Chirping Crickets

super catchy, super short 3.5

Yeah sure. I found this cute and enjoyable.

Buddy Holly holds such a special place in my heart for numerous reasons. He’s rivaled by only Chuck Berry as my favorite of the original rock and roll guard, if you will. His melodies are unbelievably strong, his voice is inviting, the Crickets are a solid backing group, and his lyrics are just sweet enough without feeling too coy. As is the case with so many rock “albums” that were released/thrown together before the mid-60’s, the big singles and hits thoroughly outshine the deep cuts for me. But I’ll be damned if I don’t absolutely love “Oh Boy!”, “That’ll Be the Day”, “Maybe Baby”, and especially “Not Fade Away”, which I will contend is not only still the definitive version (with all due respect to the Stones, Dead, and others who have produced great covers), but as perfect a 2 minute and 20 second recording that has ever existed. 4/5

This was an enjoyable listen, nice to have on while doing stuff. No takeaways, but do really enjoy this type of music. It was a fun listen. 3.75

Любовь и влюблённость Разбитое сердце и одиночество Преданность и верность Альбом сочетает рокабилли, кантри-рок, ритм-энд-блюз и ранний рок-н-ролл Общий тон — лёгкий, "кайфовый" и мелодичный, без агрессии или тьмы

This album, start to finish, is full of that classic late 50's 'barbershop quartet' sound. It has such a fun, freeing feeling to it. The instrumentals are bouncy and lead the songs forward so well. Buddy Holly's vocals are definitely a standout, with the backing vocals supporting this very strongly. This album was fun to listen to, having listened to a couple of these songs when I was a lot younger, but now I am the age to truly appreciate different/older styles of music. Lyrically, music seemed to be so much simpler, earlier on, but this was very well executed. I also enjoyed the sadder songs in the album; however, I just feel that the album is too short. Favourites: Oh Boy! That'll Be The Day I'm Lookin' For Someone To Love

Who the F am I to judge Buddy Holly? Sometimes this list is hard

Loved this! Couple of classics, including Not Fade Away and I liked Rock Me My Baby.

I wonder what Buddy Holly would have thought about me listening to this album with my pocket telephone...

Rock'n'Roll

Extremely pleasing album. Unlike a lot of music from the 50’s, I thought the album format wasn’t a hinderance to listening. The songs are reasonably varied and the recording quality of this album was like 20x better than the metallica album I listened to yesterday. Overall pleasantly surprised.

Dope

a great album even still

It sounds kinda soft now, but there are some absolute timeless rock classics here. Played by so many acts so many ways for years to come. It won’t fade away.

Lovely stuff. Foundational. Elvis who?

Loved it. The most enjoyable and fun of the first gen rock and rollers so far. Beyond influential, and every track is a banger.

Legend. Stutt og góð plata. Flott hár, flott bindi. Þetta er klassík.

Frábær tónlistarmaður hann Buddy Holly. Hefði örugglega haft mikil áhrif hefði hann lifað. Töff gleraugu líka.

Great peak into the origins of rock

07/10 21.01.2025

Makes me want to go to the sock hop with my sweetheart. It wasn't thrilling but it was quite fun.

Hyggeligt

Good fun. I didn't love it enough to give it the full five, but I'm definitely adding several songs to my morning playlist.

Classic rock n roll. Featuring so of Buddy Holly’s best know tunes

een plaatje om blij van te worden... je hoort wat Buddy in zijn mars had, helaas heeft hij het niet kunnen waarmaken... en je hoort direct waar veel groepen (een stuk van) hun mosterd haalden

Lovely little album. Of course, everyone has heard the hits. The songs on this album that didn't make big radio play are still good songs. My only issue is all the songs are love songs. New love, lost love, love love love. Like... Buddy, tell us how lonely you are on the road. Tell us about anything but how much you wanna hug and kiss that girl over there. The whole album feels like it's driven by a greasy dude in a cheap suit chomping on a big Cuban cigar, telling him "Buddy, you can sing about anything as long as it's about a girl." I just want some depth. My Rating: 4/5

Great album!

solid and very charming // concise, melodic, and endlessly listenable // big fan of holly’s hiccup style phrasing, its playful and instantly recognizable // nice contrast between his regular voice and falsetto, keeps things very lively // guitars are chunky, bright, high-strung, rooted in blues progressions as is often the case for the time // tight song structures, no excess // obviously foundational for rock’s early shape // i personally gravitate more toward the black originators of the sound, where the blues grit runs deeper but, still, holly’s melodic instinct and vocal quirks make this undeniably iconic

Seminal album. Chock full of classic songs that still sound as fresh and relevant as when they were originally released. Songs on here have been covered numerous times over the years.

So many hits I love buddy holly!

Had me chirping

It's the anniversary of Buddy Holly's death today (Feb 3rd 2026). It's been 67 years to the day since the music died. Anyway, I'm happy to finally get a Buddy Holly & The Crickets record. My Uncle Roman (rest his soul) thought Buddy was God and this album made me think back on all the in-depth conversations we had on this topic over the years. Nice family memories and genuinely good music.

This was a fun transport back to the 50s. It's funny to see this categorized as rock and roll with how much rock music has changed since then. But I loved hearing some early sounds of the genre, and how this helped shape future generations of musicians. I wonder how Buddy Holly's career and music would have evolved if he'd had a chance to grow older. We'll never know, and his short career and offerings to the world will forever be suspended in time. But he brought some high energy, boppy ditties to the time he was alive.

7.5/10

para nada el género de música que me gusta, pero me gustó!!

I do really like these oldies albums. Just something about their charm and simplicity that is really refreshing after listening to some 3 hour long high concept art piece.

A fun listen to a great old album

Pretty cool old-school rock stuff. There are some really really great tracks and alot of pretty decent ones. Obviously that'll be the day is the heaviest of hitters and its still good what like 70 years on. A whole life started and ended in that time frame and its still good music. Maybe baby is probably my favorite track though. Its catchy as all hell. And all over the record buddy's singing is so good. He can do alot with what he's got. Sometimes he gets this elvisy thing going on. Its just good clean fun to be honest. Worth a listen for sure

Great

Very beach boys and Elvis

Joyful pop music

How fun and nostalgic.

