Chirping Crickets

Makes you think what greatness he could have achieved had lived long enough to fully develop/ mature as an artist...

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

Very influential and important, but not an album I am ever going to enjoy listening to.

short and sweet inoffensive badabop pop. ⭐️⭐️⭐️

fun harmonies, lively bops, a teeny bit demanding.

This style of music is easy to listen to, but has been used in so many horror movies that it has an eerie feeling these days. It's kind of torturous.

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

I was expecting this album would feel dated and that that was going to put me off a bit, but honestly it doesn’t feel nearly as dated as I was expecting and I actually really enjoyed it. This is some proper rock and roll and you can hear how this went on to influence so many musicians. Also, that album cover is hilarious. Looks like 4 proud dads showing off their newborn guitars.

I woke up in a rotten mood and didn't want to listen to this. I'm so glad I did! It's poppy and sentimental without being sappy. I needed a break from the heaviness of my reality and this was a nice respite. It's a fun album and I can imagine it was fire in the 50s when it came out. I can only HOPE to find this on vinyl in the wild!

This 50s rockabilly style of music can have a certain charm to it, but it’ll never be something that inspires much enthusiasm in me. Likewise, this was kind of fun at best. Probably better than Elvis, though, and blessedly short.

Buddy Holly is actually that good.

This is such an historic album. Lots of classic tunes that influenced others that followed. Liked Songs Added: Oh Boy! Maybe Baby That'll Be The Day

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.

I don't care if people think it's dated or now too far from what music is now, Buddy Holly paved the way for so much music to come and we don't realise how special and new his sound was. The bloody Beatles are called The Beatles because of they carried on the bug theme from The Crickets. 'Not Fade Away' has been covered numerous times, The Stones even saying it was what got them together in the first place. So we owe a lot to Buddy but more than that I still love listening to his music. I feel you can here the newness of the instruments and the rhythm, like they are just discovering this sounds for themselves and excited for it too. I love Buddy's voice in 'Its Too Late' when he seems to lean away from the microphone, I don't know why I love that but I feel I can just imagine it more and I JUST LOVE BUDDY HOLLY.

Buddy Holly will always get five stars from me. RIP

Great harmonies. Classic 50’s

Thank you so much. I'd give this album 10 stars if I could. This is more like it.

Without the album The Beatles would sound totally different. Incredible.

inconsistent. 3

Very short, but very catchy, very cool!

Love buddy Holly

What a voice, only album released, actually wrote Oh boy Not fade away That will be the day

I think part of my problem with this list is that you have albums by artists who were highly influential. And so maybe it’s that you HAVE to listen to these albums because of how important they were in changing music. But at the end of the day, it still has to be good of its own merit, regardless of what it sounded like contextually. With all that said, this album is good, but simple. 3/5

Loved it.

Timeless

Objectively good, not my thing.

ooo wee oo

I love a short album, so that is a plus already. Even very dated ones like this one.

it’s got a lot of charm attached to it. it’s not as fast paced or loud as i like my rock music from this era, but it’s still a nice listen. just like the other album, it’s charming to listen to. but, even if it’s the 50s, please sing about something else not just love🙏

-missing solos -def a product of the time

I suddenly feel like I ought to slick my hair back, grab my letterman jacket, and take my best gal down to the sock hop. Maybe first we swing by the Five and Dime to split a cherry Coke and bag of penny candy before cuttin’ a righteous rug under the gymnasium lights. Lay it on me, daddy-o! 5/5 Highlights: Oh Boy! That’ll Be The Day I’m Lookin’ For Someone To Love Send Me Some Lovin’ Rock Me My Baby

Primo

A glimpse at what could have been. Some won’t like this, but then again I don’t like a lot of stuff either, so to each his own. We’re not worthy Buddy.

Some great 50s pop songs on this. Probably not one I'll revisit much myself, but I can certainly see how this was a huge influence on bands at the time

We need more of this! Even the sad songs are chipper and bright. Unexpected little gem.

The real shame here is that this doesn't contain either of the two sides of the monster single "Peggy Sue" / "Everyday", recorded the following year. If it had those two songs, this album would contain every Buddy Holly song you'd ever need (well, I guess there's also "It's So Easy"). What is my point? I guess this one of those "almost but not quite a Greatest Hits" albums, and there are really only about three or four songs on here I really love, out of twelve, so, just considered objectively as an half hour's listen to Buddy Holly it leaves me a little frustrated, but that's not really a valid knock against it as an album. It's hugely important! He's an immortal early rock legend!

