The 100 best albums from 1983 to 2008

The 100 best albums from 1983 to 2008

1. Purple Rain Prince and the Revolution (1984)
2. The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill Lauryn Hill (1998)
3. Achtung Baby U2 (1991)
4. The College Dropout Kanye West (2004)
5. Madonna Madonna (1983)
6. American Idiot Green Day (2004)
7. The Blueprint Jay-Z (2001)
8. Graceland Paul Simon (1986)
9. Back to Black Amy Winehouse (2007)
10. In Rainbows Radiohead (2007)
11. MTV Unplugged in New York Nirvana (1994)
12. Stankonia OutKast (2000)
13. You Are Free Cat Power (2003)
14. Disintegration The Cure (1989)
15. The Marshall Mathers LP Eminem (2000)
16. Rain Dogs Tom Waits (1985)
17. Odelay Beck (1996)
18. People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm A Tribe Called Quest (1990)
19. Dangerously in Love Beyoncé (2003)
20. Tidal Fiona Apple (1996)
21. The Emancipation of Mimi Mariah Carey (2005)
22. 3 Feet High and Rising De La Soul (1989)
23. The Soft Bulletin The Flaming Lips (1999)
24. Come On Over Shania Twain (1997)
25. Turn On the Bright Lights Interpol (2002)
26. Time Out of Mind Bob Dylan (1997)
27. Funeral Arcade Fire (2004)
28. Illmatic Nas (1994)
29. Breakaway Kelly Clarkson (2004)
30. Appetite for Destruction Guns N' Roses (1987)
31. FutureSex/LoveSounds Justin Timberlake (2006)
32. Life's Rich Pageant R.E.M. (1985)
33. As I Am Alicia Keys (2007)
34. Is This It The Strokes (2001)
35. Jagged Little Pill Alanis Morissette (1995)
36. CrazySexyCool TLC (1994)
37. The Moon & Antarctica Modest Mouse (2000)
38. Raising Hell Run-DMC (1986)
39. Sheryl Crow Sheryl Crow (1996)
40. Ready to Die The Notorious B.I.G. (1994)
41. Legend Bob Marley and the Wailers (1984)
42. Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) Wu-Tang Clan (1993)
43. Paul's Boutique Beastie Boys (1989)
44. Car Wheels on a Gravel Road Lucinda Williams (1998)
45. If You're Feeling Sinister Belle and Sebastian (1996)
46. Homogenic Björk (1997)
47. Exile in Guyville Liz Phair (1993)
48. American IV: The Man Comes Around Johnny Cash (2002)
49. A Rush of Blood to the Head Coldplay (2002)
50. Sounds of Silver LCD Soundsystem (2007)
51. The Score Fugees (1996)
52. Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga Spoon (2007)
53. King of America Elvis Costello (1986)
54. Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814 Janet Jackson (1989)
55. It Takes a Nation of Millions... Public Enemy (1988)
56. Yankee Hotel Foxtrot Wilco (2002)
57. Harvest Moon Neil Young (1992)
58. Surfer Rosa The Pixies (1988)
59. Ray of Light Madonna (1998)
60. Crooked Rain Crooked Rain Pavement (1994)
61. Paid in Full Eric B. & Rakim (1987)
62. OK Computer Radiohead (1997)
63. The Joshua Tree U2 (1987)
64. Mama's Gun Erykah Badu (2000)
65. Elephant The White Stripes (2003)
66. The Chronic Dr. Dre (1992)
67. Metallica Metallica (1991)
68. Wrecking Ball Emmylou Harris (1995)
69. Give Up The Postal Service (2003)
70. My Life Mary J. Blige (1994)
71. Rock Steady No Doubt (2001)
72. 1984 Van Halen (1984)
73. The Queen is Dead Smiths (1986)
74. Play Moby (1999)
75. Born in the U.S.A. Bruce Springsteen (1984)
76. Heartbreaker Ryan Adams (2000)
77. Dummy Portishead (1994)
78. Vs. Pearl Jam (1991)
79. Let It Be The Replacements (1984)
80. Back to Basics Christina Aguilera (2006)
81. The Downward Spiral Nine Inch Nails (1994)
82. Grace Jeff Buckley (1994)
83. Learning to Crawl The Pretenders (1984)
84. Low-Life New Order (1985)
85. Home Dixie Chicks (2002)
86. Loveless My Bloody Valentine (1991)
87. All Eyez on Me 2Pac (1996)
88. So Peter Gabriel (1986)
89. Bachelor No. 2 Aimee Mann (2000)
90. Toxicity System of a Down (2001)
91. Siamese Dream Smashing Pumpkins (1993)
92. The Writing's on the Wall Destiny’s Child (1999)
93. Either/Or Elliott Smith (1997)
94. Synchronicity The Police (1983)
95. Trap Muzik T.I. (2003)
96. Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea PJ Harvey (2000)
97. Britney Britney Spears (2001)
98. Transatlanticism Death Cab for Cutie (2003)
99. Live Through This Hole (1994)
100. Faith George Michael (1987)

I gotta say this list is a bit of a mess.

Okay, Prince at number one. Cool, I'm a big fan... Purple Rain? It's a good album. Best album of this period? I doubt it, it's not even the best Prince album by my accounts (Sign O The Times...)

Number two, Miss-education of Lauren Hill. Eh, alright, whatever. It did big things. I don't get all the hype though.

Next, Achtung Baby by U2? Not Joshua Tree? What the hell man?

