17. The Police - Synchronicity (1983) This had to be top 20. It was the first full-length vinyl I ever owned, and it is still an album I love listening to pretty often. Considering how important this album was to me, it might have been top 10 if tracks 4 and 8 were stronger, but I was never overly crazy about King of Pain, and even though I don't think Mother is as positively awful as many do, it still is not very good. But everything else on this record is dynamite, and they are one of a handful of bands that went out on top.
Favorite songs: Synchronicity II, Wrapped Around Your Finger, Synchronicity I, Walking in Your Footsteps and O My God16. Boston - Boston (1976)This was THE album that got me into classic rock. I cut grass with my older cousin Tim in the summers of '89 and '90, and he always had classic rock stations on, so I got familiar with a lot of classic rock that way. I still remember the first time I heard Foreplay/Long Time; it was the greatest thing I had ever heard. I ran out the next day and used my grass-cutting money to buy the first Boston album on cassette, and for weeks, all I listened to was Foreplay/Long Time (which was placed as the last track on Side 2 of the cassette). Once I got around to listening to the whole thing, which took some prodding from my cousin, who kept telling me, "Every song is great," there was no doubt in my mind that Boston was one of the best albums ever.
Favorite songs: Foreplay/Long Time, Hitch a Ride, More Than a Feeling, Peace of Mind and Smokin'15. Dave Matthews Band - Before These Crowded Streets (1998)Yes, this album by Dave Matthews Band really is that awesome. Without a doubt. I only knew What Would You Say by them for years, and that song never did much for me back then, but when Before These Crowded Streets came out, my brother Mark loved it and told me how good it was, but I was like, "Meh, no interest." But he insisted on playing me the three song run of The Stone, Crush and The Dreaming Tree. Suffice it to say, I was shocked at how great all three of those songs were, and I was like, "Wow, is this the same band??" It wasn't long before I had my own copy on CD, and the rest of the record is absolutely fantastic as well. With eight of the 11 songs being over six minutes (four of which being over seven minutes), this album is by far the most they have ever stretched out, and you could even call this album epic.
Favorite songs: The Dreaming Tree, The Stone, Don't Drink the Water, Crush and Rapunzel