Dave's Music Database

BMI Icon Awards

2026-06-07T00:19:25.994-05:00

BMI Awards:

2002-2026

BMI is an organization which collects royalties on behalf of artists. It gives out annual awards to artists in various categories, including country, Latin, London, pop, and urban (later changed to R&B/hip-hop), in honor of what the website calls a songwriter’s “unique and indelible influence on generations of music makers.”

While these awards are generally referred to as BMI Icon Awards, there are other times references are made to BMI President’s Awards and there is also the BMI Champions Award. Whether these represent different criteria is anyone’s guess due to the failure of the BMI site to make details clear on these awards. It isn’t even clear when the awards were started, although the earliest awards found were for 2002. Because of the lack of an easy-access list at BMI or anywhere else, this list has been cobbled together as best as possible but there are bound to be omissions.

See other lifetime achievement awards.

Bill Anderson (country icon: 2002)
Paul Anka (pop icon)
David Arnold (film/TV)
Babyface (urban icon: 2006)
Banda el Recodo de Cruz Lizárraga (Latin icon: 2013)
Martin Bandier (pop icon: 2019)
Ana Bárbara (Latin)
John Barry (film/TV)
The Bee Gees (pop icon: 2007)
Matraca Berg (country icon)
Chuck Berry (pop icon: 2002)
Birdman (R&B/hip-hop icon: 2013)
Clint Black (country icon)
Don Black (London, 2010)
Terence Blanchard (film/TV)
Bobby Braddock (country icon: 2011)
Brandy (R&B/hip-hop President’s Award: 2019)
Toni Braxton (R&B/hip-hop President’s Award: 2016)
James Brown (urban icon: 2002)
Busta Rhymes (R&B/hip-hop)
Mariah Carey (urban icon: 2012)
Mariah Carey receives BMI Icon award, image from rollingstone.com
Steven Curtis Chapman (Christian icon)
Kenny Chesney (country icon: 2016)
George Clinton (urban icon: 2009)
George S. Clinton (film/TV)
Steve Cropper (country icon: 2018)
Crosby, Stills & Nash (pop icon: 2006)
Charlie Daniels (country icon: 2005)
Mychael Danna (film/TV)
Ray Davies (London icon: 2006)
Mac Davis (country icon: 2015)
Alexandre Desplat (film/TV)
Bo Diddley (pop icon: 2002)
Dean Dillon (country icon: 2013)
Bob DiPiero (country icon: 2017)
Ramin Diawadi (film/TV)
Donovan (London icon: 2009)
Lamont Dozier (pop icon: 2003)
Randy Edelman (film/TV)
Danny Elfman (film/TV)
Gloria Estefan (Latin icon: 2009)
Gloria Estefan receives BMI Icon award, image from gettyimages.com
Bryan Ferry (London icon: 2008)
John Fogerty (pop icon: 2010)
Luis Fonsi (Latin President’s Award: 2018)
David Foster (pop icon: 2011)
Charles Fox (film/TV)
Peter Gabriel (London icon: 2007)
Noel Gallagher (London: President’s Award, 2019)
Kenneth Gamble (pop icon: 2009)
The Gap Band (urban icon: 2005)
Sergio George (Latin: President’s Award, 2015)
Vince Gill (country icon: 2014)
Jerry Goldsmith (film/TV)
Graham Gouldman (London icon: 2015)
Al Green (urban icon: 2004)
Harry Gregson-Williams (London icon: 2018, film/TV)
Dave Grusin (film/TV)
Juan Luis Guerra (Latin icon: 2006)
Earle Hagen (film/TV)
Merle Haggard (country icon: 2006)
Daryl Hall & John Oates (pop icon: 2008)
Tom T. Hall (country icon: 2012)
Isaac Hayes (urban icon: 2003)
Brian Holland (pop icon: 2003)
Eddie Holland (pop icon: 2003)
James Newton Howard (film/TV)
Leon Huff (pop icon: 2009)
Imagine Dragons (pop President’s Award: 2019)
The Jackson 5/The Jacksons (urban icon: 2008)
Janet Jackson (R&B/hip-hop President’s Award: 2018)
Janet Jackson receives BMI Icon award, image from billboard.com
Juanes (Latin President’s Award: 2010)
Michael Kamen (film/TV)
Jay Kay (London President’s Award: 2017)
Toby Keith (country icon)
Gary Kemp (London icon)
Rolfe Kent (film/TV)
Carole King (pop icon: 2012)
Kris Kristofferson (country icon: 2009)
Patti LaBelle (R&B/hip-hop icon: 2017)
Mario Quintero Lara (Latin President’s Award: 2019)
Christopher Lennertz (film/TV)
Adam Levine (pop President’s Award: 2013)
Lil Wayne (R&B/hip-hop icon)
Little Richard (pop icon: 2002)
Los Lobos (Latin icon: 2016)
Los Tigres Del Norte (Latin icon: 2007)
Ludacris (R&B/hip-hop President’s Award: 2014)
John Lydon (London icon: 2013)
Graham Lyle (London icon)
Loretta Lynn (country icon: 2004)
Barry Manilow (pop icon: 2017)
Barry Mann (pop icon: 2016)
Cliff Martinez (film/TV)
Alan Menken (film/TV)
Van Morrison (London icon: 2004)
Mark Mothersbaugh (film/TV)
Willie Nelson (country icon: 2007)
Willie Nelson receives BMI Icon award, image from CBS News
David Newman (film/TV)
Thomas Newman (film/TV)
Stevie Nicks (pop icon: 2014)
Randy Owen (country icon)
Dolly Parton (country icon: 2003)
Pink (pop President’s Award: 2015)
Pitbull (Latin President’s Award: 2012)
Rachel Portman (film/TV)
Mike Post (film/TV)
Queen (London icon: 2011)
Antonio “L.A.” Reid (urban icon: 2006)
Tim Rice (London icon: 2014)
Nile Rodgers (R&B/hip-hop icon: 2015)
Mark Ronson (pop Champion Award: 2018)
Atticus Ross (film/TV)
Carole Bayer Sager (pop icon)
Carlos Santana (Latin icon: 2005)
Kike Santander (Latin President’s Award: 2011)
Gustavo Santaolalla (Latin icon: 2008)
Theodore Shapiro (film/TV)
Richard Sherman (film/TV)
Robert Sherman (film/TV)
Billy Sherrill (country icon: 2010)
Alan Silvestri (film/TV)
Joseph “Rev Run” Simmons (urban icon: 2007)
Paul Simon (pop icon: 2005)
Slim (R&B/hip-hop icon: 2013)
Snoop Dogg (urban icon: 2011)
Sting (London icon: 2016)
Sting receives BMI Icon award, image from udiscovermusic.com
Mike Stoller (pop icon)
Taylor Swift (pop President’s Award: 2016)
Gloria Trevi (Latin President’s Award: 2016)
Brian Tyler (film/TV)
Carlos Vives (Latin President’s Award: 2014)
W.G. Snuffy Walden (film/TV)
Cynthia Weil (pop icon: 2016)
Hank Williams Jr. (country icon: 2008)
John Williams (film/TV)
Patrick Williams (film/TV)
Brian Wilson (pop icon: 2004)
Steve Winwood (London icon: 2005)
Wisin y Yandel (Latin President’s Award: 2020)
Dwight Yoakam (country President’s Award: 2019)
Christopher Young (film/TV)
Hans Zimmer (film/TV)

Resources/Related Links:

Dave’s Music Database: “Lifetime Achievement Awards”
BMI.com BMI Icon Recipients (list and categories only)
BMI.com BMI Country Awards
BMI.com BMI Latin Awards
BMI.com BMI London Awards
BMI.com BMI Pop Awards
BMI.com BMI Urban Awards

First posted 3/30/2017; last updated 6/7/2026.

United States Postage Stamps: Music-Related

2026-06-02T06:08:15.015-05:00

United States Postage Stamps:

Music-Related (1940-2022)

Originally this post was regarding the Legends of American Music Series, the first of which was issued on January 8, 1993, on what would have been Elvis Presley’s 58th birthday. More than 70 artists were honored in all styles of music from 1993 to 1999.

Since then, this page has been updated with other music makers who have been honored with stamps through 2022.

See other lifetime achievement awards.

A-B-C

Roy Acuff (2003)
Marian Anderson (2005)
Harold Arlen (1996)
Louis Armstrong (1995)
Mildred Bailey (1994)
Samuel Barber (1997)
Count Basie (1996)
The Beatles (1999)
Jack Benny (1991)
Irving Berlin (2003)
Leonard Bernstein (2001)
Eubie Blake (1995)
Hoagy Carmichael (1996)
The Carter Family (1993)
Enrico Caruso (1987)
Johnny Cash (2013)
Ray Charles (2013)
Patsy Cline (1993)
Nat “King” Cole (1994)
John Coltrane (1995)
Bing Crosby (1994)
Celia Cruz (2011)

D-E-F-G

Miles Davis (2012)
Jimmy Dorsey (1996)
Tommy Dorsey (1996)
Duke Ellington (1986)
Arthur Fiedler (1997)
Dorothy Fields (1996)
Ella Fitzgerald (2007)
Stephen Foster (1940)
Carlos Gardel (2011)
Erroll Garner (1995)
George Gershwin (1973)
Ira Gershwin (1999)
Benny Goodman (1996)
Louis Gottschalk (1997)
Ferde Grofé (1997)
Woody Guthrie (1998)

H-I-J

Bill Haley & His Comets (1993)
Oscar Hammerstein II (1999)
W.C. Handy (1969)
E.Y. “Yip” Harburg (2005)
William Harnett (1969)
Lorenz Hart (1999)
Coleman Hawkins (1995)
Jimi Hendrix (2014)
Victor Herbert (1940)
Bernhard Herrmann (1999)
Gregory Hines (2019)
Billie Holiday (1994)
Buddy Holly & the Crickets (1993)
Howlin’ Wolf (1994)
Charles Ives (1997)
Mahalia Jackson (1998)
James P. Johnson (1995)
James W. Johnson (1988)
Robert Johnson (1994)
Al Jolson (1994)
Janis Joplin (2014)
Scott Joplin (1983)

K-L-M

Jerome Kern (1985)
Erich Korngold (1999)
Sidney Lanier (1972)
Huddie “Leadbelly” Ledbetter (1998)
John Lennon (2018)
Alan Jay Lerner (1999)
Frank Loesser (1999)
Frederick Loewe (1999)
Edward MacDowell (1940)
Henry Mancini (2004)
Roberta Martin (1998)
John McCormack (1984)
Clyde McPhatter (1993)
Lydia Mendoza (2013)
Johnny Mercer (1996)
Ethel Merman (1994)
Glenn Miller (1996)
Charles Mingus (1995)
Carmen Miranda (2011)
Thelonious Monk (1995)
Ferdinand “Jelly Roll” Morton (1995)

N-O-P

Ethelbert Nevin (1940)
Alfred Newman (1999)
Eugene Ormandy (1997)
Ignacy Jan Paderewski (1960)
Charlie Parker (1995)
Edith Piaf (2012)
Lily Pons (1997)
Rosa Ponselle (1997)
Cole Porter (1991)
Elvis Presley (1993)
Tito Puente (2011)

Q-R-S

T-U-V-W-X-Y-Z

Shirley Temple (2016)
Sonny Terry (1998)
Sister Rosetta Tharpe (1998)
Lawrence Tibbett (1997)
Arturo Toscanini (1989)
Richards Tucker (1997)
Ritchie Valens (1993)
Clara Ward & the Ward Singers (1998)
Dinah Washington (1993)
Ethel Waters (1994)
Muddy Waters (1994)
Josh White (1998)
Hank Williams (1993)
Bob Wills (1993)
Meredith Willson (1999)

Resources/Related Links:

Dave’s Music Database: “Lifetime Achievement Awards”
blog-stampofapproval.com (12/12/2012). “New Music Icons Series of Stamps Debuts in Early 2013 With Lydia Mendoza”
mysticstamp.com: 1993-99 Legends of American Music Series
today.com (1/30/2013). “Johnny Cash leaves his stamp on US Postal Service” by Matt Murray
usstampgallery.com (2022). music-related stamps

First posted 1/30/2013; last updated 6/2/2026.

The DMDB Top 1000+ Albums of All Time

2026-05-22T15:20:33.204-05:00

Dave’s Music Database:

The Top 1000+ Albums of All Time

Below is a list of the top 1000 albums of all time, according to Dave’s Music Database. To see more details about the creation and goals of this list, click on the appropriate link below or just head straight to the list.

The List
How This List Was Created
The Lists That Went into Making This List
Representing Multiple Genres
Album Eligibility
What Constitutes an Album
Why Chronological and Not Ranked
Multiple Versions of the Same Album or Work
The DMDB 100 (a ranking of just the top 100)
The Top 1000
Top 5%

How This List Was Created

When I set out to create this list as the 20th century was drawing to a close, my aim was to compile a “best of the best” list; that is, combine all the other “best-of” lists out there into one. The goal in aggregating multiple lists together was to weed out the idiosyncrasies of individual lists and create a more objective, definitive best-of list. Here are links to the lists, chart information, and sales data that went into the creation of this list:

Representing Multiple Genres

One of the huge bonuses in compiling lots of lists is the better representation of multiple genres of music. Most lists are very skewered toward post-‘50s rock and roll. By pooling lists from multiple sources, the DMDB 1000 represents classical, show tunes, jazz, folk, country, R&B, rock and roll, adult contemporary, pop, rap, and more.

There are cases where an album was not eligible for consideration because it was essentially a repeat of another release. Here are the most likely scenarios in which this occurs:

classical works that are recorded multiple times (example: Johann Sebastian Bach’s Goldberg Variations is listed as being composed by Bach in 1741 and no specific recordings of that work are noted).
cast album recordings that later surfaced as soundtracks as well (example: 1959’s The Sound of Music cast album and 1965’s soundtrack version are listed as one entry under 1959 and credited to writers Richard Rodgers/Oscar Hammerstein II).
British rock albums in the mid-‘60s that were slightly altered when they hit American shores (example: The Beatles U.K. album With the Beatles was released in the U.S., with some alterations, as Meet the Beatles!. The first release is generally what is listed).
Reissues. Popular albums are often reissued in later years with bonus tracks and are sometimes even expanded into multiple disc sets. These reissues are not considered separate releases and are not eligible for the top 1000 or beyond.
Greatest hits compilations. Big-name artists often have multiple anthologies. The highest-ranked was eligible for inclusion on this list, but subsequent collections were not eligible. There are exceptions – if two greatest-hits sets from an artist cover different eras, they could both be considered. However, another consideration was box sets (3 or more discs). Sometimes they would adequately cover the same material as 1-2 disc anthologies, making those obsolete. In other cases, the box set might cover enough different material to allow both a box set and a 1-2 disc anthology to be eligible for the list.

What Constitutes an Album

In addition to the aforementioned re-definings of what makes an album an album, the DMDB also wanted to be as inclusive as possible in different formats of albums. Some best-of lists, for example, disregard compilations or live recordings and focus only on studio efforts. As such, the DMDB 1000 list contains standard studio albums alongside “specialty albums,” such as compilations, box sets, live recordings, soundtracks, cast albums, various artist collections, classical works, operas, and Christmas recordings. EP’s (mini-albums generally comprised of 6 or fewer tracks), however, are not considered for this list.

Why Chronological and Not Ranked

The more inclusive approaches described above diminished the merits of presenting this as a ranked list. Any list generates enough heat about what makes the cut and what doesn’t without a debate over why an album is ranked at #999 instead #998. However, a debate over whether Beethoven’s 5th Symphony is a more important work than Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon is most likely to keep people firmly entrenched in their genre camps. By not focusing on where an album is on the list, the focus becomes, more appropriately, why it makes the list. Since all the albums link to individual DMDB pages, you can check out those justifications for yourself and see if you think the album is list worthy.

Another benefit of presenting this list chronologically is how it shows the emergence of new public tastes and the development of the album over the years. Combined with the no-genres-excluded approach, this makes for a fascinating observation of how entire musical genres dominated at different times. In a nutshell, one can see the following trends:

the dominance of classical works, which would later fit into an album-length format, from the pre-20th century era through the first quarter of the 20th century (Beethoven, Bach)
the rise of cast recordings of hugely successful Broadway productions in roughly the second quarter of the 20th century (Rodgers & Hammerstein)
the beginnings of “albums” recorded by single artists with the predominance of jazz recordings in the ‘40s and ‘50s (Miles Davis, John Coltrane)
the birth of rock & roll in the mid-‘50s (led by Elvis Presley) through to the early-‘60s British Invasion (led by The Beatles)
the explosion of the album as a true force in the ‘60s (The Beatles, Bob Dylan, The Rolling Stones)
the development of the album rock format in the late-‘60s and early-‘70s (Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd)
the rise of the superstar mega-selling albums of the late-‘70s and early-‘80s (Fleetwood Mac, Michael Jackson, Prince, Bruce Springsteen)
the emergence of critically acclaimed indie and experimental albums in the ‘80s (U2, REM, Talking Heads)
the move toward albums that seemed to launch their own genres in the ‘90s (Nirvana, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Green Day)
the attempt to keep the album format alive in the 21st century with music that harkens back to earlier decades (The Strokes, The White Stripes)

Listing albums chronologically is not as easy as it sounds. Even for conventional studio recordings, release dates aren’t always available so sometimes an album’s first chart appearance was used. Classical works are listed by the date they were composed and/or first performed. Dates for cast recordings and soundtracks may include the date a show opened on stage, the date a cast recording was made, and/or the first chart appearance.

Compilations and live albums are listed by the date of recording instead of release. For example, The Beatles’ 1 is a greatest hits collection released in 2001, but it covers 1962-1970 so its date notation is (compilation: 1962-70, released 11/14/2000), meaning the album is listed under ‘1970.’

The Top 1000

This started as a list just focused on the top 1000. Every time I reworked the list, however, some albums would fall out and others would weave their way in. I eventually opted to acknowledge those which had fallen from the list as “honorable mentions.” I have now expanded the list to a “top 5%” but have acknowledged those albums that rank in the top 1000 as follows: 1000

Back to Top

The Top 5%

As of this typing, I had more than 41,000 albums included in Dave’s Music Database, meaning a little more than the top 2% made the top 1000 cut. By expanding my list to a top 5% list, I am able to acknowledge nearly another 1000 albums after excluding those albums that didn’t meet the album eligibility requirements outlined earlier.

The top 1000 albums are, as previously mentioned, noted with: 1000. Albums which rank in the top 5% are simply listed alongside those albums without any special notation.

The List

Below are links to quickly jump to specific eras.

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Pre-
1700s

1700
1749

1750
1799

1800
1819

1820
1839

1840
1879

1880
1899

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1900
1929

1930s

1940s

1950
1955

1956

1957

1958

1959

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1960

1961

1962

1963

1964

1965

1966

1967

1968

1969

1970

1971

1972

1973

1974

1975

1976

1977

1978

1979

1980

1981

1982

1983

1984

1985

1986

1987

1988

1989

1990

1991

1992

1993

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

2023

2024

2025

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Pre-1700’s

Guillaume de Machaut (composer) Motets (classical, composed 1324-1360)
Guillaume Dufay (composer) Missa “Se la face ay pale” (classical, composed 1458)
Giovanni Pierluigi Palestrina (composer) Missa Papae Marcelli (Pope Marcellus Mass) (classical, composed 1562)
Claudio Monteverdi (composer) L’Orfeo (Orpheus) (opera, composed 1607, premiered 2/24/1607) 1000
Claudio Monteverdi (composer) Vespers of the Blessed Virgin (Vespro Della Beata Vergine) (classical, composed 1610)
Claudio Monteverdi (composer) Madrigals of Love and War (Madrigali Guerrieri ed Amorosi) (classical, 1638)
Claudio Monteverdi (composer) L’incoronazione di Poppea (The Coronation of Poppaea) (opera: 1642)
Henry Purcell (composer) Dido and Aeneas (premiered 12/1/1687) 1000
Johann Pachelbel (composer) “Canon in D major” (1694) 1000
1700-1749
George Friedrich Handel (composer) Water Music (classical, composed 1717, premiered 7/17/1717) 1000
Johann Sebastian Bach (composer) Sonatas and Partitas for Violin (classical, composed 1717-20)
Johann Sebastian Bach (composer) Brandenburg Concertos (classical, composed 1719-21) 1000
Johann Sebastian Bach (composer) Cello Suites (classical, composed 1717-23) 1000
Johann Sebastian Bach (composer) Violin Concerto No. 2 in E major (classical, 1723) 1000
George Friedrich Händel (composer) Ulius Caesar in Egypt (Giulio Cesare in Egitto) (classical, composed 1724) 1000
Antonio Vivaldi (composer) The Four Seasons (classical, composed 1725) 1000
Johann Sebastian Bach (composer) St. Matthew Passion (classical, composed 1729-36) 1000
Johann Sebastian Bach (composer) Goldberg Variations (classical, composed 1741) 1000
George Friedrich Händel (composer) Messiah (classical, composed 1741, premiered 4/13/1742) 1000
Johann Sebastian Bach (composer) Mass in B Minor (classical, composed 1733-1749) 1000
1750-1799
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (composer) Piano Concerto No. 9 in E flat major (classical, 1777) 1000
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (composer) Die Entfuhrung aus dem Serail (The Abduction from the Seraglio) (classical, 1781) 1000
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (composer) Symphony No. 35 (Haffner) (classical, composed 1782) 1000
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (composer) Piano Concerto No. 14 (classical, 1784) 1000
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (composer) Piano Concerto No. 17 (classical, 1784) 1000
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (composer) Piano Concerto No. 19 in F major (classical, 1784) 1000
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (composer) Piano Concerto No. 20 (classical, composed 1785, premiered 2/11/1785) 1000
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (composer) Piano Concerto No. 21 (classical, composed 1785, premiered 3/10/1785) 1000
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (composer) Piano Concerto No. 23 in A major (classical, composed 1786) 1000
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (composer) Piano Concerto No. 24 in C minor (classical, composed 1786) 1000
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (composer) Piano Concerto No. 25 in C major (classical, composed 1786) 1000
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (composer) Le Nozze di Figaro (The Marriage of Figaro) (opera, composed 1786) 1000
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (composer) Symphony No. 38 in D Major (Prague) (classical, composed 1786, premiered 1/19/1787) 1000
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (composer) Don Giovanni (opera, composed 1787, premiered 10/29/1787) 1000
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (composer) Eine Kliene Nachtmusik classical, composed 1787)
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (composer) Symphony No. 39 in E flat major (classical, composed 1788) 1000
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (composer) Symphony No. 40 in G minor (Great) (classical, composed 1788) 1000
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (composer) Symphony No. 41 (Jupiter) (classical, composed 1788) 1000
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (composer) Clarinet Quintet in A major (Stadler) (classical, 1789)
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (composer) Cosí Fan Tutte (Thus Do They All) (classical, 1790) 1000
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (composer) Requiem Mass in D minor (classical, composed 1791) 1000
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (composer) Clarinet Concerto in A Major (classical, composed 1791) 1000
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (composer) Die Zauberflote (The Magic Flute) (classical, composed 1791) 1000
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (composer) Piano Concerto No. 27 in B flat major (classical, 1791) 1000
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (composer) Piano Concertos (27) (classical, composed 1773-1791)
Franz Josef Haydn (composer) Symphony No. 104 in D major (London) (composed 1795) 1000
Franz Josef Haydn (composer) String Quartet No. 3 in C major (Emperor) (composed 1797)
Franz Josef Haydn (composer) String Quartet No. 5 in D major (Largo) (composed 1797) 1000
Ludwig van Beethoven (composer) Piano Sonata No. 14 (“Moonlight”) (classical, composed 1798)
Ludwig van Beethoven (composer) Piano Sonata No 8 (“Pathetique”) (classical, composed 1799)
1800-1819
Ludwig van Beethoven (composer) Piano Concerto No. 3 (classical, composed 1800) 1000
Ludwig van Beethoven (composer) Symphony No. 3 in E-flat “Sinfonia Eroica” (classical, composed 1804) 1000
Ludwig van Beethoven (composer) Fidelio (classical, composed 1805) 1000
Ludwig van Beethoven (composer) Piano Sonata No. 23 (classical, composed 1805)
Ludwig van Beethoven (composer) Violin Concerto in D Major (classical, composed 1806) 1000
Ludwig van Beethoven (composer) Piano Concerto No. 4 (classical, composed 1806) 1000
Ludwig van Beethoven (composer) Symphony No. 4 (classical, composed 1806, premiered 3/1807) 1000
Ludwig van Beethoven (composer) Symphony No. 5 (classical, composed 1808, premiered 12/22/1808) 1000
Ludwig van Beethoven (composer) Symphony No. 6 “Pastorale” (classical, composed 1808, premiered 12/22/1808) 1000
Ludwig van Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 5 “Emperor” (classical, premiered 1/13/1811) 1000
Ludwig van Beethoven (composer) Symphony No. 7 (classical, composed 1812, premiered 12/8/1813) 1000
Ludwig van Beethoven (composer) Symphony No. 8 (classical, composed 1812, premiered 2/27/1814) 1000
Gioacchino Rossini (composer) Il Barbiere di Siviglia (The Barber of Seville) (opera, composed 1816) 1000
Franz Schubert (composer) Piano Quintet in A Major (“Trout”) (classical, composed 1819) 1000
1820-1839
Ludwig van Beethoven (composer) Piano Sonatas (32) (classical, composed 1795-1822) 1000
Ludwig van Beethoven (composer) Symphony No. 9 (classical, composed 1824, premiered 5/7/1824) 1000
Felix Mendelssohn (composer) Octet for Strings in E flat major (classical, 1825) 1000
Ludwig van Beethoven (composer) String Quartet No. 13 in B flat major (1825) 1000
Ludwig van Beethoven (composer) String Quartet No. 14 in C sharp (1826) 1000
Ludwig van Beethoven (composer) String Quartet No. 15 in A minor (1825) 1000
Ludwig van Beethoven (composer) String Quartets (16) (classical, composed 1798-1826)
Franz Schubert (composer) Symphony No. 9 in C major (The Great) (classical, composed 1828) 1000
Hector Berlioz (composer) Symphonie Fantastique (classical, composed 1830) 1000
Vincenzo Bellini (composer) Norma (classical, composed 1831, premiered 12/26/1831) 1000
1840-1879
Felix Mendessohn (composer) Violin Concerto in E minor (composed 1838-45, premiered 3/14/1845) 1000
Giuseppe Verdi (composer) Rigoletto: La Donna E Mobile (composed 1851, premiered 3/11/1851) 1000
Giuseppe Verdi (composer) La Traviata (The Fallen Woman) (opera, composed 1853, premiered 3/6/1853) 1000
Franz Liszt (composer) Piano Sonata in B Minor (classical, composed 1853)
Richard Wagner (composer) Tristan Und Isolde (opera, composed 1857-59, premiered 6/10/1865) 1000
Franz Schubert (composer) Symphony No. 8 (Unfinished) (classical, composed 1822, premiered 12/17/1865) 1000
Edvard Grieg (composer) Piano Concerto in A minor (composed 1868) 1000
Giuseppe Verdi (composer) Aida (opera, composed 1871, premiered 12/1871) 1000
Modest Mussorgsky (composer) Tableaux d'une Exposition (Pictures at an Exhibition) (classical, composed for piano in 1874, reworked for orchestra in 1922, premiered 10/19/1923) 1000
Giuseppe Verdi (composer) Requiem Mass (Messa Da Requiem) (classical, composed 1874)
Richard Wagner (composer) The Ring Cycle (Der Ring Des Nibelungen) (opera, composed 1848-1874, premiered 8/17/1876) 1000
Johannes Brahms Symphony No. 1 in C minor (composed 1876, premiered 11/4/1876) 1000
Georges Bizet (composer) Carmen (opera, composed 1873-74, premiered 3/3/1875) 1000
Pyotr Il’yich Tchaikovsky (composer) Piano Concerto No. 1 (classical, composed 1875, premiered 10/15/1875) 1000
Johannes Brahms (composer) Violin Concerto in D Major (composed 1878, premiered 1/1/1879) 1000
1880-1899
Johannes Brahms (composer) Symphony No. 4 (classical, composed 1885) 1000
Gustav Mahler (composer) Symphony No. 1 in D major (Titan) (classical, composed 1884-88, premiered 11/20/1889) 1000
Antonin Dvorák (composer) Symphony No. 9 in E minor (From the New World) (classical, composed 1893, premiered 5/24/1893) 1000
Pyotr Il’yich Tchaikovsky (composer) Symphony No. 6 in B Minor (“Pathétique”) (classical, composed 1893, premiered 10/28/1893) 1000
Antonin Dvorák (composer) Cello Concerto in B minor (classical, composed 1895, performed 2/9/1895) 1000
Gustav Mahler (composer) Symphony No. 2 in C minor “Resurrection” (composed: 1888-94, premiered 12/13/1895) 1000
Giacomo Puccini (composer) La Bohème (The Bohemian Life) (opera, composed 1896, premiered 2/1/1896) 1000
Richard Strauss (composer) Also Sprach Zarathustra (classical, composed 1896)
Edward Elgar (composer) Enigma Variations (classical, composed 1899)
1900-1929
Giacomo Puccini (composer) Tosca (opera, composed 1900, premiered 1/14/1900) 1000
Gabriel Faure (composer) Requiem (classical, composed 1900)
Sergei Rachmaninov (composer) Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor (classical, composed 1901, premiered 11/9/1901) 1000
Giacomo Puccini (composer) Madame Butterfly (Madama Butterfly) (composed 1904, performed 2/17/1904) 1000
Gustav Mahler (composer) Symphony No. 5 in C-sharp minor (composed 1901-02, premiered 10/18/1904) 1000
Claude Debussy (composer) La Mer (ballet, composed 1903-05)
Sergei Rachmaninov (composer) Piano Concerto No. 3 in D minor (classical, composed 1909, performed 11/28/1909) 1000
Igor Stravinsky (composer) L’Oiseau de Feu (The Firebird) (ballet, composed 1910, performed 6/25/1910)
Gustav Mahler (composer) Symphony No. 9 in D Major (Farewell) (composed 1909, premiered 6/26/1912) 1000
Richard Strauss (composer) Der Rosenkavalier (The Knight of the Rose) (classical, composed 1911, premiered 1/26/1911) 1000
Igor Stravinsky (composer) Pétrouchka (aka “Petrushka”) (ballet, composed 1910-11, premiered 6/13/1911, revised 1947)
Igor Stravinsky (composer) The Rite of Spring (Le Sacre Du Printemps) (ballet, composed 1913, premiered 5/29/1913) 1000
Arthur Collins The King of the Ragtime Singers (compilation: 1902-1916, released 2014)
Gustav Holst (composer) The Planets (classical, premiered 9/29/1918)
Alban Berg Wozzeck (1922) 1000
Giacomo Puccini (composer) Turandot (opera, composed 1926, stage debut: 4/25/1926) 1000
Jerome Kern (music) & Oscar Hammerstein II (lyrics) Show Boat (stage debut: 12/27/1927, cast recorded 1933, soundtrack released 1951) 1000
Paul Whiteman Masterpieces (compilation: 1920-27, released 2015) 1000
Louis Armstrong The Complete Hot Five and Hot Seven Recordings (box set, recorded 1925-28, released 8/22/2000) 1000
Henry Burr Anthology: The Original King of Pop (compilation: 1903-28, released 2005)
1930-1939
Skip James The Complete Early Recordings (compilation: 1930-31, released 9/15/1994)
Various Artists compiled by Harry Smith Anthology of American Folk Music (box set, recorded 1926-32, released 1952) 1000
Bessie Smith The Essential (compilation, 1923-33, released 9/23/1997) 1000
Charley Patton Founder of the Delta Blues (compilation: 1929-34, released 1969)
George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin, Dubose Heyward (composers) Porgy and Bess (opera/musical, composed 1935, stage debut: 9/30/35) 1000
Alban Berg (composer) Violin Concerto (classical, composed 1935)
Carl Orff (composer) Carmina Burana (classical, composed 1936)
Dmitry Shostakovich (composer) Symphony No. 5 in D minor (classical, composed 1937, premiered 11/21/1937) 1000
Robert Johnson The Complete Recordings (compilation: 1936-37, released 8/28/1990) 1000
Benny Goodman The Complete Legendary Carnegie Hall Concert (live, recorded 1/16/38) 1000
Harold Arlen, Yip Harburg, & Herbert Stothart (composers) The Wizard of Oz (soundtrack, 8/25/1939)
Béla Bartók (composer) The String Quartets (classical, composed 1908-39)
1940-1949
Woody Guthrie Dust Bowl Ballads (released July 1940) 1000
Billy Murray Anthology: The Denver Nightingale (compilation: 1903-40, released 2002) 1000
Glenn Miller Glenn Miller (aka “Glenn Miller & His Orchestra”) (compilation: 1939-42, charted 3/24/1945) 1000
Duke Ellington The Blanton-Webster Band (box set: 1939-42, released 10/25/1990) 1000
Benny Goodman Very Best of (compilation: 1934-42, released 11/7/2000)
Richard Rodgers/Oscar Hammerstein II (composers) Oklahoma! (stage debut: 3/31/1943, cast recording released 12/4/1944, soundtrack released 8/1/1955) 1000
Béla Bartók (composer) Concerto for Orchestra (classical, composed 1944, premiered 12/1/44) 1000
Glenn Miller Very Best of (compilation: 1939-44, released 2010) 1000
Richard Rodgers (music) & Oscar Hammerstein II (lyrics) Carousel (stage debut: 4/19/1945, cast recording released 5/21/1945, soundtrack charted 2/25/1956)
Aaron Copland (composer) Appalachian Spring (ballet, composed 1944, performed May 1945)
Bing Crosby Merry Christmas (aka ‘White Christmas’) (Christmas, charted 12/1/1945) 1000
Irving Berlin (music & lyrics) Annie Get Your Gun (stage debut: 5/16/46, cast recording released 7/8/46, soundtrack charted 6/10/1950) 1000
Al Jolson Songs He Made Famous (soundtrack, released November 1946) 1000
Thelonious Monk Genius of Modern Music, Vol. 1 (recorded 10/15/1947 to 11/21/1947, released 1951)
Al Jolson Souvenir Album (soundtrack, charted 8/16/1947)
Cole Porter (composer) Kiss Me, Kate (stage debut: 12/30/1948, cast recording released 1949, soundtrack charted 1/23/1954) 1000
Richard Rodgers/Oscar Hammerstein II (composers) South Pacific (stage debut: 4/4/1949, cast released 5/9/1949, soundtrack released 3/19/1958) 1000
Al Jolson Best of (compilation: 1913-49; released 6/27/1007) 1000
1950-1955
Miles Davis Birth of the Cool (recorded 1/21/1949 to 3/9/1950, released 1957) 1000
Frank Loesser (composer) Guys and Dolls (stage debut: 11/24/1950, cast recording: 12/3/1950, released 1/8/1951) 1000
Tommy Dorsey Greatest Hits (compilation: 1935-50; released 2010)
Guy Lombardo The Band Played On: 25 Number One Hits! (compilation: 1927-50, released 2002)
Richard Rodgers/Oscar Hammerstein II (composers) The King and I (stage debut: 3/29/51, cast recording charted 5/28/51, soundtrack charted 7/21/1956) 1000
George & Ira Gershwin (composers) An American in Paris (classical, soundtrack released 10/4/1951) 1000
Jane Froman With a Song in My Heart (soundtrack, charted 3/29/1952)
Jackie Gleason Music for Lovers Only (charted 1/17/1953) 1000
Danny Kaye Hans Christian Anderson (soundtrack, charted 1/17/1953)
Hank Williams 40 Greatest Hits (compilation: 1947-53, released 1978) 1000
Mario Lanza The Student Prince (soundtrack, charted 7/10/1954) 1000
Frank Sinatra In the Wee Small Hours (4/25/1955) 1000
Erroll Garner Concert by the Sea (live, recorded 9/19/1955, charted 3/10/1958)
Elvis Presley The Sun Sessions (aka Sunrise, The Sun Years, or The Sun Collection) (archives, recorded 1954-55, released 3/1976) 1000
Muddy Waters His Best 1947-55 (compilation: 1947-55; released 1997; includes all of The Best of, released in 1958)

