2008年 12月 24日 水曜日 04:47

These are my 20 all-time favorite albums. These are the albums that have some of my favorite songs on them, and that I can’t stop playing. So here they are! My 20 favorite albums.

1.
Artist: Guy
Album: The Future
Label: Uptown/MCA
Release Date: 1990-11-13
Genre: New jack soul/R&B

“Bow to the masters of fashion…”. Teddy Riley, Aaron & Damion Hall return for their 1990 sophomore effort, The Future. With Teddy on production duties, and with slow jams such as “Let’s Chill”, “Smile”, and “Tease Me Tonite”, and with fast songs such as “Teddy’s Jam 2”, “Gotta Be a Leader“ (the song of which the opening statement of this paragraph comes from), and “Let’s Stay Together”, this album is my all-time favorite, an essential for fans of New jack swing.

Personal Favorites from this album: “Let’s Chill”, “Teddy‘s Jam 2”, “D.O.G. Me Out”.

2.
Artist: OutKast
Album: Stankonia
Label: LaFace/Arista
Release Date: 2000-10-31
Genre: Rap & Hip-hop

“Seven light-years below sea level we go, Welcome to Stankonia…“. The duo of Andre “Andre 3000” Benjamin and Antwan “Big Boi” Patton return for their fourth effort Stankonia. Now I know Ms. Jackson was a great track, their first #1 hit, but there are others from this Grammy award-winning album. “So Fresh, So Clean”, “B.O.B.”, “Slum Beautiful”, and “Humble Mumble” were other good ones. As well as the psychedelic “Stankonia ”. The beats and guest appearances are hot on this Rap essential.

Personal Favorites from this album: “So Fresh, So Clean”, “Slum Beautiful”, "Stankonia (Stanklove)”.

3.
Artist: H-Town
Album: Beggin’ After Dark
Label: Luke/Relativity
Release Date: 1994-11-08
Genre: R&B/Soul

Among my recent discoveries from the 90’s R&B scene was H-Town 1994 sophomore effort “Beggin’ After Dark”. I first heard this album in 2005, and is already among my all-time favorites. “Emotions” was their biggest hit and most well know song from this album (#11 R&B, #51 Pop). Other solid singles include “Buss One”, “Rockit Steady”, and “Full Time” (the sequel to Part Time Lover, a track from the Above the Rim soundtrack).

Personal Favorites from this album: “Emotions”, “Buss One”, “Rockit Steady”.

4.
Artist: Mary J. Blige
Album: What’s the 411?
Label: Uptown/MCA
Release Date: 1992-07-28
Genre: Soul/R&B

The debut effort from the queen of Hip hop soul. Includes “Reminisce”, “Real Love”, and the cover of Chaka Khan’s “Sweet Thing”.

Personal Favorites from this album: “I Don’t Want to Do Anything”, “Love No Limit”, “Slow Down”

5.
Artist: Trammell Starks
Album: Music for Local Forecast
Label: -
Release Date: 1995
Genre: Jazz

The lone jazz album on this list. Trammell Starks did some solid tracks for the Weather Channel’s Local Forecast. “Good Ole Days”, “Fair Weather”, and “Life” are the most well-known and most heard songs during the Local Forecast. Currently the music is played whenever there is an error. The songs can be purchased from Starks’ MySpace page, or you can order it from him direct.

Personal Favorites from this album: “Easy Times”, “That Latin Beat”, “Tropical Breeze”

6.
Artist: Sisqó
Album: Unleash the Dragon
Label: Def Soul/Def Jam
Release Date: 1999-11-30
Genre: Soul/R&B

Sisqó debut solo offering Unleash the Dragon comes in at #6. Don’t worry, “Thong Song” isn’t one of my favorites from this album. “Is Love Enough”, “Incomplete”, and “Addicted” were strong performances from the lead singer of Dru Hill.