Great stuff

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

Wasn’t really interested didn’t even make it through

Can you believe this is 68years old?????

No es un tipo de música que escuché por gusto. Es un estilo trillado y todas las canciones tienen letras cliché sobre amor y desamor. La calidad de grabación está bastante bien para la época, pero fluctúa entre tema y tema. Como aspectos positivos puedo decir que la música está bien ejecutada, sobre todo el trabajo de voces y los solos de guitarra. Además trabajaron una buena variedad de atmósferas, no era solo rock & roll, como varios álbumes de esa época, también hay doo wop y baladas, lo cual genera una buena experiencia de escucha, sumado a que la duración del álbum es corta.

Nice glasses, nerd.

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

A fun listen, but felt like repetitive and surprisingly lewd (relative to the 50-60s) love songs. Not much special with lyrics, instrumentals were decent.

Love this!

I enjoy Buddy Holly but the more you listen the more it sounds the same.

4*

Didn’t like this very much. Very samey all the way through. Not offensive to the ears but I did get bored multiple times. Saved a few tracks to try again some day though

Очень приятный рок-н-ролл альбом, хоть я и не любитель рок-н-ролла, но я даже не заметил как закончился альбом

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.

No es mi estilo

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.

It’s alright if you’re into that kinda thing. 5/10 because I am not really 1/09/2025

Buddy Holly’s appeal has always confused me, locked in a time and place, celebrated perhaps more for what was lost than what he achieved. otoh geeky white guy who rocks is more or less the objective for indie rock. Holy shit a minor chord! E 7th! And then there’s the Beatles. So, massively influential for a variety of bands to come in this list, forever preserved in rock n roll amber. Which I mispelled as ember first.

You wouldn’t necessarily pin this as the predecessor of Rock, but the bones are there if you know to look. The arrangements are rudimentary by modern standards, though there are some flashes of brilliance. The slower tracks with an emphasis on harmonization are the strengths imo. Listened to: walking through Prospect Park. Favorite tracks: Maybe Baby, Tell Me How, Last Night

This was a fun, charming album. Really enjoyable and the perfect length. It's old-timey love songs all around and just feels like music you would see couples dancing in their living room to in the old movies. Really enjoyed this one, but I wouldn't call it an album I NEED to listen to.

Happy and short!

Old timey

🏄

Lack of variety made this a long 25 minutes

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⭐️

Starts with 2 great songs, then some filler, and ends with a couple of great songs. The filler is not too bad. It has more variety than the pure rock 'n roll artists like Little Richard or Jerry Lee Lewis. It's tame for rock 'n roll and wild for crooner music. I can imagine it hit the sweet spot for a lot of people. Favorite song: not fade away

#106/1001. 12 songs, 26 minutes. Is this the Ramones? Well, at least makes me understand the Ramones better. Glad to hear more stuff from the 50s, but where is Little Richard and Chuck Berry? I guess coming up later. This is quite a polished version of the raw power which was out there at that time.

At first I felt I wouldn't like this album, but it pleasantly surprised me. It had that old classic rock vibes which was good for nostalgia, but unfortunately it wasn't much more then that. I also felt somewhat unexplainably a sense of country music in it, but maybe it was just the lyrics. What I didn't like however is the repetitiveness in both lyrics and style, but I can't go over the fact that this album came out almost 70 years ago and music then and now are completely different. My favourite song was Rock Me My Baby. I would rate this album a flat 3/5 just out of respect for that era of music, but in this day and age I don't think I would be surprised if someone around my age would consider this album bad.

Very revolutionary for being a 1950’s album for sure - pretty well mixed as well, nothing id ever listen to again but something I’m glad to hear!

A sweet nice 50s album that is quite basic compared to more modern albums but still has its nice essences. Really appreciate the run time.

Meh

it was okay, just your average 50s album but with some bangers

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.

Didn't love this but totally get how groundbreaking this music is.

I can absolutely see shades of this album in current surf/garage artists. I like it but probably won’t be revisiting it a ton.

The hiccupping yodelling thing is funny. All very pleasant all very BASIC.

This album is delightful. Not fantastic or anything, but always gonna make me smile.

Not for me

Good

Tienen mucho mérito como pioneros del rock and roll.

Great album!

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

Old rock is a good vibes feel. Feels foundational.

4/10

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.

This one has all the songs you would know. I'd need to be in the mood, but it's pretty good for that time/sound.

A bunch of classics on here but the rest are just ok. I much prefer the upbeat ones to the ballads.

The mix is so soft, particularly the drums. You can really hear the room it was recorded in, quite reverby. I imagine this would have been considered hard rock when it was released. He has a lot of character to his voice and add some really nice texture with the squeaks and odd vocalizations. The structures of all of the songs is really predictable and there is a bit of a lack of variety between the songs. Some really fun backing vocals in maybe baby. The songs are all really short. I thought shorter songs was a recent thing but it seems the 3.5 minute song is a more recent feature. It's not really to my taste but I can hear all of the influences and I expect I would have enjoyed it in it's time. Rock me my baby was a great track. Excellent guitar rif

Un aire muy festivo, tiene un poco de country y combina muy bien la voz con los instrumentos, muchas canciones cortas se disfrutan más que pocas canciones largas. A nivel de la tercera canción ya se aprecia la variabilidad dentro del álbum, it's the first song a gay anthem? ^°^

Fine Bland Fine

A classic. Not much more to say really.

Genre: Rockabilly An album your grandma would’ve loved (or dubbed sacrilege), Buddy Holly’s first album is charming, inoffensive, and totally prehistoric. Adorable, in fact. I know the kiddies must’ve loved this, and I know so many were inspired by the fact he wrote a lot of his own material, but it’s so dated that it truly can only serve as a classic example of what the late-1950s sounded like. Sweet record. 3/5

RIP!

This album was enjoyable to listen to because of the familiar hits. The rest fit in nicely and I enjoyed the listening experience. Its not making me want to go out and but the album or dig into his back catalogue of records. Buddy Holly is one of those artists for me that I enjoy if its on, but thats about it. 3.5 stars

Some catchy classics

Not to my taste

It's enjoyable and I'm sure groundbreaking for it's time, but is clearly dated.

Well this is sort of delightful in a PBS story of pop music kind of way, and while undeniably important in the lineage, I can't imagine anyone rocking out to this on its own terms rather than for nostalgia sake.

Ok

Not my style at all.

It's bit funny how the songs on this album are new style rock'n'roll music (new style in 1957 that is), but the background singers definitely tie this to the past. But i guess that's the way how musical evolution works. Not really music that's on my daily playlist, but this is such an influential album in the rock'n'roll history. Bands like The Beatles and Rolling Stones were hugely inspired by this music and we all know where it went from there.

Cheerful and nice. Not much to say.

This is so hard to listen.

eh

So many classics and a breakthrough in rock n roll.

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.

Listenable.

Meh, it’s a fine album if you’re into this sort of era of music. However, to me, most of the songs sound indistinguishable from one another, and the backing vocals are pervasive and jarring. I do very much like “It’s Too Late” and “That’ll Be The Day”, though. Maybe I'm just too young for this sound, I don't know.

Songs are very similar to that beech wave style. The songs are also all about the same thing. Partner also said they are creepy songs about man wanting women.

The album is sweet and simple

The thing I've struggled with most in going back and listening to older music is the Seinfeld effect - I don't have context for what music was like *before* classic albums came out so I can't appreciate that innovation for what it is. I just hear it and go "oh, that sounds like a lot of other music I've heard." Definitely simple on the lyrics, but when every song makes me subconsciously tap my foot and move my body, I know Buddy Holly tapped into something *primal*

...

That was incredibly underwhelming

Fun bops, reminds me of stuff my mom loved. She introduced my oldest to Buddy Holly in the early 90s, which is weird because it would be like introducing someone today to music from the early 90s.

Pleasant enough. Classic for certain, but I'd have to be in the mood for it

Good oldies!

Happy and light music!

genre: country-ish vocal: 2/10 instrument: 2/10 lyric: no idea

I enjoy 50s but the songs kinda blur together by sounding so similar.

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.

Great album! Deserves to be on the list twice.

Good Rock a Billy music

Banger

Pretty good for the oldies!

I tried

Fine.

not bad.

