Editor’s Note: From Albumism’s inception back in 2016, we’ve remained unabashedly and unequivocally passionate about our mission of celebrating the world's love affairs with albums past, present and future.
But while our devotion to the album as an art form has remained steadfast, as evidenced by our deepening repository of individual album tributes and reviews, we’ve admittedly seldom taken the opportunity to explicitly articulate our reverence for the virtues of artists’ complete album repertoires as a whole.
Hence why we’ve decided to showcase what we believe to be the most dynamic discographies of all time in this recurring series. In doing so, we hope to better understand the broader creative context within which our most beloved individual albums exist, while acknowledging the full breadth of their creators’ artistry, career arcs, and overall contributions to the ever-evolving musical landscape.
We hope you enjoy this series and be sure to check here periodically for the latest installments.
NEIL YOUNG
Studio Albums: Neil Young (1968) | Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere with Crazy Horse (1969) | After the Gold Rush (1970) | Harvest (1972) | On the Beach (1974) | Tonight's the Night (1975) | Zuma with Crazy Horse (1975) | Long May You Run with Stephen Stills (1976) | American Stars 'n Bars (1977) | Comes a Time (1978) | Hawks & Doves (1980) | Re·ac·tor with Crazy Horse (1981) | Trans (1982) | Everybody's Rockin' with the Shocking Pinks (1983) | Old Ways (1985) | Landing on Water (1986) | This Note's for You with The Bluenotes (1988) | Freedom (1989) | Ragged Glory with Crazy Horse (1990) | Harvest Moon (1992) | Sleeps with Angels with Crazy Horse (1994) | Mirror Ball with Pearl Jam (1995) | Broken Arrow with Crazy Horse (1996) | Silver & Gold (2000) | Are You Passionate? with Booker T. & the M.G.'s (2002) | Greendale with Crazy Horse (2003) | Prairie Wind (2005) | Living with War (2006) | Living with War: "In the Beginning" (2006) | Chrome Dreams II (2007) | Fork in the Road (2009) | Le Noise (2010) | Americana with Crazy Horse (2012) | Psychedelic Pill with Crazy Horse (2012) | A Letter Home (2014) | Storytone (2014) | The Monsanto Years with Promise of the Real (2015) | Peace Trail (2016) | Hitchhiker (recorded 1976; released 2017) | The Visitor with Promise of the Real (2017) | Colorado with Crazy Horse (2019) | Homegrown (recorded 1974–75; released 2020)
Neil Young’s discography spans genres. This is true for many artists, but it feels especially literal for Young. Since 1969, he has put out 40 studio albums with and without his band Crazy Horse. Young has made records with Booker T. & the M.G.’s, Pearl Jam, and countless others. There’s also his live albums, EPs, the ongoing archival releases of studio and live recordings, and his output and contributions as a part of the seminal rock bands Buffalo Springfield and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young.
There’s 1982’s Trans featuring electronic, vocoder Neil Young; 1983’s Everybody’s Rockin, an album of rockabilly covers and originals featuring The Shocking Pinks (and Neil in a pink tux on the cover); 1988’s This Note’s for You recorded with a horn section and another made-up band The Bluenotes. In 2006, he released his 27th studio album Living With War, a musical critique of George W. Bush’s administration and the Iraq war (including the timeless single “Let’s Impeach The President”); and there’s 2015’s concept record The Monsanto Years Young recorded with Promise of the Real, a record criticizing the agricultural overlords Monsanto.
A true sonic chameleon, the phases of Neil Young’s career also spans taste. Not every Neil Young record is for every Neil Young fan. Even still, he has something for everyone. That’s part of his charm. Before COVID-19 shut down the globe, I had a Dress As Your Favorite Neil Young birthday party planned (You’re all invited next year). I love Young’s work, that there’s so much of it, and that everyone has a different favorite.
But as a fan, I stick to the early works. That’s where my heart is. My top three are 1974’s On the Beach, 1975’s Tonight’s the Night, and the second archival release Live at Massey Hall 1971—a live, solo acoustic set recorded in Toronto. It’s just Neil, his guitar, and a piano. Come for the soul-baring, stay for the banter.
Sarah’s 3 Favorite Neil Young Albums of All Time:
1. On the Beach (1974)
2. Tonight’s the Night (1975)
3. Live at Massey Hall 1971 (2007)
VISIT Neil Young’s Official Store
LISTEN & WATCH: