Rolling Stone's 50 uncoolest records

Message Bookmarked

Bookmark Removed

After the 50 coolest records (ILM thread here)they now have published the 50 uncoolest ones. How many do you own? I own just the first Weezer which was one of the coolest records at the time. Of the coolest list I own 9. Anyone owning more uncool than cool records?

The list pasted from trainedmonkey: the carpenters: live at the palladium andrew w.k.: i get wet biz markie: the biz never sleeps bread: the best of bread accept: balls to the wall freddie and the dreams: freddie and the dreamers neil diamond: velvet gloves and spit weezer: weezer the fifth dimension: up, up and away various artists: freedom rock burt bacharach: reach out shania twain: come on over venom: at war with satan meat loaf: bat out of hell the moog cookbook: ye old space band hanson: middle of nowhere john denver: a gentle evening with john denver perrey and kingsley: the in sound from way out supertramp: breakfast in america kris kross: totally krossed out rod stewart: blondes have more fun louvin brothers: satan is real the commodores: commodores george michael: listen without prejudice vol. 1 klaatu: klaatu rick nelson: ricky the beach boys: love you haircut one hundred: pelican west johnny paycheck: she's all i got sparks: kimono my house the knack: get the knack vince guaraldi: greatest hits bay city rollers: greatest hits pet shop boys: actually johnny mathis: greatest hits the monkees: greatest hits tesla: five man acoustical jam the electric light orchestra: a new world record bob seger: night moves hank williams: as luke the drifter barenaked ladies: gordon joe meek: the amazing world of the honeys: collection america: history: america's greatest hits cinderella: long cold winter graham gouldman: the graham gouldman thing elvis presley: clambake the proclaimers: sunshine on leith the bee gees: bee gees 1st blue oyster cult: secret treaties

― alex in mainhattan, Monday, 6 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Crap, forgot the formatting. So once again

the carpenters: live at the palladium
andrew w.k.: i get wet
biz markie: the biz never sleeps
bread: the best of bread
accept: balls to the wall
freddie and the dreams: freddie and the dreamers
neil diamond: velvet gloves and spit
weezer: weezer
the fifth dimension: up, up and away
various artists: freedom rock
burt bacharach: reach out
shania twain: come on over
venom: at war with satan
meat loaf: bat out of hell
the moog cookbook: ye old space band
hanson: middle of nowhere
john denver: a gentle evening with john denver
perrey and kingsley: the in sound from way out
supertramp: breakfast in america
kris kross: totally krossed out
rod stewart: blondes have more fun
louvin brothers: satan is real
the commodores: commodores
george michael: listen without prejudice vol. 1
klaatu: klaatu
rick nelson: ricky
the beach boys: love you
haircut one hundred: pelican west
johnny paycheck: she's all i got
sparks: kimono my house
the knack: get the knack
vince guaraldi: greatest hits
bay city rollers: greatest hits
pet shop boys: actually
johnny mathis: greatest hits
the monkees: greatest hits
tesla: five man acoustical jam
the electric light orchestra: a new world record
bob seger: night moves
hank williams: as luke the drifter
barenaked ladies: gordon
joe meek: the amazing world of
the honeys: collection
america: history: america's greatest hits
cinderella: long cold winter
graham gouldman: the graham gouldman thing
elvis presley: clambake
the proclaimers: sunshine on leith
the bee gees: bee gees 1st
blue oyster cult: secret treaties

― alex in mainhattan, Monday, 6 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

I own three of those. But what the sweet anklebar does it mean by uncool? Deliberately putting forward a geeky image, like Weezer? Derided for trying too hard to be cool, like Andrew WK? Unconcerned with cool, like Shania Twain? Or was it just a desperate attempt to fill out five pages of a magazine and get a few indignant letters into the letters page the following issue?

― Judd Nelson, Monday, 6 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

the moog cookbook: ye old space band

I've never heard of this, but just for being called that it can't possibly be uncool.

― thom, Monday, 6 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

So many kids in high school got severe beat-downs for owning that Klaatu record.

― Andy K, Monday, 6 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

mmm, I have two, yeah Breakfast in America and New World Record , but that one doens't really count, because E.L.O. are the coolest band in the universe.