A really fun listen! The energy is high, the songs are good, this just goes hard! Rock n roll!

I wanted to listen to this on a flight and as soon as I pressed play I sensed an unease and had to pause for the rest of the day lol buddy, rip. What a talent. Fun record and I can hear its impact in the music. What could have been.

a lot of fun! sure, it doesn't sound as fresh anymore, but i have to appreciate the influence it had

Significant early rock. Very easy to listen to.

It didn't sound quite fresh to me but it definitely stands the test of time.

Not bad at all. Happy music, a short album. It ages well. Singing still sounds good. I enjoyed it. It’s like a book with an amazing cover. But it has only two three pages. Contents are good but short and a bit on the surface. It’s beautiful but not yet a masterpiece for me!

Ground breaking for its time. It's simplistic, but was the birth of youth music. It's rock 'n ' roll in its original form, and it gave birth to so much. Buddy holly and others opened the way for so many people to express them selves musically in a way that wasn't really available to them before. Not only that it still sounds good today, and has a massive following. although not strictly speaking my cup of tea, I enjoyed listening to this. Would I buy it? No. Will I listen to it again? Probably not. Would I turn it off if it came on? Definitely not! Got to give this a 4 for all it means to just about all modern music.

I enjoyed this much more than I expected, considering its age, and early rock and roll style. But then considering my age, it is akin to a teenager liking 90's music. This stuff was still being played on the radio when I was growing up, so it must have left its mark. This is the sound of innocent times and happiness or some old nostalgic crap like that. The big famous ones even had me singing along. Luckily I for the wife I have currently lost my voice. A small blessing.

Some proper original rock n' roll that'll get you snappin along.

Enjoyed this all the way through. A little repetitive at times. All together relaxing.

With a sigh, I had to hype myself up to settle into some antiquey rock-n-roll. Wow, did I have fun with this record. There's actual craftmanship in building out these ditties. And I'll give that lyrically it's all a little pat, but damn, that Buddy Holly voice is so charismatic. Count me in as a Crickets fan!

Can hear the genesis of a lot of music to follow.

Very fun!!

Some really, really great songs. Others don't survive as well.

He did more songs than I realized. Great album.

Oh, Boy! Not Fade Away Maybe Baby That'll Be the Day I'm Looking for Someone to Love

Amazing! Hard to overstate how influential this album and artist are on Rock and Roll. The overall sound is a bit dated for me, the toxic masculinity is over the top, and the topics don’t show much range. But it’s *still* an amazing contribution to pop music. A 4 for me.

What short, but fun album. A lot of tracks I immediately recognized and sang along to.

nice , usa vibes

Is this a punk rock album? Every track on here is 2 minutes long! And you're Mary Tyler Moore.

Ponele NY, una pared de ladrillos, vidas de mierda, enojo, y son los Ramones 7/10

4. Cool

Accidentally listened to weezer

7/10

issavibe

bit before my time-just- all good fun, you can hear where music is going.

I think this is probably pretty essential listening. It is the foundations of so much music that came after. It still holds up pretty well as a listen

This was definitely a dated-sounding album, but it was nice to have it playing in the background.

Really pleasantly surprised by this one to be honest!

The hits far outshine the fillers on this album, but the filler songs are pretty decent too.

7/10 As is often the case with such early albums, it's very hard to listen to this and really understand the context of it with almost 70 years of music history between its release and now. But apparently Buddy Holly has been credited with popularising the two guitars, bass and drums rock band formula, so to say he's had an impact would perhaps be understating things. There are definitely echoes of this music that I can hear in a lot of bands that would follow, and the production of the album is excellent, particularly given its vintage. There are some really great songs here, particularly the more upbeat numbers and, while there are lulls here and there, the fact that not a single track bothers the three minute mark, the lulls are fleeting. From what I've read, Buddy took some of the 'hiccuping' vocal style from Elvis, and it's a sound that grates on me. It's the 50s equivalent of the indie girl voice, an unnatural singing style that's done because it's in fashion, despite the fact that it's overdone and immediately dates a record. But Buddy's take on it, while annoying at its worst, is actually more musically pleasant than Elvis' version for the most part and is more subtly used. It's a big shame that we never got to hear where Buddy would go from here as, to my mind, he blows Elvis out of the water with this, and he was only 21 at the time. While I enjoyed my time with this album, I doubt I'll be back to it all that often, but it does get a couple of bonus points for musical significance. Oh, Boy! - It's a classic. Great jangly rock n roll guitars, lovely backing vocal swells and hooky sing along melodies. Not a big fan of the Elvis inspired hiccup vocal embellishments, but they're fairly restrained here and he throws a nice bit of grit onto his vocal now and again, which is great. Not Fade Away - The vocal hiccups kind of work ok here. It's super simple, but there's a great swagger to the vocal delivery and guitar playing that I like. It's got a toe tapping quality, doesn't offer much variety but gets its job done in short order. You've Got Love - I'm not generally a massive fan of these old rock n roll ballads, but this isn't too bad. Feels a lot more sincere and endearing than the Elvis equivalents, so that's a plus. Maybe Baby - This is a bit more rockabilly and almost edges in places towards a sound that the Beach Boys would develop. Again, some great laid back swagger to the vocal delivery. It's just got a good vibe and it's pretty slick. It's Too Late - Back to a more croony ballad stuff. Less keen on this one and the odd reverb choice in places is a little jarring. It's ok for what it is, but I'm not exactly fully engaged by it. Tell Me How - The tempo picks up a bit now and there are some really nice moments, but it is a little dull and he threatens to throw in some of that vocal affect that just doesn't gel with my ear. That'll Be The Day - A good little swinging number and while he does a bit of the hiccup vocal, it's used rhythmically and sparingly. It's got a decent little hook too Not bad. I'm Lookin' For Someone To Love - This has got some zip to it and some really nice guitar work. The vocals do go a bit far for me, but I can just imagine how engaging this stuff was in the mid 50s. An Empty Cup (And A Broken Date) - There's a nice vibe to this. It's not the most memorable of songs, but it's a warm, engaging song and it sounds great. Send Me Some Lovin' - So there's a theme here. These ballads are just not grabbing me too much. It's pretty pleasant, but the vocal affect here is at its most stark and jarring on this track. Again, it's pretty inoffensive and it's well produced, it's just not really my thing. Last Night - Well it's another ballad. Some nice vocal harmonies and it sounds like they're trying to do something interesting with the vocal blend. Rock Me My Baby - Solid groove here and it's almost proto surf rock in places. It's a good song with some quality dynamic range and development. It's just a shame that this is the most criminal of his vocal try hard performances, otherwise it would be brilliant.

