1. Stevie Wonder's Songs In The Key Of Life: It is a R&B classic and all, but when you put "Composed, Arranged, & Performed by Stevie Wonder" in bold on 2 discs and write the most bizarre liner notes ever written for an album, you're not only looking at self-indulgence, but ego.

2. Michael Jackson's HIStory: Yep, most of the material of the album sucked, but when you include a 52-paged booklet full of freaky infomation and pictures, it's just plain crazy. Also, what was up with the album cover?

3. The Beatles: The White Album: I love the album, but some of the tracks are just stupid.

4. R. Kelly's R.


What's are some of the most self-indulgent albums you ever listened to?

1999. there is something very satisfying about 7, 8, 9 minute tracks..... but there is also something very satisfying about 3, 4, 5 minute tracks.... none of the songs on this album are epic enough to sustain interest at their length. the longer versions should have been saved for 12" singles. great album, but not great enough to warrant a double album with only 11 tracks.


plus, Free sucks.

interesting that every album listed so far is, technically at least, a double album.

GrayKing said:

N.E.W.S

silverchild said:

U r spot on. Ha r kellys "r." album is stupid.

"love this man
pray for this man" etc.....there is a track on disc 2 that is self indulgent too. Sounds like an audio clip from a movie. But I think that track is cool

Prince's "emancipation" was. All cd's had to be 60 mins exactly! I wonder if anyone but him cared? Some of the songs were ruined thanx to stupid track times. Could of been worse, but why bother?

With chris williams "adventures in paradise" album, he gives u a fold out calender with modelesque pics of himself on the beach. I think the calender is 1989 always useful then.
[Edited 5/29/05 4:25am]

no it did not

Any of Alanis Morissette's bullshit.

VoicesCarry said:

Derek Jarman - The Soundtrack to Blue - an album filled with dreary, aimless monologues and bland backing tracks.

Coil - Time Machines - unfocused, fuzzy electronic noise that drones on forever.

Lou Reed - Metal Machine Music - I think this may be more an act of ego and contempt for his audience than self-indulgence, but either way it's utter garbage.

The Rainbow Children.

The album

GrayKing said:

Completely wrong.

Moonbeam said:

1999 is a great album. But I agree that some songs are a drag and would've been better if edited. It's still a career highlight, tho'.

Cloudbuster said:

...
...
you could say the same thing about songs in the key of life....a wonderful album but some of the tracks do go on a bit.

blackboab said:

Agreed. But that remains a career highlight, too.

Cloudbuster said:

I love most of that album. Even "free"

But "international lover" is cliche and corny. It sounds like something r kelly would of written.

thesexofit said:

Free is pure treacle - I loooaaathe it.

1999 is a classic, no question about that in my mind - it's also a very flawed album, but I actually think that the longer song lengths is one of the factors that works in its favour, that elevates the album to classic status.

Some of the tracks benefit from the extended length - for example, if automatic was edited to a three minute fifty second track, it would probably be thoroughly ordinary. The extended length and the mixing board lunacy on that track turn a fairly forgettable song into something of a classic.

But Free does suck, All the Critics.. is a dull, unformed throb that goes nowhere and takes its time getting there, and International Lover is embarrassing.

damosuzuki said:

I dont like "all the critics" much. Though I like "lady cab driver". I think "dmsr" goes on for too long. is it me or does "the belle of st mark" sound sorta like "lets pretend we're married"?

I know some people here love it, and I'm not saying it's without its merits, but Here My Dear by Marvin Gaye is pretty self-indulgent, and quite 'snivelly'. It's a typical, middle-aged divorcee blaming all his inadequacies on his mean old ex-wife - tell us something we haven't heard before!!. The music's great though!


[Edited 5/29/05 6:59am]

Moonbeam said:

not yet, in all my years.

Eminem raps about Kim and Hailey on some album*, like I should give a fuck about them?

*oh wait, that's every album.

You must not like jazz then,cause aren't jazz musicians self-indulgent?
The great ones certainly are.

Puff Daddy - Forever
Li'l Kim - Notorious K.I.M.
R. Kelly - R.
Amil - All Money Is Legal
Puff Daddy & The Family - No Way Out
Madonna - American Life
Madonna - Music (she talked about herself on this ENITREEE albummm)

BASICALLY ANY EAST COAST MAINSTREAM RAP ALBUM FROM THE LATE '90s.

GrayKing said:

As if!

damosuzuki said:

Agreed.

Anything by Mindless Self Indulgence.