Which Musicians Pass "The Five-Albums Test"?
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- čas přidán 27. 08. 2024
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Hey everybody! Thanks for watching this video on "Which Musicians Pass "The Five-Albums Test? ". I stumbled on this article a while back and this idea to do my own version has been in my head ever since. All credit goes to Steven Hyden for the concept. So, which run that I described in this video do you think is the best? Which is your personal favorite? What popular bands/musicians am I missing? Let me know in the comments.
Reaction / Five Albums Test / Album / Project / Record / Best / Worst / Consecutive / Steven Hyden / Musicians / Band / Ever / All Time / List / Top / The Beatles / The Cure / Kendrick Lamar / Kate Bush / Talking Heads / Black Sabbath / Metallica / Elliott Smith / Joni Mitchell / Sufjan Stevens / Kanye West / Bjork / Stevie Wonder / Radiohead / Fleetwood Mac / Prince / Steely Dan / Death Grips / The Smiths / Marvin Gaye / OutKast / Run the Jewels / LCD Soundsystem / D'Angelo / Tyler, the Creator / Mitski / Phoebe Bridgers
Definitely Nirvana. Bleach, Nevermind, Nevermind Deluxe, Nevermind Super Deluxe, Nevermind 25th anniversary edition
underrated comment
In utero is good too
Nirvana could be borderline if u include incesticide and unplugged in ny. both are pretty iconic in the bside album and live album cannons. 🤷🏻♂️
Unpopular opinion but Nirvana isn’t that good
@@IndustryStandard2004 no one asked for ur opinion on nirvana here
I feel like 5 “in a row” is silly. You wouldn’t say an artist has to paint 5 classic paintings “in a row” to be considered one of the all time greats. Anyone with 5 8/10s is deserving I think
it's the extra layer to demonstrate the consistency. Okay, you camn do great stuff. But can you do kep the momentum up? It's not a test to say who is worthy or anything, but who was legendary enough to put out a legendary stretch of LPs
@@bexiemounne7781 I'd say it doesn't really do that effectively because it discounts artists who had short careers. There are plenty of artists (Particularly rappers) who released a great album or two, died then had their music derailed by managers chasing the bottom line over keeping the quality/style of art consistent.
@@ezaf-bayleaf9043 Exactly, Jeff Buckley is literally my favourite artist ever and he only released one studio record in life but that is unrelated with what the person above said. It is like a test to prove who was legendary enough to keep that quality over time. Jeff Buckley was an awesome musician but I don't know if he would have kept on realeasing records as amazing as Grace (1994). I mean, he would have probably but we'll never know sadly.
@@ezaf-bayleaf9043 I agree, I like the idea of testing the consistency but so many of my favourite artists (who I would consider consistent) for instance biggie smalls - didn't put out 5 albums due to death or just because they take ages to release albums. take for instance tool, who release an album a decade on average, compared to king gizzard, who release an album every 6 months on average, this ranking system gives an advantage to artists with an approach like KGs, which is dont agree with necessarily, and like you said, disqualifies artists who likely would have qualified if they had lived long enough to have a chance.
The Beatles did 5 in a row
Pink Floyd had one of the most legendary 5 album runs ever. Meddle/Dark Side/Wish You Were Here/Animals/The Wall has remained undefeated for me
Floyd over the bland Beatles any day every day.
@@maxotto9877 it really depends on whether you count Obscured by Clouds or not. I personally don’t, since it was just a movie soundtrack, and doesn’t reflect what they would actually produce under their own terms
@@maxotto9877 The Final Cut was still good so that would pass imo
First band I thought of, damn legends Floyd are
Fr
How could you not mention Led Zeppelin? I mean 5 really great albums in a row. Led Zeppelin is one of the best debut Albums in history followed by Led Zep II wich is also amazing. Led Zeppelin III went in a different very creative direction while Led Zeppelin IV is basically a greatest hits album. Followed by Houses of the Holy and their creative peak Physical Graffiti, you can choose your line up. In my opinion the best Album run ever in only 6 years.
Zeppelin is so underrated these days it hurts my soul. Literally did what no other band could ever even dream of doing. The Beatles are overrated, good, but outdated. I respect everyones opinion but I dunno how zeppelin doesnt get the love it deserves
Was waiting for Zeppelin. Easily a six album run for me. And not that radio play is everything, but how many bands can you name where the majority of songs in six albums gets at least occasional if not heavy radio play to this day?
@@donutdrake8231 I don‘t think the Beatles are overrated but I agree with your opinion on Led Zep. I‘m 18 years old and no one of my friends even knows them. A lack of basic knowledge and a hole in their lives.
@@donutdrake8231 Would not call them underrated at all as they are one of the most well-known rock bands and plenty of musicians list them as one of their influences.
@@donutdrake8231 *overrated
Timestamps if y'all wanna skip around:
1:53 The Beatles
2:50 The Cure
3:43 Kendrick Lamar
4:48 Kate Bush
5:13 Talking Heads
5:46 Black Sabbath
6:09 Metallica
6:50 Elliott Smith
7:17 Joni Mitchell
7:37 Sufjan Stevens
8:11 Kanye West
8:34 Björk
9:29 Speed Round (Stevie Wonder, Radiohead, Fleetwood Mac, Prince, Steely Dan, Death Grips, The Smiths, Marvin Gaye, OutKast)
11:08 Potential Future Additions (Run the Jewels, LCD Soundsystem, D'Angelo, Tyler, the Creator, Mitski, Phoebe Bridgers)
Cheers bruv.
Can't believe he forgot Frank Ocean for future potential additions. Nostalgia Ultra, Channel Orange, Endless, Blonde all 4 are his favorites right?
no michael jackson is genuinely heart breaking
@@YeetMcCheese agreed. He has 5 post-Jackson 5 albums (or 6 if you include History) that are all legendary. Off The Wall, Thriller, Bad, Dangerous, (Maybe History) and Invincible.
@@lachlanondremusic history had you are not alone, scream, they don’t care about us, Stranger in Moscow, and earth song. that is definitely 5 in a row.
Pink Floyd had one of the greatest decade runs I've ever seen in any band or artist. Between 71 and 79 they released Meddle, Dark Side of the Moon, Wish You Were Here, Animals, and The Wall. 5 of the greatest rock albums ever made in 8 years, one of them being a double album multi media project no less.
This guy gets it
I think Obscured By Clouds sinks them for the test though
@@specklythemusicowl8116 that's true if you count it but I never really thought of that album as part of their main run, it's a movie soundtrack.
I’d be happy to drop Obscured by Clouds and start with Dark Side through to the Final Cut. It’s an 8.5 for me given the other four are 9s and 10s.
Obscured by Clouds is underrated
I think David Bowie would absolutely qualify, with ‘Diamond Dogs’ up through to ‘Heroes’ probably being the most solid consecutive 5-album run, but either way i think his overall discography is one of the most stylistically diverse yet incredibly quality-consistent of all tim
Hunky Dory-Let’s Dance, although that is much more then 5 lol
@@InsertGenuineNameman who sold the world and space oddity are very good, not masterpiece. But still😂 go even further
@@DerekDerekDerekDerekDerekDerek I find it hard to get through those albums, but I do like the title tracks from both
@@InsertGenuineName im the same wirh young americans, apart from fame
nah mj crushed his run
I think that with the release of Mr Morale and The Big Steppers and untitled unmastered not rea being an album I think Kendrick absolutely passes the test
Fax
Section.80 too
I feel like as time has gone on I feel more comfortable calling mmatbs a great album now that my recency bias has gone away
@@nillthagoatsame
Facts. But I like to consider UU an album cause it's great.
