The Definitive 200

“The Definitive 200 is a list of 200 ranked albums that every music lover should own … celebrating classic recordings by favorite iconic and contemporary artists.”

I believe I’d seen this list before but passed it by until today. NewMexiKen certainly likes music lists and maintains several in iTunes, but they are almost always lists of single tracks, not albums. That’s because I am a child of Top 40 radio and grew up listening to singles, not albums. Nevertheless The Definitive 200 is a pretty interesting list.

The list was compiled by NARM, the National Association of Recording Merchandisers, in cooperation with the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

BEATLES – SGT. PEPPER’S LONELY HEARTS CLUB BAND
PINK FLOYD – DARK SIDE OF THE MOON
MICHAEL JACKSON – THRILLER
LED ZEPPELIN – LED ZEPPELIN IV
U2 – JOSHUA TREE
ROLLING STONES – EXILE ON MAIN ST.
CAROLE KING – TAPESTRY
BOB DYLAN – HIGHWAY 61 REVISITED
BEACH BOYS – PET SOUNDS
NIRVANA – NEVERMIND

PEARL JAM – TEN
BEATLES – ABBEY ROAD
SANTANA – SUPERNATURAL
METALLICA – METALLICA
BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN – BORN TO RUN
PRINCE – PURPLE RAIN
AC/DC – BACK IN BLACK
ROLLING STONES – LET IT BLEED
DOORS – DOORS
GRATEFUL DEAD – AMERICAN BEAUTY
SHANIA TWAIN – COME ON OVER
WHO – WHO’S NEXT
STEVIE WONDER – SONGS IN THE KEY OF LIFE
FLEETWOOD MAC – RUMOURS
PINK FLOYD – THE WALL
ALANIS MORISSETTE – JAGGED LITTLE PILL
NORAH JONES – COME AWAY WITH ME
EMINEM – MARSHALL MATHERS LP
OUTKAST – SPEAKERBOXX-LOVE BELOW
DR. DRE – THE CHRONIC
BEASTIE BOYS – LICENSED TO ILL
GUNS ‘N ROSES –APPETITE FOR DESTRUCTION
DIXIE CHICKS – WIDE OPEN SPACES
MILES DAVIS – KIND OF BLUE
EAGLES – HOTEL CALIFORNIA
DEF LEPPARD – HYSTERIA
SOUNDTRACK – GREASE
MARVIN GAYE – WHAT’S GOING ON
BEATLES – WHITE ALBUM
SOUNDTRACK – SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER
JIMI HENDRIX – ARE YOU EXPERIENCED?
BEATLES – REVOLVER
BOSTON – BOSTON
BON JOVI – SLIPPERY WHEN WET
U2 – ACHTUNG BABY
WHITNEY HOUSTON – WHITNEY HOUSTON
LED ZEPPELIN – LED ZEPPELIN II
DAVE MATTHEWS BAND – CRASH
ROLLING STONES – STICKY FINGERS
GREEN DAY – DOOKIE
LED ZEPPELIN – HOUSES OF THE HOLY
JONI MITCHELL – BLUE
ELVIS PRESLEY – ELVIS AT SUN
AEROSMITH – TOYS IN THE ATTIC
LAURYN HILL – MISEDUCATION OF LAURYN HILL
BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN – BORN IN THE U.S.A.
50 CENT – GET RICH OR DIE TRYIN’
AC/DC – HIGHWAY TO HELL
NOTORIOUS B.I.G. – LIFE AFTER DEATH
VAN HALEN – VAN HALEN
GREEN DAY – AMERICAN IDIOT
BLACK SABBATH – PARANOID
EMINEM – EMINEM SHOW
JEWEL – PIECES OF YOU
COLDPLAY – RUSH OF BLOOD TO THE HEAD
MEATLOAF – BAT OUT OF HELL
USHER – CONFESSIONS
KID ROCK – DEVIL WITHOUT A CAUSE
GEORGE HARRISON – ALL THINGS MUST PASS
BILLY JOEL – THE STRANGER
EAGLES – HELL FREEZES OVER
VAN MORRISON – MOONDANCE
R.E.M. – AUTOMATIC FOR THE PEOPLE
PHIL COLLINS – NO JACKET REQUIRED
METALLICA – MASTER OF PUPPETS
FAITH HILL – BREATHE
JOHNNY CASH – AT FOLSOM PRISON
JOHN COLTRANE – LOVE SUPREME
PINK FLOYD – WISH YOU WERE HERE
MICHAEL JACKSON – OFF THE WALL
MARVIN GAYE – LET’S GET IT ON
BOB SEGER – NIGHT MOVES
PAUL SIMON – GRACELAND
LINKIN PARK – HYBRID THEORY
PRINCE – 1999
DEF LEPPARD – PYROMANIA
JANET JACKSON – CONTROL
RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS – BLOOD SUGAR SEX MAGIK
