447
Albums Rated
2.9
Average Rating
41%
Complete
642 albums remaining
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2010s
Favorite Decade
Indie
Favorite Genre
US
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Rater Style ?
40
5-Star Albums
41
1-Star Albums
Taste Analysis
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Ratings by genre
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Ratings by country
Rating Style
You Love More Than Most
Albums you rated higher than global average
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paris 1919 | 5 | 2.95 | +2.05 |
| Swordfishtrombones | 5 | 2.95 | +2.05 |
| Slanted And Enchanted | 5 | 3.03 | +1.97 |
| Dear Science | 5 | 3.16 | +1.84 |
| Selected Ambient Works 85-92 | 5 | 3.21 | +1.79 |
| Crooked Rain Crooked Rain | 5 | 3.24 | +1.76 |
| Let It Be | 5 | 3.25 | +1.75 |
| Let It Be | 5 | 3.25 | +1.75 |
| Channel Orange | 5 | 3.31 | +1.69 |
| Endtroducing..... | 5 | 3.36 | +1.64 |
You Love Less Than Most
Albums you rated lower than global average
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Wall | 1 | 4.14 | -3.14 |
| A Night At The Opera | 1 | 3.96 | -2.96 |
| Goodbye Yellow Brick Road | 1 | 3.93 | -2.93 |
| Tracy Chapman | 1 | 3.79 | -2.79 |
| Parsley, Sage, Rosemary And Thyme | 1 | 3.62 | -2.62 |
| The Atomic Mr Basie | 1 | 3.5 | -2.5 |
| Blue | 1 | 3.49 | -2.49 |
| Rio | 1 | 3.49 | -2.49 |
| Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music | 1 | 3.49 | -2.49 |
| Aja | 1 | 3.46 | -2.46 |
Artist Analysis
Favorite Artists
Artists with 2+ albums
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Radiohead | 3 | 5 |
| Beatles | 5 | 4.4 |
| Prince | 4 | 4.5 |
| Pixies | 3 | 4.67 |
| The Replacements | 2 | 5 |
| Bob Dylan | 2 | 5 |
| Pavement | 2 | 5 |
| David Bowie | 6 | 4 |
| Nick Drake | 3 | 4.33 |
Least Favorite Artists
Artists with 2+ albums
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| k.d. lang | 2 | 1 |
| George Michael | 2 | 1 |
| Joni Mitchell | 3 | 1.67 |
| Queen | 2 | 1.5 |
| Ryan Adams | 2 | 1.5 |
| Simon & Garfunkel | 2 | 1.5 |
| Steely Dan | 2 | 1.5 |
| The Who | 3 | 2 |
Controversial Artists
Artists you rate inconsistently
| Artist | Ratings |
|---|---|
| The Clash | 2, 5 |
| Beatles | 5, 5, 5, 5, 2 |
5-Star Albums (40)
View Album Wall
Popular Reviews
The Who
1/5
It's shit isn't it? People need to stop pretending it's good. The most rock overrated album ever
57 likes
Barry Adamson
2/5
This sounds like what it is, a soundtrack for a film that doesn't exist. Some nice bits but fairly pointless
27 likes
Joni Mitchell
1/5
I try and like this album every few years. It's still a 1 even with the creeping familiarity.
12 likes
1-Star Albums (41)
All Ratings
Nick Drake
5/5
David Bowie
5/5
John Coltrane
4/5
Gang Of Four
4/5
The Replacements
5/5
Manic Street Preachers
3/5
Crowded House
2/5
Stevie Wonder
3/5
Ash
4/5
Bob Dylan
5/5
Prince
5/5
3/5
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
3/5
Tom Waits
4/5
Fiona Apple
3/5
Belle & Sebastian
4/5
T. Rex
4/5
Stevie Wonder
4/5
5 if it was shorter
k.d. lang
1/5
Parliament
3/5
The Kinks
5/5
Sufjan Stevens
4/5
Megadeth
3/5
Prince
4/5
Ice Cube
4/5
Dwight Yoakam
1/5
First album I couldn't make it al the way through
Elastica
3/5
Decent
Massive Attack
4/5
Not listened to this in ages. Great
808 State
2/5
A couple of bangers but pretty dated
Led Zeppelin
5/5
Michael Jackson
4/5
Slipknot
1/5
I didn't know they did ballads. Some good bits but overall an ordeal
Queen
1/5
Almost unbearable
Sepultura
3/5
Pretty good. Too much metal recently though
Beach House
4/5
Big fan of this. Their best album
Faust
3/5
Like a bit of krautrock
Jerry Lee Lewis
3/5
20 minutes long. Worth listening to twice
Tracy Chapman
1/5
Not for me Clive
Talking Heads
3/5
Liked it. Not as good as Remain In Light
Pink Floyd
3/5
The only Floyd album I like. Still fairly proggy
Stephen Stills
2/5
Nothing special
Beck
2/5
Some nice bits but a bit flat over an album
Talking Heads
4/5
A classic really
The Stooges
2/5
Actually pretty weak in hindsight. Some good tracks but it's so basic
LCD Soundsystem
5/5
Pretty much a perfect album
Garbage
2/5
Very 90s. Ok but not sure why it's on this list
Pavement
5/5
Probably my favourite band ever
2/5
Some nice bits but still too much PROG
Cat Stevens
3/5
Better than expected
Aerosmith
1/5
Should have been left in the 80s. The cheesiest rock album i've ever heard
Peter Frampton
2/5
Not great songs. Fairly boring guitar
The Stooges
4/5
Forgot how heavy this sounded
The Byrds
2/5
Jangly. A whole one third are Dylan Covers though!
Echo And The Bunnymen
2/5
Overrated. Still 1 classic song
The Clash
2/5
Ok, but they made better albums
Funkadelic
4/5
Excellent
Maxwell
3/5
Quite liked it. Good bass
The Only Ones
3/5
Track 2 great, the rest pretty good
Metallica
2/5
Soft rock metallica. I prefer the heavy stuff
Moby Grape
2/5
Hard to go higher when half the tracks are missing from spotify
Isaac Hayes
3/5
Smooth. Only heard the title track before
Julian Cope
1/5
Not very good
Pixies
5/5
One of my all time favourites
Jefferson Airplane
2/5
Some decent tracks but very dated
Prince
4/5
Probably to 3 of Prince albums
Prefab Sprout
3/5
Good pop songs. Never heard before
Run-D.M.C.
