With Paul’s Boutique, the Beastie Boys went from fun frat rap backed by rock riffs to thoughtfully crafted hip hop with artfully layered sampling. In my book, it’s still the greatest rap album ever.
“You be listening to my records, a number one sound.”
Mike D: Your pops caught you smoking and he said, “No way!”
MCA: That hypocrite smokes two packs a day.
I’m going to post one Beastie Boys music video each day along with an MCA quote because I’m sentimental like that.
“I come out at night ‘cause I sleep all day.”
1. Pavement- Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain
Listen: “Gold Soundz”
2. The Notorious B.I.G.- Ready to Die
Listen: “Juicy”
3. Portishead- Dummy
Listen: “Glory Box”
4. Nas- Illmatic
Listen: “The World Is Yours”
5. Guided by Voices- Bee Thousand
Listen: “Smothered in Hugs”
6. Nine Inch Nails- The Downward Spiral
Listen: “March of the Pigs”
7. Built to Spill- There’s Nothing Wrong With Love
Listen: “Big Dipper”
8. Nirvana- MTV Unplugged in New York
Listen: “Where Did You Sleep Last Night”
9. Blur- Parklife
Listen: “End of a Century”
10. Beastie Boys- Ill Communication
Listen: “Sabotage”
Honorable Mention: Jeff Buckley’s Grace, Johnny Cash’s American Recordings, Oasis’ Definitely Maybe, Weezer’s Weezer
Updated: May 23, 2012
See Also: Top 10 Albums of 2007, Top 10 Albums of 2006, Top 10 Albums of 2005, Top 10 Albums of 2004, Top 10 Albums of 2003, Top 10 Albums of 2002, Top 10 Albums of 2001, Top 10 Albums of 2000, Top 10 Albums of 1999, Top 10 Albums of 1998, Top 10 Albums of 1997, Top 10 Albums of 1996, Top 10 Albums of 1995, Top 10 Albums of 1993, Top 10 Albums of 1992, Top 10 Albums of 1991, Top 10 Albums of 1990, Top 10 Albums of 1989, Top 10 Albums of 1988, Top 10 Albums of 1987, Top 10 Albums of 1986, Top 10 Albums of 1985, Top 10 Albums of 1984, Top 10 Albums of 1983, Top 10 Albums of 1982, Top 10 Albums of 1981, Top 10 Albums of 1980, Top 10 Albums of 1979, Top 10 Albums of 1978, Top 10 Albums of 1977, Top 10 Albums of 1976, Top 10 Albums of 1975, Top 10 Albums of 1974, Top 10 Albums of 1973, Top 10 Albums of 1972, Top 10 Albums of 1971, Top 10 Albums of 1970, Top 10 Albums of 1969, Top 10 Albums of 1968, Top 10 Albums of 1967, Top 10 Albums of 1966, Top 10 Albums of 1965
1. Pavement- Slanted & Enchanted
Listen: “Trigger Cut/Wounded-Kite At :17”
2. Rage Against the Machine- Rage Against the Machine
Listen: “Killing In the Name”
3. Dr. Dre- The Chronic
Listen: “Fuck Wit Dre Day (And Everybody’s Celebratin’)”
4. Beastie Boys- Check Your Head
Listen: “So What’cha Want”
5. R.E.M.- Automatic for the People
Listen: “Nightswimming”
6. Tom Waits- Bone Machine
Listen: “I Don’t Wanna Grow Up”
7. Leonard Cohen- The Future
Listen: “Democracy”
8. Vigilantes of Love- Killing Floor
Listen: “Undertow”
9. Eric Clapton- Unplugged
Listen: “Tears in Heaven”
10. Mark Heard- Satellite Sky
Listen: “Long Way Down”
Updated: March 10, 2012
See Also: Top 10 Movies of 1992, Top 10 Albums of 2007, Top 10 Albums of 2006, Top 10 Albums of 2005, Top 10 Albums of 2004, Top 10 Albums of 2003, Top 10 Albums of 2002, Top 10 Albums of 2001, Top 10 Albums of 2000, Top 10 Albums of 1999, Top 10 Albums of 1998, Top 10 Albums of 1997, Top 10 Albums of 1996, Top 10 Albums of 1995, Top 10 Albums of 1994, Top 10 Albums of 1993, Top 10 Albums of 1991, Top 10 Albums of 1990, Top 10 Albums of 1989, Top 10 Albums of 1988, Top 10 Albums of 1987, Top 10 Albums of 1986, Top 10 Albums of 1985, Top 10 Albums of 1984, Top 10 Albums of 1983, Top 10 Albums of 1982, Top 10 Albums of 1981, Top 10 Albums of 1980, Top 10 Albums of 1979, Top 10 Albums of 1978, Top 10 Albums of 1977, Top 10 Albums of 1976, Top 10 Albums of 1975, Top 10 Albums of 1974, Top 10 Albums of 1973, Top 10 Albums of 1972, Top 10 Albums of 1971, Top 10 Albums of 1970, Top 10 Albums of 1969, Top 10 Albums of 1968, Top 10 Albums of 1967, Top 10 Albums of 1966, Top 10 Albums of 1965
