A sibling post-rock album to GY!BE's F♯A♯∞, Mogwai Young Team is the urban before the decay. Massive buildings of light and activity, streets of moving masses, the life of a city that never sleeps. Bigger than any one of us, Young Team captures a tower of sound and delivers it like a sonic freight train. But deep within, there's a certain beauty to this album. Real human connection, amidst the buzzing and chaos, displaying raw emotion in the clearing. Perhaps out of a restless need for closure, Mogwai finishes on a insurmountable level of noise and feedback that proves to be one of the finest post-rock songs in the entire genre. CONTENDER FOR THE LIST: I would like to see other post-rock heavy hitters on the list before considering this one (Swans, GY!BE, Talk Talk's Laughing Stock), but otherwise my bias is too strong to not add it to the list.

Some exceptionally slick indie rock from a band that seemingly failed to capitalize on their rising success. Resume includes opening for Neil Young, receiving praise from Liam Gallagher, and getting featured on BBC Radio 1. Despite being the next big thing in UK music, they never really did anything else. It seems like frontman Davey Newington went on to be a session musician for other Welsh artists, which is a shame because his follow-up record would've cemented Boy Azooga as a leader in indie rock. Oh well. CONTENDER FOR THE LIST: Afraid not.

Excellent '90s power pop that I was not privy to until now. It's got the perfect blend of polish and grit, with many great hooks and harmonies to boot. This album is also notable for being produced by famed producer Don Fleming, who effectively shaped the alternative rock and power pop sound of the '90s (save for grunge). Much like the Replacements, the Posies show a lineage of Big Star's influence on power pop. Thoroughly enjoyable, well-produced and well-written. CONTENDER FOR THE LIST: Maybe. The influence of the Posies isn't all that palpable, but the quality of this sort of record and it's contextual bearing makes me wonder if it would be a good fit anyway. I enjoyed it regardless.

Part of la movida madrileña that followed the Francoist regime. In contrast to the socially-conscious approach to rock urbano, artists who were a part of la movida madrileña were more playful and melodic in their approach. La cagaste is no different, with its distinct '80s pop rock run rooted in post-punk production. Are David Summers' vocals much to write home about? No, but the rest of the band carries that weight. Nice bit of fun. CONTENDER FOR THE LIST: Depends on if we expand the scope of the list to include more non-english albums. Given Hombres G's massive popularity in Spain, I don't see why not.

Canadian art collective Godspeed You! Black Emperor building on the backs of Talk Talk and Swans to create a new, apocalyptic form of post-rock. Using space and dissonance, the group evokes images of empty urban landscape and crumbling society. There are few albums feel more like an auditory experience rather than a collection of songs, and this is one of them. Stretches of somber atmosphere that eventually build to a swelling crescendo that pays off immensely. This is the album that directly inspired 28 Days Later, which isn't hard to believe when you find out that East Hastings made its way into the film. It's an album that feels bigger than you or I. It's a full, complete, honest-to-god work of art and it probably needs to be played at the end of the world or something. CONTENDER FOR THE LIST: Yes, without a doubt.

Shania Twain has a few stellar achievements with this album: best-selling studio album of all time by a solo female artist, best-selling country in the United States, album of the year grammy nomination, and significant influence on other country stars like Carrie Underwood, Faith Hill, and uh...who am I forgetting....oh right, Taylor Swift. To say that this album has an important place in music history would be an understatement, so why is it so often overlooked by music enthusiasts? Well for one thing, it's a country pop album which is basically considered a death sentence. That's not to say country pop is a genre devoid of artistic merit (I love Patsy Cline and the Dixie Chicks), but in the minds of many "enlightened listeners" this is a combination of two genres that are just generally uninteresting. I will not be so dismissive, but that's my theory as to why this didn't make the list. Come On Over is Shania Twain at her most confident, fun, humorous, and straightforward. Giving Gen X women songs like If You Wanna Touch Her, Ask!, That Don't Impress Me Much, and Honey, I'm Home brings a sense of female empowerment with Twain playing around with gender roles. This is especially evident in the killer opening track Man! I Feel Like a Woman! which has every concert-goer with a bedazzled cowboy hat go crazy for the line "Let's go, girls." Are the songs any good? Yeah, most of them are, but they're also not innovating on anything that much. It's a fairly safe country pop album that had enough hits to cement Twain's legacy as THE woman in country. 12 singles over three years, to be exact. CONTENDER FOR THE LIST: Sure, why not.

