My friend started a record collection and asked me which albums I thought should be in it, so I have compiled a list my favorite albums from the 1950s through the 2010s.
Here are the disclaimers and clarifications: The albums in this list are records I like to listen to on the whole. There are many bands who I generally like but are not listed here because I may just like a few songs by them, but not their complete albums. Even though I listen to a lot of blues and jazz from the 1920s through the 1940s, for example, most of these songs were recorded as singles, not full-length albums, so many of these artists will not be on this list, with some exceptions of blues compilations released later, like Robert Johnson’s King of the Delta Blues Singers. This list does not contain soundtracks or “greatest hits” albums, with a couple exceptions where a compilation album has become a classic recording in itself, such as the Buzzcock’s Singles Going Steady. This list also does not contain albums that are considered important for one reason or another but that I think nobody actually listens to, such as Captain Beefheart’s Trout Mask Replica. (For that matter, Safe as Milk by Captain Beefheart is on this list.) In other words, maybe an album is significant in its contribution to music history in some way, but if I would not sit down and listen to it, it did not make my list. Along the same lines, some people may take issue with classic albums I have not included, such as Pet Sounds by the Beach Boys, for example. While I recognize this record was important in terms of music production, the album personally leaves me cold, so I did not include it. If I were making a list of “albums everyone should listen to at some point,” I would include it, but that is not this list. Additionally, this list does not have classical recordings, which I feel is better suited for another list. There are lots of “best of” lists online, but those are usually just music industry promotions, so the benefit of this assortment is that I do not have to sell anything: I am just including what I believe to be solid records—records that are actually enjoyable to listen to all the way through. I like many genres from every decade, but I have no doubt my choices will come up short in certain areas. Additionally, I am still catching up with new tunes from the last decade, so that section will be lighter than the others for now. Feel like I have missed a great album that should be on this list? Let me know, and I will consider adding it.
To hear the records I have listened to, visit my Listnd. Not every album I have listened to is on this website, unfortunately, but it does have a good deal of them. My guess is that I have listened to around 3000 albums, and this list has about 500 of them.
1950s
1952 – Duke Ellington – Ellington Uptown
1954 – Dizzy Gillespie – Afro
1956 – Billie Holiday – Lady Sings the Blues
1956 – Chuck Berry – After School Session
1956 – Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong – Ella and Louis
1957 – Little Richard – Here’s Little Richard
1958 – The Everly Brothers – The Everly Brothers
1958 – John Coltrane – Blue Train
1959 – Howlin’ Wolf – Moanin’ in the Moonlight
1959 – Dave Brubeck Quartet – Time Out
1959 – Miles Davis – Kind of Blue
1959 – John Lee Hooker – House of the Blues
1959 – Willie Dixon – Willie’s Blues
1960s
1960 – Muddy Waters – Muddy Waters at Newport
1960 – Etta James – At Last!
1960 – Joan Baez – Joan Baez
1961 – Robert Johnson – King of the Delta Blues Singers
1962 – Ray Charles – Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music
1962 – Booker T. & the M.G.’s – Green Onions
1962 – Odetta – Odetta and the Blues
1962 – Patsy Cline – Sentimentally Yours
1962 – Dick Dale & His Del-Tones – Surfer’s Choice
1963 – Bob Dylan – The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan
1964 – Son House – The Complete Library of Congress Sessions
1964 – Bob Dylan – The Times They Are a-Changin’
1964 – The Animals – The Animals
1964 – The Temptations – Meet the Temptations
1964 – The Supremes – Where Did Our Love Go
1965 – John Coltrane – A Love Supreme
1964 – Smokey Robinson and the Miracles – Going to a Go-Go
1965 – Big Mama Thornton – Big Mama Thornton in Europe
1965 – The Zombies – Begin Here
1965 – The Beatles – Rubber Soul
1965 – Nina Simone – I Put a Spell on You
1965 – Jackson C. Frank – Jackson C. Frank
1965 – Bob Dylan – Highway 61 Revisited
1965 – The Byrds – Turn! Turn! Turn!
