Patti Smith's groundbreaking debut album, often called the first art punk album. Smith's fusion of poetry and music defines a unique style that she continues to develop to this day.

Part glam rock, part progressive rock, Bowie$#39;s classic redefined himself in the UK and made him a hit for the first time in the US.

Cole's sophomore release; this album went Gold pretty quickly thanks to the singles "Where Have all the Cowboys Gone" and "I Don't Want to Wait." But there's more than hit singles to this album, including a duet between Cole and her mentor, Peter Gabriel.

Mick Ronson produces this album, which some critics have called the fifth Smiths album. It blends Morrissey's voice with rockabilly and glam rock influences to create Morrissey's most solid solo effort to date.

Coldplay rose to stardom with their debut album. The British quartet redefined the Brit-rock sound. This album is not only appreciated by music fans, but by music critics as well.

The Beach Boys came of age with this album, which represented a new direction for the group. Filled with the Boys' perfect harmonies and Brian Wilson's obsessive production, Pet Sounds is considered one of the greatest albums of all time.

Some artists need to appear younger or hipper to appeal to a younger audience. Not Johnny Cash, he sat down with his guitar, and did the same thing that made him a legend many years ago. This album, produced by Rick Rubin, won Cash a whole new generation of fans.

The band's sophomore effort is considered one of the greatest albums of the nineties. With elements of power pop, psychedelia, and rhythm and blues mixed in with their signature sound, Being There shows Wilco's evolution from being just a country-rock band.

This album began Blondie's rise to stardom, and rocketed them past many of their CBGB's contemporaries as far as commercial success goes. This album contains "Heart of Glass", their first (and definitely not their last) #1 single in the U.S.

Iris Dement's debut album became a success mostly due to the rave reviews it received, many critics called it an instant classic. The reviews led to Dement signing a contract with Warner Brothers who re-released the disc in 1993. The album features guest appearances by Emmylou Harris and Iris' mother, Flora Mae.