Best album of every year since....

Where is Comstock Carabinieri band?

...well, you know, if only Geir stuck to that...

Is rhythm not as important as melody and harmony?
-- Nick Southall (Nick Southall), Monday, 3 March 2003 11:56 (5 years ago) Bookmark Link

http://www.scenicroutepaper.com/Site3/images/layoutImages/&%20So%20It%20Begins_mainpic.jpg

If I was forced to pare down my collection to one album per year (for the past 40-ish years), then here is what I'd pick, all totally off the top of my head, no forethought or list referencing, VOILA!:

1970: The Velvet Underground - Loaded
1971: David Bowie - Hunky Dory
1972: Neu! - Neu!
1973: Fripp and Eno - (No Pussyfooting)
1974: Cluster - Zuckerzeit
1975: Kraftwerk - Radio-Activity
1976: David Bowie - Station to Station
1977: Brian Eno - Before and After Science
1978: Siouxsie and the Banshees - The Scream
1979: Joy Division - Unknown Pleasures
1980: Young Marble Giants - Colossal Youth
1981: Echo and the Bunnymen - Heaven Up Here
1982: The Cure - Pornography
1983: The Chameleons - Script of the Bridge
1984: Talk Talk - It's My Life
1985: The Jesus and Mary Chain - Psychocandy
1986: Depeche Mode - Black Celebration
1987: Prince - Sign 'o' the Times
1988: Sonic Youth - Daydream Nation
1989: Spacemen 3 - Playing with Fire
1990: Cocteau Twins - Heaven or Las Vegas
1991: My Bloody Valentine - Loveless
1992: Tom Waits - Bone Machine
1993: The Afghan Whigs - Gentlemen
1994: Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds - Let Love In
1995: Slowdive - Pygmalion
1996: Swans - Soundtracks for the Blind
1997: Mogwai - Young Team
1998: Spiritualized - Royal Albert Hall October 10 1997
1999: Low - Secret Name
2000: Radiohead - Kid A
2001: Jay-Z - The Blueprint
2002: Boards of Canada - Geogaddi
2003: Four Tet - Rounds
2004: Madvillain - Madvillainy
2005: Daft Punk - Human After All
2006: Junior Boys - So This Is Goodbye
2007: PJ Harvey - White Chalk

And for this year... realistically speaking, this is unlikely to change:

2008: Portishead - Third

http://www.worldcat.org/profiles/ungard/lists/89248/bibliography?view=&export=HTML&se=added&sd=asc&style=MLA

From 1958 until I largely quit giving a fuck about "new" music. Had to look up the year for the earliest ones, the rest are from memory. Maybe 1/4 of these are 'permanent' number-one-favourites, at least for the time being.

1958 Bo Diddley
1959 John Cage, Indeterminacy
1960 John Coltrane, Giant Steps
1961 Charles Mingus Presents Charles Mingus
1962 Ian and Sylvia
1963 The Beatles, Please Please Me
1964 Eric Dolphy, Out To Lunch
1965 Bob Dylan, Highway 61 Revisited
1966 Beatles, Revolver
1967 Love, Forever Changes
1968 Rolling Stones, Beggar's Banquet
1969 Captain Beefheart, Trout Mask Replica
1970 Sir Lord Baltimore, Kingdom Come
1971 Hampton Grease Band, Music To Eat
1972 Funkadelic, America Eats Its Young
1973 Hawkwind, Space Ritual
1974 New York Dolls in Too Much Too Soon
1975 Led Zeppelin, Physical Graffiti
1976 Debris, Static Disposal
1977 MX-80 Sound, Hard Attack
1978 The Residents, Duck Stab
1979 Donna Summer, Bad Girls
1980 Motorhead, Ace of Spades
1981 Minutemen, The Punch Line
1982 Prince, 1999
1983 Cyndi Lauper, She's So Unusual
1984 Butthole Surfers, Psychic...Powerless...Another Man's Sac
1985 Husker Du, Flip Your Wig
1986 Slayer, Reign In Blood
1987 Uncle Sam, Heaven or Hollywood
1988 Sonic Youth, Daydream Nation
1989 Nomeansno, Wrong
1990 Ice Cube, Amerikkka's Most Wanted
1991 Nirvana, Nevermind
1992 Trouble, Manic Frustration
1993 Trumans Water, XXXOXOX Spasm Smash Whatever
1994 Sam Philips, Martinis and Bikinis
1995 The Tea Party, The Edges of Twilight
1996 Pillbugs
1997 Chemical Brothers, Dig Your Own Hole
1998 Outkast, Aquemini

The arbitrary selections and/or declining quality of the latter choices reflects this lack of interest, making them favourites by default.

