Your top 5 favorite albums - by year?

[samouraï]

The other dude's thread got me thinking about this. Narrowing my favorite albums down has always been difficult, but doing it year-by-year is a lot easier. So why don't we also try posting our five favorite albums of a given year? You can do one year or more than one in a post, as long as you can name five albums for them.

I'll be attempting to go in order, 1-2 years at a time throughout this thread starting with 1950. So here I go:

1950:
1. Yma Sumac - Voice of the Xtabay
2. Ella Fitzgerald - Ella Sings Gershwin
3. Frédéric Chopin - Waltzes (Dinu Lipatti)
4. Trío Aguilillas - Sones of Mexico
5. Dr. Samuel J. Hoffman - Music for Peace of Mind

Of course, this thread isn't meant to replace the "top 5 albums ever" one, because a year's importance is not comparable to the importance of your all time top 5. But maybe it'll be an interesting exercise and may also help some people hear of things they hadn't known.

[rorymac]

Great idea. I wouldn't be able to do a top 5 for every year, so I'll give you my favourite from each year since 1964. Later on, I might do top 5s for a few given years.

1964 - Getz/Gilberto
1965 - A Love Supreme - John Coltrane
1966 - Revolver - The Beatles
1967 - The Velvet Underground & Nico
1968 - White Album - The Beatles
1969 - Abbey Road - The Beatles
1970 - Starsailor - Tim Buckley
1971 - Led Zeppelin IV
1972 - The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust - David Bowie
1973 - The Dark Side of the Moon - Pink Floyd
1974 - The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway - Genesis
1975 - Another Green World - Brian Eno
1976 - Station to Station - David Bowie
1977 - Low - David Bowie
1978 - Parallel Lines - Blondie
1979 - Entertainment! - Gang of Four
1980 - Remain in Light - Talking Heads
1981 - My Life in the Bush of Ghosts - Eno and Byrne
1982 - Thriller - Michael Jackson
1983 - Murmur - REM
1984 - The Smiths
1985 - Rain Dogs - Tom Waits
1986 - The Queen is Dead - The Smiths
1987 - Tango in the Night - Fleetwood Mac
1988 - Daydream Nation - Sonic Youth
1989 - The Stone Roses
1990 - Pills n Thrills n Bellyaches - Happy Mondays
1991 - Nevermind - Nirvana
1992 - Selected Ambient Works 85-92 - Aphex Twin
1993 - Modern life is Rubbish - Blur
1994 - Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain - Pavement
1995 - Different Class - Pulp
1996 - Endtroducing***8230; - DJ Shadow
1997 - OK Computer - Radiohead
1998 - Music Has the Right to Children - Boards of Canada
1999 - The Three Eps - The Beta Band
2000 - Kid A - Radiohead
2001 - Is This It? - The Strokes
2002 - Original Pirate Material - The Streets
2003 - Phantom Power - Super Furry Animals
2004 - Funeral - Arcade Fire
2005 - Illinois - Sufjan Stevens
2006 - Donuts - J Dilla
2007 - Favourite Worst Nightmare - Arctic Monkeys
2008 - 22 Dreams - Paul Weller
2009 - Fever Ray - Fever Ray
2010 - My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy - Kanye West
2011 - Flamingo - Sean Nicholas Savage
2012 - Good Kid M.A.A.d City - Kendrick Lamar
2013 - Random Access Memories - Daft Punk

[Jedi Vader]

Great idea. I wouldn't be able to do a top 5 for every year, so I'll give you my favourite from each year since 1964. Later on, I might do top 5s for a few given years.

