Were Madness the best singles band ever?

Whilst I agree, I think the Beatles are the best ever, I think they're more the whole package. Unfair to call them a singles band, that generally applies to a band who consistently had high quality hits but didn't make great albums.
I think the rolling stones count as a singles band, but they did hit form with albums from 68-73

I'm not calling them a singles band, I'm saying that their singles, many of which were released outside of the pressure of an album, were some of the greatest ever. If you want a proper out and out singles band then Modern Romance were the boys.
 


Although they might be considered more of an albums band, The Cure had a run of singles over their first 15 years or so which takes some topping.
I think that's a great shout as despite owning a fair few of their albums there is only one I rate as a great album. But take their best tracks and they are right up there.

Whenever they get mentioned on here there's always a good chunk reference their greatest hits record.
 
Not for me like. Five or six absolutely class albums from start to finish.

Yeah they have classic albums. Hit a run of form that was ridiculous. Beggars Banquet, Let it Bleed, Sticky Fingers, Exile, Goats Head... possibly include Flowers.
Love that band but because of their longevity (and I'm only talking first 20 years), they have too many great singles spread out.
Maybe 10/12 greats predate the albums i listed, then they've got at least half a dozen i like after that, and that only goes to the mid 80s.

I thought blue and lonesome was a decent album as well and that's recent.
Very good at albums for a spell but can always write a good single. I even really liked Don't Stop

Yeah good call as well
 
Yeah they have classic albums. Hit a run of form that was ridiculous. Beggars Banquet, Let it Bleed, Sticky Fingers, Exile, Goats Head... possibly include Flowers.
Love that band but because of their longevity (and I'm only talking first 20 years), they have too many great singles spread out.
Maybe 10/12 greats predate the albums i listed, then they've got at least half a dozen i like after that, and that only goes to the mid 80s.

I thought blue and lonesome was a decent album as well and that's recent.
Very good at albums for a spell but can always write a good single. I even really liked Don't Stop


Yeah good call as well
Lonesome was a covers album tbf.
 
Beatles also recorded a lot of shit amongst many classics would you agree mows?

Which ones would you say are in the category "a lot of shit"? I'm biased as they're my favourite band so I'm interested to know.
Lonesome was a covers album tbf.

I know but ust hearing it though i thought they could still do it, because when i heard that it was them doing their original sound to me. They were still good. Not as raw or aggressive maybe but back to what they were at the outset.
 
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Agree with Jam and Squeeze.

Not the same bracket, but 3 excellent singles albums are the first James one, Lightning Seeds, and Shed 7 (last 2 not great albums bands but knocked out some good singles)
 
The Beatles aren't a singles band dafty, they wrote numerous absolutely superb albums.
But they also released loads and loads of great singles.

Pretty sure Madness had some big albums as well and if your going off that then OPs Smith's and Stones aren't gonna count either.
 

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