A historical album is a collection of songs around a unified theme with a basis in the documented history of a person or place. This differs from a concept album, which may have a unified theme, but is usually composed of fictional stories not linked with actual historical facts even though the subject could be a real person or place. Historical albums are often considered concept albums due to the broad nature of that more recognizable category.
Examples of historical albums include Chávez Ravine by Ry Cooder, Greetings From Cairo, Illinois by Stace England, and The Glorious Burden by Iced Earth. The Illinois by Sufjan Stevens could also be associated with the historical album category. Chávez Ravine (album) tells the story of an actual town in Chávez Ravine demolished in the 1950s to lure the Brooklyn Dodgers to Los Angeles. Greetings From Cairo, Illinois tells the story of Cairo, Illinois from 1858 to 2005 citing numerous documented historical references. Illinois uses actual Illinois towns and subjects as jumping off points to more universal subjects such as family and faith.
Historical albums are not associated with The National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences’s Grammy Award for Best Historical Album category, which comprises reissues of previously released musical recordings.
Famous quotes containing the words historical and/or album:
“Some of us still get all weepy when we think about the Gaia Hypothesis, the idea that earth is a big furry goddess-creature who resembles everybody’s mom in that she knows what’s best for us. But if you look at the historical record—Krakatoa, Mt. Vesuvius, Hurricane Charley, poison ivy, and so forth down the ages—you have to ask yourself: Whose side is she on, anyway?”
—Barbara Ehrenreich (b. 1941)
“What a long strange trip it’s been.”
—Robert Hunter, U.S. rock lyricist. “Truckin’,” on the Grateful Dead album American Beauty (1971)