I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You

Jo das ist gut, da kann man nix sagen.

Großartige Künstlerin die unseren Respekt verdient hat. Ein großartiger Song. Leider keine weiteren Highlights auf dem Album. Hätte eine gute 3 gegeben, aber respect hat die Kraft auf 4 Sterne hochzuziehen. Allerdings wiederholt sich das Album im letzten Drittel einfach nochmal. Hab erst gedacht es sei ein Fehler im Streamingdienst, ist jedoch tatsächlich so. Das finde ich so dreist, da bleibt es bei der 3.

Fängt großartig an und ebbt anschließen leider ein bisschen ab. Über die Dauer des Albums sogar so sehr, dass in dieser Version am Schluss nochmal die besten Songs wiederholt werden müssen...

Aretha Franklin brought such a iconic voice at the time. Her sound was consistent and recognizable to only her. I don't normally give her a listen but good listen overall.

好听 顺耳，但是没有被打动的感觉，要怎么听懂靈魂樂呢？

acredito que ouvindo esse álbum em 2026 seja difícil de ter uma opinião muito desgarrada de tudo que já existe na música, afinal é um álbum de 1967, mas ouvindo tentei ao máximo julgar pelo trabalho em si pra além de julgamentos e comparações contemporâneas. Esse é de fato um ótimo trabalho, já tem um tempo que eu quero ouvir mais da Aretha e esse foi uma ótima introdução, o maior destaque são os vocais dela, ela tem uma das vozes mais lindas da indústria de fato, e é muito interessante de ouvir. Sobre a produção do álbum, senti a falta de uma produção mais detalhada, seria interessante ouvir mais vocais de fundo, ter uma clareza maior dos instrumentos, mas ainda assim tem um trabalho geral legal, a voz dela é o que se sobressai no geral mas enfim são questões que ficaram latentes pra mim! No geral é um ótimo álbum, com certeza merece toda a atenção que recebe, fico feliz de que a Aretha recebe o reconhecimento devido e feliz por começar essa jornada !! merece 4 estrelas!

An obvious classic. Aretha is an amazing singer, and the songs are powerful. This album is more like a time capsule than something I'd be interesting in listening to often.

The Queen of Soul never got it wrong. Nothing but respect for the best.

Blown away by the feeling and the soul.

While only just over 30mins long, this album is why Aretha is the Queen of Soul.

I LOOOOOOVVVVVEEEEEE THİS AŞBUM SO MUCH. A little bir of jazz a little bit of everything. Most of the songs moved me in the first go. Love this

I’ll be damned if this isn’t one of the most soulful albums I’ve ever heard. Aretha Franklin is simply electric on all of these southern soul bangers. It’s super groovy, fun, charming and an instant classic. “Respect” obviously demands its title from the listener—being an all time classic soul song for good reason. But the other tracks on here also deliver the goods, with each bringing something creatives to the table. From the dramatic and bluesy “Drown in My Own Tears” to the rocking “Save Me”, and even the samba-esque “Don’t Let Me Lose This dream”, this album never fails to impress.

A nice listen, not sure why Spotify has Respect on it twice, but it's not unwelcome.

Review - So many classic songs, often covers that have become the best known version. And at barely over 30 minutes long you can listen to it a few times in a row and not get bored. Rating - 9.5/10 Need to hear? YES

R e s p e c t

3/5

A really impeccable soul album. A few absolute classics and Aretha's voice is just so powerful throughout.

An amazing listening experience. Obvious "Respect" is a standout, but the whole album is nothing but amazing songs. I loved it so much, I had to listen to more Aretha to satiate my craving for more of her voice. 9/10

Pleasant, soulful and punchy. Really good stuff, much better than the modern dross in the R&B category.

mucho soul que me puso de buen humor, también un poco nostálgica, a partir de drown in my own tears me atrapó mucho, obvio esa voz única no se pierde, muy buen album in general!

inconfundible, referencia eterna. me imagino q la gente en los 60s tmb sentía que la música de ella sonaba nostálgica aunq fuera contemporánea. album de atardecer o amanecer pero de fijo como despedida de algo.

Banger

Gorgeous, beautiful, extraordinary l. Aretha Franklin truly is one of the best vocalists of all time (if not the best). Love her and I always will

Really good soul album, certainly one of the best of all time.

Iconic songs and one of the greatest voices in popular music, hard not to give it a five despite the majority of songs being covers.

