One of the best cohesive albums ever. If I didn't know that it was just their style, I would say that it was a concept album. One of my favorite albums ever. Give it repeated listens to get into it.

Another modern classic that can't be ignored. If you don't have the ear for it yet, it warrants repeated listening. One day it will click, and it all will have been worth it. Unbelievably nuanced cohesive album writing and post-punk guitar.

Similar to the above, but different. It seems to move a bit faster, albeit almost imperceptibly. A little more emphasis on vocals. Very very good, imo. After many, many listens of both albums, I find the Glow to be a superior album, but they are both on my all-time list.

An amazing roots album from the Pixies frontman. Sweet, catchy mellow, and superb songwriting. One of the best living rock musicians/songwriters, in my opinion. Also, don't miss Teenager of the Year by the Same, which is much different music than this album, but great in its own right.

Your a sensitive fella/broad, aren't you? Even if your not, the music is in a league of its own in every sense. And theres a lot of it.

Have sex to this. Or just let it work its magic and change your mood. One of the most underrated rock albums ever.

Ye olde MM. Post-Punk, emo, and incredible. My favorite all-time band. Brock writes the most dream addled, metaphorical/mythic, angst ridden, and poetic lyrics ever for the blue collar boy/girl/man/woman. This is the hardest rocking and maybe least accessible of their albums, in parts, but also maybe their best overall.

Beautiful.

Much more polished and produced than their early albums, and so it lacks a certain attractive rawness of that work, but a landmark and must-have nonetheless. Incredible lyrics and songwriting. Most people hold this as the best intro MM album, but I guess that depends on your taste.

Almost the most fun you can have listening to music. These guys are masters of the album experience. Incredible musicians. Effortless to get into, but you may get more addicted with repeated listens. I hate that the girl(s) left the group, essentially breaking them up. If you like this, get "Fingers Crossed" as well.

All of ACs albums could be included, but only this breakout album will be listed. Listen on good speakers. Incredible organic uniqueness and musicianship.

A masterpiece of a concept album, with the emphasis on concept. However, it succeeds in being very musical/tonal/melodical, cohesive, and just great. You will want to come back to it again and again. Its mellow but not laid back. If you like this, move on to their previous, different, perhaps more challenging, but almost equally amazing "Thought for Food".

So different. So good.

The ladies somehow operated in the optimal space where sweet frenchy vocals, trip-hop electronica, Bauhaus, and 60's pop culture meet to make the epitome of what you think James Bond must listen to on his vacations. You know, when he's having threesomes with Euro Babes and drinking Martinis in the Bahamas. Oh, wait, then this must be what Sean Connery actually listens to...

Essential. There are not many better indie guitarists than Doug Martsch..

Great mash-up album using music from the entire spectrum of indie rock, rock, classics, and hip hop.

You know, I normally wouldn't add this because, well, who hasn't heard it. But it pretty much was the defining album for a generation, and its an un-effing believable album. Therefore, it'll hold this place on this list until I can think of something worthwhile to replace it. That may be never. Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness could easily be listed here as well.

Not a modern music album, per se, but I hold his storytelling to be timeless. An incredible songwriter, and a sliver of American history, caught on tape. Everything Cash did is worth acquiring, and listening to on a regular basis. If you want some of the best of his non-prison centric music, try American IV and American V.