1956
Frank Sinatra Songs for Swingin’ Lovers! (1/16/1956) 1000
Alan Jay Lerner/Frederick Loewe (composers) My Fair Lady (stage debut: 3/15/56, cast recorded 3/24/56, cast album charted 4/28/56, soundtrack charted 10/10/1964) 1000
Elvis Presley Elvis Presley (aka Rock ‘N’ Roll) (3/23/1956) 1000
Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Cole Porter Song Book (covers, released 3/27/1956) 1000
Harry Belafonte Calypso (charted 6/16/1956) 1000
Duke Ellington At Newport (live, recorded 7/7/1956) 1000
Sonny Rollins Saxophone Colossus (recorded 3/22/56 to 10/5/1956) 1000
Elvis Presley Elvis (aka Rock ‘N’ Roll No. 2) (released 10/19/1956)
Thelonious Monk Brilliant Corners (recorded 12/23/1956)
Various Artists The First Rock and Roll Record (1916-56, released 10/20/2011) 1000
1957
Little Richard Here’s Little Richard (March 1957) 1000
Around the World in 80 Days (soundtrack, charted 4/13/1957)
Frank Sinatra A Swingin’ Affair (charted 5/27/1957)
Miles Davis & Gil Evans Miles Ahead (recorded 5/6/1957 to 8/22/1957)
Elvis Presley Loving You (soundtrack, released July 1957)
Leonard Bernstein/Stephen Sondheim (composers) West Side Story (stage debut: 9/26/57, cast recording charted 3/17/1958, soundtrack charted 10/23/1961) 1000
Elvis Presley Elvis’ Christmas Album (Oct. 1957) 1000
Buddy Holly & the Crickets The Chirping Crickets (11/27/1957) 1000
Meredith Willson (composer) The Music Man (stage debut: 12/19/57, cast recording charted 2/24/1958, soundtrack charted 8/11/1962) 1000
Elvis Presley Golden Records (compilation: 1956-57, released March 1958)
Bing Crosby The Definitive Collection (compilation, 1931-57, released 1/24/2006) 1000
1958
Johnny Mathis Johnny’s Greatest Hits (compilation: 1956-58, released March 1958)
Alan Jay Lerner/Frederick Loewe (composers) Gigi (soundtrack, charted 6/23/1958, cast: 1973)
Billie Holiday Lady in Satin (June 1958) 1000
Frank Sinatra Only the Lonely (9/8/1958) 1000
Buddy Holly & The Crickets 20 Golden Greats (compilation: 1956-58, released 2/17/1978) 1000
Elvis Presley The King of Rock and Roll: The Complete ‘50s Masters (box set: 1953-58, released 1992)
1959
Henry Mancini The Music from Peter Gunn (soundtrack, charted 2/9/1959) 1000
Miles Davis Kind of Blue (recorded 3/2/59 to 4/22/1959) 1000
Charles Mingus Ah Um (recorded 5/5/59 to 5/12/1959) 1000
Jule Styne (music) & Stephen Sondheim (lyrics) Gypsy (stage debut: 5/21/1959, cast recording: 5/28/1959, soundtrack: 12/15/1962)
Ornette Coleman The Shape of Jazz to Come (recorded 5/22/1959) 1000
The Kingston Trio At Large (charted 6/22/1959)
Ray Charles The Genius of Ray Charles (released Oct. 1959) 1000
Richard Rodgers/Oscar Hammerstein II (composers) The Sound of Music (stage debut: 11/16/59, cast recording released 11/59, soundtrack released 3/1965) 1000
Dave Brubeck Time Out (released 12/15/1959) 1000
John Coltrane Giant Steps (recorded 4/1/59 to 12/2/59, released 1960) 1000
Ray Charles The Birth of Soul – The Complete Atlantic Rhythm & Blues Recordings (box set: 1952-59, released 10/1/1991)
1960
Miles Davis & Gil Evans Sketches of Spain (recorded 11/15/1959 to 3/10/1960) 1000
Lionel Bart (composer) Oliver! (musical: 6/30/1960; movie: 9/26/1968)
Muddy Waters At Newport (live, recorded 7/3/1960) 1000
Elvis Presley G.I. Blues (soundtrack, Oct. 1960) 1000
Bobby “Blue” Bland Two Steps from the Blues (compilation: 1956-60, released 11/12/1960) 1000
Frederick Loewe/Alan Jay Lerner (composers) Camelot (cast recording, stage debut: 12/3/1960, soundtrack: 1967) 1000
1961
Various Artists Exodus (soundtrack, charted 1/16/1961)
Oliver Nelson The Blues and the Abstract Truth (recorded 2/23/1961)
Judy Garland Judy at Carnegie Hall (live, recorded 4/23/61, released 7/10/1961) 1000
Bill Evans Trio Waltz for Debby (recorded 6/25/1961)
Bill Evans Trio Sunday at the Village Vanguard (live, recorded 6/25/61; released Oct. 1961)
Elvis Presley Blue Hawaii (soundtrack, 10/1/1961) 1000
Henry Mancini Breakfast at Tiffany’s (soundtrack, charted 10/9/1961)
1962
Ray Charles Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music (charted 4/21/1962) 1000
James Brown Live at the Apollo Volume 1 (live, recorded 10/24/62, released Jan. 1963) 1000
Howlin’ Wolf Moanin’ in the Moonlight/Howlin’ Wolf (aka ‘The Rockin’ Chair Album’) (compilations: 1951-62, released in 1959 and 1962) 1000
1963
Sam Cooke Live at the Harlem Square Club (aka “One Night Stand”) (live, recorded 1/12/1963)
Charles Mingus The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady (recorded 1/20/1963)
Stan Getz & João Gilberto Getz/Gilberto (recorded 3/19/1963) 1000
The Beatles Please Please Me (3/22/1963) 1000
Andy Williams Days of Wine and Roses (charted 4/20/1963)
Bob Dylan The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan (5/27/1963) 1000
Jerry Herman (composer) Hello, Dolly! (musical: 11/18/1963)
The Beatles With the Beatles (11/22/1963) 1000
Patsy Cline 12 Greatest Hits (compilation: 1957-63, released 2/4/1973) 1000
Elmore James The Sky Is Crying: The History of (compilation: 1951-63; released 4/6/1993)
1964
Bob Dylan The Times They Are A-Changin’ (1/13/1964) 1000
Eric Dolphy Out to Lunch! (recorded 2/25/1964) 1000
Jerry Lee Lewis Live at the Star Club, Hamburg (live, recorded 4/5/1964)
Jule Styne/Bob Merrill (composers), Barbara Streisand (performer) Funny Girl (stage debut: 3/26/1964, cast recording charted 5/2/1964, soundtrack charted 9/28/1968)
The Rolling Stones The Rolling Stones (aka ‘England’s Newest Hitmakers’) (4/16/1964) 1000
The Beatles A Hard Day’s Night (7/10/1964) 1000
Bob Dylan Another Side of Bob Dylan (8/8/1964) 1000
Richard M. Sherman/Robert B. Sherman (composers) Mary Poppins (soundtrack, released 8/27/1964) 1000
Jerry Bock/Sheldon Harnick (composers) Fiddler on the Roof (stage debut: 9/22/64, cast recording charted 10/31/64, soundtrack charted 10/30/1971) 1000
B.B. King Live at the Regal (live, recorded 11/21/64, released 1965) 1000
The Beatles Beatles for Sale (12/4/1964) 1000
John Coltrane A Love Supreme (recorded 12/9/64, released Feb. 1965) 1000
Roy Orbison For the Lonely – 18 Greatest Hits (compilation: 1956-64, released 1/7/1989) 1000
1965
The Rolling Stones No. 2 (aka ‘Now!’) (1/30/1965)
Bob Dylan Bringing It All Back Home (3/22/1965) 1000
Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass Whipped Cream & Other Delights (charted 5/15/1965) 1000
The Byrds Mr. Tambourine Man (6/21/1965) 1000
The Beatles Help! (8/6/1965) 1000
Bob Dylan Highway 61 Revisited (8/30/1965) 1000
Otis Redding Otis Blue (Aug. 1965) 1000
Paul Butterfield Blues Band Paul Butterfield Blues Band (Oct. 1965)
Junior Wells with Buddy Guy Hoodoo Man Blues (Nov. 1965)
The Beatles Rubber Soul (12/3/1965) 1000
The Who The Who Sings My Generation (12/20/1965) 1000
Various Artists Rock Revival Greats (K-Tel compilation: 1954-65, released 1972)
Chuck Berry The Great Twenty-Eight (compilation: 1955-65, released 1982) 1000
Sam Cooke The Man and His Music (compilation: 1951-65, released Feb. 1986) 1000
1966
Simon & Garfunkel Sounds of Silence (1/17/1966) 1000
The Rolling Stones Aftermath (4/15/1966) 1000
The Beach Boys Pet Sounds (5/16/1966) 1000
Bob Dylan The Royal Albert Hall Concert (The Bootleg Series Volume 4) (live, recorded 5/17/1966) 1000
Bob Dylan Blonde on Blonde (6/20/1966) 1000
The Mothers of Invention Freak Out! (6/27/1966) 1000
The Byrds Fifth Dimension (7/18/1966)
John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers/Eric Clapton Blues Breakers with Eric Clapton (7/22/1966) 1000
The Beatles Revolver (8/5/1966) 1000
The Monkees The Monkees (charted 10/8/1966)
Simon & Garfunkel Parsley, Sage, Rosemary & Thyme (10/10/1966) 1000
John Kander & Fred Ebb (composers) Cabaret (musical: 11/20/1966, movie: 2/13/1972)
Duke Ellington Far East Suite (recorded Dec. 19-21, 1966)
Bob Dylan Greatest Hits (compilation: 1962-66, released 3/27/1967) 1000
The Beatles 1962-1966 (aka The Red Album) (compilation: 1962-66, released 4/2/1973)
1967
The Doors The Doors (1/4/1967) 1000
The Monkees More of the Monkees (1/10/1967)
The Rolling Stones Between the Buttons (1/20/1967)
The Byrds Younger Than Yesterday (2/6/1967) 1000
Aretha Franklin I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You (3/10/1967) 1000
The Velvet Underground & Nico Velvet Underground & Nico (3/12/1967) 1000
Jefferson Airplane Surrealistic Pillow (charted 3/25/1967) 1000
The Jimi Hendrix Experience Are You Experienced? (5/12/1967) 1000
The Beatles Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (6/1/1967) 1000
Moby Grape Moby Grape (6/1967) 1000
Albert King Born Under a Bad Sign (7/1967) 1000
Pink Floyd The Piper at the Gates of Dawn (8/5/1967) 1000
Byrds Greatest Hits (compilation: 1965-67, released 8/7/1967)
The Kinks Something Else (9/15/1967) 1000
The Doors Strange Days (9/25/1967) 1000
Galt MacDermot (music) with Gerome Ragni & James Rado (lyrics) Hair (stage debut: 10/17/67, cast recording charted 8/3/68, soundtrack: 1979) 1000
Buffalo Springfield Again (10/30/1967) 1000
Cream Disraeli Gears (11/2/1967) 1000
The Moody Blues Days of Future Passed (11/11/1967) 1000
The Beatles Magical Mystery Tour (11/27/1967) 1000
The Velvet Underground White Light/White Heat (11/30/1967) 1000
Love Forever Changes (11/1967) 1000
The Jimi Hendrix Experience Axis: Bold As Love (12/1/1967) 1000
The Who Sell Out (12/16/1967) 1000
Leonard Cohen The Songs of Leonard Cohen (12/27/1967) 1000
Bob Dylan John Wesley Harding (12/27/1967) 1000
Traffic Mr. Fantasy (Dec. 1967)
1968
The Byrds The Notorious Byrd Brothers (1/3/1968) 1000
Simon & Garfunkel/Dave Grusin The Graduate (soundtrack, 1/21/1968) 1000
Johnny Cash At Folsom Prison (live, recorded 1/13/1968, released 3/1/1968) 1000
Aretha Franklin Lady Soul (1/22/1968) 1000
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band Safe As Milk (Feb. 1968)
The Mothers of Invention We’re Only in It for the Money (3/4/1968) 1000
Simon & Garfunkel Bookends (March 1968) 1000
Incredible String Band The Hangman’s Beautiful Daughter (March 1968)
The Zombies Odessey & Oracle (April 1968) 1000
Magic Sam West Side Soul (April 1968)
Iron Butterfly In-a-Gadda-Da-Vida (6/14/1968) 1000
The Small Faces Ogden’s Nut Gone Flake (charted 6/23/1968) 1000
Cream Wheels of Fire (studio/live, 6/1968) 1000
The Band Music from Big Pink (7/1/1968) 1000
Big Brother & the Holding Company Cheap Thrills (8/12/1968) 1000
The Byrds Sweetheart of the Rodeo (8/30/1968) 1000
The Jimi Hendrix Experience Electric Ladyland (9/16/1968) 1000
The MC5 Kick Out the Jams (live, recorded Oct. 30-31, 1968, charted 3/8/1969) 1000
The Beatles The Beatles (aka “The White Album”) (11/22/1968) 1000
The Kinks Village Green Preservation Society (11/22/1968) 1000
Van Morrison Astral Weeks (11/1968) 1000
The Rolling Stones Beggars Banquet (12/6/1968) 1000
Blood, Sweat & Tears Blood, Sweat & Tears (12/11/1968) 1000
The Pretty Things S.F. Sorrow (12/20/1968)
Various Artists Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First Psychedelic Era 1965-1968 (box set: 1964-68, released 9/1972) 1000
Bob Dylan & The Band The Basement Tapes (archives, recorded 1967-68, released 6/26/1975) 1000
1969
Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin I (1/12/1969) 1000
Dusty Springfield Dusty in Memphis (1/18/1969) 1000
Johnny Cash At San Quentin (live, recorded 2/24/69, released 6/4/1969) 1000
The Grateful Dead Live/Dead (live, recorded 3/2/69, released 11/10/1969) 1000
Quicksilver Messenger Service Happy Trails (live, charted 3/29/1969)
The Velvet Underground The Velvet Underground (3/31/1969) 1000
Bob Dylan Nashville Skyline (4/9/1969) 1000
Sly & the Family Stone Stand! (charted 4/26/1969) 1000
Chicago Chicago Transit Authority (4/1969) 1000
The Flying Burrito Brothers The Gilded Palace of Sin (charted 5/3/1969) 1000
Neil Young Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere (5/14/1969) 1000
Alexander “Skip” Spence Oar (5/19/1969)
The Who Tommy (5/23/1969) 1000
Crosby, Stills & Nash Crosby, Stills & Nash (5/29/1969) 1000
Elvis Presley From Elvis in Memphis (charted 6/14/1969) 1000
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band Trout Mask Replica (6/16/1969) 1000
Isaac Hayes Hot Buttered Soul (charted 7/12/1969) 1000
Blind Faith Blind Faith (7/21/1969) 1000
Fairport Convention Unhalfbricking (charted 7/26/1969)
Miles Davis In a Silent Way (7/30/1969)
Various Artists Woodstock (live soundtrack, recorded Aug. 15-18, 1969, released Aug. 1970) 1000
The Stooges The Stooges (charted 8/23/1969) 1000
Nick Drake Five Leaves Left (9/1/1969) 1000
Creedence Clearwater Revival Green River (charted 9/13/1969) 1000
Santana Santana (charted 9/13/1969)
The Band The Band (9/22/1969) 1000
The Beatles Abbey Road (9/26/1969) 1000
King Crimson In the Court of the Crimson King (10/10/1969) 1000
Frank Zappa Hot Rats (10/10/1969) 1000
Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin II (10/22/1969) 1000
The Rolling Stones Let It Bleed (11/28/1969) 1000
Creedence Clearwater Revival Willy and the Poor Boys (charted 12/13/1969) 1000
The Rolling Stones Get Yer Ya Ya’s Out (live, recorded 11/28/69, released 9/4/1970) 1000
Fairport Convention Liege and Lief (Dec. 1969) 1000
Willie Dixon/various artists The Chess Box (compilation: 1951-69, released 1988)
Various Artists produced by Phil Spector Back to Mono (box set: 1958-69, released 11/12/91) 1000
1970
Jimi Hendrix Band of Gypsys (live, recorded 12/31/69 to 1/1/70, charted 5/2/1970) 1000
Simon & Garfunkel Bridge Over Troubled Water (1/26/1970) 1000
The Doors Morrison Hotel/Hard Rock Café (2/9/1970) 1000
Black Sabbath Black Sabbath (2/13/1970) 1000
The Who Live at Leeds (live, recorded 2/14/70, released 5/16/1970) 1000
Van Morrison Moondance (2/28/1970) 1000
Crosby, Stills & Nash Déjà Vu (3/11/1970) 1000
James Taylor Sweet Baby James (charted 3/14/1970) 1000
Stephen Sondheim (music & lyrics) Company (cast recording, stage debut: 4/6/1970)
Randy Newman 12 Songs (April 1970)
The Beatles Let It Be (5/8/1970) 1000
Miles Davis Bitches Brew (charted 5/16/1970) 1000
Free Fire and Water (charted 5/16/1970)
Deep Purple In Rock (charted 6/3/1970) 1000
Grateful Dead Workingman’s Dead (6/14/1970) 1000
The Stooges Fun House (7/7/1970) 1000
James Brown Sex Machine (live, recorded 6/12/1969 to 7/23/1970, charted 9/12/1970)
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young 4 Way Street (live recorded June to July 1970, released 4/7/1971) 1000
Traffic John Barleycorn Must Die (charted 7/11/1970)
Creedence Clearwater Revival Cosmo’s Factory (charted 7/25/1970) 1000
The Beach Boys Sunflower (8/21/1970) 1000
Neil Young After the Gold Rush (8/31/1970) 1000
Velvet Underground Loaded (8/31/1970) 1000
Black Sabbath Paranoid (charted 9/19/1970) 1000
Curtis Mayfield Curtis (charted 10/3/1970)
Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin III (10/5/1970) 1000
Santana Abraxas (charted 10/10/1970) 1000
Elton John Tumbleweed Connection (10/30/1970)
Grateful Dead American Beauty (11/1/1970) 1000
Nick Drake Bryter Layter (11/1/1970) 1000
Tim Buckley Starsailor (11/2/1970)
Derek and the Dominos Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs (charted 11/21/1970) 1000
Andrew Lloyd Webber/Tim Rice (composers) Jesus Christ Superstar (studio: 11/21/1970, stage debut: 10/12/1971, soundtrack: 6/30/1973) 1000
Cat Stevens Tea for the Tillerman (11/23/1970) 1000
George Harrison All Things Must Pass (11/27/1970) 1000
John Lennon Plastic Ono Band (12/11/1970) 1000
Simon & Garfunkel Greatest Hits (compilation: 1964-70, released 6/20/1972) 1000
The Beatles 1967-1970 (aka The Blue Album) (compilation: 1967-70, released 4/2/1973)
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young So Far (compilation: 1969-70, released 8/19/1974)
The Jimi Hendrix Experience The Ultimate Experience (compilation: 1966-70, released November 1992)
The Beatles 1 (compilation: 1962-70, released 11/14/2000) 1000
1971
Janis Joplin Pearl (1/11/1971) 1000
Carole King Tapestry (2/10/1971) 1000
The Allman Brothers At Fillmore East (live, recorded 3/12/1971 to 3/13/1971, released July 1971) 1000
Jethro Tull Aqualung (charted 3/19/1971) 1000
Yes The Yes Album (3/19/1971) 1000
Leonard Cohen Songs of Love and Hate (3/19/1971)
The Rolling Stones Sticky Fingers (4/23/1971) 1000
The Doors L.A. Woman (4/29/1971) 1000
Marvin Gaye What’s Going On (5/21/1971) 1000
Rod Stewart Every Picture Tells a Story (5/28/1971) 1000
Joni Mitchell Blue (6/22/1971) 1000
The Who Who’s Next (8/14/1971) 1000
Funkadelic Maggot Brain (charted 8/14/1971) 1000
Black Sabbath Master of Reality (charted 8/14/1971) 1000
Mahavishnu Orchestra with John McLaughlin The Inner Mounting Flame (recorded 8/14/1971)
The Beach Boys Surf’s Up (8/30/1971) 1000
John Lennon Imagine (9/9/1971) 1000
T-Rex Electric Warrior (9/24/1971) 1000
Don McLean American Pie (10/24/1971)
Pink Floyd Meddle (10/30/1971) 1000
Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin IV (11/8/1971) 1000
Sly & the Family Stone There’s a Riot Goin’ On (charted 11/13/1971) 1000
Yes Fragile (11/26/1971) 1000
The Rolling Stones Hot Rocks 1964-71 (compilation: 1964-71, released 12/15/1971) 1000
David Bowie Hunky Dory (12/17/1971) 1000
Janis Joplin Greatest Hits (compilation: 1967-71, charted 7/14/1973)
The Doors The Best of (compilation: 1966-71, charted 8/8/1987) 1000
Various Artists Hitsville USA: The Motown Singles Collection 1959-1971 (box set: 1959-71, released 11/13/1992) 1000
1972
The Allman Brothers Band Eat a Peach (studio/live, 2/12/1972) 1000
Al Green Let’s Stay Together (charted 2/12/1972)
Neil Young Harvest (2/14/1972) 1000
Nick Drake Pink Moon (2/25/1972) 1000
John Prine John Prine (charted 2/26/1972) 1000
Can Tago Mago (Feb. 1972)
Jethro Tull Thick As a Brick (3/3/1972) 1000
Deep Purple Machine Head (3/25/1972) 1000
Todd Rundgren Something/Anything? (charted 3/25/1972) 1000
Big Star #1 Record (4/24/1972) 1000
The Rolling Stones Exile on Main Street (5/12/1972) 1000
David Bowie The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars (6/6/1972) 1000
Roxy Music Roxy Music (6/16/1972) 1000
Randy Newman Sail Away (charted 6/17/1972)
Led Zeppelin How the West Was Won (live box set, recorded 6/25/72 and 6/27/72, released 5/27/2003) 1000
Jimmy Cliff et al The Harder They Come (soundtrack, released 7/7/1972) 1000
Curtis Mayfield Superfly (soundtrack, July 1972) 1000
Deep Purple Made in Japan (live, recorded 8/15/72 to 8/17/72, charted 4/21/1973) 1000
Neil Diamond Hot August Night (live, recorded 8/24/1972, charted 12/9/1972)
Yes Close to the Edge (9/13/1972) 1000
Black Sabbath Vol. 4 (charted 9/23/1972)
Genesis Foxtrot (10/6/1972)
Al Green I’m Still in Love with You (charted 10/21/1972)
Stevie Wonder Talking Book (10/27/1972) 1000
The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band Will the Circle Be Unbroken (Oct. 1972) 1000
Lou Reed Transformer (11/8/1972) 1000
Steely Dan Can’t Buy a Thrill (Nov. 1972) 1000
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band Clear Spot (charted 12/23/1972)
The Temptations Anthology (compilation: 1964-72, released 8/23/1973)
John Denver Greatest Hits (compilation: 1969-72, released 11/15/1973)
Creedence Clearwater Revival Chronicle (compilation: 1968-72, charted 3/6/1976) 1000
1973
Gram Parsons G.P. (1/1973) 1000
Pink Floyd Dark Side of the Moon (3/1/1973) 1000
Roxy Music For Your Pleasure (3/23/1973) 1000
Led Zeppelin Houses of the Holy (3/28/1973) 1000
John Cale Paris 1919 (March 1973)
Bob Marley & the Wailers Catch a Fire (4/13/1973) 1000
David Bowie Aladdin Sane (4/13/1973) 1000
Eagles Desperado (4/17/1973) 1000
Iggy & the Stooges Raw Power (charted 4/28/1973) 1000
Al Green Call Me (charted 5/19/1973) 1000
Mike Oldfield Tubular Bells (5/25/1973) 1000
Paul Simon There Goes Rhymin’ Simon (charted 5/26/1973)
Steely Dan Countdown to Ecstasy (7/6/1973)
ZZ Top Tres Hombres (7/26/1973) 1000
Lou Reed Berlin (July 1973) 1000
Various Artists American Graffiti (soundtrack, 8/2/1973) 1000
Stevie Wonder Innervisions (8/3/1973) 1000
Marvin Gaye Let’s Get It On (8/28/1973) 1000
New York Dolls New York Dolls (charted 9/1/1973) 1000
Bruce Springsteen The Wild, the Innocent, & the E Street Shuffle (9/11/1973) 1000
Lynyrd Skynyrd Pronounced Leh-Nerd Skin-Nerd (charted 9/22/1973) 1000
Elton John Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (10/5/1973) 1000
Genesis Selling England by the Pound (charted 10/13/1973) 1000
Herbie Hancock Head Hunters (10/13/1973) 1000
The Who Quadrophenia (10/19/1973) 1000
Bob Marley & the Wailers Burnin’ (Oct. 1973) 1000
Emerson, Lake & Palmer Brain Salad Surgery (11/19/1973)
Roxy Music Stranded (charted 12/1/1973)
Paul McCartney & Wings Band on the Run (12/5/1973) 1000
Neil Young Tonight’s the Night (recorded 1973, released 7/12/1975) 1000
Al Green Greatest Hits (compilation: 1971-73, charted 3/22/1975) 1000
The Modern Lovers The Modern Lovers (recorded 1973, released 1976) 1000
Sly & the Family Stone Anthology (includes all of 1970’s Greatest Hits) (compilation: 1968-73, released 1981) 1000
1974
Joni Mitchell Court and Spark (1/17/1974) 1000
Brian Eno Here Come the Warm Jets (2/8/1974) 1000
Gram Parsons Grievous Angel (charted 2/16/1974) 1000
Steely Dan Pretzel Logic (2/20/1974) 1000
Big Star Radio City (2/20/1974) 1000
Richard & Linda Thompson I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight (April 1974) 1000
Lynyrd Skynyrd Second Helping (charted 5/4/1974)
David Bowie Diamond Dogs (5/24/1974) 1000
Bad Company Bad Company (6/26/1974) 1000
Neil Young On the Beach (7/16/1974) 1000
Eric Clapton 461 Ocean Boulevard (charted 7/20/1974) 1000
Stevie Wonder Fulfillingness’ First Finale (7/22/1974) 1000
Robert Wyatt Rock Bottom (July 1974)
Jackson Browne Late for the Sky (9/19/1974) 1000
Bob Marley & The Wailers Natty Dread (10/25/1974) 1000
Kraftwerk Autobahn (11/1/1974) 1000
Elton John Greatest Hits (compilation: 1970-74, released 11/4/1974) 1000
Genesis The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway (11/18/1974) 1000
King Crimson Red (charted 11/23/1974)
Supertramp Crime of the Century (charted 12/7/1974) 1000
Various Artists Atlantic Rhythm & Blues (box set: 1947-74, released 10/15/1991) 1000
Aretha Franklin Queen of Soul: The Very Best of (compilation: 1967-74, released 10/17/1994)
1975
Bob Dylan Blood on the Tracks (1/17/1975) 1000
Led Zeppelin Physical Graffiti (2/24/1975) 1000
David Bowie Young Americans (3/7/1975)
Earth, Wind & Fire That’s the Way of the World (soundtrack, charted 3/15/1975) 1000
Aerosmith Toys in the Attic (4/8/1975) 1000
Marvin Hamlisch/Edward Kleban (composers) A Chorus Line (cast recording, stage debut: 4/15/1975)
Elton John Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy (5/19/1975) 1000
Eagles One of These Nights (6/10/1975) 1000
John Kander & Fred Ebb (composers) Chicago (musical: 6/3/1975; soundtrack released 1/14/2003)
Fleetwood Mac Fleetwood Mac (7/11/1975) 1000
Bob Marley & the Wailers Live! (At the Lyceum) (live, recorded 7/18/75, released 12/19/1975) 1000
Willie Nelson Red Headed Stranger (charted 7/26/1975) 1000
Bruce Springsteen Born to Run (8/25/1975) 1000
Kiss Alive! (live, 9/10/1975) 1000
Pink Floyd Wish You Were Here (9/15/1975) 1000
Brian Eno Another Green World (Sept. 1975) 1000
Patti Smith Horses (11/8/1975) 1000
Queen A Night at the Opera (11/21/1975) 1000
Peter Frampton Frampton Comes Alive! (live, recorded 3/24/1975 to 11/22/1975, charted 1/31/1976) 1000
Joni Mitchell Hissing of Summer Lawns (charted 12/6/1975)
Burning Spear Marcus Garvey (12/12/1975)
Parliament Mothership Connection (12/15/1975) 1000
Augustus Pablo King Tubby Meets Rockers Uptown (recorded 1972-75, released 1976)
Big Star Third/Sister Lovers (recorded 1975, released 3/18/1978) 1000
1976
George Benson Breezin’ (1/6/1976)
Bob Dylan Desire (1/16/1976) 1000
David Bowie Station to Station (1/23/1976) 1000
Kiss Destroyer (3/15/1976)
Boz Scaggs Silk Degrees (charted 3/20/1976)
Rush 2112 (4/1/1976) 1000
Ramones Ramones (4/23/1976) 1000
Steve Reich Music for 18 Musicians (classical, premiered 4/24/1976)
Aerosmith Rocks (charted 5/29/1976) 1000
Steve Miller Band Fly Like an Eagle (charted 5/29/1976)
Boston Boston (8/25/1976) 1000
Stevie Wonder Songs in the Key of Life (9/28/1976) 1000
Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band Night Moves (10/1/1976) 1000
Abba Arrival (10/11/1976) 1000
James Taylor Greatest Hits (compilation: 1968-76, released 11/1/1976)
Kansas Leftoverture (charted 11/6/1976)
Jackson Browne The Pretender (11/10/1976)
Andrew Lloyd Webber & Tim Rice (composers) Evita (studio album: 11/19/1976, stage debut: 6/21/1978, soundtrack: 11/12/1996) 1000
The Doobie Brothers Best of the Doobies (compilation: 1972-76, released 11/20/1976)
The Band The Last Waltz (live, recorded 11/25/76; released April 1978) 1000
Eagles Hotel California (12/8/1976) 1000
Joni Mitchell Hejira (charted 12/11/1976) 1000
Neil Young Decade (compilation: 1966-76, charted 11/26/1977) 1000
The Supremes Anthology (compilation: 1962-76, released 1986)
James Brown 20 All Time Greatest Hits! (compilation: 1956-76, released 10/22/1991)
1977
David Bowie Low (1/14/1977) 1000
Pink Floyd Animals (1/23/1977) 1000
Fleetwood Mac Rumours (2/4/1977) 1000
Television Marquee Moon (2/8/1977) 1000
Foreigner Foreigner (3/8/1977)
Weather Report Heavy Weather (charted 4/2/1977)
The Clash The Clash (4/8/1977) 1000
Kraftwerk Trans-Europa Express (Trans Europe Express) (charted 4/16/1977) 1000
Bob Marley & The Wailers Exodus (6/3/1977) 1000
John Williams (composer) Star Wars (soundtrack, charted 6/18/1977)
Styx The Grand Illusion (7/7/1977)
Elvis Costello My Aim Is True (7/22/1977) 1000
Little Feat Waiting for Columbus (live, recorded 8/4/1977)
Talking Heads 77 (9/16/1977)
Iggy Pop Lust for Life (charted 9/17/1977) 1000
Billy Joel The Stranger (9/29/1977) 1000
Ian Dury New Boots and Panties!! (Sept. 1977)
Steely Dan Aja (10/8/1977) 1000
David Bowie Heroes (10/14/1977) 1000
Meat Loaf Bat Out of Hell (10/21/1977) 1000
The Sex Pistols Never Mind the Bollocks, Here’s the Sex Pistols (10/28/1977) 1000
Thin Lizzy Live and Dangerous (live, recorded 11/14/76 and 10/28/1977)
Ramones Rocket to Russia (11/4/1977) 1000
Lynyrd Skynyrd Street Survivors (charted 11/5/1977)
Electric Light Orchestra Out of the Blue (charted 11/12/1977) 1000
Various Artists (Bee Gees et al) Saturday Night Fever (soundtrack, 11/15/1977) 1000
Eric Clapton Slowhand (charted 11/26/1977) 1000
Wire Pink Flag (Nov. 1977) 1000
Jackson Browne Running on Empty (12/6/1977) 1000
Suicide Suicide (12/28/1977)
Brian Eno Before and After Science (released Dec. 1977)
The Congos The Heart of the Congos (1977)
Elvis Presley 30 #1 Hits (compilation: 1956-77+, released 9/24/2002) 1000
1978
Pere Ubu The Modern Dance (Jan. 1978)
Van Halen Van Halen (2/10/1978) 1000
Kate Bush The Kick Inside (2/17/1978)
Elvis Costello & The Attractions This Year’s Model (3/17/1978) 1000
Various Artists (including Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta) Grease (soundtrack, 4/14/1978) 1000
Cheap Trick At Budokan (live, recorded 4/78, charted 2/24/1979) 1000
Kraftwerk Die Mensch Maschine (The Man Machine) (charted 5/13/1978) 1000
Willie Nelson Stardust (charted 5/13/1978)
Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band Stranger in Town (charted 5/27/1978)
Bruce Springsteen Darkness on the Edge of Town (6/2/1978) 1000
The Cars The Cars (6/6/1978) 1000
The Rolling Stones Some Girls (6/9/1978) 1000
Talking Heads More Songs about Buildings and Food (7/14/1978) 1000
Dire Straits Dire Straits (charted 7/22/1978) 1000
Devo Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo (July 1978) 1000
Boston Don’t Look Back (8/2/1978)
Blondie Parallel Lines (charted 9/16/1978) 1000
Funkadelic One Nation Under a Groove (charted 10/7/1978) 1000
Billy Joel 52nd Street (charted 10/28/1978) 1000
The Police Outlandos D’Amour (11/2/1978) 1000
The Jam All Mod Cons (11/3/1978) 1000
Steve Miller Band Greatest Hits 1974-1978 (compilation: 1974-78, released 11/15/1978) 1000
Kenny Rogers The Gambler (released Nov. 1978)
X-Ray Spex Germ-Free Adolescents (Nov. 1978)
Marvin Gaye Here, My Dear (12/15/1978)
Waylon Jennings Greatest Hits (compilation: 1968-78, charted 5/5/1979)
Rod Stewart Greatest Hits (compilation: 1971-78, charted 11/24/1979)
1979
Elvis Costello & the Attractions Armed Forces (1/5/1979) 1000
Bee Gees Spirits Having Flown (charted 2/17/1979) 1000
Stephen Sondheim (composer) Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street (stage debut: 3/1/79, cast: 1979, soundtrack charted 1/5/2008) 1000
Supertramp Breakfast in America (charted 3/31/1979) 1000
Van Halen Van Halen II (charted 4/14/1979)
Joy Division Unknown Pleasures (6/14/1979) 1000
Neil Young & Crazy Horse Rust Never Sleeps (7/2/1979) 1000
AC/DC Highway to Hell (8/3/1979) 1000
Talking Heads Fear of Music (8/3/1979) 1000
Michael Jackson Off the Wall (8/10/1979) 1000
The B-52s The B-52s (charted 8/4/1979) 1000
Led Zeppelin In Through the Out Door (8/15/1979)
Chic Risqué (charted 8/25/1979)
Eagles The Long Run (9/24/1979) 1000
Gang of Four Entertainment! (9/1979) 1000
Buzzcocks Singles Going Steady (compilation: 1977-79, released Sept. 1979) 1000
The Police Reggatta De Blanc (10/5/1979) 1000
Fleetwood Mac Tusk (10/12/1979) 1000
Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers Damn the Torpedoes (10/19/1979) 1000
The Specials The Specials (10/19/1979) 1000
Neil Young Live Rust (live, 11/19/1979)
Public Image Ltd. Metal Box (aka “Second Edition”) (11/23/1979) 1000
Pink Floyd The Wall (11/30/1979) 1000
The Clash London Calling (12/14/1979) 1000
Aerosmith Greatest Hits (compilation: 1973-79, charted 11/29/1980)
Led Zeppelin Mothership (compilation: 1969-79, released 11/12/2007)
1980
Pretenders Pretenders (1/7/1980) 1000
Elvis Costello & The Attractions Get Happy!! (2/15/1980) 1000
Christopher Cross Christopher Cross (charted 2/16/1980)
Billy Joel Glass Houses (3/10/1980) 1000
Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band Against the Wind (charted 3/15/1980)
X Los Angeles (4/26/1980) 1000
Peter Gabriel Peter Gabriel III (“Melt”) (5/30/1980) 1000
Queen The Game (6/30/1980) 1000
Dexy’s Midnight Runners Searching for the Young Soul Rebels (7/11/1980) 1000
Joy Division Closer (7/18/1980) 1000
Echo & the Bunnymen Crocodile (7/18/1980)
AC/DC Back in Black (7/25/1980) 1000
David Bowie Scary Monsters (9/12/1980) 1000
Dead Kennedys Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables (charted 9/13/1980) 1000
Ozzy Osbourne Blizzard of Ozz (charted 9/20/1980) 1000
Claude-Michel Schönberg (music) with Alain Boublil & Herbert Kretzmer (lyrics) Les Misérables (stage debut: 9/22/80, cast: 10/8/85, soundtrack: 12/21/2012) 1000
Kenny Rogers Greatest Hits (compilation: 1977-80, released 9/23/1980) 1000
The Police Zenyatta Mondatta (10/3/1980) 1000
Talking Heads Remain in Light (10/8/1980) 1000
Prince Dirty Mind (10/8/1980)
Bruce Springsteen The River (10/10/1980) 1000
Barbra Streisand Guilty (charted 10/11/1980)
Dire Straits Making Movies (10/17/1980)
U2 Boy (10/20/1980)
Rush Permanent Waves (1/1/1980)
Adam & the Ants Kings of the Wild Frontier (11/3/1980)
Motörhead Ace of Spades (charted 11/8/1980)
John Lennon/Yoko Ono Double Fantasy (11/17/1980) 1000
REO Speedwagon Hi Infidelity (11/21/1980) 1000
The Jam Sound Affects (11/28/1980)
The Clash Sandinista! (12/12/1980) 1000
Blondie Best of (compilation: 1976-80, charted 10/30/1981)
John Lennon The Collection (compilation: 1969-80, released 11/1/1982)
Frank Sinatra Best of the Best (compilation: 1953-80; released 11/15/2011)
1981
Styx Paradise Theater (charted 1/31/1981) 1000
Phil Collins Face Value (2/9/1981) 1000
Rush Moving Pictures (2/12/1981) 1000
Brian Eno/David Byrne My Life in the Bush of Ghosts (charted 2/21/1981)
Motörhead No Sleep ‘Til Hammersmith (live, recorded 3/28/80 to 3/30/81, charted 6/27/1981) 1000
Andrew Lloyd Webber & T.S. Eliot (composers) Cats (cast recording, stage debut: 5/11/1981)
Foreigner 4 (7/2/1981) 1000
Journey Escape (7/17/1981) 1000
The Go-Go’s Beauty and the Beat (7/24/1981)
The Rolling Stones Tattoo You (8/30/1981) 1000
The Police Ghost in the Machine (charted 10/2/1981) 1000
The Human League Dare! (10/16/1981) 1000
Queen Greatest Hits (compilation: 1973-81, released 11/3/1981) 1000
Men at Work Business As Usual (11/9/1981) 1000
Barbra Streisand Memories (released as Love Songs in the UK) (compilation: 1974-81, released Nov. 1981)
Black Flag Damaged (12/5/1981) 1000
Foreigner Records (compilation: 1976-81, released 11/29/1982)
Bob Dylan Biograph (box: 1962-81, released 11/7/1985)
Eric Clapton The Cream of Clapton (compilation: 1966-81, released 3/7/1995)
Carpenters The Singles 1969-1981 (includes all of The Singles 1969-1973) (compilation: 1969-81, released 5/23/2000) 1000
1982
Richard & Linda Thompson Shoot Out the Lights (3/15/1982) 1000
Asia Asia (3/18/1982) 1000
Iron Maiden The Number of the Beast (3/22/1982) 1000
Duran Duran Rio (3/29/1982) 1000
Toto Toto IV (4/8/1982) 1000
John Cougar (Mellencamp) American Fool (4/12/1982) 1000
Roxy Music Avalon (charted 6/5/1982) 1000
ABC Lexicon of Love (6/21/1982) 1000
Elvis Costello & The Attractions Imperial Bedroom (7/2/1982) 1000
Bruce Springsteen Nebraska (9/20/1982) 1000
Dire Straits Love Over Gold (9/29/1982)
Simple Minds New Gold Dream (81-82-83-84) (10/2/1982)
Prince 1999 (10/27/1982) 1000
Donald Fagen The Nightfly (charted 10/30/1982) 1000
Phil Collins Hello, I Must Be Going! (11/1/1982)
Michael Jackson Thriller (11/30/1982) 1000
Abba Gold: Greatest Hits (compilation: 1974-82, released 9/21/1992) 1000
The Who Meaty Beaty Big and Bouncy/Ultimate Collection (compilation: 1964-82, released 6/11/2002) 1000
1983
Def Leppard Pyromania (1/20/1983) 1000
U2 War (2/28/1983) 1000
King Sunny Ade Juju Music (charted 4/9/1983)
R.E.M. Murmur (4/11/1983) 1000
David Bowie Let’s Dance (4/11/1983) 1000
Violent Femmes Violent Femmes (4/13/1983) 1000
Various Artists Flashdance (soundtrack, 4/15/1983) 1000
ZZ Top Eliminator (charted 4/23/1983) 1000
New Order Power, Corruption and Lies (5/2/1983) 1000
Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble Texas Flood (6/13/1983) 1000
The Police Synchronicity (charted 6/17/1983) 1000
Metallica Kill ‘Em All (7/25/1983) 1000
Madonna Madonna (7/27/1983) 1000
U2 Under a Blood Red Sky (live, recorded 8/20/1983) 1000
Billy Joel An Innocent Man (charted 8/20/1983) 1000
Huey Lewis & The News Sports (9/15/1983) 1000
Tom Waits Swordfishtrombones (Sept. 1983) 1000
Lionel Richie Can’t Slow Down (10/11/1983) 1000
Cyndi Lauper She’s So Unusual 10/14/1983) 1000
Culture Club Colour by Numbers (10/22/1983) 1000
Talking Heads Stop Making Sense (live soundtrack, recorded 12/83, charted 9/22/1984) 1000
Bob Marley & the Wailers Legend (compilation: 1973-83, released 5/8/1984) 1000
Johnny Cash The Essential (1955-1983) (box set: 1955-83, released Dec. 1992)
1984
Van Halen 1984 (1/9/1984) 1000
Various Artists Footloose (soundtrack, 1/31/1984) 1000
The Smiths The Smiths (2/20/1984) 1000
R.E.M. Reckoning (4/9/1984)
Echo & the Bunnymen Ocean Rain (5/4/1984) 1000
Tina Turner Private Dancer (5/29/1984) 1000
Bruce Springsteen Born in the U.S.A. (6/4/1984) 1000
Run-D.M.C. Run-D.M.C. (charted 6/23/1984)
Prince & the Revolution Purple Rain (soundtrack, 6/25/1984) 1000
Hüsker Dü Zen Arcade (7/3/1984) 1000
Sade Diamond Life (charted 7/28/1984) 1000
Minutemen Double Nickels on the Dime (July 1984) 1000
Metallica Ride the Lightning (charted 9/29/1984) 1000
U2 The Unforgettable Fire (10/1/1984) 1000
The Replacements Let It Be (10/2/1984) 1000
Lloyd Cole & The Commotions Rattlesnakes (10/12/1984)
Bryan Adams Reckless (10/29/1984) 1000
Wham! Make It Big (11/5/1984) 1000
Madonna Like a Virgin (11/12/1984) 1000
The Smiths Hatful of Hollow (archives, 11/12/1984) 1000
James Brown Star Time (box set: 1956-84, released 5/7/1991) 1000
1985
Hüsker Dü New Day Rising (1/14/1985) 1000
The Smiths Meat is Murder (2/11/1985) 1000
Whitney Houston Whitney Houston (2/14/1985) 1000
Tears for Fears Songs from the Big Chair (2/17/1985) 1000
Phil Collins No Jacket Required (2/18/1985) 1000
Various Artists The Indestructible Beat of Soweto (4/16/1985)
Dire Straits Brothers in Arms (5/13/1985) 1000
New Order Low-Life (charted 5/25/1985) 1000
Sting The Dream of the Blue Turtles (6/1/1985) 1000
Marillion Misplaced Childhood (6/17/1985) 1000
Prefab Sprout Steve McQueen (aka “Two Wheels Good”) (charted 6/22/1985) 1000
Billy Joel Greatest Hits Volume I & II (compilation: 1973-85, released 7/2/1985) 1000
John Cougar Mellencamp Scarecrow (8/5/1985) 1000
The Pogues Rum, Sodomy, and the Lash (8/5/1985) 1000
The Cure The Head on the Door (charted 9/7/1985) 1000
Kate Bush Hounds of Love (charted 9/28/1985) 1000
Tom Waits Rain Dogs (9/30/1985) 1000
The Fall This Nation’s Saving Grace (9/1985) 1000
Various Artists Miami Vice (soundtrack, charted 10/12/1985)
Sade Promise (11/4/1985)
Jesus and Mary Chain Psychocandy (11/18/1985) 1000
Barbra Streisand The Broadway Album (covers, charted 11/23/1985)
The Replacements Tim (11/30/1985) 1000
Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band Live 1975/1985 (live box: 1975-85, released 11/10/1986) 1000
Dire Straits Money for Nothing (compilation: 1978-85, released 10/17/1988)
1986
Alabama Greatest Hits (compilation: 1980-86, released Jan. 1986) 1000
Janet Jackson Control (2/6/1986) 1000
Metallica Master of Puppets (2/24/1986) 1000
Prince & the Revolution Parade (3/31/1986) 1000
Anita Baker Rapture (charted 4/16/1986) 1000
Dwight Yoakam Guitars, Cadillacs, Etc. Etc. (charted 4/19/1986)
Peter Gabriel So (5/13/1986) 1000
Various Artists Top Gun (soundtrack, 5/20/1986) 1000
Run-D.M.C. Raising Hell (5/27/1986) 1000
Randy Travis Storms of Life (6/6/1986)
Genesis Invisible Touch (6/9/1986) 1000
The Smiths The Queen Is Dead (6/28/1986) 1000
Madonna True Blue (6/30/1986) 1000
R.E.M. Life’s Rich Pageant (7/28/1986) 1000
Bon Jovi Slippery When Wet (8/18/1986) 1000
Paul Simon Graceland (8/25/1986) 1000
Steve Earle Guitar Town (10/7/1986)
Andrew Lloyd Webber/Charles Hart/Richard Stigoe (composers) Phantom of the Opera (cast, opened 10/9/1986) 1000
The Police Every Breath You Take – The Singles (compilation: 1978-1986; released 10/27/1986) 1000
XTC Skylarking (10/27/1986) 1000
Slayer Reign in Blood (10/28/1986) 1000
Beastie Boys Licensed to Ill (11/11/1986) 1000
Robert Cray Strong Persuader (charted 11/15/1986) 1000
1987
Boogie Down Productions Criminal Minded (3/3/1987)
U2 The Joshua Tree (3/17/1987) 1000
Prince Sign ‘O’ the Times (3/30/1987) 1000
Fleetwood Mac Tango in the Night (4/13/1987) 1000
Randy Travis Always and Forever (5/4/1987)
John Hiatt Bring the Family (5/29/1987)
Whitney Houston Whitney (6/2/1987) 1000
Sonic Youth Sister (June 1987)
Eric B. & Rakim Paid in Full (7/9/1987) 1000
Terence Trent D’Arby Introducing the Hardline… (7/13/1987)
Guns N’ Roses Appetite for Destruction (7/21/1987) 1000
Def Leppard Hysteria (8/3/1987) 1000
New Order Substance (compilation: 1981-87, released 8/11/1987) 1000
Aerosmith Permanent Vacation (8/18/1987)
Michael Jackson Bad (8/31/1987) 1000
Various Artists Dirty Dancing (soundtrack, 9/1/1987) 1000
R.E.M. Document (9/8/1987) 1000
Paul McCartney All the Best! (compilation: 1970-87, released 9/18/1987)
The Smiths Strangeways, Here We Come (9/22/1987) 1000
Bruce Springsteen Tunnel of Love (10/9/1987) 1000
INXS Kick (10/20/1987) 1000
Sting Nothing Like the Sun (charted 10/31/1987)
George Michael Faith (11/3/1987) 1000
Dinosaur Jr. You’re Living All Over Me (12/14/1987)
Eric Clapton Crossroads (1963-87, released 4/18/1988)
Journey Greatest Hits (compilation: 1978-87, released 11/15/1988) 1000
Bee Gees Timeless: The All-Time Greatest Hits (compilation: 1966-87, released 4/21/2017)
1988
Pixies Surfer Rosa (3/21/1988) 1000
Tracy Chapman Tracy Chapman (4/5/1988) 1000
Bobby Brown Don’t Be Cruel (6/20/1988) 1000
Paula Abdul Forever Your Girl (6/21/1988) 1000
Public Enemy It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back (6/28/1988) 1000
Jane’s Addiction Nothing’s Shocking (8/23/1988) 1000
Metallica …And Justice for All (8/25/1988) 1000
New Kids on the Block Hangin’ Tough (charted 8/27/1988) 1000
Talk Talk Spirit of Eden (9/16/1988) 1000
Enya Watermark (9/19/1988)
Bon Jovi New Jersey (9/20/1988) 1000
U2 Rattle and Hum (studio/live soundtrack, 10/11/1988) 1000
Traveling Wilburys Traveling Wilburys Vol. 1 (10/25/1988) 1000
Ray Charles Anthology (compilation: 1955-68, charted 10/29/1988)
Sonic Youth Daydream Nation (October 1988) 1000
R.E.M. Green (11/8/1988) 1000
Fleetwood Mac Greatest Hits (compilation: 1975-88, released 11/22/1988) 1000
John Mellencamp The Best That I Could Do (compilation: 1978-88, released 11/18/1997)
Beach Boys Very Best of (compilation: 1962-88; released 6/30/2001)
1989
N.W.A. Straight Outta Compton (1/10/1989) 1000
Lou Reed New York (1/10/1989) 1000
New Order Technique (1/24/1989)
Fine Young Cannibals The Raw and the Cooked (2/18/1989)
Indigo Girls Indigo Girls (2/28/1989)
Milli Vanilli Girl You Know It’s True (aka All or Nothing) (3/7/1989)
De La Soul 3 Feet High and Rising (3/14/1989) 1000
Madonna Like a Prayer (3/21/1989) 1000
Bonnie Raitt Nick of Time (3/21/1989) 1000
Soul II Soul Club Classics, Vol. I (aka “Keep on Movin’”) (4/10/1989)
The Pixies Doolittle (4/18/1989) 1000
Garth Brooks Garth Brooks (4/21/1989)
Tom Petty Full Moon Fever (4/24/1989) 1000
The Stone Roses The Stone Roses (5/2/1989) 1000
The Cure Disintegration (5/2/1989) 1000
Clint Black Killin’ Time (5/2/1989)
Beastie Boys Paul’s Boutique (7/25/1989) 1000
Mötley Crüe Dr. Feelgood (9/5/1989)
Aerosmith Pump (9/12/1989) 1000
Janet Jackson Rhythm Nation 1814 (9/19/1989) 1000
Nine Inch Nails Pretty Hate Machine (10/13/1989) 1000
Phil Collins …But Seriously (11/17/1989) 1000
Van Morrison Best of (compilation: 1965-89, charted 4/7/1990)
Eurythmics Greatest Hits (compilation: 1983-89; released 5/24/1991)
U2 Best of 1980-1990 (compilation: 1980-89, released 11/3/1998) 1000
1990
M.C. Hammer Please Hammer Don’t Hurt ‘Em (2/12/1990) 1000
Black Crowes Shake Your Money Maker (2/13/1990)
David Bowie ChangesBowie (compilation: 1969-90, released 3/4/1990) 1000
Depeche Mode Violator (3/19/1990) 1000
Public Enemy Fear of a Black Planet (3/20/1990) 1000
Sinéad O’Connor I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got (3/20/1990) 1000
A Tribe Called Quest People’s Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythms (4/17/1990)
Mariah Carey Mariah Carey (6/12/1990) 1000
The La’s The La’s (6/30/1990)
Luciano Pavarotti, Placido Domingo, & Jose Carreras The Three Tenors in Concert/Mehta (live, recorded 7/7/1990) 1000
Jane’s Addiction Ritual de lo Habitual (8/21/1990) 1000
Garth Brooks No Fences (8/27/1990) 1000
Queensrÿche Empire (9/4/1990)
Vanilla Ice To the Extreme (9/10/1990)
George Michael Listen without Prejudice (9/11/1990)
Madonna The Immaculate Collection (compilation: 1983-90, released 11/13/1990) 1000
Happy Mondays Pills ‘N’ Thrills and Bellyaches (charted 11/17/1990)
Enigma mcmxc a.d. (12/10/1990)
Styx Greatest Hits (compilation: 1975-90, released 8/22/1995)
Olivia Newton-John Magic: The Best Of (compilation: 1973-90, released 11/9/2001)
1991
R.E.M. Out of Time (3/12/1991) 1000
Slint Spiderland (3/27/1991) 1000
Massive Attack Blue Lines (4/8/1991) 1000
Michael Bolton Time, Love and Tenderness (4/23/1991)
Boyz II Men Cooleyhighharmony (4/30/1991) 1000
The Orb Adventures Beyond the Ultraworld (4/2/1991)
Natalie Cole Unforgettable: With Love (covers, 6/11/1991) 1000
Crowded House Woodface (7/2/1991) 1000
Cypress Hill Cypress Hill (8/9/1991)
Metallica Metallica (aka “The Black Album”) (8/12/1991) 1000
The Commitments The Commitments (soundtrack/covers, 8/13/1991)
Pearl Jam Ten (8/27/1991) 1000
Garth Brooks Ropin’ the Wind (9/2/1991) 1000
Guns N’ Roses Use Your Illusion I (9/17/1991) 1000
Guns N’ Roses Use Your Illusion II (9/17/1991) 1000
Nirvana Nevermind (9/24/1991) 1000
Red Hot Chili Peppers Blood Sugar Sex Magik (9/24/1991) 1000
A Tribe Called Quest The Low End Theory (9/24/1991) 1000
Bryan Adams Waking Up the Neighbours (9/24/1991)
Simply Red Stars (9/30/1991)
Tina Turner Simply the Best (compilation: 1973-91, released 10/2/1991)
Primal Scream Screamadelica (10/8/1991) 1000
Genesis We Can’t Dance (10/28/1991)
Alan Menken (music) with Howard Ashman & Tim Rice (lyrics) Beauty and the Beast (movie: 10/29/1991, musical: 4/18/1994)
Queen Greatest Hits II (compilation: 1981-91, released 10/30/1991) 1000
My Bloody Valentine Loveless (11/5/1991) 1000
Pet Shop Boys Discography – The Complete Singles Collection (compilation: 1985-91, released 11/5/1991)
Teenage Fanclub Bandwagonesque (charted 11/16/1991)
U2 Achtung Baby (11/19/1991) 1000
Michael Jackson Dangerous (11/26/1991) 1000
Various Artists The Music of Disney: A Legacy in Song (1926-91, released 9/14/1992)

1992
Tori Amos Little Earthquakes (1/13/1992) 1000
Eric Clapton Unplugged (live, recorded 1/16/92; released 8/25/1992) 1000
Aphex Twin Selected Ambient Works 85-92 (compilation: 1985-92, released 2/12/1992)
Tears for Fears Tears Roll Down: 1982-1992 (compilation: 1982-92, released 3/2/1992)
k.d. lang Ingénue (3/17/1992) 1000
Arrested Development 3 Years, 5 Months, & 2 Days in the Life of… (3/24/1992)
En Vogue Funky Divas (3/24/1992)
Pavement Slanted and Enchanted (charted 3/31/1992) 1000
Annie Lennox Diva (charted 4/18/1992)
Beastie Boys Check Your Head (4/21/1992)
Lionel Richie Back to Front (compilation: 1977-92, released 5/5/1992)
Billy Ray Cyrus Some Gave All (5/19/1992) 1000
Mary Chapin Carpenter Come on, Come On (6/30/1992)
PJ Harvey Dry (6/30/1992)
Mary J. Blige What’s the 411? (7/28/1992)
Garth Brooks The Chase (9/14/1992)
Alice in Chains Dirt (9/29/1992) 1000
Stone Temple Pilots Core (9/29/1992) 1000
Alan Jackson A Lot about Livin’ and a Little ‘Bout Love (9/30/1992)
R.E.M. Automatic for the People (10/6/1992) 1000
Rage Against the Machine Rage Against the Machine (11/3/1992) 1000
Various artists (Whitney Houston e al) The Bodyguard (soundtrack, 11/17/1992) 1000
Kenny G Breathless (11/17/1992)
Dr. Dre The Chronic (12/15/1992) 1000
Prince Very Best of (compilation: 1979-92, released 7/31/2001)
1993
Sting Ten Summoner’s Tales (3/9/1993)
Suede (aka “London Suede”) Suede (charted 3/29/1993)
Aerosmith Get a Grip (4/20/1993)
PJ Harvey Rid of Me (5/4/1993)
Janet Jackson janet. (5/18/1993) 1000
Ace of Base The Sign (6/1/1993) 1000
Liz Phair Exile in Guyville (6/22/1993) 1000
U2 Zooropa (7/5/1993)
Björk Debut (7/13/1993) 1000
Toni Braxton Toni Braxton (7/13/1993)
Smashing Pumpkins Siamese Dream (7/27/1993) 1000
Sheryl Crow Tuesday Night Music Club (8/3/1993) 1000
Garth Brooks In Pieces (8/23/1993)
Mariah Carey Music Box (8/31/1993) 1000
Counting Crows August and Everything After (9/14/1993) 1000
Meat Loaf Bat Out of Hell II: Back into Hell (9/14/1993) 1000
Prince The Hits/The B Sides (box set: 1978-93, released 9/14/1993)
Nirvana In Utero (9/21/1993) 1000
Beck Mellow Gold (9/21/1993)
Pearl Jam Vs. (10/19/1993) 1000
Sarah McLachlan Fumbling Towards Ecstasy (10/22/1993) 1000
Bryan Adams So Far So Good (compilation: 1982-93, released 11/2/1993)
Wu-Tang Clan Enter the Wu-Tang Clan (36 Chambers) (11/9/1993) 1000
Celine Dion The Colour of My Love (11/9/1993) 1000
Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers Greatest Hits (compilation: 1977-93, released 11/16/1993) 1000
Nirvana MTV Unplugged in New York (recorded live 11/18/93, released 11/1/1994) 1000
Snoop Doggy Dogg Doggystyle (11/23/1993) 1000
Sade Best of (compilation: 1984-93, released 10/31/1994)
Garth Brooks The Hits (compilation: 1989-93: released 12/13/1994) 1000
1994
Underworld Dubnobasswithmyheadman (1/24/1994)
Green Day Dookie (2/1/1994) 1000
Pavement Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain (charted 2/26/1994) 1000
Nine Inch Nails The Downward Spiral (3/8/1994) 1000
Soundgarden Superunknown (3/8/1994) 1000
Morrissey Vauxhall and I (3/22/1994)
Pink Floyd The Division Bell (3/30/1994)
The Offspring Smash (4/11/1994) 1000
Hole Live Through This (4/12/1994) 1000
Live Throwing Copper (4/19/1994) 1000
Nas Illmatic (4/19/1994) 1000
Blur Parklife (4/25/1994) 1000
Johnny Cash American Recordings (4/26/1994) 1000
Weezer Weezer (aka “The Blue Album”) (5/10/1994) 1000
Beastie Boys Ill Communication (5/23/1994) 1000
Stone Temple Pilots Purple (5/31/1994)
Elton John/ Tim Rice/ Hans Zimmer (composers) The Lion King (soundtrack, 6/4/1994) 1000
various artists Forrest Gump (soundtrack, 6/28/1994)
Hootie & the Blowfish Cracked Rear View (7/5/1994) 1000
The Prodigy Music for the Jilted Generation (charted 7/16/1994)
Jeff Buckley Grace (8/23/1994) 1000
Manic Street Preachers The Holy Bible (8/29/1994) 1000
Oasis Definitely Maybe (8/30/1994) 1000
Boyz II Men II (8/30/1994) 1000
Portishead Dummy (charted 9/3/1994) 1000
The Notorious B.I.G. Ready to Die (9/13/1994) 1000
Eric Clapton: From the Cradle (covers, 9/13/1994) 1000
Dave Matthews Band Under the Table and Dreaming (9/27/1994)
R.E.M. Monster (9/27/1994)
Various Artists Pulp Fiction (soundtrack, 9/27/1994)
Cranberries No Need to Argue (10/4/1994)
Suede (aka “London Suede”) Dog Man Star (10/10/1994)
Bon Jovi Cross Road (compilation: 1984-94, released 10/18/1994) 1000
Bob Seger Greatest Hits (compilation: 1976-94, released 10/25/1994)
Eagles Hell Freezes Over (live/studio, 11/8/1994) 1000
Sting Fields of Gold – The Best of (compilation: 1985-94, released 11/8/1994)
TLC CrazySexyCool (11/15/1994) 1000
Pearl Jam Vitalogy (11/22/1994) 1000
Mary J. Blige My Life (11/29/1994)
Pink Floyd Echoes: The Best of (compilation: 1967-1994, released 11/6/2001)
Nirvana Nirvana (Greatest Hits) (compilation: 1988-94, released 10/29/2002)
Guns N’ Roses Greatest Hits (compilation: 1987-94, released 3/23/2004) 1000
1995
Leftfield Leftism (1/30/1995) 1000
Shania Twain The Woman in Me (2/7/1995) 1000
Tricky Maxinquaye (2/20/1995) 1000
PJ Harvey To Bring You My Love (2/28/1995) 1000
Jewel Pieces of You (2/28/1995) 1000
Bruce Springsteen Greatest Hits (compilation: 1975-95, released 2/28/1995) 1000
Radiohead The Bends (3/13/1995) 1000
Tupac Shakur (2pac) Me Against the World (3/14/1995)
Björk Post (5/29/1995) 1000
Alanis Morissette Jagged Little Pill (6/13/1995) 1000
Michael Jackson HIStory Begins (compilation: 1979-92) / HIStory Continues (studio album, released 6/20/1995) 1000
Foo Fighters Foo Fighters (7/4/1995)
D’Angelo Brown Sugar (7/3/1995)
Garbage Garbage (8/15/1995) 1000
Emmylou Harris Wrecking Ball (9/26/1995)
Oasis (What’s the Story) Morning Glory (10/3/1995) 1000
Mariah Carey Daydream (10/3/1995) 1000
No Doubt Tragic Kingdom (10/10/1995) 1000
Janet Jackson Design of a Decade 1986/1996 (compilation: 1986-95, released 10/10/1995)
Smashing Pumpkins Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness (10/24/1995) 1000
Alan Jackson The Greatest Hits Collection (compilation: 1989-95, released 10/24/1995)
Pulp Different Class (10/30/1995) 1000
Def Leppard Vault: Greatest Hits (compilation: 1980-95, released 10/31/1995)
Various Artists (Whitney Houston et al) Waiting to Exhale (soundtrack, 11/14/1995) 1000
1996
Fugees The Score (2/12/1996) 1000
Tupac Shakur (2pac) All Eyez on Me (2/13/1996) 1000
Celine Dion Falling into You (3/11/1996) 1000
Dave Matthews Band Crash (4/12/1996)
Rage Against the Machine Evil Empire (4/16/1996)
George Strait Blue Clear Sky (charted 5/11/1996)
Manic Street Preachers Everything Must Go (5/20/1996) 1000
Metallica Load (5/20/1996)
Beck Odelay (6/18/1996) 1000
Toni Braxton Secrets (6/18/1996)
R.E.M. New Adventures in Hi-Fi (6/18/1996)
LeAnn Rimes Blue (7/9/1996)
Sublime Sublime (7/30/1996) 1000
Jonathan Larson (music & lyrics) Rent (cast recording, stage debut: 8/27/1996)
Jamiroquai Travelling without Moving (9/9/1996)
DJ Shadow Endtroducing… (9/16/1996) 1000
Spice Girls Spice (9/19/1996) 1000
Matchbox 20 Yourself or Someone Like You (10/1/1996) 1000
Tool Ænima (10/1/1996) 1000
Wilco Being There (10/29/1996)
Belle & Sebastian If You’re Feeling Sinister (11/18/1996) 1000
1997
Daft Punk Homework (1/20/1997) 1000
Erykah Badu Baduizm (2/11/1997) 1000
Elliott Smith Either/Or (2/25/1997) 1000
The Notorious B.I.G. Life after Death (3/25/1997) 1000
Chemical Brothers Dig Your Own Hole (4/7/1997) 1000
Andrea Bocelli Romanza (charted 5/31/1997)
Spiritualized Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space (6/14/1997) 1000
Radiohead OK Computer (6/16/1997) 1000
Various Artists Buena Vista Social Club (6/21/1997) 1000
The Prodigy Fat of the Land (7/1/1997) 1000
Sarah McLachlan Surfacing (7/15/1997) 1000
Backstreet Boys Backstreet Boys (U.S. Version, 8/12/1997)
Oasis Be Here Now (8/26/1997)
Mariah Carey Butterfly (9/16/1997)
The Verve Urban Hymns (9/30/1997) 1000
Bob Dylan Time Out of Mind (9/30/1997) 1000
The Corrs Talk on Corners (10/20/1997)
Shania Twain Come on Over (11/4/1997) 1000
Spice Girls Spice (11/4/1997)
Celine Dion Let’s Talk about Love (11/15/1997) 1000
James Horner (composer) Titanic (soundtrack, 11/18/1997) 1000
Garth Brooks Sevens (11/25/1997)
Will Smith Big Willie Style (11/25/1997)
Duran Duran Greatest (compilation: 1980-1997, released 11/3/1998)
1998
Air Moon Safari (1/19/1998) 1000
Dixie Chicks Wide Open Spaces (1/27/1998) 1000
Neutral Milk Hotel In the Aeroplane Over the Sea (2/10/1998) 1000
Madonna Ray of Light (3/3/1998) 1000
Massive Attack Mezzanine (4/20/1998) 1000
Lucinda Williams Car Wheels on a Gravel Road (6/30/1998) 1000
Beastie Boys Hello Nasty (7/4/1998)
Kid Rock Devil Without a Cause (8/18/1998)
Korn Follow the Leader (8/18/1998)
Lauryn Hill The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill (8/25/1998) 1000
OutKast Aquemini (9/29/1998) 1000
R. Kelly R. (9/29/1998)
Phil Collins Hits (compilation: 1981-98, released 10/5/1998)
Fatboy Slim You’ve Come a Long Way, Baby (10/12/1998) 1000
David Gray White Ladder (11/2/1998) 1000
George Michael Ladies and Gentlemen – The Best of (compilation: 1984-98, released 11/10/1998)
Garth Brooks Double Live (live, 11/17/1998) 1000
Mariah Carey #1’s (compilation: 1990-98, released 11/17/1998) 1000
The Offspring Americana (11/17/1998)
Tupac Shakur (2pac) Greatest Hits (compilation: 1991-98, released 11/24/1998)
Stevie Wonder The Definitive Collection (compilation: 1962-98, released 10/29/2002)
1999
Britney Spears …Baby One More Time (1/12/1999) 1000
Eminem The Slim Shady LP (2/23/1999) 1000
TLC Fanmail (2/23/1999)
Ricky Martin Ricky Martin (5/11/1999)
Moby Play (5/17/1999) 1000
The Flaming Lips The Soft Bulletin (5/17/1999) 1000
Backstreet Boys Millennium (5/18/1999) 1000
Travis The Man Who (5/24/1999)
Dido No Angel (6/1/1999) 1000
Blink-182 Enema of the State (6/1/1999)
Red Hot Chili Peppers Californication (6/8/1999) 1000
Sigur Rós Ágaetis Byrjun (6/12/1999)
Santana Supernatural (6/15/1999) 1000
Limp Bizkit Significant Other (6/22/1999)
Destiny’s Child The Writing’s on the Wall (7/27/1999) 1000
Christina Aguilera ">Christina Aguilera (8/24/1999)
Dixie Chicks Fly (8/31/1999) 1000
The Magnetic Fields 69 Love Songs (9/7/1999) 1000
Creed Human Clay (9/28/1999)
Faith Hill Breathe (11/9/1999)
Celine Dion All the Way…A Decade of Song (compilation: 1991-99, released 11/13/1999) 1000
Tim McGraw Greatest Hits (compilation: 1994-99, released 11/21/2000)
2000
D’Angelo Voodoo (1/11/2000) 1000
N Sync No Strings Attached (3/21/2000) 1000
Whitney Houston The Greatest Hits (compilation: 1984-2000 released 5/16/2000)
Britney Spears Oops!...I Did It Again (5/16/2000)
Eminem The Marshall Mathers LP (5/23/2000) 1000
Queens of the Stone Age Rated R (6/6/2000)
Eric Clapton with B.B. King Riding with the King (6/13/2000)
Nelly Country Grammar (6/27/2000) 1000
Coldplay Parachutes (7/10/2000) 1000
Shaggy Hot Shot (8/8/2000)
Madonna Music (9/19/2000) 1000
Radiohead Kid A (10/3/2000) 1000
Benny Andersson/Björn Ulvaeus (composers) Mamma Mia! (stage debut: 10/17/2000, cast: 2001, soundtrack: 2008)
Limp Bizkit Chocolate Starfish and the Hot Dog Flavored Water (10/17/2000)
Linkin Park Hybrid Theory (10/24/2000) 1000
OutKast Stankonia (10/31/2000) 1000
U2 All That You Can’t Leave Behind (10/31/2000) 1000
PJ Harvey Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea (10/31/2000) 1000
Backstreet Boys Black & Blue (11/21/2000)
Enya A Day without Rain (11/21/2000)
The Avalanches Since I Left You (11/27/2000)
Various Artists O Brother Where Art Thou (soundtrack, 12/5/2000) 1000
Madonna GHV2 (compilation: 1991-2000, released 11/13/2001)
U2 Best of 1990-2000 (compilation: 1991-2000; released 11/5/2002)
Whitney Houston The Ultimate Collection (compilation: 1984-2000, released 2007)
2001
Daft Punk Discovery (3/9/2001) 1000
Destiny’s Child Survivor (5/1/1001) 1000
Tool Lateralus (5/15/2001)
Radiohead Amnesiac (5/30/2001) 1000
Alicia Keys Songs in A Minor (6/5/2001) 1000
Muse Origin of Symmetry (6/30/2001)
The White Stripes White Blood Cells (7/3/2001) 1000
The Strokes Is This It (7/30/2001) 1000
Gillian Welch Time (The Revelator) (7/31/2001)
Björk Vespertine (8/28/2001) 1000
System of a Down Toxicity (9/4/2001) 1000
Bob Dylan Love and Theft (9/11/2001) 1000
Wilco Yankee Hotel Foxtrot (9/18/2001) 1000
Jay-Z The Blueprint (9/18/2001) 1000
Shakira Laundry Service (11/13/2001)
Pink M!ssundaztood (11/20/2001) 1000
2002
Norah Jones Come Away with Me (2/26/2002) 1000
The Streets Original Pirate Material (3/25/2002) 1000
Eminem The Eminem Show (5/26/2002) 1000
Avril Lavigne Let Go (6/4/2002) 1000
Nelly Nellyville (6/25/2002) 1000
Maroon 5 Songs about Jane (6/25/2002) 1000
Red Hot Chili Peppers By the Way (7/9/2002) 1000
The Flaming Lips Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots (7/16/2002) 1000
Bruce Springsteen The Rising (7/30/2002) 1000
Interpol Turn on the Bright Lights (8/20/2002) 1000
Coldplay A Rush of Blood to the Head (8/27/2002) 1000
Dixie Chicks Home (8/27/2002) 1000
Queens of the Stone Age Songs for the Deaf (8/27/2002) 1000
Beck Sea Change (9/24/2002) 1000
The Libertines Up the Bracket (10/21/2002) 1000
David Bowie Best of Bowie (compilation: 1969-2002, released 10/22/2002)
Various Artists (Eminem et al) 8 Mile (10/29/2002) 1000
Justin Timberlake Justified (11/5/2002) 1000
Johnny Cash American IV: The Man Comes Around (11/5/2002) 1000
Shania Twain Up! (11/19/2002) 1000
Paul Simon The Ultimate Collection (compilation: 1965-2002, released 4/12/2015)
Various Artists Country Music (box set: 1928-2002, released 2019)
2003
50 Cent Get Rich or Die Tryin’ (2/6/2003) 1000
Evanescence Fallen (3/4/2003) 1000
Linkin Park Meteora (3/25/2003) 1000
The White Stripes Elephant (4/1/2003) 1000
Yeah Yeah Yeahs Fever to Tell (4/29/2003) 1000
Radiohead Hail to the Thief (6/9/2003) 1000
Beyoncé Dangerously in Love (6/17/2003) 1000
Dizzee Rascal Boy in Da Corner (7/21/2003) 1000
Alan Jackson Greatest Hits Volume 2 and Some Other Stuff (compilation: 1996-2003, released 8/12/2003) 1000
Muse Absolution (9/21/2003)
OutKast Speakerboxxx/The Love Below (9/23/2003) 1000
Dido Life for Rent (9/30/2003)
Eagles Very Best of (includes all of 1976’s Their Greatest Hits 1971-1975 and 1982’s Greatest Hits Volume 2) (compilation: 1971-2003, released 10/21/2003) 1000
The Shins Chutes Too Narrow (10/21/2003) 1000
R.E.M. In Time – The Best of 1988-2003 (compilation: 1988-2003, released 10/28/2003)
Jay-Z The Black Album (11/4/2003) 1000
Michael Jackson Number Ones (compilation: 1978-2003, released 11/17/2003)
Red Hot Chili Peppers Greatest Hits (compilation: 1989-2003, released 11/17/2003)
Alicia Keys The Diary of… (12/2/2003) 1000
Johnny Cash The Legend of… (compilation: 1955-2003, released 8/2/2005)
2004
Franz Ferdinand Franz Ferdinand (2/9/2004) 1000
Kanye West The College Dropout (2/10/2004) 1000
Norah Jones Feels Like Home (2/10/2004) 1000
Scissor Sisters Scissor Sisters (3/9/2004)
Usher Confessions (3/23/2004) 1000
Madvillain Madvillainy (3/23/2004) 1000
Modest Mouse Good News for People Who Love Bad News (4/6/2004) 1000
Loretta Lynn Van Lear Rose (4/27/2004) 1000
Keane Hopes and Fears (5/10/2004) 1000
Streets A Grand Don’t Come for Free (5/10/2004) 1000
The Killers Hot Fuss (6/7/2004) 1000
Ray Charles with various artists Genius Loves Company (8/31/2004)
Arcade Fire Funeral (9/14/2004) 1000
Green Day American Idiot (9/21/2004) 1000
Brian Wilson Smile (9/28/2004) 1000
George Strait 50 Number Ones (compilation: 1982-2004, released 10/5/2004)
James Blunt Back to Bedlam (10/11/2004) 1000
Robbie Williams Greatest Hits (compilation: 1997-2004, released 10/12/2004)
Shania Twain Greatest Hits (compilation: 1994-2004, released 11/8/2004)
Eminem Encore (11/12/2004) 1000
U2 How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb (11/23/2004) 1000
Kelly Clarkson Breakaway (11/30/2004) 1000
2005
Bright Eyes I’m Wide Awake, It’s Morning (1/25/2005) 1000
Antony & the Johnsons I Am a Bird Now (2/1/2005)
Bloc Party Silent Alarm (2/2/2005) 1000
Jack Johnson In Between Dreams (3/1/2005)
50 Cent The Massacre (3/3/2005) 1000
Kaiser Chiefs Employment (3/15/2005)
M.I.A. Arular (3/22/2005)
Mariah Carey The Emancipation of Mimi (4/12/2005) 1000
Gorillaz Demon Days (5/24/2005) 1000
Coldplay X & Y (6/6/2005) 1000
Black Eyed Peas Monkey Business (6/7/2005)
Sufjan Stevens Illinois (7/4/2005) 1000
Kanye West Late Registration (8/30/2005) 1000
Nickelback All the Right Reasons (10/4/2005) 1000
Madonna Confessions on a Dance Floor (11/15/2005)
Carrie Underwood Some Hearts (11/15/2005) 1000
Eminem Curtain Call: The Hits (compilation: 1999-2005, charted 12/4/2005) 1000
Mary J. Blige The Breakthrough (12/20/2005)
2006
Various Artists High School Musical (TV soundtrack, 1/10/2006) 1000
Arctic Monkeys Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not (1/23/2006) 1000
Gnarls Barkley St. Elsewhere (5/9/2006)
Red Hot Chili Peppers Stadium Arcadium (5/9/2006) 1000
Dixie Chicks Taking the Long Way (5/23/2006) 1000
Nelly Furtado Loose (6/20/2006)
TV on the Radio Return to Cookie Mountain (7/6/2006) 1000
Muse Black Holes & Revelations (7/11/2006)
Bob Dylan Modern Times (8/29/2006) 1000
Justin Timberlake FutureSex/LoveSounds (9/12/2006) 1000
The Killers Sam’s Town (10/3/2006)
Amy Winehouse Back to Black (10/6/2006) 1000
My Chemical Romance The Black Parade (10/23/2006)
Taylor Swift Taylor Swift (10/24/2006)
Joanna Newsom Ys (11/14/2006) 1000
2007
Arcade Fire Neon Bible (3/6/2007)
LCD Soundsystem Sound of Silver (3/20/2007) 1000
Arctic Monkeys Favourite Worst Nightmare (4/23/2007) 1000
The National Boxer (5/22/2007)
Rihanna Good Girl Gone Bad (6/5/2007) 1000
Bon Iver For Emma, Forever Ago (7/8/2007) 1000
High School Musical 2 (TV soundtrack, 8/14/2007)
M.I.A. Kala (8/20/2007)
Kanye West Graduation (9/11/2007) 1000
Foo Fighters Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace (9/25/2007)
Bruce Springsteen Magic (10/2/2007)
Radiohead In Rainbows (10/10/2007) 1000
Robert Plant & Allison Krauss Raising Sand (10/23/2007) 1000
Alicia Keys As I Am (11/13/2007)
2008
Adele 19 (1/28/2008)
Vampire Weekend Vampire Weekend (1/28/2008) 1000
Jack Johnson Sleep Through the Static (2/1/2008)
Duffy Rockferry (3/3/2008)
Portishead Third (4/29/2008)
Lil’ Wayne Tha Carter III (5/13/2008) 1000
Fleet Foxes Fleet Foxes (6/3/2008) 1000
Coldplay Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends (6/11/2008) 1000
Lady Gaga The Fame (8/19/2008) 1000
Kings of Leon Only by the Night (9/19/2008) 1000
TV on the Radio Dear Science (9/23/2008)
Taylor Swift Fearless (11/11/2008) 1000
Beyoncé I Am…Sasha Fierce (11/11/2008) 1000
2009
Animal Collective Merriweather Post Pavilion (1/20/2009) 1000
U2 No Line on the Horizon (3/2/2009) 1000
Black Eyed Peas The E.N.D. (Energy Never Dies) (6/3/2009) 1000
Mumford & Sons Sigh No More (10/2/2009) 1000
Lady Gaga The Fame Monster (11/18/2009) 1000
Susan Boyle I Dreamed a Dream (11/23/2009)
2010
Lady Antebellum Need You Now (1/26/2010) 1000
The National High Violet (5/11/2010) 1000
Janelle Monáe The Arch Android (5/18/2010) 1000
The Black Keys Brothers (5/18/2010) 1000
LCD Soundsystem This Is Happening (5/18/2010)
Robyn Body Talk (6/15/2010)
Eminem Recovery (6/21/2010) 1000
Arcade Fire The Suburbs (8/3/2010) 1000
Katy Perry Teenage Dream (8/24/2010) 1000
Bruno Mars Doo Wops & Hooligans (10/4/2010) 1000
Taylor Swift Speak Now (10/25/2010) 1000
Rihanna Loud (11/16/2010) 1000
Kanye West My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (11/22/2010) 1000
2011
Adele 21 (1/19/2011) 1000
PJ Harvey Let England Shake (2/14/2011) 1000
Fleet Foxes Helplessness Blues (5/2/2011) 1000
Lady Gaga Born This Way (5/23/2011) 1000
Bon Iver Bon Iver (6/17/2011) 1000
Ed Sheeran Plus (+) (9/18/2011)
Michael Bublé Christmas (10/21/2011) 1000
Drake Take Care (11/15/2011) 1000
2012
Lana Del Rey Born to Die (1/27/2012) 1000
Bruce Springsteen Wrecking Ball (3/5/2012)
The Lumineers The Lumineers (4/3/2012)
Jack White Blunderbuss (4/23/2012)
Fiona Apple The Idler Wheel Is Wiser Than the Driver of the Screw and Whipping Cords Will Serve You More Than Ropes Will Ever Do (6/19/2012) 1000
Frank Ocean Channel Orange (7/10/2012) 1000
Imagine Dragons Night Visions (9/4/2012) 1000
Mumford & Sons Babel (9/21/2012) 1000
Kendrick Lamar Good Kid m.A.A.d. City (10/22/2012) 1000
Taylor Swift Red (10/22/2012) 1000
Bruno Mars Unorthodox Jukebox (12/6/2012) 1000
2013
Justin Timberlake The 20/20 Experience (3/15/2013) 1000
Kacey Musgraves Same Trailer, Different Park (3/19/2013) 1000
Vampire Weekend Modern Vampires of the City (5/14/2013) 1000
Daft Punk Random Access Memories (5/17/2013) 1000
Kanye West Yeezus (6/18/2013) 1000
Arctic Monkeys AM (9/6/2013) 1000
Lorde Pure Heroine (9/27/2013) 1000
Various Artists Frozen (soundtrack, 11/25/2013) 1000
Beyoncé Beyoncé (12/13/2013) 1000
2014
Beck Morning Phase (2/21/2014)
St. Vincent St. Vincent (2/24/2014)
The War on Drugs Lost in the Dream (3/18/2014) 1000
Sam Smith In the Lonely Hour (5/26/2014) 1000
Miranda Lambert Platinum (6/3/2014)
Ed Sheeran X (Multiply) (6/20/2014) 1000
U2 Songs of Innocence (9/9/2014) 1000
Taylor Swift 1989 (10/27/2014) 1000
D’Angelo & the Vanguard Black Messiah (12/15/2014) 1000
2015
Lin-Manuel Miranda (composer) Hamilton (musical premiered 2/17/15, cast album released 9/25/2015) 1000
Kendrick Lamar To Pimp a Butterfly (3/15/2015) 1000
Courtney Barnett Sometimes I Sit and Think and Sometimes I Just Sit (3/20/2015)
Sufjan Stevens Carrie & Lowell (3/31/2015) 1000
Alabama Shakes Sound & Color (4/21/2015) 1000
Chris Stapleton Traveller (5/5/2015) 1000
Tame Impala Currents (7/17/2015) 1000
The Weeknd Beauty Behind the Madness (8/28/2015) 1000
Justin Bieber Purpose (11/13/2015) 1000
Adele 25 (11/20/2015) 1000
2016
David Bowie Blackstar (1/15/2016) 1000
Rihanna Anti (1/27/2016) 1000
Sturgill Simpson A Sailor’s Guide to Earth (4/15/2016) 1000
Beyoncé Lemonade (4/23/2016) 1000
Drake Views (4/29/2016) 1000
Radiohead A Moon Shaped Pool (5/8/2016)
Chance the Rapper Coloring Book (5/12/2016)
Frank Ocean Blond (8/20/2016) 1000
Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds Skeleton Tree (9/9/2016)
Solange A Seat at the Table (9/30/2016) 1000
Leonard Cohen You Want It Darker (10/21/2016)
Bruno Mars 24K Magic (11/18/2016) 1000
The Weeknd Starboy (12/17/2016)
2017
Ed Sheeran ÷ (Divide) (3/3/2017) 1000
Drake More Life (3/18/2017)
Kendrick Lamar Damn. (4/14/2017) 1000
Chris Stapleton From a Room: Volume 1 (5/5/2017)
Luke Combs This One’s for You (6/2/2017)
SZA CTRL (6/9/2017) 1000
Lorde Melodrama (6/16/2017) 1000
Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit The Nashville Sound (6/16/2017) 1000
Jay-Z 4:44 (6/30/2017)
Tyler, the Creator Flower Boy (7/21/2017)
Taylor Swift Reputation (11/10/2017) 1000
Green Day God’s Favorite Band (compilation: 1991-2017, released 11/17/2017)
U2 Songs of Experience (12/1/2017)
Various Artists The Greatest Showman (soundtrack, 12/8/2017) 1000
2018
Various Artists Black Panther soundtrack (2/9/2018)
Brandi Carlile By the Way, I Forgive You (2/16/2018) 1000
Kacey Musgraves Golden Hour (3/20/2018) 1000
Cardi B Invasion of Privacy (4/6/2018) 1000
Janelle Monáe Dirty Computer (4/27/2018) 1000
Post Malone Beerbongs & Bentleys (4/27/2018) 1000
Drake Scorpion (6/29/2018) 1000
Travis Scott Astroworld (8/3/2018)
Ariana Grande Sweetener 8/17/2018)
Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper A Star Is Born soundtrack (10/5/2018)
2019
Ariana Grande Thank U, Next (2/8/2019) 1000
Billie Eilish When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? (3/29/2019) 1000
Lizzo Cuz I Love You (4/19/2019)
Vampire Weekend Father of the Bride (5/3/2019)
Tyler, the Creator Igor (5/17/2019)
Bruce Springsteen Western Stars (6/14/2019)
Taylor Swift Lover (8/23/2019) 1000
Lana Del Rey Norman Fucking Rockwell! (8/30/2019) 1000
Post Malone Hollywood’s Bleeding (9/6/2019) 1000
The Highwomen The Highwomen (9/6/2019)
Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds Ghosteen (10/4/2019)
Luke Combs What You See Is What You Get (4/19/2019)
Harry Styles Fine Line (12/13/2019)
2020
BTS Map of the Soul: 7 (2/21/2020)
The Weeknd After Hours (3/20/2020) 1000
Dua Lipa Future Nostalgia (3/27/2020)
Fiona Apple Fetch the Bolt Cutters (4/17/2020) 1000
Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit Reunions (5/15/2020)
Phoebe Bridgers Punisher (6/18/2020)
Bob Dylan Rough and Rowdy Ways (6/19/2020)
Pop Smoke Shoot for the Stars, Aim for the Moon (7/3/2020)
Taylor Swift Folklore (7/24/2020) 1000
Bruce Springsteen Letter to You (10/23/2020)
Chris Stapleton Starting Over (11/13/2020) 1000
Taylor Swift Evermore (12/11/2020)
The Weeknd The Highlights (compilation: 2012-2020, released 2/5/2021)
Bruce Springsteen Best of (compilation: 1972-2020, released 4/19/2024)
2021
Morgan Wallen Dangerous: The Double Album (1/8/2021) 1000
Olivia Rodrigo Sour (5/21/2021) 1000
Doja Cat Planet Her (6/25/2021)
Tyler, the Creator Call Me if You Get Lost (6/25/2021)
Billie Eilish Happier Than Ever (7/30/2021)
Drake Certified Lover Boy (9/3/2021)
Kacey Musgraves Star-Crossed (9/10/2021)
Lil Nas X Montero (9/17/2021)
Brandi Carlile In These Silent Days (10/1/2021)
Adele 30 (11/17/2021) 1000
Robert Plant & Alison Krauss Raise the Roof (11/19/2021)
Lin-Manuel Miranda (composer) Encanto soundtrack (11/19/2021)
Foo Fighters The Essential (compilation: 1995-2021, released 10/28/2022)
2022
The Weeknd Dawn FM (1/7/2022)
Rosalía Motomami (3/18/2022)
Wet Leg Wet Leg (4/8/2022)
Bad Bunny Un Verano Sin Ti (5/6/2022) 1000
Kendrick Lamar Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers (5/13/2022)
Zach Bryan American Heartbreak (5/20/2022)
Harry Styles Harry’s House (5/20/2022) 1000
Beyoncé Renaissance (7/29/2022) 1000
Noah Kahan Stick Season (10/14/2022)
Taylor Swift Midnights (10/21/2022)
SZA SOS (12/9/2022) 1000
2023
Morgan Wallen One Thing at a Time (3/3/2023) 1000
boygenius The Record (3/31/2023)
Zach Bryan Zach Bryan (8/25/2023)
Olivia Rodrigo Guts (9/8/2023)
Chappell Roan The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess (9/22/2023)
The Rolling Stones Hackney Diamonds (10/20/2023)
2024
Beyoncé Cowboy Carter (3/29/2024) 1000
Taylor Swift The Tortured Poets Department (4/19/2024) 1000
Billie Eilish Hit Me Hard and Soft (5/17/2024)
Charli XCX Brat (6/7/2024)
Sabrina Carpenter Short n’ Sweet (8/23/2024)
Tyler, the Creator Chromakopia (10/28/2024)
Kendrick Lamar GNX (11/22/2024)
2025
Bad Bunny Debí Tirar Más Fotos (1/5/2025)
Lady Gaga Mayhem (3/7/2025)
Morgan Wallen I’m the Problem (5/16/2025)
Various Artists Kpop Demon Hunters (soundtrack, 6/20/2025)
Sabrina Carpenter Man’s Best Friend (8/29/2025)
Olivia Dean The Art of Loving (9/26/2025)
Taylor Swift The Life of a Showgirl (10/3/2025)
Rosalía Lux (11/22/2025)

Last updated 5/22/2026.

