The 250 Best Albums of Q’s Lifetime Special (1986-2011) - Q

Q MAGAZINE FEBRUARY ISSUE 2011

Q Magazine begins it’s 25th anniversary year with a countdown of the 250 best albums of Q’s lifetime as chosen by Q’s readers

1. Radiohead – Ok Computer - 1997
2. Nirvana – Nevermind – 1991
3. Oasis – (What’s The Story) Morning Glory – 1995
4. Oasis – Definitely Maybe – 1994
5. Arctic Monkeys – Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not – 2006
6. U2 – The Joshua Tree – 1987
7. The Stone Roses – The Stone Roses – 1989
8. Radiohead – The Bends – 1995
9. U2 – Achtung Baby – 1991
10. Muse – Black Holes And Revelations – 2006
11. The Strokes – Is This It – 2001
12. Coldplay – A Rush Of Blood To The Head – 2002
13. Blur – Parklife – 1994
14. Primal Scream – Screamadelica – 1991
15. The White Stripes – White Blood Cells – 2001
16. In The Aeroplane Over The Sea – Neutral Milk Hotel – 1998
17. The Killers – Hot Fuss – 2004
18. Radiohead – Kid A – 2000
19. Arcade Fire – Funeral – 2004
20. Green Day – American Idiot – 2004
21. Manic Street Preachers – The Holy Bible – 1994
22. Muse – Absolution – 2003
23. Radiohead – In Rainbows – 2007
24. Kings Of Leon – Only By The Night – 2008
25. Gorillaz – Demon Days – 2005
26. Muse – Origin Of Symmetry – 2001
27. Guns N’ Roses – Appetite For Destruction – 1987
28. The Verve – Urban Hymns – 1997
29. R.E.M. – Automatic For The People – 1992
30. My Bloody Valentine – Loveless – 1991
31. Jeff Buckley – Grace – 1994
32. The Killers – Sams Town – 2006
33. Michael Jackson – Bad – 1987
34. Keane – Hope And Fears – 2004
35. Kasabian – West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum – 2009
36. Florence And The Machine – Lungs – 2009
37. Pulp – Different Class – 1995
38. The Cure – Disintegration – 1989
39. Coldplay – Parachutes – 2000
40. The Libertines – Up The Bracket – 2002
41. Pearl Jam – Ten - 1991
42. Red Hot Chilli Peppers – Californication - 1999
43. Dépêche Mode – Violator – 1990
44. Rage Against The Machine – Rage Against The Machine – 1992
45. The Chemical Brothers – Dig Your Own Hole – 1997
46. U2 – All That You Can’t Leave Behind – 2000
47. Kasabian – Kasabian – 2004
48. Pixies – Doolittle – 1989
49. Manic Street Preachers – Everything Must Go – 1996
50. Amy Winehouse – Back To Black – 2006
51. Keane – Under The Iron Sea – 2006
52. Coldplay – Viva La Vida Or Death And All His Friends – 2008
53. Muse – The Resistance – 2009
54. The White Stripes – Elephant – 2003
55. Kings Of Leon – Because Of The Times – 2007
56. Nirvana – In Utero – 1993
57. Queens Of The Stoneage – Songs For The Deaf – 2002
58. Alanis Morissette – Jagged Little Pill – 1995
59. Smashing Pumpkins – Mellon Collie And The Infinite Sadness – 1995
60. Paul Weller – Wild Wood – 1993
61. Elbow – The Seldom Seen Kid – 2008
62. Kings Of Leon – Aha Shake Heartbreak – 2004
63. Green Day – Dookie – 1994
64. Gorillaz – Plastic Beach – 2010
65. Sonic Youth – Daydream Nation – 1988
66. Eminem – The Marshall Mathers Lp – 2000
67. Matallica – Metallica – 1991
68. Lcd Soundsystem – Sound Of Silver – 2007
69. Portishead – Dummy – 1994
70. Dépêche Mode – Songs Of Faith And Devotion – 1993
71. The Libertines – The Libertines – 2004
72. Massive Attack – Blue Lines – 1991
73. New Order – Technique – 1989
74. Arcade Fire – Neon Bible – 2007
75. Massive Attack – Mezzanine – 1998
76. Blur – Blur – 1997
77. Manic Street Preachers – Generation Terrorists – 1992
78. Beck – Odelay – 1996
79. The Smiths – Strangeways, Here We Come – 1987
80. Kings Of Leon – Youth & Young Manhood – 2003
81. Suede – Dog Man Star – 1994
