Gold

At a concert in October 2002, at Nashville's Ryman Auditorium, someone in the audience yelled out a request for "Summer of '69", a hit by the similarly named Bryan Adams. Adams reacted with a stream of expletives, and ordered the house lights turned on, The Tennessean newspaper reported. He eventually found the fan who made the joke request, paid him $30 cash as a refund for the show, ordered him to leave, and said he would not play another note until he had left. He's also a pedophile (alledgedly)

We have Bruce Springsteen at home

Why'd they keep pushing this cunt?

I could see this playing at a suburban white Christian Americans family barbecue XD

“Gold” by Ryan Adams (2001) If you’re in the mood for country/pop/rock that’s smoother than Bruce Springsteen but not as intelligent as Neil Young, this album is worth a try. Ryan Adam’s’ poetry is better than that found in most pop music, but it has its flaws. There’s a nice enough cadence and sound, but he seems to write with limited vocabulary, conceptual depth, and synthesis. Several images are used repetitively (personified ‘night’, ‘breaking glass’), indicating a truncated imagination. Musically, the album is reminiscent of Bob Dylan and Van Morrison, with country flavorings, arranged and performed with adequate professionalism, and assisted by a large assembly of session musicians. Adams’ voice lacks control and resonance, but is well matched to the instrumental arrangements, as if producer/instrumentalist Ethan Johns was well aware of the limitations he was working with. And is there any instrument Johns doesn’t play? The album is well enough constructed, building in intensity and variety as it proceeds, stepping out of its initial country mode into the territory of classic and experimental rock. “Nobody Girl”, at over nine minutes, is about five minutes too short. Seriously. This review only covers the album as originally released. I’ll leave the sad and silly dispute over the five tracks of “Side Four” to Adams and Lost Highway Records. Sheesh. It’s not a classic, but it’s easy on the ears, and will help you get through your working day. 3/5

How many albums does this nonce have on the list?

Had to stop in the middle of the 3rd song, because my balls were shrinking. It's like a cocktail of estrogen with radioactive waste

Dull and goes on forever.

The 90 minutes of Gold by Ryan Adams would benefit from silence. Ideally 90 minutes of it. Even the ostensibly quiet songs on this record have this overproduced busyness, never allowing a drop of silence to accentuate the space between two beats, never giving elements room to be whole. There’s always an organ, a muffled rhythm guitar, or a semi-distant string quartet fussing in the background. This is apart from the beginning of that terrible Sylvia Plath song, which would benefit from bringing in Kevin Shields and his fifty guitars for an upfront wall-of-sound treatment to push the song deep, deep into the bayou. Of course, after a minute, the bare piano backing has to be joined by some strings. It was sounding lonely there! For this self-avowedly American record, a splendidly American word fits best: phony. Original ideas are sparse, just this slapped-on faux-Americana, tiresome mopey songs to a nameless girl, or a parade of nameless girls, and eyes-closed busker’s vocal affectations that magnify the triteness of the lines. It’s a box-ticking exercise in homage - here’s a fast-spoken song about New York, here’s a song with “Blues” in the title, look, a song about a street, a song about a bar, oh! 20 songs about a girl or girls. He can write a tune, but it will always look like Boris Karloff, and no make-up will hide the stitches, and he’s still waiting for that lightning bolt to bring that fucking thing to life. (Unlike the otherwise comparable Primal Scream, whose lightning bolt was Andy Weatherall.) Confession: I enjoyed Nobody Girl’s modicum of Coors lite rock until I realised it was longer than Fool’s Gold. From Wikipedia“”New York, New York" became a notable MTV and VH1 favorite following the September 11 attacks.” The chicken and the egg argument went dark. I dislike this record and can only stave off resentment for my 90 minutes with it by being mean, as I hate bearing a grudge. One star! What a dickwash of a cover fronts this album.

Lifeless and soulless, no clever turns of phrase or creative arrangements. Any band or local songwriter would have left this collection unrecorded. No business being on the list. And obligatory slap from beyond the grave from Sylvia Plath for taking her name in vain on such a dull song.

I liked this! Bluesy rocky Americana stuff. This is all upbeat (except Sylvia Plath). Would go great on a roadtrip playlist or something. This album is the kind of album that makes me glad this list exists. I never would have even given that cover a second glance! Never would have heard it. Is it 5 stars? No. Is it 4? Probably not, but considering how much I've been liberal with my 3 stars this year, I'll have to give it a 4. Really enjoyed "When the Stars Go Blue", "Nobody Girl", "Sylvia Plath", "Tina Toledo's Street Walkin' Blues", and "Rosalie Come and Go"

according to "meet me in the bathroom" Ryan Adams knowingly got Albert Hammond Jr. (from the strokes) back on heroin. in fact everything I've ever heard about him is that he is a douche. but I've never met the guy. so i dunno. as far as music, he's got a nice voice, but the album isn't interesting. lyrics are pandering; music is predictable. If they had to change this from 1001 to 1000 albums to listen to, this should be the one that goes.

Not bad for an arrogant dickhead.

how do I post the meme of that seal yelling gaaaaaayyy?

Überbewertet in allen Belangen.

Can't really go wrong with Ryan Adams. He reminds me a lot of the singer/songwriters from the 90s but more contemporary.

He's a great writer. And it all SOUNDS great. But even before I knew how much of a tool he was, there was always somewhat of a disconnect. He never resonated with me. I recognized the quality, but it didn't speak to me. It still doesn't. I do my best to separate the art from the artist, but I can't pretend I'm not turned off by Ryan right now. And it definitely isn't helping me connect with this any more at the moment. A very generous... 3.5/5

According to Wikipedia, "Ryan Adams; Not to be confused with Bryan Adams." Also, the anecdote about "Summer of '69" made me laugh. As for the album, too long, uninteresting and I've reached a point in the 1001 albums that I definitely have a problem with the harmonica. Make it stop!

I can't be bothered to compose a full review, so here are my notes: familiar and anonymous jack and diane on repeat for an hour cannot sing, awful voice would be a relief to hear summer of 69 [flips coin disinterestedly]: 1

One of my favorite assholes in the business. This is a pretty fantastic album, but it does go on too long; it's not like Adams has ever known to not overdo it with his output. Yes he's pretty terrible, he always has been. I don't listen to music to make friends with the artists. 4 star album getting a 5 for all the community hate.

this was surprisingly good - I'm a little bit bummed it has a low global rating

This album is so fun!! I love this! So easy on the ears to listen to. This is like Bruce Springsteen, Neil Young, or Bob Dylan but better. Country? Rock? I liked it either way. Ryan isn't the best vocalist, but it all fits the style and is fun. I liked this so much I went and found the 4 extra songs not on Spotify to listen to. I was very hard set on giving this 4 stars and I am not quite sure why, this deserves a 4.5 rounded up to a 5 from me. I enjoyed the entire album. Liked Songs: Literally everything. Although "Answering Bell" and "La Cinega Just Smiled"

Around the time of this album’s release was when I first encountered Ryan Adams. I was struck by the songwriting on this album and listening again today still am. Some great love songs and breakup tunes. Quite a bit of variety on his vocals here as well. Excellent!

A mix of Bruce Springsteen, and John Mayer? I like this a lot. From all the comments, it seems like at the time this wasn't a big hit and Ryan Adams might not be the best person, but in 2025, this is a nice breath of fresh air. I'm glad his producers cut out five songs though. Not sure I could do a full double album. I mean this in the most respectful way possible, but Ryan Adams looks like a poster child for autism in this cover art.

Enjoyable Americana, shame it came from a shitwad.

Generic pop country leads into vibey rock (Nobody Girl is a banger). The whole album is a very easy listen, so it's a shame Ryan Adams is kind of a gross human being (some of those allegations are a big deal)

Not horrible but not great either. A couple of good songs but sounds like middle-of-the-road tunes that are easily forgettable.

