audioexchange

Ok – here goes; having had nothing better to do one morning, I decided to make a list of what I thought were the best rock-pop-blues albums of my lifetime. I am sure I have missed many. I decided to list 10 for each year, but allowed for spillover if there were more than 10 goodies each year. What is really surprising is just how poor the 80s were for albums – despite the CD boom, I have fewer than 50 albums per year from 1980-1989 compared with more than 50 per year from 1968-1979 and from 1990 to today: go figure?

FAVORITE ALBUMS BY YEAR OF MY LIFE

2012

1. Blunderbuss – Jack Whyte
2. The Russian Wilds – Howlin’ Rain
3. Jake Bugg – Jake Bugg
4. Sunken Condos – Donald Fagen
5. What the world needs… – Sugarman 3
6. Blues Funeral – Mark Lanegan Band
7. Born to die – Lana Del Rey
8. Enjoy it while it lasts –  Spector
9. What the world needs now – Sugarman 3
10. Lonerism – Tame Impala

2011

1. The Kind is Dead – Decemberists
2. Alexander – Alexander
3. Arbouretum – Arbouretum
4. Everybody Friends Now – Singing Adams
5. Nothing is wrong – Dawes
6. Build a rocket boys – Elbow
7. Kiss each other – Iron and Wine
8. Jonathan Jeremiah  A – solitary man
9. Velociraptor – Kasabian
10. Hardcore will never die but you will – Mogwai
11. Peter, Bjorn and John – Gimmie Some
12. Dye it blond – Smith Westerns
13. El Camino – Black Keys
14. Into the murky water – Leisure society
15. What do you expect from the Vaccines – The Vaccines

2010

1. Queen of Denmark – John Grant
2. Avi Buffalo – Avi Buffalo
3. Destroyer of the void – Blitzen Trapper
4. Small craft on a milk sea – Brian Eno
5. Forgiveness Rock Record – Broken Social Scene
6. Bliss Release – Cloud Control
7. Streets of Out Time – Danny and the Champions of the World
8. Bananas Foster – Jigsaw Seen
9. For the ghosts within – Robert Wyatt
10. True love cast out all evil – Roky Erickson & Okkervil River
11. Brothers – Black Keys
12. High Violet – The National
13. Farewell My Lovely – RG Morrison
14. …And then we saw land – Tunng
15. Becoming a Jackal – Villagers
16. The Fool – Warpaint
17. Steeple – Wolf People
18. Innerspeaker – Tame Impala

2009

1. Only Revolutions – Biffy Clyro
2. Field Music – Field Music
3. God Help The Girl – Stuart Murdoch
4. Spinning Top – Graham Coxon
5. Musketeer – Larsen B
6. Hold Time – M. Ward
7. Besnard Lakes – Besnard Lakes
8. Ignore the Ignorant – the Cribs
9. Hazards of Love – Decemberists
10. Yonder is the clock – Felice Brothers
11. Duckworth Lewis Method – Duckworth Lewis Method

2008

1. The Seldom Seen Kid – Elbow
2. That Lucky old Sun –  Brian Wilson
3. Only By the Night – Kings of Leon
4. Sea Sew – Lisa Hannigan
5. The Stand Ins – Okkervil River
6. Pugwash – 11 Modern Antiquities
7. Return to Forever – Returns
8. Med suo if eyrum … – Sigur Ros
9. Visiter – the Dodos
10. The Age of Understatement – Last Shadow Puppets

2007

1. Favorite Worst Nightmare – Artic Monkeys
2. Ode To Sunshine – Delta Spirit
3. Our Love Admire – Interpol
4. Dig Lazerus Dig – Nick Cave
5. The Stage Names – Okkervil River
6. Under the Backlight – Rilo Kiley
7. Cruel Guards – The Panics
8. Icky Thump – White Stripes
9. Chrome Deams II – neil young
10. Spoon – Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga

2006

1. Whatever People Say I am – Artic Monkeys
2. Everything All the Time – Band of Horses
3. The Life Pursuit – Belle and Sebastian
4. On an Island – David Gilmour
5. Sing a long & Lullabies – Jack Johnson
6. Black Holes and Revelations – Muse
7. Pure Cane Sugar – Sugarman 3
8. Broken Toy Soldiers – Raconteurs
9. I am not afraid of you and I will beat your ass – Yo La Tengo
10. At War With The Mystics – Flaming Lips

