One where absolutely everything is perfect - the beat, the melody, the arrangement, the structure, the lyrics, the subject, etc.?
Iron Maiden - Hallowed Be Thy Name is what I consider quintessential Maiden. Everything from Harris’ bass to Dickinson’s incredible vocals.
While I was initially going to put Black Sabbath (the song) here as well, I think War Pigs is far better option.
The composition, the lyrics, Ozzy’s voice, and every instrument feeling distinct and getting its own little bit of spotlight. It’s just a fantastic song in so many respects.
There are a few others, but I’m just sticking with those two for now.
Unwritten - Natasha Bedingfield
It’s a banger and works in any situation. Dance floor? Everyone’s singing and bopping. Alone in your room depressed as fuck? You’re cry-singing your heart out. Wedding? Lovely song about starting a new chapter together. Working out? It’s a motivational masterpiece. It’s so versatile and so good.
God Only Knows by The Beach Boys
The arrangement and instrumentation are incredible.
Totally good choice. I really need to dig deeper in their work. I love Good Vibrations so much too.
Pet Sounds is Brian Wilson’s magnum opus and a great place to start, but beyond that it gets…complicated. After Pet Sounds he started work on an even more ambitious album, Smile (which is where Good Vibrations came from). This produced dozens of hours of content but the album was shelved, unfinished, when he wasn’t able to put it all together due to his worsening paranoia / schizophrenia.
After that album fell apart they released a series of albums in the 70s that were composed of stripped down versions of songs originally meant for Smile (like Vegetables and Surf’s Up) alongside compositions by other Beach Boys members and the occasional new material from an ailing Brian Wilson. Those albums have some absolute gems (like “Til I Die” and “Time to Get Alone”, which both give you a peek into where his mind was at in the 70s) but are very very hit and miss. Surf’s Up and Smiley Smile are probably my favorites as complete albums.
The Smile Sessions was released in 2011 which includes an approximation of the full Smile album as it was intended. I say “approximation” because it’s still pretty clearly unfinished in spots, but there are some stunning compositions in there and overall you can see what he was going for. It also includes hours of studio sessions and instrumentals which can be really interesting to listen to. I find the instrumental tracks from Good Vibrations really neat - tons of sections that sound awesome but ended up being cut.
Brian Wilson also released a “completed” Smile under his name in the 2000s, but I don’t enjoy it as much because (a) it still feels unfinished (b) some of the arrangements feel worse than the original and © his voice just has not aged well.
Then there’s their earlier stuff which is pop Americana but if you’re into that it’s honestly quite good.
