Harvest

Some of his most beautiful, best work (Heart of Gold, Harvest). But some absolute clangers that are just too miserable to be enjoyable (Man Needs A Maid, Ready For The Country, There's A World).

I don’t really like Neil’s voice, but it’s a decent enough album with some songs I know.

A couple of good classics but the rest of the album doesn't quite live up to them

I remember being so excited for this to come out during my junior year of high school, after Neil’s first 3 albums were so great, especially 2 and 3, Everybody Knows This is Nowhere, and After the Gold Rush. The pre-album release single, Heart of Gold, was pretty decent. Then I got it soon after it came out and while I liked it, it was disappointing compared to the others — weaker, slower, songs, comparative lack of flashy guitar work. After the musically great track Southern Man on ATGR, to then get another Southern USA diss-track here, Alabama, seemed a bit much for a guy from Canada. Hooray for Lynyrd Skynyrd for taking Neil down on Sweet Home Alabama. Like Rod Stewart and Van Morrison, Neil had 3-4 great albums to start their solo careers, and then things became so-so (or worse) after that.

Decent album, better than I expected. Will listen to more Neil young in the future

A near perfect folk-rock album from the 70s. It's the simply yet elegantly beautiful track Harvest that scores most of the points in this record for me. The cinematic orchestral swells in songs like A man needs a maid (??) and There's a world feels unnecessary. Alabama was a banging rocker. The outro track with the piano was good. Overall, it's just....good.

The songs are great, but I still wish someone was singing them other than Neil Young.

While I think Young is at his best live (my favorite of his albums are Weld, Rust Never Sleeps, and Live at Massey Hall 1971), this is my favorite of his studio albums. Harvest is Young at his most tender, and I think his most understandable. While I love the impacts of ecology on society and vice versa that After the Gold Rush discusses, I don’t claim to understand those lyrics nearly as well as on Harvest. “Heart of Gold” and “Old Man” are justifiably some of Young’s best and most recognizable songs, and “The Needle and the Damage Done” is one of my favorites. While Harvest might feature Neil Young sounding a lot like Bob Dylan (even Dylan thought so), I also think Young’s lyrics here are by far the most straightforward: relatable while still being poetic and containing great folk guitar and acoustic instrumental backing.

Decent

Very folksy and cozy. Not sure why it was the top album of 1972. I’m glad Neil Young’s vocals were as weirdly pitched. Maybe his vocals got weirder and more distinct as he got older…

it's alright

chills me out in a good way. kinda like the annoying brother you never had.

i understand why this may be good or even very special music but it just bores me to hell

Oh joy - more Neil Young! I kind of get why people like this, but his voice is a complete turn off. The nice organic sound is great….until he sings and ruins it. I know Heart of Gold is on here (and it’s a beautiful song) but I’d rather listen to the Boney M version than this. In fact I’d take the cover version almost every time with a NY song. Not for me. 2 as it’s his least worst album for me.

Plodding early 70s dreariness. Its place in the rock canon says more about which generation the (overwhelmingly white, male, American, no doubt...) critics belonged to than the quality of the music. My first Neil Young album with many more to come. Sigh...

What the fuck was that a man needs a maid song

old people aint got shit to listen to maybe they really did walk uphill both ways...

Is this what it feels like to be a boomer?

Very morose, miserable. Heart of gold and old man obvious standouts. Very difficult to get beyond the whine and the samey melodies. Difficult to rate this high as it doesn't bear repeated listens. The album starts to shift gears towards the end but it was too late for me as I'd already put my head in the metaphorical gas oven.

All I want to harvest from Neil Young are his organs.

Stop me if you've heard this one before - interesting lore behind this album. You can nearly hear the winced pain of Young's ailing back through the recordings, but there's a bit of edge, a bit of bitterness and melancholy that elevates the end product. The downside of the more subdued approach is that there's nowhere for the oft-lackluster vocals to hide ("Are You Ready for the Country" is unbearable). The tracks with the London Symphony Orch bring a different, yet welcome, flavor from Neil's usual aural language. Not my favorite of his works. Listened to: at home. Favorite track: Heart of Gold

I was only previously familiar with Heart of Gold by Neil Young. Having now listened to more, I have to admit I’m not desperate to listen again. Not awful though.

the second star is for not *entirely* filling me with contempt

middlin

Not for me.

Jesus Christ. This old miserable geezer just refuses to shut up. This is the sixth Neil Young album I've had the displeasure of listening to and, according to Wikipedia, there's still 3 more on the list. Ugh. If I could ask the writer of this book one question, it would be why they chose Neil Young to be the most represented artist. As far as I know, he didn't invent music. Barely anybody knows of his existence outside the US and Canada. Worst of all, all of his albums sound the same. 2/5. Also put your music back on Spotify, Neil. You're ruining my "One Song From Every Album I've Listened To" playlist, Neil.

Clonazepamic music

"Maid" is one of the unintentionally funniest songs I've ever heard. The lyrics are about this old fuck wanting a maid to do his chores becuae he can't be arsed to do them himself or whatever but the music itself is this weirdly epic orchestral performance??? Wtf man. The rest is unremarkable country slop.

This album really reveals how much Neil Young needs Crosby, Stills, and Nash for his music to actually sound good. There are some decent songs on this album, but Neil Young's singing just cannot do any of them justice.

This album is why many people think they don’t like Neil Young. Dull at the its best, and grating at its worst.

🤮 Es sind zu viele Platten mit Neil Young-Beteiligung in dieser Liste. Und KEINE davon MUSS man gehört haben. Viele heißt in dem Zusammenhang: mehr als null. Unerträgliches Gejaule.

Love. Alabama while flying over a Texas thunderstorm was the perfect backdrop for this record. Perfect for a sleepy flight. Interesting bells and harmonies. Great writing. Timeless. Recorded live? Regardless I see why this is touted as such an incredible record.

I like Neil Young, but this is probably his only album that works as a whole for me. This thing just knocks me off my feet anytime I listen to it. Incredible lyrics and production, it rises above his normal folk into something gothic and almost mystical. Love it.

Great album.

It just has to be a 5.

I have to admit… I love Neil Young. I like his voice. It’s unique, beautiful, fragile. He’s a great, expressive guitar player and distinctive whether he playing acoustic or electric. I don’t understand people who don’t like his voice, criticize his style or doesn’t understand his influence. This is a great album. Something about this period really hits me hard. I listened to this album a lot whe I was 18-19 and going through some tough times. Neil pulled me out of the spiral many times. How could this world be that bad if Neil young is in it. I’m wearing a Neil Young shirt as type this. Did I mention I love Neil Young?

Awesome

Wow

Me gustó mucho y me produjo mucha nostalgia

This is a classic. Needle and the Damage Done is probably one of Neil Young's most affecting songs. Neil Young can write more than one type of song...he can rock out, or go acoustic.

Neil Young's best Folk album. It has some of his best known hits like Old Man, Heart of Gold, and Needle and the Damage Done.

The easiest 5/5

Words (and music) between the lines of age

One of the best albums of all time.