Those are some godawful lists.

jk. I was only refering to the first one by honig. Way too much britpop and no electronic or jazz. Here's mine (comprised of 155 indie records since 1958):

http://www.moteldemoka.com/best-indie-albums/

1989 Nomeansno, Wrong

Amazing album. Sadly they don't get enough credit/love.

63 James Brown Live at the Apollo
64 A Hard Day's Night
65 Highway 61 Revisited
66 Revolver
67 Piper at the Gates of Dawn
68 The Beatles
69 Isaac Hayes - Hot Buttered Soul
70 Fun House
71 Maggot Brain
72 Al Green - Let's Stay Together
73 Innervisions
74 Rock Bottom
75 Another Green World
76 Songs in the Key of Life
77 Marquee Moon
78 The Cars
79 Entertainment!
80 Remain in Light / Scary Monsters (can't choose)
81 Computer World
82 1999
83 Cybotron - Enter
84 Purple Rain
85 This Nation's Saving Grace
86 Sonny Sharrock - Guitar
87 Dukes of Stratosphear - Psonic Psunspot
88 Talk Talk - Spirit of Eden
89 Doolittle
90 KLF - Chill Out
91 Loveless
92 Bizarre Ride II tha Pharcyde
93 In Utero
94 Drive Like Jehu - Yank Crime
95 Scott Walker - Tilt
96 Outkast - ATLiens
97 OK Computer
98 Boredoms - Super ae
99 69 Love Songs
00 Avalanches - Since I Left You
01 Bang on a Can - Renegade Heaven
02 The Roots - Phrenology
03 Lightning Bolt - Wonderful Rainbow
04 Les Savy Fav - Inches
05 Kelley Polar - Love Songs of the Hanging Gardens
06 Scott Walker - The Drift
07 Studio - Yearbook 1
08 Belong - Colorloss EP .....so far

I was only refering to the first one by honig. Way too much britpop and no electronic or jazz.

Depeche Mode = electronic

Of course I will never have a fave album of the year that doesn't put the melody in the forefront as the most important musical factor though.

As for jazz, Miles Davis "Sketches Of Spain" MAY be my favourite album of 1960, but albums were generally uninteresting pre-Beatles. :)

'Depeche Mode = electronic'

Barely.

I do have to agree: Sketches of spain is a great album. Check 'Black Saint and Sinner Lady' by Charles Mingus and 'Eastern Sounds' by Yusef Lateef. Those two are great records, the first ones with which I started my jazz collection.

But seriously, how many Beatles albums do you need in there? Rubber Soul at much is the only Beatles album which I'd consider completely perfect, the rest have several flaws.

... or beach boys or genesis or xtc or crowded house (really!?)... you should limit the list to only include the best album for each band. I find it hard to believe that in so many decades there were only 6 or 8 bands releasing noteworthy albums.

I love scrolling down these lists s-l-o-w-l-y and trying to guess the creator! (I guessed three correctly, but one was my own.) Incidentally, 1958 was merely an optimum starting point, not the year of my birth.

...oh, and I fully intended to limit myself to one-LP-per-artist, but accidentally allowed a second Beatles album to show up. The fact that I only credited one of the pair to THE Beatles was an accident and a coincidence, not an attempt at subterfuge.

I have short-term memory due to my Gilbert's syndrome so I'm only listing my favorite albums from each year of the noughties:

The 00's

1. Radiohead - Kid A (2000)
2. Fridge - Happiness (2001) / Lali Puna - Scary world Theory (2001)
3. Tom Waits - Alice (2002)
4. Broken Social Scene - You forgot it in the people (2003)
5. Fennesz - Venice (2004)
6. The Books - Lost and safe (2005) / Paavoharju - Yha Hamaraa (2005)
7. Liars - drums not dead (2006)
8. Panda Bear - Person Pitch (2007)
9. Scott Tuma - Not for Nobody (2008) (as to this date)

I have to call a tie on 2001 and 2005. I really cant decide which one of those albums I like the best.

