The Robert Christgau Deans' Lists
1970
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1. Derek & the Dominos - Layla
2. Sly & the Family Stone - Greatest Hits
3. Randy Newman - 12 Songs
4. Van Morrison - Moondance
5. Neil Young - After the Gold Rush
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6. James Brown - Sex Machine
7. John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band
8. Aretha Franklin - Spirit in the Dark
9. John McLauglin - Devotion
10. The Velvet Underground - Loaded
11. The Best of Dolly Parton
12. Al Green Gets Next to You
13. Creedence Clearwater Revival - Cosmo’s Factory
14. The Grateful Dead - Workingman’s Dead
15. The Insect Trust - Hoboken Saturday Night
16. The Beatles - Hey Jude
17. Van Morrison - His Band & the Street Choir
18. Mother Earth Presents Tracy Nelson Country
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19. Stooges - Fun House
20. Miles Davis - Bitches Brew
21. Fleetwood Mac - Kiln House
22. Janis Joplin - Pearl
23. Fairport Convention - Unhalfbricking
24. Delaney & Bonnie and Friends with Eric Clapton - On Tour
25. Gladys Knight & the Pips - Greatest Hits
26. Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band - Lick My Decals Off, Baby
27. Love - False Start
28. Lee Dorsey - Yes We Can
29. The Doors - 13
30. Joni Mitchell - Ladies of the Canyon
31. Johnnie Taylor’s Greatest Hits
32. Bob Dylan - New Morning
33. The Best of Jerry Butler
34. Creedence Clearwater Revival - Pendulum
35. Eddie ‘Cleanhead’ Vinson - The Original Cleanhead
36. The Temptations - Greatest Hits Volume 2
37. The Best of Jerry Lee Lewis
38. Rod Stewart - Gasoline Alley
39. Booker T. & the MGs - Greatest Hits
40. MC5 - Back in the USA
41. Otis Redding/Jimi Hendrix Experience -Recorded at the Monterey International Pop Festival
42. The Grateful Dead - American Beauty
43. Jesse Winchester
44. The Beach Boys - Sunflower
45. Ike & Tina Turner - Come Together
46. The Beatles - Let It Be
47. Loretta Lynn Writes ‘em & Sings ‘em
48. Canned Heat - Future Blues
49. Mother Earth - Satisfied
50. Delaney & Bonnie - To Bonnie from Delaney
51. James Brown - Super Bad
52. Nolan - No Apologies
53. The Fabulous Charlie Rich
54. Allen Ginsberg - William Blake, Songs of Innocence & Experience
55. Big Brother & the Holding Company - Be a Brother
Skip To TopThe Robert Christgau Deans' Lists
1971
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1. Miles Davis - Jack Johnson
2. A 25th Anniversary in Show Business Salute to Ray Charles
3. Rod Stewart - Every Picture Tells a Story
4. Sly & the Family Stone - There’s a Riot Goin’ On
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5. John Lennon - Imagine
6. The Rolling Stones - Sticky Fingers
7. The Who - Who’s Next
8. Led Zeppelin IV
9. Joni Mitchell - Blue
10. Jimi Hendrix - The Cry of Love
11. The Best of Wilson Pickett Vol. II
12. Joy of Cooking
13. John Prine
14. The Mahavishnu Orchestra with John McLaughlin - The Inner Mountain Flame
15. Nils Lofgren/Grin - 1+1
16. Tom T. Hall - In Search of a Song
17. Stevie Wonder - Greatest Hits Vol. 2
18. Delaney & Bonnie - Motel Shot
19. Nilsson - Nilsson Schmilsson
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20. Crazy Horse
21. Hound Dog Taylor & the Houserockers
22. Jackson 5 - Greatest Hits
23. The Best of Clarence Carter
24. Bonnie Raitt
25. Helen Reddy
26. Van Morrison - Tupelo Honey
27. The Who - Meaty Beaty Big & Bouncy
28. The London Howlin’ Wolf Sessions
29. Faces - A Nod is as Good as a Wink to a Blind Horse
30. The Stylistics
31. Carole King - Tapestry
32. The Doors - LA Woman
33. The Move - Message from the Country
34. Jimi Hendrix - Rainbow Bridge
35. BB King - Live in Cook County Jail
36. Michael Hurley & Pals - Armchair Boogie
37. Miles Davis - Live-Evil
38. The Chi-Lites - For God’s Sake Give More Power to the People
39. Ray Charles - Volcanic Action of My Soul
40. David Bowie - Hunky Dory
41. Sir Douglas Qunitet - The Return of Doug Saldana
42. Dolly Parton - Coat of Many Colors
43. Leonard Cohen - Songs of Love & Hate
44. Bill Withers - Just as I Am
Skip To TopThe Robert Christgau Deans' Lists
1972
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1. Rolling Stones - Exile on Main St.
