I wrote a long list of my best 20 songs and each time I looked at it, I felt it was incomplete as I left lot of good ones. Therefore thought to force a review on the best albums that could include all the great songs. And this doubles up as my "Best Artists and songs list"
So here Goes.........
1. BBC Session- Led Zeppelin: I picked this one as it has the best songs from one of the best bands ever, leave alone genre. Why this one? It has Stairway to heaven - Enough eloquent tributes have been paid to this song which easily would be one best songs ever written and the best leads ever. Period! Others - Whole lotta love - What an opening Riff by Jimmy Page(which is quite different in sound from the original),Custard Pie and Black Dog. No Kashmir in this one but I guess that's okay.
2. Nevermind- Nirvana - It has Smells like Teen Spirit. Need I say more? Okay - There two reasons for you to not include this song in a top 20 list - 1. You have bad taste and 2. You never heard of this song :-). Benchmark Album on the whole when it comes to the Grunge/Alternative Rock Scene
3. Ten- Pearl Jam: Along with Nevermind, 'Ten' the album is the obvious other choice from another of those great bands of the 90's grunge scene with both bands/albums achieving a 'cult' status. They call this Grunge, I call this "quintessential classic Alternative Rock!" This album is a genre in itself and suffices to say that each song be it Black, Even Flow, Garden, in this album is a classic! The most definitive sound that created several clones like Stone Temple Pilots
Rare to find albums that get each song right - This one along with Jagged Little Pill, American Idiot, Nevermind, Joshua Tree got each song right
4. Metallica/Black - Metallica: Most criticised Metatllica at this point for having sold out. I thought their best came in this album - Yup, I did suck up to Metallica post this Album and not their previous 3. But yes once your slowly drawn into speed metal you realise why they were criticised for Load/Reload and St. Anger. On this Album - Enter Sandman, Nothing Else matters, The unforgiven, it an obvious choice if you ain't a thrash metal connoisseur but just a fan of Heavy metal.
5. Come away with me-Norah Jones -God only knows what not people listen to meditate - I listen to Norah Jones.....Absolute peace! Absolute bliss!!! You know the healing effect that music has - This album is the prescription. ! When you listen to this album on your damn long walks, life just feels so much better!
6. Tracy Chapman Collection - Tracy Chapman -The ideal Choice for that quiet walk on the beach and just watch the sunset - Sheer Bliss! The acoustic guitar never sounded better - Picks - FastCar, Subcity and Bang Bang Bang. Wish it had Talkin bout a revolution
7. Jagged little pill - Alanis morissette: Call it Pop Rock or Alternative Rock - The rebel -bad -girl attitude is what set this Artist apart and created one hell of an album with each song being very special. Tough to pick the best one - Maybe the very popular Ironic or maybe the soft one, Perfect or the slighlty peppy Hand in my Pocket. Avril Lavigne- Baby , Mom still rules!
8. American Idiot - Green Day - If an album has Boulevard of broken Dreams, Wake me up...,Give me Novacaine,it's an obvious choice right? Personal Pick - The 9 min long Jesus of Suburbia which talks about the make believe world we all live in. Probably the best punk rock band.
9. Death on the Road - Iron Maiden - I picked this Live concert album as it combines the greatest hits of this legendary band. Iron Maiden would not be known for heavy distorted riffs but their beautiful fast paced guitar solos or "Rhythm leads" if I cud call it. And unlike many American Thrash/black metal bands, British band vocalists could sing and sing well! This one has great Fear of the Dark, The Tropper, No. of the beast, Run to the Hills -ideal way to end the album and lastly my best song from this legendary metal band - Hallowed by Thy name!Also the live version brings it's own magic to the songs and might just seem more faster.
Edited Much later-
10. How to Dismantle an Atom Bomb- U2 - I initially picked Joshua Tree as thought it would be a No Brainer and an obvious pick. Despite it being amongst those benchmark albums I still enjoy How to... even more and at least the play count on my Ipod says that. There is nothing to taken away for Joshua Tree, It's just that this album is something I do enjoy listening and do so more often.(felt each time that my list was incomplete - I guess I'm done now!)
11. Sultans of Swing: The Very Best of Dire Straits:You could just start with this album and forget Brothers in arms. This one combines the best of another great british rock band. And if u love Sultans of swings, Romeo and Juliet, Walk of life - This album is a no brainer
12. The best of me - Bryan Adams - This 2 disc album(one live version) has all of the King of Pop Rock except for "18 tille I die". The live version is performed at South Africa. I guess the most popular 'phoren artist' in India after MJ ;) And honestly believe that Bryan Adams deserves more credit in music history, given his vocals and Charisma and the fact that he's created some of Music's great Pop/Alternative Rock Songs.
13. Human Clay - Creed - If u've liked Pearl Jam or Bryan Adams, this album is an obvious alternative Rock choice from a band that has displayed traces of Heavy Metal. So Won't waste time here.
14. Vault- Deff Leppard - You like this band then this one is a no brainer. Compilation of their greatest hits. Pick - Rock of ages, pour some sugar.
15. Appetite for Destruction- GNR - Everyone's heard the opening Riff of Sweet child of mine - No brainer to pick this album. It defined the sound of Gun n Roses and was all it took for them to be part of metal history.
16. Come on over - Shania Twain - She isn't in the league of Celine and Mariah - But country pop was the best with her along with the likes of Rascal Flatts. Sip Coffee, surf the net, this music in the background is sheer bliss.
Now for just some Singles
1.No Woman No cry- Bob Marley - Do you know that the Arabs as well adore this dude? Well they do. They don't understand a word but just the whole appeal of this man is quite something and his music does connect easily with most. Probably after Che Guvera, it was his T-shirts that were most popular. Personal Pick - .
2. Losing my religion -REM - Obvious choice for many
3. R-E-S-P-E-C-T -Aretha Franklin - My tribute to this legend is due so wont waste time here
4. Follow the Reaper-Children of Bodom -Among the very few songs from Thrash/Black Metal that I've loved.
5. Secret Garden - Bruce Springsteen- Quite evening, coffee, nicotine...Heaven
Phew!!