82. Mumford And Sons – Sigh No More – 2009
83. Vampire Weekend – Vampire Weekend – 2008
84. Kaiser Chiefs – Employment – 2005
85. Foo Fighters – The Colour And The Shape – 1997
86. Oasis – Don’t Believe The Truth – 2005
87. Arctic Monkeys – Favourite Worst Nightmare – 2007
88. Fatboy Slim – You’ve Come A Long Way Baby – 1998
89. Prince – Sign ‘O’ The Times – 1987
90. Def Leopard – Hysteria – 1987
91. Stereophonics – Word Gets Around – 1997
92. Bloc Party – Silent Alarm – 2005
93. Pink Floyd – The Division Bell – 1994
94. Lady Gagagagagag – The Fame – 2008
95. U2 – How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb – 2004
96. Prodigy – Fat Of The Land – 1997
97. The Streets – Original Pirate Material – 2002
98. Blur – 13 – 1999
99. Aphex Twin – Selected Ambient Works 85-92 – 1992
100. Coldplay – X & Y – 2005
101. Snow Patrol – Final Straw – 2003
102. Nine Inch Nails – The Downward Spiral – 1994
103. Bon Iver – For Emma, Forever Ago – 2008
104. Prodigy – Music For A Jilted Generation – 1994
105. Fleet Foxes – Fleet Foxes – 2008
106. Blur – Modern Life Is Rubbish – 1993
107. Happy Mondays – Pills ‘N’ Thrills And Bellyaches – 1990
108. Glasvegas – Glasvegas – 2008
109. Public Enemy – It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back – 1988
110. Mgmt – Oracular Spectacular – 2008
111. Gorillaz – Gorallaz – 2001
112. The Smashing Pumpkins – Siamise Dream – 1993
113. Paul Weller – Stanley Road – 1995
114. U2 – No Line On The Horizon – 2009
115. Doves – Lost Souls – 2000
116. Suede – Suede – 1993
117. Leftfield – Leftism – 1995
118. Air – Moon Safari – 1998
119. Queens Of The Stoneage – Rated R – 2000
120. Daft Punk – Discovery – 2001
121. Interpol – Turn On The Bright Lights – 2002
122. George Michael – Faith – 1987
123. Beck – Sea Change – 2002
124. The La’s – The La’s – 1990
125. Franz Ferdinand – Franz Ferdinand – 2004
126. Red Hot Chilli Peppers – Blood Sugar Sex Magik – 1991
127. Muse – Showbiz – 1999
128. Paolo Nutini – Sunny Side Up – 2009
129. Radiohead – Amnesiac – 2001
130. The Orb – U.F.Orb – 1992
131. Wilco – Yankee Hotel Foxtrot – 2002
132. Nirvana – Mtv Unplugged In New York – 1994
133. Bjork – Post – 1995
134. Pavement – Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain - 1994
135. Tricky – Maxinquaye – 1995
136. The Streets – A Grand Don’t Come For Free – 2004
137. Travis – The Man Who – 1999
138. Spritualized – Ladies And Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space – 1997
139. R.E.M. – Out Of Time – 1991
140. Linkin Park – Hybrid Theory - 1994
141. Weezer – Weezer (Blue) – 1994
142. Beastie Boys – Paul’s Boutique – 1989
143. David Gray – White Ladder – 1998
144. The Killers – Day And Age – 2008
145. Badly Drawn Boy – The Hour Of The Bewilderbeast – 2000
146. Moby – Play – 1999
147. Oasis – Be Here Now – 1997
148. NAS – Illmatic – 1994
149. Elbow – Leaders Of The Free World – 2005
150. Foo Fighters – Foo Fighters – 1995
151. Stereophonics – Performance And Cocktails – 1999
152. Alicia Keys – Songs In A Minor – 2001
153. Mercury Rev – Deserters Songs – 1998
154. Pixies – Surfer Rosa – 1998
155. Stone Roses – Second Coming – 1994
156. Pet Shop Boys – Actually – 1997
157. Supergrass – I Should Coco – 1995
158. Wu-Tang Clan – Enter The Wu Tang Clan (36 Chambers) – 1993
159. Sigur Ros – Takk… - 2005
160. Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds – The Boatman’s Call – 1997
161. The Flaming Lips – The Soft Parade – 1999
162. Lauryn Hill – The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill – 1998
163. Teenage Fanclub – Bandwagonesque – 1991
