WORLDWIDE BOX OFFICE FOR WEEK ENDING FEBRUARY 23, 2025

WORLDWIDE BOX OFFICE FOR WEEK ENDING FEBRUARY 23, 2025 

A film's gross for the last seven days, followed by its total worldwide gross. 

I begin with data from Comscore and then pull from every other source available. 

1. Ne Zha 2–$237m / $1.872b worldwide total

2. Captain America: Brave New World–$108m /$289m ww

3. Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy–$39 / $73m ww 

4. Chhaava–$35m / $54m ww 

5. Paddington in Peru–$21m / $150m ww 

6. Dog Man–$21m / $105m ww

7. The Monkey–$21m ww debut 

8. Detective Chinatown 1900–$18m / $462m ww 

9. Mufasa: The Lion King–$13m / $699m ww 

10. A Complete Unknown–$6m / $105m ww 

11. The Brutalist–$6m / $37m ww

12. Moana 2–$5m / $1,051b ww 

13. Boonie Bears: Future Reborn–$5m / $106m ww 

14. Heart Eyes–$5m / $28m ww 

15. Dragon–$5m ww debut 

16. Sonic The Hedgehog 3–$4m /$483m ww 

17. Wicked–$3m / $728m ww 

18. Nosferatu–$3m / $179m ww

19. Creation of the Gods 2: Demon Force–$3m / $163m ww 

20. Conclave–$3m / $99m ww

21. Becoming Led Zeppelin–$3m / $9m ww

22. Legend of the Condor Heroes: The Gallants–$2m / $91m ww 

23. Babygirl–$2m / $63m ww

24. One of Them Days–$2m / $46m ww 

25. Flight Risk–$2m / $42m ww 

26. I'm Still Here–$2m / $27m ww

27. Love Hurts–$2m / $16m ww

28. The Unbreakable Boy–$2m ww debut 

29. Den of Thieves 2: Pantera–$1m / $57m ww

30. Companion–$1m / $34m ww 

31. September 5–$1m / $7m ww

OFF THE RADAR: God Save The Tuche andThe Three Investigators: Carpathian Dog aka Die Drei ??? Und Der Karpatenhund. 

Bold: movies that have or likely will triple their reported budgets. That's my standard for a movie being a box office hit from theatrical alone. Many films will be profitable for a studio even if they don't triple their reported budget, but it's a good marker to indicate a big hit. 

ANALYSIS 

As expected, Captain America: New World Order took a major tumble in week two. It needs to triple its opening week tally of $180m to be considered a hit and I'm not quite sure it's going to do that yet. One bright spot: it didn't drop nearly as much overseas as it did in the U.S. And spectacles like these usually make most of their money internationally, so there's hope for it yet. And don't compare it to the last Captain America movie, which grossed $1.1 billion worldwide. That one (subtitled Civil War) was an Avengers movie in all but name, while this is a genuine stand-alone Cap tale. 

In China, Ne Zha 2 is rewriting the books on how much money a movie can make in one territory. It's clearly going to gross $2 BILLION in China alone. That's stunning. And yet, to fully exploit the soft power of pop culture the way the US and the UK and South Korea and other countries do,  China should still strive to make movies that appeal to people all over the world. Just sayin'. 

Nonetheless, Ne Zha 2 has made $15m so far in North America and sits in the Top 5, while India's hit film Chhaava is in the Top 10. That film enjoyed a huge week two, so it was the polar opposite of Captain America: Brave New World. People really liked what they saw. Plus it's a rare hit for Bollywood, the Hindi division of India's complex and successful movie-making industry. Bollywood has been in a prolonged slump (or perhaps, like China's industry, become tiresomely jingoistic) and people are responding much more strongly to Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and other film centers. 

Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy will barrel past $100m worldwide, making the decision to skip North America and go straight to streaming all the more idiotic. They left easy money on the table. 

Finally, two more movies make our list of films that are hits from box office alone: India's Chhaava and the horror flick The Monkey, which cost about $10mb and grossed $21m on its opening week. Sure it got terrible reviews, but it's a money maker! This list is meant as a handy guide to the winners and a constant reminder of how important mid-sized and small budget movies are to a healthy box office. 

Two films disappeared off my radar. It's possible, even likely, the German family film The Three Investigators–Carpathian Dog simply stopped making money. It only grossed a reported $2m last week. But the French comedy God Save The Tuche opened to $15m last week. It's highly unlikely the movie made less than $1m this week, but I can't find any info on it. Many markets remain black boxes unless the movies are big enough to be tracked by ComScore and the like. India, Japan and individual European countries (not to mention Central and South America) do not offer easy and timely access to box office the way China and South Korea do. The Wild Robot opened in Japan and I thought it would play really well there, but as far as I know it hasn't made a penny. That puzzles me. If anyone has links or suggestions of how I can track any of these markets (or any others), email me at mgiltz@pipeline.com. Thx!

2025 HIT FILMS

Here's a list of all the hit films making money in 2025. My rule of thumb is that films should gross roughly at least three times as much as their reported budget. Some people now say a movie need only make 2 1/2 times as much as their budget but I'm sticking with the traditional formula. Of course, we don't really know a movie's budget or the cost of advertising or the backroom deals. Remember, just because a movie isn't a hit from theatrical alone doesn't mean they're losing money. Far from it. We can't dive deep into Hollywood accounting. But we can spot the really big hits that will change careers, launch franchises and generally pay the bills. A few international films probably made the cut but since I don't have even a reported budget, I hate to reward them with hit status. Also, I'll include movies from 2024 if they make the majority of their money in 2025. Here goes. 

Big Budget ($100mb+)

Detective Chinatown 1900 (China) ($125mb est) 

Mid-sized budget ($21mb-$99mb) 

Boonie Bears: Future Reborn (China) ($50mb?) 

Dog Man ($40mb) 

Ne Zha 2 (China) ($80mb) 

Nosferatu ($50mb) 

Small Budget ($20mb or less)

Babygirl ($20mb) 

Becoming Led Zeppelin (>$2mb)

The Brutalist ($10mb) 

Chhaava (Indian/Hindi) ($15mb)

Companion ($10mb) 

Conclave ($20mb; must gross $106m to belong on this list) 

I'm Still Here ($?mb but likely less than $10mb) 

One of Them Days ($14mb) 

Presence ($2mb) 

NOTES 

mb = a film's budget in millions of US dollars; ww = worldwide

1. Ne Zha 2–Reported $80mb. Chinese animated fantasy sequel to the 2019 smash which cost about $20m and grossed $743m. A spin-off film Jiang Ziya was hobbled by COVID but grossed $243m. Now the direct sequel Ne Zha 2 cost $80m and our spunky heroine (based on a famed mythological character around for centuries) takes on sea monsters. The series is based on Investiture of the Gods by Xu Zhonglin from the 16th century. 

2. Captain America: Brave New World–$180mb

3. Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy–$50mb and straight to streaming in the world's biggest market because? 

4. Chhaava–$15mb Indian/Hindi language action historical epic. 

5. Paddington in Peru–$90mb? Sadly, three times is not the charm artistically for this once-perfect franchise.  

6. Dog Man–A reported $40mb. It's always good to gross your budget on opening week. Plus, the books are funny, the reviews are good, the audience response is great and it has the rest of the world to open in. So get ready for Dog Man 2. 

7. The Monkey -- $10m reported budget means this adaptation of a Stephen King short story is a box office winner right out of the gate. Cheap horror films are money in the bank...but 2025 has so many I have to assume audiences will become sick and tired of them any minute now. Not forever, not all of them, but surely the surfeit of slasher flicks will prove too much of a good thing. Just not yet. 

8. Detective Chinatown 1900–$125mb at least? This is the fourth in a wildly popular buddy comedy mystery series. Think oh, Rush Hour? 48 Hours? Each film cost more than the one before and grossed more. Since we're on film #4 and it's a period movie set in San Francisco, it's safe to assume this cost more than #3, which cost $117m and grossed $686m worldwide. I mean, $150mb is probably more realistic, at least. Oh and clues in this one indicate the next film in the series will be set in London. So, Detective Chinatown 1920, here we come. 

9. Mufasa: The Lion King–$200mb. 

10. A Complete Unknown–$60mb+ for this Bob Dylan biopic? That's a lot of money for a film about Dylan going electric at Newport. I mean, I wanted to see it but then I'm a Dylan fanatic. But $180m worldwide seems highly unlikely to me, if not impossible. (Do other countries give a toss about this? Is Chalamet a big enough draw for this story? I doubt it.) I'm glad it was made, but it was made for too much. Like Gladiator II, this will be seen as a commercial success, but it's not. 

11. The Brutalist–$10mb; Adrien Brody in this architect-as-hero period drama. 

12. Moana 2–$150mb. Is the budget lower since it was intended for tv, at first? Or higher because they had to rethink everything? Disney says it cost $150mb, just like the original. You can bet Dwayne Johnson gets more than his share of coconuts, but that won't matter with a hit like this.  

13. Boonie Bears: Future Reborn–$50mb? This once low budget animated franchise keeps getting bigger and bigger at the box office. Film #9 grossed $220m and #10 grossed $270m. 

14. Heart Eyes–$18mb for rom/com slash horror film. 

15. Dragon–$4mb for this Indian/Tamil coming of age comedy drama. A young guy gets too clever with a crooked path to riches, endangering his job, his relationships and his family's reputation. Can he reform? Does he want to? 

16. Sonic The Hedgehog 3–$120mb 

17. Wicked–$150mb for each part, so $300mb total plus beaucoup marketing. It's a big movie! And they're made almost all their money back from Part One alone. 

18. Nosferatu–$50mb for Robert Eggers, acclaimed director of The Witch, The Lighthouse and The Northman. That last film had his biggest budget and was not a commercial success, so I saw him as more of an arthouse guy. But backers stuck with him, gave Eggers a big budget and a starry cast for a remake of Nosferatu, which I guess is classier than remaking Dracula but still a hard sell. And opening on Christmas Day? That's counter-programming I was not behind. Happily, I was wrong and Eggers now looks more like the next Peter Jackson/Guillermo Del Toro. Good for him.

19. Creation of the Gods 2: Demon Force–$110mb? Creation of the Gods is a live action fantasy trilogy that was shot all at once over an 18 month period, a la Lord of the Rings. Since the first part cost $110m, presumably parts two and three cost at least as much, though their initial releases were delayed because of time-consuming special effects. And guess what? Like Ne Zha 1 and 2, this too is based on Investiture of the Gods, making Ming dynasty author Xu Zhonglin the hottest scribe in town. Yes, there are a handful of English translations of the tales, but none of them received a single professional review and only one even has a handful of reader reviews, so I would be wary. And I'm still waiting for a good translation of the epic from which Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon was drawn. 

20. Conclave–a reported $20mb for this Vatican thriller means this is a hit. I do not see the point in putting it on PVOD and flooding the market with bootlegs while potentially harming box office. This is exactly the sort of film that can play and play in theaters. 

21. Becoming Led Zeppelin–Long-gestating doc broke into the Top 10 on opening weekend, playing on IMAX  screens only. In its second weekend, the film has an excellent hold. This traditional doc (talking heads, concert footage) has already grossed $6m, which is serious money for this type of film. There is no reported budget, but given all that I know, it seems likely the total was $2mb or less, so this is a winner. 

22. Legend of the Condor Heroes: The Gallants–No budget available. A wuxia martial arts period adventure film written and directed by the legendary Tsui Hark. It's based on part of the novel of the same name by Jin Yong. 

23. Babygirl–$20mb for this Nicole Kidman sexy drama about a powerful businesswoman finding her kink with a younger, dominating man...her intern, no less! No milk was harmed in the making of this movie. 

24. One of Them Days–$14mb. It's always good to gross your budget during a film's opening week. So yea for producer Issa Rae and this comedy starring Keke Palmer and SZA. (What an opening week for SZA! Her movie opened well and she made my list of The 250 Best Albums of the 21st Century...So Far.)

25. Flight Risk–$25mb for director Mel Gibson action film starring Mark Walhberg.

26. I'm Still Here–this Brazilian Oscar contender has no reported budget. But it's almost certainly a success story commercially for director Walter Salles. However, it's been a hard one to track. Usually, the film's grosses have been less than $1m so it hasn't made my weekly chart. This week, the film expanded in North America and grossed $1m in that market alone. So far in North America it has made $2.6m. Worldwide? Well, Box Office Mojo claims its worldwide gross stands at $22m. Wow. Maybe it's been opening in markets all over the world but never quite at the same time and never hitting big enough numbers to be tracked by ComScore, which only reports on the Top 10 right now.  That seemed like a lot so I jumped to Wikipedia, where some fan links to a story written in Brazilian Portuguese and claims it's hit $99m worldwide. Ha! Uh, no. UPDATE: Wikipedia comes through again. The rogue editor has likely been blocked and the gross has been corrected.

27. Love Hurts–$18mb for action comedy starring Ke Huy Quan and Ariana DeBose. This is no way to follow-up winning an Oscar!

28. The Unbreakable Boy–heartwarming family film about little boy with rare bone disease and autism but a zest for life that wins over everyone. 

29. Den of Thieves 2: Pantera–$40mb for Gerard Butler action flick. 

30. Companion–A reported $10mb for this sci-fi horror comedy. Great reviews means this one should have a long run at the box office. 

31. September 5–No reported budget. 

OFF THE RADAR: God Save The Tuche–the fifth in the French comedy series about a lower-class family that wins the lottery and tries to crash into upper society. This time, they have their sights set on the UK.

The Three Investigators: Carpathian Dog aka Die Drei ??? Und Der Karpatenhund–No reported budget.

34. Secret: Untold Melody–SK drama remake of a Taiwanese weepie about a pianist whose career is cut short by tragedy...but he finds comfort from a time-traveling woman. 

THE CHART AND HOW IT IS COMPILED 

This column is a week by week tracking of box office around the world. It is compiled by pulling from every possible source: ComScore, Box Office Mojo, Variety, Hollywood Reporter, Deadline, charts for countries like China and India and South Korea, individual stories in trade or general interest newspapers, Wikipedia and anyone else discussing box office. 

ComScore Weekly Global Box Office Chart

The weekly charts contain the total gross for every movie in theaters around the world during the last seven days. If a movie opens on a Thursday, we include all the box office from Thursday through Sunday. If it opens on a Tuesday night, we cover all six days. If it opens on a Sunday (as some movies do in India or wherever, depending on holidays), then we include the box office for that one day. If a movie was released before the current week, we include the box office for all seven days. Why ignore the box office from Monday through Thursday, as most charts do when tallying the latest weekend and focusing on new releases? 

How do we arrive at this number? We take the total worldwide box office we have for a movie, subtract from it the previous week's total worldwide box office...and that's how much it made during the past seven days. Naturally, territories and movies sometimes fall through the cracks but we are as up to date as we can be, given our dependence on other outlets for the basic info. 

First, I list box office on every film we can from around the world. Any movie grossing at least US $1 million will be on here if we get info on it. Then I give some thoughts on the box office overall and individual films. That's followed by notes where I give info on each movie, with a focus on films not from Hollywood. So Despicable Me 4 you know. But a small Korean comedy or French drama? That I'll identify for you as best I can. 

