1001 Albums Summary

Meh. Late 60s, rock opera, double LP. Too long and most songs sounds very similar.

Decent. Some very good bits, am always surprised by amount of talking / singing. Doesn't sound 30 years old.

Elvis was a pretty good singer, it turns out!

Probably 3.5*. Much better than I expected. Very 80s, but huge sound.

It's Metallica. Nothing hugely surprising.

Boring. Jazz is boring.

3* - pretty much exactly what I expected. Some gems but too long.

It's very good. Tails off towards the end, but so many classics. The problem is with albums like this, they are almost too good, so you don't NEED to listen to them.

Meh. Probably authentic and important, but meh.

It's brilliant. I think I know every note. The most famous song is probably the worst in it. Like The Stone Roses, just so frustrating they didn't make more at their peak.

Worthy and "important". Not much fun though.

Why did Morrissey have to become a Nazi? I hope there are more Smiths albums because this one is not their best. Some bangers though. Poor old Johnny Marr doing ALL the work.

Boring white man rock.

Everyone likes Bob Marley.

No melodies, so a tough listen for me. Nice Orbital sample at the beginning. However, the problem is with listening to albums just once means that they can't really grow on you. Not sure this one would, but anyway!

This was good. I find Talking Heads a bit too abrasive, but I'll definitely listen to this again.

Grand - very mellow. Singles are stand out classics. Rest hard to remember (And I listened twice!)

Fine. Hard to truly remember any individual songs, but a nice, relaxed vibe.

Great! But the problem with stuff you're not familiar with is you don't actually know if it's good or not! Is this the best Brasil record, or does it sound the same as the rest?!

"I Will Dare" is brilliant, there are one or two others that are good. But I don't see what's meant to make it so good.

I'd say this is a 3.5. Some really great songs, a lot of howling pain!

Dreadful. Hated it. Obvious lyrics, annoying voice. Ugh.

This was actually great! Really good fun.

I never liked Garbage. I was right.

This was actually great. Very funky / soulful. Not very Wu-Tang. Didn't catch many lyrics on first listen, but lots of effing and jeffing. Terrible skits though.

Never one of my favourite Bowie eras. It's fine.

Meh - I don't see when you would ever want to listen to this.

Hmmm. It kind of sounded like I thought it would. I bet it sounded great / amazing / different in 1973, but I guess I prefer all the people who were inspired by it...

This was a grower. I guess you have to be in the right mood, as Kevin Rowland can be quite annoying. But it's very catchy, soulful, lots of horns.

I mean, it's pretty dreadful. And made me sad - thinking of little Kieran trying to get into this. Not music for kids!!

I hate it. Seems like it's a joke. Awful.

It's fine, but it's boring. Background music. 'Unfinished Sympathy' is a banger though.

How come he sounds fat? Maybe because I liked the Doors when I was a teenager, they sound childish..?

I love Fela, but not a fan of this. More jazz than afrobeat? Not much fun.

Interesting. I wouldn't have listened to this otherwise. I wonder what the rest of folk music was like at the time? (1965) Not sure if how unique / different it would have been. Can see it / him as a big influence in modern guitarists.

Don't understand why this is supposed to be so good. It's all quite weak. He's got a lovely voice though, and it's very easy listening. Maybe that's enough. (The last song is fucking dreadful though.)

He thinks he's so cool, and so much is so lame. Doesn't in any way rock out. Lots of God-bothering as well.

Better than I thought, but the singles are still annoying. The other songs were much better.

Too long. But pretty decent. Would I listen to it again? Not sure. His voice is quite annoying. I can't remember why I was so against this album. But reminded me of Jordan (?) in Virginia.

Schmaltzy. Lame. Annoying. Like one of those films when you can tell they had fun making it, but it doesn't come across.

I don't like, or see the point of, The Fall. I don't get why people love them so much, or would choose to listen to them.

One song. But it's a good song! I wasn't overwhelmed though, so will need to listen again.

It's great - obvs. Very melodic but also hard. It's one of those albums I don't need to listen to though, as it's so familiar. Y

I don't get it. It's one song, sludgy recording, all sounds the same. 👎

Again, one song, but it's a bloody good one! Must have been hugely different from other rap when it was released.

All these bands only have one song! It's fine, but I don't see why they got so big? MTV? Kooky singer?

I honestly don't know. Is it good? Would you listen to it again? What's the point of the ambient stuff? When is that for? A couple of belters though, so 🤷‍♂️

This was great! So much better than I expected. A bit too long and the remixes are terrible, but really good.

I really liked this, even though I'm not sure why, and found it hard to describe - AOR but good?

It's the Monkees. Singles are great.

Not keen. Maybe they made as a reaction to 'Rumours'? Trying to be wilfully obtuse..? Meh

Half great, half very dated.

