So, I've been seeing these "challenges" that have going around about art that has been influential in people's lives are going around again (with the newest one being movie-centric) and I thought I'd offer up some my choices. These aren't in any particular order, and are only numbered so that I can keep track of how many I've listed.
10: Hank Williams- 24 Greatest Hits: Williams, who died at just 29 as a result of his addictions, managed 35 singles that reached the top 10 of the Billboard country charts (including 11 number one hits) in a musical career that began when he was 13 years old. This collection, released long before the days of "The Complete (Whoever)"-type sets, serves as a great overview of his work.
9: The Mamas & The Papas 16 Greatest Hits: Much like the Hank Williams selection, this pulls together the heights of the group's output. Harmonies, lyrics, wistful longings all in 16 immediately recognizable tunes.
8: The Band Music From The Big Pink: Whether the songs were their own or their friends' (and, depending on who you talked to- whether they were a collaborative effort of just Robbie Robertson's), Music From The Big Pink set the stage for what was to come in the 70s (no, not disco)- a sound that paved the way to the careers of The Eagles, Pure Prairie League, Poco, and others, and influenced artists like Eric Clapton and George Harrison.
And seriously- The Weight is one of the best songs of the rock era.
7. LL Cool J Radio: Though I was a fan of songs like Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five's The Message and White Lines, Afrika Bambaataa's Planet Rock and others- Radio was the first rap album I bought, at the urging of a couple of high school friends. The songs are raw, emotional, and enthusiastic- and have held up quite well over time.
6. Talking Heads Stop Making Sense: Though I could almost choose any Talking Heads album as influential, Stop Making Sense- and the accompanying Jonathan Demme directed film of the same name- showcases the band at their most powerful.
5. Prince & The Revolution Purple Rain: Near perfection.
4. Louis Armstrong Golden Hits: Though it contains some lesser known songs from Armstrong's catalog, Golden Hits is a good primer for those who only know him from What A Wonderful World. Do yourself a favor, though- don't stop there. Check out his work with Ella Fitzgerald and the terrific Hot Fives & Hot Sevens collections, too. There's no such thing as too much Louis.
3. The Clash The Story of the Clash: A double album set that provides a retrospective of the band's time together, The Story of the Clash represents punk done right- smart, sarcastic, in-your-face, and musically brilliant- instead of noise.
2. Pink Floyd The Wall: I was no stranger to Pink Floyd, having an older brother who played Dark Side of the Moon practically on repeat when it was released, but I didn't understand what all the fuss was about. After all, I was only four when that album was released. By the time The Wall was built, though, Pink Floyd had evolved from being a prog rock favorite of stoners everywhere to a force who insisted you reckon with them.
The 1982 release also helped solidify to me that it wasn't just the music that could make a song a classic, and that intelligent, explosive lyrics could elevate a piece past standard radio fare and into the realm of classic.
1. Prince & The Revolution Sign O' The Times: If Purple Rain represents Prince at his most popular, Sign O' The Times gives us a Purple One not afraid to be funky, rocking, creative, and pushing the envelope beyond what we thought we knew about him. The fact that it's a double album with a weak track nowhere to be found is a testament to the brilliance of a man who knew exactly what he wanted to say and exactly how he wanted to say it.
Now, this isn't all inclusive of course. The Beatles, David Bowie, Tom Petty, The Star Wars soundtracks, Steely Dan, Blondie, The Eagles, Earth, Wind & Fire, Les Paul, Ray Charles, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Otis Redding, Sam Cooke, Buddy Holly, Soundgarden, The Police, Jimi Hendrix, Bob Dylan, Digital Underground, Frankie Goes To Hollywood, Fleetwood Mac, and countless others could've made the list.
Feel free to share yours with us.
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