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The 500 Best Albums Since 1965

Surprisingly, I resisted making any sort of "all-time" album list for a long time. I can handle ranking albums in a one year span, but it's another thing to compare albums from completely different eras. Why start at 1965? Two reasons. 1965 was the year that rock really started to mature, with Dylan, The Beatles and Stones beginning to make full albums as a complete artistic statement, rather than some singles and filler. Also, my expertise on music before that year begins dwindles significantly. Lacking access to any deep vinyl-based collections of often out-of-print pre-1965 records, my knowledge is more sketchy, though I did make an effort to list the ones I know.

The top of the list favors 60s and 70s albums. Does that mean that music in the last 24 years isn't as good? Not necessarily. Earlier in history, there were fewer bands, and certainly fewer albums being produced. The great ones that came out were extremely important and had a huge cultural impact. This hasn't happened as much since the 80s. And the albums that did have a huge impact, like Thriller, Born In The U.S.A., Purple Rain and The Joshua Tree, while parts of them were great, were weakened by tracks that were tainted by a particular kind of 80s suckiness. Blame it on the production, hair, or just questionable taste, but they just haven't aged that well. I believe there's been more great music produced overall since the mid 90s. But it's more difficult to single out ones that are "classic" amongst all the excellent choices.. There are 136 albums that earned a perfect 10. That could be a lot or a little, depending on your perspective. Six (or 4%) are from the 90s, zero from the 00s. Maybe it's more difficult to recognize a classic without more hindsight, but I doubt it. I don't think I'm going to change my mind that the consensus albums like Nevermind, Screamadelica, Automatic For The People, Achtung Baby, Definitely Maybe are massively overrated. While there's more great music being produced than ever, there's fewer truly consistently great albums being made. Whether it's a slight rut in the creative zeitgeist, who knows. I am at the very least confident that the albums below deserve their rankings. The exact order is always debatable, and not all of them belong in your girlfriend's or parent's collections, but they're all my sweet babies.

    10

  1. The Stooges - Fun House (Elektra) 70
  2. Talking Heads - Remain In Light (Sire) 80
  3. Van Morrison - Astral Weeks (WB) 68
  4. The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Are You Experienced? (Reprise) 67
  5. The Beatles - Revolver (Capitol) 66
  6. The Velvet Underground - The Velvet Underground & Nico (Verve) 67
  7. Bob Dylan - Highway 61 Revisited (Columbia) 65
  8. The Modern Lovers (Beserkley/Rhino) 72
  9. The Congos - Heart Of The Congo (Blood & Fire) 77
  10. Television - Marquee Moon (Elektra) 77
  11. The Buzzcocks - Singles Going Steady (Restless) 79
  12. Hüsker Dü - Zen Arcade (SST) 84
  13. Sonic Youth - Daydream Nation (Enigma) 88
  14. The Minutemen - Double Nickels on the Dime (SST) 84
  15. The Feelies - Crazy Rhythms (Stiff/Line/A&M) 80
  16. Fela Kuti - Zombie (Universal) 77
  17. Joy Division - Unknown Pleasures (Factory) 79
  18. The Rolling Stones - Exile On Main St. (Rolling Stones) 72
  19. Brian Eno - Another Green World (EG) 75
  20. Gang of Four - Entertainment! (WB) 79
  21. The Raincoats (Rough Trade) 79
  22. Public Image Ltd. - Metal Box/Second Edition (Virgin) 79
  23. Wire - 154 (Restless) 79
  24. Talking Heads - Fear Of Music (Sire) 79
  25. The Clash - London Calling (Epic) 79
  26. Wire - Pink Flag (Restless) 77
  27. Sly & the Family Stone - There's A Riot Going On (Epic) 71
  28. The Who - My Generation (MCA) 65
  29. Tricky - Maxinquaye (Island) 95
  30. The Pixies - Surfer Rosa (4AD) 88
  31. Toots & the Maytals - Funky Kingston (Mango) 73
  32. Captain Beefheart & the Magic Band - Lick My Decals Off Baby (Straight) 70
  33. Captain Beefheart & the Magic Band - Doc At The Radar Station (Virgin) 80
  34. Joy Division - Closer (Factory) 80
  35. Bob Dylan - Blood On The Tracks (Columbia) 75
  36. Curtis Mayfield - Superfly (Curtom) 72
  37. T. Rex - Electric Warrior (Reprise) 71
  38. David Bowie - Hunky Dory (RCA) 71
  39. Tim Buckley - Starsailor (Straight) 71
  40. Brian Eno - Here Come The Warm Jets (EG) 73
  41. David Bowie - The Rise Of Ziggy Stardust & the Spiders From Mars (RCA) 72
  42. Captain Beefheart & the Magic Band - Trout Mask Replica (Reprise) 69
  43. The Velvet Underground (Verve) 69
  44. The Beatles - The White Album (Apple) 68
  45. Captain Beefheart & the Magic Band - Clear Spot (Reprise) 72
  46. R.E.M. - Murmur (IRS) 83
  47. Roxy Music (Reprise) 72
  48. Junior Murvin - Police & Thieves (Mango) 77
  49. Nick Drake - Pink Moon (Island) 72
  50. Al Green - I'm Still In Love With You (Hi) 72
  51. DJ Shadow - Endtroducing (Mo Wax) 96
  52. Lee Perry & The Upsetters - Super Ape (Mango) 76
  53. The Kinks - Arthur (Or The Decline And Fall Of The British Empire) (Reprise) 69
  54. Rico - Man From Wareika (Island) 76
  55. Bob Dylan - Blonde On Blonde (Columbia) 66
  56. Iggy Pop - Lust For Life (Virgin) 77
  57. Justin Hinds & The Dominoes - Jezebel (Island) 76
  58. The Rolling Stones - Let It Bleed (London) 69
  59. Public Enemy - Fear of a Black Planet (Def Jam) 90
  60. Cedric Im Brooks - The Light Of Saba (Total Sounds/Honest Jon's) 76
  61. The Beatles - Abbey Road (Apple) 69
  62. Al Green - Call Me (Hi) 73
  63. The Stooges - Raw Power (Columbia) 73
  64. Max Romeo & the Upsetters - War Ina Babylon (Mango/Hip-O Select) 76
  65. Fela Kuti - Roforofo Fight (MCA) 72
  66. Junior Byles - Beat Down Babylon (Trojan) 72
  67. The Abyssinians - Satta Massagana (Heartbeat) 76
  68. Keith Hudson - Flesh Of My Skin, Blood Of My Blood (Mamba/Atra) 74
  69. Led Zeppelin II (Atlantic) 69
  70. Yabby You - Conquering Lion (Prophets) 72
  71. The Mighty Diamonds - Right Time (Shanachie) 76
  72. Jimmy Cliff - The Harder They Come (Mango) 72
  73. Bob Marley & the Wailers - Catch A Fire (Tuff Gong/Island) 72
  74. Brian Eno - Taking Tiger Mountain By Strategy (EG) 74
  75. The Sex Pistols - Never Mind the Bullocks (WB) 77
  76. Bob Marley & the Wailers - Natty Dread (Tuff Gong/Island) 74
  77. The Clash (Epic) 77
  78. Pere Ubu - Dub Housing (Rough Trade) 78
  79. Richard Hell & the Voidoids - Blank Generation (Sire) 77
  80. George Faith - To Be A Lover (Black Swan/Hip-O Select) 77
  81. Patti Smith - Horses (Arista) 75
  82. Pere Ubu - The Modern Dance (Blank) 77
  83. Van Morrison - Moondance (WB) 70
  84. David Bowie - Low (RCA) 77
  85. Public Enemy - It Takes A Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back (Def Jam) 88
  86. Can - Ege Bamyasi (Spoon/Mute) 72
  87. Cecil Taylor - Unit Structures (Blue Note) 66
  88. Neu - Neu! 75 (Brain/Astralwerks) 75
  89. Comsat Angels - Sleep No More (Polydor/Renascent) 81
  90. Tom Zé - Estudando O Samba (EW) 75
  91. Burning Spear - Marcus Garvey (Mango) 75
  92. The Mystic Revelation Of Rastafari - Tales Of Mozambique (Dynamic) 75
  93. Max Romeo & the Upsetters - Revelation Time (Trojan/Blood & Fire) 75
