The Observer's "50 Albums That Changed Music"

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Fifty years old this month, the album chart has tracked the history of pop. But only a select few records have actually altered the course of music. To mark the anniversary, Kitty Empire pays tribute to a sublime art form, and our panel of critics argues for 50 albums that caused a revolution.

  1. 1.
    The Velvet Underground & Nico
    by The Velvet Underground & Nico

  2. 2.
    Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
    by Beatles

  3. 3.
    Trans-Europe Express
    by Kraftwerk

  4. 4.
    Straight Outta Compton
    by N.W.A.

  5. 5.
    What's Going On
    by Marvin Gaye

  6. 6.
    King of Delta Blues
    by Robert Johnson

  7. 7.
    Horses
    by Patti Smith

  8. 8.
    Bringing It All Back Home
    by Bob Dylan

  9. 9.
    Elvis Presley
    by Elvis Presley

  10. 10.
    Pet Sounds
    by The Beach Boys

  11. 11.
    Ziggy Stardust
    by David Bowie

  12. 12.
    Kind of Blue
    by Miles Davis

  13. 13.
    Songs for Swingin Lovers
    by Frank Sinatra

  14. 14.
    Blue
    by Joni Mitchell

  15. 15.
    Discreet Music
    by Brian Eno

  16. 16.
    I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You
    by Aretha Franklin

  17. 17.
    Raw Power
    by Iggy Pop & Stooges

  18. 18.
    London Calling
    by The Clash

  19. 19.
    What's the 411
    by Mary J Blige

  20. 20.
    Sweetheart of the Rodeo
    by Byrds

  21. 21.
    Spice
    by Spice Girls

  22. 22.
    Hounds of Love
    by Kate Bush

  23. 23.
    King Tubbys Meets Rockers Uptown
    by Augustus Pablo

  24. 24.
    Immigres
    by Youssou N'Dour

  25. 25.
    Live at the Apollo 1962
    by James Brown

  26. 26.
    Songs in the Key of Life
    by Stevie Wonder

  27. 27.
    Are You Experienced
    by The Jimi Hendrix Experience

  28. 29.
    Dark Side of the Moon
    by Pink Floyd

  29. 30.
    Catch a Fire
    by Bob Marley & Wailers

  30. 31.
    Stone Roses
    by Stone Roses

  31. 32.
    Otis Blue: Sings Soul
    by Otis Redding

  32. 33.
    Head Hunters
    by Herbie Hancock

  33. 34.
    Black Sabbath
    by Black Sabbath

  34. 35.
    Ramones
    by Ramones

  35. 36.
    Who Sings My Generation
    by Who

  36. 37.
    Blue Lines
    by Massive Attack

  37. 38.
    The Bends
    by Radiohead

  38. 39.
    Thriller
    by Michael Jackson

  39. 40.
    Run Dmc
    by Run Dmc

  40. 41.
    Chic
    by Chic

  41. 42.
    The Smiths
    by Smiths

  42. 43.
    Screamadelica
    by Primal Scream

  43. 44.
    Fear of Music
    by Talking Heads

  44. 45.
    Liege & Lief
    by Fairport Convention

  45. 46.
    Dare / Love & Dancing
    by Human League

  46. 47.
    Nevermind
    by Nirvana

  47. 48.
    Is This It

  48. 49.
    3 Feet High & Rising
    by De La Soul

  49. 50.
    Frequencies
    by Low Frequency Oscillations (LFO)

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Created by mofo269 on Jul 20, 2006.
 

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