List and Discuss Your Top 10 Favorite Albums of All Time

[vashti1999]

No greatest hits collections or Now That's What I Call Music 43 compilations. Limit it to studio albums or live albums: your all time 10 favorite albums and why. My List:

10.We Are Family - Sister Sledge (1979) Big disco fan, big Bernard Edwards/Nile Rodgers (Chic) fan, and Sister Sledge fulfilled my pre-pubescent fantasies. It's not some great, landmark album, but it's one I'll always love.

9.The Colored Section - Donnie (2002) He's related to Marvin Gaye, but vocally and musically he sounds like Stevie Wonder. Anyone who thinks there's no good r&b anymore needs to check it out. There's definitely songs of substance here.

8.Prototype - Rachid (1998) Don't know exactly why I like this so much, I just got sucked into its catchy mix of pop, rock and r&b, even elements of drum and bass. The son of one of the members of Kool & The Gang, I liked the honesty in his lyrics.

7.Acoustic Soul - India.Arie (2001) Funky folk music, I was glad when she got a bunch of Grammy nominations for this (even though she didn't win any). The positive, uplifting lyrics of the songs helped get me through the disheartening 9/11 ordeal.

6.Plantation Lullabies - Me'Shell NdegeOcello (1993) One of those new voices that come along every so often that I get excited about. Bold and brutally honest songs about sex and race, and the music's funky too.

5.Introducing The Hardline According To Terence Trent D'Arby - Terence Trent D'Arby (1987) Another debut I got excited about, he danced like James Brown and sang like Sam Cooke but was original enough to draw me in and make me a fan.

4.Purple Rain - Prince & The Revolution (1984) His biggest isn't necessarily his best, but it's still a solid example of the pop, rock, funk and soul that he always does well. It'll always be a favorite because of personal memories I have of that time.

3.1999 - Prince (1982) This is the one that made me a fan (and gave me my username). I was familiar with Prince most of his career but it wasn't until this album that I really started to pay attention. It was unlike anything I ever heard and I knew after the first listen that my appreciation of him and of music in general would change.

2.Innervisions - Stevie Wonder (1973) This album came out just after Stevie turned 23. Imagine a 22/23 year old today coming out with an album as great as this, and on top of that writing and producing all the songs and playing practically all the instruments himself. Higher Ground - do I need to say more?

1.Sign O The Times - Prince (1987) The best album by my favorite artist. Especially come after the left turns of Around The World In A Day and Parade, he definitely showed people he still had it. He came up with great funk (Housequake), rock (I Could Never Take The Place of Your Man), soul (Adore), weird (Ballad of Dorothy Parker) and everything else in between but made it all sound like it should go together (which it did). It got a much-deserved Album of The Year Grammy nomination and finished #1 in the popular Village Voice Critics Poll of best albums of 1987.

Ok, that's how my list looks, let's see yours.

[¤I Love Clay Aiken¤]

1. Clay Aiken - Measure Of A Man My favorite artist, and I love every song on it. To me, it never gets old.

2. Christina Aguilera - Stripped Every song on it is good. Shes not my favorite singer, and I do prefer Britney over her, but still one of my favorite albums.

3. Chicago Soundtrack I love the movie, and Im not this big musical junky, but this is really good.

4. Britney Spears - Oops!... I Did It Again During the time this album came out I was a HUGE Britney fan (still am) and was so in love with *//\\//SYNC, so whenever I hear this album it brings me back to that time.


I honestly, cant do a top 10. Its hard for me to put things in order.. even that list above may not be 100% accurate. There are CD's I love, but some songs I like more than other songs, though I may like the CD better. Oy. I love Nsyncs No Strings Attached CD for the same reason for Britneys, but I dont listen to it anymore. I love Elvis' #1 30 hits CD, too. Other albums I do enjoy though:

Britney Spears - In The Zone
Brady Bunch - Its A Sunshine Day

Im also big on the TV Theme Songs CD's.. I love them.

There are also albums I like right now but I know years down the line it probably wont be on top of my list. But, right now.. Im playing it non-stop.

I also love all of Mariah Careys old albums, but I dont listen to them anymore and Im not a big fan, I just like the songs.. so its hard to list. One things for sure though, my favorite album is still Measure Of A Man.

[Nighthawk76]

1. THE BEATLES (aka "THE WHITE ALBUM") (1968)
Never were the Beatles better then they were on this double
album that offers some of the best songwriting that either
John Lennon or Paul McCartney ever did.