Personal Favorites from this album: “How Can I Love U 2Nite”, “Is Love Enough”, “Addicted”

7.
Artist: Jodeci
Album: Diary of a Mad Band
Label: Uptown/MCA
Release Date: 1993-12-21
Genre: Soul/R&B

Jodeci’s sophomore effort Diary of a Mad Band is #7. DeVante Swing produced nine of the 13 tracks on this album, including the singles "Cry for You”, “Feenin”, and “What About Us”. Even the fast songs were up to par this time, with tracks like “You Got It”, “In the Meanwhile”, and “Sweaty” (something I can’t say about their debut). By the time the album was released, Jodeci was close to walking out on Uptown and was ready to head to Death Row Records, which was riding high at the time. As a result, the album received little promotion. Diary still managed to go Platinum.

Personal Favorites from this Album: “Feenin”, “Cry for You”, “In the Meanwhile”

8.
Artist: Keith Sweat
Album: Get Up on It
Label: Elektra/WEA
Release Date: 1994-06-28
Genre: Soul/R&B

After his under performing third effort, Keep It Comin’, he followed with the album that eventually became my favorite of his, “Get Up on It”. The album’s title track was solid, with a guest appearance from the girl group Kut Klose. “Put Your Lovin’ Through the Test” featuring the late Roger Troutman also appears on this record, as well as the kinky slow jam “It Gets Better”. A must-have for any Keith Sweat fan.

Personal Favorites from this album: “It Gets Better”, “Get Up on It”, “Grind on You”

9.
Artist: Adina Howard
Album: Do You Wanna Ride?
Label: EastWest
Release Date: 1995-02-28
Genre: Soul/R&B

Michigander Adina Howard had a solid debut on her hands with 1995’s Do You Wanna Ride?. The album spawned a blowout hit with “Freak Like Me” (#2 Pop, #1 R&B), but there were other gems on this album such as “Baby Come Over”, the title track, “My Up and Down, and a cover of Rene & Angela’s “You Don’t Have to Cry”, a duet with Michael Speaks.

Personal Favorites from this Album: “You Don’t Have to Cry”, “Baby Come Over”, “It’s All About You”

10.
Artist: T.I.
Album: Trap Muzik
Label: Grand Hustle/Atlantic
Release Date: 2003-08-19
Genre: Rap/Hip hop

T.I. Released his sophomore effort Trap Muzik in 2003. Trap Muzik propelled the Atlanta-based rapper into the mainstream with the album first single “24’s”. The album’s second single “Rubber Band Man” remains one of my favorite rap songs. However, the album doesn’t go without any caveats. Sometimes I feel this album would have been a little better if he had jettisoned the last 1/3rd of the album.

Personal Favorites from this Album: “Rubber Band Man”, “Let Me Tell You Something”, “Be Easy”

11.
Artist: The Notorious B.I.G.
Album: Life After Death
Label: Bad Boy
Release Date: 1997-03-25
Genre: Rap/Hip hop

Released just three weeks after his untimely death, Biggie’s “Life After Death” is widely considered one of the greatest rap albums of all time. Big offered up “Hypnotize” and “Mo’ Money, Mo’ Problems” as the hit singles from the album. Other gems included “#!*@ You Tonight” featuring R. Kelly, “Nasty Boy”, and “The World is Filled…”. An essential from one of the greats of the genre.

Personal Favorites from this Album: “#!*@ You Tonight”, “Mo’ Money, Mo’ Problems”, “You’re Nobody (Til Somebody Kills You)”

12.
Artist: R. Kelly
Album: 12 Play
Label: Jive
Release Date: 1993-11-09
Genre: Soul/R&B

R. Kelly broke out on his own with debut solo effort 12 Play. This is the album that included his first #1 hit, “Bump N Grind”. Others included “Your Body’s Callin’ Me”, “Sex Me”, and “It Seems Like You’re Ready”. By far one of the most sexually charged albums of the ‘90’s.

Personal Favorites from this Album: “It Seems Like You’re Ready”, “Sex Me”, “Homie, Lover, Friend”

13.
Artist: Nas
Album: Stillmatic
Label: Ill Will/Columbia
Release Date: 2001-12-18
Genre: Rap/Hip hop

Nas dropped his fifth album Stillmatic in 2001. After Jay-Z released his stinging diss record “Takeover”, many rap aficionados were wondering if Nas still had it. They soon found out with “Ether”. Many believe that Nas won the battle after “Ether”. “Ether” is not the only solid track from this record. Other gems include: “Got Ur Self A…”, “Smokin’”, and “One Mic”. “Stillmatic” is considered Nas’ best album since Illmatic, and represents what is most likely the strongest return in rap since LL Cool J’s “Mama Said Knock You Out”.

