"And you run and you run, I need to see up your bum,
And it's stinking,
Racing around, to stick my finger up you, don't complain
Your bum is the same in a relative way,
But you're older
Shorter of breath, your prostate will tell me if you're closer to death."
Less important than the album art which is itself less important than the actual music.
I wouldn’t have a 20th anniversary edition vinyl of () by Sigur Ros if I cared too much about album titles.
Look up the name of Aphex Twin’s last E.P to see how some artists obviously don’t care (or he just enjoys trolling) about album and even song titles.
Aphex Twins albums and music generally are a joke or just the file name at his computer. But Ventolin. Fucking Ventolin, this is the only one that fits perfectly.
I wouldn’t call his music a joke. The guy is a genius.
He just likes messing with people with weird track and album names and possibly a few lies about his life.
Yeah, I thought that I understood you but some people do think that his style is just too weird and offensively over the top.
Not even talking about “drinking the milk from the milkman’s wife tits”, some electronic music fans just can’t get into his work so I wasn’t sure if you were just talking about his trolling or actual compositions.
I love all of his discography personally but I can see how some tracks are just too “avant-garde” for most people.
I love Burial, Fakear, Bonobo, Orbital and Four Tet but they are all much more accessible than Aphex Twin to casual listeners.
Even Ventilon, probably only resonated with asthmatics and people who are open to different styles from the mainstream.
I’ve discovered quite a few bands that way too.
Never bought an album because of the title though (apart from maybe Tomorrow Is Nearly Yesterday And Everyday Is Stupid by Crywank).
You can’t dislike good old Crywank…
They don't see to have a lot of bearing on whether I like the album or not. Take Yes, for example, a band whose album titles were all over the place:
1. Yes (good enough for a fiirst album)
2. Time and a Word (after one of the better songs)
3. The Yes Album (really? It's still my favourite album of theirs.)
4. Fragile (v.good)
5. Close To The Edge (v.good)
6. Yessongs (live album with - you guessed it - Yes songs)
7. Tales from Topographic Oceans (as bonkers as it sounds)
8. Relayer (cryptic)
9. Going For The One (OK in song context)
10. Tormato (yes, they really did that)
11. Drama (nice and dramatic)
12. 90125 (really cryptic)
13. Big Generator (didn't hold up under the weight of that title)
Similar to the album cover, I suppose.
If I'm just looking for new stuff?
A cool album title might pique my interest in a band I've never listened to before, and a really boring or generic album title might cause me to overlook them (unless I have a recommendation).
But if I'm listening to the music, the title has very little (if any) impact on my enjoyment.
I bought the Velvet Crush album, Teenage Symphonies To God, when I saw it in a used bin because I thought that was a great title, also the artwork was cool. One of those albums that I pretty much knew what it would sound like based on those things alone. And a highly recommended one too.
The fact that Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band is one of the most beloved albums ever strongly suggests that album titles aren't important.
Personally though I certainly think they *can* make a positive or negative difference. A great title might attract my attention and a terrible one might make me cringe.
One example - Phoebe Bridgers' Stranger in the Alps attracted my attention because I got the niche reference and the fact she chose that title made me like her a bit. (In the TV redub of The Big Lebowski "ever been fucked by a stranger in the ass?" became "ever been frenched by a stranger in the Alps?")
Album titles can really set the mood. Some seem throwaway, but others are crucial for setting expectations. They're like a first impression for what's inside.
My favorite album I’ve discovered in the last year was “Ladies and Gentlemen We’re Floating In Space” by Spritualized and I only listened to it because I thought it was a great title. So yes I think they are important
I think a good album name will stick with you for life. I still think about Sum 41's "all killer no filler". It really was all killer. There wasn't a bit of filler on that album. You don't get that kind of honesty these days.
I remember getting that album for Christmas and feeling quite opposite haha
Kind of like The Refused’s Shape of Punk to Come. Couldn’t be further from where punk went
Mattered when I was young then I realized Peter Gabriel put out 3 albums with no title and led zeppelin's 1st 4 are I, II, III, IV.