2. Paul Simon
3. Manfred Mann’s Earth Band
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4. Bonnie Raitt - Give It Up
5. Joni Mitchell - For the Roses
6. The Kinks Kronikles
7. Aretha Franklin - Young Gifted & Black
8. The Wailers - Catch a Fire
9. Steely Dan - Can’t Buy a Thrill
10. Stevie Wonder - Talking Book
11. Mississippi John Hurt - Last Sessions
12. Bob Dylan’s Greatest Hits Vol. II
13. Bill Withers - Still Bill
14. The Chi-Lites Greatest Hits
15. The Best of Delaney & Bonnie
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16. Mott the Hoople - All the Young Dudes
17. Al Green - I’m Still in Love with You
18. Curtis Mayfield - Superfly
19. Rod Stewart - Never a Dull Moment
20. Howard Tate
21. Van Morrison - Saint Dominic’s Preview
22. James Brown - There It Is
23. Richard Thompson - Henry the Human Fly
24. Ann Peebles - Straight from the Heart
25. Johnny Shines
26. Jimi Hendrix - Hendrix in the West
27. Buddy Guy & Junior Wells Play the Blues
28. Chris Smither - Don’t It Drag On
29. Elton John - Honky Chateau
30. Randy Newman - Sail Away
31. John Prine - Diamonds in the Rough
32. Joy of Cooking - Castles
33. Al Green - Let’s Stay Together
34. Peter Townshend - Who Came First
35. Dr. John - Gumbo
36. Grin - All Out
37. Loudon Wainwright III - Album III
38. Brinsley Schwarz - Nervous on the Road
39. Manu Dibango - Soul Makossa
40. Conway Twitty’s Greatest Hits Vol. I
41. Janis Joplin in Concert
42. Nitty Gritty Dirt Band - Will the Circle Be Unbroken
43. Paul Pena
44. The Best of Charlie Rich
45. Golden Butter - the Best of the Paul Butterfield Blues Band
46. Todd Rundgren - Something/Anything?
Skip To TopThe Robert Christgau Deans' Lists
1973
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1. Al Green - Call Me
2. New York Doll
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3. The Harder They Come
4. Wilson Pickett’s Greatest Hits
5. Lynyrd Skynyrd - Pronounced Leh-nerd Skeh-nerd
6. John Prine - Sweet Revenge
7. Sly & the Family Stone - Fresh
8. Africa Dances
9. Janis Joplin’s Greatest Hits
10. Al Green - Livin’ for You
11. Steely Dan - Countdown to Ecstasy
12. Stevie Wonder - Innervisions
13. Neil Young - Time Fades Away
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14. Alseep at the Wheel - Comin’ Right at Ya
