Meet the class of 1996.
I don’t remember the first album I purchased. I would not be a good RocKwiz contestant. However, I do remember various occasions happily purchasing a new album. There were times when I wandered down to my local store on the day of the album’s release. There have been times when I have heard a song in a movie, looked it up, and ordered the album on which it appeared. That didn’t always work out, but I don’t regret the gamble. There may have even been a time in my younger days where I spent the last of my money on an album over food. Thanks to my folks for helping me out there.
There is something so wonderfully comforting about slipping on an old album. It can take us back to a fondly remembered time. Indeed it can take us back to a more painful place that time has (hopefully) softened over the years. It can connect us with friends, or reconnect us through memory with old friends we may no longer be connected with in life. It can offer a moment of comfort, stripping away whatever burden we may be carrying – if only for a while. Or simply, in the most wonderful way, provide us a moment to rock out with our bad selves.
Born in 1996, here are 214 albums (we think, but we may have lost count), in no particular order, turning 25 this year. We recommend starting your run on June 1, playing one album a day for the rest of the year. Or don’t. We’re not the boss of you. But we hope some of the albums hold a special place in your heart. Tell us about your favourite. Zig-a-zig-ah!
No Code – Pearl Jam
Friends in Danger – Magic Dirt
Pinkerton – Weezer
Ænima – Tool
Tidal – Fiona Apple
Sheryl Crow – Sheryl Crow
Spice – Spice Girls
Odelay – Beck
Sublime – Sublime
Reasonable Doubt – Jay Z
The Score – Fugees
Hourly Daily – You Am I
On Avery Milk – Neutral Milk Hotel
New Adventures in Hi-Fi – R.E.M.
Beautiful Freak – Eels
This is a Long Drive for Someone with Nothing to Think About – Modest Mouse
All Eyez on Me – 2Pac
Evil Empire – Rage Against the Machine
Crash – Dave Matthews Band
Placebo – Placebo
Fashion Nugget – Cake
Tiny Music… Songs from the Vatican Gift Shop – Stone Temple Pilots
Antichrist Superstar – Marilyn Manson
Down on the Upside – Soundgarden
Yourself or Someone Like You – Matchbox 20
MTV Unplugged – Alice in Chains
Load – Metallica
Roots – Sepultura
Among My Swan – Mazzy Star
Illadelph Halflife – Roots
It Was Written – Nas
Hard Core – Lil’ Kim
Ivy and the Big Apples – Spiderbait
Less is More – Even
One in a Million – Aaliyah
Ginuwine… the Bachelor – Ginuwine
Bringing Down the Horse – The Wallflowers
Blue – LeAnn Rimes
Blue Clear Sky – George Strait
Rhythmeen – ZZ Top
Test for Echo – Rush
Kiss Unplugged – Kiss
Overnight Sensations – Motörhead
Trial by Fire – Journey
Broken Arrow – Neil Young & Crazy Horse
Keys to Ascension – Yes
The Waifs – The Waifs
Murder Ballads – Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
All This Useless Beauty – Elvis Costello & the Attractions
The Great Southern Trendkill – Pantera
Good God’s Urge – Porno’s for Pyros
Life is Peachy – Korn
Electriclarryland – Butthole Surfers
To the Faithful Departed – The Cranberries
Car Button Cloth – Lemonheads
Viva! La Woman – Cibo Matto
White Light, White Heat, White Trash – Social Distortion
Wild Mood Swings – The Cure
Supersexy Swingin’ Sounds – White Zombie
Villains – The Verve Pipe
Razorblade Suitcase – Bush
1997 – Ash
Everything Must Go – Manic Street Preachers
Richard D. James Album – Aphex Twin
Dr. Octagonecologyst – Dr. Octagon
Ironman – Ghostface Killah
Emperor Tomato Ketchup – Stereolab
Backstreet Boys – Backstreet Boys
Walking Wounded – Everything but the Girl
First Band on the Moon – Cardigans
Pre-Millennium Tension – Tricky
Recovering the Satellites – Counting Crows
Dilate – Ani DiFranco
Lamb – Lamb
Turn the Radio Off – Reel Big Fish
Emancipation – Prince
Trailer Park – Beth Orton
House of Music – Tony! Toni! Toné!
