Best album of every year since....

Pre-58 Elvis Presley Elvis 56
(This is a 90s compilation of Elvis’ music from 1956, excellent listen and perhaps the one CD for someone curious about his music.)
1959 Miles Davis Kind of Blue*
1961 John Coltrane Ole Coltrane
1963 Charles Mingus The Black Saint & The Sinner Lady
1964 John Coltrane A Love Supreme
1965 Bob Dylan Highway 61 Revisited
1966 13th Floor Elevators Psychedelic Sounds
1967 Pink Floyd Piper at the Gates of Dawn
1968 Jimi Hendrix Electric Ladyland
1969 Miles Davis Bitches Brew
1970 The Stooges Funhouse
1971 Funkadelic Maggot Brain
1972 Rolling Stones Exile on Main St.
1973 The Stooges Raw Power
1974 James Brown Hell
1975 Neil Young Zuma
1976 The Ramones The Ramones
1977 Television Marquee Moon
1978 Pere Ubu Datapanik In the Year Zero
1979 Gang of Four Entertainment
1980 Joy Division Closer
1981 Wipers Youth of America
1982 Brian Eno Ambient 4: On Land
1983 Iron Maiden Piece of Mind
1984 Minutemen, The Double Nickels on the Dime
1985 Husker Du Flip Your Wig
1986 Sonic Youth Evol
1987 Big Black Songs About Fxcking
1988 Sonic Youth Daydream Nation
1989 The Pixies Doolittle
1990 Fugazi Repeater
1991 Slint Spiderland
1992 Jesus Lizard Liar
1993 Uncle Tupelo Anodyne
1994 Shellac At Action Park
1995 Swans The Great Annilator
1996 Tortoise Millions Now Living Will Never Die
1997 ???
1998 Plastikman Consumed
1999 ???
2000 Third Eye Foundation Lost Little Soul
2001 Fugazi The Argument
2002 ???
2003 ???

Notes: This list was compiled going through my music and deciding what was a favorite per year. In cases where multiple favorites ended up in the same year, I generally went with the one I listened to the most. Other than the Elvis compilation, I steered clear from compilations. This took a bit of thinking and I don’t think I could complete one for just songs, I like too much instrumental music.

Very good years with multiple favorite records of mine are as follows: 1959, 1968-71, 1977-80, 1984, 1994, & 1996.

1983, 1990, 1995, 1997, 1999 & 2002 are tough to fill.

(I probably should pick a Pole CD as I listened to 1, 2 & 3 for hours and hours at work while typing into the box, but how does one really tell them apart? The second one has more basslines and the third is a bit more drifty…I don’t know, it is all vague. I've also listened to a Monolake for hours on end, but I can't pick one.)

*There was quite a few great jazz albums released in 1959 – I went with “Kind of Blue” as I have listened to it the most, but check this list: Shape of Jazz to Come/Change of the Century – Ornette Coleman, Blues & Roots/Mingus Ah Um – Mingus, Sketches of Spain – Miles, At the Jazz Corner of the World/Art Blakey & Giant Steps – Coltrane.

great list. i'd be interested to know your runners-up for the 'good years' you mention.

This thread is old, but I'm new, so . . .

Pre-1963 -- Two Steps From the Blues -- Bobby Bland
1963 -- Live From the Apollo -- James Brown
1964 -- Meet the Beatles -- The Beatles
1965 -- Highway 61 Revisited -- Dylan
1966 -- Big Hits -- Rolling Stones
1967 -- Velvet Underground and Nico
1968 -- Music From Big Pink -- The Band
1969 -- The Velvet Underground
1970 -- Greatest Hits -- Sly and the Family Stone
1971 -- Meaty, Beaty, Big, and Bouncy -- The Who
1972 -- The Harder They Come
1973 -- Call Me -- Al Green
1974 -- New York Dolls in Too Much Too Soon
1975 -- Blood on the Tracks -- Bob Dylan
1976 -- Have Moicy! -- Unholy Modal Rounders/Michael Hurley/Jeffrey Fredericks and the Clamtones
1977 -- The Clash
1978 -- This Year's Model -- Elvis Costello
1979 -- Singles Going Steady -- Buzzcocks
1980 -- London Calling -- The Clash
1981 -- I Love Rock and Roll/Bad Reputation -- Joan Jett
1982 -- 1999 - Prince/Marshall Crenshaw
1983 -- Metal Circus -- Husker Du (best I can come up with, ugh)
1984 -- Let it Be -- Replacements
1985 -- Fear and Whiskey -- Mekons
1986 -- The Indestructabile beat of Soweto
1987 -- Sign O the Times -- Prince
1988 -- Nation of Millions -- Public Enemy
1989 -- 3 Feet High and Rising -- De La Soul (surprising myself with this)
1990 -- The Immaculate Collection -- Madonna
1991 - Guitar Paradise of East Africa
1992 -- Slanted and Enchanted -- Pavement
1993 -- In Utero -- Nirvana
1994 -- There's Nothing Wrong With Love -- Built to Spill/My Life -- Iris Dement/Illmatic - Nas (I'm torn)
1995 -- Maxinquaye -- Tricky
1996 -- The Score -- The Fugees
1997 -- Dig me Out - Sleater-Kinney
1998 -- Mermaid Avenue -- billy Bragg and Wilco
1999 -- The Slim Shady LP -- Eminem
2000 -- Stories From the City, Stories From the Sea -- PJ Harvey/Stankonia -- Outkast (tie)
2001 -- White Blood Cells -- White Stripes
2002 -- One Beat -- Sleater-Kinney
2003 -- hasn't come out yet, I hope, but Best of the Classic Years -- King Sunny Ade is the only thing that's knocked me out so far.

