Adult Contemporary. It’s only for adults. Don’t you dare listen to this kids, it’s for the adults. This is the music that’s playing on a paint stained boom box in your neighborhoods open garage. It’s a hot Sunday afternoon in early September. Your neighbor’s dad has half their Chevy in pieces in the driveway and he’s covered in oil stains. He’s smoked a pack of cigs and crushed a 12 pack of Miller highlife before the late games kicked off. This is the album he’s listening to while he curses at the old truck. I haven’t listened to it yet (or checked that it exists) but I know Anita Baker has a great Christmas Album. 3/5. Good to know Baker.

Absolutely beautiful album. My perception is that The Youngbloods are less cited than other popular counterculture musicians but they are great standard bearers for the movement. The lyrics are poetic and still relevant to our culture 50+ years later. I love everything about this album. The instrumentation is dated but that’s fine. It’s of it’s time. So much fun.

~550 albums in on this project and this is exactly the type of album that keeps me coming back. Sounds like so much because it’s descended from so much and so much has come from it! Just a beautiful sound. I hate to admit I had no clue about Lucinda Williams but here I am, one listen in and I feel like I know her. Just looked up her tour this summer to see if we can make a trip…

Opening song is so iconic and themed perfectly as an intro. Great bass. Dear Doctor…country? What? Very nice.

Seems influential but not necessarily for me. I hear Avril Lavigne and Ben Folds.

On elf the greatest of all time

The true king. This is the R&B teaching Rock and Roll how it should sound.

Not a fan of the clash but I’m glad I gave this a listen to reconfirm. I can appreciate the passion and the social critique but the vocals and simplistic percussion grind my gears.

I listened practically on repeat the entire day. Love it.

Smooth. chill. Beautiful in the background or for focus. It’s steadily grew on me throughout the day. This is a very interesting pivot for the list so far. I initially intended to ignore it and give a low ranking but listening further got me kinda hooked.

Sounds like something someone else is sentimental for

Good example of shoegaze. Didn’t really do anything for me.

Adult Contemporary. It’s only for adults. Don’t you dare listen to this kids, it’s for the adults. This is the music that’s playing on a paint stained boom box in your neighborhoods open garage. It’s a hot Sunday afternoon in early September. Your neighbor’s dad has half their Chevy in pieces in the driveway and he’s covered in oil stains. He’s smoked a pack of cigs and crushed a 12 pack of Miller highlife before the late games kicked off. This is the album he’s listening to while he curses at the old truck. I haven’t listened to it yet (or checked that it exists) but I know Anita Baker has a great Christmas Album. 3/5. Good to know Baker.

This is both angrier and more homophobic than I remember. It’s a funny album though and an interesting time capsule for what an angry embattled rapper sounded like in 2000.

A songwriter with a questionable voice. He sounds…old on some of the upper register stuff Speakin’ Out was more country than I realized Neil Young can be. Albuquerque is fantastic.

Like the high energy stuff. Love the ballads. There are just some absolute party rock classics. It’s dumb. It’s loud. It’s a lot of fun. Can’t say this is high art by any means but I am not going to skip Def Leppard if it comes on the radio.

Joplin carries this one for me but there is a lot more interesting guitar than I expected. Full of meandering tracks that kinda lose me. Piece of My Heart is an all timer.

1.5 hot wonder

Classic. Over the top. Love it.

Love it. More polished than the first album Oasis released. Really well produced. There are some great hits on this.

Interesting style and instrumentation mix. This tackles, or at least shares a perspective on some complex but very real issues.

Psychedelic and weird. Very happy for the refresher on Rundgren. This will work it’s way into my normal listening.

This one isnt intended to be absorbed on airpods in your house. I think you had to be there in the clubs. Loose Fit is fun.

Love a good active Bass part. I’m not sure the “concept” for this album is communicated clearly though. This is an interesting album but not very approachable for an unfamiliar listener.

I may be grading the overall album generously because of how much I love Karma Police.

This is dumb

The R&B stuff is great. I like it more than the more pop sounds.

Love Blister in the Sun. The rest sounds the same

Legendary.

this is easier listening than I expected. I knew Imagine and Jealous Guy going in and I'm pleasantly surprised by the rest.

