The Definitive 200 Albums List

[Easy Mac]

http://www.definitive200.com/200_list.php
From Amazon:

The National Association of Recording Merchandisers (NARM) and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame have put together a list of 200 albums that should be in every music collection. As NARM president Jim Donio puts it, they are "albums that have consistently excited record buyers over the years and those that have the potential for continued success based on enduring popularity.... The inevitable debate about the 200 must-own albums will underscore just how much the music and the art form mean to everyone." Take a look at the list below, presented in ranked order, and enjoy videos from a number of artists whose work made the cut. From Sgt. Pepper to We're an American Band: these are their 200 definitive albums of the rock era.

1. BEATLES – SGT. PEPPER’S LONELY HEARTS CLUB BAND
2. PINK FLOYD – DARK SIDE OF THE MOON
3. MICHAEL JACKSON – THRILLER
4. LED ZEPPELIN – LED ZEPPELIN IV
5. U2 – JOSHUA TREE
6. ROLLING STONES – EXILE ON MAIN ST.
7. CAROLE KING – TAPESTRY
8. BOB DYLAN – HIGHWAY 61 REVISITED
9. BEACH BOYS – PET SOUNDS
10. NIRVANA – NEVERMIND
11. PEARL JAM – TEN
12. BEATLES – ABBEY ROAD
13. SANTANA – SUPERNATURAL
14. METALLICA – METALLICA
15. BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN – BORN TO RUN
16. PRINCE – PURPLE RAIN
17. AC/DC – BACK IN BLACK
18. ROLLING STONES – LET IT BLEED
19. DOORS – DOORS
20. GRATEFUL DEAD – AMERICAN BEAUTY
21. SHANIA TWAIN – COME ON OVER
22. WHO – WHO’S NEXT
23. STEVIE WONDER – SONGS IN THE KEY OF LIFE
24. FLEETWOOD MAC – RUMOURS
25. PINK FLOYD – THE WALL
26. ALANIS MORISSETTE – JAGGED LITTLE PILL
27. NORAH JONES – COME AWAY WITH ME
28. EMINEM – MARSHALL MATHERS LP
29. OUTKAST – SPEAKERBOXX-LOVE BELOW
30. DR. DRE – THE CHRONIC
31. BEASTIE BOYS – LICENSED TO ILL
32. GUNS ‘N ROSES –APPETITE FOR DESTRUCTION
33. DIXIE CHICKS – WIDE OPEN SPACES
34. MILES DAVIS – KIND OF BLUE
35. EAGLES – HOTEL CALIFORNIA
36. DEF LEPPARD – HYSTERIA
37. SOUNDTRACK – GREASE
38. MARVIN GAYE – WHAT’S GOING ON
39. BEATLES – WHITE ALBUM
40. SOUNDTRACK – SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER
41. JIMI HENDRIX – ARE YOU EXPERIENCED?
42. BEATLES – REVOLVER
43. BOSTON – BOSTON
44. BON JOVI – SLIPPERY WHEN WET
45. U2 – ACHTUNG BABY
46. WHITNEY HOUSTON – WHITNEY HOUSTON
47. LED ZEPPELIN – LED ZEPPELIN II
48. DAVE MATTHEWS BAND – CRASH
49. ROLLING STONES – STICKY FINGERS
50. GREEN DAY – DOOKIE
51. LED ZEPPELIN – HOUSES OF THE HOLY
52. JONI MITCHELL – BLUE
