Madonna has had one of the most successful, enduring careers in modern music. Music is her eight studio album, and a significant departure from the pop singles that made her famous. This collection of tracks are closer to dance and electronica than her earlier work. This is a surprisingly good album, with memorable tracks like "Don't Tell Me."

The Avalanches Since I Left You is a masterpiece of sampling. This album is filled with inventive, creative tracks that uses samples and synthesizers to make joyful, engaging dance music. There isn't much to compare the Avalanches to - they expanded the potentials of music made with samples. Their music has inspired generations of djs and producers in a range of electronic styles.

Agaetis Byrjun is the brilliant debut album from Sigur Ros. Their music is very difficult to categorize - first, they are from Iceland. They are a rock band that makes elegant ballads and soundscapes. Their lead singer, Jonsi, sings in a melodic falsetto, and is accompanied by a rock band and at times, an orchestra. They layer ambient electronic effects to create the full, rich sound of their songs. Agaetis Byrjum was the album that made Sigur Ros into international stars. Their unique sound propelled the band to near-universal critical success, and world-wide commercial success.

I Should Coco is collection of fun, catchy pop songs, which are done in a variety of styles. This was Supergrass's first album, and the members were all teenagers when the album recorded. These songs are teenage anthems - celebrations of the joy and frustration of youth. That said, these songs are not juvenile or simplistic. The songs are interesting and varied, showing the band's wide range of influences and surprising range.

This album is a collection of odd track from Syd Barrett, one of the founding members of Pink Floyd. After he was kicked out of the band for erratic behavior - due to mental issues (perhaps) related to excessive drug use - Barrett had a brief solo career. This is the first of his solo albums. For those that worship Barrett as a music genius, this album could be seen as something interesting. For the rest of us, this sounds like a collection of out-takes and first drafts of songs. The few tracks that seem remotely complete are reminiscent of early Pink Floyd, but they do not give the impression that the songs have been well practiced or produced. There are a few points where you can hear the imagination that made Barrett central to early Pink Floyd, but these moments are rare. The majority of the album is disappointing - little more than a reminder of lost potential.

A rich example of psychedelia and funk of time period, that is remarkably current. The title track is a near-cliché of psychedelic rock. It's a dark, beautiful exploration of expression by guitar. It's beautifully played. I hear so much of Bernie Worrell on this album. His style of funk keyboard is a big part of the Funkadelic sound.

This is an unbelievable debut album. Her voice sounds so rich, so mature... This would appear to be the work of an experienced artists This album is timeless - while she was of a particular era, this could have been released anywhere in the last fifty years. Great, soulful mix.

This is an incredible album. It is joyful, soulful, and even angry (at time, in a "Stevie" way). This is an amazing expression of life, love, and strife. This is Stevie's 18th studio album, and may be his best. Some of the songs are now classics, bigger that R&B, or pop, or rock. This is a cultural expression, and may be one of the greatest albums of all time.

I downloaded this album - when that was a common thing. I had this on a collection on a ipod mini that I filled with downloads. I love this album. This is an incredible collection of dance tracks - simple, compelling, and fun. James Murphy can produce fun, catchy tunes with a punk-like attitude.

This is the first album on this last I had never heard of - knew of - in any way aware of... This is Jorge Ben's fourteenth album - a seasoned artist who apparently adopted an electric guitar and elements of American funk for this album. I know very little of Brazilian music - this is of a dated funk/soul style - great vocalist and back-up singers in an r&b/motown-type sound. He integrates a range of latin rhythms with the other elements of a big funk band - a horn section and strong keys.

This album is a metal classic. This was the band's sixth album, and by this time, the band had matured and found their sound. Their sound inspired much of metal music - power chord riffs, driving drums, and a scream/ falsetto lead singer

This band was a pillar of classic rock, and a few of their classics are on this album. 1. Drum solos are often disappointing. 2. Guitar solos have progressed significantly in the last 40 years. 3. There is a segment where the singer is mimicking what the guitarist is playing. They were having fun, but it was not that great to listen to.

This may be the RHCPs at their best. This Rick Rubin-produced, 17 track effort established the band as an internationally known act. Their punk inspired funk flourished under Rubin's guidance. He has produced many of their subsequent albums. RHCP's history with Parliment and George Clinton is evident in their sound - especially "Sir Psycho Sexy." This album was central to the sound of 90's popular music, and established RHCPs as an influential band in American music.

This debut album of upbeat, ambient electronic began a long career for Royksopp. The tracks experiment with a variety of sounds, providing variety in music that could be critiqued as repetitive. This album was clearly influential - there is a great deal of ambient and soundtrack music that sounds like Royksopp. In that vein, the tracks are fun, catchy, and danceable, but none of them stand out as particularly great.

Kraftwerk's fourth album may be the beginning of electronic pop - and the genesis of the soundtrack of video games. The title track is an attempt to represent the experience of driving on the Autobahn. It's rhythm and repetitive nature create the mesmerizing feeling of driving at highway speeds. Kraftwerk's robotic, minimalistic sound was formative to several genres of music, including techno and house. The tracks on this album have a beautiful, simple elegance that has inspired many musicians.

This is a collection of orchestrated, produced pop songs in the tradition of late Beatles songs. It is not surprising that Elliott Smith found some fame covering a Beatles song. This was the final studio album of Smith's brief, tragic life, and part of the album's acclaim may be a recognition of lost potential. Smith seems appropriately grouped with Sufjan Stevens, not only for stylistic similarity, but also for his singular vision and effort. Smith wrote and produced all of the songs, and played the majority of the instruments on the album. There's an odd tension between these songs: some with melancholic, and even dark messages (songs "Son of Sam" and "Everything Means Nothing to Me") and others with an uplifting message ("Happiness" and "Everything Reminds Me of Her").

This album was the enormously successful debut from the pair of French producers. They produced the tracks as singles, and compiled the album after a two of the singles met with commercial success. The album contains a few of Daft Punk's hits, like "Da Funk" and "Around the World." These tracks have become classics of French house music and post-disco. These tracks are simple, catchy dance tracks with widespread appeal. With this album, Daft Punk help propel the commercial success of dance music. The album is less consistent that DP's later efforts. Some track are so minimal that they approach "repetitive to boring" in segments - for example "Rock n Roll."

This album is an from a British rock group of the early 70s, a short-live project that included Rod Stewart and Ron Wood. This is a collection of fun, loose rock songs, like "Stay with Me," which showcases Rod Stewart's raspy, vocal prowess. The album also includes a cover of Chuck Berry's "Memphis," providing a glimpse of the inspiration for Faces and British rock of the time.

This is the tenth studio album from this productive band. Pump includes great examples of the band aggressive, confident style which creates polished hard rock songs with popular appeal. Songs like "Love in an Elevator" demonstrate the band's ability bring metal riffs into popular songs. The band also produces rich ballads, like "Janie's got a Gun" and "What it takes," showing the impressive range of the band's skills.

This is the debut album from the King of Rock and Roll. These songs are formative to rock and roll, broadly. Elvis had released a number of successful singles before this album. By the time of release, Elvis had already started touring extensively and his fame was growing. Elvis was the first rock star. He became famous for his incredible voice; his boundless charisma made him a star. Elvis' music - including rock, ballads, and gospel - helped to establish the incredible range that exists in modern music. The legends about the King of Rock and Roll may be as significant.

This in a great EP from a modern R&B singer. The track include short, spoken word segments, and the songs that follow are studies of the character types expressed through the spoken word tracks.

This is Nas' debut album.

This is Aerosmith's third album, and their biggest commercial success. This work contains some of their biggest hits, like "Walk this Way" and "Sweet Emotion." The band's raunchy, confident style is a defining element of their songs, and their popular appeal made them one of the biggest rock bands of the 70s and 80s.

This is Smith's third album, and contains some of his most famous songs. A few of these songs were in the film "Good Will Hunting," including the original "Miss Misery." That song received an Oscar nomination, and led to Smith's first few televised appearances. The success of the film propelled Smith's career. Smith's songs, with complex orchestrations and earnest, compelling lyrics worked well with the film's themes.

This is Dylan's first rock album. This was released just after the uproar around Dylan leaving folk music behind and "going electric." This is a collection of songs that have helped define modern popular music. It leads off with "Like a Rolling Stone," which is among the most influential songs from the sixties and from Dylan's extensive catalog. While he had "gone electric," Dylan's songs continue to tell rich stories full of vivid images, like "Highway 61 Revisited." Dylan's music has elements of folk, blues, and threads of traditional American music which add dimension to his engaging storytelling.

Tom Waits' work sits outside of genres - his jazz/blues/scat/vaudeville is a beautiful expression of the dark side of life. Waits tells stories about society's dispossessed and their stories in New York City. Waits' raspy, expressive voice adds to his unique sound - a fascinating amalgamation of styles of American music.

This may be the greatest Christmas album. This is Phil Spector's collection of seasonal classics, in his well-produced, orchestrated style.

This may be Kate Bush's best album; it was critically and commercially. This is a collection of beautiful songs, highlighting Bush's lovely voice. Bush's art pop has been remarkably influential on generations of musicians in a surprising range of genres.

This is Motorhead's first live album. They had released five studio albums and toured extensively at the time of this release. Motorhead had gained the polished confidence of a seasoned band. Their hard, driven style of rock helped create speed metal. While practiced, their songs lack significant range

Sonic Youth's seventh studio album includes a collection of noise rock tracks, typical of their edgy, guitar driven sound. SY's sound - as clearly expressed on this album as any - was influential in avant-rock for decades

This is the third studio album from Simon & Garfunkel, and arguably their masterpiece. This collection of songs has the pair's characteristic harmonies, with beautiful orchestrations. Simon's passionate lyrics place these songs in the social upheaval of the sixties, and among the most influential of the folk rock albums of popular music.

This is the brilliant debut album from Arrested Development. It is a joyful, wise, and diverse collection of tracks from the band that created Southern hip-hop, with their unique sound. They combine rap, sampling, and remixing elements with traces of funk, soul, and R&B. This album met with wide-spread critical acclaim, and established Arrested Development as an influential group in hip hop and rap. Their positive, humble, thoughtful perspective sits in sharp contrast with the gansta rap that dominated that era (and most eras since).

This is the debut studio album from the Foo Fighters. This collection of songs was written and performed - almost entirely - by Dave Grohl. This collection of songs was recorded in a few days, and mostly written by Grohl while on tour with Nirvana. The product is a collection of songs that defined post-grunge modern rock. Some tracks, like "This is a Call," sound like an obvious next step for an artist to take after Nirvana. Others, like "Big Me," could have come from a band in the late sixties - or any decade since. The timeless quality of some of Foo Fighters' work - with Grohl's impressive range of talents - has lead to their enduring appeal

"Modern Sounds" may be Ray Charles' greatest album(s). Charles' move in to country and western was possible because he gained artistic control of his projects in the early 60s. Previous success afforded considerable freedoms - and a rare level of creative control for the era. Charles crossed racial lines moving into country music. He brought his vocal skill, R&B background, and big band orchestrations to these country standards. His soulful renditions brought considerable critical and commercial success, and helped bolster Charles' position as one of the most influential American recording artists.

This is a collection of brief, indie-pop songs from a prolific group. The songs demonstrate the songwriting skills of the group's founder, Robert Pollard. Some songs are catchy, but all brief enough to leave you wanting more and to avoid becoming memorable. This was clearly influential - you can hear glimpses of many other indie-pop artists in this work.

The Fall was a prolific post-punk band from England. The Nation's Saving Grace is a collection of punk songs with catchy guitar riffs and strong bass lines - punk with a push toward pop sounds.

This is Bowie's break-out album. These glam-rock songs about the myth of Ziggy Stardust established Bowie as a a rock star and an icon of pop culture. Combining elements of blues, soul, and traditional rock, Bowie tells the story of a rock star/messiah that is trying to save a world that is spiraling toward disaster. While his "rock opera" may not have met with the success of other such efforts, these tracks did launch Bowie's career and add "glam rock star" to the mythology about rock stars in our culture.

Before Radiohead, nothing sounded like Radiohead. Even early Radiohead didn't sound like Radiohead. After OK Computer, everything changed. Radiohead experiments with electronic elements in their approach to guitar rock. The results are soundscapes that influenced musicians all over the world, and made Radiohead one of the best-known bands in the world.

Aretha Franklin has one of the greatest voices to ever record popular music. Her skill as a soul/gospel/R&B singer is unmatched. Her incredible voice changed popular music. Aretha showed that world that gospel and soul music were potent elements to add to R&B and rock. Lady Soul includes some of Aretha's most famous tracks, and shows her impressive range. The album includes 60s rock classics like "Chain of Fools," and soulful ballads like "A Natural Woman."

The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion had live shows that were describes as explosive and energetic. The recorded version of their music captures their energy, but does not present much of interest. The songs are repetitive, simplistic, and unpolished. This is certainly not "blues," in any traditional sense. Described as "scuzz-rock" or "scuzz-blues," these songs have a post-punk sound, and some of the guitar riffs and bass lines may interest those drawn to punk. Even those drawn to this will likely be disappointed - these inconsistent songs are not that memorable.

With this album, Black Sabbath started heavy metal. They forged a hard, driven version of blues and rock with elements of psychedelia and ample use of distortion. Tony Iommi's technical guitar riffs connect Black Sabbath's music to both rocks' and blues' traditions of guitar driven songs. Ozzy Osbourne's unique, strained vocals pushed their music into something outside of those traditions. Sabbath's associations with the occult has plagued hard rock throughout its history.

Calexico has a unique sound. A fusion of folk, Latin, electronic, and jazz elements, Calexico has created a type of folk music that sounds like the American Southwest. This beautiful collection of songs is the work of an experienced band - this is their fourth studio album. Calexico remastered Feast of a Wire for its twentieth anniversary, and added a number of live track with the reissue. The band's skill as a live act is evident, and adds another interesting dimension to this fantastic album.

This is a collection of well-crafted folk songs from Gillian Welch. She records and performs songs with her partner, David Rawlings. Her lovely, warbling voice evokes traditional, Appalachian folk songs. Welch tells stories in her songs about historical events and the role of music in our lives.

This is an incredible album of not-so-popular pop music. Reminiscent of the Beatles and the Byrds, this is a collection of great pop songs, that was very influential on pop music for decades after its release. The band was short lived, and the marketing and distribution of the album was a failure, so the band was far less known that it might have been (perhaps, should have been). One track, "In the Street," became the theme song for "That 70s Show," which helped revive interest in Big Star.

This is the Temptations' eighth studio album. This group of songs was influenced by the psychedelic soul that Sly and the Family Stone had made popular. These songs were a noticeable step from their previous efforts, which focused on romantic ballads. The change was successful, and this album won a Grammy. The Temptation already had a successful career, and this collection of great tracks accelerated their success.

This is an interesting collection of glam-rock and psychedelic pop songs. Super Furry Animals was a band from Wales, and this debut album met with modest success and critical reception. The album includes some great pop songs, like "Hometown Unicorn." The songs are somewhat inconsistent, where SFA's experimentations were not as fruitful, like "Gathering Moss" and "Long Gone."

Blood, Sweat & Tears is an interesting band - it's a jazz band, or perhaps an R&B band, playing rock/pop songs, and occasional classical pieces. The band was immensely talented, very well received, and very successful. Unfortunately, for a series of missteps and considerable turn-over in the lineup, the band did not have a very long career. This album includes a few staples of 60's classic rock, like "You Make Me So Very Happy" and "And When I Die." The combination of R&B sounds, soulful singing, and support from the horn section made BS&T's rich sound so very interesting.

Rock, and popular music in general, is "cool." Often, popular music defines cool - from Elvis's snarl to Prince's swagger - rock stars set the standards for what we think of as "cool." When it is coupled with talent - like with Elvis or Prince - the result can be incredible music. Sometimes, the cool kids without much talent make music. This music can still be thought of as "cool," but it may not be great music. Imo, Lou Reed and The Velvet Underground fit this description. With images of life in New York, and discussing drugs, and connections with Andy Warhol, and then add in Nico, the Velvet Underground is definitely cool. The songs are simplistic, bleak, and and cool because they were supposed to be cool. Many of these songs are remarkably famous, and incredibly influential. VU set standards for punk and avant-garde musicians for decades. Broadly - even if music is popular and influential, that does not mean that we all have to like it.

Can is a German, experimental rock band that produced beautiful, mesmerizing soundscapes. The tracks on Future Days have an atmospheric, ethereal quality, with a richness that comes from impressive musicianship and intricate composition. The complexity of their work supports their longer tracks; "Bel Air" clocks in at almost twenty minutes. Can was clearly influential; it is not surprising that Radiohead notes that Can was an influence. Can's music also seems like a precursor to a number of electronic music styles.

Oar is a collection of dark songs that Skip Spence wrote while he was confined in a mental hospital. Spence had been a member of the band Moby Grape. During a drug induced melt-down, he tried to attack member of the band with an axe. While committed, he wrote the songs that appeared Oar. The songs were recorded soon after his release. Spence played all of the instruments on the album. The album attracted little notice at its release, neither critically or commercially. In the decades following, the album has collected attention - and romanticized - as the work of a talented, but deeply troubled musician.

This Creedence Clearwater Revival's third studio album, and the second of three released during their very productive 1969. This album includes two of their biggest hits, "Green River" and "Bad Moon Rising." CCR played in a style that combined rockabilly, blues rock, and Southern rock, and featured John Fogerty's uniquely expressive vocals. Despite their unique style, CCR's songs are among the classics of 60's rock. Fogerty's voice and poignant lyrics resonated with the protest movements of the sixties, and presented a nostalgic view of traditional American music.

Dire Straits creates guitar-driven rock songs that are performed in a style reminiscent of blues rock and country rock. Dire Straits' distinct sound comes from Mark Knopfler's smoky, rich voice, and his crisp and expressive guitar solos. Their self-titled debut album contains some of their most popular songs, like "Sultans of Swing" and "Water of Love." These songs became very popular all over the world, and helped Dire Straits become one of the world's most successful bands during the 80's.

Radiohead's second album, the Bends, transformed the band from "one hit wonder" status into international stars. While none of the songs was successful as the "one hit" from their first album, "Creep," the album is filled with songs that helped define alternative rock. With haunting ballads like "Fake Plastic Trees" and anthem-like tracks like "Planet Telex," the Bends established that Radiohead has significant range, and broad-based appeal.

Madman Across the Water is Elton John's fourth album, which includes a few of his early hits, like "Tiny Dancer" and "Levon." This was early in the very productive period of John's career; through the 70's, he released at least an album per year, and they all met with at least modest success. Elton John's songs are beautiful, piano-based songs, showcasing his skill on the piano and his rich, expressive voice. His songs tell poignant stories, which are the product of John's lyricist/songwriting partner, Bernie Taupin. John's skills brought Taupin's stories to life, making the songs a part of the soundtrack of the 70's and 80's, and made Elton John one of the biggest stars of modern popular music.

Red Headed Stranger is often considered the greatest album in country music. In this concept album, Willie Nelson tells the story of a man who killed his wife and her lover. Some of the songs are simple simple and almost sparse - just Willie singing and his guitar. In others, Willie's band adds supporting instrumentation, including his sister, Bonnie, on the piano. The strength of the recording is in the compelling story Willie tells. The fable of the Red Headed Stranger was perfectly expressed in Willie's simple but elegant songs. The album was incredibly successful, propelling Willie to stardom that reached far beyond country music circles.

The title track of this album propelled Peter Tosh to fame. It was banned from radio play, and this ban may have been entirely counterproductive. The song had been an anthem of legalization efforts for decades. It is a great song, and a reggae classic. The rest of the album is not as noteworthy. The songs are pretty, danceable reggae tracks, but with limited range. Tosh expressive voice is the strongest element, and makes for a good - but perhaps not great - album.

This album is a collection of odd track from Syd Barrett, one of the founding members of Pink Floyd. After he was kicked out of the band for erratic behavior - due to mental issues (perhaps) related to excessive drug use - Barrett had a brief solo career. This is the first of his solo albums. For those that worship Barrett as a music genius, this album could be seen as something interesting. For the rest of us, this sounds like a collection of out-takes and first drafts of songs. The few tracks that seem remotely complete are reminiscent of early Pink Floyd, but they do not give the impression that the songs have been well practiced or produced. There are a few points where you can hear the imagination that made Barrett central to early Pink Floyd, but these moments are rare. The majority of the album is disappointing - little more than a reminder of lost potential.

David Crosby is better known for his work with group: the Byrds, CS&N, CSN&Y, and number collaborations. If I Could Only Remember My Name is is first solo album, which was recorded soon after his remarkable success first with CS&N's first album, and then CSN&Y's first album. Crosby's solo work has the same defining elements as the the music of his successful bands; rich vocal harmonies and expressive acoustic guitar solos. However, the tracks on this album are not as consistent as Crosby's work with his well-known groupings.

