Although this factor is important in the ranking of The Top 100 Albums of All-Time in the Rock Era*, as you can see, it is nowhere near the way it turned out. The message is that each factor is important in doing such a ranking--you don't want to rely too much on one thing, but you can't discount it either. In other words, if one album sold 30 million copies and another album sold 1, no rational person would say that the lower-selling album was better, but if one sold 15 million and the other sold 12 million but won eight Grammy Awards and six tracks still get considerable airplay today, you have to assimilate all that information before you issue the rankings and the one which sold the most isn't necessarily the top one.
As promised, here is the ranking of The Top 100 Albums by Track Rating*, which essentially measures how consistent the album is and rates each song compared to the best-ever track in that genre.
1. Songs in the Key of Life by Stevie Wonder
2. Days of Future Passed by the Moody Blues
3. Rumours by Fleetwood Mac
4. Boston by Boston
5. Breakfast in America by Supertramp
6. Cosmo's Factory by Creedence Clearwater Revival
7. "Magical Mystery Tour" Soundtrack by the Beatles
8. Listen Without Prejudice by George Michael
9. Night Moves by Bob Seger
10. Bridge Over Troubled Water by Simon & Garfunkel
11. Bad Company by Bad Company
12. Shepherd Moons by Enya
13. Tapestry by Carole King
14. Scenes From the Southside by Bruce Hornsby & the Range
15. Getz/Gilberto by Stan Getz & Joao Gilberto
16. Learning to Crawl by the Pretenders
17. Led Zeppelin IV by Led Zeppelin
18. The Stranger by Billy Joel
19. Stranger in Town by Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band
20. Hysteria by Def Leppard
21. Equinox by Styx
22. The Long Run by the Eagles
23. A Hard Day's Night by the Beatles
25. Invisible Touch by Genesis
26. Rapture by Anita Baker
27. A Song for You by the Carpenters
28. Abbey Road by the Beatles
29. Amplified Heart by Everything But the Girl
30. Different Light by the Bangles
31. Mariah Carey by Mariah Carey
32. Room for Squares by John Mayer
33. Tusk by Fleetwood Mac
34. Winelight by Grover Washington, Jr.
35. Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy by Elton John
36. Crimes of Passion by Pat Benatar
37. Ropin' the Wind by Garth Brooks
38. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band by the Beatles
39. Wilson Phillips by Wilson Phillips
40. 4 by Foreigner
41. In Through the Out Door by Led Zeppelin
42. Make it Big by Wham!
43. Midnight in San Juan by Earl Klugh
44. Cars by the Cars
45. Come Away With Me by Norah Jones
46. Like a Virgin by Madonna
47. Phoenix by Dan Fogelberg
48. The Album by ABBA
49. Thriller by Michael Jackson
50. Against the Wind by Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band
51. An Innocent Man by Billy Joel
52. Can't Slow Down by Lionel Richie
53. IV by Toto
54. Main Course by the Bee Gees
55. Whitney Houston by Whitney Houston
56. Heart in Motion by Amy Grant
57. Scarecrow by John Mellencamp
58. Arrival by ABBA
59. Falling Into You by Celine Dion
60. Jagged Little Pill by Alanis Morissette
61. Diamond Life by Sade
62. Get Lucky by Loverboy
63. Guilty by Barbra Streisand
64. Hotel California by the Eagles
65. Abraxas by Santana
66. Bookends by Simon & Garfunkel