I’d argue Pink Floyd would make it. All of their 70’s output is fantastic. Keeping on prog, King Crimson’s first 6 albums are great.
TDSOTM , the wall , wish you were here , animals and meddle are all back to back classics
@@nomarl4395 obscured by clouds: am I a joke to you?
@@haywoodjblome4768 no that'd be ummagumma
lizard? islands?
@@haywoodjblome4768 Following the rule of no soundtracks, Obscured by Clouds would be discarded.
However, IMO Obscured by Clouds is a way better album than Meddle
I feel like zeppelin 1 to Houses of the holy is a solid 5 album run.
Zeppelin is probably the easiest band to do this for because you could look at any run of five before John Bonham died, and see some of the best music ever released.
Another band you could put in this conversation is the Grateful Dead. Start with Aoxomoxoa, Workingman’s Dead, or American Beauty and go to Wake of the Flood, From the Mars Hotel, or Blues for Allah and have five great albums (excluding live)
And then the next 4 after that as well
I think Led Zep III was originally panned by critics when it came out and only became revered a few years later so maybe that’s why they got left off the list? Other than that I can’t figure out why they wouldn’t be mentioned.
@@hugeiftrue4224 the thing is, critical reception doesn’t necessarily correspond or impact public perception.
Pink Floyd released Meddle, The Dark Side of the Moon, Wish You Were Here, Animals and The Wall all within the span of about a decade. Five of the greatest albums of all time in less than ten years.
@@maxotto9877 it’s actually a soundtrack for the film La Valleé, here: en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obscured_by_Clouds
@@maxotto9877 obscured by clouds is one of my favorite Pink Floyd albums 😭
Jay Z made 5 classics in a row in 4 years so I mean
@@pharaoh8681 what classics does he have that aren’t 4:44, blueprint, reasonable doubt, and black album? vol.2 is arguably a classic but what else?
@@exotic_blitz7747 Vol 1? American Gangster became a classic, shit we can throw in The Dynasty that’s basically a Jay z album
Iron Maiden definitely passes the test with their first 7 albums: Self-titles, Killers, The Number of the Beast, Piece of Mind, Powerslave, Somewhere in Time and Seventh Son of a Seventh Son
Absolutely
@@cellyzs what kind of posers do you get your information from?
@@cellyzs i actually really like the first album and Killers too. Honestly I probably listen to them more. They just are a lot more fun imo with Paul Dianno singing. He brings a fun energy to it that you get less with Dickinson
@@cellyzs bro their first album is amazing
Iron Maiden?? Having #1 albums in Bulgaria and Nicaragua doesn’t make those albums great 🤣🤣
Kanye West for sure. That College Dropout to MBDTF run was just incredible. Sure, 808’s wasn’t well received on its launch, but in time it has for sure received critical acclaim and has influenced the rap industry for years to come. Adding to the fact that these were his first 5 albums, it’s a no brainer to me.
808's is arguably his most important and influential album on hip-hop as a whole. It might not be everyone's personal favorite, but it opened the door to acts like Drake and The Weeknd taking the darker beats and melancholic themes to the mainstream. But even today, it's hard to find anyone who can't appreciate Heartless, Amazing, and Street Lights.
Hot take but Kanye doesn’t make it cause of MBDTF and Late Registration
@@mik222222222 Jesus, definitely a hot take, but everyone has their own opinion
@@mik222222222 very hot take indeed man, those are 2 of my top 3.
@@mik222222222 L but hot take
Led Zeppelin’s debut five come to mind immediately: Led Zeppelin I - IV and Houses of the Holy absolutely crack that scale
I'd say you can keep going with their next three as well. But I'm a giant fan so there may be some bias there.
@@tylercole5218 yeah all 8 of their studio albums are bangers
I think, that their 6th album ,,Physical Graffiti" is great to. I mean, could any album not be good when ,,Kashmir" is on it?
@@arnemente5727 kashmir is of course amazing. But for me in my time of dying takes the cake off of that album
@@Alfie02 in through the out door is terrible!
Prince is an interesting case because I don't think his consecutive albums are limited to 5. His run from '79-'89 is one of the most impressive in music history.
mj packs but prince nice wid it
I’d count Queen and Floyd.
Queen: Sheer heart attack, a night at the opera, a day at the races, news of the world and jazz are insanely good albums. And every single one had at least one massive hit that has held up through generations. Killer queen, Bohemian Rhapsody, somebody to love, we will rock you and we are the champions and Don’t stop me now respectively. And the rest of the songs are great and underrated.
Pink Floyd: Dark side of the moon, wish you were here, animals, the wall and final cut. You just can’t argue with that.
I would even add Queen II and The Game to the streak, honestly!
@@WilliamLimao Queen II it's a materpiece!
@@WilliamLimao I agree. Queen II may be their best.
Final cut is ok… but since obscured by clouds is a soundtrack and doesn’t count it should go meddle, dsotm, wywh,animals, the wall
Why didnt you add Queen 1 & 2?
MF DOOM already passed the test if you include collaboration albums. you have operation doomsday, black bastards, take me to your leader, vaudvile villain, madvillany. if you exclude venomous villain because that was more of a mixtape and isn't really officially released anywhere, then you can include mmn food, the mouse and the mask, and born like this. also I'm counting black bastards as his project because even though it was made by a trio, on of the members left and the other one passed away leaving DOOM to finish the project, meaning it's mostly his project along with features from the other members
definitely agree, DOOM had an amazing run. rip the villain
Operation Doomsday
Take Me to Your Leader
Madvillainy
Born Like This
MM FOOD
I mean I would say he doesn’t pass only because technically VV2 is an official album and KMD shouldn’t really count since that’s a rap group. Really wish he did pass though since DOOM is one of my favorites (RIP)
His post KMD period might be the fastest to 5.
For sure bro
As a massive Tyler stan, I think he'll hit it. Ever since Flower Boy he seems allergic to making a bad record, dude's production and sampling are amongst the best of the best. I love Cherry Bomb but I don't think it quite qualifies, so give him 4 years and he'll be on this list
I totally see where you're coming from but cherry bomb seems to have a strong following. But yeah it is looked at as one of his weakest
He has tbh the most impressive 3 album run rn I'm a huge tyler fan as well, wolf still is my favorite tyler album though, but flower boy, igor, CMIYGL that's a damn impressive discography right there
@@isaiahdewberry6924 if you include cherry bomb, that a good five album run
@@rianlewis2324 I don't even think it's that weak, I still love running it back. The inconsistencies pop out when you listen to it compared to Flower Boy Igor and CMIYGL though. An album with Okaga, Smuckers, Find Your Wings, Brown Stains, and Fucking Young not even being top 3 is absolutely insane for an artist, I personally give it a 7 but it seems very dependent on who you ask whether they like it or not.
@@cybercrasherstv I love some of the songs off cherry bomb but as an album I don't like it, so that's why
Rush absolutely passes this test. 2112, A Farewell to Kings, Hemispheres, Permanent Waves and Moving Pictures.
Yes, those five albums are unparalleled
I concur, came up in my mind instantly
I’d extend it by two additional records.. their sound changed, but “Signals” and “Grace Under Pressure” hit that B+ level as well…. Amazing run
Signals could stretch it to six.
Although Niel is possibly the best rock drummer ever, I find his lyrics to be nauseating, and Geddy Lee's singing unlistenable. And it kind of ruins those otherwise great albums for me.