2005

1. Down in Albion – Babyshambles
2. The Alternative to Love – Brendan Benson
3. I’m Wide Awake its Morning – Bright Eyes
4. The Back Room – Editors
5. Hal – Hal
6. The Secret Migration – Mercury Rev
7. Mighty Rearranger – Robert Plant and the Strange sensation
8. Gimmie Fiction – Spoon
9. Magic Numbers – Magic Numbers
10. Twin Cinema – New Pornographers

2004

1. Smile – Brian Wilson
2. Funeral – Arcade Fire
3. Faded Seaside Glamour – Delays
4. Franz Ferdinand – Franz Ferdinand
5. Kasabian – Kasabian
6. Hopes and Fears – Keane
7. You Are My Quarry – Morrissey
8. Abbatoir Blues – Nick Cave
9. The Libertines – The Libertines
10. Who Killed The Zutons? – The Zutons

2003

1. Red Devil Dawn – Crooked Fingers
2. Transatlanticism – Death Cab for Cutie
3. I am Kloot – I am Kloot
4. The Civil War – Matmos
5. Absolution – Muse
6. Yours, Mine and Ours – Pernice Brothers
7. Everything Must Go – Steely Dan
8. Rainy Day Music – Jayhawks
9. O – Damien Rice
10. So Much For the City – The Thrills

2002

1. Lapalco – Brendan Benson
2. Out of Season – Beth Gibbons and Rusty Man
3. The Last Broadcast – Doves
4. Turn On the Bright Lights – Interpol
5. Clone – Leo Kottke & Mike Gordon
6. Blacklisted – Neko Case
7. Gotham! – Radio 4
8. By the Way – Red Hot Chili Peppers
9. Surf – Roddy Frame
10. Kill the Moonlight – Spoon
11. Life on Other Planets – Supergrass
12. Yoshimi Battles the Robots – The Flaming Lips
13. Phrenology – The Roots
14. Yankee Hotel Foxtrot – Wilco
15. Mind if We Make Love to You – Wondermints

2001

1. Natural History – I am Kloot
2. Asleep at the Back – Elbow
3. Ryan Adams – Gold
4. Once we were trees – Beachwood Sparks
5. The Ghost of Fashion – Clem Snide
6. Here Be Monsters – Ed Harcourt
7. Wicked Grin – John Hammond Jr
8. Loss – Mull Historical Society
9. Origin of Symmetry – Muse
10. The World Won’t End – Pernice Brothers
11. Reveal – REM
12. Love is Here – Starsailor
13. Rings Around the World- Super Furry Animals
14. Ugly People versus Beautiful People – Czars
15. Is This It? – the Strokes
16. White Blood Cells – The White Stripes
17. Pneumonia- Whiskeytown
18. Rooty – Basement Jaxx

2000

1. Nixon – Lambchop
2. Parachutes – Coldplay
3. Enjoy the Melodic Sunshine – Cosmic  Rough Riders
4. Lost Souls – Doves
5. Figure 8 – Elliot Smith
6. Felt Mountain – Goldfrapp
7. Sophtware Slump – Grandaddy
8. Rated R – Queens of the Stone Age
9. Kid A – Radiohead
10. Avalanches – Since I left you
11. Smile – The Jayhawks
12. The Man Who – Travis
13. Thirteen Tales of Urban Bohemia – Dandy Warhols
14. 69 Love Songs – Magnetic Fields

1999

1. Summerteeth – Wilco
2. Soft Bullitin – Flaming Lips
3. Showbiz – Muse
4. Shack – HMS Fable
5. Midnight Vultures – Beck
6. Live in Chicago – Luther Allison
7. US and US only – Charletans
8. Play – Moby
9. Performance and Cocktails – Stereophonics
10. Fight Club Soundtrack – Dust Brothers

