1001 Albums Summary

Opening track is a classic (memories of cruising through the desert on GTA San Andreas while cranking this tune). Rest of the album? Meh.

Similar vibe to his 1st brilliant album, but without the strong songs. I really like the pared-back instrumentation though, with his crisply-recorded acoustic guitar and vocals front & centre.

High energy Ska. Singing not very melodic. Not for me.

Pop candy. Blank Space is such a killer tune, and Shake It Off is a modern classic. She has such a knack for songwriting and melody. This prompted a deep dive into 2 of her other albums, Fearless, and Red. Time for this 40 year old man to reconsider any foolishly-held notions about modern artists.

Ohhhh maaan that was intense! And incredibly good!! A wicked album.

A brilliant album. Loved it for many years. A stunning songwriter.

Raw driving energy. Still not fond of Nico's voice but the songs seem cooler every time I hear this album.

Aaargh goddamn Rod Stewart. I HATED his schmaltzy voice when I was a kid, and he was in that era of crooning cheesy ballads with his puffed up hair, smug grin, and bulbous mole. Now Jeff Beck... he's the greatest living guitarist. Why, oh why did he have to buddy up back in the '60's with Rod Fucking Stewart?! Robert Plant was taken, so he thought Rod will do???!!!

I listened to 3 other Bjork albums as a run at this one and, maybe I was Bjork'd out by the time I hit this one, it didn't seem as strong as the others. A few tracks sounded like she just set the mic up on her deck during a windy day and recorded her windchimes go nuts..

Jesus. 80's corn-fest. 5 stars on Allmusic?! Fuuuuck off.

I love the album prior to this one, Bee Thousand, and have owned and listened to this album several times in the past. Gave it another spin, but no. This is rubbish. The song Game of Pricks is outstanding but the rest of the album is awful. Half-baked song ideas with monotone vocal delivery. Very strange to want to something so incomplete with a listening audience.

Some classics on here, Breakdown & American Girl. The rest are very same-ish.

Classic early metal. Loved the mellow track Planet Caravan.

Some pretty mellow sounds here. Like Big Star-lite.

Great melodic sensibility on this album. I particularly like the chord changes in the opening track.

An absolute classic. Been in my DNA since 1994.

So so good. I love how it starts really dark with that epic title track jam, then hits some upbeat funky grooves on subsequent tracks. Monster musicians on show here!

Classic opening track. Good grooves throughout. Very same-ish though. Reggae seems to need strong vocal hooks for each tune to become memorable.

Very aggressive attack here, with a few moments of that melodic clarity they're capable of. Such physical attack on the instruments. I love when they reach for those haunting chords, but there's less of that, and more sheer brutality on this album. Glad to have heard it though.

Classic feelgood tunes. Interesting combo of bratty punk vocal and Afro-beat style vocals. Opening track is a banger and Monkey Man kicks ass too.

Brutal, physical attack music. Some cool blends of tribal rhythms and rock grooves. Won't be riding further in the Sepultura train though, as it's too aggressive and tuneless for my ears.

Phenomenal album. I knew the hits, but maaaan what killer songs with game-changing guitar chops.

I LOVE how the guitars were recorded on this album - big, punchy power chords RIGHT-IN-YOUR-MUTHAFUCKIN-FACE. The classics here are still the best tracks. This must've packed a punch when it first came out! 3.5 stars.

Tuneless mock-rock that shamelessly cashes in on the sound of that era, but with total bollocks songwriting chops and soulless singing. I can't believe this stuff got airplay. Aptly named band. I'll not be listening to this band ever again.

Great band with killer melodies. I've taught Why Does It... for many years, so very familiar with this band. Songwriter Fran Healy has a great way with wordplay, and a knack for a memorable melody. Favourite tracks are Why Does..., Turn, Writing to Reach You, and Driftwood.

Mellow country sound. 3 stars

Good grooves but tracks just went on and on and were all pretty same-ish to my ears.

Jesus Christ. This is awful. Singer can't hold a tune, and the lyrics and concepts at play here are beyond cringe-y. Kind of like a mix of Ricky Gervais' David Brent character from 'The Office' and Daniel from the doco series 'The Undateables'.

Pretty smooth stuff. Opening track is a classic.

Groovy riffs around 'n' around 'n' around

Great grooves and heartfelt vocals. Keepin' the faith in good ol' rock 'n' roll.

The two singles are classics, but the rest is quite forgettable. Not a fan of his Lennon cover either.

Great punk energy, but with some cheeky humour and sarcastic covers. Takin' the piss since before it was cool.

The singles are classics but, besides one or two tracks, the rest is rather forgettable and overly melodramatic. Don't think I'll ride this whole album again.

My main man Nick Drake. This is my least favourite of his albums - Pink Moon's sparse, haunting arrangements make it an easy number one, followed by the lush, glacial strings of Five Leaves Left. The upbeat & bright Nick Drake here seems a bit at odds with the others in his catalogue, but still some great tunes. Good to take for a spin every few years.

Not the kind of music I usually gravitate towards, but I appreciate the beats and the layers of sound.

I was hoping this would be a good introduction to Rush as, though I've heard a few songs here and there, I've never taken a whole album for a spin. Unfortunately, I found the lyrics far too silly and I'm not a fan of the frail and feeble singing. And the track with the out of tune guitar had this guitar teacher literally grinding teeth. Not destined to be a Rush fan. Still, glad to have tried them out.

I know that this is regarding as a classic, and I've now listened to the album 3 times in my life. I just can't get past the way she sings, throwing noise at a note but just not QUITE getting there. Sorry Patti, but my ears are just not compatible with your music, though I do like your band:-)

Pretty decent Stones album. Two singles are the BIG hitters here. Other tracks pretty decent. Have heard this a few times before. Good one to revisit every few years. 3.5/5

Chill background music.

Springsteen minus the muscle of his earlier albums. All very listenable, but no track jumped out as being one for the ages. What a storyteller though. Nobody else like this guy.

Clapton as he started to mellow out. Some really nice laid back tracks here, where the emphasis is less on flashy playing and more on playing for the song.

I've always kinda liked a few songs by The Smiths (Boy with the thorn..., girlfriend in a coma, there is a light...) but this is the first time I've listened to this album. The two big hitters here are still the better tracks, but I've now resigned to the fact that I just don't enjoy Morrissey's style of singing - his Kermit the Frog tone, and his way of SPLAT-ing his voice onto a note just to the side of a more melodic one. The latter made a lot of the songs sound like he was just trialling his lyrics in a first sing through kinda way. Anyway, just okay to me. Don't quite understand the hype around this band, but I'm no longer gonna worry about "getting" them. 2.5/5

Pre-disco Beegees has a different flavor to it, with a lot of tracks here having a Kinks/Beatles (even Stones-y) vibe about them. But I just don't enjoy the style of singing, which sounds off key and tuneless. Not a fan of this one.

Pretty melodic stuff. Singer has a cool voice and swagger

I love this album. Lush strings and some extremely well-placed devastating chord changes. I fell in love with Beck's music from this album, and is still the one I go to if I want a fix o' Beck.

Oh yeah this one's a favourite. Had this on vinyl for a few years. Stands as a giant in this style of music. Loved revisiting it! 5/5

A masterpiece. I love his storytelling, and the muscle of the band. The gradual build up of Thunder Road, the note-for-note perfection of the title track, then THAT saxophone solo in Jungleland. Loved it for years, and it's still astounding every time I hear it.

Title track is a masterpiece, fiery guitar riffs galore and a young Eric singing his goddamn heart out for his mate's missus. He had a turn later, and found out the grass ain't that much greener. Still, prior to that sad domestic disillusion, he was drinkin' and smokin' and cokin' himself right silly, and he had the forethought to get that shit down on tape. Lo and behold, this album. Bell Bottom Blues is another great track, and his crack at Little Wing is alright too (no outdoing Sir Jimi though). Years later, Stevie Ray would demonstrate what a cover of Little Wing could be. I've listened to this album of bunch of times before - last time was about 3 weeks ago while grocery shopping. I forgot I was even listening to the music until it reached the title track and my ears zoomed back in on the sound coming through my headphones. This may be a sign that, while I appreciate the album's status as a classic, it's not some kind of Top Ten (hell, Top 100) album for me.

No. This just reinforced my idea that this kind of music is dick-swinging about how cool the vocalist is, whilst never actually contributing a memorable melody or possessing a good voice.

Classic Cat right here. In my adolescence I used to think this guy was corny as fuck, but in my adulthood his earnest charm has been slowly eroding my defenses and, at 40, I reckon I could say I'm a fan. I'm a guitar teacher and have taught his tunes for years, but it was more from wanting to share the wider repertoire of guitar with students than from being a fan. Well... rock on... no, that's not right.. folk on, Mr. Cat!

Steely Dan and their SUPREME rota of studio musicians had such an inimitable sound across their studio albums and, while this isn't my favourite SD album (that'd be a toss up between their debut and Aja), it still yields aural treasure on every repeat listen.

Aww man the band here is so in the pocket it's ridiculous. Love that jazzy keys sound. First time hearing this album, and it just works straight outta the gate. What a talent! Can't wait to listen to his other albums. Bonus points for naming one song "Shit, Damn, Motherfucker". Is that the greatest song title of all time?! Every track here is awesome.

That corny 80's reverb-for-days drum sound, cheesy keys, emotive vocals with lame lyrics. Gave it a few tracks (then skipped through a bit of the other songs) to see if there was good stuff lurking in there but, alas, there was none to be found. In terms of other bands from that era doing those kind of songs with that kind of instrumentation and that kind of production, they're a dime a dozen. Don't know how this album made the list, but glad to have listened. There are always treasures to be found in bands & songs you haven't heard before. This wasn't one of them.

Timeless. Would be a 5 just for that guitar solo on Time. A musical highlight of mankind's time on earth thus far.

I dig the humour that runs through the Beastie Boys' music, and there's plenty on display on this album, but the one-trick-pony nasal obnoxious delivery of these white boys does a number on my ears after an album worth. Glad to have ridden the train all the way but I won't be visiting this place again. (Though I may occasionally visit Fight for Your Right, as it's a perfect meld of their various styles).

Razor sharp guitar playing over a watertight rhythm section. These songs make up an album of classic ZZ Top tunes. I loved the colour of the riffs and solos, and the feel of the music perfectly fits the album art. Will be listening again.

Major key jams with a nice mellow vibe. Quite same-ish after a few songs.

Classic 90's jingle-jangle guitar pop rock. This is music that could only have come out of that decade. Melodic, and nowhere near as dark as some of the music that was massive at the time. Evan Dando has such a knack for a tune. Gonna have a listen to their other albums now:-)

I dig the humour these guys use in their tunes, cheeky wordplay, musical gags and the like. Obviously very skilful musicians. I'm a huge fan of their eerie song 'I'm not in Love', so got excited when their band turned up on my list here. I enjoyed the ride. Definitely a band I need to investigate further.

An innocent and sunny batch of tunes from Brian Wilson and his brothers, with tagalong douchebag Mike Love (who'd later claim credit for much of Brian's genius). This album catches them after the surfing infatuation, and well on their way to the pop masterpiece of Pet Sounds. Their vocal harmonies are in fine form here, and elevate even the corniest tune (and there's plenty of corn here). Sweetness in song form.

If somebody were to take the worst elements of 80's music (cheesy keys, gated drums, a dreadful moaning vocalist, all saturated in reverb and thinned waaaaay-the-fuck-out to a treble-y right hot mess) and mix it together, you'd have this album. Not for me.

