Back To Black

The vocals are incredible, and the production is awesome.

Some of the best post 2000 music. Back to Black is moving, raw and dark. Brining to life the struggles of a musician, whilst staying creatively dense. The soundpatterns of the record are some of the best of its time and the overal jazz feel of the record has been brought to life so well, Amy manages to pair sound with her lyrics and tone so well. Overall a very impressive piece of art. Favorite track: Tears dry on their own. Overall score: 9.0/10

Unreal production on this record. Her voice and lyrics are so great. Sad she's gone.

i'm not the biggest Amy fan, but there is no denying how extraordinarily talented she was

23/02/25 I never really appreciated Amy when she was alive, it wasn't until she died that I appreciated her music.

Amazing album - such a talent

Every song on this album is a hit. There are zero throwaways. Such a talent, vocally, lyrically, musically. Just a wonder.

Perfect album from cover to cover

She was that good

A great album. A big loss!

How have I never listened through this? Amazing

Excellent

Goat

Top notch. Weird how just knew most of these songs by osmosis, despite never actually listening to the album. Simpsons: No

I’m sure a lot of jazz purists take issue with Winehouse but is there anything more authentically jazz than battling with substance abuse throughout your life? Love love love this album

Great neo-soul. Really strong songs throughout the album. Great production, too.

Fantastic. 4.5.

Neo Soul at its finest. Iconic. Personal enjoyment: 5/5 Relevance to this list: 5/5

Obviously five stars

Stone cold classic

Six absolute bangers on this. A special talent.

Brilliant record.

Brilliant

Love our Amy

NOW THIS. Is the best Amy Album. I don’t even need to re-listen (but I will, duh) to give my rating: 5/5. Fave Song: Love is a Losing Game Least Fave Song: Just Friends

While not every song is a must, the overall quality of this album is fantastic! I can listen to this record over and over during a whole day. So sad Amy passed away. So talented and so young!

Multi-generational, gritty, inspiring, and just good music.

I liked almost every other song more than Rehab, which is saying something.

I wasn't into this genre revival or perhaps Ronson's production when it occurred so I didn't listen to this album when it came out. Later I came to appreciate the sound more but never went back to listen to this album because of Winehouse's death. The album however is amazing, due to Ronson's production and because of Winehouse's voice and charisma. Her singing is incredible and her loss a great tragedy (maybe partially Ronson's fault). So now a sad and tragic beautiful album. (12 known/21 new)

I want you to picture yourself throwing a dinner party. It's for college students. No wait, It's for college professors. No wait, it's for work colleagues. No wait, it's for your house warming in a new neighborhood. Actually, fuck it... it's for all of those people. Here's the catch... you want to seem cool. Well here's the record you're going to play. It's literally impossible to hate on Amy Winehouse because EVERYBODY recognizes real talent when they hear it.

Great album, great voice. One of the only ones to actually make the nostalgia heavy throwback sound work.

iconic singer belting out some cracking songs

Amy Winehouse is a genre in itself.

I’m not a huge Amy Winehouse fan, but I can’t deny this album is brilliant. I could listen to “Tears Dry On Their Own” on repeat for a long time without getting sick of it. So many great songs, and she’s never sounded better than on this album. A few tracks are a bit dull, but overall this is a standout album.

Exceptional. I have loved it for years, and it's still damn near a 10/10. Slightly less good than Frank, her prior album, but incredible nonetheless. May she rest in peace.

5 stars. No need to even listen. Banger album. True classic

One of the best pop albums of the past 20 years. A huge reinvention at the time and a massive step up from her debut. The 60s soul and motown inspired production and Amy’s enormous amount of sass and swagger and extra personal lyrics means that this sounds both super vintage and super modern and the songwriting is so much tighter this time around. Featuring a clutch of fantastic singles that are still on mega rotation today plus plenty of other characterful album tracks. Favourite song Tears Dry On Their Own.

Sad and amazing

enjoyed this

Damn. She was so good. No misses. Perfect album.

Born 50 years too late, died 50 years too early.

This was great. Just a classic sound and excellent singing, writing and producing. Not really my favorite genre, but I really dug it. Five stars.

I love this album. So exciting and enjoyable

Brilliant!

Amy Winehouse is a tragic and soapy story but the music is enduring. This was amazing at the time and will forever be a classic. Her voice and the music is simultaneously a throwback and instant classic. I still feel lucky to have experienced this one in real time when it was so huge. You can never go wrong putting this record on.

one of the best albums ever

Incredible instrumentation range. One the truly all-time greatest albums.

Amazing

special

Such a sad loss to the musical world. Rip Amy.

Amy's voice has always been magical to me, and on 'Back to Black' she shows up like a heavy-hitter, showcasing probably her best work ever. Quality-wise a really consistent record, while being a quite diverse, yet well-built-up album with excellent producing. Basically half of the songs are amazing, and the rest are still decent, which makes this a no-brainer 5. My highlights are 'Rehab', 'You Know I'm No Good', 'Back to Black', 'Love Is a Losing Game', 'Tears Dry On Their Own' and 'He Can Only Hold Her'.

Incredible. Probably one of the best albums of the 21st century. Every song is a banger

One of the greatest albums imo

Great throwback. I think the production at times doesn't help it but the craft is too good.

Just really holds up. The perfect length at 34 minutes - it could have so easily been overwrought and drawn out but it isn’t

Very good.

Un classique moderne. J’ai toujours un un faible pour les deux plus gros hits « Rehab » et « Back to Black ». Quelle âme et voix troublée. Les arrangements sont vraiment forts, je n’avais pas remarqué leur complexité, car ce n’est pas un album que j’avais écouté attentivement. Pas pour rien qu’il soit devenu culte.

She was a once in a lifetime artist. At times bleak, painfully honest and so warm. Pity, addiction does keep us from wonderfull things

Classic

Love her, love this album, Tears dry on their own and Addicted are among my favorite songs of all time. Every track on this album is a stunner, opening triumphantly with the fantastic Rehab, ending with the cheeky and brilliant Addicted, enchanting throughout.

Har varit hooked på Amy ända sedan jag såg dokumentären om henne. Lyssnat mycket på den här skivan, som jag tycker är enastående bra. Hennes röst är otrolig och helt unik, men även texter, produktion och stämningen överlag är riktigt bra. Obegripligt att Rehab var den största singeln, tycker inte ens den är topp fem.

Nooo don't kill yourself your so sexy aha

Amazing vocals from Amy winehouse, powerful lyrics. Everything you can ask for in an album, no filler

Having reviewed Frank by Amy Winehouse, I can say there only needed to be one Amy Winehouse album in this book. Back to Black needs to be that album. I take exception to the idea Winehouse brought forth the British soul revival (and then comparisons to Adele, Duffy, etc), mostly because there is only one Amy Winehouse and the others do their own thing that isn't what Amy Winehouse did. I really enjoyed this album and the soul vibe. She was clearly influenced by the 60's girl groups. I am adding this to the list of albums I listen to more frequently.

A modern classic.

Almost perfect album, shame no one ever got to hear the next one 5*

Oh Amy Winehouse, if only you had said yes yes yes to rehab… Amy Winehouse really was a modern day Motown diva, and this music really fits her big voice. Losing her so young really was a huge tragedy, and you have to wonder what could have been.

Man

Love it

5, listened to so many times and have it on vinyl. Fav tracks: Wake Up Alone Tears Dry On Their Own

Stone Cold Classic

A modern classic. Well crafted songs, wonderful lyrics and perfect production. The Dap-Kings take this album to the next level.

amy's second and final album released. such talent, taken from us much too soon. her debut album is amazing, but this second one blows that one out of the water. desperate, pleading, emotional and honest, this soul album tugs at the heartstrings all the way through. an album for your bad days, amy really channels that "fed up with the entire world" energy, singing, no... almost venting about her frustrations. despite the material and context, the album has a consistent and sophisticated sound inspired from artists past. to the people who ridiculed her, i hope there's a special place for you in hell.

