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Now that's what I call an
 ALBUM!
This is my list of basically what I consider to be the best albums ever created. This usually means that the following records (1) have excellent music, (2) have no bad music, and (3) have at least three songs on the album that I really, really like. And obviously, only actual albums count; that is, compilations or "Greatest Hits" don't.

20. Smashing Pumpkins - Adore

Outstanding songs:
Ava Adore

Time:
2002: America

Comment:
=)

19. Los Amigos Invisibles - The New Sound of the Venezuelan Gozadera

Outstanding songs:
Don't know the names

Time:
2001 - Boston

Comment:
=)

18. Radiohead - OK Computer

Outstanding songs:
Paranoid Android, Karma Police, No Surprises

Time:
1998: Mozambique; 2002: Summer of love

Comment:
=)

17. Selena - Amor Prohibido

Outstanding songs:
Amor Prohibido, Cobarde, No Me Queda Más, Como la Flor

Time:
1994: Nicaragua

Comment:
=)

16. Save Ferris - It Means Everything

Outstanding songs:
Come On Eileen, Spam, Goodbye

Time:
1996: Quito

Comment:
=)

15. Eminem - The Eminem Show

Outstanding songs:
Sing for the Moment, Superman, Hailie's Song, My Dad's Gone Crazy

Time:
2002, Tower Records Quito, Summer 2002

14. Gwen Stefani - Love, Angel, Music, Baby

Outstanding songs:
Hollaback Girl, Luxurious, Long Way To Go, Cool

Time:
2004-2005: America

Comment:
=)

13. Pedro Fernández - Deseos y Delirios

Outstanding songs:
Corazón, Fueron tres años, Si tú supieras, Enamorada, Gema, Quien, La mujer que amas

Time:
1997-2001, ie 10th grade to sophomore year college

Comment:
I recognize I am cheating a little here with the "no recopilations" rule, because this album, though an album, really is a recopilation of sorts. But it's a borderline case, and this is my freaking list, so I'm going to do whatever I want. Anyway, the main reason for this gem's long shelf life is the fact that it was so difficult to acquire when it came out. I bought it in 1999 and again in 2002 (I thought I'd lost it). A particularly outstanding song is "La mujer que amas", because it is the only non-traditional inclusion. It's a takeoff of Bryan Adams' "Have you ever really loved a woman?" and in my very humble opinion, is approximately ten thousand million billion gazillion times better than Adams' version. But hey, that's just my opinion.

12. Molotov - ¿Dónde jugarán las niñas?

Outstanding songs:
Que no te haga bobo Jacobo, Voto Latino, Gimme tha Power, Chinga Tu Madre, Mátate teté, Use it or lose it, Puto, Cerdo, Quítate que m'asturbas (perra arrabalera)

Time:
1998-1999, Ecuador, Santiago, Molotov Concert en Plaza de Toros, Quito, mosh...

Comment:
Timeless. A tune for all epochs.

11. No Doubt - Rock Steady

Outstanding songs:
Making Out, Platinum Blonde Life, Rock Steady, Don't Let me Down

Time:
2001-2002, Summer of 2002 (between sophomore and junior years), Ecuador, Philadelphia, summer sublet, Yue Kee, amazing

Comment:
My favourite song by far is Rock Steady. It's a special kind of lullaby only groups like No Doubt can pull off. But all the other songs are really good too.

10. All Saints - All Saints

Outstanding songs:
Bootie Call, Under the Bridge, If You Want to Party, Beg, Lady Marmalade

Time:
1997-1999, ie 10th-11th grade, Ecuador, Mozambique, South Africa, MTV Europe, UK Top 40 Countdown

Comment:
This CD was largely overlooked because people thought All Saints was just a Spice Girls takeoff. Thank God no. This CD is one of the best pop/R&B/hiphop albums yet made by humankind. Excellent Red Hot Chili Peppers cover, they made a Lady Marmalade cover before that ho Christina Aguilera, and their version is probably better as well.

