B-Side Guys

Al Green

Al Green’s albums, ranked by what the critics we trust thought of each one. 19 have a B-Side Breakdown, averaging 77 (Keeper). See the discography in release order.

What is Al Green’s best album?

By the critics, it’s Call Me (1973), with a B-Side Breakdown of 99 (Heavy Rotation) from 3 reviews. 100% of them liked it.

Next best: Gets Next to You (96) and I’m Still in Love with You (95). Lowest rated: Trust in God (56).

Al Green albums ranked

Best to worst by B-Side Breakdown.

  1. 1. Call Me (1973): 99 Heavy Rotation
  2. 2. Gets Next to You (1971): 96 Heavy Rotation
  3. 3. I’m Still in Love with You (1972): 95 Heavy Rotation
  4. 4. Let’s Stay Together (1972): 89 Heavy Rotation
  5. 5. The Belle Album (1977): 86 Heavy Rotation
  6. 6. Livin’ for You (1973): 86 Heavy Rotation
  7. 7. Higher Plane (1981): 84 Keeper
  8. 8. Explores Your Mind (1974): 84 Keeper
  9. 9. Lay It Down (2008): 80 Keeper
  10. 10. Al Green Is Love (1975): 75 Keeper
  11. 11. I Can’t Stop (2003): 74 Keeper
  12. 12. Truth n’ Time (1978): 71 Keeper
  13. 13. Everything’s OK (2005): 70 Keeper
  14. 14. He Is the Light (1985): 66 Mixed Bag
  15. 15. Precious Lord (1982): 66 Mixed Bag
  16. 16. Have a Good Time (1976): 65 Mixed Bag
  17. 17. Full of Fire (1976): 63 Mixed Bag
  18. 18. I Get Joy (1989): 61 Mixed Bag
  19. 19. Trust in God (1984): 56 Mixed Bag

Al Green discography, in release order

The earliest here96Gets Next to You, 1971The critics' favorite99Call Me, 1973The latest80Lay It Down, 2008. 16 points below Gets Next to You.

The career, by Breakdown

Every Al Green album with a B-Side Breakdown, in release order. Above the dashed line, most critics liked it.

4010070likedGets Next to You (1971): 96961971Let’s Stay Together (1972): 89I’m Still in Love with You (1972): 95Call Me (1973): 99991973Livin’ for You (1973): 86Explores Your Mind (1974): 84Al Green Is Love (1975): 751975Full of Fire (1976): 63Have a Good Time (1976): 65The Belle Album (1977): 861977Truth n’ Time (1978): 71Higher Plane (1981): 84Precious Lord (1982): 661982Trust in God (1984): 56He Is the Light (1985): 66I Get Joy (1989): 611989I Can’t Stop (2003): 74Everything’s OK (2005): 70Lay It Down (2008): 80802008

Every Al Green studio album, oldest first. 6 don't have a Breakdown yet; each gets one once three critics' reviews turn up.

  1. 1967Back Up TrainNo Breakdown yet
  2. 1969Green Is BluesNo Breakdown yet
  3. 1971Album cover for Gets Next to You by Al GreenGets Next to You96 Heavy Rotation
  4. 1972Album cover for Let’s Stay Together by Al GreenLet’s Stay Together89 Heavy Rotation
  5. 1972Album cover for I’m Still in Love with You by Al GreenI’m Still in Love with You95 Heavy Rotation
  6. 1973Album cover for Call Me by Al GreenCall Me99 Heavy Rotation
  7. 1973Album cover for Livin’ for You by Al GreenLivin’ for You86 Heavy Rotation
  8. 1974Album cover for Explores Your Mind by Al GreenExplores Your Mind84 Keeper
  9. 1975Album cover for Al Green Is Love by Al GreenAl Green Is Love75 Keeper
  10. 1976Album cover for Full of Fire by Al GreenFull of Fire63 Mixed Bag
  11. 1976Album cover for Have a Good Time by Al GreenHave a Good Time65 Mixed Bag
  12. 1977Album cover for The Belle Album by Al GreenThe Belle Album86 Heavy Rotation
  13. 1978Album cover for Truth n’ Time by Al GreenTruth n’ Time71 Keeper
  14. 1980The Lord Will Make a WayNo Breakdown yet
  15. 1981Album cover for Higher Plane by Al GreenHigher Plane84 Keeper
  16. 1982Album cover for Precious Lord by Al GreenPrecious Lord66 Mixed Bag
  17. 1983The Christmas AlbumNo Breakdown yet
  18. 1984Album cover for Trust in God by Al GreenTrust in God56 Mixed Bag
  19. 1985Album cover for He Is the Light by Al GreenHe Is the Light66 Mixed Bag
  20. 1987Soul SurvivorNo Breakdown yet
  21. 1989Album cover for I Get Joy by Al GreenI Get Joy61 Mixed Bag
  22. 1995Your Heart's In Good HandsNo Breakdown yet
  23. 2003Album cover for I Can’t Stop by Al GreenI Can’t Stop74 Keeper
  24. 2005Album cover for Everything’s OK by Al GreenEverything’s OK70 Keeper
  25. 2008Album cover for Lay It Down by Al GreenLay It Down80 Keeper

Which critics love Al Green, and which don’t

Each outlet’s scores set against the other critics on the same albums. Outlets that scored at least 3 Al Green albums.

Warmest on Al GreenEncyclopedia of Popular Music5 points above the other critics, on average, across 7 albums.Coolest on Al GreenPitchfork6 points below the other critics, on average, across 3 albums.