  94. U2 - War (Island) 83
  95. The Heptones - Party Time (Mango/Island) 77
  96. Culture - Two Sevens Clash (Shanachie) 77
  97. Beastie Boys - Paul's Boutique (Capitol) 89
  98. George Russell - Electronic Sonata For Souls Loved By Nature (Soul Note) 67
  99. The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Axis: Bold As Love (Reprise) 67
  100. Captain Beefheart & the Magic Band - Shiny Beast (Bat Chain Puller) (Enigma) 78
  101. Tom Waits - Rain Dogs (Island) 85
  102. Talking Heads - More Songs About Buildings And Food (Sire) 78
  103. X-Ray Spex - Germ-Free Adolescents (Caroline) 78
  104. The Buzzcocks - Another Music In A Different Kitchen (Restless) 78
  105. Bob Dylan - Bringing It All Back Home (Columbia) 65
  106. John Coltrane - First Meditations (For Quartet) (Impulse) 65
  107. John Coltrane - Transition (Impulse) 65
  108. Mission Of Burma - VS. (Ace Of Hearts) 82
  109. Captain Beefheart & the Magic Band - Ice Cream For Crow (Virgin) 82
  110. Dennis Brown - Visions of Dennis Brown (Shanachie/Joe Gibbs) 78
  111. The Slits - Cut (Island) 79
  112. Young Marble Giants - Colossal Youth (Crepiscule) 79
  113. David Bowie - Lodger (RCA) 79
  114. Stiff Little Fingers - Inflammable Material (EMI) 79
  115. Disco Inferno - DI Go Pop (Rough Trade) 94
  116. Slint - Spiderland (Touch & Go) 91
  117. My Bloody Valentine - Loveless (Sire) 91
  118. The Ruts - The Crack (Virgin) 79
  119. Dennis Brown - Wolves And Leopards (Blue Moon) 77
  120. The Rolling Stones - Sticky Fingers (Rolling Stones) 71
  121. The Who - Meaty Beaty Big And Bouncy (MCA) 71
  122. The Fall - This Nation's Saving Grace (Beggars Banquet) 85
  123. The Birthday Party (Missing Link) 80
  124. X - Los Angeles (Slash) 80
  125. The Birthday Party - Prayers On Fire (4AD) 81
  126. Ramones - Rocket To Russia (Sire) 77
  127. New York Dolls (Mercury) 73
  128. Can - Soon Over Babaluma (Spoon/Mute) 74
  129. David Bowie - Aladdin Sane (Rykodisc) 73
  130. Pink Fairies - Kings Of Oblivion (Polydor) 73
  131. Tom Waits - Bone Machine (Island) 92
  132. Tom Waits - The Black Rider (Island) 93
  133. Tortoise - Millions Now Living Will Never Die (Thrill Jockey) 96
  134. John McLaughlin - Extrapolation (Polydor) 69
  135. The Maytals - Monkey Man (Trojan) 70
  136. King Sunny Ade - Aura (Mango) 84
  137. Nina Simone - Wild Is The Wind (Four Women) (Philips) 66
  138. Can - Future Days (Spoon/Mute) 73
  139. David Bowie - Scary Monsters (RCA)
  140. The Raincoats - Ody Shape (Rough Trade) 81
  141. Martha and the Muffins - This Is The Ice Age (Dindisc/Virgin) 81
  142. David Byrne/Brian Eno - My Life In The Bush Of Ghosts (Sire) 81
  143. The Sound - From The Lions Mouth (Korova/Renascent) 81
  144. Lee Perry & the Upsetters - Blackboard Jungle Dub (Upsetter/Trojan) 73
  145. This Heat - Deceit (Rough Trade) 81
  146. Gang of Four - Solid Gold (WB) 81
  147. The Au Pairs - Playing With A Different Sex (Human/RPM) 81
  148. Bad Brains - Attitude(ROIR/In-Effect) 81
  149. John Coltrane - Meditations (Impulse) 65

    10-

  150. Funkadelic - Maggot Brain (Westbound) 71
  151. Velvet Underground - White Light/White Heat (Verve) 68
  152. The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Electric Ladyland (Reprise) 68
  153. Elvis Costello & the Attractions - This Year's Model (Columbia) 78
  154. The Rolling Stones - Beggars Banquet (London/Abko) 68
  155. Carla Bley and Paul Haines - Escalator Over The Hill (ECM) 71
  156. Soft Machine - Third (CBS) 70
  157. Ash Ra Tempel (Spalax) 71
  158. Radiohead - Kid A (Capitol) 00
  159. Steve Reich - Music For 18 Musicians (ECM) 78
  160. Curtis Mayfield - Curtis (Curtom) 70
  161. Black Sabbath - Paranoid (WB) 70
  162. Amon Düül II - Yeti (Liberty) 70
  163. Black Sabbath (WB) 70
  164. Neil Young - After The Gold Rush (Reprise) 70
  165. Massive Attack - Blue Lines (Virgin) 91
  166. The Beach Boys - Pet Sounds (Capitol) 66
  167. The Beatles - Rubber Soul (Capitol) 65
  168. La Dusseldorf (Radar) 76
  169. John Coltrane - The John Coltrane Quartet Plays (Impulse) 65
  170. John Coltrane - Sun Ship (Impulse) 65
  171. Cluster - Zuckerzeit (Brain) 74
  172. Harmonia - Deluxe (Brain) 75
  173. The Meditations - Message From The Meditations (UA) 76
  174. Parliament - Mothership Connection (Casablanca) 75
  175. Talk Talk - Laughing Stock (Polydor) 91
  176. Funkadelic (Westbound) 69
  177. The Stooges (Elektra) 69
  178. Led Zeppelin I (Atlantic) 68
  179. Big Star - Radio City (Argent) 74
  180. Free (A&M/Island) 69
  181. Tim Buckley - Happy/Sad (Elektra) 69
  182. The Adverts - Crossing the Red Sea With The Adverts (Devils Jukebox) 78
  183. Wire - Chairs Missing (Restless) 78
  184. Velvet Underground - Loaded (WB) 70
  185. Atomic Rooster - Death Walks Behind You (Elektra) 70
  186. Hawkwind - Hall Of the Mountain Grill (UA/One Way) 74
  187. Tim Buckley - Lorca (Elektra) 70
  188. Sun Ra & his Arkestra - The Magic City (Saturn) 65
  189. Charlie Haden - Liberation Music Orchestra (Impulse!) 69
  190. Don Cherry - Mu (Actuel/Charly) 69
  191. Sun Ra - The Heliocentric Worlds of Sun Ra, Vol. 1 (ESP) 65
  192. Charles Mingus - Mingus at Carnegie Hall (Atlantic) 74
  193. Aretha Franklin - I Never Loved A Man The Way I Loved You (Atlantic) 67
  194. Lee Perry - Roast Fish Collie Weed and Corn Bread (Upsetter/VP) 78
  195. The Chantells - Waiting In The Park (Phase One) 78
  196. Ijahman - Haile I Hymn (Mango/Jahmani) 78
  197. The Jolly Brothers - Conscious Man (Seven Leaves) 78
  198. The Meditations - Wake Up (Third World) 78
  199. David Bowie - Heroes (RCA) 78
  200. David Bowie - The Man Who Sold The World (RCA) 70
  201. Twink - Think Pink (Akarma) 70
  202. Public Enemy - Apocalypse '91...The Enemy Strikes Black (Columbia) 91
  203. Miles Davis - Bitches Brew (Columbia) 70
  204. Sonic Youth - Sister (SST) 87
  205. Big Star - Sister Lovers (Aura) 74
  206. Caetano Veloso (Philips) 68
  207. The Kinks - The Village Green Preservation Society (Reprise) 68
  208. Tom Zé (Sony) 68
  209. Japan - Tin Drum (Virgin) 81
  210. Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark - Architecture & Morality (Virgin) 81
  211. Talking Heads - The Name Of The Band Is Talking Heads (Sire) 81
  212. Peter Brotzmann - Machine Gun (FMP) 68
  213. Bunny Wailer - Blackheart Man (Island) 76
  214. Captain Beefheart & his Magic Band - Strictly Personal (Blue Thumb) 68
  215. Dr. John The Night Tripper - Gris-Gris (Atco/Rhino) 68
  216. Aretha Franklin - Lady Soul (Atlantic) 68
  217. David Bowie - Station To Station (RCA) 76
  218. Johnny Clarke - Rockers Time Now (Front Line) 76
  219. Gilberto Gil (Philips) 68
  220. Pink Floyd - The Piper At the Gates Of Dawn (Columbia) 67
  221. The Kinks - Something Else (Reprise) 67
  222. The Kinks - Face To Face (Reprise/ESM) 66
  223. Augustus Pablo - King Tubbys Meets Rockers Uptown (Shanachie) 76
  224. The Pretty Things - S.F. Sorrow (Harvest) 68
  225. Don Cherry - Symphony For Improvisers (Blue Note) 66
  226. Duke Ellington - The Far East Suite (Bluebird) 66
  227. Nina Simone - Sings The Blues (RCA) 66
  228. Nick Drake - Five Leaves Left (Island) 68
  229. John Coltrane - Coltrane Live At The Village Vanguard Again! (Impulse) 66
