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Non-Road Boards => Off-Topic => Topic started by: Laura on October 03, 2014, 10:39:28 AM

Title: Albums you personally enjoy listening to from start to finish
Post by: Laura on October 03, 2014, 10:39:28 AM
All of this talk about bands and songs with numbers in them got me thinking a lot about music, and how I like a wide range of it, and how there are certain albums that I could listen to on a loop and not feel an urge to skip any songs.

What albums are those for you?

For me (in no particular order):

Todd Rundgren: A Wizard, a True Star
Genesis: Trick of the Tail
Fleetwood Mac: Rumours; Greatest Hits
Pink Floyd: Wish You Were Here
Rush: Moving Pictures; Signals; The Spirit of Radio: Greatest Hits 1974-1987
The Doobie Brothers: Best of the Doobies
Death Cab for Cutie: Plans
The Postal Service: Give Up
Conor Oberst: Conor Oberst; Upside Down Mountain
Bright Eyes: I'm Wide Awake It's Morning
Rilo Kiley: Under the Blacklight
Neko Case: Furnace Room Lullaby
Elliott Smith: Either/Or
Railroad Earth: Amen Corner; The Good Life
The Band Perry: The Band Perry
Brooks and Dunn: Greatest Hits I; Greatest Hits II
Phil Vassar: Greatest Hits Volume I
Taylor Swift: Speak Now
Casting Crowns: The Altar and the Door
No Doubt: Tragic Kingdom
Whitney Houston: The Greatest Hits Disc 1 "Cool Down"

I haven't listened to these for a long time, but used to listen to them on a loop when I was younger:
Incubus: Morning View
Papa Roach: Infest
Linkin Park: Hybrid Theory
3 Doors Down: The Better Life
Creed: My Own Prison
Pink: Can't Take Me Home
Britney Spears: Baby One More Time; Oops I did it Again
98 Degrees: My Everything
NSYNC: No Strings Attached
Backstreet Boys: Backstreet Boys
Spice Girls: Spice; Spiceworld
Hanson: Middle of Nowhere
Every "Now" CD from 1-9
Kenny Chesney: Greatest Hits (his first one from 2000)
Korn: Untouchables
Title: Re: Albums you personally enjoy listening to from start to finish
Post by: roadman65 on October 03, 2014, 10:57:25 AM
I used to like listening to any Eric Clapton Albums from start to finish.
Led Zeppelin Houses of The Holy
Supertramp Breakfast In America
Eagles Long Run, Hotel California, Desperado
Tom Petty Hard Promises, Damn The Torpedoes
Boston Boston
Doobie Brothers Greatest Hits Volume 1, Brotherhood
Traveling Wilburys Volume 1
Title: Re: Albums you personally enjoy listening to from start to finish
Post by: 1995hoo on October 03, 2014, 11:09:43 AM
All the Gaslight Anthem's albums

A Hard Day's Night (the real UK version, not the butchered US release) by the Beatles
Sgt. Pepper in mono (more interesting than the stereo version)
Third Stage by Boston
Misfits by the Kinks
Les Miserables 10th Anniversary Concert (THE definitive Les Miz album in my opinion due to the cast)
Mott by Mott the Hoople
Funhouse by Pink (this one's in heavy rotation in my car's CD player right now for some reason)
Nassau Night (Bruce Springsteen bootleg, 1980-12-31 at the Nassau Coliseum)
Born in the USA
Springsteen live at Madison Square Garden, 2009-11-08 ("The River Show" where they played said album straight through in order)
Wrecking Ball by Springsteen
Paradise Theatre by Styx
A Twisted Christmas by Twisted Sister (seriously, Twisted Sister made a Christmas album...."O Come All Ye Faithful" sung to the tune of "We're Not Gonna Take It"!)
Quadrophenia
Smile by Brian Wilson
Wings Over America
Title: Re: Albums you personally enjoy listening to from start to finish
Post by: kurumi on October 03, 2014, 11:18:51 AM
Back when I owned albums:
Pink Floyd: The Wall
DJ Shadow: Endtroducing
Led Zeppelin III
Yes: Yessongs
Rush: Hemispheres
Dead Kennedys: Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables
Title: Re: Albums you personally enjoy listening to from start to finish
Post by: 1995hoo on October 03, 2014, 11:25:10 AM
Quote from: kurumi on October 03, 2014, 11:18:51 AM
Back when I owned albums:

....

How do you get your music now? Regardless of the format (LP, CD, digital download) it's still an "album" if you buy the entire thing as opposed to picking and choosing particular tracks.
Title: Re: Albums you personally enjoy listening to from start to finish
Post by: NE2 on October 03, 2014, 12:22:46 PM
thick as a brick
Title: Re: Albums you personally enjoy listening to from start to finish
Post by: hbelkins on October 03, 2014, 02:23:14 PM
Van Halen's debut
Chicago V
Kiss Alive
Ted Nugent's Free For All and his debut solo album
Aerosmith's Rocks
Metallica's Master of Puppets
Rush's All The World's A Stage and Permanent Waves
Led Zeppelin's Physical Graffiti
Title: Re: Albums you personally enjoy listening to from start to finish
Post by: Dr Frankenstein on October 03, 2014, 02:32:48 PM
Dream Theater: Metropolis Pt. II: Scenes From a Memory.
Genesis: Foxtrot.

