227
Albums Rated
3.32
Average Rating
21%
Complete
862 albums remaining
Rating Distribution
Rating Timeline
Taste Profile
2010s
Favorite Decade
Britpop
Favorite Genre
UK
Top Origin
Wordsmith
Rater Style ?
32
5-Star Albums
4
1-Star Albums
Breakdown
By Genre
By Decade
By Origin
Albums
You Love More Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| I Am a Bird Now | 5 | 2.84 | +2.16 |
| Sail Away | 5 | 2.97 | +2.03 |
| The Man Who | 5 | 3.01 | +1.99 |
| evermore | 5 | 3.04 | +1.96 |
| I'm Your Man | 5 | 3.1 | +1.9 |
| This Is Hardcore | 5 | 3.14 | +1.86 |
| Mermaid Avenue | 5 | 3.18 | +1.82 |
| The Bones Of What You Believe | 5 | 3.18 | +1.82 |
| The Boatman's Call | 5 | 3.2 | +1.8 |
| Virgin Suicides | 5 | 3.24 | +1.76 |
You Love Less Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| There's A Riot Goin' On | 1 | 3.29 | -2.29 |
| Cypress Hill | 1 | 3.15 | -2.15 |
| Hejira | 1 | 3.13 | -2.13 |
| Back To Black | 2 | 4.02 | -2.02 |
| Future Days | 1 | 3 | -2 |
| In Utero | 2 | 3.83 | -1.83 |
| Let's Get It On | 2 | 3.78 | -1.78 |
| Highway 61 Revisited | 2 | 3.77 | -1.77 |
| Let's Stay Together | 2 | 3.76 | -1.76 |
| Highway to Hell | 2 | 3.66 | -1.66 |
Artists
Favorites
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Radiohead | 3 | 4.67 |
| Coldplay | 2 | 5 |
| Pulp | 2 | 5 |
| Taylor Swift | 2 | 5 |
| Beatles | 2 | 5 |
Controversial
| Artist | Ratings |
|---|---|
| Leonard Cohen | 5, 2 |
| Eminem | 2, 5 |
| Nirvana | 5, 2 |
5-Star Albums (32)
View Album Wall
Popular Reviews
Simply Red
4/5
Enjoyed this, tight 80s smooth soulful pop.
Reminded me of Phil Collins/Genesis at times and Michael Jackson at others.
Fav track: Jericho
6 likes
Can
1/5
Maybe I wasn't in the mood but didn't get much from this.... Definitely too experimental for me.
Maybe would get more from it under different circumstances...
1 likes
Lana Del Rey
4/5
Second listen.
I enjoyed the album much more the second time around and it will definitely grow from there.
Very smooth, has an old-school sound yet modern, quite beautiful.
Glad to see a recent album on here.
Fav tracks:
White Dress, Chemtrails, Dark, Yosemite
1 likes
1-Star Albums (4)
All Ratings
Buffalo Springfield
4/5
Leonard Cohen
5/5
Very nice album
Love the dark witty lyrics
Paul Simon singer/songwriter vibes
Everybody Knows, I'm Your Man, Jazz Police and Tower of Song were particular favourites
John Cale
4/5
There's no bloat on here, just a short snappy album. Little not to like tbh. I like the opening track especially.
Fever Ray
3/5
nice, spacious, Bjork but catchier, grows as you listen to the album
Eminem
2/5
It's Eminem...
Specific rap style love or hate it, maximum edginess, good beats
The Kinks
2/5
Prefer The Beatles :P
Not many tracks left an impact, so can't score the album highly
I liked the Village Green and Wicked Annabella
Sigur Rós
3/5
Pleasant, spacey, atmospheric
A good listen :)
Flugufrelsarinn was good (I think)
Rush
3/5
Nice short bit of guitar worship
Bit too Led Zeppelin for my taste - I can appreciate it even if I've never been a big fan of this vibe
Fav track: The Twilight Zone
The Stooges
2/5
Belle & Sebastian
4/5
Nice, sounds like the grandfather of a lot of similar music to come in the 00s onwards.
I may have a bias towards this type of indie-pop, so although it sounds quite familiar, a very pleasant listen.
Elastica
3/5
Quite enjoyable listen, got better towards the end. High 3.
Neil Young
4/5
Chilled, very 70s
Almost deserves 5 stars on Heart of Gold alone...
