What is your favorite album of all time? (User Submitted)

      Michael Jackson's masterpiece album Thriller has sold over 110 million copies since it's release on November 30th, 1982. Even more impressive is that it's the only album in history to hit the 50 million copy mark..The next best seller is AC/DC- Back in Black with 49 million.  Thriller is the top selling album of all time and many would argue the "greatest" record ever made. Rolling Stone heralded the Beatles-St. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band as 'the most important album ever created'. For TroxTalk's weekly homework assignment (name pending) I wanted to find out which album was the greatest or most important of all time to you. Piss off, Billboard and Rolling Stone.
       Here's what I've learned this week. People are WAY more passionate about their music selection than their movie quotes. Picking your favorite movie quote was tough, but some people found this weeks challenge nearly impossible. I asked readers for their favorite album of all time. If the Terminator rolls up on you naked while you're out at the bar with your crew and says, "I need your clothes, your boots, your motorcycle, and your favorite CD!" Which one are you going to choose? We've all seen what happens if you don't comply...

       I noticed right away, as soon as I asked that question, most people immediately got defensive. "I dunno, Trox, that's a tough one. What's YOURS?!" It was as if everyone had some dark secret or guilty pleasure that they were insecure about sharing. My dear readers, you do not have to preface your preferences to me or anyone else with "well you're probably going to make fun of this but...". The truth is anyone who takes potshots at another persons likes or dislikes doesn't have a lot of confidence in their own. I pretty much can't stand it when I tell someone "Hey I dig..suchandsuch." and they hit me back with "Aw you *explitive*! Do you seriously like that *explitive*?!" Pretty much anyone who gave me the pre-post disclaimer on what they like ended up naming something that wouldn't have been to much of a stretch for me to enjoy on my own playlist. (No one named any country albums. I don't care too much for Conway Twitty, but if that's your thing, have at it.) I'll get to my personal picks in a bit, but for now let's have a look at YOUR favorites, and some of the insightful reasons why you picked what you did....

Snoop Doggy Dogg- Doggystyle..."Every track on the entire album is tight and the whole thing reminds me of a much simpler time." - Albert the Mailman

Weezer-Blue... I can't tell you how many times I've listened to 'In the Garage' while I was physically in a garage. Mind=Blown. "Defines my adolescence." -DFord

Blink 182- Enema of the State... I don't know if it's my favorite too, but this is the only CD I have ever played until it just absolutely would not play anymore. "It's tight-n-shit. I like it."- Jesse

Third Eye Blind- Third Eye Blind... Sarah sent me a few picks, but I chose this one because of the one's she listed, this one reminds me most of her. Plus I think this was the only self titled submission I received, so it's unique. Graduate is a great track on this one. "My little middle school self loved this. I used to sit in my room with the lyrics to Semi Charmed Life and play it on repeat until I had it memorized.(Chop another line with a coda with a curse still gets me all confuddled.)" -Sarah

Bon Jovi- Slippery When Wet... She didn't give a real reason, but if I had to put it into words for her, it would have been something to the effect of: "It's old school and makes me feel like partyin!"- Cami

Bush- Sixteen Stone... Gavin Rosdale has been nailing Gwen Stefani and making good records for more than a decade. This was his best work with Bush. " It was the first cd I ever owned. My mom got it for me for Christmas when I was about 12."- Cody

Smashing Pumpkins- Siamese Dream... My man Carl was concise as usual in his reasoning.

" well.. 1) i like every song on it. 2) good combination of super loud-ass crazy guitar rock and slow stuff. 3) awesome lyrics 4) right around that time i was still a kid in college

(time it came out)"- Carl

Hopesfall- The Frailty of Words... This album hits just a little harder than all of the other submissions. "The album came out when i was in the 8th grade and gave me complete solace through high school, just during a time i was stuggling with myself and the type of music i was into..and everything in my life really..then and still now hardcore isn't widely accepted
I mean why cant I look like a normal dude and love to rock the fuck out!?" -Ian

Shaquille O'Neal- Shaq Diesel.. First of all, does this man look Irish to you? O'boy. "Trox and I used to get in trouble for bumping this too loud in Circuit City's Car Audio department when we worked there together." J Bruce (Not Jay Bruce)

**I want to take a break in the action for a second to say that if you've never heard this before, you should give it a listen. Shaq is beyond awesome. What the hell is a jungle bee??**

Back to business..

