Favourite album from each year since you were born

[Scorpion]

Saw this on another forum, thought it was an interesting idea. Basically, what's your favourite album from each year since you've been born?

My list:

1995: Ulver - Bergtatt
1996: Nevermore - The Politics of Ecstasy
1997: Devin Townsend - Ocean Machine: Biomech
1998: Buckethead - Colma
1999: Iced Earth - Alive in Athens (this is a live album, but it's too good to not include)
2000: Pain of Salvation - The Perfect Element, Pt. 1
2001: Devin Townsend - Terria
2002: Kalmah - They Will Return
2003: Swallow the Sun - The Morning Never Came
2004: Wintersun - Wintersun
2005: System of a Down - Hypnotize
2006: Dog Fashion Disco - Adultery
2007: Sigh - Hangman's Hymn
2008: Trivium - Shogun
2009: Riverside - Anno Domini High Definition
2010: Amon Amarth - Surtur Rising
2011: Grayceon - All We Destroy
2012: Sigh - In Somniphobia
2013: Caladan Brood - Echoes of Battle
2014: Ne Obliviscaris - Citadel

[LieLowTheWantedMan]

1994: Portishead - Dummy
1995: Porcupine Tree - The Sky Moves Sideways
1996: Swans - Soundtracks for the Blind (this is tough because 3 albums that made my top 10 came out this year, 2 of which were in my top 5)
1997: Godspeed You! Black Emperor - F#A# Infinity
1998: Neutral Milk Hotel - In the Aeroplane Over the Sea
1999: Sigur Ros - Agaetis Byrjun
2000: Godspeed You! Black Emperor - Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven
2001: maudlin of the Well - Bath
2002: Boards of Canada - Geogaddi
2003: Kayo Dot - Choirs of the Eye
2004: Magma - K.A.
2005: Boards of Canada - The Campfire Headphase
2006: Brand New - The Devil and God Are Raging Inside Me
2007: of Montreal - Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer?
2008: Dir en Grey - Uroboros
2009: Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavilion
2010: Janelle Monae - The ArchAndroid
2011: Danny Brown - XXX
2012: Death Grips - The Money Store
2013: Kayo Dot - Hubardo
2014: Swans - To Be Kind

[Elite]

1992: Dream Theater - Images & Words
1993: Porcupine Tree - Up the Downstair
1994: Jeff Buckley - Grace
1995: Porcupine Tree - The Sky Moves Sideways
1996: Sublime - Sublime
1997: Porcupine Tree - Coma Divine  (this is a live album, but it's too good to not include)
1998: Pain of Salvation - One Hour By The Concrete Lake
1999: Mr. Bungle - California
2000: Godspeed You! Black Emperor - Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven
2001: Devin Townsend - Terria / Transatlantic - Bridge Across Forever / Shadow Gallery - Legacy
2002: dredg - El Cielo
2003: -
2004: Ayreon - The Human Equation
2005: Gojira - From Mars to Sirius
2006: Agalloch - Ashes Against the Grain
2007: The Dear Hunter - Act Two: The Meaning Of, And All Things Regarding Ms. Leading
2008: Seventh Wonder - Mercy Falls
2009: The Devin Townsend Project - Ki
2010: Anathema - We're Here Because We're Here
2011: Leprous Bilateral / Haken - Visions
2012: Headspace - I Am Anonymous / Beyond the Bridge - The Old Man and the Spirit
2013: Karnivool - Asymmetry
2014: Schizoid Lloyd - The Last Note in God's Magnum Opus

---

what a boring list.

[Zantera]

Something like this: (I also added runner-ups)

