Licensed To Ill

The audio equivalent of a high school basement house party

It’s as if it was only yesterday. Remember my cousin holding it with a grin like the cat saying you gonna listen to this. It had the rock and attitude to let us white kids get our first taste of hip hop, and from here able to start exploring. But that’s in no way to diminish that the guys did, they weren’t tourists, they were authentic, that they benefited from racial privilege is a darker story and not at their door. Haven’t heard this all through for years as usually put on Ill communication for some Beastie (its the sabotage prompts in movies that does it). And Yeah it’s still as kicking as remember, which is good as feared when it came up this morning it may have dated somehow, no such fears. Was grinning all the way through and put it straight back on. 4 Star blast.

A top 5 debut album across all genres!

Not first listen; 3.5; I've listened to all these songs before, but I'm not sure I ever listened through the whole album. One of the things that struck me was how sparse/limited most of the songs are. This isn't a bad thing at all, and makes it interesting how the album still holds up well. And I obviously never listened closely enough, but I also never realized how silly the album is. Favorite songs: Fight for your right No sleep til Brooklyn Brass Monkey

Well, some of the lyrical content has not aged well; but I think we can give the Beasties at least some benefit of the doubt, as they seemed to realise that themselves before very long. And the overtones of snotty-nosed obnoxiousness are at least a partially deliberate aesthetic choice. Some of the beats and production still sound great. So, not their best imo, but still worth hearing.

... enjoyable, not in frequent rotation. At least they became The Beastie Boys eventually ...

Not my thing. Music for young blokes

Love this album. Start to finish it is a classic. Favorite: No Sleep ‘Till Brooklyn.

Fuckin awesome. Super fun.

when I was in middle school, I had a hand-me-down Beastie Boys shirt that I loved to wear. I enjoyed their music even back then. an annoying guy in one of my classes challenged whether or not I knew who they were. I lied and said I had no idea who they were just because I knew it would piss him off

This album is special to me. I remember as a tween always grabbing this cd from my dads cd collection and listening to it, but one day I just… forgot it was in the CD player and then we took it out to the tip… my father was not happy but years later I paid for a copy of this CD and we all were happy. Nevertheless, what a classic record, 80’s hip hop can never get old for me esp if it’s this album.

The most white 80s rap album, but that is what makes it so brilliant. Using covers in the best ways, and just being awesome. Fight For Your Right and No Sleep Till Brooklyn are two timeless classics and are the icing to this album. The pick of Girls in front of those songs is quite interesting though... but I wouldn't expect anything different.

Fun album.

What I enjoy is the fact that a white group was blending rock and hip-hop/rap with a funny satire of frat culture and edgy, raw energy. It’s early hip-hop done well. The sampling, scratching, and “hyping” are amazing. They combine hip-hop and rock in a way that definitely helped define the early rap-rock and later nu-metal sound, surely inspired bands like Rage Against the Machine and Limp Bizkit. The Beastie Boys were also rooted in punk rock, they rapped, played instruments, and carried that loud, angry, rebellious, anti-establishment attitude. I love the rock samples. “Rhymin & Stealin” uses the intro drum beat of “When the Levee Breaks” by Led Zeppelin, the main riff of “Sweet Leaf” by Black Sabbath, and “I Fought the Law” by The Clash. “She’s Crafty” uses Led Zeppelin’s “The Ocean” guitar riff. “Slow Ride” samples the main groove of “Low Rider” by War and bits of “Take the Money and Run” by Steve Miller Band. “Fight for Your Right” and “No Sleep Till Brooklyn” both feature actual guitar parts performed by Slayer’s Kerry King. “Time to Get Ill” samples Led Zeppelin’s “Custard Pie” and CCR’s “Down on the Corner.” Overall, for that point in time they achieved the perfect mixture of rock and rap/hip-hop. Even after all these years, the album holds up not just as a nostalgic piece of ‘80s culture but as an influential record that helped shape mainstream hip-hop. My favourite songs are Rhymin & Stealin, She's Crafty, Slow Ride, Fight For Your Right, No Sleep Till Brooklyn, Paul Revere, Brass Monkey, and Time To Get III.

A combination of Rap and Rock, while also being loud and brash. I really enjoy this album for just how much it doesn't take itself seriously.

Like “Girls”, reminded me of “A man needs a maid” lol. Recognized “Fight For Your Right” and “No Sleep Till Brooklyn”. Reminded me of the sound of 90s, but was surprised to learn it was released in 1986. “Hold It Now, Hit It” reminded of the intro to Mase’s “Bad Boys”.

I've known this album for ages, and I know it's technically complex, massively influential, and has some good grooves, but it's really just not for me, and that's okay. And this is a good chance early on to note (mostly for myself) that my star ratings on this project will indicate how much I personally enjoy an album, not how objectively "good" I think it is.

I’ve always enjoyed Beastie Boys in small doses, and I always tend to lose patience with this one as soon as I hit Brass Monkey. It’d probably get 5/5 for me if it ended there.

Awesome possum. Top tier.

say what you will but the beastie boys are always a good time. licensed to jam the fuck out!!

i've listened to this like five times now. it absolutely rips. favorite BBs album yet. the sampling is on point, the songs are fun and catchy, it all just WORKS. favorites: tracks 1-3, 5-9, and 11

The rapping is a bit dated, but holy shit this albums goes hard af. Strong 8/10.

Love the way they incorporated sounds from rock and roll into their rap. Really like this album.

Corny, laddish, and maybe even cringe 🫢 but still a banger

Words words words WORDS talk talk talk TALK

I've never been able to get into the Beastie Boys. I find their voices annoying, and they always seem to use the same basic rhyme scheme with the exact same flow in every song. I definitely feel there is much better early hip hop out there. 2/5

Still as Good now as then

Brings back high school nostalgia

I get that this is not for everypne, but the rhyme & rythem can't fail to get your head nodding along

No doubting the cultural influence it has had. Is it a favourite of mine? Absolutely not, but you have to give it a nod. An excellent cameo from Slayer's Kerry King on a couple of tracks.

Classic album, love the vibes here. 6.8/10

Yikes

I can totally see why this album became popular, especially with teenage boys. It’s a rocker and while I wouldn’t sit down and listen to it to relax, the music would be great to run with and would fit in nicely. It is truly a classic album that needs to be on this list.

ALL I REALLY WANT IS GIRLS

Superb shit

Epic, just the start…

Noen kule låter, men ikke noe jeg kommer til å høre noe særlig på.

There is so much energy to this music!! Part of that is the killer use of sampling but there's also just a fun, youthful vibe to the songs that is missing from a lot of modern rap. Also, the guitar solo on No Sleep Til Brooklyn is fucking sick.

I really like the later Beastie Boys. This is annoying at best. Sometimes the songs feel like they couple be a new one by The Lonely Island, which isn‘t a good thing.

I felt like this was a very strong debut album from the Beastie Boys! They have such an iconic rap/hip hop style and sound that when you hear a song by them you immediately know who it is. This had some of their best songs and I had a great time listening to this album. Overall, I enjoyed this album listen and I would jam to this again in the future!

