And since my recommendations were a bit top heavy with the rock/pop genres, here's 5 essential jazz recordings:

1. Herbie Hancock - Maiden Voyage
2. Chick Corea - Now He Sings Now He Sobs
3. Carla Bley - Musique Mecanique
4. Wayne Shorter - Speak No Evil
5. Miles Davis - Kind OF Blue
6. Charles Mingus - The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady
7. Thelonius Monk - Brilliant Corners
8. Sun Ra - The Magic City
9. Cecil Taylor - Conquistador
10. Pharoah Sanders - Karma

"Art is making something out of nothing and selling it."
---Frank Zappa