1991: My Bloody Valentine - Loveless (Slint - Spiderland)
1992: Faith No More - Angel Dust (Aphex Twin - Selected Ambient Works)
1993: Red House Painters - Rollercoaster (Slowdive - Souvlaki)
1994: Nine Inch Nails - The Downward Spiral (Portishead - Dummy)
1995: The Smashing Pumpkins - Mellon Collie & the Infinite Sadness (Mr. Bungle - Disco Volante)
1996: Cardiacs - Sing to God (Swans - Soundtracks For the Blind)
1997: Godspeed You! Black Emperor - F#A# Infinity (Spiritualized - Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space)
1998: Neutral Milk Hotel - In the Aeroplane Over the Sea (Refused - The Shape of Punk to Come)
1999: Nine Inch Nails - The Fragile (Neurosis - Times of Grace)
2000: Godspeed You! Black Emperor - Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven (Boris - Flood)
2001: Converge - Jane Doe (Stars of the Lid - The Tired Sounds of Stars of the Lid)
2002: Sigur Rós - ( ) (Boards of Canada - Geogaddi)
2003: Kayo Dot - Choirs of the Eye (Boris - Feedbacker)
2004: Isis - Panopticon (Neurosis - The Eye of Every Storm)
2005: The Mars Volta - Frances the Mute (Mew - And the Glass Handed Kites)
2006: Agalloch - Ashes Against the Grey (Cult of Luna - Somewhere Along the Highway)
2007: Oceansize - Frames (Stars of the Lid - And Their Refinement Of The Decline)
2008: Have a Nice Life - Deathconsciousness (Dir En Grey - Uroboros)
2009: Touche Amore - To the Beat of a Dead Horse (Between the Buried and Me - The Great Misdirect)
2010: The National - High Violet (Anathema - We're Here Because We're Here)
2011: Kimbra - Vows (Steven Wilson - Grace For Drowning)
2012: Swans - The Seer (Kendrick Lamar - Good Kid, m.A.A.d City)
2013: Deafheaven - Sunbather (Kayo Dot - Hubardo)
2014: Swans - To Be Kind (Kimbra - The Golden Echo)

[Outcrier]

1993: Wu-Tang Clan - Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)
1994: Nas - Illmatic
1995: Genius/GZA - Liquid Swords
1996: DJ Shadow - Endtroducing
1997: Radiohead - OK Computer
1998: Boards of Canada - Music Has the Right to Children
1999: MF DOOM - Operation: Doomsday
2000: Radiohead - Kid A
2001: Daft Punk - Discovery
2002: Boards of Canada - Geogaddi (even though it's my least favorite from them).
2003: Akira Yamaoka - Silent Hill 3 OST
2004: Madvillain - Madvillainy
2005: Boards of Canada - The Campfire Headphase
2006: MF DOOM - Special Herbs
2007: Radiohead - In Rainbows
2008: Protest The Hero - Fortress
2009: Riverside - Anno Domini High Definition
2010: Arcade Fire - The Suburbs
2011: CunninLynguists - Oneirology
2012: Dead Can Dance - Anastasis
2013: Boards of Canada - Tomorrow's Harvest (Yeah, i love them)
2014: Run The Jewels - RTJ2

[krands85]

I'll have to have a bit of a think about this  I don't listen to very much music from the 80s, so the early part of this list will be tricky.

1985 - Iron Maiden - Live After Death (was struggling here so had to go for a live album  )
1986 - Metallica - Master of Puppets
1987 - Anthrax - Among the Living is (this was all I could come up with)
1988 - Metallica - ...And Justice for All
1989 - Dream Theater - When Dream and Day Unite
1990 - Megadeth - Rust in Peace
1991 - Pearl Jam - Ten
1992 - Dream Theater - Images and Words
1993 - Pearl Jam - Vs. (this was where things began getting tricky, there were quite a few good albums, but none really stood out above the others)
1994 - Oasis - Definitely Maybe
1995 - Radiohead - The Bends
1996 - Opeth - Morningrise
1997 - Radiohead - OK Computer
1998 - Iced Earth - Something Wicked This Way Comes
1999 - Dream Theater - Scenes From a Memory
2000 - Deftones - White Pony
2001 - Muse - Origin of Symmetry
2002 - System of a Down - Toxicity
2003 - Dream Theater - Train of Thought
2004 - 65daysofstatic - The Fall of Math
2005 - Opeth - Ghost Reveries
2006 - Isis - In the Absence of Truth
2007 - Yndi Halda - Enjoy Eternal Bliss
2008 - Maybeshewill - Not for Want of Trying
2009 - Mastodon - Crack the Skye
2010 - Anathema - We're Here Because We're Here
2011 - Dream Theater - A Dramatic Turn of Events
2012 - Bad Salad - Uncivilized
2013 - Tesseract - Altered State
2014 - Transatlantic - Kaleidoscope

That took me way too long, how the hell did some of you do it so fast??  Quite a few great albums and bands miss out because of strong competition in certain years, but in other years there didn't seem to be much at all. Wikipedia is a good help for those who are having difficulty - each year in music has it's own page with a large selection of albums released that year. For example 1985 Page. The last few years seem to have their own dedicated pages for albums released too. I'm just glad I'm only 29 

EDIT:
Interesting that DT only had one mention before my post, then I fired out 5  Though WDADU is only there because there wasn't much else I liked from 1989 really. 