--30--     

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 

WET LEG–Moisturizer (2025 work-in-progress)

THE SMILE -- Wall of Eyes / Cutouts 

JANELLE MONÁE -- The Age Of Pleasure (2023) 

ELVIS COSTELLO -- The Boy Named If /The Resurrection of Rust  (2022) 

FLOATING POINTS AND PHAROAH SANDERS -- Promises (2021)

A GIRL CALLED EDDY -- Been Around  (2020) 

THE 2010s

iLe -- Almadura (2019) 
KAMASI WASHINGTON -- Heaven And Earth (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 tie)

WYNTON MARSALIS -- Standards and Ballads (2008 tie) 
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 --  (Come On Feel The) Illinoise (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)
SUZANNE VEGA -- Nine Objects Of Desire (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)
KATE BUSH -- Hounds Of Love (1985)
U2 -- The Unforgettable Fire (1984)
R.E.M. -- Murmur (1983)
BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN -- Nebraska (1982)
JOAN JETT -- Bad Reputation/I Love Rock 'n' Roll (1981) 
JOHN LENNON AND YOKO ONO -- Double Fantasy (1980)


THE 1970s

THE CLASH -- London Calling (1979)

BRIAN ENO -- Ambient 1: Music For Airports (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)
THE GRATEFUL DEAD -- Workingman's Dead/American Beauty (1970)


THE 1960s

CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL -- Green River/Willie and the Poor Boys (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) (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 2025 (work-in-progress)

WET LEG–Moisturizer  

BAD BUNNY/CONEJITO MAL–Debí Tirar Más Fotos 

RUMER -- In Session 

BRIAN ENO & BEATIE WOLFE–Lateral 

ALISON KRAUSS -- Arcadia 

THE HIVES–The Hives Forever Forever The Hives 

BRIAN D'ADDARIO -- Till The Morning 

RON SEXSMITH–Hangover Terrace 

IRMA THOMAS & GALACTIC -- Audience With The Queen

NINE INCH NAILS–Tron: Ares Original Soundtrack

GYASI–Here Comes The Good Part 

CÉCILE MCLORAN SALVANT–Oh Snap 

BUDDY GUY–Ain't Done With The Blues 

ICECREAM HANDS–Giant Fox Pineapple Tree

MARIA MULDAUR–One Hour Mama: The Blues of Victoria Spivey

BOZ SCAGGS–Detour 

WILLIE NELSON–Workin' Man: Willie Sings Merle

RHIANNON GIDDENS & JUSTIN ROBINSON–What Did The Blackbird Say To The Crow 

MILES KANE–Sunshine in the Shadows 

COWBOY JUNKIES–More Acoustic Junk 

MIDLAKE–A Bridge To Far

DAVID GRAY -- Dear Life 

LIFEGUARD–Ripped And Torn

VAN MORRISON–Remembering Now 

ESLABAN ARMADO -- Vibras de Noche II 

NEIL YOUNG – Coastal 

YOUNG GUN SILVER FOX– Pleasure 

BLOOD ORANGE–Essex Honey 

REISSUE: NEIL YOUNG–Oceanside, Countryside (1978/2025) 

BOXED SET: NICK DRAKE–The Making Of Five Leaves Left 


THE BEST ALBUMS OF 2024 

THE SMILE -- Wall of Eyes / Cutouts 

THE LEMON TWIGS -- A Dream Is All We Know 

LINDA THOMPSON -- Proxy Music 

MANU CHAO -- Viva Tu

GREEN DAY -- Saviors 

LADY BLACKBIRD -- Slang Spirituals 

NICK CAVE -- Wild God 

BILLIE EILISH -- Hit Me Hard and Hit Me Soft 

ELLIOTT BROOD -- Town and Country  

BEYONCÉ -- Cowboy Carter

GRUPO FRONTERA -- Jugando a Que No Pasa Nada 

CATHERINE RUSSELL & SEAN MASON -- My Ideal 

THE CURE -- Songs Of A Lost World 

CHER -- Forever 

RICHARD HAWLEY -- In This City They Call You Love

BRIAN ENO -- Soft Edges ep / Small World (w Bloom) 

WILLOW -- Empathogen 

RICHARD THOMPSON -- Ship To Shore 

ESLABAN ARMADO -- Amor Perdido

PAUL KELLY -- Fever Longing Still 

CHUCK PROPHET -- Wake The Dead 

KACEY MUSGRAVES -- Deeper Well 

JONTAVIUS WILLIS -- West Georgia Blues 

BRIGHT EYES -- Five Dice, All Threes 

MARCUS KING -- Mood Swings 

GEPE -- Undesastre 

STURGILL SIMPSON -- Passage du Desir

M. WARD -- For Beginners: The Best of M. Ward 

KALI MALONE -- All Life Long 

JACK WHITE -- No Name 

THE HENTCHMEN -- Hentch-Forth 

FANTASTIC CAT -- Now That's What I Call Fantastic Cat

JAY WHEELER -- Música Buena Para Días Malos 

VARIOUS ARTISTS -- I Saw The TV Glow soundtrack 

BUZZARD BUZZARD BUZZARD -- Skinwalker 

SHOVEL DANCE COLLECTIVE -- The Shovel Dance 

THE AVETT BROTHERS -- The Avett Brothers  

LIAM GALLAGHER AND JOHN SQUIRE -- Liam Gallagher and John Squire 

PESO PLUMA -- Éxodo 

WILLIE NELSON -- The Border 

PET SHOP BOYS -- Nonetheless 

X -- Smoke & Fiction 

THE BLACK CROWES -- Happiness Bastards

THE JOHN SALLY RIDE -- Melomaniacs 

LAURA MARLING -- Patterns in Repeat

ROSIE TUCKER -- Utopia Now! 

IVAN CORNEJO -- Mirada 

BETA RADIO -- Waiting For The End To Come 

REISSUE: LONE JUSTICE -- Viva Lone Justice (reissue?) 

REISSUE: VARIOUS ARTISTS -- Uptown Top Ranking: Trojan Ska & Reggae Chartbusters 

REISSUE: MCCOY TYNER & JOE HENDERSON -- Forces of Nature: Live at Slugs 

REISSUE: NUSRAT FATEH ALI KHAN -- Chain of Light 

Click here for a complete breakdown of all the albums and what I loved about them. 

THE BEST ALBUMS OF 2023  

JANELLE MONÁE -- The Age Of Pleasure 

SUFJAN STEVENS -- Javelin 

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 

PETER GARLAND -- The Basketweave Elegies (performed by William Winant) 

GRUPO FRONTERA -- El Comienzo 

BECKY G -- Esquinas 

KAROL G -- Mañana Será Bonito 

FRED AGAIN WITH BRIAN ENO–Secret Life 

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 

COWBOY JUNKIES -- Such Ferocious Beauty 

BLACK PUMAS -- Chronicles Of A Diamond 

FATOUMATA DIAWARA -- London Ko 

PETER GABRIEL -- i/o 

ROLLING STONES -- Hackney Diamonds 

TAJ MAHAL -- Savoy 

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 

BRIAN ENO -- I Dormienti ep 

PAUL SIMON -- Seven Psalms 

PHILIP GLASS -- Solo

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 

JALEN NGONDA -- Come Around and Love Me 

RYAN BEATTY -- Calico 

HARP -- Albion 

REISSUE: THE BEATLES -- 1962-1966 (The Red Album expanded)/1967-1970 (The Blue Album expanded) 

REISSUE: JONI MITCHEL -- Archives Volume 3: The Asylum Years 1972-1975 

REISSUE: THE REPLACEMENTS -- Tim: Let It Bleed Edition  

REISSUE: THE SHIRELLES -- Mama Said: 52 Original Sceptre Records Recordings 

REISSUE: PHARAOH SANDERS -- Harvest Time Live 1977 

REISSUE: NEIL YOUNG -- Chrome Dreams (1977/2023) 

REISSUE: VARIOUS ARTISTS -- Piconema: East African Hits on the Colombian Coast

THE BEST ALBUMS OF 2022 

ELVIS COSTELLO -- The Boy Named If /The Resurrection of Rust 

HARRY STYLES -- Harry's House 

ESLABÓN ARMADO -- Nostalgia 

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 

KALI MALONE -- Living Torch 

TCHOTCHKE -- Tchotchke 

CÉCILE MCLORIN SALVANT -- Ghost Song 

THE SMILE -- A Light For Attracting Attention 

WEYES BLOOD -- And In The Darkness, Hearts Aglow 

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 

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 

SHE & HIM – Melt Away: A Tribute To Brian Wilson 

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 

MIDLAKE -- For The Sake Of Bethel Woods 

RENÉE FLEMING -- Voice Of Nature: The Anthropocene 

REISSUE: JOHNNY ADAMS -- South Side Of Soul Street (The SSS Sessions)/Only Want To Be With You comp  

REISSUE/COMPILATION: BUCK OWENS -- Bakersfield Gold: Top 10 Hits 1959-1974

REISSSUE: ÁFRICA NEGRA -- Antologia Vol. 1 

REISSUE: BARBRA STREISAND -- Live At The Bon Soir 

REISSUE: ROLLING STONES -- Live At The El Mocambo 

REISSUE: THE MOVERS -- Vol. 1: 1970-1976 

REISSUE: VARIOUS ARTISTS -- Gotta Get A Good Thing Goin': Black Music In Britain In The Sixties 

REISSUE: MADONNA -- Finally Enough Love: 50 Number Ones 

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

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 

SHELBY LYNNE -- The Servant

THE JOHN SALLY RIDE -- Now Is Not A Great 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   

REISSUE: PROFESSOR LONGHAIR–House Party New Orleans Style: The Lost Sessions 1971-1972

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

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 

FRANKIE SIRAGUSA -- Goodbye, My Love 

OLAFUR ARNALDS -- Some Kind Of Peace 

BRANDY CLARK -- Your Life Is A Record 

GREEN DAY -- Father of All Motherfuckers 

DUA LIPA -- Future Nostalgia 

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 

REISSUE: NEIL YOUNG -- Homegrown (recorded in 1975) 

REISSUE: ELLA FITZGERALD -- Ella: The Lost Berlin Tapes (Live) (recorded in 1962) 

REISSUE: SHARHABIL AHMED -- The King Of Sudanese Jazz 

REISSUE: ONENESS OF JUJU -- African Rhythms 1970-1982 

(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 
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 

NELLIE MCKAY -- Bagatelles ep
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  
KALI MALONE -- The Sacrificial Code

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 

REISSUE: VARIOUS ARTISTS -- Nostalgique Porto Rico (Puerto Rican Roots 1940-1960) 

REISSUE/COMPILATION: SISTER ROSETTA THARPE–The Decca Singles Vol. 1 (1938-1941) (2019)

REISSUE: OSCAR "PAPA" CELESTIN/SAM MORGAN -- Recorded In New Orleans 1925-1928 

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

THE BEST ALBUMS OF 2018 

KAMASI WASHINGTON -- Heaven And Earth 
JANELLE MONÁE -- Dirty Computer 
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 
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 

REISSUE: BOBBIE GENTRY -- The Girl From Chickaswaw County boxed set  
REISSUE: ELLA FITZGERALD/LOUIS ARMSTRONG -- Cheek To Cheek: The Complete Duet Recordings 

REISSUE: VARIOUS ARTISTS -- African Scream Contest 2 

(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
NICK HEYWARD -- Woodland Echoes 

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 -- 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
LADYSMITH BLACK MAMBAZO -- Songs Of Peace and Love
HOBO JOHNSON -- The Rise Of Hobo Johnson 

REISSUE/COMPILATION: CHARLIE CHRISTIAN–The Essential Charlie Christian (1939-1941) (2017) 

REISSUE: FAIRPORT CONVENTION -- Come All Ye -- The First Ten Years (1968-1978)

REISSUE: VARIOUS ARTISTS -- Southern Soul Crate

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

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
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


BOB DYLAN -- Fallen Angels
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
PANIC! AT THE DISCO -- Death Of A Bachelor


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
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 

REISSUE: EMMYLOU HARRIS, DOLLY PARTON, LINDA RONSTADT -- Trio: The Complete Collection
REISSUE: LED ZEPPELIN -- The BBC Sessions 

REISSUE: MAHALIA JACKSON -- Moving On Up A Little Higher

(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 Songs Of Jerome Kern 
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

SONGHOY BLUES -- Music In Exile 
STEVE EARLE -- Terraplace
FALL OUT BOY -- American Beauty/American Psycho

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 

REISSUE: GARNET MIMMS -- Looking For You: The Complete United Artists and Veep Singles / 

(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 

REISSUE: EDDIE CONDON -- The Eddie Condon Collection 1927-1961 


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



THE BEST ALBUMS OF 2013


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

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

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

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

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


REISSUE: BOB DYLAN -- Another Self Portrait 

REISSUE: THE WATERBOYS -- Fisherman Box

REISSUE: BETTYE SWANN -- The Complete Atlantic Recordings 

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



THE BEST ALBUMS OF 2012


RUMER -- Seasons Of My Soul/Boys Don't Cry (70s pop perfection)
BRANFORD MARSALIS -- Four MF's Playin' Their Tunes (hard-driving jazz; faultless)
THE TALLEST MAN ON EARTH -- There's No Leaving Now(inspiringly good Dylanesque rock)
FRANK OCEAN -- Channel Orange (state of the art soul)
PAUL BUCHANAN -- Mid Air (emotionally intense, late night confessions)
BILL FAY -- Life Is People (age+wisdom+piano+God)
JOHANN JOHANNSSON -- The Miners' Hymns (the film score of the year)
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)
JAMEY JOHNSON -- Living For A Dream: A Tribute To Hank Cochran (all-star country hoedown) 

CAROLINE SHAW W A ROOMFUL OF TEETH–Partita For Eight Voices 
BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN -- Wrecking Ball (life in them old dogs yet)
BOB DYLAN -- Tempest (life in them old dogs yet)
DR. JOHN -- Locked Down (triumphant New Orleans music)
TRACEY THORN -- Tinsel and Lights (Christmas, sadly)


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


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


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


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


FLEET FOXES -- Helplessness Blues (CSN rocks out)
TOM WAITS -- Bad As Me (bohemian troubadour in top form)
KING CREOSOTE AND JON HOPKINS -- Diamond Mine (quirky concept album, gorgeously done)
GILLIAN WELCH -- The Harrow and the Harvest (simple, straightforward, striking folk) 

PJ HARVEY -- Let England Shake (furious folk) 
TEDDY THOMPSON -- Bella / kd lang Sing It Loud
RON SEXSMITH -- Long Player, Late Bloomer (pure pop by pure pros)
WYNTON MARSALIS AND ERIC CLAPTON -- Play the Blues
BRANFORD MARSALIS AND JOEY CALDARAZZO -- Songs of Mirth and Melancholy (trad jazz)
GLEN CAMPBELL -- Ghost on the Canvas (haunting country pop)
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)
ADELE -- 21 (unstoppable soul diva)

GROUPLOVE -- Never Trust a Happy Song (raucous LA pop-rock)
PANIC! AT THE DISCO -- Vices and Virtues (sterling but overlooked pop-rock)
NICK LOWE -- The Old Magic (vintage wine, vintage bottle) 

STEVE RILEY -- Grand Isle 
WILD FLAG -- Wild Flag (giving super groups a good name)
BRAD MEHLDAU -- Modern Music (dependably adventurous jazz trio)
COLIN VALLON -- Rruger (bold EU trio following in Mehldau's wake)
JAY-Z AND KANYE WEST -- Watch the Throne (braggadocio taken to new heights)
BON IVER -- Bon Iver (stares down success with quiet confidence) 

BALLAKE SISSOKO AND VINCENT SEGAL -- Chamber Music (delicate instrumentals)
PAUL SIMON -- So Beautiful or So What (mortality, musically)
BETH HART AND JOE BONAMASSA -- Don't Explain (the blues, thumpingly good) 

PRESERVATION HALL JAZZ BAND AND DEL MCCOURY BAND -- American Legacies (an institution finds new life via collaboration)
AMBROSE AKINMUSIRE -- When the Heart Emerges Glistening (quietly probing jazz)
JAMES BLAKE -- James Blake (trippy pop)
VARIOUS ARTISTS -- Live From the Old Town School (folk's beating heart)
GIRLS -- Father, Son, Holy Ghost (interesting identity crisis)
TINARIWEN -- Tassili (bluesy, distinctive, campfire sing-alongs)
JOY FORMIDABLE -- The Big Roar (noisy pop)
DARIO 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)
THE CORAL -- Butterfly House
THE MAGIC NUMBERS -- Runaway (pop, unimported, unrecognized)
PISTOL ANNIES -- Pistol Annies
MIRANDA LAMBERT -- Four The Record (country's top gal and friends)

