Your Favorite Album Per Year

[Lucas]

wow, that took forever .... And as much as Id love to post the covers, my ass is already sore enough from sitting here .. Some choices were brutal, and I had to go with the initial gut reaction ..

 

 

This is as of this moment. I'll probably change my mind on most of these later.

There's a few years (72, 75 & 81) where I couldn't force myself to choose between 2 albums....and there's a couple of albums in the mid-2000's that stick out like a sore thumb...but what the hey, I'm being honest, and only slightly embarrassed

 

Yeah, there were some ruthless choices made there. Some years were pretty easy, but the ones that were difficult were extremely difficult. I'm already second guessing some choices. I was thinking what a great little music marathon this would make.

 

I think some of the lean years were more difficult to choose - like 2007 .. I don't even think Neil Young at Massey Hall is a legit choice because it was recorded in 1971, but it was released in 2007, so I went with it ..

 

About a dozen or so albums released in 1976 could have easily been the top choice in most other years ..

 

As I approached 1980, I knew it was going to be difficult, but while Permanent Waves has two of my favorite Rush songs, Drama is perfect for me ..

 

And '77 was hard .. I actually had to walk my dog at like 1am to clear my head - "Love Gun or A Farewell To Kings" - it was driving me nuts, until I thought "neither" go with the Dead Boys lol

[Segue Myles]

Now onto the seventies! One of my favourite decades in music.

 

1970:

I think Yes' first two albums are woefully under-appreciated, and this one in particular thrills me every time!

 

1971:

Another indispensable Yes album, I think this record is better than Fragile (which came out the same year):

 

1972:

I may get shot for this, because I am ranking this one higher than Close To The Edge, but I cannot deny that I love this album so much more than I think most other Styx fans out there:

 

1973:

Bruce Springsteen released two albums in 1973 that mean the world to me: Greetings From Asbury Park and The Wild, The Innocent And The E Street Shuffle, and it honestly pains me that I cannot have either on this list, but I have to be honest, this Yes album is in my top five albums ever:

 

1974:

So I think it fair to say that I am a big seventies Yes fan:

 

1975:

This one beats out Caress Of Steel, Styx's Equinox, ABBA's self-titled and Kansas' Song For America.

 

1976:

No other album came close to this one in 1976, but special mention must go out to Kansas' Leftoverture:

 

1977:

A very strong year! Too many rival albums to mention...

 

1978:

Another difficult year. Trillion and Toto's self-titleds come close, as does Yes' Going For The One, Styx's Pieces Of Eight and ABBA's ABBA: The Album. Sorry Rush fans, Hemispheres didn't come close.

 

1979:

One of my favourite pop albums of all time, this one was a no-brainer from a very strong year! It narrowly edges out Fleetwood Mac's breathtaking double album Tusk (Which I like more than Rumours!). Call me crazy, but this record is easily one of the biggest influences on my music taste, ever!

[goose]

 

 

1967:

Three albums, all equal, I chose just one:

The other two competing albums was the incredible debut Doors album, and Love's Forever Changes. But there is something about this album that I really love, and recently it has overtaken the debut for me. I love The Doors.

 

 

 

1969:

I love this album so much!

Nice! I wanted to include those, but they didn't fit the way I was presenting my choices. They weren't a part of my early formative years at all, but my college years for sure.

[goose]

　

1963 - Roy Orbison - In Dreams

 

1964 - Bob Dylan - The Times They Are A Changin'

 

1965 - The Kinks - Kinda Kinks

 

1966 - The Beach Boys - Pet Sounds

 

 

 

1968 - Johnny Cash - At Folsom Prison

 

1969 - The Doors - The Soft Parade

 

 

1979 - Led Zeppelin - In Through the Outdoor

 

 

 

1982 - The Clash - Combat Rock

 

 

1990 - Traveling Wilburys - Volume 3

 

 

1994 - The Brian Setzer Orchestra - The Brian Setzer Orchestra

 

 

 

That's an impressive variety of music. :clap:

[goose]

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2016/05/28/11/34B605D200000578-3613905-image-a-64_1464431811935.jpg

1970?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Bridge Over Troubled Water)

Edited May 29, 2016 by goose

[treeduck]

http://cdn.ebaumsworld.com/mediaFiles/picture/412571/81967253.jpg

[Lucas]

 

 

1979:

One of my favourite pop albums of all time, this one was a no-brainer from a very strong year! It narrowly edges out Fleetwood Mac's breathtaking double album Tusk (Which I like more than Rumours!). Call me crazy, but this record is easily one of the biggest influences on my music taste, ever!

