Top Ten Tuesday – Top 10 Favorite Albums of All Time

Top Ten Tuesday is a fun weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. This week’s topic is an All About Audio freebie —  aka top ten audiobooks you should listen to, 10 books I want to listen to on audio, 10 bands you should check out, 10 podcasts you should be listening to, 10 of my all time favorite albums, 10 songs I love, really whatever you can come up with.

I have to confess that I almost didn’t do this week’s topics since I couldn’t really come up with a bookish angle, as I don’t really do audiobooks or podcasts.  But once I read the topic in more detail and saw the musical options, I decided I could easily go that route since after books, music is my next biggest passion.  And just as with my taste in books, my taste in music is quite eclectic.  I’ve listed my top 10 favorite albums of all time this week, and they seem to be mostly classic rock, pop, and alternative hits, but I also very much enjoy R&B, a little rap, and even a few country and classic albums.  Aside from listing them and talking about why I love them, I’ve also included links to Amazon for each. If you click those links and scroll down, you can sample tracks from each album. 🙂

My Top Ten ALL TIME Favorite Albums 

1. Bruce Springsteen – Greatest Hits

Why I love it:  He’s the Boss, enough said, haha! Seriously though, I just love everything about Bruce Springsteen. He plays a mean guitar, writes incredible lyrics, and probably puts on the best concert out there. I saw him perform live when he was 62 years old and couldn’t believe his energy and stamina. 3 1/2 hours of nothing but Bruce and the E. Street Band. It was musical heaven! I love every song he’s ever written so I just had to go with the Greatest Hits Album. It’s hard to pick favorites but if I have to, I’d go with My Hometown, Hungry Heart, The River, Thunder Road, and Secret Garden.  (Listen to The Boss…)

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2. Best of Bowie

Why I love it:  David Bowie was pure genius, truly one of the most innovative artists in all of music.  His death this year really broke my heart because I just know he had so much more music in him to share with the world.  Again, it’s so hard to pick favorites so I had to go with a greatest hits album. Some of my favorites are Changes, Young Americans, Rebel Rebel, China Girl, Modern Love, and Let’s Dance.  (Listen to Bowie…)

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3. The Lumineers

Why I love it: I love The Lumineers because I think they have such a fresh yet simple sound, and I love the acoustic vibe.  My favorite songs on this album are Stubborn Love, Flowers in Your Hair, and Ho Hey.  (Listen to The Lumineers…)

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4. The Essential Heart

Why I love it:  Just as I love strong female protagonists in the books I read, I also love badass female musicians and it doesn’t get much more badass than Ann and Nancy Wilson of Heart.  If you’ve never heard them before, check out tunes like Barricuda, Magic Man, and Crazy on You for a small taste of just how amazing these ladies are.   (Listen to Heart…)

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5. Dave Matthews Band – Under the Table and Dreaming

Why I love it:  I got into the Dave Matthews Band originally because they are from my home state of Virginia and they come back home all the time to perform.  This album is my favorite of theirs, so far anyway, because of awesome songs like Ants Marching,  What Would You Say, and Typical Situation.  I love these guys so much!  (Listen to Dave Matthews Band…)

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6. Black Rebel Motorcycle Club – Beat the Devil’s Tattoo

Why I love it:  B.R.M.C. is just a fabulous rock band with a classic sound.  My favorite tracks on this album are the title track, River Styx, and Long Way Down.   (Listen to B.R.M.C…)

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7. The Cure – Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me

Why I love it:  This one is a sentimental favorite because it was the first alternative record that I purchased for myself and the first record I purchased when I went off to college, so aside from it being chock full of amazing tunes, it also brings on waves of nostalgia every time I hear it.  My favorite tracks are Just Like Heaven, Why Can’t I Be You?, and One More Time.   (Listen to The Cure…)

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8. Tracy Chapman – Greatest Hits

Why I love it:  I just love Tracy Chapman’s gorgeous vocal and her moving lyrics. My favorite tracks are Fast Car, Give Me One Reason, and Talkin’ Bout a Revolution.   (Listen to Tracy Chapman…)

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9. The Very Best of Prince

Why I love it:  I’ve loved Prince since I was 14 years old and first listened to the Purple Rain album.  I adored him so much that I even had a huge Purple Rain poster hanging over my bed when I was in high school.  I believe that Prince was truly one of the most unique and gifted artists of our time. His untimely death earlier this year was such a tremendous loss.  I love absolutely every track on this greatest hits album.  (Listen to Prince…)

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10. Imagine Dragons – Night Visions

Why I love it:  I just love their sound and I think they put on such an amazing live show. My favorite tracks off this album are Radioactive, Demons, On Top of the World, and It’s Time.  (Listen to Imagine Dragons…)

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Question:  Are you a music fan too?  Do we share any favorite musicians or albums?  What was your TTT topic this week?  I’d love to hear from you 🙂