Wouldn't it be better to highlight some albums that are equally deserving of classic status, but remain underappreciated?
I find it interesting how attitudes to classic records of the first vinyl era changed from decade to decade in the 1970s, 80s and 90s.
The compiling of Classic Album lists (at least in the UK) began with the 1974 list of the 100 greatest albums voted on by the writers of the NME. Naturally, the list was heavy with albums from the mid to late 1960s. These were records that inspired so much of what has come after, especially the more adventurous sounds.
So number one was Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. No one doubted then that this was the high point of popular music. Sgt. Pepper changed not only the way people thought about music, but how they thought about albums. Right then, bands began to think much more seriously about what they were putting out. Concept albums, or at least albums with some kind of thematic heart, were the thing to produce.Dylan's Blonde on Blonde was number two in the 1974 list, the Beach Boys' Pet Sounds at three and The Beatles' Revolver at four.
By 1985, the post-punk hipsters had hijacked the NME listings, placing John Lennon's
Plastic Ono Band - a raw, vicious confessional of an album that sold poorly - at number 9, two places above arguably The Beatles best album, Revolver. Sgt. Pepper was nowhere to be seen. That was a massive shift and a rejection of the sixties generation of writers who established the NME as a must-read for teenagers in the 1970s. The list contains some great additions, but the choices became decidedly hipper than thou.
By 1993, the pendulum had swung back in favour of the 'classics', with Revolver up to Number 2 behind Pet Sounds and Sgt. Pepper back in at 33.
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| The albums banned from the '99 poll |
More interesting, perhaps, was the survey that appeared in The Guardian newspaper in 1999, that forced respondents to ignore the classics.
No Revolver or Sgt Pepper, no What's Going On or Astral Weeks, no Rumours, Thriller, Dark Side Of The Moon or Hotel California. 100 albums including classic Bowie, Joni's Blue, Never Mind The Bollocks, peak-Radiohead or Prince. All banned.
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| click to read the write-ups |
The result was a fresh, often startling and properly contentious list of really great records that would not have been on the radar of casual music fans.
At Number One? Nick Drake's terrific second album Bryter Layter, released in early 1971. Not a chance that was even considered for the NME's original 1975 list. The three albums Nick Drake released in his lifetime all failed commercially. Posthumously he become the cult artist par excellence and Bryter Layter is a truly great album.
The Guardian survey asked 'is Bryter Layter as good as Revolver or Pet Sounds, really?' 
The writer concluded, "It certainly deserves to be heard by as many people, as do the other 99 albums here."
The Guardian's 1999 alternative top 100 list still leans on a few staples, with the Beatles represented twice in the top 10, despite having seven of their albums banned. Almost half the albums in the list were released in the 1970s.
But this alternative top 100, which you can view by clicking on the pages here, does the job it was intended to do, said The Guardian, "opening up the thoroughly unfashionable for reinterpretation."
Personally, I think it's great to see the likes of Nick Drake, Todd Rundgren, Big Star, Jeff Buckley, Scott Walker and Laura Nyro celebrated in this way. Proving, as the report concludes, "there's an equally fantastic pop canon lurking in the shadows, behind the ones we all know and eulogise."
Below are listed the NME All Time Top 100 Album Lists from 1974 through to 1993.
NME Writers All Time Top
100 - 1974
1. Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band - The Beatles
2. Blonde On Blonde - Bob Dylan
3. Pet Sounds - Beach Boys
4. Revolver - The Beatles
5. Highway 61 Revisited - Bob Dylan
6. Electric Ladyland - The Jimi Hendrix Experience
7.
Are You Experienced? - The Jimi Hendrix Experience
8. Abbey 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
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. The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn - The Pink Floyd
22. My Generation - The Who
23. Crosby, Stills & Nash
24. The Rolling Stones - The Rolling Stones
25. Imagine - John Lennon
26. Tapestry - Carole King
27. Ziggy Stardust - David Bowie
28. The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan
29. Back In The USA - MC5
30.