Outlet by outlet

Average points above or below the other critics. Tap an outlet for its scores album by album.

Encyclopedia of Popular Music7 albums+5
  1. Let’s Stay Together 1972100 vs 86 from 5 others +14
  2. Explores Your Mind 1974100 vs 78 from 3 others +22
  3. Truth n’ Time 197880 vs 68 from 3 others +12
  4. Precious Lord 198280 vs 62 from 3 others +18
  5. Trust in God 198460 vs 55 from 3 others +5
  6. He Is the Light 198560 vs 68 from 3 others −8
  7. I Get Joy 198940 vs 68 from 3 others −28

All Encyclopedia of Popular Music reviews

The Rolling Stone Album Guide9 albums+3
  1. Al Green Is Love 197570 vs 78 from 2 others −8
  2. Full of Fire 197670 vs 60 from 2 others +10
  3. The Belle Album 197790 vs 85 from 4 others +5
  4. Truth n’ Time 197880 vs 68 from 3 others +12
  5. Higher Plane 198180 vs 87 from 2 others −7
  6. Precious Lord 198260 vs 68 from 3 others −8
  7. Trust in God 198460 vs 55 from 3 others +5
  8. He Is the Light 198570 vs 65 from 3 others +5
  9. I Get Joy 198970 vs 58 from 3 others +12

All The Rolling Stone Album Guide reviews

Robert Christgau17 albums+3
  1. Gets Next to You 197193 vs 97 from 3 others −4
  2. Let’s Stay Together 197285 vs 89 from 5 others −4
  3. I’m Still in Love with You 197285 vs 98 from 3 others −13
  4. Call Me 197397 vs 100 from 2 others −3
  5. Livin’ for You 197393 vs 83 from 3 others +10
  6. Explores Your Mind 197475 vs 87 from 3 others −12
  7. Al Green Is Love 197575 vs 75 from 2 others 0
  8. Full of Fire 197660 vs 65 from 2 others −5
  9. Have a Good Time 197675 vs 60 from 2 others +15
  10. The Belle Album 197780 vs 88 from 4 others −8
  11. Truth n’ Time 197875 vs 70 from 3 others +5
  12. Higher Plane 198193 vs 80 from 2 others +13
  13. Precious Lord 198265 vs 67 from 3 others −2
  14. Trust in God 198465 vs 53 from 3 others +12
  15. He Is the Light 198575 vs 63 from 3 others +12
  16. I Get Joy 198975 vs 57 from 3 others +18
  17. I Can’t Stop 200385 vs 73 from 8 others +12

All Robert Christgau reviews

Rolling Stone8 albums−1
  1. Gets Next to You 1971100 vs 94 from 3 others +6
  2. Let’s Stay Together 1972100 vs 86 from 5 others +14
  3. Livin’ for You 197380 vs 88 from 3 others −8
  4. Explores Your Mind 197480 vs 85 from 3 others −5
  5. Have a Good Time 197660 vs 68 from 2 others −8
  6. I Can’t Stop 200370 vs 75 from 8 others −5
  7. Everything’s OK 200580 vs 67 from 3 others +13
  8. Lay It Down 200870 vs 82 from 7 others −12

All Rolling Stone reviews

Blender7 albums−3
  1. Gets Next to You 1971100 vs 94 from 3 others +6
  2. Let’s Stay Together 197260 vs 94 from 5 others −34
  3. I’m Still in Love with You 1972100 vs 93 from 3 others +7
  4. Call Me 1973100 vs 99 from 2 others +2
  5. Livin’ for You 1973100 vs 81 from 3 others +19
  6. The Belle Album 1977100 vs 83 from 4 others +18
  7. I Can’t Stop 200340 vs 79 from 8 others −39

All Blender reviews

AllMusic19 albums−5
  1. Gets Next to You 197190 vs 98 from 3 others −8
  2. Let’s Stay Together 1972100 vs 86 from 5 others +14
  3. I’m Still in Love with You 1972100 vs 93 from 3 others +7
  4. Call Me 1973100 vs 99 from 2 others +2
  5. Livin’ for You 197370 vs 91 from 3 others −21
  6. Explores Your Mind 197480 vs 85 from 3 others −5
  7. Al Green Is Love 197580 vs 73 from 2 others +8
  8. Full of Fire 197660 vs 65 from 2 others −5
  9. Have a Good Time 197660 vs 68 from 2 others −8
  10. The Belle Album 197780 vs 88 from 4 others −8
  11. Truth n’ Time 197850 vs 78 from 3 others −28
  12. Higher Plane 198180 vs 87 from 2 others −7
  13. Precious Lord 198260 vs 68 from 3 others −8
  14. Trust in God 198440 vs 62 from 3 others −22
  15. He Is the Light 198560 vs 68 from 3 others −8
  16. I Get Joy 198960 vs 62 from 3 others −2
  17. I Can’t Stop 200370 vs 75 from 8 others −5
  18. Everything’s OK 200580 vs 67 from 3 others +13
  19. Lay It Down 200880 vs 80 from 7 others 0

All AllMusic reviews

Pitchfork3 albums−6
  1. Let’s Stay Together 197287 vs 89 from 5 others −2
  2. I’m Still in Love with You 197294 vs 95 from 3 others −1
  3. Lay It Down 200868 vs 82 from 7 others −14

All Pitchfork reviews

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