Have you guys ever stopped and just wondered, thought about the age of all the music you currently consume? I mean, let me break it down for you if you’re feeling confused. If you look at a sample size of around 10 random songs from your iTunes or Spotify or whatever music streaming device you listen to, what percentage of tracks would be from 2010 onwards? Maybe around 90% I reckon… But what percentage would be from 2017 onwards? 50%? Why is this the case? What is it about people these days that think ‘oh, it’s pre 2017, I’ll skip this song and listen to something more recent (and better!)’?

The fact is… I don’t know. And for me to try to get into the minds of people, and come up with a reason, and also solution to us being bored with music in general, and always wanting to hear the latest song; would take a long, long time, across several posts. Frankly, I’d imagine if I did that, and tried to write an exposition, you’d be frustrated, and bypass this post, and other posts similar, even if the message of what I’m trying to communicate, is something we all need to hear. So instead, I will say this.

Though it’s more than ok to keep up with the latest music and listen to the latest artists and songs, I reckon if you do that at the expense of other hit tracks from the 80’s and 90’s and 2000’s, or even a hit song from last year, then that could start to be worrying. We may be more of a consumerist than we think (discarding a ‘new’ song even after a week, to hear the latest track, then the cycle repeats itself!), and how do we stop this slide?

It’s not easy, there is no answer, and we’re susceptible to this too. I mean, at this site, we have reviewed the latest albums, and while that’s a good thing, I have recently started wondering why we haven’t, and why don’t review albums from 5, 10 years ago, or even longer? Or even if it’s not a review, just voice our thoughts and opinions for a few paragraphs, and tell the story of how ‘album such and such from this year’ impacted our lives in many different ways? Do we deem albums pre 2010, or even pre 2017, not worthy enough to have an extensive post written about it, because it’s ‘old’ and not current?

This year, I have decided to write something bold, something courageous, something daring. Something sustained, something every week, and something that will hopefully at the end of it all, will change my outlook on music forever. ‘Flashback Fridays’ is something I just thought of today, but it’s nonetheless very close to my heart. (Let’s pray this doesn’t become like all of the other blogs we’ve started but haven’t been successful in posting on a regular basis…)

For the next 52 posts (for the next year or maybe just less than that), I will write my thoughts, and opinions (not a review per se) of 52 albums that I have found influential in my life thus far, and how these albums have shaped me to be the person I am today. With albums spanning quite a few decades within my list of 52, you guys are in for a treat as you hopefully join me for a yearlong ‘project’ if you want to call it that, as I delve into which albums impacted me in which area of my life (and in some posts, I may elaborate further, with a specific example on how a certain album or song has impacted on a certain pivotal event in my life…).

It’s a time for me to be vulnerable, through me showing you the music that speaks to me the most- and at the end of the 52 ‘mini-reviews’, I can hopefully give you all a bit more insight into how music has impacted and shaped my life, and hopefully remind you all that an album isn’t bad by any means if it’s made in the 20th century. And vice versa- an album may not be fantastic or even good, just because it’s just released in the past year, month or week. So who’s with me? Ready to embark on an adventure and find out more about who I am as a person? Ready to learn more about myself and which songs helped me through trials and tribulations? Let me remind you, that each post may have a different layout, it all depends on how God leads me when I’m writing each post. 

Hey everyone, this is Josh. For the past many years, we have been diligently reviewing current albums and current EP’s and singles. And as you can read from my introduction paragraph of the insanely ambitious but now defunct blog series Flashback Fridays; we humans have this tendency to only focus on the new and to discard the old, less shiny, and less glamorous. In 2018, I envisioned that I would be blogging about the albums in my life that spoke to me the most and how they related to my life; and though that didn’t gain traction post-2019, these throwback / retrospective reviews that Jon and myself plan to be posting in the near future, will have a similar structure to the Christmas In July 2020 posts– with headings and bullet points and a list about the good points and bad points of an album. and while later this year we will tackle the plethora of albums not reviewed yet from 2023 (of which there are many), the next month will see us tackle iconic and impacting albums from yesteryear. Will they still hold up in 2024, and why/why not? Who’s with me?

