Every music fan has those albums that were just life-changing for them. Whether it's an album that helped you through a bad break-up, got you through a tough year, or the very first album you ever bought, we all have albums that carry significant sentimental qualities to them. For me, these albums have become the soundtrack to the best moments of my life, helped me get through the worst moments, and overall have made me who I am today. I should clarify: while all of these albums have made my Top 50 chart that's on the home page of this website, this is not a list of my favorite albums. Rather, they're albums that have influenced me musically, as well as shaped my tastes and attitudes.
11. Public Enemy - Apocalypse 91... The Enemy Strikes Black (1991; Def Jam)
Before listening to this album, I was not into hip-hop music. At all. Albeit, I was still in my dumb high-school mentality, where it was either rawk or metal. Still, one would think that I could've found some hip-hop that l liked. Well, I finally did, and it was actually because of my liking for metal music that I got into hip-hop, thanks to this collaboration between Anthrax and Public Enemy. The beats on Apocalypse 91 are hard-hitting trunk-knockers and Chuck D's rapping is commanding. This is the album that really made me realize that there is a hip-hop album out there for everyone. I'll get into another big hip-hop classic that I love later on in the list, but for now, let's talk about something completely different.
10. The xx- Coexist (2012; Young Turks)
Such a beautiful album, don't you agree? I first found this album around the time I was starting to get into indie music. My grandmother took me to a Barnes & Noble and allowed me to pick out anything I wanted to as a 20th birthday present. So I picked out this, along with another CD and a movie. Quick note: I looked these guys up on Wikipedia before listening to them and saw they were "indie pop". I was expecting something like Foster the People, but one listen of this album made me realize that these guys did not sound anything like Foster the People. It was, however, a very minimal album, with pulsing beats from Jamie xx and hushed vocals and minimal instrumentals from Romy Madley-Croft and Oliver Sim. It's an album that I can put on whenever I need to just kick back and relax after a long day. The themes of heartbreak and isolation are the cherry on top of this work of art. The only real problem I have with it is that it's too short; I could listen to these songs for hours on end, and I hope that The xx have more music ready to be released in the very near future.
Side note: This album also eased me into electronic music.
Side note: This album also eased me into electronic music.
9. The Knife - Shaking the Habitual (2013; Rabid)
I once saw a quote on the Internet that said that The Knife "are about as far from synthpop as synthpop gets," and especially in the case of this album, that statement rings very true. Expanding on the chaos that they brought on Silent Shout, The Knife's 2013 album Shaking the Habitual is one of the most challenging albums I've ever listened to. Clocking in at almost 100 minutes, it's a tough album to sit through all the way, but once you do, it's very rewarding. Aside from this album being an all-out assault on the synapses, this album made my list for personal reasons as well.
As of September 2014, this is The Knife's last album, as the group announced their breakup late last year. Even before their breakup, this brother-sister duo fascinated me in many ways. They rarely gave interviews, they rarely ever toured, and their 2014 tour to support Shaking the Habitual was riddled in controversy. Nobody played any instruments on stage, and some were skeptical as to whether The Knife themselves were even performing. It ended up being more of a performance art, as shown in this video from their 2014 Coachella performance. I think this mystery is what makes me like them all that much more. They're a fairly well-known group, and yet very little is known about them, and I think that makes them so much cooler.
As of September 2014, this is The Knife's last album, as the group announced their breakup late last year. Even before their breakup, this brother-sister duo fascinated me in many ways. They rarely gave interviews, they rarely ever toured, and their 2014 tour to support Shaking the Habitual was riddled in controversy. Nobody played any instruments on stage, and some were skeptical as to whether The Knife themselves were even performing. It ended up being more of a performance art, as shown in this video from their 2014 Coachella performance. I think this mystery is what makes me like them all that much more. They're a fairly well-known group, and yet very little is known about them, and I think that makes them so much cooler.
8. Bruce Springsteen - Born In the U.S.A. (1984; Columbia)
This album was Billboard's #1 album of 1985, and to date has sold a whopping fifteen million units in the United States alone (about 30 million worldwide). Its cultural and musical impact cannot be underestimated; President Ronald Reagan famously wanted to make the album's title track an unoffical anthem of the United States. Sesame Street even made their own parody of the song in a minor key. Unlike its predecessor, Nebraska, Born In the U.S.A. represents a glimmer of hope in the life of the working class in America. One of my favorite lyrics from the album is from "No Surrender": "We made a promise we swore we'd always remember / No retreat, baby, no surrender." It's an album full of songs that I listen to and think "I wish I could write songs like that." Who knows? Maybe one day I will write songs like this. Until then, I'm just going to keep listening to it and admiring Springsteen's poetry and the huge sound his band brings.
