Blue

The first half was unlistenable, the second half was better

Clear high voice and piano, very lovely. Melodies are somewhat disjointed, harmonies have clear jazz influence

Nice folk album. Saved 4/10 songs. A bit monotonous at times, especially as I'm not really a lyrics guy. All I want, River (Jingle Bells?), The Last Time I Saw Richard as favourites. I was in a folk-loving period there a month ago, maybe I would have appreciated it more then. Perhaps it will, also, grow on me. For now a solid 3*.

blue

This was okay. Good for background music while working. I don't exactly feel the need to listen to it again.

😵😵😵

Not a fan

The lyrics are great, the voice is great, the emotional impact is great, but is it one 36 minute song?

Her voice is very high pitched and penetrative, which makes my eye twitch.

I guess it’s ok if you like Joni Mitchell. I don’t

Achingly beautiful, as always

lovely voice. hear things that could become tori amos. not nec my style.

This was a more challenging listen than I would have expected. Gave it two listens and I couldn't really get into it at all. I guess Joni Mitchell is just not my thing.

Joni Mitchell is an icon, and Blue is rightfully heralded...but I've never been able to get into her. This album gets me close, though—I immediately played it again when it was finished. When she sings in her upper register, as on "My Old Man," it's like nails on a chalkboard to me. But I can get into the songs where she avoids that, particularly "River," which is great. I can see why people love this, even if it isn't something I'll revisit a lot.

She sounds nice

Bet earv loved this one

All I Want seemed like a promising start...and then My Old Man dashed them. I just found Fiona Apple's favorite album. This is, by a HUGE margin, the best Joni Mitchell album I've heard so far. River is a good song, but that Butterfly Kisses asshole totally ripped it off. And he won a Grammy! I don't like Joni Mitchell, but she's 1000x the artist that clown is. Rolling Stone ranked this as the third best album of all time in 2020 proving that their list is equally stupid as this project.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 1001 ALBUMS- # 76 A deeply personal emotionally introspective reveal of an artist at their most vulnerable. Leaning into poetic songwriting as an outlet for her soul, Mitchell delivers a landmark recording that is a hauntingly serene. There could be no more fitting title for this collection of confessional tracks, as Mitchell lays bare her emotional world — heartbreak, longing, freedom, vulnerability — with almost painful honesty. The album opened a gateway giving credence to what could be written about in popular music. The acoustic arrangements are spare in production with piano, dulcimer, acoustic guitar — letting her haunting voice and lyrics shine through. There’s a fragility in both the music and the performance that gives the album its emotional power. 🎧 Classic Track: A Case of You 🎧 Deep Cut Gem: River 🎧 Personal Favorite: Blue 🎧 Memorable Standout: Little Green When Joni Mitchell released Blue in 1971, she rewrote the rules of what music — particularly popular music — could say, sound like, and mean. The album, often hailed as one of the most personal and emotionally raw in music history, strips away artifice and ego in favor of unfiltered vulnerability. In doing so, Blue not only defined Mitchell’s career but redefined the boundaries of singer-songwriter expression. At a time when the music industry was brimming with psychedelic escapism and performative masculinity, Blue offered something startlingly intimate: a human voice, unadorned, singing truths it almost hurts to hear. 🖼️ Album Artwork: Profile of a BLUE heart More than a collection of songs, Blue is a psychological document. It is both diary and map — a record of a woman’s inner world and a guide for those brave enough to examine their own. Mitchell’s songwriting is not merely confessional; it is surgical. The genius of Blue lies in its duality: it is both personal and universal. Mitchell was drawing from her own experiences — her breakup with Graham Nash, her time traveling through Europe, the unresolved pain of giving up her daughter for adoption — but the themes resonate far beyond the biographical. Love and loss, freedom and fear, the ache of solitude and the longing for connection: these are human constants, rendered here with rare honesty. It is no wonder that listeners, generation after generation, have found themselves reflected in its lyrics, like ghosts in a mirror. Admittedly Mitchell’s unique vocal delivery of the high notes can be an acquired taste, however this is a minor distraction to her revealing lyrics and besides, she’s Canadian 😀🇨🇦❤️.

One of my favourite albums

Clear as an alpine lake, and near as beautiful. Favourite songs: Little Green, Blue, The Last Time I Saw Richard

This was quite a chill album. I've never listened to Joni Mitchell, minus songs that may have been on the radio, but I dug it. Feels like it would be nice around a campfire. The songs with piano were my favorite. Favorite song: Blue

I know this is a culturally relevant album but for me it's more the nostalgia. Still, as a folk record, it's pretty mid.

I understand the cultural significance of her music but I’m just not a big fan to be honest.

Some songs are really good, but it’s not my style

Probably very good but I just can't. Starting to hate this app.

I love this LA classic.

I was expecting a blues album.... I was sadly disappointed. I don't quite know what to say. I recognize her talent, it's quite well-sung, but it's really, really not my kind of music. I tried very hard to let myself be convinced, but by the end of the album I was bored out of my mind. The instrumentation sounds incredibly basic to my (admittedly profane) ears, and I have zero interest in songs about break-ups and broken hearts. Sorry Joni, nothing personnal. It's not you, it's me.

Nice tunes especially those with piano. Interesting concept to tell a story but it is not poetry...lyrics are sometimes too straightforward.

I’ve been familiar with Joni Mitchell for quite a while now. But I’m much more into her later albums, the ones where her voice had lost some range but gained a lot of depth. From Blue, I have pretty much the same issues I had with the previous album on the list: those are stories for American yuppies. This time, I’ll add one more gripe : those damn “youhoo” glissandos, sometimes crammed into a single word, shooting up into an unbearable high note. They feel more like a vocal flex than anything that actually serves the song. In short, beautifully written and lovely when she keeps it calm, but the fact that I start dreading her unpredictable high-pitched leaps kinda ruins the experience for me.

Beautiful album. Little Green and Blue are both amazing songs.

i love her her style is individualistic

I only know one song of her from "six feet under" the series, I really like her voice, and according to reviewers I have a hope for this album to be good. First song, it's more upbeat than I expected, not the lyrics I assume. I was right about the voice. I relate tho this in my own way mm. Second song, mm this is too good as expected. Her voice is so whimsy. Sonical part is full. There's not a special chorus here that catches one's ear, but it works in its own way ig. Ending piano part is so mm childish, love it. Third song, I imagine myself performing this tbh, its emotions... especially if the lyrics are what I can actually relate to. She was made to make music like this. 4th song, "happier" start. Mm I heard the choir. I associated this with a person which made it better, if it wasn't already good ahah. 5th song, she vocalized a lot here, good because she has it in her. I wish she had some rageful songs too. 6th song, it does become a little repetitive I must say. Her delivery makes it worthwhile, tho there's nothing more happening here and after. 7th song, stronger start than usual. Wtf it randomly changed up like a radio, the coolest thing she did tbh. 8th song, the difference note-d Christmas melody at the start, the scenery of the lyrics and the meaning mm too good. Apparently I've seen Joni and just realized that, I didn't remember her by name but she has been familiar to me mm. Looove how she turned Christmas song into a sad one, I was wrong about her not giving me anything more. 9th song, not bad. Though I didn't catch anything here. This is her second most listened song tho, It's not particularly catchy so I wonder how it got popular. 10th song, mm I expected the lyrics would be a story. Probably one of the best songs here, to me at least. The song is ending and well I guess I will evaluate this album.. mm I was thinking between 4 and 5 because it is missing some parts that I really like in songs, but some parts and quirks were too good to ignore and it's the Joni Mitchell so giving her 5 is more than right. I want more of her albums here, or I'll listen to her other albums myself.