Jammy and sick. Love it.

This was so much better than I expected. I had a perception of Alice Cooper as a hacky, shock act and this felt much more genuine than I anticipated.

I don’t think this one would make my list of 1001 albums to hear before I die.

Sounds ahead of its time

Some of the greatest songs ever written but this album has too much “stuff” on it. I think it’s a little overrated and needed to be trimmed down. Still love it.

Kinda hanging it’s hat on the one hit song

The 1 hit is great. Didn’t love the rest.

Love Steely Dan. This album is pedestrian

Sounds completely modern despite coming out in the 50s

Absolutely beautiful album. My perception is that The Youngbloods are less cited than other popular counterculture musicians but they are great standard bearers for the movement. The lyrics are poetic and still relevant to our culture 50+ years later. I love everything about this album. The instrumentation is dated but that’s fine. It’s of it’s time. So much fun.

The bass lines are the most interesting part. Unfortunately, I don’t mean this as a compliment. Some tracks are lyrically rote and lacking vocal dynamic variation. There are a few nice ones nestled in. I’m scratching my head as to why I need to hear this one before I die though. 1.5 stars.

Very nice. Folk is like comfort food. It’s always enjoyable and safe but when it’s done well it can be elevated it’s comparable to genres where we expect high quality.

I was ready to write this off as an album that shouldn’t be included until I heard a lick popularized by the Grateful Dead. If you’re good enough to share source material and interests with the dead, you’re good enough for a patient listen from me. Very nice album. The conceptual songs are tedious but the melodies are pleasant and I’m always game for some sitar.

There is some nirvana feel at places. I like this album the more I hear it. Glad to know pavement.

Smooth and nostalgic for me.

This album built as it went on. I’m curious to see on multiple listens if my impressions improve further. Love the sound.

Not distinct. It’s nice but I don’t understand the inclusion

A Bizarre and fantastic journey

Beatles did it better

Builds to a very strong close

Took me a few tries to get through this one but it surpassed my expectations. There are some poignant lines and “work it” was a massive hit.

Umm whatever guys

It’s a bit meandering but dang it starts strong. Love Rundgren

Unique sound

Classic.

Genre spanning. This is way more than “School’s Out”.

Solid honkey tonk album

So inventive

I tried my hardest to fight my nostalgia and give this a lower score. It’s just too damn good. I love almost every song and the one I don’t(yellow submarine) is iconic. Harrison sitar influence. Excellent vocals and famous bass licks from Paul. Just fantastic.

Maybe I’m just basic but commercially successful Rush seems better than Rush for Rush’s sake.

Couple of absolute classics but the individual pieces blended in a bit too much for me. Maybe I didn’t pay close enough attention

Got some nice vibes

I love albums like this on the list because I end up learning things I didn’t even know I was missing out on. I like ska but knowing this came out in 1979 totally changed my mental timeline on when ska happened. Very cool track to start the album and fun moments throughout. The quote from the stones was a cool spot.

The tempo stuff is fun but I can’t get past the screaming.

Feels very authentic

This confirmed a minor complaint I have with Bowie. There are always some amazing concepts but the execution isn’t quite what I want. It’s sparse. I want a horn line or more from the accompanying vocals. To say it differently I just want Bowie doing everything he does but with a more assertive producer.

Black Star is fantastic

Maybe I don’t get punk. This just feels like rough musicianship, rough production quality, and angst.

Distinct sound

Between this and Behavior, Pet Shop Boys absolutely eat their spot on this list. I wasn’t familiar with them at all but they’re great.

One of the greatest crescendos to the close of an album ever. Absolute classic.

Mmmmmmm funky

Instantly this made me think of the Stones but based on the dates maybe some of that influence went both directions

Seemed a lot cooler and more transgressive when it came out. Really hard to tell what’s going on lyrically. The hi hat, on “closer” in particular, is grating.

Maybe I’m just dense but I didn’t realize Michael Jackson did so much disco.

Little wing and Castles Made of Sand

One of my all time favorite recordings of Birdland

there are a surprising amount of hits on this album.