THE LOW ANTHEM -- Smart Flesh (brainy Americana) 

CHARLIE HADEN AND QUARTET WEST -- Sophisticated Ladies (female singers, jazz swingers)
THE BLACK KEYS -- El Camino (rock, no fuss)
M83 -- Hurry Up, We're Dreaming (ambient pop)
ALISON KRAUSS AND UNION STATION -- Paper Airplanes
JOHN HIATT -- Dirty Jeans and Mudslide Hymns (old dogs, old tricks, happily so)
BEASTIE BOYS -- Hot Sauce Committee, Part Two (feisty hip-hop from the old-timers)
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)
VINICIUS CANTUARIA AND BILL FRISELL -- Lagrimas Mexicanas (two great guitars, one great voice equal haunting Latin music)/
THE GOURDS -- Old Mad Joy (rootsy celebration)
MARC BROUSSARD -- Marc Broussard (bluesy rock)
SUZANNE VEGA -- Close-Up Volume 3: State Of Being (acoustic songs, electric songwriting) 

VARIOUS ARTISTS -- The Book of Mormon Original Cast Album (religiously funny)

JOHN ZORN -- A Dreamers Christmas 
DRAKE -- Take Care (emo-rap)
SHABAZZ PALACES -- Black Up
BRAD PAISLEY -- This Is Country Music (yes it is)
STEVE EARLE -- I'll Never Get Out Of This World Alive (determined, focused country)
MEGAFAUN -- Megafaun ('70s-ish rock)
FATOUMATA DIAWARA -- Fatou (Malian guitar talent combined with impeccable vocals)    KHAIRA ARBY -- Timbukto Traab (country to Diawara's city sound)
HOUSTON PERSON -- So Nice (late period capper for understated jazz blower)
REAL ESTATE -- Days -- (shimmering indie pop)
EILEEEN JEWELL -- Queen of the Minor Key (sneakily impressive)
FRANK OCEAN -- nostalgia/ultra (backward/forward looking moody pop)

REISSUE: REISSUE:  THE BEACH BOYS -- The Smile Sessions boxed set 

REISSUE: 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) 

REISSUE: VARIOUS ARTISTS -- Those Shocking, Shaking Days: Indonesia Hard, Psychedelic, Progressive Rock and Funk (1970-1978) (rock and roll knows no borders)

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



THE BEST ALBUMS OF 2010


THE TALLEST MAN ON EARTH -- The Wild Hunt/Sometimes The Blues Is Just A Passing Bird (Dylanesque folk-rock)
PETER WOLF -- Midnight Souvenirs (raucous career peak)
ALI FARKA TOURE AND TOUMANI DIABTE -- Ali And Toumani (transcendent world music)
ARCADE FIRE -- The Suburbs (state of the art rock)
JANELLE MONAE -- The ArchAndroid
ERYKAH BADU -- New Amerykah Part Two: Return of The Ankh (Prince-like funky soul pop craziness)
BUDDY GUY -- Living Proof (ferocious blues)
EMINEM -- Recovery
KANYE WEST -- My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (rap comebacks) 

JOHN GRANT -- Queen Of Denmark
MIDLAKE -- The Courage Of Others (gorgeous rock; British folk)
KEITH JARRETT AND CHARLIE HADEN -- Jasmine (sublime, beautiful jazz)
MUMFORD AND SONS -- Sigh No More (literate rock)

SHARON JONES AND THE DAP KINGS -- I Learned The Hard Way (soul -- not retro, just timeless)
MARTY STUART -- Ghost Train: The Studio B Sessions (distilled country) 

SUFJAN STEVENS -- All Delighted People EP (nutty rock)
ROBERT PLANT -- Band Of Joy (folk-rock, Fairport Convention via Nashville)
VARIOUS ARTISTS -- Afrocubism (Buena Vista Social Club spliced with Malian pop)
MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE -- Danger Days (anthemic rock)
TRACEY THORN -- Love and Its Opposite (adult pop)
PRESERVATION HALL JAZZ BAND -- Preservation (an all-star album that actually works)
BRUNO MARS -- Doo-Wops And Hooligans
ROBYN -- Body Talk (irresistible pop)
GORILLAZ -- Plastic Beach (genre-jumping rock)
NEIL YOUNG -- Le Noise (stomping folk)

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

CASSANDRA WILSON -- Silver Pony (jazz vocals, classy) 
THE NATIONAL -- High Violet (moody rock sounds more like the Swans every day)
THE ROOTS -- How I Got Over (hip-hop for adults)
SUZANNE VEGA -- Close Up Vol 1: Love Songs (folk-pop)
ELTON JOHN AND LEON RUSSELL -- The Union (old friends, strong new music)
SHE AND HIM -- Volume 2 (girl group pop)
FOXES IN FICTION -- Swung From The Branches (swirly, headphone rock)
LIL BAND O' GOLD -- Lil Band O' Gold (New Orleans gem)
ELIZABETH MITCHELL -- Sunny Day (infectious kids' music)
LIONEL LUEKE -- Mwaliko (sophisticated jazz)

TOM JONES -- Praise And Blame (joyful gospel)
WILLIAM TYLER -- Behold The Spirit (terrific instrumental a la Fahey)
VARIOUS ARTISTS -- The Sound of Siam (eye-opening Asian pop)
VAMPIRE WEEKEND -- Contra (world pop)
TWO DOOR CINEMA CLUB -- Tourist History (if Vampire Weekend had a kid brother)
ELVIS COSTELLO -- National Ransom (rootsy rock from the genre-hopping savant)
3 FERVENT TRAVELERS -- Time For Three (bluegrass taken out of the museum)
CORINNE BAILEY RAE -- The Sea (dark, vulnerable pop)
MEAGHAN SMITH -- The Cricket's Orchestra (refined pop)
BRIAN ENO -- Small Craft On A Milk Sea (electronic noodling) 

REISSUE: DENNIS BROWN -- The Crown Prince Of Reggae: Singles 1972-1985 (incomplete but still great anthology)

REISSUE: VARIOUS ARTISTS -- Classic Appalachian Blues (a rich vein of folk blues)

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



THE BEST ALBUMS OF 2009

THE AVETT BROTHERS -- I And Love And You (Americana)
MAXWELL -- BLACKsummers'night (Seventies soul)

NELLIE MCKAY -- Normal As Blueberry Pie: A Tribute To Doris Day (effortless old-fashioned pop)

KEITH JARRETT -- Somewhere
WILLIE NELSON -- American Classic (Stardust II)
ROSANNE CASH -- The List (the Great American Songbook, country style)
MADELEINE PEYROUX -- Bare Bones
MELODY GARDOT -- My One And Only Thrill
KRISTINA TRAIN -- Spilt Milk (songbirds, via Paris and Memphis)
MARK OLSON AND GARY LOURIS -- Ready For The Flood (Jayhawks redux)
MAYER HAWTHORNE -- A Strange Arrangement (blue eyed soul)
LOUDON WAINWRIGHT -- High, Wide And Handsome: The Charlie Poole Project (hilarious, heartfelt blues)
THE XX -- The XX (boy-girl dynamics)
GIRLS -- Album (quietly ambitious rock) 

DUNCAN SHEIK -- Whisper House (the real twilight soundtrack)

REGINA SPEKTOR -- Far (quirky pop via Russian kitsch)

THE BLACK CROWES -- Before The Frost...Until The Freeze (roots rock enlivened by a live audience)

BRAD PAISLEY -- American Saturday Night (country with a dash of humor) 

CHEAP TRICK -- The Latest (rock w a big dash of humor) 
ALLEN TOUSSAINT -- The Bright Mississippi (casual jazz brilliance) 

IRMA THOMAS -- The Soul Queen Of New Orleans 50th Anniversary Celebration 
PEARL JAM -- Backspacer (the sound of veterans waking up)
GREEN DAY -- 21st Century Breakdown (worthy successor to American Idiot; really)
BASSEKOU KOUYATE -- I Speak Fula
VIEUX FARKA TOURE -- Fondo (world class world music)
CONOR OBERST AND THE MYSTIC VALLEY BAND -- Outer South (Americana)
ELLIOTT BROOD -- Mountain Meadows (Canadiana)
LOW ANTHEM -- Oh My God, Charlie Darwin (evolutiona)
ALICIA KEYS -- The Element Of Freedom (tougher beats; same talent)
M WARD -- Hold Time (faithful pop)
RZA -- Afro Samurai: Resurrection

JAMES HAND --  Shadow On The Ground (honky-tonk to its bone)
MONSTERS OF FOLK -- Monsters Of Folk (a super supergroup)
BRENDAN BENSON -- My Old, Familiar Friend (power pop)
ST. VINCENT -- Actor (quiet/loud/quiet/strange)
MATTHEW SWEET AND SUSANNA HOFFS --  Under The Covers Vol. 2 (Seventies power pop done to perfection)
MIRANDA LAMBERT -- Revolution (a Nashville star)
CLAIRE LYNCH -- Whatcha Gonna Do (bluegrass heaven)
PHOENIX -- Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix (college rock, but still good)
SUFJAN STEVENS AND OSSO -- Run Rabbit Run (instrumentals a la Glass)
JAY-Z -- The Blueprint 3 (luxury hip hop)

JESSE WINCHESTER -- Love Filling Station (journeyman troubadour delivers)

PREFAB SPROUT -- Let's Change The World With Music (lost in the vaults gem 1993/2009)
GERAINT WATKINS -- In A Bad Mood (Randy Newman and Tom Waits' love child)
ELVIS COSTELLO -- Secret, Profane And Sugarcane (elder statesman can still deliver)
CHIP TAYLOR -- Yonkers NY (story-song oddity)
TORI AMOS --  Midwinter Graces (a holiday album for the ages)
DIANA KRALL -- Quiet Nights (Elvis's better half delivers again)
THE BLACK HOLLIES -- Softly, Towards The Light (psychedelic nuggets)
MIKA -- The Boy Who Knew Too Much (pure pop, with swagger)
RICKIE LEE JONES -- Balm In Gilead (return to form) 

REISSUE: ELLA FITZGERALD -- Twelve Nights In Hollywood (swinging jazz vocalese)

REISSUE: TITO PUENTE -- Dance Mania Legacy Edition  

REISSUE: GENE AUTRY -- The Essential Gene Autry 

REISSUE: CONNIE CONVERSE -- How Sad, How Lovely (late 1950s recordings) 

REISSUE: VARIOUS ARTISTS -- Ghana Special: Modern Highlife, Afro Sounds AND Ghanaian Blues 1968-1981 (Soundways, the world music label du jour, delivers again) 

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


THE BEST ALBUMS OF 2008

WILLIE NELSON AND WYNTON MARSALIS -- Two Men With The Blues
WYNTON MARSALIS -- Standards and Ballads
FLEET FOXES -- Fleet Foxes
PETER BRODERICK -- Home 

MAVIS STAPLES -- Live: Hope At The Holdout

TEDDY THOMPSON -- A Piece Of What You Need
kd lang -- Watershed
DEL MCCOURY BAND AND VARIOUS ARTISTS -- Moneyland
BON IVER -- For Emma, Forever Ago/Blood Bank
KAISER CHIEFS -- Off With Their Heads
THE LAST SHADOW PUPPETS -- The Age Of The Understatement
BOZ SCAGGS -- Speak Low
ERYKAH BADU -- New Amerykah (4th World War) Part One

B.B. KING -- One Kind Favor

Q-TIP -- The Renaissance
NAS -- Nas
PAUL WELLER -- 22 Dreams
JENNY LEWIS -- Acid Tongue
SAM ROBERTS -- Love At The End Of The World
KASEY CHAMBERS AND SHANE NICHOLSON -- Rattlin' Bones
SHE AND HIM -- Volume One
SANTOGOLD -- Santogold
NEIL DIAMOND -- Home Before Dark
JOAN BAEZ -- Day After Tomorrow


SONNY ROLLINS -- Road Show Vol. 1
SOUTSIDE JOHNNY WITH LABAMBA'S BIG BAND -- Grapefruit Moon: The Songs Of Tom Waits
GOLDFRAPP -- Seventh Tree 

THE FRATELLIS -- Here We Stand
INARA GEORGE -- An Invitation with Van Dyke Parks
AL GREEN -- Lay It Down
LIONEL LOUKE -- Karibu
THE GASLIGHT ANTHEM -- The '59 Sound
CHARLIE HADEN -- Family And Friends: Rambling Boy
JAMES HUNTER -- The Hard Way
MARTHA WAINWRIGHT -- I Know You're Married But I've Got Feelings Too

RICKY IAN GORDON AND MICHAEL KORIE -- The Grapes Of Wrath
VAMPIRE WEEKEND -- Vampire Weekend
OTIS TAYLOR -- Recapturing The Banjo
THE MAGNETIC FIELDS -- Distortion
SHELBY LYNNE -- Just A Little Lovin'
BLACK MOUNTAIN -- In The Future
AIMEE MANN -- @#%&*! Smilers 
BILL HENDERSON -- Live At The Vic
CASSANDRA WILSON -- Loverly
JONAS BROTHERS -- A Little Bit Longer 

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

REISSUE: VARIOUS ARTISTS -- New Orleans Funk Volume 2 

REISSUE: VARIOUS ARTISTS -- Nigeria Special: Modern Highlife, Afro-Sounds And Nigerian Blues 1970-1976

REISSUE: VARIOUS ARTISTS -- Nigeria Disco Funk Special: The Sounds Of The Underground Lagos Dancefloor 1974-1979 

REISSUE: VARIOUS ARTISTS -- The George Mitchell Collection Volumes 1-45

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


THE BEST ALBUMS OF 2007

SHARON JONES AND THE DAP-KINGS -- 100 Days 100 Nights (classic soul)
VARIOUS ARTISTS -- The Great Debaters Soundtrack (juke joint music) 

AMY WINEHOUSE -- Back To Black (bruised retro soul) 

RADIOHEAD -- In Rainbows (the world-conquering pop they were born to make)
TINARIWEN -- Aman Iman: Water Is Life (desert rock)
ROBERT PLANT AND ALISON KRAUSS -- Raising Sand (adult pop)
THE WHITE STRIPES -- Icky Thump (bluesy, stomping rock n roll)
TERENCE BLANCHARD -- A Tale of God's Will (a requiem for Katrina) (melancholic jazz
JONNY GREENWOOD -- There Will Be Blood (spooky, spine-tingling score)
PATTY GRIFFIN -- Children Running Through (career-capping Americana)
STEVE EARLE -- Washington Square Serenade (country triumph)
SUZANNE VEGA -- Beauty and Crimes (folk pop triumph)
MGMT -- Oracular Spectacular  

JAMIE T -- Panic Prevention
LIVESAVAS - Gutterfly (Brit rap; Seventies funk fantasia) 

AIMEE MANN -- Another Drifter In The Snow (Christmas gem) 

WORLD PARTY -- Best In Show (compilation) 

ARCADE FIRE -- Neon Bible (art rock a la Talking Heads)
ANDY BEY -- Ain't Necessarily So (searching jazz vocals)
FOUNTAINS OF WAYNE -- Traffic and Weather (pure pop)
RON SEXSMITH -- Time Being (purer pop)
TABU LEY ROCHEREAU -- The Voice Of Lightness (floating, Al Green-like world music)
THE FEELING -- Twelve Stops and Home (Seventies AM radio)
THE FRATELLIS -- Costello Music (raucous rock)
TEDDY THOMPSON -- Upfront and Down Low (dignified country classics)
LINDA THOMPSON -- Versatile Heart (delicate folk pop)
RICHARD THOMPSON -- Sweet Warrior (sterling rock)
BASSEKOU KUYATE AND NGONI BA -- Segu Blue (irresistible)
HERBIE HANCOCK -- River: The Joni Letters (Mitchell done proud via jazz))
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)
ARCTIC MONKEYS -- Favourite Worst Nightmare (jagged Brit pop)
KAISER CHIEFS  -- Yours Truly, Angry Mob (spiky but smooth Brit pop)