Radio Hall of Fame

2026-05-21T13:12:00.000-05:00

Radio Hall of Fame:

1988-2026

The Radio Hall of Fame was originally established in 1988 by broadcaster Bruce DuMont as the National Radio Hall of Fame (now just the Radio Hall of Fame). The website explained that the mission was to “recognize and showcase contemporary talent from today’s diverse programming formats, as well as the pioneers who shaped the medium during its infancy.”

Inductees include individuals and radio shows. They are selected either by votes cast by more than 900 industry professionals or by the Radio Hall of Fame nominating committee. Click on a name to see more details on the Radio Hall of Fame website. A brief description of the individual or show and the year of induction (if indicated) follow in parentheses. Images of inductees are from the Radio Hall of Fame.

Click here to see other Hall of Fames.

Bud Abbott (comedy team of Abbott & Costello, 2005)
Goodman Ace (host of Easy Aces radio show, 1990)
Jane Ace (host of Easy Aces radio show, 1990)
Jose Miguel Agrelot (radio/TV host/stand-up comedian, 2009)
Raul Alarcón, Sr. (Cuban radio station owner, 2021)
Kurt “Big Boy” Alexander (morning radio show host, 2015)
Fred Allen (broadcaster, 1988)
Gracie Allen (radio host of The Burns & Allen Show, 1994)
Mel Allen (baseball announcer, 1988)
All Things Considered (public radio program, 1993)
Don Ameche (actor/radio show personality, 1992)
Amos ‘n’ Andy (radio show, 1988)
Eddie Anderson (played Rochester on The Jack Benny Program, 2001)
Eve Arden (actress on Our Miss Brooks radio show, 1995)
Edwin H. Armstrong (radio innovator, 1990)
Jack Armstrong (actor on The All-American Boy radio show, 1989)
Jackson Armstrong (top-40 DJ, 2021)
Paul Harvey Aurandt (creator and writer of The Rest of the Story radio program, 2001)
Gene Autry (singer/radio host, 2003)

Phil Baker (radio host of game show Take It or Leave It, 1990)
Doug Banks (morning show radio host, 2022)
Red Barber (baseball announcer, 1995)
Tom Barnard (voice-over artist/interviewer/morning show host, 2017)
Dick Bartley (host and producer of ABC Radio’s American Gold and Rock & Roll’s Greatest Hits programs, 2000)
Gene “Bean” Baxter (Kevin & Bean radio show, 2015)
George G. Beasley (chairman and founder of Beasley Broadcast Group Inc., 2016)
Glenn Beck (talk show radio personality, 2020)
Brace Beemer (star of radio show The Lone Ranger, 1988)
Art Bell (pirate radio operator/radio show host, 2008)
Shirley Bell (star of Little Orphan Annie radio show, 1990)
Jack Benny (radio/TV show host, 1989)
Gertrude Berg (actress on The Goldbergs radio show, 1989)
Edgar Bergen (radio show host of The Charlie McCarthy Show, 1990)
Dickbiondi (radio DJ, 1998)
Jesse B. Blayton, Sr. (first African-American radio station owner/operator, 1995)
Martin Block (radio DJ, 1988)
Chuck Blore (radio DJ/programmer, 2024)
Bob and Ray (radio show, 1995)
Bob & Sheri (morning radio show, 2025)
The Bob & Tom Show (morning radio show, 2015)
Jim Bohannon (talk show host, 2003)
Bobby Bones (country radio DJ, 2017)
Neal Boortz (talk show host, 2009)
Dr. Amar G. Bose (chairman of the audio products Bose Corporation, 2000)
Jonathon Brandmeier (morning radio show host, 2018)
The Breakfast Club (hip-hop/R&B morning show, 2020)
Marty Brennaman (baseball announcer, 2005)
Jack Brickhouse (sportscaster, 1998)
Himan Brown (radio drama producer and director, 1990)
James Brown (singer/radio station owner, 2022)
Dr. Joy Browne (advice talk show host, 2021)
Jack Buck (sportscaster, 1995)
Gary Burbank (radio DJ, 2012)
George Burns (radio host of The Burns & Allen Show, 1994)

Jess Cain (rapper, morning DJ, 2008)
Sway Calloway (rapper/radio show host, 2020)
Eddie Cantor (as host of game show Take It or Leave It, 1990; as a radio and television performer, 2000)
Can You Top This? (radio game show, 1989)
Harry Caray (baseball announcer, 1990)
Jack Carney (radio DJ, 2001)
Howie Carr (talk show host, 2008)
Car Talk (radio show, 1998)
Andrew Carter (pioneering African American radio station operator, 1995)
CBS Radio Mystery Theater (radio drama show, 1990)
CBS World News Roundup (radio news show, 1995)
Jerry Cesak (Jeff and Jer Showgram host, 2016)
Ron “Irving Harrigan” Chapman (DJ, 2012; as part of Charlie & Harrigan Top 40 radio morning show, 2014)
Charlamagne Tha God (host of hip-hop/R&B morning show The Breakfast Club, 2020)
Charlie & Harrigan (Top 40 radio morning show, 2014)
The Charlie McCarthy Show (radio show hosted by Edgar Bergen, 1990)
Charlie Chase (host of country radio's Crook & Chase Countdown, 2024)
Dick Clark (TV/radio host of American Bandstand, 1990)
Bob Coburn (host of Rockline radio show, 2022)
Jerry Coleman (baseball announcer, 2007)
Bob Collins (DJ, 2008)
Alan Colmes (radio/TV talk show host, 2024)
Ann Compton (radio news correspondent, 2005)
William Conrad (radio show star, 1997)
Alice Cooper (musician/radio DJ, 2025)
Jack L. Cooper (radio show host and producer, 2012)
Myron Cope (sports broadcaster, 2005)
Don Cornelius (radio/TV show host of Soul Train, 2016)
Charles Correll (actor on Amos ‘n’ Andy radio show, 1988)
Norman Corwin (radio producer/writer, radio's poet laureate, 1993)
Lou Costello (comedy team of Abbott & Costello, 2005)
Colin Cowherd (sports talk show host, 2025)
Frankie Crocker (program director/DJ, 1995)
Lorianne Crook (host of country radio's The Crook & Chase Countdown, 2024)
Crook & Chase (radio show, 2024)
Bing Crosby (singer, one of the first to embrace pre-recorded shows, 1998)
Powell Crosley, Jr. (radio manufacturer, 2013)
Irving Cummings (host of Lux Radio Theater show, 1989)

Steve Dahl (DJ, known for Disco Demoltion Night in 1979, 2013)
Yvonne Daniels (First Lady of Chicago Radio, 1995)
John DeBella (morning radio show host, 2023)
Rick Dees (host of Weekly Top Forty, 1999)
Lee DeForest (radio technology inventor, 1989)
Delilah (radio DJ/host known as Queen of Sappy Love Songs, 2016)
Cecil B. DeMille (film director/host of Lux Radio Theater show, 1989)
Jeff Detrow (Jeff and Jer Showgram host, 2016)
DJ Envy (host of hip-hop/R&B morning show The Breakfast Club, 2020)
Dr. James Dobson (host of radio show Focus on the Family, 2008)
Tom Donahue (DJ, record producer, concert promoter, 1996)
Peter Donald (comedian on Can You Top This? radio show, 1989)
Nanci Donnellan (sports broadcaster known as “The Fabulous Sports Babe,” 2018)
Tommy Dorsey (musician/radio host, 1989)
Charlie Douglas (country music radio show host of The Road Gang, targeted to truckers, 2024)
Bill Drake (DJ/radio programmer, 2007)
Jim Dunbar (program director/talk show host, 1999)
Don Dunphy (sports broadcaster, 1988)
Elvis Duran (radio DJ, 2015)
Jimmy Durante (vaudeville and film actor, radio show host, 2007)
Richard Durham (radio producer/writer, Civil Rights advocate, 2007)
Marv Dyson (radio station manager, 2022)

Easy Aces (radio show, 1990)
Bob Edwards (NPR news radio host, 2004)
Douglas Edwards (radio news announcer, 2006)
Ralph Edwards (creator/host of radio show This Is Your Life, 1995)
Preston Elliot (host of Preston & Steve morning radio show, 2021)
Bob Elliott (host of Bob and Ray radio show, 1995)
Ralph Emery (country music DJ, radio show host, 2010)
Eric & Kathy (radio show)
Boomer Esiason (NFL quarterback/sports broadcaster, 2026)
Richard L. Evans (rhost of Music & the Spoken Word, 2010)

Barry Farber (talk radio pioneer, 2014)
Erica Farber (President and CEO of Radio Advertising Bureau, 2021)
Art “Charlie Tuna” Ferguson (radio DJ, 2008)
Eric Ferguson (host of radio show The Eric and Kathy Show, 2016)
Fibber McGee and Molly (radio show, 1989)
Joseph Field (chairman/CEO of Entercom, radio station owner, 2017)
Focus on the Family (radio show, 2008)
Edward “Senator” Ford (vaudeville comedian/creator of Can You Top This? radio show, 1989)
Fred Foy (radio show voice performer, 2000)
Mike Francesa (sports broadcaster, 2018)
Arlene Francis (radio voice actor, broadcast pioneer, 2021)
Stan Freberg (radio show comedian, 1995)
Alan Freed (DJ credited with coining term "rock and roll", 1988)
Fresh Air with Terry Gross (radio show, 2012)

John A. Gambling (morning radio show host, 2000)
Gang Busters (police radio show, 2011)
Blair Garner (radio DJ, 2013)
Ira Glass (radio show host of This American Life, 2014)
Christopher Glenn (radio news producer, writer, anchor, and reporter, 2006)
Arthur Godfrey (radio announcer, 1988)
The Goldbergs (radio show, 1989)
Leonard Goldenson (radio network owner, 1992)
Mike Golic (sports host of Mike & Mike, 2018)
Benny Goodman (musician, radio show host, 1988)
Gale Gordon (radio actor, 1999)
Freeman Gosden (actor on Amos ‘n’ Andy radio show, 1988)
Ray Goulding (host of Bob and Ray radio show, 1995)
Grand Ole Opry (radio show, 1992)
Dr. Toni Grant (radio psychologist/talk show host, 2023)
Earle Graser (star of radio show The Lone Ranger, 1988)
Barry Gray (talk show radio host, 2025)
Dennis Green (co-chair of the Radio Hall of Fame, 2026)
Mike Greenberg (sports host of Mike & Mike, 2018)
Petey Greene (talk show host, 2021)
Tammy Grimes (host of CBS Radio Mystery Theater, 1990)
Tom Griswold (host of The Bob & Tom Show, 2015)
Terry Gross (Fresh Air radio show host, 2012)
Great Gildersleeve (radio show, 2011)
Ralph Guild (radio executive, 1998)

Karl Haas (creator/host of radio show Adventures in Good Music, 1997)
Joan Hamburg (radio show host, 2018)
Hollywood Hamilton (radio countdown show host, 2019)
Milo Hamilton (sports broadcaster, 2000)
Bill Handel (host of radio show Handel on the Law, 2017)
Sean Hannity (talk show host, 2017)
Barret “Dr. Demento” Hansen (host of Dr. Demento Show focused on novelty songs and comedy skits, 2009)
John Hare (radio executive, 2006)
Lee Harris (news broadcaster, 2024)
Harry Harrison (radio DJ, 2019)
Kathy Hart (host of radio show The Eric and Kathy Show, 2016)
Lynne “Angel” Harvey (radio producer, 1997)
Paul Harvey (radio show host of The Rest of the Story, 1990)
Steve Harvey (stand-up comedian, actor, TV/radio show host, 2016)
Ernie Harwell (sports broadcaster, 1998)
Bob Hawk (radio host of game show Take It or Leave It, 1990)
George Dewey Hay (Grand Ole Opry radio show, 1992)
Chick Hearn (sports broadcaster, 2022)
Lon Helton (country music radio show host, 2022)
Terri Hemmert (radio DJ, 2010)
Jocko Henderson (DJ/radio show host, 2021)
Phil Hendrie (satirical talk show host, 2024)
Harry Hershfield (comedian on Can You Top This? radio show, 1989)
Gordon Hinkley (radio show host, 1997)
Bob Hope (comedian/actor/radio show host, 1990)
Gerry House (country radio DJ, 2023)
John Houseman (producer/creator of radio's Mercury Theater on the Air, 1988)
Clark Howard (financial talk show host, 2015)
Stanley E. Hubbard (radio broadcast innovator, 2014)
Cathy Hughes (radio executive, 2010)
Maurice “Hot Rod” Hulbert (radio DJ, 2021)
Frank Hummert (creator of The Romance of Helen Trent radio show, 1990)

Don Imus (radio show host, 1989)
Dan Ingram (radio pioneer/Top 40 DJ, 2007)
Inner Sanctum Mysteries (radio show, 1988)

Hal Jackson (radio show host, 1995)
Michael Jackson (talk show host, 2003)
Fred Jacobs (radio executive created with introducing the classic rock format, 2018)
Jaime Jarrín (sportscaster, 2024)
Jeff and Jer Showgram (radio show, 2016)
Raymond Johnson (Inner Sanctum Mysteries show host, 1988)
Bill Johnstone (actor on radio show The Shadow, 1989)
E. Rodney Jones (radio DJ, 2021)
Jim “Fibber” Jordan (radio show host of Fibber McGee and Molly, 1989)
Marian “Molly” Driscoll Jordan (host of radio show Fibber McGee and Molly, 1989)
Tom Joyner (radio show host, 1998)
Bernice Judis (news radio executive, introduced 24-hour format, 2022)

Ellen K (radio/TV host, 2022)
Harry Kalas (sports broadcaster, 2009)
H.V. Kaltenborn (radio newscaster known as “The Dean of American Commentators,” 2011)
Mel Karmazin (radio executive, CEO of Viacom, 2003)
Carl Kasell (radio newscaster, 2010)
Casey Kasem (radio DJ associated with the countdown format, 1992)
Murray “the K” Kaufman (radio DJ/pioneer for progressive rock format, 1997)
William Keighley (host of Lux Radio Theater show, 1989)
Garrison Keillor (radio show host of A Prairie Home Companion, 1994)
Joe Kelly (host of National Barn Dance country radio show, 2011)
Kid Kelly (radio executive/DJ, 2018)
Shotgun Tom Kelly (radio DJ, 2026)
Herb Kent (radio show host, 1995)
Jim Kerr (morning radio show host, 2018)
Kevin & Bean (radio show, 2015)
Bob Kevoian (radio show host of The Bob & Tom Show, 2015)
Larry King (TV/radio talk show host, 1989)
Bob Kingsley (country radio DJ, 2016)
Kraig Kitchin (radio executive, 2024)
Kim Komando (radio show host, 2021)
David “Kidd” Kraddick (morning radio show host, 2016)
Kay Kyser (bandleader/radio celebrity, 1990)

Art Laboe (radio show DJ, 2012)
Bob Lacey (morning radio show host, 2025)
Jim Ladd (radio DJ, 2024)
John Records Landecker (Top 40 radio DJ, 2017)
John Lanigan (radio show host, 2013)
Roy Larsen (creator of March of Time radio news show, 1990)
Joe Laurie, Jr. (comedian on Can You Top This? radio show, 1989)
“Broadway” Bill Lee (radio DJ, 2022)
Chuck Leonard (radio DJ, 2021)
Alan “Brother Wease” Levin (radio DJ, 2009)
Mark Levin (radio talk show host, 2018)
Hal Lewis (morning show host, 2021)
Rush Limbaugh (radio talk show host, 1993)
Melvin Lindsey (urban contemporary radio programmer, 2021)
Little Orphan Annie (radio show, 1990)
Helen Little (radio host/programmer, 2026)
The Lone Ranger (radio show, 1988)
Phillips H. Lord (actor/producer of police radio show Gang Busters, 2011)
Michael “Mickey” Luckhoff (radio executive, 2008)
Larry Lujack (radio DJ, 2004)
Ron Lundy (radio DJ, 2016)
Lux Radio Theater (radio show, 1989)
Sheri Lynch (morning radio show host, 2025)

Ma Perkins (radio show, 1988)
Byron MacGregor (radio news broadcaster, 2024)
Joe Madison (radio talk show host/civil rights activist known as “The Black Edge,” 2019)
Ray Magliozzi (host of radio show Car Talk, 1998)
Tom Magliozzi (host of radio show Car Talk, 1998)
March of Time (radio news show, 1990)
Guglielmo Marconi (inventor known as “Father of Radio,” 1988)
Mark & Brian (morning radio show, 2020)
Sid Mark (radio host of Sounds of Sinatra, 2022)
E.G. Marshall (host of CBS Radio Mystery Theater, 1990)
Maria Martin (Latin American news broadcaster, 2024)
Angie Martinez (radio DJ known as “The Voice of New York,” 2020)
Groucho Marx (host of You Bet Your Life radio quiz show, 1988)
Luther Masingill (radio DJ known for reuniting owners with pets, 2012)
Dan Mason (radio programmer/manager, 2015)
Barry Mayo (radio programmer/manager, 2024)
L. Lowry Mays (chairman/founder of Clear Channel Communications Inc., 2004)
Mary Margaret McBride (radio news broadcaster, 2021)
J.P. McCarthy (radio show host, 1992)
Mary McCoy (country DJ with 70 years on radio, 2024)
Paul McGrath (Inner Sanctum Mysteries show host, 1988)
DeDe McGuire (morning radio show host, 2025)
Edward F. McLaughlin (radio executive, 1995)
Gordon McLendon (creator of format radio, 1994)
Graham McNamee (sports broadcaster, 2011)
Don McNeill (host of Don McNeill’s Breakfast Club morning show, 1989)
Marian McPartland (NPR radio show host, 2007)
Mike McVay (talk show host, 2025)
Garry Meier (DJ, known for Disco Demoltion Night in 1979, 2013)
Disco Demoltion Night, image from Rolling Stone magazine
Mercury Theater on the Air (radio show, 1988)
Ruth Ann Meyer (radio programmer, 2021)
Mike & Mike (sports talk show, 2018)
Carol Miller (music DJ, 2022)
Jon Miller (sports announcer, 2014)
Mojo in the Morning (morning radio show, 2025)
Garry Moore (radio host of game show Take It or Leave It, 1990)
Agnes Moorehead (singer/radio show actress, 2014)
Robert W. Morgan (morning show radio host, 1998)
Bret Morrison (actor on radio show The Shadow, 1989)
Steve Morrison (host of Preston & Steve morning radio show, 2021)
Bruce “Cousin Brucie” Morrow (radio show host, 1988)
Carlton E. Morse (creator of radio show One Man’s Family, 1995)
Scott Muni (radio DJ, 2015)
Edward R. Murrow (radio news broadcaster, 1988)
Music & the Spoken Word (radio show)

National Barn Dance (country radio show, 2011)
Manuel “Paco” Navarro (Spanish language radio DJ, 2021)

Pat O’Day (DJ/concert promoter/radio station owner, 2021)
Bobby O’Jay (radio personality/interviewer, 2022)
Eddie O’Jay (R&B DJ/manager of The O'Jays, 2021)
Stu Olds (radio executive, 2016)
One Man’s Family (radio show, 1995)
Dick Orkin (radio personality, 2014)
Charles Osgood (radio news commentator, 1990)
Gary Owens (radio DJ, 1994)
Ronn Owens (talk show host known as “Voice of Reason,” 2015)

Jack Paar (radio host of game show Take It or Leave It, 1990)
William S. Paley (radio executive, 1988)
Deborah Parenti (radio executive, 2023)
Edward Pate, Jr. (pioneering African American radio station operator, 1995)
Dan Patrick (sports broadcaster, 2021)
Norman Pattiz (radio executive, 2009)
Virginia Payne (starred on Ma Perkins radio show, 1988)
Harold Peary (Great Gildersleeve radio show, 2011)
Brian Phelps (host of Mark & Brian radio show, 2020)
Sam Phillips (owner of Sun Records, radio station owner, 2010)
Wally Phillips (radio DJ, 1993)
Bob Pittman (co-founder of MTV, 2026)
Preston & Steve (morning radio show, 2021)
Dick Purtan (radio DJ, 2004)

James H. Quello (radio executive/FCC commissioner, 1996)
Martha Quinn (MTV VJ/radio personality, 2025)
Robin Quivers (co-host on Howard Stern’s radio show, 2017)

Dave Ramsey (financial talk show host, 2015)
Frank Readick (actor on radio show The Shadow, 1989)
Ronald Reagan (President, actor, radio personality, 2011)
Bob Rivers (morning show host, 2023)
Cokie Roberts (news broadcaster, 2020)
Tony Roberts (sports broadcaster, 2016)
Neil Rogers (radio DJ, 2016)
The Romance of Helen Trent (radio show, 1990)
Jim Rome (sports news commentator, 2019)
Javier Romero (morning show host, 2021)
Franklin D. Roosevelt (President known for his “fireside chat” radio appearances, 2007)
Chris “Mad Dog” Russo (sports talk radio show host, 2022)
Kevin Ryder (Kevin & Bean radio show, 2015)

Orion Samuelson (agricultural broadcaster, 2003)
David Sarnoff (radio innovator, launched the first radio network in America, 1989)
Michael Savage (political commentator, 2016)
Chuck Schaden (radio program collector, 1993)
Dr. Laura Schlessinger (radio advice talk show host, 2018)
Vin Scully (sports broadcaster, 1995)
Ryan Seacrest (radio/TV host, 2019)
Elliot Segal (radio show host, 2021)
The Shadow (radio show, 1989) (radio show, 1989)
Scott Shannon (radio programmer/host, 2006)
Reverend Walter “Baby Love” Shaw (religious radio personality, 2022)
Jean Shepherd (radio personality, 2005)
William L. Shirer (radio war correspondent with CBS World News Roundup, 1995)
Matt Siegel (radio show host of Matty in the Morning, 2024)
Robert Siegel (senior host of NPR's All Things Considered, 1993)
Bill Siemering (programming director/founding member of NPR, 2021)
Robert “Bob” Sievers (radio announcer, 2017)
Scott Simon (NPR journalist/radio show host, 2025)
Donnie Simpson (TV/radio show host, 2020)
Red Skelton (comedian, radio personality, 1994)
Rick Sklar (DJ known as the man who transformed Top-40 radio, 1993)
Rickey Smiley (radio personality known for prank phone calls, 2026)
Fred Smith (creator of March of Time radio news show, 1990)
Kate Smith (Broadway/vaudeville singer, radio show host, 1999)
Paul W. Smith (radio show host, 2013)
Robert “Wolfman Jack” Smith (radio DJ, 1996)
Jeff Smulyan (founder/CEO of Emmis Communications, 2022)
Eddie “Piolín” Sotelo (Spanish language radio host, 2013)
Pervis Spann (radio personality, music promoter, community leader, 2022)
William Spier (host of radio show Suspense, 2011)
Pat St. John (radio DJ and programmer, 2023)
Susan Stamberg (NPR news correspondent, 1996)
Frank Stanton (radio executive, 1990)
Alison Steele (radio personality known as The Nightbird, 2016)
Bob Steele (radio announcer, 1995)
Don Steele (radio DJ/host of The Real Don Steele, 2021)
Martha Jean “The Queen” Steinberg (pioneering R&B DJ, activist, radio station owner, 2016)
Charley Steiner (sports broadcaster, 2013)
George Steinus (star of radio show The Lone Ranger, 1988)
Bill Stern (sports announcer, 1988)
Howard Stern (radio show host, 2012)
Shadoe Stevens (DJ/radio host of American Top 40, 2023)
Shelley Stewart (pioneering radio personality/civil rights advocate, 2025)
Todd Storz (radio station owner, 2021)
Fran Striker (radio show writer, 1988)
Suspense (radio show, 2011)
Percy Sutton (radio station owner, 2024)

Take It or Leave It (radio game show, 1990)
Julie Talbott (President of Preimere Networks which operates more than 100 radio programs and services, 2025)
Studs Terkel (radio personality, 2009)
John Tesh (TV/radio show host, 2019)
Jay Thomas (actor/comedian/radio personality, 2021)
Lowell Thomas (radio news broadcaster, 1989)
Rufus Thomas (musician/radio personality, 2021)
Jim Thompson (radio executive, 2022)
Mark Thompson (host of Mark & Brian radio show, 2020)
Mac Tichenor (radio executive, 2016)
John Todd (Tonto on radio show The Lone Ranger, 1988)
Nina Totenberg (legal affairs correspondent, 2023)
Les Tremayne (radio show actor, 1995)
Rosalie Trombley (music direcotr, 2022)
Robert Trout (host of CBS World News Roundup, 1995)

U-V

Bob Uecker (sports broadcaster, 2001)
Charlie Van Dyke (radio DJ, 2026)
Westbrook Van Voorhis (voice on March of Time radio news show, 1990)

W-X

Suzyn Waldman (theater actress/news broadcaster, 2022)
Ed Walker (radio show host, 2009)
Rusty Walker (country music DJ/programmer, 2024)
Charles Warfield (radio manager/executive, 2023)
Orson Welles (actor/director/radio show host, 1988)
Dr. Ruth Westheimer (radio advice talk show host, 2019)
Dick Whittinghill (radio DJ, 2008)
Bruce Williams (radio show host, 1999)
Jerry Williams (radio talk show host known as "The Dean of Talk Radio", 1996)
Nat D. Williams (radio personality, 2017)
Wendy Williams (radio/TV personality, 2009)
William B. Williams (radio show host, 2006)
Walter Winchell (show business commentator, 2004)
Fred Winston (radio DJ, 2026)
Jack “Charlie Brown” Woods (as host of Charlie & Harrigan Top 40 radio morning show, 2014)

Y-Z

Angela Yee (host of hip-hop/R&B morning show The Breakfast Club, 2020)
You Bet Your Life (radio quiz show, 1988)
Your Hit Parade (music countdown show, 1995)

Resources/Related Links:

Dave’s Music Database: “Hall of Fames”
Radio Hall of Fame (includes links tobios on inductees)

First posted 7/11/2016; last updated 5/21/2026.

2020s: Top 50 Albums

2026-05-20T10:14:34.002-05:00

2020-2029:

Top 50 Albums

These are the top albums from 2020-2029 according to Dave’s Music Database, which factors in sales, chart data, awards, album ratings, and appearances on best-of lists. Compilations, archival recordings, and reissues are not factored into this list.

You can check out the top albums of all time or for other decades by clicking here.

Taylor Swift Midnights (2022)
Olivia Rodrigo Sour (2021)
SZA SOS (2022)
Taylor Swift Folklore (2020)
Morgan Wallen One Thing at a Time (2023)
Morgan Wallen Dangerous: The Double Album (2021)
Fiona Apple Fetch the Bolt Cutters (2020)
Harry Styles Harry’s House (2022)
Beyoncé Cowboy Carter (2024)
Taylor Swift The Tortured Poets Department (2024)
Adele 30 (2021)
Beyoncé Renaissance (2022)
Chris Stapleton Starting Over (2020)
The Weeknd After Hours (2020)
Bad Bunny Un Verano Sin Ti (2022)
Kendrick Lamar Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers (2022)
Phoebe Bridgers Punisher (2020)
Taylor Swift Evermore (2020)
Bad Bunny Debí Tirar Más Fotos (2025)
Noah Kahan Stick Season (2022)
Sabrina Carpenter Short N’ Sweet (2024)
Taylor Swift The Life of a Showgirl (2025)
Billie Eilish Happier Than Ever (2021)
Dua Lipa Future Nostalgia (2020)
Zach Bryan American Heartbreak (2022)
Olivia Rodrigo Guts (2023)
Drake Certified Lover Boy (2021)
Charli XCX Brat (2024)
Morgan Wallen I’m the Problem (2025)
Bruce Springsteen Letter to You (2020)
Pop Smoke Shoot for the Stars, Aim for the Moon (2020)
Lil Nas X Montero (2021)
Zach Bryan Zach Bryan (2023)
Kacey Musgraves Star-Crossed (2021)
Tyler, the Creator Call Me if You Get Lost (2021)
Doja Cat Planet Her (2021)
Tyler, the Creator Chromakopia (2024)
Boygenius The Record (2023)
Brandi Carlile In These Silent Days (2021)
Bob Dylan Rough and Rowdy Ways (2020)
Lady Gaga Mayhem (2025)
Chappell Roan The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess (2023)
Robert Plant & Alison Krauss Raise the Roof (2021)
Sabrina Carpenter Man’s Best Friend (2025)
Various Artists Kpop Demon Hunters (soundtrack, 2025)
Wet Leg Wet Leg (2022)
The Weeknd Dawn FM (2022)
various artists Encanto (soundtrack, 2021)
BTS Map of the Soul: 7 (2020)
Kendrick Lamar GNX (2024)

Resources and Related Links:

Dave’s Music Database: “Top 1000 Albums of All Time”
Dave’s Music Database “Top 100 Albums of All Time”
Dave’s Music Database “Top Albums by Decade”
Dave’s Music Database “Top 10 Albums Year by Year”
Dave’s Music Database: “Year-End Album Awards”
Dave’s Music Database: “Top 100 Songs of Each Decade”

First posted 2/4/2026; last updated 5/20/2026.

Peter Gabriel: A Retrospective (1969-2026)

2026-05-13T03:32:20.800-05:00

Peter Gabriel

A Retrospective: 1969-2026

Overview

Born: Peter Brian Gabriel
When: February 13, 1950
Where: Chobham, Surrey, England

Worldwide Album Sales: 23.3 million *

* 11.3 million sales worldwide as a solo artist + 12 million sales worldwide of Peter Gabriel-era Genesis albums.

Peter Gabriel first rose to fame as the frontman of British progressive rock band Genesis from 1967-1975 before leaving for a successful solo career. For the first decade of his career, he released five solo albums which allowed him to be experimental but also explore his commercial side. The most significant of the latter was his blockbuster 1986 album So, which made him a superstar.

However, Gabriel retreated from the limelight. Although he was involved in other projects such as live albums, soundtrack work, projects with various artists, and producing world music, his post-So work consisted of a mere trio of proper solo albums over the next near-quarter century. Through it all, however, Gabriel has remained a respected and revered artist, known for experimentation and expansion of the boundaries of music.

Awards

Studio Albums with Genesis (1969-1974)

Links for below albums take you to the Genesis profile page.

Studio Albums as a Solo Artist

Soundtracks

Compilations

^RV Revisited (1976-78)
^ST Shaking the Tree (1977-1989)
^H Hit (1977-2003)
^NB New Blood (re-recordings, 2011)
^FJ Flotsam and Jetsam (box set: 1976-2016, released 2019)
^PG Rated PG (1984-2017, released 2019)

Live Albums

^PL Plays Live (1983)
^SW Secret World (1993)
^GU Growing Up (2003)

Spotify Playlist

Here’s my Title of Playlist playlist at Spotify for this artist.

Under each album snapshot, songs featured on the anthologies are noted. If the song charted, the date of the song’s release or first chart appearance and its chart peaks are noted in parentheses. Click for codes to charts.

In the Beginning There Was Genesis (1965-72)

Genesis’ roots went back as far as 1965 when fifteen-year old Gabriel and friend Tony Banks were in a band called Garden Wall. They met fellow students Michael Rutherford and Anthony Phillips, who were in another group called Anon, while attending Charterhouse School in Goldalming, Surrey. “The two groups initially merged out of expediency as the older members of each graduated.” ^AM

The group recorded and released a couple singles in 1968 followed by their first album, From Genesis to Revelation, in 1969. Trespass followed in 1970, moving their sound a bit farther away from the “lyrical folk-based progressive pop.” ^AM There was some notable shifting in membership after this, including the departure of Phillips, who suffered from crippling stage fright, and the arrival of drummer Phil Collins, who would later replace Gabriel as the vocalist and lead Genesis to its greatest commercial heights.

Nursery Cryme was released in 1971. Gabriel was building his reputation as a theatrical performer through his “extensive use of masks, makeup, and props in concert.” ^AM “Word soon began to spread about Genesis being an act that was worth hearing and, even more so, worth seeing in concert.” ^AM The 1972 album Foxtrot showed the effects, lifting the band to its greatest commercial heights yet.

Critical Acclaim…and the Final Gabriel Years (1973-75)

“The group’s next release, Selling England by the Pound (1973), featured Gabriel’s strongest vocal performance” ^AM and gave Genesis its first top 10 album in the U.K. They were starting to expand beyond cult status in the U.S. as FM radio listeners and college students began to discover them.

Then came the ambitious concept album, The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway, in 1974. It involved “a story outlined and written (along with most of the lyrics) exclusively by Gabriel. The singer had worked separately from the rest of the group for most of the composition, and a creative split developed between him and the others.” ^AM In addition, “the other members began to feel that his performance – and the costumes and costume changes that he required – began to seriously detract from the music.” ^AM “The breaking point came with the difficult pregnancy of Gabriel’s wife, Jill, and the subsequent birth of their first child, Anna. When he opted to stay with his sick daughter and wife, rather than record and tour, the resentment from the rest of the band led Gabriel to conclude that he had to leave the band.” ^WK “In May of 1975, Gabriel announced that he was leaving Genesis.” ^AM

The Solo Years (1976-1985)

Gabriel launched a solo career with his 1977 self-titled debut album (his first four albums, in fact, would bear only the title Peter Gabriel). His debut single, Solsbury Hill, “was written specifically about his departure from Genesis.” ^WK

“Gabriel worked with guitarist Fripp as producer of his second solo LP, in 1978. This album was leaner, darker and more experimental, and yielded decent reviews, but no major hits.” ^WK

“Gabriel developed a new interest in world music (especially percussion), and for bold production, which made extensive use of recording tricks and sound effects. Gabriel’s interest in music technology is considered by many people to be the spark of his success as it inspired his third album, which sported the hit Games Without Frontiers and the powerful Biko.

For his fourth album, Gabriel “took more production responsibility. It was one of the first commercial albums recorded entirely to digital tape.” ^WK “Gabriel combined a variety of sampled and deconstructed sounds with world-beat percussion and other unusual instrumentation to create a radically new, emotionally charged soundscape. Furthermore, the sleeve art consisted of inscrutable, video-based imagery. Despite the album’s peculiar sound, odd appearance, and often disturbing themes, it sold very well. This album featured his first Top 40 hit in the U.S.,Shock the Monkey.” ^WK A video “which featured Gabriel in white face paint and a caged macaque, held the #1 spot on MTV for 9 weeks. Geffen records forced Peter to give his fourth self-titled album a name in the US – Security – to mark his arrival on the label and to differentiate his fourth album from the other three.” ^WK

“Gabriel toured extensively for each of his albums. Initially, he pointedly eschewed the theatrics that had defined his tenure with Genesis. For his second solo tour, his entire band shaved their heads. By the time of Security he began involving elaborate stage props and acrobatics.” ^WK as well as “distorting his face with Fresnel lenses and mirrors, and wearing unusual make-up.” ^WK “Recordings of this tour were released as the double LP Plays Live.” ^WK

“The stage was set for Gabriel's critical and commercial breakout with his next studio release, which was in production for almost three years. During the recording and production of the album he also found time to develop the film soundtrack for Alan Parker’s 1984 feature Birdy, which consisted of new material as well as remixed instrumental tracks from his previous studio album.” ^WK

Peter Gabriel 1 (aka “Car”)

Peter Gabriel

Released: February 25, 1977

Peak: 38 US, 7 UK, 30 CN, 25 AU Click for codes to charts.

Sales (in millions): 0.50 US, 0.10 UK

Genre: rock

Rating:

3.627 out of 5.00 (average of 17 ratings)

Awards:

(Click on award to learn more).

Tracks:

Moribund the Burgermeister ^RV
Solsbury Hill (3/21/77, 68 BB, 81 CB, 80 HR, 2 CL, 3 CO, 13 UK, 92 CN, 45 AU, 1 DF) ^{PL, RV, ST, H, SW, GU, NB, FJ}
Modern Love (6/17/77, 21 CL, 30 CO) ^RV
Excuse Me
Humdrum (36 DF) ^{PL, RV}
Slowburn ^{RV, FJ}
Waiting for the Big One ^RV
Down the Dolce Vita
Here Comes the Flood (25 DF) ^{RV, ST, H, GU, FJ}

Total Running Time: 41:42

Also from This Era

Strawberry Fields Forever (from All This and World War II soundtrack, 11/5/76) ^FJ

About the Album:

After Peter Gabriel’s departure from Genesis in 1975, he moved to New York City where he started writing songs for his first solo album. He had demos in place by mid-1976 and recorded the album later that year. The album’s lead single, “Solsbury Hill,” has been viewed as Gabriel’s commentary about leaving Genesis and going through a spiritual journey.

Peter Gabriel 2 (aka “Scratch”)

Peter Gabriel

Released: June 3, 1978

Peak: 45 US, 10 UK, 46 CN, 50 AU Click for codes to charts.

Sales (in millions): --

Genre: rock

Rating:

3.476 out of 5.00 (average of 23 ratings)

Tracks:

On the Air (30 DF) ^{PL, RV}
D.I.Y. (5/12/78, 22 CL, 30 CO, 27 DF) ^{PL, RV, H, FJ}
Mother of Violence ^{RV, FJ}
A Wonderful Day in a One-Way World
White Shadow
Indigo ^RV
Animal Magic ^RV
Exposure ^RV
Flotsam and Jetsam ^RV
Perspective ^{RV, FJ}
Home Sweet Home

Total Running Time: 41:29

Also from This Era

Teddy Bear (B-side of “D.I.Y.,” 5/12/78) ^FJ

About the Album:

For his second solo album, Peter Gabriel turned to Robert Fripp, best known as guitarist with King Crimson, to produce. The album wasn’t given a title, but has come to be known as “Scratch” because of the cover art. The album didn’t produce any songs as memorable as “Solsbury Hill” from the first album. “D.I.Y.” was the only single.

Revisited

Peter Gabriel

Recorded: 1976-1978

Released: November 10, 1992

Peak: -- Click for codes to charts.

Sales (in millions): --

Genre: rock

Rating:

2.288 out of 5.00 (average of 11 ratings)

Tracks:

(1) On the Air (2) Modern Love (3) Indigo (4) Solsbury Hill (5) Perspective (6) Waiting for the Big One (7) Animal Magic (8) Humdrum (9) D.I.Y. (10) Mother of Violence (11) Slowburn (12) Exposure (13) Moribund the Burgermeister (14) Flotsam and Jetsam (15) Here Comes the Flood

Total Running Time: 62:03

About the Album:

It’s hard to understand why this compilation exists. It only covers Gabriel’s first two studio albums and other compilations, such as Shaking the Tree, offered a much better overview of a longer stretch of Gabriel’s career. The album might have generated at least mild interest amongst Gabriel fans if it had included some early non-album cuts from Gabriel such as his 1976 cover of the Beatles’ “Strawberry Fields Forever” or “Teddy Bear,” the B-side of “D.I.Y.”

Peter Gabriel 3 (aka “Melt”)

Peter Gabriel

Released: May 30, 1980

Peak: 22 US, 1² UK, 7 CN, 29 AU, 1² DF Click for codes to charts.

Sales (in millions): -- US, 0.10 UK

Genre: rock

Rating:

4.276 out of 5.00 (average of 25 ratings)

Awards:

(Click on award to learn more).

Tracks:

Intruder (38 DF) ^{PL, NB}
No Self Control (Apr. ’80, 38 CL, 16 CO, 33 UK, 29 DF) ^{PL, H}
Start
I Don’t Remember (11/29/80, 23 CL, 20 CO, 62 UK, 18 DF) ^{PL, ST, FJ}
Family Snapshot (1 DF) ^{PL, ST}
And Through the Wire (39 DF)
Games without Frontiers (Jan. ’80, 48 BB, 60 CB, 56 HR, 7 CL, 3 CO, 4 UK, 7 CN, 44 AU, 6 DF) ^{ST, H, FJ}
Not One of Us (29 DF) ^PL
Lead a Normal Life
Biko (8/18/80, 18 CL, 5 CO, 38 UK, 1 DF) ^{PL, ST, H, FJ}

Total Running Time: 45:32

Also from This Era

Shosholoza (B-side of “Biko,” 8/18/80) ^FJ
Jetzt kommit die Flut (B-side of “Biko,” 8/18/80) ^FJ

About the Album:

Peter Gabriel’s third album has been considered his breakout solo effort, sporting now well-known songs in his catalog such as the anti-war song “Games Without Frontiers” and “Biko,” a protest song against apartheid that was a tribute to the murdered activist Steven Biko. Steve Lillywhite, who’d previously worked with Siouxsie & the Banshees and XTC, was hired to produce. As with his first two solo albums, Gabriel didn’t give the album an official name but it has often been called “Melt” because of the cover art. Go to the DMDB page for more about this album.

Peter Gabriel 4 (aka “Security”)

Peter Gabriel

Released: September 8, 1982

Peak: 28 US, 6 UK, 2 CN, 66 AU Click for codes to charts.

Sales (in millions): 0.50 US, 0.10 UK

Genre: rock

Rating:

3.856 out of 5.00 (average of 18 ratings)

Tracks:

The Rhythm of the Heat ^{PL, H, NB}
San Jacinto (10 DF) ^{PL, ST, H, NB}
I Have the Touch (12/25/82, 46 AR, 33 CO, 19 DF) ^{PL, ST, H, FJ}
The Family and the Fishing Net (26 DF) ^PL
Shock the Monkey (9/10/82, 29 BB, 33 CB, 24 RR, 64 RB, 1² AR, 3 CO, 58 UK, 10 CN, 25 AU, 2 DF) ^{PL, ST, H}
Lay Your Hands on Me
Wallflower (1982 single) ^NB
Kiss of Life (10/30/82, 34 AR, 30 CO) ^FJ

Total Running Time: 45:27

Also from This Era

Soft Dog (B-side of “Shock the Monkey,” 9/10/82) ^FJ
Shock the Monkey (instrumental, B-side of “Shock the Monkey,” 9/10/82) ^FJ

About the Album:

Peter Gabriel’s fourth solo album gave him his first taste of top-40 success in the United States with “Shock the Monkey.” The album reached gold status, making it his most successful album up to that point.

Plays Live

Peter Gabriel

Recorded: 1982 to 1983 live

Released: June 6, 1983

Peak: 44 US, 8 UK, -- CN, 55 AU, 10 DF Click for codes to charts.

Sales (in millions): 0.50 US, -- UK

Genre: rock

Rating:

3.849 out of 5.00 (average of 15 ratings)

Tracks, Disc 1:

(1) The Rhythm of the Heat (2) I Have the Touch (3) Not One of Us (4) Family Snapshot (5) D.I.Y. (6) The Family and the Fishing Net (7) Intruder (8) I Go Swimming

Tracks, Disc 2:

(1) San Jacinto (2) Solsbury Hill (3) No Self Control (4) I Don’t Remember (5) Shock the Monkey (6) Humdrum (7) On the Air (8) Biko

Total Running Time: 89:53

About the Album:

This is Peter Gabriel’s first live album. The selection is fantastic. Surprisingly, he sticks only to his solo material and never dips into any of his work with Genesis. The collection offers “I Go Swimming,” not previously released on one of Gabriel’s solo studio albums.

Tracks Not on Previously Noted Albums:

I Go Swimming ^PL

Birdy (soundtrack)

Peter Gabriel

Released: March 18, 1985

Peak: 162 US, 51 UK, -- CN, -- AU Click for codes to charts.

Sales (in millions): --

Genre: rock

Rating:

2.829 out of 5.00 (average of 14 ratings)

Tracks:

At Night
Floating Dogs
Quiet and Alone
Close Up (from “Family Snapshot”)
Slow Water
Dressing the Wound
Birdy’s Flight (from “Not One of Us”)
Slow Marimbas ^SW
The Heat (from “The Rhythm of the Heat”)
Sketch Pad with Trumpet and Voice
Under Lock and Key (from “Wallflower”)
Powerhouse at the Foot of the Mountain (from “San Jacinto”)

Total Running Time: 35:42

About the Album:

After four studio albums, Gabriel took a departure into film score work, creating the soundtrack for Birdy, a 1985 film directed by Alan Parker that starred Matthew Modine and Nicolas Cage as Vietnam War veterans dealing with PTSD. While Gabriel composed some original music for the film, much of it was comprised of adapted instrumental works from songs he’d recorded for his albums.

Commercial Success – and Gabriel’s First “Break” (1986-1991)

“Gabriel achieved his greatest popularity with songs from the 1986 So album.” ^WK Lead single Sledgehammer was a #1 U.S. hit and has earned a reputation as one of the most acclaimed videos of all-time. Big Time was also a top ten hit in the states. In Your Eyes was also a success, as was Don’t Give Up, a duet with Kate Bush that went top 10 in the U.K.

“Gabriel played a prominent role in supporting Amnesty International at this time, appearing on the 1986 U.S. A Conspiracy of Hope tour and on the 1988 worldwide Human Rights Now! tour.” ^WK

“In 1989, Gabriel released Passion, the soundtrack for Martin Scorsese’s movie The Last Temptation of Christ. For this work he received his first Grammy Award, in the category of Best New Age Performance. He also received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Original Score - Motion Picture.” ^WK

So

Peter Gabriel

Released: May 13, 1986

Peak: 2 US, 1² UK, 1 CN, 5 AU, 1³ DF Click for codes to charts.

Sales (in millions): 5.0 US, 0.9 UK, 12.1 world (includes US + UK)

Genre: rock

Rating:

4.354 out of 5.00 (average of 31 ratings)

Awards:

(Click on award to learn more).

Tracks:

Red Rain [5:39] (6/14/86, 3 AR, 46 UK, 6 DF) ^{ST, H, SW, GU, NB}
Sledgehammer [5:12] (4/21/86, 1 BB, 1 CB, 2 GR, 1 RR, 1 AR, 61 RB, 2 CO, 4 UK, 1 CN, 3 AU, 4 DF) ^{ST, H, GU, FJ}
Don’t Give Up (with Kate Bush) [6:33] (11/1/86, 72 BB, 69 CB, 7 CO, 9 UK, 40 CN, 5 AU, 1 DF) ^{ST, H, SW, NB}
That Voice Again (Gabriel, David Rhodes) [4:53] (10/18/86, 14 AR, 26 CO, 13 DF)
In Your Eyes [6:27] (6/21/86, 26 BB, 24 CB, 22 GR, 19 RR, 1 AR, 1 CO, 29 CN, 97 AU, 2 DF) ^{SW, FU, NB, PG, FJ}
Mercy Street [6:22] (14 DF) ^{ST, GU, NB, FJ}
Big Time [4:28] (11/29/86, 8 BB, 8 CB, 3 RR, 4 BA, 3 AR, 2 CO, 13 UK, 15 CN, 37 AU, 5 DF) ^{ST, H, FJ}
We Do What We’re Told (Milgram’s 37) [3:22] (30 DF)
This Is the Picture (Excellent Birds) (with Laurie Anderson) (Gabriel, Anderson) [4:25] (29 DF)

Total Running Time: 45:21

Also from This Era

Walk Through the Fire (from Against All Odds, 3/31/84; also B-side of “Red Rain,” 6/29/87) ^{FJ, PG}
Out Out (from Gremlins soundtrack, 6/8/84)
No More Apartheid (from various artists’ collection Sun City, 12/7/85)
Don’t Break This Rhythm (B-side of “Sledgehammer,” 4/21/86) ^FJ
Curtains (B-side of “Big Time,” 3/16/87) ^FJ
GA GA (I Go Swimming instrumental, B-side of “Red Rain,” 6/29/87) ^FJ

About the Album:

While Gabriel’s previous studio album had gone gold and produced his first top-40 hit, no one saw blockbuster status just around the corner. However, that’s just what happened with the multi-platinum So which generated three top-40 hits, including the chart-topping “Sledgehammer,” whose video is consistently ranked one of the best of all time. Go to the DMDB page for more about this album.

Passion: Music for “The Last Temptation of Christ”

Peter Gabriel

Released: June 5, 1989

Peak: 60 US, 29 UK, -- CN, -- AU Click for codes to charts.

Sales (in millions): 0.50 US

Genre: rock

Rating:

3.754 out of 5.00 (average of 17 ratings)

Tracks:

The Feeling Begins
Gethsemane
Of These, Hope
Lazarus Raised
Of These, Hope – Reprise
In Doubt
A Different Drum ^H
Zaar ^ST
Troubled
Open
Before Night Falls
With This Love
Sandstorm
Stigmata
Passion
With This Love (Choir)
Wall of Breath
The Promise of Shadows
Disturbed
It Is Accomplished
Bread and Wine

Total Running Time: 67:03

About the Album:

Never one to follow convention, Gabriel followed up his blockbuster album So with a soundtrack to director Martin Scorese’s The Last Temptation of Christ. The album was primarily instrumental although it did feature wordless vocal textures and chants. It has been considered a landmark album in helping to popularize world music, thanks in part to the album’s collaborative efforts with Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Youssou N’Dour, Baaba Maal, and Ravi Shankar.

The Return (1992-1996)

It took six years for Gabriel to record a follow-up studio album to So. After recording four untitled albums, So started a new trend for his next three studio efforts – two-letter titles. Consequently, 1992 saw the release of Us, “in which he explored the pain of recent personal problems; his failed first marriage, his relationship with Rosanna Arquette, and the growing distance between him and his first daughter.” ^WK

First single Digging in the Dirt “made reference to the psychotherapy which had taken up much of Gabriel’s time since the previous album. Gabriel describes his struggle to get through to his daughter in Come Talk to Me.” ^WK Blood of Eden, which featured vocals by Sinéad O’Connor, also dealt “with relationship struggles, this time going right back to Adam’s rib for inspiration.” ^WK

The more personal album wasn’t as commercially accessible as So, but he still undertook a world tour, captured via video and a live album. “Gabriel won three more Grammy Awards, all in the Music Video category. He won the Grammy Award for Best Short Form Music Video in 1993 and 1994 for the videos to ‘Digging in the Dirt’ and Steam respectively. Gabriel also won the 1996 Grammy Award for Best Long Form Music Video for his Secret World Live video.” ^WK

Shaking the Tree: Sixteen Golden Greats

Peter Gabriel

Recorded: 1977-1989

Released: November 20, 1990

Peak: 48 US, 11 UK, -- CN, 41 AU Click for codes to charts.

Sales (in millions): 2.0 US, 0.6 UK

Genre: rock

Rating:

4.424 out of 5.00 (average of 16 ratings)

Awards:

(Click on award to learn more).

Tracks:

(1) Solsbury Hill (2) I Don’t Remember (3) Sledgehammer (4) Family Snapshot (5) Mercy Street (6) Shaking the Tree (with Youssou N’Dour) (7) Don’t Give Up (with Kate Bush) (8) San Jacinto (9) Here Comes the Flood (1990 re-recording) (10) Red Rain (11) Games Without Frontiers (12) Shock the Monkey (13) I Have the Touch (’85 remix) (14) Big Time (15) Zaar (16) Biko

Total Running Time: 77:05

About the Album:

Peter Gabriel’s first greatest-hits collection offers a nice sampling of material from his first five solo albums plus one cut from the Passion soundtrack (“Zaar”) and his collaboration with Youssou N’Dour (“Shaking the Tree”) that was released on the latter’s 1989 album The Lion.

Tracks Not on Previously Noted Albums:

Shaking the Tree (with Youssou N’Dour) (5/22/89, 9 MR, 57 UK, 30 DF) ^{ST, SW, FJ}

Us

Peter Gabriel

Released: September 29, 1992

Peak: 2 US, 2 UK, 4 CN, 3 AU, 1⁴ DF Click for codes to charts.

Sales (in millions): 1.0 US, 0.3 UK

Genre: rock

Rating:

3.893 out of 5.00 (average of 20 ratings)

Awards:

(Click on award to learn more).

Tracks:

Come Talk to Me (with Sinéad O’Connor) (Sept. ’93, 23 DF) ^SW
Love to Be Loved (26 DF)
Blood of Eden (with Sinéad O’Connor) (3/15/93, 43 UK, 73 CN, 6 DF) ^{H, SW, FJ}
Steam (11/7/92, 32 BB, 32 CB, 9 RR, 2 AR, 1⁵ MR, 10 UK, 1¹ CN, 29 AU, 17 DF) ^{H, SW, FJ}
Only Us
Washing of the Water (23 DF) ^{H, SW}
Digging in the Dirt (9/7/92, 52 BB, 46 CB, 25 RR, 1¹ AR, 1² MR, 24 UK, 6 CN, 23 AU, 8 DF) ^{H, SW, GU, NB, FJ}
Fourteen Black Paintings
Kiss That Frog (9/13/93, 18 AR, 18 MR, 46 UK, 36 CN, 16 DF) ^{SW, FJ}
Secret World (7/17/93, 34 AR, 9 DF) ^{SW, GU}

Total Running Time: 57:48

Also from This Era

Quiet Steam (B-side of “Digging in the Dirt,” 9/7/92) ^FJ
Bashi-Bazouk (B-side of “Digging in the Dirt,” 9/7/92) ^FJ

About the Album:

It took six years for Gabriel to record a studio album follow-up to his 1986 blockbuster So. Such a long day is an eternity in the pop world, so it’s no surprise that the album fell short of the commercial success of its predecessor. Still, it went platinum and did produce the top-40 hit “Steam.”

