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.


BEATLES – SGT. PEPPER’S LONELY HEARTS CLUB BAND
PINK FLOYD – DARK SIDE OF THE MOON
MICHAEL JACKSON – THRILLER
LED ZEPPELIN – LED ZEPPELIN IV
U2 – JOSHUA TREE
ROLLING STONES – EXILE ON MAIN ST.
CAROLE KING – TAPESTRY
BOB DYLAN – HIGHWAY 61 REVISITED
BEACH BOYS – PET SOUNDS
NIRVANA – NEVERMIND
PEARL JAM – TEN
BEATLES – ABBEY ROAD
SANTANA – SUPERNATURAL
METALLICA – METALLICA
BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN – BORN TO RUN
PRINCE – PURPLE RAIN
AC/DC – BACK IN BLACK
ROLLING STONES – LET IT BLEED
DOORS – DOORS
GRATEFUL DEAD – AMERICAN BEAUTY
SHANIA TWAIN – COME ON OVER
WHO – WHO’S NEXT
STEVIE WONDER – SONGS IN THE KEY OF LIFE
FLEETWOOD MAC – RUMOURS
PINK FLOYD – THE WALL
ALANIS MORISSETTE – JAGGED LITTLE PILL
NORAH JONES – COME AWAY WITH ME
EMINEM – MARSHALL MATHERS LP
OUTKAST – SPEAKERBOXX-LOVE BELOW
DR. DRE – THE CHRONIC
BEASTIE BOYS – LICENSED TO ILL
GUNS ‘N ROSES –APPETITE FOR DESTRUCTION
DIXIE CHICKS – WIDE OPEN SPACES
MILES DAVIS – KIND OF BLUE
EAGLES – HOTEL CALIFORNIA
DEF LEPPARD – HYSTERIA
SOUNDTRACK – GREASE
MARVIN GAYE – WHAT’S GOING ON
BEATLES – WHITE ALBUM
SOUNDTRACK – SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER
JIMI HENDRIX – ARE YOU EXPERIENCED?
BEATLES – REVOLVER
BOSTON – BOSTON
BON JOVI – SLIPPERY WHEN WET
U2 – ACHTUNG BABY
WHITNEY HOUSTON – WHITNEY HOUSTON
LED ZEPPELIN – LED ZEPPELIN II
DAVE MATTHEWS BAND – CRASH
ROLLING STONES – STICKY FINGERS
GREEN DAY – DOOKIE
LED ZEPPELIN – HOUSES OF THE HOLY
JONI MITCHELL – BLUE
ELVIS PRESLEY – ELVIS AT SUN
AEROSMITH – TOYS IN THE ATTIC
LAURYN HILL – MISEDUCATION OF LAURYN HILL
BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN – BORN IN THE U.S.A.
50 CENT – GET RICH OR DIE TRYIN’
AC/DC – HIGHWAY TO HELL
NOTORIOUS B.I.G. – LIFE AFTER DEATH
VAN HALEN – VAN HALEN
GREEN DAY – AMERICAN IDIOT
BLACK SABBATH – PARANOID
EMINEM – EMINEM SHOW
JEWEL – PIECES OF YOU
COLDPLAY – RUSH OF BLOOD TO THE HEAD
MEATLOAF – BAT OUT OF HELL
USHER – CONFESSIONS
KID ROCK – DEVIL WITHOUT A CAUSE
GEORGE HARRISON – ALL THINGS MUST PASS
BILLY JOEL – THE STRANGER
EAGLES – HELL FREEZES OVER
VAN MORRISON – MOONDANCE
R.E.M. – AUTOMATIC FOR THE PEOPLE
PHIL COLLINS – NO JACKET REQUIRED
METALLICA – MASTER OF PUPPETS
FAITH HILL – BREATHE
JOHNNY CASH – AT FOLSOM PRISON
JOHN COLTRANE – LOVE SUPREME
PINK FLOYD – WISH YOU WERE HERE
MICHAEL JACKSON – OFF THE WALL
MARVIN GAYE – LET’S GET IT ON
BOB SEGER – NIGHT MOVES
PAUL SIMON – GRACELAND
LINKIN PARK – HYBRID THEORY
PRINCE – 1999
DEF LEPPARD – PYROMANIA
JANET JACKSON – CONTROL
RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS – BLOOD SUGAR SEX MAGIK
DIRE STRAITS – BROTHERS IN ARMS
TUPAC – ALL EYEZ ON ME
MATCHBOX TWENTY – YOURSELF OR SOMEONE LIKE YOU
RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS – CALIFORNICATION
LED ZEPPELIN – PHYSICAL GRAFFITI
NELLY – COUNTRY GRAMMAR
CREED – HUMAN CLAY
CLASH – LONDON CALLING
CELINE DION – FALLING INTO YOU
NEIL YOUNG – HARVEST
SOUNDTRACK – DIRTY DANCING
DIXIE CHICKS – HOME
TOM PETTY – FULL MOON FEVER
VAN HALEN – 1984
SOUNDTRACK – TITANIC
CROSBY STILLS & NASH – DÉJÀ VU