This is the Who at the height of their powers. Pete Townshend's potent guitars and Roger Daltrey's soaring voice are central elements of the Who's sound, and Keith Moon's powerful drum fills and Roger Entwistle's active bass lines are as important to the Who's full, rich sound. The impressive contributions of all four gave life to Townshend's compositions, and made the Who one of the most successful rock bands in the world. Who's Next includes some of their best known tracks, like "Baba O'Reily," "Bargain," "Going Mobile," and "Behind Blue Eyes." Their energetic sound and their range enabled them to create rock anthems and emotive ballads, which contributed to their popularity and their world-wide success.

If You're Feeling Sinister is the second album from Belle & Sebastian, a Scottish indie pop group. This is a collection of songs that helped define indie pop: thoughtful, self-aware, and perhaps anxious tracks written with thoughtful lyrics and supported by catchy melodies and interesting arraignments The band was very well received critically, and more popular than the band members expected. The band's character fit the songs - they were reclusive, avoiding publicity and the trappings of fame through popular music.

... And Justice for All is the fourth album from Metallica, the most successful heavy metal band. The track on this album are full of fast, very technical guitar riffs, frequent time changes, and singer James Hatfield's angry, powerful voice. The songs on Justice are much longer than most rock songs, with several tracks longer than seven minutes, and two longer than nine minutes. The lyrical content is often bleak, and most consistently expressing aggression. This fits with the aggressive, driven style the music captures. While technically impressive and intricately scored, the consistent not-so-contained rage makes for an album of limited range.

I Should Coco is collection of fun, catchy pop songs, which are done in a variety of styles. This was Supergrass's first album, and the members were all teenagers when the album recorded. These songs are teenage anthems - celebrations of the joy and frustration of youth. That said, these songs are not juvenile or simplistic. The songs are interesting and varied, showing the band's wide range of influences and surprising range.

Car Wheels on a Gravel Road is Lucinda Williams' most successful album, featuring "Can't Let Go," which may be Williams' most famous song. Her music is difficult to classify; she combines rock, folk, blues, and country. The album won a Grammy as the year's best folk album, but these songs do not sound like most music in the folk genre. "Can't let Go" earned Williams a Grammy nomination for best female rock vocal performance. Rolling Stone called the album "alternate country;" others called it "Americana." Whatever genre it is, Car Wheels on a Gravel Road is a rich collection of songs that showcase William's skill as a songwriter and her expressive voice. This collection of songs are of an impressive range, demonstrating the wide range of influences and genres she weaves together in her beautiful work.

The Grateful Dead's work is a central element of the American songbook. As a relentless touring band, they created a countercultural community around their shows. Their studio albums were not as famous as their live work, but they did establish the "standard" versions of their songs, which provided the background for their improvised versions they played live. Their music combined rock, bluegrass, folk, and country music into songs that have influenced and inspired generations of musicians. American Beauty contains many of the Grateful Dead's best know songs, including "Trucking," "Ripple," "Box of Rain," and "Sugar Magnolia." These songs have become central elements of modern American culture, not only for their devoted fans - the "Deadheads" - but also for the music culture generally. The Grateful Dead's song have had a greater cultural impact than the work of any band in modern music. American Beauty contains a collection of songs that resonated with enough fans to establish that incredible impact.

Dusty Springfield had a very successful career in the early and mid-sixties. Her first four albums were recorded in England, and all met with considerable critical and commercial success. Dusty in Memphis was her first album recorded in United States. The album received incredible critical praise, but saw very little commercial success. Springfield never found the commercial success that had during the early years of her career. Dusty in Memphis is regarded as the best of her work. It includes her best-known single, "Son of a Preacher Man." Her soulful voice is accompanied with orchestrations typical of late-sixties pop. This collection of lovely, well produced songs influenced pop singers for generations. Despite its very limited commercial success, Dusty in Memphis is regarded as one of the most important albums in pop music.

Brothers in Arms was the album that propelled Dire Straits to international stardom. Propelled by some of the band's biggest hit songs, like "Money for Nothing" and "Walk of Life," this album set sales records all over the world, including a note as the first CD to sell over a million copies. Brothers in Arms is more pop-oriented that the band's previous albums, but the band maintained its distinct sound based on Mark Knopfler's technical, precise guitar solos and his deep, rich voice.

Slade was a glam-rock band in the early 70's. They achieved remarkable success in Britain, and limited success in a few other countries, but very little notice in the United States. Slayed? is their third studio album, and was released in the middle of the band's most successful period - the first half of the 70s. Slayed? is full of energetic, potent rock songs. These are fun, punchy tracks that seem precursors of glam rock/pop metal of the 80s. This album includes a interesting collection of songs of notable range, and makes Slade one of the curiosities of popular music - why were they not more successful...?

Doolittle is the second studio album from the Pixies, and was among the most influential alt-rock albums of the the 80s. The Pixies combined punk-like jagged guitar riffs with pop-like melodic elements and added a "soft/loud" dynamic; their songs have quiet, reserved moments broken up with a loud punch, typically from a wailing guitar and Black Francis' near-screaming vocals. Doolittle includes some of the Pixies' best known songs, like "Monkey Gone to Heaven," "Here comes Your Man," and "Debaser." These songs, and the Pixies' distinct sound, heavily influenced alt-rock for decades.

This is Radiohead's fifth studio album, containing a few of well known tracks like "Knives Out" and "Pyramid Song." The songs were recorded in the same sessions as their previous album, Kid A. As such, some have critiqued this album as a collection of "B Sides." The band members felt differently; they felt that the Kid A songs were a complete set, and these songs were from a different place than the Kid A material. Radiohead continued with their exploration of experimental alternative rock and electronic music. They explore different textures and arraignments to create mesmerizing soundscapes in their work. With Amnesiac, they continue to define modern music.

The Beatles are the most influential band in modern, popular music, and it's impossible to overstate their impact. They had an unmatched streak of hit songs, they combined a range of styles in their catchy, memorable songs, they were the first global rock stars, and they showed that a band could be far more than the sum of their very talented individual parts. With the Beatles is the band's second studio album, which includes a few of the early hit songs written by Lennon and McCarthy, like "All My Loving" and "I Wanna Be Your Man." These songs are typical of early Beatles' songs with catchy melodies, and endearing lyrics delivered with polished harmonies. The album also includes covers of rock classics, like "Roll over Beethoven" and "Money (That's all I Want)," showing that early rock and roll were among the influences the Beatles incorporated into their music. This album shows the range and depth of the Beatles' music. Through their career, they evolved considerably from the sound presented in this album. Nonetheless, With the Beatles' demonstrates all of the elements that made them global stars that would inspire decades of musicians.

The White Stripe exuded the energy and creativity of Jack White. Meg White certainly played a role, and her drumming was a significant addition to the White Stripes sound. That said, Jack White wrote all of the songs, and their sound was defined by Jack's brash guitar work and his distinct vocals. The White Stripes have a raw, bold energy that few bands could ever match. Elephant is their fourth album, and many regard this as the White Stripe's best work. It opens with "Seven Nation Army," which may be their most famous song, and has become a stadium anthem, especially in the soccer world. The rest of the album is filled with the White Stripes fierce version of alt-rock. Their sound has a foundation in the blues - like found in "Ball and Biscuit" - and developed with Jack's skilled, raw guitar riffs.

The Streets is the work of British hip-hop artist Mike Skinner. A Grand Don't Come for Free is a concept album about the narrator's loss of on thousand pounds (a monetary loss) and his relationship with a woman. The album had very few moments that could be called melodic. "Dry Your Eyes" stands out as a track where some sense of musicality accompanies the spoke word monologues. Most of the album is brash and atonal. The narrator's tale has a few interesting moments, but far from enough to overcome relatively unpleasant background "music."

Marvin Gaye had a long, successful career as one of the greatest voices of R&B, funk, and soul. Let's Get It On is more overtly sexual than Gaye's previous work, and his smooth, rich voice works incredibly well with this type of material. The title track is one of the more pointedly sexual songs of modern music, and it isn't the only obviously sexual track on the album. For example, "You Sure Love to Ball" starts with the sound of a woman moaning. Gaye's voice is one the strongest, most-recognizable voices in modern music. Let's Get it On differs from Gaye's previous socially conscious work, but adds to his catalog of beautiful, well-produced songs.

Introducing the Hardline... was an incredibly successful album. Within days of its release, it sold a million copies. Terence Trent D'Arby's mix of pop, soul, R&B, and rock made for great late-80's pop. His work could be seen as a funkier Michael Jackson, or a more grounded version of Prince. His songs have great range, developed arrangements, and catchy pop melodies that had widespread appeal. This album is very much a product of the 80's, and Trent D'Arby remains a fixture of music of that time. He met with very little commercial or critical success after this, his first album. The limitations of his career reflect the limitations of this work. This album is product of the eighties, and seems very dated in retrospect.

ZZ Top, the "Lil' Ol' Band from Texas," had a great lane, and they ran with it. They started as a guitar-driven blues rock band, and found modest success in that format. In the eighties, they moved in a pop direction, adding synthesizers and drum machines to their songs. This addition propelled them to stardom, and "Eliminator" was their most successful album in that format. The two in front, Billy Gibson and Dusty Hill, grew beards down to the middle of their chests, giving them a signature look to add to their signature sound. Eliminator has some of their biggest hits: "Sharp Dressed Man," "Gimme All Your Loving," and "Legs." Their simple, guitar driven mixture of pop, blues, and rock drove a successful career. It isn't complex, or of significant range, but their work is solid rock songs.

The Archandroid is Janelle Monae's ambitious debut album. She combines soul, funk, pop, and rap in elaborately orchestrated songs. Monae has a great voice, and her songs are of a remarkable range. The Archandroid is a concept album which contains a story about an android in the future. For the range, the complexity, and the elaborate concept, I tried to love this album, but I couldn't muster it. The songs are scattered, and all feel like revisions of songs of other pop artists. For me, the sum did not add up to something greater than all of the parts.

Joe Ely's songs are country rock, rockabilly, and ballads - he's a singer/songwriter that spent his life as a touring musician. Ely's a great story teller, and his songs reflect his skill in that role and present the lessons he acquired as a road-weary musician. Honky Tonk Masquerade was widely critically acclaimed, but not very commercially successful. It includes a collection of interesting country rock songs, showing Ely's skill as a story teller and the work of a polished, practiced band.

Astral Weeks is Van Morrison's second solo album, after starting his musical career with the band "Them. It's a beautiful collection of his version of soulful folk songs. His distinct, rich voice is the defining element of his work, and his expressive sound gives life to his thoughtful, engaging lyrics. Add skilled, complex orchestration, and Morrison is able to create a memorable set of tracks. This album met with near-universal critical success, but didn't catch the attention necessary for commercial success. Regardless, Astral Weeks may be Van Morrison's masterpiece, and marked the beginning of his long, successful solo career.

Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds create a distinct version of alternative rock. His deep, warbling voice and his very dramatic lyrics are accompanied by a talented, energetic band. Henry's Dream includes a collection of songs that showcase Nick Cave's talent as a storyteller, which is one of the elements that draw his devoted fans.

Metallica is the definitive heavy metal band. Master of Puppets was their major label debut, and the album that catapulted the band into stardom. The songs have the characteristic harsh, technical guitar riffs, and the scream like vocals of the genre, and have the longer than normal rock songs that was common in the band's early work. Master of Puppets is regarded as the band's best work. Some claim this is the best heavy metal album. It's a consistent set of well written songs, and clearly genre-defining - generations of bands attempted to replicate the sound of Metallica.

Frank Sinatra has an astonishing catalog. He released successful albums throughout his sixty-year professional career. This album, Francis Albert Sinatra & Antonio Carlos Jobim, was his experiment into bossa nova, a gentle style of samba music that was popular in the 50's and 60's. While interesting, this is far from Sinatra's best work. The songs are pretty, but not particularly noteworthy. Jobim was known as the father of bossa nova, and his collaboration with American artists helped bring the music to audiences outside of Brazil.

John Lennon had an astonishing musical career - as a part of the Beatles, and then as a solo artist (or, as a recording artist with his wife, Yoko Ono). As a part of this incredible career, it seems odd to claim that he has one, "signature" song. "Imagine" may be that song. Imagine, the album, includes that incredible song, and a collection of other songs showing Lennon's strength as a songwriter and recording artist.

The Pogues are a unique band - Celtic folk with punk sensibilities. "If I should fall from Grace With God" is their most successful album, commercially, and may be the best of their studio work. It is a combination of a range of styles - their Celtic background, with Turkish and Spanish elements that the band learned while touring. Through all of the various styles, Shane MacGowen's compelling storytelling ties the songs together into an incredible, danceable, heartfelt collection.

Jethro Tull combined an unusual collection of stylistic elements: classic rock guitar, some folk-like ballads, obscure to inscrutable lyrics, and more frequent use of a flute than almost any band in modern popular music. This unique mixture made for a remarkably successful band, and Aqualung was their most commercially successful album. The title track is a great example of Jethro Tull's style, complete with dramatic transitions and religious overtones throughout the lyrics. The album contain other similarly intense songs, including "My God" and "Locomotive Breath." Several critics believed that Aqualung was a concept album discussing the relationship between God and religion. The band did not intend it as such - this is just the work that was typical for Jethro Tull.

Herbie Hancock is an inspired keyboard player, with an extensive career in jazz, funk, fusion, and electronic music. Head Hunters was a breakthrough album for him, which brought his jazz/funk fusion to mainstream audiences. The album includes four long tracks, which wind through composition that sound as if they arose out of improvisation session. The songs are centered on Hancock's impressive keyboard work, and he's supported by a talented jazz band. These are interesting tracks, like "Chameleon" and "Watermelon Man," and makes for a good album, but perhaps not a great album.

I am not a fan of the genre. I do not like to celebrate violence. The closing track of this album has a line: "I don't like ya'll anyway - fuck all ya'll."

Green Day has had a long, very successful career as a pop/punk band. American Idiot is a concept album, a punk rock opera, about Jesus from Surburbia. The band maintained their punk pop sound - guitar driven songs with catchy melodies and interesting lyrics - while telling a story about a disillusioned American kid. The result was critically and commercially very successful. This album tells an interesting, thoughtful story, through some of Green Day's biggest hit songs, like "American Idiot," "Holiday," and "Wake Me Up When September Ends." This is an excellent album, and may be the high point of Green Day's career.

Kraftwerk are pioneers of electronic music who created minimalist, melodic music with early synthesizers. Trans Europe Express may be their best album, filled with catchy, melodic, danceable songs. In a decade dominated by classic rock and Motown, Kraftwerk made music with drum machines, and characterized their music as "robot pop" - the work of automatons. Kraftwerk was incredibly influential - much of modern electronic music is inspired by their work. This album is arguably where modern electronic music began.

King Crimson was the definitive progressive rock band. Their work was something between rock and jazz; it has complicated orchestrations and interesting structures, but it is not danceable and not particularly melodic. All of the musicians display a clear level of talent, and the songs have a complexity that makes them engaging, but their work is not particularly pleasant to listen to. This is challenging music.

Songhoy Blues is a band that was inspired by political and civil unrest in their native Mali. After getting noticed by French producer, the recorded a few songs, and were invited to perform in the U.K. While there, they recorded their first album, Music in Exile. Their music is a modern spin on traditional Mali music - a fast-paced, guitar-driven style of African folk music.

Jeff Buckley tragically had a short career. A few years after his one solo album, Grace, Buckley died while swimming in the Mississippi river. Grace is an exceptional album. Buckley's potent, near-operatic voice compliments a collection of rich, engaging songs. His cover of "Hallelujah" is lovely, and his songs "Last Goodbye" seems a near-perfect match to it. This is a beautiful collection of songs, and a testament to a career that could have been...

Sea Change is a different album for Beck - but all of Beck's albums are different. This is closer to traditional acoustic folk that most of his other work, and this is a somber effort. Most of the songs are about loneliness and heartbreak. These were songs Beck wrote after the end of a long-term relationship. This is a beautiful collection of introspective, thoughtful songs, which is considered by some to be Beck's best work.

Brian Eno has an incredible career in the music industry. He has been involved in a wide range of projects, with an almost impossible list of different recording artist. Among his various projects, he has recorded a few albums of ambient music. Ambient 1: Music for Airports is a collection of pretty, but fairly innocuous ambient tracks. These are pleasant tracks, but not particularly memorable.

The Wall could be the high point - or, one of the high points - of Pink Floyd's illustrious career. A rock opera about a rock star, Pink, and the struggles he has with his life, fame, and the world we live in. The album was incredibly successful, and inspired several successful tours and a not-as-successful movie. The Wall has become a cultural icon as one of the most famous and influential albums of all time. Some days, this can seem cliched and melodramatic - other days it can seem poignant and inspired. From either perspective, The Wall is compelling and and engaging.

Lost in the Dream is the third studio album from the indie rock band The War On Drugs. The songs on the album tell stories about loneliness and depression that Adam Grandeciel experienced while touring. The band is heavily influenced by Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan, and Tom Petty, and their work has tracks that could have come from any of these artists. Grandeciel has a distinct, expressive voice, and his songs contain vivid expressions of the experiences of his life.

The Jam is a great punk/pop band from Britain, that never found great success outside of Britain. They create catchy, melodic songs with punk sound, but cleaner and more skillfully played that many punk acts. Sound Affects may be their best album. It includes short, pop songs like "Pretty Green" and "Monday," as well as acoustic tracks like "That's Entertainment." Their range and energy made them the most successful of the first wave of British punk bands.

I'm not a fan of the genre. That said, Wu-Tang Clan is very good at what they do. Hard core beats, piano riffs, and a rolling cast of MCs makes for the defining sound of rap in the 90's and the aughts. I don't think we should celebrate violence this way, but I realize that I may be at odds with the majority on this count.

Pentangle is a product of the late 60's, and their music sounds like a manifestation of that time period. They are an acoustic rock band - or a folk band - with talented guitarists, an intricate rhythm section, and harmonic vocals. They would make a perfect double-bill with Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young. Basket of Light is their third studio album, and is filled with a collection of rich, lovely songs.

New Order is a definitive 80's band. They started in the 70's as Joy Division, and after the death of Ian Curtis, the remaining band members became New Order. They have recorded music and toured since that time, but their greatest success and impact was in the 80's. Technique is the band's fifth album, and may be their most successful. It combines their punk roots and synthesizer based dance music in a set of engaging tracks. This album is the work of a great band at the height of their powers.

Os Mutantes are a brilliant psychedelic band from Brazil. Their self-titled album is a collection of fun, experimental songs that garnered world-wide attention. They embraced elements of American and British psychedelia - distortion, feedback, and a range of instruments and styles. The result is very entertaining, and a great example of the experimental music that arose our of sixties psychedelia.

Frank Ocean received significant critical acclaim for his first album, Channel Orange. This is a collection of almost-rap, almost R&B, and maybe soul songs. Generally, the tracks are not particularly melodic, not danceable, and not that interesting. Ocean's storytelling seems bitter and frustrated with the world. This album is hard to listen to. He has a good voice, but doesn't seem interesting in creating melodic work.

Tina Turner's Private Dancer marks one of the great come-back stories in popular music. Tina first found success as a singer in a band with her first husband, Ike Turner. Tina escaped from that abusive relationship, and then struggled to find success as a solo artist. Private Dancer was the album that ended her struggles, and met with international critical and commercial success. Her songs are driven by her potent, soulful voice, like the title track and "What's Love Got to do With It." Her energetic performances drove a sequence of successful, international tours that made Tina into a superstar.

Jean-Michel Jarre's Oxygene is one of the very influential albums of early electronic music. This is Jarre's third album, and was an enormous commercial success. Jarre combined catchy, classically inspired melody lines with ethereal sounding echo effects, to create a sound that is definitively "new age." The songs are pleasant, but lack range - they all seem to be cut from the same ethereal cloth.

Tea for the Tillerman is the Album that made Cat Stevens a global star. "Wild World" was issued as a single before the album's release, and the song found substantial commercial success. The album includes some of Stevens' most famous songs, like "Father and Son" and "Where do the Children Play." Stevens tells dramatic stories and adds catchy melodies in his folk rock songs. His distinct, expressive voice complements his memorable story telling. Tea for the Tillerman may be his strongest album, but there are other contenders in his extensive catalog.

