The Top 250+ New Wave/College Rock Songs

New Wave/College Rock: Top 250+ Songs

This is really two lists in one. I attempted making one list devoted to new wave and another to college rock, but they overlapped enough that it made more sense to combine them. New wave was a synth-driven musical genre in the 1980s helmed by bands like New Order, Depeche Mode, and the Cure. College radio stations helped give an audience to that music as well as more guitar-focused bands like U2 and R.E.M. While often gathered under the banner of “alternative rock,” a significant number of bands which started on the fringe had, by decade’s end become the mainstream. More than 50 lists focused on one genre or the other (or both) were aggregated to create this list. I opted to stretch the list to 250 songs to encompass all the songs that would rank in the top 100 in one list or the other. The final list came to more than 250 songs because I included all songs featured on 6 or more lists. Peaks on the two lists, if they were separated out, are indicated with CR (college rock) and NW (new wave). Click here to see other genre-specific song lists. 1. New Order “Blue Monday” (1983) NW #4, CR #16 2. Joy Division “Love Will Tear Us Apart” (1980) CR #1, NW #48 3. Soft Cell “Tainted Love” (1981) NW #1 4. The Cure “Just Like Heaven” (1987) CR #13, NW #25 5. Modern English “I Melt with You” (1983) NW #7, CR #83 6. The Human League “Don’t You Want Me?” (1981) NW #2 7. Devo “Whip It” (1980) NW #12, CR #84 8. Violent Femmes “Blister in the Sun” (1983) CR #2 9. Echo & the Bunnymen “The Killing Moon” (1984) CR #5 10. Gary Numan “Cars” (1979) NW #3 11. Depeche Mode “People Are People” (1984) NW #10 12. Depeche Mode “Just Can’t Get Enough” (1981) NW #15, CR #76 13. The Church “Under the Milky Way” (1988) CR #3 14. The Smiths “How Soon Is Now?” (1984) CR #9, NW #96 15. Dexy’s Midnight Runners “Come on Eileen” (1982) NW #14 16. Simple Minds “Don’t You Forget about Me” (1985) NW #11 17. Dead or Alive “You Spin Me Round Like a Record” (1985) NW #5 18. Talking Heads “Once in a Lifetime” (1981) CR #26, NW #45 19. Eurythmics “Sweet Dreams Are Made of This” (1982) NW #6 20. Buggles “Video Killed the Radio Star” (1981) NW #8 21. R.E.M. “Radio Free Europe” (1981) CR #4 22. A Flock of Seagulls “I Ran” (1982) NW #9 23. New Order “Bizarre Love Triangle” (1986) NW #31, CR #65 24. Pet Shop Boys “West End Girls” (1986) NW #18 25. Talk Talk “It’s My Life” (1984) CR #29, NW #86 26. A-ha “Take on Me” (1984) NW #14 27. The B-52’s “Rock Lobster” (1979) NW #33 28. Madness “Our House” (1982) NW #20 29. The Cure “In Between Days (Without You)” (1985) NW #50, CR #79 30. Psychedelic Furs “Pretty in Pink” (1981) CR #28, NW #97 31. Tears for Fears “Mad World” (1982) NW #28 32. The Pixies “Here Comes Your Man” (1989) CR #7 33. Kate Bush “Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God” (1985) CR #14 34. Big Country “In a Big Country” (1983) NW #17 35. Midnight Oil “Beds Are Burning” (1987) CR #51, NW #82 36. Duran Duran “Hungry Like the Wolf” (1982) NW #23 37. Talking Heads “Burning Down the House” (1983) NW #34 38. Frankie Goes to Hollywood “Relax” (1983) NW #16 39. The Jesus & Mary Chain “Just Like Honey” (1985) CR #10 40. The English Beat “Save It for Later” (1983) NW #55 41. The Clash “Rock the Casbah” (1982) NW #62, CR #100 42. Echo & the Bunnymen “Lips Like Sugar” (1987) CR #20 43. Men Without Hats “The Safety Dance” (1983) NW #24 44. Wall of Voodoo “Mexican Radio” (1983) NW #74, CR #89 45. The Vapors “Turning Japanese” (1980) NW #26 46. Billy Idol “White Wedding” (1982) NW #21 47. Duran Duran “Girls on Film” (1981) NW #29 48. Jane’s Addiction “Jane Says” (1988) CR #8 49. The Jam “A Town Called Malice” (1982) CR #56 50. Thomas Dolby “She Blinded Me with Science” (1982) NW #27 51. Split Enz “I Got You” (1980) NW #19 52. Tears for Fears “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” (1985) NW #43 53. The Go-Go’s “Our Lips Are Sealed” (1981) NW #37 54. The Cure “Close to Me” (1985) CR #27 55. The Cult “She Sells Sanctuary” (1985) CR #25 56. Tears for Fears “Shout” (1984) NW #30 57. Yazoo “Don’t Go” (1982) CR #81, NW #99 58. Sonic Youth “Teenage Riot” (1988) CR #6 59. XTC “Senses Working Overtime” (1982) CR #46 60. They Might Be Giants “Ana Ng” (1988) CR #12 61. Love & Rockets “So Alive” (1989) CR #19 62. Psychedelic Furs “Love My Way” (1982) NW #32 63. Blondie “Heart of Glass” (1978) NW #22 64. Icicle Works “Birds Fly (Whisper to a Scream)” (1984) NW #70 65. Nena “99 Red Balloons” (1983) NW #35 66. Naked Eyes “Always Something There to Remind Me” (1983) NW #36 67. Berlin “The Metro” (1983) NW #38 68. Oingo Boingo “Dead Man’s Party” (1985) CR #35 69. The Go-Go’s “We Got the Beat” (1981) NW #52 70. Bauhaus “She’s in Parties” (1983) CR #17 71. After the Fire “Der Kommissar” (1983) NW #40 72. Animotion “Obsession” (1985) NW #41 73. XTC “Dear God” (1986) #31 CR 74. Camper Van Beethoven “Take the Skinheads Bowling” (1985) CR #11 75. The Sugarcubes “Birthday” (1987) #15 CR 76. The English Beat “Mirror in the Bathroom” (1980) NW #49 77. Romeo Void “Never Say Never” (1982) NW #59 78. INXS “Don’t Change” (1982) CR #53 79. U2 “I Will Follow” (1980) CR #24 80. The Fixx “One Thing Leads to Another” (1983) NW #53 81. Tom Tom Club “Genius of Love” (1981) NW #88 82. Siouxsie & the Banshees “Cities in Dust” (1985) CR #57 83. Culture Club “Do You Really Want to Hurt Me?” (1982) NW #51 84. Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark “Enola Gay” (1980) NW #66 85. Peter Schilling “Major Tom (Coming Home)” (1983) NW #76 86. XTC “Making Plans for Nigel” (1979) NW #54 87. Missing Persons “Destination Unknown” (1982) NW #79 88. Bow Wow Wow “I Want Candy” (1982) NW #39 89. Pixies “Monkey Gone to Heaven” (1989) CR #18 90. The Stone Roses “I Wanna Be Adored” (1989) CR #22 91. The La’s “There She Goes” by (1988) CR #39 92. The Stone Roses “She Bangs the Drums” (1989) CR #36 93. The Plimsouls “A Million Miles Away” (1982) CR #71 94. Men at Work “Down Under” (1981) NW #44 95. Thompson Twins “Hold Me Now” (1983) NW #46 96. Ultravox “Vienna” (1980) NW #61 97. Talking Heads “Psycho Killer” (1977) NW #57 98. The Police “Don’t Stand So Close to Me” (1980) NW #63 99. ABC “The Look of Love” (1982) NW #47 100. When in Rome “The Promise” (1989) NW #64 101. Spandau Ballet “True” (1983) NW #73 102. R.E.M. “It’s the End of the World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)” (1987) CR #51 103. Yazoo “Situation” (182) NW #84 104. The Knack “My Sharona” (1979) NW #87 105. Kajagoogoo “Too Shy” (1983) NW #80 106. General Public “Tenderness” (1984) NW #92 107. Peter Gabriel “Games Without Frontiers” (1980) CR #85 108. Squeeze “Tempted” (1981) NW #56 109. The Replacements “Left of the Dial” (1985) CR #21 110. Hüsker Dü “Don’t Wanna Know if You Are Lonely” (1986) CR #23 111. INXS “Need You Tonight” (1987) NW #60 112. The Primitives “Crash” (1988) CR #41 113. Roxy Music “More Than This” (1982) 114. The Boomtown Rats “I Don’t Like Mondays’ (1979) NW #58 115. The Clash “Should I Stay Or Should I Go” (1982) CR #66 116. Erasure “A Little Respect” (1988) NW #89 117. Billy Idol “Dancing with Myself” (1981) 118. Wang Chung “Dance Hall Days” (1984) NW #77 119. The Cars “Just What I Needed” (1978) NW #95 120. Kim Wilde “Kids in America” (1981) NW #65 121. New Order “True Faith” (1987) 122. David Bowie “Let’s Dance” (1983) CR #73 123. Pretenders “Brass in Pocket (I’m Special)” (1979) NW #90 124. Depeche Mode “Never Let Me Down Again” (1987) CR #75 125. Blondie “One Way Or Another” (1978) NW #68 126. David Bowie “Ashes to Ashes” (1980) CR #74 127. Haircut 100 “Love Plus One” (1982) NW #42 128. Blondie “Rapture” (1980) 129. Bananarama “Cruel Summer” (1983) NW #75 130. The Bangles “Walk Like an Egyptian” (1986) 131. Re-Flex “The Politics of Dancing” (1983) NW #78 132. Public Image Ltd. “Rise” (1986) CR #30 133. Siouxsie & the Banshees “Peek-a-Boo” (1988) CR #42 134. Peter Murphy “Cuts You Up” (1990) CR #44 135. Black Flag “Rise Above” (1981) CR #33 136. Pixies “Debaser” (1989) CR #38 137. R.E.M. “So. Central Rain (I’m Sorry)” (1984) CR #54 138. Squeeze “Pulling Mussels from the Shell” (1980) NW #83 139. The B-52’s “Love Shack” (1989) CR #61 140. The Specials “Ghost Town” (1981) 141. Adam Ant “Goody Two Shoes” (1982) NW #85 142. M “Pop Muzik” (1979) NW #72 143. Men at Work “Who Can It Be Now?” (1981) NW #69 144. The Cars “You Might Think” (1984) NW #71 145. The Replacements “Alex Chilton” (1987) CR #49 146. Gang of Four “I Love a Man in Uniform” (1982) CR #72 147. Visage “Fade to Grey” (1980) NW #67 148. The Cure “A Forest’ (1980) CR #58 149. Sinéad O’Connor “Mandinka” (1987) CR #63 150. The Cure “Boys Don’t Cry” (1979) 151. The Cars “Shake It Up” (1981) NW #93 152. ‘Til Tuesday “Voices Carry” (1985) 153. Bronski Beat “Smalltown Boy” (1984) NW #81 154. A Flock of Seagulls “Wishing (If I Had a Photograph)” (1982) NW #100 155. The Replacements “I Will Dare” (1984) CR #43 156. Suicidal Tendencies “Institutionalized” (1983) CR #32 157. The Smiths “There Is a Light That Never Goes Out” (1986) CR #86 158. The B-52’s “Private Idaho” (1980) 159. Echo & the Bunnymen “The Cutter” (1983) CR #70 160. Dinosaur Jr. “Freak Scene” (1988) CR #34 161. Pixies “Where Is My Mind?” (1988) CR #47 162. Mission of Burma “That’s When I Reach for My Revolver” (1981) CR #37 163. Magazine “A Song from Under the Floorboard” (1980) CR #40 164. B-Movie “Nowhere Girl” (1982) CR #96 165. Bob Mould “See a Little Light” (1989) CR #55 166. 10,000 Maniacs “Like the Weather” (1987) CR #64 167. The Cure “Love Song” (1989) 168. The Dead Milkmen “Punk Rock Girl” (1988) CR #60 169. Julian Cope “World Shut Your Mouth” (1986) CR #82 170. The Police “Every Breath You Take” (1983) 171. Depeche Mode “Everything Counts” (1983) CR #91 172. The The “This Is the Day” (1983) 173. The Smiths “This Charming Man” (1983) CR #68 174. U2 “Sunday Bloody Sunday” (1983) 175. Simple Minds “Alive and Kicking” (1985) NW #98 176. ABC “Poison Arrow’ (1982) 177. The Go-Go’s “Vacation” (1982) NW #91 178. The Human League “Keep Feeling Fascination” (1983) NW #94 179. The Cure “Why Can’t I Be You?” (1987) 180. Nine Inch Nails “Head Like a Hole” (1989) CR #45 181. Faith No More “We Care a Lot” (1985) CR #48 182. The Minutemen “Corona” (1984) CR #50 183. Elvis Costello “Veronica” (1989) CR #62 184. Violent Femmes “Kiss Off” (1983) CR #77 185. Cocteau Twins “Lorelei” (1984) CR #67 186. Orange Juice “Rip It Up” (1982) CR #59 187. World Party “Ship of Fools (Save Me from Tomorrow)” (1986) 188. They Might Be Giants “Don’t Let’s Start” (1986) CR #94 189. Depeche Mode “Personal Jesus” (1989) 190. Morrissey “Every Day Is Like Sunday” (1988) 191. The Police “Spirits in the Material World” (1981) 192. Erasure “Oh L’Amour” (1986) 193. U2 “Pride (In the Name of Love)” (1984) 194. Duran Duran “Rio” (1982) 195. Concrete Blonde “Still in Hollywood” (1987) CR #69 196. Psychedelic Furs “If You Leave” (1986) 197. The Smiths “Girlfriend in a Coma” (1987) CR #78 198. Nik Kershaw “Wouldn’t It Be Good” (1984) 199. The Clash “Train in Vain “Stand by Me)” (1979) 200. Alphaville “Forever Young” (1984) 201. Killing Joke “Eighties” (1984) CR #80 202. Berlin “Sex (I’m A…)” (1983) 203. Violent Femmes “Add It Up” (1983) 204. Eurythmics “Here Comes the Rain Again” (1983) 205. Frankie Goes to Hollywood “Two Tribes” (1984) 206. Elvis Costello “What’s So Funny ‘Bout Peace, Love and Understanding” (1979) 207. The Replacements “Bastards of Young” (1985) CR #90 208. R.E.M. “The One I Love” (1987) CR #98 209. Lone Justice “Ways to Be Wicked” (1985) CR #99 210. The Waterboys “The Whole of the Moon” (1985) 211. The Dead Milkmen “Bitchin’ Camaro” (1985) 212. Suzanne Vega “Luka” (1987) 213. Heaven 17 “Let Me Go” (1982) 214. Eurythmics “Love Is a Stranger” (1982) 215. Elvis Costello “Everyday I Write the Book” (1983) 216. The Romantics “Talking in Your Sleep” (1983) 217. Tubeway Army “Are Friends Electric?” (1979) 218. Culture Club “Karma Chamelon” (1983) 219. Tears for Fears “Pale Shelter” (1982) 220. R.E.M. “Fall on Me” (1986) 221. Dead Kennedys “Holiday in Cambodia” (1980) CR #87 222. Martha & the Muffins “Echo Beach” (1980) 223. X “Johnny Hit and Run Paulene” (1980) CR #88 224. U2 “With or Without You” (1987) 225. The Feelies “Fa cé-La” (1979) CR #92 226. The Smithereens “Behind the Wall of Sleep” (1986) CR #93 227. Fugazi “Waiting Room” (1988) CR #95 228. Lloyd Cole & the Commotions “Perfect Skin” (1984) CR #97 229. The Jam “That’s Entertainment” (1980) 230. Joe Jackson “Is She Really Going Out with Him?” (1979) 231. The Meat Puppets “Lake of Fire” (1984) 232. Nirvana “About a Girl” (1989) 233. The B-52’s “Channel Z” (1989) 234. Happy Mondays “24 Hour Party People” (1987) 235. Joe Jackson “Steppin’ Out” (1982) 236. U2 “New Year’s Day” (1983) 237. Red Hot Chili Peppers “Higher Ground” (1989) 238. Stephen Duffy “Kiss Me” (1985) 239. Billy Idol “Rebel Yell” (1983) 240. Depeche Mode “Enjoy the Silence” (1990) 241. Yello “Oh Yeah” (1985) 242. Tears for Fears “Head Over Heels” (1985) 243. The Fixx “Red Skies” (1982) 244. Tears for Fears “Change” (1983) 245. Culture Club “Time (Clock of the Heart)” (1982) 246. Depeche Mode “Master and Servant” (1984) 247. Adam & the Ants “Stand and Deliver” (1981) 248. Howard Jones “No One Is to Blame” (1985) 249. Ministry “Every Day Is Halloween” (1984) 250. The Cure “Let’s Go to Bed” (1982) 251. Erasure “Chains of Love” (1988) 252. Elvis Costello & the Attractions “Radio Radio” (1978) 253. Madness “One Step Beyond” (1979) 254. INXS “The One Thing” (1982) 255. INXS “What You Need’ (1985) Resources/Related Links: Dave’s Music Database: “Other Genre/Category Song Lists” First posted 6/9/2017; last updated 9/24/2022.

