All Time Top 1000 Albums

Last updated

All Time Top 1000 Albums – 3rd Edition
All-Time Top 1000 Albums (1st Edition).jpg
Book cover of the first edition of All Time Top 1000 Albums
Author Colin Larkin
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish
Subject Music, reference work
Genrenon-fiction
Publisher Virgin Books
Publication date
2000
Pages320
ISBN 0-7535-0493-6
Preceded byAll Time Top 1000 Albums 1st Edition, All Time Top 1000 Albums 2nd Edition 

All Time Top 1000 Albums is a book by Colin Larkin, creator and editor of the Encyclopedia of Popular Music . The book was first published by Guinness Publishing in 1994. The list presented is the result of over 200,000 votes cast by the public in record shops, universities, schools and the French music trade show MIDEM – and ranked in order. Each album's entry is accompanied by an annotation with a 100-word review, details of its creation, and notes about the band or artist who recorded it.

Contents

The Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band album made the top spot in the first edition, and the same band's Revolver made the top spot in the second, third and pocket editions of the series.

Background

In 1987, radio presenter Paul Gambaccini asked approximately 80 critics and disc jockeys from the United Kingdom and United States to list their ten greatest albums of all time. [1] From these lists, he compiled the Top 100 Albums which was subsequently published by Pavilion Books in 1987. In 1993, Larkin was approached by the now-defunct Today newspaper to update this list, which was published in the newspaper. As a consequence, Larkin suggested the idea of a Top 1000 albums book to his publisher. Unlike the Gambaccini list, Larkin wanted to compile a list from votes cast by "broader opinion", and in keeping with the genres used in the Encyclopedia of Popular Music . Larkin set about polling several thousand people via a printed voting form, left in record shops and sent to schools and universities. The result was the first edition of the All Time Top 1000 Albums, published in 1994. [2]

In 1998 the second edition was published by Virgin Books using the continuing votes received over the previous four years. As a result of the publicity garnered by the encyclopedia and the first edition, Larkin was able to ask for votes during his numerous radio broadcasts for BBC GLR, now BBC London 94.9. He collected 100,000 votes, and the 2nd edition sold 38,000 copies. In 1999, Virgin published a smaller pocket edition, followed by a 3rd edition published in 2000, by which time the ongoing poll had reached over 200,000 votes cast. [3] In September 2000, BBC News reported the "head-to-head" battle between the Beatles and Radiohead, the two bands who took the top four positions on the list. [4]

Editions

See also

Related Research Articles

<i>With the Beatles</i> 1963 studio album by the Beatles

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.

<i>The Stone Roses</i> (album) 1989 studio album by The Stone Roses

The Stone Roses is the debut studio album by English rock band the Stone Roses. It was recorded mostly at Battery Studios in London with producer John Leckie from June 1988 to February 1989 and released later that year on 2 May by Silvertone Records.

<i>Feats Dont Fail Me Now</i> 1974 studio album by Little Feat

Feats Don't Fail Me Now is the fourth studio album by the American rock band Little Feat, released in 1974, on the Warner Bros. label. The cover was designed by Neon Park.

<i>Fleetwood Mac</i> (1968 album) 1968 studio album by Fleetwood Mac

Fleetwood Mac, also known as Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac, is the debut studio album by British blues rock band Fleetwood Mac, released in February 1968. The album is a mixture of blues covers and originals penned by guitarists Peter Green and Jeremy Spencer, who also share the vocal duties. It is the only album by the band without any involvement of keyboardist/vocalist Christine McVie.

<i>Dixie Chicken</i> 1973 studio album by Little Feat

Dixie Chicken is the third studio album by the American rock band Little Feat, released in 1973. The artwork for the front cover was by illustrator Neon Park and is a reference to a line from the album's third song, "Roll Um Easy".

<i>Blues Breakers with Eric Clapton</i> 1966 studio album by John Mayall with Eric Clapton

Blues Breakers, colloquially known as The Beano Album, is the debut studio album by the English blues rock band John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers, originally credited to John Mayall with Eric Clapton. Produced by Mike Vernon and released in 1966 by Decca Records (UK) and London Records (US), it pioneered a guitar-dominated blues-rock sound.

<i>Hokey Pokey</i> (album) 1975 studio album by Richard and Linda Thompson

Hokey Pokey is the second album by the British duo of singer Linda Thompson and singer/songwriter/guitarist Richard Thompson. It was recorded in the autumn of 1974 and released in the year 1975.

<i>Sailor</i> (album) 1968 studio album by Steve Miller Band

Sailor is the second studio album by American rock group Steve Miller Band, released in October 1968 by Capitol Records. It was recorded in Los Angeles, California, and was produced by the band along with Glyn Johns. The album was the last Steve Miller Band album to feature contributions by original members Boz Scaggs and Jim Peterman.