Sometimes, single songs can make an album great. \"Bittersweet Symphony\" may be one of those songs. It was a break-out hit, and could be make the band a \"one-hit wonder,\" but the rest of their work was far too good for that classification. Urban Hymns includes another hit song, \"Lucky Man,\" and a collection of great, alt rock songs. The album was the band's most successful, and got near-universal critical praise. The Verve embody the sound of 90's alt rock: strong vocals, well produced tracks, and rich orchestrations to support their engaging sound.

Radiohead may be the most influential band in the world. They started as an alt rock/pop band, but they have moved far beyond that. They make music that is outside of any genre but their own. In Rainbows may be the band at the height of their power. These songs have a simple sound, that is build of complex, beautiful arrangements. They creates tapestries of guitar rock, with synthesizers rich rhythms. A rare band that is far, far bigger than the sum of their very talented parts...

The Incredible String Band is a Celtic folk band that would pair well with early Pink Floyd. This is a folksy side of early psychedelia: a string band with pan flutes, a harpsichord, a sitar, and lyrics with a noticeable Irish brogue. The songs are amusing, but quirky - interesting, but not an album that I will be drawn to listen to again.

Depeche Mode's brooding, dramatic version of pop synth music fit particularly well with the 80s aesthetic. They make dance music with synthesizers and drum machines. The songs are catchy and danceable, but it is hard to notice any particular difference between the songs. The band was quite commercially successful at the time, and have been able to sustain a successful career since. Music for the Masses may have had mass appeal at the time, but for the very dated sound of these songs, that appeal has certainly waned.

Rum, Sodomy & the Lash is an incredible effort from the Pogues. Their punk by way of Irish folk songs is their distinct sound, and it work so very well because of the vivid storytelling from Shane MacGowen. This is drinking music - and unapologetically so - and a brilliant version of drinking music. The Pogues made a unique, distinct addition to modern popular music, and this album demonstrates why they had a devoted following. This talented band has instrumental songs - "Planxty Noel Hill" - but most of the tracks feature MacGowen's brogue and his engaging stories.

Gang of Four is one of the most successful and influential punk bands to come out of the 70s punk scene in England. Their raw sound combines brash guitar solos, precise base lines, and intricate drum rhythms to create an energetic, driven sound. Jon King's vocals riff on Marxist theory and societal problems, adding a social relevance to their work, and ensuring their influence among anyone listening. Entertainment! is the first album from the band, and established their sound as a central figure in punk music.

I'm not a fan of the genre. This is a better album that most rap, in my opinion. Eminem is a compelling story teller. He has some issues - he's an angry man, and perhaps a disturbed one. This work is an semi-interesting portrayal of a damaged human. I still don't think that makes for great music.

John Martyn was a talented singer/songwriter from Britain. He plays is style of folk that is influence by jazz and blues. His guitar playing is of a distinct slapping style, and he frequently used electronic effects to enrich the sound of his guitar. Add a rich, raspy voice, and Martyn created a distinct sound that was very well received critically, and influenced generations of folk singer/songwriters. Solid Air is one of Martyn's most successful albums, which helped establish an international fan base. It includes some his most enduring songs, like "Solid Air" and "I'd rather be the Devil."

Suede - or The London Suede, as they are known in the US - began the "Brit Pop" wave of the 90s. They may catchy, melodic pop songs, that capture a variety of moods. Singer Brett Anderson's expressive voice works well with Bernard Butler's effect-laden guitar work. Suede may have been overshadowed by later entries of the Brit pop wave like Oasis, but their songs are great examples of engaging 90s alt rock.

Louis Prima was a vocalist that helped establish the early sounds of rock 'n roll. He combined jazz, boogie-woogie, and R&B styles and added his expressive charisma to his songs. The songs on this album are the classic standards of rock: "Jump, Jive, 'an Wail," "Just a Gigalo," and "Night Train." Prima was one of the formative voices of early rock music. His piano centered music with prominent contributions from his horn section helped create the sound of early rock 'n roll.

Bjork has a hauntingly beautiful voice. She makes odd songs. They are not all pretty - some are even uncomfortable. Some are strikingly beautiful: melodic, rich, and well orchestrated. This album ranges from incredible songs, to the odd side of avant-garde. It is certainly memorable, and interesting, but may not be great...

Stereolab created an avant-garde version of alt-rock and dance music. They focused their creative process on looping, and by the time they recorded Emperor Tomato Ketchup, they had perfected their sound, and their process. The rich, well-produced tracks on the album use rhythms that are inspired by (or, inspiring to...) hip-hop, with arrangements and transitions that suggest jazz influences. Add some haunting vocals, and the combination yields a textured, engaging sound with the nature of complicated dance music.

Christina Aguilera was one of the performers in the 90s reboot of the Mickey Mouse Club, and she may be the most talented of that very talented bunch. Her dynamic voice has an impressive range, and allows her to create pop songs with the sounds of R&B and soul tracks. Back to Basics is an impressive double disk - 85 minutes with 22 tracks. The content is certainly not "basic." Several tracks are orchestrated and performed like vocal jazz standards from the 40s. The incredible range of the songs is impressive. While the album received mixed reception from critics, it was very well received commercially. This album, and the tour that followed, propelled Aguilera into superstar status - a performer with far more range and creativity than "just" a pop music star.

Curtis Mayfield's solo work is among the best examples of 70's funk. Bass-driven orchestration with a deep, talented band backing up Mayfield's soulful falsetto. He was well known for his socially conscious lyrics - much of Mayfield work is commentary on the African-American condition is our world. Mayfield's critical and limited commercial success are responding to the beautiful songs and his expressive voice.

The is a surprising album from the Bee Gees. This was a concept album, almost approaching sixties psychedelia at points. The concept of the album may have been lost in revisions and a significant rift in the band. The result is not a product of 70's disco stars - this is more the work of a country or folk band. Some tracks could be Creedence - without Forgerty's distinct sound. Other tracks on this odd mix are orchestrated pieces which could be part of a John Williams movie score. It is a strange mix, and a strange album, composed of pretty songs.

Rush's Moving Pictures is the band's most commercially successful album. It contains some of their most successful songs, like "Limelight" and "Tom Sawyer." The three-piece band makes guitar driven hard rock driven by Alex Lifeson's technical guitar solos. Rush's sound is completed with Geddy Lee's distinct falsetto, and Neil Peart's intricate drum work. Moving Pictures is full of shorter, more accessible tracks than the band's earlier work, which may have contributed to the album's commercial success.

Grizzly Bear was one of more influential alt-rock bands of the aughts. The band started as the solo work of Ed Droste, who wrote indie/folk sounds with a elements of psychedelia. As the band matured, the four piece collaborated by adding jazz undertones and rich orchestrations. When they recorded Veckatimest, the band had learned to collaborate effectively, and the result was their most successful album. Driven by a few hits, like "Tom Weeks," Grizzly Bear set a standard for alt-rock of the era: engaging story-telling in upbeat folk/pop songs.

This album, and the collected sets of Fitzgerald's "songbooks," are canonical in modern popular music. Ella's songbooks are the first, encyclopedic recordings of American Songbook. Ella's incredible voice may have been the only up to this task - a first complete draft of the American Songbook. This collection of fifty-eight songs of the Gershwins was the last installment of her "songbooks." It is beautiful collection of songs, with Ella's voice accompanied by a talented, rich orchestra.

Led Zeppelin was one of the most influential rock bands, ever; they were the most dominant force in popular music of the 70s. This album, "II," is Zeppelin in their full, audacious swagger - Jimmy Page's guitar licks, and Robert Plant wailing. The band was famous from the start. This album made them international rock stars - arena shows...

The Stranger is Billy Joel's break-through album. His first four albums were successful - especially the second - but this album made Joel a star. His "Piano Man" role is supported by the band that his touring band. This includes some of his biggest hits, like "She's always a Woman," "Scenes from an Italian Restaurant," and "Moving Out." This may be the strongest album of Joel's catalog, establishing him as one of the most recognizable singer/songwriters in popular music.

More Songs About Buildings And Food is the Talking Head's second album, when the band was developing their sound. Talking Head created a very rich version of minimalistic art-pop. They played simple chord progressions in complicated rhythmic patters. The band members were actually art school punks, and their music would create this impression. David Byrne's upbeat, random, lyrics are delivered with an anxious earnestness - completing the picture. This is an incredible collection of songs from very early in the band's career. While their later albums were more commercially successful, More Songs about Buildings and Food may be more influential.

The Only Ones are a British, punk/pop band that were more of a critical success than a commercial one. Their music is melancholy version of upbeat, 70s punk, The Only Ones is a good enough band to have been more famous, popular music is not always predictable.

Arctic Monkeys are the aughts' most successful British punk/pop band. Whatever People Say I am, That's What I'm not, their debut, set the record for the fastest selling debut in British history. Driven by a few hits, like "I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor," and a very early command of social media propelled, the Arctic Monkeys to global stardom very quickly. Their music is an energetic, skillfully played post-punk. The band's consistent lyrical focus created a (perhaps intentional) concept album: this is a snapshot of a young, club-hopping British man.

Country Joe & The Fish were one of the great bands of 60's psychedelia that didn't become very famous. A politically-motivated, Bay area group that combined folk, blues, The band was best known for their anti-Vietnam war anthem, "I feel like I'm Fixing to Die Rag," but it was left off of this album. Electric Music for The Mind and Body is their debut, and may be their best work. Country Joe is an excellent example of late 60's blues/rock, just not a particularly famous one.

The Isley Brothers are an institution - they recorded music over an almost 50 year career, through a few lineup changes and styles of music. 3 + 3 is from the height of the soul/R&B phase of the band's career. It opens with "That Lady," a song that is one of their biggest hits, and one that sounds like a snapshot of the 70's. Their polished vocals add a gospel sound to their version of bass-driven funk. They include a few interesting covers on this album, like "Sunshine (go away today)" and "Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight."

Soul II Soul made positive, post-disco dance music. Late 80s London club music relied heavily on a mechanized back beat, and vocals in a disco/R&B style. Soul II Soul had a rotation of lead vocalists, which gave the band a range of sounds. Some of their most successful track featured Caron Wheeler, like "Keep on Moving." This is a strong collection of the dance tracks of the era.

Fleet Foxes made lovely alt/folk music that is filled with rich vocal harmonies. Their self-title debut album met with notable critical success. They make upbeat, guitar and mandolin based folk songs, with a warm, near-falsetto sound to their vocals.

PJ Harvey makes guitar driven alt rock with punk sensibilities. Her strong vocals give her work a distinct energy; she presents vivid images, and her expressive voice brings them to life. This is a collection of songs written after Harvey spent part of a year in New York City. Some of the tracks could be odes to the Big Apple.

In Fetch the Bold Cutters, Fiona Apple is experimenting with rhythms, and a collection of experimental percussion instruments. Apple's music is still centered around the piano and her clear, articulate vocals, like her earlier albums. This collection of songs is more experimental, and of a surprising range. By the end of the album, it isn't clear what genre to place Apple's music in.

Korn added rap to metal's vocabulary. Their sound has the bass driven rhythms of metal, with down-tuned guitars to add weight. The brooding, articulate lyrics wander from the scream of death-metal, through rap to scat in some sequences. Follow the Leader is their third album, and perhaps their most successful. Driven by a a few hit singles, like "Freak on a Leash," Korn became one of the biggest bands of the 90s.

Santana brought a Latin element to 60's psychedelic rock. Abraxas is the second studio album, which includes some of their biggest hits, like "Black Magic Woman" and "Oye Como Va." Santana combines Latin rhythms with the wailing guitar of 60's psychedelic rock, and the combination was so successful that Santana's music is part of the songbook of classic rock.

The Mama's and the Papa's added a thread of harmonic folk music to the mix that was 60's pop music. Their four voices blended richly with acoustic guitar driven orchestrations. Like much of 60's pop, their music is mixed with a number of supporting parts - the string section parts add a layer of 60's psychedelia to their distinct, near-choral sound. If You Can Believe Your Eyes and Ears is their debut album, and includes some of their most famous hits, like "Monday, Monday" and "California Dreamin.'" This may be the strongest work of the band's short career, and this one adding a significant facet to 60's pop music.

Double Nickels On the Dime was the Minutemen's fourth album, which they released after the band had considerable critical and commercial success as a punk/hardcore band. Their relentless touring earned them a devoted following, and Double Nickels placed the Minutemen in the center of 80's punk. The Minutemen made rhythmically complicated punk, with raw guitar and bass lines. Their music is eclectic and political - engaging and energetic punk that helped define the genre in the 80's

Circle Jerks made hard-core punk - short songs with aggressive guitar, and simple, angry lyrics. The drums are as aggressive, and may be the most skilled element of the band's music. This is a great example of hard-core punk, and as clear of a example of how hard-core punk isn't particularly great music.

The Eagles' debut album includes some of their early hits, like "Take it Easy" and "Peaceful Easy Feeling." They made guitar-driven, country rock with harmonies from a few strong singers. This album established the band's sound, and brought the band their initial fame. This is a great collection of songs from a band that would become one of the biggest bands of the decade.

The Youngbloods could be called a "one hit wonder" from 60's folk rock. Their version of "Come Together" is their most famous effort by a significant margin. It is a great example of the band's folk/rock, centered on rich, vocal harmonies. The Youngbloods seem like a step between 60's psychedelia and 70's country rock Elephant Mountain does not include their "one hit, but it does include a strong collection of melodic, interesting songs. While the Youngbloods did not achieve considerable success, this is an album that could (should?) have been much more famous.

Marty Robbins recorded popular country music over a thirty year year career. He recorded albums in a variety of styles - Elvis' odd, movie soundtrack section of his catalog may have been inspired by Robbins' eclectic mix. In the late 50's, Robbins recorded a few albums of "cowboy myth" country. Gunfighter Ballads is one of those albums. This is simple, cowboy country - voices and guitars - and Robbins is at least partially responsible for popularizing this part of country music.

Violator is the Depeche Mode's seventh album, and one of their most successful. It includes some of their biggest singles, like "Personal Jesus" and "Policy of Truth." These tracks are great examples of the band's synthesizer based pop songs, with a dark, almost sinister sound. Depeche Mode made international pop hits out of dance club music, becoming one of the biggest, most influential band of 80s and 90s popular music.

Superfly is an arguable high point in the long, illustrious career of Curtis Mayfield. This was the soundtrack to a movie of the same name; this is a collection of songs commenting on the condition of African Americans. Curtis' distinct falsetto gives a soul sound the the R&B he included on this album. He uses a punchy horn section and rhythmic varieties to give his song s rich texture. This is an incredible album this is a central element of the sound of 70s popular music.

In the late 70s and early 80s, the Jam were most popular band in British pop music. The made short, melodic, guitar driven pop songs, and were a significant step in that tradition. Their sound impacted the 80s and 90s bands in that genre. All Mod Cons is the band's third album, and was the album that propelled the band to popular success.

Southern Rock Opera is double-disc, concept album from Drive-By Truckers. They imagine a world through the eyes of the band Lynyrd Skynyrd. The band plays heavy guitar drive, Southern country rock, and Southern Rock Opera was the break-through release. The band "crowd-funded" the album, before crowd-funding was a term. The strong critical reception to the album led to a re-release, and the band began tour nationally. The band's gritty, rich sound became part of the mixture of popular alt-rock in the aughts and the 10s. This album is a daring attempt to express the "duality of the Southern thing." The song "Three Great Alabama Icons" is a spoken word piece at the center of this theme. It voices the tension of a culture that is addressing its racist past.

Guero is a Beck's ninth studio album - a collection of songs about Beck's childhood in a Hispanic neighborhood of Los Angeles. They are typical of Beck's style of alt-rock: vocals that wander toward spoken word and even rap, a range of rhythmic styles with regular transitions, and engaging melodies. Beck has made successful, popular songs throughout his career; this chapter includes "Girl" and "E-Pro." Guero is a great collection of songs that demonstrate Beck's range and songwriting abilities.

Michael Kiwanuka is a British man from a Ugandan family, who makes a modern version of soulful R&B. His songs have a joyful energy that Kiwanuka carries in his rich voice, and is developed in an interest mixture of musical influences. African rhythms are complimented by backup singers, a horn section, and synthesizers to give it a modern twist.

Ladysmith Black Mambazo is a South African choral group that was propelled to international fame for their contribution to Paul Simon's Graceland. Shaka Zulu is the album that the group release right after touring with Paul Simon. This Grammy winning album contains a collection of lovely songs with nothing outside of the sound of ten voices, in practiced, rich harmonies.

Before and After Science was a solo effort from Brian Eno in the late 70's. This sounds of the same mixture that made early Talking Heads - guitar and synthesizer driven art pop of the seventies. On some tracks, Eno's affinity for ambient comes through. These songs are not particularly melodic, and not as engaging as Eno's work with Roxy Music,

The Yeah Yeah Yeahs make synthesizer-based alt rock with danceable beats, in which the most recognizable element is lead singer Karen O's sweet, strong voice. Their music is version of minimalism found in alt pop: simple chord progressions played with a rhythmic complexity. It's Blitz is a great collection of songs - catchy, danceable songs with a generally uplifting tone and message.

This is the debut solo album from Method Man, who was the first of the Wu-Tang Clan to launch a successful solo career. His long career has produced an extensive catalog, both as a solo performer and in various grouping. Method Man's voice has a distinct, rich sound, making his vocals more melodic than most rap. I'm not a fan of the genre - I don't think we should celebrate violence. This album does include some of that, but does have a few tracks with more positive messages.

Nora Jones has a stunning voice, and she makes beautiful pop song in the style of a slow, deliberate, talented jazz vocalist. Come Away with Me is her debut album, which propelled her to international stardom. The title track is a great example of the elegant, memorable songs she produces.

Fela Kuti brought afrobeat to the world's attention. Fela Kuti's dynamic personality as a bandleader, a multi-instrumentalist, and an ambassador for afrobeat music made him an international star. His bigger contribution may have been as a voice for Nigeria's poor and a political force in his country. Live! is a recording featuring Ginger Baker which is a great example of Fela Kuti's music: polyrhythms, blaring horns, and his near-rap/scat vocals. The combination makes very danceable music of infectious energy.

Tom Waits is his own genre - there is no one that sounds anything like him. His gravel, hoarse, rough voice one of the defining elements. The vaudeville-esque, cacophony of horns, piano, and percussion from a seeming assortment of found objects create the concoction that is Waits' folk/blues/ballad/blech. His music is beautiful for the use of all of the ugly, out-of-sorts components he orchestrates.

Skepta is a British rapper who is from a Nigerian family, who is a known in the UK grime scene. This is electronic based, rap/hip-hop, with a lyrically style that is very repetitive - to an odd, boring level at points. This is not particularly danceable dance music.

Milton Nascimento is a Brazilian musician that became an international star in the early 70s. Clube Da Esquina is an album credited to him, but the title is the name of an artists' collective that played on this double album. This collection of songs are vocally-centered jazz songs with bossa nova rhythms and rock influences. These songs have become central to modern Brazilian music.

The Cars made great, punk-inspired pop songs. Their clean, guitar driven sound uses synthesizers to fill out their melodic, catchy tracks. Ric Ocasek's vocals have a distinct sound, which help define the band's sound. This self-titled debut album has some of the hits that propelled the band to stardom, like "My Best Friend's Girl" and "Good Times Roll."

This is Neil Young's tenth album, and his third with the band Crazy Horse. Some of the songs on this album were recorded live, during which Young experimented with effects on his guitar parts. For the effects, this album is credited with inspiring some grunge band. These songs are typical of Young's music - guitar based country/folk/rock.

T. Rex was an early producer of glam rock that was the creation of Marc Bolan. Bolan released a few solo tracks, and was part of a band called John's Children before forming Tyrannosauras Rex, a folk band that met with modest success in London's hippie scene. After four albums, the band changed directions, their sound, and their name became T. Rex. T. Rex is part of the same tradition that gave us Ziggy Stardust - early 70's glam rock. This album includes "Bang a Gong," the arguable "one-hit wonder" of T. Rex's career - which was covered by Robert Palmer's supergroup, The Power Station.

Stevie Wonder is one of the most talented and prolific fixtures of modern popular music. His version of soulful R&B has been a creative force in music - Stevie has made critically and commercially successful music throughout his long career. Innervisions is one of a series of remarkably successful albums he releases in the 70s. It includes "Higher Ground" and "Don't You Worry bout a Thing," which were some of his most successful tracks of the era.

Pavement was the defining underground/punk band of the 90s. They were critically successful were well known, but never became pop stars. Their music is a product of the era: dramatic changes like Sonic Youth, feedback like the Pixies, with guitar driven punk like too many references to list. Slanted and Enchanted is the band's debut studio album and may be the their best work. This album is a great snapshot of early 90s punk.