Iconic and impacting albums from other years (subject to expansion):

1. ABBA – ABBA Gold: Greatest Hits (1992)
2. Adele – 21 (2011)
3. Air Supply – Ultimate Air Supply (1990)
4. Alanis Morrisette – Jagged Little Pill (1995)
5. Alessia Cara – Know-It-All (Deluxe) (2015)
6. Alicia Keys – The Diary of Alicia Keys (2003)
7. All Sons and Daughters – Season One (2012)
8. Amy Grant – Lead Me On (1988)
9. Andrew Peterson – The Far Country (2005)
10. Andrew Peterson – Counting Stars (2010)
11. Audio Adrenaline – Underdog (1999)
12. Audio Adrenaline – Lift (2001)
13. Avril Lavigne – Under My Skin (2004)
14. Avril Lavigne – Goodbye Lullaby (2011)
15. Backstreet Boys – Millenium (1999)
16. BarlowGirl – Another Journal Entry (Extended Edition) (2005)
17. The Beatles – 1 (2000)
18. Bebo Norman – Try (2004)
19. Bee Gees – Their Greatest Hits: The Record (2001)
20. Beyonce – I Am Sasha Pierce (2008)
21. Bellefire – Spin the Wheel (2004)
22. Ben Rector – Brand New (2015)
23. Bethany Dillon – Bethany Dillon (2004)
24. Bon Jovi – Greatest Hits (2010)
25. Boyzone – By Request (1999)
26. Brian Littrell – Welcome Home (2006)
27. Brooke Fraser – Albertine (2006)
28. Brooke Fraser – What To Do With Daylight (2004)
29. Bryan Adams – Australian Tour Edition 2013 (2013)
30. Building 429 – The Space In Between Us (Expanded Edition) (2005)
31. Carly Rae Jepsen – Emotion (Deluxe Expanded Edition) (2015)
32. Carman – Addicted to Jesus (1993)
33. Carman – RIOT (1995)
34. Carman – Mission 3:16 (1998)
35. Carrie Underwood – Some Hearts (2005)
36. Carrie Underwood – Blown Away (2012)
37. Casting Crowns – Lifesong (2005)
38. Casting Crowns – The Altar and the Door (2007)
39. CeCe Winans – CeCe Winans (2001)
40. Celine Dion – My Love: Ultimate Essential Collection (2008)
41. Chris Tomlin – Not To Us (2002)
42. Chris Tomlin – Arriving (2004)
43. Cimorelli – Up At Night (2016)
44. Colbie Caillat – Coco (2007)
45. Coldplay – X & Y (2005)
46. Dami Im – Heart Beats (2014)
47. Darlene Zschech – Kiss Of Heaven (2003)
48. Daughtry – Daughtry (2006)
49. Dave Barnes – What We Want What We Get (2010)
50. David Crowder*Band – A Collision (2005)
51. DC Talk – Jesus Freak (1995)
52. Debbie Gibson – Electric Youth (1987)
53. Debbie Gibson – Out Of The Blue (1989)
54. Delta Goodrem – Child of the Universe (2012)
55. Delta Goodrem – Delta (2007)
56. Delirious? – King of Fools (1997)
57. Delirious? – Glo (2000)
58. Delirious? – The Mission Bell (2005)
59. Demi Lovato – Demi (2014)
60. Echosmith – Talking Dreams (2013)
61. Ed Sheeran – Multiply (2014)
62. Everlife – Everlife (2007)
63. Faith Hill – Breathe (1999)
64. Fleetwood Mac- Rumours (1977)
65. For King & Country – Crave (2012)