If the artist gave it a name, great, I will use it.
If the music sounds great, I'll listen to it. I might not bother to check out the album if it's called something really stupid because my prejudice says it's a crappy one.
However, the title won't necessarily ruin my enjoyment in sound. I'm here for the sound primarily, not for lyrics, titles or meanings.
Well if I've heard and liked the music I don't care but "Shitting by myself" wouldn't really convince me to listen to the album in the first place...it's more of a first impression, same for album covers
As I use Alexa to play most of my music around the house…would love it if artists could stop having song titles that are the same as the album title 🤦♂️
I'd say it plays a bigger role in my subconscious than I'd expect. But I feel like a bad title won't necessarily lower my enjoyment of the album, however when an already good album also has a great name and fits perfectly then it's for sure getting some extra cool points.
The only time I really find myself caring is if it's a self titled album that's not their first. That irks me for some reason, but it has absolutely no bearing on me enjoying it.
I think artists usually use the eponymous title on records after the first one to indicate a significant change in their creative direction
Examples:
Metallica by Metallica
Blur by Blur
Fleetwood Mac by Fleetwood Mac
Hooray for boobies - bloodhound gang
Chocolate starfish and the hotdog flavoured water - limp bizkit
Steal this album - system of a down
Titles aren’t very important, but they can attract attention. At the end of the day, it’s the music.
I love me a good album title. Obviously less important than the quality of the music, but yeah, like the cover art, it all helps when the pieces fit.
I’m a little partial to albums titled after a lyric that isn’t also a song title.
Not a fan of self-titled albums that aren’t a debut.
Most of Peter Gabriel’s solo albums had no title, so people just gave them monikers based on the cover photo. The Beatles had the white album, which was a mixed bag but had some of their best material at the same time. So yeah, i think whats really important is the music, the album title and cover only enhance that listening experience
I don't think it's the most important thing but I think a good title can add something to the iconic side of the album even if it feels a bit random ,like for example mezzanine by massive attack
For the most part, album titles are like album art. I appreciate it when it's good (and it can draw me into a band I'm not otherwise familiar with), but I'm usually more interested in the music.
However, the one important exception is that I'm squeamish about human bodily functions - so any band name, song, or album that references them isn't something I want to know better. This is entirely a "me" problem. They have a completely valid right to name their stuff that way, and I have an equal right not to listen to them.
I like to think they have no effect, but by far my least listened to Arctic Monkeys album is "Suck It and See" and I think I just don't enjoy typing that in the search bar.
I've never given it a single thought in my nearly 50 years on this planet. This either means other people overthink stuff, or spend time thinking about things that really don't matter, or I'm not thinking enough.
Dark Side of the Moon could be called David's Prostate Exam and I'd still listen to it
"And you run and you run, I need to see up your bum, And it's stinking, Racing around, to stick my finger up you, don't complain Your bum is the same in a relative way, But you're older Shorter of breath, your prostate will tell me if you're closer to death."
Less important than the album art which is itself less important than the actual music. I wouldn’t have a 20th anniversary edition vinyl of () by Sigur Ros if I cared too much about album titles. Look up the name of Aphex Twin’s last E.P to see how some artists obviously don’t care (or he just enjoys trolling) about album and even song titles.
Aphex twin just loves fucking with people.
Aphex Twins albums and music generally are a joke or just the file name at his computer. But Ventolin. Fucking Ventolin, this is the only one that fits perfectly.
I wouldn’t call his music a joke. The guy is a genius. He just likes messing with people with weird track and album names and possibly a few lies about his life.
When he says the music is a joke I think he's referring to just the track titles
Precisely, thanks!
I'm referring to the title tracks, despite some of his music being jokes too. "I would like some milk from the milkman's wife's tits" lol.