In the early part of his career, Rod Stewart was part of the band Faces, and recorded solo material. Gasoline Alley is his second solo album, and as Stewart often did, this is a mixture of his songs and covers of others' work. Stewart is a crooner in modern music. He creates a blues-influenced version of rock songs that wander towards country ballads. He a modern Sinatra - a recognizable voice that has recorded an extensive collection over decades.

Oasis was "the Beatles for the 90s" - as a British band that made great pop songs that become international hits. Morning Glory is the bands second album, and the one that made the band into one of the biggest bands of the decade. Oasis makes melodic, edgy pop songs, like their hit "Wonderwall," and this album is full of great tracks that helped define the sound of 90s pop music.

The Avalanches Since I Left You is a masterpiece of sampling. This album is filled with inventive, creative tracks that uses samples and synthesizers to make joyful, engaging dance music. There isn't much to compare the Avalanches to - they expanded the potentials of music made with samples. Their music has inspired generations of djs and producers in a range of electronic styles.

American Music Club was a San Francisco based country/folk/rock band. California is the band's third album, and is the product of a solid, consistent band. These are good, but not-particularly noteworthy songs.

Living Color made hard rock that was clearly punk influenced. Their clean, technical guitar leads, provided by Vernon Reid, and charismatic vocals from Corey Glover made for a funky version of metal. Their hit, "Cult of Personality" pushed them to pop stardom, and the rest of the tracks on the album made them more than a one-hit wonder band. Vivid is their debut, and the most commercially successful of the band's work.

Agaetis Byrjun is the brilliant debut album from Sigur Ros. Their music is very difficult to categorize - first, they are from Iceland. They are a rock band that makes elegant ballads and soundscapes. Their lead singer, Jonsi, sings in a melodic falsetto, and is accompanied by a rock band and at times, an orchestra. They layer ambient electronic effects to create the full, rich sound of their songs. Agaetis Byrjum was the album that made Sigur Ros into international stars. Their unique sound propelled the band to near-universal critical success, and world-wide commercial success.

Prince is like no other figure in modern music - a virtuoso multi-instrumentalist that produced critically and commercially successful work over decades, and who may be one of the coolest people to ever live. 1999 was Prince's fifth studio album, and this was the release that made him in to a star. His pop-infused version of R&B and funk was well polished by this album, and some of his big, early hits were the result: "Little Red Corvette," "Delirious," and "1999." This was Prince's first album recorded with the Revolution, the band that he worked with for most of the 80's. This is an incredible collection of songs, and one of the masterpieces in Prince's catalog.

Thelonious Monk is a name that is synonymous with jazz. His crisp, percussive piano playing has become one of the defining elements of modern music. His extensive catalog spans almost thirty years, and his performing career lasted longer. Brilliant Corners is a collection of Monk's own songs - complicated compositions that were difficult to record for their complexity. This album is considered one the very best jazz albums ever recorded.

Flamin' Groovies was a band that could have been described as the best bar band you may ever see. Throughout their career, the band focused on "retro" sounds. On Teenage Head, the band's third album, their songs all have the sound of the classic R&B version of rock n roll. This is a 70s take on 50s and 60s rock, and the Flamin' Groovies present a rich, interesting version of that sound. The band adds slide guitar, piano, and even a glimpse of an Elvis impersonation (at the end of "Evil Hearted Ada"), and a few covers of rock classics. This is a great collection of songs from a band that could have been more famous...

This is Kanye West's debut album. Before the release of this album, he had a successful career as a producer. This set of tracks has the elements that made Kanye famous: melodic tracks with consistent rhythms, and a basis in samples. This album shows the arrogance that developed into Kanye's ego-centric lunacy. It's thoroughly anti-intellectual and full of Kanye's odd flexes - enough to makes this very hard to listen to.

Surfer Rosa is the debut album from the Pixies, who combined punk-inspired guitar riffs, dramatic changes in timing and volume, and a male and female vocalist to harmonize on their abstract lyrics. Their edgy, melodic songs pushed alt-rock into the combination that became late 80s "pop music." Surfer Rosa captures the raw energy that made the band famous, and made their music remarkably influential on the alt and pop music of the 90s and aughts.

Gene Clark is the singer/songwriter that was with the Byrds during the mid-sixties. White Light is one of his solo albums. This is a collection of country rock songs from a historically important figure. These are good, but not particularly memorable songs.

Count Basie was a jazz pianist that led one of the most successful "big bands" in music history. He toured and recorded with his orchestra for almost fifty years. The Atomic Mr. Basie is a studio album Count Basie recorded after his orchestra had been together for almost twenty years. This is an incredible collection of tracks of remarkable depth and range. This is potentially the best of Basie's extensive catalog, and a canonical part of American jazz.

The Psychedelic Furs made post-punk songs that became very successful pop songs. Their danceable, guitar driven songs have the energy of punk songs and the distinct sound of Richard Butler's deep voice. Talk Talk Talk is their second album, and includes what may be their most famous song, "Pretty in Pink."

Madonna has had one of the most successful, enduring careers in modern music. Music is her eight studio album, and a significant departure from the pop singles that made her famous. This collection of tracks are closer to dance and electronica than her earlier work. This is a surprisingly good album, with memorable tracks like "Don't Tell Me."

The Soft Boys were a short-lived British band that only recorded two albums. Underwater Moonlight, their second, is an album that was very influential on 80's alt-pop. They created a psychedelic version of alt-rock that sounds like a step between the punk-pop of the 70s and the alt-rock of the 80s.

The Ramones were the pioneers of punk music, and their self-titled debut is full of songs that made them the model of a punk band. The feedback-laden guitar is driven and melodic, the songs are simple and catchy, and the lyrics range from morose to silly to absurd. This is great, simple music that was incredibly influential.

Miles Davis is an iconic figure in the history of jazz. His rich, expressive style of play is the consistent element throughout his catalog. He recorded extensively over his 50-year career, and Bitches Brew may be his most commercially successful. This is jazz-rock, reflective of the rock of the era. This is a brilliant album, with incredible performers play beautiful compositions.

Magazine is a punk, or perhaps post-punk, band - they have punk timing, sound, and energy, but it's a rich, melodic, produced version of punk. They have a much wider range than most punk bands; they add transitions, pop production, and synthesizers to add depth to their material. Real Life is the band's debut. While not particularly commercially successful, it was very well received critically. Magazine's work influenced new wave and alt-rock bands of the 80s.

The Beatles were one of the most influential bands in modern music, and Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Heart's Club Band is one (at least arguably) of their best - most famous - most revered - albums. With their work, it is impossible to use enough superlatives. This is one of the most important albums of modern music. Every song has left a mark on modern culture - these are songs that transcended popular music and became part of our cultural fabric, in movie and television soundtrack and in the unfathomable range of musicians that take their inspiration from the Fab Four.

Joni Mitchell is a revered songwriter with a distinct, expressive voice. She wrote haunting, thoughtful songs that are set to arrangements that are influenced by jazz. On The Hissing of Summer Lawns, her songs follow this pattern - complicated orchestrations and lyrics that could be written poems.

The Infotainment Scan is the fifteenth, and most successful album release by the Fall. The band make post-punk, or alt-rock songs. Mark Smith's lyrics, which are closer to free-form poetry than any traditional song structure, are set to melodic, complicate songs with complicate arrangements. The Fall had one of the longest, most prolific careers of punk or post-punk bands, and this album captures the mature, developed version of the band's work.

Cross is Justice's debut album, and the album made the French producers into international stars. They bill the album as a "disco opera," an the result is one of the best electronic dance album ever produced. Their electro-house songs make extensive used of samples, and have an upbeat musicality that make the songs unforgettable.

War is the third full-length album from U2, and it is the work that pushed them to international stardom. Their songs are clear, energetic rock songs with the pace and feel of punk songs. Bono's strong voice makes the melodic songs into anthems that appealed to world-wide audiences. War includes some of the band's early hits like "New Year's Day" and "Sunday Bloody Sunday," both great examples of the politically-motivated statements the band had made through their music.

De La Soul introduce a new perspective in hip-hop and rap - this is positive, encouraging, and uplifting hip-hop. The band makes a funky, pop-song version of rap, with catchy rhymes that wander towards goofy. 3 Feet High and Rising is an amazing collection of songs that made international stars of the band, and expanded the world of rap and hip-hop.

Bob Dylan is one of the most influential figures in modern music, with one of the most extensive catalogs of any recording artist. Blood on the Tracks is arguably his best - or one of his best - albums. Dylan's style of country rock makes for great melodic songs, but the strength of his work is in his brilliant lyrics. This album includes "Tangled Up in Blue," and "Shelter from the Storm," perhaps the most famous of a group of incredible songs that demonstrate Dylan's skills as a songwriter.

A Girl Called Dusty is the solo debut of Dusty Springfield, who may be the most acclaimed British soul and R&B Singer. She recorded songs with full orchestrations and rich arrangements, but the most notable sound is her strong, rich voice. This is a great collection of songs with the grandeur of early 60s pop song, with a timelessness that comes from Dusty's incredible voice.

Gene Clark was the lead singer of the Byrds, and No Other is is the fourth of his solo albums. This album was a critical and commercial failure at its release. A release after Clark's death inspired a critical reevaluation. This is a good collection of country rock songs, very much in keeping with the music that was popular in the mid-70s. These are good, but not particularly great songs.

B.B. King was the King of the Blues, and perhaps the most influential electric guitar player of the 20th century. He led his band with his rich voice and his expressive guitar solos. His crisp rhythms and extensive use of string bending taught the world what a solo guitar could do. Live at the Regal is an incredible recording of B.B. in the middle of his career, and at the height of his power.

GZA is one of the founding member of the Wu-Tang Clan. Liquid Swords is his second solo album, which was release after Wu-Tang's debut, is very well regarded as a hip hop classic. This is more melodic than most of the genre, but is still not terribly melodic. GZA is on a rant - and his rants aren't interesting enough to be engaging.

You Want It Darker is the last studio album released by Leonard Cohen during his lifetime. Cohen had an unmatched literary and musical career that spanned decades, and this album is his curtail call. Cohen made his near-monotonic baritone into an expressive instrument - his version of the jazz-crooner was not made from a strong voice. Cohen's somber delivery matches the stories and images in his songs. You Want It Darker is an incredible collection of songs - a few last words from one of the most talented songwriters in popular music.

Leftism is the debut album from the English duo Leftfield. Their work has been described as progressive house, but that label doesn't seem to be broad enough to describe what Leftfield is doing. It is very danceable house music, but they have expanded the range of the melodies, samples, and supporting elements that can be included in danceable house music. This is a great album of very danceable tracks, and a timelessness that comes from inventive electronic music.

Le Tigre made clean, energetic punk music that focused on Feminist messages. Their self-titled debut album is filled with danceable, new-wave tracks with a distinct element - edgy punk with only female voices. These are good songs: melodic, engaging songs with a consistent focused message. Le Tigre has moved punk into the nineties, with synthesizers and drum machines.

Eminem is a very talented rapper. He is a better story teller than I've heard amongst rappers; he is eloquent and has skill as a wordsmith that is unmatched. Unfortunately, Eminem is disturbed - his story trend toward abusive relationship, and violence toward women. These songs are more melodic than most rap, but still lack the musicality that most genres employ. Eminem may be a great rapper, but these are disturbed, dark stories.

Roxy Music found success with their version of pop-friendly glam-rock. They produced up-beat songs propelled by varied orchestrations and singer Bryan Ferry's rich voice. For Your Pleasure is the band's second album, and the last to include synthesizer player Brian Eno. At release, the album met with limited commercial and critical success. Subsequent reviews have raised the critical reception significantly. While For Your Pleasure includes none of Roxy Music's best known tracks, this is a great collection of songs from the short window while Ferry and Eno were collaborating.

Seventeen Seconds is The Cure's second album, which was released before the band embarked on their first world tour. While the album does not include any of the band's early hits, these songs do capture the Cure's ability to make catchy pop songs out of melancholic and even somber elements. Robert Smith's are a well-produced version of post-punk; guitar driven songs with strong bass lines and a health dose of synthesizers. Smith's gloomy focus made this album a good example of early goth rock.

Chvrches makes catchy, synth-pop songs that are built around Lauren Mayberry's sweet, strong voice. Their music sounds like 80's pop redone with 2000's EDM influences. The Bones of What you Believe is the band's debut album, and propelled them to international fame. The opening track, "The Mother We Share," became one of the biggest pop hits of the 2010's.

I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You was released well into Aretha's career, but this was the album that made her the Queen of Soul. With tracks like "Respect" and "I Never Loved a Man...," Aretha made pop classics of her soulful efforts - these songs top lists of the "biggest" and "most influential" in popular music. Aretha had one of the most potent voices to make popular music. Her rich, expressive sound made her one of the central figures of modern music.

Goo is the sixth album release by Sonic Youth, and their first after their switch to Geffen Records. The band's makes post-punk tracks with heavily distorted guitars, but their work has melodic and danceable elements that makes it accessible to pop music audiences. Goo is regarded as a significant, influential work in the progression of alt-rock music. Sonic Youth had become popular with their 80s albums; Goo established them as a central element of post-punk alternative rock.

The Clash may be the most successful punk band ever, and London Calling may be their best recorded work. This double album shows surprising range, with songs that sound of reggae, ska, rockabilly, and hard rock, all done with the band's essential punk sensibilities. London Calling opened the doors to many of the genres that are in the post punk range. This is one of the greatest punk, and post punk albums of all time, and the influence that this band and this album had is so very broad that it is difficult to express.

Derek & The Dominos was a short-lived project of Eric Clapton and Duane Allman. The band only released one studio album and had one tour. While they recorded material for a second album, it was never finished. After Duane Allman's death, the group never reconvened. Initially, Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs was not a commercial success, and met with mixed critical reception. Over time, the consensus has changed considerably. This album includes "Layla," which may be Clapton's best song, and others like "Bell-Bottom Blues," which is on his top-ten list. This album is regarded as Clapton's best, and one of the best albums of blues-rock ever recorded.

Billy Bragg is a British singer songwriter that sings about politics and love. His political songs are socialist songs - he praises unions and social consciousness. His love songs are as passionate, and also carried by his strong, clear voice. Talking with the Taxman... is Bragg's third album, and in it, he added more supporting elements to the "solo singer and guitar player" formula of his earlier work. This is a great collection of inventive, engaging modern folk songs. Bragg demonstrated that a singer and a guitar is still enough to make successful pop songs.

The B-52's created their own lane in new wave music; they make danceable music that is quirky and goofy - both musically and lyrically. Their self-titled debut album contains one of their most famous songs - "Rock Lobster" - which is a great example of the type of music the B-52's make. These are fun, danceable pop songs with catchy, memorable hooks. This is a good collection of songs that showcase the band's work. Their version of silly, upbeat, new-wave pop songs made the B-52's into a successful band with an enduring career.

Tigermilk is the brilliant debut album from Belle and Sebastian. The album was recorded quickly with funds from a Scottish welfare program. The album was an unexpected success, and made the band an international, indie-rock sensation. Belle and Sebastian make richly orchestrated alt-rock songs, with understated vocals. This collection is interesting, melodic, and of enough popular appeal to be the foundation for the band's career.

Stankonia is the fourth OutKast album, and may be their most critically and commercially successful. The album contains two the pair's most popular songs - "So Fresh, So Clean," and "Ms. Jackson." With those pop hits, OutKast demonstrated the widespread appeal of their version of hip-hop. This is melodic, funky, danceable hip-hop, showing a range of influences. The rap elements are harmonic and rhythmic, and the pace reflects the electronic music of the era. This is an incredible collection of songs of amazing range, pushing many to list Stankonia as one of the best albums in hip-hop, and perhaps even modern music.

Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers self-titled debut was not a success at its release - either commercially or critically. It includes tracks that became signature songs for the band, like "Breakdown" and "American Girl." Petty's version of country rock eventually met with popularity; his later albums were far more commercially successful. Petty's distinct vocals are the central element of his guitar-based rock songs. This album includes a strong collection of his songs, which all have good hooks and catchy lyrics

Sabu Martinez is one of the first musicians to make Latin jazz popular. He started his career at a very young age, and spent time both Dizzy Gillespie's and Benny Goodman's orchestras. Palo Congo is Sabu's debut album as a band leader. It's an interesting collection of songs in a style known as Cuban Rumba. Sabu led a band with a distorted lead guitarist, strong percussionists, and vocals that lend a tribal sound.

My Generation is the Who's debut album, and made the band into international stars. The album includes some of their earliest hits, like "My Generation" and "The Kids are Alright." These was as hard as rock had yet gotten - with Pete Townsend's edgy guitar experimentation, Keith Moon's complicated drum fills, and John Entwistle's driven bass lines, the band pioneered elements that would inspire genres. At the time, the Who called their work "Maximum R&B," and Roger Daltrey's soulful voice may have inspired that reading. My Generation is an incredible collection of songs that showed the promise of this band.

The Man Machine is the seventh Kraftwerk album, and it may be their most accessible album. This collection of tracks is not "as minimalist" as their earlier work; the songs have more of a melodic sense and incorporate more danceable rhythms. Kraftwerk's minimalism - their "music made by automatons" - pioneered electronic music, and this album is a midpoint between the band's first few albums and 80's synth-pop. The Man Machine opens with "the Robots," which was part of the band's presentation of themselves as automatons.

Justin Timberlake has had an unparalleled career: childhood star to 'Nsync, a solo music career, and then successful acting and producing projects. Justified is his first solo album, and it was a remarkable commercial and critical success. Justin Timberlake makes a danceable version of soulful R&B. His strong voice carries these songs, but the harmonies and textured orchestrations do provide significant support. This is a great collection of tracks showing Timberlake's significant range, and his abilities both as a signer and a songwriter.

Siamese Dream is the Smashing Pumpkins' second album. After the surprising success of their first album, the band had considerable pressure to perform on their follow-up, and they responded well with Siamese Dream. This is a great collection of guitar driven, alt-rock songs. They are far from the grunge-dominated alt-rock of the era - closer to a metal sound. Siamese Dream includes some of the band's early hits, Including "Today" and "Disarm." The success of these singles, and some very successful tours, propelled the band to international stardom. This is a great collection from the time when the band developed their sound.

A Rush of Blood to the Head is Coldplay's sophomore effort. This is a more intense effort that their first album; it has darker themes and more aggressive arrangements. The album includes some of the band's earlier hits, like "The Scientist" and "In my place." These songs are defined by Chris Martin's strong voice, with rich, full orchestrations in support. Coldplay is the British pop sensation of the early aughts, that they have continued to make interesting, popular music since then. A Rush of Blood to the Head includes on of the band's biggest hits - "Clocks" - perhaps the biggest success of the band's long, successful career.

James Brown had been making music for a decade by the time Live at the Apollo was release. His live show was polished, and Brown's unmatched, energetic performances were well polished, and well known. This live album captures the the full, rich sound of Brown and his band. His gospel-inspired vocal sound, and the R&B sound to the band helped define the early sound of popular rock music. His band's vocal harmonies and rich horn section also set standards for the music that could be called early rock 'n roll. This is an incredible live album, both for the quality of the recording from that era, but more for the remarkable performance captured. This is an album that introduce the world to the hardest working man in show business.

The Cocteau Twins were a Scottish band that made ethereal syn-pop songs, and Treasure was their third full-length album. The dreamy nature of the songs is achieved with affect-laden instruments and Elizabeth Frazer's vocals, which are often just vocalizations, and not distinct lyrics. This is an interesting collection of engaging songs, that pushed the boundaries of pop music towards electronic soundscapes.

L,A, Woman is the sixth Doors album, and the last to be release while singer Jim Morrison was still alive. This collection of songs was done with simpler arrangements than their previous two albums - just guitar-driven blues songs with strong support from the keyboards and bass. The includes some of the bands biggest songs, including "LA Woman," "Riders on the Storm," and "Love Her Madly." These songs show Morrison's strength as a vocalist, and the potential of the band.

Fats Domino was one of the first stars of rock 'n roll, creating songs in a New Orleans-based style of R&B. His deep, rich voice and boogie-woogie piano playing define his sound, with strong support from his horn section. "This is Fats Domino" is his breakout record, which made him a national star. It includes some of his biggest hits, including "Blueberry Hill," "Blue Monday," and "Reeling and Rocking." Domino's songs help define early rock n roll, with songs that inspired generations of musicians.

Damaged was the first full-length album from Black Flag. and is regarded as one of the more important hard-core punk albums. The album was recorded soon after lead singer Henry Rollins joined the band, and features metal/noise guitar provided by Greg Ginn. This album was the subject of a lawsuit with Unicorn Records regarding itsdistribution;; as a result, the band could not use its name or its famous logo for almost two years. The legal dispute did not stop the band's relentless touring, and they released an album under their individual names, adding to their legal problems. All the issues added to the band's mystique, and their role as a defining figure of American punk.

