Everything Must Go

love when an album comes along and absolutely shocks you as an easy 5 stars. are we kidding? the chord progressions and harmonies are so gorgeous.

In between a 3 and a 4. Had low expectations thinking this would be a bargain bin late Britpop era slog but was pleasantly surprised

How have I never heard this before? It's excellent.

Sounds very generic and stretches were downright boring.

p786. 1996. 3 stars. 90s Welsh stadium rock. Well done of its kind, but oddly soulless. They occupy a musical blind spot for me - I think I should like them more, but every time I hear them I think "meh". Sorry lads.

I’m liking these guys more and more the more I listen to them. A well-paced listen with a lot of cool variety. Not quite as good as The Holy Bible but still enjoyable.

Methinks I might be a fan of Manic Street Preachers. Looks like I gave last album a 3.75 and was thinking the same for this. Very listenable throughout and I put it on a couple times. A few songs caught my ear and def fit my taste. I think the hook on No Surface All Feeling really got me. Just felt epic and big. One of those that your head starts bobbing and you don’t even realize it. 3.75

Enjoyed this but not as much as The Holy Bible. 3.5/5

Amazing album. I got this CD in my Christmas stocking in 1996, and became an instant favourite. Great to listen to it again.

Whiny but fine

У вас что норм альбомы закончились?

Good album, not much to say here

Not my cup of tea

Good stuff, for some reason I never listened to the Manics at the time… High 3 to low 4.

I really do like a lot ADfL and Kevin Carter. Something so sinister about Kevin Carter in particular. I think this album is pretty good. But I think the problem is that the best tracks are the ones that are the biggest pop songs. Maybe that's not a problem, I don't know. It just feels like one of those albums where I would always prefer to listen to one of the singles than one of the other tracks, even though those tracks are all decent. The last track is an exception, this is really great. Fave Tracks: A Design for Life, Kevin Carter, Australia, No Surface All Feeling 3.8/5

Fun listen, but no staying power.

Outside of a few tracks that I really didn't like, I was impressed with the rest of this record. Favourite Track(s): Small Black Flowers That Grow in the Sky, No Surface All Feeling Least Favourite Track(s): The Girl Who Wanted to Be God

This album keeps a generally energetic sound with them loud ass electric guitars. The lyrics tell about weird stories (like most of the songs I've heard to be fair). If I could point out something that makes this album stand out is just its energy. And it's pretty great.

Another fun one from the Street Preachers

Surprised I never heard of these guys before. Energetic, original, and fantastic. Up there with the best I've found here so far.

Lo escuché ayer y ya ni me acuerdo tanto. Me acuerdo que no estaba mal.

Iconic. Anthems for a generation (terrorist) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

It is (one of) my style(s).

I liked this.

A surprisingly solid 90's alt album.

Sounds like a band dreamed up after a 90s-era music industry marketing summit. Nothing stands out. Everything is by the book - distorted guitars, paint-by-numbers bass, ok drumming. Meh. With a different band, the singer could be great.

this was mid and not memorable tbh

I do not entirely object to this one. Alas, nor am I blown away by it.

1.83

Pretty vanilla but I kind of enjoyed it.

Great album

I've always been somewhat indifferent to the Manics, I like the odd song and not yo fussed about others. This LP follows that tradition, it's okay but not one I'll be returning to. Nothing against them at all, just doesn't get my juices flowing.

4/5

Not bad - some nice guitar, decent vocals.

mega gut? kannte nur alte tracks von den MSP.

Gefällig aber am Ende Brit Pop

Enola

This was okay I guess?

Nearly a 5 but my inability to understand the lyrics for several songs left me wanting more. I think this would grow on me and I’d like it even more after a few more listens

Phenomenal. I had never heard it before and like others have mentioned, discovering albums like this is a big reason I’m doing this project. It took me back to early years of falling in love with albums, listening on repeat with big headphones on, and even more listens with lyrics pulled up to get another level of appreciation for the songs. I’m obsessed, can’t stop listening and this will be a long term fave for sure. The songs are so sonically expansive and gorgeous (like early Radiohead, which is my favorite Radiohead) and the lyrics punch you right in the gut. It’s exactly the type of music that got me obsessed with alternative rock at a young age.

Meh... it's from the UK (I'm shocked).

Really enjoy MSP even though it’s not something I would seek out on its own, its just pleasant listening (may be some nostalgia bias too)

Probably the best a manic album, never really got into them, but have seen live at Latitude festival

PTSD for me seeing this group pop up on this list. I listened to their previous album 'The Holy Bible' a long time ago, and it was one of the darkest and most hopelessly depressing alternative rock albums I think I've ever experienced, especially the song '4st 7lb', a song that still haunts me to this day. I've been reluctant to revisit that album since. Luckily, this record tones it down a bit. You still get songs that tackle darker themes here; 'Kevin Carter' was an early one that's about the tragedy of the titular troubled journalist. And 'Australia' has those escapism themes that were so prominent in the previous album. But a song like 'A Design For Life' I interpreted as being about a pretty hopeful outlook on one's own life, regardless of the position they find themselves in, in the larger context of their society. And the closer 'No Surface All Feeling' is about as bittersweet as closers come, apparently an ode to the friendship and bond between the band members. Oh yeah, this thing also happens to be an incredible alternative rock record in its own right. It's a bit more on the maximalist side of things, compared to their previous record (from what I remember). More studio polish, keys, and explosive pop-rock choruses and all that, but I don't really mind it, especially on 'A Design For Life' or 'Enola/Alone', my favorite songs here. The song 'The Girl Who Wanted to Be God' was a bit too much, but the following 'Removables' has some blessed guitar work. I love the contrast between the more upbeat rhythm guitar and that ominous, cavernous electric guitar on the chorus of this song. Not too sure what it's about though. I mentioned 'Australia' as being pretty sad; yet it's also one of, if not the most catchy thing here, an absolutely driving alternative rock cut that was very Pearl Jam-esque in just about every way. Reading up on this, the main lyricist for the band, Richie, apparently went missing shortly before this album was released and was later pronounced dead, which was maybe the biggest downer of this whole thing. But he left a hell of a collection of songs behind, and this is one hell of a '90s alternative rock album, one of the best from this list. Will be revisiting many songs from this.

