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 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!

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 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.

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.

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.

A near perfect pop punk album

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.

Obviously a 5! This album was so unique and fucking awesome when it first came out, and it has aged like a fine wine. Alanis kicks ass.

An absolute classic. This is one of the defining albums of the 90s.

I was not a huge fan of Alanis, but this album is pop-culturally significant and the hits are pretty fuckin fab - I still love Head Over Feet. 5 stars for taking me back to a time when all scorned women blasted You Oughta Know.

This album is both nostalgic and still so timely. Loved it when it originally dropped and love it now.

As a nineties kid, this hits hard. I still remember endlessly watching Alanis screaming her lungs out while driving through the woods in the Ironic video. I’m sure that I’ve listened to this album before though I don’t really remember the album tracks. They’re great though. This is really a classic of nineties pop rock. Grungey guitars, Alanis’s unique vocals. It’s all so much of the nineties and I love it. It’s super dramatic and big without feeling over the top. It feels very personal and is very easy to relate to.

This album is raw. I love it

10/10. This album helped remind me that there is a lot of great 1990's pop music out there. This album reminds me of P!nk, for some reason. I love the vocals. I love the lyrics. I love the music. I probably would have loved this song when I was around six years old.

Queen!

YASSSSSS. 100/10. This album is perfection and will forever have my heart.

YUP

can't hate on the classics

whole album was a vibe right up my alley for 90s alternative. I got into the hype of this artist and really saw why people rave ab them.

Thank you

Album 686 of 1001 Alanis Morissette - Jagged Little Pill (1995) Rating : 5 / 5 A near perfect album. About as close as you can get. Great from beginning to end. Writing, performance, instrumentation, production....all top notch. Whether or not it is your genre, you can't deny its excellence. It was and still is a banger.

My first memory of this was listening to it in art class. Freshman year. Steven, the kid who sat in the back, waved me over. "You gotta listen to this. She talks about giving a blowjob in a theater!" The meaning of "You Oughta Know" has morphed for me over the years-- I didn't really get it when I was 15, but I get it now. My feelings about this whole record have changed as well. It is not just the record with "You Oughta Know" on it. It is a record that shouldn't have been successful in the fickle, misogynist music industry of it's day. It's a truly genuine record, the good and the bad, and it's a record that the industry tried to copy but just could not.

Great 90s stuff

Between this and Mellon Collie yesterday we're going through the greatest hits of my teens. This is a very 90s album, but it still hits. Alanis is a legend.

One of my favourite albums ever. My first concert ever (that I wanted to go to) was a couple of years ago to see the anniversary tour for this album.

Loved it. Plain and simple. Timeless.

My dad called her his god after this album came out. Then Dogma came out and he became a prophet. This is in the conversation for best album of the 90s for me

With all albums on the list that I already know and love(d) I start out assuming it's a 4/5 when put in the context of some of THE great albums. Sure, I loved it when I was 14 and hadn't heard that much music, and I'm sure I'll still enjoy it, but it's no longer going to hit the same now. Surprisingly, this album absolutely holds up for me. It has hits spread throughout (I'd forgotten that Ironic is at track 10), and the album tracks all contribute variety and depth. It struck me that word perfect 14 year old me didn't really appreciate the subjects Alanis Morissette was singing about - I was able to enjoy this on a different level today.

Nostalgic listen for me, as this was one of the first CDs I ever bought in the 90s. I haven't listened to it since probably middle school. Still holds up, great album, good mix of dynamics and tempo.

no better album in the world

LOVE LOVE LOVE IT. This album is one of my favorites, top 10 for sure

beautiful album, very unexpected combinations. songs combine melodic and at the same time not very trivial. head over feet hits you in the heart.

An iconic album

What a hit. Loved it

fuck to the yeah. can't believe i'm only just now hearing this.

Excellent album

I tell you what is ironic. Lenneth Houmous getting sick off some chickpeas during our tour of Greece in ‘06. 4.5

Always thought I should give this album a try, glad to finally have. This was great. There's something special about her delivery, a bit unhinged and raw, but deep and real. Just the right amount of grunge to feel rough. But a really good listen

This was one of the first CDs I bought

Wow - the anger is intense and barely controlled throughout. These are great songs and lyrics. Her vocals are amazing and often right on the edge of falling apart. You don't see too many artists trying to copy this style - it’s a lot harder than just learning a few quirky diphthongs - I'm talking to you Indie-girls.

