Top 10 Albums of All Time

Abbey Road (The Beatles)

From its iconic cover of the Fab Four crossing the street to the music itself, The Beatles' best-selling album is an epic achievement for any band--much less one that was about to end. Spawning mega-hits such as "Come Together" and "Here Comes the Sun", the record shines as a reflection of the lads' artistry and individual personality.

OK Computer – Radiohead

Radiohead were the first band to fully capture the unprecedented contradiction and loneliness of living in this globalized digital age. The lyrics of OK Computer are almost unbearably melancholy in tone, but the fact that they’re set to some of the most gorgeous music every created makes the whole album strangely inspirational. Even if these times are as bleak as Thom Yorke seems to believe they are, at least we still have music to get us through it.

Exile on Main St. – The Rolling Stones

The first ten years of the Stones’ career as a band was all peak and no valleys, and Exile on Main St., coming at the tail end of their most interesting period, captures them at the zenith of their considerable powers. They’re also at their most decadent here, and all their anger and bitterness comes through in a way that no other rock band of the era would have dared to try. The album is helped by the legendary story of its making, but it would be perfect even if it existed in a vacuum.

London Calling – The Clash

Punk was already past its prime when The Clash released London Calling, the biggest and most important statement of their career, and the album captured the moment of punk’s decline perfectly. Strummer, Jones, and co. seem to realize that punk’s anger had failed to make a positive difference in the world, and the band seems to be searching for better ways to bring about change. I’m not sure if they ever found it, and their rapid decline following this album shows that they may have lost their optimism about the power of music, but the album stands as a timeless call to action for revolutionaries everywhere.

The Strokes - Is This It

Pet Sounds – The Beach Boys

We tend to credit bands like The Beatles and The Rolling Stones for breaking all the musical ground during the mid-60s, but the decidedly poppy and mainstream band was ahead of the curve with Pet Sounds, their beautifully composed and orchestrated concept album. Legend has it that Paul McCartney went head-over-heels with appreciation and jealousy when hearing this album and was thus inspired to venture into the sonic experimentation of Sgt. Pepper. Legend aside, Pet Sounds stands as a great album, and while it wasn’t fully appreciated in its time, it’s become one of the most influential pieces of music to come out of the 60s.

Life - The Cardigans

The happiest album ever made.

Pink Floyd - Dark Side of the Moon

Velvet Underground – Velvet Underground

Critics usually point to The Velvet Underground and Nico as the greatest album from these New York art-rockers, but my personal favorite is their self-titled third album, where they gave up their Warholian pretention and focused on crafting songs. The songs are spare, beautiful, and eclectic, and while they may not have the big, bold sound of early VU albums, they have a deeper resonance.