My fifth 70s album in a row, and it’s one of my all-time favourites. I didn’t attend to it when it first came out, but my partner brought it into steady rotation and I love it. I don’t have comparisons with Young’s other albums (which I hardly know), I just anppreciate every song on this one. I love the space in the simple arrangements, the subtle sweetness of the pedal steel, the tones of the singing. I look forward to Words (Between the Lines of Age), which is one of my favourite songs, I’m wowed by the drive I feel through the shifting metre, and the guitar solo is one of my favourites too - it’s maybe naïf rather than carefully constructed, I respect craft but sometimes respond more strongly to what I feel as Dionysian passion. Overall I’ll call this album Quite Wonderful, 9/10.

Overall excellent throughout - a number of fantastic songs and some great ones I hadn’t heard before 5

a classic. neil is the man. buffalo springfield, csny, crazy horse, solo. what a career. perhaps this is the pinnacle? maybe it's "on the beach"? "havest", "old man", "the needle and the damage done", and of course, "heart of gold". incredible.

Highlights: Out on the Weekend, A Man Needs a Maid, Heart of Gold, Old Man, Alabama, The Needle and the Damage Done Surprisingly pleased with the record. Lyrics are the highlight and I don't know why that surprised me. I mean I knew that he has a reputation but I thought that this record would be an easy 3 at best.

Folk/Country music legend Neil Young does not disappoint with his signature record Harvest. I would probably consider it a classic, every track is amazing and unique with no duds, the simple acoustic guitar and harmonica tracks like Out On The Weekend, Harvest, The Needle & The Damage Done, Heart of Gold and Old Man are excellent mellow tracks, Heart Of Gold being my favorite out of all of those because of its themes of finding a pure heart to give to. The other songs on the album are all beautiful and vibrant tracks with instruments including a string section and piano. The string section songs in particular, A Man Needs A Maid and There’s A World both sound amazing and i did not expect such good string section production on a 1972 album. Hell there’s even a Harp on this album. That might be a dumb thing to point out but i don’t really hear harps a lot in songs. The songs Alabama and Words also have electric guitar mixed in with the wide instrumentation to give a very good folk rock feel, those songs have the best use of Harvest’s instrumentation in my opinion. Highlights: Harvest, A Man Needs A Maid, Heart Of Gold, Old Man, There’s A World, Alabama, Words Lowlights: None

One of Neil Young's best. There may be others I like better, but it's hard to deny that this is pretty close to his perfect acoustic guitar work

Classic. Not much more can be said that hasn't already. This was my second album into this project. The first was Peter Gabriel's So. Two incredible albums to start off. I'm worried about what the future holds.

Incredible album - Super simple production - Perfect

Peaky Shaky, all wonderful songs. Would mark down a smidge for the sexism of Man Needs A Maid, but I feel like it's bit of clumsiness rather than unpleasantness. Will give him the benefit of the doubt.

This is the quintessential Neil Young album, which is certainly the poster child of country rock albums. It packs some of the heavy hitters in his discography and remains as folksy as it is relevant. Easy 10 and probably one of the best albums of all time. 10/10 [KEEP]

Certified Canadian classic

Great album! Have listened to this a ton over the years. 9/10 Top song Old man

Solid gold 5 out of 5.

Pretty great

When I first saw that this was today’s album I was like :| but then I listened and I was like :,) So many memories attached to these lyrics and sounds. A coming of age album for many, myself included. This life never turns out as we planned or envisioned. People come and people go. Love is lost, lives are lost. Emotions are tender and raw. We experience great sadness and at this bottom, rebirth. A sense of freedom brought on by self reliance. We trudge on. We listen to “Harvest” by Neil Young.

music is love

Helt åpenbart en grunn til koffor det e en klassiker, og den her har æ jo til og med hørt på av egen fri vilje før, om enn ikke veldig ofte. Nydelig.

Meistaraverk frá Njáli. Svakalega góð lög og textar.

Neil Young's all over this list and know he has a million classic albums. I think this will end up being my favorite. Amazing singer-songwriter album and some of these songs are just so imperfectly perfect. Reading about how he wrote this basically lying down for 2 years at his ranch recovering from back discs issues/surgery makes it hit harder.

I love this album. 3 or 4 of my favorite Neil Young songs are on it. Linda Ronstadt's voice compliments his wonderfully. I get it though, it helps that I'm a Neil Young fan.

This is one of his early masterpieces. I have listened to it so many times but it’s still such a good record.

por momentos me siento un vaquero por la pradera

Really like heart of gold and old man, a very good album overall but I'm torn, probably 4.5. Words.

I loved this album and I thought I would not enjoy it. Every song that was slow or otherwise boring took a turn and I was bopping a bit. Definitely need to check out more Neil Young stuff after doing this list

Such a good album

90/100. On first listen, Harvest feels like a gentle ride. Acoustic guitars, harmonicas, brushed drums. It sounds like comfort. But that’s only the surface. Beneath the warmth lies loss, confusion, longing, and a quiet resistance to the chaos of the outside world. What makes Harvest so compelling is its mood. It straddles country and folk but never settles fully into either. The playing is loose, organic, yet never careless. Young’s voice, fragile and unmistakable, might not appeal to everyone, but that’s its strength. It’s raw, human, and vulnerable in a way that polished vocals could never be. It’s not just a great album, it’s an honest one.

The most balanced Neil Young album, packed with megahits — top-tier work

🐐

Why does this guy have, like, three albums with “harvest” in the title? Is he trying to cater to the common man or something? Outrageous. My seventh encounter with Neil Young on this list. This is supposed to be his masterpiece, so I have high expectations. And yeah, Neil Young goes above and beyond here. Simple, elegant, highly coverable compositions. At times on side 1, the mellowness gets slightly overpowering – can we get a drum kit up in here? – but then plenty of fantastic albums do the same thing. And side 2 turns the energy up several notches, so what was I even complaining about? Out on the Weekend is musically and lyrically simple yet gut-punching. Sort of Dylanesque with the addition of harmonica and acoustic guitar – but only sort of. Young’s vocal differs substantially from old Dylmeiser. The melodies here are perhaps too far towards the “easy-listening” end, in terms of complexity – but they aggressively outshine the gabbling spoken vocals Dylan usually comes up with. You can’t tell me that the title track doesn’t sound like Mr. Tambourine Man. After a thin-textured yet spirited performance in A Man Needs a Maid, we reach the star track, Heart of Gold. Which, surprisingly, I’d never heard until this moment. Crisp recording on the guitar, plus some solid lead and backing vocals and a pretty catchy melody, create (essentially) a folk-rock masterpiece. A couple of tracks later, Old Man can be described exactly the same way. Call me impressed. This is some great stuff. The chords aren’t that complicated (I don’t think) but they’re darn satisfying. Old Man reminds me, bizarrely, of Lake of Fire (Meat Puppets), even though they’re worlds apart. Both great songs regardless. If you were hoping for an outlier, look no further than the cinematic orchestral piece There’s a World. Reminiscent of something from Lord of the Rings, or high fantasy in general. Then the heavier Alabama comes in, showcasing dense vocal harmonies and a solid electric guitar part. A lovely chord progression in the short, sweet, acoustic The Needle and the Damage leads us into the almost seven-minute-long finale Words (Between the Lines of Age). It doesn’t need to be particularly great – the album already knocks it out of the park – but as luck would have it, the finale is particularly great. (Cool.) Great extended Gilmour-esque solo, with a soaring, emotional feel that really is just the cherry on top of the masterpiece. 5/5 Key tracks: Heart of Gold, Old Man, There’s a World

#944. There's about eleventy six Neil Young or Neil Young adjacent albums in this book, but if we're being honest most of them aren't really all that good. This one right here is the only one that needs to be here, and we all know it. 5/5: Neil Young is still a twat, though.

