What makes an album truly great? 🤔
It's a question we spent hours debating in hopes of creating this definitive ranking.
In honor of Consequence's 15th anniversary, we humbly present our new-and-improved 100 Greatest Albums of All Time: cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
It's a question we spent hours debating in hopes of creating this definitive ranking.
In honor of Consequence's 15th anniversary, we humbly present our new-and-improved 100 Greatest Albums of All Time: cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
@kendricklamar @fleetwoodmac @TheBeachBoys @thebeatles @DavidBowieReal @Nirvana @prince @KateBushMusic @TheClash 100. Jane’s Addiction – Nothing’s Shocking
Equal parts heavy and ethereal, it’s fitting that the album contains song titles like “Up the Beach” and “Ocean Size,” as the tracks play like waves crashing into the sea.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
Equal parts heavy and ethereal, it’s fitting that the album contains song titles like “Up the Beach” and “Ocean Size,” as the tracks play like waves crashing into the sea.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
99. Kamasi Washington – Heaven and Earth
Heaven & Earth evokes the grand scale of its title with an all-encompassing view of the past, present, and future of this world and beyond.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
Heaven & Earth evokes the grand scale of its title with an all-encompassing view of the past, present, and future of this world and beyond.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
98. Lucinda Williams – Car Wheels on a Gravel Road
Across 13 tracks, you learn a few things about the record’s central narrator, but there’s one lesson that stands out in particular: You don’t fuck with Lucinda Williams.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
Across 13 tracks, you learn a few things about the record’s central narrator, but there’s one lesson that stands out in particular: You don’t fuck with Lucinda Williams.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
97. Fugazi – Repeater
With Repeater, Fugazi not only raised their own bar, but blew the entire hardcore punk genre wide open.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
With Repeater, Fugazi not only raised their own bar, but blew the entire hardcore punk genre wide open.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
96. N.W.A – Straight Outta Compton
Although they owe Schoolly D and the Park Side Killas some credit for pioneering gangsta rap, N.W.A can proudly say that they brought this style of uber-catchy, ultra-violent hip-hop to the mainstream.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
Although they owe Schoolly D and the Park Side Killas some credit for pioneering gangsta rap, N.W.A can proudly say that they brought this style of uber-catchy, ultra-violent hip-hop to the mainstream.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
95. System of a Down – Toxicity
Melodic, chaotic, and downright hypnotic, the album expanded the boundaries of heavy music.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
Melodic, chaotic, and downright hypnotic, the album expanded the boundaries of heavy music.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
94. Wilco – Yankee Hotel Foxtrot
From start to finish, Yankee Hotel Foxtrot mesmerizes and beguiles, and somehow manages to sound like both falling in love and the end of the world. It’s untouchable.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
From start to finish, Yankee Hotel Foxtrot mesmerizes and beguiles, and somehow manages to sound like both falling in love and the end of the world. It’s untouchable.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
93. TLC – CrazySexyCool
It stands as a testament to confident womanhood, a statement sealed in the record books as the best-selling album by an American girl group ever and the first to reach Diamond status.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
It stands as a testament to confident womanhood, a statement sealed in the record books as the best-selling album by an American girl group ever and the first to reach Diamond status.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
92. The Replacements – Let It Be
Who would have thought four twenty-somethings from Minneapolis could produce something so timeless, so vital, and so vivid?
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
Who would have thought four twenty-somethings from Minneapolis could produce something so timeless, so vital, and so vivid?