164. The Xx – The Xx - 2009
165. Scissor Sisters – Scissor Sisters – 2004
166. Bruce Springsteen – The Rising – 2002
167. PJ Harvey – Rid Of Me – 1993
168. Pulp – His ‘N’ Hers – 1994
169. U2 – Zooropa – 1993
170. Johnny Cash – American Recordings – 1994
171. The Good The Bad & The Queen – The Good The Bad & The Queen – 2007
172. Neil Young & Crazy Horse – Ragged Glory – 1990
173. Dr Dre – The Chronic – 1992
174. Aerosmith – Pump – 1989
175. Madonna – Ray Of Light – 1998
176. Talk Talk – Sprit Of Eden – 1988
177. David Bowie – Heathen – 2002
178. Ryan Adams – Heartbreaker – 2000
179. Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Fever To Tell – 2003
180. Slint – Spiderland – 1991
181. Inxs – Kick – 1987
182. Emmylou Harris – Wrecking Ball – 1995
183. Damien Rice – O – 2002
184. Elastica – Elastica - 1995
185. Bob Dylan – Time Out Of Mind – 1997
186. The Pogues – If I Should Fall From Grace With God – 1988
187. Lou Reed – New York – 1989
188. Jay-Z – The Blueprint - 2001
189. Amy Winehouse – Frank – 2003
190. Kate Bush – Aerial – 2005
191. Fleetwood Mac – Tango In The Night – 1987
192. Animal Collective – Merriweather Post Pavilion – 2009
193. The Waterboys – Fisherman’s Blues – 1988
194. U2 – Pop – 1997
195. Goldfrapp – Felt Mountain – 2000
196. Lemonheads – It’s A Shame About Ray – 1992
197. Tom Waits – Mule Variations – 1999
198. N.W.A. – Straight Outta Compton – 1988
199. The National – Boxer – 2007
200. Boards Of Canada – Music Has The Right To Children – 1998
201. The Verve – A Northern Soul – 1995
202. Dj Shadow – Endtroducing – 1996
203. Arctic Monkeys – Humbug – 2009
204. Radiohead – Pablo Honey – 1993
205. Belle & Sebastian – The Boy With The Arab Strap – 1998
206. Bruce Springsteen – Tunnel Of Love – 1987
207. Oasis – Dig Out Your Soul – 2008
208. Alice In Chains – Dirt – 1992
209. De La Soul – 3 Feet High And Rising – 1989
210. Joanna Newsome – Yssssssszzzzzzzz - 2006
211. Kula Shaker – K – 1996
212. Dido – No Angel – 1999
213. Weezer – Pinkerton – 1996
214. Madonna – Like A Prayer – 1989
215. Fugees – The Score – 1996
216. Elliott Smith – Xo – 1998
217. Paul Simon – Graceland – 1986
218. Robert Plant & Alison Krauss – Raising Sand – 2007
219. The Blue Nile – Hats – 1989
220. Bright Eyes – I’m Wide Awake, It’s Morning – 2005
221. Modest Mouse – The Moon And Antarctica – 2000
222. The KLF – The White Room – 1991
223. Robbie Williams – I’ve Been Expecting You – 1998
224. Roger Walters – Amused To Death – 1992
225. The Fall – Extricate – 1990
226. Tracy Chapman – Tracy Chapman – 1988
227. Godspeed You Black Emperor – F#A#~
228. Galaxie 500 – On Fire – 1989
229. Jane’s Addiction – Nothing’s Shocking – 1988
230. Jay-Z – The Black Album – 2003
231. Crowded House – Together Alone – 1993
232. Dizzee Rascal – Boy In Da Corner – 2003
233. Morrissey – Viva Hate – 1988
234. Leonard Cohen – I’m Your Man - 1988
235. Cocteau Twins – Heaven Or Las Vegas – 1990
236. Beastie Boys – Ill Communication – 1994
237. Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds – Tender Prey – 1988
238. James – Seven – 1992
239. Soul Ii Soul – Club Classics Vol One – 1989
240. Take That – Beautiful World – 2006
241. PJ Harvey Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea – 2000
242. Ben Folds Five – Whatever And Ever Amen – 1997
243. KT Tunstall – Eye To The Telescope – 2004
244. Antony And The Johnsons – I Am A Bird Now – 2005
245. Royksopp – Melody A.M. – 2001
246. Outcast – Stankonia – 2000
247. Slipknot – Slipknot – 1999
248. Sugar – Copper Blue – 1992
249. Orbital – Orbital – 1991
250. Gomez – Bring It On – 1998