I decided to do something I'll likely regret - pick my top 5 albums from every year. These are the albums I listened to and enjoyed the most. That doesn't mean they are the "best," they're just my favorites. Also, these top fives can change. I might hear a record from the 70s tomorrow that becomes one of my faves, and the list changes. And as the list gets longer, the less music I've heard. Some don't list a full five, but my goal is to listen to more and find more faves.
2024
- TBD
- TBD
- TBD
- The Blackburns - The Blackburns
- Ahem - Avoider
2023
- Depeche Mode - Memento Mori
- The Lords Of Altamont - To Hell With Tomorrow The Lords Are Now!
- Drop Nineteens - Hard Light
- The Hives - The Death of Randy Fitzsimmons
- Dirty Honey - Can't Find The Breaks
2022
- Suede - Autofiction
- Skid Row - The Gang's All Here
- The Cult - Under the Midnight Sun
- The Hellacopters - Eyes Of Oblivion
- Marcus King - Young Blood
2021
- Gary Numan - Intruder
- Duran Duran - Future Past
- Morcheeba - Blackest Blue
- Manic Street Preachers - Ultra Vivid Lament
- Iron Maiden - Senjutsu
2020
- Shiner - Schadenfreude
- Fiona Apple - Fetch The Bolt Cutters
- The Psychedelic Furs - Made of Rain
- The Lees of Memory - Moonshot
- Hum - Inlet
2019
- Marcus King - El Dorado
- Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross - Watchmen (Soundtrack)
- Jeff Whalen - 10 More Rock Super Hits
- Sturgill Simpson - Sound & Fury
- The Shelia Divine - Beginning of the End is Where We'll Start Again
2018
- Failure - In The Future Your Body Will Be the Furthest Thing from Your Mind
- Manic Street Preachers - Resistance Is Futile
- Guided By Voices - Space Gun
- Prince - Piano & A Microphone
- Teenage Wrist - Chrome Neon Jesus
2017
- Alain Johannes - Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Wildlands (Sountrack)
- The Afghan Whigs - In Spades
- Manager - Manager
- Slowdive - Slowdive
- The Lees Of Memory - The Blinding White Of Nothing At All
2016
- The Tragically Hip - Man Machine Poem
- John Carpenter - Lost Themes II
- David Bowie - Black Star
- The Lees Of Memory - Unnecessary Evil
- Kyle Dixon and Michael Stein - Stranger Things (Sountrack)
2015
- Failure - The Heart Is a Monster
- Wilco - Star Wars
- Junkie XL - Mad Max: Fury Road (Soundtrack)
- John Carpenter - Lost Themes
- Swervedriver - I Wasn't Born To Lose You
2014
- The Afghan Whigs - Do To The Beast
- Manic Street Preachers - Futurology
- The Life and Times - Lost Bees
- The Lees Of Memory - Sisyphus Says
- Paul Leonard-Morgan - Dredd (Soundtrack)
2013
- Manic Street Preachers - Rewind The Film
- David Bowie - The Next Day
- Charles Bradley - Victim Of Love
- Petar Dundov - Sailing Off The Grid
- M83 - Oblivion (Soundtrack)
2012
- Van Halen - A Different Kind of Truth
- The Life and Times - No One Loves You Like I Do
- Petar Dundov - Ideas From The Pond
- Alex Gopher & Xavier Jamaux - Motorway (Soundtrack)
- Brad - United We Stand
2011
- All Hail The Crown - All Hail The Crown
- Fu Manchu - Start The Machine
- Cliff Martinez - Contagion (Soundtrack)
- Bicentennital Bear - Lost Summers
- Beastie Boys - Hot Sauce Committee (Pt. 2)
2010
- Tron: Legacy (Soundtrack)
- Sleigh Bells - Treats
- Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross - The Social Network (Sountrack)
- Satchel - Heartache and Honey
- Brad - Best Friends?
