Top 10 Albums of my Lifetime

Most everyone has a library of music that has defined their life: a mental collection we can always return to and feel joy. For me, that covers a lot. All the way from my childhood to now, my life has been influenced by the music around me. I soak up music daily to the point where many songs are associated with a memory or period of time. I feel that music elevates my experience of life in a way nothing else can. Therefore, I wanted to write a piece that was a kind of love letter to the albums I hold most near and dear. This is my list of the ten best albums I have experienced in my lifetime.

I decided to eliminate any pieces that were released before I was born. I wanted to focus on albums that I distinctly remember impacting me when they were released. I also tried to keep my decisions as impartial as I could out of the large selection I had to choose from. I attempted to focus on albums that were important to me but also musically impressive and culturally significant. Although, music is a wholly subjective field at its core. Obviously, some of my bias will show. For example, I have a soft spot for the instrumentation of music over anything else, so many of the selections are very production-forward and electronically tinged. All that considered, this list will begin with:

Gnarls Barkley, St. Elsewhere, 2006

Effervescent and infectious, this bonkers debut album from Gnarls Barkley definitely shaped my music taste to no end. The duo consisted of soul vocalist Cee Lo Green and revered producer Danger Mouse. If there is one thing Green knows, it is how to entertain. He is a vocal powerhouse known his flamboyance, and when you add Danger Mouse, the visionary producer behind The Grey Album and many popular artists, to the equation you get a product like no other.

Gnarls Barkley, much like the Gorillaz, Studio Killers, and Major Lazer, is a high-concept musical project fronted by a fictional personality, although it differed from my other examples in the sense that Gnarls Barkley was never quite given a face. The duo created a persona to present the music but did not illustrate a character or expend much effort to mask their involvement. At its core, the album is wholly the product of its two collaborators. It’s colorful. It’s catchy. It’s energetic. It marries the silliness of Green perfectly with the refinement of Danger Mouse. It is simultaneously a perfect pop record and a neo soul revival that brings some necessary fun to the R&B and soul genres.

Amy Winehouse, Back to Black, 2006

Any Winehouse did not leave a pleasant taste in everyone’s mouth, but her talent and impact is undeniable. Incorporating soul and R&B sounds spanning five decades, Winehouse managed to revitalize an entire genre of British torch singing and created an album that defined the year, if not the decade. Her influence has endured well after the release of this album and her death in 2011. A tornado of a personality, Winehouse proved that fitting into a marketable box was not necessarily the only way to achieve success, during a time when many rising female voices needed it. The album’s production is simple and impeccable, but it is likely Winehouse could have sang a capella and had the same impact. Back to Black itself remains relevant and praise-worthy mostly because of the tortured singer’s songwriting. Winehouse’s distinct and emotive voice aside, she was able to turn a relatively narrow subject matter, a turbulent breakup, into a daring, fully-formed record that took the world by storm.

M.I.A., Kala, 2007

One of my personal favorite artists, M.I.A. is nobody’s knockoff. It is, however, difficult to pick an album that pins her down, but Kala is the probably closest you will find. It is her most cohesive body of work, even though that is not saying much, and gives some idea of her musical trajectory. In keeping with her signature style, the album blends electronic dance and hip-hop with world music, heavy on the Eastern influence. The album was not her debut, but it was her breakout. “Paper Planes” had taken over the radio, and people have been paying attention since then.

Mathangi ‘Maya’ Arulpragasam has always been controversial for the right reasons. Fiercely passionate and outspoken, she has never shied away from a tough political conversation. In her music, she often tackles typical subjects like relationships and parties, but more often than not, she’ll be rapping about politics, immigration, and war. Although English by birth and country, Maya spent a good portion of her childhood in India during the Sri Lankan Civil War, as her father was a prominent Tamil leader. Her mother returned her children to London eleven years after leaving, but the experience and influence of her father shaped Maya for the rest of her life. She is an activist first. Her music is just one of the weapons she uses. Although her debut album Arular was political, Kala is where she truly finds her footing, both lyrically and musically.

Metric, Fantasies, 2009

I definitely have a glaring soft spot for this time period of rock music. It was the span of a few years when indie rock was thriving. The Black Keys and Yeah Yeah Yeahs were achieving mainstream success. Indie musicians and garage rock bands were garnering praise. Scott Pilgrim vs. the World had sparked a culty interest in underground rock. This fad was definitely one of my favorite musical movements in recent history, and I will go out on a limb and posit that Metric played an important role in reaffirming indie rock’s relevance. Besides this style of rock, I also obviously have a weakness for synths, which Metric sometimes over-incorporates, but I do objectively stand behind this album 100% as one of the best indie rock albums of the last few decades.