Walk on the Wild Side and perfect day are iconic but the rest of the album is dragging down my rating.

Love the instrumentation. Love the vibe. This is exactly the type album that keeps me coming back to this list…something unique, of high quality, and most importantly something I would not have otherwise been aware of.

The concept is incredible. Very impressed by the accomplishment.

Well lemme tell ya what, if you don’t love punk, you’re really not going to live post-punk! The only thing catching my interest are the covers.

Outside paper planes this is an annoying album. The background vocals/sirens/dog barks don’t add for me. The percussion parts are redeeming at times.

So smooth

Hard to separate nostalgia from a fresh listen. Fantastic album that hits great emotional notes.

Started out a bit predisposed to rank this poorly but it grew on me to a degree

Love the sound. Would prefer a less pretentious set of lyrics

Feels more significant to me than it is enjoyable.

Pleasant ambient music. Seems like it was perfect for its intended purpose. Not sure it’s something I “need to hear before I die”

I don’t need any more sing-talking pseudo psychology in my life. I already havre Tom Waits. Also, a 10 minute track proclaiming god dead in 2009? It’s been done man. In the 60s. Everyone got the point then. Maybe if it made a point I would cut it some slack but instead it repeats itself 75 times without elaborating on the concept. It’s shallow and hollow like the rest of the album.

Fun. especially the Neil Young cover. I trailed off a bit in the back half but it was mostly nice.

Started and stopped this album several times. It turned out ok though as the repeat listens kinda got me into Soul and Fire had become familiar

My favorite of all the Beatles solo work. Absolute classic.

Two classics but I didn’t love the rest

Lovely

Interesting. Glad it exists but it’s not for me

I like the tone of the lyrics better than most punk albums. The music is also way more interesting but I still can’t get over the singing style.

This was fun

This is simultaneously new to me and 100% what I grew up on. Off to investigate Sugar now. Great find.

Naw, I’m good

So many albums are preachy or have some sort of message they want to get across. The message of this album is: we make good music. It’s just enjoyable quality stuff. It’s eclectic but almost all of it(not the rap. Please no 80s rap) works for me. Great inclusion on the list.

Best album of all time? Maybe. People are saying it. Who? People. This album is conceptual without hammering you over the head with CONCEPT. Lynn is a story teller and takes you on a journey without this thing being a novel. It’s pop, but it’s orchestrated and complex. Love this album. 5/5.

Feels very situated in its 2007 time and space. Reminds me of the excellent music in the Garden State soundtrack like the Shins, Coldplay, etc but also some black keys and white stripes feel. Very nice album

I’m glad a jazz singer is on the list. Not my cup of tea

Feels like a great classic rock album, but totally new to me. Great Led Zeppelin vibes.

Sounds like the future…from the 80s

This is exactly why I’m 560+ albums in on this list. I have been missing out on Thundercat and I’m glad I won’t be anymore. This album starts off hilarious and weird and then really slips into a groove. I love the sorta there background singing. Friend Zone is beautiful but still irrelevant and hilarious. One album into my Thundercat experience and I’m sold.

Some annoying choices were made in the production of this album. I hope they had fun.

A unique sound that had a massive impact on the next decades of music(a lot of which fails to improve on the strokes first album). The release complications with 9/11 are another interesting anecdote that pins this album to a place and time. It’s nostalgic for me personally but trying to be objective, I think it’s an impactful album worth its inclusion in the list. 4/5

Very nice introduction to an artist I’ve been aware of for a long time but never focused on individually. This album feels descended from Nick Drake and an uncle or cousin to Ben folds. I’m on board.

So crisp. Everything is together throughout. They’re so tight.

~550 albums in on this project and this is exactly the type of album that keeps me coming back. Sounds like so much because it’s descended from so much and so much has come from it! Just a beautiful sound. I hate to admit I had no clue about Lucinda Williams but here I am, one listen in and I feel like I know her. Just looked up her tour this summer to see if we can make a trip…

This aged slightly better than his debut solo album…which isn’t saying much. It Was a Good Day is great but even that song has disappointing portions.

So much fun.

Jeremy is an all timer

That risk song was a surprise. Not in a great way, but good for you Ice T. Crossing genres.