DIRE STRAITS – BROTHERS IN ARMS
TUPAC – ALL EYEZ ON ME
MATCHBOX TWENTY – YOURSELF OR SOMEONE LIKE YOU
RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS – CALIFORNICATION
LED ZEPPELIN – PHYSICAL GRAFFITI
NELLY – COUNTRY GRAMMAR
CREED – HUMAN CLAY
CLASH – LONDON CALLING
CELINE DION – FALLING INTO YOU
NEIL YOUNG – HARVEST
SOUNDTRACK – DIRTY DANCING
DIXIE CHICKS – HOME
TOM PETTY – FULL MOON FEVER
VAN HALEN – 1984
SOUNDTRACK – TITANIC
CROSBY STILLS & NASH – DÉJÀ VU
TLC – CRAZYSEXYCOOL
BECK – ODELAY
KENNY G – BREATHLESS
N.W.A. – STRAIGHT OUTTA COMPTON
SEX PISTOLS – NEVER MIND THE BOLLOCKS
BEATLES – RUBBER SOUL
RADIOHEAD – OK COMPUTER
SIMON & GARFUNKEL – BRIDGE OVER TROUBLED WATER
DIXIE CHICKS – FLY
METALLICA – …AND JUSTICE FOR ALL
MICHAEL JACKSON – DANGEROUS
MARIAH CAREY – DAYDREAM
SOUNDTRACK – TOP GUN
ELTON JOHN – GOODBYE YELLOW BRICK ROAD
POLICE – SYNCHRONICITY
NO DOUBT – TRAGIC KINGDOM
ROLLING STONES – BEGGAR’S BANQUET
R KELLY – R
TOOL – LATERALUS
OASIS – (WHAT’S THE STORY) MORNING GLORY
BOB MARLEY – EXODUS
JOURNEY – ESCAPE
CHRISTINA AGUILERA – CHRISTINA AGUILERA
JAY-Z – THE BLUEPRINT
ALICIA KEYS – DIARY OF ALICIA KEYS
SOUNDTRACK – O BROTHER WHERE ART THOU?
CARS – CARS
ENYA – DAY WITHOUT RAIN
NATALIE COLE – UNFORGETTABLE WITH LOVE NATALIE COLE
SOUNDTRACK – FOOTLOOSE
LIONEL RICHIE – CAN’T SLOW DOWN
SARAH MCLACHLAN – SURFACING
BONNIE RAITT – NICK OF TIME
METALLICA – RIDE THE LIGHTNING
SHERYL CROW – TUESDAY NIGHT MUSIC CLUB
FRANK SINATRA – IN THE WEE SMALL HOURS
EARTH WIND FIRE – GRATITUDE
ZZ TOP – ELIMINATOR
WILLIE NELSON – RED HEADED STRANGER
JOHN LENNON – IMAGINE
TONI BRAXTON – TONI BRAXTON
ETTA JAMES – AT LAST
ELVIS PRESLEY – ELVIS PRESLEY
CAT STEVENS – TEA FOR THE TILLERMAN
SMASHING PUMPKINS – MELLON COLLIE & THE INFINITE SADNESS
DAVE BRUBECK – TIME OUT
JANET JACKSON – JANET
QUEEN – A NIGHT AT THE OPERA
OZZY OSBOURNE – BLIZZARD OF OZZ
WILL SMITH – BIG WILLIE STYLE
PRINCE – SIGN ‘O’ THE TIMES
PUBLIC ENEMY – IT TAKES A NATION OF MILLIONS TO HOLD US BACK
BOB DYLAN – BLOOD ON THE TRACKS
GEORGE MICHAEL – FAITH
BOYZ II MEN – COOLEYHIGHHARMONY
DESTINY’S CHILD – WRITING’S ON THE WALL
JAY-Z – BLACK ALBUM
AVRIL LAVIGNE – LET GO
FUGEES – THE SCORE
MADONNA – LIKE A VIRGIN
LED ZEPPELIN – LED ZEPPELIN
STEVIE RAY VAUGHN – TEXAS FLOOD
STONE TEMPLE PILOTS – CORE
ORIGINAL CAST – PHANTOM OF THE OPERA HIGHLIGHTS
JETHRO TULL – AQUALUNG
TUPAC – ME AGAINST THE WORLD
DAVID BOWIE – RISE AND FALL OF ZIGGY STARDUST
SHAKIRA – LAUNDRY SERVICE
SOUNDTRACK – FORREST GUMP
AL GREEN – CALL ME
CURTIS MAYFIELD – SUPERFLY
LIVE – THROWING COPPER
GEORGE BENSON – BREEZIN’
WHITE STRIPES – WHITE BLOOD CELLS
LYNYRD SKYNYRD – PRONOUNCED LEH-NERD SKIN-ERD
SADE – DIAMOND LIFE
FLEETWOOD MAC – FLEETWOOD MAC
PAUL MCCARTNEY & WINGS – BAND ON THE RUN
BEYONCE – DANGEROUSLY IN LOVE
ANITA BAKER – RAPTURE
NAS – IIIMATIC
BARBRA STREISAND – A STAR IS BORN
EARTH WIND FIRE – THAT’S THE WAY OF THE WORLD
ANITA BAKER – RHYTHM OF LOVE
JAY-Z – IN MY LIFETIME VOL 1
LL COOL J – MAMA SAID KNOCK YOU OUT
STEELY DAN – AJA
WILLIE NELSON – STARDUST
ARETHA FRANKLIN – SPARKLE
ANDREA BOCELLI – ANDREA
BOB DYLAN – BRINGING IT ALL BACK HOME
LUTHER VANDROSS – NEVER TOO MUCH
U2 – ALL THAT YOU CAN’T LEAVE BEHIND
RUSH – 2112
OUTKAST – AQUEMINI
GRAND FUNK RAILROAD – WE’RE AN AMERICAN BAND