If I could have just one album in my collection, this would be it. It was my generation's Revolver. It's incisive, celebratory and everything that a good album should be.

Listening to it made me believe that anything in life was possible and a whole world of opportunities were there for the taking. I wasn't alone in playing it on my battered stereo every day for a good two years.

For me it's always been more than a record. It's a life affirming piece of art that will never be bettered.

To refer to The Stone Roses' eponymous masterpiece as "an album" is almost belittling. A genuine "work of art", an important slice of musical history, legend and folklore; the catalyst for untold numbers to form bands, listen and understand; these 48 minutes and so-many seconds of melodious magic have become, for many, more of a spiritual experience than "an album".

From the first listen to the 1000th and beyond, who can hear the creeping bass of the intro to "I Wanna Be Adored" without the hairs on the back of their neck standing on end?

Ian Brown's vocals ooze an effortless cool unmatched before or after, casually creating fantastic imagery and delivering lines with a belief that lifts them above arrogance ("kiss me where the sun don't shine, the past was yours - but the future's mine").

John Squire in "Made of Stone" picks the listener up and takes them off at supersonic speed on a breathtaking journey. Mani provides a masterclass in building anticipation in "I Wanna Be Adored". Reni, throughout, has to be heard to be believed, although, with the entire band, produces an imperious performance in "I Am The Resurrection".

The 11 tracks gathered here set standards few have even glimpsed. Songs that elevate the spirit, lyrics that become mantras, music that moves you physically and emotionally. This is a sublime, euphoric experience somehow encapsulated on a CD. This is more than music.

I was aware of The Stone Roses as a teenager growing up in the 80s but it was only in my 20s that I bothered really listening to them and I'm glad I did. I think this is an essential album for any indie (?) collection. Favourite song? Well the first or the last although all in between are pretty listenable to!

one of the most overrated albums ever, not much that's memorable about it, good impression of jangly Byrds style 60's pop, couple of good songs, lots of attitude, nothing much more.

and thats not an exageration
no album will inspire you as much as this, every crap indie band nowadays has stolen from Brown, Squire, Mani and Reni, and you can hear the original spine tinglingly amazing songs right here:

1) i wanna be adored, the greatest opener in music, and absolute epic, the guitar work is brilliant
2) she bangs the drum, the one you shout at the top of your voice in your bedroom wishing you'd written it
3) waterfall, the one that jesus would play on a jukebox in a pub in heaven
4) dont stop, the one that makes the album fit together like a patchwork quilt
5) bye bye badman, the one where you show your friends how good the stone roses are
6) elizibeth my dear, the one you listen to when you fancy pretending your a court member of henry the 8ths abbey
7) sugar spun sister, the one where you forget how amazing i actually is and why it wasnt a single
8) Made of stone, the one where you play air guitar
9) shoot you down, the one that builds up to the greatest end of an album ever
10) this is the one, the one that makes you walk away from the edge of the cliff becaus you realise life is good
11) i am the resurrection, the one were you wait for the chorus and then jam for 5mins

THE best album you'll ever hear, and you'll wonder why people cant appreciate it like you do, then you'll realise that if everyone heard this album the world wouldnt have wars and people would forget about starvation and global warming and just sing and dance all day

like it should be