67. Deja Vu by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
68. Fulfillingness' First Finale by Stevie Wonder
69. Head Games by Foreigner
70. Music Box by Mariah Carey
71. Silk Degrees by Boz Scaggs
72. Volume One by Travling Wilburys
73. Fleetwood Mac by Fleetwood Mac
74. Pieces of You by Jewel
75. A New World Record by ELO
76. Back in the High Life by Steve Winwood
77. Bad by Michael Jackson
78. Bayou Country by Creedence Clearwater Revival
79. Born in the U.S.A. by Bruce Springsteen
80. Frampton Comes Alive! by Peter Frampton
81. Innervisions by Stevie Wonder
82. Jon Secada by Jon Secada
83. Like a Prayer by Madonna
84. Rubber Soul by the Beatles
85. The End of the Innocence by Don Henley
86. Venus and Mars by Paul McCartney & Wings
87. What's Going On by Marvin Gaye
88. Willy & the Poor Boys by Creedence Clearwater Revival
89. Slippery When Wet by Bon Jovi
90. Back in Black by AC/DC
91. Brand New Man by Brooks & Dunn
92. Double Vision by Foreigner
93. In Pieces by Garth Brooks
94. In the Heat of the Night by Pat Benatar
95. "Purple Rain" Soundtrack
96. Repeat Offender by Richard Marx
97. Roll the Bones by Rush
98. Starland Vocal Band by Starland Vocal Band
99. There Goes Rhymin' Simon by Paul Simon
100. Tracy Chapman by Tracy Chapman
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Hits List: Elvis Presley
Throughout my life, and no matter what I thought of Elvis Presley's music (I've become more of a fan the more the years go by...), I have always been struck by the shear volume, the incredible number of hits that the man had. No one has come close to the number of hits--he still holds that Rock Era record and likely will for decades at least. Here is the complete Hits List* for the King--
1956: "Heartbreak Hotel" (#1 for eight weeks)
"I Was the One" (#19)
"Blue Suede Shoes" (#20)
"Money Honey" (#76)
"I Want You, I Need You, I Love You" (#1 for 1 week)
"My Baby Left Me" (#31)
"Don't Be Cruel" (#1 for 11 weeks)
"Hound Dog" (#1 for 11 weeks)
"Blue Moon" (#55)
"I Don't Care if the Sun Don't Shine" (#55)
"Love Me Tender" (#1 for 5 weeks)
"Anyway You Want Me (That's How I Will Be)" (#20)
"Love Me" (#2 for 2 weeks)
"When My Blue Moon Turns To Gold Again" (#19)
"Paralyzed" (#59)
"Old Shep" (#47)
"Poor Boy" (#24)
1957: "Too Much" (#1 for 3 weeks)
"Playing for Keeps" (#21)
"All Shook Up" (#1 for 9 weeks)
"That's When Your Heartaches Begin" (#58)
"(There'll Be) Peace in the Valley (For Me) (#25)
"(Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear" (#1 for 7 weeks)
"Loving You" (#20)
"Jailhouse Rock" (#1 for 7 weeks)
"Treat Me Nice" (#18)
1958: "Don't" (#1 for 5 weeks)
"I Beg of You" (#8)
"Wear My Ring Around Your Neck" (#2 for 1 week)
"Doncha' Think It's Time" (#15)
"Hard Headed Woman" (#1 for 2 weeks)
"Don't Ask Me Why" (#25)
"One Night" (#4)
"I Need Your Love Tonight" (#4)
"A Big Hunk O' Love" (#1 for 2 weeks)
1960: "Stuck On You" (#1 for 4 weeks)
"Fame and Fortune" (#17)
"It's Now or Never" (#1 for 5 weeks)
"A Mess of Blues" (#32)
"Are You Lonesome Tonight?" (#1 for 6 weeks)
"I Gotta' Know" (#20)
1961: "Surrender" (#1 for 2 weeks)
"Lonely Man" (#32)
"Flaming Star" (#14)
"I Feel So Bad" (#5)
"Wild in the Country" (#26)
"(Marie's the Name) His Latest Flame" (#4, #2 for 2 weeks on the Easy Listening chart)
"Little Sister" (#5)
1962: "Can't Help Fallin' in Love" (#2 for 1 week, #1 for 6 weeks on Easy Listening chart)
