Paper and I were discussing buying discs and I was lamenting the fact that my wallet wasn't as thick as all yours seem to be. Maybe my priorities have been skewed with my advancing age/Alzhiemers or something.

Now I'm in the market for some new music but am in a quandry. What five discs do I absolutley have to have? First though, are the rules:

1) they have to be post 1990. (But if it's really ,really good include it anyway)
2) reasonably available-i.e. NOT rare or hard to get. (But if it's really, really... )
3) I like my music to be eclectic so give me suggestions across the board

Thanks!

bloc party - silent drive
death_cab_for_cutie-transatlanticism
brendan benson - one mississippi
spoon - girls can tell
the afghan whigs - black love
the format - interventions and lullabies
the promise ring - nothing feels good
the ours - distorted lullabies
the_twilight_singers - blackberry belle
dismemberment plan - emergency & i
Honorary Title - Anything But The Truth
lucero - that much further west
pinback - summer in abaddon
youth group - skeleton jar

I do stuff like find used cds for 1.99 from Amazon or 4.99 in used bins at stores. Searching often pays off, and I say that as someone who lives nowhere near metropolitan music-mecca areas.

Or, you can use services such as sl5k or Colinswood.

seconded (tho I switched out the whigs rekkids)

My five (artists, d'oh!):
Sugar - Copper Blue, File Under: Easy Listening
DJ Shadow - any of his LP-length releases (Endtroducing, Preemptive Strike, The Private Press, In Tune and On Time)
Beth Orton's first two - Trailer Park, Central Reservation
Son Volt - Trace
A Tribe Called Quest - Midnight Marauders

we're all wealthy because we download music.

in fact most of us all live in a mansion together.

Given the wide net you've cast, you'll probably get some varied responses. My abolute albums to have tend to vear towards the indie and aren't terribly eclectic, so if I had to pick some from the post-90s that are relatively available:

Broken Social Scene - You Forgot it in People
Wilco - Yankee Hotel Foxtrot
Wolf Parade - Apologies to the Queen Mary
New Pornographers - Electric Version
Fiery Furnaces - Blueberry Boat
Sleater-Kinney - The Hot Rock
Stereolab - Dots and Loops
The Arcade Fire - Funeral
Pavement - Slanted and Enchanted
Pulp - Different Class
Belle and Sebastian - Tigermilk
Concrete Blonde - Bloodletting

Don't bogart my nachos, bro.

Only 5? Post-1990?

Martin Newell - The Greatest Living Englishman
(RIYL: Kinks, Robyn Hitchcock, XTC)

Shrimp Boat - Cavale
(RIYL: old Camper Van Beethoven, The Carter Family, The Sea & Cake)

Belle & Sebastian - If You're Feeling Sinister
(RIYL: Nick Drake, The Smiths)

Nick Cave - Abbatior Blues/Lyre Of Orpheus
(RIYL: 1970s David Bowie, Leonard Cohen)

Guided By Voices - Alien Lanes
(RIYL: The Who, The Kinks, tape hiss)

I could give you many more, but these are the first 5 that jumped to mind for me. Hope you find something that you dig.

Obworld 1 reality show is in post-production right now.

And I'll second these choices:
Pavement - Slanted & Enchanted
Pulp - Different Class
Son Volt - Trace

(You asked for five, no?)

I won't be allowed in since i'm underage.

How can I answer this without knowing what you listen to already or what you already have?

Get Tom Waits albums if you don't have any already. If you don't your life will be meaningless.

I hired some guy from Encino to play me. He did a decent job, I'm told, but I can't be bothered to watch.

I adore anomie.

Enginners - S/T
Editors - Back Room
Ray LaMontagne - Trouble
National - Alligator
Wolf Parade - Apologies to the Queen Mary

More serious answer -

Afghan Whigs - Black Love ('96)
Jimmy Eat World - Clarity ('99)
Molotov - Donde jugaran las ninas? ('97)
Ol' Dirty - Nigga Please ('99)
Pedro the Lion - Winners Never Quit ('00)

Wait, you're in Madison? Do I know you? Should I?

<-- curiosity = peaked.

Uhh, five, with few restrictions? Offa the toppa my head, that haven't been mentioned yet:

1. Wilco - Summerteeth
2. Frank Black - Teenager Of The Year
3. Faith No More - King For A Day, Fool For A Lifetime
4. Aimee Mann - Bachelor #2
5. Built To Spill - Keep It Like A Secret

Willard Grant Conspiracy- Regard The End
Micah P. Hinson & The Gospel of Progress
Jay Farrar- Terroir Blues
Songs: Ohia- Magnolia Electic Company
Joseph Arthur- Our Shadows Will Remain

I doubt chow would be into odb,

heres a few band recs as I know his taste somewhat might be able to point in the right direction...or not.

Four Tet
Medeski, Martin, and Wood
Ween
Sufjan Stevens
Spoon

hmm. off the top of my head:

pavement ~ crooked rain, crooked rain
wilco ~ being there
built to spill ~ perfect from now on
hum ~ you'd prefer an astronaut
ani difranco ~ living in clip

hum.you'd prefer an astronaut
dresden dolls.s/t
magnetic fields.69 love songs
clann zu.black coats and bandages
lift to experience.texas jerusalem crossroads

There are some good ones on here but I'll put in my two cents. My five essentials also happen to be my top 5 albums of all time minus U2's Achtung Baby (because it's not interesting for a list like this) and including Arcade Fire in it's place.

1. Dinosaur Jr - Where You Been
2. Radiohead - OK Computer
3. Wilco - Yankee Hotel Foxtrot
4. Old 97s - Too Far To Care
5. Arcade Fire - Funeral

If I were trying to be completely objective, this would be much more difficult. The above are just personal choices.