Loving this album. Perfect amount of trumpets

Beautiful vocals, a classic.

Didnt listen but I love thsi album

I didn’t listen

Aretha Franklin is THE greatest singer in American history. This record is one of several reasons why that is the case.

Aretha has an incredible voice, obviously, but apart from Respect and A Change is Gonna Come I have a hard time separating the songs. They're all a bit samey to me, might be the arrangements or the production, I'm not sure.

Fabulous. Opened and closed with classics

Absolute joy to listen to. So much soul packed into 40 minutes, certainly made my life better for the time being.

So good. I'm usually not a fan of covers, but damn that version of A Change Is Gonne Come was almost better than the original. 5/5 Highlights: Respect Drown in My Own Tears A Change Is Gonna Come

Mitica Aretha, entra bien y tiene un par de bangers

:) i like the instruments and her voice — esp on ‘lose this dream’. love the vocals on ‘baby baby baby’! the backing vocals on ‘do right woman — do right man’ made me think of roosters. not quite sure why. i liked the last song a fair bit.

Beautiful!

Knock you on your ass kind of album. The queen of soul comin at ya with all she's got. Just as impressive are the backing tracks to this album which carry some toe tappingness that is tough to beat. Classic hits throughout. 8/10

Funky and easy listening but I did get bored

So good, what a voice! Don't Let Me Lose This Dream is my favorite.

One of my favourite 60s albums

Imagine being the Rolling Stone reviewer, one of the first mainstream critics to hear Franklin at full power, who sniped about the drummer not being particularly good...

I absolutely loved it, Aretha Franklin is another jazz queen that I truly adore and this album is amazing.

Funky fun and I enjoyed it in the background

her voice ughhhh yeah

It’s a good album, especially the title track Respect. But it says a lot that the best song in here isn’t even hers to begin with.

Perfect soul record from one of the legends. Amazing singer with one of the best opening tracks of any record. There's also a series called "booze and Vinyl" which pairs cocktails to records and this one is a pink squirrel which was my grandma's favorite drink. Fits it perfectly too. It's sweet like a desert, gets you a little tipsy and a nice decadence/night cap to a beautiful evening.

very good album, i was just getting into similar music genre and this really sealed the deal on it i like it or not, i found myself dancing at every end of a song lol.(Never judge an album by its cover!!LITERALLY)

Åkey! Rå stemme og rå dame. // Sykt å åpne album med Respect. Peaker med en gang. Enda sykere å gjenta det litt senere i albumet. Gøy opplevelse. Høydepunkt: Respect - Baby, Baby, Baby

Genuinely a vibe to listen to as Aretha's voice is just straight fire. It's almost a shame to hear her with the 60's recording quality because I know she is hitting all those notes when the sound peaks a little. Other then that I will mostly only listen to this in group settings as this is generally not my style of music, but I can really enjoy it when the setting is right.

4/5 THIS is some amazing soul. Aretha had an incredible voice and her impact on music won't be forgotten anytime soon.

Very nice and enjoyable. This could come out today with few tweaks.

Nunca había escuchado un álbum completo de ella. No es mucho mi estilo de música pero fue bueno en general aunque en algún punto en la mitad lo sentí un poco repetitivo en las melodías, pero de igual forma me alegra haberle dado la oportunidad.

Beautiful voice, so happy the album got the recognition it needs

The Queen at her best

Ist oooook

Untouchable icon

The voice for the centuries <3

So many classic songs.

it was a good album, not my normal music but will listen to some of the songs again

Singular voice. Classic. Great to have on in the background for immaculate vibes.

I really liked it. Very dancing late at night vibes, Aretha never lays me down so

That lady was amazing and a national treasure.

An incredible feat. Multiple all-timers. Could easily see this being a 5 star album, but I don't feel compelled to return to this like I do other all-time albums on this level. 4.5 stars, which I'm rounding down (and does feel harsh).

The Queen of Soul. I only knew Respect before hand which is a certified banger. Phenomenal vocals and a few songs I didn't know but enjoyed gives this one 4 stars even though Soul is definitely not my preferred genre.

Really good, liked the vibe but no my personal favorite 6/10 I think

Love aretha

some solid bops!

Great voice an of course at least one iconic performance.