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
91. The Who – Who’s Next?
With tracks like these, it’s easy to see why Who’s Next moved The Who from a great band of the ’60s to a rock superpower in the ’70s.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
With tracks like these, it’s easy to see why Who’s Next moved The Who from a great band of the ’60s to a rock superpower in the ’70s.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
90. Alanis Morissette – Jagged Little Pill
The very first seconds of Morissette’s breakout record feature a blend of electric guitar and harmonica, signaling right from the beginning that a new voice in alt-rock had something to say.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
The very first seconds of Morissette’s breakout record feature a blend of electric guitar and harmonica, signaling right from the beginning that a new voice in alt-rock had something to say.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
89. Green Day – Dookie
Exploring everything from panic attacks to masturbation to bisexuality, the lyrics struck a chord with fans of all ages and positioned Green Day as the modern punk band for the masses.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
Exploring everything from panic attacks to masturbation to bisexuality, the lyrics struck a chord with fans of all ages and positioned Green Day as the modern punk band for the masses.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
88. Alice Coltrane – Journey in Satchidananda
The pieces all fit together, yet much of its greatness lies in how they refuse to congeal, with Coltrane and her collaborators embracing generosity while maintaining autonomy.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
The pieces all fit together, yet much of its greatness lies in how they refuse to congeal, with Coltrane and her collaborators embracing generosity while maintaining autonomy.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
87. Slayer – Reign in Blood
A credit to Rick Rubin’s raw production, the album sounds brutally intense to this day, unmarred by time — a sacred artifact of extreme metal in its earliest form.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
A credit to Rick Rubin’s raw production, the album sounds brutally intense to this day, unmarred by time — a sacred artifact of extreme metal in its earliest form.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
86. Pearl Jam – Ten
It had all the angst and darkness that grunge was known for – both in its lyrics and its heavy sound – but with stadium-ready expansiveness and a vocalist destined for icon status.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
It had all the angst and darkness that grunge was known for – both in its lyrics and its heavy sound – but with stadium-ready expansiveness and a vocalist destined for icon status.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
85. Tupac – All Eyez on Me
Though the 27-song, 133-minute ode to the gangsta lifestyle isn’t without its warts, Pac’s burning passion elevates the album to another level.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
Though the 27-song, 133-minute ode to the gangsta lifestyle isn’t without its warts, Pac’s burning passion elevates the album to another level.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
84. Smashing Pumpkins – Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness
Much like the Beatles’ famous double album, Mellon Collie contains virtually the entire spectrum of the human experience in its 28 tracks.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
Much like the Beatles’ famous double album, Mellon Collie contains virtually the entire spectrum of the human experience in its 28 tracks.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
83. Pretenders – Pretenders
Expressing triumph, rage, tenderness, fear, and more, Chrissie Hynde puts you inside her head, recalling painful memories and detailing incredible narratives as if she’s made an ad hoc audiobook.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
Expressing triumph, rage, tenderness, fear, and more, Chrissie Hynde puts you inside her head, recalling painful memories and detailing incredible narratives as if she’s made an ad hoc audiobook.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
82. Peter Gabriel – So
Depending on your state of mind going into listening to it, So will either leave you charged or worn-out. Either way, it’s a good feeling.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
Depending on your state of mind going into listening to it, So will either leave you charged or worn-out. Either way, it’s a good feeling.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
81. Adele – 21
The songs immortalized in 21 are so present, so urgent and human, because Adele Adkins cracked her heart open and shared everything with us.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
The songs immortalized in 21 are so present, so urgent and human, because Adele Adkins cracked her heart open and shared everything with us.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
80. Erykah Badu – Baduizm
Baduizm makes the case that the journey to answers to life’s biggest questions is just as important as the answers themselves.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15 @fatbellybella
Baduizm makes the case that the journey to answers to life’s biggest questions is just as important as the answers themselves.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15 @fatbellybella
79. The Police – Synchronicity
Rather than just sticking to their playbook of reggae, jazz, and punk, Synchronicity finds the group creating their own path and telling everyone else to come along if they can.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
Rather than just sticking to their playbook of reggae, jazz, and punk, Synchronicity finds the group creating their own path and telling everyone else to come along if they can.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
78. Billy Joel – The Stranger
There may not be a more divisive pop icon in music, but I challenge you to listen to “Vienna” or “She’s Always a Woman” and say Joel wasn’t at the height of his powers on The Stranger.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
There may not be a more divisive pop icon in music, but I challenge you to listen to “Vienna” or “She’s Always a Woman” and say Joel wasn’t at the height of his powers on The Stranger.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
77. JAY-Z – The Black Album
For most of the seven years between ‘96-’03, JAY-Z was one of the genre’s dominant figures. Even on his “last” album, that competitive hunger is still palpable.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
For most of the seven years between ‘96-’03, JAY-Z was one of the genre’s dominant figures. Even on his “last” album, that competitive hunger is still palpable.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
76. The Smiths – The Queen Is Dead
Don’t we all dream of a love so all-encompassing that we’d rather be hit by a bus instead of continuing to live without them? Maybe.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
Don’t we all dream of a love so all-encompassing that we’d rather be hit by a bus instead of continuing to live without them? Maybe.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
75. Janelle Monáe – Dirty Computer
Something so perfectly realized, so revealing in its depth, so wholly enjoyable has to be one of the best albums of all time. Otherwise, what are we doing here?