One musician I definetely think must be included into this is Jimi Hendrix. Even though he only published 3 studio albums before his death, the first 2 albums to be published posthumous seal the deal for me. Are you experienced/Axis:Bold as love/Electric ladyland/Cry of love/Rainbow bridge is an incredible run and really doesn't leave anything to be desired. Unpopular opinion Cry of love is actually my favourite Hendrix album. Definetely one of the best musicians of all time, even by those rules
I dived deep into Hendrix this summer and had such a good time! Pali Gap has to be my new favorite 😍
Was looking for this comment my good sir I am an avid Hendrix listener and think he could of kept going
@@kevinbeck8836 yeah love Pali Gap too. One of my personal favourites is Night Bird flying, it offers just such an amazing dynamic and the melody playing might be one of Hendrix' all time best. Especially together with the follow up 'My friend' on the album is it a delight to listen too
They have a really dope box set too so almost like 4
Björk's discography definitely shows how good of an artist she is. Even her less acclaimed albums are incredible pieces of art that showcase her eclecticity. Some people may think that Medúlla shouldn't pass the test but I think it's more of a matter of being opened to enjoy the album. If you really stop to appreciate it as a new thing Björk brought us you'll definitely like it for the great project that it is.
Yeah Medulla is a masterpiece but it’s not accessible at all compared to her four albums that preceded it. It’s still one of her most experimental works but I’d say Vulnicura’s second half sort of eclipses it in terms of complexity and the abstract emotions it’s able to conjure.
@@Kdkjdjewerdnxa I agree. Most people I see talking about Medúlla say they had a hard time liking the album because of basically only having vocals and being very experimental. It's definitely Björk's most polarized album and though I like it very much I couldn't deny that Vespertine feels a little more rounded.
Medulla is the only Björk record that I listen to now (and I’m a huge fan). I just can’t get enough of it
Her discography form Debut all up to Utopia is so incredibly strong. I don’t know an other artist that had such a strong run over nine albums. All of them are so unique and different fron each other. She’s truly an incredible artist.
Where is the best solo artist by discography? (Bowie)
Another overlooked group: Simon & Garfunkel!
They only released 5 albums (Wednesday Morning 3 AM > The Sounds of Silence > Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme > Bookends > Bridge Over Troubled Water) but they are all folk rock masterpieces!
Their first record dosen't hold up against the others
@@lisaberglund312 bruh no i used to love Wednesday Morning 3AM, it used to be my fav but now i prefer Parsley
in that case, i would nominate Paul Simon's solo career (There Goes Rhymin Simon -> Rhythm of the Saints), even tho i dont *totally* agree with it
@@lisaberglund312 Their first may not compare to the latter, but thats like saying the Beach Boys' Wild Honey isn't great, just because Pet Sounds set an impossibly high standard. Simon and Garfunkel's last 2 albums are 2 of the greatest of all time in my opinion, of course, a great album won't look as good in comparison, but it's still great.
And my favorite album from them was the live one from Central Park.
The Beatles released 4 albums often considered the best of all time, the most influental albums to ever be created, 4 MASTERPIECES in 3 years, The Beatles being the most popular band to ever exist is the greatest thing ive seen, they more than certainly deserve it.
If you take Yellow Submarine out - which you should - I would say they had 8 great consecutive albums, from Help! to Let It Be. I suppose not everyone rates Help! as highly but it's at least an 8/10 for me
@@jackburgess3681 Yellow Sub is not really even a Beatles album when you think about it, more of a George Martin thing with some songs thrown in that waren't even made for the movie.
@@jackburgess3681 Help! has "Yesterday", "You've Got to Hide Your Love Away", "Ticket to Ride", "I've Just Seen a Face", and "Help!"
The biggest flaw to me is ending on Dizzy Miss Lizzy, swap that out with "I'm Down" (The Help! Single B-Side) and you have a killer album.
I think they have got 5 for sure:
- Sgt Peppers
- Magical Mystery Tour
- Abbey Road
- Revolver
- White Album
The Beatles were incredible song writers BUT, they were garbage vocalist. A lot of their songs sound better covered by other vocalist!!!! BIG FACTS!!!!
Billy Joel had a really great six-album run. Turnstiles, The Stranger, 52nd Street, Glass Houses, Nylon Curtain, and An Innocent Man are all really great albums.
Streetlife Serenade is a great album too
Agreed
This is what I think of first! The stranger - an innocent man. Although piano man and turnstiles are also great
I was about to mention that Piano man was before turnstiles but despite being his most iconic song that album only has like... 4 good songs on it. Even as a massive Billy Joel fan i really can't listen to some of that album and go 'yeah this is his best work'
@@themadpyro8560 for me the good songs from Piano man are obviously piano man
You're my home
Captain jack and the ballad of Billy the kid
No pink Floyd? Really? I wouldn't count obscured by clouds. It's a movie soundtrack made into an album. Kinda like Kendricks black panther thing. But then, you have one of the best 5 in a rows of all time! Meddle, dark side of the moon, wish you were here, animals, and the wall! Like, I guess you dont listen to pink Floyd because there's no way you didn't think of at the very least mentioning this row
Honestly Obscured by Clouds could be counted, very good album.
Pink Floyd was literally the first band I thought about when I clicked this video
same, sad it wasn't mentioned :(
I know it’s controversial, but personally I would go Dark Side of the Moon to The Final Cut. It might not be a good “Pink Floyd” album, but I still love it. So many moments on it gave me chills, and it’s a great sorta spinoff to The Wall imo.
Obscured By Clouds was pretty weak when compared to Meddle. Darkside, WYWH, Animals, and The Wall.
to not feature David Bowie is insane. if you disregard Pin-Ups, as it was an album of cover songs, I would say he has a 13-album run of excellence. even discounting Pin-Ups, you still have an easy six-album run from Station to Station to Let's Dance which are amongst the greatest albums ever produced.
ye i was thinking that but i forgot about pin ups
exactly what i was thinking
ye but lodger lowkey sucks, i mean i bought it but it was just for fantastic voyage
hes talking about the artists he listens to, not all artists to ever do it
I definitely agree. If you disregard Pinups (which you should), just the Man Who Sold The World to Diamond Dogs run fits the bill. Or Hunky to Young Americans, if Man is too early (personally, I love it like it's my own child)
R.E.M makes this list easily. Murmur, Reckoning, Fables of the Reconstruction, Life's Rich Pageant, and Document are all amazing. Their great streak lasts all the way up to "automatic for the people" and even after that, they were never bad.
So many great bands aren’t “bad” even when they decline in quality a bit, and rem is definitely an example
100% REM’s run was the greatest ever imo
Glad Stevie Wonder got the shoutout, I’d honestly add Hotter than July to that great run. I love every single song on that album which I can’t say for the others.
If you include Hotter than July, then you gotta also include Journey through the Secret Life of Plants which is sort of an acquired taste but in my opinion an underrated classic as well.
Kendrick lamar definitely passes the test even his throwaways are amazing
Damn sucks so no
@@jukaa1012 lol you’re funny 😂
@@jukaa1012 how?
@@jukaa1012 very funny
To pimp a butterfly was whack
I'm actually kinda of shocked how well Kendrick and metallica line up. I just hope Kendrick releases something better then load and reload.
Given how his next album is supposedly rock-influenced I’d say that could totally alienate a chunk of his fans.
@@thrownstair As someone who is a really huge rock fan, his next project is the one I’m most excited for. Hope that it is a rock rap album on par with TPAB
Load and Reload are horrible so that shouldn’t be hard
@@ianwakers I have legit never met anyone who thinks that
@@ianwakers lmao
I am so happy you included Elliott Smith in this, to me all 7 of his albums are perfect.
