40. BELLA DONNA (STEVIE NICKS)
Year of Release: 1981
Labels: Modern, ATCO
Key Tracks: "Edge of Seventeen," "Bella Donna," "Leather and Lace," "Stop Draggin' My Heart Around"
Even as vocalist of the iconic Fleetwood Mac, Stevie Nicks was a true rock diva. She cements her status as one of the all-time greats with her debut album as a solo artist, Bella Donna, which is worth the purchase even just for the fabulous "Edge of Seventeen." The rest of the album shows her to be as fierce a songwriter as she is a vocalist.
39. FUAIM (CLANNAD)
Year of Release: 1982
Label: Tara Music
Key Tracks: "An Túll," "Na Buachaillí Álainn," "Bruach Na Carriage Báine"
The Irish band Clannad has 16 albums, all of which showcase their beautiful Celtic music, but Fuaim is extra special for fans of this genre because it has Enya joining her sister Moya Brennan and the band as vocalist and keyboardist before embarking on her phenomenally successful solo career. A true highlight in the album is the track "An Túll," which of course has Enya on vocals. Moya has a deeper voice and lends her own ethereal beauty to the other songs.
38. IN BLUE (THE CORRS)
Year of Release: 2000
Labels: Atlantic, 143
Key Tracks: "Breathless," "Give Me a Reason," "Irresistible," "Somebody for Someone," "All the Love in the World," "Rebel Heart"
Fans of The Corrs in Europe and Asia already knew how great they were with their earlier albums. The rest of the world caught up with the crazily infectious and uplifting "Breathless," which deservedly snagged the band a Grammy nomination. Blending traditional Irish music with modern pop has always been the greatest strength of The Corrs, and here they stray further into the pop realm with truly unforgettable modern pop gems.
37. INSOMNIA AND OTHER LULLABYES (CYNTHIA ALEXANDER)
Year of Release: 1996
Key Tracks: "Comfort in Your Strangeness," "Insomnia," "Malaya," "Hiroshima," "Hello Baby"
Comparisons were immediately drawn between Cynthia Alexander and Joni Mitchell when this, her heavenly debut album, came out in 1996, around the time when women took over music all over the world. I remember hearing "Insomnia" and "Comfort in Your Strangeness" on the radio and wondering who this new foreign artist was. With this powerful debut, which won loads of awards from the local music industry, it was clear that Alexander was a musical icon in the making: a brilliant songwriter and musician that deserves global recognition. "Comfort in Your Strangeness" might be one of the best Filipino songs ever.
36. VESPERTINE (BJÖRK)
Year of Release: 2001
Labels: One Little Indian, Elektra
Key Tracks: "Hidden Place," "It's Not Up To You," "Unison," "Pagan Poetry"
Like her or not, I think it's difficult for anyone to deny that Björk is a singular talent. No one else sounds like her, or writes songs like she does. Her later albums, including Vespertine, are masterfully crafted innovations of sound and concept. This album is sonically beautiful, a tapestry of various styles with a common underlying crystalline sound. It's fragile and haunting. "Hidden Place" is a strong opening track that anticipates the flavor of the rest of the album.
35. 21 (ADELE)
Year of Release: 2011
Labels: XL, Columbia
Key Tracks: "Rolling in the Deep," "Turning Tables," "Rumour Has It," "Set Fire to the Rain"
This multi-award-winning album, Adele's second, is easily the best in a great discography. Her powerful voice is best showcased in "Rolling in the Deep" and "Turning Tables," with "Rumour Has It" lending the album a playful break among the songs about heartbreak. It's a vocal masterclass.
34. YS (JOANNA NEWSOM)
Year of Release: 2006
Label: Drag City
Key Track: "Monkey and Bear"
When I first heard this album a few months ago, I went: "Where have you been all my life?!" Joanna Newsom's Ys is just the kind of odd, folksy, somewhat mystical album that I usually love, and her fragile voice and harp-playing take you on a journey through her stories. The album consists of only five tracks, ranging from 7 minutes to a whopping 16:53 minutes. All are precious gems, but "Monkey and Bear" is phenomenal in its imagery and musicality.
33. RIPPINGYARNS (CYNTHIA ALEXANDER)
Year of Release: 2000
Key Tracks: "Frost and Glass," "Walk Down the Road," "Knowing There is Only Now," "I Don't Mind," "The Weather Report"
As with any Cynthia Alexander album, every song is a precious work of art. Casual fans would know this one most for "The Weather Report," "Motorbykle," and "U and I," but those who've watched her live performances have a special place in their heart for "Frost and Glass" and "Walk Down the Road." Truly mesmerizing.
32. POST (BJÖRK)
Year of Release: 1995
Labels: One Little Indian, Elektra
Key Tracks: "Hyperballad," "Army of Me," "It's Oh So Quiet," "Isobel," "I Miss You"
My first ever Björk album, which I bought because of "It's Oh So Quiet" and it's kooky video! I had no idea what kind of a musical treat I was in for until I listened to the whole album. Of course, it's her elfin voice that gets you first. There's a certain rawness and roughness to this project that's virtually absent from her future works, but the righteous anger of "Army of Me," the lonely solitude of "Hyperballad," and the crazy obsession of "I Miss You" are major reasons why many consider this one of her all-time bests.
31. LADIES OF THE CANYON (JONI MITCHELL)
Year of Release: 1970
Labels: Reprise, Warner Bros.
