U2-Achtung Baby

You can have your Joshua Tree, I’ll take Achtung all day long. It’s awesome and the best album top to bottom to have a sexual experience too. Seriously. Cue it up just before first kiss and it will end just as you fall asleep…post coitally (spell check didn’t pick that up)

Songs You Know : Mysterious Ways, One, Even Better Than the Real Thing

Our Lady Peace-Spiritual Machines

My second favorite band (what am I twelve??) is in fine form on this their 4th album. If you are not a fan of Raine’s whine than avoid this collection cuz that’s really all he does here. It’s a concept album so there is a strange dude that talks about machines coming to life every so often but the songs are spectacular and more than make up for that nutjob.

Song You Know : IF you know any…it’s “Life”

If you’ve ever done a girl wrong (as I have one or two times), you’ve probably heard this album in her bedroom as you tried to win her back. Lauryn is a genius plain and simple and this CD is a must own no matter what type of music you like.

Songs You Know: Doo Wop, Everything is Everything (my favorite song on the CD)

Obviously this is the hardest choice I had to make. So why Yield? In my opinion Yield combines PJ’s hard rocking past with were they are now. I love almost all PJ’s albums start to finish but this is probably my favorite overall

Songs You Know: Wishlist, Given to Fly (my favorite PJ song of all time)

Songs You Should Get to Know: Faithful, Low Light, In Hiding

PS. If you are a hardcore PJ fan like me (or you want to see the depths of my obsession) head over to my Pearl Jam page!

Ok, here is CTD in a nutshell…either you love Brad Roberts’ voice or you detest it. Most people detest it so the Dummies are a one hit wonder. I happen to love it so I have all their albums and this is by far the best. This is the only CD on the list that I would recommend you listen to before you buy it because the Dummies are definitely an acquired taste.

Song You Know: Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm

Song You Should Get to Know: God Shuffled His Feet

I’ve had this album forever and it’s only recently that I realize how much I love it. The songs are great pop rock and Juliana’s little girl voice shouldn’t overshadow the dark lyrics she often uses. Plus she’s cute as a button. I often wonder why this is the only CD I have from her.

Songs You Know: My Sister, Spin the Bottle

You HAVE to have this CD! It’s a little different since the featured instrument is a sax but it’s worth it. Even if you hate it, it’s perfect ambiance music for a dinner party or date. THIS is the band that I always drop when I hang with musical snobs. Either they’ve heard of them and think more of you for knowing Morphine OR they’ve never heard of them and thus endth their snobness. Unfortunately, Mark Sandman (the vocalist) died on stage in 1999.

Song You Know: Buena (it was featured in an airline commercial a few years ago)

Songs You Should Get to Know: In Spite of Me, I’m Free Now

Incubus is a great band. We all know that. This album is a masterpiece. It creates a mood and stays within it no matter what the tempo of the songs. That’s so difficult to do.   A lot of times you have an affinity for a CD because of where you were in your life when it was released. Morning View is a perfect example of that for me.

Songs You Know: I Wish You Were Here, Nice to Know You, Warning (my favorite)

Surprised? I know…MADONNA!! But I really love this CD. And don’t think it’s all pop drivel. There are some really dark, introspective tracks here. And honestly, the pop songs are classic and there is a duet with Prince. Madonna and Prince??? How can you go wrong!

Songs You Know: Like a Prayer, Express Yourself, Cherish

Didn’t know if this was eligible because of the Lauryn Hill but I figured this was a group and Lauryn was solo so The Score is in. Wyclef is the MAN but combine him with L-Boogie and throw in a great MC like Pras and you know this CD is on the list. Play this for your boy who says all hip hop sounds the same and put him in his place.

Songs You Know: Ready or Not, Fugee-La, Killing Me Softly, No Woman, No Cry

I hate to jump on the Coldplay bandwagon but how can you not when the music is as perfect as this? I haven’t heard many people who can convey their emotions with their voice as well as Chris Martin. At the end of my favorite track, Warning Sign,   you can FEEL the range of emotions experienced when you fuck up with someone and get a second chance. It’s incommunicable but he does it.

Songs You Know: Clocks, In My Place, The Scientist

I HATE the fact that he’s so huge now because I liked this disc years before it blew up (now I sound like a music snob). I almost didn’t put it on the list but fuck it, I still dig it. Much like Morning View, I empathize with the lyrics since I was going through a bit of a quarter life crisis when I first heard this album.

Songs You Know: No Such Thing, Your Body is a Wonderland, Why Georgia

Ok, some background. Until I heard PJ’s Ten, I was mostly listening to Top 40. I’m ashamed to say, I didn’t have very good musical taste. Ten opened me up to rock and really changed my life (no exaggeration). Than I heard RATM and thought, “FUCK” and there was no going back to Top 40 for me. This CD was unlike ANYTHING else out at the time and is still the template for rap rock. It was the first time I had heard (overtly) political messages delivered in such an angry, rocking package. Powerful, than and now.

Songs You Know: Killing in the Name, Freedom