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albums are in somewhat random order "standout fives" are in track listing order Since there are so many albums I enjoy, I thought I'd only include the ones that work really well as albums -- the kind you can just put on and play without the desire to skip tracks -- not just CDs that contain a few songs I like a lot. I hope that makes sense. :) "Off the Wall" - Michael Jackson 
This is, hands down, my favorite album of all time. It's also the first one I ever bought (on cassette at the time) -- I wonder if that plays a part. five standout tracks: I love every song on this album, which is why it's my favorite, of course. However, if I had to make it through life with only 5 of the tracks, they'd be... "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough," "Rock With You," "Workin' Day and Night," "Off the Wall," and "She's Out of My Life" "Paid Vacation" - Richard Marx 
Perfection. My favorite song of all time, "Now and Forever," is on this album, so that helps a lot with the decision to put it here. I gained a deeper appreciation for this one while listening to it on headphones in a Greyhound bus station in San Francisco -- I don't know why, but it was just this "wow, this album is great" moment. standout five: "Silent Scream," the aforementioned "Now and Forever," "Heaven's Waiting," "What You Want," and "One Man" "For the Heart" - George Michael (first disc of the 2-CD set "Ladies and Gentlemen: the Best of George Michael") 
I'll start by saying I have nothing against the second disc, "For the Feet," it's just that the first one contains the ballads, and that's what I love. Also, yes, it's a hits collection, so I'm cheating, but oh well. standout five: "Heal the Pain," "Kissing a Fool," "I Can't Make You Love Me," "One More Try," and "A Different Corner" (which is technically a Wham! song, but it's on here). "Waiting For My Rocket To Come" - Jason Mraz 
Jason Mraz's live show is so much more than any album could ever quite capture (even the live ones), and my favorite songs of his aren't on this, but I still love this album. This is one of those albums where you really feel like the tracks are in the perfect order, too, and I love that. standout five: "You and I Both," "I'll Do Anything," "Curbside Prophet," "Absolutely Zero," and "The Boy's Gone" "Days in Avalon" [import version from Taiwan] - Richard Marx 
I usually try to avoid choosing import versions, just because I somehow feel like it's cheating (same goes for choosing hits collections), but in this case, I owned the import first, and I still prefer it over the U.S. release. standout five: "Until You Come Back to Me," "One More Time," "High," "Someone Special," and "Boy Next Door" "Greatest Hits I & II" - Queen 
All the best, from what is, in my opinion, the best band ever (*ducks as Beatles fans throw things at me*). Freddie Mercury's voice standout five from disc one: "Bohemian Rhapsody" (duh!), "Killer Queen," "Fat Bottomed Girls," "You're My Best Friend," and "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" standout five from disc two: "Innuendo," "Breakthru," "Who Wants to Live Forever," "I'm Going Slightly Mad," and "The Show Must Go On" "Songs About Jane" - Maroon5 
True, this one is a bit new (released in 2002, I bought it in 2003) to be on someone's "all time" list, but it really is one of the best albums I've ever heard. The day I brought it home, I listened about seven times. Again, it really works as an album, too -- you don't get the feeling that it's just three singles and some filler like many albums out there. standout five: "Shiver," "She Will Be Loved," "The Sun," "Sunday Morning," and "Secret" (hmm, all "S" songs, I didn't notice that until now). "5" - Lenny Kravitz 
Simply amazing. Then again, it's Lenny, what do you expect? standout five: "I Belong to You," "Black Velveteen," "If You Can't Say No," "It's Your Life," and "Straight Cold Player" "Awakening" - Color Me Badd 
It's my opinion that this album was ahead of its time. It was released in 1998, and didn't really get much attention; but I really feel if it came out now, it would be a big hit. This album has a deeper meaning to me, too, because I met my closest friend at the listening party for it (hi, Diane!), and it was the last time I saw Color Me Badd (they broke up that Fall). Most fans consider "Time and Chance" their best work, but I think this one works better as a whole. Time and Chance, does, however, include many of their best songs -- but also too many I'd skip over to reach them. standout five: "Kissing You," "Your Touch," "I'll Never Love This Way Again," "How Could This Be," and "Secret Lovers" (I also really love "You Don't Know Me" from the Japanese import). "Celebrity" - *NSYNC 
Here's the thing about this album: my two all time favorite *NSYNC songs are on their "No Strings Attached" album ('This I Promise You,' and 'I'll Be Good For You'), and most people know how much I adore their Christmas album (and the debut, actually) as well, but this one sticks best to my rule of choosing albums that work well as such. The tracks really seem to be in the right order, and compliment each other perfectly. standout five: "Girlfriend," "The Two of Us," "Up Against the Wall," "See Right Through You" (wisely placed back-to-back on the album), and "Do Your Thing" "Slow Love" - Gino Vannelli 
A beautiful blend of jazz and classical, with creative and clever songwriting. Very good for relaxing (one of those bubble bath kind of albums). standout five: "Words Can Kill," "Cry Baby," "Tierras De Amores Y Sombras," "My Oh My It's a Miracle," and "A Woman Crossed in Love" "Emotions" - Mariah Carey 
Choosing a favorite Mariah album is a bit like choosing a favorite child -- somehow, it just feels... wrong. When it comes right down to it, though, this is the one. standout five: "Can't Let Go," "Make it Happen," "If It's Over," "To Be Around You," and "Till The End of Time" "Make it Big" - Wham! 
Yes, I know most of you are snickering at me right now. Well, stop it. ;) Wham! was a very underrated group, and George Michael's voice would be amazing if he was singing the phonebook. standout five: "Everything She Wants," "Heartbeat," "Freedom," "Credit Card Baby," and "Careless Whisper" "Affirmation" - Savage Garden 
Another under-appreciated male duo. Yet again, this is one of those albums that really works as such -- the songs are placed in the perfect order, and there is a great blend of danceable tracks and ballads. Excellent. standout five: "Affirmation," "Crash and Burn," "Chained To You," "Two Beds and a Coffee Machine," and "I Don't Know You Anymore" (it was actually painful to choose just 5) "Not That Kind" - Anastacia 
Similar story here as there was with *NSYNC's "Celebrity" -- three of my top 5 Anastacia songs are on her second album, "Freak of Nature," but as a whole, I enjoy this album more. The reason for this is how drastically different the two versions of the second album are. If I chopped up the Asian and U.S. versions of Freak of Nature and combined them, that would then be my favorite. standout five: "Not That Kind," "I'm Outta Love," "Cowboys & Kisses," "I Ask of You," and "Made For Lovin' You" singerchick@nsyncable.com |