Where Do I Start?

[Debut_Fin]

I don't have a lot of older music in my collection but two older albums I really enjoy are "Pet Sounds" by The Beach Boys and "In The Wee Small Hours" by Frank Sinatra. I want to get more albums by them but both artists have such a huge discography that I don't even know where I would start. Any suggestions?

I'm open for suggestions to older albums by other artists too. Neither of my parents was a big music collector so I never really grew up on music other than from my own time.

[davehennessy]

Anything by the Eagles

[somethingvinyl]

Firstly, you should pay homage and go buy the entire Beatles discography. Seriously, these four guys helped popular music be considered art and it's why we're chatting about music today.

But, if you had to have just a few Beatles albums, they should be: "Rubber Soul," Revolver," "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band," "The Beatles [White Album]," and "Abbey Road." Sans "White Album".

I'm a big Brian Wilson fan, so you should check out "The Beach Boys Today" (I think that's the title); it's one of their1965 albums. On that record, they turned from just surf tunes to being more creative. There's a few hits on the album but "Do You Wanna Dance?" is on there and it has the 'sound' they were going for eventually with "Pet Sounds".

Brian Wilson related, in competing with the Beatles, he tried to have a sound that would out due them. "Smile" was the next album due out for the Beach Boys in 1967 but Wilson had a nervous breakdown and they never finished the record. Eventually, however, Wilson finished it in 2003 and it's an amazing concept album.

Stay away from Sinatra. Or don't. Just an opinion.

If you can give a listen, and I know it can be hard, check out jazz. It was an original genre that grew out of the blues, slavery, and ragtime. Jazz from the 20's-60's is the most amazing music. Start with popular artists like Louis Armstrong, Billie Holiday, Miles Davis, Charlie Parker, John Coletrane. Then, start diving in deeper and find some of the lesser known folk who did it best: Sidney Bechet, Sonny Rollins, Max Roach, Art Blakey, Dexter Gordon, etc.

The greatest jazz album of all time (and most popular) is "Kind of Blue" by Miles Davis. It was released in 1959.

Unrelated, Billy Joel's "The Stranger" came out in 1977 and it's a great pop album.

Any Bob Dylan from the 60's. Especially, "Highway 61 Revisited".

This is by far not comprehensive.

Cheers!

[Broden Terry]

Definitely agree in regards to Charlie Parker if you're into Jazz.

[nomad1755]

Try the Mama's and the Papas I think you might like them