10. Revolver - The Beatles (1966)
No one can say anything more about the Beatles that hasn't already been said. They are the greatest rock band of all time. There is something about the 1966 release, Revolver that I just love. It may be the perfect use of that electric guitar or it might be the fact that some of the Beatles' most underrated songs are on this record (For No One, And Your Bird Can Sing, Tomorrow Never Knows).
9. (What's the Story) Morning Glory - Oasis (1995)
The fresh, calm, yet defiant sounds on this record make it such a fun listen. My favorite tracks are "Hello", "Don't Look Back in Anger" and of course the incredibly beautiful "Wonderwall". Oasis are such a talented band. I do believe that they will play again at some point and I cannot wait. Liam and Noel are just to talented together as bandmates.
8. Absolution - Muse (2003)
Everytime I think about my favorite Muse album, I am stumped. All of them are very close, but the main reason that Absolution appeals to me is because it is more complete than Origins of Symmetry but more rock friendly than The Resistance, the 2nd Law, or Black Holes and Revelations. My favorite song here is "Stockholm Syndrome". I can't get over how dramatic and over the top it is and that is precisely what Muse is. If you wish go big, do it in style.
7. Dookie - Green Day (1994)
Green Day has never and and will never put out anything as iconic, as influential, or as raw as Dookie. The pure emotion captured on this simple record is very inspiring to me, and very pleasing to my ears. If only the band could again understand that simple is the key to success. UNO! sounds okay, but the signature punk sounds of Green Day originated here from songs like "She", "Basket Case", and "Longview". Times were simpler then and apparently so was the music.
6. Led Zeppelin IV - Led Zeppelin (1971)
The sounds that Led Zeppelin produced will never, EVER be emulated by anyone (at least not well). Zeppelin IV is my favorite mainly because the band really hit their stride musically around this time. Songs like "Black Dog" and "When the Levee Breaks" are perfectly noisy and chaotic to me. However, no one can forget the epic sounds of "Stairway to Heaven" which essentially sounds like a song that was created during the Middle Ages and reproduced by the 4 greatest musicians in each of their respective positions. Especially Bonham and Page.
5. Wasting Light - Foo Fighters (2011)
I can't say enough about these guys. Dave Grohl is my hero. One of my favorite guys of all time and the fact that he would do something so badass as to make a rock record in a garage on tape to disprove all rumors of the band's longevity makes him that much more awesome. The key songs here are the opener "Bridge Burning", the closer "Walk, and my personal favorite "A Matter of Time". The awesome drum sounds, guitar riffs, and vocal screams on this album make it a huge return to form for the Foos. It has such a badass sound to it overall. This is why it's one of the greatest rock albums of our time.
4. Dark Side of the Moon - Pink Floyd (1973)
I remember first listening to this album and I just sat at my computer with my mouth wide open the whole time. Easily the greatest psychadelic rock album of all time. The calmess and fluidity is incredible here as all of the songs accompany each perfectly. There obviously the hits like "Money" and "Eclipse" that make this Floyd Album a little more memorable than "Wish You Were Here" or even "The Wall".
3. Abbey Road - The Beatles (1969)
The Beatles' second entry to my list should show you how influential and awesome they are to me. This was the last Beatles Album to be recorded by the band (Let it Be was actually recorded in between The White Album and this one). It also happens to be my favorite for a number of reasons. The top of the album has all the hits from "Come Together", "Something", "Octupus' Garden" and "Oh Darling!". The bottom is a series of quick yet emotional hits from the Beatles. The ending to this album is so epic and is a fanfare that can only be conjured by the greatest musicians of all time.
2. The Colour and the Shape - Foo Fighters (1997)
The difference between the Colour and the Shape and all of the other Foo Fighters albums including "Wasting Light" is a much more apparent sense of completion. The entire album is about a broken relationship begging to be mended. The key tracks here are "Monkey Wrench", "Hey Johnny Park", "My Hero", "New Way Home" and of course my favorite song of ALL time, "Everlong". Dave Grohl captured a magic with Everlong that he has not managed to rekindle in 15 years. This album also features a lighter side of the Foos that is actually very, very good. The opener "Doll" is short but sweet, "Up in Arms" is a soft ballad turned into a punk ballad, and "See You" is a happy little number that prepares you for the heavier sides of the album.
1. Nevermind - Nirvana (1991)
There are people that will tell you that this album is meaningless, that is album is senseless, and that this album is weak. If I ever found one of these people, I don't think I would be able to express how wrong they really are. Nirvana's second album is easily their most iconic. It not only launched the band to stardom but elevated the entire defiance/grunge movement to the eyes of a nation and appointed Kurt Cobain as the leader of the movement. People often say "Smells Like Teen Spirit" defines this album, but to be honest it is one of my least favorite on the album compared to some of the greatness captured in "In Bloom", "Come as You Are", "Lithium", "Lounge Act", and even "Polly". Kurt's vocals sound incredible, but if you take a deep listen to some of his lyrics, you will see that themes of alienation, depression, and defying corruption live within them. This album personally changed me in many ways. If I had not found Nirvana I would never be as passionate about music as I am now and I probably woudn't be as passionate about the life I live, and those are the qualities of a legendary album.
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