The Discman

One of the good things about chess is the friendships that develop because of a mutual interest. In most cases the interest would be chess, but sometimes it goes beyond just the game. For instance, a friendship developed with NM Chris Chambers because of mutual interests in Rock & Roll music and baseball. Although Chris is a decade and a half younger his music is what mine was around the time he was born. That was when I would go to bed with a transistor radio under my pillow with which to listen to the “Top Ten at Ten.” I rarely went to sleep without knowing what song was #1 that night. My parents wondered why it was so difficult to roust me out of bed in the morning. Like most boomers I started out listening to the sound of Motown, like The Platters (“The Great Pretender” was one of my favorites); the Four Tops, & The Temptations. Rock & Roll came after Motown, made popular by shows like “American Bandstand,” with forever young host Dick Clark. I lived through the era and have shared many memories with my friend, The Discman. I began called Chris The Discman whild working at the Atlanta Chess & (What other?) Game Center when he told me about his “rotation.” Like most people in Atlanta, Chris was spending an inordinate amount of time in his car on his way to and from work, so he began burning disc’s to play. He told me when he reached disc number one thousand. “What I do is start with the first one and by the time I finish the last one I’ve forgotten what was on the first one!” That was when I said, “You are truly The Discman!”
I have known for many years now that The Discman has enough knowledge of Rock & Roll that he could earn a PhD in R&R if there were such a thing. He has continued to amaze me with his erudition over the years. This time he has astounded me and it began with a simple question found in the pages of Rolling Stone magazine…
I noticed an article, “20 Best Second Albums of All Time,” on the website (http://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/20-best-second-albums-of-all-time-20140324#ixzz2xI6j3B72) and began cogitating. An email to The Discman followed: 20 Best Second Albums of All Time
Take a few moments, Discman, and cogitate on what you consider the best 20 to be…I will admit to having trouble deciding which albums were #2…Of those I did, my list was more like my faves…
A knockout debut album is like love at first sight. But classic second records are like amazing second dates, the ones when you really get to know each other. Here are 20 artists that never knew the meaning of “sophomore slump.” By Richard Gehr and Keith Harris.
I heard nothing from The Discman for a few weeks, thinking he must be busy with work and life, so I sent him this: Discman,
Concerning the 20 best second albums….I obviously nailed Bob & The Band….also hit with Led Zep & Jimi….Although I considered Neal Young, did could not come up with his second disc, I am honest enough to report…After going to allmusic.com I figured it would make the cut…I was SHOCKED to see Van the Man’s Astral Weeks was NOT his first album! I would have wagered HEAVILY, as I have always thought of it as his first album… I also thought TAPESTRY was CK’s first….I missed the Beatles…shat can I say? I did not even consider them! I liked, “And once the Beatles covered Chuck Berry’s “Roll Over Beethoven” and Smokey Robinson’s “You Really Got a Hold on Me,” they stayed covered.”
Although I liked Elvis Costello, I was never a big fan and would have had no idea…and most of the others fall into the category of “I ain’t gotta clue.”
Nocab
Then I received an email saying, “I’m still researching my response.”
Weeks later I was hit with this broadside:
Wow Bacon that’s a tough one. Don’t ever ask me a question like that!

After extensive research, I couldn’t narrow it down to just 20 so here are my top 40 Second albums, plus a bunch of Honorable Mentions plus even more others that I considered, so make sure you scroll all the way down…

The Greatest:

1. The Jimi Hendrix Experience – Axis: Bold as Love (1967)
2. Bob Dylan – The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan (1963)
3. Taj Mahal – Taj Mahal (1968)
4. Led Zeppelin – II (1969)
5. Santana – Abraxis (1970)
6. The Band – The Band (1969)
7. Crosby Stills & Nash – Deja Vu (1970)
8. The Allman Brothers – Idlewild South (1970)
9. Nirvana – Nevermind (1991)
10. Cream – Disraeli Gears (1967)
11. Love – Da Capo (1967)
12. Merle Haggard – Swinging Doors and the Bottle Let Me Down (1966)
13. Van Morrison – Astral Weeks (1968)
14. Muddy Waters – At Newport (1960)
15. Elvis Presley – Elvis (1956)
16. Jefferson Airplane – Surrealistic Pillow (1967)
17. Albert King – Born Under a Bad Sign (1967)
18. Bush – Razorblade Suitcase (1996)
19. Bruce Springsteen – The Wild, the Innocent, and the E-Street Shuffle (1973)
20. Amy Winehouse – Back to Black (2006)
21. The Rolling Stones – 12×5 (1964)
22. Elvis Costello & the Attractions – This Year’s Model (1978)
23. Public Enemy – It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back (1988)
24. N.W.A. – Straight Outta Compton (1988)
25. The Beatles – With the Beatles (1963)
26. Carole King – Tapestry (1971)
27. Rod Stewart – Gasoline Alley (1970)
28. The Doors – Strange Days (1967)
29. Dave Matthews Band – Under the Table and Dreaming (1994)
30. Gram Parsons – GP (1973)
31. Elmore James – Blues After Blues (1960)
32. Joe Satriani – Surfing With the Alien (1987)
33. Joni Mitchell – Clouds (1969)
34. The Yardbirds – Having a Rave Up (1965)
35. Metallica – Ride the Lightning (1984)
36. R.E.M. – Reckoning (1984)
37. Run-D.M.C. – King of Rock (1985)
38. Jimmy Reed – Rockin’ With Reed (1959)
39. Bonnie Raitt – Give it Up (1972)
40. Eminem – The Slim Shady LP (1999)

Honorable Mention:

3 Doors Down – Away From the Sun (2002)
Alice in Chains – Dirt (1992)
The Animals – Animal Tracks (1965)
Aretha Franklin – Aretha (1961)
The Average White Band – AWB (1974)
B.B. King – The Blues (1960)
Paul McCartney – Ram (1971)
Black Sabbath – Paranoid (1970)
Blood, Sweat & Tears – Blood, Sweat & Tears (1969)
Bootsy Collins – Ahh…The Name is Bootsy Baby! (1977)
Boz Scaggs – Boz Scaggs (1969)
Brian Eno – Here Come the Warm Jets (1974)
Buddy Guy – It’s My Life, Baby! (1966)
Budgie – Squawk (1972)
Buffalo Springfield – Buffalo Springfield Again (1967)
The Byrds – Turn! Turn! Turn! (1966)
Cake – Fashion Nugget (1996)
The Cars – Candy-O (1978)
Chemical Brothers – Dig Your Own Hole (1997)
Chicago – Chicago II – (1970)
Chocolate Watchband – Inner Mystique (1968)
Chuck Berry – One Dozen Berrys (1958)
Clannad – Clannad 2 (1974)
The Clash – Give ’em Enough Rope (1978)
Country Joe & the Fish – I-Feel-Like-I’m-Fixin’-to-Die (1967)
The Cowboy Junkies – Trinity Session (1988)
The Cranberries – No Need to Argue (1994)
Creedence Clearwater Revival – Bayou Country (1969)
The Cure – Boys Don’t Cry (1980)
Curtis Mayfield – Roots (1971)
The Doobie Brothers – Toulouse Street (1972)
Doug Sahm – Texas Tornado (1973)
Dr. Hook & the Medicine Show – Sloppy Seconds (1972)
Dwight Yoakam – Hillbilly Deluxe (1987)
The Eagles – Desperado (1973)
Don Henley – Building the Perfect Beast (1984)
Earl Hooker – Two Bugs and a Roach (1969)
Emerson, Lake & Palmer – Tarkus (1971)
Emmylou Harris – Pieces of the Sky (1975)
The Bluesbreakers – The Bluesbreakers with Eric Clapton (1966)
Etta James – At Last! (1961)
The Eurythmics – Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) (1983)
The Everly Brothers – Songs our Daddy Taught Us (1958)
The Small Faces – Small Faces (1967)
The Faces – Long Player (1971)
The Fixx – Reach the Beach (1983)
The Flying Burrito Brothers – Burrito Deluxe (1970)
The Foo Fighters – The Colour and the Shape (1997)
The Four Seasons – The Four Seasons Greeting (1962)
Frank Zappa – Absolutely Free (1967) [Brown Shoes Don’t Make it]
Gerry Rafferty – City to City (1978)
Gordon LIghtfoot – The Way I Feel (1967)
The Good Rats – Tasty (1974)
The Grateful Dead – Anthem of the Sun (1968)
Jerry Garcia – Garcia (1972)
Iggy Pop – Lust for Life (1977)
Incubus – Enjoy Incubus (1997)
Iron Butterfly – In-A-Godda-Da-Vida (1968)
Isaac Hayes – Hot Buttered Soul (1969)
The James Gang – Rides Again (1970)
James Taylor – Sweet Baby James (1970)
Jethro Tull – Stand Up (1969)
Jimmy Buffett – A White Sport Coat and a Pink Crustacian (1973)
Joe Walsh – The Smoker You Drink, the Player You Get (1973)
John Mayall – Bluesbreakers with Eric Clapton (1966)
Johnny Shines – Johnny Shines with Big Walter Horton (1969)
Joy Division – Closer (1980)
Jr. Walker & the All-Stars – Road Runner & Home Cookin’ (1966)
Leon Redbone – Double Time (1977)
Leonard Cohen – Songs from a Room (1969)
Lindisfarne – Fog on the Tyne (1971)
Little Charlie & the NIghtcats – Disturbing the Peace (1988)
Little Feat – Sailin’ Shoes (1972)
Loggins & Messina – Sittin’ In (1972)
Luther Allison – Bad News is Coming (1973)
Lyle Lovett – Pontiac (1987)
Lynyrd Skynyrd – Second Helping (1974)
Mahavishnu Orchestra – Birds of Fire (1973)
The Mamas & the Papas – The Mamas & the Papas (1966)
Meat Loaf – Bat Out of Hell (1977)
Memphis Slim – At the Gate of the Horn (1959)
Michelle Shocked – Short Sharp Shocked (1988)
Mississippi Fred McDowell – My Home is in the Delta (1965)
My Chemical Romance – Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge (2004)
Leslie West – The Great Fatsby (1975)
Neil Young – Everybody Knows This is Nowhere (1969)
New York Dolls – Too Much Too Soon (1974)
Nick Drake – Bryter Layter (1970)
Omar & the Howlers – I Told You So (1984)
The Paul Butterfield Blues Band – East-West (1966)
Phish – A Picture of Nectar (1991)
Pinetop Perkins – After Hours (1988)
Pixies – Doolittle (1989)
Pure Prairie League – Bustin’ Out (1972)
Randy Newman – 12 Songs (1970)
Robert Cray – Bad Influence (1983)
Robin Trower – Bridge of Sighs (1974)
The Faces – Long Player (1971)
Roxy Music – For Your Pleasure (1973)
Roy Buchanan – Buch & the Snake Stretchers (1972)
Roy Wood – Boulders (1973)
The Sensational Alex Harvey Band – Next (1974)
Paul Simon – Paul Simon (1972)
Smashing Pumpkins – Siamese Dream (1993)
Smokin’ Joe Kubek – Steppin’ Out Texas Style (1991)
Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee – Brownie McGhee and Sonny Terry Sing (1958)
Spooky Tooth – Spooky Two (1969)
Steppenwolf – Steppenwolf the Second (1968)
Steve Vai – Passion and Warfare (1990)
Stone Temple Pilots – Purple (1994)
System of a Down – Toxicity (2001)
Talking Heads – More Songs About Buildings and Food (1978)
Tammy Wynette – Stand By Your Man (1969)
The Blue Nile – Hats (1989)
Todd Rundgren – Runt: The Ballad of Todd Rundgren (1971)
Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers – Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers (1976)
Tom Waits – The Heart of Saturday Night (1974)
Tommy Bolin – Private Eyes (1976)
Tool – Aenima (1996)
Trapeze – Medusa (1970)
Van Halen – Van Halen 2 (1979)
The Velvet Underground – White Light/White Heat (1968)
Ugly Kid Joe – America’s Least Wanted (1992)
The Wallflowers – Bringing Down the Horse (1996)
Warren Zevon – Excitable Boy (1978)
Weather Report – Live in Tokyo (1972)
Weezer – Pinkerton (1996)
The White Stripes – De Stijl (2000)
Widespread Panic – Widespread Panic (1991)
Wire – Chairs Missing (1978)

