The first section of my list focuses on the most played albums (non soundtrack/compilation) through the year 1999.
Here are the albums (in no particular order):
Apocalypse '91: The Enemy Strikes Black
(Public Enemy)-1991
I was a Public Enemy fan from the videos I've watched on MTV(when the channel actually focused on music videos). This was the first of their albums I was able to buy and it was well worth it. It gave you thought provoking lyrics to go along with great beats so you don't forget the experience. The team up with Anthrax for Bring The Noise also brought my love of songs with a rap and rock mix (it will show up more on the list) to the forefront.
August and Everything After (Counting Crows)-1993
This album came out when I was still riding the city bus to get everywhere. So, I got to listen to it on my cassette player(some will remember those and others will look at that like a horse and buggy) for the first time heading to school. For me, Counting Crows' music is great to travel with regardless of far you are going. Round Here is one of the best opening songs for an album and it gets you immersed into the journey.
No Need to Argue (The Cranberries)-1994
Even though I could have easily put each of their albums on this list, I will only pick one Cranberries album for the list. No Need to Argue is definitely the choice for me. I remember driving in my first car with one of my friends from college listening to this album. We used to sing Empty in the car (there's no film footage of this though) and had so much fun. Even though Zombie was the main song everyone remembers from the album, Daffodil Lament is a powerhouse song on its own. Then, you follow that up with the title track, which is a perfect balance. If you haven't checked it out, you should.
OG: Original Gangster (Ice-T)-1991
OG: Original Gangster had so many things that made it an album that I played a lot. I consider Ice-T a great storytelling in his songs, which is definitely evident throughout the whole album. The prime examples are New Jack Hustler and the title track OG: Original Gangster. It also gives you a track from his hard rock band Body Count. It gives you a lot of storytelling styles to keep you engaged, listening and jamming.
Odelay(Beck)-1996
I got a promotional CD of this album when I worked at Blockbuster Music (more things that people might need to do a search for on the internet). Odelay is so different and eclectic throughout the whole album. It has sounds of funk, rap, electronica and rock from different decades that you can enjoy, which is why I played it a lot. Where It's At is still an awesome song that's in my head. "Two Turntables and a Microphone".
Flood (They Might Be Giants)-1990
There are three points of reference to this album before I ever brought it. First, I saw the original video of Istanbul (Not Constantinople) by They Might Be Giants on Nickelodeon in between the end of one show and the beginning of another show. This was was a thing television programmers did throughout the 80's and 90's. Then, I watched that same song and Particle Man(from the same group) play on an episode of Tiny Toon Adventures. Finally, I have an exercise in my drama class in high school that involved the song They Might Be Giants being played in the background. I found out all of these songs were on the same album called Flood. I love this album and still play it a lot to this day.
Dookie(Green Day)-1994
The album Dookie by Green Day came around(no pun intended) at the right time for me. I was in college and rode the bus from home to school and everywhere in between. I played it in my Walkman wherever I went. Well, it wasn't really a Walkman. It was more like the cassette player you can get when you don't have enough money for a Walkman. Anyway, I listened to this album as I grew as an adult and made friendships through the years. In some ways, it was the adrenaline, heart felt friend that you will always share a connection with.
Licensed To Ill (Beastie Boys)-1986
This album was one of the first cassette tape that I ever brought(along with Run DMC's "Tougher Than Leather"). I played it so much that I've had two copies on cassette and one copy on CD through the years. You have (You Gotta) Fight For Your Right(To Party), No Sleep Till Brooklyn and Paul Revere back to back to back on the album. Time to Get Ill was the song that I tested the bass with in my first car(I didn't have a loaded bass system because I had factory speakers). As much as I love Paul's Boutique, I listened to Licensed To Ill much more.
De La Soul is Dead(De La Soul)-1991
The thing I like about rap (and any type of music) when there's a lot of different styles you can listen to. De La Soul is Dead is different from the other albums on the list but I love it just as much. I remember buying this cassette tape at Walmart before I learned they censor the albums they carry in their stores(which is why I rarely buy music there). Despite that, I played that album so much that I got my friend from high school jamming to it every time we hung out. You can imagine this album playing at the roller skating place, especially with the song A Roller Skating Jam Named "Saturday ". That song and Ring Ring Ring(Ha Ha Hey) are great songs on a classic album(which I have the unedited version of these days).
Connected (Stereo MCs)-1992
I love music that have a positive message/stream of consciousness to it. You saw a bunch of albums like this in the late 80's to early 90's. I heard the song Connected by Stereo MCs and loved what it was saying. I brought the album of the same name and I played it like crazy. Ground Level and Step It Up are great songs that will get you dancing and thinking throughout the album.
Face To Face(Face To Face)-1996
Face To Face's self titled album will always be linked to the Sega Saturn for me. I didn't have a CD player at the time other than my Sega Saturn game system (I kinda wish I still had that system). I remember this adrenaline filled rock album would play while the screen showed a spaceship flying into space. You could easily use this album as a soundtrack to any fighting and/or adventure game, especially with songs like Walk The Walk and I Won't Lie Down.
Maxwell's Urban Hang Suite-Maxwell-1996
I played Maxwell's Urban Hang Suite for the first time in store when I worked at Blockbuster Music. It had a different style and flavor than some of the R&B albums around that time. Maxwell's voice is unique, powerful and very smooth. The album takes you on a ride throughout like you are driving and not in a rush. Once I heard the first track, The Urban Theme, I was convinced that I needed to buy this CD. I'm still a Maxwell fan to this day.
This concludes Volume one of the four part series. Volume two will cover soundtracks/compilations from the same time period.
