r/Music • u/[deleted] • Jul 23 '10

Would anyone be interested in making a list of essential albums for each genre?

We could do it by up voting, I'll make a couple so you know what I mean.

Feel free to make bolded genres yourself, I am trying to make more. Just try to avoid duplicates.

  • Edit 1: Please only one album per post
  • Edit 2: Please CTRL+F before you post
  • Thanks everyone for participating, this is quite the list. As soon as the oranges stop I'll compile this into a list on the r/music and r/musicessentials (thanks to ryannn). Also perezidentt suggested that we make a torrent with the top 3 albums from each genre. If anyone knows how to do that let me know.
841 Upvotes

92% Upvoted

4.3k comments sorted by

46

u/[deleted] Jul 23 '10

Punk

55

u/rubixqube Jul 23 '10

The Stooges - Fun House

53

u/[deleted] Jul 23 '10

The Ramones - The Ramones

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218

u/[deleted] Jul 23 '10

London Calling- The Clash

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124

u/chekt Jul 23 '10

The Dead Kennedys - Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables

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53

u/gorkatron Jul 23 '10

Television - Marquee Moon

59

u/muiduck Jul 23 '10

Refused - The Shape of Punk to Come

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44

u/[deleted] Jul 23 '10

Misfits - Walk among us

43

u/rickulous Jul 23 '10

Minor threat-Complete Discography

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55

u/[deleted] Jul 23 '10

Post Rock

188

u/[deleted] Jul 23 '10

Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas To Heaven -Godspeed You! Black Emperor

0

u/[deleted] Jul 23 '10

[deleted]

5

u/[deleted] Jul 23 '10

Put them down then man

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136

u/schwibbity Jul 23 '10

Sigur Rós - Agaetis Byrjun

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106

u/[deleted] Jul 23 '10

Mogwai - Happy Songs for Happy People

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191

u/moshmoshmosh Jul 23 '10

The Earth Is Not A Cold Dead Place - Explosions In The Sky

19

u/[deleted] Jul 23 '10

russian circles - enter

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205

u/solilo Jul 23 '10

Sigur Rós - Takk...

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79

u/ashtreelane Jul 23 '10

Explosions in the Sky - Those Who Tell The Truth Shall Die, Those Who Tell The Truth Shall Live Forever

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33

u/uglypopstar Jul 23 '10

Slint - Spiderland

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102

u/[deleted] Jul 23 '10

Indie Rock

171

u/[deleted] Jul 23 '10

Lonesome Crowded West- Modest Mouse

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237

u/chekt Jul 23 '10

Doolittle - The Pixies

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55

u/melodynelson Jul 23 '10

Crooked Rain Crooked Rain - Pavement

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298

u/hemogoblins Jul 23 '10

The Arcade Fire - Funeral

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120

u/grossRealist Jul 23 '10

Broken Social Scene - You Forgot It In People

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108

u/musicofsport Jul 23 '10

Slanted & Enchanted - Pavement

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70

u/theloraxe Jul 23 '10

Elliott Smith - Elliott Smith

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187

u/moshmoshmosh Jul 23 '10

Illinoise - Sufjan Stevens

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29

u/jadanzzy Jul 23 '10

My Bloody Valentine - Loveless

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329

u/ArchAuthor Jul 23 '10

In The Aeroplane Over The Sea- Neutral Milk Hotel

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71

u/aclashingcolour Jul 23 '10

Turn on the Bright Lights - Interpol

78

u/vindice Jul 23 '10

Perfect From Now On - Built to Spill

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148

u/[deleted] Jul 23 '10

Yankee Hotel Foxtrot - Wilco

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12

u/Wazzzzup Jul 23 '10

Surfer Rosa - Pixies

99

u/vicereversa Jul 23 '10

Oh, Inverted World - The Shins

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106

u/gorkatron Jul 23 '10

Sonic Youth - Daydream Nation

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37

u/[deleted] Jul 23 '10

Indie Pop

79

u/[deleted] Jul 23 '10

Hissing Fauna, are you the Destroyer- Of Montreal

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149

u/lazeyasian Jul 23 '10

The Postal Service - Give Up

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78

u/theStork Jul 23 '10

If You're Feeling Sinister - Belle and Sebastian (Dunno if this is better for Indie Pop or Folk, but its a classic in either genre)

