Very rare for an electronic/dance music album to win the Mercury Music Prize but it is completely unprecedented for a drum and bass album. I'd be surprised if it will ever happen again. This is one of the albums that put drum & bass on the mainstream music map. It's a wicked album, super pioneering, blending lots of different influences, particularly jazz and hiphop. You've also got to factor in the timing of it, artist-led d&b albums were not common in 1997. And it still sounds fresh! "In The Mode" might edge "New Forms" for tunage, but it is nowhere near as groundbreaking or influential. 10/10

Quite a confusing album. Didn't really read or hear anything to suggest it's a worthy "1001" album and didn't massively enjoy it either. 4/10

Classic album. Created the foundations of an entire genre. You can't knock it's importance and you have to remember it's over 25 years old! Also, important to remember Rob Playford's involvement! Plus RIP Diane Charlemagne. 9/10

A lot of this album sounds out of tune with itself. I suspect that's the point and maybe goes hand in hand with being "lo-fi" but it's slightly jarring. Still, there were some good moments and in particular I liked the louder, rockier tracks which reminded me of Nirvana's "Bleach" album. I can hear similarities with other bands from the same era but it's hard to gauge how influential this album was and there isn't really much info about that on Wiki. Feels like the band might be more influential than any specific album, plus I'd say Dinosaur Jr were a more influential band than Sebadoh. 5.5/10

Better than the other album but I still don't really get what is so important/significant/brilliant about Elvis Costello. 5/10

It's almost impossible to listen to this now and appreciate how ahead of its time it was. Some of the instruments used here were brand new, expensive and not widely used. Plus they made their own synths too!

Really liked this, bet they were a good live band. Once again, listening to it now, I get the feeling it's impact at the time is difficult to comprehend. Wire also strike me as one of those bands whose influence is greater than their own success. It sounds to me like they influenced a lot of the 90s US punk bands I like.

DELIGHTED to see this come up! One of my fave albums of all time and easily the best Green Day album, with Nimrod a close second (although it's not in the 1001 and American Idiot is 😤). No duff tracks and many highlights including some of Green Day's best songs of all time. Plus, it has a hidden track about wanking, what's not to like? It is regarded as the moment the band "sold out" but it was an album that, along with "Smash" by The Offspring, opened my ears to so many US punk bands like The Vandals, Pennywise, NOFX, etc, etc. 10/10

I've never listened to a Bruce Springsteen album before. I thought it well-written, with excellent production, "Waiting On A Sunny Day" was catchy and I quite liked "You're Missing" and "Paradise", but overall it was just a bit bland. "Worlds Apart" had some vaguely different (tokenistic) influences. There aren't even any Springsteen classics on this album to get excited about. From what I understand, this album was a return to form for him although it sounds way more dated than it is. Maybe "Born in the USA" would have been a better intro to Springsteen? He seems like a good guy, I'll give him that, but I'll give this album 5/10. Offensively inoffensive.

I really liked this album, to the point where I'm thinking I really should be a bigger Pixies fan than I am. I only know the hits... "Where Is My Mind?", "Debaser", "Monkey Gone To Heaven", "Here Comes Your Man", etc. I'll def give this album a few more listens and I've also revisited "Doolittle" which is also a cool album. 8/10

Heavier than I was expecting, which is good obviously. It's quite sleazy too, can imagine it playing in an American dive bar. I liked it as a whole album although there weren't really any standout tracks or megahits. Not surprised in the slightest that it influenced Guns n Roses and Motley Crue. 7/10

Love the vibes. There's definitely a certain sound that you can only get from sampling, a sound that is synonymous with specific genres. It's quite remarkable there are SO many samples on this record. 8/10

Half way through first track and all I can think is Radiohead "Fake Plastic Trees" and "No Surprises" combined with a bit of slide guitar. I thought the album was a nice listen, but it felt like background music to me. It's similar to the Springsteen album in that I don't really get the significance of it. It's not his biggest, best or first album, in fact other than some critical acclaim at the time it doesn't seem to have really influenced much at all. It's just because it's a revered artist basically. 6/10