2009
- Wilco - Wilco (The Album)
- Manic Street Preachers - Journal for Plague Lovers
- Passion Pit - Manners
- The Life and Times - Tragic Boogie
- Elbow - The Seldom Seen Kid
2008
- The Gutter Twins - Saturnalia
- Motley Crue - Saints of Los Angeles
- Death Cab For Cutie - Narrow Stairs
- Nine Inch Nails - Ghosts I-IV
- Paul Haslinger - Death Race (Soundtrack)
2007
- Pride Tiger - The Lucky Ones
- Manic Street Preachers - Send Away The Tigers
- Dinosaur Jr. - Beyond
- Bloc Party - A Weekend In The City
- Fu Manchu - We Must Obey
2006
- The Tragically Hip - World Container
- Prince - 3121
- The Twilight Singers - Powder Burns
- J Dilla - Donuts
- Muse - Black Holes and Revelations
2005
- Greg Dulli - Amber Headlights
- The Twilight Singers - Powder Burns
- Bloc Party - Silent Alarm
- Spoon - Gimme Fiction
- Brad vs Satchel - Brad vs Satchel
2004
- The Tragically Hip - In Between Evolution
- Annie - Anniemal
- Wilco - A Ghost Is Born
- Jon Chinn - I Can't Believe You Live Like That
- The Good Life - Album Of The Year
2003
- The Twilight Singers - Blackberry Belle
- Gord Downie - Battle of the Nudes
- Muse - Absolution
- The Darkness - Permission To Land
- Cursive - The Ugly Organ
2002
- The Good Life - Black Out
- Interpol - Turn on the Bright Lights
- Spoon - Kill The Moonlight
- My Vitriol - Finelines
- Mirand Sound - Engaged In Labor
2001
- Wilco - Yankee Hotel Foxtrot
- National Skyline - This = Everything
- Elbow - Asleep In The Back
- Muse - Origin of Symmetry
- Hey Mercedes - Everynight Fire Works
2000
- The Twilight Singers - Twilight as Played by The Twilight Singers
- Primal Scream - XTRMNTR
- Radiohead - Kid A
- Gluecifer - Tender Is The Savage
- Tsar - Tsar
1999
- Wilco - Summerteeth
- Shawn Smith - Let It All Begin
- Pretty Mighty Mighty - Famous Past Lives
- The Hellacopters - Grande Rock
- The Shelia Divine - New Parade
1998
- The Tragically Hip - Phantom Power
- The Afghan Whigs - 1965
- Massive Attack - Mezzanine
- Pulp - This Is Hardcore
- Rocket from the Crypt - RFTC
1997
- Catherine Wheel - Adam and Eve
- Brad - Interiors
- Travis - Good Feeling
- Roni Size / Reprazent - New Forms
- Depeche Mode - Ultra
1996
- The Tragically Hip - Trouble At The Henhouse
- The Afghan Whigs - Black Love
- Failure - Fantastic Planet
- Wilco - Being There
- Manic Street Preachers - Everything Must Go
1995
- PJ Harvey - To Bring You My Love
- Hum - You'd Prefer An Astronaut
- Pulp - Different Class
- Son Volt - Trace
- Ruby - Salt Peter
1994
- The Tragically Hip - Day For Night
- Manic Street Preachers - The Holy Bible
- Satched - EDC
- Pearl Jam - Vitalogy
- Beastie Boys - Ill Communication
1993
- The Afghan Whigs - Gentlemen
- Catherine Wheel - Chrome
- Brad - Shame
- Uncle Tupelo - Anodyne
- Dinosaur Jr. - Where You Been
1992
- The Tragically Hip - Fully Completely
- The Afghan Whigs - Congregation
- Helmet - Meantime
- Rage Against the Machine - Rage Against the Machine
- Manic Street Preachers - Generation Terrorists
1991
- The Tragically Hip - Road Apples
- A Tribe Called Quest - The Low End Theory
- Public Enemy - Apocalypse 91...The Enemy Strikes Black
- Uncle Tupelo - Still Feel Gone
- U2 - Achtung Baby
1990
- Mother Love Bone - Apple
- Uncle Tupelo - No Depression
- Depeche Mode - Violator
- Ice Cube - Amerkikkka's Most Wanted
- Public Enemy - Fear of a Black Planet
1989
- The Cult - Sonic Temple
- The Replacements - Don't Tell a Soul
- Beastie Boys - Paul's Boutique
- Pixies - Doolittle
- The Cure - Disintegration
1988
- N.W.A. - Straight Outta Compton
- Pixies - Surfer Rosa
- Public Enemy - It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back
- Jane's Addiction - Nothing's Shocking
- Van Halen - OU812
1987
- The Replacements - Pleased to Meet Me
- Prince - Sign O' The Times
- The Cure - Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me
- Depeche Mode - Music For The Masses
- The Cult - Electric
1986
- Metallica - Master of Puppets
- Depeche Mode - Black Celebration
- Cinderella - Night Songs
- Run-D.M.C. - Raising Hell
- Beastie Boys- Licensed To Ill
1985
- The Replacements - Tim
- The Jesus and Mary Chain - Psychocandy
- The Cult - Love
- Phil Collins - No Jacket Required
- Kate Bush - Hounds of Love
1984
- Van Halen - 1984
- Prince and the Revolution - Purple Rain
- Ratt - Ratt
- Dio - The Last In Line
- Depeche Mode - Some Great Reward
1983
- Motley Crue - Shout At The Devil
- Def Leppard - Pyromania
- Genesis - Genesis
- Duran Duran - Seven And The Ragged Tiger
- Elvis Costello & The Attractions - Punch The Clock
1982
- Billy Joel - The Nylon Curtain
- James Horner - Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (Soundtrack)
- Prince - 1999
- Duran Duran - Rio
- Iron Maiden - The Number of the Beast
1981
- Billy Joel - Songs in the Attic
- Van Halen - Fair Warning
- The Sound - From The Lion's Mouth
- Rush - Moving Pictures
- John Carpenter - Escape From New York (Soundtrack)
1980
- Billy Joel - Glass Houses
- Zapp - Zapp
- Van Halen - Women And Children First
- The Vapors - New Clear Days
- Elvis Costello And The Attractions - Get Happy!!
