A Note on Selection and Organization Criteria: The albums in our canon were categorized according to the year and label that granted them their earliest release anywhere in the world — except in certain cases where a later release may have been deemed more “canonical” (for instance choosing to list Public Image Ltd.’s Second Edition over Metal Box). We also chose to allow only one album per year per artist/band—except in cases where the album was credited to more than one artist (most common with jazz releases), in which case that combined credit was considered separately from whatever the individual artists has released that year. Generally, albums were selected for this canon based on their critical regard, their subject matter, their historical relevance, and/or popularity. As such, not all albums in our canon are great, or even necessarily good. They are, however, in our estimation, important: worthy of time from any discerning listener who seeks to understand and appreciate music. They are the result of a selection process that privileged the notion of a canonization that pushes beyond the stigma of rockism, of predominantly English-language music, and which opened up the discussion to a variety of genres, including: blues, country, bluegrass, ragtime, bebop, salsa, bossa nova, jazz, free-jazz, hip-hop, EDM, French chanson, Brazilian tropicalia, African highlife, Algerian rai, Argentinian tango, Spanish flamenco, South Asian Qawwali, Indian ragas, and Chinese Mandopop.
1999
Magnetic Fields: 69 Love Songs (Merge)
The Flaming Lips: The Soft Bulletin (Warner Bros.)
Beck: Midnite Vultures (DGC)
Moby: Play (V2)
Tom Waits: Mule Variations (Anti-/Epitaph)
Rage Against the Machine: The Battle of Los Angeles (Epic)
Fiona Apple: When the Pawn… (Clean Slate/Epic)
Beth Orton: Central Reservation (Arista)
Wilco: Summerteeth (Reprise)
Bonnie “Prince” Billy: I See a Darkness (Palace)
The Roots: Things Fall Apart (MCA)
Mos Def: Black on Both Sides (Rawkus)
Eminem: The Slim Shady LP (Interscope)
Nine Inch Nails: The Fragile (Nothing/Interscope)
Basement Jaxx: Remedy (XL)
TLC: Fanmail (LaFace)
Destiny’s Child: The Writing’s on the Wall (Columbia)
Dixie Chicks: Fly (Monument)
Sigur Ros: Agaetis Byrjun (Smekkleysa)
Louis Armstrong: Hot Fives and Sevens (JSP)
Fela Kuti: The Best of the Black President (Barclay/Universal)
Toumani Diabaté / Ballake Sissoko: New Ancient Strings (Rykodisc)
Blumfeld: Old Nobody (Rough Trade)
Gustavo Cerati: Bocanada (Ariola)
Khaled: Kenza (Barclay)
1998
Lauryn Hill: The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill (Ruffhouse)
Lucinda Williams: Car Wheels on a Gravel Road (Mercury)
Neutral Milk Hotel: In the Aeroplane Over the Sea (Merge)
Boards of Canada: Music Has the Right to Children (Warp/Skam)
Massive Attack: Mezzanine (Circa/Virgin)
Madonna: Ray of Light (Maverick/Warner Bros.)
Air: Moon Safari (Source/Virgin)
Outkast: Aquemini (LaFace)
Fatboy Slim: You’ve Come a Long Way, Baby (Skint)
Pulp: This Is Hardcore (Island)
Elliott Smith: XO (DreamWorks)
Beck: Mutations (DGC)
Mercury Rev: Deserter’s Songs (V2)
Beastie Boys: Hello Nasty (Grand Royal/Capitol)
Black Star: Mos Def & Talib Kweli Are Black Star (Rawkus)
DMX: It’s Dark and Hell Is Hot (Def Jam)
Gang Starr: Moment of Truth (Noo Trybe)
Bob Dylan: Live 1966 (The “Royal Albert Hall” Concert) (Columbia)
Dixie Chicks: Wide Open Spaces (Monument)
Billy Bragg, Wilco: Mermaid Avenue (Elektra)
Turbonegro: Apocalypse Dudes (Boomba)
Dave Douglas: Convergence (Soul Note)
Shakira: Dondé Están Los Ladrones? (Sony Latin)
Manu Chao: Clandestino (Virgin)
Rachid Taha: Diwan (Barclay)
1997
Radiohead: OK Computer (’97; Parlophone)
Björk: Homogenic (’97; One Little Indian)
Daft Punk: Homework (’97; Virgin)
Bob Dylan: Time Out of Mind (’97; Columbia)
Spiritualized: Ladies and Gentleman We Are Floating in Space (’97; Dedicated)
The Chemical Brothers: Dig Your Own Hole (’97; Freestyle Dust/Virgin)
Sleater-Kinney: Dig Me Out (’97; Kill Rock Stars)
Elliott Smith: Either/Or (’97; Kill Rock Stars)
The Verve: Urban Hymns (’97; Hut/Virgin)
Missy Misdemeanour Elliott: Supa Dupa Fly (’97; EastWest)
The Notorious B.I.G.: Life After Death (’97; Bad Boy)
Cornershop: When I Was Born for the 7th Time (’97; Wiiija)
Yo La Tengo: I Can Hear the Heart Beating as One (’97; Matador)
Erykah Badu: Baduizm (’97; Universal)
Janet Jackson: The Velvet Rope (’97; Virgin/JDJ)
Mariah Carey: Butterfly (’97; Columbia)
Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds: The Boatman’s Call (’97; Mute)
Deftones: Around the Fur (’97; Maverick)
Shania Twain: Come on Over (’97; Mercury)
Roni Size / Reprazent: New Forms (’97; Talkin’ Loud/Mercury)
Charlie Haden, Pat Metheny: Beyond the Missouri Sky (’97; Verve)
Tomasz Stanko: Leosia (’97; ECM)
Lee “Scratch” Perry: Arkology (’97; Island Jamaica)
Buena Vista Social Club: Buena Vista Social Club (’97; Nonesuch)
Andrés Calamaro: Alta Suciedad (’97; Gasa)
1996
DJ Shadow: Endtroducing….. (‘96; FFRR/Mo Wax)
Beck: Odelay (‘96; DGC/Bong Load)
Fugees: The Score (‘96; Columbia)
Jay-Z: Reasonable Doubt (‘96; Roc-A-Fella/Freeze/Priority)
2Pac: All Eyez on Me (‘96; Interscope/Death Row)
Belle & Sebastian: If You’re Feeling Sinister (‘96; Jeepster)
Weezer: Pinkerton (‘96; DGC)
Sleater-Kinney: Call the Doctor (’96; Chainsaw)
Stereolab: Emperor Tomato Ketchup (‘96; Elektra)
Sublime: Sublime (’96; Gasoline Alley)
Wilco: Being There (‘96; Reprise)
Fiona Apple: Tidal (’96; Epic/Clean Slate)
Aphex Twin: Richard D. James Album (‘96; Sire)
Tortoise: Millions Now Living Will Never Die (‘96; Thrill Jockey)
Outkast: ATLiens (‘96; Bulk)
UGK: Ridin’ Dirty (‘96; Jive)
Lil Kim: Hard Core (’96; Big Beat/UNDEAS)
Steve Earle: I Feel Alright (‘96; Warner Bros.)
