FAVORITE ALBUMS

Compiling a personal list of favorite albums can be challenging. From the first song to the last – not many records hang together as a whole.

This is one of the supposed advantages of downloading singles. You get to hear just the “good stuff”. Unfortunately, the good stuff tends to change with time, and this practice tends to ignore the concept of the well-crafted thematic album that can transport you to a another place.

In producing this list, I decided to include only those albums that I enjoy listening to from beginning to end, keeping it to one release from each artist. I also wanted each choice to sound good on everything from an iPod to an audiophile system. Obviously, making such a list is very subjective.

What follows is a very personal list of 50 seminal albums that are successful for me, emotionally and sonically. Make your own list and enjoy rediscovering some lost classics.

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Abbey Road – The Beatles
Kind of Blue – Miles Davis
Who’s Next – The Who
Sticky Fingers – The Rolling Stones
Blood on the Tracks – Bob Dylan
Axis Bold As Love – Jimi Hendrix
IV – Led Zeppelin
Dark Side of the Moon – Pink Floyd
The Band – The Band
Layla – Derek and the Dominos
At Fillmore East – The Allman Brothers Band
The Doors – The Doors
What’s Going On – Marvin Gaye
Veedon Fleece – Van Morrison
Harvest – Neil Young
Darkness on the Edge of Town – Bruce Springsteen
Every Picture Tells a Story – Rod Stewart
Crime of the Century – Supertramp
John Barleycorn Must Die – Traffic
Waltz for Debby – Bill Evans
Aja – Steely Dan
Déjà Vu – Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
Stand Up – Jethro Tull
Tumbleweed Connection – Elton John
Hounds of Love – Kate Bush
Bless the Weather – John Martyn
Rumors – Fleetwood Mac
The Yes Album – Yes
Avalon – Roxy Music
Unhalfbricking – Fairport Convention
Tea For the Tillerman – Cat Stevens
Late For the Sky – Jackson Browne
Hejira – Joni Mitchell
Stupid Dream – Deadwing
Rickie Lee Jones – Rickie Lee Jones
The Nightfly – Donald Fagen
Shoot Out The Lights – Richard and Linda Thompson
Truth – Jeff Beck
American Beauty – Grateful Dead
Unplugged – Eric Clapton
Automatic For the People – R.E.M.
The Joshua Tree – U2
Band On The Run – Paul McCartney
So – Peter Gabriel
Love Over Gold – Dire Straits
America – America
No Other – Gene Clark
Whatever – Aimee Mann
Pink Moon – Nick Drake
Sea Change – Beck
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Note: this list is subject to change without notice…

(Beck Cover Photographer: Autumn De Wilde)

(Girl Photographer: Unknown)