Complete Discography Guide: Where to Start and What to Skip

A big back catalogue is daunting when you do not know where to start. Name the artist and your listening level, and it sorts the discography into the one essential starting album, the critical darlings worth deeper listening, the underrated deep cuts, and the records you can skip. A map, not a wall of titles.

Give me a structured guide to the discography of {artist_name}. I am a {listener_level} listener (new / casual / dedicated). Organise the guide into: (1) the essential starting point, the single best album for someone at my level and why; (2) the critical darlings, albums beloved by fans and critics that reward deeper listening; (3) the deep cuts, underrated or overlooked records worth exploring; and (4) the skippable, albums that are weaker or only for completionists, with a brief reason why. For each album named, include its release year and one sentence on what makes it distinctive. End with a recommended listening order.