If you look at a typical "Best albums of all time" list (unless they are mainly voted by young people who weren't around in the 60s) The Beatles have, like, 3-4 albums in the Top 10. Obviously they will mostly be ranked #1 in their respective years.

And "Sgt. Pepper", "A Hard Day's Night" and "Revolver" are better albums than "Rubber Soul". By far.

Yes, I was actually thinking about 'revolver' not about 'rubber soul', my bad, I got confused because I didn't think you'd leave that out and I just realized you exchanged it for 'pet sounds'. Despite containing two of my favorite Beatles' songs 'Sgt Pepper' is a failed concept album by all means.

Can you say the same thing about all the other repeating artists' albums in your list? If you were respecting ranks and sales instead of personal taste you'd at least have one or two pink floyd albums in there.

I've actually just realized by reading on the thread that you're a stubborn 3rd-aged adult and you are not very likely to change your mind or flex a little by now so I might just as well end the conversation here because I'm afraid we'll both be losing our time.

That's a first for ILX

Kinda surprised that Geir prefers Revolver and Hard Day's Night to Rubber Soul - especially the "by far" part. (I just KNOW there's gotta be a decent "Norwegian Wood" joke there for someone to think up!)

Despite containing two of my favorite Beatles' songs 'Sgt Pepper' is a failed concept album by all means.

Absolutely not. It is perfectly genius. An absolutely fantastic album and the pinnacle of The Beatles' work. It was also very important because it influenced the best genre ever: Symphonic Rock!

"By far" was a bit exaggerated, because I love "Rubber Soul" too. But I guess the fact that "Revolver" and "Sgt. Pepper" were mainly McCartney's work makes them better. McCartney was always the biggest musical genius in The Beatles. He is underrated because he was the "nice guy" while Lennon was a "rebel". But his skills were better, plus he had the non-rock background that made The Beatles so great.

1964: John Coltrane - A Love Supreme
1965: Roland Kirk - Rip, Rig and Panic
1966: Baden Powell & Vinicius de Moraes - Os Afro-sambas
1967: Antonio Carlos Jobim - Wave
1968: Aretha Franklin - Lady Soul
1969: Pharoah Sanders - Karma
1970: Curtis Mayfield - Curtis
1971: Alice Coltrane - Universal Consciousness
1972: Hector - Nostalgia
1973: Herbie Hancock - Sextant
1974: Flora Purim - 500 Miles High
1975: Fela Kuti - Expensive Shit
1976: Lalo Schifrin - Black Widow
1977: Hermeto Pascoal - Slaves Mass
1978: Chic - C'est Chic
1979: Sparks - No. 1 in Heaven
1980: Herbie Hancock - Mr. Hands
1981: Grace Jones - Nightclubbing
1982: Jamaaladeen Tacuma - Show Stopper
1983: Amina Claudine Myers Trio - The Circle of Time
1984: Bronski Beat - The Age of Consent
1985: Yello - Stella
1986: Art of Noise - In Visible Silence
1987: Prince - Sign 'O' the Times
1988: Ofra Haza - Shaday
1989: Thomas Mapfumo - Corruption
1990: Ice Cube - AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted
1991: Shakespear's Sister - Hormonally Yours
1992: Ahlam - Revolt Against Reason
1993: Wu-Tang Clan - Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)
1994: Air Liquide - Nephology
1995: Genius/GZA - Liquid Swords
1996: Paperclip People - The Secret Tapes of Dr. Eich
1997: Mouse on Mars - Autoditacker
1998: Pole - 1
1999: Eve - Let There Be Eve... Ruff Ryders' First Lady
2000: Sussan Deyhim - Madman of God
2001: Cannibal Ox - The Cold Vein
2002: Cee-Lo - Cee-Lo Green and His Perfect Imperfections
2003: Burn Friedmann & The Nu Dub Players - Can't Cool
2004: Mariska - Memento Mori
2005: Cheikha Rimitti - N'ta Goudami
2006: Asa - Terveisiä kaaoksesta
2007: Pole - Steingarten
2008: Can't say yet.

1999: Eve - Let There Be Eve... Ruff Ryders' First Lady

!

Props on the Cee-Lo though - that man is magic. It's nice to see what he does when it sounds like exactly what he wants it to be.