Secret World Live

Peter Gabriel

Recorded: November 16-17, 1993 (live)

Released: August 30, 1994

Peak: 23 US, 10 UK, -- CN, 34 AU Click for codes to charts.

Sales (in millions): 0.5 US, 0.06 UK

Genre: rock

Rating:

3.704 out of 5.00 (average of 15 ratings)

Tracks, Disc 1:

(1) Come Talk to Me (2) Steam (3) Across the River (4) Slow Marimbas (5) Shaking the Tree (6) Red Rain (7) Blood of Eden (8) Kiss That Frog (9) Washing of the Water (10) Solsbury Hill

Tracks, Disc 2:

(1) Digging in the Dirt (2) Sledgehammer (3) Secret World (4) Don’t Give Up (5) In Your Eyes

Total Running Time: 99:45

About the Album:

For his second live album, Peter Gabriel did the unthinkable – he presented a track listing almost completely different than 1983’s Plays Live. Only “Solsbury Hill” appears on both albums. The collection leans heavily on Gabriel’s two studio releases since then – 1986’s So and 1992’s Us. There are a few unexpected songs, including “Slow Marimbas” from the Birdy soundtrack, “Across the River” from the 1982 various artists’ collection Music & Rhythm, and “Shaking the Tree” (originally a collaboration with Youssou N’Dour on his 1989 album The Lion.

Tracks Not on Previously Noted Albums:

Across the River (B-side from “I Have the Touch;” also on Music & Rhythm, 1982) ^{SW, FJ}

Big Blue Ball

Peter Gabriel

Recorded: 1991, 1992, 1995

Released: June 24, 2008

Peak: -- US, 130 UK, -- CN, -- AU, 1² DF Click for codes to charts.

Sales (in millions): --

Genre: rock

Rating:

2.983 out of 5.00 (average of 11 ratings)

Awards:

(Click on award to learn more).

Tracks:

Whole Thing (Original Mix) [Francis Bebey, Alex Faku, Tim Finn, Peter Gabriel, Karl Wallinger, Andy White] (single)
Habibe [Natacha Atlas, Hossam Ramzy, Neil Sparkes)
Shadow [Juan Cañizares, Papa Wemba]
altus silva [Joseph Arthur, Ronan Browne, Deep Forest, James McNally, Iarla Ó Lionáird, Vernon Reid]
Exit Through You [Joseph Arthur, Peter Gabriel, Karl Wallinger]
Everything Comes From You [Richard Evans, Joji Hirota, Sevara Nazarkhan, Sinéad O’Connor, Guo Yue]
Burn You Up, Burn You Down [Billy Cobham, Peter Gabriel, The Holmes Brothers, Wendy Melvoin, Arona N’diaye, Jah Wobble] (6/14/08, 18 AA, 78 UK) ^H
Forest [Levon Minassian, Arona N’Diaye, Vernon Reid, Hukwe Zawose]
Rivers [Vernon Reid, Márta Sebestyén, Karl Wallinger]
Jijy [Arona N’Diaye, Rossy, Jah Wobble]
Big Blue Ball [Peter Gabriel, Manu Katché, Karl Wallinger]

Also from This Era

Be Still (with Sinead O’Connor, from various artists’ collection Peace Together, 7/20/93)
Lovetown (from Philadelphia soundtrack, 1/22/94)
Taboo (from Natural Born Killers, 8/23/94) ^PG
Summertime (from The Glory of Gerswhin, 8/29/94) ^FJ
This Is Party Man (from Virtuosity soundtrack, 8/4/95) ^PG
Suzanne (from Tower of Song: The Songs of Leonard Cohen, Oct. ‘95) ^FJ

About the Album:

While recorded in the first half of the ‘90s, Big Blue Ball didn’t surface until 2008. The album grew out of the efforts of Gabriel and Karl Wallinger (of World Party and The Waterboys) to collaborate with multiple artists from around the world. Go to the DMDB page for more about this album.

Another Break, Another Album (1997-2004)

“In 1998 Gabriel appeared on the soundtrack of Babe: Pig in the City, not as a composer, but as the singer of the song That'll Do, written by Randy Newman. The song was nominated for an Academy Award, and Gabriel and Newman performed it at the following year’s Oscar telecast.” ^WK

Next up, in 1999, was OVO, a soundtrack for the live Millennium Dome Show in London, and the 2002 soundtrack for Long Walk Home, the music from the Australian movie Rabbit-Proof Fence. “This soundtrack also received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Original Score – Motion Picture.” ^WK

“In September 2002, Gabriel released Up, his first full-length studio album in a decade. Entirely self-produced, Up returned to some of the themes of his work in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s. Three singles failed to make an impression on the charts – in part because almost every track exceeded six minutes in length…but the album sold well globally, as Gabriel continued to draw from a loyal fan base from his almost forty years in the music business. Up was followed by a world tour featuring his daughter Melanie Gabriel on backing vocals, and two concert DVDs, Growing Up Live (2003) and Still Growing Up: Live & Unwrapped (2004).” ^WK

Ovo: Millennium Show

Peter Gabriel

Released: June 12, 2000

Peak: -- US, 24 UK, -- CN, -- AU, 1² DF Click for codes to charts.

Sales (in millions): --

Genre: rock

Rating:

3.017 out of 5.00 (average of 16 ratings)

Awards:

(Click on award to learn more).

Tracks:

The Story of Ovo [with Neneh Cherry] *
Low Light [with Iarla Ó Lionaird]
The Time of the Turning [with Richie Havens]
The Man Who Loved the Earth/ The Hand That Sold Shadows
The Time of the Turning (Reprise)/ The Weaver’s Reel
Father, Son ^{H, GU, FJ}
The Tower That Ate People ^{H, FJ}
Revenge
White Ashes
Downside Up [with Paul Buchanan & Liz Fraser] ^{H, GU, NW}
The Nest That Sailed the Sky ^NB
The Tree That Went Up *
Make Tomorrow [with Paul Buchanan & Liz Fraser]

* The above is the track listing for the UK limited edition. For the international version of the album, the song “The Story of Ovo” [with Neneh Cherry] was added at the beginning and the track “The Tree That Went Up” was cut.

Also from This Era

In the Sun (from Diana, Princess of Wales: Tribute, 12/2/97) ^FJ
That’ll Do (from Babe: Pig in the City, 11/25/98) ^PG
Nocturnal (from Les Morsures de l’Aube, 3/21/01) ^PG

About the Album:

OVO was conceived as a visual project for London’s Millennium Dome. Gabriel added lots of multimedia to the CD soundtrack with some pressings including a comic book that told the OVO story. Go to the DMDB page for more about this album.

Long Walk Home: Music from “The Rabbit-Proof Fence”

Peter Gabriel

Released: April 15, 2002

Peak: -- Click for codes to charts.

Sales (in millions): --

Genre: rock

Rating:

2.165 out of 5.00 (average of 14 ratings)

Tracks:

Jigalong
Stealing the Children
Unlocking the Door
The Tracker
Running to the Rain
On the Map
A Sense of Home
Go Away Mr. Evans
Moodoo’s Secret
Gracie’s Recapture
Crossing the Salt Pan
The Return (Parts 1, 2, and 3)
Ngankarrparni (Sky Blue – Reprise)
The Rabbit-Proof Fence
Cloudless (2002 single) ^H

Total Running Time: 58:57

About the Album:

This was Gabriel’s soundtrack to the Australian film Rabbit-Proof Fence.

Up

Peter Gabriel

Released: September 24, 2002

Peak: 9 US, 11 UK, 2 CN, 37 AU, 1³ DF Click for codes to charts.

Sales (in millions): 0.34 US, 0.06 UK

Genre: rock

Rating:

3.533 out of 5.00 (average of 21 ratings)

Awards:

(Click on award to learn more).

Tracks:

Darkness (8/2/04) ^{GU, NB, FJ}
Growing Up (6/30/03, 34 DF) ^{H, GU, FJ}
Sky Blue (40 DF) ^{GU, FJ}
No Way Out (40 DF)
I Grieve (1 DF) ^{H, FJ}
The Barry Williams Show (8/18/02, 9 AA, 10 DF) ^GU
My Head Sounds Like That (39 DF) ^FJ
More Than This (12/22/02, 20 AA, 47 UK, 19 DF) ^{H, GU, FJ}
Signal to Noise ^{H,, GU FJ}
The Drop ^H

Total Running Time: 66:40

Also from This Era

Animal Nation (from The Wild Thornberrys Movie, 12/20/02) ^{GU, FJ}

About the Album:

After achieving blockbuster status with So in 1986, Peter Gabriel made it abundantly clear that he wasn’t chasing commercial success by waiting six years before releasing a follow-up solo album (1992’s Us). He then waited another decade before releasing Up. While it did land a couple of hits on the adult alternative chart, Gabriel was completely absent from the Billboard Hot 100 and album rock tracks this time around. Go to the DMDB page for more about this album.

Hit

Peter Gabriel

Recorded: 1977-2003

Released: November 3, 2003

Peak: 100 US, 29 UK, -- CN, -- AU Click for codes to charts.

Sales (in millions): -- US, 0.10 UK

Genre: rock

Rating:

4.266 out of 5.00 (average of 16 ratings)

Tracks, Disc 1:

(1) Solsbury Hill (2) Shock the Monkey (3) Sledgehammer (4) Don’t Give Up (with Kate Bush) (5) Games Without Frontiers (6) Big Time (7) Burn You Up, Burn You Down (8) Growing Up (9) Digging in the Dirt (10) Blood of Eden (11) More Than This (12) Biko (13) Steam (14) Red Rain (15) Here Comes the Flood (1990 version)

Tracks, Disc 2:

(1) San Jacinto (2) No Self Control (3) Cloudless (4) The Rhythm of the Heat (5) I Have the Touch (6) I Grieve (7) D.I.Y. (8) A Different Drum (9) The Drop (10) The Tower That Ate People (11) Lovetown (12) Father, Son (13) Signal to Noise (14) Downside Up (live) (15) Washing of the Water

Total Running Time: 150:20

About the Album:

As a two-disc retrospective, this does a decent job capturing Gabriel’s 25-year solo career. However, it could have benefited from more emphasis on songs that were hits at album rock/adult alternative radio (“Kiss of Life,” “I Go Swimming,” “Red Rain,” “That Voice Again,” “Secret World,” “Kiss That Frog,” “The Barry Williams Show”) and less focus on album cuts (“Washing of the Water,” “Love to Be Loved,” “Growing Up,” “The Drop,” “Signal to Noise”).

Tracks Not on Previously Noted Albums:

Lovetown (from the 1993 Philadelphia soundtrack) ^H

Gabriel’s “Back” (2008-2010)

There was another long period of inactivity, now becoming the norm for Gabriel. “In 2008, Gabriel contributed to the WALL-E soundtrack with several new songs with Thomas Newman, including the film’s closing song, Down to Earth, for which they received the Grammy Award for Best Song Written for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media. The song was also nominated for the Golden Globe for Best Original Song - Motion Picture and the Academy Award for Best Original Song.” ^WK

In 2010, Gabriel finally emerged with another studio album, albeit a collection of cover songs. The album, entitled Scratch My Back, was to be accompanied by a collection of the artists he covered singing his songs. That collection, I’ll Scratch Yours, had not materialized upon the release of Back. The latest plan was to release a single each full moon backed by the artist covering a Gabriel song.

Growing Up (live)

Peter Gabriel

Recorded: May 8-9, 2003 (live)

Released: 11/3/03 (DVD), 2/8/19 (CD)

Peak: -- Click for codes to charts.

Sales (in millions): --

Genre: rock

Rating:

3.264 out of 5.00 (average of 11 ratings)

Tracks:

(1) Here Comes the Flood (2) Darkness (3) Red Rain (4) Secret World (5) Sky Blue (6) Downside Up (7) The Barry Williams Show (8) More Than This (9) Mercy Street (10) Digging in the Dirt (11) Growing Up (12) Animal Nation (13) Solsbury Hill (14) Sledgehammer (15) Signal to Noise (16) In Your Eyes (17) Father, Son

Total Running Time: 127:43

About the Album:

This live album documents the Growing Up tour which Peter Gabriel conducted in support of his Up album. It was released as a DVD in 2003 but didn’t get a CD release until 2019.

Scratch My Back

Peter Gabriel

Released: February 12, 2010

Peak: 26 US, 12 UK, 2 CN, 59 AU, 1⁴ DF Click for codes to charts.

Sales (in millions): --

Genre: rock

Rating:

3.210 out of 5.00 (average of 31 ratings)

Awards:

(Click on award to learn more).

Tracks (artist covered):

Heroes (David Bowie) (7 DF)
The Boy in the Bubble (Paul Simon) (2/28/10, 25 DF)
Mirrorball (Elbow) (5/27/10)
Flume (Bon Iver) (3/30/10)
Listening Wind (Talking Heads) (6/26/10)
The Power of the Heart (Lou Reed) (4/28/10)
My Body Is a Cage (Arcade Fire)
The Book of Love (The Magnetic Fields) (first released on Shall We Dance? soundtrack, 10/15/04; single: 1/30/10, 18 DF)
I Think It’s Going to Rain Today (Randy Newman)
Après Moi (Regina Spektor)
Philadelphia (Neil Young) (29 DF)
Street Spirit (Fade Out) (Radiohead)

Also from This Era

Different Stories, Different Lives (with Footnote & Angiel Pollack, from Sea Monsters: a Prehistoric Adventure soundtrack, 10/5/07)
Down to Earth (from Wall-E soundtrack, 6/27/08) ^PG

About the Album:

Gabriel’s first studio album in eight years was comprised of covers. The initial project was conceived as what Gabriel called a “song exchange” in which an artist covered one of his songs and he covered one of theirs. His recordings would appear on Scratch My Back while their covers of his material would come out on an album titled I’ll Scratch Yours. Delays led to the latter not seeing release until 2013.

Gabriel’s cover of David Bowie’s “Heroes” became the album’s most streamed track, thanks to its appearance in the Netflix series Stranger Things.

New Blood

Peter Gabriel

Recorded: re-recordings of songs from 1977 to 2010

Released: October 10, 2011

Peak: 30 US, 22 UK, 9 CN, 64 AU Click for codes to charts.

Sales (in millions): --

Genre: rock

Rating:

3.226 out of 5.00 (average of 18 ratings)

Tracks:

(1) The Rhythm of the Heat (2) Downside Up (3) San Jacinto (4) Intruder (5) Wallflower (6) In Your Eyes (7) Mercy Street (8) Red Rain (9) Darkness (10) Don’t Give Up (11) Digging in the Dirt (12) The Nest That Sailed the Sky (13) A Quiet Moment (14) Solsbury Hill

Total Running Time: 77:41

About the Album:

This was a collection of orchestral re-recordings of songs from 1977 to 2002 plus one new song, “A Quiet Moment.”

Tracks Not on Previously Noted Albums:

A Quiet Moment (not an actual track, just 4:48 of silence) ^NB

Flotsam and Jetsam

Peter Gabriel

Recorded: 1976-2016

Released: September 13, 2019

Peak: -- Click for codes to charts.

Sales (in millions): --

Genre: rock

Rating:

3.766 out of 5.00 (average of 13 ratings)

Tracks, Disc 1:

(1) Strawberry Fields Forever (2) Slowburn (extended version) (3) Perspective (single version) (4) D.I.Y. (re-recorded single version) (5) Teddy Bear (6) Mother of Violence (single mix) (7) Solsbury Hill (live) (8) I Don’t Remember (alternative version) (9) Biko (remixed version) (10) Shosholoza (11) Jetzt kommit die Flut (12) Soft Dog (13) Shock the Monkey (instrumental) (14) Across the River (15) Kiss of Life (live) (16) I Don’t Remember (live)

Tracks, Disc 2:

(1) I Have the Touch (1985 remix) (2) Sledgehammer (dance mix) (3) Sledgehammer (extended) (4) Don’t Break This Rhythm (full version) (5) In Your Eyes (single mix) (6) In Your Eyes (special remix) (7) Big Time (extended version) (8) Curtains (9) Ga Ga (I Go Swimming instrumental) (10) Walk Through the Fire (single mix) (11) Biko (live) (12) Digging in the Dirt (raw stylus mix) (13) Digging in the Dirt (instrumental) (14) Quiet Steam (15) Bashi-Bazouk (16) Games Without Frontiers (massive/DB mix) (17) Steam (Oh, Oh, Let Off Steam mix) (18) Steam (Oh, Oh, Let Off Steam mix dub) (19) Mercy Street (William Orbit mix) (20) Blood of Eden (special mix) (21) Digging in the Dirt (Rich E mix) (22) Kiss That Frog (mindblender mix) (23) Shaking the Tree (Bottrill remix)

Tracks, Disc 3:

(1) Summertime (2) Suzanne (3) I Have the Touch (Robbie Robertson mix) (4) In the Sun (5) Shaking the Tree 97 (jungle version) (6) I Grieve (City of Angels version) (7) The Tower That Ate People (red planet remix) (8) Animal Nation (9) Signal to Noise (Gangs of New York version) (10) More Than This (The Polyphonic Spree mix) (11) More Than This (Elbow mix) (12) My Head Sounds Like That (Röyksopp remix) (13) Sky Blue (Martyn Bennett remix) (14) Growing Up (Trent Reznor remix) (15) Growing Up (Stabilizer remix) (16) Growing Up (Tricky instrumental mix) (17) Darkness (Engelspost remix) (18) Curtains (broad mix) (19) Father, Son (Daniel Lanois & Richard Chappell mix) (20) Courage (21) Courage (the hexadecimal mix) (22) I’m Amazing (23) The Veil

Total Running Time: 356:59

About the Album:

This digital-only release was a three-disc box set career retrospective built on B-sides, remixes and rarities.

Tracks Not on Previously Noted Albums:

Courage (unfinished version first released on So 25th anniversary box set, 11/1/13) ^FJ
I’m Amazing (digital single, 6/16/16)
The Veil (from Snowden soundtrack, 9/9/16)

Rated PG

Peter Gabriel

Recorded: 1984-2017

Released: April 13, 2019

Peak: -- Click for codes to charts.

Sales (in millions): --

Genre: rock

Rating:

3.624 out of 5.00 (average of 19 ratings)

Tracks:

(1) That’ll Do (2) Down to Earth (3) This Is party Man (4) The Book of Love (5) Taboo (6) Everybird (7) Walk Through the Fire (8) Speak (Bol) (9) Nocturnal (10) In Your Eyes

Total Running Time: 49:49

About the Album:

The concept of this anthology is excellent: gather up songs Peter Gabriel has recorded for movies over the years. The execution, however, is flawed given how many soundtrack songs are omitted from this collection.

Tracks Not on Previously Noted Albums:

Speak (Bol) (from The Reluctant Fundamentalist soundtrack, 8/29/12) ^PG
Everybird (from Birds Like Us soundtrack, 5/5/17) ^PG

i/o

Peter Gabriel

Released: December 1, 2023

Peak: 99 US, 1¹ UK, 80 CN, 20 AU, 1¹ DF Click for codes to charts.

Sales (in millions): --

Genre: rock

Rating:

3.734 out of 5.00 (average of 24 ratings)

Awards:

(Click on award to learn more).

Tracks:

Panopticom (1/6/23, 27 DF)
The Court (2/5/23, 30 DF)
Playing for Time (3/7/23)
i/o (4/6/23, 9 DF)
Four Kinds of Horses (5/5/23)
Road to Joy (6/4/23, 21 DF)
So Much (7/3/23)
Olive Tree (8/1/23)
Love Can Heal (8/31/23)
This Is Home (9/29/23)
And Still (10/28/23)
Live and Let Live (11/27/23)

Total Running Time: 68:09

Also from This Era

Here It Is (from Here It Is: A Tribute to Leonard Cohen, 10/14/22)

About the Album:

Peter Gabriel’s first album of new material was nearly 20 years in the making. The title, i/o, is a reference both to the term “input/output” and one of the moons of Jupiter. In keeping with the moon theme, Gabriel released a new song each month during 2023 in conjunction with each full moon, culminating with the full album release in December.

o/i

Peter Gabriel

Recorded: April 1995-November 2025

Released: by end of 2026

Peak: -- Click for codes to charts.

Sales (in millions): --

Genre: rock

Tracks (so far):

Been Undone (1/3/26)
Put the Bucket Down (2/1/26)
What Lies Ahead (3/3/26)
Till Your Mind Is Shining (4/2/26)
Won’t Stand Down (5/1/26)

About the Album:

o/i is intended for release by the end of 2026. As with previous album i/o (2023), Gabriel is releasing a new song every month in conjunction with each full moon. The material was recorded at roughly the same time as i/o and Up (2002) with initial production going back as far as 1995.

Resources/References:

^AM AllMusic.com bio by Bruce Eder
^WK Wikipedia page for Peter Gabriel

Acts’ Profile Pages and Best-of Lists

2026-05-11T07:09:00.000-05:00

Acts:

Profile Pages and Best-of Lists

This page lists those acts who have devoted pages within Dave’s Music Database. Such pages highlight the acts’ discography, focusing primarily on the studio albums and significant songs from them. Some of these pages are specifically devoted to compilations released by the act, highlighting the songs featured on the different compilations with a retrospective that highlights all the studio efforts released within the covered years. You can see an act’s profile page by clicking on the name of the act.

This page also indicates those acts which have best-of lists featured within Dave’s Music Database. The majority of these lists are focused on songs by featured acts, but there are also some lists devoted to albums. Sometimes the best-of lists incorporate related artists. For example, a best-of Fleetwood Mac list includes songs not just by the group but solo efforts as well. Click on the word SONGS after an act to see its song list and ALBUMS to see its album list.

Adele – songs
Aha – songs
Damon Albarn – songs
Tori Amos – songs
Arcade Fire – songs
Louis Armstrong – songs
Asia - songs

Burt Bacharach – songs
David Baerwald
Bangles – songs
Jeff Barry – songs
Dave Bartholomew – songs
Eric Bazilian – songs
The Beach Boys – songs
The Beatles – songs, albums
Jeff Beck – songs
Bee Gees – songs
Pat Benatar – songs
Irving Berlin - songs
Chuck Berry – songs
Beyoncé – songs
Black Sabbath – songs
Boston
David Bowie – songs, albums
Garth Brooks – songs
James Brown songs
Lindsey Buckingham – songs
Henry Burr – songs
The Byrds

Mariah Carey – songs
Paul Carrack – songs
Johnny Cash
Ray Charles – songs
Chicago
Desmond Child – songs
Eric Clapton songs, albums
Gene Clark
Michael Clarke
George M. Cohan – songs
Leonard Cohen – songs
Arthur Collins – songs
Phil Collins songs
Commodores – songs
Chris Cornell – songs
Elvis Costello – songs, albums
Bing Crosby songs
David Crosby – songs
Crosby, Stills & Nash – songs
Sheryl Crow – songs
Crowded House – songs
Justin Currie – songs

Hal David – songs
Miles Davis
Def Leppard – songs
Del Amitri - songs
Destiny’s Child – songs
Buddy DeSylva – songs
Dennis DeYoung songs
Neil Diamond – songs
Chris Difford – songs
Ronnie James Dio – songs
The Doors – songs
Tommy Dorsey – songs
Dr. Luke – songs
Drake – songs
Bob Dylan – songs, albums

Eagles – songs
Duke Ellington – songs
Eminem – songs
Brian Eno – albums
Melissa Etheridge
Eurythmics – songs

Peter Gabriel – songs
Marvin Gaye – songs
Genesis – songs
George Gershwin – songs
Ira Gershwin – songs
Kevin Gilbert – songs
Giraffe
Gerry Goffin – songs
Benny Goodman – songs
Green Day – songs
Ellie Greenwich – songs
Guns N’ Roses – songs

Oscar Hammerstein II – songs
Byron Harlan – songs
Jimi Hendrix songs
Don Henley – songs
Chris Hillman
Holland-Dozier-Holland – songs
Buddy Holly
Hooters – songs
Whitney Houston – songs

I-J

Joe Jackson
The Jackson 5/The Jacksons – songs
Michael Jackson – songs
Jay-Z – songs
Jimmy Jam – songs
Jefferson Airplane/Jefferson Starship
Billy Joel – songs
Elton John – songs
George Jones – songs
Journey – songs
Quincy Jones – songs

Jerome Kern – songs
The Killers – songs
Carole King – songs
Kiss – songs

Mutt Lange – songs, albums
Led Zeppelin – songs, albums
Jerry Leiber – songs
John Lennon – songs
Annie Lennox – songs
Jerry Lee Lewis – songs
Terry Lewis – songs
Frank Loesser – songs
Guy Lombardo – songs
Lyle Lovett – songs
Loretta Lynn – songs
Lynyrd Skynyrd – songs

M-N

Madonna – songs
Manic Street Preachers
Barry Mann – songs
Marillion: The Fish Era (1981-1988) and Marillion: The Hogarth Era (1989-2022) – songs, albums
Bob Marley
Maroon 5
Max Martin – songs
Paul McCartney – songs
Roger McGuinn
Christine McVie – songs
John Mellencamp – songs
Metallica – songs
Mike + the Mechanics – songs
Glenn Miller – songs
The Miracles – songs
Joni Mitchell – songs
The Moody Blues
Morrissey – songs
Billy Murray – songs

N-O

Graham Nash – songs
Willie Nelson – songs
Olivia Newton-John – songs
Stevie Nicks – songs
Oasis – songs
Sinéad O’Connor – songs
Ozzy Osbourne – songs

Q-R

Queen – songs, albums
Radiohead – songs
The Rainmakers songs
Phil Ramone
Red Hot Chili Peppers – songs
Lou Reed – songs, albums
R.E.M. – songs
Lionel Richie – songs
Rihanna – songs
Smokey Robinson – songs
Richard Rodgers – songs
Kenny Rogers – songs
The Rolling Stones, 1962-1971, 1972-2002 – songs, albums
Linda Ronstadt – songs
Diana Ross – songs
Rick Rubin – albums
Rush – songs, albums

Carole Bayer Sager – songs
Tommy Shaw – songs
Ed Sheeran – songs
Simon & Garfunkel – songs
Paul Simon – songs
Simple Minds – songs
Frank Sinatra – songs
Slash
Smashing Pumpkins – songs
The Smiths – songs
Soundgarden – songs
Phil Spector – songs
Split Enz – songs
Bruce Springsteen – songs, albums
Squeeze – songs
Starship
Jim Steinman – songs
Rod Stewart – songs
Stephen Stills – songs
Sting – songs
Mike Stoller – songs
Stone Temple Pilots – songs
Barbra Streisand – songs
Styx – songs
Donna Summer – songs
Supertramp
The Supremes – songs
Taylor Swift – songs

T-U

Tears for Fears – songs
Glenn Tilbrook – songs
Tuesday Night Music Club
Tina Turner – songs
Shania Twain – songs
U2 – songs

V-W

Velvet Underground – songs, albums
Harry Von Tilzer – songs
Bob Walkenhorst – songs
Diane Warren – songs
Roger Waters songs
Cynthia Weil – songs
Scott Weiland – songs
Jann Wenner
Jack White – songs
The White Stripes – songs
Paul Whiteman – songs
The Who – songs, albums
Steve Winwood
Stevie Wonder – songs
Eric Woolfson

X-Y-Z

Resources/Related Links:

Dave’s Music Database: “Top 100 Acts of All Time” (groups + individual music makers)
Dave’s Music Database: “All-Time Top 100 Groups”

First posted 6/4/2022; last updated 5/11/2026.

Pulitzer Prize

2026-05-05T22:15:00.000-05:00

Pulitzer Prize:

Special Awards and Citations for Musicians

The Pulitzer is an award best known for honoring excellence in journalism, but they also award excellence in the arts. Just over a dozen musicians have been honored through the years with special awards. While this page has been updated through 2026, the most recent recipient is Aretha Franklin in 2019.

See other lifetime achievement awards.

Resources/Related Links:

Dave’s Music Database: “Lifetime Achievement Awards”
Pulitzer.org: Prize Winners by Year
RollingStone.com (4/15/2019). “Aretha Franklin Posthumously Awarded Pulitzer Prize Special Citation”

First posted 4/12/2010; last updated 5/4/2026.

The Top 1000 Music Makers of All Time

2026-05-03T21:46:00.000-05:00

Music Makers:

Top 1000 All-Time

There are plenty of best-of lists focused on the greatest artists or acts of all time. There are also specialized lists that look at best singers, songwriters, composers, producers, guitarists, bassists, drummers, keyboardists, pianists, etc. In fact, the DMDB has put together many such specialized lists. The intent of this list, however, is to compile a list of all different kinds of music makers, i.e., anyone involved in making music, under one banner. This list of 1000 individual music makers (no groups or duos included) covers the gamut of eras, genres, and various contributions to music. Note: individuals with groups named after them are included (examples: Tom Petty of Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, Charles Adams Prince of Prince’s Orchestra).

This is NOT a ranked list; rather, this is just an alphabetical presentation of the top 1000 music makers. Click here to see a list of the top 100 acts of all time. Click on an individual’s name to see his or her DMDB encyclopedia entry.

See other lists of Acts/Music Makers by Categories.

A

Aaliyah (R&B singer: “Try Again,” “Rock the Boat”)
Paula Abdul (pop singer/dancer: “Straight Up,” “Opposites Attract”)
Roy Acuff (country singer: “Wabash Cannonball”)
Bryan Adams (rock singer: “Everything I Do I Do It for You,” “Summer of ‘69”)
Adele (British blue-eyed soul singer: “Rolling in the Deep,” “Someone Like You”)

Adele
Richard Adler (musical theater composer: The Pajama Game, Damn Yankees)
Christina Aguilera (pop singer: “Genie in a Bottle,” “Beautiful”)
Damon Albarn (Britpop singer with Blur and Gorillaz)
Steve Albini (producer: Nirvana, Pixies)
Jason Aldean (country singer: “Burnin’ It Down”)
Rick Allen (drummer: Def Leppard: “Photograph,” “Pour Some Sugar on Me”)
Jerry Allison (drummer: Buddy Holly & the Crickets)
Duane Allman (blues-rock guitarist with the Allman Brothers Band: At the Fillmore East, “Whipping Post”)
Gregg Allman (blues-rock singer and keyboardist with the Allman Brothers Band: “Ramblin’ Man,” At the Fillmore East)
Herb Alpert (record executive, composer, and trumpeter: “Rise”)
Jeff Ament (grunge-rock bassist with Green River, Mother Love Bone, and Pearl Jam: “Alive,” “Jeremy”)
Tori Amos (singer/songwriter and pianist: “Silent All These Years,” “Cornflake Girl”)
Bill Anderson (country singer)
Jon Anderson (rock singer with Yes: “Roundabout,” “Owner of a Lonely Heart”)
Lynn Anderson (country singer: “I Never Promised You a Rose Garden”)
Benny Andersson (member of Abba: “Dancing Queen,” “Waterloo”)
Paul Anka (Canadian pop singer: “Diana”)
Adam Ant (British new wave singer: “Goody Two Shoes”)
Dee Anthony (manager: Tony Bennett and Peter Frampton)
Michael Anthony (rock bassist with Van Halen: “Runnin’ with the Devil,” “Jump”)
Ray Anthony (jazz/big band leader: “The Bunny Hop,” “Hokey Pokey,” “Dragnet”)
Don Arden (manager: Black Sabbath)
Harold Arlen (songwriter: “Over the Rainbow,” “Stormy Weather”)
Billie Joe Armstrong (punk-rock singer and guitarist with Green Day: “Boulevard of Broken Dreams,” “Longview,” “Time of Your Life”)
Louis Armstrong (jazz singer and trumpeter: “West End Blues,” “What a Wonderful World,” “Hello Dolly!”)

Louis Armstrong
Gus Arnheim (pianist and bandleader: “Sweet and Lovely”)
Eddy Arnold (country singer: “Make the World Go Away”)
Nickolas Ashford (R&B singer/songwriter: “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough,” “Solid”)
Fred Astaire (tap dancer, actor, and singer: “Night and Day,” “Cheek to Cheek”)
Chet Atkins (country guitarist and producer)
Gene Austin (singer: “Yes Sir That’s My Baby,” “Five Foot Two, Eyes of Blue”)
Gene Autry (country singer/songwriter, guitarist and actor: “Back in the Saddle Again”)
Frankie Avalon (pop singer: “Venus”)
Clarence Avant (record executive)
Mick Avory (drummer, The Kinks: “You Really Got Me”)
Irving Azoff (record executive and music manager)
B
Babyface (R&B singer/songwriter: “When Can I See You”)
Johann Sebastian Bach (classical composer: Brandenburg Concertos)
Burt Bacharach (pianist, producer, and composer: “Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head,” “They Long to Be Close to You”)
Bad Bunny (Puerto Rican rapper: “Dakiti,” “Tití Me Preguntó”)
David Baerwald (rock singer/songwriter: “Welcome to the Boomtown”)
Joan Baez (folk singer)
Anita Baker (R&B singer: “Giving You the Best That You Got”)
Ginger Baker (rock drummer with Cream: “Sunshine of Your Love”)
LaVern Baker (R&B singer: “Tweedle Dee,” “Jim Dandy”)
Florence Ballard (R&B singer with the Supremes: “Stop! In the Name of Love”)
Hank Ballard (R&B singer with the Midniters: “Work with Me Annie”)
Tony Banks (rock drummer with Genesis: The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway, “Invisible Touch”)
Bobby Bare (country singer/songwriter: “500 Miles”)
Sara Bareilles (pop singer: “Love Song”)
Syd Barrett (psychedelic-rock singer and guitarist with Pink Floyd: Piper at the Gates of Dawn)
Jeff Barry (songwriter: “Be My Baby,” “Leader of the Pack,” “Chapel of Love”)
Dave Bartholomew (songwriter with Fats Domino: “Ain’t That a Shame”)
Béla Bartók (classical composer and pianist: The String Quartets)
Count Basie (jazz big band leader: “One O’Clock Jump”)
Jeff “Skunk” Baxter (rock guitarist: Steely Dan, Doobie Brothers)
Nora Bayes (vaudevillian singer: “Shine on, Harvest Moon”)
Frank Beard (rock drummer with ZZ Top: “La Grange,” “Tush”)
Beck (alternative rock singer/songwriter: “Loser,” Odelay)
Jeff Beck (rock guitarist with the Yardbirds, Jeff Beck Group, and the Honeydrippers)
Ludwig Van Beethoven (classical composer and pianist: “Symphony No. 9”)

Ludwig Van Beethoven
Harry Belafonte (singer and actor: “Banana Boat (Day O)”)
Pat Benatar (rock singer: “Ht Me with Your Best Shot”)
Tex Beneke (jazz big band leader: “Chattanooga Choo Choo”)
Tony Bennett (traditional pop singer: “I Left My Heart in San Francisco”)
George Benson (R&B/jazz singer and guitarist: “This Masquerade,” “Turn Your Love Around”)
Dierks Bentley (country singer: “Drunk on a Plane”)
Brook Benton (R&B singer: “Rainy Night in Georgia”)
Irving Berlin (composer and lyricist: “White Christmas,” “God Bless America”)
Hector Berlioz (classical composer: Symphonie Fantasique)
Ben Bernie (vaudeville performer: “Sweet Georgia Brown,” “Ain’t She Sweet”)
Leonard Bernstein (musical theater composer: West Side Story)
Bill Berry (rock drummer with R.E.M.: “Radio Free Europe,” “Losing My Religion”)
Chuck Berry (rock singer and guitarist: “Johnny B. Goode”)
Guy Berryman (rock bassist with Coldplay: “Yellow,” “Viva La Vida”)
Dickey Betts (rock guitarist with Allman Brothers Band: At Fillmore East)
Beyoncé (R&B/pop singer: “Crazy in Love,” “Single Ladies”)

Beyoncé
Justin Bieber (pop singer: “Baby,” “Sorry,” “Love Yourself”)
John Bieling (tenor singer in the Haydn Quartet and American Quartet, “In the Sweet Bye and Bye”)
Roy Bittan (rock keyboardist with Bruce Springsteen: “Born to Run,” Born in the U.S.A.)
Björk (Icelandic alternative-rock singer: Debut, Post, Vespertine)
Bill Black (rock bassist with Elvis Presley & Bill Black’s Combo)
Clint Black (country singer: Killin’ Time)
Ritchie Blackmore (rock guitarist with Deep Purple and Rainbow)
Chris Blackwell (record executive with Island Records)
Otis Blackwell (rock songwriter: “Great Balls of Fire,” “Don’t Be Cruel”)
Bobby “Blue” Bland (R&B/blues singer: “Further on Up the Road”)
Mary J. Blige (R&B singer: “Family Affair,” “Be Without You”)
Jerry Bock (musical theater composer: Fiddler on the Roof)
Neil Bogart (record executive with Casablanca and Boardwalk)
Marc Bolan (glam-rock singer and guitarist with T-Rex: “Bang a Gong”)
Trevor Bolder (rock bassist with David Bowie & Uriah Heep)
Michael Bolton (pop singer: Time, Love, and Tenderness)
John “Bonzo” Bonham (rock drummer with Led Zeppelin: “Whole Lotta Love,” “Stairway to Heaven”)
Jon Bon Jovi (rock singer/songwriter with Bon Jovi: “Livin’ on a Prayer”)
Bono (rock singer/songwriter with U2: “Sunday Bloody Sunday,” “With Or Without You”)
Pat Boone (pop singer: “Love Letters in the Sand”)
Connee Boswell (singer with the Boswell Sisters: “I Found a Million Dollar Baby”)
David Bowie (rock singer: “Space Oddity,” “Fame,” “Let’s Dance”)

David Bowie
Owen Bradley (country singer and producer)
Johannes Brahms (German classical composer: Symphony No. 4 in E minor)
Brandy (R&B singer: “The Boy Is Mine”)
Scooter Braun (record executive and manager: Justin Bieber, Ariana Grande)
Toni Braxton (R&B singer: “Un-Break My Heart”)
Teresa Brewer (pop singer: “Music! Music! Music!”)
Garth Brooks (country singer: “Friends in Low Places,” “The Dance”)
Chris Brown (R&B singer: “Run It!,” “No Air”)
James Brown (R&B singer: “I Feel Good,” “Papa’s Got a Brand New Bag”)
Ruth Brown (blues singer: “Mama, He Treats Your Daughter Mean”)
Jackson Browne (rock singer/songwriter: “Running on Empty”)
Dave Brubeck (jazz pianist and bandleader: “Take Five”)
Jack Bruce (blues-rock bassist with Cream: “Sunshine of Your Love”)
Bill Bruford (rock drummer with Yes and King Crimson)
David Bryan (rock keyboardist with Bon Jovi: “Livin’ on a Prayer,” “You Give Love a Bad Name”)
Luke Bryan (country singer: Crash My Party)
Boudleaux Bryant (songwriter: “Bye Bye Love,” Wake Up Little Susie,” “All I Have to Do Is Dream”)
Felice Bryant (songwriter: “Bye Bye Love,” “Wake Up Little Susie”)
Peabo Bryson (R&B singer: “Beauty and the Beast,” “A Whole New World”)
Michael Bublé (Canadian jazz singer: “Haven’t Met You Yet”)
Peter Buck (rock guitarist with R.E.M.: “Radio Free Europe,” “Losing My Religion”)
Lindsey Buckingham (rock singer/songwriter and guitarist with Fleetwood Mac: “Go Your Own Way”)
Jonny Buckland (rock guitarist with Coldplay: “Yellow,” “Viva La Vida”)
Jeff Buckley (alternative rock singer: “Hallelujah,” Grace)
Jimmy Buffett (rock singer/songwriter: “Margaritaville”)
T-Bone Burnett (producer/songwriter: O Brother, Where Art Thou? soundtrack)
Henry Burr (Canadian singer: “I Wonder Who’s Kissing Her Now”)

Henry Burr
James Burton (rock guitarist with Ricky Nelson and Elvis Presley)
Kate Bush (alternative-rock singer/songwriter: “Running Up That Hill,” “Wuthering Heights”)
Busta Rhymes (rap singer: “Scenario”)
Geezer Butler (rock bassist with Black Sabbath: “Paranoid,” “Iron Man”)
Jerry Butler (R&B singer/songwriter: “Only the Strong Survive”)
David Byrne (Scottish singer/songwriter with Talking Heads: “Once in a Lifetime,” “Burning Down the House”)
C
Jonathan Cain (rock keyboardist with the Babys, Journey, and Bad English)
John Cale (experimental rock singer/songwriter and musician with Velvet Underground, also a producer)
Cab Calloway (jazz big band leader: “Minnie the Moocher”)
Matt Cameron (rock drummer with Soundgarden and Pearl Jam)
Albert Campbell (singer with Peerless Quartet and Sterling Trio, duo with Henry Burr: “Till We Meet Again”)
Glen Campbell (country singer/songwriter: “Wichita Lineman,” “Rhinestone Cowboy”)
Eddie Cantor (singer: “If You Knew Susie,” “Makin’ Whoopee”)
Captain Beefheart (experimental rock singer: Trout Mask Replica)
Cardi B (rapper: “Bodak Yellow (Money Moves),” “I Like It,” “WAP”)
Mariah Carey (pop singer: “Vision of Love,” “One Sweet Day,” “We Belong Together”)

Mariah Carey
Belinda Carlisle (singer with The Go-Go’s: “We Got the Beat” and as a solo artist: “Heaven Is a Place on Earth”)
Kim Carnes (pop singer: “Bette Davis Eyes”)
Karen Carpenter (pop singer/drummer in the Carpenters: “They Long to Be Close to You,” “Top of the World”)
Paul Carrack (pop singer with Ace: “How Long,” Squeeze: “Tempted,” and Mike + the Mechanics: “The Living Years,” also a solo artist: “Don’t Shed a Tear”)
Enrico Caruso operatic tenor: “Vesti La Giubba”)
Johnny Cash (country singer: “I Walk the Line,” “Ring of Fire”)
Nick Cave (Australian rock singer and guitarist: “Into My Arms”)
Peter Cetera (rock singer with Chicago: “If You Leave Me Now,” “Hard to Say I’m Sorry;” also a solo artist: “Glory of Love”)
Will Champion (rock drummer with Coldplay: “Yellow,” “Viva La Vida”)
Gene Chandler (R&B singer: “Duke of Earl”)
Tracy Chapman (folk-rock singer: “Fast Car”)
Ray Charles (R&B singer: “What’d I Say,” “Georgia on My Mind”)

Ray Charles
Chubby Checker (R&B singer: “The Twist”)
Cher (singer in duo with Sonny: “I Got You Babe,” also a solo artist: “If I Could Turn Back Time,” “Believe”)
Kenny Chesney (country singer: “The Good Stuff”)
Leonard Chess (record executive)
Phil Chess (record executive)
Desmond Child (rock songwriter: Kiss “I Was Made for Lovin’ You,” Bon Jovi “You Give Love a Bad Name” and “Livin’ on a Prayer,” Aerosmith “Dude Looks Like a Lady”)
Frederic Chopin (classical composer and pianist: Polonaise Miltaire, Nocturnes for Piano)
Charlie Christian (jazz guitarist with Benny Goodman)
Eric Clapton (blues-rock guitarist and singer with the Yardbirds: “For Your Love,” Cream: “Sunshine of Your Love,” and Derek + the Dominos: “Layla;” also a solo singer: “I Shot the Sheriff,” “Tears in Heaven”)

Eric Clapton
Dick Clark (host of American Bandstand)
Petula Clark (pop singer: “Downtown”)
Steve Clark (rock guitarist with Def Leppard: Pyromania, Hysteria)
Kelly Clarkson (first winner of American Idol, “Since U Been Gone”)
Adam Clayton (rock bassist with U2: “Sunday Bloody Sunday,” “With Or Without You”)
Patsy Cline (country singer: “Crazy,” “I Fall to Pieces”)
George Clinton (funk singer/songwriter with Parliament/Funkadelic)
Larry Clinton (jazz/big band leader and trumpeter: “Deep Purple”)
Rosemary Clooney (traditional pop singer: “Tenderly”)
Kurt Cobain (rock singer/songwriter and guitarist with Nirvana: “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” “All Apologies”)
Eddie Cochran (rock singer and guitarist: “Summertime Blues”)
Joe Cocker (blue-eyed soul singer: “You Are So Beautiful,” “Up Where We Belong”)
George M. Cohan (songwriter: “You’re a Grand Old Flag,” “Over There”)
Leonard Cohen (folk-rock singer/songwriter: “Hallelujah”)
J. Cole (rap singer: 2014 Forest Hills Drive)
Nat “King” Cole (traditional pop singer: “Mona Lisa,” “The Christmas Song,” “Nature Boy”)

Nat “King” Cole
Natalie Cole (R&B singer: “Unforgettable”)
Phil Collen (rock guitarist with Def Leppard: Pyromania, Hysteria)
Arthur Collins (vaudeville and minstrel performer: “Hello Ma Baby,” “Bill Bailey Won’t You Come Home”)
Bootsy Collins (R&B bassist with James Brown and Funkadelic)
Phil Collins (rock singer and drummer with Genesis: “Misunderstanding,” “Invisible Touch;” also a solo singer: “In the Air Tonight,” “Against All Odds”)
John Coltrane (jazz musician: A Love Supreme)
Sean (“Puff Daddy” aka “P.Diddy” and “Diddy”) Combs (rap singer: “I’ll Be Missing You,” record executive)
Perry Como (traditional pop crooner: “Till the End of Time,” “Some Enchanted Evening”)
Sam Cooke (R&B singer: “You Send Me,” “A Change Is Gonna Come”)
Alice Cooper (rock singer: “I’m Eighteen,” “School’s Out”)
Miles Copeland III (I.R.S. record executive, worked with the Bangles and The Go-Go’s)
Stewart Copeland (rock drummer with the Police: “Roxanne,” “Every Breath You Take”)
Aaron Copland (classical composer: “Fanfare for the Common Man,” “Appalachian Spring”)
Don Cornelius (TV personality: Soul Train)
Chris Cornell (rock singer with Soundgarden, Temple of the Dog, and Audioslave)
Elvis Costello (new-wave/pop singer: “Alison,” “Watching the Detectives,” “Veronica”)
David Coverdale (rock singer/songwriter with Deep Purple and Whitesnake: “Here I Go Again”)
Simon Cowell (judge on TV talent show American Idol and others)
Robert Cray (blues-rock singer: Strong Persuader)
Peter Criss (rock drummer with Kiss: “Rock and Roll All Nite,” “Beth”)
Steve Cropper (blues guitarist with Booker T & the MG’s)
Bing Crosby (pop crooner: “Pennies from Heaven,” “White Christmas”)

Bing Crosby
Bob Crosby (jazz/big band leader: “In a Little Gypsy Tea Room,” “Whispers in the Dark”)
David Crosby (folk-rock singer/songwriter with the Byrds and Crosby, Stills & Nash)
Christopher Cross (pop singer/songwriter: “Sailing,” “Ride Like the Wind”)
Sheryl Crow (rock singer/songwriter: “All I Wanna Do”)
Frank Croxton (singer with the Columbia Stellar Quartet, Peerless Quartet, and American Quartet)
Frank Crumit (singer/songwriter: “Oh! By Jingo! Oh! By Gee!”)
Sonny Curtis (rock guitarist with Buddy Holly & the Crickets)
Billy Ray Cyrus (country singer: “Achy Breaky Heart”)
Miley Cyrus (pop singer: “Party in the U.S.A.,” “Wrecking Ball”)
D
Chuck D (rap singer/songwriter with Public Enemy: “Fight the Power”)
Roger Daltrey (rock singer with the Who: “My Generation,” “Won’t Get Fooled Again”)
Vic Damone (singer: “You’re Breaking My Heart”)
Charlie Daniels (country singer and fiddle player: “The Devil Went Down to Georgia”)
Terence Trent D’Arby (R&B singer/songwriter and musician: “Wishing Well”)
Bobby Darin (pop singer: “Splish Splash,” “Mack the Knife”)
Hal David (songwriter: “Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head,” “They Long to Be Close to You”)
Dave Davies (rock guitarist with the Kinks: “You Really Got Me,” “Lola”)
Ray Davies (rock singer with the Kinks: “You Really Got Me,” “Lola,” “Come Dancing”)
Clive Davis (record producer and executive with Arista Records, J Records, RCA)
Miles Davis (jazz trumpeter: Kind of Blue, Bitches Brew)

Miles Davis
Sammy Davis, Jr. (pop singer: “What Kind of Fool Am I?”)
Doris Day (actress and singer: “Sentimental Journey”)
John Deacon (rock bassist with Queen: “Bohemian Rhapsody,” “Another One Bites the Dust”)
Tony Defries (music manager: David Bowie)
John Densmore (rock drummer with the Doors: “Light My Fire,” “Hello, I Love You”)
John Denver (pop/country singer/songwriter: “Take Me Home, Country Roads,” “Sunshine on My Shoulders”)
Buddy DeSylva (record executive and songwriter: “April Showers,” “Sonny Boy”)
Dennis DeYoung (rock singer and keyboardist with Styx: “Babe,” “Come Sail Away”)
Neil Diamond (singer/songwriter: “Sweet Caroline,” “Love on the Rocks”)
Bo Diddley (blues singer and guitarist: “I’m a Man,” “Who Do You Love”)
Chris Difford (new wave singer/songwriter with Squeeze: “Cool for Cats,” “Tempted,” “Hourglass”)
Ronnie James Dio (heavy-metal singer and bassist with Black Sabbath and Dio)
Dion (pop/doo-wop singer with the Belmonts: “A Teenager in Love” and a solo artist: “Runaround Sue”)
Céline Dion (Canadian pop singer: “My Heart Will Go On,” “The Power of Love”)
Mike Dirnt (punk rock bassist with Green Day: Dookie, American Idiot)
Walt Disney (founder of Disney, best known for feature-length, animated musicals: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Pinocchio)
Willie Dixon (blues bassist and songwriter: “Hoochie Coochie Man,” “I Just Want to Make Love to You”)
Doja Cat (rap singer: “Say So,” “Paint the Town Red”)
Fats Domino (R&B/early rock-n-roll signer: “Ain’t That a Shame,” “Blueberry Hill”)

Fats Domino
Donovan (folk-rock singer/songwriter: “Mellow Yellow,” ‘Sunshine Superman”)
Jimmy Dorsey (bandleader: “Amapola,” “Green Eyes,” “Tangerine,” “Besame Mucho”)
Tommy Dorsey (jazz trombonist and bandleader: “All the Things You Are,” “I’ll Never Smile Again”)
Tom Dowd (producer who wored with John Coltrane, Aretha Franklin, and Ray Charles)
Geoff Downes (rock keyboardist with the Buggles, Yes, and Asia)
Lamont Dozier (songwriter for Motown: “Stop! In the Name of Love,” “Reach Out! I’ll Be There”)
Drake (Canadian rapper: “One Dance,” “God’s Plan”)
Nick Drake (folk singer: Five Leaves Left, Bryter Layter, Pink Moon)
Dr. Dre (rap singer/songwriter and record executive, with N.W.A. and a solo artist: “Nuthin’ But a ‘G’ Thang”)
Dr. Luke (pop songwriter and producer: Kelly Clarkson “Since U Been Gone,” Katy Perry “I Kissed a Girl” and “California Gurls,” Miley Cyrus “Party in the U.S.A.,” Maroon 5 “Sugar”)
Eddy Duchin (jazz pianist and bandleader: “Let’s Fall in Love,” “You Are My Lucky Star”)
S.H. Dudley (rock drummer with Jeff Beck Group and Journey)
Aynsley Dunbar (singer with the Haydn Quartet and American Quartet; also a solo artist)
Donald “Duck” Dunn (R&B bassist with Booker T. & the MG’s, Otis Redding, and Sam & Dave)
Antonin Dvorák (classical composer: Symphony No 9 in E minor: From the New World)
Bob Dylan (folk-rock singer/songwriter: “Like a Rolling Stone,” “Blowin’ in the Wind,” “The Times They Are A-Changin’”)

Bob Dylan

E
Nathan East (jazz/rock/R&B bassist; worked with Eric Clapton, Herbie Hancock, Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, and others)
Fred Ebb (musical theater composer: Cabaret, All That Jazz)
Bob Eberly (traditional pop singer who worked with Jimmy Dorsey)
Billy Eckstine (jazz bandleader: “I Apologize,” “My Foolish Heart”)
Duane Eddy (rock guitarist: “Because They’re Young,” “Rebel Rouser”)
The Edge (rock guitarist with U2: “Sunday Bloody Sunday,” “With Or Without You”)
Dave Edmunds (Welsh rock singer/songwriter: “I Hear You Knocking” and producer)
Bernard Edwards (R&B bassist and producer: Chic, The Power Station)
Cliff (“Ukelele Ike”) Edwards (singer: “When You Wish Upon a Star,” “I Can’t Give You Anything But Love”)
Billie Eilish (pop/alternative singer/songwriter: “Bad Guy,” “What Was I Made For”)
Edward Elgar (classical composer: “Pomp and Circumstance”)
Duke Ellington (jazz pianist and composer: “It Don’t Mean a Thing if It Ain’t Got That Swing,” “Take the ‘A’ Train”)
Joe Elliott (rock singer with Def Leppard: “Photograph,” “Pour Some Sugar on Me”)
Missy “Misdemeanor” Elliott (R&B singer/rapper: “Get Ur Freak On,” “Work It”)
Eminem (rapper: “Lose Yourself,” “Stan,” “Love the Way You Lie”)

Eminem
Brian Eno (rock keyboardist with Roxy Music, producer: David Bowie, Coldplay, U2)
John Entwistle (rock bassist with the Who: “My Generation,” “Won’t Get Fooled Again”)
Brian Epstein (manager for the Beatles)
Ahmet Ertegun (record executive and producer with Atlantic Records)
Nesuhi Ertegun (record executive and producer with Atlantic Records)
Gloria Estefan (Cuban pop singer: “Conga,” “Rhythm Is Gonna Get You”)
Melissa Etheridge (rock singer/songwriter: “Bring Me Some Water,” “Come to My Window”)
Ruth Etting (actress and singer: “Love Me or Leave Me”)
Don Everly (rock singer with the Everly Brothers: “Bye Bye Love,” “Wake Up Little Susie,” “All I Have to Do Is Dream”)
Phil Everly (rock singer with the Everly Brothers: “Bye Bye Love,” “Wake Up Little Susie,” “All I Have to Do Is Dream”)
Bob Ezrin (producer: Pink Floyd, Kiss, Alice Cooper)
F
Donald Fagen (jazz-rock singer/songwriter and keyboardist with Steely Dan: “Reeling in the Years,” “Rikki Don’t Lose That Number”)
Don Felder (rock guitarist with the Eagles: Hotel California)
Fergie (pop singer with the Black Eyed Peas: “Boom Boom Pow,” “I Gotta Feeling” and a solo singer: “Big Girls Don’t Cry (Personal)”)
Bryan Ferry (singer/songwriter and musician with Roxy Music: “Love Is the Drug” and a solo singer: “Slave to Love”)
Dorothy Fields (songwriter: “I’m in the Mood for Love,” “The Way You Look Tonight”)
Shep Fields (bandleader: “That Old Feeling,” “Thanks for the Memory”)
50 Cent (rapper: “In Da Club,” “Candy Shop”)
Neil Finn (new wave/pop singer/songwriter with Split Enz: “I Got You,” Crowded House: “Don’t Dream It’s Over,” and a solo artist)
Tim Finn (new-wave singer/songwriter and musician with Split Enz: “I See Red,” “Six Months in a Leaky Boat,” and a solo artist)
Fish (prog-rock singer with Marillion: “Kayleigh;” also a solo artist: “Cliché”)
Eddie Fisher (pop singer: I’m Walking Behind You,” “O Mein Papa”)
Ella Fitzgerald (jazz singer: “A-Tisket, A-Tasket,” Sings the Cole Porter Songbook)

Ella Fitzgerald
Roberta Flack (R&B/pop singer: “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face,” “Killing Me Softly with His Song”)
Flea (rock bassist with Red Hot Chili Peppers: “Give It Away,” “Under the Bridge”)
Mick Fleetwood (blues-rock drummer, founder of Fleetwood Mac: “Go Your Own Way,” “Dreams”)
Flo Rida (rapper: “Low,” “Right Round”)
John Fogerty (rock singer and guitarist with Creedence Clearwater Revival: “Proud Mary,” “Bad Moon Rising”)
Red Foley (country singer: “Chattanoogie Shoe Shine Boy,” “Peace in the Valley”)
DJ Fontana (rock drummer with Elvis Presley: “Heartbreak Hotel,” “Hound Dog,” “Don’t Be Cruel”)
Tennessee Ernie Ford (country singer: “Sixteen Tons”)
Mary Ford (singer: “How High the Moon,” “Vaya Con Dios”)
David Foster (producer and songwriter: “Hard to Say I’m Sorry,” “St. Elmo’s Fire (Man in Motion)”)
Stephen Foster (songwriter: “Oh Susanna,” “Camptown Races,” “The Old Folks at Home,” “My Old Kentucky Home”)
Peter Frampton (rock singer and guitarist: Frampton Comes Alive!)
Connie Francis (pop singer: “Who’s Sorry Now”)
Aretha Franklin (R&B singer: “Respect,” “You Make Me Feel Like a Natural Woman”)

Aretha Franklin
Michael Franti (alt-rock singer/songwriter: “The Sound of Sunshine,” “Everyone Deserves Music”)
Chris Frantz (new wave drummer with Talking Heads: “Once in a Lifetime,” “Burning Down the House”)
Alan Freed (radio DJ credited with coining term “rock and roll”)
Ace Frehley (rock guitarist with Kiss: “Rock and Roll All Nite,” “Beth”)
Glenn Frey (country-rock singer/songwriter and guitarist with the Eagles: “Take It Easy,” and a solo artist: “The Heat Is On,” “You Belong to the City”)
Lefty Frizzell (country singer: “If You’ve Got the Money, I’ve Got the Time,” “Long Black Veil”)
Nelly Furtado (Canadian pop singer: “I’m Like a Bird,” “Promiscuous”)
G
Kenny G (jazz saxophonist: Breathless)
Milt Gabler (record executive with Commodore and Decca Records)
Peter Gabriel (progressive-rock singer with Genesis: The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway and a solo artist: “Solsbury Hill,” “Sledgehammer”)
Steve Gadd (drummer with Eric Clapton, Paul McCartney, Paul Simon, and Steely Dan)
Liam Gallagher (Britpop singer with Oasis: “Wonderwall,” “Live Forever”)
Noel Gallagher (Britpop guitarist and songwriter with Oasis: “Wonderwall,” “Live Forever”)
Kenneth Gamble (record executive, songwriter, and producer)
Jan Garber (bandleader: “Baby Face,” “All I Do Is Dream of You”)
Jerry Garcia (rock singer/songwriter and guitarist with the Grateful Dead: “Truckin’,” “A Touch of Grey”)
Art Garfunkel (folk-rock singer with Simon & Garfunkel: “The Sound of Silence,” “Bridge Over Troubled Water”)
Judy Garland (actress and singer: “Over the Rainbow,” “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”)
Erroll Garner (jazz pianist: “Misty,” Concert by the Sea)
George J. Gaskin (singer: “After the Ball,” “When You Were Sweet Sixteen”)
Marvin Gaye (R&B singer: “I Heard It Through the Grapevine,” “Let’s Get It On”)

Marvin Gaye
Crystal Gayle (country singer: “Don’t It Make My Brown Eyes Blue,” “You and I”)
David Geffen (record executive with Asylum, Geffen, DGS, and Dreamworks SKG)
George Gershwin (composer and pianist: “Rhapsody in Blue,” “Someone to Watch Over Me,” “Summertime”)

George Gershwin
Ira Gershwin (classical/musical theater composer: “Someone to Watch Over Me,” “Summertime,” Porgy and Bess)
Andy Gibb (pop singer: “I Just Want to Be Your Everything,” “Shadow Dancing”)
Barry Gibb (pop singer/songwriter with the Bee Gees: “Stayin’ Alive,” “How Deep Is Your Love,” “Night Fever”)
Maurice Gibb (pop singer/songwriter with the Bee Gees: “Stayin’ Alive,” “How Deep Is Your Love,” “Night Fever”)
Robin Gibb (pop singer/songwriter with the Bee Gees: “Stayin’ Alive,” “How Deep Is Your Love,” “Night Fever”)
Billy Gibbons (rock singer and guitarist with ZZ Top: “La Grange,” “Tush,” “Legs”)
Don Gibson (country singer: “Oh Lonesome Me,” “I Can’t Stop Loving You”)
Kevin Gilbert (singer/songwriter with Toy Matinee: “There Was a Little Boy;” and a solo act: “Song for a Dead Friend”)
Vince Gill (country singer and musician: “When I Call Your Name,” “I Still Believe in You”)
Ian Gillan (rock singer with Deep Purple: In Rock, Machine Head, and Black Sabbath)
Dizzy Gillespie (jazz trumpeter and bandleader: “Salt Peanuts,” “Manteca,” “A Night in Tunisia”)
David Gilmour (rock singer/songwriter and guitarist with Pink Floyd: Dark Side of the Moon, Wish You Were Here, The Wall)
Roger Glover (rock bassist with Deep Purple: In Rock, Machine Head, and Rainbow)
Arthur Godfrey (radio/TV personality)
Gerry Goffin (songwriter: “Will You Love Me Tomorrow,” “You Make Me Feel Like a Natural Woman,” “The Loco-Motion”)
Benny Goodman (jazz clarinetist and bandleader: “Moonglow,” “Sing Sing Sing with a Swing”)

Benny Goodman
Berry Gordy Jr. (record executive, producer and songwriter with Motown)
Stone Gossard (grunge-rock guitarist with Green River, Pearl Jam, and Temple of the Dog)
Bill Graham (concert promoter with the Fillmore Auditorium)
Lou Gramm (rock singer/songwriter with Foreigner: “Cold As Ice,” “Hot Blooded,” “I Want to Know What Love Is”)
Ariana Grande (pop singer: “Thank U, Next,” “7 Rings”)
Peter Grant (music manager for Led Zeppelin)
Norman Granz (record executive with Clef, Norgran, Down Home, Verve, and Pablo)
Glen Gray (jazz/big band leader: “Blue Moon,” “Sunrise Serenade”)
Al Green (R&B singer: “Let’s Stay Together,” “Tired of Being Alone”)
Peter Green (blues-rock guitarist with Fleetwood Mac: “Black Magic Woman,” “Oh Well”)
Ellie Greenwich (songwriter: “Be My Baby,” “Da Doo Ron Ron,” “Leader of the Pack,” “Chapel of Love,” “River Deep, Mountain High”)
Colin Greenwood (rock bassist with Radiohead: “Creep,” OK Computer)
Jonny Greenwood (rock guitarist with Radiohead: “Creep,” OK Computer)
Dave Grohl (rock drummer with Nirvana: “Smells Like Teen Spirit” and singer with Foo Fighters: “Everlong”)
Albert Grossman (music manager for Bob Dylan, Janis Joplin, and the Band)
David Guetta (DJ and producer: “Sexy Bitch,” “Titanium”)
Woody Guthrie (folk singer: “This Land Is Your Land,” Dust Bowl Ballads)
Buddy Guy (blues guitarist and singer: “Messin’ with the Kid,” “Damn Right I’ve Got the Blues”)
H
Sammy Hagar (rock singer/songwriter and guitarist: “There’s Only One Way to Rock,” “I Can’t Drive 55;” also with Montrose: “Bad Motor Scooter” and Van Halen: “Dreams”)
Merle Haggard (country singer: “Mama Tried,” “Okie from Muskogee”)
Bill Haley (early rock-n-roll singer: “We’re Gonna Rock Around the Clock”)
Daryl Hall (blue-eyed/pop singer: “I Can’t Go for That,” “Maneater”)
Rick Hall (executive with Fame Studios)
Tom T. Hall (country singer/songwriter: “Old Dogs, Children, and Watermelon Wine”)
Halsey (pop singer: “Closer,” “Without Me”)
Tom Hamilton (rock bassist with Aerosmith: “Dream On,” “Walk This Way”)
Marvin Hamlisch (musical theater composer: A Chorus Line, “The Way We Were”)
Oscar Hammerstein II (musical theater composer: Oklahoma!, South Pacific, The King and I, The Sound of Music)

Oscar Hammerstein II
Kirk Hammett (rock guitarist with Metallica: “One,” “Enter Sandman”)
John H. Hammond (talent scout with Columbia Records)
Lionel Hampton (jazz bandleader and composer: “Flying Home”)
Herbie Hancock (jazz pianist: “Watermelon Man,” “Rock-It,” Head Hunters)
Otto Harbach (musical theater lyricist and librettist: “Someone to Watch Over Me,” “Indian Love Call”)
E.Y. “Yip” Harburg (songwriter: “Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?,” “Over the Rainbow”)
Byron Harlan (tenor singer: “Hello Central, Give Me Heaven,” “Wait Till the Sun Shines, Nellie,” “School Days (When We Were a Couple of Kids)”)
Sheldon Harnick (musical theater songwriter: Fiddler on the Roof)
Emmylou Harris (country singer/songwriter: Wrecking Ball)
Marion Harris (vaudeville and Broadway singer: “After You’ve Gone,” “Tea for Two,” “The Man I Love”)
Charles Harrison (tenor singer: “I’m Always Chasing Rainbows,” “I’ll Be with You in Apple Blossom Time”)
George Harrison (rock guitarist and singer with the Beatles: “Something,” “While My Guitar Gently Weeps;” also a solo singer: “My Sweet Lord”)
Jerry Harrison (new wave keyboardist/guitarist with the Modern Lovers and Talking Heads)
Debbie Harry (new-wave singer with Blondie: “Heart of Glass,” “Call Me”)
Lorenz Hart (musical theater lyricist: “Blue Moon,” “My Funny Valentine,” “Bewitched, Bothered, and Bewildered”)
PJ Harvey (alternative rock singer/songwriter: To Bring You My Love, Let England Shake)
Joseph Haydn (classical composer and pianist, known as “The Father of the Symphony”)
Isaac Hayes (R&B singer/songwriter: “Theme from Shaft,” Hot Buttered Soul)
Dick Haymes (singer: “You’ll Never Know,” “It Might As Well Be Spring”)
Justin Hayward (rock singer/songwriter with the Moody Blues: “Nights in White Satin,” “Your Wildest Dreams”)
Horace Heidt (jazz big band leader: “Ti-Pi-Tin,” “I Don’t Want to Set the World on Fire”)
Levon Helm (rock drummer and singer with the Band: “The Weight,” “The Night They Drove Ol’ Dixie Down”)
Jimi Hendrix (rock guitarist and singer: “Purple Haze,” “All Along the Watchtower,” Are You Experienced?)