ROBERT WYATT -- Comicopera (eccentric pop-jazz thingamajig)
COMMON -- Finding Forever (rap for adults) 

VARIOUS ARTISTS – Camelspotting 
STEPHEN FRETWELL -- Man On The Roof (unheralded UK folk-pop)
BETTYE LAVETTE -- The Scene Of The Crime (steeped in wisdom soul)
MARY WEISS -- Dangerous Game (old school pop, happily)
JOSH RITTER -- The Historical Conquests Of Josh Ritter (literate folk pop with a smile)
ANDY PALACIO AND THE GARIFUNA COLLECTIVE -- Watina
PUERTO PLATA -- Mujer de Cabaret (both beautiful, vanishing traditions)
THE HIVES -- The Black and White Album (confident, swaggering rock)
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)
THE REAL TUESDAY WELD -- The London Book Of The Dead (sneakily ambitious retro pop)

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

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

REISSUE: HOWLIN' WOLF–The Definitive Collection 

REISSUE: VARIOUS ARTISTS -- The Roots Of Chica - Psychedelic Cumbias From Peru (garage rock via South America)


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



THE BEST ALBUMS OF 2006


CORINNE BAILEY RAE -- Corinne Bailey Rae (tie)

JAMES HUNTER -- People Gonna Talk (tie)  
BOB DYLAN -- Modern Times 
MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE -- The Black Parade
ARCTIC MONKEYS -- Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not
MIDLAKE -- The Trials of Van Occupanther
ROSEANNE CASH -- Black Cadillac (tie)
JOHNNY CASH -- American V: A Hundred Highways
MAX RICHTER -- Songs From Before
CAT POWER -- The Greatest
BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN -- We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions -- American Land Edition
    

SOLOMON BURKE -- Nashville
RICHARD THOMPSON -- 1000 Years of Popular Music
IRMA THOMAS -- After The Rain 

ELVIS COSTELLO AND ALLEN TOUSSAINT -- The River In Reverse
The LA'S -- BBC In Session
CANDI STATON -- His Hands/ The Ultimate Gospel Collection 

DUNCAN SHEIK -- White Limousine (tie)
VARIOUS ARTISTS -- Spring Awakening Original Cast Recording  

HOWARD TATE -- A Portrait Of Howard
VARIOUS ARTISTS -- Tropicalia: A Brazilian Revolution In Sound

M. WARD -- Post-War 

REGINA SPEKTOR -- Begin To Hope
TEDDY THOMPSON -- Separate Ways (tie)
THE STROKES -- First Impressions Of Earth 

TOUMANI DIANATE'S SYMMETRIC ORCHESTRA -- Boulevard De L'Independance
MUSE -- Black Holes and Revelations
ALI FARKA TOURE -- Savane
THE STREETS -- The Hardest Way To Make An Easy Living
JAMES HAND -- The Truth Will Set You Free
DRAKE BELL -- It's Only Time 

VETIVER -- To Find Me Gone

CASSANDRA WILSON -- Thunderbird
VARIOUS ARTISTS -- Grey Gardens Original Cast Recording 

HIROSHI YOSHIMURA -- Flora 
THE RACONTEURS -- Broken Boy Soldiers
LARRY LEVAN -- Journey Into Paradise...The Larry Levan Story
VARIOUS ARTISTS -- Billy Elliot Original Cast Recording
RAHIM ALHAJ -- When The Soul Is Settled: Music Of Iraq
WOLFMOTHER -- Wolfmother
SMOKEY ROBINSON -- Timeless Love
CAST KING -- Saw Mill Man 

THE ROOTS -- Game Theory 

JOSH RITTER -- The Animal Years
MANA -- Amar Es Combatir

STEPHEN SONDHEIM/VARIOUS ARTISTS -- Sweeney Todd Original Cast Recording
STEPHEN SONDHEIM/VARIOUS ARTISTS -- Sunday In The Park With George 2006                    London Cast Recording 

MATTHEW SWEET AND SUSANNA HOFFS -- Under The Covers Vol. 1
THE CHICKS aka DIXIE CHICKS -- Taking The Long Way
LUPE FIASCO -- Food And Liquor 
THE FRATELLIS -- Costello Music
THE VINES -- Vision Valley 

VARIOUS ARTISTS -- Leonard Cohen: I'm Your Man Motion Picture Soundtrack
LINDA RONSTADT AND ANN SAVOY-- Adieu False Heart
JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE -- Futuresex/LoveSounds
PAUL SIMON -- Surprise

CHRISTINA AGUILERA–Back To Basics
BEIRUT -- Gulag Orkestar
NELLIE MCKAY -- Pretty Little Head 
ALEXI MURDOCH -- Time Without Consequences 

REISSUE: VARIOUS ARTISTS -- The Rough Guide To Latin-Arabia

REISSUE: EMAHOY TSEGUÉ-MARYAM GUÈBROU -- Ethiopiques Vol. 21: Ethiopia Song  

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


THE BEST ALBUMS OF 2005


SUFJAN STEVENS – (Come On Feel The) Illinoise (eclectic pop) 

KATE BUSH -- Aerial 

RICHARD SWIFT – The Richard Swift Collection, Volume One (literate pop) 

THE EELS – Blinking Lights and Other Revelations (suicidal pop)
BETTYE LAVETTE – I’ve Got My Own Hell To Raise (soul pop)
VARIOUS ARTISTS – I Believe To My Soul (soul pop)
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)
NEIL DIAMOND – 12 Songs (Brill Building pop)

HANNA MCEUEN -- Hanna-McEuen (country rock by way of Everly Brothers)
BRAD PAISLEY -- Time Well Wasted (radical traditionalist pop)

THE MAGIC NUMBERS – The Magic Numbers (UK 60s pop)
PAUL MCCARTNEY -- Chaos and Creation In The Backyard (Beatles-esque pop, surprisingly)

LEWIS TAYLOR – Stoned (what Prince and Stevie Wonder used to be)
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)
BILL CHARLAP AND SANDY STEWART  – Love Is Here To Stay (telepathic jazz duets)

KONONO NO. 1 – Congotronics 

LEE ANN WOMACK – There's More Where That Came From 

NEIL YOUNG – Prairie Wind (folk rock staring death in the face and smiling)
ALI FARKA TOURE AND TOUMANI DIABATE – In The Heart Of The Moon (world music)
FIONA APPLE – Extraordinary Machine (pop, the hard way)

HEARTLESS BASTARDS – Stairs and Elevators (rock n roll)
SUPERGRASS – Road To Rouen (under-appreciated rock)

HARD-FI – Stars Of CCTV (British rock)

REISSUE: VARIOUS ARTISTS – Son Cubano NYC: Cuban Roots, New York Spices 1972-82 (salsa) 

REISSUE: VARIOUS ARTISTS – Does Anybody Know I’m Here? Vietnam Through The Eyes of Black America (protest pop)

REISSUE: GENE AUTRY – The Essential Gene Autry 
REISSUE: VARIOUS ARTISTS -- Night Train To Nashville: Music City Rhythm And Blues 1945-1970 Vol. Two 

REISSUE: LORETTA LYNN -- The Definitive Collection 


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 & MARIAM -- Dimanche a Bamako 

MAX RICHTER -- The Blue Notebooks 

A GIRL CALLED EDDY -- A Girl Called Eddy 
NICK CAVE -- Abattoir Blues/The Lyre Of Orpheus 

SPANISH HARLEM ORCHESTRA -- Across 110th Street 

MADELEINE PEYROUX -- Careless Love 

BRIAN ENO AND ROBERT FRIPP -- The Equatorial Stars 

NORAH JONES -- Feels Like Home
LEONARD COHEN -- Dear Heather
BJORK–Medulla 

MORRISSEY -- You Are The Quarry
THE ROOTS -- The Tipping Point
LORETTA LYNN -- 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  

REISSUE: VARIOUS ARTISTS -- Night Train To Nashville: Music City Rhythm And Blues 1945-1970


THE BEST ALBUMS OF 2003

THE WHITE STRIPES -- Elephant
JOHNNY CASH -- Unearthed
RUFUS WAINWRIGHT -- Want One
BOZ SCAGGS -- But Beautiful 

AMY WINEHOUSE -- Frank
OUTKAST -- Speakerboxxx/The Love Below 

EMMYLOU HARRIS -- Stumble Into Grace 

JOSH ROUSE -- Nashville 

VARIOUS ARTISTS -- Avenue Q (Original Cast Recording)
TIM CHRISTENSEN -- Honeyburst

ROGER MILLER – All Time Greatest Hits 

MARIA MCKEE -- High Dive 
FOUNTAINS OF WAYNE -- Welcome Interstate Managers

DARYL HALL AND JOHN OATES -- Do It For Love 

THE STROKES -- Room On Fire
HOWARD TATE -- Rediscovered   

THE JAYHAWKS -- Rainy Day Music
MARTHA REEVES AND THE VANDELLAS -- Gold

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 

REISSUE: THE MONKEES – The Best of The Monkees 

REISSUE: KING OLIVER–Oh, Play That Thing! Original 1923 Recordings with Louis Armstrong

REISSUE: BLIND WILLIE MCTELL -- Statesboro Blues: When The Sun Goes Down Series


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
WILLIAM BASINSKI -- The Disintegration Loops 

JOSH ROUSE -- 1972

BECK -- Sea Change
THE CHICKS aka DIXIE CHICKS -- Home
DAVID BOWIE -- Heathen 

LINDA THOMPSON -- Fashionably Late

SOLOMON BURKE -- Don't Give Up On Me
PETER WOLF -- Sleepless
THE FLAMING LIPS–Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots 

JOHNNY CASH -- American IV: The Man Comes Around
EMINEM -- The Eminem Show
YOUSSOU N'DOUR -- Nothing's In Vain
RON SEXSMITH -- CobblestoneTOM 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
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 

REISSUE/COMPILATION: THE DIXIE HUMMINGBIRDS–20th Century Masters: The Millennium Collection (2002)

REISSUE: BILLIE HOLIDAY AND LESTER YOUNG -- A Musical Romance 

REISSUE: CHARLIE PARKER–Best of the Complete Savoy & Dial Studio Recordings 
REISSUE: JIMMIE RODGERS – RCA Country Legends (2002) 

REISSUE: LINDA LEWIS -- Reach For The Truth: Best Of The Reprise Years 1971-1974)


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 

MERLE HAGGARD -- Roots

ROBBIE WILLIAMS -- Swing When You're Winning 
BJORK–Vespertine  

WEEZER -- Weezer (The Green Album)
RON SEXSMITH -- Blue Boy
GILLIAN WELCH -- Time (The Revelator)

PATTY LOVELESS–Mountain Soul  

ELTON JOHN -- Songs From The West Coast 

TRACY CHAPMAN – Collection 

ICECREAM HANDS -- No Weapon But Love  

NEIL DIAMOND -- Three Chord Opera
HARRY CONNICK JR. -- 30
BEN FOLDS -- Rockin' The Suburbs 

REISSUE: VARIOUS ARTISTS -- Nuggets II: Original Artyfacts From The British Empire And Beyond 


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
VARIOUS ARTISTS -- O Brother, Where Art Thou?
SHELBY LYNNE -- I Am Shelby Lynne
AIR -- The Virgin Suicides soundtrack 

D'ANGELO -- Voodoo

AIMEE MANN -- Bachelor No. 2
COREY HARRIS AND HENRY BUTLER -- Vu-Du Menz
THE FIGGS -- Sucking In Stereo 

ERYKAH BADU–Mama's Gun 

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
VARIOUS ARTISTS–Juke Joint Saturday Night: Piano Blues, Rags & Stomps

NEIL YOUNG -- Silver and Gold
WORLD PARTY -- Dumbing Up

TEDDY THOMPSON -- Teddy Thompson 

REISSUE: THE BEATLES -- 1

REISSUE: VARIOUS ARTISTS -- Kings Of The Gospel Highway: The Golden Age Of Gospel Quartets 

REISSUE: VARIOUS ARTISTS–Juke Joint Saturday Night: Piano Blues, Rags & Stomps 
REISSUE: ELVIS PRESLEY -- Peace In The Valley: The Complete Gospel Recordings


THE BEST ALBUMS OF 1999

DAVID GRAY -- White Ladder
LINDA RONSTADT AND EMMYLOU HARRIS -- Western Wall 

DOLLY PARTON -- The Grass is Blue

DOLLY PARTON, LINDA RONSTADT, EMMYLOU HARRIS -- Trio II 
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 

SIGUR ROS – Ágætis byrjun 

BLUR -- 13

TOM WAITS -- Mule Variations
FOUNTAINS OF WAYNE -- Utopia Parkway
FIONA APPLE -- When The Pawn...
RICHARD THOMPSON -- Mock Tudor 

AIMEE MANN/VARIOUS – Magnolia soundtrack 

PEE WEE CRAYTON -- Blues After Hours 
DIXIE CHICKS -- Fly
MESHELL NDEGEOCELLO -- Bitter 

SHACK -- H.M.S. Fable (1999) 

THE MAYFLIES USA -- Summertown 

REISSUE: DESMOND DEKKER -- Israelites: The Best Of Desmond Dekker 1963-1971 

REISSUE: THE BEATLES: Yellow Submarine Songtrack 

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
BEASTIE BOYS -- Hello Nasty
THE MAVERICKS -- Trampoline
OUTKAST -- Aquemini
ELVIS COSTELLO -- Painted From Memory
THE CHICKS aka DIXIE CHICKS -- Wide Open Spaces
NEIL FINN -- Try Whistling This  

RUFUS WAINWRIGHT -- Rufus Wainwright

MANU CHAO -- Clandestino
VARIOUS ARTISTS–Rushmore soundtrack  

DAVID GRAY -- Lost Songs 95-98
BELLE AND SEBASTIAN -- The Boy With The Arab Strap
AIR -- Moon Safari
KATE AND ANNA MCGARRIGLE -- The McGarrigle Hour 

SONIC YOUTH–Daydream Nation 
EVA CASSIDY -- Songbird 

VARIOUS ARTISTS – Velvet Goldmine 
LAURYN HILL -- The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill 

REISSUE: VARIOUS ARTISTS -- Nuggets: Original Artyfacts From The First Psychedelic Era 1965-1968 (boxed set) 

REISSUE: SMOKEY ROBINSON AND THE MIRACLES -- The Ultimate Collection 

REISSUE: BOB DYLAN -- The Bootleg Series Vol. 4, Bob Dylan Live 1966, The "Royal Albert Hall" Concert


THE BEST ALBUMS OF 1997

RADIOHEAD -- O.K. Computer
BOB DYLAN -- Time Out Of Mind
BUENA VISTA SOCIAL CLUB -- Buena Vista Social Club
THE NOTORIOUS B.I.G.  -- Life After Death
SUPERGRASS -- In It For The Money 
SINEAD O'CONNOR -- Gospel Oak EP
BLUR -- Blur 

WHISKEYTOWN -- Strangers Almanac
WORLD PARTY -- Egyptology

ALISON KRAUSS -- So Long So Wrong

ADAM GUETTEL -- Floyd Collins Original Cast Album 
NICK CAVE -- The Boatman's Call
STEVE EARLE -- El Corazon 

PREFAB SPROUT -- Andromeda Heights 

RUBY BRAFF AND ELLIS LARKINS -- Calling Berlin, Vol. 2 

PERFECT–Once, Twice, Three Times A Maybe 

ORIGINAL CAST ALBUM – Floyd Collins 

THE DIVINE COMEDY -- A Short Album About Love 

JEFFREY FOSKETT -- Cool and Gone (Gone Gone) 
VAN MORRISON -- The Healing Game 

REISSUE/COMPILATION: BENNY GOODMAN–The Complete RCA Victor Small Group Recordings 1935-1939 (1997) 