3/5
Some great bits but lots of cheesy 80s rap filler
George Jones
2/5
Didn't mind it. Authentic at least
X-Ray Spex
3/5
Pretty good. Liked the punk with sax
The Black Keys
3/5
Scraped a 3. A bit too samey by the end
George Michael
1/5
A few good songs but a lot more 80s cheese
Stereolab
4/5
Great. Never got round to listening to this before
PJ Harvey
3/5
Not listened to it for 10 years but still sounds good and raw
Joy Division
4/5
Classic overall album and sound but wouldn't say the songs are that strong individually
Grant Lee Buffalo
2/5
Ok. Like a weaker Jeff Buckley
Weather Report
1/5
Horrendous. Sax, cheesy bass, electric piano and congas
Bruce Springsteen
4/5
Very good. Loses a mark for the sax obviously
Jane's Addiction
2/5
Ok. You can tell it came out halfway between cock rock and alternative
Drive Like Jehu
3/5
Really liked this, never listened to them before. Not heard much hardcore
David Bowie
4/5
Plenty of classic songs but other Bowie albums I like better
Willie Nelson
3/5
Nice enough for what it is
The Velvet Underground
4/5
Love the Velvet Underground but prefer the noisy albums. Still some nice songs
Talking Heads
3/5
Not heard this one before. More rock less dance than the later stuff
The Jesus And Mary Chain
3/5
Better than I expected, only heard 1 of their albums before
N.W.A.
4/5
Great album. Only 2 years after Run DMC but has aged much better I think
Joni Mitchell
2/5
I do not understand the praise Joni Mitchell gets.
Ghostface Killah
4/5
Love this album. Could still do with trimming down a bit
Finley Quaye
2/5
Not as bad as I was expecting considering it's reggae. Only knew 1 song
The Byrds
2/5
I still like the jangle and there's some good songs on here. Still very uneven. Hey Joe is terrible
5/5
This is a top tier Bowie album in my opinion
Stan Getz
2/5
Ok as jazz goes. Pretty inoffensive but nothing bad about it
Joni Mitchell
1/5
I try and like this album every few years. It's still a 1 even with the creeping familiarity.
Blur
4/5
I'm not sure it's a great album but lots of great songs. The circus one is still annoying
Alice Cooper
2/5
Alice should think himself lucky to get a 2. Could easily drop to a 1 with the West Side Story covers
Killing Joke
3/5
I enjoyed this, good heavy production
Fela Kuti
4/5
Loved it. I knew Ginger Baker from Cream and his documentary but never listened to Fela Kuti before.
The White Stripes
5/5
The best White Stripes album I think even without the guitar solos
Duran Duran
1/5
What a load of shit
The Beach Boys
5/5
A masterpiece
Primal Scream
4/5
Works really well as an album I think, everything flows together
Sleater-Kinney
3/5
Better than expected. Thought I didn't like Sleater Kinney but some good riffs
Brian Eno
4/5
Not many great tunes but the whole sound of this album is incredible
Kendrick Lamar
4/5
Definitely an important and impressive album incorporating all the jazz but it still drags in places for me
Gary Numan
2/5
It was alright. A couple of pretty good tracks
Joy Division
4/5
Hard to separate from the first Joy Division album
Pet Shop Boys
2/5
Thought I'd like this better but every song sounds so basic. I'd go1.5, 1 felt harsh
Ray Charles
1/5
I hated this. I was expecting more bluesy versions, not that horrible big band stuff.
The Verve
3/5
I liked the psychedelic bits. History the only song I knew
PJ Harvey
3/5
Hard to separate from the previous PJ Harvey album Dry. Probably even more raw
Bruce Springsteen
4/5
Very good this, I only knew 1 song before. Darker than Born in the USA and he has wisely toned down the sax
Bee Gees
1/5
I had some slight interest in this being the Bee Gees pre falsetto and disco. That faded after 4 tracks, I couldn't stand any more
Bob Marley & The Wailers
3/5
Pretty good to hear something other than the greatest hits. Don't like this version on No Woman No Cry
Bauhaus
2/5
Gothy. Kind of interesting but sounded like shit production wise
Oasis
4/5
I still really like it, got a good swagger about it and definitely their best album. B sides good too. Marked it down for the terrible lyrics in places and the numerous rip offs
Nothing makes me cringe more. Sung like it's the most important music ever made, with nothing to back it up. Having said that I actually like track 2
David Crosby
3/5
Pretty good, a nice feel to it all the way through. Very California sounding
Basement Jaxx
2/5
It's just house music, but I do appreciate all the little details Basement Jaxx put in. 2.5 really, their 2nd album would get a full 3
Queen
2/5
I expected worse. Far less of the annoying stuff on the Opera album. A big drop off in the 2nd half however
Soul II Soul
3/5
Stands up pretty well i think
Goldie
2/5
Pretty decent DnB album but hasn't aged especially well for an album called Timeless, it doesn't stand out at all now.
Elbow
2/5
I can hear like a lot of effort went into making it sound good but none of the songs do anything for me.
The Beach Boys
3/5
\I think this is when the songwriting and arrangements got more Pet Soundsy, you can hear the roots of it
Black Sabbath
2/5
Its interesting how un-metal this sounds compared to modern times. They were on to something with the heavier led zeppelin but nowhere near a classic album i think
Frank Ocean
5/5
I fully agree with the hype! Lyrics and songwriting miles ahead of anyone in the genre and a well put together album beginning to end
Stereo MC's
3/5
It sounds its age but still pretty good. Some definite bangers and good rhythms all the way through
Fever Ray
4/5
A pretty unique album, nothing really sounds like it. Also the loudest thing I have ever heard live
Neu!
