I was talking with a friend the other night, reminiscing about our favorite songs that were released during our years as radio people. There has been a LOT of great music released in the last 10 years... but it got me thinking. Of all the music that I've been exposed to over my lifetime, which were my absolute favorites?After hours of sifting through the HUNDREDS of albums I have in my possession, I think I've finally narrowed it down to my Top 10.

  • Rhino Records
    Rhino Records
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    10

    Chicago - The Very Best Of… Only The Beginning

    For those that know me, this seems like a bizarre choice… but there’s something subliminally soothing about this album that I just can't get enough of when I'm stressed. I am not sure who first introduced me to Chicago, but I am happy they did. “25 or 6 to 4” is a pure classic and my favorite from this album.

  • Ultra Records
    Ultra Records
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    9

    Calvin Harris - Ready For The Weekend

    This is the newest addition to this list, as I just found Calvin’s music about 4 years ago. While most people know him for his work with Rihanna and other American Pop artists, he has been a mainstay in Europe for years now. I am a fan of Party Anthems (and you’ll notice a lot of EDM influence in this list), but this doesn’t always feel like a party album. He’s definitely one of the more versatile EDM producers I have heard. Title track is a must for any party mix.

  • Perfecto
    Perfecto
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    8

    Paul Oakenfold - Perfecto Vegas

    This is the only true continuous mix album that makes an appearance on the list. Oakenfold is one of the legendary producers in the US (even though he hails from the UK) who broke out here with his single “Faster Kill Pussycat.” This mix not only highlights more recent tracks from him, but highlighted the works of the fellow members of his Perfecto label. Must listen track for me is “Fallen Angel Symphony” which is easily in the Top 5 tracks ever.

  • Aftermath
    Aftermath
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    7

    Dr. Dre - 2001

    Coming out at the end of High School for me… this was pretty much representative of what the “cool people” were listening to where I lived. While this album is full of tracks we all know and love, it wasn’t the lyrics (or his featured artists) that makes this one of my favorites. This was the first time I really came to respect Dre as a producer. This was the first Hip-Hop album where I could really feel he wanted to do more with the track than just create a unique beat for someone to rap over, he made the beat the focus of the track. “Still D.R.E” is notable… but the real track to listen to (one I have sampled MANY times) is “What’s The Difference”.

  • Columbia
    Columbia
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    6

    Kenny Loggins - Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow

    This will ALWAYS calm me down, no matter what has happened. This album has seen me through a lot in my life, and always has a way of brightening my mood.

  • Liberty Records
    Liberty Records
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    5

    Garth Brooks - The Hits

    Growing up, there was a period in my childhood where I lived with my grandparents. In my grandparents house, there were exactly 2 kinds of music that were acceptable… Country, and Western. While Kenny and Dolly and Cash and the rest of them were staples, Mr. Brooks was the only one I really attached to. This album was pretty much the only album I could listen to without the “Wrath of Grandpa” coming down on me. I still enjoy listening to it today. Most notable for me are “Thunder Rolls” and “Friends In Low Places.”

  • Columbia / Legacy
    Columbia / Legacy
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    4

    Robin Williams - A Night At The Met

    I LOVE COMEDY ALBUMS!!! I usually do my best work while listening to someone do a routine. Most comedy albums I get burnt out on after a couple listens (jokes do become less funny the more you’ve heard them)… but this one is absolutely timeless for me. Doesn’t matter how many times I have heard it, I still crack up. Take time to listen to how he describes the effects of Alcohol, Marijuana, and Cocaine on the typical human.

  • Ultra Records
    Ultra Records
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    3

    David Guetta - Guetta Blaster

    This even shocks me… My #1 favorite artist only comes up at #3 in my albums list… but if I were to expand this out to Top 20, he would have 2 or 3 more pop up on the list. This album was my introduction to House Music (and not what people are calling House now… TRUE HOUSE Music) and from first listen, I was completely addicted!!! His ability to work hypnotic beats and melodies around his lyrics is still baffling to me. Any track he does with Chris Willis (who is originally a Gospel singer with an amazing voice) is an instant classic in my book. “The World Is Mine” was the track that got me addicted.

  • Reprise Records
    Reprise Records
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    2

    Barenaked Ladies - Maroon

    They say that the music you listen to in High School is what sticks with you the rest of your life. This is absolutely true of the Barenaked Ladies. Breaking into the US with their smash hit “One Week,” these 5 dudes from Canada come together to make some of the best “Pop Folk” music I’ve heard. While “Pinch Me” and “Too Little Too Late” were the only tracks to break into the US mainstream, the best track on this album is easily “The Humour Of The Situation.”

  • Parlophone France
    Parlophone France
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    1

    Daft Punk - Discovery

    2 French guys that changed the face of music as I know it. This album speaks for itself, and is easily the most influential EDM album ever released. Their signature sound even was pulled by Disney when Disney asked them to do the entire soundtrack to “Tron: Legacy” (Even making a cameo in the movie). There’s not a track on this album that isn’t a favorite of mine, but the most notable tracks are their Anthem “One More Time” and “Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger.”

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