#1 The White Album

The Beatles' 1968 self-titled album is best known as The White Album due to it's plain white cover. It is also my favorite Beatles album of all time (and thus my favorite album of all time, bar none!)

The White Album is considered by some to be too sprawling to be the best Beatles album. It doesn't have the conciseness of Sgt Pepper, Revolver, and Abbey Road. For me that sprawling nature works which is somewhat strange because I do normally prefer a more concise tight album over one that hangs around too long but somehow with The White Album it works.

Why am I not bothered by the sprawl? Maybe it's because I rarely listen to the whole album in one sitting? I like to pick out the first disc or the second disc and just go with that. It really just depends on my mood which disc I put on. For a long time I definitely considered disc 1 to be my favorite as I felt it was a bit stronger throughout and a lot of my favorite Beatles songs are on the disc including "Dear Prudence," "Blackbird," "I Will," & " Happiness is a Warm Gun." But these days I seem to enjoy disc 2 just as much.

One of the best things about The White Album is how songs that I initially didn't care that much for have gone on to become very interesting to me. For a long time I didn't care much for the album version of "Revolution" but then all of a sudden I got it. While I do think that the choice for the single version was wisely made, the album version is really awesome and fits the album better than the single version would have.

I find that I'm writing a sprawling explanation for why this sprawling album is my favorite. Perhaps I'm a bit schizophrenic and it appeals to me for that reason? Ha! I don't know. I just think there's always something fresh to hear when I put on The White Album. Even after hearing it hundreds (probably thousands) of times, I can still hear something new.

#2 Sgt. Pepper

Sgt. Pepper is often called overrated by folks who just don't get why the album is so praised. Well I think it's important to realize what the album sounded like to people in 1967. It was truly groundbreaking. I also think it's important to separate the hype from the listening experience. If you listen to the album without the expectations then you will hear the genius at work. This is a flawless trip of an album that deserves every bit of praise it receives and then some.

Note this truth: Any album that includes "A Day in the Life" cannot be overrated.

#3 Revolver

It's become very trendy among music snobs to say that Revolver is the Beatles best album and I can definitely see the argument. The songs are incredible. But that being said, I don't think it flows quite as well as Sgt. Pepper and I personally do not think that the songs are stronger either. "Yellow Submarine" just doesn't work on the album for me. I have nothing particular against the song, I quite enjoy it actually. But to me it's never fit well on the album.

#4 Abbey Road

The second half of Abbey Road is perhaps the best half of an LP ever created. The suite works perfectly. It never tries too hard like many of the progressive bands inspired by the Beatles later would. It just works. That being said, the album is a bit too slick in comparison with the top three in my opinion. It's an incredible album, but competition like the top three... Well let's just say that if your 4th best album ever is Abbey Road then you're quite an amazing band. Yes!

#5 Magical Mystery Tour

While Magical Mystery Tour is often not considered a proper album I don't really care. I'm including it here. As good as the songs on Rubber Soul are, I prefer the trip that I take when I put MMT on. "I Am The Walrus" is the ultimate in Beatle weirdness.