Below is a post my Top Albums 1-200, that first appeared on my first, now-defunct blog in February 1999. And I kept updating it until July 2008. At that point I expanded the list. And then I stopped at #411. Not sure why. Moved onto other things. But Rolling Stone's updated Top 500 albums list had me digging up these long discarded album list from the past.
My recently updated
All Time Top 50 Albums shares many of the ones listed below. Of course 12 years later and there are some albums I'm less enthused about. In fact, 25 albums on this list ended up on my new Top 50, and 2 artists are now represented by different albums than the ones below. And the difference between this '08 and '20 list is that there are no Greatest Hits/Compilations.
Looking back I think it's a fairly interesting peak into my musical mindset circa the late 90's to mid-00's.
The intro text is the same as it was in 1999. But I took out any references to linked pages, as those are no longer available.
Top Albums All Time 1-200
Basically, this is a list of my favorite albums, with a twist. No Greatest Hits/Compilations. You also won't find Christmas CD's. Although, I could've added ones by Phil Spector and Elvis Presley. A closer look at the list will reveal a dearth of pre-Beatles acts. Remember, that the album as album didn't reach full bloom until the mid-60's.
1. Elvis Presley - Sun Sessions 1976
2. Beatles - Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band 67
3. Beach Boys - Pet Sounds 66
4. Clash - London Calling 80
5. Rod Stewart - Every Picture Tells A Story 71
6. Derek and the Dominos - Layla 70
7. Led Zeppelin - IV 71
8. Bob Dylan - Highway 61 Revisited 65
9. Michael Jackson - Thriller 82
10. Marvin Gaye - What's Going On 71
11. Prince - Purple Rain 84
12. Bruce Springsteen - Born In The USA 84
13. Saturday Night Fever - Soundtrack 77
14. Van Morrison - Moondance 70
15. Rolling Stones - Let It Bleed 69
16. Beatles - Rubber Soul 65
17. Joni Mitchell - Blue 71
18. Stevie Wonder - Songs In The Key Of Life 75
19. James Brown - Live at the Apollo 62
20. Steely Dan - Pretzel Logic 71
21. Miles Davis - Kind Of Blue 59
22. Fleetwood Mac - Rumours 77
23. Willie Nelson - Stardust 78
24. Lynyrd Skynyrd - Pronounced... 73
25. Elton John - Honky Chateau 72
26. Carole King - Tapestry 71
27. Jimi Hendrix - Are You Experienced 67
28. Gram Parsons - Grievous Angel 74
29. Byrds - Sweetheart of the Rodeo 68
30. Joni Mitchell - Court and Spark 74
31. Bob Dylan - Blood on the Tracks 75
32. Who - Who Sell Out 67
33. Aretha Franklin - Lady Soul 68
34. Steve Earle - Guitar Town 86
35. Nirvana - Nevermind 91
36. Randy Newman - 12 Songs 70
37. Michael Jackson - Off The Wall 79
38. Harder They Come - Soundtrack 73
39. Elvis Presley - From Elvis In Memphis 69
40. Prince - Sign O' The Times 87
41. Neil Young - After The Gold Rush 70
42. Gary Stewart - Out Of Hand 75
43. Moby Grape - s/t 67
44. Earth, Wind & Fire - Gratitude 75
45. Elvis Costello - Armed Forces 79
46. Creedence Clearwater Revival - Willy and the Poorboys 69
47. Raspberries - Starting Over 74
48. Mott The Hoople - Mott 73
49. Richard & Linda Thompson - Shoot Out The Lights 82
50. Pretenders - s/t 80
51. Spinners - s/t 73
52. Band - s/t 67
53. Bob Marley - Live 75
54. Paul Simon - Graceland 86
55. Buffalo Springfield - Again 67
56. Grateful Dead - American Beauty 70
57. Al Green - Call Me 73
