Classic Albums

  – A classic album is comprised  of many elements. One of the elements is that on it’s initial release it puts “numbers on the board”. Most of these albums are greatly received. They quickly reach the top of the charts and usually stay there for a while. Many people would soon be giving these records the stamp of CLASSIC. However, not all classics reach number one. “But you just said..”, I know what I said. Some classic albums just have the ability to not only reach its core fans but is also able to branch out and attract people who would not normally listen to the artist. They are so well put together that  people are still talking about the album years later. It is still being brought up in conversations and discussions and being used as comparison measurements. The album is still being played in cars, being listen to while people are working out, being played at parties and you might even hear a cut from the album being played on the radio. Now the popularity of these records are being tracked through streaming services.

If there was such this a metric for determining if a an album is timeless then tracking the streams would be it. Streaming services are some what of a recent tool but I feel like they are necessary. It helps in determining if people are still listening to music years after its release. And to bring it full circle streaming ties into putting up numbers, not only on its release but years laters the album still a pretty healthy body of work. That to me is the start of something that can be classic.

What makes an album a classic? Is it the number of records the artist has sold or how well the album ages, or is it how impactful the album is to the culture? These are questions, just like so many others questions, that garnishes a lot of answers. Some people work with the argument that an album cannot be a classic unless is reaches the top of the charts or goes platinum. The idea that something can be a classic without being a great album is ludicrous. Others would make the argument that a classic has nothing to do with how many records it sold simply for the fact that numbers do lie. Those people would argue that a classic is purely based on the way it matures over time and the impact that it leaves. I happen to agree with both sides of the argument… to a certain degree–let me explain.

Now as I said before along with how well an album is received over time there is another element of labeling music a classic. DOES THE WORK INFLUENCE ANYTHING? Does it change the way we perceive hip hop, does it inspire someone to rap? This will be discussed in part 2

#classic #hiphop #music