Good album overall with a few shaky songs
The Smiths
3/5
Nice drums at the end of Death of a Disco Dancer.
I really like some of The Smiths stuff, but other times his voice and lyrics are just hit and miss for me.
This album is no different, interesting lyrics both good and bad depending on how you look at it.
I can imagine it's not everyone's cup but one thing I can say is it's not dull...
Fav tracks: Girlfriend in a Coma, Stop Me, Paint a Vulgar Picture
Sonic Youth
2/5
Similar to the Kinks album, some good tracks but overall, it's fine but most tracks didn't leave much of an impression
Fav: Total Trash, Kissability
The Shamen
2/5
Some good songs/beats
The Divine Comedy
3/5
Good stuff, interesting lyrics on top of catchy pop, don't love every track though
Fav tracks: Becoming More Like Alfie, Songs of Love, The Frog Princess, Through a Long & Sleepless Night
Deep Purple
3/5
Good guitar, similar to the Rush album but preferred that one though
David Bowie
5/5
Love this album.
Listened to quite a bit of Bowie recently and this absolutely lives up to his best.
I love the variation from track to track. The album never fails to surprise and delight.
Fav track is probably Girl Loves Me.
Bruce Springsteen
3/5
It was alright, some good stories to be told as you'd expect from Springsteen.
Only really liked half the tracks on the first listen though, might need another listen.
Queen Latifah
2/5
Very much a good example of late 80s/early 90s style of hip-hop.
I'm not that into the beats/vibe personally.
But the album picked up as I got into it a bit more later on.
Appreciate Latifah's strong female presence in a male-dominated genre.
Fav tracks: The Pros and Ladies First
Cypress Hill
1/5
Not really for me.
I could listen to one of the songs on here and that would be all I need of the album.
Reminds me of playing Tony Hawk's Pro Skater though which is cool :P
Iggy Pop
3/5
I liked it, very similar to Bowie from that era obviously
Miles Davis
4/5
A good listen, no complaints.
Enjoyable although I had it on in the background and know little about Jazz, so I wouldn't be able to distinguish the songs from each other.
I will say I wouldn't mind returning to this for some relaxing laidback tunes.
ZZ Top
2/5
Started off strong and I like the album artwork, but lost interest towards the end.
Some strong guitar and bass but a bit uninteresting overall for me.
Megadeth
2/5
Not too much of a thrash metal fan, disclaimer.
Album started off ok but beyond the first three songs, there was nothing appealing for me.
Grant Lee Buffalo
4/5
Solid album. I like the vocals.
This is one of those 90s alternative bands that flew under the radar.
Quite a nice find.
Sly & The Family Stone
1/5
I wouldn't go out of my way to listen to this.
Not for me.
Sheryl Crow
2/5
Some solid songs but nothing great overall
Rufus Wainwright
4/5
Rufus has always been one of those "artsy" pop artists for me. I have liked some of his stuff though (Moulin Rouge).
Glad to finally give him a proper listen. Thoroughly enjoyed this interesting album.
Very pleasant throughout.
3/5
Not bad. I liked Adult Books and White Girl.
Bob Dylan
3/5
Bob Dylan is quite hit and miss for me, especially lyrically, but also, the heavy use of harmonica and his vocal style.
I liked tracks 1-3 and 7.
System Of A Down
4/5
Energetic! But not out of control.
This will pump you up. Love the drums in the mix.
While I prefer Toxicity, this is still a great album of the era.
Fav track: Spiders
Fugees
4/5
I enjoyed this. Great beats on some tracks, like Ready or Not.
I also like their covers of Killing Me Softly and No Woman.
Fu-Gee-La was another stand out.
Fiona Apple
2/5
This was just alright. Similar to Florence + the Machine vocally I feel.
It started off well but was a bit boring towards the end.
Fav track: Sullen Girl
Worst track: Slow Like Honey
Bebel Gilberto
4/5
Enjoyed listening to this on a rainy day. Nice change of pace.
Nina Simone
4/5
This is nice. Great vocal performance, stand out.
Faves:
Lilac Wine, Break Down, Wild, If I Should Lose You
Miles Davis
3/5
Good but a bit chaotic compared to the previous album
The Dave Brubeck Quartet
3/5
Take Five is a song that everyone has heard somewhere, probably the most recognisable smooth jazz tune.
This is a relaxing album, enjoyed as background music. Not sure how much I like jazz in general but this was a nice listen.
