I don't believe in owning records just because the community thinks everyone should have one in their collection. That said, I have found some new artists/music from these list that I like, and others I have been disappointed with. From your list I have the Getz/Gilberto, Fleetwood Mac, Led Zeppelin & Pink Floyd. With the exception of Getz/Gilberto, I bought all of the others brand new when they came out decades ago (yes I'm old).
I love that you have recommended the best audio versions of the classics! I'm trying to backtrack and pick up some of the classic albums so this is really helpful!
Very good list of essentials. I would add Public Enemy “It Takes A Million”, Kate Bush “Hounds of Love”, Frank Sinatra “Songs For Swinging Lovers”, Steely Dan “Aja”, Pantera “Far Beyond Driven”, Johnny Cash “Fabulous Johnny Cash”, & Jackson Five “Greatest Hits”. Also, no collection is complete without Miles Davis “Kind of Blue”.
No joke, we have almost identical takes related to what records are essential owns. I showed this to my girlfriend and she laughed out loud because she knows my musical taste better than anyone. Well done.
Agreed on all the ones I know on this list. Keen to plug some gaps too, but my guy: you either forgot Talk Talk's Spirit of Eden, or you just haven't heard it yet!
I’m familiar with most of these albums but the only ones I have are ok computer and mezzanine. I guess it just comes down to personal taste lol. Some albums I would put on my own list would be illmatic, remain in light, is this it, the stone roses, and loveless now that it’s got a brand new reissue
this guys enthusiasm makes me want to go play a record, I dig that. there is an essential question , what kind of collection do you want? I would answer to buy only what you desire to play often. Having essential albums needed for a complete collection is only for investment quality collections, in my opinion. where one hires professional buying advisors, like any other investment . What good is owning an album that you don't care about? just because it is considered important, means nothing . believe me, you will get enough duds just trying to buy stuff you think you will like. This is not to dispute the choices made here. As a matter of fact, I own a few of the selections, and some I need to get.
you were so correct on the Fleetwood mac rumors album. The song "you make loving fun" has brought me to tears because of makes me think of my wife and my mom a lot. I got a orifial press copy for 8 bucks. I love that album.
Headhunters herbie hancock, john barleycorn must die traffic, american beauty grateful dead.... even if you dont like the dead that album is a masterpiece
Another expert on RU-vid conceptualizing played to death albums by Pink Floyd, Beatles, Beach Boys, Bob Dylan, David Bowie, Fleetwood Mac, Kendrick Lamar, Neutral Milk Hotel, Massive Attack, Kanye, Nirvana, Zep, Tears For Fears etc. Heavy!
Here's my version of the essential Top 10 .... 1. Abbey Road (Beatles) 2. Led Zeppelin IV (Led Zeppelin) 3. Hotel California (Eagles) 4. Who's Next (The Who) 5. Rumours (Fleetwood Mac) 6. The Stranger (Billy Joel) 7. Machine Head (Deep Purple) 8. Disraeli Gears (Cream) 9. The Dark Side Of The Moon (Pink Floyd) 10. Deja Vu (Crosby Stills Nash & Young)
Solid records, especially Exile, but I think the Stones' strength is in their discography, not a specific album. Every record has filler, IMO. Lots of great tracks throughout though.
Love hearing you just talk about music man. Really enjoyed this video and would agree that all of these are essentials. Have to say the only one I’ve never heard of is Songbird. About to change that
@@TooManyRecords holy shit man. Field of flowers by Sting is one of my all time faves, but her cover is stunning. What an opener. I gotta look into her a little more because I’m confused on the time period. The production quality is INCREDIBLE
Ziggy is his only truly great Bowie album, in my opinion. Let's Dance was cool. I hate Americans with Trent Reznor was interested. Black Star is such an unlistenable bummer of an album. Its not catchy at all. It's just not good, at all. If it wasn't Bowie's Swanding nobody would give it all the hype it doesn't deserve.
I dig the list and have a few of them that definitely fall into my essentials too. I would throw in a bid for Tribe Called Quest’s Midnight Marauders and Fugees - The Score. Mostly buy jazz and Brazilian but if anyone’s trying to get in there I’d throw these: Definitely agree with your choices. Some of my essentials are: ※ Nina Simone - Little Girl Blue ※ Miles Davis - Kind of Blue ※ Chet Baker - Chet Baker Sings ※ John Coltrane - Blue Train ※ Gal Costa - (1969 Self-titled) ※ Idealism - Growth (okay not jazz but you need lofi right so that’s probably a great start)
I guess some of the first albums I bought where must have because you pick out your favorites at first usually. Pink Floyd-Dark Side of the Moon,AC/DC-Back in Black, Metallica-Master of Puppets, all Black Sabbath albums, Led Zeppelin 2, I know everybody loves 4 but in my opinion it doesn’t get and better than Zeppelin 2.
