THE 200 MOST ESSENTIAL ALBUMS. This post: #25-21. 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

30 ABBEY ROAD The Beatles

29 THE RISE & FALL OF ZIGGY STARDUST & THE SPIDERS FROM MARS

David Bowie

28  ELECTRIC LADYLAND Jimi Hendrix Experience

27 BEGGARS BANQUET Rolling Stones

26 THRILLER Michael Jackson

o o o

25

LED ZEPPELIN II

LED ZEPPELIN

1969

On Led Zeppelin's 2nd studio album, the band transformed blues and rock 'n' roll tracks. Doing so, the group laid much of the foundations for heavy metal. This is most evident on "Whole Lotta Love". Drawing inspiration from a Willie Dixon recording, Led Zep radically injected a heavy dose of guitar and impact. The new interpretation influenced countless hard rock and metal acts.

Lead guitarist Jimmy Page is the driving force on 'Led Zeppelin II', co-writing all of its tracks as well as producing the album. He is complemented by Robert Plant's bluesy vocals, John Bonham's drumming and John Paul Jones on bass. 

What Led Zeppelin achieved on this sophomore release has been imitated by an endless stream of groups. Few, if any, ever equalled the creative range and depth accomplished by this revered band.

Despite borrowing much from other sources, 'Led Zeppelin II' ushered in heavy metal and the heavy rock sound of the 1970s. Among its highlights are "Whole Lotta Love", "Thank You", "What Is And What Should Never Be", "Ramble On", "Living Loving Maid (She's Just A Woman)", "Heartbreaker" and "The Lemon Song". 

O

24

 RAMONES

RAMONES

1976

The Ramones dropped its eponymous debut album just as punk rock was gaining momentum. Despite drawing influence from pre-British Invasion rock and pop, the new album helped inspire many new wave groups. 
Only 1 track runs for 3 minutes; the others are shorter. This brevity only added urgency to the album's themes. Standouts include "Blitzkrieg Bop", "I Don't Wanna Walk Around With You", "I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend", "Havana Affair", "Now I Wanna Sniff Some Glue", "Beat On The Brat", "Let's Dance" and "I Don't Wanna Go Down To The Basement".
'The Ramones' was an incendiary release, with its snappy and concise 14 tracks. Inspired by the seminal rock 'n' roll discs, the girl group era and surf rock, The Ramones delivered its songs with a proto-punk attitude.

O

23

BLONDE ON BLONDE

BOB DYLAN

1966

'Blonde On Blonde' is a much-venerated album released by Bob Dylan at the pinnacle of his impact on rock music. The diverse tracks demonstrate the quality and depth of his undeniable songwriting talent. 
This album contains several classics from Dylan's songbook including: "Rainy Day Women #12 & 35", "I Want You", "Stuck Inside Of Mobile With The Memphis Blues Again" and the sublime "Just Like A Woman". The remaining tracks are just as noteworthy, particularly: "Pledging My Time", "One Of Us Must Know (Sooner Or Later)", "Obviously Five Believers", "Absolutely Sweet Marie" and "Most Likely You Go Your Way (And I'll Go Mine)".
Each of these tracks exemplify Dylan's versatility. Arguably, the American singer / songwriter has never delivered a more accessible album. 'Blonde On Blonde' remains an exalted body of work.

O

22

HERE'S LITTLE RICHARD

LITTLE RICHARD

1957

Little Richard played an integral role as one of the architects of rock and roll. His influence is on par with the likes of Chuck Berry and Bill Haley. 'Here's Little Richard' contains some of the formative songs of the embryonic genre. 
"Tutti Frutti" opens the album, immortalizing the expression "a wop bop a loo mop a lomp bomp bomp". Instantly, rock 'n' roll was injected with wild and camp abandon.
The LP also includes rock classics such as "Slippin' And Slidin'", "Long Tall Sally" and "Rip It Up". Each track on this LP remains a timeless example of the thrill of rock's primary years.

O

21

WITH THE BEATLES

THE BEATLES

1963

Although there would be greater albums produced by The Beatles over the next 6 years, 'With The Beatles' marked a definite progression. On this LP, the group was sharpening its songwriting skills. 
The album is peppered with covers, including Motown standards "Please Mister Postman", "Money (That's What I Want)" and "You've Really Got A Hold On Me"; Chuck Berry's "Roll Over Beethoven", "Devil In Her Heart" (originally by Ricky Dee) and "Till There Was You" from the musical "The Music Man". 
George Harrison's fledgling contribution to the group's catalogue began with "Don't Bother Me" on 'With The Beatles'. The remainder of the tracks were penned by John Lennon and Paul McCartney. Even in these early years prior to the explosion of Beatlemania, the 2 songwriters were creating classics. This album boasts the tracks "All My Loving", "It Won't Be Long" and "I Wanna Be Your Man". The latter was given to The Rolling Stones to record as the band's 2nd single prior to The Beatles cutting it for this album.

O