What's a big clue that you're listening to a satirical song? Usually its something over the top in nature or bizarre that makes you question what you're listening to. Fight For Your Right is claimed to be a satirical song. If you pair It with the music video, you'd have a case. I'm listening to the song though. Nothing in Fight For Your Right is over the top enough for my brain to question if this is serious or not. All the stuff that they say is par for the course for the frat boy culture they are supposedly skewering. If you're telling me they have a sarcastic delivery in which they rap. Have you heard the Beasties Boys before? Their flows sound sarcastic. In Nirvana's In Bloom, the over the top line is "Shoot his Guns" and there's a subtle sarcasm in his voice. Thats how satire or poking fun at oblivious people is done right. To me Fight For Your Right sounds like a Breakfast Club Era defiance song fighting for the -um-well- right to party!? All this being said: Great song, Bad satire. Enough about one song. I love the Beastie Boys. Their old school, fun, playful & often times pervy flow is so much fun to listen to. Their rock/punk savyness with their hip hop styles just gives it a well rounded sound. Love the samples from Zep to Mr. ED. I don't recall all the gun talk from when I listened to the album in my youth. Seems like a poser move. Great album 4.5 One last thing. During the background harmonies on Girls, It sounds like they are going to crack up at any moment. Oh and I just wanted to mention the Castle of White! White Castle!

6.5

This was such an important record for me and my friends in the late 80ies. It was punk. It was rap. It was a whole lot of fun to shout along to. Listening to it with 2025 ears is quite hard going. It is very shouty and brash and bloke-y and to be honest quite obnoxious. Some things are better left as nostalgic memories.

Nærmer seg den Beastie Boys-æraen jeg liker best. Fortsatt litt mye tull.

Some stinkers on here but some classics as well. The following albums are better

My first listen to a Beastie Boys album, and much as expected from the radio play singles. I think that this material as a set would be great in a live, possibly festival setting but back to back songs on an album were just a bit too much BB for me.

Way too many “White Castle”, “girlies” and “my names Mike D”. I actually came in to this record with a positive impression of the Beastie Boys and enjoyed the hit songs. But man, this was so brutal to listen to. Some of the sampling and beats were cool, but I couldn’t stand the lyrics and rap-singing. I just don’t get it.

Definitely some bangers on here but also a bit more inconsistent than some of their other records - which is to be expected for a debut.

BRASS MONKEY THAT FUNKY MONKEY! Har hørt ein del på den. Overraska over alle sjørøvermytologien. Like stilen, unik, men dessverre ganske slitsom:) Beste sang: Brass Monkey

some heavy hip-hop, went hard

lehet csak nem voltam eleg kipihent ehhez a tegnap, de annyira nem jott be

Great drinking music

It's the Beastie Boys in the 80s.

I've already listened to his album (28). The first track alone make it a perfect album.

Better than I remember

beastie boys is ok. brain candy. tickles the brain but not high art, imo. thats my hot take

Bem… O estilo de produção é daora. Gosto da seleção de samples e a forma com que são utilizados. Mas sinceramente, eu prefiro muito mais o Paul’s Boutique, em todos os aspectos. O estilo vocal do grupo me irrita profundamente neste álbum. No segundo lançamento da banda eles refinaram seu estilo, e eu até consigo entender quem prefere o estilo mais ridículo e absurdo desse primeiro álbum, mas não é pra mim. Só pra deixar claro, uma versão instrumental deste disco seria 5 estrelas facilmente a meu ver. Mas os vocais diminuem a nota pra mim. A mescla de Rap com Punk e Metal é fascinante. Ao menos esse álbum não é entediante, nem um pouco. Extremamente barulhento e noioso. Certamente memorável, mas não faz meu gosto inteiramente. 3/5

I like the beastie boys in theory, but the backing tracks on these songs are really lacking. Obviously Fight For Your Right and No Sleep Till Brooklyn were good, but the rest was mid as hell... the song girls (regardless of it being satire or not) was so bad.... like if you're going to make a 'misogynist anthem' at least make it sound good. Anyways I was optimistic going into it but this is definitely a 1 star

Foundational hip-hop record that’s received more than enough of its flowers. That being said, I feel like people nowadays don’t mention enough how groundbreaking the production on this project is. While still sample heavy like their peers of the time, some truly inventive production choices on tracks like The New Style (the last third of the track really stands the test of time & Travis Scott’s interpolation of it on Astroworld is real life proof) or Paul Revere really shows how different they were looking at the genre at the time. ESPECIALLY as an East Coast rap group. The main thing that holds this project back are some of the corny or outright poorly aged lyrics (underage girls like on The New Style is so so bad). Outside of that though, it’s a great record that continues to influence the genre to this day.

Energique. Pas mal

This was peak Beastie Boys until the album with So Whatcha Want came out. Then the real Beastie Boys showed their face. Still, it’s good and worth a listen. Choice cut: Girls

This rap I can enjoy now but that wasn't so when it debuted. Clever lyrics. White Castle referenced several times; why? Listened before? N Saved to library? N Favorite track(s): Slow Ride, Fight For Your Right, Brass Monkey, She's Crafty, Slow and Low ⭐⭐⭐⭐: Really liked it

I didn't know Beastie Boys rapped about pirates. 🦜Already knew some of the songs. Fantastic debut album. Listened before? N Saved to library? N Favorite track(s): She's Crafty, Fight For Your Right, No Sleep Till Brooklyn, Brass Monkey ⭐⭐⭐⭐: Really liked it. Saved a bunch of tracks.

5/5

I have maybe given hip-hop the benefit of doubt too often, but this album really is a 5! It has the energy I also find in Rage Against the Machine, Urban Dance Squad etc. I suppose, more rocky and funky than many and less reliant on just samples.

I liked this more than Paul’s Boutique but still not my thing. A couple decent songs but Brass Monkey is still terrible, hate that song. Rhymin & Stealin was the standout to me. I appreciate the innovation in this but the yell rapping just doesn’t work for me.

Classic Beasties with great samples. Flow is pretty basic and repetitive.

I understand why this record is on here but I just can’t listen to it anymore. Me and my friends play a game called “Never Rap Wack” where we try to freestyle as badly as possible and I realized one of our go-to rep flows was early Beastie Boys.

Too noisy

What a beat wow rap rock certainly had its time. Lots of anger and passion and fun. An experience I liked

i think it’s a little lame that people (including the beasties themselves) have created a revisionist history that overstates the level of satire involved in this record at its inception. obviously it’s very very silly and stupid but i don’t actually think it’s as much of a parody as people want it to be in order to justify the egregious misogyny and general grossness. of course it’s much easier to write it off now knowing how much they’ve disavowed the attitudes since. but let’s not pretend it’s deeper than it actually is… THAT SAID, unfortunately my favorite songs on here are also the most offensive ones. whoops! ‘brass monkey’ goes so hard beat-wise and ‘girls’ makes me laugh in spite of myself. you can already see how inventive they were with their sampling and breadth of references, but also how so much of their creative output was motivated primarily by making each other laugh, an approach that i think has yielded some of the best works in hip-hop history (see: de la soul, tribe). KICK IT! fav tracks: hold it now hit it; she’s crafty; brass monkey; no sleep til brooklyn

They are so fun and there's a really exciting combination of hard rock and 80s rap in here in a way that makes me wish I enjoyed the sound of it more. This sounds like the kind of music that would be really fun to jump around and scream to if I was really drunk. Fav tracks: Fight For Your Right; No Sleep Till Brooklyn; Paul Revere

Good

Right length and pace for a good gym session! Crosses over from the hip hop world & doesn't dare Lots of fun A four out of five

Amazing album. Considering I don't listen to rap, this was a very enjoyable album. Considering that, I loved this album as much as my favorite rock albums. It's hard to state how much I enjoyed this album. I loved the sampling (especially 'When the Levee Breaks') as well as the lyrical sound. Overall, the whole album is a masterpiece of rap, rap-rock and hip-hop.Personal favorites are Fight for Your Right and No Sleep Till Brooklyn. That riff in NSTB is absolutely killer, along with the guitar solo (actually played by the Slayer guitarist).

