The greatest album of all time?

Question

I notice it's the 40th birthday of the Beatles' LP Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/itn/20070601/ten-the-greatest-album-of-all-time-ea4616c.html

As usual, it's being hailed as the greatest (or most influential) album of all time.

But is it really?! What would you choose?

Answer 1

LED ZEPELLIN II or IV. Can't decide.

Answer 2

It's not the Beatles album i listen to the most, that's probably Revolver, but i've listened to Sgt. Pepper a hell of alot over the years, it is, however, musically such a quantum leap that has inspired thousands upon thousands of musicians to this day, that it does stand completely on its own as a masterpiece, it has to be the greatest. To think they were all around 26/27 years of age and produced this towering work. With quite primitive recording techniques and equipment as well. They weren't the greatest technical musicians, but The Beatles genius and imagination sets Sgt. Pepper apart. A big mention has to go to George Martin, who enterpreted their various needs and realised them.
This is arguably the first concept album, the first gatefold sleeve, the first album to print lyrics on it, to give away little gifts (the cut outs etc). So many firsts. It seems light years away from Love Me Do, even though it was only 7 years. How many other groups have evolved so rapidly?? The Oasis comparison always makes me laugh, they still sound the same and they've been going longer.
The Beatles showed the way, constantly evolving, pushing the boundaries of possiblilty and Sgt Pepper is The Beatles on the top of the mountain. The vast majority of albums listed here would not have existed without Sgt. Pepper's innovations.....

Answer 3

I cannot see how "Sargeant Peppers...." can either be the most influential album, nor the greatest album ever. "When I'm Sixty Four" influential........... to whom! There are two exceptional songs on the album, namely "A Day In The Life" and "Within You Without You" which, in fairness, would probably make it a contender for the greatest 7" ever.

To address the question of the most influential album ever, is a compex one. Rules within the music industry, would appear to have been drawn up by middle class white **** rock worshipping musicians, hencely decreeing that an influential album must come from the sixties, and it pretty much needs to be from a white musician. If this timescale is applied Velvet Underground's "Velvet Underground & Nico" must surely take some beating for the most influential album ever. On an album to album comparison to, The Beach Boys won hands down in aspect of composition, and musical cutting edge advances throught the sixties. Bare in mind to that Brian Wilson not only composed and arranged, but also mixed and produced all the Beach Boys albums, whereas the Beatles had to bring in Specter to salvage "Let It Be", and George Martin to tidy up the others. If "Smile" had have been released during this frame, "Sargeant Peppers ...." would have immediately been recognised as an half arsed, clumsy, and perpetually sixth formesque composition, not allowing it to achieve such a misguided reputation from the onset, thus rendering any criticism of it as almost sacraligeous.
As for the greatest album of all time, this by its nature is even more difficult, largely for the above reasons. the very "guardians of **** rock iconography" have successfully negated all other genres from any other involvement. My Bloody Valentine's "Loveless" must be a fierce contender, having attempted to draw a line under the repetitious ad nauseum, of previous rock based 4:4 timings, by developing new techniques of playing, recording, and manipulating sounds to produce a post rock genre. Other contenders have to be Spacemen 3's "Playing With Fire", a soundscape of minimalist interactions inspired by their Dreamweapon experimentations. Frank Zappa's "Only In it For The Money" blends genres, socal and political commentary, and futurist musical progressions, at the same time the Beatles were teatering on the fence.
Which draws me neatly to the most influential and greatest member of the Beatles. Yoko Ono. And John Lennon well knew it.
And yahoos censoring of ****. Merely a male chicken that crows in the morning. How naughty of me!!

Answer 4

Now That's What I Call Music! 67 - surely........

Ignore that. I am SO kidding.

Really hard to say what is the greatest album of all time, because it's moronic to try to judge music on a one-dimensional linear scale like that.

I do like Sgt Peppers but Revolver, Abbey Road and the White Album are all superior offerings (to my ear at least)

I'm going to give Deep Purple In Rock a mention here because no-one else has yet, though there are plenty of other worthy albums mentioned.

