Fascinating to see the stuff others rate. As a middle-aged fogey (47, born 1966) - let me also go back a bit further to 1956. Agree with quite a few of Salad's but not all by any means and remember, it's all about opinions! Quite a self-indulgent exercise really but fun to do - (also reminded me how little of the 80s and 90s I actually liked). Also that my taste is quite narrow - ie on the whole, guitar-based.
1956 - Elvis Presley - Elvis Presley 1957 - Miles Davis - Birth of the Cool 1958 - Billie Holliday - Lady in Satin 1959 - Dave Brubeck Quartet - Time Out 1960 - Jimmy Smith - Back at the Chicken Shack 1961 - John Coltrane - My Favourite Things 1962 - Booker T and the MG's - Green Onions 1963 - The Beatles - With the Beatles 1964 - The Beatles - A Hard Day's Night 1965 - The Beatles - Rubber Soul 1966 - The Beach Boys - Pet Sounds/The Beatles - Revolver/The Rolling Stones - Aftermath 1967 - Love - Forever Changes 1968 - The Zombies - Odessey and Oracle 1969 - Dusty Springfield - Dusty in Memphis 1970 - Cat Stevens - Tea for the Tillerman 1971 - David Bowie - Hunky Dory 1972 - David Bowie - Ziggy Stardust 1973 - David Bowie - Aladdin Sane 1974 - Steely Dan - Pretzel Logic 1975 - Bob Dylan - Blood on the Tracks 1976 - The Ramones - The Ramones 1977 - Ian Dury - New Boots and Panties 1978 - The Jam - All Mod Cons 1979 - The Specials - The Specials 1980 - Dexy's Midnight Runners - Searching for the Young Soul Rebels 1981 - (tricky) - Soft Cell - Non Stop Erotic Cabaret 1982 - Elvis Costello - Imperial Bedroom 1983 - REM - Murmur (another tricky year) 1984 - The Smiths - The Smiths 1985 - The Pogues - Rum, Sodomy and the Lash 1986 - Billy Bragg - Talking with the Taxman about Poetry 1987 - The Smiths - Strangeways Here we Come 1988 - The Go-Betweens - 16 Lovers Lane 1989 - The Stone Roses - The Stone Roses 1990 - Ride - Nowhere 1991 - Teenage Fanclub - Bandwagonesque 1992 - They Might Be Giants - Apollo 18 1993 - Blur - Modern Life is Rubbish 1994 - Blur - Parklife 1995 - Oasis - What's the Story Morning Glory 1996 - Manic Street Preachers - Everything Must Go 1997 - Supergrass - In it for the Money 1998 - Billy Bragg and Wilco - Mermaid Avenue 1999 - The Stereophonics - Performance and Cocktails 2000 - Badly Drawn Boy - The Hour of Bewilderbeast 2001 - The Strokes - Is This It 2002 - Doves - The Last Broadcast 2003 - The Exploding Hearts - Guitar Romantic 2004 - Green Day - American Idiot 2005 - The Editors - The Back Room 2006 - The Arctic Monkeys - Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not 2007 - Fall Out Boy - Infinity on High 2008 - The Last Shadow Puppets - The Age of the Understatement 2009 - Richard Hawley - Truelove's Gutter 2010 - Gorillaz - Plastic Beach 2011 - The Vaccines - What Did You Expect from the Vaccines? 2012 - The Vaccines - Come of Age
Matt, Thought you would have had Final Countdown by Europe in 86???
