A community curated list of the most iconic albums in music history. Only the best of the best. Nostalgia, sentiment, connection, experience, aesthetic pleasure. It all plays a part. There are no rules. Cardiacs taught us that.
Artist: 808 State
Year: 1989
Artist: 13th Floor Elevators
Year: 1966
Artist: A Tribe Called Quest
Year: 1991
Artist: Adam Green
Year: 2003
Artist: Adam Green
Year: 2005
Artist: Air
Year: 1998
Artist: Alanis Morissette
Year: 1995
Artist: Alice Coltrane with Pharoah Sanders
Year: 1970
Artist: Alice Coltrane
Year: 1971
Artist: Alice Coltrane with Strings
Year: 1971
Artist: Amon Tobin
Year: 2000
Artist: Amy Winehouse
Year: 2006
Artist: Animal Collective
Year: 2009
Artist: Anna Calvi
Year: 2011
Artist: Arcade Fire
Year: 2004
Artist: Arctic Monkeys
Year: 2009
Artist: Astrud Gilberto
Year: 1969
Artist: At The Drive-In
Year: 2000
Artist: The B-52s
Year: 1979
Artist: Baxter Dury
Year: 2020
Artist: Beastie Boys
Year: 1986
Artist: Beastie Boys
Year: 1989
Artist: Beastie Boys
Year: 1994
Artist: The Beach Boys
Year: 1966
Artist: The Beatles
Year: 1965
Artist: The Beatles
Year: 1966
Artist: The Beatles
Year: 1967
Artist: The Beatles
Year: 1968
Artist: The Beatles
Year: 1969
Artist: Beck
Year: 1996
Artist: Beck
Year: 1999
Artist: Big Special
Year: 2024
Artist: Big Thief
Year: 2022
Artist: Bill Ryder-Jones
Year: 2013
Artist: The Birthday Party
Year: 1982
Artist: Bjork
Year: 1993
Artist: Black Country, New Road
Year: 2022
Artist: blink-182
Year: 1999
Artist: Bloc Party
Year: 2005
Artist: Blondie
Year: 1978
Artist: Blur
Year: 1994
Artist: Blur
Year: 2023
Artist: Boards of Canada
Year: 1998
Artist: Boards of Canada
Year: 2002
Artist: Bob Dylan
Year: 1965
Artist: Bob Dylan
Year: 1966
Artist: Bob Dylan
Year: 1975
Artist: Bobby Womack
Year: 2012
Artist: Bob Marley
Year: 1974
Artist: Bob Marley
Year: 1977
Artist: Brian Eno and David Byrne
Year: 1981
Artist: The Brian Jonestown Massacre
Year: 1996
Artist: The Brian Jonestown Massacre
Year: 2010
Artist: Broadcast
Year: 2000
Artist: Bullion
Year: 2009
Artist: Butthole Surfers
Year: 1987
Artist: Can
Year: 1971
Artist: Can
Year: 1973
Artist: Captain Beefheart and his Magic Band
Year: 1969
Artist: Carole King
Year: 1971
Artist: Cate Le Bon
Year: 2022
Artist: Cat Stevens
Year: 1970
Artist: Cardiacs
Year: 1984
Artist: Cardiacs
Year: 1988
Artist: Chase and Status
Year: 2011
Artist: Charlotte Gainsbourg
Year: 2017
Artist: Chemical Brothers
Year: 1999
Artist: Clark
Year: 2012
Artist: Coldcut vs DJ Food
Year: 1996
Artist: Connan Mockasin
Year: 2010
Artist: Cotton Jones
Year: 2009
Artist: The Charlatans
Year: 1997
Artist: The Coral
Year: 2002
Artist: The Coral
Year: 2004
Artist: Courtney Barnett
Year: 2015
Artist: The Cribs
Year: 2007
Artist: The Cribs
Year: 2012
Artist: Curtis Mayfield
Year: 1970
Artist: Cypress Hill
Year: 1993
Artist: Daft Punk
Year: 2007
Artist: Daft Punk
Year: 2010
Artist: Damon Albarn
Year: 2014
Artist: The Dandy Warhols
Year: 1997
Artist: Daniel Johnston
Year: 1983
Artist: David Bowie
Year: 1971
Artist: David Bowie
Year: 1972
Artist: David Bowie
Year: 1973
Artist: David Bowie
Year: 1977
Artist: David Bowie
Year: 2016
Artist: David Byrne and St. Vincent
Year: 2012
Artist: David Holmes
Year: 1997
Artist: Decius
Year: 2025
Artist: Deftones
Year: 1995
Artist: Deftones
Year: 2000
Artist: De La Soul
Year: 1989
Artist: De La Soul
Year: 1991