Beautiful Day is solid. The rest was the generalized U2, that I knew before listening. Good. Nothing caught my attention

Definitely of its time. Kinda fun. Kinda gross.

There wasn’t much like it in 2004. They filled a gap and it landed. I like the earlier albums better but this one is excellent

Nice vibe. Don’t love the voice

I liked the backing rif in 101 FM. The flow is pretty nice on Sherbet Sunset and in general if you don’t pay too close attention to the lyrics it’s pleasant.

Perhaps this is beautiful poetry but I don’t find it to be beautiful music. Maybe that says more about me than it does about Waits but I’m here for the music and if the poetry is there as well, all the better. Not so much the other way around.

I love the song selection but I’m not big on Cash’s delivery and even less in 2002. I think it’s a very well conceived album but I don’t think it will join the regular rotation

I liked the second disc(album) a lot more than the first.

I don’t mind sparse but this is basically spoken word poetry. I’m sure Cohen is a great writer(because that what people think?) but it’s not for me

Love Steely Dan

I guess I just love the hits

There must have been so many people out there trying to be George Michael

There are a a few on here that feel brilliant. Mostly though I can’t get into the writing or singing and the simple percussion parts are grating. I love the sax

Very interesting stuff. I think it’s awesome that they produced it themselves.

Some hard hitting stuff. This was my shit when I was 15. Kinda tough to get through now.

I think Evanescence loved this band

Not Fade Away is one of my favorites. The influence of Buddy Holly is huge. Not an album I want to flip on regularly but it’s clearly important to Rock and Roll

Not my favorite but I was completely unaware of The Afghan Whigs and that’s a problem that’s now resolved. Tight band. I like the active percussion parts. Singer is not my favorite throughout but there are great moments

I’m a sucker for a tight brass section. That makes this album for me. Otherwise it’s kinda lacking the hooks I want from Dexys

Wild and frenetic. Glad it’s on the list and I’m glad to be aware of it but it won’t be joint my “easy listening” collection

I remember Doll Parts fondly but the rest of the album hadn’t aged well for me.

No thanks. Nonsense. From the wiki…” Later reissues of the album omit the inset and card calendar due to its resemblance to child pornography.” Yeah I’m not interested in this.

It was a cool evening in the spring of 1971. Unseasonably cool. The breeze was blowing off the bay and moving the boats docked off the Bahia Marina. The town never looked better under the incandescent glow of modernity. I walked into the bar with its familiar chipping paint and open doors and windows. Rafael was waiting for me but I brushed him off with the usual excuses for my lack of cashflow. I’d almost calmed him down enough to order a drink when I saw her. And I’ll never forget the music that was playing that night. 4/5. Lets samba.

Hell yeah. This is the evolutionary peak of metal. It’s hard enough to say “I mean it” but it’s nuanced and musical in a way so many metal acts ignore. It’s pleasant instead of pure anger/evil/dark and I think that brings the emotion across even more powerfully. I cannot describe how important that is to a listener who wants music to be, well, enjoyable to listen to. I love the writing. They paint a scenes of challenges and situations that resonate across anyone that’s ever been in a relationship, lost focus, needed motivation, been neglectful, been young, been angry, been hurt, lacked direction, grown up, loved, lost… so yes, everyone. 5/5. One of my absolute favorites. This is the first Incubus entry I’ve had on the list but I hope it’s not the last. This is a great one; a band hitting its stride on their third album before an absolute incredible stretch 2001-2011. This one kicked Incubus to another level. I’m writing this in 2025 but if you get a chance to see them, do it. They crush.

Pleasantly surprised. It’s got some interesting percussion. I expected fast and intense but it was differentiated. Cant get over the screaming though…

Depression embodied in music. It’s poignant.

Bold, original, and fun. This is a fantastic album. It’s a journey.

80s sounds in the 00s. Love it. I Believe in a Thing Called Love is one of the highest highs of any album on this list so far. That said the rest of the album is a tough comparison to that peak. It’s all good but that one is SO good.

Love this feel. Such a distinct atmosphere it creates

Way more interesting and listenable than I expected. Still not likely to come back for more