The blue print for rock and roll, fantastic songs.

holy awesome 1960s

Super easy to listen to - and quick too! Can’t really go wrong with a classic. I wouldn’t necessarily seek it out, but I wouldn’t turn it off either.

All the classic tracks here. The band that started 1000 other bands.

Fun, light hearted record. Very of the time

Some absolute classics. Evokes an image of a particular time and place

Rock ‘n’ roll, good dance music. Haven't heard it in a long time. The voice goes well with the music.

crickets weren't chirping on this one at all. did not get tired of the sound, or maybe i'm just an old soul...

So many classic rock and roll songs here. Just the bedrock of so much modern music. Also listening with good headphones I could tell he was a better singer than I realized.

I actually liked this more than I thought I was going to. Once the album finished Spotify just kept playing music from the 50s and there’s a ton of bangers.

This is a great album. Early Rock n Roll at it’s finest! Great song writing, singing, and playing. I have a closer connection to some of the covers of these songs but this album shows what a powerful impact Holly had during his short life/career. 4 Stars

Was not badfor how old it was. I don't usually enjoy the country western sound but it was a solid 7/10.

Was just listening to a John Prine cover of Oh Boy! the day before. Was also reminded of my friends The Craigs covering Not Fade Away. These songs were on one of the first mix tapes anyone ever made me (a friend’s older brother maybe?)…so much history!

Twelve songs in 26 minutes! Four solid gold bangers. A couple of weaklings but overall a real treat after a week of prog rock, rap and wistful whimsy.

Short and sweet.

This worked out just fine for me. I had a boring 35 minute drive to get through so I put on this 25 minute long album. I didn't mind it. I'm not going to be coming back to this, but it was a perfectly enjoyable listen. The never-ending harmonizing in the background gets a bit tiresome, but I guess that was just what they did at the time. Buddy Holly was great. I'll bet it would have been fun to be him for a week in 1957.

Good

**In-Depth Review: *The “Chirping” Crickets* by Buddy Holly & The Crickets (1957)** *Released: November 27, 1957 | Genre: Rock and Roll | Length: 25:51* --- ### 🎵 **Overview** *The “Chirping” Crickets* is the debut and only studio album by Buddy Holly & The Crickets. Released in 1957, it’s a landmark in early rock and roll, blending country, rhythm & blues, and pop into a raw, energetic, and emotionally sincere sound. Despite its short runtime and lo-fi production, the album became a blueprint for countless rock bands that followed. --- ### 🎶 **Music & Production** The album is stripped-down and raw, built on the classic trio of guitar, bass, and drums. The production is minimal, even by 1950s standards, but it’s this simplicity that gives the album its charm and immediacy. The use of a cardboard box as percussion on tracks like *Not Fade Away* adds a homemade, garage-rock feel that predates the punk ethos by decades. - **Instrumentation**: Clean Fender Stratocaster tones, upright bass, and tight drumming. - **Vocals**: Holly’s nasal, boyish voice is both vulnerable and energetic. Backing vocals by The Picks often veer into doo-wop territory, which some find charming, others corny. --- ### 📝 **Lyrics & Themes** The lyrics are deceptively simple. Nearly every song revolves around love, heartbreak, or romantic hope, but they’re delivered with such sincerity and melodic instinct that they transcend cliché. - **Simplicity as Strength**: Lines like “Maybe baby, I’ll have you” or “That’ll be the day when you say goodbye” are elemental, yet unforgettable. - **Emotional Range**: From the playful exuberance of *Oh Boy!* to the melancholy of *An Empty Cup (And a Broken Date)*, Holly captures the emotional spectrum of teenage life. --- ### 🎸 **Influence & Legacy** This album is a **cornerstone of modern rock music**. It influenced The Beatles (who named themselves partly in homage to The Crickets), The Rolling Stones (who covered *Not Fade Away*), Bob Dylan, and countless garage and indie rock acts. - **Songwriting Innovation**: Holly’s use of two-minute pop structures, jangly guitars, and introspective yet accessible lyrics helped redefine what rock music could be. - **Cultural Impact**: The band’s crossover appeal—charting on both pop and R&B lists—also highlighted the blurred racial lines in early rock, even if unintentionally. --- ### ✅ **Pros** - **Timeless songwriting**: *That’ll Be the Day*, *Not Fade Away*, and *Maybe Baby* are enduring classics. - **Raw authenticity**: The album feels like a group of friends making music in a garage—honest and unpolished. - **Influence**: Helped shape the sound of the ’60s and beyond. - **Emotional resonance**: Despite lyrical simplicity, the emotional delivery is powerful. --- ### ❌ **Cons** - **Inconsistent filler**: Some tracks like *You’ve Got Love* and *It’s Too Late* are forgettable or poorly structured. - **Backing vocals**: The doo-wop harmonies by The Picks can feel dated or overly saccharine to modern ears. - **Short length**: At just under 26 minutes, the album feels more like a collection of singles than a cohesive long-form statement. - **Lyrical repetition**: Nearly every song is about love, with little thematic variety. --- ### 🏁 **Final Verdict** *The “Chirping” Crickets* is not a perfect album, but it is a **perfect snapshot** of a moment when rock and roll was young, wild, and full of possibility. Its flaws—lo-fi production, simplistic lyrics, and occasional filler—are also part of its charm. It’s a foundational text for modern pop and rock, and its influence far outweighs its modest runtime. **Essential Tracks**: *That’ll Be the Day*, *Not Fade Away*, *Oh Boy!*, *Maybe Baby*, *An Empty Cup (And a Broken Date)*

I think every dead has an affection for Not Fade Away. What strikes me in this one, is the simplicity of each song. Especially in Not Fade Away, where there is very little percussion and they're basically just ripping off Bo Diddley. You can kind of hear that African / blues style rhythm throughout, which is wild because that music had been around for a century or more but was finally being recorded and built upon. The elecric guitar is still new and novel, so the distortion levels are minimal. I'd like to say clean sound, but its not really that, but you can hear that kind of naked sound of the strat in each song. This just fun and joyous. Its easy to enjoy and hard to hate.