Can you seperate the art from the artist? Was he doing bad stuff at this point?

It's not dreadful, but it's so lame and boring. Nothing really interesting. And they think they are so hard. Drums at very one note.

It's dreadful and I hate it. Without the singles, it's a 1. Some songs sound like sung by drunk uncle, self-congratulatory throughout. Lame beats. Awful lyrics. Bad.

It sounds exactly like what I imagined a Black Keys album would sound like.

Like the Fela album, I love JB but this isn't great. It's fine though, and the band is super tight. I just think his later stuff is so much better.

I thought the 80s were all about cocaine, hedonism and excess. So why is this so boring?! And why was it SO popular?

Hmmm. I know Mike loves it, but it sounded exactly how I thought it would... Maybe a grower.

Great singles - does it work as an album? Hmmm. Quite muffled production. Very impressive for a bunch of 17 year olds though.

I really want to like Fugazi, but I think I like the idea of them more than the actual band. Always one great song, but an album is a lot. It's too abrasive and discordant for me, but sometimes, when it gels...

I mean, I don't like it. I've tried but I don't get it, or jazz.

It's a weird album that I was listening to as a teenager. Seems very old. A lot more influence from Big Star than I remember.

Hmmm. Too long, some good bits, but too much.

I don't get it. Why make a rap concept album about going to the gynaecologist? Beats all pretty basic, didn't pay huge attention to the words.

Well, I listened to it three times in a row, so that has to say something (it is only 30 mins...) Great, very smooth and soulful. Hard to see now what sort of impact it would have had at the time though.

I mean, what? It sounds very thin and tinny, for what should be HEAVY BLACK METAL. Probably important if you're into that scene, and not a band I'd ever heard of before.

This was actually great. Started off feeling very twee, but I grew to like it a lot.

Amazingly well formed for a debut album. Sounds immediately like Arcade Fire. Remember hearing it for the first time and being blown away (h/t Stu Fletcher).

Brilliant.

It's fine, but it's boring. Probably won't listen again.

Hmmm. Too twee? Don't like samba in English!

1st half great, then it goes into a lot of the songs that I don't like so much - seem really childish...

I should love this. But I don't. I still feel the same as I did when I heard it as a teenager - it's somehow not what I want it to be.

Another hmmm. Some good songs, some quite annoying. Probably 2.5

Well, I put off listening to it, so that says a lot. I think what's annoying is there are snippets of great songs / melodies, but he's being wilfully obtuse and messing them up.

Great, weird, repetitive, funky.

I mean, it is just one song. That goes on too long. And very saccharine ballads on side 2.

Don't like the western covers - feels too obvious somehow? And the Indian ones sounds like curry house background music. The long one (Ocean) was decent, but I won't listen again.

What's the best Clash album? The Best of the Clash. A lot of "diverse" styles on here = a lot of chaff. Some absolute bangers though. Yet another 2**. https://youtu.be/tyZspqjtG2k

I'm getting behind - lots to catch up on! I really enjoyed this to start with, then it got a bit samey and boring...

Guess what - it sounds like the Velvet Underground. 2 great songs = 2 stars.

I think it's boring! Was it in lots of soundtracks? Lock, Stock? Did we play it in Andy's Records? Very familiar.

Ok, this is getting ridiculous now, but they do all sound the same! One song, done very well.

Really good. Hypnotic. I was worried as I didn't like his stuff that I knew.

Very nice. Chilled out. Very influential, very funky. Will need to listen again. 3.5.

It's good. It's slow. It sounds like the background music in a organic café.

Still hate Neil Young.

Unmemorable (is that a word?) Decent vibe, but nothing stands out on first listen.

Dreadful. I now understand why punk happened.

First half quite esoteric, second half full of bangers. Need to listen again to see what all the fuss was about.

Decent. Thought there might be some superb hidden gems on here though...

Is it as good as everyone says it is? It's pretty great, but doesn't seem stand out classic to me. Maybe it sounds so familiar already, even though I've never owned it...

Hmmm. Singles are the best. Amazing musicianship throughout. Would I listen again? Probably not.

I don't get it. They are boring, they do songs about being boring. Always sound the same.

It actually got better, as I couldn't ever seem to finish listening to it. But I won't listen again. Very pompous.

Better than I remembered. I think if it was on its own, it's 4*. But as one of the best albums of all time, 🤔. Slow, jazzy, meandering. Better in headphones.

The good / famous bit is very short. Then there's a lot of quite annoying stuff. And he supports Trump and Brexit.

Never heard of him, an interesting life story. Listened twice - it's decent, if unmemorable. Background music in a cafe.