On Fantasies, Metric opted to elevate their sound from their previous work. They were able to stay true to their new wave and synth-driven roots, while still veering more deliberately towards rock. Whereas their previous albums were minimal and slightly hollow, this album utilized many new instruments, which added some much-needed depth and warmth. The result was a cohesive and exciting new rock sound for the band. Metric also chose to self-release the album, and it paid off. They achieved unexpected mainstream success and became a beacon for other DIY musicians. Overall, I just do not believe Metric has gotten the credit they deserve, and I will continue to argue on their behalf a decade later, even if no one asked.

CAPSULE, PLAYER, 2010

The Japanese electronica duo CAPSULE, consisting of producer Yasutaka Nakata and vocalist Toshiko Koshijima, has delved into something special with each album, but Player is probably the album that best represents their collective sound. Formed in 1997, the band came from more generic J-pop beginnings, but their sound evolved, along with Nakata’s musical prowess, into varying styles of electronica. They have ventured from Shibuya-kei to electropop to house to, most recently, big room house and rave music. Besides CAPSULE, Nakata has also made a name for himself, producing and writing for some of Japan’s biggest superstars such as Perfume, who’s album Game almost made this list, and Kyary Pamyu Pamyu.

When I considered which CAPSULE album should ultimately make the list, I wanted to choose the one that seemed most indicative of them as artists. I considered 2007’s Sugarless Girl which is undoubtedly their quintessential electropop album, not too hardcore, not too bubbly. I also considered Caps Lock. Released in 2013, the sophisticated, almost completely instrumental album fell unusually into the IDM genre. Ultimately, I felt Player represented everything that came before and everything that was to come after. Consisting of accessible J-pop, driving sample-heavy electronic tracks, and Nakata’s signature glittery production, it is the perfect album to introduce someone to CAPSULE and possibly explain why I have such a high regard for them.

Kanye West, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, 2010

It’s an album steeped in never-ending praise, by an artist now steeped in never-ending controversy. Despite the tailspin West has found himself in the past few years, his legacy remains primarily intact, due in no small part to this magnum opus. The album is indulgent and grand, but it also has a complexity and sophistication lacking in his previous work and music from his contemporaries.

Like many albums on this list, Fantasy is an album created at just the right time in the artist’s career. It brought together the best parts of West’s entire library into one truly remarkable piece of art. It is the sort of album where you might actually believe the reports that one song took 5000 hours to write because it is so exemplary. West’s vision was grandiose, but he was certainly not afraid to let his cohorts shine. The album would be nothing without those who collaborated on its unique production and the artists who were featured such as Rihanna, Rick Ross, Bon Iver, the then-lesser-known Nicki Minaj, and even Chris Rock, who provided the only rap skit on the album. Breaking boundaries and spanning genres, Fantasy proved West’s brilliance beyond a reasonable doubt. Who knows if we will ever see a comeback like this from West again, but regardless, we will always have this stroke of genius to enjoy.

Florence + The Machine, How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful, 2015

If this list were in order of my personal favorites rather than chronologically, this album would be #1 without a doubt. It's hard to rationalize an album as the favorite of my entire life. Between the associated memories, my personal feelings, and what I know about how technically good or bad an album is, choosing just one is near impossible. However, How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful is the one I feel most comfortable with so far.

Florence Welch once again delivers powerful, unyielding vocals. The production is nuanced but hits like a tidal wave. It is more purposeful than her previous work, thanks in no small part to her primary producer Markus Dravs, but not as minimal as her newest album. It utilizes a variety of influences and styles but could not be more cohesive. She excels at all her music styles one by one rather than putting them together in one song. She covers hard rock with “What Kind of Man,” orchestral with the title track, dramatic operatics with “Queen of Peace,” infectious danceability with “Delilah,” and an aural, textured ballad with “St. Jude,” with every song between these also offering something special. The lyrics are, as usual, sophisticated and poetic, covering a variety of topics with expert utilization of metaphor and imagery. Welch did something indescribable with this album, and, even if it is not the fan favorite, it remains her best body of work to date.

Grimes, Art Angels, 2015

It is an album unlike any other. Rich, layered, otherworldly, Claire “Grimes” Boucher created a rabbit hole you just can’t wait to fall down. Art Angels was revolutionary at the time, blending various genres and instruments into one overall electro-rock-pop carnival ride. It earned Grimes even more recognition for her eccentric style and set her even further apart from her peers. Entirely self-written and produced, other than the two tracks with featured artists who wrote their own verses, the sheer magnitude of what Boucher accomplished all on her own is mind-blowing. My personal experience with and love for this album aside, it is polished and electrifying, and the fact she was able to create this project alone should astound anyone.