"Rock-A-Hula Baby" (#23)
"Good Luck Charm" (#1 for 2 weeks)
"Anything That's Part of You" (#6 Easy Listening)
"Follow That Dream" (#15, #5 Easy Listening)
"She's Not You" (#5, #2 for 2 weeks Easy Listening)
"Just Tell Her Jim Said Hello" (#55)
"King of the Whole Wide World" (#30)
"Return to Sender" (#2 for 5 weeks)
"Where Do You Come From" (#99)
1963: "One Broken Heart for Sale" (#11)
"They Remind Me Too Much of You" (#53)
"(You're the) Devil in Disguise" (#3)
"Bossa Nova Baby" (#8)
"Witchcraft" (#32)
1964: "Kissin' Cousins" (#12)
"It Hurts Me" (#29)
"Kiss Me Quick" (#34)
"What'd I Say" (#21)
"Viva Las Vegas" (#29)
"Viva Las Vegas", from EP (#92)
"Such a Night" (#16)
"Ask Me" (#12)
"Ain't That Loving You Baby" (#16)
"Blue Christmas"
1965: "Do the Clam" (#21)
"Crying in the Chapel" (#3, #1 for 7 weeks Easy Listening)
"(Such An) Easy Question" (#11, #1 for 2 weeks Easy Listening)
"It Feels So Right" (#55)
"Tickle Me", from EP (#70)
"I'm Yours" (#11, #1 for 3 weeks Easy Listening)
"Puppet On a String" (#14, #3 Easy Listening)
1966: "Tell Me Why" (#33)
"Blue River" #95)
"Frankie and Johnny" (#25, #3 Easy Listening)
"Please Don't Stop Loving Me" (#45)
"Love Letters" (#19, #38 Easy Listening)
"Spinout" (#40)
"All That I Am" (#41, #9 Easy Listening)
"If Every Day Was Like Christmas"
1967: "Indescribably Blue" (#33)
"Long Legged Girl (With the Short Dress On)" (#63)
"That's Someone You Never Forget" (#92)
"There's Always Me" (#56)
"Judy" (#78)
"Big Boss Man" (#38)
"You Don't Know Me" (#44, #34 Easy Listening)
1968: "Guitar Man" (#43)
"Stay Away" (#67)
"You'll Never Walk Alone" (#90)
"Let Yourself Go" (#71)
"Your Time Hasn't Come Yet, Baby" (#72)
"A Little Less Conversation" (#69)
"Almost in Love" (#95)
1969: "If I Can Dream" (#12)
"Memories" (#35, #7 Easy Listening)
"In the Ghetto" (#3, #8 Easy Listening)
"Clean Up Your Own Back Yard" (#35, #7 Easy Listening)
"Suspicious Minds" (#1 for 1 week, #4 Easy Listening)
1970: "Don't Cry Daddy" (#6, #3 Easy Listening)
"Rubberneckin'"
"Kentucky Rain" (#16, #3 Easy Listening)
"The Wonder of You" (#9, #1 for 1 week Easy Listening)
"Mama Liked the Roses"
"I've Lost You" (#32, #5 Easy Listening)
"The Next Step is Love"
"You Don't Have to Say You Love Me" (#11, #1 for 1 week Easy Listening)
"Patch It Up"
1971: "I Really Don't Want To Know" (#21, #2 for 2 weeks Easy Listening)
"There Goes My Everything"
"Where Did They Go, Lord" (#33, #18 Easy Listening)
"Rags To Riches"
"Life" (#73, #8 Easy Listening)
"Only Believe"
"I'm Leavin'" (#36, #2 Easy Listening)
"It's Only Love" (#51, #19 Easy Listening)
1972: "Until It's Time for You to Go" (#40, #9 Easy Listening)
"An American Trilogy" (#66, #31 Easy Listening)
"Burning Love" (#2 for 1 week, #9 Easy Listening)
"It's a Matter of Time" (#9 Easy Listening)
1973: "Separate Ways" (#20, #3 Easy Listening)
"Steamroller Blues" (#17)
"Fool" (#12 Easy Listening)
"Raised on Rock" (#41, #27 Easy Listening)
"For Ol' Times Sake
1974: "I've Got a Thing About You Baby" (#39)
"Take Good Care of Her" (#27 Easy Listening)
"If You Talk in Your Sleep" (#17, #6 Easy Listening)
"It's Midnight" (#8 Easy Listening)
"Promised Land" (#14)
1975: "My Boy" (#20, #1 for a weekEasy Listening)
"T-R-O-U-B-L-E" (#35, #42 Easy Listening)
"Bringing It Back" (#65)
1976: "Hurt" (#28, #7 Easy Listening)