One of the best vocalists ever, what a voice. That being said, while there are some legendary tracks on this album, not enough caught my attention

This is great, she is one of the all-time greats for a reason. A surprisingly raunchy album for the time but maybe I'm just naive - Aretha definitely got down! The instrumentation is definitely pretty laid back and basic but her voice shines through so much there's really not much more you would want from the band. Super solid record.

Respect gets this three stars, and that's where it stays.

Just not for me

Obviously amazing singer but this isn’t the type of music I’d go out of my way to listen to

4.5

Magnificent album! This is my kind of soul! (10) ★★★★★

Delightful soul with a majestic vpice. 4.5 stars

I thought the Aretha album was really good. Soul isn't my favorite genre, but I do think this type of Soul is my favorite. Aretha sounds really good, and most of the songs are really good. "Respect" is obviously a classic, but the title track, "A Change is Gonna Come", and "Dr. Feelgood" are all really great too. 4 stars.

4.5

I like Queen of Soul but Queen of Funk is better. Opener Respect is the main outright essential classic cool track that you hear all the time in movies and adverts but the rest tends to be a bit more boring and less popular. Get some Chaka Khan here instead. What Cha’ Gonna Do For Me = banger central.

Glad it found me I think it’s great

Solid album. Maybe says “baby” a bit much but no bad songs.

Excellent 60s album. Incredibly strong vocals.

4.45/5 Stars Top Songs: Respect, Good Times, Change is Gonna Come

Talented performer

8/10 Favourite: I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You Least Favourite: Good Times

Giving Aretha Franklin anything less than a 4 feels sacrilege. Not sure what to say or add other than she was incredible at what she did.

Aretha Franklin sure knows how to make a man feel guilty (positive) Favorite Tracks: I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You, Respect, Don't Let Me Lose this Dream, Dr. FeelGood, A Change is Gonna Come Favorite Tracks:

I absolutely loved this album. god I could listen to Aretha all day

So good!

Could not have started with many better albums. I might be more of a 'Spirit in the Dark' guy but Respect is one of the most iconic songs of all time. 9/10 [KEEP]

It girl for a reason. Powerful vocals along with themes of female empowerment sell the experience.

Beautiful soulful album. Will play over and over again.

What a voice So many classics Strong

SUBLIME! I listened it with my parrot and it loved it

my typa jams

Not a bad album. Will need to relisten while reading the lyrics. Probably better in a more intimate setting, and not just thrown in the background.

Loves her voice

In and out. Sass all over the shoo. Cant not like it.

Intenso, me siento como una joven señora de los 70

Best song: Respect Nice album, jazzy, solid

Unassailable perfection. A master at her apex. Surrounded by the best of the best.

What a voice. Fair few great songs powerfully performed. Somehow a bit sad.

R E S P E C T the Queen of Soul!

Did not like at all

Timeless.

Yeah, this is nice. Good voice, couple of bangers. Nice.

I liked it I was used to rap with inspiration by albums such as this so it’s nice to hear the original music that inspired genres I listened to. Very raw and catchy.

Amazing album, it’s timeless. you can hear the pure passion in her voice, they don’t make music like that anymore. 10/10 would recommend and would listen again in the future.

some absolute CLASSICS on this album!! aretha’s version of A Change Is Gonna Come is so amazing and her voice is so good.

I appreciate respect being on the album twice because it’s just that good of a song

i love u, woman who loves

R.I.P., David Trotts(06/13/07-10/13/45).

Objectively good, but not exactly my thing. A pretty certain 3/5.

I mean let's put some respect on this album, fucking great.

Possibly the greatest vocalist of all time?

ARETHA. MUTHA. FUCKING. FRANKLIN. THE GOD DAMN QUEEN OF BLUES AND THE MATRON SAINT OF SOUL. LORD HELP ME CUZ FOR THE FUCKIN LIFE OF ME I CAN'T WIPE THIS STANK FACE OFF MY FUCKIN MOUTH

Perfect singer. I love it all.

One absolute classic and ten more bangers..

It’s a given that Aretha Franklin is an icon that has a devastatingly gorgeous voice. However, I don’t feel the songs on this album are worthy of her talent. Many of them are traditionally Bluesy with little variation. I’ve listened to different albums by her but I find her to be more of a singles artist for me.

