Your Top 10 Desert Island Albums

[para-para-parrotdies]

What are your 10 favorite albums of all-time, the records you never tire of listening to and/or have had a huge impact in your life? Note: you don't necessarily have to take the "desert island" scenario too seriously. For example, as much as I love OK Computer, I wouldn't necessarily want it if I was stranded on a deserted island....forever....

Basic rules: EPs, Live albums, Soundtracks are eligible. Compilation/Greatest Hits albums are not eligible. Also, you are not limited to one album per artist - feel free to fill up your list with all Coldplay material if you want :P

The Lists so far:
para-para-parrotdies (http://coldplaying.com/forum/showpost.php?p=5093156&postcount=1)
TracieMorgan (http://coldplaying.com/forum/showpost.php?p=5094290&postcount=3)
Italian Plastic (http://coldplaying.com/forum/showpost.php?p=5094356&postcount=8)
evil cat (http://coldplaying.com/forum/showpost.php?p=5094486&postcount=12)
howyousawtheworld (http://coldplaying.com/forum/showpost.php?p=5094937&postcount=14)
The Final Track (http://coldplaying.com/forum/showpost.php?p=5095033&postcount=16)
coldplayhebe12 (http://coldplaying.com/forum/showpost.php?p=5095072&postcount=17)
Baw8cc (http://coldplaying.com/forum/showpost.php?p=5095371&postcount=19)
kat_iveson (http://coldplaying.com/forum/showpost.php?p=5095722&postcount=24)
TecHniCoLoR_MX (http://coldplaying.com/forum/showpost.php?p=5096369&postcount=28)
rainplay (http://coldplaying.com/forum/showpost.php?p=5145467&postcount=34)
R_Burns (http://coldplaying.com/forum/showpost.php?p=5146658&postcount=35)
Gautama (http://coldplaying.com/forum/showpost.php?p=5244433&postcount=37)
Cheese Nip 2 (http://coldplaying.com/forum/showpost.php?p=5244841&postcount=39)
Houdini (http://coldplaying.com/forum/showpost.php?p=5246478&postcount=40)
Jack Bauer (http://coldplaying.com/forum/showpost.php?p=5249909&postcount=41)


Here's my list:

Top 10 listed in alphabetical order:
The Beach Boys - Pet Sounds (1966)
The Beach Boys - The Smile Sessions (2011)
Björk - Homogenic (1997)
Cocteau Twins - Treasure (1984)
David Bowie - Low (1977)
My Bloody Valentine - Loveless (1991)
Radiohead - OK Computer (1997)
Sigur Rós - Ágætis byrjun (1999)
Slowdive - Souvlaki (1993)
The Zombies - Odessey and Oracle (1968)

10 Honorable Mentions listed in alphabetical order:
Aphex Twin - Selected Ambient Works 85-92 (1992)
The Avalanches - Since I Left You (2000)
Björk - Vespertine (2001)
Boards of Canada - Music Has the Right to Children (1998)
Burial - Untrue (2007)
DJ Shadow - Endtroducing..... (1996)
Flying Lotus - Cosmogramma (2010)
Massive Attack - Mezzanine (1998)
Portishead - Third (2008)
Radiohead - Kid A (2000)





.....you want to see some more of my favorite albums? Ok, here's 10 more!

The Beach Boys - Surf's Up (1971)
Björk - Post (1995)
Can - Tago Mago (1971)
The Cure - Disintegration (1989)
The Flaming Lips - The Soft Bulletin (1999)
Neil Young - On the Beach (1974)
Radiohead - In Rainbows (2007)
Ride - Nowhere (1990)
Scott Walker - Scott 4 (1969)
Talking Heads - Remain in Light (1980)

[para-para-parrotdies]

Just a quick comment: I think the 1990s music scene is criminally underrated by so many people. Perhaps I'm being defensive as I grew up during this time but I can't believe the number of times I hear people say, "music was so much better in the 60s/70s" or "I wish I grew up during the 60s/70s."

First of all, I don't think you actually want to live in the 60s/70s, a time defined by political and social turmoil. Not to mention that technology we take for granted wasn't commercially available to all families (on that note, anyone old enough to remember the AOL CD-Roms during the 90s? :P) But enough about that, let's actually discuss the music!

