Idolator

I was hoping you'd go with Pump for '89, but a good pick nonetheless.

There are some years where picking just one is going to be a nightmare but I'm going to try.

Also, there's that thing about revealing my real age. Maybe I won't do this....

This is weird: not only are we born on the same year, we also have a lot of the same tastes. Badmotorfinger? Rock on with your bad self.

I do think Pulp's His 'n' Hers is better than This Is Hardcore. And no The Divine Comedy's Promenade? For shame!

Oh good lord. Let me see if I can do this (and please don't let this eat my post...)

1974 "Country Life" Roxy Music
1975 "Physical Graffiti" Led Zeppelin
1976 "Arrival" ABBA
1977 "The Clash" The Clash
1978 "Who Are You" The Who
1979 "Highway to Hell" AC/DC
1980 "Closer" Joy Division
1981 "Duran Duran" Duran Duran
1982 "Rio" Duran Duran
1983 "Seven and the Ragged Tiger" Duran Duran
1984 "Ocean Rain" Echo and the Bunnymen
1985 "So Red The Rose" Arcadia
1986 "The Queen is Dead" The Smiths
1987 "Appetite For Destruction" Guns n Roses
1988 "It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back" Public Enemy
1989 "Technique" New Order
1990 "Chill Out" The KLF
1991 "Living With the Law" Chris Whitley
1992 "Generation Terrorists" Manic Street Preachers
1993 "The Wedding Album" Duran Duran
1994 "Mighty Joe Moon" Grant Lee Buffalo
1995 "Lost Somewhere Between the Earth and My Home" The Geraldine Fibbers
1996 "Everything Must Go" The Manic Street Preachers
1997 "Evergreen" Echo and the Bunnymen
1998 "This is my Truth Tell Me Yours" Manic Street Preachers
1999 "Head Music" Suede
2000 "Black Market Music" Placebo
2001 "Exciter" Depeche Mode
2002 "Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots" The Flaming Lips
2003 "The Black Album" Jay Z
2004 "Scissor Sisters" Scissor Sisters
2005 "Playing the Angle" Depeche Mode
2006 "Back to Black" Amy Winehouse
2007 "Red Carpet Massacre" Duran Duran
2008 "X" Kylie Minogue

Right, and that's probably an issue for most people. I'm thinking about doing this later ....

I did this on ILX in 2004. Updated:

71 Sly & the Family Stone - There's a Riot Going on
72 Roxy Music - Roxy Music
73 Marvin Gaye - Let's Get it on
74 Gram Parsons - Grievous Angel
75 Neil Young - Tonight's the Night
76 Augustus Pablo - King Tubby Meets Rockers Uptown
77 Kraftwerk - Trans-Europe Express
78 Kraftwerk - The Man-Machine
79 Michael Jackson - Off the Wall
80 David Bowie - Scary Monsters
81 Kraftwerk - Computer World
82 Scritti Politti - Songs to Remember
83 Madonna - Madonna
84 Prince & the Revolution - Purple Rain
85 The Jesus & Mary Chain - Psychocandy
86 Run DMC - Raising Hell
87 Boogie Down Productions - Criminal Minded
88 Public Enemy - It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back
89 De La Soul - 3 Feet High & Rising
90 Public Enemy - Fear of a Black Planet
91 Nirvana - Nevermind
92 Sugar - Copper Blue
93 Digable Planets - Reachin' (a New Refutation of Time and Space)
94 Oasis - Definitely Maybe
95 Goldie - Timeless
96 Orbital - In Sides
97 Radiohead - OK Computer
98 Extince - Binnenlandse Funk
99 Basement Jaxx - Remedy
00 Eminem - The Marshall Mathers LP
01 N*E*R*D - In Search of...
02 The Streets - Original Pirate Material
03 Dizzee Rascal - Boy in da Corner
04 Kanye West - The College Dropout
05 M.I.A. - Arular
06 Scritti Politti - White Bread, Black Beer
07 LCD Soundsystem - Sound of Silver
08 Portishead - Portishead

this post will probably get eaten, but...

1987: U2- The Joshua Tree
1988: NWA- Straight Outta Compton
1989: Fugazi- 13 Songs
1990: Ice Cube- AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted
1991: Nation of Ulysses- 13 Point Program to Destroy America
1992: The Jesus Lizard- Liar
1993: Wu-Tang Clan- 36 Chambers
1994: Nas- Illmatic
1995: Raekwon- Only Built 4 Cuban Linx
1996: Outkast- Atliens
1997: Modest Moust- The Lonesome, Crowded West
1998: Neutral Milk Hotel- Aeroplane Over the Sea
1999: Built to Spill- Keep It Like a Secret
2000: Godspeed You! Black Emperor- Lift Yr Skinny Wrists Like Antennas to Heaven
2001: The Avalanches- Since I Left You
2002: Drive By Truckers- Southern Rock Opera
2003: Broken Social Scene- You Forgot It In People
2004: Cam'ron- Purple Haze
2005: The Hold Steady- Separation Sunday
2006: The Hold Steady- Boys and Girls in America
2007: M.I.A.- Kala
2008: Bon Iver- For Emma, Forever Ago

You all make me feel bad for having to only start my list in 1982...

That being said, I would have to think really hard, too long to likely respond to this blog. I will just say that Maura: god bless you for your 2000. That album can swallow me whole on a bad day and raise me up on a good one like few other albums can (and thank god Dream Theater's Metropolis pt. 2 was in 1999: it was the only album I thought could knock out Harvey on my internal list).

I'm sure I will wanna change my mind about half of these in a minute, but it was scary just how ready I was to throw this together in a snap:

1982 Michael Jackson - Thriller
1983 The Police - Synchronicity
1984 The Minutemen - Double Nickels On The Dime
1985 The Meat Puppets - Up On The Sun
1986 Peter Gabriel - So
1987 Prince - Sign O' The Times
1988 Slick Rick - The Great Adventures of Slick Rick
1989 Aerosmith - Pump
1990 They Might Be Giants - Flood
1991 A Tribe Called Quest - The Low End Theory
1992 R.E.M. - Automatic For The People
1993 Morphine - Cure For Pain
1994 Notorious B.I.G. - Ready To Die
1995 The Geraldine Fibbers - Lost Somewhere Between The Earth And My Home
1996 Jay-Z - Reasonable Doubt
1997 Skeleton Key - Fantastic Spikes Through Balloons
1998 The Boredoms - Super Ae
1999 The Dismemberment Plan - Emergency & I
2000 Reflection Eternal - Train of Thought
2001 Ted Leo and the Pharmacists - The Tyranny of Distance
2002 Sonic Youth - Murray Street
2003 Kenna - New Sacred Cow
2004 Say Anything - ...Is A Real Boy
2005 Kanye West - Late Registration
2006 Parts & Labor - Stay Afraid
2007 Sloan - Never Hear The End Of It
2008 Erykah Badu - New Amerykah: 4th World War

Far too lazy to do this but I do have to say that my and Maura's 1983 and 1998 match perfectly: I'd even submit Dazzle Ships and California as high on the list for Albums of their Respective Decades.

C'mon, Patton! Just *one more* Mr. Bungle album.

I can't really narrow down the absolute best for each year, but Maura you have some excellent picks. Especially MLB-Apple, Soundgarden-Badmotorfinger, and Afghan Whigs-Gentlemen.

you lucky people born in the 70s, you get all the good music. i'm 27, but i might do one.

Wow. I am going to have to work on my own list, but I'm incredibly impressed with all of yours. Also, I need to co-sign with TheRunningBoard in thanking you, Maura, for highlighting that heavenly PJ Harvey album; it's my favorite from her and quite possibly the best reflection of the kind of woman I hope I grow up to be.

Sugar!!

Between the exisiting lists, I have very little research left to do. Handy!

Yay! I started this meme. Didn't think it would catch on.

[dyfl.tumblr.com]

My list includes, for some years, the answer I would've given you if you'd asked me that year. Which can reveal some questionable choices.

Maura- '78, '82, and '87, all right.
I, too, did this when ILX was doing it. It's too much fun. I keep hoping something will replace my '97, but no dice.

77: Billy Joel-The Stranger
78: Van Halen
79: Neil Young-Rust Never Sleeps
80: Change-The Glow of Love
81: a crude amalgam of select songs from Genesis's Abacab and Phil Collins's Face Value; that or Kix
82: Michael Jackson-Thriller
83: Weird Al Yankovic
84: Bruce Springsteen-Born In the USA
85: Tom Waits-Rain Dogs
86: Pat Metheny/Ornette Coleman-Song X
87: Guns 'n' Roses-Appetite for Destruction
88: EPMD-Strictly Business
89: King's X-Gretchen Goes to Nebraska
90: King's X-Faith, Hope, Love
91: (good year!)Amy Grant-Heart in Motion
92: Pavement-Slanted and Enchanted
93: Nirvana-In Utero
94: Garth Brooks-The Hits
95: Moby-Everything Is Wrong
96: Weezer-Pinkerton
97: Roni Size & Reprazent-New Forms
98: The Coup-Steal This Album
99: Various-Get Crunk!
00: Eminem-The Marshall Mathers LP
01: System of a Down-Toxicity
02: Paulina Rubio-Border Girl
03: David Banner-Mississippi Screwed and Chopped (haven't heard the original)
04: R. Kelly-Happy People/U Saved Me
05: Mercenary-11 Dreams
06: Original Cast-The Drowsy Chaperone
07: Crime Mob-Hated On Mostly
08: Kylie Minogue-X

Oh boy ...

1974: Brain Eno - Here Come the Warm Jets
1975: Led Zeppelin - Physical Grafitti
1976: The Doobie Brothers - Takin' It to the Streets
1977: Devo - Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo!
1978: Siouxsie and the Banshees - The Scream
1979: The Clash - London Calling
1980: Echo and the Bunnymen - Crocodiles
1981: Siouxsie and the Banshees - Juju
1982: A Flock of Seagulls - A Flock of Seagulls
1983: Def Leppard - Pyromania
1984: Prince - Purple Rain
1985: The Jesus and Mary Chain - Psychocandy
1986: The Smiths - The Queen is Dead
1987: The Cult - Electric
1988: My Bloody Valentine - Isn't Anything
1989: The Stone Roses - The Stone Roses
1990: Depeche Mode - Violator
1991: My Bloody Valentine - Loveless
1992: Pavement - Slanted and Enchanted
1993: Medicine - The Buried Life
1994: Guided by Voices - Bee Thousand
1995: Radiohead - The Bends
1996: Stereolab - Emperor Tomato Ketchup
1997: Yo La Tengo - I Can Hear the Heart Beating as One
1998: Elliott Smith - X/O
1999: The Flaming Lips - The Soft Bulletin
2000: Primal Scream - EXTRMNTR
2001: Clinic - Internal Wrangler
2002: Interpol - Turn on the Bright Lights
2003: Broken Social Scene - You Forgot it in People
2004: Autolux - Future Perfect
2005: Caribou - The Milk of Human Kindness
2006: Grizzly Bear - Yellow House
2007: The Besnard Lakes - …Are the Dark Horse
2008: Portishead - Third

It really warms the cockles of my heart to see not one, but two mentions of Kylie Minogue's X and I couldn't even explain to you why that is.

(Bonus warming for Siobhan Donaghy!)

