Your favorite GENESIS studio albums (pick three)

    Admittedly, there's different ways to consider this "top 3"... I could look at it like my favorites in each era, which would be:


    PG: SEBTP (not only the best IMO but also the first PG era album I got for myself)

    PC 70's: ATOTT (probably just cos it has the most 70's era songs I like-Dance on a Volcano, Squonk, Robbery, Assault & Battery, Los Endos)

    3 Piece: WCD (it was the first Genesis album I got after first becoming a fan-my mom gave me her copy, and I remember listening to nothing else that whole summer of 1994. Plus it sounds so different from anything else they had done)



    If we're talking about which ones I'm "into right now" which as with many of you changes over time, I'd say:


    1. ATOTT

    2. The Lamb

    3. ATTWT



    But ultimately my "staples" are what I had mentioned before, which seem to always be towards the top:


    1. WCD

    2. ATOTT

    3. Shapes

    Funny thing is, my last post above was in Feb-so in this last three months, the ones I'm into right now has once again changed:


    1. ATOTT

    2. Duke

    3. IT


    Although my staples remain:


    1. WCD

    2. ATOTT

    3. Genesis

    I love that you included IT in your top three albums. It was a tightly produced, amazing album when it was released and then probably sounded date in the mid to late 90s, but now in 2024 sounds fantastic. I do not think there is a mediocre song on it, and I’ll strongly defend In Too Deep against any haters.

    Quote from Liquid Len

    I love that you included IT in your top three albums. It was a tightly produced, amazing album when it was released and then probably sounded date in the mid to late 90s, but now in 2024 sounds fantastic. I do not think there is a mediocre song on it, and I’ll strongly defend In Too Deep against any haters.


    I agree, a lot of the 80's stuff that came off as dated in the 90's and early 2000''s seem to be getting a renewed respect-all part of that whole 80's nostalgia thing that has been going on for a while now. I myself have gotten into Retro Synthwave; that sub-genre has gained kind of a cult following. I personally describe it as arcade music, like something you'd hear on Street Fighter or some racing game. But I love to drive to it. Invisible Touch sounds a lot like that kind of stuff in a way, so I get it.


    On a deeper level though, I've always felt IT gets kind of the short end of the stick when it comes to discussing Genesis' albums. Fans think of the title track and In Too Deep, and they write it off as too pop-oriented...but IMO this album has so much more to offer. Although it's more poppy and synthy than the others and definitely of its time, it still contains lots of elements of Genesis' more experimental and even prog influenced sound. The instrumental section of Tonight Tonight Tonight, Domino and the very unusual sound of The Brazilian show this. Domino especially has Genesis' own flavor of prog sound all over it; the longer instrumental passages, the imaginative lyrics, contrasting loud and quiet sections and of course multiple parts all go to make that 10 minute song one that stands right up there with the likes of Me and Sarah Jane, One for the Vine and Robbery Assault and Battery.


    Although WCD was the first Genesis album I got, the singles from Invisible Touch are really the ones that first exposed me to Genesis. I was around Kindergarten age when the album came out, and I have distinct memories of the songs being on the radio all the time then. I guess even if IT isn't my favorite Genesis album, it's kind of a special one for me from a nostalgic POV-and it's one of the few where I at least like (if not love) every single song on the album).

    I think as a big fan - which we all are to be here - the three favourites will constantly change. However...


    Two of my favourite three are fixed -

    Duke

    The Lamb Lies Down


    The other one changes a lot, could be anything really. Today I will say We Can't Dance. Tomorrow I will say something else.

    Quote from BillysNumber

    I agree, a lot of the 80's stuff that came off as dated in the 90's and early 2000''s seem to be getting a renewed respect-all part of that whole 80's nostalgia thing that has been going on for a while now. I myself have gotten into Retro Synthwave; that sub-genre has gained kind of a cult following. I personally describe it as arcade music, like something you'd hear on Street Fighter or some racing game. But I love to drive to it. Invisible Touch sounds a lot like that kind of stuff in a way, so I get it.


    On a deeper level though, I've always felt IT gets kind of the short end of the stick when it comes to discussing Genesis' albums. Fans think of the title track and In Too Deep, and they write it off as too pop-oriented...but IMO this album has so much more to offer. Although it's more poppy and synthy than the others and definitely of its time, it still contains lots of elements of Genesis' more experimental and even prog influenced sound. The instrumental section of Tonight Tonight Tonight, Domino and the very unusual sound of The Brazilian show this. Domino especially has Genesis' own flavor of prog sound all over it; the longer instrumental passages, the imaginative lyrics, contrasting loud and quiet sections and of course multiple parts all go to make that 10 minute song one that stands right up there with the likes of Me and Sarah Jane, One for the Vine and Robbery Assault and Battery.


    Although WCD was the first Genesis album I got, the singles from Invisible Touch are really the ones that first exposed me to Genesis. I was around Kindergarten age when the album came out, and I have distinct memories of the songs being on the radio all the time then. I guess even if IT isn't my favorite Genesis album, it's kind of a special one for me from a nostalgic POV-and it's one of the few where I at least like (if not love) every single song on the album).