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98

u/melodynelson Jul 23 '10

Phoenix - Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix

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38

u/Lightofnorth Jul 23 '10

Andrew Bird & the Mysterious Production of Eggs - Andrew Bird

15

u/qeeroh Jul 23 '10

The Magnetic Fields - 69 Love Songs

42

u/[deleted] Jul 23 '10

Who Will Cut Our Hair When We're Gone? - The Unicorns

24

u/[deleted] Jul 23 '10

Minus The Bear - Menos El Oso

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75

u/chaosofdante Jul 23 '10

Passion Pit- Manners

20

u/mikemcg MoreThanMike Jul 23 '10

Chutes Too Narrow by The Shins

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74

u/lazeyasian Jul 23 '10

Electronic

161

u/[deleted] Jul 23 '10

Cross-Justice

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32

u/flux123 Jul 23 '10

Prodigy - Music for the Jilted Generation

76

u/grignr Jul 23 '10

Kraftwerk - Autobahn

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48

u/mr_gen_x Jul 23 '10

The Chemical Brothers - Dig Your Own Hole

156

u/DayvanSpaceCowboy Jul 23 '10

Boards Of Canada - Music Has The Right To Children

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19

u/[deleted] Jul 23 '10

The Orb - The Orb's Adventures Beyond The Ultraworld

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19

u/flux123 Jul 23 '10

Underworld - Beaucoup Fish

53

u/Dev__ Jul 23 '10

Massive Attack - Mezzanine

311

u/lazeyasian Jul 23 '10

Daft Punk - Discovery

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181

u/gorkatron Jul 23 '10

Aphex Twin - Selected Ambient Works, 1985-1992

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45

u/[deleted] Jul 23 '10

I Care Because You Do

45

u/seanhallaren Jul 23 '10

Boards of Canada - The Campfire Headphase

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40

u/[deleted] Jul 23 '10

Aphex Twin - Richard D James Album

37

u/kryoth Jul 23 '10

Fatboy Slim - You've Come a Long Way, Baby

24

u/Falsey Jul 23 '10

Cut Copy - In Ghost Colours

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37

u/[deleted] Jul 23 '10 edited Jul 23 '10

Jean-Michel Jarre - Oxygene

Kraftwerk - Die Mensch-Maschine

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130

u/haunterrr Jul 23 '10

Daft Punk - Alive 2007

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45

u/[deleted] Jul 23 '10

Rap

22

u/pumper911 Spotify Jul 23 '10

Outkast - Stankonia

31

u/kjfarley Jul 23 '10

A Tribe Called Quest - The Low end Theory

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15

u/powerneck Jul 23 '10

The Roots - Things Fall Apart

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13

u/lojikul Jul 23 '10

The Pharcyde - Bizarre Ride II

104

u/[deleted] Jul 23 '10 edited Sep 23 '17

He looked at the lake

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86

u/takishan Jul 23 '10 edited Jun 26 '23

this is a 14 year old account that is being wiped because centralized social media websites are no longer viable

when power is centralized, the wielders of that power can make arbitrary decisions without the consent of the vast majority of the users

the future is in decentralized and open source social media sites - i refuse to generate any more free content for this website and any other for-profit enterprise

check out lemmy / kbin / mastodon / fediverse for what is possible

60

u/[deleted] Jul 23 '10

Black Star - Mos Def & Talib Kweli are Black Star (1998)

138

u/takishan Jul 23 '10 edited Jun 26 '23

this is a 14 year old account that is being wiped because centralized social media websites are no longer viable

when power is centralized, the wielders of that power can make arbitrary decisions without the consent of the vast majority of the users

the future is in decentralized and open source social media sites - i refuse to generate any more free content for this website and any other for-profit enterprise

check out lemmy / kbin / mastodon / fediverse for what is possible

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155

u/[deleted] Jul 23 '10

Nas - Illmatic

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18

u/[deleted] Jul 23 '10

Experimental

29

u/[deleted] Jul 23 '10

Person Pitch- Panda Bear

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22

u/[deleted] Jul 23 '10

Indie Folk

97

u/[deleted] Jul 23 '10

Fleet Foxes- Fleet Foxes

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25

u/tommyg_99 Jul 23 '10

The Tallest Man On Earth - The Wild Hunt

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24

u/Argham Jul 23 '10

The Decemberists - Castaways and Cutouts (or any early album, later stuff is amazing, but not folk)

41

u/ebola1986 Jul 23 '10

Neutral Milk Hotel - In The Aeroplane Over The Sea

20

u/notsoLIRy Jul 23 '10

Iron and Wine - Creek Drank The Cradle

87

u/theloraxe Jul 23 '10

For Emma, Forever Ago - Bon Iver (this is a more suitable home for it than folk)

