Originally Posted by cardboard adolescent

Howlin' Wolf - Moanin' in the Moonlight (blues)
John Coltrane - A Love Supreme (jazz)
Captain Beefheart - Trout Mask Replica (beefheart)
Frank Zappa & The Mothers - Freak Out (zappa)
Velvet Underground - Velvet Underground & Nico (proto-punk)
Can - Tago Mago (krautrock)
The Clash - London Calling (punk rock)
Funkadelic - One Nation Under a Groove (funk)
Sonic Youth - Daydream Nation (indie rock)
My Bloody Valentine - Loveless (shoegaze)
Slint - Spiderland (indie rock)
Pavement - Slanted & Enchanted (indie rock)

I think that's in somewhat chronological order. I can't be bothered to go through and find the years for all of those, you can discover that well enough on your own. Basically, those are just a few albums that are either defining albums of the genre (like Loveless) or that you just hear namedropped every other record review basically every modern band is basically just ripping them off (Pavement.) That, or they're just absolutely brilliant.

(and yes, Beefheart and Zappa get their own genres, because they're just that good)