My Top 30 Albums that you should listen to!

Okay, this is my list. There is no logical reasoning behind the ordering, I put them down as I came to them. I could decide on how to order them properly so I've just left it as it is. The reason for going for 30 albums rather than 25 or 50 was that I originally had 25 but felt that I couldn't omit 2 or 3 albums so I added them anyway. I didn't go any further as I didn't want to add more than one album from any single artist and I wanted to keep it to albums that I really own and adore.

Anyway, without further delay, here is my list:

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The List

Curtis Mayfield - Curtis

I dont know if Id say I have a favourite all time artist but if I did, Curtis Mayfield may be in the top 1 (poor Brian Clough reference). He just seems to make great records that not only sound great but have a really strong message behind them as well, hes pretty much credited with bringing social consciousness into soul music. This is his debut solo album (made after leaving the Impressions the same year) and I love it. Great funky sounds combined with great lyrics.

Nas - Illmatic

This is quite possibly the greatest hip hop album of all time. Its a short album (9 tracks and an Intro) but not one is there as filler. Nas paints pictures with every line on this album and he paints New York as a modern hell. Not only is this a brilliant album lyrically but its like a whos who of New York hip hop production with DJ Premier, Q-Tip, Large Professor and Pete Rock on there, each one of those guys delivering some of their best beats on the album which helps give it its grimy sort of sound. It amazes me to think that he was only 20 when it was released because he sounds like a veteran on this CD.

Bob Marley & The Wailers- Exodus

Bob Marley wrote this album when he was living in England while recovering from being shot and you can tell by listening to this that he had a lot on his mind. Exodus is much more relaxed and peaceful than many of his other albums. It contains some of his greatest tracks such as Jamming, Turn your lights down low and Three little birds.

Isaac Hayes - Hot Buttered Soul

It might only be four songs long but this is one hell of an album. The arrangement of instrumentals on the album are fantastic, its almost like a brilliant jam session the way that Hayes just goes off into the sounds on the album. It may be almost 40 years old but this album sounds as fresh today as it ever has, Hayes voice is incredible and he uses his production background to great effect.

Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin IV

I have to admit that Im not the biggest Led Zeppelin fan, dont get me wrong, I like them but I dont listen to them religiously like many people do. That being said, this album is incredible. Every song on the album is impressive, Plant and Paige seem to work together effortlessly on this album. IV is a little more low key than their other albums, Paiges playing is as good as it ever is and Plant is brilliant as always.

Eric B & Rakim - Paid in Full

Its amazing to think that this album was created and recorded in just one week with Rakim just writing his rhymes quickly as he listened to the beat. Rakim single headedly changed rapping on this album. Before him every MC was loud and booming but then Rakim came and changed it all with his more complex, calculated and relaxed style of rhyming which is still imitated. Musically, Eric B makes great use of a number of old soul samples that give the album a great sound. Every track here is classic hip hop and the album is essential for anyone who claims to be a fan of hip hop.

Marvin Gaye - What's Going On

It amazes me to think that Berry Gordy (the head of Motown) didnt want to release this album when he heard it because he thought it was too political for Motown to release. Whats Going On is Marvin Gayes best album and one of, if not the, greatest album that Motown ever released (which is quite an accomplishment). The album almost seems like an extended therapy session for Marvin Gaye he just seemed to sing about whatever issue came to mind. The songs just seem to be deeply personal for him and it showed in the way he sang and produced the records.

Bruce Springsteen - Born to Run

Born to Run is a really anthemic album, the tracks seem to sound as if they are larger than life. I really enjoy how Springsteen takes the sort of blue collar working class stories on this album and makes them seem epic Born to Run (the song) is a great example of this. That sort of thing sounds melodramatic to a lot of people but I just really enjoy it.

The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Electric Ladyland

I dont care what anybody says, nobody plays the electric guitar as beautifully as Hendrix does on this album. The album is packed full of classic Hendrix with songs like Voodoo Child, Crosstown Traffic and All Along the Watchtower. I really dont know what else to say about this album, Hendrix is just a great musician and artist.

Stevie Wonder- Songs in the Key of Life

Its kind of hard for me to write a short little piece about Songs in the Key of Life. Its undoubtedly Stevie Wonders best album which is quite a task. Lyrically, I like how Stevie Wonder is able to talk about love, compassion and faith so sincerely (I feel that a lot of artists dont sometimes). Musically, the album is very eclectic and I really enjoy how he seems to experiment with a number of styles of music.

Jay-Z - Reasonable Doubt

I struggled over whether to put this album or Jay-Zs The Blueprint in this list but I just felt that I couldnt leave this one out. As youd expect, the album is full of great lyrics from Jay-Z but it isnt just a stereotypical street album some of the best moments of the album come when Jay-Z is being a little more self-aware and self-critical on tracks like Regrets and DEvils which help to give an idea of the effect that drug dealing has on a person (rather than just to glorifying it as a means to get money). Production wise, the album is a bit more jazzy than a lot of rap albums of the time which is a great counterpoint to a lot of the subject matter.

Derek & the Dominoes - Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs

I have to admit that the only reason I originally downloaded this album was to get the version of Layla that is featured in Goodfellas (you know, the piano bit where they find all the bodies). The whole album is pretty excellent though, Clapton seems to be permanently heartbroken on this album, you can almost imagine him in tears as he recorded. The use of the guitar on the album is the absolute perfect companion to Claptons singing and this album is probably his best because of this.

R.E.M - Automatic for the People

I really like R.E.M, they never seem to follow conventions or do whats popular they just dont seem to care what everyone else does. Automatic for the People is a really introspective album and in my opinion their best. I dont know what Michael Stipe was going through when he wrote his lyrics but you can really tell that there is something that was compelling him to write the way he did on this album. For me, this album has some of the most touching and meaningful songs Ive heard (particularly Nightswimming and Everybody Hurts).

A Tribe Called Quest - The Low End Theory

For me on a personal level, A Tribe Called Quest is significant as they are probably the first group that got me interested in hip hop when I was young. The Low End Theory for me is their best album, it mixes the fun and creatively offbeat appeal that everyone loves about the tribe and mixes it with lyrics that are often abstract (I was trying to avoid using the term) and conscious lyrics. There is a big jazz influence on this album which gives the album a really interesting sound. If you enjoy creative hip hop you will enjoy this album in my opinion.

Amy Winehouse - Back to Black

When you listen to this album, its no surprise the Amy Winhouses life is in the state that it is in. Like the titles suggests, its a dark and moody album but it is one of the best examples of modern soul and one of my favourite albums. The songwriting on every song is immaculate and I love how Mark Ronson and Salaam Remi have helped to adapt the sound of the 60s girlbands into the album.

The Clash - The Clash

Im not a huge fan of punk but I cant help but love The Clash. I really struggled with whether to put this album or London Burning in this list but I went for this one just because the emotion of it seems so raw. The aggression and anger that seems to go into this album is fantastic, it makes it a great album to listen to when youre frustrated just to get it all out I find it therapeutic in a perverse sort of way.

Public Enemy - It takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back

It Takes a Nation, is Public Ememys best album. Chuck D is aggressive and as cutting as always, he goes right after the issues he wants to talk about and beats it to death. For me, Chuck D is the rap equivalent of [bleep]e Lee theyre both loud, brash and say exactly what they want to say about issues regardless of public opinion. The production from The Bomb Squad is quite strange, they use a lot of street sounds (such as police sirens) to create a sort of overwhelming sound that really makes you feel as if Chuck D is telling you a story on a New York street corner with all the background noises. The album is a simple melodic relaxing one, it has a clearly defined message and it musically assaults you with it.

Lauryn Hill - The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill

The Miseducation is another great modern soul album that has come from deep personal heartbreak. Just listening to the album you get a good idea of Lauryn Hills fragile state, there are moments where she sounds so strong and upbeat (like on Everything is Everything) and then at other points she seems to be almost in tears (like Ex-Factor). The album has a great sound at times that reminds me a lot of older style soul singers from the 50s and 60s (a sound which I love) and at other times it sounds ultra-modern when Lauryn Hill varies between singing and rapping. The combination of those styles gives the album a great and varied sound.

Blondie - Parallel Lines

I cant help but like Blondie but they are a weird band in the way that they mix punk, pop and new wave and they do it no better than on this album. Debbie Harry is as cool as ever on the album but shes also kind of threatening at points as well (like on Fade Away and Radiate) which was interesting to me when I first listened to the album.

Common Be

Common for me has been one of the most under-rated rappers for a long time. For me, Be is his finest album because it is just such an uplifting one. I particularly love the intro track (Be) and how it begins on the one string being plucked and builds and builds until Common puts his verse on it. Hes one of those rare artists who can talk about love and faith honestly and pull it off without being too sentimental or preachy, he just says how he feels. Production-wise, Kanye West and the late J Dilla give Common some great, laid back beats to rhyme on the sort of beats he has been needing his whole career. I think everyone who has a preconceived notion about rap music and what it is about should listen to this album.

Moby Play

Im not a big fan of Moby particularly or electronic music but I do really enjoy this album. Sure, it may have the horrible distinction of being the first album to have every track used in advertisements but that shouldnt take away from it. I really love the way that Moby uses all of those old blues samples to create great songs.

