Q Magazine

(UK mainstream Pop/Rock monthly publication since 1986)
 
The Q Ultimate Music Collection
Many Thanks to Steve Parker for Supplying this list.


Ultimate Music Collection
(April 2005)

“It Could fry your brain: there are millions of albums and tracks to choose from and you only have so much time. Fear not. Over the next 44 pages, Q – with a little help from the likes of U2, Coldplay, The Killers, Keane and Razorlight – has handpicked every piece of music you will ever need. Step in, there’s a lifetime’s listening waiting for you… “

“How close are you to owning the Ultimate Music Collection? Tick the boxes in each section and add up your score at the end”.

For clarity in this listing, I’ve placed the Star Playlists (20 tracks handpicked by some of Q’s fav stars) at the end, in the original article they were at random points. The same goes for Essential Artists (20 Essential Tracks & one album for a few select big names). Article had, usually, one ‘Essential’ album & 10 ‘Further Listening’ albums (in no order of merit) for each genre and 50 ‘Tracks’ (in alphabetical order). They’re reprinted in the same format here, though the albums have been placed into alphabetical order by artist & the Essential album marked with a *. I’ve taken the liberty of correcting spelling mistakes, (ie: it’s ‘Baba O’Riley not Baba O’Reilly’ by The Who), though probably made some of my own!

Rock

Albums

o Bowie, David – Rise & Fall of Ziggy Stardust & the Spiders from Mars
o Fleetwood Mac – Rumours
o Hendrix, Jimi – Are You Experienced?
o Led Zeppelin – IV
o Nirvana – Nevermind
o Oasis – Definitely Maybe
o Pink Floyd – Wish You Were Here
o Radiohead – OK Computer
o Red Hot Chili Peppers – By the Way
o REM – Automatic for the People
o Rolling Stones – Let it Bleed*

Tracks

o Alone Again Or – Love
o And It Stoned Me – Van Morrison
o Baba O’Riley – The Who
o Bitter Sweet Symphony – The Verve
o Born in the USA – Bruce Springsteen
o Don’t Dream It’s Over – Crowded House
o Eight Miles High – Byrds
o Everlong – Foo Fighters
o Fall On Me – REM
o Feel Good Hit of the Summer – Queens of the Stone Age
o Get It On – T Rex
o Golden Touch – Razorlight
o Hard to Handle – Black Crowes
o Heroes – David Bowie
o Hotel California – Eagles
o House of the Rising Sun – Animals
o Instant Karma! – John Lennon/Yoko Ono & the Plastic Ono Band
o Jumpin’ Jack Flash – Rolling Stones
o Kashmir – Led Zeppelin
o Last Goodbye – Jeff Buckley
o Life’s What You Make It – Talk Talk
o Like a Hurricane – Neil Young
o Lust for Life – Iggy Pop
o Maggie May – Rod Stewart
o My Generation – The Who
o Mystery Train – Elvis Presley
o National Anthem – Radiohead
o Political Scientist – Ryan Adams
o Rearviewmirror – Pearl Jam
o Reelin’ in the Years – Steely Dan
o Refugee – Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers
o Reservations – Wilco
o Riders on the Storm – Doors
o River, the – Bruce Springsteen
o Scientist – Coldplay
o September Gurls – Big Star
o Stay with Me – Faces
o Sunshine of Your Love – Cream
o Suspicious Minds – Elvis Presley
o Time is Running Out – Muse
o Tin Soldier – Small Faces
o Today – Smashing Pumpkins
o Virginia Plain – Roxy Music
o Walk on Gilded Splinters – Dr John
o Walk on the Wild Side – Lou Reed
o Waterloo Sunset – Kinks
o We Will Rock You – Queen
o Why Does It Always Rain on Me? – Travis
o You Do Something to Me – Paul Weller
o You Really Got Me – Kinks

Pop

Albums

o Abba – Gold: Greatest Hits
o Beach Boys – Pet Sounds
o Bee Gees/Various Artists – Saturday Night Fever [Soundtrack]
o Blondie – Parallel Lines
o Jackson, Michael – Thriller*
o John, Elton – Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
o Prince & the Revolution – Purple Rain
o Scissor Sisters – Scissor Sisters
o TLC – CrazySexyCool
o Various Artists/Phil Spector – Back to Mono 1958-1969 [box set]
o Williams, Robbie – Life Thru a Lens

Tracks

o Antmusic – Adam & the Ants
o Baby, One More Time – Britney Spears
o Big Time Sensuality – Björk
o California Dreamin’ – Mamas & the Papas
o Can’t Get You Out of My Head – Kylie Minogue
o Clint Eastwood – Gorillaz
o Come On Eileen – Dexy’s Midnight Runners
o Crazy in Love – Beyoncé featuring Jay-Z
o Cum On Feel the Noize – Slade
o Dirrty – Christina Aguilera
o Don’t You Want Me – Human League
o Drive – Cars
o Dry Your Eyes – Streets
o Echo Beach – Martha & the Muffins
o Every Breath You Take – Police
o Fairytale of New York – Pogues & Kirsty MacColl
o Faith – George Michael
o Freak Like Me – Sugababes
o Good Times – Chic
o Gotta Get Thru This – Daniel Bedingfield
o Groove Is in the Heart – Deee Lite
o Groovejet (If This Ain’t Love) – Spiller
o House of Fun – Madness
o I’m Not In Love – 10cc
o Independent Women, Pt 1 – Destiny’s Child
o Last Train to Clarksville – Monkees
o Let Me Blow Your Mind – Eve featuring Gwen Stefani
o Look of Love – ABC
o Milkshake – Kelis
o Moments in Love – Art of Noise
o Mr Blue Sky – ELO
o My Sharona – Knack
o No Good Advice – Girls Aloud
o Nothing Compares 2 U – Sinead O’Connor
o Only Living Boy in New York – Simon & Garfunkel
o Party Fears Two – Associates
o Planet Earth – Duran Duran
o Pull Up to the Bumper – Grace Jones
o Rock On – David Essex
o Rock Your Body – Justin Timberlake
o Running Up That Hill – Kate Bush
o Sign ‘O’ the Times – Prince
o Sing It Back – Moloko
o Tainted Love – Soft Cell
o Twenty Four Hours from Tulsa – Gene Pitney
o West End Girls – Pet Shop Boys
o What You Waiting For? – Gwen Stefani
o Where Is the Love? – Black Eyed Peas
o Yeah – Usher
o You Get What You Give – New Radicals


Punk

Albums

o Buzzcocks – Singles Going Steady
o Clash – London Calling
o Fugazi – Repeater
o Green Day – American Idiot
o Hüsker Dü – New Day Rising
o Iggy & the Stooges – Raw Power*
o Ramones – Ramones (1st Album)
o Sex Pistols – Never Mind the Bollocks, Here’s the…
o Smith, Patti - Horses
o Television – Marquee Moon
o Wire – Pink Flag

Tracks (Punk & New Wave)

o All the Small Things – Blink 182
o Alternative Ulster – Stiff Little Fingers
o Another Girl, Another Planet – Only Ones
o At Home He’s a Tourist – Gang of Four
o Babylon’s Burning – Ruts
o Blank Generation – Richard Hell & the Voidoids
o California Über Alles – Dead Kennedys
o Chinese Rocks – Johnny Thunders
o City of Angels – Distillers
o Come Out and Play – Offspring
o Contort Yourself – James Chance & the Contortions
o Fat Lip – Sum 41
o Frankie Teardrop – Suicide
o Going Underground – Jam
o Hot Wire My Heart – Crime
o (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction – Devo
o (I Don’t Want to Go To) Chelsea – Elvis Costello & the Attractions
o I Heard It Through the Grapevine – Slits
o If the Kids Are United – Sham 69
o Kerosene – Big Black
o Kick Out the Jams – MC5
o Knife Slits Water – A Certain Ratio
o Lake of Fire – Meat Puppets
o Los Angeles – X
o Making Plans for Nigel – XTC
o New Rose – Damned
o Oh Bondage, Up Yours! – X Ray Spex
o Oliver’s Army – Elvis Costello & the Attractions
o One Armed Scissor – At the Drive In
o Peaches – Stranglers
o Psycho Killer – Talking Heads
o Public Image – PIL
o Punchline – Minutemen
o Rat Trap – Boomtown Rats
o Roadrunner – Modern Lovers
o Sailin’ On – Bad Brains
o Sex and Drugs and Rock ‘n’ Roll – Ian Dury & the Blockheads
o Shot by Both Sides – Magazine
o Sound of the Suburbs – Members
o Spellbound – Siouxsie & the Banshees
o Straight Edge – Minor Threat
o Time Bomb – Rancid
o TV Party – Black Flag
o 21st Century Digital Boy – Bad Religion
o 20 Jazz Funk Greats – Throbbing Gristle
o Up the Junction – Squeeze
o We Are All Prostitutes – Pop Group
o White Riot – Clash

Rap

Albums

o De La Soul – 3 Feet High & Rising
o Dr Dre – The Chronic
o Eminem – Marshall Mathers LP
o Eric B & Rakim – Paid in Full
o Jay-Z – Blueprint
o Notorious BIG – Ready to Die
o OutKast – Aquemini
o Public Enemy – It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back
o Run DMC – Raising Hell
o 2Pac – All Eyez On Me*
o West, Kanye – College Dropout

Tracks

o Baby Got Back – Sir Mix a Lot
o Back That Azz Up – Juvenile
o Bridge is Over – Boogie Down Productions
o Can I Kick It? – A Tribe Called Quest
o Country Grammar – Nelly
o CREAM – Wu Tang Clan
o Crossroads, tha – Bone, Thugs & Harmony
o Doowutchyalike – Digital Underground
o Drop It Like It’s Hot – Snoop Dogg featuring Pharrell
o Fight the Power – Public Enemy
o Fix Up, Look Sharp – Dizzee Rascal
o Frontin’ – Pharrell featuring Jay-Z
o Fuck that Police – NWA
o Gangsta’s Paradise – Coolio
o Get Low – Lil’ Jon featuring Ying Yang Twins
o Get Ur Freak On - Missy Elliott
o Got Ya Money – Ol’ Dirty Bastard featuring Kelis
o Hey Ya! – OutKast
o I Used to Love HER – Common
o I Wish – Skee Lo
o In da Club – 50 Cent
o Insane in the Brain – Cypress Hill
o It’s All About the Benjamins – Puff Daddy & the Family
o It Takes Two – Rob Base & DJ EZ Rock
o It Was a Good Day – Ice Cube
o Jump Around – House of Pain
o Just to Get a Rep – Gang Starr
o Lose Yourself – Eminem
o Made You Look – Nas
o Mama Said Knock You Out – LL Cool J
o Message, the – Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five
o Mind Playing Tricks on Me – Geto Boys
o 99 Problems – Jay-Z
o Only One – DM & Jemini
o OPP – Naughty By Nature
o Planet Rock – Afrika Bambaataa
o Push It – Salt ‘N’ Pepa
o Rapper’s Delight – Sugarhill Gang
o Ready Or Not – Fugees
o Rock the Bells – LL Cool J
o Sabotage – Beastie Boys
o Seed 2.0 - Roots
o Shoot Ones (Pt II) – Mobb Deep
o Still Dre – Dr Dre
o Tipsy – J-Kwon
o Umi Says – Mos Def
o Witness (1 Hope) – Roots Manuva
o Woo Hah!! Got You All in Check – Busta Rhymes
o (You Gotta) Fight for Your Right to Party – Beastie Boys
o You’re All I Need to Get By – Method Man featuring Mary J Blige

Country

Albums

o Cash, Johnny – American Recordings*
o Harris, Emmylou – Wrecking Ball
o Parsons, Gram – Grievous Angel
o Various Artists – O Brother Where Are Thou? [Soundtrack]
o Williams, Hank – 40 Greatest Hits

Blues

Albums (No Essential choice given)

o Hooker, John Lee – Plays & Sings the Blues
o Howlin’ Wolf – His Best [MCA/Chess 1997]
o Johnson, Robert – King of the Delta Blues
o Muddy Waters – Anthology [MCA/Chess 2001]

Soul

Albums

o Brown, James – Live at the Apollo (1963)
o D’Angelo – Brown Sugar
o Franklin, Aretha – I Never Loved a Man (the Way I Love You)
o Gaye, Marvin – What’s Going On*
o Hill, Lauryn – Miseducation of…
o Kelly, R – Happy People/You Saved Me
o Mayfield, Curtis – Superfly [Soundtrack]
o Parliament – Mothership Connection
o Redding, Otis – Otis Blue: Otis Redding Sings Soul
o Sly & the Family Stone – There’s a Riot Goin’ On
o Wonder, Stevie – Innervisions

Tracks

o A Change is Gonna Come – Sam Cooke
o Across 110th Street – Bobby Womack
o Ain’t No Mountain High Enough – Diana Ross
o Ain’t No Sunshine – Bill Withers
o At the Dark End of the Street – James Carr
o Back to Life – Soul II Soul
o Band of Gold – Freda Payne
o Boy is Mine – Brandy & Monica
o Cissy Strut – Meters
o Criticize – Alexander O’Neal
o Fallin’ – Alicia Keys
o Family Affair – Mary J Blige
o Green Onions – Booker T & the MGs
o Heat Wave – Martha & the Vandellas
o I Can’t Stand the Rain – Ann Peebles
o I Heard It Through the Grapevine – Marvin Gaye
o I Say a Little Prayer – Aretha Franklin
o I Want You Back – Jackson 5
o It’s Not Right But It’s OK – Whitney Houston
o La La Means I Love You – Delfonics
o Let’s Stay Together – Al Green
o Love TKO – Teddy Pendergrass
o Love Train – O’Jays
o Lovin’ You – Minnie Riperton
o Make Me Believe in You – Patti Jo
o My Baby Just Cares for Me – Nina Simone
o No Diggity – Blackstreet
o No Scrubs – TLC
o On & On – Erykah Badu
o Only the Strong Survive – Jerry Butler
o Papa was a Rolling Stone – Temptations
o Quiet Storm – Smokey Robinson
o Reach Out (I’ll Be There) – Four Tops
o Revolution Will Not Be Televised – Gil Scott-Heron
o Right Here – SWV
o (Sittin’ On) the Dock of the Bay – Otis Redding
o Smiling Faces Sometimes – Undisputed Truth
o Soul Man – Sam & Dave
o Stand by Me – Ben E King
o Strawberry Letter 23 – Shuggie Otis
o Summer Breeze – Isley Brothers
o Tears of a Clown – Smokey Robinson & the Miracles
o Try Again – Aaliyah
o Uptight (Everything’s Alright) – Stevie Wonder
o Walk On By – Dionne Warwick
o War – Edwin Starr
o What Becomes of the Broken Hearted? – Jimmy Ruffin
o Working in a Coal Mine – Lee Dorsey
o You’re the First, the Last, My Everything – Barry White

Metal

Albums

o AC/DC – Back in Black*
o Black Sabbath – Paranoid
o Darkness – Permission to Land
o Def Leppard – Pyromania
o Faith No More – Real Thing
o Guns N’ Roses – Appetite for Destruction
o Iron Maiden – Number of the Beast
o Korn – Korn (1st Album)
o Metallica – Metallica (Black Album)
o Motörhead – No Sleep ‘Til Hammersmith
o Van Halen – Van Halen (1st Album)

