Only because (a) I get asked for this often, and never have a ready answer, since such a subjective list changes daily and (b) i wasted a lot of energy thinking about this last year for Rolling Stone, I thought I'd share. Debate away. --ira

1 The Who The Who Sell Out
2 Bob Dylan Bringing It All Back Home
3 The Beatles Revolver
4 Roxy Music Country Life
5 Jesus and Mary Chain Psychocandy
6 Elvis Costello This Years Model
7 The Ramones Ramones
8 Clash Give 'Em Enough Rope
9 Rolling Stones Their Satanic Majesties Request
10 The Band The Band
11 Kinks Something Else by the Kinks
12 Velvet Underground The Velvet Underground and Nico
13 David Bowie The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars
14 Sex Pistols Never Mind the Bollocks, Here’s the Sex Pistols
15 Nirvana Nevermind
16 Bonzo Dog Band Gorilla
17 Brian Eno Here Come the Warm Jets
18 Prince Purple Rain
19 Modern Lovers The Modern Lovers
20 Television Marquee Moon
21 My Bloody Valentine Loveless
22 Iggy and the Stooges Raw Power
23 MC5 Back in the USA
24 The Dictators Go Girl Crazy
25 Replacements Tim
26 Cheap Trick Cheap Trick
27 Thunderclap Newman Hollywood Dream
28 Holly Beth Vincent Holly and the Italians
29 Ian MacCulloch Candleland
30 English Beat I Just Can’t Stop It
31 Big Brother & the Holding Company Cheap Thrills
32 Vulgar Boatmen Please Panic
33 Velvet Crush In the Presence of Greatness
34 Alice Cooper Killer
35 Sparks A Woofer in Tweeter’s Clothing
36 Slade Slade Alive
37 New York Dolls New York Dolls
38 Small Faces There Are but Four Small Faces
39 Yardbirds Having a Rave-Up With the Yardbirds
40 Creation We Are Paintermen
41 U2 Boy
42 Arthur Alexander Lonely Just Like Me
43 Mott the Hoople Mott
44 Generation X Generation X
45 Soul Asylum Made to Be Broken
46 Stone Roses The Stone Roses
47 Gay Dad Leisure Noise
48 Pulsars Pulsars
49 Canned Heat Live at Topanga Corral
50 Elvis Presley Having Fun With Elvis on Stage



Post Edited (01-20-05 08:00)

It's a quite interesting list, with some surprising inclusions (e.g., "Psychocandy" in the top 5?) and surprising choices by obvious bands (e.g., "Give 'Em Enough Rope" instead of "London Calling", "Here Come the Warm Jets" instead of "Another Green World"). Also interesting are some of the omissions, especially in light of what you've written in the various TPRGs (e.g., where the hell is "Underwater Moonlight"?!?). But thanks for sharing, Ira.

On a related note, some of you may have recently seen Pitchfork Media's recent list of the top 100 albums of the 70s. While Ira's list contains quite a few items from the 70s, there's VERY little overlap between the 2 lists. I agree with much of what was in the Pitchfork list, but its credibililty was severely brought into question by leaving off the first Cheap Trick album entirely. Anyway, it makes for some interesting reading, so check it out at pitchforkmedia.com.

Dear Svenhummm,
Flattery will get you nowhere.

I often dream of trains and often change my mind on the best comp Lp, as of now my favorite is Sweet's Desolation Boulevard.

Sweet's *Desolation Blvd.* is a comp? Not to be cocky or anything, Steve, but are you sure of that?

I had thought that Desolation Blvd featured previous singles from a few years prior to it's release, no? Well, ok then, replace that choice with "SHOES BEST".

I love the Shoes. I listen to Fret Buzz all the time.

Obviously, it's futile to even try compiling such a list. But one thing is for sure in my mind.

ANY "Best of" list that doesn't include Death Church by Rudimentary Peni is highly questionable.

The American version of "Desolation Boulevard" is a compilation of some tracks from the British version mixed with some from their previous U.K. album, "Sweet Fanny Adams." The original UK version of "Desolation Boulevard" was an album of new, original material. You can get them both on amazon.com's U.S. and U.K. websites.

THANK YOU JB, that certainly clears up and explains all the confusion with the three copywright dates on the US Lp.

I searched the individual lists and was surprised to see no mention
of Graham Parker, Joe Jackson ("Look Sharp"), Dave Edmunds,
Blondie ("Blondie") and Joe Ely.


