For over four years I've put off this laborious task. Finally I attempt to rank my "Favorite to Least Favorite" British Beatles Albums.(Disclaimer: This Is My Opinion As Of This Moment!).
Thank you for your heartfelt ranking of the Beatles albums! I know it must have been hard for you, but in the end it was great! I really appreciated this!
Nicely done. What I love about your list is that it does not put the later stuff at the top and the early stuff at the bottom. Many of these lists tend to do that. I'm extremely happy to see With The Beatles in the top 5. This one always gets overlooked.
Great video Joe, thought provoaking stuff and a real tough task to rank such masterpieces! For me it is always Abbey Road and Revolver at #1 & 2, the rest are interchangable depending on my mood, but definitely prefer the later stuff to the earlier. However as you say there is not a bad album amongst the 13..
Great List. When you were down to the last two .... I was hoping you would pick Hard Day's Night ... That is the one I would have picked. I love that record ..... Always sounds so good to me ..... I agree with you concerning the cover versions ... those early ones especially are great ... When I first heard them about in the early 70's as a 12 year old .. I had no clue they were cover versions ..so it never mattered ..... Signing off now and going to listen to some Hard Day's Night.
Hi joe. I really enjoyed this video mate. Wasn't to sure about seeing the Beatles albums being ranked but as you list would be different to mine it was so interesting to see what you where going to show next. Great video Joe. Loved the comments as well. Especially the part about Paul with the White album which I am right there with you on. I down agree with everything the man has said but on the White album he was spot on. Great video Joe and take care
+MeanMr Mayo hi joe. Just wanted to leave you another quick message saying I hope you don't mind that I also did this video today. Enjoyed your video so much it inspired me to do it. As you where the one who did it first though I gave you a shout out :D anyway sorry to bug you again just thought I'd drop you a quick note by. Speak to you later mate. Take care
Of course I don't mind... I wish others would also make videos on this! I did see your video in my feed, but I have a lot of videos to catch up with (including your 'All Things Must Pass' and "Wild Life' reviews... they're in my feed along with others' ) .
Joe, I saw this video when it first came out, loved it and have returned to it probably at least a half dozen times in the past year and a half. There ain't no wrong answers. Love the explanations you give. Great list! When you bring up The Beatles Anthology toward the end, it had me thinking....It would be great to see you show and discuss all you Anthology related media - the videos, records, book, etc. and just share your thoughts about that whole project and your recollection of the mid '90's when all that was being released. - Bob
BrotherBob1984 - Hi Bob. Believe it or not, I don't have many Anthology memories, nor artifacts! Really! I don't know why that was the case. But interestingly, I have been considering re-ranking the Beatles' albums.
I love your #1 pick too! White Album is so immaculate! But..... I guess I am like everyone else when it depends on what mood I am in. Great vid. Peace.
Great video Joe and nice points about Maxwell, Paul's White Album comment and Help vs Rubber Soul. I think the point there is that one can see a progression on EVERY Beatles album in a way, even though A Hard Days Night is probably stronger than Beatles For Sale, song for song. I don't think I'll attempt this one...maybe one day...would have Let It Be higher for sure. But I respect your opinion as always.
It's a tough call, isn't it! I couldn't do it! As soon as I pick an album I argue with myself! Haha, As for cover songs, The Beatles made them their own! And anyhow, in those days most people didn't write their own songs! The fact that the early albums had so many original songs on them was applauded! Great video Mr Mayo!
For me , I see a big split, first half of their career John era, rock and roll songs; 2nd half Paul era, art songs. Both very inventive in their own right and both with a lot of crossover. I personally prefer the early stuff, and I'm glad you didn' limit your favorites to the 2nd half of their career. Good job!
I agree that on the whole the earlier era is the "John" era and the latter era is the "Paul" era. That's why I prefer the latter era. It's more artistic and less dependent upon 1950s style Rock and Roll. That's not to say that I don't love the earlier material. Hard Day's Night and Introducing the Beatles are masterful albums in that earlier style.
8 років тому+5
I agree about the U.S, Rubber Soul album - "I've Just Seen A Face" is one of those rare instances where Capitol made a brilliant decision.
When I saw my personal no. 1 "Rubber Soul" at your no. 9 I thought "Whaaaat?!?!?". But I love your list. You picked your favorites and didn't care about what the critics think. Chapeau!
I’ve just watched this vid “Again” , excellent! I love your attitude Joe! It also makes me think 🤔 as I’ve done forever, what an truly amazing catalog they produced! Besides the world tours, movies, TV appearances, ect in what was a short time period! 1962-1970 ! It’s now 2020 and the bubble hasn’t burst! Guess what people! It’s an unburstable bubble! And I have no problem with that! I continue to feel happy when I hear The Beatles. Either together or solo! Whilst painting part of my back room last night, Memory almost full was on repeat! A solo album from Paul that lifted my spirits at the time of its release at a very sad and dark period in my life. I’m so looking forward to McCartney 3 and the Let it be reissue! I’m enjoying, give me some truth! All I ask is, keep it coming! Yeah. 😃👍
Fantastic video Joe. I completely understand your dilemma in ranking the albums. I too, often change from time to time. But yes, the white album is for me the most amazing package. People often focus on the arguments, problems & distinctly different styles & they say it's messy. However, those who really dissect the path of the Beatles and try to understand what they did know that all 4 Beatles were still brothers during the recordings. Clips, comments E.G. 'Hey Bulldog' etc. around this time still show how much they helped & cared for each other. Especially so when you listen to Paul's backups on John's songs. Keep up the great work Joe. GAZ (Melbourne/Australia)
Hi Joe! Nice ranking of the U.K. Albums. Number 1 favorite UK album is difficult even though I'm leaning towards the White Album. I also would put AHDN near the top too. Take care Joe
Nope. I have just the outer box with no records inside. Sold them off to make money for rarer Beatles records, figuring I could always replace them individually if I like, later.
Great video, Joe. My number 1 will always be "Sgt Pepper". Not only the greatest Beatles album but the greatest album of all time, in my opinion. My number 2 is "Abbey Road", mainly because of the medley. A tour de force if there ever was one. Never was that crazy about the White Album. Had some good songs but if I'm in the mood to play a Beatles album, chances are it's not going to be the White Album. I do have 6 copies of it though. Loved this video, Joe, and the reasons why you ranked them the way you did. Excellent job. Take care.
joe I agree White Album still blows me away I luv your honesty and choices With the Beatles very underrated excellent video Joe I wish I would of bought those UK originals those are so sought after. Thumbs up buddy
I think it is very difficult to rank Beatles albums. On any one day I could change my mind as to which album I like best. I think when your looking at all the Beatles albums, they need to be looked as a progressive body of work ! So when you pick an album to play you know where it fits into the progressive lineage ! Some days when I feel like playing a Beatles album I ask my myself early, middle or later stage Beatles. Other times just get me a greatest hits !!!!
Good job wit the rankings. No matter what order you pick or prefer the American or British versions you cannot go wrong since it is still the Beatles no matter what.
Hey Joe. well you certainly surprised me with that one. it's my favorite Beatles album too. like yourself i grew up with the American versions because it was all i knew at the time and the British versions were hard to find and expensive for this kid growing up in the 70's. but my favorite American version album growing up was Yesterday and Today. i bought it in 1974 and i still have it! paid $5.27 at Woolco.Loved this video!
@@railwaymaster1163 ... me too. I found it interesting that the reviewer used the term "Beatlemania" when describing this fine album. Here in Canada, the capitol release was indeed called "Beatlemania with the Beatles"
Really enjoying this video, currently watching in sunny Santorini. I'm pleased to see you put 'With The Beatles' fairly high up, I feel that it's quite an underrated album.
great list. I would find it impossible to rank as mine would change daily. top 3 would probably be Sgt Pepper, Abbey Road and Revolver in no set order and sometimes Hard Days Night would get in there. very hard to order
I think when it comes to With The Beatles you exactly nailed it! I too have often thought it is my number one. Of the later albums, White Album, which is my weekend album to play, takes one on a journey unlike anything else. It touches the limits of intensity in a way no other album does. I personally love Revolver as well and think Sgt Peppers is great but prefer other songs more on the above mentioned. I'm 58 and growing up, Help! was one of my favorites as well as Hard Days Night. All in all, a very interesting assessment of the most amazing discography ever created.
I have to ask Joe, does this ranking still hold true in 2020? I think every year we have to reassess them that's all. If so I will offer up mine, if not I will wait until you update. Be curious to see how they compare.
Wow great list. Ive been waiting for this video for a while and it hasnt dissapointed. But i am suprised i thought there would of been a few more earlier albums up there as i know youre a fan of earlier stuff. Heres my list. 13.Yellow Submarine 12. Let it Be 11. Beatles for sale 10. Please Please Me 9. Help! 8. Magical mystery tour 7. Sgt Pepper 6. With the Beatles 5. A Hard days night 4. Rubber Soul 3. Abbey Road 2. Revolver 1. The White Album They do change but only in the sections theyre in.
