Top 200 Albums of All Time: Stevie Wonder

Stevie Wonder: Talking Book (1972)
Stevie Wonder entered his peak years when he released Talking Book. The album marked his artistic departure from Motown and featured guitarist Jeff Beck. He honed the record’s sound with keyboards and synthesizers. Wonder would be an artistic tour de force for the next decade.

Innervisions: Stevie Wonder (1973):
Stevie Wonder expanded his reach with Innervisions. Wonder did almost all the work on the album himself. The album touched on subjects ranging from the inner cities to love. The work dramatically influenced music for the next decade or more.

Songs in the Key of Life- Stevie Wonder (1976)
Stevie Wonder culminated his peak years with Songs in the Key of Life. The double album came about as Wonder considered leaving the country over its political direction. The albums took longer than expected to produce, so Motown Records used the delay to market the records with “We’re almost finished” t-shirts.

Top 200 Albums of All Time: S artists part III

Pretzel Logic: Steely Dan (1974)
Before Steely Dan essentially became a duo, they released their best album Pretzel Logic. The supporting tour would mark the last time Steely Dan appeared live for decades. Donald Fagen and Walter Becker grew disillusioned with audience response to their complex music and Steely Dan became a studio tour de force. Pretzel Logic went platinum on the strength of the lead single “Rikki Don’t Lose That Number.”

Aja: Steely Dan (1977)
Pretzel Logic went platinum, but Aja sold more copies. To date, it has sold over 5 million copies and became the subject of a VH-1 Classic Album documentary. In 2011, the Library of Congress added Aja to U.S. National Recording Registry for being historically important.

The Supremes: Where Did Our Love Go (1964)
The Supremes became the first act to have three #1s off the same album. “Where Did Our Love Go?”, “Baby Love”, and “Come See About Me” hit the top of the charts in succession. The album made the Motown sound mainstream while the Supremes were perhaps the only act to rival the Beatles in popularity.

Top 200 Albums of All Time: G Artists

Peter Gabriel: So (1986)


Peter Gabriel decided to take a more commercial approach when writing So. Despite recording several radio friendly hits and filming breakthrough commercially successful videos, Gabriel also continued his unconventional career. While “Sledgehammer” and “Big Time” reflect eighties pop music perfectly, “Red Rain” and “Mercy Street” are far from commercial.

Key Tracks:

Red Rain
Sledgehammer
Big Time
In Your Eyes

What’s Going On: Marvin Gaye (1971)

Marvin Gaye shed Motown’s restrictions on social commentary and created an album examining society itself. Since other artists tapped into social issues for inspiration, Gaye felt free to investigate and question. Motown boss Barry Gordy refused to accept the material. Gaye stood his ground and the album was eventually released. Gaye’s lyrics tackle poverty, the Vietnam War, injustice, and drug use. Stylistically, each song leads into the next and the work ends with a reprise.

Key Tracks:

What’s Going On?
Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)
Inner City Blues

The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway: Genesis (1974)

The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway is a double concept album about a Puerto Rican youth swept into the New York City underground to battle monsters in a quest to save his brother. Although the character is searching for his brother, he is also searching for himself.

Key Tracks:

The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway
The Carpet Crawlers
In The Cage

Abacab: Genesis (1981)

Genesis began as a progressive rock act. As the musical scene changed and members departed, the band moved toward a more commercial sound. The transformation began with their previous album Duke and continues into Abacab. As a result of their efforts, Genesis scored their first platinum selling album in America and four hit singles.

Key Tracks:

Abacab
No Reply At All
Man on the Corner
Keep it Dark

Dookie: Green Day (1994)

Dookie reintroduced many Americans to punk rock. The album’s popularity with radio friendly songs provided some controversy as many in the punk community believed the band sold out.

Key Tracks:

Longview
Welcome to Paradise
Basket Case
When I Come Around

American Idiot: Green Day (2004)

For a time, it appeared Green Day had faded. After some inspiration from the headlines, The Who, and some imagination, the band produced American Idiot. Ironically, the album was almost never made. Originally, they began work on another project when the masters were stolen. Rather than re-record, they decided to start over with a rock opera covering the story of an American anti-hero.

Key Tracks:

American Idiot
Jesus of Suburbia
Holiday
Boulevard of Broken Dreams
Wake Me Up When September Ends

Appetite for Destruction: Guns n Roses (1987)

With over 28 million in sales, Appetite for Destruction is the greatest selling debut in history. At a time in which radio was filled with hair metal and candy pop music, Guns n Roses provided an alternate vision. The dirty, gritty album describes descent into drug and substance abuse. The seminal album provided a jump start to rock music which lasted into the mid-nineties.

Key Tracks:

Welcome to the Jungle
It’s So Easy
Paradise City
Sweet Child o’ Mine
Mr. Brownstone

Use Your Illusion I: Guns n Roses (1991)

Although some of the early vinyl releases came together, Use Your Illusion I and II are not double albums. The band recorded so much material, they released two albums. Use Your Illusion showed an expansion in Guns n Roses’ music. They incorporated classical, blues, country, and progressive into their repertoire.

