Gigaton is my favorite Pearl Jam Album

[Release_Me]

Honestly, when I first started posting here, I couldn't believe some of the favourites people had on this forum (albums and songs). A bit like Stip, I guess. Not to insult anyone but I couldn't wrap my head around it for a long time. I have learnt to accept that some people just have different tastes in PJ. It's all good. If we were to do a poll outside the forum (hypothetical; I know we can't really do one), I'd put money on most listeners (casual included) putting the first 3 albums in their top 3 or 4 PJ albums.

You're really going out on a limb with that brave bet

Most people would prefer the band's most popular work?!? I just don't believe it!

My point, exactly. It is the minority opinion to not think of their most popular albums as also their best. Otherwise, the popular opinion wouldn't be what it is. RM is not a representative sample in that respect. Not that it's bad to have a different opinion from the rest of the world but there is a significant disparity in what is considered their best work here and outside.

I’m fine having a different opinion than a “casual listener”

Not just the casual listener who never listened to PJ's stuff after the first 2-3 albums but the people who have actually listened to all of them. And yes, having a different opinion is fine. After all, I have a different opinion from the majority of this forum.

[Mike]

Lets meet in the middle and agree on Vitalogy being the best

[Anders]

It has a handful of all time great songs, but not a great album for me. Never was.

[LoathedVermin72]

Yeah Vitalogy is the weakest pre-PRAMG album

[Mike]

[Release_Me]

Absolutely. I am on board with Vitalogy being number 1. I tend to ignore the non-songs on the album when I say that because song for song, Ten is more consistent. However, the sheer number of great songs on Vitalogy cannot be ignored. Ten has a similar number of great songs but if I make a top 20 list, it will have the best Vitalogy songs ranking a bit higher on average than the best Ten songs (though Black is my number 1).

[Release_Me]

Yeah Vitalogy is the weakest pre-PRAMG album

Statements like these would make me scratch my head in my early days on RM. Not anymore.

[Anders]

Funny that you can ignore tracks you don't like on Vitalogy, but not on later albums.

[Release_Me]

If they were actual songs, I would count them. I don't consider Pry To, Bugs, Stupid Mop, Aye Davanita to be actual songs. More like interludes between the actual songs. And yes, if the later albums had the same number of great songs accompanied by stuff like this, I would ignore that too. I just don't see the same number of quality songs in the later albums. There are some great ones, sure.

If I do count each song on Vitalogy for my rankings, Ten would win.

[stip]

Lets meet in the middle and agree on Vitalogy being the best

It has a handful of all time great songs, but not a great album for me. Never was.

Anders, stop fucking up this agreement!

[reconstruction_ seeds]

I'm talking rock music fans in general, not specifically the people found on PJ forums. But yeah, even on most PJ forums, when asked to rank the best albums (not the ones you most listen to today), I'd still expect the majority to rate the first 3 very highly. This is not just about their impact which obviously plays a role but because those early albums really are that good.

What good is an album a person never wants to listen to? Some albums were created with no thought to longevity, whether it be in the music, lyrics or both. Thats what I keep in mind when ranking favorite albums from any band.

[Anders]

[LoathedVermin72]

Vitalogy has fewer great songs than Ten or Vs.

[Anders]

I'm talking rock music fans in general, not specifically the people found on PJ forums. But yeah, even on most PJ forums, when asked to rank the best albums (not the ones you most listen to today), I'd still expect the majority to rate the first 3 very highly. This is not just about their impact which obviously plays a role but because those early albums really are that good.

What good is an album a person never wants to listen to? Some albums were created with no thought to longevity, whether it be in the music, lyrics or both. Thats what I keep in mind when ranking favorite albums from any band.

I agree that most want to listen to today should enter into it. If you "love Ten", but have heard it once in the past decade, that's not a number 1 PJ album for me. However, if you listen to it regularly, have at it.

[stip]

I'm talking rock music fans in general, not specifically the people found on PJ forums. But yeah, even on most PJ forums, when asked to rank the best albums (not the ones you most listen to today), I'd still expect the majority to rate the first 3 very highly. This is not just about their impact which obviously plays a role but because those early albums really are that good.

