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Best sequence of (at least 3) consecutive brilliant albums


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As said in the title. Something where an artist produced at least 3 really amazing albums in a row. Good isn't good enough, I'm talking periods of uninterrupted amazingness. For the fun of it, let's say there can't be more than 5 years between two consecutive albums. Also, let's discard compilation- and livealbums.

Examples:

Pink Floyd - Dark Side Of The Moon (1973) / Wish You Were Here (1975) / Animals (1977) / The Wall (1979)

Rolling Stones - Beggars Banquet (1968) / Let It Bleed (1969) / Sticky Fingers (1971) / Exile On Main St. (1972)

Bob Dylan - Bringing It All Back Home (1965) / Highway 61 Revisited (1965) / Blonde On Blonde (1966)

I'm kind of having trouble with making a Beatles pick here. The closest I'd come would be Help (1965) / Rubber Soul (1965) / Revolver (1966) / Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967). But somehow that even feels weird because there's so much evolution between them. Still though, amazing sequence of albums!

Any others?

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I'm kind of having trouble with making a Beatles pick here. The closest I'd come would be Help (1965) / Rubber Soul (1965) / Revolver (1966) / Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967). But somehow that even feels weird because there's so much evolution between them. Still though, amazing sequence of albums!

I think you've got it pretty much spot on there to be honest. I'd definitely say that those four are at least the most consistent in the canon.

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Neil Young has 2 imo

Everybody Knows this is Nowhere (1969) - After the Goldrush (1970) - Harvest (1972)

On the Beach (1974) - Tonight's the Night (1975) - Zuma (1976)

excellent stuff

Possibly U2,

War (1983) - the Unforgettable Fire (1984) - The Joshua Tree (1987)

(although for me personally their 90s trio is better)

Bruce Springsteen had a run

Born to Run (75) - Darkness on the Edge of Town (78) - the River (80) - Nebraska (82) - Born in the USA (84) - Tunnel of Love (87)

although I'd go for the last 3 to form the trio, the River has too much filler imo

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Neil Young has 2 imo

Everybody Knows this is Nowhere (1969) - After the Goldrush (1970) - Harvest (1972)

On the Beach (1974) - Tonight's the Night (1975) - Zuma (1976)

excellent stuff

Bruce Springsteen had a run

Born to Run (75) - Darkness on the Edge of Town (78) - the River (80) - Nebraska (82) - Born in the USA (84) - Tunnel of Love (87)

although I'd go for the last 3 to form the trio, the River has too much filler imo

After The Goldrush and Harvest are absolutely brilliant. I'm not that familiar with Everybody Knows this is Nowhere.

With Bruce I think I'd be more tempted to go for the first 3. Nebraska and Tunnel are good, but definitely not brilliant imo. The River, though I agree that it'd be better as a single album instead of a double album, sort of is. Love that record.

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Kill City is just as good too.

Black Sabbath - Paranoid - Master Of Reality - Volume Four - Sabbath Bloody Sabbath - Sabotage (that's 5)

Love It To Death - Killer-School's Out - Billion Dollar Babies

Powerage - Highway To Hell - Back In Black

Led Zep 1, 2 and 3, "4", houses of the holy, physical graffiti.

The Man Who Sold The World - Hunky Dory - The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars

(Aladdin Sane not so great)

Diamond Dogs - Young Americans - Station To Station - Low - Heroes - Lodger -Scary Monsters... - Let's Dance

Edited by DR DOOM
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Neil Young has 2 imo

Everybody Knows this is Nowhere (1969) - After the Goldrush (1970) - Harvest (1972)

On the Beach (1974) - Tonight's the Night (1975) - Zuma (1976)

Pity about the spotty live album, Time Fades Away (1973) as you could have linked those two eras up.

I second this and I also second Dylan and The Stones suggestion. The problem with the Beatles is that they were so good across their whole discography that there are no noticable highs and lows with which to discern a 'peak period'. In contrast, that great Stones era was preceded by psychedelic dross and followed by their Status Quo phrase (although I am a big defender of Goats Head Soup).

How about the first six Kiss (studio) albums. The era, 1973-77 was a good run.

Hendrix Experience - all three albums

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Guest Len B'stard

London Calling, Sandinista, Combat Rock - The Clash (yeah, no one apart from me cares for Sandinista, i know :lol:)


My Generation, A Quick One, The Who Sell Out - The Who (although the next 3 could easily be considered a sequence of three of equal weight).

