THE 200 MOST ESSENTIAL ALBUMS. This post: #60-56. Continues: tomorrow.

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

o o o

60

BORN TO RUN

BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN

1975

'Born To Run' is often referred to as Bruce Springsteen's make -or- break album. In many ways, it was just that. Springsteen himself approached it as one final stab at breaking through to the mainstream. He had already won over rock critics, but the public still needed convincing. 

The title track was issued as a single on the same day as the LP. This was a pivotal watershed for The Boss. Here was a radio-friendly instant classic that the public would embrace. "Born To Run" is the definitive Springsteen song: introducing us to ordinary folk involved in everyday battles. 

Accompanied by the latest recruits to his studio band Roy Bittan and Max Weinberg, The Boss found his sound. The album's songs informed 70s American rock. Among the best moments are "Meeting Across the River", "Night" and "Jungleland".

O

59

BACK IN BLACK

AC/DC

1980

 

Tolling bells open 'Back In Black', AC/DC's first album following the death of lead singer Bon Scott. The remaining members added Brian Johnson to the line-up. Few replacements have managed a transition as smoothly as AC/DC do here.

Robert John "Mutt" Lange was back in the producer's chair, steering the legendary hard rock band into its second phase. Lesser groups would have fallen short of filling a void as massive as the one left by Scott. He was a hard-hitting outlaw. Johnson's vocal matched his predecessor's might. Brothers Angus and Malcolm Young injected the material with a sharp rock edge. 

The album contained some of the group's strongest cuts, including the title track, "You Shook Me All Night Long", "Shake A Leg", "Rock And Roll Ain't Noise Pollution", "Let Me Put My Love In You" and "Shoot To Thrill". 'Back In Black' propelled AC/DC to venerable status internationally.

O  

58

 SUPERFLY

CURTIS MAYFIELD

1972

James Brown, The Supremes, Otis Redding and Aretha Franklin had made black the new cool. As the upheaval of the 1960s faded, R&B evolved into a more accessible genre. The emergence of the blaxploitation films in the 1970s revivified soul's image and flavour. Earth, Wind & Fire, Isaac Hayes and Marvin Gaye were among the best film scorers. Curtis Mayfield's soundtrack for the motion picture 'Super Fly' soon became the yardstick for blaxploitation film music.

What makes 'Super Fly' special is that many of its tracks stand up alone. Case in point: the title song, "Freddie's Dead", "Little Child Runnin' Wild" and "Pusherman". Other choice tracks include "Give Me Your Love", "No Thing On Me (Cocaine Song)" and 'Eddie, You Should Know Better".

Mayfield performed, wrote and produced all of the album's songs. The soundtrack proved popular enough to top both the Pop and R&B Album Charts in America.

O

57

 BURNIN'

THE WAILERS

1973

Reggae expanded its audience in the early 1970s. The Wailers became its greatest ambassadors, led by the revered Bob Marley. At the time of 'Burnin'', The Wailers boasted 3 lead singers: Marley, Peter Tosh and Bunny Wailer. The latter 2's exit following this LP placed Marley in the spotlight. He has remained reggae's greatest purveyor ever since. 

The Wailers did not preach patience or acceptance of the hardships endured in Jamaica. If change required an uprising or violence, the group endorsed it. The album opens with the call to arms "Get Up, Stand Up"; its best track. 

Eric Clapton would reach #1 with his remake of "I Shot The Sheriff" the following year. The original is included on 'Burnin''. Other noteworthy songs include "Put It On", "Duppy Conqueror" and "Small Axe".

Sprinkled among the provocative songs are optimistic tracks; of which "Pass It On" and "One Foundation" are the strongest. The spirit of this album can be heard in the music of The Police, Public Enemy, The Fugees, UB40 and The Clash.

O  

56

 PEARL

JANIS JOPLIN

1971

 

'Pearl' was Janis Joplin's 2nd album. Sadly, it was also her final studio LP. She is ably supported by the Full Tilt Boogie Band on 'Pearl'. The album showcased Joplin's hard rock and blues vocal energy. 

In the wake of soul giants such as Otis Redding and Aretha Franklin, Joplin offered a blue-eyed approach. Her thunderous vocal power has been imitated by countless others, including Bonnie Raitt, Joss Stone and Alanis Morissette.

'Pearl' is also still cherished simply because the material is so strong. Treat your ears to Joplin's reading of tracks such as "A Woman Left Lonely", "My Baby", "Mercedes Benz", "Move Over" and "Cry Baby". One track, "Buried Alive In The Blues" has been included in its incomplete state. Joplin was due to record her vocal the day after her corpse was found.

O