1977: Steely Dan - Aja
1978: Van Halen - s/t
1979: The Clash - London Calling
1980: The Clash - Sandinista!
1981: Kraftwerk - Computer World
1982: Michael Jackson - Thriller
1983: Madonna - s/t
1984: Prince - Purple Rain
1985: New Order - Low-Life
1986: Run-DMC - Raising Hell
1987: Boogie Down Productions - Criminal Minded
1988: Public Enemy - It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back
1989: The Beastie Boys - Paul's Boutique
1990: Eric B. & Rakim - Let the Rhythm Hit 'Em
1991: Massive Attack - Blue Lines
1992: Eric B. & Rakim - Don't Sweat the Technique
1993: The Wu-Tang Clan - Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)
1994: Nas - Illmatic
1995: Genius/GZA - Liquid Swords
1996: OutKast - ATLiens
1997: The Chemical Brothers - Dig Your Own Hole
1998: Massive Attack - Mezzanine
1999: MF DOOM - Operation Doomsday
2000: Ghostface Killah - Supreme Clientele
2001: Daft Punk - Discovery
2002: The Roots - Phrenology
2003: Basement Jaxx - Kish Kash
2004: Sonic Youth - Sonic Nurse
2005: M.I.A. - Arular
2006: Ghostface Killah - Fishscale
2007: UGK - Underground Kingz
2008 (so far): The Bug, London Zoo

(I'm kind of amused by the streak from '86 through today, where it consists solely of rap, club music... and Sonic Youth.)

I won't bother seeing if this corresponds to the one I did on ILM however long ago but I'm guessing yes:

1975: Eno, Another Green World
1976: Augustus Pablo, King Tubby's Meets Rockers Uptown
1977: Al Green, The Belle Album
1978: Steve Reich, Music for 18 Musicians
1979: Talking Heads, Fear of Music
1980: Chic, Real People
1981: Penguin Cafe Orchestra
1982: Prince, 1999
1983: Marshall Crenshaw, Field Day
1984: Prince & the Revolution, Purple Rain
1985: The Indestructible Beat of Soweto
1986: Elvis Costello & the Attractions, Blood and Chocolate
1987: Prince, Sign 'O' the Times
1988: Public Enemy, It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back
1989: Beastie Boys, Paul's Boutique
1990: L.L. Cool J, Mama Said Knock You Out
1991: Nirvana, Nevermind
1992: Kickin Mental Detergent
1993: Best of Techno Vol. 3
1994: History of Our World Part One: Breakbeat & Jungle Ultramix by DJ DB
1995: Tricky, Maxinquaye
1996: Tony Toni Tone, House of Music
1997: Yo La Tengo, I Can Hear the Heart Beating as One
1998: On the Floor at the Boutique--Mixed by Fatboy Slim
1999: Built to Spill, Keep It Like a Secret
2000: Lifter Puller, Fiestas + Fiascos
2001: The Avalanches, Since I Left You
2002: Triple R, Friends
2003: Basement Jaxx, Kish Kash
2004: United State of Electronica
2005: M.I.A., Arular
2006: Ghostface Killah, Fishscale
2007: Spoon, Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
2008: Erykah Badu, New Amerykah Vol. 1: Fourth World War

1971 - David Bowie - Hunky Dory
1972 - Big Star - #1 Record
1973 - John Cale - Paris 1919
1974 - Here Come The Warm Jets - Brian Eno
1975 - Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel - The Best Years Of Our Lives
1976 - Abba - Arrival
1977 - Elvis Costello - My Aim Is True
1978 - Blondie - Parallel Lines
1979 - Talking Heads - Fear Of Music
1980 - The B-52's - Wild Planet
1981 - Psychedelic Furs - Talk Talk Talk
1982 - Kate Bush - The Dreaming
1983 - REM - Murmur
1984 - Go-Betweens - Spring Hill Fair
1985 - Prince and the Revolution - Around The World In A Day
1986 - XTC - Skylarking
1987 - Pet Shop Boys - Actually
1988 - Voice Of The Beehive - Let It Be
1989 - Jane Siberry - Bound By The Beauty
1990 - Jellyfish - Bellybutton
1991 - Crowded House - Woodface
1992 - Suzanne Vega - 99.9 F Degrees
1993 - Jellyfish - Split Milk
1994 - Velvet Crush - Teenage Symphonies To God
1995 - Pulp - Different Class
1996 - Divine Comedy - Casanova
1997 - Michael Penn - Resigned
1998 - Elliott Smith - XO
1999 - the Auteurs - How I Learned To Love The Bootboys
2000 - Aimee Mann - Bachelor No.2
2001 - Rufus Wainwright - Poses
2002 - Mull Historical Society - Loss
2003 - the Decemberists - Her Majesty
2004 - Timothy Monger - Summer Cherry Ghosts
2005 - Son Of A Plumber - Son Of A Plumber
2006 - Scritti Politti - White Bread, Black Beer
2007 - Great Lakes Myth Society - Compass Rose Bouquet

This was not easy, especially in the later years...

1989: Beastie Boys- Paul's Boutique
1990: Public Enemy- Fear of a Black Planet
1991: Red Hot Chili Peppers- Blood Sugar Sex Magik
1992: Dr. Dre- The Chronic
1993: Primus- Pork Soda
1994: Built to Spill- There's Nothing Wrong With Love
1995: Radiohead- The Bends
1996: Sublime- Sublime
1997: Godspeed You! Black Emperor- F#A#infinity
1998: Neutral Milk Hotel- Aeroplane Over the Sea
1999: Red Hot Chili Peppers- Californication
2000: Explosions in the Sky- How Strange, Innocence
2001: Morning View- Incubus
2002: The Streets- Original Pirate Material
2003: Mogwai- Happy Songs For Happy People
2004: Franz Ferdinand- Franz Ferdinand
2005: Broken Social Scene- Broken Social Scene
2006: Girl Talk- Night Ripper
2007: Kayne West- Graduation
2008 (so far): Radiohead- In Rainbows

I did something like this a couple years ago, though I made it a little easier on myself by choosing one rock record and one everything-else record. I'll have to cut that in half.

In the meantime, another excellent resource for searching for albums by year is rateyourmusic.com.

@joshlanghoff: i'm gonna post mine soon and i want to say here and now that we have the same 1989 and that BLOWS MY MIND.

i listed my also rans when i posted this on my personal blog, and deleting them would be a painus in the anus, so you guys are okay with that, right?