Well, Ryan Adams, eh? yet another example of the age-old conundrum: can we enjoy the Art regardless of the behavior of the Artist? For me, it comes down to ick factor. Does what I know create a feeling of ickiness in me that prevents me from listening to the music? And sorry, Mr Adams, you have crossed that line. Your Mr Sensitive Artist persona feels like wolf-in-sheep's-clothing camouflage that you use to manipulate and exploit young women. And that has a deleterious effect on the music industry, discouraging women from creating art that we might all enjoy, and society as a whole by discouraging women from, you know, enjoying their daily lives. It's just shitty behavior, dude, and you don't really seem that aware or apologetic. But what, I hear you ask, is the album actually like? Well, I don't care, because I've had it up to here with unrepentant arseholes. I'm going to have to rate this one pretty low, based on: 1) Ryan Adams seems like an arsehole. I just can't listen to this record without my mind being flooded with distracting thoughts of Ryan Adams manipulating and exploiting women. Which kind of kills the vibe, you know? , and 2) there are plenty of other examples of this type of thing that I can happily listen to instead (for example, let's listen to a Phoebe Bridgers record, that would be cool!).

It's rare that I can't finish an album but an hour and a half of this shite was just too much. Terrible, just terrible.

Fine album, some good stuff on there!

Incredible album from the days that everything Ryan Adams touched turned into .. yes Gold. Take the epic Nobody girl and find out that this is soon followed by the heartbreaking duo Wild flowers and Harder now that it's over. And whether they are rock, country, gospel or whatever, weak songs are not remotely in sight.

Love, love, love this album. More rocking than his first solo LP, Heartbreaker, but perhaps not as pretty. Great Americana.

Very good

This is a great record, polished, mature and beautifully bittersweet. One allows for accusations of excessive personal attachment and the risk of overrating because one lived in NYC when this record came out, and listened to it somewhere between religiously and routinely, often whilst walking the very streets he name-drops. But what's not to like – the commitment to surviving and transcending heartache/heartbreak, the youthful energy, the historically informed, yet not fawning and still original homages to country/folk-rock gods. Not many better outings in early Americana than this. The opener, "La Cienega" "When the Stars Go Blue," "Sylvia Plath" and "Harder Now" are all standouts, but every cut offers something of interest. What a pleasure to hear this again to but also substantive, begging the usual question with RA, which is how did he ever write so many good songs so fast?

4.0

Middle of the road bar music

Look, I know that this was probably recorded before 9/11, but the fact that this was released a week after 9/11 in 2001 with an American flag cover, and songs titled "New York, New York" and "The Rescue Blues" really makes you think... Feels like he either jumped on the 9/11 grift wave, or he knew about the attacks on the World Trade Center ahead of time. I guess he didn't pop off much anyway, I thought this was the guy from Fall Out Boy when I saw the album cover lol.

Good album! Another artist I wasn't familiar with by name, but I know I've heard Rescue Blues before. I feel like this album is a great representation of singer-songwriter rock in the early 00s. I can hear sounds that remind me of other artists I'm more familiar with from the era. I also hear some strong elements of 70s era singer-songwriting. I can certainly hear the the influence of Dylan, Young, and Springsteen throughout the album. Favorite Songs: The Rescue Blues

Today I learned there is a Ryan Adams and a Bryan Adams. It's not bad, just a tad too generic for my taste

Temu Bruce Springsteen.

Felt like a by the numbers country rock album. Not familiar with Ryan Adams but can't say that Gold would get me listening to any more of his albums.

I like how the Wikipedia article says that this was supposed to be a double album and that Ryan got pissed that the record label was, quote, “fucking his fans over” into paying more for a single album. Ryan, this is a rip-off as is, and the only things that got fucked were my ears and patience. Honestly, seeing an alternative country album going over an hour gave me the impression that this would be terrible. But in fact, it’s worse; it’s mid. Outside of a few exceptions (the slow songs), nothing really pops out. And for a lengthy album, you hit the wall pretty early. After Nobody Girl, my brain pretty much checked out and the rest just felt like noise. It’s dull, long, and frankly, not really worthy of being here. Also, apparently Ryan is a scumbag too. So fuck this. Favorite track: Goodnight, Hollywood Blvd. Other hits: New York,New York, When the Stars Go Blue, Somehow,Someday, Sylvia Plath

One of those solidly mid why was this on the list albums

new york, new york- 4 firecracker- the harmonica is grating on my nerves. 4 answering ball- 3 la cienega just smiled- 3 the rescue blues- 2 or 3 somehow someday- 3 when the stars go blue- 2 or 3 nobody girl- 3 sylvia plath- 1 or 2 enough not only did i not have to listen to this album before i died, i dont think it ever needed to exist in the first place

I don't understand why I didn't like this. But I wanted to stop listening to it.