Air
5/5
Really enjoyed this interesting soundtrack album/score.
Every song was varied but impressive from front to back. Loved the drums in The Word Hurricane reminiscent of Daft Punk's RAM.
Will definitely return to this.
Syd Barrett
2/5
This is reminds me very much of The Kinks album.
In that it reminds me very much of The Beatles but not as good.
It has some silly nonsensical lyrics and a couple of tracks that I like. I like the lyrics in Love You for instance.
It's not too bad but I do prefer that album to this though overall.
Can
1/5
Maybe I wasn't in the mood but didn't get much from this.... Definitely too experimental for me.
Maybe would get more from it under different circumstances...
Simply Red
4/5
Enjoyed this, tight 80s smooth soulful pop.
Reminded me of Phil Collins/Genesis at times and Michael Jackson at others.
Fav track: Jericho
Solomon Burke
3/5
Decent, Elvis vibes, I liked the first song most
Paul Simon
4/5
Always enjoy Paul Simon, groovy, intriguing lyrics, good stuff
Baaba Maal
3/5
Nice vibe, liked a couple of stand-out tracks
Soft Cell
3/5
Some good songs, obviously Tainted Love is a classic.
Enjoyable overall, liked the slightly depressing tone
George Michael
4/5
Engrossing, varied, more serious than his other work, better than I was expecting
Massive Attack
3/5
Fleetwood Mac
3/5
Honestly was a bit disappointed with this. It's fine and some great songs but not as impressive as Rumours IMO.
Thought I'd like it more but probably is a grower.
Moby
4/5
Electro's repetitive samples are sometimes a bit much for me, but enjoyable if you get into the groove/are in the mood.
Nostalgic for this time period (turn of the millennium)
Hookworms
2/5
Didn't do much for me
ABBA
4/5
Absolutely solid, Abba have undeniable songwriting skills shown throughout this album
The Flaming Lips
3/5
Some good tracks (1 and 3) but just fine overall
Screaming Trees
3/5
Enjoyable
OutKast
3/5
Enjoyable, like the contrast in the two albums. Apart from the big hits, I like Speakerboxxx more than The Love Below.
Wilco
3/5
Steely Dan
3/5
Loved Deacon Blues and Home At Last, but quite hit or miss overall for me
The Band
4/5
Solid, a timeless sound
Billy Bragg
5/5
Started off strong and continued strong, loved it
Peter Frampton
3/5
Great guitar solos, great vibe. Bit long though. Obviously the famous tracks are the stand-outs.
Nico
2/5
Liked 2 songs, disliked many of the others
The Afghan Whigs
4/5
Will need to listen again to get the full lyrical story. Musically was great though.
The White Stripes
4/5
Classic Jack White, can't go wrong. Not my favourite album overall though but some great songs.
Slipknot
4/5
Angry. Don't typically like this genre but this was enjoyable if you are in the mood. Raw energy.
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
3/5
I wish I could give more based on American Girl, that song is epic. And Breakdown as well. But overall the other tracks were underwhelming.
Coldplay
5/5
Not my favourite Coldplay album but they really locked in their signature sound right away in this album.
Very iconic and deserves credit for being such a great debut.
Favourite tracks::Yellow, Everything's Not Lost
The Zombies
4/5
Very impressed with this album. Was expecting another boring Beatles-but-worse album from the 60s.
This was great all-round just not quite a 5, a very strong 4 though.
Fav track: Changes
Prince
3/5
This is a generous 3... I love Little Red Corvette and a few other tracks are good, but there are many bloated tracks that I don't care for at all
Lana Del Rey
4/5
Second listen.
I enjoyed the album much more the second time around and it will definitely grow from there.
Very smooth, has an old-school sound yet modern, quite beautiful.
Glad to see a recent album on here.
Fav tracks:
White Dress, Chemtrails, Dark, Yosemite
TLC
3/5
Eurythmics
2/5
I had a lot of hope for this album based on the amazing single. But unfortunately I think it's a bit too 80s/of the era for me. Maybe I'd enjoy it more on another day.
The Cardigans
4/5
SZA
2/5
Not really for me, liked a couple of tracks such as Go Gina.
Elliott Smith
5/5
Rating this before the album has even finished... This is a 5/5
Great album, loving it.
Massive Attack
4/5
The National
5/5
Enjoyed this, simple indie rock but effortless. Great voice and lyrics along with the music.
Album starts strong and gets stronger.
