Today’s list that’s going around some blogs that I read: List the albums you like most from each year that you’ve been alive. It sounds simple, right? But in making a list like this, you realize things about yourself, like how Aerosmith’s peak for me came right around the year I was born, even though I didn’t really hear them until many years later. And how 2004 was something of a weak year for my personal canon, while 1989 was a really huge year for it, one where I had to pick between Like A Prayer, Doolittle, Cocked & Loaded, Full Moon Fever, and the album I finally wound up selecting. Anyway, peruse my list after the jump–Anthony made one too–and feel free to pick mine apart/make your own, although I should warn you that it took me a while to do. (I’m usually loath to use Wikipedia as a source, but its lists of album releases were helpful to cross-reference with Amazon, as were the Pazz & Jop rundowns on Robert Christgau’s site.) If people enjoy this exercise, maybe we’ll do singles lists next week! Or, hell, runners-up lists, since some of these “best” decisions were a lot harder than others.
1975 – Aerosmith, Toys In The Attic
1976 – Aerosmith, Rocks
1977 – Wire, Pink Flag
1978 – Van Halen
1979 – The Raincoats
1980 – Various artists, Wanna Buy A Bridge? comp
1981 – Motley Crue, Too Fast For Love
1982 – Michael Jackson, Thriller
1983 – Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, Dazzle Ships
1984 – Prince and the Revolution, Purple Rain
1985 – The Jesus & Mary Chain, Psychocandy
1986 – Janet Jackson, Control
1987 – Guns N’ Roses, Appetite For Destruction
1988 – Pixies, Surfer Rosa
1989 – Faith No More, The Real Thing
1990 – Mother Love Bone, Apple
(This is the point where things started getting tough, like three-solid-contenders-per-year tough.)
1991 – Soundgarden, Badmotorfinger
1992 – Unrest, Imperial ffrr
1993 – Afghan Whigs, Gentlemen
1994 – Pram, Helium
1995 – Helium, The Dirt Of Luck
1996 – Olivia Tremor Control, Music From The Unrealized Film Script Dusk At Cubist Castle
1997 – Built To Spill, Perfect From Now On
1998 – Pulp, This Is Hardcore
(Here the toughness subsides. Draw your own conclusions as to why.)
1999 – Mr. Bungle, California
2000 – PJ Harvey, Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea
2001 – Aveo, Bridge To The Northern Lights
2002 – Ikara Colt, Chat And Business
2003 – S Prcss, MNML
2004 – Dogs Die In Hot Cars, Please Describe Yourself
2005 – Celebration
2006 – Scritti Politti, White Bread, Black Beer
2007 – Siobhan Donaghy, Ghosts
2008 – Erykah Badu, New Amerykah Vol. 1
A thing to do. [bg5000]
late to the party, but im not gonna pass up any chance to make a list of albums, so…
1968: 1910 Fruitgum Co. – Goody Goody Gumdrops
1969: The Velvet Underground – The Velvet Underground
1970: Led Zeppelin – Led Zeppelin III
1971: John Prine – John Prine
1972: Sparks – A Woofer in Tweeter’s Clothing
1973 : Neu – Neu 2
1974 : Queen – Sheer Heart Attack
1975 : The Dictators – Go Girl Crazy !
1976 : Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers – Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers
1977 : Wire – Pink Flag
1978 : Sham 69 – Tell Us The Truth
1979 : Devo – Duty Now For The Future
1980 : Kid Creole and the Coconuts – Off the Coast of Me
1981 : Heaven 17 – Penthouse and Pavement
1982 : Altered Images – Pinky Blue
1983 : The Monochrome Set – Volume, Contrast, Brilliance
1984 : Husker Du – Zen Arcade
1985: Tex and the Horseheads – Life’s So Cool
1986: Flipper – Public Flipper Limited
1987 : Prince – Sign ‘o the Times
1988 : Dinosaur – Bug
1989 : Beastie Boys – Paul’s Boutique
1990 : Yo La Tengo – Fakebook
1991 : Pegboy – Strong Reaction
1992 : Heavenly – Le Jardin de Heavenly
1993 : Tiger Trap – Tiger Trap
1994 : Notorious B.I.G. – Ready To Die
1995 : The 6ths – Wasps’ Nests
1996 : The Frogs – My Daughter The Broad
1997 : Ui – Lifelike
1998 : Aislers Set – Terrible Things Happen
1999 : Dolly Parton – The Grass Is Blue
2000 : Alsace Lorraine – Through Small Windows
2001 : Andrew W.K. – I Get Wet
2002 : Ellery Eskelin with Andrea Parkins and Jim Black – 12 (+1) Imaginary Views
2003 : The Majesticons – Beauty Party
2004 : Pan Sonic – Kesto
2005 : M.I.A. – Arular
2006 : Leichtmetall – Wire Sind Blumen
2007 : Pine Hill Haints – Ghost Dance
@dippinkind: 1999 Dolly Parton? WTF? Did you go on a canoing trip and get kidnapped or something?