Old rock and roll has a country type feel. Seems good so far

Joa is okay, aber nicht so meins

An absolute classic. Listening to this album makes smile. - 5⭐ “The Chirping Crickets” is an album that influenced a generation of music that immediately followed Rock 'N' Roll. Yes, for some new listeners coming to this album fresh, and used to modern production standards, it will sound dated or even a little twee in places, but this needs to be put into context. Released in 1957, if one listens carefully to the way the songs are arranged, performed and even produced, it is years ahead of its time. That's remarkable, given the technology available when this was recorded. “The Chirping Crickets” contains four absolute bangers, hits of the day. The remaining songs are very good to excellent, two are written by Roy Orbison. Just listen to some of the guitar playing, it is quite fantastic. Buddy Holly’s song writing is melodic and original, while the Crickets perform each song with great energy and musicianship. Would I listen to this album again? Yes. Would I buy this album? Yes, I did. 1- "Oh, Boy!" - An absolute gem of a song. Buddy Holly's vocals have a slight rasp. Joyous. The "dum-dee-dum-dum" piece of the chorus is dated but in a cute way. This was risqué for the day. - 5 2- "Not Fade Away" - Much covered. Years ahead of its time. Wonderful. The percussion is superb with its Bo Diddley beat. - 5 3- "You've Got Love" - A sweet, melodic song. Mid Tempo. This demonstrates Holly's vocal abilities. Lovely arrangement. Written by Roy Orbison! - 4 4- "Maybe Baby" - An absolute classic. A masterclass in song writing, written by Holly. The song has a great shuffling rhythm. The guitars are great. - 5 5- "It's Too Late" - A much covered song. This is a fine arrangement. The chorus and actually the whole song is wonderfully arranged. - 5 6- "Tell Me How" - The guitar lines are sharp and and inventive. Again, written by Holly and brilliantly arranged. - 5 7- "That'll Be the Day" (May 27, 1957 Brunswick version) - A stone cold classic. Iconic. Wonderful guitar solo, in 1957! This song became a chart-topping hit and was a catalyst for the burgeoning rock movement. You may not like Buddy Holly, but a music lover should sure as hell appreciate him. - 5 8- "I'm Looking for Someone to Love" - The guitar on this is brilliant. -4 9- "An Empty Cup (And a Broken Date)" - Another Roy Orbison song. -4 10- "Send Me Some Lovin'" - 4 11-"Last Night" - 4 12-"Rock Me My Baby" - A great way to close the album. - 5 Total - 55 Average - 4.58

Nothing crazy, a little boring.

I just don’t like 50’s music (besides Sinatra) although this isn’t too bad.

5/10

RIP Buddy Holly, but this isn't an album I need to hear again tbh

Grandspas' guitars

Like it’s 50s rock and roll, not much to say just average to me. 3 stars

Pleasant enough album to listen while sipping my morning coffee. I had only listened to Buddy Holly’s first solo album before that, The Crickets were a first for me. I didn’t know they had such a huge influence on the Beatles ; and to be honest, I didn’t really feel it while listening, they sound miles behind the Beatles. It’s a bit hard for me to enjoy that kind of music the way people enjoyed it 70 years ago. The singing sound really dated, I feel it hasn’t aged as well as some other bands. I only really got into it by the end of the album, and I kind of liked "Last Night". I’d give it 3* for the (limited) fun it brought me, the super nostalgic vibe and the historical value.

I accept the argument that this stuff is important to the evolution of music but I don't feel compelled to listen to this all the way through. Maybe I'll get around to it someday and regret not spending more time with it but I seriously doubt that.

Was fine.

weezer reference

Pretty cool if you want to feel like you have been transported back in time for half an hour but I didn’t really connect on a musical level.

Meh. It’s ok. History and all.

Oo-ee-oo this sounds just like Buddy Holy

eh

6.9/10

I’ve always enjoyed Buddy Holly’s classics like Oh Boy, but I’d never listened to a full album—until now. I was looking forward to diving into The "Chirping" Crickets, and it didn’t disappoint. The album kicks off with Oh Boy and Not Fade Away, two of my all-time favourite tracks. From the start, it’s clear why Buddy Holly is considered one of the founding fathers of rock and roll. Chirping Crickets is tight, melodic, and immaculately produced. The love songs are simple but beautifully written, full of catchy harmonies and charm. There’s a warmth and precision to the performances that still holds up today. This album is not just enjoyable—it’s historically important, and it absolutely deserves its place on any essential albums list. Favourite track: Oh Boy – a classic pop-rock anthem that’s hard to beat. Least favourite: An Empty Cup felt a little flat for me. Album artwork: Classic '50s/'60s style. Their smiles are... intense, and I’m not convinced those suits were made to measure!