 

oh man, 1979 was hard to pick

 

I had it narrowed to Voulez Vous, Unleashed In The East, Cheap Trick At Budokan and ... Highway To Hell .... I teleported and became 12 again, so I went with AC/DC

[treeduck]

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2016/05/28/11/34B605D200000578-3613905-image-a-64_1464431811935.jpg

Bridge Over Troubled Water?

No, it's heavy metal above me!

[Lucas]

wow, that took forever .... And as much as Id love to post the covers, my ass is already sore enough from sitting here .. Some choices were brutal, and I had to go with the initial gut reaction ..

 

 

This is as of this moment. I'll probably change my mind on most of these later.

There's a few years (72, 75 & 81) where I couldn't force myself to choose between 2 albums....and there's a couple of albums in the mid-2000's that stick out like a sore thumb...but what the hey, I'm being honest, and only slightly embarrassed

 

Yeah, there were some ruthless choices made there. Some years were pretty easy, but the ones that were difficult were extremely difficult. I'm already second guessing some choices. I was thinking what a great little music marathon this would make.

 

RGLT, on the other hand, this has rekindled my love for some of these albums ..... I had not listened to Concrete Blonde's "Free" in years - which is odd because I loved them in the 80s and 90s - but listening to that album again was magic

[treeduck]

http://cdn.ebaumsworld.com/mediaFiles/picture/2307128/83384834.jpg

[Segue Myles]

It saddens me that my list so far is very repetitive, but I am being brutally honest, and only putting my favourite albums at the top (even if the same band tops that list every year!).

 

1980:

A strong year, but another no brainer winner emerges:

 

1981:

This was strong! But one two albums really stood out for me, one was ABBA's final masterpiece The Visitors, and then:

 

1982:

Easy one for me, and for once I agreed with the Grammy's!

 

1983:

Call me crazy, but this Kansas album may not rank as highly as many of their earlier works, but I LOVE IT:

 

1984:

This one ever so slightly edges out Toto's Isolation for me:

 

1985:

Whilst it is true I prefer the debut self-titled ever so slightly, this album easily slays most of the competition for me in 1985 (there would honestly be more cool albums on this list, but I am being honest):

 

1986:

This may just be in the top three albums of the decade for me:

 

1987:

Another no brainer:

 

1988:

Yes, this album has some competition but it one easily:

 

1989:

There is a pattern emerging:

[treeduck]

http://cdn.ebaumsworld.com/mediaFiles/picture/566750/85038038.jpg

[treeduck]

http://cdn.ebaumsworld.com/mediaFiles/picture/566750/85038041.jpg

[Segue Myles]

Now onto the decade I was born in:

 

MY BIRTH YEAR

1990:

And here we go again, with my number one King's X album:

 

1991:

I love this record, and in my opinion it is Michael Jackson's masterpiece:

 

1992:

I am going to include these as a double album, and I will also say that unlike most fans, I absolutely love the very bones of these records:

 

1993:

This is a sign that 1993 wasn't a banner year for my music collection, as I would say this is the first album on this list from a dry year for me, and I wouldn't rate this record all that high. WEAK YEAR:

 

1994:

I didn't really like this album all that much until very recently, and now I find this to be as great as the first three records!:

 

1995:

Two albums that I love, two albums that helped spawn an entire genre that I am devoted too (goth metal), but only one can win. The second is Paradise Lost's Draconian Times (which as much as I enjoy, I feel has been overrated in comparison to their stronger later albums) and:

 

1996:

I am a massive emo fan, and whilst I know many here aren't, I won't pretend I care. The band is Texas Is The Reason, who may never have hit the mainstream, but instead inspired an entire wave of bands that blew up the charts a few short years later:

 

1997:

I am sure many here know of this band, and would probably rather forget them, but I adore Third Eye Blind and this self-titled debut is a very important album for me:

 

1998:

One of the best double albums I have ever heard, from a band that has been sorely underrated, somes this classic The Gathering album, their first album to do away with metal (for the most part) and opt instead for a trip hop/ambient feel. Masterpiece.

 

1999:

I end the nineties with perhaps the best record of the decade:

 

For all the music that I love from this decade, I am sad to say it is by far my least favourite of the all.