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Pink Floyd - Dark Side Of The Moon (1973) / Wish You Were Here (1975) / Animals (1977) / The Wall (1979)

Saw the title of the thread and stopped by to post this very sequence of albums.

I think a modern example is this:

Vampire Weekend - S/T (2008)/Contra (2010)/Modern Vampires of the City (2013)

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Guest Len B'stard

Chuck Berry

Afterschool Sessions (1957), One Dozen Berrys (1958), Chuck Berry On Top (1959). Unfortunately the last two - Rockin' At The Hops (1960) and New Juke Box Hits (1961) - are a bit patchier because of his courtcase.

Rockin' at the Hops is sick man :)

Surely Are You Experienced? , Axis Bold As Love and Electric Ladyland qualify too.

Fuck yes! In fact, thats pretty much an argument settler there :)

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Michael Jackson had a run of five consecutive albums of solid gold:

Off The Wall / Thriller / Bad / Dangerous / HIStory

Good point, especially the middle 3.

Another (imo very underrated) set from Dylan comes to mind.

Time Out Of Mind (1997) / Love And Theft (2001) / Modern Times (2006)

At least as an honorable mention.

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Iron Maiden with Piece Of Mind / Powerslave / Somewhere In Time / Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son.

Tower Of Power with Tower Of Power / Back To Oakland / Urban Renewal. I know there's not really anyone into soul on here, but those are 3 of the best soul albums ever recorded IMO.

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Neil Young has 2 imo

Everybody Knows this is Nowhere (1969) - After the Goldrush (1970) - Harvest (1972)

On the Beach (1974) - Tonight's the Night (1975) - Zuma (1976)

excellent stuff

Bruce Springsteen had a run

Born to Run (75) - Darkness on the Edge of Town (78) - the River (80) - Nebraska (82) - Born in the USA (84) - Tunnel of Love (87)

although I'd go for the last 3 to form the trio, the River has too much filler imo

After The Goldrush and Harvest are absolutely brilliant. I'm not that familiar with Everybody Knows this is Nowhere.

With Bruce I think I'd be more tempted to go for the first 3. Nebraska and Tunnel are good, but definitely not brilliant imo. The River, though I agree that it'd be better as a single album instead of a double album, sort of is. Love that record.

you should check it out, its got the 3 classics, down by the river, cinnamon girl and cowgirl in the sand, plus the guitar work from Danny Whitten is incredible, such a shame he died so soon after and he was one of the main reasons for the so called ditch trilogy, including tonights the night and on the beach of the second 3 because young became withdrawn and depressed.

Agree with brucy, Born to Run is so good it can make up for the other 3, although I love tunnel, a very good album.

Neil Young has 2 imo

Everybody Knows this is Nowhere (1969) - After the Goldrush (1970) - Harvest (1972)

On the Beach (1974) - Tonight's the Night (1975) - Zuma (1976)

Pity about the spotty live album, Time Fades Away (1973) as you could have linked those two eras up.

I second this and I also second Dylan and The Stones suggestion. The problem with the Beatles is that they were so good across their whole discography that there are no noticable highs and lows with which to discern a 'peak period'. In contrast, that great Stones era was preceded by psychedelic dross and followed by their Status Quo phrase (although I am a big defender of Goats Head Soup).

How about the first six Kiss (studio) albums. The era, 1973-77 was a good run.

Hendrix Experience - all three albums

My dad, a massive fan, swears by time fades away, its one of the few I've never heard along with Journey Through the Past and Landings on Water.

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Michael Jackson had a run of five consecutive albums of solid gold:

Off The Wall / Thriller / Bad / Dangerous / HIStory

Prince had an amazing run of creative genius in the 80s:

Purple Rain / Around The World In A.Day / Parade / Sign O The Times / Lovesexy

Mad at myself for not mentioning both of those first.

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KISS: Destroyer - Rock And Roll Over - Love Gun. This is THE greatest combo ever, IMO.

Motörhead: Bastards - Sacrifice - Overnight Sensation. Motörhead's most brilliant phase.

Iron Maiden: From Iron Maiden to Seventh Son, basically. The greatest streak ever, IMO.

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