Key Tracks: "Woodstock," "Big Yellow Taxi," "The Circle Game"
"Woodstock" is one of my all-time favorite songs, so its inclusion here is a good enough reason to include Ladies of the Canyon in my list. But then you also have the ubiquitous and oft-covered environmentally-conscious "Big Yellow Taxi" and the inspiring "The Circle Game" to make one of the legendary Joni Mitchell's most underrated albums.
30. LITTLE PLASTIC CASTLE (ANI DIFRANCO)
Year of Release: 1998
Label: Righteous Babe
Key Tracks: "Little Plastic Castle," "Fuel," "Gravel," "As Is"
My introduction to Ani DiFranco was "As Is" being played on local radio. Good as it is, it didn't really prepare me for the genius of this album, the best tracks of which are the first three. "Fuel" is a spoken word gem! DiFranco is one of the most respected independent artists in the US, and Little Plastic Castle is probably the best intro to her music.
29. TAILS (LISA LOEB AND NINE STORIES)
Year of Release: 1995
Label: Geffen
Key Tracks: "Stay (I Missed You)," "Do You Sleep?," "When All the Stars Were Falling," "Taffy"
Who doesn't remember the phenomenally successful song "Stay?" Or its simple but effective music video? Lisa Loeb's is another of those instantly recognizable voices, and she uses hers to great effect here, whether it's in straight up love songs like "When All the Stars Are Falling" and "Waiting for Wednesday" or in a barbed ode to truth manipulation in "Taffy." Come for "Stay," and stay for everything else.
28. THIS IS ACTING (SIA)
Year of Release: 2016
Labels: Monkey Puzzle, RCA
Key Tracks: "Cheap Thrills," "Alive," "Bird Set Free," "Move Your Body," "Unstoppable," "Sweet Design"
So inspiring and liberating! "Bird Set Free," "Unstoppable," and especially "Alive" are anthems of empowerment, and the conviction behind Sia's powerful vocals sends chills down my spine. Sia is recognized in the music industry for her songwriting capabilities, which other big artists have benefited from. Her first album as a solo artist is good stuff, too, but this one, fueled by the thrilling single "Cheap Thrills," is downright excellent.
27. TRACY CHAPMAN (TRACY CHAPMAN)
Year of Release: 1988
Label: Elektra
Key Tracks: "Fast Car," "Baby Can I Hold You," "Talkin' 'bout a Revolution"
Unlike most others, who fell for Tracy Chapman with "Fast Car," my first experience of her music was with the 1995 record "Give Me One Reason." It's by backtracking through her discography, to her self-titled debut album, that I realized how she's more than just those two songs. The whole album is magnificent, certainly one of the best in the contemporary folk genre. Deservedly, it was nominated for seven Grammys and won three, and also appears in many all-time best lists.
26. AERIAL (KATE BUSH)
Year of Release: 2005
Labels: EMI, Columbia
Key Tracks: "King of the Mountain," "A Coral Room," "Sunset," "Nocturn," "Bertie," "Mrs. Bartolozzi," "π"
Two for the price of one, from one of music's most interesting artists! This double album consists of 16 tracks, all thematically strung together by their dream-like quality and bird sounds made by Bush herself. It's mellower and maybe less exciting than many of her kookier past works, but tonally it's one of her best and it's quite personal. Listen to "A Coral Room" for six minutes of just Bush and her piano singing about her mother, or "Bertie" for a song about her son. But there's also "π" if you want to hear her singing the number pi up to the 137th decimal place. Amidst the masterful artistry that has made her a true icon, she has not lost that other thing that she is known for: her sense of humor.
Brief Note: I had the hardest time ranking the next three albums, all of which are in the Japanese pop genre. Ultimately, I had to go for how much they personally resonated with me.
25. DEEP RIVER (UTADA HIKARU)
Year of Release: 2002
Label: Toshiba-EMI
Key Tracks: "Final Distance," "Sakura Drops," "Traveling," "Deep River," "Letters"
Deep River is easily the most polished in an exciting discography. It contains some of her best ballads, like the sober "Final Distance" and "Sakura Drops," and "Traveling" one of her most infectiously upbeat. Truly, this is Utada at the height of her songwriting and vocal prowess.
24. A SONG FOR xx (HAMASAKI AYUMI)
Year of Release: 1999
Label: Avex Trax
Key Tracks: "You," "Poker Face," "A Song for xx," "Trust," "Depend on You," "For My Dear..."
For quite a while, there were no bigger artists in Japanese pop than Utada Hikaru and Hamasaki Ayumi. Production-wise, Deep River may be the greater achievement, and Utada's voice may be more universally palatable, but there's something absolutely charming about Hamasaki's shrill, elfin voice with this heavenly dance-pop confection. It was difficult identifying just a few key tracks because practically all the songs can stand on their own as a single. This is also personally an important album for me because it's the first J-pop CD that I ever purchased.
23. HOME (ANGELA AKI)
Year of Release: 2006
Label: Sony Music Japan
Key Tracks: "Home," "This Love," "MUSIC," "Love is Over Now," "Hareruya," "Uchū"
I fell in love with Angela Aki with her song "Home" and its utter, beautiful simplicity. I think it's pretty obvious from the appearance of Tori Amos, Kate Bush, and Alicia Keys in this list that I like a woman and her piano. No one's a match for Aki in that department in Japanese pop. "Home" is actually 12th in the 13-track lineup, but don't skip to that! All of the songs that come before it, as well as the 13th, are absolutely beautiful, especially "Love is Over Now" and "MUSIC." "Uchū" is a real treat for those who want to hear Aki possessed by the spirit of Tori Amos.
