1y ago

UK folks, if you could only listen to one album forever which album would it be?

I'm off on holiday tomorrow and will have basically no internet for over a week. So naturally I'm downloading all the media I can think of, just in case of downtime.

Thought it might be fun to solicit some musical suggestions from you lot to help expand my mind. So here we are. What's your ultimate all-time #1 album?

My tastes are pretty eclectic so feel free to suggest basically anything, and maybe I'll update after holiday and judge what I thought of them all. Or maybe not, you know, that sounds like potentially quite a lot of effort.

Cheers in advance!

mostly on the alternative / rock side of things but also love various kinds of dance sub-genre on occasion and of course the genre-that-isn't-a-genre-at-all, Eurovision

82 comments

Wish you were here by Pink Floyd

Underworld - Second Toughest in the Infants - beautiful music and very easy to listen to endlessly.

My "album I've listened to for nigh on 40 years" is Paul Simon's Graceland
Only album from my teenage years that never got old
- +1 for Graceland. For me it's 'Hearts and Bones'. Good on you for keeping the legends alive!
- @MrBlott @TeaHands
  I was at the concert at the Albert Hall in '86 (?). Amazing.
- Excellent choice if I do say so myself.

Mike Oldfield - Tubular Bells, probably my most enduring album (i.e. the one I've liked for the longest period of time while other tastes have come and gone).
- Of course, everyone goes through a Tubular Bells phase at some point. Some of us never quite grow out of it and I'm fine with that :D