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
Something so perfectly realized, so revealing in its depth, so wholly enjoyable has to be one of the best albums of all time. Otherwise, what are we doing here?
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
74. Bob Dylan – Highway 61 Revisited
The language, both musically and lyrically, of Highway 61 Revisited is poetic, sarcastic, and ironic — tongues that have always spoken to some essential part in the human makeup.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
The language, both musically and lyrically, of Highway 61 Revisited is poetic, sarcastic, and ironic — tongues that have always spoken to some essential part in the human makeup.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
73. Parliament – The Mothership Connection
It knits together concept and sound into a 38-minute throwdown that became a definitive statement for the genre and a template that was subsequently sourced by jazz, hip-hop, and EDM artists.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
It knits together concept and sound into a 38-minute throwdown that became a definitive statement for the genre and a template that was subsequently sourced by jazz, hip-hop, and EDM artists.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
72. My Bloody Valentine – Loveless
My Bloody Valentine’s magnum opus seamlessly blends their mysteriously abrasive instrumentals with some of the most gorgeous, unforgettable melodies of indie rock’s history.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
My Bloody Valentine’s magnum opus seamlessly blends their mysteriously abrasive instrumentals with some of the most gorgeous, unforgettable melodies of indie rock’s history.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
71. U2 – The Joshua Tree
It's been canonized over and over as U2's love letter to America and blah, blah, blah; but the true essence of its power lies in a supernova of love — the whole spectrum from agape to eros.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
It's been canonized over and over as U2's love letter to America and blah, blah, blah; but the true essence of its power lies in a supernova of love — the whole spectrum from agape to eros.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
70. Sonic Youth – Daydream Nation
When Sonic Youth's sound became fully realized on Daydream Nation, their lofty goals yielded lofty results.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
When Sonic Youth's sound became fully realized on Daydream Nation, their lofty goals yielded lofty results.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
69. Beastie Boys – Paul’s Boutique
It’s one of the first hip-hop albums where “lush” is not only an apt description, but probably the best one. It’s one of the best examples in any genre of reinvention and a high bar for sophomore albums.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
It’s one of the first hip-hop albums where “lush” is not only an apt description, but probably the best one. It’s one of the best examples in any genre of reinvention and a high bar for sophomore albums.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
68. Frank Ocean – Channel Orange
At the center of Channel Orange is Frank Ocean’s incredibly poignant songwriting that can capture a complete narrative of emotions in the smallest refrains.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
At the center of Channel Orange is Frank Ocean’s incredibly poignant songwriting that can capture a complete narrative of emotions in the smallest refrains.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
67. Radiohead – In Rainbows
It’s true that virtually no other artist could have profitably self-released a record in 2007, but no other artist could have made In Rainbows.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
It’s true that virtually no other artist could have profitably self-released a record in 2007, but no other artist could have made In Rainbows.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
66. Madonna – Like a Prayer
Madonna opened up her journals and her heart for a surprisingly confessional and, of course, provocative set of songs that called for a reevaluation of her merit on artistic terms.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
Madonna opened up her journals and her heart for a surprisingly confessional and, of course, provocative set of songs that called for a reevaluation of her merit on artistic terms.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
65. Leonard Cohen – Songs of Leonard Cohen
Infinitely imitated and infinitely respected, Songs of Leonard Cohen sounds like an apocalypse when we listen to it today.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
Infinitely imitated and infinitely respected, Songs of Leonard Cohen sounds like an apocalypse when we listen to it today.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
64. The Cure – Disintegration
If only we could all churn out a masterpiece like Disintegration whenever we’re faced with the horrors of mortality.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
If only we could all churn out a masterpiece like Disintegration whenever we’re faced with the horrors of mortality.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
63. Tom Waits – Rain Dogs
There are many essential records in Tom Waits’ long and storied career, but Rain Dogs is the most essential of them all.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
There are many essential records in Tom Waits’ long and storied career, but Rain Dogs is the most essential of them all.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
62. Madvillain – Madvillainy
Few projects carry such an intensely defined vision, let alone capitalize on it so well. Maybe that’s why there was never a proper sequel; something in the universe knew to leave what’s perfect as perfect.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
Few projects carry such an intensely defined vision, let alone capitalize on it so well. Maybe that’s why there was never a proper sequel; something in the universe knew to leave what’s perfect as perfect.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