I forget how much I love this album until I listen to it again. Her writing is razor-sharp and honest, but she still has some funny moments despite the bleakness. A voice for all time. Produced with love and attention; Ronson did great work here. It’s aged really well even with its already-vintage-at-the-time sound.

Should have gone to rehab.

An album already in my regular rotation.

Winehouse’s vocals are phenomenal and the instrumentals match them perfectly. The short runtime only makes me want to listen to more from her.

I love this album and have given it many listens over the years (and sung 'You know I'm no good' and 'Back to Black' a fair few times in the shower!). Some of the tracks feel a little overproduced - but there is no denying the honesty and raw pain in her lyrics, the power of her vocals and the impact her work had on music at the time. Amy was so talented, so open to sharing her vulnerability in her work, and so messed up by addiction, fame and the machine of the music industry - I can't help but wonder what her life could have been if she'd been able to conquer her demons or had better support from the people who should have been there for her. Vale Amy I told you I was trouble - You know I'm no good

★★★★★★

Great album, lots of drama behind the lyrics... an iconic voice

Me gustó mucho y por lo que la vida le dió, la seguí mientras pude, pero abruptamente terminó y su fin trunco a los fans de su voz privilegiada. Este álbum es excelente

Over far too quickly for my liking. What a gem of an album!

Back to Black is the second and final studio album by Amy Winehouse, originally released in 2006. Amy took to influences from classic American music such as 60s soul and funk for this record. There's definitely a heavy Motown and Stax vibe to this. Having the Dap-Kings as the backing band definitely contributed to this. Winehouse predominantly based the album on her tumultuous relationship with then-ex-boyfriend and future husband Blake Fielder-Civil, who temporarily left her to pursue his previous ex-girlfriend. Their short-lived separation spurred her to create an album that explores themes of guilt, grief, infidelity, heartbreak and trauma in a relationship. This combined with the old-school girl group sound made this record extremely engaging and pretty much the perfect pop record. You've got slower ballads such as "Love is a Losing Game", to the ska-flavored track "Just Friends" and even a boom-bap hip-hop style track "He Can Only Hold Her". Just overall an amazing record. Every song is a banger.

Exceptional pop, need to listen more

In hindsight this is a gimmicky album, at least the production is. Despite this, it's a rare no skips record. It's bananas to think about what Amy could've accomplished if she'd achieved sobriety. She was a genius and that's evident in every breath she took on this album.

I like this more than I realized before. Really like it, but idk how often I would listen to this tbh. 4.6/5

10/10

Beautiful album with great singles. Not sure I would listen to it all in one go often but I loved listening to it now. 5

Great listen, knowing her tragic end sone songs feel even sadder

Ah, great voice. A throwback. Good music to fit, kind of Budos Band-ish on track 2. Doowop on other songs. This is a really groovy album. Not much needs to be said about it. I give this a 5, because I don't hear a weak point.

A solid album from beginning to end, this was in heavy rotation for me back in the day, being a fan of this sort of 60s sound. In retrospect, it's pretty sad to hear so many lyrics about drinking and crying on the kitchen floor. Hope she's at peace now.

I didn’t care at the time, but yeah, that album slaps. I get it now.

Excellent album. I actually found myself liking "Frank" more for being so raw, but this album has bangers all around. Excellent vocals and instrumentals. 'He Can Only Hold Her' wins my fave.

Burn hot and bright, Amy.

Smashing

Amy Winehouse is a legend an icon…love her music

# Album Name: Back to Black # Artist: Amy Winehouse # Rating: 5/5 # Comments: This album starts out with an absolute cracker. Rehab. Quite fitting for Amy but this is a terrific song. Amys voice on this album is absolutely top notch imo. Its very distinct but feels as old as time. The bluesy / swing / soul feel suits her voice down to the ground. Amy would have been a true great i reckon. # Top Tunes: Rehab / You know im no good / back to black / tears dry on their own / Mr Jones # Would I listen to it again? Definitely. Great album.

If you wanna talk about motown and soul revival. Ms. Winehouse recaptured the worlds attention to the sound with much neccessary updating on the lyrical emphasis of subject matter. No longer is the subject of soul the heartbreak along; it can be disgust, shame, confusion, failure to see personal faults. She was a trailblazer for that, and a powerful woman who happened to only be stunted by addiction. This album is the phenomenonal produced follow up to the "Frank" debut. Which captured hearts and minds with its soulful tendancies. This album by metamorphosis EXPLODED with homage to old school R&B and Soul with a mix of jazz and cabaret influence. I absolutely would die without this album. I got so many fond memories and smoking out my 2006 Volkswagen with my buddy before going into work at starbucks.

Great album beginning to end

Gigantisk producer upgrade fra hendes første album, hele det her album lyder mega godt. Jeg kunne godt huske singlerne - alle bangers - men album tracks var også bedre end jeg huskede de var

my goodness. rest in peace amy

I miss her :(

It's beautiful...I don't know what else to say...I like it. It's so well written and well produced, and she can sing! Very Entertaining. I don't usually listen to soul or R&B, so I can only imagine how enjoyable this would be for those who are into this type of music.

Already know this and THIS is one of my favs!!

Sensational album

One of those records that catches a moment where, maybe not all, but a lot of stars suddenly align. Amy's voice and where she was at in her career (and, in a sadder way, life trajectory, see for instance Rehab). Mark Ronson as a producer. The Dap-Kings as a backing band. They'd all been around and they'd all go on to do other things (except for Amy obviously) but here it catches all of them not necessarily at their best but at their most hungry and exciting. It might be strange to say but this retro thing sounded new and fresh back then and nobody did it better than Amy does here.

Starting to accept that some of my ratings are too high; this feels like a true 5 though

Love - except several explicig

This starts with back to back absolute bangers. She was such a treasure and so brilliant at translating her pain into her work. Effortlessly soulful and gorgeous. Miss her very much.

Kyllä tämä on upea. Harvoin vaan päätyy levylautaselle kun aikoinaan tuli kuunneltua niin roimasti. 5/5

Massive talent

Back to Black is a soul-shaking triumph — raw, stylish, and heartbreakingly real. Amy Winehouse poured everything into this album: her voice, her pain, her wit, and her flaws. With Mark Ronson and Salaam Remi’s vintage-inspired production, the record feels like a lost Motown classic filtered through the lens of modern heartbreak. “Tears Dry On Their Own” stands out as the crown jewel — a pure throwback groove with a soaring melody and a devastating undercurrent. It’s the kind of song you can dance to with tears in your eyes. Throughout the album, Amy swings between swagger and sorrow, never flinching, never faking it. Losing her so young feels like more than a tragedy — it’s a loss of a once-in-a-generation talent whose voice and honesty could cut through anything. Back to Black isn’t just a great album. It’s a legacy. One that still echoes loud and clear. Favorite song: Tears Dry On Their Own

# Playlist track - Tears Dry On Their Own # Notes - Amy's vocals are absolutely brilliant. She sings with a very rare combination of talent, technique and emotion that is in full display on this album. - The band follows dutifully. She is supported by amazing instrumentals and production. - Just learned that Mark Ronson has his hand in the production of the album. That makes a lot of sense. - I remember listening to it back when it was released, and you couldn't go to any parties without "Rehab" being played twice. Re-listening again, it's impossible not to get a little bit sad about her tragic life and all the sadness that fueled these amazing songs.