"To be unique was more important than to be good", the words of the band's main songwriter. Probably explains why I'm not that into it although I can recognise the innovation. I like the fact that they have a very specific vision for their music and are quite fiercely independent with political sensibilities in their lyrics. But ultimately just not that into the music. 5/10

Really cool vibes. Like the Beastie Boys, another album with sampling at it's heart. But this one has been sampled itself a LOT by all kinds of people, really interesting to read and listen to all those tracks too. Big influence on backpack hiphop. Best discovery of this thing so far 7.5/10

Found it hard to be objective on this one. It doesn't seem to be particularly popular (at the time or now) and it doesn't seem particularly influential, so it must be about the musical quality. Feels like this is the sort of thing a music critic would choose, but it's not my bag at all. 3/10

The guitarist is so clearly inspired by Hendrix, Super Stupid is essentially him doing an impression of Jimi. Not as accomplished as Jimi on the guitar, but who is? I really liked this album. It was way more interesting and varied than I'd anticipated, so much so I feel I need a second listen to get my head around it properly. The self indulgent moments go both ways for me (guess that'll be the drugs). Sometimes it meanders into weirdness eg Wars of Armageddon, but some of the improv is great eg title track. No doubt these guys are legendary and influential and have been sampled by almost everyone in hip hop. But it's also a sick album. 9/10

Nice to get a proper old album. Absolutely no doubting the man's influence and legacy, such a recognisable voice. I bet this album gets absolutely rinsed in films and hotel bars. I wasn't so much into the "big band" first half of this album. The chilled second half was more my vibe. 7/10

My Irish connections won't be pleased about this, but I'm not a huge fan of this. 6/10

As I dragged myself through the album, I learned to ignore his voice and actually the music is alright. It sounds dated even taking into account the 1986 release date. Probably deserves a higher score than Lloyd Cole because at least I've heard of him, but it would be disrespectful to The Boss. 2/10

I really liked this album, to the point where I'm wondering why I wasn't more into Primal Scream way back when. They even headlined the first Glasto I went to in 98 and I remember just listening to them from my tent. I think their heyday was probably slightly too early, although I never had a problem with retrospective Nirvana love. I was much more into indie/rock at that time and this definitely draws a variety of influences. 7.5/10

Opening track is cool but there were quite a few moments where it sounded like a fairly standard band deliberately trying to be a bit wacky and weird. Lead singer Wayne Coyne comes across as a bit try hard too. There were a couple of "nice" songs, but ultimately a bit forgettable other than the opening track. 4/10

You can tell this album is big simply from the length of the Wiki page! This was actually the first time I've listened to the full album. I'm scoring highly for talent, execution, legacy and I'm sure it will influence people for generations to come, but I can't give it 5/5. Other than a couple of songs, it's not totally my vibe. I assume everyone else will give it full marks though so that will more than make up for it. 8.5/10

A little surprised a panel of music critics put this one in. For me, a couple of novelty megahits drag this album into the 1001 list. There's a lot of filler, so I'm scoring this largely on the popularity of two or three songs above anything else. I quite like those songs but they mostly remind me of cheesy nightclubs. 5/10

These guys are also absolute pioneers of an entire genre and played a key role in bringing it to the mainstream, with some of the tracks from this album at the heart of that. Some people might say inventing rap/rock was perhaps not the greatest gift to music 😂 but the impact of their cover of Walk This Way is immeasurable. Plus it's pure vibes as a listening experience! 9/10

Not good or bad. Don't really get the significance. 5/10

Another one my Irish relatives won't be pleased about. Can't stand this band. Can't even muster any objectivity. 1/10 (ahh yeah that felt good)

A very confusing album. Wiki says it's their most popular album to date, yet streaming numbers are really low compared to their other albums. Also, it seems the critics hated it at the time, yet now it's highly regarded. Another confusing element is that it influenced Deftones and System of a Down, which I can hear (especially Deftones), yet it isn't something I'm massively into. Very hard to score this. 7/10