@friendslikeJimRome: Pack your stuff and get out.
@friendslikeJimRome: it might be her bes album ever and i still listen to it all the time, as should all right-thinkin people who like a little bluegrass and/or dolly’s sweet voice. wake up, son!
@Kate Richardson: Chill, I happen to like country and country rock a lot. Just surprised to see Dolly on a list that is mostly very similar to a list I would make. When I think of Dolly Parton singing, the only thing that comes to my mind is “Working Nine to Five.”
@friendslikeJimRome: yeah, that album is way better than 9 to 5, you should really give it a listen sometime
1983- R.E.M.: Murmur
1984- Husker Du: Zen Arcade
1985- Husker Du: Flip Your Wig
1986- Smiths: Queen is Dead
1987- Go-Betweens: Tallulah
1988- Sonic Youth: Daydream Nation
1989- Beastie Boys: Paul’s Boutique
1990- Public Enemy: Fear of a Black Planet
1991- De La Soul: Is Dead
1992- Pavement: Slanted and Enchanted
1993- Nirvana: In Utero
1994- Blur: Parklife
1995- Pavement: Wowee Zowee
1996- Sleater-Kinney: Call the Doctor
1997- Elliott Smith: Either/Or
1998- Refused: Shape of Punk to Come
1999- Sleater-Kinney: Hot Rock
2000- Modest Mouse: Moon & Antarctica
2001- Avalanches: Since I Left You
2002- Mr. Lif: I Phantom
2003- Blood Brothers: Burn, Piano Island, Burn
2004- Arcade Fire: Funeral
2005- Kanye West: Late Registration
2006- Ghostface Killah: Fishscale
Strongest Years: 2003, 1997, 1993, 1987
Weakest Years: 2001, 1998, 1995, 1985
Toughest Omissions: Let It Be, Songs About Fucking, Blue Lines, Rid Of Me, Le Tigre, Relationship of Command, White Blood Cells, Source Tags and Codes, Decoration Day, Madvillainy
Albums that make me wanna be older: Blonde on Blonde, Velvet Underground and Nico, Sweetheart of the Rodeo, Blue, Radio City, Songs in the Key of Life, Entertainment, London Calling, B-52s, Dirty Mind
1972 Rolling Stones – Exile on Main St.
1973 Pink Floyd – The Dark Side of the Moon
1974 Kiss – Kiss
1975 Led Zeppelin – Physical Graffiti
1976 Kiss – Rock and Roll Over
1977 Pink Floyd – Animals
1978 Elvis Costello and the Attractions – This Year’s Model
1979 Pink Floyd – The Wall
1980 AC/DC – Back in Black
1981 Prince – Controversy
1982 Prince – 1999
1983 The Police – Synchronicity
1984 Prince and the Revolution – Purple Rain
1985 John Mellencamp – Scarecrow
1986 Peter Gabriel – So
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 Public Enemy – Fear of a Black Planet
1991 Metallica – Metallica
1992 Alice in Chains – Dirt
1993 Pearl Jam -Vs.
1994 Soundgarden – Superunknown
1995 Garbage – Garbage
1996 Tori Amos – Boys for Pele
1997 Ani DiFranco – Living in Clip
1998 Elvis Costello with Burt Bacharach – Painted from Memory
1999 Robbie Williams – The Ego Has Landed
2000 Pearl Jam – Binaural
2001 Bob Dylan – “Love and Theft”
2002 Dixie Chicks – Home
2003 Anthrax – We’ve Come for You All
2004 William Shatner – Has Been
2005 M.I.A. – Arular
2006 Dixie Chicks – Taking the Long Way
2007 Little Big Town – A Place to Land
2008 Jamey Johnson – That Lonesome Song
Oh what the hell.