Amy Winehouse looks and sounds like Marty McFly brought Amy back to the future from the 1950s and asked her to write an album about how she's getting on. Expertly produced by Mark Ronson this album just leaves listeners wondering how much better she could have gotten. - Not a lot else you can say, this is an album that everyone should definitely listen to at some point in their lives. - ⚠️ avoid the film though; it's terrible!

Wow, so much emotion packed into this short, powerful record. Would have been great to see what else she could have done.

Easy 5. What an exceptional album, with so much packed in 35 minutes. It came out 18 years ago and sounds like it could have come out in 1965 or yesterday. Mark Ronson's production is fantastic and Amy's voice is just phenomenal throughout the whole album. There's something here for everyone and it is just an absolute tragedy that we did not get more music from her.

FIVE FIVE FIVE FIVE FIVE

Pre-listening thoughts: bro this album is absolutely STACKED with a lot of Amys hits. Rest in peace queen 🙏🙏 Post/during listening thoughts: I mean what else is there to say. Her voice is so timeless and these songs are so phenomenal. If this isn’t an instant 5 stars for you I feel sorry for you. 10/10 DID I NEED TO HEAR THIS BEFORE I DIE: bro yes and everyone should Fav tracks: every song Least fav tracks:

Never heard the whole album. Definitely relistenable

ms winehouse the icon you will always be

It seems like it can’t be real how amazing she is. It doesn’t feel right to really rock out to this - especially that opener - given we know now how rough the seas this ship was sailing in were, but there’s no denying this is truly great.

Just when I was about to give up on music Amy reappeared in my life with this album which I consider to be one of the top 3 in the of the 2010 if not the best album in the past 15 years. An autobiographical call for help that everyone listened and couldnt do anything to save her. Insane lyrics, masterful arrangements and musicians. This is a perfect album

Great album. One of the few I think is too short. I don't know much about her, but she seemed to have been in a lot of pain while she was here. We lost a talented person when she left. Thoroughly enjoyed listening.

Amazing Amy!

To fully bare the existential nature of life in a jazz/r n b/pop album with a voice that surely knows the content matter. Has lived on and between every note. My god, this album is mastery.

Stone cold classic

A cool modern twist on older soul artists, really full sounds and something musically different to take away from each track

a genuine icon

What a voice. What lyrics. What a mood this creates. How absolutely authentic. One of the true greats. Always makes me a bit sad listening to Amy - she was so genuine, and therefore so fragile. Amazing.

This is undeniably great. Retro but modern, brash yet tender, strong but fragile, desperate but uplifting. Full of character and emotion, rooted in her situation. Everyone talks about her voice but her songs are fantastic; full of brilliant words, tunes and hooks. The band, arrangements and production are perfect... Mark Ronson 👏 The title track is amazing. I love the changes of pace, and the melody lifting into the chorus... 'We only said goodbye with words....' only to fall back into sad but beautiful darkness again. 'You know I'm no good' was the first song of hers I heard, on the radio driving to work 17 years ago. It jumped out of the speakers and still does, what a groove! 'Love is a Losing Game' is timeless. I don't know the second side as well but it all stands up, especially 'Wake Up Alone' and 'He Can Only Hold Her'. Her love of classic soul and jazz is obvious but this is so original and contemporary. She was a precious talent and it's just so sad.

It’s a classic for good reason! Although often reflecting sounds of the past the album doesn’t come across like a cheap imitation in the slightest. Some of the lyrical passages are just awesome, and pairing that with her unique delivery makes for something that will always unmistakably be Amy Winehouse. I do find it amazing how with just this one album she was forever cemented as a musical legend (I know she had one or two others but this was THE album). Sometimes, 2 sides of a record is all someone needs to make their mark forever. ‘Love Is A Losing Game’ is always one I think of when discussing Amy Winehouse but I forgot how good ‘Back To Black’ really is! Whoa! ‘Wake Up Alone’ also stood out on the back end and stopped this from slipping to a 4 for me.

I was already familiar with Amy Winehouse and this album, as I think most people who grew up in Britain in the early 2000s are. She really was incredible. What I picked up from properly listening to this album on headphones is just how beautifully it was produced. Each sound and instrument was perfectly selected to create a wonderful mood and to support Amy’s fantastic vocals and lyrics. Goosebumps, multiple times, even on the tracks I’ve heard hundreds of times before. Rest in peace Amy Winehouse. She was a star.

Fucking amazing

Undeniable

Amazing; such a true and heartfelt album.

Album 550 of 1001 Amy Winehouse - Back To Black (2006) Rating : 5 / 5 Awesome album from the beginning to the end. A classic from a truly unique artist. One of the few for which I can actually say it was a true pleasure to enjoy..

LOVE!!!!!!!

She definitely coined the phrase fuckery.

This was really great. I enjoyed it very much.

There’s something so sugar sweet about this album and she lays it on us so gently. Giving this a truly good listen really uncovers all the depths that get overlooked or maybe even hidden when hearing this on the radio. I never knew why this is so good, I guess I still don’t know why, now I just know it is

The candle that burns twice as bright lasts half as long. In Amy's case the candle burned 0.3335 times as long as the life expectancy for women in the UK in 2011. I was going to do a song by song analysis of this album but I think it does well as a whole. I love soul music and nothing has changed. This album is tight, well-produced and great to listen to. Amy Winehouse has a fantastic voice, as for the lyrics? Who cares. Phenomenal album, will be listening to this plenty more.

One of those records where the hype is very real. The pinnacle of 21st century soul music (no disrespect to D'Angelo's "Black Messiah" which is also the pinnacle of 21st century soul music)

It's like listening to my driving playlist. Ronson set down the sound of the next decade, arguably two, and the performance on the vocals is iconic in the true sense of the word.

jaja dios qué mujer

I really love this album and every song (except for the last one "Addicted") on it. I really don't know what to say more about it. It simply "feels good".

I finished this album quickly. Amy Winehouse had a great voice. Her music was great. She was eccentric and unfortunately broke herself far too soon. Back To Black is a great album that I haven't listened to for a while but will listen to again on this occasion. 5/5

When I was a kid I always thought Amy Winehouse was black. Beautiful voice. Just great.

always beautiful

4.5

Excellent

It's a flawless album

Incredible. Night and day from her earlier work. Darkness is a muse. Pain and the loss of control can make great art, but its nonrenewable fuel is the soul. This is raw and vulnerable, playful and defiant, broken and ragged. "Cry without screaming" as U2 says.... some people make their struggles so public, and the public will consume it as entertainment, applauding and calling for more.... Strangely, I wish that Tom Waits would cover this whole album....it carries his melancholy, his drunken growl, his parade of melodic persistence...

This album is excellent start to finish. It really is bittersweet as the level of fame it propelled her to was her undoing. Every day when I was taking the train to work there’d by another story tearing her down. Believe people when they tell you who they are - and on Rehab she told everyone clearly. But after its release, Amy was a force and you can see this in her performances at the time- her voice was strong and her lyrics were direct and representative of a subculture in London at the time. I love Motown and I think it was a stroke of genius to combine the wide eyed happiness and innocence of Motown with her lyrics about infidelity and drugs. Both balance each other out to keep me going back for more and it is one of the most relistenable albums for me. The production is rich and voice is powerful. I’ll go to bat for this album every day

Such a great album !

Best album of all time

YES, QUEEN. Epic album, epic voice, epic woman.

Possibly, the best soul album of the 21st century (and we still have 76 years to go).

I thought I'd like this - I didn't expect to love it! Will definitely be re-listening!

Great album. It all comes together on this one with the perfect combination of styles and genres. Such an original songwriter and artist.