Joni’s voice is incredible and the writing is beautiful

Mitt favorit album någonsin, kan inte beskriva hur mycket jag älskar detta

Unmistakable voice. Typically not a big folk music guy, but this is a good album. "River" sounded familiar. The 90's song "Butterfly Kisses" by Bob Carlisle uses the same melody, thought that was interesting.

3.5

Por el amor de dios, que mujer

Que tipa magnética y misteriosa e

1 out of 5 for me. No offense, I know she's a legend but Joni Mitchell is not my kind of music. Too folksy. Smelly cat, smelly cat. What are they feeding you?

Her voice was beautiful it sounded like a mixture of Fleetwood mac blackcountry new road and bob Dylan I really enjoyed it

Was dreading this one a bit, as the last time i listened i didnt really get it for all its critical acclaim. Not sure why!! Something clicked this time - what a beautiful album. Very good songwriting, and her vocals make it incredibly unique sounding. Does not overstay its welcome. Good first 5 star album

Zuhause, Heidenheim, Deutschland. Fantastisches Album.

Komische Tonlagen, die sich ständig abwechseln. Aber eigentlich auch ganz witzig. Auf Dauer aber eher nervig glaub ich.

For decades MJK has talked about the influence of Joni Mitchell on his musical career - I think he even once called this his favorite album of all time. So I was excited to get into this today. Unfortunately I’m not seeing it. The songs are pleasant but the floating, fluttering vocals distract. I’ll give it another shot on commute home but for now feels like a 2-3 at best. So drive home left morning feelings unchanged except I did realize the Jewel became the 1990s version of Joni Mitchell. No doubt she’s a great song writer and singer but this album feels undercooked. Feeling generous. 3/5

I so want to like her music but I can’t deal with her style of singing. She writes amazing songs with moving and evocative lyrics but I just can’t get enjoyment out of it. Maybe one day I will like her stuff but I think I have to accept it isn’t for me.

Pretty good folk album.

very beuatiful! overall liked. no standout songs but the album as a whole i enjoyed.

4.25. Beautiful singing and melodies.

Blue-tiful

Classic songs, not the biggest fan of her voice.

Second half of the album better than first

It's so hard to be objective when it is one of your favorite singer-songwriters. This record, Joni's most poppiest/accessible album, was the first one I heard many years ago. Her voice is incredible, the lyrics are sublime, you can feel the situation, see the characters, understand the feelings in every tale brought to life by music. They are poetry and confessional poems at that. The tunes are accessible but there is always something different about her melodies that distinguishes her work from other artists. I am trying but its really hard to put into words how much her music means to me.

Nice mellow rock. Pure voice.

Overrated album by an overrated artist. She has written a few good songs, I’ll give you that, but none are on this record.

Difficile de mettre moins de 5 étoiles pour un album dans le top 3 des meilleurs albums de tous les temps selon Rolling Stone. Je dois par contre avouer 2 choses. 1- Blue n'est pas absolument l'album que je préfère de Joni Mitchell. 2- Il faudrait que que j'aille discuter avec Félix pour me faire communiquer sa passion pour celle-ci. (Je crois qu'on a la même passion pour Bob Dylan par contre)

Tellement en admiration pour cette femme, c'est l'artiste folk la plus accomplie. J'hésite même à dire artiste point. Vraiment weird et novateur la façon qu'elle a accordé sa guitare pour cet album, mais ça marche! La petite histoire dit que c'est parce que c'était plus facile de jouer avec sa main gauche, après sa polio infantile. Dylan a copié sur certaines tounes de Blood on the tracks (ah non il parle encore de Dylan lui là). Little green me donne instantanément des frissons et des larmes aux yeux, quand on connait l'histoire derrière, c'est d'une tristesse et d'une beauté infinie :'( "Call her green and the winters cannot fade her Call her green for the children who've made her." La track de piano sur Blue juste wow. "Acid, booze, and ass, needles, guns, and grass , lots of laughs, lots of laughs" Si Court and Spark et Hejira est pas sur le palmarès je pète une coche... dans 3 ans. Je recommande aussi River de Hancock bel album hommage pour l'incroyable génie de cette femme. Et Live in Newport 2022 la consécration de la queen. Vive le vent en mineur sur River, absolute genius. Case of you positivement la plus belle chanson d'amour, et aussi le plus beau diss, "you told me you're as constant as a northern star, constantly in the darkness, where's that at?" Bon je me tais je pourrais parler des heures de cet album, alors si vous m'accostez en disant Blue pendant une bière, tenez vous le pour dit. Et ça va libérer les oreilles d'Alice.

Si je ne mets pas 5, Félix va me faire mal. Au secours! Blague à part on parle d’un classique de la musique moderne. J’aurai besoin de d’autres écoutes, mais j’ai beaucoup aimé. Avec un titre comme Blue je m’attendais à une sonorité beaucoup plus déprimée, mais au contraire ça sonnait très joyeux (les paroles sont surement sur la grosse dep) Bien aimé Carey et California, qui par hasard sont les singles. River aussi, excellente. Bien aimé aussi l’alternance entre la chanson à piano et la chanson à guitare. Je vais réécouter, c’est certain!

I’m not a big folk/singer-somgwriter listener, but this is a vary nice album. It’s definitely very chill but she’s a great lyricist and it’s quite pleasant

I normally am not a fan of the high female register due to it usually sounding very thin and too breathy but Joni’s voice is an exception! Even though I’m not a huge folk music fan, this was a great listen.

A voice of its generation, tiny little album.

Another example of something that really just didn’t do it for me at all, but I can see why other people would like it. This album is apparently one of the most highly reviewed albums by critics of all time, but I found it rather boring if I’m being completely honest with you. She has a pretty voice (That I also didn’t really vibe with), and the instrumentation is pretty, but absolutely nothing about this album stands out to me. I listened to it all day, and I couldn’t even Stockholm Syndrome myself into liking it. Not entirely sure my favorite song either, as it’s all very similar. Just a lot of boring topics that I didn’t much care about. Singer Songwriter is a mixed bag in general for me, and this is a prime example of it not being in my favor today. I just did not enjoy this enough to give it anything past a 2 star rating. I’m sorry, Joni. I really tried. 3 more of your albums to go…

Lyrically it’s beautiful but her voice gets me cringy from the pitch.

it's all the same song

Hey, she's from my home town!

Simply one of the greatest and most beautiful albums of all time.

Listens: 2 Standout Tracks: None Utterly uninteresting. Good voice, good acoustic instrumentals, but nothing about this album is exciting or challenging or compelling, and I am not interested in continuing to listen once the day ends. All of this, despite how highly-rated this album is.

point0.

Joni is an acquired taste, and I can honestly say the first time I heard this album I was bewildered by it. The vocal stylings can be abrasive, and the melodies are not straightforward and sometimes difficult to track. But with repeated listening, and broader exploration of her catalog, it starts to click. Blue is one of the most accessible records in her more mature period, and while not my favorite it is undeniably brilliant and among the most emotionally resonant pop music ever produced. Worthy of all the accolades.

A perfect singer songwriter album.

dosc monotonny wokalnie ale naprawde niesamowity pod względem muzycznym

Okay, yeah - I just don't understand folk/singer-songwriters as a genre. I didn't enjoy listening to this, and I likely won't listen to it again, just emphatically not for me. That said, I see the appeal for certain tastes, and she's and important artist in her own right. Plus, she's roughly 100x more listenable than Bob Dylan, so she's got that going for her.

