So the game is self explanatory. You post an album cover a day, so your friends get to learn a bit about your music taste. The no explanations rule is good, because this saves time and avoids getting awkwardly personal.
Day <#> of 10 – I have been nominated by <Person who nominated you> to list the 10 albums which greatly influenced my taste in music.
One title per day, 10 consecutive days.
No explanations, no reviews, only covers.
Next I nominate <Other Person>
A brief history of my taste in music
Although I rarely listen to some things on this list, I have to admit they changed my musical taste. I also realise that all of these are Pop albums, there is rock, funk, electronica and other stuff in there, but these were all designed to sell a lot of records. So this music was all very easy to get into and enjoy. But most importantly these popular artists introduced me to challenging genres which I later found my favourite music.
I wish I could say I was influenced by fashionable, rare and old music. But honestly, I was young with a short attention span. Therefore most of this music was released during my formative years and I was exposed to it rather than chose it. Then when I was old enough to explore my taste in music, these were the albums that I think helped start me off:
10 Red Hot Chili Peppers – Blood Sugar Sex Magik (1991)
Blood Sugar Sex Magik is a rock / funk explosion! I first remember hearing Under The Bridge on the TV. It was one of my Mum’s favourites too. I still listen to this album occasionally, it’s a lot of fun. It didn’t inspire me to listen to any other funk, but a lot more rock.
9 Kraftwerk – The Mix (1991)
The Mix is a compilation of some of Kraftwerk’s finest moments. My Dad was a fan and played the cassettes occasionally. I still think of painting Warhammer 40,000 miniatures when listening to this, and it’s great to work to. A different kind of music that showed me you don’t need complex lyrics to produce vibrant imagery.
8 The Smiths – The Very Best of The Smiths (2001)
The Very Best of The Smiths is another compilation album, possibly a cassette owned by Dad, but my association with it is my older brother Alex playing it while I was revising for my GCSEs. Quirky, morose and familiar tunes.
7 Michael Jackson – HIStory (1995)
HIStory is (I’m beginning to see a pattern) ANOTHER compilation album. I’m sure everyone knows this stuff, but I gave it a good listen through too. My friend Doug (who also invited me to fill this all out on facebook) introduced this to me in Primary school, but of course I heard MJ everywhere growing up in the 90s!
6 Meat Loaf – Bat Out Of Hell II (1993)
Bat Out Of Hell II before I knew what a ballad was, I was mesmerised by I would do anything for love. I remember when it came out, and my family watched the music video on TV after church. Powerful music that really resonated with me as a boy.
5 Alanis Morissette – Under Rug Swept (2002)
Under Rug Swept – of course I also liked jagged little pill, but honestly, I played this album more. I was too young to really understand the concepts and meaning in the songs, but I thought I did as a teenager and felt incredibly emotionally intelligent listening to this.
4 Three minute heroes (1992)
Three minute heroes is a favourite of my Dad’s, but it got me into lots of the artists on it. Elvis Costello, Sex Pistols and Buzzcocks particularly. I don’t think I would have had such a strong punk-phase in my late teens if I hadn’t heard this album. Angsty music, but also uplifting in a way.
3 Gary Numan and Tubeway Army – Premier Hits (1996)
Premier Hits is a compilation. Tubeway Army was Gary Numan’s band before his solo career. Most of this is music to listen to while strolling at night. I didn’t have many troubles as a teenager, but listening to Gary Numan I felt like I had stuff to think through, and this is the music to really sort your feelings out to.
2 Tenacious D – Tenacious D (2001)
Tenacious D is a hilarious album. It’s a bit crass, but very clever and funny. Perhaps if I didn’t listen to it, I never would have gotten into other over the top comedy bands.
1 Guns N’ Roses – Use Your Illusion I and II (1991)
Use Your Illusion I and II inspired me more than any other album (or double album) and although there isn’t much of it I listen to anymore, it opened up a lot of hard rock to me.