Ani DiFranco: Dilate (‘96; Righteous Babe)
David S. Ware: Godspelized (‘96; DIW)
James Carter: Conversin’ With the Elders (’96; Atlantic)
Chico Science & Nação Zumbi: Afrociberdelia (’96; Columbia)
Faye Wong: Fu Zao (’96; Cinepoly)
Oumou Sangare: Worotan (’96; World Circuit)
Cheikh Lô: Ne La Thiass (‘96; World Circuit)
1995
PJ Harvey: To Bring You My Love (‘95; Island)
Björk: Post (‘95; One Little Indian)
Radiohead: The Bends (‘95; Parlophone)
Oasis: (What’s the Story) Morning Glory? (‘95; Creation)
Pulp: Different Class (‘95; Island)
The Smashing Pumpkins: Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness (‘95; Virgin)
Tricky: Maxinquaye (‘95; 4th & Broadway/Island)
Raekwon: Only Built 4 Cuban Linx… (‘95; RCA/Loud)
The Chemical Brothers: Exit Planet Dust (‘95; Freestyle Dust/Virgin)
Alanis Morissette: Jagged Little Pill (‘95; Maverick/Reprise)
Garbage: Garbage (‘95; Mushroom)
Elastica: Elastica (‘95; DGC)
GZA: Liquid Swords (‘95; Geffen)
2Pac: Me Against the World (‘95; Interscope)
Mobb Deep: The Infamous (‘95; Loud)
Leftfield: Leftism (‘95; Columbia/Hard Hands)
Goldie: Timeless (‘95; FFRR)
The Smiths: Singles (’95; WEA)
The Meters: Funkify Your Life (Anthology) (’95; Rhino)
D’Angelo: Brown Sugar (‘95; EMI)
Emmylou Harris: Wrecking Ball (‘95; Elektra)
Junior Kimbrough & the Soul Boys: All Night Long (’95; Fat Possum)
Cassandra Wilson: New Moon Daughter (‘95; Blue Note)
Henry Threadgill: Carry the Day (‘95; Columbia)
Buju Banton: ‘Til Shiloh (‘95; Loose Cannon)
1994
Nas: Illmatic (‘94; Columbia)
The Notorious B.I.G.: Ready to Die (‘94; Bad Boy)
Jeff Buckley: Grace (‘94; Columbia)
Hole: Live Through This (‘94; DGC)
Pavement: Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain (‘94; Matador/Atlantic)
Johnny Cash: American Recordings (‘94; American)
Oasis: Definitely, Maybe (‘94; Epic)
Blur: Parklife (‘94; SBK)
Portishead: Dummy (‘94; Go! Beat)
Nine Inch Nails: The Downward Spiral (‘94; Nothing/Interscope)
Nirvana: MTV Unplugged in New York (‘94; DGC)
Beck: Mellow Gold (‘94; DGC)
Beastie Boys: Ill Communication (‘94; Capitol/Grand Royal)
Green Day: Dookie (‘94; Reprise)
Weezer: Weezer [The Blue Album] (‘94; DGC)
Soundgarden: Superunknown (‘94; A&M)
Guided by Voices: Bee Thousand (‘94; Scat)
TLC: Crazysexycool (‘94; LaFace)
Mary J. Blige: My Life (‘94; MCA)
Iris DeMent: My Life (’94; Warner Bros.)
The Mavericks: What a Crying Shame (‘94; MCA)
Evan Parker: 50th Birthday Concert (‘94; Leo)
Marisa Monte: Verde, Anil, Amarelo, Cor-de-Rosa e Carvão (‘94; EMI)
Selena: Amor Prohibido (‘94; EMI Latin)
Cafe Tacuba: Re (‘94; WEA)
1993
Liz Phair: Exile in Guyville (‘93; Matador)
PJ Harvey: Rid of Me (‘93; Island)
Björk: Debut (‘93; One Little Indian)
Nirvana: In Utero (‘93; DGC)
Smashing Pumpkins: Siamese Dream (‘93; Virgin)
The Breeders: Last Splash (‘93; 4AD/Elektra)
Suede: Suede (‘93; Nude)
Wu-Tang Clan: Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) (‘93; RCA/Loud)
A Tribe Called Quest: Midnight Marauders (‘93; Jive)
Pet Shop Boys: Very (‘93; Parlophone)
Pearl Jam: Vs (‘93; Epic)
The Afghan Whigs: Gentlemen (‘93; Elektra)
Underworld: Dubnobasswithmyheadman (‘93; Junior Boy’s Own)
Orbital: Orbital 2 [The Brown Album] (‘93; Internal)
The Fall: The Infotainment Scan (’93; Permanent)
Snoop Doggy Dogg: Doggystyle (‘93; Death Row/Interscope)
Sarah McLachlan: Fumbling Towards Ecstasy (‘93; Arista/Nettwerk)
Janet Jackson: Janet. (’93; Virgin)
R. Kelly: 12 Play (’93; Jive)
Uncle Tupelo: Anodyne (’93; Sire/Reprise)
Bikini Kill: Pussy Whipped (’93; Kill Rock Stars)
Morphine: Cure for Pain (‘93; Rykodisc)
Ella Fitzgerald: The Best of the Song Books (’93; Verve)
Charles Gayle: Touchin’ on Trane (‘93; FMP)
Sepultura: Chaos A.D. (‘93; Roadrunner)
1992
R.E.M.: Automatic for the People (‘92; Warner Bros.)
Pavement: Slanted and Enchanted (‘92; Matador)
Madonna: Erotica (‘92; Maverick/Sire)
PJ Harvey: Dry (‘92; Indigo/Too Pure)
Dr. Dre: The Chronic (‘92; Interscope)
Beastie Boys: Check Your Head (‘92; Capitol)
Rage Against the Machine: Rage Against the Machine (‘92; Epic)
Los Lobos: Kiko (‘92; Slash)
Sonic Youth: Dirty (‘92; DGC)
Arrested Development: 3 Years, 5 Months & 2 Days in the Life Of… (‘92; Chrysalis)
Aphex Twin: Selected Ambient Works 85–92 (‘92; Apollo)
Sugar: Copper Blue (‘92; Rykodisc)
The Pharcyde: Bizarre Ride II the Pharcyde (‘92; Delicious Vinyl)
Alice in Chains: Dirt (‘92; Columbia)
Tom Waits: Bone Machine (‘92; Island)
K.D. Lang: Ingénue (‘92; Sire)
Tori Amos: Little Earthquakes (‘92; Atlantic)
Pantera: Vulgar Display of Power (’92; ATCO)
Annie Lennox: Diva (‘92; Arista)
Trisha Yearwood: Hearts in Armor (’92; MCA)
Joe Lovano: From the Soul (‘92; Blue Note)
David S. Ware: Flight of I (‘92; DIW)
Cesária Évora: Miss Perfumado (‘92; Nonesuch)
Koffi Olomide: Haut de Gamme — Koweït, Rive Ganche (’92; Tamaris)
Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan: Devotional Songs (‘92; Real World/Virgin)
1991
Nirvana: Nevermind (‘91; DGC)
My Bloody Valentine: Loveless (‘91; Creation/Sire/Warner Bros.)
Talk Talk: Laughing Stock (‘91; Polydor/Verve)
A Tribe Called Quest: The Low End Theory (‘91; Jive)
Public Enemy: Apocalypse ‘91… The Enemy Strikes Black (‘91; Def Jam)
U2: Achtung Baby (‘91; Island)
Pearl Jam: Ten (‘91; Epic)
Red Hot Chili Peppers: Blood Sugar Sex Magik (‘91; Warner Bros.)
Metallica: Metallica [The Black Album] (‘91; Vertigo)
R.E.M.: Out of Time (‘91; Warner Bros.)
Primal Scream: Screamadelica (‘91; Warner Bros.)
Massive Attack: Blue Lines (‘91; Wild Bunch)
The Orb: The Orb’s Adventures Beyond the Ultraworld (‘91; Big Life)
Slint: Spiderland (‘91; Touch and Go)
The Jesus Lizard: Goat (‘91; Touch and Go)
Matthew Sweet: Girlfriend (‘91; Zoo Entrainment/BMG)
Saint Etienne: Foxbase Alpha (‘91; Warner Bros.)
Teenage Fanclub: Bandwagonesque (‘91; DGC)
Ice Cube: Death Certificate (’91; Priority)
James Brown: Star Time (‘91; Polydor)
Ray Charles: The Birth of Soul — The Complete Atlantic Recordings (’91; Atlantic)
Phil Spector: Back to Mono (1958–1969) (‘91; ABKCO)
Sonny Sharrock: Ask the Ages (‘91; Axiom)
Linton Kwesi Johnson: Tings An’ Times (‘91; Shanachie)
MC Solaar: Qui Seme le Vent Recolte le Tempo (‘91; Polydor)
1990
Public Enemy: Fear of a Black Planet (‘90; Def Jam)
A Tribe Called Quest: People’s Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm (‘90; Jive)
Neil Young & Crazy Horse: Ragged Glory (‘90; Reprise)
Sinéad O’Connor: I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got (’90; Ensign)
Sonic Youth: Goo (‘90; DGC)
Pixies: Bossanova (‘90; 4AD/Elektra)
Depeche Mode: Violator (‘90; Mute)
Happy Mondays: Pills ‘n’ Thrills and Bellyaches (‘90; Factory)
Jane’s Addiction: Ritual De Lo Habitual (’90; Warner Bros.)
LL Cool J: Mama Said Knock You Out (‘90; Def Jam)
Ice Cube: Amerikkka’s Most Wanted (‘90; Priority)
Pet Shop Boys: Behaviour (‘90; Parlophone/EMI)
Cocteau Twins: Heaven or Las Vegas (‘90; Capitol)
Fugazi: Repeater (’90; Dischord)
Deee-Lite: World Clique (‘90; Elektra)
Madonna: The Immaculate Collection (’90; Sire)
George Michael: Listen Without Prejudice, Vol. 1 (‘90; Columbia)
Rosanne Cash: Interiors (‘90; Columbia)
Dwight Yoakam: If There Was a Way (‘90; Reprise)
The KLF: Chill Out (‘90; Wax Trax!)