1966 – The Seeds – The Seeds
1966 – Richie Havens – Mixed Bag
1966 – Question Mark and the Mysterians – 96 Tears
1966 – The Beatles – Revolver
1966 – The Sonics – Boom
1966 – The Kinks – Face to Face
1966 – The Mamas and the Papas – If You Can Believe Your Eyes and Ears
1966 – The Who – My Generation
1966 – Simon & Garfunkel – Parsley, Sage, Rosemary, and Thyme
1966 – Donovan – Sunshine Superman
1966 – Simon & Garfunkel – Sounds of Silence
1966 – 13th Floor Elevators – The Psychedelic Sounds of the 13th Floor Elevators
1967 – Captain Beefheart and His Magic Band – Safe as Milk
1967 – Jimi Hendrix – Are You Experienced?
1967 – Jefferson Airplane – Surrealistic Pillow
1967 – The Kinks – Something Else by the Kinks
1967 – Albert King – Born Under a Bad Sign
1967 – Jimi Hendrix – Axis: Bold as Love
1967 – Aretha Franklin – I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You
1967 – Simon & Garfunkel – Bookends
1967 – Sly and the Family Stone – A Whole New Thing
1967 – The Beatles – Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band
1967 – The Rolling Stones – Their Satanic Majesties Request
1967 – Otis Redding – The Dock of the Bay
1967 – The Mothers of Invention – Absolutely Free
1967 – The Velvet Underground – The Velvet Underground and Nico
1967 – Nico – Chelsea Girl
1967 – Love – Forever Changes
1967 – Cream – Disraeli Gears
1967 – Canned Heat – Canned Heat
1967 – The Doors – The Doors
1967 – The Moody Blues – Days of Future Passed
1967 – Jacqueline Taïeb – Jacqueline Taïeb
1967 – Leonard Cohen – The Songs of Leonard Cohen
1968 – Sister Rosetta Tharpe – Precious Memories
1968 – Jimi Hendrix – Electric Ladyland
1968 – The Beatles – The White Album
1968 – Nina Simone – ’Nuff Said!
1968 – The Velvet Underground – White Light/White Heat
1968 – The Doors – Waiting for the Sun
1968 – The Kinks – The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society
1969 – Big Brother and the Holding Company – Cheap Thrills
1969 – Koko Taylor – Koko Taylor
1969 – Karen Dalton – It’s So Hard to Tell Who’s Going to Love You the Best
1969 – Led Zeppelin – Led Zeppelin
1969 – Creedence Clearwater Revival – Bayou Country
1969 – Frank Zappa – Hot Rats
1969 – The Beatles – Abbey Road
1969 – The Velvet Underground – The Velvet Underground
1969 – The Rolling Stones – Let It Bleed
1969 – Quicksilver Messenger Service – Happy Trails
1969 – Nick Drake – Five Leaves Left
1969 – Creedence Clearwater Revival – Green River
1969 – King Crimson – In the Court of the Crimson King
1969 – Crosby, Stills & Nash – Crosby, Stills & Nash
1969 – Neil Young with Crazy Horse – Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere
1969 – Led Zeppelin – Led Zeppelin II
1969 – Janis Joplin – I Got Dem Ol’ Kozmic Blues Again Mama!
1969 – MC5 – Kick Out the Jams
1969 – The Stooges – The Stooges
1969 – Santana – Santana
1969 – Joni Mitchell – Clouds
1969 – Moondog – Moondog
1970s
1970 – Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young – Déjà Vu
1970 – Santana – Abraxas
1970 – Cat Stevens – Tea for the Tillerman
1970 – Miles Davis – Bitches Brew
1970 – Grateful Dead – Workingman’s Dead
1970 – Neil Young – After the Gold Rush
1970 – Bessie Smith – Any Woman’s Blues
1970 – The Velvet Underground – Loaded
1970 – The Stooges – Fun House
1970 – The Kinks – Lola Versus Powerman and the Moneygoround
1970 – Willie Dixon – I Am the Blues
1970 – Curtis Mayfield – Curtis
1970 – James Brown – Ain’t It Funky
1970 – George Harrison – All Things Must Pass
1970 – Led Zeppelin – Led Zeppelin III
1970 – Black Sabbath – Paranoid
1970 – David Bowie – The Man Who Sold the World
1970 – Kraftwerk – Kraftwerk
1971 – B. B. King – Live in Cook County Jail
1971 – Nick Drake – Bryter Layter
1971 – Joni Mitchell – Blue
1971 – Carole King – Tapestry
1971 – Leonard Cohen – Songs of Love and Hate
1971 – David Bowie – Hunky Dory
1971 – Janis Joplin – Pearl
1971 – Jethro Tull – Aqualung
1971 – Can – Tago Mago
1971 – Led Zeppelin – Led Zeppelin IV
1972 – Tia Blake and Her Folk Group – Folk Songs and Ballads
1972 – Nick Drake – Pink Moon
1972 – Big Star – Number 1 Record
1972 – T. Rex – Slider
1972 – Neil Young – Harvest
1972 – David Bowie – The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars
1972 – Neu! – Neu!
