#1 The Chronic by Dr. Dre (1992)
Classic. Magnum opus. Masterpiece. The solo debut from Dr. Dre literally seemed to change everything overnight. It took gangsta rap to the mainstream. It announced the beginning of West Coast hip-hop actually dominating national airwaves and charts–not just sitting alongside New York’s stars, but eclipsing them in popularity. It announced the arrival of Snoop (then “Doggy”) Dogg. And it proved that Dr. Dre was undeniably the hottest producer in hip-hop, with virtually every hip-hop producer that came after adopting his melodic approach to music-making. Everyone should own this album.
