281: BOSTON

Boston: This record has been on and off my list more than any other. The 2nd most successful and for a little over a decade THE most successful debut album of all time. That spot was taken by Appetite For Destruction. Boston is one of the only records that more than 85% of it’s contents has been in major rotation on rock stations, nation-wide, ever since it’s release in ‘76. The only other album I can think of with that percentage is MJ’s Thriller.

The story of its recording by the incredible will of Tom Scholz in his home studio unbeknownst to the execs at Epic records is legendary. Check out this Video about about the making of Boston.

You might be asking yourself, based on your wording here, it sounds like it should be on your list. It should, but for me it hasn’t held up as well. Simply put I’ve grown tired of it (not as much as Hotel California). And, it has pretty bad album cover art. Though fitting for the time, It looks like something from a 1970s high school airbrush art class.

Update ‘23: I finally did it! I got it on the list. It very much deserves it. I know this might contradict my words from above….but it’s fuckin’ Boston and it’s whicked sooopah!