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

Love love Buddy Holly

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.

Même si je sais que c'est un être méprisable, la musique de Buddy Holly me met toujours de bonne humeur... Les rythmes sont si joyeux, il fait bien le pont entre les sérénades et le rock'n'roll.

A foundational album that seems to draw love it or lothe it opinions on here. I’m in the middle. I can appreciate the shortness of the album at 25 minutes. I can also appreciate that this is the foundational rock and roll album. However, that doesn’t get away from the fact that the it is quite pedestrian. Whilst it’s 25 minutes it could easily be an extended play of one track as they all sound the same. 3/5 stars.

I wish the music had died sooner

My (late) step granfather based his entire personality on Buddy Holly and coerced me as a 15 year old to play bass in a Buddy Holly tribute night at our local pub. I can't be objective about this. They all sound the same but it's fun.

Good old fashioned rock & roll. Solid 3/5

Another album that, while not painful to listen to, fails to capture my interest.

Has a few recognisable tunes but is quite dated. One of the issues with simply listening to albums is that they end up removed from their context. This is especially the case with dance music I think but I felt that was the case here too. You can hear how it was made for 1950s dance halls and it doesn't have quite the same impact almost 70 years later when at home. You can also hear how the early elements of rock and roll and developing - there are short guitar solos for instance, but compared to what happens in the 1960s it lacks the technical skill and imagination of what comes later. Not his/their fault of course but in the end it's like listening to a museum piece.

Twas ok

It was fine for heading down memory land but it did not hold up over time.

Early albums are weird and difficult to rate. This has some classic, formative songs on it. "Oh Boy," "That'll be the Day," stuff like that. Sonic wallpaper for those of us over 35. I'll probably never go out of my way to hear these songs again, but I won't mind if they're on somewhere. 2.5 rounded up.

5/10

26 minutes of pure bangers. Buddy Holly really was one of the best to ever do it

Perfection!!!

What a blast! Love this album and these guys. What a loss. Comparable to losing SRV.

Really nice ploenkieploenk

I'm sure it's been relevant at some point in history

snore

Classic recognisable songs. OG rock

#117 - Not very memorable but of it's time I guess

The famous songs were the best

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

nice if that's your thing

Pretty perfect collection of timeless. simple brilliance, full of crisp, memorable melodies.

Always meant to give Buddy Holly a listen. Pretty enjoyable.

Gosh, music has evolved in the last 70 years. I found this to be a bit too simplistic and the songs all look alike, nothing like the amazing jazz coming from this era. The songs sounded very alike and I thought is wasn't very interesting.

Okay. Lyrics are too simp-ee. Just makes me want to listen to Elvis.

Rating: 3.3 Lighthearted, easy listening. Candy in musical form. I really would have liked to see where he went from here. I also understand that albums were typically shorter in this era but I felt like it was over before it started.

Very much showing its age; probably a 5/5 when it came out but for me today, 2/5

It was interesting. I can tell it's a Foundational Record for pop music. That being said, it wasn't a super great listen (outside of the big hit Wake Up Little Suzie.)

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.

Super meloso otra vez. Todo el rato letras rollo, te quiero mucho amor, te quiero te amo. Callate por favor. Musicalmente tampoco tiene mucha cosa, lo cual lo hace bastante aburrido. Lo bueno que solo dirá 25 minutos.

Dreamlike songs. Standards in a lot of cases. Whenever buddy holly is mentioned only his demise is uppermost. It should really be this album. Although it fades a bit towards the end. Oh boy, not fade away, that'll be the day are the best 3 songs holly recorded.

Type of early rock that sounds the same as all other early rock albums.

Pleasant little album. 3.5 for my enjoyment, as there have been better albums, more for historical value - that's a crazily early album!

Un álbum muy interesante, pero sin duda, en mi opinión, es un género para bailar, no para escuchar sentado desde casa

Pop in it's simplest form

Great! Perfect!

Its fine for 1950s rock, but the sound is pretty simple

Short and enjoyable

Decent 50's do-op. I'm glad we've lost the jangle since then.

Yeah this is good, bit of filler but the highs are high.

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.

The record is good, but it just feels like old, generic music that has aged since 1957. There were really good songs, don’t get me wrong. I just feel as though a lot of the music from the 50s has this feeling about it, so it’s just a generational thing.