Just to name a few.
Title: Re: Albums you personally enjoy listening to from start to finish
Post by: ET21 on October 03, 2014, 03:28:50 PM
Pink Floyd
-The Wall
-Dark Side of the Moon

The Alan Parsons Project
-Every album except live versions

Eminem
-Recovery
-Marshal Mathers Part II


Quantic
-The 5th Exotic

Green Day
-American Idiot

Queen
-A Night At The Opera

Rush
-2112
-Hemispheres
-Fly By Night

Scorpions
-Love At First Sting
-Lovedrive
-Lonesome Crow



Plenty more, but just a few
Title: Re: Albums you personally enjoy listening to from start to finish
Post by: cpzilliacus on October 03, 2014, 04:37:43 PM
Anything by the Who.

Anything by Steely Dan (or Donald Fagen).

Anything by Yes.

Anything by the Beatles.
Title: Re: Albums you personally enjoy listening to from start to finish
Post by: signalman on October 03, 2014, 05:50:31 PM
A few of my favorites have already been mentioned by others, so I won't be redundant with those.  Here are some more of my favorites that haven't yet been mentioned:

Green Day: Dookie
Metallica: And Justice for All, Kill 'em All, Ride the Lightning
Paul Simon: Graceland
James Taylor: any of his albums
Nirvana: Unplugged
Alice in Chains: Jar of Flies, Unplugged
Jimmy Buffett: any of his albums
Title: Re: Albums you personally enjoy listening to from start to finish
Post by: adventurernumber1 on October 03, 2014, 06:38:21 PM
I like a lot of older music for the most part, and actually, the only thing I really listen to from today is country. But anyways, heres some albums:

George Strait: Strait Country, Carrying Your Love with Me, Always Never The Same, & Love is Everything

Alan Jackson: Here in the Real World, Don't Rock The Jukebox, Drive, and his gospel music

U2: The Unforgettable Fire, The Joshua Tree, Achtung Baby, & All That You Can't Leave Behind

John Denver: Rhymes and Reasons, Poems Prayers & Promises, Rocky Mountain High, & Back Home Again

Blondie: Blondie, Plastic Letters, Parallel Lines, & The Hunter

KC & The Sunshine Band: KC & The Sunshine Band, & Do You Wanna Go Party

Other artists/bands I enjoy: Jimmy Buffett, James Taylor (Ya gotta good taste in music signalman  ;-) ), Frank Sinatra, Elton John, The Allman Brothers, Eric Clapton, etc.
Title: Re: Albums you personally enjoy listening to from start to finish
Post by: allniter89 on October 04, 2014, 03:19:02 AM
Pink Floyd: Dark Side of the Moon
Carlos Santana: all his albums
Outlaws: Lady In Waiting
Led Zepplin: all their albums
Golden Earing: The Continuing Story of Radar Love
Patsy Cline: 12 Greatest Hits
Deep Purple: Burn
:clap: :clap: :clap:
Title: Re: Albums you personally enjoy listening to from start to finish
Post by: Henry on October 04, 2014, 11:04:59 AM
Here are my Top 10 artists (and yes, I love all their albums as well):

(Male Solo) Bruce Springsteen, Elton John, Garth Brooks, Joe Cocker, Michael Jackson, Paul McCartney, Phil Collins, Stevie Wonder, Sting, Tim McGraw

(Female Solo) Alanis Morrissette, Aretha Franklin, Celine Dion, Faith Hill, Madonna, Mariah Carey, Norah Jones, Pat Benatar, Shania Twain, Whitney Houston

(Group) Aerosmith, Beatles, Bon Jovi, Chicago, Doobie Brothers, E Street Band, Earth, Wind & Fire, Journey, Police, REO Speedwagon
Title: Re: Albums you personally enjoy listening to from start to finish
Post by: kurumi on October 04, 2014, 11:16:09 AM
Quote from: 1995hoo on October 03, 2014, 11:25:10 AM
Quote from: kurumi on October 03, 2014, 11:18:51 AM
Back when I owned albums:

....

How do you get your music now? Regardless of the format (LP, CD, digital download) it's still an "album" if you buy the entire thing as opposed to picking and choosing particular tracks.

I purchase the occasional track online and stream a lot of stuff for discovery (Grooveshark, Pandora, KFJC (a great college station that rarely plays anything twice), KSCU (similar)). I used to have about 200 CDs but have donated most of them to the library. 90% of my CD player usage is in the car, with "intro to $LANGUAGE" CDs from the library.
Title: Re: Albums you personally enjoy listening to from start to finish
Post by: Duke87 on October 04, 2014, 11:35:32 AM
Every album I own. Listening to an entire album from start to finish is THE way I listen to music. To the point where when I am with someone else and they start skipping songs or putting things on shuffle it annoys the shit out of me. Music that flows consistently (such as over the course of an album) helps me focus, but having constant abrupt and jarring changes in what I am listening to is distracting as all hell and mentally wears me out.
Title: Re: Albums you personally enjoy listening to from start to finish
Post by: hbelkins on October 04, 2014, 09:44:23 PM
Quote from: Duke87 on October 04, 2014, 11:35:32 AM
Every album I own. Listening to an entire album from start to finish is THE way I listen to music. To the point where when I am with someone else and they start skipping songs or putting things on shuffle it annoys the shit out of me. Music that flows consistently (such as over the course of an album) helps me focus, but having constant abrupt and jarring changes in what I am listening to is distracting as all hell and mentally wears me out.

