It’s easy and lazy to compare Courtney Love to husband, Kurt Cobain. Their music both sits in an alternative world, vocals rough and unpolished. But Love stands on her own two feet as an artist in her own right. On this record, Love sought to write more melodic music than on Hole’s debut record. Cobain and Love would push each other, musically. They were a competitive couple. The songs on this album are a departure for the band.

AKA ‘When the Pawn Hits the Conflicts He Thinks Like a King What He Knows Throws the Blows When He Goes to the Fight and He'll Win the Whole Thing 'fore He Enters the Ring There's No Body to Batter When Your Mind Is Your Might So When You Go Solo, You Hold Your Own Hand and Remember That Depth Is the Greatest of Heights and If You Know Where You Stand, Then You Know Where to Land and If You Fall It Won't Matter, Cuz You'll Know That You're Right.’ You’ve gotta love Fiona Apple’s album titles.

Amazingly, this album wasn’t included last time, this time it’s beaten out the other two entries that were. ‘Control,’ Janet Jackson’s third record, was the one that broke her commercially. Her previous record, 1984’s ‘Dream Street,’ was a flop charting at #147. Subsequently, Jackson fired her manager, aka her father, Joseph Jackson, finding him too controlling. The 19-year-old Jackson, wanted to break free of her father, leave the house and take control. In a fit of rebelliousness, she had briefly married James DeBarge in late 1984 but left him 4 months later, to be annulled later that year.

Lamar’s second album and major label debut, ‘good kid, m.A.A.d city,’ was my first exposure to the artist. At the time he didn’t quite grab me like he would on his defining follow up record. But that’s the great thing about recorded music, it’s always there for you to go back and rediscover. The album is a concept record chronicling Lamar’s teenage experiences on the streets of Compton; gang infested and drug riddled.

“No regrets Coyote/We just come from such different sets of circumstance,” what a perfect way to start an album. ‘Coyote’ was written about Sam Shepard, a member of Bob Dylan’s entourage from the Rolling Thunder Review with whom Mitchell had a brief relationship. Mitchell joined the tour for a few shows in 1975. She picked up a relationship and a cocaine habit. The song is all about sex, drugs and Folk Rock ‘n Roll. The album in itself is a road trip album. It was written mostly in the car while Mitchell was road tripping solo following ‘The Hissing Of Summer Lawns’ tour (#258).

’21,’ the second studio album by Adele was her major breakthrough. Not just a massive album for her, one of the biggest albums in recent years. It’s quite bizarre how people work, to be honest. Along with the massive success of this record came a barrage of criticism and ill-will for Adele, not unsimilar to bands like Coldplay or U2, I guess. Make no mistake, however, this album is phenomenal and all its success is warranted.

One of the most remarkable new artists of the past 10 years, Frank Ocean presents us with his debut album, ‘Channel Orange.’ “The best song wasn’t even the single,” croons Ocean on ‘Sweet Life.’ That’s true, to an extent. This album has such depth that the best songs aren’t JUST the singles. Ocean rose to prominence with the Odd Future Collective, before going solo, first with a mixtape and then this album.