Angelo Badalamenti: Soundtrack from Twin Peaks (‘90; Warner Bros.)
John Zorn: Naked City (‘90; Nonesuch)
Ali Farka Touré: The River (‘90; Mango/World Circuit)
Youssou N’Dour: Set (‘90; Virgin)
Soda Stereo: Canción Animal (‘90; CBS)
1989
Beastie Boys: Paul’s Boutique (‘89; Capitol)
De La Soul: 3 Feet High and Rising (‘89; Tommy Boy Music)
Madonna: Like a Prayer (‘89; Sire)
Janet Jackson: Rhythm Nation 1814 (‘89; A&M)
Pixies: Doolittle (‘89; 4AD/Elektra)
The Stone Roses: The Stone Roses (‘89; Silvertone)
The Cure: Disintegration (‘89; Elektra)
Nine Inch Nails: Pretty Hate Machine (‘89; TVT)
The Mekons: The Mekons Rock N’ Roll (‘89; A&M)
Galaxie 500: On Fire (‘89; Rough Trade)
Lou Reed: New York (’89; Sire)
Bonnie Raitt: Nick of Time (‘89; Capitol)
Neneh Cherry: Raw Like Sushi (‘89; Virgin/Circa)
Chris Isaak: Heart Shaped World (‘89; Reprise)
Soul II Soul: Keep on Movin’ (‘89; Virgin)
808 State: Ninety (‘89; ZTT)
The Neville Brothers: Yellow Moon (‘89; A&M)
Stevie Ray Vaughan: In Step (‘89; Epic)
George Strait: Beyond the Blue Neon (‘89; MCA)
Keith Whitley: I Wonder Do You Think of Me (‘89; RCA/BMG Music)
Baaba Maal, Mansour Seck: Djam Leelii (‘89; Mango)
Mano Negra: Puta’s Fever (’89; Virgin)
Caetano Veloso: Estrangeiro (‘89; Elektra Musician)
Boredoms: Soul Discharge (‘89; Shimmy Disc)
Cui Jian: Rock ‘n’ Roll on the New Long March (’89; Coden Records)
1988
N.W.A.: Straight Outta Compton (‘88; Ruthless)
Public Enemy: It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back (‘88; Def Jam)
Sonic Youth: Daydream Nation (‘88; Enigma)
Talk Talk: Spirit of Eden (‘88; Parlophone)
The Beatles: Past Masters Volume 1 & 2 (‘88; Capitol)
EPMD: Strictly Business (‘88; Fresh)
Ultramagnetic MCs: Critical Beatdown (‘88; Next Plateau)
Boogie Productions: By All Means Necessary (‘88; Jive)
Eric B. & Rakim: Follow the Leader (‘88; UNI)
Jungle Brothers: Straight Out the Jungle (‘88; Warlock)
Slick Rick: The Great Adventures of Slick Rick (‘88; Def Jam)
Eazy-E: Eazy-Duz-It (‘88; Ruthless/Priority)
Stetasonic: In Full Gear (‘88; Tommy Boy Music)
Pixies: Surfer Rosa (‘88; 4AD/Rough Trade)
My Bloody Valentine: Isn’t Anything (’88; Creation)
The Pogues: If I Should Fall from Grace With God (’88; Pogue Mahone)
Jane’s Addiction: Nothing’s Shocking (‘88; Warner Bros.)
Tracy Chapman: Tracy Chapman (‘88; Elektra)
Lucinda Williams: Lucinda Williams (’88; Rough Trade)
Leonard Cohen: I’m Your Man (‘88; Columbia)
Rodney Crowell: Diamonds & Dirt (‘88; Columbia)
Art Farmer: Blame It on My Youth (‘88; Contemporary)
Miriam Makeba: Sangoma (‘88; Warner Bros.)
Mahlathini & Mahotella Queens: Paris — Soweto (‘88; Polydor)
Papa Wemba: L’Esclave (‘88; Gitta)
1987
U2: The Joshua Tree (‘87; Island)
Prince: Sign ‘O’ the Times (‘87; Paisley Prak)
Eric B. & Rakim: Paid in Full (‘87; 4th & Broadway)
Boogie Down Productions: Criminal Minded (‘87; B-Boy)
Public Enemy: Yo! Bum Rush the Show (‘87; Def Jam)
Michael Jackson: Bad (‘87; Epic)
R.E.M.: Document (‘87; I.R.S.)
George Michael: Faith (‘87; Columbia)
Guns ‘N’ Roses: Appetite for Destruction (‘87; Geffen)
Sonic Youth: Sister (‘87; SST)
Pet Shop Boys: Actually (‘87; Parlophone)
New Order: Substance (‘87; Factory)
The Replacements: Pleased to Meet Me (‘87; Sire)
Def Leopard: Hysteria (‘87; Mercury)
Dinosaur Jr.: You’re Living All Over Me (‘87; SST)
Big Black: Songs About Fucking (‘87; Touch and Go)
Sinéad O’Connor: The Lion and the Cobra (‘87; Chrysalis)
Marianna Faithfull: Strange Weather (‘87; Island)
Ornette Coleman: In All Languages (‘87; Harmolodic)
Cecil Taylor: For Olim (’87; Soul Note)
Sonny Rollins: G-Man (‘87; Milestone)
Salif Keita: Soro (‘87; Mango)
Ali Farka Touré: Ali Farka Touré (’87; Mango)
Franco: Attention Na Sida (‘87; African Sun Music)
Najma: Qareeb (‘87; Triple Earth)
1986
The Smiths: The Queen Is Dead (‘86; Rough Trade)
Paul Simon: Graceland (‘86; Warner Bros.)
Beastie Boys: Licensed to Ill (‘86; Def Jam)
Run-D.M.C.: Raising Hell (‘86; Profile)
Peter Gabriel: So (‘86; Geffen)
Metallica: Master of Puppets (‘86; Elektra)
Slayer: Reign in Blood (‘86; Def Jam)
XTC: Skylarking (‘86; Virgin)
R.E.M.: Lifes Rich Pageant (‘86; I.R.S.)
Sonic Youth: EVOL (‘86; SST)
Janet Jackson: Control (‘86; A&M)
Anita Baker: Rapture (‘86; Elektra)
Prince and the Revolution: Parade (‘86; Paisley Park/RCA)
Salt-N-Pepa: Hot, Cool & Vicious (‘86; Next Plateu)
Bad Brains: I Against I (‘86; SST)
The Cure: Standing on a Beach — The Singles (’86; Fiction)
Steve Earle: Guitar Town (‘86; MCA)
Dwight Yoakam: Guitars, Cadillacs, Etc., Etc. (‘86; Reprise)
The Robert Cray Band: Strong Persuader (‘86; Mercury)
Duke Ellington: The Blanton-Webster Band (’86; RCA/Bluebird)
John Zorn: The Big Gundown (‘86; Nonesuch)
Pat Metheny, Ornette Coleman: Song X (‘86; Geffen)
Astor Piazzolla: Tango: Zero Hour (’86; American Clavé)
Africa Bombaataa & Soulsonic Force: Plant Rock (’86; Tommy Boy)
Titãs: Cabeça Dinossauro (‘86; WEA)
1985
Kate Bush: Hounds of Love (‘85; EMI)
Tom Waits: Rain Dogs (‘85; Island)
The Jesus and Mary Chain: Psychocandy (‘85; Blanco y Negro)
The Fall: This Nation’s Saving Grace (‘85; Beggars Banquet)
Hüsker Dü: New Day Rising (‘85; SST)
The Replacements: Tim (‘85; Sire)
Talking Heads: Little Creatures (‘85; Sire)
Mekons: Fear and Whiskey (‘85; Sin Record Company)
The Pogues: Rum, Sodomy & the Lash (‘85; Stiff)
New Order: Low-Life (‘85; Factory)
Prefab Sprout: Steve McQueen (‘85; Kitchenware)
Scritti Politti: Cupid & Psyche 85 (‘85; Virgin)
Dire Straits: Brothers in Arms (‘85; Vertigo)
The Velvet Underground: VU (‘85; Verve)
LL Cool J: Radio (‘85; Def Jam)
Aretha Franklin: Who’s Zoomin’ Who? (‘85; Arista)
Whitney Houston: Whitney Houston (‘85; Arista)
Sam Cooke: Live at the Harlem Square Club 1963 (‘85; RCA)
Wynton Marsalis: Black Codes (from the Underground) (‘85; Columbia)
James Newton: The African Flower — The Music of Duke Ellington & Billy Strayhorn (Blue Note)
Joe Henderson: The State of the Tenor — Live at the Village Vanguard Vol. 1 (‘85; Blue Note)
Abdullah Ibrahim: Water from an Ancient Well (‘85; Enja)
Various Artists: The Indestructible Beat of Soweto (‘85; Shanachie)
Youssou N’Dour & le Super Etoile de Dakar: Immigrés (‘85; Virgin)
Bola Sete: Jungle Suite (‘85; Dancing Cat)
1984
Prince and the Revolution: Purple Rain (‘84; Warner Bros.)