22. UNDER THE PINK (TORI AMOS)
Year of Release: 1994
Label: Atlantic
Key Tracks: "Cornflake Girl," "God," "Pretty Good Year," "Past the Mission," "The Waitress"
Tori Amos's follow-up to Little Earthquakes is the excellent Under the Pink, which solidifies her status as an uncompromising artist of true intelligence and fertile femininity. One of Amos's most popular and well-loved songs, "Cornflake Girl," is here alongside the naughty "God," the beautifully subdued "Pretty Good Year," and the angsty "The Waitress," among other jewels. Compared to her other albums, this is one of her most bare and stripped down, just Amos and her piano. Which are really all you'll need.
21. I NEVER LOVED MAN THE WAY I LOVE YOU (ARETHA FRANKLIN)
Year of Release: 1967
Label: Atlantic
Key Tracks: "Respect," "I Never Loved A Man (The Way I Love You)," "Dr. Feelgood," "Good Times," "Do Right Woman, Do Right Man"
Aretha Franklin ain't the Queen of Soul for nothing! Listening to this album will quickly dispel all doubt as to whether or not she deserves the title. "Respect" alone does that, actually, but the other tracks are just as convincing, including her own compositions like "Dr. Feelgood." Franklin is a vocal powerhouse here. Quite simple, she shows us that she's the best at what she does.TOP 20
Numbers 41-60
Numbers 61-80
Numbers 81-100
Image Sources:
By Source, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=56299185
By Source, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=22948284
By Source, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=656210
By Source, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=31051521
By Source (WP:NFCC#4), Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=60534891
By Source, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=40884407
By Source, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=6584384
By Source (WP:NFCC#4), Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=50661644
By Source, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2444198
By Source, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1078829
By The cover art can be obtained from Geffen Records., Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=4222761
By Source (WP:NFCC#4), Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=48457298
By Source, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=62914105
By Source, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=7570001
By Source, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=642460
By Source, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=5442567
Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1271761
By Source, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=14885358
Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=5914298
60. KITCHIE NADAL (KITCHIE NADAL)
Year of Release: 2004
Labels: Warner, 12Stone
Key Tracks: "Same Ground," "Bulong," "Huwag na Huwag Mong Sasabihin"
In the early 2000s, when rock was taking a backseat to other genres, from gigs at the local bar Gweilos emerged the super talented Kitchie Nadal, who has a beautiful voice and commanding, intelligent lyrics, whether in Filipino or in English. She played a role in the return of rock to the local music scene, even as her songs were straying beautifully into pop-rock sensibilities that allowed them to take a foothold on popular radio. She hasn't come up with material anywhere near as strong as this, but this debut should always be a reminder of what she'll always be capable of. Let's hope she makes a strong comeback soon.
59. THE MISEDUCATION OF LAURYN HILL (LAURYN HILL)
Year of Release: 1998
Labels: Ruffhouse, Columbia
Key Tracks: "Doo Wop (That Thing)," "To Zion," "Everything Is Everything," "Forgive Them Father"
Her stint with The Fugees hardly prepared us for the gem that was spitfire Lauryn Hill's debut solo album. The funky tune of "Doo Wop (That Thing)" proved to catchy to resist. When I purchased the album, I quickly realized that what I had in my possession was the work of a musical prodigy, and in a genre that I didn't usually listen to all too much. Sick beats propel the more upbeat songs. Always, the lyrics provoke thought and emotion, especially the very personal "To Zion," a song about the son the people around her discouraged her from having. We should be grateful that despite Lauryn Hill always putting her family first, she was able to give us this musical gem.
58. WHALER (SOPHIE B. HAWKINS)
Year of Release: 1994
Label: Columbia
Key Tracks: "As I Lay Me Down," "Don't Don't Tell Me No," "Only Love (The Ballad of Sleeping Beauty)," "Mr. Tugboat Hello"
Sophie B. Hawkins exploded into the music scene in 1992 with the explicit "Damn I Wish I Was Your Lover" off her debut album Tongues and Tails. That her second most famous single is the romantic, almost saccharine "As I Lay Me Down" was somewhat surprising but nevertheless welcome. Propelled into fame by its use in the film Now and Then and the TV series "Party of Five" and "Dawson's Creek," it became a regular on mainstream radio, where I first heard it and fell in love with it. It remains one of my top 10 favorite pop songs to this date. The rest of the album is diverse in style and almost messy, but Hawkins is always earnest and all of the songs are quite enjoyable.
57. DUMMY (PORTISHEAD)
Year of Release: 1994
Label: Go! Beat
Key Tracks: "Glory Box," "Sour Times," "Wandering Stars," "Roads"
"Glory Box" and "Sour Times" are those songs that are ultra-popular but you won't necessarily recognize them from the titles alone. What you likely won't forget when you hear them is that they're songs by the trip-hop pioneers Portishead. Aside from their music not sounding like most popular music out there, vocalist Beth Gibbons has a ghostly quality to it that's unlike most others'. And in tracks like "Roads" and "Glory Box," she sounds so anguished that you can't help but feel your heart twinge. Trippy would be a good word, but happy certainly wouldn't be.