[TAC]

That was fun!

1968- Deep-Purple-Shades Of Deep Purple
1969- Led Zeppelin -I
1970- Black Sabbath-s/t
1971- Alice Cooper-Killer
1972-Alice Cooper-School's Out
1973-Black Sabbath-Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
1974-UFO-Phenomenon
1975- Alice Cooper-Welcome To My Nightmare
1976- UFO-No Heavy petting
1977- AC/DC-Let There Be Rock
1978- Rush-Hemispheres
1979-UFO-Strangers In The Night
1980-Black Sabbath-Heaven And Hell
1981-Michael Schenker Group-MSG
1982-Iron Maiden-The Number Of The Beast
1983- Metallica-Kill 'Em All
1984-Queensryche-Warning
1985-Accept-Metal Heart
1986-Metallica-Master Of Puppets
1987-Helloween-Keeper Of The Seven Keys Pt. 1
1988-Helloween-Keeper Of The Seven Keys Pt. 2
1989-Alice Cooper-Trash
1990-Megadeth-Rust In Peace
1991-Alice Cooper-Hey Stoopid
1992-Dream Theater-Images And Words
1993-UFO-Walk On Water
1994-Dream Theater-Awake
1995-Anthrax-Stomp 442
1996-Bruce Dickinson-Skinkworks
1997-Bruce Dickinson-Accident Of Birth
1998-Hammerfall-Legacy Of Kings
1999-Dream Theater-Scenes From A Memory
2000-Iron Maiden-Brave New World
2001-Iced Earth-Horror Show
2002-Dream Theater-Six Degrees Of Inner Turbulence
2003-Iron Maiden-Dance Of Death
2004-Heavenly-Dust To Dust
2005-Dream Theater-Octavarium
2006-Iron Maiden-A Matter Of Life And Death
2007-Dream Theater-Systematic Chaos
2008-Testament-The Formation Of Damnation
2009-Megadeth-Endgame
2010-Iron Maiden-The Final Frontier
2011-Dream Theater-A Dramatic Turn Of Events
2012-Accept-Stalingrad
2013-Saxon-Sacrifice
2014-Unisonic-Light Of Dawn

[Zyzzyva17]

1995: Spock's Beard - The Light
1996: Tool - Aenima
1997: Dream Theater - Falling into Infinity
1998: Symphony X - Twilight in Olympus
1999: Spock's Beard - Day for Night
2000: Symphony X - V
2001: Transatlantic - Bridge Across Forever
2002: Spock's Beard - Snow
2003: Dream Theater - Train of Thought
2004: Ayreon - The Human Equation
2005: Dream Theater - Octavarium
2006: Muse - Black Holes and Revelations
2007: Between the Buried and Me - Colors
2008: Opeth - Watershed
2009: Transatlantic - The Whirlwind
2010: Haken - Aquarius
2011: Dream Theater - A Dramatic Turn of Events
2012: Between the Buried and Me - Future Sequence
2013: Haken - The Mountain
2014: Transatlantic - Kaleidoscope

[Buddyhunter1]

1995: Porcupine Tree - The Sky Moves Sideways
1996: Tool - Aenima
1997: Devin Townsend - Ocean Machine: Biomech
1998: Opeth - My Arms, Your Hearse
1999: Dream Theater - Scenes From A Memory
2000: Porcupine Tree - Lightbulb Sun
2001: Opeth - Blackwater Park
2002: Porcupine Tree - In Absentia
2003: Dream Theater - Train Of Thought
2004: Nightwish - Once
2005: Dream Theater - Octavarium
2006: Unexpect - In A Flesh Aquarium
2007: Porcupine Tree - Fear Of A Blank Planet
2008: Gojira - The Way Of All Flesh
2009: Devin Townsend - Addicted
2010: Ihsahn - After
2011: Devin Townsend - Deconstruction
2012: Storm Corrosion - Storm Corrosion
2013: The Ocean - Pelagial
2014: Devin Townsend - Z2

[XB0BX]

2009: Touche Amore - To the Beat of a Dead Horse (Between the Buried and Me - The Great Misdirect)
2010: The National - High Violet (Anathema - We're Here Because We're Here)
2011: Kimbra - Vows (Steven Wilson - Grace For Drowning)
2012: Swans - The Seer (Kendrick Lamar - Good Kid, m.A.A.d City)
2013: Deafheaven - Sunbather (Kayo Dot - Hubardo)
2014: Swans - To Be Kind (Kimbra - The Golden Echo)

[Shadow Ninja 2.0]

Xbob, this lends some insight into your posts.

