When I was 17, my friend Julia got me a job at a record store. That was where my musical education began in earnest. But it kinda stagnated until I played with napster and I got a chance to sample stuff and figure out what everyone who liked my core bands was also listenign to. Yes, grandpa, filesharing made me buy more music!
Some of my favourite albums I never owned. Others I loved for a season (like Liz Phair, Ani di Franco) then discarded when they didn't make sense anymore.
Hey: On the off chance don't know this, the robot in the top left corner takes you to the homepage where all the other happyrobot writers are listed. So, in no particular order:
Guided By Voices - Bee Thousand The Cocteau Twins - Heaven or Las Vegas/Treasure The Pixies - Doolittle/Surfer Rosa Manitoba- Up in Flames The Sugarcubes - Life's Too Good Belle and Sebastian - Tigermilk The Breeders - Pod Richard Buckner - Devotion and Doubt The Chills - Submarine Bells Rain Dogs - Tom Waits Beaver - Neko Case The Trinity Session - The Cowboy Junkies I'm Your Man - Leonard Cohen Jane's Addiction - Nothing's Shocking Primal Scream - Screamadelica Jeff Buckley - Grace Tricky - Maxiquaye Modest Mouse - The Moon over Antarctica Metro Area - Metro Area The Doves - Some Cities Arcade Fire - Funeral Interpol - Turn on the Bright Lights
(I also have a couple of fave Israeli albums, including Hahavevim shel Natasha,Corine Halal, Monika Sex, and Tipex (haacharon haikaron...)
I also did not number these, cuz I think there are more than 20. Just a guesstimate.
I am deeply commited to certain albums from before 20 years ago, like Blue and Blonde on Blonde. But this list is for the past 20 years. And while, like acne, I was told it would end after 18, I still get nervous about having "cool music". Which is why I am the last person to do this list.
