Your favourite (non-classical) double albums

[Rinaldo]

In the music magazine I write for, we recently had a discussion about the greatest double albums of all time™ – meaning albums originally released as two LPs / CDs (or more). Everyone involved picked 5-7 of their favourites, with repeated appearances from some of the usual suspects like Dylan (Blonde on Blonde) or The Clash (London Calling).

I've combed through my collection and came up with these seven:

Wendy Carlos: Sonic Seasonings
A synth pioneer and her revolutionary proto-ambient work. I didn't select it on those merits only, though. Almost fifty years later, it's still a very captivating listen, with soundscapes transporting you to sonic worlds beyond the ordinary.

Amon Düül II: Yeti
Oh boy, I forgot how hard this thing ROCKS! I'm not very fond of prog in general, but there are exceptions and this might be the chief example.

Bruce Springsteen: The River
My favourite Springsteen songs can be found on his other records but The River is constantly great and a generous showcase of what makes him great.

Prince: Sign o' the Times
Similar story as above, now with added grooves.

Hüsker Dü: Zen Arcade
Tommy for the Gen Xers and thus more relatable to moi, est. 1982.

Tech N9ne: Killer
Weirdo rapper that I don't really like – and his magnum opus that I find immensely entertaining form start to finish.

Swans: The Seer
I was torn between this and their White Light from the Mouth of Infinity, but this is where Gira perfected Swans' late, monolithic sound. And the tunes are still great.

How about you, estemeed purveyors of all things musical, got any favourite mammoth records?

[vandermolen]

Beatles: White Album
Jimi Hendrix: Electric Ladyland
The Who: Tommy (I never owned this album but enjoyed it)
Likewise Jeff Wayne's 'War of the Worlds' 
Chicago Transit Authority

[Archaic Torso of Apollo]

Pentangle, Sweet Child
One album is live, one is studio. Shows off their range better than any other release - it's probably the only album in existence that contains music by both William Byrd and Charles Mingus. I was lucky enough to get the 50th anniversary sky-blue vinyl reissue at a cheap price (there's only 700 of these in the world).

The Beatles, The Beatles (AKA The White Album)
'Nuff said. I still have the white vinyl issue I bought in the 1980s.

The Kinks, The Kink Kronikles
Not a greatest hits collection, but a representative anthology of their 1966-70 work, including songs you can't find on other albums. This effectively makes it a "legitimate" album in and of itself.

Jethro Tull, Living in the Past
Similar to the Kinks kompilation.

[Iota]

Beatles - The White Album
Miles Davis - Bitches Brew
David Bowie - David Live

The Bowie struck me at the time (1974) as a revelatory reworking of previous songs. Recorded live in Philadelphia when he was barely more than a skeleton, and the songs seemed to reflect that pared down mental and physical state.

[Rinaldo]

The Bowie struck me at the time (1974) as a revelatory reworking of previous songs. Recorded live in Philadelphia when he was barely more than a skeleton, and the songs seemed to reflect that pared down mental and physical state.

Hell yeah. We didn't include live albums in our original magazine selection but if we did, Bowie would definitely get a nod from me – although I'd probably opt for Stage, his best band lineup, at least to my ears.

Thanks for sharing your faves, everyone!

[SimonNZ]

Easily in first place for me:

Peter Gabriel - Passion

and then, trying not to include ones already mentioned:

Joni Mitchell - Miles Of Aisles
Nick Cave - Your Funeral My Trial
Keith Jarrett - The Koln Concert
David Sylvian - Gone To Earth
Aretha Frabklin - Amazing Grace
Joe Jackson - Big World
The Smiths - Louder Than Bombs
Tom Waits - Nighthawks At The Diner
Tangerine Dream - Encore

[XB-70 Valkyrie]

Most recently, a double LP set: Chet Baker / Bill Evans ‎– The Complete Recordings There are many others...

[Gurn Blanston]

Beatles - The White Album
Miles Davis - Bitches Brew
David Bowie - David Live

The Bowie struck me at the time (1974) as a revelatory reworking of previous songs. Recorded live in Philadelphia when he was barely more than a skeleton, and the songs seemed to reflect that pared down mental and physical state.

I'm not even going to make an effort to top these: they could have been my choices. In fact, 2 of them already were. The Miles was a bonus.

[steve ridgway]

Amon Düül II: Yeti
Oh boy, I forgot how hard this thing ROCKS! I'm not very fond of prog in general, but there are exceptions and this might be the chief example.

I'll have to give it some thought but this is a good one. The German "krautrock" of the 1970s didn't have that obsession of British prog with virtuosity and audio perfection.

[Rinaldo]

I'll have to give it some thought but this is a good one. The German "krautrock" of the 1970s didn't have that obsession of British prog with virtuosity and audio perfection.

I'm a sucker for the motorik done well, so when it comes to krautrock, I prefer Neu! over the more overwrought stuff. I do enjoy some Popol Vuh (for the melodies) and Tangerine Dream or Cluster/Harmonia (for the textures). Never warmed to Can, but I still hope to grow into them one day.

Amon Düül II were a special kind of beast, though. Made in Germany is also formidable.

[vers la flamme]

Godspeed You! Black Emperor: Lift Yr Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven
Miles Davis: Bitches Brew
Aphex Twin: Drukqs
Bob Dylan: Blonde on Blonde
Can: Tago Mago

Do live records count...?

Allman Brothers Band: At Fillmore East
Grateful Dead: Live Dead
Townes van Zandt: Live at the Old Quarter, Houston, TX

Blanking on a lot of great ones, I'm sure... Classical music has completely dominated my listening life for well over a year now.

[Rinaldo]

Godspeed You! Black Emperor: Lift Yr Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven
Miles Davis: Bitches Brew
Aphex Twin: Drukqs
Bob Dylan: Blonde on Blonde
Can: Tago Mago

That one was extra hard to cut from my list. Also I remember Drukqs catching a lot of flak when it was released but it's my favourite AT release.

Do live records count...?

No holds barred!

Townes van Zandt: Live at the Old Quarter, Houston, TXp

*pounds the table with a cowboy boot*

[71 dB]

Also I remember Drukqs catching a lot of flak when it was released but it's my favourite AT release.

It's also my favorite Aphex Twin release. 

[j winter]

I haven't come up with a proper list yet,but I'm surprised nobody's mentioned Exile on Main Street.  That's definitely somewhere in my top 5 rock albums....

[steve ridgway]

Can: Tago Mago

I've listened to it a lot over the years, though only rarely make it through disc 2 .

[steve ridgway]

Tangerine Dream - Encore

Yes, I don't suppose Zeit is most people's cup of tea.

[steve ridgway]

Amon Düül II were a special kind of beast, though. Made in Germany is also formidable.

I've gradually extended my Amon Düül II collection as far as Made in Germany but as far as double albums go would rather listen to Tanz der Lemminge.

[steve ridgway]

I'm stunned now after listening all the way through A.R. & Machines: Echo .

[SimonNZ]

An outsider that seldom gets mentioned: the original "black album" Star Wars soundtrack

[Karl Henning]

Eschewing those already mentioned:

Zappa & the Mothers, Freak Out!
Zappa & the Mothers, Uncle Meat
Fleetwood Mac, Tusk
Genesis, The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway