On The List: 1980s

We are back and proud to announce our newest book.  On The List:1980s.  Out now!!! In this book, we explore that totally awesome decade:  the 1980s.  Neon clothes, big hair, cassettes, fast cars, MTV, and all the great music from pop to rock to metal to rap to every paisley jangle pub punk out there.  It's available now and perfect for under the tree for that audiophile in your life.  Available now on Amazon.

Here are the 11 best quotes from people who have read the book:

1. "Most Excellent!" - Two wild musicians at the Circle K
2. "The sportos, the motorheads, geeks, sluts, bloods, wastoids, dweebies, dickheads - they all adore it." - High School Receptionist
3. "I feel the need...the need for this book!" - Naval Pilot
4. "Inconceivable!" - Some Guy who doesn't know what the word means
5. "It belongs in a museum." - An Archeologist
6. "Bitchin'" - kid hanging out back at the Gas N' Sip
7. "I came. I read. It kicks ass!" - Paranormal Expert
8. "If you read it, you will be happy." - Baseball player
9. "It's great.  Now you know...and knowing is half the battle." - Military Soldier
10. "I'll be back...to read this again and again." Robot from the future
11. "This goes to 11." - Metal guitarist

The 11 Biggest Flips of Record Store Day 2015

You can't read anything about Record Store Day anymore without reading some article whose author spends pages of digital content, complaining about the vinyl holiday. "It's killing independent stores," "it excludes indie labels," and it's only for unnecessary major label titles."  You know what would be worse than Record Store Day?  NO RECORD STORE DAY.  A world where there is nothing promoting independent records stores, causing them to fade and dissolve into music history alongside the 8-track, mini-disc, and reel-to-reel.  But today, music stores are alive and well...in part, thanks to record store day.  Record stores having to deal with throngs of audiophiles twice a year (Black Friday) is a way better scenario than dealing with foreclosure.  .

Another complaint comes from independent labels themselves who have found their material excluded by the event coordinators.  Read here about Father/Daughter's comp, which seemed like a rather cool release.  Sure there are some releases that get excluded...and there are some titles that seem unnecessary.  But even if we're talking about 10% of the titles or even 25% of the released titles being unnecessary...that still leaves 300 great vital releases!  Isn't it worth some crap to get some gold?  That said, I'm not even sure how we determine which titles are unnecessary.  I read bloggers claiming the Citizen Dick release was the most unnecessary title this year...it's an unreleased Pearl Jam song from the 1991/Ten era version of the band!  I bought it and it's the title I've listened to more than any other release.  If someone wants to buy them...then doesn't that make them necessary?  (and the Citizen Dick record just missed this list...so the 12th most popular record flip is somehow unnecessary?  Okay...)

That said...it's hard to determine prior to the holiday which albums will sell out in seconds and which ones will linger until August.  Some of the most talked about releases including Courtney Barnett, Brian Eno, and Run The Jewels were still available at stores late on Sunday afternoon.  While others (like Brand New) had people lining up the night before.  I mean seriously, how is Brand New's reissue of a 12-year old album that is readily available on Spotify and itunes AND coming out in wide release next month the number one Ebay flip merely because it comes in a paper bag?  Every store I visiting had people waiting 12-24 hours for this record.

For this list, I determined the ranking based on list price versus Ebay sale...and what was the greatest increase in comparison to the price.  Stereogum lists Jurassic 5's $100 Ebay sale as a big flip...but the list price was $90 to begin with.  That's only a $10 increase.  Same with Phish's Live 1995 6-disc set that listed at $160 but sold for $200.  The biggest flips versus price, I believe, truly shows what were the must-have vinyls of RSD 2015.

Here are the biggest Ebay Flips of Record Store Day 2015:

1. Elvis Presley - My Happiness (List price $12 - Ebay price $245) 20.5x increase
2. Brand New - Deja Entendu (List price $28 - Ebay price $384) 13.7x increase
3. Interpol - Everything Is Wrong (List price $9 - Ebay price $99) 11x increase
4. John Prine - September 78 (List price $25 - Ebay price $227) 10.1x increase
5. David Bowie - Changes (List price $11 - Ebay price $99) 9x increase
6. Bob Dylan - Basement Tapes (List price $30 - Ebay price $250) 8.3x increase
7. Citizen Dick - Touch Me I'm Dick (List price $11 - Ebay price $69) 6.3x increase
8. Ryan Adams - Come Pick Me Up (List price $9 - Ebay price $59) 5.9x increase
9. U2 - Songs of Innocence (List price $36 - Ebay price $199) 5.5x increase
10. Twenty One Pilots - The LC LP (List price $20 - Ebay price $99) 4.9x increase
11. Foo Fighters - Songs From The Laundry Room (List price $20 - Ebay price $99) 4.9x increase
    

Honorable Mention:

Paul McCartney's Sweet Trash sold for a ridiculous $895 but I didn't include it since it's signed by Sir Mac (which obviously alters the true value of the vinyl).