Avicii broke out as a producer during the early 2010's with his work on the Flo Rida song Good Feeling as well as his own song Levels, both of which were key part of the new wave of EDM-influenced pop music that borrowed heavily from house music and uplifting trance. Avicii would go on to work with several big names in pop such as Coldplay, Madonna, and David Guetta. This gave way for bigger and flashier collaborations that would allow a number of established singers to lend their vocals as features on Stories. Much of Stories is built off the presence of the varying guest features, with Avicii demonstrating his affinity for melodic supersaw hooks and euphoric beat drops. The main takeaway is that most of these songs sound the same with very few standouts, but it's decent for representing the style of pop music that was popular at the time. CONTENDER FOR THE LIST: Probably not.

A warm blanket of an album. Men I Trust takes a page out of Cocteau Twins book and melds it with the slick riffs of jazz guitar. Lush, dreamy songs with subdued vocals and rich production all around. This is a master class in taking a small sound and making the most of it. My god, what an album. Consistently pretty, locked in a groove, song after song. Does it run a little long? Sure, but I can easily forgive that for how sweet it sounds the entire time. We're lucky to have an album like this. CONTENDER FOR THE LIST: Maybe. Men I Trust are excellent in their niche of dreamy bedroom pop but it lacks a wider level of influence, so I hesitate to think they'd be a good for the list.

Mary Chapin Carpenter can be best understood as the "missing link" between Reba McEntire and Shanaia Twain. As country embraced a more pop-friendly sound into the '90s, artists were more inclined to write songs with more hooks. Mary Chapin Carpenter leans into this a little, but her focus is moreso on lyrical themes that reflect on gendered issues. Yes, women of country have always been rather observant about these things, but songs like He Thinks He'll Keep Her and I Feel Lucky show themes of female empowerment that would run through to Twain's success. Nearly as catchy? No, but still makes for some pretty good country all things considered. CONTENDER FOR THE LIST: Not quite. Maybe more of a footnote than anything else.

Garage house music legends Masters At Work flip their usual sound into more latin-influenced acid jazz. This gives the duo an excuse to play around with different jazz styles, including straight swing, scat, salsa-jazz, and a solo piano song. Some work better than others, but the album shines brightest when they just do acid jazz. This is likely due to the overlap with their DJ backgrounds which allows them to employ refined production techniques. To the extent of it's influences, Nuyorican Soul feels like a distinctly New York album. It's like a block party where a number of diverse backgrounds come together to celebrate their colorful styles. Overall, perhaps a bit too spotty to be truly excellent, but when it's good it's great. That's gotta be worth something. CONTENDER FOR THE LIST: No, a bit too niche to be representative of Masters At Work's influence.

A raw breakup album that finds ground between the bitterness of Alanis Morissette and the weight of PJ Harvey. DiFranco takes the folk formula and molds it into her own cathartic source of processing her emotions. Also, what a wizard on the guitar! She makes a riff her bitch every time. A willingness to dabble in other genre influences and implement them into her songs makes Dilate an underrated gem of the '90s. CONTENDER FOR THE LIST: Not quite notable for the list, but comes close.

Carried primarily by the opening hit single assisted by Curtis Mayfield, Discosis is more of a Canadian oddity rather than a must-hear album that defined any particular sound of the 2000s. Most of Bran Van 3000's music feels like a proto-LCD Soundsystem that's less focused than it's American counterpart. Also not nearly as fun or interesting. And too long! Woof, lots of things going against this album. CONTENDER FOR THE LIST: Nope.

Perhaps the oldest recordings of both the users' list and the full 1001 list, The Best of The Hot 5 & Hot 7 Recordings bear the gold standard of dixieland jazz. Armstrong is, of course, a legend and absolutely deserving of his flowers, but the genre conventions of dixieland come across as a bit antiquated in comparison to the evergreen stylings of Big Band busters such as Ellington at Newport. These really, post-war jazz towers over even the greatest works of artists like Armstrong, but we have to pay our respects nonetheless. Not only a skilled trumpeter, but a charismatic voice who delivers each song with a certain "cool" factor. If you walk away with any song to appreciate from this album, it should be West End Blues and St. James Infirmary. There are many more bonafide classics in Armstrong's catalogue, but those two are here and they are fantastic displays of musicianship. Don't dawdle. CONTENDER FOR THE LIST: I'm of two minds. While archival compilations are invaluable for appreciating music recordings before the idea of a proper album solidified, it sort of goes against the spirit of the list (which is why In the Wee Small Hours, largely considered to be the first "concept" album, is first on the list). I think if we're to expand the scope of the list's purpose, then yes this should absolutely be on the list. However, as much as I would love to include the Hank Williams 40 Greatest Hits compilation, it also opens a can of worms for what other archival compilations should be considered. So, maybe not.

