Nick Zinner's Favorite Records

The incredible musician, songwriter, guitarist, NYC legend and record producer for the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Nick Zinner, shares his favorite records.

As part of the brand new Favorite Records series, where artists list 10-15 of their... you guessed it, favorite records. Rules are at least one album needs to contain a synth or drum machine of some kind.

Nick Zinner by David Black.

1. Steve Reich - Different Trains / Electric Counterpoint

I heard this performed at my cool high school’s graduation ceremony and it splintered and rewired my brain and how I think about music forever.

2. Talk Talk - Laughing Stock

An unbelievably beautiful and formative record for me, a kind of ‘less is more’ but the sum of those parts is a gigantic concept.

3. The Cure - Disintegration

The record I learned to smoke cigarettes alone to as a teen.

4. Slayer - South of Heaven 

It was a toss up between this and Master of Puppets, but I think this won because on this record Slayer learned that slowness is heaviness.

5. Kate Bush - Hounds of Love     

This is just such a perfect, forward thinking and emotionally resonant record that everyone is still catching up to. One time I was at the dentist listening to this on nitrous oxide while going through a breakup and I felt I was intensely swimming between each lush and mournful sound. Despite the pain, I didn’t want it to end.

6. Master Musicians of Joujouka - Apocalypse Across the Sky

I heard this at an earlyish age and it got me thinking about ecstatic music, or achieving ecstatic states through—or with—music. The feeling of music rising more powerfully through repetition and also just being so fucking good. This is a great Bill Laswell production, and I would add that his work on Motorhead’s Orgasmatron is great, too.

7. Missy Elliot - Under Construction

All hail the queen.

8. Iggy and the Stooges - Raw Power / Fun House

The blueprint for almost everything that followed in rock and roll. There’s such a toughness and swagger to each sound and instrument, but a deep sensitivity and vulnerability throughout. 

I’m always jealous of anyone who listens to this/these record(s) for the first time. It’s such a beautiful mindfuck that I’ve gotten to play some of these songs with the man himself!

9. Rowland S. Howard - Teenage Snuff FIlm

My favorite guitar player and style icon

10. A six way tie between...

Portishead - Third

Nina Simone - Baltimore

ESG - A South Bronx Story

PIL - The Flowers of Romance

Brian Eno - Here Come The Warm Jets

Mina - Se telefonando - Studio Uno 66.

Favorite Records by Nick Zinner.

Synth History Exclusive.

Photo by David Black courtesy of Nick Zinner.

Editor-in-chief Danz.