7. The Beatles - Revolver (1966; Parlophone)
This is one of the Beatles' most diverse albums, and in my opinion it's their best. This album certainly deserved all the attention it got, but I think it's often unfairly overlooked in favor of Sgt Pepper's or the White Album. There's a lot to talk about here: you've got some rockers ("And Your Bird Can Sing"; "Doctor Robert"), some ballads ("For No One"; "Eleanor Rigby") and yes, even some "trips" ("Love You To", "Tomorrow Never Knows"). It's my favorite album by my favorite band, and while it may not be my most life-changing collection of songs, it's always going to be one of my Top 10 favorite albums of all time (which could be another list altogether).
6. The Vaccines - What Did You Expect From the Vaccines? (2011; Columbia)
This is one of those albums that I fell in love with after just one listen. I'd heard about them when they were playing Bonnaroo 2013, and out of sheer curiosity I decided to look them up. After one listen, I was hooked. The songs were brief but hit like a train. I just loved the blissfulness of reverb-soaked rockers like "Wreckin' Bar (Ra Ra Ra)" and "If You Wanna" as well as slower, sentimental tracks like "Wetsuit." I knew I had to see them at Bonnaroo. At about one o'clock on Friday morning, The Vaccines finally went on. In a 60 minute time slot, they tore through 18 of their songs, barely stopping to take a break. There were mosh pits, crowd surfing, and everything else that you'd expect from a rowdy indie/garage rock band. That show remains one of my Top 10 favorite Bonnaroo shows.
5. Lorde - Pure Heroine (2013; Lava/Republic Records)
I still remember in last September 2013 when "Royals" his Number 1 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart. I had never heard anything quite like it, or at least nothing like it go into the Top 40 before. By the time her third single "Team" had entered the Top 40, Lorde was a bona fide superstar, performing prime slots at festivals like Coachella and Lollapalooza (maybe she'll do Bonnaroo soon; please Lorde?). If any album gave me a grater appreciation for the Top 40 in America, it's this album. It's got a sound that's poppy and radio-friendly, but also sleek and intelligent. Lorde is right up there with Ellie Goulding and Florence Welch as one of my favorite female vocalists of all time, and she's got some great music and lyrics to back up her amazing voice.
4. Kendrick Lamar - good kid, m.A.A.d city (2012; Top Dawg Entertainment)
Without a doubt, Kendrick Lamar is one of the greatest rappers of the current generation. I discovered this album well after I'd listened to the Public Enemy album I mentioned earlier on in this list, and while I'd listened to other hip-hop albums between discovering this one and Apocalypse 91, I never realized how much I loved hip-hop until discovering this one. I say "discover" because I never actually listened to it until a year after it came out. Crazy, right?
There isn't anything I can say about this album that hasn't already been said, so I'll just keep it personal.
Anyway, as stated before, listening to this album really made me even more curious about the world of hip-hop music and what it had to offer (which is a lot). But it's the album's themes and production that really make me love it so much. Throughout, Kendrick Lamar tells a story about himself and growing up, from his days as a young, dumb teenager to sobering up through his struggles with drugs and violence. He really puts his whole life into this album, and it's a fascinating listen all the way through.
There isn't anything I can say about this album that hasn't already been said, so I'll just keep it personal.
Anyway, as stated before, listening to this album really made me even more curious about the world of hip-hop music and what it had to offer (which is a lot). But it's the album's themes and production that really make me love it so much. Throughout, Kendrick Lamar tells a story about himself and growing up, from his days as a young, dumb teenager to sobering up through his struggles with drugs and violence. He really puts his whole life into this album, and it's a fascinating listen all the way through.
3. The National - Trouble Will Find Me (2013; 4AD)
I can't describe enough how much this album has helped me through the past year. You see, 2014 wasn't a great year for me, and at the same time, it was one of the best years. I faced depression to the point where I questioned my own existence, and while I'm happy now, it got pretty bad last year. I was unsure of myself, but every time I listened to this album, it gave me hope. I suppose I should talk about the music, too!
Building on what sounds like influences from Joy Division, Sufjan Stevens, and even Wilco, The National's brand of post-punk swells and builds throughout the album, before again dying down and then building back up again. Soaring guitars from the Dessner brothers over a rhythm backbone consisting of the Devendorf brothers all lay the foundation for some sweetly depressing hooks. The cherry on top is Matt Berninger's baritone voice, which seems to channel Ian Curtis at times. Let's also not forget about their lyrics, and while the lyrics are depressing on many levels, the band themselves has claimed that "they are not as depressed as they appear."