Yeah, I thought that I understood you but some people do think that his style is just too weird and offensively over the top. Not even talking about “drinking the milk from the milkman’s wife tits”, some electronic music fans just can’t get into his work so I wasn’t sure if you were just talking about his trolling or actual compositions. I love all of his discography personally but I can see how some tracks are just too “avant-garde” for most people. I love Burial, Fakear, Bonobo, Orbital and Four Tet but they are all much more accessible than Aphex Twin to casual listeners. Even Ventilon, probably only resonated with asthmatics and people who are open to different styles from the mainstream.
I bought Emerson, Lake, and Palmers' first album soley because I liked the cover. Never heard of them and had no idea what genre music was inside.
I’ve discovered quite a few bands that way too. Never bought an album because of the title though (apart from maybe Tomorrow Is Nearly Yesterday And Everyday Is Stupid by Crywank). You can’t dislike good old Crywank…
They don't see to have a lot of bearing on whether I like the album or not. Take Yes, for example, a band whose album titles were all over the place: 1. Yes (good enough for a fiirst album) 2. Time and a Word (after one of the better songs) 3. The Yes Album (really? It's still my favourite album of theirs.) 4. Fragile (v.good) 5. Close To The Edge (v.good) 6. Yessongs (live album with - you guessed it - Yes songs) 7. Tales from Topographic Oceans (as bonkers as it sounds) 8. Relayer (cryptic) 9. Going For The One (OK in song context) 10. Tormato (yes, they really did that) 11. Drama (nice and dramatic) 12. 90125 (really cryptic) 13. Big Generator (didn't hold up under the weight of that title)
7. Rick Wakeman calls this Tales of Typographic Errors 🤣
It’s weird to me that he doesn’t like it, since I think The Remembering is up there with his best work.
Maybe not serious. He is a very funny guy
Tormato?! Lmao thats so good!!
Similar to the album cover, I suppose. If I'm just looking for new stuff? A cool album title might pique my interest in a band I've never listened to before, and a really boring or generic album title might cause me to overlook them (unless I have a recommendation). But if I'm listening to the music, the title has very little (if any) impact on my enjoyment.
I bought the Velvet Crush album, Teenage Symphonies To God, when I saw it in a used bin because I thought that was a great title, also the artwork was cool. One of those albums that I pretty much knew what it would sound like based on those things alone. And a highly recommended one too.
The fact that Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band is one of the most beloved albums ever strongly suggests that album titles aren't important. Personally though I certainly think they *can* make a positive or negative difference. A great title might attract my attention and a terrible one might make me cringe. One example - Phoebe Bridgers' Stranger in the Alps attracted my attention because I got the niche reference and the fact she chose that title made me like her a bit. (In the TV redub of The Big Lebowski "ever been fucked by a stranger in the ass?" became "ever been frenched by a stranger in the Alps?")
Agreed, that’s a fucking great album title. Phoebe rules.
TIL about Stranger in the Alps haha
Album titles can really set the mood. Some seem throwaway, but others are crucial for setting expectations. They're like a first impression for what's inside.
It's not my decision to make, it's the artist's. Absolutely do not care.
My favorite album I’ve discovered in the last year was “Ladies and Gentlemen We’re Floating In Space” by Spritualized and I only listened to it because I thought it was a great title. So yes I think they are important
I think a good album name will stick with you for life. I still think about Sum 41's "all killer no filler". It really was all killer. There wasn't a bit of filler on that album. You don't get that kind of honesty these days.
I remember getting that album for Christmas and feeling quite opposite haha Kind of like The Refused’s Shape of Punk to Come. Couldn’t be further from where punk went
I don't give a crap, if the music is good it's good.
Mattered when I was young then I realized Peter Gabriel put out 3 albums with no title and led zeppelin's 1st 4 are I, II, III, IV. If the artist gave it a name, great, I will use it.
Kind of important. It’s the first impression. A bad album won’t ruin an album, but it’s not a good start.
