Think of 15 albums, CDs, LPs (if you’re over 40) that had such a profound effect on you they changed your life. Dug into your soul. Music that brought you to life when you heard it. Royally affected you, kicked you in the wazoo, put body in your hair, is what I mean. Then when you finish, IF YOU ARE INCLINED, tag a limited smattering of appropriate others, including moi. Or maybe you’ve already done something like it, in which case, thanks, I thought it was cool! Make sure you copy and paste this part so they know the drill. Get the idea now? Good. Tag, you’re it! (HT: Alastair)
In no particular order:

1. Go — The Newsboys
   At the time I first listened to this, I was really enjoying being a Christian, and the Newsboys expressed that for me.
2. For Emma, Forever Ago — Bon Iver
   For some reason, Alastair saw fit to put this album on my computer while he was working on it. I only discovered when I got back to university. I reckon deep down he wants me to kill myself. I hated this album when I first listened to it, but now I’ve listened to every song on it more than 11 times, it’s really growing on me. It does have a kind of numbing effect on your perception of the world though.
3. The Joshua Tree — U2
   This song has been played in my house since the late 90s. If I listen to it, it reminds me of just about anything, but Ireland in particular (even though I’m pretty sure I never listened to it in when I lived in Ireland).
4. Cotton-Eye Joe — Rednex
   I can still remember how crazy I was about this song at 4 years old. When Alastair’s friend Senan used to come to our house, I was most concerned about whether or not he had brought this album with him.
5. Elephant — The White Stripes
   I listen to most music because it happens to be played by my brothers, this is the first album that felt like it was really mine (even though I’m pretty sure Alastair introduced me to it).
6. Challengers — The New Stenographers
   I like a lot of the New Stenographers’ music, but the amount of songs that Neko Case leads on this album makes it for me.
7. Rush of Blood to the Head — Coldplay
   When Mark left for university, he left his depressing music behind. Since I did not have a CD collection of my own, this was what I listened to. Constantly. For a whole term. Bad? Ohhhh… You don’t know.
8. The Messiah — Handel
   Not strictly an album, but this may have got me through a year of OCD. I would listen to this at night when I couldn’t sleep.
9. The Notorious Beard Brothers — The Beards
   I bought this album from Ally, thinking it was the one with ‘Mr. Spaceman’ on it. Unfortunately, I found out soon after it wasn’t.
10. Old Friends — Simon and Garfunkel
    Full Flyte and Old Friends got me through a lot of computer gaming time. Yes, it’s strange to listen to ‘Bridge Over Troubled Water’ and play Colin McRae Rally, but I was a strange kid. Still am, really.
11. Rockin’ the Suburbs — Ben Folds
    Reminds me of Alastair, particularly the time I visited him in St. Andrews (which was brilliant).
12. Einaudi’s I Giorni on Smooth Classics Do Not Disturb — Classic FM
    It’s not an album, but this song makes me feel like I’ve wasted my life. It particularly reminds me of those piano lessons. I hated piano lessons on account of them requiring serious consistent effort in contrast my being able to do most of school without trying.
13. Pet Sounds — The Beach Boys
    She was my first girlfriend, and we were going to get married. This album pretty much summed it up for me.
14. Songs for Christmas — Sufjan Stevens
    In a perfect world, this would be the definitive Christmas album. Unfortunately, not many people stick to Sufjan Stevens’ definition.
15. Final Fantasy VII Soundtrack — Nobuo Uematsu
    Well…

There are far more I can think of now I’ve done it. I could go on and talk about how I love the Buena Vista Social Club for the feeling of open space and freedom that I get from their music; and how I love War and How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb by U2 for some of their simple but honest Christian themes. I could talk about much more too, but the constraints of the meme have caused me to stop.

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