There is so much music that shapes who you are, but especially so if you write music. I couldn't possibly list them all, but I always like it when someone introduces a new artist to me, so maybe there's something in here that will get to you…
I have included some albums that are either personal favourites or just underappreciated gems that you may not have heard (with a spotify link). It is interesting how many albums don’t make it to streaming services, perhaps disappearing forever, except for the copies still circulating among the collections of the world’s music nerds (my peops). I have included a Discogs link instead (red font). Maybe you’ll discover something that gives you joy.
And, oh, yeah… this is a work in progress…
| 10cc |
The Original Soundtrack |
| 77s |
Late |
| Abercrombie, John |
Animato |
| AC/DC |
Back in Black |
| Adele |
21 |
| Air |
Moon Safari |
| Alan Parsons Project, The |
Tales of Mystery and Imagination |
| Allman Bros. Band, The |
Live at Fillmore East |
| Ambrosia |
Ambrosia |
| America |
Hourglass |
| Amigo, Vicente |
Ciudad de Las Ideas |
| Apple, Fiona |
Tidal |
| Armatrading, Joan |
Joan Armatrading |
| Armstrong, Louis |
Hello, Dolly! |
| Bach, Johann Sebastian |
Brandenburg Concertos |
| Bacharach, Burt |
One Amazing Night |
| Baker, Anita |
Rapture |
| Band of Horses |
Infinite Arms |
| Band, The |
Jericho |
| Bareilles, Sarah |
Little Voice |
| Barenaked Ladies |
Gordon |
| Beach Boys, The |
Pet Sounds |
| Beatles, The |
The Beatles ‘65 |
| Beck, Jeff |
Performing This Week Live at Ronnie Scott’s |
| Bee Gees |
Number Ones |
| Belafonte, Harry |
Calypso |
| Ben Folds Five |
Whatever and Ever Amen |
| Bjork |
Debut |
| Black Sabbath |
Vol. 4 |
| Blakey, Art |
Moanin’ |
| Blood, Sweat and Tears |
Blood, Sweat & Tears |
| Blue Nile, The |
Peace at Last |
| Bowie, David |
The Risa and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars |
| Brand X |
Unorthodox Behaviour |
| Bright Eyes |
I’m Wide Awake, It’s Morning |
| Brook, Michael |
Black Rock |
| Brown, Greg |
Dream Cafe |
| Brubeck, Dave |
Time Out |
| Buckley, Jeff |
Grace |
| Buffet, Jimmy |
Songs You Know by Heart |
| Bush, Kate |
The Red Shoes |
| Cake |
Prolonging the Magic |
| Camel |
Moonmadness |
| Caravan |
In the Land of Grey & Pink |
| Cardigans, The |
Long Gone Before Daylight |
| Carlton, Larry |
Larry Carlton |
| Cash, Johnny |
At Folsom Prison |
| Cassidy, Eva |
Time After Time |
| Chapman, Tracy |
Tracy Chapman |
| Charles, Ray |
Ray Charles |
| Chicago |
Chicago Transit Authority |
| Chieftains, The |
The Chieftains 1 |
| Clancy Bros., The |
Irish Drinking Songs |
| Clapton, Eric |
Unplugged (Live) |
| Clash, The |
London Calling |
| Cockburn, Bruce |
Humans |
| Cocker, Joe |
Joe Cocker! |
| Cohen, Leonard |
The Future |
| Collins, Albert |
Ice Pickin’ |
| Cooper, Alice |
Love it to Death |
| Corea, Chick |
Romantic Warrior |
| Coryell, Larry |
Level One |
| Costello, Elvis |
Imperial Bedroom |
| Crack the Sky |
Crack the Sky |
| Cream |
Wheels of Fire |
| Creedence Clearwater Revival |
Cosmo’s Factory |
| Crosby Stills Nash and Young |
Deja Vu |
| Crowded House |
Woodface |
| Crusaders, The |
Images |
| Dave Matthews Band, The |
Under the Table and Dreaming |
| Davis, Miles |
Kind of Blue |
| Deep Purple |
Made in Japan |
| Del Amitri |
Twisted |
| Diamond, Neil |
Hot August Night |
| Dire Straits |
Communique |
| Dixon, Willie |
Poet of the Blues |
| Dolby, Thomas |
The Flat Earth |
| Don Henley |
I Can’t Stand Still |
| Donovan |
Open Road |
| Doobie Bros., The |
Toulouse Street |
| Doors, The |
Strange Days |
| Drake, Nick |
Pink Moon |
| Dubliners, The |
Original Dubliners |
| Dvorak, Antonin |
Symphony No. 9 “New World” |