I'm looking forward to this album. Out on the Weekend is a great song. This is the kind of album that benefits from old school FM radio where they just played album sides, not singles. I'd like terrestrial radio a lot better if it got back to that. It feels like the lead singer from The Flaming Lips is trying to sound like Neil Young on this album. Heart of Gold is the hit, deservedly so, but there are a lot of great songs on this album. Old Man is my favorite song off this album. I have a weird relationship with folk music, I think I generally like folk rock and only like a much more limited section of folk music. The beginning of There's a World makes you think Spotify either switched to an ad or you hit something and changed albums. And Alabama, coupled with Southern Man, launched one of the great diss tracks of all time.

EXTRAORDINARY

easiest 5 of my life

This is the first album I get to listen to? What an opener! There is a lot to be said here but, yes, 5 stars.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Ett av enligt mig världens bästa album (men är inte säker på att jag tycker det är Neils bästa), med några riktiga höjdarspår. Har lyssnat på detta albumet många gånger men det slog mig först nu att det är ganska kort, men som sagt fullt av fantastiska spår ändå. Detta albumet har i brist på bättre ord en haunting-känsla av stämningsfulla arrangemang med stråkar och piano. Men det är såklart också fullt med Neils signatur-sound på munspel och gitarr. Älskar gitarren på Words som ger mig gåshud för hur den känns som en sångröst. Detta albumet är en 5a. Bäst är A man needs a Maid, Heart of gold, Old man, Alabama, The needle and the damage done och Words men det finns bara bra spår på det här albumet.

classic folk, nice and smooth

Classic. Need I say more?

Neil Young at his best. This album has some amazing songs and no weak spots. An easy 5 for me.

Neil Young is one of the greatest to ever do it. Harvest demonstrates his skill perfectly. 5/5

Perfect record. No notes

"I fell in love with the actress. She was playing a part i could understand." Future Mr. Daryl Hannah

There’s a lot of Neil Young on this list but I’m glad this one made it. Beginning to end it’s a lovely album.

An absolute classic album that I find beautiful. I can totally see how people would not jive with Young because I was one of these people for many years, but at one point it clicked for me and the little things that annoyed me faded away. Since crossing that line, I’ve explored most of his music and see him as a visionary who was constantly exploring musical boundaries. Harvest was Young’s breakout album, and it is easy to see why it popular when it was released. What is more remarkable is that it doesn’t sound dated today. The orchestrations create a large sound that envelops the listener. The harmonies are outstanding. For those who don’t like Young, that is perfectly okay. However, quit bitching about his inclusion on this list. He is among the most influential artists to produce music and not including several of his records on this list would ignore Young’s important contributions to modern music. This is probably among the best country-rock albums ever made. I have listened to this album many times in the past, but it’s been a minute. I really enjoyed revisiting the album.

I don't know if another album in Neil Young's catalogue beats this as his best/most representative album.

Not his best. Still brilliant.

What a lovely album this is. The simple production enhances the the songs to an extra level. Raw emotion through the whole album in Young's voice and playing elevates it further. A must listen

Greatest album!

I enjoyed!

It's awesome and has stood the test of time

Love it

I have never listened to Neil Young before, and I wasn't expecting much. Absolutely incredible album, that guitar was excellwnt.

P Young

A masterpiece.

I think it's all been said hasn't it? Great songs about longing and coming to terms with aging

Episkt

His best album ever. Firm favorite in my collection

No es mi disco favorito del bueno de Neil Young, pero es uno de los primeros discos que escuché de él y me sigue poniendo los pelos de punta. Siempre me acuerdo del momento en que tocó Old Man la primera vez que le vi (el infausto Rock in Rio de Madrid, donde NO VENDÍAN CERVEZA y nos tocó tragarnos antes al puto Manolo García dando una turra impresionante), cuando llama al viello que tiene de pipa para tocar el banjo. Acojonante.

loved this one

Celente

I've been a big fan of this album for years, so I was glad to see it pop up for today's album. I know a lot of people take exception to Young's unique singing voice but I've always enjoyed how he sounds, and he's in top form on this album; the chorus in Old Man is one of my favourites in folk rock. I love the variety in the instrumentation on the record as well. I'm a sucker for some tasteful banjos. The only song on here I don't really care for is A Man Needs A Maid; it's just a drawn-out, dull dirge. It's an easy skip but the rest is top drawer stuff. Favourite Tracks: Heart of Gold, Old Man, Harvest

me gustooo

I didn't remember his vocal range being so high.

Whew, finally.

(7/7) not sure how he got involved with the symphony orchestra but it seemed to work out

Great album, lyrics are powerful especially on old man and needle. I've always found neil youngs voice grating, but the songs here are good enough to look past that

I’ve never heard of a pro vax hippie before but he makes some good music

Franchement très bon album. Pour ma part, j'ai trouvé l'ambiance entre Rock et Country extrêmement plaisante à écouter, melant des sonorités très calmes et classique propres à des artistes comme Bob Dylan qui viennent apporter une base stable durant tout le projet, laissant par ailleurs d'autres élements plus singuliers se glisser dans le panel de propositions de l'album. On retrouve alors un jeu très propre au niveau de la guitare acoustique et electrique qui agit comme un pillier à la fois extrêmement stable en accompagnant constament la batterie (particulièrement puissante sur certains morceau comme "Words" ou "Heart Of Gold"), et en marquant une rythmique bien construite comme dans "Harvest" ou "Heart Of Gold", mais aussi en sachant se détacher du reste pour proposer des licks bien placés qui viennent apporter de la matière à l'atmosphère des morceaux comme dans "Words" et ses lignes de guitares saturés et segmentées. De la même manière, on retrouve des élements propre à l'héritage Country classique comme la présence de l'harmonica sur "Heart of Gold" ou "Out of the weekend" mais aussi les ambiances faites au bottle-neck qui apporte sur tout l'album un coté très planant à l'encontre du coté très direct de la guitare sèche ou de la batterie marquée. D'autre part, on a une réelle singularité dans l'album de Young qui surprend énormément dans les premiers temps, avec beaucoups d'élements très surprenants comme la présence de la harpe dans des morceaux comme "There's a World" qui vient appuyer un coté très volatile, en constate total par rapport à l'introduction du morceau, très puissante. Il y a aussi la présence de drop de batterie sur certains titres comme "Words" qui viennent littéralement briser le rythme pourtant très stable la majorité du temps. Enfin, la voix de Young constitue aussi un marqueur d'une identité unique, avec un ton très planant dans des aigus très rond qui brise avec les clichés country type Johnny Cash. En résumé, l'album constitue un complet amalgame d'éléments très propre à son style d'origine, qu'il parvient à maitriser à la perfection en marquant des hits intemporels comme "Heart Of Gold", tout en y ajoutant des éléments propres qui fait se détacher l'album de la grande masse de projets du même style.

A very good album with the couple of weaker songs more than compensated for by the larger number of classics.

