Monday, May 02, 2022

Best Albums Of The Year -- 1924 To The Present

THE BEST ALBUMS OF THE YEAR

For people who always ask, "What are your favorite albums?" here's the answer. I start with my top pick from each year as a starting point. No, it's not "the most important albums" period, just the album that meant the most to me from each year; usually that means the album I play the most. Some years the choice was obvious, other times a few battled it out. But you could do worse as a music buff than making sure you listen to all my #1 picks. I follow this list with a breakdown of my favorite albums year by year.

THE BEST ALBUMS OF ALL TIME (MY #1 PICK EACH YEAR 1924 TO THE PRESENT)


THE 2020s 

JANELLE MONÁE -- The Age Of Pleasure (2023 work-in-progress) 
ELVIS COSTELLO -- The Boy Named If /The Resurrection of Rust  
FLOATING POINTS AND PHAROAH SANDERS -- Promises (2021)
A GIRL CALLED EDDY -- Been Around  (2020) 


THE 2010s

iLe -- Almadura (2019) 
BOBBIE GENTRY -- The Girl From Chickasaw County: The Complete Capitol Masters (2018) 
CÉCILE MCLORIN SALVANT -- Dreams And Daggers (2017) 
DAVID BOWIE -- Blackstar and Lazarus ep (2016 -- tie)
LEONARD COHEN -- You Want It Darker (2016 -- tie) 
SUFJAN STEVENS -- Carrie and Lowell (2015)
KAISER CHIEFS -- Education, Education, Education and War (2014)
JANELLE MONAE -- The Electric Lady (2013)
RUMER -- Seasons Of My Soul/Boys Don't Cry (2012)
FLEET FOXES -- Hopelessness Blues (2011)
THE TALLEST MAN ON EARTH -- The Wild Hunt (2010)


THE 2000s

THE AVETT BROTHERS -- I And Love And You (2009)
WILLIE NELSON AND WYNTON MARSALIS -- Two Men With The Blues (2008)
SHARON JONES AND THE DAP KINGS -- 100 Days 100 Nights (2007)
CORINNE BAILEY RAE -- Corinne Bailey Rae (2006 -- tie) 
JAMES HUNTER -- People Gonna Talk (2006 -- tie)
SUFJAN STEVENS -- Illinois (2005)
GREEN DAY -- American Idiot (2004)
THE WHITE STRIPES -- Elephant (2003)
NORAH JONES -- Come Away With Me (2002)
MANU CHAO -- Proxima Estacion: Esperanza (2001)
EMINEM -- The Marshall Mathers LP (2000)


THE 1990s

DAVID GRAY -- White Ladder (1999)
BILLY BRAGG AND WILCO -- Mermaid Avenue (1998)
RADIOHEAD -- O.K. Computer (1997)
BECK -- Odelay (1996)
THE MAVERICKS -- Music For All Occasions (1995 -- tie)
ALISON KRAUSS -- Now That I've Found You: A Collection (1995 -- tie)
JOHNNY CASH -- American Recordings (1994)
CASSANDRA WILSON -- Blue Light 'Til Dawn (1993)
kd lang -- Ingenue (1992)
NIRVANA -- Nevermind (1991)
MADONNA -- The Immaculate Collection (1990)


THE 1980s

BEASTIE BOYS -- Paul's Boutique (1989)
PUBLIC ENEMY -- It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back (1988)
DOLLY PARTON, LINDA RONSTADT, EMMYLOU HARRIS -- Trio (1987)
PAUL SIMON -- Graceland (1986 -- tie)
VARIOUS ARTISTS -- The Indestructible Beat Of Soweto Volume One (1986 -- tie)
BARBRA STREISAND -- The Broadway Album (1985 -- tie)
PREFAB SPROUT -- Steve McQueen aka Two Wheels Good (1985 -- tie)
U2 -- The Unforgettable Fire (1984)
R.E.M. -- Murmur (1983)
BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN -- Nebraska (1982)
QUEEN -- Greatest Hits (1981)
JOHN LENNON AND YOKO ONO -- Double Fantasy (1980)


THE 1970s

THE CLASH -- London Calling (1979)
WILLIE NELSON -- Stardust (1978)
STEELY DAN -- Aja (1977)
STEVIE WONDER -- Songs In The Key Of Life (1976)
BOB DYLAN -- Blood On The Tracks/The Basement Tapes (1975)
RICHARD AND LINDA THOMPSON -- I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight (1974)
BOB MARLEY AND THE WAILERS -- Catch A Fire/Burnin' (1973)
SIMON AND GARFUNKEL -- Greatest Hits (1972)
JONI MITCHELL -- Blue (1971)
RANDY NEWMAN -- 12 Songs (1970 -- tie)
HARRY NILSSON -- Nilsson Sings Newman (1970 -- tie)


THE 1960s

THE BEATLES -- Abbey Road (1969)
VAN MORRISON -- Astral Weeks (1968)
ARETHA FRANKLIN -- I Never Loved A Man (The Way I Love You) (1967)
THE BEACH BOYS -- Pet Sounds (1966 -- tie)
THE BEATLES -- Revolver (1966 -- tie)
BOB DYLAN -- Bringing It All Back Home/Highway 61 (1965)
STAN GETZ AND JOAO GILBERTO -- Getz/Gilberto (1964)
PATSY CLINE -- The Patsy Cline Story (1963)
RAY CHARLES -- Modern Sounds In Country and Western Music Vol 1 and 2 (1962)
BILL EVANS -- Sunday At The Village Vanguard/Waltz For Debby (1961)
ELLA FITZGERALD -- The Intimate Ella (1960)


THE 1950s

MILES DAVIS -- Kind Of Blue/Workin'/Porgy and Bess (1959)
ELVIS PRESLEY -- Elvis' Golden Records Vol. 1 (1958)
LERNER AND LOEWE -- My Fair Lady Original Broadway Cast (1957)
ELLA FITZGERALD -- Sings The Cole Porter Songbook (1956)
FRANK SINATRA -- In The Wee Small Hours (1955)
DINAH WASHINGTON -- Dinah Jams (1954)
PEGGY LEE -- Black Coffee (1953)
VARIOUS ARTISTS/HARRY SMITH -- The Anthology Of American Folk Music (1952)
HANK WILLIAMS -- 40 Greatest Hits (1951)
BILLIE HOLIDAY -- The Complete Decca Recordings (1944-1950) (1950)


THE 1940s

DJANGO REINHARDT -- Djangology 49 (1949)
HANK WILLIAMS -- 40 Greatest Hits (1948)
WOODY GUTHRIE -- Songs To Grow On: Nursery Days aka For Mother And Child (1947)
BING CROSY AND THE ANDREWS SISTERS -- Their Complete Recordings Together (1939-1951) (1946)
BING CROSBY -- Merry Christmas (1945)
RODGERS AND HAMMERSTEIN -- Oklahoma! (1944)
DUKE ELLINGTON -- The Carnegie Hall Concerts: January 1943 (1943)
FRANK SINATRA AND TOMMY DORSEY-- The Song Is You! 1940-1942 on RCA Victor (1942)
DUKE ELLINGTON -- The Blanton-Webster Band (1941)
DUKE ELLINGTON -- The Blanton-Webster Band/1937-1940 on Classics Label (1940)


THE 1930s

GLENN MILLER -- The Essential Glenn Miller (1939)
BENNY GOODMAN -- Benny Goodman At Carnegie Hall (1938)
BILLIE HOLIDAY -- The Quintessential Billie Holiday Vol 3-4 1936-1937 (1937)
ROBERT JOHNSON -- King Of The Delta Blues Singers Vol. 1 (1936)
BING CROSY -- Bing Crosby: His Legendary Years (1931-1957) [Decca 1934-1954] (1935)
BING CROSY -- Bing Crosby: His Legendary Years (1931-1957) [Brunswick 1931-1934; Decca 1934-1954] (1934)
BESSIE SMITH -- The Collection (1933)
THE MILLS BROTHERS -- The 1930's Recordings (1932)
BING CROSY -- Bing Crosby: His Legendary Years (1931-1957) [Brunswick 1931-1934] (1931)
DUKE ELLINGTON -- The OKeh Ellington 1927-1930/1924-1930 on Classics Label (1930)


THE 1920s

CHARLEY PATTON -- King Of The Delta Blues (1929-1934) (1929)
MISSISSIPPI JOHN HURT -- Avalon Blues: The Complete 1928 Okeh Recordings (1928)
HENRY THOMAS -- Bull Doze Blues (1927-1929)
LOUIS ARMSTRONG -- The Complete Hot Five And Seven Recordings (1927)
LOUIS ARMSTRONG -- The Complete Hot Five And Seven Recordings (1926)
LOUIS ARMSTRONG -- The Complete Hot Five And Seven Recordings (1925)
DUKE ELLINGTON -- 1924-1930 on Classics Label (1924)


THE BEST ALBUMS OF 2024 (work-in-progress) 

GREEN DAY -- Saviors 



THE BEST ALBUMS OF 2023  

SUFJAN STEVENS -- Javelin 
JANELLE MONÁE -- The Age Of Pleasure 
JOE JACKSON -- Mr. Joe Jackson Presents Max Champion in "What A Racket!" 
MADNESS -- Theatre of the Absurd presents C'est La Vie 
EVERYTHING BUT THE GIRL -- Fuse 
BRAD MEHLDAU -- Your Mother Should Know: Brad Mehldau Plays The Beatles 
THE WHIFFS -- Scratch 'N' Sniff  
THE LEMON TWIGS -- Everything Harmony 
BOYGENIUS -- The Record 
PESO PLUMA -- Génesis 
ESLABÓN ARMADO -- Desvelado 
RODNEY CROWELL -- The Chicago Sessions  
TANYA TUCKER -- Sweet Western Sound 
BALLAKÉ SISSOKO, VINCENT SEGAL, EMILE PARISIEN & VINCENT PIERANI -- Les Égarés 
REISSUE: THE BEATLES -- 1962-1966 (The Red Album)/1967-1970 (The Blue Album) 


PETER GARLAND -- The Basketweave Elegies (performed by William Winant) 
BECKY G -- Esquinas 
KAROL G -- Mañana Será Bonito 
SUSANNA HOFFS -- The Deep End 
TEDDY THOMPSON -- My Love Of Country/ Once More: Jenni Muldaur & Teddy Thompson Sing The Great Country Duets   
AFRICAN HEAD CHARGE -- A Trip To Bolgatonga  
FALL OUT BOY -- So Much (For) Stardust 
BETTY LAVETTE -- LaVette! 
THE HIVES -- The Death Of Randy Fitzsimmons 
WYNTON MARSALIS -- Plays Louis Armstrong's Hot Fives and Hot Sevens  
JESSIE WARE -- That! Feels! Good! 
M. WARD -- Supernatural Thing 
THE BLASTERS -- Mandatory: The Best Of The Blasters 
REISSUE: NEIL YOUNG -- Chrome Dreams (1977/2023) 


COWBOY JUNKIES -- Such Ferocious Beauty 
BLACK PUMAS -- Chronicles Of A Diamond 
FATOUMATA DIAWARA -- London Ko 
PETER GABRIEL -- i/o 
ROLLING STONES -- Hackney Diamonds 
RAYE -- My 21st Century Blues
BAD BUNNY -- Nadie Sabe Lo Que Va A Pasar Mañana 
SIGUR RÓS -- Átta 
CÉCILE MCLORIN SALVANT -- Mésuline  
GINA BURCH -- I Play My Bass Loud 
NATION OF LANGUAGES -- Strange Disciple 
ALEX LAHEY -- The Answer Is Always Yes 
REISSUE: JONI MITCHEL -- Archives Volume 3: The Asylum Years 1972-1975 


PAUL SIMON -- Seven Psalms 
DORI FREEMAN -- Do You Recall 
AWADAGIN PRATT -- Still Point 
THE NATIONAL -- First Two Pages Of Frankenstein 
DURAND JONES -- Wait Till I Get Over 
THE CORAL -- Sea Of Mirrors 
ALLISON MILLER -- Rivers In Our Veins 
PETER ONE -- Come Back To Me 
ÓLAFUR ARNALDS -- Trying To Think Of Nothing/It's 2am And I'm Not Tired Yet 
MITSKI -- The Land Is Inhospitable And So Are We 
ELLIOT BROOD -- Town 
BRIAN HARNETTY -- The Workbench ep 
PHARAOH SANDERS -- Harvest Time Live 1977
RYAN BEATTY -- Calico 
HARP -- Albion 
REISSUE: THE REPLACEMENTS -- Tim: Let It Bleed Edition  





THE BEST ALBUMS OF 2022 


ELVIS COSTELLO -- The Boy Named If /The Resurrection of Rust 
HARRY STYLES -- Harry's House 
ESLABÓN ARMADO -- Nostalgia 
BARBRA STREISAND -- Live At The Bon Soir 
ROLLING STONES -- Live At The El Mocambo 
iLe -- Nacarile 
ALTAMEDA -- Born Losers 
TOMMY MCLAIN -- I Ran Down Every Dream 
CHARLIE GABRIEL AND THE PRESERVATION HALL JAZZ BAND -- 89 
WET LEG -- Wet Leg 
BUZZARD BUZZARD BUZZARD -- Backhand Deals 
TCHOTCHKE -- Tchotchke 
CÉCILE MCLORIN SALVANT -- Ghost Song 
JOHNNY ADAMS -- South Side Of Soul Street (The SSS Sessions)/Only Want To Be With You comp  

WEYES BLOOD -- And In The Darkness, Hearts Aglow 
BUCK OWENS -- Bakersfield Gold: Top 10 Hits 1959-1974
BAD BUNNY  -- Un Verano Sin Ti 
MIRANDA LAMBERT -- Palomino 
JÓHANN JÓHANNSSON -- Drone Mass 
LADY BLACKBIRD -- Black Acid Soul 
NOORI & HIS DORPA BAND -- Beja Power! Electric Soul & Brass From Sudan's Red Sea Coast  
THE LICKERISH QUARTET -- Threesome  
SILVANA ESTRADA -- Marchita
DR. JOHN -- Things Happen That Way 
JOEL ROSS -- The Parable Of The Poet 

VARIOUS ARTISTS -- Gotta Get A Good Thing Goin': Black Music In Britain In The Sixties 
ASHLEY MCBRYDE -- Presents Lindeville 
IAN NOE -- River Fools and Mountain Saints 
JULIA BULLOCK -- Walking In The Dark 
STEVE LACY -- Gemini Rights 
JUDY COLLINS -- Spellbound 
VARIOUS ARTISTS -- Black Panther: Wakanda Forever Music From And Inspired By
COLIN HAY -- Now and The Evermore 
OUMOU SANGARÉ -- Timbuktu 
DUNCAN SHEIK -- Claptrap 

GOGOL BORDELLO -- Solidaritine 
MADONNA -- Finally Enough Love: 50 Number Ones 
VIGÜELA -- A La Manera Artesana 
PANIC! AT THE DISCO -- Viva Las Vengeance 
BINKER & MOSES -- Feeding The Machine 
MEGHAN TRAINOR -- Takin' It Back 
ALEC BENJAMIN -- (Un)Commentary 
THE MOVERS -- Vol. 1: 1970-1976
MIDLAKE -- For The Sake Of Bethel Woods 
RENÉE FLEMING -- Voice Of Nature: The Anthropocene 





THE BEST ALBUMS OF 2021 


FLOATING POINTS AND PHAROAH SANDERS -- Promises 
THE CORAL -- Coral Island 
C. TANGANA -- El Madrileño 
ROBERT PLANT AND ALISON KRAUSS -- Raise The Roof 
BRANDI CARLILE -- In These Silent Days (In The Canyon Haze edition out 2022) 
AIMEE MANN -- Queen Of The Summer Hotels 
JOHN MAYER -- Sob Rock 
ALLISON RUSSELL -- Outside Child  
CHEAP TRICK -- In Another World 
THE JOHN SALLY RIDE -- Now Is Not A Good Time 


JEREMIAH FRAITES -- Piano Piano  
FLEET FOXES -- A Very Lonely Solstice 
DORI FREEMAN -- Ten Thousand Roses 
JUSTIN BIEBER -- Justice 
MIRANDA LAMBERT, JACK INGRAM, JON RANDALL -- The Marfa Tapes
CARÍN LEON -- Inédito 
BILLIE EILISH -- Happier Than Ever 
IKE REILLY -- Because The Angels 
ALICIA  KEYS -- Keys
MICKY DOLENZ -- Dolenz Sings Nesmith 
ASHE -- Ashlyn 


EMILE MOSSERI -- Minari soundtrack 
LINDSEY BUCKINGHAM -- Lindsey Buckingham  
NATALIA LAFOURCADE -- Un Canto por México, Vol. II  
LORD HURON -- Long Lost 
SAULT -- Nine 
CARLY PEARCE -- 29: Written In Stone  
MON LAFERTE -- Seis 
POKEY LAFARGE -- In The Blossom Of Their Shade 
ST. VINCENT -- Daddy's Home 
BOB DYLAN -- Shadow Kingdom 


WILLIAM TYLER -- First Cow soundtrack 
AROOJ AFTAB -- Vulture Prince  
SELF ESTEEM -- Prioritize Pleasure 
LUCY DACUS -- Home Video
NICK CAVE AND WARREN ELLIS -- Carnage  
MANDY BARNETT -- Every Star Above 
MARGO TIMMINS -- The Ty Tyrfu Sessions 
RODRIGO AMARANTE -- Drama 
COURTNEY BARNETT -- Things Take Time, Take Time  
COLIN HAY -- I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself  
THE FLATLANDERS -- Treasure of Love  
ABBA -- Voyage   




THE BEST ALBUMS OF 2020


A GIRL CALLED EDDY -- Been Around 
BEASTIE BOYS -- Beastie Boys Music  
FIONA APPLE -- Fetch The Bold Cutters 
BAD BUNNY -- YHLQMDLG/Las Que No Iban A Salir/El Ultimo Tour Del Mundo 
THE MAVERICKS -- En Español 
LINA RODRIGUEZ -- Lina_Raul Refree 
CHUCK PROPHET -- The Land That Time Forgot 
MIKE VIOLA -- Godmuffin 
RUMER -- Nashville Tears: The Songs Of Hugh Prestwood 
IMMANUEL WILKINS -- Omega 
TEYANA TAYLOR -- The Album 
SAULT -- Untitled (Black Is) and Untitled (Rise)
CLARICE JENSEN -- The Experience Of Repetition As Death 
OLAFUR ARNALDS -- Some Kind Of Peace 


NEIL YOUNG -- Homegrown (recorded in 1975) 
ELLA FITZGERALD -- Ella: The Lost Berlin Tapes (Live) (recorded in 1962) 


BRANDY CLARK -- Your Life Is A Record 
GREEN DAY -- Father of All Motherfuckers 
DUA LIPA -- Future Nostalgia 
SHARHABIL AHMED -- The King Of Sudanese Jazz 
ONENESS OF JUJU -- African Rhythms 1970-1982
MARIA MCKEE -- La Vita Nuova 
MOSES SUMNEY -- grae 
PHOEBE BRIDGERS -- Punisher 
HAIM -- Women In Music III 
ROBERT CRAY -- That's What I Heard 
ERROL LINTON -- No Entry 
TEDDY THOMPSON -- Heartbreaker Please 
TAMI NEILSON -- Chickaboom! 


BARRY MANILOW -- Night Songs II 
LIANNE LA HAVAS -- Lianne La Havas 
HAROLD LOPEZ-NUSSA -- Te Lo Dije 
THE STRUTS -- Strange Days 
BOB DYLAN -- Rough and Rowdy Ways 
HAROLD BUDD AND ROBIN GUTHRIE -- Another Flower 
BRIAN ENO AND ROGER ENO -- Mixing Colours 
FLEET FOXES -- Shore 
GROUPE RTD -- The Dancing Devils Of Djibouti 
BOB MOULD -- Blue Hearts 
PHILIP GLASS -- Music In Eight Parts 
TRISTAN PERICH -- Drift Multiply 


STEVE EARLE -- Ghosts Of West Virginia 
CARLA BLEY -- Life Goes On 
JIMMY HEATH -- Love Letter 
THE JAYHAWKS -- Xoxo 
MICHAEL HARRISON W ROOMFUL OF TEETH -- Just Constellations 
THE MAGNETIC FIELDS -- Quickies 
SPARKS -- A Steady Drip Drip Drip 
JOHN BEASLEY -- MONK'estra Plays John Beasley 
JAKE BLOUNT -- Spider Tales 
TONY ALLEN AND HUGH MASEKALA -- Rejoice! 
PAUL WELLER -- On Sunset 
ALEC BENJAMIN -- These Two Windows 
ELLIOTT BROOD -- Keeper 

(Click here for a complete breakdown of who these artists are and what I love about their albums.) 


THE BEST ALBUMS OF 2019

iLe -- Almadura 
VARIOUS ARTISTS -- Nostalgique Porto Rico (Puerto Rican Roots 1940-1960) 
BAD BUNNY -- X100PRE  (out Dec 2018)
BAD BUNNY AND J BALVIN -- Oasis  
LIZZO -- Cuz I Love You 
ARI LENNOX -- Shea Butter Baby
BRANFORD MARSALIS -- The Secret Between the Shadow and the Soul 
SOLANGE -- When I Get Home 
NICK CAVE -- Ghosteen 
ANDY BURROWS AND MATT HAIG -- Reasons To Stay Alive 
DORI FREEMAN -- Every Little Star 
TINARIWEN -- Amadjar 
MDOU MOCTAR -- Ileana (The Creator)  
WEYES BLOOD -- Titanic Rising 
JOHN LUTHER ADAMS -- Become Desert 
ANDREW NORMAN -- Sustain 


TANYA TUCKER -- While I'm Living 
JUDY COLLINS -- Winter Stories (w Jonas Fjeld and Chatham County Line) 
MANSION HARLOTS -- All Around A Fairground 
TYLER, THE CREATOR -- IGOR   
CAROLINE SHAW -- Orange 
DEREK BERMEL -- Migrations  
STURGILL SIMPSON -- Sound & Fury  
VARIOUS ARTISTS -- Once Upon A Time...In Hollywood   
MARIACHI LOS CAMPEROS -- De Ayer Para Siempre  
THE TALLEST MAN ON EARTH -- I Love You. It's A Fever Dream 
BILLIE EILISH -- When We All Fall Asleep 
VAMPIRE WEEKEND -- Father Of The Bride   
LAKOU MIZIK -- HaitiNola 
CHRISTIAN SCOTT ATUNDE ADJUAH -- Ancestral Blues 
THE WHIFFS -- Another Whiff  



ANGELIQUE KIDJO -- Celia  
NEIL YOUNG -- Colorado  
FRANK TURNER -- No Man's Land   
STILE ANTICO -- In A Strange Land: Elizabethan Composers in Exile  
BECK -- Hyperspace  
MICHAEL KIWANUKA -- Kiwanuka  
ALLISON MOORER -- Blood   
DAVE MALLOY --- Octet (Original Cast Recording)  
THE GARIFUNA COLLECTIVE -- Aban   
WILCO -- Ode To Joy 
JOE JACKSON -- Fool 
JEFF LYNNE'S ELO -- From Out Of Nowhere 
PAUL KELLY -- Songs From The South: Paul Kelly's Greatest Hits 1985-2019  
JULIA JACKLIN -- Crushing 
KEVIN MORBY -- Oh My God  
LOS LOBOS -- Llegó Navidad 
STILE ANTICO -- A Spanish Nativity  
ROBBIE WILLIAMS -- The Christmas Present 

(Click here for a complete breakdown of who these artists are and what I love about their albums.)