Expecting this to be not great, being more notable for Buddy Holly's early death but it is actually very well put together 4*

I’m a sucker for 1950s rock and roll. These guys in particular demonstrate the connection between country and rock for me. It’s fun, unapologetically sappy, and energetic.

Fun to hear music from this era and how it shaped rock and roll for years to come.

The man had a gift for writing catchy songs

Weak lyrics, but it really rocks. Kind of a pop-punk. So nice to hear some of the Cricket's songs that haven't been overplayed. I'll come back here for certain. 4/5

Variations of love songs mostly, but definitely more diverse than the few Buddy Holly hits I’d heard in the past. Very obvious the influence on Elvis. Guitar so iconic. “That’ll be the Day” is so good. Overall, this is probably the album when it comes to Buddy Holly. “Send me some loving” seems to usher in later Motown sounds.

Adorable.

Better than Coldplay

♥️ these guys but the song selection could have been better.

Oh boy--this is a tough one to rate. It feels like it should get a high rating since it's the only Buddy Holly inclusion in this entire collection, and he had such an outsized place in musical history. But aside from the really big hits, and mainly "That'll be the day", I'll admit somewhat sheepishly that their sound doesn't really do much for me, as pioneering as they were in their day. To paraphrase Loretta Lynn and Fatboy Slim, we've come a long way, baby.

1/3rd of this album is amazing, fresh, lively (tracks 1, 2, 4, 7). The rest is not.

Classic sound. 4/5

Quality Rock and Roll. The originator of pop music. So much better than Elvis.

Surprisingly modern sounding for an album that came out so long ago. I think Buddy Holly had just about as much I fluence on the modern pop music as anyone. Still fun to listen to, catchy and entertaining

Bangers all the way through. So many great songs in only 26 minutes.

Having never listened to this before it’s easy to assume that it’ll be filled with the typical 60’s jingles that someone born in the 2000’s would associate with this era. However, it’s very evident to see the levels of influence in many genres that this record has had. Will this be something I add to my own playlists? Probably not, but it’s easy to recognise your own favourite artists within the riffs and structure of the music, and above all I enjoyed listening to it.

Very short, but very catchy, very cool!

Love buddy Holly

Timeless

Great stuff

I can appreciate why The Beatles and The Rolling Stones held Buddy Holly in such high esteem. A really good album.

Nice glasses, nerd.

I love Buddy Holly. It's classic rock pop, and always fun.

4*

It's something like The Beach Boys, but older, and all the songs are alike. A nice album to relax to, with some notable tracks, I'd say. I didn't notice that the album ended though.

Apt chirpy rock & roll from the 50s - lovely guitar work over upbeat rhythms, complemented by amazing vocal arrangements. Makes you feel like you should be on the beach with a cocktail. The epitome of old school pop / rock & roll.

Happy and short!

One of those defining classics that exists at a very particular time and place. It's an extremely well-performed, well-written album deserving of a place on this list for its historical importance. 4⭐️

Meh

Whenever I listen to something from thus far back, I think I have to take it in the context of the time when it was made. With that as backdrop, this proves to be an excellent record. Yes, the background singers aren’t that great. It’s true that the songs are simple and straightforward. But there’s still a lot to like about this. The tunes are catchy. Buddy Holly’s voice is excellent and he shows a ton of character, well beyond what you would normality hear on most any record from his contemporaries. And some of the guitar playing is pretty different from the sounds of that them. That makes it a record which stands out vs. it’s peers, which makes it a 4 for me.

Good

Tienen mucho mérito como pioneros del rock and roll.

A delight. Maybe Baby is one of most adorable songs in the world.

4 star mostly for historical reasons, if not would be around 3. I love The Beatles, and Buddy Holly was big inspiration to them, I like some songs of him too.

Some catchy classics

Really enjoyed this, short collection of tunes that are charming and easy to listen to. I see why he was a big deal despite his short career. Nothing mind blowing but it is hard to find fault here, very charming.

Good oldies!

Happy and light music!

I went into this album thinking I didn't like Buddy Holly. I was wrong. It's a little hokey, but given the time you can see how critical and influential this album was.

Good Rock a Billy music

Pretty good for the oldies!

Blind album and artist. Very pleasant listen I cannot lie.

Oh boy! was great makes me want to learn swing dancing. 3rd place Not fade away was a tad bit boring You’ve got love seems like a nice background sound or something to stroll down the street to Maybe baby is alright but nothing that sticks out It’s too late was nice I like when the reverb kicks in the vocals Tell me how like Oh Boy makes me want to dance That’ll be the day is pretty nice gives me a bit greaser vibe 2nd I’m looking for someone to love another dancesble song. better Guitar solos than the former but that’ll be the day has a nicer rythm An empty cup feels like a better Not fade away Send me some lovin’ is a nice sweet song. A song to sing to your lover. Last night has a nice ascending vocal melody, short and sweet song under 2 min Rock me my baby has a nice Guitar riffs, good rythm, fun vibes. Surf rock-esk rockabilly. Very danceable if you have ants in your pants. 1st place Overall a short but good album. I was close to skipping this one because of it’s age, I’m very glad I didn’t.

Very nostalgic and classic sounding.

Golden era of rock. Super nice tunes. A must!

Wonderful

Huh, so that's who Buddy Holly is. This album has classics and you can hear where the evolution of certain musical chords came from. A bit outdated, but it is almost 70 years old.

Look this album may be dated but it still has a certain charm to.it. They're very upbeat and sort of roll along, which is great.

