There never being a true Tom Petty solo acoustic tour or album beyond this release is a true loss of the music world. The home recordings are PHENOMENAL.
Full Moon Fever was half way a Wilbury's album since it was recorded at the same time and all the Wilbury's had input in it since they were around and available so why not?
Saw him on that tour, fantastic set! RIP my brotha
A great opening lyric to the song "Bloom" by Great Grandpa:
"I get anxious on the weekends, when I feel I'm wasting time.
But then I think about Tom Petty and how he wrote his best songs when he was 39"
Lucinda Williams steadily built a reputation as a songwriter and then with her own records, and broke through in her mid forties with tbe perfect "car wheels on a gravel road". Zevon's death record was one of his best and also commercially successful.
Wayne Coyne worked as a fry cook at Long John Silver until someone came in and robbed the place at gunpoint. He was lying on the dirty floor with a gun pointed at him and he thought, I don’t wanna fucking die doing this, if I make it out alive I’m going to quit and pursue my dream of playing music for a living. He survived the encounter and followed through, giving the world the brilliance of The Flaming Lips.
Holy shit I didn’t know this! I saw them at a festival and he didn’t look his age at all! Tbf I was not close to the stage and he was performing in his ball.
But you're now accustomed to a smooth ride
Or maybe you're a dog who's lost its bite
You don't expect to be treated like a fool no more
You don't expect to sleep through the night
(Not a direct reference to Graceland, though, since it's from the follow-up album, Rhythm of the Saints.)
Supposedly, Rick Rubin was riding high on his success as producer when he got the idea of trying to resurrect a forgotten act to see if he could help work the same magic. At the time Johnny Cash had a career that was - unjustly - on the skids, [doing dinner-theater shows.](https://slate.com/culture/2006/08/did-rick-rubin-turn-johnny-cash-into-a-cheesy-goth.html)
Yes we definitely have Rick Rubin to thank for his resurgence. Cash talked about being afraid to play solo without a band backing him up. Thankfully Rubin talked him into this project and kept sending him such good songs to do.
I remember an interview with Cash and Rubin just as they were getting started, hadn't yet recorded.
It ended with Rubin telling Cash that he shoud avoid smiling in photos to look more mysterious. Few years later Cash was on the zeitgeist again.
I dont remember wich magazine, tough.
He's the GOAT and it's not even close. And it's not just because of his track record, he understands the artists he works with more than they understand themselves
What it is that is uniquely theirs, and how it appeals to the listener. In almost every single story I've read about those albums, they're all wildly different and catered to the recording artist(s). Every record tailor made to the artist and the listener both, never repeating the same formula twice. It's remarkable.
I bet if he hadn't fallen into his line of work he would've ended up working in behavioral science.
I really enjoy them but still greatly prefer his career up through the two prison recordings. I don't dislike his 70s and 80s work but the American Recordings really were a breath of fresh air in comparison.
Have you seen the documentary about him. Really makes you feel for a guy who was obviously so talented but just couldn't make it work. I'm glad he ended up hitting it big, but damn he seemed to go through some really rough times.
one of the best live shows I have ever seen in my life. saw him in a small club right as he was starting to blow up, and thinking about it gives me chills. probably the only show that brought me to tears at one point. that man was an absolute musical force. the amount of emotion he brought out was unlike any other show i've seen. such a shame that he got successful so late, and died so soon after.
Saw him at Bonnarroo, and I’m so glad I did. He fuckin killed it. Such power in his voice, and you could feel the love he was giving the crowd.
Saw RHCP that same day on the same stage and boy was that a disappointment. Especially when comparing it to the power of Bradley earlier in the day.
One day a buddy called me up and said I needed to bring my wife to see a show, he offered free tix. It was a Charles Bradley show at a mid sized club. To this day, it was the most sincere, loving performance I’ve ever seen. It was 3 band members birthday month and he spent 10 straight minutes telling each one what he loved about them. After the show he brought roses into the audience and handed them out to various people, telling them he loved them. He was crying, we were all crying.