| Dylan, Bob |
Highway 61 Revisited |
| Eagles, The |
One of These Nights |
| Electric Light Orchestra |
Face the Music |
| Elling, Kurt |
The Gate |
| Ellington, Duke |
Ellington at Newport |
| Ely, Joe |
Honky Tonk Masquerade |
| Emerson Lake & Palmer |
Emerson Lake & Palmer |
| Emmanual, Tommy |
Endless Road |
| Eno, Brian |
Before and After Science |
| Finn Bros., The |
Everyone is Here |
| Fixx, The |
Phantoms |
| Fleck, Bela |
Three Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest |
| FM |
Black Noise |
| Focus |
Live at the Rainbow |
| Foo Fighters |
|
| Forbert, Steve |
Mission of the Crossroad Palms |
| Four Tops |
Main Street People |
| Frisell, Bill |
The Intercontinentals |
| Gabriel, Peter |
Peter Gabriel 2 |
| Gallagher, Rory |
Calling Card |
| Garbarek, Jan |
Rites |
| Gaye, Marvin |
What’s Going On |
| Genesis |
Foxtrot |
| Gentle Giant |
Free Hand |
| Gilbert, Kevin |
Thud |
| Gilberto, Joao |
Joao Gilberto |
| Gin Blossoms |
Congratulations, I’m Sorry |
| Godley & Creme |
Consequences |
| Grand Funk Railroad |
Closer to Home |
| Gray, Macy |
On How Life Is |
| Green, Al |
Let’s Stay Together |
| Grieg, Edvard |
Peer Gynt Suites |
| Guess Who, The |
Share the Land |
| Guthrie, Arlo |
Alice’s Restaurant |
| Hammill, Peter |
Fool’s Mate |
| Hancock, Herbie |
Maiden Voyage |
| Harrison, George |
All Things Must Pass |
| Havens, Richie |
Mixed Bag II |
| Hay, Colin |
Going Somewhere |
| Healey, Jeff |
See the Light |
| Heart |
The Road Home |
| Hedges, Michael |
Aerial Boundaries |
| Hendrix, Jimi |
Are You Experienced? |
| Hiatt, John |
Bring the Family |
| Holiday, Billie |
|
| Hollies, The |
|
| Holst, Gustav |
The Planets (Berlin Philharmonic, von Karajan conducting) |
| Horslips |
The Book of Invasions |
| Humble Pie |
Eat it |
| Iron Butterfly |
In-a-Gadda-Da-Vida |
| Jackson, Joe |
Night and Day |
| James Gang, The |
Live in Concert |
| Jethro Tull |
Minstrel in the Gallery |
| Joel, Billy |
|
| John, Elton |
Too Low for Zero |
| Johnson, J.J. |
The Brass Orchestra |
| Johnson, Jack |
On and On |
| Jones, Grace |
Island Life |
| Jones, Howard |
Dream into Action |
| Jones, Norah |
Come Away With Me |
| Jones, Rickie Lee |
Rickie Lee Jones |
| Keane |
Hopes and Fears |
| Kershaw, Nik |
15 Minutes |
| King Crimson |
Starless and Bible Black |
| King, B.B. |
|
| King, Carole |
|
| Kings of Leon, The |
Aha Shake Heartbreak |
| Kinks, The |
Misfits |
| Klaatu |
|
| Knopfler, Mark |
Golden Heart |
| Koite, Habib |
|
| Kottke, Leo |
|
| LaMontagne, Ray |
|
| Lang, K.D. |
Miss Chatelaine |
| Lanois, Dan |
For the Beauty of Wynona |
| Led Zeppelin |
Houses of the Holy |
| Lennon, John |
Walls and Bridges |
| Leonard, Patrick |
Rivers |
| Level 42 |
Level 42 |
| Lightfoot, Gordon |
Don Quixote |
| Lovett, Lyle |
Step Inside This House |
| Lowe, Nick |
At My Age |
| Lucifer’s Friend |
Banquet |
| Marley, Bob |
Burnin’ |
| Max Webster |
Max Webster (1st album) which is part of this compilation |
| Mayer, John |
Continuum |
| McCartney, Paul |
McCartney |
| McDonald, Michael |
If That’s What it Takes |
| McLachlan, Sarah |
Surfacing |
| McLauchlan, Murray |
Only the Silence Remains (Live) |
| McLaughlin, John |
Apocalypse (with London Symphony Orchestra) |
| Meters, The |
|
| Metheny, Pat |
Pat Metheny Group |
| Miller, Steve |
|
| Mills-Cockell, John |
|
| Mingus, Charles |
|
| Mitchell, Joni |
Blue |
| Mitchell, Kim |
Akimbo Alogo |
| Montgomery, Wes |
|
| Moody Blues, The |
|
| Moore, Mae |
Bohemia |
| Moraito |
|
| Morrison, Van |
Hymns to the Silence |
| Mraz, Jason |
Mr. A-Z |
| Mussorgsky, Modest |
|
| Nash, Graham |
Wild Tales |
| Nilsson, Harry |
Aerial Ballet |
| O'Hara, Mary Margaret |
Miss America |
