My 250 Favorite Albums of All Time


My Favorite 250 Albums of All Time

(as of January 1, 2022)

Rank Artist Title Year
250 Happy Mondays Pills ‘N’ Thrills And Bellyaches 1990
249 The Nields Gotta Get Over Greta  1997
248 The Paperboys Molinos  1998
247 The Pinker Tones Wild Animals 2008
246 Yeah Yeah Yeahs Fever to Tell 2003
245 The Shins Chutes Too Narrow  2003
244 Various Channel 1 – A Compilation Of Output Recordings 2000
243 Hothouse Flowers Songs From The Rain  1992
242 Jim’s Big Ego Noplace Like Nowhere  2000
241 The Go! Team The Scene Between 2015
240 “Weird Al” Yankovic Straight Outta Lynwood 2006
239 Taylor Swift Red  2012
238 Shadowy Men on a Shadowy Planet Dim the Lights and Chill the Ham  1991
237 Christy Moore Voyage  1989
236 Leonard Cohen You Want It Darker 2016
235 The Benders Mountain Radio  2003
234 Young Fathers Cocoa Sugar 2018
233 X-Ray Spex Germfree Adolescents 1978
232 Wire Pink Flag 1977
231 The Kinks The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society 1969
230 Green Day Dookie 1994
229 Elvis Costello & The Attractions This Year’s Model 1978
228 Depeche Mode Violator 1990
227 Living Colour Vivid  1989
226 Bruce Springsteen Born in the U.S.A. 1984
225 Boston Women To Benefit Respond, Inc Respond: A Compilation  1999
224 John Prine John Prine 1971
223 Lou Reed Transformer 1972
222 Van Morrison Moondance  1970
221 Fine Young Cannibals Raw and the Cooked, The 1989
220 The Kevin Hanson Trio BullsEye   2001
219 Nina Simone Wild is the Wind 1966
218 Curtis Mayfield Superfly 1972
217 Marvin Gaye Let’s Get It On 1973
216 The Rolling Stones Exile on Main Street 1972
215 Richard Shindell Courier 2002
214 Franz Ferdinand You Could Have It So Much Better  2005
213 U2 The Joshua Tree 1987
212 Fiona Apple Fetch the Bolt Cutters 2020
211 Run the Jewels RTJ4 2020
210 Courtney Barnett Tell Me How You Really Feel 2018
209 Midnight Oil Diesel And Dust  1988
208 Bobby “Blue” Bland Two Steps From the Blues  1973
207 Billy Joel Songs In The Attic  1981
206 The St. Louis Jesuits A Dwelling Place  1976
205 Various A Christmas Gift for You from Phil Spector 1963
204 Tears For Fears Songs from the Big Chair   1985
203 The Doors The Doors 1967
202 The Beatles The Beatles (“The White Album”) 1968
201 Nine Inch Nails Pretty Hate Machine 1989
200 The Kinks Something Else by The Kinks 1968
199 Aretha Franklin Lady Soul 1968
198 Elvis Costello My Aim Is True 1977
197 Beck Guero  2005
196 Modest Mouse Moon And Antarctica  2004
195 Fountains of Wayne Welcome Interstate Managers  2003
194 3rdEyeGirl PLECTRUMELECTRUM 2014
193 The Who Who’s Next 1971
192 The Velvet Underground The Velvet Underground 1969
191 The Ramones Rocket to Russia 1977
190 Cyndi Lauper She’s So Unusual 1983
