Comments on: the best albums ever (on emusic) http://17dots.com/2008/07/08/the-best-albums-ever-on-emusic/ notes from the digital underground Tue, 02 Dec 2008 16:55:38 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: ruadork http://17dots.com/2008/07/08/the-best-albums-ever-on-emusic/#comment-18626 ruadork Wed, 09 Jul 2008 02:39:48 +0000 http://17dots.com/?p=918#comment-18626 I think I voted Neutral Milk Hotel for my number 1. The US list has Judas Priest on it. It's giving me something new to consider downloading. My metal collection is very weak. I think I voted Neutral Milk Hotel for my number 1.

The US list has Judas Priest on it. It’s giving me something new to consider downloading. My metal collection is very weak.

]]> By: yancey http://17dots.com/2008/07/08/the-best-albums-ever-on-emusic/#comment-18624 yancey Wed, 09 Jul 2008 01:05:07 +0000 http://17dots.com/?p=918#comment-18624 hedberg is very steven wright, but with better jokes. just super dry. i've gotten a lot of mileage out of it. (i am not a comedy albums guy either, btw) hedberg is very steven wright, but with better jokes. just super dry. i’ve gotten a lot of mileage out of it. (i am not a comedy albums guy either, btw)

]]> By: Daniel, Esq. http://17dots.com/2008/07/08/the-best-albums-ever-on-emusic/#comment-18623 Daniel, Esq. Wed, 09 Jul 2008 00:59:52 +0000 http://17dots.com/?p=918#comment-18623 I've pretty much stayed away from all the comedy discs (on eMusic and elsewhere). One I'm sort of on the lookout for is Rick Reynolds' "Only The Truth Is Funny." Brutally honest humor, from the clips I've heard. Sad and bracing and vital. I'll sample the Hedberg disc. I’ve pretty much stayed away from all the comedy discs (on eMusic and elsewhere). One I’m sort of on the lookout for is Rick Reynolds’ “Only The Truth Is Funny.” Brutally honest humor, from the clips I’ve heard. Sad and bracing and vital.

I’ll sample the Hedberg disc.

]]> By: yancey http://17dots.com/2008/07/08/the-best-albums-ever-on-emusic/#comment-18596 yancey Wed, 09 Jul 2008 00:21:38 +0000 http://17dots.com/?p=918#comment-18596 Tim, I feel you on the stats geek thing. I am a devoted stats dork myself (favorite political blog = fivethirtyeight.com). I'm not sure how much of that I'll be able to generate, just because it's a massive spreadsheet that a coworker of ours ran a macro on to calculate. If possible, I will, though. Also, there's an album that made it to the top ten that arrived there pretty much solely because almost every single vote was a first place one. (And yes, the votes are weighted.) And Daniel, that Mitch Hedberg disc is amazing! Tim, I feel you on the stats geek thing. I am a devoted stats dork myself (favorite political blog = fivethirtyeight.com). I’m not sure how much of that I’ll be able to generate, just because it’s a massive spreadsheet that a coworker of ours ran a macro on to calculate. If possible, I will, though. Also, there’s an album that made it to the top ten that arrived there pretty much solely because almost every single vote was a first place one. (And yes, the votes are weighted.)

And Daniel, that Mitch Hedberg disc is amazing!

]]> By: MiDoJo http://17dots.com/2008/07/08/the-best-albums-ever-on-emusic/#comment-18570 MiDoJo Tue, 08 Jul 2008 20:06:41 +0000 http://17dots.com/?p=918#comment-18570 Sparx?!?!?!? oh wait no Sparks. I thought you meant SparX (http://www.sparxonline.com/) and I was like what?1?!?! Daniel ESQ. I have lost faith. Oops my bad :) Sparx?!?!?!? oh wait no Sparks. I thought you meant SparX (http://www.sparxonline.com/) and I was like what?1?!?! Daniel ESQ. I have lost faith.

Oops my bad :)

]]> By: joe http://17dots.com/2008/07/08/the-best-albums-ever-on-emusic/#comment-18566 joe Tue, 08 Jul 2008 18:20:26 +0000 http://17dots.com/?p=918#comment-18566 I like the idea that this is something we revisit from time to time -- people's tastes shift often. I know records I loved a few years ago have seriously diminished in my eyes since then. I will see if I can coax Amishi out of hiding to weigh in on the proceedings! I like the idea that this is something we revisit from time to time — people’s tastes shift often. I know records I loved a few years ago have seriously diminished in my eyes since then.

I will see if I can coax Amishi out of hiding to weigh in on the proceedings!

]]> By: ptolemyclark http://17dots.com/2008/07/08/the-best-albums-ever-on-emusic/#comment-18565 ptolemyclark Tue, 08 Jul 2008 18:06:13 +0000 http://17dots.com/?p=918#comment-18565 I'd like to hear Amishi's analysis of this list. I’d like to hear Amishi’s analysis of this list.