REISSUE/COMPILATION: STAN GETZ -- The Complete Roost Recordings 

REISSUE/COMPILATION: LITTLE WALTER -- His Best 

REISSUE/COMPILATION: DOLLY PARTON -- The Essential Dolly Parton, Vol. 2

REISSUE/COMPILATION: RAY CHARLES -- Genius and Soul: The 50th Anniversary Collection 

REISSUE/COMPILATION: VARIOUS ARTISTS -- Beg, Scream and Shout! The Big Ol' Box of 60s Soul

REISSUE/COMPILATION: MISSISSIPPI JOHN HURT -- Legend

REISSUE/COMPILATION: HANK SNOW -- The Essential Hank Snow 


THE BEST ALBUMS OF 1996

SUZANNE VEGA -- Nine Objects Of Desire
BECK -- Odelay
RADIOHEAD -- The Bends
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 Real Kansas City Of The '20s, '30s & '40s 
THE BLUE NILE -- Peace At Last
UNDERWORLD–Second Toughest In The Infants

THE FUGEES -- The Score
BOZ SCAGGS -- Fade Into Light 

BELLE AND SEBASTIAN -- Tigermilk/If You're Feeling Sinister 

REISSUE: THE BEATLES -- Anthology 2/ Anthology 3 

REISSUE: MUGGSY SPANIER–Muggsy Spanier–1939-1944 

REISSUE: VARIOUS ARTISTS -- The Doo Wop Box II

REISSUE: VARIOUS ARTISTS–The Real Kansas City Of The '20s, '30s & '40s 


THE BEST ALBUMS OF 1995

THE MAVERICKS -- Music For All Occasions
ALISON KRAUSS -- Now That I've Found You: A Collection
PJ HARVEY -- To Bring You My Love

D'ANGELO -- Brown Sugar
OASIS -- (What's The Story) Morning Glory

JOHNNY ADAMS -- The Verdict 

BJORK -- Post
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 

RON SEXSMITH -- Ron Sexsmith

STEVE EARLE -- Train A Comin' 
VARIOUS ARTISTS -- Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar Masters Collection
EMMYLOU HARRIS -- Wrecking Ball
CHRIS ISAAK -- Forever Blue
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 

GUIDED BY VOICES–Alien Lanes 
MANDY PATINKIN -- Oscar and Steve
AL STEWART -- Between The Wars 
JERRY LEE LEWIS -- Young Blood
THE 6THS -- Wasps' Nests

REISSUE: BOB MARLEY AND THE WAILERS -- Natural Mystic: The Legend Lives On

REISSUE: LESTER YOUNG -- The Complete Aladdin Recordings Of Lester Young (w Helen Humes, Nat King Cole) 

REISSUE: DOLLY PARTON -- The Essential Dolly Parton, Vol. 2 

REISSUE: THE BEATLES -- Anthology 1

REISSUE: ELVIS PRESLEY -- Walk A Mile In My Shoes: The Essential '70s Masters
REISSUE: THE MILLS BROTHERS -- Four Men and A Guitar (recordings from 1930s) 

REISSUE: DIZZY GILLESPIE -- The Complete RCA Victor Recordings 1937-1949 (1995) 


THE BEST ALBUMS OF 1994

JOHNNY CASH -- American Recordings
NAS -- Illmatic
GREEN DAY -- Dookie
NIRVANA -- Unplugged In New York
ROSEMARY CLOONEY -- Still On The Road
THE MAVERICKS -- What A Crying Shame
HOLE -- Live Through This
BLUR -- Parklife
BEASTIE BOYS -- Ill Communication
OASIS -- Definitely Maybe

IRIS DEMENT -- My Life
BOZ SCAGGS -- Some Change
BECK -- Mellow Gold/One Foot In The Grave
MORRISSEY -- Vauxhall And I

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

BEAU JOCQUE–Git It, Beau Jocque: Live In Louisiana 1994 

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 

REISSUE: FRANK SINATRA AND TOMMY DORSEY-- The Song Is You! 1940-1942 on RCA Victor
REISSUE: GRANDMASTER FLASH AND THE FURIOUS FIVE -- Message From Beat Street: The Best Of Grandmaster Flash, Melle Mel and the Furious Five

REISSUE: VARIOUS ARTISTS -- The Doo Wop Box 

REISSUE: CAB CALLOWAY – Are You Hep To The Jive? (1994) 
REISSUE: JUDY GARLAND -- The Complete Decca Masters 


THE BEST ALBUMS OF 1993

CASSANDRA WILSON -- Blue Light 'Til Dawn

TOM PETTY -- Greatest Hits 

DWIGHT YOAKAM -- This Time
AIMEE MANN -- Whatever
PEARL JAM -- Vs.
MESHELL NDEGEOCELLO -- Plantation Lullabies
CHRIS ISAAK -- San Francisco Days
ROSEMARY CLOONEY -- Do You Miss New York?
ARVO PART -- Te Deum 

JIMMIE DALE GILMORE -- Spinning Around The Sun

NIRVANA -- In Utero 

LIZ PHAIR -- Exile To Guyville 

CROWDED HOUSE -- Together Alone 

PET SHOP BOYS -- Very 

WU-TANG CLAN -- Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)

BLUR -- Modern Life Is Rubbish

PREFAB SPROUT -- Let's Change The World With Music (lost in the vaults gem 1993/2009)

SHELBY LYNNE -- Temptation
TOM WAITS -- The Black Rider 

GRANT LEE BUFFALO -- Fuzzy 

MARTIN NEWELL–The Greatest Living Englishman

MANCE LIPSCOMB -- You Got To Reap What You Sow: Texas Songster Vol. 2

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
PJ HARVEY -- Rid of Me 

COUNTING CROWS -- August And Everything After 

REISSUE: VARIOUS ARTISTS -- Mambo Kings Play Songs Of Love (compilation, not soundtrack)

REISSUE: BLIND WILLIE JOHNSON -- The Complete Blind Willie Johnson  

REISSUE: ELVIS PRESLEY -- From Nashville To Memphis: The Essential '60s Masters 

REISSUE: VARIOUS ARTISTS -- The Great Gospel Men: 27 Classic Performances 
REISSUE: SPINNERS -- The Very Best Of the Spinners

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
MORRISSEY -- Your Arsenal
LYLE LOVETT -- Joshua Judges Ruth
CESÁRIA ÉVORA – Miss Perfumado 

JELLYFISH -- Bellybutton
TOM WAITS -- Bone Machine
CHARLIE HADEN QUARTET WEST -- Haunted Heart

NEIL YOUNG -- Harvest Moon
DR. DRE -- The Chronic 

XTC -- Nonsuch 

CLIFTON CHENIER -- King Of The Bayous: I'm Coming Home 
BRIAN ENO -- The Shutov Assembly 

ABDULLAH IBRAHIM–Water From An Ancient Well 

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
EMMYLOU HARRIS -- At The Ryman

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 

REISSUE: ELVIS PRESLEY -- The King Of Rock 'n' Roll: The Complete '50s Masters
REISSUE: NAT KING COLE -- The Best Of The King Cole Trio 

THE BEST ALBUMS OF 1991

NIRVANA -- Nevermind

U2 -- Achtung Baby

RICHARD THOMPSON -- Rumor And Sigh 

A TRIBE CALLED QUEST -- The Low End Theory 

SHIRLEY HORN -- You Won't Forget Me 

PEARL JAM -- Ten 

JOHNNY ADAMS -- Sings Doc Pomus 
VARIOUS ARTISTS -- Beauty and the Beast Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
CROWDED HOUSE -- Woodface 

OSCAR D'LEÓN–Y Su Salsa Mayor 

JIMMIE DALE GILMORE -- After Awhile 

BLUR -- Leisure 

STEPHEN SONDHEIM -- Assassins Original Cast Recording 

ARVO PART -- Miserere

COLE PORTER/EVANS HAILE -- Fifty Million Frenchmen 

PUBLIC ENEMY -- Apocalypse 91: The Empire Strikes Black 

JOHN PRINE -- The Missing Years 
ABBEY LINCOLN -- You Gotta Pay The Band 

ORQUESTA GUAYACÁN -- Sentimental de Punta a Punta

REISSUE: RAY CHARLES -- The Birth of Soul (boxed set) 

REISSUE: BILLIE HOLIDAY -- The Complete Decca Recordings 

REISSUE: BILLIE HOLIDAY -- The Complete Billie Holiday on Verve 1945-1959 (1991 boxed set) 

REISSUE: PHIL SPECTOR -- Back To Mono 1958-1969 (boxed set) 

REISSUE: BARBRA STREISAND -- Just For The Record... (boxed set) 

REISSUE: ART TATUM–The Art Tatum Solo Masterpieces aka The Genius of Art Tatum (1953-1954) (1991 boxed set)

REISSUE: FATS DOMINO -- They Call Me The Fat Man...Antoine "Fats" Domino -- The Legendary Imperial Recordings 

REISSUE: EDITH PIAF – The Voice of the Sparrow: The Very Best of Edith Piaf 

REISSUE: LEADBELLY -- Midnight Special: The Library Of Congress Recordings 

REISSUE: BOB DYLAN -- The Bootleg Series Vol. 1-3 (Rare and Unreleased) 

REISSUE: LOUIS PRIMA -- Capitol Collector's Series 
REISSUE: JOE TEX -- Greatest Hits (on Curb) 

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 
WORLD PARTY -- Goodbye Jumbo
SINEAD O'CONNOR -- I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got
PUBLIC ENEMY -- Fear Of A Black Planet
ROSEANNE CASH -- Interiors
PREFAB SPROUT -- Jordan: The Comeback
SUZANNE VEGA -- Days Of Open Hand
THE LA'S -- The La's

THE GO-GO'S -- Greatest Hits 

UNCLE TUPELO -- No Depression 
PAUL SIMON -- The Rhythm Of The Saints
PET SHOP BOYS -- Behavior 

JON HENDRICKS–Freddie Freeloader
COWBOY JUNKIES -- The Caution Horses 

WYNTON MARSALIS -- Tune In Tomorrow... (soundtrack) 
DARYL HALL & JOHN OATES -- Change Of Season 
MORRISSEY -- Bona Drag
KATE AND ANNA MCGARRIGLE -- Heartbeats Accelerating
GEORGE MICHAEL -- Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1

MARION WILLIAMS -- Surely God Is Able 
THE BLACK CROWES -- Shake Your Moneymaker 

EVERYTHING BUT THE GIRL -- The Language Of Life  

TONY BENNETT -- Astoria: Portrait Of The Artist 

KELLY WILLIS -- Well Travelled Love 

EVANS HAILE/VARIOUS ARTISTS -- Babes In Arms
BRIAN ENO AND JOHN CALE -- Wrong Way Up
NEIL YOUNG -- Ragged Glory 

PEGGY LEE -- The Peggy Lee Songbook: There'll Be Another Spring
HARRY CONNICK JR. -- We Are In Love 

DEPECHE MODE -- Violator 

REISSUE: VARIOUS ARTISTS -- Atlantic Soul Classics 

REISSUE: VARIOUS ARTISTS -- Songs That Got Us Through WWII 

REISSUE: MUDDY WATERS -- The Chess Box 

REISSUE: SAM COOKE–Specialty Profiles: Sam Cooke with The Soul Stirrers 

REISSUE: FATS DOMINO–My Blue Heaven: The Best of Fats Domino 

REISSUE: VARIOUS ARTISTS -- The Best Of The Girl Groups Vol. 1 and 2 

REISSUE: THE FOUR TOPS -- Anthology
REISSUE: CARL STALLING -- The Carl Stalling Project, Music From Warner Bros. Cartoons 1936-1958 

REISSUE: BLIND WILLIE JOHNSON -- Praise God I'm Satisfied 

REISSUE/COMPILATION: LIGHTNIN' HOPKINS–The Gold Star Sessions Vol. 1 and 2 (1946-1950) (1990)

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
BAABA MAAL -- Djam Leelii: The Adventurers (w Mansour Seck)

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
kd lang -- Absolute Torch And Twang
FRANK MORGAN -- Easy Living/Mood Indigo
MARIA MCKEE -- Maria McKee

XTC -- Oranges & Lemons 

BONNIE RAITT -- Nick Of Time
VARIOUS ARTISTS -- Black and Blue (Original Cast Recording)
PAULINE OLIVEROS -- Deep Listening

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
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

QUEEN LATIFAH–All Hail The Queen 

DJIVAN GASPARYAN -- I Will Not Be Sad in This World 

CLINT BLACK -- Killin' Time 

TOM PETTY -- Full Moon Fever 
DAVID BYRNE -- Rei Momo
PIXIES -- Doolittle
NEVILLE BROTHERS -- Yellow Moon
NEIL YOUNG -- Freedom
ELVIS COSTELLO -- Spike 

REISSUE: VARIOUS ARTISTS -- Brazil Classics 1: Beleza Tropical Compiled By David Byrne 
REISSUE: DIONNE WARWICK -- The Dionne Warwick Collection: Her All-Time Greatest Hits (Rhino)

REISSUE: BENNY GOODMAN–Small Groups 1941-1945 

REISSUE: NÖEL COWARD–The Compact Coward 


THE BEST ALBUMS OF 1988

PUBLIC ENEMY -- It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back
kd lang -- Shadowland 

VARIOUS ARTISTS – The Gospel At Colonus Original Broadway Cast Album 
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
THE POGUES -- If I Should Fall From Grace With God
EVERYTHING BUT THE GIRL -- Idlewild
LEONARD COHEN -- I'm Your Man
CARMEN MCRAE -- Carmen Sings Monk
ELOMAR -- Cantoria 2 

SADE -- Stronger Than Pride 

MORRISSEY -- Viva Hate
JUNGLE BROTHERS -- Straight Out The Jungle
DWIGHT YOAKUM -- Buenos Noches From A Lonely Room 
THE VIENNA ART ORCHESTRA–The Minimalism of Erik Satie  

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
RODNEY CROWELL -- Diamonds and Dirt
TRAVELING WILBURYS -- Traveling Wilburys Vol. 1
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 

'TIL TUESDAY -- Everything's Different Now

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 

REISSUE: THE BEATLES -- Past Masters Vol. One/Past Masters Vol. Two 

REISSUE: CHUCK BERRY -- The Chess Box 

REISSUE: VARIOUS ARTISTS -- Irving Berlin Always
REISSUE: FRANKIE VALLIE AND THE FOUR SEASONS -- Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons 25th Anniversary Collection 

REISSUE/COMPILATION: WOODY HERMAN–The Thundering Herds 1945-1947 (1988)


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

SONNY ROLLINS -- G-Man 

GEORGE MICHAEL -- Faith 

JENNIFER WARNES -- Famous Blue Raincoat 

ERIC B AND RAKIM -- Paid In Full 

VARIOUS ARTISTS – Le Mystère des Voix Bulgares 
STING -- ...Nothing Like The Sun

THE REPLACEMENTS -- Pleased To Meet Me  

HÜSKER DÜ -- Warehouse: Songs and Stories 

VARIOUS ARTISTS -- Into The Woods (Original Cast Recording)
JOHN HIATT -- Bring The Family 

LIZA MINNELLI -- At Carnegie Hall 

DEPECHE MODE -- Music For The Masses 

PUBLIC ENEMY -- Yo! Bum Rush The Show 
JOHN MELLENCAMP -- The Lonesome Jubilee 
NEW ORDER -- Substance 87 

JOHN ADAMS -- Nixon In China 

CHARLIE HADEN-- Quartet West 
SHIRLEY HORN -- I Thought About You
LINDA RONSTADT -- Canciones De Mi Padre 
GUNS N' ROSES -- Appetite For Destruction 
ROSEANNE CASH -- King's Record Shop 

BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN -- Tunnel Of Love
SUZANNE VEGA -- Solitude Standing
ROY ORBISON -- In Dreams: The Greatest Hits
LYLE LOVETT -- Pontiac  

TOM WAITS -- Frank's Wild Years

DINOSAUR JR. -- You're Livin' All Over Me

R.E.M. -- Document
ARETHA FRANKLIN -- One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism
PET SHOP BOYS -- Actually
MEL TORME AND GEORGE SHEARING -- A Vintage Year

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 

REISSUE: JAMES BROWN -- The CD of JB II 


THE BEST ALBUMS OF 1986

PAUL SIMON -- Graceland
ELVIS COSTELLO -- King Of America/Blood and Chocolate
PRINCE -- Parade
THE SMITHS -- The Queen Is Dead
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
THE REPLACEMENTS -- Boink!!