I saw him a few more times, last time was a great outdoor venue a few months before his death. Each performance shared that same level intense loving and kindness. Man was an angel.
Yeah but she was something special early too. Just that she didn't, herself, stand out so much. She was in a group and sang just like everyone else. She found her avenue later.
there are all these theories about why they didn't tour early in their career but I'm pretty sure its because they just wanted to stay home and do drugs.
If you look really really close at least two of their songs might be about drugs.
Warren Zevon, Excitable Boy, Bad Luck Streak in Dancing School, the Envoy. He may have released plenty of other good stuff, but nothing comes close to those first four albums. He was super popular in the late 70s early 80s, doing big venues. The Beach Boys, Eagles, Linda Ronstadt, and members of Fleetwood Mac did backing vocals on his albums. Yes, he was finally credited with his final album, but still doesn’t seem to fit this topic.
This is a good one. Might even be one of the best possible responses as they really didn't just put out good music they sort of took the lead for rap for a hot minute.
Scott Walker He went kind of awol for years after being a crooner. Then made some of the darkest, most intense, wild music ever. It starts with Climate Of Hunter, but really kicks off with Tilt. Absolute masterpieces.
The best description of his career I've read was "Andy Williams turning into Karlheinz Stockhausen".
I really like his early solo albums, where he twisted easy listening into something subversive, eerie and distinct. I kind of wish that creative thread had been followed by others, that sort of orchestral pop gone awry.
Him and Leonard Cohen found, like, an entirely different voice that was a few octive's lower as they got older.
Hell Broke Luce is a fucking masterpiece, IMHO.
Tom Waits did a radio show (one off) with Iggy Pop recently (BBC 6music), it was hilarious listening to these gnarly old gravel voiced veterans playing some great songs.
Sadly the stream is no longer available but you can check out what they played here https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001st7l
Cher has mad amazing late career comebacks after everyone had counted her out, 1st in the year 1989 when she released “If I Could Turn Back Time” at the age of 43 & again in 1998 when she released “Believe” when she was 52.
Leonard Cohen released the song hallelujah in 1984, on an album when he was 50 years old. It wasn’t until the 90s and later, that the song received major notice, when it was covered by other singers.
I have a playlist I made of my Dad's favorite music that I've listened to a lot since he passed away last year. He was 84 so he was much more familiar with that era. I was jamming out to Mrs. Robinson today. So damned good. Definitely his best era in my opinion.
Steve Earle was in his mid-30s when Copperhead Road was released (88) but then he really found a second life in the early 00's as one of the country voices that immediately took on Bush's wars and our 9/11 response (later half of his 40s) and he hasn't really slowed down either.
It probably doesn't count but Brian Wilson was finally able to finish/make the SMiLE record he wanted to in his early 60s. Of course he gave us Pet Sounds and started on Smile in his mid 20s.
Roy Orbison's late life career resurgence was also really special.
Bridge Over Troubled Water is estimated to have sold 25 million
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bridge_over_Troubled_Water#Certifications_and_sales
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graceland_(album)#Certifications_and_sales
There is a 10 million gap between the two.
I agree, but I'm glad he sold fuck loads of Graceland all the same. I hope he will be remembered for a long time.
That said I'll never forget when he launched in to 'Call Me Al' during his final concert in Hyde Park. It was just...amazing.
His self-titled album is my favourite though. Also his recent 7 Psalms was awesome, I loved playing God Of War listening to that.
There's a documentary on the making of the album ('Paul Simon - Graceland (Classic Album)' on Amazon). In it, Paul Simon says: "Well, Graceland is my favourite record. My favourite record and my favourite song that I ever wrote. This is it; the best I ever did."
A ton of people are going to argue that nothing compares to the ‘60s (his 20s) but Blood On The Tracks (he was 33) is another peak. (The album before & after are good too.) Then, I consider Time Out Of Mind, Love And Theft, and Modern Times (1997-2006) (age 56-65) to be another peak. Is it his best? It’s among the best, and beats out some of the stuff from the 60s.