THE BEST ALBUMS OF 2018 


BOBBIE GENTRY -- The Girl From Chickaswaw County boxed set  
JANELLE MONÁE -- Dirty Computer 
KAMASI WASHINGTON -- Heaven And Earth 
ANGELIQUE KIDJO -- Remain In Light 
BAD BUNNY -- X100PRE
PANIC! AT THE DISCO -- Pray For The Wicked
BRANDI CARLISLE -- By The Way, I Forgive You 
THE JOHN SALLY RIDE -- Nothing Doing 
NELLIE MCKAY -- Sister Orchid 
BETA RADIO -- Transition 
VARIOUS ARTISTS -- Black Panther 
YOUNG GUN SILVER FOX -- AM Waves 

CÉCILE MCLORIN SALVANT -- The Window 
ARCTIC MONKEYS -- Tranquility Base Hotel and Casino 
KASEY CHAMBERS -- Campfire 
BENJAMIN JAFFE -- Oh, Wild Oceans Of Love 
VARIOUS ARTISTS -- African Scream Contest 2 
SHAKEY GRAVES -- Can't Wake Up 
ESPERANZA SPALDING -- 12 Little Steps 
ELVIS COSTELLO -- Look Now 
COURTNEY BARNETT -- Tell Me How You Really Feel 
NAS -- Nasir 


TONY BENNETT AND DIANA KRALL -- Love Is Here To Stay 
BIRCH PEREIRA -- Western Soul
TRACEY THORN -- Record 
SCOTT MATTHEWS -- The Great Untold 
MACY GRAY -- Ruby 
JASON ALDEAN -- Rearview Town 
MADELEINE PEYROUX -- Anthem 
DRAKE -- Scorpion 
JAMES HUNTER -- Whatever It Takes 
TROYE SIVAN -- Bloom 

RICK SPRINGFIELD -- The Snake King 
LINDA THOMPSON -- My Mother Doesn't Know I'm On The Stage 
FALL OUT BOY -- Mania 
ROSEANNE CASH -- She Remembers Everything 
BUDDY GUY -- The Blues Is Alive And Well 
GORILLAZ -- The Now Now 
MANDY PATINKIN -- Diary: January 27, 2018/April May 2018 
JOSH ROUSE -- Love In The Modern Age
THE VINES -- In Miracle Land 
JEFF TWEEDY -- Warm 
BOZ SCAGGS -- Out Of The Blues 
ELLA FITZGERALD/LOUIS ARMSTRONG -- Cheek To Cheek: The Complete Duet Recordings 


(Click here for a complete breakdown of who these artists are and what I love about their albums.)



THE BEST ALBUMS OF 2017 


CÉCILE MCLORIN SALVANT -- Dreams And Daggers 
CHRIS STAPLETON -- From A Room, Vol. 1 
ORCHESTRA BAOBAB -- Tribute To Ndiouga Dieng
SZA -- Ctrl
VARIOUS ARTISTS -- Hadestown Original Cast Album (Off Bway)
JOHN MORELAND -- Big Bad Luv
THE MAGNETIC FIELDS -- 50 Song Memoir
SIA -- Everyday is Christmas
THE JOHN SALLY RIDE -- A New Set Of Downs
COURTNEY BARNETT AND KURT VILE -- Lotta Sea Lice


KASEY CHAMBERS -- Dragonfly
BOB DYLAN -- Triplicate
DANIEL CAESAR -- Freudian
JASON ISBELL -- The Nashville Sound
MARGO PRICE -- All American Made
KENDRICK LAMAR -- Damn
KRONOS QUARTET AND TRIO DA KALI -- Ladilikan
STANTON MOORE -- With You In Mind
AIMEE MANN -- Mental Illness
JAKE XERXES FUSSELL -- What In The Natural World
LORDE -- Melodrama
DON BRYANT -- Don't Give Up On Love
ROBERT CRAY AND HI RHYTHM -- Robert Cray and Hi Rhythm
CURTIS HARDING -- Face Your Fears
THE WHIFFS -- Take A Whiff 



CHARLY BLISS -- Guppy
VARIOUS ARTISTS -- Sunday in The Park With George (Bway 2017)
THE NATIONAL -- Sleep Well Beast
MOSES SUMNEY -- Aromanticism
SAMPHA -- Process
WESLEY STACE'S JOHN WESLEY HARDING -- Wesley Stace's John Wesley Harding 
DORA FREEMAN -- Letter Never Sent
ANNA TIVEL -- Small Believer 
KAMASI WASHINGTON -- Harmony of Difference 
CHEAP TRICK -- We're All Alright!
SAZ'SIO -- At Least Wave Your Handkerchief At Me
RON SEXSMITH -- The Last Rider
INDIA.ARIE -- Songversation: Medicine


LARRY CAMPBELL AND TERESA WILLIAMS -- Contraband Love
KHALID -- American Teen
ZULI -- On Human Freakout Mountain
LEWIS CAPALDI -- Bloom
VARIOUS ARTISTS -- Southern Soul Crate
VARIOUS ARTISTS -- Baby Driver OST
RODNEY CROWELL -- Close Ties
JOHN MELLENCAMP -- Sad Clowns and Hillbillies 
OZUNA -- Odisea
LIAM GALLAGHER -- As You Were
DAVID RAWLINGS -- Poor David's Almanack 
JUANES -- Mis Planes Son Amarte
FAIRPORT CONVENTION -- Come All Ye -- The First Ten Years (1968-1978)
LADYSMITH BLACK MAMBAZO -- Songs Of Peace and Love
HOBO JOHNSON -- The Rise Of Hobo Johnson 




THE BEST ALBUMS OF 2016


DAVID BOWIE -- Blackstar + Lazarus EP
LEONARD COHEN -- You Want It Darker
MAXWELL -- blackSUMMERnights
CHANCE THE RAPPER -- Coloring Book
JOSHUA REDMAN AND BRAD MEHLDAU -- Nearness
EMMYLOU HARRIS, DOLLY PARTON, LINDA RONSTADT -- Trio: The Complete Collection
TEDDY THOMPSON AND KELLY JONES -- Little Windows
SOLANGE -- A Seat At The Table
JAMES HUNTER -- Hold On!
STURGILL SIMPSON -- A Sailor's Guide To Earth


KANYE WEST -- The Life Of Pablo
THE MONKEES -- Good Times!
REGINA SPEKTOR -- Remember Us To Life
KENNY BARRON -- Book Of Intuition
RADIOHEAD -- A Moon Shaped Pool
MIRANDA LAMBERT -- The Weight Of These Wings
GREEN DAY -- Revolution Radio
BOB DYLAN -- Fallen Angels
PANIC! AT THE DISCO -- Death Of A Bachelor
MAHALIA JACKSON -- Moving On Up A Little Higher


DORI FREEMAN -- Dori Freeman
MARGO PRICE -- Midwest Farmer's Daughter
A TRIBE CALLED QUEST -- We've Got It From Here...Thank You For Your Service
PET SHOP BOYS -- Super
MUDCRUTCH -- Mudcrutch 2 
JUDY COLLINS -- Silver Skies Blue 
SHIRLEY COLLINS -- Lodestar 
NICHOLAS KRGOVICH -- The Hills
JANE SIBERRY -- Ulysses' Purse
CAR SEAT HEADREST -- Teens Of Denial
JACK WHITE -- Acoustic Recordings: 1998-2016
DUNCAN SHEIK -- Legerdemain/American Psycho



JOE LOVANO -- Classic! Live At Newport
DWIGHT YOAKUM -- Swimming Pools, Movie Stars
KING CREOSOTE AND MICHAEL JOHNSTON -- When I Was A Thief
LUCKY PETERSON -- Long Nights
PJ HARVEY -- The Hope Six Demolition Project 
COMMON -- Black America Again
LED ZEPPELIN -- The BBC Sessions
CALYPSO ROSE -- Far From Home
ORIGINAL CAST ALBUM -- Dear Evan Hansen
BRIAN ENO -- The Ship
PSYCHIC TEMPLE -- Plays Music For Airports



THE STRUTS -- Everybody Wants Some
case/lang/viers -- case/lang/viers
CONOR OBERST -- Ruminations
HOUSTON PEARSON AND RON CARTER -- Chemistry
CHARLIE PUTH -- Nine Track Mind
BRENNEN LEIGH -- Sings Lefty Frizzell
THE LUMINEERS -- Cleopatra
LAURA MVULA -- The Dreaming Room
ESPERANZA SPALDING -- Emily's D-evolution
CORINNE BAILEY RAE -- The Heart Speaks

(Click here for a complete breakdown on who these artists are and what I love about their albums.) 


THE BEST ALBUMS OF 2015


SUFJAN STEVENS -- Carrie and Lowell 
JILL SCOTT -- Woman
KENDRICK LAMAR -- To Pimp A Butterfly
CHRIS STAPLETON -- Traveller
THE TALLEST MAN ON EARTH -- Dark Bird Is Home
COURTNEY BARNETT -- Sometimes I Just Sit And Think And Sometimes I Just Sit
TONY BENNETT AND BILL CHARLAP -- The Silver Lining: The SongsOf Jerome Kern *** 1/2
THE FRATELLIS -- Eyes Wide Tongue Tied
IRIS DEMENT -- The Trackless Woods
IKE REILLY -- Born On Fire

KAMASI WASHINGTON -- The Epic
BOZ SCAGGS -- A Fool To Care
KACEY MUSGRAVES -- Pageant Material
LIN-MANUEL MIRANDA -- Hamilton (Original Broadway Cast)
ORANGE HUMBLE BAND -- Depressing Beauty
COWBOY JUNKIES -- Notes Falling Slowly
TINARIWEN -- Live In Paris, 2014
CARRIE UNDERWOOD -- Storyteller
TAME IMPALA -- Currents
LARRY CAMPBELL AND TERESA WILLIAMS -- Larry Campbell and Teresa Williams
AMY LAVERE AND WILL SEXTON -- Hallelujah I'm A Dreamer


DRAKE -- If You're Reading This, It's Too Late
WYNTON MARSALIS/JAZZ AT LINCOLN CENTER BIG BAND -- Big Band Holiday 
SARA BAREILLES -- What's Inside: Music From Waitress
JASON ISBELL -- Something More Than Free
VINCE STAPLES -- Summertime '06
VERUCA SALT -- Ghost Notes
LOS LOBOS -- Gates Of Gold
LINDI ORTEGA -- Faded Gloryville
SHAKEY GRAVES -- Nobody's Fool
STEVE EARLE -- Terraplace
FALL OUT BOY -- American Beauty/American Psycho

GARNET MIMMS -- Looking For You: The Complete United Artists and Veep Singles / 
CONNIE CONVERSE -- How Sad, How Lovely
PATTY GRIFFIN -- Servant Of Love
LADY LAMB THE BEEKEEPER -- After 
BONES -- Powder
DWIGHT YOAKAM -- Second-Hand Heart
DANIEL ROMANO -- If I've Only One Time Askin'
ADELE -- 25
THE MAVERICKS -- Mono
ANDERSON EAST -- Delilah
DON HENLEY -- Cass County
CAGE THE ELEPHANT -- Tell Me I'm Pretty
ERIC CHURCH -- Mr. Misunderstood
BOB DYLAN -- Shadows In The Night

(Click here for a complete breakdown on who these artists are and what I love about their albums.) 



THE BEST ALBUMS OF 2014 


KAISER CHIEFS -- Education, Education, Education and War
STURGILL SIMPSON -- Metamodern Sounds In Country Music
SHARON JONES AND THE DAP KINGS -- Give The People What They Want
COURTNEY BARNETT -- Double EP: A Sea Of Spilt Peas 
JOHN LUTHER ADAMS -- Become Ocean 
BONES -- Skinny and Rotten and Seabed et al
BECK -- Morning Phase
THE FEELING -- Boy Cried Wolf
AMY LAVERE -- Runaway's Diary  
BETTY BUCKLEY -- Ghostlight
BRIAN ENO AND KARL HYDE -- Someday World 
BETA RADIO -- Colony Of Bees
BEN L'ONCLE SOUL -- A Coup de Reves



JIMMER PODRASKY -- The Would-Be Plans
CHUCK PROPHET -- Night Surfer
HENRY BUTLER AND STEVEN BERNSTEIN -- Viper's Drag
ARIANA GRANDE -- My Everything
TINARIWEN -- Emmar 
THE VINES -- Wicked Nature
BENJAMIN BOOKER -- Benjamin Booker
DAMON ALBARN -- Everyday Robots
MARY J BLIGE -- The London Sessions
J COLE -- 2014 Forest Hills Drive
HURRAY FOR THE RIFF RAFF -- Small Town Heroes
ROSANNE CASH -- The River And The Thread
HAMILTON LEITHAUSER -- Dark Hours


DYLAN GARDNER -- Adventures In Real Time (tie) and
PETE MOLINARI -- Theosophy '14 (tie)
COMMON -- Nobody's Smiling
KELLY WILLIS AND BRUCE ROBISON -- Our Year
LEONARD COHEN -- Popular Problems
GREG ASHLEY -- Another Generation of Slaves
STANTON MOORE -- Conversations
THE GHOST OF A SABER TOOTH TIGER -- Midnight Sun
SKATERS -- Manhattan
TOM PETTY -- Hypnotic Eye
BEN HOWARD --  I Forget Where We Were


RUMER -- Into Colour
ROBBIE WILLIAMS -- Under The Radar, Vol. 1
JOHN HIATT -- Terms Of My Surrender
SHE AND HIM -- Classics
THE VERONICAS -- The Veronicas
OLD CROW MEDICINE SHOW -- Remedy
tUnE yArDs -- Nikki Nack
TIM MCGRAW -- Sundown Heaven Town
NEIL DIAMOND -- Melody Road (tie)
BARRY MANILOW -- Night Songs (tie)
THE LIVING SISTERS -- Harmony Is Real: Songs For A Happy Holiday 
MARGO GURYAN -- 27 Demos 


(Click here for a complete breakdown on who these artists are and what I love about their albums.) 



THE BEST ALBUMS OF 2013


1-10ish
JANELLE MONAE -- The Electric Lady
DAVID BOWIE -- The Next Day
PAUL MCCARTNEY -- New
FRANK TURNER -- Tape Deck Heart
BOMBINO -- Nomad
LINDA THOMPSON -- Won't Be Long Now
ARCTIC MONKEYS -- AM
VAMPIRE WEEKEND -- Modern Vampires Of The City
JAMES COTTON -- Cotton Mouth Man
KEITH JARRETT -- Somewhere
PATTY GRIFFIN -- American Kid and Silver Bell


11-20
BOB DYLAN -- Another Self Portrait
CECILE MCLORIN SALVANT -- WomanChild
THE LONE BELLOW -- The Lone Bellow
DAFT PUNK -- Random Access Memories
LORDE -- Pure Heroin(e)
EMINEM -- The Marshall Mathers LP2
JOHN MAYER -- Paradise Valley
KELLY WILLIS AND BRUCE ROBISON -- Cheater's Game
KODALINE -- In A Perfect World
PANIC! AT THE DISCO -- Too Weird To Live, Too Rare To Die
MAVIS STAPLES -- One True Vine

21-30
THE WATERBOYS -- Fisherman Box
RICHARD THOMPSON -- Electric
RHYE -- Woman
LAURA MVULA -- Sing To The Moon
BRAD PAISLEY -- Wheelhouse
THE MAVERICKS -- In Time
RON SEXSMITH -- Forever Endeavor
KING KRULE -- 6 Feet Beneath The Moon
MIDLAKE -- Antiphon
VARIOUS ARTISTS -- Divided and United: Songs Of The Civil War

31-40
ELVIS COSTELLO AND THE ROOTS -- Wake Up Ghost
CAGE THE ELEPHANT -- Melophobia
GUY CLARK -- My Favorite Picture Of You
BASTILLE -- Bad Blood
ALLEN TOUSSAINT -- Songbook
DANNY BROWN -- Old
THE AVETT BROTHERS -- Magpie and the Dandelion
HOLLY WILLIAMS -- The Highway
KACEY MUSGRAVES -- Same Trailer, Different Park
LITTLE GREEN CARS -- Absolute Zero

41-49
BILLIE JOE ARMSTRONG AND NORAH JONES -- Foreverly
ALICE RUSSELL -- To Dust
WILLIAM TYLER -- Impossible Truth
JASON ISBELL -- Southeastern
JOHN MORELAND -- In The Throes
LINDI ORTEGA -- Tin Star
VAN DYKE PARKS -- Song Cycled
THE CIVIL WARS -- The Civil Wars
PREFAB SPROUT -- Crimson Red
VARIOUS ARTISTS -- Inside Llewyn Davis
TIM CHRISTENSEN -- Pure McCartney


(Click here for a complete breakdown on who these artists are and what I love about their albums.) 



THE BEST ALBUMS OF 2012


1. RUMER -- Seasons Of My Soul/Boys Don't Cry (70s pop perfection)
2. BRANFORD MARSALIS -- Four MF's Playin' Their Tunes (hard-driving jazz; faultless)
3. THE TALLEST MAN ON EARTH -- There's No Leaving Now(inspiringly good Dylanesque rock)
4. FRANK OCEAN -- Channel Orange (state of the art soul)
5. PAUL BUCHANAN -- Mid Air (emotionally intense, late night confessions)
BILL FAY -- Life Is People (age+wisdom+piano+God)
6. JOHANN JOHANNSSON -- The Miners' Hymns (the film score of the year)
7. 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 (pop artist at peak of her powers)
8. JAMEY JOHNSON -- Living For A Dream: A Tribute To Hank Cochran (all-star country hoedown)
9. BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN -- Wrecking Ball (life in them old dogs yet)
      BOB DYLAN -- Tempest 
10. DR. JOHN -- Locked Down (triumphant New Orleans music)
      TRACEY THORN -- Tinsel and Lights (Christmas, sadly)

11. KASEY CHAMBERS AND SHANE NICHOLSON -- Wreck And Ruin (world class folk-country-blues)
12. NAS -- Life Is Good (rap for grown ups)
13. LEONARD COHEN -- Old Ideas (magisterial pop)
14. JOSEPHINE -- Portrait (two English lasses with talent to burn)
      LIANNA LA HAVAS -- Is Your Love Big Enough
15. GRANT LEE-PHILLIPS -- Walking In The Green Corn (acoustic gem)
16. ANTIBALAS -- Antibalas (Fela Kuti lives!)
17. IRIS DEMENT -- Sing The Delta (comeback of the year)
      BOO HANS WITH DON FLEMONS -- Buffalo Junction
18. VIJAY AYER TRIO -- Accelerando (jazz piano)
      BRAD MEHLDAU -- Where Do You Start/Ode
19. THE HIVES -- Lex Hives (rock, by god)
      JAPANDROID -- Celebration Rock
      THE DOUGHBOYS -- Shakin' Our Souls
20. MUMFORD AND SONS -- Babel (flowering of Americana)
      THE LUMINEERS -- The Lumineers
      PIGPEN THEATRE CO. -- Bremen
      THE AVETT BROTHERS -- The Carpenter



21. CHRIS SMITHER -- Hundred Dollar Valentine (blues master)
22. DIANA KRALL -- Glad Rag Doll (digging deeper jazz talent)
23. ED SHEERAN -- + (thoughtful British pop)
24. KENDRICK LAMAR -- good kid, mA.A.d city (rap smarts)
25. MELODY GARDOT -- The Absence (singular voice heads to Brazil)
26. FATHER JOHN MISTY -- Fear Fun (Fleet Foxes redux, in a good way)
      DAMIEN JURADO -- Maraqopa
      LORD HURON -- Impossible Dreams
      BOY AND BEAR -- Moonfire
27. THE TIME JUMPERS -- The Time Jumpers (Western swing)
28. NEIL YOUNG AND CRAZY HORSE -- Psychedelic Pill/Americana (still kicking, still stinging)
29. WILLIAM TYLER -- Impossible Truth (guitar instrumental) (officially out March 2013)
30. BETTYE LAVETTE -- Thankful N' Thoughtful (soul survivor)


31. BILLY BRAGG AND WILCO -- Mermaid Avenue Volume 3 (unexpected gem from vault)
32. MICHAEL KIWANUKA -- Home Again (70s soul circa Bill Withers)
      MIGUEL -- Kaleidoscope Dream (70s soul circa Marvin Gaye)
33. REGINA SPEKTOR -- What We Saw From The Cheap Seats (quirky pop)
      NORAH JONES -- Little Broken Hearts (leaving jazz behind)
34. JACK WHITE -- Blunderbuss (eclectic; electric)
35. TAME IMPALA -- Lonerism (psychedelica redefined)
36. GREEN DAY -- Uno!/Dos!/Tres! (purging punk pop)
37. BRANDI CARLILE -- Bear Creek (an indie voice in the wilderness)
38. RAVI COLTRANE -- Spirit Fiction (jazz royalty, wearing the crown well)
39. JOHN MAYER -- Born And Raised (skip the interviews, play the music)
40. PUNCH BROTHERS -- Who's Feeling Young Now?/Ahoy (bluegrass expanded)
      JASON ALDEAN -- Night Train (country demanded)
     DWIGHT YOAKUM -- 3 Pears (rebel remanded)


41. BRIAN ENO -- Lux (genius in solo instrumental mode)
42. BRUNO MARS -- Unorthodox Jukebox (Michael Jackson's heir apparent)
43. SUZANNE VEGA -- Close Up Vol. 4: Songs Of Family (revealing catalog)
44. JAKE BUGG -- Jake Bugg (promising UK folkie)
45. BAND OF HORSES -- Mirage Rock (career best for rockers)
46. THE MAGNETIC FIELDS -- Love At The Bottom Of The Sea (miserablist pop)
47. BRYAN FERRY -- The Jazz Age (left turn instrumentals)
48. DAVID BYRNE AND ST. VINCENT -- Love This Giant (a rock giant shows signs of life)
49. DAMON ALBARN -- Dr. Dee (pastoral concept album about English eccentric)
50. KRIS KRISTOFFERSON -- Feeling Mortal (one foot in the grave country)

(Click here for a complete breakdown on who these artists are and what I love about their albums.) 