[Outcrier]

 

[Bolsters]

All he did was copy the bottom of Zantera's post.

[Shadow Ninja 2.0]

I was referring to the fact that apparently he's six.

[Heretic]

1993: Sleep - Holy Mountain
1994: Jeff Buckley - Grace
1995: Dissection - Storm of the Light's Bane
1996: Porcupine Tree - Signify
1997: Godspeed You! Black Emperor - F#A#Infinity
1998: Opeth - My Arms, Your Hearse
1999: Godspeed You! Black Emperor - Slow Riot for New Zero Kanada (verrrrry close runner up, American Football - S/T)
2000: Godspeed You! Black Emperor - Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven
2001: Converge - Jane Doe
2002: Interpol - Turn of the Bright Lights
2003: Thrice - The Artist in the Ambulance
2004: Wintersun - Wintersun
2005: Porcupine Tree - Deadwing tied with Avenged Sevenfold - City of Evil tied with Thrice - Vheissu tied with Opeth- Ghost Reveries tied with The National - Alligator. 2005 was probably the best year for music, wow.   
2006: Jakob - Solace
2007: The National - Boxer tied with Fair to Midland - Fables from a Mayfly: What I Tell You Three Times is True tied with Yndi Halda - Enjoy Eternal Bliss tied with Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago tied with Between the Buried and Me - Colors. Another impossible year to choose from. 
2008: Frightened Rabbit - THe Midnight Organ FIght
2009: Mastodon - Crack the Skye
2010: The Tallest Man on Earth - The Wild Hunt tied with Anathema - We're Here Because We're Here
2011: Thrice - Major/Minor
2012: Anathema - Weather Systems tied with alt-J - an Awesome Wave
2013: Haken - The Mountain
2014: Locktender - Rodin

[Outcrier]

All he did was copy the bottom of Zantera's post.

Now i'm curious why he did that 

[RoeDent]

Oh boy. I'll have to think about this. I've got a few in mind already, but I'm not even 100% sure I've heard an album from every single year since '89. Really interesting idea though.

[King Postwhore]

I was referring to the fact that apparently he's six.

 

[Zydar]

Should be fun. I'll do this when I come home from work.

[lonestar]

I was gonna say that this would take forever for a fogey like me, then TAC had to go and take that excuse away. Thanks man.

[bl5150]

I was gonna say that this would take forever for a fogey like me, then TAC had to go and take that excuse away. Thanks man.

Unbelievable memory - I couldn't do that no way.  But I suppose it's a bit easier when it's Maiden, Dickinson, Helloween, Maiden, Maiden, Maiden, Dickinson ............. 

[TAC]

I was gonna say that this would take forever for a fogey like me, then TAC had to go and take that excuse away. Thanks man.

Unbelievable memory - I couldn't do that no way.  But I suppose it's a bit easier when it's Maiden, Dickinson, Helloween, Maiden, Maiden, Maiden, Dickinson ............. 

 

Too funny.
It took me about a half hour. Must admit I had a little Wiki help.

Some lean years though in the late 90's and early 00's. When Skunkworks and Horrow Show are the best album of the year, it was probably a pretty weak year.

[Mladen]

Wow, this is quite a challenge. Lets try it...

1991: Metallica - Metallica
1992: Dream Theater - Images and words
1993: Blur - Modern life is rubbish
1994: Dream Theater - Awake
1995: Iron Maiden - The X Factor
1996: Weezer - Pinkerton
1997: Radiohead - OK Computer
1998: Neutral Milk Hotel - In an aeroplane over the sea
1999: Dream Theater - Metropolis pt2: Scenes from a memory
2000: Radiohead - Kid A
2001: Muse - Origin of symmetry
2002: Rush - Vapor trails
2003: Rooney - Rooney
2004: The Dissociatives - The Dissociatives
2005: Porcupine Tree - Deadwing
2006: Iron Maiden - A Matter of life and death
2007: Silverchair - Young modern
2008: of Montreal - Skeletal lamping
2009: Mastodon - Crack the Skye
2010: Blaze Bayley - Promise and terror
2011: Dream Theater - A Dramatic turn of events
2012: Stone Sour - House of gold and bones part 1
2013: of Montreal - Lousy with sylvianbriar
2014: Damon Albarn - Everyday robots