It was decent

I “respect” this album. Didn’t get anything new from it really. Weird how there’s like 3 songs that are on the album twice. Respect IS the album, everything else is in its shadow, except a change is gonna come which has such power in its lyrics, which is beautiful. I appreciate the historical significance and the flawlessness in her voice, but the album as a whole is dated and boring. Somehow falls short of timeless, but not far behind I guess. And also it’s low key depressing, lots of toxic love vibes. The album title is giving manipulator. I find it hard to separate the art from the artist sometimes. Bet Aretha was a rebel-rousing honeytrap diva in her day. God bless

Great great vocalist over some good songs and two or three mega hits. Hard to give this anything less than a 3. This is not my bag but I fully understand how it was many people’s bag in 67.

Nothing but respect for the one and only Aretha Franklin

Beautiful, classic, badass

really cool album, its nice to try something new, i like the style

Again, I completely understand how some people think this era of soul is peak, but it just doesn't speak to me in the same way a lot of other music (including neo-soul) does. I did like this album more than Al Green's Let's Stay Together and "Respect" is an absolute bop, but that's not quite enough to push I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You into four star territory for me. Highlights: Respect, Don't Let Me Lose This Dream, Good Times, Save Me, A Change Is Gonna Come

well, it's aretha

Ik ben niet per se een soul type dus zal dit niet zo snel aan mij playlist toevoegen. Respect vond ik wel leuk, deze kende ik ook al, omdat deze een iets hoger tempo heeft. Ook vond ik do right woman, do right man wel catchy. De rest had ik niet echt iets mee, maar ik vond het ook niet heel erg om naar te luisteren. Prima voor achtergrond muziek ig

What an amazing, emotive, soulful voice. Such a tight backing band, and backing singers.

Давно не було нагоди послухати Арету. Планував ставити 4, але дуже кайфонув, тому можна й 5 поставити. Супер класика. Чи не найвпливовіша вокалістка на це точно заслуговує.

Чергова класика. Чергова 4 від мене.

Easily a 10/10, all-time classic album.

169/1001 Aretha Franklin - I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You Heard before? ❎ Revisit? ✅ It's Aretha, it's got Respect. It scores highly.

Legendary voice, for that Aretha deserves so R-E-S-P-E-C-T. Although a little dated now, the music was pretty good too

Fell flat and boring.

The bangers are bangers but the rest feels kinda dusted. An absolut great Album for music history and Aretha Franklin is a giant of it's time. I think it did not age as well as it should have. Wouldn't mind listening to it more often, but won't go into daily rotation.

This is what this list is all about. Listen to the rest of the album that contains some of the biggest hits by a legend. What a treat for the ears.

Clearly an over rated album based on the name alone. It's a decent album. Respect is the clear stand out and one of the greatest covers of all time but the rest isn't as earth shattering as people are making out. Can't question the vocal but everything else is nowhere near deserving of a perfect scores being handed out. The best songs are also all covers. 3/5.

Incredible I was so shocked by how much I liked it.

Obligatory 5 stars for the Queen.

I love Aretha Franklin, love her voice within this album and the power she echos from it. She is the queen of soul. Love the soul within this project with all sorts of instrumentals, drums, piano, guitar, trumpet and much more. A very nice RnB and soul album that lead great impact.

Very swagful. In all seriousness she has a great voice and the music is upbeat and lively. Just not what I would ordinarily listen to.

Didn't get much out of it but Respect was good.

Soul classic. Aretha owns these songs--even when they are better known by other geniuses like Sam and Ray--and her band is whip-cracking on. I mean, Respect, I Never Loved, Dr. Feelgood. Masterpiece by a legend.

Having grown up across the river from Muscle Shoals, this was one of those albums that was always in the air. Never in my life, have I sat down and listened in its entirety. Today, I see the "groove" that the swampers were able to create on every track. "A change is gonna come", sealed the deal, definitely worthy of this list.

She takes control over every song and doesn’t let go.

Pretty good. Good start

5/10

Just perfection

Soulful singing, great melodies

Respect

Clive Davis may have the been the genius that discovered this voice, but anyone with half a musical brain would have done the same. Aretha was a force of vocal nature, and the material here suits her talents perfectly.

Great album. Classics.

This album made excellent Saturday morning music and then outdid itself on Sunday, where it felt even better suited. Probably got five potential.

low 4

Nice pipes Aretha!

It’s a pretty perfect album. Maybe it doesn’t quite hit my exact tastes, but I can’t deny it a 5.

