Author | Robert Dimery (general editor) |
---|---|
Cover artist | Jon Wainright |
Country | United Kingdom |
Language | English |
Genre | Reference work |
Publisher | Tristan de Lancey; Universe Publishing (first edition) |
Publication date | 2005 |
Media type | Print (Hardback) |
Pages | 960 p. |
ISBN | 1-84403-392-9 |
OCLC | 224890343 |
781.64026/6 22 | |
LC Class | ML156.9 .A18 2006 |
1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die is a musical reference book first published in 2005 by Universe Publishing. Part of the 1001 Before You Die series, it compiles writings and information on albums chosen by a panel of music critics to be the most important, influential, and best in popular music between the 1950s and the 2010s. [1] The book is edited by Robert Dimery, an English writer and editor who had previously worked for magazines such as Time Out and Vogue . [2]
Each entry in the book's roughly chronological list of albums is accompanied by a short essay written by a music critic, along with pictures, quotes, and additional information (such as the album's running time and producer). Compilations of various artists, and most film soundtracks, are excluded. [3]
In the book's introduction, general editor Robert Dimery notes that the selections were also intended to bring attention to gifted songwriters. Joni Mitchell, Elvis Costello and Nick Cave are named as examples. The release dates are chosen from the date the album first released in the artist's home country, and the version is the first one released. In most cases, bonus tracks added for later versions are ignored. The editors also attempted to ensure that each album profiled was still available for purchase. Soundtracks that were not original material from a particular artist were also excluded. [4]
The 2005 edition starts with Frank Sinatra's In the Wee Small Hours , [4] and ends with Get Behind Me Satan by the White Stripes. [5] As the book has been reissued several times, some albums are removed in each edition to make space for more recent albums.
The 2010 edition ends with It's Blitz! by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, while the 2013 edition ends with The Next Day by David Bowie. [6] The 2016 edition ends with Blackstar , also by Bowie. The 2018 edition ends with Microshift by Hookworms. [7] The 2021 edition ends with Heaux Tales by Jazmine Sullivan.
Writing for The Sun-Herald in November 2005, John Clare said that he loved the book and that it "is good-looking and has a great body" which is "perfectly proportioned", being "fat but not too wide or tall". Of the jazz albums included in the book, Clare felt that "all are well chosen except one"; he thought that the inclusion of two Stan Getz albums was too many given the absence of a Louis Armstrong album. [8] In a more critical review in the same month, Matt Price of The Australian said that "[t]he whole premise of the book is humbug", arguing that it would take too long to listen through all the albums in the book whilst also following new releases. He also criticized several of the book's choices on what albums to include and to not include, concluding that it was "biased, un-Australian and unacceptable". [9]
In February 2006, Publishers Weekly called the book a "bookshelf-busting testament to music geeks' mania for lists" and said it was "about as comprehensive a 'best-of' as any sane person could want". The reviewer added: "For music lovers, it doesn't get much better." [10] Mirela Roncevic reviewed the book for Library Journal in May of that year, citing it as an example of a reference work that is "highly enjoyable to browse" and "downright addictive". [11] Grant Alden also reviewed the book in May 2006 for No Depression . He stated that he was unaware of most of the critics who contributed to the book and was of the opinion that "[y]ou don't have to hear all these". He also criticized the relative lack of albums included in the book from the 1950s compared to later decades. [12]
Most of the book's recommendations are rock and pop albums from the Western world. 1001 Albums also features selections from world music, rhythm and blues, blues, folk, hip hop, country, electronic music, and jazz. The rock and pop albums include such subgenres as punk rock, grindcore, heavy metal, alternative rock, progressive rock, easy listening, thrash metal, grunge and rockabilly. Classical and modern art music are excluded. [3]
These artists have the most albums in the 2017 edition.
With the Beatles is the second studio album by the English rock band the Beatles. It was released in the United Kingdom on 22 November 1963 on Parlophone, eight months after the band's debut Please Please Me. Produced by George Martin, the album features eight original compositions and six covers. The sessions also yielded the non-album single, "I Want to Hold Your Hand" backed by "This Boy". The cover photograph was taken by the fashion photographer Robert Freeman and has since been mimicked by several music groups. A different cover was used for the Australian release of the album, which the Beatles were displeased with.
Legalize It is the debut studio album by Jamaican singer-songwriter and former Wailer Peter Tosh, released in June 1976. It was recorded at Treasure Isle and Randy's, Kingston.
Green Onions is the debut album by Booker T. & the M.G.'s, released on Stax Records in October 1962. It reached number 33 on the pop album chart in the month of its release. The title single was a worldwide hit and has been covered by dozens of artists, including the Blues Brothers and Roy Buchanan, as well as The Ventures, Al Kooper, The Shadows, Mongo Santamaría, Deep Purple and Count Basie.
Buffalo Springfield Again is the second album by Buffalo Springfield, released on Atco Records in October 1967. The album features some of the group's best-known songs, including "Mr. Soul", "Bluebird", "Expecting to Fly" and "Rock & Roll Woman", all of which were released as singles. In contrast to the band's hastily made debut album, recording for Again took place over a protracted nine-month span and was fraught with dysfunction, with each member eventually producing his own material largely independent of one another.
