The other night I was hanging out with a few friends, and the conversation turned to what we would pick if we had to make a list of top five perfect albums. We ended up having quite the varied list, and it was so fun! Plus it reminded me of so much good music I haven’t taken the time to listen to in a while. So I thought it might be fun to share what I said, and hear what you think, Sister. The pressure is on!
Emma’s Top Five:
The Suburbs by Arcade Fire
The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars by David Bowie
In the Aeroplane Over the Sea by Neutral Milk Hotel
The Blue Album by Weezer
The Crane Wife by The Decemberists
You guys should try listing your top five in the comments—it’s really hard! If you get too stressed out, just add a few honorable mentions. 😉
Emma’s Wearing: Dress/Oui Fresh (sold out but we have other great stuff avail), Boots/ModCloth, Purse/Rebecca Minkoff (similar here), ‘E’ Charm c/o Fossil, Choker c/o Bauble Bar, Tights/Target (similar) + hat/Target, Jacket/Levi’s, Pins/Big Bud Press and Frank Norton, Eye patches/M&J Trimming.
Take it away, Sister!
OK, this is a fun idea, but it’s also REALLY tough. Jeremy and I are always talking about how Spotify (which we love and use daily) has kind of made us listen to full albums less and less. When we were growing up (in the 90s) and CDs were the thing, I would often buy a CD where I only knew one song, and in those days I feel like I really got to know albums in a deeper way. I miss those days of knowing every word of every song.
Thank God for Vinyl, because this is a great way to still listen to albums start to finish. So I’ll do a few of my most-listened-to vinyl.
Elsie’s Top Five:
Back To Black by Amy Winehouse
Fly By Wire by Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin
FutureSex/LoveSounds by Justin Timberlake
Where Did Our Love Go by The Supremes
Nevermind by Nirvana
Elsie’s Wearing: Top/OuiFresh, Mom Jeans/Swedish Hasbeens, Bag/Madewell (similar here), Sunnies/ZeroUV, Banana Charm/Kate Spade (thanks, Claire!), Louise Clogs/Swedish Hasbeens.
Can’t wait to hear some of your favorite albums as well! xx- Emma + Elsie
Credits//Author: Emma Chapman and Elsie Larson. Photography: Janae Hardy and Amber Ulmer. Photos edited with A Beautiful Mess actions.
61 Comments
Love both the outfits, and you just reminded me I should start wearing my Doc Martens again!
Charmaine Ng | Architecture & Lifestyle Blog
http://charmainenyw.com
That is tough but fun to think about!!! So here are the five albums that I really ever get sick of and always listen to beginning to end on our record player
-The XX (XX)
-Zella Day (kicker)
-OMAM (my head is an animal)
-Catfish and the Bottlemen (the balcony)
-Deathcab for Cutie (Transatlanticism)
Very cute outfits (Emma you are killing that plaid dress!) and such a fun sister style!!!
-Andrea
OMG i love this: But I couldn’t do less than 7…
1. My Maudlin Career: Camera Obscura
2. Transatlanticism: Death Cab for Cutie
3. Born to Die: Lana Del Ray
4. Bon Iver: For Emma, Forever Ago
5. The Shins: Wincing The Night Away
6. Broom: Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin
7. Vampire Weekend: Vampire Weekend
Love you ladies! XO
Cute outfits, really love the dress. Sophie x
sophiehmstewart.com
hmmm love those docs emma!
mine would be (as of today :-p )
1.)The Rise & Fall of Ziggy Stardust & The Spiders from Mars- Bowie
2.)Pretty Hate Machine- NIN
3.)Baduizm- Erykah Badu
4.)Horehound- The Dead Weather
5.)McCartney- Paul McCartney
Ahh that was hard!! So much good music!
you should do more sister style top 5’s. this was fun!
Love your picks, Emma; we have similar taste. Elsie, you’re totally right about vinyl being the saving grace for listening to full albums!
1. Takk… – Sigur Ros
2. Rumours – Fleetwood Mac
3. The Crane Wife – The Decemberists (Just got this on vinyl! All Decemberists albums should be listened to on vinyl.)
4. Fleet Foxes – Fleet Foxes
5. Pinkerton – Weezer
Love this post!
Bright Eyes – I’m Wide Awake, It’s Morning (really all the albums <3)
Kishi Bashi - Room for Dream
Sondre Lerche - Two way Monologue
Monsters of Folk - Monsters of Folk
The Postal Service- Give Up
I’m so the opposite, I hardly ever listen to a full album because my taste in music is so specific and all over the place that I usually only like one or two songs at most from any group. But there are a couple I really like nearly every song on.