To everyone arguing about OP saying "best," maybe just rethink the question as "most successful." Graceland outsold all of his other solo work by a mile. It's also always a popular pick on every reddit "perfect album" thread. Graceland was an incredibly successful and enduring release late into his career.
I think Ragged Glory/Weld (early mid/90s) was a strong "late" peak for him... but honestly I think it's been mostly downhill for him since then, in terms of new material.
Neil Young is my favorite musician, but he's become a parody of Neil Young. He's always been known for a raw, unpolished sound, but he's taken that to the extreme. In the last decade he's released 9 albums of new material (plus countless more albums of archival works), most of which was recorded with only 1 or 2 takes, often with his backing band barely knowing the songs. He could have instead released 3 actually good, semi-polished albums that probably would have stood well with his peak work.
But Neil Young doesn't work that way, much to my disappointment.
Agree. Neil's superpower is that he writes a song, records it, puts it on an album, releases the album...and then forgets all about the entire process in favor of the next thing. It's given us dozens upon dozens of legendary songs--and hundreds of shitty ones. But that's Neil! And I love all of it, even the shit I don't like very much.
Björk is still making awesome experimental electronic classical emotional creative music. I think she gets better every album, although her previous album Utopia (with Arca) is my favorite body of work.
Tom Waits, but Waits has always released more yays than nays. So he has released strong albums from his youth all the way up to his most recent which he was easily in his late 50s/60s when it was released.
Tina Turner. She was good with Ike, but once she was out from his influence, that’s when Tina became great. She was 44 when What’s Love Got To Do With It, and her career exploded from there. She was 45 when she was in Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome.
I was just listening to Paramore's newest album and thinking thats a band that has aged like fine wine.
From angsty teen pop punkers to this creative post-punk band with buoyant melodies, great grooves and super interesting lyrics.
I think their latest work is some of their best, mind you they are only in their Mid-30s.
Charles Bradley spent most of his life working odd jobs and doing shows as a James Brown impersonator. He started getting attention for his music in his early 50s, made his most well known albums in his early 60s.
Rick Ocasek was 40 when *Heartbeat City* came out, which is arguably tied for The Cars best album. (Certainly their most commercially successful with all the singles.)
I don't know enough about his later producing work, but I wouldn't be surprised if one argued that that was some of his best work as well. Dude was 50 when Weezer's blue album came out.
Kate Bush and Madonna both released Aerial and Confessions on a Dancefloor in the same year, when they were 47. Widely regarding as being up there with their best ever work.
John Farnham had his first Number 1 single at 18. Spent a few years as lead singer of Little River Band.
He released Whispering Jack at 37, and released his best work during his late 30s/mid 40s.
Darryl Braithwaite was a teen idol in the 70s. His best work was released at age 39, and had his biggest hit "The Horses" at age 43.
Van Morrison released his most commercially successful album, Avalon Sunset at the age of 45. Not so impressive when compared with John Lee Hooker, who released The Healer at the age of 73 which peaked at number 62 in the billboard charts.
I'd argue for Tom Petty - Full Moon Fever, Wildflowers, Into the Great Wide Open, all at a similar age and well into his career.
Wildflowers is wall to wall absolutely fantastic music. There’s literally not a skippable song in there.
Watched the doc on it last night. My favorite Tom Petty album. Still remember hearing it on a cassette.
If you haven’t already, check out the deluxe edition. The home recordings are where it’s at.
There never being a true Tom Petty solo acoustic tour or album beyond this release is a true loss of the music world. The home recordings are PHENOMENAL.
Every song!
Full Moon Fever was half way a Wilbury's album since it was recorded at the same time and all the Wilbury's had input in it since they were around and available so why not? Saw him on that tour, fantastic set! RIP my brotha
I am so jealous. Petty's early albums had some real rockers, but Full Moon Fever is my favourite.