― Omar, Monday, 6 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

is it always opposite day at rolling stone hq?

― geeta, Monday, 6 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

I liked this list for the most part - nice to see some recognition for Accept, John Denver, the Knack, 'Beach Boys Love You' and 'Secret Treaties', however backhanded said recognition is. Few quibbles though - why fart around with Cinderella and Andrew WK when 'Captured: Live'(Journey) is still around (and still "hope-less- ly-in-lurrrvee-with-YEWWWWWWW!")? Also, how anybody could put the merely dull and annoying Shania Twain in the same vicinity as the absolutely god-like Bread mystifies me. Still, good one! (And I told you so here first, Gino Vanelli's 'Brother to Brother' would never have made it on ANYBODY's list of uncool albums because it is so damn cool!)

― dave q, Monday, 6 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

I think the title of the article should be "50 pieces of shit we have in our record collections from when we were in 6th grade, and now they bring back memories so even though they're 'uncool' we can't bring ourselves to getting rid of them because it's cool to act uncool."

and what? no Huey Lewis?

― Dave225, Monday, 6 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

everything on that list is fantastic!!

poor old bob seger!

― mark s, Monday, 6 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Yeah, Bob Seger - if you were to dig up the original RS review of 'Night Moves' from 1976 it's probably about 9 pages and comparers the lyrics to Faulkner and Steinbeck and is written by Dave Marsh. To think that if he had quit after "Ramblin' Gamblin' Man" he could've been as legendary as Dave Aguilar. As for Huey Lewis - haven't you heard of Bret Easton Ellis?

― dave q, Monday, 6 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

totally krossed out was always cool

― geeta, Monday, 6 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

I've only got 9 of them (and no, the Barenaked Ladies isn't one of them)

― dave q, Monday, 6 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

and what is up with cool, anyway? it's cool to act uncool, cool to act uncool, uncool to act cool, uncool to act uncool? uncool to act too cool cool?

(the pie pie school of logic takes donations)

― geeta, Monday, 6 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

It's hip to be square, apparently.

― Judd Nelson, Monday, 6 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

This is a joke, right. Satan is Real is maybe the single coolest fucking record ever. Look at the goddamn cover.

So cool.

― Alex in SF, Monday, 6 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

bah i only have SIX! (yay proclaimers)

time for me no-tin tin meat pudding pie pie

― moog s, Monday, 6 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

The coolest records on that list are:

Haircut One Hundred: Pelican West- bizzare mix of 80s cocktail funk and Beatles melodies, on the knife edge between "Classic" and "Tacky". Like a lot of great records, the first time I listened to it, I didn't know if I liked it or not!
Sparks: Kimono My House- dunno, thought it was pretty cool over here in the UK!
Pet Shop Boys: Actually- Why?!?!?!? It's a sin!!!! (Doh!!!)
The Monkees: Greatest Hits- Dunno, I thought this was much better than "White Light, White Heat", if you ask me!!!!
Joe Meek: The Amazing World of... - Hey!! Meek's cool enough to have a load of valve compressors made in his name!!! How cool can you get?!?!?

― Old Fart!!!!, Monday, 6 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Important point that alex forgot to mention: Rolling Stone say they love all these records.

I have one (Haircut 100 - very cool LP) and large parts of the two that Omar owns on tape somewhere. The Moog Cookbook LP is GRATE but I don't have it. I shall probably get all of these at some point in the future tho'.... well, maybe not The Proclaimers or Weezer.

― Jeff W, Monday, 6 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

I think RS got their lists mixed up (apart from Weezer, obv.)

― Andrew L, Monday, 6 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

It's amazing that they didn't include Kraftwerk.

― Mark, Monday, 6 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

So is uncool=bad taste and cool=good taste with RS loving both of them? The uncool records seem to me quite far-fetched as I don't know a lot of them. I guess with publishing this uncool list RS has made all these records cool really. I suppose Abba is not on the uncool list as RS considers them classic. Ten years ago they probably would have been, wouldn't they? Isn't uncool a little like so bad that it is good again? Like BCR and George Michael for example. I guess they just made this list for fun to make people discuss it. But if you rethink about it most of those records are quite rubbish really. A little bit like the German Schlager revival some years ago. A rose is a rose is a rose and a skunk is a skunk is a skunk.