53. ELVIS PRESLEY – ELVIS AT SUN
54. AEROSMITH – TOYS IN THE ATTIC
55. LAURYN HILL – MISEDUCATION OF LAURYN HILL
56. BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN – BORN IN THE U.S.A.
57. 50 CENT – GET RICH OR DIE TRYIN’
58. AC/DC – HIGHWAY TO HELL
59. NOTORIOUS B.I.G. – LIFE AFTER DEATH
60. VAN HALEN – VAN HALEN
61. GREEN DAY – AMERICAN IDIOT
62. BLACK SABBATH – PARANOID
63. EMINEM – EMINEM SHOW
64. JEWEL – PIECES OF YOU
65. COLDPLAY – RUSH OF BLOOD TO THE HEAD
66. MEATLOAF – BAT OUT OF HELL
67. USHER – CONFESSIONS
68. KID ROCK – DEVIL WITHOUT A CAUSE
69. GEORGE HARRISON – ALL THINGS MUST PASS
70. BILLY JOEL – THE STRANGER
71. EAGLES – HELL FREEZES OVER
72. VAN MORRISON – MOONDANCE
73. R.E.M. – AUTOMATIC FOR THE PEOPLE
74. PHIL COLLINS – NO JACKET REQUIRED
75. METALLICA – MASTER OF PUPPETS
76. FAITH HILL – BREATHE
77. JOHNNY CASH – AT FOLSOM PRISON
78. JOHN COLTRANE – LOVE SUPREME
79. PINK FLOYD – WISH YOU WERE HERE
80. MICHAEL JACKSON – OFF THE WALL
81. MARVIN GAYE – LET’S GET IT ON
82. BOB SEGER – NIGHT MOVES
83. PAUL SIMON – GRACELAND
84. LINKIN PARK – HYBRID THEORY
85. PRINCE – 1999
86. DEF LEPPARD – PYROMANIA
87. JANET JACKSON – CONTROL
88. RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS – BLOOD SUGAR SEX MAGIK
89. DIRE STRAITS – BROTHERS IN ARMS
90. TUPAC – ALL EYEZ ON ME
91. MATCHBOX TWENTY – YOURSELF OR SOMEONE LIKE YOU
92. RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS – CALIFORNICATION
93. LED ZEPPELIN – PHYSICAL GRAFFITI
94. NELLY – COUNTRY GRAMMAR
95. CREED – HUMAN CLAY
96. CLASH – LONDON CALLING
97. CELINE DION – FALLING INTO YOU
98. NEIL YOUNG – HARVEST
99. SOUNDTRACK – DIRTY DANCING
100. DIXIE CHICKS – HOME
101. TOM PETTY – FULL MOON FEVER
102. VAN HALEN – 1984
103. SOUNDTRACK – TITANIC
104. CROSBY STILLS & NASH – DÉJÀ VU
105. TLC – CRAZYSEXYCOOL
106. BECK – ODELAY
107. KENNY G – BREATHLESS
108. N.W.A. – STRAIGHT OUTTA COMPTON
109. SEX PISTOLS – NEVER MIND THE BOLLOCKS
110. BEATLES – RUBBER SOUL
111. RADIOHEAD – OK COMPUTER
112. SIMON & GARFUNKEL – BRIDGE OVER TROUBLED WATER
113. DIXIE CHICKS – FLY
114. METALLICA – ...AND JUSTICE FOR ALL
115. MICHAEL JACKSON – DANGEROUS
116. MARIAH CAREY – DAYDREAM
117. SOUNDTRACK – TOP GUN
118. ELTON JOHN – GOODBYE YELLOW BRICK ROAD
119. POLICE – SYNCHRONICITY
120. NO DOUBT – TRAGIC KINGDOM
121. ROLLING STONES – BEGGAR’S BANQUET
122. R KELLY – R
123. TOOL – LATERALUS
124. OASIS – (WHAT’S THE STORY) MORNING GLORY
125. BOB MARLEY – EXODUS
126. JOURNEY – ESCAPE
127. CHRISTINA AGUILERA – CHRISTINA AGUILERA
128. JAY-Z – THE BLUEPRINT
