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http://www.nynewsday.com/entertainment/nyc-spin0620,0,403573.story?coll=nyc-enthome-headlines

NEW YORK -- Spin magazine named Radiohead's "OK Computer" the top album of the past 20 years, praising a futuristic sound that manages to feel alive "even when its words are spoken by a robot."

The British band's album edged out Public Enemy's "It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back" and Nirvana's "Nevermind" on a list in Spin's 20th anniversary issue, currently on newsstands.


"Between Thom Yorke's orange-alert worldview and the band's meld of epic guitar rock and electronic glitch, ('OK Computer') not only forecast a decade of music but uncannily predicted our global culture of communal distress," reads the editorial note on what separated the 1997 disc from the other 99 ranked albums.

 

[DJ_Tet]

eh, I still like The Bends as Radiohead's best album.

And Appetite for Destruction is clearly the best album in the last 20 years.

 

[Shogmaster]

OK, WHO TOOK MY OK COMPUTER CD!?!??! CAN'T FIND IT ANYWHERE!!! ARRGGGHHH!!!

 

[enjoy bell woods]

Yeah, not a bad choice.

 

[LakeEarth]

Its a sweet album. I loved every song on it, except the one with the robot voice. I can tolerate that one.

 

[White Man]

Not what I'd pick, but it's an acceptable choice.

I mean, Sign o' the Times came out in the last 20 years, for fuck's sake.

 

[DCharlie]

given how personal music is, these lists are totally pointless

 

[enjoy bell woods]

100. Strokes - Is This It
99. Afghan Whigs - Gentlemen
98. Cornershop - When I Was Born For The 7th Time
97. Neutral Milk Hotel - In The Aeroplane Over The Sea
96. The Pogues - Rum Sodomy & The Lash
95. Elastica - s/t
94. Slint - Spiderland
93. Pearl Jam - Ten
92. Big Black - Atomizer
91. XTC - Skylarking
90. Sonic Youth - Sister
89. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Fever To Tell
88. Stereolab - Emperor Tomato Ketchup
87. Blur - Parklife
86. Meat Puppets - Up On The Sun
85. REM - Automatic For The People
84. Soundgarden - Superunknown
83. At The Drive-In - Relationship Of Command
82. Jeff Buckley - Grace
81. Beck - Mellow Gold
80. D'Angelo - Voodoo
79. Moby - Everything Is Wrong
78. The Stone Roses - s/t
77. Wilco - Yankee Hotel Foxtrot
76. Belle & Sebastian - If You're Feeling Sinister
75. Le Tigre - s/t
74. Portishead - Dummy
73. Pulp - Different Class
72. Raekwon - Only Built 4 Cuban Linx
71. The Jesus & Mary Chain - Psychocandy
70. Jay-Z - The Blueprint
69. DJ Shadow - Entroducing...
68. Tricky - Maxinquaye
67. Slayer - Reign In Blood
66. Outkast - Aquemini
65. Basement Jaxx - Remedy
64. Eminem - The Marshall Mathers LP
63. Pavement - Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain
62. Missy Elliott - Supa Dupa Fly
61. Weezer - Pinkerton
60. De La Soul - De La Soul Is Dead
59. Modest Mouse - The Lonesome Crowded West
58. Metallica - Master Of Puppets
57. The White Stripes - White Blood Cells
56. PJ Harvey - To Bring You My Love
55. The Chemical Brothers - Dig Your Own Hole
54. The Breeders - Last Splash
53. Rage Against The Machine - The Battle Of Los Angeles
52. Beastie Boys - Licensed To Ill
51. Nirvana - In Utero
50. New Order - Low Life
49. Lauryn Hill - The Miseducation Of...
48. Radiohead - Kid A
47. Eric B. & Rakim - Paid In Full
46. The Fall - This Nation's Saving Grace
45. Kanye West - College Dropout
44. Green Day - Dookie
43. B.D.P. - Criminal Minded
42. Jane's Addiction - Nothing's Shocking
41. Smashing Pumpkins - Siamese Dream
40. Run D.M.C. - Raising Hell
39. Lucinda Williams - s/t
38. A Tribe Called Quest - The Low End Theory
37. Guided By Voices - Bee Thousand
36. Pixies - Doolittle
35. Dr. Dre - The Chronic
34. Elliott Smith - Either/Or
33. Ice Cube - AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted
32. The Replacements - Tim
31. Dinosaur Jr. - You're Living All Over Me
30. The Notorious B.I.G. - Ready To Die
29. Fugazi - 13 Songs
28. Oasis - Definitely Maybe
27. The Cure - The Head On The Door
26. Bjork - Post
25. Nine Ince Nails - The Downward Spiral
24. Sleater Kinney - Dig Me Out
23. Outkast - Stankonia
22. My Bloody Valentine - Loveless
21. Public Enemy - Fear Of A Black Planet
20. Wu Tang Clan - Enter The Wu Tang (36 Chambers)
19. Hole - Live Through This
18. Guns N Roses - Appetite For Destruction
17. Nas - Illmatic
16. Beck - Odelay
15. Liz Phair - Exile In Guyville
14. Sonic Youth - Daydream Nation
13. Husker Du - New Day Rising
12. Beastie Boys - Paul's Boutique
11. U2 - Achtung Baby
10. N.W.A - Straight Outta Compton
9. PJ Harvey - Rid Of Me
8. Prince - Sign O The Times
7. De La Soul - 3 Ft. High And Rising
6. Pixies - Surfer Rosa
5. The Smiths - The Queen Is Dead
4. Pavement - Slanted & Enchanted
3. Nirvana - Nevermind
2. Public Enemy - It Takes A Nation...
1. Radiohead - OK Computer