<i>The Atomic Mr. Basie</i> 1958 studio album by Count Basie and his orchestra

The Atomic Mr. Basie (originally called Basie, also known as E=MC2 and reissued in 1994 as The Complete Atomic Basie) is a 1958 album by Count Basie, featuring the song arrangements of Neal Hefti and the Count Basie Orchestra. Allmusic gave it 5 stars, reviewer Bruce Eder saying: "it took Basie's core audience and a lot of other people by surprise, as a bold, forward-looking statement within the context of a big-band recording." It is included in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die, Will Fulford-Jones calling it "Basie's last great record." It was voted number 411 in the third edition of Colin Larkin's All Time Top 1000 Albums (2000).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scarlet Party</span> British rock band

Scarlet Party was a rock band formed in Essex, England, in the early 1980s. The founding members were singer/songwriter brothers Graham and Steven Dye along with drummer Sean Heaphy.

<i>Brave New World</i> (Steve Miller Band album) 1969 studio album by Steve Miller Band

Brave New World is the third studio album by American rock band Steve Miller Band, released in 1969. It is the band's first album following the departure of founding members Boz Scaggs and Jim Peterman, with Ben Sidran replacing Peterman on keyboards. The album reached number 22 on the Billboard 200 album chart. In Colin Larkin's third edition of All Time Top 1000 Albums (2000) it was voted number 676.

<i>Recall the Beginning...A Journey from Eden</i> 1972 studio album by Steve Miller Band

Recall the Beginning...A Journey from Eden is the seventh studio album by American rock band Steve Miller Band. The album was released in March 1972, by Capitol Records. Like his previous album, Rock Love, this album did not meet with much success.

<i>Bless the Weather</i> 1971 studio album by John Martyn

Bless the Weather is a 1971 album by John Martyn and marks his return as a solo artist having released two albums with his wife Beverley Martyn. The writing reflects their move from London to Hastings Old Town. When it was released it garnered his best reviews to date, and remains a firm favourite among fans, featuring such standards as "Head and Heart" and the title track. The album is predominantly acoustic, although it does feature Martyn's first real 'echoplex track' in "Glistening Glyndebourne".

<i>Music in a Dolls House</i> 1968 studio album by Family

Music in a Doll's House is the debut album by English progressive rock group Family, released on 19 July 1968. The album, co-produced by Dave Mason of Traffic, features a number of complex musical arrangements contributing to its ambitious psychedelic sound.

<i>Genius + Soul = Jazz</i> 1961 album by Ray Charles

Genius + Soul = Jazz is a 1961 album by American musician Ray Charles, featuring big band arrangements by Quincy Jones and Ralph Burns. Charles is accompanied by two groups drawn from members of The Count Basie Band and from the ranks of top New York session players. It was recorded at Van Gelder Studio in two sessions on December 26 and 27, 1960 and originally released on the Impulse! label as Impulse! A–2.

<i>Bert Jansch</i> (album) 1965 studio album by Bert Jansch

Bert Jansch is the debut album by Scottish folk musician Bert Jansch. The album was recorded on a reel-to-reel tape recorder at engineer Bill Leader's house and sold to Transatlantic Records for £100. Transatlantic released the album, which went on to sell 150,000 copies. The album was included in Robert Dimery's 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die. It was voted number 649 in the third edition of Colin Larkin's All Time Top 1000 Albums (2000).

"101 Dam-Nations" is a song written by Graham Dye and Steven Dye.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Colin Larkin</span> British writer

Colin Larkin is a British music writer. He founded and was the editor-in-chief of the Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Along with the ten-volume encyclopedia, Larkin also wrote the book All Time Top 1000 Albums, and edited the Guinness Who's Who of Jazz, the Guinness Who's Who of Blues, and the Virgin Encyclopedia of Heavy Rock. He has over 650,000 copies in print.

<i>The Encyclopedia of Popular Music</i> Musical encyclopedia book series by Colin Larkin

The Encyclopedia of Popular Music is an encyclopedia created in 1989 by Colin Larkin. It is the "modern man's" equivalent of the Grove Dictionary of Music, which Larkin describes in less than flattering terms. It was described by The Times as "the standard against which all others must be judged".

<i>Lonely at the Top: The Best of Randy Newman</i> 1987 compilation album by Randy Newman

Lonely at the Top: The Best of Randy Newman is a 1987 compilation album by Randy Newman. It was not issued in the U.S.

References

  1. "1987 Paul Gambaccini – All Time Top 100 Albums". Timepieces.nl. Archived from the original on 8 February 2012. Retrieved 9 February 2012.
  2. "1994 Colin Larkin – All Time Top 1000 Albums". Timepieces.nl. 24 October 1962. Archived from the original on 4 September 2014. Retrieved 9 February 2012.
  3. "Rocklist.net..Colin Larkin 1000 Albums – 2000". Rocklistmusic.co.uk. Archived from the original on 16 May 2012. Retrieved 9 February 2012.
  4. "Radiohead gun for Beatles' Revolver". BBC News. 3 September 2000. Archived from the original on 7 June 2009. Retrieved 9 February 2012.