The 50 Greatest Albums

not to make the Greatest Albums Lists

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50. Junior Wells - Hoodoo Man Blues (1965)
One of the greatest bluesmen from the '60s, Wells hooked up with Buddy Guy on this album and produced one of the greatest Blues albums that show off why Chicago became the greatest Blues city on the planet. Filled with now classic Wells originals ("Snatch it Back and Hold it,", "Ships on the Ocean," and "Hoodoo Man Blues") and other greats of the genre ("Hound Dog," "Early in the Morning," and "Chitlin Con Carne"), Wells gives an outstanding performance and should be on a mainstream top 100 list for it. Other albums that need your attention are: You're Tuff Enough (1969) and Blues Hit Big Town (1977).

49. XTC - Skylarking (1986)
One of the few great Pop albums from the '80s, Skylarking was an aural masterpiece. Getting one of the greatest producers in music, Todd Rundgren, gave the band the needed push to create an album that left many of the band's new wave sounds behind in order to concentrate more on an overall aesthetic reminiscent of the great '60s bands like the Beatles. "Dear God," a song questioning the Almighty's love for humanity, was originally left off the album. But that was remedied (by having it replace "Mermaid Smile") in later issues and it has become their greatest - and an all time great - single. Other albums worth noting are: Drums and Wires (1979), Black Sea (1980), The Big Express (1984), and Oranges & Lemons (1989).

48. Ornette Coleman - The Shape of Jazz to Come (1959)
One of the great innovators of Jazz (shown best on this album), Coleman is rewarded by being ignored on mainstream top 100 lists. At the time this album was unique. It threw off the standard piano player and structured chord changes in order let the improvisational flow of the players (Charles Haden on bass, Billy Higgins on drums, and Don Cherry on trumpet) shine through. Coleman influenced a whole new generation of Jazz musicians with this album and it deserves a top 100 placing. Other great albums include: Change of the Century (1959), This Is Our Music (1960), Free Jazz (1960), and Science Fiction (1971).

47. ACDC - Back in Black (1980)
Why this album rarely makes the mainstream lists is beyond the comprehension of this writer. It was the greatest album from one of the best and most popular bands in hard rock and re-established ACDC as a juggernaut after the death of their original singer Bon Scott. "Hells Bells" and "Back in Black," both on this album, are classic rock staples. Other albums worth listening to are: High Voltage (1974), Highway to Hell (1979) and Powerage (1978).

46. Stevie Ray Vaughan - Texas Flood (1983)
One of the greats in modern Blues who transcended the genre to become a superstar in the mainstream, Vaughan seems to always lose out when the top 100 album lists come out. Texas Flood was his debut and it made, unlike every other blues guitarist, the genre popular with mainstream audiences again who hadn't paid much attention to it since the late '60s. Songs like, "Love Struck Baby" and "Pride and Joy" are now classics of modern Blues and both are on this album. Other great albums before Vaughan's untimely death are: Couldn't Stand the Weather (1984) and In Step (1989).

45. Simon and Garfunkel - Bridge Over Troubled Water (1970)
Probably the greatest folk rock duo in the history of music, Simon and Garfunkel always miss the list. Bridge over Troubled Water is their greatest album and contains such classics as: "Bridge over Troubled Water," "Cecilia," and "The Boxer." Other great albums by the include: Wednesday Morning, 3 AM (1964), Sounds of Silence (1966), Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme (1966), and Bookends (1968).

44. Rush - 2112 (1976)
One of the greatest prog-rock bands in existence, Rush had their mainstream international breakthrough with this album. Mixing in progressive and hard rock elements, 2112 is a futuristic concept album based on the writing of Ayn Rand. It is one of the great Canadian albums, one of the great concept albums, and one of the truly classic progressive albums in the history of music. The bands career has lasted over 30 years and the best albums to listen to include: Permanent Waves (1980), Moving Pictures (1981), and Presto (1989).

43. Roxy Music - For Your Pleasure (1973)
One of the seminal art rock bands of the '70s, Roxy Music was a standout in the early '70s. With the great Brian Eno and Brian Ferry at the helm for there first two albums (Eno would leave after), the group defined what intelligence and a flair for the experimental could do for the sometimes confining nature of mainstream rock/pop. The band's greatness proved bulletproof as they released some of their greatest music after the departure of Eno. Check out Stranded (1973), Country Life (1974), Siren (1975) and Avalon (1982) to see what I mean.

42. Queen - A Night at the Opera (1975)
With some of the greatest and most experimental songs in rock, you would figure that Queen would break a top 100 list, but they never do. On this album they mix in heavy rock, pop, and even pseudo-opera (with their definitive song "Bohemian Rhapsody") to bring rock to a whole different headspace. Other albums that are classics include: Sheer Heart Attack (1974) and The Game (1980).

41. Depeche Mode - Some Great Reward (1984)
On of the few electro-pop bands to come out of the '80s British scene that deserve merit, Depeche Mode are dark, brooding and are not shy in expressing their ideas. On this release they take shots at the hypocrisy of God, the foolishness of racism and the benefits of an S&M lifestyle. Other releases worth mentioning are: Music for the Masses (1987) and Violator (1990).

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