Kavita

This album is unique in using the voices of South African singers alongside Paul Simon and his band. It was not like anything else released in that moment. Some songs were stronger than others but all were made more unique by featuring the sound of South African vocalists and their incredible harmonies.

I'm a huge fan of George Harrison (I wrote an article about him for Electric Literature that went viral) and what I love about this Beatles record is that George finally had 2 of his own songs on it, and what amazing songs they were: Here Comes the Sun and Something. Here Comes the Sun was the first Beatles song to reach 1 million streams on Spotify and Frank Sinatra called Something one of the best love ballads ever written. So, to me, this was the record where George was finally allowed by Paul and John to showcase his own skills as a songwriter.

This album was one of the most definitive albums for Brit alternative rock or all alternative rock of the 1990s and beyond. Wonderwall and Don't Look Back in Anger are enduring hits but Hello and Champagne Supernova were also hits as well. Ultimately, the whole album showed how Oasis had created a sound that referenced so many bands and artists and musical eras that had come before while being entirely their own.

I've been a fan of Van Morrison as one of the most original rockstars who was at the intersection of folk, rock, jazz, etc... Brown Eyed Girl is one of the best rock songs and Moondance, a jazz folk hybrid, is one of the most romantic songs I've ever heard. This album is quintessential Van Morrison.