3/5
I'd never heard this before. Slower than I was expecting but still right up my street
Ice Cube
3/5
Not as good as the previous Ice Cube album but it still has a couple of my favourites on it
Serge Gainsbourg
2/5
This one passed me by a bit. Obviously it's in french so I don't understand the lyrics but every other word was the title of the album
Digital Underground
3/5
Humpty Dance is great. Pretty funny album but drags a bit by the end
Sonic Youth
4/5
I'm not a big fan of Sonic Youth but I think this album is very good, great guitars. Kool Thing especially
Morrissey
3/5
Actually pretty decent if you don't mind his voice. Not as good as the smiths but better than his other solo stuff I'd heard
John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers
2/5
Sounded exactly how I expected it to. By no means bad, just a decent blues rock album
The Fall
4/5
My 2nd favourite Fall album out of the 10 or so I've heard. It probably just sounds like an old man rambling which to be fair it is
Spiritualized
4/5
Belongs in the heroin space gospel genre. A long album but I think it fits the type of music
Chicago
3/5
I thought Chicago sounded like Journey... It's much better than than that, I liked the rock and the horns and the weird stuff
Cocteau Twins
3/5
Another good one, on a bit of a roll. I knew what they sounded like but never heard a whole album before, it was well put together
Travis
2/5
I liked this when it came out but there's not much to it. Nice enough for a watered down Radiohead
John Prine
2/5
Not too bad for a country album, some pretty funny lines. Still not for me though
Pavement
5/5
A lot like The Fall this one. The recording is absolute shit but some classic songs underneath it. Summer Babe and Desert my favourites
Roxy Music
2/5
A bit of a mish mash. Definitely some good bits I liked but more prog than I'd like and the vocals got on my nerves
TV On The Radio
5/5
Maybe the best band to come out this millennium. Like a more funky Arcade Fire
The The
2/5
I thought this would be more post-punky. Actually very 80s pop for a lot of it
Fugazi
4/5
I don't know much hardcore but I like Fugazi, this is my favourite of theirs
Pearl Jam
3/5
A pretty good rock album, I knew more songs than I realised. Still not sure about his voice
Prince
5/5
Perfect beginning to end. Amazing that the last song was from a live show
a-ha
3/5
I like Take on Me but didn't fancy a whole album of it, but it was pretty decent. The title track was good
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
3/5
Better than the Crosby Stills and Nash album i'd heard before. Maybe because I like Neil Young. First half better than the second
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
3/5
1st track is amazing and the rest pretty good standard Nick Cave. I think I like him better when there's guitars
Ryan Adams
1/5
Really bad. The blandest thing I've ever heard, not an original note on the album
Pulp
5/5
The best Britpop album. I think it stands up better than anything by Blur or Oasis from that era
Tori Amos
2/5
very 90s, didn't do anything for me
Beatles
5/5
Probably in my top 5 ever. Easily the best Beatles album, even with Yellow Submarine
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
3/5
I like Neil Young but never heard this one before. Guitars sound great as they always do but not his strongest songs
Tortoise
3/5
Listened to this a few times ages ago but I could only remember the first track. It's sort of post rock but often too jazzy for me
Jimi Hendrix
3/5
Not my favourite Hendrix album but even this one has some incredible playing. A bit uneven and disjointed though
James Taylor
2/5
Really didn't enjoy this much. Some rancid lyrics
The Who
3/5
A pretty decent rock album. As ever with The Who I like the music but dislike Roger Daltrey's singing
The Undertones
3/5
An easy 3. No weak tracks but no massive standouts either. Teenage Kicks not on the album proper
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
1/5
Absolute rubbish, I couldn't get through it. I don't know why this is on the list
Jurassic 5
3/5
I hadn't listened to this for years. It hasn't really dated as it was already pretty retro when it came out
The Offspring
2/5
I liked the 2 hits in the middle and the rest was ok for what it is. 2 Seems harsh but i'll never listen to it again
Barry Adamson
2/5
This sounds like what it is, a soundtrack for a film that doesn't exist. Some nice bits but fairly pointless
Metallica
4/5
Really great. Some amazing riffs and no shit ballads
2/5
I hate U2. So dramatic with so little substance. 2 because i'm feeling generous
The Clash
5/5
There are very few excellent albums from the punk era but this is one. Lots of variety even if it has a few too many tracks
Cheap Trick
3/5
I quite liked it, at least as live albums go it sounded fun to be there unlike Emerson Lake and Palmer
Turbonegro
2/5
I'm fairly sure this is a joke? Some funny catchy songs but tired of it by the end
My Bloody Valentine
4/5
The album they made after is on of the best ever, you can hear the sound starting to come together here
Fela Kuti
3/5
I'd heard of Fela Kuti but never listened to his stuff. Sounds really cool I thought and not what I'd normally have on, might go back to it
Queens of the Stone Age
2/5
It's decent but nothing special. The 2 albums they did after this were much better I thought
Dexys Midnight Runners
4/5
I thought they were one hit wonders but the rest of the album is very strong. Loved the strings and horns
Bonnie Raitt
2/5
I went in with low expectations. Not terrible but too close to Shania Twain for me.
Madonna
2/5
Rubbish. Other than the first song which is obviously amazing
Simon & Garfunkel
2/5
Some good songs and some bad ones. Not very memorable on first listen
Count Basie & His Orchestra
1/5
Some of the jazzy bits were ok but then the horns and everything came back in. I hate all the big band stuff
Sonic Youth
3/5
A pretty good Sonic Youth album, noisy as expected
The Strokes
5/5
Despite not being at all original it's flawless without a wasted note on the whole thing
Elliott Smith
3/5
I've heard this before but it's never stuck. The songwriting is obviously good but the lo-fi sound doesn't grab me
Beatles
5/5
It's pretty messy and doesn't fit together as an album that well but still so so much good stuff on there. Amazing they were knocking these out twice a year
KISS
1/5
Absolute garbage. Just such stupid music
Echo And The Bunnymen
2/5
Pretty average. Weaker than Ocean Rain
The Verve
4/5
Still sounds really good. The singles got a bit overplayed but it all works together as an album
Janelle Monáe
4/5
I consider this a bit of a modern classic but had to downgrade it to a 4, i'd forgotten how much it loses steam near the end. Still a great variety of sounds and layers
Buddy Holly & The Crickets
3/5
Hard to score. Not at all bad but sounds very dated obviously. Clearly good at what he did
The Stone Roses
5/5
Some of it gets a bit wanky, especially the backwards parts but it doesn't really detract from the high points
Incredible Bongo Band
2/5
So bongo cover versions then. I could have done without hearing it but not too terrible
Carpenters
1/5
Absolute shit. Hated every second
Cream
3/5
Only ever heard 2 songs before. Some great playing but not much else stood out on the album
Ravi Shankar
1/5
No idea why it's in the list. Not my thing but clearly an introductory album and not his best work
Buena Vista Social Club
2/5
I'm sure it's a decent example of the genre but it just sounds like the background music in every bar in Cuba
Nirvana
5/5
A welcome great album after a run of shit ones. Teen Spirit is overplayed but still worth a 5 for the sound and the songs
The Charlatans
3/5
Better than I remembered. I'd definitely heard 1 or 2 other albums by them that were piss weak
Talk Talk
4/5
The 2 albums they made after this are incredible, never heard this one before. Amazing they gave up pop music and started doing this
The Allman Brothers Band
2/5
Went from a 4, then a 3, then a 2 after 78 minutes of the same solos
Radiohead
5/5
A perfect straight ahead rock album for me. 3 guitars going at it for most of the songs
The Shamen
2/5
Thought it would be cheesy Ebenezer Goode stuff but it was ok for what it is. Probably better if you're full of class As
The Go-Betweens
2/5
Really pretty dull, not much stood out. Expected it to be better
Bob Marley & The Wailers
4/5
I never had them down as much of an album act but this is very strong. Lots of recognisable songs and the album tracks are decent too
Nitin Sawhney
2/5
Kind of interesting, almost a 3. It still sounded very 90s to me and too many rubbish tracks
Björk
3/5
I like Bjork but hadn't listened to this one before. The production is excellent like always but it didn't sound like there were enough good songs underneath it
Shack
3/5
Decent enough, no bad tracks but also nothing especially memorable to push it up to the next level
AC/DC
4/5
Not quite a 5 for me. Some amazing rock songs and even the lesser tracks have a great energy
Merle Haggard
3/5
Better than I thought. A good voice and standard country songs but all done pretty well
Tom Waits
4/5
'm a fan of Tom Waits but not heard this one before. He's hilarious. No idea if it's really a live album or not but the crowd interaction ties it all together
Iggy Pop
4/5
This might be the prime spot for Iggy Pop. You can hear Bowie being the producer but still a bit of rawness left over from The Stooges
Beastie Boys
4/5
A great album. Love how all the samples blend together and every line is a punchline
R.E.M.
