1001 Albums Summary

Good album but not all tracks are equally memorable.

Excellent album. Solid rock tunes.

Expected more from this album - I think the songs let it down as the production is great.

Amazing album - bleak & soulful.

Not really for me - a bit rambling, and definitely sounds dated now.

Surprising & interesting album - wide range of styles, maybe not all that many memorable songs but definitely some classics.

A classic blues-rock album I'd never heard before - will definitely be worth more listens.

I bought this when it came out in 1992 - a very strange but compelling album which rewards multiple plays.

Classic album - didn't realise how innovative it was.

Not sure if this is my thing - or if I just missed the boat back when it came out & I was listening to more heavy music!

The sound of pain, but also potential recovery. Very interesting album.

Not sure if this is ground-breaking - would need to get under its skin to be sure.

Great album - This is The Day is a standout track, but it's all excellent.

Nice, dreamy sound. Not sure if it beats the Cocteaus or Sigur Ros though.

A bit different to the usual PSB, and an intriguing album.

This takes me back to when I used to listen to music like this a lot - and I should do so again. This album is full of well-performed, tight songs. Great!

Very pleasant and almost hypnotic sound. I can imagine that when this was first released it was groundbreaking.

A bit of a revelation - I'd never heard of this. It's interesting & intriguing.

Good pop album, but I'm not convinced it's essential.

Wasn't inspired by this - maybe need to listen to it again, or in a different frame of mind!

Very interesting album - definitely going to listen to more.

A classic - but is it better than The River?

I don't know how I wasn't aware of this album, or group. It's just a shame the full album isn't on Spotify!

A genuine classic album - some new Dylan sounds, but his heritage shines through as well.

I liked this more than I expected. Very atmospheric & moody.

Lovely songs & a sweet voice. Like it a lot.

I was never a Rolling Stones fan but I can see from this album why they were innovative & important.

Excellent album.

Definitely not my kind of thing - but I can understand why people like it.

Good Southern rock

Love this album - the best concept album of the decade.

Interesting piece of musical history - don't know if it's much more than that.

Still prefer their earlier stuff!

The title is right - it's so smooth!

Classic New Order - excellent album

Maybe a bit over-blown in places, but it's well-crafted & will reward multiple listens.

Really impressive debut album!

Not really my thing.

An all-time classic!

I liked this - will listen to again.

Great example of the genre. Some unusual elements too, which makes it even better.

Excellent album

I liked this more than I expected - definitely fusion music, but bringing the best of both.

Interesting stuff - need to listen a few times.

I'm not sure how this really stands out from other similar albums.

This is really well executed. I have to be in the right mood, but it's very good indeed.

Totally distinctive sound, fun record.

Excellent album, but sounds more 70s than 1981.

Brilliant album - real, honest & fun.

Really good album of its genre.

Excellent & quirky album.

A bit disappointed. It's a good mix of Californian style harmonies & Scottish style indie rock but is it really that special?

I didn't know what to expect with this - but it wasn't just a solo Byrds album. I can see why it died on arrival and also why it has been rediscovered.

Excellent synth album - maybe lacks a bit of soul, but I guess that's the point...

More of an historic curiosity than a listenable album.

Absolute classic.

This is not how I remember JAMC. The Beach Boys influences are easy to hear, and they've updated them incredibly.

I'm not convinced this is a great album - some of the songs are great, but with The Carpenters I think their greatest hits compilations are enough.

Not my sort of thing at all.

Meh.

I love this Christmas album!

Great album - you can definitely see where it's come from and where music is going to go after it.

Love this album - sometimes you need music like this to wash over you.

I haven't listened to this for ages, and had forgotten how much I liked it. It's a bit of its time, particularly his voice, but overall it's very good.

Yeah, good. Not particularly something I'll want to listen to again. Very interesting to hear Rod Stewart's plagiarism, though.

This is a good album, but I'm not convinced it's great.

I really liked this album, and would never have found it if not for this website.

I really like this! Hadn't heard it before.