Artist: Derya Yildirim & Grup Şimşek
Year: 2022
Artist: Descendents
Year: 1982
Artist: Devendra Banhart
Year: 2004
Artist: Devo
Year: 1978
Artist: Dire Straits
Year: 1985
Artist: DJ Food
Year: 2000
Artist: DJ Shadow
Year: 1996
Artist: Dominick Martin
Year: 1996
Artist: Donovan
Year: 1973
Artist: The Doors
Year: 1967
Artist: Dr Dre
Year: 1992
Artist: Dr Dre
Year: 1999
Artist: Echo & The Bunnymen
Year: 1983
Artist: Echo & The Bunnymen
Year: 1984
Artist: Eels
Year: 1996
Artist: Electric Light Orchestra
Year: 1977
Artist: Elton John
Year: 1973
Artist: Eminem
Year: 2000
Artist: Empire Of The Sun
Year: 2008
Artist: English Teacher
Year: 2024
Artist: Eric B & Rakim
Year: 1987
Artist: Faith No More
Year: 1989
Artist: The Fall
Year: 1985
Artist: Fatboy Slim
Year: 1998
Artist: Fat White Family
Year: 2019
Artist: Fiona Apple
Year: 2020
Artist: The Flaming Lips
Year: 1999
Artist: The Flaming Lips
Year: 2002
Artist: Fleetwood Mac
Year: 1977
Artist: Fleetwood Mac
Year: 1987
Artist: Flying Lotus
Year: 2014
Artist: Fontaines D.C.
Year: 2019
Artist: Four Tet
Year: 2003
Artist: Foxygen
Year: 2017
Artist: Frank Zappa
Year: 1974
Artist: Fugees
Year: 1996
Artist: Funkadelic
Year: 1971
Artist: Gang of Four
Year: 1979
Artist: George Harrison
Year: 1970
Artist: Germs
Year: 1979
Artist: Gil Scott-Heron
Year: 1971
Artist: Gil Scott-Heron
Year: 2010
Artist: Goat
Year: 2012
Artist: Goldie
Year: 1995
Artist: Gomez
Year: 1998
Artist: The Good, The Bad & The Queen
Year: 2018
Artist: Gorillaz
Year: 2001
Artist: Gorillaz
Year: 2005
Artist: Gorillaz
Year: 2010
Artist: Grace Cummings
Year: 2019
Artist: Grace Jones
Year: 1981
Artist: Green Day
Year: 1994
Artist: The Gun Club
Year: 1982
Artist: Guns n Roses
Year: 1987
Artist: Heartworms
Year: 2025
Artist: Helado Negro
Year: 2016
Artist: Herbie Hancock
Year: 1973
Artist: Herbie Hancock
Year: 1983
Artist: Here We Go Magic
Year: 2012
Artist: Hiatus Kaiyote
Year: 2012
Artist: Hirth Martinez
Year: 1975
Artist: Horace Andy
Year: 1972
Artist: Ian Dury
Year: 1977
Artist: Ice Cube
Year: 1990
Artist: Iggy Pop
Year: 1977
Artist: Incubus
Year: 1997
Artist: Isaac Hayes
Year: 1969
Artist: The Isley Brothers
Year: 1973
Artist: Jaga Jazzist
Year: 2001
Artist: Jane Weaver
Year: 2017
Artist: Jamie T
Year: 2009
Artist: Jean-Michel Jarre
Year: 1976
Artist: Jeff Buckley
Year: 1994
Artist: Jeff Mills
Year: 1993
Artist: Jeff Mills
Year: 1996
Artist: Jefferson Airplane
Year: 1967
Artist: Jim Sullivan
Year: 1969
Artist: Jimi Hendrix
Year: 1967
Artist: Jimmy Eat World
Year: 2004
Artist: Jorge Ben
Year: 1976
Artist: Jurassic 5
Year: 2000
Artist: Kendrick Lamar
Year: 2015
Artist: Khruangbin
Year: 2015
Artist: Killing Joke
Year: 1980
Artist: King Crimson
Year: 1969
Artist: King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard
Year: 2014
Artist: King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard
Year: 2015
Artist: King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard
Year: 2016
Artist: King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard
Year: 2017
Artist: King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard
Year: 2017
Artist: King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard
Year: 2022
Artist: King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard
Year: 2022
Artist: The Kinks
Year: 1968
Artist: The KLF
Year: 1991
Artist: Kraftwerk
Year: 1974
Artist: Kraftwerk
Year: 1983