15. Bruce Springsteen - The Wild the Innocent & the E Street Shuffle
16. Bill Withers Live at Carnegie Hall
17. Slade - Slayed?
18. Mahavishnu Orchestra - Birds of Fire
19. The Move - Split Ends
20. Coulson, Dean, McGuinness, Flint - Lo & Behold
21. Bonnie Raitt - Takin’ My Time
22. Led Zeppelin - Houses of the Holy
23. Tom T. Hall - The Rhymer & Other Five & Dimers
24. Spinners
25. Roy Brown - Hard Times
26. The Who - Quadrophenia
27. The Great Lost Kinks Album
28. Mott the Hoople - Mott
29. The Best of Laura Lee
30. James Brown - Soul Classics Volume II
31. Marvin Gaye - Let’s Get It On
32. The Hollies’ Greatest Hits
33. The Allman Brothers Band - Brothers & Sisters
34. Manfred Mann’s Earth Band - Get Your Rocks Off
35. Elliott Murphy - Aquashow
36. Frederic Rzewski - Coming Together; Attica; Moutons de Panurge
37. Roy Wood - Boulders
38. Howlin’ Wolf - The Back Door Wolf
39. Meet "Mississippi Charles" Bevel
40. Marlo Thomas - Free to Be…You and Me
41. Derek & the Dominos - In Concert
42. Miles Davis in Concert
43. Loudon Wainwright III - Attempted Mustache
44. Mike Seeger - The Second Annual Farewell Reunion
45. Esther Phillips - Black Eyed Blues
46. Swamp Dogg - Gag a Maggott
47. Taj Mahal - Ooh So Good ‘n Blues
Skip To TopThe Robert Christgau Deans' Lists
1974
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1. New York Dolls - In Too Much Too Soon
2. Steely Dan - Pretzel Logic
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3. Big Star - Radio City
4. The Wailers - Burnin’
5. Randy Newman - Good Old Boys
6. Andy Fairweather Low - Spider Jiving
7. Gram Parsons - Grievous Angel
8. Van Morrison - It’s Too Late to Stop Now
9. Joni Mitchell - Court & Spark
10. Eric Clapton - 461 Ocean Boulevard
11. Eno - Here Come the Warm Jets
12. Thomas Jefferson Kaye - First Grade
13. Richard & Linda Thompson - Hokey Pokey
14. Bob Dylan/the Band - Before the Flood
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15. The Wild Magnolias
16. 1969 Velvet Underground Live
17. Miles Davis - Get Up with It
18. Lynyrd Skynyrd - Second Helping
19. Labelle - Nightbirds
20. Stevie Wonder - Fulfillingness’ First Finale
21. Millie Jackson - Caught Up
22. Miles Davis - Big Fun
23. Hound Dog Taylor & the Houserockers - Natural Boogie
24. Lou Reed - Rock & Roll Animal
25. Bob Dylan - Planet Waves
26. King Crimson - Red
27. Raspberries - Starting Over
28. Bryan Ferry - These Foolish Things
29. Willie Nelson - Phases & Stages
30. Parliament - Up for the Down Stroke
31. Linda Ronstadt - Heart Like a Wheel
32. Loretta Lynn’s Greatest Hits Vol. II
33. John Cale - Fear
34. Alice Cooper’s Greatest Hits
35. Leonard Cohen - New Skin for the Old Ceremony
36. The Best of George Jones Vol. I
37. Average White Band
38. Betty Wright - Danger High Voltage
39. The Mighty Clouds of Joy - It’s Time
40. Neil Young - On the Beach
41. Mary McCaslin - Way Out West
42. Gladys Knight & the Pips - Claudine
43. Earth Wind & Fire - Open Our Eyes
44. Shirley Brown - Woman to Woman
45. Ry Cooder - Paradise & Lunch
Skip To TopThe Robert Christgau Deans' Lists
1975
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1. Bob Dylan/the Band - The Basement Tapes
2. Best of Dolly Parton
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3. Al Green’s Greatest Hits
4. James Talley - Got No Bread, No Milk, No Money, but We Sure Got a Lot of Love