1964 - Getz/Gilberto
1965 - A Love Supreme - John Coltrane
1966 - Revolver - The Beatles
1967 - The Velvet Underground & Nico
1968 - White Album - The Beatles
1969 - Abbey Road - The Beatles
1970 - Starsailor - Tim Buckley
1971 - Led Zeppelin IV
1972 - The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust - David Bowie
1973 - The Dark Side of the Moon - Pink Floyd
1974 - The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway - Genesis
1975 - Another Green World - Brian Eno
1976 - Station to Station - David Bowie
1977 - Low - David Bowie
1978 - Parallel Lines - Blondie
1979 - Entertainment! - Gang of Four
1980 - Remain in Light - Talking Heads
1981 - My Life in the Bush of Ghosts - Eno and Byrne
1982 - Thriller - Michael Jackson
1983 - Murmur - REM
1984 - The Smiths
1985 - Rain Dogs - Tom Waits
1986 - The Queen is Dead - The Smiths
1987 - Tango in the Night - Fleetwood Mac
1988 - Daydream Nation - Sonic Youth
1989 - The Stone Roses
1990 - Pills n Thrills n Bellyaches - Happy Mondays
1991 - Nevermind - Nirvana
1992 - Selected Ambient Works 85-92 - Aphex Twin
1993 - Modern life is Rubbish - Blur
1994 - Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain - Pavement
1995 - Different Class - Pulp
1996 - Endtroducing***8230; - DJ Shadow
1997 - OK Computer - Radiohead
1998 - Music Has the Right to Children - Boards of Canada
1999 - The Three Eps - The Beta Band
2000 - Kid A - Radiohead
2001 - Is This It? - The Strokes
2002 - Original Pirate Material - The Streets
2003 - Phantom Power - Super Furry Animals
2004 - Funeral - Arcade Fire
2005 - Illinois - Sufjan Stevens
2006 - Donuts - J Dilla
2007 - Favourite Worst Nightmare - Arctic Monkeys
2008 - 22 Dreams - Paul Weller
2009 - Fever Ray - Fever Ray
2010 - My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy - Kanye West
2011 - Flamingo - Sean Nicholas Savage
2012 - Good Kid M.A.A.d City - Kendrick Lamar
2013 - Random Access Memories - Daft Punk

Great post.



1990 would've been difficult for me because Depeche Mode released Violator that year.

[samouraï]

Nice list! Yeah, either way is good - 5 albums per year or maybe just list at least 5 years' top albums per post.

1951:
1. Bud Powell - The Amazing Bud Powell
2. Olivier Messiaen - Visions de l'amen
3. Duke Ellington and His Orchestra - Masterpieces by Ellington
4. Les Baxter - Le sacre du sauvage (Ritual of the Savage)
5. Maro Ajemian - Sonatas and Interludes for Prepared Piano

[rorymac]

I'm going to do one for 1977, a real standout year for me.

1. Low - David Bowie
2. Marquee Moon - Television
3. Aja - Steely Dan
4. Rumours - Fleetwood Mac
5. Rocket to Russia - Ramones

(Also Pink Flag by Wire, Never Mind the Bollocks by Sex Pistols)

Edit: I forgot My Aim is True by Elvis Costello, that would have to be in the top 5

[samouraï]

I'm going to do one for 1977, a real standout year for me.

1. Low - David Bowie
2. Marquee Moon - Television
3. Aja - Steely Dan
4. Rumours - Fleetwood Mac
5. Rocket to Russia - Ramones

(Also Pink Flag by Wire, Never Mind the Bollocks by Sex Pistols)

Edit: I forgot My Aim is True by Elvis Costello, that would have to be in the top 5

Gotta love Low - I go back and forth between that and Station to Station for my favorite Bowie album. Hunky Dory closely follows. Just bought a Japanese pressing of that one and it sounds incredible. I've had it on a mini LP CD for years but there's no substitute for the real deal.

[rorymac]

Gotta love Low - I go back and forth between that and Station to Station for my favorite Bowie albums. Hunky Dory closely follows. Just bought a Japanese pressing of that one and it sounds incredible.

Yup you just named my three favourites.

Currently listening to The Sophtware Slump by Grandaddy, ever heard it?

[samouraï]

Yup you just named my three favourites.

Currently listening to The Sophtware Slump by Grandaddy, ever heard it?

I've heard of that one but I've never heard it unfortunately. I'll have to listen before I get to year 2000, just in case it changes my list. Thanks!

