My favorite albums by year
I am a great fan of the BNR Metal Pages site. When I discovered I was a wee lad, new to metal and music generally. That site (and AllMusic also) introduced me to many of the bands I still consider favorites. Nowadays, the Metal Archives site has vastly more data, but I keep coming back to the BNR Metal Pages for editor Brian Russ's consistent, insightful editorial tone and his knowledgeable histories of the bands listed on the site. I know that if he likes something, I probably ought to give it a try. To that end I enjoy reading and re-reading his top 10 albums lists, of which he has one for every year.
When you find a list, any list, where a few entries match your own preferences, you immediately have lots of pointers for new things to track down or try out. To give my ones of readers that gift, I present my own list of my favorite albums of every year where I have a favorite album. Here goes.
1961
- Ewan MacColl and A. L. Lloyd - Blow Boys Blow
1968
- Deep Purple - The Book of Taliesyn
1969
- Deep Purple - Deep Purple
- Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin II
1970
- Black Sabbath - Black Sabbath
- Black Sabbath - Paranoid
- Curved Air - Air Conditioning
- Deep Purple - Deep Purple in Rock
- Gentle Giant - Gentle Giant
- Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin III
- Uriah Heep - ...Very 'Eavy ... Very 'Umble
- Van der Graaf Generator - H to He, Who Am the Only One
1971
- Black Sabbath - Master of Reality
- Budgie - Budgie
- Caravan - In the Land of Grey and Pink
- Curved Air - Second Album
- Deep Purple - Fireball
- Gentle Giant - Acquiring the Taste
- Jethro Tull - Aqualung
- Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin IV
- Uriah Heep - Look at Yourself
- Van der Graaf Generator - Pawn Hearts
- Yes - Fragile
- Yes - The Yes Album
1972
- Black Sabbath - Black Sabbath Vol. 4
- Blue Öyster Cult - Blue Öyster Cult
- Captain Beyond - Captain Beyond
- Caravan - Waterloo Lily
- Curved Air - Phantasmagoria
- Deep Purple - Machine Head
- Genesis - Foxtrot
- Gentle Giant - Octopus
- Gentle Giant - Three Friends
- Jethro Tull - Thick as a Brick
- Stevie Wonder - Talking Book
- Uriah Heep - Demons and Wizards
- Wishbone Ash - Argus
- Yes - Close to the Edge
1973
- Billy Cobham - Spectrum
- Black Sabbath - Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
- Blue Öyster Cult - Tyranny and Mutation
- Camel - Camel
- Caravan - For Girls Who Grow Plump in the Night
- Genesis - Selling England by the Pound
- Gentle Giant - In a Glass House
- Led Zeppelin - Houses of the Holy
- Mike Oldfield - Tubular Bells
- Ougenweide - Ougenweide
- Steeleye Span - Parcel of Rogues
- Stevie Wonder - Innervisions
- Yes - Tales from Topographic Oceans
1974
- Blue Öyster Cult - Secret Treaties
- Budgie - In for the Kill
- Deep Purple - Burn
- Deep Purple - Stormbringer
- Gentle Giant - The Power and the Glory
- Hawkwind - Hall of the Mountain Grill
- King Crimson - Red
- Mike Oldfield - Hergest Ridge
- Ougenweide - All die weil ich mag
- Queen - Queen II
- Queen - Sheer Heart Attack
- Steeleye Span - Now We Are Six
- Stevie Wonder - Fulfillingness' First Finale
1975
- Black Sabbath - Sabotage
- Budgie - Bandolier
- Gentle Giant - Free Hand
- Hawkwind - Warrior on the Edge of Time
- Mike Oldfield - Ommadawn
- Queen - A Night at the Opera
- Rainbow - Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow
- Scorpions - In Trance
- Steve Hackett - Voyage of the Acolyte
- Van der Graaf Generator - Godbluff
1976
- Blue Öyster Cult - Agents of Fortune
- Brand X - Unorthodox Behaviour
- Camel - Moonmadness
- The Gladiators - Trenchtown Mix Up
- Judas Priest - Sad Wings of Destiny
- Ougenweide - Ohrenschmaus
- Ougenweide - Eulenspiegel
- Rainbow - Rising
- Rush - 2112
- Stevie Wonder - Songs in the Key of Life
1977
- Camel - Rain Dances
- Kraftwerk - Trans Europa Express
- The Clash - The Clash
- Jethro Tull - Songs from the Wood
- Judas Priest - Sin after Sin
- Van der Graaf Generator - The Quiet Zone/The Pleasure Dome
1978
- Black Sabbath - Never Say Die!