― alex in mainhattan, Monday, 6 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

most of those records are quite rubbish really
I meant the records I know of the list.

― alex in mainhattan, Monday, 6 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

The self-titled Weezer albums are fab, so obviously someone there has been smokin' the crackpipe. I also don't mind Perrey & Kingsley. But I'm probably uncool. In that case, though, I'm surprised that I don't have more of that list (right now, only the Weezer).

― Sean Carruthers, Monday, 6 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

_Actually_ is an extraordinarily cool album. Anything with "One More Chance" and "King's Cross" on it is cool by definition. Also, depending on which Greatest Hits it is, the Monkees album is almost guaranteed to be one of the 50 best records ever recorded.

― Dan Perry, Monday, 6 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Wow, it seems I own 10 of these, most of them on vinyl. Although the sheer simantics of the situation border on the rediculous, some of these choices simply make no sense to me. How on earth can "Up Up and Away" be considered an 'uncool' record??? I suppose The Free Design are a bunch of squares too then.....

― Adam Bruneau, Monday, 6 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Proclaimers album is fantastic. Defiantly uncool. But then being passionate and wearing NHS glasses and denim jackets has never been very cool. (Best concert I ever saw as well).

― Billy Dods, Monday, 6 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

"... the uncoolest records we recommend you buy immediately."

Rolling Stone weighs in with a primer on... what, exactly? ironic hipsterism? Note that as with their "coolest records" list, it really doesn't reflect the current editorial policy of the magazine at all. I suppose these are records to throw on between doses of the more rigorously recommended 'NSync, Sum 41, what have you.

While it wouldn't be a shock to discover that RS writers don't actually enjoy much of the music they cover, I have to wonder what really motivates these lists. The writers simply stretching their legs, or a strangely misguided attempt to make connoisseurs out of Limp Bizkit fans? i.e. is their staff actually at odds with its readership and constantly, futilely, trying to shape it into a shadow of its former (ancient?) hipper days?

The inclusion of people like Andrew WK might merit a closer look in this respect. It suggests that they want to come off as pre- emptive Hype Reactionaries (® Ron on the White Stripes vs. Carpenters thread) on the one hand, while also giving a knowing nod to someone presently basking in his 14th minute in some of the more with-it publications.

Really though. Joe Meek and Presley's Clambake? The nerve.

― The Actual Mr. Jones, Monday, 6 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Bah, I've only got four off this one:

the beach boys: love you haircut one hundred: pelican west pet shop boys: actually the electric light orchestra: a new world record

And they were all bargain charity shop Vinyl purchases, but that doesn't reflect the quality.

― Chewshabadoo, Monday, 6 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

the more rigorously recommended 'NSync

This word (you know the one) is beginning to hold a fascination for me. Thanks ILM!

― Sean, Monday, 6 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

This word (you know the one) is beginning to hold a fascination for me.

You may be onto something there. Rarely used it myself until I started lurking around here. ILM vocab influence?

― The Actual Mr. Jones, Monday, 6 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Wot no Radiohead?!?

― nathalie, Monday, 6 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Give them a few years.

― Sean, Monday, 6 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Yeah, I'm cool! I just have one from the uncool list (moog cookbook), and I've got a bunch from the cool list. Thanks Rolling Stone, You made me cool!

― A Nairn, Monday, 6 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

"I have to wonder what really motivates these lists. The writers simply stretching their legs, or a strangely misguided attempt to make connoisseurs out of Limp Bizkit fans? i.e. is their staff actually at odds with its readership and constantly, futilely, trying to shape it into a shadow of its former (ancient?) hipper days?"

Simple: People buy magazines with lists in. And then discuss how stupid the lists are, endlessly.

― Ben Williams, Monday, 6 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Well, I'm always up for more people discovering Sparks, to be sure. I own five from the list, I think.

These guys should have gone all out and suggested Sports by Huey Lewis and the News.

― Ned Raggett, Monday, 6 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

that carpenters album they mentioned is the only one i DON'T have....

does that say something?

― Baxter Wingnut, Monday, 6 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

I have two of the uncoolest and two of the coolest. Equality.

