It’s that time of year for Top 10 or Top 100 lists. And of course, I have one, too….or had one anyway. I have hesitated posting this piece for quite awhile. I considered the public shaming I might receive from some of the avid music lovers out there if my picks were too mainstream or common or did not align with theirs. Honestly, we have all been there, right? We are so particular about our musical tastes and try to out-do our friends by “discovering” some avant-garde or little known band or obscure forgotten album or B-side lyric. We judge and often dismiss their tastes because they cannot compare to the depth, insight, and coolness of our own. A kind of music snobbery, really. And kind of contrary to exactly what most musicians and fans want to achieve through music – expression of their feelings without judgment. We can be jerks sometimes in our intense enthusiasm for art and artists. It’s rather funny, isn’t it, since art is completely a matter of personal taste.
I tried really hard to come up with a Top 10 Albums list, but I just could not stop at ten. There are simply too many great albums and too much outstanding music that has shaped my life. Truly. In so many ways, the music has defined me. I was able to whittle down the list to 25 or so. My list includes everything from the Beatles to The Pretenders. From Steely Dan to Pearl Jam. From Talking Heads to Jeff Buckley. From Warren Zevon and Elvis Costello to Soul Coughing. The Kinks. Bowie. From Neil Young to The Clash and Dire Straits. Queen. And from Tom Petty to Live, Counting Crows and Everclear.
So screw it. I am going to post this, and many of you may smirk at my picks. But I am forever grateful to the artists who have contributed so much to my joy and my sanity throughout the years. Another one bites the dust…
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