There’s a new meme traversing the Internet. It involves compiling a list of albums (long play records) for each year of your life. In my case there’s 36 years of albums to choose from, going all the way back to 1972. One further rule is that you’re not allowed to pick an artist/band more than once: so no picking Prince for Purple Rain in 1984 and also for Sign O’ The Times in 1987.
I’ve spent lunchtime today, and about three hours tonight compiling what I think is the definitive list, although in Ridley Scott terms, I reserve the right to issue “Director’s Cuts” and “Final Cuts”.
It’s an interesting experiment traversing the lists and having to choose one over the other… The 1980s were fertile ground for lots of great albums, especially 1987 was unbelieable. The late nineties and noughties where often spartan and I found myself struggling to pick anything some years.
So without further ado, here are my 36 albums.
| Year | Artist/Band | Album |
|---|---|---|
| 1972 | Neil Young | Harvest |
| 1973 | 24 Carat Black | Ghetto: Misfortune’s Wealth |
| 1974 | James Brown | The Payback |
| 1975 | Kraftwerk | Radio-aktivitaet |
| 1976 | Kiss | Destroyer |
| 1977 | Saturday Night Fever Soundtrack | Saturday Night Fever Soundtrack |
| 1978 | Kate Bush | The Kick Inside |
| 1979 | Pink Floyd | The Wall |
| 1980 | Joy Division | Closer |
| 1981 | Klaus Nomi | Klaus Nomi |
| 1982 | Michael Jackson | Thriller |
| 1983 | Doe Maar | 4US |
| 1984 | Talking Heads | Stop Making Sense |
| 1985 | Eurythmics | Be Yourself Tonight |
| 1986 | Beastie Boys | License to Ill |
| 1987 | Guns ‘N Roses | Appetite For Destruction |
| 1988 | Queensryche | Operation Mindcrime |
| 1989 | Faith No More | The Real Thing |
| 1990 | Depeche Mode | Violator |
| 1991 | Mr. Bungle | Mr. Bungle |
| 1992 | The Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy | Hypocrisy Is The Greatest Luxury |
| 1993 | Orbital | Orbital |
| 1994 | Portishead | Dummy |
| 1995 | Leftfield | Leftism |
| 1996 | Beth Orton | Trailer Park |
| 1997 | Nuyorican Soul | Nuyorican Soul |
| 1998 | Massive Attack | Mezzanine |
| 1999 | Sigur Ros | Agaetis byrjun |
| 2000 | Thievery Corporation | The Mirror Conspiracy |
| 2001 | Kylie Minogue | Fever |
| 2002 | The Streets | Original Pirate Material |
| 2003 | Peaches | Fatherfucker |
| 2004 | Nouvelle Vague | Nouvelle Vague |
| 2005 | Editors | Back Room |
| 2006 | Amy Winehouse | Back To Black |
| 2007 | Roisin Murphy | Overpowered |
Feel free to comment on my list, dispute my selection, or point me to your list…
Other lists I’ve found are:
Enjoy, but be warned compiling your own list is a labour-intensive, brain-draining, and difficult activity. Cancel all appointments, notify family members, and switch off all phones: you may be some time. (unless your 6 years old, in which case I suggest the you start with The Sugababes).
Edits:
1973, 24 Carat Black “Ghetto: Misfortune’s Wealth” replaces Roberta Flack “Killing Me Softly”
1988, Queensryche “Operation Mindcrime” replaces Cowboy Junkies “Trinity Sessions”
1978, Kate Bush “The Kick Inside” replaces “Grease : The Soundtrack”
Ij, u have way too much time on your hands, I expect fatherhood will bring some respite
)
Good list though, and there’s nothing to dipsute. With that said mine would look substantially different with the exception of 1989 (feck, was it really), but what’s yours is yours. I love that love Kiss, it always made me smile, if ever there was an unlilkely candidate! Kraftwerk I get, Kiss…….naw!
Oh my goodness, I shouldn’t even think about doing this until wintertime when I hibernate. And I have a music and vinyl obsessive friend who will see this and may never leave the house again, except to spend his money in monorail records.
My list will be different I’m sure, but I reckon Portishead will be in for that year.