Narrative songs and harmonies gave the punk band X an edge in the Los Angeles music scene. Produced by Doors keyboardist Ray Manzarek, Los Angeles includes a cover of Jim Morrison’s “Soul Kitchen”.

After having great success in college radio, Hitchcock assembled The Egyptians which featured two members of his former band The Soft Boys and REM's Peter Buck. The album spawned the single Balloon Man, and eventually reached 111 on the Billboard top 200. It marked Hitchcock's major label debut.

Joe Jackson’s 5th release, Night & Day, was released in 1982 and marked a departure from his earlier work. The title, taken from a Cole Porter song, reflected a new sophistication in songwriting and garnered Jackson two of his biggest hit songs – “Breaking Us In Two” and “Steppin’ Out.”

The debut album of husband and wife musical team Richard and Linda Thompson, is considered a folk rock classic. The album features some of Richard’s former bandmates from Fairport Convention.

The British trio’s debut album had them bringing something different to the world of Trip Hop. The group’s Soul influences added to their distinctive atmospheric sound, and got them noticed by many who added this “chill out” album to their collections.

Released in 1971 at the height of societal unrest, Marvin Gaye tackled issues ranging from drug abuse to poverty to the Vietnam War, and created one of the most influential albums of all time. “What’s Going On?” was also the first album to credit Motown’s great session band, The Funk Brothers.

This album was released in October of 1972 during what is considered Stevie Wonder’s “classic period” and garnered the artist 3 Grammy Awards. Hailed as one of the greatest crossover albums of all time, it broke down the boundaries as it climbed to the top of both Billboard’s rock and R&B charts.

David Bowie’s concept album was inspired by George Orwell’s novel “1984.” Bowie brings his own glam-rock vision of a post-apocalyptic world to the recording and works without his band The Spiders from Mars for the first time since 1969.

1997’s OK Computer is Radiohead’s third release and marked the band’s move toward a more experimental sound. Produced by

Nigel Godrich, the album’s themes included rampant consumerism, social alienation and political stagnation.

University of Georgia dropouts Bill Berry, Mike Mills, Peter Buck and Michael Stipe recorded “Lifes Rich Pageant” in 1986, their fourth album on IRS Records. The album produced the single, “Cuyahoga” and solidified them in the college rock world.