  230. Serge Gainsbourg - Initials B.B. (Polygram) 68
  231. Morton Subotnick - Silver Apples of the Moon for Electronic Music Synthesizer (Nonesuch) 68
  232. Led Zeppelin III (Atlantic) 70
  233. TV On The Radio - Return To Cookie Mountain (4AD/Interscope) 06
  234. Marianne Faithfull - Broken English (Island) 79
  235. Miles Davis - Miles Smiles (Columbia) 66
  236. Jacob Miller - Who Say Jah No Dread (Ras) 75
  237. The Specials (Chrysalis) 79
  238. The Pop Group - Y (Radar) 79
  239. The Sound - Jeopardy (Korova/Renascent) 80
  240. The Jam - Sound Affects (Polydor) 80
  241. Echo & the Bunnymen - Crocodiles (Sire) 80
  242. Björk - Homogenic (Elektra) 97
  243. Colin Newman - A-Z (Restless/Beggars Banquet) 80
  244. The Jam - All Mod Cons (Polydor) 78
  245. Funkadelic - Cosmic Slop (Westbound) 73
  246. Miles Davis - On The Corner (Columbia) 73
  247. Toots & the Maytals - In The Dark (Trojan) 73
  248. Bruce Springsteen - Darkness On The Edge Of Town (Columbia) 78
  249. The Chantells - Children Of Jah 1977-79 (Blood & Fire)
  250. Portishead - Dummy (Go! Discs) 94
  251. T. Rex - The Slider (Reprise) 72
  252. Bob Dylan - John Wesley Harding (Columbia) 68
  253. Bob Marley & the Wailers - African Herbsman (Trojan) 72
  254. Faust - So Far (Recommended) 72
  255. Radiohead - OK Computer (Capitol) 97
  256. PJ Harvey - To Bring You My Love (Island) 95
  257. Björk Vespertine (Elektra) 01
  258. TV On The Radio - Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes (Touch & Go) 04
  259. Björk - Post (Elektra) 95
  260. Betty Davis (Just Sunshine/Aztec) 73
  261. Betty Davis - They Say I'm Different (Just Sunshine/Aztec) 74
  262. Laika - Silver Apples Of The Moon (Too Pure) 94
  263. Tortoise (Thrill Jockey) 94
  264. Alice Coltrane - Ptah the El Daoud (Impulse!) 70
  265. Talking Heads - Talking Heads: 77 (Sire) 77
  266. Kraftwerk - Trans-Europe Express (Capitol) 77
  267. The Damned - Damned Damned Damned (Demon) 77
  268. The Replacements - Let It Be (Twin/Tone) 84
  269. Slayer - Reign In Blood (American) 86
  270. Metallica - Master of Puppets (Elektra) 86
  271. The Feelies - The Good Earth (Coyote) 86
  272. The Woodentops - Giant (Rough Trade/Columbia) 86
  273. Screaming Blue Messiahs - Gun Shy (Elektra) 86
  274. Metallica - Ride The Lightning (Elektra) 84
  275. Lizzy Mercier Descloux - Zulu Rock (Ze) 84
  276. The Birthday Party - Junkyard (Virgin) 82
  277. The Fall - Hex Enduction Hour (Kamera/Situation Two) 82
  278. Chico Science & Nação Zumbi - Afrociberdelia (Chaos) 96
  279. PJ Harvey - Rid Of Me (Island) 93
  280. Orange Juice - You Can't Hide Your Love Forever (Polydor) 82
  281. Spiritualized - Ladies And Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space (Arista) 97
  282. Dome - Will You Speak This Word (Dome/Grey Area) 82
  283. Dream Syndicate - Days of Wine and Roses (Big Time) 82
  284. The Jam - In The City (Polydor) 77
  285. Virgin Prunes - If I Die, I Die (Mute) 82
  286. Pere Ubu - Datapanik In The Year Zero EP (Radar) 75
  287. X - Under The Big Black Sun (Elektra) 82
  288. John McLaughlin & Carlos Santana - Love Devotion Surrender (Columbia) 73
  289. Radiohead - Hail To The Thief (Capitol) 03
  290. Four Tet - Rounds (Domino) 03
  291. Café Tacvba - Quatro Caminos (MCA) 03
  292. R.E.M. - Reckoning (IRS) 84 84
  293. The Pogues - Red Roses For Me (WEA) 84
  294. Julian Cope - World Shut Your Mouth (Mercury/Fontana) 84
  295. The Blue Nile - A Walk Across The Rooftops (Linn/Virgin) 84
  296. The Fall - The Wonderful And Frightening World Of The Fall (Beggars Banquet) 84
  297. The Fall - Grotesque (Rough Trade) 80
  298. Naked Raygun - Throb Throb (Homestead) 84
  299. Killing Joke - Killing Joke (EG) 80
  300. The Pretenders - The Pretenders (Sire) 80
  301. Jimmy Cliff - Wonderful World, Beautiful People (Island/Trojan) 69
  302. Kiddus I - Rockers: Graduation In Zion 1978-1980 (Dub Store)
  303. The Tony Williams Lifetime - Emergency (Polydor) 69
  304. Euphoria - A Gift From Euphoria (Capitol) 69
  305. Velvet Underground - VU (Verve) 69
  306. MC5 - Kick Out The Jams (Elektra) 69
  307. Can - Monster Movie (Spoon/Mute) 69
  308. The Upsetters - Return of Django (Trojan) 69
  309. Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five - Best Of 1980-1984 (Rhino)
  310. Sly & The Family Stone - Life (Epic) 68
  311. Os Mutantes - Mutantes (Omplatten) 69
  312. Caetano Veloso (Philips) 69
  313. Sly & the Family Stone - Stand! (Epic) 69
  314. The Impressions - The Young Mods' Forgotten Story (Curtom) 69
  315. The Meters - Look A-Py Py (Josie) 69
  316. Can - Tago Mago (Spoon/Mute) 71
  317. MC5 - High Time (Rhino/Atlantic) 71
  318. Bim Sherman - Love Forever (Tribesmen/Century) 78
  319. The Soft Boys - Underwater Moonlight (Rykodisc) 80
  320. English Beat - I Just Can't Stop It (Sire) 80
  321. Magazine - The Correct Use of Soap (Virgin) 80
  322. The Maytals - From The Roots (Trojan) 70
  323. Tangerine Dream - Electronic Meditation (Sequel) 70
  324. Popol Vuh - Affenstunde (Tempel) 70
  325. Funkadelic - Free Your Mind And Your Ass Will Follow (Westbound) 70
  326. John Lennon - Plastic Ono Band (EMI) 70
  327. Brigitte Fontaine - Comme a la Radio (Saravah) 70
  328. The Comsat Angels - Waiting For A Miracle (Polydor/Renascent) 80
  329. Arto Lindsay - Noon Chill (Bar/None) 98
  330. PJ Harvey - Is This Desire? (Island) 98
  331. The Mahavishnu Orchestra - The Inner Mounting Flame (Columbia) 72
  332. Big Star - #1 Record (Argent) 72
  333. Stevie Wonder - Talking Book (Tamla) 72
  334. Neu! (Brain/Astralwerks) 72
  335. Tim Buckley - Greetings From L.A. (WB) 72
  336. Ash Ra Tempel - Schwingungen (Spalax) 72
  337. Neutral Milk Hotel - In The Aeroplane Over The Sea (Merge) 98
  338. Funkadelic - Standing On the Verge Of Getting It On (Westbound) 74
  339. Michael Prophet - Serious Reasoning (Island) 80
  340. The Meters - Rejuvenation (Reprise) 74
  341. Asian Dub Foundation - Facts And Fictions (Nation) 95
  342. Radiohead - The Bends (Capitol) 95
  343. Robert Wyatt - Rock Bottom (Thirsty Ear) 74
  344. Neil Young - On The Beach (Reprise) 74
  345. Dirty Three (Touch & Go) 95
  346. Faust (Recommended) 71
  347. The Doors - The Doors (Elektra) 67
  348. Love - Forever Changes (Elektra) 67
  349. Miles Davis - Nefertiti (Columbia) 67
  350. Sun Ra - Atlantis (Evidence) 67
  351. Cockney Rebel - Psychomodo (EMI) 74
  352. John Coltrane - Interstellar Space (Impulse) 67
  353. Albert Ayler Trio - Love Cry (Impulse) 67
  354. Archie Shepp - Magic Of Ju-Ju (Impulse) 67
  355. Otis Redding - The Immortal (Stax/Atlantic)67
  356. Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band - Safe As Milk (Buddha) 67
  357. Herbie Hancock - Mwandishi (WB) 71
  358. Bob Marley & the Wailers - Soul Rebels (Trojan) 70
  359. N.W.A. - Straight Outta Compton (Ruthless) 88
  360. Fela Kuti - Open & Close (Universal) 71
  361. Popol Vuh - In Den Garten Pharaos (Tempel/Spalax) 71
  362. Al Green - Let's Stay Together (Hi) 71
  363. Joni Mitchell - Blue (Reprise) 71
  364. The Kinks - Muswell Hillbillies (RCA/Rhino) 71
  365. Alice Coltrane - Universal Consciousness (Impulse!) 71
  366. Alice Coltrane - World Galaxy (Impulse!) 71
  367. Suicide (Red Star) 77