Bell’album hip hop. Belli i sample utilizzati, soprattutto the ocean dei led zeppelin in she’s crafty. Poi vabbè fight for you right e no sleep til brooklyn pezzoni

Strong middle but all the songs were fun.

Perhaps the dumbest album of all time. 5 Stars.

4/5

pretty good.

Their debut album. Hip Hop. This is a very playful and entertaining album. The fusion of Rock and Hip Hop os very cool. I had a lot of fun listening to this album. However yesterday I had Run-D.M.C. Raising Hell, from the same year and I liked that better.

Classic album. This got a ton of rotations while I was in college and that was the 2010s, I wish I had been that age when this came out. Phenomenal blend of rock and hip hop. Even songs like Girls, which I feel is one of the weaker songs, has a great groove. Love this album but not sure I can call it a 5.

Not as profound as their other work, the hits still hit but the deep cuts aren’t nearly at their best yet

Some lowlights (Funky Monkey) but also, they made some damn fun music.

Beastie Boys still remain unique (at least from music I've heard). I'd prefer if they would vary it up and not end every single line with the same exact inflection though. Minus one star bc White Castle is disgusting

Like it but don't love it. The trading off of lines starts to feel like a forced gimmick and not something natural around halfway through

RIP MCA.

Iconic and nostalgic. Paul Revere was one of the first rap songs to really tell a story. This album tore down a lot of racial lines. And not only made its way into the very segregated hip-hop community, but the rock/punk background music pulled in the city and suburban white kids too. I played this tape until it broke. Then I dubbed another.

Ah, dumb youth. This album was so fun when I was 13 years old and it still takes me back there. But I am glad the Beasties grew up while I was growing up - I literally cringe at some of these lyrics listening today. These guys were old enough to know better, but of course it was a different time. Musically, it is so simple (especially compared to where they later went,) but so catchy. I struggled with how to rate this. I really do love it and like Rio (Duran Duran) yesterday it is a genuine classic album, but I would definitely place it a rung below Ill Communication, which I rated a 4. I'm trying not to let that rating control what I give everything else, and it is tough to be consistent when you only have a 5-point scale, so I am giving this one a 4 as well. But I think an argument could be made for a 3 or a 5.

Silly and fun, reminds me of my childhood. The it later albums are much better

Heard it before. I love how goofy Beastie Boys are. It may not be peak of rap but I just can't help but love them 3/5

4/10 - better than other beastie boys albums but still not fantastic. This one has more popular songs so I know them

Just don’t like the beastie boys very much

Not as good as their later works but still great if you don't take the lyrics too seriously.

another classic - i know several of the songs, but not the whole album. Not mega my thing but I can appreciate it.

Not a good listen in the morning. Prefer Intergalactic, but this is prob an age thing.

Ok

Awesome album

Beastie Boys are synonymous with fun. This album harkens back to a time where we all didn’t take ourselves so seriously. Are there some insensitive, stupid things on the album? Absolutely. There’s also creativity, ingenuity, and frivolity. I love the humor throughout the album, especially the closing track with the Mister Ed sample. The samples are skillfully interwoven throughout each track. Girls through Paul Revere is such a solid four-track run. While I love all the Beastie Boys, there’s just something about the whiny, high-pitched flow of Ad-Rock that scratches an itch in my soul. It’s refreshing today to go back and listen to 80s rap with mixing, scratching, and deep bass. No Sleep Till Brooklyn remains my all-time favorite Beastie Boys song.

Most favorite

What a fucking rad record. I understand that it won't make everyone happy, but it makes me pretty happy. I love and miss the Beastie Boys. I still think the Check Your Head and Ill Communication era is my favorite of the Beastie's catalogue, but their debut is basically it's own greatest hits record of their early years. It does start a little dry, but just when you start to think that they struggle to mix up tempo, cadence, style, Slow Ride starts up and then it's smooth sailing til the end. This record just feels joyful to me. Youthful exuberance and confidence just oozes from this one, and it's a ton of fun. 4.6/5

*1986. *Super fun album. RATING - 8/10

i wanted to like this so bad but i hate it so much I'm sorry

This is a very good early rap album. "The New Style" feels like it could have been written in the modern day with how many gangsta rap cliches it incorporates. The rest of the album continues in this vein, sending up frat bro and party culture. However, the vocal stylings were decidedly not great. Each Beastie only seems to have one voice that they use consistently throughout the record, and the interplay tends to follow a specific pattern.

Immediately no.

Mixed feelings. The album is good, but I do find I get tired of it relatively quickly. "Girls," "Fight for Your Right," and "No Sleep till Brooklyn" are all classics though. This one's my third of the three Beastie Boys albums on the list. I think two would be the right number... keep this one, keep Ill Communication, and drop Paul's Boutique.

4.5/5 Groundbreaking at the time, and still manages to sound innovative. I was never huge into beastie boys when they were putting out records, but credit where credit is due - this is a killer album.

Good

itsa boys album, but there are some bangers here and there. god my reviews are getting so bad. i can't not think of playing guitar hero when No Sleep Til Brooklyn plays. I cant tell if that ruins it or makes it better actually

Beastie Boys - Licensed to Ill Maybe this was badass in 86 but even as a kid they never really interested me. First album I have skipped through sounds. Rhymin and strain - meh The new style -even worse; Self referential BS She’s crafty - different background riffs, same hip hop emptiness Fuck me, every song sounds the same…. Girls - at least this sounds different. Ugh. Fight - at least this has a decent anthemic chorus. Heard this 100s of times;I still skipped through. No sleep - best so far, not a high bar I can’t wait for this album to end. This does not bode well for hip hop in general…

The hits are good but that's about it. 44 minutes of these dudes is headache inducing. But I can acknowledge the dumb fun aspect of it

tI hink it's too much metal for me, but I liked getting to know another musical group I had never heard of before.

Very familiar with this one, and ine of my favourites. A real breath of fresh air on its release. Amazing samples, fun rhymes and great beats (that they occasionally drop). Pop it on anywhere, anytime.

Not really my kind of thing

Tämä oli enemmän kuin tuttu albumi. On tullut jo tuoreeltaan kuunneltua paljon. Edelleenkin rokkaa! Tämä onkin ainoa bändin levy, minkä olen omistanut ja parasta räppiä mitä tiedän.

