[Shaun]

Warning:
The following is a list of 100 albums compiled in a highly erratic and inconsistent fashion. All albums featured have been because I happen to be rather fond of them. I would not say these are the 100 greatest albums of all time, because that would be foolish.

Those of a nervous pop disposition should look away, since the poppiest this gets is a Madonna album around the #80 mark.

Compiling your own list will be incredibly painful, difficult and ultimately pointless.

The first ten to come once I've decided to cease praying to Allah for forgiveness.

[LemonJam]

suspense!!!

[Stu]

*sits cross legged on the floor in anticipation*

[Captain.Remy]

You started in French, you'll do it all in French, Shaun. I'll be watching you.

[Shaun]

good luck with that

[Shaun]

100. "Begin to Hope", Regina Spektor

The first on the list - I've included this on the merit of a handful of fantastic songs. There's "Fidelity", surely a candidate for the chirpiest song of the past decade. There's "Better", which features The Strokes' Nick Valensi on guitar. But it's mostly here because of "Samson" - without a doubt one of the most beautifully sad songs of all time.

99. "Eyes Open", Snow Patrol

Okay, I lose a wallop of credibility here but I'm not particularly bothered. Again, this is essentially a favourite off the back of about 5/6 songs I love. You're all familiar with the obvious (Open Your Eyes, Chasing Cars) but my favourite tracks are "Make This Go On Forever", a slowly-building belter that, at just under 6 minutes, isn't long enough - and "Set the Fire to the Third Bar", quite easily the stand-out track thanks to Martha Wainwright's guest appearance.

98. "American Pie", Don McLean

Mostly famed for the title track, which is of course an all-time classic, but contains many other great tracks. "Vincent" is a touching tribute to Vincent Van Gogh ("You took your life as lovers often do; But I could have told you, Vincent, this world was never meant for one as beautiful as you.") My favourite track is probably "Empty Chairs" though, a bleak interpretation of a breakup:

"And the fragrance of your flowers rest beneath my head
A sympathy bouquet left with the love that's dead"

97. "It's Not Me, It's You", Lily Allen

I feel a little bit sick putting this above lyrics like that but alas, I generally prefer this record. Aside from the single "Not Fair", which I view as an irritating splurge of crude lyrics, I find it packed with witty lyrics, strong pop songs and a nice representation of what I consider to be adolescent whining. She's often portrayed as a bratty attention-seeker but when she turns to romantic tracks like "Chinese" or self-motivation such as "I Could Say", she's actually got a bit of substance. LOL HATERS GONNA HATE GREG xo

96. "Gorgeous George", Edwyn Collins

I hadn't even heard of his music outside of "A Girl Like You" until last year - the track he's most famous for courtesy of a stupidly groovy tune - but this album took me by surprise. "Low Expectations" is a favourite - which is refreshingly disposed against the typical "THE WORLD IS YOUR OYSTER" belters - and other typically blunt lyrics (a highlight on "North of Heaven" being: "Some mothers talking about Guns N Roses / Like I give a ****, at best I think they suck"). "This music won't take you higher unless you're a moron".

95. "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy", Kanye West

It's only been out for less than a year so I could never put it particularly high - I might tire of it in a couple of years. However, the unique kind of self-flagellation, ego-bashing and theatricality behind some of these songs is genius - the audacity to sample King Crimson on "POWER", the extravagance in performance of "All of the Lights", but most of all the willingness to admit he's occasionally in the wrong ("Runaway").

94. "Back to Black", Amy Winehouse

Well once you've had your face photoshopped onto a record you have to include it in such lists, don't you? Many favour the debut, Frank, and I can see why - because this one's so in your face and with as much subtlety as a sledgehammer - but I feel this was more consistent.

93. "The Beatles (The White Album)", The Beatles

Stupidly inconsistent, daringly long, a sign of self-indulgence and lack of direction, a mishmash of conflicting personalities, evidence of decline and feuding - but in amongst all the chaos there's tracks such as "While My Guitar Gently Weeps", "Sexy Sadie", "Blackbird" and "Dear Prudence". More than enough to forgive "The Continuing Story Of Bungalow".

92. "Exodus", Bob Marley and the Wailers

Mostly for Side Two - Jamming, One Love, Waiting In Vain, Three Little Birds - and because everyone loves a bit of Bob.

91. "Loaded", The Velvet Underground

Most would of course pick the debut ("Velvet Underground & Nico") or the self-titled one a couple of years later, but I'm not particularly fond of either. I know it led to Lou Reed leaving, because of its radio-friendly nature, but if that hadn't happened we wouldn't have gotten 'Transformer' (oddly I haven't put Transformer on the list but still). "Sweet Jane" is my favourite track.

[GypsyGoth]

Regina Spektor

And I might download that Velvet Underground album, I've been meaning to listen to them.

[Locke.]

Kanye

[Doogle]

You could've just used google translate.

Nice list so far.

[Chuck]

Regina Spektor

[MeMyselfAndI]

No leona, bye

[Shaun]

cya.

[Shaun]

i cba to write up mini-bios for this round but here's the next ten:

90. "Queen of Denmark", John Grant


89. "Confessions on a Dance Floor", Madonna


88. "Fever to Tell", Yeah Yeah Yeahs


87. "Porcupine", Echo & the Bunnymen


86. "The Suburbs", Arcade Fire


85. "The Head on the Door", The Cure


84. "The ArchAndroid (Suites II and III)", Janelle Monáe


83. "Blood on the Tracks", Bob Dylan


82. "Scissor Sisters", Scissor Sisters


81. "Let's Dance", David Bowie

[Stu]

Bunnymen & The Cure .

[Shaun]

you'll be wanking me off later Stu, DM make an appearance

[Stu]

I'll do it now if you want .

[GypsyGoth]

[Beastie]

OMG.

Shaun are you related to Phil Collins?

[Shaun]

I have an uncle by the same name, but no

and no to Joan, Jackie and Michael of the IRA too. (although again, my dad was called Michael)
(and no, he wasn't "the other one" with Buzz and Neil either)

[Stu]

... does your family publish books then?

[Shaun]

you have no idea how new that joke is Stu. <_< I always thought "dictionary" jokes at primary school were a bit lame LOL but it's better than sheep jokes.

[Zippy]

Amy & Madonna

not happy bout the positions but..

[Beastie]

Originally Posted by Zippy

Amy & Madonna

not happy bout the positions but..

Better than nothing Hey Zipster

Hey Zipster.. I thought you was Harry for a moment with the Madonna avatar. lol

[Zippy]

Originally Posted by Beastie

Better than nothing Hey Zipster

Hey Zipster.. I thought you was Harry for a moment with the Madonna avatar. lol

Ive had loads of Madonna avatars, Beasty. Pay attention, gurl!


Shaun, is that your only Madonna album on the list? It is actually my fave tbh because of its consistency.

[Chuck]

Madonna, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Janelle Monáe, David Bowie and Scissor Sisters.