Written by: Chengli Payton
Over the years, I have come to realize that my music-listening process may be a bit unorthodox: I like to listen to specific albums and artists, rarely shuffling except when listening to music while studying. Yes, I mainly use Apple Music. Yes, I prefer the Spotify music recommendation algorithm. Yes, my playlists are typically strictly separated by genre or artist. I guess I’m a purist. I love CDs and records, and I love the art of a cohesive, high-quality album. So, to that aim, here are some of my favorite no-skip albums!
While this list is not in any specific order, The Beatles’ Rubber Soul (1965) is among my favorite no-skip albums. I love Abbey Road and The White Album, of course, but Rubber Soul holds a special place in my heart. I remember playing it over and over on my CD player and enjoying its snappy cohesion. Caught between a teenybopper facade and a more mature and introspective sound, I like how these increasingly experimental songs demand to be heard. This album certainly foreshadowed my love for folk-influenced music.
Another folk-heavy album I adore is Joni Mitchell’s Blue (1971). Every song is evocative, since her lyricism is unmatched. My first foray into Joni was through “Both Sides Now,” but “A Case of You” and “River,” off Blue, kept me hooked. By using the dulcimer and open-tuning, she shakes you to your core in one song (“Little Green”) and uplifts you with her unabated, spunky nature in the next (“Carey”). The album is devastatingly brilliant and never loses momentum.
If Joni paved the way for raw and genuine songwriting, then Lana Del Rey did right by her in Norman F*****g Rockwell (2019). This album’s sound is both analytic and wandering. Both a love letter and a Dear John letter to America, Del Rey’s meandering vocals and thoughtfully laid-back instrumentals pair well. It felt cataclysmic—in the best way—hearing it for the first time.
Another pivotal album that I wish I could hear for the first time was Billie Eilish’s debut studio album, WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO? (2019) Luckily, I didn’t let this album’s dark and gothic tone deter me; I’ve stuck around to see her meteoric rise as a singer-songwriter and even saw her live at Madison Square Garden for Hit Me Hard and Soft: The Tour.
Also heavily focused on production quality and all the newest technologies is Bleachers’ 2024 self-titled album, Bleachers. Saxophone, gritty vocals, and fun synth abound. I was thrilled to discover that lead singer-songwriter Jack Antonoff runs the gamut of pop music production from greats like Taylor Swift to Lorde. Antonoff is a fellow New Jerseyan, and the album’s refined yet fresh 80s Springsteen sound is pleasingly energetic.
In what seems to be another equally unskippable musical universe is Lizzy McAlpine’s third studio album, Older (2024), specifically the deluxe version, Older (and Wiser). This album came at a much-needed time in my life. It is reminiscent of folksy Joni Mitchell and sounds like a grown-up version of 2020s bedroom pop.
For those who shudder at the thought of bedroom-pop, the intimately produced “lo-fi” works, I raise you Wide Open Spaces, The Chicks’ 1999 breakthrough album. I’m hard-pressed to think of a more relevant or signature song than their title track, and the country twang is nothing but fun. This album feels like a hug, a drive through the country, and optimism for the future.
While country music isn’t on everyone’s radar, Fleetwood Mac’s 1977 album Rumours probably is. This album is a rite of passage for music lovers, and in an odd twist, my favorite song, “Silver Springs,” was not added until years after its release. This album and Blue made me put “learn guitar” on my bucket list so I can complete my practice in musical yearning.
Another bucket list moment I have is meeting Taylor Swift. I was always more of a Katy Perry fan growing up, but Swift’s folklore (2020) opened my eyes to the Swifties’ world of impressive discography and lyricism. It’s wistful, passionate, and very cohesive.
Yet, folklore would not be possible without the precedent that Carly Simon set in her 1978 album, Boys in the Trees. Though her 1972 album No Secrets is more well-known (thanks to “You’re So Vain”), I have always leaned toward the more introspective sound of the aching, feminist title track, “Boys in the Trees.”
Girlhood also strikes in Selena’s fourth studio album, Amor Prohibido (1994). A talent that we lost too soon, Selena’s ability to infuse her Tejano roots with vim and vigor was practically unparalleled. This album’s marriage of cumbia and pop is utterly appealing.
Music and culture certainly do not exist in vacuums, and Stan Getz and João Gilberto’s 1964 album Getz/Gilberto defined bossa nova for many. The smooth, jazzy sound is effortlessly cool, and Astrud Gilberto on “The Girl From Ipanema” is timeless.
Lastly, while not technically an album in the modern sense, is Tchaikovsky’s 1892 The Nutcracker, Op. 71. Made for the two-act ballet that was so crucial to my dance-filled childhood, the music is transcendent, especially the haunting pas de deux in Act 2.
Music holds memories for me, and I see all of these albums as snapshots of my life and experience with music. There is something very cathartic about revisiting an album in different stages of life. Engaging critically with music is a great source of enjoyment in my life, and it can be in yours, too. Take a trip to the record store, scroll through playlists, or my personal favorite, lie in bed and daydream with music in the background. Just like reading literature, listening to music is a never-ending journey of discovering works, old and new. Happy listening!
Featured Image Caption: The Verb Hotel lobby: a rock & roll themed hotel in Boston, MA. Photo credits to Chengli Payton.
