Recently, I sent out this tweet that sparked some controversy within my relatively small follower base.
I know what you're thinking and yes, I have listened to"Lemonade" and "The Life of Pablo," but when selecting my personal nomination for the best album of all time I cannot ignore the timelessness of The Beatles. When it comes to vouching for an album as the true G.O.A.T., few will disagree with me–the honor has to go to The Beatles.
But why "Revolver"?
I could stare at this album cover for hours.
Every song on "Revolver" is a standout track.
"Taxman" is an absolutely iconic socioeconomic critiques.
If you don't shed a tear listening to "Eleanor Rigby" or "For No One" you have no heart.
"I'm Only Sleeping" should be everyone's dreamy, lazy Sunday anthem.
"Love You To," "Tomorrow Never Knows," "She Said She Said" and "Yellow Submarine" give us glimpses of the adventurous, kaleidoscopic, mind's-eye-stimulating tracks The Beatles will deliver down the road.
"Good Day Sunshine" is the best classic, feel-good jam to set as an alarm for any dreary day that comes your way.
"And Your Bird Can Sing" features one of the greatest guitar solos of all time amidst an incredible extended dual-guitar melody.
No drug dealer has gotten the VIP treatment quite like "Doctor Robert."
And "Here, There And Everywhere," "Got to Get You Into My Life," and "I Want to Tell You" round out the album by providing us with the pop-y love songs that are so emblematic of the early Beatles' style.
And if you can't tell already, I just really like the whole album.
Let's take a look at the top competitors:
"Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band"
Why It's a Contender:
"Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" is undoubtedly a groundbreaking album. Its 1967 release ushered in a cultural shift not only affecting music but also language, fashion and the artistic mindset of the times. Every song brings something exciting to the table and makes for a wholly entertaining listen. Also, album art game so strong.
Why It Falls Short:
Some (myself included) would argue that the album's heavily thematic nature adds a layer of unnecessary gimmickiness to its strong track list. And couldn't we say that "Revolver" paved the way for "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band"'s ultimate success?
"Abbey Road"
Why It's a Contender:
"Abbey Road" features some of The Beatles' most consistently praised songs including "Come Together" and "Oh! Darling" while also experimenting with the fragmentation and restitching of songs through the unorthodox 9-track sequence featured on the album's second A-side. I also can't ignore the fact that the "Abbey Road" album cover is absolutely historic.
Why It Falls Short:
Is this album innovative? Yes. Is it textually interesting? Yes. Was it popular? Yes. Does it feature some incredible songs? Of course. But can it really stand up to the levels of innovation, cultural relevance, popularity, and general incredibleness as we see in not only "Revolver" but also in other Beatles albums? I don't think so.
"White Album"
Why It's a Contender:
This 1968 album is critically acclaimed and was released at #1 on the Billboard charts. While the album may not be the most coherent or easy to listen to, the "White Album" is without a doubt interesting as a text given its smattering of attempted satire, the band's turbulent interpersonal relationships during its production, and the influence of The Beatles' recent meditation training in Rishikesh, India.
Why It Falls Short:
"Wild Honey Pie."
"Rubber Soul"
Why It's a Contender:
Because one of my so-called friends suggested it on Twitter and because a Pitchfork contributor described it as The Beatles' "first undisputed masterpiece [...] their quietest and most folky record."
Why It Falls Short:
It's honestly a good album, but an undisputed masterpiece? That is hardly the case. "Rubber Soul" represents some of The Beatles' first forays away from pop and into a more grounded form of psychedelia, but that certainly doesn't make the album an automatic success.
With all this having been said, one has to recognize that essentially every album that The Beatles have produced has been if not brilliantly entertaining at least an exceptional act of innovation in the music industry. With a quick Google search of "best album of all time," you'll find a camp supporting any one of their albums.
What it boils down to is how we choose to define the best album: sales, musical complexity, deviation from tradition, clarity of vision... And how do we accurately measure and account for any of these factors? Ultimately, it's all about personal preference and with The Beatles, it's impossible to go wrong.
Want to argue with me? Think my friends are wrong too? Drop me a line @yespleasebro on Twitter.
