#440 - Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me, The Cure

"Long time fans may have balked after hearing the overt pop of "Why Can't I Be You?" and "Hot Hot Hot" from this 1987 album, but this ambitious record contained so much great material, all could be forgiven. "Just Like Heaven," "Catch," and "The Perfect Girl" are faultless pop gems. It's this album that begins to show how the Cure could translate into mass acceptance." (real music guide)

#439 - Tuesday Night Music Club, Sheryl Crow

"Tuesday Night Music Club has a loose, ramshackle charm that her unreleased debut lacked. At its best -- the opening quartet of "Run, Baby, Run," "Leaving Las Vegas," "Strong Enough," and "Can't Cry Anymore," plus the deceptively infectious "All I Wanna Do" -- are remarkable testaments to their collaboration, proving that roots rock can sound contemporary and have humor." (allmusic guide)

#438 - 1999, Prince

"Released in 1983, 1999 was the album that catapulted Prince to international superstardom -- and guaranteed him a place at every millennial New Year's party. Rife with nasty funk, screaming rock guitar and exuberant party jams, the uniformly strong release spawned three hit singles: "1999," "Delirious," and the deliciously slinky "Little Red Corvette." A classic." (real music guide)

#437 - Chicago Transit Authority, Chicago (Transit Authority)

"In April of 1969, the dozen sides of Chicago Transit Authority unleashed a formidable and ultimately American musical experience. This included an unheralded synthesis of electric guitar wailin' rock & roll to more deeply rooted jazz influences and arrangements. This approach economized the finest of what the band had to offer -- actually two highly stylized units that coexisted with remarkable singularity." (allmusic guide)

#436 - Pretty Hate Machine, Nine Inch Nails

"Trent Reznor brought Industrial music into the mainstream with this 1989 album. Actually, it was the mainstream that came to him. "Head Like A Hole" and "Down In It" brought a previously unknown pop sensibility to a form of music with a marginal fanbase. Unwittingly, this album provided the blueprint for most of the popular aggressive music of the following decade." (real music guide)

#435 - Tales From Topographic Oceans, Yes

"Either the finest record or the most overblown album in Yes' output. When it was released, critics called it one of the worst examples of progressive rock's overindulgent nature. Jon Anderson's fascination with Eastern religions never manifested itself more clearly or broadly, but one needn't understand any of that to appreciate the many sublimely beautiful moments on this album, some of the most gorgeous passages ever recorded by the band." (allmusic guide)