Tracks

o Ace of Spades – Motörhead
o Animal (Fuck Like a Beast) – WASP
o Battery – Metallica
o Beautiful People – Marilyn Manson
o Been Caught Stealing – Jane’s Addiction
o Be Quiet and Drive (Far Away) – Deftones
o Black Metal – Venom
o Black Night – Deep Purple
o Boys Are Back in Town – Thin Lizzy
o Break Stuff – Limp Bizkit
o Breaking the Law – Judas Priest
o Bring the Noise – Anthrax & Public Enemy
o Burn Burn – Lostprophets
o Chop Suey – System of a Down
o Closer – Nine Inch Nails
o Crazy Train – Ozzy Osbourne
o Davidian – Machine Head
o Detroit Rock City – Kiss
o Doctor Doctor – UFO
o Eyeless – Slipknot
o Freak on a Leash – Korn
o Holy Diver – Dio
o In a Gadda da Vida – Iron Butterfly
o Inertiatic ESP – Mars Volta
o Jesus Christ Pose – Soundgarden
o Killing in the Name – Rage Against the Machine
o Last Resort – Papa Roach
o Livin’ on a Prayer – Bon Jovi
o Looks That Kill – Mötley Crüe
o Man in the Box – Alice in Chains
o One Step Closer – Linkin Park
o Peace Sells – Megadeth
o Raining Blood – Slayer
o Revolution Calling – Queensrÿche
o Rock You Like a Hurricane – Scorpions
o 747 (Strangers in the Night) – Saxon
o School’s Out – Alice Cooper
o Scum – Napalm Death
o Since You’ve Been Gone – Rainbow
o Spirit of Radio – Rush
o Stinkfist – Tool
o Stonehenge – Spinal Tap
o Sweet Emotion – Aerosmith
o Taste of Ink – Used
o 22 Acacia Avenue – Iron Maiden
o Vote with a Bullet – Corrosion of Conformity
o Walk – Pantera
o We’re Not Gonna Take It – Twisted Sister
o Whole Lotta Rosie – AC/DC
o Yankee Rose – David Lee Roth

Reggae

Albums

o Banton, Buju – ‘Til Shiloh
o Congos – Heart of the Congos
o Dr Alimantado – Best Dressed Chicken in Town
o Isaacs, Gregory – Night Nurse
o Marley, Bob & the Wailers – Exodus*
o Pablo, Augustus – King Tubby Meets Rockers Uptown
o Paul, Sean – Dutty Rock
o Steel Pulse – Handsworth Revolution
o Upsetters – Super Ape
o Various Artists/Jimmy Cliff – Harder They Come [Soundtrack]
o Wailer, Bunny – Blackheart Man

Tracks

o Al Capone – Prince Buster
o Bathroom Sex – General Echo
o Big Ship – Freddie McGregor
o Black Woman & Child – Sizzla
o Border Patrol – Eek a Mouse
o Buffalo Soldier – Bob Marley
o Buy Off the Bar – Sugar Minott
o Chatty Chatty Mouth – Gladiators
o Cocaine in My Brain – Dillinger
o Door Peeper – Burning Spear
o Fade Away – Junior Byles
o Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner – Black Uhuru
o Guns of Navarone – Skatalites
o Here I Come – Barrington Levy
o Holy Mount Zion – Wayne Jarrett
o Israelites – Desmond Dekker
o Legalize It – Peter Tosh
o Liquidator – Harry J All-Stars
o Lively Up Yourself – Bob Marley & the Wailers
o Log On – Elephant Man
o Long Shot Kick de Bucket – Pioneers
o Love Me Forever – Carlton & the Shoes
o Man Next Door – John Holt
o Money In My Pocket – Dennis Brown
o Mr Loverman – Shabba Ranks
o Murder She Wrote – Chaka Demus & Pliers
o Oh Carolina – Shaggy
o 007 (Shanty Town) – Desmond Dekker
o Police & Thieves – Junior Murvin
o Pressure Drop – Toots & the Maytals
o Ram Jam Master – Yellowman
o Right Time – Mighty Diamonds
o Ring the Alarm – Tenor Saw
o Same Song – Israel Vibration
o Satta Massagana – Abyssinians
o Shelly Ann – Red Rat
o Skinhead Moonstomp – Simaryp
o Skylarking – Horace Andy
o Solid as a Rock – Bim Sherman
o Trouble Again – King Kong
o Two Sevens Clash – Culture
o Under Me Sleng Teng – Wayne Smith
o Uptown Top Ranking – Althea & Donna
o Vietnam – Jimmy Cliff
o War Ina Babylon – Max Romeo & the Upsetters
o War Is In the Dance – Frankie Paul
o Who Am I? (Sim Simma) – Beenie Man
o Who Say Jah No Dead – Jacob Miller
o You Don’t Love Me (No No No) – Dawn Penn
o Young, Gifted & Black – Bob & Marcia

Jazz

Albums (No Essential choice given)

o Baker, Chet – Chet Is Back!
o Coltrane, John – A Love Supreme
o Davis, Miles – Kind of Blue
o Hancock, Herbie – Head Hunters

Folk

Albums

o Banhart, Devendra – Rejoicing in the Hands
o Drake, Nick – Five Leaves Left*
o Fairport Convention – Unhalfbricking
o Guthrie, Woody – Dust Bowl Ballads
o Mitchell, Joni – Blue

Electronic

Albums

o Aphex Twin – Selected Ambient Works 85-92
o Depeche Mode – Violator
o DJ Shadow – Endtroducing…
o Eno, Brian & David Byrne – My Life in the Bush of Ghosts
o Kraftwerk – Man Machine*
o May, Derrick – Innovator
o Moby – Play
o Mylo – Destroy Rock & Roll
o New Order – Substance
o Orbital – Untitled (Brown Album)
o Prodigy – Fat of the Land

Tracks

o Acid Trax – Phuture
o Another Green World – Brian Eno
o Are Friends Electric – Tubeway Army
o Autumn Leaves – Coldcut
o Big Fun – Inner City
o Birthday – Junior Boys
o Can You Feel It? – Mr Fingers
o Da Funk – Daft Punk
o E2-E4 – Manuel Göttsching
o Energy Flash – Joey Beltram
o French Kiss – Lil’ Louis
o Go – Moby
o Hands Around My Throat – Death in Vegas
o Happy Cycling – Boards of Canada
o Insomnia – Faithless
o Karmacoma – Massive Attack
o La La Land – Green Velvet
o Laxy – X Press 2 featuring David Byrne
o LFO – LFO
o Little Fluffy Clouds – Orb
o Losing My Edge – LCD Soundsystem
o My Red Hot Car – Squarepusher
o Nag Nag Nag – Cabaret Voltaire
o Open Up – Leftfield & John Lydon
o Pacific – 808 State
o Papua New Guinea – Future Sound of London
o Phaedra – Tangerine Dream
o Plastic Dreams – Jaydee
o Praise You – Fatboy Slim
o Private Psychedelic Reel – Chemical Brothers
o Pulp Fiction – Alex Reece
o Pump Up the Volume – MARRS
o Race, the – Yello
o Rippin Kittin – Golden Boy with Miss Kittin
o Safe from Harm – Narcotic Trust
o Sexy Boy – Air
o Since I Left You – Avalanches
o Smokebelch II – Sabres of Paradise
o Sour Times – Portishead
o Spin Spin Sugar [Armand’s Dark Garage Mix] – Sneaker Pimps
o Stupidisco – Junior Jack
o Super Sharp Shooter – DJ Hype
o Theme from S’Express – S’Express
o Timeless – Goldie
o Voodoo Ray – A Guy Called Gerald
o Watching Cars Go By – Felix da Housecat
o Water from a Vine Leaf – William Orbit
o Windowlicker – Aphex Twin
o Xpander – Sasha

