Five Albums...you can't live without/return to all the time

This is getting out of hand!

50 albums you can't live without. Go

None. Its all just background noise. I can take it or leave it.

Twice!

Top 5? I think I'd probably pick

1. Nevermind – Nirvana (1991)
2. Ten – Pearl Jam (1991)
3. Ok Computer – Radiohead (1997)
4. The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill – Lauryn Hill (1998)
5. Automatic For The People – R.E.M. (1992)
6. Achtung Baby – U2 (1991)
7. The Chronic – Dr. Dre (1992)
8. Metallica (a.k.a. The Black Album) – Metallica (1991)
9. Jagged Little Pill – Alanis Morissette (1995)
10. Dookie – Green Day (1994)

11. Blood Sugar Sex Magik – Red Hot Chili Peppers (1991)
12. (What’s the Story) Morning Glory – Oasis (1995)
13. Ready To Die – Notorious B.I.G. (1994)
14. Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness – Smashing Pumpkins (1995)
15. Downward Spiral – Nine Inch Nails (1994)
16. The Score – Fugees (1996)
17. Superunknown – Soundgarden (1994)
18. CrazySexyCool – TLC (1994)
19. Illmatic – Nas (1994)
20. The Low End Theory – A Tribe Called Quest (1991)

21. In Utero – Nirvana (1993)
22. Rage Against The Machine – Rage Against The Machine (1992)
23. Siamese Dream – Smashing Pumpkins (1993)
24. Out of Time – R.E.M. (1991)
25. Dirt – Alice In Chains (1992)
26. Odelay – Beck (1996)
27. All Eyez on Me – 2pac (1996)
28. Fear Of A Black Planet – Public Enemy (1990)
29. The Bends – Radiohead (1995)
30. Definitely Maybe – Oasis (1994)

31. Aquemini – Outkast (1998)
32. Enter the Wu-tang (36 Chambers) – Wu-Tang Clan (1993)
33. MTV Unplugged in New York – Nirvana (1994)
34. Weezer – Weezer (1994)
35. Urban Hymns – The Verve (1997)
36. The Slim Shady LP – Eminem (1999)
37. Life After Death – Notorious B.I.G. (1997)
38. Grace – Jeff Buckley (1994)
39. I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got – Sinead O’Connor (1990)
40. AmeriKKKa’s Most Wanted – Ice Cube (1990)

41. Ritual De Lo Habitual – Jane’s Addiction (1990)
42. Use Your Illusion I – Guns N’ Roses (1991)
43. Use Your Illusion II – Guns N’ Roses (1991)
44. Ill Communication – Beastie Boys (1994)
45. Doggystyle – Snoop Doggy Dogg (1993)
46. Vitalogy – Pearl Jam (1994)
47. Aenima – Tool (1996)
48. Californication – Red Hot Chili Peppers (1999)
49. 3 Years, 5 Months, & 2 Days in the Life of… – Arrested Development (1992)
50. Vs. – Pearl Jam (1993)

51. Tragic Kingdom – No Doubt (1995)
52. Supernatural – Santana (1999)
53. Unplugged – Eric Clapton (1992)
54. Check Your Head – Beastie Boys (1992)
55. Violator – Depeche Mode (1990)
56. Cypress Hill – Cypress Hill (1991)
57. Throwing Copper – Live (1994)
58. Baduizm – Erykah Badu (1997)
59. BadMotorFinger – Soundgarden (1991)
60. Tuesday Night Music Club – Sheryl Crow (1993)

61. August and Everything After – Counting Crows (1993)
62. Sublime – Sublime (1996)
63. Supa Dupa Fly – Missy Elliot (1997)
64. Parklife – Blur (1994)
65. Ray of Light – Madonna (1998)
66. Hello Nasty – Beastie Boys (1998)
67. Live Through This – Hole (1994)
68. Battle of Los Angeles – Rage Against the Machine (1999)
69. What’s the 411? – Mary J. Blige (1992)
70. Time Out of Mind – Bob Dylan (1997)