61. The Rolling Stones – Exile on Main St.
These legendary sessions defined the adage “sex, drugs, and rock and roll” before it became cliché.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
These legendary sessions defined the adage “sex, drugs, and rock and roll” before it became cliché.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
60. Amy Winehouse – Back to Black
Winehouse’s particular brilliance makes Back to Black one for the ages. Her contralto vocals are effortlessly expressive, sophisticated in their rhythms and the nuances they find in the dangerous joys.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
Winehouse’s particular brilliance makes Back to Black one for the ages. Her contralto vocals are effortlessly expressive, sophisticated in their rhythms and the nuances they find in the dangerous joys.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
59. Nas – Illmatic
Illmatic is a 40-minute journey through Queensbridge filled with nihilism and hope, told by someone with the skill of a wartime journalist.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
Illmatic is a 40-minute journey through Queensbridge filled with nihilism and hope, told by someone with the skill of a wartime journalist.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
58. Nina Simone – I Put a Spell on You
On I Put a Spell on You, Simone never loses sight of her mission to dismantle Jim Crow America and simply shifts tactics to demonstrate pure, undeniable Black Excellence.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
On I Put a Spell on You, Simone never loses sight of her mission to dismantle Jim Crow America and simply shifts tactics to demonstrate pure, undeniable Black Excellence.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
57. The Band – Music from Big Pink
Behind the tumble and prophecy of Big Pink’s elaborate orchestration was a heart so wonderfully simple in times that were not.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
Behind the tumble and prophecy of Big Pink’s elaborate orchestration was a heart so wonderfully simple in times that were not.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
56. David Bowie – Hunky Dory
Hunky Dory is not a concept album, but the concepts within would eventually solidify and manifest in the character of Bowie’s spaceman and perhaps even in his personal philosophies.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
Hunky Dory is not a concept album, but the concepts within would eventually solidify and manifest in the character of Bowie’s spaceman and perhaps even in his personal philosophies.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
55. Sly and the Family Stone – There’s a Riot Going On
The best album of Sly and his band’s career came in on a cloudy, groovy haze of sex, drugs, and, yeah, rock and roll, and few albums are as honest and heartbreaking and funky as this.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
The best album of Sly and his band’s career came in on a cloudy, groovy haze of sex, drugs, and, yeah, rock and roll, and few albums are as honest and heartbreaking and funky as this.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
54. Joy Division – Unknown Pleasures
What makes this all so compelling is that this album is less a collection of music and more of a snapshot of thoughts and feelings. Everyone tears at their own soul here.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
What makes this all so compelling is that this album is less a collection of music and more of a snapshot of thoughts and feelings. Everyone tears at their own soul here.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
53. Dr. Dre – 2001
In a sense, 2001 has outlived even its own legacy, not only surviving but becoming an integral part of the rapid-fire Internet gauntlet.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
In a sense, 2001 has outlived even its own legacy, not only surviving but becoming an integral part of the rapid-fire Internet gauntlet.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
52. The Strokes – Is This It
In just under an hour, Is This It managed to make New York City music cool again and saved rock and roll at one of the most crucial points since the advent of disco.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
In just under an hour, Is This It managed to make New York City music cool again and saved rock and roll at one of the most crucial points since the advent of disco.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
51. Johnny Cash – Live at Folsom Prison
Cash's human touch, coupled with the way he openly carried his own troubles and shortcomings on his sleeve, creates a camaraderie that the listener can’t help but notice.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
Cash's human touch, coupled with the way he openly carried his own troubles and shortcomings on his sleeve, creates a camaraderie that the listener can’t help but notice.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
50. Iggy & The Stooges – Raw Power
Without Raw Power, there is no Clash, no Ramones, no Sex Pistols.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
Without Raw Power, there is no Clash, no Ramones, no Sex Pistols.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
49. Guns N’ Roses – Appetite for Destruction