[samouraï]

Well rorymac, looks like you and I may be alone here. But I won't give up just yet. I'll do what you did above and then hopefully continue my 5-per-year business.

1950s
Yma Sumac - Voice of the Xtabay (1950)
Bud Powell - The Amazing Bud Powell (1951)
Charlie Parker & Dizzy Gillespie - Bird and Diz (1952)
Dorival Caymmi - Canções praieiras (1954)
Sarah Vaughan - Sarah Vaughan (1955)
Screamin' Jay Hawkins - I Put a Spell on You / Little Demon (1956) [single]
Sonny Rollins - Saxophone Colossus (1957)
Nina Simone - Little Girl Blue (1958)
Ornette Coleman - The Shape of Jazz to Come (1959)

1960s
John Coltrane - Giant Steps (1960)
Max Roach - We Insist! Max Roach's Freedom Now Suite (1961)
Dexter Gordon - Go (1962)
Charles Mingus - The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady (1963)
Eric Dolphy - Out to Lunch (1964)
John Coltrane - A Love Supreme (1965)
Monks - Black Monk Time (1966)
Leonard Cohen - Songs of Leonard Cohen (1967)
Os Mutantes - Os Mutantes (1968)
The Stooges - The Stooges (1969)

1970s
Exuma - Exuma (1970)
Can - Tago Mago (1971)
Tangerine Dream - Zeit (1972)
Faust - Faust IV (1973)
Kraftwerk - Autobahn (1974)
Tom Zé - Estudando o samba (1975)
David Bowie - Station to Station (1976)
Augustus Pablo - King Tubbys Meets Rockers Uptown (1977)
Pere Ubu - The Modern Dance (1978)
Wire - 154 (1979)

1980s
Talking Heads - Remain in Light (1980)
The Gun Club - Fire of Love (1981)
The Fall - Hex Enduction Hour (1982)
Tom Waits - Swordfishtrombones (1983)
Minutemen - Double Nickels on the Dime (1984)
Einstürzende Neubauten - ½ Mensch (1985)
Big Black - Atomizer (1986)
Swans - Children of God (1987)
Eric B. & Rakim - Follow the Leader (1988)
NoMeansNo - Wrong (1989)

1990s + 2000
Boubacar Traoré - Mariama (1990)
My Bloody Valentine - Loveless (1991)
Current 93 - Thunder Perfect Mind (1992)
Wu-Tang Clan - Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) (1993)
Krzysztof Penderecki - Matrix 5 (1994)
Genius/GZA - Liquid Swords (1995)
Black Tape for a Blue Girl - Remnants of a Deeper Purity (1996)
Iva Bittová & Vladimír Václavek - Bílé Inferno (1997)
Fushítsusha - Withdrawe, This Sable Disclosure Ere Devot'd (1998)
Boredoms - Vision Creation Newsun (1999)
Boris - Flood (2000)

[DreamMerchant12]

I can only go back as far as the 70s, so here it goes:

1970's:

Marvin Gaye- What's Going On
Stevie Wonder- Songs In The Key of Life
Minnie Riperton- Come To My Garden
Quincy Jones- Mellow Madness
Richard Pryor- That ******'s Crazy (funniest **** ever)

1980's:

Eddie Murphy- Comedian
Michael Jackson- Thriller
Stevie Wonder- Characters
Bob James & Earl Klugh- Two of A Kind
Dave Valentin- Flute Juice

1990's:

DJ Shadow- Endtroducing...
Nas- Illmatic
A Tribe Called Quest- Midnight Marauders
A Tribe Called Quest- The Low End Theory
2Pac- All Eyez On Me

2000's:

Kanye West- The College Dropout
Jay-Z- The Blueprint
Ludacris- Theater of the Mind
Bilal- First Born Second
J Dilla- Donuts

2010's:

Kanye West- MBDTF
Planet Asia- Black Belt Theatre
Ab-Soul- Control System
9th Wonder- The Wonder Years
Kendrick Lamar- G.K.M.C.