THE BEST ALBUMS OF 2011


1. FLEET FOXES -- Helplessness Blues (CSN rocks out)
2. TOM WAITS -- Bad As Me (bohemian troubadour in top form)
3. KING CREOSOTE AND JON HOPKINS -- Diamond Mine (quirky concept album, gorgeously done)
4. GILLIAN WELCH -- The Harrow and the Harvest (simple, straightforward, striking folk)
5. TEDDY THOMPSON -- Bella / kd lang Sing It Loud
    RON SEXSMITH -- Long Player, Late Bloomer (pure pop by pure pros)
6. WYNTON MARSALIS AND ERIC CLAPTON -- Play the Blues
    BRANFORD MARSALIS AND JOEY CALDARAZZO -- Songs of Mirth and Melancholy (trad jazz)
7. GLEN CAMPBELL -- Ghost on the Canvas (haunting country pop)
8. BOMBINO -- Agadez (Tuareg rocks!)
    BOUBACAR TRAORE -- Mali Denhou (gentle African guitar)
    LADYSMITH BLACK MAMBAZO -- Songs From a Zulu Farm (ecstatic and playful children's music)
9. VARIOUS ARTISTS -- This May Be My Last Time Singing: Raw African American Gospel on 45 RPM (1957-1982) (lo-fi, high flying gospel that's so good you'll convert)
10. ADELE -- 21 (unstoppable soul diva)
     THE BEACH BOYS -- The Smile Sessions boxed set 

***

11. GROUPLOVE -- Never Trust a Happy Song (raucous LA pop-rock)
12. PANIC! AT THE DISCO -- Vices and Virtues (sterling but overlooked pop-rock)
13. NICK LOWE -- The Old Magic (vintage wine, vintage bottle)
14. WILD FLAG -- Wild Flag (giving super groups a good name)
15. BRAD MEHLDAU -- Modern Music (dependably adventurous jazz trio)
      COLIN VALLON -- Rruger (bold EU trio following in Mehldau's wake)
16. JAY-Z AND KANYE WEST -- Watch the Throne (braggadocio taken to new heights)
17. BON IVER -- Bon Iver (stares down success with quiet confidence)
18. BALLAKE SISSOKO AND VINCENT SEGAL -- Chamber Music (delicate instrumentals)
19. PAUL SIMON -- So Beautiful or So What (mortality, musically)
20. BETH HART AND JOE BONAMASSA -- Don't Explain (the blues, thumpingly good)

***

21. PRESERVATION HALL JAZZ BAND AND DEL MCCOURY BAND -- American Legacies (an institution finds new life via collaboration)
22. AMBROSE AKINMUSIRE -- When the Heart Emerges Glistening (quietly probing jazz)
23. JAMES BLAKE -- James Blake (trippy pop)
24. VARIOUS ARTISTS -- Live From the Old Town School (folk's beating heart)
25. GIRLS -- Father, Son, Holy Ghost (interesting identity crisis)
26. TINARIWEN -- Tassili (bluesy, distinctive, campfire sing-alongs)
27. JOY FORMIDABLE -- The Big Roar (noisy pop)
28. DARI0 MARINELLI WITH JACK LIEBECK -- Jane Eyre soundtrack (the year's best score)
      MATTHEW COOPER -- Some Days Are Better Than Others (the year's best untraditional score)
29. THE CORAL -- Butterfly House
      THE MAGIC NUMBERS -- Runaway (pop, unimported, unrecognized)
30. PISTOL ANNIES -- Pistol Annies
      MIRANDA LAMBERT -- Four The Record (country's top gal and friends)

***

31. THE LOW ANTHEM -- Smart Flesh (brainy Americana)
32. CHARLIE HADEN AND QUARTET WEST -- Sophisticated Ladies (female singers, jazz swingers)
33. THE BLACK KEYS -- El Camino (rock, no fuss)
34. M83 -- Hurry Up, We're Dreaming (ambient pop)
35. ALISON KRAUSS AND UNION STATION -- Paper Airplanes
      JOHN HIATT -- Dirty Jeans and Mudslide Hymns (old dogs, old tricks, happily so)
36. BEASTIE BOYS -- Hot Sauce Committee, Part Two (feisty hip-hop from the old-timers)
37. BEN HOWARD -- Every Kingdom (gentle pop)
      MIKE BLOOM -- King Of Circles (warm singer-songwriter vibe for this solo debut)
      ALEXI MURDOCH -- Towards The Sun (Nick Drake reincarnation)
38. VINICIUS CANTUARIA AND BILL FRISELL -- Lagrimas Mexicanas (two great guitars, one great voice equal haunting Latin music)/
39. THE GOURDS -- Old Mad Joy (rootsy celebration)
      MARC BROUSSARD -- Marc Broussard (bluesy rock)
40. SUZANNE VEGA -- Close-Up Volume 3: State Of Being (acoustic songs, electric songwriting)

***

41. VARIOUS ARTISTS -- Those Shocking, Shaking Days: Indonesia Hard, Psychedelic, Progressive Rock and Funk (1970-1978) (rock and roll knows no borders)
42. VARIOUS ARTISTS -- The Book of Mormon Original Cast Album (religiously funny)
43. DRAKE -- Take Care (emo-rap)
      SHABAZZ PALACES -- Black Up
44. BRAD PAISLEY -- This Is Country Music (yes it is)
      STEVE EARLE -- I'll Never Get Out Of This World Alive (determined, focused country)
45. MEGAFAUN -- Megafaun ('70s-ish rock)
46. FATOUMATA DIAWARA -- Fatou (Malian guitar talent combined with impeccable vocals)               KHAIRA ARBY -- Timbukto Traab (country to Diawara's city sound; not locale so much as the gritty, rawer feel)
47. HOUSTON PERSON -- So Nice (late period capper for understated jazz blower)
48. REAL ESTATE -- Days -- (shimmering indie pop)
49. EILEEEN JEWELL -- Queen of the Minor Key (sneakily impressive)
50. FRANK OCEAN -- nostalgia/ultra (backward/forward looking moody pop)

(Click here for a complete breakdown on who these artists are and what I love about their albums.) 



THE BEST ALBUMS OF 2010



1. THE TALLEST MAN ON EARTH -- The Wild Hunt/Sometimes The Blues Is Just A Passing Bird (Dylanesque folk-rock)
2. PETER WOLF -- Midnight Souvenirs (raucous career peak)
3. ALI FARKA TOURE AND TOUMANI DIABTE -- Ali And Toumani (transcendent world music)
4. ARCADE FIRE -- The Suburbs (state of the art rock)
5. JANELLE MONAE -- The ArchAndroid
    ERYKAH BADU -- New Amerykah Part Two: Return of The Ankh (Prince-like funky soul pop craziness)
6. BUDDY GUY -- Living Proof (ferocious blues)
7. EMINEM -- Recovery
    KANYE WEST -- My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (rap comebacks)
8. JOHN GRANT -- Queen Of Denmark
    MIDLAKE -- The Courage Of Others (gorgeous rock; British folk)
9. KEITH JARRETT AND CHARLIE HADEN -- Jasmine (sublime, beautiful jazz)
10. MUMFORD AND SONS -- Sigh No More (literate rock)

***

11. SHARON JONES AND THE DAP KINGS -- I Learned The Hard Way (soul -- not retro, just timeless)
12. SUFJAN STEVENS -- All Delighted People EP (nutty rock)
13. ROBERT PLANT -- Band Of Joy (folk-rock, Fairport Convention via Nashville)
14. VARIOUS ARTISTS -- Afrocubism (Buena Vista Social Club spliced with Malian pop)
15. MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE -- Danger Days (anthemic rock)
16. TRACEY THORN -- Love and Its Opposite (adult pop)
17. PRESERVATION HALL JAZZ BAND -- Preservation (an all-star album that actually works)
18. BRUNO MARS -- Doo-Wops And Hooligans
      ROBYN -- Body Talk (irresistible pop)
19. GORILLAZ -- Plastic Beach (genre-jumping rock)
20. NEIL YOUNG -- Le Noise (stomping folk)

***

21. CAROLINA CHOCOLATE DROPS -- Genuine Negro Jigs (trad, modern, country, folk, blues, unclassifiable)
22. ELIZABETH AND THE CATAPULTS  -- Other Side Of Zero (promising debut)
23. BEACH HOUSE -- Teen Dreams (alterna-pop)
24. JAMEY JOHNSON -- The Guitar Song (no fuss country)
25. BEST COAST -- Crazy For You (lo-fi Beach Boys pop)
26. BRENDAN JAMES -- Brendan James (a career peak)
27. THE BLACK KEYS -- Brothers (smart rock)
28. HOLE -- Nobody's Daughter (Courtney Love doesn't get any respect but deserves it)
29. CYRUS CHESNUTT - Journeys (trad jazz done with class)
30. SADE -- Soldier Of Love (smooth pop, never misses a beat)

***

31. VARIOUS ARTISTS -- Classic Appalachian Blues (a rich vein of folk blues)
32. THE NATIONAL -- High Violet (moody rock sounds more like the Swans every day)
33. THE ROOTS -- How I Got Over (hip-hop for adults)
34. SUZANNE VEGA -- Close Up Vol 1: Love Songs (folk-pop)
35. ELTON JOHN AND LEON RUSSELL -- The Union (old friends, strong new music)
36. SHE AND HIM -- Volume 2 (girl group pop)
37. FOXES IN FICTION -- Swung From The Branches (swirly, headphone rock)
38. LIL BAND O' GOLD -- Lil Band O' Gold (New Orleans gem)
39. ELIZABETH MITCHELL -- Sunny Day (infectious kids' music)
40. LIONEL LUEKE -- Mwaliko (sophisticated jazz)

***

41. TOM JONES -- Praise And Blame (joyful gospel)
42. WILLIAM TYLER -- Behold The Spirit (terrific instrumental a la Fahey)
43. VARIOUS ARTISTS -- The Sound of Siam (eye-opening Asian pop)
44. VAMPIRE WEEKEND -- Contra (world pop)
      TWO DOOR CINEMA CLUB -- Tourist History (if Vampire Weekend had a kid brother)
45. ELVIS COSTELLO -- National Ransom (rootsy rock from the genre-hopping savant)
46. 3 FERVENT TRAVELERS -- Time For Three (bluegrass taken out of the museum)
47. CORINNE BAILEY RAE -- The Sea (dark, vulnerable pop)
48. MEAGHAN SMITH -- The Cricket's Orchestra (refined pop)
49. DENNIS BROWN -- The Crown Prince Of Reggae: Singles 1972-1985 (incomplete but still great anthology)
50. CASSANDRA WILSON -- Silver Pony (jazz vocals, classy)
      BRIAN ENO -- Small Craft On A Milk Sea (electronic noodling)

(Click here for a complete breakdown on who these artists are and what I love about their albums.) 



THE BEST ALBUMS OF 2009


1. THE AVETT BROTHERS -- I And Love And You (Americana)
    REGINA SPEKTOR -- Far (quirky pop via Russian kitsch)
2. ELLA FITZGERALD -- Twelve Nights In Hollywood (swinging jazz vocalese)
    KEITH JARRETT -- Somewhere
3. MAXWELL -- BLACKsummers'night (Seventies soul)
4. WILLIE NELSON -- American Classic (Stardust II)
     ROSANNE CASH -- The List (the Great American Songbook, country style)
5. MADELEINE PEYROUX -- Bare Bones
    MELODY GARDOT -- My One And Only Thrill
    KRISTINA TRAIN -- Spilt Milk (songbirds, via Paris and Memphis)
6. MARK OLSON AND GARY LOURIS -- Ready For The Flood (Jayhawks redux)
7. MAYER HAWTHORNE -- A Strange Arrangement (blue eyed soul)
8. LOUDON WAINWRIGHT -- High, Wide And Handsome: The Charlie Poole Project (hilarious, heartfelt blues)
9. THE XX -- The XX (boy-girl dynamics)
    GIRLS -- Album (quietly ambitious rock)
10. DUNCAN SHEIK -- Whisper House (the real twilight soundtrack)

***

11. NELLIE MCKAY -- Normal As Blueberry Pie: A Tribute To Doris Day (effortless old-fashioned pop)
12. THE BLACK CROWES -- Before The Frost...Until The Freeze (roots rock enlivened by a live audience)
13. BRAD PAISLEY -- American Saturday Night (country with a dash of humor) 
       CHEAP TRICK -- The Latest (rock w a big dash of humor) 
14. ALLEN TOUSSAINT -- The Bright Mississippi (casual jazz brilliance) 
      IRMA THOMAS -- The Soul Queen Of New Orleans 50th Anniversary Celebration 
15. PEARL JAM -- Backspacer (the sound of veterans waking up)
      GREEN DAY -- 21st Century Breakdown (worthy successor to American Idiot; really)
16. BASSEKOU KOUYATE -- I Speak Fula
      VIEUX FARKA TOURE -- Fondo (world class world music)
17. CONOR OBERST AND THE MYSTIC VALLEY BAND -- Outer South (Americana)
      ELLIOTT BROOD -- Mountain Meadows (Canadiana)
      LOW ANTHEM -- Oh My God, Charlie Darwin (evolutiona)
18. ALICIA KEYS -- The Element Of Freedom (tougher beats; same talent)
19. M WARD -- Hold Time (faithful pop)
20. RZA -- Afro Samurai: Resurrection
      RAEKWON -- Only Built For Cuban Linx...Part II (keeping the lights on for hip-hop)

***

21. JAMES HAND --  Shadow On The Ground (honky-tonk to its bone)
22. MONSTERS OF FOLK -- Monsters Of Folk (a super supergroup)
23. BRENDAN BENSON -- My Old, Familiar Friend (power pop)
24. VARIOUS ARTISTS -- Ghana Special: Modern Highlife, Afro Sounds AND Ghanaian Blues 1968-1981 (Soundways, the world music label du jour, delivers again)
25. MATTHEW SWEET AND SUSANNA HOFFS --  Under The Covers Vol. 2 (Seventies power pop done to perfection)
26. MIRANDA LAMBERT -- Revolution (a Nashville star)
      CLAIRE LYNCH -- Whatcha Gonna Do (bluegrass heaven)
27. PHOENIX -- Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix (college rock, but still good)
28. SUFJAN STEVENS AND OSSO -- Run Rabbit Run (instrumentals a la Glass)
29. ST. VINCENT -- Actor (quiet/loud/quiet/strange)
30. JAY-Z -- The Blueprint 3 (luxury hip hop)

***

31. JESSE WINCHESTER -- Love Filling Station (journeyman troubadour delivers)
      CONNIE CONVERSE -- How Sad, How Lovely (late 1950s recordings)
32. PREFAB SPROUT -- Let's Change The World With Music (lost in the vaults gem)
33. GERAINT WATKINS -- In A Bad Mood (Randy Newman and Tom Waits' love child)
34. ELVIS COSTELLO -- Secret, Profane And Sugarcane (elder statesman can still deliver)
35. CHIP TAYLOR -- Yonkers NY (story-song oddity)
36. TORI AMOS --  Midwinter Graces (a holiday album for the ages)
37. DIANA KRALL -- Quiet Nights (Elvis's better half delivers again)
38. THE BLACK HOLLIES -- Softly, Towards The Light (psychedelic nuggets)
39. MIKA -- The Boy Who Knew Too Much (pure pop, with swagger)
40. RICKIE LEE JONES -- Balm In Gilead (return to form)

(Click here for a complete breakdown on who these artists are and what I love about their albums.) 


THE BEST ALBUMS OF 2008


1. WILLIE NELSON AND WYNTON MARSALIS -- Two Men With The Blues
    WYNTON MARSALIS -- Standards and Ballads
2. FLEET FOXES -- Fleet Foxes
    PETER BRODERICK -- Home
3. MAVIS STAPLES -- Live: Hope At The Holdout
4. TEDDY THOMPSON -- A Piece Of What You Need
    kd lang -- Watershed
5. DEL MCCOURY BAND AND VARIOUS ARTISTS -- Moneyland
6. VARIOUS ARTISTS -- Nigeria Special: Modern Highlife, Afro-Sounds And Nigerian Blues 1970-1976
    VARIOUS ARTISTS -- Nigeria Disco Funk Special: The Sounds Of The Underground Lagos Dancefloor 1974-1979
7. KAISER CHIEFS -- Off With Their Heads
    THE LAST SHADOW PUPPETS -- The Age Of The Understatement
8. BOZ SCAGGS -- Speak Low
9. ERYKAH BADU -- New Amerykah (4th World War) Part One
10. BON IVER -- For Emma, Forever Ago
      BON IVER -- Blood Bank

***

11. B.B. KING -- One Kind Favor
12. Q-TIP -- The Renaissance
      NAS -- Nas
13. PAUL WELLER -- 22 Dreams
14. JENNY LEWIS -- Acid Tongue
15. SAM ROBERTS -- Love At The End Of The World
16. KASEY CHAMBERS AND SHANE NICHOLSON -- Rattlin' Bones
17. SHE AND HIM -- Volume One
18. VARIOUS ARTISTS -- New Orleans Funk Volume 2
19. NEIL DIAMOND -- Home Before Dark
      JOAN BAEZ -- Day After Tomorrow
20. SANTOGOLD -- Santogold

***

21. SONNY ROLLINS -- Road Show Vol. 1
22. SOUTSIDE JOHNNY WITH LABAMBA'S BIG BAND -- Grapefruit Moon: The Songs Of Tom Waits
23. THE FRATELLIS -- Here We Stand
24. INARA GEORGE -- An Invitation with Van Dyke Parks
25. AL GREEN -- Lay It Down
26. LIONEL LOUKE -- Karibu
27. THE GASLIGHT ANTHEM -- The '59 Sound
28. CHARLIE HADEN -- Family And Friends: Rambling Boy
29. JAMES HUNTER -- The Hard Way
30. MARTHA WAINWRIGHT -- I Know You're Married But I've Got Feelings Too

***

31. RICKY IAN GORDON AND MICHAEL KORIE -- The Grapes Of Wrath
32. VAMPIRE WEEKEND -- Vampire Weekend
33. OTIS TAYLOR -- Recapturing The Banjo
34. THE MAGNETIC FIELDS -- Distortion
35. SHELBY LYNNE -- Just A Little Lovin'
36. BLACK MOUNTAIN -- In The Future
37. VARIOUS ARTISTS -- The George Mitchell Collection Volumes 1-45
38. BILL HENDERSON -- Live At The Vic
      CASSANDRA WILSON -- Loverly
39. AIMEE MANN -- @#%&*! Smilers
40. JONAS BROTHERS -- A Little Bit Longer

***

41. THE CURE -- 4:13 Dream
42. DAVID BYRNE AND BRIAN ENO -- Everything That Happens Will Happen Today
      DAVID BYRNE -- Big Love: Hymnal
43. CONO OBERST -- Conor Oberst
44. NICK CAVE -- Dig Lazarus Dig!!!
      SIGUR ROS -- Med Sud I Eyrum Vid Spilum Endalaust
      RON SEXSMITH -- Exit Strategy Of The Soul
45. ELBOW -- The Seldom Seen Kid
46. THE REAL TUESDAY WELD -- The End Of The World (Live)
47. THE RACONTUERS-- Consolers Of The Lonely
48. ANTONY AND THE JOHNSONS -- Another World EP
49. SUGARLAND -- Love On The Inside
      JAMEY JOHNSON -- That Lonesome Song
50. DANIELA COTTON -- Rare Child
      THE WHIGS -- Mission Control
      CORY CHISEL AND THE WANDERING SONS -- Cabin Ghosts

(Click here for a complete breakdown on who these artists are and what I love about their albums.) 