Other Candidates:

The 13th Floor Elevators – Easter Everywhere (1967)
Aerosmith – Get Your Wings (1974)
The Alan Parsons Project – I Robot (1977)
Albert Hammond – It Never Rains in Southern California (1973)
The Amazing Rhythm Aces – Too Suffed to Jump (1976)
The Amboy Dukes – Journey to the Center of the Earth (1968)
America – Homecoming (1973)
The Association – And Then…Along Comes the Association (1966)
Atomic Rooster – Death Walks Behind You (1970)
Bachman-Turner Overdrive – BTO II (1973)
Bad Company – Straight Shooter (1975)
Badfinger – No Dice (1970)
The Beach Boys – Surfin’ USA (1963)
The Beastie Boys – Paul’s Boutique (1989)
John Lennon – John Lennon / Plastic Ono Band (1970)
Billie Holliday – Billie Holliday Sings (1950)
Billy Joel – Piano Man (1973)
Black Crowes – The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion (1992)
The Blackbyrds – The Blackbyrds (1974)
Al Kooper – Super Session (1968)
Blue Cheer – Outsideinside (1968)
Blue Oyster Cult – Tyranny and Mutation (1973)
Blues Project – Projections (1966)
Bo Diddley – Go Bo Diddley (1959)
Bob Marley – Catch a Fire (1973)
Bobby Blue Bland – Two Steps From the Blues (1961)
The Bonzo Dog Band – The Doughnut in Granny’s Greenhouse (1968)
Boston – Don’t Look Back (1978)
Brenda Lee – This is…Brenda (1960)
Buddy Holly – Buddy Holly (1958)
Bukka White – Memphis Hot Shots (1968)
Camel – Mirage (1974)
Can – Soundtracks (1970)
Canned Heat – Boogie With Canned Heat (1968)
Captain Beyond – Sufficiently Breathless (1973)
Caravan – If I Could do it Over Again I’d do it All Over You (1970)
The Carpenters – Close to You (1970)
Cassandra Wilson – Point of View (1986)
Charlie Musselwhite – Stone Bules (1968)
Cheap Trick – Cheap Trick (1977)
Chris Thomas King – Cry of the Prophets (1990)
Clarence Carter – The Dynamic Clarence Carter (1969)
Coco Montoya – You’d Think I’d Know Better (1996)
Cocteau Twins – Head Over Heels (1983)
Commander Cody & His Lost Planet Airmen – Hot Licks, Cold Steel & Truckers Favorites (1972)
The Commodores – Caught in the Act (1975)
Daniel Lanois – For the Beauty of Wynona (1993)
Dave Brubek Trio with Cal Tjader, Vol. 2 (1950)
Dave Mason – Dave Mason & Cass Elliott (1971)
David Bromberg – Demon in Disguise (1972)
Def Leppard – High ‘N Dry (1981)
The Dixie Dregs – Free Fall (1977)
Don McLean – American Pie (1971)
Donna Summer – Love to Love You Baby (1975)
Dream Theater – Images and Words (1992)
The Drifters – Rock & Roll (1957)
Duran Duran – Rio (1982)
Glenn Frey – The Allnighter (1984)
The Easybeats – It’s 2 Easy (1966)
Echo & the Bunnymen – Heaven Up Here (1981)
Eddie Rabbitt – Rocky Mountain Music (1976)
Edie Brickell – Ghost of a Dog (1990)
The Electric Prunes – Underground (1967)
Eloy – Inside (1973)
Elton John – Elton John (1970)
Elvin Bishop – Feel It! (1970)
Eric Clapton – Eric Clapton’s Rainbow Concert (1973)
Everclear – Sparkle and Fade (1995)
Fairport Convention – What We Did on Our Holidays (1969)
Family – Family Entertainment (1969)
Firefall – Luna Sea (1977)
Five Man Electrical Band – Good-Byes and Butterflys (1970)
The Flamin’ Groovies – Flamingo (1970)
Focus – Moving Waves (1971)
Foreigner – Double Vision (1978)
The Four Tops – Second Album (1965)
Frank Sinatra – Sing and Dance with Frank Sinatra (1950)
Free – Free (1969)
The Fugs – Virgin Fugs (1966)
Funkadelic – Funkadelic (1970)
Furry Lewis – Back on My Feet Again (1961)
Garth Brooks – No Fences (1990)
Gene Vincent – Gene Vincent & the Blue Caps (1957)
Steve Hackett – Please Don’t Touch! (1978)
Gentle Giant – Acquiring the Taste (1971)
George Thorogood & the Deleware Destroyers – Move it on Over (1978)
Godsmack – Godsmack (1998)
Gov’t Mule – Live at the Roseland Ballroom (1996)
Graham Parker – Heat Treatment (1976)
Grand Funk Railroad – Grand Funk (1970)
The Grass Roots – Let’s Live for Today (1967)
Griffin Hill – Lost & Found (2004)