2/5
It's not the cool opinion but I prefer the pop period REM to the indie period. Not my favourite of theirs
Jean-Michel Jarre
2/5
I wasn't looking forward to this but it isn't as cheesy as I expected. Probably amazing in it's day but now heard loads of the tracks on tv and ads etc
Pretenders
2/5
It was ok. But her voice always annoys me
Pixies
4/5
Love the Pixies. It lost some of the rawness on this album but still some great tracks. Velouria one of my favourites of theirs
Paul Simon
2/5
Not Paul Simon's best. Some real shit on here in fact
John Grant
3/5
Only heard bits by John Grant before. It was interesting but think i'd like it better a 2nd time to catch all the lyrics
David Bowie
4/5
A classic Bowie album in my opinion, a lot like Low which is my favourite. Guitars sound amazing
The Jam
3/5
I was surprised it didn't have any of the big hits but it still holds together well as an album. Better than I expected.
Pink Floyd
1/5
I really hate this. Why is it so long? Cleary they're capable musicians but the songwriting is stretched seriously thin. I don't hear what everyone else hears
Radiohead
5/5
Not listened to this for years but still sounds great to me. Kind of the mid point of old Radiohead and new, it's got the classic song structures but no guitar solos (unfortunately)
The Zombies
5/5
A genuine lost classic, they should have been huge. 1 perfect song after another. I particularly like the bit when you realise the girl in the first song is in prison
Roni Size
3/5
Hard to rate. Probably the best drum and bass album ever but it isn't a genre that suits albums. Brown Paper Bag is still amazing
Elvis Costello
3/5
I've heard this before, pretty decent. A great opening line
Kate Bush
2/5
I think I like the idea of Kate Bush better than the actual music. It's all a bit over the top and got annoying in places
Solange
4/5
One of the best of the past few years, hard to believe it's Beyonce's sister. Cranes in the Sky probably my favourite
Kid Rock
1/5
God this was bad. Some albums are boring, this one is just offensively shit. Couldn't make it past the first 3 tracks
New York Dolls
3/5
I didn't think i'd like this as it's not my favourite style but it grew on me
Miles Davis
3/5
I've only ever listened to Kind of Blue which is much more traditional. Loved how wild this one is, i'll go back to it
Baaba Maal
2/5
Didn't do much for me but was still interesting. Last track is like a bad 80s ballad but African
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
2/5
Not as good as My Aim is True so probably wouldn't listen again
Miriam Makeba
2/5
She's got a good voice. I preferred the first half not sung in English
The Yardbirds
2/5
Pretty disappointing. I'd heard of the Yardbirds and expected it to be a bit more gritty. Not memorable at all
Bob Marley & The Wailers
3/5
Decent, just not as good as Exodus. I was surprised I only knew 1 song
Derek & The Dominos
3/5
It's a 2 without Layla. Too long without enough good stuff. That song is amazing though
The Specials
4/5
Never heard the album but knew quite a few songs. I thought it was great, even the album tracks were good
Radiohead
5/5
It doesn't seem as radical now for a guitar band to make this but still 20 years later there's nothing that sounds like it. National Anthem and Idioteque my favourites
Genesis
1/5
I hated almost every second, all the medieval rubbish especially. A complete mess
Paul McCartney and Wings
3/5
I've never listened to this. A bit too 70s rock I think and McCartney clearly no longer cool by this point, but his songwriting shines through in places
Crowded House
2/5
I've already had this one near the beginning, not listening again. Well written but pretty dull standard songs on the whole
Mike Ladd
3/5
Really interesting weird hip hop, sounds like Deltron 3030. Can't believe i'd not heard of him
The Birthday Party
3/5
I knew this was Nick Cave's old band but didn't expect it sound like this. A lot like The Fall which is a good thing to me
OutKast
2/5
The Big Boi album is the better of the 2 as it's more consistent, the other one is as messy as i remember. Hey Ya and a few others are brilliant but so many meandering annoying songs as well
The Prodigy
4/5
Tempted to go 5 but I was sensible. Loved it as a kid and still stands up fairly well I think. It sounded like nothing else at the time. It's not easy to make dance music into an engaging album either
Leonard Cohen
4/5
A lot like Dylan, in that his voice isn't great and sometimes the covers are better, but he writes amazing lyrics.
Tom Waits
3/5
Always a pleasure hearing a new Tom Waits album. I liked it as always, it doesn't stand out especially against his other bluesy ones though
Pixies
5/5
A classic rock album in my opinion even if it doesn't sound classic. This is their rawest most punk album and the vocals are more deranged than the later albums
Deep Purple
3/5
Better than expected. Pretty standard rock sound but loads of great riffs
Ramblin' Jack Elliott
3/5
This was a welcome change, didn't expect to like any folk that is pre-Dylan but I enjoyed it
Missy Elliott
3/5
Pretty good hip hop album. Benefits from Timbaland producing everything so it sounds consistent. Quite a few bangers
Dirty Projectors
3/5
Didn't like as much as I remember. Vocals sound great and interesting music, it just doesn't add up to much really. Stillness Is The Move is a great song though
Thundercat
2/5
Heard this before. I like him in small doses and on other people's albums, but I find his bass playing and stupid lyrics boring after a while
LCD Soundsystem
3/5
Feels too recent to have any perspective. A good comeback and has some great tracks, but too much filler to be up with their earlier albums
Grizzly Bear
4/5
It's pretty much perfect at what it is, the whole thing sounds exactly right all the way through. Maybe not enough individual highlights for a 5
Muddy Waters
3/5
Don't think i've ever sat and listened to Muddy Waters properly. I like this sort of blues. Live album and it sounded like a good night
Bebel Gilberto
2/5
I usually like Brazilian music but this passed me by. I even put it on a 2nd time as only half the tracks are on Spotify, and I still didn't really notice it
Sonic Youth
4/5
An album of great bits, spread a bit too thinly. No doubt important in indie rock but just short of being great for me.