Indie

Albums

o Blur – Parklife
o Cure – Disintegration
o Franz Ferdinand – Franz Ferdinand
o Joy Division – Closer
o My Bloody Valentine – Loveless
o Pixies – Doolittle
o Primal Scream – Screamadelica
o Smiths – Queen is Dead*
o Sonic Youth – Daydream Nation
o Stone Roses – Stone Roses (1st Album)
o White Stripes – Elephant

Tracks

o Alright – Supergrass
o Bedshaped – Keane
o Between the Bars – Elliott Smith
o Birthday – Sugarcubes
o Black & White Town – Doves
o Blue Thunder – Galaxie 500
o Bohemian Like You – Dandy Warhols
o Can’t Stand Me Now – Libertines
o Cannonball – Breeders
o Comedy – Shack
o Common People – Pulp
o Cut Your Hair – Pavement
o Demons – Super Furry Animals
o Djed – Tortoise
o Do You Realise? – Flaming Lips
o Dreaming of You – Coral
o Drowners, the – Suede
o Dry the Rain – Beta Band
o Eat Y’self Fitter – Fall
o For Lovers – Wolfman featuring Pete Doherty
o Freak Scene – Dinosaur Jr
o Girl from Mars – Ash
o Hallelujah [Club Mix] – Happy Mondays
o Hate to Say I Told You So – Hives
o I Predict a Riot – Kaiser Chiefs
o I Think I’m in Love – Spiritualized
o Killamangiro – Babyshambles
o Last Nite – Strokes
o Line Up – Elastica
o Love Will Tear Us Apart – Joy Division
o Maps – Yeah Yeah Yeahs
o Mercy Seat – Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds
o Motorcycle Emptiness – Manic Street Preachers
o Mr Brightside – Killers
o Neil Jung – Teenage Fanclub
o North Country Boy – Charlatans
o Oblivious – Aztec Camera
o Obstacle 1 – Interpol
o On Fire – Sebadoh
o Rat, the – Walkmen
o Reward – Teardrop Explodes
o Run – Snow Patrol
o Some Candy Talking – Jesus & Mary Chain
o Song to the Siren – This Mortal Coil
o There She Goes – La’s
o This Corrosion – Sisters of Mercy
o This Is the Day – The The
o This Mess We’re In – PJ Harvey
o Walkin’ with Jesus – Spacemen 3
o Wrapped Up in Books – Belle & Sebastian

Essential Artist #1

Beatles [Album: Revolver]

Tracks in Chronological Order

o Twist & Shout
o She Loves You
o Things We Said Today
o Help!
o You’ve Got to Hide Your Love Away
o Yesterday
o In My Life
o We Can Work It Out
o Rain
o Strawberry Fields Forever
o Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds
o A Day in the Life
o I Am the Walrus
o Dear Prudence
o Helter Skelter
o Come Together
o Something
o Two of Us
o Get Back
o Long & Winding Road

Essential Artist #2

Madonna [Album: Like a Prayer]

Tracks in Chronological Order

o Holiday
o Borderline
o Material Girl
o Like a Virgin
o Crazy for You
o Into the Groove
o Papa Don’t Preach
o La Isla Bonita
o Open Your Heart
o Live to Tell
o Who’s That Girl
o Causing a Commotion
o Vogue
o Justify My Love
o Ray of Light
o Frozen
o Drowned World/Substitute for Love
o Beautiful Stranger
o Music
o Hollywood

Essential Artist #3

Bob Dylan [Album: Blood on the Tracks]

Tracks in Chronological Order

o Don’t Think Twice, It’s Alright
o Masters of War
o Times They Are A-Changin’
o Subterranean Homesick Blues
o Love Minus Zero/No Limit
o It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue
o Like a Rolling Stone
o Desolation Row
o Positively 4th Street
o Just Like a Woman
o I Want You
o All Along the Watchtower
o Lay Lady Lay
o Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door
o Forever Young
o Hurricane
o Everything is Broken
o Not Dark Yet
o Things Have Changed

Essential Artist #4

U2 [Album: Achtung Baby]

Tracks in Chronological Order

o I Will Follow
o Sunday Bloody Sunday
o New Year’s Day
o 11 O’Clock Tick Tock [Live, 1983]
o Pride (in the Name of Love)
o I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For
o With Or Without You
o Where the Streets Have No Name
o Bullet the Blue Sky
o Angel of Harlem
o Desire
o Stay (Faraway So Close)
o Wanderer, the
o Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me
o Discotheque
o Sweetest Thing
o Beautiful Day
o Elevation
o Stuck In a Moment You Can’t Get Out Of
o Vertigo

Essential Artist #5

Velvet Underground [Album: Velvet Underground & Nico]

Tracks in Chronological Order

o White Light/White Heat
o Here She Comes Now
o I Heard Her Call My Name
o Lady Godiva’s Operation
o Sister Ray
o Stephanie Says
o Beginning to See the Light
o Candy Says
o What Goes On
o Jesus
o Pale Blue Eyes
o I Can’t Stand It
o I’m Sticking with You
o Lisa Says
o Foggy Notion
o Who Loves the Sun
o Sweet Jane
o Rock & Roll
o Train Around the Bend
o Oh! Sweet Nuthin’

Star Playlists: 20 Tracks Selected by…

Alex Kapranos (Franz Ferdinand)

o An Older Lover Etc - Fall
o Ballad of a Thin Man – Bob Dylan
o Don’t Stop Me Now – Queen
o Driving Me Backwards – Brian Eno
o Ghost Town – Specials
o Guns of Brixton – Clash
o Havana Affair – Ramones
o I Asked for Water (She Gave Me Gasoline) – Howlin’ Wolf
o I Feel Love – Donna Summer
o Needle in the Hay – Elliott Smith
o Paperback Writer – Beatles
o Pastie de la Bourgeoisie – Belle & Sebastian
o Policeman – Yummy Fur
o Real Slim Shady – Eminem
o Romeo – Basement Jaxx
o Sorry for Laughing – Josef K
o Sound & Vision – David Bowie
o Strange Fruit – Billie Holiday
o What Time Is Love? – KLF
o White Lines (Don’t Don’t Do It) – Grandmaster Flash & Melle Mel

Josh Homme (Queens of the Stone Age/Kyuss)

o Accelerator – Primal Scream
o Angel of Death – Slayer
o Asteroid – Kyuss
o Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap – AC/DC
o Don’t Think You’re the First – Coral
o Exploited Barmy Army – Exploited
o Goin’ Out West – Tom Waits
o Joga – Björk
o Judy is a Punk – Ramones
o Little Sister – Elvis Presley
o Maniac – Charged GBH
o Rise Above – Black Flag
o Running Scared – Roy Orbison
o Shake Appeal – Iggy & the Stooges
o She – Misfits
o Slip It In – Black Flag
o State Violence State Control – Discharge
o Thunderbird – ZZ Top
o Toxic – Britney Spears
o Wanted Man – Johnny Cash

Brandon Flowers (the Killers)

o Angie – Rolling Stones
o Can You Hear Me – David Bowie
o Drive-In Saturday – David Bowie
o I’m So Tired – Beatles
o I’ve Got Dreams to Remember – Otis Redding
o In a Little While – U2
o In Your Room – Depeche Mode
o Just What I Needed – Cars
o Lover’s Cross – Jim Croce
o Man Comes Around – Johnny Cash
o Masterplan – Oasis
o Money – Pink Floyd
o Ordinary World – Duran Duran
o Piano Man – Billy Joel
o Please Mr Postman – Marvelettes
o Ruby, Don’t Take Your Love to Town – Kenny Rogers
o Speedway – Morrissey
o Under Control – Strokes
o Under Pressure – Queen & David Bowie
o What She Said – Smiths