  368. Elvis Costello - My Aim Is True (Columbia) 77
  369. Electric Light Orchestra - Out Of The Blue (Jet) 77
  370. Fela Kuti - Sorrow Tears And Blood (Universal) 77
  371. Fela Kuti - Shuffering and Shmiling (Universal) 77
  372. Ramones - Leave Home (Sire) 77
  373. Horace Andy - In The Light (Blood & Fire) 77
  374. The Mahavishnu Orchestra - Birds Of Fire (Columbia) 73
  375. Fela Kuti - Gentleman (Universal) 73
  376. Heldon - Interface (Cuneiform/Rune) 77
  377. The Saints - (I'm) Stranded (EMI) 77
  378. Cedric Im Brooks - The Light Of Saba In Reggae (Total Sounds) 77
  379. Giorgio Moroder - From Here To Eternity (Oasis/Repertoire) 77
  380. Ramones - Ramones (Sire) 76
  381. The Breeders - Pod (4AD) 90
  382. Asian Dub Foundation - Rafi's Revenge (London) 98
  383. Dr. Octagon - Dr. Octagonecologyst (75 Ark) 96
  384. Labradford - A Stable Reference (Kranky) 95
  385. Dirty Three - Horse Stories (Touch & Go) 96
  386. Roy Harper - HQ (Science Friction) 75
  387. Neil Young - Tonight's The Night (Reprise) 75
  388. Labradford (Kranky) 96
  389. Eleventh Dream Day - Prairie School Freakout (Thrill Jockey/Amoeba) 88
  390. Talk Talk - Spirit Of Eden (EMI) 88
  391. My Bloody Valentine - Isn't Anything (Creation) 88
  392. Tom Zé - Fabrication Defect (Luaka Bop) 98
  393. Fugazi - Repeater (Dischord) 90
  394. De La Soul - Three Feet And Rising (Tommy Boy) 90
  395. Dinosaur Jr. - You're Living All Over Me (SST) 87
  396. Hüsker Dü - Flip Your Wig (SST) 85
  397. The Pogues - Rum Sodomy & The Lash (WEA) 85
  398. Meat Puppets - Up On The Sun (SST) 85
  399. Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds - Your Funeral . . . My Trial (Homestead) 86
  400. The Magnetic Fields - 69 Love Songs (Merge) 99
  401. The Flaming Lips - The Soft Bulletin (WB) 99
  402. PJ Harvey - Stories From the City, Stories From the Sea (Island) 00
  403. N*E*R*D - In Search Of ... (Virgin) 02
  404. Run D.M.C. - Raising Hell (Profile) 86
  405. Souled American - Around The Horn (Rough Trade) 90
  406. Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds - Tender Prey (Mute) 88
  407. Hüsker Dü - New Day Rising (SST) 85
  408. The Jesus & Mary Chain - Psychocandy (WB) 85
  409. Eric B. & Rakim - Paid In Full (4th & Broadway) 87
  410. Dinosaur Jr. - Bug (SST) 88
  411. Amon Tobin - Supermodified (Ninja Tune) 00
  412. EPMD - Strictly Business (Sleeping Bag/Fresh) 88
  413. The Jungle Brothers - Straight Out The Jungle (Warlock) 93
  414. Queens Of The Stone Age - Songs For The Deaf (Interscope) 02
  415. Asian Dub Foundation - Community Music (London) 00
  416. Amon Tobin - Out From Out Where (Ninja Tune) 02
  417. The Notwist - Neon Golden (City Slang) 02
  418. Arto Lindsay - Prize (Righteous Babe) 99
  419. Herbie Hancock - Sextant (Columbia) 73
  420. Serge Gainsbourg - Vu De L' Exterieur (Philips Fr) 73
  421. Bob Marley & the Wailers - Burnin' (Tuff Gong/Island) 73
  422. Devo - Q: Are We Not Men? A. We Are Devo (WB) 78
  423. Generation X (Chrysalis) 78
  424. The Buzzcocks - Love Bites (Restless) 78
  425. The Saints - Eternally Yours (EMI) 78
  426. Baaba Maal - Lam Toro (Island/Palm Pictures) 93
  427. The Beatles - Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Capitol) 67
  428. Roxy Music - For Your Pleasure (EG) 73
  429. Boogie Down Productions - By All Means Necessary (Jive) 88
  430. Ultramagnetic MCs - Critical Beatdown (Next Plateau) 88
  431. Mastodon - Blood Mountain (Reprise) 06
  432. Opeth - Ghost Reveries (Roadrunner) 05
  433. Patrick Wolf - Wind In The Wires (Tomlab) 05
  434. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Show Your Bones (Interscope) 06
  435. Etta James - Tell Mama (Chess) 67
  436. Augustus Pablo - This Is (Kaya/Heartbeat) 73
  437. Tony Allen & Afrobeat 2000 - N.E.P.A. (Wrasse) 85
  438. Björk - Debut (Elektra) 93
  439. PJ Harvey - Dry (Island) 92
  440. Liz Phair - Exile In Guyville (Matador) 93
  441. Afghan Whigs - Gentlemen (Elektra) 93
  442. Beastie Boys - Check Your Head (Capitol) 92
  443. Seam - The Problem With Me (Touch & Go) 93
  444. Dog Faced Hermans - Hum Of Life (Project A Bomb) 93
  445. Nirvana - In Utero (Geffen) 93
  446. The Jesus Lizard - Goat (Touch & Go) 91
  447. Laika - Sounds of the Satellites (Too Pure) 97
  448. Arto Lindsay - Mundo Civilizado (Bar/None) 97
  449. Walt Mink - Miss Happiness (Caroline) 92
  450. God - Possession (Virgin) 92
  451. The Jesus Lizard - Liar (Touch & Go) 92
  452. Fugazi - 13 Songs (Dischord) 89
  453. Nirvana - Nevermind (Geffen) 91
  454. A Tribe Called Quest - The Low End Theory (Jive) 91
  455. Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan - Devotional & Love Songs (Real World) 92
  456. Tom Waits - Swordfishtrombones (Elektra) 83
  457. Bad Brains - Rock For Light (Line) 83
  458. The Birthday Party - The Bad Seed/Mutiny! EPs (4AD) 83
  459. The Minutemen - What Makes A Man Start Fires? (SST) 83
  460. Walt Mink - Colossus (Deep Elm) 97
  461. Aztec Camera - High Land, Hard Rain (Sire) 83
  462. Roxy Music - Country Life (EG) 74
  463. David Bowie - Diamond Dogs (RCA) 74
  464. Popol Vuh - Einsjager & Siebenjager (Spalax) 74
  465. Fela Kuti - He Miss Road (Universal) 74
  466. Prince Lincoln & The Royal Rasses - Humanity (Ballistic/Orange Street) 79
  467. Dennis Brown - Just Dennis (Trojan) 74
  468. Blondie - Blondie (Chrysalis) 76
  469. Harry Mudie - Harry Mudie Meets King Tubby In Dub Conference Vol. One (Moodisc) 76
  470. The Fall - Dragnet (Step Forward) 79
  471. The Jam - Setting Sons (Polydor) 79
  472. The Jungle Brothers - Done By The Forces Of Nature (WB) 89
  473. Essential Logic - Beat Rhythm News (Rough Trade) 79
  474. Elvis Costello & the Attractions - Armed Forces (Columbia) 79
  475. The Damned - Machine Gun Etiquette (Chiswick) 79
  476. Contortions (James Chance & the) - Buy (Arista/Infinite Zero) 79
  477. The Violent Femmes (Slash) 83
  478. The Minutemen - Buzz Or Howl Under The Influence Of Heat (SST) 83
  479. Orchestral Manoevres In The Dark - Dazzle Ships (Virgin) 83
  480. Yellow Magic Orchestra - Technodelic (EMI/Alfa) 81
  481. The Sound - The BBC Recordings: Sessions (Rensascent) 81
  482. X - Wild Gift (Slash) 81
  483. The Go-Betweens - Before Hollywood (Beggars Banquet) 83
  484. Social Distortion - Mommy's Little Monster (XXX) 83
  485. Mission Of Burma - Signals, Calls And Marches EP (Ace Of Hearts) 81
  486. The Blue Orchids - The Greatest Hit (Rough Trade) 81
  487. Art Bears - The World As It Is Today (Recommended) 81
  488. Lizzy Mercier Descloux - Mambo Nassau (Ze) 81
  489. Minor Threat - Out Of Step (Dischord) 83
  490. Archie Shepp - Mama Too Tight (Impulse) 66
  491. Small Faces (Polygram) 66
  492. The Animals - Animalisms (Repertoire/Decca) 66
  493. The Yardbirds - Roger The Engineer (Columbia/Edsel) 66
  494. Nina Simone - Let It All Out (Philips) 66
  495. Nina Simone - High Priestess Of Soul (Philips) 66
  496. Liliput (Rough Trade/Kill Rock Stars) 82
  497. The Royals - Pick Up The Pieces (Pressure Sounds) 77
  498. The Heptones - Night Food (Mango/Island) 76
  499. Augustus Pablo - East Of The River Nile (Message/Shanachie) 77
  500. Al Green - The Belle Album (Hi) 77

    Honorable mentions:

  501. Bob Marley & the Wailers - Exodus (Tuff Gong/Island) 77
