill...Steely Dan (1972)
74. Clear Spot...Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band (1972)
75. Here Comes the Warm Jets...Brian Eno (1974)
76. Achtung Baby...U2 (1991)
77. Tonight’s the Night...Neil Young (1975)
78. Entertainment!...Gang of Four (1979)
79. Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables...The Dead Kennedys (1980)
80. Music from Big Pink...The Band (1968)
81. Songs in the Key of Life...Stevie Wonder (1976)
82. Hot Rats...Frank Zappa (1969)
83. Here, My Dear...Marvin Gaye (1978)
84. Screaming Target...Big Youth (1973)
85. Black Woman & Child...Sizzla (1997)
86. Astral Weeks...Van Morrison (1968)
87. The Soft Bulletin…Flaming Lips (1999)
88. Maggot Brain...Funkadelic (1971)
89. Endtroducing…DJ Shadow (1996)
90. Hunky Dory...David Bowie (1971)
91. Dummy…Portishead (1994)
92. Automatic for the People...R.E.M. (1992)
93. Fun House...The Stooges (1970)
94. Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space (1997)
95. Moon Safari (1998)
96. (What’s the Story) Morning Glory…Oasis (1995)
97. The Notorious Byrd Brothers...The Byrds (1968)
98. Live at the Star Club...Jerry Lee Lewis (1964)
99. Axis: Bold As Love...The Jimi Hendrix Experience (1967)
100. Live at Leeds...The Who (1970)

[naughty boy]

What was I saying about Classic Rock always lurking in the shadows....?

[Rayge]

What was I saying about Classic Rock always lurking in the shadows....?

Or in Mojo and Uncut. Which come to think of it, probably is 'the shadows'

[naughty boy]

I think that during punk and for most of the 80s, the NME was defined by what they rejected as much as by what they heralded.

Today it seems almost irrational to disregard Elton John or Fleetwood Mac. I mean, maybe it always was! - but it did seem right at the time, to make a stand. I miss those days.

[Goat Boy]

It’s the odd mix of old and new “classics” that really grate. So for some reason the Libertines are in there and crap like that.

"Alternative" lists are more interesting because there is a higher chance of discovering something but often when you start actually listening to the albums you haven’t heard you think “what is this shit?”.

People criticise the CANON but pound for pound those kinds of lists are usually stronger be it Mojo, NME, whatever.

If I was to recommend a list to a 15 year old for example I’d happily give them the Mojo list from 1995 over, say, some Pitchfork or Fact magazine list.

[naughty boy]

That Libertines album is better than Here Come The Warm Jets, Closer, Hunky Dory, Funhouse, Sister Lovers in what fucking universe?

I mean, even allowing for the fact that these things are more driven by trends than they'd like to admit, and giving them some room for error - how the flying fuck does this even begin to be considered?

[Goat Boy]

Ask Copehead.

[Scally Mcgrew]

The 1974 list (one of the first of its kind in the UK, I believe) is a touch more conventional, a bit more Rolling Stone...

1. Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band - The Beatles
2. Blond On Blond - Bob Dylan
3. Pet Sounds - Beach Boys
4. Revolver - The Beatles
5. Highway 61 Revisited - Bob Dylan
6. Electric Ladyland - Jimi Hendrix
7. Are You Experienced? - Jimi Hendeix
8. Abby Road - The Beatles
9. Sticky Fingers - The Rolling Stones
10. Music From Big Pink - The Band
11. Let It Bleed - The Rolling Stones
12. Layla - Derek & The Dominoes
13. The Velvet Underground & Nico - The Velvet Underground
14. Golden Decade Vol 1 - Chuck Berry
15. Rubber Soul - The Beatles
16. Tommy - The Who
17. Bridge Over Troubled Water - Simon & Garfunkel
18. Hunky Dory - David Bowie
19. Beggar’s Banquet - The Rolling Stones
20. Disraeli Gears - Cream
21. Piper At The Gates Of Dawn - Pink Floyd
22. My Generation - The Who
23. Crosby, Stills & Nash - Crosby, Stills & Nash
24. The Rolling Stones - The Rolling Stones
25. Imagine - John Lennon
26. Tapestry - Carole King
27. Ziggy Stardust - David Bowie
28. Freewheelin’ - Bob Dylan
29. Back In The USA - MC5
30. Deja Vu - Crosby, Stills & Nash
31. The Band - The Band
32. Gasoline Alley - Rod Stewart
33. A Hard Day’s Night - The Beatles
34. Every Picture Tells A Story - Rod Stewart
35. Led Zeppelin 4 - Led Zeppelin
36. The Doors - The Doors
37. In The Court Of The Crimson King - King Crimson
38. Exile On Main Street - The Rolling Stones
39. The Beatles - The Beatles
40. The Soft Machine - Soft Machine
41. Hot Rats - Frank Zappa
42. Traffic - Traffic
43. Trout Mask Replica - Captain Beefheart
44. Music From A Dolls House - Family
45. Talking Book - Stevie Wonder
46. Anthology - Smoky Bacon & The Miracles
47. Strange Days - The Doors
48. Led Zeppelin 2 - Led Zeppelin
49. Otis Blue - Otis Redding
50. Stand Up - Jethro Tull
51. Impressions, The - Big 16
52. Love - Forever Changes
53. Young, Neil - Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere
54. Taylor, James - Sweet Baby James
55. Byrds, The - Fifth Dimension
56. Wings - Band On The Run
57. Bowie, David - The Man Who Sold The World
58. Mothers Of Invention, The - We're Only In It For The Money
59. Rolling Stones, The - Get Your Ya-Yas Out
60. Beck, Jeff, Group - Beck-Ola
61. Stooges, Iggy & The - Raw Power
62. Beach Boys, The - Smiley Smile
63. Morrison, Van - Astral Weeks
64. Velvet Underground, The - Loaded
65. Franklin, Aretha - Greatest Hits
66. Beatles, The - With The Beatles
67. Mitchell, Joni - Blue
68. Mothers Of Invention, The - Freak Out
69. Young, Neil - After The Gold Rush
70. Stills, Stephen - Stephen Stills
71. Winter, Johnny - Johnny Winter And
72. Cocker, Joe - With A Little Help From My Friends
73. Yes - The Yes Album
74. Morrison, Van - Moondance
75. Rundgren, Todd - A Wizard, A True Star
76. Lennon, John - Plastic Ono Band
77. Jefferson Airplane, The - Crown Of Creation
78. Doors, The L.A. Woman
79. Sly & The Family Stone - There's A Riot Going On
80. Who, The - Who's Next
81. Country Joe & The Fish - Electric Music For The Mind & Body
82. Johnson, Robert - King Of The Delta Blues Singers
83. Beach Boys, The - Best Of The Beach Boys Volume 1
84. Mitchell, Joni - Songs For A Seagull
85. Mayall's, John, Bluesbreakers - Bluesbreakers
86. Traffic - Mr Fantasy
87. Dylan, Bob - Bringing It All Back Home
88. Presley, Elvis - Greatest Hits Volume 2
89. Velvet Underground, The - White Light/White Heat
90. Moby Grape - Moby Grape
91. Big Brother & The Holding Co. - Cheap Thrills
92. Pink Floyd - Dark Side Of The Moon
93. Doctor John - Gris-Gris
94. Wonder, Stevie - Music Of The Mind
95. Roxy Music - Stranded
96. Beach Boys, The - Surf's Up
97. Newman, Randy - 12 Songs
98. Spirit - The 12 Dreams Of Dr Sardonicus
99. Miller, Steve, Band - Sailor

[Scally Mcgrew]

In the list above, Number 46 made me laugh!

[The Modernist]

The interesting thing about that list is most of the albums, in the top thirty anyway, have maintained, more or less, their reputations. The obvious exception being Derek and The Dominoes.

[The Modernist]

Interesting also to see the amount of Velvet Underground albums in there, giving lie to the idea that they were only rediscovered with punk.

[Rayge]

Interesting also to see the amount of Velvet Underground albums in there, giving lie to the idea that they were only rediscovered with punk.

I hadn't heard that idea, cos I would soon have put them straight. As far as customers were concerned, it was the solo stuff from Reed that jerked them in in the early 70s, especially WotWS & Transformer, and the association with Bowie. As for the critics, and the NME staff back then, Murray, Kent and others often banged on about them. They were pretty much always art-school hip, although that wasn't why I liked them

[Rayge]

Just looked through, and of the 100, I or my fellow students/hooligan mates in 1974 owned, and I have definitely heard, 98 of those.
The exceptions, on both counts, are at 50 and 92.

[Rayge]

All these people who love the Clash and despise the Libertines. I can't see it myself, but then again I like the Libertines (although the second album was better than Up the Bracket and, as with the Clash, the best stuff was in the singles). I'm not here to defend them, btw – I wouldn't have them anywhere near a 100 albums either - just mildly surprised at the intensity of the stream of bile directed at their records (as opposed to their personalities)

[Ghost of Harry Smith]

I was 14 years old in an isolated town in the middle of nowhere when I got a three-month old "land mail" copy of the NME with that Top 100 list in it and I fucking loved it. It had lots of canonical stuff I'd never heard, as well as some noisy more left-field stuff and (particularly) lots of records by black musicians that I would never have come across in my day-to-day.

Having my taste guided into hearing John Coltrane, James Brown, Al Green, Parliament, The Isley Brothers etc. was much appreciated. So yeah the NME staff might have been all wearing slip-on loafers and listening to Sade and The Blow Monkeys at the time but at least they knew the history of black music.

So fuck the automatic disrespect for any list that doesn't include fucking Gentle Giant or Caravan or whatever. The only album on this list that even then looked dodgy as hell as a selection was Mad Not Mad. I'd also happily choose the second Suicide album over Armed Forces, The Scream, or Rattlesnakes.

[naughty boy]

Oh, me too.

Nice post!