While I was making my top 10 list, I couldn't believe how many classic albums were from the 90s. Just look at the year 1997 - in that year alone, we had:

Björk - Homogenic
Blur - Blur
Built to Spill - Perfect From Now On
Daft Punk - Homework
Elliot Smith - Either/Or
Godspeed You! Black Emperor - F♯ A♯ ∞
Modest Mouse - The Lonesome Crowded West
Portishead - Portishead
Radiohead - OK Computer
Spiritualized - Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space
The Verve - Urban Hymns
Wu-Tang Clan - Wu-Tang Forever
Yo La Tengo - I Can Hear the Heart Beating as One

The incredible (and scary) thing is I didn't even list solid efforts from Aphex Twin, Autechre, Bob Dylan, The Flaming Lips, Mogwai, Pavement, Primal Scream, Stereolab, Super Furry Animals, Ween among others....

All those quality albums in just a single year. Not to mention the rest of the 90s had classic albums like the obligatory choices: My Bloody Valentine's Loveless, Nirvana's Nevermind (For the record, I think this is the 2nd most overrated album of all-time, only behind Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band), Neutral Milk Hotel's In the Aeroplane Over the Sea, DJ Shadow's Endtroducing....., Boards of Canada's Music Has the Right to Children, Jeff Buckley's Grace, R.E.M.'s Automatic for the People, U2's Achtung Baby, Massive Attack's Mezzanine, Pulp's Different Class, Beck's Odelay among other classic albums that I haven't listed yet.

So lesson of the day: Appreciate the 1990s! :dance:

[TracieMorgan]

I grew up in the 80s and I still think the 90s had better music overall, but some of my favorite bands started in the 80s.

I would just take my guitar so I could play/learn any song I wanted to hear,lol. But assuming there's a CD player and limitless power on the island:

1. A Rush Of Blood To The Head - Coldplay
2. The Smiths - Strange Ways Here We Come
3. R.E.M. - The I.R.S. Years compilation
4. Starsailor - Silence Is Easy
5. James - Seven
6. Doves - Lost Sould
7. Soundtrack Of Our Lives - Sister Surround
8. The La's - The La's
9. Loreena McKinnett - All Souls' Night
10. Coldplay - pARACHUTES

i WASN'T GOING TO PUT MORE THAN ONE PER BAND IN THE LIST, BUT i COULDN'T LIVE WITHOUT sHIVER!

[para-para-parrotdies]

I grew up in the 80s and I still think the 90s had better music overall, but some of my favorite bands started in the 80s.

I would just take my guitar so I could play/learn any song I wanted to hear,lol. But assuming there's a CD player and limitless power on the island:

1. A Rush Of Blood To The Head - Coldplay
2. The Smiths - Strange Ways Here We Come
3. R.E.M. - The I.R.S. Years compilation
4. Starsailor - Silence Is Easy
5. James - Seven
6. Doves - Lost Sould
7. Soundtrack Of Our Lives - Sister Surround
8. The La's - The La's
9. Loreena McKinnett - All Souls' Night
10. Coldplay - pARACHUTES

i WASN'T GOING TO PUT MORE THAN ONE PER BAND IN THE LIST, BUT i COULDN'T LIVE WITHOUT sHIVER!

Haha I know if I was stranded on an island forever, the last thing I would be thinking is "hmm what 10 albums do I want?" ;)

Great shout-out for the La's album. It was one of my favorite records growing up in the early 90s and I forgot I have it lying around somewhere... Complete shame that the La's only released one album.

[TracieMorgan]

^It really was amazing!

I've never been on a desert island (obviously,lol.) but when I went to England a few years ago, most of the CDs on this list went with me.

[howyousawtheworld]

That's a fine list Tracie! Great you included The La's. Loved that album. It's Liverpool defined as music in my view! Lee Mavers needs to get ex La' John Power back on his side and record a second album! That said I'm a big fan of John Power's band Cast. Can't decide my top 10 list yet but all I know is that The Queen Is Dead by The Smiths is definitely in my list. Interesting you put Strangeways in. A lot of people love that album but it's never yet had the impact it had on me as The Smiths self titled debut LP and The Queen Is Dead did. Still a faultless album though!

[TracieMorgan]

^It was really hard picking one. When my friends and I make these lists, we have some rules. Only one for each band and NO compilations/greatest hits. I cheated on both counts,lol. TQID, The Smiths, Hatful Of Hollow...all of them are amazing, and Strangeways only won for Stop Me and Paint A Vulgar Picture being two of my favorite songs ever.

