A 12 Song Album: Which Song Is Likely To Be The Best

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Choose track #:

Poll Results

OptionVotes
1 14
7 10
3 9
4 6
11 6
2 6
5 5
12 4
8 3
9 2
6 2
10 1


I am a man and I use the typewriter method (rip van wanko), Sunday, 26 December 2010 03:11 (fifteen years ago)

first song on side 2, usually either 6 or 7.

not everything is a campfire (ian), Sunday, 26 December 2010 03:13 (fifteen years ago)

^^went with 7

acoleuthic, Sunday, 26 December 2010 03:14 (fifteen years ago)

I spent an entire lunch arguing this with a person. He thought it was #3, I said #8 without a doubt.

Stop Non-Erotic Cabaret (Abbbottt), Sunday, 26 December 2010 03:15 (fifteen years ago)

3rd. 1st is the opener, 2nd is the single and 3rd is my fav (sometimes also becomes the 2nd/3rd single). but 6th/7th is also a good guess

V79, Sunday, 26 December 2010 03:17 (fifteen years ago)

3rd was my second choice

acoleuthic, Sunday, 26 December 2010 03:18 (fifteen years ago)

#11 is the high point of the album, where it all coalesces in a non-single but essential track (i.e., "Tired Eyes").

would like a calmer set (Eazy), Sunday, 26 December 2010 03:21 (fifteen years ago)

#12 has the best chance of being a 10-minute sprawling epic with bass solo.

Tarzan Bot (seandalai), Sunday, 26 December 2010 03:22 (fifteen years ago)

^^ either that or #11, in that case #12 would be a shorter tune to blow off some steam

V79, Sunday, 26 December 2010 03:25 (fifteen years ago)

If it's their first album, the second song. If it's their fourth album, the sixth song, and if it's the seventh album, the fifth. Unless one of the seven was a greatest hits, in which case it's the third song on side two, regardless of how many songs are on side one. If the album is called Tubular Bells, it's the first song. I have a very precise algorithm worked out for all of this.

clemenza, Sunday, 26 December 2010 03:28 (fifteen years ago)

I've always found track 8's to be pretty good.

no pop, no style -- all simply (Viceroy), Sunday, 26 December 2010 03:29 (fifteen years ago)

11 as the glorious closing epic, assuming there's a short outro track.

EDB, Sunday, 26 December 2010 03:33 (fifteen years ago)

The penultimate track.

"They did it with computers!" (R Baez), Sunday, 26 December 2010 03:34 (fifteen years ago)

yes i feel like the penultimate track is the right answer.

marc iv, Sunday, 26 December 2010 07:30 (fifteen years ago)

If the album is from around 1990 or later, the first track, if the album is from the 80s or earlier, the seventh track (first on side 2).

These may also be the most commercial tracks though, and the Magnum Opus (the twelvth track) may be artistically better.

You're Twistin' My Melody Man! (Geir Hongro), Sunday, 26 December 2010 11:51 (fifteen years ago)

(Although albums with a Magnum Opus usually have less than 12 tracks)

You're Twistin' My Melody Man! (Geir Hongro), Sunday, 26 December 2010 11:51 (fifteen years ago)

If the album is from around 1990 or later, the first track, if the album is from the 80s or earlier, the seventh track (first on side 2).

OTM

skip, Sunday, 26 December 2010 14:14 (fifteen years ago)

nos. 11 or 12. they point the way to the future, so you're more likely to see an interesting experiment, change-of-pace, or hint of things to come.

Daniel, Esq., Sunday, 26 December 2010 14:18 (fifteen years ago)

Track 4 is often good.

A brownish area with points (chap), Sunday, 26 December 2010 15:08 (fifteen years ago)

I've never liked it when an album is totally front loaded with singles. It hints that the rest of the songs are not much cop.

A brownish area with points (chap), Sunday, 26 December 2010 15:12 (fifteen years ago)

Running through some albums on iTunes, seems to vary between 3-5, so I'll average it down to Track 4.

boots get knocked from here to czechoslovakier (milo z), Sunday, 26 December 2010 19:47 (fifteen years ago)

I can't stop thinking about Randy Newman's 12 Songs here, which is nothing but brilliance all the way through. It blocks my memory of any other 12 song albums.

gospodin simmel, Sunday, 26 December 2010 19:58 (fifteen years ago)

It hints that the rest of the songs are not much cop.

I was always intrigued by the line "'cause I'm not much cop at punching other people's dads" in David Bowie's "Kooks"--I basically figured out what it meant in context, but I'd never heard it used anywhere else till now. (Posting from Canada...)

clemenza, Sunday, 26 December 2010 22:22 (fifteen years ago)

1-5 or 1-7 on the first side. I've noticed on most Pop or R&B albums after Track 5 or 7, it's all filler and ballads. The filler is worse if the album is 15-17 tracks long or contain interludes as they tend to be these days.

Edward Cullen dumped me and I stumbled in the woods (MintIce), Monday, 27 December 2010 14:13 (fifteen years ago)

I was always intrigued by the line "'cause I'm not much cop at punching other people's dads" in David Bowie's "Kooks"--I basically figured out what it meant in context, but I'd never heard it used anywhere else till now. (Posting from Canada...)

Very familiar expression here in the UK.

A brownish area with points (chap), Monday, 27 December 2010 14:32 (fifteen years ago)

Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.

System, Sunday, 2 January 2011 00:01 (fifteen years ago)

Note that

- Fans of prog will largely go for the last track. Unless it is a prog album, then it may as well be the first.

- Fans of fast and furious rock'n'roll will tend to go for the first track in any case. Even if it isn't the biggest hit.

You're Twistin' My Melody Man! (Geir Hongro), Sunday, 2 January 2011 01:31 (fifteen years ago)

Also, if the album has no artistic ambition and no "epic" at the end, middle aged housewives and lovesick teenage girls will tend to prefer the finishing ballad.

You're Twistin' My Melody Man! (Geir Hongro), Sunday, 2 January 2011 01:32 (fifteen years ago)

i am a fan of fast and furious rock'n'roll

hot lava hair (Z S), Sunday, 2 January 2011 01:33 (fifteen years ago)

11

Ned Rag & the Evil Olive Gardens (Drugs A. Money), Sunday, 2 January 2011 08:33 (fifteen years ago)

I want to say 5 or 7 but I dont know where that comes from

VegemiteGrrrl, Sunday, 2 January 2011 09:05 (fifteen years ago)

voted 4

the bear in the bumper car (rip van wanko), Sunday, 2 January 2011 09:07 (fifteen years ago)

2.

Simon H., Sunday, 2 January 2011 09:51 (fifteen years ago)

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

System, Monday, 3 January 2011 00:01 (fifteen years ago)


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