Martin Freeman’s names his favourite albums
It’s no secret that Martin Freeman is a big music lover, as the actor has a massive collection of vinyl and has appeared on several radio shows where he discusses his favourite music from decades past. One of those recent radio shows was with the BBC, where he played some of his favourite albums of all time.
He described the program as having a “very subjective view of what constitutes as great music” but added: “Hopefully you’ll agree with some of it as well… I’m not pretending that this is all the best-sellers. I’m not pretending to touch every single base, although my tastes are quite broad. This is a definite me choice of music. So if you disagree, you have every right to. You’re just wrong!”
An eclectic mix of music was put forward by Freeman, who was willing to disclose tracks from various decades of his life and explain why they were so significant. Music is so much more than sound but also the part it plays in the listener’s life, so it was exciting to hear Freeman, who has listened to so much and had an exciting life, explain why certain records mean a significant amount to him, even if they seem mundane to others.
One of his honourable mentions was The Band with their self-titled album. The ‘60s was a period where music was very much finding itself; the world of pop and rock had been shaped right before the public eyes, and The Band merged multiple genres, indirectly creating Americana in the process. Freeman described the album as a “fantastically influential record at the time”.
“Their first two albums, Music From The Big Pink and The Band, had a huge effect on other musicians – including a lot of British musicians actually,” he said, “It took a slightly left-turn into what we now slightly think of as Americana.”
Other albums mentioned by Freeman included Push The Button by Money Mark, Joni Mitchell’s The Hissing of Summer of Lawns and The Bees, Free The Bees. However, one of the most surprising albums was Jungle Brothers with Done by the Forces of Nature.
One of the leading factors contributing to the speedy rise of hip-hop and why it is still considered such a relevant genre is its versatility. Run DMC managed to incorporate rock, Vanilla Ice used pop, and then the Jungle Brothers showed people how hip-hop and house music could merge to make something exciting and new. “This was their second album, and everything just came to fruition for them on this sound-wise, mood-wise, lyrics-wise,” he said, “there were some people of that era that I loved – and love still. Nobody more than the Jungle Brothers.”
There was an exciting mix put forward by Freeman, which shows he has an open mind when it comes to music, and his picks are well worth listening to. You can check out the complete list below.
Martin Freeman’s favourite albums:
- The Band – The Band
- Joni Mitchell – The Hissing of Summer Lawns
- Jungle Brothers – Done by the Forces of Nature
- Money Mark – Push the Button
- The Bees – Free The Bees
- Alabama Shakes – Sound & Color