1981-1983 and 1989 are the toughest years to fill

Hey! What is wrong with 1981-83.

I would say that 1981-84 was the best period for music ever

Yep, cuz that's when your favorite genre burst on to the scene: HipHop!

The funny thing was, I actually liked hip-hop (or "electro" as it was usually called) back then. It wasn't until "Walk This Way" and "(You Gotta) Fight For Your Right (To Party)" that I really started hating hip-hop.

Well, I can't argue with hating those two songs. Luckily, I was able to get past them.

you tell him, hip hoops.

this thread's old, i'm an ILM old-timer but what the fuck ... there are gonna be egregious exclusions but it's the nature of the beast innit? from the year of my birth:

1970 -- Bryter Layter -- Nick Drake
1971 -- Paranoid -- Black Sabbath
1972 -- Exile on Main Street -- the Rolling Stones
1973 -- Ship Ahoy -- the O'Jays
1974 -- Taking Tiger Mountain (by Strategy) -- Brian Eno
1975 -- Katy Lied -- Steely Dan
1976 -- The Ramones -- The Ramones
1977 -- Low/David Bowie
1978 -- Die Mensch Maschine -- Kraftwerk
1979 -- TIE: Sheik Yerbouti -- Frank Zappa; and The Pleasure Principle -- Gary Numan
1980 -- Remain in Light -- Talking Heads
1981 -- Dare -- Human League
1982 -- 1999 -- Prince and the Revolution
1983 -- Punch the Clock -- Elvis Costello and the Attractions
1984 -- Ocean Rain -- Echo and the Bunnymen
1985 -- Tim -- the Replacements
1986 -- The Queen Is Dead -- The Smiths
1987 -- Appetite for Destruction -- Guns 'n' Roses
1988 -- TIE: Daydream Nation -- Sonic Youth; and Straight Outta Compton -- NWA
1989 -- Pretty Hate Machine -- Nine Inch Nails
1990 -- Fear of a Black Planet -- Public Enemy
1991 -- Loveless -- My Bloody Valentine
1992 -- TIE: The Chronic -- Dr. Dre/Orbital 2 -- Orbital
1993 -- Souvlaki -- Slowdive
1994 -- TIE: Gideon Gaye -- High Llamas/Ready to Die -- The Notorious B.I.G.
1995 -- The Bends -- Radiohead
1996 -- Emperor Tomato Ketchup -- Stereolab
1997 -- Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space - Spiritualized
1998 -- TIE: The 3 E.P.s -- The Beta Band/The Boy with the Arab Strap -- Belle and Sebastian
1999 -- The Soft Bulletin -- Flaming Lips
2000 -- Stankonia -- Outkast
2001 -- The Blueprint -- Jay-Z
2002 -- Light and Magic -- Ladytron
2003 -- undecided till year's end

(n.b.: my list shows that while i like my share of geir-esque honky music, i'm also much "blacker" than geir. see you can like melody and, um, "negro music" and not die mr hongro!)

Canonic as fuck - my increase in interest in music outside the obvious classic/alt-rock stuff was quickly followed by a drastic drop in both disposable income and available listening time, so I unfortunately don't foresee these choices changing anytime soon. They all sound *fantastic* though - but they just don't tell the whole story.

pre-1965: Howlin' Wolf - Howlin' Wolf
1965: The Yardbirds - Having a Raveup with the Yardbirds
1966: Bob Dylan - Blonde on Blonde
1967: Velvet Underground - The Velvet Underground and Nico
1968: The Beatles - white album
1969: The Band - The Band
1970: Creedence Clearwater Revival - Cosmo's Factory
1971: Black Sabbath - Paranoid
1972: Rolling Stones - Exile on Main Street
1973: Stevie Wonder - Innervisions
1974: Bryan Ferry - These Foolish Things
1975: Bob Dylan & The Band - The Basement Tapes
1976: Blue Oyster Cult - Agents of Fortune
1977: The Ramones - Rocket to Russia
1978: The Clash - Give 'em Enough Rope
1979: The Clash - The Clash (US version)
1980: The Clash - London Calling
1981: Billy Squier - Don't Say No
1982: Michael Jackson - Thriller
1983: R.E.M. - Murmur
1984: Bruce Springsteen - Born in the U.S.A.
1985: The Fall - This Nation's Saving Grace/Tom Waits - Rain Dogs
1986: Les Rita Mitsouko - Presentent the no comprendo
1987: Guns 'n Roses - Appetite for Destruction
1988: The Waterboys - Fisherman's Blues
1989: Beastie Boys - Paul's Boutique
1990: Neil Young & Crazy Horse - Ragged Glory/Public Enemy - Fear of a Black Planet
1991: De La Soul - De La Soul Is Dead
1992: R.E.M. - Automatic for the People
1993: Jimmie Dale Gilmore - Spinning Around the Sun
1994: Beck - Mellow Gold
1995: Pulp - Different Class
1996: DJ Shadow - Endtroducing
1997: Primal Scream - Vanishing Point/Notorious B.I.G. - Life After Death
1998: Billy Bragg & Wilco - Mermaid Avenue
1999: Magnetic Fields - 69 Love Songs
2000: Neko Case & Her Boyfriends - Furnace Room Lullaby
2001: Jay-Z - The Blueprint
2002: Northern State - Hip Hop You Haven't Heard (EP)

