My Take: Amazon's "100 Greatest Singer-Songwriter Albums"
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Amazon.com recently released a list of "100 Greatest Singer-Songwriter Albums of All Time", compiled by their music editors.
What I liked:
The rise of the "singer-songwriters" began in the late 1960's and early 1970's. So I highly approve of the top 12 selections on the list: Bob Dylan, Carole King, Joni Mitchell, Nick Drake, Leonard Cohen, Van Morrison, Bruce Springsteen, Randy Newman, Neil Young, Crosby, Stills & Nash, Simon & Garfunkel, and Cat Stevens all receive their dues. With the exception of Springsteen's Nebraska (1984) and Cohen's I'm Your Man (1988), all of the top 12 fit into that golden age. This makes sense. Nothing ruins a "greatest of all time" list like a glaring error in your top 10.
I was also pleased to see Elliott Smith getting recognition at #15 for Either/Or. I'm willing to bet that his legacy as a singer-songwriter will continue to appreciate over time. Ditto for Iron & Wine (#57): Sam Beam is the pure, modern day equivalent of a classic singer-songwriter. Ryan Adams and his most focused album, Heartbreaker, was a fine pick to round out the Top 50. No arguments there.
What I didn't like:
On the plus side, there's plenty of formidable girl power on the chart (Patty Griffin, Joan Baez, Liz Phair, Ani Difranco). Still, I'd switch in Alanis Morissette's Jagged Little Pill—an absolutely huge album for her in 1995—for Fiona Apple's ill-received Extraordinary Machine (#96). Lauryn Hill's Miseducation trumps india.arie's Acoustic Soul (#90), too.
Excluding Tom Petty from any decent singer-songwriter list is patently unforgivable. You could arguably nominate him along with The Heartbreakers for Full Moon Fever or for his solo album Wildflowers, but either way Petty deserves a spot.
I enjoyed 2008's For Emma, Forever Ago by Bon Iver (#89) as much as the next indie folk-ophile. But it seems like a really trendy, rash pick—especially when sitting alongside undisputed classics by Willie Nelson, James Taylor, and Tom Waits. I predict this selection will look much dumber over time. The same goes for Armchair Apocrypha by Andrew Bird (#88). I'd escort those two to the exit in favor of David Gray's White Ladder and Wilco's Yankee Hotel Foxtrot.
Another thing that bugs me? A few of the albums listed were not that respective artist's best, nor the album most representative of their work. How to justify choosing Moon Pix by Cat Power (#91) over You Are Free, Neko Case's Furnace Room Lullaby (#56) instead of Fox Confessor Brings the Flood, or Lifted by Bright Eyes (#40) rather than I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning? Really? All the latters were greater critical and commercial successes compared to the formers. I don't get it.
Also, where's James Blunt?
That was a witticism, but seriously: in no universe should Neutral Milk Hotel's In the Aeroplane Over the Sea (#23) ever place higher than Lou Reed's Transformer (#70)…on any list.
Finally, I'm going to assume that Elton John was overlooked due to his songwriting companionship with Bernie Taupin; otherwise, he's Top 25 material easily thanks to Goodbye Yellow Brick Road. And if Sir Elton did deserve to make the list, I'd boot Ben Folds to make room for the highly superior piano man.
Comments (10)
Crosby Stills & Nash?, give me a break!
....and they selected the wrong Bright Eyes cd too.
Oh lord..If they went out of their way to call it singer-songwriter instead of folk then how come only india aire and Bill Withers make the cut from the r&B side? No Al Green or Terry Callier? I would also nominate a record like Bunny Wailer's Blackheart Man, not to mention new stuff like Chocolate Genius' Black Music or Cody Chestnutt's Headphone Masterpiece or Basehead's Play With Toys, or old stuff like Gary Higgins. Tis also weird that C,S,+N can qualify..
What's Goin On!
Innervisions
Curtis Mayfield also wrote a couple of winners..sometimes lists get me angry.
I agree, the criteria they used is very suspect. They say that the list isn't necessarily limited to folk music, yet at least 80% of it is. What's Going On should definitely be there. And I like the Cody ChesnuTT pick, too.
And no Prince? Really?
I can see the "vibe" they are going for and there sure are some good records..but then they widen their scope too much and it is no longer coherent. Once you include "non-folk" folks you open the floodgates.
First of all if you have listened to lou reed's Transformer and also listened to Neutral Milk Hotel's In the Aeroplane Over the Sea, you will plainly see how castly superior neutral milk hotel is. As for Bon Iver and Andrew Bird, you must not have listened to either of their albums. They both deserve a place on this list. Bruce Springsteen is not a good songwriter. He takes ignorant Patriotic ideals and puts an identical beat to all of them. Where are the Shins? And most importantly: WHERE THE HECK IS SAM COOKE!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?! He should DEFINITELY be in the top five. Listen to his Gospels. Listen to his variety: sweet, real, heartwrenching, smooth, loving, hopeful, more than Bruce Springsteen could ever hope, and possibly as good as Bob Dylan. Leonard Cohen is a very good choice.
Not that I want to jump up against Sam Cooke, but did he have an album that would fit in here? I know he has songs, but I can't think of an LP.
Is Nebraska the 12th best singer songwriter LP of all time..prolly not, but I disagree with your "ignorant patriotic ideals" statement.
It is an Amazon list, and as with all lists there are problems. All judgements must be taken with a grain of salt. They just published a world music list that isn't close to perfect either.
Sam was more in the age of singles, not records. Had he assembled some records from the singles, I would easily put him in the top 10. Love him to pieces.
Of course, with a list like this, there's no arguing from an objective standpoint, simply opinions. And my opinion is that I respect Lou Reed's songwriting a lot more than Neutral Milk Hotel's. Although I have grown in appreciation for Aeroplane since I first wrote this blog.
But slagging off The Boss in favor of The Shins will not win you many fans ;) I would suggest reexamining "Atlantic City" off of Nebraska as a prime example of using words and music to tell a story. This is what I think defines "singer-songwriter".