Totally agree with Billie Eilish, it's a sort of shouldn't like but do like, but as you say it's amazingly produced and not what I expected for a US teen girl singer. Awesome. Again, not my usual stuff (1970/80 rock/metal) I reckon Tracy Chapman ST is worthy of any must have list, beautiful vocals, musicianship and the original pressing sounds simply awesome. Thanks for the channel, love it 🤘
Of course, "essential" is based on the type of collection that you want to build. For a comedy collection like mine, the list is entirely different and would (if I made the list) include acts like Weird Al Yankovic, Bob Newhart, Spike Jones and Monty Python. Oh, and my score on your list is 2. I have both Songs From The Big Chair and Dark Side of the Moon, but on CD.
@@tylersquanto8938 I've almost got a complete TMBG collection (my copy of BOOK is on its way to me right now, and there are only a couple others I'm missing), I'm building my Zappa collection, but haven't started with Ween at all yet.
Steve Martin, George Carlin, Richard Pryor, Edddie Murphy, Cheech and Chong and early Bill Cosby as well. And let's not forget Sam Kinison and The Diceman.
I LOVE that you picked the top 2 albums from 1966. Blond On Blond was the number one album the day I was born. There is not one single song I can think of that doesn't get daily radio airplay. I've literally never heard an album that solid. The Cars debut comes close. You need to see the Sound City documentary. It goes into the Rumours recording in depth. Spoiler: I'm glad Dave Grohl now owns the board Rumours and so many other great albums were recorded on that board.
I am a fairly new collector and I only have one on this list: Billie Ellish- When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? Really great record that sounds awesome. Great list! I will have to work on acquiring some of these others as well.
Listen online before you buy. If you dont like 90 percent of the songs on any album I suggest not buying Vinyl is so expensive now, only buy what you really really really love. Stream the so-so I kinda like it stuff.
Own quite a few of these. I would add Crowded House’s self titled first album to this list. Everyone knows “Don’t Dream It’s Over”, but that might be one of the weakest of the bunch. Every other song is unique and excellent. “I Walk Away” might be the best break-up songs ever recorded.
You seem to have forgotten Visions by Grimes, DREI by Emika and Jon Hopkins, Immunity!! And I was also surprised with no surprises on Ok Computer :) :)
as a 71er baby, hip hop, r&b, acid jazz, funk soul HOUSE head, i like to own every essential here, except of the psycho lp's and mr. dylan. though led zeppelin IV must be cool, 'cause it's a 71er, even i'm not rocked. but to be honest, i'm too deep into 12"vinyl singles, with all kinds of delicious fat instrumental groovy dubby spacy remixes, that i wanna blend together as my musical journey. ---> therefore, all my mkII's, styluses/needles, the mixer, and speakers need to be renewed/repaired. that means there has to be CA$H flow too. for me it's al about the club mixes, and it's gotta be mo' underground. your essentials are almost all 'mainstream'. not all, but almost. in all recommendations i watched from different people on youtube, nobody praises the latest works of louie vega and friends on 'EXPANSIONS IN THE NYC'. it seems like the citizens of the states don't know how to dance 2 real music.
Seems to be a bit of a gap in your list soul/RnB/Funk. I'd reccomend every collection have Marvin Gaye - What's Going On, James Brown - Live at the Apollo 62, D'Angello - Voodoo, Janet Jackson - Control.
Hmmm. I got around 15K vinyl records, plus too many CDs. I own none of these records on that list. But there's one I've been considering for a few years, just not a high priority. There's nothing objective about those music essential lists, but they can be fun.
Interesting eclectic selection. I do have a couple of the older albums on vinyl (Beatles, Bowie, Tears for fears, Zombies, Led Zep), and the more recent albums on cd (Sufjan, Nirvana, Radiohead). I do not like hiphop so these are not essential for me. The Beach boys, Fleetwood Mac and Pink Floyd albums are heavily overrated, i can’t stand listening to those. Essentials missing in your list are Stevie Wonder, Jimi Hendrix, Bob Marley, John Coltrane, Stones, Doors, Neil Young, Zappa but also Tom Waits, Japan, Afghan whigs, Mark Lanegan, Nick Cave, PJ Harvey, Tindersticks, definitely worth checking out.
