Not very hot on the heels of my last post, but a serious correction on the above.
I neglected to mention the rather excellent Mr.Engel and his second album;

Scott Walker.-Scott 2.

It could have been edited above,but this artist and album is so special it kind of deserves a separate mention.Keep smilin' Scott.

Or: we shall know you by your well-thumbed copy of Rolling Stone Top 500 issue! Nice to see you got the French in there, too! Any singles list?

I feel bad about not getting The Hollies - "Bus Stop" on there, but I wouldn't know which one to sacrifice. Can't I just smuggle it in?

You heartless bastard! You expect some of the members here to pare down their collections to ONE MONTH'S WORTH OF PURCHASES (maybe even ONE WEEK'S WORTH for a lucky few, for example the one-who-lunches-and-lists-on-fridays)?

Seriously, this is a most difficult task, because I see it as the music that I would most enjoy listening to from now on, NOT the greatest albums of all time, or who has the coolest collection. Many of my choices might baffle others, because they might not understand the musical highlights that defined many of the meaningful points of my life. It's difficult to put into words how "East Side Story" helped me get over losing my first true love, or how Matthew Ryan's "May Day" saw me through a period where I was working two full-time jobs and living (barely) on four hours of sleep a night. But music like this defined my life, and I would want to have it with me always, so I will work on putting my list together, but some of it will probably only make sense to me.

I am truly intrigued here, which Tommy Keene release just missed your cut? Personally, I don't see any way that I can keep the album "Songs from the Film", or the song "Back to Zero Now", off of my list!

Also, could I get a note of clarification on the rules? I can live with no compilations, and no greatest hits or best-ofs, but what about live albums? Can I include live albums only if they are not a retrospective of the artist's best songs, or can you even make that distinction? Thanks for the fun challenge!

It was "Based On Happy Times," which I would claim to be my favorite of his by a hair over "Songs From the Film" if I'm pressed. Or if I'm forced to pick 50 albums to listen to for the rest of my life. In reality, I wouldn't be without either of them, or most of his other stuff.

I have no problem with live albums. They're usually pseudo-hits collections, but that's OK. If you'd rather live with a live album of an artist's best songs than their best studio album, go for it. To me, the best live albums have their own character, and aren't just live replications of the studio material.

Oh, and nothing bad is going to happen if you break the rules. It's been done. At least the rules are giving this thread some kind of basic framework.

One more thing -- Gotta have The Cowboy Junkies' "Lay It Down" on my list. I'd probably have to sacrifice Hope Sandoval's "Bavarian Fruit Bread" to get it on there.

50 albums

Screamin' and Hollerin' the Blues-Charley Patton
Son House and the Great Delta Blues Singers
King of the Delta Blues Singers Vol 1-Robert Johnson
Howlin Wolf (rocking chair)
Dust My Broom-Elmore James
Chuck Berry Is On Top
Here's Little Richard
Bo Diddley
The Chirping Crickets
The Beatles Second Album
Rubber Soul
The White Album
Abbey Road
Mr. Tambourine Man-The Byrds
The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society
Arthur...-The Kinks
Wheels of Fire-Cream
Truth-The Jeff Beck Group
Roger the Engineer-The Yardbirds
Collections-The Young Rascals
Steppenwolf
Layla...Derek and the Dominos
Every Picture Tells A Story-Rod Stewart
Led Zeppelin IV
Sticky Fingers
Exile on Main Street
Mountain Climbing!
St. Dominic's Preview-Van Morrison
Ram-Paul McCartney
Shoot Out The Lights-Richard and Linda Thompson
Full House-Fairport Convention
Commoner's Crown-Steeleye Span
Never Mind the Bollocks-Sex Pistols
This Years Model-Elvis Costello
London Calling-The Clash
Bursting at the Seams-The Strawbs
Blonde on Blonde-Bob Dylan
Blood On The Tracks-"
Infidels-"
Let It Be-The Replacements
Candy Apple Grey-Husker Du
(what's the story)Morning Glory-Oasis
Shine on Brightly-Procol Harum
Making Movies-Dire Straits
Then Play On-Fleetwood Mac
English Rose-"
Straight Up-Badfinger
John Barleycorn Must Die-Traffic
Close to the Edge-Yes
Red-King Crimson
Idea-Bee Gees

Okay, The Hollies - Bus Stop replaces The Trashmen - Surfin' Bird. It was hard, but I had to do it!

I don't know about the rest of you, but I think these lists are fascinating. It really makes you think about what music means the most to you; it's very personal. Great lists. Thanks to everybody who's taken the time to make them.

More?

I agree. I listened to a lot of stuff I hadn't listened to in a while. I changed a few things around from my original list, but I found that most of what I would have initially chosen is either still on or close. I'm working on the 50 bonus cuts, which has been both enjoyable and maddening.

Yes, they've made me think.

Here is my album list. I'm not sure what, if anything, this list says about me except "here's some stuff I really love." I'm still working on my "bonus tracks" list...

ABC - The Lexicon of Love
Beach Boys - Pet Sounds
Beatles - White Album
Beatles - Revolver
Beatles - A Hard Days Night (UK version)
Beatles - With the Beatles
Beatles- Sgt. Pepper
Blood Sweat & Tears - (2nd album)
Dave Brubeck Quartet - Time Out
Kate Bush - The Dreaming
Cardigans - First Band on the Moon
Chicago II (that's two, not eleven!)
The Clash - Sandanista!
Cocteau Twins - Heaven or Las Vegas
Costello, Elvis -Get Happy (Rhino version with bonus disc)
Crosby, Stills & Nash - (first album)
Miles Davis - Kind of Blue
Miles Davis - In A Silent Way
Dukes of Stratosphear - Chips from the Chocolate Fireball
Donald Fagen - The Nightfly
Peter Gabriel - (3rd album)
Bebel Gilberto - Tanto Tempo
Mark Isham - Film Music
Joe Jackson - Blaze of Glory
Elton John - Don't Shoot Me, I'm Only The Piano Player
Cyndi Lauper - She's So Unusual
Kirsty MacColl - Tropical Brainstorm (US version with bonus tracks)
Paul McCartney - Ram
Paul McCartney - Band on the Run
Paul McCartney - Venus and Mars
Joni Mitchell - Court and Spark
Pet Shop Boys - Very
Pizzicato Five - Happy End of the World
Todd Rundgren - Something/Anything
Saint Etienne - Foxbase Alpha (US version)
Saint Etienne - Good Humor (US version with bonus disc)
Saint Etienne - Tales from Turnpike House (US version)
DJ Shadow - Endtroducing
Split Enz - True Colors
Split Enz - Waiata
Squeeze - East Side Story
Steely Dan - Aja
Style Council - Our Favorite Shop
Supertramp - Breakfast in America
10cc - Sheet Music
The Who - The Who Sell Out
Brian Wilson - Smile
XTC - English Settlement
XTC - Oranges & Lemons
Yes - Fragile