Billy Bob Thornton names the eight greatest albums of all time: “That’s hard to beat”
We’ve all been in the situation where someone asks you to name a song or an album that you love, and suddenly, the entire history of music escapes from your memory, and you can’t think of one. Fortunately, Billy Bob Thornton didn’t have that problem when pressed on the greatest records he’s ever heard.
Not that you’d expect him to, since he’s made it perfectly clear that he may not have bothered with the whole acting and filmmaking lark if his music career had taken off before he made it to Hollywood, although he has made a point of ensuring that one hand continues to feed the other.
Far too many actors have been guilty of massaging their ego and stepping into the recording booth for no other reason than vanity, but the Academy Award winner isn’t one of them. While some people have undoubtedly attended a Boxmasters show for the novelty of seeing a famous face onstage, the band is hardly geared toward the mainstream.
As cliched as it is, Thornton does it for the love of the game. He even organises his yearly schedule so that he can divide his time between the three things that occupy his life: acting, music, and family, but not necessarily in that order of importance, we should probably point out.
When it comes to his runaway pick for the single greatest album of all time, there’s only one answer. The first time he heard the Allman Brothers Band’s Live at Fillmore East in the summer of 1971, it changed his life forever, with his favourite band of all time releasing the best thing he’d ever heard, which he acknowledged “made me want to play music,” so there’s no competition for the top spot.
However, from that point on, there’s plenty of eclecticism. “I love Rubber Soul,” he shared. “All the early Beatles stuff. I love John Barleycorn by Traffic, as well as Traffic’s live album, On the Road. Obviously, Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon. The soundtrack to King Creole. God, there are just so many great records that I’ve loved over the years.”
Jack Black would disagree, seeing as he doesn’t think it’s essential, but Thornton adores The Beatles’ final pre-Revolver release. Steve Winwood’s Birmingham-formed rockers manage to get two on the list, alongside what’s arguably Pink Floyd’s most iconic album, with Elvis Presley’s accompanying soundtrack to the 1958 film of the same name providing something of a wildcard.
“Pet Sounds, that’s hard to beat,” he continued. “Joe Walsh’s The Smoker You Drink, the Player You Get. Put that on in the fucking car someday when you’re going to Santa Barbara, but just pay attention to the road, because it’ll put you in a fucking trance. It’s so good.”
Rounding out his selection with The Beach Boys’ transformative and innovative 11th release and Walsh’s second solo effort, anyone who thought Thornton’s favourite albums of all time would be nothing but wall-to-wall southern rock will be mistaken, because just like he’s shown onscreen, the man’s musical taste also has range.
Billy Bob Thornton’s favourite albums of all time:
- At Fillmore East – Allman Brothers Band (1971)
- Rubber Soul – The Beatles (1965)
- John Barleycorn Must Die – Traffic (1970)
- On the Road – Traffic (1973)
- The Dark Side of the Moon – Pink Floyd (1973)
- King Creole – Elvis Presley (1958)
- Pet Sounds – Beach Boys (1966)
- The Smoker You Drink, the Player You Get – Joe Walsh (1973)
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