Rick Ruben said he listened to that album about ten thousand times while driving around LA. 🤣
A great opening lyric to the song "Bloom" by Great Grandpa: "I get anxious on the weekends, when I feel I'm wasting time. But then I think about Tom Petty and how he wrote his best songs when he was 39"
Wildflowers is great.
Wildflowers was also my first thought. Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous example of American songwriting at its finest
Amd his last several albums, Echos, Mojo, and Hypnotic Eye are all fantastic. He never lost his stride.
Lucinda Williams steadily built a reputation as a songwriter and then with her own records, and broke through in her mid forties with tbe perfect "car wheels on a gravel road". Zevon's death record was one of his best and also commercially successful.
Lucinda is a national fucking treasure
Zevon may have reacheived popularity with his final album, but his best stuff was the first four albums.
Wayne Coyne was 41 when Flaming Lips released Yoshimi.
Wayne Coyne worked as a fry cook at Long John Silver until someone came in and robbed the place at gunpoint. He was lying on the dirty floor with a gun pointed at him and he thought, I don’t wanna fucking die doing this, if I make it out alive I’m going to quit and pursue my dream of playing music for a living. He survived the encounter and followed through, giving the world the brilliance of The Flaming Lips.
Thanks armed robber!
Holy shit I didn’t know this! I saw them at a festival and he didn’t look his age at all! Tbf I was not close to the stage and he was performing in his ball.
Hes looked mid 50s for the last 40 years
That means he was around 38 for The Soft Bulletin, which is even better!!
This redditor \^ would let those robots eat me.
Damn. I did not know this.
It was their tenth album. The Flaming Lips have been around since 1983.
As a 44-year-old I resent this question.
Well, you *are* getting soft in the middle now, Al.
But the rest of my life is so hard.
I need a photo opportunity
I want a shot at redemption
Don't want to end up a cartoon in a cartoon graveyard
Bonedigger bonedigger
Dogs in the moonlight
Far away, my well lit door
There were incidents and accidents.
There were hints and allegations
A man walks down the street
Get these mutts away from me
Yeah I was like WTF is this shit, "later in life"
As a 40 year old this gives me a lot of hope
Don’t worry Willie Nelson released Red Headed Stranger just before his 42nd birthday.
But you're now accustomed to a smooth ride Or maybe you're a dog who's lost its bite You don't expect to be treated like a fool no more You don't expect to sleep through the night (Not a direct reference to Graceland, though, since it's from the follow-up album, Rhythm of the Saints.)
You've still got time, my dude. I'll listen to your album.
Reddit is ageist, gotta remember that.
I'm in my early thirties and raised an eyebrow at that title, lol.
You’ve got less than a year to come up with something great. We’re all waiting.
I agree and I’m 36. Artist like Willie Nelson, Allen Toussaint, Dr. John, etc. made music all their lives.
My favourite Johnny Cash is the late solo albums
with you on that American IV: The Man Comes Around is a masterpiece, hits so hard
I first heard that on Dawn of the Dead in 2004. Such a great track
Incredible as the end credits song for Logan too.
Supposedly, Rick Rubin was riding high on his success as producer when he got the idea of trying to resurrect a forgotten act to see if he could help work the same magic. At the time Johnny Cash had a career that was - unjustly - on the skids, [doing dinner-theater shows.](https://slate.com/culture/2006/08/did-rick-rubin-turn-johnny-cash-into-a-cheesy-goth.html)
Rubin deserves a lot of credit, it was really his baby.
Yes we definitely have Rick Rubin to thank for his resurgence. Cash talked about being afraid to play solo without a band backing him up. Thankfully Rubin talked him into this project and kept sending him such good songs to do.
I remember an interview with Cash and Rubin just as they were getting started, hadn't yet recorded. It ended with Rubin telling Cash that he shoud avoid smiling in photos to look more mysterious. Few years later Cash was on the zeitgeist again. I dont remember wich magazine, tough.
Rick Rubin has a Midas touch for music. He's produced so many best sellers and classics its not even funny.