TALK TALK -- The Color Of Spring 

HIROSHI YOSHIMURA -- Green/Surround Soundscape 1: Surround 

CHRIS ISAAK -- Chris Isaak

XTC -- Skylarking 

AFRIKA BAMBAATA & THE SOULSONIC FORCE -- Planet Rock: The Album

BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN -- Live 1975-1985
PETER GABRIEL -- So
MADONNA -- True Blue
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 

REISSUE: SAM COOKE -- The Man And His Music


THE BEST ALBUMS OF 1985

KATE BUSH -- Hounds Of Love
THE REPLACEMENTS -- Tim
PREFAB SPROUT -- Steve McQueen aka Two Wheels Good 
BARBRA STREISAND -- The Broadway Album 
VARIOUS ARTISTS -- The Indestructible Beat Of Soweto Volume One
STEELY DAN -- A Decade Of Steely Dan
VARIOUS ARTISTS -- Les Miserables (Original London Cast Recording)
BOULEVARD OF BROKEN DREAMS -- It's The Talk Of The Town (and Other Sad Songs)
VARIOUS ARTISTS -- The Gospel At Colonus (1985 Philadelphia Cast)
TOM WAITS -- Rain Dogs

PAUL MCCARTNEY/ELVIS COSTELLO -- Flowers In The Dirt (Demos on later editions)

SADE -- Promise
JOHN MELLENCAMP -- Scarecrow
KATRINA AND THE WAVES -- Katrina and the Waves
THE WATERBOYS -- This Is The Sea
EMMYLOU HARRIS -- The Ballad of Sally Rose 

HÜSKER DÜ–New Day Rising 

PHILIP GLASS -- Mishima: A Life In Four Chapters
CHRIS ISAAK -- Silvertone
R.E.M. -- Fables Of The Reconstruction
MEL TORMÉ -- An Elegant Evening (w George Shearing) 

THE POGUES -- Rum, Sodomy and the Lash
U2 -- Wide Awake In America
EURYTHMICS -- Be Yourself Tonight
JIMMY BUFFETT -- Songs You Know By Heart 

NEW ORDER -- Low-Life 
LINDA THOMPSON -- One Clear Moment 
STING -- Dream Of The Blue Turtles
ARETHA FRANKLIN–Who's Zoomin' Who? 

RICHARD THOMPSON -- Across A Crowded Room
LONE JUSTICE -- Lone Justice 
JOHN FOGERTY -- Centerfield
BRYAN FERRY -- Boys And Girls
SUZANNE VEGA -- Suzanne Vega

REISSUE: ARETHA FRANKLIN -- 30 Greatest Hits
REISSUE: JAMES BROWN -- The CD of JB
REISSUE: THE EVERLY BROTHERS -- Cadence Classics: Their 20 Greatest Hits 

REISSUE: JELLY ROLL MORTON–Birth of the Hot: The Classic Chicago "Red Hot Peppers" Sessions (1926-1927) 

REISSUE: SANDY DENNY -- Who Knows Where The Times Goes (boxed set)
REISSUE: BOB DYLAN -- Biograph


THE BEST ALBUMS OF 1984

U2 -- The Unforgettable Fire
BOB MARLEY AND THE WAILERS -- Legend
THE SMITHS -- The Smiths
LAURIE ANDERSON -- Mister Heartbreak/United States Live
PRINCE -- Purple Rain
BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN -- Born In The USA
MADNESS -- Keep Moving (US 14 track version)
SADE -- Diamond Life
RUN D.M.C. -- Run D.M.C. 
TINA TURNER -- Private Dancer

HÜSKER DÜ–Zen Arcade 

THE BLUE NILE -- A Walk Across The Rooftops 
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 
STEPHEN SONDHEIM/VARIOUS ARTISTS -- Sunday in the Park with George (Original Cast Recording)  

THE REPLACEMENTS -- Let It Be 
THE EVERLY BROTHERS -- EB84 

BARRY MANILOW -- 2. A.M. Paradise Cafe

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 

THE YOUNG FRESH FELLOWS -- The Fabulous Sounds of the Pacific Northwest

R.E.M. -- Reckoning 

LINDA RONSTADT -- Lush Life 

JOHNNY ADAMS -- From The Heart 
LLOYD COLE AND THE COMMOTIONS -- Rattlesnakes

ELIZABETH COTTEN -- Live! 

PASCAL ROGÉ AND ERIK SATIE–3 Gymnopédies and Other Piano Works
VAN DYKE PARKS -- Jump!
RICHARD THOMPSON -- Small Town Romance
LINDSEY BUCKINGHAM -- Go Insane
BRIAN ENO AND HAROLD BUDD -- The Pearl 

MEAT PUPPETS -- II

REISSUE: DIANA ROSS AND THE SUPREMES -- 20 Greatest Hits: Compact Command Performance 
REISSUE: JERRY LEE LEWIS -- 18 Original Sun Greatest Hits

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) 

ELLA FITZGERALD -- Nice Work If You Can Get It: Ella and André Do Gershwin/Speak Love w Joe Pass  

STEVIE RAY VAUGHAN–Texas Flood 

VARIOUS ARTISTS – Wild Style soundtrack 

ELVIS COSTELLO -- Punch The Clock 

BARBRA STREISAND -- Yentl 40th Anniversary soundtrack (w demos) 
TALKING HEADS -- Speaking In Tongues 

MINOR THREAT -- Out Of Step 
THE POLICE -- Synchronicity

THE REPLACEMENTS -- Hootenanny

RICHARD THOMPSON -- Hand Of Kindness
PAUL SIMON -- Hearts and Bones
CHEAP TRICK -- Next Position, Please (The Authorized Version) 

CULTURE CLUB -- Colour By Numbers
WILLIE NELSON AND MERLE HAGGARD -- Pancho and Lefty
BOB DYLAN -- Infidels 

CYNDI LAUPER -- She's So Unusual 

MARSHALL CRENSHAW – Field Day

DEBARGE -- In A Special Way 
PINK FLOYD -- The Final Cut

TEARS FOR FEARS -- The Hurting 

MALCOLM MCLAREN -- Duck Rock  


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
VARIOUS ARTISTS -- Dreamgirls (Original Broadway Cast Album)
STEVIE WONDER -- Stevie Wonder's Original Musiquarium I
MARSHALL CRENSHAW – Marshall Crenshaw
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
ABC -- The Lexicon Of Love
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! 

PSYCHEDELIC FURS -- Forever Now 

TALKING HEADS -- The Name of This Band is Talking Heads
TOM PETTY -- Long After Dark
DURAN DURAN -- Rio
R.E.M. -- Chronic Town 

HAIRCUT ONE HUNDRED -- Pelican West 

REISSUE: CHUCK BERRY -- The Great 28



THE BEST ALBUMS OF 1981

JOAN JETT -- Bad Reputation/I Love Rock 'n' Roll 
QUEEN -- Greatest Hits
THE ENGLISH BEAT -- Wha'ppen?
FRANK SINATRA -- She Shot Me Down
SQUEEZE -- East Side Story 

BRIAN ENO AND DAVID BYRNE -- My Life In The Bush Of Ghosts 

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 
PENGUIN CAFE ORCHESTRA–Penguin Cafe Orchestra

VANGELIS -- Chariots Of Fire

JOE JACKSON -- Jumpin' Jive  

REISSUE: MARTHA REEVES AND THE VANDELLAS -- Greatest Hits

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 

KENNY ROGERS -- Kenny Rogers' Greatest Hits (1980) 

BETTY CARTER -- The Audience With Betty Carter 
THE DOORS -- Greatest Hits

DARYL HALL -- Sacred Songs 

BRIAN ENO -- The Plateaux Of Mirror (w Harold Budd)/ Day Of Radiance (w Laraaji) 

BOB MARLEY AND THE WAILERS -- Uprising 

THE CLASH -- Sandinista! 

DAVID BOWIE -- Scary Monsters 

MADNESS -- Absolutely 

AEROSMITH -- Greatest Hits 
PETER GABRIEL -- Peter Gabriel (melt)
STEVIE WONDER -- Hotter Than July
CAPTAIN BEEFHEART -- Doc At The Radar Station
VARIOUS ARTISTS -- Popeye: Music From The Motion Pictue Deluxe Edition 

PROFESSOR LONGHAIR -- Crawfish Fiesta 

PRINCE -- Dirty Mind
KENNY ROGERS -- Greatest Hits 

KATE BUSH -- Never For Ever  

TOM WAITS -- Heartattack and Vine 

GEORGE JONES -- I Am What I Am 

STEVE WINWOOD -- Arc Of A Diver

THE UNDERTONES – Hypnotised 

FRANK SINATRA -- Trilogy: Past Present Future 

THE SELECTER -- Too Much Pressure 

PETE TOWNSEND -- Empty Glass 

CIRCLE JERKS -- Group Sex 

BARBRA STREISAND -- Guilty 

THE SOFT BOYS -- Underwater Moonlight (1980) 

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

EL GRAN COMBO DE PUERTO RICO -- ¡Aqui No Se Siente Nadie!
AC/DC -- Highway To Hell 

ELLA FITZGERALD -- Fine and Mellow  

KRAFTWERK -- Computer World 

THE DAMNED -- Machine Gun Etiquette 

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) 

THE UNDERTONES – The Undertones 
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 

THE GERMS -- GI 
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 

DAVE EDMUNDS -- Repeat When Necessary

MERLE HAGGARD -- Serving 190 Proof 


THE BEST ALBUMS OF 1978

BRIAN ENO -- Ambient 1: Music For Airports 

WILLIE NELSON -- Stardust

FUNKADELIC -- One Nation Under A Groove 

PARLIAMENT -- Motor Booty Affair 

KATE BUSH -- The Kick Inside 

ROLLING STONES -- Some Girls
WILLIE COLÓN & RUBÉN BLADES -- Siembra 

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 

TITO PUENTE -- Homenaje a Beny 

KRAFTWERK -- The Man-Machine  

CARLTON & THE SHOES -- Love Me Forever 

MARVIN GAYE -- Here, My Dear 

NEIL YOUNG -- Comes A Time / Oceanside, Countryside 
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 
PETER GABRIEL -- Peter Gabriel (scratch) 

THE ADVERTS -- Crossing The Red Sea With The Adverts 

THE BAND/VARIOUS ARTISTS -- The Last Waltz 
EMMYLOU HARRIS -- Quarter Moon In A Ten Cent Town 

CHEAP TRICK -- Heaven Tonight

EARTH WIND AND FIRE -- The Best of Earth Wind And Fire 
CAPTAIN BEEFHEART -- Shiny Beast (Bat Chain Puller)

WARREN ZEVON -- Excitable Boy
THE CARS -- The Cars 

JOE ELY -- Honky Tonk Masquerade 

WILLIE COLON AND RUBEN BLADÉS -- Siembra 
JOHNNY ADAMS -- After All The Good Is Gone  

STEVE MILLER BAND -- Greatest Hits 1974-78

GERRY RAFFERTY -- City To City 

VAN HALEN -- Van Halen 

DEVO–Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo!

REISSUE: HANK WILLIAMS -- 40 Greatest Hits 

REISSUE: BUDDY HOLLY -- 20 Golden Greats

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 -- Double Time 

BOB MARLEY AND THE WAILERS -- Exodus

RAMONES -- Leave Home/Rocket To Russia 

KENNY BURRELL -- Ellington Is Forever Vol. 2  

TELEVISION -- Marquee Moon 

FELA KUTI – Zombie 

THE DAMNED -- Damned, Damned, Damned 

NEIL YOUNG -- Chrome Dreams 

PHARAOH SANDERS -- Harvest Time Live 1977

IGGY POP -- The Idiot/Lust For Life 

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 

ELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA -- Out Of The Blue 
PETER GABRIEL -- Peter Gabriel (car)

SUICIDE -- Suicide 

WILLIE NELSON -- To Lefty From Willie
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 JAM -- All The Mod Cons 
JACKSON BROWNE -- Runnin' On Empty 
THE CLASH -- The Clash 

THE PERSUASIONS -- Chirpin'
WIRE -- Pink Flag 

BOZ SCAGGS-- Down Two Then Left

DAFT PUNK–Homework 

THE BEACH BOYS -- The Beach Boys Love You 

VARIOUS ARTISTS -- Saturday Night Fever
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) 

KATE AND ANNA MCGARRIGLE -- Kate And Anna McGarrigle 

BILLY JOEL -- Turnstiles 

BUNNY WAILER -- Blackheart Man 

THE EAGLES -- Their Greatest Hits (1971-1975) 

PHILIP GLASS -- Einstein On The Beach 
BOZ SCAGGS -- Silk Degrees
DAVID BOWIE -- Station To Station/Changesonebowie
JONI MITCHELL -- Hejira

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
ISMAEL RIVERA -- La Quiniela de Dia

EMMYLOU HARRIS -- Luxury Liner 

STEELY DAN -- The Royal Scam 

PENGUIN CAFE ORCHESTRA -- Music From The Penguin Cafe  

PETER TOSH -- Legalize It 

RICHARD PRYOR -- Bicentennial N----r 

BOSTON -- Boston 

RAY BARRETTO -- Indestructible 

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 

GRAHAM PARKER -- Heat Treatment/Howlin' Wind

CARTOLA -- Cartola II 

AEROSMITH -- Rocks 

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 

RICHARD AND LINDA THOMPSON -- Pour Down Like Silver 

NEIL YOUNG -- Tonight's The Night/ Zuma/ Homegrown 
BRIAN ENO -- Another Green World / Discreet Music / Evening Star (w Robert Fripp) 

RICHARD PRYOR -- ...Is It Something I Said? 

LED ZEPPELIN -- Physical Graffiti 

PINK FLOYD -- Wish You Were Here 

POPOL VUH – Aguirre (aka sort of soundtrack to Aguirre, the Wrath of God) 

KENNY BURRELL -- Ellington Is Forever Vol. 1 

JONI MITCHELL -- The Hissing Of Summer Lawns 

BOB MARLEY AND THE WAILERS -- Live! 