This album is so great. Tears dry is such a banger. No skips on this album, she is one of the best singers of our generation if not the best. Total legend

This is one of my favorite albums of all time. I will die on the hill that there’s not a bad song on this album. Top three (in order) 1. me and Mr jones 2. Tears dry on their own 3. Wake up alone

It’s Amy - nuff said. With a voice like that of an old soul Back To Black weaves a sad tale that is a must listen. L rates (4.5*s) J can’t disagree, solid (4.5*s)

It's Amy Winehouse, I can't even rate this objectively. The only bad thing is that she can't make any more records like this sadly. She modernized this sound so well, her witty lyrics combined with this retro vibe are a masterpiece. She's authentic and talented to the max. There's no bad songs, the whole album is a stunner further immortalized by her early demise. It only makes the whole thing that much more powerful. If you aren't bewitched by her then I know you're no good.

Ach, I’m so torn. I wasn’t feeling this so much today for some reason. Yet I have listened to it multiple times. I kind of want to give it a 4.5. She was such a talent

Incredible soul pop album. Mark Ronson really cooked, and Amy of course.

Everything in this album sounds amazing from the energetic bright horns to the crisp reverb and clean tremolo tone of the guitar, the drum sounds and the RnB bass, it's a great recreation of the classic soul band recording which sets the stage for a stunning singing performance. Hugely charismatic and inviting. Amy Winehouse's voice is warm and coarse and covers a huge range of tone and emotion - in the tradition of great soul singers, she aspires to a model that's come before but adds her own 21st c contribution to that lineage in the lyrics and delivery. Used to be very overplayed, but it was so good to return to after a couple years not putting it on.

Okay, this is a sound I can dig. I've heard plenty of great things about Amy Winehouse, but this is my first real experience with her music, and it was incredible. The sound is obviously inspired by 50s and 60s girl groups, and we hear plenty of elements carried over: lush horn sections, backing harmonies, a soulful lead vocalist, clapping, a light acoustic drum in the rhythm section... man, what else could you ask for? The compositions themselves are so darn memorable and present a great album experience, with energetic highs and lows creating the ideal journey for the listener. Rehab, my personal favourite and arguably the catchiest track, is placed at the beginning – exactly where it should be. The team behind this album deserves several pats on the back for doing their darn homework. I guess the only things I would improve are the production (sometimes the volume maxes out and causes some distortion) and Winehouse's singing, which has that heavily-accented twang that makes her, and hundreds of other 21st-century singers, sound kind of tipsy. (See: the track Love Is A Losing Game, where she sounds very drunk the entire time – but then, maybe that's exactly the point.) But never fear! These don't take away from the music very much. Bangers up and down. An easy 5. 5/5 Key tracks: Rehab, You Know I'm No Good, Back To Black, He Can Only Hold Her

This was a bit of a change from the debut album Frank, but it really works. Yes, the music style isn't groundbreaking, but excellently executed with well written lyrics and score. 5/5

What an album! I already knew a lot of these songs, and the others were just as good! Grew up with a lot of these songs, but never truly appreciated how good they were until I was older 5 ⭐️

Probablemente, el mejor álbum de Amy Winehouse. Tan solo 36 minutos de duración, pero ningún segundo sobrante. Una producción prístina, una performance envidiable y composiciones que vivirán por siempre en el inconsciente colectivo. El pop "retro" de Winehouse prueba que los géneros pueden reinterpretarse constantemente y proliferar en el panorama pop global.

A Good one

album davvero fantastico. lei perfetta, non sbaglia una canzone. otitmo anche se non mio stile, 5 stelle assicurate.

I remember listening to this on repeat with my mother on the way to school.

Masterpiece. It’s a shame we only got one album from her, but knowing her story I kind of wish this one wasn’t even born.

Rarely does such a swingin' & soulful album of pure vulnerability & self-awareness exists. It is challenging at times to understand the inner mind of someone in such a tumultuous roller coaster of a life, struggling with decision-making that from the outside, seems so erratic. But here it is perfectly on display, fully produced by a soulful Mark Ronson with the Dap-Kings. He's captured this romantic & explosive creative spirit who won't hesitate to choose oblivion if her standards of independence & authenticity aren't met. A beautiful & tragic document that you can dance to, and still hits every time. Also there is Ghostface Killah coming in at the last minute and a half, which is aesthetically kind of weird considering there isn't any other rap on the album. It nonetheless works however, because it is Ghostface and just kind of makes me want a whole secret Amy & Ghostface side project to drop one day.

Perfect album. Rip 😞

rehab

It’s not only the amazing talents of Amy Winehouse but the brilliant production that makes this record sound both new and fresh plus classic at the same time!

A major step up in quality of both songwriting and production from "Frank" - on the whole I think the Ronson produced tracks are the superior ones.of the lesser known tracks, I liked "He Can Only Hold Her". Good stuff.

HOLD UP! his writing is this fire?

Heck Yeah.

Excellent!

Press play

Album is too good man

Classic. Love it.

I won’t see the movie, love & respect ya too much <3

Her incredible voice and swagger, blended with such cool retro sounds of soul, jazz and blues, made this a truly one-of-a-kind album.

This is an exceptional album - her voice is full of character and flawless in the execution, but it's the production that makes this feel relatively fresh despite being a genre that's been done to death.

trabalho foda. gosto muito

Great voice, great rhythm, great lyrics, overall great music.

So ein Talent. Viel zu früh von uns gegangen.

I've always loved this album. She had an amazing voice and was such a great performer. Her life is a sad story and I feel like listening to this album you can hear all sides - her struggles, hopefulness, longing for help, striving for independence, maintaining dependence on others, wanting to improve, wanting to stay as is. I mean really that all shows up in just Rehab. It's a brilliant record and was made that much more meaningful after her death. I wish we had more performers like Amy Winehouse around today. 5/5

just wonderful. a talent we haven't seen the likes of since, her voice is just unreal. perfection

First album from the 21st century I've had on the list. I've heard a few of the songs before but never the entire album. I recognised more of the songs than I expected to. I remember hearing some of them on the radio when I was very young. I really enjoyed it. Such a powerful and expressive voice. The instrumentals are just as impressive, combining sounds and styles from previous decades with 00s. Highlights: Rehab You Know I'm No Good Back To Black Tears Dry On Their Own

🎙👠🌃🥃 highlights: love is a losing game. see also: nina simone, amy (2015).

This is the greatest album ever made. It's number 1 on this list fs!

This is one of my favorite albums of all time. Most played vinyl I have in my collection probably. Gone too soon.

UMA OBRA DE ARTE

Pobre mujer ... Rehab.

Fantastic album, great songs throughout, definitely a 5 star album. HIGHLIGHTS: Rehab, Tears Dry On Their Own, Back to Black, Wake Up Alone MEH: Just Friends

A true gem!

Day 20 of listening to 1001 albums, one day at a time. Amy Whinehouse was truly one of those artist that was gone way to soon. This album articulates how great of a singer and writer she was. Her openness talking about her addictions and relationships. The way she can manipulate her voice so perfectly for every song. It’s just sad we didn’t get to see more from her.

Ah Amy. One I actually bought way back before we could stream everything. So yes, this is my cup of tea.

An icon of the 2000s. Amy is greatly missed today, for her originality and talent. Back To Black is certainly one of the 5 best albums of the 2000s. The rating will be nothing other than 5 stars.

She has one of the most soulful, sultry, & sensual voices ever. I think I'm in love with her classic 50's/60's soul jazz rock vibe thing. Makes her dreamy and timeless. Great instrumentation too. She's working with some talented musicians that really know how to work a song. Beautiful recording. Amy really sings about the drama. She's bold and unapologetically herself which gives the poetry alot of depth.... like I'm swimming in it and trying not to drown. Favorites: You Know I'm No Good, Back to Black, Tears Dry on Their Own, Addicted

I don't love a lot of 60s retro music. Sometimes throwback artists seem to prioritize perfecting the sound/production and end up with a general imitation of an entire era and nothing distinct enough to make it memorable. Not with Amy. This album would sound fresh no matter what year it was released. Hard to believe it's approaching its 20th anniversary. The live version of Valerie on the deluxe edition is so intimate and sounds incredible. This record is between a 4 and 5 for me so I'll just go ahead and give it 5.