Side 1 is excellent - Side 2 lets it down a little. But overall a great album.

Lovely, but as with everything Sigur Ros it needs a few listens to get inside it.

I sort of feel this has been overshadowed by what came after, so it's important to remember this did come first.

Quirky & a bit patchy - the singles were great.

Excellent album - very evocative.

I just love this album. So raw, honest and evocative of its time.

All-time classic!

Definitely an important album, but if we're being honest it's not all that good.

Good, but you definitely need to be in the right frame of mind to get this one.

Very interesting - given the date, no wonder it made waves.

Great album - really inventive & unusual sounds.

Classic live heavy metal album - and very fast!

This does sound like a soundtrack album. Really atmospheric & interesting.

Genuinely lovely, and raw, album.

Some great tunes, but it's really quite dated now and it's hard to separate the music from the artist.

Wow - captivating & very, very different.

Very atmospheric, but not really my kind of thing unless I'm in the mood. Loved the title track, though.

Love this. Very much of its time, but still a great pop record.

This is good, but not essential to me.

Leonard Cohen proves he isn't just a miserabilist. Brilliant album.

Liked this more than I expected to. Definitely gospel roots and very smooth.

Excellent album - poignant & authentic.

I suspect I'd need to listen to this a few times to really get it.

Very good pop album - lovely story-telling.

Great album! So many different styles on one record.

Not my kind of thing - maybe if I'm in the mood, it would be worth trying again but it's a bit too hard work.

Great pop album

Great stuff!

Great album.

This is a good album but I don't think it's as important or innovative as people thought at the time.

Absolutely great album - fantastic mix of songs, given a unique twist.

Not quite my favourite Beatles album but it's up there with the best.

Good album - definitely worth investigating further.

This is not what I expected from Todd Rundgren - some lovely songs and early power pop! I had to dig on Spotify to find the second LP though.

On first listen, I didn't love this as much as I expected to but I suspect it will grow on me with repeated listening.

Definitely an experimental and enjoyable album for its time. A very clever group.

Surprised to really like this album!

Excellent album!

Very good album - surprisingly engaging.

A perfect picture of Britain in 1979 - an album that absolutely stands the test of time.

Had forgotten how good this album is. Lots of variety as well.

Yes, this is good and it's definitely got a place in the English tradition & development of pop music. But I'm not convinced it's one of the best albums ever.

Not sure about this - it really needs an attentive listen.

Great album - surprisingly mature songs too.

I liked this - sort of timeless, really. Great voice, of course!

I was surprised by this album. Tender, melodic & moody.

Long drum solos really aren't my thing!

I think this is probably one of those albums that's more important than it is enjoyable & rewarding to listen to.

Good album - one of the best of the genre.

This didn't stand out to me at all, really. I couldn't work out how it had earned its place on this list.

I don't know how I completely missed this. An excellent album.

Mmmmm. Maybe not as good as I remembered it, though there are some standout tracks.

I love the title track but the rest doesn't really stand out to me.

I liked this much more than I expected to. Witty & angry at the same time.

I was completely unaware of this, but really rather liked it.

I liked this. Not sure how much, and not sure whether I preferred the French or English versions.

I suspect this is slightly over-rated.

I was surprised how much I enjoyed this. Deserves more listens, to be sure.

Simply great!

Great

I can see why this album is both good and important, but I wonder how often I would listen to it if it came out now.

Mmmm. A bit like a sub-Coldplay to me.

Not my normal cup of tea but this is a very well-made album.

Definitely like this one a lot - in the right place & time of course.

Not sure about this - probably needs to be appreciated in the right time & place.

Excellent album - and a real picture of its time.

I would definitely be Beatles rather than Stones - this hasn't changed that.

Wow - great stuff & really evocative of the time.

I'd never heard of this group before, but they're rather good!

This didn't grab me. Maybe at the time it was important...

Great album - perhaps a bit long, but it has some excellent songs.

Not every track stands the test of time, but those that do are still outstanding!

Wow - that is not what I expected. There's something primal in this one.

