Are You Experienced

If it's not enough that this is packed with absolute classics (Foxey Lady, Purple Haze, Hey Joe, Wind Cries Mary...) the deeper cuts are also frequently excellent. It's easy to take for granted how experimental and technically superb his playing is because by this point it's so familiar, but the fact he (and his band) were doing this in 1967, SIXTY years ago, just boggles the mind. A one-of-a-kind talent.

Really great instrumentals, okay lyrics, but the album just ran so long that it all kinda blended together. Hendrix’s guitar playing was obviously amazing, but I also really found myself enjoying the drums on all these tracks.

Hot take maybe but this album is better than Electric Ladyland

It’s kind of ridiculous that this was Jimi Hendrix’s debut. He was 24 when it came out, and the level of songwriting and guitar playing already feels fully formed. If that isn’t a testament to the quality of psychedelics in the 60s, I don’t know what is. There are so many bangers on here that even some of the deeper cuts get overlooked. “Manic Depression” is severely underrated, and “Fire” has always been one of my favorite Hendrix songs. Then you’ve got stuff like “The Wind Cries Mary,” where I love the little rough details you can hear in the recording, like the snare rattling in spots. It makes the album feel alive instead of overly cleaned up. What’s crazy is how much ground he covers without any of it sounding forced. Blues, psychedelia, hard rock, quieter stuff, all of it fits together. Hendrix obviously changed what people thought an electric guitar could do, but the songs themselves are strong enough that the guitar heroics never have to carry the whole thing. Pretty much an all-time debut.

That’s how you debut and change the world.

the guy highlights: purple haze may this be love third stone from the sun

Music sweet music

An outstanding record, but I rarely put it on.

Exciting and virtuosic

Excellent.

Dude, one of the best for sure

While its an entertaining listen, it was not able to turn me on to psychedelic rock either. Purple Haze is the opener and of course its a classic, and while plenty other tracks on the album are also plenty good, it still didn't do the hooking necessary to convert me into being a psychedelic rock lover. Its a fun time, but I dont see myself returning to it any time soon.

- Purple Haze, classic. - No particular song has stood out to me yet. I may not be the biggest fan of 60s rock. I think it all sounds the same. I'm sure it was unique for its time, though.

I mean, of course this is on this list. In fact, I would argue this is one of the top 50, if not top 10, albums of all time. Absolutely launches you into psychedelic space right from the jump with one of the best songs ever. I don't even care that Jimi can't really sing; every guitar part makes up for that tenfold. I go through phases relatively often where I wish all music sounded like this album; psychedelic rock just really does something to me. Insane that this came out nearly 60 years ago - talk about ahead of its time! Jimi is an all-time talent, and I didn't know how many fantastic deep cuts were waiting for me on this album. Superb. Favorite tracks: Purple Haze, Hey Joe, May This Be Love…I could go on but I would end up listing the whole album

8/10 jest zajebisty, ale nie dałabym 5/5 bo nie zachwycił mnie aż tak bardzo

This being my second Jimi album on the list and hearing more of the rock and psychedelic sounds from the era I really feel like he was a true master of the craft off the bat, and this album ,the Experiences first album mind you, is such a prime example of it. I think I like it just as much as Axis (which is a great thing) with the only distinction is that this one has more distinct singles that stand out to me more than Axis. I love me some Jimi. Fav tracks: Purple Haze, Manic depression, Hey Joe, Love or Confusion, May this be love, The wind cries Mary, and Are you Experienced

one of the best albums ever recorded. enough said.

Probably should be a 5 with all the bangers on the first half. might change it later

Podľa mňa najlepší album Jimiho Hendrixa.

Love this album, what a great listening experience

✅️ STILL BANGS So many of these songs have taken a life of their own, that it's easy to forget how "The Wind Cries Mary" into "Fire" into the more jazzy jammy funky freakout "Third Stone From the Sun" into "Foxey Lady" is such an incredible suite of rock'n'roll.