I should have said this post was a response to the pitchfork top 100
of the 70's lists.



Post Edited (07-19-04 18:48)

Ira's list reveals an era with a 70's weight and also is very curious with its 'denouncing' of more popular siblings - aside from Give 'em Enough Rope, Country Life appears instead of Siren, Made to Be Broken instead of Hang Time, Tim over Let it Be, etc. and the only list ever on the planet to prefer their Satanic Majesties! (1 of 7 days of the week Psychocandy is in my top 5 as well). The pitchforkmedia list is fun but how bout that listing of Radiohead over MBV (and Ira's lack of RH inclusion)?

the difference between MBV and radiohead (for me anyway) is that...i prefer radiohead being played overhead at my local grocer when i go in to pick up a six of guinness but when i go home to enjoy my purchase, i'll do it with an irish band.

Steve, which band do you prefer at the top of the 90's list when NOT drinking an Irish beer?

my favorite Pagan asks "what album from the 90's do I listen to while NOT drinking Irish beer" two hurricanes, a new year and many Irish beers later, I answer...Hole's "live through this"



Post Edited (01-20-05 10:35)

i havent heard 'killer' fer ever.
and im scared too again.

WHAT ABOUT...
clash - london calling
clash - s/t (us)
clash - s/t (uk)
katrina and the waves - walking on sunshine
housemartins - london 0 hull 4
colourbox - s/t
mission of burma - vs
x - under the big black sun
rem - murmur
avengers - s/t
true sounds of liberty - beneath the shadows
marvin gaye - what's going on
damned - damned damned damned
rezillos - can't stand the rezillos
soft boys - underwater moonlight
rockpile - seconds of pleasure
roseanne cash - seven year ache
run dmc - s/t
pretenders - s/t
pink floyd - dark side of the moon
bo diddley - s/t
fuzztones - lysergic emanations
stiffs live (various)
blondie - s/t

(to be continued)

Dear M,
Avengers gets best comp. hands down. I take it back, its Black market clash.

Murmer gets 51 to 100 easy.
Ditto for Pretenders.
My wife has heard only two or three songs on Marvin Gaye's Whut's goin on and has since found true love so, yeah 51- 100 position.
However, you left off Sandanista. The best 3 record set ever. Oops, Maybe we should start with best two record set first?

And if I hear one more shoutout for Underwater Moonlight I'll trade my I often dream of trains Lp!

Dylan/Band Basement Tapes (I cheated)
Stooges Fun House
Scott Walker Tilt
Gene Clark Roadmaster
Love Forever Changes
Minutemen Double Nickels on the Dime
Soft Machine Vols I & II (I cheated, again)
Big Star Third/Sister Lovers
Kinks Village Green
Velvet Underground Third
The Flamin’ Groovies Teenage Head
Can Ege Bamyasi
Zombies Odessey and Oracle

Hmmm... yet again Ira sends me back to Ian McCulloch's first solo album, produced in 1989 by Gentle Giant's Ray Shulman. I bought it not long after it was released in a Soho record stall for two pounds. Good enough, and Ira's enthusiasm keeps it on my upstairs shelves instead of down in the basement.

But better than 'Ocean Rain'? Or 'Crocodiles' or even (in its remastered format) 'Heaven Up Here'?

No way.

Otherwise, the Clash, Stones, Mott the Hoople and Roxy Music selections reveal a personal preference for albums which are generally ignored/overlooked in the UK in favour of their big brothers (London Calling/Exile/Brain Capers/For Your Pleasure).

That's fine.

But NO Jam, Blondie, Byrds, King Crimson, Talking Heads, Nick Lowe, Neil Young, Tom Waits, Johnny Cash, John Cale, Pere Ubu, Stiff Little Fingers, etc in favour of, for example, Generation X and the 'Holly and the Italians album'?

That indicates a bias towards very good albums by artists who then imploded, never giving us much in the aftermath. Was their fleeting best better than the best of much more influential artists who ran the distance?

Ummmm - no?



"I never make stupid mistakes. Only very, very clever ones." - John Peel

Boy, but that "Happy Hour" album KING MISSILE released in '92 is grrreat!

I'm placing that one in my 51 to 100 list as well as "M's" suggested MURMER and PRETENDERS discs.

Here's some more old and moldy sweets...
TVP's old first album
Jam all mod cons
gang of fours first

Let's hear it for the eighties...
john cooper's invisible girls.
pretty much anyone from Minneapolis
All of ROBERT POSS' Susans... (now there's a find)

the nineties? (help!)
Melvins?
SLOAN?
Definately Cheap Tricks revival.