58. Keith Whitley - I Wonder Do You Think Of Me 89
59. Ray Charles - Modern Sounds In Country and Western Music 62
60. Modern Lovers - s/t 76
61. Otis Redding - Dictionary of Soul 66
62. Flatlanders - More A Legend Than A Band 72
63. John Mellencamp - Scarecrow 85
64. Patti Smith - Horses 75
65. B.B. King - Live at the Regal 71
66. REM - Automatic For The People 92
67. Bob Dylan - Basement Tapes 75
68. Rolling Stones - Exile On Main Street 72
69. Charlie Rich - Fabulous Charlie Rich 70
70. Nilsson - Nilsson Schmilsson 71
71. Indestructible Beat of Soweto - Various 87
72. Jimi Hendrix - Blues 94
73. Sex Pistols - Never Mind The Bollocks... 77
74. Sly & The Family Stone - Stand 69
75. O'Jays - Back Stabbers 72
76. Jefferson Airplane - Surrealistic Pillow 67
77. Randy Travis - Storms of Life 86
78. Doors s/t 67
79. Beatles - Abbey Road 69
80. Lucinda Williams - s/t 88
81. Velvet Underground & Nico 67
82. Funkadelic - One Nation Under A Groove 78
83. Prince - Dirty Mind 80
84. Frank Sinatra - In The Wee Small Hours 55
85. Who - Who's Next 71
86. U2 - War 83
87. James Taylor - Sweet Baby James 70
88. Boz Scaggs - Silk Degrees 76
89. Louvin Brothers - Tragic Songs of Life 56
90. Stevie Wonder - Innervisions 73
91. Los Lobos - How Will The Wolf Survive 84
92. Paul McCartney & Wings - Band On The Run 74
93. Pink Floyd - Wish You Were Here 75
94. Bruce Springsteen - Born To Run 75
95. Bob Dylan - Blonde On Blonde 66
96. John Prine - s/t 71
97. Iggy and the Stooges - Raw Power 73
98. Rolling Stones - Beggars Banquet 68
99. Allman Brothers - Fillmore Concerts 71
100. Replacements - Let It Be 84
101. Jackson Browne - Running On Empty 78
102. Sly & The Family Stone - There's A Riot Goin' On 71
103. Fine Young Cannibals - Raw & The Cooked 89
104. Elvis Presley - NBC TV Special 68
105. Average White Band - AWB 74
106. John Coltrane - Giant Steps 60
107. Frank Zappa - We're Only In It For The Money 68
108. John Coltrane - A Love Supreme 64
109. Pink Floyd - Dark Side Of The Moon 73
110. Oasis - (What's The Story) Morning Glory 95
111. Neil Young - Rust Never Sleeps 79
112. Eagles - Hotel California 76
113. AC/DC - Back In Black 80
114. Bonnie Raitt - Give It Up 72
115. Don Henley - Building The Perfect Beast 84
116. Miles Davis - Tribute To Jack Johnson 71
117. Paul Simon - s/t 72
118. Elton John - Goodbye Yellow Brick Road 73
119. Zombies - Odessey & Oracle 68
120. Randy Newman - Good Old Boys 74
121. Cars - s/t 78
122. Joe Ely - Honky Tonk Masquerade 78
123. Frank Sinatra - Songs For Swingin' Lovers 56
124. Luther Vandross - Night I Fell In Love 85
125. Elton John - Rock of the Westies 75
126. Janet Jackson - Control 86
127. John Mellencamp - Lonesome Jubilee 87
128. Eric Clapton - 461 Ocean Boulevard 74
129. Everly Brothers - Roots 68
130. Clash - s/t 79
131. Terence Trent D'Arby - Introducing the Hardline According to... 87
132. Neil Young - Comes A Time 78
133. George Michael - Faith 87
134. Stevie Wonder - Talking Book 72
135. John Prine - Missing Years 91
136. Replacements - Tim 86
137. Elvis Costello - My Aim Is True 77
138. Bob Seger - Night Moves 76
139 LL Cool J - Mama Said Knock You Out 90
140. Lucinda Williams - Car Wheels On A Gravel Road 98
141. Beatles - White Album 68
142. Johnny Cash - At Folsom Prison 68
143. Elvis Presley - Elvis Is Back 60
144. Beastie Boys - Licensed To Ill 86
145. Big Star - Radio City 74
146. Love - Forever Changes 68