Pop in it's simplest form

Short and enjoyable

a fairly short yet enjoyable album (the longest of the 12 songs on the album is 2:36), this was the only album created by Buddy Holly & The Crickets (a band created to avoid legal ramifications resulting from Buddy's split with his previous manager). It's fun, enjoyable, and exhibits Holly's first real efforts to record his music the way he wanted it to be recorded.

"Oh Boy" takes me straight back to holidays with my parents and sisters where the arcade had a coin push machine with a 50s/60s theme that played a short clip of the song at regular intervals. "Oh Boy" and "That'll Be The Day" are classics, the rest is very generic Rock 'n' Roll but it's enjoyable.

Sounds similar to Elvis Presley, who I absolutely love!

affectionately termed “mickey and friends” album. buddy holly what a legend. making me want to time travel and fall in love in the sixties to these classy tunes. silly album generator should stick to this kind of musical genius

A youthful charm that never got to blossom leaves a lovely legacy.

Classic. When I was a kid, I went through a phase where I listened to a lot of 1950s era music. I particularly remember a greatest hits compilation from the Buddha record label. Anyhow, albums like this one are really where mass market rock & roll became, well, everywhere!

It's Buddy Holly! Even for early rock and roll you can tell this is something special. And this has some all timers on it. Oh Boy, that'll be the day, and my personal favorite, Not Fade Away. Despite being nearly 70 years old it still hits today.

Though this album does seem flawless it’s biggest and only flaw is the repetitive sound. I don’t blame Buddy and the guys, this was the sound of the era. I just don’t think it stacks up against some of the 5 star greats in my rankings. This is a good album for a diner. Or a dentists office or doctors office. Buddy Holly can write music and I’m always surprised to learn that he had done a song that I didn’t think was his. I will say, hip hop people and metal heads will HATE this album. Choice cut: That’ll be the Day

A classic. Personal enjoyment: 4/5 Relevance to this list: 5/5

Pretty fun album

Задорный рок-н-ролл, слушать приятно. 8 из 10.

nig nog

Very good, as anything by Buddy Holly. The backing vocal feels dated but is so charming

What brilliant tunes with amazing production … imagine what Buddy would have been like in 1967…

really liked it!

Awesome early rock n roll album. Love the guitar work

Absolute Classic!

It's hard to rate this one. It was probably really influential to a lot of music that I like a lot, but it's also 75 years old and feels pretty dated. I doubt I'll be making this a regular in the rotation anytime soon, but I will probably revisit eventually

I have a soft spot for this old rockabilly, even if—by academic standards—it’s not all that good. All of the singers, particularly the backgrounds, are often woefully out of tune, both the melody and harmony are almost comically simple, the themes are repetitive throughout… but somewhere amongst all that, is character and personality. A lot of those things listed can be jarring to the modern ear upon first listen, but once the album sits for a while, those imperfections melt into the background and they don’t matter as much as they used to. And it shouldn’t be understated the influence this music had on its descendants. Buddy Holly had a huge amount of impact and influence in his short 22 years on this earth. Very much worth listening to and knowing. ‘Not Fade Away’ and ‘Rock Me My Baby’ are my favorites on the record as of 6/13/25. Shades of: Chuck Berry, Elvis Presley, The Chords, Pokey LeFarge, The Beach Boys, Patsy Cline

An album full of greatness, but then one day, music died.

I've heard some songs by Buddy Holly previously but have never looked into his history. Hard to believe his contributions to music was for such a short time but had such a big impact.

Great album length and I actually quite enjoyed the music.

Muy bien el álbum. Buddy Holly a tope.

Good ol fashioned rock and/or roll

This album hooked me from the first track. Of course I had heard "Oh Boy!" before, but its energy swept me up and carried me through the rest of the album. After finishing, I had to immediately go back for another listen. I think I have a crush on Buddy Holly now. Standout track: Oh Boy!

RIP to a real one.

This was just fun. I felt like I was jiving in a 60s beach movie. Definitely would put on for house cleaning music in the future.

Not Fade Away!

Still fresh, still a good time

I was hoppin' and boppin' all throughout, but sometimes slightly repetitive

Music 5/5 Lyrics 3/5 The vibe of the music and the mood it creates is amazing. The lyrics itself are okay and kinda repetitive (also always the same topic)

They don't make like this anymore

7/10 This was probably the most I have enjoyed one of the “foundational” albums in this list. Loads of good energy, good voice, and if you only know the main hits then the level of musical experimenting was a surprise. Having said that, because it is the OG then it sounds basic to modern ears. Best: Not Fade Away

Ratings: 5: I will happily play this album anytime 4: I may occasionally play this album of my own free will 3: I will happily listen to this if someone plays it in the background 2: I will tolerate this if it is playing in the background 1: I will leave the room if someone plays this in the background The influence on 60s rock (especially the British Invasion) is undeniable. The ravers really rock. Bogs a little on the back half (and the background vocals start to grate on me in the 2nd half). Still a classic.

Iconic pioneering sound with some fun mainstays like "Maybe Baby" and "That'll be the Day".

I knew a few of these songs. Very catchy Not my favourite singer of that era but it was a fun album and still enjoyable 4 ⭐️

Kinda makes me want to learn guitar. I can't believe this giant died at 22. I knew the story of the plane crash, but didn't realize he was so very young. Some lucky alternate universe got to find out how epic he became when he grew up.

#592. I usually don't find this oldies type of rock and roll to be super interesting, but for some reason Buddy Holly is different, and I do like this quite a bit. 4/5: great

Off the cuff remark: Early beginnings of pop? Lovely. Don't think a track hits the 4 minute mark. Standout Track: Probably Oh Boy, while I think the Stones version of Not Fade Away is far superior I believe Buddy Holly wrote it. That's some thing special there. Revisit?: Yep

4/5

Good classic early rock n roll.

A rock and roll classic that heavily influenced The Bealtes (crickets - beatles get it?). Great songwriting and the second half of this album really slaps to me. Buddy Holly's songwriting and guitar playing was ahead of it's time. Crazy that he died at 22.