5. Neil Young - Tonight’s the Night
6. Patti Smith - Horses
7. Bonnie Raitt - Home Plate
8. Bob Marley & the Wailers - Natty Dread
9. Bob Dylan - Blood on the Tracks
10. Bruce Springsteen - Born to Run
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11. Steely Dan - Katy Lied
12. Eno - Taking Tiger Mountain (by Strategy)
13. Fleetwood Mac
14. Funkadelic’s Greatest Hits
15. The Best of the Staple Singers
16. Elton John - Rock of the Westies
17. The Best of the Stylistics
18. Toots & the Maytals - Funky Kingston
19. Roxy Music - Siren
20. Andy Fairweather Low - La Booga Rooga
21. Lynyrd Skynyrd - Nuthin Fancy
22. The Meters - Cissy Strut
23. Gary Stewart - Out of Hand
24. Funkadelic - Let’s Take It to the Stage
25. Beserkely Chartbusters Volume 1
26. The Best of Leonard Cohen
27. Parliament - Mothership Connection
28. Loudon Wainwright III - Unrequited
29. Barry White’s Greatest Hits
30. The Allman Brothers Band - The Road Goes on Forever
31. The Best of Bill Withers
32. Neil Young - Zuma
33. John Cale - Slow Dazzle
34. John Prine - Common Sense
35. Amazing Rhythm Aces - Stacked Deck
36. Pink Floyd - Wish You Were Here
37. Terry Garthwaite - Terry
38. Stoney Edwards - Mississippi You’re on My Mind
39. Spinners - Pick of the Litter
40. Bobby Bare - Cowboys & Daddys
Skip To TopThe Robert Christgau Deans' Lists
1976
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1. Michael Hurley/the Unholy Modal Rounders/Jeffrey Fredericks & the Clamtones - Have Moicy!
2. Eno - Another Green World
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3. The Wild Tchoupitoulas
4. Ramones
5. Creedence Clearwater Revival - Chronicle
6. Dr. Buzzard’s Original Savannah Band
7. David Bowie - Station to Station
8. Kate & Anna McGarrigle
9. David Bowie - Changesonebowie
10. Graham Parker - Heat Treatment
11. Miles Davis - Agharta
12. The Modern Lovers
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13. Burning Spear - Marcus Garvey
14. Arlo Guthrie - Amigo
15. Mighty Diamonds - Right Time
16. Ohio Players - Gold
17. War - Greatest Hits
18. Mott the Hoople - Greatest Hits
19. New York Shakespeare Festival - Threepenny Opera
20. Patti Smith Group - Radio Ethiopia
21. Bob Seger - Night Moves
22. KC & the Sunshine Band
23. Funkadelic - Hardcore Jollies
24. Aerosmith - Rocks
25. Hound Dog Taylor & the Houserockers - Beware of the Dog
26. Al Green - Full of Fire
27. Billy Swan
28. Gil Scott-Heron & Brian Jackson - It’s Your World
29. Ike & Tina Turner - Greatest Hits
30. Fairport Convention - Fairport Chronicles
31. Son Seals - Midnight Son
32. The Best of Grin featuring Nils Lofgren
33. Rolling Stones - Black & Blue
34. Hot Chocolate - Man to Man
35. Lynyrd Skynyrd - One More for the Road
36. Raspberries’ Best featuring Eric Carmen
37. Bob Marley & the Wailers - Live!
38. George Jones - Alone Again
39. Hi Rhythm - On the Loose
40. Esther Phillips - Confessin’ the Blues
41. Boz Scaggs - Silk Degrees
42. Harold Melvin & the Bluenotes - Collectors’ Item
43. Gasolin’
44. Bunny Wailer - Blackheart Man
45. James Talley - Tryin’ Like the Devil
Skip To TopThe Robert Christgau Deans' Lists
1977
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1. Television - Marquee Moon
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2. Kate & Anna McGarrigle - Dancer with Bruised Knees
3. Fleetwood Mac - Rumours
4. Never Mind the Bollocks Here’s the Sex Pistols
5. Ramones - Rocket to Russia
6. Andy Fairweather Low - Be Bop ‘n’ Holla
7. Parliament - Funkentelechy vs. the Placebo Syndrome
8. Ornette Coleman - Dancing in Your Head
9. Al Green - The Belle Album
10. Hot Chocolate - 10 Greatest Hits
11. Funkadelic - The Best of the Early Years Volume One
12. The Beach Boys Love You
13. The Beatles at the Hollywood Bowl
14. Ramones Leave Home
15. Roxy Music - Greatest Hits
16. John Cale - Guts
17. Lynyrd Skynyrd - Street Survivors
18. Paul Simon - Greatest Hits, etc.
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19. Muddy Waters - Hard Again
20. Richard Hell & the Voidoids - Blank Generation
21. Ray Charles - True to Life
22. George Jones & Tammy Wynette - Greatest Hits
23. Talking Heads - 77
24. Johnny Shines - Too Wet to Plow
25. The Best of Freddy Fender
26. The Best of Moe Bandy
27. George Jones - All-Time Greatest Hits—Volume 1
28. Iggy Pop - Lust for Life
29. Richard & Linda Thompson - Live (More or Less)
30. Johnnie Taylor - Chronicle - the Twenty Greatest Hits
31. Joe Cocker’s Greatest Hits
32. Walk on the Wild Side—the Best of Lou Reed
33. Bizarros/Rubber City Rebels - From Akron
34. The Jam - In the City
35. Fela & Afrika 70 - Zombie
36. The Taj Mahal Anthology Volume One
37. Merle Haggard & the Strangers - Songs I’ll Always Sing
38. Elvin Bishop - Raisin’ Hell
39. Al Green - Greatest Hits Volume II
40. Joe Ely
41. Asleep at the Wheel - The Wheel
42. Brian Eno - Discreet Music
43. Bette Midler - Live at Last
44. Garland Jeffreys - Ghost Writer
45. Gary Stewart - Your Place or Mine
46. The Best of Tavares
47. The Scruffs - Wanna Meet the Scruffs?
48. Merle Haggard & the Strangers - A Working Man Can’t Get Nowhere Today
49. The Greatest of the Guess Who
50. Graham Parker & the Rumour - Stick to Me
51. Peter Townshend-Ronnie Lane - Rough Mix
52. Philip Glass - North Star
53. Kraftwerk - Trans-Europe Express
54. Bonnie Raitt - Sweet Forgiveness
55. Ahsford & Simpson - So So Satisfied
56. Iggy Pop - The Idiot
Skip To TopThe Robert Christgau Deans' Lists
1978
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1. Blondie - Parallel Lines
2. Wire - Pink Flag
3. Talking Heads - More Songs About Buildings & Food
4. Rolling Stones - Some Girls
5. Nick Lowe - Pure Pop for Now People
6. Elvis Costello & the Attractions - This Years Model
7. The Clash - Give ‘em Enough Rope
8. Neil Young - Comes a Time
9. The Vibrators - Pure Mania
10. Neil Young - Decade
11. Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band - Shiny Beast (Bat Chain Puller)
12. Funkadelic - One Nation Under a Groove
13. Ramones - Road to Ruin
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14. Joe Ely - Honky Tonk Masquerade
