I've been pondering this topic for a few days. There are so many albums that have been influential in changing music styles. Not only changing styles, but the album inspired other writers and producers to try to emulate the style. One of the first albums that I think of as a "game changing" album was Prince's 1999.



Songs that ripped off the sound of that album lasted for years.

Another album that influenced the sound of music was

This album along with

were so influential on popular r&b and had everyone from Boy George to Nia Peoples trying to do New Jack Swing.

Your opinion of albums that were "game changing"?

[img:$uid]http://i.imgur.com/h5jMh.jpg[/img:$uid]

This one completely changed the course of r&b back in the mid to late 80s. As you can hear the difference from everything that came before and afterwards I think that this one is a much better example of albums that have changed music as opposed to being just influential...if that is possible.

Unholyalliance said:

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This one completely changed the course of r&b back in the mid to late 80s. As you can hear the difference from everything that came before and afterwards I think that this one is a much better example of albums that have changed music as opposed to being just influential...if that is possible.

Interesting. To me, Control was more influential on a performance level than musically. Especially after she did the Grammy performance in 87. After that, record companies scrambled to have a "hot" female with a head set and a bunch of dancers.

[img:$uid]http://www.rollingstonesnet.com/images/Berry28.jpg[/img:$uid]

[img:$uid]http://www.academyannex.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/wpsc/product_images/Music_blonde_on_blonde.jpg[/img:$uid]

[img:$uid]http://www.academyannex.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/wpsc/product_images/Mc5%20kickin%20out.jpg[/img:$uid]

[img:$uid]http://onetwotwist.files.wordpress.com/2010/09/heres-little-richard-capa.jpg[/img:$uid]

[img:$uid]http://images1.buymusichere.net/images/w/2/146002.jpg[/img:$uid]

[img:$uid]http://www.thevinyldistrict.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/cover-sly_family_stone-stand.jpg[/img:$uid]

[img:$uid]http://cdn.7static.com/static/img/sleeveart/00/003/652/0000365280_350.jpg[/img:$uid]

[img:$uid]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/c/cc/Curtismayfield-1970lp.jpg[/img:$uid]

[img:$uid]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/8/86/Isaac_Hayes%2C_Hot_Buttered_Soul_Album_Cover.jpg[/img:$uid]

[img:$uid]http://www.gregwilson.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/Whats-Going-On-sleeve.jpg[/img:$uid]

[img:$uid]http://cdn.pastemagazine.com/www/articles/rawpower.jpg?1270126583[/img:$uid]

[img:$uid]http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_cLI19EXK2oU/TKI-JMns-uI/AAAAAAAAA1k/PK0OuKPPlZ8/s400/T_Rex_Electric_Warrior-f.jpg[/img:$uid]

[img:$uid]http://referencemusic.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/ziggy-stardust-and-the-spiders-from-mars.jpg[/img:$uid]

[img:$uid]http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/61ERBV12AAL._SS500_.jpg[/img:$uid]

[img:$uid]http://www.pollsb.com/photos/o/2103-jimi_hendrix_experience_experienced.jpg[/img:$uid]

[img:$uid]http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/61pSUiEVakL.jpg[/img:$uid]

[img:$uid]http://images.wikia.com/lyricwiki/images/f/f4/Ramones_-_Ramones.jpg[/img:$uid]

[img:$uid]http://www.hecklerspray.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/bollocks.jpg[/img:$uid]

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Just off the top of my head.

Unholyalliance said:

[img:$uid]http://i.imgur.com/h5jMh.jpg[/img:$uid]

This one completely changed the course of r&b back in the mid to late 80s. As you can hear the difference from everything that came before and afterwards I think that this one is a much better example of albums that have changed music as opposed to being just influential...if that is possible.

Prince created the melody for this and played synthesizer on it. A quote from Stevie...

"I phoned Prince out of the blue, hummed a melody, and he listened," says Nicks of the latter hit's gestation. "I hung up, and he came over within the hour. He listened again, and I said, 'Do you hate it?' He said, 'No,' and walked over to the synthesizers that were set up, was absolutely brilliant for about twenty five minutes, and then left. He was so uncanny, so wild, he spoiled me for every band I've ever had because nobody can exactly re-create - not even with two piano players-what Prince did all by his little self."-- Stevie Nicks

I would've also said 1999 but I didn't wanna repeat.

SEANMAN said:

Prince created the melody for this and played synthesizer on it. A quote from Stevie...

"I phoned Prince out of the blue, hummed a melody, and he listened," says Nicks of the latter hit's gestation. "I hung up, and he came over within the hour. He listened again, and I said, 'Do you hate it?' He said, 'No,' and walked over to the synthesizers that were set up, was absolutely brilliant for about twenty five minutes, and then left. He was so uncanny, so wild, he spoiled me for every band I've ever had because nobody can exactly re-create - not even with two piano players-what Prince did all by his little self."-- Stevie Nicks

According to Prince in a recent NYC radio interview, he got credit, but he got involved in the song because no one knew how to use the drum machine.

Also, the song was inspired after Stevie heard "Little Red Corvette."