two things that definitely changed on mine. 1)I'm totally happy with Exile On Main Street being the best album of '72. 2)Kid A and Chocolate Starfish by Limp Bizkit are duking it out for best album of 2000 that I can think of. Whoever wins will be my new 3rd place Album I'm Least Satisfied With Being The Best Of That Year.

can I just say that I LOVE Andy K's singles choices? mostly because I don't know near enough of them--burn me a comp or two, Andy!

n00b aksuhn plz

god i barely recognize my list now

I think my list is kinda dope! and did you see how I called out blount up there? haha what an asshole I was!

"was"

Haikunym, yr list was way dope. I'm a big fan!

Brothers in Threadgill love (tho you picked a different alb)!

Great thread. I am still choosing my 40 favourite records of my first 40 years. Here is the overview with the links to my reviews. I am at #13 right now. Approximate updating speed is 7-10 days per year. My selections up to now:

1963 Getz/Gilberto
1967 The Velvet Underground & Nico
1970 After the Goldrush
1971 Blue
1972 Roxy Music
1976 Sun Bear Concerts
1980 Seventeen Seconds
1984 Rattlesnakes
1988 Miss America
1991 Gish
1994 41
1999 This Is a Pinback CD
2001 Amnesiac

33 favourite records of my first 33 years.

71 Sly & the Family Stone – There’s a Riot Going on
72 Roxy Music – Roxy Music
73 Marvin Gaye – Let’s Get it on
74 Gram Parsons – Grievous Angel
75 Neil Young – Tonight’s the Night
76 Augustus Pablo – King Tubby Meets Rockers Uptown
77 Kraftwerk – Trans-Europe Express
78 Kraftwerk – The Man-Machine
79 Michael Jackson – Off the Wall
80 David Bowie – Scary Monsters
81 Kraftwerk – Computer World
82 Scritti Politti – Songs to Remember
83 no idea, recommend me something!
84 Prince & the Revolution – Purple Rain
85 The Jesus & Mary Chain – Psychocandy
86 Run DMC – Raising Hell
87 Boogie Down Productions – Criminal Minded
88 Public Enemy – It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back
89 De La Soul – 3 Feet High & Rising
90 Public Enemy – Fear of a Black Planet
91 Nirvana – Nevermind
92 Sugar – Copper Blue
93 Digable Planets – Reachin’ (a New Refutation of Time and Space)
94 Oasis – Definitely Maybe
95 Goldie – Timeless
96 Orbital – In Sides
97 Radiohead – OK Computer
98 Extince – Binnenlandse Funk
99 Basement Jaxx – Remedy
00 Eminem – The Marshall Mathers LP
01 N*E*R*D – In Search of...
02 The Streets – Original Pirate Material
03 Dizzee Rascal – Boy in da Corner
04 Kanye West – The College Dropout

A revised version

1977 Giorgio Moroder, From here to eternity
1978 The Only Ones, The Only Ones
1979 Talking Heads, Fear Of Music
1980 Prince, Dirty mind
1981 Human League, Dare
1982 ABC, The lexicon of love
1983 REM, Murmur
1984 The Smiths, Hatful of hollow
1985 The Cure, The Head On The Door
1986 Paul Simon, Gracelands
1987 Sonic Youth, Sister
1988 AR Kane, 69
1989 New Order, Technique
1990 Ice Cube, Amerikkka's most wanted
1991 Nirvana, Nevermind
1992 Pavement, Slanted and enchanted
1993 Nirvana, In utero
1994 Notorious BIG, Ready to die
1995 Fatboy Slim, Better living through chemistry
1996 Tortoise, Millions now living will never die
1997 Pavement, Brighten The Corners
1998 Mercury Rev, Deserters songs
1999 Wilco, Summerteeth
2000 Radiohead, Kid A/Eminem, The Marshall Mathers Album
2001 Daft Punk, Discovery/Pulp, We Love Life
2002 Sonic Youth, Murray Street
2003 Dizzee Rascal, Boy In Da Corner
2004 Junior Boys, Last Exit
2005 so far LCD Soundsystem

Matos Websters - I notice that a couple of your number ones (the Avalanches and 1999 stand out for me)are albums you decline to award 5 stars in the latest RS guide. Were you over-ruled by the editors, were you applying different criteria for the guide, or were those years just not strong enough to justify a 5 star album? (I would have given 5 to 1999 myself - also to Seasick by Imperial Teen, but, hey).