Here are some other fun lists:

• Top RSD sellers
• NME's Top Sellers List
• Stereogum's Ebay Flips
• Bull Moose Top Sales

The 55 Best Albums of 2014 (1-11)

At the end of the day, the top albums came down to the ones I found myself listening to the most.  There were albums I respected but I never had the urge to play, so they ended up lower on the list.  These were the albums that kept finding themselves in my heavy rotation.  These albums deserve top billing. Probably the biggest surprise here is the U2 album.  I have no idea why so many people criticized its delivery method.  People have been complaining that the old system doesn't work anymore; labels and bands need to try new things.  U2 did. They gave the fans exactly what they asked for and the people still complained.  People didn't complain this much about Zooropa (which deserved it). My favorite criticism of the band is now they're corporate.  I hate to break it to you all, any band on a record label is corporate. U2 took a risk and I commend them for it. I'd rather a band take a risk and fail then play it safe and be ordinary.  If people stopped complaining and listened, they might actually be surprised. Here are the 55 Best Albums of 2014 (1-11):

1.  Broken Bells - After the Disco
2.  Antemasque - Antemasque
3.  Eagulls - Eagulls
4.  TV On The Radio - Seeds
5.  White Sea - White Sea
6.  Against Me! - Transgender Dysphoria Blues
7.  Cheatahs - Cheatahs
8.  Jack White - Lazaretto
9.  James Vincent McMorrow - Post-Tropical
10. Run The Jewels - RTJ2
11. U2 - Songs of Innocence

  Buy all of these albums and more...now!!  

The 11 Best Songs By The Foo Fighters

Dave Grohl is a fighter.  He's not just a great drummer, singer, guitar player, director, or producer...he's an innovator. He challenges what is expected of himself, what his fans want from him, and what he's capable of doing.  By creating the Foo's new album through an HBO documentary in multiple cities with a guest list that any band would beg to have, he's changed the landscape of who the Foo Fighters are.  From an offshoot of Nirvana, the Foos have become their own entity.  They are today's gold standard of rock bands.  In taking on a new endeavor, recording in a new way, always runs the risk of failure.  The Foos know this...but they put themselves out there anyway.  They deserve respect for taking a chance. This is why I am blown away by Taylor Hawkins recent comments about U2 adding their music to everyone's itunes library.  He claimed it was Orwellian.  It's not.  And he obviously didn't read 1984 to know that he's misuing the word Orwellian.  U2 didn't giving away their album for free on your itunes is no different than CBS broadcasting the Big Bang Theory on your television.  You don't like it?   Don't watch, don't listen. The irony here is that it was the Foo Fighters' album, "In Your Honor," that automatically and illegally installed spyware onto your hard drive when you put the compact disc in your computer.  I wonder if there's a word that would describe that type action, when a corporation secretly spies on its customers.  It's a good book Taylor, you should read it. Here are the 11 Best Songs By The Foo Fighters:

1. Everlong (The Colour & The Shape)
2. The Pretender (Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace)
3. I'll Stick Around (Foo Fighters)
4. Walk (Wasting Light)
5. Learn To Fly (There Is Nothing Left To Lose)
6. Come Back (One By One)
7. Alone + Easy Target (Foo Fighters)
8. Breakout (There Is Nothing Left To Lose)
9. Low (One By One)
10. Dear Rosemary (Wasting Light)
11. Good Grief (Foo Fighters)

Buy Foo Fighter's new album, Sonic Highways...now!     Don't forget to check out our blog's awesome new book The 111 Best Lists of the 2000s.  Available now!  (featuring Foo Fighters)