Top 100 Modern Folk Songs: 1980-2022

Modern Folk Songs, 1980-2022: Top 100 Songs

Songs on this list fall under various banners including folk, folk-rock, modern folk, alt-country, and Americana. Most genre lists at Dave’s Music Database are created by aggregating best-of lists from multiple sources. In this case, it was difficult to find lists focused on modern folk. As such, this list was compiled by pulling together any acts from 1980 forward who appeared on any best-of folk or folk rock song lists and folk/Americana album lists. Those applicable songs were then listed in order of overall ranking on Dave’s Music Database. Click here to see other genre-specific song lists. 1. Tracy Chapman “Fast Car” (1988) 2. Johnny Cash “Hurt” (2003) 3. The Lumineers “Ho Hey” (2012) 4. Jeff Buckley “Hallelujah” (1994) 5. Passenger “Let Her Go” (2012) 6. Suzanne Vega “Luka” (1987) 7. Tracy Chapman “Give Me One Reason” (1995) 8. Shawn Colvin “Sunny Came Home” (1996) 9. Mumford & Sons “I Will Wait” (2012) 10. k.d. lang “Constant Craving” (1992) 11. Kacey Musgraves “Follow Your Arrow” (2013) 12. Grateful Dead “Touch of Grey” (1987) 13. Leonard Cohen “Hallelujah” (1984) 14. Indigo Girls “Closer to Fine” (1989) 15. Neil Young “Harvest Moon” (1992) 16. Jeff Buckley “Last Goodbye” (1994) 17. Tracy Chapman “Talkin’ ‘Bout a Revolution” (1988) 18. Mumford & Sons “Little Lion Man” (2009) 19. Ray LaMontagne “You Are the Best Thing” (2008) 20. Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova as The Swell Season “Falling Slowly” (2007) 21. Brandi Carlile “The Joke” (2017) 22. The Soggy Bottom Boys “Man of Constant Sorrow” (2001) 23. Bruce Springsteen “Atlantic City” (1982) 24. The Lumineers “Ophelia” (2016) 25. Willie Nelson & Merle Haggard “Pancho and Lefty” (1983) 26. Leonard Cohen “You Want It Darker” (2016) 27. Shawn Colvin “I Don’t Know Why” (1992) 28. The Lumineers “Stubborn Love” (2012) 29. Mumford & Sons “Believe” (2015) 30. Chris Stapleton “Tennessee Whiskey” (2015) 31. Bob Dylan “Things Have Changed” (2000) 32. Mumford & Sons “Guiding Light” (2018) 33. Bruce Cockburn “If I Had a Rocket Launcher” (1984) 34. Mumford & Sons “The Cave” (2009) 35. Beck “Lost Cause” (2002) 36. Tracy Chapman “Crossroads” (1989) 37. Indigo Girls “Galileo” (1992) 38. Tracy Chapman “Baby Can I Hold You” (1988) 39. Brandi Carlile “The Story (I Was Made for You)” (2007) 40. Loreena McKennitt “The Mummer’s Dance” (1997) 41. Kacey Musgraves “Justified” (2021) 42. Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit “If We Were Vampires” (2017) 43. The Lumineers “Gloria” (2019) 44. Chris Stapleton “Broken Halos” (2017) 45. Bon Iver “Holocene” (2011) 46. Bruce Cockburn “Lovers in a Dangerous Time” (1984) 47. The Head and the Heart “All We Ever Knew” (2016) 48. Suzanne Vega & Joe Jackson “Left of Center” (1986) 49. Kacey Musgraves “Rainbow” (2018) 50. Indigo Girls “Power of Two” (1994) 51. Fleet Foxes “White Winter Hymnal” (2008) 52. Bright Eyes “First Day of My Life” (2005) 53. Bruce Springsteen “The Ghost of Tom Joad” (1995) 54. The Highwomen “Crowded Table” (2019) 55. Kacey Musgraves “Space Cowboy” (2018) 56. Lucinda Williams “Righteously” (2003) 57. Bon Iver “Skinny Love” (2007) 58. Indigo Girls “Hammer and a Nail” (1990) 59. Tracy Chapman “Telling Stories (There Is Friction in the Space Between)” (2000) 60. Bruce Springsteen “Devils & Dust” (2005) 61. The Avett Brothers “Ain’t No Man” (2016) 62. Chris Stapleton “Starting Over” (2020) 63. The Head and the Heart “Missed Connection” (2019) 64. The Lumineers “Life in the City” (2019) 65. Sharon Van Etten “Seventeen” (2019) 66. Mumford & Sons “The Wolf” (2015) 67. Neko Case, k.d. lang, & Laura Veirs “Atomic Number” (2016) 68. Robert Plant & Alison Krauss “Please Read the Letter” (2007) 69. Robert Plant & Alison Krauss “Gone Gone Gone (Done Moved On)” (2007) 70. Sufjan Stevens “Chicago” (2005) 71. Bob Dylan “Everything Is Broken” (1989) 72. Leonard Cohen “Everybody Knows” (1988) 73. Bruce Springsteen “We Shall Overcome” (1998) 74. Suzanne Vega “Solitude Standing” (1987) 75. Bob Dylan “Mississippi” (2001) 76. Suzanne Vega “Tom’s Diner” (1987) 77. Sturgill Simpson “In Bloom” (2016) 78. Neko Case “Hold on Hold On” (2006) 79. The Head and the Heart “Lost in My Mind” (2011) 80. Neil Young “Philadelphia” (1994) 81. Ray LaMontagne & the Pariah Dogs “Beg, Steal or Borrow” (2010) 82. Shawn Colvin “Steady On” (1989) 83. Brandi Carlile “Right on Time” (2021) 84. Tracy Chapman “All That You Have Is Your Soul” (1989) 85. Indigo Girls “Get Together” (1987) 86. Bob Dylan “Dignity” (1994) 87. Shawn Colvin “Round of Blues” (1992) 88. Shawn Colvin “Diamond in the Rough” (1989) 89. The Avett Brothers “Kick Drum Heart” (2009) 90. Fleet Foxes “Helplessness Blues” (2011) 91. The Lumineers “Cleopatra” (2016) 92. Mumford & Sons “Lover of the Light” (2012) 93. Sharon Van Etten & Angel Olsen “Like I Used To” (2021) 94. The Head and the Heart “Rhythm & Blues” (2016) 95. Willie Nelson “City of New Orleans” (1984) 96. Ray LaMontagne “Strong Enough” (2020) 97. Neko Case “Last Lion of Albion” (2018) 98. Jason Isbell “24 Frames’ (2015) 99. Josh Ritter “Getting Ready to Get Down” (2015) 100. Robert Plant & Alison Krauss “Can’t Let Go” (2021) Resources/Related Links: Dave’s Music Database: “Other Genre/Category Song Lists” Dave’s Music Database: “The Top 100 Folk/Folk Rock Songs (up through 1979)” Dave’s Music Database: “The Top 100 Folk/Americana Albums of All Time” First posted 9/11/2022; last updated 9/16/2022.

The DMDB Top 1000 Albums of All Time

Dave’s Music Database: The Top 1000 Albums of All Time

Below is a list of the top 1000 albums of all time, according to Dave’s Music Database. To see more details about the creation and goals of this list, click on the appropriate link below or just head straight to the list. The List How This List Was Created The Lists That Went into Making This List Representing Multiple Genres What Constitutes an Album Why Chronological and Not Ranked Multiple Versions of the Same Album or Work The DMDB 100 (a ranking of just the top 100) Honorable Mention (former DMDB 1000 albums)

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Pre-1800’s Giovanni Pierluigi Palestrina (composer) Missa Papae Marcelli (Pope Marcellus Mass) (classical, composed 1562) Thomas Tallis (composer) Spem in Alium, Motet for 40 Voices (1570) Claudio Monteverdi (composer) L’Orfeo (Orpheus) (opera, composed 1607, first performed: 2/24/1607) Claudio Monteverdi (composer) Vespers of the Blessed Virgin (classical, composed 1610) Claudio Monteverdi L’incoronazione di Poppea (The Coronation of Poppaea) (opera: 1642) Henry Purcell (composer) Dido and Aeneas (performed 12/1/1687) Johann Pachelbel (composer) “Canon in D major” (1694) George Friedrich Handel (composer) Water Music (classical, composed 1717, performed 7/17/1717) Johann Sebastian Bach (composer) Sonatas and Partitas for Violin (classical, composed 1720) Johann Sebastian Bach (composer) Brandenburg Concertos (classical, composed 1719-21) Johann Sebastian Bach (composer) Cello Suites (classical, composed 1717-23) George Friedrich Händel (composer) Giulio Cesare in Egitto (Julius Caesar in Egypt) (classical, composed 1724) Antonio Vivaldi (composer) The Four Seasons (classical, composed 1725) Johann Sebastian Bach (composer) St. Matthew Passion (classical, composed 1729-36) Johann Sebastian Bach (composer) Goldberg Variations (classical, composed 1741) George Friedrich Händel (composer) Messiah (classical, composed 1741, performed 4/13/1742) Johann Sebastian Bach (composer) Mass in B Minor (classical, composed 1733-1749) Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (composer) Piano Concerto No. 20 (classical, composed 1785, performed 2/11/1785) Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (composer) Piano Concerto No. 21 (classical, composed 1785, performed 3/10/1785) Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (composer) Piano Concerto No. 23 in A major (classical, composed 1786) Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (composer) Piano Concerto No. 24 in C minor (classical, composed 1786) Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (composer) Le Nozze di Figaro (The Marriage of Figaro) (opera, composed 1786) Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (composer) Don Giovanni (opera, composed 1787, performed 10/29/1787) Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (composer) Symphony No. 40 in G minor (classical, composed 1788) Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (composer) Symphony No. 41 “Jupiter” (classical, composed 1788) Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (composer) Requiem Mass in D minor (classical, composed 1791) Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (composer) Clarinet Concerto in A Major (classical, composed 1791) Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (composer) Die Zauberflote (The Magic Flute) (classical, composed 1791) 1800-1899 Ludwig van Beethoven (composer) Piano Concerto No. 3 (classical, composed 1800) Ludwig van Beethoven (composer) Symphony No. 3 in E-flat “Sinfonia Eroica” (classical, composed 1804) Ludwig van Beethoven (composer) Fidelio (classical, composed 1805) Ludwig van Beethoven (composer) Violin Concerto in D Major (classical, composed 1806) Ludwig van Beethoven (composer) Piano Concerto No. 4 (classical, composed 1806) Ludwig van Beethoven (composer) Symphony No. 5 (classical, composed 1808, performed 12/22/1808) Ludwig van Beethoven (composer) Symphony No. 6 “Pastorale” (classical, composed 1808, performed 12/22/1808) Ludwig van Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 5 “Emperor” (classical, performed 1/13/1811) Ludwig van Beethoven (composer) Symphony No. 7 (classical, composed 1812, performed 12/8/1813) Gioacchino Rossini (composer) Il Barbiere di Siviglia (The Barber of Seville) (opera, composed 1816) Franz Schubert (composer) Piano Quintet in A Major (“Trout”) (classical, composed 1819) Ludwig van Beethoven (composer) Piano Sonatas (32) (classical, composed 1795-1822) Ludwig van Beethoven (composer) Symphony No. 9 (classical, composed 1824, performed 5/7/1824) Ludwig van Beethoven (composer) String Quartets (16) (classical, composed 1798-1826) Hector Berlioz (composer) Symphonie Fantastique (classical, composed 1830) Giuseppe Verdi (composer) Rigoletto: La Donna E Mobile (composed 1851, performed 3/11/1851) Giuseppe Verdi (composer) La Traviata (The Fallen Woman) (opera, composed 1853, performed 3/6/1853) Richard Wagner (composer) Tristan Und Isolde (opera, composed 1857-59, performed 6/10/1865) Franz Schubert (composer) Symphony No. 8 (Unfinished) (classical, composed 1822, performed 12/17/1865) Giuseppe Verdi (composer) Aida (opera, composed 1871, performed 12/1871) Richard Wagner (composer) Der Ring Des Nibelungen (The Ring Cycle) (opera, composed 1848-1874, performed 8/17/1876) Modest Mussorgsky (composer) Tableaux d'une Exposition (Pictures at an Exhibition) (classical, composed for piano in 1874, reworked for orchestra in 1922, performed 10/19/1923) Georges Bizet (composer) Carmen (opera, composed 1873-74, performed 3/3/1875) Pyotr Il’yich Tchaikovsky (composer) Piano Concerto No. 1 (classical, composed 1875, performed 10/15/1875) Johannes Brahms (composer) Symphony No. 4 (classical, composed 1885) Gustav Mahler (composer) Symphony No. 1 in D major (Titan) (classical, composed 1884-88, performed 11/20/1889) Antonin Dvorák (composer) Symphony No. 9 in E minor (From the New World) (classical, composed 1893, performed 5/24/1893) Pyotr Il’yich Tchaikovsky (composer) Symphony No. 6 (Pathetique) (classical, composed 1893, performed 10/28/1893) Gustav Mahler (composer) Symphony No. 2 in C minor “Resurrection” (composed: 1888-94, performed 12/13/1895) Giacomo Puccini (composer) La Bohème (The Bohemian Life) (opera, composed 1896, performed 2/1/1896) 1900-1929 Giacomo Puccini (composer) Tosca (opera, composed 1900, performed 1/14/1900) Sergei