I can never resist a good “best of” list, and culture blog Flavorwire has come up with the 50 essential women-in-music albums, giving a short blurb for each album. It’s a pretty wide-ranging list, spanning a variety of styles and 50 years of music: from  Ella Fitzgerald’s first songbook album back in 1956 through to M.I.A.’s 2007 album Kala.  

I’m pleased to see a few of my personal favourites in there, including albums from Sarah McLachlan, Tori Amos and PJ Harvey.  There are a few others that didn’t make the cut that I’ve had on high rotation over the years, and are definitely on my essential list:

Sheryl Crow’s Tuesday Night Music Club (1993).  Sure, we all got a little sick of hearing the summer anthem “All I Wanna Do” every time we turned on the radio - but the album is an excellent collection of songs, showcasing Crow’s songwriting ability and range.  Who can listen to “Strong Enough” without feeling a bit of a tug on the old heart strings?

The Cranberries’ second album, No Need to Argue (1994).  ”Zombie” was a massive hit for the Cranberries, and one of their best songs, but there are several other gems on this album, including the sweet “Ode to My Family” and the dramatic and lovely “Daffodil’s Lament”.

No Angel (1999), Dido’s debut album, which achieved widespread popularity two years after its original release, becoming the top-selling album of 2001 both in the U.K. and worldwide.  ”Resting Here With Me” was the theme song for Roswell, which probably helped the album’s success.  It’s a shame Dido’s more recent efforts haven’t lived up to the standard she set with this album.

Norah Jones’s Come Away with Me (2002).  This easy listening jazz album is the perfect mellow accompaniment to curling up by the fire on a chilly day with a good book and a glass of wine.

There are so many great albums from talented women out there!