A+
The Ones

The near-perfect ones. The ones where repeated listens kept paying off.

These are the albums I kept going back to even when I had four hundred and fifty others I hadn't gotten to yet. That's the whole test.

97 A+ Records
69 Years of Music
∞ Return Trips
We Insist! Max Roach's Freedom Now Suite
We Insist! Max Roach's Freedom Now Suite
Max Roach · 1961
politicalprotestconscious
Hey Jude
Hey Jude
The Beatles · 1970
mellowplayfulsentimental
Windowlicker
Windowlicker
Aphex Twin · 1999
surrealinstrumentalplayful
The Famous 1938 Carnegie Hall Jazz Concert
The Famous 1938 Carnegie Hall Jazz Concert
Benny Goodman · 1950
instrumentalenergeticparty
1989
2014
1989
Taylor Swift · 2014
SMiLE
SMiLE
Brian Wilson · 2004
Wall of Soundmelodiclush
Discovery
Discovery
Daft Punk · 2001
partysamplingfuturistic
Yeezus
Yeezus
Kanye West · 2013
vulgarmanicaggressive
A Tribute to Jack Johnson
A Tribute to Jack Johnson
Miles Davis · 1971
instrumentalimprovisationenergetic
Another Green World
1975
Another Green World
Brian Eno · 1975
Sign O' the Times
Sign O' the Times
Prince · 1987
eclecticplayfulsexual
Selected Ambient Works Volume II
Selected Ambient Works Volume II
Aphex Twin · 1994
atmosphericmysteriousominous
The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars
The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars
David Bowie · 1972
science fictionconcept albummelodic
Best of the Classic Years
Best of the Classic Years
King Sunny Ade · 2003
mellowrhythmicwarm
Pet Sounds
1966
Pet Sounds
The Beach Boys · 1966
Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere
Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere
Neil Young · 1969
bittersweetpastoralraw
Rust Never Sleeps
Rust Never Sleeps
Neil Young · 1979
poeticrawintrospective
Talking Book
Talking Book
Stevie Wonder · 1972
lovepassionatemelodic
Songs in the Key of Life
Songs in the Key of Life
Stevie Wonder · 1976
upliftingoptimisticpassionate
Innervisions
1973
Innervisions
Stevie Wonder · 1973
Buckle Up
Car Wheels on a Gravel Road
Car Wheels on a Gravel Road
Lucinda Williams · 1998
pastoralmelodicbittersweet
The College Dropout
The College Dropout
Kanye West · 2004
humoroussamplingconscious
My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
Kanye West · 2010
boastfulepicpassionate
Late Registration
Late Registration
Kanye West · 2005
samplinghumorouslush
The Velvet Underground
1969
The Velvet Underground
The Velvet Underground · 1969
Modern Vampires of the City
Modern Vampires of the City
Vampire Weekend · 2013
melodicwarmlush
Electric Warrior
Electric Warrior
T. Rex · 1971
sexualsensualplayful
Remain in Light
Remain in Light
Talking Heads · 1980
rhythmicanxiousenergetic
Is This It
Is This It
The Strokes · 2001
urbanenergeticmelodic
Illinois
2005
Illinois
Sufjan Stevens · 2005
Aja
Aja
Steely Dan · 1977
lushmellowsoft
Dusty in Memphis
Dusty in Memphis
Dusty Springfield · 1969
romanticmelodiclush
The Queen Is Dead
The Queen Is Dead
The Smiths · 1986
lonelysarcasticmelancholic
Horses
Horses
Patti Smith · 1975
poeticenergeticrebellious
There's a Riot Goin' On
1971
There's a Riot Goin' On
Sly & the Family Stone · 1971
The Woods
The Woods
Sleater-Kinney · 2005
noisyenergeticraw
Pastel Blues
Pastel Blues
Nina Simone · 1965
passionatemelancholicmelodic
Bridge Over Troubled Water
Bridge Over Troubled Water
Simon & Garfunkel · 1970
melodicsoftwarm
Sticky Fingers
Sticky Fingers
The Rolling Stones · 1971
drugssexualhedonism
Murmur
1983
Murmur
R.E.M. · 1983
Okay Fine, More
OK Computer
OK Computer
Radiohead · 1997
melancholicanxiousalienation
Kid A
Kid A
Radiohead · 2000
coldfuturisticmelancholic
In Rainbows
In Rainbows
Radiohead · 2007
lushintrospectivemelancholic
It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back
It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back
Public Enemy · 1988
politicalangryprotest
Purple Rain
1984
Purple Rain
Prince · 1984
Dirty Mind
Dirty Mind
Prince · 1980
sexualvulgarplayful
1999
1999
Prince · 1982
sexualrhythmicparty
Aquemini
Aquemini
OutKast · 1998