Rachmaninov (composer) Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor (classical, composed 1901, performed 11/9/1901) Gustav Mahler (composer) Symphony No. 5 (composed 1902, p. 10/18/1904) Richard Strauss (composer) Der Rosenkavalier (The Knight of the Rose) (classical, composed 1911, performed 1/26/1911) Igor Stravinsky (composer) Le Sacre Du Printemps (The Rite of Spring) (ballet, composed 1913, performed 5/29/1913) Arthur Collins The King of the Ragtime Singers (compilation: 1902-1916, released 2014) Giacomo Puccini (composer) Turandot (opera, composed 1926, stage debut: 4/25/1926) Jerome Kern (music) & Oscar Hammerstein II (lyrics) Show Boat (stage debut: 12/27/27, cast recorded 1933, soundtrack released 1951) Paul Whiteman Masterpieces (compilation: 1920-27, released 2015) Louis Armstrong The Complete Hot Five and Hot Seven Recordings (box set, recorded 1925-28, released 8/22/2000) Henry Burr Anthology: The Original King of Pop (compilation: 1903-28, released 2005) 1930-1939 Various Artists compiled by Harry Smith Anthology of American Folk Music (box set, recorded 1926-32, released 1952) Bessie Smith The Essential (compilation, 1923-33, released 9/23/1997) Charlie Patton Founder of the Delta Blues (compilation: 1929-34, released 1969) George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin, Dubose Heyward (composers) Porgy and Bess (opera/musical, composed 1935, stage debut: 9/30/35) Robert Johnson The Complete Recordings (compilation: 1936-37, released 8/28/90) Benny Goodman The Complete Legendary Carnegie Hall Concert (live, recorded 1/16/38) Harold Arlen, Yip Harburg, & Herbert Stothart (composers) The Wizard of Oz (soundtrack, 8/25/39) 1940-1949 Woody Guthrie Dust Bowl Ballads (7/40) Billy Murray Anthology: The Denver Nightingale (compilation: 1903-40, released 2002) Glenn Miller Glenn Miller (aka “Glenn Miller & His Orchestra”) (compilation: 1939-42, charted 3/24/45) Duke Ellington The Blanton-Webster Band (box set: 1939-42, released 10/25/90) Richard Rodgers/Oscar Hammerstein II (composers) Oklahoma! (stage debut: 3/31/43, cast recording released 12/4/44, soundtrack released 8/1/55) Béla Bartók (composer) Concerto for Orchestra (classical, composed 1944, performed 12/1/44) Glenn Miller Very Best of (compilation: 1939-44, released 2010) Richard Rodgers (music) & Oscar Hammerstein II (lyrics) Carousel (stage debut: 4/19/45, cast recording released 5/21/45, soundtrack charted 2/25/56) Bing Crosby Merry Christmas (aka ‘White Christmas’) (Christmas, charted 12/1/45) Irving Berlin (music & lyrics) Annie Get Your Gun (stage debut: 5/16/46, cast recording released 7/8/46, soundtrack charted 6/10/50) Al Jolson Songs He Made Famous (soundtrack, released 11/46) Cole Porter (composer) Kiss Me, Kate (stage debut: 12/30/48, cast recording released 1949, soundtrack charted 1/23/54) Richard Rodgers/Oscar Hammerstein II (composers) South Pacific (stage debut: 4/4/49, cast released 5/9/49, soundtrack released 3/19/58) Al Jolson Best of (compilation: 1913-49; released 6/27/1007) 1950-1955 Miles Davis Birth of the Cool (recorded 1/21/49 to 3/9/50, released 1957) Frank Loesser (composer) Guys and Dolls (stage debut: 11/24/50, cast recording: 12/3/50, released 1/8/51) Guy Lombardo The Band Played On: 25 Number One Hits! (compilation: 1927-50, released 2002) Richard Rodgers/Oscar Hammerstein II (composers) The King and I (stage debut: 3/29/51, cast recording charted 5/28/51, soundtrack charted 7/21/56) George & Ira Gershwin (composers) An American in Paris (classical, soundtrack released 10/4/51) Jane Froman With a Song in My Heart (soundtrack, charted 3/29/52) Jackie Gleason Music for Lovers Only (charted 1/17/53) Hank Williams 40 Greatest Hits (compilation: 1947-53, released 1978) Mario Lanza The Student Prince (soundtrack, charted 7/10/54) Frank Sinatra In the Wee Small Hours (charted 5/28/55) Muddy Waters His Best 1947-55 (includes all of Best of, compilation: 1947-55, released 1997) Elvis Presley The Sun Sessions (aka Sunrise, The Sun Years, or The Sun Collection) (archives, recorded 1954-55, released 3/76) 1956 Frank Sinatra Songs for Swingin’ Lovers! (1/16/56) Alan Jay Lerner/Frederick Loewe (composers) My Fair Lady (stage debut: 3/15/56, cast recorded 3/24/56, cast album charted 4/28/56, soundtrack charted 10/10/64) Elvis Presley Elvis Presley (aka Rock ‘N’ Roll) (3/23/56) Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Cole Porter Song Book (covers, released 3/27/56) Harry Belafonte Calypso (charted 6/16/56) Duke Ellington At Newport (live, recorded 7/7/56) Sonny Rollins Saxophone Colossus (recorded 3/22/56 to 10/5/56) Various Artists The First Rock and Roll Record (1916-56, released 10/20/11) 1957 Little Richard Here’s Little Richard (3/57) Leonard Bernstein/Stephen Sondheim (composers) West Side Story (stage debut: 9/26/57, cast recording charted 3/17/58, soundtrack charted 10/23/61) Elvis Presley Elvis’ Christmas Album (10/57) Buddy Holly & the Crickets The Chirping Crickets (11/27/57) Meredith Willson (composer) The Music Man (stage debut: 12/19/57, cast recording charted 2/24/58, soundtrack charted 8/11/62) Bing Crosby The Definitive Collection (compilation, 1931-57, released 1/24/2006) 1958 Johnny Mathis Johnny’s Greatest Hits (compilation: 1956-58, 3/58) Alan Jay Lerner/Frederick Loewe (composers) Gigi (soundtrack, charted 6/23/58, cast: 1973) Buddy Holly & The Crickets 20 Golden Greats (compilation: 1956-58, released 2/17/78) 1959 Henry Mancini The Music from Peter Gunn (soundtrack, charted 2/9/59) Miles Davis Kind of Blue (recorded 3/2/59 to 4/22/59) Charles Mingus Mingus Ah Um (recorded 5/5/59 to 5/12/59) Jule Styne (music) & Stephen Sondheim (lyrics) Gypsy (stage debut: 5/21/59, cast recording: 5/28/59, soundtrack: 12/15/62) Ornette Coleman The Shape of Jazz to Come (recorded 5/22/59) The Kingston Trio At Large (charted 6/22/59) Dave Brubeck Time Out (released 6/59) Richard Rodgers/Oscar Hammerstein II (composers) The Sound of Music (stage debut: 11/16/59, cast recording released 11/59, soundtrack released 3/65) John Coltrane Giant Steps (recorded 4/1/59 to 12/2/59, released 1960) 1960 Miles Davis/Gil Evans Sketches of Spain (recorded 11/15/59 to 3/10/60) Lionel Bart (composer) Oliver! (musical: 6/30/60; movie: 9/26/68) Muddy Waters At Newport (live, recorded 7/3/60) Elvis Presley G.I. Blues (soundtrack, 10/60) Bobby “Blue” Bland Two Steps from the Blues (compilation: 1956-60, released 11/12/60) Frederick Loewe/Alan Jay Lerner (composers) Camelot (cast recording, stage debut: 12/3/60, soundtrack: 1967) 1961 Judy Garland Judy at Carnegie Hall (live, recorded 4/23/61, released 7/10/61) Bill Evans Trio Sunday at the Village Vanguard (live, recorded 6/25/61; released 10/61) Elvis Presley Blue Hawaii (soundtrack, 10/1/61) Henry Mancini Breakfast at Tiffany’s (soundtrack, charted 10/9/61) 1962 Ray Charles Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music (charted 4/21/62) James Brown Live at the Apollo Volume 1 (live, recorded 10/24/62, released 1/63) Howlin’ Wolf Moanin’ in the Moonlight/Howlin’ Wolf (aka ‘The Rockin’ Chair Album’) (compilations: 1951-62, released in 1959 and 1962) 1963 Stan Getz/João Gilberto Getz/Gilberto (recorded 3/19/63) The Beatles Please Please Me (3/22/63) Bob Dylan The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan (5/27/63) Jerry Herman (composer) Hello, Dolly! (musical: 11/18/63) The Beatles With the Beatles (11/22/63) Patsy Cline 12 Greatest Hits (compilation: 1957-63, released 2/4/73) Elmore James The Sky Is Crying: The History of (compilation: 1951-63; released 4/6/1993) 1964 Eric Dolphy Out to Lunch! (recorded 2/25/64) The Rolling Stones The Rolling Stones (aka ‘England’s Newest Hitmakers’) (4/16/64) The Beatles A Hard Day’s Night (7/10/64) Bob Dylan Another Side of Bob Dylan (8/8/64) Richard M. Sherman/Robert B. Sherman (composers) Mary Poppins (soundtrack, released 8/27/64) Jerry Bock/Sheldon Harnick (composers) Fiddler on the Roof (stage debut: 9/22/64, cast recording charted 10/31/64, soundtrack charted 10/30/71) B.B. King Live at the Regal (live, recorded 11/21/64, released 1965) The Beatles Beatles for Sale (12/4/64) John Coltrane A Love Supreme (recorded 12/9/64, released 2/65) Chuck Berry The Great Twenty-Eight (compilation: 1955-65, released 1982) 1965 Bob Dylan Bringing It All Back Home (3/22/65) Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass Whipped Cream & Other Delights (charted 5/15/65) The Byrds Mr. Tambourine Man (6/21/65) The Beatles Help! (8/6/65) Bob Dylan Highway 61 Revisited (8/30/65) Otis Redding Otis Blue (8/65) Junior Wells with Buddy Guy Hoodoo Man Blues (11/65) The Beatles Rubber Soul (12/3/65) The Who The Who Sings My Generation (12/20/65) Sam Cooke The Man and His Music (compilation: 1951-65, released 2/86) Roy Orbison For the Lonely - 18 Greatest Hits (compilation: 1956-64, released 1/7/89) 1966 The Rolling Stones Aftermath (4/15/66) The Beach Boys Pet Sounds (5/16/66) Bob Dylan The Royal Albert Hall Concert (The Bootleg Series Volume 4) (live, recorded 5/17/66) Bob Dylan Blonde on Blonde (6/20/66) The Mothers of Invention Freak Out! (6/27/66) John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers/Eric Clapton Blues Breakers with Eric Clapton (7/22/66) The Beatles Revolver (8/5/66) Simon & Garfunkel Parsley, Sage, Rosemary & Thyme (9/66) John Kander/Fred Ebb (composers) Cabaret (musical: 11/20/66, movie: ) Bob Dylan Greatest Hits (compilation: 1962-66, released 3/27/67) 1967 The Doors The Doors (1/4/67) The Byrds Younger Than Yesterday (2/6/67) Aretha Franklin I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You (3/10/67) The Velvet Underground & Nico Velvet Underground & Nico (3/12/67) Jefferson Airplane Surrealistic Pillow (charted 3/25/67) The Jimi Hendrix Experience Are You Experienced? (5/12/67) The Beatles Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (6/1/67) Moby Grape Moby Grape (6/67) Albert King Born Under a Bad Sign (7/67) Pink Floyd The Piper at the Gates of Dawn (8/5/67) Byrds Greatest Hits (compilation: 1965-67, released 8/7/67) The Doors Strange Days (9/25/67) Galt MacDermot (music) with Gerome Ragni & James Rado (lyrics) Hair (stage debut: 10/17/67, cast recording charted 8/3/68, soundtrack: 1979) Buffalo Springfield Again (10/30/67) The Moody Blues Days of Future Passed (11/11/67) Cream Disraeli Gears (charted 11/18/67) The Beatles Magical Mystery Tour (11/27/67) The Velvet Underground White Light/White Heat (11/30/67) Love Forever Changes (11/67) The Jimi Hendrix Experience Axis: Bold As Love (12/1/67) The Who Sell Out (12/16/67) Leonard Cohen The Songs of Leonard Cohen (12/27/67) Bob Dylan John Wesley Harding (12/27/67) 1968 The Byrds The Notorious Byrd Brothers (1/3/68) Simon & Garfunkel/Dave Grusin The Graduate (soundtrack, 1/21/68) Johnny Cash At Folsom Prison (live, recorded 1/13/68, released 3/1/68) Aretha Franklin Lady Soul (1/22/68) The Mothers of Invention We’re Only in It for the Money (3/4/68) Simon & Garfunkel Bookends (3/68) The Zombies Odessey & Oracle (4/68) Iron Butterfly In-a-Gadda-Da-Vida (6/14/68) The Small Faces Ogden’s Nut Gone Flake (charted 6/23/68) Cream Wheels of Fire (studio/live, 6/68) The Band Music from Big Pink (7/1/68) Big Brother & the Holding Company Cheap Thrills (8/12/68) The Byrds Sweetheart of the Rodeo (8/30/68) The Jimi Hendrix Experience Electric Ladyland (9/16/68) The MC5 Kick Out the Jams (live, recorded 10/30-31/68, charted 3/8/69) The Beatles The Beatles (aka “The White Album”) (11/22/68) The Kinks Village Green Preservation Society (11/22/68) Van Morrison Astral Weeks (11/68) The Rolling Stones Beggars Banquet (12/6/68) Blood, Sweat & Tears Blood, Sweat & Tears (12/11/68) Various Artists Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First Psychedelic Era 1965-1968 (box set: 1964-68, released 9/72) Bob Dylan & The Band The Basement Tapes (archives, recorded 1967-68, released 6/26/75) Ray Charles Anthology (compilation: 1955-68, charted 10/29/88) 1969 Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin I (1/12/69) Dusty Springfield Dusty in Memphis (1/18/69) Johnny Cash At San Quentin (live, recorded 2/24/69, released 6/4/69) The Grateful Dead Live/Dead (live, recorded 3/2/69, released 11/10/69) The Velvet Underground The Velvet Underground (3/31/69) Bob Dylan Nashville Skyline (4/9/69) Sly & the Family Stone Stand! (charted 4/26/69) Chicago Chicago Transit Authority (4/69) The Flying Burrito Brothers The Gilded Palace of Sin (charted 5/3/69) Neil Young Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere (5/14/69) The Who Tommy (5/23/69) Crosby, Stills & Nash Crosby, Stills & Nash (5/29/69) Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band Trout Mask Replica (6/16/69) Isaac Hayes Hot Buttered Soul (charted 7/12/69) Blind Faith Blind Faith (7/21/69) Various Artists Woodstock (live soundtrack, recorded 8/15-18/69, released 8/70) The Stooges The Stooges (charted 8/23/69) Nick Drake Five Leaves Left (9/1/69) Miles Davis In a Silent Way (charted 9/6/69) Creedence Clearwater Revival Green River (charted 9/13/69) The Band The Band (9/22/69) The Beatles Abbey Road (9/26/69) King Crimson In the Court of the Crimson King (10/10/69) Frank Zappa Hot Rats (10/10/69) Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin II (10/22/69) The Rolling Stones Let It Bleed (11/28/69) Creedence Clearwater Revival Willy and the Poor Boys (charted 12/13/69) The Rolling Stones Get Yer Ya Ya’s Out (live, recorded 11/28/69, released 9/4/70) Fairport Convention Liege and Lief (12/69) Willie Dixon/various artists The Chess Box (compilation: 1951-69, released 1988) Various Artists produced by Phil Spector Back to Mono (box set: 1958-69, released 11/12/91) 1970 Jimi Hendrix Band of Gypsys (live, recorded 12/31/69 to 1/1/70, charted 5/2/70) Simon & Garfunkel Bridge Over Troubled Water (1/26/70) Black Sabbath Black Sabbath (2/13/70) The Who Live at Leeds (live, recorded 2/14/70, released 5/16/70) Van Morrison Moondance (2/28/70) Crosby, Stills & Nash Déjà Vu (3/11/70) James Taylor Sweet Baby James (charted 3/14/70) Randy Newman 12 Songs (4/70) The Beatles Let It Be (5/8/70) Miles Davis Bitches Brew (charted 5/16/70) Deep Purple In Rock (charted 6/3/70) Grateful Dead Workingman’s Dead (6/14/70) The Stooges Fun House (7/7/70) Traffic John Barleycorn Must Die (charted 7/11/70) Creedence Clearwater Revival Cosmo’s Factory (charted 7/25/70) Neil Young After the Gold Rush (8/31/70) Velvet Underground Loaded (8/31/70) Black Sabbath Paranoid (charted 9/19/70) Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin III (10/5/70) Santana Abraxas (charted 10/10/70) Grateful Dead American Beauty (11/1/70) Nick Drake Bryter Layter (11/1/70) Derek and the Dominos Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs (charted 11/21/70) Andrew Lloyd Webber/Tim Rice (composers) Jesus Christ Superstar (studio: 11/21/70, stage debut: 10/12/71, soundtrack: 6/30/73) Cat Stevens Tea for the Tillerman (11/23/70) George Harrison All Things Must Pass (11/27/70) John Lennon Plastic Ono Band (12/11/70) Simon & Garfunkel Greatest Hits (compilation: 1964-70, released 6/20/72) The Jimi Hendrix Experience The Ultimate Experience (compilation: 1966-70, released 11/92) The Beatles 1 (compilation: 1962-70, released 11/14/00) 1971 Janis Joplin Pearl (1/11/71) Carole King Tapestry (2/10/71) The Allman Brothers At Fillmore East (live, recorded 3/12/71 to 3/13/71, released 7/71) Jethro Tull Aqualung (charted 3/19/71) Yes The Yes Album (3/19/71) The Rolling Stones Sticky Fingers (4/23/71) The Doors L.A. Woman (4/29/71) Marvin Gaye What’s Going On (5/21/71) Rod Stewart Every Picture Tells a Story (charted 6/19/71) Joni Mitchell Blue (6/22/71) The Who Who’s Next (8/14/71) John Lennon Imagine (9/9/71) T-Rex Electric Warrior (9/24/71) Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin IV (11/8/71) Sly & the Family Stone There’s a Riot Goin’ On (charted 11/13/71) Yes Fragile (11/26/71) The Rolling Stones Hot Rocks 1964-71 (compilation: 1964-71, released 12/15/71) David Bowie Hunky Dory (12/17/71) Janis Joplin Greatest Hits (compilation: 1967-71, charted 7/14/73) The Doors The Best of (compilation: 1966-71, charted 8/8/87) Various Artists Hitsville USA: The Motown Singles Collection 1959-1971 (box set: 1959-71, released 11/13/92) 1972 Neil Young Harvest (2/14/72) Nick Drake Pink Moon (2/25/72) Deep Purple Machine Head (3/25/72) Todd Rundgren Something/Anything? (charted 3/25/72) The Rolling Stones Exile on Main Street (5/12/72) David Bowie The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars (6/6/72) Led Zeppelin How the West Was Won (live box set, recorded 6/25/72 and 6/27/72, released 5/27/03) Jimmy Cliff et al The Harder They Come (soundtrack, released 7/7/72) Roxy Music Roxy Music (charted 7/29/72) Curtis Mayfield Superfly (soundtrack, 7/72) Deep Purple Made in Japan (live, recorded 8/15/72 to 8/17/72, charted 4/21/73) Neil Diamond Hot August Night (live, recorded 8/24/72, charted 12/9/72) Yes Close to the Edge (9/13/72) Stevie Wonder Talking Book (10/27/72) The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band Will the Circle Be Unbroken (10/72) Lou Reed Transformer (11/8/72) Steely Dan Can’t Buy a Thrill (11/72) The Temptations Anthology (compilation: 1964-72, released 8/23/73) John Denver Greatest Hits (compilation: 1969-72, released 11/15/73) Creedence Clearwater Revival Chronicle (compilation: 1968-72, charted 3/6/76) 1973 Gram Parsons G.P. (1/73) Pink Floyd Dark Side of the Moon (3/1/73) Roxy Music For Your Pleasure (3/23/73) Led Zeppelin Houses of the Holy (3/28/73) Bob Marley & the Wailers Catch a Fire (4/13/73) David Bowie Aladdin Sane (4/13/73) Iggy & the Stooges Raw Power (charted 4/28/73) Al Green Call Me (charted 5/19/73) Mike Oldfield Tubular Bells (5/25/73) ZZ Top Tres Hombres (7/26/73) Lou Reed Berlin (7/73) Various Artists American Graffiti (soundtrack, 8/2/73) Stevie Wonder Innervisions (8/3/73) Marvin Gaye Let’s Get It On (8/28/73) New York Dolls New York Dolls (charted 9/1/73) Lynyrd Skynyrd Pronounced Leh-Nerd Skin-Nerd (charted 9/22/73) Elton John Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (10/5/73) Genesis Selling England by the Pound (charted 10/13/73) Herbie Hancock Head Hunters (10/13/73) The Who Quadrophenia (10/19/73) Paul McCartney & Wings Band on the Run (12/5/73) Neil Young Tonight’s the Night (recorded 1973, released 7/12/75) Al Green Greatest Hits (compilation: 1971-73, charted 3/22/75) The Modern Lovers The Modern Lovers (recorded 1973, released 1976) Sly & the Family Stone Anthology (includes all of 1970’s Greatest Hits) (compilation: 1968-73, released 1981) 1974 Joni Mitchell Court and Spark (1/17/74) Gram Parsons Grievous Angel (charted 2/16/74) Steely Dan Pretzel Logic (2/20/74) Big Star Radio City (2/74) Richard & Linda Thompson I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight (4/74) David Bowie Diamond Dogs (5/24/74) Bad Company Bad Company (6/26/74) Neil Young On the Beach (7/16/74) Eric Clapton 461 Ocean Boulevard (charted 7/20/74) Stevie Wonder Fulfillingness’ First Finale (7/22/74) Bob Marley & The Wailers Natty Dread (10/25/74) Kraftwerk Autobahn (11/1/74) Elton John Greatest Hits (compilation: 1970-74, released 11/4/74) Genesis The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway (11/18/74) Supertramp Crime of the Century (charted 12/7/74) Various Artists Atlantic Rhythm & Blues (box set: 1947-74, released 10/15/91) Aretha Franklin Queen of Soul: The Very Best of (compilation: 1967-74, released 10/17/94) 1975 Bob Dylan Blood on the Tracks (1/17/75) Led Zeppelin Physical Graffiti (2/24/75) Earth, Wind & Fire That’s the Way of the World (soundtrack, charted 3/15/75) Aerosmith Toys in the Attic (4/8/75) Elton John Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy (5/19/75) John Kander & Fred Ebb (composers) Chicago (musical: 6/3/1975; soundtrack released 1/14/2003) Fleetwood Mac Fleetwood Mac (7/11/75) Bob Marley & the Wailers Live! (At the Lyceum) (live, recorded 7/18/75, released 12/19/75) Willie Nelson Red Headed Stranger (charted 7/26/75) Bruce Springsteen Born to Run (8/25/75) Kiss Alive! (live, 9/10/75) Pink Floyd Wish You Were Here (9/15/75) Brian Eno Another Green World (9/75) Patti Smith Horses (11/8/75) Queen A Night at the Opera (11/21/75) Peter Frampton Frampton Comes Alive! (live, recorded 3/24/75 to 11/22/75, charted 1/31/76) Parliament Mothership Connection (12/15/75) Big Star Third/Sister Lovers (recorded 1975, released 7/78) 1976 Bob Dylan Desire (1/16/76) David Bowie Station to Station (1/23/76) Boz Scaggs Silk Degrees (charted 3/20/76) Rush 2112 (charted 4/10/76) Ramones Ramones (4/23/76) Aerosmith Rocks (charted 5/29/76) Boston Boston (8/25/76) Stevie Wonder Songs in the Key of Life (9/28/76) Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band Night Moves (10/1/76) Abba Arrival (10/11/76) James Taylor Greatest Hits (compilation: 1968-76, released 11/1/76) Andrew Lloyd Webber & Tim Rice (composers) Evita (studio album: 11/19/76, stage debut: 6/21/78, soundtrack: 11/12/96) The Doobie Brothers Best of the Doobies (compilation: 1972-76, released 11/20/76) The Band The Last Waltz (live, recorded 11/26/76; released April 1978) Eagles Hotel California (12/8/76) Neil Young Decade (compilation: 1966-76, charted 11/26/77) 1977 David Bowie Low (1/14/77) Pink Floyd Animals (1/23/77) Fleetwood Mac Rumours (2/4/77) Television Marquee Moon (2/8/77) The Clash The Clash (4/8/77) Kraftwerk Trans-Europa Express (Trans Europe Express) (charted 4/16/77) Bob Marley & The Wailers Exodus (6/3/77) Styx The Grand Illusion (7/7/1977) Elvis Costello My Aim Is True (7/22/77) Iggy Pop Lust for Life (charted 9/17/77) Billy Joel The Stranger (9/29/77) Steely Dan Aja (10/8/77) David Bowie Heroes (10/14/77) Meat Loaf Bat Out of Hell (10/21/77) The Sex Pistols Never Mind the Bollocks, Here’s the Sex Pistols (10/28/77) Various Artists (Bee Gees et al) Saturday Night Fever (soundtrack, 11/15/77) Eric Clapton Slowhand (charted 11/26/77) Wire Pink Flag (11/77) Jackson Browne Running on Empty (12/6/77) Elvis Presley 30 #1 Hits (compilation: 1956-77, released 9/24/02) 1978 Van Halen Van Halen (2/10/78) Elvis Costello & The Attractions This Year’s Model (3/17/78) Various Artists (including Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta) Grease (soundtrack, 4/14/78) Cheap Trick At Budokan (live, recorded 4/78, charted 2/24/79) Bruce Springsteen Darkness on the Edge of Town (6/2/78) The Cars The Cars (6/6/78) The Rolling Stones Some Girls (6/9/78) Dire Straits Dire Straits (charted 7/22/78) Devo Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo (7/78) Blondie Parallel Lines (charted 9/16/78) Funkadelic One Nation Under a Groove (charted 10/7/78) Billy Joel 52nd Street (charted 10/28/78) The Police Outlandos D’Amour (11/2/78) The Jam All Mod Cons (11/3/78) Steve Miller Band Greatest Hits 1974-1978 (compilation: 1974-78, released 11/15/78) Rod Stewart Greatest Hits (compilation: 1971-78, charted 11/24/79) 1979 Elvis Costello & the Attractions Armed Forces (1/5/79) Bee Gees Spirits Having Flown (charted 2/17/79) Stephen Sondheim (composer) Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street (stage debut: 3/1/79, cast: 1979, soundtrack charted 1/5/08) Supertramp Breakfast in America (charted 3/31/79) Joy Division Unknown Pleasures (6/14/79) Neil Young & Crazy Horse Rust Never Sleeps (7/2/79) AC/DC Highway to Hell (8/3/79) Talking Heads Fear of Music (8/3/79) The B-52s The B-52s (charted 8/4/79) Michael Jackson Off the Wall (8/10/79) Led Zeppelin In Through the Out Door (8/15/79) Eagles The Long Run (9/24/79) Gang of Four Entertainment! (9/79) Buzzcocks Singles Going Steady (compilation: 1977-79, released 9/79) The Police Reggatta De Blanc (10/5/79) Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers Damn the Torpedoes (10/19/79) The Specials The Specials (10/19/79) Public Image Ltd. Metal Box (aka “Second Edition”) (11/23/79) Pink Floyd The Wall (11/30/79) The