147. Michael Hurley, Unholy Modal Rounders, Jeffrey Frederick & Clamtones - Have Moicy! 76
148. Traveling Wilburys - Volume One 88
149. Talking Heads - Remain In Light 80
150. Lionel Richie - Can't Slow Down 83
151. Cyndi Lauper - She's So Unusual 83
152. Beach Boys - Wild Honey 67
153. Neil Sedaka - Sedaka's Back 74
154. Miles Davis - Bitches Brew 70
155. Chic - Risque 78
156. Television - Marquee Moon 77
157. George Jones - I Am What I Am 80
158. Simon & Garfunkel - Bookends 68
159. Guns N' Roses - Appetite For Destruction 87
160. Boston 76
161. Bob Dylan - Bringing It All Back Home 65
162. Beatles - Revolver 66
163. Creedence Clearwater Revival - Cosmo's Factory 70
164. Aretha Franklin - I Never Loved A Man 67
165. Linda Ronstadt - Heart Like A Wheel 74
166. Jimi Hendrix - Electric Ladyland 68
167. Moby - Play 99
168. Robert Cray - Strong Persuader 86
169. Marshall Crenshaw - s/t 82
170. Steely Dan - Katy Lied 75
171. Warren Zevon - Excitable Boy 78
172. New York Dolls - s/t 73
173. Nirvana - MTV Unplugged In New York 94
174. UB40 - Labour of Love 82
175. Bob Marley & The Wailers - Burnin' 74
176. Rolling Stones - Sticky Fingers 71
177. Culture - Two Sevens Clash 77
178. Prince - 1999 82
179. Neville Brothers - Yellow Moon 89
180. Warren Zevon - s/t 76
181. Spinners - Pick of the Litter 75
182. Graham Parker - Squeezing Out Sparks 79
183. Rolling Stones - Aftermath 66
184. Bob Dylan - John Wesley Harding 68
185. Soundgarden - Superunknown 94
186. REM - Document 87
187. Iris DeMent - Infamous Angel 92
188. Merle Haggard - Serving 190 Proof 79
189. Wild Tchoupitoulas 76
190. Earth Wind & Fire - That's The Way Of The World 75
191. Marvin Gaye - Let's Get It On 73
192. Oasis - Definitely Maybe 92
193. Grateful Dead - Workingman's Dead 70
194. Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young - Deja Vu 70
195. Velvet Underground - Loaded 70
196. Billy Bragg & Wilco - Mermaid Avenue 98
197. Stevie Ray Vaughan - In Step 89
198. Billy Joel - The Stranger 77
199. Alexander O'Neal - Hearsay 87
200. Al Green - Belle Album 77
201. Fountains of Wayne - Welcome Interstate Highway 03
202. Frank Sinatra - Only The Lonely 58
203. Huey Lewis & The News - Sports 83
204. Prince - 1999 82
205. Madonna - s/t 83
206. Tom Petty - Damn The Torpedoes 79
207. Husker Du - Candy Apple Grey 86
208. Minutemen - Double Nickels On The Dime 84
209. James Talley - Got No Milk...75
210. Dire Straits - Brothers In Arms 85
211. Black Uhuru - Red 81
212. Neil Young - Tonight's The Night 75
213. Beatles - With The Beatles 63
214. Mott The Hoople - All The Young Dudes 72
215. Santana - Abraxas 70
216. Waylon Jennings - Honky Tonk Heroes 73
217. Donna Summer - Bad Girls 79
218. Hole - Live Through This 94
219. Fleetwood Mac - s/t 75
220. Stevie Ray Vaughan - Sky Is Crying 91
221. Tom T. Hall - In Search Of A Song 71
222. Boston s/t 76
223. Smiths - Meat Is Murder 85
224. Nick Lowe - Jesus Of Cool or Pure Pop For Now People 78
225. Gang of Four - Entertainment 79
226. Def Leppard - Hysteria 87
227. New York Dolls - In Too Much Too Soon 74
228. Aerosmith - Toys In The Attic 75
229. Bob Seger - Stranger In Town 78
230. John Mellencamp - Uh-Huh 83
231. Dr. Buzzard's Original Savannah Band - s/t 76
232. Led Zeppelin - Houses of the Holy 73
233. Willie Nelson - Red Headed Stranger 75
234. Bette Midler - Divine Miss M 72
235. Madonna - Like A Prayer 87
236. Pretenders - Learning To Crawl 84