Gem of an album, gem of an artist. Will forever wonder where her artistry would have gone all these years. She's dearly missed.

These are the Winehouse songs I know and love!

One of the greatest albums ever made. I’m not normally one for pastiche, but there’s something forward-thinking about Amy Winehouse’s (and Mark Ronson’s) interpretation of retro soul that’s crasser, more biting, and more honest. It’s not reverent, it’s referential. While I personally don’t return to the ballads like “Love Is A Losing Game” and “Wake Up Alone” as much as I do the upbeat kiss-offs of “Me & Mr. Jones” or “Tears Dry On Their Own,” there is absolutely no flaw on this album, especially on a full listen. Timeless in all the right ways, with a little something for everyone, for every mood and every occasion.

What a waste. She could have been so good if she had lived. But at least we got one great album. So soulful. Just a beautiful record.

Dit moet ik zelfs niet luisteren om een 10 te geven. Vanaf 'Rehab' tot 'Addicted', Back To Black is een perfect album. De productie is top, natuurlijk dankzij Salaam Remi en Mark Ronson. Back To Black, het nummer, is een ultieme classic, Tears Dry On Their Own een blijtschijfke, You Know I'm No Good een meezinger, Wake Up Alone is tekstueel diep en dan heb je zelfs nog Rehab, de grote hit en Love Is A Losing Game, een fan's favorite. Op het moment dat ik dit schrijf, is het 25/05/2024, heb ik BTB al even op vinyl en dit is nr. 1.

Amy Winehouse recreates the classic soul sound very faithfully but also turns it into something fresh and modern. A lot of that updating comes from her lyrics. I love the line “What kind of fuckery is this?” on “Me & Mr. Jones.” It's something that could have obviously never been on an older soul song but also doesn't feel out of place either. The retro soul sound runs through the album but each song has its own distinct flavor. I like the reggae bounce on "Just Friends." And man, I love the soaring doo wop of “Tears Dry On Their Own.” The production on this album is fantastic. So many classic songs on here -- "Rehab," "You Know I'm No Good," "Back to Black" -- but the album tracks are excellent too. This is such an easy album to listen to. It's full of raw emotion, big hooks and excellent backing music. A classic without question and a pleasure to return to.

When this album art appears, I let out a sad groan alongside a "Oh Amy"; as if she was a first-name-basis friend of mine. As if I could walk around my wife and friends and randomly bring up "Amy" and they would know that I mean this person. When I type Winehouse on this computer, the last name doesn't come up as a typo on my browser's spell checker- because it's been long ago added to my browser's cached dictionary. I can't help but feel an oxymoronic excited sadness, as I'm about to dive into one of my favorite albums that always makes me sad. It's going for a walk in a beautiful park when the forecast says there's rain coming shortly after. When this album stops I'll be sad. I wrote a similar note for "Frank", way back as our 21st generated album on this project, and it hasn't changed- not that I thought it would. Enough about me and my experience. Amy is amazing, Back to Black is amazing, and she should be celebrated. There's so much to immediately be attracted to with this sound. The music is tight and calculated, while also loose and flexible. Her voice is sultry, evocative, and playful. The lyrics are deeper than your standard run of the mill pop; they delve mostly into her substance abuse issues and relationship nuances, and also throw some edgier wordplay out there to keep you on your feet. "He left no time to regret, kept his dick wet with his same old safe bet." What a starting line for a song. Frankly, she could sing about a pile of dirt and I'd still be enthralled. After 20 years of playing guitar (and without trying to sound too pompous) I've probably forgotten how to play more songs on the instrument than most people have learned on it. With that being said, a song like "Back to Black" is one of a very few that I will never forget how to play; it will be something I can pull out and jam until the day I die or the day my fingers stop moving. It's masterfully written in every single way. It's written for the listener to hear and enjoy, it's written for the guitarists and instrumentalists to play and have fun, it's written for the producers and engineers to tweak and nudge and adjust and smile while doing it, and it's written for a master vocalist to excitedly perform and embrace the otherworldly feeling of when a human being taps into the magic of authentic music. I genuinely feel that there are acts that transcend music, and then acts that transcend that group. It's a small amount of people, in modern days I'm thinking Jimi Hendrix, Nirvana, The Beatles. Give Amy a few more years on this earth to make a few more records and to "wow" the masses for a little longer and she is in that group. Hell she might even be there for me personally.

Gone too soon. Classic.

biblical

A contralto masterpiece of love and pain. Exceptionally emotional songwriting and one of the best vocal performances of all time. Listened to: at home. Favorite tracks: You Know I'm No Good, Some Unholy War, Back to Black

Debated if this is a 4.5 or a 5 star situation but there’s really only one appropriate rating for an album that has Rehab, You Know I’m No Good, Me & Mr. Jones, Back to Black, Tears Dry On Their Own (one of my favorite 200 songs probably), and Some Unholy War. We love you Amy Winehouse, we love you Back to Black!!!!

I love her music and words of the songs

It’s so hard for me to pick a favorite Winehouse lineup but this really might be it.

She’s just the best

Beautiful and sad

RIP

If not the most beautiful, then one of the 5 most beautiful female vocals.

Just a damn classic album. Been awhile since I listened to it and this was a great reason to give it another spin.

Coming into this review, I had a lot of thoughts about Amy Winehouse, but they weren't about this music. They weren't even really about her as a person, honestly. They were more about how the media in her time, specifically tabloids, treated her—as nothing more than a junkie barrelling to an early grave. Or how I assumed her biopic this year would treat her—I hear it's as "nothing more than a junkie barrelling to an early grave." Hell, I was thinking a lot about how the woman who co-presented Winehouse her GRAMMY for song of the year claimed that people like her "shouldn't be rewarded for bad behaviour." But going in with this mindset isn't fair to Winehouse. The treatment she got wasn't fair, either, and it's absolutely worth condeming, but that's not how I should be thinking about her. I should focus just on her art and what she gave the world. And what she gave the world was... Truly immaculate. A tight 35-some minutes of throwbacks to the early Motown sound and early rock n' roll. I love this kinda shit. Take it from someone who spun AN EVENING ON SILK SONIC back when it dropped, I love throwbacks so much. But not **just** throwbacks. Ones that, like the Silk Sonic mention implies, brings it into the current days. Give it up for Ronson and Salaam. They nailed the sound, but I'd never think this came out any earlier than the 2000s. Even when all I knew about this album was "Rehab" thanks to ROCK BAND 3, it still sounded so fresh to my ears. It's a groovy-ass track, but when this album needs to get soulful and back to black, such as it is, you bet your ass it will. And Winehouse's voice. Amy herself, so I've read, didn't regard her abilities as anything more than a party trick. But what a trick this is. If it didn't evoke "Motown diva" as well as it does while still being recognizably her own thing, it'd all fall apart. And, yeah, me being me, a lot of the lyrics didn't register in my mind. But just the tone of her voice was enough to get enough of the meaning across to me. That sounds like something most people can achieve, but to do it truly well—that takes a little something extra. Y'know, normally I reserve 5's for albums that've already wedged their way into my soul, or albums that manage to edge their way in there. I'm not sure if BACK TO BLACK is truly there yet, but regardless, it deserves a 5. Not as an "Oh, so tragic she died so young" deal. Not as a clapback against the people who treated her so poorly. But just because she made a damn good album. It was a damn good album back then, it's a damn good album now, and I wouldn't be happy if it wasn't a damn good album on the future. Gawd, I needa find the time to put on FRANK!