1995 - Tricky, Maxinquaye
1996 - Tori Amos, Boys For Pele
1997 - Björk, Homogenic
1998 - Lauryn Hill, The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill
1999 - Missy Elliott, Da Real World
2000 - Lil' Kim, The Notorious KIM
2001 - Aaliyah, Aaliyah
2002 - Trina, Diamond Princess
2003 - Dizzee Rascal, Boy In Da Corner
2004 - Teedra Moses, Complex Simplicity
2005 - Kate Bush, Aerial
2006 - Ellen Allien & Apparat, Orchestra Of Bubbles
2007 - Britney Spears, Blackout
2008 - Erykah Badu, New Amerykah Part One: 4th World War

This feels very ILM-Canonical:

1969 – Miles Davis – In A Silent Way
1970 – Alice Coltrane – Journey In Satchidananda
1971 – Can – Tago Mago
1972 – Neu! – Neu!
1973 – Herbie Hancock – Sextant
1974 – Robert Wyatt – Rock Bottom
1975 – Bob Dylan – Blood on the Tracks
1976 – Joni Mitchell – Hejira
1977 – Kraftwerk – Trans-Europe Express
1978 – Magazine – Real Life
1979 – Fleetwood Mac - Tusk
1980 – Talking Heads – Remain in Light
1981 – The Comsat Angels – Sleep No More
1982 – Simple Minds – New Gold Dream (81, 82, 83, 84)
1983 – The Blue Nile – A Walk Across The Rooftoops
1984 – The Smiths – Hatful of Hollow
1985 – Kate Bush – The Hounds of Love
1986 – Sonic Youth - Evol
1987 – Prince – Sign o’ the Times
1988 – Talk Talk – Spirit of Eden
1989 – A.R. Kane - i
1990 – The KLF – Chill Out
1991 – My Bloody Valentine – Loveless
1992 – Madonna – Erotica
1993 – V/A – The Joint
1994 – The Notorious B.I.G. – Ready To Die
1995 – V/A: Grooverider – Hardstep Selection II
1996 – Saint Etienne – Tiger Bay (German Version)
1997 – The Chemical Bros – Dig Your Own Hole
1998 – Hole – Celebrity Skin
1999 – Missy Elliot – Da Real World
2000 – The Avalanches – Since I Left You
2001 – Daft Punk – Discovery
2002 – The Streets – Original Pirate Material
2003 – Luomo – The Present Lover
2004 – Teedra Moses – Complex Simplicity
2005 – V/A: Target – Aim High 2
2006 – The Knife – Silent Shout
2007 – Studio – West Coast

what are you non-compilation picks for 93, 95 and 05 Tim?

1993 - Insides - Euphoria (or possibly Bjork's Debut)
1995 - Tricky - Maxinquaye
2005 - Kate Bush - Aerial (this breaks my half-conscious only one album per artist rule)

I didn't even think I could include compilations, I guess I might've changed my 1996 entry to the Incoming! label comp Submerged Vol. 1 or Warp's Blech and the 1997 entry to Derrick May's Innovator. And Grace Jone's Compass Point Sessions would've been a strong candidate for 1998. Then again, the list is perfectly fine as it is.

And Metalheadz' first Platinum Breaks comp would've been a fine candidate for 1996 too. That's a tough year.

I think Richie Hawtin's Concept 1 also came out in 1996, though I only got it a year or two later.

No, sorry, the original vinyls in the Concept series were released in 1996, but the CD comp only came out in 1998, so I must've bought it then. Another strong candidate for 1998 nevertheless.

I can't think in album terms very well before 1967 so:

1967: Love: Forever Changes
1968: Frank Zappa and The Mothers of Invention: We’re Only In It For The Money
1969: Dusty Springfield: Dusty in Memphis
1970: The Stooges: Fun House
1971: Sly & the Family Stone: There's a Riot Goin' On
1972: Rolling Stones: Exile on Main St.
1973: New York Dolls: New York Dolls
1974: New York Dolls: In Too Much Too Soon
1975: Steely Dan: Katy Lied
1976: Dr. Buzzard's Original Savannah Band
1977: Miles Davis: Dark Magus
1978: X-Ray Spex: Germfree Adolescents
1979: Chic: Risque
1980: Jon Hassell/Brian Eno: Fourth World Vol. I: Possible Musics
1981: Greatest Rap Hits Vol. 2
1982: The Angry Samoans: Back from Samoa
1983: DeBarge: In a Special Way
1984: Uncut Funk…The Bomb - Parliament's Greatest Hits
1985: New Order: Low-Life
1986: Motorhead: Orgasmatron
1987: Prince: Sign 'O' the Times
1988: Sonic Youth: Daydream Nation
1989: Pussy Galore: Dial 'M' For Motherfucker
1990: The Go-Betweens: 1978-1990
1991: My Bloody Valentine: Loveless
1992: Shanté: The Bitch Is Back
1993: LiLiPUT
1994: History of Our World Part 1: Breakbeat & Jungle Ultramix By DJ DB
1995: Whale: We Care
1996: DJ Shadow: Endtroducing . . .
1997: Tiger: Shining in the Wood
1998: The Music in My Head
1999: The Magnetic Fields: 69 Love Songs
2000: The New Pornographers: Mass Romantic
2001: The Moldy Peaches
2002: The Best Bootlegs in the World Ever
2003: The New Pornographers: Electric Version
2004: Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti: The Doldrums
2005: Wide Right: Sleeping on the Couch
2006: The Knife: Silent Shout
2007: M.I.A.: Kala

I LOVE Lex Pretend's list assuming it's not a joke.

credit to Dizzee for making it in a woman's world

1962 Jacques Brel - Jacques Brel
1963 The Beach Boys - Surfer Girl
1964 The Holy Modal Rounders - The Holy Modal Rounders
1965 The Beach Boys - Today!
1966 The Beach Boys - Pet Sounds
1967 The Beach Boys - Smiley Smile
1968 The Byrds - The Notorious Byrd Brothers
1969 Scott Walker - Scott 4
1970 Neil Young - After The Goldrush
1971 Beach Boys - Surf's Up
1972 David Bowie - Ziggy Stardust
1973 Stevie Wonder - Innervisions
1974 Richard & Linda Thompson - I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight
1975 Kraftwerk - Radioactivity
1976 Lee "Scratch" Perry - Super Ape
1977 Electric Light Orchestra - Out Of The Blue
1978 Devo - Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo!
1979 The Specials - The Specials
1980 Talking Heads - Remain In Light
1981 Abba - The Visitors
1982 Roxy Music - Avalon
1983 Tom Waits - Swordfishtrombones
1984 Talking Heads - Stop Making Sense
1985 Tom Waits - Rain Dogs
1986 Slayer - Reign In Blood
1987 Tom Waits - Franks Wild Years
1988 Run DMC - Tougher Than Leather
1989 Beastie Boys - Paul's Boutique
1990 Cocteau Twins - Heaven Or Las Vegas
1991 REM - Out Of TIme
1992 The Prodigy - Experience
1993 Boo Radleys - Giant Steps
1994 Blur - Parklife
1995 Smashing Pumpkins - Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness
1996 Aphex Twin - Richard D James Album
1997 Radiohead - OK Computer
1998 Autechre - LP5
1999 Plaid - Restproof Clockwork
2000 Electric Wizard - Dopethrone
2001 2 Many DJs - This Is Radio Soulwax part 2
2002 Boards Of Canada - Geogaddi
2003 Belle & Sebastian - Dear Catastrophe Waitress
2004 Animal Collective - Sung Tongs
2005 M. Ward - Transistor Radio
2006 The Knife - Silent Shout
2007 Of Montreal - Hissing Fauna, Are You The Destroyer

I conclude that 1988 has to be the worst year for albums ever.

and 2008 so far is Autechre's Quaristice

I am going to be revealed as e-lame by posting this:

1982: Combat Rock – The Clash
1983: Madonna - Madonna
1984: Hatful of Hollow - The Smiths
1985: Starpeace - Yoko Ono
1986: Who Made Who - AC/DC
1987: Come on Pilgrim - The Pixies
1988: Tracey Chapman - Tracey Chapman
1989: Doolittle - the Pixies
1990: Changesbowie - David Bowie
1991: Leisure - Blur
1992: Ooooooohhh.... On the TLC Tip - TLC
1993: Pablo Honey - Radiohead
1994: His n Hers by Pulp
1995: Post - Bjork
1996: The It Girl - Sleeper
1997: The Lonesome Crowded West by Modest Mouse
1998: The Boy with the Arab Strap - Belle & Sebastian
1999: 69 Love Songs - the Magnetic Fields
2000: The Marshall Mathers LP - Eminem
2001: White Blood Cells - the White Stripes
2002: Lifted or The Story Is In The Soil Keep Your Ear To The Ground - Bright Eyes.
2003: Dear Catastrophe Waitress - Belle & Sebastian
2004: Baron Von Bullshit Rides Again - Modest Mouse
2006: Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer - Of Montreal
2007: Blackout - Britney Spears
2008: Juno soundtrack so far