Bruce Springsteen: Born in the U.S.A. (‘84; Columbia)
Bob Marley & the Wailers: Legend (The Best of Bob Marley & the Wailers) (‘84; Island)
The Replacements: Let It Be (‘84; Twin/Tone)
Hüsker Dü: Zen Arcade (‘84; SST)
Minutemen: Double Nickels on the Dime (‘84; SST)
Metallica: Ride the Lightning (‘84; Megaforce)
U2: The Unforgettable Fire (‘84; Island)
Run-D.M.C.: Run-D.M.C. (‘84; Profile)
Echo and the Bunnymen: Ocean Rain (‘84; Korova/WEA)
R.E.M.: Reckoning (‘84; I.R.S.)
The Bangles: All Over the Place (‘84; Columbia)
Cocteau Twins: Treasure (‘84; 4AD)
Madonna: Like a Virgin (‘84; Sire)
Tina Turner: Private Dancer (‘84; Capitol)
Sade: Diamond Life (‘84; Epic)
George Strait: Does Fort Worth Ever Cross Your Mind (‘84; MCA)
The Judds: Why Not Me (‘84; RCA/Curb)
Los Lobos: How Will the Wolf Survive? (‘84; Slash)
Arvo Pärt: Tabula Rasa (‘84; ECM New Series)
Franco & Rochereau: Omona Wapi (‘84; Shanachie)
Rubén Blades, Seis Del Solar: Buscando América (‘84; Elektra)
Los Prisioneros: La Voz de Los ‘80 (‘84; EMI-Odeon S.A.I.C.)
Fabrizio de André: Creuza de mä (‘84; Elektra)
Ofsa Haza: Yemenite Songs (‘84; Hed-Arzi)
1983
Cyndi Lauper: She’s So Unusual (‘83; Portrait)
Tom Waits: Swordfishtrombones (‘83; Island)
R.E.M.: Murmur (‘83; I.R.S.)
The Police: Synchronicity (‘83; A&M)
Lou Reed: Legendary Hearts (‘83; RCA Victor)
U2: War (‘83; Island)
Violent Femmes: Violent Femmes (‘83; Slash)
New Order: Power, Corruption & Lies (‘83; Factory)
Eurythmics: Touch (‘83; RCA)
Madonna: Madonna (‘83; Sire)
Aztec Camera: High Land, Hard Rain (‘83; Sire)
Talking Heads: Speaking in Tongues (‘83; Sire)
The Fall: Perverted by Language (‘83; Ikon)
Metallica: Kill ‘Em All (‘83; Megaforce)
Womack & Womack: Love Wars (‘83; Elektra)
The Pretenders: Learning to Crawl (‘83; Sire)
DeBarge: In a Special Way (‘83; Gordy)
Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble: Texas Flood (‘83; Epic)
The Robert Cray Band: Bad Influence (‘83; Hightone)
James Blood Ulmer: Odyssey (‘83; CBS)
Henry Threadgill Sextet: Just the Facts and Pass the Bucket (‘83; About Time)
Abdullah Ibrahim: Ekaya (‘83; Ekapa)
UB40: Labour of Love (‘83; DEP International)
Chief Ebenezer Obey: Je ka jo (‘83; Virgin)
Charly García: Clics modernos (‘83; Interdisc)
1982
Michael Jackson: Thriller (‘82; Epic)
Bruce Springsteen: Nebraska (‘82; Columbia)
Prince: 1999 (‘82; Warner Bros.)
Richard & Linda Thompson: Shoot Out the Lights (‘82; Hannibal)
Lou Reed: The Blue Mask (‘82; RCA)
Laurie Anderson: Big Science (‘82; Warner Bros.)
Elvis Costello & the Attractions: Imperial Bedroom (‘82; F-Beat)
Chuck Berry: The Great Twenty-Eight (‘82; Chess)
Roxy Music: Avalon (‘82; EG)
Marshall Crenshaw: Marshall Crenshaw (‘82; Warner Bros.)
ABC: The Lexicon of Love (‘82; Neutron)
Flipper: Generic Flipper (‘82; Subterranean)
Mission of Burma: Vs. (‘82; Ace of Hearts)
The Fall: Hex Enduction Hour (‘82; Kamera)
Donald Fagen: The Nightfly (‘82; Warner Bros.)
George Clinton: Computer Games (‘82; Capitol)
Grand Master Flash and the Furious Five: The Message (‘82; Sugar Hill)
Iron Maiden: The Number of the Beast (‘82; EMI)
George Strait: Strait from the Heart (‘82; MCA)
Philip Glass: Glassworks (‘82; CBS)
Ornette Coleman: Of Human Feelings (‘82; Antilles)
Henry Threadgill Sextet: When Was That? (‘82; About Time)
World Saxophone Quartet: Revue (‘82; Black Saint)
King Sunny Adé & His African Beats: Juju Music (‘82; Mango)
Sister Nancy: One, Two (‘82; Technique)
1981
Grace Jones: Nightclubbing (‘81; Island)
Brian Eno, David Byrne: My Life in the Bush of Ghosts (‘81; Sire)
The Human League: Dare! (‘81; Virgin)
Kraftwerk: Computerwelt (‘81; Kling Klang/EMI Electrola)
Black Flag: Damaged (‘81; Unicorn/SST)
X: Wild Gift (‘81; Slash)
The Gun Club: Fire of Love (‘81; Ruby)
Elvis Costello & the Attractions: Trust (‘81; F-Beat)
Prince: Controversy (‘81; Warner Bros.)
The Go-Gos: Beauty and the Beat (‘81; I.R.S.)
Rush: Moving Pictures (‘81; Mercury)
Rickie Lee Jones: Pirates (’81; Warner Bros.)
Rick James: Street Songs (‘81; Gordy)
Squeeze: East Side Story (‘81; A&M)
The Blasters: The Blasters (‘81; Slash)
Tom Tom Club: Tom Tom Club (‘81; Sire)
Go-Go’s: Beauty and the Beat (‘81; I.R.S.)
Motörhead: No Sleep ‘Til Hammersmith (‘81; Bronze)
Merle Haggard: Big City (‘81; Epic)
Chick Corea: Three Quartets (‘81; Warner Bros.)
Billy Bang: Rainbow Gladiator (‘81; Soul Note)
Dick Gaughan: Handful of Earth (‘81; Topic)
Einstürzende Neubauten: Kollaps (‘81; Zickzack)
Black Uhuru: Red (‘81; Mango)
Djavan: Seduzir (‘81; EMI)
1980
Talking Heads: Remain in Light (‘80; Sire)
Joy Division: Closer (‘80; Factory)
The Pretenders: Pretenders (‘80; Real)
Prince: Dirty Mind (‘80; Warner Bros.)
Bruce Springsteen: The River (‘80; Columbia)
Elvis Costello and the Attractions: Get Happy!! (‘80; Columbia)
Dead Kennedys: Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables (‘80; Cherry Red)
The Clash: Sandinista! (‘80; CBS)
John Lennon, Yoko Ono: Double Fantasy (‘80; Geffen)
David Bowie: Scary Monsters (‘80; RCA)
Stevie Wonder: Hotter Than July (‘80; Tamla)
Peter Gabriel: Peter Gabriel [Melt] (‘80; Charisma)
X: Los Angeles (‘80; Slash)
AC/DC: Back in Black (‘80; Atlantic)
The Feelies: Crazy Rhythms (‘80; Stiff)
Dexys Midnight Runners: Searching for the Young Soul Rebels (‘80; EMI)
Young Marble Giants: Colossal Youth (‘80; Rough Trade)
Motörhead: Ace of Spades (‘80; Bronze)
Alberta Hunter: Amtrak Blues (‘80; Columbia)
Professor Longhair: Crawfish Fiesta (‘80; Alligator)
George Jones: I Am What I Am (‘80; Epic)
Emmylou Harris: Roses in the Snow (‘80; Warner Bros.)
David Murray: Ming (‘80; Black Saint)
Ganelion Trio: Ancora Da Capo (‘80; Leo)
Fehlfarben: Monarchie und Alltag (‘80; Welt-Rekord/EMI Electrola)
1979
The Clash: London Calling (‘79; Epic)
Fleetwood Mac: Tusk (‘79; Warner Bros.)