[Big Hath]

for now

1977: Weather Report - Heavy Weather
1978: Rush - Hemispheres
1979: Pink Floyd - The Wall
1980: Rush - Permanent Waves
1981: Rush - Moving Pictures
1982: Rush - Signals
1983: Iron Maiden - Piece Of Mind
1984: Metallica - Ride The Lightning
1985: Rush - Power Windows
1986: Metallica - Master Of Puppets
1987: U2 - The Joshua Tree
1988: Metallica - . . . And Justice For All
1989: Beastie Boys - Paul's Boutique
1990: Extreme - Pornograffitti
1991: Metallica - Metallica
1992: Dream Theater - Images And Words
1993: Rush - Counterparts
1994: Soundgarden - Superunkown
1995: Kevin Gilbert - Thud
1996: Tool - Ænima
1997: Symphony X - The Divine Wings Of Tragedy
1998: Bruce Dickinson - The Chemical Wedding
1999: Dream Theater - Metropolis Pt 2: Scenes From A Memory
2000: Symphony X - V
2001: Opeth - Blackwater Park
2002: Symphony X - The Odyssey
2003: Dream Theater - Train Of Thought
2004: Neal Morse - One
2005: Porcupine Tree - Deadwing/Opeth - Ghost Reveries
2006: Frost* - Milliontown
2007: Porcupine Tree - Fear Of A Blank Planet
2008: Opeth - Watershed
2009: Redemption - Snowfall On Judgement Day/Mastodon - Crack The Skye
2010: Anathema - We're Here Because We're Here
2011: Dream Theater - A Dramatic Turn Of Events
2012: Headspace - I Am Anonymous
2013: Steven Wilson - The Raven that Refused to Sing
2014: IQ - The Road of Bones

[TAC]

2010: Blaze Bayley - Promise and terror

Awesome album.

[Mladen]

2010: Blaze Bayley - Promise and terror

Awesome album.

Oh yeah. People are surprised it beats The Final frontier in my book, although that one is brilliant as well.

[Podaar]

1961   Vol. 2   -   Joan Baez
1962   Miles Davis at Carnegie Hall   -   Miles Davis
1963   Surfin' U.S.A.   -   The Beach Boys
1964   Beatles for Sale   -   The Beatles
1965   For Your Love   -   The Yardbirds
1966   Fresh Cream   -   Cream
1967   Axis: Bold as Love   -   The Jimi Hendrix Experience
1968   Shine On Brightly   -   Procol Harum
1969   Led Zeppelin II   -   Led Zeppelin

1970   Emerson Lake & Palmer   -   Emerson Lake & Palmer
1971   Led Zeppelin IV   -   Led Zeppelin
1972   Close to the Edge   -   Yes
1973   The Dark Side of the Moon   -   Pink Floyd
1974   Apostrophe (')   -   Frank Zappa
1975   Song for America   -   Kansas
1976   2112   -   Rush
1977   Lights Out   -   UFO
1978   Hemispheres   -   Rush
1979   Joe's Garage   -   Frank Zappa

1980   Cultösaurus Erectus   -   Blue Öyster Cult
1981   The Mob Rules   -   Black Sabbath
1982   Screaming for Vengence   -   Judas Priest
1983   Piece of Mind   -   Iron Maiden
1984   Ride the Lightning   -   Metallica
1985   Marching Out   -   Yngwie Malmsteen
1986   Master of Puppets   -   Metallica
1987   Hall of the Mountain King   -   Savatage
1988   ...And Justice for All   -   Metallica
1989   Blessing in Disguise   -   Metal Church

1990   Passion and Warfare   -   Steve Vai
1991   Badmotorfinger   -   Soundgarden
1992   Images and Words   -   Dream Theater
1993   Undertow   -   Tool
1994   Awake   -   Dream Theater
1995   Alice in Chains   -   Alice in Chians
1996   Ænima   -   Tool
1997   G3: Live in Concert   -   Satriani Johnson Vai
1998   Crystal Planet   -   Joe Satriani
1999   Scenes from a Memory   -   Dream Theater

2000   SMPT:e   -   Transatlantic
2001   Lateralus   -   Tool
2002   Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence   -   Dream Theater
2003   Damnation   -   Opeth
2004   Had to Cry Today   -   Joe Bonamassa
2005   In the Arms of God   -   Corrosion of Conformity
2006   10,000 Days   -   Tool
2007   Systematic Chaos   -   Dream Theater
2008   Watershed   -   Opeth
2009   Already Free   -   The Derek Trucks Band

2010   Final Frontier   -   Iron Maiden
2011   A Dramatic Turn of Events   -   Dream Theater
2012   Maps of Non-Existent Places   -   Thank You Scientist
2013   Coverin' Thoughts   -   Karnya
2014   Pale Communion   -   Opeth

Phew, that was tough! Strangely enough, the last 10 years were the hardest to decide. 