Great beats, clever vocals and it's refreshing to hear it not just being about being cooler than everyone else in the game. No particular tracks stood out though.

Nice atmosphere here reminiscent of Daniel Lanois' style of production. Songs all mellow and mild, though they're all so similar it's hard to tell one from another.

Opening track is 80's pop perfected. Rest of album hovers around this template without ever quote getting there again.

Fuck yeah! Listened to this album lots before, but this time it was EXACTLY what I needed. Most perfect album title for the sonic punch that lurks within.

Masterpiece.

Mellow indie folk, though fairly nondescript.

QOTSA before they hit the big time. Songs are all pretty good, but very similar.

Opening track is a killer, and Everybody... is pretty much the 80's encapsulated in pop perfection. Rest of the album is great too.

Miles is THE MAN. These early uptempo swing numbers are musical as anything, but they just don't give me the same feels as where he took his music shortly after. I've always found a swing shuffle beat to be a pretty corny sound and, besides a few tracks here, it's just all over this album. Can't hold it against Miles though, as he went on to create one musical masterpiece after another. Glad to have listened to this again after many years.

Awesome instrumentation, and abrupt mood shifts within one tune - something I haven't heard before in this kind of music. The guitar playing is great, with tasty chord voicings and sparing use of dissonance.

Yeah nah. Interesting layering of beats and snippets of other songs, but overall feel is like a toddler playing with the demo features on a Casio keyboard.

Paul Rodgers has such a gutsy rock voice, so much so that pretty much anything he sings is worth listening to. But, from a lyrical perspective, he only writes about wanting to fuck. Just said in different words from song to song, album to album, and band to band. Though on this record there is a mellow track about a seagull. Does he want to fuck it? Probably.

I've listened to this album at four separate times over about 15 years, each time coming away with a feeling that perhaps I'm missing something, as I just can't hear the qualities that make this a highly acclaimed album. To my ears, the instrumentals lack a melodic focus as they just don't really go anywhere, and the ones with lyrics feel like tuneless drafts of songs. This time around I'm secure in my knowledge that the music of Brian Eno and my own ears are just not that compatible. And I'm fine with that. Thanks anyway, Brian :-)

Title track is one for the ages - and the other albums cuts are pretty frickin' close. Good upbeat grooves. 3.5 stars.

A great record, lots of inventive chord twists and turns in the songs. Main songwriter has obviously thoroughly digested his dad's record collection of '60's pop/rock then integrated it into his own unique style. Heaps of great songs I'll be listening to again in the future.

A rock masterpiece. Hard to believe they hit the ground running like this. What a timeless (and perfectly executed) batch of songs. All 4 monster musicians making musical alchemy. Phenomenal.

Pretty decent batch of punk tunes, with a real Buzzcocks sensibility. Clearly these guys know how to play their instruments well, which sets them apart from other bands in the genre.

A lot of layers to this album. I was stoked when it came up as today's album, as I've been meaning to listen to it for years. Great arrangements, killer drumbeats, and a cool but not too cocky delivery by Hill. Gonna run this one again tomorrow. Got me wanting more.

God, what a dreadful 39 minutes. I struggle to imagine the band listening back to this in the studio and saying "we nailed it boys". Also, how the instrumentalists in the band didn't want to punch Lydon's smug little face after hearing the shit he lays down here. What a fuckwit.

Dark, kinda creepy, and almost entirely not my thing.

An old favourite. Masterpiece.

Stone cold classic. Only giving 4 instead of 5 as I need time in between listens to give it a sonic punch each time. Greatest electric guitar guru, 2nd only to Hendrix (sorry Stevie Ray, but Eddie added so much to the guitar vocabulary).

I loved the atmosphere of this album. They assembled such a stellar band for this session. Loved it.

Sultans of Swings. Plus others.

I started off thinking it sounded like any other EC record, same sneery vocals, same mid-tempo mild rockers... Then it kinda got its hooks in me. Great musicianship in the band, and he's singing his lil nerdy white ass off.

Mild generic stuff.

Man he's on fire here. So good to hear some familiar tunes of his given a lightning bolt shock of energy. The band are cooking, he's throwing all he's got at it, and the audience are lapping it up. What a legend. Love it.

Love the opener. Rest, not at all.

Awesome album. Watertight rhythm section and expertly executed guitar lines that cut like laser. Stunning.

Bit of Bowie, Joy Division, and Television influences coming through here. Just ok.

Poppy rock, definite shades of The Runaways.

My dad loved the music of Gillian Welch and David Rawlings, so I've known this album for years. I love the way their guitars and voices intertwine, the snaky guitar leads that occasionally dip into dissonance, and the haunted melancholy feel of it. Probably my favourite album of hers. A unique sound.

I'd only heard the singles prior to tonight's listen to this album. A very carefully crafted album that has a big presence musically, but lyrically is very introspective. Kinda like Oasis without all the grandstanding cocky swagger. The singles fit in perfectly with the rest of the album. I really enjoyed this one.

Mellow to the point I forgot I was listening to music. 3 listens of the album with the same drifting off each time. Happy to know that this album was made in the mid-2000's, fully respect people that just disregard current musical trends and just make the music they want to make.

Smooth soul meets earthy funk. I liked this a lot.

Tell me you have ADHD without telling me you have ADHD. Todd: This album.

Music is OK. Vocals are dreadful. Very sure way to alienate your audience is by singing in a goofy falsetto.

As a child in the 1980's I always thought this keyboard pop kind of music was really corny, embarrassing even. I've always preferred music played on acoustic instruments. This era of synthesizers and drum machines is just so vapid. I'd been meaning to listen to this group for years. Glad to have finally heard their music, but I'll never be listening to them again.