19

u/notsoLIRy Jul 23 '10

José González - Veneer

11

u/devotedpupa Jul 23 '10

Tallahassee;All hail West Texas;The sunset tree -The Mountain Goats

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13

u/[deleted] Jul 23 '10

Ska

29

u/[deleted] Jul 23 '10

Everything Goes Numb- Streetlight Manifesto

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17

u/[deleted] Jul 23 '10

Hip-Hop

38

u/falc0n2600 Jul 23 '10

GZA - Liquid Swords

40

u/IAmNotAMeme Jul 23 '10

Illmatic-Nas

28

u/[deleted] Jul 23 '10

Mos Def - Black on Both Sides

27

u/[deleted] Jul 23 '10

Deltron 3030 - Deltron 3030

55

u/[deleted] Jul 23 '10

Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) - Wu Tang Clan

23

u/ArchAuthor Jul 23 '10

De La Soul- 3 Feet High And Rising

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10

u/[deleted] Jul 23 '10

Folk Punk

11

u/[deleted] Jul 23 '10

The Great Depression- Defiance, Ohio

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15

u/[deleted] Jul 23 '10

Violent Femmes - Violent Femmes

21

u/burchalade Jul 23 '10

Against Me! - Reinventing Axl Rose

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17

u/[deleted] Jul 23 '10

Math Rock

57

u/[deleted] Jul 23 '10

Mirrored-Battles

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12

u/UppruniTegundanna Jul 23 '10

Don Caballero - What Burns Never Returns Don Caballero - 2 Don Caballero - American Don

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13

u/[deleted] Jul 23 '10 edited Jul 23 '10

Post Punk

10

u/[deleted] Jul 23 '10

Turn on the Bright Lights- Interpol

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35

u/Gangles Jul 23 '10

Talking Heads - Remain in Light

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23

u/sn00py Jul 23 '10

Joy Division - Unknown Pleasures

36

u/[deleted] Jul 23 '10 edited Jul 23 '10

  • Joy Division - Unknown Pleasures

  • Siouxsie and the Banshees - The Scream

  • The Sisters of Mercy - First and Last and Always

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11

u/vindice Jul 23 '10

Psychocandy - Jesus and Mary Chain

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220

u/iforgot120 Google Music Jul 23 '10

It'd probably be better if everyone only posted one album per comment. Makes it easier to up/downvote and discuss.

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9

u/youknowimright Jul 24 '10

this should be turned into a subreddit so that people can contribute directly to the genres they were looking for.

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60

u/[deleted] Jul 23 '10 edited Sep 23 '17

He goes to home

209

u/sn00py Jul 23 '10

Sgt. Pepper's, White Album

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99

u/sje46 Jul 23 '10

Abbey Road - The Beatles

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168

u/tswe Jul 23 '10

David Bowie-Ziggy Stardust

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65

u/kickit Jul 23 '10

The Rolling Stones - Exile on Main St.

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275

u/nulspace Jul 23 '10

Led Zeppelin IV - Led Zeppelin

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147

u/KingShish Jul 23 '10

Jimi Hendrix - Electric Ladyland

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127

u/theStork Jul 23 '10

Who's Next - The Who

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122

u/falc0n2600 Jul 23 '10

The Velvet Underground and Nico

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39

u/[deleted] Jul 23 '10 edited Jul 23 '10

Queen - News of the World
or
Queen - A Night at the Opera (mostly because of Bohemian Rhapsody)
[edit - fixed album]

