Sunday 15 March 2009

50 Albums You Really Must Hear


It’s been a while since I posted about music so here is another little diversion. I would like to apologize in advance for a little self-indulgence.

In my lifetime there have been several classic albums by my favourite artists that may have escaped the radar of the general public. I thought I would briefly bring them to the notice of anybody who may be vaguely interested in the hope that just one person may listen to at least one of the albums below for the first time and enjoy them as much as I have over the years.

Here is a list of albums that, in my modest opinion, everybody should listen to at least once before in their lifetime. They are in no particular order but have given me great enjoyment over the years.

(1) Coverdale Page – Coverdale Page

(2) Air – Moon Safari

(3) David Bowie – Scary Monsters

(4) Tears For Fears – Songs From The Big Chair

(5) Jeff Wayne – War Of The Worlds

(6) Deep Purple – Made In Japan

(7) The Wildhearts – Earth versus The Wildhearts

(8) Nazareth – Loud’n’Proud

(9) Rush – Counterparts

(10) Nine Inch Nails – The Downward Spiral

(11) Metallica – Death Magnetic

(12) Depeche Mode – Violator

(13) Queensryche – Operation Mindcrime

(14) Dire Straits – Love Over Gold

(15) Led Zeppelin – Led Zeppelin IV

(16) Enya – Shepherd Moons

(17) AC/DC – Back In Black

(18) Foo Fighters – Echoes, Silence, Patience and Grace

(19) Rainbow – Rising

(20) The Wildhearts - PHUQ

(21) Led Zeppelin – Led Zeppelin

(22) Frankie Goes To Hollywood – Welcome To The Pleasure Dome

(23) Def Leppard – Slang

(24) Rush – Signals

(25) Morcheeba – Big Calm

(26) Rush – Hold Your Fire

(27) Sisters Of Mercy – Floodland

(28) Ten – Spellbound

(29) Whitesnake – Come An’ Get It

(30) Nazareth – No Mean City

(31) Rush – Snakes and Arrows

(32) Judas Priest – Nostradamus

(33) UFO – Strangers In The Night

(34) Rammstein – Mutter

(35) Joe Satriani – Crystal Planet

(36) SilverGinger 5 – Black Leather Mojo

(37) Judas Priest – Defenders Of The Faith

(38) Foo Fighters – The Colour And The Shape

(39) Rush – Power Windows

(40) A-ha – Scoundrel Days.

(41) Metallica – Master Of Puppets

(42) Electric Light Orchestra – Out Of The Blue

(43) Moby – Play

(44) Joe Satriani – The Extremist

(45) Jethro Tull – Thick As A Brick

(46) Judas Priest – Painkiller

(47) Meat Loaf – Bat Out Of Hell

(48) Pink Floyd – Dark Side Of The Moon

(49) Rush – 2112

(50) Thunder – Backstreet Symphony

And yes, I do have A-ha and Enya in there with Judas Priest and Metallica. I don’t care – they are all great albums.

Please feel free to agree or disagree or to nominate the albums you feel should grace any record collection.



6 comments:

Dorothy said...

Thanks for visiting our blog and I enjoyed yours as well.

Dorothy from grammology
grammology.com

Samuel M. said...

Weezer - Pinkerton, Slowreader - Self Titled, Grandaddy - Sumday,

Plastic Mancunian said...

Hi Dorothy,

I've popped over to your site a couple of times.

:-)

Cheers

PM

Plastic Mancunian said...

Hi Horatio,

I've heard a couple of Weezer tracks - not a bad band. Not heard of the other bands you mentioned.

Does that mean I'm getting old?

:-(

Cheers

PM

Anonymous said...

Hi PM,

Now ya got me started. When I saw Deep Purple on your list (Is "Made in Japan" a live album? I used to listen to "Machine Head.") I had to go listen. My first year in college, I had a friend who would blast "Smoke on the Water" while whipping up daiquiris in his blender. To this day I cannot have a daiquiri without thinking of him...or Deep Purple. Ahhh...

And you've got others there too that I love...the 80s stuff, Foo Fighters (love Nirvana).

I guess if I were making my own list I would have to include: Grateful Dead's "American Beauty"; Derek & the Dominoes "Layla and other..."; "The Very Best of Cream"; Jimi Hendrix's "Are You Experienced"; Nirvana's "Unplugged in New York"; CSN's "Crosby, Stills & Nash"; and REM's "Monster." That's just to start, of course...

Geesh, I'm going to have to go through your list and listen to every one of them. I'm no good at album names so I have no choice!

Great post, PM!

Plastic Mancunian said...

Hi Holly,

Yes "Made In Japan" is a live album and an absolute favourite of mine. I played it to death in the late seventies/early eighties and, with the possible exception of "Strangers In The Night" is the best live album ever.

I'm a huge fan of the Foos and I particularly like the 80s stuff because it reminds me of life at university.

Eric Clapton/Cream - top stuff, especially "Layla", "I Feel Free", "Crossroads" and "Let It Grow".

Nirvana - I had a ticket to see them in Manchester when the news about Kurt Cobain broke :-(

Some good albums you have there Holly.

:-)

Cheers

PM