1. Hadestown by Anaïs Mitchell
2. Panic by Caravan Palace
3. Happenstance by Rachel Yamagata
4. Half the Perfect World by Madeleine Peyroux
5. oh and most of the Buddha Bar albums just for the variety
This was so tough. Here’s what immediately came to mind…
Top 5 Songs:
1. Soul Meets Body by Death Cab for Cutie OR Crooked Teeth by Death Cab for Cutie
2. The Lightshow by Plants and Animals
3. All These Things That I’ve Done by The Killers
4. Slow Down by The Academy Is…
5. Two by Ryan Adams
Top 5 Albums I Listened Through Repeatedly:
1. Plans by Death Cab for Cutie
2. So Wrong, It’s Right by All Time Low
3. A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out by Panic! At The Disco
4. Can’t Stop Won’t Stop by The Maine
5. The Marshall Mathers LP by Eminem
Wow! I love Emma’s dress, feels pretty punk grunge :p
Listing my albums was easy because I didn’t think too much about it, I’m sure more will come to my mind as soon as my comment is up XD
Coral Fang, the Distillers.
I Bificus, Bif Naked
Wasting Light/Skin and Bones, Foo Fighters
Americana, the Offspring
Hasta la Raíz, Natalia Lafourcade (I think youd’ really like this one)
Lovely outfits! I love Elsie’s bag even tough Emma’s bag is also really pretty because of the colour, it’s really unique. I can’t possibly pick 5 albums because my music taste is so unique, like one of my favourites is Purpose by Justin Bieber but another favourite is American Beauty/American Psycho by Fall Out Boy and their styles are nothing alike!
I’m usually not an album person because as a previous commentor noted, my taste is all over the place (Spotify!!) and I usually only like a few songs per artist but there are a few exceptions.
1. Speak Now -Taylor Swift
2. Revival -Selena Gomez
3. American Idiot -Greenday
4. 1989 -Taylor Swift
5. No Doubt -The Singles Collection (not an actual album but I’ve listened to this CD COUNTLESS times since I was about 11)
Wow. I feel like this list is showing my youth. Please don’t judge me. Lol. I like other music too! These just happen to be the whole albums that I enjoy. 🙂
Also, you guys always have THEE CUTEST sunnies!!
Let’s see… I’m just gonna go with the first 5 that come to mind, since those are probably the ones that have made the biggest impression on me over the years! In no particular order:
1. Wildflowers by Tom Petty
2. Brandi Carlile by (duh) Brandi Carlile
3. Greatest Hits 1974-78 by Steve Miller Band
4. Love & Liberté by Gypsy Kings
5. Tapestry by Carole King
I can’t wait to listen to some of the other suggestions and maybe discover some new favorites!
SUCH a tough one! I’ll give it a go, but I’ll probably think of a few later that I’d wish I’d included!
In no particular order…
Wildflowers – Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
Babel – Mumford & Sons
Where Does This Door Go – Mayer Hawthorne
Dopamine – Borns
Platinum – Miranda Lambert
This was so much more difficult than I anticipated!
I think I’ve narrowed it down…although I’ll probably think of even more as soon as I hit “post”
Like Vines (and) So Sudden – The Hush Sound
One Cell in the Sea – A Fine Frenzy
Everything in Transit – Jack’s Mannequin
Viva La Vida – Coldplay
Greatest Hits – Queen
Set Yourself on Fire (and) In Our Bedroom After the War – Stars
*cue nostalgia*
*runs to Spotify to create playlist*
I could literally listen to Transatlantism all day, err day.
(Transatlantism was my wedding song!)
1. Ed Sheeran – X
2. Neautral Mlk Hotel – In the aeroplane over the sea
3. Postal Service – Give Up
4. The Beatles – White Ablum
5. Rumors – Fleetwood Mac
Love this list idea, you should more top 5!
Even though I use Spotify all the time I still seem to listen to full albums a lot.. Here’s my top 5
Bonnie “Prince” Billy – The letting go
Talking heads – Speaking in tongues
Father John Misty – fear fun
Talk talk – Spirit of eden
Frank Ocean – Channel orange
Awe, this is so great. These are my top 5 of all time. Suuuuper hard to decide!
1. Nevermind – Nirvana
2. Doolittle – Pixies
3. Pinkerton – Weezer
4. Kid A – Radiohead
5. Transformer – Lou Reed
Oh man. Just five? 😉
The Con – Tegan and Sara
Third Eye Blind – Third Eye Blind
Speak for Yourself – Imogen Heap
Melankton – Kate Havnevik
Far – Regina Spektor
I could easily write out a top 20.
Love this game! I think about this all the time… #music nerd
– Fleetwood Mac’s Rumors
-Calexico/Iron and Wine’s in the Reigns EP
-Bright Eyes’ Cassadega EP
-Taylor Swift’s Red (embarrassing but true)
– Neil Young and Crazy Horse- Ragged Glory
STARS! <3 <3 <3
They somehow evaded my list but are one of my all time faves.
