Consumer Guide Grade List: A+

Listing for 128 records at this grade.

• King Sunny Ade: The Best of the Classic Years [2003, Shanachie]
• Laurie Anderson: Heart of a Dog [2015, Nonesuch]
• Arcade Fire: Neon Bible [2007, Merge]
• Louis Armstrong: Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man: 1923-1934 [1994, Columbia/Legacy]
• The Beach Boys: Wild Honey [1967, Capitol]
• The Beastie Boys: Licensed to Ill [1986, Def Jam]
• Chuck Berry: The Definitive Collection [2006, Geffen/Chess]
• Beyoncé: Renaissance [2022, Parkwood Entertainment/Columbia]
• Art Blakey: Ken Burns Jazz [2000, Verve]
• James Brown: Star Time [1991, Polydor]
• Ray Charles: A 25th Anniversary in Show Business Salute to Ray Charles [1971, ABC]
• The Clash: London Calling [1980, Epic]
• The Coasters: 50 Coastin' Classics [1992, Rhino]
• Ornette Coleman: Of Human Feelings [1982, Antilles]
• The Robert Cray Band: Strong Persuader [1986, Mercury]
• Creedence Clearwater Revival: Willy and the Poorboys [1969, Fantasy]
• Marshall Crenshaw: Field Day [1983, Warner Bros.]
• Culture: Two Sevens Clash [1987, Shanachie]
• Miles Davis: Jack Johnson [1971, Columbia]
• DeBarge: In a Special Way [1983, Gordy]
• Delaney & Bonnie: The Original Delaney & Bonnie [1969, Elektra]
• De La Soul: Timeless: The Singles Collection [2003, Tommy Boy/Rhino]
• Iris DeMent: My Life [1994, Warner Bros.]
• Derek and the Dominos: Layla [1970, Atco]
• Bo Diddley: The Chess Box [1990, Chess]
• DJ Shadow: Endtroducing . . . DJ Shadow [1996, Mo Wax/FFFR]
• Fats Domino: My Blue Heaven -- The Best of Fats Domino (Volume One) [1990, EMI]
• Double Dee & Steinski: The Payoff Mix/Lesson Two/Lesson 3 [1985, Tommy Boy]
• Bob Dylan: Love and Theft [2001, Columbia]
• Bob Dylan: Modern Times [2006, Columbia]
• Bob Dylan/The Band: The Basement Tapes [1975, Columbia]
• Eno: Another Green World [1976, Island]
• Firesign Theatre: How Can You Be in Two Places at Once When You're Not Anywhere At All [1969, Columbia]
• Firesign Theatre: Don't Crush That Dwarf, Hand Me the Pliers [1970, Columbia]
• Ella Fitzgerald: Ken Burns Jazz [2000, Verve]
• Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong: Ella & Louis [2021, Ober Entertainment/20th Century Masterworks]
• Franco: The Very Best of the Rumba Giant of Zaire [2000, Manteca]
• Franco: Francophonic [2008, Sterns Africa]
• Franco: Francophonic Vol. 2 [2009, Sterns Africa]
• Franco & Rochereau: Omona Wapi [1985, Shanachie]
• Lefty Frizzell: The Best of Lefty Frizzell [1991, Rhino]
• Lefty Frizzell: Look What Thoughts Will Do [1997, Columbia/Legacy]
• Ghostface Killah: Fishscale [2006, Def Jam]
• Gogol Bordello: Super Taranta! [2007, Side One Dummy]
• Grateful Dead: Live/Dead [1969, Warner Bros.]
• Al Green: Call Me [1973, Hi]
• Al Green: Greatest Hits [1995, The Right Stuff/Hi]
• PJ Harvey: Stories From the City, Stories From the Sea [2000, Island]
• Billie Holiday: Ken Burns Jazz [2000, Verve]
• Billie Holiday + Lester Young: A Musical Romance [2002, Columbia/Legacy]
• Michael Hurley/The Unholy Modal Rounders/Jeffrey Fredericks & the Clamtones: Have Moicy! [1976, Rounder]
• Mississippi John Hurt: Rediscovered [1998, Vanguard]
• Elmore James: The Sky Is Crying: The History of Elmore James [1993, Rhino]
• Freedy Johnston: Can You Fly [1992, Bar/None]
• Louis Jordan: Five Guys Named Moe: Original Decca Recordings Vol. 2 [1992, MCA]
• Latin Playboys: Latin Playboys [1994, Slash/Warner Bros.]
• Arto Lindsay: Mundo Civilizado [1997, Bar/None]
• Madonna: The Immaculate Collection [1990, Sire]
• Magnetic Fields: 69 Love Songs [1999, Merge]
• Manfred Mann's Earth Band: Manfred Mann's Earth Band [1972, Polydor]
• Curtis Mayfield & the Impressions: The Anthology 1961-1977 [1992, MCA]