Cocteau Twins
3/5
Listened to this twice as I didn't get much from it first time. I think it takes a while to sink in as it's so floaty and vague. The drums are far too 80s to score higher
TLC
2/5
Not bad, but it probably sounded better at the time before all the really shit r&b pop groups came after them
Adam & The Ants
1/5
I just thought it was really shit all the way through basically
Kanye West
3/5
Not as good as I remember it. He's not a very good rapper at this point, but less of a cock than later on. It's got loads of great beats but far too many skits etc
Frank Sinatra
2/5
A generous 2 as he was singing bossanova instead of his usual rubbish
Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five
3/5
Probably more influential than good these days. Clearly still working out how to make rap albums, quality varies a lot
Femi Kuti
2/5
I liked the Fela Kuti album better by his dad I think. This one was ok but got a bit repetitive
David Bowie
3/5
Not my favourite Bowie album, but the title track is amazing I think. I liked the albums after this that carried on with that style
Joan Armatrading
1/5
I really didn't like this. Basically the ways she sings annoys me.
The Pogues
2/5
Maybe 2 is a bit harsh but too many sounded similar. A good energy to it and some obvious high points
Nick Drake
5/5
I don't like a lot of folk music but this is probably my favourite outside of Dylan. A shame he topped himself
Little Richard
4/5
Really hard to rate. It's hard to find a fault with it but obviously it sounds different today to what it would have at the time
Michael Jackson
4/5
This was my favourite album when I was 8. I still think it's better than Thriller, plus it's when he started saying "Chamone" all the time
3/5
I remember this won the Mercury music prize and I liked it at the time but it's actually fairly boring compared to her louder stuff. kamikaze is still really good
The Boo Radleys
2/5
It's Brit pop but has a few other interesting influences. Not enough good songs ultimately
Tears For Fears
2/5
A victim of the 80s production sound. Shit echoey drums
Waylon Jennings
2/5
This was ok, similar type of country to Jonny Cash. Nice pedal steel. Probably won't ever go back to it though.
Coldplay
3/5
I think The Scientist is a great song, and I quite like Chris Martin's voice. Its a watered down Radiohead really though isn't it, with the same style but none of the substance
Jeff Buckley
4/5
One of the best singers in rock music. Some really good songs as well but not the classic he might have been able to make if he'd stuck around
Bruce Springsteen
4/5
Very good, this was his only album I'd listened to before this challenge. A slower pace than most of his other stuff but at least there is no sax.
The Jam
3/5
I liked this one. The Jam have surprised me how consistent their albums have been
Sigur Rós
5/5
I remember the first time I heard this. When his voice comes in on the first song I'd not heard anything like it. Excellent
Beyoncé
2/5
This sounds like the most expensive album I've ever heard. Hundreds of cowriters and producers involved and it stops it from being cohesive. Obviously she has a great voice but does nothing for me
Bruce Springsteen
2/5
Not clear why this is on the list. Not the big hits of born in the USA or the restraint of Nebraska. Springsteen by numbers. And it has sax
Beastie Boys
2/5
Actually a bit of a disappointment. Not a fan of the instrumentals generally. Prefer their other albums
New Order
4/5
Really good this. I always thought it was impressive how different they sound to Joy Division but never really gave them a chance as an album band
Dolly Parton
2/5
I think I've had my fill of country recently. It wasn't bad if you like that Dolly Parton story story telling style
Japan
1/5
Late 70s but sounds 80s. Hated this. The Velvet Underground cover was excruciating
Les Rythmes Digitales
3/5
I knew this was Jacques Le Cont, I hadn't realised he was American! Sounds very mid 2000s when I was into all this stuff. A good few bangers
The Cardigans
2/5
Started pretty good, some nice tunes and basslines. Too similar by the end. Lovefool is a classic
Simon & Garfunkel
1/5
I like Paul SImon's songwriting and the harmonies on some of their other stuff, but this is mostly shit. Fucking Scarborough Fair, fucking Silent Night.
Janis Joplin
4/5
Very 60s sounding. I don't think I've ever heard it but liked it a lot better than I expected. An amazing voice and some pretty strong songs
Emmylou Harris
3/5
Not great, not too bad for a country album. The sad type of country. The Beatles cover was a welcome surprise
Eagles
1/5
Hated it. I expected it to sound like the Eagles, which it did, who I hate the sound of. I even listened to it on a train journey which is the highest compliment you can pay an album.
The Replacements
5/5
One of my favourite albums from the 80s. It's got all the energy of punk but clearly some brilliant melodic songs underneath. They might have been huge in the 90s alternative scene
Bobby Womack
2/5
I thought I liked Bobby Womack but this didn't do much for me. Pretty standard soul
4/5
Hard to rate this one and separate it from my childhood. Not as good as Definitely Maybe which I gave a 4, but should really have been a 5.
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
4/5
Heard this before and really rate it, there's not many live albums I choose to listen to. Love his guitar sound
Massive Attack
2/5
In not a 'Massive' fan of them on the whole and I think this album is really boring. The albums before and after it were miles better in my opinion
Randy Newman
4/5
This was a nice surprise. I only knew Political Science of his songs and didn't expect this to be so good. I couldn't believe the lyrics in the first song. I listened to the whole thing twice in a row
Creedence Clearwater Revival
2/5
I don't really like CCR and this didn't change my mind much, most of the songs are pretty average. Also interesting they're not actually southern but from California
The Smashing Pumpkins
3/5
Every double album automatically loses a star straight away. It's a shame as they were obviously very productive at the time and there's loads of great riffs and some very good songs. Just too long and a lot more whiny than Siamese Dream the shorter better album before this.
Flamin' Groovies
2/5
I like the band name. It's pretty basic music unfortunately and nothing special by today's standards
Daft Punk
4/5
There aren't many classic dance albums that deserve to be on this list but this one definitely does. Da Funk especially is one of my favourite tracks. Too long to listen to in one go though
The Adverts
3/5
Punk doesn't often make for great albums but I liked this having not heard them before. Some decent tunes
Nas
5/5
The best rap album ever. No skits, no filler tracks, only 1 excellent guest verse. Every best sounds classic, Nas is on fire beginning to end. NY state of mind and the 2nd verse on memory lane especially are my favourites
Tangerine Dream
2/5
I like Can and Kraftwerk and thought this would be a cross between the 2. It's really ambient though and I barely noticed it being on. Disappointing.
Depeche Mode
2/5
I don't like Depeche Mode. A generous 2 as some of the instrumental bits were interesting
Iron Butterfly
1/5
Standard 60s psychedelic. Nothing memorable after the first 5 tracks, and then they hit a classic riff on the last track and spoil it by stretching it out for half the album.
Fleetwood Mac
2/5
Rumours I find too overplayed to enjoy so I thought I might like a FM album I hadn't heard before. Really boring unimaginative songs unfortunately
Coldplay
3/5
Decent, nothing more. I listened to it a fair bit when it came out though so probably bumps it up a star more than it deserves
The Afghan Whigs
4/5
I really liked this. Admittedly right up my street as it sounds like the Replacements but the songs were very strong and well put together
Rage Against The Machine
4/5
Probably a 4.5, a few tracks don't quite hit the mark but it's great nonetheless
Jamiroquai
2/5
A lot of funk but clearly the songwriting had a way to go before they made the big hits a few years later. Pretty mediocre
Earth, Wind & Fire
2/5
Ok for the most part, some bits dragged. No bangers like September to drag it up to a 3
Jungle Brothers
3/5
Big party hip hop album, I really liked it and hadn't heard them before. Similar to De La Soul and Tribe Called Quest but more dancey
Venom
1/5
This was unintentionally hilarious, it's so Spinal Tap. I'm guessing this was the first in the genre? I actually like more modern black metal but this hasn't aged well. I especially found it funny that all the solos were standard rock and roll, clearly no one had taught them the evil sounding scales all metal bands use now
R.E.M.
4/5
Just short of a 5 for me. Nightswimming is one of their best and its's very consistent throughout
Laibach
2/5
Weird orchestral/industrial mix. Some interesting bits but obviously German singing on anything makes it too funny to take seriously
Kate Bush
3/5
I liked this. There seemed like a lot more substance to the songs compared to the other previous Kate Bush album we had. Probably need to hear it a few times to really click
Crosby, Stills & Nash
2/5
Some nice harmonies and decent songs. Annoying the album wasn't on Spotify so I had to put it on youtube where it didn't sound brilliant to me. Not especially memorable, I'm sure they've done better
Metallica
4/5
This is probably the sweet spot for Metallica to me. Not as heavy as the earlier thrash stuff but before they started doing lame ballads
The Who
2/5
Not a big fan of the Who and the adverts are kind of an annoying concept. But I Can See For Miles is brilliant and I do like the cover
Morrissey
3/5
Is this his best solo album? It's pretty good but obviously not Smiths class. Suedehead and Sunday are excellent. Interesting I thought that Bengali in Platforms doesn't come across racist at all to me compared to what he's like these days
The Police
2/5
Not as bad as I was expecting as I hate Sting. I always like the drumming on Police songs
Ryan Adams
2/5
I thought it was so dull, not an original note on there. I looked up some reviews afterwards to work out why it's on the list and apparently everyone rates it but me! I warmed to it slightly by the end
Fats Domino
2/5
Hard to rate as Spotify doesn't have the whole album but it sounded good. I like Blueberry Hill from 12 monkeys
Nick Drake
3/5
I like Nick Drake a lot but this is actually my least favourite of his 3 albums
Lambchop
3/5
I was looking forward to this as I knew it was alt-country but had never got round to listening to it. It's actually a bit closer to pop. Up with people is very good but a lot of the album is a bit easy listening. I'm not sure about his falsetto either
The Flying Burrito Brothers
4/5
I've heard this before and really rate it. Of all the neverending country/folk/rock albums on this list I think this is a level above most of them
Fleet Foxes
2/5
I listened to this a few times when it came out and it didn't grab me. Some nice harmonies but it still doesn't do much for me
Eminem
3/5
Liked this at the time and brought back a lot of memories but the beats are actually fairly weak in a lot of places. I think the 2nd album was a big improvement from memory.
Aphex Twin
5/5
Absolutely love this. Sounds like its from the future and ancient at the same time. It's incredible he was 14 making some of these tracks
The Cars
4/5
Very very good. Some absolute bangers and lead to Weezer so a good thing in my opinion.
1/5
I really hated this. Everything on it is so over the top
R.E.M.
3/5
A very good REM album, right in the sweet spot between indie and pop. 3 seems a bit harsh but it's definitely 1 below Automatic for the people
SZA
3/5
I listened to this when it came out but hadn't gone back to it, it's still pretty good. She's definitely one of the better RnB songwriters
Quicksilver Messenger Service
1/5
Really weak I thought. I like some jammy psychedelic rock but this didn't go anywhere
Led Zeppelin
3/5
I'd maybe only heard this once before, it never grabbed me like their others. Some great tracks but too much filler. I don't know why you'd choose to listen to this over LZ 1 to 4
Rocket From The Crypt
3/5
I liked this. Proper balls out rock from the 90s alt years, surprised I hadn't heard it before
Sister Sledge
3/5
It starts so so well but there's some absolute shit near the end. I also hate Spotify adding on remixes and bonus tracks
John Cale
5/5
Honestly one of my favourite ever albums. I always think of it as underrated so I was pleasantly surprised it made the list. It's a shame he never went back to this style with his later more experimental stuff
Herbie Hancock
3/5
I enjoyed this a lot. The first half more than the second where it lost a bit pf momentum. Probably now my favourite jazz funk album
The Hives
2/5
I had this when it came out and never realised it was a compilation so have marked it down 1. They're a bit of a one trick pony
Missy Elliott
3/5
I'd never heard this and I was glad it's Timbaland on production, he was starting to hit his stride here. Loads of good tracks
Manu Chao
3/5
Another one I thought I'd hate but actually very listenable. It kept me interested with all the changes in language etc
The Cure
4/5
The best Cure album I think, certainly of the ones I've heard. Probably too miserable for some but its a perfect execution of what they were going for
Can
4/5
Love this, enough groove to hook you in, enough weird stuff to keep it interesting. One of the best drummers ever in my opinion. Only loses a mark as the last tracks are a bit too out there for me
T. Rex
2/5
Metal guru is pretty good but the glam metal doesn't do much for me. Electric Warrior we did first was better
Tim Buckley
2/5
Not what I expected, I wouldn't know it was Jeff's dad. Some cool bluesy funk sounds but average songs
Method Man
3/5
I'd always avoided this as he's not one of my favourite in Wu tang, don't know why. It's got the gritty sound and the classic dense lyrics. Probably needs a few listens to really sink in but I liked it
Lauryn Hill
3/5
I hadn't heard this for years. Vastly overrated at the time but it still sounds pretty good I think. The good bits are brilliant
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
3/5
Another good Elvis Costello album. No big stand out hits but it's pretty consistently good
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
2/5
I found this so boring. Absolutely nothing interesting in any of the songs. American Girl just about saved it from a 1
Iron Maiden
2/5
Thought i'd dislike it more but it was ok. Weird not hearing Bruce Dickinson's voice
George Michael
1/5
I tried to listen without prejudice but it really was shit. Clearly he was trying to be taken seriously as an artist but there's no substance just pretension added to basic ballads
The Saints
4/5
Wow really great, never heard of these guys. Punk albums that still sound decent are few and far between but this is like London Calling in that it has other stuff going on. The horns and acoustic bits worked really well
Megadeth
3/5
I struggle to separate it from the other Megadeth album we had earlier on, but the guitars still sounded really good
Public Image Ltd.
