Reddit/Stoleit: Years
What is your favourite album from every year you've been alive?
What is Reddit/Stoleit? Well, in a nutshell, its a topic I saw on Reddit, and I stole it. Rather than spend hours writing a response to post there, I figured I’d post here for you all instead. Oh, and give full credit to the Redditor. I’m nice like that.
In the middle of last week, my imagination was captured by a post from redditor /u/Tranquilbez22, who asked ‘Your favourite album for every year you’ve been alive?’ in the ToddInTheShadows sub-reddit.
(Todd In The Shadows is one of the best music YouTubers. Check him out.)
Naturally, I pored through the selections from others, often marvelling at how young they were. The original poster was born in 1995; his list contained three Silverchair albums in the first decade, which is somewhere between two and three too many Silverchair albums. One started in 2006 and contained both Cascada and London Grammar. Another started in 2001; 18 of the 24 albums listed were female singer-songwriters like Michelle Branch and Taylor Swift.
And of course I started to think about my own list.
I love the album format. Long before I was writing this sub, even going back to my early twenties, I was making a point of listening to albums in full. As I learnt new songs and discovered new acts, I went back and listened to their word in full. I went through phases - at one point, I was mainlining Steely Dan and The Police, at another I was hyperfocused on the complete works of Colin Hay.
This meant I had too many thoughts and ideas for what to include on my own list, and how to fit everything I wanted to include.
So I’ve rejigged the question a little bit: instead of one album, I’ve chosen to list two for each year, as well as any honourable mentions I think need to be listed as well. You might think its a lot, but this is the result of some very brutal editing. I could have listed ten times this many albums.
I’ve chosen not to add any (much) context or explanation - just know that these albums aren’t the ones I think are the best albums released each year, they’re the ones I’ve enjoyed the most in my lifetime from each year. And make sure you list some of yours in the comments below!
(Strap in, folks, it’s a long one.)
1981
GHOST IN THE MACHINE by The Police
BUSINESS AS USUAL by Men At Work
Honourable mention:
Stevie Nicks’ Bella Donna
Split Enz’s Waiata
1982
THE NUMBER OF THE BEAST by Iron Maiden
WAR by U2
Honourable mention:
Bruce Springsteen’s Nebraska
Michael Jackson’s Thriller
1983
SPEAKING IN TONGUES by Talking Heads
GENESIS by Genesis
Honourable mention:
Metallica’s Kill Em All
1984
RIDE THE LIGHTNING by Metallica
DOUBLE NICKELS ON THE DIME by Minutemen
I went on an 80s punk/hardcore binge of discovery after reading Michael Azerrad’s Our Band Could Become Your Life, which led me to Minutemen. I feel gutted to be leaving out acts like Husker Du, Minor Threat, Fugazi and Black Flag. But I had to be brutal here. They are in my heart though.
1985
NO JACKET REQUIRED by Phil Collins
SONGS FROM THE BIG CHAIR by Tears For Fears
Honourable mention:
Faith No More’s We Care A Lot
1986
MASTER OF PUPPETS by Metallica
REIGN IN BLOOD by Slayer
Honourable mention:
Beastie Boys’ Licensed to Ill
1987
THE JOSHUA TREE by U2
KICK by Inxs
1988
TRACY CHAPMAN by Tracy Chapman
IT TAKES A NATION OF MILLIONS TO HOLD US BACK by Public Enemy
Honourable mention:
Traveling Wilburys’ Volume 1
Jane’s Addiction’s Nothings Shocking
1989
3 FEET HIGH AND RISING by De La Soul
THE REAL THING by Faith No More
Honourable mention:
NWA’s Straight Outta Compton
1990
I DO NOT WANT WHAT I HAVEN’T GOT by Sinéad O’Connor