Liked this more than I was expecting to. The sampling approach is interesting, reminds me a bit of how Thr Prodigyvusea guitar samples. The vocals were slightly hard work because they were in French and quite prominent in the mix. Overall I liked it and it seems to have influenced some cool people! 7/10

Not sure why I've never explored Sigur Ros further than Takk as I really love that album. This one was really cool, but I think it needs a few more listens to properly get my head around it. 7.5/10

Really chilled and some nice instrumentation, but at times it is so chilled it's actually a bit boring. Although it was cool to discover the the "Ms Jackson" connection. 5.5/10

Quite a sombre album that seems to reflect a changing mood in society/music between the 60s and the 70s. Not an artist or a style of music I'm massively into, but I can recognise the merit and the popularity of American Pie and Vincent. Having said that, I'd rather listen to NOFX's cover of Vincent than the original. 6/10

My score is pretty much entirely based on strong legacy, songwriting, superb musical proficiency and an interesting sampling history. Mad respect for this, although it's a bit too slushy and cheesy for my personal tastes. 7/10

A lot of this album sounds out of tune with itself. I suspect that's the point and maybe goes hand in hand with being "lo-fi" but it's slightly jarring. Still, there were some good moments and in particular I liked the louder, rockier tracks which reminded me of Nirvana's "Bleach" album. I can hear similarities with other bands from the same era but it's hard to gauge how influential this album was and there isn't really much info about that on Wiki. Feels like the band might be more influential than any specific album, plus I'd say Dinosaur Jr were a more influential band than Sebadoh. 5.5/10

I knew the name but didn't know much about him and have never consciously listened to his music before. A very nice discovery in that respect, and what a fascinating and sad story. His live shows sound like a riot! Crazy how little-known he was before he died, yet his music has become so revered and influential since. His music stands the test of time. Perhaps he'd still be here if he'd found more success while he as alive? Not really into folk music that much but I enjoyed this a lot more than I thought I would. 8.5/10

Never heard of this before. Liked the vibe and the sentiment although it got a bit samey. Influenced Hed PE, not sure that's anything to write home about. 6.5/10

Incredible musician(s), hugely influential, a huge power of social and cultural importance, ticks all the 1001 boxes. Feel like I should give 5 but, on a purely personal level, it's not entirely my bag as something I would consciously sit down and listen to. 9/10

Thoughts on this, in order, as I'm listening to it... Sounds a bit like Beach Boys. Actually this band is kinda irritating. Oh Paul Weller likes them. This song sounds like it's from medieval times. Oh I know this song. 5/10

There's no doubting the legendary status of this album, so I was keen to figure out why I wasn't a bigger fan of The Clash but after listening I still don't really know. I don't dislike it but it just doesn't massively excite me. I can't put my finger on it. Still worthy of 8/10

Yay a proper all time favourite. Legendary status. 10/10

Better than the other album but I still don't really get what is so important/significant/brilliant about Elvis Costello. 5/10

It feels like some artists have multiple albums because they are significant rather than the album itself. Having said that, this is quite different to the other Springsteen album, I enjoyed it more and feels more worthy of the 1001 inclusion. 6/10

Cool discovery. I knew the name but not much else. Pioneering like Kraftwerk. Same year as Autobahn. Mad lineup, more like a movement than a band. Music featured on Grand Theft Auto and Stranger Things. I actually really liked the music too. 8.5/10

I like the producer angle this guy has, it seems he has been quite influential on that basis to people like Prince, Bjork and Daft Punk. So I rate him for that, but musically this album is a bit boring. A bit too easy listening for me. 5/10

Stunning album and a genuine all-time favourite of mine. So this gets maximum possible points for the music but I'm slightly less sure about the legacy/influence/significance (although I'm basing this largely on Wiki). Either way a sick album, with no weak points. 9.5/10

I could score this 5 solely on music and probably another 5 solely on legacy/influence. Awesome album. Plus it has Chase & Dave on it. 10/10

Never really been into Missy Elliott but I totally get that being a female rapper in the 90s was massively pioneering and, as a result, my score is largely on that basis. I like the Timbaland production but just don't find the album as a whole massively exciting. No bangers either. 6/10