STEELY DAN -- Katy Lied 

NEU! -- Neu! 75

PAUL SIMON -- Still Crazy After All These Years 

TONY BENNETT AND BILL EVANS -- The Tony Bennett/Bill Evans Album 

THE FOUR SEASONS -- The Four Seasons Story

LEON REDBONE -- On The Track 

VARIOUS ARTISTS -- A Chorus Line (Original Cast Recording) 
AL GREEN -- Greatest Hits Vol. 1 / Al Green Is Love  

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 

ROXY MUSIC -- Siren 

SONNY CRISS -- Criss Craft 

PEGGY LEE -- Mirrors 

WAYLON JENNINGS -- Dreaming My Dreams  

BURNING SPEAR -- Marcus Garvey 
DUKE ELLINGTON -- The Afro-Eurasian Eclipse 

CHICAGO -- Chicago IX: Chicago's Greatest Hits

EMMYLOU HARRIS -- Pieces of The Sky/Elite Hotel
BARRY WHITE -- Greatest Hits, Volume 1 

MAGGIE AND TERRE ROCHE–Seductive Reasoning 

LINDA LEWIS -- Fathoms Deep 

OS TINCOÃS -- O Africanto Dos Tincoãs 

PATTI SMITH -- Horses 

JOE HIGGS -- Life Of  Contradictions 
ART GARFUNKEL -- Breakaway 

GARY BURTON & STEVE SWALLOW -- Hotel Hello  
HAROLD MELVIN AND BLUE NOTES FEATURING TEDDY PENDERGRASS -- To Be True

BOXED SET: ART TATUM–The Tatum Group Masterpieces Volume One to Eight 


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
STEELY DAN -- Pretzel Logic 

GRAM PARSONS -- Grievous Angel 

BOB MARLEY -- Natty Dread

ELLIS REGINA AND ANTONIO CARLOS JOBIM -- Ellis & Tom 

BRIAN ENO -- Here Come The Warm Jets/Taking Tiger Mountain (By Strategy)  

ELLA FITZGERALD & JOE PASS -- Take Love Easy  

KEITH JARRETT – Becoming 

STEVIE WONDER -- Fulfillingness' First Finale 

NEIL YOUNG -- On The Beach 

CELIA CRUZ AND JOHNNY PACHECO -- Celia And Johnny 

PHILIP GLASS -- Music in Twelve Parts  

FUNKADELIC -- Standing On The Verge of Getting It On

PARLIAMENT -- Up For The Down Stroke

BIG STAR -- Radio City 

RANDY NEWMAN -- Good Old Boys 
VAN MORRISON -- Veedon Fleece 
NEIL DIAMOND -- 12 Greatest Hits 
BILL WITHERS -- +'Justments 

RICHARD PRYOR -- That N----'s Crazy 

BETTYE SWANN -- The Complete Atlantic Recordings (1972-1976)
THE METERS -- Rejuvenation 

ROBERT WYATT -- Rock Bottom 

NEW YORK DOLLS -- Too Much Too Soon 

JORGE BEN JOR -- A Tabua de Esmeralda 

JAMES TALLEY -- Got No Bread, No Milk, No Money, But We Sure Got A Lot Of Love 

RACHEL FARO -- Refugees 

TOM WAITS -- The Heart Of Saturday Night 
AL GREEN -- Explores Your Mind
TANGERINE DREAM -- Phaedra 

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 

ANN PEEBLES -- I Can't Stand The Rain

ISMAEL RIVERA WITH CORTIJO Y SU COMBO ORIGINAL -- Juntos Otra Vez  

GENE CLARK -- No Other 

KRAFTWERK -- Autobahn

GEORGE HARRISON -- Living in the Material World

RASPBERRIES -- Starting Over 

MARIA MULDAUR -- Waitress in a Donut Shop 

SPINNERS -- Mighty Love

RY COODER–Paradise and Lunch 

ERIC CLAPTON -- 461 Ocean Boulevard 

BETTY DAVIS -- They Say I'm Different 

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

AUDIOBOOK: NICOL WILLIAMSON -- The Hobbit abridged 


THE BEST ALBUMS OF 1973

BOB MARLEY AND THE WAILERS -- Catch A Fire/Burnin'

THE BEATLES -- 1962-1966 (The Red Album)/1967-1970 (The Blue Album) 

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 

SARAH VAUGHAN -- Live in Japan 
DAVID BOWIE -- Aladdin Sane 

ELLA FITZGERALD -- Newport Jazz Festival At Carnegie Hall 

LED ZEPPELIN -- Houses Of The Holy 

HALL & OATES -- Abandoned Luncheonette 
BETTYE SWANN -- The Complete Atlantic Recordings (1972-1976)
GRAM PARSONS -- GP 

OS TINCOÃS -- Os Tincoãs 

IRMA THOMAS -- In Between Tears 

BILL MONROE/VARIOUS -- Bean Blossom 

NEW YORK DOLLS -- New York Dolls 

SLY AND THE FAMILY STONE -- Fresh 

DR. JOHN -- In The Right Place 

BOBBY BARE -- Bobby Bare Sings Lullabies, Legends and Lies 
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

WILLIE HUTCH – The Mack soundtrack 
ELTON JOHN -- Goodbye Yellow Brick Road 

FUNKADELIC–Cosmic Slop 
MOTT THE HOOPLE -- Mott
AEROSMITH -- Aerosmith

BILLY JOEL -- Piano Man

THE FACES -- Ooh La La 

THE SPINNERS -- The Spinners 

ROY AYERS/UBIQUITY -- Red, Black & Green
RASPBERRIES -- Side 3 

CAN -- Future Days

THE FOUR TOPS -- 19 Greatest Hits 

LOU REED–Berlin 

TIPICA 73 -- Tipica 73 

BRYAN FERRY -- These Foolish Things

VINCE GUARALDI -- A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving 

LITTLE FEAT -- Dixie Chicken  
SLADE -- Slayed? 
BUCKINGHAM NICKS–Buckingham Nicks 


THE BEST ALBUMS OF 1972

SIMON AND GARFUNKEL -- Greatest Hits 

ARETHA FRANKLIN -- Amazing Grace / Young, Gifted and Black 

ROLLING STONES -- Exile On Main St.
NITTY GRITTY DIRT BAND/VARIOUS ARTISTS -- Will The Circle Be Unbroken  

NOVOS BAIANOS -- Acabou Chorare 

NICK DRAKE -- Pink Moon
VARIOUS ARTISTS -- The Harder They Come soundtrack
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? 
OTIS REDDING -- The Best Of Otis Redding (on Atlantic)

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

LOU REED -- Transformer 

SANDY DENNY -- Sandy
CURTIS MAYFIELD -- Super Fly
ROY ORBISON -- All-Time Greatest Hits 

BIG YOUTH -- Screaming Target 
THE FLATLANDERS -- More A Legend Than A Band 

ALICE CLARK -- Alice Clark 

ROXY MUSIC -- Roxy Music
MISSISSIPPI JOHN HURT -- The Last Sessions

BOBBY VALENTIN -- Soy Boricua 
BILL WITHERS -- Still Bill 
RUBY BRAFF AND ELLIS LARKINS -- The Grand Reunion 

DR. JOHN -- Dr. John's Gumbo 

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' 

JIMMY SMITH -- Root Down 

MOTT THE HOOPLE -- All The Young Dudes 

HUGH MASEKALA -- Home Is Where The Music Is 

THE STAPLES SINGERS–Be Altitude: Respect Yourself

HOWARD TATE -- Howard Tate 

WILLIS ALAN RAMSAY -- Willis Alan Ramsay 

RASPBERRIES -- Fresh 

JOHN HARTFORD–Morning Bugle 

CYMANDE -- Cymande 
JOHN PRINE -- Diamonds In The Rough 

NEIL YOUNG -- Harvest 

OTIS SPANN -- Walking The Blues (1960 recorded/1972 released) 

PROFESSOR LONGHAIR–House Party New Orleans Style: The Lost Sessions 1971-1972 

THE BEST ALBUMS OF 1971

JONI MITCHELL -- Blue
MARVIN GAYE -- What's Going On

PAUL MCCARTNEY -- Ram 

CAROLE KING -- Tapestry
BILL WITHERS -- Just As I Am
BOB DYLAN -- Greatest Hits Vol. II 

ROLLING STONES -- Sticky Fingers/Hot Rocks 1964-1971 

DOLLY PARTON -- Coat Of Many Colors 
SLY AND THE FAMILY STONE -- There's A Riot Goin' On

DAVID BOWIE -- Hunky Dory 

ISAAC HAYES -- Black Moses 

ROD STEWART -- Every Picture Tells A Story 

FACES -- A Nod Is As Good As A Wink...To A Dead Horse 

FUNKADELIC–Maggot Brain

THE ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND -- Live At Fillmore East  

FELA KUTI -- Live with Ginger Baker 

LED ZEPPELIN -- Untitled (Led Zeppelin IV)

GIL SCOTT-HERON -- Pieces Of A Man
LAURA NYRO -- Gonna Take A Miracle 

LABELLE -- Nightbirds

THE WHO -- Who's Next/Meaty Beaty Big And Bouncy 

BOBBIE GENTRY -- Patchwork
CHICK COREA -- Piano Improvisations, Vol. 1

FOTHERINGAY -- Fotheringay 2
TODD RUNDGREN -- Runt: The Ballad Of Todd Rundgren 

ISMAEL RIVERA -- La Ültimo En La Avenida (with Kako Y Su Orquestra) 

THE KINKS -- Muswell Hillbillies 

JOHN HARTFORD -- Aero-Plain 

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  

BRUCE LANGHORNE – The Hired Hand 
JANIS JOPLIN -- Pearl 

PEE WEE CRAYTON -- Things I Used To Do 

CAT STEVENS – Harold and Maude soundtrack / Teaser and the Firecat 

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 

DAVID CROSBY–If I Could Only Remember My Name 


THE BEST ALBUMS OF 1970

THE GRATEFUL DEAD -- Workingman's Dead/American Beauty 

JONI MITCHELL -- Ladies Of The Canyon  

JOHN LENNON -- Plastic Ono Band/PAUL MCCARTNEY – McCartney

RANDY NEWMAN -- 12 Songs 
HARRY NILSSON -- Nilsson Sings Newman 

THE WHO -- Live At Leeds 

CELIA CRUZ -- Etc. Etc. Etc. 

SIMON AND GARFUNKEL -- Bridge Over Troubled Water 

FRANK SINATRA -- Sinatra-Jobim
VAN MORRISON -- MoondanceNEIL YOUNG -- After The Gold Rush 

BARBRA STREISAND -- Greatest Hits 
MILES DAVIS -- Bitches Brew
FOTHERINGAY -- Fotheringay 

LED ZEPPELIN -- Led Zeppelin III 

ARETHA FRANKLIN -- Spirit In The Dark 

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 (but Glynis Johns was right! His Get Back version is better) 
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

SOFT MACHINE -- Third

SYD BARRETT -- The Madcap Laugh

ROD STEWART -- Gasoline Alley
MARVIN GAYE -- That's The Way Love Is  

THE VELVET UNDERGROUND -- Loaded
THE TEMPTATIONS -- Greatest Hits Vol. 2
THE KINKS -- Lola Versus Powerman and the Moneyground Part One

EVIE SANDS -- Any Way That You Want Me 

THE MOVERS The Movers 

PAUL MCCARTNEY -- McCartney
LEON RUSSELL -- Leon Russell 

LINDISFARNE -- Fog On The Tyne


THE BEST ALBUMS OF 1969

CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL -- Green River/Willie and the Poor Boys
THE BAND -- The Band

THE BEATLES -- Abbey Road

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 

ARETHA FRANKIN -- Aretha's Gold 

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 

TOMMY MCCOOK -- Top Secret 

KAREN DALTON -- It's So Hard To Tell Who's Going To Love You The Best 
HARRY NILSSON -- Harry

ROBERTA FLACK–First Take 

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) 

THE IMPRESSIONS–The Young Mods' Forgotten Story 
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 / Aretha Now

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 MONKEES – Head soundtrack
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 

THELONIUS MONK–Underground 

THE ZOMBIES -- Odessey and Oracle 

SONNY CRISS -- Sonny's Dream (Birth Of The New Cool) 

THE KINKS -- The Kinks Are The Village Green Preservation Society 

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 

GILBERTO GIL -- Gilberto Gil 

DAVID AXELROD -- Song Of Innocence 

MERLE HAGGARD -- Sing Me Back Home/ The Legend Of Bonnie & Clyde

OTIS REDDING -- The Immortal Otis Redding

FLEETWOOD MAC–Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac 

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 

DR. JOHN -- Gris-Gris 
BLUE CHEER -- Vincebus Eruptum 

BEACH BOYS -- Friends 

THE IMPRESSIONS–This Is My Country 
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 

JAMME -- Jamme 


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
BOB DYLAN -- Greatest Hits 

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 

SARAH VAUGHAN–Sassy Swings Again 
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!

THE SHIRELLES -- Greatest Hits Vol. II

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 

BOB DYLAN -- The Bootleg Series Vol. 4, Bob Dylan Live 1966, The "Royal Albert Hall" Concert
IRMA THOMAS -- Take A Look 

WAYNE SHORTER -- Speak No Evil  

ROLLING STONES -- Aftermath
HERBIE HANCOCK -- Blow-Up Original Motion Picture Soundtrack 

ISMAEL RIVERA -- Con Todos Los Hierros (w Rafael Cortijo) 

WILSON PICKETT -- The Exciting Wilson Pickett 

CELIA CRUZ – Son Con Guaguanco 

FRANK SINATRA -- Sinatra At The Sands 

LARRY YOUNG -- Unity 
LOS CORRALEROS DE MAJAGUAL–Nuevo Ritmo...! 

RAY CHARLES -- Cryin' Time 

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
ORNETTE COLEMAN -- At The Golden Circle Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 

THE FOUR SEASONS -- 2nd Vault Of Golden Hits
ELIZABETH COTTEN -- Shake Sugaree 

LEE MORGAN -- Search For The New Land 

ELLA FITZGERLD -- Stockholm Concert, 1966  

VARIOUS ARTISTS – Teesri Manzil soundtrack 

THE RASCALS aka THE YOUNG RASCALS -- The Young Rascals 

JOAN BAEZ–Noël

WILLIE BOBO -- Uno Dos Tres 1 2 3 

THE FOUR TOPS -- 19 Greatest Hits 

KANDER AND EBB -- Cabaret Original Broadway Cast Recording 

THE TECHNIQUES -- Little Did You Know 

MCCOY TYNER & JOE HENDERSON -- Forces of Nature: Live at Slugs 

THE MARVELETTES -- Greatest Hits

DOC WATSON -- Southbound 

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 SoulThe Great Otis Redding Sings Soul Ballads
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
ELMORE JAMES -- The Sky Is Crying: The History of Elmore James

HERB ALPERT AND THE TIJUANA BRASS -- Whipped Cream and Other Delights

MANCE LIPSCOMB -- Captain, Captain!: the Texas Country Blues Guitar Of Mance Lipscomb Vol. 3 

MARVIN GAYE–How Sweet It Is To Be Loved By You 
THE LOVIN' SPOONFUL -- Do You Believe In Magic 
WILLIE BOBO -- Spanish Grease 

THE SHANGRI-LAS -- Leader Of The Pack 

J.B. LENOIR–Alabama Blues 

EDDIE HARRIS -- The In Sound 
BUCK OWENS -- I've Got A Tiger By The Tail 

THE SONICS -- Here Come The Sonics 

HERBIE HANCOCK -- Maiden Voyage 

TONY BENNETT -- If I Ruled The World: Songs For The Jet Set 

JUDY RODERICK -- Woman Blue 

WOODY HERMAN–Woody's Winners


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 

OTIS SPANN -- Otis Spann 

THE DIXIE CUPS -- The Dixie Cups 

ELLA FITZGERALD -- Ella Fitzgerald Sings The Jerome Kern Songbook/Ella Fitzgerald Sings The Johnny Mercer Songbook
MANCE LIPSCOMB -- You Got To Reap What You Sow: Texas Songster Vol. 2

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' 

STAN GETZ -- The Getz Age 
VARIOUS ARTISTS -- Fiddler On The Roof Original Broadway Cast 

SAM COOKE–Ain't That Good News  

VINCE GUARALDI – A Boy Named Charlie Brown aka Jazz Impressions of...

THE SUPREMES -- Where Did Our Love Go 

ERIC DOLPHY–Out To Lunch 

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 
THE SHIRELLES -- Greatest Hits 

ROY ORBISON -- In Dreams 
DEXTER GORDON -- Our Man In Paris
MILES DAVIS -- Quiet Nights 

JORGE BEN -- Samba Esquema Novo 

THELONIOUS MONK -- Monk's Dream
ELLA FITZGERALD -- Ella and Basie! 

