The Best Chicago Album

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I am just discovering this band's 70s back catalogue. I think there was one joke poll posted about them before, making a joke upon their albums having (almost) the same title, but now I am trying to do a proper poll instead. Chicago sort of avoided to be "canonized" by being a bit too profilic, with too many decent albums to choose from.

They used numbers on all of their albums, including live and compilations. I have only included studio albums with actual new material here

Poll Results

Option	Votes
The Chicago Transit Authority (April 1969) US #17; UK #9	1
Chicago 13 (August 1979) US #21	1
Chicago VII (March 1974) US #1	1
Chicago (January 1970) US #4; UK #6	1
Chicago V (July 1972) US #1; UK #24	0
Chicago XXX (March 2006) US #41	0
Chicago XXV: The Christmas Album (August 1998) US #47	0
Night & Day Big Band (May 1995) US #90	0
Twenty 1 (January 1991) US #66	0
Chicago 19 (June 1988) US #37	0
Chicago 18 (September 1986) US #35	0
Chicago 17 (May 1984) US #4; UK #24	0
Chicago 16 (June 1982) US #9; UK #44	0
Chicago XIV (July 1980) US #71	0
Hot Streets (September 1978) US #12	0
Chicago XI (September 1977) US #6	0
Chicago X (June 1976) US #3; UK #21	0
Chicago VIII (March 1975) US #1	0
Chicago III (January 1971) US #2; UK #9	0
Chicago VI (June 1973) US #1	0
Chicago XXXII: Stone of Sisyphus (June 2008) US #122	0

― Geir Hongro, Sunday, 12 October 2008 21:36 (seventeen years ago)

Btw. I have to say I find this hard myself. At least the first six were all ace. And "X" and "XI" are not far behind either.

The later AOR stuff is less essential, but still better than most AOR.
Plus I guess they jumped the shark sometime in the late 80s.

― Geir Hongro, Sunday, 12 October 2008 21:39 (seventeen years ago)

I posted this in another Chicago thread, but it's really so ridiculous that I have to post it here too.
Look at Chicago's aging trombone fucker dance like a troll on this recent A&E performance of Chicago:

― Shushtari (res), Sunday, 12 October 2008 21:49 (seventeen years ago)

(first visible about 20 seconds into it, but then at various points throughout this awful song.)

― Shushtari (res), Sunday, 12 October 2008 21:51 (seventeen years ago)

that whole fucking thing is hilarious

― abusive comments (PappaWheelie V), Sunday, 12 October 2008 21:53 (seventeen years ago)

So, Cetera rejoined? That is obviously him singing, isn't it? Dunno if time has served his voice too well though.

Bill Champlin seems to do a good job with Kath's guitar parts although his style is very different from Kath's.

― Geir Hongro, Sunday, 12 October 2008 21:53 (seventeen years ago)

more troll action at 2:42

― Shushtari (res), Monday, 13 October 2008 03:03 (seventeen years ago)

more troll action here

― BIG HOOS aka the steendriver, Monday, 13 October 2008 03:04 (seventeen years ago)

oh BIG HOOS aka the steendriver, you are quite the joker.

― Shushtari (res), Monday, 13 October 2008 03:12 (seventeen years ago)

Just when you thought it couldn't get any worse...

Chicago XXXII: Stone of Sisyphus

― Kevin John Bozelka, Monday, 13 October 2008 14:00 (seventeen years ago)

Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.

― System, Thursday, 23 October 2008 23:01 (seventeen years ago)

why the fuck is this shit band so unimaginative with their album names?

― Dog/Face/Chain (res), Friday, 24 October 2008 01:59 (seventeen years ago)

For the same reason that Peter Gabriel....

Well, anyway, I would say they have at times been pretty creative with their album cover art. Most of the albums have almost the same cover, but solved in various creative ways.

― Geir Hongro, Friday, 24 October 2008 02:01 (seventeen years ago)

Pretty much the first one?

Though, honorable mention for the one with "Wishing You Were Here". Extremely haunting track w/backing vocals by the Beach Boys. Whichever one that is...can never remember; only know that it's never the one that is in the thrift store bins.

― del (dell), Friday, 24 October 2008 02:09 (seventeen years ago)

Oh, and extra points also for Hot Streets if only on the basis of hilarious cover photo.

When I was growing up, I found it funny that, as far as the rock spectrum went, my dad only seemed to appreciate all of the now-"classic rock" bands that had geographical names-- Chicago, Boston, Kansas.

He also had a weakness for "Do it Again" by Steely Dan...go figure.

― del (dell), Friday, 24 October 2008 02:14 (seventeen years ago)

Though, honorable mention for the one with "Wishing You Were Here". Extremely haunting track w/backing vocals by the Beach Boys. Whichever one that is...can never remember; only know that it's never the one that is in the thrift store bins.

That would be XII. Actually a fascinating album considering it was a double album with the first half being largely instrumental and very jazz influenced while the other half was more pop oriented, with some of their best songs.

― Geir Hongro, Friday, 24 October 2008 09:13 (seventeen years ago)

VII, I mean, not XII

― Geir Hongro, Friday, 24 October 2008 09:14 (seventeen years ago)

Damn, thought this thread was being revived. That was a good 'un.

Anyhow: Chicago Transit Authority, now and forever.

― Myonga Vön Bontee, Friday, 24 October 2008 12:58 (seventeen years ago)

Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.

― System, Friday, 24 October 2008 23:01 (seventeen years ago)

I think I even voted in this one.

― Eric H., Friday, 24 October 2008 23:11 (seventeen years ago)

Glad my vote led to the "Street Player" album winning.

― Eric H., Friday, 24 October 2008 23:11 (seventeen years ago)

― Eric H., Friday, 24 October 2008 23:12 (seventeen years ago)

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