THE BEST ALBUMS OF 2007


1. SHARON JONES AND THE DAP-KINGS -- 100 Days 100 Nights (classic soul)
    VARIOUS ARTISTS -- The Great Debaters Soundtrack (juke joint music)
2. AMY WINEHOUSE -- Back To Black (bruised retro soul)
3. RADIOHEAD -- In Rainbows (the world-conquering pop they were born to make)
4. TINARIWEN -- Aman Iman: Water Is Life (desert rock)
5. ROBERT PLANT AND ALISON KRAUSS -- Raising Sand (adult pop)
6. THE WHITE STRIPES -- Icky Thump (bluesy, stomping rock n roll)
7. TERENCE BLANCHARD -- A Tale of God's Will (a requiem for Katrina) (melancholic jazz
    JONNY GREENWOOD -- There Will Be Blood (spooky, spine-tingling score)
8. PATTY GRIFFIN -- Children Running Through (career-capping Americana)
9. STEVE EARLE -- Washington Square Serenade
    SUZANNE VEGA -- Beauty and Crimes (country and folk pop triumphs both, but don't call it a comeback)
10. MGMT -- Oracular Spectacular  
     JAMIE T -- Panic Prevention
    LIVESAVAS - Gutterfly (Brit rap; Seventies funk fantasia)


***

11. ARCADE FIRE -- Neon Bible (art rock a la Talking Heads)
12. ANDY BEY -- Ain't Necessarily So (searching jazz vocals)
13. FOUNTAINS OF WAYNE -- Traffic and Weather (pure pop)
      RON SEXSMITH -- Time Being (purer pop)
14. TABU LEY ROCHEREAU -- The Voice Of Lightness (floating, Al Green-like world music)
15. THE FEELING -- Twelve Stops and Home (Seventies AM radio)
      THE FRATELLIS -- Costello Music (raucous rock)
16. TEDDY THOMPSON -- Upfront and Down Low (dignified country classics)
      RICHARD THOMPSON -- Sweet Warrior (sterling rock)
      LINDA THOMPSON -- Versatile Heart (delicate folk pop)
17. BASSEKOU KUYATE AND NGONI BA -- Segu Blue (irresistible world music for people mourning Ali Farka)
18. HERBIE HANCOCK -- River: The Joni Letters (Mitchell done proud via jazz))
19. WILLIE NELSON, MERLE HAGGARD, RAY PRICE -- Last Of The Breed (country summit)         LEVON HELM -- Dirt Farmer (Lazarus-like revival)
      PORTER WAGONER -- Wagonmaster (classy send-off)
20. ARCTIC MONKEYS -- Favourite Worst Nightmare (jagged Brit pop)
      KAISER CHIEFS  -- Yours Truly, Angry Mob (spiky but smooth Brit pop)

***

21. VARIOUS ARTISTS -- The Roots Of Chica - Psychedelic Cumbias From Peru (garage rock via South America)
22. COMMON -- Finding Forever (rap for adults)
23. STEPHEN FRETWELL -- Man On The Roof (unheralded UK folk-pop)
24. BETTYE LAVETTE -- The Scene Of The Crime (steeped in wisdom soul)
      MARY WEISS -- Dangerous Game (old school pop, happily)
25. JOSH RITTER -- The Historical Conquests Of Josh Ritter (literate folk pop with a smile)
26. ANDY PALACIO AND THE GARIFUNA COLLECTIVE -- Watina
      PUERTO PLATA -- Mujer de Cabaret (both beautiful, vanishing traditions)
27. THE HIVES -- The Black and White Album (confident, swaggering rock)
28. DAVID BROMBERG -- Try Me One More Time
      JOHN HAMMOND  -- Push Comes To Shove (grizzled old white man blues)
     WATERMELON SLIM AND THE WORKERS - The Wheel Man (the blues, you fool)
29. ROBERT WYATT -- Comicopera (eccentric pop-jazz thingamajig)
30. THE REAL TUESDAY WELD -- The London Book Of The Dead (sneakily ambitious retro pop)

***

31. JOAN ARMATRADING -- Into The Blues (do call it a comeback)
32. THE MAGIC NUMBERS -- Those The Brokes (disappointing but good)
      DARREN HAYES -- This Delicate Thing We've Made (good but disappointing)
33. BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN WITH THE SESSIONS BAND -- Live In Dublin (party in the barn music)
34. NICOLE ATKINS -- Neptune City (brooding, Orbison-like pop)
35. SERGIO AND ODAIR ASSAD -- Jardim Abandonado (telepathic classical guitar)
36. RAUL MALO -- After Hours (countrypolitan with velvet vocals)
37. VARIOUS ARTISTS -- Company Original Broadway Cast (2007) (Sondheim, passionately)
38. KELLY WILLIS -- Translated From Love (country, smartly)
     BRAD PAISLEY -- 5th Gear
39. PANDA BEAR -- Person Pitch (Brian Wilson on LSD, if that's not redundant)
40. OVER THE RHINE -- Snow Angels (Christmas rock for NPR listeners)
     AIMEE MANN -- Another Drifter In The Snow (Christmas gem)

***

41. JENS LEKMAN -- Night Falls Over Kortedala (Magentic Fields via Sweden)
42. IAN HUNTER -- Shrunken Heads (cock rock)
43. BEIRUT -- The Flying Cup Club
44. JUANES -- La Vida (fist-shaking rock)
45. THE HOLMES BROTHERS -- State of Grace (master class in the blues)
46. GLEN HANSARD AND MARKETA IRGLOVA -- The Swell Season (you know, those great songs from the movie Once)
47. RYAN ADAMS AND THE CARDINALS -- Follow The Lights (Americana, again)
48. JOHN CORIGLIANO -- Music For String Quartet (American classical)
49. DEE DEE BRIDGEWATER -- Red Earth: A Malian Journey (jazz meets Mali)
      ABBEY LINCOLN -- Abbey Sings Abbey (astringent jazz)
50. THE DONNAS -- Bitchin' (dumb, fun as hell Eighties rock)


(Click here for a complete breakdown on who these artists are and what I love about their albums.) 



THE BEST ALBUMS OF 2006


1. CORINNE BAILEY RAE -- Corinne Bailey Rae (tie)
    JAMES HUNTER -- People Gonna Talk (tie)  
2. BOB DYLAN -- Modern Times 
3. MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE -- The Black Parade
4. ARCTIC MONKEYS -- Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not
5. MIDLAKE -- The Trials of Van Occupanther
6. ROSEANNE CASH -- Black Cadillac (tie)
    JOHNNY CASH -- American V: A Hundred Highways
7. MAX RICHTER -- Songs From Before
8. CAT POWER -- The Greatest
9. BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN -- We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions -- American Land Edition
    SOLOMON BURKE -- Nashville
    RICHARD THOMPSON -- 1000 Years of Popular Music
10. IRMA THOMAS -- After The Rain 
      ELVIS COSTELLO AND ALLEN TOUSSAINT -- The River In Reverse

***

11. The LA'S -- BBC In Session
12. CANDI STATON -- His Hands (tie)
      CANDI STATON -- The Ultimate Gospel Collection
13. DUNCAN SHEIK -- White Limousine (tie)
      VARIOUS ARTISTS -- Spring Awakening Original Cast Recording 
14. HOWARD TATE -- A Portrait Of Howard
15. VARIOUS ARTISTS -- Tropicalia: A Brazilian Revolution In Sound
16. M. WARD -- Post-War
17. REGINA SPEKTOR -- Begin To Hope
18. TEDDY THOMPSON -- Separate Ways (tie)
      THE STROKES -- First Impressions Of Earth
19. TOUMANI DIANATE'S SYMMETRIC ORCHESTRA -- Boulevard De L'Independance
20. MUSE -- Black Holes and Revelations

***

21. ALI FARKA TOURE -- Savane
22. THE STREETS -- The Hardest Way To Make An Easy Living
23. JAMES HAND -- The Truth Will Set You Free
24. DRAKE BELL -- It's Only Time 
25. VARIOUS ARTISTS -- The Rough Guide To Latin-Arabia
26. VETIVER -- To Find Me Gone
27. CASSANDRA WILSON -- Thunderbird
28. VARIOUS ARTISTS -- Grey Gardens Original Cast Recording
29. THE RACONTEURS -- Broken Boy Soldiers
30. LARRY LEVAN -- Journey Into Paradise...The Larry Levan Story

***

31. VARIOUS ARTISTS -- Billy Elliot Original Cast Recording
32. RAHIM ALHAJ -- When The Soul Is Settled: Music Of Iraq
33. WOLFMOTHER -- Wolfmother
34. SMOKEY ROBINSON -- Timeless Love
35. CAST KING -- Saw Mill Man
36. THE ROOTS -- Game Theory
37. JOSH RITTER -- The Animal Years
38. MANA -- Amar Es Combatir
39.  STEPHEN SONDHEIM/VARIOUS ARTISTS -- Sweeney Todd Original Cast Recording
       STEPHEN SONDHEIM/VARIOUS ARTISTS -- Sunday In The Park With George 2006                    London Cast Recording
40. MATTHEW SWEET AND SUSANNA HOFFS -- Under The Covers Vol. 1

***

41. DIXIE CHICKS -- Taking The Long Way
42. LUPE FIASCO -- Food And Liquor 
43. THE FRATELLIS -- Costello Music
44. THE VINES -- Vision Valley
45. VARIOUS ARTISTS -- Leonard Cohen: I'm Your Man Motion Picture Soundtrack
46. LINDA RONSTADT AND ANN SAVOY-- Adieu False Heart
47. JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE -- Futuresex/LoveSounds
48. PAUL SIMON -- Surprise
49. BEIRUT -- Gulag Orkestar
50. NELLIE MCKAY -- Pretty Little Head 
51. ALEXI MURDOCH -- Time Without Consequences 

(Click here for a complete breakdown on who these artists are and what I love about their albums.) 


THE BEST ALBUMS OF 2005



1. SUFJAN STEVENS – Illinois (eclectic pop) 
2a. KATE BUSH -- Aerial 
2b.  RICHARD SWIFT – The Richard Swift Collection, Volume One (literate pop)
3. THE EELS – Blinking Lights and Other Revelations (suicidal pop)
4. AMADOU AND MARIAM – Dimanche a Bamako (world pop)
5. BETTYE LAVETTE – I’ve Got My Own Hell To Raise
    VARIOUS ARTISTS – I Believe To My Soul (soul)
6. THE WHITE STRIPES – Get Behind Me Satan (bluesy pop)
    BRIGHT EYES – I’m Wide Awake, It’s Morning (folkie pop)
    KAISER CHIEFS -- Employment (righteous rock)
7. NEIL DIAMOND – 12 Songs (pop via Brill Building)
8. HANNA MCEUEN -- Hanna McEuen (country by way of Everly Brothers)
    BRAD PAISLEY -- Time Well Wasted (radical traditionalist)
9. THE MAGIC NUMBERS – The Magic Numbers (60s pop via UK)
    PAUL MCCARTNEY -- Chaos and Creation In The Backyard (Beatles-esque, surprisingly)
10. VARIOUS ARTISTS – Does Anybody Know I’m Here? Vietnam Through The Eyes of Black America (protest pop)
      VARIOUS ARTISTS -- Night Train To Nashville: Music City Rhythm And Blues 1945-1970 Vol. Two

***

11. WOLF PARADE – Apologies to the Queen Mary
      CLAP YOUR HANDS, SAY YEAH -- Clap Your Hands, Say Yeah
      BROKEN SOCIAL SCENE -- Broken Social Scene
      MARAH – If You Didn’t Laugh, You’d Cry (return of Talking Heads)
12. BILL CHARLAP AND SANDY STEWART  – Love Is Here To Stay (telepathic jazz duets)
13. LEWIS TAYLOR – Stoned (what Prince and Stevie Wonder used to be)
14. ALI FARKA TOURE AND TOUMANI DIABATE – In The Heart Of The Moon (world music)
15. FIONA APPLE – Extraordinary Machine (pop, the hard way)
16. HEARTLESS BASTARDS – Stairs and Elevators (rock n roll)
17. VARIOUS ARTISTS – Son Cubano NYC: Cuban Roots, New York Spices 1972-82 (salsa)
18. LORETTA LYNN -- The Definitive Collection 
19. HARD-FI – Stars Of CCTV (British rock)
20. NEIL YOUNG – Prairie Wind (folk rock staring death in the face and smiling)
21. SUPERGRASS – Road To Rouen (under-appreciated rock)


THE BEST ALBUMS OF 2004

GREEN DAY -- American Idiot
JOHNNY CASH -- My Mother's Hymn Book
kd lang -- Hymns Of The 49th Parallel
BRIAN WILSON -- Brian Wilson Presents Smile
AMADOU AND MARIAM -- Dimanche a Bamako 
MAX RICHTER -- The Blue Notebooks 
A GIRL CALLED EDDY -- A Girl Called Eddy 
VARIOUS ARTISTS -- Night Train To Nashville: Music City Rhythm And Blues 1945-1970
NICK CAVE -- Abattoir Blues/The Lyre Of Orpheus 
BRIAN ENO AND ROBERT FRIPP -- The Equatorial Stars 
NORAH JONES -- Feels Like Home
LEONARD COHEN -- Dear Heather
MORRISSEY -- You Are The Quarry
THE ROOTS -- The Tipping Point
LORETTA LYNNE -- Van Lear Rose
ANDY BEY -- American Song
THE STREETS -- A Grand Don't Come For Free
KONONO NO. 1 -- Congotronics
THE MAGNETIC FIELDS -- i
ELTON JOHN -- Peachtree Road 
THE FINN BROTHERS -- Everyone Is Here 
KANYE WEST -- College Dropout
WILCO -- A Ghost Is Born


THE BEST ALBUMS OF 2003

THE WHITE STRIPES -- Elephant
JOHNNY CASH -- Unearthed
RUFUS WAINWRIGHT -- Want One
BOZ SCAGGS -- But Beautiful
OUTKAST -- Speakerboxxx/The Love Below
VARIOUS ARTISTS -- Avenue Q (Original Cast Recording)
AMY WINEHOUSE -- Frank
TIM CHRISTENSEN -- Honeyburst
FOUNTAINS OF WAYNE -- Welcome Interstate Managers
EMMYLOU HARRIS -- Stumble Into Grace 
DARYL HALL & JOHN OATES -- Do It For Love 
THE STROKES -- Room On Fire
HOWARD TATE -- Rediscovered   
THE JAYHAWKS -- Rainy Day Music
MARIA MCKEE -- High Dive 
BRAD PAISLEY -- Mud On The Tires 
JOE JACKSON -- Volume 4
ALICIA KEYS -- The Diary Of Alicia Keys
SUFJAN STEVENS -- Michigan
JUNE CARTER CASH -- Wildwood Flower


THE BEST ALBUMS OF 2002

NORAH JONES -- Come Away With Me
ORCHESTRA BAOBAB -- Specialist In All Styles
BRIGHT EYES -- Lifted or The Story Is In The Soil Keep Your Ear To The Ground
VARIOUS ARTISTS -- Music from The Singing Detective And More
BECK -- Sea Change
DIXIE CHICKS -- Home
DAVID BOWIE -- Heathen 
LINDA THOMPSON -- Fashionably Late
SOLOMON BURKE -- Don't Give Up On Me
PETER WOLF -- Sleepless
JOHNNY CASH -- American IV: The Man Comes Around
EMINEM -- The Eminem Show
YOUSSOU N'DOUR -- Nothing's In Vain
RON SEXSMITH -- Cobblestone
TOM WAITS -- Alice/Blood Money
BRYAN FERRY -- Frantic 
NITTY GRITTY DIRT BAND/VARIOUS ARTISTS -- Will The Circle Be Unbroken Vol. III
DAMON ALBARN -- Mali Music
SUPER FURRY ANIMALS -- Rings Around The World
COLDPLAY -- A Rush of Blood To The Head
THE ROOTS -- Phrenology
LINDA LEWIS -- Reach For The Truth: Best Of The Reprise Years 1971-1974)
VARIOUS ARTISTS -- Hairspray (Original Cast Recording)
THE VINES -- Highly Evolved
STEVE EARLE -- Jerusalem
THE STREETS -- Original Pirate Material
PHILIP GLASS -- The Hours
RUFUS WAINWRIGHT -- Poses
WEEZER -- Maladroit


THE BEST ALBUMS OF 2001

MANU CHAO -- Proxima Estacion: Esperanza
RYAN ADAMS -- Gold 
WILCO -- Yankee Hotel Foxtrot
BOB DYLAN -- Love And Theft
THE STROKES -- Is This It?
kd lang and TONY BENNETT -- A Wonderful World
ELO aka Electric Light Orchestra -- Zoom 
RADIOHEAD -- Amnesiac
LEONARD COHEN -- Ten New Songs
SUZANNE VEGA -- Songs In Red And Gray
DOLLY PARTON -- Little Sparrow
THE WHITE STRIPES -- White Blood Cells
DIANA KRALL -- The Look Of Love
THE HIVES -- Your New Favourite Band 
VARIOUS ARTISTS -- Nuggets II: Original Artyfacts From The British Empire And Beyond 
MERLE HAGGARD -- Roots
WEEZER -- Weezer (The Green Album)
RON SEXSMITH -- Blue Boy
GILLIAN WELCH -- Time (The Revelator)
ELTON JOHN -- Songs From The West Coast
NEIL DIAMOND -- Three Chord Opera
HARRY CONNICK JR. -- 30
BEN FOLDS -- Rockin' The Suburbs


THE BEST ALBUMS OF 2000

EMINEM -- The Marshall Mathers LP
RYAN ADAMS -- Heartbreaker
RADIOHEAD -- Kid A
JONI MITCHELL -- Both Sides Now
OUTKAST -- Stankonia
JOHNNY CASH -- American III: Solitary Man
THE BEATLES -- 1
VARIOUS ARTISTS -- O Brother, Where Art Thou?
SHELBY LYNNE -- I Am Shelby Lynne
D'ANGELO -- Voodoo
AIMEE MANN -- Bachelor No. 2
COREY HARRIS AND HENRY BUTLER -- Vu-Du Menz
THE FIGGS -- Sucking In Stereo 
BILLY BRAGG AND WILCO -- Mermaid Avenue Vol. II 
VARIOUS ARTISTS -- The Wild Party (Original Broadway Cast Recording)
THE JAYHAWKS -- Smile
MERLE HAGGARD -- If I Could Only Fly
NEIL YOUNG -- Silver and Gold
VARIOUS ARTISTS -- Kings Of The Gospel Highway: The Golden Age Of Gospel Quartets
ELVIS PRESLEY -- Peace In The Valley: The Complete Gospel Recordings
TEDDY THOMPSON -- Teddy Thompson


THE BEST ALBUMS OF 1999

DAVID GRAY -- White Ladder
LINDA RONSTADT AND EMMYLOU HARRIS -- Western Wall
THE MAGNETIC FIELDS -- 69 Love Songs 
WILCO -- Summerteeth
MOBY -- Play
THE ROOTS -- Things Fall Apart
STEVE EARLE AND THE DEL MCCOURY BAND -- The Mountain
EMINEM -- The Slim Shady LP
JOHN CAMERON MITCHELL -- Hedwig and the Angry Inch
DOLLY PARTON, LINDA RONSTADT, EMMYLOU HARRIS -- Trio II 
TOM WAITS -- Mule Variations
FOUNTAINS OF WAYNE -- Utopia Parkway
FIONA APPLE -- When The Pawn...
RICHARD THOMPSON -- Mock Tudor 
PEE WEE CRAYTON -- Blues After Hours 
DIXIE CHICKS -- Fly
MESHELL NDEGEOCELLO -- Bitter
DOLLY PARTON -- The Grass is Blue
HANK SNOW -- The Essential Hank Snow 
DESMOND DEKKER -- Israelites: The Best Of Desmond Dekker 1963-1971 
THE MAYFLIES USA -- Summertown 


THE BEST ALBUMS OF 1998

BILLY BRAGG AND WILCO -- Mermaid Avenue
LUCINDA WILLIAMS -- Car Wheels On A Gravel Road
THE BETA BAND -- The Three E.p.'s
BOB DYLAN -- The Bootleg Series Vol. 4, Bob Dylan Live 1966, The "Royal Albert Hall" Concert
BEASTIE BOYS -- Hello Nasty
THE MAVERICKS -- Trampoline
OUTKAST -- Aquemini
VARIOUS ARTISTS -- Nuggets: Original Artyfacts From The First Psychedelic Era 1965-1968 (boxed set)
ELVIS COSTELLO -- Painted From Memory
DIXIE CHICKS -- Wide Open Spaces
NEIL FINN -- Try Whistling This  
RUFUS WAINWRIGHT -- Rufus Wainwright
MANU CHAO -- Clandestino
DAVID GRAY -- Lost Songs 95-98
SMOKEY ROBINSON AND THE MIRACLES -- The Ultimate Collection
BELLE AND SEBASTIAN -- The Boy With The Arab Strap
AIR -- Moon Safari
KATE AND ANNA MCGARRIGLE -- The McGarrigle Hour
EVA CASSIDY -- Songbird
LAURYN HILL -- The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill


THE BEST ALBUMS OF 1997

RADIOHEAD -- O.K. Computer
BOB DYLAN -- Time Out Of Mind
BUENA VISTA SOCIAL CLUB -- Buena Vista Social Club
DOLLY PARTON -- The Essential Dolly Parton, Vol. 2
THE NOTORIOUS B.I.G.  -- Life After Death
SUPERGRASS -- In It For The Money
VARIOUS ARTISTS -- Beg, Scream and Shout! The Big Ol' Box of 60s Soul
WHISKEYTOWN -- Strangers Almanac
ALISON KRAUSS -- So Long So Wrong
RAY CHARLES -- Genius and Soul: The 50th Anniversary Collection 
ADAM GUETTEL -- Floyd Collins
NICK CAVE -- The Boatman's Call
SINEAD O'CONNOR -- Gospel Oak EP
MISSISSIPPI JOHN HURT -- Legend
STEVE EARLE -- El Corazon
LITTLE WALTER -- His Best 
PREFAB SPROUT -- Andromeda Heights 
RUBY BRAFF AND ELLIS LARKINS -- Calling Berlin, Vol. 2 
JEFFREY FOSKETT -- Cool and Gone (Gone Gone) 
VAN MORRISON -- The Healing Game 


THE BEST ALBUMS OF 1996

BECK -- Odelay
RADIOHEAD -- The Bends
SUZANNE VEGA -- Nine Objects Of Desire
WILCO -- Being There 
RUBY BRAFF AND ELLIS LARKINS -- Calling Berlin, Vol. 1
JOHNNY CASH -- Unchained 
WEEZER -- Pinkerton 
DARYL HALL -- Can't Stop Dreaming 
NICK CAVE -- Murder Ballads
KATE AND ANNA MCGARRIGLE -- Matapedia
STEVE EARLE -- I Feel Alright 
JOHNNY ADAMS -- One Foot In The Blues
MARIA MCKEE -- Life Is Sweet 
PHILIP GLASS -- The Secret Agent
MAXWELL -- Maxwell's Urban Hang Suite
EVERYTHING BUT THE GIRL -- Walking Wounded
VARIOUS ARTISTS -- The Doo Wop Box II
THE BLUE NILE -- Peace At Last
THE FUGEES -- The Score
BOZ SCAGGS -- Fade Into Light 
BELLE AND SEBASTIAN -- Tigermilk/If You're Feeling Sinister


THE BEST ALBUMS OF 1995

THE MAVERICKS -- Music For All Occasions
ALISON KRAUSS -- Now That I've Found You: A Collection
ELVIS PRESLEY -- Walk A Mile In My Shoes: The Essential '70s Masters
PJ HARVEY -- To Bring You My Love
D'ANGELO -- Brown Sugar
OASIS -- (What's The Story) Morning Glory
THE JAYHAWKS -- Tomorrow The Green Grass
BLUR -- The Great Escape
VARIOUS ARTISTS -- Thunder Before Dawn: The Indestructible Beat Of Soweto Volume Two/The Indestructible Beat Of Soweto Volume Three: Freedom Fire
JOHNNY ADAMS -- The Verdict 
RON SEXSMITH -- Ron Sexsmith
BJORK -- Post
STEVE EARLE -- Train A Comin' 
VARIOUS ARTISTS -- Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar Masters Collection
EMMYLOU HARRIS -- Wreckin' Ball
CHRIS ISAAK -- Forever Blue
BOB MARLEY AND THE WAILERS -- Natural Mystic: The Legend Lives On
ALANIS MORISSETTE -- Jagged Little Pill
DWIGHT YOAKUM -- Gone
CASSANDRA WILSON -- New Moon Daughter
PAUL WELLER -- Stanley Road
SUPERGRASS -- I Should Coco
AIMEE MANN -- I'm With Stupid
THE BEAUTIFUL SOUTH -- Carry On...Up The Charts
DOLLY PARTON -- The Essential Dolly Parton, Vol. 2
MANDY PATINKIN -- Oscar and Steve
AL STEWART -- Between The Wars 
JERRY LEE LEWIS -- Young Blood
THE 6THS -- Wasps' Nests
THE MILLS BROTHERS -- Four Men and A Guitar (recordings from 1930s)


