This is the 13th post in this series. Click here to start from the beginning: Inhailer's Top 500 Albums of All-Time: (#500--476)
Every Friday, Inhailer is counting down our totally objective, completely undisputed, most-correct list of the Top 500 albums of all time. We're doing so in bite-size chunks of 25 albums (nobody has the energy in their thumbs to scroll through 500 albums in one sitting). Last week we continued our countdown with the likes of Chic, Etta James, and The Primitives. This week we continue with Nos. 200-176. The ask was simple: excluding compilation albums, what are the 500 best albums of all-time, ranked? Here's the thirteenth list in the countdown:
200. Counting Crows - August and Everything After (1993)
It's not very cool to like the Counting Crows, but we can't get enough of their debut work.
199. Pearl Jam - Ten (1993)
Recorded just after the recruitment of Eddie Vedder and guitarist Mike McCready, the band put together one of the most developed debut albums ever.
198. Phosphorescent - Muchacho (2013)
"Hey, muchacho, settle down," said songwriter Matthew Hauck to himself, paraphrasing Pablo Neruda in his kaleidoscopic indie rock breakthrough.
197. The Charlatans - Between 10th and 11th (1992)
Epitomizing the Madchester sound, the Brits hit #1 on the alt. charts for their anthem, "Weirdo."
196. Judas Priest - British Steel (1980)
Judas Priest headed to Ringo Starr's former home to record their best work, complete with smashed milk bottles and writhing billiard cues.
195. R.E.M - Out of Time (1993)
Smash hits like "Shiny Happy People" and "Losing My Religion" are just the tip of the iceberg. Check out the gems "Endgame," "Belong," and "Country Feedback."
194. Eric B. & Rakim - Paid In Full (1987)
Though not the first usage, Rakim's heavy reliance on internal rhyme schemes established hip hop as an avenue for heavy wordsmithing.
193. Bob Dylan - The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan (1963)
Compare any of Dylan's 'greatest hits' compilations to this album's tracklisting: "Blowin' In the Wind," "Girl from the North Country," "A Hard Rain's a-Gonna Fall," "Masters of War," & "Don't Think Twice, It's All Right."
192. Judee Sill - Judee Sill (1971)
It's time for this album to be fully-appreciated. Sill gave her best songwriting to this folk rock classic, with the help of David Crosby, Graham Nash, Rita Coolidge, and more.
191. Mary J. Blige - What's the 411? (1992)
Blige was just 18 years old when she was signed, and was the first woman on the label. Pulling in Puff Daddy as a producer, she was instantly crowned The Queen of Hip Hop Soul in response to her debut album.
190. Nucleus - Elastic Rock (1970)
Released the same month as Miles Davis' Bitches' Brew, Ian Carr should be considered every bit as influential with his band's debut work of jazz-rock fusion.
189. Ultimate Spinach - Behold and See (1968)
Released as at the tail-end of the 'Bosstown Sound' craze, "Mind Flowers" and "Jazz Thing" are stunningly fresh psychedelia, even today.
188. The Band - Music From Big Pink (1968)
What else can be said about this album? Nothing, except that it continues to be a lynchpin in the American music canon.
187. Pulp - Different Class (1995)
Jarvis Cocker took Brit-pop to darker, more sarcastic places and proved that being different doesn't always mean shouting the loudest.
186. Dr. Dre - The Chronic (1992)
Name an album that launched two careers bigger than Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg? I'll start.
185. Nancy Sinatra & Lee Hazlewood - Nancy & Lee (1968)
The frequent collaborators exchange solos as they walk the line between orchestrated sophisticated and down-to-Earth Country Folk.
184. AC/DC - Back in Black (1980)
Arguably the biggest ever hard rock album, it has sold more copies than classics such as Bat Out of Hell, Dark Side of the Moon, Hotel California, and Led Zeppelin IV.
183. Tedeschi Trucks Band - Revelator (2011)
Husband and wife pair Susan Tedeschi and Dereck Trucks navigated a typical career music backwards, fusing their own solo careers to reinvigorate the genre of modern blues.
182. Chuck Berry - Berry is on Top (1959)
Technically considered a studio album, Berry piled his best work on this Sundae, including rock 'n roll standards like "Maybellene" "Roll Over Beethoven" and "Johnny B. Goode."
181. Black Sabbath - Black Sabbath (1970)
How rare is it to pinpoint the birth of a genre to a single day? On the 16th of October in 1969, Tommy Iommi led the band through a 12-hour session that launched doom metal.
180. John Coltrane - Giant Steps (1960)
"Naima," "Mr. P.C.," and the title track continue to define the 'Coltrane changes,' central to Coltrane's rich legacy.
179. James Brown - Live At the Apollo (1963)
Recorded in the heart of Harlem, Brown and his Famous Flames captivate thousands of screaming fans. DJs couldn't decide which track was best, so they just played them all.
178. Jefferson Airplane - Surrealistic Pillow (1967)
This was a band of big personalities. Marty Balin, Jorma Kaukonen, and Paul Kantner were all at their creative peaks. But they were missing one piece: the soul-shaking vocals of Grace Slick.
177. Ramones - Ramones (1976)
This album is as lean as the Ramones on the cover. It took only a few chords, a few dollars, and a few days to record.
176. The Stooges - The Stooges (1969)
John Cale. The Hit Factory. Iggy Pop. The Asheton brothers. The genesis of punk. F**king iconic!
Want to listen to our choice cuts from this list? Follow our countdown playlist on Spotify!
Comments