50 Greatest AOR albums of All Time (article)

[auslander]

https://www.loudersound.com/features/50-greatest-aor-albums

[Geoff]

Predictable type of end, but a pretty interesting list with a few unexpected surprises. Obviously this is one person's view and that's cool. Each one of us would do it different so it's a cool read anyway.

I didn't read every single thing on it, but some interesting must hears, I thought.

'Burning down inside,' with those shitty chorus drums, lol, after you've just played the immaculate 'Forever Young' and 'Wings?' To each their own, but I gawked. 

'When I see you smile' from the Bad English album. Okay it's cool it's on the list, but on an album of absolutely killer AOR you're picking the big sappy pop hit ballad? I actually like the song, but surely not anyone's "must hear" from this album?

Anyway, that's about it. Otherwise it's solid stuff. It's kind of cool that Diving For Pearls rates such a high mention. One of the highest ranked before it gets into more predictable territory. 

 

 

[Eric3]

1-10 are predictable as all get out but yeah, I'm happy to see bands like Diving For Pearls, Dare, FM, and Aviator get their due.

But damn it, am I the only person who likes the second Storm album more than the debut?

[Jez]

As mentioned, the top 10 are pretty predictable, but there are some absolute top notch discs in that list. I'd re-order and add a few different ones, but the major ones are all there.

[Kristian]

45 minutes ago, Eric3 said:

1-10 are predictable as all get out but yeah, I'm happy to see bands like Diving For Pearls, Dare, FM, and Aviator get their due.

But damn it, am I the only person who likes the second Storm album more than the debut?

I also prefer "Eye of the Storm" over the debut.

I also think the second FM album, is better than the debut.

[KarpetRydOFunk]

Seems like they actually made an effort with this. I'd like to see who they'd include if they expanded the list to 100. 

[auslander]

1 hour ago, KarpetRydOFunk said:

Seems like they actually made an effort with this. I'd like to see who they'd include if they expanded the list to 100. 

I agree completely. I was surprised by some of my obscure-ish faves appearing. Obviously the writer knows his stuff a bit and I reckon more of the albums we mention a lot that didn't sell as much would have appeared in a top 100.

I know many picks are predictable but it would also be weird if they weren't there, right?

[KarpetRydOFunk]

11 minutes ago, auslander said:

I know many picks are predictable but it would also be weird if they weren't there, right?

Truu. While I get that the albums are quintessential to the genre, I do wish they had only included one record from each band. 

[Captain Howdy]

The thing is it all comes down to what you classify as AOR. Some bands on this list I really would not call AOR.

Dave Ling though is one of the top AOR journos in the UK, so who am I to argue.

 

[nyoilers]

Some great stuff there !

[Eric3]

On 1/17/2024 at 10:54 AM, KarpetRydOFunk said:

Truu. While I get that the albums are quintessential to the genre, I do wish they had only included one record from each band. 

Right? I don't know what my top 50 would look like but I sure wouldn't have three Journey albums in the top 10...

[Darkstone]

On 1/19/2024 at 3:34 AM, Captain Howdy said:

The thing is it all comes down to what you classify as AOR. Some bands on this list I really would not call AOR.

Dave Ling though is one of the top AOR journos in the UK, so who am I to argue.

 

Yeah,

I know it's all subjective, but in my opinion Icon, Valentine, Giant, Tyketto, Bad English and Unruly Child are MHR bands.

[auslander]

2 hours ago, Eric3 said:

Right? I don't know what my top 50 would look like but I sure wouldn't have three Journey albums in the top 10...

Yeah, five Journey albums in the top ten would be more accurate.

[Captain Howdy]

20 hours ago, Darkstone said:

Yeah,

I know it's all subjective, but in my opinion Icon, Valentine, Giant, Tyketto, Bad English and Unruly Child are MHR bands.

Yeah Tyketto is one of the bands I would not classify as AOR. Heart would be another. As for Valentine, that is a tricky one as Hugo is so Steve Perry in his sound, they always get compared to Journey.

[Darkstone]

8 hours ago, Captain Howdy said:

Yeah Tyketto is one of the bands I would not classify as AOR. Heart would be another. As for Valentine, that is a tricky one as Hugo is so Steve Perry in his sound, they always get compared to Journey.

Valentine is a tricky one. When it was released I considered It MHR.

Admittedly, more on the lighter side of MHR, but not quite what I'd consider AOR.

You're right about Heart. Another tricky one, but I'd go with MHR.

Again, on the lighter side of the spectrum. 

 

Edited January 22 by Darkstone

[Harold]

"I don't fully understand this list. There are so many albums missing that are much better than some in this list. Albums from bands like Kansas, Magnum, Touch, Arc Angel, 2AM, Fortune, Preview, Spys, Cannata, LRB, Streets, Dakota, Russ Ballard, Van Zant, Trillion, Sheriff, Alias, Alliance (1982), Franke & the Knockouts, I-Ten, Tommy Shaw, Saga (Behaviour or Wildest Dreams), GTR, and I could name many more. These albums are so much better than, for example, Alexa (mediocre average album), Cher, Pat Benatar, Valentine, Jefferson Starship, Diving for Pearls, Eric Martin. In short, a nice list but not representative for the top 50 AOR albums of all time for me."

[Captain Howdy]

18 hours ago, Harold said:

"I don't fully understand this list. There are so many albums missing that are much better than some in this list. Albums from bands like Kansas, Magnum, Touch, Arc Angel, 2AM, Fortune, Preview, Spys, Cannata, LRB, Streets, Dakota, Russ Ballard, Van Zant, Trillion, Sheriff, Alias, Alliance (1982), Franke & the Knockouts, I-Ten, Tommy Shaw, Saga (Behaviour or Wildest Dreams), GTR, and I could name many more. These albums are so much better than, for example, Alexa (mediocre average album), Cher, Pat Benatar, Valentine, Jefferson Starship, Diving for Pearls, Eric Martin. In short, a nice list but not representative for the top 50 AOR albums of all time for me."

Once again though, it's all gonna come down to personal tastes and what anyone classifies as AOR. You mention Magnum for instance. Many people will generally classify them as  prog rock, not AOR.

Cher I would barely classify as rock, AOR or not. Pat Benatar is melodic rock to me. Jeffersons Starship, is more pop oriented to me. But this just backs up my point that one mans trash is another mans treasure, and you will never be able to please everyone with these lists.