The 11 Best U2 Songs of The 2000s

I had originally planned to just do a post using my U2 chapter from my book.  Yet, with all the controversy surrounding the new U2 release, I felt like I needed to comment.  If you don't know, U2 released their new album this week (Songs of Innoncence) by giving it away to everyone who had an Itunes account.  Certainly, an innovative idea in a world where hearing new music has been fractured and overly complicated.  You would think this would be met with a fanfare from fans...instead...that's not necessarily the case.  One of the details of getting this new album was that everyone who had an itunes account, had the album automatically added to their accounts, whether they wanted it or not.  This is where the outrage originates.  Critics (meaning anyone who has a Twitter account) have been slamming the band for forcing the album upon them without their permission.  It's been called an "invasion of privacy" and an extreme example of "corporate harassment" as well as "creepy," "sinister," and outright "evil."  Let's just start here. It's fucking music album...that you get for free.  If you don't like it...don't listen to it.  Everyone complains about corporations gouging customers...then when they give something away...people continue to complain.  Stop whining...everyone.  Getting free music on a platform owned by Apple is not an invasion of privacy...go talk to some Holocaust survivors about what real invasion of privacy is.  I don't want 90% of the terrible TV shows I get via my digital antenna...I'm not going to storm ABC and make them take Grey's Anatomy off the air (yes, it's still on).  Grow up...get a backbone...and shut the fuck up.  There are kids in part of this world who have to dodge landmines when walking to school.  Get some fucking perspective. And it's U2.  One of the greatest rock bands of all time.  You may not like their music...and honesty, that's okay.  But if Apple is going to give us an album at least they picked a band with a respectable pedigree.  Would you rather it be Mylie Cyrus? Free U2 album is the ultimate first world problem. In honor of U2, here is my article from my book. _____________________________________________________________ When making U2's best song list for their 2009 release, No Line On The Horizon, I became inspired to compile this book.  I realized that an act like U2, with a career that spans decades, cannot be categorized into one giant list. There is no comparison of U2's material of the '80s to the music they are making now. Don't get me wrong, there is some great material still coming out of the band. You just cannot compare music being made in the '00s by guys in their forties to music being made in the '80s by guys in their twenties. The circumstances are different. The societies are different. The trends are different.  The worlds are different.  In the '80s, they were struggling musicians. Today, they are multi-millionaires, shaping the world.  They are not the same band. This is what makes U2 so magnificent.  Has there ever been a band that has had as much continued success as the Irish lads? The Rolling Stones? Springsteen? Dylan? It is a short list. Many artists who manage to stay around for multiple decades struggle to sell new albums.  U2 has done something that no one else has ever accomplished... they remain trendy. Most artists cannot remain trendy for three years, let alone thirty.  That in itself is a major accomplishment. I firmly believed that their work in the 2000s deserved its own list - its own moment of splendor.  From that realization, this book was born. The 11 Best U2 Songs of the '00s: 

1. Walk On (All That You Can't Leave Behind)
2. City of Blinding Lights (How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb)
3. Magnificent (No Line on the Horizon)
4. Beautiful Day (All That You Can't Leave Behind)
5. Moment of Surrender (No Line on the Horizon)
6. Miracle Drug (How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb)
7. Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own (How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb)
8. Stateless (The Million Dollar Hotel Soundtrack)
9. New York (All That You Can't Leave Behind)
10. The Ground Beneath Your Feet (The Million Dollar Hotel Soundtrack)
11. Electrical Storm (Best of 1990 - 2000)

Fun Fact: U2 has had the same line-up for their entire recording career.   Don't forget to check out our blog's awesome new book The 111 Best Lists of the 2000s.  Available now!  (featuring U2)

The 11 Best Albums this Week

I never do this...but holy crap there's a ton of great new music coming out this week.  This honestly might the biggest releases of music this year...if not the decade.   Yeah it's that huge.  Interpol's best album since their sophomore release, Tricky's best solo album since his debut, Ryan Adams first album in 3 years, U2's first album in five years (which came out of nowhere...and is FREE), Death From Above 1979's reunion, Karen O's first solo album, the lead singer of Led Zeppelin's new solo offering, and four lads from Liverpool.  Why are you still reading...get listening.