"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.

let's go to the sock hop! 3.5

While I appreciate the artistry and musicianship of this album and group, this is not music I would ever choose to seek out for a listen.

That'll be the day is a tune but otherwise sounds dated for me. 2.5

There are some amazing classics/singles on here, but it doesn’t really feel like an album per se. and this doesn’t affect the rating, but these dudes look like middle aged bankers (not so much Buddy Holly). The singles are important, but I wouldn’t rank this as a whole album worth listening to.

Sounds similar to Elvis Presley, who I absolutely love!

Fabulous so enjoyed this. ❤️

*Classic Buddy Holly *Fun listen, but wouldn’t listen again unless it happened to be on. RATING - 6/10

1. Oh Boy! - 10 Great song with a great sound and even better lyrics. Really good song that you can't help but vibe and swing with. Just a masterpiece. 2. Not Fade Away - 2 Complete difference from the first track. The instruments unnecessarily pause between each line of the verse, are way too repetitive, and the background vocals are completely soulless. 3. You've Got Love - 1 Horrible bubblegum music. 4. Maybe Baby - 6 A better song than the previous too. Much better flow with the instruments and vocals with a decent chorus and verses. The verses are pretty short and there's not a lot to the song outside of them but it's not terrible either. 5. It's Too Late - 5 You're average love song about a girl upping and leaving a relationship and the sequential missing of that girl. Decent overall but it hasn't stood the test of time. 6. Tell Me How - 6 Instrumentally a decent song and you get a better glimpse at the vocal range and talent of Buddy Holly on this track. Ending is a bit weak. 7. That'll Be The Day - 8 Solid track. Instrumentally it's a lot stronger than the wishy-washy love songs that dominate a lot of the album. The background vocals add a lot of texture to the choruses. 8. I'm Looking For Someone To Love - 7 Good track. Guitar sounds great on this. Having previously gotten Elvis Presley's debut album, you definitely get the same vibe from this track. 9. An Empty Cup (And A Broken Date) - 1 Background vocals have way much more of a part on this track but it just feels out of place. Sometimes they lead the song, sometimes they don't, and sometimes the instrumentals drown them out. Lyrically the song is toothless.. It's a return to really bad bubblegum music. 10. Send Me Some Lovin' - 2 I'm not one for barbershop quartets and this exactly what the song sounds like. Way too much from the background vocals going on in this song, especially for how muted the instrumentals are at times. 11. Last Night - 2 The lyrics sound as if they're almost sung out of key and out of tempo with the instrumentals. Song starts with what is almost a prayer into another "miss you baby blue" style track. Nothing about it works. 12. Rock Me My Baby - 6 The drums so a lot of work for this song and they sound excellent. This is was more the swing type of rock and roll we've come to appreciate from the era. The final minute of the song is way better than the opening minute. Average Rating: 4.67 Adjusted to a 5-Point Scale: 2.34 Rounded Down: 2 Stars

Buddy Holly had a ton of potential, it would have been interesting to see what he would have done with more time.

OG rock and roll. Cleaner than a bar of soap. Super influential at the time, apparently, but today it just seems dated. The amazing thing is this is Buddy Holly’s only album and it has four seminal rock and roll songs. That’s an incredible output. What he could’ve done if he had lived past 21!

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

Although this is a good standalone rockabilly album on its own, I'm giving this 5 stars just for its historical significance. This album helped to usher in a new era of electric rock music that would change how songs were performed forever, and continues to have an influence to this day.

Foundations of a lot of music in the following decades. Still very listenable and some classic tracks.

A pleasant listen. Feels like a bunch of singles put together. Don't really have much else to say. I liked it!

Chirping is exactly right. I realize it's historic, seminal rock 'n roll, but it's also not really good, either.

Not bad

An influential classic that I can enjoy (I may be biased by Mr. VanDeusen's influence). I mean, there wouldn't be a Beatles without Buddy.

Classic Rock n Roll. Nuff said legendary.

Desconozco del rock and roll clásico y este disco me pareció un buen acercamiento, Oh boy! es mi favorita y la guitarra en looking for someone to love es muy cool

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!