U2
4/5
Eminem
5/5
Best Eminem album. He is at his insane, creative best here. Good beats. Good features.
Duran Duran
3/5
Enjoyable. Love Hungry Like The Wolf and Rio, the rest was fine.
Paul Simon
3/5
Rather disappointing considering how much I like Paul Simon in general.
Only really liked the standout tracks Julio and Mother and Child Reunion. The rest were rather bland, not bad but not great.
Giving the rating mostly on those two great tracks.
Björk
3/5
Enjoyed a couple of songs but also not others.
Def Leppard
4/5
This was a tough one to rate. I really like a lot of the songs on this album, but there are others which just are very dull and a skip.
I think overall the great songs overpower the filler tracks though. You have to be in the mood for this type of cheesy rock, if you are you'll be in for a ride.
Richard Hawley
3/5
Easy listening, inoffensive, bit lethargic at times.
Radiohead
5/5
Fusing the best of Radiohead's previous albums, this has a bit of everything and all done well.
Experimenting with their sound, they found a great balance on this album.
Favourite tracks: Nude, All I Need, Reckoner, Jigsaw Falling Into Place
Randy Newman
5/5
Love Randy Newman's style, very enjoyable listen throughout
Arrested Development
4/5
Enjoyed this a lot. Varied tracks with good beats and inspiring lyrics.
Pulp
5/5
Enjoyed this a lot. Great combination of varied alt rock songs with interesting lyrics.
LCD Soundsystem
2/5
Liked a couple of tracks but most of the others were not for me
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
5/5
Reminded me of the Leonard Cohen album I first heard on the 1001 albums journey. Very good. Love both the music and lyrics.
Also reminds me of Pulp and Alex Cameron.
Taylor Swift
5/5
While I prefer Folklore, the sister album is almost as good. Just a fantastic pair of singer-songwriter albums that transport you to the woods...
Best work by Taylor Swift by far.
Fav tracks:
No Body, No Crime
Dorothea
Willow
Tis the Damn Season
Coney Island
Peter Tosh
4/5
Very enjoyable, relaxing, good times
4/5
Can clearly hear the influence on other bands I enjoy. Good album.
Holger Czukay
3/5
Interesting, but not entirely for me
Fav track: Cool in the Pool
The Smashing Pumpkins
3/5
Better than I expected, enjoyable but don't really like BillY Corgan's voice unfortunately.
Fav Tracks: Today, Disarm, Mayonaise
Brian Eno
2/5
Not for me but appreciate the concept
Jack White
5/5
Easy 5. Great album, easygoing and groovy.
Sufjan Stevens
3/5
Really would have thought I'd like this more. Love Chicago, that's a real standout.
However, the rest was just a bit over the top for me? I dunno, I'm surprised I didn't like it more lol, low 3
Leonard Cohen
2/5
Disappointing. Not as good as I'm Your Man
Cee Lo Green
3/5
Amy Winehouse
2/5
This is controversial. I know this album is very well received generally.
I love Back to Black (the song), but the album doesn't do it for me. Back to Black is such an amazing song though, absolute standout for me, that song would get 5/5.
This score is bearing in mind that all the albums on this list are good albums, so it is within that context.
Daft Punk
2/5
Unfortunately a bit too "house" for me, especially compared to their later work, definitely prefer the later albums.
Apart from Around The World, obviously.
5/5
Best Muse album I've heard fully. The lyrics are a bit ridiculous for the most part but the music still holds up.
The Beach Boys
4/5
Venom
3/5
Similar to other metal albums for me, but not bad.
Top tracks: Countess Bathory, Buried Alive, Sacrifice
Pixies
4/5
Solid, interesting guitar work, been keen to listen to Pixies.
Fav tracks: Ana, All Over The World, The Happening, Stormy Weather
Public Enemy
2/5
I enjoyed a couple of tracks but most of the album was just ok. Probably won't return to it except for the few tracks I enjoyed.
The Cult
2/5
Boring, standard 80s glam rock, nothing stands out to me
T. Rex
3/5
Cyndi Lauper
5/5
Very enjoyable 80s bops, even if the best song is a cover of a Prince song. Enjoyed this one.
The Bees
3/5
Antony and the Johnsons
5/5
Fantastic, beautiful, loved it
Bonnie Raitt
3/5
Oasis
4/5
This was an interesting one for me and hard to rate.
Got stronger towards the end of the album.
