>>60395542
His 50's stuff is his most important work, At San Quentin and At Folsom Prison are his best overall albums though since 50's albums were often quite short and reused songs and such

His 90's/00's stuff was pretty mediocre and ruined his legacy for a new generation

>>60395578
this guy understands

although i do enjoy most of the american recordings series, and they were my first entry point into cash

>>60395578
>At San Quentin and At Folsom Prison
this + Unearthed are all you'll ever need

Use this as a general guideline: https://rateyourmusic.com/list/azuege/johnny_cash__a_guide_to_the_music_of_the_man_in_black/

I have a soft spot for his 60s concept albums, which are almost always ignored in these threads.
>>60395578
Johnny Cash had released a string of mediocre to flat out bad albums from the mid 70s until Rubin picked him up; his legacy was almost nonexistent by then. Watch his acceptance for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, he's basically trying to give reasons as to why he deserves to be in there and met with at best a lukewarm response by the audience.

start with folsom and at san quentin
then really just listen to anything from 50s to 70s, if you want to hear him as an old man then listen to the american series

Oh, and stay away from Walk the Line if you want an accurate biography about him. One of his children hated it so much she walked out.

someone post the picture of him sitting cross-legged in a bush eating cake

>>60395631
What I mean is his legacy was ruined in that people don't recognize him for his best work any more. Had he not done those Rubin albums, he would now be remembered alongside artists like Hank Williams and Carl Perkins, but now he's that artist that nobody takes you seriously if you say you like him because he's not "real country" (despite the fact he very much was).

Like I'm glad he got some success late in life, it's just not the work he should be remembered for.

I always liked his heart of gold cover, even if the instrumental for it is pretty cheesy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=drsMyeXzLSo

>>60395743
His prison concerts are still just as famous as his American Recordings.

The Man in Black is also an essential album that no one's mentioned.

>>60395642
I think I'll check out the american series.
Most of the songs I know by him that I like a lot are from when he was old (The Man Comes Around, Personal Jesus, Hurt, etc), I really like his old man voice.
Having listened to some of San Quentin and Folsom Prison, it doesn't really seem like my cup of tea.