"For the Heart"
1977: "Moody Blue" (#31, #2 for 2 weeks Adult Contemporary)
"She Thinks I Still Care"
"Way Down" (#18, #14 Adult Contemporary)
1978: "My Way" (#22, #6 Adult Contemporary)
1981: "Guitar Man" (#28, #16 Adult Contemporary)
1982: "The Elvis Medley" (#71, #31 AC)
All told, Elvis had 151 hits, with 38 reaching the Top 10 and 18 #1's.
1982: "The Elvis Medley" (#71, #31 AC)
All told, Elvis had 151 hits, with 38 reaching the Top 10 and 18 #1's.
This Date in Rock Music History--August 18
1956: One of the great early songs of the Rock Era, "My Prayer" from the Platters, was #1 on the R&B chart.
1958: The Kalin Twins had the top U.K. song with "When".
1958: Domenico Modugno posted the second #1 in the history of Billboard magazine with "Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu (Volare)". The Elegants moved from 14 to 2 with "Little Star".
1962: Ringo Starr debuted with the Beatles as their new drummer at a concert at the Horticultural Society Dance in Birkenhead, England.
1962: Bobby Vinton posted his fourth week at #1 on the Easy Listening chart with "Roses Are Red (My Love)".
1964: The Beatles arrived in San Francisco to begin their first tour of America and were met by 9,000 frenzied fans. The Beatles were driven into a protective enclosure so that photographers could take pictures. The fans, however, pressed against the fencing, and the Beatles barely managed to get out before it came down on them.
1965: The Beatles were in concert at Atlanta Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia before a sellout crowd of 35,000. Fans paid $5.50 for the highly sought-after tickets.
1966: Vocalist and harmonica player Paul Jones left the group Manfred Mann.
1969: Mick Jagger was accidentally shot in the hand during the filming of the movie Ned Kelly in Australia.
1969: Edward Bear ("Last Song") opened for Led Zeppelin at the Rock Pile in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
1973: The Pointer Sisters released their first single "Yes We Can Can" in February, but on this date, the news was that it finally became their first hit, debuting on the charts.
1958: The Kalin Twins had the top U.K. song with "When".
1958: Domenico Modugno posted the second #1 in the history of Billboard magazine with "Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu (Volare)". The Elegants moved from 14 to 2 with "Little Star".
1962: Ringo Starr debuted with the Beatles as their new drummer at a concert at the Horticultural Society Dance in Birkenhead, England.
1962: Bobby Vinton posted his fourth week at #1 on the Easy Listening chart with "Roses Are Red (My Love)".
1964: The Beatles arrived in San Francisco to begin their first tour of America and were met by 9,000 frenzied fans. The Beatles were driven into a protective enclosure so that photographers could take pictures. The fans, however, pressed against the fencing, and the Beatles barely managed to get out before it came down on them.
1965: The Beatles were in concert at Atlanta Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia before a sellout crowd of 35,000. Fans paid $5.50 for the highly sought-after tickets.
1966: Vocalist and harmonica player Paul Jones left the group Manfred Mann.
1969: Mick Jagger was accidentally shot in the hand during the filming of the movie Ned Kelly in Australia.