66. Hanson – Middle Of Nowhere (1997)
67. Hanson – The Walk (2007)
68. Hawk Nelson – Letters To The President (2004)
69. Hilary Duff – Hilary Duff (2004)
70. John Farnham – Whispering Jack (1986)
71. John Mayer – Continuum (2006)
72. Jonas Brothers – Jonas Brothers (2007)
73. Josh Groban – A Collection (2008)
74. Josh Groban – Illuminations (2010)
75. Keith Urban – Be Here (2004)
76. Kylie Minogue – Fever (2001)
77. Kylie Minogue – X (2007)
78. Lady A – Golden (2013)
79. Lea Michele – Louder (2014)
80. Lifehouse- No Name Face (2000)
81. Lifehouse- Smoke And Mirrors (2010)
82. Little Big Town – The Road To Here (2005)
83. Little Big Town – A Place To Land (2007)
84. Lionel Richie – Can’t Slow Down (1983)
85. Martina McBride – Martina (2003)
86. Martina McBride – Greatest Hits (2001)
87. Mandisa – Freedom (2009)
88. MercyMe – Almost There (2001)
89. MercyMe – The Generous Mr. Lovewell (2010)
90. Michael W. Smith – Freedom & Glory (2000, 2011)
91. Michael W. Smith – Live the Life (1998)
92. Michael W. Smith – This is Your Time (1999)
93. Natalie Grant – Awaken (2005)
94. Newsboys – Born Again (Miracles Edition) (2011)
95. Newsboys – Step Up To the Microphone (1998)
96. OneRepublic – Native (2013)
97. Owl City – Ocean Eyes (2009)
98. Paul Baloche – The Writer’s Collection (2008)
99. Peter Hollens – Peter Hollens (2014)
100. Phil Collins – The Singles (2016)
101. Point Of Grace – Free To Fly (2001)
102. Rebecca St. James – If I Had One Chance To Tell You Something (2005)
103. Rebecca St. James – Transform (2000)
104. Relient K – MmHmm (2004)
105. Sabrina Carpenter – Eyes Wide Open (2014)
106. Sanctus Real- The Face Of Love (2006)
107. Sanctus Real- We Need Each Other (2008)
108. Sara Bareilles- Little Voice (2007)
109. Sarah MacLachlan- Surfacing (1997)
110. Selena Gomez & the Scene – A Year Without Rain (2010)
111. Selena Gomez – Revival (2015)
112. Shannon Noll – That’s What I’m Talking About (2004)
113. Shania Twain – Come On Over (1997)
114. Skillet – Comatose (2006)
115. Spice Girls – Spice (1996)
116. Steps – Step One (1998)
117. Steps – Tears On The Dancefloor (Crying At The Disco Deluxe Edition) (2017)
118. Steven Curtis Chapman – Signs of Life (1996)
119. Steven Curtis Chapman – All Things New (2004)
120. Sugarland – Love On The Inside (2008)
121. Switchfoot – Learning To Breathe (2000)
122. Switchfoot – Vice Verses (2011)
123. The Corrs – Forgiven, Not Forgotten (1995)
124. The Corrs – In Blue (2000)
125. Third Day – Offerings & Offerings II (2000, 2003)
126. Third Day – Revelation (2008)
127. TobyMac – Portable Sounds (2007)
128. U2- The Joshua Tree (1987)
129. Various Artists – Compassionart (2008)
130. Various Artists – Music Inspired By The Story (2011)