A singer gone too soon due to her vices left some wonderful soul-filled tracks behind.

It is, thankfully, a 5. This album has received so much critical acclaim, and yet I only really knew it for Rehab and Back to Black, both of which are fabulous tracks. I think there are a few tracks on here that touched me really deeply, namely Love is a Losing Game & Wake Up Alone. Absolutely fabulous songs, and Amy Winehouse’s voice is spectacular on them, and the entire album. The production is off the charts too; Mark Ronson does a great job evoking the 50s and 60s with modern production for someone who feels ripped straight out of the era of R&B and soul music of that time. To put it bluntly, I’m glad it’s a 5 because I feel like I would have been underwhelmed if it were anything else. The legend of Amy Winehouse has grown in the years since her death, and the fact that a movie is coming out about her soon is the craziest part. Great timing to get this album, and I’m glad I finally had the excuse to sit down and listen to it in full. I’m so glad that it’s this good, and I’m also so dumb for not listening to the whole thing before today. Fantastic 5. Easily one of the best albums we’ve gotten so far.

Intressant lyssning, trodde faktiskt att det bara skulle vara rnb eller lite blues inspirerad poprock men det var faktiskt en jävla blandning med rnb, soul, pop, ska/reggae, blues och säkert massa annat. Jag behövde dock lyssna någon låt för att förstå att det var så. Den första låten ”Rehab” var nog den jag gillar minst, men den drar inte ner hela skivan. Det finns såklart mycket bättre saker men eftersom att denna inte hade någon dålig låt och jag sparade massa låtar så får den 5.

Pure quality, one of the best albums ever made. A voice that rips into your soul and stays there.

One of the best female vocalists of all time And this album is just uuuunbelievable

She ate this up, so many recognizable songs. Favourite tracks are Rehab, You Know I'm No Good, Me & Mr. Jones, Back To Black (!!! the BEST), Love Is A Losing Game, Tears Dry On Their Own, Wake Up Alone, Some Unholy War, and He Can Only Hold Her, though I still love the rest of the songs on the album and there are no skips or complaints as far as I am concerned. Super great, definitely a 5

What a voice.. what a range... wow

own

Back to Black Rehab and Back to Black are absolute bangers, modern classics.
You Know I’m No Good, Love is a Losing game and Tears Dry on their Own are also superb tracks. Great lyrics, great songs. Tears Dry on their Own & Love is a Losing Game are also great. Me & Mr Jones and Just Friends aren’t as strong for me, the melodies never quite lift off and they do stand out as a little weaker than the rest of the songs on the album. Wake Up Alone is a real grower, it has all those 50s elements, the doo wop chord sequence, guitar accents and backing vocals. Some Unholy War. Love the guitar triplets (?), the drum sound and bass driving the song. Very good. He Can Only Hold Her. Also brilliant, love the horn arrangements and intertwined backing vocals. Addicted. Brilliant 50s sound, again the brass and backing vocals are superb. Would think this is Ronson, but it’s Remi. Excellent. It holds together as one thing very well considering it’s half produced by Ronson and half by Salaam Remi. Ronson really is very skilled at recreating certain sounds and eras. It doesn’t always work, occasionally falling into pastiche, but on here he is great. He manages to evoke songs and time periods without nicking wholesale, often landing in that satisfying uncanny valley of familiar and new. It’s hard to avoid comparisons with Jagged Little Pill as it only came up yesterday (and it is a bit reductive to do so, and I don’t want to be dismissive of Alanis as an angry woman), but Amy’s confessional and honest lyrics are so good, very funny but very real and authentic, with loads of everyday details and observations that really pull you in. There’s anger and sadness but humour and resignation. They are colourful and vivid whereas Alanis’ are a bit flat and one note. Again I don’t want to diminish Alanis’ honesty and directness but Amy is in a different class. The production, the voice, the 50s/60s aesthetic, the right amount of jazziness, pop, doo wop and early rock ’n’ roll, five truly great songs with only a couple of weaker moments and a short but very sweet 35 mins make this a superb listen. Think I did 5 listens on the bounce the morning and a couple more this afternoon. It’s probably exactly a 4.5 but surely I must round up to 5, so I will. It’s a modern classic. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

De los mejores de Siglo XXI

Amy Winehouse is clearly influenced by 60s soul and reggae, but still has her own style, singing and lyrics, immensely complemented by the production of Mark Ronson, who was able to put the 60's sound in a modern jacket. Amy Winehouse is perfectly capable of singing over the wonderfully full sound that Ronson is able to produce and with her - here still relatively unintoxicated - enthusiasm and great voice, she knows how to lift songs to a higher level. I think that's incredible, especially when you realize that she has put this old style back on the map with her music. It has taken me a couple of years to realise what a classic this album has become. But almost 20 years old now and a song like Back To Black, the highlight of the album, still brings shivers down my spine.

It's pretty badass to only make two albums in your life and have them both show up in "1001 albums you must hear before you die". And it's completely justified too. I ended up liking 5 songs, but really the entire album is fantastic.

While I was a little underwhelmed with her other album, this is the fully-realized one and pretty great all the way through.

It's crazy to listen to this album now, remembering how cheeky and surprising it was to hear someone sing about rehab to the tune of Motown-sounding horns -- or kick off a torchy love song with 'What kind of fuckery is this' as if those lyrics are utterly unremarkable. . . before it became clear that was really her - her life, her pain and heartache channeled in this self-effacing way into these amazing songs.

She sounded so good..tragic ending but I think she wanted that ending

Amy Winehouse is a polarizing character. There's both a charming 'frankness' you don't normally hear in jazz and a clear sense of humor - sometimes self-deprecating, sometimes simply as a commentary on women's relationship to men and love generally, sometimes on men themselves. Back to Black shows a clear evolution from her previous album, without losing what makes her music pop. It's a perfect combination of jazz and pop serving as the background for Amy's incredible range of voice. Her struggles with addiction are truly tragic, and of course add a lot of weight to her lyrics where it's clear she is struggling with her lifestyle and substance abuse. Then again, Addicted is simply fantastic and a super funny song to end on to boot.

Everything that needs to be said about "back to black" has been said. Every song is a classic and the album flows very nicely. Definitly sth i would go back to a lot. 1. "They tried to make me go to rehab I said no, no, no Yes i've been black, but when i comeback You'll know, know, know " 5/5 2. The storytelling in this one is insain. 5/5 3. I really felt That "what kinda fuckry is this"... . 5/5 5. Classic 5/5 6. It feels like surrender and heartbreak and that last stage of grief where everything has became numb but it still hurts so much. "Over futile odds And laughed at by the gods And now, the final frame Love is a losing game" 5/5 7 and 8 are like watching a watching something beautiful die. 5/5 11. She's complaining about her friend's boyfriend smoking her weed. Peak poetry 4/5

Iconic. Such a cohesive, classy record and every song feels timeless. And captures heartbreak and pain so beautifully. Still would say that Frank wins though….

God, what a talent. What a voice. I'd always meant to listen to this album and never got around to it. It all just works so well together. It's hard to listen knowing how her life turned out but I'm grateful we have a time capsule like this.

Brilliant vocal performances all throughout. Backing music is very pleasing, especially love the brass and woodwinds.