1979 Michael Jackson, “Off the Wall”
1980 Steely Dan, “Gaucho”
1981 Kraftwerk, “Computer World”
1982 Donald Fagen, “The Nightfly”
1983 Philip Glass, “Koyaanisqatsi”
1984 Prince, “Purple Rain”
1985 The Cure, “Staring at the Sea: The Singles”*
1986 XTC, “Skylarking”
1987 Fleetwood Mac, “Tango in the Night”
1988 Sonic Youth, “Daydream Nation”
1989 The Pixies, “Doolittle”
1990 The Sundays, “Reading, Writing, and Arithmetic”
1991 Talk Talk, “Laughing Stock”
1992 Pavement, “Slanted and Enchanted”
1993 Digable Planets, “Reachin’: A New Refutation of Time and Space”
1994 Pavement, “Crooked Rain Crooked Rain”
1995 Sonic Youth, “Washing Machine”
1996 Tortoise, “Millions Now Living Will Never Die”
1997 Stereolab, “Dots and Loops”
1998 Tortoise, “TNT”
1999 Sleater-Kinney, “The Hot Rock”
2000 Tara Jane O’Neil, “Peregrine”
2001 Life Without Buildings, “Any Other City”
2002 Interpol, “Turn on the Bright Lights”
2003 OutKast, “Speakerboxxx/The Love Below”
2004 Erlend Oye, “DJ Kicks”
2005 Kelley Polar, “Love Songs of the Hanging Gardens”
2006 Girl Talk, “Night Ripper”
2007 Field Music, “Tones of Town”
*cheating a bit since this technically wasn’t released until early 1986, but it’s a comp that covers 1979-85, and I really couldn’t find any other candidates
Oh, and 2008 = Hercules and Love Affair
Rip Van Winkle checking in…
1965 The Beatles – Rubber Soul
1966 The Beatles – Revolver
1967 The Velvet Underground – The Velvet Underground & Nico
1968 Elvis Presley – NBC-TV Special
1969 The Beatles – Abbey Road
1970 The Beatles – Let It Be
1971 Yes – Fragile
1972 Roxy Music – Roxy Music
1973 Bruce Springsteen – The Wild, the Innocent and the E Street Shuffle
1974 Brian Eno – Taking Tiger Mountain (by Strategy)
1975 Bruce Springsteen – Born to Run
1976 The Modern Lovers – The Modern Lovers
1977 Steely Dan – Aja
1978 Pere Ubu – The Modern Dance
1979 Joy Division – Unknown Pleasures
1980 XTC – Black Sea
1981 The Teardrop Explodes – Wilder
1982 X – Under the Big Black Sun
1983 Echo and the Bunnymen – Porcupine
1984 Julian Cope – World Shut Your Mouth
1985 The Smiths – Meat is Murder
1986 XTC – Skylarking
1987 Microdisney – Crooked Mile
1988 Morrissey – Viva Hate
1989 The Blue Nile – Hats
1990 Cocteau Twins – Heaven Or Las Vegas
1991 The Jazz Butcher – Condition Blue
1992 XTC – Nonsuch
1993 The Fall – The Infotainment Scan
1994 The Fall – Middle Class Revolt
1995 Ben Folds Five – Ben Folds Five
1996 The Blue Nile – Peace at Last
1997 Ben Folds Five – Whatever and Ever Amen
1998 New Radicals – Maybe You’ve Been Brainwashed Too
1999 The Dismemberment Plan – Emergency & I
2000 Cathal Coughlan – Black River Falls
2001 The Dismemberment Plan – Change
2002 Interpol – Turn on the Bright Lights
2003 The Fall – The Real New Fall LP (Formerly Country on the Click)
2004 The Hold Steady – Almost Killed Me
2005 The Hold Steady – Separation Sunday
2006 The Hold Steady – Boys and Girls in America
2007 Nicole Atkins – Neptune City
Um, yeah. So it’s only been FOUR MONTHS since the last post, but I simply can’t resist the concept. I don’t care if I’m the equivalent of a tree falling in an empty forest.
1980: Remain In Light (Talking Heads)
1981: Ghost In The Machine (The Police)
1982: Thriller (Michael Jackson)
1983: Texas Flood (Stevie Ray Vaughan)
1984: Like A Virgin (Madonna)
1985: Brothers In Arms (Dire Straits)
1986: So (Peter Gabriel)
1987: The Joshua Tree (U2)
1988: Traveling Wilburys Vol. 1 (Traveling Wilburys)
1989: Disintegration (The Cure)
1990: Ragged Glory (Neil Young)
1991: Achtung Baby (U2)
1992: Erotica (Madonna)
1993: Fumbling Towards Ecstasy (Sarah McLachlan)
1994: Definitely Maybe (Oasis)
1995: Garbage (Garbage)
1996: Sheryl Crow (Sheryl Crow)
1997: The Colour And The Shape (Foo Fighters)
1998: Before These Crowded Streets (Dave Matthews Band)
1999: Play (Moby)
2000: Breach (The Wallflowers)
2001: Beautifulgarbage (Garbage)
2002: Heathen (David Bowie)
2003: Speakerboxxx / The Love Below (OutKast)
2004: How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb (U2)
2005: Souls Alike (Bonnie Raitt)
2006: I’m Not Dead (Pink)
2007: Little Voice (Sara Bareilles)
2008: Stop Drop And Roll!!! (Foxboro Hottubs)
Nina, wow you speak lots of useless words.