The Perfect Album, according to Plastic

In 2005, users of the message board and group blog plastic were asked to pick their "Perfect Album."


And the nominee is...



Radiohead's OK Computer (1997).

This was deemed "The Perfect Album" by 13 users. The proposition turned into a bit of a flame war though:

rantor » I can't believe how many people have put OK Computer. And since you're first, I'm picking on you (hee-hee). Going on the "every track is a winner" definition, I have to point out: Fitter, Happier. Any time that comes up on a shuffled playlist, I can't reach the skip button quickly enough. In the context of the album, it (just barely) works for me (mostly because I like to say "like a pig...on antibiotics" in a robot voice — that's just me), but taken by itself feels extremely pretentious and boring. [editor's note: two other ppl said similar things about "Fitter, Happier"]

musicgeekmusic » Gotta agree with you on OK Computer. It's OK at best.

Anonymous Idiot » Forgive me for being snobbish, but in my world a person who thinks that, say, Radiohead's OK Computer is a perfect album not only lacks taste, but has failed to even take music seriously.


The selection criteria

On August, 15 2005, plastic user fishist posed the following situation:

I recently came up against a wall. While sorting my albums of music in the MP3 format, I came to the conclusion that for most, if not all, of the albums I own, there are only a handful of tracks per album that I love. Generally there are a few tracks that are passable and almost always several that are forgettable. This makes listening to an entire album or even mixes of albums set to random less enjoyable than if it was just the best songs per album. So I began purging tracks, saving only the best of each album.

Then I ran into a phenomenon, the phenomenon of the perfect album. An album in which every track is great, each one worthy of being a hit. An album with not a single song I would skip past and nothing mediocre or even average.

I'm only part way through my music library and I've only found a handful. But it piqued my curiosity. What albums would you nominate as a perfect album?

(Read the original post and view all 400 responses on plastic)

The Final Tally



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 and ads if you want a printable version. This list was compiled by Philip Dhingra and posted on my blog Philosophistry. You can also read about how this list was made.
Disclaimer: I get a commission on the CD, mp3, and iTunes sales.

Candidates 4 or more write-ins

  RadioheadOK Computer
     

  Miles DavisKind of Blue
   

  RadioheadKid A
   

  The BeatlesAbbey Road
   

  Pink FloydThe Dark Side of the Moon
   

  The ClashLondon Calling
   

  U2Achtung Baby
   

  AC/DCBack in Black
   

  David BowieThe Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust
   

  John ColtraneA Love Supreme
   

  My Bloody ValentineLoveless
   

  The Beach BoysPet Sounds
   

  The PixiesDoolittle
 

  U2Joshua Tree
 

  Beastie BoysPaul's Boutique
 

  Dr. DreThe Chronic
 

  Guns N' RosesAppetite For Destruction
 

  Marvin GayeWhat's Going On
 

  Michael JacksonThriller
 

  Neutral Milk HotelIn The Aeroplane Over The Sea
 

  Smashing PumpkinsSiamese Dream
 

  Stone RosesStone Roses
 

  The AvalanchesSince I Left You
 

  The BeatlesSgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
 

  The CureDisintegration
 

  Violent FemmesViolent Femmes
 

Coalitions 3 write-ins

  AirMoon Safari ...
  Bob DylanBlood on the Tracks ...
  CalexicoFeast of Wire ...
  Dusty SpringfieldDusty in Memphis ...
  Elliott SmithEither/Or ...
  Flaming LipsHit to Death in the Future Head ...
  Fleetwood MacRumours ...
  Green DayAmerican Idiot ...
  InterpolTurn on the Bright Lights ...
  Led ZeppelinII ...
  Miles DavisBitches Brew ...
  NirvanaIn Utero ...
  PavementCrooked Rain, Crooked Rain ...
  Pink FloydAnimals ...
  PoliceSynchronicity ...
  PortisheadPortishead ...
  Public EnemyFear of a Black Planet ...
  Rolling StonesExile on Main Street ...
  Rolling StonesSticky Fingers ...
  Smashing PumpkinsGish ...
  Son VoltTrace ...
  Sufjan StevensIllinois ...
  Talking HeadsRemain in Light ...
  TelevisionMarquee Moon ...
  The Counting CrowsAugust and Everything After ...
  The Postal ServiceGive Up ...
  The PretendersThe Pretenders ...
  The SundayReading, Writing and Arithmetic ...
  Tom WaitsNighthawks at the Diner ...
  Tribe Called QuestThe Low End Theory ...
  Velvet UndergroundThe Velvet Underground & Nico ...
  WeezerThe Blue Album ...
  XTCSkylarking ...