I'm genuinely interested in how the process for books like that work.

My own list has been somewhat revised too, and currently looks like this:

Pre-1963: Frank Sinatra: Sings For Only The Lonely
1963: The Beatles: Please Please Me
1964: The Beatles: A Hard Day's Night
1965: The Beatles: Rubber Soul
1966: Beach Boys: Pet Sounds
1967: The Beatles: Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Heart's Club Band
1968: The Zombies: Odessey & Oracle
1969: Moody Blues: On The Threshold Of a Dream
1970: Beach Boys: Sunflower
1971: Beach Boys: Surf's Up
1972: Genesis: Foxtrot
1973: Genesis: Selling England By The Pound
1974: Genesis: The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway
1975: 10cc: The Original Soundtrack
1976: Genesis: A Trick Of The Tail
1977: ELO: Out Of The Blue
1978: The Jam: All Mod Cons
1979: Squeeze: Cool For Cats
1980: Japan: Gentlemen Take Polaroids
1981: Japan: Tin Drum
1982: Duran Duran: Rio
1983: Depeche Mode: Construction Time Again
1984: Depeche Mode: Some Great Reward
1985: Scritti Politti: Cupid & Psyche '85
1986: XTC: Skylarking
1987: The Dukes Of Stratosphear: Psonic Sunspot
1988: Crowded House: Temple Of Low Men
1989: XTC: Oranges And Lemons
1990: Jellyfish: Bellybutton
1991: Crowded House: Woodface
1992: XTC: Nonsuch
1993: Crowded House: Together Alone
1994: Dodgy: Homegrown
1995: The Merrymakers: No Sleep Till Famous
1996: Dodgy: Free Peace Sweet
1997: Radiohead: OK Computer
1998: Cotton Mather: Kontiki
1999: Travis: The Man Who
2000: Coldplay: Parachutes
2001: Travis: The Invisible Band
2002: The Flaming Lips: Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots
2003: Super Furry Animals: Phantom Power
2004: Brian Wilson: SMiLE
2005 so far: The Margarets: Love Will Haunt You Down

My list has changed a little bit. And I'm gonna do Matos' starting-year-of-birth thing this time 'round.

1979: Neil Young & Crazy Horse, Rust Never Sleeps
1980: Feelies, Crazy Rhythms
1981: Kix, Kix
1982: Fall, Hex Enduction Hour
1983: REM, Murmur
1984: Replacements, Let It Be
1985: Replacements, Tim
1986: Smiths, The Queen Is Dead
1987: Bats, Daddy's Highway
1988: Half Japanese, Charmed Life
1989: B-52's, Cosmic Thing
1990: Flaming Lips, In A Priest Driven Ambulance
1991: Matthew Sweet, Girlfriend
1992: Morrissey, Your Arsenal
1993: Urge Overkill, Saturation
1994: Weezer, Weezer
1995: Yo La Tengo, Electr-O-Pura
1996: Weezer, Pinkerton
1997: Sleater-Kinney, Dig Me Out
1998: Cat Power, Moon Pix
1999: LeTigre, LeTigre
2000: White Stripes, DeStijl
2001: Fugazi, The Argument
2002: Desaparecidos, Read Music/Speak Spanish
2003: Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Fever To Tell
2004: Nellie McKay, Get Away From Me

Quite a few years I would not be averse to finding a superior album from.

Years where a comp really takes the nod but that always feels like cheatin': 1998 (Bikini Kill's The Singles), 1995 (Al Green's Greatest Hits - goes through Belle now), 1993 (Prince's The Hits 2), 1991 (Pet Shop Boys' Discography), 1990 (Johnny Cash's The Sun Years), 1989 (The Complete Minor Threat), 1987 (Madonna's You Cand Dance), 1986 (Cure's Standing On A Beach: The Singles) and 1981 (The Original Modern Lovers)

My list, starting with the year I was conceived:

1973: Steely Dan, Countdown to Ecstasy
1974: Stevie Wonder, Innervisions
1975: Roxy Music, Siren
1976: David Bowie, Station To Station
1977: Fleetwood Mac, Rumours
1978: Talking Heads, More Songs About Buildings & Food
1979: Neil Young, Rust Never Sleeps
1980: Public Image Ltd, Second Edition
1981: Psychedelic Furs, Talk Talk Talk
1982: Michael Jackson, Thriller
1983: REM, Murmur
1984: Replacements, Let It Be
1985: Mekons, Fear & Whiskey
1986: Pet Shop Boys, Please
1987: Prince, Sign 'O' The Times
1988: Go-Betweens, 16 Lovers Lane
1989: New Order, Technique
1990: Public Enemy, Fear of a Black Planet
1991: Tribe Called Qwest, The Low-End Theory
1992: Sugar, Copper Blue
1993: U2, Zooropa
1994: Hole, Live Through This
1995: Pavement, Wowee Zowee
1996: DJ Shadow, Endtroducing...
1997: Sleater Kinney, Dig Me Out
1998: Outkast, Aquemini
1999: Magnetic Fields, 69 Love Songs
2000: PJ Harvey, Stories From The City, Stories From the Sea
2001: Bob Dylan, Love & Theft
2002: Kylie Minogue, Fever
2003: The Wrens, Meadowlands
2004: Sonic Youth, Sonic Nurse

incomplete.