My favorites are bolded.

There are some terrible things on the list considering the amount of remarkable albums that have come out in the last 20 years, but what can you do.

 

[ocelittle]

No Michael Jackson...Denied!

 

[White Man]

100. Strokes - Is This It
99. Afghan Whigs - Gentlemen
98. Cornershop - When I Was Born For The 7th Time
97. Neutral Milk Hotel - In The Aeroplane Over The Sea
96. The Pogues - Rum Sodomy & The Lash
95. Elastica - s/t
94. Slint - Spiderland
93. Pearl Jam - Ten
92. Big Black - Atomizer
91. XTC - Skylarking
90. Sonic Youth - Sister
89. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Fever To Tell
88. Stereolab - Emperor Tomato Ketchup
87. Blur - Parklife
86. Meat Puppets - Up On The Sun
85. REM - Automatic For The People
84. Soundgarden - Superunknown
83. At The Drive-In - Relationship Of Command
82. Jeff Buckley - Grace
81. Beck - Mellow Gold
80. D'Angelo - Voodoo
79. Moby - Everything Is Wrong
78. The Stone Roses - s/t
77. Wilco - Yankee Hotel Foxtrot
76. Belle & Sebastian - If You're Feeling Sinister
75. Le Tigre - s/t
74. Portishead - Dummy
73. Pulp - Different Class
72. Raekwon - Only Built 4 Cuban Linx
71. The Jesus & Mary Chain - Psychocandy
70. Jay-Z - The Blueprint
69. DJ Shadow - Entroducing...
68. Tricky - Maxinquaye
67. Slayer - Reign In Blood
66. Outkast - Aquemini
65. Basement Jaxx - Remedy
64. Eminem - The Marshall Mathers LP
63. Pavement - Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain
62. Missy Elliott - Supa Dupa Fly
61. Weezer - Pinkerton
60. De La Soul - De La Soul Is Dead
59. Modest Mouse - The Lonesome Crowded West
58. Metallica - Master Of Puppets
57. The White Stripes - White Blood Cells
56. PJ Harvey - To Bring You My Love
55. The Chemical Brothers - Dig Your Own Hole
54. The Breeders - Last Splash
53. Rage Against The Machine - The Battle Of Los Angeles
52. Beastie Boys - Licensed To Ill
51. Nirvana - In Utero
50. New Order - Low Life
49. Lauryn Hill - The Miseducation Of...
48. Radiohead - Kid A
47. Eric B. & Rakim - Paid In Full
46. The Fall - This Nation's Saving Grace
45. Kanye West - College Dropout
44. Green Day - Dookie
43. B.D.P. - Criminal Minded
42. Jane's Addiction - Nothing's Shocking
41. Smashing Pumpkins - Siamese Dream
40. Run D.M.C. - Raising Hell
39. Lucinda Williams - s/t
38. A Tribe Called Quest - The Low End Theory
37. Guided By Voices - Bee Thousand
36. Pixies - Doolittle
35. Dr. Dre - The Chronic
34. Elliott Smith - Either/Or
33. Ice Cube - AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted
32. The Replacements - Tim
31. Dinosaur Jr. - You're Living All Over Me
30. The Notorious B.I.G. - Ready To Die
29. Fugazi - 13 Songs
28. Oasis - Definitely Maybe
27. The Cure - The Head On The Door
26. Bjork - Post
25. Nine Ince Nails - The Downward Spiral
24. Sleater Kinney - Dig Me Out
23. Outkast - Stankonia
22. My Bloody Valentine - Loveless
21. Public Enemy - Fear Of A Black Planet
20. Wu Tang Clan - Enter The Wu Tang (36 Chambers)
19. Hole - Live Through This
18. Guns N Roses - Appetite For Destruction
17. Nas - Illmatic
16. Beck - Odelay
15. Liz Phair - Exile In Guyville
14. Sonic Youth - Daydream Nation
13. Husker Du - New Day Rising
12. Beastie Boys - Paul's Boutique
11. U2 - Achtung Baby
10. N.W.A - Straight Outta Compton
9. PJ Harvey - Rid Of Me
8. Prince - Sign O The Times
7. De La Soul - 3 Ft. High And Rising
6. Pixies - Surfer Rosa
5. The Smiths - The Queen Is Dead
4. Pavement - Slanted & Enchanted
3. Nirvana - Nevermind
2. Public Enemy - It Takes A Nation...
1. Radiohead - OK Computer

My favorites are bolded.

There are some terrible things on the list considering the amount of remarkable albums that have come out in the last 20 years, but what can you do.

Albums I have had love affairs with. Props on putting Big Black on the list.

 

[BigJonsson]

Siamese Dream is 41?!?!

And Mellon Collie didn't make the list???

 

[DJ_Tet]

Nice to see In Utero on that list. It's aged better than Nevermind.


edit---woah at Hole's Live Through This on the list. I loved that album even dispite the bitch Courtney Love. Great fucking album.

 

[Koopa]

Thats right bitches.... Pavement #4...

 

[Teknopathetic]

Wow, ATDI made the list? *Nice*.

I can't get into Radiohead, but my favorite Radiohead song is on OK computer, so I'll let it slide.

 

[gigapower]

The Cure's Head on the Door is an awesome album, but better then Disintegration I don't think so, hell I'd even put Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me above HotD.

Another thing I find funny is I remember being so pissed off when Spin gave album of the year to Moby's Everything is Wrong over PJ Harvey's masterpiece To Bring You My Love, looks like time has been better for PJ's album.

Also I think Kayne West's College Dropout is definetely in the running for most over hyped album of all time.

