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Writer's pictureJay Burgin

INHAILER RADIO'S TOP 500 ALBUMS OF ALL-TIME: (#450—426)

Updated: Jan 27, 2021

This is the 3rd 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 The Specials, Deftones, and Cannonball Adderley. This week we continue with Nos. 450-426. The ask was simple: excluding compilation albums, what are the 500 best albums of all-time, ranked? Here's the third list in the countdown:


450. Green Onions - Booker T. & the M.G.'s (1962)

The first album ever released on Stax Records, Green Onions was ~instrumental~ in crafting the soulful sound of the American South.

449. Belle & Sebastian - If You're Feeling Sinister (1996)

The prolific and low-key Scottish pop group proved that good songwriting is what sells albums.

448. Cocteau Twins - Treasure (1984)

This intensely romantic album was played by Robert Smith of The Cure on his wedding day.

447. The Stranglers - Rattus Norvegicus (1977)

An album named after the scientific term for a brown rat? That's punk.

446. Regina Spektor - Begin to Hope (2006)

The best music to ever grace the overhead speakers at your local J.C. Penny.

445. The Smiths - The Smiths (1984)

Morissey and Johnny Mar's introduction to the world was surprisingly mature, nuanced, and inventive, even for an album anchored on the dark theme of child abuse.

444. Built To Spill - There's Nothing Wrong With Love (1994)

The music video for the album's lead track was one those punkish tracks viewed by Beavis and Butt-head. File under: sheer irreverence.

443. Daft Punk - Discovery (2001)

This now well-recognized French duo introduced a new strain of disco-electropop into the mainstream with clever hooks, sharp beat editing, and responsible looping.

442. The xx - xx (2009)

One of the first records to be produced on a laptop, their debut album inspired a generation of bedroom beat makers.

441. Oliver Nelson - Blues and the Abstract Truth (1961)

"Stolen Moments," arguably the greatest sixteen-bar jazz composition of all-time, is the cornerstone of Nelson's peak achievement.

440. Jim Croce - You Don't Mess Around With Jim (1972)

About as close as one can get to pure folk rock, this one spent almost 100 weeks on the charts and spawned three top 20 hits.

439. Jurassic 5 - Power in Numbers (2002)

Immaculately-cut, non-conforming hip hop that keeps you on the edge of your stereo.

438. Art of Noise - (Who's Afraid of) the Art of Noise (1984)

This English quintet reached a new peak for the use of samplers and sequencers to create immense, hypnotic sound collages.

437. The Millennium - Begin (1968)

The most expensive album produced at its time (costing ~$700K in today's dollars), this majestic sunshine pop record sounds like a million bucks.

436. Spoon - Gimme Fiction (2005)

Already acclaimed at the time of its release, Britt Daniels' masterpiece has only grown in heroic indie stature.

435. Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin II (1969)

On Zep's heaviest record, only John Bonham could get away with rattling off a 3 minute drum solo.

434. Jason Isbell - Southeastern (2013)

This is one of the newest records on our list because it's an instant classic. Abandoned and revisited after a stint in rehab, Isbell brought a novel brand of authenticity to Americana.

433. Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - BRMC (2001)

An hour long Tour-De-Force in West Coast rock stylings, arrangements, and dynamics.

432. Alice Coltrane - Journey in Satchidanada (1971)

Taking rare sounds and song structures from all edges of the world, Alice was never again just "John's wife."

431. Morphine - Cure For Pain (1993)

An underrated jazzy rocker that got lost in the grunge age. This album is buena.

430. The Slits - Cut (1979)

The "female spinal tap" may have seen nudity and mud sell their record, but top-notch punk earned their reputation.

429. Sleater-Kinney - Dig Me Out (1997)

Paying homage to garage greats, Brownstein and Tucker prove once and for all that women rockers get can just as loud behind the fretboard.

428. Willie Nelson - Red-Headed Stranger (1975)

When this country-great asked Columbia Records how his finished album was supposed to sound like, the exec replied "Anything but this."

427. Chris Bell - I Am The Cosmos (1992)

The most misunderstood member of the 27 Club, I Am The Cosmos became a massively influential alt. rock bootleg for two decades until it was finally released officially in the '90s.

426. Dr. John - Gris Gris (1968)

"Melt you like butter/I can make you stutter." A spooky debut released under the guise of a real New Orleans Voodoo doctor.

 

Want to listen to our choice cuts from this list? Follow our countdown playlist on Spotify!

Stay tuned for Inhailer Radio's next installment in the totally objective, completely undisputed, most-correct list of the Top 500 Albums of All-Time. Disagree with our rankings? Definitely don't @ us on our Facebook and Instagram. Next week: #425-#401.

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