Here is a huge work in progress where I list out albums that I find on "essentials" charts around the internet:
Release date & label data primarily taken from Wikipedia. Images primarily taken from Discogs.
| "Essential Albums" | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
Animal Collective | Feels | October 18, 2005 | FatCat | Pop / Psychedelic Pop |
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Animal Collective | Merriweather Post Pavilion | January 6, 2009 | Domino | Pop / Psychedelic Pop |
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Antlers, The | Hospice | March 23, 2009 | Self-Released | Rock / Slowcore |
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Aphex Twin | Richard D. James Album | November 4, 1996 | Warp | Electronic / Drill and Bass |
 |
Arcade Fire | Funeral | September 14, 2004 | Merge | Rock / Indie Rock |
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At the Drive-In | Relationship of Command | September 12, 2000 | Grand Royal | Punk / Post-Hardcore |
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Avalanches, The | Since I Left You | November 27, 2000 | Modular | Hip-Hop / Instrumental Hip-Hop |
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Beach Boys, The | SMiLE Sessions | October 31, 2011 | Captiol | Pop / Baroque Pop |
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Beck | Odelay | June 18, 1996 | DGC | Rock / Alternative Rock |
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Belle and Sebastian | If You're Feeling Sinister | November 18, 1996 | Jeepster | Pop / Chamber Pop |
 |
Björk | Homogenic | September 22, 1997 | One Little Independent | Electronic / Trip-Hop |
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Boards of Canada | Music Has the Right to Children | April 20, 1998 | Warp | Electronic / Downtempo |
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Brand New | The Devil and God Are Raging Inside Me | November 21, 2006 | Interscope | Rock / Indie Rock |
 |
Broken Social Scene | You Forgot It in People | October 15, 2002 | Arts & Crafts | Rock / Indie Rock |
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caP'n Jazz | Analphabetaapolothology | January 8, 1998 | Jade Tree | Punk / Post-Hardcore |
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Cocteau Twins | Heaven or Las Vegas | September 17, 1990 | 4AD | Rock / Dream Pop |
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Daft Punk | Discovery | March 12, 2001 | Virgin | Electronic Dance / French House |
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Death from Above 1979 | You're a Woman, I'm a Machine | October 26, 2004 | Last Gang | Punk / Dance-Punk Revival |
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DJ Shadow | Endtroducing..... | September 16, 1996 | Mo' Wax | Hip-Hop / Instrumental Hip-Hop |
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Elliott Smith | Either/Or | February 25, 1997 | Kill Rock Stars | Folk / Indie Folk |
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Flaming Lips, The | The Soft Bulletin | May 17, 1999 | Warner Bros. | Pop / Psychedelic Pop |
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Fleet Foxes | Fleet Foxes | June 3, 2008 | Sub Pop | Folk / Chamber Folk |
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Godspeed You! Black Emperor | F♯A♯∞ | August 14, 1997 | Constellation | Rock / Post-Rock |
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Godspeed You! Black Emperor | Lift Yr. Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven! | October 9, 2000 | Constellation | Rock / Post-Rock |
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Gorillaz | Demon Days | May 11, 2005 | Parlophone | Electronic / Trip-Hop |
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Guided By Voices | Bee Thousand | June 21, 1994 | Scat | Rock / Slacker Rock |
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Interpol | Turn on the Bright Lights | August 19, 2002 | Matador | Punk / Post-Punk Revival |
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James Blake | James Blake | February 4, 2011 | ATLAS | R&B / Alternative R&B |
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Jeff Buckley | Grace | August 23, 1994 | Columbia | Rock / Alternative Rock |
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Joanna Newsom | Ys | November 14, 2006 | Drag City | Folk / Chamber Folk |
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KanYe West | My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy | November 22, 2010 | Roc-A-Fella | Hip-Hop / Pop Rap |
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King Crimson | In the Court of the Crimson King | October 10, 1969 | Island | Rock / Progressive Rock |
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Kyuss | Welcome to Sky Valley | June 28, 1994 | Elektra | Rock / Stoner Rock |
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Magnetic Fields, The | 69 Love Songs | September 14, 1999 | Merge | Pop / Indie Pop |
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Mars Volta, The | De-Loused in the Comatorium | June 24, 2003 | Gold Standard Laboratories | Punk / Post-Hardcore |
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Massive Attack | Mezzanine | April 20, 1998 | Virgin | Electronic / Trip-Hop |
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Microphones, The | "The Glow" Pt. 2 | September 11, 2001 | K Records | Folk / Psychedelic Folk |
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Modest Mouse | The Lonesome Crowded West | November 18, 1997 | Up | Rock / Indie Rock |
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Modest Mouse | The Moon and Antarctica | June 13, 2000 | Epic | Rock / Indie Rock |
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My Bloody Valentine | Loveless | November 4, 1991 | Creation | Rock / Shoegaze |
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Neutral Milk Hotel | In the Aeroplane Over the Sea | February 10, 1998 | Merge | Folk / Indie Folk |
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Panda Bear | Person Pitch | March 20, 2007 | Paw Tracks | Pop / Psychedelic Pop |
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Pavement | Slanted and Enchanted | April 20, 1992 | Matador | Rock / Slacker Rock |
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Portishead | Dummy | August 22, 1994 | Go! Beat | Electronic / Trip-Hop |
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Radiohead | The Bends | March 13, 1995 | Parlophone | Rock / Post-Britpop |
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Radiohead | OK Computer | May 21, 1997 | Parlophone | Rock / Alternative Rock |
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Radiohead | Kid A | October 2, 2000 | Parlophone | Electronic / IDM |
 |
Refused | The Shape of Punk to Come | October 27, 1998 | Burning Heart | Punk / Post-Hardcore |
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Ride | Nowhere | October 15, 1990 | Creation | Rock / Shoegaze |
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Sigur Rós | Ágætis Byrjun | June 12, 1999 | Fat Cat | Rock / Post-Rock |
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Slint | Spiderland | March 27, 1991 | Touch and Go | Rock / Post-Rock |
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Smashing Pumpkins | Siamese Dream | July 19, 1993 | Virgin | Rock / Alternative Rock |
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Strokes, The | Is This It | July 30, 2001 | RCA | Rock / Garage Rock Revival |
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Sufjan Stevens | Illinoise | July 4, 2005 | Asthmatic Kitty | Pop / Chamber Pop |
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Sunny Day Real Estate | Diary | May 10, 1994 | Sub Pop | Punk / Midwest Emo |
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Weezer | Weezer (Blue Album) | May 10, 1994 | DGC | Rock / Power Pop |
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Weezer | Pinkerton | September 24, 1996 | DGC | Rock / Power Pop |
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The White Stripes | White Blood Cells | July 3, 2001 | Sympathy for the Record Industry | Rock / Garage Rock Revival |
 |
Wilco | Yankee Hotel Foxtrot | September 18, 2001 | Self-Released | Rock / Indie Rock |
