101 Albums To Hear Before You Die - NME

17th May 2014 Edition

From cult classics to forgotten gems, artists pick the one album they consider essential listening. 

It's NME's definitive 101 Albums To Hear Before You Die...

Format: Album Artist - Album Title - Year - Chosen By

1. Love – Four Sail – 1969 – Pete Doherty
2. Jacques Dutronc – Jacques Dutronic – 1968 – Ellie Roswell
3. Kendrick Lamar – Section.80 – 2011 – Mario Cuomo
4. John Coltrane – A Love Supreme – 1965 – St Vincent
5. Love – Forever Changes – 1967 – Carl Barat
6. Lou Reed – Transformer – 1972 - Courtney Barnett
7. Don Cherry & Ed Blackwell – El Corazon – 1982 – Dave Sitek
8. Nirvana – In Utero – 1993 – Tom Hudson
9. Outkast – Stankonia – 2000 – Grimes
10. Pink Floyd – A Saucerful Of Secrets – 1968 – Sean Lennon
11. The Space Lady – The Space Lady’s Greatest Hits – 2013 – Maxim Barron
12. Led Zeppelin IV – 1971 – Isaiah Radkey
13. The Beatles – Revolver – 1966 – Merrill Garbus
14. The Shags – Philosophy Of The World – 1969 – Harry Koisser
15. Blask Sabbath – Master Of Reality – 1971 – Billy Corgan
16. Roland S Howard – Teenage Snuff Film – 2000 – Sam Fryer
17. Huggy Bear – Taking The Rough With The Smooch – 1993 – Gary Jarman
18. Brian Eno – Here Come The Warm Jets – 1974 – Matt Wood
19. Minutemen – Buzz Or Howl Under The Influence Of Heat – 1983 – Steve Albini
20. Led Zeppelin – Houses Of The Holy – 1973 – J Mascis
21. Red House Painters – Rollercoaster – 1993 - Simon Neil
22. The B-52’s – The B-52’s – 1979 – Dave Grohl
23. The O’Jays – Travelin’ At The Speed Of Thought – 1977 – Chuck D
24. Van Morrison – Astral Weeks – 1968 – Twin Shadow
25. Run-DMC – Run-DMC – 1984 – Trugoy The Dove
26. Chromatics – Night Drive – 2007 – Romy Mardley Croft
27. Yellow Magic Orchestra – Bgm – 1981 – Kode 9
28. Kong – Snake Magnet – 2009 – Andy Falkous
29. Cro-Mags – The Age Of Quarrel – 1986 – Lee Spielman
30. The Velvet Underground – White Light/White Heat – 1968 – Gus Unger-Hamilton
31. Bob Dylan – Blond On Blond – 1966 – Keith Richard
32. Santana – Abraxas – 1970 – Action Bronson
33. Dr Dre – 2001 – 1999 - Matt Helders
34. Michael Chapman – Rainmaker – 1969 – Alex Turner
35. Captain Beyond – Captain Beyond – 1972 – Jamie Cook
36. J Dilla – Donuts – 2006 – Kwes
37. Fela Kuti – Shuffering And Shimiling – 1978 – Jack Steadman
38. The National – Boxer – Bret Easton Ellis
39. T2 – It Will All Work Out In Boomland – 1970 – Faris Badwan
40. The Byrds – Fifth Dimension – 1966 – Steven Tyler
41. Lauryn Hill – The Miseducation Of… - 1998 – Lisso
42. The Holy Modal Rounders – The Holy Model Rounders – 1964 – Jeffrey Lewis
43. Public Enemy – Fear Of A Black Planet – 1990 – Dave MaClean
44. Buffy Sainte-Marie – Illuminations – 1969 – Owen Pallet
45. Blackalicious – NIA – 1999 – Serge Pizzorno
46. Michael Jackson – Thriller – 1982 – Tom Meighan
47. MIA – Matangi – 2013 – Kate Nash
48. Bernard Herrmann – Psycho OST – 1975 – Siouxie Sioux
49. The Clash – The Clash – 1977 – Brian Fallon