Smith, yer bald tax exile! - The Final Countdown was magnificent but Prisoners in Paradise topped it
1980 - Closer - Joy Division 1981 1982 Combat Rock - The Clash 1983 Head Over Heels - Cocteau Twins 1984 It'll End in Tears - This Mortal Coil 1985 Little Creatures - Talking Heads 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990: Blood - This Mortal Coil 1991 Screamadelica - Primal Scream 1992 Dirty - Sonic Youth 1993 Where You been - Dinosaur Jr. 1994 Grace - Jeff Buckley 1995 Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness - Smashing Pumpkins 1996 1997: Portishead - Portishead 1998 1999 Play - Moby 2000 2001: 2002 Songs for the Deaf - Queens of the Stone Age 2003 Deep Cuts - The Knife 2004: Kasabian - Kasabian 2005 Antics - Interpol 2006 At War with the Mystics - Flaming Lips 2007 Love is Real - John Maus 2008 Wrecking Ball - Dead Confederate 2009 An When - Tonstartssbandht 2010 II - Crystal Castles 2011 The Year of Hibernation - Youth Lagoon 2012 Visions - Grimes
Hmm, that was a good way to waste an hour! Really hard to pick one from a year, as some years I have lots of quality albums to choose from in my collection, whereas others I'm really scraping the barrel! So many good albums got left out as a result... 1980: Black Sea (XTC)
1981: East Side Story (Squeeze) 1982: English Settlement (XTC) 1983: Construction Time Again (Depeche Mode) 1984: Zoolook (Jean Michel Jarre) 1985: 25 O'Clock (Dukes of Stratosphear aka XTC) 1986: Black Celebration (Depeche Mode) 1987: The Joshua Tree (U2) 1988: Introspective (Pet Shop Boys) 1989: Like a Prayer (Madonna) 1990: Violator (Depeche Mode) 1991: Achtung Baby (U2) 1992: Nonsuch (XTC) 1993: Songs of Faith and Devotion (Depeche Mode) 1994: Promenade (The Divine Comedy) 1995: The Bends (Radiohead) 1996: Coming Up (Suede) 1997: A Short Album About Love (The Divine Comedy) 1998: Fin de Siecle (Divine Comedy) 1999: The Man Who (Travis) 2000: Felt Mountain (Goldfrapp) 2001: Rockin' the Suburbs (Ben Folds) 2002: A Rush of Blood to the Head (Coldplay) 2003: Absolution (Muse) 2004: Homesongs (Adem) 2005: Life in Slow Motion (David Gray) 2006: Fundamental (Pet Shop Boys) 2007: Yours Truly, Angry Mob (Kaiser Chiefs) 2008: The Seldom Seen Kid (Elbow) 2009: The Resistance (Muse) 2010: Bang Goes the Knighthood (Divine Comedy) 2011: Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds 2012: The 2nd Law (Muse)
1964 - Lee Morgan - The Sidewinder 1965 - Lee Morgan - The Rumproller 1966 - The Monks - Black Monk Time 1967 - Pink Floyd - Piper at the Gates of Dawn 1968 - Pink Floyd - A Saucerful of Secrets 1969 - Captain Beefheart - Trout Mask Replica 1970 - Syd Barrett - The Madcap Laughs 1971 - Pink Floyd - Meddle 1972 - Pink Floyd - Obscured by Clouds 1973 - Pink Floyd - Dark Side of the Moon 1974 - Kraftwerk - Autobahn 1975 - Dr Feelgood - Down by the Jetty 1976 - The Ramones - The Ramones 1977 - The Stranglers - Rattus Norvegicus 1978 - Magazine - Real Life 1979 - Bill Nelson's Red Noise - Sound on Sound 1980 - The Human League - Travelogue 1981 - Japan - Tin Drum 1982 - Fad Gadget - Under the Flag 1983 - Aztec Camera - High Land, Hard Rain 1984 - Fad Gadget - Gag 1985 - The Fall - This Nations Saving Grace 1986 - The Smiths - The Queen is Dead 1987 - Terence Trent D'Arby - Introducing the Hardline According to 1988 - Danielle Dax - Dark Adapted Eye 1989 - The Stone Roses - The Stone Roses 1990 - Depeche Mode - Violator 1991 - Carter - 30 Something 1992 - Carter - 1992 The Love Album 1993 - Carter - Post Historic Monsters 1994 - Blur - Parklife 1995 - Carter - Worry Bomb 1996 - Pulp - Different Class 1997 - Progidy - Fat of the Land 1998 - Beck - Mutations 1999 - The White Stripes - The White Stripes 2000 - The Dandy Warhols - Thirteen Tales From Urban Bohemia 2001 - Millionaire - Outside The Simian Flock 2002 - Libertines - Up The Bracket 2003 - The Dandy Warhols - Welcome to the Monkey House 2004 - The Killers - Hot Fuss 2005 - Editors - The Back Room 2006 - Fratellis - Costello Music 2007 - Patrick Wolf - The Magic Position 2008 - Dan Le Sac v Scroobius Pip - Angles 2009 - Flight of the Conchords - I Told You I Was Freaky 2010 - Two Door Cinema Club - Tourist History 2011 - The Horrors - Skying 2012 - The Lovely Eggs - Wildlife
Very difficult to make a selection. Some years there were loads of good albums (1981 was the toughest - what a fantastic year), other years I'm wondering whether there's anything genuinely worthy of the list.
