On to the tunes

At this point, I really have to do this, don't I? EW's best 100 albums of the last 100 years. Bold is have, red is no interest, green is interest.

1. Purple Rain Prince and the Revolution (1984)
Way back, when Rolling Stone did a list of the best albums of the 80s, this was #1. So I pretty much have to get it at some point. I have a hunch this is going to be one of those albums where I know most of the songs without realizing it.

2. The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill Lauryn Hill (1998)
I'd kind of like to see what all of the fuss is about.

3. Achtung Baby U2 (1991)
Yes.

4. The College Dropout Kanye West (2004)
Not a big rap fan.

5. Madonna Madonna (1983)
Or Madonna fan.

6. American Idiot Green Day (2004)
The songs that made the radio, and there were a few, I actively disliked. Something smug in the delivery that just bugs me.

7. The Blueprint Jay-Z (2001)

8. Graceland Paul Simon (1986)
A great album, although, as I always do when Graceland comes up, I have to note that I actually prefer the follow-up, The Rhythm of the Saints.

9. Back to Black Amy Winehouse (2007)
Curious.

10. In Rainbows Radiohead (2007)
This is very, very oddly high, especially given how insanely lauded OK Computer usually is.

11. MTV Unplugged in New York Nirvana (1994)
Better than any of their albums? Curious.

12. Stankonia OutKast (2000)
My normal anti-rap bias is being outweighed by my respect for how crazily joyous the ubiquitous "Hey-Ya" is.

13. You Are Free Cat Power (2003)
14. Disintegration The Cure (1989)
15. The Marshall Mathers LP Eminem (2000)

16. Rain Dogs Tom Waits (1985)
I have the live Big Time and like it but don't love it, so I'd be curious to hear this.

17. Odelay Beck (1996)
Something about Beck bugs me. He seems overly impressed by how out there he is.

18. People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm A Tribe Called Quest (1990)
19. Dangerously in Love Beyoncé (2003)

20. Tidal Fiona Apple (1996)
A remarkable debut, but her last album, Extraordinary Machine, is actually superior.

21. The Emancipation of Mimi Mariah Carey (2005)
22. 3 Feet High and Rising De La Soul (1989)
23. The Soft Bulletin The Flaming Lips (1999)
24. Come On Over Shania Twain (1997)
25. Turn On the Bright Lights Interpol (2002)

26. Time Out of Mind Bob Dylan (1997)
27. Funeral Arcade Fire (2004)
A lot of "first is best" here. Dylan's first album in his late-career comeback is not as good as the remarkable Love and Theft, and Arcade Fire's fine debut is not as strong as last year's Neon Bible.

28. Illmatic Nas (1994)
29. Breakaway Kelly Clarkson (2004)

30. Appetite for Destruction Guns N' Roses (1987)
This album makes me feel 15 again. I still remembering having to convince my mother to let me get it when I won one of those "win an album" spinny-wheel things at the Boardwalk. Not sure how I did, actually.

31. FutureSex/LoveSounds Justin Timberlake (2006)

32. Life's Rich Pageant R.E.M. (1985)
R.E.M. is one of those bands I always forget I like.

33. As I Am Alicia Keys (2007)
34. Is This It The Strokes (2001)
35. Jagged Little Pill Alanis Morissette (1995)
Does anyone who had a radio in the mid-90s really need to own Jagged Little Pill?

36. CrazySexyCool TLC (1994)
37. The Moon & Antarctica Modest Mouse (2000)
38. Raising Hell Run-DMC (1986)
39. Sheryl Crow Sheryl Crow (1996)
40. Ready to Die The Notorious B.I.G. (1994)
41. Legend Bob Marley and the Wailers (1984)
42. Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) Wu-Tang Clan (1993)
43. Paul's Boutique Beastie Boys (1989)

I am an old fuddy duddy.

44. Car Wheels on a Gravel Road Lucinda Williams (1998)
Wonderful moods on this. And much more upbeat than I would have guessed.