I love Noel's songwriting and guitar... But hate Liam's voice tbh which pulls it down.
However, Live Forever is an AMAZING song and some great tracks towards the end as well bring it up.
Meat Loaf
3/5
Enjoyable but surprisingly it's a bit over the top for me
David Bowie
4/5
Some classic Bowie creativity here. Not as flashy or artistic as the later material but some bops and high levels of talent.
Radiohead
5/5
This is another easy 5. It may not be as artistically creative as the later albums but it is still a great listen front to back. Definitely inspired other bands such as Muse, Coldplay etc.
Fav track: Fake Plastic Trees
The Strokes
5/5
Probably their most consistent album, a classic.
Pink Floyd
5/5
Beautiful stuff. I didn't appreciate this album when I initially heard it but it's good. You heard it here first.
Madonna
4/5
Enjoyed this more than I thought. Very varied array of pop tracks. Didn't like the Prince-ish Love Song.
John Lennon
3/5
AC/DC
2/5
Not for me. I've never liked the singles but thought that was maybe just because they're overplayed, but no, don't like the vocals and the songs all sound very similar to each other. I appreciate that they're good/iconic in this field of "pure" rock but not really for me.
Fav track: Touch Too Much
Iron Maiden
4/5
Love the guitar solos, solid debut front to back
Beatles
5/5
Great classic album, bringing together all band members talents. Varied and delicious.
4/5
Enjoyed this a bit more than Definitely, Maybe overall.
Some great songs on here, Wonderwall not being one of them.
Fav track: Don't Look Back in Anger
Worst track: Wonderwall
Pet Shop Boys
4/5
Couple of songs are growers but overall a very good album.
The good songs are great and that's most of them, especially towards the back end.
Kendrick Lamar
4/5
What can I say, crazy album. Iconic. Kendrick Lamar is on another level with this album for sure. Masterpiece of storytelling with a point. And so creative.
That being said, I don't fully get all of it and there are some tracks I don't vibe with at all.
Not a perfect album for me but I can see why it's so well loved and I appreciate most of it.
Elliott Smith
4/5
Probably will grow on me with more listens but I preferred Figure 8 just after the first listen.
Very good album no doubt, loved the singles, and the rest was enjoyable but didn't grab me right away.
Still very solid.
Pulp
5/5
I slightly prefer This Is Hardcore of the two Pulp albums I've listened to, but only slightly.
They are both amazing 90s classic Britpop albums.
Willie Nelson
4/5
I enjoyed this quite a lot. Songs reminiscent of Over The Garden Wall.
Nirvana
5/5
Influence of this album can't be overstated. Iconic.
Despite some of the songs being overplayed to death, the album holds up.
The fusion of raw angst, meaningful songwriting, catchy melodies and great production is what elevates this.
Norah Jones
4/5
This grew on me and I enjoyed it a lot more than I expected. Very peaceful and relaxing album. I don't normally like jazz but this is a vibe, subtle and chilled. Great voice.
Frank Black
3/5
Some good songs but overall too long/bloated.
Dire Straits
4/5
Love the guitars. First half of the album is fire and the last song. Unfortunately there are a couple of mid songs towards the back so not a perfect album for me.
Coldplay
5/5
Their best album. So good.
The first two songs are the best openers and then the final two songs are the best closers of an album. Amazing.
Beatles
5/5
I really enjoy this Beatles album.
Sinead O'Connor
4/5
Enjoyed this, Sinead gives great vocal performances and insightful lyrics.
N.W.A.
3/5
Good beats and flow. I really enjoyed a couple of tracks.
However a lot of the songs sounded almost identical to me, I couldn't tell you which was which. I was tired long before the end of the album. Very repetitive.
The lyrics are a bit dated as well.
It does have a certain appeal though.
Genesis
3/5
Loved the guitar and Phil Collins' drumming on some of the tracks. Very interesting prog rock album like a strange alternative dimension Pink Floyd. A bit too strange/artistic for me overall.
Christina Aguilera
2/5
Like a couple of tracks but Aguilera's soulful vocals are a bit overwhelming
The Mamas & The Papas
2/5
Sounds like every 60s album ever
Astor Piazzolla
3/5
Sounds like Professor Layton and some other videogame music. Really nice. Dramatic.
Morrissey
2/5
Like the opening and track 3. But otherwise not as impressive as The Smiths.