  502. James Blood Ulmer - Black Rock (Columbia) 82
  503. Fela Kuti - Fela's London Scene (Makossa) 70
  504. Orchestra Baobob - Pirates Choice (Nonesuch/World Circuit) 82
  505. Harry Nilsson - Pandemonium Shadow Show (RCA) 67
  506. Tim Buckley - Blue Afternoon (Straight) 70
  507. Nico - The Marble Index (Elektra) 69
  508. Rico & The Rudies - Blow Your Horn (Trojan) 69
  509. Al Green - Al Green Gets Next To You (Hi) 70
  510. The Maytals - Sweet And Dandy (Beverly's) 70
  511. Can - Soundtracks (Spoon/Mute) 70
  512. Miles Davis - E.S.P. (Columbia) 65
  513. John Coltrane - The John Coltrane Quartet Plays (Impulse) 65
  514. Archie Shepp - Fire Music (Impulse) 65
  515. Sun Ra - The Heliocentric Worlds of Sun Ra, Vol. 2 (ESP) 65
  516. Albert Ayler Trio - Spirits Rejoice (ESP) 65
  517. Otis Redding - The Great Otis Redding Sings Soul Ballads (Stax/Atlantic) 65
  518. Otis Redding - Otis Blue (Stax/Atlantic) 65
  519. Nina Simone - I Put A Spell On You (Philips) 65
  520. Nina Simone - Pastel Blues (Philips) 65
  521. Herbie Hancock - Fat Albert Rotunda (WB) 70
  522. Nick Drake - Bryter Layter (Island) 70
  523. Wayne McGhie & The Sounds Of Joy (Light in the Attic) 70
  524. Bob Andy - Song Book (Studio One) 70
  525. John Coltrane - Expression (Impulse) 67
  526. Horace Andy - Skylarking (Trojan) 70
  527. Miles Davis - A Tribute To Jack Johnson (Columbia) 70
  528. Lora Logic - Pedigree Charm (Rough Trade) 82
  529. The Art Ensemble Of Chicago - With Fontella Bass (America) 70
  530. King Sunny Ade - Juju Music (Mango) 82
  531. Free - Fire And Water (A&M/Island) 70
  532. The Cables - What Kind Of World (Heartbeat) 70
  533. Hüsker Dü - Metal Circus EP (SST) 83
  534. Betty Davis - Nasty Gal (Just Sunshine/Aztec) 75
  535. Aretha Franklin - Amazing Grace (Atlantic) 72
  536. Gilberto Gil - Expresso (Mercury) 72
  537. Fela Kuti - Shakara (EMI) 72
  538. Fela Kuti - Confusion (Polydor) 75
  539. Amon Düül II - Carnival In Babylon (Mantra) 72
  540. Amon Düül II - Wolf City (Mantra) 72
  541. The Monks - Black Monk Time (Repertoire) 66
  542. Serge Gainsbourg - L' Homme a Tete De Chou (Philips Fr) 76
  543. Cedric Im Brooks & The Divine Light - From Mento To Reggae To Third World Music (Doctor Bird) 75
  544. The Rolling Stones - Aftermath (London/Abko) 66
  545. Sly & The Family Stone - A Whole New Thing (Epic) 66
  546. The Shadows Of Knight - Back Door Men (Dunwich/Sundazed) 66
  547. Toots & the Maytals - Reggae Got Soul (Mango) 76
  548. John Coltrane - Stellar Regions (Impulse) 67
  549. The Pretty Things - Get The Picture (Fontana) 66
  550. The Who - A Quick One (Happy Jack) (MCA) 66
  551. Burial - Untrue (Hyperdub) 07
  552. Serge Gainsbourg - Histoire de Melody Nelson (Philips Fr) 71
  553. Otis Redding - Dictionary Of Soul (Stax/Atlantic) 66
  554. Gladiators - Trench Town Mix Up (Front Line/Virgin) 76
  555. Yabby You - Chant Down Babylon Kingdom (Nationwide) 76
  556. Electric Light Orchestra - A New World Record (Jet/Epic Legacy) 76
  557. Cluster - Sowiesoso (Sky) 76
  558. The Wailing Souls (Studio One) 76
  559. Johnny Clarke - Authorized Version (Front Line) 76
  560. Otis Redding - The Soul Album (Stax/Atlantic) 66
  561. La Dusseldorf - Viva (Radar) 78
  562. Magazine - Real Life (Virgin) 78
  563. Cedric Im Brooks - United Africa (Aquarius) 78
  564. Burning Spear - Social Living (Blood & Fire) 78
  565. Chrome - Alien Soundtracks (Touch & Go) 78
  566. The Mars Volta - De-Loused In The Comatorium (GSL/Universal) 03
  567. The Only Ones (Columbia) 78
  568. Roy Harper - Valentine (Chrysalis) 74
  569. XTC - Drums And Wires (Virgin) 79
  570. Heldon - Stand By (Cunneiform/Rune) 79
  571. The Jungle Brothers - J. Beez Wit The Remedy (WB) 93
  572. Gary Numan - The Pleasure Principle (Atco/Beggars Banquet) 79
  573. Chrome - Half Machine Lip Moves (Touch & Go) 79
  574. Art Bears - Winter Songs (Ralph/Recommended) 79
  575. Gregory Isaacs - Soon Forward (Virgin) 79

    9+

  576. The Beatles - The Magical Mystery Tour (Capitol) 67
  577. Curtis Mayfield - Roots (Curtom) 71
  578. John Coltrane - Ascension (Impulse) 65
  579. Kassin +2 - Futurismo (Video Arts Japan/Luaka Bop) 06
  580. Curtis Mayfield - There's No Place Like America Today (Curtom) 75
  581. Curtis Mayfield - Sweet Exorcist (Curtom) 74
  582. Al Green - Explores Your Mind (Hi) 74
  583. Stevie Wonder - Innervisions (Tamla) 73
  584. Robert Calvert - Captain Lockheed & The Star Fighters (UA/BGO) 74
  585. The Young Gods - Only Heaven (Interscope) 95
  586. Son Of Bazerk - Bazerk Bazerk Bazerk (Soul/MCA) 91
  587. Cornelius - 69/96 (Trattoria) 95
  588. Radiohead - In Rainbows (ATO) 07
  589. Chico Science & Nação Zumbi - De Lama Ao Caos (Chaos) 95
  590. AC/DC - Highway To Hell (Epic) 79
  591. Bill Withers - Just As I Am (Sussex) 71
  592. Apparat - Walls (Bpitch Control) 07
  593. Hawkwind - In Search Of Space (UA/One Way) 71
  594. Yeasayer - All Hour Cymbals (We Are Free) 07
  595. The Doors - Strange Days (Elektra) 67
  596. R.E.M. - Fables of the Reconstruction (IRS) 85
  597. Thin Lizzy - Black Rose: A Rock Legend (Mercury/Vertigo) 79
  598. Robert Fripp - Exposure (EG) 79
  599. Lizzy Mercier Descloux - Press Color (Ze) 79
  600. Queens of the Stone Age - Rated R (Interscope) 00
  601. Amon Düül II - Phallus Dei (Revisited) 69
  602. Sussan Deyhim - Madman Of God: Divine Love Songs of the Persian Sufi Masters (CramWorld)
  603. Hawksley Workman - For Him And The Girls (Isadora/Ba Da Bing) 00
  604. Cornelius - Fantasma (Matador) 98
  605. Hawksley Workman - (Last Night We Were) The Delicious Wolves (Universal) 01
  606. The Strokes - Is This It (RCA/BMG) 01
  607. Brian Wilson - SMiLE (Nonesuch) 04
  608. Mastodon - Leviathan (Relapse) 04
  609. My Computer - No CV (Tesla UK) 05
  610. Franz Ferdinand - You Could Have It So Much Better (Domino) 05
  611. Junior Boys - Last Exit (Kin UK) 04
  612. Rob - Satyred Love (Source/Virgin Fr) 02
  613. My Computer - Vulnerabilia (13 Amp UK) 02
  614. Arto Lindsay - Invoke (Righteous Babe) 02
  615. The Walkmen - Bows And Arrows (Record Collection) 04
  616. Arto Lindsay - Salt (Righteous Babe) 04
  617. Sketch Show - Loophole (Third Ear) 04
  618. The Flaming Lips - Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots (Warner) 02
  619. Wilco - Yankee Hotel Foxtrot (Nonesuch) 02
  620. Finley Quaye - Maverick A Strike (550 Music) 97
  621. Oval - 94 Diskont (Mille Plateaux) 95
  622. Nina Nastasia - The Blackened Air (Touch and Go) 02
  623. The Rakes - Capture/Release (V2 UK) 05
  624. Robyn (Konichiwa Records) 05
  625. Bloc Party - Silent Alarm (Wichita/V2) 05
  626. The Hold Steady - Boys And Girls In America (Vagrant) 06
  627. The Knife - Silent Shout (Rabid/Mute) 06
  628. Patrick Wolf - The Magic Position (Universal/Polydor) 07
  629. Matthew Dear - Asa Breed (Ghostly International) 07
  630. Massive Attack - Protection (Circa) 94
  631. The Flamin' Groovies - Teenage Head (Big Beat) 71
  632. Gong - Camembert Electrique (Charly) 71
  633. AC/DC - High Voltage (Atlantic) 76
  634. Magazine - Secondhand Daylight (Virgin) 79
  635. The Adverts - Cast of Thousands (RCA/Devils Jukebox) 79
  636. The Fall - Live At the Witch Trials (IRS) 79