Jimi Hendrix
Don Henley (rock drummer and singer with the Eagles: “Hotel California,” “One of These Nights;” solo singer: “Dirty Laundry,” “The Boys of Summer”)
Jerry Herman (musical theater songwriter: Hello, Dolly!, La Cage Aux Folles)
Woody Herman (jazz big band leader, clarinetist, and composer: “At the Woodchoppers’ Ball,” “Blues in the Night”)
James Hetfield (rock singer/songwriter with Metallica: “One,” “Enter Sandman”)
Dusty Hill (rock bassist with ZZ Top: “La Grange,” “Tush”)
Faith Hill (country singer: “This Kiss,” “Breathe”)
Lauryn Hill (R&B singer with the Fugees: “Killing Me Softly,” and a solo artist: The Misseducation of Lauryn Hill)
Chris Hillman (folk-rock bassist with the Byrds, the Flying Burrito Brothers, Manassas, and the Desert Rose Band)
Susanna Hoffs (pop rock singer and guitarist with the Bangles: “Manic Monday,” “Walk Like an Egyptian,” “Eternal Flame;” also a solo artist)
Billie Holiday (blues singer: “Summertime,” “Strange Fruit,” “God Bless the Child”)

Billie Holiday
Brian Holland (R&B songwriter and producer: “Stop! In the Name of Love,” “Reach Out (I’ll Be There)”)
Eddie Holland (R&B songwriter and producer: “Stop! In the Name of Love,” “Reach Out (I’ll Be There)”)
Buddy Holly (early rock-n-roller: “That’ll Be the Day,” “Peggy Sue”)
Jac Holzman (record executive with Elektra and Nonesuch)
John Lee Hooker (blues singer/songwriter and guitarist: “Boogie Chillen,” “Boom Boom”)
Bob Hope (comedian, actor, radio show host)
William F. Hooley (bass singer: “Gypsy Love Song”)
Nicky Hopkins (rock keyboardist with the Rolling Stones and others)
Trevor Horn (producer and musician with the Buggles: “Video Killed the Radio Star” and Yes)
Whitney Houston (R&B singer: “I Wanna Dance with Somebody,” “I Will Always Love You”)

Whitney Houston
Eddy Howard (jazz big band leader: “To Each His Own,” “Sin (It’s No Sin)”)
Steve Howe (rock guitarist with Yes: “Roundabout” and Asia: “Heat of the Moment”)
Howlin’ Wolf (blues singer and guitarist: “Smokestack Lightning,” “Spoonful,” “Little Red Rooster,” “The Killing Floor”)
Leon Huff (record executive, songwriter, and producer)
Engelbert Humperdinck (singer: “Release Me,” “The Last Waltz”)
Chrissie Hynde (rock singer/songwriter and guitarist with the Pretenders: “Brass in Pocket,” “Back on the Chain Gang”)
I
Ice Cube (rapper with N.W.A.: Straight Outta Compton and a solo artist: “It Was a Good Day”)
Billy Idol (rock singer: “White Wedding,” “Mony Mony”)
Enrique Iglesias (Latin-pop singer: “Hero,” Bailando”)
Tony Iommi (rock guitarist with Black Sabbath: “Paranoid,” “Iron Man”)
Jimmy Iovine (record executive and producer with Interscope; worked with Steve Nicks, Tom Petty, U2)
Jack Irons (rock drummer with Red Hot Chili Peppers and Pearl Jam)
Charles Ives (classical composer: Piano Sonata No. 2: Concord)
J
Alan Jackson (country singer: “Chattahoochee,” “Where Were You When the World Stopped Turning”)
Janet Jackson (R&B/pop singer: “Miss You Much,” “That’s the Way Love Goes”)
Jermaine Jackson (R&B/pop singer with the Jackson 5: “I Want You Back,” “ABC,” and a solo singer: “Let’s Get Serious”)
Joseph Jackson (music manager for The Jackson 5; father of Michael, Janet, and Jermaine Jackson)
Mahalia Jackson (gospel singer: “Move on Up a Little Higher”)
Michael Jackson (R&B/pop singer: “Billie Jean,” “Beat It,” Thriller)

Michael Jackson
Mick Jagger (rock singer with the Rolling Stones: “I Can’t Get No Satisfaction,” “Honky Tonk Women”)
Elmore James (blues guitarist and singer: “I Believe I’ll Dust My Broom,” “The Sky Is Crying,” “It Hurts Me Too”)
Etta James (R&B/blues singer: “At Last,” “Tell Mama,” “I’d Rather Go Blind”)
Harry James (jazz/big band leader: “All or Nothing at All,” “I’ve Heard That Song Before”)
Lewis James (tenor singer: “Till We Meet Again,” “Dancing with Tears in My Eyes”)
Rick James (R&B singer and bassist: “Super Freak”)
Sonny James (country singer: “Young Love,” “It’s Just a Matter of Time”)
Tommy James (rock singer/songwriter: “Crimson and Clover,” “Mony Mony,” “I Think We’re Alone Now”)
Al Jardine (rhythm guitarist with the Beach Boys: “Good Vibrations,” “California Girls”)
Jay-Z (rap singer: “99 Problems,” “Empire State of Mind” and record executive)
Waylon Jennings (country singer: “Good Hearted Woman,” “Luckenbach, Texas (Back to the Basics of Love)”)
Joan Jett (rock singer: “I Love Rock and Roll,” “I Hate Myself for Loving You”)
Jimmy Jam (R&B songwriter and producer for Janet Jackson and others)
Billy Joel (rock singer and pianist: “Piano Man,” “Just the Way You Are,” “It’s Still Rock and Roll to Me”)
Elton John (rock singer and pianist: “Your Song,” “Candle in the Wind 1997”)

Elton John
Glyn Johns (engineer and producer: the Rolling Stones, the Who, Rod Stewart, Eric Clapton)
Robert Johnson (blues singer and guitarist: “Cross Road Blues,” “Sweet Home Chicago”)
Al Jolson (jazz singer: “You Made Me Love You, I Didn’t Want to Do It,” “Swaneee,” “April Showers”)
Ada Jones (singer: “Let’s Take an Old-Fashioned Walk,” “Come, Josephine, in My Flying Machine”)
Brian Jones (rock guitarist with the Rolling Stones: “I Can’t Get No Satisfaction,” “Honky Tonk Women”)
George Jones (country singer/songwriter and guitarist: “She Thinks I Still Care,” “He Stopped Loving Her Today”)
Isham Jones (jazz/big band leader and musician: “Wabash Blues,” “It Had to Be You,” “I’ll See You in My Dreams”)
John Paul Jones (rock bassist with Led Zeppelin: “Whole Lotta Love,” “Stairway to Heaven”)
Kenney Jones (rock drummer with The Small Faces: “Itchycoo Park,” the Faces, and the Who)
Mick Jones (rock guitarist and songwriter with the Clash: “London Calling,” “Rock the Casbah”)
Mick Jones (rock musician and songwriter with Foreigner: “Cold As Ice,” “Hot Blooded,” “Waiting for a Girl Like You,” “I Want to Know What Love Is”)
Norah Jones (jazz singer: “I Don’t Know Why,” Come Away with Me)
Quincy Jones (R&B jazz musician: Back on the Block, and producer: Michael Jackson’s Thriller)
Steve Jones (punk rock guitarist with the Sex Pistols: “God Save the Queen,” “Anarchy in the UK”)
Tom Jones (Welsh singer: “It’s Not Unusual,” “Green Green Grass of Home”)
Janis Joplin (blues-rock singer: “Piece of My Heart,” “Me and Bobby McGee”)
Louis Jordan (R&B/blues bandleader: “Caldonia Boogie,” “Choo Choo Ch’ Boogie,” “Saturday Night Fish Fry”)
K
John Kander (musical theater songwriter: Cabaret, All That Jazz)
Casey Kasem (radio DJ, longtime host of American Top 40)
Sammy Kaye (jazz/ big band leader: “Love Walked In,” “Daddy,” “The Old Lamplighter”)
KC (disco singer with the Sunshine Band: “That’s the Way I Like It,” “Get Down Tonight,” “Please Don’t Go”)
Toby Keith (country singer: “How Do You Like Me Now?,” “As Good As I Once Was”)
R. Kelly (R&B singer: “Bump N Grind,” “I Believe I Can Fly”)
Hal Kemp (jazz/ big band leader: “There’s a Small Hotel,” “Where or When”)
Eddie Kendricks (R&B singer with the Temptations: “My Girl” and a solo artist: “Keep on Truckin’”)
Stan Kenton (jazz/big band leader: “Artistry in Rhythm”)
Jerome Kern (musical theater songwriter: “Ol’ Man River,” “Smoke Gets in Your Eyes,” Show Boat)
Kesha (pop singer: “Right Round,” “Tik Tok,” “Timber”)
Alicia Keys (R&B singer: “Fallin’,” “No One”)
Bobby Keys (sax player with the Rolling Stones and others)
Chaka Khan (R&B singer – solo: “I Feel for You” and with Rufus: “Tell Me Something Good”)
Kid Rock (rock/rap singer: “All Summer Long,” Devil Without a Cause)
Anthony Kiedis (rock singer with the Red Hot Chili Peppers: “Under the Bridge,” “Give It Away,” Blood Sugar Sex Magik)
Albert King (blues guitarist and singer: “Born Under a Bad Sign”)
B.B. King (blues guitarist and singer: “The Thrill Is Gone”)

B.B. King
Ben E. King (R&B singer with the Drifters and solo: “Stand by Me”)
Carole King (singer/songwriter: “You’ve Got a Friend,” “You Make Me Feel Like a Natural Woman”)
Freddie King (blues guitarist: “Hide Away,” “I’m Tore Down”)
Wayne King (jazz/big band leader: “Dream a Little Dream of Me,” “Goodnight, Sweetheart”)
Don Kirshner (executive/manager with the Monkees and Kansas)
Allen Klein (manger for the Rolling Stones and the Beatles)
Gladys Knight (R&B singer with the Pips: “Midnight Train to Georgia”)
Suge Knight (rap executive with Death Row Records)
Mark Knopfler (rock singer/songwriter and guitarist with Dire Straits: “Sultans of Swing,” “Money for Nothing”)
Mathew Knowles (manager/executive with Destiny’s Child and daughter Beyoncé)
Al Kooper (rock keyboardist with Blood, Sweat & Tears and Bob Dylan; producer for Lynyrd Skynyrd)
Eddie Kramer (producer with Jimi Hendrix, Kiss, and Led Zeppelin)
Joey Kramer (rock drummer with Aerosmith: “Dream On,” “Walk This Way,” “Sweet Emotion”)
Lenny Kravitz (rock singer/songwriter: “Are You Gonna Go My Way,” “Let Love Rule”)
Robby Krieger (rock guitarist with the Doors: “Light My Fire,” “Hello, I Love You”)
Kris Kristofferson (country singer/songwriter: “Me and Bobby McGee,” “Help Me Through the Night”)
Kay Kyser (jazz/big band leader: “Jingle Jangle Jingle,” “On a Slow Boat to China”)
L
Patti LaBelle (R&B singer: “Lady Marmalade,” “On My Own”)
Lady Gaga (dance-pop singer: “Just Dance,” “Poker Face”)

Lady Gaga
Frankie Laine (pop singer: “That Lucky Old Sun,” “I Believe”)
Kendrick Lamar (Pulitizer prize-winning rapper: “Alright,” “Humble”)
Kit Lambert (manager for The Who)
Robert Lamm (keyboardist with Chicago: “25 or 6 to 4,” “Saturday in the Park”)
Jon Landau (manager for Bruce Springsteen)
Burton Lane (musical theater composer: Finian’s Rainbow)
Robert “Mutt” Lange (producer for AC/DC, Def Leppard, and Shania Twain)
Daniel Lanois (producer for Bob Dylan, Peter Gabriel, and U2)
Cyndi Lauper (pop singer: “Girls Just Want to Have Fun,” “Time After Time”)
Avril Lavigne (pop singer: “Complicated,” “Sk8er Boi”)
Steve Lawrence (adult contemporary singer)
Bernie Leadon (country-rock singer and guitarist with the Flying Burrito Brothers and Eagles)
Simon LeBon (singer with Duran Duran: “Hungry Like the Wolf,” “A View to a Kill”)
Huddie “Leadbelly” Ledbetter (blues/folk singer/songwriter: “Goodnight Irene,” “The Midnight Special”)
Brenda Lee (country/pop singer: “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree,” “I’m Sorry”)
Geddy Lee (rock singer and bassist with Rush: “Tom Sawyer,” 2112)
Peggy Lee (pop singer: “Manana Is Soon Enough for Me,” “Fever”)
John Legend (singer/songwriter: “Ordinary People,” “All of Me”)
Jerry Leiber (songwriter: “Hound Dog,” “Searchin’,” “Kansas City,” “Stand by Me”)
John Lennon (rock singer/songwriter with the Beatles: “Help!,” “Strawberry Fields Forever,” and a solo artist: “Imagine,” “Just Like Starting Over”)

John Lennon
Annie Lennox (singer/songwriter with the Eurythmics: “Sweet Dreams Are Made of This,” “Here Comes the Rain Again”)
Patrick Leonard (producer/songwriter; has worked with Michael Jackson, Elton John, Madonna, and Pink Floyd)
Alan Jay Lerner (musical theater composer: My Fair Lady, Camelot)
Adam Levine (pop-rock singer with Maroon 5: “Moves Like Jagger,” “Girls Like You”)
Jerry Lee Lewis (early rock-n-roller: “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On,” “Great Balls of Fire”)
Ted Lewis (bandleader: “When My Baby Smiles at Me,” “On the Sunny Side of the Street”)
Terry Lewis (R&B songwriter and producer for Janet Jackson and others)
Goddard Lieberson (President of Columbia Records and RIAA)
Alex Lifeson (rock guitarist with Rush: “Tom Sawyer,” 2112)
Lil Nas X (rapper: “Old Town Road,” “Montero (Call Me by Your Name)”)
Lil Wayne (rapper: “Lollipop”)
Steve Lillywhite (rock producer with U2 and Dave Matthews Band)
Franz Liszt (classical composer: Piano Sonata in B Minor)
Little Richard (early rock-n-roller: “Tutti Frutti,” “Long Tall Sally,” “Good Golly Miss Molly”)

Little Richard
Little Walter (blues singer and harmonica player: “Juke,” “My Babe”)
LL Cool J (rapper: “I Need Love,” “Mama Said Knock You Out”)
Frank Loesser (musical theater composer: Guys and Dolls, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying)
Frederick Loewe (musical theater composer: My Fair Lady, Camelot)
Kenny Loggins (pop-rock singer with Jim Messina: “Your Mama Don’t Dance” and a solo act: “Footloose”)
Alan Lomax (blues archivist; worked with Woody Guthrie, Muddy Waters, and Leadbelly)
Guy Lombardo (big band leader: “Winter Wonderland,” “How Deep Is the Ocean?”)
Jennifer Lopez (dance-pop singer: “If You Had My Love,” “On the Floor”)
Vincent Lopez (big band leader: “I Want to Be Happy,” “Show Me the Way to Go Home”)
Jon Lord (rock keyboardist with Deep Purple and Whitesnake)
Lee Loughnane (jazz-rock trumpeter with Chicago: “25 or 6 to 4,” “Saturday in the Park”)
Mike Love (singer with the Beach Boys: “Good Vibrations,” “California Girls”)
Lyle Lovett (alt-country singer: “If I Had a Boat,” “She’s No Lady”)
Nick Lowe (new wave singer: “Cruel to Be Kind,” “What’s So Funny ‘Bout Peace, Love and Understanding”)
Ludacris (rapper: “Money Maker”)
John Lydon (aka “Johnny Rotten”) (punk-rock singer: Sex Pistols, Public Image Ltd.)
Loretta Lynn (country sniger/songwriter: “Coal Miner’s Daughter,” “Don’t Come Home A’Drinkin’ with Lovin’ on Your Mind”)
Jeff Lynne (rock singer/songwriter with Electric Light Orchestra: “Mr. Blue Sky,” “Don’t Bring Me Down”)
M
Harry MacDonough (singer with the Haydn Quartet and a solo act: “Shine on, Harvest Moon,” “Down by the Old Mill Stream”)
Madonna (dance-pop singer: “Like a Virgin,” “Like a Prayer,” “Vogue”)

Madonna
Gustav Mahler (classical composer: Symphony No. 1: Titan, Symphony No. 2: Resurrection)
Henry Mancini (composer: “Moon River,” “Peter Gunn,” “The Days of Wine and Roses”)
Barbara Mandrell (country singer: “Sleeping Single in a Double Bed”)
Barry Manilow (adult contemporary singer: “Mandy,” “I Write the Songs”)
Barry Mann (rock songwriter: “On Broadway,” “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’”)
Ray Manzarek (rock keyboardist with the Doros: “Light My Fire,” “Hello I Love You”)
Arif Mardin (record executive with Atlantic and Manhattan Records)
Bob Marley (reggae singer: “I Shot the Sheriff,” “No Woman No Cry,” “Get Up Stand Up”)

Bob Marley
Johnny Marr (rock guitarist with The Smiths)
Bruno Mars (pop singer: “Just the Way You Are (Amazing),” “Locked Out of Heaven,” “Uptown Funk”)
Chris Martin (rock singer with Coldplay: “Clocks,” “Viva La Vida”)
Dean Martin (traditional pop singer: “Memories Are Made of This,” “Everybody Loves Somebody”)
Freddy Martin (jazz big band leader: “Managua, Nicaragua,” “Music! Music! Music!”)
George Martin (producer with the Beatles)
Tony Martin (traditional pop singer: “Tonight We Love”)
Richard Marx (pop singer/songwriter: “Right Here Waiting,” “Don’t Mean Nothin’”)
Nick Mason (rock drummer with Pink Floyd: Dark Side of the Moon, “Another Brick in the Wall Pt. II”)
Johnny Mathis (pop singer: “Chances Are,” “Misty”)
Dave Matthews (rock singer/songwriter: Under the Table and Dreaming, “Crash into Me”)
Joe B. Maudlin (rock bassist with Buddy Holly & the Crickets: “That’ll Be the Day,” “Peggy Sue”)
Brian May (rock guitarist with Queen: “Bohemian Rhapsody,” “We Will Rock You”)
John Mayall (blues guitarist who helped launch careers of Eric Clapton and others)
John Mayer (rock singer/songwriter: “No Such Thing,” “Daughters”)
Curtis Mayfield (R&B singer with the Impressions: “People Get Ready” and a solo act: “Move on Up,” “Superfly”)
Martina McBride (country singer: “Independence Day”)
Paul McCartney (rock singer and bassist with the Beatles: “Yesterday,” “Hey Jude,” “Let It Be” and a solo singer: “Band on the Run,” “Ebony and Ivory”)

Paul McCartney
John McCormack (tenor singer: “It’s a Long, Long Way to Tipperary”)
Mike McCready (rock guitarist with Pearl Jam: “Alive,” “Jeremy”)
Michael McDonald (rock singer and keyboardist with the Doobie Brothers: “What a Fool Believes” and a solo artist: “On My Own”)
Reba McEntire (country singer: “Fancy”)
Tim McGraw (country singer: “I Like It, I Love It,” “Live Like You Were Dying”)
Roger McGuinn (folk-rock singer and guitarist with the Byrds: “Mr. Tambourine Man,” “Turn! Turn! Turn!”)
M.C. Hammer (rapper: “U Can’t Touch This,” “Pray”)
Duff McKagan (rock bassist with Guns N’ Roses: “Sweet Child O’ Mine,” “Welcome to the Jungle”)
Sarah McLachlan (alternative-rock singer/songwriter: “I Will Remember You,” “Building a Mystery,” “Angel”)
Malcolm McLaren (music manager for the Sex Pistols)
Don McLean (pop singer/songwriter: “American Pie,” “Vincent”)
Clyde McPhatter (R&B singer with The Dominoes and the Drifters, also a solo singer: “A Lover’s Question”)
Christine McVie (rock singer and keyboardist with Fleetwood Mac: “”Say You Love Me,” “You Make Loving Fun,” “Hold Me,” “Little Lies”)
John McVie (blues-rock bassist with Fleetwood Mac: “Oh Well,” “Black Magic Woman,” “Hynotized,” “Go Your Own Way,” “Dreams”)
Meat Loaf (rock singer: “Paradise by the Dashboard Light,” “I’d Do Anything for Love But I Won’t Do That”)
Randy Meisner (country-rock singer/songwriter and bassist with Poco and the Eagles: “Take It to the Limit”)
John Mellencamp (rock singer: “Jack and Diane,” “Pink Houses,” “Small Town”)

John Mellencamp
Felix Mendelssohn (classical composer: “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing”)
Alan Menken (musical theater/soundtrack composer: Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin)
Johnny Mercer (singer/songwriter: “On the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe,” “Ac-Cent-Tchu-ate the Positive”)
Freddie Mercury (rock singer/songwriter with Queen: “Bohemian Rhapsody,” “We Will Rock You”)
Ethel Merman (singer: “There’s No Business Like Show Business,” “Everything’s Coming Up Roses”)
Jim Messina (rock musician with Buffalo Springfield, Poco, and Loggins & Messina)
John Meyer (bass singer with the Peerless Quartet and American Quartet)
George Michael (pop singer/songwriter with Wham!: “Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go” and solo artist: “Carless Whisper,” “Faith”)
Bette Midler (singer: “The Rose,” “Wind Beneath My Wings”)
Glenn Miller (jazz big band leader: “In the Mood,” “Chattanooga Choo Choo”)

Glenn Miller
Jimmy Miller (record producer who worked with the Rolling Stones, Blind Faith, and Traffic)
Roger Miller (country singer/songwriter: “King of the Road,” “Dang Me”)
Steve Miller (rock singer and guitarist: “The Joker,” “Fly Like an Eagle,” “Abracadabra”)
Mike Mills (rock bassist with R.E.M.: “Radio Free Europe,” “Losing My Religion”)
Ronnie Milsap (country singer: “Smokey Mountain Rain,” “Stranger in My House”)
Nicki Minaj (rapper: “Super Bass,” “Starships”)
Charles Mingus (jazz pianist, bassist, and composer: Mingus Ah Uh)
Kylie Minogue (pop singer: “The Loco-Motion,” “Can’t Get You Out of My Head”)
Joni Mitchell (folk singer/songwriter: “Big Yellow Taxi,” “Woodstock,” “Help Me”)

Joni Mitchell
Willie Mitchell (record executive with Hi Records)
Eddie Money (rock singer/songwriter: “Two Tickets to Paradise,” “Take Me Home Tonight”)
Thelonious Monk (jazz pianist: “Round Midnight”)
Bill Monroe (country singer: “Mule Skinner Blues,” “Blue Moon of Kentucky”)
Vaughn Monroe (jazz/big band leader: “Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!,” “There! I’ve Said It Again,” “Riders in the Sky (A Cowboy Legend)”)
Claudio Monteverdi (classical composer: L’Orfeo, Vespers of the Blessed Virgin)
Keith Moon (rock drummer with the Who: “My Generation,” “Won’t Get Fooled Again”)
Scotty Moore (rock guitarist with Elvis Presley: “Hound Dog,” “Heartbreak Hotel,” “Don’t Be Cruel”)
Russ Morgan (big band leader: “Cruising Down the River on a Sunday Afternoon,” “Forever and Ever”)
Alanis Morissette (alternative-rock singer/songwriter: “You Oughta Know,” “Ironic”)
Jim Morrison (rock singer with the Doors: “Light My Fire,” “Hello, I Love You”)
Sterling Morrison (rock guitarist with the Velvet Underground: “Heroin,” “Sweet Jane”)
Van Morrison (blue-eyed-soul singer/songwriter: “Brown-Eyed Girl,” “Moondance,” “Wild Night”)
Morrissey (alternative-rock singer/songwriter with the Smiths: “How Soon Is Now?,” “This Charming Man” and a solo artist: “Everyday Is Like Sunday”)
Ferdinand “Jelly Roll” Morton (jazz pianist and composer: “King Porter Stomp”)
Jerry Moss (record executive with A&M Records)
Tommy Mottola (record executive with Sony Music)
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (classical composer: Piano Concerto No. 20, The Marriage of Figarro, Don Giovanni)
Larry Mullen Jr. (rock drummer with U2: “Sunday Bloody Sunday,” “Pride (In the Name of Love),” “With Or Without You”)
Anne Murray (country singer: “Snowbird,” “You Needed Me,” “Could I Have This Dance?”)
Billy Murray (tenor singer: “Meet Me in St. Louis, Louis,” “Yankee Doodle Boy,” “You’re a Grand Old Flag”)

Billy Murray
Kacey Musgraves (country singer/songwriter: “Follow Your Arrow,” Golden Hour)
Modest Mussorgsky (classical composer: Pictures at an Exhibition)
J.W. Myers (singer: “On a Sunday Afternoon,” “In the Good Old Summertime”)
N
Nas (rap singer: Illmatic)
Graham Nash (rock singer/songwriter and guitarist with the Hollies and Crosby, Stills & Nash)
Syd Nathan (executive with King Records)
Nelly (rap singer: “Hot in Herre,” Dilemma”)
Ozzie Nelson (big band leader: “And Then Some,” “About a Quartet to Nine”)
Ricky Nelson (pop singer: “Poor Little Fool,” “Garden Party”)
Willie Nelson (country singer/songwriter: “On the Road Again,” “Always on My Mind”)

Willie Nelson
Randy Newman (singer/songwriter: 12 Songs, Sail Away; film score composer)
Olivia Newton-John (pop/country singer: “I Honestly Love You,” “You’re the One That I Want,” “Magic,” “Physical”)
Ne-Yo (rap singer: “So Sick,” “Miss Independent”)
Stevie Nicks (rock singer/songwriter with Fleetwood Mac: “Dreams,” “Gypsy;” also a solo singer: “Edge of Seventeen,” “Stand Back”)
Ray Noble (big band songwriter: “The Very THgought of You,” “Isle of Capri,” “I’ve Got You Under My Skin”)
The Notorious B.I.G. (rapper: Ready to Die, Life After Death)
Krist Novoselic (rock bassist with Nirvana: “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” “All Apologies”)
O
Berry Oakley (rock bassist with the Allman Brothers Band: At Fillmore East)
Brendan O’Brien (rock producer: Pearl Jam, Bruce Springsteen)
Ed O’Brien (guitarist with Radiohead: “Creep,” OK Computer)
Frank Ocean (R&B singer: Channel Orange, Blond)
Sinéad O’Connor (alternative-rock singer: “Nothing Compares 2 U”)
Andrew Loog Oldham (rock producer/manager: The Rolling Stones)
George Olsen (big band leader: “Who?,” “Always,” “The Last Round-Up”)
Roy Orbison (rock-n-roll singer: “Oh Pretty Woman,” Cyring”)
Tony Orlando (pop singer: “Tie a Yellow Ribbon ‘Round the Ole Oak Tree,” “Knock Three Times”)
Roland Orzabal (new wave singer/songwriter with Tears for Fears: “Everybody Wants to Rule the World,” “Shout”)
Ozzy Osbourne (rock singer with Black Sabbath: “Iron Man,” “Paranoid;” solo singer: “Crazy Train”)
Donny Osmond (pop singer with the Osmonds: “One Bad Apple;” solo singer: “Puppy Love”)
Marie Osmond (country singer: “Paper Roses”)
Vess Ossman (ragtime banjo player: “Yankee Doodle Went to Town,” The Old Folks at Home”)
Mo Ostin (record executive with Verve, Reprise, Warner Bros., and DreamWorks SKG)
Buck Owens (country singer: “Act Naturally,” “I’ve Got a Tiger by the Tail”)
P
Hugh Padgham (producer: Genesis, The Police)
Jimmy Page (rock guitarist with the Yardbirds and Led Zeppelin: “Whole Lotta Love,” Stairway to Heaven”)
Patti Page (pop singer: “Tennessee Waltz,” “The Doggie in the Window”)
Ian Paice (rock drummer with Deep Purple: “Hush,” “Smoke on the Water”)
Brad Paisley (country singer: “Whiskey Lullaby,” Time Well Wasted)
Pino Palladino (rock bassist with Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, and the Who)
Carl Palmer (rock drummer with Emerson, Lake & Palmer: “Lucky Man” and Asia: “Heat of the Moment”)
Robert Palmer (writer, musicologist, clarinetist, saxophonist, and blues producer)
Robert Palmer (pop/rock singer: “Bad Case of Loving You,” “Addicted to Love”)
James Pankow (horn player with Chicago: “25 or 6 to 4”)
Walt Parazaider (jazz-rock saxophonist with Chicago: “Saturday in the Park,” “25 or 6 to 4”)
Charlie Parker (jazz saxophonist: “Ko-Ko,” “Billie’s Bounce”)
Colonel Tom Parker (music manager: Elvis Presley)
Alan Parsons (engineer for the Beatles’ Abbey Road and Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon, also helmed the Alan Parsons Project: “Eye in the Sky”)
Gram Parsons (country-rock artist with the Byrds and the Flying Burrito Brothers)
Dolly Parton (country singer/songwriter: “Jolene,” “I Will Always Love You,” “9 to 5”)

Dolly Parton
Charley Patton (blues singer and guitarist: “Pony Blues,” Founder of the Delta Blues)
Les Paul (guitarist, inventor, and producer; “How High the Moon,” “Vaya Con Dios”)
Lou Pearlman (record executive and music manager for Backstreet Boys and N’ Sync)
Neil Peart (rock drummer with Rush: 2112, “Tom Sawyer”)
Carl Perkins (early rock ‘n’ roll singer and guitarist: “Blue Suede Shoes”)
Joe Perry (rock guitarist with Aerosmith: “Walk This Way,” “Sweet Emotion,” “Dream On”)
Katy Perry (pop singer: “I Kissed a Girl,” “California Gurls,” “Fireworks,” “Dark Horse”)
Lee “Scratch” Perry (reggae/dub producer: Bob Marley)
Steve Perry (rock singer with Journey: “Don’t Stop Believin’,” “Open Arms” and a solo singer: “Oh Sherrie”)
Tom Petty (rock singer/songwriter: “Refugee,” “Free Fallin’”)
Sam Phillips (record executive at Sun Records; launched the careers of Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash, and others)
Wilson Pickett (R&B singer: “In the Midnight Hour,” “Mustang Sally,” “Land of 1000 Dances”)
Webb Pierce (country singer: “There Stands the Glass,” “In the Jailhouse Now”)
Mike Pinder (prog rock keyboardist with the Moody Blues: “Nights in White Satin”)
Pink (pop singer: “Get This Party Started,” “Just Give Me a Reason”)
Robert Plant (rock singer with Led Zeppelin: “Whole Lotta Love,” “Stairway to Heaven” and a solo singer: Raising Sand)

Robert Plant
Doc Pomus (R&B/pop songwriter: Dion & the Belmonts ’ “A Teenager in Love,” the Drifters’ “Save the Last Dance for Me,” Elvis Presley’s “Little Sister”)
Iggy Pop (punk-rock singer with The Stooges: “I Wanna Be Your Dog” and a solo artist: “Lust for Life”)
Cole Porter (musical theater composer: “Love for Sale,” “Night and Day,” “You’re the Top,” “I Get a Kick Out of You,” “I’ve Got You Under My Skin”)
Steve Porter (bariton singer with the Peerless Quartet and a solo artist: “A Bird in a Gilded Cage”)
Post Malone (rap singer/songwriter: “Rockstar,” “Psycho,” “Circle”)
Elvis Presley (the King of Rock and Roll: “Heartbreak Hotel,” “Hound Dog,” “Don’t Be Cruel,” “Jailhouse Rock”)

Elvis Presley
Lloyd Price (R&B singer: “Lawdy Miss Clawdy,” “Stagger Lee,” “Personality”)
Ray Price (country singer: “Crazy Arms,” “Heartaches by the Number,” “For the Good Times”)
Charley Pride (country singer: “Kiss an Angel Good Mornin’”)
Prince (R&B/pop singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist: “1999,” “When Doves Cry,” “Purple Rain,” “Kiss”)

Prince
Charles Adams Prince (big band leader: “Ballin’ the Jack,” “The Memphis Blues”)
Sergei Prokofiev (classical composer: Peter and the Wolf)
Giacomo Puccini (classical composer: La Bohème, Tosca, Madame Butterfly)
Q-R
Dan Quinn (singer: “A Bicycle Built for Two,” “The Band Played On,” “The Sidewalks of New York”)
Eddie Rabbitt (country singer: “I Love a Rainy Night,” “You and I”)
Sergei Rachmaninoff (classical composer: Prelude in C# Minor)
Ma Rainey (blues singer: “See See Rider,” “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom”)
Bonnie Raitt (blues/rock singer and guitarist: Nick of Time, “I Can’t Make You Love Me”)
Dee Dee Ramone (punk-rock bassist with the Ramones: “I Wanna Be Sedated,” “Blitzkrieg Bop”)
Joey Ramone (punk-rock singer and guitarist with the Ramones: “I Wanna Be Sedated,” “Blitzkrieg Bop”)
Phil Ramone (record producer: Ray Charles, Bob Dylan, Aretha Franklin, Billy Joel, Elton John, B.B. King, Madonna, Rod Stewart, Barbra Streisand, Stevie Wonder)
Maurice Ravel (classical composer: Boléro ballet)
Otis Redding (R&B singer: “Hard to Handle,” “Try a Little Tenderness,” “Sittin’ on the Dock of the Bay”)
Lou Reed (rock singer/songwriter with Velvet Underground: “Heroin,” “I’m Waiting for the Man,” “Sweet Jane” and solo singer: “Walk on the Wild Side,” “Perfect Day”)

Lou Reed
Jim Reeves (country singer: “When You’re Hot, You’re Hot,” “East Bound and Down”)
Antonio “L.A.” Reid (record executive with LaFace, Arista, Def Jam Island, and Epic)
Leo Reisman (big band leader: “What Is This Thing Called Love?,” “Paradise,” “The Continental”)
Nick Rhodes (new wave keyboardist with Duran Duran: “Hungry Like the Wolf,” “A View to a Kill,” “The Wild Boys”)
Tim Rice (musical theater/Disney movie composer: Jesus Christ Superstar, The Lion King)
Charlie Rich (country singer: “Behind Closed Doors” “The Most Beautiful Girl”)
Cliff Richard (British rock singer: “Move It,” “Devil Woman”)
Keith Richards (rock guitarist with the Rolling Stones: “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction,” “Honky Tonk Women”)
Lionel Richie (R&B/pop singer with the Commodores: “Three Times a Lady” and a solo artist: “Endless Love,” “All Night Long,” “Hello”)
Rihanna (pop singer: “Umbrella,” “Work,” “Diamonds”)

Rihanna
LeAnn Rimes (country singer: “Blue,” “How Do I Live”)
Marty Robbins (country singer: “El Paso”)
Robbie Robertson (rock singer/songwriter and guitarist with the Band: “The Weight,” “The Night They Drove Ol’ Dixie Down”)
Smokey Robinson (R&B singer with the Miracles: “The Tears of a Clown,” “The Tracks of My Tears” and a solo singer: “Being with You”)

Smokey Robinson
Sylvia Robinson (record producer for the Sugarhill Gang’s “Rapper’s Delight” and Grandmaster Flash’s “The Message”)
Bob Rock (producer: Aerosmith, Bon Jovi, Mötley Crüe, Metallica)
Jimmie Rodgers (country singer: “Blue Yodel #1 (T for Texas)”)
Nile Rodgers (R&B bassist with Chic and producer for David Bowie, Madonna, et al)
Paul Rodgers (rock singer with Free: “All Right Now” and Bad Company: “Feel Like Making Love”)
Richard Rodgers (musical theater songwriter: Oklahoma!, South Pacific, The Sound of Music)
Olivia Rodrigo (pop singer: “Drivers License,” “Good 4 U,” “Vampire”)
Kenny Rogers (country singer: “The Gambler,” “Coward of the County,” “Lady,” “Islands in the Stream”)
Gregg Rolie (rock keyboardist with Santana: “Black Magic Woman” and Journey: “Feeling That Way/Anytime”)
Mick Ronson (guitarist with David Bowie: Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, producer: Lou Reed’s Transformer)
Linda Ronstadt (pop singer: “You’re No Good,” “When Will I Be Loved,” “Blue Bayou”)
Axl Rose (rock singer with Guns N’ Roses: “Welcome to the Jungle,” “Sweet Child O’ Mine,” “November Rain”)
Diana Ross (R&B singer with the Supremes: “Baby Love,” “You Can’t Hurry Love,” “Stop! In the Name of Love” and solo singer: “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough,” “Upside Down”)
Jerry Ross (musical theater songwriter: The Pajama Game, Damn Yankees)
David Lee Roth (rock singer with Van Halen: “Jump,” “Runnin’ with the Devil”)
Rick Rubin (producer: Run-DMC’s Raising Hell, Beastie Boys’ Licensed to Ill, Public Enemy’s It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back)
David Ruffin (R&B singer with the Temptations: “My Girl,” “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg”)
Todd Rundgren (experimental rock musician: “Hello It’s Me,” “I Saw the Light”)
Art Rupe (record executive with Specialty Records)
Mike Rutherford (rock guitarist/bassist with Genesis: The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway, “Invisible Touch” and Mike + the Mechanics: “Silent Running,” “The Living Years”)
S
Sade (smooth jazz singer: “Smooth Operator”)
Carole Bayer Sager (songwriter: “Arthur’s Theme (Best That You Can Do),” “That’s What Friends Are For”) 0
Richie Sambora (rock guitarist with Bon Jovi: “You Give Love a Bad Name,” “Livin’ on a Prayer”)
Carlos Santana (rock guitarist: “Black Magic Woman,” “Evil Ways,” “Smooth”)
Rick Savage (rock bassist with Def Leppard: Pyromania, Hysteria)
Arnold Schoenberg (classical composer: String Quartets: 1-4)
Neal Schon (rock guitarist with Santana, Journey: “Don’t Stop Believin’” and Bad English: “When I See You Smile”)
Franz Schubert (classical composer and pianist: Trout Symphony, Unfinished Symphony, The Great Symphony)
Stephen Schwartz (musical theater songwriter: Godspell, Pippin, Wicked)
Earl Scruggs (country singer in duo with Lester Flatt: “Foggy Mountain Breakdown,” “The Ballad of Jed Clampett”)
Ryan Seacrest (TV and radio personality)
Seal (pop singer: “Crazy,” “Kiss from a Rose”)
Neil Sedaka (pop singer: “Breaking Up Is Hard to Do,” “Laughter in the Rain”)
Pete Seeger (folk singer with the Weavers: “Goodnight Irene” and a solo artist: “We Shall Overcome”)
Bob Seger (rock singer: “Turn the Page,” “Night Moves,” “Old Time Rock and Roll”)
Ben Selvin (big band leader: “Dardanella,” “Blue Skies,” “Happy Days Are Here Again”)
Phil Selway (drummer: Radiohead)
Shakira (pop singer: “Hips Don’t Lie,” “Whenever Wherever”)
Tupac Shakur (rapper: Me Against the World, All Eyez on Me)
Del Shannon (pop singer: “Runaway”)
Artie Shaw (big band leader: “Begin the Beguine,” “Frenesi,” “Stardust”)
Tommy Shaw (rock singer and guitarist with Styx: “Renegade,” “Too Much Time on My Hands”)
Ed Sheeran (pop singer: “Shape of You, “Perfect”)
Blake Shelton (country singer and judge on TV’s The Voice)
Richard Sherman (Disney film composer: Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, The Jungle Book, “It’s a Small World After All”)
Robert Sherman (Disney film composer: Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, The Jungle Book, “It’s a Small World After All”)
Nat Shilkret (composer and conducter: “Five Foot Two, Eyes of Blue”)
Dinah Shore (singer: “Buttons and Bows,” “The Gypsy”)
Dmitri Shostakovich (classical pianist and composer: Symphony No. 5)
Mort Shuman (songwriter: “Teenager in Love,” “Save the Last Dance for Me”)
Jean Sibelius (classical composer)
Gene Simmons (rock bassist and singer with Kiss: “Rock and Roll All Nite,” “Beth”)
Carly Simon (pop singer: “You’re So Vain,” “Nobody Does It Better”)
Paul Simon (pop singer in duo with Art Garfunkel: “The Sound of Silence,” “Mrs. Robinson,” “Bridge Over Troubled Water” and solo singer: “50 Ways to Leave Your Lover”)

Paul Simon
Nina Simone (jazz/blues singer: “I Loves You, Porgy,” “Mississippi Goddam”)
Valerie Simpson (R&B singer/songwriter: “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough,” “Solid”)
Frank Sinatra (traditional pop singer: “I’ll Never Smile Again,” “My Way,” “Strangers in the Night,” “Theme from ‘New York New York’”)

Frank Sinatra
Ricky Skaggs (country singer)
Slash (rock guitarist with Guns N’ Roses: “Welcome to the Jungle,” “Sweet Child O’ Mine,” “November Rain”)
Percy Sledge (R&B singer: “When a Man Loves a Woman”)
Bessie Smith (blues singer: “Down Hearted Blues,” “St. Louis Blues”)
Carl Smith (country singer)
Chad Smith (rock drummer with the Red Hot Chili Peppers: “Under the Bridge,” “Give It Away,” Blood Sugar Sex Magik)
Connie Smith (country singer: “Once a Day”)
Curt Smith (new wave singer/songwriter with Tears for Fears: “Everybody Wants to Rule the World,” “Shout”)
Kate Smith (singer: “God Bless America”)
Patti Smith (punk-rock singer: Horses, “Because the Night,” “Dancing Barefoot”)
Robert Smith (goth rock singer/songwriter with The Cure: “Just Like Heaven,” “Love Song,” “Friday I’m in Love”)
Sam Smith (pop singer: “Stay with Me,” “Unholy”)
Steve Smith (rock drummer with Journey: “Don’t Stop Believin’,” “Open Arms”)
Snoop Dogg (rapper: “Nuthin’ But a ‘G’ Thang,” “Drop It Like It’s Hot”)
Hank Snow (country singer: “I’m Movin’ On,” “I Don’t Hurt Anymore”)
Stephen Sondheim (musical theater composer: West Side Story, Gypsy)
John Phillip Sousa (songwriter/bandleader: “The Stars and Stripes Forever,” “The Washington Post March”)
Britney Spears (pop singer: “Baby One More Time,” “Toxic”)
Phil Spector (producer who worked with the Beatles, the Righteous Brothers, the Ronettes, et al)
Len Spencer (singer: “Ta-Ra-Ra Boom-De-Ay,” “The Old Folks at Home,” “The Arkansaw Traveler”)
Dusty Springfield (blue-eyed soul singer: “I Only Want to Be with You,” “Son of a Preacher Man”)
Rick Springfield (pop singer: “Jessie’s Girl,” “Don’t Talk to Strangers”)
Bruce Springsteen (rock singer/songwriter and guitarist: “Born to Run,” Born in the U.S.A.)

Bruce Springsteen
Chris Squire (rock bassist with Yes: “Roundabout,” “Owner of a Lonely Heart”)
Jo Stafford (singer: “You Belong to Me,” “Make Love to Me”)
Chris Stamp (rock manager for the Jimi Hendrix Experience and the Who)
Frank Stanley (bass singer with the Peerless Quartet and a solo artist: “Auld Lang Syne”)
Paul Stanley (rock guitarist with Kiss: “Rock and Roll All Nite,” Alive)
Chris Stapleton (country singer: “Tennessee Whiskey,” Traveller)
Zak Starkey (rock drummer with The Who and Oasis; son of Beatles’ drummer Ringo Starr)
Kay Starr (singer: “Wheel of Fortune,” “Rock and Roll Waltz”)
Ringo Starr (drummer with the Beatles: “Yellow Submarine” and a solo artist: “Photograph,” “You’re Sixteen”)
Gwen Stefani (alternative-rock singer with No Doubt: “Don’t Speak,” “Just a Girl” and a solo artist: “Hollaback Girl”)
Seymour Stein (record executive with Sire and Warner Bros.)
Jim Steinman (rock songwriter, often worked with Meat Loaf: Bat Out of Hell, “I’d Do Anything for Love But I Won’t Do That”)
Cat Stevens (folk-rock singer: “Peace Train,” “Moonshadow”)
Cal Stewart (singer: “Uncle Josh” series)
Dave Stewart (half of the Eurythmics: “Sweet Dreams Are Made of This,” “Here Comes the Rain Again”)
Ian Stewart (blues-rock keyboardist with the Rolling Stones and others)
Jim Stewart (record executive with Stax)
Rod Stewart (rock singer: “Maggie May,” “Tonight’s the Night,” “Da Ya Think I’m Sexy”)

Rod Stewart
Robert Stigwood (music manager for the Bee Gees and movie producer: Saturday Night Fever, Grease)
Stephen Stills (rock singer/songwriter and guitarist with Buffalo Springfield: “For What It’s Worth” and Crosby, Stills & Nash: “Suite: Judy Blue Eyes”)
Sting (rock singer with the Police: “Every Breath You Take,” “Roxanne,” “Message in a Bottle” and a solo artist: “If You Love Somebody, Set Them Free”)
Michael Stipe (rock singer with R.E.M.: “Radio Free Europe,” “Losing My Religion,” “Everybody Hurts”)
Mike Stoller (songwriter: “Hound Dog,” “Young Blood,” “Kansas City,” “On Broadway”)
Sly Stone (R&B singer with Sly & the Family Stone: “Everyday People,” “Family Affair”)
Chris Strachwitz (blues executive)
Izzy Stradlin (rock guitarist with Guns N’ Roses: “Welcome to the Jungle,” “Sweet Child O’ Mine”)
George Strait (country singer: “All My Ex’s Live in Texas,” “Love Without End, Amen”)
Richard Strauss (classical composer: Also Sprach Zarathustra, Der Rosenkavalier)
Igor Stravinsky (classical composer: The Rite of Spring, Petrushka, The Firebird)
Barbra Streisand (pop singer: “The Way We Were,” “Woman in Love”)

Barbra Streisand
Charles Strouse (musical theater songwriter: Bye Bye Birdie, Annie)
Joe Strummer (punk-rock singer with the Clash: London Calling, “Rock the Casbah”)
Jule Styne (musical theater composer: Gypsy, Funny Girl)
Alec John Such (rock bassist with Bon Jovi: “Livin’ on a Prayer,” “You Give Love a Bad Name”)
Donna Summer (disco singer: “I Feel Love,” “Hot Stuff”)
Andy Summers (rock guitarist with the Police: “Roxanne,” “Message in a Bottle,” “Every Breath You Take”)

Taylor Swift
Taylor Swift (pop singer: “Love Story,” “You Belong with Me,” “Shake It Off,” “Anti-Hero”)
Swizz Beatz (record executive with Full Surface)
SZA (R&B singer: “Kill Bill,” “Snooze,” SOS)
T
Shel Talmy (producer: The Who, The Kinks)
Richard Tandy (rock keyboardist with Electric Light Orchestra: “Mr. Blue Sky,” “Don’t Bring Me Down”)
Marv Tarplin (R&B guitarist with the Miracles: “Shop Around,” “The Tears of a Clown”)
Art Tatum (jazz pianist: “Tea for Two”)
Bernie Taupin (songwriter with Elton John: “Your Song,” “Candle in the Wind”)
Andy Taylor (new wave guitarist with Duran Duran: “Hungry Like the Wolf,” “The Wild Boys”)
James Taylor (singer/songwriter: “Fire and Rain,” “You’ve Got a Friend”)
John Taylor (new wave bassist with Duran Duran: “Hungry Like the Wolf,” “The Wild Boys”)
Mick Taylor (blues-rock guitarist with John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers and the Rolling Stones)
Roger Taylor (rock drummer with Queen: “Bohemian Rhapsody,” “Another One Bites the Dust”)
Pyotr Il’yich Tchaikovsky (classical composer: Piano Concerto No. 1 in B-flat minor)
Ted Templeman (producer: Doobie Brothers, Van Halen)
Sister Rosetta Tharpe (gospel and blues singer: “Strange Things Happen Every Day,” “This Train”)
B.J. Thomas (pop/country singer: “Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head”)
Chris Thomas (producer: the Pretenders, Sex Pistols, Roxy Music)
Rob Thomas (rock singer with Matchbox 20: Yourself or Someone Like You, “Bent” and a solo artist: “Smooth”)
Hank Thompson (country singer: “The Wild Side of Life”)
Richard Thompson (folk singer/songwriter: I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight, Shoot Out the Lights)
Tony Thompson (R&B/rock drummer with Chic & The Power Station)
T.I. (rap singer: “Whatever You Like,” “Live Your Life”)
Glenn Tilbrook (songwriter with Squeeze: “Tempted,” “Hourglass”)
Mel Tillis (country singer)
Timbaland (rap singer: “Promiscuous,” “Apologize”)
Justin Timberlake (pop singer with N’ Sync: “Bye Bye Bye” and solo artist: “Sexyback,” “Can’t Stop the Feeling!”)
Tico Torres (rock drummer with Bon Jovi: “You Give Love a Bad Name,” “Livin’ on a Prayer”)
Pete Townshend (rock songwriter and guitarist with The Who: “Pinball Wizard,” “Won’t Get Fooled Again,” “My Generation”)

Pete Townshend
Randy Travis (country singer: “On the Other Hand,” “Forever and Ever, Amen”)
Tré Cool (punk rock drummer with Green Day: Dookie, American Idiot)
Ernest Tubb (country singer: “Walking the Floor Over You”)
Maureen “Moe” Tucker (rock drummer with the Velvet Underground: “Heroin,” “I’m Waiting for the Man”)
Tanya Tucker (country singer: “Delta Dawn”)
Big Joe Turner (blues singer: “Shake, Rattle and Roll”)
Ike Turner (R&B guitarist: “Rocket 88,” “River Deep, Mountain High”)
Tina Turner (R&B singer: “River Deep, Mountain High,” “What’s Love Got to Do with It”)

Tina Turner
Shania Twain (country singer: “You’re Still the One,” Come on Over)
Conway Twitty (country singer: “It’s Only Make Believe,” “Hello Darlin’”)
Steven Tyler (rock singer with Aerosmith: “Walk This Way,” “Sweet Emotion,” “Dream On”)
Tyler, the Creator (rapper: Igor, Call Me if You Get Lost)
U
Lars Ulrich (rock drummer and songwriter with Metallica: “Enter Sandman,” Master of Puppets)
Carrie Underwood (country singer: “Before He Cheats,” “Jesus Take the Wheel”)
Keith Urban (country singer: “Blue Ain’t Your Color”)
Usher (R&B singer: “Yeah!,” “OMG”)
V
Ritchie Valens (rock singer: “La Bamba,” “Donna”)
Rudy Vallee (singer: “Stein Song,” “As Time Goes By,” “Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?”)
Frankie Valli (singer with The Four Seasons: “Big Girls Don’t Cry,” “Sherry” and solo artist: “Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You,” “Grease”)
Ross Valory (rock bassist with Journey: “Don’t Stop Believin’,” “Open Arms”)
Walter Van Brunt (tenor singer: “And the Green Grass Grew All Around”)
Alex Van Halen (rock drummer with Van Halen: “Runnin’ with the Devil,” “Jump”)
Eddie Van Halen (rock guitarist with Van Halen: “Runnin’ with the Devil,” “Jump”)
Luther Vandross (R&B singer: “Here and Now,” “Dance with My Father”)
Sarah Vaughan (jazz singer: “Tenderly,” “Dancing in the Dark”)

Sarah Vaughan
Stevie Ray Vaughan (blues-rock singer and guitarist: Texas Flood, “Pride and Joy”)
Eddie Vedder (rock singer with Pearl Jam: “Alive,” “Jeremy,” “Daughter”)
Butch Vig (producer: Garbage, Nirvana)
Bobby Vinton (pop singer: “Roses Are Red My Love,” “Blue Velvet”)
Tony Visconti (producer: David Bowie, Marc Bolan, Talking Heads)
Antonio Vivaldi (classical composer: The Four Seasons)
Harry Von Tilzer (songwriter: “A Bird in a Gilded Cage,” “Wait Till the Sun Shines, Nellie”)
W
Richard Wagner (classical composer: The Ring Cycle, Tristan Und Isolde)
Porter Wagoner (country singer: “Green, Green Grass of Home,” “The Carroll County Accident”)
Tom Waits (singer/songwriter: “Downtown Train,” Swordfishtrombones, Rain Dogs)
Rick Wakeman (rock keyboardist with David Bowie and Yes)
T-Bone Walker (blues guitarist and singer)
Morgan Wallen (country singer: “Last Night,” Dangerous: The Double Album, One Thing at a Time)
Fats Waller (jazz singer/composer: “Ain’t Misbehavin’,” “Honeysuckle Rose”)
Joe Walsh (rock singer/songwriter and guitarist with the James Gang: “Walk Away,” “Funk #49” and the Eagles: “In the City” and a solo artist: “Rocky Mountain Way,” “Life’s Been Good”)
Bill Ward (heavy metal drummer with Black Sabbath: “Paranoid,” “Iron Man”)
Fred Waring (musician: “Ah! Sweet Mystery of Life,”Little White Lies,” “I Found a Million Dollar Baby in a Five and Ten Cent Store”)
Diane Warren (songwriter: “Because You Loved Me,” “Un-Break My Heart,” “How Do I Live,” “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing”)
Dionne Warwick (R&B singer: “Walk on By,” “That’s What Friends Are For”)
Dinah Washington (R&B/blues singer: “Teach Me Tonight,” “What a Diff’rence a Day Makes”)
Muddy Waters (blues singer, guitarist and harmonica player: “Hoochie Coochie Man,” “I Just Want to Make Love to You,” “Mannish Boy”)

Muddy Waters
Roger Waters (bassist and songwriter with Pink Floyd: Dark Side of the Moon, The Wall and a solo artist)
Charlie Watts (drummer with the Rolling Stones: “I Can’t Get No Satisfaction,” “Honky Tonk Women”)
Andrew Lloyd Webber (musical theater composer: Jesus Christ Superstar, Evita, Cats, Phantom of the Opera)
The Weeknd (R&B singer: “Can’t Feel My Face,” “The Hills,” “Starboy,” “Blinding Lights”)
Ted Weems (bandleader: “Heartaches”)
Cynthia Weil (songwriter: “On Broadway,” “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’”)
Kurt Weill (classical songwriter: “Mack the Knife,” The Threepenny Opera)
Max Weinberg (drummer with Bruce Springsteen: “Born to Run,” Born in the U.S.A.)
Lawrence Welk (big band leader: “Calcutta”)
Paul Weller (singer/songwriter and guitarist with the Jam and the Style Council, also a solo artists)
Kitty Wells (country singer: “It Wasn’t God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels”)
Dottie West (country singer)
Kanye West (rapper: The College Dropout, “Gold Digger,” “Stronger”)
John Wetton (rock singer and bassist with King Crimson and Asia: “Heat of the Moment”)
Jerry Wexler (record executive who signed and/or produced Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, and Led Zeppelin)
Talking Heads (new wave bassist with Talking Heads: “Once in a Lifetime,” “Burning Down the House”)
Alan White (drummer: John Lennon’s Plastic Ono Band, Yes)
Barry White (R&B singer: “You’re the First, the Last, My Everything,” “Can’t Get Enough of Your Love, Babe”)
Jack White (rock singer/songwriter and guitarist with the White Stripes: “Seven Nation Army;” Raconteurs, and Dead Weather; also a solo artist)
Meg White (rock drummer with the White Stripes: “Seven Nation Army”)
Paul Whiteman (bandleader: “Whispering,” “Smoke Gets in Your Eyes”)

Paul Whiteman
Norman Whitfield (R&B producer and songwriter: “I Heard It Through the Grapevine,” “War,” “Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone”)
Brad Whitford (guitarist with Aerosmith: “Dream On,” “Walk This Way,” “Sweet Emotion”)
Margaret Whiting (country musician: “Come Rain or Come Shine,” “A Tree in the Meadow,” “Slipping Around”)
Will.i.am (rapper with Black Eyed Peas: “Boom Boom Pow,” “I Gotta Feeling”)
Andy Williams (singer: “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year,” Days of Wine and Roses)
Bert Williams (vaudeville singer: “Nobody”)
Don Williams (country singer/songwriter: “I Believe in You,” “Tulsa Time”)
Hank Williams (country singer: “Your Cheatin’ Heart,” “Cold, Cold Heart”)

Hank Williams
Hank Williams, Jr. (country singer: “All My Rowdy Friends Have Settled Down,” “Family Tradition”)
Pharrell Williams (R&B/pop singer and producer: “Happy,” “Blurred Lines”)
Robbie Williams (pop singer with Take That: “Back for Good” and a solo act: “Angels”)
Pete Willis (rock guitarist with Def Leppard)
Bob Wills (country songwriter and bandleader: “New San Antonio Rose,” “Faded Love”)
Rick Wills (rock bassist with Bad Company and Foreigner)
Brian Wilson (singer/songwriter with the Beach Boys: “Good Vibrations,” Pet Sounds, “God Only Knows”)
Carl Wilson (founding member of the Beach Boys: “Good Vibrations,” “God Only Knows,” “Kokomo”)
Dennis Wilson (founding member of the Beach Boys: “Good Vibrations,” “God Only Knows,” “California Girls”)
Jackie Wilson (R&B singer: “Your Love Keeps Lifting Me Higher and Higher”)
Mary Wilson (R&B singer with the Supremes: “Stop! In the Name of Love,” “Baby Love,” “You Can’t Hurry Love”)
Teddy Wilson (big band leader: “Carelessly,” “You Can’t Stop Me from Dreaming”)
Amy Winehouse (singer: Back to Black, “Rehab”)
Steve Winwood (singer/songwriter and keyboardist with Spencer Davis Group: “Gimme Some Lovin’,” Traffic: “Dear Mr. Fantasy,” Blind Faith: “Can’t Find My Way Home” and a solo artist: “While You See a Chance,” “Higher Love,” “Roll with It”)
Bill Withers (R&B singer/songwriter: “Ain’t No Sunshine,” “Lean on Me”)
Wolfman Jack (radio DJ)
Stevie Wonder (R&B singer/songwriter and musician: “Superstition,” “I Just Called to Say I Love You,” Songs in the Key of Life)

Stevie Wonder
Ron Wood (rock bassist with the Jeff Beck Group, the Faces, and the Rolling Stones)
Eric Woolfson (rock singer/songwriter with Alan Parsons Project: “Eye in the Sky”)
Richard Wright (keyboardist with Pink Floyd: Dark Side of the Moon, The Wall)
Bill Wyman (bassist with the Rolling Stones)
Tammy Wynette (country singer: “Stand by Your Man”)
X-Y-Z
Dwight Yoakam (country singer: Guitars, Cadillacs, Etc. Etc.)
Thom Yorke (singer with Radiohead: “Creep,” OK Computer)
Angus Young (rock guitarist and songwriter with AC/DC: “Highway to Hell,” Back in Black)
Faron Young (country singer: “Hello Walls”)
Neil Young (rock singer/songwriter with Buffalo Springfield: “Mr. Soul;” Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young: “Ohio;” and a solo act: “Heart of Gold,” “Old Man,” “Cinnamon Girl”)

Neil Young
Frank Zappa (experimental rock guitarist with the Mothers of Invention)
Warren Zevon (rock singer/songwriter: “Werewolves of London”)

Resources/Related Links:

Dave’s Music Database: Lists of Acts/Music Makers by Categories
Dave’s Music Database: “Top 100 Acts of All Time” (groups + individual music makers)
Dave’s Music Database: “All-Time Top 100 Groups”

First posted 1/4/2013; last updated 5/3/2026.