Clash London Calling (12/14/79) Aerosmith Greatest Hits (compilation: 1973-79, charted 11/29/80) Led Zeppelin Mothership (compilation: 1969-79, released 11/12/2007) 1980 Pretenders Pretenders (1/7/80) Billy Joel Glass Houses (3/10/80) Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band Against the Wind (charted 3/15/80) Peter Gabriel Peter Gabriel (third album) (5/30/80) Queen The Game (6/30/80) Joy Division Closer (7/18/80) AC/DC Back in Black (7/25/80) Dexy’s Midnight Runners Searching for the Young Soul Rebels (charted 7/26/80) David Bowie Scary Monsters (9/12/80) Dead Kennedys Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables (charted 9/13/80) Ozzy Osbourne Blizzard of Ozz (charted 9/20/80) Claude-Michel Schönberg (music) with Alain Boublil & Herbert Kretzmer (lyrics) Les Misérables (stage debut: 9/22/80, cast: 10/8/85, soundtrack: 12/21/12) Kenny Rogers Greatest Hits (compilation: 1977-80, released 9/23/80) The Police Zenyatta Mondatta (10/3/80) Talking Heads Remain in Light (10/8/80) Bruce Springsteen The River (10/10/80) John Lennon/Yoko Ono Double Fantasy (11/17/80) REO Speedwagon Hi Infidelity (11/21/80) Blondie Best of (compilation: 1976-80, charted 10/30/81) John Lennon The Collection (compilation: 1969-80, released 11/1/1982) Frank Sinatra Best of the Best (compilation: 1953-80; released 11/15/2011) 1981 Styx Paradise Theater (charted 1/31/81) Phil Collins Face Value (2/9/81) Rush Moving Pictures (2/12/81) Motörhead No Sleep ‘Til Hammersmith (live, recorded 3/28/80 to 3/30/81, charted 6/27/81) Foreigner 4 (7/2/81) Journey Escape (7/17/81) The Rolling Stones Tattoo You (8/30/81) The Police Ghost in the Machine (charted 10/2/81) The Human League Dare! (10/16/81) Queen Greatest Hits (compilation: 1973-81, released 11/3/81) Men at Work Business As Usual (11/9/81) Barbra Streisand Memories (released as Love Songs in the UK) (compilation: 1974-81, released 11/81) Black Flag Damaged (12/5/81) Foreigner Records (compilation: 1976-81, released 11/29/82) Bob Dylan Biograph (box: 1962-81, released 11/7/85) Eric Clapton The Cream of Clapton (compilation: 1966-81, released 3/7/95) Carpenters The Singles 1969-1981 (includes all of The Singles 1969-1973) (compilation: 1969-81, released 5/23/00) 1982 Richard & Linda Thompson Shoot Out the Lights (3/15/82) Asia Asia (3/18/82) Iron Maiden The Number of the Beast (3/22/82) Duran Duran Rio (3/29/82) Toto Toto IV (4/8/82) John Cougar (Mellencamp) American Fool (4/12/82) Roxy Music Avalon (charted 6/5/82) ABC Lexicon of Love (6/21/82) Elvis Costello & The Attractions Imperial Bedroom (7/2/82) Bruce Springsteen Nebraska (9/20/82) Prince 1999 (10/27/82) Donald Fagen The Nightfly (charted 10/30/82) Michael Jackson Thriller (11/30/82) Abba Gold: Greatest Hits (compilation: 1974-82, released 9/21/92) The Who Meaty Beaty Big and Bouncy/Ultimate Collection (compilation: 1964-82, released 6/11/02) 1983 Def Leppard Pyromania (1/20/83) U2 War (2/28/83) R.E.M. Murmur (4/11/83) David Bowie Let’s Dance (4/11/83) Violent Femmes Violent Femmes (4/13/83) Various Artists Flashdance (soundtrack, 4/15/83) ZZ Top Eliminator (charted 4/23/83) Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble Texas Flood (6/13/83) The Police Synchronicity (charted 6/17/83) Metallica Kill ‘Em All (7/25/83) Madonna Madonna (7/27/83) U2 Under a Blood Red Sky (live, recorded 8/20/83) Billy Joel An Innocent Man (charted 8/20/83) Huey Lewis & The News Sports (9/15/83) Tom Waits Swordfishtrombones (9/83) Lionel Richie Can’t Slow Down (10/11/83) Cyndi Lauper She’s So Unusual 10/14/83) Culture Club Colour by Numbers (10/22/83) Talking Heads Stop Making Sense (live soundtrack, recorded 12/83, charted 9/22/84) Bob Marley & the Wailers Legend (compilation: 1973-83, released 5/8/84) 1984 Van Halen 1984 (1/9/84) Various Artists Footloose (soundtrack, 1/31/84) The Smiths The Smiths (2/20/84) Tina Turner Private Dancer (5/29/84) Bruce Springsteen Born in the U.S.A. (6/4/84) Prince & the Revolution Purple Rain (soundtrack, 6/25/84) Sade Diamond Life (charted 7/28/84) Minutemen Double Nickels on the Dime (7/84) Metallica Ride the Lightning (charted 9/29/84) Hüsker Dü Zen Arcade (9/84) U2 The Unforgettable Fire (10/1/84) The Replacements Let It Be (10/2/84) Bryan Adams Reckless (10/29/84) Wham! Make It Big (11/5/84) Madonna Like a Virgin (11/12/84) James Brown Star Time (box set: 1956-84, released 5/7/91) 1985 Whitney Houston Whitney Houston Tears for Fears Songs from the Big Chair (2/17/85) Phil Collins No Jacket Required (2/18/85) Dire Straits Brothers in Arms (5/13/85) Sting The Dream of the Blue Turtles (6/1/85) Marillion Misplaced Childhood (6/17/85) Billy Joel Greatest Hits Volume I & II (compilation: 1973-85, released 7/2/85) John Cougar Mellencamp Scarecrow (8/5/85) Kate Bush Hounds of Love (charted 9/28/85) Tom Waits Rain Dogs (9/30/85) Jesus and Mary Chain Psychocandy (charted 11/30/85) Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band Live 1975/1985 (live box: 1975-85, released 11/10/86) 1986 Janet Jackson Control (2/6/86) Metallica Master of Puppets (2/24/86) Prince & the Revolution Parade (3/31/86) Anita Baker Rapture (charted 4/16/86) Peter Gabriel So (5/13/86) Various Artists Top Gun (soundtrack, 5/20/86) Run-D.M.C. Raising Hell (5/27/86) Genesis Invisible Touch (6/9/86) The Smiths The Queen Is Dead (6/28/86) Madonna True Blue (6/30/86) Bon Jovi Slippery When Wet (8/18/86) Paul Simon Graceland (8/25/86) Steve Earle Guitar Town (10/7/86) Andrew Lloyd Webber/Charles Hart/Richard Stigoe (composers) Phantom of the Opera (cast, opened 10/9/86) The Police Every Breath You Take – The Singles (compilation: 1978-1986; released 10/27/86) Slayer Reign in Blood (10/28/86) Beastie Boys Licensed to Ill (11/11/86) Robert Cray Strong Persuader (charted 11/15/86) 1987 U2 The Joshua Tree (3/17/87) Prince Sign ‘O’ the Times (3/30/87) Fleetwood Mac Tango in the Night (4/13/87) Whitney Houston Whitney (6/2/87) Eric B. & Rakim Paid in Full (7/9/87) Terence Trent D’Arby Introducing the Hardline… (7/13/87) Guns N’ Roses Appetite for Destruction (7/21/87) Def Leppard Hysteria (8/3/87) New Order Substance (compilation: 1981-87, released 8/11/87) Michael Jackson Bad (8/31/87) Various Artists Dirty Dancing (soundtrack, 9/1/87) R.E.M. Document (9/8/87) Paul McCartney All the Best! (compilation: 1970-87, released 9/18/87) Bruce Springsteen Tunnel of Love (10/9/87) INXS Kick (10/20/87) George Michael Faith (11/3/87) Eric Clapton Crossroads (1963-87, released 4/18/88) Journey Greatest Hits (compilation: 1978-87, released 11/15/88) Bee Gees Timeless: The All-Time Greatest Hits (compilation: 1966-87, released 4/21/17) 1988 Pixies Surfer Rosa (3/21/88) Tracy Chapman Tracy Chapman (4/5/88) Bobby Brown Don’t Be Cruel (6/20/88) Paula Abdul Forever Your Girl (6/21/88) Public Enemy It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back (6/28/88) Jane’s Addiction Nothing’s Shocking (8/23/88) Metallica …And Justice for All (8/25/88) New Kids on the Block Hangin’ Tough (charted 8/27/88) Bon Jovi New Jersey (9/20/88) U2 Rattle and Hum (studio/live soundtrack, 10/11/88) Sonic Youth Daydream Nation (10/88) R.E.M. Green (11/8/88) Fleetwood Mac Greatest Hits (compilation: 1975-88, released 11/22/88) Beach Boys Very Best of (compilation: 1962-88; released 6/30/01) 1989 N.W.A. Straight Outta Compton (1/10/89) Milli Vanilli Girl You Know It’s True (aka All or Nothing) (3/7/89) De La Soul 3 Feet High and Rising (3/14/89) Madonna Like a Prayer (3/21/89) Bonnie Raitt Nick of Time (3/21/89) The Pixies Doolittle (4/18/89) Tom Petty Full Moon Fever (4/24/89) The Stone Roses The Stone Roses (5/2/89) The Cure Disintegration (5/2/89) Beastie Boys Paul’s Boutique (7/25/89) Aerosmith Pump (9/12/89) Janet Jackson Rhythm Nation 1814 (9/19/89) Phil Collins …But Seriously (11/17/89) Van Morrison Best of (compilation: 1965-89, charted 4/7/90) Eurythmics Greatest Hits (compilation: 1983-89; released 5/24/91) U2 Best of 1980-1990 (compilation: 1980-89, released 11/3/98) 1990 M.C. Hammer Please Hammer Don’t Hurt ‘Em (2/12/90) David Bowie ChangesBowie (compilation: 1969-90, released 3/4/90) Depeche Mode Violator (3/19/90) Public Enemy Fear of a Black Planet (3/20/90) Sinéad O’Connor I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got (3/20/90) Mariah Carey Mariah Carey (6/12/90) Luciano Pavarotti, Placido Domingo, & Jose Carreras The Three Tenors in Concert/Mehta (live, recorded 7/7/1990) Garth Brooks No Fences (8/27/90) Vanilla Ice To the Extreme (9/10/90) Madonna The Immaculate Collection (compilation: 1983-90, released 11/13/90) Happy Mondays Pills ‘N’ Thrills and Bellyaches (charted 11/17/90) Olivia Newton-John Magic: The Best Of (compilation: 1973-90, released 11/9/01) 1991 R.E.M. Out of Time (3/12/91) Boyz II Men Cooleyhighharmony (4/30/91) Natalie Cole Unforgettable: With Love (covers, 6/11/91) Crowded House Woodface (7/2/91) Massive Attack Blue Lines (8/6/91) Metallica Metallica (aka “The Black Album”) (8/12/91) Pearl Jam Ten (8/27/91) Garth Brooks Ropin’ the Wind (9/2/91) Guns N’ Roses Use Your Illusion I (9/17/91) Guns N’ Roses Use Your Illusion II (9/17/91) Nirvana Nevermind (9/24/91) Red Hot Chili Peppers Blood Sugar Sex Magik (9/24/91) A Tribe Called Quest The Low End Theory (9/24/91) Primal Scream Screamadelica (10/8/91) Alan Menken (music) with Howard Ashman & Tim Rice (lyrics) Beauty and the Beast (movie: 10/29/91, musical: 4/18/94) Queen Greatest Hits II (compilation: 1981-91, released 10/30/91) My Bloody Valentine Loveless (11/5/91) Pet Shop Boys Discography – The Complete Singles Collection (compilation: 1985-91, released 11/5/91) U2 Achtung Baby (11/19/91) Michael Jackson Dangerous (11/26/91) Various Artists The Music of Disney: A Legacy in Song (1926-91, released 9/14/92) 1992 Tori Amos Little Earthquakes (1/13/92) Eric Clapton Unplugged (live, recorded 1/16/92; released 8/25/92) Tears for Fears Tears Roll Down: 1982-1992 (compilation: 1982-92, released 3/2/92) Pavement Slanted and Enchanted (charted 3/31/92) Lionel Richie Back to Front (compilation: 1977-92, released 5/5/92) Billy Ray Cyrus Some Gave All (5/19/92) Alice in Chains Dirt (9/29/92) Stone Temple Pilots Core (9/29/92) R.E.M. Automatic for the People (10/6/92) Rage Against the Machine Rage Against the Machine (11/3/92) Various artists (Whitney Houston e al) The Bodyguard (soundtrack, 11/17/92) Dr. Dre The Chronic (12/15/92) Prince Very Best of (compilation: 1979-92, released 7/31/01) 1993 Sting Ten Summoner’s Tales (3/9/93) Janet Jackson janet. (5/18/93) Ace of Base The Sign (6/1/93) Liz Phair Exile in Guyville (6/22/93) U2 Zooropa (7/5/93) Björk Debut (7/13/93) Smashing Pumpkins Siamese Dream (7/27/93) Sheryl Crow Tuesday Night Music Club (8/3/93) Garth Brooks In Pieces (8/23/93) Mariah Carey Music Box (8/31/93) Counting Crows August and Everything After (9/14/93) Meat Loaf Bat Out of Hell II: Back into Hell (9/14/93) Nirvana In Utero (9/21/93) Pearl Jam Vs. (10/19/93) Sarah McLachlan Fumbling Towards Ecstasy (10/22/93) Bryan Adams So Far So Good (compilation: 1982-93, released 11/2/93) Wu-Tang Clan Enter the Wu-Tang Clan (36 Chambers) (11/9/93) Celine Dion The Colour of My Love (11/9/93) Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers Greatest Hits (compilation: 1977-93, released 11/16/93) Nirvana MTV Unplugged in New York (recorded live 11/18/93, released 11/1/94) Snoop Doggy Dogg Doggystyle (11/23/93) Garth Brooks The Hits (compilation: 1989-93: released 12/13/94) 1994 Green Day Dookie (2/1/94) Pavement Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain (charted 2/26/94) Nine Inch Nails The Downward Spiral (3/8/94) Soundgarden Superunknown (3/8/94) Pink Floyd The Division Bell (3/30/94) The Offspring Smash (4/11/94) Hole Live Through This (4/12/94) Live Throwing Copper (4/19/94) Nas Illmatic (4/19/94) Blur Parklife (4/25/94) Johnny Cash American Recordings (4/26/94) Weezer Weezer (aka “The Blue Album”) (5/10/94) Beastie Boys Ill Communication (5/23/94) Elton John/ Tim Rice/ Hans Zimmer (composers) The Lion King (soundtrack, 6/4/94) various artists Forrest Gump (soundtrack, 6/28/94) Hootie & the Blowfish Cracked Rear View (7/5/94) Jeff Buckley Grace (8/23/94) Manic Street Preachers The Holy Bible (8/29/94) Oasis Definitely Maybe (8/30/94) Boyz II Men II (8/30/94) Portishead Dummy (charted 9/3/94) The Notorious B.I.G. Ready to Die (9/13/94) Eric Clapton: From the Cradle (covers, 9/13/94) various artists Pulp Fiction (soundtrack, 9/27/94) Bon Jovi Cross Road (compilation: 1984-94, released 10/18/94) Bob Seger Greatest Hits (compilation: 1972-94, released 10/25/94) Eagles Hell Freezes Over (live/studio, 11/8/94) Sting Fields of Gold – The Best of (compilation: 1985-94, released 11/8/94) TLC CrazySexyCool (11/15/94) Pearl Jam Vitalogy (12/6/94) Pink Floyd Echoes: The Best of (compilation: 1967-1994, released 11/6/01) Nirvana Nirvana (Greatest Hits) (compilation: 1988-94, released 10/29/02) Guns N’ Roses Greatest Hits (compilation: 1987-94, released 3/23/04) 1995 Shania Twain The Woman in Me (2/7/95) Tricky Maxinquaye (2/20/95) PJ Harvey To Bring You My Love (2/28/95) Jewel Pieces of You (2/28/95) Bruce Springsteen Greatest Hits (compilation: 1975-95, released 2/28/95) Radiohead The Bends (3/13/95) Alanis Morissette Jagged Little Pill (6/13/95) Emmylou Harris Wrecking Ball (9/26/95) Oasis (What’s the Story) Morning Glory (10/3/95) Mariah Carey Daydream (10/3/95) No Doubt Tragic Kingdom (10/10/95) Smashing Pumpkins Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness (10/24/95) Alan Jackson The Greatest Hits Collection (compilation: 1989-95, released 10/24/95) Pulp Different Class (10/30/95) Various Artists (Whitney Houston et al) Waiting to Exhale (soundtrack, 11/14/95) 1996 Fugees The Score (2/12/96) Tupac Shakur (2pac) All Eyez on Me (2/13/96) Celine Dion Falling into You (3/11/96) Manic Street Preachers Everything Must Go (5/20/96) Beck Odelay (6/18/96) Toni Braxton Secrets (6/18/96) Matchbox 20 Yourself or Someone Like You (10/1/96) Tool Ænima (10/1/96) Spice Girls Spice (11/4/96) Belle & Sebastian If You’re Feeling Sinister (11/18/96) DJ Shadow Endtroducing… (11/19/96) 1997 The Notorious B.I.G. Life after Death (3/25/97) Chemical Brothers Dig Your Own Hole (4/7/97) Radiohead OK Computer (6/16/97) Various Artists Buena Vista Social Club (6/21/97) The Prodigy Fat of the Land (7/1/97) Sarah McLachlan Surfacing (7/15/97) The Verve Urban Hymns (9/30/97) Bob Dylan Time Out of Mind (9/30/97) Shania Twain Come on Over (11/4/97) Celine Dion Let’s Talk about Love (11/15/97) James Horner (composer) Titanic (soundtrack, 11/18/97) 1998 Air Moon Safari (1/19/98) Dixie Chicks Wide Open Spaces (1/27/98) Madonna Ray of Light (3/3/98) Massive Attack Mezzanine (4/20/98) Lucinda Williams Car Wheels on a Gravel Road (6/30/98) Lauryn Hill The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill (8/25/98) Phil Collins Hits (compilation: 1981-98, released 10/5/98) Garth Brooks Double Live (live, 11/17/98) Mariah Carey #1’s (compilation: 1990-98, released 11/17/98) Stevie Wonder The Definitive Collection (compilation: 1962-98, released 10/29/02) 1999 Britney Spears …Baby One More Time (1/12/99) Eminem The Slim Shady LP (2/23/99) Moby Play (5/17/99) The Flaming Lips The Soft Bulletin (5/17/99) Backstreet Boys Millennium (5/18/99) Dido No Angel (6/1/99) Red Hot Chili Peppers Californication (6/8/99) Santana Supernatural (6/15/99) Destiny’s Child The Writing’s on the Wall (7/27/99) Dixie Chicks Fly (8/31/99) The Magnetic Fields 69 Love Songs (9/7/99) Creed Human Clay (9/28/99) Celine Dion All the Way…A Decade of Song (compilation: 1991-99, released 11/13/99) Tim McGraw Greatest Hits (compilation: 1994-99, released 11/21/00) 2000 D’Angelo Voodoo (1/11/00) N Sync No Strings Attached (3/21/00) David Gray White Ladder (5/13/00) Eminem The Marshall Mathers LP (5/23/00) Nelly Country Grammar (6/27/00) Coldplay Parachutes (7/10/00) Madonna Music (9/19/00) Radiohead Kid A (10/3/00) Linkin Park Hybrid Theory (10/24/00) OutKast Stankonia (10/31/00) U2 All That You Can’t Leave Behind (10/31/00) PJ Harvey Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea (10/31/00) Various Artists O Brother Where Art Thou (soundtrack, 12/5/00) Madonna GHV2 (compilation: 1991-2000, released 11/13/01) 2001 Daft Punk Discovery (3/9/01) Destiny’s Child Survivor (5/1/01) Tool Lateralus (5/15/01) Alicia Keys Songs in A Minor (6/5/01) The White Stripes White Blood Cells (7/3/01) The Strokes Is This It (7/30/01) Björk Vespertine (8/28/01) System of a Down Toxicity (9/4/01) Bob Dylan Love and Theft (9/11/01) Wilco Yankee Hotel Foxtrot (9/18/01) Jay-Z The Blueprint (9/18/01) Pink M!ssundaztood (11/20/01) 2002 Norah Jones Come Away with Me (2/26/02) The Streets Original Pirate Material (3/25/02) Eminem The Eminem Show (5/26/02) Avril Lavigne Let Go (6/4/02) Nelly Nellyville (6/25/02) Maroon 5 Songs about Jane (6/25/02) Red Hot Chili Peppers By the Way (7/9/02) The Flaming Lips Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots (7/16/02) Bruce Springsteen The Rising (7/30/02) Interpol Turn on the Bright Lights (8/20/02) Coldplay A Rush of Blood to the Head (8/27/02) Dixie Chicks Home (8/27/02) Queens of the Stone Age Songs for the Deaf (8/27/02) Beck Sea Change (9/24/02) The Libertines Up the Bracket (10/21/02) Various Artists (Eminem et al) 8 Mile (10/29/02) Justin Timberlake Justified (11/5/02) Shania Twain Up! (11/19/02) 2003 50 Cent Get Rich or Die Tryin’ (2/6/03) Evanescence Fallen (3/4/03) Linkin Park Meteora (3/25/03) The White Stripes Elephant (4/1/03) Yeah Yeah Yeahs Fever to Tell (4/29/03) Radiohead Hail to the Thief (6/9/03) Beyoncé Dangerously in Love (6/17/03) Dizzee Rascal Boy in Da Corner (7/21/03) Alan Jackson Greatest Hits Volume 2 and Some Other Stuff (compilation: 1996-2003, released 8/12/03) OutKast Speakerboxxx/The Love Below (9/23/03) Eagles Very Best of (includes all of 1976’s Their Greatest Hits 1971-1975 and 1982’s Greatest Hits Volume 2) (compilation: 1971-2003, released 10/21/03) The Shins Chutes Too Narrow (10/21/03) R.E.M. In Time – The Best of 1988-2003 (compilation: 1988-2003, released 10/28/03) Jay-Z The Black Album (11/4/03) Michael Jackson Number Ones (compilation: 1978-2003, released 11/17/03) Red Hot Chili Peppers Greatest Hits (compilation: 1989-2003, released 11/17/03) Alicia Keys The Diary of… (12/2/03) Johnny Cash The Legend of… (compilation: 1955-2003, released 8/2/05) 2004 Franz Ferdinand Franz Ferdinand (2/9/04) Kanye West The College Dropout (2/10/04) Norah Jones Feels Like Home (2/10/04) Scissor Sisters Scissor Sisters (3/9/04) Usher Confessions (3/23/04) Modest Mouse Good News for People Who Love Bad News (4/6/04) Madvillain Madvillainy (3/23/04) Loretta Lynn Van Lear Rose (4/27/04) Keane Hopes and Fears (5/10/04) Streets A Grand Don’t Come for Free (5/10/04) The Killers Hot Fuss (6/7/04) Arcade Fire Funeral (9/14/04) Green Day American Idiot (9/21/04) Brian Wilson Smile (9/28/04) James Blunt Back to Bedlam (10/11/04) Robbie Williams Greatest Hits (compilation: 1997-2004, released 10/12/04) Shania Twain Greatest Hits (compilation: 1994-2004, released 11/8/04) Eminem Encore (11/12/04) U2 How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb (11/23/04) Kelly Clarkson Breakaway (11/30/04) 2005 Bright Eyes I’m Wide Awake, It’s Morning (1/25/05) Antony & The Johnsons I Am a Bird Now (2/1/05) Bloc Party Silent Alarm (2/2/05) Jack Johnson In Between Dreams (3/1/05) 50 Cent The Massacre (3/3/05) M.I.A. Arular (3/22/05) Mariah Carey The Emancipation of Mimi (4/12/05) Gorillaz Demon Days (5/24/05) Coldplay X & Y (6/6/05) Black Eyed Peas Monkey Business (6/7/05) Sufjan Stevens Illinois (7/4/05) Kanye West Late Registration (8/30/05) Nickelback All the Right Reasons (10/4/05) Carrie Underwood Some Hearts (11/15/05) Eminem Curtain Call: The Hits (compilation: 1999-2005, charted 12/4/05) 2006 Various Artists High School Musical (TV soundtrack, 1/10/06) Arctic Monkeys Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not (1/23/06) Red Hot Chili Peppers Stadium Arcadium (5/9/06) Dixie Chicks Taking the Long Way (5/23/06) TV on the Radio Return to Cookie Mountain (7/6/2006) Bob Dylan Modern Times (8/29/06) Justin Timberlake FutureSex/LoveSounds (9/12/06) Amy Winehouse Back to Black (10/6/06) Taylor Swift Taylor Swift (10/24/06) 2007 LCD Soundsystem Sound of Silver (3/20/07) Arctic Monkeys Favourite Worst Nightmare (4/23/07) The National Boxer (5/22/07) Rihanna Good Girl Gone Bad (6/5/07) Bon Iver For Emma, Forever Ago (7/8/07) High School Musical 2 (TV soundtrack, 8/14/07) M.I.A. Kala (8/20/07) Kanye West Graduation (9/11/07) Bruce Springsteen Magic (10/2/07) Radiohead In Rainbows (10/10/07) Robert Plant & Allison Krauss Raising Sand (10/23/07) 2008 Vampire Weekend Vampire Weekend (1/28/08) Adele 19 (1/28/08) Portishead Third (4/29/08) Lil’ Wayne Tha Carter III (5/13/08) Fleet Foxes Fleet Foxes (6/3/08) Coldplay Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends (6/11/08) Lady Gaga The Fame (8/19/08) Kings of Leon Only by the Night (9/19/08) Taylor Swift Fearless (11/11/08) Beyoncé I Am…Sasha Fierce (11/11/08) 2009 Animal Collective Merriweather Post Pavilion (1/20/09) U2 No Line on the Horizon (3/2/09) Black Eyed Peas The E.N.D. (Energy Never Dies) (6/3/09) Mumford & Sons Sigh No More (10/2/09) 2010 Lady Antebellum Need You Now (1/26/10) The National High Violet (5/11/10) Janelle Monáe The Arch Android (5/18/10) LCD Soundsystem This Is Happening (5/18/10) The Black Keys Brothers (5/18/10) Eminem Recovery (6/21/10) Arcade Fire The Suburbs (8/3/10) Katy Perry Teenage Dream (8/24/10) Bruno Mars Doo Wops & Hooligans (10/4/10) Taylor Swift Speak Now (10/25/10) Rihanna Loud (11/16/10) Kanye West My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (11/22/10) 2011 Adele 21 (1/19/11) PJ Harvey Let England Shake (2/14/11) Lady Gaga Born This Way (5/23/11) Bon Iver Bon Iver (6/17/11) Ed Sheeran Plus (+) (9/18/11) Michael Bublé Christmas (10/21/11) Drake Take Care (11/15/11) 2012 Lana Del Rey Born to Die (1/27/12) Fiona Apple The Idler Wheel Is Wiser Than the Driver of the Screw and Whipping Cords Will Serve You More Than Ropes Will Ever Do (6/19/12) Frank Ocean Channel Orange (7/10/12) Imagine Dragons Night Visions (9/4/12) Mumford & Sons Babel (9/21/12) Kendrick Lamar Good Kid m.A.A.d. City (10/22/12) Taylor Swift Red (10/22/12) Bruno Mars Unorthodox Jukebox (12/6/2012) 2013 Justin Timberlake The 20/20 Experience (3/15/13) Kacey Musgraves Same Trailer, Different Park (3/19/13) Vampire Weekend Modern Vampires of the City (5/14/13) Daft Punk Random Access Memories (5/17/13) Kanye West Yeezus (6/18/13) Arctic Monkeys AM (9/6/13) Lorde Pure Heroine (9/27/13) Various Artists Frozen (soundtrack, 11/25/13) Beyoncé Beyoncé (12/13/13) 2014 Beck Morning Phase (2/21/14) St. Vincent St. Vincent (2/24/14) The War on Drugs Lost in the Dream (3/18/14) Sam Smith In the Lonely Hour (5/26/14) Miranda Lambert Platinum (6/3/14) Ed Sheeran X (Multiply) (6/20/14) U2 Songs of Innocence (9/9/2014) Taylor Swift 1989 (10/27/14) D’Angelo & the Vanguard Black Messiah (12/15/14) 2015 Lin-Manuel Miranda (composer) Hamilton (musical premiered 2/17/15, cast album released 9/25/15) Kendrick Lamar To Pimp a Butterfly (3/15/15) Courtney Barnett Sometimes I Sit and Think and Sometimes I Just Sit (3/20/15) Sufjan Stevens Carrie & Lowell (3/31/15) Chris Stapleton Traveller (5/5/15) The Weeknd Beauty Behind the Madness (8/28/15) Adele 25 (11/20/15) 2016 David Bowie Blackstar (1/15/16) Rihanna Anti (1/27/16) Sturgill Simpson A Sailor’s Guide to Earth (4/15/16) Beyoncé Lemonade (4/23/16) Drake Views (4/29/16) Frank Ocean Blond (8/20/16) Solange A Seat at the Table (9/30/16) Bruno Mars 24K Magic (11/18/16) 2017 Ed Sheeran ÷ (Divide) (3/3/17) Kendrick Lamar Damn. (4/14/17) Lorde Melodrama (6/16/17) Taylor Swift Reputation (11/10/17) Various Artists The Greatest Showman (soundtrack, 12/8/2017) 2018 Kacey Musgraves Golden Hour (3/20/18) Cardi B Invasion of Privacy (4/6/18) Janelle Monáe Dirty Computer (4/27/18) Drake Scorpion (6/29/18) 2019 Ariana Grande Thank U, Next (2/8/2019) Billie Eilish When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? (3/29/2019) Vampire Weekend Father of the Bride (5/3/2019) Lana Del Rey Norman Fucking Rockwell! (8/30/2019) Post Malone Hollywood’s Bleeding (9/6/2019) 2020 Fiona Apple Fetch the Bolt Cutters (4/17/2020) Taylor Swift Folklore (7/24/2020) Chris Stapleton Starting Over (11/13/20) 2021 Olivia Rodrigo Sour (5/21/2021)