Enjoyed on a lazy morning in bed! Nice to be reminded of it's existence

*1972. *There are some weird songs here (i.e. A Man Needs a Maid and There's a World), but most of it is classic Neil Young. *Harvest, Heart of Gold, and Old Man are all on here. RATING - 8/10

A record deserving of the term 'classic' in that period when the album was the key form of musical expression by artists that took it seriously. Seen by many as his finest musical statement with the post 60s hippie hangover meeting the cynical Watergate era. It was the biggest selling album of 1972 and contains all killer and no filler with use of orchestra standing out at certain moments. Timeless yet evocative.

From its beginning thumps to its fading guitar/piano chords, a genuine rock classic. Even if I'm partial to the 3-album down-n-out classics (On The Beach to Zuma), Harvest was a genuine high-point in Young's oeuvre, seriously rivaling Dylan's more-lauded and influential early work. So, yeah one of rock's better (and influential) albums (yes, Alabama pissed off some southerners). 5 undeniable points of night-light.

Not sure how I feel about there’s a world. And I prefer the live at Massey hall version of old man. So maybe should be a 4, but think it’s still a 5 because it has a handful of my all time favorites songs on it. See the lonely boy out on the weekend….

One of my all times faves. Top 20 for sure.

Like a warm hug

Tellement bien !! Mon premier 5/5

Uno de mis discos favoritos de toda la vida, que adoración que le tengo, siempre regreso a él, a mis viajes a Motupe para la feria con la familia, esas épocas de un joven que solo era una esponja músical. 1000 de 1000

Don’t even need to give this a listen to give Harvest full marks. My parents brought me up on Neil. They brought me up right.

It’s a calm, almost fragile album, but it hits deep if you sit with it. The songs are where everything really shines. Heart of Gold is simple but perfect, one of those tracks that just stays with you forever. Old Man feels warm and reflective, like a quiet conversation with yourself. The Needle and the Damage Done is probably the most powerful moment—raw, painful, and real in a way that’s hard to ignore. And A Man Needs a Maid… there’s something about it that feels uneasy but emotional at the same time, like it’s exposing something vulnerable and complicated. Overall, the album isn’t trying to impress—it just tells the truth, and that’s what makes it so strong.

Ok that kicked ass. Was meh on the earlier Neill Young album but this one was so good. Heart of gold is an all time great song, but so many other amazing tunes on this album. Loved it. Feel like I finally get why he’s so beloved.

Amazing

Great album. 'Heart of Gold' , 'Old Man' are highlights

I see Neil, I give 5 stars.

Easy 5. The Needle and the Damage Done is an all timer.

Absolute classic. Not a bad track on this record.

#73/1001 🇨🇦 Neil Young is the artist who commands the most space on my shelves and whilst this isnt my favourite of his records, its easy to see why its his best known. The first album that i got into was Sleeps With Angels in the early 90s and from there i've been on a journey going back through his catalogue and also enjoying his more recent works. This is a fine record throughout, A Man Needs a Maid being the only track that bothers me. Heart of Gold is maybe a little overplayed - its the only one of his tunes i ever hear on the radio. Best tracks: Old Man, Alhabama, Needle and the Damage Done, Words.

i love neil young

Absolute masterpiece! It's one of the ones buried in my record collection & I'm glad its on the list! Buried no more!

God I love Neil Young. Heart Of Gold, Old Man, and The Needle And The Damage Done are 3 of the greatest songs ever written.

Really enjoyed this album. Great suggestion.

One of the best Albums ever! So good, don’t get old!

I’m at the point, almost 100 albums in, anything I enjoy listening to and don’t swear, skip a boring song, is getting a 5.

Awesome. Now this is music. 4.5 Rounds up to five. Need more Neil young in my life.

I'm giving it a 5, there are 1-2 songs I don't love (man needs a maid) but there are so many classics. Easy listening, great repeatability.

love this album -- fun fact -> James Taylor and Linda Ronstadt did some of the backing vocals

Mér þykir mjög vænt um þessa plötu, fékk hana gefins frá góðum vini á síðustu öld og féll fyrir henni strax. Hún stenst tímans tönn og vel það.

Lisää Neil Youngia ja sehän passaa! Harvest on lempparini ukon tuotoksista (läheskään kaikkia en ole kuullut) ja se taitaa myös olla Youngin eniten myynyt levy. Harvest edustaa enimmäkseen leppoisaa country-rockia, mutta mukaan mahtuu muutama särövoittoinen veto ja kaksi sinfoniaorkesterin säestämää mahtipontista balladia. Vaikka nuo kyseiset biisit eivät aivan saumattomasti sovi kokonaisuuteen, muu materiaali on niin huippua, että tälle kuitenkin uskaltaa antaa viisi tähteä.

Hillbilly hip-hop. Out on the Weekend and Old Man are both in my top 20 Neil Young songs. Some great songs here, performed beautifully.

Fantastic

I have already listened to this before. Neil Young is one of my favorite musicians and Harvest is an all time great country rock album. Every song on this record is great and old man is probably my favorite.

This is one of my all-time favorite albums. I have played it to the point that I almost can't play it anymore. But it's perfect.

To je to moje prekletstvo, da ko dobim album ki ga poznam od prej, mi je ljub in mam šanso ga poslušat na plošči, s super zvočniki - bom dobila ta album na dan, ko mi ne bo zneslo tega naredit. In sm prisiljena ga poslušat v avtu, prek mobitela, prek compressed bluetooth zvoka. Oh, ja. Še zmer - what an album! Včasih me presenet, glede na to, da mi grejo določeni vokali na kurac, kako mi kakšni objektivno potencialno nadležni vokali (torej, Neil Young) ne grejo na kurac. Favoriti: "Out on the Weekend", "Heart of Gold" - itak!, "Old Man", "Alabama" in "Words (Between the Lines of Age)".

Timeless and achingly human. Old Man and Heart of Gold are the obvious entry points but the whole album rewards the time spent listening. Neil's voice has never sounded more unguarded, and the sparse production lets every word land exactly where it should. A Man Needs a Maid always stops me in my tracks - the way the London Symphony Orchestra arrangement sweeps in under one of his most vulnerable lyrics, and it's just devastating every time Ive heard it in the last 40-some years.

Uncle Neil is the Godfather of Grunge. Lyrically and vocally, Harvest is the start of that glorious genre (I don't think Uncle Neil did it musically until he went electric and upped the distortion with Crazy Horse). From the best-selling album of 1972, we get "Old Man" (f you, Skynyrd) and "Heart of Gold." My personal favorite has always been "The Needle and the Damage Done." Great classic album that everyone absolutely should listen to before they die. Influence 5. Hits 5. Quality 4. Intangibles 5. Good stuff 4.

Fav tracks: Heart of Gold, Old Man, Alabama, Words (Between the Lines of Age)

I have a disease where I can't rate Neil Young albums less than five stars

C’est l’album qui m’a ouvert les yeux sur le vieux folk rock américain. Un grand album de A à Z.

I love Neil Young, one of my favorites. He’s an incredible song writer both musically and lyrically and he’s equally great playing both acoustic and electric. This album is one of his best for sure, full of classic Neil Young. For me, the only miss on here is There’s a World, but the rest is still strong enough for a 5.

Another genre-definer, every track is worth its weight, his best album in my opinion.