1981 - Tom Tom Club - Tom Tom Club (also ran: Fela Kuti - Black President)
1982 - the Fall - Hex Enduction Hour (also ran: Richard and Linda Thompson - Shoot Out the Lights)
1983 - Aztec Camera - High Land Hard Rain (also ran: REM - Murmur, Talking Heads - Speaking in Tongues)
1984 - Cocteau Twins - Treasure (also ran: Felt - the Strange Idols Pattern and Other Short Stories)
1985 - Mekons - Fear & Whiskey (also ran: Husker Du - New Day Rising. most competitive year yet, just look it up)
1986 - Felt - Forever Breathes the Lonely Word (also ran: XTC - Skylarking)
1987 - Michael Jackson - Bad (also ran: Sonic Youth - Sister)
1988 - the Go-Betweens - 16 Lovers Lane (also ran: Talk Talk - Spirit of Eden)
1989 - King's X - Gretchen Goes to Nebraska (also ran: Pixies - Doolittle)
1990 - Digital Underground - Sex Packets (also ran: His Name is Alive - Livonia)
1991 - the KLF - the White Room (also ran: the Jesus Lizard - Goat)
1992 - En Vogue - Funky Divas (also ran: Dr. Dre - the Chronic)
1993 - Wu-Tang Clan - 36 Chambers (also ran: Bjork - Debut)
1994 - Guided by Voices - Bee Thousand (also ran: Portishead - Dummy)
1995 - Radiohead - the Bends (also ran: Mobb Deep - the Infamous)
1996 - Belle & Sebastian - If You're Feeling Sinister (also ran: Makaveli - the 7 Day Theory)
1997 - Yo La Tengo - I Can Hear the Heart Beating as one (Radiohead - Ok Computer)
1998 - Silver Jews - American Water (also ran: Saint Etienne - Good Humor)
1999 - Outkast - Aquemini (also ran: Sleater-Kinney - the Hot Rock)
2000 - Ghostface Killah - Supreme Clientele (also ran: Radiohead - Kid A)
2001 - Clinic - Internal Wrangler (also ran: Daft Punk - Discovery, Cannibal Ox -the Cold Vein)
2002 - Spoon - Kill the Moonlight (also ran: Enon - High Society...SHITTY year for music)
2003 - the Wrens - the Meadowlands (also ran: R. Kelly - Chocolate Factory)
2004 - Futureheads - Futureheads (also ran: Ghostface - Pretty Toney)
2005 - Robyn - Robyn (also ran: Antony & the Johnsons - I Am a Bird Now)
2006 - Scott Walker - the Drift (also ran: Three-6 Mafia - Most Known Unknown)
2007 - Jens Lekman - Night Falls Over Kortedala (also ran: My Teenage Stride - Ears Like Golden Bats)
2008 (in progress) - Boris - Smile (also ran: Portishead - Third)

i messed up - 2005's also ran should be "Most Known Unknown", 2006's should be Plague Bringer - "As the Ghosts Collect, the Corpses Rest". with apologies to Antony & the Johnsons.

I used to live for Rolling Stone's All-Time lists until I saw that their top 500 albums list, 20 years apart, hadn't changed much. Now after reading Mojo and Uncut, man, they know jack.

Christgau's website is freaking ugly. Dude, use iWeb or something, at least.

Hmmm, I'll try posting this again, see if it works this time:

Another excellent site for getting lists of albums by year is rateyourmusic.com.

Hmmmm, let me try this again, since it didn't post the first time:

Another excellent site for getting lists of albums by year is rateyourmusic.com.

This was really, really hard, as I am really, really old. And sometimes it was tough to choose between albums that were really influential at the time vs. have been influential over a lifetime. I tried to add a little of both. Don't be hateful.

1972 - Exile on Main Street - Rolling Stones
1973 - Closing Time - Tom Waits
1974 - Grievous Angel - Gram Parsons
1975 - Wish You Were Here - Pink Floyd
1976 - Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
1977 - Rumours - Fleetwood Mac
1978 - Outlandos D'Amour - The Police
1979 - Candy-O - The Cars
1980 - Double Fantasy - John Lennon (not so much Yoko)
1981 - Beauty and the Beat - The Go-Gos
1982 - Nebraska - Bruce Springsteen
1983 - Murmur - REM
1984 - Let it Be - The Replacements
1985 - Rain Dogs - Tom Waits
1986 - So - Peter Gabriel
1987 - The Joshua Tree - U2
1988 - Nothing's Shocking - Jane's Addiction
1989 - Doolittle - The Pixies
1990 - The Caution Horses - Cowboy Junkies
1991 - Nevermind - Nirvana
1992 - Check Your Head - The Beastie Boys
1993 - Exile in Guyville - Liz Phair
1994 - Chocolate & Cheese - Ween
1995 - Vee Vee - Archers of Loaf
1996 - Irresistible Bliss - Soul Coughing
1997 - Indoor Living - Superchunk
1998 - Car Wheels on a Gravel Road - Lucinda Williams
1999 - Summerteeth - Wilco
2000 - The Moon & Antarctica - Modest Mouse
2001 - Rockin' the Suburbs (sorry!) - Ben Folds
2002 - The Creek Drank the Cradle - Iron & Wine
2003 - Chutes Too Narrow - The Shins
2004 - Funeral - Arcade Fire
2005 - Alligator - The National
2006 - Orphans - Tom Waits
2007 - Boxer - The National
2008 - No comment. I only have four new releases and none of them have floored me.

I reserve the right to change my mind.