1963 - With The Beatles - The Beatles 1964 - A Hard Days Night - The Beatles 1965 - Otis Blue - Otis Redding 1966 - Revolver - The Beatles 1967 - Sgt. Pepper - The Beatles (Great year for albums. Hard choice) 1968 - Beggars Banquet - The Rolling Stones 1969 - Led Zepellin II 1970 - Moondance - Van Morrison 1971 - The Yes Album - Yes (1971 to 1973 classic years for albums for me, so my choices today could be different next week) 1972 - Foxtrot - Genesis 1973 - Dark Side of The Moon - Pink Floyd 1974 - Pretzel Logic - Steely Dan 1975 - The Original Soundtrack - 10cc 1976 - The Year Of The Cat - Al Stewart 1977 - Rumours - Fleetwood Mac 1978 - Stranger In Town - Bob Seger 1979 - Breakfast In America - Supertramp 1980 - Peter Gabriel (third album) 1981 - Paradise Theater - Styx (agree with Six-a-bag, disappointing year) 1982 - The Nightfly - Donald Fagen 1983 - Let's Dance - David Bowie (There are better Bowie albums but in years with better choices of other albums) 1984 - Legend - Bob Marley 1985 - Songs You Know By Heart - Jimmy Buffett 1986 - Graceland - Paul Simon 1987 - The Joshua Tree - U2 1988 - Shooting Rubber Bands At The Stars - Edie Brickell and the New Bohemians 1989 - Yellow Moon -Neville Brothers 1990 - Shake Your Moneymaker - Black Crowes (I think the only album I have from that year!) 1991 - Nevermind - Nirvana 1992 - Unplugged - Eric Clapton 1993 - Tuesday Night Music Club - Sheryl Crow 1994 - Parklife - Blur 1995 - What's The Story Morning Glory - Oasis 1996 - Everything Must Go - Manic Street Preachers 1997 - Buean Vista Social Club 1998 - White Ladder - David Gray 1999 - Gomez - Liquid Skin
I have cheated slightly by including two compilations in 84 and 85, but they are two of my all time favourites.