[goose]

 

 

1992:

I am going to include these as a double album, and I will also say that unlike most fans, I absolutely love the very bones of these records:

I really like these as well. I like Bruce on the mellow side.

[Segue Myles]

Many will disagree, but the 2000's could actually be my favourite era.

 

2000:

Yes, I love emo, and this very poppy little gem just so happens to one of my favourite pick me up albums. Had they been on a major label, they would have been HUGE!

 

2001:

The first entry from my all time favourite band, this also happens to be my equal favourite album of all time (more the other one later):

 

2002:

You will be seeing quite a bit of this band:

 

2003:

HIM were huge back around this time, and whilst earlier records such as Razorblade Romance are more widely known today, Love Metal broke them onto the world scene and its mood Black Sabbath meets A-Ha vibe is a huge love of mine! Of course, its gothic edge and Ville Valo's stunning voice play a big part as well...I adore HIM and this may just be my favourite album from these guys:

 

2004:

Within Temptation are glossy, celtic flavoured pop metal from a band that sounds like a blend of Kate Bush, Andrew Lloyd Webber and Paradise Lost. This may just be my favourite album of theirs, and it easily comes close to matching the best of Lacuna Coil for me.

 

2005:

The Juliana Theory's previous record, from 2003, Love is an album I would rate higher, but Deadbeat Sweetheartbeat is easily my pick for 2006, followed very closely by Thrice's post-hardcore masterwork Vheissu:

 

2006:

Not going to fanboy, but this is my all-time favourite album (somedays rivalled by their earlier album Unleashed Memories). Yes, I am a massive Lacuna Coil fan.

 

2007:

Many albums stand out for me in this particular year: Paradise Lost's In Requiem, Within Temptation's The Heart Of Everything, Thrice's The Alchemy Index vol. 1-2, but this record eclipses the lot with very special ease:

 

2008:

I have had weeks spent playing nothing else but this album.

 

2009:

Keep Metallica, I want Paradise Lost. This album is EVERYTHING to me:

[Segue Myles]

The 2010's!

 

2010:

It amazes me how many Jimmy Eat World fans regard this as the bands worst album. Easily one of my top three, and I would say I listen to this more than Clarity or Futures (which came very close to being my number one for 2004):

 

2011:

I am being tricky here as technically, AB III came out in 2010, but this is my list and I have to go for the special edition as I love all the bonus tracks:

 

2012:

Sorry, Rush don't come close.

 

2013:

Another Alter Bridge classic!

 

2014:

Yawn! Another Lacuna Coil release, haha!:

 

2015:

ALBUM OF THE DECADE (so far):

[Segue Myles]

 

 

1992:

I am going to include these as a double album, and I will also say that unlike most fans, I absolutely love the very bones of these records:

I really like these as well. I like Bruce on the mellow side.

 

Same! I will say that I am not keen on Devils And Dust, but these two plus The Ghost Of Tom Joad were real gems of the nineties for me. (Tom Joad could easily be on this list as well).

[Turbine Freight]

1970 - Bowie - The Man Who Sold The World

1971 - Bowie - Hunky Dory

1972 - Bowie - Ziggy Stardust

1973 - Bowie - Aladdin Sane

1974 - Bowie - Diamond Dogs

1975 - Alice Cooper - Welcome To My Nightmare

1976 - Bowie - Station To Station

1977 - Bowie - Low

1978 - Alice Cooper - From The Inside

1979 - Riot - Narita

 

1980s to follow...

[Turbine Freight]

1980 - Diamond Head - White Album (aka Lightning To The Nations)

1981 - Y&T - Earthshaker

1982 - Y&T - Black Tiger

1983 - Y&T - Mean Streak

1984 - Hanoi Rocks - Two Steps From The Move

1985 - The Waterboys - This Is The Sea

1986 - Megadeth - Peace Sells

1987 - The Smiths - Strangeways Here We Come

1988 - Poison - Open Up & Say Ah

1989 - Tin Machine - S/T

Edited May 29, 2016 by Turbine Freight

[Lucas]

.. just realized that Fragile and The Yes Album were both released in 1971

 

How the heck did they do that ??

 

Fragile would be my 1971 ..

 

Then Close To The Edge less than a year later ??

 

You gotta be kidding me

 

 

[goose]

1980 - Diamond Head - White Album (aka Lightning To The Nations)

1981 - Y&T - Earthshaker

1982 - Y&T - Black Tiger

1983 - Y&T - Mean Streak

1984 - Hanoi Rocks - Two Steps From The Move

1985 - The Waterboys - This Is The Sea

1986 - Megadeth - Peace Sells

1987 - The Smiths - Strangeways Here We Come

1988 - Poison - Open Up & Say Ah

1989 - Tin Machine - S/T

Wait...all that Bowie and his iconic Let's Dance doesn't make the list? That's some serious moonlight...

[goose]

(part V)

 

1985 http://www.besteveralbums.com/albumart/album_medium_2812_4e573f0d49ef3.jpg

 

A year into college, and the 80's music scene was raging. While the punk/new wave scene had lost much of its edge by then, the anger was being replaced by more sophisticated songwriting and improved musicianship. Tears for Fears' Songs from the Big Chair exemplifies this as much as any album of 1985. A masterful balance of material and instrumentation.

 

1986 http://www.besteveralbums.com/albumart/album_medium_202_4f2111d8c2ae6.jpg

 

Peter Gabriel's So gets the nod over the year's other impact albums like Simon's Graceland, the Beastie Boys' debut, Van Halen's reincarnation (5150), and great albums by the Pretenders, Billy Idol, Talking Heads... So is a perfect album, and I found every song absolutely captivating when it came out. Still do. It's one of those albums that I can totally lose myself in.

 

1987 http://www.besteveralbums.com/albumart/album_medium_216_53234eb9c053a.jpg

 

My friends were all big Prince fans, but I never really dug his sex-obsessed up tempo Minnesota sound stuff. But this monster double album showed Prince growing into his own as a mature songwriter and musician. The title track, Ballad of Dorothy Parker, Starfish and Coffee. Just fantastic. And then songs like Housequake. Damn...shut up already!

 

1988 http://www.besteveralbums.com/albumart/album_medium_2380_4e5274551e631.jpg

 

REM's breakout album, after a long run as college campus darlings. The radio hit Stand drew them some criticism, but it also grew REM's audience and got people to buy this incredible collection of songs (and their back catalog, to boot). Orange Crush, World Leader Pretend, You Are the Everything...

 

1989 http://www.besteveralbums.com/albumart/album_medium_2944_4e51828550c08.jpg

 

Queen's Live Killers had been a formative album for me. Roger's live drumming was inspiring. Freddy's charisma came through loud and clear, and solidified for me his status as rock's greatest front man. But post-The Game, I had lost faith in the band. While their Live Aid performance was iconic, their studio material had really lost me, and I had written them off. But the summer of 1989 I remember vividly being in a Munich music store (World of Music) where you could preview albums. I had no idea Queen had just released, an album, and had pretty low expectations for what I might hear. Putting on the headset and hearing the first chords of I Want It All was mind-blowing. Queen were back!

[Lorraine]

If I put no other album on here:

 

 

1973 - Quadrophenia

Edited May 30, 2016 by Lorraine

[goose]

(part VI)

 

For my musical tastes, the years 2000-2005 brought little of interest in terms of new music. Thankfully there were some significant comeback albums released to get me through this musical void.

 

2000 http://www.besteveralbums.com/albumart/album_medium_12078_4e55faabe51fb.jpg

 

Wry lyrics, musical irony, everything I love about Steely Dan. AOR's most talented smart asses, together again.

 

2001 http://www.besteveralbums.com/albumart/album_medium_2135_4e2e9a7f615fb.jpg

 

Dylan is back, and with a vengeance. Musically and lyrically brilliant, from beginning to end.

 

2002 http://www.besteveralbums.com/albumart/album_medium_1832_4e3289a3a97d4.jpg

 

Wait...what's this? New music I like! The 2000's did bring out a lot of interesting electronica acts, and among them, the Chemical Bros. really stood out for me. Come With Us is a fine effort by the boys.

 

2003 http://www.besteveralbums.com/albumart/album_medium_20112_4ed72365af7d2.jpg

 

Kraftwerk had been dormant for some time, and while not their greatest release by any means, Tour de France was a refreshing reminder that Kraftwerk were pioneers of electronica and the New Wave movement that i had enjoyed so much during the early 80's.

 

2004 http://www.besteveralbums.com/albumart/album_medium_1063_4e2ffbbfb6245.jpg

 

Finally Brian Wilson's vision is realized. I recommend watching the documentary Beautiful Dreamer, if you haven't seen it. It perfectly captures the story of Wilson's musical genius.

 

Edited May 30, 2016 by goose