Whether it’s at a sports arena; at some teenager’s house party in Oshkosh, Wisconsin; or at a hipster dive bar in Brooklyn… people still can’t get enough of this album.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
Whether it’s at a sports arena; at some teenager’s house party in Oshkosh, Wisconsin; or at a hipster dive bar in Brooklyn… people still can’t get enough of this album.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
48. A Tribe Called Quest – The Low End Theory
There are no contradictions, no leaps in logic, and, best of all, it’s not preachy or boring.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
There are no contradictions, no leaps in logic, and, best of all, it’s not preachy or boring.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
47. Van Morrison – Astral Weeks
Morrison may have been high-strung at the time, but you would never know it listening to such a dazzling and relaxed album.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
Morrison may have been high-strung at the time, but you would never know it listening to such a dazzling and relaxed album.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
46. Nine Inch Nails – The Downward Spiral
The Downward Spiral spearheaded a wave of industrial pop, nu-metal, mid-’90s alternative, and the like, all alongside a leviathan called grunge rock.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
The Downward Spiral spearheaded a wave of industrial pop, nu-metal, mid-’90s alternative, and the like, all alongside a leviathan called grunge rock.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
45. Lady Gaga – The Fame Monster
Beyond the headline-making moments, though, is a great album that has persisted in relevance in the years since, and an album that laid a certain groundwork for many women in pop to follow.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
Beyond the headline-making moments, though, is a great album that has persisted in relevance in the years since, and an album that laid a certain groundwork for many women in pop to follow.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
44. Miles Davis – Kind of Blue
What’s magical about revisiting Kind of Blue today is that it still hums with life, each moment playing as organic and vibrant as the day it was recorded over 60 years ago.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
What’s magical about revisiting Kind of Blue today is that it still hums with life, each moment playing as organic and vibrant as the day it was recorded over 60 years ago.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
43. Bob Dylan – Blood on the Tracks
It’s the album modern listeners reach for most readily, because it doesn’t sound like a souvenir from a failed counterculture or obscure outsider Americana — but it does sound like Dylan.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
It’s the album modern listeners reach for most readily, because it doesn’t sound like a souvenir from a failed counterculture or obscure outsider Americana — but it does sound like Dylan.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
42. AC/DC – Back in Black
A testament to Back in Black’s lasting legacy, this record's songs remain ubiquitous across algorithm playlists, dive bar jukeboxes, and FM rock stations.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
A testament to Back in Black’s lasting legacy, this record's songs remain ubiquitous across algorithm playlists, dive bar jukeboxes, and FM rock stations.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
41. JAY-Z – Reasonable Doubt
If the plan actually was to put out the record and walk away on top, it was a resounding success. Nearly two decades later, JAY-Z himself ranked it as his best album.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
If the plan actually was to put out the record and walk away on top, it was a resounding success. Nearly two decades later, JAY-Z himself ranked it as his best album.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
40. Pixies – Doolittle
Doolittle moves almost imperceptibly. It jigs, jumps, and jives… and by now, everyone knows why.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
Doolittle moves almost imperceptibly. It jigs, jumps, and jives… and by now, everyone knows why.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
39. Taylor Swift – 1989
While her discography to date at that time had pulled plenty of pop touches into her modern country sound, 1989 officially left the cowboy boots behind and began a glittery new adventure.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
While her discography to date at that time had pulled plenty of pop touches into her modern country sound, 1989 officially left the cowboy boots behind and began a glittery new adventure.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
38. Paul Simon – Graceland
Influenced by the many different musical styles of South Africa, such as isicathamiya and mbaqanga, Simon took these local sounds and successfully matched them to his trademark songwriting.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
Influenced by the many different musical styles of South Africa, such as isicathamiya and mbaqanga, Simon took these local sounds and successfully matched them to his trademark songwriting.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