GOATED

The apex of psychedelia, the historical significance of the record is unmeasurable. While I believe that 'Electric Ladyland' is somewhat beyond in quality and memorable hits, it is an album that embodies an era and cemented Jimi as the greatest rock guitarist of all time. 9/10 [KEEP]

I have being listening to this for the past two days, and I even heard the US version (I hate that they used to make different versions), and while I do think it is fun, I don't really find it as exciting as other people do. Starting from the positives, it should not come as a surprise that Jimi Hendrix is the heart of the band. Not only his skillful ability to play the guitar is very playful and entertaining, but his singing is also very passionate, full of charm and even sexy. The other two members performances aren't held back from Jimi Hendrix presence, as the drums tend to be incredibly busy and full of energy (like in "Maniac Depression" or in the accelerating ending of "I Don't Live Today") and the bass very groovy, as in "Third Stone from the Sun", even though it can be a bit hard to catch this last instrument in general. Some highlights I want to mention as well are "Foxey Lady" being a really nice intro song that starts the album with a lot of energy (which is a way better position rather than being one of the last songs like in the US version), the already mentioned frantic ending of "I Don't Live Today" and the catchy choruses in "Fire". Although this album have all this energy and passion, and doesn't really have a bad song, I'm not that enthusiastic about it. The production is a bit rough, and blues-rock is a genre that I mostly struggle with and I'm a bit tired of (even though this album has a lot of psychedelia going on), so that's why I'm feeling this way about the record.

Hell of an album.

Excuse me while I kiss the sky with the vocals so far removed from the music. I bet Jimi did drugs… 😏. Joe… needs therapy. But don’t we all. 17 songs… one foxey hour. Yea, 🔥4.4

Excellent! Really enjoyable listen. 8/10 Most Excellent

Some massive massive massive songs here. Also some terrible ones. The title track is itself usable as an anti drug campaign ad. It’s rubbish, not everything you do whilst high should be released. 3.8/5.0 Best Song: Foxey Lady

Good guitar, classic 60/70 rock sound. Sounds kind of heavy and chill at same time. Want really in the mood and felt album went a bit long tho

Classic album, and rightly so. There are so many different techniques used in developing the songs - reversing the tracks on Are You Experienced, creating the wah-wah effect in I Don't Live Today, sounds and effects constantly moving around from one speaker / earphone to another - making each track sound different. It's such a meticulous piece of work, you get the feeling that even small details like the sound of a page turning are left in on purpose. It sounds like on some of the songs, Hendrix's guitar gets turned up higher than his singing (Love or Confusion especially) making the guitar the star. The drumming is great throughout as well. The whole thing is just a bit of a sonic blast really, clearly inspiring generations to come. Favourite tracks, beyond the 4 songs that were released, are the burst of fun that is Fire, and the psychedelics of Third Stone From The Sun, but it might be something different the next time I listen to it. 5 stars

Hendrix disliked the UK cover and wanted "something psychedelic", so graphic designer Karl Ferris refreshed the sleeve. It is so typical of the genre that if you haven’t seen it before it looks like a pastiche. The rubbish Uk record company had a bizarre view of a&r and released the original release, the Uk version in a horror of a sleeve and with the tracks that were hits removed. Thankfully the American version has purple haze etc and a great sleeve.

3.36

Il dio della chitarra elettrica

Very typical Hendrix. Overly busy. Hard to listen to. He has much better albums.

Just amazing

This album is all good, but at 17 songs it wore me out a bit. “Fire” (Those drums! That guitar!), “Purple Haze,” “Hey Joe, and “Foxey Lady” were my favorites and are classics for a reason. I also really liked “Stone Free” and “Love or Confusion.”

Solidan album, svida mi se gitara u vecini pjesama

A lot of the Dad Rock/Boomer albums on this list have been meh at best and unlistenable at worst, but this one still fucking rips. "Wind Cries Mary" has been rotating around the playlists, but also really enjoyed "Purple Haze" "Manic Depression" "Hey Joe" "Foxey Lady" "Stone Free" and "Highway Chile"

Rowdy and tender, sexy but sensitive, bluesy, psychedelic, of a tradition but breaking new ground. Hendrix's only musical fault was his short life. Nobody else has ever done precisely this. On top of how creative Hendrix is, Noel Redding (bass) and Mitch Mitchell (drums) are incentive and compelling as his rhythm section and co-conspirators. It's sublime. The production is perfect. You'll think of nothing but the song. It's as if it had never been recorded and was merely beamed into my brain. 5/5 this record could cost you a lot of money in upgraded stereo equipment. This may be the equal of Abbey Road. 5/5

This is one I knew, but listening with attention really brought home just how good it is. I usually get bored by showboating guitar solos, but he plays with such expressiveness and skill, there's no one like him. The psychedelic elements make it so much better than typical heavy guitar music too. The version on YouTube seems to have extra tracks on the end which are definitely not as good, but I'm rating it as though it was the original release.

