Collecting vinyl records is one of my favorite hobbies. I already wrote a whole article about why I love collecting records, but I thought it would also be fun to share my top five records I’ve purchased. Hopefully, this inspires you to go out and buy some records, or, at the very least, offers some great albums to listen to!
- “Rumors,” Fleetwood Mac
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Rumors is a classic! I love listening to this vinyl because every song is just an absolute masterpiece. Listening to this album on vinyl makes me feel like Misty Day from American Horror Story Coven, which is honestly probably why I love it so much. If you listen to one song off the album, “Dreams” is my favorite, as it has such an ethereal witchy vibe.
- “MTV Unplugged in New York,” Nirvana
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Nirvana is known for heavy grunge music, so to hear them “unplugged” is kind of special. The album feels very intimate and raw. It is also filled with covers of David Bowie, The Meat Puppets and more. The album concludes with a cover of “Where Did You Sleep Last Night,” originally by Lead Belly, which is just so haunting. It’s by far the best live album I’ve ever heard because of the way it contrasts with their other work.
- “Tumbleweed Connection,” Elton John
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I love everything Elton John has done, but Tumbleweed Connection always stands out to me as something special. It really captures an old fashioned, wild west kind of vibe. The opening track, “Ballad of a Well Known Gun” is extremely striking because of the storytelling and drama embedded in the music. It’s a lot more simple and folk-inspired than some of his other work, and I find myself reaching for this vinyl a lot.
- “The Best of the Beach Boys”
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I bought this album for $2 when the only song by the Beach Boys I knew was “Surfin USA.” I definitely bought it ironically at the time because I thought the song was funny which is an interesting way for me to spend my money, but that’s besides the point. Something about this vinyl is very soothing to me. My favorite song, “In My Room,” feels so peaceful and relaxing. I love listening to this record at the end of a long day as I’m getting ready for bed.
- “My Aim is True,” Elvis Costello
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I bought this vinyl solely for the song “Alison”, but I quickly fell in love with all the other tracks. The album has a bitter punky bite to it yet still has a bit of old rock and roll feel as well. It’s a great album to listen to when you’re feeling a bit moody because it’s not so bitter that it puts you in a worse mood, but it’s got just enough bitterness that you can let some of your angst out.
These albums all feel truly special to me when I listen to them on vinyl. They are great anyway you listen to them, but something about listening to them with my record player brings out the best parts of these albums and makes them feel a bit more magical and special.