It's my first time on the desert island, and I'm feeling uninspired, so this hardly compares to my carefully crafted favorite 100 artists and second 100 favorite artists.

Desert Island 10 in no order except the first
Sting - Soul Cages (for my past)
Bad Religion - Stranger Than Fiction (for truth)
Dead Can Dance - Into the Labyrinth (for beauty)
Beethoven Symphony # 6 Pastoral (for morning)
Paul Oakenfold - Tranceport (for night)
The Police - Ghost in the Machine (for happiness)
Get Up Kids - Four Minute Mile (for sadness)
Rush - Hold Your Fire (for escape)
Dave Brubeck - Time Out (for bliss)
They Might be Giants - John Henry (for variety)

Oakie had to fight tough competition for that spot; namely Portishead - Welcome to Portishead (bootleg), Delerium - Spheres or Karma, and of course PaulWay. And Brubeck somehow snuck past Clifford Brown, Miles Davis, and Wayne Shorter.

In typical fashion, a big multi reply:

Jeff: Sting - Ten Summoner's Tales - first CD I ever bought and still love it.

Peter: Portishead - Dummy - Live versions on "Welcome to Portishead" of Sour Times, Pedestal, Over and other are worth checking out.

Bitt: Get-Up Kids - Something To Write Home About - I never would have guessed, but seeing the rest of your quality list, it makes sense.

Dan: Bjork - Gling-Glo - A quality entry among your giants of jazz. She's so expressive to convey the message without understanding a word she's saying.

Mark: David Gray - White Ladder, Matthew Sweet - 100% Fun - Excelent!