ok so I actually tried to think back to what i loved and played the most each year since '82 (after i got old enough to pay attention to music that wasn't my parents')

'82 Duran Duran: Rio
'83 Michael Jackson: Thriller
'84 Van Halen: 1984
'85 Phil Collins: No Jacket Required lol
'86 Beastie Boys: Licensed To Ill (just barely over Run DMC: Raising hell)
'87 Prince: Sign O' the Times, i guess. I don't remember caring much about anything that came out this year. at the time, of course.
'88 Guns n Roses: Appetite for Destruction
'89 N.W.A.: Straight Outta Compton
'90 Jane's Addiction: Ritual de lo Habitual
'91 Dinosaur Jr.: Whatever's Cool With Me (yeah it's an e.p. so if this is unacceptable then probably Cube's Death Certificate)
'92 Beastie Boys: Check Your Head
'93 Snoop Dogg: Doggystyle
'94 Pavement: Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain
'95 Pavement: Wowee Zowee
'96 Outkast: ATLiens (edging out Wilco's Being There)
'97 hell if i know. i was probably only listening to old stuff. I guess i could throw it to Pavement: Brighten the Corners, but i think i remember not liking it at the time.
'98 Jay-Z: Vol 2: Hard Knock Life
'99 ODB: Nigga Please
'00 The Glands: The Glands
'01 i'm torn like 4 ways. I'll give it to Bonnie Prince Billie: Ease Down the Road
'02 The Reigning Sound: Time Bomb high SChool
'03 New Pornographers: Electric Version
'04
'05 ugh. maybe that LCD Soundsystem?
'06 Jack O. & the Tearjerkers: The Flipside Kid

hey grozart. 1988. you know mary margaret o'hara? you know miss america?

and there was also spirit in eden in 1988. maybe the best year.

spirit of eden

My 80s list back THEN would look something like this

1980: Norske Jenter - The Kids
1981: Dunno, but possibly "The Elder"
1982: Upstairs At Eric's - Yazoo
1983: Colour By Numbers - Culture Club
1984: Into The Gap - Thompson Twins
1985: Dream Into Action - Howard Jones
1986: One To One - Howard Jones
1987: Close To The Bone - Thompson Twins
1988: Provision - Scritti Politti (But spent most of the year buying and digging old Depeche Mode records)
1989: For a while it was all about "The Seeds Of Love" by Tears For Fears.

1977 Giorgio Moroder, From here to eternity
1978 The Only Ones, s/t
1979 Talking Heads, Fear of music
1980 Talking Heads, Remain in light
1981 Flipper, Generic
1982 ABC, The lexicon of love
1983 R.E.M., Murmur
1984 The Smiths, Hatful of hollow
1985 Scritti Politti, Cupid and psyche 85
1986 Slayer, Reign in blood
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 Insides, Euphoria
1994 Notorious BIG, Ready to die
1995 Mobb Deep, The Infamous
1996 Tortoise, Millions now living will never die
1997 Chemical Brothers, Dig your own hole
1998 Mercury Rev, Deserters songs
1999 Wilco, Summerteeth
2000 Radiohead, Kid A
2001 Daft Punk, Discovery
2002 Sonic Youth, Murray Street
2003 Dizzee Rascal, Boy in da corner
2004 Junior Boys, Last Exit
2005 LCD Soundsystem, s/t
2006 Half Man Half Biscuit, Cammell Laird Social Club
2007 The Go Betweens, Oceans Apart
2008 The Studio, West Coast

I never thought anyone would call 1988 the worst year in albums... In rap alone it's considered maybe the best year ever, with classic albums by the Jungle Brothers, Ultramagnetic MCs, Public Enemy, Booge Down Productions, Big Daddy Kane, etc.