[Tom Bombadil]

1995 - Sting - Ten Summoner's Tales
1996 - Tool - Aenima
1997 - Dream Theater - Falling Into Infinity
1998 - Liquid Tension Experiment - LTE (I didn't have very many at all for this year)
1999 - David Bowie - Hours
2000 - Phish - Farmhouse
2001 - Tool - Lateralus
2002 - Meshuggah - Nothing
2003 - Dream Theater - Train of Thought
2004 - Mastodon - Leviathan
2005 - Porcupine Tree - Deadwing
2006 - Meshuggah - ObZen
2007 - Angels & Airwaves - I-Empire
2008 - Demians - Building an Empire
2009 - Porcupine Tree - The Incident
2010 - Somehow I have literally no music from 2010
2011 - Angels & Airwaves - Love
2012 - Beyond the Bridge - The Old Man and the Spirit
2013 - James Labrie - Impermanent Resonance
2014 - Flying Colors - Second Nature

This was really fun. Great idea!

[lonestar]

I was gonna say that this would take forever for a fogey like me, then TAC had to go and take that excuse away. Thanks man.

Unbelievable memory - I couldn't do that no way.  But I suppose it's a bit easier when it's Maiden, Dickinson, Helloween, Maiden, Maiden, Maiden, Dickinson ............. 

 

[Dark Castle]

1993- Sleep - Holy Mountain
1994- Dream Theater - Awake
1995- Death - Symbolic
1996- Down - Nola
1997- Godspeed You! Black Emperor - F♯ A♯ ∞
1998- Death - The Sound of Perseverance
1999- Children of Bodom - Hatebreeder
2000- Shiina Ringo - Shōso Strip
2001- Daft Punk - Discovery
2002- Killswitch Engage - Alive or Just Breathing
2003- The Mars Volta - Deloused In The Comatorium
2004- Lamb of God - Ashes of The Wake
2005- A Life Once Lost - Hunter
2006- Mastodon - Blood Mountain
2007- Exodus - The Atrocity Exhibition: Exhibit A
2008- Gojira - The Way of All Flesh
2009- Lady Gaga - The Fame Monster
2010- Kvelertak - Kvelertak
2011- Dark Castle - Surrender To All Life Beyond Form
2012- Grimes - Visions
2013- Rivers of Nihil - The Conscious Seed of Light
2014- Job For a Cowboy - Sun Eater (Deep Sea Diver - Always Waiting EP)

[The Letter M]

Holy crap I'm not sure I can do this...let's see. I'll post the years here, and then update as I come to figure out the albums by year that I want to include. This might take awhile, and include a LOT of the same group(s) of artists/bands over-and-over...because, well, they're MY favorite bands and I love their albums a lot!