]]> By: Daniel, Esq. http://17dots.com/2008/07/08/the-best-albums-ever-on-emusic/#comment-18564 Daniel, Esq. Tue, 08 Jul 2008 17:39:12 +0000 http://17dots.com/?p=918#comment-18564 On that subject, does anyone know if we're getting the new, forthcoming Sparks disc? It has the best song titles of the year, by far (e.g., "'Lighten Up, Morrissey"). On that subject, does anyone know if we’re getting the new, forthcoming Sparks disc? It has the best song titles of the year, by far (e.g., “‘Lighten Up, Morrissey”).

]]> By: Alex http://17dots.com/2008/07/08/the-best-albums-ever-on-emusic/#comment-18560 Alex Tue, 08 Jul 2008 15:59:08 +0000 http://17dots.com/?p=918#comment-18560 Whoah, I never even thought to look for Sparks on eMusic! This list will be a great buyers guide for me. ...And an indication that it is probably a good thing I didn't cast a ballot for this poll. Whoah, I never even thought to look for Sparks on eMusic! This list will be a great buyers guide for me. …And an indication that it is probably a good thing I didn’t cast a ballot for this poll.

]]> By: Tim http://17dots.com/2008/07/08/the-best-albums-ever-on-emusic/#comment-18559 Tim Tue, 08 Jul 2008 14:49:52 +0000 http://17dots.com/?p=918#comment-18559 I love the weighted approach, far more meaningful than a raw list. (I assume it's 5 points for a first place vote, etc.? I probably missed it, but I didn't see this spelled out.) But I have to confess that the stat geek in me wants to know things like how many first-place votes each got. This is pretty standard reporting for things like All-Star selections...which is really what this is, eh? The emu all-stars. Maybe not even for more than the top ten, but I think that knowing the number of first place votes will spice up the debate considerably. Like baseball, this list needs to be revisited every summer. Because "ever" is impossible. It can only be "so far." In fact, the thing that kept me from voting was wrestling so long with the fact that my top 5 is mostly from this year...but that can't actually be true, can it? How much better do I like them because I'm listening to them so heavily???...that I simply fretted my way past the deadline. This sort of thing might be easier for people who don't need medication to live among civilized people, but it damn near killed me. And even if it's EVER, it HAS to be re-evaluated annually. New records come out all the time, and their relative position shifts as you get further away. Re-releases factor in too, especially when a whole catalog gets polished up, like, say Mission of Burma. Any record of theirs should rank higher this year than last year. New arrivals too: no Guyville last year either, and I could see it in the top 20 US. Annually, people, annually. That's all I'm saying. Okay, one more stat geek thing. I want to know the best SELLING albums of all time. It's kind of like Soundscan or Neilsen -- people say one thing, but they DO another. Take the record store clerks and phone call surveys out of the loop, and the numbers speak for themselves. For emu, is it Taylor Swift? How hard did the Stones hit before they left? They were all over the top ten for a few weeks, but I wouldn't be shocked that the magnitude of THEIR #1 was so big, compared to, say, Burial or Doleful Lions, that it made a dent on the all-time sales list. And that's before we start comparing lists once the votes are all in. :-) I love the weighted approach, far more meaningful than a raw list. (I assume it’s 5 points for a first place vote, etc.? I probably missed it, but I didn’t see this spelled out.)

But I have to confess that the stat geek in me wants to know things like how many first-place votes each got. This is pretty standard reporting for things like All-Star selections…which is really what this is, eh? The emu all-stars. Maybe not even for more than the top ten, but I think that knowing the number of first place votes will spice up the debate considerably.

Like baseball, this list needs to be revisited every summer. Because “ever” is impossible. It can only be “so far.” In fact, the thing that kept me from voting was wrestling so long with the fact that my top 5 is mostly from this year…but that can’t actually be true, can it? How much better do I like them because I’m listening to them so heavily???…that I simply fretted my way past the deadline. This sort of thing might be easier for people who don’t need medication to live among civilized people, but it damn near killed me.

And even if it’s EVER, it HAS to be re-evaluated annually. New records come out all the time, and their relative position shifts as you get further away. Re-releases factor in too, especially when a whole catalog gets polished up, like, say Mission of Burma. Any record of theirs should rank higher this year than last year. New arrivals too: no Guyville last year either, and I could see it in the top 20 US.

Annually, people, annually. That’s all I’m saying.

Okay, one more stat geek thing. I want to know the best SELLING albums of all time. It’s kind of like Soundscan or Neilsen — people say one thing, but they DO another. Take the record store clerks and phone call surveys out of the loop, and the numbers speak for themselves. For emu, is it Taylor Swift? How hard did the Stones hit before they left? They were all over the top ten for a few weeks, but I wouldn’t be shocked that the magnitude of THEIR #1 was so big, compared to, say, Burial or Doleful Lions, that it made a dent on the all-time sales list.

And that’s before we start comparing lists once the votes are all in. :-)

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