Un pur bonheur ça transpire l'humanitude🙏🙏🙏

my canadian king

Awesome album

Excellent. Very chill but impactful lyrics and did not expect to like it that much

- such a beautiful album - lyrics are so gorgeous and poetic - harmonies in you and me sound so soothing - genuinelu a masterpiece - harvest moon deaduzz brings tears to my eyes

This album makes my top 10 of all time. Listened to this in my mid teens and these songs really hit home to my heart. Adding orchestration to a few songs make the tracks flow into one another seamlessly and keep it diversly interesting. Heart of Gold I sang at karaoke as a duet. Great LP.

Classic Gold

Okay ate I liked :)))) old man slay

I have to disagree with all those who say there's too much Neil Young in these parts. I'm a big fan and own all 7 of his albums that grace the list, plus a few more. Still, while this mightn't be my go-to album of his, stand out tracks like Alalbama, Needle & Damage Done, Heart of Gold & Out on the Weekend make this an incredible album and a perfect introduction to the man's music I think. Listening earlier, I wondered whether the big brass bed from Weekend was the same as the one from Dylan's Lay Lady Lay? A reminder that I've not listened to Neil much recently and need to rectify that. 5 stars.

Awesome album with 3 classic songs on it. Other songs are good too.

💕💕💕💕

Phenomenal album. I love the build to a really emotional end. "Alabama" and "Words (Between the Lines of Ages)" are particularly impacting. Young's story-telling song writing style mixed with classic folk/blues instrumentation really pull the listener in. It's engaging and interesting, even fifty-some years later.

This album was once one of my very favourite, over 20 years ago; so listening to it again is nostalgic for sure. First time I’ve listened to in its entirety in awhile. Still such an easy listen with more musical variety than I remembered. I remembered this album as acoustic guitars and harmonicas. Which is still very much true. But there’s more piano and more electric guitar than I remembered, and done to perfection in “Are You Ready For The Country” So glad I got to listen to this album today. Last two songs are still the best in my opinion.

9/10

this is such a solid no skip tbh

10/ 10 – Masterpiece

Kommentarer egentligen överflödiga. Sannolikt mitt favorit Young-album.

Brilliant album. Harvest, Old Man, and Needle and the Damage done the standouts for me

Oon tykännyt Neil Youngista jo vuosikymmeniä ja hänen äänensä on yksi parhaista. Tämä levy on täyden kympin levy. Kuuntelin Deluxe version.

Listened on the way to work. Went into this one expecting a snooze fest and was blown away with how good it was. It has intimate acoustic songs and sprawling epics. Incredible song writing and musicianship. Legit shocked how good this one was!

Amazing. This album took me by surprise. Felt like watching a movie.

This album holds a special place in my heart. Not only do I love the arrangements, lyrics and vulnerability in his voice but my wife and I’s favorite band covered this album in its entirety

Legendary album.

Perfection. 5 *

One of my favorite albums. It’s my childhood. Dad’s fav.

I love this album. Grew up listening to Neil Young. A bunch of the songs on this album were on the mix we had in the car for a long time when I was young. His voice is definitely not to everyone’s taste but I love it. Some really good music with a nice variation of style I think - although I’m definitely biased by nostalgia. Fav song: Heart of Gold - also liked Harvest, Old Man, The Needle and the Damage Done Least fav: There’s a World - I do love the instrumentation on this one, it just feels likely a slightly odd fit.

This was an amazing album all the way through!! I’ve heard some of Neil Young’s music before, and I just love how he sounds and his lyrics. Amazing love this one!

Solid album all-around. Favorite tracks were Harvest and Heart of Gold.

Neil Young has ALWAYS been a Very Fantastic Musician with EXCELLENT MUSIC !!!!

An incredible sounding album from a boundary pushing singer-songwriter. Doesn’t even crack my top 5 records from him but that goes to show how amazing he is.

YES

one of my favorites <3

I love it!!! I didn’t know it.

Favorites: out on the weekend, heart of gold, old man

Pure perfection, stem to stern, and yes, even "A Man Needs a Maid." This is the purest distillation of Neil and 70s singer-songwriters. I don't even have to listen to a note, I already know every one by heart. Perfection.

I have to give this a 5. Neil Young is not my favourite, but definitely a masterpiece album.

I love neil young

Thank you neil young for breaking my mediocre album streak

I know I'm basic but this is my favorite Neil Young album. simply put, Its folk perfection. Favorite track: Heart Of Gold

Nice, relaxing, enjoyable. For me, easily his best album. Old Man and Heart of Gold are absolute gems.

Heart of Gold and Old Man went platinum on my mum's playlist so I've heard those a lot before but had never listened to this album in full, surprised to find out it's actually pretty excellent. Also a big fan of how randomly dramatic this would get with its instrumentals at times.

jako mi je drago sto sam poslusala ovaj album napokon!

a wonderful album, soft and unobtrusive

What a response to the unrest and restlessness of the 60s. My sister sent it to me in a care package my freshman year of college, and my son stops and listens when he passes through the room. It has extraordinary longevity and appeal.

This is one of my favorite albums. It has the best of Neil Young, IMO. Needle and the Damage Done is one of the greatest songs of all time, along with Heart of Gold. Always a pleasure. Neil Young is timeless.

This album is speaking to my soul. Bringing me joy and melancholy. Favs: Old Man/ the Needle and the Damage Done “twenty four and there’s so much more” 5/5

Album 66 - Neil Young - Harvest - 5/5 “Dream up, dream up, let me fill your cup / With the promise of a man” But only the promise.  In my first semester in college, my dad told me he wanted to meet up with his old roommate in Chicago and see Bob Dylan. He had four tickets and wanted to know if I could come and bring a friend. Of course, I said, but my own roommate was busy and I didn’t know anybody else yet. So I e-mailed the dorm listserv and asked if anyone wanted to go see Robert Zimmerman. A couple of guys caught the reference and I ended up having them draw straws for it.  Afterwards we sat around drinking and talked about Dylan — his many eras, his epic genius. Somehow Neil Young became a point of comparison… someone said that as much as he loved Neil Young, he could fit all his favorite Neil songs onto a single CD, but he could never do that with Dylan. It all seems a pretty blinkered way of viewing art, but we were also just kids sizing each other up.  With a more mature mindset, though, I can say:  Dylan never made anything like Harvest.  Don’t get me wrong, he’s my idol. It ended up being a great show. He had a killer band that went on extended jams. He covered Warren Zevon and the Stones. But I also remember seeing my dad’s awkward interactions with his old roommate that night and finally realizing that he had no friends. From then on his life would be increasingly characterized by confusion and decline. There are days I would hate him and there were days when he was too disconnected from reality to hate.  Even though it sounds smooth as a pristine pond, Harvest speaks to that kind of desperation, which i think Neil Young must have carried with him his whole life. Each song is almost a life story but not quite. Needles, words, a maid, a heart of gold — what does any of it mean? Even “Alabama” is not quite a protest song in comparison to “Ohio.” Harvest doesn’t quite make sense and doesn’t ask you to make sense of it, just listen.  In counterpoint to that room full of Dylanologists in college was a late-night ride with a spindly girl. She lived in our dorm but nobody really knew her or would say anything about her. My friend said she looked like a lost yearling. But somehow I ended up in her pickup truck in a drive to perform some errand in the suburbs. We sang along to “Harvest” the whole way. After “Old Man” she said “that song is everything.” I wondered if she would become a significant person in my life after that but I think I only saw her a few times ever again.  “Old Man” is everything but is by the same token incomplete. The patriarch yields to no particular interpretation or thesis. But I would say this — a writer I like noted that some song lyrics lie through their very composition. “I Walk the Line” is a lie. “Don’t Think Twice, It’s Alright” is a lie. If you’re so certain, fellas, then why put so much effort into the song? And “doesn’t mean that much to me to mean that much to you” is most certainly a lie.  Many years later my dad ended up in my care. And also in my car, a lot. After a certain age I realized he didn’t care that much about anything I had to say. Plus he was in the middle stages of dementia by then anyway — he regularly insisted we all said he was “demented.” When we would drive around the city for his fairly pointless medical appointments he would repeat phrases off of billboards and say things like “Didn’t we go there with your mother once?” Hell if I know. So it made more sense to play music, typically albums I’d gotten to know from his own collection. When I put on “Harvest” one day, I knew “Old Man” would be waiting and decided consequences be damned. But when we got there I saw him off in his own world, mouthing the words, telling his own story. Dad exposed me to so much good music but I’m not sure we ever had an honest conversation about any of it, much less what it might mean for him and me.  He died not long after, passing a few minutes after visiting hours ended one night. I’ve made my peace about it all. I was lucky enough to have a father-in-law with whom I could  discuss every steel guitar note if we pleased; he also grew up without much of a dad and knew not to make too big a deal of it.  And now I have my sons and I get to make up my own story. I pushed the baby around today in the stroller, talking in a stream of consciousness as I always do. Exposure to language is good. I told him about this album and what a harvest is. Completion and finality. A bounty and a scythe. A promise fulfilled but only through a degree of destruction. He’s young enough that I don’t have to fill in the gaps and I’m old enough that I have no desire to. “Old man take a look at my life, I’m a lot like you.” It’s any old man and young man, any father and son. It invites YOU to finish it. And by the time he’s 24 I’ll probably still be trying.

