- 2003 Ali Shaheed Muhammad - Shaheedullah and Stereotypes
- 2002 The Flaming Lips - Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots
- 2001 Pep Love - Ascension
- 2000 Coaltar of the Deepers - Come Over To The Deepend
- 1999 Beck - Midnight Vultures
- 1998 Lauryn Hill - The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill
- 1997 Kool Keith - Sex Style
- 1996 Dr. Octagon - Dr. Octagon
- 1995 Thurston Moore - Psychic Hearts
- 1994 Nas - Illmatic
- 1993 A Tribe Called Quest - Midnight Marauders
- 1992 Sonic Youth - Dirty
- 1991 Nirvana - Nevermind
- 1990 A Tribe Called Quest - People's Instinctive Travels and Paths to Rhythm
- 1989 Beastie Boys - Paul's Boutique
- 1988 De La Soul - Three Feet High and Rising
- 1987 Public Enemy - Yo Bum Rush the Show
- 1986 Beastie Boys - Licensed to Ill
- 1985 Rites of Spring - Rites of Spring
- 1984 The Replacements - Let It Be
- 1983 Minor Threat - Complete Discography
- 1982 Elvis Costello - Imperial Bedroom
- 1981 The Cars - Shake it Up
- 1980 AC/DC - Back in Black
- 1979 Tom Petty - Damn the Torpedoes
- 1978 Richard Pryor - Wanted: Live in Concert
My Most Important Albums, By Year (1978-2003)
Listly by Saren Sakurai
This list is inspired by the book Mo' Meta Blues by ?uestlove, in which he lists his most influential albums by year. The rule is that you have to have worn out the record in the year it was released. I have plenty of other records that were immensely important, but I came upon them after the year in which they debuted. This is more about immediate effect, in the moment, at the time.