Beatles, McCartney, King Crimson, Yes, Rush, Bowie, Zeppelin, Stones, Pink Floyd, Gentle Giant, Santana, Death, etc
David Bowie definitely passed the test from hunky dory to let’s dance (11 albums) you can take your pick of five albums
@@iamleaa his best 5 album streak is from station to staion to scary monsters
My pick would be from Young American to Lodger
@@iamleaa I wasn’t counting pinups since it’s a covers album but it does kind of ruin it
@@tvalles22 I feel like with these subjective rules if a covers, bsides, or live album is great it counts, if not ..don’t, f*ck it hahaha
Are lodger, heroes, diamond dogs and pin ups good enough?
Led Zeppelin had six in a row from their debut through Physical Graffiti. Depends how big of a fan you are after that.
From LZ to Presence (which is their best album, don’t care what popular opinion says). HotH is the worst of the bunch (imo of course), but I think it still counts as great, although it may be a bit of a stretch to me
@@thedarkfalafel9323 I have an older brother who described listening to Presence for the first time as "The sound of my favorite band dying." "Achilles Last Stand" is fantastic but the rest of that album doesn't get beyond being merely good.
My thoughts exactly! Cheers!
@@thedarkfalafel9323 right everything you just said was invalidated because you’re favorite album is when plant was singing awfully from a wheel chair…
Zeppelin would make it if HotH didn’t exist imo
Pink Floyd had a 5-album run from Meddle through The Wall, excluding Obscured by Clouds, a soundtrack album, which was still great. This run also includes Dark Side of the Moon, Wish You were Here and Animals
Why not just go OBC -> The Wall? It definitely has the feel of a studio album, it counts imo
@@DTheAustralian because meddle is also great
@@B6Ben
So Meddle through to Animals, then?
I clicked on this video expecting to hear my favorite band, Steely Dan, mentioned. Safe to say I was not disappointed. They are truly a group with all amazing albums.
Same here.
Nah Countdown to Exctacy, Pretzel Logic and their 4th album are mid asf
@@Hugo_E-mad He Left Drake Out
@@Hugo_E-madbrain dead take
Not counting Obscured By Clouds because it’s a soundtrack, Pink Floyd’s Meddle - Dark Side of the Moon - Wish You Were Here - Animals - The Wall, is the best 5 album run of all time
I'm not a huge Floyd fan, but even I can agree this is a great run. Animals is underrated in my experience.
I actually prefer obscured by clouds than meddle. But my favourite pf album is atom heart mother by a mile
I totally agree. At least three of those records are inarguably timeless classics.
I thought about that too and I'm actually not quite sure if Meddle counts. While I love Echoes I don't think the rest of the album really is that good. And while Echoes is a 9/10, the rest honestly keeps the album maybe a little to mediocore for me.
@@joell.7506 I'd say I completely agree, although I think 'one of these days' is quite nice
I'm genuinely suprised Pink Floyd wasn't included. Not counting soundtracks, I'd say the run from Meddle to The Wall definitely qualifies.
Why not include Obscured By Clouds? It's a great album too, and honestly is better than Meddle in parts.
Needles my favorite
Facts
Seamus get back in your cage
Yes he missed them totally. For me Obscured by clouds would be a 6-7 tho
Janet Jackson definately passed the five albums test
I’m surprised to see Led Zeppelin isn’t being talked about in the comments… I,II,III,Untitled,and Houses of the Holy!
You could also do their 2nd album through Physical Graffiti as their best 5 album run.
Thank you.
I was screaming this whilst watching the video - they were the first artist to come to mind for me!!!
Allmusic - 5,5,5,5,5,5 stars. Rolling Stone - 5,5,4,5,5,4 stars. Hard to argue with that.
Clearly you have bad taste in music
And that in just 7 years.
Pink Floyd definitely. In my mind, 70’s Pink Floyd is the strongest band ever. That’s whether or not you wanna count Obscured by Clouds, which I think is a great album (even though it’s a soundtrack that doesn’t fit their sound of the time). AHM, Meddle, Obscured, DSotM, WYWH, Animals, and The Wall are all 8-10/10s for me, easy
Pink Floyd and Rush were both near unstoppable in the 70’s and were the first two bands I thought of for the five albums test. Rush, Fly by Night, Caress of steel, 2112, Farewell to Kings, and Hemispheres are all killer albums, even the 80’s rush kept plowing through with Permanent Waves, Moving Pictures, Signals and Grace Under Pressure. Any 5 of those 9 overall could put them on the list
Was searching for this comment. Greatest band of all time
Really surprised they didn't get a big mention in this video. I guess he just hasn't listened to them so much. But from Meddle on at least are all excellent, and I personally love Obscured as well
meddle was the shit
I just happened to put the exact same comment... Great!!! =)
Michael Jackson most definitely. Off The Wall, Thriller, Bad, Dangerous, HIStory was an incredible run and all 5 among the best selling (and influential) albums ever made. I would say those albums made a bigger impact on popular music than anything else.
History is literally a compilation bro
@@ottovanmullem1820 not history part 2
Definitely. I was re-discovering all of these records lately and it’s just amazing how much this human was capable of musically speaking, a pure killer (sorry, Jerry Lee lool)
Dangerous and HIStory are both mid af
@@thatbloodypanda6989 I think Dangerous is a masterpiece. Half of HIStory is brilliant.
I’d definitely put R.E.M. on here, the streak from Murmur to Document is pure gold
Pink Floyd is an absolute slam dunk for me with Meddle to The Wall, ignoring obscured by clouds as it was made for the film La Vallée.
Why not include Obscured By? It's a soundtrack, but it definitely has that vibe of a soundtrack album, plus it's damn great.
Pink Floyd’s 5 album run from “Meddle” to “The Wall” is a pass for me. (Not including Obscured by Clouds as it’s a soundtrack).
Oh yeah of course, those are some of the 5 most legendary albums of all time, my personal favorite being Wish you were here
Yeah they arguably had 6 in a row
Piper, Saucerful, Ummagumma, AHM, Meddle is better
Perfection
I know their early albums are unknown outside the fandom, but to me they had a perfect discography up until their split in 1985
- Michael Jackson, from Off The Wall to Invincible
- Shakira, from Pies Descalzos to Oral Fixation Vol 2
- St. Vincent, from Strange Mercy to Daddy's Home
Michael Jackson’s run from Off the Wall would finish with HIStory, which is a much better album than Invincible anyway
I was thinking MJ too but idk if History would be considered a great album, it might just be good/okay. I’d say he def has a four album run of greats though (Off the Wall, Thriller, Bad, and Dangerous).
@@ShivJ16 yea history is not that great, dangerous too has a lot of filler but the great songs make up for the filler and the other 3 are some of the greatest albums ever obv.
Dangerous and HIStory are both reaches for great albums, lots of filler
@@vanishing_girl
I could agree with HIStory but not with dangerous. That album is absolutely superb. Apart from like 2 songs, all the material is excellent. With HIStory I’m conflicted. The good songs are REALLY good but the rest is just, average.
It’s based on taste but I think you could find a 5 album run of Weird Al that are tremendous for what he does.
Green Day I feel has a good lineup. Dookie, Insomniac, Nimrod, Warning, and American Idiot to finish it off. Saying that isn't a run of some of their best is crazy.
Couldn't agree more! Some people might say Warning would fail the 5 album test but I certainly beg to differ, it's incredibly unique. Maybe '1972' will kick off another 5 album streak!