― jel --, Monday, 6 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

While the records on this list do vary in quality, I don't really think many of them hit the peak (or scrape the bottom?) of uncoolness. In fact many of them are hip in one way or another. I haven't seen an issue of Rolling Stone in well over ten years; this is further proof I'm missing zilch.

― Sean, Monday, 6 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

i dont haf non of the cool or the uncool YAY!!!

― Chupa-Cabras, Monday, 6 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Yeah, Bob Seger - if you were to dig up the original RS review of 'Night Moves' from 1976 it's probably about 9 pages and comparers the lyrics to Faulkner and Steinbeck and is written by Dave Marsh.

Here's the actual review from '76 (they gave it four stars):

If there is any grace in heaven, Night Moves will give Bob Seger the national following which has long eluded him. It is simply one of the best albums of the year. As a vocalist, Seger recalls Rod Stewart; his raspy voice can both soar and attack. As a composer, he echoes Bruce Springsteen in his painful attempts to memorialize his past.
Night Moves offers rock & roll in the classic mold: bold, aggressive and grandiloquent. Seger's Silver Bullet Band and the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section share the backup credit and provide support of almost operatic intensity. The arrangements use traditional devices: on the title tune, for example, tempo and volume continually shift to create climax upon climax; in "Mainstreet," a single guitar rings out the drama through the repetition of spare lines.
Seger is a romantic in search of an adolescent conception of love which has always eluded him. He can laugh at his condition ("Sunspot Baby") or try to exorcise it (his reworking of "Mary Lou"), but most of the time he rubs at it like an old wound ("Night Moves" and "Mainstreet"). All of these are songs of reminiscence, for Seger, above all, is a survivor.
If there is a flaw in the album, it is that the production is not aggressive enough. Occasionally the horns are too muted, the drums too hesitant. But these errors, like Seger's penchant for self-conscious poeticizing ("Sunburst"), are minor in an album bursting with energy and conviction. (RS 230)
KIT RACHLIS

― Vic Funk, Monday, 6 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

steamrollah flowercrushah wah wah wah!!

― mark s, Monday, 6 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Either Joe Levy or Rob Sheffield is responsible for this and you have to wonder what the hell happened to both of them - Levy was reputedly a great music editor at the Voice, and Sheffield, away from Rolling Stone (in Radio On for example), can be quite savvy and intelligent. Now they're just another couple of schmucks on VH1.

― J Blount, Monday, 6 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

the problem is it's net-speed type humour ("humour") reproduced in a snail-mail publication format: by the time it reaches yr hands it's three weeks congealed (levy was a pretty good editor but he wasn't a great writer, and rob s has always been lame in the confines of RS) (does anyomne still call it "the stone" cuz that's what i nearly wrote heh)

― million-yr-old mark s, Monday, 6 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

does anyomne still call it "the stone"

Yes. The staff.

Right. So on second thought the savvy-seeming nods aren't central to the piece, which is more of a revisionist/"we've still got it, in a way" full-circle flashback sequence. Cokehead postmodernism. Brilliant.

(Don't mind me).

― The Actual Mr. Jones, Monday, 6 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Well, I just read the actual article - very Motorbooty, which may be an improvement for Rolling Stone, I'm not sure (on second thought it's just a lateral move). Five thoughts: 1) 90% of their readers are going to be unfamiliar with 90% of the records on this list 2) How many of these records were the subject of cover stories back in the day when boomers were an ideal demographic and Rolling Stone was ignoring punk, hip-hop, funk, indie rock, disco, ...? 3) It would be much more impressive if this was their "50 Coolest Albums" list. 4) They're very careful not to offend anyone too popular right now - hence no Dave Matthews, no nu-metal, no one in other words who might pull their ads or stop giving interviews. The only acts on this list who might even have publicists are Andrew W.K. and Hanson, both of whom need Rolling Stone a lot more than the Stone needs them. 5) Where's the Strokes?

― J Blount, Monday, 6 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Correction to #4 above - I can guarantee you Shania Twain and the Pet Shop Boys have publicists. Legions.

