Late Registration is the second album from Kanye West and is co-produced by Jon Brion - known principally as a soundtrack composer (magnolia, eternal sunshine of the spotless mind). The standout cuts are Addiction, which flicks an acoustic guitar loop round a sample from Etta James's My Funny Valentine, Hey Mama which has a folk-rock vocal that could net butterflies and is classic Kanye and single Diamonds from Sierre Leone which has a heavy groove and sped-up soul sample, courtesy of Shirley Bassey's classic Diamonds are Forever with Kanye's unusual conversational flow. The producer-rapper is aiming for the heights of Motown's greatest icon and this album proves that everything he touches turns to gold.

Kid Cudi is at the vanguard of a game-changing new generation of artists - he crosses musical boundaries with an appeal that goes beyond genre, format, race, language, and culture. Cudi lives easily in the hip-hop, indie rock, pop, and r&b worlds - a diversity that shows in his innovative music and his all-embracing persona. He is a born storyteller who brings a positive, life-affirming message to his brilliant lyrical flow and compelling music. He is a breath of fresh air - a dynamic and important new voice.

What's Going On is regarded as soul music's first concept album. In 1971, protests against the Vietnam War were rising, the public criticism of the government policy was growing louder. Up to that point, Marvin Gaye had been noticed for his love songs, social criticism as formulated by the likes of Sly Stone or Curtis Mayfield had not been his thing really. Now he was singing lyrics against the Vietnam War in the album's title song, he was critical of pollution in 'Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)' or, in 'Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)', bundling social tensions and racism in the cities of the USA to form an accusation. Compared to said colleagues, Mavin Gaye's criticism may come off as less pointed and more preachy, nevertheless, in addressing those topics he has lumped together some the big crises of his time as if magnified through a burning lens.

Souvlaki is Slowdive's second studio album, originally released in 1993. It's considered as one of the best Shoegaze albums of all time, but didn't receive much credit during its release. The album contains synthesizer contributions from Brian Eno on "Sing" (which he co-wrote) and "Here She Comes". It's just perfect in all terms, such as the wonderful tunes, captivating lyrics and the excellent cover art.

"I never sleep, cause sleep is the cousin of death." No album better reflected the sound and style of New York, 94. Raw rap, soul samples and beat breaks. A gifted writer whose wordplay knows no bounds, Nas tells his own story, the archetypal anti-hero with ambitions of ruling the world, escaping the conflict, violence and brutality of New York's underbelly. The son of Jazz musician Olu Dara, Nas draws on Jazz influences, with producer Pete Rock utilising Jazz piano chords and even having his own father play the trumpet solo at the end of "Life's a Bitch". Jazz also permeates the albums most essential cuts, with The Ahmad Jamal-sampling, boom-bap classic "The World Is Yours" remaining a stand out track. The lyrics remind us that New York is the beating heart of Illmatic, "To everybody in Queens, the foundation (it's yours) / The world is yours." Nas represents the East Coast through and through and deserves to be ranked one of the best East Coast rappers of all time.