Considering that I only know his two big hits "Cars" and "Are Friends Electric?" what are the must-have by Numan, in your opinion? Thanks!

The must haves are as followed.

Tubeway army

Replicas

The pleasure principle

Telekon (His masterpiece)

Hmm, I would say:

The Pleasure Principle
Telekon
I, Assassin
Sacrifice
Exile
Jagged

Dance

I, Assassin

Warriors


yeah, the first 7 albums...

I'd make it only three:

Replicas (Tubeway Army)(Are "Friends" Electric)
Pleasure Principle (Cars)
Telekon

I think if you like early Ultravox then you'll also like first album, Tubeway Army - very raw and post-punk IMHO (which means I agree with Robert in the end)

I'm also a fan of Dance, but many find it inaccessible (a bit more experimental, longer tracks etc.), but stop there.

All the above are available in good value CD packages with bonus tracks etc.

Mid-80's is definitely a no-no period and not even die-hard Numan fans can take a lot of it.

90s stuff is more rock and 'goth' but I enjoy the recent live album "Scarred" containing some new and re-worked older stuff.

Also don't forget live albums Living Ornaments '79 and '80 (and the rarer '81 )

the fury is pretty good album actually, and there are at least some classic tracks on every album. i'm afraid i haven't heard any post-87 numan though.

..aaarrggh . .since I've slagged off mid 80s Numan I can't get 'My Breathing' out of my head....I am being punished!

I don't care for the first Tubeway Army album, or Replicas to tell the truth. I've got so used to hearing the Replicas songs played live that when I go back to the album originals, they sound a bit basic. It's still a great album though but I think the idea is stronger than the music itself, as the songs have since evolved through being played live.

I would certainly recommend everything from The Pleasure Principle to Warriors. I always liked Warriorss, it has some great tracks. Dance is good although it took a while for me to warm to it. It's much more experimental and unusual.

Mid 80s Numan isn't as bad as its made out to be, once you pick out the best bits – and there are plenty.... The Hunter, Cold Warnings, God Only Knows, The Pleasure Skin, The Sleeproom, My Breathing... and the entire Metal Rhythm album which I think is excellent. It has a more commercial rock feel to it, but it is really well produced and contains some super pop tracks – it's a differrent kind of Numan, altghough still a million miles away from Telekon or the other early albums.

If anything I would avoid Outland and Machine and Soul. However not all of Numan's early 90s output was bad – check out his instrumental albums Human and The Radial Pair which is excellent, and paved the way for oe of his greatest and darkest albums, 1994's Sacrifice. One of his most "Numan" albums.

1994 – present has seen Numan's revival and a change in direction to a heavier electronic/industrial sound. Sacrifice, Exile, Pure, Hybrid and 2005's Jagged are all worth checking out!!

Hybrid was an interesting project, taking old Numan songs and reworking them with various contemporary producers.

I have a love/hate relationship with Numan.

IMHO the first Tubeway Army album is one of those essential albums of the period.
Replicas, I agree with Alex that it now sounds a little jaded in light of his recent output.
I went off him Big Style after Telekon, but then woke up (as I believe he did) on the release of Pure.


TBH, I'm not a fan of Jagged either. It's good, but its more of the same, if you know what I mean.

I found Jagged to be a grower. When it came out I thought it was long and boring with every track sounding the same.

I rediscovered it about a year later and somehow I heard it differently. Personally I love it - most of it anyway. There are about 3 tracks I'd skip.

It's an album to persist with - there are certainly 4 or 5 fantastic tracks on there.

Ironically, out of his later work, it's Pure that I don't particularly care for.