THE BEST ALBUMS OF 1994

JOHNNY CASH -- American Recordings
NAS -- Illmatic
GREEN DAY -- Dookie
NIRVANA -- Unplugged In New York
THE MAVERICKS -- What A Crying Shame
BLUR -- Parklife
HOLE -- Live Through This
BEASTIE BOYS -- Ill Communication
OASIS -- Definitely Maybe
FRANK SINATRA AND TOMMY DORSEY-- The Song Is You! 1940-1942 on RCA Victor
BOZ SCAGGS -- Some Change
VARIOUS ARTISTS -- The Doo Wop Box
BECK -- Mellow Gold/One Foot In The Grave
ROSEMARY CLOONEY -- Still On The Road
GRANDMASTER FLASH AND THE FURIOUS FIVE -- Message From Beat Street: The Best Of Grandmaster Flash, Melle Mel and the Furious Five
MORRISSEY -- Vauxhall And I
JUDY GARLAND -- The Complete Decca Masters 
THE NOTORIOUS B.I.G. -- Ready To Die
PEARL JAM -- Vitalogy
VARIOUS ARTISTS -- Passion (Original Cast Recording) 
RUBY BRAFF AND ELLIS LARKINS -- 2X2 
WEEZER -- Weezer
EVERYTHING BUT THE GIRL -- Amplified Heart
IRIS DEMENT -- My Life
CHARLIE HADEN QUARTET WEST -- Always Say Goodbye
THE MAGNETIC FIELDS -- The Charm Of The Highway Strip 
APHEX TWIN -- Selected Ambient Works Vol. II
JEFF BUCKLEY -- Grace
S.E. ROGIE -- Dead Men Don't Smoke Marijuana  
TONY BENNETT -- MTV Unplugged: Tony Bennett 
SOUNDGARDEN -- Superunknown 


THE BEST ALBUMS OF 1993

CASSANDRA WILSON -- Blue Light 'Til Dawn
DWIGHT YOAKAM -- This Time
AIMEE MANN -- Whatever
PEARL JAM -- Vs.
MESHELL NDEGEOCELLO -- Plantation Lullabies
ROSEMARY CLOONEY -- Do You Miss New York?
CHRIS ISAAK -- San Francisco Days
ARVO PART -- Te Deum
ELVIS PRESLEY -- From Nashville To Memphis: The Essential '60s Masters 
TOM PETTY -- Greatest Hits 
JIMMIE DALE GILMORE -- Spinning Around The Sun
NIRVANA -- In Utero 
CROWDED HOUSE -- Together Alone 
VARIOUS ARTISTS -- Mambo Kings Play Songs Of Love (compilation, not soundtrack)
PET SHOP BOYS -- Very 
WU-TANG CLAN -- Enter The Wu-Tang
BLIND WILLIE JOHNSON -- The Complete Blind Willie Johnson  
SPINNERS -- The Very Best Of the Spinners
SHELBY LYNNE -- Temptation
TOM WAITS -- The Black Rider
TERENCE TRENT D'ARBY -- Symphony Or Damn
ZAP MAMA -- Adventures In Afropea
TONY BENNETT -- Steppin' Out
BOB DYLAN -- World Gone Wrong
ELVIS COSTELLO -- The Juliet Letters
JELLYFISH -- Spilt Milk
COUNTING CROWS -- August And Everything After 
VARIOUS ARTISTS -- The Great Gospel Men: 27 Classic Performances 


THE BEST ALBUMS OF 1992

kd lang -- Ingenue
R.E.M. -- Automatic For The People
ABBA -- Gold
LOS LOBOS -- Kiko
THE JAYHAWKS -- Hollywood Town Hall
ELVIS PRESLEY -- The King Of Rock 'n' Roll: The Complete '50s Masters
MORRISSEY -- Your Arsenal
LYLE LOVETT -- Joshua Judges Ruth
JELLYFISH -- Bellybutton
TOM WAITS -- Bone Machine
CHARLIE HADEN QUARTET WEST -- Haunted Heart
NEIL YOUNG -- Harvest Moon
DR. DRE -- The Chronic 
CLIFTON CHENIER -- King Of The Bayous: I'm Coming Home 
BRIAN ENO -- The Shutov Assembly 
ERIC CLAPTON -- Unplugged
HENRYK GORECKI -- Symphony No. 3
ANNIE LENNOX -- Diva
LEONARD COHEN -- The Future
EVERYTHING BUT THE GIRL -- Acoustic
BOB DYLAN -- Good As I Been To You
SHIRLEY HORN -- Here's To Life
TONY BENNETT -- Perfectly Frank
LINDSEY BUCKINGHAM -- Out Of The Cradle
ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT -- 3 Years, 5 Months and 2 Days In The Life Of...
HARRY CONNICK JR. -- 25


THE BEST ALBUMS OF 1991

NIRVANA -- Nevermind
U2 -- Achtung Baby
RICHARD THOMPSON -- Rumor And Sigh
RAY CHARLES -- The Birth of Soul (boxed set) 
A TRIBE CALLED QUEST -- The Low End Theory 
SHIRLEY HORN -- You Won't Forget Me
BILLIE HOLIDAY -- The Complete Decca Recordings
BILLIE HOLIDAY -- The Complete Billie Holiday on Verve 1945-1959 (1991 boxed set)
PEARL JAM -- Ten 
JOHNNY ADAMS -- Sings Doc Pomus 
VARIOUS ARTISTS -- Beauty and the Beast Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
CROWDED HOUSE -- Woodface
JIMMIE DALE GILMORE -- After Awhile 
PHIL SPECTOR -- Back To Mono 1958-1969 (boxed set)
BARBRA STREISAND -- Just For The Record... (boxed set)
STEPHEN SONDHEIM -- Assassins Original Cast Recording
LEAD BELLY -- Midnight Special: The Library Of Congress Recordings 
ARVO PART -- Miserere
BOB DYLAN -- The Bootleg Series Vol. 1-3 (Rare and Unreleased)
COLE PORTER/EVANS HAILE -- Fifty Million Frenchmen 
LOUIS PRIMA -- Capitol Collector's Series 
JOHN PRINE -- The Missing Years 
ABBEY LINCOLN -- You Gotta Pay The Band


THE BEST ALBUMS OF 1990

MADONNA -- The Immaculate Collection 
A TRIBE CALLED QUEST -- People's Instinctive Travels and The Paths Of Rhythm 
HAPPY MONDAYS -- Pills And Thrills And Bellyaches 
PREFAB SPROUT -- Jordan: The Comeback
SINEAD O'CONNOR -- I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got
PUBLIC ENEMY -- Fear Of A Black Planet
ROSEANNE CASH -- Interiors
SUZANNE VEGA -- Days Of Open Hand
MUDDY WATERS -- The Chess Box
THE LA'S -- The La's
VARIOUS ARTISTS -- Songs That Got Us Through WWII
THE GO-GO'S -- Greatest Hits
PET SHOP BOYS -- Behavior
WORLD PARTY -- Goodbye Jumbo
COWBOY JUNKIES -- The Caution Horses 
WYNTON MARSALIS -- Tune In Tomorrow... (soundtrack) 
MORRISSEY -- Bona Drag
THE FOUR TOPS -- Anthology
KATE AND ANNA MCGARRIGLE -- Heartbeats Accelerating
GEORGE MICHAEL -- Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1
MARION WILLIAMS -- Surely God Is Able 
DARYL HALL & JOHN OATES -- Change Of Season 
CARL STALLING -- The Carl Stalling Project, Music From Warner Bros. Cartoons 1936-1958
THE BLACK CROWES -- Shake Your Moneymaker 
EVERYTHING BUT THE GIRL -- The Language Of Life 
VARIOUS ARTISTS -- Atlantic Soul Classics
BLIND WILLIE JOHNSON -- Praise God I'm Satisfied 
TONY BENNETT -- Astoria: Portrait Of The Artist
EVANS HAILE/VARIOUS ARTISTS -- Babes In Arms
BRIAN ENO AND JOHN CALE -- Wrong Way Up
NEIL YOUNG -- Ragged Glory 
VARIOUS ARTISTS -- The Best Of The Girl Groups Vol. 1 and 2
PEGGY LEE -- The Peggy Lee Songbook: There'll Be Another Spring
HARRY CONNICK JR. -- We Are In Love


THE BEST ALBUMS OF 1989

BEASTIE BOYS -- Paul's Boutique
THE BLUE NILE -- Hats 
CHET BAKER -- Best Of Chet Baker Plays and Sings
THE STONE ROSES -- The Stone Roses
ORCHESTRA BAOBAB -- Pirates Choice
BOB DYLAN -- Oh Mercy 
KATE BUSH -- The Sensual World 
NITTY GRITTY DIRT BAND/VARIOUS ARTISTS -- Will The Circle Be Unbroken Volume Two
DAWN UPSHAW -- Knoxville: Summer Of 1915
JUNGLE BROTHERS -- Done By The Forces of Nature
LAURIE ANDERSON -- Strange Angels
DE LA SOUL -- 3 Feet High And Rising
VARIOUS ARTISTS -- Brazil Classics 1: Beleza Tropical Compiled By David Byrne
kd lang -- Absolute Torch And Twang
PAUL SIMON -- The Rhythm Of The Saints
DIONNE WARWICK -- The Dionne Warwick Collection: Her All-Time Greatest Hits (Rhino)
FRANK MORGAN -- Easy Living/Mood Indigo
MARIA MCKEE -- Maria McKee
VARIOUS ARTISTS -- Black and Blue (Original Cast Recording)
XTC -- Oranges & Lemons 
LOU REED -- New York
PETER GABRIEL -- Passion: Music For The Last Temptation Of Christ
TRACY CHAPMAN -- Crossroads
MANDY PATINKIN -- Mandy Patinkin
MADONNA -- Like A Prayer
BONNIE RAITT -- Nick Of Time
HARRY CONNICK JR. -- When Harry Met Sally
LYLE LOVETT -- Lyle Lovett And His Large Band
DURAN DURAN -- Decade 
JOHNNY ADAMS -- Walking On A Tightrope: The Songs Of Percy Mayfield 
RICKIE LEE JONES -- Flying Cowboys
DJIVAN GASPARYAN -- I Will Not Be Sad in This World 
CLINT BLACK -- Killin' Time 
TOM PETTY -- Full Moon Fever 
DAVID BYRNE -- Rei Momo
THE PIXIES -- Doolittle
NEVILLE BROTHERS -- Yellow Moon
NEIL YOUNG -- Freedom
ELVIS COSTELLO -- Spike 



THE BEST ALBUMS OF 1988

PUBLIC ENEMY -- It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back
kd lang -- Shadowland
U2 -- Rattle and Hum
COWBOY JUNKIES -- The Trinity Sessions
HAL WILLNER/VARIOUS ARTISTS -- Stay Awake: Various Interpretations of Music From Vintage Disney Films
PEGGY LEE -- Miss Peggy Lee Sings The Blues
EVERYTHING BUT THE GIRL -- Idlewild
THE POGUES -- If I Should Fall From Grace With God
LEONARD COHEN -- I'm Your Man
ELOMAR -- Cantoria 2 
MORRISSEY -- Viva Hate
CHUCK BERRY -- The Chess Box
SADE -- Stronger Than Pride
JUNGLE BROTHERS -- Straight Out The Jungle
DWIGHT YOAKUM -- Buenos Noches From A Lonely Room
FRANKIE VALLIE AND THE FOUR SEASONS -- Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons 25th Anniversary Collection
CARMEN MCRAE -- Carmen Sings Monk
JOHN HIATT -- Slow Turning
SHIRLEY HORN -- Close Enough For Love
STEVE EARLE -- Copperhead Road
N.W.A. -- Straight Outta Compton
ARVO PART -- Passio
CASSANDRA WILSON -- Blue Skies 
JOHNNY ADAMS -- Room With A View Of The Blues 
 PHILIP GLASS -- The Thin Blue Line
TRACY CHAPMAN -- Tracy Chapman
VARIOUS ARTISTS -- Irving Berlin Always
RODNEY CROWELL -- Diamonds and Dirt
TRAVELING WILBURYS -- Traveling Wilburys Vol. 1
ERIC B. AND RAKIM -- Paid In Full
HARRY CONNICK JR. -- 20
LYLE LOVETT -- Pontiac
PREFAB SPROUT -- From Langley Park To Memphis
CHRIS ISAAK -- Heart-Shaped World
TALK TALK -- Spirit Of Eden 
HOTHOUSE FLOWERS -- People 
PAUL MCCARTNEY -- Flowers In The Dirt 
THE GO-BETWEENS -- 16 Lovers Lane 
VAN MORRISON and THE CHIEFTAINS -- Irish Heartbeat
RICHARD THOMPSON -- Amnesia
THE EVERLY BROTHERS -- Some Hearts
LADYSMITH BLACK MAMBAZO -- Journey Of Dreams
FAIRGROUND ATTRACTION -- The First Of A Million Kisses


THE BEST ALBUMS OF 1987

DOLLY PARTON, LINDA RONSTADT, EMMYLOU HARRIS -- Trio 
PRINCE -- Sign O' The Times 
U2 -- The Joshua Tree 
SINEAD O'CONNOR -- The Lion and the Cobra
THE SMITHS -- Louder Than Bombs/Strangeways, Here We Come
GEORGE MICHAEL -- Faith 
ERIC B AND RAKIM -- Paid In Full 
STING -- ...Nothing Like The Sun
THE REPLACEMENTS -- Pleased To Meet Me 
JENNIFER WARNES -- Famous Blue Raincoat 
HÜSKER DÜ -- Warehouse: Songs and Stories 
JOHN HIATT -- Bring The Family 
DEPECHE MODE -- Music For The Masses 
PUBLIC ENEMY -- Yo! Bum Rush The Show 
JOHN MELLENCAMP -- The Lonesome Jubilee 
NEW ORDER -- Substance 87 
CHARLIE HADEN-- Quartet West 
SHIRLEY HORN -- I Thought About You
JAMES BROWN -- The CD of JB II 
LINDA RONSTADT -- Canciones De Mi Padre 
GUNS N' ROSES -- Appetite For Destruction 
BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN -- Tunnel Of Love
SUZANNE VEGA -- Solitude Standing
VARIOUS ARTISTS -- Into The Woods (Original Cast Recording)
ROY ORBISON -- In Dreams: The Greatest Hits
LYLE LOVETT -- Pontiac 
ROSEANNE CASH -- King's Record Shop
DINOSAUR JR. -- You're Livin' All Over Me
R.E.M. -- Document
ARETHA FRANKLIN -- One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism
PET SHOP BOYS -- Actually
LADYSMITH BLACK MAMBAZO -- Shaka Zulu
MEL TORME AND GEORGE SHEARING -- A Vintage Year
DEF LEPPARD -- Hysteria
10,000 MANIACS -- In My Tribe
BOULEVARD OF BROKEN DREAMS -- Dancing With Tears In My Eyes
MICHAEL JACKSON -- Bad
BOBBY SHORT -- Guess Who's In Town: Bobby Short Sings The Songs Of Andy Razaf
BILLY IDOL -- Vital Idol
kd lang -- Angel With A Lariat


THE BEST ALBUMS OF 1986

PAUL SIMON -- Graceland
THE SMITHS -- The Queen Is Dead
ELVIS COSTELLO -- King Of America/Blood and Chocolate
PRINCE -- Parade
R.E.M. -- Life's Rich Pageant
RUN D.M.C. -- Raising Hell
NANCI GRIFFITH -- The Last Of The True Believers 
BEASTIE BOYS -- Licensed To Ill
LINDA RONSTADT -- For Sentimental Reasons
CHRIS ISAAK -- Chris Isaak
XTC -- Skylarking 
BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN -- Live 1975-1985
PETER GABRIEL -- So
MADONNA -- True Blue
SAM COOKE -- The Man And His Music
TALK TALK -- The Color Of Spring
RICHARD THOMPSON -- Daring Adventures
THE EVERLY BROTHERS -- Born Yesterday
'TIL TUESDAY -- Welcome Home
WHAM! -- The Final 
ELLA FITZGERALD -- Easy Living (w Joe Pass) 
RANDY TRAVIS -- Storms Of Life 
ANITA BAKER -- Rapture 
DAVID AND DAVID -- Welcome To The Boomtown
STING -- Bring On The Night
STEVE EARLE -- Guitar Town
WORLD PARTY -- Private Revolution
BOULEVARD OF BROKEN DREAMS -- Lonely Avenue
STEVE WINWOOD -- Back In The High Life


THE BEST ALBUMS OF 1985

PREFAB SPROUT -- Steve McQueen aka Two Wheels Good (tie)
BARBRA STREISAND -- The Broadway Album (tie)
VARIOUS ARTISTS -- The Indestructible Beat Of Soweto Volume One
KATE BUSH -- Hounds Of Love
VARIOUS ARTISTS -- Les Miserables (Original London Cast Recording)
THE REPLACEMENTS -- Tim
BOULEVARD OF BROKEN DREAMS -- It's The Talk Of The Town (and Other Sad Songs)
VARIOUS ARTISTS -- The Gospel At Colonus (1985 Philadelphia Cast)
JAMES BROWN -- The CD of JB
PAUL MCCARTNEY/ELVIS COSTELLO -- Flowers In The Dirt (Demos on later editions)
TOM WAITS -- Rain Dogs
STEELY DAN -- A Decade Of Steely Dan
SADE -- Promise
JOHN MELLENCAMP -- Scarecrow
KATRINA AND THE WAVES -- Katrina and the Waves
PHILIP GLASS -- Mishima: A Life In Four Chapters
CHRIS ISAAK -- Silvertone
THE EVERLY BROTHERS -- Cadence Classics: Their 20 Greatest Hits 
BOB DYLAN -- Biograph
R.E.M. -- Fables Of The Reconstruction
THE POGUES -- Rum, Sodomy and the Lash
SANDY DENNY -- Who Knows Where The Times Goes (boxed set)
U2 -- Wide Awake In America
EURYTHMICS -- Be Yourself Tonight
ARETHA FRANKLIN -- 30 Greatest Hits
THE WATERBOYS -- This Is The Sea
JIMMY BUFFETT -- Songs You Know By Heart 
LINDA THOMPSON -- One Clear Moment 
STING -- Dream Of The Blue Turtles
RICHARD THOMPSON -- Across A Crowded Room
LONE JUSTICE -- Lone Justice
JOHN FOGERTY -- Centerfield
DIRE STRAITS -- Brothers In Arms
BRYAN FERRY -- Boys And Girls
SUZANNE VEGA -- Suzanne Vega


THE BEST ALBUMS OF 1984

U2 -- The Unforgettable Fire
BOB MARLEY AND THE WAILERS -- Legend
THE SMITHS -- The Smiths
PRINCE -- Purple Rain
BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN -- Born In The USA
LAURIE ANDERSON -- Mister Heartbreak/United States Live
MADNESS -- Keep Moving (US 14 track version)
SADE -- Diamond Life
RUN D.M.C. -- Run D.M.C. 
TINA TURNER -- Private Dancer
THE BLUE NILE -- A Walk Across The Rooftops 
DIANA ROSS AND THE SUPREMES -- 20 Greatest Hits: Compact Command Performance 
THE PRETENDERS -- Learning To Crawl
LEONARD COHEN -- Various Positions
LOS LOBOS -- How Will The Wolf Survive?
EVERYTHING BUT THE GIRL -- Eden
TALKING HEADS -- Stop Making Sense
THE REPLACEMENTS -- Let It Be 
JERRY LEE LEWIS -- 18 Original Sun Greatest Hits
THE EVERLY BROTHERS -- EB84
STEPHEN SONDHEIM/VARIOUS ARTISTS -- Sunday in the Park with George (Original Cast Recording) 
MINUTEMEN -- Double Nickels On The Dime 
THE BANGLES -- All Over The Place 
ELVIS COSTELLO -- Goodbye Cruel World   
JOE JACKSON -- Body and Soul
PREFAB SPROUT -- Swoon
ELOMAR -- Cantoria 1 
R.E.M. -- Reckoning 
LINDA RONSTADT -- Lush Life 
JOHNNY ADAMS -- From The Heart 
LLOYD COLE AND THE COMMOTIONS -- Rattlesnakes
ELIZABETH COTTEN -- Live!
VAN DYKE PARKS -- Jump!
RICHARD THOMPSON -- Small Town Romance
BARRY MANILOW -- 2. A.M. Paradise Cafe
LINDSEY BUCKINGHAM -- Go Insane
BRIAN ENO AND HAROLD BUDD -- The Pearl


THE BEST ALBUMS OF 1983

R.E.M. -- Murmur
U2 -- War/Under A Blood Red Sky
BILLY JOEL -- An Innocent Man 
EURYTHMICS -- Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)/Touch 
VARIOUS ARTISTS -- The Big Chill Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
THE ENGLISH BEAT -- What Is Beat?
TOM WAITS -- Swordfishtrombones
VARIOUS ARTISTS -- Say Amen, Somebody (Original Soundtrack)
PHILIP GLASS -- Akhnaten
MADNESS -- Madness (US compilation)
ELVIS COSTELLO -- Punch The Clock 
BARBRA STREISAND -- Yentl 40th Anniversary soundtrack (w demos) 
TALKING HEADS -- Speaking In Tongues
THE POLICE -- Synchronicity
ELLA FITZGERALD -- Nice Work If You Can Get It: Ella and André Do Gershwin/Speak Love w Joe Pass  
DEF LEPPARD -- Pyromania
RICHARD THOMPSON -- Hand Of Kindness
PAUL SIMON -- Hearts and Bones
CHEAP TRICK -- Next Position, Please (The Authorized Version) 
CULTURE CLUB -- Colour By Numbers
BRYAN FERRY -- These Foolish Things
WILLIE NELSON AND MERLE HAGGARD -- Pancho and Lefty
BOB DYLAN -- Infidels 
CYNDI LAUPER -- She's So Unusual 
DEBARGE -- In A Special Way 
PINK FLOYD -- The Final Cut