David Bowie
3/5
Marvin Gaye
2/5
Not a lot of standout tracks for me
Fleetwood Mac
4/5
I reeeally love about half the tracks on here, 1, 5, 7, 9, 10 and 12.
But unfortunately the others are just alright. So I can't give it a perfect score. Also, this score is only for the deluxe version with Silver Springs included, great song.
The Offspring
4/5
Sad I've been sleeping on this one. Apart from the obvious great songs like Self Esteem, this is a very solid 90s punk album. What makes it stand out for me are the great lyrics from Dexter Holland.
Started off strong but didn't enjoy the back half as much
The Cure
4/5
Really nice, love the bass. Robert Smith's voice is a bit annoying though.
Lorde
3/5
Decent, some good songs
Al Green
2/5
I'm not a fan of RnB in general, but this 70s version feels very overplayed in movies etc. Sounds like I've heard it all before too much. It's not terrible though.
Fav track: Old Time Lovin'
k.d. lang
3/5
I didn't enjoy the start of this but some really great tracks on the back end. Difficult to rate because of this. Feeling a strong 2 to light 3.
Ghostface Killah
2/5
Enjoyed a couple of tracks
Talvin Singh
2/5
Enjoyed some parts but ultimately repetitive
Van Morrison
3/5
Tricky one to rate. Didn't like it at first but once you get used to his vocal style, the songs are very good. Reminds me of Bob Dylan.
Fav tracks: Sweet Thing, Young Lovers, Madame George
The xx
2/5
Really like Intro and the first couple of songs are decent but falls off after that. Very boring Indie pop
Don McLean
2/5
American Pie and Vincent are great, not so much the rest
Jacques Brel
3/5
A French delight. Listened with translated lyrics for some of the songs and they were pretty good.
Adele
3/5
It's an enjoyable album if you are in the mood. Unfortunately Adele has been very overplayed so her voice/style gets old quite quickly for me. Good songs though.
Deerhunter
3/5
Pleasant. Desire Lines was my fave track.
Peter Gabriel
4/5
Enjoyed this, very 80s, obviously Sledgehammer is a jam/standout
Red Hot Chili Peppers
4/5
Really love the singles/first half but the back-end is less interesting
Robbie Williams
2/5
Really like Angels but that's about it.
As a Robbie Williams fan, I didn't really enjoy this, prefer his later work.
This album is trying too hard to be Oasis and he doesn't seem to have found his uniqueness yet.
2/5
Not bad, but I wouldn't choose to listen to it again
Otis Redding
4/5
Couple of skips keep it from being rated higher but really enjoyed the highs. Love the run of tracks in the middle of the album.
Blondie
4/5
Dig it.
Madonna
3/5
This album made quite a comeback for me... It started out pretty bad but really enjoyed the mid to back end of the record.
I still prefer the earlier Madonna album, Like a Prayer, but pleasantly surprised.
The Killers
5/5
Big fan of The Killers in general, but this is undeniably an absolutely blinding album. Fire from front to back.
Amazing that this is their debut album, I understand why many think it's their best. The drums, the synth, the bass, the guitar and the vocals are all equally delivering.
The first track lets you know what you're in for from the get-go and it doesn't let up until the closer. I would definitely recommend listening to the version with both Change Your Mind and Glamorous Indie Rock n Roll if you can.
This album is perfect example of early 00s indie synth-rock at its finest. If you're at all into that sound then it's a great listen but it may not be everyone's cup of tea.
Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five
2/5
Full respect for the classics, I really love The Message and Message 2 (Survival), but as an overall album experience, I wasn't feeling every song unfortunately
Baaba Maal
2/5
Preferred his previous album
Rod Stewart
2/5
UB40
2/5
Some decent tracks but overall a lot of similar sounding stuff, that's just my take on reggae in general
Kanye West
4/5
Kanye West's first 5 albums were legendary. An amazing 5 album run.
Is this the best album overall of his from those 5? Very hard to say.
Basically, every one of his albums up until this one is great, almost perfect but not quite.
This one is no exception, I LOVE the first half of the album but it just loses its way towards the end unfortunately. It's not a perfect album but it is very close, the highs are very high.
The War On Drugs
2/5
I like An Ocean In Between The Waves. Overall though it isn't that interesting for me unfortunately.
B.B. King
4/5
Probably the best example of Blues I've heard. Enjoyable listen.