You've likely heard at least one of these songs on classic rock radio before, probably the Stroke. Squier's big rock sound can be partially attributed to the production of Reinhold Mack, who is also notable for this work with ELO, Queen, and Deep Purple. As far as this brand of '80s rock goes, Don't Say No is pretty safe and a bit bland. Much of the time he sounds like a watered down Led Zeppelin, but in all honesty it's not bad either. Very middle-of-the-road radio rock. And it wraps up before the 40-minute mark so that's a win. CONTENDER FOR THE LIST: No!

It's a damn shame that Chet Baker, the prince of cool, never ended up on the list. If he were, it should either be his first studio album Chet Baker Sings (if only for My Funny Valentine) or this one. Chet lacks his soulful melancholic vocals on this, but makes up for it with a masterclass in instrumental mood. I like to think that Chet was made for early mornings, just as the sun is rising and the streets start to come alive. I'm sold. CONTENDER FOR THE LIST: Absolutely.

Some exceptionally slick indie rock from a band that seemingly failed to capitalize on their rising success. Resume includes opening for Neil Young, receiving praise from Liam Gallagher, and getting featured on BBC Radio 1. Despite being the next big thing in UK music, they never really did anything else. It seems like frontman Davey Newington went on to be a session musician for other Welsh artists, which is a shame because his follow-up record would've cemented Boy Azooga as a leader in indie rock. Oh well. CONTENDER FOR THE LIST: Afraid not.

This sort of AC/DC-clone aussie pub rock revival of the 2000's really only yielded two bands worth mentioning: Airbourne and this one. In truth, neither are worth appraisal because later acts like The Chats and Amyl and the Sniffers more successfully fused the sound with more garage punk energy. Are they a competent band? Sure. Lots of bands can write a few riffs and play a rock beat under it. Is it good? Not really! And 50 minutes on top of that, there's really no need. CONTENDER FOR THE LIST: lol no.

Perhaps most notable for being the most prolific French-language artist of the 21st century, Stromae successfully blended electropop and hip hop in a way that was both stylish and distinctly European. While it only barely broke through to the anglosphere (having charted in Canada and specific US areas), Racine carrée demonstrates that there is a whole other world of popular music outside of the usual English-speaking artists. To that extent, I can easily see why Stromae attained so much success in Western Europe. While incredibly well-made, the music itself didn't quite strike me as anything special. Still worth a consideration for breaking out of the usual US/UK albums. CONTENDER FOR THE LIST: Maybe!

A sibling post-rock album to GY!BE's F♯A♯∞, Mogwai Young Team is the urban before the decay. Massive buildings of light and activity, streets of moving masses, the life of a city that never sleeps. Bigger than any one of us, Young Team captures a tower of sound and delivers it like a sonic freight train. But deep within, there's a certain beauty to this album. Real human connection, amidst the buzzing and chaos, displaying raw emotion in the clearing. Perhaps out of a restless need for closure, Mogwai finishes on a insurmountable level of noise and feedback that proves to be one of the finest post-rock songs in the entire genre. CONTENDER FOR THE LIST: I would like to see other post-rock heavy hitters on the list before considering this one (Swans, GY!BE, Talk Talk's Laughing Stock), but otherwise my bias is too strong to not add it to the list.

Chucklehead built their brand on impressive live shows, but that doesn't always translate very well to the studio. In this case, their brand of jazzy funk rock just sorta washed over me with no one song standing out. Also can't stand the RHCP-style rapping. Not notable in the slightest, but they were fine otherwise. CONTENDER FOR THE LIST: I can't think of a single reason why it should be.

