Top 5 Records

Volume 14’s theme is “The Color of Music” – songs and albums that relate to color! It’s up to our DJs to share their interpretation of “The Color of Music”, whether that be “Songs with Color in the Title”, “Songs about the Color Blue” “Albums Covers that Feature Rainbows”, “The most colorful artists of my collection”, and so on. Our 4th LIVE and IN-PERSON version of Top 5 Records, we’ll special guest DJ’s: “Asano Michael” of Record Blog (@record_blog) and Mike Wasabi from Sweden (docmikewasabi)! Read more…

Volume 13’s theme is “Summertime” – songs and albums that are made for summer! It will be up to our DJs to share how they interpret Summertime, whether that be “Hits of the Summer”, “Surf-Rockers/Beach-life classics” “Scorching Hot Solo-ridden jams”, “Albums for Convertibles”, and so on. This will be our 3rd LIVE and IN-PERSON version of Top 5 Records, and we are happy to be joined by special guest DJs: Jason Garcia and DJ Keesh! Read more…

Volume 12’s theme is “Heroes …Just for one Day” – songs and albums that are about Heroes. Our DJs will they Heroes, whether that be “Hometown Heroes”, “Guitar Heroes”, “Unsung Heroes”, “Anti-Heroes” and so on. We are happy to announce that we’ll be joined by special guest DJ and musician extraordinaire, James Banbury (Blood Wine or Honey, The Magnus Project). Welcome James! Read more…

The Season 2 debut episode theme is “Music *ABOUT* Music” – songs and albums that are about, “Gently weeping Guitars,”, “Delights of Rappers”, and “Playing that Funky Music”! This will be our first LIVE and IN-PERSON version of Top 5 Records! Out Talk Show broadcast countdown will be sandwiched by 3 sets of music! Read more…

Our theme for Volume 9 is “The Languages of Music” – Records that are in a language other than our own! Music transcends language barriers, speaking directly to the heart and soul, fostering connections beyond the limitations of words. Whether it’s Swedish Pop, African Sahara Desert Blues, Brazillian Tropicália, or Tuvan throat singing, we celebrate here! Read more…

Our theme for Volume 8 is “THEY’RE LIVE!!!” – Live albums released as such! Whether it’s the buzz of the amps, the roar of the crowd, the chatter among the bandmates, or the electrifying energy and spontaneous interactions of the entire event, a recording of a band’s live performance can often outshine a studio album of the same songs. Let’s go on an immersive musical journey of LIVE recordings that resonate loudest in our souls. Read more…

Our theme for Volume 7 is “Fly on the Wall” – albums or tracks that it would have been just amazing to have been a “fly on the wall” during their recording! Imagine having a glimpse onto the recording of a renowned album by a famous band witnessing the captivating sparkle of creative alchemy, raw emotions, and collaborative magic that give birth to iconic musical masterpieces. Hear the Top 5 Records, we would have like to see being made! Read more…

The concept album, a visionary fusion of storytelling and music in rock and pop has captivated audiences since their inception, by weaving intricate narratives and thematic coherence, igniting the imagination and inviting listeners to embark on a transformative sonic journey. Our theme for Volume 8 is “Concept Albums” – albums whose tracks hold a larger meaning collectively than the sum of all their individual part songs. Read more…

For this Top 5 Records, we ask ourselves why so much 80s music, despite its often cheesy production, remains so beloved. Is it due to infectious melodies, bold experimentation? Does nostalgic charm help it endure? For Top 5’s Volume 5, “The 80’s” – we spotlight albums that captured our attention during that strange decade of music, maybe they stood the test of time, maybe they didn’t. Read more…

There’s a magnetic allure in witnessing an artist or band reinterpret the work of another, as it offers a fresh perspective that both pays homage to the original and unveils new layers of creativity, fostering a sense of musical connection and discovery. Some of our deepest music appreciation comes when we connect the covers we love to their source of origin. Our theme for Volume 4 is “Covers” – original songs covered by other artists. Read more…

Our theme for Volume 2 is “Side 1, Track 1” – Opening tracks of an album serve as a vital gateway, captivating the listener’s attention and setting the tone for the musical journey ahead! No doubt, careful consideration by the artist goes into selecting that song that embodies an album’s essence, themes, or sonic signature to create an impactful and memorable introduction. Here we look at some of our favorite albums’ openers! Read more…

Music’s profound ability to provide guideways and signposts in our lives, especially through certain albums, helps to shape our identities, values, and tastes, playing an indelible role in the formation of the people we become. Our Volume 2 theme is “Autobiographical” – the records that formed our personalities and tastes more than others. Maybe not the best records in our collection, but the ones helped us get from one place to another. Read more…

We kick off this series and this first volume on the theme of our “Top 5 Records for “The Heart of Saturday Night'” – the records we play when we opt to stay home and hunker down with a cocktail and our back records rather than hit the bar or club. OR maybe it’s the top 5 we blast from the jukebox AT the bar. How do the music lovers and vinyl collectors amongst us like to enjoy our Saturday Nights? For us, it’s counting down our Top 5! Read more…