How This List Was Created When I set out to create this list as the 20th century was drawing to a close, my aim was to compile a “best of the best” list; that is, combine all the other “best-of” lists out there into one. The goal in averaging multiple lists together was to weed out the idiocyncrisies of individual lists and create a more objective, definitive best-of list. Here are links to the lists, chart information, and sales data that went into the creation of the DMDB 1000: Best-Album Lists Sales data Chart information Back to Top Representing Multiple Genres One of the huge bonuses in compiling lots of lists is the better representation of multiple genres of music. Most lists are very skewered toward post-‘50s rock and roll. By pooling lists from multiple sources, the DMDB 1000 represents classical, show tunes, jazz, folk, country, R&B, rock and roll, adult contemporary, pop, rap, and more. Back to Top Multiple Versions of the Same Album or Work Representing multiple genres poses a challenge, however. There are cases where there are multiple versions of the same work. When that occurred, all versions are compiled into one entry. This possibility most likely occurred in one of three situations: classical works that are recorded multiple times (example: Johann Sebastian Bach’s Goldberg Variations is listed as being composed by Bach in 1741 and no specific recordings of that work are noted). cast album recordings that later surfaced as soundtracks as well (example: 1959’s The Sound of Music cast album and 1965’s soundtrack version are listed as one entry under 1959 and credited to writers Richard Rodgers/Oscar Hammerstein II). British rock albums in the mid-‘60s that were slightly altered when they hit American shores (example: The Beatles U.K. album With the Beatles was released in the U.S., with some alterations, as Meet the Beatles!. The first release is generally what is listed). Back to Top What Constitutes an Album In addition to the aforementioned re-definings of what makes an album an album, the DMDB also wanted to be as inclusive as possible in different formats of albums. Some best-of lists, for example, disregard compilations or live recordings and focus only on studio efforts. As such, the DMDB 1000 list contains standard studio albums alongside “specialty albums,” such as compilations, box sets, live recordings, soundtracks, cast albums, various artist collections, classical works, operas, and Christmas recordings. Back to Top Why Chronological and Not Ranked The more inclusive approaches described above diminished the merits of presenting this as a ranked list. Any list generates enough heat about what makes the cut and what doesn’t without a debate over why an album is ranked at #999 instead #998. However, a debate over whether Beethoven’s 5th Symphony is a more important work than Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon is most likely to keep people firmly entrenched in their genre camps. By not focusing on where an album is on the list, the focus becomes, more appropriately, why it makes the list. Since all the albums link to individual DMDB pages, you can check out those justifications for yourself and see if you think the album is list worthy. Another benefit of presenting this list chronologically is how it shows the emergence of new public tastes and the development of the album over the years. Combined with the no-genres-excluded approach, this makes for a fascinating observation of how entire musical genres dominated at different times. In a nutshell, one can see the following trends: the dominance of classical works, which would later fit into an album-length format, from the pre-20th century era through the first quarter of the 20th century (Beethoven, Bach) the rise of cast recordings of hugely successful Broadway productions in roughly the second quarter of the 20th century (Rodgers & Hammerstein) the beginnings of “albums” recorded by single artists with the predominace of jazz recordings in the ‘40s and ‘50s (Miles Davis, John Coltrane) the birth of rock & roll in the mid-‘50s (led by Elvis Presley) through to the early-‘60s British Invasion (led by The Beatles) the explosion of the album as a true force in the ‘60s (The Beatles, Bob Dylan, The Rolling Stones) the development of the album rock format in the late-‘60s and early-‘70s (Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd) the rise of the superstar mega-selling albums of the late-‘70s and early-‘80s (Fleetwood Mac, Michael Jackson, Prince, Bruce Springsteen) the emergence of critically acclaimed indie and experimental albums in the ‘80s (U2, REM, Talking Heads) the move toward albums that seemed to launch their own genres in the ‘90s (Nirvana, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Green Day) the attempt to keep the album format alive in the 21st century with music that harkens back to earlier decades (The Strokes, The White Stripes) Listing albums chronologically is not as easy as it sounds. Even for conventional studio recordings, release dates aren’t always available so sometimes an album’s first chart appearance was used. Classical works are listed by the date they were composed and/or first performed. Dates for cast recordings and soundtracks may include the date a show opened on stage, the date a cast recording was made, and/or the first chart appearance. Compilations and live albums are listed by the date of recording instead of release. For example, The Beatles’ 1 is a greatest hits collection released in 2001, but it covers 1962-1970 so its date notation is (compilation: 1962-70, released 11/14/2000), meaning the album is listed under ‘1970.’ Back to Top

Honorable Mentions These are albums formerly in the DMDB 1000 which have since been bumped, but are still acknowledged with honorable mentions. A Adam & the Ants Kings of the Wild Frontier (11/3/1980) Bryan Adams Waking Up the Neighbours (9/24/1991) King Sunny Ade Juju Music (charted 4/9/1983) Aerosmith Permanent Vacation (8/18/1987) Aerosmith Get a Grip (4/20/1993) Christina Aguilera ">Christina Aguilera (8/24/1999) The Allman Brothers Band Eat a Peach (studio/live, 2/12/1972) Benny Andersson/Björn Ulvaeus (composers) Mamma Mia! (stage debut: 10/17/2000, cast: 2001, soundtrack: 2008) Aphex Twin Selected Ambient Works 85-92 (compilation: 1985-92, released 2/12/1992) Arcade Fire Neon Bible (3/6/2007) Arrested Development 3 Years, 5 Months, & 2 Days in the Life of… (3/24/1992) The Avalanches Since I Left You (11/27/2000) B Erykah Badu Baduizm (2/11/97) Backstreet Boys Backstreet Boys (U.S. Version, 8/12/97) Backstreet Boys Black & Blue (11/21/00) Béla Bartók (composer) The String Quartets (classical, composed 1908-39) The Beach Boys Sunflower (8/21/70) The Beach Boys Surf’s Up (8/30/71) Beastie Boys Check Your Head (4/21/92) Beastie Boys Hello Nasty (7/4/98) The Beatles 1962-1966 (aka The Red Album) (compilation: 1962-66, released 4/2/73) The Beatles 1967-1970 (aka The Blue Album) (compilation: 1967-70, released 4/2/73) Beck Mellow Gold (9/21/93) Ludwig van Beethoven (composer) Piano Sonata No. 14 (“Moonlight”) (classical, composed 1798) Ludwig van Beethoven (composer) Piano Sonata No 8 (“Pathetique”) (classical, composed 1799) Ludwig van Beethoven (composer) Piano Sonata No. 23 (classical, composed 1805) Vincenzo Bellini (composer) Norma (classical, composed 1831, performed 12/26/1831) George Benson Breezin’ (1/6/1976) Alban Berg (composer) Violin Concerto (classical, composed 1935) Big Star #1 Record (April 1972) Björk Post (5/29/1995) Clint Black Killin’ Time (5/2/1989) Black Crowes Shake Your Money Maker (2/13/1990) Black Sabbath Master of Reality (charted 8/14/1971) Black Sabbath Vol. 4 (charted 9/23/1972) Mary J. Blige My Life (11/29/94) Mary J. Blige The Breakthrough (12/20/05) Mary J. Blige What’s the 411? (7/28/92) Blink-182 Enema of the State (6/1/99) Andrea Bocelli Romanza (charted 5/31/97) Michael Bolton Time, Love and Tenderness (4/23/91) Boogie Down Productions Criminal Minded (3/3/87) Boston Don’t Look Back (8/2/78) David Bowie Young Americans (3/7/75) David Bowie Best of Bowie (compilation: 1969-2002, released 10/22/02) Susan Boyle I Dreamed a Dream (11/23/09) Toni Braxton Toni Braxton (7/13/93) Garth Brooks Garth Brooks (4/21/1989) Garth Brooks The Chase (9/14/1992) Garth Brooks Sevens (11/25/1997) James Brown Sex Machine (live, recorded 6/12/69 to 7/23/70, charted 9/12/70) James Brown 20 All Time Greatest Hits! (compilation: 1956-76, released 10/22/91) Jackson Browne Late for the Sky (9/19/74) Jackson Browne The Pretender (11/10/76) Tim Buckley Starsailor (11/2/70) Burning Spear Marcus Garvey (12/12/75) Kate Bush The Kick Inside (2/17/78) Paul Butterfield Blues Band Paul Butterfield Blues Band (10/65) The Byrds Fifth Dimension (7/18/66) C John Cale Paris 1919 (3/73) Can Tago Mago (2/72) Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band Safe As Milk (2/68) Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band Clear Spot (charted 12/23/72) Mariah Carey Butterfly (9/16/97) Mary Chapin Carpenter Come on, Come On (6/30/92) Johnny Cash The Essential (1955-1983) (box set: 1955-83, released 12/92) Ray Charles The Birth of Soul – The Complete Atlantic Rhythm & Blues Recordings (box set: 1952-59, released 10/1/91) Ray Charles with various artists Genius Loves Company (8/31/04) Chic Risqué (charted 8/25/79) Eric Clapton with B.B. King Riding with the King (6/13/00) The Clash Sandinista! (12/12/80) Leonard Cohen Songs of Love and Hate (3/19/71) Lloyd Cole & The Commotions Rattlesnakes (10/12/84) Phil Collins Hello, I Must Be Going! (11/1/82) The Commitments The Commitments (soundtrack/covers, 8/13/91) The Congos The Heart of the Congos (1977) Sam Cooke Live at the Harlem Square Club (aka “One Night Stand”) (live, recorded 1/12/63) Aaron Copland (composer) Appalachian Spring (ballet, composed 1944, performed 5/45) The Corrs Talk on Corners (10/20/97) Elvis Costello & The Attractions Get Happy!! (2/15/80) Cranberries No Need to Argue (10/4/94) Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young 4 Way Street (live recorded June to July 1970, released 4/7/71) Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young So Far (compilation: 1969-70, released 8/19/74) Christopher Cross Christopher Cross (charted 2/16/80) The Cure The Head on the Door (charted 9/7/85) Cypress Hill Cypress Hill (8/9/91) D Daft Punk Homework (1/20/97) D’Angelo Brown Sugar (7/3/95) Miles Davis/Gil Evans Miles Ahead (recorded 5/6/57 to 8/22/57) Claude Debussy (composer) La Mer (ballet, composed 1903-05) Dido Life for Rent (9/30/03) Dinosaur Jr. You’re Living All Over Me (7/87) Dire Straits Making Movies (10/17/80) Dire Straits Love Over Gold (9/29/82) Dire Straits Money for Nothing (compilation: 1978-85, released 10/17/88) The Doors Morrison Hotel/Hard Rock Café (2/9/70) Tommy Dorsey Greatest Hits (compilation: 1935-50; released 2010) Ian Dury New Boots and Panties!! (9/77) Antonin Dvorák (composer) Cello Concerto in B minor (classical, composed 1895, performed 2/9/1895) Duffy Rockferry (3/3/08) Duran Duran Greatest (compilation: 1980-1997, released 11/3/98) E Eagles Desperado (4/17/73) Eagles One of These Nights (6/10/75) Echo & the Bunnymen Crocodile (7/18/80) Echo & the Bunnymen Ocean Rain (5/4/84) Edward Elgar (composer) Enigma Variations (classical, composed 1899) Electric Light Orchestra Out of the Blue (charted 11/12/77) Duke Ellington Far East Suite (recorded 