Amy!!! This album as well as "Frank", both of which I just heard for the first time, showed me that sometimes artists that are overplayed... are actually really good and hyped for a reason. I'm guilty of avoiding you, Amy, but not any longer! Now I'm gonna get a glass of wine (sorry, Amy)

"Back to Black," the second studio album by the late Amy Winehouse, released in 2006, stands as a timeless testament to her unparalleled talent, raw emotion, and troubled soul. In this review, I will delve into the album's lyrics, music, production, themes, and influence, highlighting its strengths and areas for improvement. **Lyrics:** Winehouse's lyrics in "Back to Black" are brutally honest, poignant, and deeply personal. She bares her soul, addressing themes of heartbreak, addiction, and self-destruction with a remarkable level of vulnerability. Each track feels like a glimpse into her tumultuous life, offering listeners an intimate portrait of her struggles and triumphs. From the haunting confessions of "Rehab" to the despairing longing of "Love Is a Losing Game," Winehouse's lyrical prowess shines through, capturing the complexities of human emotion with astonishing clarity. **Music:** The music on "Back to Black" is a mesmerizing blend of retro soul, jazz, and R&B, infused with Winehouse's distinctive voice and soulful delivery. The album's sonic palette is rich and diverse, featuring lush arrangements, infectious grooves, and memorable melodies. Winehouse's soulful vocals are complemented by the impeccable instrumentation, courtesy of her talented backing band, The Dap-Kings. Tracks like "Tears Dry on Their Own" and "Back to Black" showcase the album's irresistible fusion of vintage soul and contemporary pop, while songs like "Me & Mr. Jones" and "Just Friends" highlight Winehouse's exceptional vocal dexterity and emotional depth. **Production:** The production on "Back to Black" is top-notch, thanks to the efforts of producers Mark Ronson and Salaam Remi. They expertly capture the raw energy and intimacy of Winehouse's performances while infusing the album with a modern sensibility. The arrangements are lush and dynamic, featuring a mix of live instrumentation and electronic elements that enhance the album's retro aesthetic. From the horn-laden grooves of "You Know I'm No Good" to the haunting strings of "Wake Up Alone," the production on "Back to Black" elevates each track to new heights, creating a sonic landscape that is both timeless and contemporary. **Themes:** Thematically, "Back to Black" explores the dark underbelly of love, loss, and addiction. Winehouse lays bare her innermost thoughts and emotions, grappling with the pain of heartbreak and the lure of self-destructive behavior. The album's lyrics are filled with vivid imagery and evocative storytelling, painting a vivid portrait of a troubled soul searching for redemption. Themes of betrayal, longing, and regret permeate the album, resonating with listeners on a deeply personal level. Winehouse's unflinching honesty and emotional vulnerability make "Back to Black" a powerful and poignant exploration of the human condition. **Influence:** "Back to Black" has had a profound influence on contemporary music, inspiring a new generation of artists with its bold sound and fearless storytelling. Winehouse's soulful vocals, retro aesthetic, and confessional songwriting have left an indelible mark on the music industry, influencing artists across genres ranging from pop and R&B to indie and alternative. The album's critical and commercial success helped to revive interest in classic soul music while paving the way for a resurgence of retro-inspired sounds in the 2000s and beyond. Winehouse's legacy as a trailblazing artist and cultural icon is evident in the lasting impact of "Back to Black" on music and popular culture. **Pros:** 1. Raw and honest lyricism that resonates with listeners. 2. Captivating blend of retro soul, jazz, and R&B music. 3. Impeccable production that enhances the album's sonic depth. 4. Powerful themes of love, loss, and addiction explored with emotional depth. 5. Lasting influence on contemporary music and popular culture. **Cons:** 1. Limited thematic range, focusing primarily on personal struggles and relationships. 2. Some tracks may feel repetitive or overly derivative of classic soul music. 3. Occasional moments of melodrama or over-singing detract from the album's authenticity. 4. Relatively short runtime leaves listeners craving more material from Winehouse. In conclusion, "Back to Black" is a masterpiece of modern soul music, showcasing Amy Winehouse's unparalleled talent and artistry. From its honest lyricism and captivating melodies to its lush production and powerful themes, the album stands as a timeless testament to Winehouse's enduring legacy. While it may have its flaws, "Back to Black" remains a landmark achievement in contemporary music, earning its rightful place as one of the defining albums of the 21st century.

Wonderful album from an amazing talent whose star burned out too soon.

Sounds great, now I get why peeps love Amy. I have listened to some of the songs, and only realized they are Amy's after listening to this album.

What kind of fuckery would it be if I didn’t give this album a perfect score? I once did a quiz where I took lines from poems and lyrics from pop songs and got people to guess which was which. The one that nobody got right was the second verse of He Can Only Hold Her, which I feel is worth quoting in full: ‘Even if she’s content in his warmth She is plagued with urgency. Searching kisses The man she misses The man that he longs to be.’ I mentioned that Amy was undoubtedly a confessional artist in my review of Frank, I mean it’s right there in the fucking title, but she reached a peak of Confessional songwriting with Back To Black that British Popular music has been trying and failing to reach ever since. The above quote is only one example of the brilliance, the clarity, subtlety, and understated emotion that Amy treated all of her lyrics. It’s perfect literary fodder; if you took the lyrics to both of her albums and released them as slim volume of Confessional verse, it’d’ve been acclaimed as a groundbreaking exploration of the psyche of a broken woman, unique in it’s use of dialect, and heartbreaking in it’s sincerity. I have this theory about two albums in particular: Lady In Satin by Billie Holiday and Back To Black. They are Rorschach tests of a sort, perfect at diagnosing the specific emotional malaise that’s affecting the listener at the time. In the spirit of confession, I’ll go first. My favourite song from Back To Black is Just Friends, because I have the unfortunate habit of somehow ending up as the other man in affairs between couples. I have been in the narrator’s position in Just Friends more times than I’d like to admit. I know just how it feels to want to be intimate with someone without being able to, because their SO and his friends are in the next room over. It always starts with just being friends, moves onto something else, and ends with the plea to be just friends all over again. You long for the respite, where you’re able to enjoy each others company without the need for sex, just be together as a couple, without the emotional guilt that being alone as paramours gives. But it never comes. Amy presents the story beautifully. There is no narratorial moralising, the relationship is presented in it’s unglamorous realism. It’s real in the way that only someone with lived experience can present something. And she’s able to do it with all of the different relationship dilemmas throughout the album. It’s a tremendous narrative feat. I have another unfortunate habit. I fall in love with broken women, almost exclusively. And through my own brokenness, I help them to reach a point where they’re able to move on to better options. If I’d met Amy Winehouse, I would have fallen hopelessly in love with her. I’m hopelessly in love with her as it is. But this means I can see myself in both sides of the relationships she presents. I’m more similar to Amy than I’d like to admit. I’m more like the men she’d have fucked than I’d like to admit. And that really is the beauty of Confessional art, the confrontation of uncomfortable truths, and subsequent realisation of how fucked up we all are under the skin of respectability we present. I’d have been perfect for Amy. And we’d have destroyed each other. And I understand that better every time I listen to this album. But I still can’t help but wonder. And that is the nature of philosophy as presented by professor Winehouse

Damn it, Amy. What could have been. RIP

This was an amazing album. It's a throwback to the soul and R&B of the '60s but coming from a genuine place of passion. All of this is possible from Amy's charismatic voice, her lyrics delving into the conflicts and drama that can spur from a relationship, and the tight production chops of Mark Ronson and Salaam Remi. I've heard "Rehab" and the title track before, but the rest of the album is just as good as those two. Highly recommended if you haven't listened yet.

a perfect but sad album... even more sadder if you take in mind how it ended some 5 years later... a great dissection of her life upto then...put to song in a 60's fashion... just great!

There's not many singers or albums I rate highly over the last 20 years but Amy was special. Maybe if she was still around it wouldn't feel the same but this is all we really have left from her. Great production and polish but behind that is a true talent. So fragile.