Lost interest after Insomniac
Fiona Apple. All 5 are legit fantastic. I went into Extraordinary Macine having heard it was her weakest, and now it might be the one I listen to the most. She’s unbelievable
I've been WAITING to hear this opinion from someone thank you lol
Underrated
Idk because I kind of feel like Tidal is her weakest for sure
@@robertmancha6257 I agree, the other 4 are definitely improvements. Tidal is still great though, has amazing tracks like Sullen Girl and Never is a Promise, so I think she qualifies
@@robertmancha6257 i’m still obsessed with Tidal. i can’t choose a favourite honestly.
Not sure if they’re all legendary albums, but Michael Jackson ha a pretty good run. And I know album sales have nothing to do with it but I thought I’d add them to show they were big albums when they came out.
Off The Wall - 20m copies sold
Thriller - 60-120m copies sold
Bad - 45-60m copies sold
Dangerous - 30m copies sold
HIStory - 20m copies sold.
It’s a pretty good run, although it spanned 16 years from ‘79-‘95.
Jürgen Löfflad
True, but probably not considered legendary
Dangerous and HIStory most non-fans won't care about, Off the Wall is less popular but still fairly loved, Bad isn't unusual to hear, and Everybody loves Thriller.
Kentucky Fried Children
True, but are we judging this on popularity or musical components. The argument can be put up for both, but most musicians after or even during this period were influenced hugely by these albums. Off The Wall, Thriller, Bad and even Dangerous are up there with the best from their respective genres (disco, pop, 80s pop/synth pop, New Jack Swing)
Omg one of the best typos, please don't change it "Michael Jackson ha a"
@@KentuckyFriedChildren it was huge else where yk
Tool. They have published 5 albums, ranging from great to masterpieces. Their music evolves as time goes on but the band mantains the distinct style that sets them apart from the rest of the prog genre.
The newest album was awful
@@oscarvogt4212 You have the right to be wrong.
ABBA’s run from “Arrival” through “The Visitors” is a major oversight. While the band has also had great songs, meticulous production and incredible vocals and harmonies, this stretch of albums over a mere 6-year period showed how they progressed from a bubbly pop group to a mature, darker art pop sound, especially if you factor in the expanded reissues of The Visitors, which includes their greatest and final track (for 40 years) “The Day Before You Came.”
Bowie, Diamond Dogs to lets dance is basically 8 great albums, pick and choose the order. And i guess if you ignore pin ups (a cover album), then its an even bigger run
you’re totally right-
I'd suggest that Young Americans, Lodger, Aladdin Sane, Let's Dance and Diamond Dogs are merely good rather than great - but I do take your point. Mind you, I'd rank all of those as a B+ or above, going by the criteria.
Yeah, nearly any of Bowie's albums qualify. When you take into account that his entire career was personal reinvention it's only more impressive.
@@ZiPolishHammer I don’t know dude, I can’t think of a single good piece of music Bowie put out during the 90’s.
@@griffinoconnor1523 Rough decade for him to be sure lol
The metal band Death had seven albums throughout its lifetime and not a single album of theirs was bad.
Oh hey man!
@@TOSRIP lol hey bro
@@RockBandHyenaOfficial I need to upload more youtube videos
My favorite was the last album. I forgot the name. I'm not really a big fan of death metal but damn, spirit crusher is godly.
@@bluepinkman4785 The album you’re thinking of is The Sound of Perseverance. :)
Ironically enough, “Medulla” was the first full Bjork album I listened through (crazy right?), lol. From there I went backwards. I guess if I was able to make it through “Medulla” I could make it through everything.
Neil Young 100% passes the test. Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere, After the Gold Rush, Harvest, On the Beach and Tonight's the Night are all phenomenal records.
This is gonna come as a surprise since people on the internet only care about ItCotCK, but King Crimson's run from Islands to Discipline is absolutely unbeatable
I would say King Crimson's entire studio output was pretty great, even The ConstruKction of Light, which I would consider to be their weakest, has some really great moments on it. Three of a Perfect Pair and Thrak are especially incredible in my opinion
I'd add Lizard to that run. Bit of an aquired taste but I have a soft spot for it.
Bless you for mentioning them
Discipline is the best king crimson album
So true.
David Bowie gave art one of the greatest ten-year marathons in history. Starting with Hunky Dory and ending with Scary Monsters, this is an outstanding innovative contribution (even skirting the Pin Ups covers, there are five corresponding in a row)
Could not agree more. To be able to make a song like Life On Mars?, and then still be able to achieve greatness with the entirety of scary monsters nine years later is amazing.
Diamond Dogs, Young Americans, Station and Station, Low, Heroes
Those are all very solid albums in a back to back(repeat)
@@thephilcharles yess and even after that you have lodger, scary monsters and lets dance
Kek not even one good album from that hack. In fact his best album was probably "One Outside" from 1995 (a solid 5/10).
@@tyrjilvincef9507 sooo edgy man you’re so different and special for acting like a massively popular and critically acclaimed artist is objectively bad
Van Morrison without a doubt. Astral Weeks to Saint Dominic’s Preview is an astounding run. He’s incredibly underrated in my opinion.
Kanye west has the best 10 album run of all time.
1. College dropout
2. Late registration
3. Graduation
4. 808’s
5. MBDTF
6. Watch The Throne
7. Yeezus
8. TLOP
9. Ye
10. Kids see Ghosts
I personally think Bowie basically did a 9 perfect record run with Hunky Dory, Ziggy Stardust, Aladdin Zane, Pin Ups, Diamond Dogs, Young Americans, Station To Station, Low and ”Heroes”. But if you want, maybe pick the first five. Or Ziggy to Young Americans.
Edit: Or you may exclude Pin Ups since it’s a cover album and go Hunky Dory to Young Americans.
Maybe I'm just way too big of a Bowie fan, but I can't find any album (except for Pinups, which I exclude) that I wouldn't consider great between Space Oddity and Tonight.
1. Earth Wind and Fire - Open Our Eyes, That's The Way of the World, Gratitude, Spirit, All n All
2. A Tribe Called Quest- Entire discography. Their last 2 albums weren't received as well at first but over time and with Dillas involvement in both they're definitely now regarded as classics.
3. Jay Z. I'm not a huge fan of his but I'm sure that there is a sequence of 5 albums that can be considered great.
4. Miles Davis. I believe he had at least 2 5 great album runs, either around Kind of Blue and In a Silent Way
5. Michael Jackson- HOW was my man Mike not mentioned? Off The Wall, Thriller, Bad, Dangerous, and yes, HIStory was a GREAT album as well.
I realize the list can only be subjective, but I think these are just a few artists that may have been overlooked.
U forgot david bowie
Dangerous by Michael Jackson is not a GREAT album and I don't think that's too controversial. All good if you think it is though :)
Dangerous is where I skipped most songs as they sound kinda repetitive to me (Except some songs such as Black or White, Remember the Time, Heal the World, Jam, and the title track)
@@McNippyG some albums greatness takes time to be realized. I think Dangerous is great because it is a pioneer in new jack swing, one of the defining sounds of 90s rnb. I dont think the requirements of the list is that all of the albums be on the same tier of greatness, because I definitely think Mike's high point was Thriller and it kind of dropped off from there. But I think all of his albums since have stood on their own as important contributions to the overall musical landscape they were in.
@@jotarokujo3870 Your opinion =/= Fact. Dangerous is great album. On this album he is united all the best from their styles.
Artist who has passed the 5 album mark for me.
The Pet Shop Boys:
Please
Actually
Introspective
Behaviour
Very
If cover albums count, Streetlight Manifesto definitely passes the test. If not, then I'm confident that they will get there in the next 30 years or so.