Joy Division: Unknown Pleasures (‘79; Factory)
Michael Jackson: Off the Wall (‘79; Epic)
Neil Young & Crazy Horse: Rust Never Sleeps (‘79; Reprise)
Pink Floyd: The Wall (‘79; Columbia)
Public Image, Ltd.: Second Edition (‘79; Virgin)
Gang of Four: Entertainment! (‘79; EMI)
Buzzcocks: Singles Going Steady (‘79; I.R.S.)
Marianne Faithfull: Broken English (‘79; Island)
The Specials: The Specials (‘79; Two-Tone)
Donna Summer: Bad Girls (’79; Casablanca)
Talking Heads: Fear of Music (‘79; Sire)
Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers: Damn the Torpedoes (‘79; MCA)
Graham Parker & the Rumour: Squeezing Out Sparks (’79; Vertigo)
Elvis Costello and the Attractions: Armed Forces (‘79; Radar)
The B-52’s: The B-52’s (‘79; Warner Bros.)
The Pop Group: Y (‘79; Radar)
Throbbing Gristle: 20 Jazz Funk Greats (‘79; Fetish)
Arthur Blythe: Lenox Avenue Breakdown (‘79; Columbia)
George Lewis: Homage to Charles Parker (‘79; Black Saint)
Johnny Osbourne: Truths and Rights (‘79; Studio One)
Yellow Magic Orchestra: Solid State Survivor (‘79; Alfa)
El Camarón de la Isla: La leyenda del tiempo (‘79; Philips)
François Hardy: Tous Les Garçons Et Les Filles (’79; Mode)
1978
Funkadelic: One Nation Under a Groove (‘78; Warner Bros.)
Blondie: Parallel Lines (‘78; Chrysalis)
Elvis Costello: This Year’s Model (‘78; Radar)
Bruce Springsteen: Darkness on the Edge of Town (‘78; Columbia)
The Rolling Stones: Some Girls (‘78; Rolling Stones)
Marvin Gaye: Here, My Dear (’78; Tamla)
Talking Heads: More Songs About Buildings and Food (‘78; Sire)
Pere Ubu: Dub Housing (‘78; Chrysalis)
The Jam: All Mod Cons (‘78; Polydor)
Van Halen: Van Halen (‘78; Warner Bros.)
Big Star: 3rd (‘78; PVC)
Wire: Chairs Missing (‘78; Harvest)
The Cars: The Cars (‘78; Elektra)
Devo: Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo! (‘78; Warner Bros.)
Chic: C’est Chic (‘78; Atlantic)
Albert Collins: Ice Pickin’ (‘78; Alligator)
Willie Nelson: Stardust (‘78; Columbia)
Joe Ely: Honky Tonk Masquerade (‘78; MCA)
Eno: Ambient 1: Music for Airports (‘78; EG/Polydor)
Kraftwerk: The Man Machine (‘78; Capitol)
Cecil Taylor: Cecil Taylor Unit (‘78; New World)
Steve Reich: Music for 18 Musicians (‘78; ECM)
Lee Perry: Roast Fish, Collie Weed & Corn Bread (‘78; Upsetter)
Poet and the Roots: Dread, Beat an’ Blood (‘78; Front Line)
Rubén Blades, Willie Colón: Siembra (‘78; Fania)
1977
Fleetwood Mac: Rumours (‘77; Warner Bros.)
Television: Marquee Moon (‘77; Elektra)
The Clash: The Clash (‘77; CBS)
The Sex Pistols: Never Mind the Bollocks, Here’s the Sex Pistols (‘77; Virgin)
Ramones: Rocket to Russia (‘77; Sire)
Richard Hell & the Voidoids: Blank Generation (‘77; Sire)
David Bowie: Low (‘77; RCA Victor)
Elvis Costello: My Aim Is True (‘77; Stiff)
Iggy Pop: Lust for Life (‘77; RCA Victor)
Wire: Pink Flag (‘77; Harvest)
Talking Heads: Talking Heads: 77 (‘77; Sire)
Suicide: Suicide (‘77; Red Star)
Various Artists: Saturday Night Fever (The Original Movie Soundtrack) (‘77; RSO)
Kate & Anna McGarrigle: Dancer With Bruised Knees (’77; Warner Bros.)
Steely Dan: Aja (‘77; ABC)
Al Green: The Bell Album (‘77; Hi)
The Damned: Damned Damned Damned (‘77; Stiff)
Muddy Waters: Hard Again (‘77; Blue Sky)
Kraftwerk: Trans-Europe Express (‘77; Capitol)
Popol Vuh: Coeur de Verre (‘77; Brain)
Weather Report: Heavy Weather (‘77; Columbia)
Ornette Coleman: Dancing in Your Head (‘77; Horizon)
Bob Marley & the Wailers: Exodus (‘77; Island)
The Congos: Heart of the Congos (‘77; Black Art)
João Gilberto: Amoroso (‘77; Warner Bros.)
1976
Elvis Presley: The Sun Sessions (‘76; RCA)
Stevie Wonder: Songs in the Key of Life (‘76; Motown)
David Bowie: Station to Station (‘76; RCA)
The Modern Lovers: The Modern Lovers (‘76; Beserkley)
Ramones: Ramones (‘76; Sire)
Joni Mitchell: Hejira (‘76; Asylum)
Eagles: Hotel California (‘76; Asylum)
Aerosmith: Rocks (‘76; Columbia)
ABBA: Arrival (‘76; Polar)
Boston: Boston (‘76; Epic)
The Unholy Modal Rounders: Have Moicy (‘76; Rounder)
The Wild Tchoupitoulas: The Wild Tchoupitoulas (‘76; Island)
Creedence Clearwater Revival: Chronicle — The 20 Greatest Hits (‘76; Fantasy)
Jean-Michel Jarre: Oxygène (‘76; Polydor)
Cecil Taylor: Nefertiti, the Beautiful One (‘76; Arista-Freedom)
George Benson: Breezin’ (‘76; Warner Bros.)
Return to Forever: Romantic Warrior (‘76; Columbia)
Fela Anikulapo Kuti & the Africa ‘70: Zombie (‘76; Polydor)
Augustus Pablo: King Tubby Meets Rockers Uptown (‘76; Yard Music)
Mighty Diamonds: Right Time (‘76; Virgin)
Bunny Wailer: Blackheart Man (‘76; Island)
Peter Tosh: Legalize It (‘76; Columbia)
The Upsetters: Super Ape (‘76; Island)
Tom Zé: Estudando o Samba (‘76; Continental)
Jorge Ben: África Brazil (‘76; Philips)
1975
Led Zeppelin: Physical Graffiti (‘75; Swan Song)
Bob Dylan: Blood on the Tracks (‘75; Columbia)
Bob Dylan & the Band: The Basement Tapes (‘75; Columbia)
Bruce Springsteen: Born to Run (‘75; Columbia)
Neil Young & Crazy Horse: Tonight’s the Night (‘75; Reprise)
Fleetwood Mac: Fleetwood Mac (‘75; Reprise)
Patti Smith: Horses (‘75; Arista)
Pink Floyd: Wish You Were Here (‘75; Harvest)
Queen: A Night at the Opera (‘75; Elektra)
Parliament: Mothership Connection (‘75; Casablanca)
Earth, Wind & Fire: That’s the Way of the World (‘75; Columbia)
Aerosmith: Toys in the Attic (‘75; Columbia)
Kate & Anna McGarrigle: Kate & Anna McGarrigle (‘75; Warner Bros.)