Alanis is so judgey and I’m loving it. “And all i really want is some patience”. Me and my boyfriend were JUST talking about how I have no patience?! I’m truly connected to All I Really Want. Her vocal delivery is what makes this, she’s so recognisable as a voice which is a hard thing within pop. The cut to silence is amazing. She definitely understands human nature. You Oughta Know, every woman has been through the pain she’s capturing in this. An ex has told you, you were the one, however the person that has replaced you happened just a little too fast. She is direct with this lyricism, no sugar coating is happening. The production behind it is fabulous, Glen Ballard and Alanis make a good team. The angst that is in this song is really connecting to how I felt at 21, just like she was. Perfect, not to quote hannah montana, but nobody’s perfect, that’s what i feel Morissette is getting at. She’s got power in her delivery here, but also contrast of basically whispers right after. “love you the way you are, if you’re perfect”. An amazing way of communicating that if you’re not right for me you’re not the one. Hand in My Pocket, I know this one. A song about being multifaceted, and that being the most frustrating thing about being alive. But what it comes down to, is everything will be alright. What a masterpiece. 21 year olds needed this in ‘95 and I can tell you I am happy this song exists for the people in 2025. Right Through You, the raw feeling of not being taken seriously. The epitome of being a young woman. Especially when being a creative. “Now that i’m a zillionaire, you scan for your name in the credits, wonder why it’s not there”. Never underestimate the memory of a woman that you turned away from. She sees through you. Forgiven, well she wrote this for me. And every girl that grew up one way. But live out another. This is a true confessional, written so well. And the performance, the borderline shouting, the minor keys, the creepy sound surrounding her doubt, her confusion. This song is about the cult that catholicism can be, and what a subject matter to attack and kill it. You Learn, the title is used in this song. It’s a song about living life to the fullest. Because what else are we here to do, if not try and try and fuck it up. There is always redemption in carrying on. There is love and hope and happiness eventually just by being here. Alanis wants us to stop being soo serious, remember we are all just doing it “the way a three year old would do” really. Head Over Feet, I completely feel this way about the love in my life. He just came into my life and turned it upside down in the best way. And i constantly remind him that “i couldn’t help it, it’s all your fault”. I really really understand Morissette and feel para social towards her. I’m not the first and i’m sure won’t be the last. She really was a genius at 21. Mary Jane, now i’m taking this as falling out of love with smoking weed. That’s because I personally have. We don’t get along anymore, it did really bad things to me in the end. And I think Alanis feels the same way. Also using it for a metaphor for herself. Talking to herself trying to encourage her to be honest. Not censor her feelings, or cover them up by getting high. But truly longing to find escapism in it, instead of paranoia. I personally cannot get over what a power house this woman is. Her voice is impeccable. I’m almost ashamed that this is the first time i’m listening to her properly. Ironic, i know this one too! To me it’s her Joni Mitchell track. With much more late 90s grunge thrown in. She can write a pop song, good god. WHAT A CHORUS. This alone is her ticket to the hall of fame for me. Her relatability is off the charts. Timeless is hard to do, while being catchy and meaningful. Not the Doctor, do not give this woman a boy instead of a man. She is not having it. Her standards are set and they are as high as they should be. Do not do/be everything to someone, losing yourself in the process. What a song to live by. Last song, Wake Up, this song builds tension very well. It gets you to a point where you think it’s gonna break, and release you to a full chorus, and it won’t. Complimenting the sentiment of the song. Ending this album saying the words Wake Up feels right. I can now understand who Avril Lavigne, to name one, idolised. This woman must have created so many careers without even knowing it. I feel I haven’t spoken enough about Ballard, but it’s almost like he’s done such a good job at producing it’s impossible to pick it apart. I cannot imagine these songs sounding any different, that surely is perfect production. This to me is 5/5.

Loved it!

BANGER after BANGER after BANGER 5/5

Yeah it lives in 1995. But it played on pop stations and rock stations. There's something about this record that hits so hard it can't be ignored. It's honest. It's gen-x. It doesn't care what you think.

Classic and stands the test of time.

Jeg sled den CD op i 90erne og kan stadig langt mere af teksterne end jeg troede. 5 store nostalgiske stjerne

My first concert was Alanis. This album was pivotal to my youth. It carried me from kid to teenager.

If this album were released today, it's likely that Alanis would be accused of being an industry plant. Fortunately, it was 1995 and social media would have to wait. Regardless, "Jagged Little Pill" was an unstoppable hit machine and cultural touchstone. Already an easy 5-star record, plus a little extra for the "secret" track hidden at the end of the CD.