Illinois
by Sufjan Stevens
Listen
This album has been added to 11 private lists and 26 public lists:
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Listening Log
dvt10/22/2025
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My top 50 Albums of all time.
GwydianThe magic fairytale express train is leaving and trust me you’ll want to catch it, these trains don’t come around very often. Illinois is truly fantastical, it is composed with such spectacular inspiration. The instrumentation feels almost like a mythical forest. You know what I mean? It just captures such a specific feeling that is such a hard thing to do, it does it so well that it i believe it should be used as an example, it demonstrates perfectly how to plan a concept/sound and stick with it and utilise its elements. Shoutout the inspiring gay musicians of the world.
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grogg album nucleus
grogg2005 Asthmatic Kitty first pressing with the balloons over Superman
- Was super hyped on this album in college and remember buying the CD on release day at Hastings in Manhattan, KS. I think the CD was only out a couple of weeks before the Superman cover was withdrawn; the early batch of LPs hadn't reached the shelves yet, so they were able to simply put a balloon over Superman to avoid a lawsuit. The music itself is incredible, too. You find something new every time you listen.
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Sufjan Intro
stumpnuggetThis is one of the two greatest things that Sufjan has ever done. In fact, years ago, I participated in a Covid Quarantine Best Album Ever party where we recorded videos that argued for what album was the Best Album Of All Time. I chose this album and argued that nothing more complicated or majestic has ever been recorded. Here's my presentation for that event about this album:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/CNYkMx28nuPZyf938
This is a difficult album. You may not like it at first, and you may even be a little turned off by it. Tina hated it the first time she heard it. But it pays off in a very big way over time.
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My Favorite Albums Ever
stumpnuggetThis is a list of favorites, but I actually think this might be the greatest record of all time. It's also definitely one of my favorites
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Rinse and Repeat
KalliStill waiting for Minnesota
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All Time Favorites
BarryMore sad music, but oh so hummable. Introduced me to this lovely weirdo. (2005)
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