Brash fast angry punk rock. Music that can only justifiably be made by teens and twenty-somethings. It takes a special kind of athleticism to be able to execute this music and stay in sync with the band. Didn't particularly like this album, but it didn't rape my ear holes like some of the albums on this list (Mekons, Lexicon of Love, Wild Beasts). 3/5

For a bunch of superb musicians who are perfectly in tune, you'd think they'd be able to actually FIND the tune with an hour length album.

Man, there's a whole lot going on here. First impression is like a mix of Talking Heads (vocal delivery), The Police (rhythm section), Gang of Four (jarring electric guitar lines) and pre-dating Bjork's general sense of nuttiness by DECADES. A very unique sound. Album cover rules too!

Mellow acoustic tunes.

Nope.

Solid. Never a bad time for this album. I love the guitar tones on it.

Epic album. So many upbeat good groove bangers before possibly the greatest closing track ever. The more I hear this album the more I love it.

Yeah. Um.

Love these guys. A few stone cold classics on this album, some beautiful and effortlessly executed acoustic guitar work, those timeless harmonies, and a brilliant parody of Bob Dylan. And a couple of filler tracks. Perfect ending track though.

A very distinctive sound equating to a thin pingy guitar tone, a stomping foot, and changing to either a I, IV or V chord whenever the mood strikes him. Some call it primitive and rootsy. I'd call it something else entirely.

Classic greasy 'n' sleazy tracks from Aerosmith. These guys are like the original blueprint for Guns 'n' Roses

Not for me. I get that this type of music is all about the beat maaaan, but as a lifelong musician I need some melody with my rhythm. Kind of like painting with just one colour.

Lordy. These guys n gals run their choruses over and over and over and over and over and over and over. Good boogie grooves but Jesus..

Loved hearing this again. The songs for the most part sound pretty loosely structured, but the grooves and chord vamps underpinning them are so good.

Despite being a kiwi myself, this is my first time listening willingly to Lorde's music and, try as I may, I just can't get past my issues with her pronunciation of her lyrics.. some kind of weird tone to her speech that just grates on my ears... Though, that track Liability is a goodie and would be great in the hands (and voice!) of a singer like Phoebe Bridgers

An intriguing sound, in a similar vein to The Flaming Lips. I love the vibe of the songwriting, but the singer's voice isn't really my thing.

I always leaned more to the Green Day side of the 90's punk revival, and have always heard these guys music as like an angry cousin to Green Day's poppier sound. I dig the rapid downstroke palm-muting vibe these guys use in their songs. Definitely the best album they ever did. I enjoyed revisiting this album a lot more than I expected.

Funny how some writers are drawn to their central concept like a magnet. In this dude's case, he seems pretty goddamn passionate about politics, a topic which I've always maintained zero interest in. So, between that and his not-quite-musical-but-almooooost-there voice, we were never going to be a suitable match between artist and listener. Sorry Billy, but you ain't for me matey.

Fuckin' what?! Just dreadful. 0/5.

Some great singles. Funky all the way through.

I'd been meaning to listen to this album for years, so was intrigued when it came up as today's album. Listened, and it's dreadful. Tuneless angsty vocals, inane lyrics that a 12 year old could have written. Exact same bag of tricks as that other 90's gimmick Marilyn Manson.

Classic Bob. Like musical medicine. Love it.

The music is pretty cool, but then the singing comes in. A VERY polarizing style of lead vocal. A bit too melodramatic for these ears. 2.5/5.

Groovy grooves. Nice to hear, but I won't be here again.

Oh maaaan that was silky smooth. What a voice. I loved the choice of songs, and the direct & uncluttered way she phrases the melodies.

Lucinda is like the earlier model of 1993-era Sheryl Crow. Some pretty good songs on this album, but I like Sheryl more🙄

So good I listened to it 3 times in a row. I can hear Flaming Lips, Beck, and early Wilco in their music. Susan's House is my favourite here. Definitely got me curious to hear more Eels albums.

When I was 15 I loved this album. Bought the guitar TAB book and learned every single note that John Frusciante plays on this album. As a guitar teacher I still teach the odd song from it (particularly fond of the solos on I Could Have Lied, and Mellowship Slinky...). I thought I'd kinda outgrown the album and band but when it came up as today's album I listened again, and loved every last bit of it, cringe-inducing lyrics and all. NOBODY played their instruments like this back in the 90's. Peak RHCP brilliance.

Not amazing, not rubbish. Just kinda.. there. Almost the definitive 3 outta 5.

The album that made me wanna learn guitar. Now been a guitar teacher for 22 years. This shit's in my DNA.

Quirky pop/rock aplenty. I love this guy's brain. Dude writes about anything and everything, and gives zero fucks about current musical trends.

Cry To Me is a stunning track. Smooth as. Definitely an artist to warrant further listening.

Perfection

All of the 80's collective cheesiness rolled into one album. I hate this corny shit.

Marvin loved to fuck.

Put this one on while making dinner. 2 thoughts: 1. It sounds like the happy party time music used in kids animated films. 2. Both Miss Nine and I thought it was one long song, rather than individual tracks. Enjoyed/tolerated it in the background. Immediately on finishing, I was unable to recall any of the melodies. Didn't dislike it, wasn't crazy about it. Smack bang on a 3.

I liked this. Stunning instrumentation. And introspective quirky song styles.

I'm familiar with this album, 2nd favourite R.E.M. album to Automatic For The People. Always good to revisit.

Killer singles. Album cuts just ok.

I adore their followup album, Hats. This one not so much.

Classic bone head Acca Dacca rock

Wicked voice. Decent pop/rock stuff

Mild nondescript pop.

I loved hearing this live album. The mixup during Willow Weep for Me was lovely to hear. Excellent song choice, and a stellar backing band. Lovely.

Classic. Venomous and humorous in equal measure, with the greatest rhymes ever used in music. Legend.