Favorites are listed:
99. Afghan Whigs - Gentlemen
95. Elastica - s/t
91. XTC - Skylarking
90. Sonic Youth - Sister
89. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Fever To Tell
87. Blur - Parklife
83. At The Drive-In - Relationship Of Command
79. Moby - Everything Is Wrong
75. Le Tigre - s/t
74. Portishead - Dummy
73. Pulp - Different Class
71. The Jesus & Mary Chain - Psychocandy
68. Tricky - Maxinquaye
57. The White Stripes - White Blood Cells
56. PJ Harvey - To Bring You My Love
55. The Chemical Brothers - Dig Your Own Hole
50. New Order - Low Life
48. Radiohead - Kid A
44. Green Day - Dookie
41. Smashing Pumpkins - Siamese Dream
36. Pixies - Doolittle
27. The Cure - The Head On The Door
26. Bjork - Post
25. Nine Ince Nails - The Downward Spiral
22. My Bloody Valentine - Loveless
15. Liz Phair - Exile In Guyville
14. Sonic Youth - Daydream Nation
9. PJ Harvey - Rid Of Me
6. Pixies - Surfer Rosa
5. The Smiths - The Queen Is Dead

 

[bloke]

Rather safe and conservative list, they're not into electronic music much eh....but they sure love rap.

 

[Daigoro]

lists suck. this one is NO exception.

 

[Cold-Steel]

Where is RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE?!?!?!

(did I miss it?)

 

[DJ_Tet]

Where is RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE?!?!?!

(did I miss it?)

I guess it depends on which album you are searching for. Their first (self-titled) album should be on there but I don't see it.

 

[dtrip]

No Joshua Tree in the top 100?

 

[robertsan21]

Mellon Collie didn't make the list???

:lol :lol :lol you must be joking right?

 

[Prospero]

Nice to see Afghan Whigs on there, even if it just squeaked in at 99 (though Black Love is a much better album than Gentlemen).

 

[Outdoor Miner]

Wow, not a bad list at all. I just may pick up this issue.

 

[Foreign Jackass]

Great list. Stop whining, it's a list. I'd like to see Mellon Collie in there, but whatever.

 

[Star Power]

yeah I saw it yesterday.. it's a pretty shite list, but it'll do. Well.. not really 'shite'.. just extremely predictable. And... why is Hole so high? And... why isn't Discovery there? etc. Anyway.. I'll bold the albums I'd rate really, really highly:

100. Strokes - Is This It
99. Afghan Whigs - Gentlemen
98. Cornershop - When I Was Born For The 7th Time
97. Neutral Milk Hotel - In The Aeroplane Over The Sea
96. The Pogues - Rum Sodomy & The Lash
95. Elastica - s/t
94. Slint - Spiderland
93. Pearl Jam - Ten
92. Big Black - Atomizer
91. XTC - Skylarking
90. Sonic Youth - Sister
89. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Fever To Tell
88. Stereolab - Emperor Tomato Ketchup
87. Blur - Parklife
86. Meat Puppets - Up On The Sun
85. REM - Automatic For The People
84. Soundgarden - Superunknown
83. At The Drive-In - Relationship Of Command
82. Jeff Buckley - Grace
81. Beck - Mellow Gold
80. D'Angelo - Voodoo
79. Moby - Everything Is Wrong
78. The Stone Roses - s/t
77. Wilco - Yankee Hotel Foxtrot
76. Belle & Sebastian - If You're Feeling Sinister
75. Le Tigre - s/t
74. Portishead - Dummy
73. Pulp - Different Class
72. Raekwon - Only Built 4 Cuban Linx
71. The Jesus & Mary Chain - Psychocandy
70. Jay-Z - The Blueprint
69. DJ Shadow - Entroducing...
68. Tricky - Maxinquaye
67. Slayer - Reign In Blood
66. Outkast - Aquemini
65. Basement Jaxx - Remedy
64. Eminem - The Marshall Mathers LP
63. Pavement - Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain
62. Missy Elliott - Supa Dupa Fly
61. Weezer - Pinkerton
60. De La Soul - De La Soul Is Dead
59. Modest Mouse - The Lonesome Crowded West
58. Metallica - Master Of Puppets
57. The White Stripes - White Blood Cells
56. PJ Harvey - To Bring You My Love
55. The Chemical Brothers - Dig Your Own Hole
54. The Breeders - Last Splash
53. Rage Against The Machine - The Battle Of Los Angeles
52. Beastie Boys - Licensed To Ill
51. Nirvana - In Utero
50. New Order - Low Life
49. Lauryn Hill - The Miseducation Of...
48. Radiohead - Kid A
47. Eric B. & Rakim - Paid In Full
46. The Fall - This Nation's Saving Grace
45. Kanye West - College Dropout
44. Green Day - Dookie
43. B.D.P. - Criminal Minded
42. Jane's Addiction - Nothing's Shocking
41. Smashing Pumpkins - Siamese Dream
40. Run D.M.C. - Raising Hell
39. Lucinda Williams - s/t
38. A Tribe Called Quest - The Low End Theory
37. Guided By Voices - Bee Thousand
36. Pixies - Doolittle
35. Dr. Dre - The Chronic
34. Elliott Smith - Either/Or
33. Ice Cube - AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted
32. The Replacements - Tim
31. Dinosaur Jr. - You're Living All Over Me
30. The Notorious B.I.G. - Ready To Die
29. Fugazi - 13 Songs
28. Oasis - Definitely Maybe
27. The Cure - The Head On The Door
26. Bjork - Post
25. Nine Ince Nails - The Downward Spiral
24. Sleater Kinney - Dig Me Out
23. Outkast - Stankonia
22. My Bloody Valentine - Loveless
21. Public Enemy - Fear Of A Black Planet
20. Wu Tang Clan - Enter The Wu Tang (36 Chambers)
19. Hole - Live Through This
18. Guns N Roses - Appetite For Destruction
17. Nas - Illmatic
16. Beck - Odelay
15. Liz Phair - Exile In Guyville
14. Sonic Youth - Daydream Nation
13. Husker Du - New Day Rising
12. Beastie Boys - Paul's Boutique
11. U2 - Achtung Baby
10. N.W.A - Straight Outta Compton
9. PJ Harvey - Rid Of Me
8. Prince - Sign O The Times
7. De La Soul - 3 Ft. High And Rising
6. Pixies - Surfer Rosa
5. The Smiths - The Queen Is Dead
4. Pavement - Slanted & Enchanted
3. Nirvana - Nevermind
2. Public Enemy - It Takes A Nation...
1. Radiohead - OK Computer

 

[Diablos]

:lol :lol :lol you must be joking right?

No.

Anyway, :lol @ Pavement being #4.

 

[Do The Mario]

No dangerous WTF???

 

[Star Power]

No.

Anyway, :lol @ Pavement being #4.

Say what you will about Pavemnt (I don't exactly lke them either), but S&E was a highly significant and influencial album.. moreso than any Pumpkins album, and that's generally what they go for in these lists.

Now please, don't hijack this thread amnd make it into another embrassingly fanboyish PAVEMENT vs. SP thread.

 

[Diablos]

Say what you will about Pavemnt (I don't exactly lke them either), but S&E was a highly significant and influencial album.. moreso than any Pumpkins album

Pavement was an influence to a bunch of indie pop bands that all sound the same.

SP is too unique to be ripped off by countless bands without it sounding like shit (kind of like Radiohead).

End of discussion.

 

[Star Power]

Pavement was an influence to a bunch of indie pop bands that all sound the same.

SP is too unique to be ripped off by countless bands without it sounding like shit (kind of like Radiohead).

End of discussion.

Whatever Diablos. [Where's the rolleyes emoticon when you need it?]

 

[Diablos]

Stop trying to protect your indie cred. You even admit to liking the Pumpkins better. Who cares what GAF's GREAT DEFENDERS OF INDIE FOR GREAT JUSTICE have to say?

 

[Star Power]

My... "indie cred?"

Oh jesus Diablos. Just stop. Yes, I like the Pumpkins far more, but these lists tend to go for "influence," as I said. I mean.. do I think Sgt. Pepper's is the greatest album ever? Fuck no, wouldn't even be in my 200 were I forced to make one, but I can see why Rolling Stone picked it, etc.

 

[Diablos]

My... "indie cred?"