One?!
You mean one from (almost) every year right? With the average scores from Rate Your Music for comparison? I never leave the house without mine.
/ Bob Dylan - The Free Wheelin' Bob Dylan (1963) RYM 3.95 / Bob Dylan - Highway 61 Revisited (1965) RYM 4.16 / Bob Dylan - Blonde on Blonde (1966) RYM 4.15 / The Velvet Underground - The Velvet Underground & Nico (1967) RYM 4.22 / Johnny Cash - Live at Folsom Prison (1968) RYM 4.13 / Neil Young - Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere (1969) RYM 4.04 / Neil Young - After the gold rush (1970) RYM 4.08 / Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin IV (1971) RYM 4.10 / David Bowie - Ziggy Stardust and The Spiders From Mars (1972) RYM 4.26 / Neil Young - On the beach (1974) RYM 4.08 / Neil Young - Tonight's the Night (1975) RYM 3.94 / Tom Waits - Small Change (1976) RYM 3.77 / Joy Division - Unknown Pleasures (1979) RYM 4.11 / Talking Heads - Remain in Light (1980) RYM 4.26 / The Smiths - Hatful of Hollow (1984) RYM 4.08 / Kate Bush - Hounds of Love (1985) RYM 4.16 / Tom Waits - Rain Dogs (1985) RYM 4.04 / The Smiths - The Queen is Dead (1986) RYM 4.12 / The Smiths - Louder than Bombs (1987) RYM 4.14 / Sonic Youth - Daydream Nation (1988) RYM 4.04 / Beastie Boys - Paul's Boutique (1989) RYM 3.93 / Sonic Youth - Goo (1990) RYM 3.80 / My Bloody Valentine - Loveless (1991) RYM 4.25 / Tom Waits - Bone Machine (1992) RYM 3.97 / Sonic Youth - Dirty (1992) RYM 3.70 / Portishead - Dummy (1994) RYM 4.16 / Manic Street Preachers - The Holy Bible (1994) RYM 3.82 / The Smashing Pumpkins - Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness (1995) RYM 3.88 / DJ Shadow - Endtroducing (1996) RYM 4.13 / Godspeed You! Black Emperor - F♯A♯∞ (1997) RYM 4.15 / Modest Mouse - The Lonesome Crowded West (1997) RYM 4.08 / Godspeed You! Black Emperor - Slow Riot for New Zerø Kanada (1998) RYM 4.16 / Tom Waits - Mule Variations (1999) RYM 3.86 / Godspeed You! Black Emperor - Lift Yr. Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven! (2000) RYM 4.21 / Avalanches - Since I Left You (2000) RYM 4.05 / Radiohead - Kid A (2000) RYM 4.25 / Deftones - White Pony (2000) RYM 3.96 / Daft Punk - Discovery (2001) RYM 4.05 / Destroyer - Streethawk: A Seduction (2001) RYM 3.72 / Johnny Cash - American IV: The Man Comes Around (2002) RYM 3.86 / Boris - Feedbacker (2003) RYM 3.99 / MF DOOM - Madvillainy (2004) RYM 4.33 / Wolf Parade - Apologies to the Queen Mary (2005) RYM 3.64 / Boris - Pink (2005) RYM 3.87 / J Dilla - Donuts (2006) RYM 4.11 / Tom Waits - Orphans (2006) RYM 3.88 / Destroyer - Destroyer's Rubies (2006) RYM 3.73 / Burial - Untrue (2007) RYM 3.98 / Animal Collective - Strawberry Jam (2007) RYM 3.81 / Radiohead - In Rainbows (2007) RYM 4.28 / Portishead - Third (2008) RYM 3.94 / Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavillion (2009) RYM 3.74 / Gorillaz - Plastic Beach (2010) RYM 3.82 / Death Grips - Exmilitary (2011) RYM 4.12 / Ty Segall - Goodbye Bread (2011) RYM 3.33 / Death Grips - The Money Store (2012) RYM 4.08 / Godspeed You! Black Emperor - Allelujah! Don't Bend! Ascend! (2012) RYM 3.73 / Deafheaven - Sunbather (2013) RYM 3.72 / Iceage - You're Nothing (2013) RYM 3.42 / Swans - To Be Kind (2014) 4.03 / Death Grips - Jenny Death (2015) RYM 4.01 / Danny Brown - Atrocity Exhibition (2016) RYM 4.13 / Radiohead - Moon Shaped Pool (2016) RYM 3.94 / Death Grips - Bottomless Pit (2016) RYM 3.91 / Li gua Ignota - Caligula (2019) RYM 3.77 / Sunn O))) - Life Metal (2019) RYM 3.38 / The Strokes - The New Abnormal (2020) RYM 3.73 / Lingua Ignota - Sinner Get Ready (2021) RYM 3.81 / Big Thief - Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe in You (2022) RYM 3.93
....sorry for the wall of text.
- Haha, I see this question unleashed something in you. Bit disappointed that it's not in the form of a spreadsheet though, tbh!
  Actually some really great picks in here, seems like we have similar tastes so this will keep me occupied for a while 😅
- you got a great taste in music man
- Some great picks from the 70s in here. I see some brilliant Neil Young's but not Rust Never Sleeps which is, depending on the day of the week, one of my favs.
  I went through a bit of a revaluation of some classic albums recently that I never invested the time in before, in part because of the Apple TV music doc about 1971. Of those I am especially addicted to
  Bill Withers - Just As I Am Aretha Live at Filmore West Janis Joplin - Pearl Led Zeppelin IV
  And not from that year but absolute classics and still hold up
  Elvis Costello - This Years Model Bruce Springsteen - Darkness on the Edge of Town
  An also on that list Talking Heads - Remain in the Light is still incredible

Linkin Park - Hybrid Theory!
- Oh lord. You're gonna have me relive the cringe of my teen years? How dare you!

Obviously impossible but probably Music has the Right to Children by Boards of Canada or Journey in satchidananda by Alice Coltrane
- "Music has the right " is my current go to album while working. Not a big Boards fan, but that album is perfect for background concentration.
  "Beaucoup Fish" from Underworld is my go to if I need a pickup while working.
  To answe OPs question, one album I could listen to forever, would be hard but a coin flip between Radioheasd In Rainbow, and Burials Untrue
- I love BoC but I think if that was the only thing I had to listen to I would genuinely go mad. Mad in the 'I keep hearing children talking to me backwards' sense.
  Their Beautiful House In The Country EP is up there in my favourites of all time

'Thick as a Brick' Jethro Tull.
More of a grower than an immediate album but, once you tune in, there's so much going on I never get bored.
- Seems like I'm gonna have plenty of listening time while we travel, so let's see how long it takes for this one to stick!

