Great Albums From the 60s Considered as Masterpieces

Now we all have our favourite artists and favourite albums, and during this period, there were some amazing artists, who sold lots and lots of records, but how many of these artists produced albums that were acknowledged as Masterpieces. And how relevant are high sales when considering what makes a Masterpiece - I do not think Pet Sounds sold in great quantities but it is considered a Masterpiece.

I'm just trying to build up a bit of a list, but please try to avoid listing an album that is simply a favourite. So lots of big selling or popular artists during this period - The Stones, The Beach Boys, The Doors, Elvis Presley, The Beatles, Bob Dylan, The Monkees, Ray Charles, The Who, Aretha Franklin, Jimi Hendrix.....to name a few, but did any of them or any others make albums considered as Masterpieces. Thanks.

 

A love Supreme

Blonde on Blonde

Sgt Peppers

Electric Ladyland

All are considered masterpieces

 

Fairport Convention - Liege and Lief
Tim Buckley - Happy Sad

 

My favorite tim Buckley record.

 

'Masterpiece' is still highly subjective. Personally, I would say Soft Machine Vol 2, United States of America, and Easter Everywhere are all 'masterpieces', but someone could equally argue the opposite.

 

The Doors

The Velvet Underground and Nico

Odessey and Oracle

James Brown Live At The Apollo

Otis Blue

The Who Sell Out

Piper At The Gates of Dawn

Five Leaves Left

A Love Supreme

 

Forever Changes by Love

That's a masterpiece, no doubt.

 

Hmmmm..

Odessey & Oracle

Sgt. Pepper

Revolver

Pet Sounds

Blonde On Blonde

Piper At The Gates Of Dawn

Strange Days

The Who Sell Out

Tommy

In Search Of The Lost Chord

Led Zeppelin I

Led Zeppelin II

(God, how I'd love to name a Kinks, Byrds, Buffalo Springfield, Yardbirds, King Crimson, or any number of other favourites for whom every potential candidate is compromised in some way.

Only compilations can fall into the category of masterpiece for them [i.e. Kink Kronikles] and I believe that type of album should be left out of this list, since the band rarely had a part in deciding the content.)

 

The Kinks Are The Village Green Preservation Society is a masterpiece.

 

Not to nitpick or complain but...

You can check out critics' best of/greatest lists on the Internet - plenty of them out there. Most of the albums on those lists are considered "masterpieces". What's the point in listing them all here again for the umpteenth time?

 

Yes agree NO compilations. I think the list should only cover studio albums I guess where the artist has made a conscious decision to get into the studio and record some outstanding tracks for their next album. And yes, the term Masterpiece is subjective, but I guess general feedback/comments/appraisals/critiques from music reviewers music historians and even musicians themselves can help establish what can be considered a masterpiece too.

 

Well let's put it this way. No one is holding a gun to anyone's head to comply with the request in the thread. If people want to do it, then fine - if they do not, then the thread will disappear. It's no big deal. But maybe you could help out by supplying a few links to these list you refer to. Then I can see if there are any consistencies too.

 

I agree, sorry!

Just google "Greatest albums of the 1960s" or something like that - you'll get plenty of links. As for whether an album is a masterpiece or not - it's a highly subjective thing and up to the listener to decide.

Trout Mask Replica is considered a masterpiece by many critics but at the same time it's also a case of "the Emperor's new clothes" for a lot of people. Go figure.

 

(God, how I'd love to name a Kinks, Byrds, Buffalo Springfield, Yardbirds, King Crimson, or any number of other favourites for whom every potential candidate is compromised in some way.

Only compilations can fall into the category of masterpiece for them [i.e. Kink Kronikles] and I believe that type of album should be left out of this list, since the band rarely had a part in deciding the content.)[/QUOTE]

Hmmm... I do agree w/ your dozen or so choices but I absolutely disagree w/ some of this last group. Kinks: Arthur and Something Else; Byrds: Notorious Byrd Brothers and/or Sweetheart of the Rodeo; Buffalo Springfield's 2nd; early King Crimson: In the Court of the Crimson King (several later albums are great but perhaps a bit too eclectic). You are right about the Yardbirds . . . no one album qualifies as masterpiece.

 

Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd.

 

Freak Out--Mothers Of Invention

Arthur--The Kinks

Beggars Banquet--The Rolling Stones

Bringing It All Back Home--Bob Dylan

Revolver--The Beatles

Pet Sounds--The Beach Boys

The Concert Sinatra--Frank Sinatra

Absolutely Free--Mothers Of Invention

Begin--Millennium

Folsom Prison--Johnny Cash

1st--The Bee Gees

Chicago Transit Authority--Chicago

Of Cabbages And Kings--Jade & Jeremy

Younger Than Yesterday--The Byrds

The Notorious Byrd Brothers--The Byrds

Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band--The Beatles

Aftermath--The Rolling Stones

Just so many.

 

Just a couple that aren't mentioned



Yes. The Sound of Music soundtrack is a masterpiece. Other than Grease, I don't think there's a more successful or influential soundtrack.

 

I’d be more interested in an approach to this question that required an argument and an explanation of what makes a particular album a capital-M “Masterpiece,” as opposed to merely popular, famous, universally acclaimed, a widespread favorite, or the currently much-abused epithet “iconic." Just listing a bunch of 60’s classic titles, again? Not sure that’s going to break much new ground. All of New York is not going to clamoring for these lists is my prediction.

But that’s just me. Nothing wrong with another pile-on of name-checking allegedly genius records.

 

Pretty things S.F Sorrow

 

Hot Rats/Frank Zappa

 

Led Zeppelin 1 & II (1969)

 

A tough one. I'm going to try and not name personal favourites as the original post states, as a lot of these could be seen as flawed even though I love them. I'd say these are masterpieces:

Bob Dylan - Highway 61 Revisited
Beach Boys - Pet Sounds
The Byrds - Younger Than Yesterday
The Notorious Byrd Brothers
Jimi Hendrix Experience - Are You Experienced, Axis: Bold As Love, Electric Ladyland
Love - Forever Changes
Beatles - Rubber Soul, Revolver, Sgt. Peppers, White Album, Abbey Road.
Fairport Convention - What We Did On Our Holidays (I think this is a more diverse and interesting album than Leige and Lief as well as it including Meet On The Ledge)
The Who - Tommy
Pretty Things - SF Sorrow
The Kinks - Village Green & Arthur
Small Faces - Ogden's Nut Gone Flake
Bee Gees - First & Odessa
The Doors - Strange Days
Aretha Franklin - I've Never Loved A Man The Way I Love You
Etta James - Tell Mama
Dusty Springfield - Dusty in Memphis
Flying Burrito Brothers - Gilded Palace of Sin
Neil Young - Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere
Songs of Leonard Cohen

There will be many more, though as the 60s were very singles orientated, there are a lot of very good albums that fall short of the high standards to be considered a masterpiece. I think the albums listed above show exceptionally talented artists at their creative peak.

 

Jerry Goldsmith - Planet of the Apes

 

OP says not to list an album that is a favorite, yet the question is about great albums from the '60s that are considered masterpieces. Sometimes some are, but not by as large a group as say, those who know and love the Beatles.
I'd say for example that The Psychedelic Sounds Of The 13th Floor Elevators is a masterpiece, and yes it is a favorite, but also it is widely considered one by fans of the "garage" and psychedelic music of the '60s.

 

James Brown[Live At The Apollo,Vol.1]...What's Going On[Marvin Gaye]...A Quiet Storm[Smokey]...Together Again For The First Time[Dave Brubeck Quartet].