129. ALICIA KEYS – DIARY OF ALICIA KEYS
130. SOUNDTRACK – O BROTHER WHERE ART THOU?
131. CARS – CARS
132. ENYA – DAY WITHOUT RAIN
133. NATALIE COLE – UNFORGETTABLE WITH LOVE NATALIE COLE
134. SOUNDTRACK – FOOTLOOSE
135. LIONEL RICHIE – CAN’T SLOW DOWN
136. SARAH MCLACHLAN – SURFACING
137. BONNIE RAITT – NICK OF TIME
138. METALLICA – RIDE THE LIGHTNING
139. SHERYL CROW – TUESDAY NIGHT MUSIC CLUB
140. FRANK SINATRA – IN THE WEE SMALL HOURS
141. EARTH WIND FIRE – GRATITUDE
142. ZZ TOP – ELIMINATOR
143. WILLIE NELSON – RED HEADED STRANGER
144. JOHN LENNON – IMAGINE
145. TONI BRAXTON – TONI BRAXTON
146. ETTA JAMES – AT LAST
147. ELVIS PRESLEY – ELVIS PRESLEY
148. CAT STEVENS – TEA FOR THE TILLERMAN
149. SMASHING PUMPKINS – MELLON COLLIE & THE INFINITE SADNESS
150. DAVE BRUBECK – TIME OUT
151. JANET JACKSON – JANET
152. QUEEN – A NIGHT AT THE OPERA
153. OZZY OSBOURNE – BLIZZARD OF OZZ
154. WILL SMITH – BIG WILLIE STYLE
155. PRINCE – SIGN ‘O’ THE TIMES
156. PUBLIC ENEMY – IT TAKES A NATION OF MILLIONS TO HOLD US BACK
157. BOB DYLAN – BLOOD ON THE TRACKS
158. GEORGE MICHAEL – FAITH
159. BOYZ II MEN – COOLEYHIGHHARMONY
160. DESTINY’S CHILD – WRITING’S ON THE WALL
161. JAY-Z – BLACK ALBUM
162. AVRIL LAVIGNE – LET GO
163. FUGEES – THE SCORE
164. MADONNA – LIKE A VIRGIN
165. LED ZEPPELIN – LED ZEPPELIN
166. STEVIE RAY VAUGHN – TEXAS FLOOD
167. STONE TEMPLE PILOTS – CORE
168. ORIGINAL CAST – PHANTOM OF THE OPERA HIGHLIGHTS
169. JETHRO TULL – AQUALUNG
170. TUPAC – ME AGAINST THE WORLD
171. DAVID BOWIE – RISE AND FALL OF ZIGGY STARDUST
172. SHAKIRA – LAUNDRY SERVICE
173. SOUNDTRACK – FORREST GUMP
174. AL GREEN – CALL ME
175. CURTIS MAYFIELD – SUPERFLY
176. LIVE – THROWING COPPER
177. GEORGE BENSON – BREEZIN’
178. WHITE STRIPES – WHITE BLOOD CELLS
179. LYNYRD SKYNYRD – PRONOUNCED LEH-NERD SKIN-ERD
180. SADE – DIAMOND LIFE
181. FLEETWOOD MAC – FLEETWOOD MAC
182. PAUL MCCARTNEY & WINGS – BAND ON THE RUN
183. BEYONCE – DANGEROUSLY IN LOVE
184. ANITA BAKER – RAPTURE
185. NAS – IIIMATIC
186. BARBRA STREISAND – A STAR IS BORN
187. EARTH WIND FIRE – THAT’S THE WAY OF THE WORLD
188. ANITA BAKER – RHYTHM OF LOVE
189. JAY-Z – IN MY LIFETIME VOL 1
190. LL COOL J – MAMA SAID KNOCK YOU OUT
191. STEELY DAN – AJA
192. WILLIE NELSON – STARDUST
193. ARETHA FRANKLIN – SPARKLE
194. ANDREA BOCELLI – ANDREA
195. BOB DYLAN – BRINGING IT ALL BACK HOME
196. LUTHER VANDROSS – NEVER TOO MUCH
197. U2 – ALL THAT YOU CAN’T LEAVE BEHIND
198. RUSH – 2112
199. OUTKAST – AQUEMINI
200. GRAND FUNK RAILROAD – WE’RE AN AMERICAN BAND