Elvis Costello is an incredibly prolific singer/songwriter, who creates music in a range of styles. Imperial Bedroom is his seventh album, and many say this is his best work. This is great collection of pop songs, that have orchestrations that prompts comparisons to the later work of the Beatles. Imperial Bedroom does not include any of Costello's bigger hits, and did not find remarkable commercial success. The critical reception was near-universally strong, and has grown over time.

Low is David Bowie's eleventh studio album, and it was part of his period of collaborating with Brian Eno. The album had a few successful singles, like "Sound and Vision," but the album met with limited commercial and critical success. Low has been reexamined over time, and has come to be regarded as one of Bowie's best albums - and perhaps his best. The album influenced post-punk and alt-pop, and created a pattern that many 80s and 90s bands explored.

Fear of Music is the Talking Head's third album, and includes some of their biggest hits, like "Life During Wartime," "Cities," and "Heaven." The band's version of art-rock funk had fully development, complete with their intricate rhythms and Byrne's quirky lyrics. Fear of Music was the second of the band's albums to be produced by Brian Eno. The collaboration was very successful, resulting in some of the band's most acclaimed work. This incredible collection of songs helped make the Talking Heads one of the most influential bands in popular music.

Youssou N'Dour is a Senegalese singer and bandleader. His strong, soaring voice is the central feature of these upbeat, rhythmic tracks. He was featured in a Peter Gabriel song, "In Your Eyes," which catapulted N'Dour to international fame. Touring with Gabriel gave N'Dour a chance to perform world-wide. Immigres is an album N'Dour released just before becoming a star, and is a good sample of the music N'Dour made relatively early in his career. These are infectious, danceable songs with universal appeal.

Wish You Were Here is the ninth studio album from Pink Floyd, and this was the follow up to their most successful album, Dark Side of the Moon. As such, Wish You Were Here was not favorable received at the time. Consensus opinion has changed considerably in the intervening years. This album is Roger Water's tribute to founding band member Syd Barret, and is Pink Floyd at their best: blues inspired guitar in electronic soundscapes. Water's existential bent as a songwriter give the songs eternal appeal.

Transformer is Lou Reed's second solo album, and contains his biggest hit song, "Walk on the Wild Side." That track is transcendent, establishing Reed's career and driving the success of this album. This collection of songs shows the range of styles that he combined: he's a modern version of a jazz crooner, with band using elements from psychedelic music to make glam rock. Reed's lyrics tell stories of drug use and non-traditional sexuality, adding to the mystic around "Wild Side" and this album. While Reed never matched the success of the song and the album later in his career, Transformer is regarded as one of the most important, influential albums in popular music.

David Gray is a singer/songwriter who adds electronic soundscapes to an otherwise traditional format. White Ladder is his fourth album, and the release that propelled Gray to international fame. The album was self-recorded, and originally released to limited success in the United Kingdom. Gray opened for Dave Matthews for a few shows, and the album was subsequently re-released on Matthews' label. White Ladder includes a few songs that became international hits, including "Babylon" and "Please Forgive Me." Gray's earnest voice and compelling songwriting create songs of widespread appeal.

Power in Numbers is the third album from Jurassic 5, an LA based hip hop collective. Jurassic 5 made tracks that are more melodic and rhythmic than the rap of the era; the result is a much more danceable product. This album includes a variety of styles: from danceable, "instrumental" sample tracks, like "Acetate Prophets," to melodic rap, like "Freedom," Jurassic 5 made an engaging version of hip hop with the danceable sense of club electronica and elements from jazz to give the songs a rich texture. J 5 adds an element that comes from four voices, rapping together, giving a potency - perhaps a harmony - to their work.

Automatic for the People is the eighth studio album from REM, which many regard to be the band's best work. This collection of songs includes more ballads than the band's previous material, and incorporates string sections, contributing to the band's somber, serious tendencies. This collection of songs showcases Michael Stipe's rich voice, and the band's collective songwriting abilities. REM dominated 80s and 90s pop and alt-rock charts, and this album is full of beautiful, engaging pop songs that can explain that dominance.

Five Leaves Left is the first album from Nick Drake, British singer/songwriter. Drake's produced three albums during his short life. During his life, none of them achieved much commercial success and the critical reception was mixed, at best. In the decades since, the consensus about Drake's work, and this album, have changed considerable. The album is full of pretty, somber folk songs, performed by a man with a rich voice.

Harvest is Neil Young's fourth album, and his most successful. It includes two of his biggest hits, "Heart of Gold," and "Old Man." While he was well know for his early work with Buffalo Springfield, this album made Neil Young into a star. The album is a collection of country rock songs, and it has become a staple of that genre. Young's work is defined by his voice - a not-traditionally-good, but very expressive voice. The album initially met with mixed critical reception, but the consensus has improved over time.

Michael Jackson's Thriller is the biggest selling non-compilation album of all time; the album set records for sales, number-one pop songs, and Grammy awards. Thriller's unmatched success led to Jackson's claim to be the "King of Pop." The album was released when MTV was in its early stages, and Jackson's songs were propelled by a series of remarkably popular music videos. The album includes a collection of songs of surprising range - from ballads to funk to dance tracks - but all packaged as remarkably catchy pop songs. Jackson's smooth, expressive voice is the consistent element across all of the styles. The songs on this album are iconic - "Beat It," "Billy Jean," "Pretty Young Thing," and "The Girl is Mine" - and among the reasons that Michael Jackson may deserve the "King of Pop" title.

Earth, Wind & Fire made a soulful version of funk, characterized by expressive, harmonic vocals. That's the Way of the World was the band's sixth studio album, and the soundtrack to a film of the same name. The result is concept album, of sorts: an expression of the rules of life. The songs bass driven funk songs, with near-choral vocals as a consistent, defining element. The songs' messages are energetic and uplifting, and supported with a range of interesting rhythms.

The Virgin Suicides is a soundtrack from the French electronic producers Air. The soundtrack met with commercial and critical success, much related to the success of the film. The music uses acoustic instruments with sustained synthesizer effects to create atmospheric pieces. The album is inconsistent, with some rather boring tracks, like "Dark Messages," and "Empty House." It is also burdened by "spoken word" elements from the film. I have not seen the film, and with that admittedly limited perspective, the pieces are odd elements for the soundtrack.

Cosmo's Factory is the fifth studio album from Creedence Clearwater revival, and their most commercially successful. The album made international stars of the band, and includes tracks that show the range of influences that contributed to the band's success. CCR's music sounds of rockabilly, R&B, and Country, with a Southern, "swampy" under current, see "Born on the Bayou." This album captures the band's impressive range, with the rockabilly-like "Baby Left Me," the Bakersfield-country ballad "Looking out My Back Door," and the soulful cover of "Heard it Through the Grapevine." This is the band at the height of their recording career, and this album is filled with songs that show why this band was so very successful.

AC/DC were an Australian band that made guitar based hard rock, with a near-scream vocal style that typical of hard rock and metal. For Highway to Hell, these vocals were belted by Bon Scott, who died not long after the recording of this album. The band had many iterations and line-up changes in the course of their career, but maintained a consistent sound. Highway to Hell was the band's fifth album, and the one that made them into international stars. These are simple, potent songs, from a band that found a very successful formula. While very commercially successful, the songs all sound very similar, and are not particularly interesting.

Steve Earle had a long career as a singer/songwriter who recording an extensive catalog. Guitar Town is is debut album, which was very well received as a a country album. This is a collection of country rock songs that that aren't particularly noteworthy or memorable.

Tapestry is Carole King's second studio album, and is her most successful album. It set records for sales, and sit high on most lists of the greatest albums of all time. King has a rich, expressive voice and a talent for writing songs about relatable emotional moments. This album is full of her beautiful expressions of these moments, that became incredibly successful pop songs: "So Far Away," "I feel the Earth Move," and "Beautiful." King inspired generations of musicians with her work.

Shake Your Money Maker is the debut album from the Black Crowes, and includes some of their early hits. The band makes blues-inspired rock with a Southern element to their sound. Chris Robinson's confident vocals add a swagger to their songs like "Jealous Again," and is strong enough to carry ballads like "She Talks to Angels." Robinson's brother Rich provides driving guitar solos to compliment Chris' vocals. Shake Your Money Maker is the Black Crowes' most successful album, in part for a limitation apparent on this album. This is a good collection of rocking songs, but they all sound very similar. The band writes and performs good, melodic, catchy songs - but with very little variety.

Fear of a Black Planet is Public Enemy's third album - and their most successful. Public Enemy pushed rap in a socially conscious direction, and these songs are all about the racial issues that plague our world. From the title track to "Pollywannacraka," PE focused on the various manifestations of racism in society. PE express their messages in fluent raps, from Chuck D and Flavor Flav, and layered samples from DJ Terminator X. This album is regarded as one of the greatest rap albums - and of the greatest albums - of all time.

What's Going On is Marvin Gaye's finest work, and regarded by some at the greatest album in popular music. For this album, Gaye wanted to create a protest album, expressing a view of the Vietnam veteran, who has returned to the United States, and is disappointed by what he sees. Gaye's sweet, soulful voice brings an elegance to all of his work, and brings an earnest element to these beautiful protest songs. Gaye met with resistance from Berry Gordy for the direction of recording, but Gaye's persistence was well worth it. The album met with immediate critical and commercial success. Over time, it has been recognized as one of the most significant recordings of modern music.

William Orbit's music is an interesting compilation of styles. He makes dance music with ambient backgrounds, pushing towards genres that he helped develop, like trip hop and progressive house. Strange Cargo III is his fourth solo album, and the third in a series that experimented with ambient influences. Volume III is his most polished, and most successful of these albums. Orbit made fun, influential dance tracks created from the fusion of styles that Orbit made popular. .

You've Come a Long Way, Baby is Fatboy Slim's second album, and is his most successful studio work. Fatboy Slim makes techno or big beat dance tracks that are driven, and engaging. He weaves a variety of samples into a mixture with a consistent rhythm, and whimsical samples mixed around it. He developed a style that became a standard for producers and DJs all over the world. Fatboy Slim has recorded only four studio album, and released a number of singles. Most of his long career has been as a DJ, remixing his own track. This album includes a handful of tracks that made Fatboy Slim internationally famous.

Trafalgar is the ninth album the Bee Gees released. This was well before their transformation into fixtures of the disco world. This is a collection of slow, easy-listening songs. The vocals are very strong, the songs are melodic, but the product is boring and derivative. "Trafalgar" sounds like a homage to the Beatles; "Don't Want to Live Inside Myself" seems like Neil Young's "Helpless."

In a rather short career, Cream had an enormous impact on modern music. Among the first "supergroups," Cream made Eric Clapton a star. Jack Bruce and Ginger Baker because legends, even if they didn't become the star that Clapton did. Cream made blues-based, psychedelic rock, and Disraeli Gears may be their best recorded work. This album includes some of their hits - "Strange Brew" and "Sunshine of Your Love." The album is a collection of incredible songs that helped define 60s psychedelic rock.

... Baby One More Time is Britney Spears' debut album, and one of the best selling albums of all time. The album set - and still holds - several sales records for female artists and for young artists. It made Britney an international star, and a central fixture of pop music. This is a great collection of pop songs of a surprising range, which show the strength of Britney's R&B influenced voice. The title track was global hit - one of the biggest songs of all time. Some of these are dance tracks, but there are as many sweet ballads. It may be bubble gum pop - but it's very, very good bubble gum pop.

License To Ill is the Beastie Boys' debut album, and considered by many as one of the greatest rap albums of all time. The single "Fight for Your Right" was particularly successful, and contributed to the success of the album. The Beastie Boys loop samples to rap around and with. Like most rap, their work lacks the melodic basis typical of other genres. That said, a few of these tracks - like "Girls" and "She's Crafty," as examples, successfully used melodic samples in a manner that helps to explain the group's widespread appeal.

Abdullah Ibrahim is a jazz pianist from South Africa, whose work is inspired by that of Thelonious Monk. For his birthplace, Ibrahim's work is often classified as "world music," when something akin to "New York City Jazz" would be more appropriate. Water From An Ancient World is a beautiful collection of expressive sounds, from a piano-based jazz band with a talented horn section.

Straight Outta Compton is the debut album from N.W.A. It is considered to be one of the greatest rap album of all times. This is the first successful gansta rap album - most of the lyrics are celebrations of violence and misogyny. The band "Fuck the Police" attracted the attention of the authorities in the 80s, and added to the notoriety of the album, and the band. Like much of the genre, there is less of the melodic that is typical of most genres. Most of this album is angry and violent - certainly justified, but does not create a listening experience that makes great music. There are some surprises on this album - "Express Yourself" sounds like the product of a different group.

Songs From the Big Chair is Tears for Fears' second album, and the work that pushed the pair to world-wide fame. Tears for Fears made very well produced synth-pop, and their work dominated the pop charts in the 80's. This album includes two of the band's biggest hits: "Shout" and "Everybody wants to Rule the Word." The later has become one of the canonical songs: it's a tune that has had such enduring popularity that everyone in the world may recognize the chorus.

Rio is Duran Duran's second album, and their most famous work. The band benefited from the early explosion of music videos in the very early days of MTV, with a string of noteworthy, successful videos. The band's glam-rock version of synth-pop translated well to video. Rio includes a few of the band's biggest singles: "Rio" and "Hungry Like the Wolf." These are fun, danceable tracks that helped define 80s pop and establish music videos as a significant part of popular culture.

Frampton Comes Alive is one of the successful live albums of all time, and the most successful album of Frampton's career. Prior to Comes Alive, Frampton had released four solo albums, which met with limited success. This is a double album of live version of songs from the first four albums. This is a great collection of songs, played by a seasoned performer with a strong voice and reasonable guitar skills. The remarkable success of this album made Frampton a star, and made popular anthems of some of the songs, like "Do You Feel Like I Do?" and "Show Me The Way."

Hysteria is the fourth album from Def Leppard, and is one of the best selling albums of all time. The band found world-wide success with their third album, Pyromania, and benefited from well-produced videos on MTV. While recording the album, the band's drummer, Rick Allen, lost an arm in a car accident, adding to the anticipation for the album. Hysteria includes some of the band's biggest hits, like "Pour Some Sugar on Me" and "Love Bites." This album may be the defining work of 80s pop metal.

C'est Chic is the second album from Chic, and the most commercially successful of the band's work. It includes the band's first potential "one-hit," "Le Freak," and another hit single, "I Want Your Love." Chic was possibly the best band of the disco era, and C'est Chic is potentially the best album of that genre.

The Gilded Palace of Sin is the debut album from the Flying Burrito Brothers, and the band's best work. While not commercially successful, the album was critically celebrated, and very influential amongst musicians of the era. This was one of Gram Parson's early projects, and his success led to renewed interest in the Flying Burrito Brothers. This is one of the early, definitive works of country rock. Gram Parsons and Flying Burritos set a pattern for the Eagles and the country rock that flourished in the 70s.

Here, My Dear is Marvin Gaye's fifteenth album, and this was the work produced after a divorce settlement. By decree, half the proceed of the album would go to Gaye's ex-wife. Considering the context, this is a brooding, angry, heart-broken work. At release, the album was not commercially or critically successful. After Gaye's tragic passing, opinions of his catalog have changed, Some hold this album in high esteem. These aren't particularly beautiful songs, vocally or lyrically. While "very dark Gaye" may be interesting, I think the rest of his catalog is much more so.

Nevermind is Nirvana's second album, and is one of the most commercially successful albums of all time. The album's success was driven by the single "Smells Like Teen Spirit," which became a defining song for a genre, an era, and some would claim a generation. The song is a remarkably clear expression of random, misdirected, teenage angst; slow, melodic sections with thoughtful lyrics transition to loud, aggressive guitar-driven segments with lyrics that are angry and demanding. This is a great collection of songs from a band that pushed punk energy into pop music. After Cobain's tragic death, the commercial success of the album continued and the critical opinions improved. This is a great album, but I do not agree with those that list it as one of the best albums ever.

Elvis is Back! is the fourth studio album from Elvis, and the first after his stint in the Army. This album does not include any of his popular hits, and was not commercially successful. In addition, the critical reception was mixed. Over time, the consensus regarding Elvis is Back! has improved considerably, and some have come to regard this as Elvis' best album. This is an interesting collection of songs of a surprising range of styles. The tracks show the range of Elvis' voice, and his ability to create country, blues, rockabilly and even gospel.

John Zorn is a jazz saxophonist who is among the most prolific recording artists in history. Spy Vs. Spy is his tribute to jazz pioneer Ornette Coleman, who is known for his free jazz style of improvisation. Zorn has recorded an incredible range of music, and this is some of the most difficult to listen to. The performers are technically talented remarkably so. While it is impressive that they are able to play this work, it is not a pleasant listening experience. It's aggressive, noisy, and frequently dissonant.

TV On The Radio is a band that made alt rock of a type that is difficult to classify; it is guitar based rock with funk, electronic, and punk influences that use loops and poly-rhythms to create a sound that is unique and beautiful. Dear Science is their third studio album, and their most critically and commercially successful. The album topped several "Album of the Year" lists for 2008. Dear Science showcases the incredible mixture that TV on the Radio creates. Undercurrents of electronic ambience and polyrhythms create the textures of their work, and band's extensive use of loops makes the soundscapes of different tracks. Tunde Adebimpe's rich, unusual vocals and engaging lyrics adds one of the potentially defining elements to the band's sound. In particular, his use of falsetto vocalizations - like in "Love Dog" - or just falsetto, like in "Golden Age"- is one of the memorable parts of Adebimpe's skills.

Bringing It All Back Home is Bob Dylan's fifth album. He had already become known as a prodigy in the folk world. In this album, Dylan went electric; on the first half of the album, he is back by an electric, rock band. This proceeded his electric performance at Newport Folk Festival, which was a milestone in the transformation of Dylan from a folk star into a rock/popular music star. Bringing It All Back Home includes a few of Dylan's many hits, like "Subterranean Homesick Blues" and "Hey Mr. Tambourine Man." This is one of many incredible albums in Dylan's catalogs, and some argue it is his best - but there are a few legitimate candidates.

Scream, Dracula, Scream! is the fourth release, and the major label debut, from Rocket From the Crypt, and is regarded as the band's best work. Rocket From the Crypt is a punk band that makes music with much more technical ability that most punk bands. This album could be called relatively "mature" punk in that the songs have complicated orchestrations - even a string section - and much cleaner production than is typical of the genre. Scream, Dracula, Scream! includes "On a Rope," which is the band's most successful single, and other tracks like "Young Livers" that show the potential mainstream appeal of well-produced punk rock.

Hot Fuss is the Killers debut album, and the work that made international stars of the band. Led by the success of the breakout single "Mr. Brightside," the Las Vegas-based band first became popular in the UK, and their commercial success quickly spread across the globe. A few of the songs on the album became international hits, like "Smile Like you Mean It" and "Somebody Told Me." The Killers make guitar and synth based alt rock, with strong, soaring vocals from their lead singer, Brandon Flowers. The Killers' filled Hot Fuss with danceable, catchy pop songs that were so very successful that the band became a central figure of alt rock of the aughts.

Born to Run is a masterpiece of modern music, and arguably just one of Bruce Springsteen's masterpieces. This is the third of his albums, and the first to find significant commercial success. With Born to Run, his third album, Springsteen displayed the range of talents that have made him one of the most influential figures in modern music. Springsteen voices earnest narratives in his lyrics, and tells vivid stories about the day-to-day challenges of life. His compelling stories suit his rich, expressive voice. He's supported by the E-Street Band, with strong keys and and even stronger saxophone player. Their guitar and piano centered, R&B based rock became one of the central elements of modern popular music.

Led Zeppelin III was not as commercially or critically successful as the band first two releases, but it would have been almost impossible to be more successful than the first two. The album was highly anticipated, which could explain some of the critical reception. Some of the negative feedback to III contributed to the band's reclusive, anti-media posture. The band explored a more acoustic-based sound on this album, like in "Gallows Pole" and "That's the Way." These songs show the band's ability to expand the range of influences incorporated in their music, as they would continue to do for the rest of their career.

Talking Heads: 77 is the debut work from the band, and includes one of their biggest hits, "Psycho Killer." The band created a nervous, dorky version of funk, let by the awkward, intellectualized lyrics from David Byrne. Their songs paint pictures of a character fitting into - and not fitting into - his world, which makes their music feel related to punk. The band created music with a rhythmically complicated version of minimalism: simple melodic progressions played with interesting rhythms. This helps makes the Talking Head's version of punk - a dorky, funky, punk - into work with popular appeal. 77 shows the early version of the band, with all of the elements that would make the band into stars. These tracks may lack the polish of the Talking Heads' later work, but they show the potential of the band and the engaging sound they were developing.