Stone cold classic. Basically no bad songs here.

I'm not a big folk fan, but this album is incredible!

Classic.

Was really surprised by this album!

There's no denying the beauty of this record. Part prophetic, part achingly sad, a young Neil shows us life through his kaleidoscope. Fantastic guests and that signature Neil sound and vibe make this an all-time great.

It's a comforting lifebringer for restless and tiered spirits

Classic album. Love this era of Neil.

A landmark at album 190, the first album on this list I have actually owned. Before napster I didn't have many albums and then after napster I bought very few more. When I was around 8 (around 1990) I was nicely sitting in a chair getting a hair cut in the small town in Ontario I grew up near. Back then the local chamber of commerce tasked someone with giving out 50 dollar gift cards to a couple local shoppers during the christmas season. My angelic little face and freshly chopped mane was enough to deserve one apparently. My parents took me to the local music store and nudged (forced?) me to buy this album and Fleetwood Mac's Rumours. I don't know what I would have bought if left to my own devices as at that time our radio was permanently tuned to public radio and my access to music was very limited. If something similar happened to my 8 year old daughter today what would happen? She wouldn't understand, of course, because she has any song she could want at her fingertips already. What two albums would I encourage her to buy from 2008 to 2013 (the analogous period)? Looking through a list of albums from those years I am at a loss...I'd be more likely to give her Harvest and Rumours, a testament to their greatness.

Neil Young might be the best Canadian artist of all time. I haven't listened to a lot of his work, but the few tunes I do know, I love. Excited to listen to this full album. Update: Great album. Would listen to it again, any time

I don't need to go into detail but this is a fucking masterpiece. Maybe I'll edit it some other time. It's brilliant.

Always a winner

One of the absolute best

one of the most nostalgic albums of my childhood & it’s the first one generated for me. a blessing really. while i don’t know all the words, the melodies feel etched into my heart. my dad played some of these songs so many times, we asked him to stop. come to think of it, it was just old man. thinking of my dad aging with this album— an album so preemptively fixated on aging— is very poignant to me now that i’m thinking about it. i love my old man!!!! old faves: harvest heart of gold alabama new faves: the needle and the damage done

I like this one!

Neil is over-represented on this list, but this album is absolutely something you need to hear before you die.

I ❤️ Neil Young. I especially like Old Man on the album which blew up on TikTok yes I know.

Such a strange record. You have in your mind that soft country rock sound, what he described as driving the car straight into the middle of the road. But then you listen to There's a World and you pause to contemplate the broad sweep of this record. Similarly with Words, he is going to some very different corners of song writing. Needle and Damage, a lovely live performance, just him picking his acoustic. A Man Needs a Maid, him playing piano live, backed by the LSO, whoa. So just stop there; I've not gone to the hits and yet I've mentioned three great pieces of music, this record really, really holds up. I'm stunned at just how good this is, after years of not listening to it. I was 13 in 1976 when I first discovered this, and of course loved it. All these years on it has a completely different meaning. Neil has something to say here. Enjoy.

So viele Songs, die ich kenne aber nicht wusste, dass sie von diesem Album sind.

πολυ ωραιο

A surprise 5 star review for me - I'd only heard his later stuff when he became known as the godfather of grunge. Turns out that he was the godfather of folk rock 20 years earlier. I listened to this 4 times in a row today!

an album i am very familiar with, this is probably one of my favourite neil young albums. a few favourite songs: heart of gold a man needs a maid old man the needle and the damage done ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

So here's the sixth Neil Young album on the list. After reviewing the previous five, I have to say that I really like this one. I had this album back in my youth. After a long time, I remembered it again and really enjoyed it. 5/5

Love this album. Neil Young isn't for everyone, but this album is a gem in my opinion. Favorite songs: Out on the Weekend, Old Man, Alabama

Writing an orchestral about hiring a maid, kinda based Neil had me tearing up in da car tho

One of my favorite albums ever. It feels like a warm oversized flannel shirt. Makes me nostalgic and emotional.

One of his best and one of my favorites!

One of the greatest albums of all time. I love it. Old Man is my favourite, Alabma not far behind.

This album is delightfully beautiful, with so many great songs. I already knew I was going to like it, and it's just confirmed me that Neil Young is such an amazing songwriter, with such amazing songs.

Absolute classic. Bought this on (crappy) vinyl when I was 16 and am unhappy I don't still have it. My third favorite Neil Young album behind After the Gold Rush and Freedom. From start to finish, basically perfect. Can't think of a bad song on here.

Dang. Never knew Neil went so hard. Full orchestra and unexpected glockenspiel was peak.