In the 50s young white kids were desperate for music of their own , not the old fashioned stuff their parents were listening to. Rock n Roll was the answer and the Crickets were, briefly, at the forefront. Their stripped back instrumental sound and harmonic vocals went on to influence many other acts. This is still great to listen to almost 70 years later.

Certaintly a hard one to rate! Of course it's a dated album - what would you expect? But it's very good at what it does, I really felt telleported to the 1950's. Good songs, they all fit together well, but lacks versatility - and that's what keeps me from giving it a higher rating.

Well it is part of the foundation of rock n roll and popular music so that's something

Buddy Holly - and the crickets - seminal artist instrumental in all American Rock . Enjoy!

omg like the beatles

I have to judge this by the specific time and place it was created in, and by that standard it’s a great album. By timeless standards, it’s still really good. It’s great to hear the songs again that influenced so many musicians who came later (many of whom did straight covers out of respect).

Some of the real classics of rock. Not really my thing, but good regardless.

Legendary album from one of the earliest innovators of rock n roll. Buddy Holly was taken too soon and I wish we could have seen what he made later in his career.

Buddy Holly really was a guy with so much potential and was taken too soon. Early pop rock songs litter this album with it being a clear influence on later bands like the Beatles

Classic

The story of Buddy and how the studios screwed him even after his death is more interesting than most of this album. The hits are great and the rest is just lesser versions of the same thing. They have one trick and, while it was amazing and new at the time, it’s still just one trick. I do appreciate that, like the Ramones, each song is pretty much 1st verse chorus 2nd verse chorus 1st verse repeats chorus and out in around 2 minutes.

Good fun 50s do-wop.

Buddy Holly i was not familiar with your game... this shit bangs

One of those albums you never knew was THE ONLY ONE from a band and yet know every song.

An up tempo stroll through the beginning of rock & roll

Amazing record for its time. Its hard to review in the context of today because all of the songs have been played to death in so many ways.

It's classic but they still hadn't really figured out what an album is yet.

Crickets sure do chirp but, when it came to Buddy Holly, here they rock and roll and get a little loud. In less than thirty minutes, he and they fly around the grooves and, with endless odes to romance, into the ears of anyone they come across, thus paving the way for the future of the genre and successive bands that they wouldn't be able to see mature and alter the shape of rock and roll to come. The Chirping Crickets may seem small in contrast to what came next, but that doesn't mean its impact wasn't significant. Favorites: Oh Boy!, Not Fade Away, Maybe Baby, It's Too Late, That'll Be the Day, I'm Looking for Someone to Love, An Empty Cup (And a Broken Date), Send Me Some Lovin', Rock Me My Baby.

Great album. Easy to see how he influenced so many people, and has had such an impact on Rock n Roll through the ages.

Wikipedia says there is an alternative version without the slightly too sweet Jordanaire style backing vocals. I would love to hear that but couldn't find it anywhere.

Oh Boy! Tell Me How you don’t like this album.

As far as oldies go, it doesn’t get much better. Reminds me of my time slanging ice cream cones at the old Scoop Shop.

Sounds a little dated and a little cheesy, but shit it's rock 'n roll from the 50s. 3.5 stars...rounding up for the history/influence.

Als Weezer een nummer over je maakt, dan weet je dat je best een goede artiest bent (al heeft hij dat nooit geweten). Wijze sound, wijs album 4.1

Classic and great album

I think even without historical context this album holds up. It's 14 songs with an average length of 2 minutes per song so it goes by like a punk record except for couple slow songs. Billy Holly's vocals hold up and are still interesting and pleasing to listen to. I listened to this album 3 times and I enjoyed it way more than I thought I would.

All but impossible to rate this album less than ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ without coming off like a total idiot but here goes nothing. Why less than a perfect score for this great album? In short there are better ways to be introduced to Buddy Holly's music in 2025. The best way is to buy or stream a copy of 20 Golden Greats (also known as Buddy Holly Lives) that came out 20 years after his untimely death in 1958. It was my introduction to Buddy Holly as a child (I was 8 or 9- I think) and it has his absolute best work & really the only Buddy Holly album you will ever need unless he becomes your favorite recording artist (and there are many that consider him to be the best that ever was in Rock N Roll) then get your hands on 'The "Chirping" Crickets and his three studio albums - it's all great stuff. Anyways, if I was rating this before 1978 this album would get 5/5 but Buddy Holly is too important to BS around with and IMO suggesting you get this album over 20 Golden Greats is some elitist crap as I'm not pointing to his greatest work contained on one album. Now I know Rockers whose interest in Rock N Roll ends with Holly's death (certainly by the end of the decade) in which case get this one (Chirping Crickets) first but anyone reading this that is in the Rockabilly scene knows this so maybe I should get to the point & hit COMMENT. That was not easy & I had to force the words out of my head but the above are my honest thoughts just not expressed as well as I wish I could.

Yeah I can see why he was such a big deal.

Classic, rock and roll.. with glasses. Buddy Holly and the Crickets have influenced pretty much any band that came after them. One of the 1st example of four guys playing their own songs. Buddy looking super nerdy, and indie and alternative.. even starting punk rock with his energy and angst in songs like "Oh Boy". This album with distortion and protest lyrics, could be The Clash. The Beatles, got inspiration for a name, The Beach Boys for the harmonies, Weezer for their single and record cover, Elvis Costello for the nerdy look, and any other 4 member-group in one way or another. A Fender and a Gibson on the cover, it's a declaration of principles which still in 2025 is the norm in rock. Actually the Fender Stratocaster in the cover was 1st released just 3 years before this record. All done before turning 22 years old. RIP Buddy !! gone too soon

Oh! I love Buddy Holly. It's a shame that he passed away so young and that we didn't get a shit ton more music from him. I really enjoyed this album, I listened while I was doing other things. Buddy Holly and the Crickets were masters at what was a new genre, rock and roll. I have a deep and everlasting love of "Oh Boy," "Don't Fade Away," "That Will Be the Day," and "Send Me Some Lovin'." The rhythm guitar on this record I think was the highlight for me, other than the songs that I love.

Such great fun youthful energy. The spirit of early rock and roll. A little bit rockabilly, a little bit doo-wop . The slower songs are not my favorites, but I do think to be fair the context of how new rock was needs to be taken into account. What a gorgeous voice! Sad we didn’t have this talent with us longer.

