Music Reviews
Here is nearly every review I have written about the recorded music I have listened to in my life, sorted by year.
Below the table you will eventually find my attempt at creating definitive lists of the best rock, jazz and maybe even “classical” music I’m aware of. But this is work in progress.
How to Read This Table
You can’t take any rankings seriously from any year after 2006. In 2006 I got rid of my internet connection (and didn’t get a new one for 4 or 5 years). My only source of music news was Exclaim! and that remained somewhat true for a few years after that. Occasionally, I look at Best of lists for a given year, but I haven’t paid much attention in the last decade in particular.
But you really shouldn’t take any of the 21st century rankings seriously. I didn’t start listening to contemporary music with any kind of regularity until I was in my late teens, before that it was Oldies and Classic Rock. So the rankings prior to 2000 are significantly more definitive than the 21st century rankings.
I am an album fan and prefer albums, but the LP didn’t come around until the 1940s and wasn’t fully adopted until a decade later. So, if you are interested in what I think about popular music or jazz released prior to the 1950s, you’ll usually have to click through to the page to see my rankings of individual records, which are separate from the overall lists of albums/works.
2024 2023 2022: 1. Joe Policastro: Sounds Unheard 2. Trevor Dunn: Seances 3. The Mars Volta 4. Wilco: Cruel Country 5. South Park 25th Anniversary 6. Jazz Sabbath, Vol. 2 2021: 1. Bob’s Burgers Vol. 2 2. GY!BE: G_d’s Pee at STATE’s End! 3. Tomahawk: Tonic Immobility 4. Glutenhead: Palmerston 2020: 1. Fiona Apple: Fetch the Boltcutters 2. Guga Stroeter, Lucio Agra, Renato Soares â Computador do Amor 3. tÄtÄma: Necroscape 4. Jazz Sabbath 5. Scott the Hoople: NEIL 6. Pearl Jam: Gigaton 2019: 1. Joe Policastro: Nothing Belongs Here 2. Tool: Fear Inoculum 2018: 1. Missing Waves: Post-Crash (7/10) 2. Rabbit Rabbit: Black Inscription 2017: 1. Godspeed You! Black Emperor: âLuciferian Towersâ 2. Bobâs Burgers Music Album 3. Joe Policastro: Screen Sounds 4. Ex Eye 5. Vijay Iyer Sextet: Far From Over 6. Panzerballet: X-Mas Death Jazz 2016: 1. Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds: Skeleton Tree 2. Radiohead: A Moon Shaped Pool 3. The Dillinger Escape Plan: Dissociation 4. Joe Policastro: Pops! 5. The Bad Plus: Itâs Hard 6. Weaves 7. Free Salamander Exhibit: Undestroyed 8. Wilco: Schmilco 2015: 1. Steve Coleman & the Council of Balance: Synovial Joints 2. Vijay Iyer: Break Stuff 3. The Visit: Through Darkness Into Light 4. Mary Halvorson: Meltframe 5. Wilco: Star Wars 6. The Bad Plus Joshua Redman 7. Godspeed You! Black Emperor: âAsunder, Sweet & Other Distressâ 8. Rabbit Rabbit Radio Vol. 3 â Year of the Wooden Horse 9. Faith No More: Sol Invictus 10. Battles: La Di Da Di 2014: 1. tetema: Geocidal 2. Tinariwen: Emmaar 3. Parquet Courts: Sunbathing Animal 4. Thurston Moore: The Best Day 5. Robert Ellis: Lights from the Chemical Plant 6. Scott Walker, Sunn O))): Soused 7. Daniel Lanois: Flesh & Machine 8. Tord Gustavsen Quartet: Extended Circle 9. Beck: Morning Phase 10. John Hiatt: Terms of My Surrender 2013: 1. Hilary Hahn: In 27 Pieces: the Hilary Hahn Encores (9/10) 2. Darcy James Argueâs Secret Society: Brooklyn Babylon 3. The Dillinger Escape Plan: One of Us is the Killer 4. The Mary Halvorson Septet: Illusionary Sea 5. Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds: Push the Sky Away 6. Deafheaven: Sunbather 7. The Flaming Lips: The Terror 8. Rabbit Rabbit: Rabbit Rabbit Radio, Vol. 1 9. Julian Lynch: Lines 10. Dave Holland: Prism 2012: 1. Godspeed You! Black Emperor: âAllelujah! Donât Bend! Ascend! 1. Scott Walker: Bish Bosch 3. Fiona Apple: The Idler Wheel 4. John Zorn: The Gnostic Preludes 5. Hilary Hahn, Hauschka: Silfra 6. The Mars Volta: Nocturniquet 7. Dirty Projectors: Swing Lo Magellan 8. Jack White: Blunderbuss 9. Failure Epics 10. Weasel Walter, Mary Halvorson, Peter Evans: Mechanical Malfunction 2011: 1. PJ Harvey: Let England Shake 2. Dave Douglas & Brass Ecstasy: United Front: Brass Ecstasy Live at Newport 3. The Book of Mormon 4. Peter Gabriel: New Blood 5. Tom Waits: Bad as Me 6. Bill Frisellâs 858 Quartet: Sign of Life 7. Man Man: Life Fantastic 8. Erik Friedlander: Bonebridge 9. Esmerine: La Lechuza 10. Weasel Walter, Mary Halvorson, Peter Evans: Electric Fruit 2010: 1. The Element Choir at Rosedale United 2. Nels Cline: Dirty Baby 3. The White Stripes: Under Great White Northern Lights 4. Elvis Costello: The National Ransom 5. Peter Gabriel: Scratch My Back 6. The Claudia Quintet: Royal Toast 7. Jason Robinson: Two Faces of Janus 8. Grinderman 2 9. Bill Frisell: Beautiful Dreamers 10. theHEAD: Trojan Jazz Festival 2009: 1. Dave Douglas: Spirit Moves 1. Masada Quintet: Stolas 3. Dave Douglas: A Single Sky 4. Olga Konkova: Improvisational Four 5. The Flaming Lips: Embryonic 6. Wilco: Ashes of American Flags 7. Simard & Fabi: Dvorak, Poulenc, Grieg 8. St. Vincent: Actor 9. Dirty Projectors: Bitte Orca 10. Do Make Say Think: Other Truths 2008: 1. Bill Frisell: History, Mystery 2. Man Man: Rabbit Habbits 3. The Mars Volta: The Bedlam in Goliath 4. Christina Petrowska Quilco: Ings 5. Fred Eaglesmith: Tinderbox 6. Black Mountain: In the Future 7. Beck: Modern Guilt 8. Stephen Malkmus: Real Emotional Trash 9. Listening Part: Who Are We Missing 10. Ry Cooder: I, Flathead 2007: 1. Tomahawk: Anonymous 2. PJ Harvey: White Chalk 3. Steve Coleman: Invisible Paths 4. Erik Friedlander: Block Ice & Propane 5. Wilco: Sky Blue Sky 6. Radiohead: In Rainbows 7. The Bad Plus: Prog 8. Grinderman 9. Ry Cooder: My Name is Buddy 10. The White Stripes: Icky Thump 2006: 1. Scott Walker: The Drift 2. Joanna Newsom: Ys 3. TV On the Radio: Return to Cookie Mountain 4. Battle of Mice: A Day of Nights 5. Pearl Jam 6. Bob Dylan: Modern Times 7. Keith Jarrett: The Carnegie Hall Concert 8. Ben Goldberg: The Door, The Hat, The Chair, The Fact 9. Oliver Knussen: Requiem 10. Beck: The Information 2005: 1. Ry Cooder: Chavez Ravine 2. The Mars Volta: Frances the Mute 3. Petra Haden Sings The Who Sell Out 4. Bill Frisell: East/West 5. Bill Frisell: Richter 858 6. Konono No.1: Congotronics 7. The White Stripes: Get Behind Me Satan 8. Dave Douglas: Keystone 9. Queens of the Stone Age: Lullabies to Paralyze 10. Wilco: Kicking Television 2004: 1. Nick Cave: Abattoir Blues/The Lyre of Orpheus 2. Wilco: A Ghost is Born 3. Secret Chiefs 3: Book of Horizons 4. Bjork: Medulla 5. Trevor Dunn: Sister Phantom Owl Fish 6. Acoustic Ladyland: Camouflage 7. TV on the Radio: Desperate Youth, Bloodthirsty Babes 8. Valley of the Giants 9. Drive-By Truckers: The Dirty South 10. Iron & Wine: Our Endless Numbered Days 2003: 1. Radiohead: Hail to the Thief 2. Do Make Say Think: Winter Hymn Country Hymn Secret Hymn 3. The White Stripes: Elephant 4. Pearl Jam: Lost Dogs 5. Tomahawk: Mit Gas 6. Kid Koala: Some of My Best Friends are DJs 7. Bill Frisell: The Intercontinentals 8. Yeah Yeah Yeahs: Fever to Tell 9. Virgil Shaw: Still Falling 10. DirtyThree: She Has No Strings Apollo 2002: 1. Godspeed You! Black Emperor: Yanqui U.X.O. 2. Wilco: Yankee Hotel Foxtrot 3. Beck: Sea Change 4. Oliver Knussen: Violin Concerto 5. Sigur Ros: () 6. Augusta Read Thomas: In My Sky at Twilight 7. Do Make Say Think: & Yet & Yet 8. Tom Waits: Blood Money 9. Tom Waits: Alice 10. John Paul Jones: The Thunderthief 2001: 1. Fantomas: The Director’s Cut 2. The White Stripes: White Blood Cells 3. Bjork: Vespertine 4. Tool: Lateralus 5. Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds: No More Shall We Part 6. The Beta Band: Hot Shots II 7. Tomahawk 8. System of a Down: Toxicity 9. Andrew Birdâs Bowl of Fire: The Swimming Hour 10. Low: Things We Lost in the Fire 2000: 1. Godspeed You! Black Emperor: Lift Yr. Skinny Fists like Antennas to Heaven! 2. Pearl Jam: Binaural 3. Badly Drawn Boy: The Hour of the Bewilderbeast 4. At the Drive-In: Relationship of Command 5. Deftones: White Pony 6. Kid Koala: Carpal Tunnel Syndrome 7. Ween: White Pepper 8. Erykah Badu: Mama’s Gun 9. Queens of the Stone Age: [Rated] R 10. Joanne Brackeen: Popsicle Illusion 1999: 1. Mr. Bungle: California 2. Nigel Kennedy: The Kennedy Experience 3. Wilco: Summerteeth 4. Sigur Ros: Agaetis Byrjun 5. Fantomas 6. Bonnie âPrinceâ Billy: I See a Darkness 7. Fiona Apple: When the Pawn… 8. The Flaming Lips: The Soft Bulletin 9. The Beta Band 10. The Dismemberment Plan: Emergency & I 1998: 1. Godspeed You! Black Emperor: F#A# Infinity 2. John Zorn: The Circle Maker 3. Tortoise: TNT 4. Converge: When Forever Comes Crashing 5. PJ Harvey: Is This Desire? 6. Refused: The Shape of Punk to Come 7. The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill 8. At the Drive-In: In/Casino/Out 9. Mark Hollis 10. Secret Chiefs 3: Second Grand Constitution & By-Laws 1997: 1. Radiohead: OK Computer 2. Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds: The Boatman’s Call 3. The Flaming Lips: Zaireeka 4. Yo La Tengo: I Can Hear the Heart Beating As One 5. Bjork: Homogenic 6. Mogwai: Young Team 7. Blur 8. Built to Spill: Perfect From Now On 9. Great Jewish Music: Burt Bacharach 10. Ween: The Mollusk 1996: 1. Tortoise: Millions Now Living Will Never Die 2. Beck: Odelay 3. Neurosis: Through Silver in Blood 4. Converge: Petitioning the Empty Sky 5. The Make Up: Destination Love 6. Wilco: Being There 7. Sepultura: Roots 8. Pearl Jam: No Code 9. Dirty Three: Horse Stories 10. Neutral Milk Hotel: On Avery Island 1995: 1. Mr. Bungle: Disco Volante 2. Blind Melon: Soup 3. Whiskeytown: Faithless Street 4. Scott Walker: Tilt 5. Radiohead: The Bends 6. Meshuggah: Destroy Erase Improve 7. The Geraldine Fibbers: Lost Somewhere Between the World & My Home 8. Pavement: Wowee Zowee 9. Faith No More: King for a Day, Fool for a Lifetime 10. The Flaming Lips: The Clouds Taste Metallic 1994: 1. Masada: Alef 2. Ween: Chocolate & Cheese 3. Nas: Illmatic 4. Soundgarden: Superunknown 5. Beck: Mellow Gold 6. Pavement: Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain 7. Emperor: In the Nightside Eclipse 8. Blur: Parklife 9. Nick Cave & the Bad Sees: Let Love In 10. Bark Psychosis: Hex 1993: 1. Bill Frisell: Have a Little Faith 2. Pearl Jam: Vs. 3. Smashing Pumpkins: Siamese Dream 4. Archers of Loaf: Icky Mettle 5. PJ Harvey: Rid of Me 6. Nirvana: In Utero 7. Henry Gorecki: “Kleines Requiem fur eine Polka” 8. Blur: Modern Life is Rubbish 9. Liz Phair: Exile in Guyville 10. Bikini Kill: Pussy Whipped 1992: 1. Faith No More: Angel Dust 2. Tom Waits: Bone Machine 3. Pavement: Slanted & Enchanted 4. REM: Automatic for the People 5. Pantera: Vulgar Display of Power 6. Ministry: ÎÎΊÎÎÎÎÎ [Psalm 69] 7. GWAR: America Must Be Destroyed 8. The Jesus Lizard: Liar 9. Kyuss: Blues for the Red Sun 10. Tori Amos: Little Earthquakes 1991: 1. Slint: Spiderland 1. Talk Talk: Laughing Stock 3. Nirvana: Nevermind 4. Massive Attack: Blue Lines 5. My Bloody Valentine: Loveless 6. U2: Achtung Baby 7. Mr. Bungle 8. Atheist: Unquestionable Presence 9. Phillip Glass: String Quartet No. 5 10. Sofia Gubaidulina: “In croce” 1990: 1. Public Enemy: Fear of a Black Planet 2. A Tribe Called Quest: People’s Instinctive Travels & the Paths of Rhythm 3. Fugazi: Repeater 4. Pantera: Cowboys From Hell 5. God-Ween-Satan 6. Bathory: Hammerheart 7. Marty Ehrlich: The Traveller’s Tale 8. Ride: Nowhere 9. Slayer: Seasons in the Abyss 10. Primus: Frizzle Fry 1989: 1. Pixies: Doolittle 2. Lou Reed: New York 3. Faith No More: The Real Thing 4. The Cure: Disintegration 5. Beastie Boys: Paul’s Boutique 6. The Stone Roses 7. The Creatures: Boomerang 8. Kate Bush: The Sensual World 9. Nine Inch Nails: Pretty Hate Machine 10. Pestilence: Consuming Impulse 1988: 1. Talk Talk: Spirit of Eden 2. Pixies: Surfer Rosa 2. Sonic Youth: Daydream Nation 4. Dinosaur Jr: Bug 5. Cowboy Junkies: The Trinity Sessions 6. The Pogues: If I Should Fall From Grace with God 7. Public Enemy: It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back 8. Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds: Tender Prey 9. Living Colour: Vivid 10. NWA: Straight Outta Compton 1987: 1. Guns ‘n’ Roses: Appetite for Destruction 2. Dinosaur Jr: You’re Living All Over Me 3. Sonic Youth: Sister 4. Prince: Sign o’ the Times 5. REM: Document 6. Death: Scream Bloody Gore 7. Blind Idiot God 8. fIREHOSE: If’n 9. Big Black: Songs About Fucking 10. HĂŒsker DĂŒ: Warehouse 1986: 1. Metallica: Master of Puppets 2. Slayer: Reign in Blood 3. Ennio Morricone: The Mission 4. Run-DMC: Raising Hell 5. Candlemass: Epicus Doomicus Metallicus 6. Saccharine Trust: We Became Snakes 7. Mauricio Kagel: String Quartet III 8. Bad Brains: I Against I 9. Sonic Youth: EVOL 10. Beastie Boys: Licensed to Ill 1985: 1. The Pogues: Rum, Sodomy & the Lash 1. Possessed: Seven Churches 1. Tom Waits: Rain Dogs 4. Mekons: Fear & Whiskey 5. Celtic Frost: To Mega Therion 6. Slayer: Hell Awaits 7. HĂŒsker DĂŒ: New Day Rising 8. Oliver Knussen: Higglety Pigglety Pop! 9. The Jesus & Mary Chain: Psychocandy 10. Gothic Voices: A Feather on the Breath of God 1984: 1. Metallica: Ride the Lightning 1. Run-DMC 3. HĂŒsker DĂŒ: Zen Arcade 4. Violent Femmes: Hallowed Ground 5. Minutemen: Double Nickels on the Dime 6. Cocteau Twins: Treasure 7. REM: Reckoning 8. This is Spinal Tap 9. Meat Puppets II 10. Fat Boys 1983: 1. Metallica: Kill’em All 2. Tom Waits: Swordfishtrombones 3. Minor Threat: Out of Step 4. REM: Murmur 5. Violent Femmes 6. Minutemen: What Makes a Man Start Fires? 