Chronologically:
1. Johnny Cash - Ring of Fire: The Best of Johnny Cash
Representative of my early years, this album is probably the first I can remember listening to. My parent's have a home video of me as a toddler dancing and singing along to Remember the Alamo in my diaper and Dad's cowboy boots. Not only was I was fu
cking adorable, but I knew my sh
it.
2. Hanson - MMMBop
As I progressed into childhood I decided that I wanted to be a rock star when I grew up. I would spend hours on end listening to the band that shared my aspiration. Laugh all you want, I bet you still know the words.
3. Kansas - Leftoverture
4. Journey - Escape
My growth from a child into a pre-teen is best represented by these albums. A good deal of my memories from that phase of my life could feature Carry on My Wayward sun and Don't Stop Believing as the soundtrack. Cliche as it may be, these albums are very important to me still, and every time I listen they bring with them an air of adolescent bliss.
5. Red Hot Chili Peppers - Californication
It's the year 2000, I'm 10 years old. The music video for Californication is continually being played on MTV, and I can't get enough. My Dad was a big influence on my taste in music growing up, and he was as obsessed with the song as I was. Not only did he buy me the cd, but a RHCP t-shirt.
6. KoRn - Take a Look in the Mirror: Greatest Hits (Head's Departure)
7. System of a Down - Toxicity
So I went through this phase where I thought it was really "cool" to be depressed all the time, tell people I was bi-polar wear all black and listen to Metal. I wrote poems about suicide, displaced myself from my friends my entire freshman year of high school, etc., etc. These were the only albums I listened to. It's a time of my life I don't care to look back on, but I admittedly still rock out to Toxicity.
8. Modest Mouse - Good News for People Who Love Bad News
As I emerged from the shadows of my juvenility, and at the request of my family, I started listening to "less depressing" music. I wasn't satisfied with the shallow crap on the radio, instead I searched for something with lyrics that touched me in all the right places.
9. Elliott Smith - Either/Or
The first album I downloaded purely from the influence of MusicBanter members. It definitely think it was a stepping stone to the broadening and enhancing of my music taste, and I have you guys to thank.
10. The Beatles Discography
To avoid going into a lengthy rambling of my devotion to the band I'll simply say this: No band has had the same effect on me. I don't think I'll find another band I like more, and I am perfectly at peace with that.