In 1988, my sister started dating a guy who was obsessed with music. He was in a band, worked at a record store, and was constantly bringing new sounds into our home. I benefited tremendously from the influx. He was always making copies of CDs onto Maxell UR cassettes for her, and I was raiding them from the other side (sadly, the wretched cassette tape was the only form of media we supported in our house at the time).
Among this bounty, eventually came a copy of R.E.M.'s new album, Green — the single most influential album of my life. This was my introduction to alternative music, which would come to redefine my entire relationship with music. It wasn't an overnight transformation, mostly because of lack of access. I discovered MTV's 120 Minutes, but its midnight-to-2 a.m. Sunday night slot (technically early Monday morning) wasn't exactly ideal for a high school freshman. Plus, I was simultaneously engaged in a three-year deep dive into classic rock.
Nonetheless, slowly my tastes began to change. I discovered bands like The Red Hot Chili Peppers, They Might Be Giants, and The Violent Femmes — and with them, a new, different, more thrilling world of music.
Green might not be the best R.E.M. album ever, but it was the turning point for me. I've never formally made an all-time Top Artists list (yet), but if I did, there's a good chance R.E.M. would land at the top.