1. Beastie Boys- Paul’s Boutique
Listen: “Shake Your Rump”
2. Pixies- Doolittle
Listen: “Monkey Gone To Heaven”
3. De La Soul- 3 Feet High and Rising
Listen: “Me Myself and I”
4. Bob Dylan- Oh Mercy
Listen: “Everything Is Broken”
5. The Stone Roses- The Stone Roses
Listen: “She Bangs The Drum”
6. The Cure- Disintegration
Listen: “Pictures of You”
7. Elvis Costello- Spike
Listen: “Veronica”
8. Neil Young- Freedom
Listen: “Rockin’ in the Free World”
9. Bonnie Raitt- Nick of Time
Listen: “Thing Called Love”
10. Madonna- Like a Prayer
Listen: “Born This Way, Part 1”
Honorable Mention: Eric Clapton’s Journeyman, King’s X’s Gretchen Goes to Nebraska, New Order’s Technique, Nirvana’s Bleach
Updated: February 20, 2012
See Also: Top 10 Movies of 1989, Top 10 Albums of 2007, Top 10 Albums of 2006, Top 10 Albums of 2005, Top 10 Albums of 2004, Top 10 Albums of 2003, Top 10 Albums of 2002, Top 10 Albums of 2001, Top 10 Albums of 2000, Top 10 Albums of 1999, Top 10 Albums of 1998, Top 10 Albums of 1997, Top 10 Albums of 1996, Top 10 Albums of 1995, Top 10 Albums of 1994, Top 10 Albums of 1993, Top 10 Albums of 1992, Top 10 Albums of 1991, Top 10 Albums of 1990, Top 10 Albums of 1988, Top 10 Albums of 1987, Top 10 Albums of 1986, Top 10 Albums of 1985, Top 10 Albums of 1984, Top 10 Albums of 1983, Top 10 Albums of 1982, Top 10 Albums of 1981, Top 10 Albums of 1980, Top 10 Albums of 1979, Top 10 Albums of 1978, Top 10 Albums of 1977, Top 10 Albums of 1976, Top 10 Albums of 1975, Top 10 Albums of 1974, Top 10 Albums of 1973, Top 10 Albums of 1972, Top 10 Albums of 1971, Top 10 Albums of 1970, Top 10 Albums of 1969, Top 10 Albums of 1968, Top 10 Albums of 1967, Top 10 Albums of 1966, Top 10 Albums of 1965
1. The Smiths- The Queen is Dead
Listen: “Frankly, Mr. Shankly”
2. R.E.M.- Lifes Rich Pageant
Listen: “Begin the Begin”
3. Run-D.M.C.- Raising Hell
Listen: “Walk This Way”
4. Sonic Youth- EVOL
Listen: “Shadow of a Doubt”
5. Metallica- Master of Puppets
Listen: “Master of Puppets”
6. Beastie Boys- Licensed to Ill
Listen: “No Sleep Till Brooklyn”
7. Elvis Costello- Blood & Chocolate
Listen: “I Hope You’re Happy Now”
8. Paul Simon- Graceland
Listen: “You Can Call Me Al”
9. XTC- Skylarking
Listen: “Dear God”
10. Elvis Costello- King of America
Listen: “Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood”
Archival Highlight: Bruce Springsteen- Live/1975-85
Listen: “Jersey Shore”
Honorable Mention: Peter Gabriel’s So, Slayer’s Reign in Blood
Updated: February 4, 2012
See Also: Top 10 Movies of 1986, Top 10 Albums of 2007, Top 10 Albums of 2006, Top 10 Albums of 2005, Top 10 Albums of 2004, Top 10 Albums of 2003, Top 10 Albums of 2002, Top 10 Albums of 2001, Top 10 Albums of 2000, Top 10 Albums of 1999, Top 10 Albums of 1998, Top 10 Albums of 1997, Top 10 Albums of 1996, Top 10 Albums of 1995, Top 10 Albums of 1994, Top 10 Albums of 1993, Top 10 Albums of 1992, Top 10 Albums of 1991, Top 10 Albums of 1990, Top 10 Albums of 1989, Top 10 Albums of 1988, Top 10 Albums of 1987, Top 10 Albums of 1985, Top 10 Albums of 1984, Top 10 Albums of 1983, Top 10 Albums of 1982, Top 10 Albums of 1981, Top 10 Albums of 1980, Top 10 Albums of 1979, Top 10 Albums of 1978, Top 10 Albums of 1977, Top 10 Albums of 1976, Top 10 Albums of 1975, Top 10 Albums of 1974, Top 10 Albums of 1973, Top 10 Albums of 1972, Top 10 Albums of 1971, Top 10 Albums of 1970, Top 10 Albums of 1969, Top 10 Albums of 1968, Top 10 Albums of 1967, Top 10 Albums of 1966, Top 10 Albums of 1965