1984 - Grace Under Pressure by Rush
1985 - Power Windows by Rush
1986 - Invisible Touch by Genesis OR So by Peter Gabriel
1987 - Hold Your Fire by Rush
1988 - ehhh...uhm, either In The Spirit Of Things by Kansas or To The Power Of Three by 3...this wasn't much of a year for me and prog albums that I like, so this was the best I could come up with.
1989 - Presto by Rush (almost Seasons End by Marillion)
1990 - Couldn't really pick one for this year - I guess nothing I listen to came out in 1990. Ah well!
1991 - We Can't Dance by Genesis (Sorry Rush, WCD beats the mostly mediocre Roll The Bones)
1992 - Images And Words by Dream Theater
1993 - Counterparts by Rush
1994 - Awake by Dream Theater OR The Flower King by Roine Stolt
1995 - THREE-WAY TIE!!! The Light by Spock's Beard / Back In The World Of Adventures by The Flower Kings / The Sky Moves Sideways by Porcupine Tree (also, props to Echolyn, Enchant, and Marillion this year, too)
1996 - Retropolis by The Flower Kings OR Beware Of Darkness by Spock's Beard (this might happen a lot, actually...also, honorable mention to Signify by Porcupine Tree)
1997 - Stardust We Are by The Flower Kings (honorable mention to Unfolded Like Staircase by Discipline)
1998 - The Kindness Of Strangers by Spock's Beard (honorable mention to Into The Electric Castle by Ayreon)
1999 - Scenes From A Memory by Dream Theater (honorable mentions to Stupid Dream by Porcupine Tree, Flower Power by The Flower Kings and Day For Night by Spock's Beard)
2000 - SMPT:e by Transatlantic OR V by Spock's Beard (honorable mentions to Space Revolver by The Flower Kings, Lightbulb Sun by Porcupine Tree, The Seventh House by IQ, and both Universal Migrator albums by Ayreon)
2001 - Bridge Across Forever by Transatlantic (honorable mention to Lateralus by Tool)
2002 - FOUR-WAY TIE!!! Snow by Spock's Beard, Unfold The Future by The Flower Kings, Six Degrees Of Inner Turbulence by Dream Theater, and In Absentia by Porcupine Tree (I honestly could NOT decide on just one...honorable mentions to The Odyssey by Symphony X and Vapor Trails by Rush)
2003 - Testimony by Neal Morse OR The Music That Died Alone by The Tangent OR Train Of Thought by Dream Theater
2004 - Marbles by Marillion OR One by Neal Morse (honorable mentions to The Human Equation by Ayreon, The World That We Drive Through by The Tangent, Dark Matter by IQ, and Window Dressing by Tiles)
2005 - Octavarium by Dream Theater OR ? by Neal Morse (honorable mentions to Deadwing by Porcupine Tree, Wallstreet Voodoo by Roine Stolt, and Picture by Kino)
2006 - Paradox Hotel by The Flower Kings OR A Place In The Queue SE by The Tangent (honorable mention to Milliontown by Frost*)
2007 - Fear Of A Blank Planet+Nil Recurring by Porcupine Tree OR Snakes And Arrows by Rush (honorable mentions to Systematic Chaos by Dream Theater, Sola Scriptura by Neal Morse, The Sum Of No Evil by The Flower Kings
2008 - A Tribute to The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway by Rewiring Genesis OR Happiness Is The Road by Marillion (honorable mentions to Who's The Boss In The Factory by Karmakanic and Not As Good As The Book by The Tangent)
2009 - The Whirlwind by Transatlantic (honorable mentions to Black Clouds & Silver Linings by Dream Theater and The Underfall Yard by Big Big Train)
2010 - X by Spock's Beard (honorable mentions to We're Here Because We're Here by Anathema, Lover's End by Moon Safari and Artificial by Unitopia)
2011 - A Dramatic Turn Of Events by Dream Theater (honorable mentions to Testimony 2 by Neal Morse, Grace For Drowning by Steven Wilson, Visions by Haken, and COMM by The Tangent)
2012 - Clockwork Angels by Rush (honorable mentions to Momentum by Neal Morse, Banks Of Eden by The Flower Kings, Sounds That Can't Be Made by Marillion, and Flying Colors by Flying Colors)
2013 - Brief Nocturnes And Dreamless Sleep by Spock's Beard OR The Raven That Refused To Sing (And Other Stories) by Steven Wilson (honorable mentions to Le Sacre du Travail by The Tangent, Desolation Rose by The Flower Kings, Dream Theater by Dream Theater, The Theory Of Everything by Ayreon, English Electric Full Power by Big Big Train, and The Mountain by Haken....2013 was a good year for me and the music/artists I love!)
2014 - Kaleidoscope by Transatlantic (honorable mentions to Second Nature by Flying Colors, Distant Satellites by Anathema and The Road Of Bones by IQ)
2015 - Predictions: Either the new Dream Theater for the new Neal Morse album, with honorable mentions to The Tangent, Steven Wilson, Karmakanic, Haken, The Gentle Storm, and Tiles...2015 actually is looking pretty good.

Things got out of hand in the mid-90's for me, so I apologize if I was supposed to only pick one, but I really couldn't. It was just too hard for me to pick just one for some of those years!

-Marc.

[Metro]

1995: A Change of Seasons - Dream Theater
1996: Signify - Porcupine Tree
1997: Ocean Machine: Biomech - Devin Townsend
1998: Infinity - Devin Townsend
1999: Metropolis Pt.2: Scenes From a Memory - Dream Theater
2000: Kid A - Radiohead
2001: Amnesiac - Radiohead
2002: The Second Stage Turbine Blade - Coheed and Cambria
2003: Accelerated Evolution - The Devin Townsend Band
2004: Absolution - Muse
2005: Frances the Mute - The Mars Volta
2006: Blood Mountain - Mastodon
2007: The Atrocity Exhibition: Exhibit A - Exodus
2008: Meshuggah - ObZen
2009: Crack the Skye - Mastodon
2010: X - Spock's Bread
2011: Ghost - The Devin Townsend Project
2012: The 2nd Law - Muse
2013: Fortress - Alter Bridge
2014: Z² - Devin Townsend

