My 25 Most Important LPs

Key word here is "important". Which is deeply personal - and nostalgic. As I mentioned before, in the context of weed-outs, I built out an elaborate set of metrics to determine what matters to me most - and least. I did this exercise for both the LP and CD collections. And while many of my favorite albums are in fact also my favorite LPs and / or CDs from a music perspective, it's only one metric. Perhaps the key metric, yes, but still only one of many. These ratings often change as I fiddle with the formula often. So consider this list as a snapshot in time. 

1. Il Balletto di Bronzo - Ys. 1972 Polydor. Reviewed in 2018.

2. Agitation Free - Malesch. 1972 Vertigo. Reviewed in 2010.

3. Jumbo - Vietato ai Minori di 18 Anni? 1973 Philips. Reviewed in 2021.

4. Semiramis - Dedicato a Frazz. 1973 Trident. Reviewed in 2001. (5)

5. Embryo - Embryo's Rache. 1971 United Artists. Reviewed in 2019. (4)

6. Trettioåriga Kriget. 1974 Epic. Reviewed in 2021. 

7. Moving Gelatine Plates - The World of Genius Hans. 1972 CBS. Reviewed in 2013. 

8. Sepi Kuu - Rannan Usvassa. 1980 Help. Reviewed in 2015. (9)

9. Museo Rosenbach - Zarathustra. 1973 Ricordi. Reviewed in 2023. (8)

10. Algarnas Tradgard - Framtiden Är Ett Svävande Skepp, Förankrat I Forntiden. 1971 Silence. Reviewed in 2012. (26)

11. Ash Ra Tempel. 1971 Ohr. Reviewed in 2001. (27)

12. Eloy - Inside. 1973 Electrola. Reviewed in 2009.  (15)

13. Granada - Valle del Pas. 1978 Movieplay. Reviewed in 2019.  (16)

14. Moira. 1981 private. Reviewed in 2001; Updated 2024. (35)

15. Manilla Road - Crystal Logic. 1983 Roadster. Reviewed in 2021. (23) 

16. Black Sabbath - Master of Reality. 1971 Vertigo. Reviewed in 2024. (14)

17. Walter Wegmuller - Tarot. 1973 Die Kosmischen Kuriere. Reviewed in 2019. (21)

18. Ash Ra Tempel - Schwingungen. 1972 Ohr. Reviewed in 2001. (54)

19. Guru Guru - UFO. 1970 Ohr. Reviewed in 2008. (41)

20. Metallica - Ride the Lightning. 1984 Music for Nations. Reviewed in 2009. (30)

21. Caravan - In the Land of Grey and Pink. 1971 Deram. Reviewed in 2022 (42)

22. Anglagard - Hybris. 1992 Colours. Reviewed in 2017. (25)

23. Wendy & Bonnie - Genesis. 1969 Skye. Reviewed in 2024 (29)

24. Campo di Marte. 1973 United Artists. Reviewed in 2006 (12)

25. Yatha Sidhra - A Meditation Mass. 1974 Brain. Reviewed in 2018. (13)

These were all once in the top 25 and have since fallen out. Here's their current ranking:

28. Kollektiv. 1973 Brain (22)

29. Magma. 1970 Philips. Reviewed in 2021. (10)

32. Eiliff. 1971 Philips. Reviewed in 2019. (28)

34. Heldon - Heldon IV: Agneta Nilsson. 1976 Urus. Reviewed in 2024 (47)

37. Banco del Mutuo Soccorso - Io Sono Nato Libero. 1973 Ricordi. Reviewed in 2021. (11)

38. Latte e Miele - Papillon. 1973 Polydor. Reviewed in 2023. (37)

39. Gila (Free Electric Sound). 1971 BASF. Reviewed in 2022. (32)

40. Panna Fredda - Uno. 1971 Vedette (17)

41. Quella Vecchia Locanda. 1972 Help (19)

42. Banco del Mutuo Soccorso (piggy bank cover). 1972 Ricordi (20)

47. Magma - Mekanïk Destruktïw Kommandöh. 1973 A&M. Reviewed in 2021. (31)

50. Accept - Restless and Wild. 1982 Brain. Reviewed in 2024. (61)

51. IQ - Tales from the Lush Attic. 1983 Classic One Shoe. Reviewed in 2001; updated 2014. (62)

53. Celeste. 1976 Grog. Reviewed in 2021. (71)

61. Brave New World - Impressions on Reading Aldous Huxley. 1972 Vertigo. Reviewed in 2009. (73)

63. Quella Vecchia Locanda - Il Tempo della Gioia. 1974 RCA (18)

67. Ash Ra Tempel - Join Inn. 1973 Ohr. Reviewed in 2001. (55)

72. Red. 1983 Jigsaw. Reviewed in 2019. (60)

88. Harmonium - Les Cinq Saisons. 1975 Celebration. Reviewed in 2019. (48)

96. Raw Material - Time Is... 1971 Neon. Reviewed in 2024. (24)

Created: 10/11/19; 

Updates: 12/1/22; 7/25/23; 12/25/23; 1/7/24; 9/28/24; 7/7/25; 10/27/25