What good is an album a person never wants to listen to? Some albums were created with no thought to longevity, whether it be in the music, lyrics or both. Thats what I keep in mind when ranking favorite albums from any band.

We've had these albums for decades. Vitalogy is my favorite album of all time, but there are definitely pearl jam albums I listen to more. I know every note on Vitalogy by heart. I don't need to hear it anymore. REM's automatic for the people is the same way (my second favorite album). When I hear those songs I am immediately reminded of just how ridiculously good they are. But I no longer feel compelled to hear them.


I struggle with that when I do some of these ranking threads. There is where I'd rank a song in terms of the overall quality and what it's meant to me over time, vs. what I would prefer to listen to right now in this moment.

[Anders]

No Code and Yield really win on that front, as they are timeless.

[stip]

Vitalogy has fewer great songs than Ten or Vs.

Lets find out


Great songs
Ten: Even Flow, Alive, Black, Jeremy, Oceans, Porch, Release


Vs
Go, Animal, Daughter, RVM, Small Town, Indifference


Vitalogy
Last Exist, Not For You, Tremor Christ, Nothingman, Corduroy, Betterman, Immortaltiy



Evidently incorrect. Lets just all agree (even you, Anders) that there are more great songs on these 3 albums than any other and then close down the forum.

[LoathedVermin72]

Vitalogy has fewer great songs than Ten or Vs.

Lets find out


Great songs
Ten: Even Flow, Alive, Black, Jeremy, Oceans, Porch, Release


Vs
Go, Animal, Daughter, RVM, Small Town, Indifference


Vitalogy
Last Exist, Not For You, Tremor Christ, Nothingman, Corduroy, Betterman, Immortaltiy



Evidently incorrect. Lets just all agree (even you, Anders) that there are more great songs on these 3 albums than any other and then close down the forum.

Not even close to the correct selections

[Release_Me]

I'm talking rock music fans in general, not specifically the people found on PJ forums. But yeah, even on most PJ forums, when asked to rank the best albums (not the ones you most listen to today), I'd still expect the majority to rate the first 3 very highly. This is not just about their impact which obviously plays a role but because those early albums really are that good.

What good is an album a person never wants to listen to? Some albums were created with no thought to longevity, whether it be in the music, lyrics or both. Thats what I keep in mind when ranking favorite albums from any band.

We've had these albums for decades. Vitalogy is my favorite album of all time, but there are definitely pearl jam albums I listen to more. I know every note on Vitalogy by heart. I don't need to hear it anymore. REM's automatic for the people is the same way (my second favorite album). When I hear those songs I am immediately reminded of just how ridiculously good they are. But I no longer feel compelled to hear them.


I struggle with that when I do some of these ranking threads. There is where I'd rank a song in terms of the overall quality and what it's meant to me over time, vs. what I would prefer to listen to right now in this moment.

Exactly. By being older, one has already listened to the earlier albums a shitload more than the later ones. It's OK to take a break from listening to your favourite album or song. Doesn't mean you don't ever want to listen to it but that you prefer to listen to other stuff as well. I would never turn off Black, Corduroy or RVM if they were playing on the radio, I'd turn the volume up as high as I could tolerate. BUT, these days, I have Gigaton playing on repeat. Doesn't mean I think it is superior. It is just a few weeks old and I'm still discovering little details in these songs.

I don't think Ten, Vs. or Vitalogy have any issues with longevity. If anything, almost every new album has an initial honeymoon period that eventually fades and then when I listen to those three albums, I am reminded of what peak Pearl Jam actually sounds like. I never get that feeling listening to any other albums (individual songs, yes).

[Anders]

Top songs historically:

Ten Once, Even Flow, Alive, Why Go, Black, Jeremy, Oceans, Porch, Release

Vs. Go, Animal, Daughter, Rearviewmirror, Elderly Woman, Indifference

Vitalogy Last Exit, Not For You, Tremor Christ, Nothingman, Corduroy, Better Man, Immortality