Restrictions that make this list possible.

• Only one one album per artist.
  • Side projects are considered as being from the same artist, unless the make up of the band has significantly changed, or the type of work is significantly different. I’m just making judgement calls. For example, Bright Eyes and Connor Oberst are the same but Bright Eyes and Better Oblivion Community Center are different. 
• The albums are not in any sort of order. In fact, the list was made and then randomized to obscure any sort of possible subconscious orderings.
• An album making the list is a function of the emotional impact rather than quality.
  • While many albums here are not the best albums from the artist, they are the ones that impacted me most. 
• This list is not original in any way and is not meant to make claims about what is good music. Those lists do exist, this is not one. 
• The recognition that this list will change over time and I have not included many albums that I think are brilliant simply because it has not yet been their time to have a stronger effect on me. 
• Some of the picks are cringey, but sometimes I’m cringey so yeah, got to include those ones.

---

1. Connie Converse – How sad, How Lovely
2. Duke Ellington – Blues in Orbit
3. The Beach Boys – Little Deuce Coupe
4. Charles Mingus – Ah Um
5. John Coltrane – A Love Supreme
6. Nina Simone – Wild Is The Wind
7. Miles Davis – Bitches Brew
8. Gang of Four – Entertainment!
9. The Modern Lovers – Live at the Longbranch and More
10. Stevie Wonder – Hotter than July
11. Joy Division – Closer
12. Guerre Foide – Guerre Foide
13. Leonard Cohen – Various Positions
14. The Smiths – The Smiths
15. They Might Be Giants – Lincoln
16. The Cure – Disintegration
17. Daniel Johnston – 1990
18. My Bloody Valentine – Loveless
19. James – Laid
20. Mazzy Star – So Tonight That I Might See
21. Sonic Youth – Experimental Jet Set, Trash and No Star
22. Tracy Chapman – New Beginning 
23. Godspeed You! Black Emperor – F#A#∞
24. Modest Mouse – The Lonesome Crowded West
25. Cat Power – Myra Lee
26. Neutral Milk Hotel – In the Aeroplane Over the Sea
27. Pavement – Brighten the Corners
28. Outkast – Aquemini
29. The Magnetic Feilds – 69 Love Songs
30. Deltron 3030 – Deltron 3030
31. Cake – Comfort Eagle
32. The Microphones – The Glow, Pt. 2
33. Interpol – Turn on the Bright Lights
34. Diane Cluck – Oh Vanille / Ova Nil 
35. Atmosphere – God Loves Ugly 
36. Electrelane – The Power Out
37. The Mountain Goats – The Sunset Tree
38. Defiance, Ohio – The Great Depression
39. Jeffrey Lewis – A Turn In Dreams Songs
40. Silver Jews – Tanglewood Numbers
41. Viagra Boys – Street Worms
42. Parquet Courts – Content Nausea
43. JPEGMAFIA – Veteran 
44. Danny Brown – Atrocity Exhibition
45. Sun Kill Moon – Benji
46. Bright Eyes – Digital Ash in a Digital Urn
47. Frank Ocean – Blonde 
48. Death Grips – Exmilitary 
49. Ramshackle Glory  – The Volatile Utopian Real Estate Market
50. AJJ – Knife Man
51. Electrelane – The Power Out
52. Silver Mt. Zion – Horses in the Sky
53. Vince Staples – Big Fish Theory
54. Aurora – All My Demons Greeting Me as Friends
55. Jordaan Mason and The Horse Museum – Divorce Lawyers I Shaved My head
56. LCD Soundsystem – Sound of Silver
57. Kendrick Lamar – good kid, m.A.A.d city 
58. JID – The Never Story 
59. IDLES – Joy as an Act of Resistance
60. Clown Core – Van
61. Adrianne Lenker – songs
62. Kimya Dawson – Remember that I love you
63. Portishead – Third
64. Cate le Bon – Mug Museum
65. Homeshake – Midnight Snack
66. Naomi Punk – The Feeling
67. Tyler the Creator – Goblin 
68. Injury Reserve – Injury Reserve 
69. Drake – If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late
70. Chance the Rapper – Acid Rap
71. Chastity Belt – No Regerts
72. The Drones – Feelin Kinda Free
73. The Microphones – The Glow, Pt. 2
74. Kanye – 808s and Heartbreak
75. Princess Nokia – 1992 Deluxe 
76. Blood Orange – Freetown Sound
77. Duke Ellington – Blues in Orbit
78. 100 Gecs – 1000 Gecs
79. Oneohtrix Point Never – Love in the Time of Lexapro 
80. Alex Cameron – Miami Memory
81. Phoebe Bridgers – Punisher 
82. Haley Heynderickx – I Need to Start a Garden
83. Mitski – Bury Me At Makeout Creek
84. Death Cab for Cutie – Kintsugi
85. Mac Miller – Watching Movies with the Sound Off
86. SZA – Crtl
87. Little Simz – GREY Area
88. Noname – Room 25
89. Vaadat Charigrim – The World is Well Lost
90. Hella – Hold Your Horse Is
91. Connan Mockasin – Forever Dolphin Love
92. Girlpool – Before the World Was Big
93. Cœur De Pirate – Trauma 
94. Marie Flore – By The Dozen
95. La Dispute – Rooms of the House
96. Courtney Barnett – Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit
97. Ought – Sun Coming Down
98. Bill Callahan – Sometimes I Wish I Were An Eagle
99. Ariel Pink – Pom Pom
100. Mono – Hymn to the Immortal Wind
101. Denzel Curry – TA13OO
102. Black Country, New Road – Ants From Up There
103. Told Slant – Still Water
104. The Robot Ate Me – On Vacation
105. Field Medic – Songs From the Sunroom 
106. Sidney Gish – Ed Buys Houses