Aretha Franklin delivers a brilliant vocal performance on every single track here, and there's no doubt it's an album full of soul with some classic tracks epitomised by Respect as a killer opening song. I can't help but feel slightly bored by the middle to end part of the album though. There's nothing wrong with any of the songs, I just find them a bit middling at times. Still a decent 7/10 album for me though.

3.5

10/10

Good classic album from an icon!

Das Album entstand überwiegend in den FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals und markiert einen deutlichen Schritt hin zu einem roheren, direkteren Sound. Aretha Franklin stammt aus den USA und bringt hier eine Mischung aus Soul und Rhythm & Blues ein, die stark von ihrem Klavierspiel und ihrer Stimme getragen wird. Besonders bekannt wurden “Respect”, “Do Right Woman, Do Right Man” und der Titelsong. Die Produktion wirkt konzentriert und lässt den Raum für Franklins phrasingreichen Vortrag. Insgesamt ein stimmiges Werk, das ihre künstlerische Entwicklung klar erkennen lässt.

Solid 5 stars here for Aretha, mad R-E-S-P-E-C-T

Aretha has one of the best voices of all time.

la voz de esta mina es todo. hermosos los coros también. solo conocía el primer tema (respect) que banco mucho xq es un tema re feminista para la época!! el tercer tema que me hace acordar a bill withers. el tema baby, baby, baby me hace acordar a you really got a hold on me q la conozco x los beatles. es un buen álbum, más para ser del 67!! not my style tho

She has an amazing voice, for easy listening, but I was kinda bored.

Aight

S'okay. "Respect" is a deserving classic, and the rest of the tracks are nice, but nothing special to me. Production definitely dates things a fair amount as well.

Ohh...Respect! Aretha! c

Some strong songs including the classic Respect. I can appreciate Aretha’s amazing voice and her cultural impact but ultimately the genre is not for me. Would make a nice background to a dinner party with friends but not the sort of album I’d put on for my own listening pleasure

While I recognize that Aretha's voice is beautiful, the music itself is just not that interesting to me. It's good, but doesn't make me want to listen to it any more often. 3/5

Meh

R - 'Retha E - Energy. The lady can sing. S - Soul, soul, soul. P - Please, ma'am, may we hear another? E - Everyone should hear this album. C - Carolyn Franklin co-wrote two tracks. T - Two Sam Cooke songs.

Exceptional. Soulful.

Powerful. Sassy. Raw. Aretha Franklin remains the undisputed Queen of Soul, and an album like this proves it. "Respect" alone is a five-star track, and it really says something when the writer of a song reveals that a cover artist did a better job on it and then he did.

Not my type of music at all, but this is great for what it is. Especially singing. If I'll ever had a mood for a soul music, I'd go to this album, but I'm not sure when it could happen, don't think that anytime soon.

Listened while typing Cherry Bomb. Really nice, loved the change is gonna come cover

Perfect Saturday morning listening. Soulful, melodic nourishing music.

It’s Aretha, so it’s automatically at least a 4. I just don’t like the traditional blues songs on this one. It’s like putting a Ferrari engine in a classic Suburban. Both are great on their own, but why?

Ok, didn't excite me.

Aretha's voice is so entrancing and smooth. She definitely takes center stage in the same way Sinatra does. No one cares about the backing band. Although when focusing on them, they're good but they play a bit repetitively with similar gospel beats and rhythms, sometimes playing something a little bit more up tempo. But man, Aretha's voice carries this album in the best way possible. I could listen to her voice all day long.

Oh Urethra Franklin, I wonder if she ever got that resp. 7/10

Hard to judge objectively when it's this praised. But stripping away the hype and hearing it in 1967 context, this is exceptional.

Imagine being the person who wrote the most popular review for this album on this site

The diva of all divas

Man, I never loved Aretha as much as i do now

I just heard 'You Send Me' for the first time last night at the end of 'The Holiday' and today I get the recommendation to listen to this album. What luck! Bloody good album.

It’s hard to know how she captures SO much heart and soul and in the only way she can. It’s so clearly there but hard to pinpoint or define. Such depth and feeling in every word. Phenomenal voice and amazing backing. Hard to put it into words, really but this is on another level. Now I get it. And interestingly seem fine with so many of these being covers when I’ve criticised that on other albums.

Kinda hard to not give this a 5. Just fantastic.