37. Outkast – Stankonia
It’s overtly political without becoming preachy, and feels simultaneously grounded in Atlanta and untethered to our solar system. In other words, it’s a Southern hip-hop record with interstellar ambition.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
It’s overtly political without becoming preachy, and feels simultaneously grounded in Atlanta and untethered to our solar system. In other words, it’s a Southern hip-hop record with interstellar ambition.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
36. Fiona Apple – The Idler Wheel Is Wiser Than the Driver of the Screw and Whipping Cords Will Serve You More Than Ropes Will Ever Do
If you’ve ever found yourself wanting to feel everything, too, then here's an efficient catalyst.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
If you’ve ever found yourself wanting to feel everything, too, then here's an efficient catalyst.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
35. Neil Young – After the Goldrush
While Young has had a long and storied career filled with multiple near-perfect albums, this one stands above the rest as his absolute masterpiece.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
While Young has had a long and storied career filled with multiple near-perfect albums, this one stands above the rest as his absolute masterpiece.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
34. Wu-Tang Clan – Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)
Wu-Tang created an empire, and this was the first and most essential brick within it.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
Wu-Tang created an empire, and this was the first and most essential brick within it.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
33. Rage Against the Machine – Rage Against the Machine
As our society continues to lament the same exact topics the band stood for dismantling, there’s still no other album that is as successful at validating our own rage.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
As our society continues to lament the same exact topics the band stood for dismantling, there’s still no other album that is as successful at validating our own rage.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
32. The Beatles – The Beatles
You can’t lose a single moment without making the rest collapse. The confounding moments, the ones that only work in context, lift the album from pop to art.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
You can’t lose a single moment without making the rest collapse. The confounding moments, the ones that only work in context, lift the album from pop to art.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
31. Metallica – Master of Puppets
Balancing aggression with thoughtfulness, Master of Puppets stands as a landmark achievement that would elevate thrash — and heavy metal as a whole — to a higher artistic plane.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
Balancing aggression with thoughtfulness, Master of Puppets stands as a landmark achievement that would elevate thrash — and heavy metal as a whole — to a higher artistic plane.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
30. Kanye West – My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
Behind, within, and around that mostly-red, often-pixelated album cover is a sonic universe that is astonishing in its coherence despite its textural and tonal volatility.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
Behind, within, and around that mostly-red, often-pixelated album cover is a sonic universe that is astonishing in its coherence despite its textural and tonal volatility.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
29. Pink Floyd – Dark Side of the Moon
Dark Side documents the fragility of the human mind in the modern world — tormented by societal contrivances and the futility of running against time.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
Dark Side documents the fragility of the human mind in the modern world — tormented by societal contrivances and the futility of running against time.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
28. Missy Elliott – Supa Dupa Fly
Missy not only created a template that most of today’s rappers follow, but she allowed an entire genre to see the light during its darkest hour.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
Missy not only created a template that most of today’s rappers follow, but she allowed an entire genre to see the light during its darkest hour.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
27. Michael Jackson – Thriller
There’s an uncomplicated reason Michael Jackson remains a pop icon to many: The music is simply unassailable.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
There’s an uncomplicated reason Michael Jackson remains a pop icon to many: The music is simply unassailable.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
26. The Ramones – Ramones
The Ramones were the first true punk band, and their 1976 self-titled debut was the first true punk album.
Very few albums are credited with starting a musical revolution, but this is definitely one of them.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
The Ramones were the first true punk band, and their 1976 self-titled debut was the first true punk album.