THE BEST ALBUMS OF 1982

BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN -- Nebraska 
PHILIP GLASS -- Glassworks/Koyaanisqatsi 
RICHARD AND LINDA THOMPSON -- Shoot Out The Lights 
MICHAEL JACKSON -- Thriller 
ELVIS COSTELLO -- Imperial Bedroom
ROXY MUSIC -- Avalon
DONALD FAGEN -- The Nightfly
PAUL MCCARTNEY -- Tug Of War 
JAMES BOOKER -- Classified 
BILLY JOEL -- The Nylon Curtain
VANGELIS -- Blade Runner
PETER GABRIEL -- Peter Gabriel (Security)
GEORGE WINSTON -- December
CHUCK BERRY -- The Great 28
VARIOUS ARTISTS -- Dreamgirls (Original Broadway Cast Album)
STEVIE WONDER -- Stevie Wonder's Original Musiquarium I
ABC -- The Lexicon Of Love
THE EAGLES -- Eagles Greatest Hits Vol. 2
PRINCE -- 1999
THE ENGLISH BEAT -- Special Beat Service
NEIL DIAMOND -- 12 Greatest Hits, Vol. 2
KING SUNNY ADE -- Juju Music
TOM WAITS -- One From The Heart
JOE JACKSON -- Night and Day
SQUEEZE -- Singles: 45's And Under 
LYDIA MENDOZA -- La Alondra de la Frontera: Live! 
TOM PETTY -- Long After Dark
DURAN DURAN -- Rio
DIRE STRAITS -- Love Over Gold
R.E.M. -- Chronic Town



THE BEST ALBUMS OF 1981

QUEEN -- Greatest Hits
THE ENGLISH BEAT -- Wha'ppen?
JOAN JETT -- Bad Reputation/I Love Rock 'n' Roll 
SQUEEZE -- East Side Story 
BRIAN ENO AND DAVID BYRNE -- My Life In The Bush Of Ghosts 
FRANK SINATRA -- She Shot Me Down
RUSH -- Moving Pictures 
ROLLING STONES -- Tattoo You
BLONDIE -- Best Of Blondie
ELVIS COSTELLO -- Trust/Almost Blue
GLENN GOULD -- A State of Wonder: The Complete Goldberg Variations 1955 and 1981 
ORCHESTRAL MANOUEVRES IN THE DARK -- Architecture and Morality 
LENA HORNE -- Lena Horne: The Lady And Her Music 
TOM PETTY -- Hard Promises
WILLIE NELSON -- Greatest Hits (And Some That Will Be)
NEVILLE BROTHERS -- Fiyou On The Bayou
TODD RUNDGREN -- Healing 
KATE AND ANNA MCGARRIGLE -- French Record
DAVID BOWIE -- Changestwobowie
KATE BUSH -- The Dreaming 
VANGELIS -- Chariots Of Fire
JOE JACKSON -- Jumpin' Jive  


THE BEST ALBUMS OF 1980

JOHN LENNON AND YOKO ONO -- Double Fantasy
THE ENGLISH BEAT -- I Just Can't Stop It
EMMYLOU HARRIS -- Roses In The Snow
TALKING HEADS -- Remain In Light
U2 -- Boy
AC/DC -- Back In Black
THE PRETENDERS -- The Pretenders
ELVIS COSTELLO -- Get Happy!
BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN -- The River
THE DOORS -- Greatest Hits
BRIAN ENO -- The Plateaux Of Mirror (w Harold Budd)/ Day Of Radiance (w Laraaji) 
BOB MARLEY AND THE WAILERS -- Uprising
DAVID BOWIE -- Scary Monsters 
DARYL HALL -- Sacred Songs 
MADNESS -- Absolutely 
AEROSMITH -- Greatest Hits 
STEVE WINWOOD -- Arc Of A Diver
PETER GABRIEL -- Peter Gabriel (3)
STEVIE WONDER -- Hotter Than July
CAPTAIN BEEFHEART -- Doc At The Radar Station
THE CLASH -- Sandinista! 
PROFESSOR LONGHAIR -- Crawfish Fiesta 
PRINCE -- Dirty Mind
KENNY ROGERS -- Greatest Hits
KATE BUSH -- Never For Ever  
GEORGE JONES -- I Am What I Am 
FRANK SINATRA -- Trilogy: Past Present Future 
THE SELECTER -- Too Much Pressure 
PETE TOWNSEND -- Empty Glass 
BARBRA STREISAND -- Guilty 


THE BEST ALBUMS OF 1979

THE CLASH -- London Calling
TALKING HEADS -- Fear of Music
VAN MORRISON -- Into The Music
MICHAEL JACKSON -- Off The Wall 
EMMYLOU HARRIS -- Blue Kentucky Girl/Light Of The Stable 
FLEETWOOD MAC -- Tusk
DAVID BOWIE -- Lodger
PHILIP GLASS -- Satyagraha
AC/DC -- Highway To Hell 
ELLA FITZGERALD -- Fine and Mellow  
JOE JACKSON -- Look Sharp! 
ARTHUR BLYTHE -- Lenox Avenue Breakdown 
PEGGY LEE -- Close Enough For Love 
NEIL YOUNG -- Rust Never Sleeps 
WILLIE NELSON -- Pretty Paper 
DONNA SUMMER -- On The Radio (Greatest Hits)
STEPHEN SONDHEIM/VARIOUS ARTISTS -- Sweeney Todd (Original Cast Recording)
RICKIE LEE JONES -- Rickie Lee Jones
LEONARD COHEN -- Recent Songs  
CHET BAKER -- Blue Room: The 1979 Vara Sessions 
TOM PETTY -- Damn The Torpedoes! 
THE RAINCOATS -- The Raincoats 
BUZZCOCKS -- Singles Going Steady
PINK FLOYD -- The Wall
MADNESS -- One Step Beyond...
GRAHAM PARKER -- Squeezing Out Sparks 
LED ZEPPELIN -- In Through The Out Door 
PETER GREEN -- In The Skies 
KEN NORDINE -- Stare With Your Ears 
THE ROCHES -- The Roches 
MERLE HAGGARD -- Serving 190 Proof (1979) 


THE BEST ALBUMS OF 1978

WILLIE NELSON -- Stardust
BRIAN ENO -- Ambient 1: Music For Airports 
FUNKADELIC -- One Nation Under A Groove 
KATE BUSH -- The Kick Inside 
HANK WILLIAMS -- 40 Greatest Hits
ROLLING STONES -- Some Girls
TALKING HEADS -- More Songs About Buildings and Food  
VARIOUS ARTISTS -- Ain't Misbehavin' (Original Cast Recording)
ELVIS COSTELLO -- This Year's Model
BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN -- Darkness On The Edge Of Town 
BARBRA STREISAND -- Greatest Hits Vol. 2 
MARVIN GAYE -- Here, My Dear 
NEIL YOUNG -- Comes A Time 
BLONDIE -- Parallel Lines
THE CLASH -- Give 'em Enough Rope  
BUZZCOCKS -- Another Music In A Different Kitchen/ Love Bites  
ISMAEL RIVERA -- Esto Si Es Lo Mio 
THE BAND/VARIOUS ARTISTS -- The Last Waltz 
BIG STAR -- Third/Sister Lovers
EMMYLOU HARRIS -- Quarter Moon In A Ten Cent Town 
EARTH WIND AND FIRE -- The Best of Earth Wind And Fire 
WARREN ZEVON -- Excitable Boy
THE CARS -- The Cars 
WILLIE COLON AND RUBEN BLADÉS -- Siembra 
BUDDY HOLLY -- 20 Golden Greats
JOHNNY ADAMS -- After All The Good Is Gone  
GERRY RAFFERTY -- City To City 
VAN HALEN -- Van Halen 


THE BEST ALBUMS OF 1977

STEELY DAN -- Aja
DAVID BOWIE -- Low/Heroes
FLEETWOOD MAC -- Rumours
MEAT LOAF -- Bat Out Of Hell
ELVIS COSTELLO -- My Aim Is True
MUDDY WATERS -- Hard Again
SEX PISTOLS -- Never Mind The Bollocks, Here's The Sex Pistols 
JOHN WILLIAMS -- Star Wars Original Motion Picture Soundtrack 
TALKING HEADS -- Talking Heads: 77 
ELTON JOHN -- Greatest Hits Volume 2 
KRAFTWERK -- Trans Europe Express 
PETER TOSH -- Equal Rights 
LEON REDBONE -- On The Track 
RAMONES -- Leave Home/Rocket To Russia 
KENNY BURRELL -- Ellington Is Forever Vol. 2  
TELEVISION -- Marquee Moon 
NEIL YOUNG -- Chrome Dreams 
PHARAOH SANDERS -- Harvest Time Live 1977
BRYAN FERRY -- In Your Mind 
AL GREEN -- The Belle Album/Greatest Hits Vol. 2 
UTOPIA/TODD RUNDGREN -- Oops! Wrong Planet 
THE SAINTS -- (I'm) Stranded 
ROLLING STONES -- Live At The El Mocambo 
IGGY POP -- Lust For Life 
ELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA -- Out Of The Blue 
WILLIE NELSON -- To Lefty From Willie
BOB MARLEY AND THE WAILERS -- Exodus
KATE AND ANNA MCGARRIGLE -- Dancer With Bruised Knee
MERLE HAGGARD -- A Working Man Can't Get Nowhere Today
PAUL SIMON -- Greatest Hits, Etc.
TONY BENNETT AND BILL EVANS -- Together Again
THE CLASH -- The Clash
THE BEACH BOYS -- The Beach Boys Love You 
VARIOUS ARTISTS -- Saturday Night Fever
EMMYLOU HARRIS -- Luxury Liner 
JACKSON BROWNE -- Runnin' On Empty 
GLENN GOULD -- The Quiet In The Land (available on The Solitude Trilogy)


THE BEST ALBUMS OF 1976

STEVIE WONDER -- Songs In The Key Of Life
JAMES TAYLOR -- Greatest Hits
JORGE BEN/JOR -- África Brasil  
CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL -- Chronicle Vol. 1 (20 Greatest Hits) 
BUNNY WAILER -- Blackheart Man 
BILLY JOEL -- Turnstiles 
THE EAGLES -- Their Greatest Hits (1971-1975) 
PHILIP GLASS -- Einstein On The Beach 
BOZ SCAGGS -- Silk Degrees
DAVID BOWIE -- Station To Station/Changesonebowie
ELLA FITZGERALD AND JOE PASS -- Fitzgerald and Pass...Again 
THE MODERN LOVERS -- The Modern Lovers 
RASPBERRIES -- Raspberries' Best 
BOB MARLEY AND THE WAILERS -- Rastaman Vibration
LINDA RONSTADT -- Greatest Hits 
ELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA -- A New World Record 
FRANCO AND TABU LEY ROCHEREAU -- Omana Wapi  
RAMONES -- Ramones
PENGUIN CAFE ORCHESTRA -- Music From The Penguin Cafe  
PETER TOSH -- Legalize It 
RICHARD PRYOR -- Bicentennial N----r 
BOSTON -- Boston 
RAY BARRETTO -- Indestructible 
WILLIE NELSON -- Red Headed Stranger
WARREN ZEVON -- Warren Zevon
RUSH -- 2112
AUGUSTUS PABLO -- King Tubbys Meets Rockers Uptown
CORTIJO Y SU COMBO W ISMAEL RIVERA  -- La Quiniela Del Dia
BLONDIE -- Blondie 
CARTOLA -- Cartola II 
THE ABYSSINIANS -- Satta Massagana


THE BEST ALBUMS OF 1975

BOB DYLAN -- Blood On The Tracks/The Basement Tapes 
KEITH JARRETT -- The Köln Concert 
BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN -- Born To Run 
PARLIAMENT -- Mothership Connection 
FLEETWOOD MAC -- Fleetwood Mac 
NEIL YOUNG -- Tonight's The Night/ Zuma/ Homegrown 
BRIAN ENO -- Discreet Music / Evening Star (w Robert Fripp) 
KATE AND ANNA MCGARRIGLE -- Kate And Anna McGarrigle
RICHARD AND LINDA THOMPSON -- Pour Down Like Silver 
RICHARD PRYOR -- ...Is It Something I Said? 
LED ZEPPELIN -- Physical Graffiti 
KENNY BURRELL -- Ellington Is Forever Vol. 1 
JONI MITCHELL -- The Hissing Of Summer Lawns 
BOB MARLEY AND THE WAILERS -- Natty Dread/Live! 
PAUL SIMON -- Still Crazy After All These Years
NEU! -- Neu! 75
TONY BENNETT AND BILL EVANS -- The Tony Bennett/Bill Evans Album 
DOLLY PARTON -- The Best Of Dolly Parton Vol. 2 
LEON REDBONE -- On The Track 
THE FOUR SEASONS -- The Four Seasons Story
VARIOUS ARTISTS -- A Chorus Line (Original Cast Recording) 
AL GREEN -- Greatest Hits Vol. 1
BRIAN ENO -- Another Green World
PINK FLOYD -- Wish You Were Here 
ELLA FITZGERALD -- Ella and Oscar (w Oscar Peterson) 
THE WHO -- The Who By Numbers 
HECTOR LAVOE -- La Voz 
DICK HYMAN -- Scott Joplin: The Complete Works For Piano
JIMMY CLIFF -- The Best Of Jimmy Cliff 
SONNY CRISS -- Criss Craft 
WAYLON JENNINGS -- Dreaming My Dreams  
PEGGY LEE -- Mirrors 
BURNING SPEAR -- Marcus Garvey 
EMMYLOU HARRIS -- Pieces of The Sky/Elite Hotel
BARRY WHITE -- Greatest Hits, Volume 1 
LINDA LEWIS -- Fathoms Deep 
AEROSMITH -- Rocks 
PATTI SMITH -- Horses 
JOE HIGGS -- Life Of  Contradictions 
ART GARFUNKEL -- Breakaway 
GARY BURTON & STEVE SWALLOW -- Hotel Hello (1975) 
HAROLD MELVIN AND BLUE NOTES FEATURING TEDDY PENDERGRASS -- To Be True


THE BEST ALBUMS OF 1974

RICHARD AND LINDA THOMPSON -- I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight
THE BEACH BOYS -- Endless Summer
JONI MITCHELL -- Court And Spark
ELTON JOHN -- Greatest Hits
LINDA RONSTADT -- Heart Like A Wheel
GRAM PARSONS -- Grievous Angel 
ELLIS REGINA AND ANTONIO CARLOS JOBIM -- Ellis & Tom 
STEVIE WONDER -- Fulfillingness' First Finale
PHILIP GLASS -- Music in Twelve Parts 
ELLA FITZGERALD & JOE PASS -- Take Love Easy 
CELIA CRUZ AND JOHNNY PACHECO -- Celia And Johnny
NEIL YOUNG -- On The Beach 
BIG STAR -- Radio City
RANDY NEWMAN -- Good Old Boys 
VAN MORRISON -- Veedon Fleece 
NEIL DIAMOND -- 12 Greatest Hits 
BILL WITHERS -- +'Justments
BRIAN ENO -- Here Come The Warm Jets 
RICHARD PRYOR -- That N----'s Crazy 
BETTYE SWANN -- The Complete Atlantic Recordings 
THE METERS -- Rejuvenation 
ROBERT WYATT -- Rock Bottom 
JORGE BEN JOR -- A Tabua de Esmeralda 
RACHEL FARO -- Refugees 
TOM WAITS -- The Heart Of Saturday Night 
AL GREEN -- Explores Your Mind
SANDY DENNY -- Like An Old-Fashioned Waltz
SANTANA -- Santana's Greatest Hits
ROXY MUSIC -- Country Life
LORETTA LYNN -- Loretta Lynn's Greatest Hits Vol. 2 
BLUE MAGIC -- Blue Magic 
RICHARD AND LINDA THOMPSON -- Hokey Pokey 
CROSBY, STILLS AND NASH -- So Far 
JACKSON BROWNE -- Late For The Sky 
JIM CROCE -- Photographs And Memories: His Greatest Hits


THE BEST ALBUMS OF 1973

BOB MARLEY AND THE WAILERS -- Catch A Fire/Burnin'
HARRY NILSSON -- A Little Touch Of Schmilsson In The Night
PINK FLOYD -- The Dark Side Of The Moon
JOHN MARTYN -- Solid Air
THE CARPENTERS -- The Singles 1969-1973 
BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN -- The Wild, The Innocent and the E Street Shuffle
STEVIE WONDER -- Innervisions
PAUL SIMON -- There Goes Rhymin' Simon
MARVIN GAYE -- Let's Get It On
DOLLY PARTON -- My Tennessee Mountain Home 
TODD RUNDGREN -- A Wizard, A True Star 
DAVID BOWIE -- Aladdin Sane 
ELLA FITZGERALD -- Newport Jazz Festival At Carnegie Hall (1973) *** 1/2
LED ZEPPELIN -- Houses Of The Holy 
HALL & OATES -- Abandoned Luncheonette 
BETTYE SWANN -- The Complete Atlantic Recordings
GRAM PARSONS -- GP 
IRMA THOMAS -- In Between Tears 
NEW YORK DOLLS -- New York Dolls 
SLY AND THE FAMILY STONE -- Fresh 
DIANA ROSS AND THE SUPREMES -- Anthology 
PAUL MCCARTNEY -- Band On The Run 
AL GREEN -- Call Me/Livin' For You
THE TEMPTATIONS -- Anthology 
BRIAN ENO AND ROBERT FRIPP -- (No Pussyfooting) 
BOBBY SHORT -- Bobby Short Is C-R-A-Z-Y For Gershwin
ELTON JOHN -- Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
MOTT THE HOOPLE -- Mott
BILLY JOEL -- Piano Man
THE SPINNERS -- The Spinners 
THE FOUR TOPS -- 19 Greatest Hits 
VINCE GUARALDI -- A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving 
LITTLE FEAT -- Dixie Chicken  



THE BEST ALBUMS OF 1972

SIMON AND GARFUNKEL -- Greatest Hits
ROLLING STONES -- Exile On Main St.
NITTY GRITTY DIRT BAND/VARIOUS ARTISTS -- Will The Circle Be Unbroken 
ARETHA FRANKLIN -- Amazing Grace 
NOVOS BAIANOS -- Acabou Chorare 
NICK DRAKE -- Pink Moon
VARIOUS ARTISTS -- The Harder They Come
JONI MITCHELL -- For The Roses 
STEVIE WONDER -- Music Of My Mind/Talking Book
DAVID BOWIE -- The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars
STEPHEN SONDHEIM/VARIOUS ARTISTS -- A Little Night Music (Original Cast Recording)/Follies (Original Cast Recording) 
BIG STAR -- #1 Record
RANDY NEWMAN -- Sail Away
TODD RUNDGREN -- Something/Anything? 
FANIA ALL-STARS -- Live At The Cheetah Vol. 1-3
GRATEFUL DEAD -- Europe '72 
PAUL SIMON -- Paul Simon
VARIOUS ARTISTS -- Nuggets: Original Artyfacts From The First Psychedelic Era 1965-1968
AL GREEN -- Let's Stay Together/I'm Still In Love With You
SANDY DENNY -- Sandy
CURTIS MAYFIELD -- Superfly
ROY ORBISON -- All-Time Greatest Hits 
THE FLATLANDERS -- More A Legend Than A Band 
ALICE CLARK -- Alice Clark 
ROXY MUSIC -- Roxy Music
MISSISSIPPI JOHN HURT -- The Last Sessions
BILL WITHERS -- Still Bill 
RUBY BRAFF AND ELLIS LARKINS -- The Grand Reunion 
ELVIS PRESLEY -- He Touched Me 
MILTON NASCIMENTO & LO BORGES -- Clube de Esquina 
BOBBY SHORT -- Bobby Short Is Mad About Noel Coward 
MICHAEL NESMITH -- And The Hits Just Keep On Comin' 
MOTT THE HOOPLE -- All The Young Dudes 
HOWARD TATE -- Howard Tate 
WILLIS ALAN RAMSAY -- Willis Alan Ramsay 
CYMANDE -- Cymande 
JOHN PRINE -- Diamonds In The Rough 
NEIL YOUNG -- Harvest 
OTIS SPANN -- Walking The Blues (1960 recorded/1972 released) 


THE BEST ALBUMS OF 1971

JONI MITCHELL -- Blue
MARVIN GAYE -- What's Going On
CAROLE KING -- Tapestry
LED ZEPPELIN -- Untitled (Led Zeppelin IV)
BILL WITHERS -- Just As I Am
ROLLING STONES -- Sticky Fingers/Hot Rocks 1964-1971
ROD STEWART -- Every Picture Tells A Story
PAUL MCCARTNEY -- Ram 
DAVID BOWIE -- Hunky Dory 
ISAAC HAYES -- Black Moses 
DOLLY PARTON -- Coat Of Many Colors 
SLY AND THE FAMILY STONE -- There's A Riot Goin' On
FELA KUTI -- Live with Ginger Baker 
THE ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND -- Live At Fillmore East  
GIL SCOTT-HERON -- Pieces Of A Man
LAURA NYRO -- Gonna Take A Miracle
BOBBIE GENTRY -- Patchwork
THE WHO -- Who's Next/Meaty Beaty Big And Bouncy
FOTHERINGAY -- Fotheringay 2
TODD RUNDGREN -- Runt: The Ballad Of Todd Rundgren 
ISMAEL RIVERA -- La Ültimo En La Avenida (with Kako Y Su Orquestra) 
MILES DAVIS -- Jack Johnson 
MICKEY NEWBURY -- Frisco Mabel Joy 
T. REX -- Electric Warrior
THE BAND -- Cahoots 
CURTIS MAYFIELD -- Roots
JACKSON 5 -- Greatest Hits 
ANTHONY BRAXTON -- For Alto (1971) 
JANIS JOPLIN -- Pearl 
PEE WEE CRAYTON -- Things I Used To Do 
JOHN LENNON -- Imagine
HOWLIN' WOLF -- The London Howlin' Wolf Sessions
LORETTA LYNN -- Coal Miner's Daughter 
DON MCLEAN -- American Pie
HARRY NILSSON -- Nilsson Schmilsson
BOBBY SHORT -- Bobby Loves Cole Porter
THE TEMPTATIONS -- Sky's The Limit 
TOM T. HALL -- In Search Of A Song 