Artist: Kurt Vile
Year: 2018
Artist: Lambchop
Year: 1998
Artist: Lauryn Hill
Year: 1998
Artist: LCD Soundsystem
Year: 2007
Artist: Leftfield
Year: 1995
Artist: Lemon Jelly
Year: 2000
Artist: The Lemon Twigs
Year: 2016
Artist: The Libertines
Year: 2002
Artist: Limp Bizkit
Year: 2000
Artist: Little Simz
Year: 2021
Artist: Lou Reed
Year: 1972
Artist: Lou Reed
Year: 1973
Artist: Love
Year: 1967
Artist: LTJ Bukem
Year: 1996
Artist: Mac DeMarco
Year: 2014
Artist: Madvillain
Year: 2004
Artist: Magazine
Year: 1978
Artist: Mark Lanegan Band
Year: 2004
Artist: Mark Lanegan Band
Year: 2014
Artist: The Mars Volta
Year: 2003
Artist: Marvin Gaye
Year: 1971
Artist: Matthew Halsall
Year: 2009
Artist: Massive Attack
Year: 1991
Artist: Massive Attack
Year: 1998
Artist: Massive Attack
Year: 2010
Artist: Meilyr Jones
Year: 2016
Artist: Metallica
Year: 1991
Artist: MGMT
Year: 2010
Artist: Michael Jackson
Year: 1979
Artist: Michael Jackson
Year: 1982
Artist: Mighty Diamonds
Year: 1976
Artist: Miles Davis
Year: 1970
Artist: Missy Elliott
Year: 2002
Artist: The Moldy Peaches
Year: 2001
Artist: Moondog
Year: 1969
Artist: Muse
Year: 2001
Artist: My Bloody Valentine
Year: 1991
Artist: Nas
Year: 1994
Artist: Nadine Shah
Year: 2024
Artist: Neil Cowley Trio
Year: 2008
Artist: Nero
Year: 2011
Artist: Neutral Milk Hotel
Year: 1998
Artist: New York Dolls
Year: 1973
Artist: Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
Year: 1985
Artist: Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
Year: 1994
Artist: Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
Year: 1996
Artist: Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
Year: 2013
Artist: Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
Year: 2016
Artist: Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
Year: 2019
Artist: Nilsson
Year: 1971
Artist: Nina Simone
Year: 1959
Artist: Nine Inch Nails
Year: 1989
Artist: Nirvana
Year: 1991
Artist: Nirvana
Year: 1993
Artist: Noah and the Whale
Year: 2009
Artist: The Notorious B.I.G.
Year: 1994
Artist: NWA
Year: 1989
Artist: Oasis
Year: 1994
Artist: Oasis
Year: 1995
Artist: The Offspring
Year: 1994
Artist: The Offspring
Year: 1998
Artist: OK Go
Year: 2010
Artist: Ol' Dirty Bastard
Year: 1995
Artist: OutKast
Year: 2000
Artist: OutKast
Year: 2003
Artist: Patti Smith
Year: 1975
Artist: Pearl Jam
Year: 1991
Artist: Phoebe Bridgers
Year: 2020
Artist: Pink Floyd
Year: 1967
Artist: Pink Floyd
Year: 1973
Artist: PJ Harvey
Year: 2000
Artist: PJ Harvey
Year: 2011
Artist: Placebo
Year: 1998
Artist: Placebo
Year: 2003
Artist: Pond
Year: 2012
Artist: Portishead
Year: 1994
Artist: Portishead
Year: 1997
Artist: Portishead
Year: 2008
Artist: Primal Scream
Year: 1991
Artist: Prince
Year: 1984
Artist: The Prodigy
Year: 1992
Artist: The Prodigy
Year: 1994
Artist: The Prodigy
Year: 1997
Artist: The Prodigy
Year: 1999
Artist: The Prodigy
Year: 2004
Artist: Public Enemy
Year: 1988
Artist: Public Enemy
Year: 1990
Artist: Pulp
Year: 1995
Artist: Pulp
Year: 1998
Artist: Purple Mountains
Year: 2019
Artist: The Pyramids
Year: 2012
Artist: Quasimoto
Year: 2013
Artist: Queen
Year: 1975
Artist: Queen Latifah
Year: 1989
Artist: Queens of the Stone Age
Year: 2002
Artist: Radiohead
Year: 1997
Artist: Radiohead
Year: 2000
Artist: Radiohead
Year: 2007
Artist: Rage Against The Machine
Year: 1991
Artist: Red Hot Chili Peppers
Year: 1991
Artist: R.E.M.