DISCLAIMER: I ranked these purely based on my enjoyment of each album, NOT based on which albums are necessarily better than others. 1. Rubber Soul (1965) 2. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967) 3. Abbey Road (1969) 4. Magical Mystery Tour (1967) 5. A Hard Day's Night (1964) 6. Revolver (1966) 7. Please Please Me (1963) 8. With The Beatles (1963) 9. The White Album (1968) 10. Help! (1965) 11. Beatles for Sale (1964) 12. Let It Be (1970) 13. Yellow Submarine (1969)
Hi Joe. I enjoyed this video. My list (which I made years ago and have pretty much stuck with) is actually very similar to yours with a couple of exceptions. I know Abbey Road gets rated highly, but I don't find the songs as good as some others. I'm also a big John fan. Here is a list of the albums that give me the most enjoyment, top to bottom: 1. A Hard Day's Night 2. Revolver 3. The Beatles 4. Rubber Soul 5. With The Beatles 6. Please Please Me 7. Help! 8. Sgt Pepper 9. Magical Mystery Tour 10. Abbey Road 11. Beatles For Sale 12. Let It Be 13. Yellow Submarine
I agree With The Beatles is very lambasted and put down, I’ve always loved the song “Not A Second Time”. Plus that album cover is probably my favorite of the “early Beatles”, that black and white is so clean.
Hey Joe, you really surprised the HELL out of me! I'm not sure what else to say. And for me, Help! is the sort of forgotten, great Beatles album. Great video and bold choices! Take care...
The albums with the cover songs that I ranked low, I didn’t rank them lower because of the cover songs. There was just something to those albums that don’t make them my favorite albums. But I still love those albums. Also, I don’t have any problems with Beatles For Sale and Let It Be. I still miss Don’t Let Me Down on Let It Be.
By the way this is my list. 13. Yellow Submarine The only new song I really like is Hey Bulldog. 12. Beatles for Sale A pretty solid album but the exact opposite of A Hard Day's Night. 11. Please Please Me A really good debut but not my favorite 10. Let it Be Good, but it has a lot of overrated songs like Let it Be, Across the Universe, Long and Winding Road and also underrated like I've Got a Feeling and Dig a Pony. I agree with u though, it needs don't let me down 9. With The Beatles I Really Like This Album pretty underrated 8. Magical Mystery Tour I like it but it kind of feels too psychedelic to me. 7. Help! Great album but I feel side 2 is kind of lacking 6. A Hard Days Night Amazing album. Only songs I don't really like are I'll cry instead and when I get home 5. Abbey Road I love this album but I just like the others a bit more 4. The White Album Awesome, but it has my least favorite Beatles songs, revolution 9 and wild honey pie 3. Sgt Pepper What can I say? 2. Rubber Soul I think this was a break from the past because the lyrics started getting more mature and of course the sitar 1. Revolver The perfect mixture of early and later beatles
13. Beatles For Sale. 12. Yellow Submarine. 11. With The Beatles. 10. Let It Be. 9. Help! 8. Please Please Me. 7. A Hard Day's Night. 6. Rubber Soul. 5. Magical Mystery Tour. 4. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. 3. Revolver. 2. White Album. 1. Abbey Road. 5 & 4 are the only hard ones for me because 5 has some of their best while 4 is their most even.
Great job, this is so hard to do. Can't wait for the US release version. On capital love the 2nd album and I do prefer the US Rubber Soul. White Album is my #1 without Hey Jude and Revolution from that time which I love both. Prefer 2nd album (US) over with the Beatles (UK). Peace & Love.
I think the white albums plain white cover actually comes from honoring Brian Epstein after he died just after Sgt Pepper. Because he said of Sgt Pepper when asked about what he thinks they should do for the cover "oh,it sounds fabulous,just put it in a plain paper bag and it will sell" so they did that for the next album,the white album
Are those original UK 1st pressings in the video? If so.......a future video showing labels and discussing matrix info would be nice.........and informative.
13. Please Please Me 12. A Hard Day's Night 11. With The Beatles 10. Beatles For Sale 9. Help! 8. Yellow Submarine 7. Let It Be 6. Magical Mystery Tour 5. Rubber Soul 4. Abbey Road 3. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band 2. Revolver 1. The Beatles (White Album)
great ranking. Personally, O would have gone 5-With The Beatles 4-Revolver 3-Rubber Soul 2-A Hard Day's Night and 1-Abbey Rd. I do understand why you went with The White Album as your number 1 record though.
Favorite Beatle Albums 1.Revolver White Album 2.Please Please Me Hard Day's Night 3.Rubber Soul Sgt. Pepper Magical Mystery Abbey Road 4.Help! With the Beatles Beatles For Sale 5.Let It Be 6.Yellow Submarine So I guess I like many albums about the same, but I put them in order of the ones that I like just a bit more first (like Revolver and White Album are about tied but I guess Revolver comes out on top for me).I like all of them but if I had to rank them it would be in this order. Also I might count the "Past Masters" set as one big double album and put it after Abbey Road. I also like certain songs that get a lot of flack like "Piggies" and "Wild Honey Pie" "Fool On The Hill" "Bungalow Bill"
I absolutely think that Rubber Soul is the transitional album because the music is much more versatile and complex than before and what is more, you suddenly have several songs that are not boy-loves-girl in terms of lyrics. We just need to go from "It's only love" to "In my life" and from "I need you" to "If I needed someone" (perhaps the latter pair even captures the transition even better because even the difference in the title from the simple statement to the conditional clause with its hypothetical mood sum up what had changed), all released in the same year. I love the early Beatles, but it is the later stuff that makes them unique for me (and for the history of pop music). So a very different list. (Let it be is a very personal choice because sometimes an album hits you very hard on some level that you cannot explain when you first listen to it). 13. Beatles for sale 12. Please please me 11. Yellow Submarine 10. Help 9. With the Beatles 8. Hard Day’s Night 7. Rubber Soul 6. Revolver 5. Magical Mystery Tour 4. White Album 3. Abbey Road 2. Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band 1. Let it be
I agree on the point you made on Rubber Soul and Help! I know George Harrison said Rubber Soul and Revolver could be part 1 and part 2 in his opinion but I always thought Help! And Rubber Soul were more like part 1 and part 2
Great point of view about the White Album. You want a less eclectic collection of songs? There’s 12 other albums to listen to. The variety and diversity of the White Album is the main reason it’s my favorite.
Good stuff Joe! "A Hard Days Night" blows the doors off "Pet Sounds" and that's what 64? Yeah any song on A Hard Days Night could have been a single.....and yeah we all love & admire Pauly 😆 but according 2 him, he did everything. 😆 that book "Many Years From Now" or whatever. It's called would have never seen the light of day if John was around. God bless John Lennon....we got your back. Take care Joe!
I think arguably the Beatles had 4 periods: early (Please Please Me up to Beatles For Sale), mid (Help to Revolver), later: Pepper to White album, late: Let It Be to Abbey Road. Some interesting choices, and it was a surprise to see Rubber Soul beneath Help and With the Beatles. I might have had Please Please Me higher. A friend of mine once described listening to that album as akin to enjoying a really good take-out pizza. That seems like a good comparison to me. I'm afraid that for me personally, the American Rubber Soul doesn't figure. I suppose at this point in their career the Beatles were crafting 'An Album' for the first time with Rubber Soul (although they'd begun to do that with Help to be fair). But Rubber Soul was definitely their first properly cohesive artistic statement, so the fact that the American market put out a different track list kind of contradicted what the band was trying to do at this stage. Pepper is over-rated I think (not by you in this video, I mean just generally). I would have had Revolver at number 1 and Abbey Road probably at around the 5-6 mark. There are fair few insubstantial song fragments on that album which I personally find a bit unsatisfying. The White album - some great songs, some poor ones. You argued it well though I think I would be wary of signposting a Beatles novice to it, as side one contains Ob la di, Honey Pie and Bungalow Bill, all quite annoying novelty songs. There are also one or two songs on it which I do genuinely think are stinkers - can you guess which ones though? Good video!
James Griffiths - Thanks for your response. I could go on guessing with several songs off The White Album that I could see people refer to as "stinkers", so I'm not sure if I'd bother guessing. Do you want to tell me? I mean, are they "Revolution 9" and "Wild Honey Pie", or one of several other more true "songs" ?