189 Sly & the Family Stone There’s a Riot Goin’ On 1971
188 Ali Farka Toure The Source 1992
187 The Ballroom Thieves Unlovely 2020
186 Sleater-Kinney Dig Me Out 1997
185 Antibalas Antibalas 2012
184 Johnny Most Reverse The Curse  2004
183 Freezepop Fancy Ultra Fresh   2004
182 Hum Machine Theorems and Compositions of the Last Action Rocker   2003
181 The Velveteens Viva   1998
180 Talking Heads Speaking in Tongues  1983
179 Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong Ella & Louis  1956
178 The Resophonics The Resophonics  2001
177 Violent Femmes Violent Femmes  1982
176 Various Dance Craze – The Best of British Ska Live 1981
175 Echolalia Shamrock Shake   1997
174 Wild Flag Wild Flag 2011
173 Clap! Clap! Tayi Bebba 2014
172 Willie Dixon I Am The Blues  1970
171 Various An Droichead Beag  1995
170 Various Rent [Original Broadway Cast Recording] 1996
169 Afro Celt Sound System Sound Magic 1996
168 Various Artists The Indestructible Beat of Soweto 1985
167 The Roches The Roches  1979
166 Hüsker Dü New Day Rising 1985
165 X Under the Big Black Sun  1982
164 Bob Marley and the Wailers Catch a Fire 1973
163 Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin II 1969
162 Vampire Weekend Vampire Weekend  2008
161 Simon & Garfunkel Bridge Over Troubled Water  1970
160 Fleet Foxes Fleet Foxes 2008
159 Crooked Still Shaken by a Low Sound 2006
158 Tilly & The Wall Bottoms of Barrels  2006
157 Kris Delmhorst Five Stories  2001
156 The Jimi Hendrix Experience Electric Ladyland 1968
155 Kate Bush The Sensual World 1989
154 Squirrel Nut Zippers Hot  1996
153 The Mekons OOOH! (Out of Our Heads  2002
152 Mission of Burma ONoffON  2004
151 Björk Post 1995
150 The New Pornographers Twin Cinema  2005
149 Ex Hex Rips 2014
148 James Brown Live at the Apollo, 1962 1963
147 Blondie Parallel Lines 1978
146 Funkadelic Maggot Brain 1971
145 Dua Lipa Future Nostalgia 2020
144 Al Green Call Me 1973
143 Neko Case Fox Confessor Brings the Flood  2006
142 Passion Pit Manners 2009
141 Miles Davis Kind of Blue 1959
140 Jimmy Cliff The Harder They Come 1972
139 Cracker Kerosene Hat  1993
138 Black 47 Live in New York City  1999
137 Josh Wink Profound Sounds  1999
136 Various Party Girl 1995
135 Blind Faith Blind Faith  1969
134 Liz Phair Whip Smart  1994
133 DJ Maus Intersections  2000
132 Dave Carter and Tracy Grammer When I Go  1998
131 Erin McKeown Distillation  2000
130 Various O Brother Where Art Thou? 2000
129 Various Wattstax  1972
128 Vinal Avenue String Band Live at Tir na nÓg  1999
127 Milla The Divine Comedy  1994
126 The Be Good Tanyas Blue Horse  2001
125 A Tribe Called Quest The Low End Theory 1991
124 Led Zeppelin Physical Graffiti 1975
123 Bob Marley and the Wailers Live 1975