1972 – Lou Reed – Transformer
1972 – The Modern Lovers – The Modern Lovers
1972 – Steely Dan – Can’t Buy a Thrill
1972 – Jethro Tull – Thick as a Brick
1973 – Lynard Skynard – Pronounced ’Lĕh-’nérd ’Skin-’nérd
1973 – New York Dolls – New York Dolls
1973 – Toots and the Maytals – Funky Kingston
1973 – Roxy Music – For Your Pleasure
1973 – Led Zeppelin – Houses of the Holy
1973 – Herbie Hancock – Head Hunters
1973 – John Denver – John Denver’s Greatest Hits
1973 – Toots and the Maytals – In the Dark
1973 – The Incredible Bongo Band – Bongo Rock
1973 – Tom Waits – Closing Time
1973 – Pink Floyd – The Dark Side of the Moon
1973 – King Crimson – Larks’ Tongues in Aspic
1973 – Iggy Pop – Raw Power
1974 – Neil Young – On the Beach
1974 – Bob Marley and the Wailers – Natty Dread
1974 – Sparks – Kimono My House
1974 – Jorma Kaukonen – Quah
1975 – Pink Floyd – Wish You Were Here
1975 – Parliament – Mothership Connection
1975 – Neil Young – Zuma
1975 – Patti Smith – Horses
1976 – Ramones – Ramones
1976 – Tom Waits – Small Change
1976 – Bob Marley and the Wailers – Rastaman Vibration
1976 – Rush – 2112
1977 – Richard Hell and the Voidoids – Blank Generation
1977 – Wire – Pink Flag
1977 – Television – Marquee Moon
1977 – The Jam – In the City
1977 – Bob Marley and the Wailers – Exodus
1977 – Talking Heads – Talking Heads: 77
1977 – Suicide – Suicide
1977 – Electric Light Orchestra – Out of the Blue
1978 – Funkadelic – One Nation Under a Groove
1978 – Warren Zevon – Excitable Boy
1978 – The Cars – The Cars
1978 – Bob Marley and the Wailers – Kaya
1978 – Dire Straits – Dire Straits
1979 – Hank Williams – 40 Greatest Hits
1978 – Steve Reich – Music for 18 Musicians
1978 – Siouxsie and the Banshees – The Scream
1978 – Kraftwerk – The Man-Machine
1978 – X-Ray Spex – Germfree Adolescents
1979 – Pink Floyd – The Wall
1979 – Frank Zappa – Joe’s Garage
1979 – The Cars – Candy-O
1979 – Buzzcocks – Singles Going Steady
1979 – Bob Marley and the Wailers – Survival
1979 – The Clash – London Calling
1979 – The B-52’s – The B-52’s
1979 – Talking Heads – Fear of Music
1979 – Joy Division – Unknown Pleasures
1979 – Gang of Four – Entertainment!