I am embarrassed that this took me hours. I'm glad to see others' lists as now I've got a lot of old favorites to go back and listen to. Well, here goes nothing:

1971 - David Bowie, Hunky Dory
1972 - Can, Ege Bamyasi
1973 - John Cale, Paris 1919
1974 - Brian Eno, Here Come the Warm Jets
1975 - Roxy Music, Siren
1976 - ABBA, Arrival
1977 - Fleetwood Mac, Rumors
1978 - Rolling Stones, Some Girls
1979 - The Slits, Cut
1980 - Talking Heads, Remain in Light
1981 - The Raincoats, Odyshape
1982 - ABC, The Lexicon of Love
1983 - Cocteau Twins, Head Over Heels
1984 - Cocteau Twins, Treasure
1985 - The Jesus and Mary Chain, Psychocandy
1986 - Felt, Forever Breathes the Lonely Word
1987 - The Smiths, Louder Than Bombs
1988 - Pixies, Surfer Rosa
1989 - The Stone Roses, S/T
1990 - The Breeders, Pod
1991 - My Bloody Valentine, Loveless
1992 - Moonshake, Eva Luna
1993 - Pram, Iron Lung & The Stars Are So Big...
1994 - Tindersticks, S/T [First]
1995 - Spiritualized, Pure Phase
1996 - Super Furry Animals, Fuzzy Logic
1997 - Radiohead, OK Computer
1998 - Air, Moon Safari
1999 - Pavement, Terror Twilight
2000 - Erykah Badu, Mama's Gun
2001 - Gorky's Zygotic Mynci, How I Long to Feel That Summer In My Heart
2002 - Boards of Canada, Geogaddi
2003 - The Shins, Chutes Too Narrow
2004 - Nick Cave, The Lyre of Orpheus/Abbatoir Blues
2005 - Antony & The Johnsons, I Am a Bird Now
2006 - Joanna Newsom, Ys
2007 - Tracey Thorn, Out of the Woods
2008 - Erykah Badu, New Amerykah Part One

@scottmcd: Marry me?

Well, this was certainly fun exercise. I found 2004, 1995 and 1992 to be the best years for me. Also, the early 80s were apparently ruled by Steve Harris.

1975: Pink Floyd - Wish You Were Here
1976: AC/DC - Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap
1977: Queen - News of the World
1978: Van Halen - Self Titled
1979: Pink Floyd - The Wall
1980: Iron Maiden - Iron Maiden
1981: Iron Maiden - Killers
1982: Iron Maiden - The Number Of The Beast
1983: U2 - War
1984: Talking Heads - Stop Making Sense
1985: Iron Maiden - Live After Death
1986: Peter Gabriel - So
1987: Pink Floyd - A Momentary Lapse of Reason
1988: Metallica - …And Justice For All
1989: Beastie Boys - Paul's Boutique
1990: Lard - The Last Temptation of Reid
1991: Nirvana - Nevermind
1992: Screaming Trees - Sweet Oblivion
1993: Mother - Gold Record LP
1994: Corrosion Of Conformity - Deliverance
1995: Clutch - Self Titled
1996: Local H - As Good As Dead
1997: The Catherine Wheel - Adam & Eve
1998: Queens of the Stone Age - Self Titled
1999: Clutch - Jam Room
2000: Disengage - Obsessions Become Phobias
2001: Scissorfight - Mantrapping For Sport And Profit
2002: Flogging Molly - Drunken Lullabies
2003: Dozer - Call It Conspiracy
2004: Clutch - Blast Tyrant
2005: Fireball Ministry - Their Rock Is Not Our Rock
2006: Mastodon - Blood Mountain
2007: High On Fire - Death Is This Communion
2008: Torche - Meanderthal

This isn't written in stone or anything, but it will certainly do for now.

1977- David Bowie, Low
1978- Cheap Trick, At Budokan
1979- XTC, Drums and Wires
1980- X, Los Angeles
1981- X, Wild Gift
1982- Elvis Costello and the Attractions, Imperial Bedroom
1983- New Order, Power, Corruption and Lies
1984- The Replacements, Let it Be
1985- The Replacements, Tim
1986- XTC, Skylarking
1987- The Replacements, Pleased to Meet Me
1988- The Pixies, Surfer Rosa
1989- Bob Dylan, Oh Mercy
1990- Morrissey, Bona Drag
1991- The Pixies, Trompe Le Monde
1992- Pulp, Separations
1993- Jellyfish, Spilt Milk
1994- Blur, Parklife
1995- Pulp, Different Class
1996- Wilco, Being There
1997- Cotton Mather, Kontiki
1998- Pulp, This is Hardcore
1999- Wilco, Summerteeth
2000- PJ Harvey, Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea
2001- Gorky's Zygotic Mynci, How I Long To Feel That Summer in My Heart
2002- Rilo Kiley, The Execution of All Things
2003- The Weakerthans, Reconstruction Site
2004- The Divine Comedy, Absent Friends
2005- Art Brut, Bang Bang Rock '& Roll
2006- Sonic Youth, Rather Ripped
2007- The Weakerthans, Reunion Tour

Great fun, I just wish I was older...

1987: Prince- Sign 'O' The Times
1988: Dinosaur Jr.-Bug
1989: Beastie Boys- Paul's Boutique
1990: The Replacements- All Shook Down
1991: Primal Scream- Screamdelica
1992: Beat Happening- You Turn Me On
1993: PJ Harvey- Rid Of Me
1994: Nas- Illmatic
1995: Pulp- Different Class
1996: Dr. Octagon- Dr. Octagonecologyst
1997: Yo La Tengo- I Can Hear The Heart Beating As One
1998: OutKast- Aquemini
1999: Mos Def- Black On Both Sides
2000: The Avalanches- Since I Left You
2001: Low- Things We Lost In The Fire
2002: Wilco- Yankee Hotel Foxtrot
2003: The White Stripes- Elephant
2004: Madvillain- Madvillainy
2005: Edan- Beauty & The Beat
2006: Ghostface Killah- Fishscale
2007: Dinosaur Jr- Beyond
2008: Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds- Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!!