Title track is a masterpiece, and the greatest thing this band of white penny-pinching douchebags ever did. I've got a soft spot for Wasted Time too. Rest of the album is immaculately performed, with everything in the right place. But with 0% recklessness, the vital ingredient for a rock band.

Yeah good stuff. Opening track is brilliant. Weirdos and creatives represent!

A goodie, this one. Beautiful acoustic guitars in unusual tunings, and an overarching haunting & melancholy feel. Early Coldplay is good stuff, then they went after the mega bucks and impersonal pop hits.

Mellow music with undercurrent of anger. MG is always smooth, but goddamn his music is just the definition of same-ness.

Upbeat joyous nonsense.

Smooth as silk. I dig his sharp guitar lines as punctuation in the tunes.

This album is a HUGE part of my late teens/early 20's. The one-two punch of Them Bones then Dam That River might just be my favourite opening to an album ever. Then it just keeps going. So many incredible tracks here, where both the playing AND songwriting are immaculate. One of the best rock albums ever. Absolutely loved revisiting this behemoth.

A Masterpiece.

Love Tusk. Perfect blend of calm, melancholic, and frantic

Tiny Dancer & title track are classics. Album cuts ok, but this is where Elton's voice starts to get a bit schmaltzy to these ears.

Dark folky madness. Cool concept but also a bit one-trick-pony-ish.

A couple of tracks in I caught myself thinking out loud "What is the PURPOSE of this music?". That feeling didn't budge.

Wailing high vocals, kickass guitar riffs, and melodic kickass rock. Not for everyday, but when I'm in the mood for it this stuff rules.

A brutal and athletic barrage of metal from the single most distinctive sounding metal band ever. Not a huge fan but I can appreciate the artistry here.

Twee camp 80's rubbish

A rock classic. Sleazy sexual innuendo, driving drums and MONSTROUS RIFFS. One of rock's greatest albums.

Sparkly Christmas Murderer Cheese

An interesting listen, though the singer is unfortunately plagued with that no-longer-a-boy-but-not-quite-a-man voice that was an epidemic in the dreadful 1980's.

Yeah nah not really. Mike Patton is obviously a talented singer, I just don't really like the notes he chooses to sing over the band - and that nasally whine voice he often uses? Ugh. The songs are just of middling too, and the production hasn't aged very well.

A good one

A long time favourite. Absolute magic for the first half of the album, musical masterpiece in Into The Mystic, then a slow decrease in song quality through to the end.

Neither here nor there.

Spectacular music. Not one I would have found my way to, so thank you!

Dreadful. Prerequisite for ANY recording vocalist should surely be the ability to find a note that fits the chord. Never again, Siouxsie.

Melodic, simple-but-sexy guitar rock. Not sure what the X Factor is, but Bolan had it.

I went to school with a special needs kid with the unfortunate surname of "Bott". From his teen years on, he had a croaky rasp of a voice, and would greet everyone with a "how's it going?" in that voice. A voice which is EXACTLY the same as good ol' Bobby D's voice on this album. So, try as I may (and have tried several times over the years), I just can't hear it for what it is.

Interesting as an historical document of rap's origins. But far too cheesy to ever want to listen to again.

This was a cool listen, with some lesser-known (and new to me) gems. I love the tricks they use in their songs, like a 3-chord repeating chord progression, or those spiky lead lines as countermelody to the vocals.

A classic

The single version of People Everyday, and Mr Wendal, are favourites from when I was 11. The rest of the album is pretty stink, dated and preachy. Those two tracks still sound cool though.

All that I loathe about the 80's rolled into one dated-as-fuck sonic package.

U2's finest moment. One of the great rock records.

I got excited when the opening track started... ooh this band's pretty solid, nice production, ooh tasty chord changes. THEN the dude started singing. Jesus H. Christ. I'd bet ya the members of his band thought he was total shite too, just learned to enjoy playing together and TRIED to turn his mic down bit by bit by bit by bit.

Yeah this was interesting

Nope nope nope. Listened to this hillbilly twit earlier this year then blocked Spotify from playing him. Just nope.

Fuck yeah. I LOVE the ragged edges on this album, mess = magic here. The dude's attitude is <kisses fingers Italian style>

What IS this Morrissey splatfunk goofiness?! How'd THIS ONE make the list????

Crooning geezer with BIG strings

I loved hearing this album. Superb musicians playing tightly crafted songs.

Not too bad. Not too good. Just.

The first track is brilliant, then the rest have a bit too much madness and not QUITE enough method. I suspect the album would reveal secrets after a few listens, but I ain't got time for that.

I fucking love this album. Loved it back in the day, and it's still a pleasure to listen to.

Nope. One of the most overrated bands of all time, with a tonedeaf singer. Listened to all of their albums before, and they're all total shite.

Great guitar playing from the legendary Dave Navarro (I LOVED his playing in his one album stint in RHCP), but here I'm not a huge fan of the songs, Farrell's weird squeaky voice, or the paper-thin production that sounds like it's trying to sound huge but just sounds empty and distant.

This is a rock masterpiece. Both 1) of a particular time, and 2) timeless. Mayonnaise is the underdog here and, for this listener, the beating heart of the album (along with Disarm). Corgan may be a bit of a douchebag, but he's also a fuckin' genius.

Oh that was superb. First listen just floored me. An easy 5/5.

I cannot stand Morrissey's Kermit voice. Songs sound alright, but that voice would ruin anything.

Favourite VU album.

Some stunning musicianship on offer here. Not an album I'd specifically seek out to listen to again in its entirety, bit plenty of individual tracks have been added to my Spotify playlists.

80's synth pop tunes

Kinda interesting, but mostly pretty forgettable.

Classic Ray Charles. His voice is so emotive, and when he lets loose on the piano his note choice is immaculate. Probably the greatest album of this kind of tune.

