The Undisputed Classic Thread

[Heinz]

Is it a given that a "undisputed" classic record by definition is a perfect musical offering?
Or can what is generally regarded as a classic album actually be a rather mediocre audio affair?
What or who defines a classic, and what are good examples of undisputed classics?

[Black Excellence]

a classic imo is a great record you can play from top to bottom wit no skips, the lyrics are on point, the concepts are good, and the production is stellar. also the record has to be able to stand the test of time and sound just as good as it did when it was released.

[donfathaimmortal]

According to me, what a classic album need evein if it's pure proposal

Polished music / production / mix +++++
A concept ++++
A story ++++
Lyrics +++
To be timeless +++++
To have recognition +++++
To be a masterpiece ++

a classic imo is a great record you can play from top to bottom wit no skips, the lyrics are on point, the concepts are good, and the production is stellar. also the record has to be able to stand the test of time and sound just as good as it did when it was released.

Examples of klazzics
Dr Dre - The Chronic
Snoop Doggy Dogg - Doggystyle
The DOC - No One Can Do It Better
2PAC - All Eyez On Me
2PAC - Me Against The World
Makaveli - the 7 day theory
DJ Quik - Safe + Sound
Eazy-E - It's On 187Um Killa
Tha Dogg Pound - Dogg Food
N.W.A. - Niggaz4Life
Warren g - Regulate... The G.Funk Era

[HighEyeCue]

add Bone Thugs "E. 1999 Eternal" to that list

[Black Excellence]

mack 10 - based on a true story
westside connection - bow down
w.c. - the shadiest one
mc ren - the villain in black
eazy-e - eazy duz it
2 pac - all eyez on me
gangstarr - the moment of truth
gangstarr - the ownerz
t.i. - trouble man: heavy is the head
jay-z - blueprint
the notorious b.i.g - life after death
kurupt - tha streetz is a mutha
eazy-e - str.8 off tha streetz of muthaphukkin' compton
n.w.a - zaggin4efil
kam - made in America
ant banks - big thangs
def squad - el nino
beanie sigel - the b. coming
common - be
devin - the dude

these are a very small example of a classic album based on my criteria.

[fogcitypimpin]

Devin the dude - just trying ta live is way better than his 1st album " the dude"

[Black Excellence]

Devin the dude - just trying ta live is way better than his 1st album " the dude"

both are his best work.

[Hack Wilson - real]

Makaveli, The Future Is Now and Slim Shady LP all come to mind.

[Okka]

Snoop Doggy Dogg - Doggystyle
Dr. Dre - The Chronic
Eazy-E - It's On (Dr. Dre) 187Um Killa
Westside Connection - Bow Down
Ice Cube - Lethal Injection
Tha Dogg Pound - Dogg Food


These are what came to my mind right away, of course there's some more albums, but i'd say these albums are the ones that i have listened to the most throughout the years. At the end of the day, there's not that many classic albums. A classic is an album you love from the beginning to the end without having to skip any songs in my opinion.

[Hack Wilson - real]

Snoop Doggy Dogg - Doggystyle
Dr. Dre - The Chronic
Eazy-E - It's On (Dr. Dre) 187Um Killa
Westside Connection - Bow Down
Ice Cube - Lethal Injection
Tha Dogg Pound - Dogg Food


These are what came to my mind right away, of course there's some more albums, but i'd say these albums are the ones that i have listened to the most throughout the years. At the end of the day, there's not that many classic albums. A classic is an album you love from the beginning to the end without having to skip any songs in my opinion.

but the source magazine said eazy's ep was average  haha

[Heinz]

 A classic is an album you love from the beginning to the end without having to skip any songs in my opinion.

So a classic is simply a personal favorite or does the term extend beyond that?

[UCC]

 A classic is an album you love from the beginning to the end without having to skip any songs in my opinion.

So a classic is simply a personal favorite or does the term extend beyond that?

That's just an album you personally like, I guess you could call that a "personal classic" if you wanted.

But when music critics talk about classic albums, especially from hip-hop's "golden era" of 1986-1994,
a lot of the time it's albums that brought something new to the game
OR, if they didn't, then at least are one of the best examples of an existing format.

Breaking new ground:
For example, on Slick Rick's first album, not every track is brilliant, there is actually a lot of filler,
BUT he totally changed and defined the story rap element of hip-hop, on the album's best tracks.
Or Eric B and Rakim, Paid in Full... it's often rated as one of the best mainly because Rakim changed
the way everyone rapped from then on.

Best examples of existing format:
Nas's Illmatic didn't really bring much new to the game, he's basically combining stuff Kool G Rap,
Rakim, Melle Mel, etc. did before him, but it's all done at such a high level that it became one of
THE best examples of that kind of album. Tribe's Midnight Marauders album was basically just a
re-jig of Low End Theory, but they were at the top of their game, so it's a classic.

Two really good examples are the Chronic and Doggystyle:

-- The Chronic broke a lot of ground, especially with the amount of live playing and how well it was mixed
(while most other hip-hop albums tended to be rougher in their sound, all samples, etc.)

--While Doggystyle didn't break any ground, it's basically a copy of the Chronic, BUT it is one of the
most well-crafted g-funk albums (arguably THE high point of g-funk albums).

Most of the other aspects people mention COME from those two... if an album broke new ground
or perfected a certain sound, then it's bound to be timeless, for example.

Though some classics aren't even that timeless really... like the first Run DMC album, not that many
people sit listening to it today, BUT it broke a huge amount of ground at the time and that's
why music critics call it a classic.

[donfathaimmortal]

a lot of the time it's albums that brought something new to the game
OR, if they didn't, then at least are one of the best examples of an existing format.

[Sccit]

Snoop Doggy Dogg - Doggystyle
Dr. Dre - The Chronic
Eazy-E - It's On (Dr. Dre) 187Um Killa
Westside Connection - Bow Down
Ice Cube - Lethal Injection
Tha Dogg Pound - Dogg Food


These are what came to my mind right away, of course there's some more albums, but i'd say these albums are the ones that i have listened to the most throughout the years. At the end of the day, there's not that many classic albums. A classic is an album you love from the beginning to the end without having to skip any songs in my opinion.

but the source magazine said eazy's ep was average  haha

didnt the source also give "regulate" something like 2.5/5?? the source=will b?

[Heinz]

Will Benzino?