Well, I'll get ripped to shreds, but, ah, hell. I'm picking these based on if they've really mattered to me, even if it's just singles from the album that I've heard:

1990: The Immaculate Collection, Madonna
1991: Achtung Baby, U2
1992: The Chronic, Dr. Dre
1993: Doggystyle, Snoop Dogg
1994: Illmatic, Nas
1995: Jagged Little Pill, Alanis Morissette
1996: Reasonable Doubt, Jay-Z
1997: Life After Death, The Notorious B.I.G.
1998: Aquemini, OutKast
1999: The Slim Shady LP, Eminem
2000: (TIE) Stankonia, OutKast/No Strings Attached, N'Sync/All That You Can't Leave Behind, U2
2001: The Blueprint, Jay-Z
2002: The Eminem Show, Eminem
2003: Speakerboxxx/The Love Below, OutKast
2004: (TIE) The College Dropout, Kanye West/How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb, U2
2005: Late Registration, Kanye West
2006: (TIE) Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not, Arctic Monkeys/Game Theory, The Roots/Hell Hath No Fury, Clipse
2007: (TIE) Graduation, Kanye West/American Gangster, Jay-Z
2008: (TIE) Vampire Weekend, Vampire Weekend/Tha Carter 3, Lil Wayne

Oh my God! I thought this would be a fun game to play before I went to sleep but it takes for-fucking-ever. And made me come to the depressing realization that I'm younger than most of the music I listen to. Here's my list in training:

1987: [TIE] Come On Pilgrim, The Pixies/Paid in Full Eric B. and Rakim
1988: [TIE] It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back, Public Enemy/Daydream Nation, Sonic Youth
1989: Doolittle, The Pixies
1990: The Youth Are Getting Restless, Bad Brains
1991: The Low End Theory, A Tribe Called Quest (sorry Loveless and Nevermind!)
1992: [TRIPLE TIE] Pussy Whipped, Bikini Kill/Slanted and Enchanted, Pavement/The Way of the Vaselines, The Vaselines
1993: Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers), Wu-Tang Clan
1994: Illmatic, Nas
1995: MTV Unplugged In New York, Nirvana
1996: If You're Feeling Sinister, Belle and Sebastian
1997: I Can Hear The Heart Beating As One, Yo La Tengo
1998: Clandestino, Manu Chao
1999: [TIE] 69 Love Songs, Magnetic Fields/I See A Darkness, Bonnie "Prince" Billy
2000: Supreme Clientele, Ghostface Killah
2001: Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots, Flaming Lips
2002: American IV: The Man Comes Around, Johnny Cash
2003: The Black Album, Jay-Z
2004: College Dropout, Kanye West
2005: Arular, M.I.A
2006: [TIE] The Shining, J Dilla/Hell Hath No Fury, Clipse
2007: Big Doe Rehab, Ghostface Killah
2008: They made music this year?

Oh bonus:

1986: Forever Breathes The Lonely Word, Felt

Life begins at conception people!

Also, these lists are hard because, like, for any given year, do you pick the seminal albums that aged well, or do you pick the album that you listened to all year when you were high on shrooms? I'm talking to you, Yoshimi.

I see a few '71 births here (and everybody 'round these parts knows how old I am), so...

Since I'm getting here hella late, let's try something slightly new:

Lifelong album list I built from everybody else's album lists
(because I like seeing where I intersect with people)

From Maura:

1984 - Prince and the Revolution, Purple Rain
2008 - Erykah Badu, New Amerykah Vol. 1

From NeverEnough:

1982 "Rio" Duran Duran
2003 "The Black Album" Jay Z
2004 "Scissor Sisters" Scissor Sisters

From Job (power to my fellow oldster):

71 Sly & the Family Stone - There's a Riot Going on
75 Neil Young - Tonight's the Night
07 LCD Soundsystem - Sound of Silver

From Al Shipley:

1986 Peter Gabriel - So
1987 Prince - Sign O' The Times
1992 R.E.M. - Automatic For The People
2005 Kanye West - Late Registration

@scottmcd:

1979: The Clash - London Calling

From Michaelangelo Matos:

1989: Beastie Boys, Paul's Boutique
1991: Nirvana, Nevermind
1997: Yo La Tengo, I Can Hear the Heart Beating as One*
2001: The Avalanches, Since I Left You

[* Because of its effed-up, spotty U.S. release on the poorly-funded Enclave label, Belle and Sebastian's If You're Feeling Sinister was my pick for Album of 1997, and I wasn't alone--it made Pazz & Jop for that year. But I acknowledge that in most of the world, it was a '96 album. So YLT is my second choice for '97.]

From @HomefrontRadio (several of whose picks would be my second choice):

1983 - REM - Murmur
1987 - Pet Shop Boys - Actually

From Jewishthunda701:

1999: Red Hot Chili Peppers- Californication
2002: The Streets- Original Pirate Material

From westartedthis - just this one, but it's exactly right:

1994 - Guided by Voices - Bee Thousand (also ran: Portishead - Dummy)

From whoneedslight (you call yourself old, sonny?):

1977 - Rumours - Fleetwood Mac
1978 - Outlandos D'Amour - The Police
1981 - Beauty and the Beat - The Go-Gos

From Rock You Like An Iracane:
2006: ... Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not, Arctic Monkeys ...

From ronaldpagan:

1996: If You're Feeling Sinister, Belle and Sebastian
2003: The Black Album, Jay-Z

Years that weren't covered by others (to my tastes):

1972: Paul Simon
1973: Stevie Wonder, Innervisions
1974: Kraftwerk, Autobahn
1976: Ramones
1980: Peter Gabriel [3]
1985: Suzanne Vega
1988: Cowboy Junkies, The Trinity Session
1990: Sinéad O'Connor, I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got
1993: Liz Phair, Exile in Guyville
1995: Elastica
1998: Lucinda Williams, Car Wheels on a Gravel Road
2000: Radiohead, Kid A
2004: Danger Mouse, The Grey Album

P.S. I fucked up and did two albums for 2004. Ah well - that Scissor Sisters album ruled.

P.P.S. I'm intrigued to see we don't have anyone born in the '60s (yet).