Calling this boring, run-off-the-mill Americana album "Gold" is really pushing it. ... Iron, maybe? Mud? 2/5

The slower songs are pleasant, but I can't support the problematic singer.

Eh, I'm not a fan of this kind of stuff, too slow and not enough interesting going on.

Nope

It is difficult, at times, to separate the person and the music. It has been documented many times in the press with direct quotes from those affected about what an emotionally abusive and controlling partner he is to women. He even wrote an apology for his “past” behavior. He has also sent nudes and explicit texts to underage females. That, on top of disrespecting his audience by storming off stage. All of that aside…..his music is ok. Some decent pop songs. That’s it.

Some ok pop songwriting that's well produced.  If Gold was a colour it would be beige.  I'm not into it and it seemed to go on for 6 hours.

A fairly mediocre and forgettable album.

"eyes-closed busker’s vocal affectations" about sums up my thoughts. Pretty unremarkable stuff.

I have no clue why this album is included on this list. Its so unremarkable. I can hear this same stuff from a handful of other artists/bands. 2/5.

feels souless. theres good country and theres bad country yo.

Exactly as it was in 2001. 10-15 minutes of going. Wow - this is great. Then an hour of wondering. Wow - this is shit; please end now. 2.1

Early 2000s schlock. Very dull and way too long.

Yeah I find it washes over me leaving very little. There's nothing intrinsically awful about it ..... I'm just surprised he's 23 albums into his career. Stephen King reckon he's the best songwriter since Neil Young. I think Stephen King should just write novels. Massive Meh. 2.

Fine. Long, a bit boring in places. I think his influences are too obvious - usually people like Dylan. Laura Marling liked him when she was young but changed her mind when she got older and various allegations about him emerged. Apparently he also did a full cover of a Taylor swift album which is lame. I dunno, I think maybe he's just lame? I thought about giving a 3 but downgraded to a 2. #me2

No part of me enjoys this music. I recognize it as being comprised of elements I like in other music, but this specific combination has resulted in the composition of something noxious.

Fuck this abuser. The music is also nothing.

Absolutely not

Shit

I know, this list isn't about scandals or behind the scenes misconduct of any kind. But still, no....this guy? Yeah, hell no

An album as s**t is the man who wrote it is a person.

Very boring and dull. Not sure what is special or different to make this list…

God damn this shit is so ass

Meh

En tiedä miksi tää albumi on just semmonen mikä pitää ennen kuolemaa kuunnella. Tuntuu että "sama" albumi on julkastu 1001 kertaa jo pelkästään 2000-luvulla. Ehkä jos oisin 11-vuotias tyttö vuonna 2002 ni tästä vois saada enemmän irti, mut ei tämmönen jöröjullikka osaa sanoa yhtään mitään. Jos ois B etunimen edessä ni sais extra pisteen, nyt tuleekin nimen matkimisesta miinus.

Pre-listen whining: Opened the generator today and said “Oh, fuck Ryan Adams.” Then I saw that this is 70 minutes long. I have to listen to this fucking guy for over an hour? For fuck’s sake, for what? And that’s without the additional 20 minutes the label made him cut that are apparently included in re-releases, so for once I can be thankful for record label meddling. Could you imagine? Jesus Christ. Alright, open mind. Listening and learning. Post-listen whining: I really did try and I didn’t like it. All of these songs remind me of another, better song. The affectation in his singing voice is obnoxious: I can see him in my mind’s eye singing with his eyes closed, near to the mic, lifting his lips in a light sneer as a display of sincerity and authenticity. Passable but uninteresting guitar work. Springsteen without the guts or lyrical acuity. This is not difficult to listen to, but it is so invariable that it completely collapses under its runtime and becomes a slog. It all sounds the same. If this was 45ish minutes like a normal album I’d maybe (maybe) be more generous. The fact that his vision for this album is the fucking double-disc 90-minute version is unforgivable to me after my listen and I feel for people who chose that version for this project. If he wanted those five songs included on this album so bad, he could’ve started by cutting the nearly-ten-minute nothingburger “Nobody Girl”. I’m a bit mystified by this album’s inclusion and can only guess that it’s important for its… influence? Citation needed.