I think your list was solid. However, Fiona Apple should have been included. She's been making music since 96 and has only released 5 albums, all with critical acclaim.
I just did a listen through her full discography and she is so consistent. Every album of hers is at least great.
YESSSSS
I personally think Extraordinary Machine ruins her streak
@@spamsingles5948 Absolutely not!!!!!!!!! it’s still a good album. her worst but it’s still GOOD.
@@nomart4888 I still think it's pretty good but not 8/10+ material
Artists with 5 perfect albums in a row:
MF DOOM, Kate bush, cure, Stevie wonder, Kendrick Lamar, Kanye west, Fiona Apple, Black Sabbath, Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Jason Molina, Outkast, bjork, Joni Mitchell, and Radiohead are the artists/bands I personally think have passed. Maybe if I thought about it more I’d come up with more but these are them.
DOOM's would be Take Me To Your Leader, Vaudeville Villain, Madvillainy, Venomous Villain, Mm Food, I guess.
I know Venomous Villain might break the streak for some people but despite it being unpopular, I've personally always kinda liked the little album and think it's probably still like an 8/10. Back End, Fall Back Titty Fat, Rap Game, Doper Skiller, Pop Quiz; all some of my favorite songs from the guy
Damn fine list. Would also argue for The Roots, Queens of the Stone Age, Steely Dan, Earth Wind & Fire, and definitely Prince and Sade. Might argue for Charli XCX if you include the XCX World bootleg lol
Jay Z
Neil Young
Jason Molina 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
I was actually very shocked that Led Zeppelin wasn’t here. Led Zeppelin I-IV + Houses of the Holy are 5 of the greatest albums of all time
Physical Graffiti - 6
They're a glorified cover band
@@ammagnolia 😂
yah Jimmy Page sux 🤡
John Bonham terrible 🤡
JPJ is DOA 🤡
Plant the worst 🤡
@@ammagnolia the way no one asked for your crusty opinion 👏😹
@@brettg274 don’t diss bonzo like that
Simon and Garfunkel’s entire mainline discography should probably count for this list. As for my other picks, They include Björk, Radiohead, Pink Floyd, Ween and David Bowie (Oasis would’ve made the list if they hadn’t screwed up with Be Here Now)
I really don't know why people say that "Beatles For Sale" is a bad album. This is the album that has "Eight Days A Week", "Baby's In Black" which was a hit when they played it live, and "No Reply'. The other songs on that album are underrated gems. "I'm A Loser" is so catchy, I mean, Paul's bassline is fantastic when the chorus kicks in. That middle eight in "I Don't Want To Spoil The Party" is so powerful! It's my favorite Beatles album, so if you've given it a miss until now, I'd really reccomend it. It always reminds me of Autumn.
There is no poor Beatles album
I don't think The Beatles ever made a bad album, but I totally understand people who don't like their albums from "Please Please Me" to "Help!" since they do fit in with that early 60s pop rock sound which hasn't aged that well compared to The Beatles' later material
@@geoffreybrunell5592 I agree with their first four albums, but I really love "Help!". Though their sound didn't change too much, songs like "Help!" and espescially the wonderful masterpiece that is "Yesterday" are truly timeless and the album as a whole feels less cheesy and meaningless than for example "Please Please Me".
Honestly. Its been on repeat for me this past cpuple weeks
Every Little Thing is the most underrated Beatles song. It’s on that album
David Bowie, I think he could fit with his art rock side. From Station to Station to Scary Monsters. Tho I get that people say that Lodger was an ok album, but I think its really underrated.
Hunky Dory to Station to Station had a chance if it weren't for PinUps
David Bowie absolutely. What about Neil Young. He’s had a ten album streak
Oh absolutely. And here's to hoping another five album run once Toy is released.
Heathen, Reality, The Next Day, Blackstar, (Toy)
Also his 90s work is severely underrated.
The man who sold the world to Diamond Dogs is a good run, IMHO
Hunky Dory, Ziggy Stardust, Aladdin Sane, Diamond Dogs, Young Americans, Station to Station, low
He passes
@@clashplaya8638 all these are 9 or 10 out of 10 albums, but there's Pin Ups between Diamond Dogs and Young Americans, that's only a regular album. But if you count Young Americans, Station to Station and the Berlin Trilogy, there you go again, Bowie passes
Not a super popular band, but i think king gizzard and the lizard wizard have 2 separate 5 album runs to their name. From im in your mind fuzz to flying microtonal banana being the first one, and omnium gatherum to petrodragonic apocalypse being the second one
Also Queen.
They had a fantastic 6 album run from Queen through News Of The World. After that, it got controversial
For me, Madonna pass the test with her studio albums: True Blue, Like a Prayer, Erotica, Bedtime Stories and Ray of Light.
yes!
💯
I would start with Like a Prayer and end with Music, but honestly that’s personal taste.
She indeed does
For the rock fans: Creedence Clearwater Revival’s first five would make my list. Also, Van Halen’s first five would of made mine as well if it wasn’t for Diver Down.
I think Diver Down is slept on personally.
Ccr is so underrated, they only have like 3 bad songs throughout their entire discography
@@socer1470 what are these 3 songs?
@@mythosinhd4201 For starters, almost everything on Mardi Gras.
@@mythosinhd4201 door to door and prolly some other songs off Mardri gras
Surprised no one talked about RHCP. The run of BSSM, One Hot Minute, Californication, By The Way and Stadium Arcadium is amazing
i came looking for this comment
I feel like RHCP has the exact same amount of people that love them and that hate them
Yes isn't a perfect example, but The Yes Album, Fragile, Close to the Edge, Tales from Topographic Oceans, and Relayer is close enough for me.
Radiohead definitely. The bends - Ok computer - kid a /amnesiac - httt - in rainbows is god tier streak. Every album brings something New and sounds completely different, one of the greatest Journeys in music history
Ive been looking for this comment
HTTT? Great? I disagree with that a bunch. It's good, but a lot of skippable tracks.
I would even say that A Moon Shaped Pool is as good as Httt
@@_Rosebudyes i think amsp is way better
@@Straaaayyyy don't sleep on httt
I'd say Led Zeppelin fits the bill:
Led Zeppelin I, II, III, IV, Houses of the Holy.
You can even add Physical Graffiti if you start at II.
Edit: I just read the article and Led Zeppelin (along with Queen, Bruce Springsteen and Neil Young) are mentioned as passing the test.
Neil young is so good
Yeah I hadn't thought about starting at Led Zep II, that defo gets it on the list
Led Zep are borderline for me; I like HotH, but that middle stretch inc. the Crunge and D'yer Mak'er sits alongside the late-game filler off PG as the weakest of their classic run, and kinda drags it down, even though the rest of the album is phenomenal.
Conversely, I'd say that the sheer volume of 10/10s on PG outweighs the filler tracks (which is really just Boogie with Stu and the last 5/6hrs of In My Time of Dying, the rest is pretty good.)
@@alfie.6652 Leaving aside my issues w/HotH, I'd say that both options are definites, but I'd put LZ1 over PG.
@@TVAVStudios Can't really argue 👍
I think the Arctic Monkeys could make the list with their first 5 as well. Freddie Gibbs is close to making the list too with Bandana, Alfredo, and $oul Sold Separately all being great
Piñata too
My personal picks:
Rush:
2112 > A Farewell to Kings > Hemispheres > Permanent Waves > Moving Pictures (> Signals > Grace Under Pressure > Power Windows)
An 8 fantastic albums run, not many can pull that off.