Hmmm, well there's one album that I've been listening to since I was about 16, so getting on for forty years. I've listened to it on headphones and hi-fi ranging from cheap to exotic, indoors, outdoors, in cars, every time of day and night, in every type of emotional state, tired, fresh, drunk, sober, straight and high on various narcotics, often at the same time. I've played it to many different people of different ages and backgrounds in different circumstances.
You'll probably hate it!
Tangerine Dream - Encore
Although I do love Hendrix' Electric Ladyland.
- You have me officially intrigued, good sir.
  You'll probably hate it!
  Let's find out!
  
  how did you like it?

I wouldn't listen to any album forever, but Porcupine Tree's Deadwing is great for listening to again and again.
- Ah wow yeah it's been a long time since I listened to that one, gonna take me right back.

If you want an album with a narrative Jeff Wayne's war of the worlds is pretty brilliant and so the 'the point'.
- Never gets old. We went to the live show in Glasgow last year and it was absolutely brilliant!

Master Of Puppets. Greatest pure metal album ever made.
- A classic for a reason!

Sorry - I can only narrow it down to three:
The Race For Space - Public Service Broadcasting
American Idiot - Green Day
Rumours - Fleetwood Mac
- Two great choices, and I assume from those that the Green Day album is good too lol, I'd stopped listening to them by that point I think. Fun fact we once saw Public Service Broadcasting live, completely by accident, they were just doing a random gig on a stage in Newcastle city centre. Was mint.
- Oh wow not listened to PSB in ages, thats my day's music sorted!

A coin flip between Radioheads In Rainbow, and Burials Untrue

Hex Enduction Hour by The Fall. I never understood the Fall until I heard this album... Mark E Smith's lyrics and voice range from vicious to eerie. I was sold.
I drunkenly insisted on playing its first song 'The Classical' on repeat on my stag do shouting "it's a grower! You'll get it this time! There's 2 bloody drum kits and the bass is great just listen properly!" (On a tiny Bluetooth speaker)
It is great though. Turn it up loud. If you don't like it the first time, just remember to bloody listen properly lol
- Haha I'll bear that in mind! We've all been That Guy at some point I reckon 😅
  
  Some more often than others...!

Daft Punk - Discovery
The Strokes - Is This It a close 2nd.
- I'm not from the UK but Discovery was going to be my choice as well.
  I never get tired of Iistening to it. And every song on the album is worth a listen.
  If you like Discovery, you'll probably love watching Interstellar 5555.
  
  The album is definitely something special. Every song is excellent but I've never really liked any of Daft Punk music videos and the Interstellar 5555 film is the same though.

Definitely Maybe by Oasis, not a single bad track and came out at the perfect time for me growing up while discovering my own taste in music.
- Hmm. Is this the moment I throw off the shackles of the Britpop wars and embrace Oasis despite being on team Blur back in the day? No it's not, that day came a couple years ago as I drunkenly sang along to Don't Look Back In Anger in a pizza shop at 3am with a load of 20 year olds. Never actually heard a full one of their albums though, good shout.
  
  (What's the Story) Morning Glory? is also a banger, again, not a bad track on there.

Placebo self-titled
- I was thinking about what my answer was to this question and came up with Without You I'm Nothing. Both excellent albums, though!

Obviously The Prodigy has to make the list.
- Very good call!

Paranoid by Black Sabbath

"Things We Lost In The Fire" by Low.
- Never heard of this, expect a review in about a week and a half :D
  
  I'm a massive Low fan, so I'd happily take any of their albums if I have to listen to one forever. They started off as the pioneers of "slowcore" but reinvented themselves over and over. Sadly Mimi Parker died in late 2022 and her husband Alan Sparhawk wound up the band, but their distortion heavy "Hey What" was a great finale.