Alright

A dude testing out all of the guitar effects in a music store AT THE SAME TIME, and insisting that his rather-be-ANYWHERE-else girlfriends sings along.

I can appreciate that EC is a talented songwriter, and I truly love some of his songs from other albums, but so so soooo much of his song catalogue sounds very.. well.. very same-ish. That , and the nasal tone of his voice in general , means we're not destined to be pals

Big punchy sounding production, and Courtney Love's voice kicks ass on this album.

Glad to have listened finally, but won't be riding this train again. Unless my nose gets really blocked, and I find myself very high on herb.

Surprisingly good. Nice beats, positive messages. Sounds like a precursor to Bell Biv Devoe, De La Soul, and Arrested Development. Great album art too!

Slow-burning masterpiece.

Neither here nor there. A dead-on 2.5/5. Would round up to 3, but it kinda gives me the shits when I don't have a clue what the lyrics are communicating. Lyrics ARE important. That, and the chord changes which are intended to sound elegant are overused here past the point of cliche.

An album that kickstarted a different direction for rap, exposed the world to the seedy underbelly of urban living, and introduced the inimitable drawl of one Snoop muthafuckin' Dogg. For this pale-as-the-underside-of-a-fish white boy, one listen is probably enough for a lifetime. I can appreciate the artistry of it, but I'm not the target demographic.

Meh

The almighty Thelonious CLUNK. Inimitable voice on the piano.

Classic guitar rock

Surprisingly good. Had heard of this band, but this was a first time hearing them. I like.

Pretty fuckin' smooooooooth, Chef.

A majestic live album. I adore the dialogue the segues into the songs, and his expertly placed guitar links. This guy had everything, the less-is-more thing, perfect phrasing and the sweetest note choice and tone. Blues = B.B. King.

Phew. That was surprisingly heavy. And really really good. Very far from the stylistic vibe I expected from Nick Cave.

Total classic. Would be a 5, but I've always HAAAAAAATED the distorted guitar tone he uses on the electric version of My, My... or Hey, Hey... Rest of the album: perfect.

Stunning. A 4.5 for me, but I'll round down to 4 as it's magic, but I wouldn't want to hear it all the time.

Stone cold classic. Loved this album since my teens.

Ingredients: A bit of this.. Hmm. A bit of that too! 3/5.

Just brilliant. I love this album dearly.

Musical. But cheesy as FUCK.

Dime dozen punk rock

Smooth classic

Perfectly played. But with a smidgeon too much of that everything-in-exactly-the-right-place ingredient.

I've loved this album since hearing Strong Enough when I was 12. A masterpiece. She never came close to this again.

I love this album. Cranked it in my Walkman as a teen. Still possesses that perfect blend of aggression, funk, and superb musicality. Some of the greatest riffs of all time are on display here. They never came close to this again.

I can appreciate that she has a decent voice, but this music and style of arrangement/production does nothing for me.

Masterpiece. Loved this bad boy for years. I used to drive the wife crazy by singing along to all the instrumental lines.

Nope. An album that has been deemed classic, but I just don't enjoy it at all. See also: The Doors.

Brilliant. One of the finest songwriters ever.

If 11 year old boys who've just learned how to play power chords on the guitar dreamed up the coolest most "ROCK" guitar sound, they'd likely come up with this. For anyone outside that demographic, it's corny as a corn field

Classic 90's stuff. Was a MASSIVE hit when I was a teen. Still holds its own. Bonus points for having RHCP members as the backing band.

Awesome stuff. This album has my all-time fave power ballad What It Takes. So so good.

Intriguing, musical and corny in equal measure

Intense metal. Makes Master of Puppets sound like Barney the dinosaur. Incredibly athletic musicians with freaky nervous systems.

Yeah nah. Playing some minor chords on the keyboard than waffling some airy fairy twaddle over the top does not music make.

You have to be in the mood for some Lou Reed, otherwise it just sounds like a dude trying desperately to halftalkhalfsing about bleak shit in order to seem edgy maaaaaaaan.

That nerd was alright. Catchy pop tunes. I get the feeling he set some kind of template for a 50's rock 'n' roll sound.

I enjoyed this mellow album heaps. It sounds like the guitar parts from a Nick Drake album, with the dude from T Rex singing.

The best of the corny side o' the '80's

I love John Grant, and this is my favourite if his albums. Bold, nutty lyrics, excellent song craft and production, and that gorgeous voice. The title track on this album is one of the best tunes written in the current century.

One crazy spicy gumbo. Love it.

Punk meets decent lyrics.

Had this on CD in the early 2000's. Liked it even more this time around. What a cool brain/approach this dude/band has/have.

Like pop melodies run through a blender.

Hoo boy the band is on FIRE here! I just changed my opinion on them having heard this album tonight.

Brian Wilson is a universal treasure xxx

Meh.

Easygoing country cheese.

Stevie's finest album. Has long been a favourite of mine. A true musical genius, plus possessor of possibly the finest vocal cords ever gifted to a human.

Fuckin' A! If there's any music that grooves harder than this album, I have NO IDEA what it is. Absolutely love it. 5/5

Her voice is amazing, but the songs are all so fucking corny, cheesy soft-ballad love/lust lyrics, sterile musical backing. If the music industry had let her follow her muse more like that stunning early career version of 'I'll Be There' then perhaps her music would be less mock-seductive and could be more genuinely musical. Tunes for 12 year old girls.

Yeah man. This shit's in my DNA. I wanna live inside that emotive ramp up to when he sings "How does it feeeeeeeel?".

Such a great album. Different beast to Joshua Tree, but brilliant in its own creative way.

Nope. Just the dregs of the 80's/early 90's fascination with Electronica and keyboards. Soulless stuff. Gross.

