khfreek

These aren't in any specific order.

Colors (2006) by Between the Buried and Me

Where to begin. The album is an 65 minute epic that covers so many genres it isn't even funny. BTBAM could be best be described as progressive metalcore before this album came out, but now it's hard to know what to call them. This album opened my mind to harsh vocals and how they can be used quite effectively, and that it is in fact possible to have a perfect album. If there is no part of this album that you like, than we can't relate to each other and you should probably go get help for your condition.

Get Out of My Yard (2006) by Paul Gilbert

Another album I find perfect. Paul Gilbert is one of the great guitar virtuosos, but he's not respected for his speed; he's known to write great songs, and he didn't disappoint me here. I seriously have no idea how one person can effuse this much awesome in their lifetime, let alone one 6 month recording period.

Black Holes and Revelations (2006) by Muse

Ha, 2006 is becoming a trend for me. It won't stay that way. Anyway, Muse really left their Radiohead-ish-ness with this album. Matt Bellamy's vocals are beautiful (a lot better than Thom Yorke in my opinion, but I know some people would kill me if they read that) and his guitar work is great. I guess the best way to put it is that he knows when he's reached the perfect balance of sounding catchy and still technically appealing. Chris Wolstenholme fingers are pounding away at those bass strings (I don't know how his hand can take it <.<) and Dominic Howard is a extremely creative drummer. I sometimes listen to the whole song just to pay attention to the percussion. This was the album that introduced me to Muse.

Cowboys from Hell (1990) by Pantera

This album has some of the best chugs and riffs I know, and some of the best solos (listening to Domination's pinch harmonics WILL make your balls retract into your body for a second or two). And this album was one of those that created a huge growth of metal fans, and eventually metal bands.

The Bends (1995) by Radiohead

I know the Muse review may have given you the wrong idea, but I really do like this band. Unfortunately the move to synthesized music they've made in recent years hasn't appealed to me. But The Bends, now there's an album that has songs with a full band ensemble, all of them beautiful in their own way.

2112 (1976) by Rush

I love this one because not only does Geddy Lee apply his vocals perfectly, all of the instruments blend perfectly together, and most important for me, the common theme pervades throughout the entire compostion! And the lyrics are great too, Neil Peart never fails to impress.

Toxicity (2001) by System of a Down

Before I knew any good music, before I knew anything about the world, there was Toxicity. I first heard the songs blaring in my brother's room, and I would sit in the hallway outside and just soak up the sounds. At 9 years old, it never occured to me to look into music more, because I didn't have the initiative. I feel like if it hadn't been for my brother blaring System, you might be reading a very different person's thoughts.

Hypnotize (2005) by System of a Down

Strangely enough, I only really came to embrace SOAD after they were on hiatus, which was a drag :\ But not to worry, because their albums, especially this one, will keep me through those long, cold, hiatus-filled nights.

Metallica (1990) by Metallica

Not only a influential album on metal in general, but on all of music, with there combination of softer melodies with thrash. A lot of people say ...And Justice For All was their last good album, but those are just thrash fans.

Rust in Peace (1990) by Megadeth

Now there's 3 1990's, yaaaaaaaay! Well, this album is definitive thrash. The vocals, the speed, the solos, they all mesh perfectly with my perception of thrash. Also, Mustaine is better than Hammett *hides*

I hope you appreciate my first post, I've been on and off typing it for a few hours o.o

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RoemerMW

Green Day - American Idiot

Laugh all you want, but this is the album that got me interested in music for the first time. I was 15 when I heard it. Before then I literally didn't listen to music. I never listened to the radio, I never listened to CD's, and when I did hear any music, It was never by my choice and I always ignored it. I just found it uninteresting and irrelevant to my life. I was really into film, books, and videogames, but I just didn't like music. Then I heard this because of a cousin of mine, and I instantly fell in love with music from then on. In the two years or so since then, my musical taste has vastly improved. I've liked some pretty sh*t bands in that time (Nickelback, Bon Jovi, Linkin Park, etc.), but I'd say that my taste now is pretty good. I will always hold a special place in my heart for American Idiot, no matter how bad people may consider it to be.

Ennio Morricone - The Good, the Bad, and Bad and the Ugly

This was my first favorite soundtrack, and the starting point for an obsession of mine (film scores). I now own many film scores. It's still one of my favorite scores, with only the score to Koyaanisqatsi ahead in my mind. The music is beautiful.