Rhymin & stealin - 2,5/5 The new style - 3/5 Posse in Effect - 2,5/5 (least fav) Slow Ride - really like the intro 3,5/5 Girls - this is fun; a lil misogynistic tho otherwise a 3/5, now a 2,5/5 Fight for your right - 3,5/5 No sleep till brooklyn - 3,5/5 Paul Revere - i like songs with storyline 3,5/5 (2nd fav) Hold it now, Hit it - it lowk gives this game thingy for children (bop it), but it slaps 4/5 (fav) Brass Monkey - 3/5 Slow and low - liked the instruments and how they interacted with the music 3/5 Time to get Ill - 3/5 Coherence - it's all very teenage boy 4/5 Overall impression - it grew on me 3/5 ---> 3,2/5

Frenetic, grabs you by the neck rap. Authentic sounds. Fun.

I will never not love this album.

Not as bad as I feared, but as overhyped as expected.

I remember when this came out well. I was in fifth grade, and "Fight for Your Right" was massive. And I, even at that tender age, thought it sucked. It wouldn't be till Check Your Head that I came around on the Beasties. Nearly 40 years later, I still kinda hate this album. I can take "Paul Revere" and some other moments here and there, but as far as I'm concerned, the Beasties don't exist pre-Paul's Boutique.

Of the monster selling albums of 1987, perhaps the greatest year for albums ever - Joshua Tree, Slippery When Wet, Hysteria, Whitney, Dirty Dancing, etc - this one was never really on my radar. Because I didn't work at a gas station while I also attended high school. And I'm a f'ing romantic. But even still the videos for No Sleep and Fight For Your Right did bust into my suburban home just as they were intended. In retrospect I realize this was probably even worse than the nay-sayers warned and also that we all should have chilled out. That said, I'm good on the Beastie Boys for a while.

I feel like a bunch of brain cells died while listening to this, but that's okay. It's a fun album and sometimes you need to let it flow and let yourself go.

There’s something nostalgic about that 80s rap flow and beat. I grew up on hiphop but never got into the Beastie Boys as I used to think white rappers were all hype (yes, I’m white) and I wasn’t into the rock/rap/yelling mashup. And I’ll admit 80s rap has rough replay value as beat technology and flows advanced over the decades. But putting rock and rap together like this with a group of Jewish kids was obviously a multi-million dollar idea. Their bravado on the mic is unquestionable, their flows are tough and the samples spot on. Opening with Led Zeppelin’s drums from When the Levee Breaks was a great touch. With all that said, as an adult, rap doesn’t interest me anymore and the album can get noisy (I’m an old person yelling at the sky), and I’ll likely never listen again so I’m tempted to give this a 2.

incredible early rock /rap record

7th or 8th grade school dance, 1986/7 or so, Staten Island, NY... Girls on one side of the room, boys on the other. So awkward. My crush over there with her curly blond hair, sparkly eyes, and braces. Yes, a lot of very big hair, some Z Cavaricci pants (not on me), gold chains (on boys), "colorful" attire," etc. Yeah, it's like an episode of the Goldbergs. Also, like an episode of the Goldbergs, there's LOTS of Beastie Boys. I remember the whole room breaking out and shouting the chorus of "Fight For Your Right." Are you unsure of what right we were fighting for? Listen to this album and realize how revolutionary it was for its time. Gen X in the house. Yeah, rap was a thing already (kids, that's what we used to call proto hiphop), and rock of course, but these guys were one of the pioneers of merging the 2 genres. Kind of the OG white rock/rappers. So many good songs on this album that I love now in a nostalgic way, but also hated back in those days when I too busy listening to Van Halen and Def Leppard (sic). I only managed to get my "learners permit to ill." Other than the prodigious use of samples, the guitar playing is, uh, artistically outside the box of traditional rock guitar... Yeah, instrumental virtuosity was not a hallmark of their sound. But if you do find yourself in the company of someone old like me, just mention "no sleep" or "fighting for rights" or anything "brass" or "monkey" related, and you will likely get a retort straight off this album.

Had heard of the group before, so at first, I was excited to listen to their album. However, to be honest, I was disappointed. They sound like a bunch of smart kids trying to be badass. It's just not for me.

Thought I'd like it a lot more but the shtick really does get annoying by the third song. Very little in terms of actual music and mostly just dudes yelling

I liked Paul’s Boutique better

>>> the Beatles

I remember when this album came out. I was in 6th grade, I think and Fight For Your Right was everywhere. I guess by that point I’d heard some rap, but this was kind of heavy metal mixed with rap? It was just weird, but loud and catchy. Plus, it was white dudes doing rap? White dudes that used to be a hardcore punk band? Though I didn’t find that out until much later, probably when I heard Gratitude. “These guys play instruments?” Today, Licensed To Ill sounds very basic, at least for how far hip-hop has come/ Though, I kind of think hip-hop has actually regressed today to a simpler style than even used on Licensed To Ill. But I digress. License To Ill now sounds like what it was supposed to be, as I'm older and hopefully smarter. It's a parody, an over the top rap album by morons. Unfortunately, as with most satire or parody, a lot of the Beastie Boys’ fans didn’t realize it. They were creating an army of frat boy losers who took them seriously. Don’t forget, people, as a rule, are dumb. Again, I digress. As a 12-year-old kid hearing this, I didin’t know if I liked it or not. It was music kind of. It was other people’s music kind of thrown together over a beat, with, at that time, pretty middling rapping. It wasn’t until the Beastie Boys broke away from Def-Jam, the label that paid them, and toned down the frat boy mentality, that they became some of the best MCs in rap. However, this is a very fun record. These songs will make you smile, like Girls, No Sleep Til Brooklyn and Brass Monkey. Just great party music. I didn’t even realize it until I was sitting at work with a smile on my face and I was chair dancing at my desk. Plus the groove for Paul Revere goes hard. As for this being a must hear album before you die? I’d say it is. It was the biggest thing in music the year it came out. I mean, they toured with Madonna on her Virgin Tour. Though that little partnership ended as you would expect. You also get to hear early Rick Rubin production. Rubin, of course, would go on to produce at least one of your favorite albums. My favorite Red Hot Chilli Peppers’ album is Blood, Sugar, Sex, Magik, which was Rubin. If you’re a youngster who has never experienced the Beastie Boys, I know this album will sound crude to your ears, but after listening to this last night, it spurred me on to listen to their follow-up, Paul’s Boutique, which is probably my favorite Beastie record. The further you go down their discography, you notice how they matured and grew from frat boys to wise old dudes that still knew how to make goofy, yet well-crafted bars, as the kids say.

Props to them for making their vision come to life. I get they’re creating a persona and I appreciate the rock element but it’s not something I would ever want to listen to on the regular

Mixing rap with rock and heavy metal riffs, this fun and creative album was the first rap album to top the Billboard charts, marking hip-hop's crossover into the mainstream. I understand and appreciate its significance, but I find their voices and rapping a bit annoying. Still, there are some great anthems on this. Favorite tracks: Fight for your right

načelno za trojku al mi je pjesma "girls" tolko usrala doživljaj, brate...

Interesting but not really my thing.

Disappointingly repetitive still. Not quite Devo

This is what I expect the beastie boys yo sound like. It had all of the songs I know from listening to them in high-school. I enjoyed Paul's boutique much more

Really good.