12/19–21/66) Emerson, Lake & Palmer Brain Salad Surgery (11/19/73) Enigma mcmxc a.d. (12/10/90) Brian Eno Here Come the Warm Jets (1/74) Brian Eno Before and After Science (released 12/77, charted 5/27/78) Brian Eno/David Byrne My Life in the Bush of Ghosts (charted 2/21/81) En Vogue Funky Divas (3/24/92) Enya Watermark (9/19/88) Enya A Day without Rain (11/21/00) Bill Evans Trio Waltz for Debby (recorded 6/25/61) F Fairport Convention Unhalfbricking (charted 7/26/69) The Fall This Nation’s Saving Grace (9/85) Fatboy Slim You’ve Come a Long Way, Baby (10/12/98) Gabriel Faure (composer) Requiem (classical, composed 1900) Fine Young Cannibals The Raw and the Cooked (2/18/89) Foo Fighters Foo Fighters (7/4/95) Foo Fighters Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace (9/25/07) Foreigner Foreigner (3/8/77) Free Fire and Water (charted 5/16/70) Funkadelic Maggot Brain (charted 8/14/71) Nelly Furtado Loose (6/20/06) G Kenny G Breathless (11/17/92) Erroll Garner Concert by the Sea (live, recorded 9/19/55, charted 3/10/58) Marvin Gaye Here, My Dear (12/15/78) Genesis Foxtrot (10/6/72) Genesis We Can’t Dance (10/28/91) Gnarls Barkley St. Elsewhere (5/9/06) The Go-Go’s Beauty and the Beat (7/24/81) Benny Goodman Very Best of (compilation: 1934-42, released 11/7/00) Al Green Let’s Stay Together (charted 2/12/72) Al Green I’m Still in Love with You (charted 10/21/72) H Marvin Hamlisch/Edward Kleban (composers) A Chorus Line (cast recording, stage debut: 4/15/75) PJ Harvey Dry (6/30/92) PJ Harvey Rid of Me (5/4/93) John Hiatt Bring the Family (5/29/87) Faith Hill Breathe (11/9/99) Gustav Holst (composer) The Planets (classical, 1986) Whitney Houston The Greatest Hits (compilation: 1984-2000 released 5/16/00) Hüsker Dü New Day Rising (2/85) I Incredible String Band The Hangman’s Beautiful Daughter (3/68) Indigo Girls Indigo Girls (2/28/89) J Alan Jackson A Lot about Livin’ and a Little ‘Bout Love (9/30/92) Janet Jackson Design of a Decade 1986/1996 (compilation: 1986-95, released 10/10/95) Michael Jackson HIStory: Past, Present, and Future Book 1 (compilation: 1979-92 + studio album, released 6/20/95) The Jam Sound Affects (11/28/80) Skip James The Complete Early Recordings (compilation: 1930-31, released 9/15/94) Jamiroquai Travelling without Moving (9/9/96) Jane’s Addiction Ritual de lo Habitual (8/21/90) Waylon Jennings Greatest Hits (compilation: 1968-78, charted 5/5/79) Jethro Tull Thick As a Brick (3/3/72) Elton John Tumbleweed Connection (10/30/70) Jack Johnson Sleep Through the Static (2/1/08) Al Jolson Souvenir Album (soundtrack, charted 8/16/1847) K Kaiser Chiefs Employment (3/15/2005) Kansas Leftoverture (charted 11/6/1976) Danny Kaye Hans Christian Anderson (soundtrack, charted 1/17/1953) R. Kelly R. (9/29/1998) Alicia Keys As I Am (11/13/2007) Kid Rock Devil Without a Cause (8/18/1998) The Killers Sam’s Town (10/3/2006) King Crimson Red (charted 11/23/1974) The Kinks Something Else (9/15/1967) Kiss Destroyer (3/15/1976) Korn Follow the Leader (8/18/1998) Kraftwerk Die Mensch Maschine (The Man Machine) (charted 5/13/1978) L k.d. lang Ingénue (3/17/92) Jonathan Larson (music & lyrics) Rent (cast recording, stage debut: 8/27/96) The La’s The La’s (6/30/90) Leftfield Leftism (1/30/95) John Lennon Lennon Legend: The Very Best of (compilation: 1969-80, released 10/27/97) Annie Lennox Diva (charted 4/18/92) Jerry Lee Lewis Live at the Star Club, Hamburg (live, recorded 4/5/64) Limp Bizkit Significant Other (6/22/99) Limp Bizkit Chocolate Starfish and the Hot Dog Flavored Water (10/17/00) Franz Liszt (composer) Piano Sonata in B Minor (classical, composed 1853) Little Feat Waiting for Columbus (live, recorded 8/4/77) Lynyrd Skynyrd Second Helping (charted 5/4/74) Lynyrd Skynyrd Street Survivors (charted 11/5/77) M Madonna Confessions on a Dance Floor (11/15/1905) Magic Sam West Side Soul (1967) Mahavishnu Orchestra with John McLaughlin The Inner Mounting Flame (recorded 8/14/1971) Bob Marley/The Wailers Burnin’ (October 1973) Ricky Martin Ricky Martin (5/11/1999) Dave Matthews Band Under the Table and Dreaming (9/27/94) Dave Matthews Band Crash (4/12/96) Curtis Mayfield Curtis (charted 10/3/70) Don McLean American Pie (10/24/71) Metallica Load (5/20/96) George Michael Listen without Prejudice (9/11/90) George Michael Ladies and Gentlemen – The Best of (compilation: 1984-98, released 11/10/98) Steve Miller Band Fly Like an Eagle (charted 5/29/76) Charles Mingus The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady (recorded 1/20/63) Joni Mitchell Hissing of Summer Lawns (charted 12/6/75) Joni Mitchell Hejira (charted 12/11/76) Thelonious Monk Genius of Modern Music, Vol. 1 (recorded 10/15/47 to 11/21/47, released 1951) Thelonious Monk Brilliant Corners (recorded 12/23/56) The Monkees The Monkees (charted 10/8/66) The Monkees More of the Monkees (1/10/67) Morrissey Vauxhall and I (3/22/94) Mötley Crüe Dr. Feelgood (9/5/89) Motörhead Ace of Spades (charted 11/8/80) Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (composer) Symphony No. 35 “Haffner” (classical, composed 1782) Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (composer) Eine Kliene Nachtmusik classical, composed 1787) Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (composer) Piano Concertos (27) (classical, composed 1773-1791) Muse Origin of Symmetry (6/30/01) Muse Absolution (9/21/03) Muse Black Holes & Revelations (7/11/06) N Oliver Nelson The Blues and the Abstract Truth (recorded 2/23/61) Willie Nelson Stardust (charted 5/13/78) Neutral Milk Hotel In the Aeroplane Over the Sea (2/10/98) Randy Newman Sail Away (charted 6/17/72) New Order Low-Life (charted 5/25/85) New Order Technique (1/24/89) Nine Inch Nails Pretty Hate Machine (10/13/89) O Oasis Be Here Now (8/26/97) The Offspring Americana (11/17/98) The Orb Adventures Beyond the Ultraworld (4/91) Carl Orff (composer) Carmina Burana (classical, composed 1936) OutKast Aquemini (9/29/98) P Augustus Pablo King Tubby Meets Rockers Uptown (1976) Pere Ubu The Modern Dance (January 1978) Pink Floyd Meddle (10/30/1971) The Pogues Rum, Sodomy, and the Lash (8/5/1985) Prefab Sprout Steve McQueen (aka Two Wheels Good) (charted 6/22/85) Elvis Presley Elvis (aka Rock ‘N’ Roll No. 2) (released 10/19/1956) Elvis Presley Loving You (soundtrack, released July 1957) Elvis Presley Golden Records (compilation: 1956-57, released March 1958) Elvis Presley The King of Rock and Roll: The Complete ‘50s Masters (box set: 1953-58, released 1992) Elvis Presley From Elvis in Memphis (charted 6/14/1969) The Pretty Things S.F. Sorrow (1968) Prince Dirty Mind (10/8/1980) Prince The Hits/The B Sides (box set: 1978-93, released 9/14/1993) John Prine John Prine (charted 2/26/1972) The Prodigy Music for the Jilted Generation (charted 7/16/1994) Giacomo Puccini (composer) Madame Butterfly (Madama Butterfly) (composed 1904, performed 2/17/1904) Q Queens of the Stone Age Rated R (6/6/00) Queensrÿche Empire (9/4/90) Quicksilver Messenger Service Happy Trails (live, charted 3/29/69) R Sergei Rachmaninov (composer) Piano Concerto No. 3 in D minor (classical, composed 1909, performed 11/28/1909) Radiohead Amnesiac (6/5/2001) Rage Against the Machine Evil Empire (4/16/1996) Ramones Rocket to Russia (11/4/77) Lou Reed New York (1/10/89) Steve Reich Music for 18 Musicians (classical, 1978) R.E.M. Reckoning (4/9/84) R.E.M. Life’s Rich Pageant (7/28/86) R.E.M. Monster (9/27/94) R.E.M. New Adventures in Hi-Fi (6/18/96) The Replacements Tim (11/30/85) LeAnn Rimes Blue (7/9/96) Robyn Body Talk (6/15/2010) Kenny Rogers The Gambler (released 11/78) The Rolling Stones No. 2 (aka ‘Now!’) (1/30/65) The Rolling Stones Between the Buttons (1/20/67) Roxy Music Stranded (charted 12/1/73) Run-D.M.C. Run-D.M.C. (charted 6/23/84) Rush Permanent Waves (1/1/80) S Sade Promise (11/4/1985) Sade Best of (compilation: 1984-93, released 10/31/94) Santana Santana (charted 9/13/1969) Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band Stranger in Town (charted 5/27/1978) Shaggy Hot Shot (8/8/2000) Shakira Laundry Service (11/13/2001) Tupac Shakur (2pac) Me Against the World (3/14/1995) Tupac Shakur (2pac) Greatest Hits (compilation: 1991-98, released 11/24/1998) Dmitry Shostakovich (composer) Symphony No. 5 in D minor (classical, composed 1937) Sigur Rós Ágaetis Byrjun (6/12/1999) Paul Simon There Goes Rhymin’ Simon (charted 5/26/1973) Simple Minds New Gold Dream (81-82-83-84) (10/2/1982) Simply Red Stars (9/30/1991) Frank Sinatra A Swingin’ Affair (charted 5/27/1957) Frank Sinatra Only the Lonely (charted 9/29/1958) Slint Spiderland (3/27/1991) Elliott Smith Either/Or (2/25/1997) Will Smith Big Willie Style (11/25/1997) The Smiths Hatful of Hollow (archives, 11/12/1984) The Smiths Meat is Murder (2/11/1985) The Smiths Strangeways, Here We Come (9/22/1987) Stephen Sondheim (music & lyrics) Company (cast recording, stage debut: 4/6/1970) Sonic Youth Sister (June 1987) Soul II Soul Club Classics, Vol. I (aka Keep on Movin’ (4/10/1989) Britney Spears Oops!...I Did It Again (5/16/00) Alexander “Skip” Spence Oar (10/69) Spice Girls Spice (11/4/97) Spiritualized Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space (6/14/97) Bruce Springsteen The Wild, the Innocent, & the E Street Shuffle (9/11/73) Bruce Springsteen Wrecking Ball (3/5/12) Steely Dan Countdown to Ecstasy (7/6/73) Sting Nothing Like the Sun (charted 10/31/87) Igor Stravinsky (composer) L’Oiseau de Feu (The Firebird) (ballet, composed 1910, performed 6/25/1910) Stone Temple Pilots Purple (5/31/94) George Strait Blue Clear Sky (charted 5/11/96) George Strait 50 Number Ones (compilation: 1982-2004, released 10/5/04) Richard Strauss (composer) Also Sprach Zarathustra (classical, composed 1896) Igor Stravinsky (composer) Pétrouchka (aka “Petrushka”) (ballet, composed 1910-11, premiered 6/13/1911, revised 1947) Barbra Streisand Guilty (charted 10/11/80) Barbra Streisand The Broadway Album (covers, charted 11/23/85) The Supremes Anthology (compilation: 1962-76, released 1986) Jule Styne/Bob Merrill (composers), Barbara Streisand (performer) Funny Girl (stage debut: 3/26/64, cast recording charted 5/2/64, soundtrack charted 9/28/68) Sublime Sublime (7/30/96) Suede (aka “London Suede”) Suede (charted 3/29/93) Suede (aka “London Suede”) Dog Man Star (10/10/94) Suicide Suicide (12/28/77) T Talk Talk Spirit of Eden (9/16/88) Talking Heads 77 (9/16/77) Talking Heads More Songs about Buildings and Food (7/14/78) Teenage Fanclub Bandwagonesque (charted 11/16/1991) Thin Lizzy Live and Dangerous (live, recorded 11/14/76 and 10/28/1977) TLC Fanmail (2/23/99) Traffic Mr. Fantasy (12/67) Travis The Man Who (5/24/99) Randy Travis Storms of Life (6/6/86) Randy Travis Always and Forever (5/4/87) A Tribe Called Quest People’s Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythms (4/17/90) Tina Turner Simply the Best (compilation: 1973-91, released 10/2/91) TV on the Radio Dear Science (9/23/08) U-V U2 Boy (10/20/80) U2 Best of 1990-2000 (compilation: 1991-2000; released 11/5/2002) Underworld Dubnobasswithmyheadman (1/24/94) Van Halen Van Halen II (charted 4/14/79) Giuseppe Verdi (composer) Messa Da Requiem (Requiem Mass) (classical, composed 1874) W-X Weather Report Heavy Weather (charted 4/2/77) Andrew Lloyd Webber & T.S. Eliot (composers) Cats (cast recording, stage debut: 5/11/81) Andy Williams Days of Wine and Roses (charted 4/20/63) John Williams (composer) Star Wars (soundtrack, charted 6/18/77) Wilco Being There (10/29/96) Robert Wyatt Rock Bottom (7/74) X Los Angeles (6/80) X-Ray Spex Germ-Free Adolescents (11/78) Y-Z Dwight Yoakam Guitars, Cadillacs, Etc. Etc. (charted 4/19/86) Neil Young Live Rust (11/19/79) Various Artists Around the World in 80 Days (soundtrack, charted 4/13/57) Exodus (soundtrack, charted 1/16/1961) The Indestructible Beat of Soweto (1986) Various Artists Miami Vice (soundtrack, charted 10/12/85) Various Artists Rock Revival Greats (K-Tel compilation: 1954-65, released 1972) Back to Top Last updated 9/14/2022.