― J Blount, Monday, 6 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

"Relax. You know we have the utmost respect for Shania/The 'Boys. It's all in good fun. Hey, we once recommended that Bob Seger record... I know... Ha, completely. Hey, try a little of this..."

― The Actual Mr. Jones, Monday, 6 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Come to Papa.

[Actual name of Bob Seger song]

― Joe, Monday, 6 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

It's a little safe, I think. George Michael is good, as are the Pet Shop Boys, Blue Oyster Cult, Hank Williams, Perrey and Kingsley, Bee Gees, Sparks, etc...

The worst ones on here are obviously Barenaked Ladies and Shania Twain - they're not uncool, they're just absolutely awful.

I want to hear a lot of these records, though! - I'm pretty sure my mom has some. Are Bread really godlike? I've still yet to hear ELO.

― Clarke B., Monday, 6 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Skipping 21 messages at this point... Click here if you want to load them all.

Hey, that's nice (struts off to cash in misanthropic "witty repartee" for shiny trophy, pals...).

― The Actual Mr. Jones, Wednesday, 8 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

bob seger used to play at my parent's high school dnaces, but then every kid whose parents grew up in detroit or windsor probably syas this.

i never have any records from any of these lists but clambake was a classic movie. shelly fabares!

― keith, Sunday, 12 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

"ye old space band" is good, but the cookbook's first album is even better. The latin version of "black hole sun" really really rocks, maaaaaaaan.

― piti, Tuesday, 14 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

ten months pass...

I have 14 of these. i'm uncooler than any of you, apparently.

― Jody Beth Rosen (Jody Beth Rosen), Saturday, 5 April 2003 00:54 (twenty-two years ago)

Actually, no, wait. 15.

― Jody Beth Rosen (Jody Beth Rosen), Saturday, 5 April 2003 00:56 (twenty-two years ago)

My choice is Peter Frampton; I'm in you.

― David Beckhouse (David Beckhouse), Saturday, 5 April 2003 01:25 (twenty-two years ago)

I had 15 too. What a stupid list though.

― Mr. Diamond (diamond), Saturday, 5 April 2003 01:40 (twenty-two years ago)

i only have 4 but most importantly, FREEDOM ROCK

i played the guess which ones jody has game

― ron (ron), Saturday, 5 April 2003 02:01 (twenty-two years ago)

and? which ones do i have?

― Jody Beth Rosen (Jody Beth Rosen), Saturday, 5 April 2003 02:06 (twenty-two years ago)

i knew i shouldn't have said that. ok i will go back and compile a list of guesses :-)

― ron (ron), Saturday, 5 April 2003 02:09 (twenty-two years ago)

JBR for sure has

secret treaties
louvin bros
elo
meatloaf
supertramp
george michael
sparks
the knack
cinderella
the bee gee's 1st

lessee, that's 10... I'm gonna say the next five are

bread
klaatu
pet shop boys
accept
america

― Mr. Diamond (diamond), Saturday, 5 April 2003 02:15 (twenty-two years ago)

carpenters live
andrew wk
kris kross
haircut 100
sparks
the knack
bay city rollers
pet shop boys
bee gees
elo
rod stewart
burt bacharach
george michael
biz markie
meatloaf

nb i can't correctly i.d. drawings of mary or felicity ;-)

― ron (ron), Saturday, 5 April 2003 02:18 (twenty-two years ago)

i feel like i'm in the survivor finals quiz

― ron (ron), Saturday, 5 April 2003 02:19 (twenty-two years ago)

Here's what I have:

andrew w.k.: i get wet
weezer: weezer
the fifth dimension: up, up and away
meat loaf: bat out of hell
the moog cookbook: ye old space band
perrey and kingsley: the in sound from way out
supertramp: breakfast in america
sparks: kimono my house
the knack: get the knack
vince guaraldi: greatest hits
the electric light orchestra: a new world record
bob seger: night moves
joe meek: the amazing world of
cinderella: long cold winter
the bee gees: bee gees 1st
blue oyster cult: secret treaties

― Jody Beth Rosen (Jody Beth Rosen), Saturday, 5 April 2003 02:25 (twenty-two years ago)

shit, that's 16!