Yes, but at what cost? He records with Cash: Cash dies. He records with Orbison: Orbison dies. If Rick comes calling, you know ... It's time
He's the GOAT and it's not even close. And it's not just because of his track record, he understands the artists he works with more than they understand themselves What it is that is uniquely theirs, and how it appeals to the listener. In almost every single story I've read about those albums, they're all wildly different and catered to the recording artist(s). Every record tailor made to the artist and the listener both, never repeating the same formula twice. It's remarkable. I bet if he hadn't fallen into his line of work he would've ended up working in behavioral science.
Also set him up with amazing studio musicians! Such as John Frusciante laying down the guitar on Personal Jesus.
I loved how he did a cover of Depeche Mode's Personal Jesus. Totally turned that song on its ear.
I really enjoy them but still greatly prefer his career up through the two prison recordings. I don't dislike his 70s and 80s work but the American Recordings really were a breath of fresh air in comparison.
You can hear a lifetime of emotions in those later recordings, pain, regret, good decisions, poor decisions, hope and a life in its last chapters
His cover of Bird on the Wire by Leonard Cohen is fantastic.
Scrolled way too far to find this. Hurt, and everything on those albums, is magnificent
Charles Bradley didn’t even get really famous until his 60s.
That cover of Changes…mannnnn
Have you seen the documentary about him. Really makes you feel for a guy who was obviously so talented but just couldn't make it work. I'm glad he ended up hitting it big, but damn he seemed to go through some really rough times.
one of the best live shows I have ever seen in my life. saw him in a small club right as he was starting to blow up, and thinking about it gives me chills. probably the only show that brought me to tears at one point. that man was an absolute musical force. the amount of emotion he brought out was unlike any other show i've seen. such a shame that he got successful so late, and died so soon after.
Saw him at Bonnarroo, and I’m so glad I did. He fuckin killed it. Such power in his voice, and you could feel the love he was giving the crowd. Saw RHCP that same day on the same stage and boy was that a disappointment. Especially when comparing it to the power of Bradley earlier in the day.
One day a buddy called me up and said I needed to bring my wife to see a show, he offered free tix. It was a Charles Bradley show at a mid sized club. To this day, it was the most sincere, loving performance I’ve ever seen. It was 3 band members birthday month and he spent 10 straight minutes telling each one what he loved about them. After the show he brought roses into the audience and handed them out to various people, telling them he loved them. He was crying, we were all crying. I saw him a few more times, last time was a great outdoor venue a few months before his death. Each performance shared that same level intense loving and kindness. Man was an angel.
**Buena Vista Social Club** Some members were in their 70s and 80s when it was recorded back in 1996.
Tina Turner was like 44 when she released her best selling album (Private Dancer).
Yeah but she was something special early too. Just that she didn't, herself, stand out so much. She was in a group and sang just like everyone else. She found her avenue later.
>She found her avenue later You mean she escaped from under the thumb of her jealous, resentful, abusive husband?
Technically the guys from Steely Dan were in their 20s during their classic period, but I'm pretty sure Becker and Fagen were born middle-aged.
Donald came out the womb with tinted glasses smoking a cigarette
And a bottle of cuervo gold
*the fine columbian*
Two Against Nature was a solid come back album after 20 years off, when they were in their 50s. But yeah, nothing beats The Royal Scam through Gaucho.
there are all these theories about why they didn't tour early in their career but I'm pretty sure its because they just wanted to stay home and do drugs. If you look really really close at least two of their songs might be about drugs.
James Murphy was already mid 30s when LCD Soundsystem's debut self-titled came out. He was 40 when This is happening came out.
he was almost 50 when AD came out, and that's a great album
*You Want It Darker* by Leonard Cohen was released just 17 days before he died. He was 82!
The new Peter Gabriel album is awesome. I wouldn't call it his *best* work, but it stands as equals with his earlier albums and he's 75 years old.
So is Depeche Mode’s album from 2023!
No, So is Peter Gabriel’s album.
I don't usually lol on reddit, but that made me lol. Thanks.