Here are the 11 Best Releases This Week:

1. U2 - Songs of Innocence
2. Death From Above 1979 - The Physical World
3. Ryan Adams - Ryan Adams
4. Interpol - El Pintor
5. Robert Plant - lullaby
6. Tricky - Adrian Thaws
7. Justin Townes Earle - Single Mothers
8. Karen O - Crush Songs
9. Delta Spirit - Into the Wide
10. Banks - Goddess
11. The Beatles - Vinyl Mono Masters

Along with new releases from classic legends: Loudon Wainwright III, Pere Ubu, The Grateful Dead, Gladys Knight, Sergio Mendes, and Chick Corea

The 11 Best Bands Who Have Never Played Coachella

There's something sadly thrilling about getting to sit in front of my computer and watch Coachells unfold before me without paying hundreds of dollars, enduring crazy temperatures, dust, dirt, and douche bags.  Right now I'm flipping back and forth between New Order and Phoenix.  I couldn't do that at the festival...I would have to choose...currently, I'm winning.  Because at home, I get both.

While enjoying Coachella from the comfort of my home, I started to realize how many bands have never played the festival...some that I'm actually shocked.  Some I thought for sure had played only to find out they had never made the journey to Indio. (Journey being one of them)  Below is a list of the best bands that have never played Coachella.  I have only chosen bands that are still together.  Reunions...well, that's really for another list...so, check in tomorrow for that list.

Who Am I missing?

Here are the 11 Best Bands Who Have Never Played Coachella & Should (that are still together):

1. U2
2. Pearl Jam
3. Ryan Adams
4. Fiona Apple
5. Tori Amos
6. Royksopp
7. Iron & Wine
8. Burial
9. Morcheeba
10. Sufjan Stevens
11. Garbage

Watch Coachella now!!

The 11 Best Rumored Albums of 2013

One of the best things about a new year is a whole set of new speculation about what albums could possibly be coming our way.  I've collected the best of them...let's see how many come true.

Here are the 11 Best Rumored Albums of 2013:

1. U2 (July) - Mercury Records announced the new album was coming in 2013...but no word yet from the band.
2. My Bloody Valentine - Album #3 (June) - Twenty-two years in the making, Kevin Shields claims the new album was completed on December 21st.  But will he let us hear it?
3. Arcade Fire (September) - The band's in the studio now with James Murphy, eyeing a late fourth quarter release.
4. Pearl Jam (October) - The band keeps saying they're working on a new album but no time line has been solidified.
5. Modest Mouse (August) - The mouse does everything at a glacial pace but they've been writing and recording for a couple years now.  Along with playing many new songs live...the time seems right.
6. MGMT - MGMT (June) - The band has been working on the album since 2011 and has said the release was imminent since then.
7. The National (September) - They've been playing new songs live and have stated they're looking at a 2013 release.
8. Portishead - Fourth (October) - Barrow claimed to start work on a new album in Sept 2011.  While two years is a normal pace for most bands...this is Portishead...it could mean ten years.  Here's to being optimistic.
9. Vampire Weekend (May) - They've been playing new songs and are claiming a new release this spring.  Looks promising.
10. Rilo Kiley (April) - With an obscure Facebook update...it could only mean one of two things.  New album or Coachella appearance.  Okay, three:  both.
11. Wolfmother - Gatherings (March) - The band claimed that a new album would be coming in March.  But they said this last year, too.

Bonus:  Dr. Dre - Detox (November) - Sometimes wishes are granted.

The 11 Most Anticipated Albums of Fall 2012

There's no telling if any of these albums are coming out this year...it's all a massive guess...all for fun.  Some of these may come out before Fall...some after...but rumors are flying.

Here are the 11 Most Anticipated Albums of Fall 2012:

1. Tool - TBA (Nov.)
2. Stone Roses - TBA (Oct.)
3. Pearl Jam - TBA (Oct.)
4. No Doubt - TBA (Nov.)
5. U2 - TBA (Oct.)
6. Green Day - TBA (Dec.)
7. The xx - TBA (Oct.)
8. Modest Mouse - TBA (Nov.)
9. Black Sabbath reunion - TBA (Oct.)
10. Phoenix - TBA (Oct.)
11. Dr. Dre - Detox (???????????)

The 11 Best U2 Songs of the 00s

In the 90s, U2 kept trying to re-invent themselves. Achtung Baby stands out as an epic achievement...while Pop and Zooropa floundered with the band, trying to find their way. But as the new decade opened, U2 realized that re-discovery of their own sound was as powerful as any new tangent they could embark on. With ATYCLB and HTDAAB, U2 embraced who they were...a rock n roll band. In the 90s, it seemed like they were chasing the musical trends. But they don't need to do that...they are U2...they are the trend. They proved that when they re-established themselves with Beautiful Day. Within weeks, radio scrambled to find the next U2. Not long after, bands like Coldplay, Travis, Elbow, Muse, Clinic, and the Doves had been thrust into the limelight right along side the world's favorite Irish chaps.

