Well before Ramones, Sex Pistols and The Clash came New York Dolls, pioneers of, not only the US punk scene, but the punk scene in general. Listening to this album, it’s hard to believe that punk didn’t really exist before this. New York Dolls took the joyous fun of 1950’s Rock ‘n Roll, scuffed its knees, gave it a mohawk and took it to the basement of New York City clubs.

An album full of raw, emotional pain, ‘Tonight’s The Night’ was originally recorded in 1973 but was shelved as it was too painful at the time for Young to release. Instead, he released ‘On The Beach’ (#311) first, with this album would eventually coming out in 1975. The album covers the grief of the loss of two close friends of Neil Young’s to drugs; Danny Whitten, Crazy Horse guitarist, and Bruce Berry, roadie.

ABBA are one of the biggest groups of all time. Their sales are estimated between 150 million and 380 million records sold, 11.2 million singles sold in the UK alone plus 8 consecutive #1 albums, once again in the UK. They are simply one of the best-selling artists of all time. Their songs are ubiquitous. I had them playing in my head simply by reading the tracklisting.

The debut album from the inimitable Bill Withers. Before this album, Bill Withers was a factory worker manufacturing bathrooms for 747s. He had been writing a song which he just couldn’t finish. He had a first verse, a second verse and a chorus but while thinking up lyrics for the third verse, he used placeholder lyrics. Simply singing the words “I know” over and over, 26 times in total. On the advice of fellow musicians, he just decided to leave the song that way, record it and see what happens.

By 1975 Kiss had released 3 albums, all commercial failures. The band couldn’t seem to translate their live energy into the studio. The obvious solution? Release a live album. ‘Alive’ became the band’s breakthrough record, an unofficial “Best Of” collection that successfully captures the energy and the mayhem of the band’s live set.

The third entry in the list by Al Green. Between 1972 and 1974 was the most fertile period in Al Green’s career. He released classic album after classic album within the space of 2 years. ‘I’m Still In Love With You’ nestles between ‘Let’s Stay Together’ and ‘Call Me.’ I previously mentioned in the review of his ‘Greatest Hits’ that ‘Love and Happiness’ is amongst my all-time favourite songs, and this is the album from which it comes.

Spanning a 13 year period, this collection of music is generally considered to be the most complete and comprehensive collection of Sam Cooke’s music. From his roots as a gospel singer to the new genre that would come to be known as Soul, this collection covers it all. After listening to this record in the last countdown, I immediately bought it on vinyl. That speaks volumes about how I feel about this.

The debut album of super producer and mad genius, Brian Eno, following his departure from Roxy Music. On this record, Eno enlisted 16 musicians whom he thought were incompatible with each other. Eno stated that he “got them together merely because I wanted to see what happens when you combine different identities like that and allow them to compete.”

A cry for help recorded on record. The album opens with the tribal beats of ‘Atrocity Exhibition,’ with vocalist and lyricist, Ian Curtis beckoning “This is the way, step inside.” Into the heartbreaking ‘Isolation,’ a song about his failing marriage. About his mental state; feeling isolated, feeling hurt, feeling shame.

This album is a 21-track punk record coming in at 35 minutes. The bulk of the tracks are under 2 minutes long, some even less than a minute. It feels like a collection of snippets and ideas as opposed to fully formed songs. It’s a fun record, however, but scattered.

As the man has many faces, it’s no surprise that this album is quite different to previous entry, ‘Every Knows This Is Nowhere’ (#407). Opening track, ‘Walk On’ is decidedly different to the rest of the album. Track feels quite produced, all the while the lyrics discuss ignoring people that are talking you down and moving on.

When this album first came out, I remember seeing someone tweet something alone the lines of “Finally, a Knowles I can get on with.” If older sister, Beyoncé is the RnB pop megastar, little sister, Solange is her alternative counterpart. ‘A Seat At The Table’ was one of the surprise releases of 2016, winning Knowles a Grammy for lead single, ‘Cranes In The Sky’ in the category of Best R&B Performance.

PJ Harvey’s fifth album is her love letter to New York, although, she insists that it’s not her New York album. The British Harvey spent a lot of time in New York in 1998 while she starred in ‘The Book Of Life.’ She continued living there for most of 1999 too. While there, she was inspired to write several songs which would ultimately become this album.

A breakthrough record for Aaliyah, but not just her. This was also the breakthrough for Timbaland as a producer and Missy Elliot as a songwriter. This follows her debut album, ‘Age Ain’t Nothing But A Number,’ which was produced by R. Kelly. Knowing what we know about him now, that title couldn’t be more creepy.

Rosalía is one of the biggest new artists of the past 5 years. A Spanish artist that has definitely crossed over into English-speaking markets. On this her second, and most recent record, Rosalía fuses Flamenco music with experimental pop and RnB.

The first concept album by the band that were one of the greatest to do it. This album pays tribute to pirate radio, which had been outlawed in the UK in 1967. The songs on the record are seemingly unrelated other than the fact they are all broadcast on fictional radio station, Radio London. The album is interspersed with fake adverts and fake announcements and is pretty hilarious.

This album features a 40-piece orchestra conducted by Ray Ellis. 41-piece, really, as she played her voice like an instrument. Frank Sinatra said in 1958 that Billie Holiday was the “greatest single musical influence on [him].” Holiday had lost much of her upper vocal range in her 40s, but her voice is still incredible and unique.

Previously I said that Janet Jackson’s album, ‘Rhythm Nation 1819’ (#339) is “often regarded as the pinnacle of Jackson’s career.” ‘The Velvet Rope’ is often regarded as Jackson’s mature album, her coming of age. Jackson had experienced an emotional breakdown; feelings of self-hate and body dysmorphia leading to bulimia and anorexia. She was dealing with a lot of issues from throughout her life (the Jackson kids didn’t have a normal childhood) and the way she worked through it was with this album.

The debut album by pioneers of the Madchester scene, The Stone Roses. This was an album that I had seen in lists over the years and had heard about from many people whose opinions on music I respect. It often turns up in the greatest debut albums of all time lists and the like. I can’t remember if I had listened to it before the last time I did the list, but I know that I’ve listened to it plenty since the last list.

This album is just outright punky fun from start to finish. It found an unlikely producer in the late Ray Manzarek, from The Doors, whose organ playing also features on the tracks ‘Nausea,’ ‘The Unheard Music’ and ‘The World’s A Mess; It’s In My Kiss.’