15. Lee Dorsey - Night People
16. Television - Adventure
17. Ashford & Simpson - Is It Still Good to Ya
18. Pere Ubu - The Modern Dance
19. Willie Nelson - Stardust
20. Bob Marley - Kaya
21. Steve Reich - Music for 18 Musicians
22. Willie Nelson - Face of a Fighter
23. Parliament - Motor-Booty Affair
24. Dave Edmunds - Tracks on Wax 4
25. David Johansen
26. The Steve Miller Band - Greatest Hits 1974-78
27. Billy Swan - At His Best
28. David Behrman - On the Other Ocean/Figure in a Clearing
29. The Best of the Trammps
30. Ducks Deluxe - Don’t Mind Rockin’ Tonite
31. Professor Longhair - Live on the Queen Mary
32. Ian Dury - New Boots & Panties!!
33. Merle Haggard & the Strangers - The Way It Was in ’51
34. The Marshall Tucker Band - Greatest Hits
35. The Best of Spinners
36. Max Romeo - Open the Iron Gate
37. Al Green - Truth ‘n Time
38. The Best of Earth Wind & Fire Vol. I
39. Raydio
40. Big Star - Third
41. Albert Collins - Ice Pickin’
42. Shoes - Black Vinyl Shoes
43. Johnny Paycheck - Greatest Hits Volume II
44. Pablo Moses - I Love I Bring
45. Tom Robinson Band - Power in the Darkness
46. Warren Zevon - Excitable Boy
47. Michael Mantler - Movies
48. Brian Eno - Before & After Science
49. Patti Smith Group - Easter
50. Loleatta Holloway - Queen of the Night
51. The Yankees - High & Inside
52. Steppin’ Out - Disco’s Greatest Hits
53. Son Seals - Live & Burning
54. Robert Ashley - Private Parts
55. The Carla Bley Band - European Tour 1977
56. Ornette Coleman - Body Meta
57. Mary McCaslin & Jim Ringer - The Bramble & the Rose
58. McKinley Mitchell
59. Residents - Duck Stab/Buster & Glen
60. Tapper Zukie - Man ah Warrior
61. Rodney Crowell - Ain’t Living Long Like This
Skip To TopThe Robert Christgau Deans' Lists
1979
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1. The Clash
2. Pere Ubu - Dub Housing
3. Neil Young & Crazy Horse - Rust Never Sleeps
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4. Lynyrd Skynyrd - Gold & Platinum
5. Van Morrison - Into the Music
6. Nick Lowe - Labour of Lust
7. Arthur Blythe - Lenox Avenue Breakdown
8. Air - Lore
9. Michael Jackson - Off the Wall
10. Donna Summer - On the Radio - Greatest Hits Volumes I & II
11. The B-52’s
12. Burning Spear - Harder Than the Best
13. The Roches
14. Graham Parker & the Rumour - Squeezing Out Sparks
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15. Donna Summer - Bad Girls
16. Tom Verlaine
17. Dr. Buzzard’s Original Savannah Band - - ....... Goes to Washington
18. Talking Heads - Fear of Music
19. Marianne Faithfull - Broken English
20. Buzzcocks - Singles Going Steady
21. Chic - Risque
22. XTC - Drums & Wires
23. Pretenders
24. Wreckless Eric - The Whole Wide World
25. The Only Ones - Special View
26. Shoes - Present Tense
27. Neil Young & Crazy Horse - Live Rust
28. Cory Daye - Cory & Me
29. Steel Pulse - Tribute to the Martyrs
30. Linton Kwesi Johnson - Forces of Victory
31. Si Kahn - Home
32. Les Plus Grands Succes de Chic/Chic’s Greatest Hits
33. Dave Edmunds - Repeat When Necessary
34. Fashion - Product Perfect
35. The Best of Don Williams Volume II
36. Living Chicago Blues Volume I
37. Millie Jackson - Live & Uncensored
38. Culture - International Herb
39. Roxy Music - Manifesto
40. Shades of Ian Hunter - the Ballad of Ian Hunter & Mott the Hoople
41. Mutiny - Mutiny on the Mamaship
42. Lene Lovich - Stateless
43. Terry Allen - Lubbock (on Everything)
44. Henry Cow - Unrest
45. James Brown - The Original Disco Man
46. Brides of Funkenstein - Never Buy Texas from a Cowboy
47. Smokey Robinson - Where There’s Smoke…
48. David Bowie - Lodger
49. Blondie - Eat to the Beat
50. Elvis Costello & the Attractions - Armed Forces
51. Heartbreakers - Live at Max’s Kansas City
52. Taana Gardner
53. Tom Robinson Band - TRB 2
54. ZZ Top - Deguello
55. Irakere
56. James Blood - Tales of Captain Black
57. Midnight Rhythm
58. Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson - Kidney Stew is Fine
59. George Jones - My Very Special Friends