Personal Favorites from this Album: “Smokin’”, “One Mic”, “Rule”

14.
Artist: Luniz
Album: Operation Stackola
Label: Noo Trybe/Virgin
Release Date: 1995-07-04
Genre: Rap/Hip hop

Oakland’s The Luniz (the duo of Yukmouth and Numskull) released their debut effort Operation Stackola in 1995. The top single from this album was “I Got 5 On It”, still a gem among rap aficionados. Other gems include: “Broke Ho’s”, “Playa Hata”, and “Plead Guilty”.

Personal Favorites from this Album: “Broke Ho‘s“, “Playa Hata”, “Put the Lead on Ya”

15.
Artist: Mary J. Blige
Album: My Life
Label: Uptown/MCA
Release Date: 1994-11-29
Genre: Soul/R&B

Widely considered to be one of the best Soul/R&B albums of the 1990’s, Mary J. Blige released “My Life” in 1994. Released not much before her breakup with Jodeci front man Cedric “K-Ci” Hailey, Mary was at the top of her game with this effort. One of the top singles from My Life was the late Norman Whitfield-penned “I’m Going Down”. Other singles included: “I Love You”, “No One Else”, and “Be Happy”.

Personal Favorites from this Album: “Don’t Go”, “Be With You”, “Mary Jane (All Night Long)”

16.
Artist: Kanye West
Album: The College Dropout
Label: Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam
Release Date: 2004-02-10
Genre: Rap/Hip hop

The newest album the list is Kanye West’s The College Dropout at #16. Well received by critics and aficionados alike, the album included West’s first #1 hit “Slow Jamz” (including Twista and Jamie Foxx). Other hits included “Jesus Walks”, “All Falls Down”, and “Through the Wire”.

Personal Favorites from this Album: “Slow Jamz”, “Get Em High”, “Spaceship”

17.
Artist: Ludacris
Album: Word of Mouf
Label: Disturbing the Peace/Def Jam South
Release Date: 2001-11-27
Genre: Rap/Hip hop

Personal Favorites from this Album: “Freaky Thangs”, “Growing Pains”, “Go 2 Sleep”

18.
Artist: Kid Rock
Album: Devil Without a Cause
Label: Top Dog/Lava/Atlantic
Release Date: 1998-08-18
Genre: Rock/Hip hop

Kid Rock mentioned “I’m going Platinum…” in the title song, but this album surpassed even his own expectations, going Diamond (10 million sold). Devil Without a Cause was perhaps the biggest album of the the Rock-Rap mixture craze of the late ‘90’s, of which also included Limp Bizkit. The singles were “Bawitdaba”, “Cowboy”, and “Only God Knows Why”.

Personal Favorites from this Album: “Somebody’s Gotta Feel This”, “I Am the Bullgod”, “Devil Without a Cause”

19.
Artist: Jodeci
Album: The Show, The After-Party, The Hotel
Label: Uptown/MCA
Release Date: 1995-07-18
Genre: Soul/R&B

Jodeci’s third (and final, to date) studio album The Show, The After-Party, The Hotel arrives at #19. This album included “Freek’n You”, “Get On Up”, and “Love U 4 Life” as singles. The interesting tidbit on this album is that it has 11 interludes and 11 songs, each following one another.

Personal Favorites from this Album: “Love U 4 Life”, “Let’s Do It All”, “Good Luv”

20.
Artist: Tevin Campbell
Album: T.E.V.I.N.
Label: Qwest/Warner Bros.
Release Date: 1991-11-19
Genre: Soul/R&B

Tevin Campbell’s debut effort. Included “Tell Me What You Want Me to Do” and “Confused”.

Personal Favorites from this Album: “Goodbye”, “Confused”, “Look What We’d Have (If You We’re Mine)”