1969: Edward Bear ("Last Song") opened for Led Zeppelin at the Rock Pile in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
1973: The Pointer Sisters released their first single "Yes We Can Can" in February, but on this date, the news was that it finally became their first hit, debuting on the charts.
1973: Marvin Gaye started a long run at #1 on the R&B chart with "Let's Get It On".
1973: Grand Funk had a solid hit with "We're An American Band", which moved from 59 to 29.
1973: Diana Ross hit #1 again with "Touch Me In The Morning", jumping over both "Live And Let Die" from Wings and "Brother Louie" by the Stories. Maureen McGovern fell with "The Morning After" and Marvin Gaye had his 45th hit with "Let's Get It On" at #5. The rest of the Top 10: Jim Croce's former #1 "Bad, Bad Leroy Brown", Gilbert O'Sullivan followed up his #1 "Alone Again (Naturally)" with "Get Down" at #7, Helen Reddy moved from 15 to 8 with "Delta Dawn", Charlie Daniels had "Uneasy Rider" and Chicago moved into the Top 10 with their great song "Feelin' Stronger Every Day".
1975: The seeds of one of the greatest comebacks of the Rock Era were planted on this day. Monday, the day for new releases, fell on this date and the Four Seasons released the single "Who Loves You", which would become their first Top 10 song in eight years.
1976: Marvin Gaye faced two consecutive five-day prison terms in the Los Angeles county jail for contempt of court after missing alimony and child support payments.
1977: The Police performed as a trio for the first time after guitarist Henri Padovani left the group when they played at Rebecca's in Birmingham, England. (Note: several websites report the show was August 17. 'Billboard' magazine and the book 'Sting: Back on the Beat' by Christopher Sandford both state that it was on August 18.)
1979: With a hit song behind him, Nick Lowe ("Cruel To Be Kind" from 1979) married Carlene Carter in Los Angeles.
1979: The Who, AC/DC, Nils Lofgren and the Stranglers shared a bill at Wembley Stadium in London.
1979: Moon Martin had the highest-debuting song with "Rolene".
1979: Chic made it four weeks at #1 on the R&B survey with "Good Times".
1979: The Commodores were flying up the chart with "Sail On"--up from 68 to 37 on this date.
The Knack were rocking towards the top...
1979: Chic somehow reached #1 with "Good Times" while the Knack moved into position with "My Sharona". Barbra Streisand had song #3--"The Main Event/Fight". Donna Summer slipped from the top with "Bad Girls" while Earth, Wind & Fire moved from 19 to 5 with their great song "After The Love Has Gone". The rest of the Top 10: Dr. Hook with one of the biggest of their 21 career hits--"When You're In Love With A Beautiful Woman", Anita Ward with "Ring My Bell", the Charlie Daniels Band surged from 21 to 8 with "The Devil Went Down To Georgia", Raydio edged up with "You Can't Change That" and Elton John landed his 16th Top 10 hit with "Mama Can't Buy You Love".
"Surrender" from 'Live at Budokan'...
1979: The Knack continued to possess the #1 album with Get the Knack. Bad Girls from Donna Summer was #2 followed by Supertramp's Breakfast In America, still in the Top 3 after 21 weeks. Candy-O by the Cars was fourth. The rest of the Top 10: Teddy from Teddy Pendergrass, I Am by Earth, Wind & Fire, Discovery from ELO at 7, the Who couldn't get past #8 with "The Kids Are Alright" Soundtrack, Cheap Trick At Budokan was #9 and Charlie Daniels Band reached #10 with Million Mile Reflections.
1979: Maxine Nightingale had one of the top Adult Contemporary songs of the 70's as "Lead Me On" prevailed at #1 for a seventh week.
1982: The City of Liverpool, England named four streets after the Beatles--John Lennon Drive, Paul McCartney Way, Ringo Starr Drive and George Harrison Close.