Graveyard:
Graveyard > Hisingen Blues > Lights Out > Innocence and Decadence > Peace
The Roots:
The Tipping Point > Game Theory > Rising Down > How I Got Over > Undun
David Bowie:
Young Americans > Station to Station > Low > Heroes > Lodger (> Scary Monsters (And Super Creeps))
Depeche Mode:
Black Celebration > Music for the Masses > Violator > Songs of Faith and Devotion > Ultra
Judas Priest:
Sad Wings of Destiny > Sin After Sin > Stained Class > Killing Machine > British Steel
Laura Veirs:
Carbon Glacier > Year of Meteors > Saltbreakers > July Flame > Warp and Weft
Angra:
Angels Cry > Holy Land > Fireworks > Rebirth > Temple of Shadows
System of a Down:
System of a Down > Toxicity > Steal This Album! > Mezmerize > Hypnotize
Miles Davis:
Many to count, but my favorite is
In a Silent Way > Bitches Brew > On the Corner > Big Fun > Get Up With It
Those are the ones I could think of right now, I might update it later.
HARD agree on Rush
Judas Priest 1000%
I would start David Bowie’s run in Hunky Dory
@@AntonioMartinez-uk3xp isnt pin ups right after ziggy stardust
@@AntonioMartinez-uk3xp It's a four album run to me.
The Man Who Sold The World > Hunky Dory > Ziggy > Aladdin Sane
Pin ups broke it.
One that comes to mind for me would be Beastie Boys. License to Ill, Paul's Boutique, Check Your Head, Ill Communication, and Hello Nasty. 5 fantastic albums
Blood Sugar Sex Magik, One Hot Minute, Californication, By The Way and Stadium Arcadium... all in a row
Queen, Queen II, Sheer heart attack, A night at the opera, A day at the races
CAN's first five albums include the best 3 album run ever but are all fantastic.
Looooads of jazz musicians pass the test but John Coltrane could very well have had a never-ending streak of perfection had he not died so soon; he easily passes at pretty much any stage of his career. I personally think the 5 album run from Crescent to Kulu se Mama (not including live releases) is arguably the best ever, with A Love Supreme and Meditations the crown jewels.
If you count his work as part of Armand Hammer, I think the stretch of Paraffin, Hiding Places, Terror Management, Shrines, Brass, and Haram put billy woods easily in contention (I personally would leave off Haram but it's close).
I would argue that Sonic Youth pass the test at any point from Confusion is Sex to A Thousand Leaves, although my 5 would predictably go from Bad Moon Rising to Goo.
Brian Eno has had an amazingly consistent and prolific career but I think his first 5 albums (including the collaboration with Robert Fripp) qualify for sure.
Really cool video idea, though I don't think this is a very good metric for assessing the best and most important artists ever given how harshly it penalises artistic failure.
dude you have awesome taste, i'd say In The Court of The Crimson King to Larks' Tongues In Aspic itself passes the 5 albums but Larks' to Three of a Perfect Pair is probably the better pick imo
Huge W for billy woods he was one of the first artists I thought of when I heard the rules for this
There isn't really bad jazz
You don't survive in the genre putting out a bad production
@@edwardleas592 I wouldnt say that- I think there's q obvious examples of bad jazz (Kenny G) but also a lot of slightly uninspired stuff, like miles in the 80s and wynton marsalis (imo). I think u have a point in that to be able to record or to be part of of band does necessitate a certain level of technique and creativity.
@@finlaymiles9798 what i mean is.. as far as talent and accuracy goes. Not a whole lot of room for error. Metal uses a lot of distortion, country is air brushed by mixing boards live sometimes [im a witness] r&b is a genre closer to jazz as far as what people can get away with. You still have lip singing happening unfortunately. There's tricks of the trade 90% of jazz would consider some of this as a means to cheat their fans. At least the orchestrated production is pure for the most part.
Surprised there was not mention of Pink Floyd with Meddle being an underrated classic and then Dark side of the moon being the most iconic album of all time. Then of course there is I wish you were here, Animals and the Wall all being some of the most amazing albums.
True, but obscured by clouds is also a soundtrack, so it could be disregarded and the 5 albums would go from meddle, dark side, wish, animals, and the wall which easily pass the test
But I personally am a big fan of obscured by clouds anyways
That's the problem though, Obscured by Clouds really hampers it. I like some of Obscured, but it definitely doesn't have the same quality level of the band's classic period. And, unfortunately, same could be said for Meddle; Echoes is, of course, one of the band's finest, but the A side of the album is...hodgepodge. While I'm good with the first three tracks, San Tropez and Seamus (that's the dog) really lag. I guess that could be passable? But they certainly don't feel as genre-defining as Dark Side through Wall.
I say this as a massive Pink Floyd fan who's seen Waters twice and Gilmour once. I WANT to include them in the five album test, but...it's just not quite close enough.
@@maxotto9877 well it was a soundtrack, it doesn’t really count. They do what is true to the movie and not themselves. And I would put soundtracks in their own seperate catagory.
@@maxotto9877
You really don't seem to like Obscured, huh? What the hell is wrong with it?
Taylor Swift for sure, I think queen deserved a spot too
I haven't seen anyone mention them, so I'll say that Yes's first 5 albums debatably pass this test. Their self-titled debut is borderline 8/10 for me, but Time and a Word and The Yes Album are great, and Fragile and Close to the Edge are two of the greatest albums ever made.
You also have to remember that before the Beatles (with a few exceptions), albums were basically just a collection of songs, they weren't really seen as an artistic statement, so this test kinda discounts some of the greatest artists who never really had hugely critically acclaimed albums, eg Elvis Presley, Louis Armstrong, Frank Sinatra, plenty of other jazz greats
Spot on.
Although, ironically enough-Sinatra’s album “In The Wee Small Hours” actually might’ve been the first true _”Album”._
But I completely agree with what you’re saying.
Basically all of the Greatest Artists before The Beatles: Sam Cooke, Elvis, Roy Orbison, James Brown, Smokey Robinson, etc …
They weren’t trying to make “Great Albums”.
Plus, back then, it was more about-Singles, than Albums.
@@CipherSerpico You both make great points. When evaluating an artist you have to take into account everything they did within the context of their time. Trying to boil everything down to "Who had the best 5 album run?" is missing the forest for the trees.
@@AbbeyRoadkill1_Exactly._
Marvin Gaye is another great example. His *1st Masterpiece _”What’s Going On”_ wasn’t put out until he was halfway into his career.
But, the Music he made before that Album-is some of the Greatest that’s ever been made; That alone, would’ve made him one of the Greatest R&B Artists, even if he hadn’t gone on to put out albums like What’s Going On, Let’s Get It On, Here My Dear…
*I had to put an asterisk next to “1st”, because even though _“What’s Going On”_ is his Magnum Opus…
Imho his album _”In The Groove (Heard It Through The Grapevine)”_ is one of the Greatest R&B Albums Of All Time, and one of the most underrated Albums of all time.
If you’ve never heard it before, you gotta check it out. I’ll leave a link for one of the best songs on the Album.
I think “In The Groove” is the ‘Rubber Soul of R&B’; It’s a perfect collection of Pop Songs, but it was also the turning point-Where Marvin (like The Beatles) was starting to make Art out of Pop Music.
czcams.com/video/SwjjnUa3xNw/video.html
That’s one of my favorite songs.
I don’t know how that song/album is not Popular.
