In the Wee Small Hours, Frank Sinatra 1955
This album had a sound unlike many sounds during the fifties and Frank Sinatra became a well known singer and a popular music icon after the release of this album. This album also marked to the first use od the 12-inch record format that we still use today. In the Wee Small Hours also had a very different sound than that of Frank Sinatra’s earlier albums. This album was a sad ballad of heartbreaks. This album’s message was so broken that Sinatra didn’t even smile on the cover. |
The Velvet Underground & Nico, The Velvet Underground & Nico 1967
This album was a result of the combination of Andy Warhol’s artful influence and Lou Reed’s music genius. The Velvet Underground & Nico highlighted on the drug and sex filled times of the late sixties. This album also discovered art-rock and influenced many different musicians in the following decades. This album truly combined the worlds of art and rock & roll. |
Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, The Beatles 1967
The late sixties were a time where music began to excel towards something amazing and this album created a sound that no other artist could create. Sgt. Pepper’s’ was of many albums that combined rock music with art. This album marked one of the first times The Beatles strayed from what had originally made them famous. Their sound began to change into something more free and loose. This album was a milestone for The Beatles and created an iconic sound unlike any other. |
Thriller, Michael Jackson 1982
Music today would probably sound a lot different if Thriller never happened. This album influenced the pop genre so much that Michael Jackson was named the “King of Pop Music.” Without Michael Jackson, the pop music genre would have no soul. Michael shaped and basically created the sound that held true for many years to come. I don’t know a single person that doesn’t know all the words to “Beat it” or “Thriller.” His iconic dance moves and nervy voice cleared a path for many pop music artists to come. |
The Chronic, Dr. Dre 1992
This album changed the rap filled music industry of the late eighties and early nineties. The Chronic brought to light many aspects of American culture and reinvented the sounds of current music practically overnight. Dr. Dre’s recorded musical instrument sounds changed how people listened to music. He created a world of sounds that America had never really seen before. |
In Rainbows, Radiohead 2007
I’m not trying to have a biased opinion in this but this album is my all-time favorite. In Rainbows changed the look and feel of “indie rock” by pulling in electronic aspects no one had heard before. Their method of releasing this album shook the methods of promotion in the music industry. They released the album by simply saying "the new album is finished, and it's coming out in 10 days." People were able to buy the album and it was simultaneously shipped so everyone would get it at the same time. Many artists including Beyoncé and U2 tried to pull this off. Radiohead used a “pay what you want” method of selling the album and this method changed how people thought of the music industry does business. |