All Time Favorites

These are the popular albums that have formed me musically. In release-date order. Trying my best to keep it to one album per artist, but there will be exceptions. I update this list as my memories allow.

  1. Lake Street Dive

    The first 9 songs are nearly perfect. (2021)

  2. Vampire Weekend

    Makes me think of Vampire Weekend and Paul Simon at once, which I like. (2019)

  3. Punch Brothers

    A surprisingly intricate dive into an America that could elect that president. (2018)

  4. Robyn

    Silky pop, eight years after the amazing Body Talk. (2018)

  5. Brandi Carlile

    Late to the party, this is my introduction to Brandi Carlile. So many good tunes here. (2018)

  6. Hiatus Kaiyote

    Your legs can't help but move. Your mouth can't help but hum along. (2015)

  7. Steven Wilson

    A masterpiece. If you can ever listen to the surround mix along with the hardcover book he release, do it. (2015)

  8. Fleet Foxes

    I cannot think of a more perfect album for harmonizing and wistfulness. (2011)

  9. Sad sap music, indeed. It also helped me code my future. (2008)

  10. Sufjan Stevens

    More sad music, but oh so hummable. Introduced me to this lovely weirdo. (2005)

  11. Jurassic 5

    A hip-hop album that dares to feature flutes. Love these guys. (2002)

  12. Noisy and weird and beautiful. A Flaming Lips record finally clicked for me. (2002)

  13. Tenacious D

    When I wasn't listening to Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, I was listening to this. (2001)

  14. Not far out of college and this was on constant rotation. (2001)

  15. PAW

    Everyone has their hidden band who shoulda made it. Paw is mine. (1993)

  16. This is the band that got me into music on a deeper level. DSotM is my favorite of their albums. (1973)

All Time Favorites is an album list curated by Barry:

I'm one of the co-creators of Album Whale. I like music.

You can find me at bjhess.com.

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