C'est certainement du rock indé

Accidentally listened on shuffle whoooooooops

This rocks pretty hard. Even if it is just more Brit-pop on a very British-saturated list, I think it sounds different enough from its contemporaries that I had a very good time. It sounds like they were having such a good time recording this that the fun is infectious.

Love the manics one of my favourite groups, great album

# Manic Street Preachers - Everything Must Go: An In-Depth Review Released on 20 May 1996, *Everything Must Go* stands as one of the most remarkable and emotionally complex albums of the 1990s. It is the sound of a band staring into the abyss and choosing to forge ahead. The disappearance of lyricist and guitarist Richey Edwards on 1 February 1995 left the remaining trio—James Dean Bradfield, Nicky Wire, and Sean Moore—at a crossroads. This album is their powerful, cathartic, and ultimately triumphant response. ## Context: A Band Rebuilding *Everything Must Go* is the first album recorded without Edwards. While his shadow looms large, the record is not an explicit tribute; it is a defiant step forward. The band chose not to abandon the work they had begun, using five sets of lyrics Edwards left behind. The remaining lyrics, written by Nicky Wire, provide the album's emotional core, confronting grief and loss in a roundabout way and offering a gritty dose of realistic optimism. This mix of Edwards' stark, imagistic poetry and Wire's more personal, politically-charged writing gives the record its layered depth. ## Lyrical Themes: Personal, Political, and Poetic The lyrics on *Everything Must Go* are a tapestry of diverse, intelligent subjects, moving from the profoundly personal to the highly political. - **Richey Edwards' Contributions:** Edwards' lyrics are as haunting as ever. "Kevin Carter" tells the tragic story of the Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer who took his own life, a subject that clearly resonated with Edwards. "Small Black Flowers That Grow in the Sky," inspired by a TV show about animals in captivity, can be read as a metaphor for Edwards' own trapped mental state ("Here chewing your tail is joy"). "The Girl Who Wanted to Be God," based on a letter from poet Sylvia Plath, is a painful piece of self-examination. - **Nicky Wire's Contributions:** Wire's lyrics steer the album's emotional tone. The lead single, "A Design for Life," is a defiant, heroic working-class anthem inspired by an engraving above a library in Newport. "Enola/Alone" is a deeply moving piece of writing, with the line "All I want to do is live no matter how miserable it is" serving as a poignant manifesto for the band's survival. Elsewhere, "Australia" explores the theme of escape, while "Interiors (Song for Willem de Kooning)" is inspired by the abstract expressionist painter. ## Musical Style and Production: The Widescreen Sound Musically, *Everything Must Go* represented a significant shift from the claustrophobic, punk-infused fury of *The Holy Bible*. The band embraced a more expansive, anthemic sound, leaning into the Britpop movement of the mid-90s. This was in no small part thanks to producer Mike Hedges, whose work with Siouxsie and the Banshees was a major influence on James Dean Bradfield. The production is characterized by its use of sweeping string arrangements and a "Wall of Sound" aesthetic. This gives the album its "widescreen" feel, transforming the band's political and personal angst into anthems built for stadiums. - **Instrumentation:** The album opens with the gentle plucking of a harp and acoustic guitar before launching into the rock of "Elvis Impersonator: Blackpool Pier". The music is more melodic and less aggressive, with Bradfield’s guitar work becoming more varied and virtuosic. The drums, a crucial element for Bradfield, set a firm, powerful tone throughout. - **Key Tracks:** "A Design for Life" is the perfect example of this new sound, fusing rock dynamism with orchestral bombast. "Kevin Carter" showcases a more unusual, funky riff complete with a trumpet solo, demonstrating the band's newfound musical confidence. ## Influence and Legacy *Everything Must Go* was a critical and commercial smash. It debuted at number 2 in the UK charts, eventually selling over two million copies. It won the band the Brit Award for Best British Album and Best British Group in 1997. More importantly, its legacy is cemented as one of the defining albums of the 1990s. It is frequently listed in "greatest albums of all time" polls by *NME*, *Q*, and *Kerrang!*. The album proved that the Manics could conquer the mainstream without abandoning their intellect, paving the way for their future success and influencing a generation of guitar bands. ## Pros and Cons ### Pros: - **Emotional Power:** The album's journey from despair to defiant hope is genuinely moving and inspiring. - **Lyrical Depth:** The blend of Richey Edwards' and Nicky Wire's lyrics creates a rich, intelligent, and thought-provoking listen. - **Anthemic Sound:** The widescreen production and soaring melodies resulted in a collection of powerful, career-defining songs, most notably "A Design for Life". - **Catharsis:** The album serves as a powerful artistic response to tragedy, transforming potential defeat into a triumphant new beginning. ### Cons: - **Pacing Lulls:** While the album is front-loaded with classics, some listeners find that tracks like "Enola/Alone," "Australia," or "Further Away" don't quite reach the same heights as the singles, leading to a slight drop in momentum. - **A Change in Sound:** For fans who preferred the abrasive, punkier intensity of *The Holy Bible*, the more polished and commercially accessible sound of *Everything Must Go* might be seen as a compromise or a softening of their edge. ## Conclusion *Everything Must Go* is far more than just a great album; it is a historical document of resilience. It is the sound of a band rebuilding itself from ashes, channeling immense personal grief into a work of universal resonance. It successfully balances the bleakness of its origins with an uplifting, anthemic quality, securing the Manic Street Preachers' place as one of the UK's most important and enduring rock bands.

I don't want to be mean but this guy legitimately annoys me with his singing Best Song: A Design for Life Rating: 3.5/10 Stars: 2

Nah

Of all the albums of the '90s, this was certainly one of them.

Everything Must Go и этот альбом тоже - прошёл незамеченным.

music is love

Nja inte så speciellt album, inte min stil känns som långsammare green day eller eller sämre radiohead, lite förlegad musik imo

#393 For whatever reason, I just never liked the Manics, and this was them in their prime. I do often wonder if I’d have liked them more had I got into them with their earlier albums. Musically it’s pretty good, orchestral and cinematic at times but never really been sold on JDB’s vocals even though there isn’t really anything offensive about them. Over the course of the album, I found it a bit samey at times but to its credit, it’s quite succinct. Heard before? ❌ Would I revisit? ❌ Listen before you die? ❌ Fave track(s): Australia Rating: 6/10 ⭐️⭐️⭐️

radio music

Pretty good rock album, but nothing to write home about

Decent rock album.