Key Tracks:

November Rain
Don’t Cry (Original)
Dust n Bones
Right Next Door To Hell

Use Your Illusion II: Guns n Roses (1991)

Use Your Illusion II debuted at #1 when released. The album was slightly more popular than its counterpart due to the inclusion of familiar radio songs. GnR’s “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door” received radio play for a couple years before release. “You Could Be Mine” appeared on the Terminator II soundtrack. Despite this, Use Your Illusion I is the stronger album.

Key Tracks:

Civil War
Yesterdays
Pretty Tied Up
Estranged
You Could Be Mine

Rock and Roll Worthy Acts Part II

Hall & Oates

Pro: White guys that had soul, very successful duo, tons of hits, influential in hip hop

Con: Cheese factor, from the 80s, more influential outside rock, may be too poppy

Richie Havens

Pro: Woodstock, Intensity, great live act

Con: Not really a rock artist, known for his covers

Heart

Pro: First girl hard rock band, influential, Ann Wilson’s voice

Con: They’re girls

Iron Maiden

Pro: One of the most important metal bands, showed metal songs could mean something

Con: There is a thin line between cheese and cool; also as a metal band, they don’t get respect

Jan & Dean

Pro: Popular act with classic songs, they pre-dated the Beach Boys

Con: People confuse them with the Beach Boys

Waylon Jennings

Pro: Like Haggard and Cash, more Rock n Roll than most Rock n Rollers, Buddy Holly’s bass player, was rock n roll during 50s, originator of outlaw music

Con: Mostly country which overshadowed his rock

Jethro Tull

Pro: Unique as they come

Con: Jazz flute’s for sissy boys

Judas Priest

Pro: See Maiden, plus Rob Halford’s voice is the best, the band’s story is awesome

Con: See Maiden

Ben E. King

Pro: Percy Sledge is in

Con: Seen as one hit wonder

Carol King

Pro: Great songwriter, James Taylor is in

Con: Not true rock, but came out of that singer/songwriter tradition

KISS

Pro: Lots of hits, Unique persona, known for their live shows

Con: Don’t sing about anything important, reputation as weak musicians, cheese factor, too capitalist for some voters

Kraftwerk

Pro: Unique and influential

Con: German!

Kris Kristofferson

Pro: Great songwriter (Me and Bobby McGee and Sunday Morning Coming Down among others)

Con: Seen as country

The Marvelettes

Pro: Motown’s first successful girl group, “Please Mr. Postman”, 23 Hot 100 Singles (9 in the top 10)

Con: There is no con. The voters and/or selection board are dumb

MC5

Pro: Hugely influential, one of the first punk bands, incorporated many styles, representative of the counterculture

Con: See the Marvellettes, may be too raw

Top 10 Acts NOT in the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame

The Rock n Roll Hall of Fame generally does a good job inducting acts. However, it does an even better job ignoring acts. Here are the Top 10 acts not already in the Hall of Fame:

The Clovers: They should have been inducted during the eighties. The Clovers formed in 1946 and were one of the first major vocal groups. They were the mold from which other groups modeled themselves. Their biggest hit, “Love Potion No. 9” came in 1959. It’s likely the voters don’t realize their history beyond that one song.

Your Cash Ain't Nothin' but Trash:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ddnDuR8QG-s

Alice Cooper: Cooper was a diverse artist known for his stage shows. He was one of the first to create a rock n roll villain figure and his stage shows were adventures. Cooper’s theatrics and body of work deserve inclusion.

Welcome to My Nightmare:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQE0pfBAYQ8

Deep Purple: Deep Purple is one of the most influential groups ever. They broke with “Hush” which bordered on psychedelic and created perhaps the greatest riff of all time with “Smoke on the Water.” This is a seminal act. Perhaps the billion lineup changes have hurt the band because they did not evolve with a set lineup operating on a single trajectory ala the Rolling Stones or Metallica.

Smoke on the Water (Live with all their lead singers):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2WX_4FNoto4


Emerson, Lake, and Palmer: They had a very short-lived mainstream period which undercuts their viability. Additionally, the voters don’t seem to know what to do with Prog rock. It took several tries for Pink Floyd and years for Genesis to make the hall. If the Hall decides to really look at the genre, then ELP (and Rush) will be quick inductees.

Lucky Man:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lRFpXPu_7wE

Darlene Love: I have written about her before. Love’s main work was not done under her own name. They need another category to get Darlene elected.

He's a Rebel:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LOU_uefqeXg

Red Hot Chili Peppers: They have not been eligible for long, so it should not be long before they make it. The early RHCP were innovative and different. They have several seminal albums and a large body of hits. On the other hand, many of their recent hits, all sound alike.

Under the Bridge:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lwlogyj7nFE

Rush: Where to start? They are immensely popular, but the band’s personality (mostly) avoids conflict and publicity. So, people forget them. Their musicianship is second to none and Neil Peart is one of the top three drummers of all time (Moon and Bonham). It is a crime Rush is not in the Hall of Fame. Maybe they don’t like Canadians.