Brilliant from start to finish. His best album without a doubt.

A great time that lives up to the hype. Tremendous, influential and fun.

Eh

01) Purple Haze - 9,0 02) Manic Depression - 8,0 03) Hey Joe - 10,0 04) Love or Confusion - 7,5 05) May This Be Love - 8,5 06) I Don't Live Today - 7,0 07) The Wind Cries Mary - 9,0 08) Fire - 7,5 09) Third Stone from the Sun - 7,5 10) Foxey Lady - 9,5 11) Are You Experienced? - 7,5 TOTAL: 8,27 (83/100) Current ranking: 232/1061

More like a greatest hits album, this has got to be one of the best debuts ever and, possibly, a top 5 best rock album of all time. Hendrix pretty much invented a genre of psychedelic blues rock. This band arrived fully formed and powerful. I can't get over how great a drummer Mitch Mitchell was and how dynamic this trio was. I wonder what Hendrix' (and the band's) career would be if not for his death.

Strong argument this is the best debut of all time, and a top ten rock album ever. No one has played guitar like Hendrix, then or now. He put his whole soul into every track here, solos that express the feeling of each song so well. Also love Mitch Mitchell's drumming and how much Jimi lets him cook on this.

He's the goat for a reason. Legendary member of the 27 Club, what a master of the zeitgeist and timeless arts. Really bonkers listening, so rich musically.

Of the three Jimi Hendrix albums that i have heard, Are You Experienced is easily the best one of the bunch. I have vague memories of Foxey Lady but other than that, i don't have much recollection of the album but now that i have heard it, i can see why people love it so much. I feel like this album might be even more accessible than Axis: Bold As Love and that might make sense since this was Jimi Hendrix's first album and he did want to get people listening to his music. The guitars and melodies here were also just fantastic and were able to capture that blues rock vibe just right. There isn't really much else i can say so all i will say is that this album is great. Best Song: Foxey Lady Worst Song: Third Stone From The Sun Side note: Last Jimi Hendrix album, which means: 1. Are You Experienced 2. Axis: Bold As Love 3. Electric Ladyland

There’s a couple of fine songs, garage rock with a superior guitarist but a lot of it is unfocused and meandering. Record company A+R, producer, and Hendrix’s management needed to be tougher with him rather than enabling this legacy damaging half-arsed effort.

Visst är det skönt slippa Jimis jammande och höra honom spela låtar, excesserna är sparsmakade. Den stora behållningen är inte heller Jimi utan bandet och det groove de tämligen ofta lyckas frammana tillsammans. Den taffliga stereomixen är också lite underhållande, den gör sig nog egentligen bättre i mono men för mig tillför den ändå ett underhållningsvärde. "Can you see me" och "Fire" är riktigt bra, liksom souliga "Remember". "Third stone from the sun" är härligt haschdimmig med groove i centrum snarare än gitarrsolo. Visst bluesen i "Red house" hade jag gärna varit utan och ett par spår till kan man ha eller mista. Men en trea klarar den.

Fire och Remember är enda låtarna att notera på den här skivan. I övrigt endast ett enda långt bluesjam som möjligen kan fungera på syradränkt barfotafestival. Ovan nämnda låtar räddar en svag tvåa. Hade Hey Joe, Purple haze och The wind cries Mary ingått i den bedömda originalutgåvan hade betyget kunnat höjas till tvåa av normalgraden. (Utgår från låtordningen som listas i boken).