Here are the 11 Best U2 Songs of the 00s

1. Walk On (All That You Can't Leave Behind)
2. City of Blinding Lights (How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb)
3. Beautiful Day (All That You Can't Leave Behind)
4. Stateless (The Million Dollar Hotel)
5. Miracle Drug (How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb)
6. Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own (How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb)
7. The Ground Beneath Your Feet (The Million Dollar Hotel)
8. Electrical Storm (Best of 1990 - 2000)
9. Original of the Species (How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb)
10. New York (All That You Can't Leave Behind)
11. Beat on the Brat (We're A Happy Family)

Buy U2's new album, No Line on the Horizon.

The 11 Best U2 Songs of the 90s

U2's 90s material is a perfect example of why I don't include music from a recent release in my current lists. Some music can only be appreciated from a distance. Excluding Achtung Baby, much of U2's 90s fare was difficult to grasp upon the initial listening. Every time I'd hear a new song, I spent the first few spins trying to figure out if they were being serious or not. The jury's still out over "Lemon." But years down the road, I can listen to Pop and Zooropa and at least appreciate what they were trying to do. And surprisingly rediscover a new fondness for Edge's "Numb."

The 11 Best U2 Songs of the 90s:

1. One (Achtung Baby)
2. Love Is Blindness (Achtung Baby)
3. Until The End of the World (Achtung Baby)
4. Staring At The Sun (Pop)
5. Do You Feel Loved (Pop)
6. Ultraviolet (Achtung Baby)
7. 2 Shots of Happy, One Shot of Sad (B-Side)
8. If God Will Send His Angels (Pop)
9. Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses (Achtung Baby)
10. Paint It Black (B-Side)
11. Numb (Zooropa)

Buy U2's new album, No Line On The Horizon for only $3.99.

The 11 Best U2 Songs of the 80s

As I've noticed in the past, artists whose careers span decades can't be categorized in one giant lump. There is no comparison of U2's material of the 80s to the stuff their making now. Don't get me wrong, there's some great material coming out of the band. But it's not just material you're comparing. You just can't compare music being made in the 2000s by guys in their 40 against music being made in the 1980s by guys in their 20s. The circumstances are different. The time is different. Their lives are different. The societies are different...the trends are different...the worlds are different. In the 80s, they were struggling musicians. Today, they are millionaires, helping shape world politics. They're not the same band. So, to be fair...I'm splitting this into a three-day look at U2's best songs.

Here are the 11 Best U2 Songs of the 80s:

1. New Year's Day (War)
2. I Will Follow (Boy)
3. With Or Without You (The Joshua Tree)
4. Pride (The Unforgettable Fire)
5. Where The Streets Have No Name (The Joshua Tree)
6. Like A Song (War)
7. Sunday Bloody Sunday (War)
8. The Unforgettable Fire (The Unforgettable Fire)
9. Gloria (October)
10. All I Want Is You (Rattle & Hum)
11. Red Hill Mining Town (The Joshua Tree)

Buy U2's new album, No Line On the Horizon for only $3.99.

The 11 Best U2 Albums

When will U2 finally get the respect they deserve? Everyone considers U2 a heavyweight. Most would consider them to be the best artist of the 80s. But when lists of the greatest artists of all time come out, U2 tends to find themselves at the tail end of the top 25...with a novelty nod. U2 deserves better. Has there ever been a band who has had as much continued success as the Irish lads? Maybe only the Rolling Stones. Springsteen? Dylan? It's a short list. Many artists who manage to stay around may rake in the bucks on the road but struggle selling new albums. U2 has done both...and they have done something that no one else has ever accomplished...they remain trendy. Most artists can't remain trendy for 3 years let alone 30. That in itself is a major feat.

Here are the 11 Best U2 Albums:

1. War

2. Joshua Tree

3. The Unforgettable Fire

4. Boy

5. Achtung Baby

6. Atomic Bomb

7. October

8. Rattle and Hum

9. Pop

10. All that You Can't Leave Behind

11. Zooropa

Buy U2's new album, No Line On the Horizon. For only $3.99!!!