All right, winding down!
These seemingly endless collections of “Greatest” and “Best” from the self-appointed experts got me to thinking (and re-thinking): where’s my list?
Please understand, the following is not my selection of the 100 Best or Greatest Albums. This is absolutely, purely, strictly my favorite albums. The ones I find myself going back to with canine loyalty. Just one caveat—only one album per artist.
100. Cranium-Pragmatics (2001)
99. Godspeed You Black Emperor-Allelujah! Don’t Bend! Ascend! (2012)
98. New Model Army-Vengeance (1984)
97. 7 Year Bitch-Sick ‘Em (1992)
96. Talking Heads-Fear Of Music (1979)
95. Kendrick Lamar-good kid, m.A.A.d city (2012)
94. Waxahatchee-Ivy Tripp (2015)
93. Joni Mitchell-Ladies of the Canyon (1970)
92. The Grouch-Making Perfect Sense (1999)
91. Killer Mike-R.A.P. Music (2012)
90. Kraftwerk-Trans-Europe Express (1977)
89. Can-Monster Movie (1969)
88. Stevie Wonder-Songs in the Key of Life (1976)
87. Heart-Dreamboat Annie (1975)
86. Charlie Byrd and Stan Getz-Jazz Samba (1962)
85. Breadwinner-Burner (1994)
84. Circle of Tyrants-S/T (2005)
83. DJ Shadow-Endtroducing (1996)
82. Nitty Gritty Dirt Band-Will the Circle Be Unbroken (1972)
81. Viro the Virus-Outbreak (2005)
80. Roseanne Cash-Seven Year Ache (1981)
79. Caspar Brotzmann Massaker-Black Axis (1989)
78. Magik Markers-The Voldoror Dance (2006)
77. Hole-Live Through This (1994)
76. Fleetwood Mac-Rumours (1977)
75. Loretta Lynn-Coal Miner’s Daughter (1971)
74. Boogie Down Productions-Criminal Minded (1987)
73. Polvo-Exploded Drawing (1996)
72. Lubomyr Melnyk-Fallen Trees (2018)
71. Redman-Dare Iz A Darkside (1994)
70. XTC-Drums and Wires (1979)
69. Built To Spill-There’s Nothing Wrong With Love (1994)
68. Anthrax-Persistence of Time (1990)
67. Pete Rock & CL Smooth-Mecca and the Soul Brother (1992)
66. Judas Priest-Screaming For Vengeance (1982)
65. The Dead C-Armed Courage (2013)
64. Best Coast-Crazy For You (2010)
63. Eric B. & Rakim-Follow the Leader (1988)
62. Black Sabbath-S/T (1970)
61. El-P-I’ll Sleep When You’re Dead (2007)
60. My Bloody Valentine-Loveless (1991)
59. Dolly Parton-Coat Of Many Colors (1971)
58. Gang Starr-Hard To Earn (1994)
57. Khruangbin-Con Todo el Mundo (2018)
56. Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson-Waylon & Willie (1978)
55. Pylon-Gyrate (1980)
54. Janet Jackson-Control (1986)
53. Television-Marquee Moon (1977)
52. Sepultura-Chaos A.D. (1993)
51. Steely Dan-Aja (1977)
50. Unwound-The Future of What (1995)
49. A Tribe Called Quest-Midnight Marauders (1993)
48. Soundgarden-Superunknown (1994)
47. Wild Flag-S/T (2011)
46. Kim Gordon-No Home Record (2019)
45. Slant 6-Soda Pop Rip Off (1994)
44. Alice in Chains-Dirt (1992)
43. Devo-Duty Now For the Future (1979)
42. Aesop Rock-Skelethon (2012)
41. Miles Davis-Bitches Brew (1970)
40. Melvins-Houdini (1993)
39. R.E.M.-Murmur (1983)
38. The Ex-History Is What’s Happening (1982)
37. Erase Errata-At Crystal Palace (2003)
36. Dinosaur Jr.-You’re Living All Over Me (1987)
35. Non Phixion-The Future Is Now (2002)
34. Prince-1999 (1982)
33. Yo La Tengo-Electr-O-Pura (1995)
32. Nirvana-Nevermind (1991)
31. Jesus Lizard-Liar (1992)
30. Dark Angel-Darkness Descends (1986)
29. Pavement-Slanted and Enchanted (1992)
28. Carole King-Tapestry (1971)
27. Boredoms-Vision Creation Newsun (1999)
26. The Contortions-Buy (1978)
25. Shonen Knife-Burning Farm (1983)
24. J Dilla-Donuts (2006)
23. Pantera-Far Beyond Driven (1994)
22. Oxes-S/T (2000)
21. Cannibal Ox-The Cold Vein (2001)
20. Meat Puppets-Too High To Die (1994)
19. Duran Duran-Rio (1982)
18. Gang of Four-Entertainment! (1979)
17. Megadeth-Rust In Peace (1990)
16. Metallica-…And Justice For All (1988)
15. Jimi Hendrix Experience-Electric Ladyland (1968)
14. Paul McCartney and Wings-Band on the Run (1973)
13. Helium-The Dirt of Luck (1995)
12. Saturday Night Fever soundtrack (1977)
11. Slayer-Hell Awaits (1985)
10. Wu-Tang Clan-Enter The Wu-Tang: 36 Chambers (1993)
9. Fugazi-Repeater (1990)
8. Sleater-Kinney-All Hands on the Bad One (2000)
7. Nas-Illmatic (1994)
6. Stereolab-Dots and Loops (1997)
5. Vince Guaraldi Trio-A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965)
4. The B-52’s-S/T (1979)
3. ESG-Come Away With ESG (1983)
2. Beatles-Abbey Road (1969)
1. Sonic Youth-A Thousand Leaves (1998)
One thing I like about my list, it’s got a distinct personality. It’s my taste, no concessions. This is what staying in the micro does. It’s limiting, but it’s honest. Now, if I were to make a list of those albums I believe to be the most vital to understanding the history of music, it would look drastically different. That’s what living in the macro does. It forces you to admit hard truths.
