On July 25, 2012 by

BZ’s Top 25 (Non-Dylan) Albums

top-25

BZ’s Top 25 (Non-Dylan) Albums

This Sunday, for the fourth year, I launch into the ever-popular summer sermon series: Finding God On Your iPod. In Finding God On Your iPod I use contemporary songs as an artistic pallet for painting gospel portraits. And it’s a lot of fun! Music is a big deal with me. My iTunes library is culled to an essential 10,000 songs—a month’s worth of 24/7 listening pleasure. I can’t do with any less than that. I agree with what Nietzsche said: “Without music, life would be a mistake.”

Along with being a music nut, I’m a compulsive list-maker…just ask Peri. So, for no particular reason other than my own amusement, I’ve prepared BZ’s Top 25 (Non-Dylan) Albums. (I assume you understand that Dylan occupies his own category in my music pantheon. And yes, I realize I sorted of cheated by including The Traveling Wilburys in the list.) Alright, here we go: Limited to one album per artist and arranged in alphabetical order according to the artist as they appear in iTunes, here are my top 25 albums…

BZ

P.S. Feel free to let me know where I’ve gone wrong.

1. Allman Brothers ~ At Fillmore East

2. Arcade Fire ~ The Suburbs

3. Bon Iver ~ Bon Iver

4. Bruce Cockburn ~ Mummy Dust

5. The Call ~ Let The Day Begin

6. Dave Matthews Band ~ Big Whiskey and The Groogrux King

7. Foo Fighters ~ Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace

8. George Harrison ~ All Things Must Pass

9. Gerasim & Parks ~ Songs From The Other Side Of The World

10. Glenn Kaiser Band ~ Winter Sun

11. Iron & Wine ~ The Shepherd’s Dog

12. Jason Upton ~ Great River Road

13. Keith Green ~ For Him Who Has Ears To Hear

14. Kings of Leon ~ Youth & Young Manhood

15. Led Zeppelin ~ IV

16. The National ~ High Violet

17. Neil Young ~ Harvest

18. Nirvana ~ Nevermind

19. Phil Keaggy ~ Find Me In These Fields

20. Pink Floyd ~ Dark Side Of The Moon

21. Radiohead ~ The King Of Limbs

22. Steve Earle ~ Transcendental Blues

23. The Traveling Wilburys ~ The Traveling Wilburys Volume 1

24. U2 ~ Joshua Tree

25. Wilco ~ Yankee Hotel Foxtrot

Bonus: Bob Dylan’s Top Ten Albums in order of sheer greatness…

1. Blood On The Tracks

2. Blonde On Blonde

3. Highway 61 Revisited

4. Bringing It All Back Home

5. Time Out Of Mind

6. Oh Mercy

7. Slow Train Coming

8. Modern Times

9. Street Legal

10. The Times They Are A-Changin’

  • http://brianzahnd.com Brian Zahnd

    Apologies to The Beatles, The Stones, Bob Marley, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Larry Norman, Tom Petty, etc., etc., etc.

  • Michael Hodges

    I know I may be in the minority here, but you should apologize to Lyle Lovett too! ;)

  • http://brianzahnd.com Brian Zahnd

    26. The White Stripes ~ Elephant

  • Dave Metzger

    I think we could probably take a road trip together.

  • http://brianzahnd.com Brian Zahnd

     Tunes can make or break a road trip. Next we’re driving to Rocky Mountain National Park. I’ve been thinking about the playlist for weeks.

  • Jespeseth

    Great list… I would include #5,11,18 & 24. I think we could enjoy listening to music together

  • Darrick Inscho

    Sigh No More by Mumford and Sons,  Green Day’s American Idiot, and In Your Honor by Foo Fighters.

  • David Andrews

    What?  No Eric Stark??!!!  You must include New Day in the list – but then 25 is not enough, is it?  I would also include the yet-to-be-written album by Eric at #25 (sort of like leaving a place setting for Elijah).  I am thrilled with the inclusion of Pink Floyd – yes!  Also, Gungor is a “must include-” his albums, Beautiful Things and Ghosts Upon The Earth, are downright sublime; hasn’t been a songwriter in a long while to create such profound, truthful lyrics and fresh melodic style.  Oh, and not including Dylan is itself rather like cheating – you’ve essentially expanded the list to 35 before you started by populating the first 10.  Very sly.  A far easier task would be to create a Top 50 or Top 100… 

  • http://www.facebook.com/pmarkmobley Mark Mobley

    Great stuff, but too many “latest” albums for me. I would pick the same groups in some cases, but the real test of an album for me is if I’m listening to it regularly five years later.

    So, Arcade Fire – Funeral; The National – Boxer; Bon Iver – For Emma, Forever Ago; Radiohead – Kid A

  • whalantwhalan

    BZ you rock!!

    My list would include homegrown treasures The Church, Midnight Oil and Paul Kelly along with US and UK heavyweights Jackson Browne, TP & the HB’s and New Order (Get Ready)