Classic Rock Artist's later era albums. Will any of these ever become "classic"?

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by kozy814, Jun 20, 2019.

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  1. kozy814

    kozy814 Forum Resident Thread Starter

    The 2000's, in my estimation, have been good years for new music by perennial classic rock artists. NEW and Egypt Station from McCartney, Springsteen's most recent Western Stars going back to The Rising. The last few (minus the Christmas record) from Bob Dylan, the final entries from Johnny Cash. Tom Petty's Hypnotic Eye...Even The Rolling Stones last two had some shining moments, lots of other classic artists have very good "new" albums...

    In an era when people are losing a sense of the album as an artistic entity, can we expect any of these albums to be revered in the same stature as the golden era albums from these artists? In some cases the new albums may contain music that may be better track-to-track. If we were to rate tracks individually, certainly we can make a case that Love & Theft has better tracks than the lesser tracks on Planet Waves or that Hypnotic Eye has a few glorious moments that put Southern Accents into clearer perspective. Or that, God forbid, Dominoes (from Egypt Station) is a better song than Manmunia (from Band On The Run).

    These older releases reflect an era when the album was a force and we eagerly anticipated each new record. In the case of Tom Petty, Wildflowers was his last "classic", IMO. And that one came out closer to the tail end of the album era. As time goes by will people look upon the works of these artists simply as a list of songs.. Or will we bundle these excellent newer albums into the same list including Revolver, Damn The Torpedoes, Born To Run and Blood On the Tracks?

    It's an interesting discussion. Looking for the perspective of those like-minded folks who still collect albums.
     
    Last edited: Jun 20, 2019
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  2. bvb1123

    bvb1123 Rock and Roll Martian

    Location:
    Cincinnati Ohio
    Of all of the late 90s - 2000s classic rock records that could presumably be given "classic" status are:
    Bob Dylan - Time Out Of Mind
    Neil Young - Silver & Gold
     
  3. kozy814

    kozy814 Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Time Out Of Mind was such a major album for me. Dylan did it again -- yet another successful reinvention. The songs are true and personal. It sounded classic on first listen.

    Need to dig into Silver & Gold. I do love NY...
     
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  4. mbrownp1

    mbrownp1 Forum Resident

    When any of the remaining Stones kick it (except maybe Ronnie), everything will go classic including the stuff that you jackholes all just LOVE to bag on from Undercover until now.

    You’ll all finally realize that they NEVER made a bad album. The panic will set in as you realize you’re now in a world without the Stones. And I’ll laugh...oh how I’ll laugh. Mwahahaahahaha...

     
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  5. kozy814

    kozy814 Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Eh, lighten up Francis....
     
  6. mbrownp1

    mbrownp1 Forum Resident

     
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  7. cyril sneer

    cyril sneer Forum Resident

    Location:
    Exeter, UK
    Run Devil Run - Paul McCartney
    Blackstar - David Bowie
    Songs from the west coast - Elton John

    I also really like Reality by Bowie but it doesn't seem to get much acclaim for some reason.
     
  8. kozy814

    kozy814 Forum Resident Thread Starter

    The thing about the Stones is the same thing that applies to McCartney. The albums are all good to very good. But our generation will compare them to Ram and Sticky Fingers and Sgt Pepper's and Exile. I've always said that they put out a few too many in later years. Cut the list down to 6 instead of 10 and you get all the best of those albums. It would also have made each new album a more valuable inclusion to the catalog.
     
    Last edited: Jun 20, 2019
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  9. Figure of Eight

    Figure of Eight Forum Resident

    Location:
    Durham, UK
    Blackstar doesn't seem to have had any problem being canonised. Cynics may say that this is due to Bowie's death rather than the actual quality of the record, but I'd disagree.
     
  10. kozy814

    kozy814 Forum Resident Thread Starter

    I would say Blackstar is a powerful release. Bowie was in a zone on this one. No radio hits, but not a lotta fat there. Just Bowie, front & center.
     
  11. Evethingandnothing

    Evethingandnothing Forum Resident

    Location:
    Devon
    Listened to it (on YouTube) for the first time only a few days ago. Enjoyed it so much that I let the next album up - Heathen run on as I hadn't heard that either. That was good too.
     
  12. mbrownp1

    mbrownp1 Forum Resident

    YES! Great thought and I agree it should be considered classic, but it is relatively unknown unfortunately. His best work since Yellowbrick Road. Seriously.
     
