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 52nd 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
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50
OFF THE WALL
MICHAEL
JACKSON
1979
Michael Jackson's solo career overshadowed the success he had enjoyed with his brothers in the Jackson 5 during the early 1970s. By the later years of that decade, the siblings had departed Motown and the hits weren't coming as easily. Michael was older and ready to flex creative muscle. He recruited Quincy Jones as producer for the 'Off The Wall' project.
This was the album that made MJ a hot property. The LP was his best yet, packed with the smash hits "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough", "Rock With You", "She's Out Of My Life" and the title track.
Jackson re-invented himself for 'Off The Wall'. The LP also contains the significant dance gems "Burn This Disco Out" and "Get On The Floor". It served as the blueprint for its follow-up, the ubiquitous 'Thriller'.
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49
PURPLE RAIN
PRINCE & THE REVOLUTION
1984
The genius of Prince had been obvious on his previous albums, but 'Purple Rain' catapulted him into a mainstream musician. Prince's detractors derided his overtly sexual content, but on the soundtrack album, the prolific artist delivered his best collection of tracks to date.
Prince drew from funk, glam, soul and psychedelic rock. The soundtrack was the perfect accompaniment for the film which saw him cast in the lead role. Among its strongest moments are: the epic title track, "Let's Go Crazy", "Take Me With U", "I Would Die 4 U", "Darling Nikki', and "Baby I'm A Star".
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48
GRACELAND
PAUL SIMON
1986
Paul Simon had incorporated the sound of diverse cultures into his songbook for tracks such as "El Condor Pasa (If I Could)", "Loves Me Like A Rock", Scarborough Fair", "Late In The Evenin'" and "Mother And Child Reunion". When Simon began work on his 'Graceland' album, he not only immersed himself into South Africa's mbaqanga music, but created a unique fusion with his own songwriting style.
The blend worked, Simon introduced the mainstream to a new sound. The musicians assembled to construct this unique fusion added a richness and flavour to Simon's material.
Among the highlights on 'Graceland' are: "The Boy In The Bubble", "Diamonds On The Soles Of Her Shoes", "All Around The World Or The Myth Of Fingerprints", "Homeless", "Crazy Love, Vol. II" and the title track.
The album reinvigorated Simon's solo career. Few artists manage to integrate other musical styles as effectively. Sadly, Simon attracted harsh criticism for this LP because of the apartheid that was still in place at the time in South Africa. Nevertheless, there is no denying the album exposed a wider audience to the music of Africa.
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47
TOMMY
THE WHO
1969
'Tommy' was a rock opera performed by The Who, created mostly by Pete Townshend. The concept revolved around a deaf, dumb and blind boy. As the 1960s edged closer to the end, if anyone was not yet aware of the British group, 'Tommy' made the public take notice.
In 1975, the album was adapted for a film version and, later a stage musical. It no doubt influenced albums issued in the 1970s by the likes of David Bowie and Pink Floyd.
Standouts on the album include "The Acid Queen", "Pinball Wizard", "We're Not Gonna Take It", "Cousin Kevin", "Underture", "Fiddle About" and "I'm Free".
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46
STICKY FINGERS
ROLLING STONES
1971
The Rolling Stones have released better albums, but 'Sticky Fingers' does offer some classics from the legendary rock group. These include opening track "Brown Sugar", "I Got The Blues", "Dead Flowers", "Wild Horses", "Bitch", "Moonlight Mile" and "Sister Morphine".
Jimmy Miller produced 'Sticky Fingers'. The bulk of the tracks were co-written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards. Marianne Faithful helped the 2 members create "Sister Morphine".
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