  637. Amon Düül II - Dance of the Lemmings (Revisited) 71
  638. Tom Verlaine - Tom Verlaine (Elektra) 79
  639. Jesu - Conquerer (Hydra Head) 07
  640. Black Moth Super Rainbow - Dandelion Gum (Graveface) 07
  641. The Residents - Eskimo (Ralph) 79
  642. Sylford Walker & Welton Irie - Lambs Bread International (Blood & Fire) 79
  643. Norris Reid - Give Jah The Praises (Rockers) 79
  644. Dennis Brown - Words Of Wisdom (Shanachie) 79
  645. Serge Gainsbourg - Aux Armes Et Caetera (Universal Fr) 79
  646. Chelsea (Step Forward) 79
  647. Dennis Brown - Joseph's Coat Of Many Colours (Shanachie/Blood & Fire) 79
  648. Miles Davis - In A Silent Way (Columbia) 69
  649. Ijahman - Are We A Warrior (Mango/Jahmani) 79
  650. Motorhead - Ace Of Spades (Roadracer) 80
  651. White Rabbits - Fort Nightly (Say Hey) 07
  652. Nação Zumbi - Fome De Tudo (Deck Disk Brazil) 07
  653. Miles Davis - Sorcerer (Columbia) 67
  654. Small Faces - There Are But Four Small Faces (Immediate) 67
  655. Otis Redding - The Dock Of The Bay (Atlantic) 67
  656. Van Dyke Parks - Song Cycle (WB) 67
  657. Amon Tobin - Bricolage (Ninja Tune) 97
  658. Björk - Medulla (Elektra) 04
  659. Os Mutantes (Omplatten) 68
  660. Curtis Mayfield - There's No Place Like America Today (Curtom) 75
  661. Sonny Sharrock - Black Woman (Vortex) 69
  662. Gilberto Gil (Philips) 69
  663. L.L. Cool J. - Radio (Def Jam) 85
  664. Big Black - Atomizer (Homestead) 86
  665. Sonic Youth - EVOL (SST) 86
  666. Fujiya & Miyagi - Transparent Things (Tirk) 06
  667. Neko Case - Fox Confessor Brings the Flood (Anti) 06
  668. Joanna Newsom - Ys (Drag City) 06
  669. Frank Zappa - Hot Rats (Straight/Rykodisc) 69
  670. Scratch Acid - Just Keep Eating (Rabid Cat) 86
  671. The Pop Group - For How Much Longer Do We Tolerate Mass Murder? (Rough Trade) 80
  672. The Buzzcocks - A Different Kind Of Tension (Restless) 80
  673. Hunters & Collectors - Human Frailty (IRS) 86
  674. The Chameleons UK - Strange Times (Geffen) 86
  675. Pavement - Slanted And Enchanted (Matador) 92
  676. The Silvertones - Silver Bullets (Trojan) 73
  677. The Impressions - This Is My Country (Curtom) 68
  678. The Associates - The Affectionate Punch (Fiction) 80
  679. Peter Gabriel - 3 (Geffen) 80
  680. Free - Tons Of Sobs (A&M/Island) 68
  681. The Damned - The Black Album (Big Beat) 80
  682. T. Rex - Tanx (Mercury/Repertoire) 73
  683. Sonic Youth - Bad Moon Rising (Homestead) 85
  684. Various - No New York (Antilles) 78
  685. Lizzy Mercier Descloux - Press Color (Ze) 79
  686. John Cooper Clarke - Snap, Crackle & Bop (Epic) 80
  687. Roxy Music - Stranded (EG) 73
  688. John Cale - Paris 1919 (WB) 73
  689. Cockney Rebel - The Human Menagerie (EMI) 73
  690. John Martyn - Solid Air (Island) 73
  691. Horace Andy - Pure Ranking (Clocktower) 79
  692. Nara Leao (Philips) 68
  693. The Byrds - Sweetheart Of The Rodeo (Columbia) 68
  694. Arthur Brown - The Crazy World Of Arthur Brown (Polydor) 68
  695. Serge Gainsbourg - Bonnie & Clyde (Virgin Fr) 68
  696. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Fever To Tell (Interscope) 03
  697. Hot Chip - The Warning (DFA/Astralwerks) 06
  698. Moby Grape (Columbia) 67
  699. The Rolling Stones - Between The Buttons (London/Abko) 67
  700. The White Stripes - Elephant (V2) 03
  701. Nina Simone - Nina Simone Sings The Blues (RCA) 67
  702. The Rolling Stones - Their Satanic Magesty's Request (London/Abko) 67
  703. Sly & the Family Stone - Dance To The Music (Epic) 67
  704. Aretha Franklin - Aretha Arrives (Atlantic/Rhino) 67
  705. Jefferson Airplane - After Bathing At Baxter's (RCA) 67
  706. Gilberto Gil - Louvao (Philips) 67
  707. Herman Chin-Loy - Aquarius Rock (Pressure Sounds) 73
  708. Cymande - Second Time Round (Janus/Sequel) 73
  709. David Byrne - The Catherine Wheel (Sire) 81
  710. Virgin Prunes - A New Form Of Beauty (Rough Trade/Mute) 81
  711. King Crimson - Discipline (WB) 81
  712. Comsat Angels - Fiction (Polydor/Renascent) 82
  713. The Sound - All Fall Down (Korova/Renascent) 82
  714. The English Beat - Special Beat Service (IRS) 82
  715. Fun Boy Three (Chrysalis) 82
  716. The Passage - Degenerates (Cherry Red/ltd) 82
  717. Echo & the Bunnymen - Heaven Up Here (Sire) 81
  718. Crispy Ambulance - The Plateau Phase (Factory Benelux/LTM) 82
  719. Chrome - 3rd from the Sun (Siren) 82
  720. Kate Bush - The Dreaming (EMI) 82
  721. Harmonia - Music Von Harmonia (Brain) 73
  722. Curtis Mayfield - Back To The World (Curtom) 73
  723. Camper Van Beethoven - Our Beloved Revolutionary Sweetheart (RT) 88
  724. Bill Withers - Still Bill (Sussex) 72
  725. Dr. John The Night Tripper - Babylon (Wounded Bird) 69
  726. Black Sabbath - Vol. 4 (WB) 72
  727. Harmonia - Music Von Harmonia (Brain) 73
  728. Van Morrison - St. Dominic's Preview (WB) 72
  729. Rico - Midnight In Ethiopia (Island) 77
  730. God - The Anatomy of Addiction (Big Cat) 94
  731. `O'rang - Herd of Instinct (Echo) 94
  732. The Stranglers - No More Heroes (UA) 77
  733. Joni Mitchell - For The Roses (Reprise) 72
  734. Wishbone Ash - Argus (MCA) 72
  735. Hawkwind - Doremi Fasol Latido (UA/One Way) 72
  736. Exuma The Obeah Man - Snake (Kama Sutra) 72
  737. The Mystic Revelation Of Rastafari - Grounation (Ashanti/MRR) 72
  738. Brian Eno - Before And After Science (EG) 77
  739. The Cars - The Cars (Elektra) 78
  740. Cymande (Janus/Sequel) 72
  741. Ultravox - Ha! Ha! Ha! (Island) 77
  742. Peter Gabriel - Peter Gabriel (Mercury) 77
  743. David Ackles - American Gothic (Elektra) 72
  744. Scott Walker - Scott 4 (Fontana) 69
  745. Nara Leao (Philips) 68
  746. Seam - Headsparks (Homestead) 92
  747. Spiritualized - Lazer Guided Melodies (Dedicated) 92
  748. Gal Costa (Philips) 69
  749. X - More Fun In The New World (Elektra) 83
  750. Kip Hanrahan - Desire Develops An Edge (American Clave) 83
  751. James Blood Ulmer - Odyssey (Columbia) 83
  752. Roy Harper - Lifemask (Resurgent) 73
  753. Faust - Faust IV (Virgin) 73
  754. Hawkwind - Space Ritual (UA/One Way) 73
  755. The The - Infected (Epic) 86
  756. The Pixies - Doolittle (Elektra) 89
  757. The Smiths - The Queen Is Dead (Sire) 86
  758. Talk Talk - The Colour Of Spring (EMI) 86
  759. Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds - Kicking Against the Pricks (Homestead) 86
  760. Ambitious Lovers - Greed (Virgin) 87
  761. Lloyd Cole & The Commotions - Rattlesnakes (Sire) 84
  762. Plush - Fed (After Hours Jpn) 02
  763. Tom Waits - Alice (Anti/Epitaph) 02
  764. Neko Case - Blacklisted (Bloodshot) 02
  765. The Flaming Lips - Clouds Taste Metallic (WB) 95
  766. Fugazi - Red Medicine (Dischord) 95
  767. Field Music (Memphis Industries UK) 05
  768. Souled American - Fe (Rough Trade) 87
  769. Gallon Drunk - In The Long Still Night (City Slang UK) 96
  770. Einsturzende Neubauten - Haus der Luege (Rough Trade/Thirsty Ear) 89
  771. The Pogues - If I Should Fall From The Grace Of God (WEA) 87
  772. Mano Negra - Patchanka (Virgin) 87
  773. Sheila Chandra - ABoneCroneDrone (Real World) 96
  774. Beck - Odelay (Geffen) 96
  775. Beastie Boys - Licensed To Ill (Def Jam) 86
  776. Ambitious Lovers - Envy (EG) 84
  777. Julian Cope - Fried (Mercury/Fontana) 84