Hole
3/5
Liked most of the songs on here, similar vibes to Nirvana obviously. Doll Parts is probably my favourite.
Taylor Swift
5/5
Taylor Swift's best pure pop album. This is just packed to the brim with bangers.
Max Martin/Shellback production on most of the tracks provide that larger than life sound.
The White Stripes
2/5
Not my favourite, I tend to enjoy Jack White's solo work and Raconteurs more than The White Stripes in general and this was the weakest collection I've heard so far
Dinosaur Jr.
3/5
This was an interesting album. One of those where it's really ahead of its time.. sounds like it's from much later than 1988. Was clearly very influential on the alt rock sound of the 90s. Some good tracks.
Madonna
3/5
This is the third Madonna album on here and every time I've been impressed. I like many of the tracks on here but also a few I really don't like. Solid.
Arcade Fire
3/5
I like the orchestral rock vibe, but not a huge fan of the singers' vocals. Overall I prefer The Suburbs but this is not bad.
Bon Jovi
2/5
I enjoy a bit of Bon Jovi. But only a bit. Really only the singles stand out on this album. The rest is very generic 80s rock.
Ladysmith Black Mambazo
3/5
Relaxing
Franz Ferdinand
2/5
This is a surprising one for me. I enjoyed the singles but otherwise I'm disappointed. I thought I would enjoy it more considering it's been suggested to me but it just sounds too similar to other Indie-ish bands I've heard.
Nirvana
2/5
Hot take/unpopular opinion warning! You've been warned.
I get what Nirvana are doing with this, it is a response to the commercial success of Nevermind (which I really enjoyed) so they went much less "radio-friendly" with this one. It's not for me though, I know it's considered their best but I don't resonate with it. I do appreciate the instrumentation and all albums on here are objectively good but not feeling it personally.
Morrissey
4/5
I like a lot of The Smiths/Morrissey but this was surprisingly enjoyable, because of amazing production from Jerry Finn of Blink-182. Really updated Morrissey's sound for the 00s and gave the songs a great boost.
Aphex Twin
4/5
This was pretty great. Definitely the best ambient techno I've heard (which is not a lot).
I can see that this is a very good example of the genre. Good background music.
Paul Simon
5/5
Fantastic album. Maybe I'm biased as a Southern African but this incorporation of African artists/sounds to Simon's great songwriting is really amazing.
He didn't just go to Africa and superficially take some interesting sounds, he really embraced the local music fully.
Not really a bad track as well, very consistent.
Erykah Badu
2/5
Started off pretty strong but didn't last long
CHVRCHES
5/5
I really enjoyed this. Basically reminds me of a synth-pop version of Belle & Sebastian (which I also loved). Mostly because it has male/female duo vocalists and they're from Glasgow.
But yes, solid from front to back, a nice rare find on this list.
Paul Weller
4/5
Solid, nice guitars.
The Velvet Underground
2/5
Yeah, think this is one of those that is a bit over my head, not for me.
Travis
5/5
Precursor to the sound of Keane and Coldplay, taking elements of the 90s Britpop giants of Oasis, Radiohead and Pulp. Can't go wrong.
But Travis have their own lyrical style and vocal delivery, really enjoy a lot of their work.
Fav track: Turn
Cat Stevens
3/5
I like Cat Stevens so I had high hopes for this but was left a little underwhelmed by most of the tracks.
Father and Son is a really great song though.
PJ Harvey
3/5
Enjoyable, particularly the back-half.
Sam Cooke
4/5
Very talented. I thoroughly enjoyed the first half especially.
The Verve
3/5
Decent listen. Genuinely enjoyed about half the tracks, and the other half wasn't bad.
Very similar again to Oasis, Keane, Radiohead. 90s Britpop bands.
Worth listening beyond the very popular first track.
Bruce Springsteen
3/5
Can see the influence on The Killers and Sam Fender in a lot of these songs. Unfortunately I heard those first so this doesn't have the same impact on me.
Fav tracks: Night, Backstreets
Billy Joel
4/5
I really like Billy Joel, and this is a solid album. I don't think it is quite a 5/5 for me though, not every song hits.
Fav tracks: Only The Good Die Young, Movin Out
N.E.R.D
4/5
This was a jam, very clever and innovative stuff IMO. Also reminds me of 2004 which is always a good time.
Shivkumar Sharma
4/5
Good background music, especially if you are doing a bit of yoga.
I appreciate this as it is a good entry point to Indian classical music.
