My 130 Favorite Albums of All-Time

Heady title, no? I specifically chose the word “favorite” instead of the usual “greatest” because by no means do I think these are the greatest albums of all time. These are simply the ones I like best. I think it’s a crucial distinction that many fail to make.

So why 130? Well, I’m eschewing the typical top 100 list for two reasons: a) I wanted to head further down my ranked albums list to show a bit more diversity, and b) 10×13=130. Ten thirteen is my birthdate and therefore a good number combination.

One more note…this list changes frequently, and the final results will be shown accordingly. It may change monthly or annually, but it will change. So without further adieu, I present a constant work in progress…

[editor’s note: last updated 3.29.2005]

  1. Nirvana Unplugged in New York (1995)
  2. R.E.M. Automatic for the People (1992)
  3. Nick Drake Bryter Layter (1970)
  4. Chris Whitley Rocket House (2001)
  5. Nick Drake Pink Moon (1972)
  6. Beck Sea Change (2002)
  7. R.E.M. Murmur (1983)
  8. Miles Davis Kind of Blue (1972)
  9. U2 War (1983)
  10. Alice in Chains Jar of Flies (1993)
  11. John Coltrane Blue Train (1957)
  12. Pearl Jam vs. (1993)
  13. Dave Matthews Band Under the Table and Dreaming (1994)
  14. Chris Whitley Dirt Floor (1998)
  15. Stevie Wonder Innervisions (1973)
  16. Dave Matthews Band Live at Red Rocks 8.15.95 (1997)
  17. Lyle Lovett Live in Texas (1999)
  18. The Beatles Rubber Soul (1965)
  19. R.E.M. Reckoning (1984)
  20. Weezer Weezer [blue album] (1994)
  21. Dave Matthews Band Remember Two Things (1993)
  22. The Shins Oh, Inverted World (2001)
  23. Coldplay A Rush of Blood to the Head (2002)
  24. Counting Crows August and Everything After (1993)
  25. R.E.M. Out of Time (1991)
  26. Wilco Yankee Hotel Foxtrot (2002)
  27. The Freddy Jones Band The Freddy Jones Band (1992)
  28. Lotion Nobody’s Cool (1995)
  29. Toad the Wet Sprocket Dulcinea (1994)
  30. R.E.M. Life’s Rich Pageant (1984)
  31. Beck Odelay (1996)
  32. Chris Whitley Living With the Law (1991)
  33. Chris Whitley Live at Martyrs’ (2000)
  34. Soundgarden Superunknown (1994)
  35. Radiohead The Bends (1995)
  36. Chris Whitley Weed (2004)
  37. The Dismemberment Plan Change (2001)
  38. Foo Fighters There Is Nothing Left To Lose (1999)
  39. Coldplay Parachutes (2000)
  40. The Postal Service Give Up (2003)
  41. The Presidents of the United States of America The Presidents of the United States of America (1995)
  42. The Dismemberment Plan Emergency & I (1999)
  43. Ben Lee Breathing Tornadoes (1998)
  44. Fleetwood Mac Rumours (1977)
  45. Lenny Kravitz Are You Gonna Go My Way? (1993)
  46. Peter Gabriel Us (1992)
  47. Dog’s Eye View Happy Nowhere (1995)
  48. Phish Billy Breathes (1997)
  49. Ben Harper Fight for Your Mind (1995)
  50. Ben Harper The Will to Live (1998)
  51. Nirvana Nevermind (1991)
  52. Michael Jackson Thriller (1982)
  53. Guster Keep It Together (2003)
  54. R.E.M. Dead Letter Office (1987)
  55. Beth Orton Central Reservation (1999)
  56. Radiohead OK Computer (1997)
  57. David Gray White Ladder (2000)
  58. Pearl Jam Ten (1991)
  59. Toad the Wet Sprocket Pale (1990)
  60. Hole Live Through This (1994)
  61. Nirvana In Utero (1993)
  62. Junior Senior D-D-Don’t Stop the Beat (2003)
  63. Pearl Jam 15.6.00 Spodek Katowice Poland (2000)
  64. Dolorean Violence in the Snowy Fields (2004)
  65. Beth Orton Daybreaker (2002)
  66. Crosby, Stills & Nash Crosby, Stills & Nash [1st album] (1969)
  67. Josh Rouse Home (2000)
  68. Nick Drake Five Leaves Left (1969)
  69. Neil Young Harvest (1972)
  70. Beth Orton Trailer Park (1997)
  71. Béla Fleck and the Flecktones Left of Cool (1998)
  72. Willis Willis (1996)
  73. Rod Stewart Every Picture Tells a Story (1971)
  74. Pearl Jam No Code (1996)
  75. Sean Lennon Into the Sun (1998)
  76. Fiona Apple When the Pawn… (1999)
  77. The Shins Chutes Too Narrow (2003)
  78. Van Morrison Moondance (1970)
  79. The Long Winters When I Pretend to Fall (2003)
  80. Dave Matthews Band Busted Stuff (2002)
  81. U2 The Joshua Tree (1987)
  82. Incubus Make Yourself (1999)
  83. Ryan Adams Demolition (2002)
  84. Nick Drake Time of No Reply (1979)
  85. R.E.M. New Adventures in Hi-Fi (1996)
  86. Pearl Jam Vitalogy (1994)
  87. Pearl Jam Yield (1998)
  88. Lotion full Isaac (1994)
  89. Peter Gabriel Secret World Live (1994)
  90. Ben Harper Live from Mars (2001)
  91. The Presidents of the United States of America Pure Frosting (1998)
  92. The White Stripes De Stijl (2000)
  93. Dave Matthews Band The Central Park Concert (2003)
  94. R.E.M. Green (1988)
  95. Coldplay Live 2003 (2003)
  96. Simon & Garfunkel Bridge Over Troubled Water (1970)
  97. Foo Fighters Foo Fighters (1995)
  98. Grant Lee Phillips Virginia Creeper (2004)
  99. Duncan Sheik Duncan Sheik (1996)
  100. David Gray Lost Songs 95-98 (2001)
  101. Ben Lee Hey You. Yes You. (2002)
  102. Beck Guero (2005)
  103. Spoon Kill the Moonlight (2002)
  104. The Rolling Stones Let It Bleed (1969)
  105. Dave Matthews Band Before these Crowded Streets (1998)
  106. Foo Fighters One By One (2002)
  107. R.E.M. Fables of the Reconstruction (1985)
  108. Son Volt Trace (1996)
  109. The Arcade Fire Funeral (2004)
  110. Lyle Lovett The Road to Ensenada (1996)
  111. Chris Whitley Hotel Vast Horizon (2003)
  112. The Police Outlandos d’Amour (1978)
  113. Air Moon Safari (1998)
  114. Sunny Day Real Estate LP2 (1996)
  115. Janet Jackson Control (1986)
  116. Jay Farrar Sebastopol (2001)
  117. Sunny Day Real Estate Live (1999)
  118. Red Hot Chili Peppers By the Way (2002)
  119. Wilco Being There (1996)
  120. Fiona Apple Tidal (1996)
  121. The Rolling Stones Beggars Banquet (1968)
  122. Ben Lee Grandpaw Would (1995)
  123. Daft Punk Discovery (2001)
  124. Incubus Morning View (2001)
  125. Ray LaMontagne Trouble (2004)
  126. Devendra Banhart Niño Rojo (2004)
  127. LL Cool J Mama Said Knock You Out (1990)
  128. Pearl Jam Live at Benaroya Hall (2004)
  129. Ben Lee Something to Remember My By (1997)
  130. Shawn Mullins Soul’s Core (1998)