1998

1. Bring it On – Gomez
2. Deserters Songs – Mercury Rev
3. International Velvet – Catatonia
4. In an Aeroplane Over the Sea – Neutral Milk Hotel
5. The Black Light – Calexico
6. Car Wheels on a Gravel Road – Lucinda Williams
7. A go go – John Scofield
8. The Boy with the Arab Strap – Belle and Sebastian
9. Tin Planet – Space
10. You’ve Come an Long Way Baby – Fatboy Slim

1997

1. Songs from Northern Britain – Teenage Fanclub
2. Ok Computer – Radiohead
3. Urban Hymns – The Verve
4. Word Gets around – Stereophonics
5. Buena Vista Social Club – Ry Cooder and Others
6. Foo fighters – Color and Shape
7. Dig your own hole – Chemical Brothers
8. Mag Earwig! – Guided by Voices
9. Marching Already – Ocean Colour Scene
10. Portishead – Portishead

1996

1. Coming up – Suede
2. Wilco – Being There
3. Beautiful Freak – EELS
4. Dreamland – Robert Miles
5. Fuzzy Logic – Super Furry Animals
6. K – Kula Shaker
7. Mosely Shoals – Ocean Colour Scene
8. Pinkerton – Weezer
9. Everything must go – Manic Street Preachers
10. Fountains of Wayne – Fountains of Wayne
11. Trailer Park – Beth Orton

1995

1. Grand Prix – Teenage Fanclub
2. It’s great when you’re straight – Black Grape
3. Different Class – Pulp
4. Tomorrow The Green Grass  – Jayhawks
5. Stripped – The Rolling Stones
6. What’s the story morning glory – Oasis
7. Foo Fighters- Foo Fighters
8. Supergrass – I should coco
9. Mellencollie and Infinate sadness – Smashing Pumpkins
10. Great escape – Blur

1994

1. The Bends – Radiohead
2. Dog Man Star – Suede
3. Definitely Maybe – Oasis
4. Dummy – Portishead
5. Give out but don’t give up – Primal Scream
6. Vauxhall and I – Morrissey
7. Bizarre Fruit – M People
8. Parklife – Blur
9. Tales from the Acoustic Planet – Bela Fleck
10. Grace – Jeff Buckley

1993

1. Frosting on the Beater – the Posies
2. Kamakiriad – Donal Fagen
3. Suede – Suede
4. Symphony or Damn – Terence Trent D’arby
5. Ten Sumners Tales – Sting
6. Unplugged in New York – Nirvana
7. Whatever – Aimee Mann
8. Unplugged – Neil Young
9. Republic – New Order
10. Spilt Milk – Jellyfish

1992

1. 0898 Beautiful South – Beautiful South
2. Harvest Moon – Neil Young
3. Hollywood Town Hall – Jayhawks
4. Hypocrisy is the Greatest Luxury – Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy
5. Automatic for the people – REM
6. Dirty – Sonic Youth
7. Generation Terrorists – Manic Street Preacherson
8. The Future – Leonard Cohen
9. Unplugged – Eric Clapton
10. Your Arsenal – Morrissey
11. Living in a boom time (live) – Tom Robinson
12. Diva – Annie Lennox

1991

1. Achtung Baby – U2
2. Bandswagonesque – Teenage Fanclub
3. Stars – Simply Red
4. Ten – Pearl Jam
5. Blood sugar sex magik – Red Hot Chili Peppers
6. Blue Lines – Massive Attack
7. Nevermind – Nirvana
8. Girlfriend – Matthew Sweet
9. Loveless – My Bloody Valentine
10. Out of Time – REM
11. If this is rock n roll – Saw Doctors
12. Screamadelica – Primal Scream

1990

1. Ragged Glory – Neil Young and Crazy Horse
2. The Hard Way – Steve Earl and the Dukes
3. The Hot Spot (soundtrack) – JL Hooker, Taj Mahal, Miles Davis
4. Nouveau Flamenco – Ottmar Liebert
5. Pills thrills and bellyaches – Happy Mondays
6. Reading, writing and arithmetic – Sundays
7. Shake your moneymaker – Black Crowes
8. Still got the blues – Gary Moore
9. Beautiful South – Choke
10. Gold Mother – James
11. Submarine Bells – The Chills
12. Stuck together with God’s glue – Something Happens

