Every so often I think to myself “If I had to whittle my music collection down to 10 albums, what would they be?” The only rule I impose is no “Greatest Hits”, compilations, live albums, or soundtracks. It’s far harder than most people think, since the goal is really to find albums in which practically every track is good, and to come up with a decent assortment of music. I like really 2/3 of Dave Matthew’s Under the Table and Dreaming, for instance, but that’s not good enough to make this list. I find it’s a good way to recommend music to friends as well, so here goes (in order):

1. Matthew Sweet – Girlfriend
2. Led Zeppelin – Led Zeppelin II
3. The Beatles – Help (I couldn’t decide between this and Revolver)
4. Pearl Jam – Ten
5. They Might Be Giants – Flood (Lincoln comes in a close second)
6. Van Morrison – Moondance
7. The Grateful Dead – American Beauty/Reality
8. Cake – Fashion Nugget (Prolonging the Magic is a great album, too)
9. Weezer – (Blue Album)
10. Ben Folds Five – Whatever and Ever Amen

Runner up for the list is Squirrel Nut Zippers’ Hot. Honestly, I probably could come up with 50 great albums (Pink Floyd’s Animals or Wish You Were Here, Stevie Ray Vaughan’s Texas Flood, Live’s Mental Jewelry, and Rush’s Moving Pictures immediately come to mind), but I’m limiting myself to 10, so that’s that.