First thing's first, this album was only mixed by King Tubby. The actual music is credited to Augustus Pablo, who had collaborated with Tubby on a number of projects. That said, Tubby's influence behind the board cannot be understated; the genre of dub and modern music as we know it today would sound radically different if it were not for King Tubby. His knowledge of electronics combined with a keen ear for innovative production techniques made him one of the most important figures in all of recorded music. It's so easy to overlook his work but I believe it deserves just as much representation compared to the roots reggae stuff on the list. CONTENDER FOR THE LIST: Yes, without a doubt.

Of all the Dave Matthews Band picks, why the third album? Whatever, I'm sure the user has their reasons. Dave's approach to jazzy alt-rock includes mostly jamming the fuck out of an idea until it reaches a fine terminating point, and then going another 3 minutes to waste your time. They're all fairly talented musicians but I struggle to find much worthwhile in these winding, unfinishable songs. My god, wrap it up. CONTENDER FOR THE LIST: If we're seriously considering DMB (which is debatable) then it should be one of the first two records, not this one.

Another group of movers and shakers within Germany's evolving krautrock scene, this time with more electronic influences. Cluster's first two albums would be produced by Conny Plank, who would also produce for Kraftwerk and Neu!. Clearly, Plank was cooking up some of best music from Germany. Zuckerzeit has no plank though, as Cluster homed in on the playful electronic music that Kraftwerk would eventually get all the credit for. Not so! These kosmische are worth a listen to at least broaden more horizons beyond the usual krautrock staples. CONTENDER FOR THE LIST: Sure!

Primus sucks. With that out of the way, I can't help but feel Les Claypool's unique approach to funk metal was overlooked on the list. His quirky songwriting and exceptionally proficient bass skills makes Claypool and standout musician in the field of metal. Indeed, metal has come a long way since the progenitors of Black Sabbath and Judas Priest. Evolving to incorporate new influences and ideas, Primus seems content to play with the heavy genre like a cat batting at a cheap toy. It's all a game to them, and I think that's awesome. More artists should be motivated to stretch and redefine genre conventions to make weird, silly music. It's the simple joys of life. CONTENDER FOR THE LIST: Yes yes! God, yes!

Yes, more dub! Another user was kind enough to submit King Tubbys Meets Rockers Uptown, but it would be remiss to not include some of Lee "Scratch" Perry's production work. On one side of the pond, Perry helped produce early Wailers records that would define the sound of roots reggae. On the other side of the pond, the Clash would take inspiration from Perry's work on their first album. So what's the big deal? Chilled out, maximum vibes dub. Production so thick it lives in a haze. Jamaica was the place to be if you wanted to step up your sound in the '70s. This is what it's all about. Catch the rhythm and let is take you away. I'm gone. CONTENDER FOR THE LIST: Oh yeah.

Lyrics that are sharp as a tack for songs that are dull as a dishwasher. At one point one of the vocalists does his best Tom Waits impression over a fairly uninteresting blues-piano number. I am perplexed as to why this band is popular at all. This album sold over a million copies. How! Why. CONTENDER FOR THE LIST: I don't think so.

John Mater, soft rock terrorist, seems content to employ his admittedly impressive guitar skills to make middling music for the masses. He's like U2, except they're sex jams for straight white couples who only do missionary and finish after 5 pumps. I don't care how sweet his hooks are, he's a damn liability to the integrity of popular music. Somebody grab him before he makes another album, dammit! Quick!! CONTENDER FOR THE LIST: We can do without.

Squaring pop music in the 21st century means reconciling its roots with boy bands and girl groups of the '90s. The Spice Girls, N'Sync, and the Backstreet Boys took pop music to the furthest reaches of consumerism by emphasizing the presentation above the music. Hooks ruled everything even if they didn't make sense, choreography was a staple of every song, and a refocus on the teen market as a core demographic. Built on the back of two singles (one energetic dancepop song and one inescapable ballad), Millennium is the peak of this boy band mountain before everyone started going solo in the 2000s. It's loaded with ballads to pad out the runtime because no one gives a fuck about the rest of the album. It closes on a cheesy song about how much the boys love their mothers. "I love you mom" said with the earnestness of someone trying to sell the image of a mama's boy to teen girls so they have something else to swoon over. Are the singles good? Sure, but the rest of the album sure isn't. CONTENDER FOR THE LIST: Tough call! Much like Britney Spears on the actual list, it's difficult to talk about pop music without them. That said, it was never really about the album. So, maybe not.

