Only rating the original studio albums, no compilations, and I'm not counting the original Yellow Submarine soundtrack which borrows songs off of older albums, though it does have some new material (Hey Bulldog for example), nor am I putting the Hey Jude single, which contains the B-side "Revolution" because it wasn't a full album.
12. Please Please Me! (1963)
Best tracks - I Saw Her Standing There, Love Me Do
Underrated track - Please Please Me
Overrated track - Twist and Shout
The Beatles triumphant debut is a fun early 60's rock n roll album that helped bring the rock sound from the United States of late '50's to England. I rate this one at the bottom because 6 of 14 tracks are 50's covers. They do a great job, but it's a little bit of a bubblegum pop/rock album.
11. With the Beatles (1963)
Best tracks - All My Loving, You Really Got a Hold on Me
Underrated - I Wanna Be Your Man (Ringo is clutch)
Overrated - Roll over Beethoven
6 of 14 tracks are covers again, although the covers are bit better on this one. It's still bubblegum 60's pop/rock, but at least these first two albums are the Beatles finding their groove and setting the stage for future greatness.
10. Beatles for Sale (1964)
Best tracks - 8 Days a Week, I'll Follow the Sun
Underrated - No Reply
Overrated - None.
The follow up to the masterpiece 'Hard Days Night' saw the Beatles go back to their rock n roll covers of the '50s for the last time, thankfully. This one gets lumped in with the first two albums, because it has that feel, although its the best of the three because they've started to realize how to use great vocal harmonies. Still it pails in comparison to the earlier album from '64.
9. Rubber Soul (1965)
Best tracks - In My Life, Think for Yourself
Underrated - Girl
Overrated - Norwegian Wood (This Bird has Flown), Michelle
Follow up to Help, released in December of '65 is the first time the Beatles vere into a more experimental sound. Unfortunately I don't think this album holds up because it sounds very '60s, almost comical at times (listen to 'I'm looking through you' to the Monkees'esque sound coming out of when Paul says "and you're nowhere"). However there are a lot of cool songs on here like 'Drive My Car' and so on.
8. Revolver (1966)
Best tracks - Eleanor Rigby, I'm Only Sleeping, Tomorrow Never Knows
Underrated - For No One, I Want to Tell You
Overrated - Yellow Submarine (come on...this is a kid's song)
A lot like Rubber Soul, the follow up album is guilty of being too '60s at times. It doesn't always have that timeless quality that you hope for. Experimental for sure, and absolutely groundbreaking, it's got a lot of really cool sounds that range from eerie, to sad, to fun.
7. Help! (1965)
Best tracks - Ticket to Ride, I've Just seen a Face
Underrated - The Night Before, You're going to lose that girl
Overrated - Yesterday (one of the most overrated songs in rock history, sorry)
Help is a cool album. It's a lot like 'A Hard Days Night' in that they play straight rock. It's pre-psychedelic era, and not overly experimental, but it's straight rock done right. There are a lot of memorable songs on here including the title track and You've got to Hide your Love away, etc. It's a fun listen.
6. Magical Mystery Tour (1967)
Best tracks - Hello Goodbye, Strawberry Fields, I am the Walrus, All you Need is Love
Underrated - Your Mother Should Know
Overrated - Penny Lane (great song, but not a top 10 or 15 Beatle tune like many would argue)
The Mystery Tour is a very cool album. It fully embraces psychedelia in all its glory, but has a lot of big time Beatle classics as well. On any given day this could arguably be my favourite Beatles album, as is the case for each album from here on out on the countdown. One great thing about this album is that its just solid from top to bottom and even includes some instrumental tracks to help keep the flow going. It rings really well from beginning to end, but loses points for being kind of short (36 minutes).
5. A Hard Day's Night (1964)
Best tracks - I should have Known Better, Any Time at All, Tell Me Why
Underrated - When I Get Home
Overrated - Can't Buy Me Love
This was their first real work of art. Beautiful album full of fast and slow melodies, hard and soft, and it flows from track to track perfectly. I listed the big hit as overrated because I feel that it was the obvious single for that time, and might be the only track that doesn't hold up as timeless as it sounds like a mid 60's oldie. Great album though.
4. Sgt.Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967)
Best tracks - A Day in the Life, With a Little Help from My Friends, Title track
Underrated - Lovely Rita (great song)
Overrated - Within You Without You (sorry, George)
This iconic album is one of the first ever concept albums, loaded with a variety of instruments, sounds, high's lows, and comes to a crashing conclusion at the end of 'A Day in the Life'. Really great stuff, although you have to be in the mood to get ready for this one. I think the reason I don't rate it number 1, as many magazines, radio stations, and bloggers have throughout time, is because it does dance the line sometimes with a mix of timeless classics and songs that sound like they belong in the 60's. Timelessness seems to be the major qualification for my assessments.
3. Let it Be (1970)
Best tracks - I've got a feeling, Let it Be, For You Blue, Get Back
Underrated - Dig a Pony, I Me Mine
Overrated - Across the Universe
Beautiful album, probably the one that best exemplifies one of the Beatles greatest qualities and most distinctive sounds - the vocal harmonies. Arguably this is their deepest and most impressive album from a timeless standpoint. This collection of songs is great, and they even put 'One After 909' an old song that John wrote when he was 17. John and Paul would play it on trains when they were starting out. There are all kinds of cool tidbits like this on 'Let it Be'. In fact, I can add to the info of 'One After 909' - they recorded that song years earlier but used the version from their rooftop concert on 'Let it Be'.
2. Abbey Road (1969)
Best tracks - Something, Come Together, Here Comes the Sun, Oh Darling
Underrated - She Came in through the Bathroom Window, I want You (she's so Heavy)
Overrated - None
The last full album they recorded, except for a couple of touch ups they made to the shelved 'Let it Be'. It's a shame because they were obviously in such a groove when they made this, they had it down to a science. This album is magic, from beginning to end. The medley on the back half of the album is outstanding, and bringing a reprise of "You Never Give Me Your Money" into the middle of "Golden Slumbers/Carry that Weight" is pure genius. Wrapping it up with "the End" perfectly highlights the outstanding guitar ability of George Harrison, who riffs and shreds throughout the entire album. Definitely this is George Harrison at his shrieking best. He goes soft and smooth like his buddy Clapton when its called for and goes hard like only he can when he feels it. Great stuff, and the vocal harmonies, wow. This is why we love the Beatles.
1. The White Album (1968)
Best tracks - Back in the USSR, Glass Onion, While my Guitar Gently Weeps, Helter Skelter
Underrated - Savoy Truffle, Why don't we do it in the road, I'm So Tired
Overrated - Birthday
Had to list a lot of tracks because this double album has a lot of tracks. What a masterpiece of sound. Rock n Roll, country, folk, blues, hard rock, big riffs, and a handful of the most classic, well known and memorable songs in the history of music. This album is just a work of art and it has it all. The acoustic doo-wap version of 'Revolution 1' is a fantastic change of pace to take the album down the home stretch (if you're listening on vinyl it kicks off the beginning of side 4). This album has a real narrative and I think sums up the Beatles in all their greatness quite well.
Hard to believe these guys recorded all of this in 7 years. Ridiculous...
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