56. THE ARCHANDROID (JANELLE MONÁE)
Year of Release: 2010
Labels: Wondaland Arts Society, Atlantic, Bad Boy
Key Tracks: "Faster," "Come Alive (The War of the Roses)," "Cold War," "BaBopByeYa"
Few debuts are as sure and confident as Janelle Monáe's The ArchAndroid. She immediately knew what she wanted and how to say it. She'd carry the "cyborg" theme through her three albums not only with the titles and album covers but also with how much of a hybrid her sound is. There's rap, soul, R&B, rocks, dance, techno, jazz, etc. And she doesn't go wrong with any of them.
55. SCARLET'S WALK (TORI AMOS)
Year of Release: 2002
Label: Epic
Key Tracks: "A Sorta Fairytale," "Amber Waves," "Don't Make Me Come to Vegas," "Gold Dust"
Be warned: this is the first of many Tori Amos albums in this list. It's a very beautiful album, with "A Sorta Fairytale" and "Amber Waves" probably being among the most sublime songs in her discography, but I've always been partial to her more bizarre, unhinged sounds, pre-Tash (her daughter). Having a daughter did not reduce her musicality or her insane talent with the piano and deeply insightful lyrics, just her anger. My preferences aside, this might be the best album to introduce a Tori Amos virgin to, if you think album covers where she suckles a pig would shock him or her. True to the theme of the album, it's a great one to hit the road with.
54. ISANG BUHAY (ONE LIFE) (GRACE NONO)
Year of Release: 1997
Label: Tao Music
Key Tracks: "Anungan," "Ader," "Ay, Leng"
While Diwa (number 88 on this list) is technically more polished, Grace Nono's ethereal Isang Buhay is on another realm of beauty altogether. Like with Loreena McKennit, Nono's voice and the authentically indigenous lyrics and music take you on a journey, this time to the mountains, hills, grasslands, rivers of rural Philippines, where the mystical still takes hold and the culture is rich and pure. For championing this culture, Nono deserves the label of national artist. For her beautiful music, she deserves to be discovered by music fans all over the world, especially fans of McKennit, Enya, and Kitaro.
53. JOANNE (LADY GAGA)
Year of Release: 2016
Labels: Streamline, Interscope
Key Tracks: "Perfect Illusion," "Hey Girl," "Million Reasons," "A-Yo"
I love the energy and beats of Lady Gaga's earlier dance hits, but I truly learned to appreciate her voice and musicality in this album, especially in her sweet pairing with Florence Welch in "Hey Girl"--an ode to sisterly solidarity--and the pounding "A-Yo." Of course, her singles "Perfect Illusion" and "Million Reasons" also stand out. Only haters wouldn't be able to appreciate the astounding talent of Gaga, especially in this very "complete" album.
52. PEARL (JANIS JOPLIN)
Year of Release: 1971
Label: Columbia
Key Tracks: "Me and Bobby McGee," "Cry Baby," "Mercedes Benz"
It is with an unavoidable sadness that one listens to Janis Joplin's second and last album. While most would know her for her powerful cover of "Piece of my Heart," Pearl includes sublime interpretations of "Me and Bobby McGee" and "Cry Baby" as well as the enjoyable ditty "Mercedes Benz," which she wrote herself. In these and all the tracks, Joplin's raw, rugged vocals take centerstage. A phenomenal talent gone too soon.
51. LOVE. ANGEL. MUSIC. BABY. (GWEN STEFANI)
Year of Release: 2004
Label: Interscope
Key Tracks: "Hollaback Girl," "What You Waiting For?," "Harajuku Girls," "Rich Girl"
Gwen Stefani's Harajuku-inspired persona was just my gateway to her first album as a solo artist. Ultimately, it was the music that made me a big fan. What's not to love? Stefani breaks out of the confining corners of No Doubt and fully realizes herself as a music and style icon that easily crosses the boundaries of bubble gum pop, pop-rock, hip hop. Just the four tracks I've listed along are reason enough to put the album on repeat for pure fun.
50. TAMING THE TIGER (JONI MITCHELL)
Year of Release: 1998
Label: Reprise
Key Tracks: "Lead Balloon," "Love Puts On a New Face," "Man From Mars," "No Apologies"
With this album, the one and only Joni Mitchell goes full-tilt jazz. And the result is a strong, assured project that is every bit as colorful as the painting on the album cover. It's not career-defining or monumental, but it's always nice to see that a true legend like Mitchell can still turn out tonally and lyrically rich narratives like the ones that fill this album, top of which for me is the angsty, somewhat feminist "Lead Balloon." It's like you're being visited by a tough-as-nails but secretly sweet aunt who has seen much of the world and shares her stories over bourbon. With providence, Mitchell will have many more stories to tell.
49. SOMETHING TO REMEMBER (MADONNA)
Year of Release: 1995
Labels: Maverick, Warner Bros.
Key Tracks: "Love Don't Live Here Anymore," "You'll See," "One More Chance," "I'll Remember"
What a way for Madonna to remind the world of her brilliance as a musician! This "compilation" album (that nevertheless has three completely new songs, two previously unreleased tracks, and a completely reworked one) is, simply put, a gorgeous reminder that Madonna puts out some of the all-time best pop songs. Were haters capable of changing their minds and hearts, they'd be hard-pressed to deny the Queen of Pop's capabilities here. Just look at that list of key tracks, and add "Take A Bow," "Rain," "Crazy For You," "This Used To Be My Playground!" One of the best pop albums of the 90s, hands down.
48. DIVA (ANNIE LENNOX)
Year of Release: 1992
Labels: RCA, Arista
Key Tracks: "Little Bird," "Why," "Walking on Broken Glass," "Money Can't Buy It"
When I want to listen to a song to perk myself up, or get myself into the groove, I usually listen to "Little Bird." It's just that type of song. The music video, with multiple personas of the chameleon Annie Lennox, always makes me crack a smile, too. And then you listen to the whole album and you're treated with modern classics like "Why" and "Walking On Broken Glass." Even when she was still in Eurythmics, her voice was always phenomenal. She unleashes it in this debut album with gusto, giving us multiple shades of a true diva, and they're all awesome.
47. LEMONADE (BEYONCÉ)
Year of Release: 2016
Labels: Parkwood, Columbia
Key Tracks: "Sandcastles," "Pray You Catch Me," " Don't Hurt Yourself," "Hold Up"
What to say about Beyoncé, the Queen B? Without a doubt, hers is one of the most beautiful voices in pop today. She's a fantastic live performer. I've had every reason to love her, but I never really did because I was never much into the R&B that she was primarily doing with Destiny's Child and her early years as a solo artist. But then I listened to Lemonade and OH GOD THIS IS WHY SHE'S THE QUEEN B. This concept album was a sucker punch. It's trippy, it's fun, it's sacred, it's tormenting. All of a sudden, Beyoncé is a high priestess of urban pop. And her "Sandcastles"--goosebumps. Has she ever been more raw and vulnerable?
46. ELLA IN HOLLYWOOD (ELLA FITZGERALD)
Year of Release: 1961
Label: Verve
Key Tracks: "Take the 'A' Train," "You're Driving Me Crazy," "Blue Moon," "Mr. Paganini," "Air Mail Special"
Come for the "A" Train and stay for everything else! That eight-minute track is insane because virtually the whole song is Ella Fitzgerald showcasing what she is best at: scat singing. Absolutely spectacular. There's more scat in "Air Mail Special" (five minutes of it!) and "Mr. Paganini," then pure vocal bliss in the other tracks especially the divine "You're Driving Me Crazy" and the playful "Blue Moon." Truly, this is Lady Ella at her glorious best.
45. DIRTY COMPUTER (JANELLE MONÁE)
Year of Release: 2018
Labels: Wondaland Arts Society, Bad Boy, Atlantic
Key Tracks: "Crazy, Classic, Life," "Screwed," "Dirty Computer," "Make Me Feel"
Yes, she's three of three in this list. And the middle child is the best one. All the great things that I said about her two other albums are multiplied here. As always, she does so well with collaborations. Here, "Screwed" with Zoë Kravitz and "Dirty Computer" with the Beach Boys' Brian Wilson are definite highlights. But hey, she does extremely well even on her own, thank you very much. Which is not to knock her band, of course, because one of the other fantastic things about Monáe is that she and her crew put together such a whole sound. I feel like the more I listen to this album, the more steadily it will rise up this list in future years.
44. NINE OBJECTS OF DESIRE (SUZANNE VEGA)
Year of Release: 1996
Label: A&M
Key Tracks: "No Cheap Thrill," "Caramel," "Headshots," "Thin Man," "World Before Columbus"
Who hasn't sung or hummed along to the catchy "Tom's Cabin?" The painfully real "Luka" is one of Suzanne Vega's other hits. That breathy voice! And the beats! Nine Objects of Desire, her fifth album, retains the magic of her past hits and gives us a perfect album to chill to (especially with the super smooth "Caramel") but still pay enough attention to the lyrics, which have always been a strength of her songs. Every Suzanne Vega song is a confessional. That she sings them so clearly and crisply certainly helps! Every song here is precious!
43. HEAVEN OR LAS VEGAS (COCTEAU TWINS)
Year of Release: 1990
Label: 4AD
Key Tracks: "Iceblink Luck," "Cherry-Coloured Funk," "Heaven or Las Vegas," "Pitch the Baby"
Don't even try to make sense of the lyrics! It's an exercise in futility. Just soak yourself in the haunting tones of Elizabeth Fraser's vocals and the dream-like quality of the instrumentation. It's like a trip down Lewis Carroll's rabbit hole in music form. The subgenre is called dream pop for a good reason. I immediately fell head over heels for this album at the first listen and regretted not having tried their music earlier.
42. SPICEWORLD (SPICE GIRLS)
Year of Release: 1997
Label: Virgin
Key Tracks: "Stop," "Spice Up Your Life," "Too Much," "Move Over"
This is probably where the list really goes into personal taste and where some people will start questioning that taste. Spiceworld over Lemonade? The Spice Girls over Tori Amos and Joni Mitchell? And yet to be so dismissive of the Spice Girls is to dismiss not only their iconic place in popular culture but also their exuberant excellence at giving us what we really really want (oops, that's a different album) in pop. Pop is supposed to be fun, infectious, impossible not to dance to. And that's what the Spice Girls gives us for a second time here. A second helping of "Girl Power" wrapped in glorious dance-pop was most welcome, and it's still a go-to album for me when I want to feel energized or bathe myself in the nostalgia of the 90s, the best decade for music, especially pop. And come on, can anyone really resist "Stop?"