9. Rihanna - Music of the Sun

Outstanding songs:
The Last Time, Music of the Sun, Rush, There's a Thug in my Life

Time:
2005-2006, Christmastime in Ecuador

Comment:
=)

8. Nelly Furtado - Whoa, Nelly!

Outstanding songs:
Shit on the Radio, Legend, I'm Like a Bird, Turn off the Light, Party, Well, well, My Love Grows Deeper Part I, I Will Make u Cry, Scared of You

Time:
2000-2002, ie freshman college to sophomore, New York, Philadelphia, "The sky was red", "I remember the fire"...

Comment:
I Will Make u Cry is my favourite. Sometimes I think I went to Nelly's concert just to hear this one. Nelly is the one promising light of real music among a sea of commercialism.

7. The Cardigans - Life

Outstanding songs:
Hey! Get out of my way, Sabbath Bloody Sabbath, Gordon's Gardenparty, Carnival

Time:
2006, Timor

Comment:
=)

6. The Beatles - Sargeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band

Outstanding songs:
With a little help from my friends, Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds, Being for the benefit of Mr. Kite, When I'm Sixty-Four, Lovely Rita, Good Morning Good Morning, A Day in the Life (ie, all of 'em)

Time:
Released 1967, but popular 2002-2003: Philadelphia and Ecuador

Comment:
The Beatles had the most prolific, amazing career in what concerns strictly good music. SPLHCB is, I believe, the pinnacle of their achievement. Special thanks to Rob for pointing out this gem.

5. Shakira - Dónde Están los Ladrones?

Outstanding songs:
Ciega sordomuda, Moscas en la casa, Inevitable, Que vuelvas, Tu, Sombra de ti

Time:
1998-1999, ie 11th-12th grade; Mexico (Christmas 1998), Ecuador

Comment:
This is by far Shakira's best album ever, and the only one that has one hundred percent Colombian export... meaning the quality is excellent and most of all PURE!! heheh

4. No Doubt - Tragic Kingdom

Outstanding songs:
Spiderwebs, Different People, Sunday Morning, World Go Round, End it on This, Tragic Kingdom

Time:
1995-1997, ie 8th-10th grade; Nicaragua (Spiderwebs), then Ecuador (Don't Speak, Excuse Me Mr., Sunday Morning)

Comment:
=)

3. The Cardigans - First Band on the Moon

Outstanding songs:
Your New Cuckoo, Been It, Iron Man, Lovefool, Great Divide

Time:
1996-1997, ie 9th grade; Ecuador (Lovefool, Christmas 1996)

Comment:
I declare this one of the best albums ever made. The singles were all-around world hits, and the entire freaking album is composed of nothing but quality shit. That's not all... I truly believe that the Cardigans (probably purposely) neglected to release the best song on the album, Your New Cuckoo, to reward people like me... who actually bought the album. Ye-yeah...

2. Giuliano Palma and the Bluebeaters - The Wonderful Live

Outstanding songs:
Skaravan, Gimme a little sign, Wonderful Life, Nimrod, I don't know why I love you (But I do)

Time:
2000-present (America, Timor, and then some)

Comment:
=)

1. No Doubt - Return of Saturn

Outstanding songs:
Simple Kind of Life, Marry Me, Bathwater, New, Too Late, Home Now, Suspension without Suspense

Time:
Winter Break 2003/2004, all of 2004

Comment:
Right, I had this album since it came out, but I never listened to it until December 2003, basically because, and I am ashamed to admit, I didn't think it was that good. There I said it. And now it's number one. How?!? Shit. This is just a great album, and I've probably heard it 97286368 times in the past 8 weeks. I'm trying to learn the drum solo in Home Now, but it's pretty challenging. Which is good, because that's what I need. This obsession is probably driving my neighbours crazy but what the fuck ever. It has become so that I cannot understand people who don't like ND, I mean what's not to like? People are dumb. ND rules. I'm tired.


Epilog
I recognize that this list is not very comprehensive due to both the restrictions I have placed on it, and the fact that I have never owned or heard, for example, a full Bjork CD, so I have no way of incorporating her in this list. In fact I think that is the biggest lack in this list--where's Bjork.

Oh well.


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