Unfortunately, most of the albums I own (and I own a metric crap ton of vinyl, CDs and even a few factory cassettes) have one or more songs that I just have to skip over.

I can't tolerate the "Memories of Love" suite on the third side of Chicago II. I usually skip over "The Lemon Song" on Led Zeppellin II. Those are two that come to mind almost immediately.
Title: Re: Albums you personally enjoy listening to from start to finish
Post by: Laura on October 05, 2014, 09:21:22 AM
Quote from: hbelkins on October 04, 2014, 09:44:23 PM
Quote from: Duke87 on October 04, 2014, 11:35:32 AM
Every album I own. Listening to an entire album from start to finish is THE way I listen to music. To the point where when I am with someone else and they start skipping songs or putting things on shuffle it annoys the shit out of me. Music that flows consistently (such as over the course of an album) helps me focus, but having constant abrupt and jarring changes in what I am listening to is distracting as all hell and mentally wears me out.

Unfortunately, most of the albums I own (and I own a metric crap ton of vinyl, CDs and even a few factory cassettes) have one or more songs that I just have to skip over.

I can't tolerate the "Memories of Love" suite on the third side of Chicago II. I usually skip over "The Lemon Song" on Led Zeppellin II. Those are two that come to mind almost immediately.

Anthony, I know what you mean, to a degree. When I was in middle school, it would really upset me if I was with friends and they were just skipping around to the hit songs of my favorite pop groups. "But all of the 98 degrees songs are good! Why do you only listen to the three hits?" Now as an adult, I understand why I used to feel this way: often the "weaker" songs are the ones that become the hits. Pretty much every musician and/or band has this story: the album is complete but it needs one more song, so let's just put this throwaway on. Sales are slow; record company suggests throwaway song as hit release. Musician and/or band protests; song gets released anyway and becomes a smash hit. Everyone listens to that one hit; a small minority listen to the rest of the album - the good stuff.

HB - yep. I feel like my list is missing so many albums because there is that one pesky song that I just have to skip.
Title: Albums you personally enjoy listening to from start to finish
Post by: Pete from Boston on October 05, 2014, 10:41:41 AM
Quote from: Duke87 on October 04, 2014, 11:35:32 AM
Every album I own. Listening to an entire album from start to finish is THE way I listen to music. To the point where when I am with someone else and they start skipping songs or putting things on shuffle it annoys the shit out of me. Music that flows consistently (such as over the course of an album) helps me focus, but having constant abrupt and jarring changes in what I am listening to is distracting as all hell and mentally wears me out.

For me, this places too much control of my experience in the hands of artists and producers that may not always have the best of judgement.  I long ago gave up on the idea that every album is a work of art that should be respected as a whole.  Not everyone puts out a whole album of good songs, but this is no reason to throw the baby out with the bath water and skip the good ones.

That said, I listen to small-time radio primarily, and to the too many thousands of songs on my phone secondarily, and can't remember the last time I started an album and let it play.   I would guess the most recent ones may have been Electric Six, "Fire," VU's "White Light/White Heat" (which I think is only like 35 minutes long anyway, half in one song), or Talking Heads' "More Songs About Buildings and Food" (every song about three minutes, and every one a gem).   
Title: Re: Albums you personally enjoy listening to from start to finish
Post by: vdeane on October 05, 2014, 02:50:16 PM
The Trans-Siberian Orchestra albums are specifically designed to be consumed as a complete album.  They even have narrative in the booklet (and concerts).  The band even prefers to think of themselves as "rock theater".
Title: Re: Albums you personally enjoy listening to from start to finish
Post by: geocachingpirate on October 05, 2014, 07:05:44 PM
I've got a very easy number one.
Alison Krauss and Union Station: Live
It's amazing listening to this bluegrass album driving to Beckley, WV from NC on I-77.