Building on what sounds like influences from Joy Division, Sufjan Stevens, and even Wilco, The National's brand of post-punk swells and builds throughout the album, before again dying down and then building back up again. Soaring guitars from the Dessner brothers over a rhythm backbone consisting of the Devendorf brothers all lay the foundation for some sweetly depressing hooks. The cherry on top is Matt Berninger's baritone voice, which seems to channel Ian Curtis at times. Let's also not forget about their lyrics, and while the lyrics are depressing on many levels, the band themselves has claimed that "they are not as depressed as they appear."
2. Foster the People - Torches (2011; Startime)
Some back story: Before listening to any song from this album, I was a full-blown metalhead. I was all metal, all the time... plus some classic rock on the side of that. It was all Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Metallica, Megadeth, Def Leppard, Van Halen, Motley Crue... the list goes on. I was so into my metalhead phase that I felt I had to keep my dignity as a metalhead and shun anything that wasn't metal enough. But then, "Pumped Up Kicks" happened.
I first heard the song while I was in one of my music industry classes, and we were discussing songs from the summer that we enjoyed. One of the songs we listened to was "Pumped Up Kicks" by Foster the People. I honestly didn't want to listen to it, but then the song started playing, and I thought to myself "huh, this is pretty good." That one moment changed everything for me. After hearing that song, I was curious about more of their songs. I was also a DJ at my college radio station at the time, and occasionally I would play "Don't Stop (color On the Walls)" while on air. After being exposed to two songs, I decided to buy the entire album on iTunes.
Basically, because of this album, I shed my metalhead phase and finally decided to explore other genres outside of metal. I found Florence + the Machine, Passion Pit, Of Monsters and Men, Japandroids, the Vaccines, and countless other bands that I have come to admire. I still admire all the bands that I loved before (well, most of them), but now, all because of that one moment, I have come to love so much more about just how diverse the world of music is.
I first heard the song while I was in one of my music industry classes, and we were discussing songs from the summer that we enjoyed. One of the songs we listened to was "Pumped Up Kicks" by Foster the People. I honestly didn't want to listen to it, but then the song started playing, and I thought to myself "huh, this is pretty good." That one moment changed everything for me. After hearing that song, I was curious about more of their songs. I was also a DJ at my college radio station at the time, and occasionally I would play "Don't Stop (color On the Walls)" while on air. After being exposed to two songs, I decided to buy the entire album on iTunes.
Basically, because of this album, I shed my metalhead phase and finally decided to explore other genres outside of metal. I found Florence + the Machine, Passion Pit, Of Monsters and Men, Japandroids, the Vaccines, and countless other bands that I have come to admire. I still admire all the bands that I loved before (well, most of them), but now, all because of that one moment, I have come to love so much more about just how diverse the world of music is.
Honorable Mentions
Before I talk about the number one album that truly changed my life forever, I thought I'd give a nod to other albums that helped to shape my tastes and attitudes.
- Florence + the Machine - Ceremonials: This is another album that I discovered through doing DJ shifts at WASU. When it comes to female singers in the industry, Florence Welch is one of my absolute favorites. The music behind her voice isn't half bad, either.
- Jake Bugg - Jake Bugg: This dude is almost a full year younger than I am and he's accomplished more than I could've ever hoped. I'm hardly complaining, as he's probably the best songwriter to be born in the 90s, and he's a great live performer to boot.
- Kanye West - My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy: Those who know me probably expected a Kanye West album to be on here somewhere. While Kanye West is undoubtedly one of my favorite artists of all time, the list was about albums that changed my life. That being said, MBDTF is a fantastic album, and if you haven't listened to it yet, you're missing out on the best album of the decade.
- Nas - Illmatic: I had the fortune of seeing Nas at Bonnaroo in the summer of 2013. I didn't know much about him, but I got to see him from about 6 rows back, and he owned that stage, and I was a fan from then on.
- Neutral Milk Hotel - In the Aeroplane Over the Sea: The recently reunited Neutral Milk Hotel is another band that I have had the great fortune of seeing live. The first time I saw them was at the 2014 Bonnaroo Festival, and I've never been in a show where the crowd was as hyped as this one, and the band definitely felt that hype, as they played one of the best shows I'd ever seen in my life (and I've seen quite a few).
- Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds - Push the Sky Away - Another wonderfully dark album, Push the Sky Away was one of the most underrated albums of 2013. It's brooding, minimal, but also intense, and I think it deserves more attention.
1. Iron Maiden - Powerslave (1984; Capitol)
For me, this album is where it all began. It's the first album I ever bought, and it comes with a bit of a story.
It started back when I was 16. I was still trying to get into music, and even borrowed some of my dad's CDs to try and find something that I liked. I listened to them, and they just didn't stick with me.
One day, I was just browsing on iTunes for really no reason at all, when I came across Iron Maiden's Powerslave album. I didn't preview any of the songs, but what really stuck out to me was the album artwork. I've always been fascinated with ancient Egyptian architecture and mythology, so that album artwork really grabbed my attention. I decided that next time I was in FYE, I would go buy that CD.
Sure enough, a couple of weeks before I was to head off to a music camp, my mom happened to be going to the mall, and I asked if I could tag along. After we agreed on a meeting place, I went to FYE and headed straight for the section that said "METAL" in big red letters. There it was, sitting there on the shelf. I purchased the album, met up with my mother, and right when we got home, I burned it to iTunes, and then uploaded the album to my iPod.
I go to my room, shut the door, and put in headphones as I select the first song on Powerslave, "Aces High." The first notes kick in and I think to myself, "Huh, this isn't bad." Then the fast part kicks in, and I immediately start losing my mind! Those twin guitars were the best thing I'd ever heard, and Bruce Dickinson's wail over those fast guitars and drums made me freak out with excitement! It was that one moment that pretty much changed my whole life. After listening to that whole album all the way through, I went back to my dad's AC/DC and Metallica albums and I actually liked them more than I did when I first listened to them.
It was from there that I began to explore the world of music. From there, I found Judas Priest, Megadeth, Slayer, Anthrax, Black Sabbath, Rush, the Rolling Stones, Def Leppard, Van Halen, and many, many more. I had discovered this whole world of music that I didn't know was there, but was right there in front of me the whole time!
To this day, I still cite Powerslave as the album that truly made me fall in love with music. I listened to some music before then, but it was mostly Weird Al Yankovic and classical music. I had no realy appreciation for other styles of music, and even went as far as calling rock music "boring." I was a self-admitted band geek, and yet I didn't really even like music, and the music I did like was stuff that I'd found through Guitar Hero, which I haven't played in several years. So I really do have this album (and Torches) to thank for my musical tastes.
It started back when I was 16. I was still trying to get into music, and even borrowed some of my dad's CDs to try and find something that I liked. I listened to them, and they just didn't stick with me.
One day, I was just browsing on iTunes for really no reason at all, when I came across Iron Maiden's Powerslave album. I didn't preview any of the songs, but what really stuck out to me was the album artwork. I've always been fascinated with ancient Egyptian architecture and mythology, so that album artwork really grabbed my attention. I decided that next time I was in FYE, I would go buy that CD.
Sure enough, a couple of weeks before I was to head off to a music camp, my mom happened to be going to the mall, and I asked if I could tag along. After we agreed on a meeting place, I went to FYE and headed straight for the section that said "METAL" in big red letters. There it was, sitting there on the shelf. I purchased the album, met up with my mother, and right when we got home, I burned it to iTunes, and then uploaded the album to my iPod.
I go to my room, shut the door, and put in headphones as I select the first song on Powerslave, "Aces High." The first notes kick in and I think to myself, "Huh, this isn't bad." Then the fast part kicks in, and I immediately start losing my mind! Those twin guitars were the best thing I'd ever heard, and Bruce Dickinson's wail over those fast guitars and drums made me freak out with excitement! It was that one moment that pretty much changed my whole life. After listening to that whole album all the way through, I went back to my dad's AC/DC and Metallica albums and I actually liked them more than I did when I first listened to them.
It was from there that I began to explore the world of music. From there, I found Judas Priest, Megadeth, Slayer, Anthrax, Black Sabbath, Rush, the Rolling Stones, Def Leppard, Van Halen, and many, many more. I had discovered this whole world of music that I didn't know was there, but was right there in front of me the whole time!
To this day, I still cite Powerslave as the album that truly made me fall in love with music. I listened to some music before then, but it was mostly Weird Al Yankovic and classical music. I had no realy appreciation for other styles of music, and even went as far as calling rock music "boring." I was a self-admitted band geek, and yet I didn't really even like music, and the music I did like was stuff that I'd found through Guitar Hero, which I haven't played in several years. So I really do have this album (and Torches) to thank for my musical tastes.