90's ??


without thinking, for potential inclusion into my top 100

MBV, Loveless
Nirvana, unplugged
Nas, Illmatic
GBV, Bee Thousand
Pavement, Crooked Rain
Mathew Sweet, Girlfriend
Spiitualized, live at albert hall
First Wondermints
second weezer

i would actually think about one particular album from this group

wilco public enemy
flaming lips dismemberment plan
richard heyman rip arthur kane

i finally got around to pitchfork, and i'm too tired to argue with numerical ranking: if it's in, at least it's in, but jesus holy baloney,
NO Curtis, Ubus, first 2 Big Star,P-Funk, Kinks, Gene Clark/Byrds, Raspberries; and if they think those are the best jazz albums--they are the ones who put Miles in, and reversed HIS greatness in their list-- of that lost decade of jazz greatness, they are insane--how about Bill Evans, Art Ensemble, Gerry Mulligan, or Paul Bley.

i don't know about you all, but I would NOT marry someone who played a weekend of Pink Floyd, Van Halen, Paul Simon, King Crimson, or Throbbing Gristle. Might as well as move to Fargo and read Chuck Klosterman and People Magazine all day.

Blondie over Modern Dance and Dub Housing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!??????????


to the person without My Bloody Valentine: it's taking a shower with feedbacky guitars scrubbing you clean. A top twenty.

Neu over Robert Wyatt or Richard Thompson!!!!!??????????????

You forgot:

Styx - Paradise Theater
Steve Miller's Greatest Hits
John Trubee - "A Blind Man's Penis"

Here is my imput:

Bob Dylan Blonde on Blonde
Graham Parker Squeezing Out Sparks
David Bowie Scary Monsters
Joe Ely Musta Notta Gotta Lotta
X Wild Gift
Bruce Springsteen Darkness on the edge of town
Metallica And Justice For All
Metallica Black Album
Fiona Apple Tidal
AudioSlave AudioSlave
Doors Morrison Hotel
Replacements Let it Be
Concrete Blonde BloodLetting
Steve Earle Guitar Town
Kevin Welch Western Beat

My one-and-a-half-cents and 10-and-a-half I think should be included. I love these conversations, because it allows me to hear about great music I haven't before.

Mekons: Rock and Roll
Freedy Johnston: Can You Fly?
Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell's Greatest Hits
Jason and the Scorchers: Lost and Found
Mothers of Invention: We're Only In It For The Money
REM: Murmur
Gang of Four: Entertainment
Let's Active: Big Plans For Everybody
Robyn Hitchcock: Gotta Let This Hen Out!
Earth, Wind, And Fire: Gratitude

And the first disc of Rhino's Graham Parker collection, which takes the best from each of his first few albums, up to Squeezing Out Sparks. With "Temporary Beauty" included, it would be perfect.
How about best album sides? Such as The Beatles, Side One, or Sandinista, Side One?

fave first sides?

PU's modern dance

first television

tempts with a little bit of soul

modern lovers

bb's wild honey

mathew sweet's girlfriend

And we love you loving them, Blasmo...
I'd forgotten about Mitch Easter's Big Plans so I got it out.
I prefer this album to anything REM did and you can really hear his influence as their producer, designer, confidant. Though it may be slightly dated and sugary, I feel he was that era's greated producer. Right up there with Albini. On that tour I found Mitch very personable - even after slamming the crowd with a powerful PA and adding raunch and feedback to the strong wriiten structures.

Here's a question: How many of these albums had to "grow" on you? I mean, did any of these start out as just OK, in your opinion, but upon multiple listenings, became classics?

no...these were all instaneous no-brainers for me


bands or music that took a long while, but have since permanently entered my banal bloodstream:

David Ackles
Go-Betweens
Palace--and off shoots
1980's and early 90's of Neil and Bobby Zimmerman
5th dimension
4 tops
stylistics
sigur ros
meat puppets (i'm not perfect, after all)

Actually, I think for an album to be defined as 'classic' it HAS to contain material that unravels over multiple listenings and a production that supports that effect.

In no particular, because music isn't a contest.

