Comprised of Cuban and African musicians, Buena Vista Social Club, successfully mixed Cuban Rhythms and African style piano. Most of the band members were retired, and it’s oldest member was 89. The album topped Latin charts and went on to win a Grammy in 1997.

On Spike, Costello displays his influences and tries his hand at many different styles of music. The album features song collaborations with Roger McGuinn and the song “Veronica”, co-written with Paul McCartney. The album's eclectic nature gave it mixed reactions among critics, but remains a fan favorite.

Playing off of Apocalyptic themes and experimenting with new sounds, Prince's double album had a bit of everything. The songs range from rock to funk to psychedelic blues to gospel and show his dynamic as a musician. Popular songs included the title track and "Strange Relationship".

Shortly after joining supergroup The Traveling Wilburys, Orbison made what was to be his final solo album. "Mystery Girl" featured the top ten hit "You Got it " and brought him popularity to a new generation.

I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got is O’Connor’s sophomore album and the follow up to 1987's The Lion and the Cobra. Her hit song "Nothing Compares 2U", was written by Prince and helped propel her to stardom. It was her no-nonsense approach of the album influenced several female singer-songwriters from the nineties.

The third release by the White Stripes showcases a more polished and refined sound than their previous efforts. The songs on the album show the range of the group’s influences, from Led Zeppelin to early Delta Blues. The music takes elements of these influences and fuses them with new trends.

By the time XO had come out, Smith had disbanded his group Heatmiser and earned a good reputation as a solo artist. His contributions to the film “Good Will Hunting” earned him notoriety and made XO his major album debut. It featured lush vocal sounds and was compared to the Beatles in style and arrangements.

In spirit of the singer-songwriter tradition that was beginning to resurface, Chapman’s debut album sits comfortably alongside such names as Natalie Merchant and Suzanne Vega. The album is largely political in nature, dealing with issues such as racism, violence against women and poverty.

Short, Sharp, Shocked has a folky sound with a bit of country-tinged production, its a collection of personal songs inspired by Shocked’s youth. The album received great reviews upon its release. It’s biggest hit was the song “Anchorage,” a letter from a friend in Alaska, set to music.

Tidal was Apple’s debut album, it came out in 1996 when she was 19 years old. Produced by Andrew Slater, he sought to bring out Apple’s voice, piano playing, and provocative lyrics through various song arrangements. The album reached number 18 on Billboard’s Top 40 and has sold more than 2.7 million copies since its release.