50. Casino Verses Japan – Whole Numbers Play The Basics – 2002 – Sam Fogarino
51. Bob Dylan – Blood On The Tracks – 1975 – Quentin Tarantino
52. The Smiths – Louder Than Bombs – 1987 – Brandon Flowers
53. Dead Kennedys – Plastic Surgery Disasters – 1982 – Andrew Savage
54. Kraftwerk – Trans-Europe Express – 1977 – Danger Mouse
55. Super Furry Animals – Fuzzy Logic – 1996 – Thomas Sanders
56. Elliott Smith – From A Basement On The Hill – 2004 – Kris Bell
57. The Weakerthans – Reconstruction Site – 2003 – Frank Turner
58. Scream – Scream! – 2006 – Katy B
59. The Jesus And Mary Chain – Psychocandy – 1985 – Honor Titus
60. The Last Poets – The Last Poets – 1970 – Anton Newcombe
61. Scritti Politti – Cupid & Psyche 85 – 1985 – Jordan Gatesmith
62. Radiohead – In Rainbows – 2007 – Iain Cook
63. Bjork – Homogenic – 1997 – Sohn
64. Two Lone Swordsman – From The Double Gone Chapel – 2004 – Jason Williamson
65. The Vines – Highly Evolved – 2002 – Ben Romans-Hopcraft
66. PJ Harvey – Is This Desire? – 1998 – Patrick Wolf
67. Spaceman 3 – Performance – 1988 – Alexis Taylor
68. Health – Health – 2007 – Harry McVeigh
69. Failure – Fantastic Planet – 1996 – Hayley Williams
70. Paul McCartney – McCartney II – 1980 – Austin Williams
71. Suicide – Suicide – 1977 – Joey Santiago
72. Hugo Montenegro – Music From The Good, The Bad & The Ugly – 1968 – Jarvis Cocker
73. Snoop Doggy Dogg – Doggystyle – 1993 – Jordan Hutchinson
74. Neil Young & Crazy Horse – Weld – 1991 – Noel Gallagher
75. Girls – Album – 2009 – Eoin Loveless
76. Neil Young – On The Beach – 1974 – Blaine Harrison
77. Durutti Column – LC – 1981 – Tim Burgess
78. Guns N’ Roses – Appetite For Destruction – 1987 – James Dean Bradfield
79. X – X-Aspirations – 1980 – Matt Korvette
80. Cat Stevens – Teaser And The Firecat – 1971 – Ron Howard
81. XTC – Skylarking – 1986 – Duncan Wallis & Robin Richards
82. Steely Dan – Katy Lied – 1975 – Kurt Vile
83. Bill Withers – Live At Carnegie Hall – 1973 – Kate Tempest
84. Jimi Hendrix – Electric Ladyland – 1968 – Matt Hayward
85. Simon Joyner – Songs For The New Year – 1997 – Conor Oberst
86. The European – In A Very Real Sense Now – 2010 – William Doyle
87. Lana Del Rey – Born To Die – 2012 – Bridget Battle
88. Jamie T – Panic Prevention – 2007 – Isaac Holeman
89. Charlotte Gainsbourg – Charlotte For Ever – 1986 – Carson Cox
90. Germs – (GI) – 1979 – Aaron Hemphill
91. Talk Talk – Sprit Of Eden – 1988 – Chris Talbot
92. Lou Reed – Berlin – 1973 – Charlie Boyer
93. Oasis – Definitely Maybe – 1994 – Nathan Day
94. Smashing Pumpkins – Siamese Dream – 1993 – KC
95. ESG – Come Away With ESG – 1983 – Jennifer Herrema
96. Life Without Buildings – Any Other City – 2001 – Paul Smith
97. Iggy & The Stooges – Raw Power – 1973 – Johnny Marr
98. Queens Of The Stoneage – Songs For The Deaf – 2002 – Brody Dale
99. Dandelion Gum – Black Moth Super Rainbow – 2007 – Dom Ganderton
100. Joni Mitchell – Blue – 1971 – Marika Hackman
101. Clara Rockmore – The Art Of The Therenin – 1971 – Mon-Chan