7. The Police: Synchronicity 8. Talking Heads: Speaking in Tongues 9. Philip Glass: Koyaanisqatsi 10. The The: Soul Mining 1982: 1. Lenny Breau: Live at Bourbon St. 1. The Dream Syndicate: The Days of Wine & Roses 1. Glenn Gould: The Goldberg Variations 1. Sofia Gubaidulina: Sieben Worte 1. Mission of Burma: Vs. 6. Kate Bush: The Dreaming 7. Iron Maiden: The Number of the Beast 8. Album: Generic Flipper 9. The Fall: Hex Enduction Hour 10. Angry Samoans: Back From Samoa 1981: 1. Glenn Branca: The Ascension 2. Henryk Gorecki: “Misere” 3. Mauricio Kagel: “Finale” 4. King Crimson: Discipline 5. Black Flag: Damaged 6. The Raincoats: Odyshape 7. David Byrne, Brian Eno: My Life in the Bush of Ghosts 8. The Birthday Party: Prayers on Fire 9. This Heat: Deceit 10. Siouxsie & the Banshees: Juju 1980: 1. Talking Heads: Remain in Light 2. David Bowie: Scary Monsters 3. Dead Kennedys: Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables 3. Joy Division: Closer 5. Bauhaus: In the Flat Field 6. Henryk Gorecki: Harpsichord Concerto 7. The Ganelin Trio: Ancora Da Capo 8. Siouxsie & the Banshees: Kaleidoscope 9. The Feelies: Crazy Rhythms 10. Motörhead: Ace of Spades 1979: 1. The Clash: London Calling 2. Joy Division: Unknown Pleasures 3. Neil Young & Crazy Horse: Rust Never Sleeps 4. Phillip Glass: Satyagraha 5. Pink Floyd: The Wall 6. Gang of Four: Entertainment! 7. Public Image Limited 8. David Bowie: Lodger 9. Motörhead: Overkill 10. James Chance & the Contortions: Buy 1978: 1. Wire: Chairs Missing 2. Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo! 3. Talking Heads: More Songs About Buildings & Food 4. Pere Ubu: Dub Housing 4. Pere Ubu: The Modern Dance 6. The Clash: Give’em Enough Rope 7. Grupo Irakere 8. Judas Priest: Stained Class 9. X-Ray Spex: Germ Free Adolescents 10: Tom Robinson Band: Power in the Darkness 1977: 1. David Bowie: Low 1. Richard Hell & the Voidoids: Blank Generation 1. Television: Marquee Moon 4. The Clash 5. David Bowie: “Heroes” 6. Damned Damned Damned 7. Wire: Pink Flag 8. Never Mind the Bollocks, Here’s the Sex Pistols 9. Van Der Graaf: The Quiet Zone/The Pleasure Dome 10. The Stranglers: No More Heroes 1976: 1. Phillip Glass: Einstein on the Beach 2. Ramones 3. David Bowie: Station to Station 4. Bob Dylan: Desire 5. The Modern Lovers 6. Joni Mitchell: Hejira 7. Jaco Pastorius 8. Rush: 2112 9. Bunny Wailer: Blackheart Man 10. Henryk Gorecki: Symphony No. 3 1975: 1. Keith Jarrett: The Koln Concert 2. Pink Floy: Wish You Were Here 2. Neil Young: Tonight’s the Night 4. Bob Dylan: Blood on the Tracks 5. Led Zeppelin: Physical Graffiti 6. Brian Eno: Another Green World 7. Neil Young & Crazy Horse: Zuma 8. Henry Gorecki: “Amen” 9. The Dictators: Go Girl Crazy! 10. Patti Smith: Horses 1974: 1. Genesis: The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway 2. Brian Eno: Here Come the Warm Jets 2. King Crimson: Red 4. Neil Young: On the Beach 5. King Crimson: Starless & Bible Black 6. Brian Eno: Taking Tiger Mountain 7. Philip Glass: “Music in 12 Parts” 8. Richard Thompson, Linda Thompson: I Want to See the Bright Lights at Night 9. Joni Mitchell: Court & Spark 10. Gil-Scott Heron, Brian Jackson: Winter in America 1973: 1. Pink Floyd: The Dark Side of the Moon 2. The Who: Quadrophenia 3. King Crimson: Larks’ Tongues in Aspic 4. Led Zeppelin: Houses of the Holy 5. David Bowie: Aladdin Sane 6. New York Dolls 7. The Stooges: Raw Power 8. Herbie Hancock: Headhunters 9. Can: Future Days 10. Lou Reed: Berlin 1972: 1. Miles Davis: On the Corner 1. The Rolling Stones: Exile on Main St. 3. Jethro Tull: Thick as a Brick 4. David Bowie: The Rise & Fall of Ziggy Stardust & the Spiders from Mars 5. Genesis: Foxtrot 6. Keith Jarrett: Facing You 7. Yes: Close to the Edge 8. Can: Ege Bamyasi 9. Klaus Schulze: Irrlicht 10. Gentle Giant: Octopus 1971: 1. Miles Davis: A Tribute to Jack Johnson 1. Led Zeppelin: [Four Symbols] 1. Sly & the Family Stone: There’s a Riot Goin’ On 4. David Bowie: Hunky Dory 5. Black Sabbath: Master of Reality 6. Gentle Giant: Acquiring the Taste 7. Can: Tago Mago 8. Philip Glass: “Music with Changing Parts” 9. Chris McGregor’s Brotherhood of Breath 10. The Mahavishnu Orchestra: The Inner Mounting Flame 1970: 1. Black Sabbath 1. Miles Davis: Bitches Brew 1. Derek & the Dominoes: Layla & Other Assorted Love Songs 1. The Who: Live at Leeds 5. Black Sabbath: Paranoid 6. Neil Young: After the Gold Rush 7. John Lennon: Plastic Ono Band 8. Led Zeppelin III 9. The Allman Brothers Band: Idlewild South 10. The Grateful Dead: American Beauty 1969: 1. The Beatles: Abbey Road 2. King Crimson: In the Court of the Crimson King 3. Neil Young & Crazy Horse: Everybody Knows This is Nowhere 4. The Allman Brothers Band 5. The Grateful Dead: Live/Dead 6. Captain Beefheart & the Magic Band: Trout Mask Replica 7. Tim Buckley: Happy Sad 8. Led Zeppelin 9. The Flying Burrito Brothers: The Gilded Palace of Sin 10. Miles Davis: In a Silent Way 1968: 1. The Beatles 2. The Velvet Underground: White Light/White Heat 2. Frank Zappa & the Mothers of Invention: We’re Only in It For the Money 4. The Band: Music from Big Pink 5. Blue Cheer: Vincebus Eruptum 6. The Soft Machine 7. The United States of America 8. Silver Apples 9. Van Morrison: Astral Weeks 10. The Jimi Hendrix Experience: Electric Ladyland 1967: 1. The Beatles: Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band 1. The Velvet Underground & Nico 1. Frank Zappa & the Mothers of Invention: Absolutely Free 4. The Doors 4. The Jimi Hendrix Experience: Are You Experienced? 4. The Jimi Hendrix Experience: Axis: Bold as Love 7. The Byrds: Younger Than Yesterday 8. Pink Floyd: The Piper at the Gates of Dawn 9. Love: Forever Changes 10. The Who Sell Out 1966: 1. The Beatles: Revolver 2. Bob Dylan: Blonde on Blonde 2. Frank Zappa & the Mothers of Invention: Freak Out! 4. Miles Smiles 5. The Beach Boys: Pet Sounds 6. Phillip Glass: String Quartet No. 1 7. The Byrds: Fifth Dimension 8. The Rolling Stones: Aftermath 9. Donovan: Sunshine Superman 10. The Blues Project: Projections 1965: 1. The Beatles: Rubber Soul 1. Bob Dylan: Highway 61 Revisited 1. John Coltrane: Ascension 4. Bob Dylan: Bringing it All Back Home 5. Alberto Ginastera: Harp Concerto 6. Wes Montgomery & the Wynton Kelly Trio: Smokin’ at the Half-Note 7. The Beatles: Help! 8. The Byrds: Mr. Tambourine Man 9. Luciano Berio: Laborintus II 10. Albert Ayler: Spirits Rejoice 1964: 1. John Coltrane: A Love Supreme 2. The Beatles: A Hard Day’s Night 3. Another Side of Bob Dylan 4. The Great Concert of Charles Mingus 5. Bob Dylan: The Times They are a Changin’ 6. Beatles For Sale 7. Herbie Hancock: Empyrean Isles 8. Sam Cooke: Ain’t That Good News 9. The Supremes: Where Did Our Love Go? 10. Bernard Herrmann: Marnie 1963: 1. The Beatles: Please Please Me 1. Charles Mingus: The Black Saint & the Sinner Lady 3. The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan 4. With the Beatles 5. Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus 6. Sandy Bull: Fantasia for Guitar & Banjo 7. Miles Davis: Seven Steps to Heaven 8. James Brown: Live at the Apollo 9. Tristan Keuris: String Quartet No. 1 10. Sam Cooke: Night Beat 1962: 1. Wes Montgomery: Full House 1. Ahmed Abdul-Malik: Sounds of Africa 3. Ray Charles: Modern Sounds in Country & Western Music 4. John Coltrane: Ole Coltrane 5. Hans Werner Henze: Symphony No. 5 6. Bill Evans, Jim Hall: Undercurrent 7. Bob Dylan 8. Ray Charles: Modern Sounds in Country & Western Music Vol. 2 9. Maurice Durufle: “Fugue sur le thĂšme du Carillon des Heures de la CathĂ©drale de Soissons” 10. The Beach Boys: Surfin’ Safari 1961: 1. John Coltrane: My Favorite Things 2. John Coltrane: Live at the Village Vanguard 3. The Music of Ahmed Abdul-Malik 3. Bill Evans: Sunday at the Village Vanguard 3. George Russell: Ezz-thetics 6. The Bill Evans Trio: Waltz for Debby 7. Eric Dolphy, Booker Little, Mal Waldron, Richard Davis, Ed Blackwell: At the Five Spot, Vol. 1 8. Miles Davis: In Person Saturday Night at the Blackhawk, San Francisco Vol. 2 9. The Gil Evans Orchestra: Out of the Cool 10. John Coltrane: Coltrane Jazz 1960: 1. John Coltrane: Giant Steps 1. Miles Davis, Gil Evans: Sketches of Spain 1. Bernard Herrmann: Psycho 4. Jimmy Smith: Back at the Chicken Shack 5. The Bill Evans Trio: The 1960 Birdland Sessions 6. Bernard Herrmann: The 3 Worlds of Gulliver Click through for singles 1959: 1. Miles Davis: Kind of Blue 2. The Dave Brubeck Quartet: Time Out 3. Ornette Coleman: The Shape of Jazz to Come 4. Charles Mingus: Mingus Ah Um 5. Chuck Berry is On Top 6. Bernard Herrmann: North by Northwest 7. Ritchie Valens 8. Jazz Portraits: Mingus in Wonderland 9. The Genius of Ray Charles Click through for the singles 1958: 1. Bo Diddley 1. Miles Davis: Milestones 3. Miles Davis, Gil Evans: Porgy & Bess 4. Buddy Holly 5. Basie 6. Bernard Herrmann: The 7th Voyage of Sinbad 7. Frank Sinatra: Come Fly with Me 8. Duane Eddy: Have Twangy Guitar, Will Travel 9. Buddy Holly: That’ll Be the Day 10. Perry Como: Saturday Night with Mr. C. Click through for singles 1957: 1. Here’s Little Richard 2. Chuck Berry: After School Session 3. Thelonius Monk: Monk’s Music 4. Charles Mingus: The Clown 5. Miles Davis: ‘Round About Midnight 6. John Coltrane: Blue Train 7. Miles Davis: Miles Ahead 8. Thelonius Monk Quartet with John Coltrane 9. Dizzy Gillespie at Newport 10. The Chirping Crickets Click through for singles 1956: 1. Elvis Presley 2. Charles Mingus: Pithecanthropus Erectus 3. Gene Vincent & His Blue Caps: Bluejean Bop! 4. Mingus at the Bohemia 5. Ellington Live at Newport 6. Dizzy Gillespie: Birks’ Works 7. Elvis 8. Johnny Smith: Moonlight in Vermont 9. Harry Belafonte: Calypso 10. The New Miles Davis Quintet Click through for singles 1955: 1. Glenn Gould: The Goldberg Variations 2. Lee Knotiz: Subconscious-Lee 3. Errol Garner: Concert by the Sea 4. The Eminent JJ Johnson Vol. 2 5. Hans Werner Henze: Symphony No. 4 6. Aaron Copland: “Canticle of Freedom” 7. Andres Segovia: Bach; Villa-Lobos; Castelnuovo-Tedesco; Granados 8. Glenn Gould: String Quartet 9. Bernard Herrmann: The Trouble with Harry 10. Bernard Herrmann: Prince of Players suite Click through for singles 1954: 1. Rock with Bill Haley & the Comets 2. Bernard Herrmann: Garden of Evil 3. Charles Mingus: Jazzical Moods Vol. 1 4. Jacques Brel et ses chansons 5. Bernard Herrmann, Alfred Newman: The Egyptian 6. Ella Fitzgerald: Songs in a Mellow Mood 7. Igor Stravinsky: “Two Poems of Konstantin Balmont” Click through for singles from 1954 1953: 1. Hank Williams: Memorial Album 2. JJ Johnson with Clifford Brown 3. Lukas Foss: Piano Concerto No. 2 4. Maurice Durufle: “Chant DonnĂ©: Hommage Ă Jean Gallon” Click through for the singles of 1953 1952: 1. Thelonius Monk: Genius of Modern Music Vol. 2 2. Bird & Diz 3. Bernard Herrmann: Five Fingers 4. Bernard Herrmann: The Snows of Kilimanjaro Click through for the singles of 1952 1951: 1. Bernard Herrmann: The Day the Earth Stood Still 2. Thelonius Monk: Genius of Modern Music Click through the singles of the singles of 1951 1950: 1. Hans Werne Henze: Symphony No 3 2. Ella Sings Gershwin 3. Aram Khachaturian: “Triumphal Poem” Click through for the singles of 1950 1949: 1. Billie Holiday: âThem There Eyesâ 2. Billie Holiday: ââTainât Nobodyâs Business If I Doâ Billies Holiday: âYouâre My Thrillâ 1948: 1. Billie Holiday: âI Loves you Porgyâ 2. Billie Holiday: âMy Man (Mon Homme)â 3. Peter Mennim: Symphony #4 1947: 1. Thelonius Monk: The Genius of Modern Music 2. Aram Khachaturian: Symphony No. 3 âSimfoniya-poemaâ 3. Memphis Minnie: âThree Times Seven Bluesâ 4. Louis Armstrong: The Complete New York Town Hall & Boston Symphony Hall Concerts 5. Billie Holiday: âEasy Livingâ 6. Billie Holiday: âSolitudeâ 7. Memphis Minnie: âIâm So Gladâ 1946: 1. Micheal Tippett: String Quartet No. 3 2. Arthur Honegger: Symphony No. 3 âSymphonie Liturgiqueâ 3. Memphis Minnie: âShout the Boogieâ 4. Paul Hindemith: “When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloomâd: A Requiem for Those We Love” 5. Billie Holiday: âGood Morning Heartacheâ 1945: 1. Bernard Herrmann: Hangover Square 2. Sidney Bechet: âSave it, Pretty Mamaâ 3. Billie Holiday: âDonât Explainâ 1944: 1. Bela Bartok: Sonata for Solo Violin 2. Billie Holiday: âBillieâs Bluesâ 3. Billie Holiday: âLover Man (Oh, Where Can You Be?)â 1943: 1. Bernard Herrmann: Jane Eyre 2. Memphis Minnie: âLooking the World Overâ 3. Lukas Foss: Piano Concerto No. 1 1942: 1. Arnold Schoenberg: Piano Concerto Op. 42 2. Maurice Durufle: “PrĂ©lude et fugue sur le nom dâAlain” 2. Paul Hindemith: Ludas Tonalis 4. Michael Tippett: String Quartet No. 2 in F sharp 5. Aram Khachaturian: Gayane Suite 6. Paul Whiteman & His Orchestra 7. Alexander Brott: “Ritual” 1941: 1. Bernard Herrmann: Citizen Kane 2. Memphis Minnie: âIn My Girlish Daysâ 3. Earl Hinesâ Orchestra: âThe Earlâ 4. Memphis Minnie: âCanât Afford to Lose My Manâ 5. Memphis Minnie: âMy Cage is Going Upâ 6. Memphis Minnie: âMoaning the Bluesâ 7. Memphis: âPlease Set a Dateâ 8. Memphis Minnie: âKiller Diller Bluesâ 9. Memphis Minnie: âMe & My Chauffeur Bluesâ 1940: 1. John Cage: âSecond Constructionâ 2. Horace Henderson & His Orchestra: âKitty On Toastâ 3. Raymond Scott: âAt an Arabian House Partyâ 4. Dmitri Shostakovitch: Quintet for Two Violins, Viola, Cello & Piano in G minor 5. Earl Hinesâ Orchestra: âBoogie