237. Police - Synchronicity 83
238. ABC - Lexicon of Love 82
239. Who - Live at Leeds 70
240. Beck - Mellow Gold 94
241. Beastie Boys - Paul's Boutique 89
242. Rick James - Street Songs 81
243. Van Halen - s/t 78
244. Blue Oyster Cult - Agents of Fortune 76
245. George Benson - Breezin' 76
246. George Harrison - All Things Must Pass 70
247. Marvin Gaye - Here My Dear 78
248. Tears For Fears - Songs From The Big Chair 85
249. Culture - Two Sevens Clash 78
250. MC5 - Kick Out The Jams 68
251. Todd Rundgren - Something/Anything 72
252. KC & The Sunshine Band - s/t 75
253. Tom Petty - Full Moon Fever 89
254. Public Enemy - It Takes A Nation Of Millions 88
255. Madonna - Ray of Light 98
256. Lynyrd Skynyrd - Street Survivors 77
257. Pavement - Slanted & Enchanted 92
258. Ornette Coleman - Free Jazz 61
259. Sonny Rollins - Saxophone Colossus 56
260. Bee Gees - Main Course 75
261. Lynyrd Skynyrd - One More From The Road 76
262. John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band 70
263. Clint Black - Killin' Time 89
264. U2 - Joshua Tree 87
265. Steve Earle - I Feel Alright 96
266. Elvis Presley - Elvis Country 71
267. Prince - Gold Experience 95
268. Simon & Garfunkel - Bridge Over Troubled Water 70
269. Beach Boys - Today 65
270. Beach Boys - Summer Days (And Summer Nights) 65
271. KC & The Sunshine Band - Part 3 76
272. Elvis Presley - He Touched Me 72
273. Miles Davis - In A Silent Way 69
274. Run-D.M.C. - Raising Hell 86
275. Rick Springfield - Working Class Dog 80
276. Social Distortion - Somewhere Between Heaven and Hell 94
277. Dwight Yoakam - Guitars, Cadillacs, Etc. Etc. 86
278. Randy Newman - Bad Love 99
279. Mandy Barnett - I've Got A Right To Cry 99
280. Steve Earle & The Del McCoury Band - The Mountain 99
281. ELO - Out of the Blue 77
282. Ricky Nelson - Ricky Sings Again 59
283. Cat Stevens - Tea for the Tillerman 71
284. D'Angelo - Voodoo 00
285. REO Speedwagon - Hi Infidelity 81
286. Billy Ocean - Suddenly 84
287. Duran Duran - Rio 82
288. Hank Williams Jr. - & Friends 75
289. Teenage Fanclub - Bandwagonesque 91
290. Stone Roses s/t 89
291. Jesus and Mary Chain - Psychocandy 86
292. Blasters s/t 81
293. Jeff Beck - Truth 68
294. Roxy Music - Siren 75
295. Bill Withers - Still Bill 72
296. Crosby, Stills & Nash 69
297. DJ Shadow - Endtroducing 96
298. Mother Earth Presents Tracy Nelson Country 69
299. Fairport Convention - Unhalfbricking 69
300. XTC - Skylarking 86
301. Queen - A Night At The Opera 75
302. Fugazi - Repeater 81
303. Soft Boys - Underwater Moonlight 80
304. Burning Spear - Marcus Garvey 76
305. Smokey Robinson & The Miracles - Going To A Go-Go 65
306. Rodney Crowell - Ain't Living Long Like This 78
307. James Taylor - JT 77
308. Wes Montgomery - Incredible Jazz Guitar of 60
309. Elton John - Tumbleweed Connection 71
310. De La Soul - Three Feet High and Rising 89
311. Kinks - Face To Face 66 68
312. Procol Harum - A Salty Dog 69
313. Alice Cooper - Love It To Death 71
314. Rod Stewart - Album 69
315. Led Zeppelin - Physical Graffiti 75
316. Dire Straits - Making Movies 80
317. Alexander Spence - Oar 69
318. New Order - Brotherhood 86
319. Joy Division - Unknown Pleasures 79
320. Emmylou Harris - Elite Hotel 75
321. Go-Betweens - 16 Lovers Lane 88
322. Rodney Crowell - Houston Kid 01
323. Dennis Wilson - Pacific Ocean Blue 77
324. Wire - Pink Flag 77
325. Barbra Streisand - Guilty 80