2. HYSTERIA-Def Leppard (1987)
Often rerfered to as the "Thriller" of hard rock albums. Nearly
every song here was worthy of being a single. This is the
best Mutt Lange produced album ever.

3. PHYSICAL GRAFFITI-Led Zeppelin (1975)
Another great double album which features such classics
as "Kashmir", "Trampled Under Foot", "The Rover" and
"Custard Pie".

4. BORN IN THE USA-Bruce Springsteen (1984)
One of my first introductions to rock n' roll music. Every song
is a classic.

5. POWER WINDOWS-Rush (1985)
Songs such as "The Manhattan Project", "Marathon" and
"Middletown Dreams" feature some of the band's most
insightful lyrics.

6. SO-Peter Gabriel (1986)
Gabriel's breakthrough album remains his best. Includes
the hits "Sledgehammer" "Big Time" and "In Your Eyes."

7. 5150-Van Halen (1986)
The band's first album with Sammy Hagar as lead singer is
also their best. Features the hit songs "Why Can't This Be
Love", "Dreams" and "Love Walks In."

8. APPETITE FOR DESTRUCTION-Guns N' Roses(1987)
Sleazy and raunchy! This is what rock is all about!

9. IMAGINE-John Lennon (1971)
The best of Lennon's solo recordings. Features the title
track and many other great Lennon songs.

10. CHICAGO 17 (1984)
The last Chicago album with Peter Cetera as vocalist and
bass player. The band would miss his songwriting
talent.

[Dean Winchester]

10. JANET JACKSON'S RHYTHM NATION 1814 - Janet Jackson
This album was the make-or-break album for Janet, after two flop albums, Control finally made her a star in her own right, so this album was the testing point to whether Control was a fluke or whether Michael really does have a rival in the Jackson family. When this album came out, all the naysayers shut up. Janet brought dance-pop and r&b that had a conscience. However, like most Janet albums, this is a Jam & Lewis production first, and a Janet Jackson album second. It is the production talents of these two that makes this album a classic (much like Control). This album contained an unprecidented seven top 5 singles, making Janet temporarily the queen of pop.

9. DUMMY - Portishead
I have never been much of a fan of trip-hop, a lot of it seems way too much like updated acid-rock, but this 1994 masterpiece is an exception for me. From the first time I saw the "Sour Times" video on MTV, I was mesmerized and had to own the album. It was like nothing I've seen or heard before, almost like it was something out of a 1960's Bond movie. Beth Gibbons is one of the most underrated female vocalists around. I bought the album and was immediately hooked. Portishead only recorded one more album after this. I hope they will get back together and record a third album, because this is some brilliant, beautiful and moody music.

8. SIGN O' THE TIMES - Prince
I don't think there's anything I can say about it that Vashti didn't say earlier. The last of a string of eight (Prince, Dirty Mind, Controversy, 1999, Purple Rain, Around The World In A Day, Parade) five-star efforts. Much like 1999 before it, Prince made it a double-album, which meant more room to experiment and he could drag out songs longer. The music on this album is excellent, Prince had recently dissolved The Revolution and is back to having complete control again. Sadly though, this is the last great effort the man recorded, although he's had a few good albums such as O-+->, Gold Experience and the very recent Musicology

7. THE WANDERER - Donna Summer
What was a major disco star of 1979 to do when the disco backlash of 1980 happened? Donna had all the answers. She had added rock influences in the previous album, Bad Girls, but the album was still disco enough. I can just imagine the shock heard round the world when Donna put this album out in late 1980. Not only had the disco been minimized (only "Looking Up" and "Breakdown" had any trace of disco in them), but Donna pulled off rock n roll very convincingly. The album was a moderate success but nothing close to what she sold a year earlier, and of the three singles, only the title track made much of an impact. But... many years later, the album can be appreciated for what it is, not for what it sold.

6. STATION TO STATION - David Bowie
Following up the rather lackluster (in comparison to the rest of his 70's work) but mega-successful Young Americans, Bowie takes the elements that worked on the previous album, and takes things one step further. I don't think Bowie's voice has ever sounded better than it did in 1976, it was purely raw. The album followed a simple formula in it's six songs (3 songs to a side), an epic track (Station To Station, TVC 15), a more discoy track (Golden Years, Stay), and a ballad (Word On A Wing, Wild Is The Wind), but it remains one of the shining moments of David's career. He has yet to top the title track (10 minutes, but pure brilliance). It is no wonder why this album actually happens to be his highest charting US album (#3, the more popular Let's Dance peaked at #4), even tho it seems to be rather unappreciated next to the likes of Ziggy, Hunky Dory and Low.