The 2 songs that really do irritate me on that album are actually Rocky Racoon (which would possibly be Ok were it not so long), and Don't Pass Me By, which I find to be really clattery and clumsy, with that horrible screechy violin going through it. Revolution 9 is great, for me it kind of makes the second half of the album. As you said in this video, Paul tries to take the credit for the tape-loops in Tomorrow Never Knows etc etc (which OK to be fair is true), but let's face it, it wasn't Paul who put an entire rambling track of tape loops together then insisted the whole thing went on a Beatles album. There are some very fine songs on the White album, particularly by John. I love Julia, Happiness is a Warm Gun, I'm so Tired, Yer Blues, Dear Prudence - so many.
Joe I agree with you on the US Rubber Soul, I've Just Seen A Face and Its Only Love just fits the album mood here. I think Sgt Pepper could have been more like #4 imop. I am with you in the White Album, some deem it better than Sgt Pepper. The UK A Hard Day's Night is one of my top Beatles albums too.
Help! contained three number one hits. McCartney’s first post-Beatles tour of America featured five Beatles songs-two from Help! The title track was always on Lennon’s short list of his favorites. Yesterday-the most covered song of all time.
I heard something really interesting. John Lennon said in an interview that the Beatles are better broken up cause they are not restricted to each other and more productive this way. Also he said if you want so much to have Beatle albums take a tape and record a song from him , a song from Paul , a song from George ,a song from Ringo and make your own album. It's gonna be the same anyway. maybe even better.
I guess everybody has their own list, a bit different from everyone else. The ones hit is another ones shit and vise versa. That - in my opinion - is actually a part of what makes Beatles so great: there’s something for everybody. Here’s my list (best at top):
1. Please Please Me (Highlighted tracks: “I Saw Her Standing There”, “Anna”, “Please Please Me”, “Do You Want To Know A Secret”, “There’s A Place”, “Twist And Shout”) (Moderately remarkable: “Misery”, “Boys”, “Ask Me Why”, “Baby It’s You”, “A Taste Of Honey”) (Weakest track: “Chains”) 2. Sgt. Pepper (Highlighted tracks: “Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds”, “She’s Leaving Home”, “For The Benefit Of Mr. Kite”, “When I’m 64”, “A Day In The Life”) (Moderately remarkable: “A Little Help From My Friends”, “Getting Better”, “Fixing A Hole”, “Within You, Without You”) (Weakest track: “Good Morning”) 3. Rubber Soul (Highlighted tracks: “Norwegian Wood”, “Nowhere Man”, “Michelle”, “Girl”, “In My Life”) (Moderately remarkable: “Drive My Car”, “You Wont See Me”, “The Word”) (Weakest track: “What Goes On”) 4. With The Beatles (Highlighted tracks: “It Won’t Be Long”, “All I Gotta Do”, “All My Loving”, “You Really Gotta Gold On Me”, “Not A Second Time”) (Moderately remarkable: “Till There Was You”, “Please Mr. Postman”, “Devil In Her Heart”) (Weakest track: “Little Child”) 5. Revolver (Highlighted tracks: “Eleanor Rigby”, “I’m Only Sleeping”, “Here There And Everywhere”, “For No One”, “Tomorrow Never Knows”) (Moderately remarkable: “Taxman”, “Dr. Robert”, “Got To Get You Into My Life”) (Weakest track: “Love You To”) 6. A Hard Days Night (Highlighted tracks: “A Hard Days Night”, “I’m Happy Just To Dance With You”, “And I Love Her”, “Can’t Buy Me Love”) (Moderately remarkable: “I Should Have Known Better”, “Tell Me Why”, “Things We Said Today”) (Weakest track: “When I Get Home”) 7. Help (Highlighted tracks: “Help”, “The Night Before”, “I’ve Just Seen A Face”, “Yesterday”) (Moderately remarkable: “You’ve Got To Hide Your Love Away”, “Ticket To Ride”, “It’s Only Love”) (Weakest track: “You Like Me Too Much”) 8. Magical Mystery Tour (Highlighted tracks: “Your Mother Should Know”, “I Am The Walrus”, “Strawberry Fields Forever”, “Penny Lane) (Moderately remarkable: “The Fool On The Hill”, “Hello Goodbye”, “All You Need Is Love”) (Weakest track: “Flying”) 9. Abbey Road (Highlighted tracks: “Oh Darling”, “Here Comes The Sun”, “Because”) (Moderately remarkable: “Maxwell Silver Hammer”, “Octopusses Gaden”, “You Never Give Me Your Money”) (Weakest track: “Mean Mr. Mustard”) 10. For Sale (Highlighted tracks: “Baby’s In Black”, “I’ll Follow The Sun”, “Eight Days A Week”) (Moderately remarkable: “Rock and Roll Music”, “Words Of Love”, “What You’re Doing”) (Weakest track: “I Don’t Want To Spoil The Party”) 11. White Album (Highlighted tracks: “While My Guitar Gently Weeps”, “I Will”, “Sexy Sadie”) (Moderately remarkable: “Back In USSR”, “Blackbird”, “Birthday”) (Weakest track: “Wild Honey Pie”) 12. Let It Be (Highlighted tracks: “Across The Universe”, “Let It Be”) (Moderately remarkable: “Two Of Us”, “The Long And Winding Road, “For You Blue”) (Weakest track: “Dig It”) - - - 13. Yellow Submarine ( - Note: I don’t count this as a real Beatles-album) I would not be able to create a list of absolute favorite Beatles songs. There are too many. And because of the diversity in The Beatles songbook, I think that many of them can’t be compared and put in an order. “All My Loving” is to me an example of a perfect pop song, pure pop at its best. But does that place it over or under a highly experimental and unconventional track such as “I Am The Walrus”, which is a completely different kind of a musical experience? You can’t really say. It’s comparing what can’t be compared! But here’s a little converted list (worst at top) of what I consider Beatles’ weakest output, but only containing regular songs, without snippets such as “Dig It”, “Wild Honey Pie” and “Mean Mr. Mustard”. Following that rule my “hate” (read: less loved) list will be: 1. Everybody’s Got Something To Hide Except For Me And My Monkey. 2. Long Long Long 3. I Me MIne 4. Dig A Pony 5. Dear Prudence 6. Only A Northern Song 7. Savoy Truffle 8. I Don’t Want To Spoil The Party 9. When I Get Home 10. Love You To
I do believe that the UK Rubber Soul was a departure from the earlier albums. Listening to it once I realised how 'rounded' it sounded tonally whereas the earlier albums sound more 'squared' if that makes sense. The album has the influence of pot all through it. Although so does HELP for that matter. In actual fact the evolution was through every single album.
My Ranking 13. Yellow Submarine 12. With The Beatles 11. Please Please Me 10. A Hard Day’s Night 09. Beatles For Sale 08. Let It Be Alright. Here are my favorite albums. 07. Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band 06. Magical Mystery Tour 05. The White Album 04. Help! 03. Rubber Soul 02. Revolver 01. Abbey Road
Hey joe, hoped you had a great labor day. I'm just kicking back playing Plastic Ono Band album and john is belting out "Mother". Love that song. Anyway as for me i've said for a while now that revolver is my number one. I'm gonna bump revolver from one to two and yes the white album number one. Thats what i like about what we do here, we can change our minds anytime we want. I'm with you on yellow sub. but not so much on rubber soul. Higher for me. You got pepper right and the mystery tour also right. I would put revolver ahead of abbey road. Glad you brought up Don't bother Me. A real good george song that gets blasted a lot. One of my favorites. Also the American version of Revolver sucks. And yes this is a pet peeve of mine that over the last ten years McCartney feels he must tell the world who wrote what and who had a part in this song or that song. I wasn't in the recording studio with them but i have a good idea who did what. If i hear one more time (i did this for john and i did this for george). Don't get me wrong i love the man but STOP with this i had a hand in every single song. It was ME ME ME. I wish to god john was still with us cause he might see it a bit different.
Nice list, mine would be 13. Yellow submarine 12.with the Beatles 11.let it be 10.please please me 9.Beatles for sale 8.Help! 7.magical mystery tour 6. Rubber soul 5. Sgt peppers 4. Hard days night 3.white album 2. Revolver 1. Abbey road
It's a pain for me to do this, I get a headache just thinking about it. But I totally agree with you on The White Album. I love The White Album for many reasons- it has some of The Beatles best songs ever, it's a mix of so many genres, and a handful of the songs The Beatles play in a Hard Rock style(which is possibly my favorite genre), even going towards a Punk/Heavy Metal direction with Helter Skelter, which how can a band doing songs like From Me To You, All My Loving, and I Want To Hold Your Hand 5 years earlier to this crazy dirty heavy shit! No band has made such a change that fast, especially with all the same members.