The Strokes- Is This It?...  I feel like this could be one of the most underrated albums I've ever bought. Not torrented. Bought." i picked it up when it came out back in '01. and i've always consistently listened to for the past 10 years. I can't say that about any other albums.

but really, I love the strokes for their sound and their approach the song writing." -Tyler

The Roots- Phrenology..."It came out right after I graduated high school, all was perfect in my world. I can't hear the seed 2.0 without wishing I was just driving around, windows down, on a nice warm day." -Syphax

Strung Out- Exile in Oblivion..."i mean, their are some rap records up there, some country, some metal, some new wave, but if i could only have one record for the rest of my life it would have to be Strung Out - Exile In Oblivion, my top few records are all Strung Out records probably." -Shad

Pink Floyd- Wish You Were Here... My roomies used to watch Wizard of Oz over Darkside of the Moon on a loop.. "AMAZING! Shine on your crazy daimond part 1 changed my whole perspective on shit."- Steve @Weltbrand

Rush- The Spirit of Radio..."I just grew up with them

plus as musician...they satiate my desire to hear something more complex and considered than a lot of other artists can deliver

and i'm a nerd."-Ryan

 

Counting Crows- August and Everything After.. "the sound was fresh, original, an auditory treat with IMMENSE staying power to me, the Counting Crows are not my favorite Band of all time, in the top but not THE top... however a cohesive album that can be listened to over, and over , and over again is hard to come by and FEW artists truly pull off a whole album that is close to flawless, many do half the album well, or a few songs that are great. However, to achieve a truly great album, the artist and producer must synch in an uncommon manner, from the writing of the songs, through performance, to production quality, and even to track layout for the album the cohesive bond between variables of parties involved is hard to attain. The Counting Crows with T-Bone Burnett produced an album that i have never stopped enjoying for almost 11 years (yes I first got it 5 years after it was released) obviously I don't listen to the album everyday, or even every week or month, but this album catches me several times a year and I will listen to and enjoy as much as I ever have all over again this entire album start to finish. So finally, for my personal enjoyment taken as a single unit -"album" Counting Crows' August and Everything After album is the greatest album ever recorded. " -Paul...I agree with everything you just said.

Megadeth- Endgame.. Growing up, my girl Kim was ALL rap ALL the time. I almost fell out of my chairs when she sent me this one. "Because my taste in music has changed so much."  -Kimberly (I'll say it did! Nice to see you branching out!)

Led Zepplin- Houses of the Holy..."Fuck you and these questions! It's got it all. If I was going to go more modern I'd say Dude Ranch..Everybody got behind that record." - Dave T of www.thebestpodcast.com

Now I don't ever like to play favorites, but THIS is how you TroxTalk...I loved this response...

Offspring- Americana...After racking my brain trying to decide which one single album to crown my "Favorite CD of All TIme" I realized its really an impossible task. Whether it comes down to replay value, production quality, pure nostalgia, or just the overall impact it makes on your life, there were just too many factors to take into account.

So I decided to go a different direction with it.

Everyone has that one album that acted as a catalyst in discovering all the music they've ever known; that one album that made it possible. "Dude Ranch" doesn't count. Saying "Dude Ranch" is your favorite CD is like saying pizza is your favorite food. We know, its a given.

Having said that, no other collection of songs made as big of an impact on the man I am today than The Offspring's "Americana" -Phinny from www.thebestcast.com

Blink 182- Dude Ranch..."Fuck Phinny and Dave T.  I'll say what I want!" -Green Hayes (He didn't really say that.)

      Now, this guy is running a little long because I have a tendency to let that happen. Tell you what! Tomorrow in a special weekend edition of TroxTalk I'll take a page out of my boys at The Best Podcast's book, and I'll break down my desert island Top 5 albums of all time.. Maybe I'll do a top 6 just so I'm not blatantly ripping anyone off. Here's to you for helping this thing grow each week *takes a shot of vodka* ! Catch you tomorrow.

                                                                 Warmest Regards,

                                                                  Trox