Best album ever: On The Coast wants your vote
The Beatles, Pink Floyd, U2, The Clash and Paul Simon are in the running. What's your pick?
After weeks of anticipation, it's time for you to cast your ballot in the most important poll of the year.
We're talking, of course, about On The Coast's vote to find the best album ever.
For weeks, Stephen Quinn and Lisa Christensen, the voices of the CBC Radio's afternoon show in Vancouver, have been reading your emails on the air and hearing about what you think the best album of all time is.
They received hundreds of submissions, but by volume of emails, they've narrowed it down to a final five. Those albums are:
- Dark Side of the Moon - Pink Floyd
- The Joshua Tree - U2
- Graceland - Paul Simon
- London Calling - The Clash
- Abbey Road - The Beatles
Lisa Christensen said what really stood out for her was the quality writing and passion evident in the emails from readers.
So, to make the case for each of these five albums, we give you the words of On The Coast listeners.
Dark Side of the Moon - Pink Floyd
Bob Petrovic writes: "The music continues to hold up after 40 years, the prism is the most iconic album cover of all time, it's an engineering masterpiece using analog tapes to create that aural tapestry … And if that's not enough reason to make it the best album of all time: profits from the recording were used to produce Monty Python and the Holy Grail."
The Joshua Tree - U2
Shawn Bouchard writes: "A perfect mix of music, mood, and build. Memorable lyrics, catchy riffs and rhythm and a perfect flow of one song into the next. The structure of the album is solid and intentional in how the songs play off each other — something all too rare given the 99 cent streaming hit machine we're all too used to today — yet most songs have legitimate hit single quality too and stand on their own merit."
Graceland - Paul Simon
Erica Roberts writes: "For some of the African musicians, this album was the path to worldwide recognition. The album was received with mixed reviews as it came out during a cultural boycott of South Africa during apartheid. However, 30 years later it remains an excellent example of transcending cultural musical expectations and barriers with many musical styles and musicians."
London Calling - The Clash
Patrick Johnstone writes: "Every song on the album is great, from the straight-punk eponymous opener to the faux-funk guitar riff in the hidden track Train in Vain, but it is Wrong 'Em Boyo, with it's jazz horns, organ riff, and lyrics that re-tell the old American folk music story of Stagger Lee and Billy in a new way that shows how far the Clash were willing to push pop music with the greatest album of all time."
Abbey Road - The Beatles
The Baxter family writes: "Best cover. Best conspiracy story-related cover. Best-selling album by best-selling band. Best-selling songs. Best guitar sparring. Best drum solo. Oh yeah, and best album ever."
So what's your pick for best album ever? Vote for one of the top five here! On The Coast will announce the winner on Monday, Oct. 5. Tune in 3–6 p.m. on CBC Radio One.
VOTE: cast your ballot for the best album ever
To hear what Vancouver Sun music critic Francois Marchand says about what qualities the best album ever needs, click on the audio labelled: Francois Marchand on best album ever.