Terrific stuff. I really appreciate your Vid. I would also put the White album up there but I would put it second to Pepper.The White album has this great sprawling diversity. It is a strange trip to play it all the way through However, I think SP has a particular aura about it; that strange studio echo sound, the experimentation, It has the diversity, it is less commercial than Rubber Soul and Revolver. Pepper was the first album I ever owned so it's also something I grew up with, but certainly never grew out of. The albums after Pepper seem more patched together, individualistic with secondary contributions from sidemen and seem a bit uncoordinated and lacking in central themes but don't get me wrong they are still incredible. Interesting that you put a lot of their early stuff on there. This often gets overlooked.
I remember when I first listened to the white album. I just kept thinking to myself that the songs that were good were amazing, but the songs that were bad were really bad. Then again I was 17 at the time and I've been hearing a lot of more recent opinions and a lot of people nowadays saying that it's their favorite so that's making me wanna give it another chance
13. With the Beatles 12. Beatles for sale 11. Yellow submarine 10. Hard days night 9. Please please me 8. Let it be 7. Help! 6. Rubber soul 5. Magical mystery tour (first and second side don't match and flying as well as blue jay way I hate but considering that it's filled with wonderful songs) 4. White album 3. Abby road 2. Revolver 1. Sargent peppers lonely harts club band
My top 13: 13-Yellow Submarine 12-With the Beatles 11-Beatles for Sale 10-Let it Be 9-Please Please Me 8-A Hard days night 7-Magical Mystery Tour 6-White Album 5-Help 4-Sgt Pepper 3-Revolver 2-Rubber Soul 1-Abbey Road
The White Album is one of those albums that is sometimes the best thing ever recorded and other times takes a backseat to other albums. It's a love/like relationship with that album. But still it's an enjoyable album any time.
Hello Mr. Mayo. I give a big apology for not discovering your channel until so recently. As for lots of people this quarantine is the first chance I've had to catch up on UA-cam. I am so thrilled to finally see someone else agree with my opinions in a few areas! The first being how With The Beatles is a fantastic overlooked album that I personally feel is the strongest of their first seven. It was the first Beatles album I heard all the way through when I was about 8 years old, and I've had such a love of it ever since - including the covers. Rubber Soul is the other album that no one else thinks the same as me. I absolutely agree with your opinion, I don't see much of a change in direction at least from Help!, and I agree that Norwegian Wood is the only song you wouldn't expect on earlier albums. Also the cover is my favourite as well! Thanks so much for this video, I look forward to watching more.
Well you are crazy but I love that you bigged up 'With the Beatles' Which I see as their best early LP. 'Sgt Peppers' is my #1, 'Magical Mystery' 2, 'Rubber Soul' 3 and 'White Album' 4. #5 being 'With the Beatles'.
I think you are missing the point a bit with regards to how important an album Rubber Soul is. You may be right in saying the style did not change a great deal from their early work, however the quality of songwriting, production and musical craft jumped leaps and bounds on this album. They had not recorded tracks as funky as drive my car or the word previously. Tracks like in my life and nowhere man represented new song writing territory for John, away from traditional love. All the songs are recorded so tightly and just sound so much better than Help. Plus on hearing this album Brian Wilson felt he needed to up his game. Every songs fits so cohesively and flows so well on this album. Should have been higher!! I did however love your justification for the white album as number one, it's a very hard choice but I think you are right!
My ranking would be like this (please note that acknowledge Magical Mystery Tour being an original American album. And also acknowledge the only greatest hits package released in the 60s. U.K. 1. Revolver 2. White album 3. Rubber Soul 4. Sgt pepper 5. Abbey Road 6. A Hard days night 7. Help 8. Beatles for Sale 9. Please Please Me 10. With the Beatles 11. Let it be 12. Collection of Beatle Oldies 13. Yellow Submarine OST US 1. Magical Mystery Tour 2. Rubber Soul US 3. Yesterday and Today 4. Meet the Beatles 5. Hey Jude 6. Beatles 65 7. Second Album 8. Beatles VI 9. Something new 10. Revolver US 11. Early Beatles 12. Help OST 13. Hard days night OST
Have you ever thought of comparing the UK albums with those US albums that are very similar to them: Please Please Me - Introducing... The Beatles & The Early Beatles With The Beatles - Meet The Beatles Beatles For Sale - Beatles '65 Hard Days Night & Help Rubber Soul and Revolver
George - I don't know. Seems like so many others on UA-cam have actually done that. That's the problem with making Beatles reviews and things... it's so repetitive. I do plan on making a "Defense of the US Albums" video one of these days.
All the US releases will always sound disjointed to anyone brought up with the Parlophone releases. The reverb jars rather than enhances IMO and even by then Capitol must have realised that they didn't need to put hit singles on to sell the Beatles albums.
I prefer A Hard Day's Night to be No. 1 mainly because it's truly an enjoyable album that became a movie and Lennon McCartney truly delivers in this all original album. So many good songs in this album that's worth listening. The White Album was a masterpiece and should really be ranked high on every lists. Beatles For Sale was the Beatles most underrated album but it's not bad and it's a pretty fine album to have and for me the it has the best album cover.
I hope one day EMI/Capitol/Apple puts out the Decca sessions as a proper album, and at the correct speed. This probably won't happen during Ringo's lifetime, unfortunately. Paul wrote the forward for one of Pete Best's books, so he probably wouldn't have a major problem with its release.
MeanMr Mayo Yes, but I want the full Giles Martin speed-corrected, demixed and remastered 5.1 surround-sound Decca audition experience, with my man Pete Best isolated by hisself and coming out of the back speaker!
13. Yellow Submarine 12. Beatles for sale 11. With the Beatles 10. Revolver 9. A Hard Days Night 8. Rubber Soul 7. Help 6. Please Please Me 5. Sgt Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band 4. Let It Be 3. Abbey Road 2. Magical Mystery Tour 1. White Album
Your top 4 contains the same albums as mine, just in a different order. I agree about Rubber Soul, it’s a little overrated, IMO. John’s songs are great (among his best), but the rest of the songs are just ok. And, the US version is a little better than the UK. It starts off with I’ve Just Seen A Face which is better than any other McCartney song on either version. I also prefer MMT to SPLHCB. It’s hard to top Walrus, Strawberry Fields and Hello Goodbye. I also have a fondness for Rich Man, the bass in the intro is just fun to listen to. BTW, my top 4: 1 The Beatles 2 Abbey Road 3 Revolver 4 AHDN 3 and 4 to me are flawless albums, because there’s not a weak track on either, IMO.
That is one heck of an album without the cut outs that came with the Sargent Pepper album and there is a nonsense thing on the end meant to drive your dog up the wall, that white cover album might actually be the Butcher Street Album as the album was toned down by changing the cover to a white cover.
Thank you for your heartfelt ranking of the Beatles albums! I know it must have been hard for you, but in the end it was great! I really appreciated this!
White Album is my favourite too. Great list, happy to see you went with your own taste rather than popular opinion like so many other rankings.
Mr Mayo your channel and your videos are great. Congrats from a Greek Beatlemaniac.
Nicely done. What I love about your list is that it does not put the later stuff at the top and the early stuff at the bottom. Many of these lists tend to do that. I'm extremely happy to see With The Beatles in the top 5. This one always gets overlooked.
Thanks Joe, you've cheered up my day.
Great video Joe, thought provoaking stuff and a real tough task to rank such masterpieces! For me it is always Abbey Road and Revolver at #1 & 2, the rest are interchangable depending on my mood, but definitely prefer the later stuff to the earlier. However as you say there is not a bad album amongst the 13..
Great List. When you were down to the last two .... I was hoping you would pick Hard Day's Night ... That is the one I would have picked. I love that record ..... Always sounds so good to me .....
I agree with you concerning the cover versions ... those early ones especially are great ... When I first heard them about in the early 70's as a 12 year old .. I had no clue they were cover versions ..so it never mattered .....
Signing off now and going to listen to some Hard Day's Night.
Great review
Hi joe. I really enjoyed this video mate. Wasn't to sure about seeing the Beatles albums being ranked but as you list would be different to mine it was so interesting to see what you where going to show next. Great video Joe. Loved the comments as well. Especially the part about Paul with the White album which I am right there with you on. I down agree with everything the man has said but on the White album he was spot on. Great video Joe and take care
rockboy680 - Thanks for checking it out.
+MeanMr Mayo hi joe. Just wanted to leave you another quick message saying I hope you don't mind that I also did this video today. Enjoyed your video so much it inspired me to do it. As you where the one who did it first though I gave you a shout out :D anyway sorry to bug you again just thought I'd drop you a quick note by. Speak to you later mate. Take care
Of course I don't mind... I wish others would also make videos on this! I did see your video in my feed, but I have a lot of videos to catch up with (including your 'All Things Must Pass' and "Wild Life' reviews... they're in my feed along with others' ) .
Help was always my favorite UK LP.