1973 Red Rose Speedway - Wings & Paul McCartney 1974 Queen II - Queen 1975 Wish You Were Here - Pink Floyd 1976 Hotel California - Eagles 1977 1 - Peter Gabriel / Rumours - Fleetwood Mac 1978 Here, My Dear - Marvin Gaye 1979 Regatta de Blanc - The Police 1980 Double Fantasy - John Lennon 1981 Almost Blue - Elvis Costello 1982 The Pursuit of Accidents - Level 42 1983 Standing in the Light - Level 42 1984 True Colours - Level 42 1985 Brothers in Arms - Dire Straits 1986 So - Peter Gabriel 1987 Tango in the Night - Fleetwood Mac 1988 Temple of Low Men - Crowded House / Don't Be Cruel - Bobby Brown 1989 Welcome to the Beautiful South - The Beautiful South 1990 Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1 - George Michael 1991 Marc Cohn 1992 Us - Peter Gabriel 1993 Together Alone - Crowded House / Wild Wood - Paul Weller 1994 Stillness in Time - Jamiroquai 1995 Stanley Road - Paul Weller 1996 Everything Must Go - Manic Street Preachers / C'mon Kids - The Boo Radleys 1997 The Colour and the Shape - Foo Fighters 1998 White Ladder - David Gray 1999 There is Nothing Left to Lose - Foo Fighters 2000 2001 Free All Angels - Ash 2002 One by One - Foo Fighters 2003 Final Straw - Snow Patrol 2004 American Idiot - Green Day 2005 In Your Honor - Foo Fighters 2006 Twelve Stops and Home - The Feeling 2007 Infinity on High - Fall Out Boy 2008 2009 La Roux 2010 Intriguer - Crowded House 2011 Wasting Light - Foo Fighters
Decided to start the year I was born. Got into a lot of the early albums many years later. If I'd started earlier it would have just been one long list of Beatles albums, with the Temptations, the Band, Van Morrison and Creedence Clearwater Revival mixed in.
Hmm, that was a good way to waste an hour! Really hard to pick one from a year, as some years I have lots of quality albums to choose from in my collection, whereas others I'm really scraping the barrel! So many good albums got left out as a result... 1980: Black Sea (XTC)
1981: East Side Story (Squeeze) 1982: English Settlement (XTC) 1983: Construction Time Again (Depeche Mode) 1984: Zoolook (Jean Michel Jarre) 1985: 25 O'Clock (Dukes of Stratosphear aka XTC) 1986: Black Celebration (Depeche Mode) 1987: The Joshua Tree (U2) 1988: Introspective (Pet Shop Boys) 1989: Like a Prayer (Madonna) 1990: Violator (Depeche Mode) 1991: Achtung Baby (U2) 1992: Nonsuch (XTC) 1993: Songs of Faith and Devotion (Depeche Mode) 1994: Promenade (The Divine Comedy) 1995: The Bends (Radiohead) 1996: Coming Up (Suede) 1997: A Short Album About Love (The Divine Comedy) 1998: Fin de Siecle (Divine Comedy) 1999: The Man Who (Travis) 2000: Felt Mountain (Goldfrapp) 2001: Rockin' the Suburbs (Ben Folds) 2002: A Rush of Blood to the Head (Coldplay) 2003: Absolution (Muse) 2004: Homesongs (Adem) 2005: Life in Slow Motion (David Gray) 2006: Fundamental (Pet Shop Boys) 2007: Yours Truly, Angry Mob (Kaiser Chiefs) 2008: The Seldom Seen Kid (Elbow) 2009: The Resistance (Muse) 2010: Bang Goes the Knighthood (Divine Comedy) 2011: Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds 2012: The 2nd Law (Muse)
Good call on East Side Story for the difficult 1981 slot. I'd agree with that in retrospect.
1970 After the Goldrush - Neil Young 1971 What's Going On - Marvin Gaye 1972 The Harder They Come Soundtrack - Various 1973 Innervisions - Stevie Wonder 1974 Veedon Fleece - Van Morrison 1975 Blood on the Tracks - Bob Dylan 1976 The Ramones 1977 Two Sevens Clash - Culture 1978 All Mod Cons - The Jam 1979 The Specials - The Specials
Comments
2007 - paramore - riot!