Listen, see. Bono and the Edge are playin' hard ball ya dig? We've got a record to release and ain't nobody heard from those dull Irish blokes. They've vanished. Vapour in the wind. Like the waves falling back into the Irish Sea. Gone. We need somethin' new, somethin' big. I happen to be sittin' on somethin' big, nay HUGE. I've got myself a human generator. That's right. Maybe I want some company for the evenin', ok, let me just adjust these knobs here, a 68 year old Moroccan woman who doesn't play no games at the baazar. Presto. As-salamu alaikum! uhhh bonjour? Well, sure, she's a little dead behind the eyes, but just wait until we dial in the brain formation! Now that you've seen my diabolical creation, let's brew up 3 white guys in their late 20's. they GOTTA be British. Yup, Yorkshire, or Lancashire, dealer's choice. Set the pining to "melancholic." Oh baby, set edge and excitement to "1." Oh man, it automatically slotted the "thinks they're a genius" setting to maximum despite the IQ being at 94. This thing is payin' for itself already. Alright, let's spin that up. Fellas! Welcome to earth, here is every U2 album and here is a key, you will be locked in this room until you've heard these 1000 times a piece. At that point, you will be released into a studio to record an album, sound good? This has been a live reenactment of the "MAKING OF EVERYTHING MUST GO" Dramatization; may not have happened. 0 HIGHLIGHTS: Bloody 'Orrible

Eher durchschnittlich

Fine, Matthew Sweet lite meet occasional Freddy Mercury theatrics, for an album I didn’t turn off nor would turn on again.

As a proud Welsh man we have great artists from our small country, but I’ve never given Manic Street Preachers much of a chance. Compared to acts like Tom Jones and Stereophonics they haven’t really been on my radar much. This is the second Manics album I’ve listened to and just like in January this surprised me. Great vocals, guitars and drumming that any rock band would kill for. I’ve fully warmed up to Manics after another great album and I want to listen to more

better than I expected

This is a wide-angle aerial shot that slowly pulls up as it moves towards an incredible horizon full of pinks, blues, bright reds, and oranges. It's the fizzy feeling of greater possibility. A sense of hope for what's to come.

F*ck Robert Dimery and the entire British press for this one.

I liked it. These dudes are a dynamic and challenging listen. It’s also not as immediate as The Holy Bible and I need to spend more time with this one.

No real strong impression, just solid grungy rock with a slightly-grating singer. Not much variety besides a cover of Umbrella, which presents the thought "would they sound more fun if they did pop it up a bit more?"

I've heard their name so many times but never listened to them for some reason. Was missing out.

Some really sad lyrics, and a tragic backstory about the lead guitarist, but I did like the back half of the album.

Not quite as good as “The Holy Bible”, but the album grew on me by the end.

Who the hell are Manic Street Preachers? Sounds like the next best boring radio rock band... Had to look them up and saw that they had success in the UK charts - guess that's why they are in this list. Disappointed.

Everything Must Go was recorded after their guitarist and lyricist Richey Edwards disappeared in 1995, never found. He was 27. The band used his remaining lyrics and kept going. That context is heavier than anything on the album itself. The music is solid Welsh rock — James Dean Bradfield's voice is front and center, sometimes too much so. The mix is uneven: some tracks drown in vocals, others find the right balance. "No Surface All Feeling" closes the album and gets it right. 3/5 — worth knowing the story.

Wasn't my cup of tea. Can't really pinpoint why, apart from the fact that I didn't like the voice and the guitar sound. "Enola/Alone" and "No Surface All Feeling" were standouts though. 2/5 - below average

Meh

Never heard of these guys but I dug it! Solid 90s alt rock.

2 really good songs very cool and different with great riffs but the album itself is just ok

Everything sounded really familiar, without actually recognizing a single song. Weird. Still pretty good though.

Really good mid-90s British rock, that honestly doesn’t sound all that dated. Well produced, sounds nice. Good energy. Probably won’t stick with me beyond the day. But good. A very solid, right in the middle 3/5.

Thoroughly mediocre. I really need to start ignoring the Britpop albums.

3.9/5

Really great album. How did I completely miss this music back in the day?

Album Generator has allowed me to LOVE Manic Street Preachers and I’m grateful for it. GREAT album however I do not enjoy nearly as much as ‘The Holy Bible’ - I miss the dinginess which made earlier albums so compelling, thus I give a 4, great listen regardless with an all-timer hit single.

Very cool! Never heard before

me gustaron algunos temas, normal.

Never heard of it, actually quite nice

What a strange mixture of sounds, brit-pop + seattle grungey at times. They have their own sound and never listened to anything but that big hit they had but this is a lot more diverse than I thought. They have a unique pocket foreshadowing some of the early 2000’s indie rock as well

It was fine. Not egregiously bad or anything, but I did not need to hear this before I died.

Pretty good

90s alternative rinse repeat.

pretty 90s music, but not my style

Solid album.

Mid

Brit pop - all songs sound mostly the same

Large and exciting rock music, which I'm pretty susceptible to

als ze voor god preachen zingen ga ik niet meer luisteren nah niet over god maar gwn slechte rock ze hebben een lied voor willen de kooning??

zijn stem was mid naar de muziek vibe ik wel mee

Yet another 'indie' band of little consequence. Ho hum.

They have a nice sound. Again, not for me, but I liked it enough.

pass

mehh

It was okay

Rösten! Den skulle man känna igen var som helst. Skönt sound, fina melodier. Men för övrigt är det standard indie och inte särskilt minnesvärt. En fyra

Great album. Seen the band many times during my Sony days 1993-1997. Very powerful!

Don't mind this but didn't fall in love with it at the time and thirty years on it's still quite average

One of the great British albums of the 90s and an amazing comeback after the disappearance of Richie. It does meander a little and isn’t all killer, but the highs are exceptional.

Great sounding band but the lyrics didn't make much sense to me.

