My last post about the 25 books that influenced me the most (see How to Get into my Good Books) has led predictably to requests that I compile a similar list for musical influences. These requests also reveal an interesting correlation between the age of the writer and the recording format of choice. Troglodytes of my generation mostly sought my favorite “records” or “albums;" while younger writers sought the corresponding “songs” or “tracks.”
I am going to go with albums and adopt the rules that (i) no more than one album per artist/group and (ii) no greatest hits albums. As with my list of books this musical compilation is not an attempt to list the “best” 25 albums of all time nor even my current or all-time favorites; but rather the music that has had the most important influence in my life for a variety of ultimately idiosyncratic reasons.
With those ground rules in mind:
Bach Goldberg Variations (Gould)
Beethoven 9 Symphonies (von Karajan)
Berlioz Symphonie Fantastique (Dutoit)
The Clash London Calling
Coldplay X&Y
Miles Davis Kind of Blue
Bob Dylan Highway 61 Revisited
Genesis The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway
Getz/Gilberto Live at Carnegie Hall
Grateful Dead Europe ’72
Jimi Hendrix Are you Experienced
Keith Jarrett The Koln Concert
Kool and the Gang Wild and Peaceful
Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin II
Georges Moustaki Moustaki
Nirvana Nevermind
Pink Floyd Dark Side of the Moon
R.E.M. Automatic for the People
Bruce Springstein Greetings from Asbury Park
Talking Heads Remain in Light
U2 The Joshua Tree
Bob Weir Ace
George Winston December
Neil Young After the Gold Rush
Yes Close to the Edge
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There is nothing like Beethoven! The talent and music is unbelievable (he was blind for a large portion of his life) even for those not into classical.
Hi Tom you have a pretty good and diverse selection there. Just curious do you have a home audio system at home? I have been finding long and hard to find someone in the company who shares my passion about home audio.
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Wow… What is the possibility that you’ll append this list with even brief ideas as to the reason(s) for each album’s inclusion in the list? It’s such a diverse/disparate list that it does inspire curiosity.