1978: Al Green - The Belle Album (Runner Up: Pere Ubu - Dub Housing)
1979: Public Image Ltd. - Metal Box/Second Edition (Runner Up: Joy Division - Unknown Pleasures)
1980: Talking Heads - Remain In Light (Runner Up: XTC - Black Sea)
1981: The Fall - Slates (Runner Up: Kraftwerk - Computer World)
1982: Bad Brains - Bad Brains (Runner Up: Generic Flipper)
1983: ABC - The Lexicon Of Love (Runner Up: Minor Threat - Out Of Step)
1984: Husker Du - Zen Arcade (Runner Up: Prince - Purple Rain)
1985: Scritti Politti - Cupid And Psyche '85 (Runner Up: The Indestructible Beat Of Soweto)
1986: Metallica - Master Of Puppets (Runner Up: Prince - Parade)
1987: Prince - Sign O' The Times (Runner Up: Guns N Roses - Appetite For Destruction)
1988: Eric B And Rakim - Follow The Leader (Runner Up: Sonic Youth - Daydream Nation)
1989: The History Of The House Sound Of Chicago (Runner Up: The Necks - Sex)
1990: Talk Talk - Laughing Stock (Runner Up: Ice Cube - AmerKKKa's Most Wanted/Kill At Will)
1991: Public Enemy - Fear Of A Black Planet (Runner Up: Saint Etienne - Foxbase Alpha)
1992: Faith No More - Angel Dust (Runner Up: Pharcyde - Bizarre Ride II The Pharcyde)
1993: Lungfish - Rainbows From Atoms (Runner Up: Wu-Tang Clan - Enter The Wu-Tang)
1994: DJ DB - A History Of Our World: Breakbeat and Jungle Ultramix (Runner Up: Notorious B.I.G. - Ready To Die)
1995: Pulp - Different Class (Runner Up: A Guy Called Gerald - Black Secret Technology)
1996: Weezer - Pinkerton (Runner Up: Jay-Z - Reasonable Doubt)
1997: Missy Elliot - Supa Dupa Fly (Runner Up: Smog - Red Apple Falls)
1998: Boredoms - Super AE (The Monorchid - Let Them Eat...)
1999: Basement Jaxx - Rooty (Runner Up: Destiny's Child - The Writing's On The Wall)
2000: D'Angelo - Voodoo (Runner Up: Gas - Pop)
2001: Daft Punk - Discovery (Runner Up: Cannibal Ox - The Cold Vein)
2002: Sonic Youth - Murray Street (Runner Up: Andrew WK - I Get Wet)
2003: Ted Leo and The Pharmacists - Hearts Of Oak (Runner Up - Ragga Ragga Ragga 2003)
2004: My Chemical Romance - Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge (Runner Up: Say Anything - ...Is A Real Boy)
2005: Roisin Murphy - Ruby Blue (Runner Up: Pissed Jeans - Shallow)
2006: Be Your Own Pet - Be Your Own Pet (Runner Up: T.I. - King)

...maybe.

@Chris Molanphy:

Our 1993 and 1998 match as well.

It was a really tough exercise on the whole but Car Wheels on a Gravel Road is a no-brainer for me. That became a soundtrack of my life.

1971 Hunky Dory-David Bowie
1972 Exile on Main Street-The Rolling Stones
1973 Head Hunters-Herbie Hancock
1974 Radio City-Big Star
1975 Born To Run-Bruce Springsteen
1976 Desire-Bob Dylan
1977 My Aim Is True-Elvis Costello
1978 One Nation Under a Groove-Funkadelic
1979 Fear of Music-Talking Heads
1980 London Calling-The Clash
1981 Beauty and the Beat-the Go Gos
1982 Nebraska-Bruce Springsteen
1983 Murmur-REM
1984 Let It Be-The Replacements
1985 Rain Dogs-Tom Waits
1986 Life's Rich Pageant-REM
1987 Louder Than Bombs-The Smiths
1988 The Trinity Session-Cowboy Junkies
1989 Doolittle-The Pixies
1990 Goo-Sonic Youth
1991 Bandwagonesque-Teenage Fanclub
1992 Your Arsenal-Morrissey
1993 Midnight Marauders-A Tribe Called Quest
1994 Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain-Pavement
1995 …And Out Come the Wolves-Rancid
1996 Odelay-Beck
1997 Vanishing Point-Primal Scream
1998 The Boy With The Arab Strap-Belle and Sebastian
1999 Mule Variations-Tom Waits
2000 Kid A-Radiohead
2001 Gold-Ryan Adams
2002 Yankee Hotel Foxtrot-Wilco
2003 Dear Catastrophe Waitress-Belle and Sebastian
2004 You Are the Quarry-Morrissey
2005 Separation Sunday-The Hold Steady
2006 I Am Not Afraid of You and I will Beat Your Ass-Yo La Tengo
2007 Sound of Silver-LCD Soundsystem

1983: The Police - Synchronicity
1984: Bruce Springsteen - Born In The U.S.A.
1985: Sam Cooke - Live at the Harlem Square Club, 1963
1986: Beastie Boys - Licensed To Ill
1987: The Replacements - Pleased To Meet Me
1988: Morrissey - Viva Hate
1989: The Cure - Disintegration
1990: Fugazi - Repeater
1991: Talk Talk - Laughing Stock
1992: Pavement - Slanted and Enchanted
1993: Archers of Loaf - Icky Mettle
1994: Pavement - Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain
1995: The Super Friendz - Mock Up Scale Down
1996: The Wrens - Secaucus
1997: Ben Folds Five - Whatever and Ever Amen
1998: Sloan - Navy Blues
1999: Sloan - Between The Bridges
2000: Ryan Adams - Heartbreaker
2001: The Joel Plaskett Emergency - Down At The Khyber (with deepest apologies to Beulah, Constantines and Spoon)
2002: Wilco - Yankee Hotel Foxtrot
2003: The Stills - Logic Will Break Your Heart
2004: The Sourkeys - The Sourkeys
2005: Okkervil River - Black Sheep Boy
2006: The Long Winters - Putting The Days To Bed
2007: [TIE] Shearwater - Palo Santo/Fall Out Boy - Infinity On High

@whoneedslight: Sorry. I guess you're my best match!

1985 - The Replacements "Tim"
1986 - Beastie Boys "Licensed to Ill"
1987 - Guns 'n' Roses "Appetite For Destruction"
1988 - Pixies "Surfer Rosa"
1989 - Pixies "Doolittle"
1990 - Pixies "Bossanova"
(sorry, I hate just about everything from the 80's and I've never been impressed by Sonic Youth or The Smiths)
1991 - Nirvana "Nevermind"
1992 - Pavement "Slanted and Enchanted"
1993 - Pearl Jam "Vs."
1994 - Nirvana "MTV Unplugged"
1995 - Radiohead "The Bends"
1996 - Beck "Odelay"
1997 - Radiohead "OK Computer"
1998 - OutKast "Aquemini"
1999 - Red Hot Chili Peppers "Californication"
2000 - Radiohead "Kid A"
2001 - The Strokes "Is This It"
2002 - Wilco "Yankee Hotel Foxtrot"
2003 - Black Keys "Thickfreakness"
2004 - Arcade Fire "Funeral"
2005 - My Morning Jacket "Z"
2006 - The Hold Steady "Boys and Girls in America"
2007 - Radiohead "In Rainbows"
2008 - (so far) The Hold Steady - "Stay Positive"

I found everyone's lists interesting. I've got a lot of half-forgotten records in my collection that are worth going back to hear, by the sounds of it.

I was shocked by how little my taste has changed over the years and fascinated by how i could tie all these artists together stylistically. Can anyone look through their lists and see the common threads between the albums they like?

Mine -

- Obvious dislike for synthesizers, but love for both traditional and electromechanical keyboards
- Dislike of heavy reverb
- Big pop hooks
- Jangly guitars
- Respect for formalised traditions
- Tight song constructions under 4 minutes
- Extended harmonics beyond triad chords
- Multi-part vocal harmonisations
- Some degree of non-rock orchestration
- Instruments playing melodic parts rather than rhythmic parts
- Countermelodies, either vocal or instrumental

I started out with a list of about ten per year, and then trimmed accordingly. Even leaving it to the very end, cutting "Sex Packets" out of 1990 was heartbreaking. Seeing everyone's third runner-up for every year is boring as shit, but at the very least, I owed it Shock to mention that record's importance.

---------------------

1983: Prince - 1999
1984: The Replacements - Let It Be
1985: The Pogues - Rum, Sodomy, and the Lash
1986: Paul Simon - Graceland
1987: Guns N Roses - Appetite For Destruction
1988: The Pixies - Surfer Rosa
1989: The Stone Roses - The Stone Roses
1990: Ice Cube - AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted (Sex Packets was SOOOOOOO close)
1991: De La Soul - De La Soul is Dead
1992: Pavement - Slanted and Enchanted
1993: Liz Phair - Exile in Guyville
1994: Nas - Illmatic
1995: Pulp - Different Class
1996: U.G.K. - Ridin' Dirty
1997: Strapping Young Lad - City
1998: Neutral Milk Hotel - In the Aeroplane Over the Sea
1999: Dismemberment Plan - Emergency & I
2000: Ghostface Killah - Supreme Clientele
2001: Jay Z - The Blueprint
2002: Boards of Canada - Geogaddi
2003: Sufjan Stevens - Michigan
2004: The Streets - A Grand Don't Come for Free
2005: Cam'ron - Purple Haze
2006: TV on the Radio - Return to Cookie Mountain
2007: The National - Boxer

@StuntKockSteeev: Haha, not a dig on the former editor, obviously. More a commentary on anyone's interest in reading my list of miscellaneous bullshit.

1981: DNA - A Taste of DNA
1982: Flipper - Generic Flipper
1983: R.E.M. - Murmur
1984: Los Lobos - How Will the Wolf Survive?
1985: Double Dee & Steinski - The Payoff Mix/Lesson Two/Lesson 3
1986: The Smiths - The Queen Is Dead
1987: Prince - Sign "O" the Times
1988: Sonic Youth - Daydream Nation
1989: De La Soul - 3 Feet High and Rising / Pixies - Doolittle
1990: Public Enemy - Fear of a Black Planet
1991: A Tribe Called Quest - The Low End Theory
1992: Pavement - Slanted and Enchanted
1993: Liz Phair - Exile in Guyville / De La Soul - Buhloone Mindstate
1994: Pavement - Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain
1995: PJ Harvey - To Bring You My Love
1996: DJ Shadow - Endtroducing... DJ Shadow / Sleater-Kinney - Call the Doctor
1997: Yo La Tengo - I Can Hear the Heart Beating as One
1998: Outkast - Aquemeni
1999: The Magnetic Fields - 69 Love Songs
2000: Yo La Tengo - And Then Nothing Turned Itself Inside Out
2001: Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliot - Miss E... So Addictive
2002: Sleater-Kinney - One Beat
2003: The Wrens - The Meadowlands
2004: Brian Wilson - SMiLe
2005: The Go-Betweens - Oceans Apart
2006: Ghostface Killah - Fishscale / Ornette Coleman - Sound Grammar
2007: Burial - Untrue
2008: Portishead - Third

Some heartbreaking omissions, some indecisiveness (hence the occasional double listing), some e.p.s, and kind of a lot of repetition. The mid- to late-1980s were particularly great years for albums I'm obsessed with, and the early 80's and early 2000's pretty damn barren. Fun meme.

71: Sly & The Family Stone, There's A Riot Goin' On
72: Rolling Stones, Exile on Main Street
73: New York Dolls, s/t
74: Big Star, Radio City
75: Brian Eno, Another Green World
76: Ramones, s/t
77: Clash, s/t
78: Talking Heads, More Songs About Buildings And Food
79: Clash, London Calling
80: The Beat, I Just Can't Stop It
81: Elvis Costello, Trust
82: Richard & Linda Thompson, Shoot Out The Lights
83: Violent Femmes, s/t
84: Minutemen, Double Nickels On The Dime
85: Replacements, Tim
86: XTC, Skylarking
87: Prince, Sign 'O' The Times