So true about listening to albums all the way through! My husband and I were just talking about this! Sometimes you need the song before and after to really get into that one they’re overplaying on the radio and it makes it so much better.
Beyonce – LEMONADE
Maroon 5 (Before they turned to crap) – Songs About Jane
We Are Scientists – Brain Thrust Mastery
Regina Spektor – FAR
Juliana Theory – Emotion is Dead
Please bring that oui fresh dress back!!
How fun! Loved scrolling through the comments.
1. This is Somewhere – Grace Potter and the Nocturnals
2. Rumors – Fleetwood Mac
3. The Voyager – Jenny Lewis
4. Boys & Girls – Ingrid Michaelson
5. A Rush of Blood to the Head – Coldplay
Have a great weekend everyone. Happy listening 🙂
ugh how could I have forgotten Tom Petty on my list! I am ashamed! Wildflowers is the best.
Love how you added a denim jacket. Something about plaid and denim is so stylish!
Liv
http://www.livforstyle.net
Love this!
My Top 5:
– Nine Inch Nails: The Fragile (Left Side)
– Finch: Say Hello to Sunshine
– The Mars Volta: De Loused in the Comatorium
– Lana Del Rey: Born to Die
– Placebo: Without You I’m Nothing
<3
Ok first of all, both of your outfits are amazing as usual!
Top 5 albums is a tough one!! But I’m gonna try…(in no particular order)
1. Funeral – Arcade Fire
2. Gorilla Manor – Local Natives
3. Sound of Silver – LCD Soundsystem
4. Hunky Dory – David Bowie
5. Abbey Road – The Beatles
-Blythe
http://www.eleanorandemilio.com
I don’t generally comment on blog posts but I’ll bite because I just had this conversation with my husband last night and because I want to follow the conversation for music suggestions…
1. Touch Up – Mother Mother
2. Plans – Death Cab for Cutie
3. Speak for Yourself – Imogen Heap
4. Clockwork Angels – Rush (and read the accompanying book by Neil Peart & Kevin J. Anderson)(!!!)
5. I’m Wide Awake it’s Morning – Bright Eyes
This is obviously quite the challenge, but for me it’s nothing like having to chose favorite books, so I’ll give it a try!
Paul Simon- Graceland
The Killers – Day and Age
JS Bach – Brandenburg Concertos (does it count as an album?)
Goo Goo Dolls – Gutterflower
Jesse Cook – Gravity
We’re doing something like that with my family right now. We all have to pick out top 25 songs and then we’re going to have listening parties and talk about them. I’m so stoked! (however my list has 214 songs on it…it’s a very hard exercise, so kudos for narrowing it down to 5 albums…)
Oooooh! This is hard!! some honorable mentions:
-Origin of Symmetry – MUSE
-…Is A Real Boy – Say Anything
-Yearbook – Sleeping At Last
-Now That You’ve Found Me – Alison Krauss
-Soundtrack for the musical “Bridges of Madison County”
-Give Up – The Postal Service
Dunno if these are my all time faves…but def up there on the list!!
xoxo
Love this post! You should definitely do more top five posts!
My top five (in no particular order):
1. Nevermind-Nirvana
2. Sadneccesary-Milky Chance
3. The Lumineers-The Lumineers
4. Sigh No More-Mumford and Son
5. Transatlanticism-Death Cab for Cutie
Oh, great idea! I love reading all the comments, so fun! Here are mine
(in no particular order):
– Save Rock’n’Roll: Fall Out Boy
– Favourite Worst Nightmare: Arctic Monkeys
– Franz Ferdinand: Franz Ferdinand
– Vessel: Twenty One Pilots
– Sweet Disarray: Dan Croll
That was hard, there are a million more on my list…
I love Elsie’s outfit! Totally my style! Those shoes are fabulous!
Paige Flamm
The Happy Flammily
http://bit.ly/2jEd6V2 (Latest post)
Hot Fuss – the Killers
Watch the Throne – Kanye West & Jay Z
Megalithic Symphony – AWOL Nation
Automatic – Kaskade
Big Whiskey and the Groo Grux King – Dave Matthews Band
In no specific order but these are my top 5 because I really don’t skip any songs on these albums 🙂
1. 20/20 Experience – Justin Timberlake
2. Trouble – Ray LaMontagne
3. Brothers – The Black Keys
4. Blood – Lianna La Havas
5. Self Titled – Sylvan Esso
and a throwback, Danse Macabre – The Faint
You two are just the cutest! Great album picks… I was thinking for a bit… but I just can’t narrow my faves down! Too hard. ♡
xx Taylor | http://www.mycupofchic.com | @taylorwinkelmeyer
Nice!!! Ours was “I’ll follow you into the dark” 🙂
Wow, I’ve not listened to most of everyone else’s picks. I grew up with Beatles and a few other bands, but the ones I listen to now are mostly small, independent(ish) artists.
