Josef K

Because I was bored and decided to shamelessly ape those with better journals than mine.

1961
5. John Coltrane: My Favorite Things
4. Sun Ra: The Futuristic Sounds of Sun Ra
3. Eric Dolphy: At the Five Spot
2. John Coltrane: Africa/Brass
1. Ornette Coleman: Free Jazz

The first year where there are five albums I really like, all jazz.

1964
5. The Beatles: A Hard Day’s Night
4. Andrew Hill: Point of Departure
3. Eric Dolphy: Out to Lunch!
2. Albert Ayler: Spiritual Unity
1. Albert Ayler: New York Eye and Ear Control

Ayler is pretty much a god.

1965
10. The Sonics: Here are the Sonics
9. Bob Dylan: Bringing it All Back Home
8. Albert Ayler: Spirits Rejoice
7. John Coltrane: Meditations
6. The Beatles: Rubber Soul
5. Don Cherry: Complete Communion
4. Bob Dylan: Highway 61 Revisited
3. John Coltrane: Ascension
2. The Byrds: Mr. Tambourine Man
1. John Coltrane: A Love Supreme

First top ten - keeping in mind what I said above, Coltrane is the best, and I love the Byrds.

1966
10. Bob Dylan: Blonde on Blonde
9. The Animals: Animalism
8. Cecil Taylor: Conquistador
7. The Rolling Stones: Aftermath
6. The Beatles: Revolver
5. Tim Buckley: Tim Buckley
4. Don Cherry: Symphony for Improvisers
3. The Kinks: Face to Face
2. Otis Redding: Otis Blue
1. The Beach Boys: Pet Sounds

I feel like this year is overrated. The top six are all excellent, but I think Pet Sounds is the only one I listen to regularly.

1967
10. John Coltrane: Interstellar Space
9. Cream: Disraeli Gears
8. The Rolling Stones: Between the Buttons
7. Peter Brotzmann: For Adolphe Sax
6. Jefferson Airplane: Surrealistic Pillow
5. Love: Forever Changes
4. Moby Grape: Moby Grape
3. The Velvet Underground: The Velvet Underground and Nico
2. The Kinks: Something Else
1. Albert Ayler: In Greenwich Village

This is the first year that I think is really good for both jazz and pop/rock. All of the top 6-8 are great IMO.

1968
5. The Kinks: The Kinks are the Village Green Preservation Society
4. Otis Redding: The Dock of the Bay
3. The Band: Music from Big Pink
2. The Zombies: Odessey and Oracle
1. Peter Brotzmann: Machine Gun

I couldn't come up with much for '68, but what I could is all stuff that I totally love. All of these are totally essential. It was a really close race for #1, but I went with Brotzmann because I think the last two tracks on Odessey and Oracle are weak and out of place, respectively.

1969
10. Fairport Convention: Liege and Lief
9. The Who: Tommy
8. Sonny Sharrock: Black Woman
7. King Crimson: In the Court of the Crimson King
6. Peter Brotzmann: Nipples
5. Charlie Haden: Liberation Music Orchestra
4. The Beatles: Abbey Road
3. Pharoah Sanders: Karma
2. The Rolling Stones: Let it Bleed
1. The Band: The Band

This, now, is a fantastic year. The highs might be a little less high than the one before, but all of these albums are awesome. Definitely my favorite Beatles album, also.

1970
10. Stark Reality: The Stark Reality Discovers Hoagy Carmichael’s Music Shop
9. Neil Young: After the Gold Rush
8. The Velvet Underground: Loaded
7. Funkadelic: Free Your Mind… And Your Ass Will Follow
6. George Harrison: All Things Must Pass
5. Pink Floyd: Atom Heart Mother
4. The Band: Stage Fright
3. Simon & Garfunkel: Bridge Over Troubled Water
2. David Bowie: The Man Who Sold the World
1. Curtis Mayfield: Curtis!

I hope Pet_Sounds is happy with my #3, which I do love. This is another really good year and all these albums are highly recommended - although with the exception of #10, they're all quite well-known, obviously.

I might continue this. When I do more, I'll hopefully be getting into some comparatively obscure stuff.