[Italian Plastic]

Four Tet - There Is Love In You
Radiohead - In Rainbows
Madvillain - Madvillainy
Daft Punk - Alive 2007
Burial - Untrue
The Mint Chicks - Screens
Brains - Constant Love Forever
Liam Finn - I'll Be Lightning
Nas - Illmatic
J Dilla - Donuts

[TracieMorgan]

I'll Be Lightning is an amazing album too. :)

[para-para-parrotdies]

Four Tet - There Is Love In You
Radiohead - In Rainbows
Madvillain - Madvillainy
Daft Punk - Alive 2007
Burial - Untrue
The Mint Chicks - Screens
Brains - Constant Love Forever
Liam Finn - I'll Be Lightning
Nas - Illmatic
J Dilla - Donuts

Just curious - is this list ranked? If so, I really like your top 5 as well as the inclusion of Illmatic :dazzled:

Still can't believe I couldn't find room in my list for Untrue or Madvillainy...

[Italian Plastic]

Just curious - is this list ranked? If so, I really like your top 5 as well as the inclusion of Illmatic :dazzled:

Still can't believe I couldn't find room in my list for Untrue or Madvillainy...

top 5 is definitely top 5
the other 5 is just random. The best albums ever imo!

[an angel]

Radiohead - In Rainbows
Laura Marling - I Speak Because I Can
Sufjan Stevens - Seven Swans
St. Vincent - Actor
The National - Alligator
Bon Iver - Bon Iver, Bon Iver
Bjork - Vespertine
Joanna Newsom - Ys
Beirut - Gulag Orkestar
Local Natives - Gorilla Manor

/lame list

[para-para-parrotdies]

Radiohead - In Rainbows
Laura Marling - I Speak Because I Can
Sufjan Stevens - Seven Swans
St. Vincent - Actor
The National - Alligator
Bon Iver - Bon Iver, Bon Iver
Bjork - Vespertine
Joanna Newsom - Ys
Beirut - Gulag Orkestar
Local Natives - Gorilla Manor

/lame list

Great list! Definitely noticing people's appreciation for In Rainbows :P

Absolutely love that you have Vespertine and Ys on the list. Interesting though that you didn't pick the expected Sufjan Stevens album, Illinois. And you must really love the new Bon Iver album if it's already on the all-time list! :)

[howyousawtheworld]

In no particular order

Achtung Baby - U2
Viva La Vida Or Death And All His Friends - Coldplay
Definitely Maybe - Oasis
The Stone Roses - The Stone Roses
The Suburbs - Arcade Fire
The Queen Is Dead - The Smiths
Pet Sounds - The Beach Boys
Magical Mystery Tour - The Beatles
Synchronicity - The Police
The Unforgettable Fire - U2

I tried not to include two U2 albums but the two I mentioned really have had a massive impact on my musical taste.

[TracieMorgan]

^If someone got the lists mixed up and I ended up with this, I think I'd still be perfectly content!

[The Final Track]

Joanna Newsom - Have One On Me
The Beatles - Help!
Lightning Dust - Infinite Light
The National - High Violet
Radiohead - Kid A/Hail to the Thief (can't pick one)
Elbow - Asleep in the Back/Leaders of the Free World
Bon Iver - Bon Iver, Bon Iver
Broken Bells - Broken Bells
EST - Seven Days of Falling
Various Artists - Dark was the Night

Off the top of my head...There's a lot from the last two years.

[coldplayhebe12]

Viva La Vida or Death And All His Friends - Coldplay
American Idiot - Green Day :P
Blink-182 - blink-182
Absolution - Muse
The Black Parade - My Chemical Romance
X & Y - Coldplay
This Is Me - Charlie McDonnell
Achtung Baby - U2
Enema Of The State - blink-182
1,039 Smoothed Out Slappy Hours - Green Day

Pretty Terrible list if you asked me.
However, desert island SONGS... that would be a completely different list :P

[para-para-parrotdies]

Joanna Newsom - Have One On Me
The Beatles - Help!
Lightning Dust - Infinite Light
The National - High Violet
Radiohead - Kid A/Hail to the Thief (can't pick one)
Elbow - Asleep in the Back/Leaders of the Free World
Bon Iver - Bon Iver, Bon Iver
Broken Bells - Broken Bells
EST - Seven Days of Falling
Various Artists - Dark was the Night

Off the top of my head...There's a lot from the last two years.

What would you choose if you could only pick one between Kid A and Hail to the Thief?

Same question for Asleep in the Back + Leaders of the Free World.