Gryphon – Midnight Mushrumps (1974)
Guitar Shorty – Topsy Turvy (1993)
Hall & Oates – Abandoned Luncheonette (1972)
Hank Snow – Hank Snow Salutes Jimmie Rodgers (1953)
Hank Williams – Hank Williams as Luke the Drifter (1955)
Harry Chpin – Sniper & Other Love Songs (1972)
Harry Nilsson – Pandamonium Shadow Show (1967)
Heart – Little Queen (1977)
Heatwave – Central Heating (1977)
Henry Cow – Leg End (1973)
Herbie Handcock – My Point of View (1963)
Honeymoon Suites – The Big Prize (1986)
The Hooters – Nervous Night (1985)
Hootie & the Blowfish – Cracked Rear View(1994)
Hot Chocolate – Hot Chocolate (1975)
Hound Dog Taylor – Natural Boogie (1973)
Howlin’ Wolf – The Rockin’ Chair Album (1962)
Humble Pie – Town and Country (1969)
Ian Dury – Do it Yourself (1979)
The Incredible String Band – The 5000 Spirits or the Layer of the Onion (1967)
Iron Maiden – Killers (1981)
J Geils Band – The Morning After (1971)
Jack Bruce – Things We Like (1970)
Jackson Browne – For Everyman (1973)
James Brown – Please, Please, Please (1959)
Jane’s Addiction – Nothing’s Shocking (1988)
J.B. Lenoir – Crusade (1970)
Jeff Beck – Beck-ola (1969)
JIm Croce – Croce (1969)
Jimmy Rushing – Jimmy Rushing Sings the Blues and All That Jazz (1955)
Joan Jett – Bad Reputation (1981)
Joe Cocker – Joe Cocker! (1969)
Joe Ely – Honky Tonk Masquerade (1978)
Joe Jackson – I’m the Man (1979)
Joe Louis Walker – The Gift (1988)
Joe Tex – The New Boss (1966)
John Prine – Diamonds in the Rough (1972)
John Stewart – California Bloodlines (1969)
Johnny Cash – The Fabulous Johnny Cash (1958)
Johnny Winter – The Progressive Blues Experiment (1969)
Jonathan Edwards – Honky-Tonk Starburst Cowboy (1972)
Jonny Lang – Lie to Me (1997)
Junior Parker – Driving Wheel (1962)
Keb’ Mo’ – Just Like You (1996)
Kenny Neal – Big News from Baton Rouge!! (1988)
Kim Wilson – That’s Life (1994)
King Crimson – Lizard (1970)
The Kingston Trio – Stereo Concert (1958)
KISS – Hotter than Hell (1974)
Klaatu – Klaatu (1976)
Kool & the Gang – Live at the Sex Machine (1971)
Kraftwerk – Kraftwerk 2 (1972)
Robert Plant – The Principle of Moments (1983)
The Left Banke – The Left Bank Too (1968)
Lenny Kravitz – Mama Said (1991)
Lightnin’ Hopkins – Lightnin’ Hopkins (1959)
Little Anthony & the Imperials – Shades of the ’40’s (1961)
Little Richard – Little Richard (1958)
Little Willie John – Talk to Me (1959)
Living Colour – Time’s Up (1990)
Kenny Loggins – Nightwatch (1978)
Louis Jordan – Let the Good Times Roll (1963)
Loverboy – Get Lucky (1981)
Lovin’ Spoonful – Daydream (1966)
Lowell Fulson – Soul (1966)
Magic Sam – Black Magic (1968)
Mark Hummel – Hard Rockin’ 1990’s (1992)
Marshall Tucker Band – Where We All Belong (1974)
MC5 – Back in the USA (1970)
Michael Franks – The Art of Tea (1976)
The Jackson 5 – ABC (1970)
Michael Nesmith – Magnetic South (1970)
The Michael Stanly Band – Friends & Legends (1973)
Midnight Oil – Head Injuries (1979)
Mike + the Mechanics – The Living Years (1988)
Modern English – After the Snow (1983)
Molly Hatchet – Flirtin’ with Disaster (1979)
The Monkees – More of the Monkees (1967)
Justin Hayward – Songwriter (1977)
Mother’s Finest – Another Mother Further (1977)
Motley Crue – Shout at the Devil (1983)
Motorhead – Overkill (1979)
Mountain – Nantucket Sleighride (1971)
Nantucket – Your Face or Mine (1979)
Natalie Cole – Natalie (1976)
Neil Diamond – Just for You (1967)
Nektar – A Tab in the Ocean (1972)
New Order – Power, Corruption & Lies (1983)
New Riders of the Purple Sage – Powerglide (1972)
The Nice – Ars Longa Vita Brevis (1968)
Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds – The Firstborn is Dead (1985)
Night Ranger – Midnight Madness (1983)
Nine Inch Nails – The Downward Spiral (1994)
The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band – Ricochet (1967)
The Ohio Players – Pain (1972)
The O’Jays – Soul Sounds (1967)
