Jay-Z's acclaimed 2001 set "The Blueprint" boldly proclaimed, "I can't leave rap alone/The game needs me." Thus, after a year of beefs, battles and mixtape-rebuttals, the MC reclaimed his crown as New York's hip-hop kingpin. And this double-platinum set sealed the deal, with 13 tracks of the effortless wordplay that made Jay-Z a household name, plus guest shots from Eminem, Q-Tip and Biz Markie. Boasting the huge hits Izzo (H.O.V.A.) and Girls, Girls, Girls, "The Blueprint" was named Best Album Of The Year by Vibe and landed in the top five of Rolling Stone's year-end poll. Hailed as one of the decade's best hip-hop discs, this chart-topper served as the blueprint for two smash sequels.

The story--nay, legend--of modern rock band Weezer begins on this triple-platinum 1994 debut, also known as "the blue album." Running directly into the prevailing wind of grunge, Rivers Cuomo and his compadres were soon packing the L.A. clubs with smart, sensitive, punk-laced pop that combined catchy hooks with lonely-boy lyrics. Finding a sympathetic ear in producer Ric Ocasek (of The Cars), they exceeded even their fans' expectations, delivering the infectious, guitar-driven hits Undone--The Sweater Song and Buddy Holly, as well as the classic Say It Ain't So. Weezer's debut has influenced countless emo and power-pop bands over the past 15 years, and it still never fails to thrill.

What comes up must come down, and after the interstellar weirdness of "Space Oddity" and the suborbital heavy rock of "The Man Who Sold The World," it was inevitable that David Bowie would return to Earth. 1971's relatively stripped-down "Hunky Dory" launched Bowie's glam-rock era, a phase that would soon culminate in "Ziggy Stardust." A Top-Five smash in the UK, "Hunky Dory" traded metallic bombast for quiet intensity, fey psychedelia for lyrical relevance and vocal affectations for vivid, clear crooning. Mick Ronson's fretwork loses none of its force despite the lower volume, while the buoyant melodies of classic hits Changes and Life On Mars implant themselves permanently on the brain.