52/200

[KWhit]

A Shania Twain album at 21?

[WVUFAN]

Queensryche's "Operation Mindcrime" deserves on that list.

Alanis Morissette at 26? Bleh.

[Maple Leafs]

No NIN? Sorry...

[JonInMiddleGA]

Owned/ever owned 22/200 (and that's counting a couple that are really in my wife's collection, not mine).

[Leonidas]

Pretty sad that:

Def Leppard's highest is Hysteria and not Pyromania
that Tool is on the list for Lateralus, but not Aenima
that Alicia Keys is on there for The Diary of Alicia Keys, but not for Songs in A Minor
that Live, Matchbox 20, and Creed are even on the list, but Creedance Clearwater Revival isn't
that OK Computer is only at 111
that the soundtracks for Footloose and Titanic are on the list
that Dave Brubeck's Timeout is on the list, but Pat Metheny's Offramp isn't
that there is only one Police album on the list
and
that while No Doubt is on the list, the Allman Brothers are not

[Joe Canadian]

Albums by Nelly, Creed, Dave Matthews Band, Green Day, and Usher (among others, these are just the most bizarre) are ranked higher than OK Computer... this automatically makes the list irrelevant.

As much as I didn't like Rolling Stones Top 500 albums issue, they did a much, much, much better job at making a decent list than the above.

[AlexB]

'albums that have consistently excited record buyers over the years and those that have the potential for continued success based on enduring popularity'

Which may explain Shania Twain at 21 (my 1st thought as well) and the position/inclusion of others. but if this was the criteria used, why isn't Garth Brooks on the list, given that he was the highest selling artist of a few years ago? (Not that I would include him, just sayin' based on the premise)

[Buccaneer]

Not a bad list, at least I have heard about 3/4 of them.

[Joe Canadian]

Originally Posted by Jari Rantanen's Shorts

'albums that have consistently excited record buyers over the years and those that have the potential for continued success based on enduring popularity'

... still has me confused as to how an album by Nelly (or Linkin Park or a bunch of others) beat out albums by R.E.M, The Beatles, John Lennon, Elton John, Queen, Bob Dylan, etc., etc.

The more I look at this list, the more I am convinced that it is beyond horrible. Yeah, it got a whole bunch right, but when Country Grammer in at number 94 of a list of the 200 must-own albums of the rock-era it makes the whole list useless.

[ISiddiqui]

Interesting that "White Blood Cells" by the White Stripes makes the list, but "Elephant" doesn't.

[Easy Mac]

So they're having a contest where you can win all 200 albums. According to the rules, the winner gets the following:

4. Prizes: (1) Grand Prize- One set of 200 compact discs that comprise the Definitive 200 albums as based on the Definitve 200 list found on www.definitive200.com, ARV $2,000.

So each album is worth only $10? Then why is the MSRP is $19 for almost all of them?

[molson]

I love how people seem to think these lists were somehow intended to reflect their own personal preferences, and are thus "wrong".

[Hammer]

Definately Maybe by Oasis doesn't make the top 200. Should have been top 10 surely!?

[Hammer]

Originally Posted by molson

I love how people seem to think these lists were somehow intended to reflect their own personal preferences, and are thus "wrong".

I think the list would vary a fair bit depending on what country it was based in. Robbie Williams is huge where I come from, but he doesn't even make this list either.

[Joe Canadian]

Originally Posted by molson

I love how people seem to think these lists were somehow intended to reflect their own personal preferences, and are thus "wrong".

Assuming I am one of the people you are talking about... the point of my posts wasn't to say that the list was useless because it doesn't exactly mirror my tastes. It's that, based on the criteria of most of these type of lists, and the criteria that this one specifically mentions, this list doesn't make much sense to me.

I'm not the world's biggest Queen fan, Opera probably wouldn't come near getting to my Top 100... but to put an album by Nelly ahead of it? C'mon, who are they trying to kid.

[Buccaneer]

I'm not the world's biggest Queen fan, Opera probably wouldn't come near getting to my Top 100

Or even a Queen's fan because Opera is not only their best but clearly belongs on any top 100 list. So there.

[Groundhog]

OK, so Linkin Park beat Radiohead's OK Computer.

I think that pretty much works as a universal qualifier on which "Top 100/200/whatever albums" lists to classify as garbage.

[Pyser]

Originally Posted by Hammer

Definately Maybe by Oasis doesn't make the top 200. Should have been top 10 surely!?

noel gallagher is in complete agreement with you. he is still baffled at how much more successful (WTS)MG was than DM.

Dont even get him started on Be Here Now.

[miked]

Live at Wembley, not there. No Bjork. One Radiohead at 111? No Paul's Boutique. Eh, there's a lot there, but I guess there's never a list everyone will agree with. One thing's for sure, a lot of weight was placed on sales.

[Easy Mac]

Originally Posted by miked

One thing's for sure, a lot of weight was placed on sales.

The National Association of Recording Merchandisers (NARM)

[tanglewood]

75/200

But yeah, it's a pretty awful list IMHO.

[Abe Sargent]

Embarassment Dusty in Mephis didn't chart. Embarassment.


edit: It was ranked #89 by Rolling Stone in their list

it was ranked #3 by Rolling Stone for greatest female artist albums of all time.

#58 on VH1's list of greatest albums.


Shameful that it didn;t even chart here.