Top 33 Albums

Album rock is pretty much dead. I guess Green Day is still holding on, but they suck anyway. And there's a few others who still put out music based on the overall concept of an album, but most people don't listen to it anyway with downloading the way it is. Nevertheless, I've made a list of my favorite albums. I've heard plenty of albums, and I own plenty as well that I have listened to over and over. I picked 33 because I went through them and the last 10 or 15 I couldn't really decide which ones I liked better than the others, so I stuck with 33. If the album has more than two tracks that I skip over then it didn't make the cut. If it does have two skip tracks, they are near the bottom, the ones with one skip track are in the middle and the Top 10 is awesome all the way through with the Top 5 being the cream of the crop. That was my basic criteria, which is why there is no Led Zeppelin on here..they have produced some of my favorite songs, but every album has 3-4 songs I want to skip, and I know because I own all of them. Like I did with the Top 20 artist, these are my favorite albums, not the most critically acclaimed...just my personal Top 33.

33. "Toby Keith" by Toby Keith - 1993, great album with some really classic songs. Toby Keith had a great sound back then.

32. "Chasing Daylight" by Sister Hazel - 2003, this is essential Sister Hazel in my opinion. It captures their signature sound and some of their best songs.

31. "In Between Dreams" by Jack Johnson - 2005, just a great album. Moves quickly and flows great. Some solid Jack Johnson here.

30. "Automatic for the People" by R.E.M. - 1992, this album has a unique feel. It kind of took everything that was best about their previous 7 albums, and what was going to be great about their next 5 albums and rolled them into this one.

29. "Deja Vu" by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young - 1970, tons of great songs and harmonies. Classic late 60s, early 70s sound.

28. "Cracked Rear View" by Hootie & The Blowfish - 1994, this is just one of my favorites since I bought it way back when. Tons of hit songs...some great pop/rock.

27. "Stories of a Stranger" by O.A.R. - 2005, a couple skip songs on this one but "Heard the World" and "52-50" are just too good. Add in some other really good songs and this one is up there.

26. "Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band" by The Beatles - 1967, great concept album. It's got some really great songs and they all bring a different approach.

25. "Three Days" by Pat Green - 2001, just a lot of great songs. I just really like it.

24. "Abbey Road" by The Beatles - 1969, this is probably on this list just for the final 8 tracks, it's just cool. The first 9 tracks are good too, even the Ringo song.

23. "Rumours" by Fleetwood Mac - 1977, great combination of vocals, harmony, guitar playing...just a great album. Lots of hit songs and deservedly so, Stevie Nicks at her best.

22. "Up" by R.E.M. - 1998, probably no one has ever heard of this album because R.E.M. had already faded out but this album is what got me into them. Great mellow music...a classic for me.

21. "Frampton Comes Alive" by Peter Frampton - 1976, this is a great rock album. It's live but sounds great, tons of great guitar solos..solid all the way through, with the exception of the only big hit "I Love Your Way".

20. "Away From the Sun" by 3 Doors Down - 2003, underrated album, tons of great songs. They were putting out great material while Creed was getting all the pub.

19. "Offerings II: All I Have to Give" by Third Day - 2003, mix of live songs and studio songs. Interesting approach and it works for me, it's got a little bit of everthing. Great album.

18. "Throwing Copper" by Live - 1994, great sound and distinctive vocals. Awesome album with the exception of a hiccup on "Stage". But 14 songs makes up for it.

17. "Continuum" by John Mayer - 2006, great laid back, blues-based songs. Other than the most famous song, "Waiting on the World to Change", every song is great.

16. "Wish You Were Here" by Pink Floyd - 1975, "Shine on You Crazy Diamonds" is one of the best epic songs there has ever been. And since that is 70% of the album there isn't much more to say.

15. "Shake Your Money Maker" by The Black Crowes - 1990, awesome blues-rock album. Great all the way through, very underrated.

14. "Layla and other Assorted Love Songs" by Derek & The Dominos - 1970, if you like blues or blues-rock then this is pretty essential. It takes an appreciative ear to like an album like this, but if you do then it's a must have.

13. "Texas Flood" by Stevie Ray Vaughn - 1983, SRV has an incredible sound. And "Tin Pan Alley" which was left off the original version, but included on the CD version is one of the best songs. Great album even if you don't care for blues.

12. "Under the Table and Dreaming" by Dave Matthews Band - 1994, saxophone, violin, drums, guitar, all crashing together...unbelievable sound. "The Best of What's Around" is one of the best starts to an album there has ever been.

11. "Born to Run" by Bruce Springsteen - 1975, only 8 songs but "Backstreets", "Born to Run", and "Jungleland" are some of the greatest rock songs ever. Not to mention the great ballad "Thunder Road", sax solo in "Tenth Avenue Freeze Out" and a great song "Night". Just a great album.

10. "Animals" by Pink Floyd - 1977, this Pink Floyd album takes the cake for me in the Pink Floyd catalog. Book-ended by 1:25 songs, just 3 songs all 10+ minutes long but all equally great. This is so much better than "Dark Side of the Moon" or "The Wall".

9. "Ten" by Pearl Jam - 1991, nobody sounds like Pearl Jam did on this album. This is a classic. "Evenflow", "Alive", "Why Go", "Black", "Jeremy" make for maybe the best 5 consecutive songs ever.

8. "Free Beer and Fried Chickn" by Patrick Smith Band - 2004, nobody has heard of this one either but it's just great jam music. It kind of like Dave Matthews but more upbeat. I love this album.

7. "Thirteenth Step" by A Perfect Circle - 2003, I really like to listen to this album during the fall. Not sure why, just do. Usually I don't like this kind of music, but this album isn't really as loud as you'd figure. It's got great song after great song.

6. "Lonestar" by Lonestar - 1995, awesome country album. It's definitely not for those who don't like country because it's honky-tonks and heartbreak but I love the sound. Too bad Lonestar lost that sound after this; John Rich has a great voice.

5. "Lynyrd Skynyrd" by Lynyrd Skynyrd - 1973, "Tuesdays Gone", "Simple Man", "Gimme Three Steps", "I Ain't the One". Amazing songs and that doesn't include everybody's classic "Free Bird". Southern Rock at its best.

4. "Brand New Man" by Brooks & Dunn - 1991, more honky-tonks and heartbreak but I can't help myself. This is just a great album. One of my favorite albums to listen to while grilling in the summer.

3. "Born in the U.S.A." by Bruce Springsteen - 1984, this album kind of embodies everything that is great about The Boss. It kind of fuses a 80s feel into 70s Springsteen, and it works really well. Every song is solid.

2. "Crash" by Dave Matthews Band - 1996, I do not like "Crash Into Me". The most famous song from this album I really don't care for, however, every other song is so good that it more than makes up for it. I'm talking about great song after great song. This is my favorite album except that it includes "Crash Into Me". If that song were not on there this would be #1.

1. "The Allman Brothers Band" by The Allman Brothers Band - 1969, "Whipping Post" and "It's Not My Cross to Bear" are so good that those songs would put this into the top 15, then you add "Black Hearted Woman", "Don't Want You No More", "Dreams", and "Every Hungry Woman"; this is the best blues-rock album you can get. Every time I listen I like it more....just a great album. The greatest.

Sometimes it's hard to listen to albums now-a-days. You either click shuffle on the iPod, listen to a mixed cd, or the radio. But it's always good to throw on an album when you're on a road trip or at the house. So I've already done my favorite artists, now my favorite albums, so I guess all that is left is my favorite songs which I'll do soon.

JB