Jeff Tweedy (Wilco)

o Anarchy in the UK – Sex Pistols
o Balancing Act – Volcano Suns
o Be Not So Fearful – Bill Fay
o Born to Run – Bruce Springsteen
o Dancing Queen – ABBA
o Don’t Fear the Reaper – Blue Öyster Cult
o Dream On – Aerosmith
o Express Yourself – Charles Wright & the Watts 103rd St Rhythm Band
o Get Back in the Line – Kinks
o I Am the Cosmos – Chris Bell
o I Still Miss Someone – Johnny Cash
o Kiss, the – Judee Sill
o Outdoor Miner – Wire
o Rock & Roll – Velvet Undergound
o Something in the Air – Thunderclap Newman
o Subterranean Homesick Blues – Bob Dylan
o Tired of Being Alone – Al Green
o Turn! Turn! Turn! – Byrds
o Weight, the – Band
o Mystery 20th Song (“the song I’m listening to now”)

Johnny Borrell (Razorlight)

o All Along the Watchtower – Jimi Hendrix
o Always On My Mind – Elvis Presley
o Christmas Card from a Hooker in Minneapolis – Tom Waits
o Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood – Animals
o Foule – Edith Piaf
o From Her to Eternity – Nick Cave
o How Deep Is the Ocean? – Ella Fitzgerald
o I Got Loaded – Peppermint Harris
o Kimberly – Patti Smith
o Love Me Tender – Elvis Presley
o Lucille – Little Richard
o Midnight Special – Lead Belly with the Golden Gate Quartet
o Nobody’s Baby Now – Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds
o Return to Sender – Elvis Presley
o Seven Days Too Long – Dexy’s Midnight Runners
o Till the End of the Day – Kinks
o Too Late – Augustus Pablo
o Tourbillon, le – Jeanne Moreau
o Walking the Cow – Daniel Johnston
o With a Little Help from My Friends – Beatles

How Did You Score?

0 to 50

Is that all? You’ve got a long way to go. Try consulting our emergency shopping list [at the end of this list].

151 to 400

Not bad. You’ve mastered the basics. Perhaps it’s time to brave the drill ‘n’ bass section of HMV.

401 plus

Congratulations! You are a fully fledged music expert. Your love life and social skills may have suffered as a result, but not to worry.

Start Me Up!

If you’ve only got £100 to spend, make sure you’ve got these. (Based on an average album price of £9.99 and downloads at an average of 79p per track. Total cost £99.52).

Albums

o Revolver – Beatles
o Like a Prayer – Madonna
o Blood on the Tracks – Bob Dylan
o Achtung Baby – U2
o Velvet Underground - & Nico

Tracks

o A Love Supreme Part 1: Acknowledgement – John Coltrane
o Ain’t Talkin’ About Love – Van Halen
o Another Green World – Brian Eno
o At Home He’s a Tourist – Gang of Four
o Be My Baby – Ronettes
o Beat It – Michael Jackson
o Blue Monday – New Order
o Boulevard of Broken Dreams – Green Day
o By the Way – Red Hot Chili Peppers
o Can I Kick It? – A Tribe Called Quest
o Can’t Stand Me Now – Libertines
o Comfortably Numb – Scissor Sisters
o Common People – Pulp
o Crossroads Blues – Robert Johnson
o Da Funk – Daft Punk
o Delia’s Gone – Johnny Cash
o Drop the Pressure – Mylo
o Enter Sandman – Metallica
o Fight the Power – Public Enemy
o Freak Scene – Dinosaur Jr
o Gimme Shelter – Rolling Stones
o Gimme the Light – Sean Paul
o God Only Knows – Beach Boys
o God Save the Queen – Sex Pistols
o Halcyon + On + On – Orbital
o Heroes – David Bowie
o Higher Ground – Stevie Wonder
o How Do U Want It – 2Pac featuring KC & JoJo
o I Am the Resurrection – Stone Roses
o I Believe in a Thing Called Love – Darkness
o (I Don’t Want To Go To) Chelsea – Elvis Costello
o I Predict a Riot – Kaiser Chiefs
o Inner City Riots – Marvin Gaye
o It’s Not Right But It’s OK – Whitney Houston
o Keep On Dubbing – Augustus Pablo
o Killing in the Name – Rage Against the Machine
o Last Goodbye – Jeff Buckley
o Lost Someone – James Brown
o Love Will Tear Us Apart – Joy Division
o My Adidas – Run DMC
o Night Nurse – Gregory Isaacs
o No Diggity – Blackstreet
o One Love/People Get Ready – Bob Marley & the Wailers
o Papa Was a Rolling Stone – Temptations
o Paranoid – Black Sabbath
o Purple Haze – Jimi Hendrix Experience
o Queen is Dead – Smiths
o Robots, the – Kraftwerk
o Shake Appeal – Iggy & the Stooges
o Skylarking – Horace Andy
o Smells Like Teen Spirit – Nirvana
o Stan – Eminem
o Stayin’ Alive – Bee Gees
o Straight Edge – Minor Threat
o Suspicious Minds – Elvis Presley
o Tears of a Clown – Smokey Robinson & the Miracles
o Through the Wire – Kanye West
o Train in Vain- Clash
o You Shook Me All Night Long – AC/DC
o Vietnam – Jimmy Cliff
o Way to Blue – Nick Drake
o West End Girls – Pet Shop Boys
o Winner Takes It All – ABBA


  Skip To Top 



Q Mag: 100 Greatest Gigs Ever (UK Gigs)