Timmy84 said:

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Just off the top of my head.

A mostly delicious list Timmy!!

Not that I'm a fan, but Nirvana's Nevermind putting a stop to hair band metal has to make this list somewhere.

I forgot this one:

[img:$uid]http://tralfaz-archives.com/coverart/B/black_paraf.jpg[/img:$uid]

And yeah Nevermind was a game-changer too.

Timmy84 said:

[img:$uid]http://www.gregwilson.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/Whats-Going-On-sleeve.jpg[/img:$uid]

Plus, he really had to fight to release this album. Turns out they were smart to have allowed him to do it his way.

Fenwick said:

Not that I'm a fan, but Nirvana's Nevermind putting a stop to hair band metal has to make this list somewhere.

Isn't that more of a cultural change rather than a music change? I know that changes in culture affects changes in music though... =/

Wait...something about that doesn't seem right...

[Edited 4/7/11 11:24am]

[img:$uid]http://grownfolksmusic.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/dangelo-voodoo.jpg[/img:$uid]

Harlepolis said:

[img:$uid]http://grownfolksmusic.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/dangelo-voodoo.jpg[/img:$uid]

trueiopian said:

Harlepolis said:

[img:$uid]http://grownfolksmusic.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/dangelo-voodoo.jpg[/img:$uid]

Hate him or love him, but he & that album gave birth to a whole movement of duplicates.

daPrettyman said:

Interesting. To me, Control was more influential on a performance level than musically. Especially after she did the Grammy performance in 87. After that, record companies scrambled to have a "hot" female with a head set and a bunch of dancers.

The album changed Contemporary R&B.

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[img:$uid]http://i52.tinypic.com/sp7prk.jpg[/img:$uid]

no I know they did not invent this style of music, they sure changed what everyone was doing! To this day, people are still copying it.

Harlepolis said:

trueiopian said:

Hate him or love him, but he & that album gave birth to a whole movement of duplicates.

U could actually go back to his debut. I think it had a bit more impact than this one.

NDRU said:

no I know they did not invent this style of music, they sure changed what everyone was doing! To this day, people are still copying it.

Good one.

daPrettyman said:

Harlepolis said:

Hate him or love him, but he & that album gave birth to a whole movement of duplicates.

U could actually go back to his debut. I think it had a bit more impact than this one.

Both are equally important IMO. Folks were keeping their ears open for this cat, they were hungry for something new from him eversince his debut, and when this album came out, they fully embraced it.

I'm inclined to mention this as well...

[img:$uid]http://images.wikia.com/lyricwiki/images/9/99/Lauryn_Hill_-_The_Miseducation_Of_Lauryn_Hill.jpg[/img:$uid]

Timmy84 said:

[img:$uid]http://www.rollingstonesnet.com/images/Berry28.jpg[/img:$uid]

[img:$uid]http://www.academyannex.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/wpsc/product_images/Music_blonde_on_blonde.jpg[/img:$uid]

[img:$uid]http://www.academyannex.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/wpsc/product_images/Mc5%20kickin%20out.jpg[/img:$uid]

[img:$uid]http://onetwotwist.files.wordpress.com/2010/09/heres-little-richard-capa.jpg[/img:$uid]

[img:$uid]http://images1.buymusichere.net/images/w/2/146002.jpg[/img:$uid]

[img:$uid]http://www.thevinyldistrict.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/cover-sly_family_stone-stand.jpg[/img:$uid]

[img:$uid]http://cdn.7static.com/static/img/sleeveart/00/003/652/0000365280_350.jpg[/img:$uid]

[img:$uid]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/c/cc/Curtismayfield-1970lp.jpg[/img:$uid]

[img:$uid]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/8/86/Isaac_Hayes%2C_Hot_Buttered_Soul_Album_Cover.jpg[/img:$uid]

[img:$uid]http://www.gregwilson.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/Whats-Going-On-sleeve.jpg[/img:$uid]

[img:$uid]http://cdn.pastemagazine.com/www/articles/rawpower.jpg?1270126583[/img:$uid]

[img:$uid]http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_cLI19EXK2oU/TKI-JMns-uI/AAAAAAAAA1k/PK0OuKPPlZ8/s400/T_Rex_Electric_Warrior-f.jpg[/img:$uid]

[img:$uid]http://referencemusic.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/ziggy-stardust-and-the-spiders-from-mars.jpg[/img:$uid]

[img:$uid]http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/61ERBV12AAL._SS500_.jpg[/img:$uid]

[img:$uid]http://www.pollsb.com/photos/o/2103-jimi_hendrix_experience_experienced.jpg[/img:$uid]

[img:$uid]http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/61pSUiEVakL.jpg[/img:$uid]

[img:$uid]http://images.wikia.com/lyricwiki/images/f/f4/Ramones_-_Ramones.jpg[/img:$uid]

[img:$uid]http://www.hecklerspray.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/bollocks.jpg[/img:$uid]

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Just off the top of my head.

This right here!

NDRU said:

no I know they did not invent this style of music, they sure changed what everyone was doing! To this day, people are still copying it.

Word. Problem is some are NOT AS GOOD. Some are though.