Solid album, but it's definitely from my dad's generation. I wouldn't put it on repeate, but it's a 4/5.

Bra grejer!

Quite fun! Not perfect because I think this album shined on its hits for me and had some filler. Definitely better than Elvis tho, this was more exciting 50s.

Lovely! Sweet and oldie goldie.

Classic early rock and roll sound. Still holds up to this day. You can tell why they where as popular as they where

# Album Name: Chirping Crickets # Artist: Buddy Holly # Rating: 4 # Comments: Pretty good rock n roll album. It does dwindle in areas but theres a few good tracks on this one. Some of the album has definitely dated for sure. I'd give it a low 4. # Top Tunes: Oh boy / fade away / maybe baby / that'll be the day # Would I listen to it again? Parts of it

This was a really fun listen, capturing the spirit of early rock and roll with some rockabilly twang. It’s cool to know this album helped shape the sound of rock and roll during its formative years.

I knew some of these songs but never thought to give a full listen.. I preferred the rockabilly tracks more than the sappy lovesick ballads, but as a selection from the 50s that was kinda the style. A shame that the world lost Buddy Holly at such a young age, would have been interesting to see how his music adapted with changing styles! 3.75/5

Ok

It may seem like a musical artifact to modern ears, but you wouldn't have modern pop/rock sensibilities without Buddy Holly and the enormous influence Buddy Holly and his Crickets had on The Rolling Stones, The Beatles, and so many other acts that have had an influence on any vocal popular music. It would have been quite interesting to see his evolution as an artist had he lived to die of old age instead of a plane crash. Something tells me he would have turned into a studio/equipment nerd like Les Paul.

The hits are all-timers, and I can sing along in my sleep to those, while the rest of the album felt less essential.

Hard to be objective about something that has become part of the social background. That said, it became part of the background because it has been continuously judged to be worth listening to.

Lost too soon. I enjoy 50's rock in limited doses and this is one of the better albums.

As much as I say I don’t like old rock and roll this is a good album with catchy songs

Great sound pretty different in context when it came out. Good guitar playing and harmonies. Short amd simple lyrics well sang with good backing harmonies. Just outdated with time

Short album but quite good. rip Buddy Holly

It'd be interesting to know what the staying power of Buddy Holly would have been had he not died. He was off to such a strong start, but - at the same time - this album sounds a bit like they're trying to impersonate Elvis. Granted, they started so close together that it's probably hard to say that either one was ripping the other off. Still, this is a classic album.

a dozen short songs that have held the test of time

Solid old rock and roll

So many absolute classics here. Buddy Holly was so unique for his time and his lasting legacy on music during and after the 50s cannot be understated. I didn't come to this site for Rock & Roll from the 50s, but I am glad I heard this album again after 30 or so years. Timeless.

Didnt know that not fade away was a Buddy Holly song

Buddy holly holds up

So many classics, such sparse instruments

A very good album. I’d listen to this multiple times

I rate Not fade away a 2 star because the aototune is bad and i don't like country music. I rate that will be the day a 4 star because i've listend to this song before and i liked it. I rate oh boy a 3 star because the tempo is good and i dont really like country .

I like this song because iv heard it before, it's cool. I like the sound of their voice and the instruments in the background. I like the vocals in the background too and the lyrics are nice. I think the lyrics are cute and very my style. I would recommend this to other people.

Do you want to listen to a song that has a lot of guitar? well in Not Fade Away you can! I rate it ⭐⭐⭐⭐. I recommend this song. Do you want to listen to some music with a bit more singing then usual? Well in That Will Be The Day you can! I rate this song ⭐⭐⭐⭐. I recommend this song. Do you want to listen to some music that has a lot of drums? Well in Oh Boy! you can! I rate it ⭐⭐⭐. I kind of recommend it.

The people on the cover look scary. I thought "Not fade away" was nice. The instrumentation was simple yet sounded good. I didn't care too much about the lyrics. "That'll Be The Day" was good, I liked the music and the lyrics were okay. "Oh Boy!" was great. The music was much more upbeat and fun. I might recommend this album. It's pretty good.

Great and short album. Especially if you consider how old it is and how many following artists it must have influenced.

So fun! Packed with classics. The sound, while simple, is just irresistible.

Simple and easy

A historically important moment for the music industry. 2 guitars, multitracking were innovative for the time. The fat double bass and the loose snare drum made “rock and roll” a sound. All the songs are short and catchy for optimal radio play. Buddy Holly had a unique sound and a big personality. This is the model the music industry mimicked for decades.

White rock n roll in its rawest form. And damn fine it is too.

This album was a blast.

Dated sounding but great song writing and enjoyable. The opening track sets the mood and is a great, catchy starter. Probably would only listen again when I’m on the mood to re live the 50s

I have several Buddy Holly albums, but not this one! Excellent.

Classic rock and roll, some amazing songs on there too

Not for me, but it is interesting to hear music that people used to consider popular.

Really great early rock and roll. Easy to see why he was so popular, and why his early death was so tragic.

Really enjoyed the somgs that Buddy was the writer or Norman Petty and not so much on the songs written by Roy Orbison and the others. It would have been interesting to hear how he would have evolved had he lived a longer life. Didn’t realize Buddy wrote “Not Fade Away”

Way before my time and I guess I have to thank Hollywood, because listening to this makes me think of people dancing and having a good time.

Obviously it's dated, but the songs are still really great. Factor in how influential it was to the music I love and I have to go with a strong 4.

Good old school 50's rock and roll! A musical career cut far too short.

Oh hell yeah, this was fun! Short and sharp. It’s been ages since I went back to the beginnings of (the white knock-off version of) rock and roll. Buoyant and classic hops! The Crickets sound QUITE old-fashioned, but charmingly so. Always worth a revisit.

