The Definitive 200 - Complete your collection!!
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It's real easy to get wrapped up in the makings of a big critical list, especially when it's called "Definitive," which is why I'm going to do it.http://www.definitive200.com/"The Definitive 200 [by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame] is a list of 200 ranked albums that every music lover should own."Shania Twain's Come On Over is the 21st most essential album you need to own. Alanis Morrissette's Jagged Little Pill is the 26th. (The only other woman in the top 25 is Carole King with Tapestry.)When it comes to hip hop, look no higher than slot #28, where Eminem's Marshall Mathers LP rests proudly as the most essential hip hop record you could own. (OutKast's Speakerboxxx/The Love Below [take that, Stankonia] is the second most essential, at #29. At #30, Dr. Dre's The Chronic.)Are you a jazz fan? Then make sure you own the five most essential jazz albums ever made (they must be the most essential by far - they're the only ones on the list): Miles Davis, Kind of Blue (#36, so in other words, before you get into jazz of any kind, make sure you check out all this other stuff first, it's definitely more essential); John Coltrane, A Love Supreme (#78); Kenny G, Breathless (#107 - just one slot ahead, by the way, of NWA's Straight Outta Compton); Natalie Cole, Unforgettable with Love Natalie Cole (#133); and Dave Brubeck Quartet, Time Out (#150).Want to get into country? Well, first, Shania Twain (duh), then the Dixie Chicks (#33); Faith Hill at #76, and THEN Johnny Cash at #77.So, isn't this kind of funny stuff? I mean, the whole order of the list is pretty hilarious (with some, to me, obviously great albums on it), and there are some expected things and some unexpected things, no doubt. But as much apparent scorn as I have for the idea of ranking this list at all (let alone the idea that in order to make this list definitive and multi-genre, a full 2.5% of it has gotta be jazz, and other similar implications), I have realized that this is a perfect list. It beautifully sums up the early-to-mid-40s music industry tycoon's idea of good taste in 2007. You've got a little bit of Grammys, a little bit of movies, a lotta bit of rock 'n' roll - some R&B, some hip hop (with some props to the white rappers, no doubt), ladies both singer-songwritery and bombshelly (but in both cases outweighed pretty significantly by the guys), not all that much bubblegum (even they realize the bubblegum sells great, critically tanks ... ABBA's still blacklisted, for instance)... three Prince albums (okay, that's just something I'm happy about) ...As the new guard seems to be gaining relevance (Arcade Fire, on Merge, at #2 on Billboard? Ooh la LA), here is a reassertion of the major label cavalry, and it's both undeniable and laughable.
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