Electric Light Orchestra: Worst to Best Albums 

Time is an underrated masterpiece. Can we just appreciate how many years ahead Jeff and ELO were with tracks like Yours Truly 2095? That rocking almost electronic vocoder is fucking incredible. Miles ahead of its time.

Who doesn’t like Electric Light Orchestra?

My personal favorite of theirs is time, love that album

ELO between 1975 and 1979 could not be touched. A New World Record is simply incredible and Out Of the Blue is one of THE greatest studio double albums ever

John Lennon himself said that ELO was pretty close to what the Beatles would have sounded like had they continued into the 70s.

Oddly, "Eldorado" and "Time" are my two favorites! Those both show the emotion and musical relevances of the time they were released, and still sound great decades later!

Eldorado is a perfect album. You can't just listen to one song on it, if you pull out one song you have to go back and just listen to the whole thing! It's a great length too, not too long.

You should have just left out ELO part 2

Eldorado is not only the greatest ELO record, it's the greatest rock album of all time, period. Bar none.

Dude, it scares me the amount of discography you already listened to. Nice video, btw!

Lmao “Discography” Dude the album is Discovery 😂😂😂

To me A New World Record was ELO’s Best overall balanced album although I love some of their earlier works like Eldorado and what came after in Out of the Blue.It was the first ELO that I purchased after hearing so many great tunes on the radio such as Can’t Get it Out of My Head, Evil Woman , Rock ‘N Roll Beethoven and others.

The mispronunciations used to bother me but at this point it's just kinda funny. Keep up the great work!

ELO Part 2, without Jeff Lynne, is not ELO. Jeff Lynne is ELO. I do appreciate your love of the band however.

1:00-"im not saying the first one i talk about is the definitive worst..." 2:00-"yep, this is definitively the worst..."

The debut album is underrated!!!

Sad to see time so far down your list as I really fell in love with it. But eldorado absolutely deserving of the top spot.

Mission and One Summer Dream: are hands down their best songs! Third Day, Eldorado, Face, New World, Blue all their best albums!

Oh I'm so glad that someone else likes ELO 2 as much as I do. I never hear anyone else talk about it as much. Definitely their prog-iest album, and it has quite possibly the best cover of "Roll Over Beethoven". Definitely in my top 3 with Eldorado and Face the Music.

My favorite will always be Out Of The Blue.

Excluding the All Over The World greatest hits compilation from ELO, _Out of the Blue_ was the first album I purchased from this band. There's a reason why I consider ELO the most uplifting artist, and _Out of the Blue_ is a big factor to why I think that. Fantastic album, man!

ELO is one of my favorite bands, the only part I really disagree with you on is their first album. I really love a lot of the material on that album

I’m the opposite Balance Of Power is my favorite. Heaven only knows especially the alternate version. The harmonies and weird time signature changes in the chorus are phenomenal

On NWR they found it. It’s their Srgt Pepper or Exile on Main St. It has it all start to finish. It is by far and away their best

Time is an instant pick for me. There's no such an album like this. It feels different

Thanks for putting out this video Notes you have inspired me to check out elo’s stuff!

We need King Crimson!!!!

Oh man, I can't believe you put Balalnce Of Power at the very bottom. It's got some very good songs: "Heaven Only Knows", "Calling America", "So Serious"

I decided to give ELO a listen after watching this and after having now listened to every album from the debut to _Secret Messages_ , I can honestly say I've enjoyed all of them. I'm weary about giving the last three a listen. Though a new album is coming out next month so I may just skip to that and give _Balance_ , _Zoom_ and _Alone_ a chance, too.

How could you not love a movie based around rollerskates? Believe it it's quite easy. 😄

I love No Answer. Roy Wood is an awesome musician. I wish they would've kept The Move and ELO going simultaneously beyond the first couple records.

Great video! Although my favorite is Discovery as my first ELO love was Shine a Little Love🔥. I wonder if you would do a worst to best of your native Canadian band Saga?

Should not have included ELO part two totally different bands should have stuck too Jeff Lynne's work.

Time is a classic.