Tom Sawyer:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7DFsBcVMDA

Ringo Starr: John, Paul, and George are all in as solo artists. Ringo had as many top 10 hits in the seventies as John and George combined. He's had as many #1 hits as John. Ringo probably suffers from his goofy personality and people don’t remember his resume.

It Don't Come Easy:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eUbntU2N7xY

Tina Turner: Tina is the Queen of Rock n Roll. She is in as part of Ike and Tina Turner, but belongs in as a solo artist which began in the seventies. Her story is compelling, her comeback is legendary, she is well respected and loved, and her hits are still played on the radio today. What gives?

We Don't Need Another Hero:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F1FPK5-Rm38

Mary Wells: Wells was Motown’s first solo star. She helped break Motown nationally and crossed racial boundaries. Some consider Mary Wells the originator of the “Motown Sound.“ Her signature hit, “My Guy” is a classic. Unfortunately, she died of cancer in 1992. As a result, she has been forgotten.

My Guy:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJ-qsGe96cw

#18 Stevie Wonder

Stevie Wonder was a star at 13. He billed himself as “Little Stevie Wonder” and was a novelty at first. However, he soon proved a gifted songwriter and is considered the greatest artist of the seventies. Between 1972 and 1976, Wonder released classic after classic. On top of this, he performed the majority of the instruments on his albums. One exception to this was when guitar god Jeff Beck was in town. Despite the fact his best work was in the early to mid-1970s, the late 70s to mid 1980s saw his greatest success. Ironically, his most successful single was also one of his weakest. “I Just Called to Say I Love You” went #1 in the U.S. and U.K. in 1984. The following year he performed on “We Are the World” with USA for Africa. Stevie continued to record into the new millennium. During the mid-90s hustle craze, Wonder’s “My Eyes Don’t Cry” supplanted the original 1970s Hustle by Van McCoy. Nowadays, he seems to pop out during presidential campaigns supporting Democratic candidates.

Rock n Roll Moment: During his most creative period, Wonder often played all the songs on his album except when Jeff Beck was available.

Essential Stevie Wonder:
Talking Book (1972)
Innervisions (1973)
Fullfillingness’ First Finale (1974)
Songs in the Key of Life (1976)

Stevie Wonder’s Top 10:
Higher Ground
You Are the Sunshine of My Life
Superstition
Signed, Sealed, and Delivered I’m Yours
Fingertips (Part 2)
Uptight
You Haven’t Done Nothin’ (w/The Jackson 5)
Master Blaster (Jammin’)
Sir Duke
I Wish

#19 The Supremes

The Supremes were Motown’s flagship band in the 1960's. The act is America’s most successful vocal group in history with twelve number one hits. At their height, The Supremes were nearly as popular as the Beatles. The Supremes laid the foundation and groundwork for subsequent all female groups. En Vogue, TLC, Destiny’s Child and others owe their success to the formula put forth by Motown’s Supremes. As the sixties wore on, Diana Ross began to receive the lion share of attention and soon became the headliner. This caused dissension within the group and within Motown as a whole. Ms. Ross left in 1970 and the Supremes continued on until 1977.


Rock n Roll Moment: Diana Ross and Barry Gordy dated for a time causing all sorts of problems. The Supremes were jealous of the relationship and it caused tensions. Other Motown acts, such as Martha Reeves (imagine that), also felt Gordy paid too much attention to The Supremes and not enough on them.

Essential Supremes:

Where Did Our Love Go? (1964)
More Hits by the Supremes (1965)
I Hear a Symphony (1966)

Supremes’ Top 10:

Where Did Our Love Go?
Come See About Me
Stop! In the Name of Love
I Hear a Symphony
My World is Empty Without You
You Can’t Hurry Love
You Keep Me Hangin’ On
Reflections
Love Child
Love is Here and Now Your Gone

#24 Smokey Robinson and the Miracles

Smokey Robinson and the Miracles defined the Motown Sound. They were the first major Motown act to break. Frontman Smokey Robinson went on to become one of music’s greatest songwriters and producers. The Miracles music encompassed doo wop, soul, R&B, rock, and disco and scored 16 Top 20 hits including two #1s (Love Machine and Tears of a Clown). Smokey left the group in 1971 and they experienced continued success. For some reason, Smokey was inducted into the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame in 1987, but the Miracles were excluded.

Rock n Roll Moment: Smokey and the Miracles wrote Ooo Baby Baby during an impromptu jam in the middle of a show.

Essential Smokey:
Hi! We’re the Miracles (1961)
Going to a Go-Go (1965)
One Dozen Roses (1971)

Smokey’s Top 10:

Shop Around
You’ve Really Got a Hold on Me
Ooo Baby Baby
The Tracks of My Tears
Going to a Go-Go
I Second That Emotion
The Tears of a Clown
Love Machine- Pt 1
Do It Baby
My Girl Has Gone