THE 200 MOST ESSENTIAL ALBUMS. This post: #30-26. Continues: next week.

Caffé Latté presents the  all-time

200

MOST ESSENTIAL

ALBUMS

Frank Sinatra is generally credited as the first artist to release a concept album. Until then, the pop market was focused almost exclusively on the single. Albums merely consisted of a compilation of recently issued product with filler to capitalize on a successful hit song. During the 1960s, albums gradually built up credibility and by the 1970s, had become as integral as the single. The era of ‘classic albums’ had emerged, led by acts such as The Beatles, Beach Boys, Bob Dylan, Led Zeppelin and David Bowie.

This Top 200 list includes albums that broke new ground; expanded the sonic landscape and influenced the music that followed. They have been ranked according to impact on the sound of rock and pop music, popularity, sales and timeless quality.

200 LEMONADE Beyoncé

199 TUSK Fleetwood Mac

198 BLUE LINES Massive Attack

197 A NEW WORLD RECORD Electric Light Orchestra

196 THAT’S THE WAY OF THE WORLD Earth, Wind & Fire

195 SHE’S SO UNUSUAL Cyndi Lauper

194 A NIGHT ON THE TOWN Rod Stewart

193 BROTHERS IN ARMS Dire Straits

192 DIANA Diana Ross

191 ABRAXAS Santana

190 TATTOO YOU Rolling Stones

189 TRACY CHAPMAN Tracy Chapman

188 FULFILLINGNESS’ FIRST FINALE Stevie Wonder

187 CAN’T SLOW DOWN Lionel Richie

186 BOOKENDS Simon & Garfunkel

185 BORN IN THE U.S.A. Bruce Springsteen

184 HOT AUGUST NIGHT Neil Diamond

183 FAITH George Michael

182 CRAZYSEXYCOOL TLC

181 TOO LOW FOR ZERO Elton John 

180 PAUL SIMON Paul Simon

179 WAR OF THE WORLDS Jeff Wayne

178 PARKLIFE Blur

177 MUSIC OF MY MIND Stevie Wonder

176 BACK TO BLACK Amy Winehouse

175 ALL THINGS MUST PASS George Harrison

174 SYNCHRONICITY the Police

173 52^nd STREET Billy Joel

172 THE HEIST Macklemore & Ryan Lewis

171 BAD Michael Jackson

170 TUBULAR BELLS Mike Oldfield

169 GOING TO A GO-GO Smokey Robinson & The Miracles

168 …AND THEN THERE WERE THREE… Genesis

167 DOUBLE FANTASY John Lennon & Yoko Ono

166 A RUSH OF BLOOD TO THE HEAD Coldplay

165 SOME GIRLS Rolling Stones

164 IF YOU DON’T BELIEVE YOUR EYES & EARS Mamas & Papas

163 MY BEAUTIFUL DARK TWISTED FANTASY Kanye West

162 CAN’T BUY A THRILL Steely Dan

161 ONCE UPON A TIME Donna Summer

160 CAPTAIN FANTASTIC & THE BROWN DIRT COWBOY Elton John

159 IN RAINBOWS Radoihead

158 ODELAY Beck

157 THE SMITHS The Smiths

156 LIKE A PRAYER Madonna

155 CLOSE TO YOU Carpenters

154 STANKONIA Outkast

153 SIGN O’ THE TIMES Prince

152 REMAIN IN LIGHT Talking Heads

151 SWEET BABY JAMES James Taylor

150 SIMPLE MINDS Linda Ronstadt

149 WILLY & THE POOR BOYS Creedence Clearwater Revival

148 MADMAN ACROSS THE WATER Elton John

147 BAND ON THE RUN Paul McCartney & Wings

146 PLAY Moby

145 TALKING BOOK Stevie Wonder

144 WISH YOU WERE HERE Pink Floyd

143 BLOOD SUGAR SEX MAGIK Red Hot Chili Peppers

142 LET’S GET IT ON Marvin Gaye

141 ASTRAL WEEKS Van Morrison

140 TOTO Toto

139 PARALLEL LINES Blondie

138 THE RIVER

137 DON’T SHOOT ME I’M ONLY THE PIANO PLAYER Elton John

136 RAY OF LIGHT Madonna

135 TEA FOR THE TILLERMAN Cat Stevens

134 CONTROL Janet Jackson

133 WAR U2

132 STATION TO STATION David Bowie

131 FRAMPTON COMES ALIVE! Peter Frampton

130 STRANGE DAYS The Doors

129 DEBUT Bjork

128 HUNKY DORY David Bowie

127 RUST NEVER SLEEPS Neil Young & Crazy Horse

126 (WHAT’S THE STORY) MORNING GLORY? Oasis

125 OTIS BLUE Otis Redding

124 1999 Prince

