I am glad the 70s were so well represented. For some reason, we have been listening a lot to the "Classic Rock" tv/radio station (913 Cox) on "The TV". They list a lot of trivia and (maybe I have too much time on my hands) I started noticing how many of the classic rockers were born in the late 40's. I guess it fits because they were young and impressionable in the 50's when Elvis and others were inventing it all. Then they came into their own in the late sixties and 70s... But then again, I am a bit sad with all the stuff from the 90s that made the list (said as I flash my AARP card...)

Just a quick glance at the list reaffirms what I already knew - I don't tend to like "popular" music. Of the 200 (and yes, this was just a quick gander not an exhaustive perusal) I think I own or have owned at one point maybe 40 of them.

i'm excited for this post because it means people will be swinging dead cats. and any day that that happens is a good day.

i have to say that i think the list is pretty good and fairly accurate. i think u2's "the unforgettable fire" is a must though, and i'm equally unsettled by the appearance of 3 dixie chicks albums. to say they've made the same caliber of music as bob dylan! pshh.

also, the 90s+ music was a bit confusing. obviously, with so many more options to choose from in that period (as compared to the number of records released in the 60s), it must be more difficult, but there were some strange choices if you're considering "definitive albums of all time": namely, ANYTHING by Boyz II Men, or - for the love of everything holy - CREED?!? that's the only thing that made me actually mad. other than that, i agree with most of the list.

Bob Seger? Outkast? TITANIC SOUNDTRACK?!

Agggghhh!

This is proof that The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has jumped the shark, although that happened approximately one year before it opened.

At least The Beatles beat out Zep for #1, though any Beatles fan knows that Abbey Road is a (slightly) better album than Sgt. Pepper.

See, when you have a list of "must-have" albums that has "Faith Hill" listed, you can discount pretty much everything from that point forward, can't you?

I'm surprised to see no Band albums on there.

I'm clearly and hopelessly out of touch. Only 28 of the 200 have ever graced my collections.

Like Beth, I've only owned about 40 of these (38 to be exact). I was surprised to see Etta James but no Billie Holliday? Meatloaf but no Eric Clapton? Will Smith but no B.B. King?! Kenny G?!?! And I'm sorry, but nobody needs 4 Metallica albums! Oh, and for Jim and Beth's sake, where in the world is ABBA?! ;-)

ABBA is awesome but they aren't really rock n' roll. They are in a class by themselves(f).

And if you have movie soundtracks, why not greatest hits albums?

To reiterate a point, how can you not have Eric Clapton? About a year ago I bought the Cream of Clapton and it is one of my favorites.

I realize that greatest hits albums go against the grain of pure rockers, but they have the advantage of having more substance and less filler.

Well, for that matter, how can you omit "Disraeli Gears" by Clapton's original band, Cream?

While I agree with you about the substantive advantages of "best of" compilations, I don't agree that they should make a list like this (although your point comparing them to soundtracks is well-taken). If you're going to do that, you should just have a Definitive 200 Artists, not Albums.

Which, now that I think about it, might not be a bad idea. ;-)

Definitive artists is a great idea! Let's get to work on that one, since the Rock and Roll Hall of Lame isn't going to get around to it anytime soon.

I'm not doing a lick of work on this until you and Gwynne reach some sort of understanding about Abba. I'll not be reduced to tears again.

I have to admit I don't know the contents of every Cream album, but surely there should have been one of them. I don't think I ever paid enough attention to Eric Clapton before I got the album, but it's great. The Cream stuff too even if the lyrics are absolutely senseless.
I just realized that there's no CCR on the list either. (But AC/DC and GFR made it?)

Eric, fear not. Jim and I will have a little "come to Jesus" talk with Gwynne out back and the ABBA issue will be resolved. I think the original issue arose out of a mild case of temporary insanity on her part. :)

Leaving CCR off the list is inexplicable. I'm also not sure why "Supernatural" made the list and not "Abraxas." The former is certainly an excellent LP (I have it, as do about a hundred million other people) but the latter was more interesting, overall.

I must confess to being a GFR fan, however, although I prefer "On Time" to "We're an American Band." Used to listen to it on 8-track. ;-)

Beth,

Temporary?

***

Eric,

And I forgot to mention that the spreadsheet was well-formatted, as promised. But no album art?

I'll mail you a pencil and a tablet of paper.

Uh, meaning, of course, that you can draw your own.

[That wasn't all that funny even in my head.]

Well... maybe Texas paper and pencil will miraculously turn me into someone who can draw.

Or maybe not.

I think the original issue arose out of a mild case of temporary insanity on her part.

Ahem! I heard that. Jim's right. Nothing temporary about it. ;-)

But Jim raises another point. ABBA is not rock 'n roll (it's barely even music ;-), but neither are many of the others on the list. 50 Cent? Celine Dion? Dave Brubeck? Andrea Bocelli? Just to name a few that I would not place in the Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame's jurisdiction...the results are, as everyone has pointed out, ridiculous.

Jim, Beth, I'll meet you out back. ;-)

There seems to be a common mis-perception that this list is a "Definitive" list of rock and roll music, but if you read the press release, it touts the diversity of the artists. The list is actually intended to be a collection of popular music over the years, although it just happens to commence with the advent of rock and roll. The R&RHOF's involvement does seem to muddy that issue, however, but obviously the association of music retailers isn't limited to R&R.

Of course, that brings up even more issues, like the absence of classical recordings, big band (who could live without Glen Miller?), gospel and CCM, so-called world music, and many other presumably niche categories that actually form the backbone of many serious listeners.

Oh, and may the best "man" win! (My money's on the tax accountant. They get mean in March, you know.) ;-)

I'll not be fighting. I'll just don my headphones and listen to Take A Chance On Me or something... until late April when all the accountants are worn out.