Magnetic Fields - 69 Love Songs

This album pulled me out of the classic rock stage I was in for a year or so. It was the first non-classic rock/film score/occasional radio friendly album album I heard, and it helped to expand my musical taste in new directions. I still love it, and I always will.

Kanye West - Late Registration

I don't like Kanye West anymore, but it opened me up to rap. It was the first rap album I heard, and before then I was one of those idiots who completely discounted rap/hip-hop as a musical genre because I had only heard sh*t radio/ringtone/mtv rap artists.

Johnny Cash - At Folsom Prison

I also used to be one of those idiots who completely discounted country as a interesting genre. Then I heard this. Now I love country, and it is one of my favorite genres.

Antonin Dvorak - New World Symphony

It got me interested in classical. Before hearing this, the only classical I listened to was Ride of the Valkyries, a few Beethoven pieces, and the 1812 Overture.

Jerry Lee Lewis - Live at the Star Club

I really love this album. Other than the fact that it's one of my all time favorites, it was the first album where I actually began paying attention to bit rate. The first time I heard it, it was a crappy rip under 100 kbps. I loved it, but I noticed it was pretty low sound quality, but I assumed that was due to an inferior recording. I looke dit up, and found out what bit rate meant. I listened to a 320 kbps version, and immediately noticed a difference. Since then , I've tried to get a high quality bit rate whenever I obtain an album. I can't tell the difference between FLAC and 320 kbps, so I don't bother with that, but I notice it if it's lower than 192 kbps.

Carl Stalling - The Carl Stalling Project: Music From Warner Bros. Cartoons 1936-1958

Probably the most obscure album that I own. It's the first album that I spent a long time searching for, and I see it as a defining point in my musical evolution. This is first time that I realized how important was too me. It was the first time I put a serious effort into obtaining music, as opposed to just searching for it and finding it a few seconds later. Also, I really like it.

Fela Kuti - Expensive ****

This album was the first foreign language album I listened to, and it opened a whole world of music up to me that I never had even given a second thought of before. Before this, I only listened to english-language music. I did listen to classical albums and film scores made by people who spoke foreign languages, but that's not really the same thing.

Joy Division - Unknown Pleasures

My first album based on a recommendation from Musicbanter. I have heard and loved a lot of music that I wouldn't even know about based on threads on this site.

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PaperHurricanesAndPlanes

1. Beach Boys - Greatest Hits Vol. 1

This is not my favorite album. Not by a long shot. That being said, it is the most important. Little Deuce Coupe is not only my first memory of rock and roll, its my first memory of ANY music. So, this holds a special place in my heart.

Favorite Track: Little Deuce Coupe

2. Bad Religion - The Empire Strikes First

This was my first Bad Religion album, and it completely changed me. Opened my eyes politically and emotionally. "All There Is" is absolutely astonishing. Bad Religion got me into punk, at least the punk that isn't radio crap.

Favorite Track: All There Is

3. Bad Religion - Recipe For Hate

One of Bad Religion's best efforts. The lyrical brilliance of "Skyscraper" and "Kerosene" floor me.

Favorite Track: Kerosene.

4. Arturo Sandoval - Live At The Blue Note

My first jazz album. I bought this after my dad took me to see him live. Amazing musician.

Favorite Track: Eso Es Lo Que Hay

5. Bill Evans and Jim Hall - Intermodulation
I got this shortly after Live At The Blue Note and fell in love. This is by far my favorite jazz album of all time. Amazing, amazing music here. Mellows me out.

Favorite Track: All Across The City

6. Emcee Lynx - Living In The Shadow
This guy taught me that not all rap is complete **** with nothing but overinflated egos and sex drives and a complete lack of morality. He is a very, very interesting person to listen to.

7. The Germs - G.I. (The Rough Mixes)

I just love the insanity in their music. Crash was a psychopathic genius.

Favorite Track: What We Do Is Secret

8. Counting Crows - August And Everything After

This album just...affects me. It is quite beautiful. There is no dim spot on this album.

9. Rise Against - Siren Song Of The Counter Culture

One of my first forays into good punk. I love the compassion in McIlrath's voice. Rumors Of My Demise Have Been Greatly Exaggerated is an amazing track.

10. The Beatles - 1967-1970

Another one of my first forays into rock and roll. One of my earlier memories of rock and roll and music in general. Plus...its the Beatles. C'mon.

