Ridiculous statement, nobody can be placed above Eric

So you posted this to see if people would attack each other. Thats kinda sick in the head.

i think part of the reason the same albums always get voted 'best albums of all time ever in the universe for definite' is because of the impact they had at the time.

now im only 26, im not going to pretend to know how an album like sgt peppers or pet sounds, and the way they were made, sounded, publicised, designed etc impacted the world in the '60s. but the way i see it was they were such a departure, especially for mainstream music, that the way they sounded was no more important than the time they were released and what other music they were released against. i think that counted a lot for how 'revered' these albums are now.

these days, nothing surprises people. i cant think of any albums, especially mainstream, that made the world stop and gawp. then theres the effect that increased communication has had. now you can get leaked tracks, pirate film etc etc that al diminish the impact of a new album. videos of singles that are played before being released, or at least before the album is released.

i would imagine that when SP and PS were released, you didnt hear it unless the band/radio DJ or TV producer wanted you to, at least until you could go and actually buy it.

nobody was stood outside the gigs punting out pirate vinyl

even then you could only play it at home on your record player. impact is lost when you can be listening to music 24/7 at the touch of a button.

I agree with you, that this album is better than anything they could have produced. But this thread was still weird. It just made me think it wasn't you because there wasn't any substance to your OP, and that's why I thought it was simply a bait thread.

_________________
1984 Squier Contemporary Stratocaster
1986 Peavey Envoy 110
1967 Kingston Acoustic

I'd rather listen to The Village Green Preservation Society than Pet Sounds or Sgt. Pepper, that's not to say its better than either.

If you compare Pet Sounds song for song to, for argument's sake, Abbey Road, would you really say that "Sloop John B" is quantifiably better than "Something"? Taste in music is totally subjective, so "better" isn't exactly a fair word to use. Its not like we can assign a numerical value of goodness and decide which is best.

This thread reminds me of the scene in Dead Poet's Society where Robin Williams makes the class rip out the page about drawing a graph to decide how good a poem is. It just doesn't work that way.

Analysis is the bane of art.

_________________
Rated "M" for meaty.

I'm gonna get flamed for this but I have to say "not".

Petsounds is brilliant but at the time it was released it was just too obscure to gain any commercial traction. Even now, music heads worship it but the average listener can't relate to most of it. The Beatles' genius was that they could deliver high art, on a regular basis, that connects with virtually everyone who hears it--young and old alike, fifty years on. Rubber Soul, Revolver, Sgt Pepper, to name just three that are still as fresh today as they were when the were released. It is the most timeless pop music that exists and probably ever will exist. Most Beatles' music is the perfect balance between substance (for lack of a better term) and relateability.

Not that commercial success should be a barometer of artist validity. I bet I would be arguing in favor of the Beatles even if they were a flop commercially (like that would have ever happened.)

_________________
Blonde Road Worn Tele, Sunburst American Special Tele, Blues Junior III, Tweed Pro Junior, 73 Silverface Champ.

+1
But I want to thank Brother Dave for his interesting and informative posting on this subject. Very impressing amount of knowledge

_________________
A-man