101 Albums To Hear Before You Die

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In this week’s issue of NME, we’ve called upon Alex Turner, Jarvis Cocker, Noel Gallagher, St Vincent and loads more to pick the 101 Albums To Hear Before You Die. To start off, Bo Ningen’s Mon-Chan chose Clara Rockmore – ‘The Art Of The Theremin’, describing it as “a requiem for the people who live through the transmigration of the soul.” Mon-Chan, Bo Ningen

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Dandelion Gum – ‘Black Moth Super Rainbow’. “Melodic, spacey wonderment from a band I don’t really know a lot about other than they knew how to handle synths. It’s been on repeat since I stumbled upon it and it’s already one of my favourite albums ever. Listen to it immediately.” Dan Ganderton, Superfood

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Iggy And The Stooges – ‘Raw Power’. “I got it when I was 15 and immediately related to it. I was living on a housing estate in Manchester where it seemed like winter lasted forever. But I didn’t mind the days being dark when the soundtrack to those days was so beautiful and mysterious.” Johnny Marr

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ESG – ‘Come Away With ESG’. “So many things have been influenced by ESG. I love drums, I love rhythm and lyrical simplicity. It’s not just any one thing – it’s not just disco, not just funk, not just no-wave, it’s its own thing.” Jennifer Herrema, Royal Trux

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Oasis – ‘Definitely Maybe’. “It doesn’t fuck about. It exudes such natural, unapologetic brilliance. Noel is the master puppeteer with a tiger on a lead. It’s not mindless noise trying to be rock’n’roll by sounding shit on purpose and compromising its own sound; it is what it is. And it’s a diamond.” Nathan Day, Darlia

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Lou Reed – ‘Berlin’. “I like how claustrophobic and pompous it is. Because the instruments are played with the soulless proficiency of some beardy clock-watchers (in a good way) it seems to enhance what Lou Reed is singing about.” Charlie Boyer, Charlie Boyer And The Voyeurs

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Talk Talk – ‘Spirit Of Eden’. “Ditching the synths and the electronics and embracing everything organic, this truly was a bold left turn for a band who were Top 10 chart fodder. A creative benchmark.” Chris Talbot, Wild Beasts

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Germs – ‘(GI)’. “After one listen I stopped taking guitar lessons and began to think I could do what Germs were doing.” Aaron Hemphill, Liars

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Charlotte Gainsbourg – ‘Charlotte For Ever’. “She was 15 when she made her debut. It’s not only a strange and fascinating milestone for her, but for her father as well. This record is so pop that very few people, let alone punk rockers, can listen to it for more than one song. A must for the truly dedicated music adventurer.” Carson Cox, Merchandise

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Lana Del Rey – ‘Born To Die’. “The perfect contemporary pop record. The postmodern themes in songs like ‘Diet Mountain Dew’ and ‘Video Games’, though subtle, encapsulate the essence of youth in this tasteful and timeless way. The topic of most of her songs are about strange or taboo relationships with men of all ages.” Bridget Battle, Tweens

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The European – ‘In A Very Real Sense Now’. “I remember being taken aback by the lyrics, the unashamedly English voice and the song’s balancing act of comedy and pathos. The rest of the album follows suit, every song being a mixture of quirkiness, sincerity, playfulness and genuine emotion.” William Doyle, East India Youth

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Jimi Hendrix – ‘Electric Ladyland’. “That’s when my mind got blown for the first time. I’d never heard guitar playing like that. Coupled with the songwriting, it was music being played in a way I’d never heard before.” Matt Hayward, Band Of Skulls

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Simon Joyner – ‘Songs For The New Year’. “I would highly recommend it to anyone who likes some nice, beautiful poetry with their folk music. Simon is one of the reasons I started writing songs.” Conor Oberst

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Steely Dan – ‘Katy Lied’. “People say they’re too smooth, but if you really listen, you realise Steely Dan are badass shit. I hated ‘Katy Lied’ for so long. Then you listen deeper and it changes. Their sense of humour is hilarious, the lyrics are great, and they play circles around everybody.” Kurt Vile

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XTC – ‘Skylarking’. “It’s a very summery album, and draws on XTC’s West Country roots. Lyrically it opens with young love and its humble beginnings and develops towards marriage, followed by the struggles and paranoia of a mid-life crisis. Delve into one of the best bands in alt.pop history.” Duncan Wallis and Robin Richards, Dutch Uncles

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Cat Stevens – ‘Teaser And The Firecat’. “Cat Stevens was on a real run of form around this time. The stories in the songs are very moving and unforgettable, and I still listen to this record a lot. ‘The Wind’, ‘Moonshadow’, ‘Morning Has Broken’ and ‘Peace Train’ are all on here, and I completely wore out the first copy I got of this record.” Ron Howard

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X – ‘X-Aspirations’. “It sums up everything great about rock music. it’s equal parts hard-rock scumbaggery and punk-rock pessimism, and every track is a hit. Pissed Jeans has ripped off all we could from this record, and I recommend that any other hopeful rock band do the same.” Matt Korvette, Pissed Jeans

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Girls – ‘Album’. “It’s like listening to early Beatles songs after hearing their R&B covers – everything is in plain sight, illustrating those situations everyone’s been in before. That’s not to say it’s unoriginal though, and the production is entirely captivating, elevating each musical idea to a sensation that lingers long after it’s all over.” Eoin Loveless, Drenge

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Hugo Montenegro – ‘Music From The Good, The Bad And The Ugly’. “It reminds me of getting ready to go to school, and my mum always used to have Terry Wogan on the radio. It reminds me of pain because mum used to brush me and my sister’s hair before we went to school. If you didn’t keep still, she’d hit you on the head with a hairbrush.” Jarvis Cocker

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Suicide – ‘Suicide’. “As far as I know it’s maybe the pioneer of that kind of electronic trance. It’s got a good modern edge – it’s not cluttered, it’s basically a synthesizer and a drum machine. ‘Suicide’ reminds you that you’ve got to go back to the basics – nothing has to be that complicated, the less information the better.” Joey Santiago, Pixies

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Paul McCartney – ‘McCartney II’. “Our manager showed it to me when we were at this house party in New York. He played me ‘Temporary Secretary’, which is one of the best songs I’ve ever heard. It’s one of the biggest inspirations for me right now with writing our second album, and I think it’s going to help us a lot.” Austin Williams, Swim Deep

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Failure – ‘Fantastic Planet’. “It’s droney, it’s heavy, the guitar tones are outrageous. It’s the epitome of ’90s alternative rock. I like them mostly because [Ken Andrews] sounds like he doesn’t care, he’s just singing things he’s passionate about.” Hayley Williams, Paramore

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Health – ‘Health’. “Some of the songs are unlistenable, but it’s so original. We were on the NME New Noise tour in 2008 and at the Newcastle show, Health were also playing in the city. Crystal Castles are friends of theirs, so we all went to the show.” Harry McVeigh, White Lies

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Spacemen 3 – ‘Performance’. “We used to cover ‘Walking With Jesus’ at school. Joe [Goddard] would tape down notes on the keyboard and I would play the guitar. It was a fairly pivotal moment in terms of keeping us together. If we hadn’t done that, we may not have moved away from the acoustic stuff we were playing before.” Alexis Taylor, Hot Chip

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Radiohead – ‘In Rainbows’. “This is the Radiohead album I had always been waiting to hear. For me, this is a warm and human album – the former is not really one of their hallmarks. They complement the songwriting with gorgeous, expansive textures and tight, organic rhythmic patterns that reveal themselves more with every listen.” Iain Cook, Chvrches

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Scritti Politti – ‘Cupid & Psyche 85’. “At times it sounds like the best Michael Jackson record that Michael Jackson had absolutely nothing to do with. It’s one of the most grievously underrated pop/post-punk albums of all time. Buy it for your boyfriend, buy it for your girlfriend. Get laid forever.” Jordan Gatesmith, Howler

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The Last Poets – ‘The Last Poets’. “It’s out of control. It’s this Black Power, conga drum music. They were from New York in the early ’70s and this was their most revolutionary record. It’s positive music, but it’s so hardcore.” Anton Newcombe, The Brian Jonestown Massacre

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The Jesus And Mary Chain – ‘Psychocandy’. “It’s been a prominent record in my mind from the moment I laid my eyes on the Reid brothers in the catatonic, Warholian cool of the ‘Just Like Honey’ video. Shoegaze wouldn’t exist without this effort, as it opened the world’s ears to the subversive and contextual language that is feedback.” Honor Titus, Cerebral Ballazy

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The Weakerthans – ‘Reconstruction Site’. “It has the best lyrics I’ve ever heard in my life. What John K Samson does with words on this record is so far advanced and ahead of all other pop music lyrics that I’ve heard. And the music is lovely; it’s a really great country rock record.” Frank Turner

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Elliott Smith – ‘From A Basement On The Hill’. “A lot of his songs after the first couple of albums seem heavily Beatles-inspired, which is perfect for me. I’ve thought of a million meanings and messages this album delivers but I don’t want to try and make sense of it. It’s far too dreamy to want to pull it apart.” Kris Bell, The Wytches

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Kraftwerk – ‘Trans-Europe Express’. “The most influential band of the last 30 years. They had such a huge impact on all the hip-hop stuff I used to listen to in the ’90s. Their influence is so important in everything I’ve done, and what I continue to do.” Danger Mouse

