Where do I start with... "artist"?


I have a fair number of albums (4500 lps & cds). However, there are certain legendary artists I'm certain are wonderful, want to know about but just haven't gotten in to. I'd like to see a thread where members name an artist they've heard lots about, but haven't heard much of. Hopefully, other members who know and love these artists could tell us which one or two albums to get started with and why they love those albums so much. If possible, since we're talking about "tasters", could we stick to regular cds and skip expensive audiophile cds and lps? I'd like to know where to start with... Richard and Linda Thompson.
terrysimmons
Both together: "I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight" and "Shoot Out The Lights".

Richard solo: "Rumor and Sigh and "Daring Adventures"

Linda solo: "Fashionably Late"
Richard. "Two Letter Words" is a double live cd (might be available only at his website) that is utterly ridiculous.....in the best possible way.

If Richard & Linda starts at "Shoot Out The Lights", it may end there, too. They did a lot of great stuff, but that one is the creme de la creme
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I find rateyourmusic much better than allmusic when it comes to ratings. While looking at an artist's page just click the rating header to place them in order by rating...start at the top.
There's artist I like and there's a band with the artist and there are artists in the band having solo albums with other bands and with other artists and other artists also having solo albums and playing with other bands...

New music should never end.
Thanks for your responses. I checked out allmusic, bestalbumsever and rateyourmusic. These are wonderful sites, each serving up the information in somewhat different but valuable ways and I will join them all. But there is something so much more direct about getting the kind of info offered above by Mofimadness and Martykl above regarding the artist(s)I wanted a quick introduction to. Maybe I'm being lazy but I feel like I know where to start with Richard and Linda Thompson just by seeing these two posts. Also, here at Agon I can ask about jazz, salsa or classical as well. Can someone help me get started with The Modern Jazz Quartet?
Check out the ratings at allmusic for the mjq. Concorde is a great album but allmusic will rate them all and their ratings for the mjq are right on IMHO.
Many thanks Kjo. I guess allmusic is the place to go instead of this type of thread.
Cannonball Adderly:
Somethin' Else
You Know What I Mean?
Things Are Getting Better