The Best Albums of 1997

We are back with another Best Albums feature from a year gone by - if you missed 1982, check that out after you're done here. Let's go back 2 decades (really?!) to the year 1997. Bill Clinton began his second term as President of the United States, while J.K. Rowling published the first book in the Harry Potter series. Married...with Children ended its 11 season run, as South Park and Buffy the Vampire Slayer made their television debut. Titanic, Men in Black, Tomorrow Never Dies and The Lost World: Jurassic Park were making bank at the box office. Some very notable people passed in 1997 - singer/songwriters Townes Van Zandt and Jeff Buckley, pop star Jermaine Stewart, rapper The Notorious B.I.G., Princess Diana, author William S. Burroughs, legendary actors Jimmy Stewart and Burgess Meredith, and let us not forget about SNL fave Chris Farley, nor the Duke boys' Uncle Jesse - aka Denver Pyle. .

As always, Sarah and I enlisted the help of our regular contributors & friends to select Top 10 albums. In addition, everyone handpicked a track from each album for you to enjoy in our Best Albums of 1997 Spotify playlist at the bottom of the page (unfortunately there are a few albums not available on Spotify - we encourage you to locate those elsewhere). If you'd like to share your own 1997 favorites, please comment below. We will be back later in the week with a list of our Honorable Mentions. Stay tuned to see which year is coming next!

Bret Helm

Life on this Planet | Audra

10. Oasis - Be Here Now

09. Echo & the Bunnymen - Evergreen

08. Adrian Borland - 5:00 AM

07. Radiohead - OK Computer

06. David Bowie - Earthling

05. Morrissey - Maladjusted

04. U2 - Pop

03. Gary Numan - Exile

02. Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds - The Boatman's Call

01. James - Whiplash

Sarah Quarrie
Life on this Planet

10. Erasure - Cowboy

09. Delerium - Karma

08. C-Tec - Darker

07. Gary Numan - Exile

06. Portishead - s/t

05. Dubstar - Goodbye

04. Depeche Mode - Ultra

03. Bjork - Homogenic

02. The Verve - Urban Hymns

01. Gene - Drawn to the Deep End

Rob Clark

Rockford, Illinois

10. World Party - Egyptology

09 Portishead - s/t

08. Whiskeytown - Strangers Almanac

07. Del Amitri - Some Other Sucker's Parade

06. Ben Folds Five - Whatever and Ever Amen

05. Tanya Donelly - Lovesongs for Underdogs

04. Chris Whitley - Terra Incognita

03. David Bowie - Earthling

02. Bjork - Homogenic

01. Steve Earle - El Corazon

Ron Marrs
New Orleans, Louisiana

10. David Bowie - Earthling

09. Maggie Estep - Love is a Dog From Hell

08. Tuatara - Breaking the Ethers

07. Cranes - Population Four

06. Blonde Redhead - Fake Can Be Just As Good

05. Buena Vista Social Club - s/t

04. Vapid Dolly - The Queen of Pseudo Psychos

03. 16 Horsepower - Low Estate

02. Godspeed You! Black Emperor - F#A# Infinity

01. Portishead - s/t

Tim Brown
London, England

10. Buena Vista Social Club - s/t

09. Portishead - s/t

08. Foo Fighters - The Colour and the Shape

07. The Divine Comedy - A Short Album About Love

06. Supergrass - In It for the Money

05. Oasis - Be Here Now

04. Blur - s/t

03. U2 - Pop

02. The Verve - Urban Hymns

01. Radiohead - OK Computer

Jaymz Todd
Saturday Night Music Club

10. Knapsack - Day Three of My New Life

09. The Get Up Kids - Four Minute Mile

08. Depeche Mode - Ultra

07. Portishead - s/t

06. Mogwai - Young Team

05. Leaether Strip - Self-Inflicted

04. Missy Elliott - Supa Dupa Fly

03. Spiritualized - Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space

02. James - Whiplash

01. Catherine Wheel - Adam and Eve

John Magness
Uttoxeter, England

10. Sixpence None the Richer - s/t

09. Steve Earle - El Corazon

08. Beth Orton - Trailer Park

07. Stereophonics - Word Gets Around

06. Teenage Fanclub - Songs From Northern Britain

05. Paul McCartney - Flaming Pie

04. The Prodigy - The Fat of the Land

03. Gene - Drawn to the Deep End

02. The Sundays - Static and Silence

01. Buena Vista Social Club - s/t

Jesse Deitermann

Saturday Night Music Club

10. Depeche Mode - Ultra

09. Portishead - s/t

08. Gene - Drawn to the Deep End

07. Echo & the Bunnymen - Evergreen

06. Stereolab - Dots and Loops

05. Radiohead - OK Computer

04. Travis - Good Feeling

03. Blur - s/t

02. U2 - Pop

01. Kent - Isola

STATS

55 different albums appeared in this feature

Which ones made it onto the most lists?

Portishead (6), Buena Vista Social Club (3), David Bowie (3), Depeche Mode (3), Gene (3), Radiohead (3) and U2 (3)

If you're a vinyl enthusiast, check out our feature on the Spin Clean Vinyl Record Cleaning Machine (click image below)

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