No thanks. This was really not it for me, i’m not a fan. I Think they do some interesting things with different sounds but I am not really a hiphop person and I do not like the vocals

Good fun, didn't rate it as much as a later album of there's but still a unique record. Frat boy energy hard through this

I mean it's objectively not good but that's not the point. It's certainly not bad. Because of the hits I'd say 3.5

„Licensed To Ill“ erschien 1986 und war das Debütalbum der Beastie Boys, aufgenommen unter anderem in den New Yorker Chung King House of Metal Studios. Das Trio aus den USA – Mike D, Ad-Rock und MCA – verband auf dem Album Hip-Hop mit Rock- und Metal-Elementen, was damals neuartig und stilprägend wirkte. Besonders bekannt wurden Songs wie „Fight for Your Right“, „No Sleep till Brooklyn“ und „Paul Revere“, die die jugendliche Rebellion, Humor und Energie der Band auf den Punkt brachten. Musikalisch setzten die Beastie Boys stark auf eingängige Beats, Samples und Gitarrenriffs, die die Grenze zwischen Rap und Rock aufbrachen. Produziert wurde das Album von Rick Rubin, der den aggressiven, rauen Sound mitprägte. Damit traf die Band den Nerv der Zeit und erreichte als erste Rap-Gruppe Platz 1 der US-Billboard-Charts. „Licensed To Ill“ ist ein Meilenstein des Hip-Hop, der die Tür für Crossover-Projekte weit aufstieß. Das Album wirkt aus heutiger Sicht roh, aber voller Energie und bleibt ein wichtiges Dokument der Musikgeschichte.

Still a fun album. I always love the Beasties' use of heavy guitar riffs in their tracks, which along with other attributes probably explains why this was the first rap album to really break into the mainstream. Not to take away from their (or others') craft, this album is a banger. High energy, fun loops, clever lyrics, this is pure Beasties.

What a debut... It's a 4/5, because it was followed by Paul's Boutique and Ill Communication. Were it the only Beastie Boys album, it would've been a 5/5

I honestly have mixed feelings on this. You can’t deny its greatness. However, there is a lot of content here that I feel didn’t age well. The Beastie Boys are not in “gangsta”. For example, in some of the songs they rap about robbing people, shooting people, etc., and that and that just isn’t them. But the beats are fire. The flow is fire. Everything about this album is great except just some of the content seems disingenuous and didn’t age well.

A couple good songs here and there but most of the flows sound pretty much the same. Every other song is about “Hey we’re the beastie boys and we know how to rap”. Same problem I had with Ill Communication. Maybe I just don’t understand the symbolism of it. Standout Songs: Rhymin and Stealin Slow Ride Fight For Your Right

This was pretty fun. Yea, maybe a little obnoxious at times with the yelling, but you really just want to go out and party with them anyway. Also, makes me realize how much I miss good sampling. 5/5

Fucking annoying besides one song

Maybe not as good as their two next albums, but still a gooood time. Almost a 5 for me

Enjoyed

You have to fight for your right to party. Who hasn't danced to that? I certainly have. I've never heard the entire album. It's not bad.

It's fun, for the time, definitely a different sound. Don't think the shoe fits if you know what I mean. Would I listen to the full album again? No. Are there some songs I will keep in rotation for the rest of my life? Most certainly.

Gah they are so good!

This was cool and that when it came out. I made a copy from someone's record. Their voices were, and remain, irritating on this album so 4 out of 5.

8/10 - awesome rock hip hop

This album is both a nostalgia 5⭐️ for me and a classic of hip hop deserving a 5⭐️ review. To channel Stefan from SNL - this album has everything: extremely creative and hard-hitting funky jazzy beats, a nice variety of headbangers and funny satire of frat culture, and an edgy raw energy that is rarely seen from a contemporary hip hop outfit. Even after having listened to it many times, I never stop bopping my head and tapping my feet to Rhymin & Stealin, Fight For Your Right, No Sleep Till Brooklyn, Slow and Low and Brass Monkey, and I don't think I ever will. 5⭐️

Love the songs!!! No Sleep Til Brooklyn is still my favorite.

A classic

it’s not their fault but I’ve never been a fan

8/10

In your face and unapologetically creative. The variety of samples used in the songs were a lot of fun, and the more original songs maintain the same levels of creativity and energy. Only real criticism is a lot of the lyrical delivery is very identical from song to song, but that isn't a huge detractors when the album itself is a very fun listen overall. Top tracks: No Sleep Till Brooklyn, Paul Revere, Brass Monkey

Mostly banger classics.

eh, it’s okay fun but after a while it feels like the same thing

Very familiar with this one. Great!

Some of this hasn't aged well at all but others are timeless. Real mixed bag here

Good

Is this album stupid as hell? Absolutely. Is it also one of the most important albums of the 20th century? Definitely. Do I still love the hell out of it all these years later. 100%.

This album, more so than any of the Boys’ others, most nakedly demonstrates that which is central to the massive and enduring appeal of the Beastie Boys. More than the infectious buoyancy of the beats, the crossover charisma, or the ineffable fuck yeah-able nature of the swagger … it’s that playing out of the common fantasy of having two friends pop up out of nowhere to add emphasis to your every tenth word that most ardently anchors the Beastie Boys’ success. Sure enough: on this record, haven’t you heard – that’s exactly what OCCURS. I love Beastie Boys. They’re the sort of contradictions that makes perfect sense; playful artists, serious jokers, stupid geniuses. Here they’re the scuzzy hardcore kids who took up hip hop only really quite shortly before being invited to open for Madonna on her Virgin Tour – spouting brackish juvenilia to a presumably very confused audience of teens. There’s plenty on this record that, really, sounds itself like the product of confused teens, but I guess that’s for good reason. Here we also have “Fight for your right”, “No sleep…” and (personal favourite since a drive to Margaret River 15 years ago; renewed in my affections thanks to some tight popping and locking by D&T before bedtime) “Brass Monkey”. Songs that subvert expectation; ideas that appear above their STATION. That’s the brilliance of the Beastie Boys – they made it look easy and in doing so made it feel accessible. The fantasy of friends lending emphasis, maybe not so stupid an idea after all.

An obvious classic. Music for 13 year old boys, for sure.

Yuck

This is just a lot of fun, the beats are crispy and the rhymes are plenty. I love the production on this, it’s a cracking debut, and more than warrants its place on the list.

Fun beats and some fun lyrics, but too much shouty and some pretty badly aged lyrics.

Some of the beats and rhyme schemes may be a bit dated, but I still think this album holds up. The songs are fun, and the hits are still great. I'll never be annoyed if someone plays the Beastie Boys (hey, that kinda rhymed!). 4/5

Sekamelskaa

Unlistenable but had hit songs that I knew just didn’t like

Angsty white boy music. Love the experimental sound and the mix of guitar and rap.

It's very brash and funky and unorthodox, yet by the first track I'm already intrigued. Even though the lyrics are quite immature and corny, in a way it’s radiating angsty white boy vibe is quite enjoyable.

I’ve always loved the Beastie Boys, and this is them at their finest. She’s Crafty, Girls, Fight for your Right, & No Sleep til Brooklyn have been staples for decades

and if i played guitar, i'd jimmy page. the girlies i like are under age some fun lines in what to my ears is extremely grating

Okay listening to a few of these tracks here I think there’s some interesting sampling stuff going on back when sampling wasn’t exactly trivial. Particularly on “Time To Get Ill” is when I first caught wind of that, but I think there’s more than that. It actually reminds me a lot of that video of when A-Trak won the DJ championships in… idk 1999, at the age of 14 or something like that.