This is a really interesting discussion to open up. Even the Beatles had a bunch of #1 singles that didn’t belong to any of their albums - Love Me Do, From Me to You, She Loves You, I Wanna Hold Your Hand, I Feel Fine, Day Tripper, We Can Work It Out, Paperback Writer, Lady Madonna, Hey Jude, and The Ballad of John and Yoko. At 12 songs, that’s almost half of their #1 hits! We don’t see the Beatles as single artists, but they put their music out at a time when the standalone single was a viable format for releasing music, so of course they released singles! They almost certainly had a hand in changing that, though.
Your comment is a really insightful. The great single artists of the 40s and 50s were a source of inspiration to bands like The Beatles and the Beach Boys (who, I would argue, were _actually_ the driving force behind the cultural shift towards defining albums as an artistic statement, since Paul McCartney liked Pet Sounds so much that he set off to work on Sgt. Pepper 😁 but that’s an issue of semantics - you’re right and I mostly just wanted to shout out Brian Wilson). They “fail” the five-album test but gave rise to practically all of the musicians that “pass.” They were foundational to the next generation of musicians in the same way the Beatles are foundational to music today - the old greats are “your favorite artist’s favorite artists” and it’s awesome to include them here in this conversation.
@@CipherSerpico in the wee small albums is totally the first real album. i love that record, it feels way more than just singles and throwaway cuts
I would say that ABBA made 6 in a row. ABBA, Arrival, Voulez-Vous, Super Trooper and The Visitors. Abba never had a defining album because they all where so evenly good so you could never just pick one. Mayby you couls say that The Visitors are the odd one out, but its absolutly their most complex album and one i come back to over and over again.
I'm suprised he didn't say ABBA as well, even if your not that keen on them you can't deny it would be 5 critically acclaimed albums in a row at least
this is quite possibly the worst take in this comment section
@@maxnagle7842 😆
Great premise for a video here, well done Alfo Media 👍
A handful that (imho) fit the bill would be (and if I'm repeating earlier comments, apologies):
Led Zeppelin: (really all of their albums but at very least) Zep II, III, IV, Houses of the Holy (especially) and Physical Graffiti
The Police: although not a long body of work, I reserve special commendation that all of this band's albums qualify for me:
- Outlandos d'Amour (which includes "Roxanne," "So Lonely," "Next To You")
- Reggatta de Blanc ("Message In A Bottle," "Walking On The Moon," "Bring On The Night")
- Zenyatta Mondatta ("Don't Stand So Close To Me," "Driven To Tears," "When The World Is Running Down...")
- Ghost In the Machine ("Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic," "Spirits In the Material World")
- Synchronicity ("King Of Pain," "Wrapped Around Your Finger," "Synchronicity II")
Sting as a solo artist: The Dream of the Blue Turtles, Bring On the Night (a live album, but ample reworked material and rarities), ...Nothing Like the Sun, The Soul Cages and Ten Summoner's Tales
XTC, a bit lesser known unfortunately, but worth a listen by any fan of new wave and/or The Beatles: Skylarking, Psonic Psunspot (under The Dukes of Statosphear moniker), Oranges & Lemons, Nonsuch and Apple Venus Volume I (and I'd easily add a sixth, Wasp Star: Apple Venus Volume II)
Lastly, strong vote for Muse: Black Holes and Revelations, The Resistance, The 2nd Law, Drones, Simulation Theory (if in this case we can omit live albums)
Not only does Tool have a great 5 album run, but this 5 album run is their entire catalogue, meaning they have achieved a near flawless discography. Undertow>Aenima>Laterlaus>10,000 Days>Fear Inoculum. Although I understand if many don't like Fear Inoculum, but I believe it will age well, and the fact that the 13 year gap between it and 10,000 Days is so massive, yet the musical quality, consistency, and complexity is still there is mind-blowing
I think Opiate is underrated. In a vacuum it has edge, unique song structure, and raw energy. I think we compare it to what Tool became offering cohesive album structure and third-eye themes, but at the time there wasn’t really a need for that. I think their character was true from the start and some of this songs hit just as hard as the half time riffs in Pneuma. I’m not really arguing here just spewing thoughts on my most listened to band of all time.
@@matthewdouglas2373 Completly agree, opiate has the more agressive and fast pacing from all albums is like the more experimental freely of all
Flawless Victory !
Agree on Opiate, but the rules are no EP’s.
I see a Muse fan and I'd say they only get 3 Origin-Black holes?
@@ewangent agree
True winner of this is Gustavo Cerati: Amor Amarillo, Bocanada, Siempre es Hoy, Ahí vamos, Fuerza Natural. could even include Colores Santos. he didn't have a single bad album throughout his solo career
Un grande
Fua si
si que si
So true. The most important musician we had as Spanish speakers
Who?
I'm going to have to count Rush here. _2112, A Farewell to Kings, Hemispheres, Permanent Waves,_ and _Moving Pictures_ all in a row, from 1976-1981. Perfection.
I was about to comment the same
@@albertofichera4154 And both live albums that fall into that sequence are also great, but rightly were excluded from this test.
THIS!
So happy that someone had the same thought!
I’d go rush, but the first five albums honestly
To me, Pink Floyd has 8 albums in a row. The run goes with Ummagumma, Atom Heart Mother, Meddle, Obscured By Clouds, The Dark Side Of The Moon, Wish You Were Here, Animals, and The Wall. Ten years of pure gold.
Maybe some would disagree on Ummagumma, but it's a classic of Avant-Garde Rock and a key influence on Krautrock. On the other hand, Obscured By Clouds it's the more conventional of all (less progressive and less experimental, more classic rock oriented), but it's excellent from start to finish.
I’d say Yes would have a *6* album streak
-The Yes Album
-Fragile
-Close To The Edge
-Tales From Topographic Oceans
-Relayer
-Going For The One
Going for the One is surely good, but I wouldn't call it great. On the money with the other five, though
Tales From Topographic Oceans is good but a little indulgent. There are good ideas but the songs don't justify their lengths like some of their other long songs do.
Daft Punk. Alive 2007 might be a live album, but it's still set the standard for live electronic music and influenced many that came after. Homework, Discovery, Human After All, Alive 2007 and Random Access Memories. That's a 5 album run that's hard to argue with
Really surprised to see nobody has mentioned Aphex Twin yet
SAW 85-92, SAW II, ICBYD, RDJ Album and Drukqs is an incredible run of albums
i mean his entire discography as Aphex Twin is pretty iconic
SAW II isn't that good to me. I'd agree with the rest though
Absolutely, Richard hass never released bad music imo
@@shapeovertime6364 I’m the complete opposite, SAW II one of Richard’s best for me. Absolute s tier choice if you need background music for studying/working
@@colloquially and if we include his pseudonym projects as well he beats the five album test multiple times over
PJ Harvey should definitely be a contender. Not for everyone but her first 5 albums are all incredible and so different from each other: Dry, Rid of me, To Bring you my love, Is this Desire?, and Stories from the city... are all near perfect in my opinion. She hits a bit of a slump at Uh Huh Her, but since then they've all been fantastic. She's sadly rarely counted in these kinds of lists so i always like to bring attention to her
System of a Down for sure would be missing, their five album streak to me is *mesmerzing* haha
I think Rush passes this test, with their streak of 2112, A Farewell To Kings, Hemispheres, Permanent Waves, and Moving Pictures all being prog rock classics.
Definitely agree with this
Ik the synth era can be polarizing but I would extend that run through Power Windows at least
I have a hard time with permanent waves myself. The other 4 are perhaps my favorite rush records
@@KS-qq7mr true. that being said, I'd extend the run to Hold Your Fire
Rush have no bad albums