The Rock Critic's Choice: The Top 200 Albums

Granted, this book is now more than 30 years old, but it is still interesting reading because so many great albums of classic rock came out before 1980. Put another way, the rankings here came out just before "London Calling" and the many greats that followed, but those who want The Beatles, The Stones, The Who, and even some emerging punk (The Sex Pistols' debut and the Clash's eponymous debut are included) will find their fill here. Compiler Paul Gambaccini correctly decided to rely on DJs and rock critics (who know the most different albums) in putting things together. He asked them to pick their Top Ten albums, and he then credited points on a descending order basis (most for #1 etc.). However, there are several problems. First, he canvassed far too few people, only 47. Second, to ask merely for one's Top 10 albums raises a Question of Balance, with apologies to the Moody Blues (Days of Future Passed finished #107). For example, an oddball choice for #1 would mean it gets a higher ranking than an album considered greater by most, which would have finished higher if people could pick, say, their Top 25. Third, should Greatest Hits albums be included? Some people are unlikely to (and here didn't) include them, but others did, and the lack of parallelism is a problem. Does anyone really think the Stones' "Out of Our Heads" has more good songs than "Hot Rocks"? But here, the former is #35 and the latter #90. Anyway, no Greatest Hits album prevented Sergeant Pepper from finishing #1. Nevertheless, the list as a whole generally resembles what people into the genre would expect, setting aside some eccentric choices scattered around. Each critic's picks are given, with some commentary. Readers are not likely to go sour with this book assuming the ranked albums they buy are in their general area of taste.