album of the year list

a friend challenged me a few months ago to come up with a greatest album of the year list starting with the year that rock n' roll was born (1955). it took a while, but i finally settled on the following. the albums are either the best, my favorite, or the quintessential album for each year. i hope the album list is final, but i reserve the right to make changes at a later time where i deem necessary. btw, the list ends in 2001 because i haven't felt enough worthwhile music has been made in recent years to warrant continuing the list on a yearly basis. feel free to send me your own list and we can discuss the differences.


1955: miles davis -- 'round about midnight
1956: elvis presley -- elvis presley
1957: john coltrane -- blue train
1958: buddy holly -- buddy holly
1959: miles davis -- kind of blue
1960: john coltrane -- giant steps
1961: miles davis -- steamin'
1962: ray charles -- modern sounds in country western music
1963: bob dylan -- the freewheelin' bob dylan
1964: john coltrane -- a love supreme
1965: bob dylan -- highway 61 revisited
1966: beatles -- revolver
1967: jimi hendrix -- are you experienced?
1968: jimi hendrix -- electric ladyland
1969: beatles -- abbey road
1970: john lennon -- plastic ono band
1971: led zeppelin -- IV (zoso)
1972: david bowie -- the rise and fall of ziggy stardust
1973: the who -- quadrophenia
1974: queen -- sheer heart attack
1975: brian eno -- another green world
1976: stevie wonder -- songs in the key of life
1977: kraftwerk -- trans-europe express
1978: van halen -- van halen I
1979: pink floyd -- the wall
1980: ac/dc -- back in black
1981: king crimson -- discipline
1982: michael jackson -- thriller
1983: stevie ray vaughan -- texas flood
1984: prince -- purple rain
1985: john fogerty -- centerfield
1986: metallica -- master of puppets
1987: guns n' roses -- appetite for destruction
1988: r.e.m. -- green
1989: joe satriani -- flying in a blue dream
1990: pantera -- cowboys from hell
1991: u2 -- achtung, baby
1992: rage against the machine -- rage against the machine
1993: smashing pumpkins -- siamese dream
1994: nine inch nails -- the downward spiral
1995: smashing pumpkins -- mellon collie and the infinite sadness
1996: 2pac -- all eyez on me
1997: u2 -- pop
1998: tori amos -- from the choirgirl hotel