After The Gold Rush-Neil Young
Mummer-XTC
Marquee Moon-Television
Kiko-Los Lobos
Revolver-Beatles
Fish Rising-Steve Hillage
Again-Buffalo Springfield
Tonight's The Night-Neil Young
You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore Vol.2-Zappa
Clear Spot-Beefheart
Doc At The Radar Station-Beefheart
Gentle Giant-Interview
Soft Machine-3rd
Tom Verlaine-Flash Light
King Crimson-Discipline
Santana (3rd album with "No One To Depend On")
Talk Talk-Colour of Spring
Anal Solvent-Wild-n-Free
Beck- pick one- OK- Mutations
Something Else By The Kinks
Yardbirds-Roger The Engineer
The Who-Live at Leeds (Expanded Version)
Party Mix/ Mesopotamia-B-52'
Are We not Men?-Devo
Underwater Moonlight-Soft Boys
Telephone Free Landslide Victory-Camper Van Beethoven
Machine Head-Deep Purple
Hejira-Joni Mitchell
Olu Dara-In The World
Jack Johnson-Miles Davis
ABC-415 Ray Charles Greatest Hits
1st Allman Bros album
Life's Too Good-Sugarcubes
Black Snake Diamond Role-Robyn Hitchcock
Zuma-Neil Young
VU- Velvet Underground
Monster-Steppenwolf
Desire of The Rhino King-Adrian Belew
Fear of Music-Talking Heads
Fairport Convention-Full House/House Full
I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight -Richard & Linda Thompson
Drums & Wires-XTC
Los Angeles-X
Rain Dogs-Tom Waits
Psychedelic Shack-Temptations or Cloud Nine
Maggot Brain-Funkadelic
Low Budget-Kinks
Mr. Fantasy-Traffic
This Girl's In Love-Aretha Franklin
Hey Jude-Wilson Pickett
Rust Never Sleeps-Neil Young

This all just off the cuff, and as always, no wagering!!!

Ira, you listed The Rolling Stones' "Their Satanic Majesties Request" among your favorite albums of all time. Why do you like that album more than some of the ones that many people consider their best, such as "Beggars' Banquet," Let It Bleed," "Sticky Fingers" or "Exile On main steet?" Some people have also mentioned "Afternmath, "Some Girls" and "Tatoo You" as favorites. I ask the question because I have never heard of anyone naming your choice as their favorite Stones album. The Stones themselves have at times ragged on that album because they felt they wern't focused at the time they recorded it. Critics have pissed on it over the years. I am interested in what you see in the record because I respect your opinions on music, and I like the record myself. I would not say it is my favorite album by the Stones. I like several of the albums that I mention, equally. What I like about "Satanic Majesties" is that the sound is different from a typical Stones album, such as the psychedelic sound of "2000 Light years From Home." Also, why is Elvis presley's "Having Fun With Elvis On Stage" a favorite of yours? I have never hreard that album. Isn't it a spoken word record or an attempt at a comedy album?

Having Fun with Elvis is the strongest testament ever put on record against the use of barbituates. It was a quickie toss-off (I know, redundant) by the Colonel comprised ENTIRELY of inane between-song banter. Generally considered the most depressing Elvis record ever made. I'd rather listen to Lou's MMM all day.

Actual excerpts:

"Well"

"Well well well"

"Ladies and gentlemen, I'm the NBC peacock"

the stones album means a lot to me because it comes from such a different place then the others; also, as a critic, i'm inclined to set aside the pleasures of familiarity for the challenges of an album that shows a more surprising, less appealing, impulse. in a sense, i like majesties because of its "awful" elements (echoy sound, experimentation, anger, weirdness) as much as its more apparently good ones. that, to me, is the fun part of thinking about this stuff - selecting aesthetic values that are not rooted in the obvious. so while the more commonly preferred stones albums are great - i truly love those records - i would take majesties with me to a desert island because it still provokes me in ways those other records no longer do. that said, i don't necessarily feel that way about other bands' oeuvres, but to me each artist is a unique critical matter.

as for elvis, that album is pure dada - scraps stitched into an art piece of utter worthlessness - that stands alone (except for the neil young arc weld companion) in the annals of pop culture. it totally tweaks my appreciation for going against the grain. i mean, here's the most famous rock singer on the planet, with boxes of fine music in his catalogue, and his greedy manager takes his onstage comments, which are amusing but irrelevant to elvis's artistry, and makes them into an album of innate silliness. it's extraordinary and total fun to listen to.

OK--great stuff.

now if you don't mind please explain yr other 48 choices and have them on our desks by monday morn.


btw: if i get into discussion of re-masters and re-mixes and re-edits and whatnot with experts my head explodes, but i KNOW the re-issue and re-master of SATANIC is awesome, baby.