Woogie on St. Louis Bluesâ 6. Benny Carter: âSleepâ 6. Benny Carter & His Orchestra: âFish Fryâ 6. Benny Carter & His Orchestra: âNight Hopâ 6. Benny Carter & His Orchestra: âPom Pomâ 6. Benny Carter & His Orchestra: âSlow Freightâ 1939: 1. Paul Hindemith: Sonata for Viola & Piano 2. Karl Amadeus Hartmann: Concerto Funebre 3. Earl Hines Orchestra: âThe Fatherâs Getawayâ 4. Billie Holiday: âStrange Fruitâ 5. Billie Holiday: âFine and Mellowâ 6. Benny Carter & His Orchestra: âMelancholy Lullabyâ 6. Benny Carter & His Orchestra: âRiff Rompâ 6. Benny Carter & His Orchestra: âShufflebug Shuffleâ 6. Benny Carter & His Orchestra: âWhen Lights Are Lowâ 10. Earl Hines: âPiano Manâ 1938: 1. Benny Carter & His Orchestra: âBlue Light Bluesâ 1. Benny Carter & His Orchestra: âFarewell Bluesâ 1. Earl Hinesâ Orchestra: âSolid Mama â1937: 1. Dmitri Shostakovitch: Symphony No. 5 Click through for the singles of 1937 1936: 1. Anton Webern: Variations for Piano 2. Fletcher Henderson & His Orchestra: âJim Town Bluesâ 3. Fletcher Henderson & His Orchestra: âGrand Terrace Swingâ 4. Memphis Minnie: âIâm a Bad Luck Womanâ 5. Fletcher Henderson & His Orchestra: âStealinâ Applesâ 6. Fletcher Henderson & His Orchestra: âChristopher Columbusâ 7. Memphis Minnie: âHoodoo Ladyâ 1935: 1. Charles Ives: “The Unanswered Question” 2. Karl Amadeus Hartmann: Simplicius Simplicissimus 3. Memphis Minnie: âChickasaw Train Bluesâ 4. Michael Tippett: String Quartet No. 1 5. Memphis Minnie: âJockey Man Bluesâ 6. Memphis Minnie: âMoonshineâ 7. Memphis Minnie: âDoctor Doctor Bluesâ 8. Paul Hindemith: Mathis der Maler 9. Teddy Wilson & His Orchestra: âWhat a Little Moonlight Can Doâ 1934: 1. Earl Hinesâ Orchestra: âHarlem Lamentâ 2. Fletcher Henderson & His Orchestra: âHotter than âellâ 3. Memphis Minnie: âSquat itâ 4. Fletcher Henderson & His Orchestra: âBig Johnâs Specialâ 5. Earl Hines â Orchestra: âRidinâ a Riffâ 6. Earl Hinesâ Orchestra: âCavernismâ 7. Earl Hinesâ Orchestra: âRosettaâ 8. Gustav Holst: Scherzo 9. Alexander Glazunov: Concerto for Alto Saxophone & String Orchestra in E-flat major 1933: 1. Fletcher Henderson & His Orchestra: âQueer Notionsâ 2. Fletcher Henderson & His Orchestra: âCan You Take It?â 3. Fletcher Henderson & His Orchestra: âKing Porter Stompâ 4. Memphis Minnie: âMy Butcher Manâ 5. Horace Henderson & His Orchestra: âHappy Feetâ 6. Arthur Honegger: Symphonic Movement No. 3 7. Edward Elgar: âMinaâ 1932: 1. Maurice Durufle: Suite 2. Earl Hines’ Orchestra: “Love Me Tonight” 3. Edward Elgar: Impromptu 1931: 1. The Savannah Syncopators: âRadio Rhythmâ 2. Skip James: âIâm So Gladâ/âSpecial Rider Bluesâ 3. Skip James: âJesus is a Mighty Good Leaderâ/âBe Ready When He Comesâ 4. Fletcher Henderson & His Orchestra: âMy Pretty Girl” 5. Skip James: âHow Long âBuck’â/âLittle Cow & Calf is Gonna Die Bluesâ 6. The Baltimore Bell Hops: âHot & Anxiousâ 7. Skip James: âDevil Got my Womanâ/âCypress Grove Bluesâ 8. Skip James: â22-20 Bluesâ/âIf You Havenât Got Any Hay Get on Down the Roadâ 9. Skip James: âCherry Ball Bluesâ/âHard Time Killinâ Floor Bluesâ 10. Skip James: âDrunken Spreeâ/âWhat Am I To Do?â 1930: 1. Maurice Durufle: PrĂ©lude, adagio et choral variĂ© sur le theme du âVeni Creatorâ 2. Ernest MacMillan: âTwo Sketches for String Quartet Based on French Canadian Airsâ 3. Memphis Minnie: âNew Bumble Beeâ 1929: 1. Charles Ives: Orchestral Set No. 1 âThree Places in New Englandâ 2. Memphis Minnie: âWhen the Levee Breaksâ 3. Earl Hinesâ Orchestra: âChicago Rhythmâ 4. Francis Poulenc: “Aubade” 5. Gustav Holst: â12 Humbert Wolfe Settingsâ 1928: 1. Earl Hines: âA Monday Dateâ 2. Louis Armstrongâs Hot Five: âFireworks” 3. Leos Janacek: From the House of the Dead 4. Earl Hines: âStowawayâ 5. Earl Hines: “Chimes in Blues” 6. Louis Armstrongâs Hot Five: âSkip the Gutterâ 7. Louis Armstrongâs Hot Five: “Two Deuces” 8. Louis Armstrong & Earl Hines: “Weather Bird” 9. George Gershwin: An American in Paris 10. Leos Janacek: String Quartet No.2 âIntimate Lettersâ 1927: 1. Karl Amadeus Hartmann: Sonata No. 1 for Violin 2. Karl Amadeus Hartmann: Sonata No. 2 for Violin 3. Fletcher Henderson & His Orchestra: âSensationâ 4. Karl Amadeus Hartmann: Suite No. 1 Violin 5. Karl Amadeus Hartmann: Suite No. 2 for Violin 6. Leos Janacek: Glagolitic Mass 7. Paul Hindemith: “Kammermusik No. 7” 8. Paul Hindemith: “Kammermusik No. 6” 9. Gustav Holst: âEgdon Heathâ 10. Fletcher Henderson & His Orchestra: âLivery Stable Bluesâ 1926: 1. Alban Berg: âLyric Suiteâ 2. Fletcher Henderson & His Orchestra: âHot Mustardâ 3. Fletcher Henderson & His Orchestra: âThe Chantâ 4. Leos Janacek: “Cappriccio” 5. Maurice Durufle: Scherzo 6. Leos Janacek: Sinfonietta 1925: 1. Paul Hindemith: “Kammermusik” No. 4 2. Paul Hindemith: “Kammermusik” No. 5 3. Leos Janacek: Concertino 4. Fletcher Henderson & His Orchestra: âSugar Foot Stomp 5. George Gershwin: Concerto in F 6. Paul Hindemith: “Kammermusik” No. 3 1924: 1. George Gershwin: Rhapsody in Blue 2. Jean Sibelius: Symphony No. 7 in C 3. Arthur Honegger: Symphonic Movement No. 1 Pacific 231 4. Fletcher Henderson & His Club Alabam Orchestra: âTea Pot Dome Bluesâ 5. Fletcher Henderson & His Orchestra: âCopenhagenâ 6. Leos Janacek: âMladiâ 7. Paul Hindemith: Kammermusik No. 2 8. Fletcher Henderson & His Orchestra: âShanghai Shuffleâ 9. Leos Janacek: Rikadla 1923: 1. Arnold Schoenberg: Suite for Piano 2. Jean Sibelius: Symphony No. 6 in D minor 3. Leos Janacek: String Quartet No. 1 âKreutzer Sonataâ 4. Leos Janacek: The Cunning Little Vixen 5. Paul Hindemith: Sonata for Viola No. 3 6. Ferruccio Busoni: âShort pieces for the cultivation of polyphonic playing on the pianoâ 7. LeoĆĄ JanĂĄÄek: The Cunning Little Vixen Suite 8. Frederick Delius: âIntermezzoâ from Hassan 1922: 1. Paul Hindemith: Sonata for Viola & Piano 2. Paul Hindemith: “Kammermusik” No. 1 3. Paul Hindemith: “Kleine Kammermusik” 4. Gustav Holst: âFugal Overtureâ 5. Paul Hindemith: Suite 1922 6. Leos Janacek: â15 Moravian Folksongsâ 7. Gustav Holst: The Perfect Fool [suite] 8. Paul Hindemith: Sonata for Viola No. 2 1921: 1. Gustav Holst: âThe Lure, or The Moth and the Flameâ 2. LeoĆĄ JanĂĄÄek: KĂĄĆ„a KabanovĂĄ 3. Gabriel Faure: Nocturne No. 13 in B minor 4. Aaron Copland: âFour Motetsâ 4. Aaron Copland: Petit Portrait 4. Aaron Copland: âThree Moodsâ 7. Ernest MacMillan: String Quartet in C minor 8. Erik Satie: “La belle excentrique” 9. Gabriel Faure: Barcarole No. 13 in C 1920: 1. Paul Dukas: “La plainte, au loin, du faune⊔ 2. Arthur Honegger: âPastorale dâĂ©tĂ©â 3. Erik Satie: “Trois petites piĂšces montĂ©es” 4. Erik Satie: “Premier Menuet” 1919: 1. Charles Ives: Orchestral Set No. 2 2. Charles Ives: Piano Sonata No. 2 “Concord” 3. Jean Sibelius: Symphony No. 5 in E-flat 4. Paul