My Most Important Albums

Me in 1997, between Trailer Park and Bambule.

The other day, Trotzendorff blogged about important music in his life. He listed ten crucial songs and albums and invited his readers to share their own. Challenge accepted.

To build a little bit of suspense, I thought I would list my ten most important albums here and make a playlist of my 16 most important songs for this year's Christmas Letter (a single-purpose, free of charge, yearly newsletter I send out to friends and readers detailing the highlights of my year; feel free to sign up, if you like!).

1975: The Köln Concert - Keith Jarrett 
Sometimes I just prefer songs without lyrics.

1985: Brothers in Arms - Dire Straits 
My first ever CD, given to me by my dad.

1991: bloodsugarsexmagic - Red Hot Chili Peppers 
My boyfriend of the time's favourite album. Hated it at first, but there was no escape and I learned to appreciate it.

1995: Jagged Little Pill - Alanis Morrissette 
Poet, feminist, role model. I also came to really like the acoustic version of that album.

1996: Trailer Park - Beth Orton 
Major influence on my taste of music. She rarely plays concerts anymore, but I saw her live in Berlin in 2012, at an awesome, intimate gig. Felt like meeting an old friend who has no idea you exist.  

1998: Bambule - Absolute Beginner 
German hip hop at its best. Soundtrack to getting drunk in parked cars before going clubbing.

1998: The Miseducation of - Lauryn Hill
On repeat wherever I went. A whole year's worth of music got drowned out by the awesomeness that was Lauryn Hill.

2000: One Touch - Sugababes 
Teenage angst in musical perfection. I felt so understood.

2003: Frank - Amy Winehouse 
Amy's best album, because she wrote it all by herself. I stumbled across it when it came out and played it incessantly. 

2011: Every Kingdom - Ben Howard 
I can always listen to Ben Howard. I even hung his album poster in my bathroom.