Radiohead
4/5
One of the four best Radiohead albums for me. The best tracks on here are some of my favourite tracks of all time, let alone just Radiohead tracks. However there are tracks that I don't like, too experimental for me, so for that reason I cannot give it a 5.
Fav tracks: The National Anthem, How to Disappear Completely, Optimistic, Idioteque, Motion Picture Soundtrack
Green Day
5/5
Iconic, one of the defining albums of the 00s for sure. Easy 5 for me, just a great listen, Billy and crew are in top form here. Also helps that it was produced by the great Rob Cavallo.
4/5
Limp Bizkit are an infectious spirit. Everything else is just salad dressing.
Depeche Mode
3/5
Started off really well but faded towards the end for me. Really like the first couple of songs though.
M.I.A.
3/5
Nice beats, interesting lyrical content. I really enjoy a couple of tracks but overall not totally for me.
Fav tracks: Bucky Done Gun, Sunshowers, Bingo, 10 Dollar
Björk
2/5
I didn't have the most enjoyable time listening to this, couple of songs are ok but mostly this is like watching a fashion show - I don't get it and it's not for me. And I actually have enjoyed some of Bjork's work in the past but overall this was not my cup of tea.
Crowded House
4/5
Australian Travis energy. Had a fun time with this one.
Joni Mitchell
1/5
Didn't really pay attention but not a good thing that it couldn't hold my attention... Not for me
Guided By Voices
2/5
A lot of very short "vignette" songs. I'm sure these were more interesting back in the 90s but none particularly stand out at all to me as I've heard many songs in this style. A couple of decent songs but too sparse, too many more that didn't make an impression.
Scott Walker
3/5
Decent. Liked a couple, especially the Girls and Dogs song haha.
Fela Kuti
2/5
Liked the first track, but the rest is too repetitive
Lauryn Hill
3/5
Not normally a fan of RnB but this has some good tracks on it, especially the more rap-focused tracks
Orbital
2/5
Alright as far as techno goes but yeah
Beastie Boys
2/5
I wanted to like this... I enjoy their style from The Lonely Island parodies. But yeah, the issue is that every song sounds exactly the same to me so could never hold my attention.
Bruce Springsteen
3/5
Liked a couple of songs but nothing special overall.
MGMT
3/5
Reminds me of Arcade Fire and Foster the People. I really like the first half but then it falls off after that. I definitely prefer their later Little Dark Age album.
The Go-Go's
4/5
Fun, short and sweet. Didn't love every track but enough good tracks and it didn't overstay its welcome.
Pink Floyd
4/5
Not my favourite Pink Floyd album, I feel like it's a bit self-indulgent and drawn out. But even still, it's still very good. It's iconic for a reason.
Ananda Shankar
4/5
I enjoyed this. Indian classical music is always an acquired taste but this fusion with western music is a good stepping stone for me.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
3/5
Really enjoyed a couple of tracks - Maps and Y Control obviously. Otherwise, her singing style is a bit irritating.
Jeff Buckley
4/5
What an odd album, wasn't expecting this at all. I really liked much of it. This was a lot more interesting than I thought it was gonna be.
Kanye West
3/5
Good start to the Kanye story. I prefer the next 4 albums as he really got into his stride IMO. But this one is decent, glimpses of what's to come, both his positive genius and also his insecurity and issues.
Eagles
5/5
I really enjoy this album front to back. No skips for me. Great guitar tone, great drumming. I can throw this on and it's always a good time.
ABBA
3/5
Even though this has the bigger hits, I preferred the later ABBA album on this list, The Visitors overall. The hits are great, especially "Knowing Me, Knowing You" but the rest of the album was a bit disappointing.
Korn
3/5
Decent, but got a bit tired of the angst by the end
Arcade Fire
4/5
The Arcade Fire album that I'm most familiar with. Very solid front to back. This is a proper album, the songs all fit together and I can't listen to them on their own. I definitely enjoy myself every time I throw this on but I wouldn't say it stands out massively for me so not quite a 5.
Bob Dylan
2/5
Like a Rolling Stone and Desolation Row are great tracks.
Unfortunately, other than that, I just can't get into Bob Dylan. His voice is not pleasant for me, and I feel like I'm too stupid to "get" his music...
He seems a bit pretentious and not a very likeable guy also.
Fully aware this is a hot take and he is well-liked but luckily there isn't a downvote system here!