5. MUSIC - Madonna
Madonna completes the comeback started by Bedtime Stories and Ray Of Light. Many fans complain about the length of the album (44 minutes and 10 songs), but I think the shortness of it actually makes it a superior album to Ray in my opinion. All ten songs were great, and Madonna finds herself getting deeper and deeper into abstract beats and avant-garde. Another album in which IMO, has not one weak spot, even tho I admit I can live the rest of my life without hearing the overplayed title track ever again. Who would've guessed in 1985, that Madonna, then the Britney Spears of her day, would wind up singing songs as chilly and non-mainstream as Nobody's Perfect and Paradise (Not For Me). I loved the Madonna of the 1990's, but from the 1992-1999 years, there were songs I loved, but it still just didn't compare to the 1983-1990 Madonna I loved as a child... Music was the first album that I found myself listening to as much as the early albums.

4. JAGGED LITTLE PILL - Alanis Morissette
Although this was technically Alanis' third album (she had two Paula Abdul style pop albums in Canada beforehand), this is the album that brought her to America. Unfortunately Alanis quickly had a backlash in alternative communities over the way media pegged her as an "angry woman", which she really wasn't when compared to the likes of Liz Phair, L7 and Babes In Toyland, but the strength of the music eventually shut everyone up. Alanis crafted the uncraftable... an album that was equally alternative and equally pop, without alienating either fanbase, and she sold 16 million in the process. One listen to this album and you're immediately transported back to 1995/1996 when this album was inescapable. Unfortunately, Alanis has never been able to come close to this success since, the massive popularity of her first hitter in the US has hurt her, and the three followup albums are all valid and good in their own rights too.

3. PURPLE RAIN - Prince And The Revolution
It's a rare and difficult task for an artist to capture a moment in time on record. Prince did such a thing in 1984 with Purple Rain. Listening to the album, you almost feel like you are in cold Minneapolis circa mid-1984. Prince's highs have been higher IMO, but... this is the album of his that is consistant five stars from the opening keyboards of "Let's Go Crazy" until the applause of "Purple Rain" fades out. The only downfall is that some people who don't know Prince as well as the fans do make the assumption that this is the ONLY good Prince album... when the fact of the matter is, everything between Prince through Sign O' The Times is a winner. For a point in 1984-1985, Prince did the unthinkable... he briefly knocked Michael Jackson off his throne.

2. SCARY MONSTERS (AND SUPER CREEPS) - David Bowie
Bowie's first reflective album. Released at the dawn of the 1980's, Bowie decided to look back on the previous decade and recorded an album that showed the culmulative influence of his 70's works onto one package, while still sounding fresh. The album scored two hits, "Ashes To Ashes" and "Fashion", but the entire album was brilliant. Bowie entered a dry spell for much of the 1980's after the Let's Dance album, that when he came back in the mid-90's, back to the quality he once did, it became a cliche in certain critical circles that each album would be "his best album since Scary Monsters", Bowie himself even joked that he should name one of his albums "The Best Album Since Scary Monsters", lol.

1. LIKE A PRAYER - Madonna
To me, this is the album that announce that she had finally arrived. When I was 9 and my older sister had a copy, I was initially disapointed.... this wasn't my True Blue/Who's That Girl pop princess Madonna. As I grew older, I became more and more appreciative of what this album had to offer. It announced the arrival of Madonna as an ARTIST. Except for the afterthought of Act Of Contrition at the end, there is not one bad song.

[dlemond]

Before I even attempt to evaluate the best 10 albums of all time, you must be well under 20 years old to think any of them have come out in the last 10 years.

It's appallingly laughable, and you won't get it until you stop using Clearisil.

[vashti1999]

I like your list and descriptions, BuffySlayer. I might check out the Bowie stuff or Portishead.

Madonna's Ray of Light and Janet's Velvet Rope were almost-rans on my list. It's tough narrowing down a list to just ten. Maybe we'll start another thread for all the favorites we had to leave off.