Yeah there's a reason this one is universally lauded as a classic. Never had really listened to it through before but the writing is incredible and so is her voice. You can see the through lines to current stars like Lana Del Rey and Lorde in this work. Incredible stuff. Standouts: Carey, California, A Case of You

Seelp

Little Green punched me right in the gut. I love Joni Mitchell

It's this the only album on the list that features a dulcimer? Should get 5 stars just for that. Joni is phenomenal, and proof (maybe the only proof) that American singer/songwriters aren't all dogshit.

Amazing songwriting paired with an amazing voice. All the more amazing they are coming from the same person. Another national treasure, she is, so glad to see her having her day in the sun here at the end of her career and life.

I’ve heard many great things about this album so I’m a bit disappointed. I don’t really like her voice to be honest. The rest didn’t do much for me either. Maybe I need to return to this later again but right now it’s a 3.

zzzzzZZZZZZZZZZZZ

Some lovely stuff but it just doesn’t grab me and I have to say I found her voice grating a bit by the end. Mad respect tho

Classic songs. Great.

I've never listened to this album, but I've heard plenty of discourse about how important this album is and knew what to expect. It's difficult to be anything but positive here, even if this album (and really the whole singer/songwriter genre) isn't for me. I totally understand why people think this is a masterpiece, Joni has a beautiful voice and it's only bolstered by the minimal instrumentation and raw lyrics. Controversial tangent time! Who knows if any of this holds up, but here's what struck me while listening to this album. I saw several reviews about how these songs don't adhere to traditional rhyme schemes or song structures, and that makes it harder to get into this album... I have the same complaint about recent Taylor Swift albums and struggle to understand why they're so popular. In both cases, the music seems more about the emotional journey than about popular appeal. It's art as personal therapy, whether it appeals to you or not; the people who are supposed to get it, will get it. Obviously there are plenty of difference between how the two artists approach their music, but hearing this record is very informative. Without Joni, I wonder if 2020s Taylor feels the freedom to shed the pop song structure like she did. Even if you ignore every other artist Joni's impacted in the last 50 years, that feels like plenty proof of influence.

The music is okay but I get distracted by the lyrics that seem like very specific and personal recountings of things that happened. I don't know why that bothers me but it does

This is great! Songwriting, great musicianship. Great singing. Great innovation. If I was hearing this in 1971 for the first time it would be five star slam dunk. In 2025 I can still very much appreciate it, but I honestly rather listen to one of the many many albums that were inspired by it.

God singersongwriter. Det vil jeg helt sikkert lytte til sammen med en kæreste eller lignende i køkkenet. Hun er angiveligt en som virkelig eksponerede sine følelser som en dagbog igennem sangskrivning som ikke var så normaliseret at gøre i sin tid. 3,5 nok. Kræver et revisit for mig

Danggit Joni! This is a hard one to review because on the one hand there are some nearly perfect tracks and then on the other hand her voice is so annoying on some of them. Very mixed feelings....

- i thought the lyrics were beautiful - i really like her voice, but i think some parts are a little too high-pitched for my hearing (i have been cursed with sensitive ears 😓) - i love that i can feel what she’s going through. it feels like she’s in the room with me, telling me a story

non fa per me

I should listen to folk more

Her voice just isn’t for me Has a weird cadence and delivery that doesn’t match the music

An immediate 5 star rating. In my mind one of the most perfect albums ever made. It’s really hard to put into words just how special this album is. Joni Mitchell manages to concentrate everything it is to be in a relationship across these 10 songs. The details of these songs are so intimate in their storytelling they really capture the true heart and soul of what it is to love another person and what it is to lose that love. This is probably the best album on the list; it’s all downhill from here!

voice gets annoying after a while

I’m blue da ba dee da ba di

Good album, not the mood I needed today so I didn't enjoy it as much as I would have

Cute album. At first it seemed too boring but it grew on me

There is beauty in the sadness being put on display on this album. My first initial reaction to this was confusion as to why everyone sung praises about this. It took a few days to process but after few listens you can start to piece together what this album is really about. Those feeling of intimacy hits you straight away when you dive into this. Looking into Joni's lore you can understand her thought process and reasoning behind creating this. Take Little Green for instance, it's so damn heartbreaking. Having to put your daughter up for adoption because the father doesn't want to have anything to do with her and you the mother are too poor to take care of her. Getting to a point in your life when you aren't afraid to just lay all that sadness all on the table. Then you create some beautiful art that is Blue. Top 5: My Old Man (fav), Little Green (close second), Carey, River, and A Case Of You (third) NO BAD SONGS 4.50-4.75/5

Unimpeachable classic.

I bet this is really good. The lyrics drive hard, full of neat similes and wry, confessional honesty; the voice is crystalline, fragile, powerful; the production is a marvel – everything so rich and immediate, the guitars almost diaphanous somehow. And then there’s compositions like “River” – about as actually haunting as any song has ever been (an uncanny spectre; like staring at yourself in the mirror in the dark for too long). It’s all obviously brilliant. And yet, like a modern large family CAR-A-HA trying to park in a carport built for vehicles in the 1970s I just hrm hrm hrm can’t get into it. It might be that this clicks for me eventually, I wouldn’t totally rule it out. But for the now I’ll have to settle for it having grown on me a little bit across the week. Like, I suppose, a fledgling mushroom under a-WOOO leaking sink.

Relájate

I like Joni Mitchell, but there's always something that bothers me, just certain things that just don't work for me. I enjoyed this album mostly, and I found it clever at its worst parts, so still giving it 4

Went into this one thinking Joni’s not my thing. Came out of it still thinking that. I’ll probably lose some credibility with folks, but yeah, it’s kind of boring to me.

I think this album compared to Hejira feels more tender and warm, not that Hejira wasn't but where that one was exciting for how the sonic experiments sounded, this one is simply a nice, mellow folk album that hits the spot for a nice afternoon trying to relax. It's just the perfect vibe and how nice Joni's voice is throughout all of this album, it's just lovely.

नमस्ते

A pretty good album, I liked Carey and Little Green.

Classic! What more can you say really, lots of really solid tracks. “All I want”, “Carey”, “California”.

3.0 - Ok

1971 The only Joni Mitchell I've heard before are the overplayed hits from the radio and numerous snippets used in TV ads. I get that there's some meaning, earnest reflection and story telling in the lyrical content, but just a piano or an acoustic guitar for background music results in the whole experience being somewhat one-dimensional. Anyway, got bored and put some metal on. Heard before ❌️ Listened this time ✅️ (part) Revisit ❌️ Tedius ★★☆☆☆

Good acoustic album. Not special in today's world.

This is a great album, every song is fantastic. Thankfully though it isn’t too long because her voice would become annoying after a while.

Not for me.

delicacy in album form

very beautiful song writing

Un autre album de Joni Mitchell, peu de temps après Court and Spark, que j’avais beaucoup aimé. Dans Court and Spark, il y avait de subtiles notes de jazz que j’avais bien aimé. Je sais que Blue a été écrit et enregistré avant cet intérêt envers le jazz, alors je ne sais pas si ce sera au autre succès pour moi. La première chanson est bonne. Je commence la deuxième. C’est plus folk que jazz, mais ça se passe bien pour l’instant. C’est comme presque quelque chose que je pourrais aimer, mais pas tout à fait. Genre, c’est proche... Quoique c’est peut-être juste moi qui boude son plaisir. Honnêtement, j’aime ça. C’est léger, la voix de Joni est belle et se laisse écouter, la musique est discrète et s’agence bien avec la chanteuse.

The lyrics of each song weave together and it's like listening to a book. The instrumentals on each tune added to my enjoyment. For the most part I loved the high energy...but the constant "high" note of Mitchell's voice was a bit much after a while. Still, album is worth listening to and enjoying.

I would say there is a compelling case for this being the best singer/ songwriter album out there 5*

Love it

Incredible album filled with beautiful songwriting.

Reallly good album

I don't think Joni Mitchell understood melody. Just took a shotgun approach to these high notes. I'm predisposed to liking a pleasant voice and an acoustic guitar, but this was not it.

Una delicia de álbum. River, que rola! Genial :D

Yes. Fremragende. Og på tide, jeg fik hørt den her frem for Hits. Det hjælper også at kende de fleste sange på forhånd.

[2.25/5] Final impression: Too low-down singer-songwriter for me. Short and sweet, didn't overstay its welcome. Listened to on Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/album/1vz94WpXDVYIEGja8cjFNa]. *All I Want - Her voice is absoluetly lovely, but this is not my kind of genre. My Old Man - First track was stronger. Again, her voice is amazing. Little Green - Tracks are mostly the same so nothing new to say. Carey - Least favorite track so far. Blue - Definitely a stand-out as the titular track. Still not my favorite. California - Not biased but this one was pretty good. This Flight Tonight - Fun listen, but her voice sounds kind of rough at times here. River - Christmas? Is that you? Are you in the room with us right now? A Case of You - Good not great. The longer it goes on the more I dislike it. The Last Time I Saw Richard - Alright. Overall notes: She has a nice voice, but I just don't see myself listening to something this folksy/singer-songwriter. Also sometimes depressing.

I've seen this record in many greatest of all time lists... Why the hell?

Album 837 of 1089 Joni Mitchell -Blue (1971) Rating : 3 / 5 Why the music gods gave me two days in a row of Joni Mitchell, I’m not sure—but here we are. I mentioned yesterday that I’ve never quite found my seat on the Joni Mitchell bus, and after listening to Blue, I’m still standing at the station. I know this is considered a classic—an all-timer for many—and I fully respect her legacy and the millions of people who hold this album dear. But for me, it just doesn’t connect. I’ve never been able to get past her voice, and that makes it hard to focus on or enjoy the lyrics, no matter how powerful they may be. I respect what she’s done for music. I just don’t enjoy listening to it.

Buena voz, ritmos melancolicos... Es un buen album para escuchar un día de lluvia triste que te apetece recordar a alguien.

Típico álbum de cantautora canadiense de los 70’s. Su voz es muy sensible y bonita, relaja mogollón. No es mi estilo, pero para ponértelo para currar o estar chilling está bien. La canción que más me ha gustado es California

Good enjoyed it

Another haunting by Den and this time Beth. Following them from one sad trailer to another. They had to or one they were leaving. We went to get some old stuff from one but I couldn't get in and partly unwelcome now that I think about it. I could only get as far as between a tree that was growing between a window and a fence. I briefly left to get Krat from my parents and a guitar that made from plant and organic matter. This time I tried to get in through the front door but it was surrounded by rotting vegetables. I wish I knew why I was having these reruns about this old friend and why they're so dark.

Piękna płyta. Idealna. Smutek Joni ma w sobie coś transcendentnego. Czysty jak kryształ. I do tego kompozycje z tekstami, które poruszają do cna. 10/10. Moja ulubiona płyta świata.

This is #day340 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… my second Joni Mitchell entry. In what way was her first one different from this? The instrumentation here is fine, but when she hits those sky-high notes, I feel like turning this down as soon as possible. This isn't a record I've enjoyed listening to, regardless of its historical value, or whatever. Oh well, I still got two more to go... This is a 2 out of 5. Looking forward to #day341.

I liked her voice and I've liked songs from her previously, but I didn't like this album quite as much.

A national treasure and not so much my thing. Too warbly.

She's clearly a great singer but it's just not for me. All over the place and just a bit dull.

Great songs

Wonderful lyrics, great melodies, and the voice... Femma!

Love this album. But not my favorite Joni. That’s Court and Spark, a more mature album. Highlights for me, this flight tonight, California, Tiver, my old man and Carey. Almost perfect, but not quite there. 4.8

💙

It's a mellow album for a dinner party.

I can see the through line to Alanis, Sheryl Crow, Tori Amos, etc. Hard to groove to but rewards multiple listens. Turning the songs over like entymologist's prizes.

Sie hatte ich irgendwie nicht mehr auf dem Schirm. Schöne Wiederentdeckung. Regina Spektor hat offensichtlich viel bei ihr gelernt.

Don't kniw if its one of the greatest albums ever recorded, but it is great. Mitchell's poetry and voice, with minimalistic musical backing is truly a beautiful listen. Sometimes the folky atmosphere makes it that songs blend together a little. That's the only thing that takes it down to 4/5

I'm pretty sure my pea brain is too stupid to understand how good this album is but it was released on my birthday so it gets 3 extra points

An intimate look into Joni’s feelings. A true storyteller. Yet I’m not convinced that this is the masterpiece that everyone says it is.

So good what the heck

I'm sorry - but I can't stand her high voice. And there is not a single song on this album to hook me. No pleasure to listen to this one for me. 1,5

Very calming melodic orchestra of vocal instrumentals

So this is my Album 100? Hm yeah not my kind of Album. Too bad.

170/1089 - I re-listened to this after listening to and really liking a lot of Joni Mitchell's jazzier albums (Court and Spark, Hissing of Summer Lawns, and Hejira). I liked it a lot more than when I initially reviewed this. I also still think there are some missed opportunities here and there especially on the piano only tracks. Her voice really is like an instrument and I bet it's super challenging to copy. All I Want is my favorite song on this, I really like the rhythms, the inner-lines in the guitar and the dulcimer-like tone of the guitar. Gonna listen to more of Joni Mitchell's music for sure.

Cool ahh álbum. Tras escuchar las primeras 3 canciones empecé a barajar las 5 estrellas. Si que es verdad que a partir de ahí bajó en hellyeahness. La primera canción es una de las mejores piezas que he escuchado recientemente. El resto del disco mola, pero flojean algunas canciones. Me gusta la incoherencia del álbum, ya que aparecen varios estilos, desde el punk hasta Gorillaz ahhh musica. Producción guay orgánico de los 90. Y poco más que decir. Un disco al que definitivamente volveré. 8.2/10 -> 4/5

Bueeeeno bueno este álbum me gustó bastante mas que el otro. Super chuli, los cambios de octavas así super random me encantaban y tiene una voz muy bonita. La escuche en el tren romantizando mi vida y sobre todo disfruté California, que la la conocía de antes y me encanta. En resumen album guay y cortito pero nose si se merece del todo las 4 estrellas, de todas formas se las doy porque hay que tener algo de alegría en esta vida

Me sonaba mucho el album pero creo que nunca había llegado a escuchar ninguna canción del álbum y me sorprendió un montón. Su voz es preciosa y es como que me puso de buen humor. Este album lo fui escuchando de camino q casa y me perdí así que fui como por el campo y vi unas cabras y pegaba un montón con la vibra, así q eso ao lo mejor influenció mi escucha. Y eso q pensaba q no me gustaba el folk (culpa de Bob Dylan). Quizás si lo volviese a escuchar me gustaría más, pero le doy un 7/10

This is a tough listen for me. Someone described this record as “menopause core” and I don’t know that I can come up with a better description. Thing is, ok, these songs aren’t designed to be sung along to; they don’t follow the whole verse-chorus-verse-bridge-chorus template of pop music. They’re more like paintings set to music. I can appreciate what Joni is doing here, but I’m not enjoying it at all. It’s tough to relate to, and when I can’t relate, being able fall back on pop song structures helps. Plus, her voice kind of drives me nuts. This one’s just not for me. 2.0/5

No me molestaría escuchar ese disco una tarde de verano o de cualquier otra estación, la verdad. Pero siento que este es un disco que se beneficia mucho del nivel de atención que le prestas. Mientras más atento estás, más descubres.

Wow. First time listening and was beautiful start to finish.

Yes

I did not know This Flight Tonight was by Mitchell. I also did not know Nazareth was Scottish. I thought they were Canadian. I blame CanCon. Mitchell is a very emotional singer; she can sell a song that I would otherwise find boring. I would expect to like this more on subsequent listens (I love Brandi Carlile, and am getting a similar feeling), but nothing hooked me enough to really love it at this point.

well, it's something very personal and honestly I'm not in a mood to dive into her story...I see only usual of the same type songs

No me ha gustado mucho, hace demasiados gorgoritos que llega a ser molesto

I'm starting to feel that I should've rated Slipknot higher

One day I might enjoy listening to a Joni Mitchell album. Even just finding listening pleasure in a single song would be a start. For now, there are a hundred plus other female singers from the 60s and 70s I’d rather be listening to.

It's blue. Sensitive, vulnerable and beautiful.

3/5

I've tried her before and mostly not for me, but this is art. It commands attention. I'm probably just unsophisticated for the parts that don't resonate as much.

Good, I think... I can't really tell.

I was not a fan of this. Vocals were too high pitched and hard to understand. I think she is overrated.

Strong female vocals and acoustic guitar. This didn’t fit my taste but she is a very talented artist.

The third greatest album of all time according to Rolling Stone. Human musical achievement doesn't get much better than this, folks. She's like the female Bob Dylan. I happen to think both are overrated. She, and Dylan, are like crack to bohemian music journos in their Brooklyn studio apartments. Anyway, the albums alright, I guess.

Not my cup of tea, although I will give it a try soon

Sad and joyous in equal measure. Some of the best songs set to vinyl on this Lp. Heartbreak in the song Little green, sadness in River, hope in My Old Man. A case of you remains funny and powerful. Not a better album released in the 70s, not sure there have been any better in fact. The very definition of a "go to" album.

Same as her other work: brilliant songwriting but I find the album boring. It’s just not something I’m ever going to seek out to listen to.

Wobbly and repetitive.

I can't decide if her singing sounds good or uncanny. Kinda like how it's hard to decide if Anya Taylor-Joy is pretty or weird-looking.

Hell yeah love me some joni, prefer Hejira but this still bangs

Website is spazzing out Album was diabolically overrated but still decent

Gotta love Joni Mitchell. Not sure what to say about this one though. I personally prefer tapestry by Carole King

i actually liked this

Her singing is so lovely, it really does enhance the album; otherwise it would've been just another generic folk album.

Lots to like here, and a lot i probably wouldn’t single out to listen to again on repeat. I enjoyed the production and the vocals, and the calm vibes were very welcome (although not all of the topics were peaceful and calm, the music remained fairly so). It sounds like music for a fancy dinner party or inner reflection.

I like most of this album. "My Old Man," "Little Green," and "Blue" are favorites of mine. The first 5 or so tracks are pretty enjoyable. "California" I think goes on a little too long. "River" has great themes and sentiments lyrically but the intro and the middle sounding like a re-syncopated jingle bells kind of annoyed me (I DO however like how she ends with it in a minor key). It's super sad tho but in a way that's super relatable. Sometimes I'm like "Man her lyrics are SO GOOD" and then there are moments that read as a little corny like the 'O Canada' section in "A Case of You". However it didn't detract from my enjoyment of the album as a whole. The mostly guitar-comprised tracks help the vocals and lyrics really shine. Plus when there are other instruments it gets very good. I can see myself listening to this again.

One of the best singer-songwriter albums to ever exist

I get it…lyrically it’s deep but not a big folksy person. The more upbeat songs are pleasant but nothing I would go out of my way to listen to. It’s the basis for every coffee house genre. A little goes a long way

My third Joni Mitchell album I think. It is good and I appreciate the writing. Just not really my cup of tea.

Beautiful voice, acoustic mood, groovy, love it so far.

I don't know what it is about Joni Mitchell, but her voice grates on my nerves. Aside from that, this is a lovely album.

Love Joni Mitchell already, but nice to listen to this whole album.

This is my first time listening to Joni Mitchell, and wow, it did not disappoint. I really enjoyed that her vocals were the main focus of every song. Her voice and at times echoey sound reminded me of the Trinity Sessions album, which I also really loved. Joni's storytelling is incredible; every song has a purpose in the overall album narrative.

Just A Little Green 1001 Albums Generator 58 (06/23/2025) Blue is an album about love, but unlike many albums about love, it does not limit itself to purely being a breakup album or a romantic album. No, singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell approaches love wholistically on her fourth studio album, Blue, taking the good with the bad. And this makes sense with her state at the time of writing it, having just ended a relationship with Graham Nash and having just started a relationship with James Taylor. Additional experiences in her life that inspired her writing on this album were her travels to the island of Crete and her secret child whom she had given up for adoption years previously. At this tumultuous time in her life, Joni Mitchell said "I felt like a cellophane wrapper on a pack of cigarettes. I felt like I had absolutely no secrets from the world". The result was the album often quoted as her magnum opus: 1971's Blue. From the opening guitar parts of All I Want, the sound of this album is quickly established. Acoustic instrumentation that manages to maintain energy (sometimes with the help of a light percussion) while Joni's unique voice and melody choices grace our ears. I think what makes her melodies so unique is her large leaps from the baritone to the falsetto. My Old Man showcases the other primary instrument in the sound palette of this album, the piano. She also wrote some great chromatic passing tones in its unique melody during the chorus. This Flight Tonight plays with some psychedelia that the rest of the album doesn't have and it works great. The part where the louder guitar and drums briefly come in is genius. River is one of the most popular songs on the album and features a melody that was largely borrowed from and inspired by Jingle Bells. Its lyrics explore Mitchell's sadness with a recent relationship ending, in reality probably the relationship with songwriter Graham Nash. A Case Of You features Mitchell's new man James Taylor playing a very percussive acoustic guitar part. Joni sings lyrics describing a deep, infectious love that she is feeling. It is one of the most romantic songs on the album. Her vocal runs in the second chorus are just incredible. With such a basic sonic palette, it is honestly incredible that Blue manages to stay interesting. The title track, Blue, is beautiful, but as it is surrounded by very similar but superior songs, it does not stick with me. I also find the closing tack, The Last Time I Saw Richard, to not be memorable either. Besides these two songs, this is pretty much a perfect folk album. Joni Mitchell is an artist that I have been missing out on. Blue is a great place for me to start with her, as it is a vulnerable look into the soul of an artist, in an honest way that is so rare to see. Some songs do not enthrall me as much, but her incredible voice keeps me coming back for more. 4/5. Favs: My Old Man River A Case Of You Least Fav: Blue

Just okay good not totally my thing

Good

Good.

Joni. 5. So beautiful so effortless Blue is exquisite. I love her

I reserve 5 star ratings to the greatest albums of all time of which there are a select few. This is one of them. A masterful album by a true original. There’s a purity to this that is raw, intimate and evocative and her voice is angelic. I’ve listened to this album many times over the years and will continue to come back to it.

I appreciate this album. Her powerful, soulful voice…but it dates quickly for me.

This feels like the ultimate expression of folk music. Or perhaps a dividing line. There's a real BC/AD quality to this work. For her and the genre writ large. No notes. But I like Hejira better.

I know of Joni Mitchell but I've never heard this album. I feel like I'll appreciate this more now than I would have a few years ago. I think learning more about her as a person and as an artist has given me more appreciation. I think that's true for all artists but specifically for powerful forces in music that are women. Her songwriting is inspiring. She sounds so free, you can really hear her feelings through her voice. Perfect then that in the first song she says "I want to make you feel free." You did it Joni, I totally feel free. I am a sucker for piano over guitar so I'm loving the piano ballads. They have this effervescence that lends to the alt feeling of her music. It's so interesting because she's not really doing much different from a lot of the folk singer songwriters but yet they feel so different! I wish I had the words to explain that phenomena, I'm sure many people have explained it before. they describe her as a folk singer with a poet's spirit and that's such an apt description. These songs really have a melancholy feel to them but not in a way that brings you down, in a way that feels poignant. I'm really enjoying this. I want to listen to her music more, if I was to write songs, I would want them to feel how hers feel. There's not really hooks or choruses and I love that. Because sometimes that can feel contrived. All this has shown me is that I love singer-songwriter. Which I knew of course but wow am I confirmed on that. Folk sure yes but mostly singer-songwriter regardless of the genre.

Ok not my fave thing in the world. Sometimes the lyrics are touching

Is this the oldest album I've reviewed so far? Early 70s, and it SOUNDS like it! But I don't necessarily hate it. Feels like the soundtrack to a period piece set in the early 70s. But it probably wasn't used in contemporary movies at the time. I get the feeling this album is very influential to a lot of folk acts, especially some of the earlier and later Decemberists stuff. Carey is a standout track. California is good too! I've definitely heard that song before. A Case of You has strong Crane Wife 3 vibes at the start. Or, I guess I should say CW3 has strong ACoY vibes at the start Another album I can recognize is pretty good (and influential in its spaces) but not one I could find myself listening to if I didn't listen to it back in the day and build those life/nostalgia connections.

GOAT GOAT GOAT OF ALL TIME HERE Joni Mitchell is a legend and this album is peak. Arguably the best Singer-Songwriter album of all time. It's awesome. 10/10

I wrote songs for 10 years. And then I listened to “Blue”, and now I’m writing songs whole different way, and people around says that they were already good/ok, but now it’s night and day — musically AND thematically. So, thanks Joni. You are one of a kind. As this album too.

8.2

This was nice. Pleasant vocals, lyrics felt raw and honest. I have to be in the mood for folk and this would be one that I could see myself listening to again and again

I am not a fan of Joni Mitchell’s voice.

nothing short of a masterpiece of vocal performance that leaves behind a titanic legacy.

It didn't really do anything for me

I just do not like her voice and her music. For me, Joni Mitchell is a bit like the female Temu-version of Bob Dylan.

This is one of the 6/5 albums on this list. I'd never heard it before but it's everything it had been hyped to be. The lyrics draw you in and make you feel. The instruments fit perfectly, and her voice is beautiful. Absolutely stunning and I wish I could hear it for the first time again already.

What a voice. Even though the whole album is similar sounding it seldom gets boring or feels repititve

To sad

Det är väldigt stämningsfullt och vacker röst. Men det här är en typ av musik som inte klickar för mig (vilket möjligen är konstigt, för jag gillar "skör" musik - men det måste vara på rätt sätt). Det är bara stillsam sång och inte så melodiskt. Kajsa älskar denna skiva dock - smaken är som baken!

Joni Mitchell var en kunskapslucka hos mig och jag måste säga att jag inte var helt golvad efter den första genomlyssningen. Hennes stil och säregna röst är nog dock acquired taste för ju mer jag lyssnade ju bättre tyckte jag att det blev. Kan förstå varför Joni och denna skiva är så uppburna. Efter fyra lyssningar landar den på en fyra för mig, men den fick mig sugen på att lyssna mer på henne.

I love Joni Mitchell but I do not love her albums. I like my melancholy in small doses.

💙🩵💙🩵💙

Really enjoyed first six tracks, didn't connect with the last four as much

Reading the news and it sure looks bad. They won’t give peace a chance. It was just a dream some of us had. 3.6

I’m gonna be disappointed

Love this album.

Muy diferente a todo lo que suelo escuchar, me ha gustado. Todas las canciones hacen referencias al mar

Although this isn't the sort of music I listen to regularly, it was truly easy to listen to and JM's stories put to music were pleasant to hear. I wouldn't listen again by choice, but also wouldn't be irritated if someone slapped this album on.

⭐️⭐️⭐️

Rompiche un peu (beaucoup)

The album started off as something that would mirror an earlier Bob Dylan album, with it being quite inoffensive but also not necessarily too engaging. However, as the album proceeded I felt like the composition of the instruments against her raw vocals started getting the brain active trying to catch the intricacies of matching melodies as well as where both were "competing" against each other. Some highlight songs were for sure the titular song "Blue" as well as "River" which leverage the tones and chords from the Christmas Song "Jingle Bells". However the seemingly intentional omittance and skipping of certain notes made the listener in a palce where they would be awarded for recognizing the patterns without paying the price of it sounding the exactly same throughout. This will get 3.5/5 but will be bumped to a 3 as it didn't quite have as many of those standout songs to push it to 4 but still quite a good and pleasant listen as an album.

Pleasant album to listen to. This album felt really personal with a melancholic theme throughout which reminded me of Blood on the Tracks (esp "Tangled Up in Blue"). The album felt really cohesive and I liked the different compositions she was able to come up with. I'm not sure if it's the greatest album ever recorded by a female artist but I can understand why it was seen as unique and groundbreaking at the time. 3.5/5 Fav tracks: California, A case of you

I like the sound of the Appalachian dulcimer so favoured those songs. California is the highlight. The unusual song structures, lack of rhyme/stream of consciousness and vocal can be off putting at times. It's a very good album but I don't really see why this is so often mentioned as one of the greatest ever among critics. 3.5/5. Raising to 4.

A little Joni can go a long way but this one is solid.

Bien

Still brilliant.

I found myself feeling very polarized by this album. I would start to like a song then she would go into the super high almost operatic notes and I did not like that same song. I guess overall I have to put it somewhere in the middle, it’s okay, but not life changing for me.

First time hearing this album. It's not bad, but I'd have to give it several listens to really see if it is for me or not. Saw lots of complaints about Joni's voice and that didn't bother me at all.

This just really isn't in my wheelhouse at all. Singer/Song writer as a genre isn't for me and pair that with an album that feels like the same(ish) song 10 times in a row ---no thanks.

Gorgeous, gorgeous. This taught me I always have 5 stars for female folk music.

Masterful songwriting, her voice is phenomenal, a near perfect collection of songs

I can tell these are objectively really good songs, and would possibly rate five stars, but Joni Mitchell’s vocal style has always set my teeth on edge as if I were on the verge of becoming seasick, so I’d never choose to listen to her. Giving it a 4 so I’ll come back to give it another chance.

Something about Mitchell's vocals that keep me from totally falling in love with her music.

Incredible songwriting and flawless performance.

Loved nearly every track here except the one about riding an airplane that one was kinda lame

idk if this is a hot take but it was just a tiiinnnyyy bit sappy for me

4.5/5 Not my usual jam but the levels of talent, creativity, and grace makes this album special and very worthy of being on this list

Pretty good

I like the album cover

Bear with me... In 2012, when a 22-yo Taylor Swift was onto her 5th Famous Boyfriend and her public image as a serial dater was catching up to her, she acquired a straightening iron and released her signature Break Up Album, Red, the cover art eerily similar to Blue. As far as I am aware she never acknowledged Joni's influence on either the aesthetic or intensely confessional music of the Red era. (But music critics caught on.) In 1971 when Joni Mitchell released Blue, Rolling Stone dubbed her the 'Queen of El Lay' in mocking acknowledgement of her supposed string of sexual conquests, many of whom were also famous talents. Her lovers and collaborators—Graham Nash and David Crosby of CSNY, Swift's namesake James Taylor, Leonard Cohen—felt she was leagues ahead of them in terms of songwriting ability. Fans and music writers would read into her lyrics in an attempt to guess which iconic resident of Laurel Canyon had inspired which song—swifties will find this familiar. Joni was far from the first songwriter to have a tumultuous personal life, but she pioneered the notion autobiographical lyrical content, weaponizing her warbling soprano into a narrator of small, intimate moments shared during and after love. She expressed upon the release of Blue that she had been in a dark place and 'needed' to make the album—a common sentiment coming from artists today, but music in the late 60s was yet to become a domain of personal expositing. One could argue whether or not things have changed for the female songwriters of high-profile affairs since Blue—Swift has turned notoriety into a billion-dollar empire, after all. Public opinion has come to agree with that of Joni Mitchell's contemporaries in terms of her artistic ability, but her promiscuity is still condemned when replicated in artists (and women) of today. So I think in some sense Joni paved the way and was scorned for doing so. Either way this album is towering and beautiful, and even the men towards whom Joni directed her hurt and bitterness on the album agree.

Solid listen. Good vocal work and instrumentals. Falls a bit into the samey side though.

Great

Like with Dylan, I came to Joni Mitchell backwards. I saw and heard her on the Band's Last Waltz and had a video recording of an early '80s concert where her bass player was, I think, Larry Klein, her husband and a jazz player. Consequently, I was drawn more to Mitchell's mid-'70s albums with Jaco Pastorius, Wayne Shorter and other jazz greats, although I don't think I fell in love with any of them. I never really listened to Blue. What a mistake. This is simply one of the most achingly beautiful albums I have ever heard, confessional and heart-baring. The playing and production are uncluttered and clear. There is a lot of space for Joni's voice to rise above her and James Taylor's guitars, her own, incredible piano accompaniment on many songs, Sneaky Pete on a couple of tracks - one phrase on "This Flight Tonight" is amazing, where he is essentially a sound effect. I can't believe I once thought Joni's voice a little shrieky in her high register; her tone is stunning. I knew several of the songs before. "River", "A Case of You" (listen to Prince's cover if you get a chance), "This Flight Tonight" from Nazareth's version and the rest of the songs are just as personal and wonderful. It has taken almost 50 years but Blue has got me at last. I have fallen head over heels for the album and for Joni Mitchell and her back catalogue will be my next deep dive.

The first time I listened to it I wasn't sure if I liked it, but then I listened to it on loop for a week. This has become an essential album to me

Joni se merece estar entre los 1001 albums. Todavía mejorará

Couldn’t

singer songwriter, jazz, 1971 -> 3

Incredible.

How does anybody listen to her. I would rather listen to a hundred peoples teeth grinding. WOW

Not moved. Boring as hell.

Gorgeous

One of the greats, sure. But also quite annoying? Music criticism has to move on from the kind of received wisdom that makes this album always be in the stratosphere of best of lists. (before I paint myself with the misogyny brush - the Beatles, Steely flippin Dan, Stones etc also often fit this mould) Reviewing albums outside of their context could be an empty endeavour. Let's ask Christgau. Call me a contrarian etc. I get frustrated that the zeitgeist doesn't shift. Pop music is still relatively new I guess. Maybe I'm wrong to be frustrated due to that very fact. We're STILL having Joni retrospective live celebrations in the twennytwennies. Lately the internet only seems to reward positive opinions and received wisdom. AI is making that worse. Somehow this album's endless back-pats crystallises these issues for me.This book/app/whatever only further encourages this critical laziness. Dear diary, this nonsense probably needs a sober edit. Anyway... River: 12/10 Miles - Kind of Blue. Also contemporarily overrated (but deserved all of its roses - at the time). Just getting that out now, see ya at that review. Miles 12/10 bloke though (musically). Weezer - the blue album. Yeah, decent.

Wonderful

I get the hype about California now for sure, but one of my friends Natalie said that I have vibes I listen to alot of Joni Mitchell and I don’t think she could be more off

I enjoyed this so much better than I thought I would. Great vocals, beautiful melodies, and wonderful acoustic guitar. I can see why Joni is iconic.

Kind of boring

I did not like this at all. I couldn't stand the long high notes in almost every song. But Blue was nice and moving.

She had the opportunity to say croci but chose to say crocuses instead. River trying to cosplay as a Christmas song? This Flight Tonight is pretty good but most everything else is not my cup of tea.

Very beautiful music and voice. Bored to tears

Hollly fuck what a good album. Little green almost made me cry thinking about ***. I really love this album, fuck. All good dreamers pass this way.

I can appreciate the writing but overall wasn’t for me

It’s ok to listen to this album once. Maybe I’ll come back next year and give it another chance. In the meantime I will listen to music I actually enjoy.

Light, airy, pleasant to listen to but nothing blew me away

Whoa. I knew I "liked" Joni Mitchell, but I didn't know I loved her until I listened to this all the way through.

1. All I Want: the acoustic is stunning, her voice is beyond. Her range is so strong, and I love the way it sounds with an acoustic guitar. The drums are super soft. The lyrics are so sad as she's reminiscing on better times with a lover, what they once had, and potentially what they could have again. This is legitimately lyrically exactly how I have been feeling with my partner. The ending fading out, holding strong = holding onto hope for better days. 2. My Old Man: reflecting on a more domestic partnership with her ex, the way their love felt like they were married without actually being married. The theme of blue is already presenting itself, the blue being her sadness without a lover. The piano is somberly nostalgic, and her voice during the chorus is wild. I love the high notes that she effortlessly slides up to. The ending piano rings out as the relationship fades apart. 3. Little Green: slow and gentle guitar, the finger picking is so sweet. This is a very personal and sad song, with poetic lyrics about how Joni had to give up her daughter for adoption due to financial issues. Sounds like her song for her daughter, with hope for a brighter, better future. Happy to read that they reunited later in life. Ballad-sounding song. Beautiful last note. 4. Carey: not a big fan of this one. The lyrics again reflect on her rebounding with a mean man... Along with the homesickness while exploring and traveling, especially with growing stardom. Just focusing on where she is and having a nice night. The guitar kinda gets drowned out at points, I like the drums. 5. Blue: the piano ballad is so ethereal. The poetry about depression and the neverending blackhole of despair. The piano and her lower range for this song fit super well with the overall mood. This song brought a tear to my eye. I enjoy how she touches on things people do to escape, yet the end feels like acceptance and trying to work with the sadness. 6. California: nostalgic and homesick, the guitar matches that feeling. She is talking about her European travels and new experiences. Had a hard time sitting through this one. I don't know, just didn't capture me. Maybe I'm missing something on this one. There are SO many damn songs about California in general, maybe it made me check out...lol. 7. This Flight Tonight: racing almost guitar riffs in the beginning as she talks about leaving and chasing the stars, though regretting making such an almost impulsive decision. The riff reminds me at points of Ain't No Rest for the Wicked. Again, this hasn't captured me... Am I again missing something?? 8. River: I cannot take the Jingle Bells ass intrumental seriously. Make a Christmas album if you wanna make a Christmas song. I never enjoy Christmas songs on normal albums... It doesn't make any sense. Her lyrics definitely match this album's depressing themes, but could've been anything else, and I would maybe care more. Corny ass song. This dragged on way too long, and it took everything in me not to skip upon hearing the first 7 seconds. 9. A Case of You: a poetic ode to a lover whose soul she is tied to, despite him not providing a healthy relationship. Referring to him/their once-love as a deep red wine that she could drown herself in and endure through. I love the guitar if I can not pay attention to the lyrics. Didn't stand out yet again, but matches the theme and symbolism of the color blue. This song is apparently super acclaimed and popular. 10. The Last Time I Saw Richard: this song is supposed to encompass the larger themes of this album: optimism and cynicism, along with deep sadness/longing/nostalgia. I like some of the lyrics "go look at your eyes, they're full of moon"; "you got tombs in your eyes"; "all good dreamers pass this way someday." Her vocals and the dreamy/sad piano are smooth. The last line is a beautiful way to wrap the album up. BIG bummer that she was frequently doing black-face and racist skits/performances. I do enjoy the guitar and piano on this album a lot, and her vocals are undeniably fantastic. I'm not the biggest fan of her lyrics, they just don't hit for me. They are so long, and the songs drag on; the story isn't painted well in my perception. I don't feel super drawn into most of the songs on this album, nor to her lyrics. Some of them are gorgeous poetic lines, but most of them are telling, not showing. I was expecting some less overt lyrics here. This is the first Joni Mitchell album I've listened to in full, and will probably be my last due to not wanting to support yet another racist artist.

A lovely album. Happy to return to it any time. Doesn't have a huge amount of range, but what it does it basically does as well as it's ever been done.

Perfect

Top 5 albums ever - incredible

Joni, please no Christmas music in the middle of the album

all time favourite. Among Jonsi's great albums most probably her best. I would like to have "river" to be sung at my funeral (seriously) 5/5

This kind of female-fronted classic folk is a genre I dip into every now and then. Mitchell, Collins... I think it reminds me of riding in the car with my grandparents as a kid. "River" is the only song off Blue that I recognized (it's pushed its way into the Christmas music canon) but the others grew on me over a few plays.

This was quite beautiful.

This was not a new album for me. I love this record. No skips, absolute perfection. Beautiful piano. Transcendent. I don’t own this on vinyl yet and I need it.

Have loved this album for a very long time! My friend Izze showed it to me and I’ve loved it ever since. Fantastic and unique songwriting with beautiful lyrics. I love u Joni… Fav Track: My Old Man

Good

It was fine.

I want to like this, but after two songs her voice just grates on me. Fine in isolation, but not a full record.

Nice for a Saturday morning

This one I have and this one I love 5/5 #musicsky #albumsky #musicchallenge

Disco grandioso. Forse il più conciso della Mitchell in termini di scrittura, seppur si porti appresso un senso di irrisolutezza, di tensione costante verso un oltre, verso una trama aperta. Un grande classico.

:) Me gustó

I love this album so much. I think her voice is amazing, the music is gorgeous, I love how simple the arrangements are. I think it gives everything space to really shine. I love the storytelling and how intimate it is. I like the poetic feeling of the songs. I love how you get relief from the slower, sadder songs with some more upbeat ones. Picking a least favourite song feels impossible for this album, I really like all of them. I've picked one but I think it really depends on the day. Fav song: California Least fav: Blue

Another Joni Mitchell entry in this collection, but at least it's what seems to be regarded as her finest. I'm still not a big Joni Mitchell fan, and most of the tracks don't really do much for me (and the place-name-dropping lyrics in "Carey" and "California" kind of rub me the wrong way), but I'm glad I've finally listened to this album. I enjoyed the remarkably dark and gritty lyrics on the title track, as well as the sound and style of "This flight tonight", and who can deny "River"? I'm also struck by how raw many of the songs are (and confidently sung), and by how much this album clearly influenced all of the later confessional (and often debut) albums by women singer/songwriters featured in this collection (k.d. lang, Suzanne Vega, Fiona Apple, Alanis Morissette, Liz Phair, etc.). That legacy alone warrants four stars.

Great great album I've listened to so many times. The writing, the voice, the everything--36 brilliant minutes that trip through emotions, people, places, styles, etc beautifully. Classic breakup album if listening to the Cure's Disintegration on repeat isn't your thing.

This was an album on my list to listen to for a while, and it definitely did not disappoint. The lyrics are beautiful, the instrumentals are simple yet so gorgeous. I love the way she utilizes her vocal range as well. I'm a sucker for some good singer-songwriter, and this album is PEAK. No bad moments. The songs remind me of Pink Moon, and I love that album. This up there the best of the best.

Classic 🩵

Simple yet complex. Delicate yet powerful. Quirky, sad, joyful, blue. I don’t know how this much of everything is possible to put in one album, but here it is.

Very good

Fine album.

So I've been told this is one of the greats and it very well may be. But its just not for me. Its too subtle and too laid back in its approach. Its good but it doesn't hit that hard for me. Its not to the level I have been told about. She has a powerful voice and I appreciate that alot.

she reminded me of fiona apple but not as good. was kinda surprised this was on apple music’s 100 best albums list but can also understand why it might be there. some songs were much better ballads than others, but no standouts. kinda boring if i’m being honest. wished i liked this more. 2/5.

-finallyyy, here’s one I’ve been waiting to listen to for such a long time -absolutely beautiful songwriting, i felt hypnotized by some of these songs. it’s a bit harder for me to get into folk music just in general, still preventing me from giving it a higher rating just out of preference ig. love her voice though -Favorites are My Old Man, Carey, and River

Blue by Joni Mitchell is honestly one of the coziest albums ever made. The moment it starts, there’s this warmth that just wraps around you, and her voice… man, her voice is something else. It doesn’t just sound good, it touches your soul. Her writing is incredible so vivid, so emotional, so personal. She paints pictures of heartbreak, love, longing, and vulnerability in a way that very few artists can. You can feel the honesty bleeding through every lyric, and that’s what makes it timeless. There isn’t a single bad track on this album. Every song carries its own weight, its own story, and it flows beautifully as a complete piece of art. The instrumentation is simple but perfect. the guitar, the piano, the dulcimer they just hit in all the right ways, leaving space for her voice to shine. Listening to Blue feels like being hugged. It’s comforting, emotional, and intimate in a way that albums rarely are. It’s one of those records you can always come back to, no matter what you’re going through, and it’ll meet you right where you are. Truly one of the most beautiful, soul-touching albums ever made.

not bad but didn't really stand out to me either. the lyrics are good but the music is pretty unremarkable

Fine

I did not need to relisten to this album to know it was five stars. One of my favorite albums of all time.

One of my favourite albums of all time. Beautifully personal lyrics, delicate musicianship, and soaring vocals. Each song tells a story and leaves you feeling almost like you were there. Joni's skill really has her near the top of the all-time list.

Appreciate that Joni broke the ground for so many of the other artists I love.

She's got a beautiful voice, and a way of weaving a story. Definitely belongs on the list. At least something by her. Nothing on this album grabbed me, but I wasn't bored listening to her. My rating: 5/5

Blue is the fourth studio album from Canadian singer/songwriter Joni Mitchell. It is regarded as her best work, and is widely considered to be one of the greatest albums ever recorded. Mitchell has a distinct, beautiful voice, and plays a technical, textured guitar which adds to the rich sound of her songs. Her songwriting may be her greatest strength - her songs are honest, open, striking images from a woman in love.

I was looking forward to listening but found it a bit disappointing if I’m honest … I didn’t hate it … but I didn’t like it much either.