THE BEST ALBUMS OF 1970

RANDY NEWMAN -- 12 Songs (tie)
HARRY NILSSON -- Nilsson Sings Newman (tie)
THE GRATEFUL DEAD -- Workingman's Dead/American Beauty 
THE WHO -- Live At Leeds 
SIMON AND GARFUNKEL -- Bridge Over Troubled Water 
JONI MITCHELL -- Ladies Of The Canyon 
FRANK SINATRA -- Sinatra-Jobim
JOHN LENNON -- Plastic Ono Band
VAN MORRISON -- Moondance
CELIA CRUZ -- Etc. Etc. Etc. 
NEIL YOUNG -- After The Gold Rush 
BARBRA STREISAND -- Greatest Hits 
MILES DAVIS -- Bitches Brew
FOTHERINGAY -- Fotheringay 
LED ZEPPELIN -- Led Zeppelin III 
THE BEACH BOYS -- Sunflower  
EMITT RHODES -- Emitt Rhodes 
SAMMI SMITH -- He's Everywhere aka Help Me Make It Through The Night 
GEORGE HARRISON -- All Things Must Pass
THE BEATLES -- Let It Be
NICK DRAKE -- Bryter Layter
CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL -- Cosmo's Factory
JAMES TAYLOR -- Sweet Baby James
STEPHEN SONDHEIM/VARIOUS ARTISTS -- Company (Original Cast Recording)
GIL SCOTT-HERON -- Small Talk At 125th and Lenox
SANTANA -- Abraxas
DEREK AND THE DOMINOS -- Layla And Other Assorted Love Songs
TODD RUNDGREN -- Runt
JORGE BEN -- Forca Bruta
SLY AND THE FAMILY STONE -- Greatest Hits
THE TEMPTATIONS -- Psychedelic Shack
ROD STEWART -- Gasoline Alley
MARVIN GAYE -- That's The Way Love Is  
THE VELVET UNDERGROUND -- Loaded
THE TEMPTATIONS -- Greatest Hits Vol. 2
EVIE SANDS -- Any Way That You Want Me 
THE MOVERS The Movers 
PAUL MCCARTNEY -- McCartney
LEON RUSSELL -- Leon Russell


THE BEST ALBUMS OF 1969

THE BEATLES -- Abbey Road
THE BAND -- The Band
CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL -- Green River/Willie and the Poor Boys/Bayou Country
NINA SIMONE -- Nina Simone and Piano
FAIRPORT CONVENTION -- What We Did On Our Holidays/Unhalfbricking/Liege And Leaf 
MERLE HAGGARD -- A Tribute To The Best Damn Fiddle Player In The World or My Salute To Bob Wills/ Same Train,  A Different Time: Merle Haggard Sings The Great Songs Of Jimmie Rodgers 
LED ZEPPELIN -- Led Zeppelin/Led Zeppelin II
DUSTY SPRINGFIELD -- Dusty In Memphis
NICK DRAKE -- Five Leaves Left
ROLLING STONES -- Let It Bleed
JONI MITCHELL -- Clouds 
MILES DAVIS -- In A Silent Way 
MICKEY NEWBURY -- Looks Like Rain 
SLY AND THE FAMILY STONE -- Stand!
NEIL YOUNG -- Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere 
ISAAC HAYES -- Hot Buttered Soul 
THE VELVET UNDERGROUND -- The Velvet Underground 
JOHNNY ADAMS -- Heart & Soul 
SHIRLEY AND DOLLY COLLINS -- Anthems In Eden 
KAREN DALTON -- It's So Hard To Tell Who's Going To Love You The Best 
HARRY NILSSON -- Harry
JORGE BEN -- Jorge Ben
CAPTAIN BEEFHEART -- Trout Mask Replica 
THE BEACH BOYS -- 20/20  
LA LUPE -- La Lupe Es La Reina 
THE ISLEY BROTHERS -- It's Our Thing 
THE FLYING BURRITO BROTHERS -- The Gilded Palace Of Sin 
JIMMY SCOTT -- The Source 
SANTANA -- Santana
PENTANGLE -- Basket Of Light 
TOWNES VAN ZANDT -- Townes Van Zandt 
GLENN GOULD -- The Latecomers (available on The Solitude Trilogy) 
CROSBY, STILLS AND NASH -- Crosby, Stills and Nash 
SIMON AND GARFUNKEL -- Live 1969 (released 2008)
JOHNNY CASH -- At San Quentin


THE BEST ALBUMS OF 1968

VAN MORRISON -- Astral Weeks
THE BEATLES -- The Beatles (The White Album)
JIMI HENDRIX -- Electric Ladyland
THE BAND -- Music From Big Pink
ARETHA FRANKLIN -- Lady Soul 
VARIOUS ARTISTS -- Tropicalia Ou Panis Et Circensis 
THE BYRDS -- Sweethearts of the Rodeo/The Notorious Byrd Brothers/Greatest Hits 
ROLLING STONES -- Beggars Banquet
HERB ALPERT AND THE TIJUANA BRASS -- Christmas Album
BOBBIE GENTRY -- The Delta Sweete 
TERRY RILEY -- In "C"
THE DRIFTERS -- The Drifters' Golden Hits
FAIRPORT CONVENTION -- Fairport Convention
JOHNNY CASH -- At Folsom Prison 
THE RASCALS -- Time Peace: The Rascals' Greatest Hits 
SIMON AND GARFUNKEL -- Bookends 
THE ZOMBIES -- Odessey and Oracle 
SONNY CRISS -- Sonny's Dream (Birth Of The New Cool) 
THE EVERLY BROTHERS -- Roots 
THE VELVET UNDERGROUND -- White Light/White Heat 
JERRY LEE LEWIS -- Another Time, Another Place 
JONI MITCHELL -- Song To A Seagull 
CAETANO VELOSO -- Caetano Veloso aka Tropicalia 
THE KINKS -- The Kinks Are The Village Green Preservation Society 
GILBERTO GIL -- Gilberto Gil 
DAVID AXELROD -- Song Of Innocence 
MERLE HAGGARD -- Sing Me Back Home/ The Legend Of Bonnie & Clyde
MAGIC SAM -- West Side Soul
BIG BROTHER AND THE HOLDING COMPANY -- Cheap Thrills
ELVIS PRESLEY -- Elvis (TV Special)
RANDY NEWMAN -- Randy Newman 
ELLA FITZGERALD -- 30 by Ella 
BUFFALO SPRINGFIELD -- Last Time Around
TINY TIM -- God Bless Tiny Tim 
BEACH BOYS -- Friends 
THE BEAU BRUMMELS -- Bradley's Barn 
OS MUTANTES -- Os Mutantes 
THE SMALL FACES -- Ogden's Nut Gone Flake
LORETTA LYNN -- Loretta Lynn's Greatest Hits
HARRY NILSSON -- Aerial Ballet 
MARGO GURYAN -- Take A Picture/27 Demos 
BOBBY SHORT AND MABEL MERCER -- At Town Hall 


THE BEST ALBUMS OF 1967

ARETHA FRANKLIN -- I Never Loved A Man (The Way I Love You)
JIMI HENDRIX -- Are You Experienced/Axis: Bold As Love
THE BEATLES -- Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band/Magical Mystery Tour
FRANK SINATRA -- Frances Albert Sinatra and Antonio Carlos Jobim
BOBBIE GENTRY -- Ode To Billie Joe 
THE VELVET UNDERGROUND -- The Velvet Underground And Nico
DIANA ROSS AND THE SUPREMES -- Greatest Hits 
THE WHO -- The Who Sell Out 
PATSY CLINE -- Patsy Cline's Greatest Hits 
THE BEACH BOYS -- Smile 
LEONARD COHEN -- Songs Of Leonard Cohen
MISSISSIPPI JOHN HURT -- The Immortal Mississippi John Hurt
LOVE -- Forever Changes
JEFFERSON AIRPLANE -- Surrealistic Pillow
MILES DAVIS -- Miles Smiles 
ELVIS PRESLEY -- How Great Thou Art 
GLENN GOULD -- The Idea Of North (available on The Solitude Trilogy)
LOU RAWLS -- Merry Christmas Ho! Ho! Ho! 
MOBY GRAPE -- Moby Grape 
BOB DYLAN -- John Wesley Harding
CARLOS PAREDES -- Guitarra Portuguesa
CAPTAIN BEEFHEART AND HIS MAGIC ORCHESTRA -- Safe As Milk
ROLLING STONES -- Between The Buttons
THE LOVIN' SPOONFUL -- The Best Of The Lovin' Spoonful
PINK FLOYD -- The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn 
DESMOND DEKKAR & THE ACES -- Action!
DUKE ELLINGTON -- The Far East Suite
THE YOUNG RASCALS aka THE RASCALS -- Groovin' 
MERLE HAGGARD -- Branded Man
THE TEMPTATIONS -- With A Lot O' Soul
GLEN CAMPBELL -- Gentle On My Mind/By The Time I Get To Phoenix
THE FOUR TOPS -- Greatest Hits 
THE DOORS -- The Doors/Strange Days 
ALBERT KING -- Born Under A Bad Sign 
SIMON AND GARFUNKEL -- Live From New York City, 1967 (released 2002)
SCOTT WALKER -- Scott
DORIS DAY -- The Love Album


THE BEST ALBUMS OF 1966

THE BEACH BOYS -- Pet Sounds (tie)
THE BEATLES -- Revolver (tie)
BOB DYLAN -- Blonde on Blonde 
IRMA THOMAS -- Take A Look 
WAYNE SHORTER -- Speak No Evil  
ROLLING STONES -- Aftermath
HERBIE HANCOCK -- Blow-Up Original Motion Picture Soundtrack 
WILSON PICKETT -- The Exciting Wilson Pickett 
FRANK SINATRA -- Sinatra At The Sands
THE 13TH FLOOR ELEVATORS -- The Psychedelic Sounds of The 13th Floor Elevators 
MISSISSIPPI JOHN HURT -- Today!
HOWARD TATE -- Get It While You Can  
THE TEMPTATIONS -- Greatest Hits
THE FOUR SEASONS -- 2nd Vault Of Golden Hits
ELIZABETH COTTEN -- Shake Sugaree 
LEE MORGAN -- Search For The New Land 
ELLA FITZGERLD -- Stockholm Concert, 1966  
THE RASCALS aka THE YOUNG RASCALS -- The Young Rascals 
THE FOUR TOPS -- 19 Greatest Hits
KANDER AND EBB -- Cabaret Original Broadway Cast Recording
WILLIE BOBO -- Uno Dos Tres 1 2 3 
SIMON AND GARFUNKEL -- Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme 
MARTY ROBBINS -- The Drifter 
NINO TEMPO & APRIL STEVENS -- All Strung Out 


THE BEST ALBUMS OF 1965

BOB DYLAN -- Highway 61 Revisited /Bringing It All Back Home 
THE BEATLES -- Rubber Soul/Help!
JOHN COLTRANE -- A Love Supreme
VARIOUS ARTISTS -- The Sound Of Music Original Soundtrack
B.B. KING -- Live At The Regal
OTIS REDDING -- Otis Blue: Otis Redding Sings Soul
FRANK SINATRA -- September Of My Years 
JUNIOR WELLS -- Hoodoo Man Blues
MILES DAVIS -- The Complete Live At The Plugged Nickel/E.S.P. 
NINA SIMONE -- Pastel Blues 
GRANT GREEN -- Idle Moments 
THE WHO -- The Who Sings My Generation 
STAN GETZ AND JOAO GILBERTO -- Getz/Gilberto #2 
THE BEACH BOYS -- The Beach Boys Today!
PHIL SPECTOR -- Back To Mono 1958-1969 (boxed set) 
THELONIUS MONK -- Solo Monk 
CONNIE SMITH -- Connie Smith 
DION -- Kickin Child: The Lost 1965 Album
THE FOUR TOPS -- 19 Greatest Hits 
WAYNE SHORTER -- Juju 
FRED NEIL -- Bleecker and MacDougall
HERB ALPERT AND THE TIJUANA BRASS -- Whipped Cream and Other Delights
THE LOVIN' SPOONFUL -- Do You Believe In Magic 
WILLIE BOBO -- Spanish Grease 
THE SHANGRI-LAS -- Leader Of The Pack 
EDDIE HARRIS -- The In Sound 
BUCK OWENS -- I've Got A Tiger By The Tail 
HERBIE HANCOCK -- Maiden Voyage 
TONY BENNETT -- If I Ruled The World: Songs For The Jet Set 
JUDY RODERICK -- Woman Blue 


THE BEST ALBUMS OF 1964

STAN GETZ AND JOAO GILBERTO -- Getz/Gilberto
BOB DYLAN -- Another Side Of Bob Dylan
THE BEATLES -- Beatles For Sale/A Hard Day's Night
NINA SIMONE -- In Concert  
JERRY LEE LEWIS -- Live At The Star-Club, Hamburg 
TONY BENNETT -- When Lights Are Low
THE RONETTES -- Presenting The Fabulous Ronettes, Featuring Veronica
MUDDY WATERS -- Folk Singer
JOAN BAEZ -- Joan Baez 5 
WAYNE SHORTER -- Night Dreamer 
ELLA FITZGERALD -- Ella Fitzgerald Sings The Jerome Kern Songbook/Ella Fitzgerald Sings The Johnny Mercer Songbook
BARBRA STREISAND -- The Third Album 
HORACE SILVER -- Song For My Father  
THE IMPRESSIONS -- Keep On Pushing 
IRMA THOMAS -- Wish Someone Would Care 
LEE MORGAN -- The Sidewinder 
CHUCK BERRY -- St. Louis To Liverpool
ERIC DOLPHY -- Out To Lunch
BOB DYLAN -- The Times They Are A-Changin'
VARIOUS ARTISTS -- Fiddler On The Roof Original Broadway Cast 
THE SUPREMES -- Where Did Our Love Go 
BURL IVES -- The Wayfaring Stranger (various versions 1944, 1945, 1959, 1960, 1964)
LESLEY GORE -- Girl Talk 
JIMMY SMITH -- Christmas '64 aka Christmas Cookin' 
DUSTY SPRINGFIELD -- A Girl Called Dusty  
THE BEACH BOYS -- All Summer Long   


THE BEST ALBUMS OF 1963

PATSY CLINE -- The Patsy Cline Story
JOHN COLTRANE -- John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman/Both Directions At Once
JAMES BROWN -- Live At The Apollo
DORIS DAY AND ROBERT GOULET -- Annie Get Your Gun
PHIL SPECTOR/VARIOUS ARTISTS -- A Christmas Gift For You From Philles Records 
SAM COOKE -- Night Beat/Live at The Harlem Club, 1963
THE BEATLES -- Please Please Me/With The Beatles
BARBRA STREISAND -- The Barbra Streisand Album/The Second Barbra Streisand Album
BOB DYLAN -- The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan 
ROY ORBISON -- In Dreams 
NANCY WILSON -- Nancy Wilson/Cannonball Adderley and Something Wonderful 
DEXTER GORDON -- Our Man In Paris
MILES DAVIS -- Quiet Nights 
JORGE BEN -- Samba Esquerra Novo 
THELONIOUS MONK -- Monk's Dream
ELLA FITZGERALD -- Ella and Basie! 
EMAHOY TSEGU-MARYAM GUBROU -- Ethiopiques Vol. 21: Ethiopia Song Piano Solo 
THE SWAN SILVERTONES -- Blessed Assurance 
STANLEY TURRENTINE -- Never Let Me Go  
MARTY ROBBINS -- The Return Of The Gunfighter 
JOE HENDERSON -- Page One 
ROSEMARY CLOONEY -- Love
DEAN MARTIN -- Country Style/Dean "Tex" Martin Rides Again


THE BEST ALBUMS OF 1962

RAY CHARLES -- Modern Sounds In Country and Western Music Vol 1 and 2
STAN GETZ AND CHARLIE BYRD -- Jazz Samba 
DUKE ELLINGTON -- Duke Ellington Meets Coleman Hawkins/Duke Ellington & John Coltrane
BARBRA STREISAND -- Live At The Bon Soir 
ROY ORBISON -- Crying 
NANCY WILSON -- Nancy Wilson/Cannonball Adderley and Something Wonderful 
PHIL SPECTOR -- Back To Mono 1958-1969 (boxed set) 
HOWLIN' WOLF -- Howlin' Wolf (Rocking Chair Album)
TONY BENNETT -- Tony Bennett at Carnegie Hall/I Left My Heart In San Francisco
SAM COOKE -- The Best Of Sam Cooke 
STANLEY TURRENTINE -- Jubilee Shout! 
ELLA FITZGERALD -- Rhythm Is My Business/Ella: The Lost Berlin Tapes (Live) 
CHARLES MINGUS -- New Tijuana Moods
DINAH WASHINGTON -- Drinking Again 
JACKIE MCLEAN -- Bluesnik 
THE SWAN SILVERTONES -- Savior Pass Me Not
DORIS DAY -- Duet (w Andre Previn Trio)
BEN WEBSTER -- Ben and "Sweets" (w Harry "Sweets" Edison)
KAY STARR -- I Cry By Night
DEXTER GORDON -- Go!
ERNESTINE ANDERSON -- Swings The Penthouse 
BOOKER T AND THE M.G.S -- Green Onions 
ALBERT KING -- The Big Blues
JACK TEAGARDEN -- Think Well Of Me 
LENNIE TRISTANO -- The New Tristano 



THE BEST ALBUMS OF 1961

BILL EVANS -- Sunday At The Village Vanguard/Waltz For Debby
JUDY GARLAND -- Judy At Carnegie Hall
JOHN COLTRANE -- My Favorite Things/Coltrane Jazz
ELLA FITZGERALD -- Twelve Nights In Hollywood/ Ella Fitzgerald Sings The Harold Arlen Songbook/ Clap Your Hands, Here Comes Charlie! 
RAY CHARLES -- The Genius Sings The Blues/The Genius After Hours/Ray Charles and Betty Carter/Genius + Soul = Jazz 
PATSY CLINE -- Showcase 
MILES DAVIS -- Steamin' 
PEE WEE RUSSELL AND COLEMAN HAWKINS -- Jazz Reunion 
DEXTER GORDON -- Dexter Calling
JAMES BROWN -- James Brown Presents His Band
EDITH PIAF -- Greatest Hits
JACK TEAGARDEN -- Mis'ry and the Blues
JOAN BAEZ -- Joan Baez 2
THELONIOUS MONK -- Thelonious Monk With John Coltrane
BLOSSOM DEARIE -- My Gentleman Friend
FREDDIE HUBBARD -- Ready For Freddie 
DINAH WASHINGTON -- The Complete Dinah Washington On Mercury Vol. 7 (1961)
ORNETTE COLEMAN -- This Is Our Music/Free Jazz
ABBEY LINCOLN -- Straight Ahead 
BOOKER ERVIN -- That's It! 
FRANK SINATRA -- Ring-a-Ding-Ding!
ART BLAKEY -- Art Blakey and the Jazz Passengers
DOC CHEATHAM AND SHORTY BAKER -- Shorty & Doc 
ROSEMARY CLOONEY -- Rosie Solves The Swingin' Riddle!
DONALD BYRD -- Chant  


THE BEST ALBUMS OF 1960

ELLA FITZGERALD -- The Intimate Ella (released in 1990)  
JOHN COLTRANE -- Giant Steps
DAVE BRUBECK -- Time Out
ETTA JAMES -- At Last!
ELVIS PRESLEY -- His Hand In Mine/50,000,000 Elvis Fans Can't Be Wrong Golden Records Vol 2
JAMES BROWN -- Think
EDITH PIAF -- Greatest Hits 
BURL IVES -- Return Of The Wayfaring Stranger 
MEL TORME -- Swings Schubert Alley/Back In Town
THE ABYSSINIAN BAPTIST CHOIR UNDER THE DIRECTION OF PROFESSOR ALEX BRADFORD -- Shakin' The Rafters
ART BLAKEY -- A Night In Tunisia
JOAN BAEZ -- Joan Baez 
SOLOMON BURKE -- Rock 'N Soul 
FATS DOMINO -- They Call Me The Fat Man...Antoine "Fats" Domino -- The Legendary Imperial Recordings
ORIGINAL BROADWAY CAST -- Camelot 
THE EVERLY BROTHERS -- It's Everly Time 
DINAH WASHINGTON -- The Complete Dinah Washington On Mercury Vol. 6 (1958-1960)
MILES DAVIS -- Sketches Of Spain
ANITA O'DAY -- Anita O'Day And Billy May Swing Rodgers And Hart
ERIC DOLPHY -- Outward Bound/Out There 
OTIS SPANN -- Walking The Blues (1960 recorded/1972 released) /Otis Spann Is The Blues
ART FARMER & BENNY GOLSON -- Meet The Jazztet 
SONNY RED -- Out Of The Blue 
MARGARET WHITING -- Sings The Jerome Kern Songbook  
SONNY CLARK -- The Sonny Clark Trio 


THE BEST ALBUMS OF 1959

MILES DAVIS -- Kind Of Blue/Workin'/Porgy and Bess
ELLA FITZGERALD -- Ella Fitzgerald Sings The George and Ira Gershwin Songbook
BUDDY HOLLY -- The Buddy Holly Story 
JOAO GILBERTO -- Chega de Saudade 
HARRY BELAFONTE -- Belafonte at Carnegie Hall
CHUCK BERRY -- Chuck Berry Is On Top
BILLIE HOLIDAY -- The Complete Billie Holiday on Verve 1945-1959 (1991 boxed set) 
ART BLAKEY'S JAZZ MESSENGERS -- Moanin' 
MARTY ROBBINS -- Gunfighter Ballads and Trail Songs 
FATS DOMINO -- They Call Me The Fat Man...Antoine "Fats" Domino -- The Legendary Imperial Recordings
ORNETTE COLEMAN -- The Shape Of Jazz To Come
RAY CHARLES -- The Genius of Ray Charles
THE SWAN SILVERTONES -- The Swan Silvertones 
CHARLES MINGUS -- Ah Um/Mingus Dynasty
DINAH WASHINGTON -- What A Diff'rence A Day Makes! 
ART BLAKEY AND THE JAZZ MESSENGERS -- Moanin' 
HOWLIN' WOLF -- Moanin' In The Moonlight 
NINA SIMONE -- Little Girl Blue 
BILL EVANS -- On Green Dolphin Street
LITTLE RICHARD -- His Greatest Hits
ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK -- Black Orpheus
ABBEY LINCOLN -- Abbey Is Blue 
BURL IVES -- The Wayfaring Stranger (various versions 1944, 1945, 1959, 1964)
RODGERS AND HAMMERSTEIN -- The Sound Of Music Original Broadway Cast
FRANK SINATRA -- Come Dance With Me!/Live In Australia with The Red Norvo Quintet
DUKE ELLINGTON -- Anatomy Of A Murder
ANITA O'DAY -- Anita Swings Cole Porter With Billy May
STEPHEN SONDHEIM/JULE STYNE -- Gypsy Original Broadway Cast
PEGGY LEE -- Beauty and the Beat