122 Eddie From Ohio Portable EFO Show  1998
121 MGMT Oracular Spectacular 2008
120 Derek and the Dominos Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs 1970
119 Leonard Cohen Songs of Leonard Cohen 1967
118 The Rolling Stones Sticky Fingers 1971
117 The Decemberists The King Is Dead 2011
116 Jane’s Addiction Nothing’s Shocking 1988
115 Christy Moore Ride On 1983
114 Erasure The Innocents 1988
113 Downtown Boys Cost of Living 2017
112 Mourning [A] BLKstar The Cycle 2020
111 Algiers The Underside of Power 2017
110 Various Camelot: 1982 Original London Cast 1982
109 Otis Redding Otis Blue: Otis Redding Sings Soul 1965
108 The Clash The Clash 1977
107 Traffic John Barleycorn Must Die  1970
106 Pete Seeger We Shall Overcome 1963
105 Stereolab Cobra and Phases Group Play Voltage in the Milky Night  1999
104 Various Free to Be … You and Me 1972
103 Dimitri From Paris Sacrebleu  1996
102 Carl Stalling The Carl Stalling Project  1989
101 Yo La Tengo And Then Nothing Turned Itself Out  2000
100 Joy Division Unknown Pleasures 1979
99 Stevie Wonder Fulfillingness’ First Finale 1974
98 RUN-DMC Raising Hell 1986
97 Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings 100 Days, 100 Nights  2007
96 David Bowie The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars 1972
95 Weezer Weezer 1994
94 St. Vincenet St. Vincent 2014
93 The Halluci Nation We Are the Halluci Nation 2016
92 The B‐52’s The B‐52’s 1979
91 The Operators Citizens Band  2002
90 The Clancy Brothers & Tommy Makem A Spontaneous Performance Recording  1961
89 Debo Band Debo Band 2012
88 Beyonce Lemonade 2016
87 Parliament Mothership Connection 1975
86 Paul Simon The Rhythm of the Saints  1990
85 Courtney Barnett Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit 2015
84 Stevie Wonder Innervisions 1973
83 Beck Odelay 1996
82 Peter Mulvey Ten Thousand Mornings 2002
81 The Pogues If I Should Fall From The Grace of God 1985
80 Various This Are Two Tone  1983
79 The Go-Go’s Beauty and the Beat 1981
78 Kris Delmhorst Songs For a Hurricane 2003
77 Jolie Holland Escondida  2004
76 R.E.M. Murmur  1983
75 Pixies Surfer Rosa 1988
74 Various The Muppet Movie (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) 1978
73 Nirvana Nevermind 1991
72 Portishead Dummy  1994
71 The Beach Boys Pet Sounds 1966
70 Various Hamilton: An American Musical (Original Broadway Cast Recording) 2015
69 Billy Bragg & Wilco Mermaid Avenue 1998
68 Various Anthology of American Folk Music 1952
67 Fugazi 13 Songs 1990
66 Cry Cry Cry Cry Cry Cry 1998
65 Johnny Cash At Folsom Prison 1968
64 The Beat I Just Can’t Stop It 1980
63 Jenny Lewis and the Watson Twins Rabbit Fur Coat 2005
62 Janelle Monáe The ArchAndroid 2010
61 Adele 21 2011