― Jody Beth Rosen (Jody Beth Rosen), Saturday, 5 April 2003 02:25 (twenty-two years ago)

i have the kris kross and the weezer, but kris kross really shouldn't be on the list.

― minna (minna), Saturday, 5 April 2003 02:28 (twenty-two years ago)

i got beaten as badly at the guess jody's records game as in the rock n roll jeopardy :(

i have 5th dimension, bacharach, freedom rock, commodores. only the freedom rock would qualify as intentional ownership

― ron (ron), Saturday, 5 April 2003 02:46 (twenty-two years ago)

The Commodores record is great! And given the current "beat-digging" culture could only be seen as cool anyway.

― Mr. Diamond (diamond), Saturday, 5 April 2003 03:16 (twenty-two years ago)

yeah, i've got lots of records that were acquired during the great soul/jazz/funk/etc phase i was in until a couple years ago. most of them i'm happy enough to own, but there are quite a few which need to find their way back to some 99c bin. not that the commodores is necc. one of em

― ron (ron), Saturday, 5 April 2003 03:22 (twenty-two years ago)

I only have these:

supertramp: breakfast in america
george michael: listen without prejudice vol. 1
klaatu: klaatu
pet shop boys: actually

All of which are actually quite good, although that Pet Shop Boys album is not at all their best moment (rather the opposite).

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Saturday, 5 April 2003 07:21 (twenty-two years ago)

Conversely and perversly, by owning NONE of the uncoolest records of all time, I am most probably the UNCOOLEST person of all time.

Hmph.

― Johnney B (Johnney B), Saturday, 5 April 2003 07:51 (twenty-two years ago)

I am listening to, and enjoying (so far, 30 seconds in granted), the first Gay Dad album.

― Cozen (Cozen), Saturday, 5 April 2003 07:53 (twenty-two years ago)

rolling stone in clever catch-22 shockah!

i have an 8:1 ratio of coolness, by which i mean i own 8 records on the coolest list and 1 on the uncoolest list. since it's rolling stone, does this mean i'm cool or uncool? SHUT UP thE HEAD VOICES

― Dave M. (rotten03), Saturday, 5 April 2003 07:54 (twenty-two years ago)

the ones i now have:

andrew w.k.: i get wet
weezer: weezer
venom: at war with satan
meat loaf: bat out of hell
the moog cookbook: ye old space band
george michael: listen without prejudice vol. 1
the knack: get the knack
pet shop boys: actually

ones i used to have (but no more alas!):

accept: balls to the wall
supertramp: breakfast in america
america: history: america's greatest hits

ones i'd like to get (or at least listen to):

biz markie: the biz never sleeps
the bee gees: bee gees 1st
blue oyster cult: secret treaties (isn't this one also on the "50 coolest records" list?)
burt bacharach: reach out
perrey and kingsley: the in sound from way out
louvin brothers: satan is real
the commodores: commodores
the beach boys: love you
haircut one hundred: pelican west
sparks: kimono my house
the monkees: greatest hits
the electric light orchestra: a new world record
hank williams: as luke the drifter
joe meek: the amazing world of
elvis presley: clambake

never had, don't have now, and have no intention on getting:

everything else on the list

― Tad (llamasfur), Saturday, 5 April 2003 08:08 (twenty-two years ago)

ones i own
bread: the best of bread
accept: balls to the wall*
venom: at war with satan
supertramp: breakfast in america*****
rod stewart: blondes have more fun
louvin brothers: satan is real
the beach boys: love you
the knack: get the knack
pet shop boys: actually
tesla: five man acoustical jam**
the electric light orchestra: a new world record
cinderella: long cold winter***
elvis presley: clambake****
blue oyster cult: secret treaties

* = classic. And before everyone says 'word' I want proof that you've actually heard the thing and aren't just 'saying' that. Proof q. = on which song boasts the lyrics a) "Write a letter! You'll feel better!" b) "I'd like to do it the nice way/ But sorry honey I don't have time" c) "Feeling the power of lust when the guy's passing by!"

