Category: good tunes

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I feel almost guilty to include a Petty solo album as the first representation of his work on this here blog, but damn is this a good album. And considering how many of the Heartbreakers and the Traveling Wilburys appear on this album, it might as well be considered a group effort.

Every song on here probably could have been a single. Petty gets back to his roots on this album, with pop, rock and country leanings all over every song on here. Widely popular and critically acclaimed, this is some of his best work.

Mike B.

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Talk about a dope album…

OK, sorry for that horrible pun. When Dre’s debut solo record came out in 1992, it was an instant classic. This album brought all of the best parts of everything he had ever done together in one complete work. Track for track, I don’t think it was possible for him to make a better record. Even the skits are classic (“The $20 Sack Pyramid,” anyone?).

But more importantly, people will remember this one for the not-so-clean break from Eazy and Jerry, the formation of Death Row, the introduction of Nate Dogg, the breakout of Snoop Doggy Dogg, and 3 huge hit songs: “Fuck Wit Dre Day, Let Me Ride, and Nothin’ But A ‘G’ Thang.” Monster.

Mike B.

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Any album that influences the Beatles has to be good, right? This album is more than good, though… a truly inspiring work from the ever-more-reclusive Brian Wilson, and a total departure from the good times sound for which the Beach Boys were known. Another in a long line of truly great albums that received a luke -warm reception, “Pet Sounds” took 30+ years to go platinum!

All you need to know about this album are these 3 things:

1. George Martin said that “Sgt. Peppers” would never have been made if not for “Pet Sounds.”

2. “God Only Knows” might be the greatest love song ever recorded.

3. Brian Wilson named the album after Phil Spector, and cites “Rubber Soul” as the catalyst for the creative process that was recording “Pet Sounds.”

Any album that cites 60’s era (read: prime) Phil Spector and the Beatles as influences is probably better that 99% of whatever you are listening to… and this album is just that. Amazing record.

Mike B.

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In reviewing my first 40 or so posts, I was shocked to find that I had not yet included this album in my ever-growing list of “Music you should already own.” Shocked!

This album was a major indicator that hip-hop was not just some regional fad, but was in fact a commercially viable and important genre of music. Perhaps most well known for the hugely popular hit single “Walk This Way,” the album kicked open the door for hip-hop artists all over the world. The album peaked at #6 on the Billboard Charts and sold several million copies. I still know all the words to every song.

Mike B.

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I remember the day this album came out, because for the first time in my life I knew I needed to buy an album. I was still learning about the power of music, the importance of some music in history, and that there was more to life than classic rock and new wave (I was still about 2 years from really learning about hip-hop, funk and soul), but this album pushed me head-first into my love of music in a way that isn’t easily described…

And still, other albums, bands and songs have come along and obscured this one’s place in my personal musical development. Obscured, but never replaced. This one album really started it all for me. An amazingly solid record, front to back, that made U2 into the biggest band of an era, really. Look at just a portion of the track listing and see for yourself:

“Where The Streets Have No Name”

“With Or Without You”

“I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For”

“Bullet In The Blue Sky”

“In God’s Country”

“One Tree Hill”

Amazing… and still, only half of the album’s tracks. One of the best selling albums of all time from one of the best bands of all time.

And as I get ready to post, amazingly, the radio just started playing “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For…”

Mike B.