Enjoyed the list! I have most of these (not the Billie Eilish) and I share your enthusiasm for Tears for Fears, but isn't 1985 a bit late for "New Wave?" I'd just call it '80s power pop. And "Pet Sounds" is also pure pop (for Now People), a long way from "psychedelic" (in the "Nuggets"/Zombies/13th Floor Elevators sense). But, you know, genre labels. What're you gonna do? I'd take a hard pass only on Fleetwood Mac and Kanye (now Ye?), but for entirely different reasons: In the former case, I've just been so overexposed to that music from years of relentless radio play that I never need to hear any of it again; in the latter, well, the music aside, he defends Hitler. That's a deal-breaker for me -- though I realize he wasn't so deeply into his own sick, twisted hatred when he made that record and you made this video.
How do I tell if my rumors is a palace. Version like you suggested. I have most of what you suggested Except kanye. I don’t care for him at all. I need biggies. Album. And zombies. Animals is my all time favorite Floyd album
@@MuzikJunky I disagree. "Sinnerman", for example, is a song anyone can immediately connect with. It's a tour-de-force musical journey that you can't help but feel in your bones. The passion and comping rhythms stir an intense emotional response in everyone who listens to it.
Surely the essential 20 is everyone's favourite 20 albums? I personally got into this hobby as I liked to physically own my music, it's a great list, but to those starting out I would start buy buying the albums most dear to you.
I never grasped the concept of buying "essential" albums, just because some musical authority tells you should own it. The same 20-30 titles appear on these lists over and over. I agree, just collect what you like.
@@lenwennerberg1631 Couldn't agree more. I've listened to a good amount of his list here. The albums people claim are masterpieces really aren't most of the time. OK Computer was alright, not a masterpiece, it lacks way too much to be praised as much as it is. As far as Hip Hop is concerned Kanye is a great producer but My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy isn't even his best work and compared to some of the best the genre has to offer Kanye isn't even at the top.
Yeah definitely, screw buying albums I don't love. That's just a waste of money and space in my house. I'm only ever going to buy albums I already know I love, no blind buys, no artists I won't regularly want to listen to.
Came here to comment just that. I'd never pick up and listen to most of these albums. it's one of the things I never understood. "You NEED to own this" , nah you don't :D
@@cookiesontoast9981I agree somewhat. I buy albums and artists I know I will want to listen to. But if cheap say in a second hand shop it can be fun to get something you might not know or only know a bit off and if you like it keep and discover something and if not, no need to keep it and it can go.
I'm gonna say Miles Davis - Kind of Blue, Paul Simon - Graceland or Still Crazy After All These Years, Neil Young - Harvest, George Harrison - All Things Must Pass. Cool list anyway. 👏🙌🤟
I have about half your records in some form or another. My Essential 20 albums in no order: Simon and Garfunkel - Bridge Over Troubled Water Deep Purple - Machine Head Genesis - Abacab Rush - Moving Pictures Pink Floyd - Wish You Were Here Black Sabbath - Paranoid Beastie Boys - License To Ill John Prine Debut The Doors - The Soft Parade Sex Pistols - Never Mind The Bollocks Violent Femmes Debut The The - Soul Mining Raspberries - Starting Over The Sweet - Desolation Blvd Peter Gabriel - So Depeche Mode - Violator King Crimson - In The Court Of The Crimson King Beatles - White Album The Cars Debut Metallica - Kill Em All
I’m so happy you included Eva Cassidy. Her voice gives me goosebumps. If you ever get the chance, please pick up her live album Nightbird. It was recorded at the Blues Alley Club in Washington DC in January 1996. She passed away in November of that year. It is heartbreaking to listen to, but captivating & stunning also. She was so incredible!!
Records I have Dark Side... Abbey Road/ZiggyStardust...Rumours. I think other essentials are Elvis at Sun Records. Take 5 by Brubeck The Nice Thoughts of Emerlist Davjack Close to the Edge by Yes. On The Court of the Crimson King. Lynerd Skynerd. Allan Brothers Live Fillmore. Kraftwerk Man Machine.
Awesome list Matt! I only own Illinoise, OK Computer, When We All Fall Asleep Where Do We Go?, In the Aeroplane Over the Sea, and Rumours, but I agree the rest of the records you mention are absolutely worth owning; I just haven’t gotten around to picking them up yet haha
Great list! Odessey And Oracle is definitely a favorite of mine. I love that Getz/Gilberto album and had no idea that it came out on Mobile Fidelity. Nice. 🤩 I still need Nirvana's Unplugged album. Take care.