** = unbelievably, where I come from this was considered a serious record for serious ppl, the 'Kid A' of the rural burnout wasteland. ('Great Radio Controversy' was the 'OK Computer')

*** = if RS was as cool re uncoolness as they think they are they'd have picked the first album

***** = the movie is great too! The 'house-painting' song, christ on a crutch

***** = sorry - utterly, utterly indefensible

― dave q, Saturday, 5 April 2003 08:22 (twenty-two years ago)

b-b-but none of you coolest uncool ppl has Hanson's Middle Of Nowhere??

― t\'\'t (t\'\'t), Saturday, 5 April 2003 10:13 (twenty-two years ago)

I own:
ELO A New World Record (and was called gay for bringing it into my 5th grade class)
The 5th Dimension Up Up and Away (I'm on record as being the big 5D fan here)
Cinderella Long Cold Winter (ditto)
Bob Seger Night Moves
Haircut One Hundred Pelican West

I used to own:
Biz Markie
Supertramp
The Knack

― Neudonym, Saturday, 5 April 2003 11:59 (twenty-two years ago)

(I'm on record as being the big 5D fan here)

"the"? ahem.

― Jody Beth Rosen (Jody Beth Rosen), Saturday, 5 April 2003 12:00 (twenty-two years ago)

although the free design were better...

― Jody Beth Rosen (Jody Beth Rosen), Saturday, 5 April 2003 12:00 (twenty-two years ago)

Since you want to take the absurd road leading to the Free Design over the 5th D, that leaves me "THE" status. Haha Jody hoist by your own petard!

― Neudonym, Saturday, 5 April 2003 12:09 (twenty-two years ago)

i only have 4 but most importantly, FREEDOM ROCK

Kids in my school used to walk around town singing the commercial when this was being advertised regularly.

― Christine "Green Leafy Dragon" (cindigo), Sunday, 6 April 2003 00:57 (twenty-two years ago)

b) "I'd like to do it the nice way/ But sorry honey I don't have time" c) "Feeling the power of lust when the guy's passing by!"

Heh. Both of which Chuck Eddy specifically mentioned in Stairway to Hell.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Sunday, 6 April 2003 01:09 (twenty-two years ago)

Haircut 100 - 'Pelican West' is the best pic there. One of my favorite albums, but definitely not cool.

― Patrick South (Patrick South), Sunday, 6 April 2003 01:14 (twenty-two years ago)

I guess I'm not very "uncool"; how sad. I only have 3 albums on the
list, Weezer, Klaatu, and Bee Gees, though I dig tracks by
Supertramp and the Commodores. I'm very interested in Biz Markie,
the Moog Cookbook, and BOC.

Addendum: I just downloaded Moog Cookbook, "Buddy Holly" - yeah, it's
a cover of the weezer song. Double dose of uncoolness! Anyway, this
is fantastic. It's not a note-for-note reproduction; instead they
used the original melody as a jumping-off point for their own
circus-like arrangement. I love moog synths - they have a random,
organic feel that is impossible to simulate. They don't communicate
with other synths, so you have to record them live - plus they have
iffy tuning, giving the track has a very human feel.

― Squirrel_Police (Squirrel_Police), Sunday, 6 April 2003 05:27 (twenty-two years ago)

The Cookbook version of "Basket Case" is even more mindblowing.
It out-Morazes Moraz.

― Squirrel_Police (Squirrel_Police), Sunday, 6 April 2003 05:34 (twenty-two years ago)

Omigosh, "Smells Like Teen Spirit" is INCREDIBLE.
This track blows Hongro's "only the writer counts, the
performer is irrelevant" completely out of the water
(as if Camper V. Beethoven's _Tusk_ hadn't, already).

― Squirrel_Police (Squirrel_Police), Sunday, 6 April 2003 05:38 (twenty-two years ago)

I only have the best of Johnny Mathis, but I do want to get Pelican West post haste. 'Love Plus One' is a lovely song.

― derrick (derrick), Sunday, 6 April 2003 06:20 (twenty-two years ago)

two years pass...