41. EVEN SUCH IS TIME (CYNTHIA ALEXANDER)
Year of Release: 2018
Key Tracks: "St. Cecilia," "What I Left Behind," "Dressed For Nowhere," "Even Such Is Time"
Cynthia Alexander is widely recognized in the Philippines as one of its greatest musicians. Her lyrics are pure poetry, she's a highly skilled and acclaimed bassist, and she has some of the best instrumentalists in her crew. Fans like me mourned her departure from the country to take up permanent residence in the US. So it was with pure happiness that we welcomed her newest album Even Such Is Time. It's not like the albums that came before it, which hook you from the very start, but the songs here are those that linger and demand that you return to them with a more open heart and mind. And when I did, I realized that Alexander had given us another precious gift. Like the dragonfly wings on the cover, the songs are almost fragile in their beauty, particularly "St. Cecilia," the best of the seven. Breathtaking.TOP 20
Numbers 21-40
Numbers 61-80
Numbers 81-100
Image Sources:
By Source, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=32091326
By Source, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=14885498
By Source, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1127153
Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=13693624
https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81RPPfE1a1L._SS500_.jpg
By Source, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=50297180
By Source, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=56661972
By Source, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=51620206
By Derived from a scan of the album cover (creator of this digital version is irrelevant as the copyright in all equivalent images is still held by the same party) Copyright held by the record company or the artist. Claimed as fair use regardless., Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=3305069
By Source, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=27103455
By Source, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=39968605
By Source (WP:NFCC#4), Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=43344313
By Source, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=5323259
By Source, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=32625082
By Source, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=17453632
By Source, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=39372802
By Source, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=14417791
By Source, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=46904363
https://f4.bcbits.com/img/a0801695313_10.jpg
By Source, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=24370751
80. TRAGIC KINGDOM (NO DOUBT)
Year of Release: 1995
Labels: Trauma, Interscope
Key Tracks: "Spiderwebs," "Don't Speak," "Just a Girl," "Sunday Morning"
When Tragic Kingdom came out in 1995, its sound was completely new to many people, especially here in the Philippines. But the album is so much more than an experiment in ska punk sounds, though that's the beating heart that energizes many of the singles and most exciting tracks. "Don't Speak" is a straight out pop-rock ballad that could have found a home on a regular mainstream pop album, but only Gwen Stefani's unique tone could have it given it as much emotional power.
79. ALRIGHT, STILL (LILY ALLEN)
Year of Release: 2006
Label: Regal
Key Tracks: "Smile," "Knock 'Em Out," "LDN," "Alfie"
Such a naughty, foul-mouthed Brit, this Lily Allen! Well, her sophomore album It's Not Me, It's You one-ups Alright, Still with the wonderfully sweet "Fuck You," but there's still a lot here to offend easily offended sensibilities and please fans of just really good, catchy, mature pop-rock. The first three songs in the album are the perfect gateway to what Lily Allen is capable of. The ending song, "Alfie," is the perfect bookend, especially if you've seen with "Game of Thrones" and Jojo Rabbit how far her little brother has gone.
78. 1989 (TAYLOR SWIFT)
Year of Release: 2014
Label: Big Machine
Key Tracks: "Blank Space," "Style," "Shake It Off," "Clean"
As is (and will be) evidenced by its general absence in my lists, I'm not a big fan of country music. So it's probably not surprising that it's Taylor Swift's most pop release up to that date that made it in. It's a veritable list of hits and tracks that are just simply fun to sing to and dance to, the standout among those of course being "Shake It Off," which is so hard to shake off. A personal favorite of mine though is "Clean," her collaboration with Imogen Heap.
77. THE IDLER WHEEL... (FIONA APPLE)
Year of Release: 2012
Labels: Clean Slate, Epic
Key Tracks: "Every Single Night," "Werewolf," "Hot Knife"
Full title: The Idler Wheel Is Wiser Than the Driver of the Screw and Whipping Cords Will Serve You More Than Ropes Will Ever Do. Not the longest title of a Fiona Apple album, believe it or not. If you think it's a bit pretentious, the music contained therein is anything but. Apple has always been a fiercely, unapologetically honest musician. While her angst is gentler and more refined here, her artistry is sharper than ever. Really, getting the album is worth it even just for "Hot Knife," probably her most creative and playfully sensual song ever and a new favorite for chorale groups to try out their harmonies.
76. ALISHA RULES THE WORLD (ALISHA'S ATTIC)
Year of Release: 1996
Label: Mercury
Key Tracks: "I Am, I Feel," "Indestructible," "Alisha Rules the World," "Just the Way U Like It"
As I was looking at the tracks of this album to pick the Key Tracks, I realized that I fiercely like virtually all of the songs here. The album is so coherent in theme and flavor that the songs transition to each other very neatly, but you won't confuse one with the other. Each one is its own wonderful little monster. There's a sweetly sinister undertone to most of the songs, and the Poole sisters' sweet voices make that stand out even more. Sweet voice or no, "I Am, I Feel," "Indestructible," and "Alisha Rules the World" are girl-power anthems that long predate the #MeToo movement. The music videos are great, too!
75. THE BOOK OF SECRETS (LOREENA MCKENNIT)
Year of Release: 1997
Labels: Quinlan Road, Warner Bros.
Key Tracks: "The Mummers' Dance," "Prologue," "The Highwayman"
It's interesting that I had to turn to a Canadian when I was looking for a more Celtic flavor than what Enya's newer albums were giving me. Add to that the fact that I had no idea who Loreena McKennit was when I saw the cassette tape of The Book of Secrets in a record store (remember those?); I just liked the cover and thought it gave a mystical aura. Lo and behold, it contained "The Mummers' Dance," which was a sort of crossover hit at the time. The dance version was cool and all, but the real thing was in this album and I was ecstatic. McKennit's albums take you on a journey to exotic markets, forgotten roads, lush vineyards, ancient forests, temples and groves of power. "The Mummers' Dance" gave this an edge over her other albums, but all of those will take you to realms that you may have thought only books can bring you to.
