The N&G Top 500 Albums of All Time!!!

Yesterday I finished my preliminary Top50 list. First I went over my MP3 collection, which I'm curating since the early days of Napster, then my current Tidal/Roon library, and of course my small record collection. Unfortunately I've thrown out my tapes and CDs a few years ago, but the most important stuff is digitized anyway. So I guess (hope) that I haven't overlooked too many. I picked a little bit more then 100 favourites, and then the hard part began. breaking that down to only 50, and putting them in order. After the list was finished, I looked at it again, and immediately changed like 30% again, moving things up and down, and adding/removing a few. So basically I put together a list of my current and all-time favourite albums, including some personal land-mark albums. A good mixture which represents myself in terms of music quite well I think.

I will keep that list a few weeks before handing it in, because I'm sure that a few changes will come to mind in the next days/weeks...

Oh man, that's a lot of fun...
 
Last edited:
Honest, non-trolling question: is anyone putting in an album that they got from VMP, one that they hadn't heard before? Just interested if those years of curation got anyone an album that became one of their all-time favourites.

For me, it's a no. There were albums by bands I knew, or knew of that I'm glad I have (Hot Chip, Four Tet, loads of others), but nothing new that would hit a top 50. The closest to hitting a top 100 would be Lee Scratch Perry, Forest Swords, Monster Rally, Jorge Ben, Jess Ribeiro...
 
Honest, non-trolling question: is anyone putting in an album that they got from VMP, one that they hadn't heard before? Just interested if those years of curation got anyone an album that became one of their all-time favourites.

For me, it's a no. There were albums by bands I knew, or knew of that I'm glad I have (Hot Chip, Four Tet, loads of others), but nothing new that would hit a top 50. The closest to hitting a top 100 would be Lee Scratch Perry, Forest Swords, Monster Rally, Jorge Ben, Jess Ribeiro...

There are 2 I have their copies of in my top 50 but I knew both a long time before VMP sent them to me and one is this months Spiritualized that I had a crap plain vinyl copy of for years before I managed to wangle their copy.
 
There are 2 I have their copies of in my top 50 but I knew both a long time before VMP sent them to me and one is this months Spiritualized that I had a crap plain vinyl copy of for years before I managed to wangle their copy.
Yea this is me. There will probably be things they released on my list, but those were albums I already knew about. VMP introduced me to a few nice bands, but nothing that would land in my top 50
 
Yea this is me. There will probably be things they released on my list, but those were albums I already knew about. VMP introduced me to a few nice bands, but nothing that would land in my top 50
Same with me - I got stuff from bands I knew and/or loved, but very little in the way of "wow, I've never heard this - this is amazing!".
 
Spoiler alert, but this is in my list...
Mine too. Top five for sure.

Honest, non-trolling question: is anyone putting in an album that they got from VMP, one that they hadn't heard before? Just interested if those years of curation got anyone an album that became one of their all-time favourites.

For me, it's a no. There were albums by bands I knew, or knew of that I'm glad I have (Hot Chip, Four Tet, loads of others), but nothing new that would hit a top 50. The closest to hitting a top 100 would be Lee Scratch Perry, Forest Swords, Monster Rally, Jorge Ben, Jess Ribeiro...
I haven't gotten too far in the process of paring down my huge preliminary list yet, but I'd say there are two that have a chance. And then at least one other album that I knew about long before VMP (and was actually my first ever record from them, swapping for it) will definitely make it. Apart from those two, though, I'd be surprised if much from even the last five years made my list. I can't really consider something an all-timer even if I love it now if I haven't spent several years with it.
 
Honest, non-trolling question: is anyone putting in an album that they got from VMP, one that they hadn't heard before? Just interested if those years of curation got anyone an album that became one of their all-time favourites.

For me, it's a no. There were albums by bands I knew, or knew of that I'm glad I have (Hot Chip, Four Tet, loads of others), but nothing new that would hit a top 50. The closest to hitting a top 100 would be Lee Scratch Perry, Forest Swords, Monster Rally, Jorge Ben, Jess Ribeiro...

For me this is a yes. And I think it's actually going to be a pretty significant number haha Right now I have 4 in my top 50:

Betty Davis - Betty Davis
Blossom Dearie - Blossom Dearie
Darrell Banks - Here to Stay
Nina Simone - Sings the Blues

The first 3 I had never even heard of the artist, much less the album. Obviously I knew Nina but had never heard that album. Love all of these!
 
Honest, non-trolling question: is anyone putting in an album that they got from VMP, one that they hadn't heard before? Just interested if those years of curation got anyone an album that became one of their all-time favourites.

For me, it's a no. There were albums by bands I knew, or knew of that I'm glad I have (Hot Chip, Four Tet, loads of others), but nothing new that would hit a top 50. The closest to hitting a top 100 would be Lee Scratch Perry, Forest Swords, Monster Rally, Jorge Ben, Jess Ribeiro...

Cant say for sure until I narrow it down to 50 but Betty Davis, Carla Thomas, and James Hooker are definitely contenders
 
Just a reminder(and added to OP):

If anyone wants to do a write up for one (or multiple) of their favorite albums I will use them in the unveiling of the final list. Write ups can be as long or short as possible. Just DM me your write up with the Album name in the subject, and make each write up a separate DM. I will credit you with your write up in the post unless you would prefer to remain anonymous in which case mark that at the beginning of the write up. I cant wait to read any and all entries!
 
Honest, non-trolling question: is anyone putting in an album that they got from VMP, one that they hadn't heard before? Just interested if those years of curation got anyone an album that became one of their all-time favourites.

For me, it's a no. There were albums by bands I knew, or knew of that I'm glad I have (Hot Chip, Four Tet, loads of others), but nothing new that would hit a top 50. The closest to hitting a top 100 would be Lee Scratch Perry, Forest Swords, Monster Rally, Jorge Ben, Jess Ribeiro...

VMP picks definitely on my list include TVOTR, Flaming Lips, and Spiritualized, all of which I had on CD for years before. In fact, when I first got a turntable, looking for Return to Cookie Mountain is what led me to discover VMP.
 
Last edited:
Honest, non-trolling question: is anyone putting in an album that they got from VMP, one that they hadn't heard before? Just interested if those years of curation got anyone an album that became one of their all-time favourites.

None for me. Not even in my top 100, actually. No wonder I’m no longer subscribed!
 
I keep going back and forth on whether I want to limit myself to one album per artist or not...

I was going to try to do that but I think Let it Bleed and Exile might both have to make my top 50. And I think I may have two Radiohead albums too. And a couple Zeppelin and Beatles albums. Oh man, I really should start my actual list...so far it's just been bouncing around in my head.

And, I'm glad live albums are in. I'm considering Cheap Trick at Budokan, Joni Mitchell Shadows and Light and Stop Making Sense.
 
Honest, non-trolling question: is anyone putting in an album that they got from VMP, one that they hadn't heard before? Just interested if those years of curation got anyone an album that became one of their all-time favourites.

For me, it's a no. There were albums by bands I knew, or knew of that I'm glad I have (Hot Chip, Four Tet, loads of others), but nothing new that would hit a top 50. The closest to hitting a top 100 would be Lee Scratch Perry, Forest Swords, Monster Rally, Jorge Ben, Jess Ribeiro...

Out of the ones they introduced me to there’s a chance at Norgren and Gang of Youths making the cut although if they did make the cut they’d be pretty low.
 
Out of the ones they introduced me to there’s a chance at Norgren and Gang of Youths making the cut although if they did make the cut they’d be pretty low.
Agree with norgren and it being low...I have way too many albums Ahead of them because of influential albums growing up
 
Back
Top