Tori Amos: A Retrospective (1988-2026)

2026-05-02T15:20:00.001-05:00

Tori Amos

A Retrospective: 1988-2026

Overview:

Born: Myra Ellen Amos
When: August 22, 1963
Where: Newton, North Carolina

Alternative-rock singer/songwriter and pianist Tori Amos is a classically trained musician with a mezz-soprano vocal range. At age five, she become the youngest person admitted to the Peabody Institute at Johns Hopkins University, where she was given a full scholarship. It was discontinued when she was eleven for insubordination.

By age 17, Amos had put together a number of homemade demo tapes and her father would send them to record companies and producers. She spent several years performing on the piano bar circuit in the Washington D.C. area before moving to Los Angeles. She fronted a rock band that released Y Kant Tori Read in 1988. It was a commercial failure, but her next outing, 1992’s Little Earthquakes, brought success and a dedicated audience. She was a significant artist in the female-driven singer/songwriter movement of the 1990s.

Awards

Studio Albums

Compilations

^SO To Venus and Back: Live (Still Orbiting) (live, 1999)
^TL Tales of a Librarian (compilation: 1991-2003, released 2003)
^PC A Piano: The Collection (box set: 1990-2006, released 2006)
^GD Gold Dust (re-recordings, released 2012)
^DD Diving Deep (live, released 2024)

Y Kant Tori Read

Tori Amos

Released: July 1988

Peak: --

Sales (in millions): --

Genre: alternative rock

Rating:

2.462 out of 5.00 (average of 10 ratings)

Awards:

(Click on award to learn more).

Tracks:

The Big Picture (Amos, Bullard) [4:19] (6/88, --)
Cool on Your Island (Amos, Bullard) [4:57] (8/88, --)
Fayth (Amos, Brad Cobb) [4:23]
Fire on the Side [4:53]
Pirates (Amos, Bullard) [4:16]
Floating City [5:22]
Heart Attack at 23 [5:16]
On the Boundary [4:38]
You Go to My Head [3:55]
Etienne Trilogy (The Highlands / Etienne / Skyeboat Song) (Amos, Bullard, traditional) [6:45]

Total Running Time: 49:10

About the Album:

Tori Amos’ first album, Y Kant Tori Read, was a commercial and critical failure. Instead of presenting her as the confessional singer/songwriter that she became celebrated as later, this tried to present her in a snyth-rock band. Go to the DMDB page for more about this album.

Little Earthquakes

Tori Amos

Released: January 6, 1992

Peak: 54 US, 14 UK, 49 CN, 14 AU

Sales (in millions): 2.0 US, 0.1 UK, 2.26 world (includes US and UK)

Genre: adult alternative singer/songwriter

Rating:

4.528 out of 5.00 (average of 23 ratings)

Tracks:

Crucify ^{TL, PC}
Girl ^{SO, PC}
Silent All These Years ^{TL, PC, GD, DD}
Precious Things ^{SO, TL, PC, GD}
Winter ^{TL, PC, GD}
Happy Phantom ^PC
China ^PC
Leather ^PC
Mother ^PC
Tear in Your Hand ^{TL, PC}
Me and a Gun ^{TL, PC}
Little Earthquakes ^{SO, PC}

Total Running Time: 57:11

2015 Deluxe Edition, 2nd Disc:

* live from Cambridge Corn Exchange, 4/5/1992

Other Songs from the Era:

About the Album:

This was the album that put Tori Amos at the forefront of the ‘90s female-driven, confessional singer/songwriter movement. Go to the DMDB page for more about this album including its awards and details about individual songs.

Under the Pink

Tori Amos

Released: January 31, 1994

Peak: 12 US, 1¹ UK, 5 CN, 1⁷ AU

Sales (in millions): 2.0 US, 0.3 UK, 2.3 world (includes US and UK)

Genre: adult alternative singer/songwriter

Rating:

4.236 out of 5.00 (average of 14 ratings)

Awards:

(Click on award to learn more).

Tracks:

Pretty Good Year (3/19/94, 7 UK, 85 AU, 3 DF) ^PC
God (1/29/94, 72 BB, 1 MR, 44 UK, 87 CN, 65 AU, 1 DF) ^{TL, PC, DD}
Bells for Her (40 DF) ^{SO, PC}
Past the Mission (5/28/94, 31 UK, 6 DF) ^PC
Baker Baker (5 DF) ^{TL, PC}
The Wrong Band (5 DF)
The Waitress (3 DF) ^{SO, PC}
Cornflake Girl (1/10/94, 12 MR, 4 UK, 30 CN, 19 AU, 4 DF) ^{SO, TL, PC, DD}
Icicle (9 DF)
Cloud on My Tongue ^{SO, PC, GD}
Space Dog (9 DF) ^SO
Yes, Anastasia ^{PC, GD}

Total Running Time: 56:50

Other Songs from the Era:

Sister Janet [4:00] (1/10/94, “Cornflake” US EP, 23 DF) * ^{PC, DD}
A Case of You(Joni Mitchell) [4:38] (1/17/94, “Cornflake UK EP, 16 DF)
If 6 Was 9 Jimi Hendrix) [3:59] (1/17/94, “Cornflake UK EP, 30 DF)
Strange Fruit [4:00] (Abel Meeropol) (1/17/94 “Cornflake UK EP, 18 DF)
Home on the Range (Cherokee Edition) [5:24] (2/3/92, “God” EP, 1 DF) * ^PC
All the Girls Hate Her [2:22] (2/3/92, “God” EP) *
Over It [2:09] (2/3/92, “God” EP) *
Daisy Dead Petals [3:02] (3/7/94, “Pretty Good Year” EP, 31 DF) * ^{PC, DD}
Honey [3:47] (3/7/94, “Pretty Good Year” EP, 30 DF) * ^PC
Black Swan [4:04] (3/7/94, “Pretty Good Year” EP, 9 DF) * ^PC

* On the 2015 deluxe edition bonus disc, which also included a remix of “God” and live versions of “Here in My Head,” Upside Down,” “Past the Mission,” “Icicle,” “Flying Dutchman,” “Winter,” and “The Waitress” from 1994.

Songs by Tori Amos unless noted otherwise.

About the Album:

Under the Pink matched the double-platinum status of predecessor Little Earthquakes and gave Amos her first Billboard Hot 100 entry with “God.” Go to the DMDB page for more about this album.

Boys for Pele

Tori Amos

Released: January 22, 1996

Peak: 2 US, 2 UK, 6 CN, 6 AU

Sales (in millions): 1.0 US, 0.1 UK

Genre: piano-based alternative rock

Rating:

3.695 out of 5.00 (average of 13 ratings)

Awards:

(Click on award to learn more).

Tracks:

Beauty Queen/Horses [6:07] (30 DF) ^PC
Blood Roses [3:56] (36 DF) ^PC
Father Lucifer [3:43] (35 DF) ^PC
Professional Widow [4:31] (7/2/96, 1 UK, 38 CN, 17 AU, 28 DF) ^{TL, PC}
Mr. Zebra [1:07] (36 DF) ^{SO, TL, PC}
Marianne [4:07] ^{PC, GD}
Caught a Lite Sneeze [4:07] (1/1/96, 60 BB, 3 AA, 13 MR, 20 UK, 20 CN, 51 AU, 15 DF) ^PC
Muhammad My Friend [3:48]
Hey Jupiter [5:07] (8/20/96, 20 UK, 17 AU, 29 DF) ^PC
Way Down [1:13] (36 DF) ^TL
Little Amsterdam [4:29]
Talula [4:08] (3/11/96, 22 UK, 32 DF)
Not the Red Baron [3:49]
Agent Orange [1:26]
Doughnut Song [4:19] ^PC
In the Springtime of His Voodoo [5:32] (9/24/96, 36 DF)
Putting the Damage On [5:06] ^PC
Twinkle [3:12]

All tracks written by Tori Amos.

Total Running Time: 70:32

Other Songs from the Era:

This Old Man [1:45] (1/1/96, “Caught a Lite Sneeze” UK EP1, 14 DF) * ^PC
Hungarian Wedding Song [1:02] (1/1/96, “Caught a Lite Sneeze” UK EP1) * ^PC
Toodles Mr. Jim [3:09] (1/1/96, “Caught a Lite Sneeze” UK EP1) * ^PC
London Girls [3:21] (1/1/96, “Caught a Lite Sneeze” UK EP2) *
That’s What I Like Mick (The Sandwich Song) [3:00] (1/1/96, “Caught a Lite Sneeze” UK EP2) *
Samurai [3:03] (1/1/96, “Caught a Lite Sneeze” UK EP2)
Graveyard [0:54] (1/1/96, “Caught a Lite Sneeze” US EP) *
Amazing Grace/Til the Chicken [6:49] (3/11/96, “Talula” EP1, 15 DF) *
Frog on My Toe [3:45] (3/11/96, “Talula” EP2, 40 DF) * ^PC
Sister Named Desire [5:32] (8/20/96, “Talula” EP2) *
Alamo [5:12] (3/11/96 “Talula” EP2) *
Professional Widow (Amanda’s Star Trunk Funkin’ Mix – radio edit) [3:49] (7/2/96, “Professional Widow” EP) *
Sugar (live) [5:32] (7/2/96, “Professional Widow” EP) *
Honey (live) [3:46] (7/2/96, “Professional Widow” EP) *
Hey Jupiter (The Dakota Version) [6:05] (8/20/96, “Hey Jupiter” EP) *
Over the Rainbow (8/20/96, “Hey Jupiter” EP, 1 DF)
To the Fair Motormaids of Japan [4:18] *
The Fire-Eater’s Wife/Beauty Queen (demo version) [3:15] * ^PC
Talula (M&M mix) [4:07] *
Professional Widow (Merry Widow version – live) [4:38] *
Walk to Dublin (Sucker Reprise) [5:27] *
Sucker [2:52] *
In the Springtime of His Voodoo (Rookery Ending) [0:56] *

* Songs on 2016 deluxe edition bonus disc

About the Album:

Amos’ third consecutive platinum release was also her first top-ten album. It gave her another Billboard Hot 100 hit with “Caught a Lite Sneeze” and a surprise #1 song in the UK with “Professional Widow.” Go to the DMDB page for more about this album.

From the Choirgirl Hotel

Tori Amos

Released: May 4, 1998

Peak: 5 US, 6 UK, 10 CN, 8 AU

Sales (in millions): 1.0 US, 0.1 UK

Genre: alternative rock singer/songwriter

Rating:

3.687 out of 5.00 (average of 13 ratings)

Awards:

(Click on award to learn more).

Tracks:

Spark [4:13] (4/20/98, 49 BB, 32 A40, 13 AA, 13 MR, 16 UK, 25 CN, 50 AU, 28 DF) ^{TL, PC}
Cruel [4:07] (8/24/98, 32 DF) ^{SO, PC}
Black-Dove (January) [4:38]
Raspberry Swirl [3:58] (8/24/98, 20 CN, 57 AU)
Jackie’s Strength [4:26] (9/15/98, 54 BB, 12 CN, 32 DF) ^{TL, PC}
iieee [4:07] ^PC
Liquid Diamonds [6:21]
She’s Your Cocaine [3:42] (32 DF)
Northern Lad [4:19]
Hotel [5:19]
Playboy Mommy [4:08] ^{TL, PC}
Pandora’s Aquarium [4:45] ^DD

All songs written by Tori Amos.

Total Running Time: 54:11

Other Songs from the Era:

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas (4/20/98, “Spark” UK EP1)
Purple People (4/20/98, “Spark” UK EP1) ^PC
Bachelorette (4/20/98, “Spark” UK EP1) ^PC
Cooling (4/20/98, “Spark UK EP2) ^{SO, PC}
Do It Again (4/20/98, “Spark UK EP2)
Never Seen Blue (9/15/98, “Jackie’s Strength” EP) ^PC
Belulah Land (9/15/98, “Jackie’s Strength” EP) ^{PC, GD}
Merman (pre-order bonus download with the album) ^PC

Total Running Time: 54:11

About the Album:

Amos racked up her fourth platinum record and second top-ten U.S. album. It gave her the Billboard Hot 100 hits “Spark” and “Jackie’s Strength.” Go to the DMDB page for more about this album.

To Venus and Back

Tori Amos

Released: September 20, 1999

Peak: 12 US, 22 UK, 18 CN, 6 AU

Sales (in millions): 1.0 US

Genre: alternative rock singer/songwrter

Rating:

2.963 out of 5.00 (average of 10 ratings)

Awards:

(Click on award to learn more).

Tracks:

Bliss [3:42] (8/24/99, 91 US, 7 CN) ^{TL, PC}
Juarez [3:48]
Concertina [3:56] (2/8/00, --) ^PC
Glory of the ‘80s [4:03] (10/11/99, 46 UK, 81 AU) ^PC
Lust [3:54] ^PC
Suede [4:56] ^PC
Josephine [2:30]
Riot Poot [3:28]
Datura [8:25] ^PC
Spring Haze [4:44] ^DD
1000 Oceans [4:19] (9/9/99, --) ^PC

Total Running Time: 47:50

About the Album:

“Bliss” barely cracked the Billboard Hot 100 and To Venus and Back failed to reach the top ten like the previous two albums, but Amos landed another platinum record with this one. Go to the DMDB page for more about this album.

To Venus and Back: Live (Still Orbiting)

Tori Amos

Released: September 20, 1999 *

Peak: 12 US, 22 UK, 18 CN, 6 AU *

Sales (in millions): 1.0 US *

Genre: alternative rock singer/songwrter

Rating:

3.619 out of 5.00 (average of 10 ratings)

* refers to the studio album To Venus and Back with which this was bundled

Awards:

(Click on award to learn more).

Tracks:

(1) Precious Things (2) Cruel (3) Cornflake Girl (4) Bells for Her (5) Girl (6) Cooling (7) Mr. Zebra (8) Cloud on My Tongue (9) Sugar (10) Little Earthquakes (11) Space Dog (12) The Waitress

Total Running Time: 75:32

About the Album:

This was a live album (Tori’s first) packaged with the studio release To Venus and Back.

Strange Little Girls

Tori Amos

Released: September 18, 2001

Peak: 4 US, 16 UK, 8 CN, 7 AU

Sales (in millions): --

Genre: adult alternative singer/songwriter

Rating:

3.454 out of 5.00 (average of 11 ratings)

Awards:

(Click on award to learn more).

Tracks:

New Age (Lou Reed) [4:37] (34 DF)
’97 Bonnie & Clyde (Marshall Mathers, Jeff Bass, Mark Bass) [5:46] (1 DF)
Strange Little Girl (Brian Duffy, Dave Greenfield, Hans Warmling, Hugh Cornwell, Jean-Jacques Burnel) [3:50] (11/13/01, 16 DF)
Enjoy the Silence (Martin Gore) [4:10] (32 DF)
I’m Not in Love (Eric Stewart, Graham Gouldman) [5:39]
Rattlesnakes (Lloyd Cole, Neil Clark) [3:59]
Time (Tom Waits) [5:23] (17 DF)
Heart of Gold (Neil Young) [4:00] (30 DF)
I Don’t Like Mondays (Bob Geldof) [4:21] (16 DF)
Happiness Is a Warm Gun (John Lennon, Paul McCartney) [9:55] (27 DF)
Raining Blood (Jeff Hanneman, Kerry King) [6:22]
Real Men (Joe Jackson) [4:07] (31 DF)

Total Running Time: 62:09

About the Album:

Covers albums often feel like throwaways from artists trying to buy time until they come up with new ideas. Strange Little Girls, however, offers up Amos’ take on tracks written and performed originally by men. Whether intended or not, the album comes across as a concept album that probes into the psyche of a female killer. Go to the DMDB page for more about this album.

Scarlet’s Walk

Tori Amos

Released: October 28, 2002

Peak: 7 US, 26 UK, 13 CN, 20 AU, 1² DF

Sales (in millions): 0.62 US, -- UK

Genre: alternative rock singer/songwriter

Rating:

2.911 out of 5.00 (average of 10 ratings)

Awards:

(Click on award to learn more).

Tracks:

Amber Waves ^{PC, DD}
A Sorta Fairytale (9/29/02, 2 AA, 41 UK, 6 CN, 26 DF) ^PC
Wednesday
Strange
Carbon
Crazy ^DD
Wampum Prayer
Don’t Make Me Come to Vegas (5/27/03, 33 DF)
Sweet Sangria
Your Cloud
Pancake
I Can’t See New York
Mrs. Jesus
Taxi Ride (1/03, 20 AA, 35 DF)
Another Girl’s Paradise
Scarlet’s Walk
Virginia
Gold Dust ^{PC, GD}

Total Running Time: 74:09

Scarlet’s Hidden Treasures (EP, 5/18/04):

Ruby Through the Looking Glass ^DD
Seaside
Bug a Martini
Apollo’s Frock
Tombigee
Indian Summer
Operation Peter Pan *
Mountain *

* tracks added to 2023 remaster

About the Album:

This was Tori Amos’ first record with Epic Records. Her commercial clout was showing signs of slipping here. The album reached the top ten, but was her first solo studio release of new, original material to fail to reach platinum status. It did generate the #2 adult alternative hit “A Sorta Fairytale.”

Tales of a Librarian

Tori Amos

Recorded: 1991-2003

Released: December 6, 2003

Peak: 40 US, 74 UK, -- CN, 93 AU, 1¹ DF

Sales (in millions): 0.3 US, 0.06 UK, 0.4 world (includes US and UK)

Genre: alternative rock singer/songwriter

Rating:

3.689 out of 5.00 (average of 11 ratings)

Awards:

(Click on award to learn more).

Tracks:

(1) Precious Things (2) Angels (3) Silent All These Years (4) Cornflake Girl (5) Mary (re-recorded) (6) God (7) Winter (8) Spark (9) Way Down (extended) (10) Professional Widow (Armand’s Star Trunk Funkin’ Mix, radio edit) (11) Mr. Zebra (12) Crucify (13) Me and a Gun (14) Bliss (15) Playboy Mommy (16) Baker Baker (17) Tear in Your Hand (18) Sweet Dreams (re-recorded) (19) Jackie’s Strength (20) Snow Cherries from France

Total Running Time: 78:00

About the Album:

After Amos’ departure from Atlantic Records, this compilation was put together to cover her work from the ‘90s. As one would expect from Tori Amos, this isn’t quite a conventional “greatest hits.” There are plenty of songs that were chart singles (“Silent All These Years,” “Me and a Gun,” “Crucify,” “Winter,” “Cornflake Girl,” “God,” “Professional Widow,” “Spark,” “Jackie’s Strength,” “Bliss”). However, there are also a few too many non-album cuts (“Precious Things,” an extended version of “Way Down,” “Mr. Zebra,” “Playboy Mommy,” “Baker Baker,” “Tear in Your Hand”) at the expense of other chart songs that would have been nice to see here (“China,” “Pretty Good Year,” “Past the Mission,” “Hey Jupiter,” “Caught a Lite Sneeze,” “A Sorta Fairytale”).

This collection includes new songs “Angels” and “Snow Cherries from France” as well as re-recorded versions of “Mary” (originally a B-side to the 1992 single “Crucify”) and “Sweet Dreams” (originally a B-side to the 1992 single “Winter”).

Tracks Not on Previously Noted Albums:

Angels ^TL
Snow Cherries from France ^{TL, PC, GD}

The Beekeeper

Tori Amos

Released: February 20, 2005

Peak: 5 US, 24 UK, 16 CN, 20 AU, 1³ DF

Sales (in millions): 0.3 US

Genre: alternative rock singer/songwriter

Rating:

3.444 out of 5.00 (average of 26 ratings)

Awards:

(Click on award to learn more).

Tracks:

Parosol
Sweet the Sting (2005, 26 DF) ^PC
The Power of Orange Knickers (with Damien Rice)
Jamaica Inn
Barons of Suburbia
Sleeps with Butterflies (1/22/05, 4 AA)
General Joy
Mother Revolution ^DD
Ribbons Undone
Cars and Guitars (2005, --)
Witness
Original Sinsuality
Ireland
The Beekeeper ^PC
Martha’s Foolish Ginger
Hoochie Woman
Goodbye Pisces
Marys of the Sea ^PC
Toast

Total Running Time: 79:31

About the Album:

This was Amos’ second release through Epic Records. By this time in her career, Amos was firmly established as a “heritage artist;” that is, she could still land a top-ten album out of the gate because of her strong fan base, but then the sales would drop off quickly before the once-platinum artist could even approach gold sales. It was supported by a couple of singles that went nowhere.

This was considered a concept album, wrapped around the practice of beekeeping and how it connected to female empowerment. The songs are divided into six “gardens.”

A Piano: The Collection (box set)

Tori Amos

Recorded: 1990-2006

Released: September 26, 2006

Peak: -- US, -- UK, -- CN, -- AU, 1¹ DF

Sales (in millions): -- US, -- UK, -- world (includes US and UK)

Genre: alternative rock singer/songwriter

Rating:

3.229 out of 5.00 (average of 8 ratings)

Awards:

(Click on award to learn more).

Tracks, Disc 1:

(1) Leather (2) Precious Things (3) Silent All These Years (4) Upside Down (5) Crucify (6) Happy Phantom (7) Me and a Gun (8) Flying Dutchman (9) Girl (10) Winter (11) Take to the Sky (12) Tear in Your Hand (13) China (14) Sweet Dreams (15) Mother (16) Little Earthquakes

Tracks, Disc 2:

(1) Cornflake Girl (2) Honey (3) Take Me with You (4) Baker Baker (5) The Waitress (6) Pretty Good Year (7) God (8) Cloud on My Tongue (9) Past the Mission (10) Bells for Her (11) Yes, Anastasia (12) Blood Roses (13) Mr. Zebra (14) Caught a Lite Sneeze (15) Professional Widow (16) Beauty Queen/Horses (17) Father Lucifer (18) Marianne

Tracks, Disc 3:

(1) Walk to Dublin (2) Hey Jupiter (3) Professional Widow (4) Putting the Damage On (5) Bliss (6) Suede (7) Glory of the 80s (8) 1000 Oceans (9) Concertina (10) Lust (11) Datura (12) Sugar (live) (13) The Waitress (live) (14) Snow Cherries from France (15) Doughnut Song

Tracks, Disc 4:

(1) A Sorta Fairytale (2) Not David Bowie (3) Amber Waves (4) iieee (5) Playboy Mommy (6) The Beekeeper (7) Jackie’s Strength (8) Zero Point (9) Sweet the Sting (10) Ode to My Clothes (11) Spark (12) Intro Jam / Marys of the Sea (13) Cruel (14) Dolphin Song (15) Gold Dust

Tracks, Disc 5:

(1) The Pool (2) Never Seen Blue (3) Daisy Dead Petals (4) Beulah Land (5) Sugar (6) Cooling (7) Bachelorette (8) Black Swan (9) Mary (10) Peeping Tommi (11) Toodles Mr. Jim (12) Fire-Eater’s Wife / Beauty Queen (demo) (13) Playboy Mommy (demo) (14) A Sorta Fairytale (demo) (15) This Old Man (16) Purple People (live) (17) Here in My Head (18) Hungarian Wedding Song (19) Merman (20) Sister Janet (21) Home on the Range (Cherokee Edition) (22) Frog on My Toe

About the Album:

This box set was comprised of alternate mixes, remasters, live cuts, and unreleased tracks.

Tracks Not on Previously Noted Albums:

Take Me with You ^PC
Walk to Dublin ^PC
Not David Bowie ^PC
Zero Point ^PC
Ode to My Clothes ^PC
Dolphin Song ^PC
Peeping Tommi ^PC

American Doll Posse

Tori Amos

Released: May 1, 2007

Peak: 5 US, 50 UK, 15 CN, 20 AU, 1¹ DF

Sales (in millions): 0.15 US, -- UK, 0.5 world (includes US + UK)

Genre: alternative rock singer/songwriter

Rating:

2.470 out of 5.00 (average of 10 ratings)

Awards:

(Click on award to learn more).

Tracks:

Yo George
Big Wheel (4/10/07, 6 AA, 26 DF)
Bouncing Off Clouds (10/2/07, 38 DF)
Teenage Hustling
Digital Ghost
You Can Bring Your Dog
Mr. Bad Man
Fat Slut
Girl Disappearing ^GD
Secret Spell
Devils and Gods
Body and Soul
Father’s Son
Programmable Soda ^GD
Code Red ^DD
Roosterspur Bridge
Beauty of Speed
Almost Rosey (11/1/07)
Velvet Revolution
Dark Side of the Moon
Posse Bonus
Smokey Joe
Dragon

Total Running Time: 78:42

About the Album:

Like its predecessor, The Beekeeper, this was a top-ten album supported by a top-ten adult alternative hit – in this case, “Big Wheel.”

Abnormally Attracted to Sin

Tori Amos

Released: May 18, 2009

Peak: 9 US, 20 UK, 24 CN, 28 AU, 1¹ DF

Sales (in millions): 0.09 US, -- UK, 0.21 world (includes US + UK)

Genre: alternative rock singer/songwriter

Rating:

2.690 out of 5.00 (average of 11 ratings)

Awards:

(Click on award to learn more).

Tracks:

Give
Welcome to England (4/14/09, 10 AA)
Strong Black Vine
Flavor (9/6/12, --) ^GD
Not Dying Today
Maybe California (5/18/09, --) ^GD
Curtain Call
Fire to Your Plain
Police Me
That Guy
Abnormally Attracted to Sin
500 Miles (2009, --)
Mary Jane
Starling
Fast Horse
Ophelia
Lady in Blue ^DD
Oscar’s Theme *

* bonus track on UK and Australian editions

Total Running Time: 72:18

About the Album:

For the fourth time in a row, Amos landed a top-ten album supported by a top-ten adult alternative hit (“Welcome to England”).

Midwinter Graces

Tori Amos

Released: November 10, 2009

Peak: 66 US, 97 UK, -- CN, 152 AU, 1² DF

Sales (in millions): -- US, -- UK, -- world (includes US + UK)

Genre: alternative rock singer/songwriter

Rating:

2.202 out of 5.00 (average of 9 ratings)

Awards:

(Click on award to learn more).

Tracks:

What Child, Nowell
Star of Wonder (12/9/09, --) ^GD
A Silent Night with You (11/29/09, --)
Candle: Coventry Carol
Holly, Ivy, and Rose
Harps of Gold
Snow Angel ^GD
Jeanette, Isabella (12/9/09, --)
Pink and Glitter (11/18/09, --)
Emmanuel
Winter’s Carol
Our Next Year

Total Running Time: 48:03

About the Album:

Amos released her first Christmas album, Midwinter Graces, to a less than enthusiastic response. The album came nowhere close to the top-ten status of her four previous studio albums and failed to chart any songs.

Night of Hunters

Tori Amos

Released: September 20, 2011

Peak: 24 US, 27 UK, 38 CN, 42 AU

Sales (in millions): 0.02 US

Genre: alternative rock singer/songwriter

Rating:

2.954 out of 5.00 (average of 15 ratings)

Tracks:

Shattering Sea
Snowblind (with Natashya Hawley)
Battle of Trees
Fearlessness
Cactus Practice (with Natashya Hawley)
Star Whisperer
Job’s Coffin (with Natashya Hawley)
Nautical Twilight
Your Ghost
Edge of the Moon
The Chase (with Natashya Hawley)
Night of Hunters (with Kelsey Dobyns)
Seven Sisters
Carry (8/18/11, --)

Total Running Time: 71:38

About the Album:

Unfortunately for Tori Amos, she had now drifted into undesired, but all too familiar, territory for veteran artists. That meant the album failed to reach the top ten, sell a respectable number, or chart a single.

Gold Dust (re-recordings)

Tori Amos

Released: October 1, 2012

Peak: 63 US, 36 UK, -- CN, -- AU

Sales (in millions): --

Genre: alternative rock singer/songwriter

Rating:

2.280 out of 5.00 (average of 8 ratings)

Tracks:

(1) Flavor (2) Yes, Anastasia (3) Jackie’s Strength (4) Cloud on My Tongue (5) Precious Things (6) Gold Dust (7) Star of Wonder (8) Winter (9) Flying Dutchman (10) Programmable Soda (11) Snow Cherries from France (12) Marianne (13) Silent All These Years (14) Girl Disappearing (15) Maybe California * (16) Snow Angel *

* bonus tracks

Total Running Time: 61:15

About the Album:

This collection of re-recordings covered material from 1992’s Little Earthquakes through 2009’s Midwinter Graces. The songs were largely deep dives into Amos’ catalog, covering album cuts that weren’t singles. The re-recording of “Flavor,” originally featured on 2009’s Abnormally Attracted to Sin, was released as a single.

Unrepentant Geraldines

Tori Amos

Released: May 9, 2014

Peak: 7 US, 13 UK, 26 CN, 58 AU

Sales (in millions): 0.02 US

Genre: alternative rock singer/songwriter

Rating:

3.122 out of 5.00 (average of 15 ratings)

Tracks:

America
Trouble’s Lament (3/28/14, --)
Wild Way
Wedding Day
Weatherman
16 Shades of Blue
Maids of Elfen-Mere
Promise (7/31/14, --)
Giant’s Rolling Pin
Selkie
Unrepentant Geraldines / The Vicar’s Wife (unlisted)
Oysters
Rose Dover
Invisible Boy

Total Running Time: 59:28

About the Album:

Unrepentant Geraldines found Amos back in the top-ten, where she hadn’t been since 2009’s Abnormally Attracted to Sin. Two singles were released but neither charted.

Native Invader

Tori Amos

Released: September 8, 2017

Peak: 39 US, 16 UK, -- CN, 113 AU, 1² DF

Sales (in millions): 0.01 US

Genre: alternative rock singer/songwriter

Rating:

2.335 out of 5.00 (average of 9 ratings)

Awards:

(Click on award to learn more).

Tracks:

Reindeer King (8/25/17, --)
Wings
Broken Arrow
Cloud Riders (7/27/17, --)
Up the Creek (with Tash) (8/11/17, --)
Breakaway
Wildwood
Chocolate Song
Bang
Climb ^DD
Bats
Benjamin
Mary’s Eyes

Total Running Time: 61:57

About the Album:

While her previous album, Unrepentant Geraldines, had landed Amos back in the top ten, she missed the mark this time, despite support from three singles. All failed to chart.

Ocean to Ocean

Tori Amos

Released: October 29, 2021

Peak: 104 US, 25 UK, -- CN, 46 AU, 1¹ DF

Sales (in millions): 0.01 US

Genre: alternative rock singer/songwriter

Rating:

3.420 out of 5.00 (average of 16 ratings)

Awards:

(Click on award to learn more).

Tracks:

Addition of Light Divided
Speaking with Trees (9/29/21, 38 DF)
Devil’s Bane
Swim to New York State
Spies (10/14/21, --)
Ocean to Ocean ^DD
Flowers Burn to Gold
Metal Water Wood
29 Years
How Glass Is Made
Birthday Baby

Total Running Time: 47:38

About the Album:

Amos was a long way from her days of top-ten platinum albums here. This was the lowest charting album of her solo career. Two singles failed to chart.

Diving Deep (live)

Tori Amos

Recorded: 2022-2023

Released: December 6, 2024

Peak: -- US, -- UK, -- CN, -- AU

Sales (in millions): -- US, -- UK, -- world (includes US and UK)

Genre: alternative rock singer/songwriter

Rating:

4.452 out of 5.00 (average of 5 ratings)

Tracks:

(1) God (2) Ocean to Ocean (3) Amber Waves (4) Daisy Dead Petals (5) Pandora’s Aquarium (6) Silent All These Years (7) Ruby Through the Looking Glass (8) Climb (9) Spring Haze (10) Code Red (11) Cornflake Girl (12) Lady in Blue (13) Here in My Head * (14) Crazy * (15) Sister Janet * (16) Mother Revolution *

* bonus tracks featured on CD version of album

Total Running Time: 121:25

About the Album:

This live album largely stayed away from Amos’ familiar material with only “Silent All These Years,” “God,” and “Cornflake Girl” being chart hits.

The Music of Tori and the Muses

Tori Amos

Released: February 28, 2025

Peak: -- US, 48 UK (album downloads), -- CN, -- AU

Sales (in millions): --

Genre: children’s music

Rating:

2.654 out of 5.00 (average of 6 ratings)

Tracks:

Knocking
Day and Night (from the Faerie Workshop)
Building a Mountain
Insect Ballet
Anna’s Bakery
Mermaid Muse Speaks
Spike’s Lament
Rain Brings Change
S’Magic Day

Total Running Time: 37:03

About the Album:

This album was released to accompany Tori’s children’s book Tori and the Muses. It was nominated for a Grammy for Best Children’s Music Album.

In Times of Dragons

Tori Amos

Released: May 1, 2026

Peak: -- US, -- UK, -- CN, -- AU

Sales (in millions): -- US, -- UK, -- world (includes US + UK)

Genre: alternative rock singer/songwriter

Rating:

3.227 out of 5.00 (average of 9 ratings)

Tracks:

* HMV exclusive with bonus track

About the Album:

Go to the DMDB page for more about this album.

Resources and Related Links:

DMDB encyclopedia entry for Tori Amos
Dave’s Music Database: Acts’ Profile Pages and Best-of Lists
Wikipedia page for Tori Amos

First posted 12/10/2024; last updated 5/2/2026.

Tori Amos released In Times of Dragons

2026-05-01T14:40:00.003-05:00

In Times of Dragons

Tori Amos

Released: May 1, 2026

Peak: -- US, -- UK, -- CN, -- AU Click for codes to charts.

Sales (in millions): -- US, -- UK, -- world (includes US and UK)

Genre: alternative rock/singer-songwriter

Tracks:

Click on a song title for more details.

Shush [6:15]
In Times of Dragons [4:50]
Provincetown [5:06]
St. Teresa [6:19]
Gasoline Girls [2:56]
Ode to Minnesota [1:34]
Fanny Faudrey [1:47]
Veins [3:59]
Strawberry Moon [4:10]
Song of Sorrow [6:19]
Flood [4:03]
Pyrite [3:34]
Tempest [5:18]
Angelshark [3:47]
Blue Lotus [6:03]
Stronger Together [3:14]
23 Peaks [6:42]
Black Is the New Black *

* HMV exclusive with bonus track

Total Running Time: 75:56

Rating:

3.227 out of 5.00 (average of 9 ratings)

The Struggle with the Devil

“If Tori Amos’ enormous back catalog could be reduced to a single throughline, it would be her struggle with the devil…Up until her 2017 album, Native Invader, Satan stood in for an amalgam of everything malign…But in her most recent three albums, Satan takes on his most particular form yet: our present autocracy and oligarchy, embodied in the most overdetermined example of the trickster archetype, Donald Trump.” ^PF He “is a very convenient character…The difficulty is that writing about him can feel almost too convenient.” ^PF

“Amos is prone to metaphors – and In Times of Dragons is a metaphorical story about the fight for democracy as tyranny threatens to take over.” ^PP “So why not take up the language of fantasy and meet them on their own Tolkien-fixated terms?” ^JZ

She described the album as a “metaphorical story about the fight for Democracy over Tyranny, reflecting the current abhorrent non accidental burning down of democracy in real time by the 'Dictator believing Lizard Demons' in their usurpation of America.” ^WK

She “casts Trump and his tech-feudalist allies as reptilian dragons” ^PF and “herself as both dragon slayer and dragon, torn between heroic impulses and the same traits she criticizes: greed and a violent appetite for luxury, which she links to Trump and to the ills of the present day.” ^PF

The Narrative

She said, “I wanted to document this time in our history...And the question was, ‘How am I going to tell this story?' I needed to tell it as a narrative.’” ^PP

It is “a fictional version of Amos herself – who took an alternate path. Instead of marrying sound engineer Mark Hawley…the album version of Amos married a powerful billionaire lizard king.” ^PP She said, ”I had some options back in the ‘90s that weren’t just rock stars or musicians or roadies. There were some options. So I investigated in my mind, ‘What if I married one of the billionaires?’” ^PP

She explained the album’s story in more detail, saying, “In Times of Dragons is a story that parables the current dangerous times we are in – where democracy itself is on the line. As I’m fleeing from the character that is my sadistic billionaire Lizard Demon husband, I came across people I had not been allowed to see in years, and they had not wanted to see me because of the relationship I found myself in. To avoid being captured and dragged back to the Lizard Demon’s penthouse, I run to the deep south of the US to throw him and his henchman off my trail. One of the many characters I meet on the journey is The Daughter. We spend time and sing together. ‘Stronger Together’ is the culmination of our relationship as it is transformed with The Daughter choosing to stand by me no matter what challenges lay ahead. Whatever we will face in the future, we make a vow to each other that we're Stronger Together.” ^WK

Tash, Tori’s Daughter

The Daughter isn’t just a character on the album. Tori’s actually daughter, Natashya (Tash) Hawley, 25, with sound engineer, Mark Hawley, appears on the album as a co-writer on three songs. She also provides additional vocals on four songs. The two had collaborated before, but now as a law student, Tash “brings a unique viewpoint.” ^PP Tori said, “She’s hearing lectures, law professors talking about the seriousness of our time…So…she’s under no illusions about the knife edge we’re on.” ^PP

The Songs

“The songs are generally rich and full of character, populated by her usual cast of gay witches, Southern Baptist girls, medicine women, saints, and pre-Christian gods. But these figures do not feel fully developed, and they suffer from the same literalism that affects much politically reactive art today.” ^PF

Conclusion

“Tyranny, Amos knows, is not something which can be shut off by the flick of a switch. In every philosophy and every person there is a door which leads to evil, but all of us have the power to keep the door closed and the darkness at bay. And, in times such as these, a work of art as accomplished, as beautiful, and as generous as In Times of Dragons is a very bright light indeed.” ^JZ

“Unfortunately, even in the album’s best moments, In Time of Dragons pales against Amos’ early work.” ^PF Her later releases have “slipped from that exceptional, best-in-class level.” ^PF This “is a decent entry in her catalog, but by no means essential.” ^PF

The Songs

Here’s a breakdown of the individual songs.

Shush

Tori Amos

Writer(s): Tori Amos

Released: 3/24/2026 (single), In Times of Dragons (2026)

Peak: -- Click for codes to charts.

Sales (in millions): --

Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, -- streaming

About the Song:

“The haunting track that opens the album, Shush,” ^PP “crudely demands attention.” ^PF It “is just as provocative as some of the songs that made her a sensation more than 30 years ago when she released Little Earthquakes.” ^PP

“The ever-fantastic Matt Chamberlain plays a heavy wallop of gut-rumbling drums which Amos pairs with a piano line reminiscent of Nine Inch Nails’ The Downward Spiral era in its descending, tortile intensity, even as it remains unmistakably marked by Amos’ densely worked, surging runs. Her voice, now lowered and roughened by age, serves the material well, adding a grain that makes the track feel genuinely unsettled.” ^PF

“But the bluntness of the lyrics arrives just as quickly, undercutting the atmosphere by naming too plainly what the music had already begun to evoke with greater force.” ^PF Tori “quotes her character’s ‘sadistic billionaire Lizard Demon husband’ over somnolent, thudding beats: ‘I no longer believe that freedom and democracy are compatible.’” ^JZ “In the real world, this statement stands as the guiding principle of the far-right Dark Enlightenment movement, which underpins contemporary forms of evil from Trump’s nationalist monarchism to Silicon Valley’s reckless, relentless accelerationism.” ^JZ

In Times of Dragons

Tori Amos

Writer(s): Tori Amos

Released: In Times of Dragons (2026)

Peak: -- Click for codes to charts.

Sales (in millions): --

Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, -- streaming

About the Song:

Provincetown

Tori Amos

Writer(s): Tori Amos

Released: In Times of Dragons (2026)

Peak: -- Click for codes to charts.

Sales (in millions): --

Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, -- streaming

About the Song:

“The panoramic Provincetown” ^JZ is “the greatest Amos return to form.” ^PF It “marks the thrilling reappearance of the harpsichord, an instrument that hasn’t featured in Amos’ work since her 1996 masterpiece, Boys for Pele. Here, it sounds less feral and much more controlled…its clipped decay leaving space for the forceful bass and drums, while adding an ornate and highly structured prog-rocky layer.” ^PF

“It’s easy to assume ‘Stronger Together’ is its finale. Another affecting letter from mother to daughter, building to a gently joyous climax with no fantasy tropes in sight, it glows with optimism and leaves you feeling that the battle has been won.” ^JZ

23 Peaks

Tori Amos

Writer(s): Tori Amos

Released: In Times of Dragons (2026)

Peak: -- Click for codes to charts.

Sales (in millions): --

Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, -- streaming

About the Song:

“But then 23 Peaks suggests that all may not be well forever. Layers on layers of glassy ambient synth redolent of Brian Eno’s most mournful work ring out over the top of a great natural hum, as if you’re listening to the Earth breathe. It would be affecting even as an instrumental, but now we find Amos, in a voice which suddenly sounds as though it has lived through an epoch of suffering, reckoning with the terrible possibility of becoming the very same creature she has tried to evade until the song and the album are at last swallowed by the huge hopeful glow of an organ.” ^JZ

Resources/References:

^JZ Joyzine.org (5/1/2026) album review by Poppy Bristow
^PP People (5/1/2026). “Tori Amos on her New Album… by Eric Andersson
^PF Pitchfork (4/30/2026) album review by Emma Madden
^WK Wikipedia.org page for In Times of Dragons

Related DMDB Pages:

First posted 5/2/2026.

Top 100 Songwriters of the Rock Era

2026-04-30T00:51:00.000-05:00

Songwriters of the Rock Era:

Top 100

This list was originally posted on the Dave’s Music Database Facebook page on July 1, 2010. It has been updated several times since then, most recently in April 2026 when The New York Times Magazine presented its list of the “30 Greatest Living American Songwriters.” See other sources which were aggregated to create this list at the bottom of the page.

Despite attempts to gather a wide variety of lists, the emphasis of the lists still heavily largely on singer/songwriters from the rock era, giving short shrift to Broadway, early 20th century writers, and classical composers. As such, I have created two other lists – Composers from Broadway and the Early 20th Century and The Top 50 Classical Composers. However, here’s the list of rock-era songwriters.

See other lists of Acts/Music Makers by Categories.

Bob Dylan, image from cnn.com

1. Bob Dylan
2. John Lennon/ Paul McCartney (The Beatles)
3. Bruce Springsteen
4. Paul Simon
5. Pete Townshend
6. Neil Young
7. Mick Jagger / Keith Richards (The Rolling Stones)
8. Elton John/ Bernie Taupin
9. David Bowie
10. Led Zeppelin (Robert Plant, Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones, John “Bonzo” Bonham)

John Lennon and Paul McCartney, image from fanpop.com

11. Joni Mitchell
12. Ray Davies
13. Leonard Cohen
14. Pink Floyd (Syd Barrett/ David Gilmour/ Nick Mason/ Roger Waters/ Richard Wright)
15. Carole King
16. Brian Wilson
17. Sting
18. Tom Waits
19. U2 (Bono/ Adam Clayton/ The Edge/ Larry Mullen, Jr.)
20. Kurt Cobain

Paul Simon, image from morethings.com

21. Stevie Wonder
22. Elvis Costello
23. Chuck Berry
24. Van Morrison
25. Lou Reed
26. Morrissey
27. Jim Morrison
28. Prince
29. Billy Joel
30. Smokey Robinson

Bruce Springsteen, image from reelworldtheology.com

31. Bob Marley
32. Brian Holland/Lamont Dozier/ Eddie Holland
33. Jerry Leiber/ Mike Stoller
34. James Taylor
35. R.E.M. (Peter Buck/ Bill Berry/ Mike Mills/ Michael Stipe)
36. Don Henley
37. John Fogerty
38. Nick Cave
39. Michael Jackson
40. Queen (John Deacon/ Brian May/ Freddie Mercury/ Roger Taylor)

Pete Townshend, image from guitarplayer.com

41. George Harrison
42. Radiohead (Colin Greenwood, Jonny Greenwood, Ed O’Brien, Phil Selway, Thom Yorke)
43. Joe Strummer and Mick Jones (The Clash)
44. Dolly Parton
45. Peter Gabriel
46. Burt Bacharach/ Hal David
47. Eddie Vedder 48. Gerry Goffin
49. Cat Stevens
50. Kris Kristofferson

Neil Young, image from Samuel sounds blog

51. Eric Clapton
52. Roy Orbison
53. Stevie Nicks
54. Buddy Holly
55. Kenneth Gamble / Leon Huff
56. Barry Mann/ Cynthia Weil
57. Jeff Barry/ Ellie Greenwich
58. Jackson Browne
59. Doc Pomus/ Mort Shuman
60. Randy Newman

Keith Richards and Mick Jagger, image from art.com

61. David Byrne
62. Jimi Hendrix
63. James Brown
64. Willie Nelson
65. Tom Petty
66. Lionel Richie
67. Neil Diamond
68. Little Richard
69. Beck
70. Glenn Frey

Elton John and Bernie Taupin

71. Patti Smith
72. Noel Gallagher
73. Robbie Robertson
74. Chuck D 75. Richard Thompson
76. Chrissie Hynde
77. Paul Westerberg
78. Lucinda Williams
79. Stephen Merritt
80. Johnny Cash

Joni Mitchell

81. Eminem
82. The Bee Gees (Barry Gibb/ Maurice Gibb/ Robin Gibb)
83. Tori Amos
84. Tupac Shakur (2pac)
85. Frank Zappa
86. Dave Matthews
87. Dianne Warren
88. Lindsey Buckingham
89. Kate Bush
90. Christine McVie

David Bowie

91. David Crosby
92. Neil Peart
93. Curtis Mayfield
94. Isaac Hayes / David Porter
95. Boudleaux Bryant / Felice Bryant
96. Robert Smith
97. Sly Stone
98. John Hiatt
99. Laura Nyro
100. Steve Earle

Resources/Related Links:

Dave’s Music Database: Lists of Acts/Music Makers by Categories
Dave’s Music Database Facebook page (7/1/2010). “The Top 100 Songwriters of All Time”
This ranked list is a compilation of all the best-of songwriter lists below.
aol.com (2/13/2006). “The Greatest Songwriters in Rock”
This is a top 10 ranked list with commentary. No author or year cited. However, the same content appears on a blog on myspace.com with a #11 ranked writer included and a date of 2/13/06.
AssociatedContent.com (8/1/2009). “Ten Best Lyricists of All Time” by Nick Mayer
Includes commentary.
BBC News (5/23/2001). “Dylan ‘the greatest songwriter’”
10 lyricists are ranked, according to percentage of votes received via a BBC News Online users poll out of 7722 votes cast.
DigtalDreamDoor.com 8/23/2007). “100 Greatest Rock Songwriters.” Edited by Maria S.
This ranked list of 200 songwriters includes a handful of song titles by each entry.
DigitalDreamDoor.com (5/13/2005). “100 Greatest Lyricists of Rock ‘n’ Roll.” Edited by Eric.
This is a ranked list with no commentary. If songwriter is associated with a specific group, that is noted in parentheses.
Faqs.com (2009). “The Best Lyricists of All Times.”
No longer online.
Folkmusic.about.com (year?). “Top 10 Folk Music Singer/Songwriters.” By Kim Ruehl
This ranked list includes commentary.
Gibson.com (9/9/2008). “6 of the Greatest Songwriting Partnerships of All Time.” By Aaron Lefkove
This unranked list offers commentary on six songwriting teams on Gibson Lifestyle’s Forum.
Guinness Book of British Hit Singles
Ranked list of the 100 most successful songwriters in British chart history. Guinness published books on the UK charts for years and it is assumed that this list came from one of those editions, but there are no details.
Listology.com (10/16/2008). “Top 5 Songwriters of All Time.” By podizz
No longer online.
MakeFive.com (6/23/2008). “Top 5 Songwriters of All Time.” By alexmerced
14 songwriters are actually on this ranked list, which appears to be generated by online votes.
The New York Times Magazine (April 2026). “30 Greatest Living American Songwriters”
More than 250 music insiders and six New York Times critics weighed in on who defines the new American songbook. Here, in an unranked list, are the artists they chose.
NME.com (7/1/2010?). “The Greatest Lyricists Ever.”
Readers poll. Top 20. No longer online.
NPR.org (7/5/2006). “The Best Living Songwriters.” By Robin Hilton
This ranked list, by the producer of NPR’s All Songs Considered, includes commentary.
Paste Magazine (June/July 2006). “100 Best Living Songwriters: The List”
Ranked list with no commentary.
Ranker.com (year?). “Greatest Living Rock Songwriters”
RateYourMusic.com (year?). “Top 100 Songwriters. By elayblooze
User-generated, ranked list with no commentary. No year identified.
Redefradio.gather.com (9/5/2007). “Hip Hop’s Top Lyricists of All Time (One Man’s Theory).” By Kevin Beacham.
No longer online.
RetroJunk.com (2009). “Top 20 Greatest Songwriters.” By dalmatianlover
Blogger-created, ranked list with commentary.
P. Campbell Robbins (5/10/2006). “Top 25 Greatest Songwriters of All-Time.”
Blogger-created, ranked list with commentary on top 10.
Piero Scaruffi (1996). “Greatest singer songwriters of all times”
Ranked list of 16 songwriters (no commentary) and then an unranked list of another 55 songwriters.
Piero Scaruffi (1999). “Greatest rock composers of all times”
Four separate ranked lists (no commentary) focus on world, Britain, Oceania, and Germany.
SongHall.org
Official site for the Songwriters Hall of Fame.
Songpull.com (11/13/2007). “Top 10 Living Songwriters.” By mbauer
Blogger-created, ranked list with no commentary. Links to songwriters’ official sites.
Songwriters Hall of Fame (1/21/2026). “Inductees 1969-2026” by DavesMusicDatabase.com
A list at DavesMusicDatabase.com of all inductees into the Songwriters’ Hall of Fame from its beginning in 1969 to its class of 2026 inductees.
Songwriting.net (5/26/2010). “Top 10 Songwriting Teams.” By Jessica Brandon
This ranked list offers brief commentary.
Telegraph.co.uk (5/19/2008). “50 best British songwriters.” By Chris Harvey
Ranked list includes commentary.
TopTenz.net (5/22/2009). “Top 10 Singer Songwriters of the 1960s and 1970s.” By Anne Iredale
Ranked list with commentary.
Turkku.com (year?). “Top 20: Male Songwriters and Top 20: Female Songwriters”
Two separate ranked lists with no commentary on a page with other lists.
UltimateSongwriting.com (year?). “Best Songwriters Ever” and “Great Songwriters – Greatest Songwriters”
Two separate unranked lists with lots of overlap and no commentary. No author or date identified.
Ben Witherington (8/14/2008). “The Best Songwriters in Rock n’ Roll Heaven”
Blogger-created unranked lists, no commentary, for rock/pop, folk/country, and modern. Despite the misleading title, this focuses on songwriters both alive and dead.
Yahoo.com (1/15/2009). “The 25 Best Rock Lyricists” by Rob O’Connor
No longer online.

First posted 7/1/2010; last updated 4/30/2026.

Musicians Hall of Fame

2026-04-28T23:59:00.000-05:00

Musicians Hall of Fame:

2007-2026

The Musicians Hall of Fame formed to honor musicians of all instruments and genres. As the website explains, nominations are made by current members of the American Federation of Musicians as well as various music industry professionals. There is no indication of how these nominees are whittled down to determine who is inducted. After its formation in 2007, the Hall inducted three classes before closing, reopening, and then sporadically inducting new classes in 2014, 2016, 2019, 2022, and 2026.

See other Hall of Fames.