I want it to be better than it is! 'Pounding' is great, and I thought the rest would be like that - hypnotic, building, etc. But a lot of the songs are quite weak...

Hmmm. Very important / influential, key songs, some beautiful music - would I listen again though?

Well, these really do all sound the same! And I still think of this as a "new" Bob Dylan album... Just because an old artist does something that's OK, that does not make a return to form... Quite a lot of dirge.

It's quite weird. Psychedelic BeeGees. Sounded like a soundtrack, decent vibe but not much stood out.

I almost gave this 3* - the same as I gave 'The Freewheeling Bob Dylan', which is madness. It's fine, singles are OK. But there's something quite annoying about it, and him.

Decent. One of the first dance albums I bought. A lot of it seems to have predicted what would come over the next few years. First half better than second half.

I would strongly disagree that this is one of the best albums of all time.

How can I break it to Mike? I'm not a fan.

I think 4*. It's really interesting, and I WANTED to listen to it again.

Much funkier than I expected. More interesting than NWA.

Fine. Never heard of it. Some nice bits. Would not say it's one of the greatest albums of all time though!

I'm glad this has come up as I need to properly listen to it. First listen is 3*...

I don't know. It's quirky. Maybe impressive / different at the time. Do I want to hear it again? Probably not.

This was fun - catchy, early punk rock.

Hmmm. Not catchy at all. Too long. A bit boring?

Tiny Dancer is 5* on its own. The rest is quite annoying.

Is it good? Is it annoying? Are there too many ideas on every song? Definitely too many skits (as per). Would I listen again? Nah. ('Ms Jackson' is a million percent banger though.)

I don't know. I remember Rich liked it a lot and there was one song I loved at Uni. But the old 'would I listen to it again ' test? I probably wouldn't.

It's quite boring. I think I've tried to listen to it before (a long time ago), and felt the same. Title track bangs though.

I mean, it is LITERALLY one song! Again, I've tried Leonard Cohen before - not for me I think.

Not for me. Thanks though.

It's a 3.5, and wanting to hear it again (and see what the fuss is about).

Don't like as much as Soul Mining.

It's great. How did they make all these sounds? Was going to mark down for a bad car journey with Mike, but it's brilliant. One of the first albums that hit me away from guitars...

It's weird - it's great fun, I know all the lyrics and notes, but is it good? Best?

I think it might be too whimsical... Some great (if sad / meloncholy) songs, but quite a lot is too meandering. Why not just do a tight album of bangers? Who listens to the stupid bits?

Quite fun. Bounces along. Too flippant?

Sorry, but the best Nick Drake album is the best of Nick Drake (Way to Blue).

I'd say this is actually a bad album. It's quite arch, and a lot of the songs are stupid. Two bangers though.

What's all fuss about? Boring. Pretentious.

Hmmm. Not great. Was maybe one of the first albums I owned - don't remember listening to it a lot them either. I probably just got it for 'Like A Prayer', which is an all-star classic.

I don't know. This was quite fun. I had no idea what to expect and listened to it a few times. Intriguing.

Fine - but sounded exactly how I thought it would sound. No hooks really. Not for me.

Didn't like it, and I (thought I) love Jam. All the best songs sound like other songs by other people. Once again, the best Jam album is the Best Of.

Quite fun, surprisingly heavy, but not very memorable.

Jesus Christ - this is dreadful. I thought there might be some hidden gems on here, but it's dreadful from start to finish.

Not for me. Never heard of him. All sound the same.

Probably ruined for me by being featured in loads of adverts when I was growing up! Important, catchy, very sad that he died so young.

Decent, but prefer the Beatles!

It's hard to categorise Madness - there's not much ska / reggae on here. Always catchy though, with quite a lot of melancholy through it. Is it as good as the Best of Madness? No.

This is dreadful. No melody, shouting, really abrasive sound.

Not for me. Some good bits, but maybe too many ideas? 'Paper Planes' = 🔥 though.

There is NO WAY this is one of the best albums of all time. It's fine, but it's really only one song, and I feel no need to listen to it.

Look, it's not for me. There's no doubting the musicianship, talent and it's seminal place in music history. But I just don't really like it.

I hate it. I couldn't finish listening to it. I think he's interesting but it's not for me.

I mean, this is so far from one of the best albums of all time. Inane.

Hmmm. I don't know. I listened to it a lot today and it's OK. I can't see myself loving it, but it was quite good fun.

Interesting - I always thought the Mekons were American. A couple of really good songs. I imagine they are listened to by very serious men.

I prefer his one earlier album that I know. Too growly for me. But I enjoyed more than I thought (probs wouldn't listen again though).

I'm sorry - I'm amazing! All these bands I've never listened to sound exactly like I thought they would! I don't understand the fascination with olde worlde folk music. Probably important though.