It’s kind of incredible this album came out in 1986. I’m not sure if the Beastie Boys are the weirdest dudes ever, or if they are truly just musical geniuses. Either way, this is a unique song and I’m glad this music exists. Best Track: Slow Ride

Classic.

On ironically, love every second of this. Maybe it’s cause I’m a white boy, probably the target demographic, but I think this is the biggest development that I’ve enjoyed from this practice. Enjoying all of the 80s and 90s rap that I never really give a chance, it’s also good. The beats are great, the flow, this is all my favorites of all time now.

Really enjoyable. Loved the sweet leaf guitar riff inclusion.

Grunge rap with grit

I don’t really know where to begin. There’s a self-awareness that makes their ridiculousness endearing, but they are still ridiculous. Musically, I enjoyed a lot of it, even if it swayed into GCSE-music-presentation-with-Casio-keyboard territory at times. And it’s also somehow simultaneously both of its time and timeless. I’ll give it a 3 because it’s making my head hurt thinking about it.

The album picked up a bit, but a lot of it is very formulaic. Low 3.

A real mixed bag. Really liked a few songs, some were borderline terrible

not my kinda thing sounds too much like rodrick's music in diary of a wimpy kid

Catchy rap-rock. From what I've read/heard, Beastie Boys played a huge part in making the genre popular.

Funker fortsatt.

Very happy seeing this pop up on a miserable Monday morning. Some great tracks, feels fresh still. Loved it for a long time, and always will

It’s a very fun album. It’s really obvious that the boys had a lot of fun writing and recording these songs, and I had a lot of fun listening. I was pretty surprised by the Led Zeppelin samples in multiple songs, and the line about Jimmy Page caught me extremely off guard. 4/5

This one has an unfair advantage. I had this album and listened to it thousands of times, it's ingrained in my brained

Funky beats. Some Nu-metal esque songs. Lyrics that aged like fine milk. Good stuff

It feels overhyped. At its core, it’s RUN DMC with a guitar track layered on top. That’s not to say it’s bad... there are undeniable highlights like Fight for Your Right, No Sleep Till Brooklyn, and Brass Monkey. Those tracks still hold up as fun, raw bursts of energy. But as a full album, it doesn’t quite deliver. The consistency just isn’t there, and too many cuts feel more like a novelty than something with replay value. As someone who genuinely loves hip hop, I respect the influence, but I can’t pretend it fully clicks with me. Solid moments, weak stretches, overall just okay. 6.5/10.

When my wife and I got introduced at our wedding, we came out to No Sleep Til Brooklyn This is where it all started. White guys rapping. Top 40 hip hop. (Run DMC might actually hold that crown). Gangsta Rap. One of the best albums of the 80s. One of the most innovative bands in hip hop/rap/rock. RIP MCA

One of the Illest debut albums of all time. Obviously it’s amazing and the Beasties were incredible. A couple of the lyrics were a little surprising “If I played guitar I’d be like Jimmy Page, the girlies I like are underage” - but I guess it’s meant as satire? Anyway, this has to be a top 5 hip hop debut all time.

Thoughts before listening: The Beastie Boys are one of my favorite bands of all time, and this is the album that started it all for them. Review: This is a 5-star album for both the amount of enjoyment I get when listening to it as well as its historical importance. There is a cool mix of rock backing tracks mixed with 80s style rap that was very influential to the future of both rap and alternative music. The Beastie's call and response style has always been fun, and its on full display here as well. I especially like how Mike D, Ad Rock, and MCA each have their own voice and personality. Just a fun album with very classic songs.

weak start, but great second half

In the list of “cool things I’ve stolen from my parents”, this album on cassette is one of them! My mom bought this her senior year of high school with her waitress job money in 1989 and now it sits in a chest of keepsakes because I am too scared to ruin it. So fun to return to something I haven’t listened to in full in I don’t even know how long! If I ignore all the rampant misogyny in the lyrics, and man, there is A LOT, it’s still a really fun album. Who doesn’t love screaming along to Fight For Your Right? Or No Sleep Til Brooklyn? They’re fucking classics! There was one lyric I just literally cannot get behind early in the album about being attracted to underage girls. Yuck. This really is of it’s a time, but fun to revisit regardless.

If i have to hear the boys o f beast Reusing flows, the same 4 beats For 44 minutes on repeat I'll drive my car straight off the street

These guys think they are sooooo cool. I hate their lyrics so hard.

Zeppelin beat to start is cool. Two hat store rap albums in a row is rough. I joke about hat store rap but I really have no concept of how important B-Boy culture was. I think it’s a bit like the hippie movement, where you kind of had to be there in the moment to understand it as revolutionary before it became kitsch and silly. There really is an irony to the Boys rapping over Zep riffs that Jimmy Page lifted from black bluesmen. I’m FLuke Wilson and Im hear to say, i be taking chicks every day. Yeah im not shy or meek, Got a new girl every week. Don’t believe me? Just Trudt Me! After the gym my socks are musty! Got a nice girl and she is BUSTY. Teachers hating cuz they’re old and CRUSTY. Holy shit this is easy. I can’t lie though. This is fun. The interplay with these guys is undeniable. Rick Rubin curated some great beats. It’s Hat Store rap that knows it’s silly so it’s able to be really playful. A core memory Of mine is the crazy hop all of my senior prom did when Girls came on. This album is stacked on the back half.

5 stars not enough for this. Not a chore.

I prefer their later stuff

Love this, was one of the first I had on CD. 5/5

Same thing I mentioned about my previous Beastie Boys. I see, respect, and understand the impact and influence, and I should on paper love their music. In practice, I just don't care for it, and that's okay. That doesn't take away from how important they were

unfortunately I do not have any of the apparent nostalgia that most listeners have when relistening to this album. How ever learning about how this was part of the beginning of Rick Rubin’s legendary producing and general music making wisdom definitely made it a more interesting listen. Hasn’t aged well, but what has. +++ fight for your right, no sleep till brooklyn - - - girls, she’s crafty (crazy immature misogyny)

Can't hate on a classic (well, I can, but not this one). This album was everywhere during my youth - cool older cousins, art teachers, even my damn parents liked the Beastie Boys. Still holds up today. Some real gems on this one.

I like several hip hop artists, but because of the difficulty I find in understanding their approach, I consider it merely noisy and excessive in its resources. The album begins with a song without many changes that I didn’t enjoy at any point. I do like energetic songs, where shouting and criticizing the system is common, but several of their voices shout uncomfortably. I feel they criticize everything without proposing much beyond rebellion, partying, drinking and nothing more meaningful than what they’re criticizing themselves. I admit there are some beats that ended up being catchy, but I wouldn’t listen to them again. On the positive side, I’d say it was necessary for the exploration of blends and the opening of possibilities within hip hop and rock music. I understand it was pioneering but it falls short for me because of how little relevance it holds today in sonic terms.

There’s something almost genius to how stupidly fun this is

I gave up halfway through

This album is one year older than I am and also younger than I’ve ever been.

