Janet Jackson’s ‘20 Y.O.’ Turns 15 | Anniversary Retrospective

September 18, 2021 Quentin Harrison

During this crucial juncture in her career, Jackson took stock of her legacy and peered back to where she first centered her creative voice: her breakthrough 1986 album ‘Control.’

Tool’s ‘Ænima’ Turns 25 | Anniversary Retrospective

September 15, 2021 Stephan Wyatt

Fifteen perfect songs in one lifetime few bands accomplish. Fifteen perfect songs, intricately connected in the Nine Circles of Hell they illuminate, Tool accomplished with their second album in 1996.

WC And The Maad Circle’s Debut Album ‘Ain’t A Damn Thang Changed’ Turns 30 | Anniversary Retrospective

September 15, 2021 Jesse Ducker

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The group’s debut LP may not be the best-known or most acclaimed album of hip-hop’s golden era, but its relevance and impact endure three decades later.

Nice & Smooth’s ‘Ain’t A Damn Thing Changed’ Turns 30 | Anniversary Retrospective

September 15, 2021 Jesse Ducker

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Greg Nice & Smooth B’s classic sophomore album reflects their multiple talents and represents a triumph of the whole being greater than the sum of the parts.

P.O.D.’s ‘Satellite’ Turns 20 | Anniversary Retrospective

September 10, 2021 Daryl McIntosh

P.O.D. have enjoyed a prosperous and influential career to date, but their most successful project to date remains their breakthrough fourth album.

Jay-Z’s ‘The Blueprint’ Turns 20 | Anniversary Retrospective

September 9, 2021 Jesse Ducker

Jay-Z made damn good albums before ‘The Blueprint,’ as well as some afterwards. But his sixth studio affair remains the album where everything came together.

Pearl Jam’s Debut Album ‘Ten’ Turns 30 | Anniversary Retrospective

August 23, 2021 Stephan Wyatt

A search for identity somewhere lost between Mother Love Bone’s demise and Eddie Vedder’s surfing daydreams, ‘Ten’ is gorgeous & boundless.

Level 42’s Eponymous Debut Album ‘Level 42’ Turns 40 | Anniversary Retrospective

July 28, 2021 Patrick Corcoran

Hailing from the Isle of Wight, the group started their jazz-funk journey with 1981’s eponymously titled debut album.

Beyoncé’s ‘4’ Turns 10 | Anniversary Retrospective

June 22, 2021 Quentin Harrison

Balancing creative control, self-expression and commercial accessibility was an important lesson for Beyoncé to learn so that she could be remembered as more than just a modern day hitmaker.

Carly Simon’s ‘Another Passenger’ Turns 45 | Anniversary Retrospective

June 2, 2021 Quentin Harrison

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Circumstances seemingly aligned to prevent ‘Another Passenger’ from finding the larger audience it deserved, but it has gone on to gain an ardent following with Simon loyalists.

The Cardigans’ ‘First Band on the Moon’ Turns 30 | Album Anniversary

So much more than their massive hit “Lovefool,” The Cardigans’ terrific third LP reflected the band’s evolving confidence and musical maturation at the time.

Mariah Carey’s ‘Glitter’ Turns 25 | Album Anniversary

Instead of the disproportionate attention paid to the commercial performance of ‘Glitter,’ the focus should actually rest on Carey’s continued desire to marry pop, R&B, and hip-hop genres for the masses.

CeCe Peniston’s ‘I’m Movin’ On’ Turns 30 | Album Anniversary

After early career success like Peniston’s, many artists would rather sell their souls than chance to change the formula, even if they have to create work they don’t love. Peniston refused.