RUN-DMC - Raising Hell

Raising Hell is one of the earliest great hip hop albums. There is just something about how Run and DMC compliment each other Run being the brash confident rapper with DMC being so cool calm and calculated that gives Run DMC something that sets them apart. Raising Hell is full of great tracks and helped push the boundaries of what hip hop could be by using a lot of rock influences (like on Walk this Way).

The Verve - Urban Hymns

Outside of the UK, most people only know of The Verve through Bittersweet Symphony (which was on the Cruel Intentions soundtrack). That is a shame because they truly were a great band but were just too combustible to last for a long time. Urban Hymns is the album they made after reuniting in 1996 and before their second break up in 1999. The album is full of great tracks and Richard Ashcroft is at his best on this album with The Drugs Dont Work, Lucky Man and Bittersweet Symphony being the standout tracks for me.

The Sex Pistols - Never Mind the Bollocks, Heres The Sex Pistols

I love how the Sex Pistols dont seem to give a crap about anyone or anything on this album. They just seem so angry and mocking of everything that they didnt like. It isnt the most technically beautiful album ever made but its the mood behind the album which makes it great. Its hard to imagine how taboo they were when they came out particularly getting at the British monarchy was a gutsy and attention grabbing move during the 70s.

The Notorious B.I.G. - Ready to Die

Ready to Die is Biggies best work, its probably the best rags to riches album in hip hop (and there is obviously a lot of competition in that category). You can argue that the album doesnt stray very far from the gangster rap stereotype and that is a valid argument but Biggie pulls it off better than everyone else, he is inventive with his lyrics and the way he delivers them. The beats on Ready to Die were mainly handled in-house by Bad Boys producers (particularly Easy Mo Bee) who give the album a great funky sound that goes well with Biggies voice.

The Rolling Stones - Exile on Main St.

Exile on Main St. is my favourite Stones album. Its really Jagger and Richards at their best making great rock and roll. I really love the up-tempo tracks at the beginning of the album (like Rocks Off, Tumbling Dice and Rip this Joint). The album might not sound as slickly produced as other Stones albums but there is just something about the roughness of parts of the album that I like.

Michael Jackson - Thriller

I often find it hard to differentiate between Michael Jackson; the mad sideshow freak and Michael Jackson as one of the greatest artists of our lifetime. However, this album is the work of genius, every single song on the album is beautifully sung and produced. It is pretty much the perfect pop album and is the best work Jacko has ever created (even compared to Off the Wall and Bad). Its no wonder that this is still (and probably always will be in my opinion) the biggest selling album of all time.

Johnny Cash - At San Quentin

I think most people would choose I Walk the Line or At Folsom Prison as their favourite Cash album but for me there is just something about this album that I like more. There is just something about this album which I cant really put my finger on that captures my imagination. I would have loved to have been in the room when I he sings San Quentin, I hate every inch of you the atmosphere must have been absolutely electric.

Phil Spector - Back to Mono (1958-1969)

Yes that Phil Spector the one who was just convicted of murder a few weeks back. I like Phil Spectors production style because it just sounds so rich and his work during the 60s was phenomenal. This is a compilation of his work during that period and it contains some of his best work with a number of groups (particularly with The Ronettes).

James Brown - 20 All-Time Greatest Hits!

I was trying not to have a greatest hits or any compilation albums on this list but I failed at the final hurdle (I couldnt leave James Brown off the list but I couldnt pick an individual album to be honest). Its hard to say anything about James Brown that hasnt been said a hundred times already, hes just a phenomenal artist. His singing style was awesome in the way that he was able to convey his emotions and with the JBs he created some of the greatest songs in popular music. This compilation includes 20 of his greatest hits.

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I'll email the next person in the morning because it's 3:30 now and I need to sleep

Wow, you have some good albums there. I haven't checked out Common yet, but I have heard a couple songs and he is that good.

Nice change of pace with this list, I like it.

I'll be sure to check some out...the only ones I have are Illmatic and Ready to Die.

Nice list. I'm checking out Eric B. & Rakim now.

Wow, a list where I've only not heard of two of the artists. Great list, I have several of those full albums on my Zune, and a lot of songs by the others.

That's a really cool list, 1MA. ;) Glad Intriguing chose you, because you always seem so secretive about what you listen to. :P Something that I was wondering when I was reading this list...Are you black? I always imagined you to be the skinny, pale Scot, but you're list is pretty black. Hope you don't mind me asking. :)

That's a really cool list, 1MA. ;) Glad Intriguing chose you, because you always seem so secretive about what you listen to. :P Something that I was wondering when I was reading this list...Are you black? I always imagined you to be the skinny, pale Scot, but you're list is pretty black. Hope you don't mind me asking. :)

I don't mind you asking at all, your preconception was right, I'm a skinny pale Scot :P.