Feels like he tried taking five different artist's sound and did it worse than every single one on every single track… 2000's indie/romcom movie core (derogatory) Way too bloated, filled end to end with ad music.

I was doing ok on this album until "Sylvia plath" which I thought "oh this song is awful it must be the album closer" but nope! Still 40 minutes of music to go... Entire back half was a slog. Album seems devoid of originality and I can't really imagine why it's on a list of stuff that we "must" listen to before we die

It mostly wasn't painful to listen to, but it was also completely uninteresting.

Not very interesting, exciting or unusual. Just quiet and simple rock/country singer/songwriter music. The album is also way too long and multiple times I found myself looking at the track list to see how much I had left to sit through

This is some of the whitest music I've ever heard, and I'm a white guy who loves Steely Dan.

Milquetoast

I can do this, too. The road is long, You've got to be crazy to catch a cliché, it ain't easy, and my brother, looking over my shoulder, it's been a long path; and my sister, where has she gone? Where has the time gone, dripping off my watch like syrup, Dali on my mind, Dali on my mind, Dali on my mind, Dah-a-a-ali on myyy miiind. Heavy with the pressure, waking up in a motel and thinking, Dali on my mind, Dali on my mind, Dali on my mind. Ooohh, yeeeaah.

I hate this album. Its as phony and contrived as things can get. 1/5

What is this even doing on this list?

1001 Albums Generator Day 11 At the turn of the millennium, the singer of an up and coming "alt-country" band went solo to make a top-heavy, overlong, yet pleasant album with the kind of guestlist that gives the monthly reviewers butterflies. He was deeply reverent of artists from the past and the wasted genius image they exemplified in a way that invited comparison with them, but he did not possess the lyrical, melodic or vocal gifts of, say, Evan Dando. Later, his musical reputation would be based on his first two solo records and his perceived eccentricity, which meant an apparently voracious taste for speedballs and recording lots of albums no-one wanted to release. The two albums still turn up in lists like this one, but from roughly 2002-07 he was effectively replaced by a younger, prettier, more talented "new new Dylan," Conor Oberst. So, what about this album, Gold? I bought a copy in a charity shop a few years ago, but I had to listen via streaming today as it soon ended up back in the donations pile. The title describes its smooth, expensive sound and anticipated its UK certification for sales. It has the kind of guestlist that gives the monthly reviewers butterflies. It's also characterless and, as for overlong, this fucker is the length of a football match. Both Heartbreaker and Gold are in the book on which this series is based, but if you can't find 1001 albums better than both you aren't trying hard enough.

Well, this is devoid of personality.

Really bad. The blandest thing I've ever heard, not an original note on the album

I don’t know if it’s his best, but this album holds such a significant place in my heart. My first exposure to Ryan Adams, and the gateway to some of my favorite artists. Our wedding song is on this album. I spent countless sleepless nights driving around listening to this. Our daughters’ lullabies that they now sing themselves are on this. Such an important album for mainstreaming alt-country. It’s unfortunate (and probably not surprising) that he turned out to be such a creep. I atone by buying all of Phoebe Bridgers’s albums in recompense.

I loved it. I'd only known Ryan Adams from a couple radio hits. This album was great. There's a Bob Dylan quality to the subject and lyrics but sung with an great voice. This is a good one.

Classic Americana album.

I, unfortunately, really loved this. Singer songwriter always does it for me. Unless it’s Leonard Cohen.