Joe, I saw this video when it first came out, loved it and have returned to it probably at least a half dozen times in the past year and a half. There ain't no wrong answers. Love the explanations you give. Great list!
When you bring up The Beatles Anthology toward the end, it had me thinking....It would be great to see you show and discuss all you Anthology related media - the videos, records, book, etc. and just share your thoughts about that whole project and your recollection of the mid '90's when all that was being released. - Bob
BrotherBob1984 - Hi Bob. Believe it or not, I don't have many Anthology memories, nor artifacts! Really! I don't know why that was the case. But interestingly, I have been considering re-ranking the Beatles' albums.
I love your #1 pick too! White Album is so immaculate! But..... I guess I am like everyone else when it depends on what mood I am in. Great vid. Peace.
Great video Joe and nice points about Maxwell, Paul's White Album comment and Help vs Rubber Soul. I think the point there is that one can see a progression on EVERY Beatles album in a way, even though A Hard Days Night is probably stronger than Beatles For Sale, song for song. I don't think I'll attempt this one...maybe one day...would have Let It Be higher for sure. But I respect your opinion as always.
It's a tough call, isn't it! I couldn't do it! As soon as I pick an album I argue with myself! Haha, As for cover songs, The Beatles made them their own! And anyhow, in those days most people didn't write their own songs! The fact that the early albums had so many original songs on them was applauded! Great video Mr Mayo!
I loved hearing your opinions on their albums
really enjoyed this video thanks
For me , I see a big split, first half of their career John era, rock and roll songs; 2nd half Paul era, art songs.
Both very inventive in their own right and both with a lot of crossover. I personally prefer the early stuff, and I'm glad you didn' limit your favorites to the 2nd half of their career. Good job!
I agree that on the whole the earlier era is the "John" era and the latter era is the "Paul" era. That's why I prefer the latter era. It's more artistic and less dependent upon 1950s style Rock and Roll. That's not to say that I don't love the earlier material. Hard Day's Night and Introducing the Beatles are masterful albums in that earlier style.
I agree about the U.S, Rubber Soul album - "I've Just Seen A Face" is one of those rare instances where Capitol made a brilliant decision.
When I saw my personal no. 1 "Rubber Soul" at your no. 9 I thought "Whaaaat?!?!?". But I love your list. You picked your favorites and didn't care about what the critics think. Chapeau!
I’ve just watched this vid “Again” , excellent! I love your attitude Joe! It also makes me think 🤔 as I’ve done forever, what an truly amazing catalog they produced!
Besides the world tours, movies, TV appearances, ect in what was a short time period! 1962-1970 ! It’s now 2020 and the bubble hasn’t burst!
Guess what people! It’s an unburstable bubble!
And I have no problem with that!
I continue to feel happy when I hear The Beatles. Either together or solo! Whilst painting part of my back room last night, Memory almost full was on repeat! A solo album from Paul that lifted my spirits at the time of its release at a very sad and dark period in my life. I’m so looking forward to McCartney 3 and the Let it be reissue! I’m enjoying, give me some truth! All I ask is, keep it coming! Yeah. 😃👍
This is a difficult list to compile. Good job!
Fantastic video Joe. I completely understand your dilemma in ranking the albums. I too, often change from time to time. But yes, the white album is for me the most amazing package. People often focus on the arguments, problems & distinctly different styles & they say it's messy. However, those who really dissect the path of the Beatles and try to understand what they did know that all 4 Beatles were still brothers during the recordings. Clips, comments E.G. 'Hey Bulldog' etc. around this time still show how much they helped & cared for each other. Especially so when you listen to Paul's backups on John's songs. Keep up the great work Joe. GAZ (Melbourne/Australia)
Gazza P -- Right you are, Sir! Thanks as always for watching. G'Day!
Hi Joe! Nice ranking of the U.K. Albums. Number 1 favorite UK album is difficult even though I'm leaning towards the White Album. I also would put AHDN near the top too. Take care Joe
hey Joe,
Do you still own your Beatles mono boxset, which you showed in a video a couple of years ago ?
cheers....
Nope. I have just the outer box with no records inside. Sold them off to make money for rarer Beatles records, figuring I could always replace them individually if I like, later.
Great video, Joe. My number 1 will always be "Sgt Pepper". Not only the greatest Beatles album but the greatest album of all time, in my opinion. My number 2 is "Abbey Road", mainly because of the medley. A tour de force if there ever was one. Never was that crazy about the White Album. Had some good songs but if I'm in the mood to play a Beatles album, chances are it's not going to be the White Album. I do have 6 copies of it though. Loved this video, Joe, and the reasons why you ranked them the way you did. Excellent job. Take care.
Beatlecat1 - It's good to see the love again for SGT. PEPPER. In many ways that really does deserve to have the label of "Greatest Album Of All Time".
Beatlecat1 ..Amen to Sgt Pepper as the #1 album by the Beatles or anybody..
Why did you only put it at #8 than
joe I agree White Album still blows me away I luv your honesty and choices With the Beatles very underrated excellent video Joe I wish I would of bought those UK originals those are so sought after. Thumbs up buddy
Thanks.
Any thoughts on johns white album and pauls more sgt pepper as far as album vision so to speak
The only one which suprised me was rubber soul, great video Joe
you & Vinyl Richie have become my 2 Faves in the VC i watch both channels
I think it is very difficult to rank Beatles albums. On any one day I could change my mind as to which album I like best. I think when your looking at all the Beatles albums, they need to be looked as a progressive body of work ! So when you pick an album to play you know where it fits into the progressive lineage ! Some days when I feel like playing a Beatles album I ask my myself early, middle or later stage Beatles. Other times just get me a greatest hits !!!!
Good job wit the rankings. No matter what order you pick or prefer the American or British versions you cannot go wrong since it is still the Beatles no matter what.
Hey Joe. well you certainly surprised me with that one. it's my favorite Beatles album too. like yourself i grew up with the American versions because it was all i knew at the time and the British versions were hard to find and expensive for this kid growing up in the 70's. but my favorite American version album growing up was Yesterday and Today. i bought it in 1974 and i still have it! paid $5.27 at Woolco.Loved this video!
Thanks, James.
I have one thing to say. I love With the beatles!
Great choice!
@@railwaymaster1163 ... me too. I found it interesting that the reviewer used the term "Beatlemania" when describing this fine album. Here in Canada, the capitol release was indeed called "Beatlemania with the Beatles"
Really enjoying this video, currently watching in sunny Santorini. I'm pleased to see you put 'With The Beatles' fairly high up, I feel that it's quite an underrated album.
santorini beautiful place ,been there a couple times
Hi Joe I really love the shirt man
great list. I would find it impossible to rank as mine would change daily. top 3 would probably be Sgt Pepper, Abbey Road and Revolver in no set order and sometimes Hard Days Night would get in there. very hard to order
I think when it comes to With The Beatles you exactly nailed it! I too have often thought it is my number one. Of the later albums, White Album, which is my weekend album to play, takes one on a journey unlike anything else. It touches the limits of intensity in a way no other album does. I personally love Revolver as well and think Sgt Peppers is great but prefer other songs more on the above mentioned. I'm 58 and growing up, Help! was one of my favorites as well as Hard Days Night. All in all, a very interesting assessment of the most amazing discography ever created.
I have to ask Joe, does this ranking still hold true in 2020? I think every year we have to reassess them that's all. If so I will offer up mine, if not I will wait until you update. Be curious to see how they compare.
I don't recall the order back then, but I am sure it would be different if I did it again (stay tuned).
Wow great list. Ive been waiting for this video for a while and it hasnt dissapointed. But i am suprised i thought there would of been a few more earlier albums up there as i know youre a fan of earlier stuff.
Heres my list.
13.Yellow Submarine
12. Let it Be
11. Beatles for sale
10. Please Please Me
9. Help!
8. Magical mystery tour
7. Sgt Pepper
6. With the Beatles
5. A Hard days night
4. Rubber Soul
3. Abbey Road
2. Revolver
1. The White Album
They do change but only in the sections theyre in.
DISCLAIMER: I ranked these purely based on my enjoyment of each album, NOT based on which albums are necessarily better than others.
1. Rubber Soul (1965)
2. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967)
3. Abbey Road (1969)
4. Magical Mystery Tour (1967)
5. A Hard Day's Night (1964)
6. Revolver (1966)
7. Please Please Me (1963)
8. With The Beatles (1963)
9. The White Album (1968)
10. Help! (1965)
11. Beatles for Sale (1964)
12. Let It Be (1970)
13. Yellow Submarine (1969)
Hi Joe. I enjoyed this video. My list (which I made years ago and have pretty much stuck with) is actually very similar to yours with a couple of exceptions. I know Abbey Road gets rated highly, but I don't find the songs as good as some others. I'm also a big John fan. Here is a list of the albums that give me the most enjoyment, top to bottom:
1. A Hard Day's Night
2. Revolver
3. The Beatles
4. Rubber Soul
5. With The Beatles
6. Please Please Me
7. Help!
8. Sgt Pepper
9. Magical Mystery Tour
10. Abbey Road
11. Beatles For Sale
12. Let It Be
13. Yellow Submarine
I agree With The Beatles is very lambasted and put down, I’ve always loved the song “Not A Second Time”. Plus that album cover is probably my favorite of the “early Beatles”, that black and white is so clean.