- The Clash - Give 'em Enough Rope
- Judas Priest - Stained Class
- Judas Priest - Hell Bent for Leather
- Kraftwerk - Die Mensch-Maschine
- Rainbow - Long Live Rock 'n' Roll
- The Gladiators - Proverbial Reggae
1979
- The Clash - London Calling
- Legend - From the Fjords
- Ougenweide - Ousflug
1980
- Alan Parsons Project - The Turn of a Friendly Card
- Angel Witch - Angel Witch
- Black Sabbath - Heaven and Hell
- Dead Kennedys - Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables
- Iron Maiden - Iron Maiden
- Telex - Neurovision
- Tygers of Pan Tang - Wild Cat
- Witchfynde - Stagefright
1981
- Barón Rojo - Larga vida al rock and roll
- Black Sabbath - Mob Rules
- Depeche Mode - Speak and Spell
- Iron Maiden - Killers
- Kraftwerk - Computerwelt
- Tygers of Pan Tang - Spellbound
1982
- Barón Rojo - Volumen brutal
- High Level - Demo 1
- Manowar - Battle Hymns
- Venom - Black Metal
- Witchfinder General - Death Penalty
- Yazoo - Upstairs at Eric's
1983
- Iron Maiden - Piece of Mind
- Manilla Road - Crystal Logic
- Mercyful Fate - Melissa
- Metallica - Kill 'em All
- Slayer - Show No Mercy
- Witchfinder General - Friends of Hell
1984
- Brocas Helm - Into Battle
- Celtic Frost - Morbid Tales
- Deep Purple - Perfect Strangers
- Ini Kamoze - Ini Kamoze
- Iron Maiden - Powerslave
- Marillion - Fugazi
- Mercyful Fate - Don't Break the Oath
- Omen - Battle Cry
- Saint Vitus - Saint Vitus
- Slayer - Haunting the Chapel
1985
- Chained Lace - Morbid Fascination
- Fates Warning - The Spectre Within
- Marillion - Misplaced Childhood
- Pentagram - Relentless
- Saint Vitus - Hallow's Victim
- Slayer - Hell Awaits
1986
- Black Sabbath - Seventh Star
- Candlemass - Epicus Doomicus Metallicus
- Fates Warning - Awaken the Guardian
- Heir Apparent - Graceful Inheritance
- Iron Maiden - Somewhere in Time
- Kraftwerk - Techno Pop
- Nuclear Assault - Game Over
- Slayer - Reign in Blood
1987
- Bathory - Under the Sign of the Black Mark
- Black Sabbath - The Eternal Idol
- Candlemass - Nightfall
- Pentagram - Day of Reckoning
- Running Wild - Under Jolly Roger
- Saint Vitus - Born Too Late
1988
- Death - Leprosy
- Iron Maiden - Seventh Son of a Seventh Son
- King's X - Out of the Silent Planet
- Running Wild - Port Royal
- Saint Vitus - Mournful Cries
- Screamer - Target: Earth
- Voivod - Dimension Hatröss
- Was (Not Was) - What Up, Dog?