Oh jesus Diablos. Just stop. Yes, I like the Pumpkins far more, but these lists tend to go for "influence," as I said. I mean.. do I think Sgt. Pepper's is the greatest album ever? Fuck no, wouldn't even be in my 200 were I forced to make one, but I can see why Rolling Stone picked it, etc.

:lol

Dude...

nevermind. I'd rather listen to farting noises than S&E again, and that's all I'm going to say. Albums with more influence does not always = better. 50 Cent and Eminem are the most influential rappers today - I hate 99% of their music. The other 1% I can barely tolerate.

 

[kablooey]

"Indie" is such a meaningless word. Pavement isn't an indie band anyway, if you wanna get technical. Matador is distributed by a major label. But yeah, I'm kinda surprised S&E made it that high. I'd probably keep it top 20, but not top 5.

As for OK Computer being #1...it's a safe choice. It sounds like Spin is just jumping on the bandwagon with Rolling Stone and BBC, etc. I love that album as much as anyone, but I'd personally put Kid A above it. And Neutral Milk Hotel should be much higher...

 

[Litigation Manuel]

A wha? Where the hell is the Flaming Lips?

I'd agree with Kablooey on Kid A and Neutral Milk Hotel. Also, The Argument was a much better Fugazi cd than 13 Songs, though 13 Songs was probably more influential.

 

[Foreign Jackass]

Pavement was an influence to a bunch of indie pop bands that all sound the same.

SP is too unique to be ripped off by countless bands without it sounding like shit (kind of like Radiohead).

End of discussion.

SP, unique? Come on. Their influences are so evident that every band right now is not ripping them off because they're already ripping off the Pumpkins's own influences. Why rip off copies if you can rip off the original? Pavement has a far more distinguished influence on today's band simply because it sounded like nothing else at the time. Please, I'm a huge Pumpkins fan, but come on, stop using that stupid "indie defense" argument. You're obviously just a fucking Corgan fanboy without any judgment when it comes to the Pumpkins or Corgan. You should stop entering these discussions, you always come off as a fucking fanatic.

edit : Hadn't seen that.

And Appetite for Destruction is clearly the best album in the last 20 years.

:lol :lol :lol

 

[Outdoor Miner]

A wha? Where the hell is the Flaming Lips?

Damn you're right. That's a pretty big omission. I also agree with you about Fugazi's Argument. *runs*

 

[Acrylamid]

Late to the ralus...

WTF ?!?!

They created a list with 100 albums but couldn't even give Tool a mention in the higher numbers? Where is this dog-in-a-blender-gif when you need it...

 

[enjoy bell woods]

Man, Clouds Taste Metallic would be in my top 10.

 

[scorcho]

is this a list of the most important or best? i'd argue that Slanted and Enchanted is a more important album than Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain, but the latter just sounds a good deal better.

and good choice for the top. OK Computer is a gem.

 

[enjoy bell woods]

With things like Le Tigre on there, I don't think so.

 

[Star Power]

With things like Le Tigre on there, I don't think so.

PEACE!
NOW!

 

[Justin Bailey]

Rage's self titled album is not on there, but Los Angeles is.

WTF

 

[AlteredBeast]

Where is the Joshua Tree?

Achtung Baby is not the best album from U2.

 

[Liu Kang Baking A Pie]

No Smashing Pumpkins album should be on any "best of" list of any sort.

Not listing "Music Has the Right to Children" is stupid.

 

[ronito]

This might actually be the first time I've ever agreed with Spin magazine....my head asplodes...

 

[bjork]

Yay @ bjork being on the list.

 

[Cosmic Bus]

I love [OK Computer] as much as anyone, but I'd personally put Kid A above it. And Neutral Milk Hotel should be much higher...

Strongly agree with both statements.

Also, The Argument was a much better Fugazi cd than 13 Songs

 

[Dr. Strangelove]

1. My Bloody Valentine - Loveless

Fixed.

 

[Red Blaster]

If You're Feeling Sinister should be higher, IMO.