As promised, here is the list of my top 10 favorite CDs. Keep in mind that this list fluctuates from time to time, especially in the order, but for the most part it is pretty much the same.
10. Boyz II Men - Evolution
This one was supposed to be a gimme. Since I kicked off the contest by saying how "A Song For Mama" is on one of my favorite CDs of all time, I expected everyone to get it. But unfortunately, not everyone did. Most people think "II" is the best Boyz album, and I do like that CD a lot II, but I personally prefer Evolution. "Human II" is one of the best songs made that was never released as a single, and the remake of "Can You Stand The Rain" is awesome. I love the words to that song. Also, you can definitely tell that Babyface had his influence on this album. Except maybe for R. Kelly, I can't think of any artist more musically gifted in singing/songwriting in the R&B world during the past 10-15 years than Babyface.
9. Britney Spears - Baby One More Time
It's hard to pick between her first and second album, cause they're both good. The tiebreaker is the fact that "You Drive Me Crazy" is on the first, which is by far the best song and video ever done by her. One reason it's not higher on my list is because of the song "Soda Pop", which is just piss poor. But the rest of it is quality sappy music. Something people may not know is that I haven't bought her third CD, "Britney". I guess I'm still a big fan of her, just not as obsessive as some people think. But I did get the McDonald's CD that came out a few years ago. And try to ignore the fact that I have stickers of her in my wallet.
8. Smashing Pumpkins - Mellon Collie
Mellon Collie was more than a 2-CD set, it was a complete musical experience. Of course there are the many famous songs (1979, Tonight Tonight, thirty-three, Zero, Bullet With Butterfly Wings, the list goes on). But there's plenty of good music besides those songs in this set. It came out of the era when their creativity overflowed far beyond what would fit on one disc, and the amazing thing is how smoothly the set is put together.
7. Pearl Jam - Ten
Even though I like Nirvana better overall than Pearl Jam, I think "Ten" is far better than "Nevermind". I like to think of the two bands in terms of their top 2 albums, and "Ten"-"Vs." is still slightly behind "In Utero"-"Nevermind". But of the four, I like "Ten" the best. "Black" is the best Pearl Jam song of all time, at least in my opinion, but it's far from being the only quality song on this album. A definite Top 10 CD fo shizzle.
6. Stone Temple Pilots - Purple
Long before Scott Weiland got too heroin-ed out, STP was the best band of all in my mind. "Big Empty" was a breakthrough song, and "Interstate Love Song" is my favorite of them all. Not to mention the hidden track "12 Gracious Melodies" sealing the deal, that song's hilarious. Sandwiched between the also good "Core" and "Tiny Music", "Purple" was pretty much the reason I started listening to alternative music in the first place, and it's one of the best CDs out of the time when alternative was in its prime.
5. Jars of Clay - Jars of Clay
As expected, nobody got this one, not even my sister. I've always thought of "Christian Rock" to be kind of a hokey term. But if you were to consider it a genre, this album pretty much defines that category. There's good heavy songs like "Liquid" and "Flood", while "Like a Child" and "Love Song for a Savior" make for softer but still great tracks which make this CD so well rounded. Then, "Worlds Apart" just blew me away and maybe because of that song alone, I can't leave it off my top 10 list.
4. Snoop Doggy Dogg - Doggystyle
In case you didn't know, I got the title for my blog ("It's a crazy mixed up world, it's a bloggy blog world") from the song "Doggy Dogg World". But that song is probably only the 5th or 6th best track off of "Doggystyle". This CD was revolutionary in the music world and it's stacked with awesome song after awesome song. There was a time in my life when I knew all the words to "Gin and Juice", "Lodi Dodi", and "Tha Shiznit", but not so much anymore. That's how I know I'm getting old, cause I'm forgetting Snoop lyrics.
3. Radiohead - OK Computer
It's amazing how an album can have almost zero hits but be so good. None of the songs on this CD really stick out from the rest, but they are all so good. Put together, it's easily top 5, arguably #1 even. Paranoid Android is one of the weirdest songs ever made, even by Radiohead standards, but it's also one of my favorites. Most people have heard "Karma Police" and of course it's a quality song too. It's a good CD to listen all the way through without ever having to touch the FWD button.
2. Janet Jackson - Velvet Rope
I'm at least a little surprised nobody mentioned this one. I think this album is just awesome, the best Janet CD among a lot of other good ones by her. There's 22 total tracks, which is nuts, even though 7 of them are short interludes. Even more impressive is how many of these songs are big hits. Pretty much all of my favorite Janet Jackson songs are on here, such as "Go Deep", "I Get Lonely", and "Everytime". Then there's Q-Tip and Joni Mitchell on track 4 "Got Til It's Gone", her remake of Rod Stewart's "Tonight's The Night", and "Together Again", the best live song I heard at her concert last year. It's too bad she peaked with this album and her later stuff after it isn't nearly as good.
1. Smashing Pumpkins - Siamese Dream
From the beginning to end, this is the CD that defines Smashing Pumpkins and showed me why they were such an elite band. I love the opening drums of "Cherub Rock," the opening guitar of "Today", and the solos in almost all of the songs. I mentioned earlier how Boyz II Men's "Human II" was among the best unreleased songs, well "Mayonaise" probably has to be the tops on that list. This is the purest albums I can think of in terms of its sound, its lyrics, and how it spoke to and for our generation. Not to mention that they are the pride of Chicago.
Honorable Mentions
Nirvana - Nevermind
Dave Matthews Band - Under the Table and Dreaming
DMX - It's Dark and Hell is Hot
Norah Jones - Come Away With Me
Fugees - The Score
The Winner
And yes, the moment all three of you who entered have been waiting for. The winner of this contest is.... Piya. Congrats goes to him for naming 7 of my top 10. You will receive your reward soon.
Close behind was my sister, who got 6 of the 10. Definitely a good effort. She told me that after she entered her contest, she had a nightmare about losing to Piya. How prophetic. Hope you aren't crying now, meh.
Finally, Vira came in third with a respectable 5 correct. I was very impressed, I didn't think someone who I've only known for a few months would be able to get that many. I'll try to think of a consolation prize for you. Also, she listed the Aladdin Soundtrack, which had me laughing to myself all day. The one bad thing was, she missed Boyz II Men "Evolution". That was supposed to be a gimme, Vira... but it's ok. Didn't end up being too costly of a mistake.
There will be more contests in the future. I'll try to think of better prizes and a topic that more people would participate in next time.