    I agree with pretty much everything you mentioned here, except for One for the Vine; hasn’t clicked for me yet, I keep trying. But it sounds like you and I are pretty much the same age, I was born in ‘79 and some of my earliest radio memories are driving to the Jersey Shore while Invisible Touch played on the car radio. I swear radio stations in Philly and South Jersey must have played Invisible Touch (the song) every hour on the hour in 1986-87, that and Sledgehammer by PG. It is funny how songs can elicit so much nostalgia in our minds, from times or places we’ve been. Another song that is connected to the beach is Make Me Lose Control by Eric Carmen which probably came out around the same time as IT. Nice memories.

    Quote from Liquid Len

    I agree with pretty much everything you mentioned here, except for One for the Vine; hasn’t clicked for me yet, I keep trying. But it sounds like you and I are pretty much the same age, I was born in ‘79 and some of my earliest radio memories are driving to the Jersey Shore while Invisible Touch played on the car radio. I swear radio stations in Philly and South Jersey must have played Invisible Touch (the song) every hour on the hour in 1986-87, that and Sledgehammer by PG. It is funny how songs can elicit so much nostalgia in our minds, from times or places we’ve been. Another song that is connected to the beach is Make Me Lose Control by Eric Carmen which probably came out around the same time as IT. Nice memories.



    Re: the highlighted, yeah same here. I grew up in the Chicago suburbs, and out there Genesis was big. It seems during the mid-late 80's (I was born in '81) I heard either Genesis or Phil Collins just about every sixth or seventh song on the radio-literally every time I was in the car I heard at least one-between others like The Police, Elton John, Billy Joel and a few others mixed in that were always on. I believe in the mid 80's there indeed was a time where Phil had like five or six singles that were all high in the charts at the same time, so it makes sense. That's All, One More Night, Sussudio, Invisible Touch, In Too Deep, I don't Care Anymore, In the Air Tonight and Two Hearts were all constantly on the radio at the same time during about '84 - '88 (when I was starting to become aware of music and the musicians that made them).


    I was actually shocked to learn that all those songs were done by the same person!

    You also couldn't escape from Phil or Genesis here in Europe from the mid-80s to the early 90s. I became a fan before that started to happen and it always annoyed me a bit, especially when radio people spoke about Phil when it was Genesis etc ...

    Invisible Touch was, despite the media coverage, far from being impressive and is also never a candidate for my Top 3. Nevertheless, it was a great time and a powerful album plus an important tour. The older I get, the more I value the album....

    ... there's a crack in everything. That's how the light gets in

    Like 1

    Duke, ATOTT and SEBTP.


    To me Duke is just the perfect cross road between the "pop" albums and the prog era. Awesome melodies, strong lyrics, and wonderful music. Definitely my favourite album.

    Quote from Schmidt

    Duke, ATOTT and SEBTP.


    To me Duke is just the perfect cross road between the "pop" albums and the prog era. Awesome melodies, strong lyrics, and wonderful music. Definitely my favourite album.

    ... welcome to our community!

    • New
    Quote from Christian

    Interesting to see The Lamb is 40 votes behind Selling in this

    Interesting because you find it ranks too high or too low? Personally, I find it surprising and great at the same time, that it ranks Third, the Lamb was never everybody's cup of tea. I listened to it, entirely, the other week for the first time in probably years. It holds this clear disadvantage when compared with other albums, you can rarely listen to it in its entirety.

    • New
    Quote from Fabrizio

    Interesting because you find it ranks too high or too low? Personally, I find it surprising and great at the same time, that it ranks Third, the Lamb was never everybody's cup of tea. I listened to it, entirely, the other week for the first time in probably years. It holds this clear disadvantage when compared with other albums, you can rarely listen to it in its entirety.

    Yes it's all sorts of things

    When people ask be about their definite album, I always say "The Lamb", because it's more controversial than Selling or Trick.

    And you are right about listening in one go. On the other hand, I myself don't do this that often anymore anyway.

    • New
    Quote from Christian

    Yes it's all sorts of things

    When people ask be about their definite album, I always say "The Lamb", because it's more controversial than Selling or Trick.

    And you are right about listening in one go. On the other hand, I myself don't do this that often anymore anyway.

    I think The Lamb is their Manifesto, hits and misses, plenty of either on that album, but I'm certainly fine with either SEBTP or Trick, ranking before it. Generally speaking, I have no qualms with the poll results as they currently are, except that I find NC to be exceptionally low and Abacab and WCD, undeserving of the position they occupy, personally, I rate them much lower, but I completely get it.

    I equally get why Trespass isn't all that popular, it is with me obviously but in all honesty, if I hadn't listened to it in my teen years, I can see how difficult it would be to be to get on board with it. Duke is certainly a grower, deservedly so IMO.

    Edited 3 times, last by Fabrizio ().