Simon and Garfunkel: Everything
Paul Simon: Graceland
John Denver: A Celebration of Life and Poems, Prayers and Promises
The Alan Parsons Project: Eye in the Sky
Cat Stevens: Greatest Hits
ELP: Trilogy
America: History
The Beatles: Everything


Title: Re: Albums you personally enjoy listening to from start to finish
Post by: billtm on October 05, 2014, 10:02:07 PM
American Idiot by Green Day
Night Visions by Imagine Dragons
Those two are my favorites. :bigass:
Title: Re: Albums you personally enjoy listening to from start to finish
Post by: hbelkins on October 06, 2014, 01:15:12 PM
I would personally disqualify compilations and greatest hits albums from such a list, but if we include them, then "Chicago IX: Chicago's Greatest Hits" is definitely one for me.
Title: Re: Albums you personally enjoy listening to from start to finish
Post by: Kacie Jane on October 06, 2014, 04:42:48 PM
Quote from: 1995hoo on October 03, 2014, 11:09:43 AM
Nassau Night (Bruce Springsteen bootleg, 1980-12-31 at the Nassau Coliseum)
Born in the USA
Springsteen live at Madison Square Garden, 2009-11-08 ("The River Show" where they played said album straight through in order)
Wrecking Ball by Springsteen

High Hopes.  That one stayed in my car's CD player for at least a month after it came out, and it was probably a dozen play-throughs or so before I skipped one of the slower tracks for the first time.
Title: Re: Albums you personally enjoy listening to from start to finish
Post by: Roadrunner75 on October 06, 2014, 05:18:48 PM
The first album by the Cars is pretty much a 'greatest hits' - every song a hit or at least played on classic rock stations.  And yes, I still enjoy listening to it from start to finish...


Title: Re: Albums you personally enjoy listening to from start to finish
Post by: roadman65 on October 06, 2014, 05:19:45 PM
Chicago Transit Authority including Free Form Guitar which many would skip over like Revolution Number 9 on the Beatles White Album as its not a song by nature just like the Fab Four's recording.

Chicago 19

Blood Sweat & Tears
Title: Re: Albums you personally enjoy listening to from start to finish
Post by: Laura on October 06, 2014, 07:41:58 PM
Quote from: hbelkins on October 06, 2014, 01:15:12 PM
I would personally disqualify compilations and greatest hits albums from such a list, but if we include them, then "Chicago IX: Chicago's Greatest Hits" is definitely one for me.

I counted official compliations and greatest hit albums because I still don't listen to all of those from start to finish. Most bands have at least one hit that I skip over.
Title: Re: Albums you personally enjoy listening to from start to finish
Post by: hbelkins on October 06, 2014, 09:15:29 PM
Quote from: roadman65 on October 06, 2014, 05:19:45 PM
Chicago Transit Authority including Free Form Guitar which many would skip over like Revolution Number 9 on the Beatles White Album as its not a song by nature just like the Fab Four's recording.

"Liberation" and "Someday" (and it's prologue) are the ones I skip over on that album. Since those songs make up the whole of Side 4 of the double LP set, I usually hit "stop" on the iPod after "I'm A Man." Given that I'm a fan of long guitar and drum solos, I love "Free Form Guitar"
Title: Re: Albums you personally enjoy listening to from start to finish
Post by: Pete from Boston on October 06, 2014, 09:59:45 PM

Quote from: Roadrunner75 on October 06, 2014, 05:18:48 PM
The first album by the Cars is pretty much a 'greatest hits' - every song a hit or at least played on classic rock stations.  And yes, I still enjoy listening to it from start to finish...

This is a rare and interesting phenomenon.  The album I always call a one-album greatest hits is Boston (and not at all because of my current place of residence).
Title: Re: Albums you personally enjoy listening to from start to finish
Post by: roadman65 on October 06, 2014, 10:06:31 PM
Boston's debut album has had every song played on it that is recorded.  However, here in O Town WMMO manages to cut out the Foreplay intro on Long Time the same way many stations leave Jackson Browne's The Load Out just to play the ending tune Stay.

Not many albums have a single song from them played completely.  Even Wish You Were Here by Pink Floyd which only has five songs on it has every song as the conclusion to Shine On You Crazy Diamond is never played.

The Who's Who's Next comes close as it does have plenty of songs on it played on the radio at one time or another, but not quite.  Plus with the CD extras that the original LP did not include it adds almost a whole album side of unplayed songs.
Title: Re: Albums you personally enjoy listening to from start to finish
Post by: Pete from Boston on October 06, 2014, 10:26:03 PM
CD extras don't count, IMO, for this.  They are not part of the work as published. 

The Who's Next extras don't even cover everything left off the album, either.
Title: Re: Albums you personally enjoy listening to from start to finish
Post by: roadman65 on October 06, 2014, 10:32:15 PM
Then you must consider Who's Next to be a greatest hits album then?
Title: Re: Albums you personally enjoy listening to from start to finish
Post by: Pete from Boston on October 06, 2014, 10:49:08 PM

Quote from: roadman65 on October 06, 2014, 10:32:15 PM
Then you must consider Who's Next to be a greatest hits album then?

I consider The Who's greatest hits to be Hooligans, The Who's Greatest Hits, Who's Better Who's Best, 30 Years of Maximum R&B, Meaty Beaty Big and Bouncy, the new Greatest Hits Plus "Be Lucky"... Did I miss any of their "greatest hits" albums?
Title: Re: Albums you personally enjoy listening to from start to finish
Post by: cjk374 on October 06, 2014, 11:00:22 PM
Quote from: vdeane on October 05, 2014, 02:50:16 PM
The Trans-Siberian Orchestra albums are specifically designed to be consumed as a complete album.  They even have narrative in the booklet (and concerts).  The band even prefers to think of themselves as "rock theater".

You should go to their concerts...a most excellent show!   :clap:


These are 2 albums I can listen to end-to-end:
Cowboy Troy:  Black in the Saddle

Colt Ford:  Ridin' through the Country
Title: Re: Albums you personally enjoy listening to from start to finish
Post by: akotchi on October 06, 2014, 11:48:43 PM
History:  America's Greatest Hits
Stevie Nicks -- just about any of the solo stuff
Fleetwood Mac -- just about anything after Buckingham and Nicks joined.
Phil Collins:  No Jacket Required
Peter Gabriel:  Hit (two-disc set) or Shaking the Tree
Celtic Thunder:  Storm and Mythology (two-disc set)
Title: Re: Albums you personally enjoy listening to from start to finish
Post by: roadman65 on October 07, 2014, 01:04:21 AM
Oh yes I forgot Genesis And Then There Were Three and Genesis (The Mama Album as many call that one) I have both listened to end to end.

Plus Phil Collins solo, But Seriously album as well.  Wore out the original cassette and later had to buy it in CD.
Title: Re: Albums you personally enjoy listening to from start to finish
Post by: Roadrunner75 on October 07, 2014, 10:35:57 PM
Quote from: roadman65 on October 07, 2014, 01:04:21 AM
Oh yes I forgot Genesis And Then There Were Three and Genesis (The Mama Album as many call that one) I have both listened to end to end.

Plus Phil Collins solo, But Seriously album as well.  Wore out the original cassette and later had to buy it in CD.
Most Genesis albums are good from start to finish, including the above.

Although I have some playlists (for Ipod in the car) of various random tracks I collected over the years, I primarily still listen to albums.  I also still buy CDs over downloading MP3s - even better if I get them used at one of the remaining records stores around.  I want the best sound quality for the money as well as the album liner notes.
Title: Re: Albums you personally enjoy listening to from start to finish
Post by: roadman on October 09, 2014, 12:06:17 PM
Two of my favorite "listen end to end" albums are Gordon Lightfoot's Old Dan's Records and Carole King's Rhymes and Reasons.
Title: Re: Albums you personally enjoy listening to from start to finish
Post by: Laura on October 09, 2014, 12:19:50 PM

Quote from: Roadrunner75 on October 07, 2014, 10:35:57 PM
Quote from: roadman65 on October 07, 2014, 01:04:21 AM
Oh yes I forgot Genesis And Then There Were Three and Genesis (The Mama Album as many call that one) I have both listened to end to end.

Plus Phil Collins solo, But Seriously album as well.  Wore out the original cassette and later had to buy it in CD.
Most Genesis albums are good from start to finish, including the above.

Although I have some playlists (for Ipod in the car) of various random tracks I collected over the years, I primarily still listen to albums.  I also still buy CDs over downloading MP3s - even better if I get them used at one of the remaining records stores around.  I want the best sound quality for the money as well as the album liner notes.

Yes! I used to listen to Genesis' Selling England by the Pound a lot as part of a work commute to a job that was about 25 minutes each way. Side A in the morning, Side B in the evening.

I've been really lazy these days and skipping around to my favorite songs and not listening to the concept albums as intended, except for Trick of the Tail, which is always start to finish for me.

As for "how I buy my music", it greatly depends. If I want it right this second, I buy it from iTunes. If I can wait, I will pick up CDs because I can get them cheaper :P

I also have a large vinyl collection, but I haven't been as heavy into collecting vinyl in recent months since my turntable has been with my mom since '12.


iPhone
Title: Re: Albums you personally enjoy listening to from start to finish
Post by: Roadrunner75 on October 09, 2014, 01:01:17 PM
Quote from: Laura on October 09, 2014, 12:19:50 PM
Yes! I used to listen to Genesis' Selling England by the Pound a lot as part of a work commute to a job that was about 25 minutes each way. Side A in the morning, Side B in the evening.

I've been really lazy these days and skipping around to my favorite songs and not listening to the concept albums as intended, except for Trick of the Tail, which is always start to finish for me.
So you saved Cinema Show for the ride home...good move.  Always good to have a Tony Banks keyboard solo ready to go in the car.  And I can't argue with Trick of the Tail for start to finish listening...best ending.
Title: Re: Albums you personally enjoy listening to from start to finish
Post by: roadman on October 10, 2014, 01:05:12 PM
Quote from: Roadrunner75 on October 07, 2014, 10:35:57 PM
I also still buy CDs over downloading MP3s - even better if I get them used at one of the remaining records stores around.

I still buy CDs over downloading as well.  If you've ever had a computer crash and try to retreive files from a backup service, you'll understand why I do this.  Also, as a friend of mine told me years ago when everybody I knew was copying albums to cassette, and then dumping the albums,  "Always retain your source material, even if you think you'll never need it again."
Title: Re: Albums you personally enjoy listening to from start to finish
Post by: Duke87 on October 11, 2014, 12:32:18 AM
Quote from: Pete from Boston on October 05, 2014, 10:41:41 AM
Quote from: Duke87 on October 04, 2014, 11:35:32 AM
Every album I own. Listening to an entire album from start to finish is THE way I listen to music. To the point where when I am with someone else and they start skipping songs or putting things on shuffle it annoys the shit out of me. Music that flows consistently (such as over the course of an album) helps me focus, but having constant abrupt and jarring changes in what I am listening to is distracting as all hell and mentally wears me out.

