a challenge for musical masochists

A fellow blogger posted a request for masochists to list their favorite albums -- one for every year they've been alive. His instructions?

"Pick the most important to you. Pick your favorite. Pick the one you listened to the most. Shit, you can even pick a greatest hits album for all I care."

What I picked are the albums I still listen to and still love today. Did I listen to them then? No. I was busying myself with Terence Trent D'Arby, Wang Chung and Color me Badd. (It's not my fault. I was born in the late '70s.)

It was an interesting project to participate in, mostly because I had no idea that Kylie Minogue had so many albums out, and that Chris Isaak isn't dead. (I thought so, but apparently he also has sixteen million albums out.) And... did you know there's a band called "Anal Cunt" that had more than two albums?? (yikes.)

I really, really tried to keep myself to one album a year, but there were just some years (see 1996) that I just couldn't pick one.

If you have three disposable hours to scroll through Wikipedia (where you can see the albums released in any given year), I recommend doing one yourself. It's nice to get reacquainted with my favorite albums (and to imagine that desert island)...

1976. Desire – Bob Dylan
1977. Rumours - Fleetwood Mac
1978. Blue Valentine – Tom Waits
Baltimore – Nina Simone
1979. A Christmas Together (featuring The Muppets) – John Denver
1980. The River - Bruce Springsteen
1981. Ghost in the Machine - The Police
1982. Nebraska – Bruce Springsteen
1983. Violent Femmes - Violent Femmes
1984. Born in the U.S.A. - Bruce Springsteen
1985. Rain Dogs -- Tom Waits
1986. Graceland - Paul Simon
1987. In My Tribe -- 10,000 Maniacs
1988. The Trinity Session -- Cowboy Junkies
1989. Indigo Girls -- Indigo Girls
1990. Into the Journey – Martin Sexton
1991. The Early Years – Tom Waits
Blood Sugar Sex Magik -- Red Hot Chili Peppers
1992. Little Earthquakes -- Tori Amos
1993. The Juliet Letters -- Elvis Costello and The Brodsky Quartet
Fumbling Towards Ecstasy -- Sarah McLachlan
1994. Out of Range -- Ani DiFranco
1995. Ben Folds Five -- Ben Folds Five
1996. Black Sheep – Martin Sexton
Crash -- Dave Matthews Band
Tidal -- Fiona Apple
1997. Whatever and Ever Amen -- Ben Folds Five
Surfacing -- Sarah McLachlan
1998. Wide Open Spaces -- Dixie Chicks
1999. White Ladder – David Gray
When the Pawn... Fiona Apple
2000. Wonder Bar – Martin Sexton
2001. Room for Squares -- John Mayer
Little Sparrow – Dolly Parton
2002. Come Away with Me -- Norah Jones
2003. Afterglow – Sarah McLachlan
2004. Sufjan Stevens -- Seven Swans
2005. Cherryholmes – Cherryholmes
2006. Stumble Inn – Robbie Gil
Stadium Arcadium – Red Hot Chili Peppers
2007. Cherryholmes – Cherryholmes II Black & White
Robert Plant and Alison Krauss - Raising Sand