VIOLATOR by Depeche Mode
Honourable mention:
Sonic Youth’s Goo
1991
NEVERMIND by Nirvana
TEN by Pearl Jam
Honourable mention:
Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Blood Sugar Sex Magik
A Tribe Called Quest’s The Low End Theory
1992
DIRT by Alice In Chains
VULGAR DISPLAY OF POWER by Pantera
Honourable mention:
Rage Against The Machine’s Rage Against The Machine
R.E.M’s Automatic For The People
1993
IN UTERO by Nirvana
SIAMESE DREAM by The Smashing Pumpkins
Honourable mention:
The Breeders’ Last Splash
Sepultura’s Chaos AD
1994
TRACTION by Supergroove
SUPERUNKNOWN by Soundgarden
Honourable mention:
Nine Inch Nails’ The Downward Spiral
Pearl Jam’s Vitalogy
1995
KILLJOY by Shihad
KING FOR A DAY, FOOL FOR A LIFETIME by Faith No More
Honourable mention:
Everclear’s Sparkle & Fade
Radiohead’s The Bends
1996
AENIMA by Tool
EVIL EMPIRE by Rage Against The Machine
Honourable mention:
Soundgarden’s Down On The Upside
2Pac’s All Eyez On Me
1997
AROUND THE FUR by Deftones
THE COLOUR AND THE SHAPE by Foo Fighters
Honourable mention:
Radiohead’s OK Computer
Portishead’s Portishead
1998
FOLLOW THE LEADER by Korn
SYSTEM OF A DOWN by System Of A Down
The peak of nu-metal’s rise - did you know that Orgy’s Candyass and Kid Rock’s Devil Without A Cause (the one with “Bawitdaba” on it) were both released on the exact same day as Korn’s Follow The Leader?!
Honourable mention:
Hole’s Celebrity Skin
Fatboy Slim’s You’ve Come A Long Way, Baby
1999
MAKE YOURSELF by Incubus
THERE IS NOTHING LEFT TO LOSE by Foo Fighters
This might be a hot take but There Is Nothing Left To Lose is my favourite Foo Fighters album too, an album I consider a ‘no-skip’.
Honourable mention:
Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Californication
Slipknot’s Slipknot
2000
MER DE NOMS by A Perfect Circle
HYBRID THEORY by Linkin Park
Honourable mention:
Weta’s Geographica
Deftones’ White Pony
2001
BLEED AMERICAN by Jimmy Eat World
TOXICITY by System Of A Down
Honourable mention:
Radiohead’s Amnesiac
Tool’s Lateralus
2002
SONGS FOR THE DEAF by Queens Of The Stone Age
THE EMINEM SHOW by Eminem
Honourable mention:
Blindspott’s Blindspott
The Flaming Lips’ Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots
2003
ABSOLUTION by Muse
ROOM ON FIRE by The Strokes
Honourable mention:
A Perfect Circle’s Thirteenth Step
Outkast’s Speakerboxx/The Love Below
2004
THREE CHEERS FOR SWEET REVENGE by My Chemical Romance
AMERICAN IDIOT by Green Day
Honourable mention:
Jimmy Eat World’s Futures
The Killers’ Hot Fuss
Not only is Green Day my outright favourite of 2004, I would argue its Top 5 for the the millenium so far. Absolutely killer album from start to finish.
2005
DEMON DAYS by Gorillaz
SILENT ALARM by Bloc Party
Honourable mention:
Fall Out Boy’s From Under The Cork Tree
Sufjan Stevens’ Illinois
2006
MUTE MATH by Mute Math
THE BLACK PARADE by My Chemical Romance
Honourable mention:
Gnarls Barkley’s St Elsewhere
Brand New’s The Devil & God Are Raging Inside Me
The Black Parade is another album that I would argue is Top 5 for the millenium so far; there are absolutely no skips on this record. I’m starting to feel like a Best Albums Of The Millenium is something I should look into.
2007
FOR EMMA, FOREVER AGO by Bon Iver
IN RAINBOWS by Radiohead
Honourable mention:
Paramore’s Riot!
Modest Mouse’s We Were Dead Before The Ship Even Sank
I heard the song “For Emma” from For Emma, Forever Ago on an episode of NPR’s All Songs Considered in early 2008 and it was love at first sight hearing. Also in that episode: The Magnetic Fields, The Jesus & Mary Chain, Vampire Weekend, Peter Gabriel, Fire On Fire and a Billie Holiday re-issue.
