Jagged Little Pill

Let's get one thing out of the way: this album is DATED. The mixing, the songwriting, the instrumentation ... everything about this album firmly plants it in a specific time frame. Usually, that's a bad thing when the time frame is mid-90s. Somehow (and I'm not sure how, honestly), "Jagged Little Pill" manages to be both a perfect example of an album from '95 AND a great album. There are things that I don't like ... but not enough for me to give it anything less than 5 stars. There are too many great tracks. It demands a 5-star review.

God has spoken.

I didn't grow up in the 90s but this is what I imagine it sounded like.

Men on this list when they're broken up with: "The clouds in my heart shed cumulus tears / the pain won't mend for a matter of years" Women on this list when they're broken up with: "Does your new bitch even let you bust in her mouth?" Fuckin' A, Alanis. It's definitely one of the more dated sounding records the generator's handed out so far, but that didn't stop me from digging Neneh Cherry, and it doesn't stop me here. Nix some of the softer filler tracks and you have a real banger on your hands. Key tracks: All I Really Want, You Oughta Know, Right Through You

It's a noteworthy accomplishment for Alanis to represent such emotional and dark themes through an up-beat, mainstream pop driven instrumentation. The album is a collective statement and fierce representation of her artistry within the rock genre. There is no doubt that Alanis is one of the most unique and distinctive singer-songwriters in modern music history, which this album solidified. Stand-Outs: All I Really Want, Perfect (understated song), Head Over Feet, Ironic, You Oughta Know

Gen X's "Blue", which means that "Exile In Guyville" is Gen X's "Tapestry". I had those albums reversed at first until I remembered that, like Joni Mitchell, Alanis is from Canada. Besides, I prefer Guyville-Tapestry over Jagged-Blue, and I'm an actual Gen Xer, so I'm allowed to make my own silly rules. Your mileage may vary, but apparently Liz Phair and Alanis have become good friends. I guess it depends on whether you prefer blow jobs in a theater or getting fucked until your dick turns blue. They both sound like fun to me. A song as great as You Oughta Know deserves to be about someone other than Dave Coulier. I prefer the deep cuts over the hits here, and that's surely because everything released as a single after You Oughta Know was overplayed to the point of exhaustion. Alanis may not appreciate that. She doesn't seem to fully understand irony. But we shouldn't begrudge Alanis Morissette for that. She made a kick-ass album.

worst album i’ve ever heard I would rather get a blowjob from a piranha than listen to this again the whole thing it just some canadian hoe bitching about her ex boyfriend while making donkey moans and terrible harmonica solos

Alanis Morisette looks like John Travolta. This album really does nothing for me. It occupies the mid-90’s cultural slough whose festering miasma spread well into the 2000’s. It is an anthem for being too hot in pyjama pants on a summer day at 12:45 pm and wanting to kill yourself; that feeling of having completely wasted your day and that, consequently, you’ll do the same for your entire life. It makes me feel like my head is under a heat lamp, like I’ve been sitting on a hot sidewalk all day. The vibe is just not good at all. The lyrics and vocal technique feel like an Adam Sandler number. It’s very cheesy, the kind of thing women like Tony Soprano’s sister listen to. It’s what your very sweaty, overweight, bead obsessed aunt and her boyfriend listen to in their 1995 Honda accord with no air conditioning while they smoke with the windows up and sway their heads back and forth like they’re waving candles at some boomer concert, then consistently, loudly, and obnoxiously shushing whenever you ask them to turn it down or crack a window. It’s fine, just not really my thing.

One of, if not THE first CDs I ever owned. I remember my dad being pissed that my mom let me listen to it. Def would’ve been a Lilith fair attendee