The rest of the list will be published every other Wednesday throughout 2022.

This is not the first time I’ve ranked my favorite albums.  In 2009, I ranked my 100 Favorite Albums of All Time with 100 honorable mentions.

Favorite Albums of All Time

(2009 list)

Honorable mentions (in chronological order):

Piano Reflections – Duke Ellington (1953)
Ella & Louis – Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong (1956)
Songs To Grow On For Mother And Child – Woody Guthrie (1956)
Ella & Louis Again – Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong (1957)
Blue Train – John Coltrane (1957)
Mingus Ah Um – Charles Mingus (1959)
Drums of Passion – Babatunde Olatunji (1960)
* A Spontaneous Performance Recording – The Clancy Brothers & Tommy Makem (1961)
Please Please Me – The Beatles (1963)
A Love Supreme – John Coltrane (1964)
* Beatles for Sale – The Beatles (1964)
Otis Blue – Otis Redding (1966)
Fresh Cream – Cream (1966)
* Aftermath – The Rolling Stones (1966)
Between the Buttons – The Rolling Stones (1967)
At Folsom Prison – Johnny Cash (1968)
Bookends – Simon & Garfunkel (1968)
* Abbey Road – The Beatles (1969)
Moondance – Van Morrison (1970)
Workingman’s Dead – Grateful Dead (1970)
Bridge Over Troubled Water – Simon & Garfunkel (1970)
Let It Be – The Beatles (1970)
* Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs – Derek and the Dominos (1970)
John Barleycorn Must Die – Traffic (1970)
I Am The Blues – Willie Dixon (1970)
American Beauty – Grateful Dead (1970)
What’s Going On – Marvin Gaye (1971)
* Sticky Fingers – The Rolling Stones (1971)
Free to Be … You and Me (1972)
Two Steps From the Blues – Bobby “Blue” Bland (1973)
461 Ocean Boulevard – Eric Clapton (1974)
* Physical Graffiti – Led Zeppelin (1975)
A Dwelling Place – The St. Louis Jesuits (1976)
The Stranger – Billy Joel (1977)
The Clash (1977)
This Year’s Model – Elvis Costello (1978)
The Christmas Revels (1978)
The Specials (1980)
Glass Houses – Billy Joel (1980)
Camelot: 1982 Original London Cast (1982)
Under the Big Black Sun – X (1982)
War – U2 (1983)
Speaking in Tongues – Talking Heads (1983)
Murmur – R.E.M. (1983)
* Raising Hell – RUN-DMC (1986)
Diesel And Dust – Midnight Oil (1988)
Vivid – Living Colour (1989)
* Cruel, Crazy, Beautiful World – Johnny Clegg & Savuka (1989)
Blue Sky Mining – Midnight Oil (1989)
13 Songs – Fugazi (1990)
* Missa Luba: An African Mass – Muungano National Choir, Kenya (1990)
The Weedkiller’s Daughter – John & Mary (1991)
Achtung Baby – U2 (1991)
The Source – Ali Farka Toure (1992)
* Songs From The Rain – Hothouse Flowers (1992)
Joshua Judges Ruth – Lyle Lovett (1992)
* May I Sing With Me – Yo La Tengo (1992)
Kerosene Hat – Cracker (1993)
* Remember Two Things – Dave Matthews Band (1993)
* Actually Not – Eddie from Ohio (1993)
Stain – Living Colour (1993)
* Debut – Bjork (1993)
Dummy – Portishead (1994)
* Weezer (1994)
Wood – Moxy Fruvous (1995)
Beautiful Freak – The Eels (1996)
When I Was Born For The 7th Time – Cornershop (1997)
* Gotta Get Over Greta – The Nields (1997)
Utopia Parkway – Fountains of Wayne (1999)
Play – Moby (1999)
Run Lola Run Soundtrack (1999)
* Profound Sounds – Josh Wink (1999)
Since I Left You – The Avalanches (2000)
* Noplace Like Nowhere – Jim’s Big Ego (2000)
Tarbox Ramblers (2000)
* Five Stories – Kris Delmhorst (2001)
What Matters – Maybe Baby (2002)
* Airdrawndagger – Sasha (2002)
* Redbird (2003)
* Welcome Interstate Managers – Fountains of Wayne (2003)
* Hail To The Thief – Radiohead (2003)
Chutes Too Narrow – The Shins (2003)
Sea Music – Dan Zanes (2003)
Kitchen Radio – Peter Mulvey (2004)
* Moon And Antarctica – Modest Mouse (2004)
Impulsive! – Revolutionary Jazz Reworked (2005)
You Could Have It So Much Better – Franz Ferdinand (2005)
* Guero – Beck (2005)
* Rabbit Fur Coat – Jenny Lewis and the Watson Twins (2005)
Twin Cinema – The New Pornographers (2005)
Naturally – Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings (2005)
Fox Confessor Brings the Flood – Neko Case (2006)
Bottoms of Barrels – Tilly & The Wall (2006)
* I Am Not Afraid Of You And I Will Beat Your Ass – Yo La Tengo (2006)
Ys. – Joanna Newsom
Back to Black – Amy Winehouse (2007)
Challengers – The New Pornographers (2007)
100 Days, 100 Nights – Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings (2007)
Fleet Foxes (2008)
Volume One – She & Him (2008)

Top 100:

100. Dim The Lights, Chill the Ham by  Shadowy Men on a Shadowy Planet (1991)
99. Respond: A Compilation By Boston Women To Benefit Respond, Inc (1999)
98. Big Noise by Eddie From Ohio (1997)
97. Live in New York City by Black 47 (1999)
96. Whip Smart by Liz Phair (1994)
95. Emergency & I by The Dismemberment Plan (1999)
94. Mutations by Beck (1998)
93. Crossroads: Southern Routes (1996)
92. Don’t Get Smart by Jim’s Big Ego (1998)
91. Voyage by Christy Moore (1989)
90. An Droichead Beag — Mighty Session (1998)
89. Reverse The Curse by Johnny Most (2004)
88. Folk ‘N Hell    (1996)
87. Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots by The Flaming Lips (2002)
86. Blue Horse by The Be Good Tanyas (2001)
85. Dance Craze – The Best of British Ska Live (1981)
84. Shaken By A Low Sound by Crooked Still (2006)
83. Post by Björk (1995 )
82. Let It Bleed by The Rolling Stones (1969)
81. Franks Wild Years by Tom Waits (1987)
80. Other Voices, Other Rooms by Nanci Griffith (1993)
79. Profound Sounds by Josh Wink (1999)
78. Odelay by Beck (1996)
77. Songs from the Big Chair by Tears For Fears (1985)
76. Anthology of American Folk Music (1952)
75. The Divine Comedy by Milla (1994)
74. The Resophonics by The Resophonics (2001)
73. The Rhythm of the Saints by  Paul Simon (1990)
72. Surfer Rosa by Pixies (1988)
71. Violent Femmes by Violent Femmes (1982)
70. Hot by Squirrel Nut Zippers (1996)
69. Fancy Ultra Fresh by the Freezepop (2004)
68. Christmas Day in the Morning by Revels (1990)
67. ONoffON by Mission of Burma (2004)
66. Mountain Radio by The Benders (2003)
65. Wattstax (1972)
64. Vampire Weekend by Vampire Weekend (2008)
63. The Carl Stalling Project (1990)
62. The Doors by The Doors (1967)
61. Molinos by The Paperboys (1998)
60. The Remix Album…Diamonds Are Forever by Shirley Bassey (2000)
59. Songs In The Attic by  Billy Joel (1981)
58. Cobra and Phases Group Play Voltage in the Milky Night by Stereolab (1999)
57. Truth and Soul by Fishbone (1988)
56. Homegenic by Björk (1997)
55. The Beatles [White Album] by The Beatles (1968)
54. Portable EFO Show by  Eddie From Ohio (1998)
53. Last Splash by  The Breeders (1993)
52. Ágætis byrjun by Sigur Rós (1999)
51. Crosby, Stills, & Nash by Crosby, Stills, & Nash (1969)
50. The Trinity Session by The Cowboy Junkies (1988)
49. Vs. by  Mission of Burma (1982)
48. Trainspotting Motion Picture Soundtrack (1996)
47. Emperor Tomato Ketchup by Stereolab (1996)
46. Songs For a Hurricane by Kris Delmhorst (2003)
45. Blind Faith (1969)
44. And Then Nothing Turned Itself Out by Yo La Tengo (2000)
43. OOOH! (Out of Our Heads) by The Mekons (2002)
42. Let’s Get Out of this Country by Camera Obscura (2006)
41. Beggar’s Banquet by  The Rolling Stones (1968)
40. Rubber Soul by The Beatles (1966)
39. Escondida by Jolie Holland (2004)
38. Live Noise by Moxy Fruvous (1998)
37. The Roches by The Roches (1979)
36. When I Go by  Dave Carter and Tracy Grammer (1998)
35. 3 Feet High and Rising by De La Soul (1989)
34. Theorems and Compositions of the Last Action Rocker by Hum Machine (2003)
33. Viva by The Velveteens (1998)
32. Live at Tir na nÓg by  Vinal Avenue String Band (1999)
31. Channel 1 – A Compilation Of Output Recordings (2000)
30. Mermaid Avenue by Billy Bragg & Wilco (1998)
29. This Are Two Tone (1983)
28. Nothing’s Shocking by Jane’s Addiction (1988)
27. It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back by Public Enemy (1988)
26. Lifes Rich Pageant by R.E.M. (1986)
25. Shamrock Shake by Echolalia (1997)
24. Reconstruction Site by The Weakerthans (2003)
23. OK Computer by Radiohead (1997)
22. Distillation by Erin McKeown (2000)
21. The Stone Roses by The Stone Roses (1989)
20. Graceland by Paul Simon (1986)
19. Singalong by Pete Seeger (1980)
18. London Calling by The Clash (1979)
17. I Can Hear the Heart Beating As One by Yo La Tengo (1997)
16. So by Peter Gabriel (1986)
15. Revolver by The Beatles (1966)
14. Intersections by DJ Maus (2000)
13. Ten Thousand Mornings by Peter Mulvey (2002)
12. Lincoln by They Might Be Giants (1988)
11. Citizens Band by The Operators (2002)
10. Hush by Yo Yo Ma and Bobby McFerrin (1992)
9. Belafonte at Carnegie Hall by Harry Belafonte (1959)
8. Doolittle by Pixies (1989)
7. If I Should Fall From the Grace of God by The Pogues (1988)
6. Flood by They Might Be Giants (1990)
5. Sacrebleu by Dimitri From Paris (1996)
4. BullsEye by The Kevin Hanson Trio (2001)
3. Cry Cry Cry by Cry Cry Cry (1998)
2. Rum, Sodomy and The Lash by  The Pogues (1985)
1.  Tanglewood Tree by Dave Carter and Tracy Grammer