20 Albums Responsible For Changing the Way We See Music

SPICEWORLD by Spice Girls was my first CD, and it was amazing. I had previously only ever bought cassette tapes and LOVED the liner with all of the lyrics and full photos! It was girl power to the extreme.

A long time ago, in a village called New York City, I bought Aaliyah's self-titled album, Aaliyah. Growing up in NYC, you can't escape the sounds of hip-hop and R&B around every corner — not that you want to. I really loved the album a lot, especially "More Than a Woman." Some friends and I even performed it at a talent show in school.

The first album I ever bought was Aaron Carter's classic Aaron's Party (Come Get It). I was in second grade, and felt unbelievably cool going to the mall to pick out the CD. Throughout elementary school, I put on elaborate dance shows with my sister and friend every Summer; I vividly recall our very intense choreography work and costume selection process for "I Want Candy." The home video of this routine does in fact still exist . . .

I first had the CD single of "Criminal," which I completely wore out before buying the Tidal album when I was an angsty, moody 12-year-old. I was instantly struck by her unique voice and heart-wrenching lyrics. For a couple of years, she was my little secret; I went to Britney Spears and *NSYNC concerts and learned the choreography to Destiny's Child videos but never really voiced my love for Fiona and her wild, reckless music. I still don't know what I was afraid of. It wasn't until freshman year of high school, in Honors English, that I read the lyrics to "Pale September" in front of my class for a project and the blank, slightly confused stares I got only furthered my admiration for this songwriter. From then on, I was unabashedly a Fiona Apple fan. I endured the hellish six years between When the Pawn . . . and Extraordinary Machine and was finally able to see her perform live with one of my best friends (a fellow Fiona stan) in 2012. It was everything I had been waiting for since I was that moody preteen, and everything I needed as an even moodier adult. Yes, I still listen to Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake, and of course Beyoncé, but I will always have a huge place in my heart for that unapologetic, raw, turbulent album that brought me through the tides of my adolescence.

Best. Thing. Ever.

The first album I ever received that I really wanted was Metamorphosis by Hilary Duff, when I was 9 years old. I was obsessed with her. I had a Hilary Duff calendar and once got in a fight with another girl in my class over which one of us was her No. 1 fan. "Little Voice" was probably my favorite thing to sing along to. I thought she was so edgy and cool, which is hilarious considering she was a Disney star.

The first ever album I was able to purchase with my own money in middle school was No Pads, No Helmets . . . Just Balls by Simple Plan. Since NSYNC broke up, and I was getting over the grieving process . . . I needed a new band to obsess over. I remember watching TRL and the music video "Perfect" came on and I was like, OMG SO RELATEABLE! Then my whole preteen angst-emo-punk-rock phase commenced . . . it was a very confusing time.

I was so excited to spend my own money on this cassette (yes, it was a cassette tape), that as soon as I saved up enough, I begged my parents to take me to Tower Records to buy it. Believe it or not, I still have it, I just don't have anything to play it on anymore!

The first cassette tape I ever bought is one of the greatest pop albums of all time: Paula Abdul's Forever Your Girl. I walked to The Wherehouse — a now-defunct '80s music store — and bought my tape so I didn't have to tape my favorite songs off the radio anymore.

I memorized every page of the little booklet that came in there, learned every lyric, and must've made my parents insane with the repetitive loop plays . . . and belting singing from my bedroom. I was six years old and very much in love with Nick Carter. It fueled my love for pop and dance music (and obnoxiously singing along very loudly) which has continued for 20 years.

Back in the day, I was a die-hard Backstreet Boys fan. I remember screaming out the lyrics to "Everybody (Backstreet's Back)" and swooning over Nick Carter in the song's music video. I actually still have the CD and I bring it out from time to time when I'm feeling nostalgic for the '90s.

I was 6 years old and I bought it on vinyl, because I am ancient. I'm not ashamed, in fact I'm pretty sure I still know the words to the majority of the songs ("Never Too Late" was my favorite). It went to number 1 in the UK so a lot of people clearly agreed with me. Oh, and I still really love the sequin hat she wears on the sleeve. The scariest thing is she looks exactly the same now.

The first album I ever bought with my own money was Taking Back Sunday's Tell All Your Friends. It's still in my top five favorite albums of all time.

Chicago, bought in 1972. I was an aspiring young sax player and they were among the first to bring horns to rock. Also, I had just had my first drug experience and I was convinced that "25 or 6 to 4" was a sly drug reference, making it the coolest song ever. In the ensuing years, the song's writer claimed the reference was was just about the time of day — a fittingly superficial explanation from a band that quickly devolved into sappy love songs and has been forever consigned to the repertoire of halftime marching bands everywhere.

I was obsessed with her knack for denim, as well as the track "I Think We're Alone Now."

My first CD was Hanson's Middle of Nowhere, which is still a really solid album. When "MMMBop" came out the year before, my older brother bought the single because everyone in his high school was talking about it. He ended up hating it and giving it to me, and that's where my love of boy bands was born. I desperately saved up my money to buy the full CD the following year. When I got to the mall, however, I got sidetracked by a Tickle Me Elmo and blew my money on that instead. My parents felt bad and gave me the money for the Hanson CD, so, I mean, I got everything I wanted that day. And believe it or not, I still own the CD and play it regularly.

Mine was The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill. I was probably too young to be singing those lyrics or even understand what they meant, but I learned every. Single. Word. To this day, I'm pretty proud to spit out the verses of "Doo Wop" whenever it comes on.

The first album I ever bought was a ~cassette tape~ of Shania Twain's Come on Over circa 1998. I was obsessed with it, knew the words to every song, and played it on repeat. It was just so catchy and perfect for solo 6-year-old dance parties.

I owned others before this, but the first CD that I remember saving up for and purchasing on my own was the Backstreet Boys' Millennium album — and nearly 17 years (!!!) later, I stand by my choice. So many classic early-2000s pop hits debuted on that CD, from "I Want It That Way" to "Show Me the Meaning of Being Lonely," and I can still sing along to most of them. My only regret is attempting to re-create the BSB's all-white outfits in public!

I originally ventured to the grungy, super cool music store in my small town to pick up *NSYNC's No String's Attached with my babysitting money, but my love for Brian Littrell prevailed at the last minute. No regrets.

The first CD I ever bought was Hilary Duff by Queen Hilary Duff. I remember being so jealous that I couldn't buy her first album while all my friends at school had it, so I saved up all my pennies and by the time her second album came out, I was able to afford it. It was well worth the wait.

The first album I ever bought was Ace of Base's The Sign, which I got when I was maybe seven or eight years old. I was obsessed with "All That She Wants" and "The Sign" — let's be real, I still am — and I remember making up dances to both songs with my friends.

The first album I remember buying was an Ace of Base tape. Many dance routines followed.

I probably shouldn't have seen this movie as a nine-year-old, but I did and I loved it. Even more, I love the music. I loved the sweet sounds of Burt Bacharach, The Lightning Seeds, and The Strawberry Alarm Clock. I used to play it on my sweet shower CD player, and I'm not even ashamed.