Alanis Morissette gives the post-break-up singer-songwriter confessional album a new and decisively 90's overhaul in a post-grunge, post-riot grrrl world. It's bitter, jaded and cynical pop-rock, meaning that her best lyrics are the most conversational and cutting, the lines which drip with sarcasm. The first moment of genius comes in the second verse of "All I Really Want", when she asks "why are you so petrified of silence- can you handle this?" And then everything cuts to a few seconds of dead silence... before the voice comes back in- "Did you think about your bills, your ex, your deadlines, or when you think you're gonna die, or did you long for the next distraction?" It's glorious. She sells her anger perfectly and convincingly throughout: "You Oughta Know", "You Learn" and of course "Ironic" glow with a perfect combination of visceral rage, lyrical insight and radio-friendly rock. On the other side of the spectrum are the more optimistic, plaintive "Hand in My Pocket" and "Head Over Feet", sticking out like sore and lovesick thumbs. They might be lyrically trite in comparison, but they still shine with their sweeter, more pop-friendly melodies. My problem lies with the songs that don't quite seem to hit either side well, either sitting awkwardly in the middle or just becoming unpleasant on the ears. "Forgiven" shoots for a "You Oughta Know" style catharsis, but just feels grating and repetitive when the previous tracks have already got there, and "Not the Doctor" suffers coming off the back of "Ironic", dipping the pace to a lolloping growl. "Wake Up" is a weak ending as Morissette mumbles and shrieks her way through, in search of both a strong hook and a definitive sign-off. I didn't really feel either arrived. I find Morissette's vocals very overbearing at times, but Glen Ballard's production is also part of the problem: his de-facto method for going "angry" or "confessional" is by upping the distorted guitars and bringing more searing, wailing vocals up front. Even though Morissette's lyrics and subject matter allows for it, there's not a lot of dynamic range in the sound, or different means of expression. It frustrates me that we don't get more dialled back material on the level of "Perfect" or "Mary Jane", both showcasing Morissette's versatility as a songwriter and a vocalist. I'm intrigued to hear there's an acoustic version of the album recorded ten years later- and will definitely check this out to see if the songs are served any better. Despite all this, I'm feeling generous and can't argue against the strength of a lot of the songwriting. Bearing in mind a lot of the records I have given 3* and like a lot less, it's scraping 4* here. Definitely worth a listen for any songwriters getting in touch with their angry side!

Absolutely legend. 90s in the best way possible.

Like an angry version of Friends. Anthemic, feminist themed. Vocals start to jar after a while but some interesting lyrics in parts.

The influence of Jagged Little Pill on post-pop progressive death metal cannot be overstated. 4

What is worse than something that is just bad? Something that almost is good sometimes, and then spoils it with more badness. Almost a 1, but "forgiven" and the really fantastic bass part on the otherwise blegh "you oughta know" saved it

So 90's that it borders on distracting. There are a ton of iconic jams on this album. Alanis' trademark strained vocals fit right into the alt rock / grunge that the 90s were seeing. This is one of those albums that made it out of that decade not looking completely ridiculous in the process. Enough here that anyone could enjoy.

Dripping in 90s cheese, when it hits is very good, but when it misses its downright awful. It hits more than misses but I cannot shake the feeling that computers are working overtime to give it that sound. It's a 3

Alannis seems to have had some bad relationship experiences, and I'm not 100% surprised - it sounds like she would be a bloody nightmare 🤣. Overall an OK listen and some good tracks but a bit angry & shrill so won't be rushing back to it!!

Isn't it iconic, er, ironic don't ya think?

Alanis Morissette rocks!

Yes, she's angsty. But it's great writing, passionate songs. Really diverse and a great listen. I have to let my OCD relax listening to Ironic given that nearly all of her examples aren't really irony. Oi vey.

i was originally disappointed seeing this album pop up because i *LOATHE* "ironic," but it wasn't as bad as i thought. largely fine, though her voice really irritates me. i know that's not an original critique, but i don't care!

Another day, another dose of nostalgia from the 1001 Albums Generator. These early-mid 90’s records really end up putting me in an odd headspace sometimes. This isn’t a record I ever listened to intentionally, but I know a lot of it…how could I not? I was a teenager in 1995, consuming as much MTV as I possible could and I knew plenty of people who were Alanis Morrisette fans. So when a record like this gets assigned, it’s inevitable that I end up thinking about those people, the fun times…about the 90’s. …and you know what, it’s comforting. It feels good, most of the time. Occasionally, that comfort becomes uncomfortable: you think about something stupid you said to someone or how you haven’t really kept in touch with some of the people you are thinking about and you’re not really sure why that happened other than it’s just what happens as you get older. An odd feeling, without a doubt and I’m not sure I’m conveying it well through these written words. Funny how that happens, you have this feeling going on and, try as you might, you can’t really convey it properly. I don’t know…it’s…I guess if I had to really pinpoint it, narrow it down for a stranger, I would probably tell them… IT’S LIKE RAAAAAAAAIN ON YOUR WEDDING DAY IT’S A FREE RIDE WHEN YOU’VE ALREADY PAID IT’S THE GOOD ADVICE THAT YOU JUST DIDNT TAKE AND WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT? IT FIGURES.