Orchestral Manoeuvers in the Dark – Organisation (1980)
The Outlaws – Lady in Waiting (1976)
The Ozark Mountain Daredevils – It’ll Shine When it Shines (1974)
Parliament – Up for the Down Stroke (1974)
Pat Benatar – Crimes of Passion (1980)
Paul Weller – Wild Wood (1993)
Pavlov’s Dog – At the Sound of the Bell (1975)
Pearl Jam – Vs. (1993)
Pere Ubu – Dub Housing (1978)
Peter Frampton – Frampton’s Camel (1973)
Peter Gabriel – Peter Gabriel (1978)
Pink – M!zzundaztood (1991)
Poco – Poco (1970)
The Police – Reggatta de Blanc (1979)
Sting – The Dream of the Blue Turtles (1985)
The Pretty Things – The Pretty Things (1965)
Procol Harum – Shine on Brightly (1968)
Professor Longhair – Live on the Queen Mary (1978)
The Psychedelic Furs – Talk Talk Talk (1981)
Puddle of Mudd – Come Clean (2001)
Quicksilver Messenger Service – Happy Trails (1969)
The Raconteurs – Consolers of the Lonely (2008)
Rage Against the Machine – Evil Empire (1996)
Rainbow – Rising (1976)
Ram Jam – Portrait of the Artist as a Young Ram (1978)
The Ramones – Leave Home (1977)
The Raspberries – Raspberries (1972)
Ray Charles – Soul Brothers (1957)
Red Rider – As Far as Siam (1981)
The Replacements – Hootenanny (1983)
The Residents – The Third Reich & Roll (1976)
Return to Forever – Hymn of the Seventh Galaxy (1973)
Richard Thompson – Henry the Human Fly (1972)
Rick Derringer – Spring Fever (1975)
R.L. Burnside – Too Bad Jim (1994)
Robert Lockwood Jr. – Contrasts (1974)
Robert Randolph – Unclassified (2003)
Rod Piazza – Harpburn (1986)
The Small Faces – From the Beginning (1967)
Rory Gallagher – Deuce (1971)
Taste – On the Boards (1970)
The Move – Shazam (1970)
Ry Cooder – Into the Purple Valley (1971)
Sade – Promise (1985)
Sarah McLachlan – Solice (1991)
Seal – Seal (1994)
Seatrain – Seatrain (1970)
Sheryl Crow – Sheryl Crow (1996)
Simon & Garfunkel – Sounds of Silence (1966)
Simple Minds – Real to Real Cacophony (1979)
Sinead O’Connor – I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got (1990)
Sister Hazel – …Somewhere More Familiar (1997)
Snoop Dogg – Murder Was the Case (1994)
Soft Cell – Non-Stop Ecstatic Dancing (1982)
Soft Machine – Volume Two (1969)
Son Seals – Midnight Son (1976)
Sonny Landreth – Down in Louisiana (1993)
Southside Johnny – I Don’t Want to go Home (1976)
Sparks – A Woofer in Tweeter’s Clothing (1972)
The Spinners – The Spinners (1972)
Spirit – The Family that Plays Together (1968)
Squeeze – Cool for Cats (1979)
Stanley Clarke – Stanley Clarke (1974)
Steely Dan – Countdown to Ecstacy (1973)
Steve Miller Band – Sailor (1968)
Stone the Crows – Stone the Crows (1970)
The Stylistics – Round 2 (1972)
The Supremes – Where Did Our Love Go (1964)
Suzanne Vega – Solitude Standing (1987)
The Sweet – The Sweet (1973)
Television – Adventure (1978)
The Temptations – The Temptations Sing Smokey (1965)
They Might be Giants – Lincoln (1988)
Three Dog Night – Suitable for Framing (1969)
Tim Buckley – Goodbye and Hello (1967)
The Time – What Time is it? (1982)
Toad the Wet Sprocket – Pale (1990)
The Nazz – Nazz Nazz (1969)
Tori Amos – Under the Pink (1994)
Townes Van Zandt – Our Mother the Mountain (1969)
Traffic – Heaven is in Your Mind (1967)
Triumph – Triumph (1979)
Twisted Sister – You Can’t Stop Rock ‘n Roll (1983)
Van der Graaf Generator – The Least We can do is Wave to Each Other (1970)
Victoria Spivey – Idle Hours (1961)
Violent Femmes – Hallowed Ground (1984)
Warrant – Cherry Pie (1990)
Waylon Jennings – Folk-Country (1966)
Weird Al Yankovic – In 3-D (1984)
The Who – A Quick One (Happy Jack) (1966)
Pete Townshend – Rough Mix (1977)
Wishbone Ash – Pilgrimage (1971)
Yaz – You and Me Both (1983)
Rick Wakeman – Journey to the Centre of the Earth (1974)
The Young Rascals – Collection (1967)
This was followed immediately by this salvo:
Bacon – I purposely didn’t check Rolling Stone’s list while putting mine together.