1980: Black Sea (XTC)
1981: East Side Story (Squeeze)
1982: English Settlement (XTC)
1983: Construction Time Again (Depeche Mode)
1984: Zoolook (Jean Michel Jarre)
1985: 25 O'Clock (Dukes of Stratosphear aka XTC)
1986: Black Celebration (Depeche Mode)
1987: The Joshua Tree (U2)
1988: Introspective (Pet Shop Boys)
1989: Like a Prayer (Madonna)
1990: Violator (Depeche Mode)
1991: Achtung Baby (U2)
1992: Nonsuch (XTC)
1993: Songs of Faith and Devotion (Depeche Mode)
1994: Promenade (The Divine Comedy)
1995: The Bends (Radiohead)
1996: Coming Up (Suede)
1997: A Short Album About Love (The Divine Comedy)
1998: Fin de Siecle (Divine Comedy)
1999: The Man Who (Travis)
2000: Felt Mountain (Goldfrapp)
2001: Rockin' the Suburbs (Ben Folds)
2002: A Rush of Blood to the Head (Coldplay)
2003: Absolution (Muse)
2004: Homesongs (Adem)
2005: Life in Slow Motion (David Gray)
2006: Fundamental (Pet Shop Boys)
2007: Yours Truly, Angry Mob (Kaiser Chiefs)
2008: The Seldom Seen Kid (Elbow)
2009: The Resistance (Muse)
2010: Bang Goes the Knighthood (Divine Comedy)
2011: Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds
2012: The 2nd Law (Muse)
1965 - Lee Morgan - The Rumproller
1966 - The Monks - Black Monk Time
1967 - Pink Floyd - Piper at the Gates of Dawn
1968 - Pink Floyd - A Saucerful of Secrets
1969 - Captain Beefheart - Trout Mask Replica
1970 - Syd Barrett - The Madcap Laughs
1971 - Pink Floyd - Meddle
1972 - Pink Floyd - Obscured by Clouds
1973 - Pink Floyd - Dark Side of the Moon
1974 - Kraftwerk - Autobahn
1975 - Dr Feelgood - Down by the Jetty
1976 - The Ramones - The Ramones
1977 - The Stranglers - Rattus Norvegicus
1978 - Magazine - Real Life
1979 - Bill Nelson's Red Noise - Sound on Sound
1980 - The Human League - Travelogue
1981 - Japan - Tin Drum
1982 - Fad Gadget - Under the Flag
1983 - Aztec Camera - High Land, Hard Rain
1984 - Fad Gadget - Gag
1985 - The Fall - This Nations Saving Grace
1986 - The Smiths - The Queen is Dead
1987 - Terence Trent D'Arby - Introducing the Hardline According to
1988 - Danielle Dax - Dark Adapted Eye
1989 - The Stone Roses - The Stone Roses
1990 - Depeche Mode - Violator
1991 - Carter - 30 Something
1992 - Carter - 1992 The Love Album
1993 - Carter - Post Historic Monsters
1994 - Blur - Parklife
1995 - Carter - Worry Bomb
1996 - Pulp - Different Class
1997 - Progidy - Fat of the Land
1998 - Beck - Mutations
1999 - The White Stripes - The White Stripes
2000 - The Dandy Warhols - Thirteen Tales From Urban Bohemia
2001 - Millionaire - Outside The Simian Flock
2002 - Libertines - Up The Bracket
2003 - The Dandy Warhols - Welcome to the Monkey House
2004 - The Killers - Hot Fuss
2005 - Editors - The Back Room
2006 - Fratellis - Costello Music
2007 - Patrick Wolf - The Magic Position
2008 - Dan Le Sac v Scroobius Pip - Angles
2009 - Flight of the Conchords - I Told You I Was Freaky
2010 - Two Door Cinema Club - Tourist History
2011 - The Horrors - Skying
2012 - The Lovely Eggs - Wildlife
Very difficult to make a selection. Some years there were loads of good albums (1981 was the toughest - what a fantastic year), other years I'm wondering whether there's anything genuinely worthy of the list.
I give up after 1999 as it's not exactly my era!