(4/7) kind of fun

buen álbum

Unfortunately, I found this album much less interesting than the Holy Bible. Some songs approached a 4 (Elvis Impersonator: Blackpool Pier, Design for Life, Everything Must Go) but most others were annoyingly basic and repetitive or just "meh". Not their best work. 2.7/5 -> 3/5

Monstrously monotonic monotony. Look, being boring is one thing, but this felt like it was actually trying to be aggressively insipid. After reading a number of positive reviews, I even relistened to it thinking I may have missed something. Nope. Not a single track stuck with me. I'm having flashbacks to "Definitely Maybe" - where everyone else seems to think it's the greatest thing ever, and I can't recall a single track despite having just listened to it - multiple times. I guess this type of music and I are simply not compatible.

I can’t put my finger on why I liked this one so much. It seemed rather basic at first. I slowly got into this, and repeated it again growing to like it more.

Much more lush and serene than The Holy Bible. I definitely like this album more, but I also have to admit that their edgy fury on that album was more memorable than this sound.

Я понял что по-настоящему я благосклонен лишь к наиболее примечательным командам бритпопа, потому что в случае с Everything Must Go от Manic Street Preachers я слышу лишь обычные попсу того времени. И как бы, вроде бы вокал вокалится, гитары гитарятся, но ничего не цепляет, альбом остался в 90-х, устарел и в нем не находишь ничего интересного. Возможно у Manic Street Preachers есть интересные работы в дальнейшем или даже что-то интересное из чего-то более раннего - но это не тот случай.

LET'S GOOO MANICS

Solid britpop listen

V 90s some I liked but mostly average to bad

More Britpop??? I thought these brothers were post punk??? What the fuck??? Anyway this is boring as SHIT dude. I cannot stand these guys. The playing is uninspired, the vocals are annoying, and the topics that the vocals harp on feel more pretentious than radical, especially since they’re using the vehicle of… Britpop. Also, this is corny! People, they’ve got a song called “Enola/Alone!” Can you fucking believe it? There are some okay melodies in there, some okay songs, that much I can confidently say. But it’s still really annoying. Real bad. Do not recommend. 4.8/10

The album was fine. It didn’t do much for me, but it was a decent enough listen

Mid 90s alt rock? I thought for sure this would be right up my alley. Buuuut I was just a fool waiting on the wrong block!

Just listened to the Elvis album then this one started with Elvis impersonator song, weird! Reminds me of No Vacancy from School of Rock. 2 stahs

Really liked this - sarcastic Britpop but didn't lose it's edge through the album. Not as strong as some contemporaries but this is up my street. Would go hard in the sun 4 pints down.

In between a 3 and a 4. Had low expectations thinking this would be a bargain bin late Britpop era slog but was pleasantly surprised

this is going to the relisten folder, I did not form an opinion. But I can say it sounds like Deftones through a un-heavy filter.

This one is… inoffensive. It's laid back, kinda fun, kinda fine, but not much more. It's not bad, it's just ok.

brit pop 90’s

Obviously I knew a design for life and knew off the manic Street preachers, but again one that I've never really listened to. But I really enjoyed this album, the lead vocals are wonderfully raspy rock without losing control. Will definately be back

Great album. Love it. No complaints.

Give me more of those warm guitar tones. Absolutely loving the big distorted, crunchy sound that defines this album and act as as the foundation of all the better tracks. There are a few really strong high moments on this record, epitomised by ‘A Design For Life’ that I distinctly remember hearing in my Dad's car as a teenager. As the album progresses though there's just too much material that feels middle of the road. I'll give this one a strong 7/10.

Excellent rock album

***A good album

I could not get into the guys voice.

The album is overall alright, but it's nothing too exciting. It's a bit like what an album from that time would sound like, so nothing unusual, but I am sure it has its fair share of listeners.

Yeah man, even this album has gotta go. Learn how to end a song, or have someone else write your lyrics. Fuck outta here.

another brit-pop album featuring man who can't actually sing, saying absolutely nothing.

Bombastic yet tentative lyrics and anthemic choruses.

Annoyed

ah fuck, is this just straight 90s britpop?? i've known the name of these guys for decades but i guess i'd always assumed given their name that they were like, actually interesting. but if this album is anything to go by they're kinda just another oasis type beat. as someone who grew up while the 90s britpop revival was at its peak, the first 2/3 of this album doesn't really have much to offer. its pretty mid. it does pick up a bit from "australia" onwards but by then id mentally clocked out already and really just wanted to move on with my life. my friends are saying their other albums are better but afaik this is the only one of their albums on this list so once again im kinda just left wondering what we're even doing here.

There are the classic Britpop albums, the ones everyone listens to. This is the one that they should Aspire to. It has a gorgepus clean sonic base, with many of the tracks having their own foibles and signatures. Lyrically, it's diverse and intellectual curious. And yet, it is an album about the common human life, even as it occasionally explores individual figures. It is a wonder to behold.

I respect it, I don’t hate it, but it doesn’t move me at all. So I get a bit fatigued by the end

6/12/26. Perhaps it was because I just received a Manic Street Preachers album a few days ago I wasn't super excited to dive back into them so soon, but still a solid album. Don't think there was much growth from the first album, but still a nice, accessible sound.

Bloody hell it must be about 20 years since I’ve listened to this one. I used to love the Manics but stopped listening to them when I went full Metalhead lol. I really enjoyed revisiting this, I might have to delve into their discography to see what I’ve missed. Top Track - Kevin Carter

Yep. Still don't like Brit-Pop. Not a single enjoyable song on the album

This album reminded me of so many 90s bands that would have one incredible single and then you'd be disappointed by the rest of the album. It has some nice songs, some of which remind me of Ours or Jeff Buckley, but not quite so sad. The album differs, though, in that if you loved the single, whatever track that would have been, you'd probably be very happy with the album as a whole. It's fairly well done throughout. For me, though, it's entirely lacking that one incredible single and even if it was there, I'd have been disappointed with the rest of the album. And it goes on way too long.

I wish there was an option to give half a star

As soon as this album was done I forgot all about it. Been a day now, still can't recall a single song off of it. Not that it was really bad, just forgettable.

This is a fun album

This one’s tough because a bunch of it is really cool and a bunch is insufferably cheesy broadway shit.

Nice

Never heard this apparently-acclaimed album before. Great sound, strong musicianship. Each song is fun in a different way, so it keeps me curious. Sonically, rarely disappointed. Lyrically it doesn’t grab me in a personal or profound way, and maybe that’s a context thing - but not bad…as President Obama once said, “You’re likable enough.” For musicianship, sound, and song craftery, 4/5

Another run at Brit Pop got better and better as the album progressed. I might just have to give this another listen!