45. If You're Feeling Sinister Belle and Sebastian (1996)
I'm curious about these guys, entirely from what I've read, given that I don't think I've ever heard any of their music.

46. Homogenic Björk (1997)
See, Bjork's "out there"-ness I like, even if it doesn't make me want to listen to her music.

47. Exile in Guyville Liz Phair (1993)
Read enough love to have me curious.

48. American IV: The Man Comes Around Johnny Cash (2002)
49. A Rush of Blood to the Head Coldplay (2002)
I still haven't decided how I feel about Coldplay.

50. Sounds of Silver LCD Soundsystem (2007)
51. The Score Fugees (1996)
52. Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga Spoon (2007)

53. King of America Elvis Costello (1986)
There is so much more Elvis I would put on here along with this.

54. Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814 Janet Jackson (1989)
55. It Takes a Nation of Millions... Public Enemy (1988)

56. Yankee Hotel Foxtrot Wilco (2002)
A fine enough album, but not the revelation I was led to believe.

57. Harvest Moon Neil Young (1992)
Gorgeous. Still my favorite Young.

58. Surfer Rosa The Pixies (1988)
Curious.

59. Ray of Light Madonna (1998)
60. Crooked Rain Crooked Rain Pavement (1994)
61. Paid in Full Eric B. & Rakim (1987)

62. OK Computer Radiohead (1997)
63. The Joshua Tree U2 (1987)
"Hey look!" We're hip!" We didn't pick the obvious albums!"

64. Mama's Gun Erykah Badu (2000)

65. Elephant The White Stripes (2003)
I really need to see what all this White Stripes stuff is about someday.

66. The Chronic Dr. Dre (1992)
67. Metallica Metallica (1991)
68. Wrecking Ball Emmylou Harris (1995)
I like Harris fine, and yet don't feel the need to listen to her albums. Odd.

69. Give Up The Postal Service (2003)
70. My Life Mary J. Blige (1994)
71. Rock Steady No Doubt (2001)
72. 1984 Van Halen (1984)
73. The Queen is Dead Smiths (1986)
74. Play Moby (1999)

75. Born in the U.S.A. Bruce Springsteen (1984)
Now I get to be the contrarian and say I prefer Tunnel of Love.

76. Heartbreaker Ryan Adams (2000)
77. Dummy Portishead (1994)

78. Vs. Pearl Jam (1991)
Another band I like fine but don't feel compelled to own.

79. Let It Be The Replacements (1984)
80. Back to Basics Christina Aguilera (2006)
81. The Downward Spiral Nine Inch Nails (1994)

82. Grace Jeff Buckley (1994)
That's some beautiful rock.

83. Learning to Crawl The Pretenders (1984)
84. Low-Life New Order (1985)
85. Home Dixie Chicks (2002)
86. Loveless My Bloody Valentine (1991)
87. All Eyez on Me 2Pac (1996)

88. So Peter Gabriel (1986)
A great album, with a lot more going for it than "Sledgehammer," "Big Time," and "In Your Eyes."

89. Bachelor No. 2 Aimee Mann (2000)
I'd peg this her best too.

90. Toxicity System of a Down (2001)

91. Siamese Dream Smashing Pumpkins (1993)
Sure. Will always remind me of my college roommate, who played it constantly.

92. The Writing's on the Wall Destiny’s Child (1999)

93. Either/Or Elliott Smith (1997)
I love XO, and this is on the list.

94. Synchronicity The Police (1983)
Easily their best, even with "Mother."

95. Trap Muzik T.I. (2003)

96. Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea PJ Harvey (2000)
She was supporting this when she opened for U2, and i remember liking the songs through my impatience.

97. Britney Britney Spears (2001)
98. Transatlanticism Death Cab for Cutie (2003)
Their name is a big stumbling block for me.

99. Live Through This Hole (1994)
100. Faith George Michael (1987)

Until Whenever