Deja Vu - Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
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 (White album) - 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 Robinson & The Miracles
47. Strange Days - The Doors
48. Led Zeppelin 2 - Led Zeppelin
49. Otis Blue - Otis Redding
50. Stand Up - Jethro Tull
51. The Impressions - Big 16
52. Love - Forever Changes
53. Neil Young - Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere
54. James Taylor - Sweet Baby James
55. The Byrds - Fifth Dimension
56. Wings - Band On The Run
57. David Bowie - The Man Who Sold The World
58.The Mothers Of Invention - We're Only In It For The Money
59. Rolling Stones - Get Your Ya-Yas Out
60. Jeff Beck Group - Beck-Ola
61. Iggy & The Stooges - Raw Power
62. Beach Boys - Smiley Smile
63. Van Morrison - Astral Weeks
64. Velvet Underground - Loaded
65. Aretha Franklin - Greatest Hits
66. The Beatles - With The Beatles
67. Joni Mitchell - Blue
68. The Mothers Of Invention - Freak Out
69. Neil Young - After The Gold Rush
70. Stephen Stills
71. Johnny Winter And
72. Joe Cocker - With A Little Help From My Friends
74. Van Morrison - Moondance
75. Todd Rundgren - A Wizard, A True Star
76. John Lennon - Plastic Ono Band
77. Jefferson Airplane - Crown Of Creation
78. The Doors - L.A. Woman
79. Sly & The Family Stone - There's A Riot Going On
81. Country Joe & The Fish - Electric Music For The Mind & Body
82. Robert Johnson - King Of The Delta Blues Singers
83. Best Of The Beach Boys Volume 1
84. Joni Mitchell - Song For A Seagull
85.
John Mayall's Bluesbreakers - with Eric Clapton
86. Traffic - Mr Fantasy
87. Bob Dylan - Bringing It All Back Home
88. Elvis Presley - Greatest Hits Volume 2
89. Velvet Underground - 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. Stevie Wonder - Music Of The Mind
95. Roxy Music - Stranded
96. Beach Boys - Surf's Up
97. Randy Newman - 12 Songs
98. Spirit - 12 Dreams Of Dr Sardonicus
99. Steve Miller Band – Sailor
100. Mike Oldfield - Tubular Bells
NME Writers All Time 100 Albums - First Published On 30th November 1985
1. What’s Going On - Marvin Gaye (1971)
2. Astral Weeks - Van Morrison (1968)
3. Highway 61 Revisited - Bob Dylan (1965)
4. The Clash - The Clash (1977)
5. Marquee Moon - Television (1977)
6. Swardfishtrombones - Tom Waits (1983)
7. The Band - The Band (1969)
8. Blonde On Blonde - Bob Dylan (1966)
9. Plastic Ono Band - John Lennon (1970)
10. Unknown Pleasures - Joy Division (1979)
11. Revolver - The Beatles (1966)
12. The Sun Collection - Elvis Presley (1975)
13. Never Mind The Bollocks, Here's The Sex Pistols (1977)
14. Forever Changes - Love (1967)
15. Low - David Bowie (1977)
16. The Velvet Underground And Nico - The Velvet Underground (1967)
17. Solid Gold - James Brown (1977)
18. Horses - Patti Smith (1975)
19. Live And Lowdown At The Apollo - James Brown (1962)
20. Pet Sounds - The Beach Boys (1966)
21. Kind Of Blue - Miles Davis (1959)
22. Bringing It All Back Home - Bob Dylan (1965)
23. Otis Blue - Otis Redding (1966)
24. The Doors - The Doors (1967)
25. Exile On Main Street - The Rolling Stones (1972)
26. Anthology - The Temptations (1974)
27. Greatest Hits - Aretha Franklin (1977)
28. Are You Experienced - The Jimi Hendrix Experience (1967)
29. The Modern Dance - Pere Ubu (1978)
30. King Of The Delta Blues Singers - Robert Johnson (1972)
31. Imperial Bedroom - Elvis Costello & The Attractions
32. Anthology - Smoky Robinson And The Miracles (1974)
33. The Beatles - The Beatles (1968)
34. Searching For The Young Soul Rebels - Dexys Midnight Runners (1980)
35. White Light/White Heat - The Velvet Underground (1968)
36. Young Americans - David Bowie (1975)
37. The Poet - Bobby Womack (1982)
38. Trans-Europe Express - Kraftwerk (1977)
39. Darkness On The Edge Of Town - Bruce Springsteen (1979)
40. This Years Model - Elvis Costello & The Attractions (1978)