From Q215 – June 2004

As Voted By – The Readership

1. Radiohead – Glastonbury - June 1997
2. Nirvana – Reading Fest – August 1992
3. Oasis – Knebworth - August 1996
4. Coldplay – V2003 Western Park
5. Brian Wilson – Festival Hall, London - Feb 2004
6. Madonna – Earls Court, London – July 2001
7. The Beatles – Apple Roof Top, London - Jan 1969
8. R.E.M. Trafalgar Squire, London - April 2001
9. Queen – Live Aid – London – 1985
10. Pink Floyd – Earls Court, London – 1980
11. Sex Pistols – Screen On The Green, London – 1976
12. The Stone Roses – Spike Island – 1990
13. U2 – Slane Castle, Dublin – 2001
14. Eminem – MEN Arena, Mancester – Feb 2001
15. The Flaming Lips – Academy, Bristol – Jan 2003
16. Stereophonics – Earls Court, London – Dec 2003
17. The Strokes – Heaven, London – June 2001
18. Red Hot Chilli Peppers – Camden Palace, London – June 1999
19. The Libertiens – The Forum, London – Dec 2003
20. The Verve – Slane Castle, Dublin – 1998
21. Queens Of The Stoneage – Underworld, Camden, London – June 2000
22. Manic Street Preachers – Millennium Stadium – Dec 1999
23. The Prodigy – Brixton Academy, London – Oct 1996
24. Blur – Mile End Stadium, London – June 1995
25. Oasis – Maine Road, Mancester – April 1996
26. Blobby Williams – Knebworth – August 2003
27. Foo Fighters – ULU, London – August 2002
28. Kraftwerk – Tribal Gathering, Luton – May 1997
29. Bob Dylan – Free Trade Hall, Mancester – May 1966
30. Morrissey – Civic Hall, Wolverampton – 1988
31. The Rolling Stones – Wembly Stadium, London – June 1999
32. Marilyn Manson – Brixton Academy, London – May 1997
33. Radiohead – Glastonbury – June 2003
34. Pixies – Reading Fest – August 1990
35. The Streets – Astoria, London – Dec 2002
36. Queen – Knebworth – August 1986
37. Chemical Brothers – Tribal Gathering, Luton – June 1996
38. Madonna – Wembly Stadium, London – July 1990
39. Coldplay – Festival Hall, London – June 2002
40. Jimi Hendrix – Isle Of Wight - August 1970
41. U2 – Astoria, London – Feb 2001
42. Faithless – Glastonbury – June 2002
43. Primal Scream – Reading Fest – August 2000
44. Happy Mondays – Wembly Arena, London – April 1990
45. Prince – Wembley Arena, London – August 1988
46. Kylie Minogue – MEN Arena, Mancester – May 2002
47. David Gray – V2003 – Chelmsford
48. Bruce Springsteen – Wembly Stadium, London – July 1985
49. Kings Of Leon – Astoria, London – July 2003
50. Run-DMC/Beastie Boys – Brixton Acadmy, London – May 1987
51. Orbital – Glastonbury – June 1994
52. The Clash – Electric Ballroom, London – Feb 1980
53. Franz Ferdinand – Electroworkz, London – Dec 2003
54. Pulp – Dalby Forest, North Yorkshire – June 2002
55. Pet Shop Boys – NEC, Birmingham – July 1989
56. Motorhead – Hammersmith Odeon, London – Nov 1980
57. The Smiths – Middlesbrough Town Hall – Oct 1986
58. The Rolling Stones – Hyde Park, London – July 1969
59. Guns N’ Roses – The Marquee, London – June 1987
60. Metallica – Milton Keynes Bowl – June 1993
61. Hole – Reading Fest – August 1994
62. System Of A Down – Academy, Mancester – March 2002
63. AC/DC – Castle Donington – August 1981
64. Justin Timberlake – Sheffield Arena – May 2003
65. Leftfield – Brixton Academy, London – June 1996
66. The Cure – Glastonbury – June 1986
67. The Who – The Coliseum, London – December 1969
68. R.E.M (Bingo Hand Job). – The Borderline, London – March 1991
69. Doves – Apollo, Mancester – December 2002
70. The Specials – Top Rank, Brighton – October 1979
71. The White Stripes – Shepersd Bush Empire, London – May 2002
72. Bob Marley & The Wailers – The Lyceum, London – July 1975
73. Paul Weller – Newcastle City Hall – November 1993
74. Christina Aguilera – NEC Birmingham – Oct 2003
75. New Order – Mancester Apollo – Oct 2001
76. Moby – Glastonbury – June 2000
77. The Police – Reading Fest – Aug 1979
78. Led Zeppelin – Earls Court, London – May 1975
79. Michael Jackson – Wembley Stadium, London – July 1988
80. Stevie Wonder – Rainbow, London – Jan 1974
81. Johnny Cash – Glastonbury – June 1994
82. Queen – Hammersmith Odeon, London – Dec 1975
83. My Bloody Valentine – ULU, London – May 1990
84. Ozzy Osbourne – Port Vale Football Club – Aug 1981
85. Marvin Gaye – Royal Albert Hall, London – June 1980
86. David Bowie – Town Hall, Oxford – June 1972
87. Beck – Royal Albert Hall, London – April 2003
88. Muse – Guildhall, Southampton – April 2001
89. Damien Rice – Stanly Theatre, Liverpool – Feb 2003
90. Joy Division – The Factory, Mancester – April 1980
91. AFI – Astoria, London – Jan 2002
92. Echo And The Bunnymen – Cabarfeidh Hotel, Isle Of Lewis – July 1983
93. Tool – Brixton Academy, London – June 2001
94. Janet Jackson – Wembly Arena, London – Oct 1990
95. The Jam – Odeon, Birmingham – May 1979
96. The Darkness – HMV Oxford Street, London – July 2003
97. Aphex Twin – Otmoor Park, Oxfordshire – Sept 1996
98. Curtis Mayfield – Ronnie Scott’s London – July 1998
99. Bon Jovi – Castle Donington – August 1987
100. Alicia Keys – The Scala, London – Oct 2001


Also, Embedded In The Same Article – 10 Live Albums You Must Own

No Ranking

o The Who – Live At Leeds
o Radiohead – I Might Be Wrong: Live Recordings
o The Band – The Last Waltz
o The Rolling Stones – Get Your Ya-Yas Out
o The Roots – The Roots Come Alive
o Talking Heads – Stop Making Sense
o Led Zeppelin – How The West Was Won
o Neil Young & Crazy Horse – Live Rust
o James Brown – Live At The Apollo
o The Velvet Underground – 1969: Velvet Underground Live


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Q Magazine – The Greatest Albums Of The Last 30 Years… 476 Modern Classics
(The 30th Birthday Issue – Summer 2016)


1986

• The Smiths – The Queen Is Dead
• Paul Simon – Graceland
• The Fall – Bend Sinister
• Janet Jackson – Control
• Peter Gabriel - So
• Billy Bragg – Talking To The Taxman About Poetry
• XTC – Skylarking
• Prince – Parade
• Run DMC – Raising Hell
• Cameo – Word Up
• Slayer – Reign In Blood
• R.E.M. – Lifes Rich Pageant
• The The – Infected
• New Order – Brotherhood
• Elvis Costello – King Of America

1987

• U2 – The Joshua Tree
• The Jesus And Mary Chain – Darklands
• Michael Jackson – Bad
• Guns N’ Roses – Appetite For Destruction
• The Replacements – Peased To Meed Me
• Pet Shop Boys – Actually
• Prince – Sign O’ The Times
• The Smiths – Strangeways Here We Come
• R.E.M. – Document
• Public Enemy – Yo! Bum Rush The Show
• Tom Waits – Franks Wild Years
• Eric B & Rakim – Paid In Full
• George Michael – Faith
• The Cure – Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me

1988

• Prince – Lovesexy
• Sonic Youth – Daydream Nation
• Pixies – Surfer Rosa
• The Go-Betweens – 16 Lovers Lane
• Public Enemy – It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back
• Talk Talk – Sprit Of Eden
• Jane’s Addiction – Nothing’s Shocking
• Boogie Down Productions – By All Means Necessary
• The Sugarcubes – Life’s Too Good
• NWA – Straight Outta Compton
• R.E.M. – Green
• Siouxsie & The Banshees – Peepshow
• Morrissey – Viva Hate
• My Bloody Valentine – Isn’t Anything
• The Pogues – If I Should Fall From Grace With God

1989

• The Stone Roses – The Stone Roses
• Soul II Soul – Club Classics Volume One
• Galaxie 500 – On Fire
• The Cure – Disintegration
• Bob Dylan – Oh Mercy
• De La Soul – 3 Feet High And Rising
• New Order – Technique
• Lou Reed – New York
• Beastie Boys – Paul’s Boutique
• Spaceman 3 – Playing With Fire
• Neville Brothers – Yellow Moon
• Nine Inch Nails – Pretty Hate Machine
• Nirvana – Bleach
• Neneh Cherry – Raw Like Sushi
• Tom Petty – Full Moon Fever

1990

• The La’s – The La’s
• Mazzy Star – She Hangs Brightly
• Happy Mondays – Pills ‘N’ Thrills And Bellyaches
• Dépêche Mode – Violator
• Aztec Camera – Stray
• Sonic Youth – Goo
• The Sundays – Reading, Writing And Arithmetic
• Pixies – Bossanova
• Neil Young And Crazy Horse – Ragged Glory
• Cocteau Twins – Heaven Or Las Vegas
• James – Gold Mother
• Pet Shop Boys – Behaviour
• Public Enemy – Fear Of A Black Planet
• The Fall – Extricate
• Deee-Lite – World Clique

