Five-star albums

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Sep 15, 2011
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A five-star review is the ultimate rating for any album, suggesting it is basically flawless, or at least, as meaningful as an album can be to you. If we're honest with our reviews, there really should only be a handful of five-star albums. So which are yours?

I was prompted to start this thread because Go Farther in Lightness by Gang of Youths fits the bill for me. Even though it's newly released, I've had it on constant rotation. Also saw them on the weekend and it's possibly the happiest I've ever been at a gig.

Going back, I'd add OK Computer by Radiohead, Ten by Pearl Jam, The Suburbs by Arcade Fire, maybe Definitely Maybe by Oasis. That's all I can think of at the moment but I might be prompted by other nominations.
 

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yirra_kurl

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I gotta say - at the time - Linkin Park's Hybrid Theory I had on repeat for a long long time in my late teens.
Back then (17 years ago) it would have a 5/5 rating. The style didn't age well though.

Pink Floyds The Wall to me is a perfect album; with the reputation only enhanced after seeing the Waters live show a couple of years ago.
 
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My personal list;

Broken Side of Time - Alberta Cross
Funeral - Arcade Fire
Relationship of Command - At The Drive-In
Sunset Studies - Augie March
The Flying Club Cup - Beirut
Gulag Orkestar - Beirut
Come Across - Bluebottle Kiss
Desire - Bob Dylan
Their Satanic Majesties' Second Request - The Brian Jonestown Massacre
You Forgot It In People - Broken Social Scene
The Rising - Bruce Springsteen
Ancient Melodies Of The Future - Built To Spill
Jukebox - Cat Power
You Are Free - Cat Power
Sometimes I Sit And Think, And Sometimes I Just Sit - Courtney Barnett
Twenty Four Seven - Dallas Crane
War Elephant - Deer Tick
Horse Stories - Dirty Three
Go-Go Boots - Drive-By Truckers
Gala Mill - The Drones
Into The Wild - Eddie Vedder
Either/Or - Elliott Smith
XO - Elliott Smith
Lazy Highways - The Fauves
Frenching The Bully - The Gits
Fuzzy - Grant Lee Buffalo
Turn Off The Bright Lights - Interpol
Come To Where I'm From - Joseph Arthur
Late Registration - Kayne West
The Trials Of Van Occupanther - Midlake
At Dawn - My Morning Jacket
On The Beach - Neil Young
Ragged Glory - Neil Young
Abattoir Blues - Nick Cave
In Utero - Nirvana
Easter - Patti Smith
Avocado - Pearl Jam
Ten - Pearl Jam
Doolittle - The Pixies
Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea - PJ Harvey
Monster - R.E.M.
OK Computer - Radiohead
Coles Corner - Richard Hawley
The Woods - Sleater-Kinney
Quadrophenia - The Who
Sound As Ever - You Am I
 

t_94

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Nevermind - Nirvana
Ok Computer - Radiohead
Kid A - Radiohead
Is This It - The Strokes
The Velvet Underground & Nico - The Velvet Underground
Illmatic - Nas
 
Sep 15, 2011
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This is more like it; I'm not just interested in what albums you rate as five stars, but just how many. Does a lot mean you are rating some quite generously or that you appreciate the albums more? I could run a list of albums I love a mile long, but I tend to be very limited in which ones I rate five stars. To my original list, I might add Vitalogy by Pearl Jam, Color and the Shape by Foo Fighters, Stone Roses self-titled, American Idiot by Green Day, Odyssey Number 5 by Powderfinger but most of those I'd rate a 4.5.

Avocado - Pearl Jam
Only spotted this on my second look. Given Pearl Jam are my favourite band, this one boggles my mind a little.
 

JimDocker

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This is more like it; I'm not just interested in what albums you rate as five stars, but just how many. Does a lot mean you are rating some quite generously or that you appreciate the albums more? I could run a list of albums I love a mile long, but I tend to be very limited in which ones I rate five stars. To my original list, I might add Vitalogy by Pearl Jam, Color and the Shape by Foo Fighters, Stone Roses self-titled, American Idiot by Green Day, Odyssey Number 5 by Powderfinger but most of those I'd rate a 4.5.
.

My list of 5 star albums would be in the hundreds.
 
Sep 15, 2011
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My list of 5 star albums would be in the hundreds.
Really? I would imagine that would dilute the meaning of a five star album. It should be reserved only for the best of the best, the absolutely flawless albums. I would have but a few five star albums and then hundreds of 4.5 star, those albums that are great, but fall just short of perfection.
 

JimDocker

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Really? I would imagine that would dilute the meaning of a five star album. It should be reserved only for the best of the best, the absolutely flawless albums. I would have but a few five star albums and then hundreds of 4.5 star, those albums that are great, but fall just short of perfection.

Absolutely hundreds

Pet Sounds, Revolver, Exile on Main St, Astral Weeks, Sgt Peppers, Highway 61 Revisited, Blonde on Blonde, Blue, Are You Experienced, The Band (Brown Album), Music from Big Pink, Tapestry, Born to Run, The Gilded Palace of Sin, The Notorious Byrd Brothers, The Who Live at Leeds, Rubber Soul, Closer, Darkness on the Edge of Town, Ziggy Stardust, Marquee Moon, Remain in Light, Younger Than Yesterday, Armed Forces, Johnny Cash at Folsom Prison, Low, Tonight's the Night, After the Goldrush, On the Beach, Rust Never Sleeps, Led Zeppelin lV, Raw Power, Let it Bleed, Sweetheart of the Rodeo, Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music, The Genius of Ray Charles, The Genius After Hours, To Lefty from Willie, Stardust, Kristofferson, Elvis 68 Comeback Special, Dusty in Memphis, Back To Black, Stories from the City Stories from the Sea, To Bring You My Love, The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan, Otis Blue, Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, New Day Rising, The Smiths, The Specials, Different Class, The Bends, Boys Don't Cry, The Joshua Tree, This is Hardcore, How Will the Wolf Survive, Urban Hymns, Grand Prix, #1 Record, Radio City, Third/Sister Lovers, No More Shall We Part, Let Love In...

I have not even scratched the surface. There are so many great albums in jazz, country, rock and blues that I have not put down. I guess I don't look for perfection, I look for albums that move me.
 
Really? I would imagine that would dilute the meaning of a five star album. It should be reserved only for the best of the best, the absolutely flawless albums. I would have but a few five star albums and then hundreds of 4.5 star, those albums that are great, but fall just short of perfection.

Yeah, I agree. Five star albums should be literally perfect. 'Tommy' by The Who is my favourite album, but I don't think it's 5 star. Similarly, 'Demon Days' by Gorillaz is an album that I consider 5 star, but it's not even my favourite Gorillaz album.
 
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I don’t have many.

Definitely Maybe - Oasis
What’s The Story (not as good but hey, that’s like saying Scottie Pippen wasn’t as good as Michael Jordan)
Zeppelin IV
Slightly Oddway - Jebediah
Unforgettable Fire - U2
Colour and the Shape - Foo Fighters
Rage Against The Machine - Self titled
Internationalist - Powderfinger
Woodface - Crowded House
 

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