Hey Joe, you really surprised the HELL out of me! I'm not sure what else to say. And for me, Help! is the sort of forgotten, great Beatles album. Great video and bold choices! Take care...
The albums with the cover songs that I ranked low, I didn’t rank them lower because of the cover songs. There was just something to those albums that don’t make them my favorite albums. But I still love those albums. Also, I don’t have any problems with Beatles For Sale and Let It Be. I still miss Don’t Let Me Down on Let It Be.
In this video you mentioned that there is the early mid and later Beatles. Where would you consider each era to begin?
+Awesome Connor ... maybe early would begin 1962 through 1964. Middle would be 1965 to 67. Late would it be 68 to 70. Or so I guess!
MeanMr Mayo I agree
By the way this is my list.
13. Yellow Submarine
The only new song I really like is Hey Bulldog.
12. Beatles for Sale
A pretty solid album but the exact opposite of A Hard Day's Night.
11. Please Please Me
A really good debut but not my favorite
10. Let it Be
Good, but it has a lot of overrated songs like Let it Be, Across the Universe, Long and Winding Road and also underrated like I've Got a Feeling and Dig a Pony. I agree with u though, it needs don't let me down
9. With The Beatles
I Really Like This Album pretty underrated
8. Magical Mystery Tour
I like it but it kind of feels too psychedelic to me.
7. Help!
Great album but I feel side 2 is kind of lacking
6. A Hard Days Night
Amazing album. Only songs I don't really like are I'll cry instead and when I get home
5. Abbey Road
I love this album but I just like the others a bit more
4. The White Album
Awesome, but it has my least favorite Beatles songs, revolution 9 and wild honey pie
3. Sgt Pepper
What can I say?
2. Rubber Soul
I think this was a break from the past because the lyrics started getting more mature and of course the sitar
1. Revolver
The perfect mixture of early and later beatles
Hi Joe, why did you decide to get rid of the new mono box set?
Needed some quick cash. I saved the box so I could always replace the LPs at some time.
13. Beatles For Sale. 12. Yellow Submarine. 11. With The Beatles. 10. Let It Be. 9. Help! 8. Please Please Me. 7. A Hard Day's Night. 6. Rubber Soul. 5. Magical Mystery Tour. 4. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. 3. Revolver. 2. White Album. 1. Abbey Road. 5 & 4 are the only hard ones for me because 5 has some of their best while 4 is their most even.
Great job, this is so hard to do. Can't wait for the US release version. On capital love the 2nd album and I do prefer the US Rubber Soul. White Album is my #1 without Hey Jude and Revolution from that time which I love both. Prefer 2nd album (US) over with the Beatles (UK). Peace & Love.
I think the white albums plain white cover actually comes from honoring Brian Epstein after he died just after Sgt Pepper. Because he said of Sgt Pepper when asked about what he thinks they should do for the cover "oh,it sounds fabulous,just put it in a plain paper bag and it will sell" so they did that for the next album,the white album
Are those original UK 1st pressings in the video? If so.......a future video showing labels and discussing matrix info would be nice.........and informative.
Steve Derda - No, not all originals. Some aren't even UK's (like the thumbnail shot of SGT PEPPER!).
13. Please Please Me
12. A Hard Day's Night
11. With The Beatles
10. Beatles For Sale
9. Help!
8. Yellow Submarine
7. Let It Be
6. Magical Mystery Tour
5. Rubber Soul
4. Abbey Road
3. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
2. Revolver
1. The Beatles (White Album)
This ranking is crazy
What about Past Masters or live at BBC?
I agree with everything you said about the Beatles White album it is my favorite it is been my favorite for 20 years
great ranking. Personally, O would have gone 5-With The Beatles 4-Revolver 3-Rubber Soul 2-A Hard Day's Night and 1-Abbey Rd. I do understand why you went with The White Album as your number 1 record though.
I think the only one that matched mine was Yellow Submarine, but still very interesting
Joe, I am very surprised by your Rubber Soul ranking. Question: would you rank the US Rubber Soul in the same spot?
Maybe I'd put it ahead of HELP in that case. More of a folksy album, the US one... and therefore more of an individual identity.
Great video. White albums my number one as well. Will there be a ranking for the U.S. albums? Again great video Thank you.
mike u - I have done a US albums ranking already..
great list. i would have put rubber soul higher. but the white album at 1. i totally agree. so much great music in 1 album.
Favorite Beatle Albums
1.Revolver White Album
2.Please Please Me Hard Day's Night
3.Rubber Soul Sgt. Pepper Magical Mystery Abbey Road
4.Help! With the Beatles Beatles For Sale
5.Let It Be
6.Yellow Submarine
So I guess I like many albums about the same, but I put them in order of the ones that I like just a bit more first (like Revolver and White Album are about tied but I guess Revolver comes out on top for me).I like all of them but if I had to rank them it would be in this order. Also I might count the "Past Masters" set as one big double album and put it after Abbey Road.
I also like certain songs that get a lot of flack like "Piggies" and "Wild Honey Pie" "Fool On The Hill" "Bungalow Bill"
God this is hard so many damn great Beatles songs but my favorite all time Beatles is in my life OMG what a wonderful song
My number one is Rubber Soul,because I know the band by this album,was the first record as I hear and like very much.
I love the respect for with the Beatles and a hard days night. Although I would put them lower, they're still fantastic.
I absolutely think that Rubber Soul is the transitional album because the music is much more versatile and complex than before and what is more, you suddenly have several songs that are not boy-loves-girl in terms of lyrics. We just need to go from "It's only love" to "In my life" and from "I need you" to "If I needed someone" (perhaps the latter pair even captures the transition even better because even the difference in the title from the simple statement to the conditional clause with its hypothetical mood sum up what had changed), all released in the same year.
I love the early Beatles, but it is the later stuff that makes them unique for me (and for the history of pop music). So a very different list. (Let it be is a very personal choice because sometimes an album hits you very hard on some level that you cannot explain when you first listen to it).
13. Beatles for sale
12. Please please me
11. Yellow Submarine
10. Help
9. With the Beatles
8. Hard Day’s Night
7. Rubber Soul
6. Revolver
5. Magical Mystery Tour
4. White Album
3. Abbey Road
2. Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band
1. Let it be
I agree on the point you made on Rubber Soul and Help! I know George Harrison said Rubber Soul and Revolver could be part 1 and part 2 in his opinion but I always thought Help! And Rubber Soul were more like part 1 and part 2
Great point of view about the White Album. You want a less eclectic collection of songs? There’s 12 other albums to listen to. The variety and diversity of the White Album is the main reason it’s my favorite.
Good stuff Joe! "A Hard Days Night" blows the doors off "Pet Sounds" and that's what 64? Yeah any song on A Hard Days Night could have been a single.....and yeah we all love & admire Pauly 😆 but according 2 him, he did everything. 😆 that book "Many Years From Now" or whatever. It's called would have never seen the light of day if John was around. God bless John Lennon....we got your back. Take care Joe!
Whered you get that shirt I like it
It was an old gift.
hi from spain mr.mayo.. agree with number one..and i agree with ahdn...but for me its number six...thank you for your work
Amazing video, my favourite Beatles album and my favourite album of all time is Abbey Road!!!😃👍☮️❤️
I think arguably the Beatles had 4 periods: early (Please Please Me up to Beatles For Sale), mid (Help to Revolver), later: Pepper to White album, late: Let It Be to Abbey Road.
Some interesting choices, and it was a surprise to see Rubber Soul beneath Help and With the Beatles.
I might have had Please Please Me higher. A friend of mine once described listening to that album as akin to enjoying a really good take-out pizza. That seems like a good comparison to me.
I'm afraid that for me personally, the American Rubber Soul doesn't figure. I suppose at this point in their career the Beatles were crafting 'An Album' for the first time with Rubber Soul (although they'd begun to do that with Help to be fair). But Rubber Soul was definitely their first properly cohesive artistic statement, so the fact that the American market put out a different track list kind of contradicted what the band was trying to do at this stage.
Pepper is over-rated I think (not by you in this video, I mean just generally).
I would have had Revolver at number 1 and Abbey Road probably at around the 5-6 mark. There are fair few insubstantial song fragments on that album which I personally find a bit unsatisfying.