Seems like some pretty generic alt-rock. Although I gotta give credit to the vocals sounding pretty distinct. I get a particular tone of Talk Talk through some of their songs, but edgier and geared toward rock. Also the horns in Kevin Carter were pretty cool. I think this could've fit in pretty well in North America's music scene in the mid 90's, its a shame it didnt catch on over here.

It’s alright. The best part was when I forgot I had queued up “Underneath it all” by No Doubt earlier in the day and it played after the first song and I was so excited

True 90's Alternative. I didn't love every second, but would easily listen again. Good for a long run or a gym workout.

This was a tough one to judge. They have a really unique sound- their songs blend alt rock with a brit pop-like quality, but also a sort of drama you'd find in older rock ballads. I enjoyed some songs but found them to kind of bleed together after a while. Overall- decent album

Enjoyable but I'm not sure why this is on the list. I feel like I've heard all of this before. Stand outs are Australia and Further Away, and they all have great guitar riffs, but it doesn't feel special! 7/10

Poor beyond the singles

Oof, I didn't expect this one to be one where I'd have a visceral negative reaction to. It's not awful. It's not even bad, it's really good. But for some reason the vocals are just killing me, and the music isn't really elevating things for me either with it kinda sounding very 90's in a way I'm not a fan of.. The vocals are reminding me kinda of James LaBrie from Dream Theater, who's not a vocalist I particularly like, but he's fine in the context of Dream Theater, whereas the vocals here are absolutely not working for me. But yeah. One of the very few albums where I just don't like it despite it being good.

Pretty good brit alt rock without much that jumped out to me as very distinctive noise. They play competently throughout and there will be some tracks that I'll revisit like The Girl Who Wanted to Be God, Australia and some others and think it will grow on me over time.

I did not enjoy this but the wikipedia article made me want to listen to their old stuff maybe for the comparison? It got better over time but the first song physically repelled me.

what I was actually thinking while listening was « this sounds like that robbie williams album » and I’m not sure that’s the most complimentary reference point. Definitely going for britpop sound but none of the songs stood out enough to be among the classics. Further Away seemed to be the best (also has a touch of You Am I vibes?)

This man’s voice annoyed me

Not what I expected but ok all the same

The Holly Bible by the manic street preachers was my 11'th album of this generator, and the first new one that stayed with me. I love it so much still. Us much as their sound and attitude suggests harder rock style, I appreciated their pop sensitivity. The album I mentioned above is filled with such catchy songs. A great one. I still like the band here. Their sound resonated with me. Today I noticed for the first time the voice that reminds me of the lead singer- Damn, it's Freddie Mercury. Somehow. While I didn't fall in love with this one as much as the previous, I still think it's fun and contains many bangers. Ill keep listening to it, by then the rankings might change, but that's the nature of this game. For now, a solid three is fair.

Цікаво)

i liked it, nothing crazy special but it was some pretty good britpop :)

Good album. Good band. 4

It's okay at best

If foo fighters didn’t fight

Do you think they have a design for life. I dunno I like these guys it's just a little boring. Like do I really need to hear this before I die? Really? Did this really change music as a whole? I just can't really see that personally. Even the description leaves something to be wanted. It's just not all that. I don't know I'm probably just not the right person to appreciate this. I mean it sounds like it would slap in a coming of age teen romcom for the misunderstood main girl who goes against societal norms but really just wants to be loved. Yeah I mean I like it. I mean some things are definitely interesting like they're trying some crazy things but it feels like they're trying to do interesting things not make good music. If that makes sense. I can appreciate it but I don't necessarily enjoy it. I am the girl who wanted to be god when it comes to these albums. What does this guy know about being that girl? Yeah ok, I do like this. Australia won't solve your problems big dog I promise. Favourite: Everything Must Go/The Girl Who Wanted To Be God/Further Away Least favourite: Interiors

Crappy Brit-pop. I was aware of this band but I assumed there would be at least one recognizable hit on the album, but I hadn’t heard any of them before and it’s quite possible I had never heard any MSP song before. I’m not sure how a pop band became popular without any catchy songs. The album also sounds like it’s being played through an iPhone speaker. 1.7

2.4 Wasnt for me, but I could see how it could be for others

Had no idea what to expect going in here -- but it turned out to be some pretty solid BritRock.

I thought I would like this but it turns out I don't

Got to admire a band who can open a proper anthemic rock song with "Libraries give us power". I remember writing a list of my 10 favourite music acts when I was about 9 or 10. MSP made the cut, alongside Celine Dion. Would love to remember the rest. I feel like Robson & Jerome could have been on there. And Portishead.

Mehnic street preachers

There are 3 songs that elevate this one - the first two and small black flowers. The rest are pretty boring. I think that was the case with their other album too.

ich kann mich an nichts erinnern

3.5 need to revisit

Bombastic and gritty 90s britpop, a radical departure in sound and feel following the disappearance of guitarist Richey Edwards (which is in and of itself a pretty fascinating story). I was immediately drawn in by the big, loud feel of "A Design for Life" and was more than happy to go along for the ride for the whole album. A really excellent introduction to this band IMO.

Boring and common.

A Design for Life is worthy of a 4 on its own.

It’s not quite as good as I remember. ‘A design for life’ is obviously great, and I’m partial to ‘Australia’, but much of the rest of the album sounds like very orchestrated, standard quality britpop.

Shite

This was entirely new to me, and I'll say it was really fun to listen to. Great stuff, highly enjoyable, I'll go back to more tracks from them.

Npoe

Goddamn there was some bullshit rock after the grunge scene died out. MTV took over and homogenized everything. It was around then that all the radio stations started to get bought out. Anyway, this record has no redeeming qualities, and no one should ever listen to it.

Interesting

Great

Not sure if I ever listened to the whole album back in the day. Knew the singles which have kind of been overplayed. I did like a few of the albums tracks. Bit of a mixed bag but on the whole not bad.

A fair amount of really weak tracks but a sprinkling of good ones. Most of them are ruined by the vocals that sound like he is stepping on Lego as he sings!