Good album, in the right place & time.

Absolute classic album - and feels completely real.

I sort of lost touch with U2 after the Joshua Tree, but this is an album that bears repeated listening. I should give it more time.

Really interesting album - I hadn't heard the second side before & it's very atmospheric.

I'm a bit "meh" about this one. She's good in The Equalizer, though.

Very good album - quite adventurous for the time.

This is good but I'm not sure I've missed anything important through not having heard it before.

A great, fun album!

A great debut album: such a range of styles & mature subject matter.

Really liked this, but could have done without the cover of Imagine.

I really liked this.

I like a lot of metal, but not this. It's the vocals that kill it for me.

Interesting & powerful album.

This didn't stand out for me - a good country album was all I heard.

Really good album, but not all the tracks are classics unfortunately.

Surprising entertaining - I didn't expect it to be so varied & interesting.

I thought this was a bit mixed, to be honest.

I liked this, but it needs more listens to fully get under its skin.

Unfortunately not all the album is on Spotify, but it started like a fairly normal 70s west coast LP and then became something more.

Brilliant album.

Lovely album.

There was more variety & depth to this than I'd expected but it's not really my sort of album.

Nah - not for me. The voice didn't work for me on this album.

Absolutely classic album - great melodies & lovely lyrics.

I'm not convinced by this. I don't think it's their best.

This definitely got more interesting on the second listen. I don't think it will be my last listen.

Not quite 5 stars, but almost...

I was a bit disappointed with this. The songs felt a bit slight, to be honest.

Great album!

I think this was very much of its time - listening now, I'm not overly impressed.

I can appreciate this, but I wouldn't choose it to listen to again.

OK - but not really a stand-out album for me.

Good album - definitely of its time.

Very lively for its day - but I doubt I'll ever listen to it again. The early Beatles were better!

A bit too basic country for me. Not keen.

I found this a bit disappointing - the overall sound wasn't great and the themes were very dated (which shouldn't have surprised me, I know).

I can see why this was important, and the lyrics are inventive. But it wasn't my thing.

Fantastic album - so atmospheric and lyrical.

A very smooth, very 70s album.

I didn't love this. It seemed dated to me.

Good, but I'm not convinced it's as great as we thought at the time.

I liked this a lot but I don't think it's one of the best albums ever.

All-time classic.

This is a great album but I don't think it's their best.

This is an excellent rock album but for me just falls short of being a 5-star one.

I'm still not sure about this one - need to keep listening to it.

One of those amazing debut albums - I can't imagine how it would have sounded when it was first released!

Fine songwriting, and great guitar work.

I bought this when it came out and didn't get in to it then. I'm still struggling now.

I don't think I was the intended audience for this album.

An all-time classic album. Interesting to read about how it was made too.

A surprising Beach Boys album I'd never heard before. Not quite a perfect record, sometimes a bit worthy & smelling of greenwash, but actually very good.

A very nice album indeed with very precise & carefully-chosen lyrics.

Really good album - worth listening to more often.

This was really good & atmospheric.

I'm not convinced this was a really special record - not very much of it stood out for me.

Even after a few listens, this didn't stand out for me.

This is rather a special album.

Yeah, good. But I'm not sure it's outstanding. Maybe I'm biased against country music...

This was interesting & enjoyable, but I doubt I'd ever want to listen to it again.

Absolutely classic. 5 stars without a doubt!

This has got a lot of energy, but the quality is pretty inconsistent.

Yeah, this is good but it didn't really stand out for me.

Really good album, but of its time and I don't think I'll listen to it again.

Very interesting album, as is the predecessor. Definitely worth listening to a few more times.

Not for me - a bit too repetitive. I guess I'm not a Drum & Bass fan!

I really liked this - a great variety of music and really energetic.

A lot of energy but didn't really stand out for me. I'd never heard it before, so that was good.

This is an absolute belter!

Really good album, but I guess not all the tracks are up the standard of the title track and some of the others.

Yes - very funky.