Conspiracies 2 write-ins

  Antony & the JohnstonsI Am a Bird Now ..
  Bad ReligionStranger Than Fiction ..
  Beastie BoysCheck Your Head ..
  BeckOdelay ..
  BeckSea Change ..
  Black SabbathBlack Sabbath ..
  Black StarMos Def and Talib Kweli are Black Star ..
  Bob DylanHighway 61 Revisited ..
  Bob DylanTime Out of Mind ..
  BostonBoston ..
  Brian EnoHere Come the Warm Jets ..
  Bruce SpringsteenNebraska ..
  Crosby Stills Nash & YoungDeja Vu ..
  Dan the AutomatorLovage ..
  David BowieLow ..
  David Matthew BandsRemember Two Things ..
  De La SoulThree Feet High (and Rising) ..
  Deltron 3030Deltron 3030 ..
  Dire StraitsBrothers in Arms with One World ..
  DJ ShadowEntroducing ..
  Elton JohnTumbleweed Connection ..
  Elvis CostelloImperial Bedroom ..
  Franz FerdinandFranz Ferdinand ..
  George MichaelFaith ..
  Gillian WelshRevival ..
  Godspeed You Black Emperor!Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven ..
  GorillazDemon Days ..
  Ike ReillySalesmen & Racists ..
  Iron & WineOur Endless Numbered Days ..
  Jane's AddictionNothing's Shocking ..
  Jimi HendrixElectric Ladyland ..
  John ColtraneGiant Steps ..
  John Coltrane & Johnny HartmanJohn Coltrane & Johnny Hartman ..
  John LennonPlastic Ono Band ..
  Johnny CashFolsom Prison ..
  Johnny CashLive at Folsom Prison ..
  Joni MitchellBlue ..
  Joy DivisionUnknown Pleasures ..
  Kate BushHounds of Love ..
  Led ZeppelinIV ..
  Liz PhairExile In Guyville ..
  LunaPenthouse ..
  Manu ChaoClandestino - Esperando la ultima ola ..
  MetallicaMaster of Puppets ..
  Miles DavisSketches of Spain ..
  Modest MouseThe Moon And Antarctica ..
  MorphineCure for Pain ..
  Neil YoungHarvest ..
  Neil YoungRust Never Sleeps ..
  Nick DrakePink Moon ..
  Nine Inch NailsPretty Hate Machine ..
  Nine Inch NailsThe Downward Spiral ..
  NirvanaNevermind ..
  NirvanaUnplugged ..
  Pat Metheny GroupBright Size Life ..
  Pearl JamTen ..
  Peter GabrielSo ..
  Pink FloydThe Wall ..
  Pink FloydWish You Were Here ..
  PJ HarveyTo Bring You My Love ..
  PortisheadDummy ..
  PrincePurple Rain ..
  RadioheadThe Bends ..
  Rage Against the MachineRage Against the Machine ..
  RancidIndestructible ..
  Red Hot Chilli PeppersBlood Sugar Sex Magic ..
  Robyn HitchcockGreatest Hits ..
  Rolling StonesBeggars Banquet ..
  Rolling StonesLet it Bleed ..
  RushMoving Pictures ..
  Ryan AdamGold ..
  Sam CookeLive at the Harlem Square Club, 1963 ..
  Sex PistolsNever Mind the Bollocks ..
  Sonic YouthDaydream Nation ..
  SoundgardenBadmotorfinger ..
  SpiritualizedLazer Guided Melodies ..
  Steve Earle and the Del McCoury BandThe Mountain ..
  Stevie WonderSongs in the Key of Life ..
  Temple of Low MenCrowded House ..
  The BeatlesA Hard Day's Night ..
  The BeatlesRubber Soul ..