For me, this places too much control of my experience in the hands of artists and producers that may not always have the best of judgement.  I long ago gave up on the idea that every album is a work of art that should be respected as a whole.  Not everyone puts out a whole album of good songs, but this is no reason to throw the baby out with the bath water and skip the good ones.

This argument is interesting since the question of control is one reason why I never listen to the radio and use the CDs in my car instead. I want to control what plays.

At the same time, though, I need it to be completely consistent and the same every time or it will sound wrong and jarring. Even if a song is eh, I won't ever decide to skip it because once I've listened to the album with it in there I can't deal with listening to the album without it, it will seem like something is missing.

And yes, it might be a crappy song that even the band themselves don't like, but that is beside the point. I don't care what the artist intended. I don't care what the record label intended. All I care is that the songs play in exact the same order every time I listen to them, and follow a consistent organizational structure.

There are a couple artists I like that have released a lot of songs just as single tracks or bunches of tracks. To keep the structure in place I have gone so far as to organize these tracks into fictitious "albums" myself, otherwise I would never listen to them.
Title: Re: Albums you personally enjoy listening to from start to finish
Post by: TheKnightoftheInterstate on October 11, 2014, 12:51:23 PM
Eric Church's "Sinners Like Me"
Title: Re: Albums you personally enjoy listening to from start to finish
Post by: roadman65 on October 11, 2014, 03:31:28 PM
One album that you have to listen to end to end is Tommy by The Who as it is a Rock Opera.  Although Underture is not really part of the opera story and actually is an elongated Sparks  which was played earlier after Amazing Journey, you could actually skip it and go to Do You Think Its Allright.

I have the double CD set and I recorded on cassette the Tommy concert from Radio City Music Hall back in 89 that was aired on Westwood One Radio Network which WNEW in New York was syndicating at the time.  In that concert they left out Underture and one other track later on the album in the performance.  So you could say listening to the entire opera live was like revisiting most of the album.
Title: Re: Albums you personally enjoy listening to from start to finish
Post by: 1995hoo on October 11, 2014, 03:43:27 PM
Quote from: roadman65 on October 11, 2014, 03:31:28 PM
.... In that concert they left out Underture and one other track later on the album in the performance.  ....

The other omitted track was "Welcome." Pete Townshend hates that song.
Title: Re: Albums you personally enjoy listening to from start to finish
Post by: roadman65 on October 11, 2014, 03:47:18 PM
Quote from: 1995hoo on October 11, 2014, 03:43:27 PM
Quote from: roadman65 on October 11, 2014, 03:31:28 PM
.... In that concert they left out Underture and one other track later on the album in the performance.  ....

The other omitted track was "Welcome." Pete Townshend hates that song.
I thought so, but was unsure so I did not mention it.  I'll have to play that tape again.  Too bad i cannot transfer it to CD as if the tape breaks I have lost everything plus I my two cassette players will someday die as well with no means or parts to fix them as they are fossils just like 8 tracks became before them.
Title: Re: Albums you personally enjoy listening to from start to finish
Post by: Roadrunner75 on October 11, 2014, 09:11:14 PM
Quote from: roadman65 on October 11, 2014, 03:47:18 PM
I'll have to play that tape again.  Too bad i cannot transfer it to CD as if the tape breaks I have lost everything plus I my two cassette players will someday die as well with no means or parts to fix them as they are fossils just like 8 tracks became before them.
I've transferred a handful of my old tapes to CD/MP3.  I haven't done it in a few years, but I rigged a cable from the stereo to my soundcard, recorded each side as a track and then split them into separate tracks using an audio editing program.  Now they sell cassette players made specifically for directly transferring them to MP3 files - I think ION makes one, which also makes a turntable (which I have) that directly transfers vinyl to audio files.  I would only transfer tapes (and vinyl) that are not otherwise available on CD or other digital format - and ones that are worth the effort at that. 
Title: Re: Albums you personally enjoy listening to from start to finish
Post by: roadman65 on October 11, 2014, 09:26:33 PM
Yeah thanks for that info as that particular concert was a very special event as it was a  one time thing that will never ever be duplicated.  Even if it were it would not be the same as it was that particular year's event.
Title: Re: Albums you personally enjoy listening to from start to finish
Post by: kendancy66 on October 12, 2014, 03:00:39 PM
Steely Dan. "Can't buy a thrill"
Title: Re: Albums you personally enjoy listening to from start to finish
Post by: 7/8 on September 11, 2016, 03:47:21 PM
Sorry to raise an old thread, but I was pleasantly surprised by all the responses about Genesis, which is one of my favourite bands! I'm also hoping some newer members will chime in here.