Madrfakr, edini album od Beastie Boys, k ga ne maram in zanalašč nikoli ne poslušam. I guess today's the day. Ok, začetek je itak kul, k je sample od Led Zeppelin zadej. In se že sprašujem, če sm preveč trmasta v moji nastrojenosti prot Licensed To Ill? Ne, sj vem točn kva vse me mot pr temu albumu, najbl "Girls", k so ga pa itak že sami denouncal oziroma se opravičl za whatever the fuck je ta komad. Kokrkol, ta obdobje hip hopa, k so še loh samplal je imenovan the Golden Age z razlogom. Prva dva komada, "Rhymin & Stealin" in "The New Style" sta odlična. In dalje so mi isto vsi komadi všeč. Pač totalno že vidš oz. slišš v prvem albumu njihov stil. Uf, "Girls" je. Bljak. Pač, ker butast komad. In sledi njihov breakout komad. K mi je - meh. Nisem ga že dolg slišala in veselim se ga spet ne dolg slišat. Ha, " No Sleep Till Brooklyn' mi je tud mal brezvezn. Kle so bli res še mulci. Pač, za večje uživanje ob poslušanju, je pr temu albumu priporočljivo ne preveč natančno poslušat večino besedil. Skoncentrirat se na musko in beate. In tko se prebijem skoz ta del albuma in zraven celo uživam. Sm biased, ker so mi ljubi, ampak sm tud trmasta k sam Satan. Še zmer mi ni tok kul ta album.

Fun. Kind of a shame it took 3 white guys to first top the album charts with a rap album.

Another hip-hop album, therefore automatically it can’t be rated very highly. The first four tracks were pretty much the same and boring. The next few tracks were better, then things went back to boring. The last track was mostly clips from old tv shows on top of percussion. The group seems to be obsessed with White Castle, as I heard it mentioned in at least three tracks. 2.5 stars.

No one can deny they have a unique sound! But as previously discussed, it's not for me. And I feel extra validated in my Beastie hating after reading they were originally gonna call this album "Don't Be a [f-slur]". Excuse me?! Good album cover though. "I'll steal your honey like I stole your bike" is a line in LFO's 'Summer Girls'! I didn't know it was from here! (I wish LFO were on this list instead of the Beasties.) 'Girls' is supposed to mock misogynistic rappers, but I think it suffers from the Borat problem (=people are gonna miss the mockery and keep the misogyny). Ha, and exactly the same for 'Fight For Your Right to Party', although that's about ~lifestyle~ instead. (Wiki quotes Mike D saying: "There were tons of guys singing along to 'Fight for Your Right' who were oblivious to the fact it was a total goof on them"). That's often a risk of mockery and big audiences, I guess. I have a soft spot for 'No Sleep Till Brooklyn' because my favorite podcaster advertises Brooklinen bedding by saying "No Sleep Till Brooklinen". But that's not enough to save this album from joining the terrible 2s!

Listened to before: Yes While, I prefer the sample-heavy sound of Paul's Boutique over the dry, minimalist sound of LTI, the Beastie Boys are the Beastie Boys. So: Entertaining, unique and powerful

Rap and rock is a phenomenal mixture, wish more people did it

Great OG hip hop w some truly inventive beats. As usual, an entire BB album is grating by the end. Hits are the hits for a reason, other than that - ehhhh. 3.2/5

Any album that can mention Abe Vigoda still stands up. Was phenomenal when it came out, and it still is.

Its a fun album. I have to be in the mood for it, and really only listen to a song or two in one sitting

Some of the most impressive, creative sampling/mixing to come out of the decade and very ahead of its time. A very impressive synthesis of a lot of genres, too. It's a pleasure to hear the kind of comedic, self-aware, creatively witty, cleverly crude lyricism in rap that pretty much died out. Has its peaks and valleys upon a relisten (especially in the first half of the album) but it's got some of the best peaks in hip hop. It's a little underdeveloped compared to their later stuff but this is guaranteed party music and genuinely capital-F Fun. fav songs: Fight For Your Right (To Party), No Sleep Till Brooklyn

whole thing hits

stone cold classic.

I remember when this came out, I thought “who are these hooligans, and why do I like them so much?”

pretty great album

Not every song is perfect, some lack structure or a clear message. However, with these guys on their debut album it comes down to the basics, and yes I mean basic raps for starters, but I also mean a fundamental focus on sampling incredible rock music, producing and mixing it extremely well (thanks Rick), and molding some passionate and fun lyrics over the top. The difference is the confidence. These guys excrete solid bricks of it, to pose as a lifestyle they obviously don’t live but to do it so well that the community appreciates and embraces them. Mainstream rock embraces them. It’s a true classic.

This is actually pretty good. I like all of the tracks I knew beforehand, but there's more than just nostalgia at work here. The tracks I didn't know are well mixed and, frankly, brilliant in their sampling. The lyrics are undeniably shallow and, at times, outright obnoxious, but the whole thing somehow works really, really well. All things considered, in conjunction with its achievements and impact on the industry, this has to be a 5.

I never understood why Beastie Boys was ever a thing. I’m not going to try to figure it out now.

Föredrog verkligen de låtar med mer hårdrocksinslag än de som kändes straight up hiphop

This is an absolute hip-hop classic, I mean this was the first rap LP to top Billboard: it's a vital piece of hip-hop history. The synergy between Ad-Rock MCA and Mike D is infectious and thrilling, and Rick Rubin's production is just sick: a lot of the rock in the band's DNA comes out in his sampling on here. And a lot of these songs hit, and when they hit, they hit hard: Rhymin & Stealin, The New Style, Posse In Effect, Time To Get Ill and more have un-fucking-believable beats. We also have an example of prime early hip hop storytelling on Paul Revere. And the bigger singles here largely hit too. For one, Brass Monkey is incredibly funky. And there's also the rock songs here: Fight For Your Right, and No Sleep Till Brooklyn. I love no sleep, the flow is sick, and it has the better Kerry King solo. Honestly, I like Fight For Your Right, but I could kind of take or leave it, it feels a little played out to me. And there are a couple others that don't quite do it for me as well. She's Crafty is also not bad, but again, I could take it or leave it. Slow Ride's sampling can be a little annoying if I'm in the wrong mood. And Girls is the only song that I think is more or less bad: I realize it's a joke, but God this song's obnoxious. Also, there are a bunch of lyrics here that have aged pretty badly that The Beastie Boys have distanced themselves from. Basically, this is a really great album, but there's definitely a little growing room. And they did grow into it: The Beastie Boys have a good few albums that I prefer to this one. But I did really like this, and I don't want to understate its impact.

Ehhh... This is the first time I've listened to a full Beastie Boys album and it's a real mixed bag. The few I knew already from being in rotation on the radio/ music channels when I was.a teen.are great, but there's some proper garbage in here.

Great album, love the beastie boys

Very cool! I haven’t listened to a lot of their 80’s songs.

While amazing and "important" in retrospect it falls far behind the rest of their albums up to the end of the millennium

To me, this album is peak spirit of adolescent boys. It's fun, loud, and rowdy. Great to listen to while in the gym. Love the storytelling in the songs, and the way samples and motifs weave throughout the album.