Cool idea. For interesting sound quality I’d add some 1950s jazz records such as Billie Holiday - Lady in Satin or Dave Brubeck - Take Five. I don’t know if it’s the placement of the microphones during recording or whatever but you can almost see the musicians in different spots in your room when you play it. I find this to be more common during that era of recording.
I need that Tears for Fears album. And I can't believe I'm a huge Billie fan and don't own her debut on vinyl. Just don't want the glow in the dark I guess and that's the only one I ever see out in the wild. If I could add one record to your list, I'd add Funeral by Arcade Fire!
I've owned a glow in the dark album, and a clear album and they sounded great. It's all about the Mastering and Press, not the color. Although picture disks sound like crap, usually.
I only have 5 some just not my thing but I’ll take some more listens. I would say Joni Mitchell blue Miles kind of blue and Herbie Hancock Headhunters Stevie Wonder key of life Without those it’s not a collection.
But why exactly do I need them? I listened to most of these and honestly the music is crap, dull and boring. Shouldn't I just buy whatever I'm into instead of owning "essential" records?
Hey friend! Certainly not -- these are simply my recommendations on my channel where I've been sharing my thoughts for eight years! You are free to ignore them or dislike them (and not buy them) -- but if you're looking for recommendations, my hope is that this list is a great starting place. There's a very wide spread of genres on here, so to say they're all "crap, dull, and boring" is either pointlessly edgy on the internet or says leagues more about your music taste than mine. Cheers!
Since we had much common ground I am willing to look for some of the others I am not familiar with. I think "Let It Bleed" and "Who's Next" are two essentials. And my favorite Pink Floyd is "Meddle". "Echoes" (side 2) is a beautiful, slightly cloudy late afternoon fall day at Conant Park in Hillside NJ, 1969, friends and "our heads in the clouds."
Watch the Pink Floyd Live In Pompeii "concert" movie on RU-vid. They perform the Meddle album, and shows the beginnings of Dark Side. Really cool. I dunno why there is no official Sountrack from that movie, its stellar. I've watched it many many many times. Smoke a bowl and watch it, trust me people...
I just recently started with my vinyl collection and videos like this are great for me as a beginner. I think my essentials might be: Dark Side of The Moon Californication A Night at the Opera Smoke + Mirrors Crimes of the Century What’s the Story? (Morning Glory) Continuum Don’t Mess Around with Jim Parachutes Liam Gallagher MTV Unplugged
I have 14/20 1. Pink Floyd 2. The Beatles 3. The Beach Boys 4. Bob Dylan 5. David Bowie 6. Fleetwood Mac 7. Kendrick Lamar 8. Notorious B.I.G. 9. Massive Attack 10. Nirvana 11. Radiohead 12. Led Zeppelin 13. The Zombies 14. Tears For Fears
I own all of these. Props for including mezzanine. Some misses for me so you get a 12/20. I think you missed any representation of a punk/post punk record (Joy Division’s Unknown Pleasures, Talking Heads Remain in Light, The Clash’s London Calling, Television’s Marquee Moon, etc…) I would’ve included a Stones, Stevie, Black Sabbath, and/or Kinks record. Also Kind of Blue needs to be on every list, despite it’s extreme popularity and accessibility. But about the list at hand: Sufjan - not really “essential” at all Nirvana - it’s a better call just to grab Nevermind, picking Unplugged is like picking a greatest hits. Billie Eilish - Nah, I’d give it at least another decade Eva Cassidy - Nope, there are way better options in that style/genre
Tell us what you REALLY think, lol. Nothing wrong with a greatest hits package dude, however they are acoustic arrangements and contains odd covers and deep cuts, so it's not really a hits album. I'll take In Utero over Nevermind, it's just way too played out.
If you like Brazilian music - Marília Medalha - Caminhada is maybe the best recorded album I have ever heard. Even on a not great system, it will sound like she is singing and the band playing in your room. I also think Todd Rundgren's - A Wizard, A True Star is one of the most inventive, interesting, best recorded, while still being musical albums of all time. And the vinyl version is so much better than any digital one.
Hello Matt, I like everything you posted except the trip-hop or the rap but I do think the Doors should be on that list and you right about the Rumours album press at Pallas if you can find one it will blow your mind but make sure you get the 45rpm it like having Fleetwood Mac in your living room(not kidding)I would add Lana Del Ray NFR, Prince- Purple Rain, Boston- S/t, Nirvana- Never Mind. Would love to see a second half to this video.