Excellent music for its time. But the 50s had lower standards. There are a few genuinely great songs here, including the tongue-and-cheek cover Oh Boy!, the fast-paced blues number I'm Lookin' For Someone To Love (showing clear ties to Elvis), the poppy Maybe Baby... and, of course, That'll Be The Day, which was essentially the catalyst of the late-50s skiffle movement and the Beatles carrying the baton through to the 60s. The latter song is undeniably a solid composition and the biggest highlight of the album. But there are also some droopier songs that are only made listenable because of Buddy Holly's enormous influence. Tell Me How, An Empty Cup, Last Night... these just aren't that memorable. (But at least I can remember them sounding kind of good.) So what of the sound in general? Every element is just a little too simple for me to envision listening to the record more than once. Many of the tracks are simple late-50s blues-rock numbers, complete with 12-bar progressions that had undoubtedly exhausted listeners even back in the day. The production is quite bad – most obviously with the backing vocals, where you can practically hear the record fuzz whenever they come in. They're also not subtle at all – often loud enough to drown out the lead vocal – and occasionally a bit out of tune. The guitar has that classic jangly tone that every single electric guitar sounded like in the 50s/early-60s. There are very few musical liberties taken, not just sonically or instrumentally but also with melodies and harmonies. Melodies in these songs frequently bounce between the same two or three notes, which is fine in isolation but worth pointing out as a flaw when it happens throughout an entire LP. The chords progressions are generally either 12-bar blues, "Heart & Soul" (I-vi-IV-V) or (worst of all) bouncing between I and IV for the entire song. The beginning of the rock movement sometimes feels like a regress in musical progress, even if it did popularise the "guitar-guitar-bass-drums" setup. 3/5 Key tracks: Oh Boy!, That'll Be The Day, I'm Lookin' For Someone To Love

Easy five. I love these songs.

50s bebop. Some nice songs and some very familiar. Not Fade Away was the highlight. Lollipop Rock

So quick, so samey, but there's a rollicking funk to it. It presses onward without annoying.

A truly classic album. I remember listening to this a lot as a kid. It's infectious, nostalgic, and makes you feel transported to a specific period of history. The use of rockabilly mixed with more traditional rock and roll really comes through, and hints at the music that dominated the 1960's.

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.

Listen, I love me some country-pop from the 50s and 60s. I know Buddy was a pioneer and all that. But Cash was also doing country pop during the same time that comes across way more serious. This is kinda the bubblegum version. Still a very enjoyable listen but it’ll never be a favorite of the genre for me.

No crickets = no Beatles

It sure got old. But what a legacy!

Listening to this feels a bit like watching a football match from the 50s on TV. You can tell there was talent, but this is not that watchable anymore. “Maybe Baby” is basically “Love Me Do” before “Love Me Do” so credit where it’s due: Buddy helped invent pop and 2 mn long tracks. And those sweet little backing vocals? Valalala, vala, valalala… kind of charming, really! From the same era, Halley, Richard, Berry sound better to me. Good music for Christmas though.

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

"Oh Boy!"? Happy Pride! 3.

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

A pretty good album considering the time it was released in, but it feels like it aged a little poorly, as the lyrics are very superficial from a modern perspective and the production style just feels kind of corny.

10

Pretty fun album

Maybe I'm a no-nothing killjoy but this isn't doing anything for me it's just some fun sounds for kids. Idk im sure he was doing something cool at the time but I've never had strong feelings on Buddy Holly's Big Hitters so a full comp is like. Alright.

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

Pure genius. Groundbreaking sounds. Catchy as all hell. Beautiful vocal tone, pulling in the twang from rockabilly but not excessively. Just pure joy to listen to top to bottom. Masterful genre defining work.

Man these are short songs, 12 songs in 25 minutes. A few stood out at the beginning of the album, but overall not really a repeat listen for me.

nig nog

Fun pour sa valeur historique, (le son de l'époque, les premiers balbutiements des amplis à lampe qui crunch, tone de guit qui twang, la touch sur le drum), par contre pas de toune qui se démarque ou qui a un hook, sonnent toutes un peu similaire, souvent du 1-4-5

Lots of classics, some classic Quagmire giggidy goos.

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…

efeito borboleta: o paul foi no show do buddy em liverpool, ficou WOW e quis uma banda também. se não existisse buddy, não existiria beatles, logo, gostei do álbum.

really liked it!

buddy holly

its alright

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

This was so old fashioned I was honestly kind of bored by it. The songs are okay, but they all sound very similar to each other and aren't very sophisticated. I understand that's because it's the dawn of rock n roll, but l'm not judging it on historical significance.

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.

All love songs. One note throughout the album. Well done and talented. Great for the time period but not impactful now.