The title track is phenomenal, but I could live the rest of my life without hearing any of the other tracks and I'd be just fine. Huge Bowie fan too.

Great sounding layers of guitars, and emotive lyrics about the disenfranchised. I can see how this dude had a big influence on the guitar rock styles that emerged in the early 90s.

Super melodic and perfectly executed white man nerd jazz. Not the real deal, but still enjoyable when you want some safe jazz.

Mellow stuff

Mellow eerie goodness

Love this album, and even got my CD copy of it signed by the legend himself, Jeff Tweedy, when he was in New Zealand for a book tour.

Bit o' this, bit o' that.

I loved this album. Was only vaguely familiar with Cars, but the sense of alienation and feeling different from others that pervades the album is exactly the world I know. Both Numan and myself are on the autistic spectrum, so I totally recognize the language (musical and lyrical) that he's working from.

Mellow stuff from the German keyboard enthusiasts. Usual fare about robots and the future, though this time one of the boys has taken a fancy to a model who's more in love with her camera than him. Poor nerd.

Yeeeeeah this was good stuff. Lively, joyous music from damn fine musicians.

60's psychedelic swirly tunes with the elder Buckley intoning oh-so-earnest twaddle in a Kermit + vibrato-everything voice. I'll take the son's tunes over this stuff any day.

Wicked cool. Unique sound, and the perfect name for a rhythm guitar-wielding frontman.

1st album I ever purchased.

Mellow ambience from a chameleon musician

Kinda soulful, but TOTALLY cheesy.

MASTERPIECE.

I listened to this album seven hours ago, and I'm STILL waiting for Paul Simon to start singing.

Meh. This dude has a few catchy songs, but is mostly an example of how big music corporations can use marketing to bulldoze slightly talented singers to the top of the pile and make them millionaire megastars.

Uber melodic poppy goodness. That title track is a classic. Don't know how I'd missed hearing that one in the past.

Cool earthy acoustic guitars and mellow harmonies.

Shite that coulda only come from the insufferable 80's

Yeah not bad. Not great, but not bad either. Just sorta.

Cornier than a cob of corn. Some huge hits to be found here, but it just ain't for me.

Awesome musicianship

Swirly spacey goodness

Not my thing

Killer album from a very unique band

Eerie loveliness

One of the towering giants of piano playing. Effortless playing.

Classic

I'd meant to listen to this album for about 20 years and when I finally did, about 4 months prior to getting it pop up on this list, I was so disappointed to hear it wasn't some kinda killer rock album but just some sunshine-y positive vibes mon kinda reggae thang.

I wasn't crazy about this album when it first came out, as it was stylistically pretty far from the BloodSugarSexMagik-era Chili's that I worshipped at the time. Hearing it again so far removed from that time, it's packed with hits and RHCP classics and is totally part of the Frusciante & the boys legacy of this unique band.

Arty glory

A long favourite. The twin guitar arrangements on this album are milestones of rock guitar duos. Only gripe is that I've always wished wished WISHED the singer's voice was easier on the ears!

Atrocious. That this is considered a classic of any kind blows my mind. Angry, venomous messy noise.

A strange ramshackle glorious affair. Dylan's stream of consciousness lyrics are a wonder to behold.

Some good drum beats on offer here, but the song styles just aren't that interesting or melodic.

Ewwww. I GET that this dude is being pretty unorthodox in his lyrics for that era, but that super corny delivery with the wide vibrato in his voice, plus the schmaltzy band arrangements just make for one overly earnest twee album. My late father loved this dude when he was a young man, but Daddy-O let's agree to disagree on this corny motherfucker.

The first track is really good, then it devolves into 80's synth cheese.

Smooth smooth stuff. Some killer songs on here

Classic

What the heck even IS this music? A very odd one to have made the list.

Smooth stuff

Nope. Too long and meandering, lyrics are goofy, and the chord progressions are by-the-book. Nothing special here.

This makes some decent background listening. The arrangements are solid, but the songwriting is neither here nor there. After one listen I can't recall any of the hooks or choruses.

I love this album dearly, but need time in between listens to refresh the magic, hence the 4. A lyrical genius, that Paul bloke. Clever wee bugger!

These blokes love keyboards

Uber-melodic twee pop from a badly-named band next to a crapper.

Didn't think I liked this album so much based on previous listens, but this time around I found myself grooving along to the whole thing.

I love Dylan's stream-of-consciousness rhymes with a passion, and he's just on fire on this album. A towering giant of music of any century.

Yeah nah

Bizarre stuff. The band are playing alright, but the vocalist is just running a one-trick-pony thing over the whole album. This band may have been his baby, but it baffles me that some record execs back in the day heard this album and decided to invest money and time into it. Heard it, will never listen to it again.

Good God, this album is a delight!

Listened. But I cannot recall a single sung melody that didn't just sound like a kid throwing a tantrum and whining "moooooooom... oh pleeeeease moooooooom...". And this from a fan of The Cure's poppier tunes. Just. Such. A. Whiny. Bastard.

Whiney Kermit-voiced fuckwit. Jesus Christ.

Buoyant exuberant jammy jams in another tongue.

Poppy rock with killer guitar lines.

Yeeeeeeah booooooi? Naaaaaaaa maaaaaaaan!

Hmmmm. Yeah this is a strange one... there's some musical stuff to be heard on here, but I just don't understand the purpose of this music. Is it techno, is it soul, is it pop? Whatever it is, it sure ain't for me. Strange to deem this one of the 1001.

Classic Elvis

Fuck yeah. Love this album.

Poppy squishy emo goodness. A unique and cool sound. Loved Time to Pretend when it first came out, and it still sounds gorgeous.

I GET what they're doing, presenting poppy tunes under a wash of screechy distortion. I just don't know WHY. Brittle, thin treble-y mess. Almost like the dude thought writing pop melodies was nerdy, so wanted to prove to his chums he was really a rocker. Kinda like a Tom Waits approach. But I'll "Wait" for Tom. These weirdos? Fuck no.