Catchy, annoying, bad and good. A snapshot of the 90’s worth a listen but I still have trouble liking this

+ Hand in My Pocket + You Oughta Know + You Learn + Head Over Feet + Ironic

Ridiculously good alt rock album even though it is definitely something that could have only come out in the 90s. Experimental enough to make me question how this album became so popular in the first place

Absolutely miserable experience. Lyrics and vocals are annoying, over-the-top making this album a chore to listen to. If you never liked listening to 'Ironic' then skip this one. Best song: Right Through You (the least irritating song, very radio-friendly) Worst song: You Oughta Know (someone was very salty about their ex)

soooo so so so good man...i wonder if the bigger harder more rock-oriented songs could be spaced out a bit more to lift up the pacing slightly (tho they at least save ironic for close to the end), but we're talking about slight potential optimizations not fixing any huge structural problems. morissette is one of the best vocalists to ever reach this level of commercial dominance, a kind of post-grunge patti smith but with i think an even wider capacity for disarming beauty as she weaves her way thru a bunch of Idiot Winds for the 90s. that decades' obsession with causticness and irony (!!!) helped catapult her to stardom, but theres no defensive protective layers here...all the bitterness is vulnerable, heart-on-sleeve, earnest in its messiness. in that way, head over feet is the secret track holding the whole record together, and prob just my favorite generally...a beautiful celebration of embracing that vulnerability and losing those numb defenses. rly great as a collection of music, kind of transcendental as a total emotional package

I'm telling my kids this is what the mid 1990s sounded like

This is the most 90s album i've ever heard just from the opening guitar riffs. I like her voice when she's not doing weird things with it. I think that was kind of her trademark but I don't really like the cracking that she does and a lot of country singers do. She's working through a LOT in this album. jagged little pill walked so that Sour and Guts could run.

Was surprised how much of this album I recognized. It evokes a time and place only still available to us in the year 2025 on reality TV. Take from that what you will, but it's solid from start to finish.

Really great album all around. Strong and well known albums all throughout. 10/10.

This middle finger to the patriarchy is just perfect. It's fun to give this a good listen as an adult with adult feelings. I felt the emotions of the album as a 12 year old but I understand the lyrics better as an adult.

Still so good. Nothing but cuts.

amazing album. played on repeat for a few months during college

Five stars isn't enough.

5/28 Raw, emotional, mature. Standout Tracks: All I Really Want, Perfect, Forgiven, You Learn, Head Over Feet, Not the Doctor, Wake Up, You Oughta Know (Jimmy the Saint) / Your House

my favourite album ever

Made an instant classic by Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon

Like the music but not the vocal nor lyrics. A microcosm of the 90s I guess.

Im so sorry, but really not the biggest fan of her voice

May the protagonists in her songs look back on this as fondly as I do now. Sneered at it back then, now see it for what it is: a strong set of wailers with all the contemporary alt-rock bells and whistles, powered by a voice that seems to embody domestic discord, which is not a criticism.

My relationship with this record is one of grudging acquiescence. I tried to avoid it, but in 1996 this proved an impossible task so I learned to appreciate some of the quirky wit therein: "Do I stress you out? My sweater is on backwards and inside out And you say how-[e-yow-e-yow-yow] appropriate" "You took me for a joke You took me for a child You took a long hard look at my ass And then played golf for a while" etc You know what it sounds like - basic, screechy, dated and cheesy, but utterly era-defining (if you ever turned on the radio or left the house). Characteristically, and unfashionably, I think she actually got better on later albums, and will recommend "Under Rug Swept" (despite its perfect Spinal Tap-esque review in a UK rag: "Very Good Not") Would a 3 be ironic?

You read, you learn. You hear, you learn. You rate, you learn.

Nr. 161/1001 All I Really Want 3/5 You Oughta Know 3/5 Perfect 3/5 Hand In My Pocket 3/5 Right Through You 3/5 Forgiven 2/5 You Learn 3/5 Head Over Feet 3/5 Mary Jane 2/5 Ironic 4/5 Not The Doctor 3/5 Wake Up 3/5 Average: 2,92 Okay-ish pop record, just a bit too whiny at times for me.

A 90s classic but not really my bag, and I find Alanis’ voice a bit grating at times. Important record for WOMEN in ROCK though, and I am an ALLY.