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  13. Figure of Eight

    Figure of Eight Forum Resident

    Location:
    Durham, UK
    It got great reviews at the time, but it never caught fire outside of Elton's fanbase because... well, it's Elton John. Rightly or wrongly, the guy just isn't seen as cool these days, although it's debatable as to whether he ever was.
     
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  14. kozy814

    kozy814 Forum Resident Thread Starter

    This thread could become a buyer guide for little known albums from the greats that YOU should buy...
     
  15. Figure of Eight

    Figure of Eight Forum Resident

    Location:
    Durham, UK
    I don't expect to see any Eric Clapton albums in here, then!
     
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  16. Python

    Python Forum Resident

    Location:
    S.F. Bay Area
    It's unfortunate that stupid radio play reinforces which songs (and thus in a sense, albums) are perceived as "classic" in the mind of the masses, at least. While most "classic" bands albums got worse - often much worse - over time (Aerosmith, Stones) others, I believe got better (Petty) or were at least as good (Rush).

    And yet I haven't heard a song on the radio from Petty from after 1994, nor Rush after 1985. It's a disgrace.

    I also think R.E.M.'s Accelerate is as good as their best work; yet no one will ever hear any of it on the radio. Just a shame.

    Obviously, when I say "radio," I mean mainstream, broadcast rock radio - I know there is good stuff available on satellite, and a few rogue stations here and there (the "last" DJ's!) that actually play deeper cuts from popular artists (I was in Hawaii last year and heard some random early Dire Straits song on the local station and almost drove off the road!).
     
  17. Bracton

    Bracton Forum Resident

    Location:
    Memphis
    Do the classic rock artist's later era albums actually get performed in concert? It might help these later albums if they actually played more songs from them live. Do the Stones play anything live from their recent albums (90s-00s)?
     
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  18. mbrownp1

    mbrownp1 Forum Resident

    “Out of Control” CONSTANTLY!
     
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  19. Jmac1979

    Jmac1979 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Louisville, KY
    Actually it looks like Rocketman is rehabilitating his image and bringing more younger fans in, but of course said movie literally ends with I'm Still Standing and that was 1983. Though I Want Love from SFTWC was sung in it by young Elton and his family
     
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  20. Figure of Eight

    Figure of Eight Forum Resident

    Location:
    Durham, UK
    I rate both Accelerate and Collapse Into Now quite highly, and if we're talking about the Stones, I feel that they were mostly done after Tattoo You, however I also feel that A Bigger Bang was their best work since then.
     
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  21. Jmac1979

    Jmac1979 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Louisville, KY
    Paul McCartney did Dance Tonight, My Valentine and Queenie Eye when I saw him a few weeks ago. All 6-12 years old at this point, so some of his later material hovers around
     
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  22. Spencer R

    Spencer R Forum Resident

    Location:
    Oxford, MS
    Heathen and The Next Day are stronger start-to-finish albums, in my opinion.
     
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  23. Spencer R

    Spencer R Forum Resident

    Location:
    Oxford, MS
    To answer the original question, to me, McCartney’s Driving Rain and Chaos and Creation are classic. Dylan’s Time Out Of Mind is classic if you prune To Make You Feel My Love and one or two other songs and add Mississippi and Red River Shore.
     
  24. daca

    daca Currently on Double Secret Probation

    Location:
    Pittsburgh, PA
    While most of these albums released in the twilight and or weaning years of an Artist/Band are nothing more than cash grabs/reason for touring; some albums will, and already have transcended the iconic and classic status of earlier performances by the artist/band.

    Take the last album released while Johnny Cash was alive: American IV: The Man Comes Around. Absolutely moving. Cash’s cover of Nine Inch Nails Hurt, may be one of, if not the greatest covers ever, and one of the greatest songs ever.

    I predict that over time, much of the material from Cash’s American series will be viewed positively and will be up there with the greatest songs that the Man In Black has ever put on recorded media.
     
    Last edited: Jun 20, 2019
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  25. Figure of Eight

    Figure of Eight Forum Resident

    Location:
    Durham, UK
    I know a lot of people that really like The Next Day, even if the critical consensus these days is that it's some kind of Reality part II.

    It's not a popular opinion, but for me his run of albums from Outside up to Blackstar (which the exception of hours..., which is shockingly awful in my opinion) is his most underrated body of work and generally deserves more respect.
     
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