A comparison:

#20: Pixies – Dolittle. I had this one as Honorable Mention

#19: Pavement – Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain. I’m not familiar with this album

#18: Neil Young – Everyone Knows This is Nowhere. I had this one as honorable mention.

#17: The Stooges – Fun House. I thought about this one but went with Iggy Pop’s Lust For Life instead as a honorable mention

#16: Beastie Boys – Paul’s Boutique. I considered this album but it’s nowhere near License to Ill.

#15: A Tribe Called Quest – The Low End Theory. I’m not familiar with this album.

#14: Bruce Springsteen – The Wild, the Innocent, and the E-Street Shuffle. I had this one as #19.

#13: Black Sabbath – Paranoid. I had this one as honorable mention.

#12: Kanye West – Late Registration. Ummm, no.

#11: Radiohead – The Bends. I looked at Radiohead but didn’t think this was one of their better albums.

#10: Elvis Costello & the Attractions – This Year’s Model. I had this one as #22.

#9: Bob Dylan – The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan. I had this one #2.

#8: The Jimi Hendrix Experience – Axis: Bold as Love. I had this one #1.

#7: Led Zeppelin – II. I had this one #4.

#6: The Beatles – With the Beatles. I had this one #25. There are many better Beatles albums.

#5: Public Enemy – It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back. I had this one #23.

#4: The Band – The Band. I had this #6.

#3: Carole King – Tapestry. I had this one #26.

#2: Van Morrison – Astral Weeks. I had this one #13.

#1: Nirvana – Nevermind. I had this one #9.
As an addendum I received a third, and last, email, in which he asked, “How could they possibly NOT have Abraxis, Deja Vu, Disrali Gears ???” How indeed!
That is why I call him The Discman!