1966--Everly Brothers "Two Yanks in England"
1967--"Moby Grape"
1968--"Notorious Byrd Brothers"
1969--"Dusty in Memphis"
1970--Randy Newman "12 Songs"
1971--Sly and the Family Stone "There's a Riot Goin' On"
1972--"Manfred Mann's Earth Band"
1973--Steely Dan "Countdown to Ecstasy"
1974--Gram Parsons "Grievous Angel"
1975--Dylan/Band "Basement Tapes"
1976--"Dr. Buzzard's Original Savannah Band"
1977--Beach Boys "Love You"
1978--Big Star "Third"
1979--Chic "Risque"
1980--Chic "Real People"
1981--dB's "Stands for Decibels"
1982--George Clinton "Computer Games"
1983--Marshall Crenshaw "Field Day"
1984--Linton Kwesi Johnson "Making History"
1985--Mekons "Fear and Whiskey"
1986--Astor Piazzolla "Tango: Zero Hour"
1987--Prince "Sign 'O' the Times"
1988--Tom T. Hall "Essential Tom T. Hall"
1989--Mekons "Rock 'n' Roll"
1990--Tom Zé "Brazil Classics 4"
1991--James Brown "Star People"
1992--Eric B. and Rakim "Don't Sweat the Technique"
1993--Liliput "Liliput"
1994--Pavement "Crooked Rain"
1995--Ornette Coleman "Tone Dialing"
1996--DJ Shadow "Endtroducing....."
1997--"Anthology of American Folk Music"
1998--Alvin Youngblood Hart "Territory"
1999--"Tropicalia Essentials"

66- beach boys- pet sounds
67- love- forever changes
68- impossible to choose but, rolling stones- beggar banquet
69- the band- the band
70- the stooges- funhouse
71- marvin gaye- whats goin on
72- david bowie- ziggy stardust
73- stevie wonder- innervisions
74- neil young- on the beach
75- brian eno- another green world
76- stevie wonder- songs in the key of life
77- television- marquee moon
78- talking heads- more songs about buildings and food
79- the clash- london calling
80- x- los angeles
81- this heat- deceit
82- x- under the big black sun
83- david bowie- lets dance
84- prince- purple rain
85- the fall- this nation's saving grace
86- coil- horse rotorvator
87- prince- sign of the times
88- my bloody valentine- isnt anything
89- the cure- disintegration
90- the flaming lips- in a priest driven ambulance
91- my bloody valentine- loveless
92- uncle tupelo- march 16-20, 1992
93- james- laid
94- disco inferno- d.i. go pop
95- pulp- different class
96- impossible but, underworld- second toughest in the infants
97- autechre- chiastic slide
98- belle and sebastian- the boy with the arab strap
99- i really cant choose, too many great albums
00- antony and the johnsons- s/t
01- daft punk- discovery
02- walkmen- everyone who pretended to like me is gone
03- bonnie prince billy- master and everyone
04- comets on fire- blue cathedral
05- sleater kinney- the woods

It is official:
Edd S. Hurt has better taste
than anyone else

but i was thinking:
edd s. hurt is actually
robert christgau

(no negativity intended. that's a great list, mr. hurt!)

yeah, ed's list totally rules

Tone Dialing *was* a great great album.

Now I really need to revisit Don't Sweat the Technique...

1965 "Rubber Soul"--The Beatles
1966 "Revolver"--The Beatles
1967 "The Velvet Underground and Nico"
1968 "Astral Weeks"--Van Morrison
1969 "Let It Bleed"-- The Rolling Stones
1970 "Plastic Ono Band"--John Lennon
1971 "Who's Next"--The Who
1972 "Pink Moon"--Nick Drake
1973 "Stranded"--Roxy Music
1974 "Good Old Boys"--Randy Newman
1975 "Blood On the Tracks"--Bob Dylan
1976 "Desire"--Bob Dylan
1977 "My Aim Is True"--Elvis Costello
1978 "Some Girls"--The Rolling Stones
1979 "Rust Never Sleeps"--Neil Young and Crazy Horse
1980 "Get Happy!!"--Elvis Costello and the Attractions"
1981 "The Blasters"
1982 "Avalon"--Roxy Music
1983 "Murmur"--REM
1984 "Reckoning"--REM
1985 "Tim"--The Replacements
1986 "Candy Apple Gray"-Husker Dü
1987 "Sign 'o' the Times"--Prince
1988 "Irish Heartbeat"--Van Morrison and the Chieftains
1989 "Workbook"--Bob Mould
1990 "Fear of a Black Planet"--Public Enemy
1991 "Nevermind"--Nirvana
1992 "Automatic for the People"--REM
1993 "World Gone Wrong"--Bob Dylan
1994 "Bakesale"--Sebadoh
1995 "Foo Fighters"
1996 "Odelay"--Beck
1997 "Car Wheels On a Gravel Road"--Lucinda Williams
1998 "either/or"--Elliott Smith
1999 "Fuse"--Joe Henry
2000 "Come To Where I'm From"--Joseph Arthur
2001 "O Inverted World"--The Shins
2002 "When I Was Cruel"--Elvis Costello
2003 Chutes Too Narrow"--The Shins
2004 "Funeral"--The Arcade Fire"

With years determined from acclaimedmusic.net

1966: Blonde On Blonde--Bob Dylan
1967: Forever Changes--Love
1968: Beggars Banquet--Rolling Stones
1969: Let It Bleed--Rolling Stones
1970: Layla & Other Assorted Love Songs: Derek & Dominos
1971: Sticky Fingers--Rolling Stones
1972: Exile On Main Street--Rolling Stones
1973: Countdown To Ecstasy--Steely Dan
1974: Radio City--Big Star
1975: Blood On The Tracks--Bob Dylan
1976: Ramones--Ramones
1977: Marquee Moon--Television
1978: Darkness On The Edge Of Town--Bruce Springsteen
1979: London Calling--The Clash
1980: Remain In Light--Talking Heads
1981: Wild Gift--X
1982: Blue Mask--Lou Reed
1983: Murmur--REM
1984: Double Nickels On The Dime--Minutemen
1985: Rain Dogs--Tom Waits
1986: Liberty Belle & The Black Diamond Express--Go-Betweens
1987: Sign O' The Times--Prince
1988: Daydream Nation--Sonic Youth
1989: The Mekons Rock n' Roll--The Mekons
1990: No Depression--Uncle Tupelo
1991: Nevermind--Nirvana
1992: Slanted and Enchanted--Pavement
1993: Zooropa--U2
1994: Superunknown--Soundgarden
1995: Wowee Zowee--Pavement
1996: Being There--Wilco
1997: Perfect From Now On--Built To Spill (best year on list)
1998: Car Wheels On A Gravel Road--Lucinda Williams
1999: 69 Love Songs--Magnetic Fields
2000: Marshall Mathers LP--Eminem
2001: White Blood Cells--White Stripes
2002: Southern Rock Opera--Drive-By Truckers
2003: Meadowlands--The Wrens
2004: More Adventurous--Rilo Kiley
2005: ?

My Fair Lady

Hmmm, the italics are not my friend.
Anyway, my current criterion is "the album that feels like the least amount of work to sit through again."

64: My Fair Lady original soundtrack
65: Tom Lehrer-That Was the Year That Was!
66: Cecil Taylor-Unit Structures
67: The Velvet Underground and Nico
68: Miles Davis-Filles de Kilimanjaro
69: Tony Williams Lifetime-Emergency!
70: Merle Haggard-A Tribute to the Best Damn Fiddle Player in the World (or, My Salute to Bob Wills)
71: Led Zeppelin IV
72: Yes-Fragile
73: Led Zeppelin-Houses of the Holy
74: New York Dolls In Too Much Too Soon
75: (good year!) Sesame Street Cast-Bert & Ernie Singalong
76: Various-Have Moicy!
77: Billy Joel-The Stranger
78: Van Halen
79: Neil Young-Rust Never Sleeps
80: Change-The Glow of Love
81: a crude amalgam of select songs from Genesis's Abacab and Phil Collins's Face Value; that or Kix
82: Michael Jackson-Thriller
83: Weird Al Yankovic
84: Bruce Springsteen-Born In the USA
85: Tom Waits-Rain Dogs
86: Pat Metheny/Ornette Coleman-Song X
87: Guns 'n' Roses-Appetite for Destruction
88: EPMD-Strictly Business
89: King's X-Gretchen Goes to Nebraska
90: King's X-Faith, Hope, Love
91: (good year!)Amy Grant-Heart in Motion
92: Pavement-Slanted and Enchanted
93: Nirvana-In Utero
94: Garth Brooks-The Hits
95: Moby-Everything Is Wrong
96: Weezer-Pinkerton
97: Roni Size & Reprazent-New Forms
98: The Coup-Steal This Album
99: Various-Get Crunk!
00: Eminem-The Marshall Mathers LP
01: System of a Down-Toxicity
02: Paulina Rubio-Border Girl
03: David Banner-Mississippi Screwed and Chopped (haven't heard the other)
04: R. Kelly-Happy People/U Saved Me
05: And You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead-Worlds Apart

This is the propers list of great records from each year:

1960 - South Pacific - Original Sountracks
1961 - Jim Reeves - I Won't Forget Me
1962 - West Life Story - Original Soundtracks
1963 - Cliff Richard - Girls In My Arms
1964 - Gerry and Pacemakers - How Do You Like It Alone
1965 - Jack Jones - My Wife's A Loner
1966 - Petula Clark - Eight Miles High
1967 - Black and White Minstrel - Show
1968 - Marmalade - Higher Than Pie
1969 - Ventures - Hawaii Aloha
1970 - Blue Minks - Coloured Coffees
1971 - Mary Hopkins - Travelcard
1972 - Debbie Boon - You Light Of My Life
1973 - Jonathan Kings - Hooks On My Feelings
1974 - Olivia John Newton - Have You Never Been Yellow
1975 - Genesis - Lamb Lie Down The Hard Way
1976 - Stevie Wonder - Songs Lock My Key Is Life
1977 - Supertramp - Breakfasting Americans
1978 - Sad Cafes - Every Single Day
1979 - Fleetwoods Max - Humour
1980 - Ultravox - Vienna Nothing
1981 - Adamant - Prince Charley
1982 - Haircut Hundred - Favourite Sweets
1983 - Mental As Everything - Your Bed Is Burny
1984 - Wham - Fabulous Big Time Fun
1985 - Tear For Fear - We Close Your Eyes
1986 - Cutty Cru - Die In My Arm
1987 - Wang Chung - Everybody Rockin Rollen
1988 - Adventures - Sun Goes Down
1989 - Clouded House - There Are Pieces Of Eight
1990 - Prince - 1990
1991 - Genesis - Dance With Me Henry
1992 - Phil Collins - Sorry Wino Charity Songs
1993 - Osis - Be There How
1994 - Blair - Packlife
1995 - Tim Finn - Honorary Cummerbund
1996 - Jellyfishing - Live It Up (Yo Ho!)
1997 - Brian Wilson - SMILES
1998 - Paul McCarthy - My Great Fate
1999 - Georg Harrison - All Things Are Class
2000 - Coldplays - This Is It
2001 - Radiohead - Bendy Computers
2002 - Coldplays - You Light Of My Life
2003 - Green Pajamas - Startling On The Upswing
2004 - Wayne Fountain - Great New Car
2005 - Coldplays - Kiss Me On The Moon

Roughly double the length of my life. I like doing these things way too much.

66 - Beach Boys - Pet Sounds
67 - The Beatles - Sgt. Pepper's...
68 - Scott Walker - Scott 2
69 - The Beatles - Abbey Road
70 - Miles Davis - Bitches Brew
71 - Can - Tago Mago
72 - Can - Ege Bamyasi
73 - The Stooges - Raw Power
74 - Cluster - Zuckerzeit
75 - Brian Eno - Another Green World
76 - Tom Waits - Small Change
77 - Elvis Costello - My Aim Is True
78 - Elvis Costello - This Year's Model
79 - The Clash - London Calling
80 - Elvis Costello - Get Happy!!
81 - This Heat - Deceit
82 - 23 Skidoo - Seven Songs
83 - Tom Waits - Swordfishtrombones
84 - Minutemen - Double Nickels On The Dime
85 - :zoviet*france: - Gris
86 - The Smiths - The Queen Is Dead
87 - Big Black - Songs About Fucking
88 - Talk Talk - Spirit Of Eden
89 - The Pixies - Doolittle
90 - The Pixies - Bossanova
91 - Talk Talk - Laughing Stock
92 - Tom Waits - Bone Machine
93 - Nirvana - In Utero
94 - Nas - Illmatic
95 - Elliott Smith - Self Titled
96 - Brainiac - Hissing Prigs In Static Couture
97 - Bjork - Homogenic
98 - Boredoms - Super AE
99 - Bonnie "Prince" Billy - I See A Darkness
00 - Boredoms - Vision Creation Newsun
01 - Daft Punk - Discovery
02 - Keith Fullerton Whitman - Playthroughs
03 - Dizzee Rascal - Boy In Da Corner
04 - Wolf Eyes - Burned Mind
05 - Bob Drake - The Shunned Country (thus far at least)

rule 63: It's the 21st century! Malaprop teh fuxxors, out teh suxxors. Everythings old is news again! (But dont be teh rascists!!!)

I could've put "Chiastic Slide" on there, that Autechre stuff drives me nuts but I love that particular record. Or Gil and Veloso's "Tropicalia 2," which I play quite often, or Gil's 1968 self-titled, which ditto. Or Pete Rock and CL Smooth's "Mecca and Soul Brother," which old Xgau dissed, by the way, when it came out, whatever his turkey/dud/bomb/weird stars mean, I've given up trying to fathom what he's talkin' about any more. Anyway thanks for the compliments--I always feel like such a conservative kind of fellow around these parts...

yeah because conservative = "listens to and is knowledgable and passionate about more than one genre of music" ?

the scary thing is, I could sort of agree with Geir on the years up until '70 (except for that fucking "Sgt. Pepper's" bunch-o calliope-sitar crap), and even on "Cupid and Psyche" and a couple others later. But don't Sinatra swing too much for the man from Norway to countenance, maybe there were actual black people playing some of those charts? And I always thought Norway was where old jazz musicians went when they couldn't hack America's cop-shoot-junkie any more, or is that Sweden? Confused, must put on old copy of "Wind and Wuthering" and eat a turkey samwich.

Norway has the most important jazz musicians in history - EST, Jan Garbarek, Bugge Wesseltoft. They have been able to liberate jazz from its savage atonal coloured origins and introduce distincts Western European harmony and Nordic nationalisticism as well as purposed melodic content. Fact.

