In late 1997, the OffBeat Staff began developing the list of the 100 Essential Louisiana CDs. Our goal was to pick the 100 compact discs that, individually, represented influential and/or superb artistic achievements, and collectively would encompass an audio narrative of the ongoing story of Louisiana music.

A team of writers - with input from an advisory board-has debated, argued, and voted on the merits of individual albums. Box sets, reissues, compilations and import CDs were...