3/5
It's not every day you invent a genre, especially only a year after taking punk to the mainstream. I had to drop it down to a 3 as some of the more extreme tracks get on my nerves. Their 2nd album is the classic
ABBA
2/5
Hard to rate. Never really clicked for me as a serious musical act. Dancing Queen is obviously amazing but there aren't enough good ones to make up for the horrible production
Os Mutantes
3/5
The Brazilian Beatles. I'd heard a few tracks before but not the whole album. It's properly psychedelic in a way not much English language rock is
2Pac
2/5
It was ok. He always sounds decent, not many of his tracks really blow me away. I prefer BIG and the east coast style more
The Who
1/5
It's shit isn't it? People need to stop pretending it's good. The most rock overrated album ever
Ride
3/5
It's definitely shoegaze. Very Verve-y, but without as much swagger. I thought the vocals let it down a bit
Mekons
2/5
I had higher hopes for this. It passed me by a bit as punky irish music only slightly more modern than The Pogues.
Cornershop
2/5
I didn't think much of it, it sounds so dated now just putting Indian bits in for the sake of it
Jimi Hendrix
4/5
I never really think of this as much of an album, just a load of songs with Jimi Hendrix playing guitar on, but there's so much good stuff. The drummer is amazing, and no one has ever made a guitar sound like Hendrix
ZZ Top
3/5
Thought i'd hate this but it's decent. The constant rhythm track was pretty cool but by the end I found it a bit repetitive and predictable to go higher than a 3
The National
4/5
My favourite of theirs is Alligator but this has lots of their best songs on. The production especially stands out to me as being the best fit for his voice and lyrics they've had
Madness
2/5
I'd like to go higher than a 2 but it's novelty ska really isn't it? A whole album was a bit much
Soundgarden
2/5
I didn't get all that much from this, Black Hole Sun by far my favourite that has a different sound from their heavier stuff. To be fair there's only a handful of grunge bands I like
ABBA
2/5
I wanted to go 1.5. Not an outright 1 as there's clearly some craft to the songwriting, but large parts of it were like an Andrew Lloyd Webber album
David Bowie
3/5
Not my favourite Bowie album at all. Probably only a 3 because it's Bowie, i preferred the periods before and after
Portishead
4/5
It's pretty amazing they went away for 10 yeats and came back with this. Much more adventurous than their 2 90s albums, there's nothing that really sounds like it
Bruce Springsteen
3/5
4 for the album, minus 1 for the sax. Seriously, who thought it was a good idea to play that solo in the middle of the title track?
Bill Evans Trio
3/5
I liked this for a jazz album. Was cool it was live and didn't get boring like some
k.d. lang
1/5
Horrible shit hurt my ears
Yes
2/5
Far too wsnky for me but clearly there's s lot going on to save it from a 1
Muddy Waters
3/5
Really good, I didn't know he was still releasing music this late.
Khaled
1/5
It was so far removed to most stuff I listen to I was finding it fairly interesting. And then they did the Imagine cover. Fuck me
Rush
3/5
I didn't think I liked rush but this was enjoyable. Some decent songs well played
Tom Waits
5/5
The best Tom Waits album. The point when he transitioned from smoky ballads which he was still very good at to weird stuff. The guitar line on the first song alone is incredible
Jethro Tull
2/5
This didn't make much impression on me. Far too much flute is my main thought
The Beau Brummels
3/5
Never heard of these but I normally find this sort of stuff holds up well today. Decent but not a classic or snything
Leonard Cohen
4/5
I expect a lot of people don't like 80s synth Cohen but I actually think it gives his music a bit more identity beyond his voice. Some of his best lyrics on this album
Arcade Fire
4/5
Better than I remember, it's a really strong album. At the time it just felt like a step down from their perfect debut. Little did I know have far they would slide after this point
Keith Jarrett
2/5
Nice enough, hard to go higher than a 2. Is that the audience or him shouting out during the playing? If so he's really enjoying himself
Arcade Fire
3/5
A very generous 3 based on the beginning and end of the album being excellent. The less said about the middle portion the better. A real shit sandwich
Motörhead
3/5
I didn't really notice any songs other than the title track but they were all pretty good but a bit samey. Hard to dislike overall
Joni Mitchell
2/5
As usual her voice is a massive barrier for me. Avoids a 1 as the 2nd track with the synth was unexpectedly good
2/5
I mostly like their first 3 albums but this is a fair load of wank
Fleetwood Mac
4/5
I don;' really like Fleetwood Mac but you can't really fault this. An impressive amount of classic songs on one album
Jah Wobble's Invaders Of The Heart
2/5
I know he played bass in PiL and naturally the basslines are the best thing about it. I thought it started off ok but got a bit repetitive with the generic world music
Sugar
4/5
This was a very nice surprise, never heard of them but I listened to it twice in a row. Sounded a lot like DInosaur Jr. All the songs are the same structure but it doesn't matter when the tunes are this good
Leonard Cohen
2/5
I made the mistake of trying to listen to this on a sunny day. Had to try again in the evening. Being old definitely suits him but there weren't quite enough musical ideas or great lyrics to sustain the whole thing
The Rolling Stones
3/5
Some good songs, some shit formulaic ones. A bit like all their albums for me? Definitely one of the better ones but not something I ever go back to
Hole
2/5
It's ok. A few songs that I already knew and liked but a bit middle of the road and hasn't got anything to push it up a place
Lou Reed
2/5
I've heard this a few times and never got into it, which is a shame as I like Lou Reed. Downbeat and doesn't really hold my attention
DJ Shadow
5/5
I can't say enough good things about it. Not a single piece of original music on it yet it's completely unique. Possibly the best hip-hop album ever despite not featuring any rapping
The Rolling Stones
3/5
Opening and closing songs are obviously amazing but the middle feels very standard fare Stones. I would always just choose to listen to Sticky Fingers instead
The Go-Go's
3/5
Pretty good catchy songs with a nice sound. Nothing bad to drag it down but nothing exceptional to move it up to 4
The The
4/5
Never heard this before but thought it was great. Constantly interesting sound without getting distracting from the songs
The United States Of America
3/5
This was a weird one. 60s psychedelic but with early electronic bits! Some of it is gimmicky but also some really cool stuff
Lorde
4/5
4 might be a bit much but I can't think of a better pop album for a long time. Good tunes, good production, decent lyrics
Jimmy Smith
2/5
It wasn't bad, just a bit too smooth sounding for me. Very backgroundy
Little Simz
3/5
She's a good rapper and there's some decent beats on this. I never think she sounds convincing though when she's bragging about how great she is, it doesn't seem to suit her
Electric Light Orchestra
2/5
I really hated a lot of this, it's saved from a 1 by Mr Blue Sky.
M.I.A.