Paste’s 300 list included three Joni Mitchell albums, none of which were Ladies of the Canyon. Most lists will just go with Blue. No Ladies, ever. Critics have decided that if Stereolab is to be thrown a bone, Emperor Tomato Ketchup it is (because Pearl Jam covered “Noise of Carpet”? I dunno). I love how dark and raw Hell Awaits is, and every inch as influential as Reign In Blood, buuuuuuttttt...one album was produced by Rick Rubin and the other one wasn't. The B-52's will never be taken as seriously as they should. Oh well. Why get mad over the vicious disrespect showed groups like Boredoms and Dead C, when those groups were never made to mold the mainstream?
It’s interesting, seeing how artistic narratives shaped by the view through the general critical lens change over time. Take the Beatles, the most-analyzed act ever. Up until the mid-90s, Sgt. Pepper’s was the one. Not just for them, but of all pop/rock music. Sgt. Pepper’s was a sea change in sound, and pulled off the tidy trick of selling units whilst innovating. Then, the tables turned. “Overrated!” went the cries. “The White Album is their true masterpiece!” Nowadays, Abbey Road is taking its turn at the head of the parade, proof that justice is out there. But who knows how long that lasts.
Why, though? Why did Sgt. Pepper fatigue hit like the bends? I think you can blame two things: a worthy version not being on CD until 2009, and the contrarian in all of us who will not be told by Jann Wenner and his cadre of crusty dusty musties what the hell great music is! It didn’t even make the Apple 100. (Still a great album, though.)
I’m curious to see how the conventional wisdom surrounding the modern legends evolves. Beyonce is unlikely to top Lemonade, Taylor Swift is on a collision course with mass geek revolt, and I’m dubious the Kendrick narrative will change, barring a substantial “Pulitzer Prize=Undisputed Quality” movement.
The absence of Devo on a lot of these lists is wild to me. Style, substance, the spud-boys had both in spades. Hugely influential, and their early stuff’s aged better than the latter. Is it the Devo 2.0 thing? Sonic Youth will always be represented Daydream Nation, maybe Sister or Goo, if Anthony Fantano has say in the hey. A Thousand Leaves is the album I want to be buried with (or burned with, I haven’t decided) but in the grand scheme, it’s just another bag o’ beans.
Thank you for reading. I leave you with my ten personal favorites from the following under-loved genres.
Country
Waylon & Willie
Will the Circle Be Unbroken
Coat of Many Colors
Coal Miner’s Daughter
Seven Year Ache
Johnny Cash-At Folsom Prison (1968)
The Chicks-Home (2002)
Ray Charles-Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music (1962)
Emmylou Harris-Roses in the Snow (1980)
Trio-Trio (1987)
Heavy Metal
Hell Awaits
…And Justice For All
Rust In Peace
Far Beyond Driven
Darkness Descends
Houdini
Chaos A.D.
Dirt
Screaming For Vengeance
Black Sabbath
Hip-Hop
Illmatic
Hard To Earn
Donuts
The Future Is Now
Skelethon
Midnight Marauders
Enter the Wu-Tang: 36 Chambers
I’ll Sleep When You’re Dead
Mecca and the Soul Brother
Follow the Leader
Punk Rock
Repeater
Soda-Pop Rip Off
Ramones-S/T (1976)
Germ Free Adolescents
Bad Brains-S/T (1982)
Green Day-Dookie (1994)
White Lung-Deep Fantasy (2014)
History Is What’s Happening
Burning Farm
Sick ‘Em
Jazz
Jazz Samba
Bitches Brew
Sarah Vaughan-S/T (1955)
John Coltrane-A Love Supreme (1965)
Herbie Hancock-Head Hunters (1973)
Alice Coltrane-Journey in Satchidananda (1971)
McCoy Tyner-Cosmos (1976)
Nina Simone-I Put A Spell On You (1965)
Lee Morgan-Sonic Boom (1979)
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