71. Me Against the World – 2pac (1995)
72. Blue Lines – Massive Attack (1991)
73. Post – Bjork (1995)
74. Slanted and Enchanted – Pavement (1992)
75. Loveless – My Bloody Valentine (1991)
76. Exile in Guyville – Liz Phair (1993)
77. Dummy – Portishead (1994)
78. Smash – Offspring (1994)
79. Mellow Gold – Beck (1994)
80. Cracked Rear View – Hootie and the Blowfish (1994)

81. Please Hammer Don’t Hurt ‘Em – MC Hammer (1990)
82. Screamadelica – Primal Scream (1991)
83. Reasonable Doubt – Jay-Z (1996)
84. Debut – Bjork (1993)
85. Play – Moby (1999)
86. Vulgar Display of Power – Pantera (1992)
87. Different Class – Pulp (1995)
88. The Fat of the Land – Prodigy (1997)
89. Devil Without a Cause – Kid Rock (1998)
90. Little Earthquakes – Tori Amos (1992)

91. To Bring You My Love – PJ Harvey (1995)
92. Suede – Suede (1993)
93. Mama Said Knock You Out – LL Cool J (1990)
94. Korn – Korn (1994)
95. Temple of the Dog – Temple of the Dog (1990)
96. II – Boyz II Men (1994)
97. Dig Your Own Hole – Chemical Brothers (1997)
98. My Life – Mary J. Blige (1994)
99. Shake Your Money Maker – Black Crowes (1990)
100. Daydream – Mariah Carey (1995)

101. Yourself or Someone Like You – Matchbox 20 (1997)
102. Music Box – Mariah Carey (1993)
103. Garbage – Garbage (1995)
104. Last Splash – Breeders (1993)
105. Black Sunday – Cypress Hill (1993)
106. Monster – R.E.M. (1994)
107. Endtroducing & – DJ Shadow (1996)
108. You’ve Come a Long Way, Baby – Fatboy Slim (1998)
109. Apocalypse ’91 – Public Enemy (1991)
110. Blur – Blur (1997)

111. Pills ‘n’ Thrills and Bellyaches – Happy Mondays (1990)
112. Pinkerton – Weezer (1996)
113. The Man Who – Travis (1999)
114. Midnight Marauders – A Tribe Called Quest (1993)
115. Everything Must Go – Manic Street Preachers (1996)
116. Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can’t We – Cranberries (1992)
117. Human Clay – Creed (1999)
118. Live 1966 – Bob Dylan (1998)
119. Foo Fighters – Foo Fighters (1995)
120. Psalm 69 – Ministry (1992)

121. Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain – Pavement (1994)
122. Ragged Glory – Neil Young & Crazy Horse (1990)
123. Dangerous – Michael Jackson (1991)
124. Core – Stone Temple Pilots (1992)
125. 12 Play – R. Kelly (1993)
126. Get a Grip – Aerosmith (1993)
127. Black on Both Sides – Mos Def (1999)
128. Maxinquaye – Tricky (1995)
129. Homework – Daft Punk (1997)
130. Death Certificate – Ice Cube (1991)

131. Very – Pet Shop Boys (1993)
132. Mule Variations – Tom Waits (1999)
133. ATLiens – Outkast (1996)
134. Under the Table and Dreaming – Dave Matthews Band (1994)
135. 2001 – Dr. Dre (1999)
136. Ladies & Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space – Spiritualized (1997)
137. Homogenic – Bjork (1997)
138. Things Fall Apart – Roots (1999)
139. The Soft Bulletin – Flaming Lips (1999)
140. Southern Harmony & Musical Companion – Black Crowes (1992)

141. Evil Empire – Rage Against the Machine (1996)
142. Antichrist Superstar – Marilyn Manson (1996)
143. Angel Dust – Faith No More (1992)
144. Follow the Leader – Korn (1998)
145. Moon Safari – Air (1998)
146. On How Life Is – Macy Gray (1999)
147. Fanmail – TLC (1999)
148. Mezzanine – Massive Attack (1998)
149. Wu-Tang Forever – Wu-Tang Clan (1997)
150. Sixteen Stone – Bush (1994)