[Brent]

Okay. I've been thinking about this for a while and I have mine. In no particular order:

1. The White Stripes- Get Behind Me Satan (2005)
2. Sufjan Stevens- Illinoise (2005)
3. Coldplay- A Rush of Blood to the Head (2002)
4. Coldplay- Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends (2008)
5. Radiohead- Hail to the Thief (2003)
6. The New Pornographers- Twin Cinema (2005)
7. Fiona Apple- Extraordinary Machine (2005)
8. Neutral Milk Hotel - In The Aeroplane Over the Sea (1998)
9. Radiohead- In Rainbows (2007)
10. The Postal Service- Give Up (2003)

UGH that filled up way too quickly :angry:

No room for Bon Iver :sad:



EDIT: DAMN IT! I forgot Bob Dylan's Highway 61 Revisited. Oh well. The list has been made.


I'm just going to make an honorable mentions thing like the OP:

1. Bon Iver- Bon Iver, Bon Iver (2011)
2. Kanye West- My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (2010)
3. Bob Dylan- Highway 61 Revisited (1965)
4. The Civil Wars- Barton Hollow (2011)
5. Dave Matthews Band- Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King (2009)
6. Iron and Wine- Our Endless Numbered Days (2004)
7. Björk- Volta (2007)
8. Fleetwood Mac- Rumours (1977)
9. Radiohead- Kid A (2000)
10. Ray LaMontagne & The Pariah Dogs- God Willin' and the Creek Don't Rise (2010)

That filled up fast too :sad:
But I'm done nao.

[para-para-parrotdies]

Great lists so far everyone! An interesting trend that I'm noticing is that the large majority of our favorite albums come from the 90s and 00s.

So my question is do you just not like the albums from the earlier years? Or is it that you haven't really had the opportunity to explore them?

[The Final Track]

What would you choose if you could only pick one between Kid A and Hail to the Thief?

Same question for Asleep in the Back + Leaders of the Free World.

Gah, I would pick Hail to the Thief, but honestly don't know between the other two. Asleep in the Back, maybe?


So my question is do you just not like the albums from the earlier years? Or is it that you haven't really had the opportunity to explore them?

I've really only started paying attention to music the last two years, so most of what I listen to has been released then :shrug: It's not that I neglect albums from earlier years, and I grew up with Dexter Gordon, John Coltrane and so on.

[TracieMorgan]

Oh God! How could I forget Rumors??

And Genesis - Selling England By The Pound.

I actually love a lot of the music from the 70s, but the ones on my list all remind me of really great times in my life.

[Brent]

Oh God! How could I forget Rumors??


Shame.

Actually it was in my top ten desert albums but Neutral Milk Hotel beat it out. I think Rumors would be about a million times better if Songbird wasn't on there. I hate that damn song. But otherwise, one of the best albums of all time.

[Cyan Kat]

Coldplay - Parachutes
David Bowie - Hunky Dory
Radiohead - In Rainbows
Fleetwood Mac - Rumours
David Bowie - Heathen
Beach House - Teen Dream
The Beatles - Revolver
Sigur Rós - Með Suð í Eyrum Við Spilum Endalaust
The Cure - Three Imaginary Boys
David Bowie - Diamond Dogs

yes I realise there is a lot of Bowie, but he has so many albums that I love and I don't like choosing between them :(

[Brent]

So my question is do you just not like the albums from the earlier years? Or is it that you haven't really had the opportunity to explore them?

I love older music, but it's just harder to connect with it for me. I'm pretty young (22) and I can't empathize with older stuff. While it's good music, it just doesn't do a good job of defining me and what I like.

Unless it's Fleetwood Mac, Johnny Cash, The Beatles or Bob Dylan. I love that stuff. I don't GET things like Elvis, Arlo Guthrie, Grateful Dead, etc; but I definitely respect its impact.

[TracieMorgan]

^Wait...um, you have Dylan in both groupings there,lol.

[Brent]

^Wait...um, you have Dylan in both groupings there,lol.

That was a fail. I fixed it. Haha

[TecHniCoLoR_MX]

Viva La Vida-Coldplay
Joshua Tree-U2
Fields of Gold-Sting
All That You Can't Leave Behind- U2
Up To Now- Snow Patrol
Save Me San Francisco-Train
So Far So Good-Bryan Adams
Mothership I&II- Led Zeppelin
Who's Next-The Who
Dark Side Of The Moon- Pink Floyd

i'll be happy with this ^. Or a few more ;)

Back In Black-ACDC
Rumors- Fleetwood Mac
Get Closer- Keith Urban
1- The Beatles(collection of songs i know)
Humans Being- WHALIN' Van Halen(the song)
Machine Head- Deep Purple
Bad Company-Bad Company
Long Road Out Of Eden- The Eagles

All i can think of atm.