I think this has a fairly solid claim to being the best album of the millennium so far.

Incredible and tragic

Bekannt gut.

What a 2000s banger

Una de las voces más polémicas de su generación, pero sin dejar de ser un ícono y una leyenda musical. 0 skips, ninguna canción floja. 10/10.

Just a pitch perfect modernization of the old Phil Spector style. Amy's tragic tale only makes this album resonate more. 4.5/5

I love this album. Love the arrangements. Love her voice. Favorite Track: Me and Mr. Jones

Great songs, great production, great voice. No notes

É impressionante como as letras dela mudam de tom do álbum anterior para este. É notório como ela não estava bem. As letras continuam boas e a voz também.

If you’re going to cement your legacy, then make this album. Make it with a retro feel and a soulful, once-in-a-generation vocal talent. Make your mark so clearly that everyone else after you who attempts this sound or this feel will be compared to you, and rightfully so. If Amy could have kept the demons at bay, we’d have more, and we’d be better for it. As it is, we’re happy we got the best out of her on this one. It’s a heartbreaker at every turn, so she doesn’t keep us guessing about what she was dealing with. “Rehab” tells us she was equally defiant, to her credit and her doom. It’s still a career-defining track any artist would be lucky to produce. Amy is so distinctive and so good at what she does, she makes this one of the most exciting and lasting records of the last 20 years. Time has been extremely kind to this record—it holds up and rewards repeated listens. Time should’ve been kinder to Amy Winehouse the person. But the artist and that voice? They’re immortal.

What a set of pipes! Also, a study in a career cut too short by tragedy.

amy winehouse's back to black is iconic. for only being seventeen years old, this album should be considered a classic. in some sense, this album doesn't sound like it was released in 2006 because of how amy effortlessly uses r&b and soul in her music. but she infuses those genres with pop to make a more contemporary sounding album. her voice has a haunted feel, perfect for the kinds of topics she covers, and that definitely helps the modernity. the album starts off with amy's most well known song, "rehab", specifically the catchy chorus is the first thing the listener hears. the album is peppered with various singles, but remarkably, the non-single songs are just as wonderful. they're smooth but the lyrics will break your heart. these are emotional songs, make no mistake, but she's gonna make you bop along with her.

2006? Time flies. This album however is timeless. Amy's voice is captivating, drawing us into her hazy reality. Truly belongs on the list 9/10

sad story but beautiful and timeless music

4.75 stars. A really great album. Amy's voice is so rich and is so evocative. Mark Ronson's production makes every instrument sound clear and full, and you can appreciate the sound of the full band on certain songs. It's a great, modern jazz album that still sounds like one of the classics. Some lyrics I don't quite understand, or the vulgar nature seems a bit awkward to me, but that's just my preference. Not a bad song on here and a really great listen overall

Ég er algjör aðdáandi Amy Winehouse og set hana mjög oft í gang til að komast í stuð. Hún er með magnaða rödd og mögnuð lög. Þannig að ég þurfti varla að hlusta á plötuna áður en ég ákvað hvað ég myndi setja á hana. Þetta er eitthvað sem ég mun oft setja aftur á fóninn.

Amazing! What an incredibly talented singer. Rest in peace

Exceptional throwback, true to roots, fabulous production

Great vibe

Amy winehouse is an undeniable talent, and an undeniable tragedy. You can feel the raw power behind her voice and intention behind it. Unfortunately so often is the case that the power that drives a talent like this can quickly turn. Like Amy's vocal runs, we try to keep up with the beauty and pain as it ebs and flows.

The first band to wear black and red, can you believe it?

I Knew of, but never really listened. What a homage to Phil Spector's thang. A life cut short way too soon, but thank you Amy for giving us what you could.

So good Amy!

its just soo good. ngl all highs. LETS TALK ABOUT MY TEARS DRY ON THEIR OWN TOP 10 GOATED SONGS OF ALL TIME IMO

01) Rehab - 10,0 02) You Know I'm No Good - 10,0 03) Me & Mr Jones - 10,0 04) Just Friends - 9,5 05) Back To Black - 10,0 06) Love Is A Losing Game - 10,0 07) Tears Dry On Their Own - 10,0 08) Wake Up Alone - 9,0 09) Some Unholy War - 9,0 10) He Can Only Hold Her - 9,5 11) Addicted - 9,5 TOTAL: 9,68 (97/100) Gone too young :-( If she was still alive, I'm sure she would be a global superstar right now. But, on the other hand, if she didn't lead the life she did, would we have this masterpiece? I think "No, no no!" Rest in peace, Amy!

Rehab is such a great opener. Just Friends isn't my favorite, but still fits in cohesively OMFG, Back to Black always punches me in the stomach in the best way. Ahhh, that transition to Tears Dry on Their Own 😍😍

I felt it, very good

Amy’s voice already sounded like it belonged in a smoke filled, old school jazz club where everyone in attendance was the type of person to have 24/7 alcohol sweats. Adding a retro doo-wop influence into the music along with lyrics that would suit the aforementioned type of imagined audience was just the perfect confluence of apropos.

Music that I hope the future generation continues to listen to. I wished she was here longer to make more music.

A brilliant album by an amazing talent. She probably should have went to rehab when they tried to make her go

4.5 rounded up. Iconic album with a ton of hits- love that the deluxe version includes Valerie

imagine making an album this good…just imagine

Back to Black. What can I say? We all know Amy’s story and this is just part of it. Sheer creativity and heartfelt singing. She wrote a good part of the album. Production is spot on; harkens back to Phil Spector in sound. Checks all the boxes for me: melodies, lyrics, vocals, instrumentation; it’s all top notch. We can only imagine what a follow up would have been like. Unfortunately, the “demons” that sparked her pure creativity and talent also did her in. A story we’ve heard about before over the centuries and across the arts.

I've had this album since the week it came out

What a voice. What a life. Throwback to Motown sound with very modern lyrics.

An album full of bangers

Rehab You Know I'm No Good Back To Black Tears Dry On Their Own

Absolutely incredible. Somehow never heard any of her songs before. Every song was fun, engaging, and enjoyable

10/10 I’ve been a big fan of this album for a long time it always makes me very sad to hear it even if the songs slap, there is a horribly dark irony in the subject matter of the songs, and what followed for Winehouse in real life the short discography, and life of Amy Winehouse are both indescribably beautiful and tragic

Having never listened to anything but Rehab, I feel like I've robbed myself of this. Such a talent lost too soon. Incredible voice over some great jazz-esque tracks. Considering the subject matter, it keeps everything feeling rather upbeat. Loved it. Might not wait to listen to her other album before it's (assumptively) on this list.

great obvi

Amy was so incredibly talented.

A solid bluesy album. Rather depressing considering her too early death.

Heartbreaking, beautiful, upbeat but slow in the right spots. Gut wrenching grief and drowning it with sex and booze. Unmatched. This album carried me through some of the worst heartbreak of my life. Love her and this album through and through

I love this album. Back to Black felt completely different when it came out. In the middle of mid 2000s pop, this raw, retro soul sound stood out immediately. It was bold, honest and full of character. The songs are sharp and memorable. Rehab is iconic, Back to Black is heartbreaking and powerful, and Tears Dry on Their Own has that Motown energy that makes it impossible not to move. Amy’s voice carries the whole record. It is smoky, vulnerable and full of attitude. What makes the album so strong is that beneath the retro production there is real emotional weight. It feels personal and unfiltered, which is why it still sounds fresh years later. Favourite song: Back to Black Least favourite: None. It is strong from start to finish Album artwork: Simple and striking. A timeless cover that perfectly matches the tone of the music

A singular talent. Man, what a loss. 5. Super catchy songs from top to bottom. Soulful, well produced.