Bob Dylan:

Highway 61 Revisited:(1965)

It's hard to imagine a musical world without Like a Rolling Stone. It was a song that changed everything in a big way. I mean, a six minute song with no bridge section becoming a radio hit? Now that's Rock'n'Roll.

Blonde On Blonde:(1966)

Much like the Beatles White Album, I love that this album has so much on it stretched across four vinyl sides. And who but Dylan has a song (not instrumental) that could take up a whole side of a record by itself. Hell, I'd love this album even if Visions of Johanna took up all four sides.

John Wesley Harding:(1967)

This is such a haunting album. It also feels shorter than it really is. I mean, there are twelve songs on this record, but it flies by like a whisper or an eavesdropped conversation. 

Nashville Skyline:(1969)

Sometimes it seems that people forget just how humorous Dylan albums can be. Then you hear Country Pie or something. Sometimes a person doesn't feel like making or hearing big statements.

Greatest Hits Volume II:(1971)

This compilation album sounds like my childhood. A crazy six year old wanting to put this record on over and over again. 

Pat Garrett & Billy The Kid:(1973)

Great movie, great soundtrack. If you're thinking, "I don't know this Dylan record". well it gave the world Knockin' On Heaven's Door.

Dylan:(1973)

While not an album Dylan necessarily wanted his record company to release, this contains some fine covers, such as Big Yellow Taxi. 

Planet Waves:(1974)

In our family my Dad famously wore out two copies of this record playing Forever Young when I was first born.

Blood On The Tracks:(1974)

This album carried me through High School in a big way. It was a benchmark of songwriter penmanship that I marveled over. 

Before The Flood:(1974)

Dylan and The Band at their collective best.

The Basement Tapes:(1975)

I love how secretive this album feels. It's like you just discovered a diary of some long dead relative or something.

Desire:(1975)

This wordy album has long been one of my favorites. I love how cobbled together it feels. It's very Bohemian. 

Hard Rain:(1976)

Another terrific live album, but  if you watch the live footage from the tour this album was taken from, it'll blow you away. 

Street Legal:(1978)

This album rarely comes up in conversations about Dylan's catalogue, but this is another favorite of mine. Check out the lyrics to Changing of The Guard again. Mind blowingly good.

At Budokan:(1978)

Knocked Out Loaded:(1986)

I won't go into how many Bob Dylan albums I have on various forms of media, the man has been prolific to say the least, this is just about the vinyl, and these are what I have. Yes, I am one of those diehard Dylan fans who finds something good even in the worst albums. Since I was six years old Bob Dylan has been tops in my book, and not just his lyric writing, I love his voice. It's a voice that I find comforting, warning, and otherworldly all at the same time. It's the perfect voice for a songwriter to have in that it gives everything away, and nothing together in one tone. Now, of these vinyl records I have favorites, and those favorites tend to shift at different times in my life. It's a joy when good art can grow with you instead of being stuck in a particular moment in your life, and it's rare. Lately I find myself reaching for John Wesley Harding a lot with its parable storytelling, sometimes without endings. 

Harry Belafonte:

Mark Twain and Other Folk Favorites: (1954)

There aren't enough words to tell how great Harry Belafonte is as an entertainer, and as a human being. Since I was a kid, I've thought Harry Belafonte was one of the most dignified men I've ever seen. Then the more I learned about his politics, and activism the more I respected this giant of a man. This album, "Mark Twain", is his debut.

Belafonte: (1956)

Calypso: (1956)

1956 began a four year run where Belafonte would release two albums a year. These days if anyone can name a song Belafonte did it's usually Day-O (the Banana Boat Song) from the album Calypso. And most know it from Beetlejuice. Calypso was the first album to sell a million copies, and it paved a wide road to popularizing Jamaican and Caribbean music.

Harry Belafonte/The Islanders:

Sings Five Early Songs: (195?)

This is a cool split album between Harry Belafonte (Side A) and the Islanders (side B) that is very much in the vein of his album Calypso.

Belafonte Sings of The Caribbean: (1957)

My Lord What A Mornin': (1959)

Swing Dat Hammer: (1960)

Belafonte uses each album to highlight different groups of people with a deep empathy that msnifests in the sincerity with which he sings. Swing Dat Hammer was a collection of chain gang songs, and it won Belafonte a Grammy.

Belafonte at Carnegie Hall: (1959)

If you were going to own just one Harry Belafonte album, this should probably be the one. It was the first of two albums recorded at Carnegie Hall, and it captures the man in all his glory and commanding stage presence. It was also nominated for an Album of The Year Grammy.

Jump Up Calypso: (1961)

Another cool album by Belafonte. This one features the Trinidad Steel Band.

Midnight Special: (1962)

In addition to an awesomely badass album cover, this album marks the official recording debut of Bob Dylan, who played harmonica on this album.

Streets I Have Walked:(1963)

Calypso In Brass: (1966)

Though Calypso in Brass contains songs Belafonte had perviously recorded, here they have been rearranged with a brass band, which makes this a lively album. Key track here is Zombie Jamboree.