I can see why this is good, but it's really not for me.

Good album - mix of traditional and innovative.

Fantastic album!

I did really like this.

I do love this - the voice at the end of Part 1 is great!

I really liked this - a good sound and some real emotions.

Brilliant album - great songs.

Mmmm, not really sure this holds up.

This is a really interesting and fun album, with some great tunes.

I didn't find this as ground-breaking as other people seem to think.

A really fun, and clever, album.

Truly amazing album, with almost every song a classic. And incredible production.

An all-time classic album!

I guess I can see why people like this, but it didn't do anything much for me. Meh.

Yes - this is a really good big band album. Not sure about the atomic theme, though.

Amazing - I'd forgotten how good this album is.

I liked this, but am not as bowled over by it as I'm clearly supposed to be. Sometimes it sounds like a lot of other records from that time.

Excellent album - shame about the last track. I guess they were trying to demonstrate a sense of humour!

I'm not sure what to make of this - but I don't know that I'll bother listening to it again to find out.

All-time classic album. I absolutely love this - and it gave me a motto to use for life.

A really interesting album - it gets a bit weird at points, but will definitely listen again.

I liked this - a great example of the genre.

A very good jazz album, and not always what you'd expect from Nina Simone.

I wasn't overly impressed by this - nothing really stood out for me. Maybe with more plays it would grow on me, but...

Love this - a real classic album, both timeless and completely of its time.

This was a bit of a hidden gem - I'd never heard of them. Did they make it out of Australia?

I liked this more than I had expected to. Very good album.

I didn't like this - too repetitive and not as much fun as earlier Beastie Boys albums.

Yes, I can see that this is good but I don't feel that it's as good now as it was revolutionary at the time.

Good, but was it really outstanding? I'm not convinced, but I'll probably give it another whirl sometime.

She has a great voice but this wasn't the strongest choice of songs for her. I'm surprised this album made it onto this list, to be honest.

Is this truly great? I'm not convinced but perhaps could be persuaded.

This is really good, but not as good as Purple Rain. It could maybe have been a bit shorter...

A really interesting and varied album. Definitely glad I got to hear this & I think I'll play it again.

Totally classic album.

Very good album - gets a little bit samey over the whole album.

I'm not sure about this - it demands a few more listens before I decide.

This is good, but I'm not sure it completely stands the test of time.

Good live album.

A lovely collection of pop songs. Great voice, too.

Surprisingly catchy & listenable.

Lovely album, great voice.

Much though I love Elton's music, I don't feel he's really an album artist. There are generally one or two strong tracks on each album, with the rest being high-quality filler.

Very interesting and different album for the time. It's got the 80s sound but there's more creativity in there than in most albums from the time.

I didn't love this - pretty generic to me.

This is a dense, varied album that demands multiple listens to get the most from.

This really is something special. Of its time, but also timeless in ways.

Great album.

Interesting & fun, but more of a curiosity than something I'll listen to again. I can see it's importance in the development of rap etc, but that's not enough to make it a great album for me.

Yeah, good but didn't blow me away.

This is a stunning debut album.

Pure raw energy.

An impressive album for the time, but didn't stand out enough for me in the now.

I thought this was an amazing collaboration.

Huge amount of energy & really authentic. That poor piano!

Not really my thing.

This definitely has "something" - I can't say I'm sure what.

This is really good, but doesn't seem hugely African to me.

Lots of energy - they must have been amazing live. Not convinced it translates onto record though.

I do love this album.

This was much more melodic than I had expected.

Really good album - some great tunes.

Very, very smooth. Good album.

This is good because it is upbeat and happy, but also pretty chilled.

A really beautiful, lovely album. For me, an undiscovered gem!

Really good album, with some classic tracks.

Almost impossible to believe this came from 1969...

I'm not sure what I made of this. I'll probably try again and see if it makes some more sense...

This is a real gem of an album - so English, so much of its time, and yet still very relevant.

This is very much of its time - from the choice of covers to the mix of Indian music with early synths.