This was fun and I did enjoy it. I could tell instantly how influential this album has been for songwriting in the years and decades that followed it, with it's residual influence still heard today. The only drawback for me was how 'samey' the songs sounded, with the formulaic production and writing style making them all blend together a little. Love Buddy Holly's voice though, such a shame he died so young.

For years and years I have heard legends about the life and music of Buddy Holly. In my mind he became like a second coming of Elvis Presley, but much better. Once, I was stuck on a vacation with just one book - about Buddy Holly. So it's pretty funny in the hindsight that I have never heard any of his songs. And it was quite a shock to me that I actually can't stand this album. I forced myself to sit through thew whole thing, even though it's one of the shortest albums on the list. He had a tragic story, great name and awful music.RIP

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.

This was short. I’ll give it that.

Great album length and I actually quite enjoyed the music.

This was acceptable, easy to listen to, and wonderfully brief.

I get that this was influential and I don't dislike it but I just don't get it. I do wonder if Buddy would be so revered if he hadn't died so young and suddenly. 2.5 I guess but I'll round it up for him, he seemed like a nice young man.

25 minutes of awesomeness

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!

Nice enough

RIP to a real one.

Very cute. Very catchy. Feels like a lot of the same.

Montonazo de temas que he ido escuchando desde que nací Rollo rockabilly que me da buen rollo Le pongo un 6/10 en la escala wow

Classic rock n roll/rockabilly. Already know a few tracks Prefer the faster tracks to the ballad style songs Best new track - Not Fade Away 3 stars

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!

Enjoyed An Empty Cup and Last night. The slower songs allow the harmonies to shine more which I particularly enjoy from them!

Favoriten

Don't really like his voice, VERY standard 12 bar blues stuff but also exactly what I expected

I dunno. It's really good. Probably ripped shit when it came out. Buddy Holly has this oddly sweet voice. I'd take this over Elvis for sure, but would probably still choose to listen to other stuff.

Energetic and chirpy. A light, fun classic that you can’t take too seriously.

It's hard to hate an album this good. The Crickets were the launching pad for Buddy Holly and while at times it may sound dated this is the stuff that made rock and roll so great. Total classic

super interesting album, not up my street but I did enjoy my time listening to it

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

Walks the line between skiffle and bubblegum pop. Two minute tracks that do their thing and end rather unceremoniously, usually on a fade out. Simple songs of love with Buddy the prototype Milhouse / Moss nerd up front doing that rockabilly thing where they add loads of extra syllables and double up the guitar and kick drum with them. The backing vocals are glorious: Beach Boys if you bought them from Wish. This stuff is a bit basic, but it was the foundation that everything from SOPHIE to Cannibal Corpse is now built upon. Full marks for the lads.

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

Fine for nostalgia but not something I'd listen to for more than a couple minutes

Easy listening but I wouldn’t listen again through choice.

Everyone needs to hear this!

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.

Hard to rate older albums sometimes but this one didn’t land. Just ok.

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.

This was fun. More songs than I realized I knew.

1. I prefer The “Hopping” Grasshoppers 2. Don’t expect whats on the tin, not anywhere on the album can there be heard a cricket chirping, let alone a band of ‘em. 3. …….cricket…..cricket…they’re supposed to be chirping.

Wasn’t for me. Okay for background noise, but I wouldn’t really want to actively listen to this.

It’s historically important - the music is fine, but it’s definitely not something that really moves me. I’ve heard many of the songs during my lifetime though, and if the right situation comes, I would probably bob my head a little

While it was probably groundbreaking at the time, this just seems to be one of those formative works that feels completely toothless and uninteresting to a modern listener. Some good, cute songs on here, but that's about all I can say.

#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

If you gave rock and roll another name it'd be Chuck Berry, but it would also be Buddy Holly. Unbelievable if you've ever been to Lubbock or Clovis that some gangly ass kid was coming up with this.

Too many sappy lyrics, too much talk of love, no edge. Way too much ooh-ing and ahh-ing. Very simple melodies. No idea why Buddy Holly was so influential.

Synes det lyder rigtig godt. En af de første rockbands derude fra 50'erne. Nogle af de første til at udgive et cohesive album på LP, hvor det ikke bare var en masse singles og hits. Så de banede vej til den måde vi oplever rock på i dag. De var en stor inspiration for Dylan og The Beatles. The Beatles navnet er en homage til "the crickets". 3,5

4/5