So, here are the albums I enjoy from start to finish, in order of artist name, and albums in order of release date. As you can probably guess from my list, I'm one of those people who likes to listen to whole albums in the proper order (my parents' use of shuffle can get on my nerves :colorful:)

Alan Jackson; > The Bluegrass Album

Arcade Fire; > Funeral > The Suburbs

The Beatles; > Revolver > Abbey Road > 1

The Black Keys; > El Camino

Blink 182; > Enema of the State

Blue Rodeo; > Five Days in July

The Cars; > The Cars > Complete Greatest Hits

Death Cab for Cutie; > Transatlanticism > Narrow Stairs > Codes and Keys

Def Leppard; > Hysteria

Dire Straits; > Sultans of Swing

The Eagles; > Eagles > Hotel California > Their Greatest Hits

Eric Clapton; > Unplugged

Fleetwood Mac; > Rumours

Flogging Molly; > Drunken Lullabies

Genesis; > Foxtrot > A Trick of the Tail > Seconds Out (my #1 favourite Genesis album) > Invisible Touch

George Strait: > The Cowboy Rides Away: Live from AT&T Stadium

Green Day; > American Idiot

Interpol; > Turn on the Bright Lights

John Mayer; > Room for Squares > Heavier Things > Paradise Valley

King Crimson; > In the Court of the Crimson King > Absent Lovers: Live in Montreal

Kings of Leon; > Come Around Sundown

Led Zeppelin; Led Zeppelin IV

Miranda Lambert; > Revolution

Of Monsters and Men; > My Head is an Animal

Paul Simon; > Graceland

Peter Gabriel; Peter Gabriel 3 > Security > So

Pink Floyd; > Dark Side of the Moon > Wish You Were Here > The Division Bell

The Police; > Zenyatta Mondatta

The Rolling Stones; > Let it Bleed > Sticky Fingers > Exile on Main Street > Some Girls

Rush; > A Farewell to Kings > Permanent Waves > Moving Pictures

Simon & Garfunkel; > Bridge Over Troubled Water

Sting; > Fields of Gold: The Best of Sting 1984-1994

Supertramp; Crime of the Century > Even in the Quietest Moments > Breakfast in America

Talking Heads; > Remain in Light

Tom Petty; > Full Moon Fever

Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers; > Damn the Torpedoes > Hard Promises > Greatest Hits

U2; > War > The Unforgettable Fire > The Joshua Tree

Van Halen; > 1984

Yes; > The Yes Album > Close to the Edge > (Possibly Yessongs, which I just recently bought, so it's too soon to tell)
Title: Re: Albums you personally enjoy listening to from start to finish
Post by: Takumi on September 11, 2016, 06:37:18 PM
Anything by Calibre.
Title: Re: Albums you personally enjoy listening to from start to finish
Post by: Roadrunner75 on September 15, 2016, 12:20:34 AM
Quote from: 7/8 on September 11, 2016, 03:47:21 PM
Sorry to raise an old thread, but I was pleasantly surprised by all the responses about Genesis, which is one of my favourite bands! I'm also hoping some newer members will chime in here.
I periodically add entire album collections from my CDs to my Ipod for the car, and most recently I added my Genesis collection.  For the last week or two, my commute has been running through every album - studio and live - from "From Genesis to Revelation" to the 2007 live album.  Tomorrow morning I'll be finishing off Duke and then Abacab is taking me home.  I'm burning through as many Tony Banks keyboard solos as one can stand right now, but I suppose it's penance for missing the 2007 tour when I had the chance (at least I got to see them in '92).

BTW, you're not 41 instead of 21 with that album list?  A good portion of that sounds like my collection.
Title: Re: Albums you personally enjoy listening to from start to finish
Post by: inkyatari on September 16, 2016, 12:20:31 PM
Guess I'll throw my two cents in here...

Steely Dan - Aja
Donald Fagen - The Nightfly
The Cars - Just What I Needed (Box set)
Genesis - Genesis, Duke, Invisible Touch
King's X - Gretchen Goes to Nebraska, Dogman, XV
Panic! At The Disco - Death of a Bachelor
Linkin Park - Hybrid Theory
Pink Floyd - Dark Side of the Moon
Weird AL - just about every album
Title: Re: Albums you personally enjoy listening to from start to finish
Post by: wphiii on September 16, 2016, 03:04:56 PM
Probably like 95% of my music listening is through very deliberately constructed playlists or self-made "Best Of"s for various artists, so this is pretty much the exhaustive list of the albums I'll occasionally be in the mood to listen to from start to finish:

The Beatles - Rubber Soul, Revolver, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, The Beatles (White Album)
Beck - Sea Change
Bloc Party - Silent Alarm
The Church - Heyday
The Clarks - Let It Go
De La Soul - 3 Feet High and Rising
DJ Shadow - Endtroducing
Franz Ferdinand - You Could Have It So Much Better
Gorillaz - Gorillaz
Incubus - Make Yourself, Morning View
Lemon Jelly - Lemonjelly.KY
MGMT - Oracular Spectacular
Modest Mouse - We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank
The National - High Violet and Trouble Will Find Me
New Radicals - Maybe You've Been Brainwashed Too
Pulp - We Love Life
Radiohead - The Bends, OK Computer, In Rainbows
Smashing Pumpkins - MACHINA/The Machines of God
The Smiths - The Queen is Dead
The Streets - Original Pirate Material
Sublime - 40 Oz. to Freedom
A Tribe Called Quest - People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm
Tycho - Awake
The Who - Who's Next
Wilco - Summerteeth, Yankee Hotel Foxtrot
Wild Nothing - Gemini
Wiz Khalifa - Show and Prove
Title: Re: Albums you personally enjoy listening to from start to finish
Post by: 7/8 on September 16, 2016, 11:17:46 PM
Quote from: Roadrunner75 on September 15, 2016, 12:20:34 AM
Quote from: 7/8 on September 11, 2016, 03:47:21 PM
Sorry to raise an old thread, but I was pleasantly surprised by all the responses about Genesis, which is one of my favourite bands! I'm also hoping some newer members will chime in here.
I periodically add entire album collections from my CDs to my Ipod for the car, and most recently I added my Genesis collection.  For the last week or two, my commute has been running through every album - studio and live - from "From Genesis to Revelation" to the 2007 live album.  Tomorrow morning I'll be finishing off Duke and then Abacab is taking me home.  I'm burning through as many Tony Banks keyboard solos as one can stand right now, but I suppose it's penance for missing the 2007 tour when I had the chance (at least I got to see them in '92).

Wow, that's a lot of Genesis! I'm still missing some of their albums, but they're the band I probably own the most CD's of.

Quote from: Roadrunner75 on September 15, 2016, 12:20:34 AM
BTW, you're not 41 instead of 21 with that album list?  A good portion of that sounds like my collection.

I grew up listening to my parents' CD's and radio stations, and I guess it's rubbed off on me. Though my two brothers tend to listen to more current music than I do.
Title: Re: Albums you personally enjoy listening to from start to finish
Post by: US 41 on September 17, 2016, 01:20:00 AM
Revival by Selena Gomez
Title: Re: Albums you personally enjoy listening to from start to finish
Post by: jakeroot on September 17, 2016, 02:09:54 AM
Avalon by Roxy Music is one of the very few albums I can listen to start-to-finish. I grew up in the iTunes era, so I have a difficult time not flying around a music library at random.

Others that I mostly enjoy...

Exile on Mainstream by Matchbox Twenty.

Under the Table and Dreaming by Dave Matthews

Kick by INXS

The Best of Talking Heads

Greatest Hits (Love, Lies, and Other Strange Things) by Thompson Twins.

Urban Hymns by the Verve

Anthology: Through the Years by Tom Petty/Heartbreakers

Contraband: The Best of Men at Work

20,000 Watt R.S.L. by Midnight Oil
Title: Re: Albums you personally enjoy listening to from start to finish
Post by: bulldog1979 on September 17, 2016, 07:25:07 PM
Days of Future Passed by the Moody Blues. It's really designed to be played in order and tell a story.
Title: Re: Albums you personally enjoy listening to from start to finish
Post by: ftballfan on September 21, 2016, 06:34:51 PM
Most of Queen's albums, especially Queen II and A Night at the Opera
Title: Re: Albums you personally enjoy listening to from start to finish
Post by: epzik8 on September 29, 2016, 09:44:02 AM
Prince and the Revolution, Purple Rain. Legendary. "Let's Go Crazy" is energetic. "Take Me With U" is sort of a forerunner to "Raspberry Beret". "Darling Nikki" is an infamous one. "When Doves Cry" is one of Prince's signature tunes. "I Would Die 4 U" is my favorite on the record. And then there's the title track.

Nine Inch Nails, Pretty Hate Machine. The debut from Trent Reznor's collective. "Head Like a Hole" is pretty dark. So is "Terrible Lie". The mood lightens up with "Down In It". The bass on "Sanctified" is mean and funky. "Something I Can Never Have" is mostly just piano and Trent's vocals. "Kinda I Want To" and "That's What I Get" are my other favorite cuts on that one.

Radiohead, OK Computer. The third LP from the seminal Oxfordshire group. "Airbag" is a fiery opener. "Paranoid Android" is my favorite Radiohead song. "Exit Music (For a Film)" was in Baz Luhrmann's Romeo + Juliet. "Karma Police" is either famous or infamous. "Fitter Happier" needs no explanation. "No Surprises" is deceptively soft. "The Tourist" is an appropriate closer.
Title: Re: Albums you personally enjoy listening to from start to finish
Post by: sparker on October 20, 2016, 04:35:11 PM
Not in any particular order...............
Eagles: Desperado, Hotel California
Steely Dan: Gaucho (IMO, arguably the best-recorded pop album ever)
Jefferson Airplane: Crown of Creation, Volunteers
Pink Floyd: Dark Side of the Moon, Wish You Were Here
Supertramp: Crime of the Century
Beatles:  Abbey Road, Let It Be

There's probably more, but these are the ones that come to mind as being full of good songs without a lot of secondary "filler". 
Title: Re: Albums you personally enjoy listening to from start to finish
Post by: kphoger on October 21, 2016, 02:34:17 PM
I prefer to listen to any album from start to finish.  Whenever I put an album on while doing a chore, I'm kind of disappointed when I finish before the album does.