[Outcrier]

2011- Dark Castle - Surrender To All Life Beyond Form

[425]

This might be somewhat hard because for some of the years, particularly the late 90s, I don't even have that many albums. Nevertheless:

1996: Porcupine Tree - Signify
1997: Dream Theater - Falling Into Infinity
1998: Nightwish - Oceanborn
1999: Dream Theater - Metropolis, Pt. 2: Scenes from a Memory
2000: Nightwish - Wishmaster (Runner-Up: Porcupine Tree - Lightbulb Sun)
2001: Transatlantic - Bridge Across Forever (Runner-Up: Opeth - Blackwater Park)
2002: Porcupine Tree - In Absentia (Runner-Up: Coldplay - A Rush of Blood to the Head)
2003: Death Cab for Cutie - Transatlanticism
2004: Nightwish - Once
2005: Porcupine Tree - Deadwing (Runner-Up: Death Cab for Cutie - Plans)
2006: Iron Maiden - A Matter of Life and Death
2007: Porcupine Tree - Fear of a Blank Planet (Runner-Up: Nightwish - Dark Passion Play)
2008: Coldplay - Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends (Runner-Up: Opeth - Watershed)
2009: Transatlantic - The Whirlwind (Runner-Up: Porcupine Tree - The Incident)
2010: Anathema - We're Here Because We're Here (Runner-Up: Haken - Aquarius)
2011: Opeth - Heritage (Runner-Up: Coldplay - Mylo Xyloto)
2012: Anathema - Weather Systems
2013: Haken - The Mountain (Runner-Up: Steven Wilson - The Raven That Refused to Sing... and Other Stories)
2014: Coldplay - Ghost Stories (Runner-Up: Anathema - Distant Satellites)

2011 was the hardest year. ADTOE and Imaginaerum by Nightwish could very easily have made the top two, but right now I feel best about the choices of Heritage and MX.

[bout to crash]

2012   Maps of Non-Existent Places   -   Thank You Scientist

 

Okay, some of these aren't technically albums and some years were just too impossible to pick one (or even two or three) but here goes. I did this quickly so there may be errors or shit I missed, but this is what I came up with browsing iTunes. I need to go through my vinyl and edit this...

1985- Dead Man's Party- Oingo Boingo (this is apparently the only album I own from my birth year!)
1986- Light as a Feather- Return to Forever
1987- Boi-ngo- Oingo Boingo (again the only album I own from that year)
1988- Operation: Mindcrime- Queensryche
1989- Pretty Hate Machine- Nine Inch Nails
1990- Cowboys From Hell- Pantera
1991- Mr. Bungle
1992- Images and Words- DT/Angel Dust- Faith No More
1993- Undertow-Tool
1994- Awake- DT/Grace- Jeff Buckley/The Downward Spiral- NIN
1995- A Change of Seasons- DT/The Sky Moves Sideways- PT
1996- Aenima- Tool
1997- Buena Vista Social Club/Signify- PT/OK Computer -Radiohead
1998- Liquid Tension Experiment
1999- Scenes From a Memory- DT/Stupid Dream- PT
2000- Requiem for a Dream (soundtrack)/The Perfect Element- PoS/Lightbulb Sun- PT/Kid A- Radiohead/V- Spock's Beard
2001- Origin of Symmetry- Muse/Blackwater Park- Opeth/ Amnesiac- Radiohead
2002- SDOIT- DT/Deliverance- Opeth/Remedy Lane- PoS/In Absentia- PT
2003- Absolution- Muse
2004- The Human Equation- Ayreon
2005- Blackfield/Fisherman's Woman- Emiliana Torrini/ Frances the Mute- The Mars Volta/Ghost Reveries- Opeth/Deadwing- PT
2006- Black Holes and Revelations- Muse/10,000 Days- Tool
2007- Blackfield II, Fear of a Blank Planet & Nil Recurring- PT/ A Tale of God's Will- Terence Blanchard
2008- Tightly Unwound- The Pineapple Thief
2009- Insurgentes- SW
2010- Road Salt 1- Pain of Salvation/Someone Here is Missing- The Pineapple Thief
2011- Grace for Drowning- SW
2012- Engines- Blue Food/Storm Corrosion
2013- The Raven that Refused to Sing- SW
2014- ?
2015 -TBD