Rolling Stone's The 100 Best Albums of the Last Twenty Years issue (1987)

Andrew Jacobs here,

Throughout the ’80s, my parents had a subscription to Rolling Stone magazine, so pretty much as soon as my lifelong love affair with music began in the mid ’80s, I started reading Rolling Stone religiously.

Now, even though I’ve never been one to allow my tastes in music to be influenced in any way, shape or form by the media (and ESPECIALLY by the music media), I’d be lying through my teeth if I said that I didn’t discover a number of what would become some of my favorite albums of all time via Rolling Stone’s The 100 Best Albums of the Last Twenty Years issue, which hit the magazine racks (and my mailbox) in August of, you guessed it, 1987.

Below is a list of the albums that I discovered via that issue of Rolling Stone and some brief thoughts on each.

Frank Zappa and The Mothers of Invention – We’re Only In It For The Money: The album that made Zappa my favorite artist of all time. If I had to pick just one favorite album of all time, this would absolutely be it.

Captain Beefheart and His Magic Band – Trout Mask Replica: A week or two prior to Zappa becoming my favorite artist of all time, I listened to this album (produced by Zappa, natch) for the first time. Coincidence? I think not.

Miles Davis – Bitches Brew: The very first jazz album I ever purchased. Yes, it’s technically jazz rock fusion but I’m a white guy from Orange County, California so it absolutely qualifies.

Iggy and The Stooges – Raw Power: The reason why Henry Rollins, my #1 role model in life, has the words SEARCH & DESTROY tattooed on his back. Also the reason why Rollins refers to Iggy Pop as, and I quote, “the true King of Rock & Roll”.

The Velvet Underground – The Velvet Underground & Nico: Ugliness never sounded so beautiful. It gets bonus points for being released during the Summer of Love.

New York Dolls – s/t: The debut album from a band that once called KISS it’s warm-up act. One listen to this album and you’ll understand why.