Very few albums are credited with starting a musical revolution, but this is definitely one of them.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
25. Public Enemy – It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back
Music, as we know it, has its origins at least partially rooted in a revolutionary soil. And Public Enemy’s sophomore LP is one of music’s all-time political game changers.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
Music, as we know it, has its origins at least partially rooted in a revolutionary soil. And Public Enemy’s sophomore LP is one of music’s all-time political game changers.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
24. Black Sabbath – Paranoid
Subduing the blues influences that were prevalent on their debut, the band turned its focus toward atmosphere and riffs — the sound of heavy metal to come.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
Subduing the blues influences that were prevalent on their debut, the band turned its focus toward atmosphere and riffs — the sound of heavy metal to come.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
23. The Rolling Stones – Let It Bleed
Let it Bleed is The Rolling Stones in peak form, laying substantial groundwork as the World’s Greatest Rock Band — regardless of whoever actually made that claim.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
Let it Bleed is The Rolling Stones in peak form, laying substantial groundwork as the World’s Greatest Rock Band — regardless of whoever actually made that claim.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
22. Stevie Wonder – Songs in the Key of Life
What’s so great about @StevieWonder’s 18th studio album? How about… everything.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
What’s so great about @StevieWonder’s 18th studio album? How about… everything.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
21. Led Zeppelin – Led Zeppelin IV
The poetic, often Tolkien-influenced lyrics combined with a musical orgy of metal, progressive rock, and even country was a winning formula to stand the test of time.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
The poetic, often Tolkien-influenced lyrics combined with a musical orgy of metal, progressive rock, and even country was a winning formula to stand the test of time.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
20. Kate Bush – Hounds of Love
From the opening, haunting chord of “Running Up That Hill” to the last hopeful string pluck of “Morning Fog,” Hounds of Love is a musical tapestry and a visionary album.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
From the opening, haunting chord of “Running Up That Hill” to the last hopeful string pluck of “Morning Fog,” Hounds of Love is a musical tapestry and a visionary album.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
19. Talking Heads – Remain in Light
The facts: It holds one of the greatest songs of all time (“Once in a Lifetime”), it expanded the band’s sound dramatically, and it saved them in the end.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
The facts: It holds one of the greatest songs of all time (“Once in a Lifetime”), it expanded the band’s sound dramatically, and it saved them in the end.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
18. Beyoncé – Lemonade
The surprise-released album is at once deeply personal and sweepingly political, told explicitly through the perspective of a Black woman, the most disrespected, most unprotected, most neglected person in America.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
The surprise-released album is at once deeply personal and sweepingly political, told explicitly through the perspective of a Black woman, the most disrespected, most unprotected, most neglected person in America.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
17. Patti Smith – Horses
The album celebrates life even as it condemns it, marveling at society’s hypocrisies. “Because the Night” made Smith famous, but Horses made her a legend.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
The album celebrates life even as it condemns it, marveling at society’s hypocrisies. “Because the Night” made Smith famous, but Horses made her a legend.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
16. Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band – Born to Run
It tells stories that painted everyday people with broad strokes and high stakes, giving the record a sense of epic narrative that had never been heard in American rock and roll.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
It tells stories that painted everyday people with broad strokes and high stakes, giving the record a sense of epic narrative that had never been heard in American rock and roll.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
15. David Bowie – The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust
The album, with all its funk, glam, rock, pop, and soul, was unlike anything anyone had heard at that point, and it has never been replicated since.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
The album, with all its funk, glam, rock, pop, and soul, was unlike anything anyone had heard at that point, and it has never been replicated since.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
14. The Beatles – Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band
The world’s most popular band took on aliases, recorded their eighth studio album, and the rest is pop history.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
The world’s most popular band took on aliases, recorded their eighth studio album, and the rest is pop history.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
13. The Velvet Underground – The Velvet Underground & Nico
The Velvet Underground are the archetypes of alternative rock, their debut so groundbreaking that during their existence it only sold a few hundred copies.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
