Today, I’m going to present an evolving list. Last year, I chose an album of the year. In 2021, it was difficult because so much music was re-releases and nothing seemed dynamic enough to be album of the year. I finally settled on Scaled and Icy by twenty one pilots, but I actually didn’t listen to it much in 2021. It seemed that 2021 was a year for good music outside of my immediate band preferences. Like many music listeners, my tastes are evolving, and I’m continuing to discover or just listen to older albums, which may change today’s list. However, I’m going to try to present a list of the best albums from every year that I have been alive. I get this rank based on how much I’ve listened to the album, rather than by critical reception. Enjoy!
1987 The Joshua Tree by U2. This was arguably when U2 became a cultural phenomenon. The first four tracks are the biggest hits from the record. The band always tackled issues of faith and doubt, but The Joshua Tree brought the conversation to pop and rock radio. The album’s opener references a blessed hope in “Where the Streets Have No Name,” but is immediately followed by doubt in “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For.” I actually first heard P.O.D.’s cover of “Bullet the Blue Sky” before U2’s version. The song is one of the best critiques of Reagan’s foreign policies, especially giving a liberal Christian view as the Religious Right was beginning to wield power.
1988 Forever Your Girl by Paula Abdul. I actually haven’t listened to this record, but of all the music in my Apple Music library, I thought it was “Straight Up” the best.
1996 Take Me to Your Leader by Newsboys. Long before “God’s Not Dead” and Michael Tait and the CCM missteps, the then Aussi-American band wrote some weird hits with Steve Taylor.
2002 Audioslave
2009 Forget and Not Slow Down by Relient K. This album didn’t hit me in 2009 but rather in fall of 2011.
2015 Emotion by Carly Rae Jepsen helped me fully embrace my love for sugary pop music. No shame.
Mixtapemotions 