Number four is Kanye West. I mean what the fuck is that? If you're picking hip rap records that'll meet the expectations of number 4 record between '83 and '08, I reckon they should look to A Tribe Called Quest or Public Enemy. Why the hell would Kanye West get this spot? What was the author of the list smoking?

Madonna. Alright, I guess. Like A Virgin, Like A Prayer or True Blue would've been better choices, in my opinion, but whatever.

Next Green Day? I mean what is that, they couldn't think of anyone else? And why American Idiot, out of all of Green Day's albums? Once again, shoulda been Nimrod or Dookie.

Next is Jay-Z? The dude freakin' sucks ass, I don't get it. They should've looked towards 2pac or Notorious BIG or Dr Dre next... Nas' Illmatic is on the list, maybe they should've just popped that in this album's place... Even 36 Chambers would have been a better choice.

Graceland by Paul Simon. Brilliant. Absolutely brilliant. I'd have put it a few steps higher, but at least it's in the top 10. Thank goodness they've gotten something striaght.

Next, Amy Winehouse. Once again, what the fuck? If you're going to add Amy Winehouse to the list, add her for FRANK, not for this tripe! And even with Frank, it should be much much much lower.

Then Radiohead. Good, Radiohead, nice choice... but what's this? In Rainbows? I mean what the hell is wrong with these people!?!??! Ok Computer all the way there, I think. In Rainbows could do okay on the list, but really... this high? Nah.

Nirvana Unplugged. Okay, I guess... can't complain. That way you can get a few different hits on a single CD (instead of settling for Nirvana, Bleach or Nevermind) and it's a good set. Okay, okay, understandable choice.

Then onto Stankonia. Okay, well, it had Ms Jackson and So Fresh, So Clean, but I have to say that Speakerboxxx/The Love Below is a pretty cool and original album. Still, I guess this wouldn't be worth arguing.

Now this is where I get totally confused.

Cat Power. I kind of have an idea of who this is, but... I mean...

Okay, make a list and fill it with people who are just so in your face in the media (Amy Winehouse, Madonna) or go for the lesser known but incredibly talented people (Cat Power would be an example)... I mean you can't mix up pop and indie stuff up, because when you do your criteria becomes a mess.

I'll try and get through this a bit quicker:

Emancipation of Mimi the top album for Mariah Carey? In what Country. Music Box was a more acclaimed album, and definitely has the better songs (at least for the time).

Justin Timberlake so high on the list? I dunno man...

It may seem weird, but I reckon Alanis Morissette's Jagged Little Pill should have been higher. It's a little lame, but definitely had a big impact when it was released.

Born In The USA by Springstein. Though I'm not a huge fan, I think it's a little low in this list.

Next, Ray of Light by Madonna? In what universe... seriously... does this make the top 100 anything? Okay, I haven't heard the complete album, but I can imagine it just as well.

And why the hell is Britney Spears on the list at all?

Okay, I'm done complaining.

Personally I would have Joshua tree at number 1, I would drop that Kanye West album for the most recent one which I like and I generally hate rap but it certainly would be near the bottom of the list. I think they are missing a few albums that should be there for example Linkin Parks hybrid theory it's not everyones cup of tea but it was the biggest selling album the year it was released and I would have thought Definitley Maybe by Oasis would be on there as it seems to make most other lists.

How come Thriller wasn't on there? I name this list BOGUS.

Good point I forgot about that, also wasn't off the wall a good album as well as a massive seller for Jackson? Also another one I forgot "Whatever people say thats what I'm not" by the Arctic monkeys not only a good album but the 2nd biggest selling album of all time how come that didn't get on it.

I suppose at the end of the day these things always cause arguements, you coauld get 10 people and have 10 totally different lists.

the fact that Thriller isn't on there makes this list WONDERFUL.

my top 25, in no particular order (this list probably changes every couple of months, but not too much)

1. August and Everything After Counting Crows (1993)
2. Deluxe Better Than Ezra (1995)
3. Jesus Freak dc Talk (1995)
4. Losing Streak Less Than Jake (1996)
5. Turn the Radio Off Reel Big Fish (1996)
6. Hang-ups Goldfinger (2001)
7. Dookie Green Day (1994)
8. Happiness Is Not A Fish That You Can Catch Our Lady Peace (1999)
9. Wu-Tang Forever Wu-Tang Clan (1997)
10. Do You Want More?!!!??! The Roots (1995)
11. Echo Echo Carbon Leaf (2001)
12. Bloom Audio Adrenaline (1996)
13. Third Eye Blind Third Eye Blind (1997)
14. The Colour and the Shape Foo Fighters (1997)
15. Sparkle and Fade Everclear (1995)
16. Clumsy Our Lady Peace (1997)
17. Music From The Adventures of Pete and Pete Polaris (1999)
18. From Chaos 311 (2001)
19. Jars of Clay Jars of Clay (1995)
20. Tragic Kingdom No Doubt (1995)
21. The Lonesome Crowded West Modest Mouse (1997)
22. Sublime Sublime (1996)
23. Dude Ranch Blink 182 (1997)
24. Evil Empire Rage Against the Machine (1996)
25. The Blue Album Weezer (1994)




The criteria for making this list was being able to pop the cd in and enjoy every single song. Overall good albums as opposed to what I consider to be a "good" artist or have some really good songs but other really crappy ones.

Thriller was released in 1982, but it was towards the end so all of the hoopla was in '83.

And the Arctic Monkeys are pretty good. I wouldn't normally think they'd deserve to be in the top 100, but they definitely rule over some of the other crap that made it.

I mean the list just seems like a random mix of popular albums in a mixture of genres and indie stuff that they've just decided to put in willy-nilly.