Saturday, February 17, 2018

THE 200 MOST ESSENTIAL ALBUMS. This post: #6. Continues: next week with the album ranked No. 5.
Caffé Latté presents the  all-time
200
MOST ESSENTIAL
ALBUMS

200 LEMONADE Beyoncé
199 TUSK Fleetwood Mac
198 BLUE LINES Massive Attack
197 A NEW WORLD RECORD Electric Light Orchestra
196 THAT’S THE WAY OF THE WORLD Earth, Wind & Fire
195 SHE’S SO UNUSUAL Cyndi Lauper
194 A NIGHT ON THE TOWN Rod Stewart
193 BROTHERS IN ARMS Dire Straits
192 DIANA Diana Ross
191 ABRAXAS Santana
190 TATTOO YOU Rolling Stones
189 TRACY CHAPMAN Tracy Chapman
188 FULFILLINGNESS’ FIRST FINALE Stevie Wonder
187 CAN’T SLOW DOWN Lionel Richie
186 BOOKENDS Simon & Garfunkel
185 BORN IN THE U.S.A. Bruce Springsteen
184 HOT AUGUST NIGHT Neil Diamond
183 FAITH George Michael
182 CRAZYSEXYCOOL TLC
181 TOO LOW FOR ZERO Elton John 
180 PAUL SIMON Paul Simon
179 WAR OF THE WORLDS Jeff Wayne
178 PARKLIFE Blur
177 MUSIC OF MY MIND Stevie Wonder
176 BACK TO BLACK Amy Winehouse
175 ALL THINGS MUST PASS George Harrison
174 SYNCHRONICITY the Police
173 52nd STREET Billy Joel
172 THE HEIST Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
171 BAD Michael Jackson
170 TUBULAR BELLS Mike Oldfield
169 GOING TO A GO-GO Smokey Robinson & The Miracles
168 …AND THEN THERE WERE THREE… Genesis
167 DOUBLE FANTASY John Lennon & Yoko Ono
166 A RUSH OF BLOOD TO THE HEAD Coldplay
165 SOME GIRLS Rolling Stones
164 IF YOU DON’T BELIEVE YOUR EYES & EARS Mamas & Papas
163 MY BEAUTIFUL DARK TWISTED FANTASY Kanye West
162 CAN’T BUY A THRILL Steely Dan
161 ONCE UPON A TIME Donna Summer
160 CAPTAIN FANTASTIC & THE BROWN DIRT COWBOY Elton John
159 IN RAINBOWS Radoihead
158 ODELAY Beck
157 THE SMITHS The Smiths
156 LIKE A PRAYER Madonna
155 CLOSE TO YOU Carpenters
154 STANKONIA Outkast
153 SIGN O’ THE TIMES Prince
152 REMAIN IN LIGHT Talking Heads
151 SWEET BABY JAMES James Taylor
150 SIMPLE MINDS Linda Ronstadt
149 WILLY & THE POOR BOYS Creedence Clearwater Revival
148 MADMAN ACROSS THE WATER Elton John
147 BAND ON THE RUN Paul McCartney & Wings
146 PLAY Moby
145 TALKING BOOK Stevie Wonder
144 WISH YOU WERE HERE Pink Floyd
143 BLOOD SUGAR SEX MAGIK Red Hot Chili Peppers
142 LET’S GET IT ON Marvin Gaye
141 ASTRAL WEEKS Van Morrison
140 TOTO Toto
139 PARALLEL LINES Blondie
138 THE RIVER
137 DON’T SHOOT ME I’M ONLY THE PIANO PLAYER Elton John
136 RAY OF LIGHT Madonna
135 TEA FOR THE TILLERMAN Cat Stevens
134 CONTROL Janet Jackson
133 WAR U2
132 STATION TO STATION David Bowie
131 FRAMPTON COMES ALIVE! Peter Frampton
130 STRANGE DAYS The Doors
129 DEBUT Bjork
128 HUNKY DORY David Bowie
127 RUST NEVER SLEEPS Neil Young & Crazy Horse
126 (WHAT’S THE STORY) MORNING GLORY? Oasis
125 OTIS BLUE Otis Redding
124 1999 Prince
123 HOUSES OF THE HOLY Led Zeppelin
122 THE MISEDUCATION OF LAURYN HILL Lauryn Hill
121 LICENSED TO ILL Beastie Boys
120 GREASE Movie Soundtrack- Various Artists
119 DOOKIE Green Day
118 BLUE Joni Mitchell
117 MY AIM IS TRUE Elvis Costello
116 CROSBY, STILLS * NASH Crosby, Stills & Nash
115 THE SCORE Fugees
114 THERE’S A RIOT GOIN’ ON Sly & The Family Stone
113 HIGHWAY TO HELL AC/DC
112 HELP! Beatles
111 WHEELS OF FIRE Cream
110 THE BLUEPRINT Jay-Z
109 FLEETWOOD MAC Fleetwood Mac
108 LIFE AFTER DEATH Notorious B.I.G.
107 AFTERMATH Rolling Stones
106 IN THROUGH THE OUTDOOR Led Zeppelin
105 THE BARBRA STREISAND ALBUM Barbra Streisand
104 EAGLES Eagles
103 THE BEATLES The Beatles
102 MOTHERSHIP CONNECTION Parliament
101 AT FOLSOM PRISON Johnny Cash
100 THE WALL Pink Floyd
99 MOONDANCE Van Morrison
98 LADY SOUL Aretha Franklin
97 STRAIGHT OUTTA COMPTON N.W.A.
96 TRANS-EUROPE EXPRESS Kraftwerk
95 THE STRANGER Billy Joel
94 DISCOVERY Daft Punk
93 DUSTY IN MEMPHIS Dusty Springfield
92 A NIGHT AT THE OPERA Queen
91 AXIS: BOLD AS LOVE Jimi Hendrix Experience
90 DAYS OF FUTURE PASSED Moody Blues
89 ABBA Abba
88 ELEPHANT White Stripes
87 FIRST TAKE Roberta Flack
86 HARVEST Neil Young
85 GRACE Jeff Buckley
84 TEN Pearl Jam
83 THE BAND The Band
82 AMERICAN IDIOT Green Day
81 HORSES Patti Smith
80 SILK DEGREES Boz Scaggs
79 JAGGED LITTLE PILL Alanis Morissette
78 IMAGINE John Lennon
77 MR. TAMBOURINE MAN The Byrds
76 ACHTUNG BABY U2
75 APPETITE FOR DESTRUCTION Guns N’ Roses
74 BITCHES BREW Miles Davis
73 METALLICA Metallica
72 WHITNEY HOUSTON Whitney Houston
71 AUTOMATIC FOR THE PEOPLE R.E.M.
70 ARRIVAL Abba
69 IT TAKES A NATION OF MILLIONS TO HOLD US BACK Public Enemy
68 COSMO’S FACTORY Creedence Clearwater Revival
67 SURREALISTIC PILLOW Jefferson Airplane
66 HOTEL CALIFORNIA Eagles
65 BAD GIRLS Donna Summer
64 LIVE AT THE APOLLO James Brown
63 INNERVISIONS Stevie Wonder
62 A HARD DAY’S NIGHT The Beatles
61 THE UNFORGETTABLE FIRE U2
60 BORN TO RUN Bruce Springsteen
59 BACK IN BLACK AC/DC
58 SUPERFLY Curtis Mayfield
57 BURNIN’ The Wailers
56 PEARL Janis Joplin
55 SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER Movie Soundtrack Bee Gees / Various Artists
54 PHYSICAL GRAFFITI Led Zeppelin
53 THE KICK INSIDE Kate Bush
52 DISRAELI GEARS Cream
51 LOW David Bowie
50 OFF THE WALL Michael Jackson
49 PURPLE RAIN Prince
48 GRACELAND Paul Simon
47  TOMMY The Who
46 STICKY FINGERS Rolling Stones
45 THE MAN-MACHINE Kraftwerk
44 LED ZEPPELIN IV Led Zeppelin
43 BRINGING IT ALL BACK HOME Bob Dylan
42 MODERN SOUNDS IN COUNTRY AND WESTERN MUSIC Ray Charles
41 GOODBYE YELLOW BRICK ROAD Elton John
40 LET IT BE The Beatles
39 THE DOORS The Doors
38 TRANSFORMER Lou Reed
37 EXILE ON MAIN ST. Rolling Stones
36 BAT OUT OF HELL Meat Loaf
35 BRIDGE OVER TROUBLED WATER Simon & Garfunkel
34 ELVIS PRESLEY Elvis Presley
33 ARE YOU EXPERIENCED Jimi Hendrix Experience
32 LET IT BLEED Rolling Stones
31 THE MARSHALL MATHERS LP Eminem
30 ABBEY ROAD The Beatles
29 THE RISE & FALL OF ZIGGY STARDUST & THE SPIDERS FROM MARS
David Bowie
28  ELECTRIC LADYLAND Jimi Hendrix Experience
27 BEGGARS BANQUET Rolling Stones
26 THRILLER Michael Jackson
25 LED ZEPPELIN II Led Zeppelin
24 THE RAMONES The Ramones
23 BLONDE ON BLONDE Bob Dylan
22 HERE’S LITTLE RICHARD Little Richard
21 WITH THE BEATLES The Beatles
20  OK COMPUTER Radiohead
19 TAPESTRY Carole King
18 THE FREEWHEELIN; BOB DYLAN bob Dylan
17 LONDON CALLING The Clash
16 I NEVER LOVED A MAN THE WAY I LOVE YOU Aretha Franklin
15 PLEASE PLEASE ME The Beatles
14 THE TIMES THEY ARE A-CHANGIN’ Bob Dylan
13 NEVERMIND Nirvana
12 RAY CHARLES Ray Charles
11 HIGHWAY 61 REVISITED Bob Dylan
10 NEVER MIND THE BOLLOCKS HERE’S THE SEX PISTOLS Sex Pistols
9 THE DARK SIDE OF THE MOON Pink Floyd
8 THE VELVET UNDERGROUND & NICO Velvet Underground & Nico
7 RUBBER SOUL The Beatles
o o o
10
NEVER MIND THE BOLLOCKS
HERE’S THE SEX PISTOLS
THE SEX PISTOLS
1977