It's quite a big deal to be one of the first racially-diverse American rock bands. At the time (especially live) I can imagine this band being really good but this album to me sounds dated, I wasn't really into it. Their most influential album seems to be "Forever Changes", maybe that's better? 5/10

Nice to have something a bit different to listen to, not something I'd usually be into but I did quite like it. I bet Giles Peterson is well into this 😂 I'm astounded at how old it is. I'm sure the remastering helped, but it sounds sick! They pioneered some important technical musical advancements that had a profound and lasting impact on several genres and Afro-Cuban music in general, as well as the social/political environment surrounding it. Random observation: some parts of it sounds like a Tom & Jerry soundtrack (eg start of Holiday). 7/10

Liked this more than I thought I would. It's a bit edgier/rockier than I'd assumed all of Rod Stewart's music was. 7/10

It's not terrible, but I wasn't really into this. Just a bit slow and boring. Don't really see much much importance/significance in it either. I can see how it is a music critic's dream though, probably explains why it's in this list. Another Howard fortunate 3. 5.5/10

For the record, I don't think The Beatles' music is shit, I just think they are overrated, cheesy and sound a bit dated. Torn between a 3 and a 4.

I wouldn't say I'm a huge fan of Bjork, but I enjoyed this album and respect the creativity/originality and her identity as an artist. This is also a landmark album for the entire electronic music genre in terms of permeating the mainstream. 7.5/10

Marginally prefer this album to Surfer Rosa and I think it has a slightly stronger legacy probably because there are more recognisable songs like Debaser, Tame, Here Comes Your Man, Monkey Gone To Heaven, etc. 9/10

Didn't find this very exciting, really not a folk person tbh. It was kinda rocky at some points and I quite liked "The Stolen Child" at the end. Don't really get the significance of it either. 5/10

Definitely some great guitar skills and people with a strong legacy. Not hugely exciting for me though. Would have been a Howard fortunate 3 if it wasn't for the 70s racism and anti COVID lockdown nonsense. 5/10

Was a little surprised to see a live album, especially as there doesn't seem to be anything particularly unique about the performance, but I get it was an important release for the band and I did really enjoy it. Great energy and good songs! Sound like a fun live band. 8/10

Loads of covers but they made them their own and I enjoyed it. Maybe there weren't enough songs to go round in 1965? 6/10

I was expecting something quite different having read the Wiki, but to me this album is Queen honing their skills and finding their eventual sound that we are all familiar with. Overall, I thought it was cool but I wouldn't be in a mad rush to listen again. One for bigger Queen fans than me. 7/10

I know she has an amazing voice, but I find it jarring when she (or anyone) goes really high with loads of notes added in and she isn't even singing words - essentially just showing off. Also, pop r&b is probably the only genre I find virtually no enjoyment in. I don't care if millions of people love this album, objectivity can do one. 4.5/10

Impressed that he did almost everything on the album and he has fused a few genres in quite a pioneering way, playing a big role in the creation of "neo soul". Quite like the beats and the vibe. It's easy easy listening bordering on being a bit boring. 6/10

It's well written, performed and produced but I found the energy quite linear and the songs dragged on a bit. There isn't much in the way of dynamics, very little change of pace/energy and nothing particularly catchy in terms of choruses. I'm also struggling to score on significance/legacy, particularly as it is a relatively recent album. This all sounds very critical but, In the face of overwhelmingly positive reviews, I felt it deserves a bit of extra justification. I actually don't think it's bad album, it's just not my vibe. 6/10

Spurs were so shit I actually wasn't able to really have any meaningful thoughts on this but I liked it. 7.5/10

This has always just been a name to me and never consciously listen to them. More fool me, I really liked it. Sounds sick considering it's older than me! Really influential too. 9/10

Nice and chilled. Nice songwriting. Nice guitar playing. Sounds VERY 60s. Happily listened to it, although not hugely exciting. I didn't realise he was Scottish, always assumed he was American. 6/10