Lyrical legends, these dudes.

I love the track Four Leaf Clover. What a chorus. But... the premise of the album is a great idea but, to these ears anyway, the orchestral backing gets far too busy and rarely actually feels like it fits the Metallica song structures (in themselves epic symphonies of a kind). Points for trying though!

Poppy goodness. A bit of everything.

Good ol' CCR. Band of many a good unpretentious bare bones singalong tunes. I love John Fogerty's simple uncluttered approach to his song craft. This isn't my favourite bunch of CCR tunes , but it's solid as a rock.

Yeah nah.

Music was pretty groovy, but I'm such a sucker for lyrics but I've got no idea what the dude's singing about.

Some really tasty guitar playing going on here, plus some groovy slooooow funk tracks. Never heard this dude before, but this album has piqued my interest enough to take a deep dive into his back catalogue.

Rock legends. Such a knack for melody, and what a phenomenal lyricist.

Elvis. Don't dislike it, don't hugely like it. For me, the definitive 3/5

This was fascinating. NOT at all what I expected. Gonna have another close listen and read all the lyrics. A mix of pop, rock, some kinda prog influence. Very tormented.

God, Queen were a phenomenal band.

Yeah man. What a voice!

Fuck yeah! This dude can plaaaaaay.

Yeah nah. Background music for people who don't really care about music.

Meh.

Sickly sweet twee pop. This stuff hasn't aged well.

Sleazy 'n' greasy. The prototype for Guns n Roses. Love me some Aerosmith.

Classic album with equally classic cover art.

Corny 80's keyboard shite.

I love the attitude and the guitar's level of ferocity, but none of the songs really do anything for me on a soul level. Wanna go for a 4, but it's probably a 3 to these ears. Definitely an album that was a blueprint for punk.

Expertly played, but corny as a corn dog.

As smooth and cheesy as a giant wheel of camembert.

Some awesome tunes on this album, but not the kinda thing I'd revisit often (if at all). Bonus point for expert musicians though.

Held up as a giant among albums, but I could take it or leave it.

Majestic

This kinda rap is like Dr Seuss gone rancid. Nope.

Meh.

Girl's got attitude. Definitely an artist with a unique spin on songwriting.

I've done this album a few times now and, while I can appreciate the artistry in it, it's not a style I feel compelled to listen to for pleasure.

You magnificent men you. My G.O.A.T. Tempted to go 5 stars just because it's the ol' Beatles, but really it's a four. They were just warming up here for their ridiculous 5-star albums run in the (then) near future.

Expert playing. I've just never (since childhood) been a fan of the sound of the organ. It's too intense and takes up such a wide space in the listener's ears. The instrument equivalent of a pushy person.

They fucking nailed it on this album, that sweet heady mix of pop melodies, sublime instrumentation and arrangements, earnest but not too earnest lyrics, and that little splash of art (see/hear the altered tuning on track 3). I'd give it 4.5 as it's that good, but will have to round down to 4 because, as much as I like it, it ain't no Beatles, Zep, or Hendrix yo.

Pure wank.

Fuck me. This is some angry-at-Mom-'n'-Dad-music right here. Despite being a guitar teacher since 1999, this is the first (see also: last) time I've ridden the Slipknot train. Militarily executed rhythm section is kinda impressive, but I now see why they needed those stupid mask gimmicks, 'cause the music wasn't musical enough. Betcha the singer ain't so angry at his Mom 'n' Pops now they made him a multimillionaire.

So. A couple of too-cool-for-school teens get together, with plans of becoming the next Interpol. Problem is, she can only talk-sing five notes, and the boy... well, he's limited to one monotone note. Despite this, they forge on. So they pen some really emotional lyrics which, to be ironic maaaaaaan, they talk-sing together in a completely detached and emotionless way. But they forge on. Having written a dozen or so of the exact same thing, they figure let's make an album. They do that. Turns out, it's less Interpol-esque, and more like a couple of 11 year olds doing a Casio keyboard drum beat over their mom's cherished Enya album.

Jam band noodlings

Man, I loved hearing this album. I knew and loved the tracks Couldn't Love You More, and Small Hours already, but it was excellent to hear all the album cuts. Dude's voice was a jazz instrument, and his playing acoustic-like-it's-an-electric guitar playing is pioneering and totally cool too. Gonna deep dive his catalogue now. THIS is the reason I'm on this listening journey!

Stevie Wonder is one of the towering giants of music in any period. His run of albums in the 70s defies belief. One of my all-time favourite songs, They Won't Go When I Go, is on this album. Stunning musicianship, perfect vocals, groove for days, watertight arrangements. It's all here.

Beats 'n' bloops 'n' bleeps

This album has been encoded into my autistic mind DNA since I was 13. Can go years without hearing it, then put it in and sing along with every lyric, every epic guitar solo, every kickass drum fill. A rock masterpiece.

G.O.A.T.

Fave Zep track is on this album, the almighty Since I've Been Loving You. A few other cool tracks, but enough filler tracks to knock the whole package down to a 4. A high 4, but a 4 nonetheless.

Wimpy and spineless. I HATE that quivering vibrato style of singing they do on this album (and everywhere else) and the lyrics are appallingly bad and waaaaay-too-earnest. Fuck those bearded brothers. Dicks.

Mellow n smooth background funk

This is a tough one. I love Back To Black, the vibe, the arrangements, the lyrics, the singing. It all just works. But this album? No no no. Loose jazzy jams with barely melodic nasal The-Nanny-style vocal complaining via Amy. Just no. Shows a teeny weeny bit of promise, but no.

Volume? Check. Attitude? Check. Riffs? Sort of... Songs? Nope.