We introduced a few weeks ago MTV’s hunt to find “The Greatest Album Ever“. It raised a fair few questions, and a lot of angry responses from you guys as you listed your favourite bands who weren’t included.

Rather unsurprisingly, Michael Jackson topped the poll, having announced his sensational run of London shows between the announcement of the show and the results. Almost one in three of all votes went to the crazy American. In a shock move, Craig David was number 2 in the poll, and has been deemed more popular than Radiohead and Nirvana, receiving more votes than the Oxford based quintet and Seattle grungers combined. Surely that’s got to be some kind of mistake?

Over forty thousand votes were cast, which gives a pretty good perspective of what people think. Many in the comments of the previous post asked about some pretty seminal albums, however it should be noted that these are the best albums since 1981 – when MTV began, so many classics (Pink Floyd, Smiths, Who etc) aren’t eligible for the list. However, as Thom so rightly commented…. no Libertines? Crazy, no?

Speaking of wacko Jacko’s win, Trevor Nelson commented

I don’t think there’ll ever be another album like it ever in the history of music. There will never be a marriage of producer and artist and song writing and pop sensibility – it just won’t happen again. And also, due to the way people buy records now, there’ll never be an album that sells as many copies – and that’s the thing that will keep it at number one.

Interestingly, Zane Lowe didn’t agree with Craig David’s high ranking, commenting

The guy was hugely successful and there’s no denying that album is a great listen from start to finish as a pop record. It probably stands up as the greatest British urban pop record of the last twenty years. Still no one’s really topped it – apart from Winehouse. Should it be number two in The Greatest Album of all time? No, in my opinion, but I’m not going to begrudge anyone’s success, and if his fans voted for it then what’s encouraging for me is that they still consider that record to be an important part of their lives and that’s what music is.

After the jump: the complete list of albums
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It seems every awards season we have another “Greatest album” survey, most of them from one random source who have basically surveyed their friends to see what they like best that day.

However, when MTV do a survey you know it’s going to be the right choice. They’ve just launched their hunt to find the “Greatest Album Ever“, after they crowned Duran Duran’s Rio as having the “Greatest Video Ever” last year.

In conjunction with music industry experts, MTV’s flagship music channels VH1, MTV Two and MTV Base have each collated their top ten greatest albums since 1981, the year MTV launched. The debates to select the albums were chaired by channel presenters Edith Bowman (VH1), Zane Lowe (MTV Two) and Trevor Nelson (MTV Base).

Suggs (of Madness fame) was one of the key contributors to the shows, talking about Amy Winehouse’s decline and then subsequent rejuvenation:

It’s great to see her looking marvellous again. There was quite a gap between her first and second album and I used to see her around Camden a lot, and when you see someone regularly its harder to notice their demise. I’m so glad she looks well again. It was fate putting her together with Mark Ronson for Back to Black, and was so good for her putting her voice right in the middle of it.

Meanwhile, as only MTV can, Pete Burns gave us an, erm, “intriguing” insight into his friendship with Morrissey, who failed to make the top 10 for any of his solo albums, but whose Smith’s classic “The Queen is Dead” appeared in both VH1 and MTV 2’s top 10’s:

I knew him personally back in the day, he gave me a copy of this album. I loved it from track one. He has a very unique sense of irony and humour. As a person he’s very difficult and awkward to get on with. He stopped talking to me over a fur coat, and still to this day he holds a grudge about it!

Personally, I’d love to see REM get the award. All the others are great, but people seem to underestimate the consistency of REM. Plus, Michael Stipe is a legend in my eyes. Either that or Human League, but I can’t see them beating the big boys – can you?

Voting for the top album is now open over on MTV’s website. Each channel’s review of the top 10 albums can be seen this weekend, with Trevor Nelson presenting the MTV Base run down Saturday 28 February at 9pm, followed by Edith Bowman presenting VH1 and Zane Lowe MTV Two both on Sunday 1 March at 9pm. The final winner will be announced on Sunday 12th April.

After the jump, check out the top 10 albums chosen by each channel.
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Where does one start when reviewing the likes of an Usher Raymond album, perhaps with the units sold? No, that’s not a true reflection of the quality. Perhaps by the heavy duty collaborators? No still not a gauge for substance. Perhaps with the title? Yes, you see a lot can be seen of an artist by what he chooses to name his potential masterpiece.

Here I Stand, now what can one glean from a title such as this? Possibly an attempt to ‘man up’, show the world that he is no longer the boy that demanded things were done ‘My way’. Then again, he could be showing the world that he’s made huge advancements from man child making slip up mistakes that required a whole docket full of ‘Confessions’. So there he stands, a man with a wife and child in tow to add credence to his newfound status, the question is; does the album reflect that? Does this album show him to be the man he so desperately wants the world to see him as?

Our first glimpse into this new found ‘manned-up’ Usher comes in the form of a pondering crooner questionably titled ‘Forever young’, the questionable aspect is who exactly is his opening track directed to, his wife, his audience or his precious son? Does it matter, well yes, as first impressions are heavily weighted when it comes to importance, without clarity at this early point one is forced to ruminate over whether the rest of the album will be lacking in specificity and definitive direction.

Luckily the second glimpse we get comes in the form ‘Love in this club’, a simple club bobber, one that even when completely inebriated, heavy bass lines will help keep your person bobbing in the right direction. Unfortunately that’s about all that its good for, unless one is looking to get schooled in the art of what not to say if trying to make light conversation and snag that Betty in the corner. Offering her your skills right then and there on the alcohol slimed floor may not be the best way to get those digits, but hey if it works for him, then you might be in with a chance! Add the slow fused diction of Young Jeezy and perhaps you might get the opportunity to do the “R rated” in the club as well.

Now that you’ve left the humping that happened in the club, one would assume you’d need a rest; not if you’ve gone home with the Usher-man. No, once he’s gotten you home the serenading continues and despite its upbeat tempo, this song is NOT, I repeat NOT about sex, no it is about the “true makings of love” and the creating of “moments that will outlast the world”.

Now if you’re not all sexed out, I mean exhausted from all the “moment making”, then gear up for ‘Trading places’, yup, it’s another round of doing the grown up. I have to say this track does crack a smile and a bit more head bobbing, actually no its got a shoulder shake thrown in that I’m sure is inspired by the strong string work being strummed by TEK from NFE. His solo heavily aids this track into becoming possibly the most memorable of the album.

And then there’s climbing mountains, much like Frodo of Lord Of The Rings, you begin to look down at your watch and beg that he’ll reach the top sooner rather than later and at this point the album needs some rescuing as your senses begin to switch off, including the pass me the bucket ode to his son, we get the love, we feel the love but seriously…seriously Usher…SERIOUSLY!

To all those that were able to comfortably listen beyond this point I tip my hat to you, chances are, like me you had to take a break, put it on pause and prepare yourself for the rest. Usher’s 4 year break may have something to do with why this album feels so long-winded and drawn out, perhaps he should have split it in two and maybe release the rest of the track as ‘bonus’ tracks on his ‘limited edition’ version and then do it again for the ‘platinum edition’.

Copyright © Onome Okwuosa 2008. All rights reserved.