151. Luck of the Draw – Bonnie Raitt (1991)
152. Behaviour – Pet Shop Boys (1990)
153. O.G. Original Gangster – Ice-T (1991)
154. Vauxhall and I – Morrissey (1994)
155. Mariah Carey – Mariah Carey (1990)
156. Cooleyhighharmony – Boyz II Men (1991)
157. Under the Pink – Tori Amos (1994)
158. Elastica – Elastica (1995)
159. Rid of Me – PJ Harvey (1993)
160. Laughing Stock – Talk Talk (1991)

161. The Colour and the Shape – Foo Fighters (1997)
162. Goo – Sonic Youth (1990)
163. Bossanova – Pixies (1990)
164. The La’s – The La’s (1990)
165. Jar of Flies – Alice In Chains (1994)
166. Brown Sugar – D’Angelo (1995)
167. Music for the Jilted Generation – The Prodigy (1994)
168. Enema of the State – Blink 182 (1999)
169. People’s Instinctive Travels – A Tribe Called Quest (1990)
170. If You’re Feeling Sinister – Belle and Sebastian (1996)

171. The Writing’s on the Wall – Destiny’s Child (1999)
172. Leftism – Leftfield (1995)
173. Summerteeth – Wilco (1999)
174. Midnite Vultures – Beck (1999)
175. Toni Braxton – Toni Braxton (1993)
176. Deserter’s Songs – Mercury Rev (1998)
177. New Adventures in Hi-Fi – R.E.M. (1996)
178. Dirty – Sonic Youth (1992)
179. Mama Said – Lenny Kravitz (1991)
180. The Holy Bible – Manic Street Preachers (1994)

181. Only Built 4 Cuban Linx – Raekwon (1995)
182. No Need to Argue – Cranberries (1994)
183. Dry – PJ Harvey (1992)
184. Remedy – Basement Jaxx (1999)
185. In the Aeroplane Over the Sea – Neutral Milk Hotel (1998)
186. The Carnival – Wyclef Jean (1997)
187. Bizarre Ride II the Pharcyde – Pharcyde (1992)
188. Funky Divas – En Vogue (1992)
189. Savage Garden – Savage Garden (1997)
190. Seal – Seal (1991)

191. De la Soul Is Dead – De la Soul (1991)
192. Spiderland – Slint (1991)
193. The Fragile – Nine Inch Nails (1999)
194. I Should Coco – Supergrass (1995)
195. The Predator – Ice Cube (1992)
196. Images and Words – Dream Theater (1992)
197. Hard Knock Life, Vol. 2 – Jay-Z (1998)
198. Harvest Moon – Neil Young (1992)
199. Diary – Sunny Day Real Estate (1994)
200. No Code – Pearl Jam (1996)

This is going to bias older as they're ones I know have stood the test of time in my life, even if they're not currently my most listened to albums.

Pulp - Different Class (I'd be tempted by His'n'Hers or This is Hardcore, but Different Class is a stone cold classic)
Pink Floyd - tough call but I think Dark Side of the Moon just pips Wish You Were Here or The Wall
PJ Harvey - Stories From the City; Stories From the Sea
C.S.S. - Cansei De Ser Sexy (something from that period of my life, I could also go Neon Bible, something by Hot Chip)
Joy Division - Unknown Pleasures

5 is way too small a number though.

Did you just stop listening to music after the 90s?

Plus it was the first copyable list online I could find so...

I do like pre-Isbell Truckers too - Decoration Day is right up there for me too, and Southern Rock Opera is a brilliant concept album.

They've definitely dipped since the Isbell days though, but every album since does have some vintage moments. 

Things Fall Apart? Mezzanine? ALTliens? Maxinquaye?

Agreed.

I think SRO is my absolute fave, followed by Dirty South, Decoration Day and Brighter Than Creations Dark.

I've picked 5 influential albums that made me look down a rabbit hole of music for many years. There's tonnes I've missed out on but I know these 5 made me look at a bunch of similar artists.

GY!BE - Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven
Pavement - Slanted and Enchanted
The Fall - This Nation's Saving Grace
Slint - Spiderland
Boards of Canada - Music Has the Right to Children