[vashti1999]

Originally posted by dlemond
Before I even attempt to evaluate the best 10 albums of all time, you must be well under 20 years old to think any of them have come out in the last 10 years.

It's appallingly laughable, and you won't get it until you stop using Clearisil.

It's not necessarily the ten "Best", I was just interested in what each person considers their ten personal "favorites." I won't knock what anyone else finds enjoyable to them. I just wanted to hear people talk about the stuff they like and maybe get each other turned on to something they might not have known about.

[jamesanthony]

I can't put stuff in order either. My favorite sets tend to be greatest hits records that trim the fat, distill the excess and collect the best stuff from performers whose music I like. But to take a stab at a list in no particular order:

1-Stylistics- 1971- Their debut, self-titled set is very classic stuff- You're A big Girl Now, Betch By Golly Wow, Stop Look Listen to Your Heart- it all flows together naturally

2- Spinners-1972- Their first and probably best set for Atlantic had 6 classics on it which is a lot for a record in that era. My favorite is How Could I Let You Get Away. Could it Be I'm Falling in Love, I'll Be Around, One of A kind Love Affair and Ghetto Child are all on this album

3-Long Time Comin- Winans- 1983- this style of gospel is much much better than the overproduced stuff has been mass marketed since these guys broke up in the mid90s

4-Can't Slow Down- Lionel Richie- 1983 Short and sweet with 8 cuts and no weak songs on it. Love Will Find A Way is the best cut on the whole album

5-The Dude- Quincy Jones- 1981- another set with no weak songs on it and plenty of good tunes. Introduces the excellent singer James Ingram and makes Patti Austin a star. 100 Ways and Betcha Wouldn't Hurt Me are the best songs

6- Songs in the Key of Life- Stevie Wonder- 1976- many good songs. "As" is the best on the whole album, but Love's In Need of Love Today, Have A Talk with God and Isn't She Lovely are very enjoyable

7-In this Life- Kirk Whalum- 1995- Very pleasant smooth jazz album that combines Stax/Memphis soul with very good songwriting and singing from country artist and one time pro-football player Mike Reid

8-After the Storm- Norman Brown- 1994- nice smooth jazz guitarist with a warm sound

9- The King Is Coming Any Day- Bam Crawford's Purpose- 1997 A very well made choir record that includes Sheila E on percussions. Nice to hear gospel by obviously trained musicians rather than people screaming and playing the same 3-4 chords

10-Dakota Moon- Dakota Moon- 1998- Nice to hear a black group who are not doing urban or hip hop music. They not only play their instruments well, but they harmonize wonderfully. "Violet" is a great song.

Honorable mention: Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway- 1971- self-titled, so nice to hear just the two of them, no other background singers at all, the same instrumentalists on every cut, and two classically trained singers who can hit the notes and harmonize like nobody's business. "Where is the Love" is just the tip of the iceburg of gems on this one.

[ONJMagic]

Not really in any order, except #1, which is my favorite album of all time. The rest can move up or down depending on my mood.

1. Fumbling Towards Ecstasy - Sarah McLachlan
2. Like A Prayer - Madonna
3. More Than You Think You Are - Matchbox Twenty
4. The Velvet Rope - Janet Jackson
5. Don't Stop Believin' - Olivia Newton-John
6. Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie - Alanis Morissette
7. From The Choirgirl Hotel - Tori Amos
8. Self Titled - Republica
9. Erotica - Madonna
10. Starting Over - Reba McEntire

[Hollow]

not really in any order.. well sort of.

1. Evanescence - Fallen i love every song on it and they all sound so amazing. my brother is sick of them because i play the cd so much. i remember i downloaded a few of the songs and i ended up buying the CD the same day. i feel like the lyrics are very 'me' and it's a good album to listen to when i'm depressed. i'm gonna get their origin cd sometime or another, whenever i find one on ebay that i'll win..

2. Metallica - St. Anger i really like the sound of it even though alot of people complain that they aren't staying with their roots and that lars sounds like he's hitting a trash can. haha he does but i actually think it makes the songs sound better.

3. Metallica - Ride the Lightning i like every song on it, it's definitely one of their best albums. k the end

4. Metallica - S&M not really an album.. just recordings of live performances of their songs with a symphony. you'd think an orchestra with a heavy metal band would sound ****ed up but it sounds amazing. i guess you'd have to listen to it but it really does. 'devil's dance' sounds the best.