1963 - With The Beatles - The Beatles
1964 - A Hard Days Night - The Beatles
1965 - Otis Blue - Otis Redding
1966 - Revolver - The Beatles
1967 - Sgt. Pepper - The Beatles (Great year for albums. Hard choice)
1968 - Beggars Banquet - The Rolling Stones
1969 - Led Zepellin II
1970 - Moondance - Van Morrison
1971 - The Yes Album - Yes (1971 to 1973 classic years for albums for me, so my choices today could be different next week)
1972 - Foxtrot - Genesis
1973 - Dark Side of The Moon - Pink Floyd
1974 - Pretzel Logic - Steely Dan
1975 - The Original Soundtrack - 10cc
1976 - The Year Of The Cat - Al Stewart
1977 - Rumours - Fleetwood Mac
1978 - Stranger In Town - Bob Seger
1979 - Breakfast In America - Supertramp
1980 - Peter Gabriel (third album)
1981 - Paradise Theater - Styx (agree with Six-a-bag, disappointing year)
1982 - The Nightfly - Donald Fagen
1983 - Let's Dance - David Bowie (There are better Bowie albums but in years with better choices of other albums)
1984 - Legend - Bob Marley
1985 - Songs You Know By Heart - Jimmy Buffett
1986 - Graceland - Paul Simon
1987 - The Joshua Tree - U2
1988 - Shooting Rubber Bands At The Stars - Edie Brickell and the New Bohemians
1989 - Yellow Moon -Neville Brothers
1990 - Shake Your Moneymaker - Black Crowes (I think the only album I have from that year!)
1991 - Nevermind - Nirvana
1992 - Unplugged - Eric Clapton
1993 - Tuesday Night Music Club - Sheryl Crow
1994 - Parklife - Blur
1995 - What's The Story Morning Glory - Oasis
1996 - Everything Must Go - Manic Street Preachers
1997 - Buean Vista Social Club
1998 - White Ladder - David Gray
1999 - Gomez - Liquid Skin
I have cheated slightly by including two compilations in 84 and 85, but they are two of my all time favourites.
1974 Queen II - Queen
1975 Wish You Were Here - Pink Floyd
1976 Hotel California - Eagles
1977 1 - Peter Gabriel / Rumours - Fleetwood Mac
1978 Here, My Dear - Marvin Gaye
1979 Regatta de Blanc - The Police
1980 Double Fantasy - John Lennon
1981 Almost Blue - Elvis Costello
1982 The Pursuit of Accidents - Level 42
1983 Standing in the Light - Level 42
1984 True Colours - Level 42
1985 Brothers in Arms - Dire Straits
1986 So - Peter Gabriel
1987 Tango in the Night - Fleetwood Mac
1988 Temple of Low Men - Crowded House / Don't Be Cruel - Bobby Brown
1989 Welcome to the Beautiful South - The Beautiful South
1990 Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1 - George Michael
1991 Marc Cohn
1992 Us - Peter Gabriel
1993 Together Alone - Crowded House / Wild Wood - Paul Weller
1994 Stillness in Time - Jamiroquai
1995 Stanley Road - Paul Weller
1996 Everything Must Go - Manic Street Preachers / C'mon Kids - The Boo Radleys
1997 The Colour and the Shape - Foo Fighters
1998 White Ladder - David Gray
1999 There is Nothing Left to Lose - Foo Fighters
2000
2001 Free All Angels - Ash
2002 One by One - Foo Fighters
2003 Final Straw - Snow Patrol
2004 American Idiot - Green Day
2005 In Your Honor - Foo Fighters
2006 Twelve Stops and Home - The Feeling
2007 Infinity on High - Fall Out Boy
2008
2009 La Roux
2010 Intriguer - Crowded House
2011 Wasting Light - Foo Fighters
Decided to start the year I was born. Got into a lot of the early albums many years later. If I'd started earlier it would have just been one long list of Beatles albums, with the Temptations, the Band, Van Morrison and Creedence Clearwater Revival mixed in.
1971 What's Going On - Marvin Gaye
1972 The Harder They Come Soundtrack - Various
1973 Innervisions - Stevie Wonder
1974 Veedon Fleece - Van Morrison
1975 Blood on the Tracks - Bob Dylan
1976 The Ramones
1977 Two Sevens Clash - Culture
1978 All Mod Cons - The Jam
1979 The Specials - The Specials