I got that Elvis LP for 50 cents at a thrift store... it's definitely a trip...

The operative term there being "greedy manager."

*Having Fun with Elvis on Stage* was released at a time when Elvis still enjoyed a fan base that would eagerly lap up anything with his name on it, although his best work was behind him. (Yes, the King was still alive when this album hit the racks.) It may be a total trip to listen to, but any greatness that can be objectively conferred upon it is purely by accident. Don't believe the hype.

On the other hand, I see in Amazon.com that *Having Fun with Elvis* is available on CD, at import prices. The King is dead; long live the King's cult.

Ira, I really dig the fact that you've got the Vulgar Boatmen in your top 50!

A few of my personal favorites:

The Wipers- Is This Real?
The Who- Live At Leeds (Deluxe Edition)
The Pogues- If I Should Fall From Grace With God
Led Zeppelin- How The West Was Won
The New York Dolls- New York Dolls
Pretenders- Pretenders
Cheap Trick- Music For Hangovers
Mudhoney- Every Good Boy Deserves Fudge
Mother Love Bone- Stardog Champion
David Bowie- Lodger
The Rolling Stones- Some Girls
Lou Reed- New York
REM- Murmur
The Clash- The Clash
Rockpile- Seconds of Pleasure
Greg Sage- Straight Ahead
The Grateful Dead- Without A Net
Concert For Bangladesh (only for the Dylan side)
George Thorogood- Move It On Over
Devo- New Traditionalists
Rage Against The Machine- RATM

The Ian McCulloch album is called Candleland, not Shadowland.

My top 20

1) What Does Anything Mean Basically-Chameleons
2) Rocket To Russia-Ramones
3) Stone Roses-Stone Roses
4) Script Of The Bridge-Chameleons
5) The Clash-The Clash
6) Piper At The Gates Of Dawn-Pink Floyd
7) Ocean Rain-Echo & The Bunnymen
8) Another Music In A Different Kitchen-Buzzcocks
9) Germ Free Adolescents-X Ray Spex
10) Velvet Underground & Nico
11) Led Zeppelin 4
12) In The Court Of The Crimson King-King Crimson
13) Never Mind The Bollocks-Sex Pistols
14) Fresh Fruit For Rotting Vegetables-Dead Kennedys
15) The Hurting-Tears For Fears
16) The Sun & The Moon-The Sun & The Moon
17) Absolutely-Madness
18) Teenage Warning-Angelic Upstarts
19) Black & White-Stranglers
20) Voyage To The Bottom Of The Road-Half Man Half Biscuit

oops. good point.

i know what you mean, I've been into both stolen wishes and silhouette lately. And what can you say about Black Vinyl Shoes except essential listening.

My fave 50+, in alphabetical order:

Tori Amos – Little Earthquakes
Henry Badowski – Life Is a Grand
The Beatles – Revolver
Belle and Sebastian – If You’re Feeling Sinister
Blondie – Eat to the Beat
Blue Oyster Cult – Secret Treaties
Kate Bush – The Dreaming
The Buzzcocks – A Different Kind of Tension
Can – Future Days
Neko Case - Blacklisted
The Clash – London Calling
Cocteau Twins – Blue Belle Knoll
Elvis Costello and the Attractions – Get Happy!
Cowboys International – The Original Sin
De La Soul – 3 Feet High & Rising
Echo and the Bunnymen – Ocean Rain
Eno – Taking Tiger Mountain
Marianne Faithfull – Broken English
The Flaming Lips – The Soft Bulletin
Genesis – Wind & Wuthering
Go-Betweens – 16 Lovers Lane
Goldfrapp – Felt Mountain
Guided By Voices – Bee Thousand
Robyn Hitchcock & the Egyptians – Fegmania!
Hole – Live Through This
Joe Jackson Band – Beat Crazy
Joy Division - Closer
Kid Creole and the Coconuts – Off the Coast of Me
Kitchens of Distinction – Strange Free World
Lene Lovich- Stateless
Paul McCartney & Wings – Band on the Run
Mercury Rev – Deserter’s Songs
Modern Lovers – Modern Lovers
Mott the Hoople - Mott
My Bloody Valentine - Loveless
OMD – Architecture and Morality
Liz Phair – Exile in Guyville
Sam Phillips – The Indescribable Wow
Radiohead – OK Computer
Radiohead – Kid A
REM – Murmur
REM – Automatic for the People
Sex Pistols – Never Mind the Bollocks
Sigur Ros - Ágætis Byrjun
Slowdive – Just for a Day
Patti Smith - Horses
Soft Boys – Underwater Moonlight
Son Volt – Trace
Sparks – Kimono My House
Talking Heads – Remain In Light
Television – Marquee Moon
Til Tuesday – Everything’s Different Now
Ultravox – Systems of Romance
Uncle Tupelo – Anodyne
U2 - Boy
The Velvet Underground and Nico
The Velvet Underground – White Light, White Heat
Wire - 154
Roy Wood – Boulders
XTC- Black Sea
Yo La Tengo - Painful
Warren Zevon – Bad Luck Streak in Dancing School