David Bazan, Strange Negotiations
Lucie Thorne, Black Across the Field
Devon Sproule, Colours
And then oldies like every Beatles album for nostalgia sake
Fleetwood Mac, Rumours
If you’ve got time (who does!) i’d highly recommend a look at both Burrows and Cracked Actor, both from Canberra Australia and both brilliant!
More than indulging in super stardom I definitely prefer to listen local and support talented individuals (rather than multinational record companies!) So going to small gigs around town is such a huge deal to the artists and a great way to discover music that generally flies under the radar.
OMG! Love this! Here is my (mostly european) top five!
One Breath – Anna Calvi
We were here – BOY
If you wait – London Grammar
Trouble will find me – The National
Quantum Leap – Serafyn
Give ’em a listen. They. Are. Good. 🙂
Elsie, your bag is so cute! And I agree, I hardly ever listen to full albums now. Back in the 90s/early 2000s I’d listen to alllllll of Britney’s and N’Sync’s songs. ;p Difficult to pick some now, but I love anything that Regina Spektor does.
http://www.wonderlandsam.com
I’ve been in such a music rut lately – I love this and seeing everyone else’s favorites!
My top 5 would probably be…
1. I And Love And You | The Avett Brothers (really any album by them)
2. Sigh No More | Mumford and Sons
3. Barton Hollow | The Civil Wars
4. Rumours | Fleetwood Mac
5. Stories Don’t End | Dawes
This is fun to think about!
Radiohead / A Moon Shaped Pool
Talking Heads / Stop Making Sense
Lauryn Hill / The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill
Patrick Watson / Love Songs for Robots
Sigur Ros / Med sud I eyrum vid spilum endalaust
I never comment, but am always following. I love reading your blog!
Ahh, love knowing everyone’s favorite albums!
Electric Lady – Janelle Monae
Graceland – Paul Simon
The 20/20 Experience – Justin Timberlake
The Wild Heart – Stevie Nicks
Good Grief – Lucius
Love Emma’s dress, needs to be in stock haha! Love the top 5 idea too, good way to get to know people 🙂
Top 5 all-time favorites (in no particular order)
1. Hatful of Hollow – The Smiths
2. Picaresque – The Decemberists
3. Narrow Stairs – Death Cab for Cutie
4. Under the Blacklight – Rilo Kiley
5. Tusk – Fleetwood Mac
I would say:
Say Anything – …is a real boy
Brand New – The devil and god are raging inside me
Jenny Lewis and The Watson twins – Rabbit Fur Coat
Bright Eyes – I’m wide awake its morning
Cursive – The Ugly Organ
Top 5:
Metronomy – The English Riviera
Black Kids – Party Traumatic
CSS – CSS
Beck – Guero
The Shins – Wincing the night Away
Honourable mentions:
Death Cab – Transatlanticism
Kings of Leon – Youth and Young Manhood
Appetite for Destruction by Guns N’ Roses (I was 14 when it came out) is still so great! 🙂
Led Zeppelin albums I-IV
Smashing Pumpkins Siamese Dream
U2 Achtung Baby
Beatles Abbey Road
Love this, you girls both have great lists with a good amount of variety.
So tricky! My top 5 albums would probably be something like:
Simon & Garfunkel – Bridge Over Troubled Water
Green Day – Dookie
Broken Bells – After the Disco
CAKE – Prolonging the Magic
Taylor Swift – Speak Now
(OK NEVERMIND top 8 lol too hard!)
Phases – For Life
Weezer – The White Album
Taylor Swift – 1989
Viva La Vida- Coldplay
Live at Java Joe’s- Jason Mraz
Carencro- Marc Broussard
So Jealous- Tegan and Sara
Horrorscope- Eve 6
I actually think I listen to more full albums because if Spotify! I think boaster/iTunes made it more about just the singles for me.
My top five are:
Fleetwood Mac – Rumours
Local Natives – Gorilla Manor
Taylor Swift – Red
The Format – Dog Problems
Vampire Weekend – Vampire Weekend
What a fun comment section! I’m excited, too, to listen to some other top 5 albums 🙂
– David Gray: White Ladder
– Sam Cooke: Live at the Harlem Square Club
– James Vincent McMorrow: Early In The Morning
– Alabama Shakes: Sound & Color
– Stevie Wonder: The Definitive Collection
Screenshotting so many lists!
In no particular order:
Morning Phase: Beck
Static & Silence: The Sunday’s
Everybody’s Doing it So Why Can’t We? The Cranberries
Good Morning Bad Day: TEAM
This Is Acting: Sia (or any album really)
The overknee socks are so amazing and the jeans jacket a really must have for sure.
Great outfit and colours combination.
Love it so much. well done.
I love Elsie’s outfit!
Loving the plaids!!!!! So cute!