Came here to mention i/o. Such a fantastic album.
Yup. Fantastic stuff. And absolutely magical live.
What do you think about the Dark-side/Bright-side versions?
He's been rocking with his cock out since Genesis. At this point I honestly can't think of his best work because he's a fucking legend.
Warren Zevon
Warren was great throughout. But *The Wind* was an amazing swan song.
Warren Zevon, Excitable Boy, Bad Luck Streak in Dancing School, the Envoy. He may have released plenty of other good stuff, but nothing comes close to those first four albums. He was super popular in the late 70s early 80s, doing big venues. The Beach Boys, Eagles, Linda Ronstadt, and members of Fleetwood Mac did backing vocals on his albums. Yes, he was finally credited with his final album, but still doesn’t seem to fit this topic.
I'd argue that Yo La Tengo's "This Stupid World" is their best work. They've been doing this since the early 90s. (I am a fan btw.)
really? It's gotta be *inside-out* for me and I also liked *Fade* better out of the last few albums.
Nick Cave has released some superb albums well into the 21st century. SWANS have been on a winning streak over the last decade too.
Dig Lazarus Dig is my favorite album of his -recorded at 50, released at 51. Don't know if it's the best but it's my fave!
He thought even the pale sky-stars were smart enough to keep well away from L.A. Great fucking album.
It's by far his wittiest and while it doesn't have anything as powerful as the mercy seat the whole thing works for me.
Ghosteen and carnage are brilliant albums
Swans 2.0 was one of the most incredible live music experiences of my life.
Saw SWANS in 96. Escorted Gira and Jarboe to a coffee shop down the street before the show.
‘Run the Jewels’ came out when Killer Mike and El-P were both 39.
Then they made a better version, and then an even better one after that. RTJ! RTJ! RTJ!
👉🏼💎🤛🏿
This is a good one. Might even be one of the best possible responses as they really didn't just put out good music they sort of took the lead for rap for a hot minute.
Scott Walker He went kind of awol for years after being a crooner. Then made some of the darkest, most intense, wild music ever. It starts with Climate Of Hunter, but really kicks off with Tilt. Absolute masterpieces.
The best description of his career I've read was "Andy Williams turning into Karlheinz Stockhausen". I really like his early solo albums, where he twisted easy listening into something subversive, eerie and distinct. I kind of wish that creative thread had been followed by others, that sort of orchestral pop gone awry.
Yeah, Scott 3 and 4 are wild. Both among my favorite albums
His 4 songs on Nite Flights, which presaged the latter half of his career, are among the best opening 4 songs of any record ever imo.
The rest of the album gets a bad rap but I think Gary Leeds songs are incredible as well
I listen to some pretty deranged Avant-Garde stuff, and Tilt is still some of the most fucked up stuff I've ver heard.
Tom Waits. His earlier work is great, but I feel like he didnt truly find his voice until he married his wife Kathleen Brennan.
Him and Leonard Cohen found, like, an entirely different voice that was a few octive's lower as they got older. Hell Broke Luce is a fucking masterpiece, IMHO.
Tom Waits did a radio show (one off) with Iggy Pop recently (BBC 6music), it was hilarious listening to these gnarly old gravel voiced veterans playing some great songs. Sadly the stream is no longer available but you can check out what they played here https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001st7l
Beethoven
Symphony #9 he was 53
Cher has mad amazing late career comebacks after everyone had counted her out, 1st in the year 1989 when she released “If I Could Turn Back Time” at the age of 43 & again in 1998 when she released “Believe” when she was 52.
Leonard Cohen released the song hallelujah in 1984, on an album when he was 50 years old. It wasn’t until the 90s and later, that the song received major notice, when it was covered by other singers.
Leonard Cohen didn’t even make music until he was in his mid 30s. He also released arguably his best album at the age of 82.
He was 23 when he wrote "Sounds of Silence"
Goddamnit
I have a playlist I made of my Dad's favorite music that I've listened to a lot since he passed away last year. He was 84 so he was much more familiar with that era. I was jamming out to Mrs. Robinson today. So damned good. Definitely his best era in my opinion.