1979
- Thin Lizzy - Black Rose: A Rock Legend
- 20/20 - 20/20
- Elvis Costello & The Attractions - Armed Forces
- Gang of Four - Entertainment!
- Neil Young - Rust Never Sleeps
1978
- Elvis Costello - This Year's Model
- Funkadelic - One Nation Under A Groove
- Big Star - Third/Sister Lovers
- Brian Eno - Ambient 1: Music for Airports
- AC/DC - Powerage
1977
- Billy Joel - The Stranger
- Booty's Rubber Band - Ahh...The Name Is Bootsy, Baby!
- Richard Hell & The Voidoids - Blank Generation
- Cheap Trick - In Color
- Television - Marquee Moon
1976
- Billy Joel - Turnstiles
- Steve Wonder - Songs In The Key Of Life
- Ramones - Ramones
- Marvin Gaye - I Want You
- Agustus Pablo - King Tubbys Meets Rockers Uptown
1975
- Led Zeppelin - Physical Graffiti
- Parliament - Mothership Connection
- Neil Young - Zuma
- Neil Young - Tonight's The Night
- David Bowie - Young Americans
1974
- Billy Joel - Streetlife Serenade
- Big Star - Radio City
- David Bowie - Diamond Dogs
- KISS - KISS
- Queen - Sheer Heart Attack
1973
- Marvin Gaye - Let's Get It On
- Iggy And The Stooges - Raw Power
- Led Zeppelin - Houses of the Holy
- Tower of Power - Tower of Power
- ZZ Top - Tres Hombres
1972
- The Rolling Stones - Exile on Main Street
- Neil Young - Harvest
- Big Star - #1 Record
- Ernie Hines- Electrified
- David Bowie - The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars
1971
- Marvin Gaye - What's Going On
- Led Zeppelin - IV
- The Rolling Stones - Sticky Fingers
- Baby Huey - The Baby Huey Story: The Living Legend
- Serge Gainsbourg - Historie De Melody Nelson
1970
- Charles Wright & The Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band - Express Yourself
- MC5 - Back In The USA
- Neil Young - After The Gold Rush
- Led Zeppelin - III
- The Meters - Look-Ka Py Py
- The Rolling Stones - Let It Bleed
- Led Zeppelin - II
- Neil Young with Crazy Horse - Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere
- The MCS - Kick Out The Jams
- Isaac Hayes - Hot Buttered Soul
1968
- John Cash - At Folsom Prison
- The Rolling Stones - Beggars Banquet
- Nancy & Lee - Nancy & Lee
- The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Electric Ladyland
- Aretha Franklin - Lady Soul
1967
- The Beatles - Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
- The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Are You Experienced?
- The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Axis: Bold As Love
- The Doors - The Doors
- Frank Albert Sinatra & Antonio Carlos Jobim - Frank Sinatra & Antonio Carlos Jobim
1966
- The Beach Boys - Pet Sounds
- The Beatles - Revolver
- The Beatles - Yesterday And Today
- Frank Sinatra - Strangers In The Night
- Mulatu Astatke & His Ethiopian Quintet - Afro-Latin Soul
1965
- The Beatles - Rubber Soul
- The Beatles - Help!
- John Coltrane - A Love Supreme
- The Rolling Stones - Out of Our Heads
1964
- The Beatles - For Sale
- The Beatles - A Hard Day's Night
- The Supremes - Where Did Our Love Go
- Xavier Cugat - Plays The Music Of Ernesto Lecuona
1963
- The Beatles - Please Please Me
- Dean Martin - This Is Dean Martin!
- James Brown - Live At The Apollo
- Stan Getz / Joao Gilberto - Getz / Gilberto
- Duke Ellington And His Orchestra - Afro-Bossa
1962
- Wyton Kelly - Whisper Not
- Stan Getz/Charlie Byrd - Jazz Samba
- Charles Mingus - Oh Yeah
- The Chiffons - The Chiffons
- Ray Charles - Modern Sounds In Country And Western Music
1961
- Leonard Bernstein - West Side Story (Soundtrack)
- Max Roach - We Insist! Max Roach's Freedom Now Suite
1960
- Etta James - At Last!
1959
- Dave Brubeck - Time Out
- Miles Davis - Kind Of Blue
- Ray Charles - What'd I Say
1958
- Sabu And His Percussion Ensemble - Sorcery!
1957
- Joe Turner - Rock & Roll
- Miles Davis - Miles Ahead
- Thelonious Monk - Brilliant Corners
1956
- Frank Sinatra - Songs For Swingin' Lovers
- Sonny Rollins - Plus 4
1955
- Frank Sinatra - In The Wee Small Hours