Great video, thanks!!!

from a big ELO fan here is my list from number one spot : 1st place... Out of the Blue (elo at their best and a total classic album and also the first E.L.O. album I ever bought) 2. A New World Record 3. Face the Music (love the reversed bit on 1st track) 4. Discovery (Jeff and the band going more towards the pop disco) 5. Eldorado 6. Time (there is also a sci fi story based on the album, the book is called "yours truly 2095") 7. Secret Messages (packed with hidden messages and now that it has come out as the double album it should have been, it's even better) 8. On the Third Day 9. E.L.O. 2 (without Roy Wood being in the line up the band was the beginning of E.L.O.) 10 The Electric Light Orchestra (or also known as "no answer" basically the band was still the Move at that time) 11. Zoom ( Jeff Lynne with a new line up ) 12. Alone in the Universe ( again it's Jeff with another new line up, but did see them play live recently and it works ) 13. The Night The Light Went on in Long beach ( the only live album from the early days ) 14 Balance of Power (you could tell Jeff Lynne lost his passion by the quality of the songs.) 15. Xanadu ( I include this album even though I see this album as a soundtrack and not an actual E.L.O. album. (also has not got one track that should have been on it called "Drum Dreams" which is brilliant )) the last two I have put on my list only because the band is a part of E.L.O. though I do not see this version of the band as true E.L.O. 16. Electric Light Orchestra part 2 ( a good ish album but without that Jeff Lynne touch which makes E.L.O.) 17. Moment of truth (not a good album though tries to keep that E.L.O. feeling)

Unpopular opinion: I think that Discovery and Face the Music are their best albums. Eldorado is their third best.

What about the new album "From Out Of Nowhere"?

zoom was Jeff Lynne on his own.....do you ever read the album covers???

I think the Jeff Lynne solo albums are strong as well. One of them is a cover album. Both hold their weight with the rest of the ELO discography.

I beg you, stop calling "Discovery" "Discography"

I LOVE LOVE LOVE ELO!! I saw Jeff Lynne in concert this year and he was amazing. It was great hearing all their old classics. Thanks for sharing this video. Although I disagree with your rankings, it was still fun to watch and you seem like a real fan. So all good to me. 😉

Ok now this is actually pretty clean

I really don't think the ELO part II albums should've been included in this list. I feel like even though they had original ELO band members, it was more of a tribute band than anything. To me, Jeff Lynne is ELO. To me, the best album ELO ever released is New World Record with Face The Music being a close second.

Balance Of Power has some great B-Sides! By the way Notes, if you haven’t already, you should check out Kelly Groucutt’s eponymous solo album from 1981. Better than the ELO Part II records (in my opinion) and stays faithful to the late 70’s arrangements when Jeff Lynne had already moved onto synthesisers. It needs a remaster though.

I see that CR merch you got there. Nice video!

TIME is in the conversation of top album by any artist.

if you're going to include ELO part II, then you really ought to include No Rewind by The Orchestra (ELO part III)

I like Balance of Power

I think in 50 years when people look back on the most innovative music of the last 100 years, Time will be the only album that cuts through the fog of music. It sounds like it came 50 years too early.

TIME is my all-time favourite album of ELO even above OUT OF THE BLUE. It is just perfection, a real masterpiece ! Probably one of the best concept albums of the 80's with MISPLACED CHILDHOOD from Marillion. And BALANCE OF POWER is by far much better to the "Part 2" albums for a start. For other releases you praised the backing and harmony vocals but on BALANCE OF POWER, all vocals and especially all the harmonies are on top !! Jeff at his best on that specific one, forget the cover, forget the absence of classical instruments, listen to it without prejudice ! The first album, SECRET MESSAGES, ZOOM, not to mention the half album XANADU, the Jeff Lynne's ELO albums and even DISCOVERY (disco tracks suck) are also below this very solid and compact album filled with great songs and a very good sonic approach. A very underrated 80"s album gem from a popular band of the 70's !

Also I heard you call Discovery Discography there.

I agree. Time are often underrated. It's on my top five list for sure.

Eldorado is #1. I have so many copies of this album. When vinyl started to disappear I bought two sealed copies just to have in years to come. I bought the 1st CD pressing when that came out in the 80's and bought the remastered version when that was released. Last year I bought the ELO box set and got another version. It may be my all time favorite album by anyone. I can't listen to it and turn it off part way through. I never put it on unless I am relaxing or on a long drive because I have to play it beginning to the end. You got it right.

Melvin Gale was never fully credited for Wild West Hero. He wrote it and played piano on it and boy, can he play the piano-wow !

13. ELO 2 12. Secret Messages 11. No Answer 10. Alone in the Universe 9. Balance of Power 8. On the Third Day 7. Discovery 6. Eldorado 5. Face The Music 4. Zoom 3. Out of the Blue 2. A New World Record 1. Time

Hey man! From Out Of Nowhere is coming out on November 1st and I would love if you reviewed it!