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Brad Stengel

These are not my ten favorite albums by any stretch. Just ten albums that were milestones in my 20 years of music listening.

Nirvana- "Unplugged In N.Y."

The first album I ever really loved. I remember being 6 or 7 at family parties, my drunk parents putting on stale boring 70's tunes, and begging my dad who owned this album to put it on. Those days it was just Nirvana and Green Day 24/7.

Smashing Pumpkins- "Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness"

A friend of mine sold me this for 10 bucks in 8th grade because he bought it for 'Bullet With Butterfly Wings' and didn't like the rest. I loved this because every song was solid, and because it was so massive, there was so much to get into. And at the time, I only really listened to the alternative FM station, so the variety on this album was very refreshing.

Led Zeppelin- "Led Zeppelin Remasters Boxset"

While 'Dark Side of the Moon' was the first classic rock album I ever owned, it was this that began my classic rock obsession from 9th to 10th grade. 4 CD's of Zeppelin, discovering not only great songs I'd never heard before (like 'Stairway'-I had actually never heard Stairway before getting this, believe it or not. SInce it was never overplayed for me, it was my favorite song for a time) but great songs that I recognized but never knew was Zeppelin. Lots of variety again, as it covered their ten year span.


Meat Puppets- "Meat Puppets II"

The first indie album I ever owned, in the depths of a Nirvana nostalgia phase I went out and picked it up. Reading all those old Cobain interviews and his diary really started to open me up to the wonders of 80's indie, as he consistently would name-drop great bands. One of the reasons why I hate when people bitch about him-Nirvana is a great gateway to the 80's underground for alot of kids.

The Beach Boys- "Smile"

This album fascinated me. Brian Wilson, going insane, trying to follow up one of my favorite albums, Pet Sounds, making this incredible record nobody ever heard. A secret album, one that was personal to me, that I could enjoy and not worry about anyone overplaying. Probably the first reletively obscure album I ever got into.

My Bloody Valentine- "Loveless"
Neutral Milk Hotel- "In The Aeroplane Over the Sea"
Sonic Youth- "Daydream Nation"

Coming off an 11th grade Beach Boys phase, and after having exhausted any classic rock or mainstream 90's alternative albums that would be up to the same quality as the ones I already owned, I turned to allmusic to reccomend me albums. Somehow I came upon these three, most likely for my love of The Smashing Pumpkins, "Smile" era Beach Boys, and give Sonic Youth another chance after being iffy on "Dirty". I was sold. These three I bought the same day, and they continue to be in my top 10-15 favorite albums. From here on in, I was no longer frightened of the strange dark ocean that was underground music, and I dived right in.

Various Artists- "No Thanks! The 70's Punk Rebellion"
Various Artists- "Left of the Dial: Transmissions from the 80's Underground"

These I got on the same day as well, around when I graduated high school. I had a slight affinity for punk-owned 'London Calling' and 'Bollocks'-but I never expected it to be this good. Every song on the punk compilation was gold, reminding me that a simple guitar bass and drum outfit using simple chords can have as much power and emotion as a full orchestra. The 80's box took a bit longer to get into, but showed me alot of great 80's bands to get into. These came to be the reason why 1977-1983 is my favorite era of rock and roll.

Art Brut- "Bang Bang Rock and Roll"

There were a few indie albums before this that showed me that modern music had alot to offer (The Arcade Fire, of Montreal, Peter Bjorn and John), but this one was the best. Solid throughout, catchy, fun, thick british accent, attitude, relistenable, hilarious, this album has it all, and is at the moment my favorite album released in the last 8 years. This is what turned my head from looking at the past, into the future.

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kelton

Ok, these are in somewhat of an order....I guess.


10. Blink-182 - Enema of the State
This was the first album I really ever got into. I just fell in love with it and the band. Granted I did get this album in middle school and I am 21 now but I still love Blink even though I dont listen to it much anymore.

9. UnderOath - The Changing of Times
Until I heard this I never was listened to hardcore at all. This album got me listening to this genre which I have started to kinda grow out of. But I can still go back to this album and really enjoy it.

8. Pedro The Lion - Achilles Heel
My friend Joey used to talk about Pedro The Lion all the time and I had never heard of them. Well, my friend Joey has a very good taste in music so I decided to get some Pedro The Lion. I simply fell in love with the sounds of David Bazan.

