About 5 years ago I joined a challenge to list "a favorite album for every year of your life." The challenge has two restrictions: only one album per year and there can be no repeats of artists. I added for myself the restriction that I should actually own the album, which restricts the set to choose from significantly and also makes for some peculiar choices.

My list stopped in 2007, so now that 2012 is almost at its end it is a good moment to add the next 5 years to the list

1958: Jerry Lee Lewis, Great Balls of Fire
1959: Ray Charles, What I'd Say
1960: Miles Davis, Sketches of Spain
1961: Robert Johnson, King of the Delta Blues Singers
1962: Booker T & MG, Green Onions
1963: James Brown, Live at the Apollo
1964: John Coltrane, Love Supreme
1965: Bob Dylan, Highway 61 Revisited
1966: Cream, Fresh Cream
1967: The Doors, The Doors
1968: Johnny Cash, At Folsom Prison
1969: Rolling Stones, Let it Bleed
1970: The Who, Live at Leeds
1971: Marvin Gaye, What's going on
1972: Deep Purple, Made in Japan
1973: Pink Floyd, Dark Side of the Moon
1974: Genesis, The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway
1975: Led Zeppelin, Physical Graffiti
1976: Eagles, Hotel California
1977: The Stranglers, Rattus Norvegicus
1978: Herman Brood and his Wild Romance, Shpritsz
1979: The Clash, London Calling
1980: AC/DC, Back in Black
1981: The Police, Ghost in the Machine
1982: Steel Pulse, True Democracy
1983: U2, Under a Blood Red Sky
1984: Talking Heads, Stop Making Sense
1985: John Cougar Mellencamp, Scarecrow
1986: Run DMC, Raising Hell
1987: Guns N' Roses, Appetite for Destruction
1988: Public Enemy, It Takes A Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back
1989: Eric Clapton, Journeyman
1990: Angelo Badalamenti, Twin Peaks Soundtrack
1991: Nirvana, Nevermind
1992: Rage Against the Machine, Rage Against the Machine
1993: Live, Throwing Copper
1994: Neil Young, Sleeps with Angels
1995: Garbage, Garbage
1996: James Cotton, Deep in the Blues
1997: Erykah Badu, Baduizm
1998: DMX, Flesh of my Flesh, Blood of my Blood
1999: Red Hot Chili Peppers, Californication
2000: Eminem, The Marshall Mathers LP
2001: The Strokes, Is This It
2002: Richard Locker, Jewish Cello Masterpieces
2003: Linkin Park, Meteora
2004: Green Day, American Idiot
2005: Fiona Apple, Extraordinary Machine
2006: Matisyahu, Youth
2007: Foo Fighters, Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace
2008: Hercules and Love Affair, Hercules and Love Affair
2009: Street Sweeper Social Club, Street Sweeper Social Club
2010: The Black Keys, Brothers
2011: Skrillex, Bangarang
2012: Jack White, Blunderbuss

The last year is always the hardest as it hasn't really distilled itself yet what is going to be this years best album. I might have picked Fiona Apple again, but she already has a 2005 spot. Same for Eminem. Nas is definitely one of this years better rappers, but just like Kanye in 2010 I can't convince myself it is this years best album. Although everyone hypes Frank Ocean and Kendrick Lamar they still have to grow on me. If I hadn't settled on Jack White I may have picked Hans Zimmer's soundtrack for Dark Knight Rising.

And to repeat my comments from 5 years ago:

The hardest part was leaving Albums out; too many masterpieces in the 70s for example. But also, some other eras were difficult. I really wanted Linton Kwesi Johnson in there, but every time he had formidable competition. Madness got beaten by AC/DC, Beastie Boys by Run DMC, Nirvana kept Metallica out, The Stranglers win it from Jonny Rotten every time. Honorable mentions for Traffic, Apocalyptica, Counting Crows and Nine Inch Nails; they almost made it.