To celebrate our 30th anniversary and all the great music that made the past three decades special, MAGNET contributors past and present chose their 30 favorite albums released between 1993 and 2022. The only rules were that each record has to be a full-length and that no artist could be represented more than once in the same incarnation. We’re posting these lists throughout the rest of the year.
Eric Waggoner, contributing writer
1) Lambchop Is A Woman (Merge), 2002
2) Bob Dylan Time Out Of Mind (Columbia), 1997
3) Liz Phair Exile In Guyville (Matador), 1993
4) John Zorn Kristallnacht (Tzadik), 1993
5) Beastie Boys Hello Nasty (Grand Royal/Capitol), 1998
6) Tom Waits Mule Variations (Anti-), 1999
7) The Flaming Lips The Soft Bulletin (Warner Bros.), 1999
8) Ween Chocolate And Cheese (Elektra), 1994
9) Lauryn Hill The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill (Ruffhouse/Columbia), 1998
10) Lil Nas X Montero (Columbia), 2021
11) Cibo Matto Viva! La Woman (Warner Bros.), 1996
12) Pavement Wowee Zowee (Matador), 1995
13) Wilco Summerteeth (Reprise), 1999
14) Paul Westerberg/Grandpaboy Stereo/Mono (Vagrant), 2002
15) Elliott Smith Elliott Smith (Kill Rock Stars), 1995
16) Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds Skeleton Tree (Bad Seed), 2016
17) Kamasi Washington The Epic (Brainfeeder), 2015
18) Kendrick Lamar To Pimp A Butterfly (Top Dawg/Aftermath/Interscope), 2015
19) The Rolling Stones A Bigger Bang (Rolling Stones/Virgin), 2005
20) Tool Ænima (Zoo), 1996
21) Dinosaur Jr. Where You Been (Blanco Y Negro/Sire/Warner Bros.), 1993
22) Erykah Badu Mama’s Gun (Motown), 2000
23) Godspeed You! Black Emperor Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas To Heaven (Constellation/Kranky), 2000
24) Beck Odelay (Bong Load/DGC), 1996
25) Various Artists Rise Above: 24 Black Flag Songs To Benefit The West Memphis Three (2.13.61/Sanctuary), 2002
26) Songs: Ohia The Magnolia Electric Co. (Secretly Canadian), 2003
27) Brian Wilson Brian Wilson Presents Smile (Nonesuch), 2004
28) The Mountain Goats The Sunset Tree (4AD), 2005
29) Loretta Lynn Van Lear Rose (Interscope), 2004
30) Amy Winehouse Back To Black (Universal Republic), 2006