The White album - some great songs, some poor ones. You argued it well though I think I would be wary of signposting a Beatles novice to it, as side one contains Ob la di, Honey Pie and Bungalow Bill, all quite annoying novelty songs. There are also one or two songs on it which I do genuinely think are stinkers - can you guess which ones though?
Good video!
James Griffiths - Thanks for your response. I could go on guessing with several songs off The White Album that I could see people refer to as "stinkers", so I'm not sure if I'd bother guessing. Do you want to tell me? I mean, are they "Revolution 9" and "Wild Honey Pie", or one of several other more true "songs" ?
The 2 songs that really do irritate me on that album are actually Rocky Racoon (which would possibly be Ok were it not so long), and Don't Pass Me By, which I find to be really clattery and clumsy, with that horrible screechy violin going through it. Revolution 9 is great, for me it kind of makes the second half of the album. As you said in this video, Paul tries to take the credit for the tape-loops in Tomorrow Never Knows etc etc (which OK to be fair is true), but let's face it, it wasn't Paul who put an entire rambling track of tape loops together then insisted the whole thing went on a Beatles album. There are some very fine songs on the White album, particularly by John. I love Julia, Happiness is a Warm Gun, I'm so Tired, Yer Blues, Dear Prudence - so many.
Joe I agree with you on the US Rubber Soul, I've Just Seen A Face and Its Only Love just fits the album mood here. I think Sgt Pepper could have been more like #4 imop. I am with you in the White Album, some deem it better than Sgt Pepper. The UK A Hard Day's Night is one of my top Beatles albums too.
Help! contained three number one hits. McCartney’s first post-Beatles tour of America featured five Beatles songs-two from Help! The title track was always on Lennon’s short list of his favorites. Yesterday-the most covered song of all time.
This is a subject ranking of personal preference, not a list of chart achievements.
sgt pepper was recorded on a four track i think. that is amazing if true
I heard something really interesting. John Lennon said in an interview that the Beatles are better broken up cause they are not restricted to each other and more productive this way. Also he said if you want so much to have Beatle albums take a tape and record a song from him , a song from Paul , a song from George ,a song from Ringo and make your own album. It's gonna be the same anyway. maybe even better.
Yes, that's from a 1971 interview with David Wigg.
I guess everybody has their own list, a bit different from everyone else. The ones hit is another ones shit and vise versa. That - in my opinion - is actually a part of what makes Beatles so great: there’s something for everybody.
Here’s my list (best at top):
1. Please Please Me
(Highlighted tracks: “I Saw Her Standing There”, “Anna”, “Please Please Me”, “Do You Want To Know A Secret”, “There’s A Place”, “Twist And Shout”)
(Moderately remarkable: “Misery”, “Boys”, “Ask Me Why”, “Baby It’s You”, “A Taste Of Honey”)
(Weakest track: “Chains”)
2. Sgt. Pepper
(Highlighted tracks: “Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds”, “She’s Leaving Home”, “For The Benefit Of Mr. Kite”, “When I’m 64”, “A Day In The Life”)
(Moderately remarkable: “A Little Help From My Friends”, “Getting Better”, “Fixing A Hole”, “Within You, Without You”)
(Weakest track: “Good Morning”)
3. Rubber Soul
(Highlighted tracks: “Norwegian Wood”, “Nowhere Man”, “Michelle”, “Girl”, “In My Life”)
(Moderately remarkable: “Drive My Car”, “You Wont See Me”, “The Word”)
(Weakest track: “What Goes On”)
4. With The Beatles
(Highlighted tracks: “It Won’t Be Long”, “All I Gotta Do”, “All My Loving”, “You Really Gotta Gold On Me”, “Not A Second Time”)
(Moderately remarkable: “Till There Was You”, “Please Mr. Postman”, “Devil In Her Heart”)
(Weakest track: “Little Child”)
5. Revolver
(Highlighted tracks: “Eleanor Rigby”, “I’m Only Sleeping”, “Here There And Everywhere”, “For No One”, “Tomorrow Never Knows”)
(Moderately remarkable: “Taxman”, “Dr. Robert”, “Got To Get You Into My Life”)
(Weakest track: “Love You To”)
6. A Hard Days Night
(Highlighted tracks: “A Hard Days Night”, “I’m Happy Just To Dance With You”, “And I Love Her”, “Can’t Buy Me Love”)
(Moderately remarkable: “I Should Have Known Better”, “Tell Me Why”, “Things We Said Today”)
(Weakest track: “When I Get Home”)
7. Help
(Highlighted tracks: “Help”, “The Night Before”, “I’ve Just Seen A Face”, “Yesterday”)
(Moderately remarkable: “You’ve Got To Hide Your Love Away”, “Ticket To Ride”, “It’s Only Love”)
(Weakest track: “You Like Me Too Much”)
8. Magical Mystery Tour
(Highlighted tracks: “Your Mother Should Know”, “I Am The Walrus”, “Strawberry Fields Forever”, “Penny Lane)
(Moderately remarkable: “The Fool On The Hill”, “Hello Goodbye”, “All You Need Is Love”)
(Weakest track: “Flying”)
9. Abbey Road
(Highlighted tracks: “Oh Darling”, “Here Comes The Sun”, “Because”)
(Moderately remarkable: “Maxwell Silver Hammer”, “Octopusses Gaden”, “You Never Give Me Your Money”)
(Weakest track: “Mean Mr. Mustard”)
10. For Sale
(Highlighted tracks: “Baby’s In Black”, “I’ll Follow The Sun”, “Eight Days A Week”)
(Moderately remarkable: “Rock and Roll Music”, “Words Of Love”, “What You’re Doing”)
(Weakest track: “I Don’t Want To Spoil The Party”)
11. White Album
(Highlighted tracks: “While My Guitar Gently Weeps”, “I Will”, “Sexy Sadie”)
(Moderately remarkable: “Back In USSR”, “Blackbird”, “Birthday”)
(Weakest track: “Wild Honey Pie”)
12. Let It Be
(Highlighted tracks: “Across The Universe”, “Let It Be”)
(Moderately remarkable: “Two Of Us”, “The Long And Winding Road, “For You Blue”)
(Weakest track: “Dig It”)
- - -
13. Yellow Submarine ( - Note: I don’t count this as a real Beatles-album)
I would not be able to create a list of absolute favorite Beatles songs. There are too many. And because of the diversity in The Beatles songbook, I think that many of them can’t be compared and put in an order. “All My Loving” is to me an example of a perfect pop song, pure pop at its best. But does that place it over or under a highly experimental and unconventional track such as “I Am The Walrus”, which is a completely different kind of a musical experience? You can’t really say. It’s comparing what can’t be compared!
But here’s a little converted list (worst at top) of what I consider Beatles’ weakest output, but only containing regular songs, without snippets such as “Dig It”, “Wild Honey Pie” and “Mean Mr. Mustard”. Following that rule my “hate” (read: less loved) list will be:
1. Everybody’s Got Something To Hide Except For Me And My Monkey.
2. Long Long Long
3. I Me MIne
4. Dig A Pony
5. Dear Prudence
6. Only A Northern Song
7. Savoy Truffle
8. I Don’t Want To Spoil The Party
9. When I Get Home
10. Love You To
I do believe that the UK Rubber Soul was a departure from the earlier albums. Listening to it once I realised how 'rounded' it sounded tonally whereas the earlier albums sound more 'squared' if that makes sense. The album has the influence of pot all through it. Although so does HELP for that matter. In actual fact the evolution was through every single album.
My Ranking
13. Yellow Submarine
12. With The Beatles
11. Please Please Me
10. A Hard Day’s Night
09. Beatles For Sale
08. Let It Be
Alright. Here are my favorite albums.
07. Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band
06. Magical Mystery Tour
05. The White Album
04. Help!
03. Rubber Soul
02. Revolver
01. Abbey Road
Hey joe, hoped you had a great labor day. I'm just kicking back playing Plastic Ono Band album and john is belting out "Mother". Love that song. Anyway as for me i've said for a while now that revolver is my number one. I'm gonna bump revolver from one to two and yes the white album number one. Thats what i like about what we do here, we can change our minds anytime we want. I'm with you on yellow sub. but not so much on rubber soul. Higher for me. You got pepper right and the mystery tour also right. I would put revolver ahead of abbey road. Glad you brought up Don't bother Me. A real good george song that gets blasted a lot. One of my favorites. Also the American version of Revolver sucks. And yes this is a pet peeve of mine that over the last ten years McCartney feels he must tell the world who wrote what and who had a part in this song or that song. I wasn't in the recording studio with them but i have a good idea who did what. If i hear one more time (i did this for john and i did this for george). Don't get me wrong i love the man but STOP with this i had a hand in every single song. It was ME ME ME. I wish to god john was still with us cause he might see it a bit different.
day tripper - That was a contender for "Best Post Of 2016"!
Thank you joe.
Nice list, mine would be
13. Yellow submarine
12.with the Beatles
11.let it be
10.please please me
9.Beatles for sale
8.Help!
7.magical mystery tour
6. Rubber soul
5. Sgt peppers
4. Hard days night
3.white album
2. Revolver
1. Abbey road
It's a pain for me to do this, I get a headache just thinking about it. But I totally agree with you on The White Album. I love The White Album for many reasons- it has some of The Beatles best songs ever, it's a mix of so many genres, and a handful of the songs The Beatles play in a Hard Rock style(which is possibly my favorite genre), even going towards a Punk/Heavy Metal direction with Helter Skelter, which how can a band doing songs like From Me To You, All My Loving, and I Want To Hold Your Hand 5 years earlier to this crazy dirty heavy shit! No band has made such a change that fast, especially with all the same members.
donaldrocks - that is precisely the #1 thing that amazes me about The Beatles. So much change and great advancement in such a short amount of time.
Terrific stuff. I really appreciate your Vid. I would also put the White album up there but I would put it second to Pepper.The White album has this great sprawling diversity. It is a strange trip to play it all the way through However, I think SP has a particular aura about it; that strange studio echo sound, the experimentation, It has the diversity, it is less commercial than Rubber Soul and Revolver. Pepper was the first album I ever owned so it's also something I grew up with, but certainly never grew out of. The albums after Pepper seem more patched together, individualistic with secondary contributions from sidemen and seem a bit uncoordinated and lacking in central themes but don't get me wrong they are still incredible. Interesting that you put a lot of their early stuff on there. This often gets overlooked.
I remember when I first listened to the white album. I just kept thinking to myself that the songs that were good were amazing, but the songs that were bad were really bad. Then again I was 17 at the time and I've been hearing a lot of more recent opinions and a lot of people nowadays saying that it's their favorite so that's making me wanna give it another chance
I love the unique numbering of The White Album, made even more special.
13. With the Beatles
12. Beatles for sale
11. Yellow submarine
10. Hard days night
9. Please please me
8. Let it be
7. Help!
6. Rubber soul
5. Magical mystery tour (first and second side don't match and flying as well as blue jay way I hate but considering that it's filled with wonderful songs)
4. White album
3. Abby road
2. Revolver
1. Sargent peppers lonely harts club band
Considering the time crunch they were under when recording it, I’d say Beatles For Sale is a damn fine album.
Sure it is, but something has to be "least favorite "...
My top 13:
13-Yellow Submarine
12-With the Beatles
11-Beatles for Sale
10-Let it Be
9-Please Please Me
8-A Hard days night
7-Magical Mystery Tour
6-White Album
5-Help
4-Sgt Pepper
3-Revolver
2-Rubber Soul
1-Abbey Road
The White Album is one of those albums that is sometimes the best thing ever recorded and other times takes a backseat to other albums. It's a love/like relationship with that album. But still it's an enjoyable album any time.
1. White Album (Agree. My favorite album too)
2. Abbey Road
3. Revolver
4. Pepper
5. Magical Mystery Tour
Hello Mr. Mayo. I give a big apology for not discovering your channel until so recently. As for lots of people this quarantine is the first chance I've had to catch up on UA-cam. I am so thrilled to finally see someone else agree with my opinions in a few areas! The first being how With The Beatles is a fantastic overlooked album that I personally feel is the strongest of their first seven. It was the first Beatles album I heard all the way through when I was about 8 years old, and I've had such a love of it ever since - including the covers.
Rubber Soul is the other album that no one else thinks the same as me. I absolutely agree with your opinion, I don't see much of a change in direction at least from Help!, and I agree that Norwegian Wood is the only song you wouldn't expect on earlier albums. Also the cover is my favourite as well!
Thanks so much for this video, I look forward to watching more.
Welcome!
Your talking UK issues - Magical mystery tour was not issued as an album - double ep.Revolver and Pepper would be higher up for me
Well you are crazy but I love that you bigged up 'With the Beatles' Which I see as their best early LP. 'Sgt Peppers' is my #1, 'Magical Mystery' 2, 'Rubber Soul' 3 and 'White Album' 4. #5 being 'With the Beatles'.
I think you are missing the point a bit with regards to how important an album Rubber Soul is. You may be right in saying the style did not change a great deal from their early work, however the quality of songwriting, production and musical craft jumped leaps and bounds on this album. They had not recorded tracks as funky as drive my car or the word previously. Tracks like in my life and nowhere man represented new song writing territory for John, away from traditional love. All the songs are recorded so tightly and just sound so much better than Help. Plus on hearing this album Brian Wilson felt he needed to up his game. Every songs fits so cohesively and flows so well on this album. Should have been higher!! I did however love your justification for the white album as number one, it's a very hard choice but I think you are right!
Earl Gray - Thanks for watching and commenting.
My ranking would be like this (please note that acknowledge Magical Mystery Tour being an original American album. And also acknowledge the only greatest hits package released in the 60s.
U.K.
1. Revolver
2. White album
3. Rubber Soul
4. Sgt pepper
5. Abbey Road
6. A Hard days night
7. Help
8. Beatles for Sale
9. Please Please Me
10. With the Beatles
11. Let it be
12. Collection of Beatle Oldies
13. Yellow Submarine OST
US
1. Magical Mystery Tour
2. Rubber Soul US
3. Yesterday and Today
4. Meet the Beatles
5. Hey Jude
6. Beatles 65
7. Second Album
8. Beatles VI
9. Something new
10. Revolver US
11. Early Beatles
12. Help OST
13. Hard days night OST
Beatles '65 is way better than For Sale to be quite honest. Adding those two singles, with the reverb, gives that album a huge kick.
Have you ever thought of comparing the UK albums with those US albums that are very similar to them:
Please Please Me - Introducing... The Beatles & The Early Beatles
With The Beatles - Meet The Beatles
Beatles For Sale - Beatles '65
Hard Days Night & Help
Rubber Soul and Revolver
George Alexander - re: BEATLES '65 - You took the words right outta my mouth.
George - I don't know. Seems like so many others on UA-cam have actually done that. That's the problem with making Beatles reviews and things... it's so repetitive. I do plan on making a "Defense of the US Albums" video one of these days.
All the US releases will always sound disjointed to anyone brought up with the Parlophone releases. The reverb jars rather than enhances IMO and even by then Capitol must have realised that they didn't need to put hit singles on to sell the Beatles albums.
There's one video on UA-cam where a guy picks Yellow Submarine as his no.1. Can't remember who it was now though
Jaems Harilie - That is very rare to hear.
I prefer A Hard Day's Night to be No. 1 mainly because it's truly an enjoyable album that became a movie and Lennon McCartney truly delivers in this all original album. So many good songs in this album that's worth listening. The White Album was a masterpiece and should really be ranked high on every lists. Beatles For Sale was the Beatles most underrated album but it's not bad and it's a pretty fine album to have and for me the it has the best album cover.
I hope one day EMI/Capitol/Apple puts out the Decca sessions as a proper album, and at the correct speed. This probably won't happen during Ringo's lifetime, unfortunately. Paul wrote the forward for one of Pete Best's books, so he probably wouldn't have a major problem with its release.
Trust Me, I'm Black - Haven't they already been put out in various forms over the years on legit records? Even the Anthology has 'some' tracks.
MeanMr Mayo Yes, but I want the full Giles Martin speed-corrected, demixed and remastered 5.1 surround-sound Decca audition experience, with my man Pete Best isolated by hisself and coming out of the back speaker!
13. Yellow Submarine
12. Beatles for sale
11. With the Beatles
10. Revolver
9. A Hard Days Night
8. Rubber Soul
7. Help
6. Please Please Me
5. Sgt Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band
4. Let It Be
3. Abbey Road
2. Magical Mystery Tour
1. White Album
Your top 4 contains the same albums as mine, just in a different order.
I agree about Rubber Soul, it’s a little overrated, IMO. John’s songs are great (among his best), but the rest of the songs are just ok. And, the US version is a little better than the UK. It starts off with I’ve Just Seen A Face which is better than any other McCartney song on either version.
I also prefer MMT to SPLHCB. It’s hard to top Walrus, Strawberry Fields and Hello Goodbye. I also have a fondness for Rich Man, the bass in the intro is just fun to listen to.
BTW, my top 4:
1 The Beatles
2 Abbey Road
3 Revolver
4 AHDN
3 and 4 to me are flawless albums, because there’s not a weak track on either, IMO.
That is one heck of an album without the cut outs that came with the Sargent Pepper album and there is a nonsense thing on the end meant to drive your dog up the wall, that white cover album might actually be the Butcher Street Album as the album was toned down by changing the cover to a white cover.