Whatever is the first solo album by the American singer-songwriter Aimee Mann, released in 1993.
Blood & Chocolate is the eleventh studio album by the English singer-songwriter Elvis Costello, released in 1986 through Demon Records (UK) and Columbia Records (US). It is his ninth album with his long-standing backing band the Attractions. After his previous album King of America with producer T-Bone Burnett and different musicians, this album reunited him with producer Nick Lowe and his usual backing group the Attractions.
The Only Ones is the debut studio album by English power pop band the Only Ones, released in April 1978 by Columbia Records. It was produced by the Only Ones themselves, with the assistance of Robert Ash and was mixed at Basing St., Escape and CBS.
Sunshine Hit Me is the debut album from the British band The Bees. At the time when the album was recorded the band only comprised Paul Butler and Aaron Fletcher, who wrote, performed and recorded the album alone using a home studio in Butler's parents' garden. Both Butler and Fletcher had been active in the Isle of Wight music scene for a while, performing in local indie/electronic outfits Pnu Riff and, more recently, the Exploding Thumbs. Butler had also guested on several other albums produced on the island, including some by Max Brennan.
Wild Is the Wind is the sixth studio album by American singer and pianist Nina Simone released by Philips Records in 1966. The album was compiled from several recordings that were left over from sessions for previous Philips albums.
Manassas is the 1972 debut double album by Manassas, a blues rock group led by American musician Stephen Stills, released April 1972. It was a critical comeback for Stills, and continued his commercial success by being certified Gold only a month after being released and peaking at number 4 on the US charts.
Stephen Stills is the debut solo album by American musician Stephen Stills released on Atlantic Records in 1970. It is one of four high-profile albums released by each member of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young in the wake of their 1970 chart-topping album Déjà Vu, along with After the Gold Rush, If I Could Only Remember My Name and Songs for Beginners. It was primarily recorded between CSNY tours in London and Los Angeles. It was released in the United States on November 16, 1970, and in the United Kingdom on November 27, 1970.
Zombie is a studio album by Nigerian Afrobeat musician Fela Kuti. It was released in Nigeria by Coconut Records in 1976, and in the United Kingdom by Creole Records in 1977.
"Teach Your Children" is a song written by Graham Nash in 1968 when he was a member of the Hollies. Although it was never recorded by that group in a studio, the Hollies did record it live in 1983. After the song was initially recorded for the album Crosby, Stills & Nash in 1969, a much more enhanced version of the song was recorded for the album Déjà Vu by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, released in 1970. As a single, the song peaked at No. 16 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts that year. On the Easy Listening chart, it peaked at No. 28. In Canada, "Teach Your Children" reached No. 8. Reviewing the song, Cash Box commented on the "incredible soft harmony luster" and "delicately composed material." Billboard called it "a smooth country-flavored ballad that should prove an even bigger hit on the charts [than 'Woodstock']." Stephen Stills gave the song its "country swing", replacing the "Henry VIII" style of Nash's original demo.
"I Want You Back" is a song by Australian rock group Hoodoo Gurus, released in March 1984 as the fourth and final single from their debut album Stoneage Romeos. "I Want You Back" was written by Dave Faulkner. Its B-side, "Who Do You Love?" was recorded live at 2JJJ.
"Mamunia" is a song written by Paul and Linda McCartney that first appeared on Wings' 1973 album Band on the Run. It was also released as the B-side of the "Jet" single in the US, but was replaced by "Let Me Roll It" when "Mamunia" was being considered as a possible future A-side.
A Date with the Everly Brothers is the fourth studio album by American singing duo the Everly Brothers, released in 1960. It peaked at No. 9 on the Billboard Pop albums charts and reached No. 3 in the UK.
Call of the Valley is a Hindustani classical album, recorded and released in 1968 on the label His Master's Voice. Conceived as a suite, the instrumental album follows a day in the life of an Indian shepherd from Kashmir, using ragas associated with various times of the day to advance the dramatic narrative. Brij Bhushan Kabra plays slide guitar, Shivkumar Sharma plays the santoor, and Hariprasad Chaurasia plays the flute and bansuri, with tabla played by Manikrao Popatkar. The atmospheric music is traditional, but the innovative use of guitar and flute make the sound more acceptable for Western audiences. Most of the artists were about 30 at the time of recording.
"World Shut Your Mouth" is a song by English singer-songwriter Julian Cope, released as the first single from his third album, Saint Julian (1987), on 15 September 1986. The title of the song is the same as the title of Cope's first solo album, World Shut Your Mouth, but the track does not appear on that album.
Sincere is the debut studio album by English musician MJ Cole. It was released in December 2000 under the Talkin' Loud label. The album reached number 14 on the UK Albums Chart in August 2001. It was included in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.
"Cruiser's Creek" is a 1985 single by the English Post-punk band The Fall. The music and lyrics were written by guitarist Brix Smith and lead vocalist Mark E. Smith during sessions in the lead up to recording their 8th album This Nation's Saving Grace, and it was released as single just after the album came out. The b-side of the single was album track "L.A." while the twelve-inch single version contains the song "Vixen", written and sung by Brix.