Awesome seeing you're a fellow Critter

Really pleased to see ELO2 make it so high. I think it's a true prog album and many people who say they like elo would be shocked to hear it. Very inventive and challenging als cool to see Eldorado win. This was not a hit in uk but I know was the album that launched elo to USA. How old were you when you first heard it? Roy wood is quoted as saying it's their Sgt pepper and his favouite too

1 Out of the Blue OUTSTANDING!!! 2 Time MAGIC 3 A new world record MASTERPIECE 4 Discovery 5 Xanadu 6 Face the music 7 Zoom 8 Balance of power 9 Secret messages

I enjoyed this immensely.

Your video gave me the Payoff I wanted.”Eldorado”!!!!! So significant in my transition from New England to California in 1974..leaving Kansas and coming to Oz. It spoke to me, and guided me, and remains a pivotal masterpiece in my personal and musical journey 👠👠💥 💗

King crimson plz next!

you GOTTA do a king crimson worst to best. you'll undoubtedly piss off all of their fans but i'm so curious to hear your thoughts on their discography!

nice list- sorry you feel as low as you do about their debut lp, tho I get it. It would've helped to have given some history on that lp seeing as Lynne, Bev Bevan, and Roy Wood (who you should have mentioned) were also recording what was the last lp by the Move at the same time, so there is some bleed over between those lps and also explains why what became the classic ELO sound wasn't fully defined until "On the Third Day" and beyond. Still, it has the monumental "10538 Overture", ""The Battle of Marston Moor (July 2nd 1644)", "Whisper in the Night" and "Queen of the Hours", which makes it a very solid debut lp. The first 2 lps should also be treated differently due to the involvement of Wood (who would leave during the recording of the 2nd lp and form Wizzard), who had his own vision of ELO but was ultimately trumped by Lynne's emergence as a first rate songwriter. Once Wood left, Lynne took over and the rest is history. Wood is a personal hero of mine- his multi-instrumental talents are second to none, and his songwriting is as quintissentially British as that of Ray Davies, Pete Townshend, Syd Barrett, and later Andy Partridge of XTC. despite my beef, a great list for a great band!

1. Out of the Blue 2. Face the Music 3. A New World Record 4. Eldorado Need to go back and listen to the rest. Thanks for sharing!!!

Hell yeah! Out of the Blue better be one lol, although I have a feeling you’re an Eldorado kinda guy

Please do Gentle Giant worst to Best.

Can't believe you didn't list Time higher. Brilliant album.

Jeff Lynne was/is ELO. He wrote and sang everything on all the albums except a few Roy Wood songs on the first I think. Zoom was Jeff Lynne playing all instruments except guest musicians like for instance his girlfriend, his daughter, George Harrison, Ringo Starr and Richard Tandy on a couple of songs.

ELO part II arguably is ELO in name only, as Lynne wrote, produced and sang nearly every song in ELO. Zoom was Lynne and Tandy only, not "the band". And it featured 2 Beatles on some tracks, but I would hardly call it a "Beatles Clone". That's ridiculous. Didn't make it much farther.

What do you think of Strawbs' Hero and Heroine? I can't believe it isn't mentioned more often.

Time and a new world record are way above the rest. ANWR is a freaking masterpiece

OMG Xanadu 8th ....Jesus !!!

Where would you put from out of nowhere? I am a huge elo fan and in my opinion it’s one of my favorites!

My all time favourite band! My personal ranking is: 1. A New World Record 2. Time 3. Eldorado 4. Out of the Blue 5. Discovery 6. Xanadu 7. Face The Music 8. Secret Messages 9. Alone in the Universe 10. Zoom 11. On The Third Day 12. From Out of Nowhere 13. ELO 2 14. Balance of Power 15. No Answer

One of these days you have to do jethro tull worst to best

What are your opinions on Steely Dan?

Good review! I do like “Time” in my top 6. Zoom actually features George and Ringo on some tracks. Xanadu basically has 4 ELO songs. Not really sure how it even ranks above full albums (Zoom, Time, Discovery), but I agree the songs are decent. I’m glad you liked “Secret Messages”, def underrated. “Eldorado” is hugely over-looked as far as I am concerned. Mystical, emotional and conceptually creative second to no one.

Although the mispronunciations are funny, this is an excellent video. Eldorado is their best because it is thematically complex and I personally love Illusions in G Major. One cool thing about the album is that Louis Clark wrote the orchestrations for this album and would later on be a part of Electric Light Orchestra Part 2.