  778. Cornell Campbell - Natty Dread In A Greenwich Farm (Grounation) 75
  779. Black Sabbath - Sabotage (WB) 75
  780. Joe Higgs - Life of Contradiction (Vulcan/Lagoon) 75
  781. Pink Floyd - Wish You Were Here (Capitol) 75
  782. Joni Mitchell - The Hissing Of Summer Lawns (Asylum) 75
  783. Tom Zé - Correio Da Estao Do Bras (EW) 78
  784. Kraftwerk - The Man Machine (Capitol) 78
  785. Linval Thompson - I Love Marijuana (Trojan) 78
  786. Queen - A Night At The Opera (Elektra) 75
  787. Hugh Mundell - Africa Must Be Free By 1983 (Ras) 75
  788. Cedric Im Brooks & The Light Of Saba - Sabebe (Total Sounds) 78
  789. Junior Delgado - Taste Of The Young Heart (DEB) 78
  790. The Jolt (Polydor/Captain Mod) 78
  791. Gladiators - Proverbial Reggae (Front Line/Virgin) 78
  792. Dr. Alimantado - Best Dressed Chicken In Town (Greensleeves) 78
  793. Tony Allen - No Accomodation For Lagos (P-Vine) 78
  794. Sleater-Kinney - The Woods (Sub Pop) 05
  795. Art Bears - Hopes And Fears (Randam Radar/ReR) 78
  796. Gregory Isaacs - Cool Ruler (Front Line) 78
  797. The Boys - Alternative Chartbusters (Safari) 78
  798. The Clash - Give 'Em Enough Rope (Epic) 78
  799. The Soft Boys - A Can Of Bees (Rykodisc) 78
  800. Television - Adventure (Elektra) 78
  801. Hüsker Dü - Warehouse: Songs And Stories (WB) 87
  802. The Pixies - Come On Pilgrim EP (4AD) 87
  803. Big Black - Songs About Fucking (Touch & Go) 87
  804. At The Drive-In - Relationship Of Command (Grand Royal) 00
  805. King Sunny Ade - Synchro System (Mango) 83
  806. Robert Wyatt - Ruth Is Stranger Than Richard (Virgin/Thirsty Ear) 75
  807. New Order - Low-Life (WB) 85
  808. The Chameleons UK - Script of the Bridge (Statik) 83
  809. Joni Mitchell - Court And Spark (Reprise) 74
  810. Rod Taylor - If Jah Should Come Now (Daddy Kool) 83
  811. Einsturzende Neubauten - 1/2 Mensch (Rough Trade) 85
  812. Stevie Wonder - Fulfillingness' First Finale (Motown) 74
  813. The Replacements - Tim (Sire) 85
  814. King Crimson - Red (Atlantic) 74
  815. XTC - Skylarking (Geffen) 87
  816. R.E.M. - Document (IRS) 87
  817. Butthole Surfers - Psychic . . . Powerless . . . Another Man's Sac (Touch & Go) 85
  818. Os Mutantes - A Divina Comedia Ou Ando meio Desligado (Omplatten) 70
  819. Laura Nyro - New York Tendaberry (Columbia) 69
  820. Sigur Rós - Ágaetis Byrjun (FatCat/Bubble Core) 00
  821. T. Rex - Dandy In The Underworld (Mercury) 77
  822. Roy Harper - Stormcock (Resurgent) 71
  823. Natacha Atlas - Diaspora (Mantra/Beggars Banquet) 95
  824. T. Rex - Zinc Alloy and the Hidden Riders of Tomorrow (Mercury) 74
  825. Cornershop - When I Was Born For the 7th Time (Luaka Bop/WB) 97
  826. Los Fabulosos Cadillacs - Fabulosos Calavera (BMG) 97
  827. Kraftwerk - Autobahn (Philips) 74
  828. Richard Horowitz & Susan Deyhim - Majoun (Sony Classical) 97
  829. Cornell Campbell - I Shall Not Remove 1975-80 (Blood & Fire) 80
  830. Ryuichi Sakamoto - B 2 Unit (A&M/Alfa) 80
  831. New Age Steppers (On-U Sound/Statik) 80
  832. Outkast - Aquemini (LaFace) 98
  833. Dog Faced Hermans - Those Deep Buds (Alternative Tentacles) 94
  834. Mano Negra - Casa Babylon (Virgin) 94
  835. Caravan - In The Land Of The Grey & Pink (London/Some Wax) 71
  836. Mott The Hoople - Brain Capers (Atlantic) 71
  837. Alice Coltrane - Universal Consciousness (Impulse!) 71
  838. Rod Stewart - Every Picture Tells A Story (Mercury) 71
  839. Exuma The Obeah Man - Do Wah Nanny (Kama Sutra) 71
  840. Eugene McDaniels - Headless Heroes Of The Apocalypse (Atlantic) 71
  841. Comus - First Utterance (Dawn/Breathless) 71
  842. Café Tacuba - Re (WEA) 94
  843. Bark Psychosis - Hex (Caroline) 94
  844. Naked Raygun - Jettison (Caroline) 88
  845. Prince - Sign O' The Times (Paisley Park) 87
  846. Public Enemy - Yo! Bum Rush the Show (Def Jam) 87
  847. Boogie Down Productions - Criminal Minded (B-Boy) 87
  848. Clinton [Cornershop] - Disco & The Half Way To Discontent (Hut) 99
  849. The Dismemberment Plan - Emergency & I (De Soto) 99
  850. Café Tacuba - Reves/Yosoy (WB) 99
  851. The Wedding Present - George Best (Reception) 87
  852. My Bloody Valentine - Ecstasy/Strawberry Wine EPs (Lazy) 87
  853. King Crimson - Starless And Bible Black (Atlantic) 74
  854. Heldon - Electronic Guerrilla (Cunneiform/Rune) 74
  855. Yo La Tengo - Painful (Matador/Atlantic) 93
  856. The Orb - Adventures Beyond The Ultraworld (Mercury) 91
  857. Fela Kuti - I.T.T. (Polygram) 80
  858. Tetrack - Let's Get Started (Greensleeves) 80
  859. Hugh Mundell - Time And Place (Jet Star/Rockers) 80
  860. The Chords - So Far Away (Polydor/Captain Mod) 80
  861. Half Japanese - Charmed Life (10,000,000...Watts) 84
  862. Dead Kennedys - Fresh Fruit For Rotting Vegetables (Cherry Red) 80
  863. Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark - Organisation (Virgin) 80
  864. The Clash - Sandinista! (Epic) 80
  865. Laurie Anderson - United States Live (WB) 84
  866. Squeeze - Argybargy (A&M) 80
  867. Bob Marley & the Wailers - Rastaman Vibration (Tuff Gong/Island) 76
  868. Thin Lizzy - Jailbreak (Mercury) 76
  869. Siouxsie & the Banshees - Kaleidoscope (Polydor/Geffen) 80
  870. Echo & the Bunnymen - Ocean Rain (Sire) 84
  871. Prince - Purple Rain (WB) 84
  872. Thin Lizzy - Vagabonds of the Western World (Deram) 73
  873. The Teardrop Explodes - Kilimanjaro (Mercury) 80
  874. Meat Puppets - Meat Puppets II (SST) 84
  875. The Art Of Noise - (Who's Afraid Of?) The Art Of Noise (ZTT/Island) 84
  876. The Runaways (Touchwood/Cherry Red) 76
  877. Popol Vuh - Letzte Tage - Letzte Nächte (United Artists/Spalax) 76
  878. Heldon - Un Reve Sans Consequence Speciale (Cunneiform/Rune) 76
  879. Lou Reed - Coney Island Baby (RCA/Legacy) 76
  880. Yellow Magic Orchestra - Solid State Survivor (Restless) 80
  881. Replacements - Pleased to Meet Me (Sire) 87
  882. The Smiths - Strangeways, Here We Come (Sire) 87
  883. Ryuichi Sakamoto - Left Handed Dream (MIDI) 81
  884. The Jesus Lizard - Head (Touch & Go) 90
  885. La Dusseldorf - Individuellos (Radar) 81
  886. Jerry Harrison - The Red And The Black (Sire) 81
  887. Close Lobsters - Foxheads Stalk This Land (Fire) 87
  888. DNA - A Taste Of DNA EP (American Clave/Rough Trade) 81
  889. Mano Negra - In The Hell Of Patchinko (Virgin) 92
  890. Einsturzende Neubauten - Tabula Rasa (Mute) 93
  891. XTC - Black Sea (Geffen) 80
  892. Kyuss - Blues For The Red Sun (Dali) 92
  893. Uncle Tupelo - No Depression (Rockville) 90
  894. Rip Rig + Panic - God (Virgin) 81
  895. Japan - Gentlemen Take Polaroids (Virgin) 80
  896. Beck - Mutations (Geffen) 98
  897. Orbital (ffrr) 91
  898. King Crimson - In The Court Of The Crimson King (EG) 69
  899. The Meters - Struttin' (Josie) 70
  900. Disco Inferno - Open Doors, Closed Windows (Che) 91
  901. The Go-Betweens - Spring Hill Fair (Beggars Banquet) 84
  902. Captain Beefheart & the Magic Band - The Spotlight Kid (Reprise) 72
  903. The Stranglers - IV Rattus Norvegicus (A&M) 77
  904. Lee Perry - Roast Fish Collie Weed and Corn Bread (Upsetter) 76
  905. Vibrators - Pure Mania (Columbia) 77
  906. The Stranglers - Black And White (EMI) 78
  907. Prefuse 73 - One Word Extinguisher (Warp) 03
  908. Otto - Sem Gravidade (Trama) 03