Hindemith: Sonata for Viola & Piano 5. LeoĆĄ JanĂĄÄek: The Diary of One Who Has Disappeared 6. Ralph Vaughan Williams: “Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis” 7. Edward Elgar: Piano Quintet 8. Erik Satie: Nocturnes 9. Paul Hindemith: Sonata for Solo Viola 10. Edward Elgar: Cello Concerto in E minor 1918: 1. LeoĆĄ JanĂĄÄek: Taras Bulba 2. Igor Stravinksy: Ragtime 3. Edward Elgar: String Quartet in E minor 4. Frederick Delius: âA Song Before Sunriseâ 1917: 1. Charles Ives: Violin Sonata No. 1 2. Charles Ives: Violin Sonata No. 2 3. Paul Hindemith: Sonata for 10 Instruments 4. Gustav Holst: 4 Songs 5. Paul Hindemith: Violin Sonata in G Minor 6. Frederick Delius: âTo be sung of a summer night on the waterâ 7. Erik Satie: Sonatine bureaucratique 8. Alexander Glazunov: Concerto No. 2 in B for piano & orchestra 1916: 1. Charles Ives: Symphony No. 4 2. Charles Ives: Violin Sonata No. 4 âChildrenâs Day at the Camp Meetingâ 3. Gustav Holst: The Planets 4. Igor Stravinsky: Renard 5. Frederick Delius: Violin Concerto 6. Frederick Delius: Dance Rhapsody No. 2 7. Frederick Delius: âLate Swallowsâ 1915: 1. Claude Debussy: Etudes 2. Erik Satie: “Avant-derniĂšres pensĂ©es” 3. Gabriel Faure: Nocturne No. 12 in E minor 4. Igor Stravinsky: Berceuses du chat 5. Gabriel Faure: Barcarole No. 12 in E-flat 1914: 1. Leos Janacek: Violin sonata 2. Charles Ives: Violin Sonata No. 3 3. Erik Satie: “Sports et divertissements: 4. Leos Janacek: The Eternal Gospel 5. Alexander Scriabin: âVers la flammeâ 6. Erik Satie: “Les trois valses distinguĂ©es du prĂ©cieux dĂ©goĂ»tĂ©” 7. Claude Debussy: Berceuse hĂ©roĂŻque 8. Erik Satie: “Heures sĂ©culaires et instantanĂ©es” 9. Igor Stravinsky: The Nightingale 10. Ralph Vaughan Williams: “The Lark Ascending” 1913: 1. Erik Satie: “Descriptions automatiques” 2. Erik Satie: “Embryons dessĂ©chĂ©s” 3. Edward Elgar: Falstaff 4. Charles Ives: âGeneral William Booth Enters into Heavenâ 5. Claude Debussy: PrĂ©ludes Book II 6. Erik Satie: “Chapitres tournĂ©s en tous sens” 7. Erik Satie: “Croquis et agaceries dâun gros bonhomme en bois” 8. Erik Satie: “Vieux sequins et vieilles cuirasses” 9. Gabriel Faure: Nocturne No. 11 in F-sharp minor 10. Erik Satie: “Les pantins dansent” 1912: 1. Erik Satie: “VĂ©ritables prĂ©ludes flasques (pour un chien)” 2. Erik Satie: “PrĂ©ludes flasques (pour un chien)” 3. LeoĆĄ JanĂĄÄek: âThe Fiddlerâs Childâ 4. Frederick Delius: âSummer Night on the Riverâ 5. Frederick Delius: âOn Hearing the First Cuckoo in Springâ 6. Erik Satie: 2 RĂȘveries nocturnes 7. Paul Dukas: “Fanfare pour prĂ©cĂ©der La PĂ©ri” 1911: 1. Enrique Granados: Goyescas 2. Edward Elgar: Symphony No. 2 in Eâ 3. Alexander Glazunov: Concerto No. 1 in F minor for piano & orchestra 4. Charles Ives: Symphony No. 3 âThe Camp Meetingâ 5. Jean Sibelius: Symphony No. 4 in A minor 6. Paul Dukas: La PĂ©ri 7. Gustav Holst: âInvocationâ 8. Erik Satie: “En habit de cheval” 9. Leos Janacek: âModeratoâ 10. Igor Stravinsky: “Four Russian Peasant Songs” 1910: 1. Charles Ives: Symphony No. 2 2. Englebert Humperdinck: Konigskinder 3. Claude Debussy: PrĂ©ludes Book I 4. Gabriel Faure: 9 Preludes 5. Claude Debussy: “La plus que lente” 6. Edward Elgar: Violin Concerto in B Minor 7. Frederick Delius: âIntermezzoâ from Fennimore und Gerda 1909: 1. Arnold Schoenberg: “Drei Klavierstucke” 2. Alban Berg: Piano Sonata 3. Ferrucio Busoni: âBerceuse elegiaqueâ 4. Gabriel Faure: Barcarole No. 9 in A minor 5. Paul Dukas: “PrĂ©lude Ă©lĂ©giaque sur le nom de Haydn” 6. Leos Janacek: âNarodil se Kristus Panâ 7. Claude Debussy: “Le petit NĂšgre” 8. Claude Debussy: “Hommage Ă Joseph Haydn” 9. Gabriel Faure: Impromptu No. 5 in F-sharp minor 1908: 1. Gabriel Faure: Nocturne No. 10 in E minor 2. Gabriel Faure: Nocturne No. 9 in B minor 3. Claude Debussy: Childrenâs Corner 4. Edward Elgar: Symphony No. 1 in Aâ 5. Erik Satie: “12 Petits Chorals” 6. Gustav Holst: âHymns from the 7. Rig Vedaâ 8. Frederick Delius: âIn a Summer Gardenâ 9. Erik Satie: “Aperçus dĂ©sagrĂ©ables” 1907: 1. Alexander Scriabin: Piano Sonata No. 5 2. Claude Debussy: Images Book 2 3. Jean Sibelius: Symphony No. 3 in C 4. Frederick Delius: “Brigg Fair: An English Rhapsody” 5. Frederick Delius: âCynaraâ 6. Gustav Holst: âA Somerset Rhapsodyâ 7. Gustav Holst: âThe Heart Worshipsâ 8. Erik Satie: “Nouvelles piĂšces froides” 1906: 1. Alexander Glazunov: Symphony No. 8 in E-flat 2. Gabriel Faure: Barcarole No. 8 in D-flat 3. Gabriel Faure: Impromptu No. 4 in D-flat 4. Edward Elgar: The Kingdom 5. Erik Satie: Passacaille 6. Erik Satie: “PrĂ©lude en tapisserie” 7. Maurice Ravel: âCinq melodies populaires grecquesâ 1905: 1. Claude Debussy: Images Book 1 2. Claude Debussy: “Suite bergamasque” 3. Leos Janacek: “1.X.1905 âFrom the Streetâ” 4. Gabriel Faure: Barcarole No. 7 in D minor 5. Gustav Holst: âA Song of the Nightâ 6. Leos Janacek: On an Overgrown Path 7. Edward Elgar: Introduction and Allegro 1904: 1. Alexander Glazunov: Concerto for Violin & Orchestra 2. Erik Satie: “Le Piccadilly (La transatlantique)” 3. Claude Debussy: “Lâisle joyeuse” 4. Claude Debussy: “Masques” 5. Edward Elgar: âIn the South (Alassio)â 6. Enrique Granados: Allegro de concierto 7. Gustav Holst: 6 Songs 8. Gabriel Faure: Impromptu in D Flat 1903: 1. Erik Satie: “3 morceaux en forme de poire” 2. Claude Debussy: Estampes 3. Maurice Ravel: String Quartet 4. Gustav Holst: âIndraâ 5. Claude Debussy: “Dâun cahier dâesquisses” 6. Edward Elgar: The Apostles Erik Satie: “Je te veux” 7. Alexander Scriabin: Piano Sonata No. 4 8. Alexander Scriabin: Poem #1 in F-Sharp 1902: 1. Jean Sibelius: Symphony No. 2 in D 2. Claude Debussy: Pelleas et Melisande 3. Paul Dukas: “Variations, Interlude & Finale on a Theme by Rameau” 4. LeoĆĄ JanĂĄÄek: JenĆŻfa 5. Alexander Glazunov: Ballade in F for orchestra 6. Charles Ives: Symphony No. 1 in D Minor 7. Gabriel Faure: Nocturne No. 8 in D-flat 8. Gabriel Faure: â8 Pieces brevesâ 9. Erik Satie: “Poudre dâor “1901: 1. Paul Dukas: Piano Sonata in E-flat minor 2. Frederick Delius: âA Walk to the Paradise Gardenâ 3. Erik Satie: “Le poisson rĂȘveur” 4. Claude Debussy: “Pour le piano” 1900: 1. Jean Sibelius: Symphony No. 1 in E minor 2. Edward Elgar: The Dream of Gerontius 3. Alexander Glazunov: The Seasons 4. Erik Satie: “Reverie du Pauvre” 5. Gustav Holst: Symphony in F Major, Op. 8 “The Cotswolds” 6. Alexander Glazunov: Chant du Menestrei in D major for cello & orchestra 7. Erik Satie: “Verset laĂŻque & somptueux” 1899: 1. Frederick Delius: “Paris: the Song of a Great City” 2. Edward Elgar: Enigma Variations 3. Erik Satie: “Jack in the Box” 4. Gustav Holst: âWalt Whitmanâ 5. Maurice Ravel: âPavane pour une infante defunteâ 1898: 1. Edvard Grieg: Haugtussa 2. Gabriel Faure: Nocturne No. 7 in