Why this Bad Religion record instead of their '80s punk records? The band pretty well peaked with No Control so I would've gone with that. Still highly political in a vaguely anti-establishment sense, but slowed down compared to their previous works. I thought skate punk was supposed to be more energetic than this? By this point, Lagwagon and the Offspring were the new torchbearers for the genre as Bad Religion started to show their age a good decade into their career. At this point they would've benefited from some innovation and reimagining their sound rather than continuing to make songs like they did in the '80s but slower. I think there's some interesting stuff on All Good Soldiers with more angular guitars that's reminiscent of the '90s post-hardcore at the time, but they never fully lean into it. Seemingly only picks up in the back half, but by that point I'm not really sold on what they're doing. It's a bummer. CONTENDER FOR THE LIST: No Control is a better pick. Even then, there's enough punk on the list as is.

Funny seeing the Burning Hell on here! I was lucky enough to take a university course that was taught by the band's founder Mathias Kom during his time as a PhD candidate. Very nice guy, gave me a good grade. Anyway, onto the album. Despite Kom's lyricism being a little corny and shaped around telling stories (both grand and small), his lines are sharp and the music backs it up nicely. It comes across as a bit quaint, but I also think it can be cute in a way. Simple, fun, riding a line between folksy and poppy. It's nice! CONTENDER FOR THE LIST: Probably not, no.

Metal in it's largest, most crushing form. The Angelic Process takes long, winding roads that are dense in gloomy atmosphere and mesmerizing sound. In its weight, Weighing Souls With Sand evokes images of a slow death that comes with a large release of brain chemicals, swirling around as life flashes before your eyes. It's a lot! It's also fairly slow, and a bit samey around the edges. I think this droning sort of metal is better executed by the likes of Boris, though I appreciate what this album accomplishes in it's runtime. Perhaps the biggest drawback is the drums, which sound programmed to a point where it distracts from the more natural-sounding guitarwork. An interesting album for sure, but not quite good enough in my eyes. CONTENDER FOR THE LIST: This subgenre of metal is too niche for the list imo, so no.

A well-picked French pop artist to help bridge the gap between Jacques Brel and Christine & the Queens. Riding the synthpop wave of Depeche Mode and New Order, Farmer channels an artistic presentation that delivers an album not dissimilar to Kate Bush's work. Was it pretty good? Yeah! Was it for me? Not really... CONTENDER FOR THE LIST: Only on the pretense that the list should expand on non-English language albums. Otherwise, no.

Romance got a lot of traction in indie music circles last year, so much traction that it found itself on several best-of year-end lists for 2024. And with good reason! Fontaines D.C. shifts away from their usual post-punk sound to channel a more melodic indie rock approach. The result is a lovely expression of complex emotions that's rich in tonal width. With rarely a drop in quality, Romance has proven itself to be a standout rock album for the 21st century. CONTENDER FOR THE LIST: I have a rule that there should be a 5-year wait period before albums are considered for the list, so get back to me in 2030.

A staple of classic rock radio, Bob Seger is sure to deliver a good time with his upbeat pop hooks, a grizzled voice, and some proto-fascist lyrical themes. Built on bluesy riffs, Seger evokes the image of a city that never sleeps, and a man who's just as restless. It's sleek, but not artificial. It's plain and simple rock music. Your dad might like it. CONTENDER FOR THE LIST: Possibly, but do we really need another plain rock album on the list?

Excellent '90s power pop that I was not privy to until now. It's got the perfect blend of polish and grit, with many great hooks and harmonies to boot. This album is also notable for being produced by famed producer Don Fleming, who effectively shaped the alternative rock and power pop sound of the '90s (save for grunge). Much like the Replacements, the Posies show a lineage of Big Star's influence on power pop. Thoroughly enjoyable, well-produced and well-written. CONTENDER FOR THE LIST: Maybe. The influence of the Posies isn't all that palpable, but the quality of this sort of record and it's contextual bearing makes me wonder if it would be a good fit anyway. I enjoyed it regardless.

A supergroup of the "rock urbano revival" scene in Spain, Extrechinato y Tu continues the trend of placing emphasis on poetic lyrics while maintaining a fairly standard rock sound. Whoever picked this album as a fine appreciation for Spanish popular music, which is completely lacking from the original 1001 list. While certainly straightforward rock music, you can hear hints of Spanish folk music creep into the songwriting. This is emphasized during moments of symphonic brilliance, where the dramatism is cranked up to embolden the poetic delivery. Is the language difference a bit of a barrier? Sure, but the pure passion that comes with an album like this transcends all language. Majestic. CONTENDER FOR THE LIST: If we're expanding beyond primarily english-speaking albums, I don't see why not.