Fountains of Wayne – Fountains of Wayne
Tha Doggfather – Snoop Doggy Dogg
Blue is the Colour – Beautiful South
Entroducing….. – DJ Shadow
If You’re Feeling Sinister – Belle and Sebastian
Being There – Wilco
What Would the Community Think – Cat Power
In Sides – Orbital
Boys for Pele – Tori Amos
Coming Up – Suede
Harmacy – Sebadoh
Nine Objects of Desire – Suzanne Vega
Under the Bushes Under the Stars – Guided By Voices
Now I Got Worry – Jon Spencer Blues Explosion
Becoming X – Sneaker Pimps
Copperopolis – Grant Lee Buffalo
Stakes is High – De La Soul
Shot – The Jesus Lizard
Animal Rights – Moby
12 Golden Country Greats – Ween
Fuzzy Logic – Super Furry Animals
Dust – Screaming Trees
Ugly Beautiful – Babybird
Black Love – The Afghan Whigs
Three Snakes and One Charm – The Black Crowes
Slang – Def Leppard
Born on a Pirate Ship – Barenaked Ladies
Travelling without Moving – Jamiroquai
Fairweather Johnson – Hootie & the Blowfish
Lemon Parade – Tonic
Make Your Mama Proud – Fastball
Congratulations I’m Sorry – Gin Blossoms
Revival – Gillian Welch
Living with Ghosts – Patty Griffin
Billy Breathes – Phish
II – The Presidents of the United States of America
Right for the Time – Waylon Jennings
Spirit – Willie Nelson
The Road to Ensenada – Lyle Lovett
Bob Mould – Bob Mould
Set the Twilight Reeling – Lou Reed
Golden Heart – Mark Knopfler
Unchained – Johnny Cash
I Feel Alright – Steve Earle
Crow Pot Pie – Slobberbone
Early Mornin’ Stoned Pimp – Kid Rock
Young, Rich & Dangerous – Kris Kross
Loops of Fury – Chemical Brothers
Filth Pig – Ministry
Kids on the Street – Cherry Poppin’ Daddies
Looking East – Jackson Browne
Come Find Yourself – Fun Lovin’ Criminals
Goldfinger – Goldfinger
The Gray Race – Bad Religion
Lay it Down – Cowboy Junkies
Milk & Kisses – Cocteau Twins
House of GVSB – Girls against Boys
Beat the Bastards – The Exploited
Bad Hair Day – “Weird Al” Yankovic
Gato Negro – 7 Year Bitch
The Burdens of Being Upright – Tracy Bonham
The In Sound from Way Out! – Beastie Boys
Oz Factor – Unwritten Law
Reject All American – Bikini Kill
Blow It Out Your Ass it’s Veruca Salt – Veruca Salt
Sell, Sell, Sell – David Gray
Now in a Minute – Donna Lewis
You’ve Got to Believe in Something – Spin Doctors
Pure Instinct – Scorpions
Take it from the Man! – The Brian Jonestown Massacre
Romeo’s Heart – John Farnham
Ice-T VI: Return of the Real – Ice-T
Gone Again – Patti Smith
High/Low – Nada Surf
Wax Elastic – Sponge
Irresistible Bliss – Soul Coughing
Stag – Melvins
Shape – Frente!
Beats, Rhymes & Life – A Tribe Called Quest
Not So Tough Now – Frenzal Rhomb
Friction, Baby – Better Than Ezra
Acrobatic Tenement – At the Drive-In
Die for the Government – Anti-Flag
Man – Neneh Cherry
K –Kula Shaker
Belly to Belly – Warrant
Black Dots – Bad Brains
A Few Small Repairs – Shawn Colvin
A Worm’s Life – Crash Test Dummies
Factory Showroom – They Might Be Giants
Breathe – Midnight Oil
Karen Carpenter – Karen Carpenter
Motel California – Ugly Kid Joe
A Different Beat – Boyzone
Truth Crushed to Earth Shall Rise Again – House of Pain
American Hardcore – L.A. Guns
Fever In Fever Out – Luscious Jackson
Mate. Feed. Kill. Repeat. – Slipknot
Losing Streak – Less Than Jake
Dusk… and her Embrace – Cradle of Filth
Life in General – MxPx
Le Roi Est Mort, Vive Le Roi! – Enigma
Remember – Rusted Root
The Aeroplane Flies High – Smashing Pumpkins
Telegram – Björk
Telling Everybody – Human Nature
Nerf Herder – Nerf Herder
Autobiography of Mistachuck – Chuck D
Sutras – Donovan
William Bloke – Billy Bragg
Better Living Through Chemistry – Fatboy Slim
The Doctor Came at Dawn – Smog
Double Allergic – Powderfinger
Bilingual – Pet Shop Boys
ATLiens – Outkast
Shake a Lil’ Somethin’ – 2 Live Crew
Secrets – Toni Braxton
Book of Shadows – Zakk Wylde
Older – George Michael
Muddy Waters – Redman
Second Toughest in the Infants – Underworld
Dru Hill – Dru Hill
Call the Doctor – Sleater-Kinney
Heavy Petting Zoo – NOFX
Who Can You Trust? – Morcheeba
As Good as Dead – Local H
Lovelife – Lush
Spiritchaser – Dead Can Dance
All the Nations Airports – Archers of Loaf
Voyager – Mike Oldfield
October Rust – Type O Negative
Baja Sessions – Chris Isaak
A Ass Pocket of Whiskey – R.L. Burnside
Telephono – Spoon
Dance Hall at Louse Point – PJ Harvey and John Parish
Blood Brothers – Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band