Ofta kategoriserad som psykedelisk rock. Men man får inte glömma att gitarrvirtuosen Hendrix i grunden är en soul och bluesman. Vilket också lyser igen om flera låtar. Dessutom rejält jazzigt. Inte minst Mitchells trumspel. Det uppskattas. Tycker det är lite oklart vilken version man ska lyssna på. Amerikanska och brittiska kom i stort sett ut samtidigt (någon månads skillnad) ändå skiljer sig tre av låtarna åt. Både Hey Joe och soulballaden The wind crys Mary finns bara på amerkanska utgåvan. Två riktigt bra spår. Å andra sidan kan UK-utgåvan stoltsera med utmärkta soulballaden Red house. Mitt omdöme grundas på en combo av de båda utgåvorna. Landar i en rätt stark trea till slut.

Ett utmärkt exempel för att påvisa skillnaden mellan en bra musiker och bra musik. Hendrix må var hur skicklig som helst på sin gitarr men det blir bara en teknisk uppvisning. Lite som att läsa en teknisk specifikation om en förstärkare istället för att använda den för att lyssna på musik. Vid några få tillfällen slutar Hendrix att vara ekvilibrist och låter istället musiken tala. Med nöd och näppe godkänt.

I was trying to find the “official” version of this to listen to since there’s like 4 different reissues with different songs and different orders…but honestly, it really doesn’t matter because they all slap and groove

The top two singles in 1967 were both Englebert Humperdinck. This record saved many people's lives.

didnt really like it.. felt very generic and nothing really caught my attention, it was a vibe though, perhaps sounds better if i smoked weed while listening to it

Cool album!

Such good hits. A little lighter in the middle. A shorter album would have yielded 5 stars!

Lost its way in the middle a bit but still enough great tracks for top points.

Okay ig

pleasant!

Jimi, amo que você é tudo de bom para a música e um verdadeiro ícone em uma época em que ser livre era poder gritar sob uma guitarra potente e fodástica! Gosto de como este álbum tem um "quê" experimental e todo mundo parece estar completamente bem com isso. Eu vejo a faixa "Are You Experienced?" como o mais puro suco de Jimi Hendrix e companhia. Ela tem aquela crueza maliciosa de: "Cara, vai colocando isso aqui também na letra." "Isso aqui no som também." "Jimi, você vai cantar também?" "Claro. Eu vou guiar vocês nessa." Sinto muito, "Angel"! Mas essa se tornou a minha música favorita!

Es un album historico, muy buenas guitarras, tremendo

I came into this expecting to rate it a 4, but it was so much better than my memory. Great stuff

Undeniably great. Guitar playing that feels so alive. Incredible something this well put together is a debut album. Favourite tracks: Purple Haze, The Wind Cries Mary, Fire, Stone Free, Hey Joe

Best album I've listened to yet. One of my favorites when I was young. His riffs, his voice, and the variety of melody. It was full rock and drifty roll. There were so many hits to say but the only song I wasn't a fan of was Remember. It was nice to experience some songs I didn't love as a kid again. New faves: Love or Confusion, May This Be Love, and Can You See Me.

Let Jimi take over! This is an all time great, for sure.

Theres nothing to say that hasnt been said, groundbreaking at the time still holds up today. Every track brilliant enjoyed it a lot despite it not being the original copy.

I can't say anything that others haven't. Here are the reasons it's a 5: It's groundbreaking, influential, ahead of its time, engaging, fun, cool, exciting, and incredible. It has great drums, beautiful guitar, fantastic lyrics and musicianship. It's a classic, iconic, powerful, stunning, emotive and evocative. There's nothing like it. It still holds up today. This album does not feel 60 years old. It's Hendrix.

10/10

Absolutely a classic and stands the test of time. The music still feel experimental and fresh. Songwriting is top notch and obviously the guitar playing is on another level. Not every song hits for me but so solid all the way through. Top Songs: Purple Haze, Hey Joe, May This Be Love, The Wind Cries Mary, Are You Experienced?

Jimi's debut.. Can only be top marks for this one, can't imagine any other way! Just great great album, true rock masterpiece and among the most influential ones for that matter, no doubt.

