Over the years, I’ve dipped into many different genres of music. Sometimes it’s a small phase, other times I never stop listening.

Here are a selection of some of my favorite albums through those phases.

Blues

B.B King – Live at the Regal (1964)

I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of this album. His voice was on point that night, the band was on fire, and the crowd was going insane in a unique, intimate way. Live shows just aren’t like this anymore. I’m glad I got to see him play live before he passed away.

Favorite track – Sweet Little Angel

Punk

Propaghandi – Less Talk More Rock (1996)

I went through a huge punk rock phase when I was a teenager, and this one right here received the most play time. It’s one of those rare albums where I can put it on today and somehow still remember 90% of the lyrics. Their later albums are way easier to get into, but this one kicks the most ass.

Jazz

Oscar Peterson Trio – We Get Requests (1964)

This was one of those random record store finds that I knew nothing about when I picked it up, but absolutely fell in love with it once it came out of the speakers. Bonus points for Oscar because he was Canadian.

Favorite track – Days of Wine and Roses

Pop

John Mayer – Where the Light Is (2007)

This is my guilty pleasure right here. This 3 hour live album showcases his guitar skills through an acoustic set, a blues set with the Trio (Pino Palladino and Steve Jordan), as well as a full band for his pop songs. The purists are going to lose their shit, but I like this arrangement of Wait Until Tomorrow more than the original from Jimi Hendrix.

Favorite track – Wait Until Tomorrow

Ambient/Instrumental

Helios – Eingya (2006)

I found out about this around 2009 when someone told me that a song I wrote at the time reminded them of a Helios song. I checked it out shortly after and loved that everything was written and recorded by one guy. Since the release of this album his career has taken off, and is now writing music for companies from Facebook to Hyundai.

Favorite track – Dragonfly Across an Ancient Sky

Electronic

Tycho – Sunrise Projector / Past is Prologue (2004 original release)

Putting this album on will always remind me of college, grinding out projects during all-nighters, while simultaneously forming my company Mediumrare. Tycho has such unique style which carries through all of his albums, but this dreamy, downtempo masterpiece is where it all began for me.

Favorite track – Past is Prologue

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