41. Another Green World - Eno (1975)
42. Trout Mask Replica - Captain Beefheart & The Magic Band (1969)
43. The Man Machine - Kraftwerk (1978)
44. The Mothership Connection - Parliament (1975)
45. The Cream Of Al Green - Al Green (1980)
46. Let’s Get It On - Marvin Gaye (1973)
47. There’s A Riot Going On - Sly And The Family Stone (1971)
48. Rocket To Russia - The Ramones (1977)
49. Greatest Hits - Sly And The Family Stone (1970)
50. Big 16 - The Impressions (1965)
51. Blood On The Tracks - Bob Dylan (1974)
52. Alan Vega/Martin Rev - Suicide (1980)
53. Another Music In A Different Kitchen - Buzzcocks (1978)
54. Closer - Joy Division (1980)
55. Mad Not Mad - Madness (1985)
56. For Your Pleasure - Roxy Music (1973)
57. The Scream - Siouxsie & The Banshees (1980)
58. The Harder They Come - Soundtrack featuring Jimmy Cliff
59. Entertainment! - Gang Of Four (1980)
60. The Velvet Underground - The Velvet Underground (1969)
61. 3+3 - The Isley Brothers (1973)
62. The Hissing Of Summer Lawns - Joni Mitchell (1975)
63. “Heroes” - David Bowie (1977)
64. Meat Is Murder - The Smiths (1985)
65. Station To Station - David Bowie (1976)
66. Clear Spot - Captain Beefheart And The Magic Band (1972)
67. Get Happy! - Elvis Costello & The Attractions (1980)
68. Fear Of Music - Talking Heads (1979)
69. Lust For Life - Iggy Pop (1977)
70. Berlin - Lou Reed (1973)
71. 20 Greatest Hits - Buddy Holly & The Crickets (1967)
72. Music From Big Pink - The Band (1968)
73. Hard Day’s Night - The Beatles (1964)
74. Roxy Music - Roxy Music (1972)
75. Leave Home - The Ramones (1977)
76. A Love Supreme - John Coltrane (1957)
77. Golden Decade Vol 1 - Chuck Berry (1972)
78. The Very Best Of.. - Jackie Wilson
79. In A Silent Way - Miles Davis (1969)
80. Stranded - Roxy Music (1973)
81. Talking Heads ‘77 - Talking Heads (1977)
82. The Correct Use Of Soap - Magazine (1980)
83. Born In The USA - Bruce Springsteen (1983)
84. Court And Spark - Joni Mitchell (1974)
85. Strange Days - The Doors (1967)
86. More Songs About Buildings And Food - Talking Heads (1978)
87. L.A. Woman - The Doors (1971)
88. Chess Masters - Howling Wolf (1981)
89. Armed Forces - Elvis Costello & The Attractions (1979)
90. Steve McQueen - Prefab Sprout (1985)
91. Paris 1919 - John Cale (1973)
92. Forward Onto Zion - The Abyssinians (1977)
93. My Aim Is True - Elvis Costello (1977)
94. Rattlesnakes - Lloyd Cole & The Commotions (1984)
95. Best Of - The Beach Boys (1968)
96. King Tubbys Meets The Rockers Uptown - Augustus Pablo (1976)
97. Rubber Soul - The Beatles (1965)
98. Suicide - Suicide (1977)
99. The Undertones - The Undertones (1979)
New Musical Express Writers Top 100 Albums - Published 2nd October 1993
1. Pet Sounds - The Beach Boys (Capitol, 1966)
2. Revolver - The Beatles (Parlophone, 1966)
3. Never Mind The Bollocks - The Sex Pistols (Virgin, 1977)
4. What's Going On - Marvin Gaye ( Tamla Motown, 1971)
5. The Stone Roses (Silvertone, 1989)
6. The Velvet Underground & Nico ( Verve, 1967)
7. London Calling - The Clash (Cbs, 1979)
8. The Beatles White album (Apple, 1968)
9. It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back - Public Enemy (Def Jam, 1988)
10. The Queen Is Dead - The Smiths (Rough Trade, 1986)
11. Exile On Main Street - The Rolling Stones (Rolling Stones,1972)
12. Nevermind - Nirvana (Geffen, 1991)
13. The Clash (Cbs, 1977)
14. Highway 61 Revisited - Bob Dylan (Columbia, 1965)
15. Astral Weeks - Van Morrison (Warners, 1968)
16. Sign 'O' The Times - Prince (Paisley Park, 1987)
17. Blonde On Blonde - Bob Dylan (Columbia, 1966)
18. Forever Changes - Love (Elektra, 1968)
19. Three Feet High And Rising - De La Soul (Big Life 1989)
20. Closer - Joy Division (Factory, 1980)
21. Screamadelica - Primal Scream (Creation, 1991)
22. Let It Bleed - The Rolling Stones (Decca, 1969)
23. Automatic For The People - REM ( Wea, 1992)
