Ranking the Discographies

[WestwayKid]

Every week I'm going to rank the discography of a band I like. It's all subjective, of course, but thought it might lead to some good conversations and maybe even some good arguments. My only criteria is that it has to be an official studio album: nothing live (unless it's considered a "studio" album that was recorded live) and no retrospective "lost" studio albums.

First up, The Who (from best to worst):

1) Who's Next
2) The Who Sell Out
3) My Generation
4) Quadrophenia
5) A Quick One
6) Who (yeah, their latest and greatest was a pleasantly surprising listen for me)
7) The Who by Numbers
8) Endless Wire
9) Who Are You
10) Face Dances
11) It's Hard

Note: If I included Live At Leeds, it would be near the top of the list. I like it as much, if not better, than their best studio output. I did go back and forth on the top spot, but the sound on Who's Next is fantastic and it's the first Who album I fell in love with. The Kenney Jones era falls the shortest (in my opinion). It's not Townshend's songwriting, which was good, but rather Daltrey's delivery. He spent the 70's singing with a bit too much bluster, but it worked when the songs sounded huge.

[revbob]

I won't argue. I haven't heard anything new really past "Its Hard". Id put Tommy in there somewhere too.

[Dr. Medulla]

1. Sell Out
2. My Generation
3. A Quick One
4. Tommy
5. Yeah, whatever, every album has something good, but lots of meh to yuck

[oliver]

Quadrophenia >>>>>>>>>>>> Whos Next > Sell Out > Tommy > My Generation > Quick One >>>> Numbers > Who Are You >>>> <the rest>

I love the way the themes flow in and out of the songs on Quadrophenia. I grew up on "My Generation" so when I first heard Quadrophenia it left me cold because of the lack of an immediate 2:30 long hit single but I went back years later and it clicked.

[WestwayKid]

1. Sell Out
2. My Generation
3. A Quick One
4. Tommy
5. Yeah, whatever, every album has something good, but lots of meh to yuck

You're clearly not a fan of the post-1969 Daltrey over sings everything era of the band ...

[Dr. Medulla]

1. Sell Out
2. My Generation
3. A Quick One
4. Tommy
5. Yeah, whatever, every album has something good, but lots of meh to yuck

You're clearly not a fan of the post-1969 Daltrey over sings everything era of the band ...

Also the Pete "Concept Album" Townshend era. I was born in 1969; I prefer the Who from when I wasn't alive.

[Sparky]

Who's Next, Quadrophenia & The Who By Numbers have always been my faves.

[WestwayKid]

Who's Next, Quadrophenia & The Who By Numbers have always been my faves.

The Who By Numbers is possibly underrated by me.

[Flex]

I think we did a top 5 who albums at some point, I remember putting A Quick One at the top at the time. Looking at their discography now, I'm tempted to say that you can just rank the albums in their chronological order. Those first two records, when they were hard edged garage modders, still beats everything else for me.

[WestwayKid]

I think we did a top 5 who albums at some point, I remember putting A Quick One at the top at the time. Looking at their discography now, I'm tempted to say that you can just rank the albums in their chronological order. Those first two records, when they were hard edged garage modders, still beats everything else for me.

My issue with A Quick One is that Pete let everyone else write songs. Enwistle did okay, but also stuck with the weird/jokey theme.

[dave202]

I think we did a top 5 who albums at some point, I remember putting A Quick One at the top at the time. Looking at their discography now, I'm tempted to say that you can just rank the albums in their chronological order. Those first two records, when they were hard edged garage modders, still beats everything else for me.

I agree with you. Television help if you just want to go with chronological order, but a bit of a bugger if you want to compile a top five. I've got a bus pass, a pension and no musical ability and they've still only got three more studio albums than me.

[Dr. Medulla]

The closer you get in their catalogue to when they were the High Numbers, the closer you get to what punks found appealing about the Who. The further away you go, the more reasons you find for them being called a dinosaur band by punks.

[Flex]

My issue with A Quick One is that Pete let everyone else write songs. Enwistle did okay, but also stuck with the weird/jokey theme.

The weird jokey ones are some of my favorites!

[Flex]

The closer you get in their catalogue to when they were the High Numbers, the closer you get to what punks found appealing about the Who. The further away you go, the more reasons you find for them being called a dinosaur band by punks.

Yeah, this is exactly right. And as someone who is a an unreconstructed punk rocker at heart, that's still what most appeals.

[Kory]

I think we did a top 5 who albums at some point, I remember putting A Quick One at the top at the time. Looking at their discography now, I'm tempted to say that you can just rank the albums in their chronological order. Those first two records, when they were hard edged garage modders, still beats everything else for me.

My issue with A Quick One is that Pete let everyone else write songs. Enwistle did okay, but also stuck with the weird/jokey theme.

He was the Stewart Copeland of the Who.