1991

• My Bloody Valentine – Loveless
• Ice Cube – Death Certificate
• Nirvana – Nevermind
• Teenage Fanclub – Bandwagonesque
• Primal Scream – Screamadelica
• R.E.M. – Out Of Time
• Red Hot Chilli Peppers – Blood Sugar Sex Magik
• Pearl Jam – Ten
• A Tribe Called Quest – The Low End Theory
• Julian Cope – Peggy Suicide
• U2 – Achtung Baby
• Metallica – Metallica
• Ice-T – O.G. Original Gangster
• Massive Attack – Blue Lines
• The KLF – The White Room

1992

• R.E.M. – Automatic For The People
• Dr Dre – The Chronic
• The Black Crows – The Southern Harmony And Musical Companion
• Pavement – Slanted And Enchanted
• The Orb – U.F.Orb
• Neil Young – Harvest Moon
• Spritualized – Lazer Guided Melodies
• Sugar – Copper Blue
• PJ Harvey – Dry
• Lemonheads – It’s A Shame About Ray
• Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds – Henry’s Dream
• The Staires – Mexican R’N’b
• Aphex Twin – Selected Ambient Works ’85-‘92
• Alice In Chains – Dirt
• Rage Against The Machine – Rage Against The Machine

1993

• Wu-Tang Clan – Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)
• The Afghan Whigs – Gentlemen
• Paul Weller – Wild Wood
• Smashing Pumpkins – Siamese Dream
• Suede – Suede
• Nirvana – In Utero
• Bjork – Debut
• PJ Harvey – Rid Of Me
• Blur – Modern Life Is Rubbish
• Cypress Hill – Black Sunday
• The Boo Radleys – Giant Steps
• The Auteurs – New Wave
• Pearl Jam – Vs
• St Etienne – So Tough
• Mazzy Star – So Tonight I Might See

1994

• Oasis – Definitely Maybe
• Blur – Parklife
• Nas – Illmatic
• Portishead – Dummy
• Jeff Buckley – Grace
• Manic Street Preachers – The Holy Bible
• Massive Attack – Protection
• Pearl Jam – Vitalogy
• Pulp – His ‘N’ Hers
• The Notorious B.I.G. – Ready To Die
• Hole – Live Through This
• Beastie Boys – Ill Communication
• Green Day – Dookie
• Suede – Dog Man Star
• Pavement – Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain

1995

• Pulp – Different Class
• Bjork Post
• The Chemical Brothers – Exit Planet Dust
• Shack – Waterpistol
• Tricky – Maxinquaye
• Oasis (What’s The Story) Morning Glory
• Pj Harvey – To Bring You My Love
• Paul Weller – Stanley Road
• Black Grape – It’s Great When You’re Straight… Yeah
• Leftfield – Leftism
• Supergrass – I Should Coco
• Elastica – Elastica
• The Verve – A Northern Soul
• Teenage Fanclub – Grand Prix
• GZA – Liquid Swards

1996

• Aphex Twin – Richard D James
• Manic Street Preachers – Everything Must Go
• Fugees – The Score
• Weezer – Pinkerton
• DJ Shadow – Endtroducing
• Underworld – Second Toughest In The Infants
• Super Furry Animals – Fuzzy Logic
• Beck – Odelay
• Screaming Trees – Dust
• Orbital – In Sides
• Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds – Murder Ballads
• Tricky – Pre-Millennium Tension
• Stereolab – Emperor Tomato Ketchup
• Belle & Sebastian – If You’re Feeling Sinister
• 2Pac – All Eyez On Me

1997

• The Prodigy – The Fat Of The Land
• Elliott Smith – Either/Or
• Spritualized – Ladies And Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space
• Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds – The Boatman’s Call
• The Verve – Urban Hymns
• Blur – Blur
• The Charlatans – Tellin’ Stories
• The Chemical Brothers – Dig Your Own Hole
• Primal Scream – Vanishing Point
• David Bowie – Earthling
• Radiohead – Ok Computer
• Bjork – Homogenic
• Portishead – Portishead
• Bob Dylan – Time Out Of Mind
• Etienne De Crecy – Super Discount

1998

• Massive Attack – Mezzanine
• Air – Moon Safari
• Mercury Rev – Deserters Songs
• Madonna – Ray Of Light
• Sparklehorse – Good Morning Spider
• Belle & Sebastian – The Boy With The Arab Strap
• Lauryn Hill – The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill
• The Beta Band – The Three EP’s
• Neutral Milk Hotel – In The Aeroplane Over The Sea
• Boards Of Canada – Music Has The Right To Children
• Outkast – Aquemini
• Elliott Smith – XO
• Gang Star – Moment Of Truth
• Unkle – Psyence Fiction
• Manic Street Preachers – This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours

1999

• Eminem – The Slim Shady LP
• The Flaming Lips – The Soft Bulletin
• Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy – I See Darkness
• Moby – Play
• The Magnetic Fields – 69 Love Songs
• Beck – Midnight Vultures
• Blur 13
• David Bowie – Hours
• Shack – HMS Fable
• Super Furry Animals – Guerrilla
• Death In Vegas – The Contino Sessions
• Mogwai – Come On Die Young
• Smog – Knock Knock
• Kelis – Kaleidoscope
• TLC – Fanmail

2000

• D’angelo – Voodoo
• Queens Of The Stonage – Rated R
• Outkast – Stankonia
• Granddaddy – The Sophware Slump
• Radiohead – Kid A
• Coldplay – Parachutes
• Eminem – The Marshall Mathers LP
• PJ Harvey – Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea
• Madonna – Music
• Primal Scream – Xtrmntr
• Jill Scott – Who Is Jill Scott? Words & Sound Vol.1
• Elliott Smith – Figure 8
• Badly Drawn Boy – The Hour Of Bewilderbeast
• Super Furry Animals – Mwng

2001

• Muse – Origin Of Symmetry
• Gorillaz – Gorillaz
• The Strokes – Is This It
• Jay-Z – The Blueprint
• Rufus Wainwright – Poses
• The Avalanches – Since I Left You
• The Charlatans – Wonderland
• Bob Dylan – Love And Theft
• Tool – Lateralus
• Radiohead – Amnesiac
• The White Stripes – White Blood Cells
• Daft Punk – Discovery
• N*E*R*D – In Search Of
• Cannibal Ox – The Cold Vein
• Low – Things We Lost In The Fire

2002

• Coldplay – A Rush Of Blood To The Head
• Sigur Ros – ( )
• The Libertines – Up The Bracket
• Foo Fighters – One By One
• Lambchop – Is A Woman
• Beck – Sea Change
• David Bowie – Heathen
• The Coral – The Coral
• Doves – The Last Broadcast
• Bruce Springsteen – The Rising
• The Streets – Original Pirate Material
• Queens Of The Stone Age – Songs For The Deaf
• The Flaming Lips – Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots
• Interpol – Turn On The Bright Lights
• Wilco – Yankee Hotel Foxtrot

2003

• The White Stripes – Elephant
• Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Fever To Tell
• Dizzee Rascal – Boy In Da Corner
• Four Tet – Rounds
• Cat Power – You Are Free
• Blur – Think Tank
• Kings Or Leon – Youth & Young Manhood
• Muse – Absolution
• Radiohead – Hail To The Thief
• Manitoba – Up In Flames
• Brother Ali – Shadows On The Sun
• Evan Dando – Baby I’m Bored
• Jay-Z – The Black Album
• Outkast – Speakerboxxx/The Love Below
• The Clientele – The Violet Hour

2004

• The Streets – A Grand Don’t Come For Free
• Ray Lamontagne – Trouble
• Franz Ferdinand – Franz Ferdinand
• Wilco – A Ghost Is Born
• The Killers – Hot Fuss
• U2 – How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb
• Junior Boys – Last Exit
• The Libertines – The Libertines
• Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds – Abattoir Blues/The Lyre Of Orpheus
• Mylo – Destroy Rock & Roll
• Interpol – Antics
• Dangermouse – The Grey Album
• Kanye West – The Collage Dropout
• Madvillain – Madvillainy
• Scissor Sisters – Scissor Sisters