1983: The Police, Joan Jett & the Blackhearts and R.E.M. were at Shea Stadium in New York City.
1984: Prince enjoyed eight weeks at #1 on the R&B chart with his classic "When Doves Cry".
1984: Lionel Richie had the top AC song with "Stuck On You" for the third straight week.
1990: Romeo Beresford (Jazzie B) from Soul II Soul was injured in a seven-car pileup while en route from Detroit, Michigan to Chicago, Illinois.
1990: "Vision Of Love" gave Mariah Carey a #1 song on the R&B chart for a second week.
1990: Mariah Carey's "Vision Of Love" was #1 on the Adult Contemporary chart for the third week.
1990: Ah, back in the days when she wore the Triple Crown (#1 on the Popular chart, #1 on the Adult Contemporary chart and #1 on the R&B chart), something Mariah Carey can't come close to these days. "Vision Of Love" was #1 overall for the third straight week.
1993: U2 performed at the National Stadium at Cardiff Arms Park in Cardiff, Wales.
1999: Johnny Byrne, guitarist with Rory Storm and the Hurricanes, died from motor neurone disease in Liverpool, Merseyside, England at the age of 59.
1999: Two acts who love to wear makeup settled out of court. Alice Cooper claimed that the KISS song "Dreamin'" was copied from his 1971 song "Eighteen".
2000: Joey Molland of Badfinger fell off stage and fractured his leg during the Classic Rock Festival in Darrington, Washington.
2001: Coldplay, the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Nelly Furtado headlined the V2001 Festival at Hylands Park in Chelmsford, England.
2002: The Sugababes sang their way to #1 in the U.K. with "Round Round".
2003: Tony Jackson, bass guitarist and vocalist with the Searchers, died in Nottingham, England at the age of 63 from complications of diabetes, heart disease and cirrhosis of the liver due to a lifetime of heavy alcohol drinking. (Note: some websites report Jackson died at the age of 65. According to the newspapers 'The Guardian' and 'The Telegraph', he died at age 63.)
2004: Ashlee Simpson had the top album with Autobiography.
2005: Kanye West called for an end to homophobia in the hip-hop world.
2008: Pervis Jackson of the Spinners died of cancer at the age of 70 in Detroit, Michigan.
2012: Scott McKenzie, who wrote an anthem for a generation ("San Francisco (Be Sure To Wear Flowers In Your Hair)", co-wrote "Kokomo" for the Beach Boys, and also worked with the Mamas and the Papas, died in Los Angeles at age 73.
Born This Day:
1939: Johnny Preston ("Running Bear" from 1959) was born in Port Arthur, Texas; died of heart failure in Beaumont, Texas on March 4, 2011.
1943: Carl Wayne of Carl Wayne & the Vikings and the lead singer with the Move and the Hollies in later years, was born in Birmingham, Warwickshire, England; died August 31, 2004 weeks after being diagnosed with oesophageal cancer in Pyrford, Surrey, England. (Note: 'Allmusic.com' says he died in Moseley, England, but according to the newspaper 'The Independent', he died in Pyrford.)
1945: Sarah Dash of Labelle was born in Trenton, New Jersey.
1945: Barbara Harris of the Toys ("A Lover's Concerto" from 1965) was born in Elizabeth City, North Carolina.
1949: Nigel Griggs, bass guitarist of Split Enz, was born in Hatfield, Hertfordshire, United Kingdom.
1950: Dennis Elliott, drummer of Foreigner from 1976-1992, was born in Peckham, London.
1951: John Rees, bassist of Men at Work
1952: Patrick Swayze ("She's Like The Wind") was born in Houston, Texas; died of pancreatic cancer on September 14, 2009.
1957: Ron Strykert, co-founder, songwriter and lead guitarist of Men At Work
1969: Erik Schrody of House of Pain was born in Valley Stream, New York.
1983: Mika was born in Beirut, Lebanon.
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