Albums from the remainder of 2023:

• Alexandra Kay- All I’ve Ever Known
• Alicia Keys- The Diary Of Alicia Keys 20
• Aly & AJ- With Love From
• Amanda Shires- Loving You
• Amy Grant- Lead Me On LIVE 1989
• Amy Grant- Trees We’ll Never See / What You Heard (Single)
• Anne Marie- Unhealthy
• Avril Lavigne- Love Sux (Deluxe Edition)
• Bailey Zimmerman- Religiously: The Album
• Barbra Streisand- Evergreens: Celebrating 6 Decades on Columbia Records
• Bella Camp- Familiar
• Benjamin Hastings- Benjamin William Hastings (Deluxe)
• Bethel Music- Come Up Here
• Blanca- The Heartbreak & The Healing (Deluxe Edition)
• Bonnie Kellet- Hidden Spirit
• Boys Like Girls- Sunday At Foxwoods
• Brandon Lake- Coat Of Many Colours
• Britt Nicole- Keep Looking Up / Weekend Magic (Single)
• Busted- Greatest Hits 2.0 (Guest Features Edition)
• Caitlyn Smith- High & Low
• Calista Clark- Real to Me: The Way I Feel (Deluxe Edition)
• Caroline Jones- Homesite
• Carly Rae Jepsen- The Loveliest Time
• Celine Dion- Love Again
• Chris Davenport- TIME
• Chris Llewlyn- Honest
• Chrissy Metz- Prayed For This Day
• Claire Richards- Euphoria (Super Deluxe Edition)
• Cody Carnes- God Is Good
• Cody Carnes- Firm Foundation
• Cody Johnson- Leather
• Colbie Caillat- Along The Way
• Conrad Sewell- Precious
• Cory Asbury- Pioneer
• Daisy Jones & The Six- Aurora
• Dami Im- In Between / Live Sessions – Bluesfest Byron Bay
• Danni Minogue- Neon Nights 20
• David Dunn- Boys
• Dierks Bentley- Gravel & Gold
• Disciple- Skeleton Psalms
• Dove Cameron- Alchemical Vol: 1 EP
• Dylan- The Greatest Thing I’ll Never Learn (Live/Deluxe Edition)
• Echosmith- Echosmith
• Ed Sheeran- Autumn Variations
• Elevation Worship- Can You Imagine?
• Ella Henderson- Everything I Didn’t Say And More
• Elle King- Come Get Your Wife
• Ella Langley- Excuse The Mess
• Ellie Goulding- Higher Than Heaven (Deluxe Edition)
• Emeli Sande- How Were We To Know
• Erin Kinsey- Same Day Sessions EP
• Evan Craft- Chances
• Evvie McKinney- Love, Evvie McKinney
• Florida Georgia Line- Greatest Hits
• Gateway Worship- Completely Abandoned
• Goo Goo Dolls- Live at The Academy, New York City, 1995
• Grady Smith- Series Of Episodes (Single)
• Hailey Whitters- I’m In Love EP
• Halle- Angel / In Your Hands (Single)
• Hannah Hobbs- Sundown
• Hannah Schaefer- Faithful
• HARDY- The Mockingbird & The Crow
• Hatchie- Giving The World Away (Deluxe Edition)
• Hollyn- My Little Dove EP
• Home Free- As Seen On TV
• Home Free- So Long Dixie
• Hunter Hayes- Red Sky Continued
• Idina Menzel- Drama Queen
• Jamie Grace- Dreamers
• James Blunt- Who We Used To Be (Deluxe Edition)
• Jason Gray- Land Of The Living
• Jason Mraz- We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things. Deluxe Edition
• Jason Mraz- Mystical Magical Rhythmical Radical Ride
• Jekalyn Carr- Jekalyn
• Jessie Ware- That Feels Good!
• Jesus Culture- Why Not Right Now?
• Jewel- Spirit (Deluxe Edition)
• Jimi Cravity- The Last Amen
• Jon Batiste- World Music Radio
• Jon Guerra- Ordinary Ways
• Jordan Davis- Bluebird Days
• Julia Cole- Country Sugar
• Julie Elias- The Dreamer
• Karley Scott Collins- Hands On The Wheel EP
• KB- His Glory Alone II (Deluxe)
