My Music Collection: A Timeline

Here is an approximate timeline of when I discovered my favorite artists:

1980 -- 2nd Chapter of Acts, Honeytree (when I was just three years old -- I inherited these from my parents)

1987 -- Barbra Streisand (I was ten -- heard that voice and loved it. Of course I had no idea what an ego-maniac she was until much later, but I still think she has an amazing voice.)

1988 -- Carpenters

1990 -- Christine Lavin, Eurythmics, Bette Midler, Lisa Stansfield, Sade (just some random 8th grade discoveries. My friend Amelia introduced me to Chrstine Lavin.)

1991 -- The Manhattan Transfer, Brenda Russell, Donna Summer, CeCe Peniston (a few more 9th grade discoveries before the folk bug really bit me in 10th grade)

1992 -- Laurie Anderson, The Roches, Buffy Sainte-Marie, Suzanne Vega, Joan Armatrading, Everything but the Girl, Rickie Lee Lones, Shawn Colvin, Indigo Girls, k.d. lang, Maire Brennan, Nicky Holland, Mike Oldfield, Michelle Shocked (Obviously, the folk bug bit me -- mainly female singer-songwriters. A family friend rattled off a list of great female singer-songwriters and I pretty much just went out there and bought everything he recommended.)

1993 -- Kate Bush, Heart, Sara Hickman, Jane Siberry, Kirsty MacColl, Nanci Griffith, Emmylou Harris, Jonatha Brooke, Ferron (I inherited Kate Bush from my older sister and the rest were mostly spin-offs from my great folk discovery from the year before.)

1994 -- Joni Mitchell, Sam Phillips, Aimee Mann, Toyah, Frente, Julia Fordham (more female singer-songwriters)

1995 -- Patti LuPone, Kate St. John (not too many discoveries that year -- was still pretty much just enjoying my newly-discovered favorites)

1996 -- Kate & Anna McGarrigle (these were my college years. Not too much extra dough for music-collecting, but a few artists trickled in)

1997 -- Basia, Linda Ronstadt

1998 -- Patrice Rushen, Juice Newton

1999 -- Happy Rhodes, They Might Be Giants, Sarah Brightman, Sally Oldfield, Shania Twain, Tracey Ullman (post-college, you start to see more discoveries as I have more free time and more spend money)

2000 -- Carly Simon, Karen Mantler, Saint Etienne, Swing Out Sister, Philip Glass, Bjork (these I discovered from working at Borders Books and Music, where I still work today.)

2001 -- Out of the Grey, Nina Gordon, BeeGees, David Byrne, Julee Cruise, Daft Punk, Dream Academy, Ben Folds, Webb Brothers, Robbie Williams, ABBA (more Borders discoveries)

2002 -- Edie Brickell, Cranberries, Minus 5, Ken Stringfellow, Todd Rundgren, Chris Isaak, Lisa Loeb, Dot Allison, Tori Amos, Beth Orton, Guster, Jules Shear, Vonda Shepard (still more Borders discoveries, and I make a conscious effort to add more male artists to my collection)

2003 -- Brian Wilson, B-52's, Dancehall Crashers, Bernadette Peters, Rasputina, Diana Krall, Liz Phair (I had a different job for four months in 2003, but these still come mainly from exposure at Borders.)

2004 -- Pet Shop Boys, John Barrowman, Jennifer Holliday, Jonathan Richman, Dusty Springfield, Blink-182, Nellie McKay, Romeo Void

2005 -- Susannah McCorkle, Les Claypool, Steely Dan, Patti Scialfa (As you can see, the random discoveries still keep coming in)