Architecture & Morality is the OMD's third album, and their first to become an international success. Driven by the success of singles "Souvenier" and "Joan of Arc," OMD hit pop charts around the world. They were one of the first synth-pop bands, and they help create the sound of pop music in the 80's. This album is a collect of simple, melodic pop songs that are have a melancholy sense. This is decent, but not particularly memorable pop.

Kid A is Radiohead's fourth album, and has come to be regarded as one of the greatest albums of all time. It was not as well-received at its release, as this is a challenging departure from their previous work. After their remarkably successful third album, OK Computer, Kid A was very highly anticipated, and that may have led to some of the push-back. The music did not, and does not, appeal to all. This is far from the guitar-based alt-rock band of their first two albums, and of an experimental sense that has defined the bands' later work. These track are textured, rhythmic soundscapes, that are far more abstract than most popular music. The lyrics follow the pattern - more of a rhythmic, looped element than providing any narrative. Kid A is the album that made Radiohead into their own genre, and among the most influential bands in the world.

Lynyrd Skynyrd may be the definitive Southern-rock band. They toured for years before releasing this debut album, "Pronounced 'Leh-'Nerd..." It includes the song that might be their "one-hit" - Free Bird - if the band hadn't continued to make hit songs. "Pronounced..." also includes "Gimme Three Steps" and "Tuesday's Gone," great examples of the country-rock storytelling in the band's music. The songs are supported by the three-guitar line-up, which gives the song a depth and complexity that added to their appeal.

Metal Box was Public Image Ltd.'s second album, released as three, 12" 45 rpm discs, in a metal box which resembled a 16mm film case. The production costs limited the first run of the box, so the material was re-released as Second Edition, a 2-LP version of the work. Public Image, Ltd. was formed by John Lydon - Johnny Rotton - after the break-up of the Sex Pistols. The band went through a number of line-up and stylistic changes in their career, and their progress is considered noteworthy in the development of post-punk genres. Metal Box was created when PiL was exploring a bass-heavy, dub version of their sound. As a defining element, Lydon's vocals give the band's work the energy and angst of punk, through all of their post-punk experiments.

Diamond Life is the debut album from Sade, a British band that takes its name from their lead singer. Sade make a smooth-jazz style of soul, that had international appeal. The album's and the band's success was pushed by their hit single, "Smooth Operator." Sade's strong, smooth vocals are accompanied with a simple, downbeat jazz band: bass, guitar, organ, and drums - with an occasional saxophone. The band made great pop songs in their modern rendition of jazz vocal standards.

The Temptations have had an incredibly long - 60 years, so far - and amazingly prolific - over 40 studio albums, and 22 others, live albums, compilations, and soundtracks. All Directions is their sixteenth album, and includes one of their most successful songs, "Papa was a Rolling Stone." The Temptations have made songs centered around harmonic arrangements of a collection of five strong voices. They have incorporated soul and gospel elements as their career evolved though the decades. All Directions is more political than their earlier work, and the success of this album pushed the band in that direction for most of the 70s.

Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables is the debut album from the Dead Kennedys, who may be the definitive, American hard-core punk band. The band makes thrashing, guitar driven punk, with politically focused lyrics from their front man, Jello Biafra. The band's short career was defined by conflict, and their aggressive and intentionally confrontational work, like "Let's Lynch the Landlord" and "Kill the Poor," suggest why the band's songs provoked such strong reactions. The album also includes what may be the band's best known songs, "California Uber Alles."

Morrissey became famous as the lead singer of the Smiths, and his distinct, deep voice was the central, defining element of the band's sound. The band was also known for angst-ridden, melodramatic lyrics, and Morrissey continued in this vein through his solo career. You are the Quarry is his seventh solo album. It was released seven years his previous, and was more successful than his previous few releases. As such, it was regarding as something of a comeback. Morrisey makes pop songs that wander toward music theater; his heavy-handed melodrama is overbearing. He has one of the stronger male voices in pop music, but with songs like "How Could Anybody Possibly Know How I Feel," with lines like "I've had my face dragged in fifty miles of shit, and I do not like it," Morrissey is hard to take seriously.

Otis Blue/Otis Redding Sings Soul is Redding's third album, and regarded as his best work. This collection of songs have all become soul/R&B classics. Redding's incredible voice makes this collection of songs - eight of eleven of which are covers - memorable renditions. Otis Blue includes some of Redding's best known songs, like "I've Been Loving You Too Long" and "Respect," (a Redding song made more famous by Aretha Franklin's cover).

The Style Council was Paul Weller's project after he broke up The Jam because he did not like the band's musical direction. Weller wanted to add elements of jazz and soul to his songwriting, and he didn't think the Jam was up to the task. The Style Council made "sophisti-pop," R&B based songs, with technical musicianship typically found in jazz recordings. Cafe Bleu is the band's first album, and may be their best work. It was also their most successful, perhaps attributable to Weller's previous success, and one single, "My Ever Changing Moods," which was close to the sound of a Jam song. Most of the album is outside of the bounds of typical pop music, and far enough from Weller's previous work to limit the Style Council's appeal to his previous fan base.

Never Mind the Bollocks is the only studio album release by the Sex Pistols, and is likely the most influential punk album of all time. A mixture of the thrashing energy of the guitars, and Johnny Rotten's snarling lyrics, the Sex Pistols's music defined punk. Their music scared people - "Anarchy in the U.K." was beyond what many were willing to accept from popular music. This is simple, driven, guitar based punk, that became more popular than any album like it had even gotten. It has come to be regarded as one of the greatest albums of all time, because of the raw energy the Sex Pistols were able to capture in their music.

Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness is the third album from the Smashing Pumpkins, and a 2 CD. 28 song release. The album includes a number of the band's hits, including "Tonight, Tonight," "1979," "Zero," and "Bullet with Butterfly Wings." The Smashing Pumpkins make distorted-guitar centered alt-rock that trends toward metal. Lead singer Billy Corgan's snarl is appropriate for his angst-ridden lyrics. The result is a sound that defined alt-rock of the 90s and made the Smashing Pumpkins one of the biggest bands of the era.

XTC was a British band that made music in a range of style through their career. Through its evolution, the band consistently met with critical success, but never found the commercial success to match. Skylarking is the band's ninth studio album, and is regarded as the band's best work. Skylarking is a collection of elaborately arranged pop songs, with catchy lyrics and engaging melodies. XTC, and particularly Skylarking, is a great example of a confusing element of popular music: some incredibly good music does not become popular.

The Libertines are a British alt-rock band who had a short, tumultuous career. Their self-titled album was their second release, and the band's best work. Carl Barat and Pete Doherty were the songwriting pair that made the band. Doherty had recurring issue with narcotics that eventually broke up the band. The Libertines were part of a "garage rock" resurgence of the aughts. They made guitar-driven rock songs, with interesting melodies. This is a collection of good songs from a band with great potential and an unfortunately short career.

Beyond Skin is an album from Nitin Sawhney, a British musician that has won a number of awards. This is an odd collection of songs, with downtempo electronic backgrounds, and elements of Indian influence throughout the work. There are odd ballads, "Anthem without Nation," poorly executed rap, "Pilgrim," rhythmic exercises, "The Conference," and even near-pop songs, "Nostalgia." Some of the tracks are interesting, but the scattered collection is enough to dampen any interest.

Iron Maiden's self-titled album is the debut release from one of the most successful, enduring bands in history. The band's use of dual-lead guitars lent a prog-rock sound to their version of metal. This is a collection of great songs, with richly textured guitar and bass parts. The band includes some ballads, like "Strange World," in their work, showing the impressive range of this influential band.

Idlewild is the fourth album from Everything But the Girl, a British pair that makes folk-pop. These are soft-rock songs, with extensive used of synthesizers. These songs sound like they are made for the soundtracks of romantic comedies. This is a collection of pretty songs, but ones that are not particularly memorable. The elements are all there - voices, melodies, and arrangements - but in this case, the combination does not amount to very much.

Welcome to the Afterfuture is a studio album from Mike Ladd. The album is a strange mix, from not-so-danceable hip hop, like "Airwave Hysteria," to near ambient, like "Planet 10," then dissonant electronic, "I feel like $100," to spoken word, "Feb 4, 99." This isn't an album of any particular genre. The majority of the track are rap, and they're not noteworthy. There are a few tracks that seem to be responses to pop samples, like "5000 West of the Future," that have a melodic hook. Here, the lyrics fail in a few verses; he has a decent chorus, but doesn't go anywhere with it.

The Number of the Beast is the third Iron Maiden album, and the first with vocalist Bruce Dickenson. Dickerson's crooning added a layer to the band's dual-lead guitar sound, and helped make Iron Maiden's sound part of "classic metal." The album met with considerable commercial and critical success, and has come to be thought of as one of the best metal albums every recorded. The Number of the Beast became infamous for the supposed Satanic references in the band's work. The band leaned into the issue, and became known as "the Beast" as an alternate name. The album includes a few of the band's most popular songs, like the title track and "Head for the Hills." Iron Maiden makes aggressive, guitar driven songs that are technically complicated, and accompanied by Dickerson's soaring - and sometime screaming - vocals.

Hot Rats is Frank Zappa's second solo album, and the first released after the dissolution of the first rendition of his band, the Mothers of Invention. Hot Rats is primarily a collection of instrumental pieces. These are technically complicated, jazz-inspired compositions, with frequent solos from the musicians. Zappa recorded the album with a 16 track system, which was unusual at the time. It allowed for overdubbing, and layering instrumental track to give the work its depth. This is potentially Zappa's best work, and regarded as one of the first, great prog rock albums.

Tommy is the fourth album from the Who, and may be their first masterpiece. Tommy is a double LP rock opera. It is the story of a deaf, dumb, and blind boy that becomes a messiah figure. The story is told in the format of an opera: in two acts, with an overture and an underture, musical summaries played at the beginning of the acts. I think these two elements - the overture and underture - are among the most brilliant compositions in modern music. The story is told in a series of incredible songs, some of which become hit singles, like "Pinball Wizard" and "Tommy Can you Hear Me." The opera tells the story of the life of the messiah figure. Imo, the entire story is really about "Sally Simpson," one of the fans of this messiah figure.

Queens of the Stone Age made what some were calling stoner rock in the 90s, and heavy rock as QOTSA developed their sound in the aughts. QOTSA has had something of a revolving line-up, with frontman Josh Homme as the only bandmember involved for its entire career. Homme was previously in a band called Kyuss, and some of the original QOTSA members were also former Kyuss members. The band makes heavy, guitar driven rock, embellished with a range of electronic effects. Homme's vocals fit the "heavy rock" classification, in that he a brash inelegance that matches the band's sound.

Dolly Parton has an incomparable career - she is a musician, actor, producer, and as a philanthropist (for her children's literacy project, alone, she is worthy of sainthood, and it is only one of her stunningly admirably projects). Coat of Many Colors was her eighth studio album. For her extensive career - 49 studio albums to date, and over 200 compilation albums - it may be impossible to rank any one album as "her best" or even "among her best." The album is on many "best albums of all time" lists. Ms. Parton has said that "Coat of Many Colors" is among the favorite songs she has written, and she has written over 3,000. The is a lovely album of country ballads, showcasing Dolly's incredible voice. At root, the basis of all of the accolades in Dolly's storied career is her amazing voice, and her ability to recount relatable, engaging stories.

Pet Shop Boys were a British pair that made synth-pop in the 80s and the 90s. Behaviour is their fourth album, and more somber than their earlier work. The band makes danceable, melodic, synthesizer based pop songs, and they were one of the groups that help make this the defining sound of 80s pop. Some of the tracks, like "Being Boring" and "How Can You Expect to Be Taken Seriously," are upbeat, danceable tracts. The ballads weigh the work - for example "To Face the Truth" - with a sappy melodrama that wanders towards "easy listening."

Heroes is David Bowie's eighth studio album, and the second of his three "Berlin" albums. These were done in collaboration with Brian Eno, and the pair pushed Bowie's avant-garde rock towards Eno's fascination with synthesizers. The title track is one of Bowie's biggest hits. The sound of that song, and much of the rest of the album, are part of the the foundation of 80s pop. The album is uneven, and most of the songs co-written with Eno are the low points.

Duke Ellington is one of most accomplished composers and bandleaders in jazz, who had an incredible career. Ellington at Newport was a "live" album - or, at least partially live. Ellington and his band played at the Newport Jazz Festival in 1956, and it was a historic performance. The show, and the very successful album, revitalized Ellington's career. Time has revealed that some of the tracks were re-recorded after the show, but that doesn't undermine this incredible recording. Ellington composed pieces to allow the talented members of his band to shine - structures designed to create space for soloists. The soloists in his band were all of the very highest caliber, and all of the members of the very large group are capable of incredible work. On a potentially negative note, this record contains a late-concert drum solo, and this may be the first such recording, so it is potentially responsible, at least in part...

Scott Walker made a particular, peculiar version of pop, which is called baroque pop. These songs sound like orchestrated musical theater songs, but are lyrically darker than the sound and style would suggest. For example, the subjects of the songs "The Girls From the Streets" and "Plastic Plastic People" seem at odds with music from a Frank Sinatra album. These are awkward, confusing songs, without the depth to be confusing in an interesting way. When Walker's rich baritone sings, "The Windows of the World are covered with rain.," it sounds trite, not profound. These songs are not unpleasant, but they are not endearing.

Gris-Gris is the first album from Dr. John, a character created by musician Mac Rebennack. Dr. John makes New Orleans music - a combination of funk, R&B, and creole folk traditions. Dr. John is named after a historic voodoo doctor, and his music is imbued with folk mysticism. At its release, Gris-Gris received little critical or commercial attention. As Dr. John became successful later in his career, critical consensus about the album has improved remarkably. His songs present an interesting mix of styles, a swampy blues that sounds like New Orleans.

Brown Sugar is D'Angelo's debut album, and may be the album that started the neo-soul wave of the late 90's and the aughts. D'Angelo makes soulful R&B, that has incorporated the timing of hip-hop of the 90s. The songs are centered around D'Angelo's incredible voice, at time utilizing falsetto in his expressive vocals. The bass-heavy orchestrations sound like traditional R&B; D'Angelo adds break-beats and the lyrical timing of hip-hop in his rendition of R&B.

Neon Bible is the second album from Canadian band Arcade Fire. The album met with considerable critical success, as their first album did, but this one found international commercial success. The album was the first of a string of successful albums that pushed them into becoming one of the biggest bands in the world through the 2010s. The band makes rich, orchestrated alt-rock, giving their work a grandiose sound. Win Butler's earnest vocals add to the breadth of the sound, adding an element to their expansive sound. These songs, like "Keep the Car Running," have a danceable rhythms, and the energy of early Springsteen.

Live at Leeds was the Who's release that followed Tommy, their rock opera that made international stars of the band. The Who toured extensively through their career; after Tommy, the band refined their energetic performances through a prolonged world tour. Live at Leeds has been recognized as among the best live rock albums of all time. This album captures the Who as they were developing into one of the biggest bands in the world. They had been propelled into stardom through their first masterpiece(s), and their performances were potent, technical, and engaged for their storytelling - among other reasons. Townshend's lyrics and Daltrey's vocals give the band part of its distinct sound, and are among the reasons the band is one of the most influential bands in rock - and in all of modern music.

Call of the Valley is an introduction to Indian classical music for Western audiences. Shivkumar Sharma is a master of the santoor, an Indian instrument that is similar to a dulcimer. Call of the Valley is the best selling Indian music album across the world. Sharma and his fellow musicians became known after members of the Beatles showed an interest in their music. The album is an instrumental tale of a day in the life of an Indian shepherd. The recording includes a santoor, a slide guitar, a flute, a bansuri, and tablas. These are interesting songs of a traditional cultural lineage.

Sarah Vaughan was among jazz and bop's greatest voices. She had a long, prolific career, and "At Mister Kelly's" was her eighth album - but some don't include this in her discography, as this is an "and Her Trio" work. This is a live album at the famous Chicago club, Mister Kelly's. The recording is incredible for a 1957 live recording. For most of the album, you may think this is recorded in the studio. A microphone bump, and a bit of laughter following in "Willow Weep for Me" will remind you that this is indeed a live recording. Sarah Vaughan has an incredible voice. An instrument with considerable range. Her dynamic expression makes her performances fully engaging. As a live performance, this work is all the more impressive. She was a relaxed and confident performer, and this album captures her abilities early in her career.

Miles Davis is among the best-known performers in jazz, and all of modern musicians. He is also among the most prolific of recording artists, with over 60 studio albums, over 40 live albums, and more than 50 compilations. In a Silent Way is his 41st studio album, and is Davis' first major work of fusion, a transition marked, in part, by his incorporation of electric instruments. In a Silent Way is a jazz band playing rock, showing that Davis was responding, at least in part, to the popular music of the late 60s. While Davis' next album, Bitches Brew, drew far more attention initially, In a Silent Way has gained recognition in hindsight, and regarded as among his best recorded work.

Superunknown is the fourth studio album from Soundgarden, and is their most successful work, critically and commercially. Their third album, Badmotorfinger, did well, and was very well received critically, but not as well as expected. Chris Cornell's and Matt Cameron's involvement in tribute project Temple of the Dog added to their notoriety, and help to build the anticipation for Superunknown. The album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 The success of the album helped make he band's metal version of alt-rock part of the sound of the 90s. The album produced five charting singles, include what may be their best-known, "Black Hole Sun." Chris Cornell's wailing vocals helped define the band's sound, and Kim Thayil's driven guitar adds effects to create their grandiose, heavy sound.

Yeezus is Kanye West's sixth studio album, which was met with considerable critical acclaim, as "brash" and "experimental." These songs are slightly more melodic than most rap, but still not very melodic. What some may call brash, others may call jarring, and generally unpleasant. The lyrics are the rants of a self-absorbed adolescent. He is offensively sexist, bitter, and paranoid. Where many see a "artistic genius reinventing himself," others may see the ranting of a person that may not be worth listening to.

Blur's self-titled album was their fifth, and a departure from their previous work. The band was among the successful brit-pop acts of the early nineties, and this album is more aggressive, edgier alt-rock than their first few albums. This led to mixed reviews in Britain, but was very well received outside of the UK. The single "Song 2" was the band's biggest hit single in the US, and pushed this album to be the band's most commercially successful. With punchy guitars from punk or grunge, and electronic effects giving a psychedelic hint, these are not typically brit-pop songs. These songs sound like the band was influenced by other 90s artists like Pavement and Beck, and the result was an interesting development in the band's sound.

Dry is the debut from PJ Harvey, when she was still recording work as a trio, prior to moving to releasing work as a solo artist. Harvey is a singer songwriter that puts lyrics out of a folk song to a three piece, edgy rock band. These are angry, inspired, articulate songs that are engaging both for the storytelling and the catch hooks. Harvey's emotional songs match the power chords and heavy bass lines of her work. Her stained, expressive vocals fill the pictures she creates with depth and impressive range. Her songs are interesting glimpses of her experiences, like "Dress," with plenty of undertones about the impacts of these elements of her life.

Ozomatli is an unique mix - it's a band that sounds like all of the influences that make up Los Angeles. There is a Hispanic foundation, with hip hop beats, a funky horn section, and some rapping. This danceable mix has made the band cultural ambassadors through their near-constant, international touring. Street Signs, the group's third, full-length release, was very well received, and won the Latin/Alternative Grammy the year it was released.. These are fun, catchy songs, with layered orchestrations both from the talented members of the band, and from the use of samples and synthesizers. This is an incredible fusion of a range of styles - again, this sounds like the amazing mixture that is Los Angeles.

Muddy Waters is the biggest name in Blues. A gifted, singer, songwriter, guitar player, and band leader, Muddy's is the most recognizable, influential voice in the blues. His early recorded work, in the 40s and 50s, were singles. He started releasing albums in 1960, the same year he recorded and released At Newport. This is one of the first live blues albums, and influenced generations of blues and rock performers. Muddy has a rich, rough voice that became the sound of American blues. His band, with slide guitar, harmonica solos, and bass-driven rhythms was filled with practiced, exciting performers. Muddy and his band put on fantastic performances, and this album captured one of them.

S&M is Metallica's live, double album recorded with the San Francisco Symphony. This is a greatest hits collection, with only three original tracks among twenty-one. This is an odd album - in this case, the result is somehow less than the sum of the parts. There is an incredible collection of talented musicians involved, and the orchestrations do work with the band's material. However, the result sounds like movie soundtrack material: complicated and well performed, but over-produced and somehow "sanitized." For example, the lyric "Nothing else Matters" seems at odds with a strictly timed performance, accompanied by a soaring string section.

