3 CD's (for the young among you...we just mean a group of MP8's or whatever released at the same time...Archaic Al' Bum) you just can't live without. GO Faith No More- Angel Dust Pink Floyd - Animals Peter Gabriel - (any of numerous awesome greatest hits collections)
Hardkiss - Delusions of Grandeur Tupac - All Eyes on Me Pink Floyd - Dark Side of the Moon or Nirvana - Nevermind
Genesis - Selling England by the Pound King Crimson - The Great Deceiver - Live 1973-1974 Camel - The Snow Goose
Black Keys - Rubber Factory Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin 4 Pink Floyd - Echoes : The Best of Pink Floyd
I will stay within the spirit of the thread and avoid 'best of' CD's. The Police - Outlandos d'Amour Rush - Exit... Stage Left Ben Folds Five - Whatever and Ever Amen
Dinosaur Jr - Ear-Bleeding Country: Best Of The Shins - Wincing the Night Away Soundgarden - Superunknown
I am not sure how you can say that when the OP obviously intended those to be fair game. Having listed that he would choose any of the numerous Peter Gabriel greatest hits cd's.
Seiji Ozawa conducting Stravinsky "Rite of Spring; Fireworks; Petrouchka" CD Aphex Twin - Selected Ambient Works vol. 2 Minutemen - Double Nickels on the Dime
Rubber Soul Pet Sounds Blonde on Blonde Cliched, I know, but there's a reason they always top the lists.
Off the top of my head... Radiohead - The Bends Neil Diamond - Hot August Night Dave Matthews Band - Live at Red Rocks Three is cruel though. I won't be one of those dudes that posts more than that though...