Autechre NTS sessions. It's not my favorite album by any means. But it's 8 hours long so it'll take me longer to get bored of it.
- Cunning! Not sure I'll have that much time but you never know 😄

The Earth Is Not A Cold Dead Place by Explosions In The Sky.
Perfect for relaxing and concentrating. I basically have this and Deftones on repeat at work to drown out all the noise.
- Sounds perfect for a cruise ship full of squealing kids.

Disintegration, The Cure. Not only does it have some of their most beautiful songs on, the production is incredible.

Either Vaudeville Villain by MF Doom as Viktor Vaughn or Things Fall Apart by The Roots.
- Screw it I'll go find both.
  
  Let me know what you think please

One album forever? Tough one.
This might change after some thought, but the first one that popped into my head was Leftism by Leftfield.
However, my favourite band are R.E.M., so I might feel tempted to take one of theirs instead!
- I think Leftism could still pass for a new release. It, Massive Attack's Mezzanine, and GusGus' Polydistortion would be my top contenders, cuz that shit has not gotten old yet, for me.
  Out of Time by REM would be alright, too! If I can skip "Shiny Happy People," ugh.
  
  I'll need to check out GusGus then because I also love Mezzanine (although I prefer Blue Lines).
  For Athens' finest, I'd probably go for Lifes Rich Pageant. Or maybe Reckoning.

Hmmm difficult it would be between the Beatles and Queen for me

Three cheers for sweet revenge by My Chemical Romance. Absolutely perfect album in my opinion.

Chroma Key You Go Now is one I listen to from start to end, so that's the first thing that comes to mind.
Though maybe there would be some more intense thing to listen to piece by piece that would be more appropriate for what might be a really long time.
- Too late, gotta go with your gut. Answer locked in!

Something by The Rumjacks. I generally listen to them on the phone or computer, so I'm not sure which songs are from which albums.
On a more personal note, One By One, by Chris Summerill. He's a friend, but the track Away We Go is genuinely one of my favourite songs. Ideal for sitting in the sun with a beer 👍

Obviously an impossible ask, you fiend! Possibly either:
The Mountain Goats - The Sunset Tree
or
Aesop Rock - Skelethon
- The idea was by asking for only one each, it would keep the list manageable.
  This did not work.

Character by Dark Tranquility is definitely one of my favorite albums.
It's an amazing album and very nostalgic for me since it was one of the albums that got me into Melodic Death Metal, my favorite genre.

This one is hard, but currently I think I'd have to go with folklore or evermore by Taylor Swift, which I'm sure is going to be very different to most suggestions you'll get!
I'm not really a Taylor Swift fan, but her alternative / country albums from 2020 blew me away, as I'm very much about that style of music. Shame she went back to doing standard pop, I was hoping she'd continue that way.
- I have genuinely never heard a Taylor Swift album (am assuming I've heard individual songs but just not known they were her) so I'm quite excited to see what these are like!
  
  They're extremely different to whatever you imagine Taylor Swift to be, these are much more "lowkey" (for lack of a better term) and I think she pulls them off brilliantly, but compared to the rest of her discography nobody really talks about them as they're not really upbeat or radio songs.

If you haven't left yet, I would recommend: wake up and it's over - by Lovejoy
- that's not an album! that's an EP!
  that said, thanks for the recommendation

Appetite for Destruction - Guns N' Roses
Just over an hour of absolutely banging tracks, you start with the sound of siirens in Welcome to the Jungle and end on Axl fucking a woman in Rocket Queen which is also the best GNR song. My last car only had a CD player and this was a constant favourite. The only track that isn't a 10/10 is "Think About You" and even then it's still pretty fucking good.
- Can't argue with that.

Dream Theater - Train of Thought.
Yes, I know it's not their "best" album, but it's an album that I can listen to without skipping any song 100% of the time.

Forever? Would it matter? Because if it’s forever then you’ll just get sick of it and stop listening to it all together.
- You underestimate my love of repetition, clearly.

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