Year: 1983
Artist: R.E.M.
Year: 1984
Artist: Richard Hawley
Year: 2005
Artist: Roni Size / Reprazent
Year: 1997
Artist: The Roots
Year: 1999
Artist: Royal Blood
Year: 2014
Artist: Run The Jewels
Year: 2013
Artist: Sabu Martinez
Year: 1973
Artist: Saint Etienne
Year: 1991
Artist: Sasha And John Digweed
Year: 1996
Artist: Scroobius Pip vs Dan Le Sac
Year: 2008
Artist: Sessa
Year: 2019
Artist: Sex Pistols
Year: 1977
Artist: Sharon Van Etten
Year: 2019
Artist: Sharon Van Etten
Year: 2025
Artist: Shotty Horroh
Year: 2018
Artist: Sigur Rós
Year: 2002
Artist: Silver Jews
Year: 2001
Artist: Slint
Year: 1991
Artist: Slipknot
Year: 1999
Artist: Sly & The Family Stone
Year: 1971
Artist: Smashing Pumpkins
Year: 1995
Artist: The Smile
Year: 2024
Artist: The Smiths
Year: 1987
Artist: The Smiths
Year: 1986
Artist: SOIL & "PIMP" SESSIONS
Year: 2005
Artist: The Stone Roses
Year: 1989
Artist: Snoop Doggy Dogg
Year: 1993
Artist: Spacemen 3
Year: 1989
Artist: Sparks
Year: 1974
Artist: The Specials
Year: 1979
Artist: Spiritualized
Year: 1997
Artist: Stereolab
Year: 1996
Artist: Strawberry Alarm Clock
Year: 1968
Artist: The Stooges
Year: 1969
Artist: The Streets
Year: 2002
Artist: The Streets
Year: 2004
Artist: The Strokes
Year: 2001
Artist: Sufjan Stevens
Year: 2015
Artist: Super Furry Animals
Year: 1996
Artist: Supertramp
Year: 1974
Artist: Supertramp
Year: 1979
Artist: Syd Barrett
Year: 1970
Artist: System of a Down
Year: 2001
Artist: T. Rex
Year: 1971
Artist: Talk Talk
Year: 1988
Artist: Talking Heads
Year: 1977
Artist: Talking Heads
Year: 1978
Artist: Talking Heads
Year: 1979
Artist: Talking Heads
Year: 1980
Artist: Talking Heads
Year: 1983
Artist: Tame Impala
Year: 2012
Artist: Tears for Fears
Year: 1985
Artist: Television
Year: 1977
Artist: Thundercat
Year: 2017
Artist: Todd Rundgren
Year: 1973
Artist: Todd Rundgren
Year: 1972
Artist: Todd Terje
Year: 2014
Artist: Tom Petty
Year: 1989
Artist: Tom Tom Club
Year: 1981
Artist: Toshio Matsuura Group
Year: 2018
Artist: Tropical Fuck Storm
Year: 2018
Artist: Tropical Fuck Storm
Year: 2019
Artist: Tune-Yards
Year: 2011
Artist: Tyler, The Creator
Year: 2021
Artist: Unknown Mortal Orchestra
Year: 2015
Artist: The Vaccines
Year: 2011
Artist: The Velvet Underground & Nico
Year: 1967
Artist: Viagra Boys
Year: 2018
Artist: The War On Drugs
Year: 2014
Artist: The Who
Year: 1971
Artist: Wilco
Year: 2001
Artist: Wolfmother
Year: 2005
Artist: The Wrens
Year: 2003
Artist: Wu-Tang Clan
Year: 1993
Artist: XTC
Year: 1979
Artist: Yak
Year: 2019
Artist: Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Year: 2003
Artist: Yellowman
Year: 1982
Artist: US69
Year: 1969
Artist: Youth Lagoon
Year: 2011
Artist: Youth Lagoon
Year: 2013
Artist: Youth Lagoon
Year: 2023
Artist: Youth Lagoon
Year: 2025