O
9
THE DARK SIDE OF THE MOON
PINK FLOYD
1973

O 
8
THE VELVET UNDERGROUND
& NICO
VELVET UNDERGROUND & NICO
1967

O
7
RUBBER SOUL
THE BEATLES
1965

O  
6
SONGS IN THE KEY OF LIFE
STEVIE WONDER
1976
 Songs in the key of life.jpg
Motown managed to fend off The British Invasion as Beatlemania dominated the world charts. Even in America, U.S. acts struggled, but Motown remained a solid exception. Its sound evolved as the 1960s approached its conclusion, with grittier soul from the likes of The Temptations and Gladys Knight & The Pips. The label had a profound impact on pop music and particularly R&B, once the 1970s began. Stevie Wonder was one of its key drivers. 
By now in his adulthood, the gifted artist flexed his creative muscle on a series of revered albums, leading to the opus that is 'Songs In The Key Of Life'. While numerous musicians were plumbing disco, Wonder instead delivered a musical manifesto. On this LP, he opened rhythm and blues up to a myriad of directions for the future. 
'Songs In The Key Of Life' presents a variety of moods. There's raw social commentary in "Village Ghetto Land"; jubilation in the tracks "As", "Isn't She Lovely" and "Another Star". On "I Wish", Wonder is nostalgic, yearning for the days of his childhood. "Black Man" finds him pleading the case for social cohesion. He is damning on "Saturn".
There are jazz flourishes all over "Sir Duke", tenderness in the love song "Knocks Me Off My Feet", funk in "Contusion" and "Pastime Paradise" was the foundation used by Coolio for his 1995 global smash "Gangsta's Paradise". 
This ambitious project saw Wonder write all but 3 of the tracks on the double album himself . The exceptions were co-writes with Gary Byrd and Calvin Hardaway. As if the 4 sides weren't impressive enough, he included an EP containing an additional 4 songs! 
Other standouts include "Summer Soft", "Ngiculela- Es Una Historia- I Am Singing", "Have A Talk With God", "Love's In Need Of Love Today", "Ordinary Pain", "All Day Sucker" and "Joy Inside My Tears". He produced and arranged the tracks.
Countless R&B artists have mined this project for inspiration. It still remains a blueprint for the genre and a testament of Wonder's undisputed creative genius.
O

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