123 HOUSES OF THE HOLY Led Zeppelin

122 THE MISEDUCATION OF LAURYN HILL Lauryn Hill

121 LICENSED TO ILL Beastie Boys

120 GREASE Movie Soundtrack- Various Artists

119 DOOKIE Green Day

118 BLUE Joni Mitchell

117 MY AIM IS TRUE Elvis Costello

116 CROSBY, STILLS * NASH Crosby, Stills & Nash

115 THE SCORE Fugees

114 THERE’S A RIOT GOIN’ ON Sly & The Family Stone

113 HIGHWAY TO HELL AC/DC

112 HELP! Beatles

111 WHEELS OF FIRE Cream

110 THE BLUEPRINT Jay-Z

109 FLEETWOOD MAC Fleetwood Mac

108 LIFE AFTER DEATH Notorious B.I.G.

107 AFTERMATH Rolling Stones

106 IN THROUGH THE OUTDOOR Led Zeppelin

105 THE BARBRA STREISAND ALBUM Barbra Streisand

104 EAGLES Eagles

103 THE BEATLES The Beatles

102 MOTHERSHIP CONNECTION Parliament

101 AT FOLSOM PRISON Johnny Cash

100 THE WALL Pink Floyd

99 MOONDANCE Van Morrison

98 LADY SOUL Aretha Franklin

97 STRAIGHT OUTTA COMPTON N.W.A.

96 TRANS-EUROPE EXPRESS Kraftwerk

95 THE STRANGER Billy Joel

94 DISCOVERY Daft Punk

93 DUSTY IN MEMPHIS Dusty Springfield

92 A NIGHT AT THE OPERA Queen

91 AXIS: BOLD AS LOVE Jimi Hendrix Experience

90 DAYS OF FUTURE PASSED Moody Blues

89 ABBA Abba

88 ELEPHANT White Stripes

87 FIRST TAKE Roberta Flack

86 HARVEST Neil Young

85 GRACE Jeff Buckley

84 TEN Pearl Jam

83 THE BAND The Band

82 AMERICAN IDIOT Green Day

81 HORSES Patti Smith

80 SILK DEGREES Boz Scaggs

79 JAGGED LITTLE PILL Alanis Morissette

78 IMAGINE John Lennon

77 MR. TAMBOURINE MAN The Byrds

76 ACHTUNG BABY U2

75 APPETITE FOR DESTRUCTION Guns N’ Roses

74 BITCHES BREW Miles Davis

73 METALLICA Metallica

72 WHITNEY HOUSTON Whitney Houston

71 AUTOMATIC FOR THE PEOPLE R.E.M.

70 ARRIVAL Abba

69 IT TAKES A NATION OF MILLIONS TO HOLD US BACK Public Enemy

68 COSMO’S FACTORY Creedence Clearwater Revival

67 SURREALISTIC PILLOW Jefferson Airplane

66 HOTEL CALIFORNIA Eagles

65 BAD GIRLS Donna Summer

64 LIVE AT THE APOLLO James Brown

63 INNERVISIONS Stevie Wonder

62 A HARD DAY’S NIGHT The Beatles

61 THE UNFORGETTABLE FIRE U2

60 BORN TO RUN Bruce Springsteen

59 BACK IN BLACK AC/DC

58 SUPERFLY Curtis Mayfield

57 BURNIN’ The Wailers

56 PEARL Janis Joplin

55 SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER Movie Soundtrack Bee Gees / Various Artists

54 PHYSICAL GRAFFITI Led Zeppelin

53 THE KICK INSIDE Kate Bush

52 DISRAELI GEARS Cream

51 LOW David Bowie

50 OFF THE WALL Michael Jackson

49 PURPLE RAIN Prince

48 GRACELAND Paul Simon

47  TOMMY The Who

46 STICKY FINGERS Rolling Stones

45 THE MAN-MACHINE Kraftwerk

44 LED ZEPPELIN IV Led Zeppelin

43 BRINGING IT ALL BACK HOME Bob Dylan

42 MODERN SOUNDS IN COUNTRY AND WESTERN MUSIC Ray Charles

41 GOODBYE YELLOW BRICK ROAD Elton John

40 LET IT BE The Beatles

39 THE DOORS The Doors

38 TRANSFORMER Lou Reed

37 EXILE ON MAIN ST. Rolling Stones

36 BAT OUT OF HELL Meat Loaf

35 BRIDGE OVER TROUBLED WATER Simon & Garfunkel

34 ELVIS PRESLEY Elvis Presley

33 ARE YOU EXPERIENCED Jimi Hendrix Experience

32 LET IT BLEED Rolling Stones

31 THE MARSHALL MATHERS LP Eminem

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30

ABBEY ROAD

THE BEATLES

1969

'Abbey Road' was the final Beatles album recorded and was therefore intended to be a farewell release. Ultimately, 'Let It Be' was issued a year later, even though it was completed prior. The British group had radically transformed rock music and pop culture during the 1960s. The end of the group was evident by 1969 and this album reflected that realization. 