Why DPIR? Yeah, it's got a few duff filler tracks on, for sure, and the musicians in Deep Purple Mk2 line-up aren't as technically gifted maybe as Led Zep or Pink Floyd (with the possible exception of Jon Lord).

But there are places where the synergy produces something greater than the sum of its parts. It's more raw and elemental than LZ, more chaotic, but there are some moments on that album that are sheer unequalled brilliance.

Great to listen to when burning up the fast lane....especially that first track.....probably got a few points on my licence thanks to that one!

Answer 5

Greatest album now? - Probably not.
Most influential? - I've heard many a famous musician / group talk about the significance of Sgt Peppers, how it changed the whole industry, standards, recording etc, how it INFLUENCED them to produce something, how they tried to match it or beat it. If that is the case and the Beatles motivated everyone else after them to produce their best music, then by definition it has to be the most INFLUENTIAL and in THAT sense the greatest album ever.
Personally I think the Beatles are the best band ever and I think Revolver is the best Album but who can ignore Rubber Soul, The White Album and Abbey Road? People always knock the Beatles but that's because we British people always like the underdog and we like to knock down the people who are at the top - we feel we have to bring them down a peg or two. But you can't argue with the facts - the Beatles are THE band and they they are the standard.

Answer 6

Is it **** the best album of all time! It's not even the best Beatles album! - the only good songs on it are:
1.Sgt peppers lonely hearts club band
2.getting better
3.within you without you
4.a day in the life

4 out of 13 doesn't impress me i'm afraid
Let it Bleed by the Stones is a flawless album, as it Sticky Fingers, Led Zeppelin 2 and 4, Raw Power & Funhouse by Iggy & the Stooges and Powerage & High Voltage by ACDC

Answer 7

The 'greatest' album will always be a matter of opinion, but I suspect that the most INFLUENTIAL would be something like the U.S. 'Meet The Beatles' album. SGT. Pepper made a big impact, but it didn't make people form bands like the Beatles' initial U.S. releases in early 1964.

I also think something like 'Revolver' has many more memorable songs than SGT. Pepper (both George & Ringo had / have largely dismissed the album as vastly overated).

Answer 8

Undoubtedly, unequivickaly the greatest most influential album ever, Satanic Majesty was released in a rush to cash in on Sgt Pepper, Brian Wilson stopped working on Smile because nothing could compete with Sgt Peppers. Basically it is the album that has influenced the most musicians the world over, many on otehr peoples lists have said that if it weren't for Sgt Pepper they wouldn't have made the albums they have.

Answer 9

How can any piece of music be held up as the "greatest". What defines greatness? Influence on other people? The amount of enjoyment it has brought listeners? Or the number of critics who were in their twenties when it was released, who are now pining after better times?
I'm sure when it came out it opened many peoples minds to something new and amazing. But since then there have been hundreds of groundbreaking albums in all different genres.
No one can quantify greatness, so it bothers me that popular culture is always pressured to choose things that are "the greatest thing ever".
I think it'd be better if we just said that 40 years ago, four guys from Liverpool made an album that millions of people loved, that was innovative and original at the time and that it is still very much liked today.

Answer 10

This is an exceptional album and ONE of the most influential around but in my mind not THE most influential. Early Elvis or Bill Haley probably were more influential as they really did change the way music was regarded. Sgt Pepper was just an extension of what had been happening albeit brilliant.
In my mind the greatest album of all time in the ock/pop area is Meatloaf Bat out of Hell.

Answer 11

I think you have to look at where the ideas for this album came from. Who was the big influence on the Beatles that helped them change direction? Dylan - I remember a article in Mojo about a Dylan and Lennon get together (under the influence of something) and also an article about the Beatles meeting Dylan for the first time. They would be the first to say that Dyaln helped influence their change in direction.

I think the greatest album (s) of all time belong to Dylan.

Albums like

The Free Wheelin' Bob Dylan
Street Legal
Blood On The Tracks.

I also have to say that Dark Side of Moon is also one of the best.

It's all subjective though!