Huh. I mean, I get why someone would like this, but I'm fascinated that it would be given "must listen before you die" treatment. British popstar, I've never heard of her, and it's not necessarily bad, it's just mostly flat and plain pop. "Dumb Dumb" was actually really cool, that honestly saved this from 1-star territory for me, but other than that I'm mostly left scratching my head. That whole meme of "imagine carrying a child in your womb for 9 months to name him Hubert" or whatever, except imagine listening to 1100 albums over a span of years and getting a chance to pick one for everyone else to hear and you pick this one. On my hater shit today. Favorite tracks: Dumb Dumb, I Will Be There. Album art: Just a shot of this woman's face, about as generic as the music if you ask me. 2/5

This has to be a prank, right? As far as prank’s go, it’s actually hilarious. Listen to more than a thousand albums, including dozens of unnecessary and borderline insulting live albums, as well as probably half a dozen Bruce Springsteen albums, and, when asked to pick an album that all your fellow journeymen MUST listen to BEFORE THEY DIE, you pick a Bruce Springsteen live album. I got to “Born to Run,” the one song on here I was looking forward to, and it sounded bad. Out of breath, obnoxious live brass, considerably worse than studio. I couldn’t finish it. To the prankster responsible: you got me. But also you can go to hell. I looked at the summary page for the user who submitted this. They don't seem to be a prankster, but rather a fuddy-duddy. They gave a 1 star rating to some of the most interesting albums on the list, including just about every single hip hop album. No reviews either, they hate from the shadows. Well, I hate in the light of day and with my full chest. Love Bruce Springsteen but this "album" blows. Favorite tracks: no. Album art: Sweaty boss, could be spanking someone for all I know. I feel like I’m the one being punished. 0.5/5

Kicking off the user picks with, well, not a bang nor a whimper, more of a scream. When I say I don't like metal, I'm talking mostly about screamo-type metal. Not sure if that's derogatory or what, but some of this album is that kind of rock or metal, and it's frankly not for me. A couple songs I'll hang on to for posterity, but otherwise this doesn't do it for me. Favorite tracks: Accidents, No Transitory. Album art: Really, really love this one. Awesome art style, bold colors, the picture is nice and spooky. Frankly, wish I liked the music more because this is one I'd enjoy keeping around. 2.5/5

Sounds similar to the various electronic/dance albums that we had on the list. There's a fun blend of voices and styles represented on here, and a lot of samples that I recognize. Pretty good album. This is only day two of the user picks, but I'm looking forward to finding the review for each album from the person that added it, that's my best bet at understanding inclusions like these (and more insight than we got for the albums on the actual list, though maybe that's in the book). Favorite tracks: Scratch 22, Drop the Boom, Don't Stop, B-Boy Stance. Album art: Pretty shitty if I'm being honest, looks like a flyer made by an afterschool "don't do drugs" PSA program. 3.5/5

Okay, now we're talking, something fresh! I've heard of this group, and I'm familiar with two songs on here ("Seven" and "Show Me How") because my wife is a fan. I had an idea of what to expect and got just that: some very chill indie pop. A dreamy quality to it all, and the vocals are very soft to the point of being barely there. It works to great effect. Also the radio-themed interludes are refreshing, "Fiero GT" was a wild surprise. More of that would have been incredible. Anyway, this is a great album, I really dig it. A bit long, but given the style it's not bothersome in any way. Glad I listened before I died. Favorite tracks: Fiero GT, Oncle Jazz, Days Go By, Found Me, Say Can You Hear, Pines, Seven, Show Me How, Pierre, Poodle of Mud, Tailwhip Revisited. Album art: Goofy drawing of a creature, not sure if this was actually made by a toddler or just made to look like that. Either way, it's obviously striking as a result. Very simple, very silly. Can't perceive any connection between it and the music though. 4/5

Whoa, cool! I know these guys primarily for the Malcolm in the Middle theme song, and then also there was a time when Joey and I would listen to their music when we were younger. Think they had this song called "Put Your Hand on the Computer" that we were always laughing at, they're such a quirky band. Thought maybe this would be an odd pick given it's fairly recent and later in their catalog but it's strong. The quirk is definitely there, and so is the musicianship, these guys really have a lot going for them. If it's too weird for you, I get it, but it's not too weird for me, it's fun and funny. "When Will You Die" especially made me laugh, quite a few others just plain impressed me. Great album! Favorite tracks: The Lady and the Tiger, When Will You Die, Can't Keep Johnny Down, Cloissonne, Celebration, Dog Walker, You Don't Like Me. Album art: Really love this one, some Warhol-style pop art. It's a monster truck hearse, bright pink. The contrast is excellent. Great cover, no notes. 4/5