Richard “Pistol” Allen (2007)
Jerry Allison (2008)
Jack Ashford (2007)
Chet Atkins (2009)
Bob Babbitt (2007)
Randy Bachman (Bachman-Turner Overdrive, 2014)
Eddie Bayers (session drummer, 2019)
Barry Beckett (2008)
William “Benny” Benjamin (2007)
Bob Berryhill (2019)
Bill Black (2007)
The Blue Moon Boys (2007)
Booker T. & the MG’s (2008)
John Boylan (2026)
Lou Bradley (2016)
Owen Bradly (producer, 2019)
David Briggs (2019)
Garth Brooks (2016)
Eddie “Bongo” Brown (2007)
Harrison Calloway (Muscle Shoals Horns, 2019)
Jimmy Capps (2014)
Pete Carr (2008)
Jerry Carrigan (2019)
Felix Cavaliere (songwriter/keyboardist with the Rascals, 2019)
Gene Chrisman (2007)
Dennis Coffey (2007)
Tommy Cogbill (2007)
Pat Connolly (2019)
Jeff Cook (keyboardist/fiddle player with Alabama, 2019)
Billy Cox (2009)
The Crickets (Jerry Allison, Sonny Curtis, Joe B. Mauldlin, 2008)
Steve Cropper (2008)
Mike Curb (2014)
Sonny Curtis (2008)
Dick Dale (2009)
Charlie Daniels (2009)
Ronnie Eades (Muscle Shoals Horns, 2019)
Duane Eddy (2008)
Bobby Emmons (2007)
Don Everly (2019)
Don Felder (guitarist, 2016)
Victor Feldman (2009)
D.J. Fontana (2007)
Fred Foster (2009)
Peter Frampton (2014)
Paul Franklin (2019)
Jim Fuller (Surfaris drummer, 2019)
The Funk Brothers (Richard “Pistol” Allen, Jack Ashford, Bob Babbitt, William “Benny” Benjamin, Eddie “Bongo” Brown, Dennis Coffey, Johnny Griffith, Joe Hunter, James Jamerson, Uriel Jones, Joe Messina, Earl Van Dyke, “Wah Wah” Watson, Eddie Willis, 2008)
Teddy Gentry (bassist and singer with Alabama, 2019)
Billy Gibbons (guitarist with ZZ Top, 2022)
Vince Gill (country singer, 2022)
Marshall Grant (2007)
Johnny Griffith (2007)
James William Guercio (2022)
Buddy Guy (2014)
Roger Hawkins (2008)
John Hobbs (2019)
Buddy Holly (2008)
David Hood (2008)
Nicky Hopkins (2026)
Dan Huff (2026)
David Hungate (2009)
Joe Hunter (2007)
Clayton Ivey (2008)
Al Jackson, Jr. (2008)
Wayne Jackson (2008)
James Jamerson (2007)
Jimmy Johnson (2008)
Booker T. Jones (2008)
Uriel Jones (2007)
Ben Keith (2014)
Al Kooper (2008)
Will Lee (2014)
Mike Leech (2007)
Andrew Love (2008)
Steve Lukather (2009)
Barbara Mandrell (2014)
Brent Mason (2019)
George Massenburg (2022)
Joe B. Mauldin (2008)
Randy McCormick (2008)
Michael McDonald (2026)
Will McFarlane (2008)
Don McLean (2022)
The Memphis Boys (Gene Chrisman, Tommy Cogbill, Bobby Emmons, Mike Leech, Bobby Wood, Reggie Young, 2007)
The Memphis Horns (Wayne Jackson, Andrew Love, 2008)
Joe Messina (2007)
Mark Miller (2016)
Earl Peanutt Montgomery (Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section, 2019)
Scotty Moore (2007)
The Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section (Barry Beckett, Pete Carr, Roger Hawkins, David Hood, Clayton Ivey, Jimmy Johnson, Randy McCormick, Will McFarlane, Spooner Oldham, 2008)
The Nashville “A” Team (2007)
Corki Casey O’Dell (2014)
Spooner Oldham (2008)
Roy Orbison (2014)
Randy Owen (singer/guitarist with Alabama, 2019)
David Paich (2009)
Dolly Parton (2026)
Luther Perkins (2007)
Jeff Porcaro (2009)
Mike Porcaro (2009)
Steve Porcaro (2009)
Norbert Putnam (2019)
Jerry Reed (country singer/guitarist, 2016)
Allen Reynolds (producer, 2016)
Ron “Snake” Reynolds (engineer, 2016)
Michael Rhodes (2019)
Paul Riser (2009)
Charlie Rose (Muscle Shoals Horns, 2019)
Billy Sharrill (recording engineer, 2019)
Billy Sherrill (2008)
Sigma Sound Studios (2016)
Ricky Skaggs (2016)
Leland Sklar (2026)
Velma Smith (2014)
Joe South (Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section, 2019)
Ray Stevens (2022)
Marty Stuart (country singer, 2022)
Joe Tarsia (engineer, 2016)
Bob Taylor (2019)
The Tennessee Two (Grant Marshall, Luther Perkins, 2007)
Harvey Thompson (Muscle Shoals Horns, 2019)
Terry Thompson (Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section, 2019)
George Thorogood (2026)
Toto (David Hungate, Steve Lukather, David Paich, Jeff Porcaro, Mike Porcaro, Steve Porcaro, 2009)
Keith Urban (2026)
Earl Van Dyke (2007)
Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble (2014)
Steve Wariner (country singer, 2019)
“Wah Wah” Watson (2007)
Eddie Willis (2007)
Ron Wilson (2019)
Bobby Wood (2007)
The Wrecking Crew (2007)
Reggie Young (2019)

Resources/Related Links:

First posted 1/28/2014; last updated 4/28/2026.

The Top 100 Singers of All Time

2026-04-28T20:17:00.002-05:00

Singers:

Top 100

This list has been updated several times, most recently in 2026 after the Consequence.net ranking of the top 100 vocalists of all time. More than 70 lists – some of which focus on singers and some of which focus on greatest frontmen and women – have been aggregated to create this list.

Lists which purport to be “the best of all time” are usually flawed in several ways. First of all, they tend to focus on the rock era, oblivious that there was music before the 1950s. Second, they not only lean on that era, but tend to favor rock and roll artists. Third, those artists are overwhelmingly from English-speaking countries, namely the United States and the United Kingdom. While the third circumstance is still overwhelmingly obvious on this list, I have done my best to pull lists to represent different genres and eras as much as possible. It still isn’t perfect, but it does offer more diversity and representation than you’ll typically find on a best-of list.

See other lists of Acts/Music Makers by Categories.

Queen’s Freddie Mercury, image from Britannica.com

1. Freddie Mercury
2. Frank Sinatra
3. Aretha Franklin
4. Elvis Presley
5. Robert Plant
6. Janis Joplin
7. Stevie Wonder
8. Michael Jackson
9. Whitney Houston
10. David Bowie

Even though the sources behind this list heavily favor white male singers who front rock bands, the list makers still showed “Respect” to Aretha Franklin, the Queen of Soul. Image from rollingstone.com.

11. Marvin Gaye
12. Ella Fitzgerald
13. Ray Charles
14. Mariah Carey
15. John Lennon
16. Paul McCartney
17. Prince
18. Mick Jagger
19. Billie Holiday
20. Sam Cooke

Many of the names on this list wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for “The King of Rock and Roll.” Image from fanpop.com.

21. Bono
22. Jim Morrison
23. Elton John
24. James Brown
25. Otis Redding
26. Axl Rose
27. Tina Turner
28. Céline Dion
29. Bob Dylan
30. Roy Orbison

Divas like Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston, and Christina Aguilera show they deserve a place on this rock-heavy list.

31. Kurt Cobain
32. Nat “King” Cole
33. Stevie Nicks
34. Louis Armstrong
35. Johnny Cash
36. Roger Daltrey
37. Karen Carpenter
38. Bruce Springsteen
39. Smokey Robinson
40. Patsy Cline

Even a rock-heavy list can’t hold back jazz singer icons like Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, and Etta James. Image from music-wallpapers.net.

41. Nina Simone
42. Little Richard
43. Al Green
44. Etta James
45. Steven Tyler
46. Luther Vandross
47. Christina Aguilera
48. Steve Perry
49. Dolly Parton
50. Barbra Streisand

R&B legends like James Brown, Ray Charles, Marvin Gaye, Otis Redding, and Sam Cooke make the list. Image from johannasvisions.com.

51. Beyoncé
52. Joni Mitchell
53. Thom Yorke
54. Iggy Pop
55. Björk
56. Chris Cornell
57. Bing Crosby
58. Morrissey
59. Jeff Buckley
60. Neil Young

Pre-rock era crooners like Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby, Tony Bennett, and Nat “King” Cole couldn’t be denied. Image from queens-politics.com.

61. Bob Marley
62. Van Morrison
63. Adele
64. Tony Bennett
65. Ozzy Osbourne
66. Gladys Knight
67. Dusty Springfield
68. Amy Winehouse
69. Madonna
70. Eddie Vedder

Country stars like Johnny Cash, Dolly Parton George Jones, Patsy Cline, and Hank Williams made the cut even without rock and roll credentials. Image from abcnewsradioonline.com.

71. Dean Martin
72. Ann Wilson
73. Jimi Hendrix
74. Rod Stewart
75. George Michael
76. Maria Callas
77. Perry Como
78. Diana Ross
79. Hank Williams
80. Michael Stipe

Despite the shortcomings of lists such as these, don’t let that take away from rock gods like Robert Plant, Jim Morrison, and Mick Jagger who absolutely belong on this list. Image from thehelplessdancer.wordpress.com.

81. Patti Smith
82. Jon Bon Jovi
83. Debbie Harry
84. Ronnie James Dio
85. Joe Strummer
86. Bon Scott
87. Luciano Pavarotti
88. Bruce Dickinson
89. Lou Reed
90. George Jones

World music gets almost no love from the list makers, but at least Jamaican reggae star Bob Marley and French singer Edith Piaf make the list. Image from aarkangel.wordpress.com.

91. Tom Waits
92. Mary J. Blige
93. Judy Garland
94. Jackie Wilson
95. Tom Jones
96. Curtis Mayfield
97. Mel Tormé
98. Edith Piaf
99. Chuck Berry
100. Brian Wilson

Resources/Related Links:

Dave’s Music Database: Lists of Acts/Music Makers by Categories

First posted 7/17/2012; last updated 4/28/2026.

Elvis Costello: His Top 50 Songs

2026-04-24T06:12:00.000-05:00

Elvis Costello

Top 50 Songs

Click here to see other best-of lists from other performers, including best albums or songs by specific acts.

Awards:

Top 50 Songs

DMDB Top 2%:

1. Alison (1977)

DMDB Top 5%:

2. Radio Radio (1978)
3. What’s So Funny ‘Bout Peace, Love, and Understanding (1978)
4. Pump It Up (1978)
5. Watching the Detectives (1977)
6. Oliver’s Army (1979)
7. Veronica (1989)

DMDB Top 10%:

8. Everyday I Write the Book (1983)
9. Accidents Will Happen (1979)

DMDB Top 20%:

10. I Don’t Want to Go to Chelsea (1978)
11. A Good Year for the Roses (1981)
12. I Want You (1986)
13. The Angels Want to Wear My Red Shoes (1977)
14. I Can’t Stand Up for Falling Down (1980)
15. Less Than Zero (1977)
16. Clubland (1981)
17. The Other Side of Summer (1991)
18. The Only Flame in Town (1984)
19. Man Out of Time (1982)
20. High Fidelity (1980)

Beyond the DMDB Top 20%:

21. Shipbuilding (1983)
22. Pills and Soap (1983)
23. Party Party (1982)
24. 13 Steps Lead Down (1994)
25. Monkey to Man (2004)
26. Watch Your Step (1981)
27. This Town (1989)
28. Baby Plays Around (1989)
29. From a Whisper to a Scream (1981)
30. Unwanted Number (2018)

31. New Amsterdam (1980)
32. Let Him Dangle (1989)
33. Tramp the Dirt Down (1989)
34. Green Shirt (1979)
35. Lipstick Vogue (1978)
36. Sweet Dreams of You (1981)
37. Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood (1986)
38. Psycho (1979)
39. Brilliant Mistake (1986)
40. Welcome to the Working Week (1977)

41. I’m Your Toy (1981)
42. I’m Not Angry (1977)
43. I Wanna Be Loved (1984)
44. Tokyo Storm Warning (1986)
45. Deep Dark Truthful Mirror (1989)
46. Let Them All Talk (1983)
47. All This Useless Beauty (1996)
48. Six Months in Kansas City (2014)
49. From Head to Toe (1982)
50. You Little Fool (1982)

Elvis Costello: His Top 20 Albums

2026-04-24T05:39:00.001-05:00

Elvis Costello

Top 20 Albums

Singer/songwriter Elvis Costello was born Declan McManus in Paddington, London, England, on August 25, 1954. He changed his name to Elvis Costello in 1976. He came out of the British punk/new wave scene in 1977 and became one of the most celebrated musicians of all time with his diverse abilities for dipping his toe into multiple musical genres including R&B, country, and classical. While these lists reflect a definite emphasis on his work from the ‘70s and ‘80s, Costello continues to make adventurous music. His fans never know just where he might go on his next album.

Click here to see other best-of lists from other performers, including best albums or songs by specific acts.

Awards:

Top 20 Albums

Dave’s Music Database lists are determined by album’s appearances on best-of lists as well as chart success, sales, critics’ ratings, and awards. This list focuses only on studio releases, not on compilations, live recordings, or archival collections.

This Year’s Model (1978)
My Aim Is True (1977)
Armed Forces (1979)
Imperial Bedroom (1982)
Get Happy!! (1980)
King of America (1986)
Blood and Chocolate (1986)
Trust (1981)
Spike (1989)
The Delivery Man (2004)
Punch the Clock (1983)
When I Was Cruel (2002)
National Ransom (2010)
Almost Blue (1981)
Look Now (2018)
Brutal Youth (1994)
Painted from Memory (with Burt Bacharach, 1998)
Mighty Like a Rose (1991)
Secret, Profane and Sugarcane (2009)
All This Useless Beauty (1996)

Related Links:

First posted 8/25/2012; last updated 4/24/2026.

The Top 100 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Hopefuls

2026-04-15T01:10:00.000-05:00

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame:

Top 100 Snubs

Bashing the Rock Hall has become the quite vogue thing to do. Of course, they have inducted hundreds of deserving artists alongside those who raise many music fans eyebrows. However, fans get outraged this time every year when their favorites get snubbed…yet again.

In the true spirit of Dave’s Music Database, the occasion for a list presented itself. Just who are the biggest Rock and Roll Hall of Fame snubs, those acts which fans most think have been overlooked? More than 90 lists were consolidated to create this list of the top 100 overlooked acts which will hopefully someday be enshrined in the Hall. Here we go:

See other Hall of Fames.

1. Motörhead
2. The Smiths
3. Jethro Tull
4. Pixies
5. Boston
6. Devo
7. Sonic Youth
8. Thin Lizzy
9. The Monkees
10. King Crimson

11. New York Dolls
12. Chic
13. Mötley Crüe
14. Emerson, Lake & Palmer
15. The Replacements
16. Styx
17. Jane’s Addiction
18. The Guess Who
19. The B-52’s
20. Dick Dale

21. Three Dog Night
22. Alice in Chains
23. The Scorpions
24. John Coltrane
25. War
26. Slayer
27. Steppenwolf
28. Big Star
29. Brian Eno
30. Björk

31. Harry Nilsson
32. Smashing Pumpkins
33. Diana Ross
34. J. Geils Band
35. Weird Al Yankovic
36. Nick Drake
37. Blue Öyster Cult
38. Grand Funk Railroad
39. Mariah Carey
40. Tommy James & the Shondells

41. INXS
42. Chuck Willis
43. Procol Harum
44. Pantera
45. Barry White
46. Captain Beefheart
47. Jim Croce
48. Megadeth
49. Ted Nugent
50. Mary Wells

51. Ronnie James Dio
52. Ben E. King
53. Connie Francis
54. Love
55. REO Speedwagon
56. The Meters
57. Los Lobos
58. Black Flag
59. Bryan Adams
60. The Dominoes

61. Carpenters
62. Eric B. & Rakim
63. Jan & Dean
64. The Marvelettes
65. Little Feat
66. Meat Loaf
67. Steve Winwood
68. Sting
69. Television
70. The Runaways

71. The Pointer Sisters
72. Tool
73. The Shangri-La’s
74. Beck
75. Bad Brains
76. Faith No More
77. Commodores
78. Joe Tex
79. Patti LaBelle
80. X

81. Afrika Bambaataa
82. De La Soul
83. Toto
84. Mott the Hoople
85. Tears for Fears
86. Johnny Burnette & the Rock ‘n’ Roll Trio
87. Supertramp
88. Kansas
89. Stone Temple Pilots
90. Daft Punk

91. Toots & the Maytals
92. The Sonics
93. Screamin’ Jay Hawkins
94. Nas
95. Dead Kennedys
96. Huey Lewis & the News
97. Rick James
98. Alanis Morissette
99. John Prine
100. Snoop Dogg

Resources/Related Links:

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame official website
Dave’s Music Database: “Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductees”
Dave’s Music Database: “Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees ranked”
Dave’s Music Database: “Rock and Roll Hall of Fame/NARM’s Definitive Albums”
Dave’s Music Database: “Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: 500 Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll”
Dave’s Music Database (9/2/1995). “The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum opened its doors”
Dave’s Music Database (1/23/1986). “The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inducted its first class”
FutureRockLegends.com

First posted 10/11/2011; last updated 4/15/2026.

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductees, 1986-2026

2026-04-14T20:00:00.000-05:00

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame:

Inductees, 1986-2026

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame was established in 1983 to, as the website says, “recognize the contributions of those who have had a significant impact on the evolution, development, and perpetuation of rock and roll.” As the site says, “to be eligible for induction as an artist (as a performer, composer, or musician)…the artist must have released a record, in the generally accepted sense of that phrase, at least 25 years prior to the year of induction and have demonstrated unquestionable musical excellence.” Among considerations are the artist’s influence on other artists, length and depth of career, body of work, and innovation and superiority in style and technique.

Here is an alphabetical listing of all inductees from 1986 to 2026. Click on the act’s name to go to the DMDB music maker encyclopedia entry. Click on “bio” to go to the act’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame page.

A

INDUCTEE	Year	Bio	GROUP MEMBERS
Abba	2010	bio	Benny Andersson, Agnetha Fältskog, Anni-Frid Lyngstad, Björn Ulvaeus
AC/DC	2003	bio	Brian Johnson, Phil Rudd, Bon Scott, Cliff Williams, Angus Young, Malcolm Young
Paul Ackerman	1995	bio
Lou Adler	2013	bio
Aerosmith	2001	bio	Tom Hamilton, Joey Kramer, Joe Perry, Steven Tyler, Brad Whitford
Allman Brothers Band	1995	bio	Duane Allman, Gregg Allman, Dickey Betts, Jaimoe Johanson, Barry Oakley, Butch Trucks
Herb Alpert	2006	bio
The Animals	1994	bio	Eric Burdon, Chas Chandler, Alan Price, John Steel, Hilton Valentine
Louis Armstrong	1990	bio
Chet Atkins	2002	bio
Clarence Avant	2021	bio
Irving Azoff	2020	bio

B

INDUCTEE	Year	Bio	GROUP MEMBERS
Bad Company	2025	bio	Boz Burrell, Simon Kirke, Mick Ralphs, Paul Rodgers
Joan Baez	2017	bio
LaVern Baker	1991	bio
Hank Ballard	1990	bio
The Band	1994	bio	Rick Danko, Levon Helm, Garth Hudson, Richard Manuel, Robbie Robertson
Jeff Barry	2010	bio
Frank Barsalona	2005	bio
Dave Bartholomew	1991	bio
Ralph Bass	1991	bio
The Beach Boys	1988	bio	Al Jardine, Mike Love, Brian Wilson, Carl Wilson, Dennis Wilson
Beastie Boys	2012	bio	Mike D, Adam “Ad-Rock” Horovitz, Adam “MCA” Yauch
The Beatles	1988	bio	George Harrison, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr
Jeff Beck	2009	bio
The Bee Gees	1997	bio	Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb, Robin Gibb
Harry Belafonte	2022	bio
Thom Bell	2025	bio
Pat Benatar & Neil Giraldo	2022	bio
Bennie Benjamin	2003	bio
Bert Berns	2016	bio
Chuck Berry	1986	bio
Black Sabbath	2006	bio	Geezer Butler, Tony Iommi, Ozzy Osbourne, Bill Ward
Bill Black	2009	bio
Chris Blackwell	2001	bio
Otis Blackwell	2010	bio
Hal Blaine	2000	bio
Bobby “Blue” Bland	1992	bio
Mary J. Blige	2024	bio
Blondie	2006	bio	Clem Burke, Jimmy Destri, Nigel Harrison, Debbie Harry, Frank Infante, Chris Stein, Gary Valentine
Bon Jovi	2018	bio	Jon Bon Jovi, David Bryan, Hugh McDonald, Richie Sambora, Alec John Such, Tico Torres
Booker T. & the MG’s	1992	bio	Steve Cropper, Donald “Duck” Dunn, Al Jackson Jr., Booker T. Jones, Billy Lee Riley, Lewis Steinberg
David Bowie	1996	bio
Charles Brown	1999	bio
James Brown	1986	bio
Ruth Brown	1993	bio
Jackson Browne	2004	bio
Buffalo Springfield	1997	bio	Richie Furay, Dewey Martin, Bruce Palmer, Stephen Stills, Neil Young
Jimmy Buffett	2024	bio
Solomon Burke	2001	bio
Kate Bush	2023	bio
James Burton	2001	bio
The Paul Butterfield Blues Band	2015	bio	Jerome Arnold, Elvin Bishop, Mike Bloomfield, Paul Butterfield, Billy Davenport, Sam Lay, Mark Naftalin
The Byrds	1991	bio	Gene Clark, Michael Clarke, David Crosby, Chris Hillman, Roger McGuinn

C

INDUCTEE	Year	Bio	GROUP MEMBERS
The Cars	2018	bio	Elliot Easton, Greg Hawkes, Ric Ocasek, Benjamin Orr, David Robinson
Johnny Cash	1992	bio
Ray Charles	1986	bio
Cheap Trick	2016	bio	Bun E. Carlos, Rick Nielsen, Tom Petersson, Robin Zander
Chubby Checker	2025	bio
Cher	2024	bio
Leonard Chess	1987	bio
Chicago	2016	bio	Peter Cetera, Terry Kath, Robert Lamm, Lee Loughnane, James Pankow, Walt Parazaider, Danny Seraphine
Charlie Christian	1990	bio
Eric Clapton	2000	bio
The Dave Clark Five	2008	bio	Dave Clark, Lenny Davidson, Rick Huxley, Denis Payton, Mike Smith
Dick Clark	1993	bio
The Clash	2003	bio	Terry Chimes Nicky “Topper” Headon, Mick Jones, Paul Simonon, Joe Strummer
Jimmy Cliff	2010	bio
The Coasters	1987	bio	Carl Gardner, Cornell Gunter, Billy Guy, Dub Jones
Eddie Cochran	1987	bio
Joe Cocker	2025	bio
Leonard Cohen	2008	bio
Nat “King” Cole	2000	bio
Phil Collins	2026	bio
Sam Cooke	1986	bio
Alice Cooper	2011	bio	Michael Bruce, Glen Buston, Alice Cooper, Dennis Dunaway, Neal Smith
Don Cornelius	2023	bio
Elvis Costello & the Attractions	2003	bio	Elvis Costello, Steve Nieve, Bruce Thomas, Pete Thomas
Elizabeth Cotten	2022	bio
Floyd Cramer	2003	bio
Cream	1993	bio	Ginger Baker, Jack Bruce, Eric Clapton
Linda Creed	2026	bio
Creedence Clearwater Revival	1993	bio	Doug Clifford, Stu Cook, John Fogerty, Tom Fogerty
Crosby, Stills & Nash	1997	bio	David Crosby, Graham Nash, Stephen Stills
Sheryl Crow	2023	bio
Celia Cruz	2026	bio
The Cure	2019	bio	Perry Bamonte, Jason Cooper, Michael Dempsey, Simon Gallup, Roger O’Donnell, Robert Smith, Porl Thompson, Lol Tolhurst, Boris Williams
King Curtis	2000	bio

D

INDUCTEE	Year	Bio	GROUP MEMBERS
Bobby Darin	1990	bio
Clive Davis	2000	bio
Miles Davis	2006	bio
Deep Purple	2016	bio	Ritchie Blackmore, David Coverdale, Rod Evans, Ian Gillan, Roger Glover, Glenn Hughes, Jon Lord, Ian Paice
Def Leppard	2019	bio	Rick Allen, Vivian Campbell, Steve Clark, Phil Collen, Joe Elliott, Rick Savage, Pete Willis
The Dells	2004	bio	Verne Allison, Chuck Barksdale, Johnny Carter, Johnny Funches, Junior Marvin, Michael McGill
Suzanne De Passe	2024	bio
Depeche Mode	2020	bio	Vince Clarke, Andy Fletcher, Dave Gahan, Martin Gore, Alan Wilder
Neil Diamond	2011	bio
Bo Diddley	1987	bio
Dion	1989	bio
Dire Straits	2018	bio	Alan Clark, Guy Fletcher, John Illsley, David Knopfler, Mark Knopfler, Pick Withers
Willie Dixon	1994	bio
DJ Kool Herc	2023	bio
Fats Domino	1986	bio
Tom Donahue	1996	bio
Donovan	2012	bio
The Doobie Brothers	2020	bio	Jeff “Skunk” Baxter, John Hartman, Michael Hossack, Tom Johnston, Keith Knudsen, Michael McDonald, John McFee, Tiran Porter, Patrick Simmons
The Doors	1993	bio	John Densmore, Robby Krieger, Ray Manzarek, Jim Morrison
Steve Douglas	2003	bio
Tom Dowd	2012	bio
Lamont Dozier	1990	bio
Dr. John	2011	bio
The Drifters	1988	bio	Ben E. King, Rudy Lewis, Clyde McPhatter, Johnny Moore, Bill Pinkney, Charlie Thomas, Gerhart Thrasher
Duran Duran	2022	bio	Warren Cuccurullo, Simon LeBon, Nick Rhodes, Andy Taylor, John Taylor, Roger Taylor
Bob Dylan	1988	bio

E

INDUCTEE	Year	Bio	GROUP MEMBERS
Eagles	1998	bio	Don Felder, Glenn Frey, Don Henley, Bernie Leadon, Randy Meisner, Timothy B. Schmit, Joe Walsh
Earth, Wind & Fire	2000	bio	Philip Bailey, Larry Dunn, Johnny Graham, Ralph Johnson, Al McKay, Fred White, Maurice White, Verdine White, Andrew Woolfolk
Duane Eddy	1994	bio
Electric Light Orchestra	2017	bio	Bev Bevan, Jeff Lynne, Richard Tandy, Roy Wood
Missy Elliott	2023	bio
Eminem	2022	bio
Brian Epstein	2014	bio
Ahmet Ertegun	1987	bio
Nesuhi Ertegun	1991	bio
Eurythmics	2022	bio	Annie Lennox, Dave Stewart
The Everly Brothers	1986	bio	Don Everly, Phil Everly

F

INDUCTEE	Year	Bio	GROUP MEMBERS
The Faces	2012	bio	See The Small Faces
Leo Fender	1992	bio
The Five Royales	2015	bio	Obadiah Carter, Jimmy Moore, Lowman Pauling, Eugene Tanner, Johnny Tanner
The Flamingos	2001	bio	Jake Carey, Zeke Carey, Johnny Carter, Tommy Hunt, Terry Johnson, Sollie McElroy, Nate Nelson, Paul Wilson
Fleetwood Mac	1998	bio	Lindsey Buckingham, Mick Fleetwood, Peter Green, Danny Kirwan, Christine McVie, John McVie, Stevie Nicks, Jeremy Spencer
DJ Fontana	2009	bio
Foo Fighters	2021	bio	Dave Grohl, Taylor Hawkins, Rami Jaffee, Nate Mendel, Chris Shiflett, Pat Smear
Foreigner	2024	bio	Dennis Elliott, Ed Gagliardi, Lou Gramm, Al Greenwood, Mick Jones, Ian MacDonald, Rick Wills
The Four Seasons	1990	bio	Tommy DeVito, Bob Gaudio, Nick Massi, Frankie Valli
Four Tops	1990	bio
Peter Frampton	2024	bio
Aretha Franklin	1987	bio
Alan Freed	1986	bio

G

INDUCTEE	Year	Bio	GROUP MEMBERS
Milt Gabler	1993	bio
Peter Gabriel	2014	bio
Kenneth Gamble	2008	bio
Marvin Gaye	1987	bio
David Geffen	2010	bio
Genesis	2010	bio	Tony Banks, Phil Collins, Peter Gabriel, Steve Hackett, Mike Rutherford
Gerry Goffin	1990	bio
The Go-Go’s	2021	bio	Charlotte Caffey, Belinda Carlisle, Gina Schock, Kathy Valentine, Jane Wiedlin
Berry Gordy Jr.	1988	bio
Bill Graham	1992	bio
Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five	2007	bio	Grandmaster Flash, Keef Cowboy, Kidd Creole, Melle Mel, Rahiem, Scorpio aka Mr. Ness
Grateful Dead	1994	bio	Tom Consanten, Jerry Garcia, Donna Godchaux, Keith Godchaux, Mickey Hart, Robert Hunter, Bill Kreutzmann, Phil Lesh, Ron “Pigpen” McKernan, Brent Mydland, Bob Weir, Vince Welnick
Al Green	1995	bio
Green Day	2015	bio	Billie Joe Armstrong, Mike Dirnt, Tré Cool
Ellie Greenwich	2010	bio
Allen Grubman	2022	bio
Guns N’ Roses	2012	bio	Steven Adler, Duff McKagan, Dizzy Reed, Axl Rose, Slash, Matt Sorum, Izzy Stradlin
Woody Guthrie	1988	bio
Buddy Guy	2005	bio

H

INDUCTEE	Year	Bio	GROUP MEMBERS
Bill Haley	1987	bio
Daryl Hall & John Oates	2014	bio
John H. Hammond	1986	bio
George Harrison	2004	bio
Isaac Hayes	2002	bio
Heart	2013	bio	Michael Derosier, Roger Fisher, Steve Fossen, Howard Leese, Ann Wilson, Nancy Wilson
The Jimi Hendrix Experience	1992	bio	Jimi Hendrix, Mitch Mitchell, Noel Redding
Billie Holiday	2000	bio
Brian Holland	1990	bio
Eddie Holland	1990	bio
The Hollies	2010	bio	Bernie Calvert, Allan Clarke, Bobby Elliott, Eric Haydock, Tony Hicks, Graham Nash, Terry Sylvester
Buddy Holly / The Crickets	1986 / 2012	bio / bio	Buddy Holly / Jerry Allison, Sonny Curtis, Joe B. Mauldin, Niki Sullivan
Jac Holzman	2011	bio
John Lee Hooker	1991	bio
Nicky Hopkins	2025	bio
Whitney Houston	2020	bio
Howlin’ Wolf	1991	bio
Leon Huff	2008	bio

I

INDUCTEE	Year	Bio	GROUP MEMBERS
Billy Idol	2026	bio
The Impressions	1991	bio	Arthur Brooks, Richard Brooks, Jerry Butler, Fred Cash, Sam Gooden, Curtis Mayfield
The Ink Spots	1989	bio	Jerry Daniels, Charlie Fuqua, Orville Jones, Bill Kenny, Ivory Watson
Jimmy Iovine	2022	bio
The Isley Brothers	1992	bio	Ernie Isley, Marvin Isley, O’Kelly Isley, Ronald Isley, Rudolph Isley, Vernon Isley, Chris Jasper

J

INDUCTEE	Year	Bio	GROUP MEMBERS
The Jackson 5	1997	bio	Jackie Jackson, Jermaine Jackson, Marlon Jackson, Michael Jackson, Tito Jackson
Janet Jackson	2019	bio
Mahalia Jackson	1997	bio
Michael Jackson	2001	bio
Wanda Jackson	2009	bio
Little Walter Jacobs	2008	bio
James Jamerson	2000	bio
Elmore James	1992	bio
Etta James	1993	bio
Jay-Z	2021	bio
Jefferson Airplane	1996	bio	Marty Balin, Jack Casady, Spencer Dryden, Paul Kanter, Jorma Kaukonen, Grace Slick
Joan Jett & the Blackhearts	2015	bio	Ricky Byrd, Lee Crystal, Joan Jett, Gary Ryan
Jimmy Jam	2022	bio
Billy Joel	1999	bio
Elton John	1994	bio
Little Willie John	1996	bio
Glyn Johns	2012	bio
Johnnie Johnson	2001	bio
Robert Johnson	1986	bio
Quincy Jones	2013	bio
Janis Joplin	1995	bio
Louis Jordan	1987	bio
Journey	2017	bio	Jonathan Cain, Aynsley Dunbar, Steve Perry, Gregg Rolie, Neal Schon, Steve Smith, Ross Valory
Joy Division	2026	bio	Ian Curtis, Peter Hook, Stephen Morris, Bernard Sumner
Judas Priest	2022	bio	Les Binks, K.K. Downing, Rob Halford, Ian Hill, Dave Holland, Glenn Tipton, Scott Travis

K

INDUCTEE	Year	Bio	GROUP MEMBERS
Carol Kaye	2025	bio
Chaka Khan	2023	bio
Albert King	2013	bio
B.B. King	1987	bio
Carole King (songwriter / performer)	1990 / 2021	bio / bio
Freddie King	2012	bio
The Kinks	1990	bio	Mick Avory, Dave Davies, Ray Davies, Pete Qaulife
Don Kirshner	2012	bio
Kiss	2014	bio	Peter Criss, Ace Frehley, Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley
Gladys Knight & the Pips	1996	bio	William Guest, Gladys Knight, Merald Knight, Edward Patten
Kool & the Gang	2024	bio	Robert “Kool” Bell, Ronald Bell, George Brown, Robert “Spike” Mickens, Claydes “Charles” Smith, James “JT” Taylor, Dennis “Dee Tee” Thomas, Ricky Westfield
Al Kooper	2023	bio
Alexis Korner	2024	bio
Kraftwerk	2021	bio	Karl Bartos, Wolfgang Flür, Ralf Hütter, Florian Schneider
Fela Kuti	2026	bio

L

INDUCTEE	Year	Bio	GROUP MEMBERS
Jon Landau	2020	bio
Cyndi Lauper	2025	bio
Leadbelly	1988	bio
Led Zeppelin	1995	bio	John Bonham, John Paul Jones, Jimmy Page, Robert Plant
Brenda Lee	2002	bio
Jerry Leiber	1987	bio
John Lennon	1994	bio
Jerry Lee Lewis	1986	bio
Terry Lewis	2022	bio
Little Anthony & the Imperials	2009	bio	Clarence Collins, Little Anthony, Tracy Lord, Sammy Strain, Ernest Wright Jr.
Little Richard	1986	bio
LL Cool J	2021	bio
Darlene Love	2011	bio
Lovin’ Spoonful	2000	bio	Steve Boone, Joe Butler, John Sebastian, Zal Yankovsky
Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers	1993	bio	Sherman Garnes, Frankie Lymon, Jimmy Merchant, Joe Negroni, Herman Santiago
Lynyrd Skynyrd	2006	bio	Bob Burns, Allen Collins, Steve Gaines, Ed King, Billy Powell, Artimus Pyle, Gary Rossington, Ronnie Van Zant, Leon Wilkeson

M

INDUCTEE	Year	Bio	GROUP MEMBERS
Madonna	2008	bio
The Mamas & the Papas	1998	bio	Denny Doherty, Mama Cass Elliot, John Phillips, Michelle Phillips
Barry Mann	2010	bio
Arif Mardin	2026	bio
Bob Marley	1994	bio
Martha & the Vandellas	1995	bio	Rosalind Ashford-Holmes, Betty Kelly, Lois Reeves, Martha Reeves, Annette Sterling-Helton
George Martin	1999	bio
Cosimo Matassa	2012	bio
Dave Matthews Band	2024	bio	Carter Beauford, Jeff Coffin, Stefan Lessard, Dave Matthews, LeRoi Moore, Tim Reynolds, Rashawn Ross, Boyd Tinsley
John Mayall	2024	bio
Curtis Mayfield	1999	bio
Paul McCartney	1999	bio
The Mc5	2024	bio	Michael Davis, Wayne Kramer, Fred “Sonic” Smith, Dennis Thompson, Rob Tyner
MC Lyte	2026	bio
Clyde McPhatter	1987	bio
John Mellencamp	2008	bio
Metallica	2009	bio	Cliff Burton, Kirk Hammett, James Hetfield, Jason Newsted, Robert Trujillo, Lars Ulrich
George Michael	2023	bio
Jimmy Miller	2026	bio
Steve Miller	2016	bio
Joni Mitchell	1997	bio
Bill Monroe	1997	bio
The Moody Blues	2018	bio	Graeme Edge, Justin Hayward, Denny Laine, John Lodge, Mike Pinder, Ray Thomas
The Moonglows	2000	bio	Prentiss Barnes, Harvey Fuqua, Peter Graves, Billy Johnson, Bobby Lester
Scotty Moore	2000	bio
Van Morrison	1993	bio
Ferdinand “Jelly Roll” Morton	1998	bio
Jerry Moss	2006	bio

N

INDUCTEE	Year	Bio	GROUP MEMBERS
Syd Nathan	1997	bio
Ricky Nelson	1987	bio
Willie Nelson	2023	bio
Randy Newman	2013	bio
New Order	2026	bio	Gillian Gilbert, Peter Hook, Stephen Morris, Bernard Sumner
Stevie Nicks	2019	bio
Nine Inch Nails	2020	bio	Alessandro Cortini, Robin Finck, Danny Lohner, Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross, Ilan Rubin, Chris Vrenna
Nirvana	2014	bio	Kurt Cobain, Dave Grohl, Krist Novoselic
The Notorious B.I.G.	2020	bio
N.W.A.	2016	bio	DJ Yella, Dr. Dre, Eazy-E, Ice Cube, MC Ren
Laura Nyro	2012	bio

O

INDUCTEE	Year	Bio	GROUP MEMBERS
Oasis	2026	bio	Gem Archer, Paul Arthurs, Andy Bell, Liam Gallagher, Noel Gallagher, Tony McCarroll, Paul McGuigan, Alan White
The O’Jays	2005	bio	Eddie Levert, Bobby Massey, William Powell, Sammy Strain, Walter Williams
Andrew Loog Oldham	2014	bio
Spooner Oldham	2009	bio
Roy Orbison	1987	bio
The Orioles	1995	bio	Tommy Gaither, George Nelson, Johnny Reed, Alexander Sharp, Sonny Til
Ozzy Osbourne	2024	bio
Mo Ostin	2003	bio
Johnny Otis	1994	bio
OutKast	2025	bio	André Benjamin (André 3000), Antwan Patton (Big Boi)

P

INDUCTEE	Year	Bio	GROUP MEMBERS
Earl Palmer	2000	bio
Parliament/Funkadelic	1997	bio	Jerome “Bigfoot” Brailey, George Clinton, Bootsy Collins, Raymond Davis, Tiki Fulwood, Glenn Goins, Michael “Kidd Funkadelic” Hampton, Clarence “Fuzzy” Haskins, Eddie Hazel, Walter “Junie” Morrison, Cordell “Boogie” Mosson, Billy “Bass” Nelson, Garry M. Shider, Calvin “Thang” Simon, Gene Grady Thomas, Bernie Worrell
Gram Parsons	2026	bio
Dolly Parton	2022	bio
Charley Patton	2021	bio
Les Paul	1988	bio
Pearl Jam	2017	bio	Jeff Ament, Matt Cameron, Stone Gossard, Dave Krusen, Mike McCready, Eddie Vedder
Carl Perkins	1987	bio
Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers	2002	bio	Ron Blair, Mike Campbell, Howie Epstein, Stan Lynch, Tom Petty, Benmont Tench
Sam Phillips	1986	bio
Wilson Pickett	1991	bio
Pink Floyd	1996	bio	Syd Barrett, David Gilmour, Nick Mason, Roger Waters, Richard Wright
Gene Pitney	2002	bio
The Platters	1990	bio	David Lynch, Herb Reed, Paul Robi, Zola Taylor, Tony Williams
The Police	2003	bio	Stewart Copeland, Sting, Andy Summers
Doc Pomus	1992	bio
Elvis Presley	1986	bio
Billy Preston	2021	bio
Pretenders	2005	bio	Martin Chambers, Pete Farndon, James Honeyman-Scott, Chrissie Hynde
Lloyd Price	1998	bio
Prince	2004	bio
Professor Longhair	1992	bio
Public Enemy	2013	bio	Chuck D, Flavor Flav, Professor Griff, Terminator X

Q-R

INDUCTEE	Year	Bio	GROUP MEMBERS
Queen	2001	bio	John Deacon, Brian May, Freddie Mercury, Roger Taylor
Queen Latifah	2026	bio
Radiohead	2019	bio	Colin Greenwood, Jonny Greenwood, Ed O’Brien, Phil Selway, Thom Yorke
Rage Against the Machine	2023	bio	Tim Commerford, Zack de la Rocha, Tom Morello, Brad Wilk
Ma Rainey	1990	bio
Bonnie Raitt	2000	bio
Ramones	2002	bio	Dee Dee Ramone, Joey Ramone, Johnny Ramone, Marky Ramone, Tommy Ramone
The Rascals	1997	bio	Eddie Brigati, Felx Cavaliere, Gene Cornish, Dino Danelli
Red Hot Chili Peppers	2012	bio	Flea, John Frusciante, Jack Irons, Anthony Kiedis, Josh Klinghoffer, Cliff Martinez, Hillel Slovak, Chad Smith
Otis Redding	1989	bio
Jimmy Reed	1991	bio
Lou Reed	2015	bio
R.E.M.	2007	bio	Bill Berry, Peter Buck, Mike Mills, Michael Stipe
Randy Rhoads	2021	bio
Lionel Richie	2022	bio
The Righteous Brothers	2003	bio	Bobby Hatfield, Bill Medley
Smokey Robinson / The Miracles	1987 / 2012	bio / bio	Smokey Robinson/ Warren “Pete” Moore, Claudette Rogers Robinson, Bobby Rogers, Marv Tarplin, Ronnie White
Sylvia Robinson	2022	bio
Jimmie Rodgers	1986	bio
Nile Rodgers	2017	bio
The Rolling Stones	1989	bio	Mick Jagger, Brian Jones, Keith Richards, Ian Stewart, Mick Taylor, Charlie Watts, Ron Wood, Bill Wyman
The Ronettes	2007	bio	Estelle Bennett, Ronnie Spector, Nedra Talley
Linda Ronstadt	2014	bio
Roxy Music	2019	bio	Brian Eno, Bryan Ferry, John Gustafson, Eddie Jobson, Andy Mackay, Phil Manzanera, Graham Simpson, Paul Thompson
Rick Rubin	2026	bio
Run-D.M.C.	2009	bio	Jam Master Jay, Darryl “DMC” McDaniels, Joseph “Rev Run” Simmons
Todd Rundgren	2021	bio
Art Rupe	2011	bio
Rush	2013	bio	Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson, Neil Peart
Leon Russell	2011	bio

S

INDUCTEE	Year	Bio	GROUP MEMBERS
Sade	2026	bio	Sade Adu, Paul Spencer Denman, Andrew Hale, Stuart Matthewman
Salt-N-Pepa	2025	bio	Cheryl “Salt” James, Sandra “Pepa” Denton, Dee Dee “Spinderella” Roper
Sam & Dave	1992	bio	Sam Moore, Dave Prater
Santana	1998	bio	José Chepito Áreas, David Brown, Mike Carabello, Gregg Rolie, Carlos Santana, Michael Shrieve
Gil Scott-Heron	2021	bio
Pete Seeger	1996	bio
Bob Seger	2004	bio
Sex Pistols	2006	bio	Paul Cook, Steve Jones, John Lydon, Glen Matlock, Sid Vicious
Tupac Shakur (2pac)	2017	bio
Del Shannon	1999	bio
The Shirelles	1996	bio	Addie “Micki” Harris, Doris Kenner Jackson, Beverly Lee, Shirley Alston Reeves
Mort Shuman	2010	bio
Simon & Garfunkel	1990	bio	Art Garfunkel, Paul Simon
Carly Simon	2022	bio
Paul Simon	2001	bio
Nina Simone	2018	bio
Percy Sledge	2005	bio
Sly & the Family Stone	1993	bio	Greg Errico, Larry Graham, Jerry Martini, Cynthia Robinson, Freddie Stone, Rose Stone, Sly Stone
The Small Faces / The Faces	2012	bio	Kenny Jones, Ronnie Lane, Steve Marriott, Ian McLagan, Rod Stewart, Ron Wood
Bessie Smith	1989	bio
Patti Smith	2007	bio
The Soul Stirrers	1989	bio	S.R. Crain, J.J. Farley, R.H. Harris, E.A. Rundless
Soundgarden	2025	bio	Matt Cameron, Chris Cornell, Ben Shepherd, Kim Thayil, Hiro Yamanoto
Phil Spector	1989	bio
The Spinners	2023	bio	Henry Fambrough, Billy Henderson, Pervis Jackson, Bobbie Smith, Philippé Wynne
Dusty Springfield	1999	bio
Bruce Springsteen / The E Street Band	1999 / 2014	bio / bio	Bruce Springsteen / Roy Bittan, Clarence Clemons, Danny Federici, Nils Lofgren, Vini Lopez, David Sancious, Patti Scialfa, Garry Tallent, Steven Van Zandt, Max Weinberg
The Staple Singers	1999	bio	Cleotha Staples, Mavis Staples, Pervis Staples, Roebuck Staples, Yvonne Staples
Ringo Starr	2015	bio
Steely Dan	2001	bio	Walter Becker, Donald Fagen
Seymour Stein	2005	bio
Cat Stevens	2014	bio
Jim Stewart	2002	bio
Rod Stewart	1994	bio
Mike Stoller	1997	bio
Jesse Stone	2010	bio
The Stooges	2010	bio	Dave Alexander, Ron Asheton, Scott Asheton, Iggy Pop, James Williamson
Ed Sullivan	2026	bio
Donna Summer	2013	bio
The Supremes	1988	bio	Florence Ballard, Diana Ross, Mary Wilson

T

INDUCTEE	Year	Bio	GROUP MEMBERS
Talking Heads	2002	bio	David Byrne, Chris Frantz, Jerry Harrison, Tina Weymouth
Bernie Taupin	2023	bio
James Taylor	2000	bio
The Temptations	1989	bio	Dennis Edwards, Melvin Franklin, Eddie Kendricks, David Ruffin, Otis Williams, Paul Williams
Sister Rosetta Tharpe	2018	bio
Big Mama Thornton	2024	bio
Allen Toussaint	1998	bio
Traffic	2004	bio	Jim Capaldi, Dave Mason, Steve Winwood, Chris Wood
T-Rex	2020	bio	Marc Bolan, Steve Currie, Mickey Finn, Bill Legend
A Tribe Called Quest	2024	bio	Ali Shaheed Muhammad, Phife Dawg, Q-Tip, Jarobi White
Big Joe Turner	1987	bio
Ike & Tina Turner	1991	1991bio
Tina Turner	2021	2021bio

U-V

INDUCTEE	Year	Bio	GROUP MEMBERS
U2	2005	bio	Bono, Adam Clayton, The Edge, Larry Mullen Jr.
Ritchie Valens	2001	bio
Van Halen	2007	bio	Michael Anthony, Sammy Hagar, David Lee Roth, Alex Van Halen, Eddie Van Halen
Luther Vandross	2026	bio
Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble	2015	bio	Chris Layton, Tommy Shannon, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Reese Wynans
Velvet Underground	1996	bio	John Cale, Sterling Morrison, Lou Reed, Moe Tucker
The Ventures	2008	bio	Bob Bogle, Nokie Edwards, Gerry McGee, Mel Taylor, Don Wilson
Gene Vincent	1998	bio

W

INDUCTEE	Year	Bio	GROUP MEMBERS
Tom Waits	2011	bio
T-Bone Walker	1987	bio
Lenny Waronker	2025	bio
Dionne Warwick	2024	bio
Dinah Washington	1993	bio
Muddy Waters	1987	bio
Cynthia Weil	2010	bio
Jann Wenner	2004	bio
Jerry Wexler	1987	bio
The White Stripes	2025	bio	Jack White, Meg White
Norman Whitfield	2024	bio
The Who	1990	bio	Roger Daltrey, John Entwistle, Keith Moon, Pete Townshend
Hank Williams	1987	bio
Bob Wills	1999	bio
Jackie Wilson	1987	bio
Bill Withers	2015	bio
Bobby Womack	2009	bio
Stevie Wonder	1989	bio
Link Wray	2023	bio
Wu-Tang Clan	2026	bio	Cappadonna, Ghostface Killah, GZA, Inspectah Deck, Masta Killa, Method Man, Ol’ Dirty Bastard, Raekwon, RZA-U-God

X-Y-Z

INDUCTEE	Year	Bio	GROUP MEMBERS
Jimmy Yancey	1986	bio
The Yardbirds	1992	bio	Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton, Chris Dreja, Jim McCarty, Jimmy Page, Keith Relf, Paul Samwell-Smith
Yes	2017	bio	Jon Anderson, Bill Bruford, Steve Howe, Tony Kaye, Trevor Rabin, Chris Squire, Rick Wakeman, Alan White
Neil Young	1995	bio
Frank Zappa	1995	bio
The Zombies	2019	bio	Rod Argent, Paul Atkinson, Colin Blunstone, Hugh Grundy, Chris White
ZZ Top	2004	bio	Frank Beard, Billy Gibbons, Dusty Hill

Resources/Related Links:

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame official website
DMDB blog: Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees ranked
DMDB blog: Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Hopefuls – Top 100
DMDB website: Rock and Roll Hall of Fame/NARM’s Definitive Albums
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: 500 Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll
DMDB blog (9/2/1995). “The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum opened its doors”
DMDB blog (1/23/1986). “The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inducted its first class”

Last updated 5/29/2026.

Joe Jackson: A Retrospective (1978-2026)

2026-04-10T12:29:00.010-05:00

Joe Jackson

A Retrospective: 1978-2026

Overview:

Singer/songwriter and musician Joe Jackson was born David Ian Jackson on August 11, 1954, in Burton upon Trent, Staffordshire, England. He started learning to play the violin at age 11, but switched to piano after a couple of years. When he was 16, he started playing piano in bars. At 18, he won a scholarship to study musical composition at London’s Royal Academy of Music.

He was signed to A&M Records in 1978. His debut album, Look Sharp!, produced the memorable new wave hit “Is She Really Going Out with Him?” and earned him comparisons with contemporaries such as Elvis Costello and Graham Parker. However, he veered more toward jazz with his next few albums.

Jackson found his greatest success in 1982 with Night and Day. The album reached the top 10 in the U.S. and UK, supported by the top-10 hit “Steppin’ Out” and top-20 hit “Breaking Us in Two.” He had another top-20 hit in 1984 with “You Can’t Get What You Want Till You Know What You Want” from his 1984 Body and Soul album.

1989 marked Jackson’s last album (Blaze of Glory) with A&M Records. It capped his most commercial, pop-oriented years. In the ‘90s, he would venture into classical music, even signing with Sony Classical and releasing three albums with them.

He returned to more rock-oriented fare with 2003’s Volume 4 after signing with Rykodisc. After one more album with them, however, Jackson switched labels yet again, this time signing with Ear Music. He once again retreated to another familiar genre – jazz. He released The Duke, a tribute to Duke Ellington, in 2012. As of 2026, Jackson has released five studio albums with the label.

Compilations

^VB Stepping Out: The Very Best of (covers 1979-89, released 1990)
^GH Greatest Hits (covers 1979-89, released 1996)
^TI This is It! (The A&M Years) (covers 1979-89, released 1997)
^SC Steppin’ Out: The Collection (covers 1979-89, released 2014)
^UC The Ultimate Collection (covers 1979-2000, released 2003)
^CT Collected (box set, covers 1979-2008, released 2010)

Spotify Playlist

Check out my Spotify playlist Joe Jackson 1978-1989 to get all the songs from Stepping Out: The Very Best of, Greatest Hits, and Steppin’ Out: The Collection in one playlist.

Look Sharp! (1979):

Is She Really Going Out with Him? (Oct. ’78, 21 BB, 21 CB, 16 HR, 17 RR, 6 CL, 2 CO, 13 UK, 9 CN, 15 AU, 3 DF) ^{VB, GH, TI, UC, CT}
Sunday Papers (Feb. ’79, 42 CL, 6 CO, 14 DF) ^{GH, TI, UC, CT}
One More Time (5/18/79, 46 CL, 33 CO) ^{TI, UC}
Fools in Love (June ’79, 21, CL, 36 CO) ^{VB, TI, UC, CT}
Pretty Girls (single, 21 CL, 36 CO)
Look Sharp! (19 CL, 36 CO, 21 DF) ^{GH, TI, CT}
Got the Time ^{TI, CT}

I’m the Man (1979):

I’m the Man (9/25/79, 45 CL, 8 CO, 23 CN, 21 DF) ^{VB, GH, TI, UC, CT}
Come On (live) (9/25/79, B-side of “I’m the Man”) * ^{UC, CT}
It’s Different for Girls (11/30/79, 5 UK, 85 AU, 14 DF) ^{VB, GH, TI, UC, CT}
Kinda Kute (3/12/80, 91 CN) ^UC
On Your Radio ^{TI, CT}
Amateur Hour ^TI
Get That Girl ^CT
Don’t Wanna Be Like That ^TI
Friday (single, 22 CL, 36 CO)

* not on the original album but added later as a bonus track

“The Harder They Come” (single, 1980):

The Harder They Come (June ’80) ^{UC, CT}
Tilt (June ’80, B-side of “The Harder They Come”) ^{TI, CT}

Beat Crazy (1980):

Mad at You (10/3/80) ^{UC, CT}
Pretty Boys (Nov. ’80) ^UC
One to One (Nov. ’80) ^{TI, UC, CT}
Beat Crazy (Jan. ’81, 47 CL, 38 CO, 21 DF) ^{VB, GH, TI, UC, CT}
Biology ^{TI, CT}
Someone Up There ^TI

Jumpin’ Jive (1981):

Jumpin’ Jive (June ’81, 28 CO, 43 UK, 61 AU) ^{VB, GH, TI, UC, CT}
Jack, You’re Dead (Aug. ’81) ^{UC, CT}
What’s the Use of Getting Sober When You’re Gonna Get Drunk Again ^{TI, CT}
Is You is Or Is You Ain’t My Baby ^CT
Five Guys Named Moe ^CT

Night and Day (1982):

Real Men (6/11/82, 89 UK, 6 AU, 8 DF) ^{TI, UC, CT}
Breaking Us in Two (8/13/82, 18 BB, 17 CB, 8 RR, 8 AC, 4 CO, 59 U, 40 CN, 90 AU, 11 DF) ^{VB, GH, TI, UC, CT}
Steppin’ Out (Aug. ’82, 6 BB, 5 CB, 2 RR, 4 AC, 7 AR, 2 CO, 6 UK, 5 CN, 30 AU, 1 DF) ^{VB, GH, TI, UC, CT}
Another World (Oct. ’82) ^{TI, UC, CT}
A Slow Song (May ’83, 12 DF) ^{VB, GH, TI, UC, CT}
Chinatown ^TI
Cancer (18 CO, 16 DF)

Mike’s Murder (soundtrack, 1983):

Cosmopolitan (Aug. ’83, 26 DF) ^CT
Memphis (Nov. ’83, 85 BB, 35 CO, 15 DF) ^GH
Moonlight (single, 24 DF)
1-2-3 Go (This Town’s a Fairground) ^CT
Laundromat Monday ^CT

Body and Soul (1984):

You Can’t Get What You Want Till You Know What You Want (3/31/84, 15 BB, 19 CB, 13 RR, 13 AC, 12 AR, 4 CO, 77 UK, 30 CN, 96 AU, 8 DF) ^{VB, GH, TI, UC, CT}
Happy Ending (with Elaine Caswell) (4/20/1984, 57 BB, 14 CO, 58 UK, 47 AU, 24 DF) ^{TI, UC, CT}
Be My Number Two (June ’84, 35 CO, 70 UK, 19 DF) ^{VB, GH, TI, UC, CT}
Cha Cha Loco (single) ^{UC, CT}
Not Here, Not Now (24 DF) ^{TI, CT}
Go for It (single, 24 DF)
The Verdict (single)

Big World (1986):

Right and Wrong (4/12/86, 11 AR, 25 CO, 90 UK, 64 AU, 20 DF) ^{VB, GH, TI, CT}
Home Town (June ’86, 27 DF) ^{VB, GH, TI, CT}
The Jet Set (July ’86)
Tango Atlantico (single)
It’s a Big World (27 DF) ^CT
Forty Years ^CT
Precious Time ^TI
Wild West (single) ^TI

Pretty in Pink (soundtrack, 1986):

Left of Center (with Suzanne Vega) (5/26/86, 6 CO, 32 UK, 36 AU, 3 DF)

Will Power (1987):

Nocturne (May ’87)
Will Power ^CT

Tucker (soundtrack, 1988):

He’s a Shape in a Drape (11/14/88, 73 CN, 95 AU) ^{UC, CT}

Blaze of Glory (1989):

Nineteen Forever (4/22/89, 16 AR, 4 MR, 59 CN, 80 AU, 17 DF) ^{VB, GH, TI, UC, CT}
Down to London (10/2/89, 27 DF) ^{VB, GH, TI, CT}
Blaze of Glory (Dec. ’89, 24 DF)
The Human Touch (34 DF) ^{TI, CT}
Me and You Against the World (37 DF) ^{TI, CT}

About the Album:

Jackson doesn’t have enough hits to warrant a double anthology, making this collection fairly unnecessary. What’s more, it skips over several of his albums (Mike’s Murder, Will Power, Tucker) from this period entirely.

Steppin’ Out: The Collection

Joe Jackson

Recorded: 1979-1989

Released: September 29, 2014

Peak: --

Sales (in millions): --

Genre: new wave

Tracks:

(1) One More Time (2) Is She Really Going Out with Him? (3) Sunday Papers (4) Got the Time (5) It’s Different for Girls (6) I’m the Man (7) Beat Crazy (8) Mad at You (9) Jumpin’ Jive (10) Real Men (11) Steppin’ Out (12) Breaking Us in Two (13) Memphis (14) You Can’t Get What You Want Till You Know What You Want (15) Be My Number Two (16) Right and Wrong (17) Home Town (18) Down to London (19) Nineteen Forever

About the Album:

The fourth compilation covering Jackson’s A&M years from 1979 to 1989. The Greatest Hits set from 1996 is the best bet.

Laughter & Lust (1991):

Stranger Than Fiction (4/8/91, 79 CN) ^{UC, CT}
Obvious Song (5/4/91, 28 AR, 2 MR)
Hit Single (May ’91, --)
Oh Well (Sept. ’91, 25 AR, 20 MR)
When You’re Not Around ^CT

Night Music (1994):

Ever After (single)

A Testimonial Dinner: The Songs of XTC (various artists, 1995):

Statue of Liberty (single, 24 DF)

Heaven & Hell (1997):

Angel (Lust) (single)
Passacaglia/A Bud and a Slice (Sloth)

Summer in the City: Live in New York City (live, 2000):

Summer in the City ^CT
The In-Crowd ^CT

Night and Day II (2000):

Stranger Than You (single) ^{UC, CT}
Glamour and Pain (with Dale DeVere) (single) ^CT
Happyland ^CT

The Ultimate Collection

Joe Jackson

Recorded: 1979-2000

Released: September 29, 2003

Peak: --

Sales (in millions): --

Genre: new wave

Tracks:, Disc 1

(1) Fools in Love (2) Is She Really Going Out with Him (3) One More Time (4) Sunday Papers (5) I’m the Man (6) Come On (live) (7) Kinda Kute (8) It’s Different for Girls (9) One to One (10) Pretty Boys (11) Mad at You (12) The Harder They Come (13) Beat Crazy (14) Jack You’re Dead (15) Jumpin’ Jive

Tracks, Disc 2:

(1) Another World (2) Steppin’ Out (3) Real Men (4) A Slow Song (5) Breaking Us in Two (6) Cha Cha Loco (7) Be My Number Two (8) You Can’t Get What You Want Till You Know What You Want (9) Happy Ending (with Elaine Caswell) (10) Is She Really Going Out with Him (live a cappella) (11) Jumpin’ Jive (live) (12) He’s a Shape in a Drape (13) Nineteen Forever (14) Stranger Than Fiction (15) Stranger Than You (live)

About the Album:

This two-disc collection would seemingly add another decade’s worth of material since it stretches to 2000 while previous sets stopped in 1989. Alas, that’s barely the case considering there are only two post-1989 songs. Also, for no clear reason, this set was paired with Jackson’s 1983 Mike’s Murder soundtrack.