74. STEREO ★ TYPE A (CIBO MATTO)
Year of Release: 1999
Label: Warner Bros.
Key Tracks: "Moonchild," "Lint of Love," "Sci-Fi Wasabi"
My love of Japanese culture probably plays a big role in why I love this album so much, but it's not as if you'd even know the singers are Japanese when you hear the outstanding, solemn "Moonchild," as I did on a local rock radio station (how I miss NU 107!). It becomes more obvious when they get cute and playful in their other tracks, such as "Lint of Love" and "Sci-Fi Wasabi." It's hard to classify it into particular genres, but at the end of the day, it doesn't and shouldn't matter. It's just pure joy, period.
73. LUNGS (FLORENCE AND THE MACHINE)
Year of Release: 2009
Label: Island
Key Tracks: "Dog Days Are Over," "Rabbit Heart (Raise It Up)"
Whether you like their songs or not, it's hard to deny the hypnotic power of Florence Welch's immaculate voice. In a wonderful album that transcends genre boundaries, the animal-named singles are truly the standouts and the best showcase of Florence's vocal prowess and the band's musicality. But the rest of the album isn't a slouch, either.
72. TIGERLILY (NATALIE MERCHANT)
Year of Release: 1995
Label: Elektra
Key Tracks: "Wonder," "Jealousy," "Carnival," "San Andreas Fault"
Natalie Merchant's is one of the most easily recognizable voices in music. She served 10,000 Maniacs well as its lead vocalist for 12 years, but thank the heavens that she went solo! Otherwise, we wouldn't have had the gem that is Tigerlily! "Wonder" is an enthusiastic anthem on self-worth that more people should be listening to nowadays. "Jealousy" has angst but never feels bitter (it's interesting that this album came out at around the same time as Alanis Morissette's Jagged Little Pill). Most of the rest are slow tunes that won't excite a lot of people, but with Merchant's voice and lyrics, there's always so much to unpack.
71. MEDUSA (ANNIE LENNOX)
Year of Release: 1995
Labels: RCA, Arista
Key Tracks: "No More I Love You's," "A Whiter Shade of Pale," "Take Me to the River," "Thin Line Between Love and Hate"
An album of purely covers isn't always exciting unless it's experimental, but when you have a voice like Annie Lennox's that's capable of expressing so much emotion and is all her own, you can get away with just about anything. Each and every song here almost becomes an Annie Lennox original, the way she takes ownership of them with her characteristically powerful vocals. But really, it's mostly about "No More I Love You's," an odd song with an even odder music video. I can't understand how it became a hit; it likely wouldn't be one now. But it's absolutely fantastic and quintessential Lennox: melodic, strange, a tad dark, but undeniable beautiful.
70. RHYTHM NATION 1814 (JANET JACKSON)
Year of Release: 1989
Label: A&M
Key Tracks: "Rhythm Nation," "Miss You Much," "Black Cat"
I'm not really a fan of Janet Jackson. But considering her icon status, I felt that it wouldn't have been right for me to create this list before trying to listen to at least one of her albums. Most similar lists include Control, her third studio album. But I was drawn to Rhythm Nation 1814, her more personal and more political album. There's righteous anger here, and calls to arms, but there are also pop standards like "Miss You Much." It's a really solid collection.
69. WHISPER NOT (ELLA FITZGERALD)
Year of Release: 1966
Label: Verve
Key Tracks: "Sweet Georgia Brown," "Thanks for the Memory," "Old MacDonald Had a Farm," "Matchmaker"
I had a late jazz phase. I started really listening to the greats only less than five years ago. I started with Billie Holiday, Sarah Vaughan, and Ella Fitzgerald. It didn't take me long to realize who was my favorite. Lady Ella. The Queen of Jazz. First Lady of Song. She deserves each and every moniker that gives her a place of honor in the halls of jazz music. The way she interprets a song, playing around with it, especially when she does scat singing (no one better!)--it's pure joy to listen to. Her vocal control is astounding in tracks like "Thanks for the Memory," and the classic "Old MacDonald Had a Farm" is a perfect showcase of the playfulness that has endeared her to audiences during her live performances.
68. EMOTION (CARLY RAE JEPSEN)
Year of Release: 2015
Labels: 604, School Boy, Interscope
Key Tracks: "I Really Like You, "LA Hallucinations," "When I Needed You"
This was a very pleasant surprise. I must admit that I had been quick to dismiss Carly Rae Jepsen as just one of many disposable pop acts because of her catchy but otherwise uninteresting (for me) hit "Call Me Maybe." I wanted to understand why so many people, including friends that I know to be sensible, worship her. So I listened to this album (and yeah, I had to get over the stylized way by which the title is written on the album). I got hooked. I'm not a devotee yet, but I can understand why now. This is probably the closest that an album has gotten to pure, unadulterated pop in a long while. And that purity shows me that Jepsen really knows herself, and her fans. Why change a winning formula when it's this sweet and blissful?
67. BODY TALK (ROBYN)
Year of Release: 2010
Label: Konichiwa
Key Tracks: "Time Machine," "Indestructible," "Dancing On My Own"
I have loved Robyn for a long time for her 1997 pop hit "Show Me Love," which for me is one of the all-time best pop songs. But that was the extent of my knowledge of her music...until I listened to Body Talk. Turns out I had known but a very, very small percentage of her genius. Body Talk is a brilliant dance/electro-pop project that really gets you going from the first track all the way to the end. I'm honestly not sure how I feel about "U Should Know Better," her collaboration with Snoop Dogg, but the rest makes you feel that you've gone to the trippiest club during a spontaneous trip to Europe. So enjoyable.
66. THE ELECTRIC LADY (JANELLE MONÁE)
Year of Release: 2013
Labels: Wondaland Arts Society, Bad Boy, Atlantic
Key Tracks: "Electric Lady," "Q.U.E.E.N.," "Dance Apocalyptic," "Dorothy Dandridge Eyes," "Givin' Em What They Love"
There are few artists today as exciting and as deserving of the label "artist" as Janelle Monáe. Her acting career aside, every Monáe album is a mosaic that would have been a dirty mess in the hands of a lesser artist. With The Electric Lady and her other albums, she weaves through jazz, rock, hip hop, soul, and punk like it has always made perfect sense for one person to be so good at all of them. Though there's no throw-away track in the entire album, the title single and her collaborations with fellow musical prodigies Erykah Badu, Solange, and Esperanza Spalding are particular highlights. Such an electric album!
65. LET'S TALK ABOUT LOVE (CELINE DION)
Year of Release: 1997
Labels: Columbia, Epic
Key Tracks: "My Heart Will Go On," "To Love You More," "Tell Him," "Treat Her Like a Lady," "Immortality"
Celine Dion's albums are all showcases of her incomparable vocals; the inclusion of the Titanic theme song "My Heart Will Go On" and "To Love You More" here make it true for this album. Let's Talk About Love also showcases Dion's ability to gather some of the best artists in the industry to jam with her. Here we have Carole King, Barbra Streisand, the Bee Gees, Luciano Pavarotti, to name a few. All stellar, of course, but I have a special affection for her collab with Diana King on the reggae track "Treat Her Like a Lady." Essentially, Dion proved with that track that she can do just about everything and still be the ultimate pop diva that she is.
64. THE DIARY OF ALICIA KEYS (ALICIA KEYS)
Year of Release: 2003
Label: J
Key Tracks: "If I Ain't Got You," "Karma," "Heartburn," "Dragon Days"
For me, this sophomore album is much stronger than her critically acclaimed debut. At this point, Alicia Keys has become a much more confident musician, her sound more complete and her voice more powerful. While "If I Ain't Got You" is the signature song of the album, and rightly so, "Karma" and "Heartburn" are strong anthems that drive the narrative force of this more personal release. As the title suggests, this is the album that gives audiences a better look at the soul of one Alicia Keys.
63. FIRST LOVE (UTADA HIKARU)
Year of Release: 1999
Label: Toshiba EMI
Key Tracks: "Automatic," "First Love," "Movin' On Without You," "Time Will Tell"
Twenty one years after its release, First Love is still the bestselling Japanese album of all time. With four fantastic, ultra-memorable singles, that shouldn't be surprising. Utada Hikaru defined J-Pop for a whole generation of fans. That fellow superstar Hamasaki Ayumi made an official cover of "Movin' On Without You" as part of a tribute album to her is a testament to how much of an impact she has had on Japanese music. And all those Kingdom Hearts and Evangelion Rebuild songs! That she would come up with even more tonally and lyrically accomplished albums than this one is almost a marvel, but this album will forever be treasured for introducing Utada to the world.
62. HAUNTED (POE)
Year of Release: 2000
Label: Atlantic
Key Tracks: "Walk the Walk," "Haunted," "Control"
The criminally underrated artist Poe is probably still more famous for her debut album Hello, which is definitely a fierce and amazing album with a load of earworms, but true to its title, it's her second album that, well, haunted me with its dark lyrics, sick beats, and Poe's forlorn voice. It's a much more mature and thematic offering from Poe, whose brother Mark Z. Danielewski wrote the cult classic House of Leaves; the siblings, who have collaborated on several projects, consider their respective creations to be companion pieces of sorts. How I wish the label "cult classic" were also attached to this underappreciated gem.
61. COURT AND SPARK (JONI MITCHELL)
Year of Release: 1974
Label: Asylum
Key Tracks: "Help Me," "Free Man in Paris," "Raised on Robbery," "Twisted"
This is the first of several Joni Mitchell albums that are in my list of the 100 best albums by women. If you've been following her discography, you'd probably know what the other ones are. While Court and Spark doesn't quite reach the status of those more iconic works, it has it own jewels displaying Mitchell's gravelly voice and intelligently poetic lyrics. Here, she's beginning to lean toward the jazzier parts of her musical resume, which would come to characterize most of her later career. "Help Me," "Free Man in Paris," and "Raised in Robbery" are just as good as her more famous singles in capturing the essence of Mitchell's music. "Twisted," which is a cover, is decidedly different in tone from the rest of the album and could give an idea as to why artists like Tori Amos were drawn to her.
TOP 20
Numbers 21-40
Numbers 41-60
Numbers 81-100
Image sources:
By Source, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=41333709
By Source, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=42927023
By Source, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=43597523
By Source, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=39268877
By Source, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=34219944
By Source, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=3820677
Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1238887
By Source, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=43258226
By Source, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=196344
By Source, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=46250973
By Source, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=24370756
By Source, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2711631
By Source, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=47847206
By Source, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=53908764
By Source, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=47883678
By Source, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=41945408
Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2454875
By Source, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=13843697
Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=5914298
By Source, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=244038
By Source, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1633638