I did realise as I was making the list that it was pretty much full of black American singers/rappers. When I was younger I always enjoyed hip hop and as I got older I liked to look up the samples, which is how I got into a lot of the soul artists on the list. I'm the odd one out among my mates in terms of what I listen to - they're only into indie music for some reason. I don't mean to be secretive lol.

No 36 Chambers?

No 36 Chambers?

It was a judgement call between Raising Hell and 36 Chamber, if I had gone to 35 albums it would have been on there.

Nice, well written collection :thumbsup:

I've heard of a lot, but unfortunatel;y havent listened to most of them. Im gonna make sure i get round to it!

Alright, which one should I listen to first: Nas, Eric B & Rakim, Public Enemy, Common, RUN-DMC or Notorious B.I.G.?

Alright, which one should I listen to first: Nas, Eric B & Rakim, Public Enemy, Common, RUN-DMC or Notorious B.I.G.?

Now that is a difficult question. Personally, I listened to Nas' album before I'd heard the others. I'd probably say Nas or Notorious B.I.G. just because they are so often imitated by others (and mostly imitated poorly) plus Notorious B.I.G has a good mix of modern beats and great lyrics. Common has a pretty modern sound (because it's the newest of those albums) while Eric B & Rakim and Run DMC have a much more older sound. It really depends on your own taste (that sounds like such a cop out but it isn't meant to be).

No 36 Chambers?

Thats what I was thinking. :lol:

Pretty good list, nice to see someone add Eric B and Rakim.

The Eagles' Greatest Hits have sold more then Thriller.

The Eagles' Greatest Hits have sold more then Thriller.

It's the highest-selling album in history, shifting 65m according to the Guinness Book of World Records. His own people put the figure at 105m.

The Eagles Greatest Hits isn't even in the top 3:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_be ... _worldwide

In short, no....just no.

Interesting list. As someone who likes some rap but struggles to get into the genre your recommendations will definitely be useful here.

Alright, which one should I listen to first: Nas, Eric B & Rakim, Public Enemy, Common, RUN-DMC or Notorious B.I.G.?

 

 

 

Now that is a difficult question. Personally, I listened to Nas' album before I'd heard the others. I'd probably say Nas or Notorious B.I.G. just because they are so often imitated by others (and mostly imitated poorly) plus Notorious B.I.G has a good mix of modern beats and great lyrics. Common has a pretty modern sound (because it's the newest of those albums) while Eric B & Rakim and Run DMC have a much more older sound. It really depends on your own taste (that sounds like such a cop out but it isn't meant to be).

I've never been into rap, but I tried those out(Nas and Notorious B.I.G.). They are all right, it just isn't the genre for me. I generally like to hear random songs every now and then, just not listen to albums.

The Eagles' Greatest Hits have sold more then Thriller.

 

 

 

It's the highest-selling album in history, shifting 65m according to the Guinness Book of World Records. His own people put the figure at 105m.

^^ http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/7117000.stm

 

 

 

The Eagles Greatest Hits isn't even in the top 3:

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_be ... _worldwide

 

 

 

In short, no....just no.

Oh oops I was going off this list. http://www.angelfire.com/music/diamondawards/main.html

That whole list is [cabbage]!

In short...you are strong.

Very cool list. I had go Youtube half the things, but the ones I do know I definitely love and agree with.

Interesting list. I actually haven't heard most of these. A lot of albums on here are ones that i've never really gotten around to listening to, though I've been meaning to for a while.

Alright, which one should I listen to first: Nas, Eric B & Rakim, Public Enemy, Common, RUN-DMC or Notorious B.I.G.?

 

 

 

Now that is a difficult question. Personally, I listened to Nas' album before I'd heard the others. I'd probably say Nas or Notorious B.I.G. just because they are so often imitated by others (and mostly imitated poorly) plus Notorious B.I.G has a good mix of modern beats and great lyrics. Common has a pretty modern sound (because it's the newest of those albums) while Eric B & Rakim and Run DMC have a much more older sound. It really depends on your own taste (that sounds like such a cop out but it isn't meant to be).

 

 

 

I've never been into rap, but I tried those out(Nas and Notorious B.I.G.). They are all right, it just isn't the genre for me. I generally like to hear random songs every now and then, just not listen to albums.

I felt similar about the genre for a while. The albums that really got me into rap were Eminem's Marshal Mathers LP and Atmosphere's When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint That [cabbage] Gold. Try those as well before you write off rap albums.

A Tribe Called Quest - The Low End Theory - Great choice man :P I'll surely check out "Paid in Full" when I have the time. Glad to see Bruce Springsteen and Jimi Hendrix in the list too.

No 36 Chambers?

 

Thats what I was thinking. :lol:

 

Pretty good list, nice to see someone add Eric B and Rakim.

or luqiud swords or cuban linx :(

pretty good selection nonetheless