For a guy who was (and at the time of this writing) still may be a complete fuck up, there is no denying his ability to write a great fucking tune. I’m not sure where he is in his scandal ridden life, but having learned that even a thorough and complete piece of shit like Donald Trump can be elected President twice, Ryan probably get’s a pass. Whiskeytown was my first introduction to Ryan’s exceptional talent. This is a good time to mention Caitlin Cary, his talented partner in the that revolving door band. She was the only other constant in that band which really was the perfect mix of alternative rock and country. Her later work with North Carolina royalty, former dBs, Chris Stamey and Don Dixon are also compelling listening. So, what about Gold? This 2nd solo record took ideas that first surfaced in Whiskeytown and repurposed them into a collection of songs that hold up remarkably well in 2025. Putting aside the two singles - New York New York and Answering Bell for a moment, the true gold in this record lies in the solidly consistent and varied songs that make this a complete record. It’s not just the amazing musicianship by the assembled studio band (check out the Wiki for that info), it’s just that Ryan’s vocals are perfectly recorded and mixed lending a sweetness and sincerity to what is essentially a breakup record. Is it sprawling? Yes, certainly. Is it a little juvenile lyrically at times? Yes, certainly. But I don’t see either of those as flaws on this record. At the time I recall reading reviews of this record mentioning the length and writing as negatives. They are not. This is a complete window into where Ryan was at the time and it’s perceived flaws reveal a remarkable honesty in both approach and delivery. Ryan was immature. Heartbreak is hard. This is an intensely personal record by an experienced and talented musician who certainly should have been a star. Like Paul Westerberg (the Replacements influences are all over this record), Ryan, at 26 years old, was expanding the palate beyond his influences and creating an experience for the listener that was more than the romantic leanings of his charming debut solo Heartbreaker from the previous year. This record was made to be a classic- timeless and I think listening to it again all the way through, he has achieved that standard. Picking standouts on a classic record seems pointless but in the hope someone wants to experience the record in a slightly different way than what was sequenced on the vinyl here is my take: start with the run of New York New York, Firecracker (track sounds like it came off the Replacements Hootenanny record) and Answering Bell. As good a 3 song start to any record. Then Somehow Someway, Nobody Girl and then Gonna Make You Love Me. Nobody Girl is as fine as dusty barroom ballad as as ever been constructed. Then next with Touch Feel & Lose, Enemy Fire, La Cienega Smiled and The Rescue Blues. These blues songs are a compelling quartet - examining the heartache from all angles but with an amazing tenderness Then you can bring it all home with Sylvia Plath ( dark fucking lyrics), Wild Flowers, It’s Harder Now That Its Over, The Toledo’s Street Walking Blues and finally Goodnight, Hollywood Blvd. An awesome finish to a very fine record. I know that it’s probably sacrilegious to reorder the tracks but this is how it all plays out in my mind. And that’s what makes this record special- it touches you emotionally even though it’s not your relationship that just crashed and fucking burned. Great music makes you feel emotion and this record will touch your heart.

High in the running for best album of 2001, and tied with Bob Dylan's Love and Theft for my favorite album from that year, Ryan Adams Gold is a beautiful masterpiece of rock -n-roll. A perfect album in every way. From New York to Hollywood Boulevard, from poets to prostitutes, from gorgeous ballads and love songs to balls out rave ups, it is the best kind of American rock -n-roll...sacred... holy. An achievement. It Deserves it's place on this list for sure, and five just doesn't seem to cut it. Nevertheless, 5.

Title of the album speaks for itself

The power of this album is found in its release date. Dropping weeks after the Twin Towers fell, it was the perfect salve for a shocked, and grieving America mostly anchored by that opening track New York. 'Gold' takes me back to such a specific time and place and age, that I hold it so dear to my heart. It's got an incredible opener of 8 solid tracks. The back half of the album is a little middling and overly long, but still quite good. Ryan's career was never able to quite reach the heights of 'Gold', but this album was so terribly needed than all the unremarkable and unfair reviews on this site would care to admit.

Top to bottom, phenomenal album.

Excellent album great voice

Brilliant album. Great set of songs!

Surprisingly not what I expected. Bonus: Spotify matched songs very nicely

Rating it a five, not because it's one of the best I've heard, but because it's an album I would've never heard otherwise full of consistent tracks on the first half. Usually this kind of early 2000s pop rock feels a bit samey, but this one kept me listening

Perfect album!

I really enjoyed this album. I've heard of him but have never listened to him before.

Another album that I had to spend some time over. Ultimately I determined that although there are a few tracks on it that I don't like too much, the overall experience is such that it deserves a place in my Tidal library, and an award of five gold stars.

Klasse Album. Eingängige, melodiöse und sparsam instrumentierte Songs! Endlich mal wieder ein Highlight für meine Playlist!

Own