A New World Record - bought it back in the day - my first pop/rock album and always my #1 ELO album :)

Time is my personal favourite, but I understand why you couldn't get into it. It's definitely one that you either get into it or you don't. All I know is that it's special for me, being the first album I looked to as a "concept album".

I want the last track of Eldorado played at my funeral. I totally agree with your top three.

Here's the top of my list. These are the albums that I'd always be happy to play: (1) A New World Record, (2) El Dorado, (3) Face the Music, (4) Out of the Blue, (5) Time, (6) Discovery, (7) Zoom, and (8) Secret Messages. I'm going with NWR as #1, but "El Dorado" is an extremely close second-place for me. It's a great album. On a different day I might switch the order of those two. I like "Out of the Blue" a lot, although I'll be the weird guy and say that I'm not particularly fond of "Mr Blue Sky". I like it, but there are several other songs on that album which I like more than MBS. On a different day I might switch the order of "Out of the Blue" and "Face the Music". You can see that I like "Time" a lot more than you do, and for me I'm particularly amused by the song "Yours Truly, 2095". And for "Discovery" I do really enjoy the song "Last Train to London". I don't think of it as a disco song, but just another song where the band is having fun. Sure it's disco-ish, but the main focus (IMO) is just to have fun. I liked "Zoom" a lot when it came out, but something about it always bugged me. I never could quite figure out what the problem was, but I think you've hit it by saying that it's a Beatles' clone. Thanks for making that connection! - - - - I like these next three albums a lot, but I'd have to admit that I almost never play them. Nothing against them, but they always lose out to the top eight. But I'm quite happy to listen if someone else decides to play them. So in order: (9) On the Third Day [I can hear you gasp here], (10) Electric Light Orchestra II, (11) No Answer. - - - - As to the rest: I'd rate "Balance of Power" above "Moment of Truth", although that's not much of a complement. I never bought "Jeff Lynne's ELO". By the time this came out I had enough albums that I wasn't in any hurry to buy this one. I also never bought "ELO part 2", and in fact I'm not sure that I had heard about it before this! And I categorize "Xanadu" as a very good soundtrack album, and not an ELO album. I don't want to compare it to the other albums. It's still an album which has to fit a movie, and not just some standard ELO album which happens to have Olivia NJ as a guest star.

Thank you, dude

El Dorado is definitely number one. It is in a different league than anything else they ever did, and I like a lot of their music. I walked into a record store one day having never heard this album, and it was playing in the store. I browsed until it was over, walked up to the cashier, and told them I wanted to buy whatever it was I just listened to. Out of the Blue and Face the Music are my next two. Fire on High, and Mr. Blue are great, great, great, great songs. Though A New World Record, is easy to listen to, I wouldn't put it in their top five, because it's just to pop, and sappy for my taste. I can not stand Telephone Line. I do like Rockaria from that album.

My Ranking of the ELO Albums 1. A New World Record 2. Eldorado 3. Out of the Blue 4. Face the Music 5. Time 6. Discovery 7. On the Third Day 8. Secret Messages 9. ELO 2 10. Xanadu 11. Balance of Power 12. No Answer

Definitely agree with Eldorado. I would put No Answer and New World Record higher. And I'd put Out of the Blue lower. Suite for a Rainy Day is great, but I think there is some filler on the rest of the album, and those synthesized, robotic vocals grate on my ears a little bit.

Time is my first!!!

how could you put time so low down

Time seems to be divisive. For me, it's my favorite. And I always forget that Third Day exists (the one album I didn't have way back) and yet I adore Eldorado.

Do Mike Oldfield best to worst mate... good list by the way. Never knew about ELO pt2 until now.

Eldorado is one my top five albums of all time. I am huge ELO fan but Eldorado is by far my favorite.

Discovery, or "Disco very" as some call it is a fun album, but Out of the Blue is my favorite.

Out of the Blue is one of those popular choices I can't help but agree with. For a group that intentionally positioned themselves at the crossroads of classical music, prog rock, and pop, no singular album of theirs represents that crossroads better than Blue. And despite being a pretty heavy double album, which in prog especially tend to be a bit dense or bloated, the LP never has a wasted moment. It's not as proggy or poppy as what came before or after, respectively, but it is definitive ELO.

Thanks, now I know where to go !

15:00 Her vocals better not bleed on my desk. Great video.

I love Out of the Blue and Discovery!

last train to London is a great song, way better than don't bring me down. also time is waaaay down an your list. good job though

uHm WhEre'S ThE OrChEsTra - No ReWiNd