For all the hype at the time, they are just a light rock band with a low quality singer who happened to write a few half decent tunes and were fortunate enough to ride the wave of a genre bandwagon (Britpop) even though it didn’t really suit their style, but did sell them records. Fair to say they maxed their value.

I never heard any of this Britpop back in the 90s because I was listening to good stuff from right here in the US. Listening to it now it seems overrepresented in these 1001 albums, to say the least.

Didn't really do much for me. Felt like 90's alt rock junk to me. Kind of got the impression the lyrics might have been really good if I paid closer attention but I just want being pulled in by the music

To my modern ears it sounds a bit generic, definitely not bad. They clearly pre-empted a lot of early 2000s music. I'll go with...decent enough.

Love the melancholic chord progressions. Clever and interesting throughout. Kevin Carter what a gem. Didn't know many of their hits were crammed onto this one album! 5/5

Blind album and artist. 90s alt rock britpop? I kinda liked it and would consider listening to this band again. I feel like that keeps happening with a lot of these random britpop bands. 4

se esse album fosse uma comida, ele teria gosto de terra com uma essência de tuttifruti altamente industrializado. a abertura de icarly é melhor que esse album.

Só não é pior que Weezer

o filho bastardo do weezer e o radiohead se eles fossem mais fracassados ainda. Uma cria mutante de tudo o que tinha de errado no rock pop britânico, se o Damon Albarn tivesse retardo mental esse seria o blur, se o oasis fosse feito pelo caneta azul esse seria o resultado, se o adam Lenine do maroon 5 fosse britânico e tivesse uma voz de cacatua, esse seria o resultado. Quase uma hora de sofrimento mental e psicológico, tipo ver o filho batendo na mãe.

Energieke Britpop met een maatschappijkritisch randje, daar ben ik helemaal niet tegen. Lang niet gehoord, deze muziek, 'A design for life' was ik zowat vergeten, en dan had ik het destijds nog verkeerd verstaan ook (ik dacht altijd dat ze zongen 'I'm designed for her life', wat veel zegt over de manier waarop ik dit soort muziek luister). Hoe dan ook, ik kan de manische straatpredikers deze keer goed hebben, en ik ben (mede daardoor) goed gemutst vandaag.

Dit album voelt iets.minder chemisch als het vorige album dat we kregen. De zang is vergelijkbaar. Het is een licht afwijkende stem, die bij de nummers met iets meer kracht fijn uit de verf komt. In totaal is het album iets minder enerverend, en zou ik iets lager waarderen dan The holy bible. De titeltrack zorgt ervoor dat dit album weer redelijk bijtrekt

We hebben al eerder een album van de Preachers gehad en die viel me iets tegen, die vond ik maar meh. Maar dit album bevalt me veel beter. Misschien ook vanwege de rest van de albums die ik hier omheen moet luisteren, waar ik te vaak geen lijn in kan ontdekken of wat gewoon reteslecht is en ik me enorm stoor aan de keuzes van de snobs. Hier krijgen we tenminste gewoon liedjes, die een lekker catchy refreintje hebben, of een fijne gitaarriff. Dat mag gewoon, je hoeft echt niet artsy-fartsy te doen, of quasi-ongeintereseerd te zingen. Toch zitten ook hier regelmatig wat extra instrumenten in, er is muzikale omlijsting, of aparte drumfills. Dus ook de snob komt aan zijn trekken. Ik hoor de eerste paar nummers voor een tweede keer, omdat ik eergisteren het album niet af kon luisteren en ik heb album in zijn geheel opnieuw gestart heb. En die eerste paar tracks zijn al bijna 5 sterren waard. A Design for Life en Kevin Carter zijn echt top en kunnen zo in een playlist op Spotify, als ik dat zou hebben. Ik kan hier buitengewoon van genieten en dat is ook wel een keer wat waard tijdens deze uitputtende queeste van 1001++ albums. Laat ik dan ook niet moeilijk doen en op dat vijfje rossen.

Bleh

Ok but too happy. Sorry I'm grumpy.

I like this one better than The Holy Bible, you can tell they were going Wall of Sound as it sounds really good. Like the melodies, but again nothing sticks. Probably 3.5 for me.

2+ Stop the brits. It's enough. Sign my petition HERE

not for me

Fine. Everything is just fine.

Idk how but I loved this album. Best way I can explain this is like when you have a friend introduce you to someone they think you should date but when you meet them you’re like “yikes, I’m not attracted at all” but then over time as you spend time with them you really start to like them and their attractiveness seems to suddenly change and you’re like “maybe this could work 😋”. Basically upon the first song I was like “ew” but by the end of the album I’m like “yeah I’m gonna listen to some of these tracks at key moments in my life”.

Really like their previous album but this isn't as good imo I like the guitar playing here and some of the orchestral moments but overall id rather listen to the holy bible 7/10 Favourite: No Surface All Feeling Least Favourite: Removables

blustering, hectoring, mock-rock

Very typical of its time but in a way it's unfair to lump the manics in with the rest of Brit Pop. I saw this band live a couple of times in the late 90s and they were good gigs but I was never a massive fan. Same with this album.

I recognize and appreciate the sound, but not something I would want to listen to on repeat

It’s giving opening act energy. I hate to dump on them as they have a produced album and I don’t. I’m saying I’m sure their parents are proud. I just don’t know what executive they convinced this would be the next big thing.

The Pink Floyd of Britpop, in that they persist losing their troubled, magnetic singer a few albums in and get huge. They have the wordplay cleverness of Squeeze, the political brio of the Clash and the firepower of Oasis. Love them.

Here’s a band I totally missed, and I am just now catching up on the backstory leading up to this release. It’s hard to hear this album as a kind of defiant response to the tragedy and loss from the sudden disappearance of their guitarist, because it’s so un-despondent. It’s a rather sunny-sounding and polished set of songs, in fact. I hear a semblance to the punky power pop of Redd Kross on tracks like “Kevin Carter” and “Removables,” or even to the guitar crunch and harmonies of The Posies. The title track plays like an anthem. I will definitely return to this and check out more of their stuff.

This was fine but I think you had to live in the UK at the time to really adore this.

Have heard of the Manic Street preachers Had not listened to everything must go in full Had heard some songs (design for life) It a solid album, not sure it really differentiated away from the "British rock" sound of the era to justify its inclusion. To be fair it does have more clever lyrical content and better musicianship than oasis.