The National's following album High Violet was the one that made the actual 1001 list, but it seems we have a dissenting opinion! Hate to be a bummer, but this sounds a lot like High Violet in my mind. So, I'll just copy and paste what I wrote for that album: While the band is certainly competent and utilizes production techniques that compliment the songs, but something about the National comes across as dull, subdued, dispassionate. Nothing bad on this album, but nothing to rave about either. CONTENDER FOR THE LIST: If only to replace High Violet. We don't need both albums though.

Thee Oh Sees (also known as Orinoka Crash Suite, OCS, Orange County Sound, The Ohsees, Oh Sees, or simple Osees) is a project steered primarily by John Dwyer in his attempt to make wild, off the wall rock music that fuses the textures of psychadelic rock with the energy and simplicity of garage rock. The result is a fuzzed-out, raw rock jams that explore peaks and valleys of energy. As much as I would like to think this album is right up my alley (a more energetic take on King Gizzard from around the same time? Yes please!), the album tends to hold itself back from fully kicking it into high gear and often feels a bit aimless. Which is a shame because this sonic texture combined with precise, total-energy songs would kick immense ass. Oh well. CONTENDER FOR THE LIST: A bit too niche I'm afraid!

While the 1001 list may seem overwhelmed with Bjork already (4 albums plus one from Sugarcubes days!), there are still some frankly outstanding albums that are omitted. For some time I thought it was the consensus that Homogenic was Bjork's album, though it seems to me that public opinion has shifted in favor of Vespertine. Regardless, it's hard not to deny Bjork's artistic vision are truly unique, forward-thinking, and unyielding. While I think I prefer Vespertine from this era of her work, Homogenic is not something to be overlooked. Man, there's just no one else like Bjork. CONTENDER FOR THE LIST: Would require restructuring of the current Bjork entries, but I am partial to having it included.

Cornerstone album for other sensitive white boy bands such as Deftones and Title Fight. In a word, this album is pretty. Every song is drenched in a melancholic longing for something to sooth the dull aches and pains of daily loneliness. Then it cranks some distortion, and the crack of the snare brings you to life. How'd they make something this good, this wonderful? I'm wide awake and dreaming. CONTENDER FOR THE LIST: Unfortunately, the post-2000s selections need some heavy reworking to justify this being on the list. Otherwise, it just doesn't make sense.

Jóhann Jóhannsson, forward-thinking in his compositions, is perhaps best known for his film scores. While he had scored for impressive Hollywood films prior to 2016, he made the biggest splash with the monumental soundtrack to Denis Villeneuve's Arrival. But before all that, he was getting his footing composing for local Icelandic plays. Enter Englabörn: a soft, tender expression of melancholy that effectively utilizes space to emphasize atmosphere. This is Holy Minimalism. While Minimalism would find its spot amongst contemporary classical music in its incredible innovation amongst strict limitations, Holy Minimalism would find favor in Europe in order to make simpler and slower approaches that fostered a reflective quality. Jóhannsson goes a step further on Englabörn by occasionally experimenting with some electronic elements, giving the album a haunted feel like there's a ghost in the machine. An unreal experience that also serves as a nice gateway into more modern classical if one is so inclined (might I suggest Ryuichi Sakamoto 1996?), which is a nice way to also expand the ol' horizons. CONTENDER FOR THE LIST: The original 1001 selectively omitted any classical music because it's sort of a separate beast altogether, although modern classical albums such as this sort of bridge the gap. For now I would say it's not really a good fit, but if the scope of the list ever changes then maybe.

Little Earthquakes, Tori Amos' previous album, made the original 1001 list so I figured that would be enough. That being said, I am not too familiar with Amos' work so maybe she deserves more recognition. First impressions are that this sticks the landing a bit more than Little Earthquakes, though both maintain a certain beauty. The closing track ends on a subtle-yet-weighty note that really encapsulates Amos' songwriting at it's core. I can see why it was recommended! CONTENDER FOR THE LIST: Unsure if it should slot alongside Little Earthquakes or replace it, but for brevity I'll say yes!