7. Dashboard Confessional - MTV Unplugged
Ya, I know...Dashboard hahah...but this album just meant so much to me in high school. I would put it in when I was feeling down over a girl and for some reason it seemed to cheer me up. It was kinda one of those hey someone else feels the same way I do things....haha I dunno. But I still tend to listen to this album quite a bit for some reason. I just love it.

6. Cursive - The Ugly Organ
A couple of my friends are HUUUGE Tim Kasher fanboys and so because of that I heard Cursive being played in their bedrooms, houses, and cars. So it was only a matter of time before I fell in love. This album just had such a different sound than anything I had ever heard before and it just does it for me. Plus falling in love with one Saddle Creek band normally means that you fall in love with Saddle Creek in general. So listening to Cursive introduced me to bands like Bright Eyes, The Good Life, Desaparecidos, etc. and I haven't found a Saddle Creek band that I dont enjoy.

5. Mineral - The Power of Failing
One of my buddies played this for me and I fell in love the first time I heard it. Later that week I went to CD Warehouse and found this album used and got it for like 8 bucks. It just totally blows me away and has made me fall in love with Post-emo or emo or however you want to classify it. It has made me start to look back at all the bands that influenced the bands of today that I listen to.

4. Brand New - The Devil and God Are Raging Inside Me
I just absolutely love this album. There is nothing bad I can say about this album. I just love it.

3. Showbread - Anorexia and Nervosa
Now, I realize that if you are not a hardcore Showbread fan then you probably won't enjoy these albums. However, I fell in love with Showbread after that first time I saw them play live. These albums just blew me away when I first heard them. They touched me in a way that no music ever has. I cried my eyes out after I listened to both of them. And I still do even if I listen to them again.

2. The Postal Service - Give Up
This is by far my favorite album. Its that album that no matter what mood I'm in or what the weather is like, I can put it in and listen and enjoy. It just seems to always hit the spot no matter what.

1. Taking Back Sunday - Tell All Your Friends
This album pretty much sums up high school for me. It just reminds me of all the good times I had with my friends back in school. This album also just got me into indie music. Now, I know some of you will say that TBS is not indie they are mainstream. And I will agree with you there. But it was at least a step in the right direction when I used to listen to the radio pretty much exclusively.

Dr_Rez

@kelton - Good pick with Achilles Heel, its a fantastic album.

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kelton

It is quite amazing!

Blue

The order isn't exact, but...

10. The Earth is not a Cold Dead Place - Explosions in the Sky

It was my first post-rock album (if you don't consider Sigur Ros post-rock), and it was just a really great experience. I didn't really love it at first, but it grew on me quick, and now I thoroughly enjoy it every time I listen. The composition of it all is great, and there are some really beautiful melodies scattered throughout the album. I particularly loved First Breath After Coma and Your Hand in Mine.

9. Takk... - Sigur Ros

I just really liked this album, I thought it was really beautiful and uplifting. I was going to put Ágætis Byrjun, because it was the first Sigur Ros album I got, and Svefn-g-englar for the first time was one of the most mind blowing experiences I've ever had, but overall I like Takk... more I think. I guess I like how their sound evolved over time, and they really captured an incredibly feeling with this album. It's so lush, yet simple and beautiful. The end of Sæglópur is incredible, and Andvari is one of my favorite Sigur Ros songs.

8. True Love Waits - Christopher O'Riley

I really love listening to this record. I've always been a big fan of solo piano, and I love how he interprets the Radiohead tunes he does. He is great with the dynamics and overall feel of each piece. Listening to it also really makes me focus on the melody and harmony that make up the piece. When I listen to Radiohead, there's a lot more going on, and a lot more to focus on. When the music is simplified to more or less simple melody and harmony, it makes for an interesting listen. It helped me to realize that music generally just needs to have a good melody, set of chords, and a simple rhythm. That was an important thought as a musician myself.

7. Ambient 1: Music for Airports - Brian Eno

This was the first ever ambient album I bought. I really dig ambient music, and this particular album got (and still gets) a whole lot of play. I listen to it a lot at night before bed, or throughout the night even. Even during the day, I find ambient music really beautiful. I just love the idea of music that seems to work with the atmosphere around you, and compliment it, which ambient music is really great for.

