Important albums

This is a list of all the important albums I've listened to in my life. They've saved me, inspired me, given me life, made me think, laugh, smile, cry, and everything in between.

Artist	Album	Release Date	Why it's important
J Dilla	Donuts	2006	It changed how I listened to hip hop and sampling in particular. I learn something new every time I listen to it or read about it. Donuts is one of the greatest hip hop albums of all time and the pinnacle of last musical salvos.
Donald Fagen	The Nightfly	1982	I can't stop listening to The Nightfly. I'll think about it and I need to hear it in full.
Michael Jackson	Off The Wall	1979	The start of Michael's iconic solo collab with Quincy Jones and one of many examples of why disco never died.
Michael Jackson	Dangerous	1991	Michael's first solo album without Quincy Jones and he created a masterpiece.
Flying Lotus	Los Angeles	2008	Soundscapes like I'd never heard before. This changed electronic music at the time.
Ahwlee	VII	2020	Heavy rotation. Ahwlee flipped some awesome Final Fantasy tracks into bops and neck breakers.
Madvillain	Madvillainy	2004	A bit like Donuts, Madvillainy has this lore that might overtake the music for some but, for me, they're jostling for dominance in my mind—and that's a good thing.
Roberta Flack	Oasis	1988	Oasis was released way out of Roberta Flack's most successful period. But quality and popularity aren't mutually inclusive. This album holds sentimental value as my dad played a few tracks from it (via her greatest hits) and it represents pleasant times from my childhood.
Ryuichi Sakamoto	Smoochy	1995	Ryuichi Sakamoto was such an incredible musician and A Day in the Park, from this album, reminds me of a specific time in my childhood. Coincidentally, it was around the time this album was released which adds to the sentimental quality. I miss him everyday.