Vaguely familiar with the band, largely because of Dave Navarro's RHCP connections, but never listened to an entire album before. Wasn't overly impressed tbh. I quite liked the music and instrumentation, I think it was the vocals I struggled with, and the slightly unremarkable songwriting. First half was better than the second half. 5.5/10

Mad props for the influence and legacy. Heard Blur and Supergrass all the way through, two of my fave bands. I enjoyed the music more than I thought I would, some Bowie bangers on here too. Wouldn't be in a mega rush to hear it again but scoring highly for the respect. 8/10

I kinda liked the album. Some songs more than others. It reminded me a lot of other bands, some of which are from the same era or later. Bands who did something similar to Suede, but better than Suede did it. It definitely has a legacy and some influence though. 6.5/10

Quite a confusing album. Didn't really read or hear anything to suggest it's a worthy "1001" album and didn't massively enjoy it either. 4/10

One of those albums that is of its time. Got a lot of respect for that, but for me just sounds dated. Score largely on legacy/influence. 7/10

I find the popularity of Coldplay's dull music kinda irritating. Has anyone ever said "I got into music and formed a band because of Coldplay"? But to it's hard to knock the accessibility of their songwriting and ignore some of the megahits on this album. 7/10

Cool album, enjoyed it. Doubt I'd listen to it again though.

That wasn't as bad as I feared, apart from "Bennie", which had an incredibly annoying vocal. Highly competent songwriting and musicianship, albeit a bit unadventurous for my tastes. Some big hits and enjoyable music, but also a lot of filler. 6.5/10

Nice enough music, don't really get what makes it a "1001" album though. 5/10

I never loved the album at the time, but I loved most of the big tunes. Listening to it now and it's better than I remember. A lot of it holds up and there are def a good number of classics, although it would benefit from a few less tracks. I actually think the excessive film/tv/advert licensing adds to its impressiveness and legacy. Plus it influenced Adele, who knew? 8.5/10

Quite a disjointed album and quite a challenging listening experience as a result. Having said that I liked the music and the lofi vibe even if it ultimately reminded me of other bands I'd rather listen to. 6.5/10

It was alright. More folky than psychy. 5/10

Sick album. Awesome beats, lyrics, production, legacy, influence. Ticks all the boxes. 9/10

Excellent album. Not sure if it's the best Bob Marley album. If it isn't, I'll give that album 5 stars too. 9/10

Bit floppy and sloppy for my tastes, but clearly mega influential in terms of the changing style of motown and future r&b genres. 7/10

Was having a bit of a shitty day and U2 didn't help. 4/10

Very rare for an electronic/dance music album to win the Mercury Music Prize but it is completely unprecedented for a drum and bass album. I'd be surprised if it will ever happen again. This is one of the albums that put drum & bass on the mainstream music map. It's a wicked album, super pioneering, blending lots of different influences, particularly jazz and hiphop. You've also got to factor in the timing of it, artist-led d&b albums were not common in 1997. And it still sounds fresh! "In The Mode" might edge "New Forms" for tunage, but it is nowhere near as groundbreaking or influential. 10/10

I quite liked this, reminded me of a lot of bands like Snuff, early AFI, NOFX, etc, although there wasn't much info on Wiki about their influence or legacy to know if there was a direct influence. Also, too many versions/formats with different running orders and different bonus tracks. That was annoying. 6/10

A handful of really amazing tracks (Seven Nation Army is an all time classic that will be listened to for the rest of time), but equally a handful of slightly unremarkable ones particularly towards the end. I enjoyed the album, but I'm not sure how often I'd actively listen again in its entirety. Awesome duo with great songs and fantastic live, but as an album it's a 7/10

I don't really get the Chic hype tbh. Similar to The Beatles in some ways. I get the musicianship, songwriting, popularity, etc and it's nice enough but just not my vibe. 7/10

Welcome To The Jungle has to be one of the best album opening tracks of all time. Totally sets the mood for a great album. I'm definitely not the world's biggest GnR fan, but I do like this album. It is also hugely influential. 9/10

Very middle of the road and generic. I get that Stills is a big deal, but this isn't for me and I don't really get what is so good/significant about this album. 5/10

