Still fresh “pop” recordings from between 1970 and 2000
Many of my favorites have already been listed above. My definition of “Pop” here is clearly stretched to mean albums and artists that got a lot of attention when released, won Grammys or at least appeared on Saturday Night Live which is where I have learned about new and older artists new works for decades. For example - I was particularly impressed by the guitar tone Mk.gee was getting on SNL this last Saturday - would not have known about him otherwise. As for “freshness” that is completely subjective. But all the titles listed below sound good to me on a better rig. Some of my favorite albums from this period music wise sound thin or dull unfortunately, at least in the formats I have.
If I have repeated any your previous suggestions, my bad.
Al Green - “Let’s Stay Together”
Bettye Lavette -“I’ve Got My Own Hell to Raise”
Bruce Cokburn - +1 “Stealing Fire”
- “dancing in the dragon’s jaws” (CBS Master Work pressing is superlative)
- “Nothing But a Burning Light” (produced by T Bone Burnett)
Beck - pretty much any album from any decade
Cassandra Wilson - “Blue Light Till Dawn”
Cat Sevens - “Tea for the Tillerman” & “Teaser and the Firecat”
David Crosby - “If I Could Only Remember My Name”
DEVO - “Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo”
Eryka Badu - “Baduism”
Fleetwood Mac - “Rumors”
Grateful Dead - “Workingman’s Dead”
Jane’s Addiction - “Nothing’s Shocking”
Jeff Buckley - “Grace”
Jethro Tull - “Thick as a Brick”
John Hiatt - “Slow Turning”
Joni Mitchell - everything
Loggins and Messina - “Motherlode”
Los Lobos - “Kiko”
Marvin Gaye - “What’s Going On”
Mary Chapin Carpenter - “Come On Come On”
Melissa Etheridge - “Never Enough”
Me’Shell Ndegeocello - “Plantation Lullabies”
Nirvana - “Nevermind”
Norah Jones - “Come Away With Me”
Pearl Jam - “Ten” and “Vs.”
Phoebe Snow - “Second Childhood”
Rickie Lee Jones - “Rickie Lee Jones”
Shawn Colvin - “A Few Small Repairs”
Steely Dan - “Asia” (especially UHDR LP)
Stevie Wonder - “Talking Book”
Super Tramp - “Crime of the Century”
Talking Heads - “Naked”
The B-52’s - “The B-52’s”
The Rolling Stones - “Tattoo You”
Tony! Toni! Tone - “Sons of Soul”
U2 - “Achtung Baby”
War - “The World is a Ghetto”
Whitney Houston - “Whitney Houston” (side one)