6. Hail to the Thief - Radiohead

This was the first Radiohead I heard, and really, one of the first times I had a very deep connection with the music I was listening to. I was only just getting onto rock music at this point (coming from hip-hop before that), and though I'd had great connections with music before, this was different. This created some surreal connection. I'd never heard anything like it. I didn't even know that kind of music existed. It really opened my eyes to the possibilities of music.

5. Blue - Joni Mitchell

This one probably stands out quite a bit from the rest on my list. A friend introduced this to me, and though it took a little warming up to (I listened to Little Green and Blue a couple times before listening to the album and "getting it"), once I put the album on in full, I liked it so much I listened to it 4 times in that first day. It was so different from what I was accustomed to, and there was this really raw beauty involved with it that I couldn't seem to get enough of. Lyrically it's one of the best albums I've ever heard too. Her words are so honest, and really relate so much a lot of things in my life. It's one of the most beautiful things I've ever heard.

3b. ( ) - Sigur Ros

The first 3 tracks on this album make up some of the most beautiful 15 minutes or so of music I've ever heard. They're as good as anything else I've ever listened to. The whole melancholy, but beautiful tone that is involved really captures a lot of not only what I look for in music, but what I see in life. In fact, since I've heard it, I had the thought that I want Untitled #1 played at my funeral.

3a. Kid A - Radiohead

This album really blew me away when I heard it, and along with ( ), it's the biggest non-Floyd influence I have. It's just so emotionally gripping. I've always been a big fan of lush, somewhat electronic, music too, which this definately is. It's without question my favorite Radiohead album.

2. The Dark Side of the Moon - Pink Floyd

This album along with Wish You Were Here were probably the two biggest factors in me becoming a musician. I think they deserve the top two spots purely because they affected me the most.

1. Wish You Were Here - Pink Floyd

This is unquestionably the most important album to me. It's what really got me onto music, seriously onto music I mean. To be honest, listening to this changed my life. I wouldn't be where I am without it.

Subterfuge

Nirvana - Nirvana
This album was the one that introduced me to rock back when I was into hardcore rap.

Eminem - The Marshall Mathers LP
I like this album. I used to listen to some songs everyday.

Tool - Aenima
This record was the first one that I listened from the beginning to the end in one sitting.

Joy Division - Closer
By coming to this site, I got to know how good Joy Division was. I like the first record but the second one grows on me more.

Faith No More - Angel Dust
I like the variety of the songs and great topics as well.

Death - Symbolic
I used to not like Death Metal because I thought it is all about screaming and writing violent lyrics but I love this record. Although it's all screaming from the beginning to the end, still you know what he's saying and the lyrics are better than I thought. The riffs are great as well.

The Doors - The Doors
Upon hearing Light My Fire from somewhere, I bought the album and I thought it was quite nice. It made me listen more of their albums.

Jeff Buckley - Grace
Some of music l Listen to are from my sister's collection. This one's one of them.

Opeth - Blackwater Park
I find all their songs in this album epic.

Megadeth - Rust In Peace
I'm not really into thrash metal but this album is one of my favourite. It inspires me to learn to play the guitar.

FireInCairo

In no particular order, as i am lazy.

10. Iron Maiden - Number of the beast
This album got me into music proper when I was twelve, and while I do not enjoy the clamour of heavy metal so much any more, I still love this album.

9. Daftpunk - Homework
Opened up another world of music for me, that of dance.

8.The cure - Head on the door
The first cure record I heard, instantly accessible with infinite pop value it led me to their discography and to be being one of my favourite bands.

7. Joy Division - unknown Pleasures
I got into this album when I was in a really bad place, and (generic I know) made me realise it aint so bad as all that.

6. Cat Stevens - Tea for the tillerman
I grew up with this record, my folks played it all the time. Gentle pop folk, probably gave me my taste for pop aesthetics.

5. Beck - Odelay
Another album that opened up more for me, but this time more to sampling and sonic collage, ideas that i incorporated more thereafter.

4. The Birthday Party - Junkyard
Anyone heard more brutal post-punk than the birthday party?
and of course it led ot nick caves wealth of a discography

3. The doors - LA Woman
One of the first albums i really got into, got me interested in poetry (even if Jim was a wanker) and more psychedelic sounds.

2. Lou Reed - Transformer
Glam Nation? I own a hair straightener....

1. Pixies - Surfer rosa
The perfect antidote to schmaltz and an album that showed me the world outside of metal.

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