2008
THE EVENTUALLY HOME by Right Away, Great Captain
DEATH MAGNETIC by Metallica
Honourable mention:
TV On The Radio’s Dear Science
Portishead’s Third
2009
BEGGARS by Thrice
CRACK THE SKYE by Mastodon
Honourable mention:
Phoenix’s Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
Them Crooked Vultures’ Them Crooked Vultures
My friend Richard put me on to Thrice and it is the best thing he has ever done for me, ahead of his friendship (#2) and support (#3).
2010
DIAMOND EYES by Deftones
MY BEAUTIFUL DARK TWISTED FANTASY by Kanye West
Honourable mention:
The National’s High Violet
Arcade Fire’s The Suburbs
2011
SIMPLE MATH by Manchester Orchestra
VOWS by Kimbra
Honourable mention:
Martin Solveig’s Smash
Bon Iver’s Bon Iver
2012
CHANNEL ORANGE by Frank Ocean
LONERISM by Tame Impala
Honourable mention:
Deftones’ Koi No Yokan
Kendrick Lamer’s Good Kid, M.A.A.D City
2013
AM by Arctic Monkeys
RANDOM ACCESS MEMORIES by Daft Punk
Honourable mention:
Queens Of The Stone Age’s … Like Clockwork
Deafheaven’s Sunbather
2014
LOST IN THE DREAM by The War On Drugs
COPE by Manchester Orchestra
Honourable mention:
Azealia Banks’ Broke With Expensive Taste
2015
SOUND & COLOUR by Alabama Shakes
TO PIMP A BUTTERFLY by Kendrick Lamar
Honourable mention:
Grimes’ Art Angels
This was the hardest year to find albums I liked. Vince Staples, Tame Impala, Father John Misty, Sufjan Stevens and Unknown Mortal Orchestra all released great records, but none have grabbed me that strongly.
2016
A SAILOR’S GUIDE TO EARTH by Sturgill Simpson
NONAGON INFINITY by King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard
Honourable mention:
Solange’s A Seat At The Table
Frank Ocean’s Blonde
2017
MELODRAMA by Lorde
AFTER LAUGHTER by Paramore
Honourable mention:
Khalid’s American Teen
This was the hardest year to find albums I liked - there just wasn’t (at least at the time) many albums that grabbed my attention in 2017. Though, to be fair to myself, I had a new son, had a shit year at work, and ended up having something akin to a mental breakdown, so [shrug].
2018
SONDER by TesseracT
RAINIER FOG by Alice in Chains
Honourable mention:
Kacey Musgraves’ Golden Hour
2019
AMO by Bring Me The Horizon
WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO? by Billie Eilish
Honourable mention:
Juice Wrld’s Death Race for Love
Tyler, the Creator’s Igor
2020
HOW I’M FEELING NOW by Charli XCX
I LET IT IN AND IT TOOK EVERYTHING by Loathe
Honourable mention:
Fiona Apple’s Fetch the Bolt Cutters
Phoebe Bridgers’ Punisher
2021
IF I CAN’T HAVE LOVE, I WANT POWER by Halsey
THE MILLION MASKS OF GOD by Manchester Orchestra
Honourable mention:
Turnstile’s Glow On
Olivia Rodrigo’s Sour
2022
OTHERNESS by Alexisonfire
A LIGHT FOR ATTRACTING ATTENTION by The Smile
Honourable mention:
Fontaines DC’s Skinty Fia
The Beths’ Expert In A Dying Field
2023
TAKE ME BACK TO EDEN by Sleep Token
SOS by SZA
Honourable mention:
Boygenius’ The Record
Paramore’s This Is Why
2024
I GOT HEAVEN by Mannequin Pussy
ROMANCE by Fontaines DC
Honourable mention:
Charli XCX’s Brat
Soccer Mommy’s Evergreen
2025 (so far)
I DON’T WANT TO SEE YOU IN HEAVEN by The Callous Daoboys
NEVER ENOUGH by Turnstile
Honourable mention:
Spiritbox’s Tsunami Sea
Bon Iver’s Sable, Fable
Let’s see if these are still my favourites at the end of the year …
Okay, over to you: what are your favourites albums from each year of your life? Post them in the comments below!
Chris xo