  909. Shack - Here's Tom With The Weather (North Country UK) 03
  910. XTC - Go 2 (Virgin) 78
  911. James White & the Blacks - Off White (Ze/Infinite Zero) 79
  912. Nação Zumbi (Trama) 02
  913. Gary Numan & Tubeway Army - Replicas (Beggars Banquet) 79
  914. Sir Douglas Quintet - The Return of Doug Saldana (Smash/Acadia) 71
  915. T. Rex - Futuristic Dragon (Mercury) 76
  916. The Beatles - Help! (Capitol) 65
  917. Broadcast - Hahasound (Warp) 03
  918. Flaming Lips - Transmission From The Satellite Heart (WB) 93
  919. Walt Mink - Bareback Ride (Caroline) 93
  920. Fugazi - In On The Kill Taker (Dischord) 93
  921. A Tribe Called Quest - People's Instinctive Travels And The Paths Of Rhythm (Jive) 90
  922. Annie - Anniemal (679) 04
  923. The Mark Lanegan Band - Bubblegum (Beggars) 04
  924. Benoît Pioulard - Précis (Kranky) 06
  925. Nação Zumbi - Futura (Trama) 06
  926. Tony Allen - Lagos No Shaking (Honest Jon) 06
  927. Junior Boys - So This Is Goodbye (Domino) 06
  928. Ghost - Hypnotic Underworld (Drag City) 04
  929. Electrelane - The Power Out (Too Pure/Beggars) 04
  930. Orphaned Land - Mabool: The Story of the Three Sons of Seven (Century Media) 04
  931. Graham Parker - Howlin' Wind (Mercury) 76
  932. Archie Shepp - On This Night (Impulse) 65
  933. Patrick Wolf - Lycanthropy (Tomlab) 04
  934. Tom Waits - Small Change (Elektra) 76
  935. Sleater-Kinney - All Hands On The Bad One (Kill Rock Stars) 00
  936. Nação Zumbi - Radio S.AMB.A. (Stern's Brasil) 00
  937. Penguin Cafe Orchestra - Music From The Penguin Cafe Orchestra (EG) 76
  938. Joni Mitchell - Hejira (Asylum) 76
  939. Ed Harcourt - From Every Sphere (Astralwerks/Heaven) 03
  940. Harry Nilsson - Aerial Ballet (RCA) 68
  941. Herbie Hancock - Speak Like A Child (Blue Note) 68
  942. Archie Shepp - The Way Ahead (Impulse) 68
  943. Aretha Franklin - Aretha Now (Atlantic/Rhino) 68
  944. Laura Nyro - Eli and the 13th Confesion (Columbia) 68
  945. Steely Dan - The Royal Scam (MCA) 76
  946. Operation Ivy - Energy (Lookout!) 89
  947. Fela Kuti - No Agreement (Terrascope) 77
  948. The Morwells - Crab Race (Burning Sounds) 77
  949. King Crimson - In The Wake Of Poseidon (EG) 70
  950. James Brown - Sex Machine (Polydor) 70
  951. Mountain - Climbing! (Columbia) 70
  952. Santana - Abraxas (Columbia) 70
  953. Atomic Rooster - Atomic Roooster (Elektra) 70
  954. Exuma The Obeah Man - Exuma (Mercury) 70
  955. Uriah Heep - Very 'Eavy, Very 'Umble (Mercury) 70
  956. T. Rex (A&M) 70
  957. Naked Raygun - All Rise (Homestead) 85
  958. Patti Smith - Radio Ethiopia (Arista) 76
  959. Burning Spear - Man In The Hills (Mango) 76
  960. Van Der Graaf Generator - Still Life (Charisma/Blue Plate) 76
  961. Third World - 96 Degrees in the Shade (Mango) 77
  962. Hawkwind (UA/One Way) 70
  963. Ras Michael & The Sons Of Negus - Kibir-Am-Lak (Greensleeves) 77
  964. Prince Far I - Heavy Manners (Joe Gibbs/TP) 77
  965. The Art Ensemble Of Chicago - People In Sorrow (Nessa) 69
  966. Fairport Convention - Unhalfbricking (Hannibal) 69
  967. Miles Davis - Filles de Killimanjaro (Columbia) 69
  968. Tyrannosaurus Rex - Unicorn (A&M) 69
  969. Serge Gainsbourg & Jane Birkin (Virgin Fr) 69
  970. Wayne Wade - Black Is Our Colour (Grove) 77
  971. Serge Gainsbourg - Bonnie & Clyde (Virgin Fr) 68
  972. Harry Nilsson - Aerial Ballet (RCA) 68
  973. Peter Tosh - Legalize It (Columbia) 76
  974. Edu Lobo - Sergio Mendes Presents Edu Lobo (A&M/Verve) 70
  975. Tyrannosaurus Rex - A Beard Of Stars (A&M) 70
  976. David Axelrod - Earth Rot (Capitol) 70
  977. Baby Huey & The Babysitters - The Baby Huey Story: Living Legend (Water) 70
  978. John McLaughlin - Devotion (Restless) 70
  979. Randy Newman - 12 Songs (Reprise) 70
  980. Gregory Isaacs - Mr. Isaacs (Blood & Fire) 77
  981. Slapp Happy - Acnalbasac Noom (Cuneiform) 73
  982. John Martyn - Inside Out (Island) 73
  983. Roy Harper - Lifemask (Resurgent) 73
  984. Kevin Coyne - Marjory Razorblade (Virgin) 73
  985. Herbie Hancock - Head Hunters (Columbia) 73
  986. Faust - Faust IV (Virgin) 73
  987. Big Youth - Screaming Target (Trojan) 73
  988. Al Green - Livin' For You (Hi) 73
  989. Fugazi - The Argument (Dischord) 01
  990. Mercury Rev - All Is Dream (V2) 01
  991. Sparklehorse - It's A Wonderful Life (EMI/Parlophone) 01
  992. Ed Harcourt - Here Be Monsters (Virgin) 01
  993. Cannibal Ox - Cold Vein (Ozone Music) 01
  994. Super Furry Animals - Rings Around The World (Epic) 01
  995. Ampop - Nature Is Not A Virgin (R&R Iceland) 00
  996. Godspeed You Black Emperor! - Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas To Heaven (Kranky) 00
  997. 16 Horsepower - Secret South (Razor & Tie) 00
  998. Cappablack - Facades and Skeletons (Scape Germany) 06
  999. Lansing-Dreiden - The Dividing Island (Kemado) 06
  1000. Various Productions - The World Is Gone (XL) 06

These artists had at least one album in the top 500 and were scored for their best four albums. Keep in mind that this is just by numbers, not feel. I don't necessarily favor Tortoise over Stevie Wonder as artists overall. It's just how the albums ranked.

  1. Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
  2. Bob Dylan
  3. The Beatles
  4. Iggy Pop & The Stooges
  5. David Bowie
  6. Talking Heads
  7. Brian Eno
  8. The Velvet Underground
  9. The Rolling Stones
  10. Toots & The Maytals
  11. The Kinks
  12. Bob Marley & The Wailers
  13. Tom Waits
  14. Can
  15. Fela Kuti
  16. Funkadelic/Parliament
  17. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds/The Birthday Party
  18. Miles Davis
  19. The Fall
  20. John Coltrane
  21. John McLaughlin & Mahavishnu Orchestra
  22. Public Enemy
  23. Curtis Mayfield & The Impressions
  24. Björk
  25. The Buzzcocks
  26. The Jam
  27. Lee Perry & The Upsetters
  28. Dennis Brown
  29. Al Green
  30. Hüsker Dü
  31. The Minutemen
  32. PJ Harvey
  33. Radiohead
  34. Jimi Hendrix
  35. Wire
  36. Sonic Youth
  37. The Sound
  38. X
  39. Roxy Music
  40. Pere Ubu
  41. The Clash
  42. Nina Simone
  43. T. Rex
  44. Serge Gainsbourg
  45. Big Star
  46. Arto Lindsay
  47. Gang Of Four
  48. Archie Shepp
  49. Nick Drake
  50. Joy Division & New Order
  51. Betty Davis
  52. The Ramones
  53. Otis Redding
  54. The Who
  55. Sly & the Family Stone
  56. Aretha Franklin
  57. Elvis Costello
  58. Tom Zé
  59. Nação Zumbi
  60. Tim
  61. Cedric Brooks
  62. Asian Dub Foundation
  63. Augustus Pablo
  64. The Flaming Lips
  65. Neil Young
  66. Van Morrison
  67. Talk Talk
  68. Robert Wyatt & Soft Machine
  69. Fugazi
  70. Beastie Boys
  71. Faust
  72. Roy Harper
  73. Herbie Hancock
  74. The Raincoats
  75. Tom Verlaine & Television
  76. The Pogues
  77. Gilberto Gil
  78. Black Sabbath
  79. King Sunny Ade
  80. The Meters
  81. Comsat Angels
  82. Max Romeo
  83. Walt Mink
  84. Magazine
  85. Amon Düül II
  86. Jimmy Cliff
  87. The Meditations
  88. Burning Spear
  89. Horace Andy
  90. Tortoise
  91. Chrome
  92. The Feelies
  93. Caetano Veloso
  94. The Pixies
  95. Led Zeppelin
  96. My Bloody Valentine
  97. Os Mutantes
  98. Echo & The Bunnymen
  99. Stevie Wonder
  100. The Jesus Lizard

The Best Artists of the 00s
The Best Artists of the 90s
The Best Artists of the 20th Century