Willie Nelson: Red Headed Stranger (‘75; Columbia)
James Talley: Got No Bread, No Milk, No Money, But We Sure Got a Lot of Love (‘75; Columbia)
Eno: Another Green World (‘75; Island)
Keith Jarrett: The Köln Concert (‘75; ECM)
Miles Davis: Agharta (‘75; CBS)
Wayne Shorter, Milton Nascimento: Native Dancer (‘75; Columbia)
Cecil Taylor: Silent Tongues: Live at Montreux ‘74 (‘75; Arista/Freedom)
Gilberto Gil, Jorge Ben: Gil e Jorge (‘75; Philips)
Francesco de Gregori: Rimmel (‘75; RCA)
Toots and the Maytals: Funky Kingston (‘75; Island)
Burning Spear: Marcus Garvey (‘75; Island)
Le Mystère des Voix Bulgares: Le Mystère des Voix Bulgares (‘75; Disques Cellier)
1974
Joni Mitchell: Court and Spark (‘74; Asylum)
Gram Parsons: Grievous Angel (‘74; Reprise)
Steely Dan: Pretzel Logic (‘74; ABC)
New York Dolls: Too Much Too Soon (‘74; Mercury)
Richard & Linda Thompson: I Want to See the Bright Lights (‘74; Island)
Randy Newman: Good Old Boys (‘74; Reprise)
Big Star: Radio City (‘74; Ardent)
Bob Marley & the Wailers: Natty Dread (‘74; Island)
Robert Wyatt: Rock Bottom (‘74; Virgin)
Jackson Brown: Late for the Sky (‘74; Asylum)
Linda Ronstadt: Heart Like a Wheel (‘74; Capitol)
Genesis: The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway (‘74; Charisma)
Roxy Music: Country Life (‘74; Island)
Millie Jackson: Caught Up (‘74; Spring)
Minnie Riperton: Perfect Angel (‘74; Epic)
Barry White: Can’t Get Enough (’74; 20th Century)
Fenton Robinson: Somebody Loan Me a Dime (‘74; Alligator)
George Jones: The Grand Tour (‘74; Epic)
Eno: Taking Tiger Mountain by Strategy (‘74; Island)
Tangerine Dream: Phaedra (‘74; Virgin)
Kraftwerk: Autobahn (‘74; EMI)
Miles Davis: Get Up With It (‘74; Columbia)
Steve Reich: Drumming / Music for 18 Musicians (‘74; Deutsche Grammophon)
Keith Hudson: Pick a Dub (‘74; Mamba)
Elis & Tom: Elis & Tom (‘74; Philips)
1973
The Wailers: Catch a Fire (‘73; Island)
Marvin Gaye: Let’s Get It On (‘73; Tamla)
Stevie Wonder: Innervisions (‘73; Tamla)
Al Green: Call Me (‘73; Hi)
New York Dolls: New York Dolls (‘73; Mercury)
Pink Floyd: The Dark Side of the Moon (‘73; Harvest)
Lou Reed: Berlin (‘73; RCA Victor)
John Cale: Paris 1919 (‘73; Reprise)
Iggy and the Stooges: Raw Power (‘73; Columbia)
The Who: Quadrophenia (‘73; MCA)
The Isley Brothers: 3+3 (‘73; T-Neck)
Roxy Music: For Your Pleasure (‘73; Warner Bros.)
Elton John: Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (‘73; MCA)
Tanya Tucker: What’s Your Mama’s Name (‘73; Columbia)
Waylon Jennings: Honky Tonk Heroes (‘73; RCA)
Carpenters: The Singles 1969 — 1973 (‘73; A&M)
Eno: Here Come the Warm Jets (‘73; Island)
Mike Oldfield: Tubular Bells (‘73; Virgin)
Can: Future Days (‘73; United Artists)
Dave Holland Quartet: Conference of the Birds (‘73; ECM/Polydor)
Herbie Hancock: Head Hunters (‘73; Columbia)
McCoy Tyner: Enlightenment (‘73; Milestone)
Donald Byrd: Black Byrd (’73; Blue Note)
Secos & Molhados: Secos & Molhados (‘73; Continental)
Magma: Mekanik Destruktiw Kommandöh (‘73; A&M)
1972
The Rolling Stones: Exile on Main St. (‘72; Rolling Stones)
David Bowie: The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars (‘72; RCA Victor)
Roxy Music: Roxy Music (‘72; Reprise)
Todd Rundgren: Something/Anything? (‘72; Bearsville)
Nick Drake: Pink Moon (‘72; Island)
Lou Reed: Transformer (‘72; RCA Victor)
Neil Young: Harvest (‘72; Reprise)
Randy Newman: Sail Away (‘72; Reprise)
Paul Simon: Paul Simon (‘72; Columbia)
Bonnie Raitt: Give It Up (‘72; Warner Bros.)
Stevie Wonder: Talking Book (‘72; Tamla)
Curtis Mayfteld: Super Fly (‘72; Curtom)
Various Artists: Jimmy Cliff in ‘The Harder They Come’ (‘72; Mango)
Al Green: I’m Still in Love With You (‘72; Hi)
Big Star: #1 Record (’72; Ardent)
Nitty Gritty Dirt Band: Will the Circle Be Unbroken (‘72; United Artists)
Otis Spann: Walking the Blues (‘72; Barnaby)
Deep Purple: Machine Head (‘72; Warner Bros.)
Neu!: Neu! (‘72; Brain)
Miles Davis: On the Corner (‘72; Columbia)
Charles Mingus: Let My Children Hear Music (‘72; Columbia)
Julius Hemphill: Dogon A.D. (‘72; Mbari)
Milton Nascimento, Lô Borges: Clube da Esquina (‘72; Odeon)
Os Novos Baianos: Acabou Chorare (‘72; Som Livre)
Cheo Feliciano: Cheo (‘72; Vaya)
1971
Sly & the Family Stone: There’s a Riot Goin’ On (‘71; Epic)
Marvin Gaye: What’s Going On (‘71; Tamla)
Carole King: Tapestry (‘71; Ode)
Joni Mitchell: Blue (‘71; Reprise)
Rod Stewart: Every Picture Tells a Story (‘71; Mercury)
Led Zeppelin: Led Zeppelin IV (‘71; Atlantic)
The Rolling Stones: Sticky Fingers (‘71; Rolling Stones)
The Who: Who’s Next (‘71; Decca)
John Lennon: Imagine (‘71; Apple)
David Bowie: Hunky Dory (‘71; RCA Victor)
Harry Nilsson: Nilsson Schmilsson (‘71; RCA Victor)
The Allman Brothers Band: At the Fillmore East (‘71; Capricorn)
Funkadelic: Maggot Brain (‘71; Westbound)
T. Rex: Electric Warrior (‘71; Reprise)
Janis Joplin: Pearl (‘71; Columbia)
Dolly Parton: Coat of Many Colors (‘71; RCA Victor)
Tom T. Hall: In Search of a Song (‘71; Mercury)
Faust: Faust (‘71; Polydor)
Can: Tago Mago (‘71; United Artists)
Miles Davis: A Tribute to Jack Johnson (‘71; Columbia)
Mahavishnu Orchestra: The Inner Mounting Flame (‘71; Columbia)
John Surman / John Warren: Tales of the Algonquin (‘71; Deram)
Carla Bley, Paul Haines: Escalator Over the Hill (‘71; JCOA)
Serge Gainsbourg: Histoire de Melody Nelson (‘71; Philips)
Chico Buraque: Construção (‘71; Philips)
1970
The Stooges: Fun House (‘70; Elektra)
Derek & the Dominos: Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs (‘70; ATCO)
Neil Young: After the Gold Rush (‘70; Reprise)
Randy Newman: 12 Songs (‘70; Reprise)
Van Morrison: Moondance (‘70; Warner Bros.)
John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band: John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band (‘70; Apple)
George Harrison: All Things Must Pass (‘70; Apple)
Sly & the Family Stone: Greatest Hits (‘70; Epic)
James Brown: Sex Machine (‘70; King)
Aretha Franklin: Spirit in the Dark (‘70; Atlantic)
Donny Hathaway: Everything Is Everything (‘70; ATCO)
Curtis Mayfield: Curtis (‘70; Curtom)
Santana: Abraxas (‘70; Columbia)
The Grateful Dead: American Beauty (‘70; Warner Bros.)
The Velvet Underground: Loaded (‘70; Cotillion)
Soft Machine: Third (‘70; Columbia)
Black Sabbath: Paranoid (‘70; Vertigo)
Simon and Garfunkel: Bridge Over Troubled Water (‘70; Columbia)
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young: Déjà Vu (‘70; Atlantic)
Nick Drake: Bryter Layter (‘70; Island)
Tim Buckley: Starsailor (‘70; Straight)
Miles Davis: Bitches Brew (‘70; Columbia)
Freddie Hubbard: Red Clay (‘70; CTI)
Charlie Haden: Liberation Music Orchestra (’70; Impulse!)