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Bob Dylan – ‘Blood On The Tracks’. “This is my favourite album ever. I spent the end of my teenage years and the start of my twenties listening to old music. I discovered folk music when I was 25 and that led me to Dylan. He blew me away with this. It’s not only a great album but it’s, like, the great album from his second period.” Quentin Tarantino

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Dead Kennedys – ‘Plastic Surgery Disasters’. “I definitely was not the same after hearing this one. It totally shattered my perception of what a punk band, or a rock band, was capable of. From the bassline of ‘Forest Fire’ to the lead part in ‘Moon Over Marin’, you really can’t fuck with his one.” Andrew Savage, Parquet Courts

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The Smiths – ‘Louder Than Bombs’. “The Smiths had the biggest impact on me. This album’s got my favourite Smiths song ever on it: ‘You Just Haven’t Earned It Yet, Baby’. People underestimated how much they rocked and this was one of my first rock songs.” Brandon Flowers, The Killers

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The Clash – ‘The Clash’. “I went to high school in Hackettstown, New Jersey. Sound Effects Records was its crown jewel. The owner of the store said, ‘You know you’re trying to get into punk and you don’t know The Clash?’ Him and his friend bought the record for me. I went back and gave him the money because I was like, ‘This is awesome’.” Brian Fallon, The Gaslight Anthem

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Casino Versus Japan – ‘Whole Numbers Play The Basics’. “I quickly became infatuated with this record, and it became my personal score to Interpol’s first coach tour. Musically, it transcends any common notion of format in a ‘pop’ sense, which still extending a friendly invite.” Sam Fogarino, Interpol

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Bernard Herrmann – ‘Psycho OST’. “This really unhinged me when I first heard it. Later on, I played it to John McGeoch [late Banshees guitarist] and he said, ‘That’s how I want my guitar to sound.’ I think the film affected me more than anything I’d ever seen. I was so scared. Secretly, I kept hoping my mum would never buy a shower!” Siouxsie Sioux

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Michael Jackson –’Thriller’. “Nothing’s come near since. It was my childhood, man. I don’t think I’d be singing in a band if it wasn’t for Michael Jackson. He’s a big part of me, and my childhood. Don’t get me wrong, from what I hear the guy was a fucking monster, but in his day he could shred anyone. Can’t take that away from him.” Tom Meighan, Kasabian

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Public Enemy – ‘Fear Of A Black Planet’. “I remember going into Our Price with my mum and asking the guy for some Public Enemy. I got ‘Fear Of A Black Planet’ and it didn’t leave my Walkman for months. It felt like my music, speaking for my generation, and it blew my tiny Scottish head.” Dave Maclean, Django Django

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Lauryn Hill – ‘The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill’. “It’s flawless, from the rasta cry intro of ‘Lost Ones’ to the heart-wrenching ‘When It Hurts So Bad’. No-one’s created anything close to the cohesion and the timelessness of the songs. She has a swagger like Biggie coupled with the message and wisdom of a poet.” Lizzo

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T2 – ‘It’ll All Work Out In Boomland’. “I think it’s probably the most influential record when it comes to heavy and progressive rock of that time [’60s and ’70s]. I first heard it when I was on tour with The Horrors before ‘Primary Colours’ came out and it’s been one of my favourite records ever since.” Faris Badwan, The Horrors

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Fela Kuti – ‘Shuffering And Shmiling’. “This is great when you’ve got people round for a party and it’s getting into the early hours of the morning. I haven’t met anyone who hasn’t fallen instantly in love with it. I think everyone loves a really funky, groovy song and this album has all these huge, catchy melodies.” Jack Steadman, Bombay Bicycle Club

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J Dilla – ‘Donuts’. “I could go a lot further into what I have picked up from this record – the hidden messages and meanings – but I’d rather you just listen to it, enjoy it and marvel at how heartfelt and groundbreaking it is. J Dilla is a massive inspiration to me, and many others, particularly this record, and I thoroughly recommend it.” Kwes

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Captain Beyond – ‘Captain Beyond’. “There’s a prog band called Captain Beyond who released three albums in the ’70s, and this self-titled one was their first. It’s a great album, riff-strong from beginning to end. I’ve tried to look up how they recorded it because it sounds like it’s a massive jam. It’s a good one to play loud.” Jamie Cook, Arctic Monkeys

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Santana – ‘Abraxas’. “I can remember when I was about nine and ‘Black Magic Woman’ was the first song I ever fell in love with. I love listening to the album’s guitar and jungle rhythms and beautiful drums and different percussions. I can’t get enough of psychedelic shit like that!” Action Bronson