As 2025 draws to a close, I learn that – in the eyes of one music streaming service at least – I exist within the top 0.2% of Neil Young fans globally. That’s the top 20,000 of 10.2 million listeners. There are a couple of interesting things about the almost 1300 minutes I spent listening to Neil Young over the past year. The first is that I’d never in my life previously attempted to listen to Neil Young. I’ve heard music by Neil Young, sure, but never by request. The next thing is that my listening at no point involved songs from Harvest, hands down his most popular record (and the topmost selling record in the USA in 1972, I gather). Had I been introduced to Harvest sooner this year, I’m certain I’d have cracked the top 10,000. The crashing chorus of “A man needs a maid” that recalls “Surf’s Up” ecstatic denouement but repurposes its grandiosity for something more earthly and wallowing. The timelessness of “Heart of Gold”, a song that deservedly elevated Young to something permanent in the imaginary of Americana. “Out on the weekend”, “Harvest”, “Needle and the damage done” are all fantastic songs, but it’s the harder-edged pieces that have kept me coming back to Harvest over the past week. “Alabama” – possibly another entry into the conversation with Lynyrd Skynyrd? – rattles along and boasts a fantastic chorus. And then there’s “Words (between the lines of age)”, a song that stumbles into its verse in the most disarming way, braces itself for a rousing chorus, collapses into a completely hypnotising bridge (the sound of the guitar, hammer ons progressing up the neck before alighting on a whistling run of piercing high notes is the sound of six strings becoming a character; wounded, following, fragile), returns to a juddering verse that opens into a sparkle of arpeggio, before a final fighting chorus that ultimately cedes to an interweaving procession of electric and pedal steel guitars that I could frankly happily live inside for the rest of my life. So yeah, on the balance of it, another good Neil Young record. Here’s to 2026.

So many good tracks! Probably the best of early Neil Young

4 at least

One of my favorite albums of all time. Yes, not every song works perfectly. But together as a piece, I maintain they do.

classic

Iconic album. Necessary for any collection.

i think for most this is kind of the oddball choice for a favorite neil young album but sorry its just the best one theres nothing i can do about it

Harvest earns its reputation the honest way: song by song, mood by mood, without any need for myth-building. The early stretch of the album is basically flawless. “Out on the Weekend,” “Harvest,” “A Man Needs a Maid,” and of course “Heart of Gold” all land with a kind of understated power that’s hard to fake. The writing is sharp and emotionally open, and Neil Young’s fragile, quivering vocals feel perfectly matched to the material rather than merely distinctive. The arrangements seal it. The pedal steel work is gorgeous—expressive without ever becoming syrupy—and it gives the album a warm, drifting atmosphere that makes even the quieter tracks feel expansive. There’s a steadiness here, a confidence in simplicity, that’s rare in records this widely loved. Some albums feel like homework because they’re “important.” Harvest feels important because it’s good. Front to back, it’s Neil Young at his most accessible and most affecting. This is a full five stars: timeless songwriting, beautiful production, and a record that connects immediately without losing depth.

Classic. Good aongs

Just perfect

One of my all time favorite albums. Out on the weekend, a man needs a maid, harvest,heart of gold, old man. All timeless classics. It’s definitely an inconsistent album but the highs are all time.

Such a great album, with some of the most beautiful songs ever made on it. Unhesitating 5* rating.

Classic - beautiful, revealing.

often on repeat!

i love neil young he's my favorite bad singer

Another album I was prepared to roll my eyes at being over-hyped boomer-bait, but I think it lives up to its reputation. Not an album for everyone. I will probably not return to this often, but an album that is truly worth listening to for every music fan.

HOMETOWN HERO

Neil hasn't been on my listening list for a few years since reading his Waging Heavy Peace, which detailed his long marriage and caring for their son which was very loving. Soon after he left them to be with Daryl Hannah, which just cheapened everything I had just read and unfortunately affected how I viewed him and I just stopped listening to his music. I have plenty of it and love many of his albums, including this massive hit album where he seemed to make concessions to the mainstream country crowd but with such wonderful songs that it didn't matter, the class just song through. There's plenty of darkness and drama within the sheen to give the album balance as well with Old Maid and Words. Maybe its time to forgive Neil and accept he's as humanly susceptible to a Hollywood actress as the next man.

Holy crap what an album, I bloody loved it. It’s absolutely rammed with great tracks, there isn’t one that misses the mark. Neil Young is someone I would’ve dismissed before starting this project but I’ve really enjoyed 3/4 albums I’ve had from him so far. Top Track - Heart Of Gold

Everything I love about prog rock is on this album. It's funny that I never listened to Yes before, their hits are kinda cheesy. I grew up hearing it on generic classic rock radio. I can listen to Robert Wyatt with Soft Machine all day and now this.

This album appeared for me today, December 3rd, the same day Spotify delivers its annual retrospective. Guess what? It was all Neil Young. Over 7,000 minutes just listening to the Canadian Old Man. And all thanks to this website that rekindled my desire to discover new artists and explore the discographies of artists I already know more deeply. No kidding. My Top 5, both albums and songs, were all by Neil Young. And I'm almost certain that this was only possible thanks to the day 1001albunsgenerator recommended "Everybody Knows This is Nowhere" to me at the beginning of this year, making me listen to Neil Young every day since 2025 began. Thank you very much.

Der Anfang hat für mich etwas gebraucht. Mag sonst eher den Rock-Neil und weniger den Country-Neil, aber nach erneutem Hören war ich doch überzeugt. Den beiden Songs mit Orchester passen stilistisch überhaupt nicht rein und haben mich ziemlich aus dem Flow rausgezogen. Aber die fetten Über-Hits (Heart of Gold, Old Man, The Needle and the Damage Done) heben das ganze doch wieder auf ne 4,5/5.

Pretty solid Neil, perhaps lacking the intensity provided by Crazy Horse, but still highly re-listensble. I'm reminded of a friend who used to play this record at her canasta nights, but would always get up to lift the needle and skip "A Man Needs a Maid." I guess she hated that song. Was it just the title that irked her? I've never paid much attention to the other lyrics... but it sounds good musically.

Oh I love this album. Great personal memories from the time when I first discovered this record that flood back as soon as hear those opening beats. All time classic for me. If you don’t like NY you aren’t gonna like, if you do it’s up there. 5 Star

10/5! i love this album makes me wanna lie in the grass and smoke a joint while watching the clouds

# Album Name: Harvest # Artist: Neil Young # Rating: 5/5 # Comments: Beast of an album. Back to back great songs. Loved it. Strange, i remember listening to this as a teenager. It never clicked. All these years later, its finally clicked. # Top Tunes: # Would I listen to it again? Yes

“A man needs a maid”. Fuck yeah Neil! This probably Young’s masterpiece. The man can write such beautiful songs. I feel whisked away to wherever he takes me. Five stars.

This is a favorite of mine.

*This* is the album that got me really to understand the broad appeal of folk. Old Man has been gently squatting in a corner of my cranial cavity for years. Harvest is worthy of all its flowers. fav tracks: Old Man, There's A World, The Needle and the Damage Done

Brilliant album. From the opening and methodical strums to more punctual fade out of the final track, Young has explored almost every possible human emotion without flinching. It is raw, polished, space and orchestral, and it just works. Every time I drive from L.A. to Central California (Lompoc), I either listen or play this in my head. The strangest part is that I can't listen to Harvest (the track) without getting emotional. No reason that I understand. It is simply the combination of beautiful storytelling with the right twists and tones. Thank's Neil!

I only knew a couple of these songs before listening, but this whole album blew me away. If I’m being honest this album is probably a 4, but as someone who hates 98% of Skynyrd’s catalogue and general vibe, it’s a 5.

banger

Neil Young's magnum opus creates America's best selling album in 1972. I love Neil Young's blend of country, folk, and hard rock combined with brilliant songwriting crafted from his own life that translates well to anyone even in the modern age. Nothing short of brilliant.

Landmark of USA folk music.

Top album. Always worth a listen.

It's a banger. A stone cold classic.

One of the greatest folk rock albums of all time.

Timeless. Neil not only gifted us a hat full of classics here, he inspired another in the shape of Sweet Home Alabama. And not even his best body of work...