EMAHOY TSEGUÉ-MARYAM GUÈBROU -- Ethiopiques Vol. 21: Ethiopia Song  
THE SWAN SILVERTONES -- Blessed Assurance 

STANLEY TURRENTINE -- Never Let Me Go  

JIMMY GIUFFRE–Free Fall

MARTY ROBBINS -- The Return Of The Gunfighter 
JOE HENDERSON -- Page One 

ROSEMARY CLOONEY -- Love
JIMMY SMITH -- Back At The Chicken Shack 

SHEILA JORDAN–Portrait of Sheila 

JESSE FULLER–San Francisco Bay Blues 

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 -- Cannonball Adderley  

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 

GRANT GREEN–Feelin' The Spirit 
ALBERT KING -- The Big Blues 

OSCAR BROWN JR. – Between Heaven and Hell 
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 

TITO PUENTE -- Dance Mania 2  

DEXTER GORDON -- Dexter Calling

JAMES BROWN -- James Brown Presents His Band
EDITH PIAF -- Greatest Hits
BOBBY "BLUE" BLAND -- Two Steps From The Blues 

BENNY CARTER -- Further Definitions 

JACK TEAGARDEN -- Mis'ry and the Blues
JOAN BAEZ -- Joan Baez 2
THELONIOUS MONK -- Thelonious Monk With John Coltrane
BLOSSOM DEARIE -- My Gentleman Friend 

SAM COOKE–My Kind of Blues 

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)/Ella In Hollywood   
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 

WES MONTGOMERY -- The Incredible Jazz Guitar of Wes Montgomery 

BURL IVES -- Return Of The Wayfaring Stranger 
THE ABYSSINIAN BAPTIST CHOIR UNDER THE DIRECTION OF PROFESSOR ALEX BRADFORD -- Shakin' The Rafters

MEL TORME -- Swings Schubert Alley 
ART BLAKEY -- A Night In Tunisia
JOAN BAEZ -- Joan Baez 

SOLOMON BURKE -- Rock 'N Soul 

NANCY WILSON -- Something Wonderful 
FATS DOMINO -- They Call Me The Fat Man...Antoine "Fats" Domino -- The Legendary Imperial Recordings 

MIRIAM MAKEBA -- Miriam Makeba 
ORIGINAL BROADWAY CAST -- Camelot 

ETTA JONES -- Don't Go To Strangers

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 

OSCAR BROWN JR. – Sin & Soul 
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' 

JOHNNY MATHIS -- Open Fire, Two Guitars 

DAVE BRUBECK QUARTET – Time Out 

HOWLIN' WOLF -- Moanin' In The Moonlight 

EDDIE "LOCKJAW" DAVIS -- Very Saxy

NINA SIMONE -- Little Girl Blue 
MEMPHIS SLIM–At The Gate of Horn 

BILL EVANS -- On Green Dolphin Street
LITTLE RICHARD -- His Greatest Hits

JIMMY SMITH -- The Sermon! 

ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK -- Black Orpheus
ABBEY LINCOLN -- Abbey Is Blue 

BURL IVES -- The Wayfaring Stranger (various versions 1944, 1945, 1959, 1964)
HENRY MANCINI – Music From Peter Gunn 

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 / Merry Christmas 
CANNONBALL ADDERLEY-- Somethin' Else 

BILLIE HOLIDAY -- All Or Nothing At All/ Lady In Satin / Stay With Me / Lover Man 

CHUCK BERRY -- The Great 28
COUNT BASIE -- The Atomic Mr. Basie

CARMEN MCRAE -- Book Of Ballads 

TITO PUENTE -- Dance Mania  

MAHALIA JACKSON – Live at Newport 1958 

SONNY CLARK–Cool Struttin'

BO DIDDLEY -- Bo Diddley 

THE EVERLY BROTHERS -- Songs Our Daddy Taught Us 

DUKE ELLINGTON -- Black Brown And Beige 

JUDY GARLAND -- Judy In Love 

ART TATUM–The Art Tatum Ben Webster Quartet/The Art Tatum Buddy Defranco Quartet 
NAT KING COLE -- St. Louis Blues 

BUDDY HOLLY -- Buddy Holly 

ART BLAKEY -- Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers with Thelonius Monk 

LITTLE WALTER -- The Best Of Little Walter 

RAY CHARLES -- Yes Indeed! 

ART TATUM AND BEN WEBSTER -- The Art Tatum Ben Webster Quartet 

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 
LOU DONALDSON -- Blues Walk 

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 

BILLIE HOLIDAY -- Songs For Distingué Lovers 

COLEMAN HAWKINS -- The Hawk Flies High 

CHUCK BERRY -- After School Session 

HANK WILLIAMS -- Sing Me A Blue Song 

MACHITO -- Kenya 
BUDDY HOLLY -- The "Chirping" Crickets 
JIMMY SMITH -- Groovin' At Smalls' Paradise Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 

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 

ART TATUM–The Art Tatum Trio 

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 

BILLIE HOLIDAY -- Solitude (first released as Billie Holiday Sings in 1952) / Velvet Mood /Recital (first released as An Evening With Billie Holiday and Billie Holiday 
BOBBY SHORT -- Bobby Short 

SONNY ROLLINS -- Tenor Madness/ Saxophone Colossus 
PEGGY LEE -- Black Coffee (12 inch version)
CHUCK BERRY -- The Great 28 

LIONEL HAMPTON–The Lionel Hampton Art Tatum Buddy Rich Trio/With Hampton, Rich Again/Lionel Hampton and His Giants 

JULIO GUTTIERREZ -- Cuban Jam Session Vol 1 

SISTER ROSETTA THARPE – Gospel Train 
LOUVIN BROTHERS -- Tragic Songs Of Life

JOHNNY SMITH w Stan Getz-- Moonlight In Vermont 

STAN GETZ --- The Sound 

SERGE CHALOFF -- Blue Serge

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! 
KEN COLYER -- Club Session With Colyer

ROSEMARY CLOONEY -- Blue Rose
HOWLIN' WOLF -- Smokestack Lightning: The Complete Chess Masters 1951-1960 
MEL TORME -- Sings Fred Astaire 

SAM COOKE–Specialty Profiles: Sam Cooke with The Soul Stirrers (1950-1956) 
JUDY GARLAND -- Judy
CHET BAKER -- Sings/Chet Baker In Paris 1955-1956 Volume 2
 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  
CHRIS CONNOR -- Chris Connor


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)
JUNE CHRISTY -- Something Cool
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  

BILLIE HOLIDAY -- Music For Torching 

ART TATUM–Tatum Carter Belson/The Art Tatum Roy Eldridge Alvin Stoller John Simmons Quartet 

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

SERGE CHALOFF -- Boston Blow-Up 

CHET BAKER–Chet Baker In Paris 1955-1956 Volume 2


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 

ART TATUM–The Genius of Art Tatum 

JUNE CHRISTY -- Something Cool
LOUIS ARMSTRONG -- Louis Armstrong and the Mills Brothers 


THE BEST ALBUMS OF 1953

PEGGY LEE -- Black Coffee (10 inch version) 

ART TATUM–The Genius of Art Tatum 

HANK WILLIAMS -- Memorial Album 

EARTHA KITT -- That Bad Eartha 
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 

THELONIUS MONK–Genius of Modern Music Volume Two 

BILLIE HOLIDAY -- Billie Holiday Sings (reissued as Solitude in 1956)
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 

THELONIUS MONK–Genius of Modern Music Volume One

HANK WILLIAMS -- Sings 

SAM COOKE–Specialty Profiles: Sam Cooke with The Soul Stirrers (1950-1956)
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 

BENNY GOODMAN–The Famous 1938 Carnegie Hall Jazz Concert (1938/1950) 

SAM COOKE–Specialty Profiles: Sam Cooke with The Soul Stirrers (1950-1956)

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) 

LIGHTNIN' HOPKINS–The Gold Star Sessions Vol. 1 and 2 (1946-1950) (1990)

THE BEST ALBUMS OF 1949

DJANGO REINHARDT -- Djangology 49
DINAH WASHINGTON -- The Complete Dinah Washington On Mercury Vol. 1 (1946-1949)
DIZZY GILLESPIE -- The Complete RCA Victor Recordings 1937-1949 

FRANK SINATRA -- Frankly Sentimental
HANK WILLIAMS -- 40 Greatest Hits
RODGERS AND HAMMERSTEIN -- South Pacific 

LOUIS JORDAN–#1s (1942-1950)

ROY MILTON -- Roy Milton and His Solid Senders (1992 comp) 

GENE AUTRY -- The Essential Gene Autry  

LIGHTNIN' HOPKINS–The Gold Star Sessions Vol. 1 and 2 (1946-1950) (1990)

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) 

LOUIS JORDAN–#1s (1942-1950) 

LIGHTNIN' HOPKINS–The Gold Star Sessions Vol. 1 and 2 (1946-1950) (1990)

THE BEST ALBUMS OF 1947

DIZZY GILLESPIE -- The Complete RCA Victor Recordings 1937-1949 

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 

WOODY HERMAN–The Thundering Herds 1945-1947 (1988) 
BING CROSY AND THE ANDREWS SISTERS -- Their Complete Recordings Together (1939-1951)

LOUIS JORDAN–#1s (1942-1950) 

LIGHTNIN' HOPKINS–The Gold Star Sessions Vol. 1 and 2 (1946-1950) (1990) 

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] 

LOUIS JORDAN–#1s (1942-1950) 

LIGHTNIN' HOPKINS–The Gold Star Sessions Vol. 1 (1946-1950) (1990) 

WOODY HERMAN–The Thundering Herds 1945-1947 (1988)


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 

GENE AUTRY -- The Essential Gene Autry 

BENNY GOODMAN–Small Groups 1941-1945 

LOUIS JORDAN–#1s (1942-1950) 

WOODY HERMAN–The Thundering Herds 1945-1947 (1988) 

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 

BENNY GOODMAN–Small Groups 1941-1945 

MUGGSY SPANIER–Muggsy Spanier–1939-1944


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 

BENNY GOODMAN–Small Groups 1941-1945 

MUGGSY SPANIER–Muggsy Spanier–1939-1944


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 

BENNY GOODMAN–Small Groups 1941-1945 

MUGGSY SPANIER–Muggsy Spanier–1939-1944


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 

CHARLIE CHRISTIAN–The Essential Charlie Christian (1939-1941) (2017)

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) 

BENNY GOODMAN–Small Groups 1941-1945 

SISTER ROSETTA THARPE–The Decca Singles Vol. 1 (1938-1941) (2019) 

MUGGSY SPANIER–Muggsy Spanier–1939-1944


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 

CHARLIE CHRISTIAN–The Essential Charlie Christian (1939-1941) (2017) 

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 

SISTER ROSETTA THARPE–The Decca Singles Vol. 1 (1938-1941) (2019)

MUGGSY SPANIER–Muggsy Spanier–1939-1944 

GENE AUTRY -- The Essential Gene Autry 


THE BEST ALBUMS OF 1939

BENNY GOODMAN–The Complete RCA Victor Small Group Recordings 1935-1939 (1997)/ CHARLIE CHRISTIAN/BENNY GOODMAN–The Essential Charlie Christian (1939-1941) (2017)

DJANGO REINHARDT -- Swing 39: Jazz In Paris 

GLENN MILLER -- The Essential Glenn Miller
BILLIE HOLIDAY -- The Quintessential Billie Holiday Vol 7 1938-1939 (get remastered boxed set) 

MUGGSY SPANIER–Muggsy Spanier–1939-1944
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) 

GENE AUTRY -- The Essential Gene Autry 

SISTER ROSETTA THARPE–The Decca Singles Vol. 1 (1938-1941) (2019)


THE BEST ALBUMS OF 1938

BENNY GOODMAN–The Famous 1938 Carnegie Hall Jazz Concert (1938/1950)/ The Complete RCA Victor Small Group Recordings 1935-1939 (1997)
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 

SISTER ROSETTA THARPE–The Decca Singles Vol. 1 (1938-1941) (2019)


THE BEST ALBUMS OF 1937

BILLIE HOLIDAY -- The Quintessential Billie Holiday Vol 3-4 1936-1937 (get remastered boxed set) 

BENNY GOODMAN–The Complete RCA Victor Small Group Recordings 1935-1939 (1997)
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) 

BENNY GOODMAN–The Complete RCA Victor Small Group Recordings 1935-1939 (1997)
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) 

BENNY GOODMAN–The Complete RCA Victor Small Group Recordings 1935-1939 (1997)
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 

BLIND WILLIE MCTELL -- Statesboro Blues: 1927-1932 

CAB CALLOWAY – Are You Hep To The Jive? (1994) 


THE BEST ALBUMS OF 1931

HENRY RED ALLEN -- The Incomparable Henry Red Allen: The Golden Years Vol. 3 1929-1933 

CAB CALLOWAY – Are You Hep To The Jive? (1994) 
BING CROSY -- Bing Crosby: His Legendary Years (1931-1957) [Brunswick 1931-1934]
THE MILLS BROTHERS -- Four Men and A Guitar (recordings from 1930s) 

BLIND WILLIE MCTELL -- Statesboro Blues: 1927-1932


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 

CAB CALLOWAY – Are You Hep To The Jive? (1994) 

BLIND WILLIE MCTELL -- Statesboro Blues: 1927-1932

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 MCTELL -- Statesboro Blues: 1927-1932

BLIND WILLIE JOHNSON -- The Complete Blind Willie Johnson 

BLIND LEMON JEFFERSON–The Best Of Blind Lemon Jefferson (1925-1929) 

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 MCTELL -- Statesboro Blues: 1927-1932 

BLIND LEMON JEFFERSON–The Best Of Blind Lemon Jefferson (1925-1929)

BLIND WILLIE JOHNSON -- The Complete Blind Willie Johnson  

OSCAR "PAPA" CELESTIN/SAM MORGAN -- Recorded In New Orleans 1925-1928

THE BEST ALBUMS OF 1927

LOUIS ARMSTRONG -- The Complete Hot Five And Seven Recordings
JELLY ROLL MORTON–Birth of the Hot: The Classic Chicago "Red Hot Peppers" Sessions (1926-1927)

HENRY THOMAS -- Bull Doze Blues (1927-1929) 

FRANKIE TRUMBAUER AND BIX BEIDERBECKE --  Bix and Tram 

BLIND WILLIE MCTELL -- Statesboro Blues: 1927-1932
OSCAR "PAPA" CELESTIN/SAM MORGAN -- Recorded In New Orleans 1925-1928

DUKE ELLINGTON -- The OKeh Ellington 1927-1930
DUKE ELLINGTON -- 1924-1930 on Classics Label

BLIND WILLIE JOHNSON -- The Complete Blind Willie Johnson  

BLIND LEMON JEFFERSON–The Best Of Blind Lemon Jefferson (1925-1929) 

THE BEST ALBUMS OF 1926

LOUIS ARMSTRONG -- The Complete Hot Five And Seven Recordings
JELLY ROLL MORTON–Birth of the Hot: The Classic Chicago "Red Hot Peppers" Sessions (1926-1927) 

DUKE ELLINGTON -- 1924-1930 on Classics Label
OSCAR "PAPA" CELESTIN/SAM MORGAN -- Recorded In New Orleans 1925-1928 

BLIND LEMON JEFFERSON–The Best Of Blind Lemon Jefferson (1925-1929)

THE BEST ALBUMS OF 1925

LOUIS ARMSTRONG -- The Complete Hot Five And Seven Recordings 

NEW ORLEANS RHYTHM KINGS–The Complete Set 1922-1925
DUKE ELLINGTON -- 1924-1930 on Classics Label


THE BEST ALBUMS OF 1924

KING OLIVER'S CREOLE JAZZ BAND–The Complete Set 

DUKE ELLINGTON -- 1924-1930 on Classics Label 

NEW ORLEANS RHYTHM KINGS–The Complete Set 1922-1925

THE BEST ALBUMS OF 1923 

KING OLIVER'S CREOLE JAZZ BAND–The Complete Set 

KING OLIVER–Oh, Play That Thing! Original 1923 Recordings with Louis Armstrong

NEW ORLEANS RHYTHM KINGS–The Complete Set 1922-1925

THE BEST ALBUMS OF 1922 

NEW ORLEANS RHYTHM KINGS–The Complete Set 1922-1925