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Chromatics – ‘Night Drive’. “I’m always putting this on. It came out on Italians Do It Better, but not just Italo disco. There’s guitar, then more disco beats, then it jumps back to Italo disco – it’s deliberately all over the place. It’s something I can put on at any time and it’s always got that really nice, sad, transporting sound to it.” Rom Madley Croft, The xx

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Run-DMC – ‘Run-DMC’. “Run-DMC were one of those bands where it’s like, ‘Wow, you see those same people on the corner.’ I didn’t Grandmaster Flash on the corner every day with the leather and the spikes, but Run-DMC, you saw them every day in their Adidas. So to see somebody in your neighbourhood on TV, doing hip-hop that big, was impressive.” Trugoy The Dove, De La Soul

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The O’Jays – ‘Travelin’ At The Speed Of Thought’. “This was the first album I ever bought. I was a big O’Jays fan. I always liked the way their vocals overlapped and intertwined with each other. Eddie Levert and Walter Williams are the greatest singers of all time in my book.” Chuck D, Public Enemy

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Red House Painters – ‘Rollercoaster’. “It’s a beautifully heartbreaking record that taught me a lot about music. Having grown up listening to a lot of extreme stuff like Slayer and Pantera, to hear something so gentle but so intense opened my eyes to the fact tha tmusic doesn’t have to be brutal to take you somewhere heavy.” Simon Neil, Biffy Clyro

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Brian Eno – ‘Here Come The Warm Jets’. “I first heard this in my mid-teens, and it’s stayed with me ever since. This was his first solo foray after Roxy Music. Only recently have I realised how venomous Eno is towards his ex-bandmate Bryan Ferry; each song is veiled in oblique wordplay. He sounds potent, lost, hateful and creative.” Matt Wood, Telegram

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Minutemen – ‘Buzz Or Howl Under The Influence Of Heat’. “To say that Minutemen influenced me, and an entire population of others, is like saying the Civil War had ‘some effect’ on the slave trade. The only other three-piece band to carve out such a distinctive path would be The Wipers, about whom you limeys know way too little for me to help you.” Steve Albini

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The Shaggs – ‘Philosophy Of The World’. “None of them were spectacular at playing their instruments but they did it anyway, their own way. The bottom line is that there’s something very innocent and equally disturbing about it. It’s very rare that a record makes you rethink everything you know.” Harry Koisser, Peace

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Led Zeppelin – ‘Led Zeppelin IV’. “Led Zeppelin are the best, and everyone should know that. Everyone wants to write an album this brilliant. As soon as the needle touches the vinyl you hear that whatever the hell that sound is start going and then, boom, you’re getting fucked in the face in the best way.” Isaiah Radke, Radkey

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The Space Lady – ‘The Space Lady’s Greatest Hits’. “The Space Lady, Suzy Soundz, performed on the streets of San Francisco with just a Casio. Her voice grabs you, and her take on songs is really unique. They are mostly covers, but you wouldn’t know it. She’s the epitome of an outsider artist. She also wears a helmet with wings on it.” Maxim ‘Panda’ Barron, Toy

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OutKast – ‘Stankonia’. “I really enjoyed OutKast as a kid, I don’t know why. Obviously back then I wasn’t like, ‘Oh, the production’s amazing’ or anything; it’s just that the whole record is totally solid. ‘Bombs Over Baghdad’ is pretty sweet; it’s like a rap/drum’n’bass sound.” Grimes

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Don Cherry & Ed Blackwell – ‘El Corazon’. “It’s the record I listen to the most. It’s just such a wide-open, spectral record. This record is like direct access to a whole other experience. It can make you forget that we’re living in 2000-and-whatever-the-fuck and give you a more universal, longer view of things.” Dave Sitek, TV On The Radio

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Lou Reed – ‘Transformer’. “It’s the best record in the world. Every time I listen to it I hear something new and I feel different feelings. It sounds so live and in-the-moment – it feels like they’re just fucking around in the studio.” Courtney Barnett

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John Coltrane – ‘A Love Supreme’. “It’s a very deep record – it’s a religious experience hearing it for the first time. I revisit it a lot. It’s such a heartbreaking record. There’s so much longing in it and so much pain.” St Vincent

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Kendrick Lamar – ‘Section.80’. “He’s the saviour of modern rap music, and this is why. His first, ‘Overly Dedicated’, is good, but this steals it. It’s just good to see someone so talented with such good songs can finally get to the masses. He really deserves it; he came from a shithole and overcame so much to make this record.” Mario Cuomo, The Orwells

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Jacques Dutronc – ‘Jacques Dutronc’. “This album is what cool sounds like. If I need a pick-me-up, I put this on. It’s intelligent, fun and sexy. One day I’ll learn French as I feel I can’t truly appreciate his work without knowing what these songs actually mean. I’m a self-conscious dancer but this makes me forget I have two left feet.” Ellie Roswell, Wolf Alice

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