Gonna give this one 5 stars not because of how much I enjoyed it (that would only be a 4 star) but because listening to this album made me realise just how influential jimi had been on my own life and others, a lot of tracks and riffs I didn’t even know I knew but that had been used in films I grew up on… the music itself has the rawness of sound that is often lacking in today’s over produced music industry, and it just felt special, is Jimi Hendrix technically the best guitar player who ever lived? Probably not, but he is among the most influential, and it’s clear to see why his legacy lives on

I like the non-hits better than the ones I already knew. 4/5

One of the classics Fave track: Purple Haze

Timeless, essential, electric guitar mastery. The 1967 year attached to this record is simply astounding. Surely one of the most important records ever made. 4.5/5

A 5 star talent for sure. But is this a 5 star album? Feels a bit cobbled together and a few songs aren't quite up to the same standard - like they just had him bash out his current live set in the studio. But then again, the good bits are really good. Tough call, but I guess he gets the benefit of the doubt, especially for dropping this in 1967 like he just landed from another planet...

It was good something that ive heard of but haven’t experienced yet fully hey joe maniac depression were good foxy lady

Some great songs on here, not something I seek out

...

I don't know why I didn't like this album much at first. Ok, it's not as psychedelic as the two follow-ups, but it's filled with bangers.

Cool

I was not feeling this the first time at all, but I’m glad I gave it a second listen the next day. It grew on me, but it still seems more like vibes than songs.

Extremely creative

Quite fun

Phenomenal

Love it. So good, so many bangers

Pretty stellar collection of songs for a single album. Yes there’s a lot of well known hits and for me that lends to a higher rating. Even if the production feels a bit off there’s no denying Jimi’s guitar playing talent and uniqueness. My personal faves include: “manic depression” and the “wind cries Mary”. But you’ve also got “purple haze”, “hey Joe”, “foxy lady” and some out there stuff like that”third stone from the sun”.

i am not

Just an incredible, ground-breaking album that is still something original and never been fully copied to this day. The songs are full of energy but also groove and soul. I listened to the US track order, but I want to go back and listen to the original UK track order, as the US order feels good, and I wonder if it changes much. It doesn't really let up the whole time, though - even the slow songs drive.

foxy ladyyyyyyy Would I listen again: yeah man i got it on vinyl Deserves to be on this list: rare artist i approve of having more than 1 album on here 4.7

The second Experience album so far. ----------------------------------------------------------- Never mind Jimi, Mitch Mitchell is Bitchin on the drums. Such technique, variety of sounds and mastery of the instrument. Together with Noel Redding they create the structure to Jimi's virtuosity, which is seen on full effect here. His vocals are delightfully smooth too. It's a masterpiece of rock that defined so much going forward for countless artists. This was their debut? In 1967? Incredible. 5*

What an amazing debut album! Banger after banger. Fire is my favorite song here, but so many are classics.

Some of the best electric guitar playing ever recorded, without a doubt. Some of the best rock drumming ever recorded. An unrelenting explosion of psychedelic noise-rock. I can't even begin to explain how much I love this music.

I know it's cliche to call Jimi Hendrix the greatest guitarist of all time, but is it really if its just true? It's a dead heat between this and Electric Ladyland for my favourite Jimi album, because both are just so awesome and have such good guitar playing behind them. And while I think Electric Ladyland has higher highs, that does not at all detract from the quality of this album. Easily a 10/10. I am now experienced.

Probably the best Hendrix album lots of his classics on it. Overall very enjoyable psychedelia.

Yes. I am very much experienced. And this was one of my more enjoyable experiences

pretty incredible guitar play i get it

A high quality album that is a highlight of ‘60s rock. Purple Haze is a classic of course, but Hey Joe and the title track are really strong songs that draw on the best currents of psychedelia and blues rock. You can imagine how powerful this would have been in 1967. It did drag a bit though, and tracks like Third Stone from The Sun were a bit of a miss.

A groundbreaking album for 1967 from one of the great innovators in popular music. Hendrix revolutionised guitar playing and this debut album showcases his innovation and skills. I didn't enjoy all of the tracks as much, but the greatness of tracks like 'Purple Haze' and 'Hey Joe' as well as the album's overall significance make it worth a 4.