AllMusic

AllMusic Staff Pick Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock It Takes Two Without question, Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock had the party anthem of 1988 in "It Takes Two" -- an insanely infectious rap/dance gem using a James Brown/Lynn Collins classic of the same name as a reference point. While the song was a major hit in dance music and club circles, Base won over hip-hop's hardcore with his strong technique as a rapper. Though most of this debut album falls short of that mega-hit's excellence, it's a generally decent effort that has both hip-hop and R&B appeal.

The War and Treaty The Story of Michael and Tanya On album number five, via soul, country, gospel, and blues, the married duo confess the hardships, blessings, and complications of marriage.

AllMusic Staff Pick Jacques Coursil Black Suite This amazing trumpeter led two album sessions for BYG, both highly respected projects. This might be the one to take off to the desert island, as the presence of Anthony Braxton as part of the band really makes for an intoxicating brew, if abstract free jazz is the cup of tea on order.

On July 13, 1973, an unknown London band released a debut their label barely knew how to sell. Exactly twelve years later on the same date, that band walked onto the Wembley stage and delivered what many still call the greatest live performance in rock history. Queen

On July 9, 1983, The Police "Every Breath You Take" reached No. 1 on the Billb‍oard Hot 100 — and‍ it s‍tayed there for eight weeks, becoming the biggest hit of the band's career and one of the defining singles of the decade. However, the song's success didn't improve relations between the band members – within two years, The Po‍lice had effec‍tively disbanded.

Panda Bear / Sonic Boom A ? of WHEN Experimental duo expand on the hypnotic wonderland of their 2022 collaboration Reset with new approaches to instrumentation and song construction.

AllMusic Staff Pick Gary Stewart Out of Hand Released in 1975 at the height of outlaw country's boom, this is one of the most unruly drinking sets of songs in country music history. From the opening "Drinkin' Thing" to an absolutely rocking version of Hank Williams' "Honky Tonkin'," the pace is set to go and the joint is set to blow.

No decade shaped heavy metal quite like the 1980s. These 15 albums aren't just great records; they're the bl‍u‍eprint. From arena-conque‍ring anthems to unde‍rground thrash that rewrote the rulebook, here's the music that made the '80s metal's undisputed go‍lden age.

The Rolling Stones Foreign Tongues A tough, rollicking, exciting, and thoroughly enjoyable album that suggests the Stones could maybe go on forever.

AllMusic Staff Pick Thom Yorke The Eraser Released twenty years ago between Hail to the Thief and In Rainbows, the Radiohead frontman's excellent first step outside of his day job offers few surprises: it's haunting, anxiety-ridden, and keeps the nerves on edge for its entire glorious runtime. Radiohead fans will be able to connect the dots to that band's albums (Kid A, Amnesiac, and Thief jump out), but it also offers some fascinating foreshadowing of how the group's direction would shift and how all the future Yorke projects would evolve.