The Foundation of Every Genre That Matters.
Eight lists. 200 records. 25 per genre. Every album is on vinyl and in print. These are starting points, not finish lines.
These aren't “greatest of all time” lists — those are arguments. These are starting points. 25 records per genre that give you the vocabulary to go deeper. Eight genres, from jazz to reggae.
Every album is on vinyl and in print. Most are under $30. Pick a genre. Start digging. Once you've worked through a list, you'll know exactly which direction to dig next — that's when the real fun starts.
— Dexx
200
Albums
195
Artists
12
Genres
8
Lists
1954–2018
Span
Albums by Decade
77
1970s
33
1990s
31
1980s
24
1960s
Essential Jazz on Vinyl
“The entry point for everyone. Modal jazz played by the greatest lineup ever assembled, mostly in first takes. If you own one jazz record, this is it.”
Essential Classic Rock on Vinyl
“No title. No band name on the cover. Just four symbols and some of the heaviest, most dynamic music ever committed to tape. 'Stairway' gets the attention. 'When the Levee Breaks' deserves it more.”
Essential Hip-Hop on Vinyl
“Ten tracks. 39 minutes. Zero filler. Nas was 20 and rapping with the detail of a novelist. DJ Premier, Pete Rock, Q-Tip, and Large Professor on beats. The most perfect debut in hip-hop history.”
Essential Soul & Funk on Vinyl
“The greatest album in any genre. Every track flows into the next. The layered vocals, the strings, the jazz underpinning. This is the record that proved soul music could be art.”
Essential Country on Vinyl
“Cash walked into a prison and played for inmates like they were the most important audience in the world. They were. 'Folsom Prison Blues' hits different when actual prisoners cheer the line about Reno.”
Essential Electronic on Vinyl
“Afrika Bambaataa sampled it and created hip-hop's template. Kraftwerk turned the machine into a musical instrument. This is the hinge between analog and digital worlds.”
Essential Punk & Post-Punk on Vinyl
“Double album, price of a single. Punk, reggae, rockabilly, ska. Pennie Smith's cover photo is the greatest in rock. 'Train in Vain' is perfect pop they almost left off.”
Essential Reggae & Dub on Vinyl
“Time magazine's album of the century. Side A is revolution, Side B is love. 'Jamming,' 'One Love,' 'Three Little Birds.' The album that made reggae a global language.”
How many do you own?
Track your progress across all eight genre lists in the Cratewise app. See what you have, what you're missing, and add albums straight from the list.