1989

1. Freedom – Neil Young
2. The Stone Roses – the Stone Roses
3. Full moon fever – Tom Petty
4. Blaze of Glory – Joe Jackson
5. Jeff Beck’s Guitar Shop – Jeff Beck
6. 3 feet high and rising – De La Soul
7. Welcome to the Beautiful South – Beautiful South
8. Oh Mercy – Bob Dylan
9. Hats – Blue Nile
10. Disintegration – the Cure
11. Avalon – Van Morrison

1988

1. I’m your man – Leonard Cohen
2. Sunshine on Leith – Proclaimers
3. The Gift – Joe Louis Walker
4. Don’t be afraid of the dark – Robert Cray
5. Viva Hate – Morrissey
6. Roll with it – Steve Winwood
7. It takes a million to hold us back – Public Enemy
8. Daydream Nation – Sonic youth
9. Ancient Heart – Tanita Tikaram
10. Home – Hothouse Flowers
11. Tracy Chapman – Tracy Chapman
12. Volume 1 – Travelling Wilbury’s

1987

1. Joshua Tree – U2
2. Nothing like the sun – Sting
3. Introducing the hardline – Terence Trent D’arby
4. Appetite for Destruction – Guns and Roses
5. Document – REM
6. Faith – George Michael
7. Strangeways Here We Come – the Smiths
8. Surfin’ with the Alien – Joe Satriani
9. The people who grinned themselves to death – Housemartins
10. Under the Influence – Mary Coughlan
11. Tunnel of Love – Bruce Springsteen

1986

1. Bad Influence – Robert Cray
2. Born Sandy Devotional – Triffids
3. Graceland – Paul Simon
4. Licensed to ill – Beastie Boys
5. Kicking against the pricks – Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
6. London 0 Hull 4 – Housemartins
7. Live Alive – Stevie Ray Vaughan
8. The Queen is Dead – Smiths
9. So – Peter Gabriel

1985

1. Little Creatures – Talking Heads
2. Time – The Replacements
3. Psychocandy – Jesus and Mary Chain
4. Showdown – Albert Collins, Robert Cray, Johnny Copeland
5. Dream of the Blue Turtles – Sting
6. This is the Sea – Waterboys
7. Don’t Stand Me Down – Dexy’s Midnight Runners
8. Rum Sodomy and the Lash – Pogues
9. Hounds of Love – Kate Bush
10. This nation’s saving grace – The Fall
11. Brothers in Arms – Dire Straits

1984

1. Purple Rain – Prince
2. Diamond Life – Sade
3. Meat is Murder – Smiths
4. Rattlesnakes – Lloyd Cole
5. Stationary Traveller  – Camel
6. Unforgettable fire – U2
7. Various Positions – Leonard Cohen
8. Born in the USA – Bruce Springsteen
9. Cal – Mark Knopfler
10. Couldn’t Stand the Weather – Stevie Ray Vaughan

1983

1. High Land, Hard Rain – Aztec Camera
2. Crises – Mike Oldfield
3. Infidels – Bob Dylan
4. Introducing the Style Council – Style Council
5. Magical Ring – Clannad
6. Murmur – REM
7. Texas Flood – Stevie Ray Vaughan
8. War – U2
9. The Luxury Gap – Heaven 17
10. Let’s Dance – David Bowie
11. The Crossing – Big Country

1982

1. The Nightfly – Donald Fagen
2. Avalon – Roxy Music
3. Lexicon of Love – ABC
4. Too Ray Ah – Dexy’s Midnight Runners
5. Upstairs at Erics – Yazoo
6. Love over Gold – Dire Straits
7. Night and Day – Joe Jackson
8. One from the heart – Tom Waits and Crystal Gayle
9. Shoot out the lights – Richard and Linda Thompson
10. Concert in Central Park – Simon and Garfunkle

1981

1. Dare – the Human League
2. Time – ELO
3. Ghosts in the Machine – The Police
4. Give the people what they want – the Kinks
5. Glorious Fool – John Martyn
6. Jumpin’ Jive – Joe Jackson
7. No sleep till Hammersmith – Motorhead
8. Shut up and play yer guitar – Frank Zappa
9. Tatoo You – Rolling Stones
10. Freeze Frame – J. Giles Band
11. Hi Infidelity – REO Speedwagon

1980

1. Back in Black – AC/DC
2. Sound Effects – The Jam
3. Signing Off – UB40
4. The River – Bruce Springsteen
5. Boy – U2
6. Closer – Joy Division
7. Grace and Danger – John Martyn
8. Making Movies – Dire Straits
9. Gaucho – Steely Dan
10. Searching for the New Soul Rebels – Dexys Midnight Runners
11. Scary Monsters – David Bowie
12. Kings of the wild frontier – Adam and the ants

1979

1. The Wall – Pink Floyd
2. Communique – Dire Straits
3. Do it yourself – Ian Dury
4. Damn the Torpedos – Tom Petty
5. Discovery – ELO
6. London Calling – The Clash
7. Rust Never Sleeps – Neil Young
8. Replicas – Tubeway Army
9. Off the Wall – Michael Jackson
10. Singles Going Steady – Buzzcocks
11. Setting  Sons – The Jam
12. Specials – The Specials
13. Great rock n roll swindle – Sex Pistols
14. Armed Forces – Elvis Costello
15. Repeat when necessary – Dave Edmunds

1978

1. Equinoxe – Jean Michel Jarre
2. Jazz – Queen
3. Live and Dangerous – Thin Lizzy
4. Tonic for the troops – Boomtown Rats
5. Saturday Night Fever (soundtrack) – Bee Gees etc.
6. Outlandos D’Amour – Police
7. Parallel Lines – Blondie
8. Some Girls – Rolling Stones
9. Van Halen – Van Halen
10. This year’s model – Elvis Costello
11. All mod cons – The Jam
12. If you want blood – ACDC
13. Ambient 1: Music for airports – Brian Eno

1977

1. Aja – Steely Dan
2. The Clash – the Clash
3. Bat out of hell – Meat Loaf
4. Animals – Pink Floyd
5. Lust for Life – Iggy Pop
6. New Boots and Panties – Ian Dury
7. Exodus – Bob Marley
8. Never Mind the Bollocks – Sex Pistols
9. Hard Again – Muddy Waters
10. Out of the Blue – ELO
11. The Stranger – Billy Joel
12. My Aim is True – Elvis Costello
13. Rumours – Fleetwood Mac

1976

1. Boston – Boston
2. A New World Record – ELO
3. Albert – Albert King
4. Desire – Bob Dylan
5. Fly Like an Eagle – Steve Miller Band
6. Frampton Comes Alive – Peter Frampton
7. Hotel California – Eagles
8. Jailbreak – Thin Lizzy
9. Made in Europe – Deep Purple
10. Book of Invasions – Horslips

1975

1. Blood on the Tracks – Bob Dylan
2. Born to Run – Bruce Springsteen
3. British tour ’75 – Soft Machine
4. Blow by Blow – Jeff Beck
5. Chocolate City & Mothership Connection – Parliament
6. Horses – Patti Smith
7. Physical Graffiti – Led Zeppelin
8. Still Crazy after all These Years – Paul Simon
9. Rotter’s Club – Hatfield and The North
10. Big Star – Third/Sister Lover
11. Tonight’s the Night – Neil Young
12. Wish you were here – Pink Floyd

1974

1. Pretzel Logic – Steely Dan
2. 461 Ocean Boulevard – Eric Clapton
3. Isotope – An Isotope
4. Feats don’t fail me now – Little Feat
5. Inspiration Information – Shuggie Otis
6. Irish Tour ’74 – Rory Gallagher
7. It’s too late to stop now – Van Morrisson
8. On the Beach – Neil Young
9. The Heart of Saturday Night – Tom Waits
10. Radio City – Big Star
11. Before the Flood – Bob Dylan and the Band
12. Grievous Angel – Gram Parsons

1973

1. Berlin – Lou Reid
2. Catch a fire – Bob Marley
3. Dark side of the Moon – Pink Floyd
4. Desperado – Eagles
5. Larks tongue on Aspic – King Crimson
6. Lotus – Santana
7. New York Dolls – New York Dolls
8. Raw Power – The Stooges
9. Straight Ahead – Brian Auger’s Oblivion Express
10. Lynyrd Skynyrd – Pronounced….
11. Alladin Sane – David Bowie