1979 – The Slits – Cut
1979 – The Raincoats – The Raincoats
1980s
1980 – Pylon – Gyrate
1980 – Joy Division – Closer
1980 – The Beat – I Just Can’t Stop It
1980 – X – Los Angeles
1980 – The Cramps – Songs the Lord Taught Us
1980 – Bob Marley and the Wailers – Uprising
1980 – Dire Straits – Making Movies
1980 – The Feelies – Crazy Rhythms
1981 – The Go-Go’s – Beauty and the Beat
1981 – Scientist – Scientific Dub
1981 – The Cramps – Psychedelic Jungle
1981 – Gang of Four – Solid Gold
1982 – Don Carlos – Day to Day Living
1982 – Violent Femmes – Violent Femmes
1982 – Gregory Isaacs – Night Nurse
1982 – Steel Pulse – True Democracy
1982 – Michael Jackson – Thriller
1983 – R.E.M. – Murmur
1983 – Daniel Johnston – Hi, How Are You
1984 – The Smiths – The Smiths
1984 – R.E.M. – Reckoning
1984 – The Pandoras – It’s About Time
1984 – Cocteau Twins – Treasure
1984 – Minutemen – Double Nickels on the Dime
1984 – The Replacements – Let It Be
1985 – The Smiths – Meat Is Murder
1985 – Dire Straits – Brothers in Arms
1985 – Beat Happening – Beat Happening
1985 – The Fall – This Nation’s Saving Grace
1985 – R.E.M. – Fables of the Reconstruction
1986 – The Cure – Standing on a Beach
1986 – The Smiths – The Queen Is Dead
1986 – Throwing Muses – Throwing Muses
1986 – R.E.M. – Lifes Rich Pageant
1987 – The Smiths – Strangeways, Here We Come
1987 – Dinosaur Jr. – You’re Living All Over Me
1987 – Sonic Youth – Daydream Nation
1987 – Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt, and Emmylou Harris – Trio
1988 – Spacemen 3 – Playing with Fire
1988 – Cowboy Junkies – The Trinity Session
1988 – Pixies – Surfer Rosa
1988 – N.W.A. – Straight Outta Compton
1989 – Beat Happening – Black Candy
1989 – Pixies – Doolittle
1989 – The Stone Roses – The Stone Roses
1989 – Galaxie 500 – On Fire
1989 – De La Soul – 3 Feet High and Rising
1990s
1990 – Mazzy Star – She Hangs Brightly
1990 – A Tribe Called Quest – People’s Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm
1990 – Sonic Youth – Goo
1990 – Daniel Johnston – 1990
1990 – Public Enemy – Fear of a Black Planet
1990 – Deee-Lite – World Clique
1990 – Ride – Nowhere
1990 – Jane’s Addiction – Ritual de lo Habitual
1991 – Slint – Spiderland
1991 – My Bloody Valentine – Loveless
1991 – A Tribe Called Quest – Low End Theory
1991 – Spacemen 3 – Recurring
1991 – Eek-A-Mouse – U-Neek
1991 – Mr. Bungle – Mr. Bungle
1991 – DJ Quik – Quik Is the Name
1991 – Nirvana – Nevermind
1991 – Metallica – Metallica
1991 – Naughty by Nature – Naughty by Nature
1991 – Pearl Jam – Ten
1991 – Primal Scream – Screamadelica
1991 – Pizzicato Five – This Year’s Girl
1992 – Sonic Youth – Dirty
1992 – Pavement – Slanted and Enchanted
1992 – PJ Harvey – Dry
1992 – Lush – Spooky
1992 – Arrested Development – 3 Years, 5 Months and 2 Days in the Life of...
1992 – The Vaselines – The Way of The Vaselines: A Complete History
1992 – Dr. Dre – The Chronic
1992 – Pete Rock & CL Smooth – Mecca and the Soul Brother
1992 – Luna – Lunapark
1992 – Red House Painters – Down Colorful Hill
1992 – The Pharcyde – Bizarre Ride II the Pharcyde
1992 – R.E.M. – Automatic for the People
1992 – Alice in Chains – Dirt
1992 – Stone Temple Pilots – Core
1993 – Mazzy Star – So Tonight That I Might See
1993 – A Tribe Called Quest – Midnight Marauders
1993 – Snoop Doggy Dogg – Doggystyle
1993 – Sebadoh – Bubble and Scrape
1993 – Red House Painters – Rollercoaster
1993 – Wu-Tang Clan – Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)
1993 – PJ Harvey – Rid of Me
1993 – Slowdive – Souvlaki
1993 – Björk – Debut
1993 – Salt-N-Pepa – Very Necessary
1993 – Nirvana – In Utero
1993 – The Breeders – Last Splash
1993 – Digable Planets – Reachin’ (A New Refutation of Time and Space)
1993 – Cypress Hill – Black Sunday
1993 – Bikini Kill – Pussy Whipped
1993 – Bratmobile – Pottymouth
1993 – Smashing Pumpkins – Siamese Dream
1993 – Cracker – Kerosene Hat
1993 – Archers of Loaf – Icky Mettle
1994 – Lush – Split
1994 – The Beautiful South – Carry On Up the Charts
1994 – The Magnetic Fields – Holiday
1994 – Swell – 41
1994 – Low – I Could Live in Hope
1994 – Luna – Bewitched
1994 – Nas – Illmatic
1994 – Sebadoh – Bakesale
1994 – Da Brat – Funkdafied
1994 – Nirvana – MTV Unplugged in New York
1994 – Warren G – Regulate... G Funk Era
1994 – The Notorious B.I.G. – Ready to Die
1994 – Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds – Let Love In
1994 – Pavement – Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain
1994 – Guided by Voices – Bee Thousand
1994 – Portishead – Dummy
1994 – Ween – Chocolate and Cheese
1994 – Soundgarden – Superunknown
1994 – Hole – Live Through This
1994 – Stone Temple Pilots – Purple
1994 – Heavens to Betsy – Calculated
1994 – Lambchop – I Hope You’re Sitting Down
1994 – Gravediggaz – 6 Feet Deep
1995 – Sonic Youth – Washing Machine
1995 – PJ Harvey – To Bring You My Love
1995 – DJ Quik – Safe + Sound
1995 – Guided by Voices – Alien Lanes
1995 – The Magnetic Fields – Get Lost
1995 – Mobb Deep – The Infamous
1995 – Bone Thugs-n-Harmony – E. 1999 Eternal
1995 – Coolio – Gangsta’s Paradise
1995 – Ol’ Dirty Bastard – Return to the 36 Chambers: The Dirty Version
1995 – Big L – Lifestylez ov da Poor & Dangerous
1995 – Pavement – Wowee Zowee
1995 – Raekwon – Only Built 4 Cuban Linx...