Amália Rodriguez: Com Que Voz (‘70; EMI/Odeon)
1969
Dusty Springfield: Dusty in Memphis (‘69; Atlantic)
The Beatles: Abbey Road (‘69; Apple)
The Band: The Band (‘69; Capitol)
The Rolling Stones: Let It Bleed (‘69; Decca)
Led Zeppelin: Led Zeppelin II (‘69; Atlantic)
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band: Trout Mask Replica (‘69; Straight)
King Crimson: In the Court of the Crimson King (‘69; Atlantic)
The Flying Burrito Bros: The Gilded Palace of Sin (‘69; A&M)
Nick Drake: Five Leaves Left (‘69; Island)
The Who: Tommy (‘69; Track Record)
The Velvet Underground: The Velvet Underground (‘69; MGM)
The Stooges: The Stooges (‘69; Elektra)
Neil Young With Crazy Horse: Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere (‘69; Reprise)
Crosby, Stills & Nash: Crosby, Stills & Nash (‘69; Atlantic)
The Kinks: Arthur (Or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire) (‘69; Pye)
Isaac Hayes: Hot Buttered Soul (‘69; Enterprise)
Frank Zappa: Hot Rats (‘69; Bizarre/Reprise)
Elvis Presley: From Elvis in Memphis (‘69; RCA Victor)
Miles Davis: In a Silent Way (‘69; Columbia)
Anthony Braxton: For Alto (‘69; Delmark)
John McLaughlin: Extrapolation (‘69; Polydor)
Pharoah Sanders: Karma (‘69; Impulse!/ABC)
Gal Costa: Gal Costa (‘69; Philips)
Caetano Veloso: Caetano Veloso [Álbum Blanco] (‘69; Philips)
Victor Jara: Pongo en tus manos abiertas… (‘69; Jota Jota)
1968
Van Morrison: Astral Weeks (‘68; Warner Bros./Seven Arts)
The Beatles: The Beatles [The White Album] (‘68; Apple)
The Jimi Hendrix Experience: Electric Ladyland (‘68; Track Record)
The Zombies: Odessey and Oracle (‘68; CBS)
The Rolling Stones: Beggars Banquet (‘68; Decca)
The Band: Music from Big Pink (‘68; Capitol)
The Kinks: The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society (‘68; Pye)
The Byrds: Sweetheart of the Rodeo (‘68; Columbia)
Johnny Cash: At Folsom Prison (‘68; Columbia)
Bob Dylan: John Wesley Harding (‘68; Columbia)
The Velvet Underground: White Light/White Heat (‘68; Verve)
The Mothers of Invention: We’re Only in It for the Money (‘68; Verve)
Aretha Franklin: Lady Soul (‘68; Atlantic)
Otis Redding: The Immortal Otis Redding (‘68; ATCO)
Etta James: Tell Mama (‘68; Cadet)
The Staple Singers: Soul Folk in Action (‘68; Stax)
Simon & Garfunkel: Bookends (‘68; Columbia)
The Incredible String Band: The Hangman’s Beautiful Daughter (‘68; Elektra)
Laura Nyro: Eli and the Thirteenth Confession (‘68; Columbia)
Peter Brötzmann: Machine Gun (‘68; BRÖ)
Walter Carlos: Switched-On Bach (‘68; Columbia)
Dr. John, the Night Tripper: Gris-Gris (‘68; ATCO)
Various Artists: Tropicália ou Panis et Circencis (‘68; Philips)
Os Mutantes: Os Mutantes (‘68; Polydor)
Various Artists: Call of the Valley (‘68; His Master’s Voice)
1967
The Velvet Underground & Nico: The Velvet Underground & Nico (‘67; Verve)
The Beatles: Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (‘67; Parlophone)
The Jimi Hendrix Experience: Are You Experienced? (‘67; Reprise)
Love: Forever Changes (‘67; Elektra)
Aretha Franklin: I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You (‘67; Atlantic)
Leonard Cohen: Songs of Leonard Cohen (‘67; Columbia)
The Doors: The Doors (‘67; Elektra)
Pink Floyd: The Piper at the Gates of Dawn (‘67; Columbia)
Jefferson Airplane: Surrealistic Pillow (‘67; RCA Victor)
Cream: Disraeli Gears (‘67; Reaction)
Big Brother & the Holding Company: Cheap Thrills (‘67; CBS)
The Who: The Who Sell Out (‘67; Track Record)
The Byrds: Greatest Hits (‘67; Columbia)
Buffalo Springfield: Buffalo Springfield Again (‘67; ATCO)
Moby Grape: Moby Grape (‘67; Columbia)
Captain Beefheart and His Magic Band: Safe as Milk (‘67; Buddah)
Albert King: Born Under a Bad Sign (‘67; Stax)
Magic Sam: West Side Soul (‘67; Delmark)
McCoy Tyner: The Real McCoy (‘67; Blue Note)
Albert Ayler: In Greenwich Village (‘67; Impulse!)
Loretta Lynn: Don’t Come Home a Drinkin’ (With Lovin’ on Your Mind) (‘67; Decca)
Merle Haggard and the Strangers: I’m a Lonesome Fugitive (‘67; Capitol)
Ennio Moricone: The Good, the Bad & the Ugly (‘67; United Artists)
Antônio Carlos Jobim: Wave (‘67; A&M/CTI)
Astrud Gilberto: Beach Samba (‘67; Verve)
1966
The Beach Boys: Pet Sounds (‘66; Capitol)
Bob Dylan: Blonde on Blonde (‘66; Columbia)
The Beatles: Revolver (‘66; Parlophone)
The Rolling Stones: Aftermath (‘66; Decca)
The Kinks: Face to Face (‘66; Pye)
The Mothers of Invention: Freak Out! (‘66; Verve)
Ike & Tina Turner: River Deep–Mountain High(‘66; London)
Wilson Pickett: The Exciting Wilson Pickett (‘66; Atlantic)
Nina Simone: Wild Is the Wind (‘66; Philips)
John Mayall With Eric Clapton: Blues Breakers (‘66; Decca)
The Mamas and the Papas: If You Can Believe Your Eyes and Ears (‘66; Dunhill)
13th Floor Elevators: The Psychedelic Sounds of the 13th Floor Elevators (‘66; Int. Artists)
Yardbirds: The Yardbirds (‘66; Columbia)
Paul Revere & the Raiders: Midnight Ride (‘66; Columbia)
Donovan: Sunshine Superman (‘66; Epic)
Monks: Black Monk Time (‘66; International Polydor)
Miles Davis: Miles Smiles (‘66; Columbia)
Cecil Taylor: Unit Structures (‘66; Blue Note)
Wayne Shorter: Speak No Evil (‘66; Blue Note)
Duke Ellington: The Far East Suite (‘66; RCA Victor)
Cannonball Adderley : Mercy, Mercy, Mercy! – Live at “The Club” (‘66; Columbia)
Roscoe Mitchell Sextet: Sound (‘66; Delmark)
Skip James: Skip James Today! (‘66; Vanguard)
Krzysztof Komeda: Astigmatic (‘66; Polskie Nagrania Muza)
Violeta Parra: Las Ultimas Composiciones de Violeta Parra (‘66; RCA Victor)
1965
John Coltrane: A Love Supreme (’65; Impulse!)
Bob Dylan: Highway 61 Revisited (‘65; Columbia)
The Beatles: Rubber Soul (‘65; Parlophone)
Otis Redding: Otis Blue/Otis Redding Sings Soul (‘65; ATCO)
The Who: My Generation (‘65; Brunswick)
Albert Ayler: Spiritual Unity (‘65; ESP Disk)
Herbie Hancock: Maiden Voyage (‘65; Blue Note)
Frank Sinatra: September of My Years (‘65; Reprise)
The Beach Boys: The Beach Boys Today! (‘65; Capitol)
The Rolling Stones: Out of Our Heads (‘65; Decca)
Simon & Garfunkel: Sounds of Silence (‘65; Columbia)
Phil Ochs: I Ain’t Marching Anymore (‘65; Elektra)
The Sonics: Here Are the Sonics!!! (‘65; Etiquette)
The Roland Kirk Quartet: Rip, Rig & Panic (’65; Limelight)
Sun Ra: The Heliocentric Worlds of Sun Ra (’65; ESP-Disk)
Larry Young: Unity (‘65; Blue Note)
Buddy Hutcherson: Dialogue (‘65; Blue Note)
Herb Alpert’s Tijuana Brass: Whipped Cream & Other Delights (‘65; A&M)
The Paul Butterfield Blues Band: The Paul Butterfield Blues Band (‘65; Elektra)
Junior Wells’ Chicago Blues Band: Hoodoo Man Blues (‘65; Delmark)
B.B. King: Live at the Regal (‘65; ABC-Paramount)
Buck Owens: I’ve Got a Tiger by the Tail (‘65; Capitol)
Vince Guaraldi Trio: A Charlie Brown Christmas (‘65; Fantasy)
Cornelis Vreeswijk: Ballader Och Grimascher (‘65; Metronome)
Eddie Palmieri: Azucar Pa’ Ti (‘65; Tico)
1964
The Beatles: A Hard Day’s Night (‘64; Parlophone)
Bob Dylan: The Times They Are a-Changin’ (‘64; Columbia)
Stan Getz/João Gilberto: Getz / Gilberto (‘64; Verve)
Eric Dolphy: Out to Lunch (‘64; Blue Note)
The Ronettes: …Presenting the Fabulous Ronettes Featuring Veronica (‘64; Philles)
The Supremes: Where Did Our Love Go (‘64; Motown)
The Rolling Stones: The Rolling Stones (‘64; Decca)
The Beach Boys: All Summer Long (‘64; Capitol)
Jerry Lee Lewis: “Live” at the Star-Club, Hamburg (‘64; Philips)
Chuck Berry: St. Louis to Liverpool (‘64; Chess)
Muddy Waters: Folk Singer (‘64; Chess)
Otis Redding: Pain in My Heart (‘64; ATCO)
Andrew Hill: Point of Departure (‘64; Blue Note)
The Horace Silver Quintet: Song for My Father (‘64; Blue Note)
Lee Morgan: Search for the New Land (‘64; Blue Note)
Archie Shepp: Four for Trane (‘64; Impulse!)