[TracieMorgan]

Nice!

Can I sneak LEGEND by Bob MArley in my back pocket?

[para-para-parrotdies]

Forgot I created this thread a while back...

How on earth does it have 907 views but only 10 lists???

[i'maveryneatMonster.']

Cos 900 people are scared of submitting.

[para-para-parrotdies]

Cos 900 people are scared of submitting.

:(

Maybe I shouldn't have created this thread in the WoM Games subforum.

[i'maveryneatMonster.']

Nah.


I would submit but I know that as much as I try the final list will not make me happy.

[rainplay]

My list is pretty simple, I listen to and like a lot of music, but I only love a little. Sooo I'll take

Kid A,
Hail To The Theif,
Parachutes,
OK Computer,
In Rainbows,
The Bends or X&Y (Street Spirit or Fix You :bomb:)
TKOL or Amnesiac
AROBTTH,
Viva... and right now probably
Eureka - Mother Mother

Haha I promise I listen to more artists than just those 3, but I just love all those soo ya.

And, I'd just starve to death within the first week anyways, so I might as well take what I love, rather than just enjoy.

[R_Burns]

Funeral - Arcade Fire
The Rip Tide - Beirut
Flaws - Bombay Bicycle Club
For Emma, Forever Ago - Bon Iver
Parachutes - Coldplay
Franz Ferdinand - Franz Ferdinand
Hopes & Fears - Keane
I Speak Because I Can - Laura Marling
High Violet - The National
Kid A - Radiohead

[para-para-parrotdies]

My list is pretty simple, I listen to and like a lot of music, but I only love a little. Sooo I'll take

Kid A,
Hail To The Theif,
Parachutes,
OK Computer,
In Rainbows,
The Bends or X&Y (Street Spirit or Fix You :bomb:)
TKOL or Amnesiac
AROBTTH,
Viva... and right now probably
Eureka - Mother Mother

Which albums would you pick if you had to make a choice between The Bends/X&Y and TKOL/Amnesiac?

BTW, this thread officially hit over 1,000 views so keep on submitting your lists! :dance:

[Gautama]

the white album- the beatles
hunky dory- david bowie
hail to the thief- radiohead
homework- daft punk
the velvet underground & nico- the velvet underground
dock of the bay- otis redding
never for ever- kate bush
street life- brian ferry & roxy music
wowee zowee- pavement
the swinger from rio- sergio mendes


not exactly my favourite albums of all time, but a list of the ones that i think would accompany/entertain me
best through the happy and desperate moments and for a long tropical island while.
luckily, i do have a lot of my utmost beloved music insida me head. =)

[Brent]

Which albums would you pick if you had to make a choice between The Bends/X&Y and TKOL/Amnesiac?

BTW, this thread officially hit over 1,000 views so keep on submitting your lists! :dance:

Okay, Rainplay, if you pick TKOL over Amnesiac you're not my friend anymore.

[Cheese Nip 2]

1. Rubber Soul
2. Revolver
3. Heck, I'll just take the White Album cause it's a double album and I can't choose (the whole thing could be Beatles albums...)
4. Quadrophenia (double album MHA HA HA!)
5. X&Y
6. Viva La Vida
7. Suck It And See
8. What's The Story Morning Glory
9. Don't Believe The Truth
10. Soft Parade for when I do my tribal island moon dance. (Cause I would be very lonely and my brain would be fried from eating seaweed and dead birds....)


I'm sure I'll look back at this and think I was crazy, but right now I'd be happy with these for like a year. While these aren't nessisarily all of my favorite albums, they cover a wide area of emotion and situations, so I could switch them off according to how I'm feeling/the season.

[Houdini]

Torches-Foster the People
Some Nights-Fun
Hands All Over-Maroon 5
Dirty Work-All Time Low
Everything In Transit-Jack's Mannequin
These Times-SafetySuit
Untitled-Sigur Ros
Go-Jonsi
We Bought A Zoo-Jonsi
A Rush of Blood to the Head-Coldplay

in no particular order of cours ^_^

[Jack Bauer]

Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band - The Beatles
A Rush Of Blood To The Head - Coldplay
The Joshua Tree - U2
Of The Blue Colour Of The Sky - OK Go
MUTEMATH - MUTEMATH
Have You Fed The Fish? - Badly Drawn Boy
Automatic For The People - R.E.M.
Achtung Baby - U2
Odd Soul - MUTEMATH
Revolver - The Beatles