Since I first bought a record:

1982 - Scritti Politti- Songs To Remember
1983 - New Order- Power, Corruption & Lies
1984 - Lloyd Cole & The Commotions- Rattlesnakes
1985 - Dexy's Midnight Runners- Don't Stand Me Down
1986 - A-ha- Scoundrel Days
1987 - Prince- Sign 'O' The Times
1988 - The House Of Love- The House Of Love
1989 - Madonna- Like A Prayer
1990 - Prefab Sprout- Jordan: The Comeback
1991 - Primal Scream- Screamadelica
1992 - The Black Crowes- Southern Harmony & Musical Companion
1993 - Underworld- Dubnobasswithmyheadman
1994 - Jhelisa- Galactica Rush
1995 - Tricky- Maxinquaye
1996 - Belle & Sebastian- Tigermilk
1997 - Supergrass- In It For The Money
1998 - Air- Moon Safari
1999 - Scritti Politti- Anomie & Bonhomie
2000 - Saint Etienne- Sound Of Water
2001 - The Avalanches- Since I Left You
2002 - Wilco- Yankee Hotel Foxtrot
2003 - Super Furry Animals- Phantom Power
2004 - Kanye West- The College Dropout
2005 - Dunno

I am still going with my 40 faves from 1963-2002. I have done 31 by now. Currently choosing 2002:

1963 Getz/Gilberto
1966 Blonde on Blone
1967 The Velvet Underground & Nico
1968 White Album
1969 Five Leaves Left
1970 After the Goldrush
1971 Blue
1972 Roxy Music
1974 Drumming
1975 Another Green World
1976 Sun Bear Concerts
1979 Unknown Pleasures
1980 Seventeen Seconds
1981 Youth of America
1982 On Land
1983 Meat Puppets - II
1984 Rattlesnakes
1985 Easy Pieces
1988 Miss America
1989 Doolittle
1990 House of Love - "Butterfly"
1991 Gish
1993 Year after Year
1994 41
1995 Vivadixiesubmarinetransmissionplot
1996 Lay It Down
1997 Shleep
1998 Moon Pix
1999 This Is a Pinback CD
2000 Bachelor No. 2
2001 Amnesiac

sp: 1966 blonde on blonde

yes, Bugge Wesseltoft is severely underrated.

to answer the old question: I gave 1999 four and a half, and the Avs five stars; if they're lower in the book it's because the editors shaved the grades down (as is their right).

also, some additions:

ALBUMS
2003 Basement Jaxx, Kish Kash
2004 United State of Electronica
2005 [so far] The Hold Steady, Separation Sunday

SINGLES
2003 R. Kelly, "Ignition Remix"
2004 Brandy ft. Kanye West, "Talk About Our Love"
2005 [so far] Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings, "How Long Do I Have to Wait for You?"

In keeping with the start-the-year-you-were-born theme:

1956 "Round About Midnight"--Miles Davis
1957 "Thelonius Himself"--Thelonius Monk
1958 "Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers with Thelonius Monk"
1959 "Kind of Blue"--Miles Davis
1960 "My Favorite Things"--John Coltrane
1961 "Ray Charles and Betty Carter"
1962 "Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music"--Ray Charles
1963 "Live at the Apollo"--James Brown
1964 "You Really Got Me"--The Kinks
1965 "Rubber Soul"--The Beatles
1966 "Revolver"--The Beatles
1967 "The Velvet Underground and Nico"
1968 "Astral Weeks"--Van Morrison
1969 "Let It Bleed"-- The Rolling Stones
1970 "Plastic Ono Band"--John Lennon
1971 "Who's Next"--The Who
1972 "Pink Moon"--Nick Drake
1973 "Stranded"--Roxy Music
1974 "Good Old Boys"--Randy Newman
1975 "Blood On the Tracks"--Bob Dylan
1976 "Desire"--Bob Dylan
1977 "My Aim Is True"--Elvis Costello
1978 "Some Girls"--The Rolling Stones
1979 "Rust Never Sleeps"--Neil Young and Crazy Horse
1980 "Get Happy!!"--Elvis Costello and the Attractions
1981 "The Blasters"
1982 "Avalon"--Roxy Music
1983 "Murmur"--REM
1984 "Reckoning"--REM
1985 "Tim"--The Replacements
1986 "Candy Apple Grey"-Hüsker Dü
1987 "Sign 'o' the Times"--Prince
1988 "Irish Heartbeat"--Van Morrison and the Chieftains
1989 "Workbook"--Bob Mould
1990 "Fear of a Black Planet"--Public Enemy
1991 "Nevermind"--Nirvana
1992 "Automatic for the People"--REM
1993 "World Gone Wrong"--Bob Dylan
1994 "Bakesale"--Sebadoh
1995 "Foo Fighters"
1996 "Odelay"--Beck
1997 "Car Wheels On a Gravel Road"--Lucinda Williams
1998 "either/or"--Elliott Smith
1999 "Fuse"--Joe Henry
2000 "Come To Where I'm From"--Joseph Arthur
2001 "Oh, Inverted World"--The Shins
2002 "When I Was Cruel"--Elvis Costello
2003 Chutes Too Narrow"--The Shins
2004 "Funeral"--The Arcade Fire
2005 (so far) "Twin Cinema"--New Pornographers