1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die

It’s time for another update on my music project.  Two summers ago I started using this book as a guide to explore music with my son.  Gage has been a party to some of the journey, but not all.  I try to play at least parts from every album for him, except the explicit ones, and some he likes and some he covers his ears.  He is probably more discerning than I am.  This post is more for me than you because I know that these lists can get boring, but feel free to comment if I’ve listened to a favorite of yours (whether I liked them or not :)).  Happy listening.

This go round I’ve decided to list them in the order I liked them best.

Thriller by Michael Jackson– first and only album I begged my dad for money to buy.  I remember him counting out change from our change bucket.

Brothers in Arms by Dire Straits – love, love, love

Pearl by Janis Joplin – So talented and such a shame she died so young.

Parachutes by Coldplay – loved it

Dare by the Human League – fun 80’s album with a favorite

In Our Heads by Hot Chip – a great new discovery

Make Yourself by Incubus – nu-metal?  surprisingly, I liked it!

Boatman’s Call by Nick Cave – Love this dark and moody album.

Aqualung by Jethro Tull – Liked the whole album.

Murder Ballads by Nick Cave – the dark murder ballads (something I’d never heard) was really cool.

Off the Wall by Michael Jackson – Can’t go wrong with Michael.

Bad by Michael Jackson – a much more polished Michael.

Come Away With Me by Norah Jones – easy listening

Goodbye Yellow Brick Road by Elton John – I don’t think you can ever go wrong with Elton John.

Rhythm Nation by Janet Jackson – It’ll make you want to dance!

Songs of Love & Hate by Leonard Cohen – Like him better than Dylan.

British Steel by Judas Priest – Not a hard rock girl but I liked this one.

Surrealistic Pillow by Jefferson Airplane

A Rush of Blood to the Head by Coldplay – didn’t love as much as  the first

Songs of Leonard Cohen by Leonard Cohen – Not my favorite of his.

In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida by Iron Butterfly – It was ok, a little dopey.

Morrison Hotel by  The Doors– My third Doors album that I just thought was okay.

Tusk by Fleetwood Mac – Didn’t like as much as Rumours.

Abattoir Blues/Lyre of Orpheus by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds – My least favorite of the three.

Safe As Milk by Captain Beefheart – Hippy dippy, but the best name ever!

Are We Not Men? We are Devo! by Devo – Too frenetic for me.

Be by Common – not for me.

Cross by Justice – Let’s dance!

Chicago by Chicago Transit Authority – Easy, a little boring.

A Love Supreme by John Coltrane – I like jazz, but really only in person.

What People Say I Am That’s What I’m Not by Arctic Monkeys – eh, nothing special here

Trout Mask Replica by Captain Beefheart – Eek! A double album of music I didn’t like!

Never Mind the Bollocks by the Sex Pistols – Couldn’t really understand them.

Maggot Brain by Funkadelic – Took me a few tries to get this one but it is fun to move to.

Blueprint by Jay-Z – This didn’t elevate rap for me.

Sweetheart of the Rodeo by the Byrds – Too much country for me.

Gris Gris by Dr. John – This is an album? Not much here.

Now I Got Worry by Jon Spencer Blues Explosion – too much screaming

The Score by The Fugees – Loved one song. A lot.

Foo Fighters by Foo Fighters – Grunge or grunge-like has never been my thing.

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List of the albums we listened to from the book(The Visitors by ABBA, Back to Black and Highway to Hell by AC/DC, 21 by Adele, Pump and Toys in the Attic by Aerosmith, School’s Out by Alice Cooper, Dirt by Alice in Chains, Among the Living by Antrax, Tidal by Fiona Apple, Funeral by Arcade Fire, Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not by Arctic Monkeys,  The B-52’s by the B-52’s, The Atomic Mr. Basie by Count Basie, Abbey Road, The Beatles (white album),  A Hard Day’s Night, Revolver, Rubber Soul, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, With the Beatles by The Beatles, The Band and Music From Big Pink by The Band, Pet Sounds by the Beach Boys, Licensed to Ill and Paul’s Boutique by the Beastie Boys, Parallel Lives by Blondie, Boston by Boston, Station to Station by David Bowie, Safe As Milk and Trout Mask Replica by Captain Beefheart and his Magic Band, Sweetheart of the Rodeo by The Byrds, Abattoir Bllues/The Lyre of Orpheus, The Boatman’s Call and Murder Ballads by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Chicago by Chicago Transit Authority,  The Songs of Leonard Cohen and Songs of Love and Hate by Leonard Cohen, A Rush of Blood To the Head and Parachutes by Coldplay, A Love Supreme by John Coltrane, Be by Common,  Crosby Stills & Nash by Crosby Stills & Nash, Are We Not Men?We Are Devo! by Devo, Brothers in Arms by Dire Straits, The Doors and Morrison Hotel by The Doors, Gris-Gris by Dr. John, The Night Tripper, Blonde on Blonde, Blood on the Tracks, Bringing It All Back Home, Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan, Highway 61 Revisted, by Bob Dylan,  Eagles and Hotel California by The Eagles, Seldom Seen Kid by Elbow, The Marshal Mathers LP andThe Slim Shady LP by Eminem, Sweet Dreams by Eurythmics, The Soft Bulletin and Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots by The Flaming Lips, Rumours and Tusks by Fleetwood Mac, Foo Fighters by Foo Fighters,  Frampton Comes Alive by Peter Frampton, Franz Ferdinand by Franz Ferdinand, The Score by Fugees,  Maggot Brain by Funkadelic, So and Melt by Peter Gabriel, Appetite for Destruction by Guns N’ Roses, In Our Heads by Hot Chip, Dare by The Human League, Make Yourself by Incubus, In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida by Iron Butterfly, Rhythm Nation by Janet Jackson, Bad, Off the Wall and Thriller by Michael Jackson, The Blueprint by Jay-Z,  Surrealistic Pillow by Jefferson Airplane, Darklandsand Psychocandy by The Jesus and Mary Chain, Aqualung by Jethro Tull, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road by Elton John, Now I Got Worry by The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, Come Away With Me by Norah Jones,  Pearl by Janis Joplin, British Steel by Judas Priest, Cross by Justice, Tapestry by Carole King,  Destroyer by KISS, Tragic Songs of Life by the Louvin Brothers, Illmatic by Nas, In Utero, MTV Unplugged in New York, and Nevermind by Nirvana, Ready to Die by The Notorious B.I.G.,  Straight Outta Compton by NWA, Wish You Were Here by Pink Floyd, Regatta de  Blanc and Synchronicity by The Police, Elvis Presley by Elvis Presley, 2112 by Rush, Never Mind the Bollocks Here’s the Sex Pistols by Sex Pistols, Bridge Over Troubled Water and Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme by Simon & Garfunkel,  Francis Albert Sinatra & Antonio Carlos Jobim and In the Wee Small Hours by Frank Sinatra, Me Against the World by Tupac, System of a Down by System of a Down, Dear Science by TV on the Radio, All That You Can’t Leave Behind, Joshua Tree, and War by U2, Velvet Underground & Nico by Velvet Underground,  Red Headed Stranger andStardust by Willie Nelson, Back to Black by Amy Winehouse, XX by The XX,  It’s a Blitz! by Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Close To the Edge, Fragile and The Yes Album by Yes,  After the Gold Rush, Harvest, and  Tonight’s the Night by Neil Young, Rust Never Sleeps by Neil Young and Crazy Horse, Hot Rats by Frank Zappa) 140/1001

Linkup to my past posts

1-10, 11-30 31-60, 61-90