Compilations:
Buzzcocks – Singles Going Steady
Danielle Dax – Dark Adapted Eye
Siouxsie & the Banshees – Once Upon a Time

1) Gotta say the Stones choice set me back, I have it in the original mono and on cd, would not pack either for my trip to any island.

2) Thanks to the guy that brought up the Shoes, a great band. Anyone not familiar with them really should check them out. Listen to "Love Is Like a Bullet."

3) Okay, maybe I missed it, but I must list the best albem ever. Issued in 1991 I listen to it often and I can't say that about many albums. Drum roll please --- Chris Whitley. Living With the Law.

4) You all have made me think, Thanks

Ira, including Having Fun on Stage With Elvis Presley is a riot. Jimmy Gutterman (and a co-author I can't remember) wrote a very funny essay about it in their book about the 50 worst rock 'n' roll records of all time. It's a great book overall, and not nearly as good as their best 50 records companion book. Anyway, Elvis says things like, "Look, everyone, I'm the NBC peacock" and "uhhhhhwuh! wuh! wuh!" It's Elvis' Metal Machine Music.

My 50, completely off the top of my head and in no order whatsoever and not including best-ofs:

Clash - London Calling
Replacements - Let It Be
Husker Du - Zen Arcade
Clash - The Clash
Sweet Baby - It's a Girl
Sockeye - Retards Hiss Past My Window (contains the song "Steve Albini Fucked Pac-Man" -- 'nuff said)
Beatles - Revolver
Rolling Stones - Exile on Main Street
Ramones - Ramones
Ramones - Leave Home
Aretha Franklin - I Never Loved a Man
James Brown - Jungle Groove
James Brown - Live at the Apollo Vol. 1
Prisonshake - The Roaring Third
Velvet Underground - Loaded
Pixies - Come on Pilgrim
Johnny Cash - Live at Folsom Prison
Jerry Lee Lewis - Live at the Star Club
AC/DC - Highway to Hell (replace this with Powerage or If You Want Blood if you're so inclined)
Carcass - Heartwork
Slayer - Reign in Blood
Nirvana - Bleach
Elvis Costello - Get Happy!!
A Tribe Called Quest - The Low End Theory
Geto Boys - Geto Boys
Television - Marquee Moon
Black Flag - Damaged
Minutemen - Double Nickels on the Dime
Velvet Underground - s/t
Scientist - Scientist Rids the World of the Evil Vampires
Toots and the Maytals - Funky Kingston
Mighty Diamonds - I Need a Roof
Buzzcocks - Spiral Scratch (I know, not a full album, but ...)
Who - Who Sell Out
Fastbacks - New Mansions in Sound
Run DMC - Raising Hell
Sonic Youth - Daydream Nation
Stevie Wonder - Innervisions
Sly and the Family Stone - There's a Riot Goin' On
Dr. Octagon - Octagonecologyst
KMD - Mr. Hood
Sonics - Here Are the Sonics!!
New Bomb Turks - !!Destroy Oh Boy!!
Black Sabbath - Black Sabbath (any of the first four records will do, really)
Lightning Bolt - Wonderful Rainbow
Stooges - Fun House (or Raw Power - whatever)
Thomas Jefferson Slave Apartments - Bait and Switch
Kinks - Face to Face (I think Village Green gets weak toward the end)
Beastie Boys - Paul's Boutique
LL Cool J - Radio

Just a note: Any "greatest albums" list leaves out some of the most important music in early, singles-based rock 'n' roll and soul, as well as new R&B and rap. No Chuck Berry? Little Richard? Sam Cooke? Now, the 50 greatest singles ...

Ha! See what you leave out when you write off the top of your head ... Dylan (Highway 61), Prince (1999 or Purple Rain), Modern Lovers, Dolls ...