Great album! Really delightful

Influential. Classic. That’ll be the day, not fade away, oh boy. 4.3/5

Still a magnificent album after almost 70 years. Yes it's very of the time, but also quite forward for 1957. But what really cooks is the set of songs on here, "Oh, Boy!", "Not Fade Away", "Maybe Baby", "Tell Me How", and "That'll Be The Day" still simmer and shine in a 50s rock and roll vibe. Though I've only had this particular album a few years, I've had The Buddy Holly Collection compilation all my life starting with my dad's cassette copy. His music is timeless to me, an something I never get tired of. As far as this album side one absolutely cooks for me, but after "That'll Be The Day" it does seems to trail off. Holly didn't write any of the final four songs. (though "Empty Cup" was written by Roy Orbison, as well as "You've Got Love" on side one) 9.5 ★★★★½

I think this is a super strong album, especially for the 1950s, when most artists were really singles focused. My chief complaint about it (also a complaint from the band) is the overly intrusive backing vocals from the Picks. I understand that was somewhat of a style at the time, but it's just overwhelming on about half the songs. Apparently, there's a reissue from a couple of years ago called the Alternative Chirping Crickets which scraps them. Still, there's some great songs here -- Not Fade Away, Oh Boy, That'll Be the Day, Maybe Baby, Looking for Someone to Love are all standouts. 4 stars.

All time classic album. You can hear where so many have taken influence from it.

Av tacksamhet för deras historiska betydelse och för fantastiska sång insatser: en fyra.

Listening to Buddy Holly felt so comforting in a way. He was very influential in the 50’s and I can see why. He had a beautiful voice.

Super tough to give an honest rating on this album due to the time period. It feels like a classic and defining rock and roll album.

Never actually listened to a Buddy Holly album before. This was better than I expected.

The Chirping Crickets is pure rock 'n' roll history. It’s short, sweet, and packed with that early, innocent energy that helped shape everything that came after. Buddy Holly's voice is smooth, the songwriting is catchy, and the band keeps things tight without ever overdoing it. Sure, by today’s standards some of it might feel a little dated, but there's a charm here that still works. Songs like "That’ll Be the Day" and "Not Fade Away" are classics for a reason. RIP Buddy — gone way too soon, but left behind a debut that still holds up.

This was a lot of fun! I keep thinking I need to listen to some Buddy Holly albums to round out my music history education, and here we are. The best part of these songs is that you can sing along the first time if you just do the echo parts. Oh Boy!, Not Fade Away, Maybe Baby, That'll Be The Day, and Send Me Some Lovin' were the highlights for me. Not something I would listen to all the time but really quite enjoyable.

You know his sound immediately. The intro chords to "Oh Boy!" are instantly recognizable. The sound is dated but it's Mt Rushmore level stuff in the history of Rock & Roll. The album is loaded with hits that stand the test of time and have been covered many times. "Oh Boy!", "Not Fade Away", "Maybe Baby" & the massive "That'll Be The Day". This is where rock started, it should be revered and enjoyed. Even the filler songs are enjoyable, "It's Too Late" was great and so perfect for the times. It's 1957 so nothing rocks super hard, it's all formulaic but that was the sound, it's still very catchy. Bye Bye American Pie! This was a fun album to listen to, never would have done it on my own. It deserves a spot on the T1001 for influence, longevity and hits.

How do you not like this? Classic sound, classic tracks.

Fun listen. I have to believe this was quite the new sensation in 1957. A bunch of classics and some nice songs I’d not heard before. Worth your time!

Enjoyed this. Good old-fashioned rock and roll. It sounds very tame to us these days, but it's good music.

Classic album with some good hits.

It's a short album full of catchy songs very much of its time. Probably a little dated now but I enjoyed it very much, Buddy's singing is excellent and the guitar solos are all very good. I'd imagine it was hugely influencial.

not what i expected but it was uplifting!

Fun, light, peppy.

Good album. A lot of classics on this album. Must listen for any rock person interested in the history of rock.

These songs are still brilliant and the vocals stunning. I'll listen to this again.

Several "classic" tracks the "fillers" aren't bad either. That'll be a 4.

This would have been revolutionary when it was first released. A lot of these tracks still hold up, a good collection of songs

Some classics on this album, with That’ll Be The Day a personal favourite 4/5

Respect

Good old Rock’n’Roll

This album was kind of a fun listen, Reflective of a simpler time, if only from a musical perspective. Buddy Holly does deserve his place in early rock'n'roll history.

A classic. Dated to be sure but it's place in history is cemented to be sure. My dad used to listen to records from the 50s and this felt like a warm blanket. Not something is listen to regularly. But fun to visit.

I have never listened to this before, but I recognized 3 songs, Oh Boy, Maybe Baby, and That'll Be the Day. They are catchy songs. This was probably a lot different than typical music in the 50's. Knowing the influence Holly had, it's easy to hear it on the album. Definitely worth listening to. This was the only album released by Buddy Holly and the Crickets while Buddy Holly was alive. He did release two other solo albums which were also popular. The quantity and quality of music he probably inspired is amazing. Holly has been cited as an influence to artists like Bob Dylan, the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton, Bruce Springsteen, Elton John, Elvis Costello, and others. Truly a groundbreaking artist and all before he died at 22.

Really liked it , there where actually a lot of songs I knew and it was strong with The Beach Boys vibe

Really enjoyable, can hear the influence on early Beatles a great deal. A fun and important early rock n roll record

I honestly don't see how you can hate this music. It's just so catchy.

Fun classic. Buddy will be missed.

Quite surprised how much I enjoyed this. I was aware how influential Buddy Holly was in the early development of rock 'n' roll and the very fundamentals of what a rock band is and looks like. I thought the music might be a bit silly but it's not really, for 1957 it sounds pretty cool

I struggled with this one. Impact is probably a 5. My enjoyment closer to a 3. I did appreciate his guitar skills and can see how he influenced future guitarists.

Perky.

Second only to Chester

A wonderfully bright and simple album. It might seem primitive at times, but the template for generations of pop and rock music is laid out here. Fun, wholesome, and pretty impressive. Best song: Not Fade Away

Classic 50's! Buddy Holly was lost too soon.

A very pleasant classic

This was a really fun listen, capturing the spirit of early rock and roll with some rockabilly twang. It’s cool to know this album helped shape the sound of rock and roll during its formative years.