4/5
Love this. It's not perfect but has a lot of bangers and there was nothing that sounded like it at the time
Elvis Presley
3/5
A hard one to rate. I bet it sounded incredible at the time to most of the world who'd never heard this before, but obviously doesn't have the same effect now. Still a great voice
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
3/5
I liked this at the time and it still has a fairly distinctive sound and some good songs, but hard to push higher than a 3 in the grand scheme of things
I hate Rod Stewart but admit he has a good voice. It's wasted on all these bland low effort songs
Bob Dylan
5/5
This is my favourite Dylan album. Brilliant lyrics all over the place, a rock sound and it works together beginning to end
Hole
2/5
This is a 2 all day long, same as Celebrity Skin. Like that album there's a few decent standouts but it's really nothing special
The Mars Volta
1/5
I'm more convinced than ever this is the emperor's new clothes. Unnecessarily proggy to the point it distracts from the songs, and the lyrics read like the ramblings of a drunk horse
Billy Joel
3/5
I don't like Billy Joel as a rule but there's clearly some well written songs on here. There's also some awful cheesy shite that even in the 70s he should have known better
Beatles
5/5
Nobody's favourite Beatles album, but their first 'proper' one where they started trying out new stuff no one else was doing. The Lennon songs especially are exceptional. Still a 5
LL Cool J
2/5
Ladies Love Cool James. Other than the title track there's a lot of rubbish and he's a lame rapper.
Michael Kiwanuka
2/5
I've heard this before and still think it's really bland. Production is nice, his voice is nice, but there aren't enough memorable bits
Minutemen
4/5
One of the only good double albums in my opinion. Short songs as well so they could have made 4 decent albums out of the ideas they had. Not their fault they inspired the red hot chilli peppers
Dr. John
2/5
Weirder than I expected, almost a 3 because I've never heard anything like it before, sort of voodoo blues. Still a bit of a mess
Rush
1/5
A real pile of shit start to finish. All the bad bits of prog represented, nonsense lyrics and wanky music
5/5
A 5 all day. Not my favourite Beatles album but an incredible achievement. A Day in the Life is one of the best songs ever recorded
Queen Latifah
3/5
I thought it was miles better than LL Cool J recently. Still sounds very 80s rap but some of the beats were good and she's a better rapper than I realised
Sarah Vaughan
3/5
Whenever we get a jazz album I put it off for a few days. It doesn't feel like a classic album at all, I'll never listen to it again, but still a 3. She's got an amazing voice
Mudhoney
3/5
I knew the name but never listened to this band. I put it on twice, right up my street. Guitars are so messy I could have played on it
System Of A Down
1/5
I thought this might be good but fucking hell it's annoying. Like a nu-metal Queen. I didn't make it all the way through
Slayer
4/5
Thank god we got this after System of a Down, maybe my favourite metal album. 28 mins, proper thrash, with classic riffs. Some of the best drums on anything
Steely Dan
2/5
It's largely horrible like I expected, but competent enough not to be a 1
Siouxsie And The Banshees
3/5
I liked this, I thought it would be more straight ahead punk and there's a lot more sounds to it
Steely Dan
1/5
More jazzy than countdown to ecstasy, combined with the worst bits of the 80s. Sounds like something the guy from American Psycho would like
Elton John
1/5
Why is this on the list? Loses a mark straight away for being a double album. But wait! This one is a concept album about the wizard of Oz, and is written by Elton John! Who seriously doesn't know Elton and needs to hear this shit
Aretha Franklin
2/5
It's just a load of covers right? Obviously a great voice and some really good versions but still hard to go higher in the ratings
Nico
3/5
Really surprised I liked this, I put it on twice. I heard it a fair bit 15 years ago and hated her mooing voice, it's grown on me a fair bit, nice songs
The Smashing Pumpkins
3/5
This one I've probably downgraded over time. Drums and guitars still sound awesome but the lyrics and vocals are very very teenage
Mike Oldfield
1/5
I've never heard this past the first minute or so that's in the exorcist. I had no idea it got so annoying
Marvin Gaye
2/5
Title track is amazing, the rest has the same sound but none of the songs have much more to them. It ends up repetitive
Kraftwerk
3/5
Hard to go above a 3, but I feel like I get it now. Just the sound of the synths alone must have been incredible back then, but as well as that they already had an understanding of how to put this sort of music together as a whole
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
2/5
I really didn't find it that engaging. Perhaps it sounded more exciting at the time, but most of the songs didn't carry much weight. I preferred My Aim Is True
Marvin Gaye
2/5
've never been able to get on with this album. Some definite classic Marvin in there, but Save the Children is so massively lame it drags the whole thing down
3/5
Never heard of these but it's really good and catchy. It sounds an awful lot like the Violent Femmes which is a big positive
The Blue Nile
3/5
When the Seinfeld bass started I feared the worst. The production throughout makes it sound a bit dated but there are some very strong songs in there.
Beatles
2/5
A hard one to rate. It doesn't have the genius songwriting and production of their later albums, so the handful of great songs on it aren't enough to make me want to go back and listen to it today.
Peter Gabriel
2/5
A bit of a mess as an album. Still some nice guitar. Overall not as proggy as I expected
John Lennon
4/5
I find Imagine and Jealous Guy so overplayed they don't have much of an impact on me. Oh Yoko is one of my favourites though and drags it up from a 3 to a 4
Joe Ely
2/5
Starting with the first track some of this was honking. Some albums clearly just get on the list to tick a genre box
James Brown
3/5
I liked this one already. For all his great songs he doesn't really have a classic album so I suppose this is it. As live albums go its one of the best
Tito Puente
3/5
Nice to listen to something different I wouldn't have picked. I doubt I'd ever go back to it but all the salts jazz made a change
UB40
2/5
Didn't hate it as much as I expected to. Very samey but at least it sounded like reggae and don't have red red wine on it
Belle & Sebastian
4/5
Already a big fan of this. Very very strong just like their first album. It always annoyed me they didn't put singles on their albums
Motörhead
3/5
This was decent even though it's a live album and all Motorhead songs are basically the same. It's got a good energy to it (the first disc on Spotify at least)
A Tribe Called Quest
4/5
I listened to their twice in a row. Somehow never heard it before but enjoyed their later albums, I think I always assumed it would be a patchy debut album with can I Kick It and a load of filler. Not the case at all and sounds just as good as the first De La Soul
Sly & The Family Stone
4/5
I'd listened to this again recently When Sly Stone died. Love how dirty everything sounds. A shame that inventing slap bass would lead to so much shit music by others in the future. They can't be blamed
The Thrills
2/5
Another on I'm not sure how it got on the list. I liked the singles when they were released but after they're out the way the album is very one note
3/5
I liked the XTC I'd heard from the 80s and didn't realise they were still releasing music by this time. Lots of good tunes and glad to hear the terrible lyrics were still there