Hey this is funny- in the last five days I've had to listen to Adele, Ella Fitzgerald, and now Aretha! I've never enjoyed Aretha - she's got volume and tone but she just didn't click with me at all. Having just had the Ella Fitzgerald box set, I can comfortably say that Aretha was wasted doing albums full of jazz standards before I Never Loved A Man. Soul and R&B are her genres. Ella is perfect for jazz; Aretha needs something with more oomph to back her up. She too easily overpowers jazz. Which makes me think she would be perfect for a rock band. Yes, I know, that's heresy - but my thought is that she can cut through a band's volume, and they can push her to push her voice to those powerful places that are her bread and butter. Can you picture her on the Zeppelin version of "You Shook Me," or Jimi's "Rock Me Baby?" Or Sabbath's "War Pigs"?????? Good God. Her voice is amazing. You can't argue with that. Maybe it's just her choices of interpretation that turn me off? Maybe its the songs themselves? The songs on this particular record are excellent, and show off her incredible dynamic range, especially the closer. But Aretha just doesn't grab me in the way that Ella does, or, in the soul category, the way that James Brown or Otis Redding do. She's amazing. Just not my bag. THREE STARS

Just bangers all the way through, all started off by one of the greatest songs of all time.

There aren't very many people with a voice that can make you feel the ways Franklin's does. So bright and expressive. A lot of good songs on this album.

If you don't like this, I don't know what to tell you.

Fantastic singer, and the backing are also great, I feel like there's obviously elements of traditional blues and jazz but I love the organ and guitar parts. I like how people of this era and genre often covered each other (like the Sam Cooke one at the end, which I think makes the whole scene feel really interconnected and collaborative (not sure if it actually was in reality who knows). But yeah she's got a really powerful voice, not sure if I totally like some of the screaming stuff, but I guess it fits. Backing singers are great too. Favourite songs: all but drown in my own tears, and good times. Overall around 7/10

Franklin has the smoothest voice and her lyrical work is so good here! She flows between playful and serious so well. Not even my favorite Aretha Franklin album but so good!

GOAT

вокал, джазы, неплохо

It's great! I like all the songs essentially. The songs are so good they are played twice! The vocals are amazing all throughout and i like how the album plays with so many classic musical themes like the 12 bars blues and expands on it with some nice production flourishes. Like the buildup in "drown in my tears", the descending melody and bridge in "don't let me lose this dream". And don't forget the iconic "respect" of course. I realised i actually haven't played the whole song through because there is so much more dynamic instrumentation than i remember in the middle of the song that leads into the iconic spelling bit in the end. Just all around classic and great album. 5 out of 5 stars!

Queen Aretha at her peak. What's not to love?

Essential and perfect, only a couple songs might be in my regular rotation.

Great

It's insane that this is her 10th album, though it makes sense that this was her first where she wasn't attempting jazz standards. What a weird fit that must've been, because this is clearly what she was made to sing. As such, it's great.

I feel like I should have listened to this a little closer, and I plan to - her voice and delivery is off the chain obviously.

Classic

This album could never be anything but five stars.

Awesome.

I think this is the first time ever I've listened to a full album by Aretha Franklin, and now I regret I never did before. What a joy this album is! That voice, the passion, and the blues and soul - it's perfect! Although the album contains mostly covers, the way she makes them her own is truly remarkable. Long live the legacy of the Queen of Soul! 4/5.

6.18

Pretty good singer

One of the most iconic voices of jazz. Sublime!

Love Aretha’s voice

awesome - hard to believe it was 1967

Best Song: Respect There is no secret that Aretha Franklin can sing. The 3/5 is strictly for replayability for me. I just don't see myself listening to this again, not that it's bad, just that it is timely and not my thing.

See now this is something I don't know if I'd ever have sought out without this list. Because I know enough about Aretha and her hits from cultural osmosis, I probably would have been content to let it stay that way. But now that I've heard a whole album, I'm walking around like yo, have you guys ever listened to an Aretha Franklin album? It rocks. Great experience. You rock, Aretha. Killer voice, energetic instrumentals, good tunes. It's not a perfect album but it is a must-listen (#254).

Legend - absolute bloody legend

All Hail the Queen. I gave "Lady Soul" five stars and I just gotta give this one five too. What a difference a year makes. While "Lady Soul" was a slammin' - funky album, this one has a much more open, vulnerable, yet confident sound. This is, in my opinion, peak Aretha. So many good songs! "Baby, Baby, Baby," the title track, "Dr. Feelgood." But my favorite is probably the extra-groovy "Don't Let Me Lose This Dream."