1989
- Black Sabbath - Headless Cross
- Cloven Hoof - A Sultan's Ransom
- King's X - Gretchen Goes to Nebraska
- Minor Threat - Complete Discography
- Morbid Angel - Altars of Madness
- Voivod - Nothingface
1990
- Bathory - Hammerheart
- Black Sabbath - Tyr
- Boston Camerata and Joel Cohen - New Britain
- Dogs with Jobs - Shock
- Megadeth - Rust in Peace
- Obituary - Cause of Death
- Trouble - Trouble
- Was (Not Was) - Are You Okay?
1991
- Coroner - Mental Vortex
- Death - Human
- Gorguts - Considered Dead
- Xysma - Yeah
1992
- Black Sabbath - Dehumanizer
- Cannibal Corpse - Tomb of the Mutilated
- Depressive Age - First Depression
- Samael - Blood Ritual
- Solitude Aeturnus - Beyond the Crimson Horizon
1993
- Boston Camerata and Joel Cohen - An American Christmas
- Cynic - Focus
- Darkthrone - Under a Funeral Moon
- Rotting Christ - Thy Mighty Contract
- Sleep - Sleep's Holy Mountain
- Varathron - His Majesty at the Swamp
1994
- Black Sabbath - Cross Purposes
- Hedningarna - Trä
- Pentagram - Be Forewarned
- Rotting Christ - Non Serviam
1995
- Death - Symbolic
- Opeth - Orchid
- Wish - Monochrome
1996
- 2nd South Carolina String Band - Southern Soldier
- Absurd - Facta Loquuntur
- Cathedral - Supernatural Birth Machine
- Deep Purple - Purpendicular
- Empyrium - A Wintersunset...
- Forgotten Woods - The Curse of Mankind
- Godkiller - The Rebirth of the Middle Ages
- Joyless - Unlimited Hate
- Opeth - Morningrise
- Rotting Christ - Triarchy of the Lost Lovers
1997
- Arathorn - Niemals Krönender Als Was Einst War
- Emperor - Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk
- Graveland - Following the Voice of Blood
- Phlebotomized - Skycontact
1998
- Arckanum - Kampen
- Cathedral - Caravan Beyond Redemption
- Falkenbach - ... Magni Blandinn Ok Megintiri...
- Inquisition - Into the Infernal Regions of the Ancient Cult
- Nile - Amongst the Catacombs of Nephren-Ka
- Otyg - Älvefärd
- Sculptured - The Spear of the Lily is Aureoled
1999
- Halgadom - Halgadom
- Joyless - Blue in the Face
- Opeth - Still Life
- Otyg - Sagovindars boning
2000
- Bangs - Sweet Revenge
- Dying Fetus - Destroy the Opposition
- Iron Maiden - Brave New World
- Joyless - Wisdom and Arrogance
- Nile - Black Seeds of Vengeance
- Sculptured - Apollo Ends
2001
- Absu - Tara
- Opeth - Blackwater Park
- Summoning - Let Mortal Heroes Sing Your Fame
2002
- Agatus - The Weaving Fates
- DoomSword - Resound the Horn
- Forefather - Engla Tocyme
- Inquisition - Invoking the Majestic Throne of Satan
2003
- Absurd - Totenlieder
- Aguynguerran - Christreign Annihilation
- DoomSword - Let Battle Commence
- Falkenbach - Ok Nefna Tysvar Ty
- Fireball Ministry - The Second Great Awakening
- Heldentum - Waffenweihe
- Jethro Tull - The Jethro Tull Christmas Album
- John Arch - A Twist of Fate
- Temnozor - Horizons...
2004
- Cruachan - Pagan
- Darkestrah - Sary Oy
- Drudkh - Autumn Aurora
- Eismalsott - Best Before: Spring
- Forefather - Ours Is the Kingdom
- Forseti - Erde
- Hagal - Sterbender Traum
- Noenum - Black Esoteric Evangelium
- Spite Extreme Wing - Non Dvcor, Dvco
- Triskèle - Origines...