Volume 4 (2003):

Awkward Age (2/17/03)
Chrome (7/14/03)

In 20-0-3 (non-album single, 2/16/04)

Rain (2008):

Invisible Man (1/17/08)
King Pleasure (11/17/08) ^CT
Too Tough (single) ^CT

Collected

Joe Jackson

Recorded: 1979-2008

Released: October 5, 2010

Peak: --

Sales (in millions): --

Genre: new wave

Tracks, Disc 1:

(1) Fools in Love (2) Is She Really Going Out with Him (3) Look Sharp! (4) Got the Time (5) Sunday Papers (6) It’s Different for Girls (7) I’m the Man (8) On Your Radio (9) Get That Girl (10) Tilt (11) Biology (12) Mad at You (13) Beat Crazy (14) One to One (15) The Harder They Come (16) Jack, You’re Dead (17) Jumpin’ Jive (18) Is You Is Or Is You Ain’t My Baby (19) Five Guys Named Moe (20) What’s the Use of Getting Sober When You’re Gonna Get Drunk Again

Tracks, Disc 2:

(1) Another World (2) Steppin’ Out (3) Real Men (4) A Slow Song (5) Breaking Us in Two (6) Cosmopolitan (7) 1-2-3 Go (This Town’s a Fairground) (8) Laundromat Monday (9) Cha Cha Loco (10) Be My Number Two (11) You Can’t Get What You Want Till You Know What You What (12) Happy Ending (with Elaine Caswell) (13) Not Here, Not Now (14) Will Power (15) He’s a Shape in a Drape (16) Nineteen Forever (17) Down to London

Tracks, Disc 3:

(1) The Human Touch (2) Me and You Against the World (3) When You’re Not Around (4) Stranger Than Fiction (5) Glamour and Pain (with Dale DeVere) (6) Happyland (7) Too Tough (8) King Pleasure Time (9) Come On (live) (10) Right and Wrong (live) (11) It’s a Big World (live) (12) Forty Years (live) (13) Home Town (live) (14) Is She Really Going Out with Him? (live a cappella) (15) Jumpin’ Jive (live) (16) Summer in the City (live) (17) The In-Crowd/Down to London (live) (18) Stranger Than You (live)

About the Album:

It took a box set in 2010 to finally recognize that Joe Jackson had a career beyond 1989. This three-disc set devotes nearly a full disc to Jackson’s post-1989 work.

Fast Forward (2015):

Fast Forward (8/14/15)
The Blue Time (9/4/15)
Ode to Joy (9/18/15)
If It Wasn’t for You (10/2/15)
A Little Smile (2/19/16)

Fool (2019):

Fabulously Absolute (10/9/18)
Strange Land (11/30/18)
Friend Better (1/8/19)
Night by Night (single)
Peter Gunn (single)

What a Racket! (2023):

Health & Safety (9/27/23)
What a Racket! (10/25/23)

Hope and Fury (2026):

Welcome to Burning-by-Sea (12/10/25)
Fabulous People (2/4/26, 1 DF)
After All This Time (3/18/26)

Resources/References:

Wikipedia page for Joe Jackson

Melissa Etheridge: A Retrospective (1988-2026)

2026-03-27T23:29:00.008-05:00

Melissa Etheridge

A Retrospective: 1988-2026

Overview:

Melissa Etheridge is a rock singer/songwriter and guitarist who was born on May 29, 1961, in Leavenworth, Kansas.

Awards

Studio Albums

Compilations

^RL The Road Less Traveled (1988-2005, released 2005)

Melissa Etheridge

Released: May 2, 1988

Peak: 22 US, -- UK, -- CN, 3 AU, 1⁶ DF

Sales (in millions): 2.0 US, 2.94 worldwide (includes US)

Genre: rock

Rating:

3.978 out of 5.00 (average of 26 ratings)

Awards:

(Click on award to learn more).

Tracks:

Similar Features [4:42] (3/13/88, 94 BB, 6 AR, 93 CN, 34 AU, 6 DF) ^RL
Chrome Plated Heart [3:59] (10/13/88, 22 AR, 9 DF)
Like the Way I Do [5:23] (8/3/88, 42 BB, 28 AR, 16 CN, 9 DF) ^RL
Precious Pain [4:15] (31 DF)
Don’t You Need [4:59] (12/15/88, 31 DF)
The Late September Dogs [6:33] (9 DF)
Occasionally [2:36] (1 DF)
Watching You [5:33] (31 DF)
Bring Me Some Water [3:52] (4/27/88, 10 AR, 100 UK, 34 CN, 9 AU, 1 DF) ^RL
I Want You [4:07] (31 DF)

Total Running Time: --

About the Album:

Melissa Etheridge’s self-titled debut album established her as a formidable female rocker. Cashbox said “nobody this side of Tina Turner can belt like Melissa Etheridge. Insiders are calling her the next Janis Joplin, and she’s certainly got the whiskey voice, the Texas twang and the hard-luck stories of sexual pain. But she’s also got an identity of her own and a big future.” ^WK Go to the DMDB page for more about this album.

Brave and Crazy

Melissa Etheridge

Released: September 11, 1989

Peak: 22 US, 63 UK, -- CN, 9 AU, 2 DF

Sales (in millions): 1.0 US, 1.28 worldwide (includes US)

Genre: rock

Rating:

3.618 out of 5.00 (average of 16 ratings)

Tracks:

No Souvenirs [4:33] (9/9/89, 95 US, 9 AR, 18 MR, 4 CN, 30 AU, 1 DF) ^RL
Brave and Crazy [4:37] (9 DF)
You Used to Love to Dance [5:33]
The Angels [4:38] (3/3/90, 34 AR, 20 DF)
You Can Sleep While I Drive [3:14] (3/31/90, 1 DF) ^RL
Testify [4:28] (39 DF)
Let Me Go [3:56] (11/18/89, 27 CN, 70 AU, 31 DF)
My Back Door [4:24]
Skin Deep [3:10] (38 DF)
Royal Station 4/16 [7:08] (12 DF)

Total Running Time: --

About the Album:

AllMusic.com said “the throaty singer/guitarist/composer is slightly more reflective than on her first release, but no less confident. Nor is she is any less rootsy. Etheridge’s earthiness is a large part of her appeal, and she uses it most advantageously...As introspective as things get on this CD, Etheridge never becomes wimpy or self-pitying. For all its vulnerability, Brave and Crazy is the work of someone who comes across as a survivor.” Go to the DMDB page for more about this album.

Never Enough

Melissa Etheridge

Released: March 17, 1992

Peak: 21 US, 56 UK, -- CN, 8 AU, 1² DF

Sales (in millions): 1.0 US

Genre: rock

Rating:

3.741 out of 5.00 (average of 12 ratings)

Awards:

(Click on award to learn more).

Tracks:

Ain’t It Heavy (3/14/92, 10 AR, 9 CN, 44 AU, 9 DF) ^RL
2001 (5/26/92, 21 CN, 71 AU, 31 DF)
Dance Without Sleeping (9/29/92, 24 AC, 46 CN, 27 DF)
Place Your Hand (38 DF)
Must Be Crazy for Me (17 DF)
Meet Me in the Back (39 DF)
The Boy Feels Strange (39 DF)
Keep It Precious (39 DF)
The Letting Go (1 DF)
It’s for You (35 DF)

Total Running Time: 45:15

About the Album:

Billboard called Etheridge’s third studio album her “most mature effort yet, venturing into new stylistic and lyrical territories.” ^WK Cashbox said the album “is full of good rock ’n’ roll as well as the funky, danceable ‘2001,’ and the very poignant ‘The Letting Go’ which features Melissa alone, accompanying herself on piano.” ^WK

Yes I Am

Melissa Etheridge

Released: September 21, 1993

Peak: 15 US, -- UK, -- CN, 39 AU, 3 DF

Sales (in millions): 6.0 US, 6.2 worldwide (includes US)

Genre: rock

Rating:

4.078 out of 5.00 (average of 22 ratings)

Awards:

(Click on award to learn more).

Tracks:

I’m the Only One (9/18/93, 8 BB, 5 CB, 4 RR, 1² AC, 10 AR, 12 CN, 58 AU, 6 DF) ^RL
If I Wanted To (1/27/95, 16 BB, 9 CB, 6 RR, 17 AC, 19 CN, 47 AU, 14 DF) ^RL
Come to My Window (1/1/94, 25 BB, 15 CB, 10 GR, 15 RR, 4 AC, 22 AR, 13 CN, 11 DF) ^RL
Silent Legacy
I Will Never Be the Same (1 DF)
All American Girl (4/16/94, 24 AR, 24 CN, 18 DF)
Yes I Am (4 DF)
Resist (39 DF)
Ruins
Talking to My Angel (31 DF)

Total Running Time: 43:54

About the Album:

This was Etheridge’s most successful album, reaching six million in sales and earning her three top-40 hits on the Billboard Hot 100. Go to the DMDB page for more about this album.

Your Little Secret

Melissa Etheridge

Released: November 14, 1995

Peak: 6 US, 85 UK, -- CN, 17 AU, 1² DF

Sales (in millions): 2.0 US

Genre: rock

Rating:

3.345 out of 5.00 (average of 11 ratings)

Awards:

(Click on award to learn more).

Tracks:

Your Little Secret (10/2/95, 47 BB, 26 RR, 4 AR, 32 MR, 6 CN, 40 AU, 10 DF)
I Really Like You (39 DF)
Nowhere to Go (7/26/96, 40 BB, 38 CB, 17 RR, 24 AC, 9 A40, 7 AA, 4 CN, 27 DF)
An Unusual Kiss
I Want to Come Over (12/30/95, 22 BB, 16 CB, 14 RR, 17 AC, 9 A40, 5 AA, 22 AR, 100 UK, 1¹ CN, 29 AU, 14 DF) ^RL
All the Way to Heaven (39 DF)
I Could Have Been You
Shriner’s Park
Change
This War Is Over (30 DF)

Total Running Time: 52:54

About the Album:

Following the success of the multi-platinum Yes I Am, Your Little Secret was certified double platinum and reached #6 on the Billboard album chart, Etheridge’s highest chart position to date. Billboard called it a “superbly well-crafted album. Armed with her sharpest material to date, the tightest band with which she's ever recorded, and an in-your-face sound, Etheridge rocks even more passionately than on her previous smash, Yes I Am...A new plateau for an artist who has set the pace for female rockers of her generation.” ^WK

Breakdown

Melissa Etheridge

Released: October 5, 1999

Peak: 12 US, -- UK, -- CN, 15 AU

Sales (in millions): 0.5 US

Genre: rock

Rating:

3.426 out of 5.00 (average of 12 ratings)

Tracks:

Breakdown (31 DF)
Angels Would Fall (8/31/99, 51 BB, 28 RR, 9 A40, 6 CN, 17 DF) ^RL
Stronger Than Me (4/4/20, 38 DF)
Into the Dark
Enough of Me (1/18/00, 19 A40, 9 AA, 39 DF)
Truth of the Heart
Mama I’m Strange (34 DF)
Scarecrow (1 DF)
How Would I Know
My Lover
Sleep
Touch and Go
Cherry Avenue
Beloved

Total Running Time: 53:50

About the Album:

Breakdown was Etheridge’s sixth studio album and sixth to achieve gold status. She wouldn’t reach that level again with a studio album.

The song “Scarecrow” is dedicated to Matthew Shepard, who was murdered in 1998 because he was gay. It led to a hate crimes law being passed in 2009.

Skin

Melissa Etheridge

Released: July 10, 2001

Peak: 9 US, -- UK, -- CN, 30 AU

Sales (in millions): --

Genre: rock

Rating:

3.134 out of 5.00 (average of 12 ratings)

Tracks:

Lover Please (12/15/01, 13 AA)
The Prison
Walking on Water
Down to One
Goodnight
It’s Only Me
I Want to Be in Love (7/14/01, 20 A40, 5 AA, 83 AU, 17 DF)
Please Forgive Me
The Different
Heal Me

Total Running Time: 38:40

About the Album:

Skin “explores the pain, confusion, grief, and recovery Etheridge went through following her split from Julie Cypher, her companion of 12 years.” ^WK “I Want to Be in Love,” the lead single, earned a Grammy nominaton for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance.

Lucky

Melissa Etheridge

Released: February 10, 2004

Peak: 15 US, -- UK, -- CN, 91 AU, 1² DF

Sales (in millions): --

Genre: rock

Rating:

3.672 out of 5.00 (average of 25 ratings)

Awards:

(Click on award to learn more).

Tracks:

Lucky (5/2/04, 17 AA, 18 DF) ^RL
This Moment (6/26/04, 34 A40, 34 DF)
if You Want To (39 DF)
Breathe (1/3/04, 22 AC, 9 A40, 1² AA, 30 DF)
Mercy
Secret Agent
Will You Still Love Me
Meet Me in the Dark (34 DF)
Tuesday Morning (1 DF)
Giant
Come on Out Tonight
Kiss Me
When You Find the One

Total Running Time: 54:03

About the Album:

The lead single, “Breathe,” topped the adult alternative chart and garnered Etheridge a Grammy nomination for Best Female Rock Vocal performance. The album included “Tuesday Morning,” a powerful tribute to Mark Bingham, one of the heroes from United Flight 93 on 9/11.

Etheridge was diagnosed with beast cancer soon after the album’s release and had to cancel all album promotions to receive chemotherapy treatments.

The Road Less Traveled

Melissa Etheridge

Recorded: 1988-2005

Released: October 18, 2005

Peak: 14 US, -- UK, -- CN, 94 AU, 1¹ DF

Sales (in millions): 0.5 US

Genre: rock

Rating:

3.937 out of 5.00 (average of 16 ratings)

Awards:

(Click on award to learn more).

Tracks:

(1) Refugee (2) Similar Features (3) Like the Way I Do (4) Bring Me Some Water (5) You Can Sleep While I Drive (6) No Souvenirs (7) Ain’t It Heavy (8) I’m the Only One (9) Come to My Window (10) If I Wanted To (11) I Want to Come Over (12) Angels Would Fall (13) Lucky (14) Christmas in America (15) Piece of My Heart (16) This is Not Goodbye (17) I Run for Life (18) I Need to Wake Up *

* on re-release

Total Running Time: 72:16

About the Album:

Etheridge’s first greatest-hits compilation featured five new songs, including covers of Tom Petty’s “Refugee” and Janis Joplin’s “Piece of My Heart.” Also new was “Christmas in America,” which would later be featured on A New Thought for Christmas. The collection does offer a nice overview of Etheridge’s career, hitting the definite favorites. The most glaring omission is “Breathe,” which was a #1 hit on adult alternative radio.

Tracks Not on Previously Noted Albums:

Piece of My Heart (4/2/05, 32 BB, 10 DF) ^RL
I Run for Life (10/22/05, 10 AC, 12 DF) ^RL
I Need to Wake Up (7/11/06, 1 DF) ^RL
Refugee (12 DF) ^RL
This is Not Goodbye ^RL

The Awakening

Melissa Etheridge

Released: September 25, 2007

Peak: 13 US, -- UK, -- CN, -- AU

Sales (in millions): 0.35 worldwide

Genre: rock

Rating:

3.160 out of 5.00 (average of 15 ratings)

Tracks:

All There Is
California (12/11/07, 31 DF)
An Unexpected Rain
Message to Myself (8/25/07, 25 AC, 16 DF)
God Is in the People
Map of the Stars
Threesome
All We Can Really Do
I’ve Loved You Before
A Simple Love
Heroes and Friends
Kingdom of Heaven
Open Your Mind
The Awakening: The Universe Listened
The Awakening: Imagine That
The Awakening: What Happens Tomorrow

Total Running Time: 59:17

About the Album:

The Awakening was a reflection on Etheridge’s “autobiographical, religious and political perspectives. Etheridge made the album to convey parts of her story and journey along with her love for God.” ^WK

A New Thought for Christmas

Melissa Etheridge

Released: September 30, 2008

Peak: 113 US, -- UK, -- CN, -- AU

Sales (in millions): --

Genre: rock/Christmas

Rating:

3.945 out of 5.00 (average of 11 ratings)

Awards:

(Click on award to learn more).

Tracks:

Blue Christmas (20 DF)
Glorious
Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) (17 DF)
Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas (20 DF)
Ring the Bells
Merry Christmas Baby (19 DF)
Christmas in America ^RL
Light a Light
It’s Christmas Time
O Night Divine

Total Running Time: 44:10

About the Album:

Etheridge delivers her first Christmas album. It features covers (“Blue Christmas,” “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home),” (“have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” “Merry Christmas Baby”) as well as originals. One of the latter is “Christmas in America,” which was first featured on Etheridge’s 2005 greatest hits compilation The Road Less Traveled.

Fearless Love

Melissa Etheridge

Released: April 27, 2010

Peak: 7 US, -- UK, -- CN, -- AU, 1¹ DF

Sales (in millions): --

Genre: rock

Rating:

3.168 out of 5.00 (average of 18 ratings)

Awards:

(Click on award to learn more).

Tracks:

Fearless Love (1/30/10, 18 AC, 23 A40, 10 AA, 22 DF)
The Wanting of You (4/13/10, --)
Company
Miss California
Drag Me Away
Indiana
Nervous
Heaven on Earth
We Are the Ones
Only Love
To Be Loved
Gently We Row

Total Running Time: 56:31

About the Album:

Etheridge said this album was “about being fearless. It's about choosing love over fear. It's a way, a philosophy of living life that suits me well.” ^WK

4th Street Feeling

Melissa Etheridge

Released: September 4, 2012

Peak: 18 US, -- UK, -- CN, 78 AU, 1³ DF

Sales (in millions): --

Genre: rock

Rating:

3.165 out of 5.00 (average of 13 ratings)

Awards:

(Click on award to learn more).

Tracks:

Kansas City
4th Street Feeling
Falling Up (8/7/12, 17 DF)
Shout Now
The Shadow of a Black Crow
Be Real
A Disaster
Sympathy
Enough Rain
A Sacred Heart
I Can Wait
Rock and Roll Me

Total Running Time: 45:36

About the Album:

Rolling Stone said, “producers Jacquire King and Steve Booker deftly curb her over-the-top tendencies” and “the restraint serves her well. She’s realized that sometimes holding a little back can make what's there hit with all the more force.” AllMusic.com said, the album “is largely a return to form for Etheridge; a record that reaffirms her place as a songwriter and recording artist who is in a class of her own.” ^WK

This Is M.E.

Melissa Etheridge

Released: September 30, 2014

Peak: 21 US, -- UK, -- CN, 34 AU, 1² DF

Sales (in millions): 0.05 US

Genre: rock

Rating:

3.298 out of 5.00 (average of 13 ratings)

Awards:

(Click on award to learn more).

Tracks:

I Won’t Be Alone Tonight
Take My Number (7/1/14, 17 DF)
A Little Hard Hearted
Do It Again
Monster (3/30/15, --)
Ain’t That Bad
All the Way Home
Like a Preacher
Stranger Road
A Little Bit of Me
What Are You Waiting For (1 DF)

Total Running Time: 41:11

About the Album:

AllMusic.com said, “There’s something appealing in hearing Etheridge try a number of new sounds: not everything fits but the restlessness is admirable.” Rolling Stone said, “As always, her voice can walk a fine line between passionate and histrionic, but when she dials it back on the smoldering ‘Like a Preacher,’ it’s clear that this honeymoon might be the start of a whole new her.” ^WK

Memphis Rock and Soul

Melissa Etheridge

Released: October 7, 2016

Peak: 34 US, -- UK, -- CN, 40 AU, 1³ DF

Sales (in millions): --

Genre: rock/covers

Rating:

3.240 out of 5.00 (average of 13 ratings)

Awards:

(Click on award to learn more).

Tracks:

Memphis Train
Respect Yourself (People Stand Up) (12/7/16, 16 DF)
Who’s Making Love
Hold On, I’m Coming (18 DF)
I’ve Been Loving You Too Long to Stop Now
Any Other Way
I’m a Lover
Rock Me Baby
I Forgot to Be Your Lover (25 DF)
Wait a Minute
Born Under a Bad Sign (17 DF)
I’ve Got Dreams to Remember

Total Running Time: 47:39

About the Album:

Etheridge’s first covers album. She tackles some R&B chestnuts from the ‘60s and ‘70s, like the Staple Singers’ “Respect Yourself” and Sam & Dave’s “Hold On, I’m Coming” alongside blues classics like B.B. King’s “Rock Me Baby” and Albert King’s “Born Under a Bad Sign.”

The Medicine Show

Melissa Etheridge

Released: April 12, 2019

Peak: 95 US, -- UK, 74 CN, -- AU, 1² DF

Sales (in millions): --

Genre: rock

Rating:

2.931 out of 5.00 (average of 16 ratings)

Awards:

(Click on award to learn more).

Tracks:

The Medicine Show
Wild and Lonely
Shaking
Woman Like You
Faded by Design (2/21/19, 23 DF)
I Know You
This Human Chain
Love Will Live
Here Comes the Pain
Suede
Last Hello

Total Running Time: 42:06

About the Album:

From Wikipedia.org: “The Medicine Show follows a 2016 collection of soul covers Memphis Rock and Soul that connected with Etheridge’s roots as a music fan. While promoting that release, she became concerned about the political climate of the United States and felt compelled to write new music that reflected the historic times after the 2016 United States presidential election.” ^WK

One Way Out

Melissa Etheridge

Released: September 17, 2021

Peak: --

Sales (in millions): --

Genre: rock

Rating:

2.488 out of 5.00 (average of 15 ratings)

Tracks:

One Way Out (5/25/21, 31 DF)
As Cool As You Try (8/19/21, --)
I’m No Angel Myself
For the Last Time (7/9/21, --)
Save Myself
That Would Be Me
Wild Wild Wild
You Have No Idea (live)
Life Goes On (live)

Total Running Time: 33:16

About the Album:

This is an archival collection comprised primarily of songs from the late 1980s and early 1990s. Go to the DMDB page for more about this album.

Rise

Melissa Etheridge

Released: March 27, 2026

Peak: --

Sales (in millions): --

Genre: rock

Rating:

2.678 out of 5.00 (average of 11 ratings)

Tracks:

Bein’ Alive (2/25/2026, --)
Matches (12/12/2025, --)
Rise
Don’t You Want a Woman (10/10/2025, 13 DF)
The Other Side of Blue (with Chris Stapleton) (3/26/2026, --)
If You Ever Leave Me
Davina
To Be a Woman
Tomboy
Call You
More Love

Total Running Time: 44:06

About the Album:

This was Etheridge’s first studio album of new material since 2019’s The Medicine Show. It was a melding of country and rock, as illustrated by her choice of producer (Shooter Jennings, the son of country legend Waylon Jennings) and distribution by Sun Records (the famed birthplace of rock and roll). Songs like “Call You” and “The Other Side of Blue” deal with her grief over her son Beckett’s death in 2020.

Resources/References:

Wikipedia page for Melissa Etheridge (see individual album pages for sources on comments on albums)

Crosby Stills Nash Young: Top 100 Songs

2026-03-22T03:26:00.000-05:00

Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young

Top 100 Songs

This page celebrates the 100 best works, collectively, from David Crosby, Stephen Stills, Graham, Nash, and Neil Young. Crosby, Stills, & Nash came together as a folk-rock trio in 1969. They were considered a supergroup given their pedegrees in previous groups. Crosby had been in the Byrds (1964-67, 1973, 1990), Stills in Buffalo Springfield (1966-68), and Nash in the Hollies (1962-68, 1981-83). On some of their albums, they were joined by Stills’ Buffalo Springfield bandmate Neil Young. Stills also formed the group Manassas (1971-73).

For a complete list of this act’s DMDB honors, check out the DMDB Music Maker Encyclopedia entry.

Click here to see other acts’ best-of lists.

Spotify Podcast:

Check out the podcast Remembering David Crosby, 1941-2023, based on this list. Debut: January 24, 2023, at 7pm CST. New episodes based on Dave’s Music Database lists are posted every Tuesday at 7pm CST.

Awards (CSN):

Awards (Buffalo Springfield):

Awards (Young):

Top 100 Songs

Dave’s Music Database lists are determined by song’s appearances on best-of lists, appearances on compilations and live albums by the featured act, and songs’ chart success, sales, radio airplay, streaming, and awards. This list includes songs from Crosby, Stills & Nash; Crosby, Still, Nash & Young; Buffalo Springfield (which included Stills and Young as members), and the solo work of David Crosby, Stephen Stills, Graham Nash, and Neil Young.

DMDB Top 1%:

1. For What It’s Worth (Buffalo Springfield, 1966)
2. Heart of Gold (Neil Young, 1972)
3. Suite: Judy Blue Eyes (CSN, 1969)

DMDB Top 2%:

4. Ohio (CSNY, 1970)
5. Rockin’ in the Free World (Young, 1989)
6. Teach Your Children (CSNY, 1970)
7. Cinnamon Girl (Young, 1969)
8. Love the One You’re With (Stills, 1970)
9. Our House (CSNY, 1970)

DMDB Top 5%:

10. Woodstock (CSNY, 1970)

11. Old Man (Young, 1972)
12. Harvest Moon (Young, 1992)
13. Marrakesh Express (CSN, 1969)
14. Southern Cross (CSN, 1982)
15. Southern Man (Young, 1970)
16. My My Hey Hey (Out of the Blue) (Young, 1979)
17. Helplessly Hoping (CSNY, 1969)
18. Mr. Soul (Buffalo Springfield, 1967)
19. Wooden Ships (CSN, 1969)

DMDB Top 10%:

20. The Needle and the Damage Done (Young, 1972)
21. Down by the River (Young, 1969)
22. Expecting to Fly (Buffalo Springfield, 1967)
23. Helpless (CSNY, 1970)
24. Just a Song Before I Go (CSN, 1977)
25. After the Gold Rush (Young, 1970)
26. Like a Hurricane (Young, 1977)
27. Wasted on the Way (CSN, 1982)
28. Only Love Can Break Your Heart (Young, 1970)
29. Cowgirl in the Sand (Young, 1969)
30. Hero (Crosby with Phil Collins, 1993)

31. Cortez the Killer (Young, 1975)

DMDB Top 20%:

32. Carry On (CSNY, 1970)
33. Hey Hey My My (Into the Black) (Young, 1979)
34. Long Time Gone (CSN, 1969)
35. Rock and Roll Woman (Buffalo Springfield, 1967)
36. War Games (CSN, 1983)
37. Bluebird (Buffalo Springfield, 1967)
38. Almost Cut My Hair (CSNY, 1970)
39. Philadelphia (Young, 1994)
40. American Dream (CSNY, 1988)

41. Sugar Mountain (Young, 1968)
42. Are You Ready for the Country? (Young, 1972)
43. Immigration Man (Crosby/Nash, 1972)
44. Got It Made (CSNY, 1988)
45. Broken Arrow (Buffalo Springfield, 1967)
46. Chicago (Nash, 1971)
47. Déjà Vu (CSNY, 1970)
48. Change Partners (Stills, 1971)
49. Carry Me (Crosby/Nash, 1975)
50. Guinnevere (CSN, 1969)

51. Long May You Run (Stills/Young, 1976)
52. Shadow Captain (CSN, 1977)
53. Blackbird (CSNY, 1969)
54. Fair Game (CSN, 1977)
55. You Don’t Have to Cry (CSN, 1969)
56. Dark Star (CSN, 1977)
57. Military Madness (Nash, 1971)
58. Find the Cost of Freedom (CSNY, 1970)
59. Tonight’s the Night (Young, 1973)
60. Southbound Train (Crosby & Nash, 1972)

61. No Tears Left (CSNY, 1999)
62. A Man Needs a Maid (Young, 1972)
63. War of Man (Young, 1992)
64. 4 + 20 (CSNY, 1970)
65. This Note’s for You (Young, 1988)
66. In My Life (CSNY, 1994)
67. Live It Up (CSN, 1990)
68. Powderfinger (Young, 1979)

DMDB Beyond the Top 20%:

69. Turn Back the Pages (Stills, 1975)
70. Music is Love (Crosby, 1971)

71. Drive My Car (Crosby, 1989)
72. Sit Yourself Down (Stills, 1970)
73. Four Strong Winds (Young, 1978)
74. Long Walk Home (Young, 1987)
75. Marianne (Stills, 1971)
76. Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere (Young, 1969)
77. Sit Yourself Down (Stills, 1970)
78. This Old House (CSNY, 1988)
79. When You Dance I Can Really Love (Young, 1970)
80. I Am a Child (Buffalo Springfield, 1968)

81. Southern Pacific (Young, 1981)
82. It Doesn’t Matter (Manassas, 1972)
83. Cathedral (CSN, 1977)
84. Innocent Eyes (Nash, 1986)
85. We Can Change the World (Nash, 1971)
86. War Song (Young/Nash, 1972)
87. Change Your Mind (Young, 1994)
88. Walk On (Young, 1974)
89. Isn’t It About Time (Manassas, 1973)
90. Ten Men Workin’ (Young, 1988)

91. Downtown (Young, 1995)
92. That Girl (CSNY, 1988)
93. Love is a Rose (Young, 1974)
94. Too Much Love to Hide (CSN, 1982)
95. Unknown Legend (Young, 1992)
96. Johnny’s Garden (Manassas, 1972)
97. No More (Young, 1989)
98. On the Way Home (Buffalo Springfield, 1968)
99. Dear Mr. Fantasy (Stills/Nash, 1980)
100. A Child’s Claim to Fame (Buffalo Springfield, 1967)

Resources and Related Links:

Dave’s Music Database: “Acts’ Profile Pages and Best-of Lists”

Profile Pages:

First posted 1/20/2023; last updated 3/22/2026.

The Top 100 Blues Acts of All Time

2026-03-16T16:55:00.000-05:00

Blues:

Top 100 Acts

These are the top 100 blues acts of all time as determined by aggregating 50 best-of lists focused on blues artists. Click on names to see their entries in the Dave’s Music Database Music Makers Encyclopedia.

See other lists of Acts/Music Makers by Genre.

1. Robert Johnson
2. Muddy Waters
3. B.B. King
4. Howlin’ Wolf
5. John Lee Hooker
6. Stevie Ray Vaughan
7. Albert King
8. Buddy Guy
9. Eric Clapton
10. Bessie Smith

Robert Johnson

11. T-Bone Walker
12. Leadbelly
13. Son House
14. Lightnin’ Hopkins
15. Freddie King
16. Etta James
17. Elmore James
18. Jimi Hendrix
19. Willie Dixon
20. Ma Rainey

Muddy Waters

21. Jimmy Reed

22. Ray Charles
23. Blind Lemon Jefferson
24. Johnny Winter
25. Big Mama Thornton
26. John Mayall
27. Charley Patton
28. Big Bill Broonzy
29. Koko Taylor
30. Little Walter

John Lee Hooker

31. Billie Holiday
32. Skip James
33. Sister Rosetta Tharpe
34. Albert Collins
35. Mississippi John Hurt
36. Bonnie Raitt
37. Otis Rush
38. Janis Joplin
39. Joe Bonamassa
40. Lonnie Johnson

Howlin’ Wolf

41. W.C. Handy
42. Mamie Smith
43. Taj Mahal
44. Memphis Minnie
45. Bobby “Blue” Bland
46. Sonny Boy Williamson #2 (Rice Miller)
47. Rory Gallagher
48. Peter Green
49. Louis Jordan
50. Reverend Gary Davis

B.B. King

51. Sonny Boy Williamson #1 (John Lee Williamson)
52. Robert Cray
53. Paul Butterfield
54. Blind Willie Johnson
55. Big Joe Turner
56. Magic Sam
57. Blind Willie McTell
58. Bukka White
59. Junior Wells
60. Tampa Red

Son House

61. Professor Longhair
62. Tommy Johnson
63. Otis Spann
64. Slim Harpo
65. Charles Brown
66. Ruth Brown
67. R.L. Burnside
68. Chuck Berry
69. Arthur “Big Boy” Crudup
70. Mike Bloomfield

Stevie Ray Vaughan

71. Mississippi Fred McDowell
72. Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown
73. Brownie McGhee
74. Roosevelt Sykes
75. Luther Allison
76. Blind Boy Fuller
77. Leroy Carr
78. Victoria Spivey
79. Big Joe Williams
80. Little Milton

Bessie Smith

81. Arthur “Blind Blake” Phelps
82. J.B. Lenoir
83. Gary Moore
84. Duane Allman
85. John Mayer
86. Keb’ Mo’
87. Wynonie Harris
88. Robert Nighthawk
89. Ida Cox
90. Bo Diddley

Leadbelly

91. Son Seals
92. Hound Dog Taylor
93. Sonny Terry
94. J.B. Hutto
95. Susan Tedeschi
96. Shemekia Copeland
97. Roy Buchanan
98. Dinah Washington
99. Gus Cannon
100. Fats Domino

Buddy Guy

Resources/Related Links:

Dave’s Music Database: Lists of Acts/Music Makers by Genre
Dave’s Music Database: Top 50 Blues Albums of All Time
Dave’s Music Database: Top 100 Blues Songs of All Time

First posted 7/16/2011; last updated 3/16/2026.

Alternative Rock: Top 100 Acts

2026-03-14T15:44:00.002-05:00

Alternative Rock:

Top 100 Acts

Alternative rock is one of the most difficult genres to define. It emerged most prominently in the 1990s in the wake of the grunge movement and the subsequent embracing of more rock-oriented acts.

The alternative rock genre can be traced to the beginnings of experimental rock in the 1960s with the Velvet Underground and the 1970s with David Bowie. By the end of the decade, punk (Sex Pistols, Ramones, The Clash) created an audience for more left-of-center music.

While it was more guitar-driven, the synthesizer-driven new wave (Elvis Costello, The Police, The Cars, Duran Duran) movement also gained attention. By the early ‘80s, college radio (R.E.M., U2, The Cure, Depeche Mode, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Simple Minds) launched multiple acts into the mainstream while also embracing an array of British artists who gained little attention otherwise in the U.S. (The Smiths, New Order, Echo & the Bunnymen, The Jesus & Mary Chain).

In the ‘90s, the explosion of grunge (Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Alice in Chains) gave voice to more guitar-oriented rock that was, at the very least, grunge-adjacent (Smashing Pumpkins, Stone Temple Pilots, the Offspring) and fairly mainstream rock (Dave Matthews Band, Weezer, Foo Fighters). The UK responded with Britpop (Oasis, Blur, Manic Street Preachers) and more experimental rock (Radiohead).

The 21st century saw emo rock (Fall Out Boy, Panic! At the Disco, My Chemical Romance), garage rock revival (The White Stripes, The Strokes, Arctic Monkeys), and more folk-rock/Americana-driven acts (Mumford & Sons, The Lumineers) become successful. In addition, a wave of left-of-mainstream acts (Death Cab for Cutie, Vampire Weekend, Cage the Elephant) arose as well.

This list was created by aggregating nearly 50 lists focused on alternative rock. Those acts featured on 6 or more lists were then re-ordered by overall status in Dave’s Music Database.

See other lists of Acts/Music Makers by Genre.

1. David Bowie
2. The Police / Sting
3. U2
4. Velvet Underground / Lou Reed
5. R.E.M.
6. The Smiths / Morrissey
7. Nirvana
8. Radiohead
9. Pearl Jam
10. Elvis Costello

11. The Clash
12. Joy Division / New Order
13. Red Hot Chili Peppers
14. The Cure
15. Oasis
16. Green Day
17. Coldplay
18. Sex Pistols / Public Image Ltd.
19. Roxy Music / Bryan Ferry
20. Talking Heads

21. Beastie Boys
22. Blondie
23. Depeche Mode
24. Ramones
25. Tears for Fears
26. Alanis Morissette
27. Foo Fighters
28. Beck
29. Simple Minds
30. Smashing Pumpkins

31. The White Stripes
32. INXS
33. Pixies
34. Patti Smith
35. Duran Duran
36. The Cars
37. Blur
38. Dave Matthews Band
39. Arctic Monkeys
40. Pretenders

41. Nine Inch Nails
42. Sinéad O’Connor
43. The Jam / Paul Weller
44. Imagine Dragons
45. Alice in Chains
46. Sonic Youth
47. Kate Bush
48. Weezer
49. Arcade Fire
50. Soundgarden

51. The Strokes
52. Nick Cave
53. Kings of Leon
54. Stone Temple Pilots
55. Muse
56. The Replacements
57. PJ Harvey
58. Rage Against the Machine
59. The Stone Roses
60. Björk

61. Live
62. The Black Keys
63. Manic Street Preachers
64. Wilco
65. Violent Femmes
66. Linkin Park
67. The B-52’s
68. Mumford & Sons
69. The Killers
70. Hüsker Dü / Bob Mould

71. Goo Goo Dolls
72. Fall Out Boy
73. Gorillaz
74. Twenty One Pilots
75. Queens of the Stone Age
76. Jane’s Addiction
77. Bush
78. Counting Crows
79. Blink-182
80. XTC

81. The Cranberries
82. The Offspring
83. Franz Ferdinand
84. Tool
85. No Doubt
86. Faith No More
87. Florence + the Machine
88. Echo & the Bunnymen
89. Siouxsie & the Banshees
90. Vampire Weekend

91. The Lumineers
92. Garbage
93. 3 Doors Down
94. Television
95. The Jesus & Mary Chain
96. Death Cab for Cutie
97. Cage the Elephant
98. Panic! At the Disco
99. The Flaming Lips
100. Modest Mouse

Resources/Related Links:

Dave’s Music Database: Lists of Acts/Music Makers by Genre
Dave’s Music Database: The Top 100 Alternative Rock Albums
Dave’s Music Database: The Top 100 Alternative Rock Songs

First posted 9/8/2017; last updated 3/14/2026.

Today in Music (1967): The Velvet Underground released their debut album

2026-03-12T00:01:00.001-05:00

Velvet Underground & Nico

Released: March 12, 1967

Charted: May 13, 1967

Peak: 129 US, 43 UK

Sales (in millions): 0.56 US, 0.3 UK, 0.96 world (includes US and UK)

Genre: proto-punk rock

Tracks:

Click on a song title for more details.

Total Running Time: 47:51

The Players:

Lou Reed (vocals, guitar)
John Cale (electric viola, piano, bass guitar)
Sterling Morrison (guitar)
Maureen “Moe” Tucker (drums, percussion)
Nico (vocals)

Spotify Podcast:

Check out Dave’s Music Database podcast: Covering Velvet Underground & Nico. It premiered September 28, 2021.

Rating:

4.541 out of 5.00 (average of 37 ratings)

Quotable:

“Glam, punk, new wave, goth, noise, and nearly every other left-of-center rock movement owes an audible debt to this set.” - Mark Deming, AllMusic.com

Awards:

(Click on award to learn more).

About the Album

“Brewed in New York's seedy alleys and Andy Warhol's wild Pop-art Factory scene, VU's lyrically unforgiving, sonically mesmerizing debut all but invented the concept of alternative music.” ^EW’12 Their debut album, The Velvet Underground & Nico, only sold a few thousand copies in its first year, ^CS but producer Brian Eno famously said “everyone who bought one went out and started a band.” ^JD

One “could just as easily say that every song on their epochal 1967 debut…started a musical genre.” ^CM “”These 11 songs stretch so far that we now take them for granted.” ^CM The album “bristled with a kind of satanic glee, mixed with the droning ballads that typify an early morning drug haze mixed with post-cabaret desultoriness.” ^JSH “The record is explicit and rough, unflinching and chaotic as it held a mirror to life in New York City during the late ’60s.” ^CQ

The album was “so far ahead of its time that most people who came across the band or this release rejected them with explicit antagonism (radio stations banned it from the airwaves, magazines rejected ads for it, stores refused to stock it).” ^CM The Velvet Underground were “influential, hypnotically intense, misogynistic, and ruthlessly cool, they were scarier than the Rolling Stones and the Doors put together. Lou Reed introduced himself as the anti-Dylan, celebrating narcotic absorption and loveless sex with a brutal urban vision.” ^VB

Chapter One of Alternative Rock

Indeed, “one would be hard pressed to name a rock album whose influence has been as broad and pervasive as The Velvet Underground and Nico.” ^AM It was “simultaneously prepunk and postmodern.” ^CS In 1970, the New York Times said the Velvets were “playing experimental rock in 1965 when the Beatles just wanted to hold your hand and San Francisco was still the place where Tony Bennett left his heart.” ^CS

This is “chapter one of alternative rock” ^BL “with nearly every band emerging as part of that modern scene taking their cues from this record.” ^CQ “Glam, punk, new wave, goth, noise, and nearly every other left-of-center rock movement owes an audible debt to this set.” ^AM “Referring to their sway over the rock music of the ‘70s and ‘80s, critic Lester Bangs stated, ‘Modern music starts with the Velvets, and the implications and influence of what they did seem to go on forever.’” ^NRR

“Rock just means songs that are played w/ bass, guitar, drums and vocals w/ maybe a few exotic embellishments, so it ties in easily with the loft scene where artists tend to dwell…But it wasn’t always so—‘rock’ (or pop) music had to move into the galleries, and it was on the wings of this group.” ^JSH “The Velvets made rock & roll a dangerous place” ^BL and became “the poster children of the avant-garde.” ^TL

Radical Themes and Radical Music

“At the time of its release, it was art rock at its finest; however, that’s all it was. Topics such as prostitution, drug abuse, and living in the squalor of NYC were so isolating that no one really knew about it – or cared to, for that matter.” ^CQ They took their “band name from a book about S&M” ^TL and, at the time, “Lou Reed’s lyrical exploration of drugs and kinky sex” ^AM was “risky stuff in film and literature, let alone ‘teen music.’” ^AM

Even though the content “received the most press attention, …the music [they] played was as radical as the words they accompanied.” ^AM It “is amazingly complex and sophisticated, deserving of a place beside contemporary masterpieces such as Pet Sounds and Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.” ^JD Such classic status is due in part to the VU’s “reputation for inspiring generations of noise rockers,” ^RV but also because they created an album that “has gentle melodies juxtaposed against the harsher tunes.” ^RV The music combined “crunchy rock, rhythm and blues, free jazz, and avant-garde experimentation.” ^CS While they have become known as “defiant anti-commercial revolutionaries, the Velvets were well aware of AM radio” ^JD and crafted songs to fit “demands at the time, though there is usually some twist to the standard formula.” ^JD

The Band Members

“Although they weren’t particularly adept at their instruments, they had a reputation as a fiery and dissonant live band” ^NO and “created some of the most innovative sounds anyone had ever heard.” ^NO Of course, Lou Reed, as the band’s lead singer and guitarist, has become an iconic figure, but this was hardly just a Reed & Co. affair.

Reed, “a rebellious Jewish kid from Long Island,” ^CM was a fan of Bob Dylan, “but most of his lyrical influences were writers and poets.” ^CM John Cale was “a Welsh prodigy who had arrived in New York City on a classical music scholarship.” ^CM He was “tutored by ambient composer John Cage” ^TL and “introduced the rock world to feedback through his shrieking” ^TL “hard-edged electric viola.” ^NRR

Reed and Cale met through Pickwick Records in 1964 where Reed worked as what he called “a poor man’s Carole King.” ^CM “Percussionist Maureen Tucker and guitarist Sterling Morrison make additional noteworthy contributions” ^NRR to what became the Velvets’ first album. Tucker notably “played primitive rhythms on a minimally sized kit while standing up.” ^CM Cale said, “We were trying to do a Phil Spector thing with as few instruments as possible.” ^CM

Nico

“Nico, the possibly German, possibly Hungarian model turned actress turned singer” ^TL was pushed on to the group by artist Andy Warhol, who would champion the band. “There’s a deceptive beauty to her contributions, a thorny languor.” ^CM Her “otherworldly vocals” ^NRR add “mystery to…[the] fragile and beautiful songs that she sings ‘in perfect mellow ovals, like a cello getting up in the morning,’ to quote critic Richard Goldstein” ^JD “While the significance of [her] contributions have been debated over the years, she meshes with the band’s outlook in that she hardly sounds like a typical rock vocalist.” ^AM She wasn’t “a conventionally beautiful singer by any means, her range was quite narrow, but she was very effective in getting emotions across.” ^AD

Andy Warhol

Warhol saw the Velvet Underground “as a musical extension of his creative philosophy of making people uncomfortable.” ^CM He tapped the group “as a traveling band for his Exploding Plastic Inevitable art exhibition. When he realized the brilliance of the Velvet’s music” he decided to back them in recording their first album. ^RV He “did little to earn his producer’s credit besides contributing the famous banana for the album cover;” ^JD he was more the “band’s benefactor and spiritual guru.” ^CS

Tom Wilson did the real heavy lifting when it came to recording and producing the album. He “had previously worked with Bob Dylan and Frank Zappa, so the strangeness of The Velvet Underground wasn’t too likely to freak him out.” ^AD However, even if Warhol’s “presence…was primarily a matter of signing the checks, his notoriety allowed The Velvet Underground to record their material without compromise, which would have been impossible under most other circumstances.” ^AM

Signing and Recording

Such a bizarre record had trouble finding a home. After getting rejected by “most of the era’s leading rock labels,” ^CM including Atlantic and Elektra the band were signed to the minor label Verve, which was owned by MGM. Tom Wilson, a newly recruited staff producer from Columbia, oversaw the re-recording of three tracks and the addition of “Sunday Morning” as a potential single. ^CM The album was then quietly released in March 1967.

Final Thoughts

“While Reed and Cale have both produced incredible bodies of work as solo artists, neither has ever topped the level of intensity that they reached while working together.” ^JD “Few rock albums are as important as The Velvet Underground and Nico, and fewer still have lost so little of their power to surprise and intrigue more than 30 years after first hitting the racks.” ^AM The album strikes “a balance between the polished beauty of great art and the raw spontaneity of great rock ‘n’ roll” ^JD “It was hipness on vinyl, but with an abiding narcotic beauty.” ^TL

“The Velvet Underground broke the rules of pop music as rock’s most visionary performers. They plumbed the depths of chaos and noise and proved that rock, too, can be art.” ^RV

Notes

The deluxe edition includes the stereo and mono versions over two CDs but doesn’t offer any previously unreleased material. The first disc also “includes the five songs from Nico's first album, 1967's Chelsea Girl in which Lou Reed, John Cale, Sterling Morrison, and Nico were involved in the songwriting; disc two adds the 45 rpm single versions of “All Tomorrow's Parties,” “I'll Be Your Mirror,” “Sunday Morning,” and “Femme Fatale.” ^AM

The Songs

Here are thoughts on the album’s individual songs.

Sunday Morning

Velvet Underground & Nico

Writer(s): Lou Reed, John Cale

Released: December 1966 (single), Velvet Underground & Nico

B-side: “Femme Fatale”

Peak: 12 CO, 11 DF Click for codes to charts.

Sales (in millions): --

Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 165.65 streaming

About the Song:

“Melodically, the songs can be divided between the short, catchy ‘pop’ tunes and the noisy, experimental ‘art’ songs.” ^JD Hence the Velvets “dipped their toes into dreamy pop” ^AM on “the calm and quiet” ^JD “Sunday Morning.” “The melody is childlike – baby in a cot being put to sleep in its simplicity.” ^AD

“The music calls to mind a sleepy, quiet Sunday so perfectly that you can listen to the song repeatedly before registering what it’s really about: paranoia and displacement.” ^JH-93 The lyric, which “raises a question about the excesses of Saturday night,” ^JD “may be the root of the family tree of songs like ‘Every Breath You Take’…whose pretty, lulling melodies mask their true thematic darkness.” ^JH-93

Reed and Cale actually wrote the song on a Sunday morning after an all-nighter. The song was written because producer Tom Wilson thought the album lacked a single. The intent was for Nico to sing it, but when the band arrived at the studio, Reed announced that he was going to sing it because it was his song. ^{JH: 94-5} Victor Bockris, author of Transformer: The Complete Lou Reed Story, said, “Lou then proceded to sing the song in a voice so full of womanly qualities that on first hearing it you paused, wondering just who the hell was singing.” ^VB-135

I’m Waiting for the Man

Velvet Underground & Nico

Writer(s): Lou Reed

Released: October 1971 (single), Velvet Underground & Nico

B-side: “There She Goes Again”

Peak: 23 CL, 5 CO, 4 DF Click for codes to charts.

Sales (in millions): --

Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 63.05 streaming

Awards:

(Click on award to learn more).

About the Song:

The “tough garage rock” ^AM of “Man” “shows Reed at an aesthetic high point, and the band in an especially creative and committed period of its development.” ^JH-98 The song is “a masterpiece of reportorial skill.” ^JH-96 It is worth noting that “Reed was a songwriter educated as a journalist and trained in part by a poet.” ^JH-122

On songs like “Man” he “portrayed edgy characters and exotic scenes that many in the ‘straight’ world and even enlightened hippies had never experienced.” ^JD His “lyrics paint gritty portraits of life in the city as his characters cope with deviant sex acts, drugs, hangovers, love lost and love regained.” ^RV

The song is also important for how it reinvisions the guitar. “Listen to the scraping chords…for the absolute most malicious sounding warp of the whole Jimmy Reed guitar style, a chopping rhythmic hammer that predated Stooge-thrash and still sounded strangely jug-band ish in that whole sixties early-days-of-drugs approach.” ^JSH

Femme Fatale

Velvet Underground & Nico

Writer(s): Lou Reed

Released: December 1966 (B-side of “Sunday Morning”), Velvet Underground & Nico

Peak: 22 CO, 4 DF Click for codes to charts.

Sales (in millions): --

Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 93.84 streaming

About the Song:

Andy Warhol suggest that Reed write a song about Edie Sedgwick, an actress and model who was a mainstay at Warhol’s Factory art studio. “By the time of the Velvets’ association with Warhol, Edie was ticking through the final seconds of her fifteen minutes.” ^JH-101 She died of a drug overdose a few years later in 1971.

Reed’s song, which “plays like ‘The Girl from Ipanema’ set in hip Manhattan, except that in place of the voyeurism…Reed’s masterpiece tells a story of narcissism.” ^JH-99 Nico sang lead, whose “voice brought a Continental sophistication to the song that matched it subject.” ^JH-99

Venus in Furs

Velvet Underground & Nico

Writer(s): Lou Reed

Released: 3/12/1994, Velvet Underground & Nico

Peak: 24 CL, 9 CO, 71 UK, 7 DF Click for codes to charts.

Sales (in millions): --

Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 54.22 streaming

Awards:

(Click on award to learn more).

About the Song:

Reed infuses that song and “Venus in Furs” “with lower east side realism and boho style.” ^TL This was reportedly Sterling Morrison’s favorite VU song, because “they had achieved in it, like no other track, the sound they had in mind.” ^JH-102 The song showcases how John Cale worked his viola into the band’s “rock-framework. The drums pound and echo, the guitars play simple little melodies. It’s an extraordinary sound they create here, utterly distinctive.” ^AD

Lyrically, Reed “peered into the inner sanctum of a sado-masochistic couple as they made love.” ^JD Songs about S&M have never exactly been common, but in the mid-sixties “were truly bizarre.” ^JSH The song is “a fairly literal distillation of the 19th century romantic novel of the same name by Leopold von Sacher-Masoch,” ^JH-102 based in part on an incident in which he pledged himself as a slave for six months to writer Fanny Pistor, with the stiupation that she wore furs when disciplining him. ^JH-103

Run, Run, Run

Velvet Underground & Nico

Writer(s): Lou Reed

Released: Velvet Underground & Nico

Peak: 11 DF Click for codes to charts.

Sales (in millions): --

Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 14.89 streaming

About the Song:

“On this album, only ‘I’m Waiting for the Man’ rocks as hard.” ^JH-106 The song “screeches and drives on skittish bluesy riffs.” ^CQ “Here, Sterling Morrison’s musical importance to the group is evident.” ^JH-107 He is “a floating center, in the songs and in the politics of the group…guiding musical and political energies using guitar riffs…affecting every aspect of the music…[He is] an indispensable glue for everything going on.” ^JH-107

The song explores four protagonists…of New York’s drug underworld.” ^JH-106 Reed wrote the song en route to a gig at the Café Bizarre when the band realized they were a little short on material. He scribbled words on the back of an envelope, finishing the song by the time the car reached its destination. ^JH-105

All Tomorrow’s Parties

Velvet Underground & Nico

Writer(s): Lou Reed

Released: July 1966 (single), Velvet Underground & Nico

B-side: “I’ll Be Your Mirror”

Peak: 28 CL, 16 CO, 7 DF Click for codes to charts.

Sales (in millions): --

Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 16.04 streaming

Awards:

(Click on award to learn more).

About the Song:

This song about “the decadent world of the rich and jaded” ^JD was reportedly Warhol’s favorite VU song, which isn’t surprising since Reed was inspired by “studying the regulars in Warhol’s clique.” ^JH-108 Reed considers it “a very apt description of certain people at the Factory at the time.” ^JH-108 He depicted the scene “with a degree of objectivity, if not outright sympathy, and with a poet’s ear for the perfectly chosen and most evocative language.” ^JD

“John Cale shines on this song. Finding a simple…chord that could be cycle repeatedly despite changes in the underlying chord progression would become a signature component of his style.” ^JH-109 “The hammered piano bears an unmistakable aura of novelty and excitement.” ^JH-109

Cale and Reed’s styles often clashed. Cale said “I was trying to get something big and grand and Lou was fighting against that; he wanted pretty songs. I said ‘Let’s make them grand, pretty songs then.” ^JH-110 “If there ever was a grand, pretty song ‘All Tomorrow’s Parties’ is it.” ^JH-110

Heroin

Velvet Underground & Nico

Writer(s): Lou Reed

Released: Velvet Underground & Nico

Peak: 5 CL, 6 CO, 2 DF Click for codes to charts.

Sales (in millions): --

Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 57.16 streaming

Awards:

(Click on award to learn more).

About the Song:

Sterling Morrison has said this is “possibly Reed’s greatest song” ^JH-111 and it is “often cited as…the band’s single greatest achievement in song form.” ^JH-111 It is “one of the most profoundly moving and disturbing songs, period.” ^JH-115 It is “rock’s first (and probably best) undisguised drug song.” ^JH-111 The band used it to “batter down the walls helming in rock lyricists.” ^JH-113 “and gave songwriters the freedom to write about real life.” ^JH-112

The song “addresses the drug experience in language that is crystal clear while surging waves of sound evoke the opiate high.” ^AD “Reed gives the listener a musical experience comparable to the rush a junky feels upon finding a register, pushing home the plunger and feeling the ecstatic, nirvana-inducing, consciousness-obliterating heroin rush.” ^RV “When Reed proclaims, ‘Heroin, be the death of me / Heroin, it’s my wife and it's my life,’ the effect is nothing less than chilling.” ^RV “Many people continue to wonder why someone would be drawn to a drug that can only ruin your life, but Reed understood its allure all too well. ‘When I’m rushing on my run, then I feel just like Jesus’ son,’ he sang.” ^JD

“The music matches the lyrical content perfectly…It builds up into squealing noises but underneath the squeals the drums are beating and pounding…However, much noise is layered on the top, the drums and guitar hold the piece together.” ^AD “Ultimately, ‘Heroin’ is the microcosmic essence of everything that happens musically on The Velvet Underground and Nico – the tumultuous crush of guitar holocaust and viola screech, the skeletal-lullaby melody, the bold, punctuating shifts in rhythmic time and temper.” ^RV

While some saw the song as advocating heroin use, Reed explained that the song “is very close to the feeling you get from smack…It’s deceptive. You think you’re enjoying it. But by the time it hits you, it’s too late…It comes at you harder and faster and keeps on coming. The song is everything that the real thing is doing to you.” ^VB-71

There She Goes Again

Velvet Underground & Nico

Writer(s): Lou Reed

Released: October 1971 (B-side of “I’m Waiting for the Man”), Velvet Underground & Nico

Peak: 45 CL, 38 CO, 14 DF Click for codes to charts.

Sales (in millions): --

Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 16.28 streaming

(Click on award to learn more).

About the Song:

This song offered “an indication to some extent of the way the group’s next album [White Light/White Heat] would go.” ^JD Because of its “lyrical sparseness” ^JH-132 Cale had “plenty of space…to apply some of the techniques of the avant-garde Fluxus movement which had originally drawn him to New York.” ^JH-133 “Among these was the idea that spontaneous noises, such as a passing car, were a natural part of the listening experience, hence part of the song.” ^JH-136 During recording, Cale scraped a chair across the floor and shattered a glass in front of a microphone. ^JD

Reed and Morrison rose to the occasion with some inspired guitar chaos.” ^JH-133 “The waves of feedback and explosions of noise in” ^JD “the bracing discord of ‘European Son’” ^JD “convey the sheer exhilaration of unbridled destruction.” ^JD Cale said “the magic…was in the way the four musicians spontaneously interacted.” ^JD 33 1/3 author Joe Howard refers to it as “‘These Boots Are Made for Walking’ as a football chant for warrior droids of the future.” ^JH-135

Resources/References:

^AM AllMusic.com review by Mark Deming
^AM AllMusic.com review by Richie Unterberger
^JSH Blastitude (2003). “A Loaded Proposition: Joe S. Harrington Picks the All-Time Top 100 Or…Who Pulled the Trigger?” by Joe S. Harrington
^BL Blender (10/08). “100 Greatest American Albums”
^CQ Consequence.net (9/12/2022). “The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time”
^CM Toby Creswell & Craig Mathieson (2012). 100 Best Albums of All Time. Hardie Grant Books. Pages 48-51.
^AD Adrian Denning
^JD Jim DeRogatis (2006). “The Great Albums”
^EW’12 Entertainment Weekly (9/27/2012). “Top 100 Albums”
^JH Joe Howard (2007). 33 1/3: The Velvet Underground and Nico. The Continuum International Publishing Group, Inc.: New York, NY.
^NRR National Recording Registry
^NO TheNightOwl.com review by Tim Hartin
^PM PasteMagazine.com (6/3/2024). “The 300 Greatest Albums of All Time”
^RV The Review (Oct./Nov. 2001). “The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time” by Clarke Speicher
^CS Chris Smith (2009). 101 Albums That Changed Popular Music. Oxford University Press. Pages 44-46.
^TL Time Magazine (11/13/2006). “All-TIME 100 Albums” by Josh Tyrangiel and Alan Light
^VB Vibe (Dec. 1999). “100 Essential Albums of the 20th Century,” pages 154-164.

Related DMDB Pages:

First posted 3/23/2008; last updated 3/13/2026.

The Top 100 Country Acts of All Time

2026-03-11T13:40:00.000-05:00

Country:

Top 100 Acts

This list was compiled by averaging more than 50 lists of the best country acts of all-time. The top 50 were then re-ordered based on the acts’ overall status in Dave’s Music Database. This was repeated for numbers 51-100.

See other Acts/Music Makers by Genre lists.

Resources/Related Links:

Dave’s Music Database: “Acts/Music Makers by Genre lists”
Dave’s Music Database: “Top 100 Country Albums of All Time”
Dave’s Music Database: “Top 200 Country Songs of All Time”

First posted 4/11/2013; last updated 3/11/2026.