The Velvet Underground are the archetypes of alternative rock, their debut so groundbreaking that during their existence it only sold a few hundred copies.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
12. Bob Dylan – Blonde on Blonde
Per Dylan, Blonde on Blonde was the closest he ever came to achieving the sounds he heard in his head. And then he was gone.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
Per Dylan, Blonde on Blonde was the closest he ever came to achieving the sounds he heard in his head. And then he was gone.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
11. Lauryn Hill – The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill
With a perfect blend of hip-hop, R&B, gospel, and soul, Hill brings this album to life, working from a vocal range that (arguably) still goes unmatched today.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
With a perfect blend of hip-hop, R&B, gospel, and soul, Hill brings this album to life, working from a vocal range that (arguably) still goes unmatched today.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
10. Nirvana – Nevermind
With Nevermind, Kurt Cobain, Krist Novoselic, and Dave Grohl offered a complete reset to the idea of a rock band in the 20th century.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
With Nevermind, Kurt Cobain, Krist Novoselic, and Dave Grohl offered a complete reset to the idea of a rock band in the 20th century.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
09. Marvin Gaye – What’s Going On
Your tour guide on this journey is one of the greatest vocal instruments ever to grace this good Earth.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
Your tour guide on this journey is one of the greatest vocal instruments ever to grace this good Earth.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
08. Radiohead – OK Computer
OK Computer was Radiohead’s first moment of true transcendence, a foundational, defining step for a band now heralded as one of the most influential acts from both the 1990s and 2000s.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
OK Computer was Radiohead’s first moment of true transcendence, a foundational, defining step for a band now heralded as one of the most influential acts from both the 1990s and 2000s.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
07. Kendrick Lamar – To Pimp a Butterfly
The greatness of To Pimp a Butterfly comes down to a single statement: The Pulitzer Prize committee was one album too late when it awarded the Music prize to DAMN.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
The greatness of To Pimp a Butterfly comes down to a single statement: The Pulitzer Prize committee was one album too late when it awarded the Music prize to DAMN.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
06. The Beach Boys – Pet Sounds
Anywhere you hear art rock, chamber pop, psychedelia, or concept albums, you hear Pet Sounds. Imagine what it was like hearing it before any of those things had names?
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
Anywhere you hear art rock, chamber pop, psychedelia, or concept albums, you hear Pet Sounds. Imagine what it was like hearing it before any of those things had names?
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
05. Joni Mitchell – Blue
Blue tends to argue that life is inherently lonely, but armed with little more than just her pristine voice, an acoustic guitar, and a piano, Mitchell assures us that we’re never the only lonely ones.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
Blue tends to argue that life is inherently lonely, but armed with little more than just her pristine voice, an acoustic guitar, and a piano, Mitchell assures us that we’re never the only lonely ones.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
04. The Clash – London Calling
There’s no arguing that The Clash were one of the most important bands of all time, with London Calling being their magnum opus.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
There’s no arguing that The Clash were one of the most important bands of all time, with London Calling being their magnum opus.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
03. The Beatles – Abbey Road
The album, recorded in the iconic West London studio that it takes its name from, was met with mixed reception upon release. But as time passed, it became lauded as the band’s best effort.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
The album, recorded in the iconic West London studio that it takes its name from, was met with mixed reception upon release. But as time passed, it became lauded as the band’s best effort.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
02. Fleetwood Mac – Rumours
Laden with all the angst of a band in upheaval, Rumours is proof that harmony can be born in chaos.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
Laden with all the angst of a band in upheaval, Rumours is proof that harmony can be born in chaos.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
01. Prince & The Revolution – Purple Rain
What makes Purple Rain so gobsmackingly great is that every wailing guitar and taboo-shattering lyric sounds just as daring today as it did in 1984.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
What makes Purple Rain so gobsmackingly great is that every wailing guitar and taboo-shattering lyric sounds just as daring today as it did in 1984.
cos.lv/aBfp50KGPQT #Consequence15
.@AlexYoung launched Consequence a decade-and-a-half ago with the goal of bridging the worlds of the underground and the mainstream.
Our publisher reflects on lessons learned along the way — and shares a vision for the future of the brand: cos.lv/AMTb50KHZ9B #Consequence15
Our publisher reflects on lessons learned along the way — and shares a vision for the future of the brand: cos.lv/AMTb50KHZ9B #Consequence15
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