2005
- Bilskirnir - Hyperborea
- Bolt Thrower - Those Once Loyal
- Candlemass - Candlemass
- Falkenbach - Heralding the Fireblade
- Horn - Jahreszeiten
- Horna - Envaatnags Eflos Solf Esgantaavne
- Ildra - To Elreordgum Landum
- Macabre Omen - The Ancient Returns
- Prevalent Resistance - Dynamics of Creation
- Satanic Warmaster - Carelian Satanist Madness
- Zwenz - A Life's Work of Natrgaard I
- Zwenz - A Life's Work of Natrgaard II
2006
- Almora - 1945
- Cruachan - The Morrigan's Call
- Horn - Die Kraft der Szenarien
- Imperium Dekadenz - ...und die Welt ward kalt und leer
- One Master - Forsaking a Dead World
- Peste Noire - La Sanie des siècles - Panégyrique de la dégénérescence
- Zemial - In Monumentum
2007
- Bilskirnir - Wotansvolk
- Candlemass - King of the Grey Islands
- DoomSword - My Name Will Live On
- Ildra - Þær Swefende Hæleð Licgað
- Rahu - Caput Draconis
- Von Thronstahl - Sacrificare
2008
- Absurd - Der Fünfzehnjährige Krieg
- Forefather - Steadfast
- Morok - In the Forests of Slavia
- Pagan Hammer - Ode to My Fathers
- Sculptured - Embodiment: Collapsing Under the Weight of God
- Sonne Hagal - Jordansfrost
- Triskèle - Triade nordique
2009
- The Gates of Slumber - Hymns of Blood and Thunder
2010
- Briton Rites - For Mircalla
- Horn - Distanz
2011
- Angel of Damnation - Carnal Philosophy
- Forefather - Last of the Line
- Moonless - Calling All Demons
2012
- Nightstalker - Dead Rock Commandos
- Rahu - The Quest for the Vajra of Shadows
2013
- Bilskirnir - Wotan Redivivus
- Inquisition - Obscure Verses for the Multiverse
- Morok - Fiery Dances of Dying
- Space Mirrors - The Other Gods
- Stone Dagger - Stone Dagger
2014
2015
- Forefather - Curse of the Cwelled
- Initiation - A Ritual of Blood, A Pact of Ashes
- Macabre Omen - Gods of War - At War
- Pentagram - Curious Volume
- Space Mirrors - Stella Polaris
2016
- Glass Shrine - Lapidary
- Maquahuitl - Blood of Kings and Ancestral Might
- Mitch Murder - The Real Deal
- Nekrokrist SS - Xmas Ritual 2016
2017
- Black Magick SS - Kaleidoscope Dreams
- Forefather - Tales from a Cloud-Born Land
- Jordablod - Upon My Cremation Pyre
- Wulkanaz - Paralys
2018
- Purity Renaissance - Purity Renaissance
- Sanguine Relic - The Essence of Eternity's Despair
- Soul Dissolution - Soul Dissolution
2019
- A Novelist - Folie
- Departure Chandelier - Antichrist Rise to Power
- Glistening - Human Emotions
- Nova - Veniamo dal cielo
2020
- Inquisition - Black Mass for a Mass Grave
2021
2022
Miscellaneous albums
These albums are compilations (single- or multi-artist), live albums, or albums whose details are murky to me. It's only fair to list these apart from the above works, which were created by one artist over a very short time span.
- Camel - A Live Record (live album, 1978)
- Ecuador Inkas - Traditionelle Musik aus den Anden, Vol. 2 (artist(s) unclear, no date)
- Gordon Lightfoot - Gord's Gold (compilation, 1975)
- Sham 69 - The Punk Singles Collection (1977-1980) (compilation, 1998)
- Various Artists - Anthology of American Folk Music (compilation, 1952)
- Various Artists - Metal Warriors (compilation, 1983)
- Various Artists - Muthas Pride (compilation, 1980)
- Various Artists - Nordic Roots (A Northside Collection) (compilation, 1998)
- Various Artists - Nordic Roots 2 (compilation, 1999)
- Yes - Yessongs (live album, 1973)