Pretty good album overall

If you’ve ever listened to an adult contemporary station you know the highlights. Great singles boring deep tracks

meh

I have known for a while that Alanis isn’t my cup of tea and this listening didn’t change that. I respect her songwriting, but it veers a bit whiny or self-pitying for my tastes and her voice is just really annoying to me. The way she uses it is very strange. 5/10

A few undeniable hits but the rest is BORING 90s contemporary radio filler

It’s very 90s: Seattle-ish angst with a bit of a Britpop dressing. Her vocals get really tiring after a bit though.

kinda meh,

Not for me whatsoever, the only song I enjoyed on the record was 'perfect'

Las dos canciones conocidas no están mal. El resto bastante flojo.

5 stars

I was born the year this album came out and I didn’t listen to it in full until I was 16. It was transformative for me then and I still love it today. I’ve seen Alanis live twice and she’s an incredible live act.

Jagged Little Pill definitely wears its heart (and fury) on its sleeve, and those grungy guitar textures give it that extra punch.This one’s all about catharsis—anger, heartbreak, vulnerability, defiance—and she owns it. The vocals swing from whispery to howling in seconds. It’s confessional without being soft, and feminist without being preachy—just intensely personal and musically gripping. My standouts are the obvious ones "you oughta know" & "all I really want", but the whole album resonates.

I’m old enough to remember the Too Hot, Too Cold Alanis. When she came bursting back onto the scene it was a welcomed sight. this was really the worlds first taste of angry woman music. Sure there were others before her but they were all mostly relegated to the underground scene. Alanis kicked down and burned that door. This album touches on all of the feeling a woman, showing signs of being on her period, would exhibit in a turbulent relationship. You’d be hard pressed to not like this album. Don’t get me wrong, there are some weak songs on here, like Perfect and Not the Doctor, but all in all it’s too hard to deny it’s greatness. And let’s face it, you don’t need me to explain this album to you. Even aliens who haven’t been on this planet yet know of this album. Choice cut: Head Over Feet

Feels like a greatest hits album when it isn't, there are so many classic songs on here. The mix isn't great and some songs didn't work for me - the vocals on Perfect sound pretty out of tune at points - but not enough to lose points.

Takes me back! So many great songs

A perfect album in my opinion, love it

Great song writing, great production, great performances (Flea and Taylor Hawkins played on this album.) Top notch.

This was awesome! Nicolette and I watched her documentary this passed Saturday. I was wondering if this album would come up here. I’m sure you can imagine my shock when this album was revealed on Monday 😊. Nicolette told me to think about her as an 8 year old listening to this album and learning to be fierce 😊. This is just an album of bangers. It is terrific. Kieran I think you and Hannah will love it. Dad 🧑 I’m guessing you are a fan of this record? Five starts. Awesome album.

I’m not sure how or why, but the second I saw the name of this album it struck a nostalgia cord for me. I knew, of course, the big hits off the album. Morissette is an incredibly talented singer and songwriter, and her vocals were phenomenal on this album. She’s a powerhouse, but there were also songs where she dialed it back and sounded like I’d never heard her before. She’s wildly talented. I would add any song to my everyday playlist without a second thought.

Amazing album and a blast from the past. I really enjoyed this one

Loved it then and love it now. Great storytelling with young woman angst in every note……had me singing/yelling along at 52!!!

She's the best.

Excellent album. Hit after hit and for good reason.

Half the songs on this record are standard 90s anthem singalongs.

What a great album. Almost every track is a proper 90s tune and there are so many hits as well. This is one of those albums that you expect to be on this list. Morissette has such a unique voice that is easily recognizable and fits the music so well.

enjoyed this immensely. i grew up hearing this album though the only tracks that I really remember are the singles. ironically the album cuts are just as good if not better than the singles.

I wrote an actual review the first time I listened to this front to back. Great album. Life changing to consume.

Just fucking talent. Another album where every song is a single. And man, the bass player! Absolutely dominating with a warm, mid-forward bass tone like Jaco on a P-bass. Something out of an earlier era that works on every track. I'm not the single biggest fan of this sound, but goodness the artistry and tracks are a consistent banger.

Brilliant album

Not my kind of music but it's absolutely classic. 6 singles I hear all the time. Every women I know loves this so ot must be good. 5 stars.