John Coltrane Quartet: Crescent (’64; Impulse!)
Johnny Hodges: Everybody Knows (‘64; Impulse!)
Art Blakey & the Jazz Messengers: Free for All (‘64; Blue Note)
Buffy Sainte-Marie: It’s My Way! (‘64; Vanguard)
John Fahey: Blind Joe Death (‘64; Takoma)
Mississippi Fred McDowell: Delta Blues (‘64; Arhoolie)
Bill Cosby: I Started Out as a Child (‘64; Warner Bros.)
Jan Johansson: Jazz på Svenska (‘64; Megafon)
Jacques Brel: Jacques Brel (‘64; Barclay)
1963
Mingus: The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady (‘63; Impulse!)
James Brown: James Brown Live at the Apollo (‘63; King)
Bob Dylan: The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan (‘63; Columbia)
The Beatles: Please Please Me (‘63; Parlophone)
The Incredible Jimmy Smith: Back at the Chicken Shack (‘63; Blue Note)
Duke Ellington: Money Jungle (‘63; United Artists)
Various Artists: A Christmas Gift for You from Philles Records (‘63; Philles)
Sam Cooke: Night Beat (‘63; RCA Victor)
The Impressions: The Impressions (‘63; ABC-Paramount)
Thelonious Monk Quartet: Monk’s Dream (‘63; Columbia)
John Coltrane: Ballads (‘63; Impulse!)
John Coltrane, Johnny Hartman: John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman (‘63; Impulse!)
The Oscar Peterson Trio: Night Train (‘63; Verve)
Jimmy Giuffre: Free Fall (‘63; Columbia)
Dexter Gordon: Our Man in Paris (‘63; Blue Note)
Sheila Jordan: Portrait of Sheila (‘63; Blue Note)
Joe Henderson: Page One (‘63; Blue Note)
Lee Morgan: The Sidewinder (‘63; Blue Note)
Grant Green: Idle Moments (‘63; Blue Note)
Kenny Burrell: Midnight Blue (‘63; Blue Note)
Pete Seeger: We Shall Overcome (‘63; Columbia)
Ray Price: Night Life (‘63; Columbia)
James Cleveland and the Angelic Choir: Peace Be Still (‘63; Savoy)
Jorge Ben: Samba Esquema Novo (‘63; Philips)
Antônio Carlos Jobim: The Composer of Desafinado, Plays (‘63; Verve)
1962
Ray Charles: Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music (‘62; ABC-Paramount)
Howlin’ Wolf: Howlin’ Wolf (‘62; Chess)
Bob Dylan: Bob Dylan (‘62; Columbia)
Stan Getz, Charlie Byrd: Jazz Samba (‘62; Verve)
John Coltrane: “Live” at the Village Vanguard (‘62; Impulse!)
Duke Ellington / Coleman Hawkins: Duke Ellington Meets Coleman Hawkins (‘62; Impulse!)
Booker T. & the M.G.’s: Green Onions (‘62; Stax)
Charles Mingus: Tijuana Moods (‘62; RCA Victor)
Sonny Rollins: The Bridge (‘62; RCA)
Dexter Gordon: Go! (‘62; Blue Note)
Herbie Hancock: Takin’ Off (‘62; Blue Note)
Jackie McLean: Let Freedom Ring (‘62; Blue Note)
Freddie Hubbard: Hub-Tones (‘62; Blue Note)
Ike Quebec: Blue & Sentimental (‘62; Blue Note)
Wes Montgomery: Full House (‘62; Riverside)
Ornette Coleman: Town Hall, 1962 (‘62; ESP-Disk)
Benny Carter and His Orchestra: Further Definitions (‘62; Impulse!)
Rahsaan Roland Kirk: We Free Kings (‘62; Mercury)
Hank Thompson: Hank Thompson at the Golden Nugget (‘62; Capitol)
Dick Dale & His Del-Tones: Surfer’s Choice (‘62; Deltone)
Peter, Paul and Mary: Peter, Paul and Mary (‘62; Warner Bros.)
Kid Thomas, George Lewis: Ragtime Stompers (‘62; G.H.B.)
Various Artists: The First Family (‘62; Cadence)
Monica Zetterlund: Ahh! Monica! (‘62; Philips)
Luigi Tenco: Luigi Tenco (‘62; Ricordi)
1961
Etta James: At Last! (‘61; Argo)
Bobby Bland: Two Steps from the Blues (‘61; Duke)
Bill Evans Trio: Sunday at the Village Vanguard (‘61; Riverside)
John Coltrane: My Favorite Things (‘61; Atlantic)
The Ornette Coleman Double Quartet: Free Jazz (‘61; Atlantic)
Robert Johnson: King of the Delta Blues Singers (‘61; Columbia)
Thelonious Monk With John Coltrane: Thelonious Monk With John Coltrane (‘61; Jazzland)
Miles Davis Sextet: Someday My Prince Will Come (‘61; Columbia)
Oliver Nelson: The Blues and the Abstract Truth (‘61; Impulse!)
Ray Charles: The Genius Sings the Blues (‘61; Atlantic)
The Gil Evans Orchestra: Out of the Cool (‘61; Impulse!)
Stan Getz / Eddie Sauter: Focus (‘61; Verve)
Lee Konitz: Motion (‘61; Verve)
Jimmy Reed: Jimmy Reed at Carnegie Hall (‘61; Exodus)
Booker Little: Out Front (‘61; Candid)
Judy Garland: Judy at Carnegie Hall — Judy in Person (‘61; Capitol)
Nancy Wilson / Cannonball Adderley: Nancy Wilson / Cannonball Adderley (‘61; Capitol)
Patsy Cline: Showcase (‘61; Brunswick)
Django Reinhardt / Stephane Grappelly: Djangology (‘61; RCA Victor)
Abbey Lincoln: Straight Ahead (‘61; Candid)
Helen Humes: Songs I Like to Sing! (‘61; Contemporary)
Buck Owens: Buck Owens Sings Harlan Howard (‘61; Capitol)
Freddy King: Let’s Hide Away and Dance Away With Freddy King (‘61; King)
João Gilberto: João Gilberto (‘61; Odeon)
Elza Soares: A Bossa Negra (‘61; Odeon)
1960
Ornette Coleman: Change of the Century (‘60; Atlantic)
Miles Davis: Sketches of Spain (‘60; Columbia)
Muddy Waters: Muddy Waters at Newport 1960 (‘60; Chess)
Elvis Presley: Elvis Is Back! (‘60; RCA Victor)
Wes Montgomery: The Incredible Jazz Guitar of Wes Montgomery (‘60; Riverside)
Bill Evans Trio: Portrait in Jazz (‘60; Riverside)
The Everly Brothers: A Date With the Everly Brothers (‘60; Warner Bros.)
Joan Baez: Joan Baez (‘60; Vanguard)
Charles Mingus: Presents Charles Mingus (‘60; Candid)
Ray Charles: Ray Charles in Person (‘60; Atlantic)
Frank Sinatra: Nice ’N’ Easy (‘60; Capitol)
Hank Mobley: Soul Station (‘60; Blue Note)
Freddie Hubbard: Open Sesame (‘60; Blue Note)
Ella Fitzgerald: Mack the Knife — Ella in Berlin (‘60; Verve)
Max Roach: We Insist! Max Roach’s Freedom Now Suite (‘60; Candid)
Art Pepper Quintet: Smack Up (‘60; Contemporary)
Lefty Frizzell: Sings Songs of Jimmie Rodgers (‘60; Harmony)
Billy Fury: The Sound of Fury (‘60; Decca)
Bob Newhart: The Button-Down Mind of Bob Newhart (‘60; Warner Bros.)
Otis Spann: Otis Spann Is the Blues (‘60; Candid)
John Lee Hooker: House of the Blues (‘60; Chess)
Joseph Lamb: A Study in Classic Ragtime (‘60; Folkways)
Mance Lispcomb: Texas Sharecropper & Songster (‘60; Arhoolie)
Miriam Makeba: Miriam Makeba (‘60; RCA Victor)
Mina: Mina (‘60; Italdisc)
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