Good

I may possibly already like all the Beastie Boys songs I'm ever going to like, but it was a fun listen and it has a couple of bangers on it, of course.

Konische, aggressive Mischung aus Rock und HipHop.

yaga

One of the best rap and rock albums. What this band created is brutal, and this album, with the help of Rick Rubin, is an incredible beast.

Good mastering, not a fan of songs being sampled from others. Also not my favorite genre.

Never heard a fast food place referenced so much in one album. Beastie Boys <3 White Castle No but it's so funny that they wrote this whole album to make fun of frat boys in the 80s and then that became their audience because they didn't realize it was an ironic album.

I used to listen to this with my dad a lot growing up. Lots of nostalgia associated with this one for sure. compared to much of the rap I listen to today I've kind of forgotten how bare and basic the instrumentals were on a lot of these 90's rap albums, definitely makes it easier to focus specifically on the lyrics. Really enjoyed my re-listen and I think this is one that is timeless.

Shit. Like half a dozen bangers that I've had in my library for over a decade. But the album is shit. Grating vocals and writing, obnoxious cadence and performance. If it's satire, it's incredibly well done. But I get the sense that it isn't. Outside the songs I already had saved and locked in my memory, I won't be touching any part of this album again. Weak 2/5.

I can't stand this dude's voice good lord. If it weren't for Girls, fight for your right or whatever it's called, no sleep till brooklyn, and brass monkey... that's actually a lot of decent songs now that I list them. I don't know how they get away with sounding so annoying. Would never ever put this on again but if it was on at a party I think I'd regretfully kinda enjoy it.

Conversely to the last album, I expected to like this more than I did. It ended up feeling like the same song for 40 min broken up by track 6/7/8 and some cool samples on "Time to Get Ill".

Oh MAN does this album have some legendary bangers on it. Beastie Boys is another band on an increasingly growing list that’s very likely just automatically going to get 5 stars from me, and deservingly so. No other band like them. Every song is a certified bop. The samples they draw from are iconic, every song is quotable, and the music is still solid almost 40 years later. Crazy to me to think this album could be that old and still hold up as well as it does. Anyway, “No Sleep Till Brooklyn” is my favorite song on the album, but I believe “Fight For Your Right”, “Paul Revere” and “Brass Monkey” equally deserve a shoutout, as well as “She’s Crafty” for sampling another iconic riff from Led Zeppelin’s “The Ocean”. Licensed to Ill is my personal favorite Beastie Boys album for multiple reasons, but I couldn’t help but notice that a grand majority of the songs I already have favorited by them are on this album. That being said, I’ve got 2 more Beastie Boys albums to go, so we’ll see if this one is truly the gem of the lot. If it’s not, I’ll end up adding a ton of new Beastie Boys songs I’m less familiar with. Either way it’s a win win for me!!

Lots of yelling

Okej album men har aldrig riktigt fattat Beastie Boys. Vet att de är kult och har sin plats i musikhistorien, men tycker inte det är superspännande att lyssna på.

I prefer their other work, but fun debut. Very clear where their influences are which is always a good sign. Can have a good debut and not deserve to be on this list though

Fantastic. Heard the influences they’ve had on other artists.

Hell yeah finally a great album again here

A perfect record.

Not a fan of the beginning but towards the end it got good

Honestly so iconic

It's got a good beat and I can SLAM to it! Love some of the sampling!

5/10

Respectfully I recognize the significance of the Beastie Boys and this album. The instrumentals and lyrics have influenced many modern songs. The album also draws from other popular songs for its instrumentals which play well with the lyrics. Despite the cultural significance, the Beastie Boys are not really my flavor. Something about the artists voice does not appeal to my ears. Overall it is a good album but probably not one I will listen to again.

There's a 5-6 song run here that is just all bangers. What an album.

definitely singular

meh

Not interested

Still sounds fresh nearly 40 years later

girls

When the Levy Breaks drum sample starting off got me going. The samples just got goofier as the album progressed though. I'm just not completely sold.

AND THE FORTY THIEVES

Fun, but nothing much

Shout out the beastie boys

not my stuff

It's just some guys yelling over a drum machine and some lyrics are pretty weird.

Weakest BB album imo

certainly a classic, but kind of a one-off novelty great production paired with vocals that feel a-dime-a-dozen when every performer sounds the same and uses the same flow but I enjoyed it for the sake of nostalgia as this is my dad’s favorite rap album, so naturally I grew up with it too - 7/10

Can't be objective, love the Beastie Boys too much. One of the best debuts of all time. Brass Monkey, Slow & Low and Paul Revere all belters for the non big hit parade.

Kick it!

Irresistible urge to boot Mothball in the head during this one 🦶 A few classics on here, No Sleep Til Brooklyn still a favourite.The sample flip on Slow Ride 🙌 RIP MCA

Really good album. It too me back to the 80’s.

Sooo eighty's hip hop. 😂

Early rap stuff but yh not a fan, made me realise how much I need a good instrumental to enjoy an album

Feels like a greatest hits album.

Very much of its time and you only need the singles 😊

Party rock rap, that isn't as dumb as it's trying to be.

This album made me realize I’m too old for beastie boys

Brought back old memories I give it a 7.6 Some great songs

# Playlist Track - Fight For Your Right # Notes - This is crazy good. It's weird and broken and annoying in all the right ways. - YOU GOTTA FIGHT FOR YOUR RIGHT TO PARTAY is such an amazing verse. The entire song would be worth 2 stars on its own.

Sometimes COOL but of they stopped doing THIS all the TIME it would be BETTER because it becomes ANNOYING at some POINT

Excellent

7/10 Favorites: Rhymin & Stealin No Sleep Till Brooklyn

Still so singular, instantly recognisable and rather addictive. Makes you want to walk around the house yelling and repeating everything. Just fun and energetic!

This was so loud and dumb and fun. I love it.

Not something I want to listen to every day, but once in a while it Hits

Love this album. So much fun to listen to. Not all the lyrics aged well, but this album introduced a lot of suburban white kids to hip-hop.

Don't be a faggot

Solid rhymes. Music ok

Beastie Boys, License to ill. Ok, I love the Beasties and I think Paul’s Boutique is the Mona Lisa of hip hop sampling and Gen X white guy rapping (Eminem is another category entirely). LTI otoh is kind of a rough listen. I think the two records from my generation that are way more important than they are good are Licensed to I’ll and Becks Mellow Gold, they both laid down the blueprint for a very Gen X style of music but neither one of them holds up next to the rest of their respective catalogs. I have a ton of nostalgia for Fight for Your Right and Girls and No Sleep Til Brooklyn but this is all so juvenile and stupid. If Rick Rubin has any genius at all, and I’m not sure he does, but here is his best case, as he’s really the guy that fused metal and hip hop together with all of the Zep and Sabbath samples here. Not to mention Walk This Way

It's a classic but I personally prefer the later stuff.

Rating: 7.5/10 Even after almost 40 years some songs sound modern with a potential of a replay value and that is impressive. Loved the energy and the style but the production is still outdated for today's standards which of course isnt their fault for its time best songs are she's crafty,girls,fight for your right.

White guys rapping decently well. It has its place, but it’s not usually in my headphones

Amazing album - from start to finish. Solid 4.5 - will round up.