Part of la movida madrileña that followed the Francoist regime. In contrast to the socially-conscious approach to rock urbano, artists who were a part of la movida madrileña were more playful and melodic in their approach. La cagaste is no different, with its distinct '80s pop rock run rooted in post-punk production. Are David Summers' vocals much to write home about? No, but the rest of the band carries that weight. Nice bit of fun. CONTENDER FOR THE LIST: Depends on if we expand the scope of the list to include more non-english albums. Given Hombres G's massive popularity in Spain, I don't see why not.

Post-post-punk-revival? Following the decline of the post-punk revival in the early-mid 2000s, bands would dirty up their production a bit with distinct indie rock and noise rock influences. Women and Preoccupations from Canada, later IDLES and Fountains D.C. from across the pond, and Protomartyr from America. While not particularly popular, it would give rise to the more experimental and playful post-punk acts of the 2020s: Squid, Viagra Boys, Stuck, and of course Black Country, New Road. All good bands and artists, all owing some amount of their success to Protomartyr as they helped pave the way for a cool new rock sound. Relatives in Descent is a gritty, focused record that stands on the shoulders of the original post-punk progenitors and glides over the overly sleek sound of the post-punk revival. It relishes in dark, existential themes while reintroducing the "punk" back into "post-punk". Protomartyr maintains a consistent level of quality throughout and redefines the modern age of rock music for years to come. We should give thanks for this album. CONTENDER FOR THE LIST: Yes. Believe it or not, this is a landmark album and we're now far enough removed from its release date to recognize its impact. It should be in the list.

Did the B-52's have a bad album? After the '80s, maybe they did, but in their heyday they seemed to be hitting home run after home run. While Wild Planet doesn't have any immediately identifiable singles like their debut album or Cosmic Thing, there's no denying that the band can pull together a damn fine collection of songs. This is especially true for Private Idaho which coincidentally found itself in the Minecraft movie so maybe that'll put the brainrotted zoomers/genAlphas on some real game. Song rules. Anyway. I think the real takeaway is that the B-52's just had a penchant for fun songs. Even the song about the dog is great. Great energy, vocal delivery, hooks, the whole nine yards. Have a good time. CONTENDER FOR THE LIST: Their self-titled debut already does everything that this album does so there isn't really a need, but I'm also not strictly against the idea.

Big band fusion that seemingly sweeps in instrumental categories at the grammys. My understanding is that this particularly resonated with band kids for its technical proficiency and ensemble cohesiveness. And indeed, it is incredibly impressive jazz work that showcases the finest musicianship and composition imaginable. By that metric alone, it should be a perfect album, right? Well it seems to me like Snarky Puppy exists in somewhat of a vacuum, making music that certainly owes a lot to the great Weather Report (which made the original list) but is effectively a terminating point. It's polished and a bit sterile despite its impressive execution, wherein it lacks a certain amount of personality or grit. Lacking a certain emotional weight or throughline that makes me think of this as a cohesive expression of a certain mood, We Like It Here comes across more as an exercise in music as a form rather than as an art. Hoping for more. CONTENDER FOR THE LIST: Afraid not.

The Real Thing got picked for the original 1001 list but I suspect that was primarily for the single Epic (what is it? It's it). By my assessment, Angel Dust is the more cohesive and consistent album of the two. Compared to the middling rap and funk metal parts of The Real Thing, Angel Dust incorporates those elements more tastefully into an album that has a nice sheen of polish that really makes Faith No More shine. In essence, it is everything good about alternative metal and has very few weak parts. Those boys really cooked up something scrumptious, eh? CONTEDER FOR THE LIST: Yes. Replace The Real Thing with this.

The Black Parade? You mean My Chemical Romance's magnum opus? An album that defined an angst-riddled generation? The emo album of all time despite being pop punk at best? Yeah that's fine. CONTENDER FOR THE LIST: Yes, you dolt. Yes. Why the fuck would it not be.

Solid Air, I enjoyed. One World, not so much. This album is Martyn's divorce album, featuring Phil Collins on drums who also happens to be going through a divorce. Dudes love getting divorced, it's a known fact. Rich and detailed album of smooth sounds to sooth the soul. Massive really. Am I glad Martyn got divorced? Yes, actually. More men should get divorced and make the most melancholic/bittersweet albums of all time. CONTENDER FOR THE LIST: Replace One World with this, then yes.