Top 100 all-time lists of albums and music – from KEXP

As part of the KEXP 2009 pledge drive, the KEXP team has created a set of top 100 lists based on feedback from listeners and they have been playing them in order over the last few days.    Only a radio station that is listener supported could do something like this and as a huge fan of music in general as well as “lists” of any kind, I was excited to see what the KEXP listeners would choose.   

While I don’t agree with all of the results, it is still a pretty amazing set of albums and songs.  If these lists don’t make you want to pump your stereo up, I don’t know what will…

They started with the Best Local Band list and the top 10 artists were:
10 – Jimi Hendrix
9 – The Sonics
8 – Decemberists
7 – Soundgarden
6 – Mudhoney
5 – Death Cab for Cutie
4 – Pearl Jam
3 – Fleet Foxes
2 – Modest Mouse
1 – Nirvana

Sadly, I didn’t know who the Sonics were (but I do now).

They then played the Top 100 Best Cover Songs and the top 10 songs were:
10 – Nirvana – The Man Who Sold the World by David Bowie
9 – Gary Jules – Mad World by Tears for Fears
8 – Cowboy Junkies – Sweet Jane by Lou Reed
7 – Devo – (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction by the Rolling Stones
6 – Iron & Wine – Such Great Heights by the Postal Service
5 – Dinosaur Jr – Just Like Heaven by The Cure
4 – Cloud Cult – Mr. Tambourine Man by Bob Dylan
3 – Jimi Hendrix – All Along the Watchtower by Bob Dylan
2 – Johnny Cash – Hurt by Nine Inch Nails
1 – Jeff Buckley – Hallelujah by Leonard Cohen

When comparing the list to my music collection, I realized that I didn’t own a few of the songs (although I do now).   I linked those ones above.

And then my favorite list was The Best Debut Albums
10 – U2 – Boy
9 – Bon Iver – For Emma Forever Ago
8 – Liz Phair – Exile in Guyville
7 – Joy Division – Unknown Pleasures
6 – REM – Murmur
5 – Stone Roses – Stone Roses
4 – Led Zeppelin – Led Zeppelin
3 – Jeff Buckley – Grace
2 – Pearl Jam – Ten
1 – Arcade Fire – Funeral

Of which I own (and love) all of the albums listed.

If you like the music above, you would love KEXP and luckily for you, you can listen to it streaming online from their website and they also offer a free download every day from their podcast.