Normally, I’m not big on “best of” lists, though I’ve certainly created and read plenty of them. They have their place, which is really just to attract eyeballs and generate discussion, though that isn’t necessarily a bad thing.
However, they are completely subjective, and should only be attemped by professionals. I kid.
Recently, a couple of music-loving friends whom I respect a great deal came up with the idea of getting together to discuss the top three albums that mean the most to each of us. I won’t share their lists because our discussion was private, but I will say I found it meaningful that each of us understood the task without having to discuss it: the three albums – not songs, not performers, not favorites (necessarily) – that occupy a place in our lives and that somehow changed us or the way we saw things.
We conceived of the list idea as a reason to get together and drink a beer, but I assume you knew that. It also gave us something to talk about other than you-know-what or you-know-who.
My list features Joan Armatrading’s “Me Myself I,” Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “One More from the Road” and The Clash’s “Sandinista.”