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88

u/IAmNotAMeme Jul 23 '10

London Calling-The Clash

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30

u/[deleted] Jul 23 '10

Frank Zappa & The Mothers - Over-nite Sensation

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30

u/StoopiBird Jul 23 '10

T. Rex- Electric Warrior

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10

u/Im_a_little_drunk Jul 23 '10

Creedence Clearwater Revival - all of it

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88

u/[deleted] Jul 23 '10

Progressive Rock

233

u/[deleted] Jul 23 '10

In the Court of the Crimson King - King Crimson

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389

u/caks goldencako Jul 23 '10

Dark Side of the Moon - Pink Floyd

14

u/[deleted] Jul 23 '10

Rush - 2112

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81

u/caks goldencako Jul 23 '10

Close to the Edge - Yes

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137

u/grignr Jul 23 '10

Pink Floyd - Wish You Were Here

74

u/caks goldencako Jul 23 '10

Thick as a Brick - Jethro Tull

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11

u/rubthewrongway Jul 23 '10

Fragile - Yes

106

u/KingShish Jul 23 '10

RUSH - Moving Pictures

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50

u/[deleted] Jul 23 '10

Classical

25

u/frusciante231 Jul 23 '10

Beethoven - Symphony No. 9

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24

u/[deleted] Jul 23 '10

Glenn Gould - The Goldberg Variations

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34

u/DoKwan Jul 23 '10

Stravinsky - Rite of Spring

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41

u/nulspace Jul 23 '10

Folk

103

u/Gangles Jul 23 '10

Simon & Garfunkel - Parsley, Sage, Rosemary & Thyme

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24

u/zelterskelter Jul 23 '10

Leonard Cohen - Songs of Leonard Cohen

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44

u/vindice Jul 23 '10

Tea for the Tillerman - Cat Stevens

16

u/tacostacostacostacos Jul 23 '10

The Avett Brothers - Emotionalism

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126

u/KingShish Jul 23 '10

Bob Dylan - Blood on the tracks

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42

u/RodneyDangerfuck Jul 23 '10

The Freewheelin' - Bob dylan

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58

u/[deleted] Jul 23 '10

Pink Moon - Nick Drake

First Utterance - Comus

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51

u/erk070 Jul 23 '10

Jazz

252

u/erk070 Jul 23 '10

Kind of Blue - Miles Davis

35

u/soundbyter soundbyter Jul 23 '10

Thelonious Monk Quartet with John Coltrane at Carnegie Hall

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99

u/tswe Jul 23 '10

Bitches Brew-Miles Davis

70

u/theStork Jul 23 '10

Blue Train - John Coltrane

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19

u/Lightofnorth Jul 23 '10

Somethin' Else - Julian "Cannonball" Alderly with Miles Davis

19

u/judzillah Jul 23 '10

Charles Mingus - The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady

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15

u/[deleted] Jul 23 '10

Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers w Thelonious Monk (1957)

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28

u/[deleted] Jul 23 '10

Headhunters - Herbie Hancock

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12

u/kwoods0213 Jul 23 '10

In a Silent Way - Miles Davis

85

u/[deleted] Jul 23 '10

Time Out- Dave Brubeck Quartet

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11

u/skunkbunk Jul 23 '10

Black Market - Weather Report

36

u/[deleted] Jul 23 '10

Mingus Ah Um - Charles Mingus

In Paris - Chet Baker

The Way Up - Pat Metheny Group

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17

u/moultano Jul 23 '10

Bluegrass

14

u/kwoods0213 Jul 23 '10

Old Crow Medicine Show - O.C.M.S.

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17

u/sje46 Jul 23 '10

Psychedelic Rock

21

u/doctorhu Jul 23 '10

The Beach Boys - Pet Sounds

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34

u/sje46 Jul 23 '10

Pink Floyd - Piper at the Gates of Dawn

42

u/[deleted] Jul 23 '10

  • The Flaming Lips - Embyronic

  • The Flaming Lips - Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots

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14

u/jals redlemon Jul 23 '10

Love - Forever Changes

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33

u/AssholeDeluxe Jul 23 '10

Progressive Metal

23

u/3unknown3 Jul 23 '10

Cynic - Traced in Air

39

u/caks goldencako Jul 23 '10

Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes from a Memory - Dream Theater

62

u/CrackInTheSky Jul 23 '10

Mastodon - Crack The Skye

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77

u/sesstreets Jul 23 '10

Tool - Aenima, Lateralus

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20

u/myhouseisgod Jul 23 '10

dream theater - images and words

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36

u/tswe Jul 23 '10

Trip-Hop

119

u/[deleted] Jul 23 '10

DJ Shadow - Endtroducing

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49

u/theSkua Jul 23 '10

Tricky - Maxinquaye

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49

u/mantekka Jul 23 '10

Zero 7 - Simple Things

178

u/tswe Jul 23 '10

Massive Attack-Mezzanine

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17

u/i3endy Jul 23 '10

Sneaker Pimps - Becoming X

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31

u/rubixqube Jul 23 '10

UNKLE - Psyence Fiction (or any of UNKLE's first 2-3 albums)

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4

u/[deleted] Jul 23 '10

Big Band

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4

u/[deleted] Jul 23 '10

Ambient Techno.

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4

u/rnbguru Jul 23 '10

R&B / Rhythm & Blues

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39

u/ArchAuthor Jul 23 '10

Metal

72

u/[deleted] Jul 23 '10 edited Sep 23 '17

I go to cinema

51

u/CrackInTheSky Jul 23 '10

Iron Maiden - Powerslave

78

u/[deleted] Jul 23 '10 edited Sep 23 '17

You chose a dvd for tonight

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17

u/drummerjeff Jul 23 '10

Funk

24

u/caks goldencako Jul 23 '10

Maggot Brain - Funkadelic

12

u/caks goldencako Jul 23 '10

Mothership Connection - Parliament

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19

u/[deleted] Jul 23 '10

Death Metal

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14

u/[deleted] Jul 23 '10

Blues

18

u/tommyg_99 Jul 23 '10

The Complete Recordings - Robert Johnson.

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