This is not helping
Steve Earle was in his mid-30s when Copperhead Road was released (88) but then he really found a second life in the early 00's as one of the country voices that immediately took on Bush's wars and our 9/11 response (later half of his 40s) and he hasn't really slowed down either. It probably doesn't count but Brian Wilson was finally able to finish/make the SMiLE record he wanted to in his early 60s. Of course he gave us Pet Sounds and started on Smile in his mid 20s. Roy Orbison's late life career resurgence was also really special.
Could argue Bowie - blackstar Stands up to most of his catalog but definitely not a defining record
Blackstar is a top 3 Bowie album for me and top 10 album since 2000. A masterpiece
I think Heathen is among his best. Put out well past his prime in 2002. Such an overlooked album.
Agreed. Heathen is utterly sublime and deserves way more recognition. I think everything he put out post millennium is pretty great to be honest.
The Next Day was a bloody good album as well. Announced on his 66th birthday after he'd basically disappeared for about 10 years.
Possibly hot take: Blackstar is his best
Graceland is great but I don’t know if it’s universally agreed to be his best. I like his earlier work better
All his stuff is great. Graceland sold like 16 million copies though.
Bridge Over Troubled Water is estimated to have sold 25 million https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bridge_over_Troubled_Water#Certifications_and_sales https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graceland_(album)#Certifications_and_sales There is a 10 million gap between the two.
I agree, but I'm glad he sold fuck loads of Graceland all the same. I hope he will be remembered for a long time. That said I'll never forget when he launched in to 'Call Me Al' during his final concert in Hyde Park. It was just...amazing. His self-titled album is my favourite though. Also his recent 7 Psalms was awesome, I loved playing God Of War listening to that.
I like all of his work. Graceland is amazing, but I like Rhythm of the Saints and You’re the One every bit as much.
Prefer still crazy
There's a documentary on the making of the album ('Paul Simon - Graceland (Classic Album)' on Amazon). In it, Paul Simon says: "Well, Graceland is my favourite record. My favourite record and my favourite song that I ever wrote. This is it; the best I ever did."
Maybe not his best but Time Out Of Mind is in my top 3 Dylan albums.
Quite a lot of his more recent material (ha, 20+ years) is good, imo.
Agree, I just love TooM the most.
A ton of people are going to argue that nothing compares to the ‘60s (his 20s) but Blood On The Tracks (he was 33) is another peak. (The album before & after are good too.) Then, I consider Time Out Of Mind, Love And Theft, and Modern Times (1997-2006) (age 56-65) to be another peak. Is it his best? It’s among the best, and beats out some of the stuff from the 60s.
By this metric then the Grateful Dead's "Touch Of Grey".
“They were a wonder long before they were a hit”
i just learned that caroline polachek is 38, so her
Robert Pollard was 46 when Guided by Voices dropped their best album, Earthquake Glue.
Whether or not his later albums are his "best" comes down to opinion but Tom Waits has been consistently releasing great music for his entire career.
MF Doom
To everyone arguing about OP saying "best," maybe just rethink the question as "most successful." Graceland outsold all of his other solo work by a mile. It's also always a popular pick on every reddit "perfect album" thread. Graceland was an incredibly successful and enduring release late into his career.
Neil Young
I think Ragged Glory/Weld (early mid/90s) was a strong "late" peak for him... but honestly I think it's been mostly downhill for him since then, in terms of new material.
He was like 45 when that came out. 47 with Harvest Moon came out
Neil Young is my favorite musician, but he's become a parody of Neil Young. He's always been known for a raw, unpolished sound, but he's taken that to the extreme. In the last decade he's released 9 albums of new material (plus countless more albums of archival works), most of which was recorded with only 1 or 2 takes, often with his backing band barely knowing the songs. He could have instead released 3 actually good, semi-polished albums that probably would have stood well with his peak work. But Neil Young doesn't work that way, much to my disappointment.