24. The Elvis Presley Sun Collection (Rca, 1975)
25. The Doors (Elektra, 1967)
26. Marquee Moon - Television (Elektra 1977)
27. Psychocandy - Jesus & Mary Chain (Blanco Y Negro, 1985)
28. Blue - Joni Mitchell (Reprise 1972)
29. Are You Experienced? - The Jimi Hendrix Experience ( Track 1967)
30. Live At The Apollo - James Brown (London 1963)
31. Horses - Patti Smith (Arista 1975)
32. Innervisions - Stevie Wonder (Tamla Motown 1973)
33. Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Band - The Beatles ( Parlophone, 1967)
34. Songs For Swinging Lovers - Frank Sinatra (Capitol 1955)
35. Otis Blue - Otis Redding (Atco 1966)
36. A Love Supreme - John Coltrane (Impulse 1967)
37. Fear Of A Black Planet - Public Enemy (Def Jam 1990)
38. Hunky Dory - David Bowie (Rca 1971)
39. Blood And Chocolate- Elvis Costello & The Attractions (Imp 1986)
40. Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars - David Bowie (Rca 1972)
41. Hatful Of Hollow - The Smiths (Rough Trade 1984)
42. Technique - New Order (Factory 1989)
43. Unknown Pleasures - Joy Division (Factory 1979)
44. Surfer Rosa - Pixies (4AD 1985)
45. Adventures Beyond The Ultraworld - The Orb ( Wau Mr Modo1991)
46. Surf's Up - The Beach Boys (Stateside 1971)
47. Lust For Life - Iggy Pop (RCA 1977)
48. Bringing It All Back Home - Bob Dylan (Cbs 1965)
49. Warehouse: Songs And Stories - Husker Du ( Warners 1987)
50. Low-Life - New Order (Factory 1985)
51. Heaven Up Here - Echo And The Bunnymen (Korova 1987)
52. Parallel Lines - Blondie (Chrysalis 1978)
53. Grievous Angel - Gram Parsons (Reprise 1974)
54. Dusty In Memphis - Dusty Springfield (Philips, 1969)
55. Transformer - Lou Reed (RCA 1973)
56. Led Zeppelin IV (Atlantic. 1971)
57. All Mod Cons - The Jam (Polydor 1978)
58. The Velvet Underground (Mgm 1969)
59. We’re Only In It For The Money - Mothers Of Invention ( Mgm 1967)
60. Harvest - Neil Young (1972)
61. Scott - Scott Walker (Philips 1967)
62. The Stooges (Elektra 1969)
63. Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere - Neil Young (Reprise 1969)
64. Rubber Soul - The Beatles (Parlophone 1967)
65. Greatest Hits - Aretha Franklin (Atlantic 1971)
66. After The Goldrush - Neii Young (Reprise, 1970)
67. Low - David Bowie ( Rca, 1977)
68. Remain In Light - Talking Heads (Sire, 1980)
69. Marcus Garvey - Burning Spear (Island, 1975)
70. Raindogs - Tom Waits (Island, 1985)
71. Dry - PJ Harvey ( Too Pure, 1992)
72. The Smiths (Rough Trade, 1984)
73. Lazer-Guided Melodies - Spiritualized (Dedicated, 1992)
74. Five Leaves Left - Nick Drake (Island, 1969)
75. Clear Spot - Captain Beefheart (Reprise, 1972)
76. 16 Lovers Lane - The Go-Betweens (Beggars Banquet, 1988)
77. Pink Flag - Wire (Harvest, 1977)
78. Natty Dread - Bob Marley (Island, 1975)
79. Sound Affects - The Jam (Polydor 1980)
80. Slster - Sonic Youth (Blast First 1987)
81. The White Room - The KLF (Klf Communications, 1991)
82. Junkyard - The Birthday Party (4ad, 1982)
83. The Kick Inside - Kate Bush (Emi 1978)
84. Searching For The Young Soul Rebels - Dexy's Midnight Runners (Parlophone, 1980)
85. Blood On The Tracks - Bob Dylan (Cbs, 1975)
86. Rum, Sodomy & The Lash - The Pogues (Stiff, 1985)
87. Give 'Em Enough Rope - The Clash (Cbs, 1978)
88. King Of America - Costello Show (F-Beat, 1986)
89. Talking With The Taxman About Poetry - Billy Bragg (Go! Discs, 1986)
90. Third/Sister Lovers - Big Star (Ardent, 1978)
91. Like A Prayer - Madonna (Sire 1959)
92. Reading, Writing And Arithmetic - The Sundays (Rough Trade, 1990)
93. Off The Wall - Michael Jackson (Epic 1979)
94. Tonight's The Night - Neil Young (Reprise, 1975)
95. This Nation's Saving Grace - The Fall ( Beggars Banquet 1985)
96. Metal Box - PIL ( Virgin 1979)
97. Blue Lines - Massive Attack (Wild Bunch, 1991)
98. Younger Than Yesterday - The Byrds (Cbs 1967)
99. Who's Next? - The Who ( Track 1971)
100. Happy Mondays - Bummed.