To me, a "classic" album doesn't necessarily have to have that much so-called "lasting power". Any album that is specifically indicative of a stage of my life gets classified as a classic for me. Take Ocean Avenue, for example. Almost everyone on this site would consider it a classic, but if they took a step back and looked at why it was a classic for them, it would be because it was a major part of that stage of their life. And that's my two cents.
To me, a "classic" album doesn't necessarily have to have that much so-called "lasting power". Any album that is specifically indicative of a stage of my life gets classified as a classic for me. Take Ocean Avenue, for example. Almost everyone on this site would consider it a classic, but if they took a step back and looked at why it was a classic for them, it would be because it was a major part of that stage of their life. And that's my two cents.
Good point. The old question of where does an album hold water more: in a personal timeline or a historical one.
You Forget It In People
Enter the 36 Chambers
TVU&N
Loveless
Nevermind
Funeral
CYHSY
Dookie
Straight Outta Compton
Ready to Die
Person Pitch
The Low End Theory
Third eye blind self titled. If you really listen-and actually listen, I believe no album moving forward will have enough backing from a label, or funds from elsewhere, to be produced like that. (16 guitar tracks on one song 'the background' with $50k worth of amps alone to modify sound).
Also most Zeppelin albums come to mind.
My Bloody Valentine bankrupted people to make Loveless, and that is a far, far, far superior album.
I mean, I understand your point but Zero by teh Smashing Pumpkins has as many, if not more, guitar layers.
Retrospectively, I think most people generally define a "classic" album as one which seems to be a musical snapshot of culture at the time. Which suggests some people might call some albums "classic" even if they lack staying power. Some might argue records by Def Lepard were the perfect embodiment of the 80s mainstream rock sound, but you could also argue their discography is dated and lacks staying power as a result of some of the pillars of the genre in that decade.
The most recent album I've heard and thought of as a classic is My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy.
I'd say this and Funeral would be the most recent examples of albums widely considered instant classics.
Everyone has a different opinion of which albums are classic anyway but for me it's the albums I can listen to on repeat and return to, and those which just blow my mind. Separation Sunday and The Moon and Antarctica are examples where, by the third listen, I could not believe how amazing they were.
I will never understand why so many people consider ok computer to be the gold standard of a lot of music. I've tried listening to that cd but I just think it is really overrated and way too overhyped.
One cd that will always be a classic to me is jack's mannequin's everything in transit
When it comes to hip-hop I tend to only listen to albums that are considered classics, like the first two Kanye albums or The Blueprint. In general, I don't care when people say an album is classic, but I personally am assured of classic status when an album is praised as much as it is at its release as it is multiple years later.
When it comes to hip-hop I tend to only listen to albums that are considered classics, like the first two Kanye albums or The Blueprint. In general, I don't care when people say an album is classic, but I personally am assured of classic status when an album is praised as much as it is at its release as it is multiple years later.
Blu & Exile "Below the Heavens" is the only classic hip-hop album of the past 5-6 years. And I rank Midnight Marauders over Low End Theory, but Tribe is Tribe so it's win-win.
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