Shit! I have 11 of those albums

andrew w.k.: i get wet
weezer: weezer
meat loaf: bat out of hell
the commodores: commodores
supertramp: breakfast in america
the beach boys: love you
sparks: kimono my house
the knack: get the knack
the monkees: greatest hits
the electric light orchestra: a new world record
the bee gees: bee gees 1st

And I want to own these ones

biz markie: the biz never sleeps
neil diamond: velvet gloves and spit
the fifth dimension: up, up and away
the moog cookbook: ye old space band
louvin brothers: satan is real
rick nelson: ricky
haircut one hundred: pelican west

― Michael Costello, Sunday, 15 January 2006 18:48 (nineteen years ago)

Uhh... wouldn't the ACTUAL uncoolest records be by Limp Bizket and Staind and Creed and other dorky new rock bands that I'm pretty sure Rolling Stone likes?

― look around round round, Sunday, 15 January 2006 19:11 (nineteen years ago)

andrew w.k.: i get wet
accept: balls to the wall
weezer: weezer
venom: at war with satan
meat loaf: bat out of hell
the knack: get the knack
bay city rollers: greatest hits
tesla: five man acoustical jam
cinderella: long cold winter
blue oyster cult: secret treaties

I own ten *AND* my current ringtone is "Balls To The Wall" from Accept.

― Brian O'Neill (NYCNative), Sunday, 15 January 2006 19:14 (nineteen years ago)

Mathis
Seger
Bread
Rollers
Beach Boys
Bacharach
Weezer
Ricky Nelson
PSB
Monkees
Bee Gees
and different titles by other artists on the list (5D, Neil, etc.)

― Rickey Wright (Rrrickey), Sunday, 15 January 2006 23:25 (nineteen years ago)

I just played the Bacharach about 10 days ago in between a bunch of Augustus Pablo and Miles stuff.

― Rickey Wright (Rrrickey), Sunday, 15 January 2006 23:26 (nineteen years ago)

RS has no business telling anybody what is or isn't "cool"

― latebloomer (latebloomer), Monday, 16 January 2006 00:28 (nineteen years ago)

Uhh... wouldn't the ACTUAL uncoolest records be by Limp Bizket and Staind and Creed and other dorky new rock bands that I'm pretty sure Rolling Stone likes?

We're still a few years away from VH-1/RS's "Who liked this stuff in the first place LOL!?!?" revisionism.

― Cunga (Cunga), Monday, 16 January 2006 00:31 (nineteen years ago)

Am I the only one who loved (and still adores) Middle of Nowhere by Hanson? I literally broke the cassette as a middle schooler, listening to it so much. Whatever, Rolling Stone can kiss my ass.

― musically (musically), Monday, 16 January 2006 01:46 (nineteen years ago)

I own these, and most of them are indeed quite cool. Some even classics. :-)

shania twain: come on over
meat loaf: bat out of hell
supertramp: breakfast in america
george michael: listen without prejudice vol. 1
klaatu: klaatu
sparks: kimono my house
the knack: get the knack
pet shop boys: actually
the monkees: greatest hits
the electric light orchestra: a new world record
the bee gees: bee gees 1st

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Monday, 16 January 2006 02:11 (nineteen years ago)

If that 'Satan is Real' recored isn't cool, I don't know what is/

― That I Could Clamber to the Frozen Moon and Draw the Ladder (Freud Junior), Monday, 16 January 2006 02:52 (nineteen years ago)

Geir is cooler than Rolling Stone.

― Fuck., Monday, 16 January 2006 02:54 (nineteen years ago)

The really interesting thing would be to see how many of the records on this list have since been championed as "cool" by the same staffers who wrote this list.

― Abbadavid Berman (Hurting), Monday, 16 January 2006 02:57 (nineteen years ago)

What's silly about this list and what makes it confusing is that I don't know what kind of person would deem these records "uncool". What kind of person listens to Sparks or has even heard of the band and yet will still hold it against them that, "the dude has a high voice" or that their sense of humor and image can be sort of cheeky? Who gets that far into the Beach Boys catalogue and still puts "cool factor" into the equation? Shouldn't that have gone out the window ages ago listening to even some of the best Beach Boys songs and albums? Aren't the real "uncool" albums probably a bunch of O-Town and boy band albums? Or is it too early for Rolling Stone to pretend that they didn't go along with the teen pop trend? Questions, questions!

― Cunga (Cunga), Monday, 16 January 2006 20:07 (nineteen years ago)

You must be logged in to post. Please either login here, or if you are not registered, you may register here.