C minor 3. Gustav Holst: Four Songs 1897: 1. Paul Dukas: Lâapprenti sorcier 2. Erik Satie: PiĂšces froides 3. Frederick Delius: âLa Calindaâ from Koanga 4. Erik Satie: “Caresse” 5. Erik Satie: Gnossienne No. 6 6. Gustav Holst: âA Winter Idyllâ 7. Erik Satie: “Petite ouverture Ă danser” 1896: 1. Gabriel Faure: Barcarole in E-flat 2. Gabriel Faure: Dolly 1895: 1. Gabriel Faure: Theme et variations in C-sharp minor 1894: 1. Gabriel Faure: Nocturne No 6 in Dâ 2. Gabriel Faure: Barcarole No. 5 in F-sharp minor 3. Erik Satie: “PrĂ©lude de la porte hĂ©roĂŻque du ciel” 4. Gabriel Faure: Valse-Caprice No. 4 in A-flat 5. Mikhail Ippolitov-Ivanov: Caucasian Sketches , Suite No. 1 6. Alexander Glazunov: âConcert Waltzâ No. 2 in F for orchestra 7. LeoĆĄ JanĂĄÄek: âJealousyâ 1893: 1. Claude Debussy: String Quartet 2. Jean Sibelius: Lemminkainen Suite 3. Jean Sibelius: Karelia Suite 4. Erik Satie: Danses gothiques 5. Erik Satie: Trois Gnossiennes 6. Antonin Dvorak: Sonatina in G 7. Gabriel Faure: Valse-Caprice No. 3 in G-flat 8. Gabriel Faure: Requiem 9. Englebert Humperdinck: Hansel und Gretel 10. Erik Satie: PrĂ©lude dâEginhard 1892: 1. Jean Sibelius: Kullervo 2. Erik Satie: Prelude #3 for Le NazarĂ©en 3. Erik Satie: “FĂȘte donnĂ©e par des chevaliers normands en lâhonneur dâune jeune demoiselle (XIe siĂšcle)” 4. Edward Elgar: âSerenade for Stringsâ 5. Frederick Delius: âPreludeâ from Irmelin 1891: 1. Erik Satie: “Le Fils des Ă©toiles” 2. Erik Satie: Gnossienne No. 4 3. Erik Satie: PremiĂšre pensĂ©e Rose+Croix 4. Claude Debussy: Arabesque No. 2. Allegretto scherzando 5. Alexander Glazunov: Meditation in D for violin & orchestra 6. Gabriel Faure: Cinq mĂ©lodies âde Veniseâ 1890: 1. Cesar Franck: String Quartet in D 2. Enrique Granados: Danzas espanolas 3. Frederick Delius: âThree Small Tone Poemsâ: âSummer Eveningâ; âSleigh Rideâ 4. Claude Debussy: “Tarantelle styrienne” 5. Claude Debussy: Nocturne 6. Claude Debussy: “Ballade slave” 7. Claude Debussy: RĂȘverie 8. Claud Debussy: Fantaisie for piano & orchestra 9. Claude Debussy: Mazurka 10. Claude Debussy: “Valse romantique” 1889: 1. Atonin Dvorak: Symphony No. 8 in G 2. Edvard Grieg: Six Songs 3. Erik Satie: Ogives 4. Erik Satie: Gnossienne No. 5 1888: 1. Erik Satie: GymnopĂ©dies 2. Richard Strauss: Violin Sonata in E-flat 3. Claude Debussy: Arabesque No. 1. Andantino con moto 4. Emmanuel Chabrier: Suite Pastorale 5. Leos Janacek: Idyll 6. Gabriel Faure, Andre Messager: âSouvenirs de Bayreuthâ 7. Alexander Glazunov: “Slavonian Feast” 8. Cesar Franck: âPsycheâ 1887: 1. Erik Satie: Sarabandes 2. Leos Janacek: âNa pamatkuâ 3. Gabriel Faure: Piano Quartet No. 2 4. Erik Satie: Valse-Ballet 5. Leos Janacek: Suite for Strings 6. Edward Elgar: âMarch in Dâ 7. Erik Satie: Fantasy-Valse 8. Gabriel Faure: “Clair de lune” 1886: 1. Nikolay Rimsky-Korsakov after Modest Mussorgsky: Night on Bald Mountain 2. Cesar Franck: Sonata in A for violin and piano 3. Gabriel Faure: Barcarole No. 4 in A-flat 4. Edward Elgar: âEnina Valseâ 1885: 1. Gabriel Faure: Barcarole No. 3 in G-flat 2. Gabriel Faure: Barcarole No. 2 in G 1884: 1. Gabriel Faure: Nocturne No. 5 in B-flat 2. Gabriel Faure: Nocturne. No. 4 in E-flat 3. Edvard Grieg: Seks Songs 4. Erik Satie: Allegro 5. Gabriel Faure: Valse-Caprice No. 2 in G-flat 6. Henri Duparc: “La vie antĂ©rieure” 7. Edvard Grieg: From Holbergâs Time: Suite in olden style 1883: 1. Gabriel Faure: ĂlĂ©gie 2. Johannes Brahms: Symphony No. 3 in F 3. Gabriel Faure: Impromptu No. 3 in A-flat 4. Henri Duparc: âTestamentâ 5. Leo Delibes: Lakme 6. Henri Duparc: âLamentoâ 7. Gabriel Faure: Impromptu No. 2 in F minor 8. Emmanuel Chabrier: España 9. Gabriel Faure: Mazurka in B-flat 1882: 1. Gabriel Faure: Nocturne No. 3 in A-flat 2. Gabriel Faure: Valse-Caprice No. 1 in A 3. Henri Duparc: âPhidylĂ©â 4. Cesar Franck: âLe Chassure Mauditâ 1881: 1. Gabriel Faure: Impromptu No. 1 in E-flat 2. Gabriel Faure: Messe des pĂȘcheurs de Villerville 1880: 1. Gabriel Faure: Nocturne No. 2 in B 2. Antonin Dvorak: Violin Sonata in F 3. Gabriel Faure: Barcarole No. 1 in A minor 4. Claude Debussy: “Danse bohĂ©mienne” 5. Gabriel Faure: Romances sans paroles 1879: 1. Charles Gounod: âFuneral March of a Marionetteâ 2. Antonin Dvorak: Violin Concerto in A minor 3. Henri Duparc: Le manoir de Rosemonde 4. Gabriel Faure: Piano Quartet No. 1 1878 1877: 1. Gabriel Faure: Ballade in F-sharp 2. Gabriel Faure: âClair de luneâ 1876: 1. Edvard Grieg: Peer Gynt 2. Cesar Franck: âLes Eolidesâ 1875: 1. Gabriel Faure: Nocturne No. 1 in E flat 1874: 1. Henri Duparc: âElĂ©gieâ 2. Henri Duparc: âExtaseâ 3. Cesar Franck: âRedemptionâ 1873 1872 1871: 1. Henri Duparc: âLa Fuiteâ 2. Henri Duparc: âLa Vague et La Clocheâ 1870: 1. Henri Duparc: âLâInvitation Au Voyageâ 2. Henri Duparc: “Au pays oĂč se fait la guerre” 1869: 1. Henri Duparc: âLe Galopâ 2. Henri Duparc: SĂ©rĂ©nade 3. Henri Duparc: âRomance de Mignonâ 4. Henri Duparc: “Soupir” 5. Henri Duparc: âSĂ©rĂ©nade florentineâ 1868: 1. Edvard Grieg: Piano Concerto in A minor 2. Henri Duparc: âChanson Tristeâ 1867: 1. Edvard Grieg: Violin Sonata No. 2 in G 1866 1865: 1. Edvard Grieg: Violin Sonata No. 1 in F 1864 1863 1862: 1. Franz Liszt: âMephistoâ Waltz No 1: “The Dance in the Village Inn” 1861 1860 1859: 1. Charles Gounod: Faust 1858: 1. Hector Berlioz: Les Troyens 1857 1856 1855 1854 1853 1852 1851 1850 1849 1848 1847 1846 1845 1844: 1. FrĂ©dĂ©ric Chopin: Piano Sonata No. 3 in B minor 1843 1842: 1. Carl Czerny: Op. 686, Grande sonate pour piano et violon 1841: 1. Hector Berlioz: Les nuits dâete 1840 1839: 1. FrĂ©dĂ©ric Chopin: Piano Sonata No. 2 in B-flat minor 1838 1837 1836: FrĂ©dĂ©ric Chopin: No. 1: Ătude in A-flat major âAeolian Harpâ or âShepherd Boyâ FrĂ©dĂ©ric Chopin: No. 2: Ătude in F minor âThe Beesâ FrĂ©dĂ©ric Chopin: No. 3: Ătude in F major âThe Horsemanâ FrĂ©dĂ©ric Chopin: No. 7: Ătude in C-sharp minor âCelloâ FrĂ©dĂ©ric Chopin: No. 12: Ătude in C minor âOceanâ 1835: 1. Gaetano Donizetti: Lucia di Lammermoor 1834: FrĂ©dĂ©ric Chopin: No. 4: Ătude in A minor FrĂ©dĂ©ric Chopin: No. 5: Ătude in E minor âWrong Noteâ FrĂ©dĂ©ric Chopin: No. 6: Ătude in G-sharp minor âThirdsâ FrĂ©dĂ©ric Chopin: No. 8: Ătude in D-flat major âSixthsâ FrĂ©dĂ©ric Chopin: No. 9: Ătude in G-flat major âButterflyâ FrĂ©dĂ©ric Chopin: No. 10: Ătude in B minor âOctaveâ FrĂ©dĂ©ric Chopin: No. 11: Ătude in A minor âWinter Windâ 1833 1832: FrĂ©dĂ©ric Chopin: No. 3: Ătude in E major âTristesseâ or âLâadieuâ FrĂ©dĂ©ric Chopin: No. 4: Ătude in C-sharp minor âTorrentâ FrĂ©dĂ©ric Chopin: No. 7: Ătude in C major âToccataâ 1831: 1. FrĂ©dĂ©ric Chopin: No. 12: Ătude in C minor âRevolutionaryâ 1830: FrĂ©dĂ©ric Chopin: No. 1: Ătude in C major âWaterfallâ FrĂ©dĂ©ric Chopin: No. 2: Ătude in A minor