consciouslushurban
In the Aeroplane Over the Sea
In the Aeroplane Over the Sea
Neutral Milk Hotel · 1998
passionatepoeticcryptic
Brilliant Corners
1957
Brilliant Corners
Thelonious Monk · 1957
Blue
Blue
Joni Mitchell · 1971
acousticmelancholicbittersweet
Blues & Roots
Blues & Roots
Charles Mingus · 1960
improvisationinstrumentalenergetic
Mingus Ah Um
Mingus Ah Um
Charles Mingus · 1959
instrumentalenergeticpassionate
The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady
The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady
Charles Mingus · 1963
instrumentalcomplexpassionate
Kala
2007
Kala
M.I.A. · 2007
Superfly
Superfly
Curtis Mayfield · 1972
drugscrimeurban
Ray of Light
Ray of Light
Madonna · 1998
atmosphericspiritualethereal
The Village Green Preservation Society
The Village Green Preservation Society
The Kinks · 1968
bittersweetwarmmelodic
Emotion
Emotion
Carly Rae Jepsen · 2016
energeticromanticlove
Thriller
1982
Thriller
Michael Jackson · 1982
No Really, All of Them
Art Angels
Art Angels
Grimes · 2015
energeticplayfulquirky
The Goldberg Variations
The Goldberg Variations
Glenn Gould · 1982
instrumentalacoustictechnical
Young, Gifted and Black
Young, Gifted and Black
Aretha Franklin · 1972
passionatewarmorchestral
I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You
I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You
Aretha Franklin · 1967
passionatelovewarm
Before and After Science
1977
Before and After Science
Brian Eno · 1977
The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan
The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan · 1963
avant-gardepoeticurban
Highway 61 Revisited
Highway 61 Revisited
Bob Dylan · 1965
poeticcrypticsurreal
A Love Supreme
A Love Supreme
John Coltrane · 1965
spiritualimprovisationinstrumental
Future Days
Future Days
Can · 1973
hypnoticwarmatmospheric
The Dreaming
1982
The Dreaming
Kate Bush · 1982
Hounds of Love
Hounds of Love
Kate Bush · 1985
concept albumlushlove
Station to Station
Station to Station
David Bowie · 1976
drugsanxiouslonely
Low
Low
David Bowie · 1977
atmosphericlonelyfuturistic
Post
Post
Björk · 1995
eclecticpassionatequirky
Bringing It All Back Home
1965
Bringing It All Back Home
Bob Dylan · 1965
Blood on the Tracks
Blood on the Tracks
Bob Dylan · 1975
breakuplonelypoetic
Blonde on Blonde
Blonde on Blonde
Bob Dylan · 1966
poeticsurrealsarcastic
Pink Moon
Pink Moon
Nick Drake · 1972
acousticmelancholiclonely
Milestones
Milestones
Miles Davis · 1958
energeticinstrumentalacoustic
Kind of Blue
1959
Kind of Blue
Miles Davis · 1959
I Meant It
In a Silent Way
In a Silent Way
Miles Davis · 1969
instrumentalatmosphericnocturnal
Filles de Kilimanjaro
Filles de Kilimanjaro
Miles Davis · 1969
instrumentalacousticcalm
Getz/Gilberto
Getz/Gilberto
Stan Getz · 1964
mellowtropicalwarm
Homogenic
Homogenic
Björk · 1997
passionatecoldlush
Renaissance
2022
Renaissance
Beyoncé · 2022
Lemonade
Lemonade
Beyoncé · 2016
concept albumangrybreakup
The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles · 1968
eclecticmelodicplayful
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
The Beatles · 1967
psychedelicplayfulmelodic
Rubber Soul
Rubber Soul
The Beatles · 1965
melodiclovebittersweet
Revolver
1966
Revolver
The Beatles · 1966
Abbey Road
Abbey Road
The Beatles · 1969
melodicwarmmedley
The SMiLE Sessions
The SMiLE Sessions
The Beach Boys · 2011
psychedelicplayfulsurreal
Funeral
Funeral
Arcade Fire · 2004
passionatedeathmelancholic
The Idler Wheel Is Wiser Than the Driver of the Screw and Whipping Cords Will Serve You More Than Ropes Will Ever Do
The Idler Wheel Is Wiser Than the Driver of the Screw and Whipping Cords Will Serve You More Than Ropes Will Ever Do
Fiona Apple · 2012
introspectiveanxiouspoetic
Fetch the Bolt Cutters
2020
Fetch the Bolt Cutters
Fiona Apple · 2020
Selected Ambient Works 85-92
Selected Ambient Works 85-92
Aphex Twin · 1992
atmosphericfuturisticinstrumental
Richard D. James Album
Richard D. James Album
Aphex Twin · 1996
playfulcomplexinstrumental