Oldest “classic” album?

Submitted by the_prion t3_124wgy7 in Music

What do you think is the oldest “classic” album? When I say classic, I’m talking about an album that is generally well known among music listeners, as well as is famous as an album, not just an album that contains a famous song or songs. It also has to have withstood the test of time, so not an album that was maybe well known in it’s day, but faded into obscurity.

The mid to late ‘60s was when albums become the most popular form of listening to music, so obviously this era has produced plenty of what many would consider classics. You’d have to go a bit earlier than this.

The ‘50s was not a period that focused on producing classic albums, however I think you’d be hard pressed to say Elvis Presley’s self titled debut album isn’t a classic. The album cover itself is super iconic. This released in 1956, and I can’t think of anything else released before this that is really a classic. Maybe a jazz album of some sort? Leave any ideas.

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emptyhellebore t1_je16srj wrote

Miles Davis, Kind of Blue (1959) was the first album that came to.my mind. An absolute classic that had wider appeal and popularity.

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DevinBelow t1_je1z840 wrote

I'd say Round About Midnight (1957), but obviously it wasn't as massive of a hit at the time as KoB was a couple years later. Still every bit as much of a classic though imo.

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the_prion OP t1_je1qayk wrote

I thought of Kind of Blue too but I figured Elvis Presley’s debut was still a classic. If you don’t consider that then yeah I agree with you.

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emptyhellebore t1_je1sk44 wrote

Personally, I think Elvis is a classic. And the cover is definitely iconic, but the album itself isn't as classic as some of his other albums in my opinion. Classic Elvis is his Aloha from Hawaii album for me.

It is an interesting topic.

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bigby2010 t1_je16z3g wrote

Miles Davis - Kind of Blue

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Philboyd_Studge t1_je1dxrt wrote

John Coltrane - My Favorite Things (1961)

Dave Brubeck - Time Out (1959)

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bloodyell76 t1_je1ekrd wrote

Kind of Blue was my instant thought, but even Miles Davis has an earlier on with Birth of the Cool (1957)

But Frank Sinatra's In the Wee Small Hours (1955) is the earliest I can think of.

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SlopesCO t1_je3neud wrote

By "album" I'll assume you mean 33 1/3 (1948). So, Bing Crosby - White Christmas would be there right from the beginning (originally recorded in '47). Sinatra, Ellington, Miles ... had plenty of "classic" albums in the 50s. Either your personal bias, ego or lack of history is at play. Kind of Blue was the best selling album of '59. History is out there, even if it isn't trending. Big fan of Chick Webb's orchestra, myself. Buddy Rich before Buddy. 50s Country & R&B also ruled. Every Brothers, Johnny Cash, Ray Charles, etc., etc ... Classic. All 50s.

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Cyanopicacooki t1_je1784w wrote

Albums didn't happen till quite late on - relatively speaking - in musical history. Most records were 2 track or 4 track EPs until the 3 1/3 LP came along (about 1948 according to Wikipedia) The BBC did a very good documentary on "Concept Albums" which covered this.

I'd make a bid for Rock with Bill Haley and the Comets - rock and roll was the first counterculture musical phenomenon that I can think of.

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Bugslugs47 t1_je198j7 wrote

Johnny and the Hurricanes. 1959. Best Track - Red River Rock. Album was #2 U.S & #1 U.K. charts.

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PricelessLogs t1_je1anvm wrote

Frank Sinatra's Come Fly With Me (1958) is a great addition to the Elvis self titled and Kind of Blue that have already been named

Although if we really want to stretch the definition of "album" you could say that the oldest one that the average Joe would have heard of is probably Bach's Symphony 1 or something like that

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emptyhellebore t1_je1c5xe wrote

I think Frank Sinatra belongs in this group, but couldn't think of which album to go with. I like your choice.

Glen Gould's Bach: The Goldberg Variations was huge and is probably a good contender for a classic classical album from the 50s.

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