Words.

Only Neil Young could get away with a voice this bad yet its so perfectly matched to the music and lyrics, it sounds transcendent. Obviously I’m Neil Young fan - he belongs to my melancholy youth - and this album is his most almost perfect. There are other songs of his I like more than some of these, but these tracks hang together almost like a narrative.

Beautiful album with a wide range of sounds ranging from simple country to lush orchestral Heart of gold is warm, comforting and intimate, while a man needs a maid feels like the vast expanse of space

I love Neil Young. I expect this to be an easy 4 or 5 for me. My dad is a huge Neil Young fan and I was raised from an early age on his music. I can't say I've ever listened to "Harvest" all the way through so this should be a nice trip through Neil's folk era. The orchestration on "A Man Needs A Maid" is haunting and beautiful - really neat use of so many instruments! The budget was definitely used for some cool stuff. French horn + Neil Young rules. "Heart of Gold" is a top all-time and I think that Neil's more raucous later music is actually starting to show here - you can crank this song up about 1000% with overdrive and it becomes a different animal. "Old Man" is timeless as ever. Just an incredibly well-written and beautiful song. I will listen to this forever and I'm sure my perception will change with age and I think that's cool. "Alabama" is a great song and the heaviness grows to the end of the record. 1972 and he was rockin with his own sound for sure.

Har det någonsin gjorts vackrare musik?

Listening to Harvest, I felt twinges of sadness and nostalgia (reminded me of Lee Ann Womack’s I Hope You Dance). There is a mournfulness to the music. Heart of Gold reminded me of Long Long Time by Linda Ronstadt (lol just looked it up and she provided backing vocals for the song); the harmonica reminded me of Bob Dylan, folksy.

Not quite after the gold rush but Neil was just on incredible form in this era, love the orchestral moments

Not my favorite Neil Young Album but still a great album with great songs. Nothing wrong with it I just love some others more.

Almost his best

My gateway drug to the greatest of all. Sure it has flaws but they’re part of the whole, and the likes of Old Man and The Needle And The Damage Done are among his most essential cuts.

A sublime classic with lyrics that ring true today.

A desperate peace.

tender, full of empathy, and beautifully recorded

Thoughts before listening: One of Neil's best. For the most part, this album fits more into his folk sound than the rock one, but it includes some of his most enduring hit songs as well. Review: Yeah there's not much to say about this perfect album. Simple yet effective country folk rock from one of the best to ever do it. So many classics on this album including "Heart of Gold" and "Old Man", but I also love "Out on the Weekend", "Are You Ready for the Country", "Alabama", and "The Needle and the Damage Done". Easily a 5-star album for me.

I don’t know if I know enough about his music to say this but this is peak Neil Young. It sounds so smooth, nostalgic, and generally pleasant. I’m also so happy to have a good classic folk album without a trillion harmonicas. Fav songs: out on the weekend, old man

Along with Rust Never Sleeps, this may be Neil Young's best work outside of his collaboration with Crosby Stills and Nash. The music is nearly uniformly mellow but effectively grapples with such powerful topics that it's hard not to engage. Heart of Gold and Old Man are the clear hits off the album, both featuring Young taking stock of the state of his life as he ages. In particular, he contemplates the lack of love and trust in his life. Notably, we get no answers in the songs - these are just Young's ruminations on the topic. They make for a bit of a strange subject for the major mainstream success they saw, but if there is a signature sound for someone whose work is as varied as Young's this would be it. Two songs stand out sonically among the acoustic, folk-inflected music surrounding them. I've always considered A Man Needs a Maid to be a bit of an oddball song, largely due to the lyrics, which feel retrograde coming from someone like Young. As I've continued listening to it though, the song reads to me as a profound expression of emotional wreckage and insecurity. The dramatic piano and orchestral production adds gravity to this track. The album's closer, Words, is the only real glimpse of electrified rock at any point on the album, highlighting the isolation and frustration he sings about. Other highlights for me on the album include Alabama and The Needle and the Damage Done. A protest song with an opening riff that recalls CSNY's Ohio, Alabama differs from Young's earlier criticism of racism in Southern Man by reaching out a hand to the South, searching for communication and offering to help pull them out of their racist culture. The Needle and the Damage Done features a sparse soundscape, emphasizing a powerful reckoning with addiction. My primary critique of this album is the relative lack of variety in the track list, but the lyrical highs here far outweigh any monotonicity. While I don't think this album bests my favorites of CSNY, it is an indispensable entry in the folk rock genre.

It’s a shoe in for me. Not just my favourite Neil Young album, but probably one of my top 10. It helps that Alabama is also one my all time favourite songs

i've actually listened to this one before! i grew up listening to him and this album has some of my favorite Neil Young songs. favorite song from the album: Out on the Weekend or Heart of Gold (obviously...)

Went deaf for four days so this was a treat to come back to

Beautiful piece of work! His songs about love, isolation, and grief are timeless because all experience those things in some form. He just happened to buy a ranch where he could work those feelings out.

I’ve listened to every Neil Young album (studio and live). It’s hard to pick a favorite but Harvest is a strong contender. It was the first album of his I heard and the one I’ve listened to the most. Just a perfect laid back vibe. It makes me want to be a stoner in California in the 70s

Classic. Not really much else to add, it lives up to its status.

I did not expect to enjoy this album as much as I did. Simply amazing

What an album... folk to the beginning of almost grunge. Love the classical instruments added. Neil's voice is iconic.

Neil Young’s best in my opinion. So many classics on one record. Harvest, Heart of Gold, Old Man, Needle & the Damage Done… brilliant music, lyrics. And his unique voice is at its best on this album. This one is a 5.

Classic and one of my favourites! Neil is the man!

There are some definite skips on this album. There’s a world…blech. But you could literally have 8 tracks of static and as long as Old Man was on it this album would still be a five.

I mean. A true 5. Although When I was younger I was like this is OBV his best album. But as I get older I feel like the rawer tonight’s the night/on the beach/sums shit might be his best stuff. As I grow older, the Neil young albums that click with me are from when he was older

[long-time Neil Young fanboy perspective] Thank you generator! Not my absolute favourite but this is gateway Neil where my addiction began. There’s so much to like here. ‘Think I’ll pack it in and buy a pick-up.’ Really sets the tone. Ben Keith’s pedal steel. Heart of Gold and Old Man are earworms (even my 3 year old sings along to those) Alabama. You can actually hear the barn where it was recorded. Side note: Google the ‘Needs More Barn!’ story with Graham Nash if you don’t know it. The transition between ‘The Needle & The Damage Done’ into ‘Words’. The usual criticism against this album is Young’s most misunderstood song ‘A Man Needs A Maid’. Often written off as sexist when the real meaning is condemning one-sided relationships. It only made sense to me when I heard the 1971 Massey Hall version, stripped of the orchestra. With the lyric variation ‘a man feels afraid’ and a bridge that would later become Heart of Gold. These songs make much more sense considered together ‘To give a love, you gotta live a love / To live a love, you gotta be "part of” / … I wanna live, I wanna give… / when will I see you again’.

Really good. Full of classics.

Classic Young. Everyone knows at least one or two songs off this one. Enjoyed the lesser known songs, they never got radio play compared to the singles. Definitely a big landmark for classic rock fans.