Enjoyed the album. The cover of Mrs Robinson doesn't quite sit right with me though. Mostly because it isn't part of the original album and was only added because it was a popular. Added to that, the band's frontman doesn't even like the song or Paul Simon, and Paul Simon doesn't like the cover. What a shitshow 😂 It's clearly the biggest song on the album, except it isn't really on the album is it? 6/10

Was alright. Forgotten it already though. 5/10

Really cool album, nice vibes. Shuffle meant I had to listen to it twice, which was fine by me. I've never listened to it before but recognised a couple of tunes. Influenced Outkast. I mean this one ticks a lot of boxes. 8.5/10

The music was fine, but I didn't understand the significance. I mean, the Dutch seemed to enjoy it at least. 5/10

7.5/10

Felt like I listened to the same song on loop for 45mins. 5/10

A bit easy going for my tastes. All a bit nice and not enough edge. 5/10

I enjoyed it, but no real standout tracks and I probably wouldn't revisit. 6/10

Didn't listen to all of it but every track was almost the same so I think I got the vibe. 4.5/10

Yeah was alright. Enjoyed. 6.5/10

Amazing musicians on this album, very cool vibes. Jazz trumpet grates on me after a while tho. 6.5/10

Not an album or a band I would listen to on the regs but clearly hugely influential on a lot of the music I do listen to. They are the Beatles of harder rock music genres. Jimmy Page's production techniques also highly innovative. 8.5/10

Nice enough, but not particularly interesting musically. I know this isn't an exercise in technically proficient musicianship but the lead singer can't really sing. 5.5/10

Such a varied album. Psychedelic moments, electronic elements, straight up acoustic songwriting, rock, punk, hiphop beats, fun singalong vibes but also some slightly more challenging/experimental songs. This is why Blur are one of the best British bands of all time and why this album is one of their finest. It also resonated heavily in the US and is a favourite of the band themselves. 10/10

I don't know if I've ever knowingly listened to this album in its entirety before but I felt I'd heard most of it before. It was actually alright tbf and the legacy alone is huge. 8/10

Classic album. Created the foundations of an entire genre. You can't knock it's importance and you have to remember it's over 25 years old! Also, important to remember Rob Playford's involvement! Plus RIP Diane Charlemagne. 9/10

7/10

Never been a huge fan of Stone Roses but this is a cool album with some classic tunes. 8/10

I was waiting for the Family Guy theme tune, but it never came. Was a nice listen though. I can imagine sitting in a cocktail bar listening to this.

Never heard of these guys. Sounds like a second rate hybrid of Pixies, Soundgarden, Foo Fighters and Nirvana with a spattering of 90s UK indie. I know it won an NME award but struggling to see the influence or impact of this album. It was a little bit hit and miss musically, but not bad overall. 5.5/10

Music critic fodder. Trying to be objective but it's just not my vibe. Wishy washy. 4/10

Can see why these guys are one of the originators of 🤘 It's a lot more acoustic than I was expecting although a few good heavy riffs here and there. Not totally my vibe, but influenced a lot of important bands that followed them. 7.5/10

Bags of musical talent and good energy. I like all of the musical influences and all the genres that they've mixed together but at times it feels like mixture doesn't quite work and it'sa bit disjointed as an album. Maybe a case of less is more. Enjoyed it and could imagine they'd be wicked live, but not an album I'd be desperate to revisit. 6/10

Always slightly sceptical of live albums being part of this unless there is something unique or different compared to a regular live performance. Nonetheless there is so much vibe and energy! Recording quality is fantastic. If I was rating the gig it might be a 10/10. As an album it's 8/10

It was nice enough but ultimately a little uninteresting. 5/10

A band that Ishould be more into than I actually am, but just never quite got into them. "On A Rope" is an absolute classic and I remember seeing them at Glasto 98 but I've never listened to this album in full. It was a good vibe but I'd def cherry pick the best songs (by which I mean "On A Rope"). 6/10

It's a classic but it goes on a bit. 5/10

Middle of the road music for the masses. Not offensive, but not very interesting either. 5/10