2005

• Arcade Fire – Funeral
• Kate Bush – Aerial
• Antony And The Johnsons – I Am A Bird Now
• Sleater-Kinny – The Woods
• Kanye West – Late Registration
• Gorillaz – Demon Days
• Coldplay – X&Y
• Kaiser Chiefs – Employment
• Bright Eyes – I’m Wide Awake, It’s Morning
• The White Stripes – Get Behind Me Satan
• Neil Young – Prairie Wind
• Eels – Blinking Lights And Other Revelations
• Sigur Ros – Takk…
• LCD Soundsystem – LCD Soundsystem
• Sufjan Stevens – Come On Feel The Illinois

2006

• Amy Winehouse – Back To Black
• Burial – Burial
• Arctic Monkeys – Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not
• Thom Yorke – The Eraser
• J Dilla – Donuts
• Kasabian – Empire
• Gnarls Barkley – St Elsewhere
• Bruce Springsteen – We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions
• Muse – Black Holes And Revelations
• TV On The Radio – Return To Cookie Mountain
• Joanna Newsom – Ys
• Bob Dylan – Modern Times
• Clipse – Hell Hath No Fury
• Destroyer – Destroyer’s Rubies
• Ali Farka Toure – Savane

2007

• Radiohead – In Rainbows
• Kings Of Leon – Because The Times
• LCD Soundsystem – Sound Of Silver
• The Shins – Wincing The Night Away
• M.I.A. – M.I.A.
• Arcade Fire – Neon Bible
• The White Stripes – Icky Thump
• Arctic Monkeys – Favourite Worst Nightmare
• The Good The Bad & The Queen – The Good The Bad & The Queen
• Bruce Springsteen – Magic
• Bjork – Volta
• Justice – Cross
• Burial – Untrue
• Modest Mouse – We Were Dead Before The Ship Sank
• El-P – I’ll Sleep When You’re Dead

2008

• Bon Iver – For Emma, Forever Ago
• Fleet Foxes – Fleet Foxes
• Elbow – The Seldom Seen Kid
• The Bug – London Zoo
• Vampire Weekend – Vampire Weekend
• TV On The Radio – Dear Science
• Kings Of Leon – Only By The Night
• Flying Lotus – Los Angeles
• Coldplay – Viva La Vida Or Death And All His Friends
• MGMT – Oracular Spectacular
• The Last Shadow Puppets – The Age Of Understatement
• Amadou & Miriam – Welcome To Mali
• Kanye West – 808s & Heartbreak
• Portishead – Third
• Dearhunter – Microcastle

2009

• The XX – XX
• Animal Collective – Merriweather Post Pavilion
• Grizzly Bear – Veckatimest
• Phoenix – Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
• Kasabian – West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum
• Yeah Yeah Yeahs – It’s Blitz!
• Muse – The Resistance
• U2 – No Line On The Horizon
• Doves – Kingdom Of Rust
• The Horrors – Primary Colours
• Fever Ray – Fever Ray
• Shackleton – Three EP’s
• Florence + The Machine – Lungs
• Manic Street Preachers – Journal For Plague Lovers
• Empire Of The Sun – Walking On A Dream

2010

• The Black Keys – Brothers
• Plan B – The Defamation Of Strickland Banks
• Laura Marling – I Speak Because I Can
• John Grant – Queen Of Denmark
• Janelle Monae – Archandroid
• Anais Mitchell – Hadestown
• Ali Farka Toure & Toumani Diabate – Ali & Toumani
• Robert Plant – Band Of Joy
• The National – High Velvet
• Paul Weller – Wake Up The Nation
• MGMT – Congratulations
• Beach House – Teen Dream
• Drake – Thank Me Later
• Kanye West – My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
• Robyn – Body Talk

2011

• PJ Harvey – Let England Shake
• The Horrors – Skying
• St Vincent – Strange Mercy
• Adele – 21
• The Weekend – House Of Balloons
• Florance + The Machine – Ceremonials
• Bon Iver – Bon Iver
• Coldplay – Mylo Xyloto
• Jay-Z & Kanye West – Watch The Throne
• Metronomy – The English Riviera
• Kurt Vile – Smoke Ring For My Halo
• Wu Lyf – Go Tell Fire To The Mountain
• Radiohead – The King Of Limbs
• Tinariwen – Tassili
• Wild Beasts – Smother

2012

• Tame Impala – Lonerism
• Frank Ocean – Channel Orange
• Jack White – Blunderbuss
• Bobby Womack – The Bravest Man In The Universe
• Grimes – Visions
• Beach House – Bloom
• David Byrne & St Vincent – Love This Giant
• Lana Del Rey – Born To Die
• Mumford & Sons – Babel
• Muse – The 2nd Law
• Alt-J – An Awesome Wave
• Bat For Lashes – The Haunted Man
• Richard Hawley – Standing At The Sky’s Edge
• Kendrick Lamar – Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City
• Miguel – Kaleidoscope Dream

2013

• Arctic Monkeys – AM
• Daft Punk – Random Access Memories
• Run The Jewels – Run The Jewels
• Savages – Silence Yourself
• Kurt Vile – Wakin’ On A Pretty Daze
• David Bowie – The Next Day
• Cass McCoombs – Big Wheels And Others
• Steve Mason – Monkey Minds In The Devil’s Time
• Parquet Courts – Light Up Gold
• Kanye West – Yeezus
• Foals – Holy Fire
• Laura Marling – Once I Was An Eagle
• Bill Ryder-Jones – A Bad Wind Blows In My Heart
• Beyonce – Beyonce
• Vampire Weekend – Modern Vampires Of The City

2014

• The War On Drugs – Lost In The Dream
• Alt-J – This Is All Yours
• Beck – Morning Phase
• Ed Sheeran – X
• FKA Twigs – LP1
• D’angelo And The Vanguard – Black Massiah
• Damon Albarn – Everyday Robots
• St. Vincent – St. Vincent
• Royal Blood – Royal Blood
• Sleaford Mods – Devide And Exit
• Aphex Twin – Syro
• Sharon Van Etten – Are We There
• Sun Kil Moon – Benji
• Manic Street Preachers – Futurology
• Future Islands - Singles

2015

• Kendrick Lamar – To Pimp A Butterfly
• Foals – What Went Down
• New Order – Music Complete
• Father John Misty – I Love You Honey Bear
• Florence + The Machine – How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful
• Tame Impala – Currents
• Jamie XX – In Colour
• Julian Holter – Have You In My Wildness
• Everything Everything – Get To Heaven
• Gaz Coombes – Matador
• Mbongwana Star – From Kinshasa
• Sufjan Stevens – Carrie & Lowell
• Vince Staples – Summertime ‘06
• Blur – The Magic Whip
• Joanna Newsom – Divers

2016

• David Bowie – Blackstar
• PJ Harvey – The Hope Six Demolition Project
• The 1975 – I Like It When You Sleep, For You Are So…..
• The Coral – Distance Inbetween
• Parquet Courts – Human Performance
• Radiohead – A Moon Shaped Pool

Plus…

Essential Anthologies

• The Beatles – Anthology Volumes 1 To 3
• James Brown – Star Time
• Joy Division – Heart And Soul
• Arthur Russell – The World Of Arthur Russell
• David Bowie – Nothing Has Changed

Essential Soundtracks

• Pulp Fiction
• Trainspotting
• Music From 8 Mile
• O Brother Where Art Thou
• Inception: Music From The Motion Picture

Also..

• Brandon Flowers Selects U2 – The Joshua Tree
• Johnny Marr Selects – Broken Social Scene – You Forgot It In People