Locust Abortion Technician is the third album from the Butthole Surfers, the most infamously named band in modern music. The band makes art-rock, or noise-rock. Theirs is a style of psychedelia that sounds like it should come from Texas (and, it does...). The Butthole Surfers tour constantly, and their performances are intentionally provocative. Like their name, the aim is the production of outrage. Their music is not pleasant, and it doesn't try to be. The band makes experimental punk, and at times, they show they are capable of melodic playing. Unfortunately, they were more interested in shocking than entertaining.

The Suburbs is the third album from Arcade Fire, which met with near-universal critical acclaim, and world-wide commercial success. Among many other accolades, the album won the Grammy for album of the year. The Suburbs is a "letter from the suburbs," as Win Butler said, comprised of a number of stories from his childhood. The band makes up-beat, guitar and synthesizer based, alt-rock, with an earnestness that Win Butler's vocals match. These songs about Butler's childhood have a feeling of a nostalgic longing, told through beautiful, melodic songs.

A Night At the Opera is Queen's fourth album, and considered to be their best work. At the time, this was reportedly the most expensive rock album that had even been made. The band made a grandiose, soaring set of songs with a surprising range of influences. In addition to their basis of metal and prog rock, Queen added orchestral and operatic elements in this collection, with extensive production, giving each track intricate complexities of instrumentation and vocal harmonies. The album included "Bohemian Rhapsody," the lengthy song that has come to be regarded as one of the greatest songs in modern music. The song, and the album, established the band as international stars.

Ritual De Lo Habitual is the second studio album from Jane's Addiction, and the band's most commercially successful album. The album includes a few of the band biggest singles, like "Stop" and "Been Caught Stealing." Jane's Addiction combined metal guitars with punk sensibilities into a immersive, expansive sound. Perry Ferrell's brash confidence matches the raw energy of Dave Navarro's ripping guitars. This album is more produced - closer to pop singles - than their first album, and almost recreates the energy of that debut.

School's Out is the fifth studio album from the band Alice Cooper. The band released seven album, with considerable success, before Vincent Furnier, had a solo career as Alice Cooper, assuming the persona of the band's chosen name. The band was known for it's outrageous stage act, with snakes, lots of fake blood, and simulated hangings. Cooper and the band wore intricate costumes and make-up, pulling any and all stops to be intentionally provocative. This album includes the band's most famous single, "School's Out." It is a good example of the guitar driven, classic rock that the band creates. The music is decent, well-performed hard rock, but not particularly noteworthy.

Bossanova is the third Pixies' album, and the follow up to their breakout Dolittle. This album continues with the Pixies "loud-soft-loud" dynamic - their music often uses radical changes in volume, rhythm, and style, for the effect of the transition. Theirs is the hard, edgy side of guitar driven alt-rock, and "soft" segments do more to established melodies and narrative elements. This collection of songs is a reasonable match to - but not much of a departure from - the band's previous work. These are good tunes, but seem to lack the glimmer of brilliance that ran through Dolittle.

Apocalypse 91 ... The Enemy Strikes Back is the fourth album from Public Enemy, and the follow up to their incredibly successful third album, "Fear of a Black Planet." Apocalypse 91 was recorded shortly after all of their digital recordings were stolen. The group need to rush to reproduce material and relied more heavily on performing musicians after the loss of their sample library. These are great tracks from a socially conscious, focuses group. While not as good as their "Fear of a Black Planet," these are thoughtful, interesting riffs, without the celebration of violence and delusional arrogance that dominates the genre.

Bad Company's self titled album was remarkably successful for a debut album. The band was a "supergroup," of sorts, comprised of former members of King Crimson, Mott the Hoople, and Free. Their previous work certainly gave them some notoriety, but their bluesy, guitar heavy hard rock is what really made them famous. This album includes some of their biggest hits, like "Can't Get Enough," "Moving On," and "Bad Company." These songs feature Paul Rodger's soulful vocals and Mick Ralph's screaming guitars. Together, they made a sound that helped define 70s popular music, and had since become staples of "classic rock" stations.

She's so Unusual is the debut album from Cyndi Lauper, and was the most successful work of her career. This album was released during the very early days of MTV, and Lauper's songs and style worked well with the video-driven music industry of the 80's. This album contains Lauper's iconic "Girls just Want to Have Fun," which captured both her perky voice and her ability to make bouncy, danceable pop songs. The album also includes "Time after Time," a ballad that shows Lauder's voice has impressive strength and depth.

Mothership Connection is Parliament's fourth album, and their first to find considerable success. This was the first of Parliament's recordings to include Maceo Parker and Fred Wesley, horn players from James Brown's band. This concept album had George Clinton and Bootsy Collins narrating their funk to an outer space theme. This album has been recognized as among the Parliament-Funkadelic collective's best work, and one of the best funk albums of all time. George Clinton's and Parliament's funk is a collective work, with a full band supporting the funk. The songs are bass-driven, engaging songs with outlandish narrative support. These are fun, danceable songs that are true to the funk that they talk about often; the funk draws you in because it is the convergence of a number of styles - R&B, soul, blues, with a good dose of afro-futurism.

Live Thru a Lens is the first solo album from Robbie Williams, who became famous in the boy band Take That. Williams makes brit pop. and this is album is a formulaic, overly produced example of it. This could be Oasis, Blur or any of the 90s versions of Beatles' song. Unfortunately, these songs aren't as memorable as Williams more famous contemporaries. These are good - but the all seem to be derivative. For example, Williams' biggest song is on this album, "Angels," and it could be an Elton John song.

Suicide debut album was not well received, initially. The band met with limited success in the UK, but were panned in the US. These songs are an interesting combination of styles. A background of minimalistic, mesmerizing electronic with a punk lyrics. The band's synth punk influenced generation of musicians in the 70s and 80s. As the years passed, the reception of the album and the band's work has improved considerably. Suicide's synth punk is regarded as an important precursor to much of the pop of the 80s and 90s.

Aftermath is the fourth studio album from the Rolling Stones, and the first of entirely original material. This was the first milestone in the extensive songwriting career of Jagger and Richards, and this album is regarded as the Stones' first masterpiece. These songs are a development from the band's early focus on blues and R&B standards, and incredible example of the sound that made them the biggest rock band in the world. This album captures an early rendition of the Stones' sound, with Jagger's brash swagger, and Richard's catchy, edgy guitar riffs. Brian Jones added elements not often found in popular music, like a sitar and a dulcimer. "Satisfaction," released the year prior, had made the band into stars, and this work started them on the path to become one of the most influential acts of popular music.

Selected Ambient Works 85-92 is the debut album from Aphex Twin, the on-stage moniker for Richard D. James. This is a brilliant work of electronic music, and the beginning of perhaps the longest and most influential career in electronic music. If the title is accurate, some of these tracks were composed when James was fourteen. These songs feature techno rhythms and structures - the album was on many "best of dance albums" from the year and the decade - but played into an ambient sound space. The result is beautiful dance music, of a meditative sense and feel. Through his career, James played in a incredibly wide range of styles of electronic music; he is one of the artists credited with adding breadth to the genre.

Pink Flag is the debut album from Wire, a British post punk band that has had a long career as a band that consistently reinvented themselves. This first version of the band created raw, minimal, guitar driven punk. The songs are short, clean blasts of attitude and energy. These songs are more melodic, and better executed that most punk - almost the polish and production of pop. For the sound, subject, and attitude, these are challenging songs, but nonetheless memorable ones.

Halcyon Digest is the fifth studio album from Deerhunter, and one of the band's most successful album. On release, it met with widespread critical acclaim, and was on a few alt-rock "album of the year" lists. The band uses effect-laden guitars and harmonic vocals to pop songs with a broad but delicate sound. Their songs have a chiming, cheerful sound, even when expressing somber thoughts like "I don't want to get old."

Sticky Fingers is the Rolling Stones' ninth studio album, and is regarded by many as their best work. This was their first studio album without Brian Jones, and with Mick Taylor, who has joined the band for their previous release, the live album "Get your Ya-Yas Out." This album is of impressive range, in part due to a number of guests on the recording. The album includes ballads, like "Wild Horses," and chart-topping rockers, like "Brown Sugar." The band still embraced their reputation as the "bad-boys" of rock, see "Bitch," and their early, blues-based recording, like "I got the Blues." In addition to the famous tracks, there are the surprises in the deeper cuts, like "Moonlight Mile." This range is one of the arguments supporting the band's claim to be the world's greatest rock & roll band.

Smash is the Offspring's third album, and was their breakthrough album. Pushed by the success of their videos in the late MTV era, the band's well-produced, energetic punk was in line with the 90's, alt-rock sound. The Offspring layers Dexter Holland's wailing vocals on Kevin Wasserman's ripping, distorted guitar, with Greg Kriesel's bass and Ron Welty's drums as their frenetic rhythm section. These are great punk songs, with a 90's alt-rock framework - with rhythm and volume changes, and a grunge sound - like "Gotta Get Away." They likely benefitted from their near-Nirvana sound, in songs like "Self Esteem" and "Come Out and Play," the band's biggest hit at the time. This is good, but arguably derivative 90's music.

Ctrl is the debut album from SZA, who makes music in contemporary R&B. SZA has a voice the could have excelled in R&B and Soul in an era; in a time of autotune and vocal filters, her voice still shows through as beautiful, expressive and emotive. The album met with widespread critical and commercial success, and made a star out of SZA. These are melodic, engaging stories told by a soulful voice. The production is an electronic, effect laden version of R&B, but that does distract from SZA's incredible voice. Songs like "Anything" demonstrates the not-always congruous elements of her music; it starts with a near-dancehall, distorted bass, and ends with a looped cadence with SZA's angelic voice.

In the year before writing and recording their debut album, several members of the band Arcade Fire had close family members die. The songs, and the recording process of Funeral was about their mourning process, and the band's understanding of mourning and mortality. The band's ambitious project met with universal critical acclaim, and propelled the band to international stardom. Despite the serious topic, these are beautiful, melodic songs. The band utilizes rich orchestrations - with a string section and atmospheric effects - to give their songs a grandiose feel. Strong roles by both guitars and keys give their songs rich textures, and Win Butler's earnest vocals match the tone of the band's songs and style. This is an incredible debut from a group that would become one of the world's biggest bands.

The Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy was a project that grew out of the Bay-area collective the Beatnigs; former members Michael Franti and Rono Tse made the socially conscious rap. Hypocrisy in the Great Luxury is the debut album album from the pair, which met with considerable critical success. The pair never found significant commercial success, and their career was short-lived. These are engaging, challenging pieces. Franti is sweeping cultural critic; with "Television, Drug of a Nation," he takes aim at our numbing opiate of the masses. In "Socio-Genetic Experiment," Franti discusses his experience as a black individual who grew up in a white household. Franti takes on these sorts of challenging topics in an effort that didn't find the commercial success of which it was worthy. There are gems here, like "Music and Politics," that show Franti's potential, that he explored in later ventures.

Massive Attack was one of the first groups to create trip-hop, a mixture of hip-hop rhythms, dub grooves, and looped samples. Their work met with universal critical success, and they influenced generations of musicians. Protection is the group's second album, and while successful, was not as critically successful as their debut, Blue Lines. Massive Attach is a mood - or a vibe. Their material is mesmerizing, engaging dance music. They have a range of guest vocalists on the tracks, giving the album an impressive range, while maintaining a consistent mood throughout. The album is excellent, but the last track, a live "Light My Fire" cover, did not help the cause.

Rufus Wainwright makes theatrical pop - dramatically orchestrated pieces that wander towards opera. His songs are beautiful, lush, rich pieces, with a narrative sense of songs from musical theater. Want Two is his fourth studio album, which was well received critically. Wainwright makes lovely songs, with engaging stories and interesting arrangements. His music isn't of a particular era - it seems to be something of a throwback - but it certainly isn't typical of pop of the aughts.

American IV: The Man Comes Around is the sixty seventh studio album from Johnny Cash, and the last to be released while Cash was alive. This was part of his 'American' series, produced by Rick Rubin and released by his label. This series of albums led to a revival of Cash's career during the last years of his life. The majority of the tracks on this double album are covers, including his acclaimed cover of Trent Reznor's "Hurt." These are sparse, but somehow still rich renditions of familiar songs from atraditional, country balladier. Cash's baritone and percussive guitar sound are iconic, and an essential part of country music.

The Young Gods are a Swiss industrial band that makes extensive use of samples in their work. They make edgy, angry, driven music, featuring the screaming/singing of Franz Treichler. L'Eau Rouge, their second album, is regarded as their best work. Much of this album is a rage-filled version of heavy metal. There are some bright spots, like the Tom Waits-ish "Charlotte," or the melodic opening track, "La fille de la Mort," which has a vaudeville feel to it, but these are unusual songs for the band. The majority of the songs are angry, and not particularly inspired.

After the Gold Rush is Neil Young's third studio album, and this and the album that followed, Harvest, are regarded has his best work. Young does not have a "great" voice, in any traditional sense. His voice has a sound of awkward earnestness that makes him a compelling storyteller. This collection includes a few of Young's best known songs. From the contentious "Southern Man," to the nostalgic "After the Gold Rush," Young's songs have transcended their genre - they are something more than just country rock songs.

Harry Nilsson made orchestrated pop music, with strong melodies and interesting arrangements. Nilsson Schmilsson is his seventh studio album, which includes some covers with his original material, as Nilsson did throughout his career. One of the cover on this album is is "Without You," a Badfinger song, that may be Nilsson's biggest hit. The rest of the album shows Nilsson's strength as a songwriters, from the quirky "Coconut," to the edgy "Jump into the Fire."

Portishead is perhaps the best known group that made trip-hop, a term that the band helped define, even as the band was not crazy about being associated with the label. The band's work is a unique mix: Beth Gibbon's haunting vocals, atmospheric electronics, and slow-tempo, hip-hop rhythms. The result is haunting, lovely, and dark. Third is the band's third, and perhaps last, studio album. Like their other albums, it was very well received critically, and found some commercial success. Portishead isn't a band that had hit singles; while popular - to an extent - this is not "pop." This album seems to be better with repeated listens, but of challenging enough that many may not get to the second listen.

Rumours is the seventh album from Fleetwood Mac. It is thought to be their best work, and is considered to be one of the greatest albums in modern popular music. The band explored a range of styles, with some electric and acoustic songs, and impressive harmonies throughout. The band was in a tumultuous period, involving the break-ups of romantic relationships between members, and excessive drug use. Their personal challenges provided incredible inspiration for these very memorable songs. The album in includes some of the band's biggest songs, like "Go Your Own Way," "Dreams," and "Don't Stop." On this note, this list could include every song on this album. Every song on this album has become transcendent and ubiquitous; everyone has heard these songs because this album bears repeating, over and over again. This is as good of a collection of songs as you may ever find on an album, written and performed by a band at its very best.

Remedy is the debut album from Basement Jaxx, which was met with near-universal acclaim. This is a great collection of house tracks - danceable, fun, and inventive songs. House music can be boring, and defaults toward repetitive elements. Basement Jaxx created this work to be a "Remedy" to the linear, robotic norms of early 90s dance music. This album is considered among the best EDM albums ever released. It includes some of the pair's biggest hits, like "Red Alert," and "Rendez-Vu," and a collection of interesting, varied tracks that will get almost anyone up out of their seat.

The Dark Side of the Moon is Pink Floyd's eighth album, and is one of the best selling albums of all time. The band had been successful before this release, but this work made them into international stars. Among other accolades, this album holds the records as the album with the longest run on Billboard's charts. This album has had appeal with generations of fans, helping the band become one of the most successful and influential bands of all time. This is the first of the band's concept albums that were primarily authored by bassist Roger Waters. The songs focus on the pressures of life in a band that is touring the world, and the difficulties of mental illness. This was part of Water's work directed towards Syd Barrett, former band member that succumbed to mental illness. The songs are transcendent - "Time" and "Money" are among the band's most popular of the bands songs, and made the band's introspective psychedelic rock into an enduring part of popular music.

The Joshua Tree is U2's fifth album, and may be their best work. It won the Grammy as album of the year, and appears on many "best album of all time" lists. This is the second album the band produced while working with Brian Eno, who helped add the ambient sense that the band creates with its edgy, guitar driven rock. The album is about the stark differences between the mythic America of rights and grand design, and the real America. These are songs of searching and longing - like "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Lookin For" - which the band developed into a central part of their sound. This sense is supported by Bono's soaring vocals, which help make their songs sound like anthems. The band captured the energy and potency of their early protest songs, and channeled it into these beautiful pop/rock songs.

Blonde on Blonde is often regarded as the best work of Bob Dylan's incredible career, and sits near the top of many "best albums of all time" lists. This was Dylan's seventh studio album, and the third of his "electric rock" albums of the mid-sixties. Among other accolades, this is one of the first double albums in rock music. The album includes a few of Dylan's well-known songs, like "Rainy Day Women," "I Want You," and "Just Like a Woman." Dylan's career includes so much interesting, influential work; it's hard to suggest that there he has a "best album." If there is one, this may be it. With this and the two albums that preceded it, Dylan became a central figure in American rock, well outside of the folk/songwriter world he started his career within. His influence was significant; his version of country and folk infused rock inspired decades of popular music.

The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady is a 1963 studio album from Charles Mingus. Mingus releases an extensive list of recordings, and The Black Saint is regarded as one of his best, and one of the greatest jazz albums ever recorded. This work was composed as a ballet, and was written for the "big band" format that Mingus was performing and recording with in the early 60s. This is Mingus' anguished and joyful picture of the world, told through his rich, textured compositions.

Psalm 69, the commonly used name for an album title comprised of unpronounceable symbols, is the fifth album from industrial metal band Ministry. This is their most successful album, both critically and commercially. The band combines driven metal guitars, with samples and other looped effects to create their aggressive, driven sound. The lyrics - screamed and distorted - adds to the angry tone of all of these songs. The songs do provide some some context; "Just One Fix" could explain some of the rage. Screaming "Tell Me Something I Don't Know" in the track "TV II" isn't as clear of a message, but does show the general hostility this band seems to direct at the world. When they can lay off the seething rage - like in "Jesus Built My Hotrod" - their songs approach tolerable, but the rage-filled stuff dominates the album.

Can made a very skilled version of psychedelic, experimental rock. They created their songs through extended improvisation sessions, and the result is interesting, rich, exploring songs. Tago Mago is the second studio album from the band, and is regarded as the band's best work. The band, and this album in particular, influenced generations of musicians. This album ranges from groove-based jam band rock to fairly odd experimentation. All of these songs could part of the recording of a modern, improv-based jam band. Some of the experimental material wanders toward self-indulgence, but it staying interesting throughout. Much of the later part of the album could be the "drums & space" sequences from Grateful Dead shows, which the band started doing seven years after the release of this album.

I'm a Lonesome Fugitive is the third album from Merle Haggard and the Strangers - the band Haggard recorded with at the beginning of his career. The title track, and the album, are the recordings that made Haggard into a country star. These are traditional, acoustic guitar driven country sounds. Haggard's rich, deep voice worked well with music produced in the "Bakersfield sound," a simplified style that developed as a reaction to the "over produced" Nashville style of country. .

Exodus, Bob Marley & the Wailers' ninth album, is regarded as their best work. It is arguably the most influential reggae album of all time, and sits near the top of many "best albums of all time" lists. The group had had already found international fame - but Exodus made Marley and the Wailers into superstars. Marley had a mythical status in Jamaica, and after an assassination attempt, Marley left Jamaica for more than a year. Exodus was inspired, in part, by Marley's exile from his home. The songs on this album have become some of the most famous reggae tracks of all - "Exodus," "One Love," and "Three Little Birds." For many, Marley's anthems are what people know of as reggae; Marley defined the genre, and this album is a central element of it.

Duck Rock is like an odd mix tape - or a soundtrack - as an eclectic collection of songs of a range of styles. This was the debut album for Malcom McLaren, who achieved fame as the producer and manager for the New York Dolls, the Sex Pistols, Adam and the Ants, and Bow Wow Wow. McLaren's history as an impresario may have undermined the reception of his albums; his "adoption" of a number of styles, with a few legal battles over copyrighted material, has led to an impression that at least some of this material was appropriated. The songs are a combination of South African elements, hip hop rhythms, early scratching, and folk music from a range of traditions. The result is an interesting mix, but hard to discuss as the work of one band... and comes across as rather scattered.

Vol. 4 is the fourth album from Black Sabbath, the band that arguably defined "heavy metal." Their first four albums are often regarded as among the best metal albums ever released. Vol. 4 does not include any of the bands biggest hit singles, but the album was still remarkably successful; a testament to the broad influence and appeal of the band's work. Black Sabbath's distinct sound comes from Ozzy Osborne's wailing vocals and Tony Iommi's screaming guitar riffs. The created the basis of heavy metal, and influenced generations of musicians in the range of genres that metal has evolved into.