The Beatles wanted to go out with a strong album and many tracks on 'Abbey Road' measure up. There are the Lennon / McCartney classics such as "Come Together", "Oh! Darling" and the medley "Golden Slumbers/ Carry That Weight/ The End". The latter is a fitting epilogue. Ringo Starr offers the fun "Octopus's Garden". George Harrison demonstrates the greatest growth as a songwriter on this album, delivering 2 highlights: "Something" and "Here Comes The Sun".

O

29

THE RISE AND FALL OF ZIGGY STARDUST AND THE SPIDERS FROM MARS

DAVID BOWIE

1972

David Bowie fused art rock, glam, proto-punk and androgyny for his most significant execution: 'The Rise and Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars'. There is the excitement of an artist experimenting with his sound and image throughout the album. 

The tracks deal with an alien named Ziggy Stardust. Among its standouts are the title track, "Starman", "Rock 'n' Roll Suicide", "Lady Stardust", "Suffragette City", "Star" and "Moonage Daydream". 

This is the album that established Bowie as a visionary chameleon. He penned every track. Bowie co-produced the album with Ken Scott. The disc has influenced countless acts.

O  

28

 ELECTRIC LADYLAND

THE JIMI HENDRIX EXPERIENCE

1968

'Electric Ladyland' was the 3rd and last studio album recorded by The Jimi Hendrix Experience. At the time of its release, Jimi Hendrix was an iconic guitarist. The legendary performer wrote every track (with the exception of "Little Miss Strange", a co-write with Noel Redding and a remake of Bob Dylan's "All Along The Watchtower"). 
On 'Electric Ladyland', Hendrix is at his creative best. He further developed a sound that consisted of blues, psychedelia and rock music. Among the album's best tracks are "Crosstown Traffic", "Voodoo Chile", "Gypsy Eyes", "Have You Ever Been (To Electric Ladyland)", "Burning Of the Midnight Lamp" and "1983... (A Merman I Should Turn To Be)".
Hendrix was an uncanny axeman. He created revolutionary sonic journeys such as demonstrated on "Still Raining, Still Dreaming" and "House Burning Down".
This LP proved that Hendrix was more than a guitar maestro. His songwriting here is just as gobsmacking as his abundant skill on his instrument. Sadly, Hendrix would be dead 2 years later. 'Electric Ladyland' guaranteed him a revered place among rock music's greats.

O

27

 BEGGARS BANQUET

THE ROLLING STONES

1968

While the Beatles was splintering, The Rolling Stones continued raising the bar on albums that represented the band's creative zenith in the late 1960s - early '70s. 'Beggars Banquet' saw The Stones return to its rock and blues roots. The group also infused many tracks with country.
'Beggars Banquet' opens with one of the group's greatest songs: "Sympathy For The Devil". This remains a landmark recording, demonstrating the songwriting skill of Mick Jagger and Keith Richards. It is doubtful any of the group's contemporaries could have created a track of this ilk. "Street Fighting Man" is another of the album's vital songs.

O  

26

 THRILLER

Michael Jackson

1982

The world's all-time best selling studio album may not have radically impacted on rock music, but Michael Jackson's 'Thriller' did spark change on many levels.
Unleashed at a time when MTV was exploiting the influence of music videos on record sales, Jackson was one of the first artists to embrace its possibilities. At the time, R&B/ African-American artists struggled to gain airplay on MTV. The success of "Billie Jean" and "Beat It" prompted a revision of the network's policy, opening the door for other black acts. 
Jackson's video clips had already helped pioneer the new medium on prior hits "Don't Stop Till You Get Enough" and The Jacksons' "Can You Feel It". By the time of 'Thriller', a new Jackson video was regarded as a major pop culture event.
No previous album had ever amassed such impressive record-breaking sales. It spent 37 weeks at #1 in the USA. The album also reached the top in Britain, Europe, Canada, Australia and Japan. Global sales exceeded 40 million copies.
'Thriller' spawned 7 US Top 10 singles and included the #1 singles "Billie Jean" and "Beat It". The album collected a swag of Grammy Awards. Its track listing stuck closely to the formula that had worked effectively on Jackson's preceding release 'Off The Wall'.   

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