5. Metallica - ...And Justice for all it's really the last album they released where they stayed with their roots. people give it **** because there was no bass (they didn't have a damn bassist) i like all the songs on it though.

6. Metallica - Kill 'em all yay, it's the album that got me into metallica. my brother got it a few years ago and he said it kicked ass so i listened to it and i was amazed. it was the first time i'd really heard heavy metal and it was unlike anything i'd heard before. i only listened to 'the four horsemen' and 'motorbreath' that time and motorbreath was my favorite, and it still is. yay lars put it on the set list at the concert i went to

7. Christina Aguilera - Stripped i thought the songs i heard on her first album sucked so i thought this one would too, but i heard dirrty and fighter and i loved them, so i bought her cd. i've had it for over a year and i still get chills when i listen to it, her voice is truly amazing. she's alot prettier now too. nowadays my favorite song on it is 'walk away' because she sings it really well. i can't wait for her next album to come out.

8. Punk Core Records Sampler #1 lol well it isn't an album, just a cd with songs by punk core records arists. i got it last summer and i didnt listen to it much but this past winter i've really started to like it. it's what got me into the casualties, devotchkas and punk rock in general. i loved the devotchkas song 'wicked heart' and it's what got me to like them. i wish i could find more punk core samplers.

9. The Casualties - On the Front Line ahh gotta love the casualties. very energetic songs with all that screaming and ranting. i like pretty much all the songs on it, especially "static feedback and noise" which has one of the best riffs ever. i totally agree with the lyrics to "media control." haha i like the 'thanx' part in the lyrics book. "to anyone else we may have forgot, **** you."

10. Devotchkas - Live Fast... Die Young i haven't really gotten it yet (i won it on ebay and it's on its way in the mail ) but i like the songs on them. i was kind of surprised to find it on ebay because i thought i was the only person that's even heard of them. i cant find their merchandise ANYWHERE except for amazon. they're the only all girl punk band i really know of. theyre so awesome, i love the way they dress. they're on hiatus right now because one of them got pregnant or something but whatever.

[Da_Diva001]

It is so hard to narrow it down but I will try to list the 10 that I couldn't live without. These are in no particular order by standing.

1. "Off the Wall" by MJ- This to me is better than Thriller( even though that would be my 2nd fav MJ album) because he really defined himself and came out with a funky new sound.

2. Sade Greatest Hits: What more can you say about this woman and group, they are the best!!!

3. Guy: I love this album this was definately the start of the New Jack Swing Era.

4. Mary J Blige "My Life'- Simply her best work from beginning to end!

5. Tony Toni Tone Greatest Hits: I love this group the definately brought some funk and soul into the R&B world.

6. Janet Jackson "Design of a Decade"- All of Janet's best on one album!

7. Bobby Brown "Don't Be Cruel"- I love this cd. This was when Bobby was the man

8. Phil Collins 'No Jacket Required or Greatest Hits"- I absolutely love this man... One More Night and In the Air Tonight.

9. Kenny G "Greatest Hits"- The baddest man to play the sax!!!

10. Whitney Houston- Her first 2 albums are great.

A few honorable mentions: Tears for Fears, Mariah Carey,Stevie Wonder and Mint Condition

[vashti1999]

Originally posted by Da_Diva001

2. Sade Greatest Hits

5. Tony Toni Tone Greatest Hits

6. Janet Jackson "Design of a Decade

8. Phil Collins Greatest Hits

9. Kenny G "Greatest Hits

Originally posted by vashti1999
No greatest hits collections

[Da_Diva001]

My Bad....

Sade "Diamond Life"

Toni Tony Tone "The Revival"

Janet Jackson 'Control"

Phil Collins " No Jacket Required"

Kenny G 'DuoTones"

[Kristina]

1. Avril Lavigne - Let Go

I didn't even listen to music at that time, not to mention it was a really rough time in my life. Her album came out and it really helped me, I relate to nearly all of her songs. And no, not songs like "Sk8er Boi" if people gave her records a chance they'd see there is so much more to her. That's just how singles go. Well, anyways, I love it. It's wonderful, I love every song.

2. Avril Lavigne - Under My Skin

I can't stop listening to it since it's come out, Avril really shows she is a talented songwriter and she DOES play guitar on this album. It's an amazing album, though I probably like Let Go a bit more.

That's it!

[Dean Winchester]

DaDiva, you definately have some great taste, I love the 80's and early 90's r&b sound too