1995 – GZA/Genius – Liquid Swords
1995 – Luna – Penthouse
1995 – Elliott Smith – Elliott Smith
1995 – The Mountain Goats – Sweden
1995 – Radiohead – The Bends
1995 – Money Mark – Mark’s Keyboard Repair
1995 – The Brian Jonestown Massacre – Methodrone
1995 – Ben Folds Five – Ben Folds Five
1995 – Brotha Lynch Hung – Season of da Siccness
1995 – X-Raided – Xorcist
1995 – Alice in Chains – Alice in Chains
1995 – Smashing Pumpkins – Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness
1995 – Blind Melon – Soup
1996 – Lead Belly – Where Did You Sleep Last Night
1996 – Too Short – Getting’ It (Album Number Ten)
1996 – DJ Shadow – Endtroducing.....
1996 – The Josephine Wiggs Experience – Bon Bon Lifestyle
1996 – Belle and Sebastian – Tigermilk
1996 – The Brian Jonestown Massacre – Take It from the Man!
1996 – Guided by Voices – Under the Bushes, Under the Stars
1996 – 2Pac – All Eyez on Me
1996 – Jamiroquai – Traveling Without Moving
1996 – Sneaker Pimps – Becoming X
1996 – Fiona Apple – Tidal
1996 – April March – Paris in April
1996 – Beck – Odelay
1996 – Belle and Sebastian – If You’re Feeling Sinister
1996 – 2Pac – The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory
1996 – Cibo Matto – Viva! La Woman
1996 – Kostars – Klassics with a “K”
1996 – Stereolab – Emperor Tomato Ketchup
1996 – Silver Jews – The Natural Bridge
1996 – Vic Chesnutt – About to Choke
1996 – Butter 08 – Butter 08
1996 – The Brian Jonestown Massacre – Their Satanic Majesties’ Second Request
1996 – Squirrel Nut Zippers – Hot
1997 – Broadcast – Work and Non Work
1997 – Elliott Smith – Either/Or
1997 – Ben Folds Five – Whatever and Ever Amen
1997 – Danielson Famile – Tell Another Joke at the Ol’ Choppin’ Block
1997 – Stereolab – Dots and Loops
1997 – Spiritualized – Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space
1997 – Sleater-Kinney – Dig Me Out
1997 – Yo La Tengo – I Can Hear the Heart Beating as One
1997 – Radiohead – OK Computer
1997 – The Apples in Stereo – Tone Soul Evolution
1997 – The Dandy Warhols – ...The Dandy Warhols Come Down
1997 – Grandaddy – Under the Western Freeway
1997 – Brad – Interiors
1998 – Elliott Smith – XO
1998 – Silver Jews – American Water
1998 – Black Star – Mos Def & Talib Kweli Are Black Star
1998 – Massive Attack – Mezzanine
1998 – Air – Moon Safari
1998 – Sean Lennon – Into the Sun
1998 – Cat Power – Moon Pix
1998 – Gang Starr – Moment of Truth
1998 – Shellac – Terraform
1998 – Buffalo Daughter – New Rock
1998 – Tortoise – TNT
1998 – The Beta Band – The Three E.P.’s
1998 – Lauryn Hill – The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill
1998 – Neutral Milk Hotel – In the Aeroplane Over the Sea
1999 – X-Raided – Unforgiven
1999 – Le Tigre – Le Tigre
1999 – Eminem – The Slim Shady LP
1999 – MF Doom – Operation: Doomsday
1999 – Dr. Dre – 2001
1999 – The Magnetic Fields – 69 Love Songs
1999 – Stereolab – Cobra and Phases Group Play Voltage in the Milky Night
1999 – Fiona Apple – When the Pawn…
1999 – Nightmares on Wax – Carboot Soul
1999 – Ben Folds Five – The Unauthorized Biography of Reinhold Messner
1999 – The Flaming Lips – The Soft Bulletin
1999 – Built to Spill – Keep It Like a Secret
2000s
2000 – Broadcast – The Noise Made by People
2000 – Doves – Lost Souls
2000 – Elliott Smith – Figure 8
2000 – Blonde Redhead – Melody of Certain Damaged Lemons
2000 – Yo La Tengo – And Then Nothing Turned Itself Inside-Out
