The Guardian came up with one of those lists that are interesting to read and then you check your own collection.  Albums that changed music is an ambitious term and could be applied to hundreds of records for numerous reasons. I actually think it’s a decent list but there are a lack of entries from the last ten years. This decade has been quite innovative in terms of British ‘rap’ or more specifically grime, and on this side of the Atlantic a renaissance of great indie music spearheaded by Arcade Fire, Sufjan Stevens and others. I also think Sigur Ros have created their own genre. How about Doves?

Back to The Clash, if you review the list and feel like me you’re looking for two entries and the first to appear is London Calling weighing in at number 18. Great I thought, a good showing and the debut Clash album must be 20 something….30 something….right at the bottom. Not on the list?

I am the first to admit that  London Calling is arguably the finest album The Clash recorded, just for it’s ambition and consistency it’s difficult to debate. A record that demonstrated the confidence to fuse whatever took their fancy and blend it into a collective whole was a huge accomplishment.

This was the album that legitimised punk – hitherto a stroppy fad – into the rock canon. Its iconic cover, and songs about the Spanish Civil War brought left-wing politics firmly into musical fashion.

However, in terms of a record that changed music, I’d still side with the debut. Not to say it’s a better album but that it took the sleepy carcass of post glam rock and simply opened up the grate in the gutter and swept it away. The Clash s/t accomplished more in its short trebly bursts to change what was to follow than the NME could have begged for. I’m not a music historian but what became punk/post punk and then merged into indie was always (if subconsciously) a wheel that The Clash sent spinning with their debut album. The passing of time hasn’t left it sitting like a fossil any more than Sgt. Pepper has or The Queen Is Dead. Some albums are like 1066, 1776 and 1492 – you’re not sure about the year before but you know things changed from that point forward.

The rest of the list contains some gems and of note are The Velvet Underground and Nico at number one. The Velvet Underground (whom I love) never top any lists so seeing them at the summit of this one was a nice shock. The Jesus and Mary Chain must have voted.

I’ll encourage you to scan the list but these are some I liked -

Kate Bush – Hounds of Love  22

Stone Roses – Stone Roses 31

Ramones – Ramones 36

The Smiths – The Smiths 42

Notice all of the debut albums? I did and I think it proves my point about The Clash but I’ll jump off my bandwagon now.There’s some glaring omissions also; The Specials debut, Chemical Brothers, REM, Joy Division, New Order or The Cure to name but six. Sinead O’ Connor for her debut? What do you think?

Two other things to note – from 1975-1983 only London Calling and The Human League’s Dare (which is rightly on this list) represent English music. Finally from this decade only one record makes the list. Care to guess?

G’night – Tim

1. Happy (U.S.A.) 30th Anniversary to London Calling
2. Ian Brown inspired, Top 10 debut albums, Topper on reunion reasons
3. Back to the well – London Calling 30th Anniversary
4. Mick Jones on the BBC, Best Double Albums ever, and Clash fans in the desert
5. London Calling 30th Anniversary- Sony find no blood in the stone
6. London Calling to Mayor Boris? Elle of a bad idea
7. London Calling now a School of Rock degree