Decent. Some great songs, but I think too long and one note.

It's fine. 'Marquee Moon' is great - not sure the other ones stack up.

Boring.

Not into it. Not sure why. But didn't enjoy.

I could not bear / bother to listen to it all. Too much Bono. Good singles though.

Fine, but so thin sounding. There's almost nothing to it. Flickery drums, "dance" music, but it would be impossible to move to. Her voice is so thin... Quite boring really.

Decent. I know most of them despite never listening to this album before. Maybe the lore around it is more interesting than the album itself?

Hmmm. Didn't like apart from singles. Too closing.

Interesting - never listened to them before. I think I always got them mixed up with the Out Here Brothers!

Didn't like it - was like elevator music. And had the bad version of 'Street Life'.

I don't know - would have to listen again. It's both quite good, quite catchy, but also quite annoying. 'Limelight' is very good.

I had never heard of these guys, nor the album. It was fine, late 60s US folk.

9 songs, 21 minutes. Lovely stuff. It sounds exactly like I thought it would.

I didn't like it. Could not get into at all.

Great - but maybe faded glory because everything is so familiar? A lot of absolute classics.

It’s fun, but it is weird. It’s funny how unconventional Roxy Music were, and how popular they were. But would I listen again..?

So…I gave it 2** initially, which is wrong. But is it a 4****? Maybe not yet for me, could do with more hooks. But interesting and I will listen again.

This was good. Probably a 3.5. More catchy than I expected.

It’s fine, but they all sound the same - and his voice is very weak. If it had been good, I would have been listening to it in 1993!

Well, it’s dreadful. I thought it might be fun, but it’s not. Obvious, boring poodle rock, hair metal from the 80s. Probably a 1.5*.

It’s great. At least half the songs are all-time classics. I imagine James Murphy is quite hard work though.

20 minutes long. It is exactly what you’d expect.

It’s fine. Background music. They all sound very stoned. Nothing memorable at all.

It’s actually fine. I don’t know why they’re so famous, but it’s fine. Reminds me of my first girlfriend, who LOVED Aerosmith (in the late 90s!)

Fine, but quite boring. Again, why was this so popular? (And far too long… If he wasn’t very successful, why did he get a lavishly produced live album, and who is watching?!)

No idea why this is one of ’best albums ever’ - lo-fi garage rock. Fine, but all very similar.

Did not like it at all. Never been a fan of Run DMC. Boring. Probably very influential but DULL.

It’s fine. Totally forgettable… Apparently a big influence on Nirvana - I don’t hear it.

Had this on tape as a 15 year old - never hugely grabbed me then. I think I prefer it now, but not likely to listen to it again. Great, thick, heavy guitar sound.

It’s fine - doesn’t really feel like it holds together as an “album“ though. Great song I just heard in ’Licorice Pizza’ though (‘Let me Roll it’.)

Another one I’ve got no idea why it’s on this list. The single ‘On a Rope’ I never liked at the time. I started off not liking this at all, but it did grow on me a bit, but it’s just simply not one of the best signs ever made.

Finally! After a run of 2* albums, something I actually like! It’s charming, playful, romantic. It’s a shame Van has turned into such an objectionable grown-up, but there you go!

It’s another one that’s not for me. Again, must have been groundbreaking at the time - great production, weird covers, an odd success story.

Fine - actually better than I expected. A unique British talent.

God, Pink Floyd are so very boring. I don’t know why they are supposed to be good. I would not want to listen to this stoned! It just sounds like music boring old men would listen to, and drone on about.

It still sounds like the future! I have no idea how they made this in 1978. It must have been incredible to have heard it at the same time as punk…

Tremendously boring.

Right, how are we rating albums? Is it influential? Does it have bangers? Is there too much filler? Why is the same song on there twice? Would you listen to it again? I still feel the same about it as I did as a teenager - some absolute tunes, but still feels like a lot of filler…

Only my second 5*. But it’s brilliant, an album I’ve always loved, and has my favourite Beatles song on (‘Here, There and Everywhere’)

Zombie is worth 4* on its own. It might even be 5*. So good.

This is fine. A couple of stand out songs, but I’ve never seen what the fuss is about.

It’s good. It’s very country. It’s very Dolly. It’s very short.

Never been a huge fan of Beth Orton. One or two songs, her voice has always seemed so weak. This was more country than I expected. It’s fine (but doesn’t seem like one of the best albums of all time!)

The boy’s got hooks! It’s got a weird tone though that I didn’t really enjoy. Seems smug in some way.

I thought this would be more interesting / more fun. It’s very much regular 70s rock.

I love Joni Mitchell. I need to listen to more of her work, but I love her.

It’s fun. Singles are brilliant. Quite psych, quite weird, but poppy. I like it.