326. Fairport Convention - Liege & Lief 69
327. Mamas & The Papas - If You Can Believe 66
328. Iggy Pop - Lust for Life 77
329. Spirit - 12 Dreams of Dr. Sardonicus 70
330. Isaac Hayes - Hot Buttered Soul 69
331. Sweet - Desolation Blvd. 75
332. Vibrators 77
333. Psychedelic Furs - Talk Talk Talk 81
334. Public Image Ltd. - Second Edition 79
335. Mavericks - What A Crying Shame 97
336. Hold Steady - Separation Sunday 05
337. Billy Joe Shaver - Old Five and Dimers Like Me 73
338. Guy Clark - Old No. 1 75
339. Ted Nugent - Cat Scratch Fever 77
340. Pixies - Surfer Rosa 88
341. Squeeze - East Side Story 81
342. Dwight Twilley Band - Sincerely 76
343. Sir Douglas Quintet - Mendocino 69
344. Kinks - Something Else 68
345. Pogues - Rum, Sodomy & the Lash 85
346. White Stripes - White Blood Cells 01
347. Temptations - Sing Smokey 65
348. George Jones - Alone Again 76
349. Toots & The Maytals - Funky Kingston 73
350. David Bowie - Hunky Dory 71
351. Allman Brothers - Eat A Peach 72
352. Ricky Skaggs - Highways & Heartaches 82
353. Outkast - Stankonia 00
354. Jesse Winchester 70
355. Johnny Cash - American Recordings 94
356. Liz Phair - Exile In Guyville 93
357. Journey -Escape 81
358. Jerry Butler - Iceman Cometh 68
359. Augustus Pablo - East Of The River Nile 77
360. Ian Dury - New Boots & Panties 77
361. Heartbreakers - L.A.M.F. 77
362. Funkadelic - Let's Take It To The Stage 75
363. Bangles - All Over The Place 84
364. Otis Spann- Walkin' The Blues 60
365. Junior Wells - Hoodoo Man Blues 65
366. Rockpile - Seconds of Pleasure 80
367. Richard & Linda Thompson - I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight 74
368. Fela - Confusion 75
369. Ella Fitzgerald - Cole Porter Songbook 56
370. Miles Davis - Miles Ahead 57
371. Thelonious Monk & John Coltrane 57
372. Horace Silver - Song For My Father 64
373. Dexter Gordon - Our Man In Paris 63
374. Miles Davis - Milestones 58
375. Cecil Taylor - Unit Structures 66
376. Wayne Shorter - Speak No Evil 64
377. Danger Mouse - Grey Album 04
378. Nat King Cole Very Thought Of You 58
379. Mission Of Burma - VS. 82
380. Eric Dolphy - Out To Lunch 64
381. Smiths 84
382. Jerry Lee Lewis - Another Place Another Time 68
383. Pat Metheny/Ornette Coleman/ - Song X 85
384. Cannonball Adderley - Somethin' Else 58
385. Millie Jackson - Caught Up 74
386. Michael Jackson - Dangerous 91
387. Bad Company 74
388. Prefab Sprout - Two Wheels Good 85
389. Charlie Rich - Silver Linings 76
390. Cameo - Word Up 86
391. Thin Lizzy - Jailbreak 76
392. Diana Ross - Diana 80
393. Supertramp - Breakfast In America 79
394. Joe Jackson - Look Sharp 69
395. Doobie Brothers - Minute By Minute 78
396. John Stewart - California Bloodlines 79
397. Steve Earle - Copperhead Road 88
398. Blondie - Parallel Lines 78
399. Kaiser Chiefs 05
396. Merle Haggard - Pride In What I Am 69
397. KLF - White Room 91
398. Sonic Youth - Daydream Nation 88
399. Leonard Cohen - Songs of 67
400. Judy Garland - At Carnegie Hall 61
401. Amy Winehouse - Back To Black 07
402. Elton John - Captain Fantastic & The Brown Dirt Cowboy 75
403. Loretta Lynn - Van Lear Rose 04
404. Andrew Hill - Point of No Departure 64
405. John Hiatt -Bring The Family
406. Everly Brothers - It's Everly Time 60
407. Free- Fire and Water 70
408. Return To Forever - Romantic Warrior 76
409. Wilson Pickett - Exciting 66
410. Funkadelic - Maggot Brain 71
411. Cheap Trick - Heaven Tonight 78