Really solid album, didn’t realize it woudl be so rock based. I knew you aughta know and a few other hits but thoroughly enjoyed the whole album overall, I’d give it a listen a few more times.

wow, reaaly interestin’z

🎧 Review of Jagged Little Pill Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ / 5 Cry-Screams This album is a time capsule full of jagged feelings, diary entries written in Sharpie, and the sound of a woman who found out you cheated and wrote a platinum-selling album instead of texting you 87 times at 3AM. It feels. And it makes you feel. Loudly. Messily. Perfectly. Alanis didn’t just make an album—she gave us all a permission slip to be emotionally unhinged and poetic at the same time.

You don’t have to ask me twice. Exquisite, no notes.

great album. it reminds me of chris cornell’s solo debut and i mean that in all the best ways. so many iconic tracks and the lyricism on this record are just so raw. fav tracks: forgiven, you outta know, ironic

Fucking love this album

LFG

Isn't it ironic that I have never heard this album until only last year? No, I guess that's not a definition of irony, but that doesn't stop Alanis. One of the greatest hits from 90s, a really solid record to come with it and my absolutely favourite You Oughta Know. Amazing song, transcendental, epic, essential, worthy of adjectives. Very emotional song that perfectly encapsulates a certain mood in one's life. Let's go Canada, best singer from the country by far, Celine Di-who? But seriously, really good album that has a nice spot in my small collection of vinyls on the shelf.

Okay, so "Jagged Little Pill" by Alanis Morissette? Huge deal, right? It's basically a massive dose of pure, honest feelings, especially when it comes to being a woman and just being pissed or vulnerable. The music itself is a cool mix of rock and pop, making it super catchy. Yeah, some people nitpick about her singing or how "Ironic" isn't, well, ironic, but honestly, who cares? This album hit a nerve, changed the game for female artists, and still feels real today. It's like a time capsule of 90s angst, but in a good way.

This one's part of the music during my childhood. Hugely influenced into it by my elder sisters, I think. Favorite picks: "Ironic", "Hand in my Pocket"

I remember when the album came out. It was very popular among my friends. And I loved it too. Rarely before have I heard such a powerful female voice. Unfortunately, especially in the first track, there are a couple of squeaks that are vaguely reminiscent of yodeling. Perhaps this was a must at the time, dictated by Michael Jackson, who does it unbearably often. Anyway, a great album, nice to have heard it again. (And whenever I hear Alanis Morisette I think of her performance as God in the movie Dogma. God has spoken) 5/5

amazing, did not realize how many songs ive already heard off this, great listen

she is so angsty and cool I love her. I can't believe uncle joey drove her insane smh

Many standout songs. Great voice. Stellar album

ironic is not even in the top 3 tracks from this album. really good

This was the first commercially popular album that allowed a women to express rage.

One of the great groundbreaking albums. It always has a position on my top albums list. Every song is great.

Gotta love this iconic album from Alanis - powerful lyrics and vocals, easy to jam to.

A near perfect pop punk album

Fantastic album. I have nostalgia for this album, it came out when I was 5 years old. I heard these songs on the radio, my parents owned the CD. My DAD wanted to listen to this. I get her voice isn't for everyone, but you're insane if you give this album a 1/5. That being said I was stuck between 4 and 5 here, so I'm rounding up just because it really holds up, and if you listen to the 2015 remasters rather than what is linked here, it just sounds a bit better for those complaining about the dated mix.

Man this is such a good album

This was the album of my youth and continues to hit and be completely on point 30 years later. Every song is raw and and makes such an indelible impression. The secret track will always be to blame for my big emotions in my early 20s.

Absolute breakout album. One of the top first albums and albums of the 90's. Most has aged well, like Alanis herself.

The only thing wrong with this album is nothing of those things technically meet the definition of irony. Alanis you are a beautiful female soul that pulled together an album that shares the complexity of the female soul. We are complex, see the beauty in simplicity and have a right to be angry. Just a few things to note....Perfect reminds us that we are expected to be perfect and yet that perfection is usually completely contradictory making it unattainable. See Right Through You, what women has that had that relationship and wanted to scream at the man like You Oughta Know. Forgiven is a lesser known song, but dang does she rock out and dig deep on the emotion. There's is a little of Mary Jane in all of us, using toxicity to hide the real pain and never fully healing.Then we move into the opportunity for love Head Over Feet and looking at the small positives in the world after dealing with the bads You Learn. Alanis you are a queen <3

This was a great album when it came out. It's still a great album. Every song! There's not a bad song on this album. Forgiven is my favorite non-hit. But All I Really Want is still my favorite song on this album if I had to pick a favorite. It's just really great songwriting that can flow from quiet introspection to seething rage, backed up with great instrumentation, groovy beats, and stellar recording.