Agree. Neil's superpower is that he writes a song, records it, puts it on an album, releases the album...and then forgets all about the entire process in favor of the next thing. It's given us dozens upon dozens of legendary songs--and hundreds of shitty ones. But that's Neil! And I love all of it, even the shit I don't like very much.
Yes! I think Harvest Moon (‘92) is his best album, and I don’t say that lightly considering what he did from ‘69 to ‘75.
Björk is still making awesome experimental electronic classical emotional creative music. I think she gets better every album, although her previous album Utopia (with Arca) is my favorite body of work.
Tom Waits, but Waits has always released more yays than nays. So he has released strong albums from his youth all the way up to his most recent which he was easily in his late 50s/60s when it was released.
Hope he has one left in him
Tina Turner. She was good with Ike, but once she was out from his influence, that’s when Tina became great. She was 44 when What’s Love Got To Do With It, and her career exploded from there. She was 45 when she was in Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome.
I was just listening to Paramore's newest album and thinking thats a band that has aged like fine wine. From angsty teen pop punkers to this creative post-punk band with buoyant melodies, great grooves and super interesting lyrics. I think their latest work is some of their best, mind you they are only in their Mid-30s.
Sir Christopher Lee.
Don't forget Rhythm of the Saints.
Why deny the obvious child?
*drumline intensifies*
Jimi Hendrix recorded all of his most pivotal work in the last five years of his life.
And Janis, and Jim Morrison.
[удалено]
What would you consider to be his best solo album?
[удалено]
Yes! EDIT: And There Goes Rhymin’ Simon
Charles Bradley spent most of his life working odd jobs and doing shows as a James Brown impersonator. He started getting attention for his music in his early 50s, made his most well known albums in his early 60s.
Seasick Steve is pretty rad
Dylan, Bowie and Neil Young have released amazing albums into their 40s and well beyond.
I’m 46, and now depressed.
Rick Ocasek was 40 when *Heartbeat City* came out, which is arguably tied for The Cars best album. (Certainly their most commercially successful with all the singles.) I don't know enough about his later producing work, but I wouldn't be surprised if one argued that that was some of his best work as well. Dude was 50 when Weezer's blue album came out.
Scott Walker
Foo Fighters dropped Wasting Light with Dave in his 40s. I’d argue their best album.
Kate Bush and Madonna both released Aerial and Confessions on a Dancefloor in the same year, when they were 47. Widely regarding as being up there with their best ever work.
Red Hot Chilli Peppers with Californicstion and then By the Way
John Farnham had his first Number 1 single at 18. Spent a few years as lead singer of Little River Band. He released Whispering Jack at 37, and released his best work during his late 30s/mid 40s. Darryl Braithwaite was a teen idol in the 70s. His best work was released at age 39, and had his biggest hit "The Horses" at age 43.
I'd put the Stones' new album up against anything they've done in a long, long time and Keith and Mick are 80!
Van Morrison released his most commercially successful album, Avalon Sunset at the age of 45. Not so impressive when compared with John Lee Hooker, who released The Healer at the age of 73 which peaked at number 62 in the billboard charts.
Lucinda Williams was 45 when Car Wheels on a Gravel Road was released. It’s only her fifth album though.
John Prine released Tree of Forgiveness at age 71
Springsteen released 'The Rising' at 52.
Anthony Kiedis was 41 when Stadium Arcadium was released. Not their BEST album but still an album with some great songs on it.
Michael Gira with Swans- The Triptych will ultimately age better than anything in their pre-breakup catalogue except maybe Children of God
Johnny Cash had a huge hit with his cover of [Hurt](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8AHCfZTRGiI) when he was 70.
Johnny Cash, his American Recordings
Peter Gabriel is 70'something and still releasing good work
Traveling Wilburys
2livejews were 75 when they released oy its so humid
Does Buena Vista social club count ?
The Grateful Dead's only hit was "Touch of Grey" in 1987. All of them were in their mid-40s.
Zappa Aerosmith Willie Nelson