THE BEST ALBUMS OF 1958

ELVIS PRESLEY -- Elvis' Golden Records Vol. 1
ELLA FITZGERALD -- The Irving Berlin Songbook/Porgy and Bess/Ella in Rome: The Birthday Concert/Sings Sweet Songs For Swingers/ Live at the Opera House  
MILES DAVIS -- Relaxin'/Milestones
FRANK SINATRA -- Come Fly With Me/Frank Sinatra Sings For Only The Lonely
BILL EVANS -- Everybody Digs Bill Evans 
JOHNNY MATHIS -- Johnny's Greatest Hits 
CANNONBALL ADDERLEY-- Somethin' Else 
CHUCK BERRY -- The Great 28
COUNT BASIE -- The Atomic Mr. Basie
CARMEN MCRAE -- Book Of Ballads 
THE EVERLY BROTHERS -- Songs Our Daddy Taught Us 
DUKE ELLINGTON -- Black Brown And Beige 
JUDY GARLAND -- Judy In Love 
NAT KING COLE -- St. Louis Blues 
BUDDY HOLLY -- Buddy Holly
BILLIE HOLIDAY -- Lady In Satin 
ART BLAKEY -- Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers with Thelonius Monk 
LITTLE WALTER -- The Best Of Little Walter 
THE PLATTERS -- The Magic Touch: An Anthology
ANITA O'DAY -- Sings The Winners 
ELIZABETH COTTEN -- Freight Train And Other North Carolina Folk Songs And Tunes 
DINAH WASHINGTON -- The Complete Dinah Washington On Mercury Vol. 5 (1956-1958)
LOUIS ARMSTRONG -- Louis Under The Stars 
CHET BAKER -- (Chet Baker Sings) It Could Happen To You
BILLY ECKSTINE -- Billy's Best
HOWLIN' WOLF -- Smokestack Lightning: The Complete Chess Masters 1951-1960


THE BEST ALBUMS OF 1957

LERNER AND LOEWE -- My Fair Lady Original Broadway Cast 
THELONIOUS MONK -- Brilliant Corners/Monk's Music/W John Coltrane at Carnegie Hall 
JOHN COLTRANE -- Blue Train
ELLA FITZGERALD -- Sings The Rodgers And Hart Songbook/Daydream: The Duke Ellington Songbook/Ella and Louie Again/Like Someone In Love
MILES DAVIS -- Cookin'/Miles Ahead
FATS DOMINO -- They Call Me The Fat Man...Antoine "Fats" Domino -- The Legendary Imperial Recordings 
DORIS DAY -- Day By Night 
FLATT & SCRUGGS -- Foggy Mountain Jamboree 
ART BLAKEY'S JAZZ MESSENGERS -- A Night in Tunisia
RAY CHARLES -- Ray Charles
LOUIS ARMSTRONG -- Meets Oscar Peterson 
PATSY CLINE -- Patsy Cline 
ART PEPPER -- Meets The Rhythm Section 
LITTLE RICHARD -- Here's Little Richard 
COLEMAN HAWKINS -- The Hawk Flies High 
HANK WILLIAMS -- Sing Me A Blue Song 
MACHITO -- Kenya 
BUDDY HOLLY -- The "Chirping" Crickets 
BING CROSBY -- Bing With A Beat
LAMBERT HENDRICKS AND ROSS -- Sing A Song Of Basie
JUDY GARLAND -- Alone 
HENRY RED ALLEN -- Ride, Red, Ride In Hi-Fi aka World On A String
ORIGINAL BROADWAY CAST -- West Side Story
TONY BENNETT -- The Beat Of My Heart 
NAT KING COLE -- After Midnight
CHRIS CONNOR -- Chris Connor Sings The George Gershwin Almanac Of Song
DICK HAYMES -- Moondreams
LOUIS ARMSTRONG -- I've Got The World On A String
ANITA O'DAY -- Anita Sings The Most
B.B. King -- Singin' The Blues
DENNY MARTIN -- Exotica
RAVI SHANKAR -- The Sounds Of India  
HOWLIN' WOLF -- Smokestack Lightning: The Complete Chess Masters 1951-1960
DINAH WASHINGTON -- The Fats Waller Songbook aka Sings Fats Waller
FRANK SINATRA -- Sinatra '57 In Concert/Close To You/Where Are You?/Christmas Dreaming
RODGERS AND HAMMERSTEIN -- Cinderella TV Soundtrack
COLEMAN HAWKINS -- The Hawk Flies High 
ELVIS PRESLEY -- Elvis' Christmas Album



THE BEST ALBUMS OF 1956

ELLA FITZGERALD -- Sings The Cole Porter Songbook/Ella and Louis
DUKE ELLINGTON -- Ellington At Newport
FRANK SINATRA -- Songs For Swingin' Lovers!
DORIS DAY -- Day By Day
ELVIS PRESLEY -- Elvis Presley/Elvis
BOBBY SHORT -- Bobby Short 
SONNY ROLLINS -- Tenor Madness/ Saxophone Colossus 
PEGGY LEE -- Black Coffee (12 inch version)
CHUCK BERRY -- The Great 28 
BILLIE HOLIDAY -- Lady Sings The Blues 
JULIO GUTTIERREZ -- Cuban Jam Session Vol 1 
LOUVIN BROTHERS -- Tragic Songs Of Life
THE PLATTERS -- The Magic Touch: An Anthology
HORACE SILVER -- Horace Silver and the Jazz Passengers 
BING CROSBY -- Bing Sings Whilst Bregman Swings
FATS DOMINO -- They Call Me The Fat Man...Antoine "Fats" Domino -- The Legendary Imperial Recordings 
LOUIS PRIMA -- The Wildest! 
ROSEMARY CLOONEY -- Blue Rose
HOWLIN' WOLF -- Smokestack Lightning: The Complete Chess Masters 1951-1960 
MEL TORME -- Sings Fred Astaire
JUDY GARLAND -- Judy
CHET BAKER -- Sings
DINAH WASHINGTON -- Dinah!/In The Land Of Hi-Fi/The Swingin' Miss "D" 
LENNIE TRISTANO Lennie Tristano 
ANITA O'DAY -- Anita aka This Is Anita
VIC DAMONE -- That Towering Feeling 
BIG JOE TURNER -- The Boss Of The Blues Sings Kansas City Jazz  



THE BEST ALBUMS OF 1955

FRANK SINATRA -- In The Wee Small Hours
ELVIS PRESLEY -- The Sun Sessions
DICK HAYMES -- Rain Or Shine 
CLIFFORD BROWN AND MAX ROACH -- Study In Brown 
BING CROSBY -- Merry Christmas (LP version)
GLENN GOULD -- A State of Wonder: The Complete Goldberg Variations 1955 and 1981
CONNIE CONVERSE -- How Sad, How Lovely 
HORACE SILVER -- Horace Silver Quintet/ Horace Silver Quintet, Vol. 2 
ERROLL GARNER -- Concert By The Sea  
BOBBY TROUP -- Sings Johnny Mercer
COUNT BASIE -- April In Paris
JOHNNY HARTMAN -- Songs From The Heart
LIONEL HAMPTON AND STAN GETZ -- Hamp and Getz 
THE PLATTERS -- The Magic Touch: An Anthology


THE BEST ALBUMS OF 1954

HANK WILLIAMS -- Honky Tonkin'/I Saw The Light/Ramblin' Man  
DINAH WASHINGTON -- Dinah Jams/After Hours With Miss "D" 
THELONIUS MONK -- Complete Prestige 10" LP Collection: "Trio," "Monk," "And Sony Rollins"/Piano Solo 
FRANK SINATRA -- Songs For Young Lovers/Swing Easy! 
ELVIS PRESLEY -- The Sun Sessions 
SARAH VAUGHAN -- Sarah Vaughan aka Sarah Vaughan With Clifford Brown 
MILES DAVIS -- Walkin' 
ART BLAKEY -- A Night At Birdland, Vol. 1-3 
JUNE CHRISTY -- Something Cool
LOUIS ARMSTRONG -- Louis Armstrong and the Mills Brothers 


THE BEST ALBUMS OF 1953

PEGGY LEE -- Black Coffee (10 inch version) 
HANK WILLIAMS -- Memorial Album 
DAVE BRUBECK -- Jazz At The College Of The Pacific
HOWLIN' WOLF -- Smokestack Lightning: The Complete Chess Masters 1951-1960


THE BEST ALBUMS OF 1952

VARIOUS ARTISTS/HARRY SMITH -- The Anthology Of American Folk Music
HANK WILLIAMS -- Moanin' The Blues 
FRED ASTAIRE -- The Astaire Story
DINAH WASHINGTON -- The Complete Dinah Washington On Mercury Vol. 2 (1950-1952)
HOWLIN' WOLF -- Smokestack Lightning: The Complete Chess Masters 1951-1960
DUKE ELLINGTON -- Ellington Uptown
THE MILLS BROTHERS -- Greatest Hits


THE BEST ALBUMS OF 1951

EDITH PIAF -- Greatest Hits 
HANK WILLIAMS -- Sings
HOWLIN' WOLF -- Smokestack Lightning: The Complete Chess Masters 1951-1960 
ROY MILTON -- Roy Milton and His Solid Senders (1992 comp) 


THE BEST ALBUMS OF 1950

BILLIE HOLIDAY -- The Complete Decca Recordings (1944-1950) 
ELLA FITZGERALD -- Ella Sings Gershwin 
HANK WILLIAMS -- 40 Greatest Hits 
FRANK SINATRA -- Dedicated To You/Swing and Dance With Frank Sinatra
EDITH PIAF -- Greatest Hits 
ROY MILTON -- Roy Milton and His Solid Senders (1992 comp) 


THE BEST ALBUMS OF 1949

DJANGO REINHARDT -- Djangology 49
DINAH WASHINGTON -- The Complete Dinah Washington On Mercury Vol. 1 (1946-1949) FRANK SINATRA -- Frankly Sentimental
HANK WILLIAMS -- 40 Greatest Hits
RODGERS AND HAMMERSTEIN -- South Pacific 
ROY MILTON -- Roy Milton and His Solid Senders (1992 comp) 


THE BEST ALBUMS OF 1948

HANK WILLIAMS -- 40 Greatest Hits
DINAH WASHINGTON -- The Complete Dinah Washington On Mercury Vol. 1 (1946-1949) 
ROY MILTON -- Roy Milton and His Solid Senders (1992 comp) 

THE BEST ALBUMS OF 1947

LIGHTNIN' HOPKINS -- Thinkin' And Worryin': The Aladdin Singles 1946-1952 
LOUIS ARMSTRONG -- The Complete RCA Victor Recordings 1932-1933/1946-1947 
WOODY GUTHRIE -- Songs To Grow On: Nursery Days
FRANK SINATRA -- Songs By Sinatra
BING CROSY AND THE ANDREWS SISTERS -- Their Complete Recordings Together (1939-1951)


THE BEST ALBUMS OF 1946

BING CROSY AND THE ANDREWS SISTERS -- Their Complete Recordings Together (1939-1951)
LIGHTNIN' HOPKINS -- Thinkin' And Worryin': The Aladdin Singles 1946-1952 
LOUIS ARMSTRONG -- The Complete RCA Victor Recordings 1932-1933/1946-1947 
FRANK SINATRA -- The Voice of Frank Sinatra
EDITH PIAF -- Greatest Hits
THE INK SPOTS -- The Ultimate Collection (1939-1951)
DUKE ELLINGTON -- The Carnegie Hall Concerts: January 1946
BING CROSY -- Bing Crosby: His Legendary Years (1931-1957) [Brunswick 1931-1934; Decca 1934-1954]


THE BEST ALBUMS OF 1945

BING CROSBY -- Merry Christmas 
BING CROSY AND THE ANDREWS SISTERS -- Their Complete Recordings Together (1939-1951)
WOODY GUTHRIE -- The Asch Recordings Vol. 2 
RODGERS AND HAMMERSTEIN -- Carousel Original Broadway Cast 
BURL IVES -- The Wayfaring Stranger (various versions 1944, 1945, 1959, 1960, 1964)
 HARRY JAMES -- The Essence Of Harry James


THE BEST ALBUMS OF 1944

RODGERS AND HAMMERSTEIN -- Oklahoma! 
BILLIE HOLIDAY -- Lady Day: The Complete Billie Holiday on Columbia 1933-1944 
BURL IVES -- The Wayfaring Stranger (various versions 1944, 1945, 1959, 1960, 1964) 
BING CROSY -- Bing Crosby: His Legendary Years (1931-1957) [Brunswick 1931-1934; Decca 1934-1954]
WOODY GUTHRIE -- The Asch Recordings Vol. 1
THE INK SPOTS -- The Ultimate Collection (1939-1951)
BING CROSY AND THE ANDREWS SISTERS -- Their Complete Recordings Together (1939-1951)
DUKE ELLINGTON -- The Carnegie Hall Concerts: December 1944
THE MILLS BROTHERS -- Greatest Hits
HARRY JAMES -- The Essence Of Harry James


THE BEST ALBUMS OF 1943

DUKE ELLINGTON -- The Carnegie Hall Concerts: January 1943
BING CROSY AND THE ANDREWS SISTERS -- Their Complete Recordings Together (1939-1951)
BING CROSY -- Bing Crosby: His Legendary Years (1931-1957) [Brunswick 1931-1934; Decca 1934-1954]
THE MILLS BROTHERS -- Greatest Hits
HARRY JAMES -- The Essence Of Harry James
EDDIE CONDON -- 1927-1943 Recordings 


THE BEST ALBUMS OF 1942

FRANK SINATRA AND TOMMY DORSEY-- The Song Is You! 1940-1942 on RCA Victor
DUKE ELLINGTON -- The Blanton-Webster Band
BILLIE HOLIDAY -- The Quintessential Billie Holiday Vol 9 1940-1942 (get remastered boxed set)
BING CROSY -- Bing Crosby: His Legendary Years (1931-1957) [Brunswick 1931-1934; Decca 1934-1954]
GLENN MILLER -- The Essential Glenn Miller
HARRY JAMES -- The Essence Of Harry James 
EDDIE CONDON -- 1927-1943 Recordings 


THE BEST ALBUMS OF 1941

DUKE ELLINGTON -- The Blanton-Webster Band
FRANK SINATRA AND TOMMY DORSEY-- The Song Is You! 1940-1942 on RCA Victor
BING CROSY -- Bing Crosby: His Legendary Years (1931-1957) [Brunswick 1931-1934; Decca 1934-1954]
GLENN MILLER -- The Essential Glenn Miller
WOODY GUTHRIE -- Columbia River Collection 
EDDIE CONDON -- 1927-1943 Recordings 
CHICK WEBB AND ELLA FITZGERALD -- The Complete Chick Webb and Ella Fitzgerald (1934-1941) 


THE BEST ALBUMS OF 1940

DUKE ELLINGTON -- The Blanton-Webster Band/1937-1940 on Classics Label
LEAD BELLY -- "The Midnight Special" and other Southern Prison Songs 
DJANGO REINHARDT -- Swing In Paris (1936-1940)
BING CROSY -- Bing Crosby: His Legendary Years (1931-1957) [Brunswick 1931-1934; Decca 1934-1954]
GLENN MILLER -- The Essential Glenn Miller
THE INK SPOTS -- The Ultimate Collection (1939-1951)
FRANK SINATRA AND TOMMY DORSEY-- The Song Is You! 1940-1942 on RCA Victor
BILLIE HOLIDAY -- The Quintessential Billie Holiday Vol 8 1939-1940 (get remastered boxed set)
WOODY GUTHRIE -- Dust Bowl Ballads
EDDIE CONDON -- 1927-1943 Recordings 

THE BEST ALBUMS OF 1939

GLENN MILLER -- The Essential Glenn Miller
DJANGO REINHARDT -- Swing 39: Jazz In Paris
BILLIE HOLIDAY -- The Quintessential Billie Holiday Vol 7 1938-1939 (get remastered boxed set)
DUKE ELLINGTON -- 1937-1940 on Classics Label
COUNT BASIE -- The Complete Decca Recordings 1937-1939
BING CROSY -- Bing Crosby: His Legendary Years (1931-1957) [Brunswick 1931-1934; Decca 1934-1954]
THE INK SPOTS -- The Ultimate Collection (1939-1951)


THE BEST ALBUMS OF 1938

BENNY GOODMAN -- Benny Goodman At Carnegie Hall
BILLIE HOLIDAY -- The Quintessential Billie Holiday Vol 5-6 1937-1938 (get remastered boxed set)
DUKE ELLINGTON -- 1937-1940 on Classics Label
CHICK WEBB AND ELLA FITZGERALD -- The Complete Chick Webb and Ella Fitzgerald (1934-1941)
BING CROSY -- Bing Crosby: His Legendary Years (1931-1957) [Brunswick 1931-1934; Decca 1934-1954]
COUNT BASIE -- The Complete Decca Recordings 1937-1939


THE BEST ALBUMS OF 1937

BILLIE HOLIDAY -- The Quintessential Billie Holiday Vol 3-4 1936-1937 (get remastered boxed set)
CHICK WEBB AND ELLA FITZGERALD -- The Complete Chick Webb and Ella Fitzgerald (1934-1941)
DUKE ELLINGTON -- 1937-1940 on Classics Label
ROBERT JOHNSON -- King Of The Delta Blues Singers Vol. 2
BING CROSY -- Bing Crosby: His Legendary Years (1931-1957) [Brunswick 1931-1934; Decca 1934-1954]
COUNT BASIE -- The Complete Decca Recordings 1937-1939
THE MILLS BROTHERS -- Four Men and A Guitar (recordings from 1930s)


THE BEST ALBUMS OF 1936

ROBERT JOHNSON -- King Of The Delta Blues Singers Vol. 1
BILLIE HOLIDAY -- The Quintessential Billie Holiday Vol 2 1936 (get remastered boxed set)
CHICK WEBB AND ELLA FITZGERALD -- The Complete Chick Webb and Ella Fitzgerald (1934-1941)
BING CROSY -- Bing Crosby: His Legendary Years (1931-1957) [Brunswick 1931-1934; Decca 1934-1954]
EDITH PIAF -- Greatest Hits
THE MILLS BROTHERS -- Four Men and A Guitar (recordings from 1930s)

THE BEST ALBUMS OF 1935

CHICK WEBB AND ELLA FITZGERALD -- The Complete Chick Webb and Ella Fitzgerald (1934-1941)
BING CROSY -- Bing Crosby: His Legendary Years (1931-1957) [Decca 1934-1954]
BILLIE HOLIDAY -- The Quintessential Billie Holiday Vol 1 1933-1935 (get remastered boxed set)
THE MILLS BROTHERS -- Four Men and A Guitar (recordings from 1930s)


THE BEST ALBUMS OF 1934

BING CROSY -- Bing Crosby: His Legendary Years (1931-1957) [Brunswick 1931-1934; Decca 1934-1954]
CHARLEY PATTON -- King Of The Delta Blues (1929-1934)
THE MILLS BROTHERS -- Four Men and A Guitar (recordings from 1930s)


THE BEST ALBUMS OF 1933

BESSIE SMITH -- The Collection 
LOUIS ARMSTRONG -- The Complete RCA Victor Recordings 1932-1933/1946-1947 
BING CROSY -- Bing Crosby: His Legendary Years (1931-1957) [Brunswick 1931-1934]
THE MILLS BROTHERS -- Four Men and A Guitar (recordings from 1930s)
HENRY RED ALLEN -- The Incomparable Henry Red Allen: The Golden Years Vol. 5 1929-1933 


THE BEST ALBUMS OF 1932

THE MILLS BROTHERS -- Four Men and A Guitar (recordings from 1930s) 
LOUIS ARMSTRONG -- The Complete RCA Victor Recordings 1932-1933/1946-1947 
BING CROSY -- Bing Crosby: His Legendary Years (1931-1957) [Brunswick 1931-1934] 
HENRY RED ALLEN -- The Incomparable Henry Red Allen: The Golden Years Vol. 4 1929-1933 


THE BEST ALBUMS OF 1931

HENRY RED ALLEN -- The Incomparable Henry Red Allen: The Golden Years Vol. 3 1929-1933 
 BING CROSY -- Bing Crosby: His Legendary Years (1931-1957) [Brunswick 1931-1934]
THE MILLS BROTHERS -- Four Men and A Guitar (recordings from 1930s)


THE BEST ALBUMS OF 1930

DUKE ELLINGTON -- The OKeh Ellington 1927-1930/1924-1930 on Classics Label
HENRY RED ALLEN -- The Incomparable Henry Red Allen: The Golden Years Vol. 2 1929-1933 
BLIND WILLIE JOHNSON -- The Complete Blind Willie Johnson  


THE BEST ALBUMS OF 1929

CHARLEY PATTON -- King Of The Delta Blues (1929-1934) 
DUKE ELLINGTON -- The OKeh Ellington 1927-1930/1924-1930 on Classics Label 
HENRY RED ALLEN -- The Incomparable Henry Red Allen: The Golden Years Vol. 1 1929-1933 
BLIND WILLIE JOHNSON -- The Complete Blind Willie Johnson  


THE BEST ALBUMS OF 1928

MISSISSIPPI JOHN HURT -- Avalon Blues: The Complete 1928 Okeh Recordings
HENRY THOMAS -- Bull Doze Blues (1927-1929)
DUKE ELLINGTON -- The OKeh Ellington 1927-1930
BLIND WILLIE JOHNSON -- The Complete Blind Willie Johnson  


THE BEST ALBUMS OF 1927

LOUIS ARMSTRONG -- The Complete Hot Five And Seven Recordings
HENRY THOMAS -- Bull Doze Blues (1927-1929) 
FRANKIE TRUMBAUER AND BIX BEIDERBECKE --  Bix and Tram 
DUKE ELLINGTON -- The OKeh Ellington 1927-1930
DUKE ELLINGTON -- 1924-1930 on Classics Label
BLIND WILLIE JOHNSON -- The Complete Blind Willie Johnson  


THE BEST ALBUMS OF 1926

LOUIS ARMSTRONG -- The Complete Hot Five And Seven Recordings
DUKE ELLINGTON -- 1924-1930 on Classics Label


THE BEST ALBUMS OF 1925

LOUIS ARMSTRONG -- The Complete Hot Five And Seven Recordings
DUKE ELLINGTON -- 1924-1930 on Classics Label


THE BEST ALBUMS OF 1924

DUKE ELLINGTON -- 1924-1930 on Classics Label








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