I loved it. I was shocked how much I liked it. I’m going to give some more of her stuff a try.

Great album. No notes for the Queen Of Soul. 4.5⭐️

I understand it's a classic but nothing grabbed me outside of 'Respect' and 'A Change is Gonna Come.'

the Goat. Favorite Track: A Change is Gonna Come

Oof, what heartbreaking lyrics from such a strong woman. Classic soil sound, great backing band.

*1967. *Starts off hard right off the bat with Respect. *Smoky, jazzy short songs. Pretty and sassy. *A little goes a long way for me. RATING - 6.5/10

Honestly, pretty boring

Never heard this album before but I can hear the influence in stuff that I am more familiar with like Mary J and Adele.... really good shit. Sooooo Much soul in this. 4/5

Hyvä levy. Piti kuunnella kahdesti. 3,5/5.

Pretty good. Aretha obviously has a killer voice but the backing band & arrangements didn't match her skills.

Classic soul at its best. All hail Queen Aretha.

I love Aretha Franklin, what a stunning voice she has, so I was really looking forward to listening to I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You today. What a way to open an album. “Respect” is such a phenomenal song, and the quality doesn’t dip from there. The whole record has this warm, effortless soul sound that just draws you in. It’s one of those albums that feels easy to listen to but still completely commanding. I really enjoyed it. Favourite track: “Respect” it would be very hard for anything else to top that. Least favourite track: Honestly, there isn’t a bad song here. Album artwork: A fairly standard cover, but it does the job.

An album that starts with R-E-S-P-E-C-T has got be be something worth listening to. Fantastic and powerful with a plethora of notable songs. It is everything i expected and more, with elements of Jazz and big band and even some electric guitar. Aretha Franklin was such an important icon in music. this is very close to 5 stars for me. In fact it is. 5 stars

Fantastic Album. Great song

Old school vibes which is an easy listen and think would enjoy it in background. Probably a 3.5 tbh but will rate up because I like the overall sound.

Heartfelt soul

Could not connect with the music. The album feels out of place in this list.

All-killer, no filler. You get used to albums from this era being three singles and a bunch of leftovers but this is outstanding throughout. Perfect pairing of the Muscle Shoals sound and the Queen of Soul. Wonderful stuff.

As a general rule, i believe everyone has the right to be wrong. But not in this case. If you gave this album one star, you need to stop listening to music. I get it if this isn’t your cup of tea and you go with three stars. Maybe even two, which is still questionable. But one? You’re the reason bad music exists and the rest of us have to suffer for your poor choices.

Perfection etched in vinyl

Fav tracks: A Change Is Gonna Come Saved a song: Y RYM: Y (#934)

Solid album. I enjoyed her voice more than Sarah Vaughan's (which I had immediately before this one) but the music less. Again, not something I'd go out of my way to listen to, though.

DO IT LADY!

i was busy and this (surprisingly) made no impression on me

Just a pleasure to listen too, and would set the bar for R&B to come for generations.

This is wonderful

Was vibing

Soulful AF.

I really enjoyed this! Aretha truly had one of the best singing voices ever. And this album has one of the most iconic sings ever, so this is just shy of 5 stars (only bc I thought her voice really shines in Lady Soul).

An album I’ve not heard before but had a great track list and enjoyed listening to this

There are other options for the definitive, but if this doesn’t provide most of what you are looking for in an Aretha album, then my guess is the Queen of Soul just isn’t for you. If you are that person, I offer you my deepest sympathies and wish you well.

Never listened before but of course heard lots of the tunes. Solid & a good example of why this exercise is good.

Aretha completely revolutionized the way singers, especially female singers, approach vocal runs and vocal stylings in pop music She brought all those big gospel acrobatics into the pop fold. But that influence would only be felt starting with Whitney Houston in the 80's and then more widely during the 90's, with artists like Mariah Carey. The entire American Idol standard of singing can be traced back to Aretha. Sure, a lot of people go way overboard with it, oversinging every single line, but that is not what we find in this record. Here everything is tastefully and expertly executed, and Aretha makes these songs her own. Key tracks: R-e-s-p-e-c-t

Best female voice in music history, debate a wall if you disagree. Full of soul. Full of blues.

Respect is the top song here, but the whole album was pretty solid; I didn’t love the Sam Cooke covers but they weren’t hateful.