TLC – CRAZYSEXYCOOL
BECK – ODELAY
KENNY G – BREATHLESS
N.W.A. – STRAIGHT OUTTA COMPTON
SEX PISTOLS – NEVER MIND THE BOLLOCKS
BEATLES – RUBBER SOUL
RADIOHEAD – OK COMPUTER
SIMON & GARFUNKEL – BRIDGE OVER TROUBLED WATER
DIXIE CHICKS – FLY
METALLICA – ...AND JUSTICE FOR ALL
MICHAEL JACKSON – DANGEROUS
MARIAH CAREY – DAYDREAM
SOUNDTRACK – TOP GUN
ELTON JOHN – GOODBYE YELLOW BRICK ROAD
POLICE – SYNCHRONICITY
NO DOUBT – TRAGIC KINGDOM
ROLLING STONES – BEGGAR’S BANQUET
R KELLY – R
TOOL – LATERALUS
OASIS – (WHAT’S THE STORY) MORNING GLORY
BOB MARLEY – EXODUS
JOURNEY – ESCAPE
CHRISTINA AGUILERA – CHRISTINA AGUILERA
JAY-Z – THE BLUEPRINT
ALICIA KEYS – DIARY OF ALICIA KEYS
SOUNDTRACK – O BROTHER WHERE ART THOU?
CARS – CARS
ENYA – DAY WITHOUT RAIN
NATALIE COLE – UNFORGETTABLE WITH LOVE NATALIE COLE
SOUNDTRACK – FOOTLOOSE
LIONEL RICHIE – CAN’T SLOW DOWN
SARAH MCLACHLAN – SURFACING
BONNIE RAITT – NICK OF TIME
METALLICA – RIDE THE LIGHTNING
SHERYL CROW – TUESDAY NIGHT MUSIC CLUB
FRANK SINATRA – IN THE WEE SMALL HOURS
EARTH WIND FIRE – GRATITUDE
ZZ TOP – ELIMINATOR
WILLIE NELSON – RED HEADED STRANGER
JOHN LENNON – IMAGINE
TONI BRAXTON – TONI BRAXTON
ETTA JAMES – AT LAST
ELVIS PRESLEY – ELVIS PRESLEY
CAT STEVENS – TEA FOR THE TILLERMAN
SMASHING PUMPKINS – MELLON COLLIE & THE INFINITE SADNESS
DAVE BRUBECK – TIME OUT
JANET JACKSON – JANET
QUEEN – A NIGHT AT THE OPERA
OZZY OSBOURNE – BLIZZARD OF OZZ
WILL SMITH – BIG WILLIE STYLE
PRINCE – SIGN ‘O’ THE TIMES
PUBLIC ENEMY – IT TAKES A NATION OF MILLIONS TO HOLD US BACK
BOB DYLAN – BLOOD ON THE TRACKS
GEORGE MICHAEL – FAITH
BOYZ II MEN – COOLEYHIGHHARMONY
DESTINY’S CHILD – WRITING’S ON THE WALL
JAY-Z – BLACK ALBUM
AVRIL LAVIGNE – LET GO
FUGEES – THE SCORE
MADONNA – LIKE A VIRGIN
LED ZEPPELIN – LED ZEPPELIN
STEVIE RAY VAUGHN – TEXAS FLOOD
STONE TEMPLE PILOTS – CORE
ORIGINAL CAST – PHANTOM OF THE OPERA HIGHLIGHTS
JETHRO TULL – AQUALUNG
TUPAC – ME AGAINST THE WORLD
DAVID BOWIE – RISE AND FALL OF ZIGGY STARDUST
SHAKIRA – LAUNDRY SERVICE
SOUNDTRACK – FORREST GUMP
AL GREEN – CALL ME
CURTIS MAYFIELD – SUPERFLY
LIVE – THROWING COPPER
GEORGE BENSON – BREEZIN’
WHITE STRIPES – WHITE BLOOD CELLS
LYNYRD SKYNYRD – PRONOUNCED LEH-NERD SKIN-ERD
SADE – DIAMOND LIFE
FLEETWOOD MAC – FLEETWOOD MAC
PAUL MCCARTNEY & WINGS – BAND ON THE RUN
BEYONCE – DANGEROUSLY IN LOVE
ANITA BAKER – RAPTURE
NAS – IIIMATIC
BARBRA STREISAND – A STAR IS BORN
EARTH WIND FIRE – THAT’S THE WAY OF THE WORLD
ANITA BAKER – RHYTHM OF LOVE
JAY-Z – IN MY LIFETIME VOL 1
LL COOL J – MAMA SAID KNOCK YOU OUT
STEELY DAN – AJA
WILLIE NELSON – STARDUST
ARETHA FRANKLIN – SPARKLE
ANDREA BOCELLI – ANDREA
BOB DYLAN – BRINGING IT ALL BACK HOME
LUTHER VANDROSS – NEVER TOO MUCH
U2 – ALL THAT YOU CAN’T LEAVE BEHIND
RUSH – 2112
OUTKAST – AQUEMINI
GRAND FUNK RAILROAD – WE’RE AN AMERICAN BAND52/200

[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]

'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]

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]

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]

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]

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.