A Design For Life is a freakin’ epic song, I’ve always been a fan. I can’t say I’m massively enamoured over the rest of their stuff, but I did find Small Black Flowers to be intriguing. ADFL is a sure-fire 4 star track, but the rest of the album drops it back to a 3 overall

This is the second MSP album I’ve listened to for this project, and it’s no more memorable.

Same as it ever was…..same as it ever was….

Solid. Big fan of final track but does lag at times.

Nothing super memorable here. Not bad, not great, just good, but not "oh my God" good.

I was actually surprised by how much I enjoyed this. Figured I was going to feel indifferent at best about it because I really did not like The Holy Bible (thought I rated it 2 stars but gave it 3, might edit to lower honestly). The first song hooked me, and it really didn’t let up. “Elvis Impersonator: Blackpool Pier” and “Australia” were my favorite songs, but all of them were pretty good. Definitely plan on revisiting this album.

Meh

Enjoyed very much of the album! There are some really good songs with a summerish vibes!

not as good as Joni Mitchell’s Blue

There are some excellent songs on this album but it's a little too top heavy. The majority is just okay, nice vibe but kind of forgettable. The sort of group where you're like "I like them, haven't listened to them for ages" then burn out quick.

7/10 Highlights: A Design for Life Everything Must Go Removables Enola/Alone

3,5

I've not listened this album in is entirety before, but it's full of bangers and crowd pleasers, heard many times before through radio airplay. It almost feels like a Greatest Hits. Heard before ❌️ Listened this time ✅️ Revisit 🫳 ★★★☆☆ (7/10) Total reviewed : 305 Already owned : 69 Purchased : 15 To buy : 4 Nope : 217

Something just sounds 'off', on Manic Street Preachers' Everything Must Go. Perhaps it's the loss of their primary sonngwriiter/guitarist, but there's very little to grab on to here; no hooks, no earworms, just a kind of lackluster album.

Discazo

Boring

Got me through some tough miles on the bike

Leuke gitaren, typische sound

Echt heel leuk

Fairly straight up rock and roll outfit. A pleasing listen, with nice vocals and layers of guitar and base, at times a bit too dreamy for my taste. Really though, no complaints. I’d sleep with it.

Never heard of this band before. So far this is good. It’s good but also unremarkable. I don’t hate it. I wouldn’t turn it off, but i doubt I’ll remember it either. Ok, the last song. This is great.

There were a couple songs on here that were nice surprises, and the rest of the album can be thrown into the Brit trash bin with just about everything else on this list.

pass. too english?

would have slapped in the 90's. their popular songs are their worst on this album. shouldn't be a top 1000

not a rock listener, but this was bareable.

Simultaneously Melancholy meets euphoric Brit pop . Not their best album but still great .

Nothing "wrong" with it. It just wasn't very interesting.

I really like the Manic Street Preachers music, but I've never liked the vocalist.

nice enough

Listens: 2 Standout Tracks: None Dreadfully boring, generic and dull. No standout tracks, nothing catchy, no excitement for me. The only intriguing about this album was in reading about the fourth member who just up an disappeared. And to be clear, not in a sensational, true-crime sort of way, just genuinely intriguing and kind of sad; In particular, some of the discourse that seems to have stemmed from his disappearance, Kurt Cobain's death and self-harm, suicide, depression, drug ab/use and other such goings-on for artists in the 80s and 90s.

I had lots of friends who were into these guys when this was contemporary. Never really moved me the same way but it's a good enough album.

A lot of people I respect love this band but I just don't get it. Plodding, turgid, self important shite with the most irritating vocalist I've ever heard. Shut the fuck up guys.

Góð fløga, sangirnir líkjast ov nógv, for lítið peaks and lows

Nice, cool lyrics.

Average Britpop. This list man. Was going to be 2 stars, but some of the individual tracks were pretty good.

I liked "no surface all feeling" i also liked the overall vibes of this album

More pop than I anticipated. Kinda faceless, but alright

Boring

Never heard of this album or band before today. And after hearing this I'm surprised -- this is superb. The sound reminds me of Flaming Lips, though I found this album far more accessible and tuneful than Flaming Lips. There were so many times while listening to this that I found myself pausing and thinking, wow that was really cool. These are just a few: Enola / Alone uses some really interesting extended chords making for intricate harmonies and dissonances that are really satisfying Everything Must Go -- I can see why this is the title track -- it really serves as a cornerstone that themes the entire album. Strings are featured here giving the track a sound like an updated take on Phil Spector's wall of sound. I'm not sure what they did to the drums in this song, but they have a really unique powerful sound that I found infectious. Small Black Flowers That Grow in the Sky -- melancholy but beautiful down tempo song featuring acoustic guitar and harp? This is the kind of song that transports you to another place. The Girl Who Wanted to Be God -- starts unassumingly with rhythm guitar and hi hat, followed by another rhythm guitar, lead guitar and bass as the snare kicks in... leading into another wall of sound... all of this buildup in the first 30 seconds. There is so much music to explore on this album and thoughtful lyrics. I'm confident that future subsequent listening will yield even more appreciation.

Impressive all-around, great brit-pop, with quality production, passionate performances, and cool lyricism worth diving into further. 1 listen Favorite Track: Design for Life

Expectation: -> Who? After listening: -> Unfamiliar band that sounds like it should have been more famous. Some of this could have easily blended in with radio hits of the 90s. Some Goo Goo Dolls vibes and the lead vocals with a hint of Rod Stewart. Impressive guitar riffs. Track ranking: Design Interiors Enola Australia Surface Everything Elvis Flowers Further Girl Kevin Removables