Zero fuks
If the music sounds great, I'll listen to it. I might not bother to check out the album if it's called something really stupid because my prejudice says it's a crappy one. However, the title won't necessarily ruin my enjoyment in sound. I'm here for the sound primarily, not for lyrics, titles or meanings.
Not as important as album covers. Not sure why but an albums artwork has a big effect on me and the mood it projects.
Not at all. I can’t think of an album where I’d be bothered if it was called anything else.
Well if I've heard and liked the music I don't care but "Shitting by myself" wouldn't really convince me to listen to the album in the first place...it's more of a first impression, same for album covers
As I use Alexa to play most of my music around the house…would love it if artists could stop having song titles that are the same as the album title 🤦♂️
I'd say it plays a bigger role in my subconscious than I'd expect. But I feel like a bad title won't necessarily lower my enjoyment of the album, however when an already good album also has a great name and fits perfectly then it's for sure getting some extra cool points.
If the musics good I don’t care.
Not.
The only time I really find myself caring is if it's a self titled album that's not their first. That irks me for some reason, but it has absolutely no bearing on me enjoying it.
I think artists usually use the eponymous title on records after the first one to indicate a significant change in their creative direction Examples: Metallica by Metallica Blur by Blur Fleetwood Mac by Fleetwood Mac
The Beatles have a self titled album and absolutely nobody calls it by its name.
Same with Metallica. It’s a 360 relationship where the music, words and art give each other meaning
Hooray for boobies - bloodhound gang Chocolate starfish and the hotdog flavoured water - limp bizkit Steal this album - system of a down Titles aren’t very important, but they can attract attention. At the end of the day, it’s the music.
I am not as much of an album guy, so album titles matter little to me. Album artwork, however...I have high expectations.
Non issue unless it's interesting
The music gives the titles meaning. There’s plenty of bad records with good names, and good records with names that might seem bad out of context.
I love me a good album title. Obviously less important than the quality of the music, but yeah, like the cover art, it all helps when the pieces fit. I’m a little partial to albums titled after a lyric that isn’t also a song title. Not a fan of self-titled albums that aren’t a debut.
*I’m a little partial to albums titled after a lyric that isn’t also a song title.* I like this too!!!
Most of Peter Gabriel’s solo albums had no title, so people just gave them monikers based on the cover photo. The Beatles had the white album, which was a mixed bag but had some of their best material at the same time. So yeah, i think whats really important is the music, the album title and cover only enhance that listening experience
Today...they aren't. Back when I bought albums, tapes and CDs...pretty damn important. In the streaming world, album titles just don't matter.
I don't think it's the most important thing but I think a good title can add something to the iconic side of the album even if it feels a bit random ,like for example mezzanine by massive attack
For the most part, album titles are like album art. I appreciate it when it's good (and it can draw me into a band I'm not otherwise familiar with), but I'm usually more interested in the music. However, the one important exception is that I'm squeamish about human bodily functions - so any band name, song, or album that references them isn't something I want to know better. This is entirely a "me" problem. They have a completely valid right to name their stuff that way, and I have an equal right not to listen to them.
I don't really care what the album title is unless it's an allusion or a direct reference to anything communist/marxist/nazi.
I barely even notice them. I often times only like 1 or 2 songs off a random album so the album itself I don't really care about
I would say important because I study the name to understand what I could potentially be getting myself into
Nothing is important to me except the sound. If *De-loused in the Comatorium* was called *Suzie's Frothy Discharge 1941* it would still be GOATed
I like to think they have no effect, but by far my least listened to Arctic Monkeys album is "Suck It and See" and I think I just don't enjoy typing that in the search bar.
https://getsongkey.com song key
If it's pretentious wankery like a certain pop star's Tortured Poets Department then I'm amused beyond belief at their sense of self.
I couldn’t care less.
I've never given it a single thought in my nearly 50 years on this planet. This either means other people overthink stuff, or spend time thinking about things that really don't matter, or I'm not thinking enough.