• The Mekons: Fear and Whiskey [1985, Sin]
• M.I.A.: Kala [2007, Interscope]
• Mighty Sparrow: Volume One [1993, Ice]
• Moby: Play [1999, V2]
• Thelonious Monk: Ken Burns Jazz [2000, Columbia/Legacy]
• Thelonious Monk: Thelonious Monk Trio [2001, Prestige]
• Van Morrison: Moondance [1970, Warner Bros.]
• David Murray: Shakill's Warrior [1992, DIW/Columbia]
• Youssou N'Dour & Étoile de Dakar: The Rough Guide to Youssou N'Dour & Étoile de Dakar [2002, World Music Network]
• Randy Newman: 12 Songs [1970, Reprise]
• New York Dolls: New York Dolls [1973, Mercury]
• New York Dolls: In Too Much, Too Soon [1974, Mercury]
• New York Dolls: One Day It Will Please Us to Remember Even This [2006, RoadRunner]
• Charlie Parker: Now's the Time [1990, Verve]
• Charlie Parker: The Legendary Dial Masters [1996, Jazz Classics]
• Dolly Parton: Best of Dolly Parton [1975, RCA Victor]
• Wilson Pickett: A Man and a Half: The Best of Wilson Pickett [1993, Rhino/Atlantic]
• Elvis Presley: 30 #1 Hits [2002, RCA]
• Prince: Sign o' the Times [1987, Paisley Park]
• Procol Harum: A Salty Dog [1969, A&M]
• Richard Pryor: . . . And It's Deep, Too! The Complete Warner Brothers Recordings [2000, Rhino]
• Public Enemy: It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back [1988, Def Jam]
• The Replacements: Let It Be [1984, Twin/Tone]
• Tabu Ley Rochereau: The Voice of Lightness [2007, Sterns Africa]
• The Rolling Stones: Let It Bleed [1969, Abkco]
• The Rolling Stones: Exile on Main Street [1972, Rolling Stones]
• Sonny Rollins: G-Man [1987, Milestone]
• Sonny Rollins: Silver City [1996, Milestone]
• Sonny Rollins: Ken Burns Jazz [2000, Verve]
• Sonny Rollins: Road Shows Vol. 1 [2008, Doxy/Emarcy]
• Run the Jewels: RTJ4 [2020, BMG Rights Management]
• The Shirelles: The Very Best of the Shirelles [1994, Rhino]
• Paul Simon: Paul Simon [1972, Columbia]
• Sly & the Family Stone: Greatest Hits [1970, Epic]
• Sly & the Family Stone: There's a Riot Goin' On [1971, Epic]
• Sonic Youth: A Thousand Leaves [1998, Geffen]
• Bruce Springsteen: Born in the USA [1984, Columbia]
• Steely Dan: Pretzel Logic [1974, ABC]
• Rod Stewart: Every Picture Tells a Story [1971, Mercury]
• Television: Marquee Moon [1977, Elektra]
• A Tribe Called Quest: We Got It From Here . . . Thank You 4 Your Service [2016, Epic]
• Tricky: Maxinquaye [1995, Island]
• Vampire Weekend: Modern Vampires of the City [2013, XL]
• Ben Webster: King of the Tenors [1993, Verve]
• Kanye West: Late Registration [2005, Roc-A-Fella]
• The Who: The Who Sell Out [1995, MCA]
• Lucinda Williams: Car Wheels on a Gravel Road [1998, Mercury]
• Brian Wilson: SMiLE [2004, Nonesuch]
• Howlin' Wolf: His Best [1997, Chess]
• Wussy: Attica! [2014, Shake It]
• X: Wild Gift [1981, Slash]
• Neil Young: After the Gold Rush [1970, Reprise]
• Neil Young: Rust Never Sleeps [1979, Reprise]
• Tom Zé: Brazil Classics 4: The Best of Tom Zé [1990, Luaka Bop/Warner Bros.]

Compilations/Soundtracks

• African Connection, Vol. 1: Zaire Choc! [1988, Celluloid]
• Anthology of American Folk Music [1997, Smithsonian/Folkways]
• The Daisy Age [2018, Koko]
• ESPN Presents Slam Jams, Vol. 1 [1997, Tommy Boy]
• Girl Group Greats [2001, Rhino]
• Guitar Paradise of East Africa [1991, Earthworks]
• Hanging Tree Guitars [2020, Music Maker Relief Foundation]
• The Indestructible Beat of Soweto [1986, Shanachie]
• Motown Classics Gold [2005, Motown]
• Motown: The Classic Years [2000, UTV]
• The Music in My Head [1998, Sterns]
• Postwar Jazz: An Arbitrary Roadmap [2003, no label/Weatherbird]
• Roots of Jazz Funk Volume One [1997, MVP]

Consumer Guide Index by Grade

Warning: Some lists (e.g., A-) are very long.