Not a ton to say about this one. I had never heard of them before. I like it, almost a 4, but I don't know that I'll seek them out

never heard this before, but i did listen to their album The Holy Bible a long time ago. i remember liking it then, so hopefully this is just as enjoyable Elvis Impersonator: Blackpool Pier - 3/5 A Design for Life - 5/5 Kevin Carter - 5/5 Enola / Alone - 5/5 Everything Must Go - 5/5 Small Black Flowers That Grow in the Sky - 3/5 The Girl Who Wanted to Be God - 4/5 Removables - 4/5 Australia - 5/5 Interiors (Song for Willem de Kooning) - 4/5 Further Away - 3/5 No Surface All Feeling - 5/5 Average score: 4.3/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This doesn't sound like other BritPop to me. Nor did their 'The Holy Bible'. One of the things that I look for in music is authenticity. It's a slippery thing. It's either difficult to define or, as my musicology professor once suggested, may not exist. But it underpins my feeling about 90's British export rock. Both Oasis and Blur feel profoundly insincere to me: Oasis feels like a meth-drenched 70's cover band that had a few moments of lucidity while Blur always sounds like Damon Albarn is making fun of me and anyone else listening. When they're weird, it feels like a costume and when they're emotive it feels sarcastic. Manic Street Preachers feels weird and emotive because they're weird guys using music to emote. Maybe it's because they're Welsh and not inheritors of English delusions of grandeur or something. Maybe that's not fair but it's how I feel. Good album. It usually takes me a couple of listens to really dig Manic Street Preachers, so I imagine this will grow on me. It is a little less weird that 'The Holy Bible', but they lost (literally -- he disappeared) a songwriter after that one, so some change was inevitable. I recommend listening to this so that you can ponder why people liked Blur better. No idea. Wales > England, I guess. 4/5

Still not too familiar with them, but sure seems like something I should’ve been into in the moment.

I was a fan of this band because of this album.

Cymru am byth! I recognised the complaints people have bout it being fairly generic lads with guitars but it was such an vibe in Wales.

Strange music.

I enjoyed this album, had a great feel to it. I had heard of this band but never listened to any of their songs, it was quite nice.

The Holy Bible is good and I see why it has a committed following. So good in fact that it destroyed everyone's judgment for this one. I'm sorry for the band's loss so I'll leave it there.

Saw these play a tech conference once

They're not bad. I love the Adjective/Verb Street Nouns!

I was surprised by how much I liked this. Pretty good!

Not bad

IT MUST GO! -1

Really solid album

There seems to be a lot of hate for this album, and probably MSP in general. That's a real shame. The first album after Richey's disappearance, yet can you tell? Maybe, but his presence still lingers here and with melancholy effect. This album marked a period of reinvention and of course resilience. They did it big and they did it well and in the process pathed their way for glory. Their audience grew, they climbed the charts and earned themselves a wider household name. "A Design for Life", "Kevin Carter", "Enola/Alone" all with their strong themes and powerful messages are music to my ears. A great album from a great band at a trying and unfathomably difficult time.

Dit is ook niets voor mij, ik heb het album niet volledig kunnen luisteren.

The only knowledge of this band is the album cover of their previous album to this; that morbidly obese woman, man. So I went in totally blind and I'll say it straight up, I'm not a fan. They have some cool ideas in the album every now and then like the clown-esque (Entry of the Gladiators) guitar riff in "The Girl Who Wanted to Be God" and some sick riffs scattered throughout the album. Just the album overall is bland and I can't get with the sound. Maybe listening to The Fat Album might pique my interest and make me reconsider this album, but for now this is an album that I will forget about. Highlight Song/s: "Everything Must Go", "Australia" and "Interiors"

Decent.

I felt nothing. I like the name and thought maybe I had heard / liked something long ago but alas not.

Another band that I know existed at some point in the past but have no memory of listening to. This is ok but not exciting. They have some interesting lyrics, and I like the orchestration and guitar on some of these tracks, but most of it isn't really grabbing me. To the point where I don't even really have anything to say about it. 3

Good just some of the songs felt a bit busy

I had heard of these guys but knew very little about them and their story (or at least the Richey Edwards part of it) is tragic and fascinating. I thought maybe I had heard these guys on a soundtrack but I was thinking of someone else. "A Design for Life" sounds kind of familiar maybe? Regardless, I liked this. I think I need to listen to it a few more times while paying closer attention for it to sink in.

Torn between 2 and 3. There are 1 or 2 songs on here I actually like, so gave it a 3. However, this is not an album I would have bought.

Sounded really great. Some great tunes in here. They had a similar sound to foo fighters back in that time so surprised I never took time to listen to it. Will have another listen again soon!

An example of a band that I should like - right energy, right ingredients, but for some reason I've never gelled with the songs.

having a whos louder competition with panic at the disco no surface all feeling is one of the best songs ive heard in a long time though

Overall, I get the impression that the Preachers are the bastard child of Motley Crue and grunge. I say this as a compliment. Rock on!

I love Manic Street Preachers SO much. This may be my favorite album, though my favorite song of theirs is on the next one... I hope that one is on the list as well. Not a dud song on the album. Amazing performance considering this was the first album they released without Richey Edwards after his disappearance.

Elvis Impersonator: Blackpool Pier 3.6 A Design for Life 3.7 Kevin Carter 3.5 Enola/Alone 3.3 Everything Must Go 3.5 Small Black Flowers That Grow in the Sky 3.2 The Girl Who Wanted to Be God 3.4 Removables 3.5 Australia 3.7 Interiors (Song for William de Kooning) 3.6 Further Away 3.4 No Surface All Feeling 3.6 Score: 3.5

I kept wanting to like it but something was holding me back

kinda rocky!

Tbh the Richey Edwards disappearance story stayed with me more than the music. I almost liked all of the last three songs.

Idkkkkkk

Very pretentious! Something annoying about how they use syllables.

i guess most britpop is similar to like, korn for me - it's what i grew up with and would be an impossible thing to come around to as a newbie in 2026.

First time I listened to this album I was not really a fan. But then I locked myself in a tin box with no stimulation, no way out, and no other way to pass 2 hours. And you know what I really liked it under those conditions. The album has a similar sound to a lot of songs I like, but those songs are pretty varied in tone and genre but this album manages to put them together in a fairly cohesive way. I think my favorite song is further away, but there's a lot of close choices.

Never had heard the album or artist before this but it was a great. Enjoyed the listen, had some solids songs!

A design for life is a known song!

One of your main lyric writers and tortured genius totems goes missing and is presumed dead and all you have left is a binder with a bunch of randomn lyrics in. What do you do? You step up and use the lyrics (along with your own) to create a powerhouse stadium rattling indie rock album. It'll blow the cobwebs away while stroking that 4Real scar. Best Tracks: A Design For Life; Interiors (Song for Willem De Koonnig); All Surface No Feeling