It’s not cool for ‘Led Zeppelin IV’ to be your favorite Led Zeppelin album, but let’s face it: it’s the best. And to truly appreciate its brilliance, we must dig much deeper into the musical traditions that shaped it.
Read moreFaith Evans’ ‘Faithfully’ Turns 20 | Anniversary Retrospective
Evans’ third studio affair is a sample-heavy project possessed of an overtly “old-school” vibe, like so much of the mainstream R&B of the era.
Read moreThe Jacksons’ Eponymous 1976 Album ‘The Jacksons’ Turns 45 | Anniversary Retrospective
‘The Jacksons’ solidified the brothers' excursion into Philly soul as sophisticated, adult R&B stylists, setting off the second golden phase of their artistic rise.
Read moreThe Coup’s ‘Party Music’ Turns 20 | Anniversary Retrospective
As Boots Riley continues to enjoy a new phase of his career in film, he can marvel at how he hit the nail squarely on the head with The Coup’s captivating fourth studio album.
Read moreNatalie Imbruglia’s ‘White Lilies Island’ Turns 20 | Anniversary Retrospective
As the successor to her breakthrough debut LP “Left of the Middle,’ Imbruglia’s second studio affair found the singer-songwriter afforded more creative freedom amidst weightier expectations.
Read moreSly and The Family Stone’s ‘There’s a Riot Goin’ On’ Turns 50 | Anniversary Retrospective
The band’s fifth LP is a striking example of a pathfinder taking a road, both musically and personally, that tests every relationship to the brink and beyond.
Read moreBritney Spears’ ‘Britney’ Turns 20 | Anniversary Retrospective
The sounds executed on Spears’ third album are richer and fuller than its two predecessors, and she finally had more dimensional material to sink her teeth into as a singer.
Read moreThe Spice Girls’ Debut Album ‘Spice’ Turns 25 | Anniversary Retrospective
Notwithstanding the inevitable backlash it received, the Spice Girls’ debut album is an outstanding record that combines feminism with funk, hip-hop, and R&B.
Read moreIsaac Hayes’ ‘Black Moses’ Turns 50 | Anniversary Retrospective
Released just three months after the widely acclaimed ‘Shaft’ soundtrack, the double-album ‘Black Moses’ showcases its creator’s musical genius in droves.
Read moreThe National’s Eponymous Debut Album ‘The National’ Turns 20 | Anniversary Retrospective
Two decades on, it’s exceptionally clear: The National knew their creative strengths from their earliest days. Their debut is wildly in keeping with the magnificent artists they are today.
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