Sunday At The Village Vanguard is a live album from the Bill Evans Trio, which at the time included bassist Scott LaFaro and drummer Paul Motian. This was the last time Evans played with LaFaro, who died tragically shortly after the album was recorded. Evans played in a few groupings in his career, and considered this to be the strongest group - and this album may be this trio's best work. This is often regarded as one of the best live jazz recordings of all time. Evans was an elegant, expressive pianist, and these songs show his skills with subtle expressions. LaFaro and Motain are also incredible musicians, and the trio had clearly established chemistry.

The White Album is the eighth Beatles' album, and the only double LP among their studio albums. This was later in the band's career, and Lennon, McCarthy, and Harrison were largely writing their songs independently, and this gives this album an eclectic sense. This collection of songs from some of the greatest songwriters in modern music, at the height of their powers. This incredible collection of songs has songs written by all four members: McCartney's pop, "Blackbird," Lennon's commentary, "Happiness is a Warm Gun," Harrison's introspection, "While My Guitar Gently Weeps," and Starr's irreverence, "Don't Pass Me By." They were all talented artists, in a rare situation where they amplified each other's strengths.

Reign in Blood is Slayer's third studio album, and their first while working with famed producer Rick Rubin. This is regarded as one of the best metal albums of all time, and the best speed metal album. Slayer makes intricate, technical metal that is played as fast as is possible. Tom Araya's vocals/screams focus on the darkest of topics: death, violence, torture, and the occult. The band is very good at making dark, angry music.

Nebraska is Bruce Springsteen's sixth album, and a significant departure from his previous work. These songs are solo, acoustic pieces, without the band that usually supports him. In addition, these are dark, solemn songs - far from the energetic exuberance that was typical in much of Springsteen's early work. Springsteen's change of direction was very well received critically. The songs on the album have been covered frequently, and the album is one of Springsteen's to influence generations of musicians. Springsteen had originally planned to record these songs with his band; he was preparing this recording as a writing process to teach the songs to his bandmates. The result - these sparse, folk/Americana sounding renditions - demonstrates the strength and breadth of Springsteen's songwriting skills.

The Next Day is the twenty-fifth album of David Bowie's incredible career. This album was his first in ten years, and was released as a surprise - he managed to keep the project entirely under wraps until it's release. This was the penultimate album of Bowie's career, and gathered considerable attention as a favorably-received release so late in his career and after a considerable absence. This is a collection of interesting art-rock songs - good, but not particularly great ones. They are grandiose, well-orchestrated and pretty songs, but this is not one of the albums to recommend from Bowie's extensive catalog.

Green Onions is the debut album from Booker T. & the MG's, who were the house band at Stax Records in Memphis. Their sound is an essential part of southern soul of the 60's, as they appear on recordings of Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett, Sam & Dave, among many others. When they weren't working as the supporting band for other artists, they recorded almost-exclusively instrumental tracks as Booker T. and the MG's . The band was successful as a rare, instrumental rock band; the title track is one of the most popular instrumental tracks in modern popular music. Their core members provided a great, funky basis for other artists - organ, piano, guitar, bass, and drums - and were all talented enough to create these instrumental classics.

Exile on Main Street is the tenth studio album, and the first double album from the Rolling Stones. They were literal exiles at the time, in a sense; they recorded the album while in "tax exile," which the band spend in the south of France. While holed up in a mansion, in what was described as a months-long party. the Stones recorded these songs on rudimentary equipment, while likely excessively inebriated. The result is raw, edgy, and in some way, perfect. At the time, the critical reception was lukewarm, at best. Over time, the album's repute has improved considerably: Exile on Main Street is regarded as one of the greatest albums - rock or otherwise - ever recorded. This is the Stones at the height of their confidence - bluesy and rebellious - with Richard's catchy guitar riffs and Jagger's brash swagger. The album does not contain any of the bands' biggest hits, but is still regarded as their best work because of the strength and range of this set of songs. This is an incredible collection, recorded as the Stones were becoming the greatest rock and roll band in the world.

The Fat of the Land is the third album from the Prodigy, a British electronic music group. This is their best selling album, and the work that propelled the group to international fame. The group's relentless touring had help the Prodigy gain popularity, moving them out of dance club and into larger venues. The Fat of the Land was successful enough to make festival headliners out of the Prodigy. This album includes some of the group's biggest hits, including "Firestarter" and "Smack my Bitch Up." These are energetic, danceable tracks, with hip hop timing and the brash confidence of punk, that helped push electronica into popular music circles.

Post Orgasmic Chill is the third album from British alt/metal band Skunk Anansie. The band makes 90s alt rock, with timing and volume transitions and heavy, distorted guitars. The unusual element of their sound is their female vocalist, whose name is Skin. The result sounds like Soundgarden recruited Pat Benetar for an album. This is a collection of songs that Skin described as "clit-rock," her term for the feminist rage she expresses as a British woman. These are good, but not particularly memorable songs, because the band can unfortunately be described as "another 90s alt-rock band."

Walking Wounded is the ninth studio album from English pop duo Everything But the Girl. The band makes soft-spoken pop songs, featuring the smooth, rich vocals from Tracey Thorn, supported by an ambient version of techno and trip-hop elements. The result is an unusual, interesting mixture for pop songs. Walking Wounded was the pair's most successful album; Thorn called it their "pop triumph." It includes what may be their biggest single, Walking Wounded, which has been described as "ambient jungle."

Bob Dylan's Royal Albert Hall Concert was infamous. He did an acoustic set, and then and electric set, backed by the the Hawks - soon to be known as the Band. In the second set, a member of the crowd yelled, "Judas," to which Dylan responds, "are you talking to me?" This release in connection with an extensive collection of all of the recordings of Dylan's 65-66 European tour. This is an incredible recording of an milestone show; this, like the Newport Jazz Festival, is the "moment" Dylan went electric, and helped meld the folk and rock music worlds.

Axis: Bold as Love is the Jimi Hendrix Experience's second studio album. Their first album made him into an international star, and this follow-up only added to his renown as a brilliant guitar player, singer, and song-writer. Axis ranks highly on many "greatest albums of all time" lists. However, Hendrix's two other studio albums typically rank higher; making this stellar album in some way the weakest of his work - but there's nothing weak about this album. These songs have Hendrix's incredibly expressive guitar, like in "Little Wing" and "If 6 was 9," backed by his soulful, blues inspired rock. Jimi's technical mastery and his raw, open vocals helped shape the sound of psychedelic rock.

After Bob Dylan blurred the lines between folk and rock, the Byrds walked into the space created and defined "folk rock." Appropriate that their first single, and first album's title, was a Dylan cover. The band's other popular single on the album, "All I really Want to Do," is another Dylan cover. The Byrds distinct 12-string guitar leads and layered harmonies made folk rock into a dominant part of pop music of the mid to late 60's. These songs sound of the 60's "hippie counterculture," and all of the diverse music the band has inspired in the decades that followed.

Kind of Blue is Miles Davis' masterpiece - or, one of them. It is regarded as the greatest jazz album of all time, and one of the greatest albums in modern music. This is an incredible set of songs with Davis experimenting with modal improvisation - which does not involve a chord progress like much of traditional jazz, but instead worked with scales to explore solos. Davis believed that this gave musicians more space to explore. Davis assembled a group of remarkably talented musicians, who take turns leading the band with impressive solos. These are all incredible songs, from one of the most talented and influential musicians in jazz, and in all of popular music.

The Doors self-titled debut album transformed the band from a good, local, LA band into nationally known, headlining act. The album is considered the Doors' best work, and is listed near the top of the "best albums of all time" lists. The album's, and the band's, repute is due, at least in part, to the cultural fascination/mystique around Jim Morrison. The album's status in "classic rock," psychedelia, and 60's counter-culture is iconic, and the "tragic hero mythology" around Morrison only seems to add to the cultural impact of the band's work. The album's success was driven by single "Light My Fire," which became their first hit. It, like all of the Doors' work, is centered on Morrison's deep, dramatic vocals. Their sound is blues based, with strong, driving bass lines. Regular use of distortion on the guitars and organs help add the psychedelic background to the sound. From there, Morrison's content takes over - with tracks like "the End," the band's association with psychedelic counter-culture was inevitable.

The Poet is the thirteenth album from soul singer Bobby Womack. Womack's albums did well on the R&B charts, but never found much success with a broader audience, on the pop charts. The Poet is considered his best work. This is a good collection of soul songs, including the successful single "If you think you're Lonely Now." Womack plays lead guitar, with a solid, R&B band behind him, including a group of background singers.

Mask is the second album from Bauhaus, the founding fathers of goth rock. The band made guitar and bass driven alt-rock, with a distant, synthesized sound. Peter Murphy's dramatic vocals add to the generally gloomy sound of Bauhaus' work. "Kick in the Eye" was the most successful single on the album; it's a catchy, near-pop crossover song for the band. The song could be the work of any of a number of 80's bands, demonstrating the influence of this band. Some tracks are not as engaging; the title track, for example, is a bit of a challenge to sit through.

Elastica is a brit-pop band, and their self-titled debut was a critical and commercial success. Their guitar driven, alt-rock adds a rare element - a female lead singer in an alt-rock band - with Justine Frischmann's vocals. Her melodic voice has a hint of the snarl of punk, adding to the band's edgy sound. This album includes "Stutter" and "Connections," two of the band's biggest hits. These songs, like the rest of the tracks on the album, are engaging and upbeat, and are of an interesting version of 90's pop.

Are You Experienced is Jimi Hendrix's debut album. It is one of the defining albums of the psychedelic era, and regarded as one of the very best albums of all time. Hendrix was one of the true guitar virtuosos in rock music; his skillful playing style and extensive use of effects expanded the range of sounds made by the electric guitar. In addition, Hendrix was a gifted songwriter, whose work became a central part of psychedelic rock. Are You Experienced includes a few of Jimi's early hits, like the "Purple Haze," "Hey Joe," and "The Wind Cries Mary." Jimi's intense, expressive guitar work would make any songs well known. The incredible songwriting has made these - and the rest of the tracks on this album - into among the most famous songs in popular music.

Modern Life is Rubbish is the second album from Blur, and the release before their breakout album, Parklife. The album includes more experimental efforts than found on the band's debut, Leisure, with the band exploring a range of sounds, but all well within the world of brit pop. Blur is, unfortunately, the Brit pop band right before Oasis, and they may be lesser known for that timing. Modern Life includes a fun selection of melodic, upbeat songs. While this album didn't find the commercial success that the band's later work did, these songs show the band's ability to craft great pop songs.

Silver Jews make lo-fi country rock - unrefined, guitar based songs, defined by David Berman vocals, that is at times sardonic, and at others, approaches spoken word. He tells emotional, often dark stories; this album is telling the story of a man who is up all night, contemplating suicide. The stories in Berman's work are the high point; his songwriting skills make this album worthy of a second listen. The music accompanying is good, and appropriate for the stories throughout, but isn't the part of the work I'll think about most often.

Blackstar is last album released during David Bowie's life; it was released just two days before his death was publicly announced. It has found near-universal critical acclaim, especially noted as Bowie's "curtain call." With orchestrations from musical theater, these songs could be compared to Rufus Wainwright's; these could be described as an "operatic" version of pop songs. Bowie's rich voice makes interesting songs, but otherwise, these aren't particularly memorable songs. Imo, the most melodically interesting performance by the band is in "Tis' a Pity She Was a Whore," which makes the song, and the album, a bit less interesting...

Loretta Lynn is one of the biggest stars of country music, with a career that spanned decades. Don't come Home Drinkin'... is her ninth studio album, and the first full album of feminist based songs in her catalog. Loretta was the first country artist to present a woman's perspective; in doing so, Loretta changed country music as an artist that the average, working-class woman could relate to. This album was one of many high points of Loretta Lynn's career. Her very poor background made her famous through song and film; Don't Come Home Drinkin' is part of her music that made her into a feminist icon.

Joan Armatrading is a British singer/songwriter with a deep, rich voice, who wrote a confessional type of folk rock songs. Her eponymous album was her third, and the work that propelled her to fame. The album includes "Love and Affection," Armatrading's first hit single. These songs incorporate rich orchestrations - saxophones and 12-string guitar solos - to add to the rich sound of Armatrading's incredible voice.

Country Life is the fourth Roxy Music album, which was the work that brought them fame in the US. The album is regarded as more consistent and refined than their earlier albums; the album's polished feel seems appropriate for the band's focus on art rock. The cover art features two models in translucent lingerie; the controversy around the artwork may have added to the notoriety of the album. The album includes "All I Want is You," which was one of the band's most successful singles. Singer Bryan Ferry's seductive tenor is the most notable feature of Roxy Music; his crooning is part of the stylish, effortlessly cool persona that is at the center of Roxy Music's presentation of art rock.

Crime of the Century is Supertramp's third album, and their first to find critical and commercial success. Their first two albums were primarily filled with longer, prog-rock compositions; for this album, the band moved more toward pop formats, with shorter songs and a focus on melodic hooks. The result produced a few of the band's first hits, like "Dreamer" and "Bloody Well Right." These catchy, upbeat tracks have become defining examples of early prog rock, with the technical elements and elaborate orchestration typical of the genre.

A Short Album About Love is the fifth album from the Devine Comedy, an Irish "Orchestral Pop" group. The group's work could be placed alongside that of Andrew Lloyd Weber; these are akin to showtunes, pop songs that are played with a full orchestra. These are melodic, reasonably performed, but not very interesting songs. They fall flat - between the over-produced sound and the melodramatic lyrics - these sound more like 60's movie soundtrack material, very produced but not actually popular music.

Jack White's career is extensive and diverse: from his start with the White Stripes, work with the Raconteurs, work with the Dead Weather, then his solo albums, and then his work as a producer. His is one of the most extensive and impactful careers in modern music - and he is still a fairly young man. Blunderbuss is White's debut solo album, and it is as interesting and varied as White's career. White makes blues based, alt rock, with elements of folk, country, and hints of jazz. These are rich, varied, textured songs, with the range of sounds and styles that Jack White incorporates. The result is incredible - a set of successful, expressive, beautiful musical experiments.

At Fulsom Prison is the first live album from Johnny Cash. Cash's career had a rocky period during the mid 60's; Cash kicked his drug habit, and during his rebound, he recorded this album. The live album he recorded became the biggest album of Cash's career. At Folsom Prison became a defining point for Cash's career; he has cultivated an image of an outlaw, and he grew into an advocate for some disaffected groups, including the incarcerated. The album features "Fulsom Prison Blues," one of Cash's biggest songs. He wrote a version in the 50's, early in has career. The live version from this album became a hit in 1968, and became one of Cash's best known songs. This recording captures Cash's simple, elegant version of country - just a baritone voice and a guitar - that he developed through years of touring.

Shuggie Otis is one of the "could have been/should have been" stories in modern music. He was a guitar prodigy, and performed with his father's band starting in his early teens. Inspiration Information was his third studio album, which Otis produced himself and played most of the instrumental parts on the album. The album did not find commercial success, and marked the beginning of a long, quiet period in Otis' career. After a few notable musicians described the album as an inspiration, including Prince and Lenny Kravitz, it was released in 2001, leading to a late resurgence in Otis' career. This is an incredible work of R&B and psychedelic soul, full of interesting, rich, textured songs. It's an album that should have been more famous, and had it been, Shuggie Otis could have produced more music...

Wild Girl is the second studio album from X, the LA based punk band. X made a unique version of punk; their work has a basis in rockabilly, in part from guitarist Billy Zoom's (Ty Kindell) previous work. X's distinct sound came, in part, from their two lead vocalists; John Doe (John Duchec) and Exene Cervenka (Christine Cervenkova) shared the role, and the dynamic between them was a distinct part of the band's song. Wild Gift and the band's debut album, Los Angeles, were well known around LA, and made them regionally famous. After this album, X got a major-label contract, and much broader exposure. Wild Gift is a snapshot of the band in a raw, early stage as an influential punk band.

Ali Farka Toure performed African Blues, and Savane is the last album he recorded during his lifetime. Toure is one of the most internationally successful musicians from West Africa. He became famous in the 80s and 90s, as interest in "World Music" was developing. Toure was frequently compared to John Lee Hooker, for both vocal and musical style. Toure's vocals tend towards lower pitches, like Hooker's, but Toure's delivery and message is more uplifting. He tends toward simple accompaniment, making his "desert blues" sound similar to Delta Blues in the United States. Toure's work differs significantly from American Blues in the rhythms and tonal scales used. His music is of a very different tradition from American Blues, which makes the similarities all the more fascinating.

Sign 'O the Times is one of Prince's masterpieces. It is his ninth studio album, an expansive double album including songs of a surprising range of sounds and styles. Prince released a concert film of the same title which is, in my opinion, among the best concert films ever produced. Prince combines R&B, funk, soul, and rock in his work; the result is some of the most engaging, influential songs in modern music. This album included a few hit singles - the title track, "If I was Your Girlfriend," and "U Got the Look" - but these were not among his biggest singles. The album is so very well regarded for the incredible range of the tracks, which show the boundless talent behind the music.

Floodland is the second album from British gothic rock band, Sisters of Mercy. The albums is primarily the work of front man Andrew Eldritch. He credits the drum machine as a band member, Doktor Avalanche. Eldritch programmed or performed all of the parts on the record. This is good, but not particularly noteworthy collection of songs. The album sounds like an edgy version of David Bowie's 80's/near-Simple Minds work.

The Stooges self-titled debut album was not particularly well received at the time of its release. Their simple, unrefined rock could be - as was - described as dirty and grungy. It is, and unapologetically so; Iggy Pop's songs and performances were intended to provoke reactions. The album was not commercially successful, either. The band influenced much of American punk and post-punk music; over time, the album has been recognized as one of the most influential early albums in punk. The album includes two of the band's early singles "1969" and "I Want to be Your Dog," which are great examples of the band's sound: Iggy Pop's confident swagger, backed by guitars with heavy distortion effects and a solid bass line.

1984 was the sixth album from Van Halen, and the work that made the band into superstars. The were already well known, with a number of hit singles. The band was built around Eddie Van Halen's prodigious guitar skills. 1984 saw the band add synthesizers to their sound, which may have helped the work's popular appeal. The album includes the singles "Jump," "Panama," and "Hot for Teacher," all of which feature Eddie's wailing guitars, and David Lee Roth's brash, provocative vocals.

Don't Stand Me Down is the third album from Dexys Midnight Runners - the follow up to their incredibly successful second album, Too-Rye-Ay. This work was a commercial flop, and received little critical attention as a result. Dexys Midnight Runners made rich, orchestrated pop songs, with support from a string section and a horn section. Kevin Rowland, vocalist and driving force in the band, incorporates soul and Irish folk influences in his songs, which have an uplifting, energetic sound. Don't Stand Me Down is considered something of a "lost masterpiece;" a great album that flopped badly enough for the group to break up, and take 27 years before recording another album.

Electric is the third album from British band The Cult. Rick Rubin produced this album, and he helped the band shift from their goth-rock sound to a metal sound. The result is a great example of guitar-led, 80s metal band. Electric includes "Love Removal Machine," one of the band's biggest singles. Ian Astbury's soaring vocals and Billy Duffy's wailing guitars makes for great metal. These songs are all well produced enough to account for the band's popular appeal.

Time Out Of Mind is Bob Dylan's thirteenth studio album, and one of his more acclaimed albums; it even won a few Grammys. It was seen as something of a "comeback" for Dylan, who had only recorded two, not as well regarded albums in the decade prior. These songs have Dylan become a wise, old man in his story telling. There's a sense of mortality to these stories, but it's not a dark picture. In the resigned sense of his songs, Dylan seems amused with place he finds himself in.

Can't Buy A Thrill is the debut album from Steely Dan, a band primarily driven by Walter Becker and Donald Fagen. They made jazz-inspired rock, and are a central figure is what has come to be called yacht rock. They incorporated Latin and Mambo rhythms into their own style of complicated, richly orchestrated, softer rock. The album's success was driven by two hit singles: "Do it Again," and "Reelin' in the Years." The songs are staples of the "classic rock" world, and helped make soft, jazzy rock part of pop music in the 70s and 80s.

Beautiful Freak is the debut album from the Eels, which is really the work of Mark Oliver Everett. This could have been a "one-hit" story; their "Novocain for the Soul" was one of the songs of the summer of 1996. The Eels parlayed that early exposure, and have recorded fifteen albums to date, and their style developed considerably over that career. This early rendition of the Eels made catchy, lo-fi alt-rock songs, that are comparable to some of the early work of Beck.