Ten Album Covers Challenge 🎼

I've been challenged by my high school friend Sandra to share the covers of ten albums that influenced my taste in music, one album per day for ten consecutive days. No explanations, no reviews just covers.

I did so on Facebook, and I would like to dedicate this post to these albums and add some personal touch to my list.

Let's start with ABBA, my first real music love. I was in elementary school, and I was just one of a small handful of kids who appreciated pop music. For some reason I thought that Agnetha and Björn had broken up so he was becoming available for me ;-)

Voulez-Vous was the sixth studio album, released in 1979. On this album I liked Chiquitita and I have a Dream best. But really, there were so many great songs, it was hard to pick one album. I also liked the songs that were written by Björn for Agnetha like the day before you came or the winner takes it all, and I understand some of it was a bit of personal history. 

Growing up in the 1980s, I was really lucky to be right there along with the artists of the century. Let's take Michael Jackson, for example. We literally grew up to the Thriller album and video, and we knew all the other songs by heart, too.

1982 was a great musical year, but 1983 wasn't bad either. It was the year Flashdance was released. 

My Highschool girlfriends and I were obsesses with that movie, the dancing and the music.  We wanted to be and dress like Jennifer Beals' character Alex. Every girl was wearing  a big gray sweater and leg warmers! 

Pannini that is usually known for their soccer sticker albums, issued one for Flashdance fans, and I cherished my sticker collection!

I wasn't made for ballet, but I enjoyed jazz gymnastics, which came close enough, and of course we practiced a group performance to What a feeling. 

For our warm-up our instructor often played I can't stand the rain by Tina Turner, which leads me to my next epic album that came out in 1984. 

Tina was just a phenomenon as a person. She could have resigned and be the battered wife. Instead she came out so strong, and today she lives in Zurich, so she has basically become my neighbor!

Bryan Adams released Reckless the same year. 

Again, what a great time to be a teenager!  I had made some money working at a factory (totally feeling like the Flashdance character!) that I used to buy my first walkman! And Summer of 69, run to you and heaven were played  many, many times! 

Still in 1984 WHAM! released their Make it big album.

Even though last Christmas wasn't on it, it was a great one. I played wake me up before you go-go in the mornings to get me going. Everything she wants and careless whisper made it less superficial than their debut album Fantastic featuring basically feel good party songs.

Phil Collins is another artist I consider growing up with. First with Genesis, then on his own, he kept doing great things music-wise. 

I chose no jacket required because of one more night and "ake me home, but it could have been any other of his great albums. I especially liked his contributions to movie soundtracks like Buster, Tarzan and the Lion King. Even though Phil has multiple health challenges that prevent him from playing the drums, he claims he is still not dead yet, and his son Nichoas plays the drums for him now. 

Phil was living at Lake Geneva for many years. Another one who appreciates the peaceful live in quaint Switzerland.

It is still the mid-1980s, and I discovered this incredible young lady called Whitney Houston.

I couldn't really tell her debut album Whitney Houston was the greatest, because frankly, Whitney or the Body Guard soundtrack were just as great. I picked it anyway because it was her first, and I loved and played it a lot! My favorite songs were all at once, saving all my love for you, hold me and greatest love of all.

Again, I may be repeating myself, but growing up in the 1980s and 1990s gave me the opportunity to get to know so many wonderful artists. A list would not be complete without Sir Elton John!

Now go and pick just one out of his many successful albums It's impossible. That's why I took the easy way out and went for his definitive hits. It was the birthday present Elton made himself for his 60th birthday - and thanks for sharing it with us! 

Don't let the sun go down on me (duet with George Michael), sorry seems to be the hardest word and candle in the wind - a tribute not only to Marilyn Monroe but also Lady Diana, would be my personal top three Elton John songs. 

Now let's move into the new millennium already. I want my list of ten fabulous albums to include something current! While I think Ed Sheeran is great, my vote goes to Coldplay!

A few years ago I got a cool blog prompt that asked me to describe how I would want to celebrate my birthday if money was no issue, and I could invite anyone I'd liked. I made it a three day event taking place in San Diego, and I had Coldplay perform, and Chris Martin and I share the same birthday, and there was great food and fireworks, so it was just magical!

For this album challenge, I chose A head full of dreams (Hymn for the weekend, amazing day) but it could just well have been a rush of blood to my head (because Clocks) or "X&Y" (white shadows, speed of sound, talk and many more) or "Mylo Xyloto" (Paradise, every teardrop is a waterfall and Charlie Brown.)


Two more things before wrapping it up: 

I want to mention a few runners-up that didn't make my top ten but would have deserved to do so: Ed Sheeran, Tim McGraw, Queen and Asia.

Here's another kind of music challenge for you to take part in! 

Answer each category with a song title. No repeats and don’t use the internet (it's tempting but try not to). Go with the first song that comes to mind or fill in your favorites. 

* Something to wear – 
* Something to drink – 
* A Place – 
* A Food – 
* An Animal – 
* A Number – 
* A Color – 
* A Girl’s Name - 
* A Boy’s Name – 
* Profession – 
* Flower – 
* Day of the Week – 
* A Vehicle – 

Play along!

You can find my answers here. 

Photo by Clem Onojeghuo on Unsplash

You may repost and challenge your friends on social media or leave me your song titles (along with your top ten albums if you like) in the comments. 

Can't wait!