| Oldfield, Mike |
Crises |
| Orton, Beth |
Daybreaker |
| Palmer, Robert |
Pride |
| Part, Arvo |
Alina |
| Pena, Paco |
|
| Penguin Cafe Orchestra |
|
| Peterson, Oscar |
Canadiana Suite |
| PFM |
|
| Philosopher Kings, The |
Famous Rich and Beautiful |
| Phish |
Rift |
| Piazzola, Astor |
Tango: Zero Hour |
| Pink Floyd |
Atom Heart Mother |
| Police, The |
Outlandos D’Amour |
| Ponty, Jean Luc |
Imaginary Voyage |
| Porcupine Tree |
In Absentia |
| Presley, Elvis |
|
| Pretenders, The |
|
| Prine, John |
|
| Queen |
|
| Rachmaninoff, Sergei |
|
| Radiohead |
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| Rafferty, Gerry |
|
| Raitt, Bonnie |
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| Rak, Stepan |
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| Red Hot Chili Peppers, The |
|
| Robinson, Smokey |
|
| Rodrigo, Joaquin |
Concierto de Aranjuez |
| Rodriguez, Sixto |
Coming from Reality |
| Roe, Michael |
The Boat Ashore |
| Rolling Stones, The |
Their Satanic Majesties Request |
| Ronstadt, Linda |
Winter Light |
| Roxy Music |
Siren |
| Rundgren, Todd |
Todd Rundgren’s Utopia |
| Sade |
Love Deluxe |
| Santana, Carlos |
Moonflower |
| Satie, Erik |
Satie: Piano Works |
| Scofield, John |
Uberjam |
| Seal |
Human Being |
| Sexsmith, Ron |
Retriever |
| Sheeran, Ed |
X |
| Silver, Horace |
Song for My Father |
| Simon, Carly |
Boys in the Trees |
| Simon, Paul |
You’re the One |
| Simone, Nina |
In Concert 1964 |
| Simple Minds |
Once Upon a Time |
| Sinatra, Frank |
In the Wee Small Hours |
| Sly Stone |
Greatest Hits 1970 |
| Soft Machine |
Softs |
| Spektor, Regina |
Far |
| Split Enz |
Mental Notes |
| Springsteen, Bruce |
Darkness on the Edge of Town |
| Squeeze |
Argy Bargy |
| Steely Dan |
Can’t Buy a Thrill |
| Steppenwolf |
Steppenwolf 7 |
| Stern, Mike |
Voices |
| Stevens, Cat |
Catch Bull at Four |
| Stewart, Al |
Time Passages |
| Stills, Stephen |
Stephen Stills |
| Sting |
Dream of the Blue Turtles |
| Stivell, Alan |
Master Serie |
| Strawbs |
Ghosts |
| Supertramp |
Crime of the Century |
| Sweet, Matthew |
Girlfriend |
| Talk Talk |
The Color of Spring |
| Talking Heads, The |
Talking Heads ‘77 |
| Taylor, James |
JT |
| Tchaikovsky, Pyotr Ilyich |
Symphony No. 6 (The Pathetique) |
| Tears for Fears |
Songs from the Big Chair |
| Ten Years After |
A Space in Time |
| Thompson, Richard |
Daring Adventures |
| Tomita, Isao |
Pictures at an Exibition |
| Tonic |
Lemon Parade |
| Tortoise |
TNT |
| Tower of Power |
Back to Oakland |
| Townshend, Peter |
Empty Glass |
| Traffic |
When the Eagle Flies |
| Traore, Boubacar |
Kar Kar |
| Travis |
The Man Who |
| Turtles, The |
Save the Turtles |
| U2 |
War |
| Valdy |
See How the Years Have Gone By |
| Vanelli, Gino |
Storm at Sunup |
| Vaughan, Stevie Ray |
Texas Flood |
| Vivaldi, Antonio |
The Four Seasons |
| Waits, Tom |
Closing Time |
| Weather Report |
Heavy Weather |
| Webb, Jimmy |
Ten Easy Pieces |
| Webber, Andrew Lloyd |
Jesus Christ Superstar: The Original Studio Cast |
| Weber, Stuart |
Under the Big Sky |
| Weepies, The |
Happiness |
| Whitacre, Eric |
Whitacre: Cloudburst, Sleep,Lux aurumque & Other Choral Works |
| Who, The |
Quadrophenia |
| Williams, Dar |
The Honesty Room |
| Williams, John (the guitarist) |
The Guitar Master |
| Winwood, Steve |
Arc of a Diver |
| Wishbone Ash |
Wishbone Four |
| Wonder, Stevie |
Inner Visions |
| Xtc |
Drums and Wires |
| Yes |
The Yes Album |
| Young the Giant |
Young the Giant |
| Young, Neil |
Comes a Time |
| Zappa, Frank |
Hot Rats |
| Zero 7 |
When it Falls |
| Zevon, Warren |
Excitable Boy |
| Zombies, The |
Still Got That Hunger |
| Zutons, The |
Who Killed the Zutons? |
| ZZ Top |
Fandango! |