2000 – Slumber Party – Slumber Party
2000 – Shellac – 1000 Hurts
2000 – Aimee Mann – Bachelor No. 2 or, the Last Remains of the Dodo
2000 – Cat Power – The Covers Record
2000 – The Dandy Warhols – Thirteen Tales from Urban Bohemia
2000 – At the Drive-In – Relationship of Command
2000 – Common – Like Water for Chocolate
2000 – Sleater-Kinney – All Hands on the Bad One
2000 – Bratmobile – Ladies, Women and Girls
2000 – Eminem – The Marshall Mathers LP
2001 – Beulah – The Coast Is Never Clear
2001 – Pete Rock – Petestrumentals
2001 – Jon Brion – Meaningless
2001 – The Brian Jonestown Massacre – Bravery Repetition and Noise
2001 – Red House Painters – Old Ramon
2001 – Stereolab – Sound-Dust
2001 – Hope Sandoval and the Warm Inventions – Bavarian Fruit Bread
2001 – Kristin Hersh – Sunny Border Blue
2001 – Liars – They Threw Us All in a Trench and Stuck a Monument on Top
2001 – Black Rebel Motorcycle Club – B.R.M.C.
2001 – Daft Punk – Discovery
2001 – The Shins – Oh, Inverted World
2002 – The Mountain Goats – All Hail West Texas
2002 – Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti – House Arrest
2002 – RJD2 – Deadringer
2002 – Beck – Sea Change
2002 – The Flaming Lips – Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots
2002 – Thievery Corporation – The Richest Man in Babylon
2002 – Sleater-Kinney – One Beat
2002 – Ben Kweller – Sha Sha
2003 – Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Fever to Tell
2003 – The White Stripes – Elephant
2003 – Cat Power – You Are Free
2003 – The Shins – Chutes Too Narrow
2003 – The Kills – Keep on Your Mean Side
2003 – Belle and Sebastian – Dear Catastrophe Waitress
2003 – The Mars Volta – De-Loused in the Comatorium
2003 – Broadcast – Haha Sound
2003 – Sun Kil Moon – Ghosts of the Great Highway
2003 – Metric – Old World Underground, Where Are You Now?
2003 – The Brian Jonestown Massacre – …And This Is Our Music
2003 – Songs: Ohia – The Magnolia Electric Co.
2003 – Calexico – Feast of Wire
2003 – Bonobo – Dial ‘M’ for Monkey
2004 – Lost Sounds – Lost Sounds
2004 – Madvillain – Madvillainy
2004 – CocoRosie – La Maison de Mon Rêve
2004 – Of Montreal – Satanic Panic in the Attic
2004 – TV on the Radio – Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes
2004 – Stereolab – Margarine Eclipse
2004 – Nouvelle Vague – Nouvelle Vague
2004 – Pinback – Summer in Abaddon
2004 – Elliott Smith – From a Basement on the Hill
2004 – The Good Life – Album of the Year
2004 – Joanna Newsom – The Milk-Eyed Mender
2004 – Danger Mouse – The Grey Album
2004 – Jim White – Drill a Hole in That Substrate and Tell Me What You See
2005 – Monade – A Few Steps More
2005 – Wax Tailor – Tales of the Forgotten Melodies
2005 – The New Pornographers – Twin Cinema
2005 – Broadcast – Tender Buttons
2005 – Sufjan Stevens – Illinoise
2005 – Death Cab for Cutie – Plans
2005 – Spoon – Gimme Fiction
2005 – Metric – Live It Out
2005 – Of Montreal – The Sunlandic Twins
2005 – Giant Drag – Hearts and Unicorns
2005 – Voxtrot – Raised by Wolves
2005 – Danger Mouse and MF Doom – The Mouse and the Mask
2006 – Nightmares on Wax – In a Space Outta Sound
2006 – The High Violets – To Where You Are
2006 – Belle and Sebastian – The Life Pursuit
2006 – Cat Power – The Greatest
2006 – Erase Errata – Nightlife
2006 – Nouvelle Vague – Bande à Part
2006 – Tam – Tam
2006 – Lilys – Everything Wrong Is Imaginary
2006 – Mika Miko – C.Y.S.L.A.B.F.
2006 – Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Show Your Bones
2006 – Joanna Newsom – Ys
2006 – Visioneers – Dirty Old Hip Hop
2007 – Blonde Redhead – 23
2007 – Bubonic Plague – Instant Coma
2007 – Of Montreal – Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer?
2007 – Scout Niblett – This Fool Can Die Now
2007 – Spoon – Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
2007 – The Fiery Furnaces – Widow City
2007 – Queens of the Stone Age – Era Vulgaris
2007 – Black Moth Super Rainbow – Dandelion Gum
2007 – Architecture in Helsinki – Places Like This
2008 – Stereolab – Chemical Chords
2008 – School of Seven Bells – Alpinisms
2008 – Blitzen Trapper – Furr
2008 – Geneva Jacuzzi – Kooze Control
2008 – Sigur Rós – Með Suð Í Eyrum Við Spilum Endalaust
2008 – The Old Haunts – Poisonous Times
2008 – Vampire Weekend – Vampire Weekend
2008 – Santigold – Santogold
2008 – The Sound Defects – The Iron Horse
2009 – Real Estate – Real Estate
2009 – Gramatik – SB#2
2009 – Antony and the Johnsons – The Crying Light
2009 – Atlas Sound – Logos
2009 – Black Moth Super Rainbow – Eating Us
2009 – The Dry Spells – Too Soon for Flowers
2009 – Vic Chesnutt – At the Cut
2010s
2010 – The Black Angels – Phosphene Dream
2010 – Broken Bells – Broken Bells
2010 – Sharon Van Etten – Epic
2010 – Wild Nothing – Gemini
2010 – Carolina Chocolate Drops – Genuine Negro Jig
2010 – Thee Oh Sees – Warm Slime
2010 – Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings – I Learned the Hard Way
2010 – Dean & Britta – 13 Most Beautiful: Songs for Andy Warhol’s Screen Tests
2010 – Grass Widow – Past Time
2010 – Best Coast – Crazy for You
2010 – Deerhunter – Halcyon Digest
2010 – Tame Impala – InnerSpeaker
2010 – Mark Lanegan and Isobel Campbell – Hawk
2011 – Real Estate – Days
2011 – Lydia Loveless – Indestructible Machine
2011 – Beirut – The Rip Tide
2011 – My Morning Jacket – Circuital
2012 – Allah-Las – Allah-Las
2012 – Sharon Van Etten – Tramp
2012 – Fiona Apple – The Idler Wheel…
2012 – First Aid Kit – The Lion’s Roar
2012 – Wild Nothing – Nocturne
2013 – Elf Power – Sunlight on the Moon
2013 – Kevin Morby – Harlem River
2013 – Chastity Belt – No Regerts
2013 – Foxygen – We Are the 21st Century Ambassadors of Peace & Magic
2014 – Leo Welch – Sabougla Voices
2014 – Lana Del Rey – Ultraviolence
2014 – Allah-Las – Worship the Sun
2014 – Ty Segall – Manipulator
2014 – The Brian Jonestown Massacre – Revelation
2015 – Courtney Barnett – Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit
2015 – Blue In Green – The Break of Dawn
2016 – Lady Wray – Queen Alone
2017 – Cigarettes After Sex – Cigarettes After Sex
2018 – Kurt Vile – Bottle It In
2019 – Lana Del Rey – Norman Fucking Rockwell!
2019 – The Brian Jonestown Massacre – The Brian Jonestown Massacre
2019 – Lizzo – Cuz I Love You
2020s
2021 – Bo Burnham – Inside (The Songs)
This list was compiled by Shalon van Tine.