Best introductory album?

dysan wrote:

Britpop, dude. When the world wanted to be in swinging mid-90s London.

Actually I was referring to both Grunge + Britpop

we got Superunknown, Nevermind & In Utero, Ten & Vitalogy, Dirt, Siamese Dream, Dookie, Weezer's Blue allbum, Parklife & Blur's self-titled epic, The Bends & OK Computer, Different Class, Definitely Maybe & Morning Glory, Automatic For The People, Achtung Baby.

Most if not all of the above - are today, classic albums. all released between 1991-1997. I'm sure I left out a few. Music after 1999 with the exception of White Stripes, Arcade Fire and Vampire Weekend, bombed.

The Real Wizard wrote:

dysan wrote:

Britpop, dude. When the world wanted to be in swinging mid-90s London.

True.

But I wouldn't call that a "movement" as much as artists from the same place with a similar sound.

Grunge had a singular thread - a coming of age, a learned cynicism, a fuck you to corporatization and what MTV did to popular music in the 80s. Music videos eventually became productions with budgets of small countries (and funded by the artist who also saw none of the ad revenue). Artistic vision was sold off to the highest bidder. A generation clued in, and they were pissed.

Fast forward a generation. Kids have a cell phone that can make pancakes by the time they're 8. They think everything is fine. That's why there is no grunge for the 21st century. Most kids have been bought off and don't realize how badly they need it. They have Nicky Minaj now.

It all started with Limp Bizkit, Spice Girls, Britney Spears & The Backstreet Boys. The beginning of the end.

That music like today's was like Bic razors. For fun, for modern consumption. You listen to it, like it, discard it, then on to the next. Disposable pop.

Who said that? lol

For someone who doesn't know much about QUEEN

Made in Heaven solid, melodic, easy listening with beautiful songs.

News of the world great album pure Rock

Any live album especially Rock Montreal or Live Killers

A Night at the opera

The Game

Sheer heart attack

QUEEN II

Innuendo

The works

Now for someone with some with open mind,

A Day at the Races
QUEEN II
Innuendo
A Night at the opera
Live at the Rainbow
Jazz

The Real Wizard wrote:

Jimmy Dean wrote:

I can see someone who grows up on Bieber and Beyonce being turned off by ANATO.

These seeds have to be planted early in life.

Never mind a rock band, I'm more sad that they will never be able to listen to Vivaldi or traditional Irish tunes and even recognize it as music. Miriam Makeba? Paco de Lucia? Nana Mouskouri? Ravi Shankar? Not a chance.

Grim this may sound, but this is from 15 years experience in teaching music to thousands of students. You have to get them early, or it's game over.

I believe this is true most of the times indeed. There's always going to be the exception on the rule, but I think you're right. Same goes for most forms of culture and art I suppose.

It certainly worked this way for me. They're probably not even aware of it but my parents fed me with both 50s 60s 70s groups/singers as well as all different types of other music (classical, folk, Irish traditional indeed, bits of opera, bits of jazz etc). When I look at my record collection, its main focus/foundation is exactly that. 50's onwards pop/rock/soul and a big chunk of all different types of other music on the side. I'll probably never be a huge jazz cat, but I do have a fair amount of Jazz records. Probably only because some version of 'Take Five' or some other classic was played every now and then when I grew up. Same for Bach, Vivaldi etc.

I was 8 when I first heard 'The Show Must Go On'. Of course a few months later Freddie died and Queen was all over the radio. Turned out my mom had 'A Night Of The Opera' on cd. That formed a really important foundation for my appreciation of the band. So by the time I discovered Queen II in the record store there was absolutely no way back.

I was a metal fan, still love the heavy stuff. My Introduction to Queen was SHA, Queen2 and Queen. For what It's worth. If the person is a proper rock fan or metal those are good albums to start with. This was 1988, so Metal in the 80's like Maiden, priest, Dio were writing mostly in fantasy music. Dragons, monsters saving human kind and Maiden with Eddie, so hearing Queen writing about Fairy kings, or Great King Rats....And Black Queens wasn't dated so much. For me it was a natural fit. Most Metal music is straight forward and typical guitar driven. What I loved when first giving Queen a proper listen was obviously the voice of Freddie and the guitar sound. Also, how diverse they were. Hearing Brighton Rock wasn't really different than the music I was listened to back then, pretty heavy. Then followed that up with Killer Queen. Then stoned cold crazy and leroy Brown. I only heard the hits at that point, but when I gave them a proper listen I realized how great they were. For their diversity alone.

^^ For me it worked exactly the other way around. Because I am a Queenfan I appreciate heavy metal. (and becasause I couldnt stop listening to Black Sabbath's 'Paranoid' when I was 6 or so haha.)

You mean Queen got you into heavy Metal? I could see that. They were pretty heavy at times, especially in 1974. Live they were a top 5 heavy band back then. Only a few were heavier.

Jimmy Dean wrote:

It all started with Limp Bizkit, Spice Girls, Britney Spears & The Backstreet Boys. The beginning of the end.

That music like today's was like Bic razors. For fun, for modern consumption. You listen to it, like it, discard it, then on to the next. Disposable pop.

Who said that? lol

Pop music has largely been crap since the 50s. There was only that one blip between ~1965-75 where most people listened to LPs, and most of the LPs were good. LPs and 45s were consumed by almost entirely different audiences. But then after a brief period of FM radio being experimental, they switched to playlists like AM and short singles became the norm again, and thus began the death of the LP.

If anything, today things are far better than they were 20 years ago, as the internet has opened everything up. Artists aren't beholden to record companies anymore, and there are literally millions of bands one can listen to.

The only real casualty is the idea of the classic album. Indeed, the last classic album most of us can agree on is OK Computer, and that was 1997. The classic album basically died because everyone under the age of 40 who doesn't consume mainstream pop has different musical taste now. It's not better or worse - just different.

Amazed no one has mentioned Sheer Heart Attack.

Side one is up there with side one of Pepper and Abbey Road.

Dr Magus wrote:

Amazed no one has mentioned Sheer Heart Attack.

Side one is up there with side one of Pepper and Abbey Road.

I did ! It was my second pick.

I did as well....the first side of SHA was my Introduction.

If you choose NOTW suggest they skip track 3. They dont need to hear that noise after the first 2 tracks...

The problem with SHA is halfway through the first song they'll think the rest of the band has stopped and the guitarist just carries on regardless BECAUSE HE IS BESTEST AND THIS IS HIS SONG. A new listener would just think they should've rehearsed better.

mooghead wrote:

If you choose NOTW suggest they skip track 3. They dont need to hear that noise after the first 2 tracks...

Noise? While SHA the song isn't an all time favorite of mine, I know plenty of hard rock fans who rate it highly.

dysan wrote:

The problem with SHA is halfway through the first song they'll think the rest of the band has stopped and the guitarist just carries on regardless BECAUSE HE IS BESTEST AND THIS IS HIS SONG. A new listener would just think they should've rehearsed better.

Nonsense! Don't take offense at my Innuendo, but you're favorite album is Hot Space right?