• Kenny Rogers- Life Is Like A Song
• Kimberly Perry- Superbloom
• Kirk Franklin- Father’s Day
• Kylie Morgan- Making It Up As I Go
• Kylie Minogue- Tension (Deluxe)
• Kylie Minogue- Extension (The Extended Mixes)
• Lacey Sturm- Kenotic Metanoia
• Laura Marano- I May Be An Actress But I Can’t Fake How I Feel
• Lauren Cimorelli- Please Stop Breaking My Heart
• Lauren Daigle- Lauren Daigle
• Leeland- City of God
• Leslie Odom Jr- When A Crooner Dies
• Lisa Scott Lee- Never Or Now Unleashed Deluxe Edition
• Lori McKenna- 1988
• Louis Tomlinson- Faith In The Future (Bonus Track Edition)
• Luke Combs- Gettin’ Old
• Luke Evans- A Song For You
• Lydia Laird- This I Know (Jesus Loves Me) (Single)
• Maggie Baugh- Dear Me
• Maggie Baugh- ’24 (Single)
• Maisie Peters- The Good Witch (Deluxe Edition)
• Marcia Hines- The Gospel According To Marcia
• Mariah Carey- Music Box 30
• Mat & Savanna Shaw- Dream EP
• Matteo Bocelli- Matteo
• McKenna Grace- Autumn Leaves EP
• Melanie Dyer- Between You And Me
• Miley Cyrus- Used To Be Young (Single)
• Mimi Webb- Amelia
• Morgan Wade- Psychopath
• Naomi Cooke Johnson- Girls Of Summer / Livin’ Ain’t Killed Me Yet (Single)
• Nickelback- Get Rollin’ (Deluxe Edition)
• Paramore- This Is Why
• Parker McCollum- Never Enough
• Pat Barrett- Shelter
• PEABOD- Play
• Pete Murray- The Night Before I Go
• Peter Hollens- Somewhere Out There (Single)
• Phillip Phillips- Drift Back
• PINK- Trustfall (Tour Deluxe Edition)
• Plain White T’s- Plain White T’s
• Priscilla Block- Welcome To The Block Party (Deluxe Edition)
• Rachel Wammack- Swampers (Single)
• RaeLynn- Funny Girl (Single)
• Reba McEntire- Not That Fancy
• RED- Rated R
• Restless Road- Last Rodeo
• Rita Ora- You & I
• Rolling Stones- Hackney Diamonds
• Russell Dickerson- The Afterparty Deluxe
• Sarah Reeves- Best Days
• Seth & Nirva- On Earth EP
• Sigrid- The Hype EP
• Sophia Scott- Barstool Confessions
• Southbound xo- Boat (Single)
• Steffany Gretzinger- The Narrow Way
• Stephen Stanley- Divided State Of Mind
• Tania Doko- The Beauty’s in the Broken – EP
• Tate McRae- Think Later
• Taylor Moss- The Heartland EP
• Taylor Swift- Speak Now (Taylor’s Version)
• Taylor Swift- 1989 (Taylor’s Version)
• Taylor Swift- Midnights (The Til Dawn Edition)
• Teddy Swims- I’ve Tried Everything But Therapy (Pt. 1.5)
• Teddy Swims- Some Things I’ll Never Know (feat. Maren Morris) (Single)
• Tiffany Hudson- Hidden Here
• Tim McGraw- Standing Room Only
• Tim McGraw- Poet’s Resume
• Timothy James Bowen- Sing
• Tina Arena- Love Saves
• Toby Gad- Big Girls Don’t Cry (Piano Diaries (feat. Victoria Justice) (Single)
• Trip Lee- The Epilogue.
• The Katinas- The Hymns
• The Reklaws- The Reklaws: Live At History
• Unspoken- God Help Me EP
• Vanessa Amorosi- Memphis Love
• Various Artists- A Tribute To The Judds
• Various Artists- TROLLS Band Together (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) [Deluxe Edition]
• Various Artists- Growin Up Country Vol. 1
• Vixens Of Fall- Vixens Of Fall
• Whitney Houston- I Go To The Rock
• Whitney Houston- I Wanna Dance With Somebody
• Wilder Woods- FEVER / SKY
• Willie Nelson, Various Artists – Long Story Short: Willie 90: Live At The Hollywood Bowl