Huh. I mean, I get why someone would like this, but I'm fascinated that it would be given "must listen before you die" treatment. British popstar, I've never heard of her, and it's not necessarily bad, it's just mostly flat and plain pop. "Dumb Dumb" was actually really cool, that honestly saved this from 1-star territory for me, but other than that I'm mostly left scratching my head. That whole meme of "imagine carrying a child in your womb for 9 months to name him Hubert" or whatever, except imagine listening to 1100 albums over a span of years and getting a chance to pick one for everyone else to hear and you pick this one. On my hater shit today. Favorite tracks: Dumb Dumb, I Will Be There. Album art: Just a shot of this woman's face, about as generic as the music if you ask me. 2/5

Super, super cool album, I seriously dig this one. Ethereal, urgent, natural, a lot going on here. Scattered voices, sounds from out of left field, didn't know what to expect around each turn. Especially loved the title track, a lot of the electronic blips and stuff reminded me of the score from Night Gallery's "A Feast of Blood" segment - essential viewing. Loved this album, exactly the sort of thing I'd like to find on a list like this. Favorite tracks: Music for People in Trouble, Reincarnation, The Sound of War, Undercover, The Golden Age, Mountaineers. Album art: A statute of a woman with a treeline behind. Are we to believe this is the artist reincarnated, or was she perhaps the subject in a past life? There's an eerie lifelike quality to this statute, I appreciate it. 4.5/5

Nice choice! The list proper seriously lacked classical music, and obviously this is more modern, but still. Really inspired production choices, great melodies combined with unorthodox sounds and ways of getting there. Some tracks on here sounded familiar - have they been used in movies or anything? I'll have to do some digging. Johann became quite a titan in the contemporary field, and it was truly deserved. I either didn't realize or somehow forgot that he passed away in 2018 - what an unbelievable loss that is, of a relatively new and incredible voice in his space. Think I may have had him confused with Ludwig Goransson, but what makes Johann memorable to me is "Forces of Attraction," a song on the Theory of Everything score. Unforgettable. Anyway, great choice here, and if I could add some classical picks as well, I'd throw in Peer Gynt and Stravinsky's Rite of Spring. Favorite tracks: Odi Et Amo, Englaborn, Salfraedinger Deyr, Bad (I know these aren't d's but I have to make do), Eg Heyrdi Allt An, Eg Atti Graa Aesku. Album art: Blue. That's it. I mean, it's an ocean, but it's not sharp enough to see details. The little seal in the bottom corner is a good classical touch. 4/5

This has to be a prank, right? As far as prank’s go, it’s actually hilarious. Listen to more than a thousand albums, including dozens of unnecessary and borderline insulting live albums, as well as probably half a dozen Bruce Springsteen albums, and, when asked to pick an album that all your fellow journeymen MUST listen to BEFORE THEY DIE, you pick a Bruce Springsteen live album. I got to “Born to Run,” the one song on here I was looking forward to, and it sounded bad. Out of breath, obnoxious live brass, considerably worse than studio. I couldn’t finish it. To the prankster responsible: you got me. But also you can go to hell. I looked at the summary page for the user who submitted this. They don't seem to be a prankster, but rather a fuddy-duddy. They gave a 1 star rating to some of the most interesting albums on the list, including just about every single hip hop album. No reviews either, they hate from the shadows. Well, I hate in the light of day and with my full chest. Love Bruce Springsteen but this "album" blows. Favorite tracks: no. Album art: Sweaty boss, could be spanking someone for all I know. I feel like I’m the one being punished. 0.5/5

Solid listen! Haven't heard of this guy, but it's some singer/songwriter stuff with an Americana edge. Took some settling in, but the back half really started to shine for me. "Good Man" is fantastic. The sort of rapping he did on "Thin Blue Flame" was interesting, didn't quite work for me but I respect it. Overall, pretty great album. Made me think of that one Benjamin Francis Leftwich album, Last Smoke Before the Snowstorm, not necessarily sonically but more thematically. That would be a good album for a list like this too. Favorite tracks: Good Man, One More Mouth, Best for the Best, Idaho, Wolves. Album art: A horse balancing on a log floating in water. It's got an invisible saddle effect going on, makes it look like it's just disfigured. Very folksy art style, fits the album well. 4/5

Not bad, not great to me either. Decent as far as rock albums go, the vocalist almost sounds like Geddy Lee but the music is certainly darker than Rush. I liked a couple tracks, but didn't really do much for me overall. It's fine. Favorite tracks: Marshal Dear, Waiting for a Sign. Album art: Great menacing picture of the band, love that this is a girl band. Feel like I've seen this before, it's strong and memorable. The little poem is crazy. 3/5