Once again, me encanta escuchar a esta mujer. Me gusto muchísimo este álbum, cada palabra que sale de la boca de Aretha esta cargadisima de sentimiento. Que sigan saliendo asi me los escucho todos Favs: Respect; I Never Loved a Man; Don't Let Me Lose This Dream; Baby, Baby, Baby

Puedo entender que para muchos Respect sea la mejor canción de la historia, es TAN simbólica que empezar un álbum de mejor manera resulta casi imposible Otro gran álbum de la maestra Franklin. Culturizandonos en los orígenes del R&B let's fucking go. Favs: Respect, Soul Serenade, Do Right Woman Do Right Man

Aretha got soul

This queen deserves no less than five stars.

Her voice is beautiful. 4/5

top top top

Easy 5, easy listen.

80

She has such a great voice, but most of these songs just don't do it justice. The exception is A Change Is Gonna Come. Wow, she sings the hell out of that song.

Une queen, mais bon quand on a écouté un morceau on a tout écouté un peu j'ai l'impression. Mais tout est très quali du coup !

Top ! Superbe voix, et j’aime le style ! Une icône

C'est Aretha Franklin donc forcément très bon. Plein de pistes que je connaissais deja 4/5

The Queen of Soul at the height of her powers. Chef's kiss. Perfection. No notes. Influence 5. Hits 4. Quality 5. Intangibles 5. This is amazing 5.

3.0 It's interesting but I'm not interested. 4 for the music, 2 for how much I enjoyed it. I can appreciate the art but Aretha just doesn't do it for me.

Fantastic!!

One of my favorite voices of all time! I have so much respect for her generation and for how she inspired young women across the world of music. Every song on this album carries a voice that deserves to be heard and a message meant to make a statement. Some tracks are calls to action (“Respect”), others are love songs, and yes, there are songs about passion too. Favorite track? “Respect.” It’s more than a song—it’s a statement. And “A Change Is Gonna Come”? Almost perfect. A bit of fascinating trivia: two years after Otis Redding originally released “Respect,” Aretha put her own spin on it — rearranging, reinterpreting, and ultimately transforming it. Her version didn’t just top charts; it became her defining hit and a rallying cry for feminism’s second wave throughout the 1970s.

It was pleasant. I, of course, know her version of Respect which I like. I also knew I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You.

- aretha franklin on nimenä tuttu, musiikkia en ole kuuntelemalla kuunnellut - iha jepa! ei oo tämmöset vahvat naislaulajat sillee ollu ittelle ykkösgenre mut ihan kuunneltavaa mussiikkia

A classic LP from the Queen...

yeah ok

This rules. Great arrangements, beautiful voice. There is so much soul and energy. She is the queen for a reason. Beyond Respect as massive hit, I Never Loved A Man, Dr Feelgood and A Change is Gonna Come all stood out.

Look, it *starts* with "Respect"

Oops, all bangers.

Aretha Franklin is like a bottomless well of talent; her piano playing would make her a legend, if only for her eternal voice. This is her first record with Jerry Wexler and Atlantic Records, and as I've read, she came to the table with most of these songs written and even arranged. Her take on "Respect" is literally hers; she brought it with her when she showed up.

Really solid, not blown away by any measure, but a consistent groove nonetheless. Respect is obviously the greatest but her voice is magnetic throughout the whole album

5 star all the way

First and last songs are the best. Rest of the album is a little slow.

fint. 3

There's nothing bad to even say about Aretha Franklin. The album set me up for a good day 😌

You go girlfriend!

(80/100)

what a powerhouse, but only the first song is popular and very good, the rest is ok

Mostly covers but it's a good album to listen to, she's got a voice of power, and that voice is well on display

Ya gotta R E S P E C T this legend

Unfortunately, the songs are still relevant today... Give a little Respect!

Not my thing

Cool

This album is flawless. Lot of hits and great performances from Aretha and her stellar backing musicians. What a voice!

Breakout album by one of the GOATs

The queen of soul. Incomparable vocals what a legend

MARAVILLOSO

Yus

Fantastic album. So much talent. "Respect" with a bunch of John Lydon songs probably would get three stars by itself.

Great listen, and had no idea that “Respect” is ranked #1 on Rolling Stone’s list of the 500 greatest songs of all time.

Highest level performances you can find.

The Queen Slays

Genial oui oui baguette

1967! Wow. A good listen. Had no idea this was nearly 60 years old