Didn't like this after the first track or two but it really grew on me as it went on. Really nice chill vibes. 7/10

Nice songs. Nice voice. It was nice. 5/10

I like bits and pieces of New Order and I rate them for being pioneering in terms of the electronic elements, but I didn't find this album particularly interesting or memorable. It was a nice listen, but ultimately I found the songs a bit too meandering and the music a little bland. 7/10

Done just over 100 albums and 3 of them have been Elvis Costello. I mean really? One Elvis Costello album in the 1001 would have been plenty. 4/10

Absolutely legendary album. RZA legendary production. 10/10

Violet and Doll Parts are classic tracks, but I'm not sure I've ever listened to this album in full before. Not the biggest fan of Courtney Love but I enjoyed the album. Really powerful voice, catchy songs, loads of energy. Well-produced. Easy to compare to Nevermind in many ways. In fact, it is interesting that Kurt might have written some of the songs and that he features as backing vocalist on two tracks. I enjoyed this and I'd certainly revisit the big songs, but less sure about the album as a whole. 7/10

No wonder he called the album "Heroes", that's by far the best track. The health spa moments towards the end were unexpected but not unwelcomed. Overall not for me. 6/10

It was alright 5/10

Was cool, although maybe a bit too easy listening. 7/10

Didn't know standup comedy and jazz could be fused together. 5/10

Not all French-speaking music sounds so stereotypically French which, on face value, makes this feel like a slightly tokenistic inclusion. That said, it clearly has wide-reaching influence beyond France and, on a personal level, I liked the musicianship and instrumentation but found the spoken word vocals a bit cringe. 6/10

I liked the 80s vibes. "It's A Sin" is a real standout track but I liked a few of the other tracks too. 7/10

Enjoyed this a lot more than I thought I would. I was flirting with 4 stars, but the second half was less impressive than the first. 7/10

I totally respect the musicianship and songwriting, but I find this type of music just a bit too smooth for its own good and a bit cheesy. 6/10

Didn't hate it, but quite a challenging listen. 5/10

125 albums and we finally get a decent metal band 🤘 This album massively reminds me of university days and "Freak On A Leash" is an undisputed banger 🤘 Some cool guests on this too: Ice Cube, Fred Durst, SlimKid3 from The Pharcyde. That said, it's not my fave metal album. It might not even be my fave Korn album. Still worthy of 4 stars tho. 7.5/10

Far too much folk and country music in this. "Most Influential Folk Album of All Time"? I'll take your word for it. I'll give it an extra star for that. 4/10

For an album that's as old as me, I find the use of instruments available at that time fascinating. And they definitely saved the best for last. Overall, I just don't think the songwriting is particularly good, I would probably have enjoyed it more if it was instrumental. 6.5/10

First track sounds like a weird/slow version of 'Good Times' by Chic without the cool bassline. Overall, it was all just a bit "nice". 5/10 ⚽ Euro player: Johan Cruyff. Played in orange and definitely ripped it up.

Alice In Chains are another one of those bands that I *should* be massively into, but for whatever reason it just doesn't stick. Happily enjoyed listening through the album, but didn't find anything particularly memorable and there wasn't anything I particularly want to revisit. 5.5/10 ⚽ Euro player: Declan Rice vs Croatia. Did the job. Wasn't memorable. Hope the next one is better.

Really interesting to read about this album being one of the first digitally-recorded albums and also the legacy in terms of how it resonates with audiophiles and sound engineers. Not totally my vibe, but enjoyed it. 5/10 ⚽ Euro player: Xabi Alonso. Wouldn't top your list of best players of all time, but is highly technically proficient and admired by his peers.

If Arctic Monkeys came along 10 years earlier I think I'd have been a huge fan purely because of the kind of music I was listening to at that time. Really like this album though. Highly influential too. 8/10 ⚽ Euro player: Gordon Banks. Sheffield born. Internationally famous. Might have been more apt if it was a Pulp album seeing as his nephew is the drummer.

Bopped about to it. Was alright. 6/10

An incredibly influential band and it seems like this was their breakthrough album. I liked it but probs not something I'd revisit. 7/10