âChromaticâ FrĂ©dĂ©ric Chopin: No. 5: Ătude in G-flat major âBlack Keysâ FrĂ©dĂ©ric Chopin: No. 6: Ătude in E-flat minor âLamentâ 1829: FrĂ©dĂ©ric Chopin: No. 8 Ătude in F major âSunshineâ FrĂ©dĂ©ric Chopin: No. 9: Ătude in F minor FrĂ©dĂ©ric Chopin: No. 11: Ătude in E-flat major âArpeggioâ 1828: 1. FrĂ©dĂ©ric Chopin: Piano Sonata No. 1 in C minor 1827: Carl Czerny: Marche funebre sur la mort de Beethoven 1826 1825 1824: 1. Carl Czerny: “Variations Concertantes pour Pianoforte et Violon sur un thĂšme de Jean-Baptiste Krumpholz” 2. Carl Czerny: Sonata No. 3 in F Minor 1823: 1. Ludwig van Beethoven: “33 Variations on a waltz by Anton Diabelli” 2. Ludwig van Beethoven: Bagatelles 1822 1821 1820 1819 1818 1817 1816: 1. Ludwig van Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 28 1815 1814 1813 1812: 1. Ludwig van Beethoven: Allegretto in B-flat for piano trio 1811 1810: 1. Carl Czerny: Sonata No. 1 in A Flat 1809: 1. Ludwig van Beethoven: Piano Trio âGhostâ 1808 1807: 1. Carl Czerny: Grande sonate pour piano et violon 1806: 1. Carl Czerny: 20 Concert Variations in D for Piano & Violin on a Theme by Krunphol 1805: 1. Ludwig van Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 19 1804 1803: 1. Johann Nepomuk Hummel: Trumpet Concerto in E 1802: 1. Ludvig van Beethoven: âEroica Variationsâ Ludvig van 2. Beethoven: Six Variations on a Theme in F 1801 1800: 1. Ludwig van Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 3 in C minor 1790s in Music: 1. Joseph Haydn: Die Schopfung 2. Joseph Haydn: Symphony No. 92 in G âSurpriseâ 3. Ludvig van Beethoven: “Piano Concertos of the 1790s” 4. Joseph Haydn: Symphony No. 104 âLondonâ 5. Joseph Haydn: Symphony No. 103 in E-flat âDrumrollâ 6. Ludwig van Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 4 7. Joseph Haydn: Symphony No. 93 in D 8. Joseph Hayden: Symphony No. 95 in C minor 9. Joseph Haydn: Symphony No. 101 “Clock” 10. Joseph Haydn: Symphony No. 99 E-flat 1780s in Music: 1. Joseph Haydn: Symphony No. 82 in C major “The Bear” 1. Joseph Haydn: Die Sieben letzen Worte 1. Joseph Haydn: String Quartets “Russian” 4. Joseph Haydn: Keyboard Sonata No. 51 in E-flat 5. Joseph Haydn: Symphony No. 83 in G minor “The Hen” 6. Joseph Haydn: Cello Concerto No. 2 in D 7. Joseph Haydn: Symphony No. 85 in B flat “The Queen” 8. Joseph Haydn: Symphony No. 84 in E-flat “In nomine domine” 9. Joseph Haydn: Symphony No. 87 in A 10. Joseph Haydn: Keyboard Concerto No. 11 in D 1770s in Music: 1. Joseph Haydn: String Quartets, âSunâ 2. Joseph Haydn: Symphony No. 45 in F-sharp Minor âFarewellâ 3. Joseph Haydn: Keyboard Sonata No. 40 in E-Flat 4. Joseph Haydn: Symphony No. 46 in B 5. Joseph Haydn: Symphony No. 44 in E minor âTrauerâ 6. Joseph Haydn: Keyboard Sonata No. 39 in D 7. Joseph Haydn: Keyboard Sonata No. 41 in A 8. Joseph Haydn: Keyboard Sonata No. 48 in C 9. Christoph Gluck: Iphigenie en Tauride 10. Joseph Haydn: Symphony No. 47 in G 1760s in Music: 1. Joseph Haydn: Cello Concerto No. 1 in C 2. Joseph Haydn: Keyboard Concerto No. 2 in D 3. Joseph Haydn: Keyboard Concerto No 6 in F with violin & strings âDouble Concertoâ 4. Johann Baptist Georg Neruda: Concerto in E-flat for Trumpet & Strings 1750s in Music 1740s in Music: 1. Johann Sebastian Bach: The Goldberg Variations 2. Johann Sebastian Bach: Mass in B minor 3. George Friedrich Handel: Belshazzar 4. Johann Sebastian Bach: Concerto for two Harpsichords 5. Johann Sebastian Bach: “Preludes and Fugues, & Fantasias of the 1740s” 6. Georg Friedrich Handel: Messiah 7. Georg Friedrich Handel: Solomon 8. Georg Friedrich Handel: Music for the Royal Fireworks 1730s in Music: 1. Johann Sebastian Bach: Harpsichord Concertos 2. Johann Sebastian Bach: “Italian Concerto” 3. Johann Sebastian Bach: âOverture in the French Styleâ 4. Johann Sebastian Bach: âNun danket alle Gottâ 5. Johann Sebastian Bach: âEin feste Burg ist unser Gottâ 6. Johann Sebastian Bach: âKomm, sĂŒĂer Tod, komm selge Ruhâ 1720s in Music: 1. Johann Sebastian Bach: The Well-Tempered Clavier 2. Johann Sebastian Bach: St. John Passion 3. Johann Sebastian Bach: Violin Concertos 4. Johann Sebastian Bach: “The French Suites” 5. Johann Sebastian Bach: Sonatas & partitas for solo violin 6. Johann Sebastian Bach: Toccata and Fugue in D minor 7. Johann Sebastian Bach: St. Mathew Passion 8. Johann Sebastian Bach: âBrandenburgâ concertos 9. Johann Sebastian Bach: “Preludes and fugues of the 1720s” 10. Johann Sebastian Bach: Trio sonatas for organ 1710s in Music: 1. Johann Sebastian Bach: Cello Suites 2. Johann Sebastian Bach: “Preludes & Fugues of the 1710s” 3. Johann Sebastian Bach: “The English Suites” 4. Johann Sebastian Bach: Concerto in D minor 5. Georg Friedrich Handel: Water Music 6. Johann Sebastian Bach: Toccata, Adagio & Fugue in C 7. Giuseppe Torelli: Trumpet Sinfonia in D 1700s in Music 1690s in Music 1680s in Music 1670s in Music 1660s in Music 1650s in Music 1640s in Music 1630s in Music 1620s in Music 1610s in Music 1600s in Music 1590s: 1. Giovanni Gabrieli: Sacrae Symphoniae 1580s in Music 1570s in Music 1560s in Music 1550s in Music 1540s in Music 1530s in Music 1520s in Music 1510s in Music 1500s in Music 1400s in Music 1300s in Music 1200s in Music 1100s in Music 1000s in Music
My ratings of music published/released throughout human history
Here is a guide to my rating system:
Transcendentally awful
Awful
Bad
Below Average
Average
Above Average
Good
Very Good
Great: Near-Perfect or Near-Transcendent
Perfect and/or Transcendent
Core Curriculum
I have listened to a lot of music in my life, enough to think I know what people should listen to if they want to understand certain genres of music.
So I present here three lists of essential albums (or pieces, in the case of western art music) which give the listener an understanding of these genres. And I present them in authoritative order, meaning that the first list is for the genre I know the most about, the second I know a little bit less about and the third I know far less about.
Core Curriculum for Pop Rock Music
Core Curriculum for Jazz
Core Curriculum for Western Art Music (aka “Classical”)
As you can see there isn’t anything for Hip Hop, nor is there for electronic music or dance music (often lumped together). I know nothing about these genres and do not pretend to know anything.
As for genres such as blues and folk (and basically any “roots” genre), I know a fair amount about these genres but choose to omit lists for both of them for two reasons:
I don’t know enough to get truly authoritative, especially when it comes to before 1960 or so AND
So much of what I know about these genres comes from my experiences of pop rock music, and its sources.
I hope you find these lists useful. If not, please comment.