The album is meticulous and purposeful, a significant change from her previous album Visions, which was haphazardly finished over the course of only three weeks. Conversely, Art Angels came from a period of growth and patience, during which Boucher upgraded not only her gear and style but also her musical expertise. The result of this intense focus is her most quintessential and surprisingly accessible album yet. Wild, boundless, and ethereal, it’s Grimes’s world and we’re just living in it.

Charli XCX, Pop 2, 2017

Charli XCX doesn’t take herself too seriously. Between her over-the-top, Essex-tinged personality and raucous music style, it is quite easy to miss the intelligence behind her work. Plus, after the punk-inspired album Sucker, too many people stopped paying attention. Since 2015, Charli has gone in a much more experimental direction, thanks to the likes of A.G. Cook, his label, and rising star SOPHIE. She has settled into this sound well, and this renewed zest for her style and career is reflected in the music. Behind the party-going facade, Charlotte Aitchison is a brilliant, seasoned artist and songwriter who delivered one of the best, most original albums of the decade.

Pop 2 arrived somewhere between the scatteredness of Number 1 Angel and the polish of her third album Charli. It features Charli just as she was beginning to master her newfound sound. The album includes a remarkable carousel of musical tastemakers that were given the space to shine. Some were high profile; some were underground. All mesh perfectly with Charli’s vision. The mixtape basically says, “look at my friends! They’re great!” However, she never lets us forget who is the driving force behind the project. An avant-garde masterpiece, this highly collaborative project shows what pop curator Charli XCX is truly capable of. Pop 2 makes sure to look only to the future, never back, and beyond.

Janelle Monáe, Dirty Computer, 2018

The newest album on this list is just as important to me as the oldest. It defined 2018 for me. Bringing together the past and present, the Prince-influenced 80s soul and the shiny chrome exterior that defined her previous albums, Janelle Monáe did something unexpected. She created an album of depth and emotion when many people wrote her off as robotic and believed she was only capable of concept pieces.

Monáe’s star has risen rapidly. Between her breakout film roles in Hidden Figures and Moonlight, relationship with Tessa Thompson, and political activism, Dirty Computer almost seemed like an afterthought in comparison, but long time fans like myself were waiting for this sort of culmination, an album informed by all her growth as an artist and human being. This body of work tackles everything relevant to America in 2018: race, sexuality, politics, identity, you name it. Released alongside an entire musical film, Monáe succeeded in creating her most immersive experience yet, despite her last two albums technically being the ones with a narrative. Dirty Computer has the conviction and purpose that was missing before. Loudly black and loudly queer, Monáe finally gives all of herself to us through this intelligent and very groovy album.

Honorable Mentions

Santigold, Santogold, 2008

Genre-defying and unclassifiable, Santogold remains Santi White’s best album to date. The singer’s debut project raised the bar for what indie music could be and proved talent wins out over extensive collaboration, revision, and promotion. The album has a raw edge lost in White’s more recent music. There is almost a sort of desperation to it. White takes us on a journey not only musically through several genres of rock, electronic, and reggae, but also around the world. There are innumerable cultural influences woven into something that is also undeniably American. It took vision, attitude, and energy. Few artists have these qualities to begin with, let alone are able to maintain them.

Brodinski, Brava, 2015

Critically divisive but exciting and musically unique, Brava is the first album released by this relatively unknown French producer and DJ. Having now made the transition almost completely from electronic music to hip-hop in his more recent work, Brodinski created this album while exploring both genres. What came of it was a haunting, indulgent soundscape that perfectly marries the two worlds. Some would call this album inaccessible and abrasive. I call it a dark, rip-roaring good time.

Rihanna, Anti, 2016

Musically a departure for the singer and newly minted makeup mogul, Rihanna’s latest, and hopefully not last, album Anti proved there was much more to her that met the eye. With extensive teasing and three promotional singles, all of which were scrapped from the mysterious final album, Rihanna put out something that blew the music world away. Despite a myriad of collaborators, Anti is cohesive, coherent, and self-assured. Rihanna solidified not only her status as a pop fixture but also the beginnings of her new, more mature image as a cultural icon. Her most metered and thoughtful album to date managed to simultaneously become her most exciting, and I cannot wait to see what she does next.

Kah-Lo and Riton, Foreign Ororo, 2018

I know on the surface this album is just another EDM endeavor that got lost in the Spotify sea, but under the surface there is much more to it. Although mostly chanting about liquor and partying, Nigerian-born singer Kah-Lo isn’t afraid to tackle love and world politics while she’s at it. To be fair, however, the hooks are so good you won’t even care what she’s singing about. It’s UK dance music with an African spin; this is festival music perfected. Between Kah-Lo’s unique voice and Riton’s infectious production, Foreign Ororo creates a sunny, upbeat world I cannot stop revisiting. The album is simply straight. up. fun!