For the last couple of weeks, we asked fans to identify which Duran album is their favorite, second favorite, third, etc. all the way to the least favorite. Based on the results, Duran’s albums ranked in this way:
- Rio (The favorite)
- 1st Album/Self-Titled
- Seven and the Ragged Tiger
- All You Need Is Now
- The Wedding Album
- Paper Gods
- Notorious
- Astronaut
- Big Thing
- Red Carpet Massacre
- Liberty
- Medazzaland
- Pop Trash
- Thank You
Of course, these results are based on those people who participated. We had lots more people vote on the first day when the favorite album was asked with a lot less participation when we got to the 10th or 11th favorite. People stated that they had a hard time remembering what was left on their lists. I could relate, which is why I had to write my list down!
Not Surprising:
These results do not surprise me. While I might find one or two placements interesting, I was definitely not shocked to find Rio at the top. It routinely tops the list when we have asked this question before or something very similar to it. In fact, 46% voted for Rio at the top. Interestingly enough, the lowest placement it had in this set of polls is second. Everyone who participated loves this album.
The bottom of the list did not catch me off guard either. I knew that Medazzaland, Pop Trash and Thank You would be near the bottom. It was really just a matter of which one would be where. I recognize that many fans get frustrated by this as they feel that Rio is overrated and albums like Medazzaland are far underrated. While I definitely feel that Rio gets a LOT of love and perhaps too much love, I have to recognize that the fans who participate feel the way they do. If everyone who loves Medazzaland participated, maybe the results would be different.
Slightly Surprising:
Three albums did not get chosen for ANYONE’S favorite, which were Thank You, Pop Trash and Red Carpet Massacre. I really didn’t think that Pop Trash or Thank You would be favorites. Some fans defend Pop Trash but those fans are louder in their support over Medazzaland. As for Thank You, it is a covers album. Duranies, apparently, prefer the songs the band writes themselves. Now, Red Carpet Massacre, on the other hand, does surprise me a little. Every time we bring up this album and mention how divided the Duran fan base was, people come on to tell us about how great the album is and how much they love it, claiming how it was dealt with was the problem. If that is the case, someone would have chosen it as his/her favorite. No one chose RCM or Thank You until the 4th favorite album was mentioned. Clearly, those albums are not generally loved.
I watched the placement of the post-reunion albums carefully. Obviously, I just mentioned that Red Carpet Massacre placed the worst out of the four. Astronaut was not that much better at 8th favorite. Paper Gods picked up the 6th favorite and All You Need Is Now landed in the 4th spot. The first three favorites were the first three albums. This tells me that most Duranies became fans then and prefer the early 80s sound. After the 80s were chosen was All You Need Is Now. Think about that. The fan favorite after the three albums of the early 80s, after the band’s most popular era was that one. It was not the latest in Paper Gods. Nor was it the one produced in part by Timbaland or featured Justin Timberlake. Dom was on that album, not Andy.
What does this tell me about Duran fans? As much as many fans appreciate experimentation, the general sound fans love is the 80s sound found on the first 3 albums and AYNIN. As the band considers going back into the studio, perhaps, they will think about that.
What do the rest of you think about the results?
-A
Funny, but I don’t consider the general Duran sound that fans prefer as ’80’s sound’, but rather their ‘best’ sound.
I say that for 2 reasons – firstly, Notorious and Big Thing were both done in the 80’s, but nobody considers them to be that “80’s sound’ so that moniker just doesn’t quite fit. And, secondly I’d say that great music transcends the actual time period in which in was produced/released, and that while Duran has moved in many different directions, some very successful, others not so much.
The fact is that the ‘kind’ of music they play on the fan favourite albums is the way we like to hear the band, their ‘signature sound’ perhaps?!
Nobody has done it better than them and while I admire them having done different albums with different styles of sound, and I suggest that they have more Rio style music in them. The reason I say that is while all the songs on Rio have a common ‘signature’ nobody would say that those songs sound alike.
Again, it was the style and the sound we enjoyed, and whether done in the 80’s or today, it’s a sound I think they still do best as All You Need is Now helped demonstrate incredibly well. 🙂
I noticed that fans do not like covers!
So,as the guys considers going back live, they’ll have to think about that too.
PS. In this current tour I’d rather White Lines than the Space Oddity/Planet Earth thing.
Hmmm. I love pop trash, and consider it my favorite. I also adore RCM.
I never listen to the first three anymore. So tiring. I prefer bands that make new music and push that. Like depeche mode. Even though duran make good/ great albums still, I am tired of the nostalgia tours.
I also miss Warren,their best music was with him. The best tracks on paper gods had frusciante. They need a good guitarist.
I also never listen to astronaut or aynin.
I’m glad the reunion kept them going, but the Warren years, seeing them in clubs, when they were accessible, was the best ever. Musically and concert wise. If you weren’t there, and most of you early album fans weren’t, then you aren’t true fans. I’m just sad you control the narrative these days. It’s boring.
Hum, my ranking is very different, none of the 2000’s albums would enter the top.
I think that the musical style of each person is the main factor for choosing favorites.
In my opinion, after The wedding album they never released a great album again.
I’m a rock n roll man, so i miss the guitar oriented sound. Surprising is see Paper Gods ranked so high, for me is one of the worst, while Liberty is so underrated.
Well, here we go:
1 – Rio
2 – The Wedding Album
3 – Duran Duran
4 – Notorious
5 – Seven and the Ragged Tiger
6 – Liberty
7 – Red Carpet Massacre
8 – All You Need Is Now
9 – Astronaut
10 – Big Thing
11 – Madazzaland
12 – Paper Gods
13 – Pop Trash
14 – Thank You
I’m just a bit currious, when you say you “asked fans”, what’s the sample size?
I’ve been listening to their albums recently and it’s seems unconceivable to rank Liberty above Medazzaland.
That’s by no means a criticism! I respect everyone’s taste. But taste differences are interesting and I like analyzing them 🙂
If amazon is any indication (and it isn’t necessarily), Liberty scored 4.1 whereas Medazzaland scored 4.3.
I’m not sure about the sample size. This was not a scientific poll as it was based on who reads our blog, checks out our social media and participates in activity like this. I, too, like analyzing people’s taste, which is why I do tasks like this. -A