1972

1. Harvest – Neil Young
2. Machine Head & Made in Japan – Deep Purple
3. Exile on Main St. – Rolling Stones
4. Matching Mole – Little Red Book
5. Manassas – Stephen Stills
6. Pink Moon – Nick Drake
7. Paul Simon – Paul Simon
8. Can’t Buy a Thrill – Steely Dan
9. Discover America – Van Dyke Parks
10. Waka Jawaka – Frank Zappa
11. Ziggy Stardust – David Bowie
12. #1 record – Big Star
13. Transformer – Lou Reid

1971

1. At the Filmore East – Allman Brothers
2. Led Zeppelin IV – Led Zeppelin
3. Meddle – Pink Floyd
4. Sticky Fingers – Rolling Stonesye
5. Who’s next – The Who
6. Stormcock – Roy Harper
7. Teenage Head – Flamin Groovies
8. Tapestry – Carole King
9. Whats Goin’ On – Marvin Ga
10. Blue – Joni Mitchell
11. Gonna Take a Miracle – Laura Nyro
12. Hunky Dory – David Bowie
13. If I could only remember my name – David Crosby
14. In the land of grey and pink – Caravan
15. Relics – Pink Floyd
16. Aqualung – Jethro Tull

1970

1. John Barleycorn Must Die – Traffic
2. Layla and Other assorted songs – Derek and the Dominos
3. Led Zeppelin III – Led Zeppelin
4. Live at Leeds – The Who
5. Lola versus Powerman… – The Kinks
6. Moondance – Van Morrison
7. Stephen Stills – Stephen Stills
8. Soft Machine – Third
9. Paranoid – Black Sabbath
10. Fire and Water – Free
11. After the Goldrush – Neil Young
12. Workingman’s dead – Grateful Dead
13. Bridge over troubled waters – Simon & Garfunkle
14. Byther Lyther – Nick Drake
15. Nucleus – Elastic Rock
16. Fun House – The Stooges
17. Gentle giant – Gentle Giant
18. End of an Ear –Robert Wyatt
19. Hold That Plane – Buddy Guy
20. In Rock – Deep Purple
21. Band of gypsies – Jimi Hendrix
22. No Dice – Badfinger
23. Eric Clapton – Eric Clapton

1969

1. Hot Rats – Frank Zappa
2. Abbey Road – The Beatles
3. Crosby Stills and Nash – Crosby Stills and Nash
4. Elvis in Person at the International Hotel Vegas – Elvis Presley
5. Led Zeppelin 1 – Led Zeppelin
6. Let It Bleed – Rolling Stones
7. Songs from a Room – Leonard Cohen
8. The Band – The Band
9. Tommy – The Who
10. Valentyne Suite – Collosseum
11. In the Court of King Crimson – King Crimson
12. Child Is Father to the Man – Blood, Sweat and Tears
13. Dusty in Memphis – Dusty Springfield

1968

1. A Man and the Blues – Buddy Guy
2. Astral Weeks – Van Morrisson
3. Beggars Banquet- Rolling Stones
4. Cheap Thrills – Big Brother and the Holding Company
5. Lumpy Gravy – Frank Zappa
6. Peter Green’s Fleetwood Mac – Fleetwood Mac
7. Shades of Deep Purple – Deep Purple
8. The Beatles (white album) – The Beatles
9. Notorious Byrd Brothers – Byrds
10. Village Green Preservation Society – Kinks
11. Electric Ladyland – Jimi Hendrix

1967

1. Something Else – The Kinks
2. The Doors – the Doors
3. Velvet Underground and Nico – Velvet Underground and Nico
4. Are You Experienced? – Jimi Hendrix
5. Born Under a Bad Sign – Albert King
6. Goodbye and Hello – Tim Buckley
7. Magical Mystery Tour – Beatles
8. Sgt Pepper – Beatles
9. Piper at the Gates of Dawn – Pink Floyd
10. Between the Buttons – Rolling Stones
11. Absolutely Free – Frank Zappa
12. Thirteenth Floor Elevators – Thirteenth Floor Elevators
13. Smiley Smile/Wild Honey – Beach Boys
14. Forever Changes – Love

~ by Pat Neligan on December 20, 2012.

Posted in Music Lists