This is good, but it doesn't really stand out for me. I'm sure at the time it was more noteworthy.

Amazing album!

I'd never heard of this - and really like it.

This is a great, fun album with some knockout tracks!

Very cool - but fairly impenetrable so will need several listens.

A really good album, but I don't think every single track deserves its place on it.

Interesting stuff - I don't think I need to play it again, but I do wonder if I had heard it in 1980 if it would have become one of my favourites then.

Excellent blues album

A very accomplished album, I'm just not sure I believe the emotion in it.

Good, but for me fairly standard rock n blues fare. I don't feel the need to listen to it again.

An absolute classic of an album - there's one track I don't really like (Smackwater Jack) but the rest are all brilliant.

I quite liked this, but I doubt I'll bother listening to it again.

This didn't really do much for me.

This one definitely needs to be listened to more than once! I'll reserve judgement until I've had some time.

Fun and enjoyable album! It really brought the tango into the modern world.

Very nice - it's slightly difficult to see how this was considered groundbreaking at the end of the 60s though.

I'd forgotten just how good this album is! But the second half does let it down a bit.

I'd never heard of this album, but I really like it. It's definitely worth getting to know better.

Wow! I'd never heard this before and it's really something else. It really was the start of something big.

Mesmerising stuff. A bit like the Cocteau Twins updated....

A really interesting fusion of rock and African sounds. I don't think I'd seek it out again, but I'm glad I listened to it twice.

This is really excellent - her voice with the electronic background works so well.

Didn't really strike me as something too special.

Excellent album that deserves some time spent on it.

This is good but it didn't really excite me in any way. I liked the Al Green cover, for sure.

Really interesting album - some excellent sounds.

A rightly angry album - clever and oddly enjoyable.

I'm not sure I was in the right frame of mind to hear this - I think it needs a proper listen.

An interesting record.

This sounds like early Bob Dylan to me, but Dylan definitely developed more.

I really loved this one, though I'd never heard it before. The second half does flag a bit, but it's still good.

I can see why this would have made a splash back in 1975. Some great tunes - pretty garbage cover, though.

This really surprised me as I hadn't heard of it before. And there's one song on it (First of May) that I remembered hearing in a film way, way back.

Glorious album!

This wasn't quite as good as I had been expecting.

I can see how this would have had an impact in 1969 but I don't think I need to listen to it again.

Great rock 'n' roll album!

This didn't do it for me. I guess you have to listen to it closely a few times.

This is a really good album with some unusual samples.

I'd say this is an okay album, but not really anything special.

Excellent album.

This was surprisingly pleasant and innovative stuff!

I feel this album starts strongly but fades a bit towards the middle. It does pick up again at the end. Not their best album, for me.

This was not what I was expecting from The Clash. Very post-punk, with some definite ska sounds in there. Excellent stuff!

Nothing about this album really spoke to me - the best songs are all done better elsewhere.

A lovely album, very restful.

Great album from the start of rock'n'roll!

This isn't as good as I remembered it (or imagined it was). It's a bit samey and less innovative than I had hoped.

I'd heard of The Slits but never heard their music. This was surprisingly interesting, and a bit different given when it was released.

Really nice album. Lovely harmonies, as you'd expect, and some great tunes.

A truly classic album.

The Fall completely passed me by. This is an enjoyable listen but I doubt I will listen to it again.

This kind of washed over me as it sounded like a lot of other albums of the time.

I really like this - it's very of its time, but still has some interesting tracks.

This is an all-time classic album, and cover versions don't do the songs justice.

Excellent instrumental album. Not all of the tracks are essential, though, but the sound is amazing.

I liked this - the production is great. I don't think I'll listen to it again, though.

Very good, very funky. I'm not sure it's essential beyond the singles, though.

This is a really interesting album, with a great mix of sounds.

A classic of the genre, and some great interpretations.

I wasn't grabbed by this. I guess I'm not the target audience, though...

I liked this a lot.

This was good, but didn't really stand out for me as exceptional.

Definitely their best work. Really inventive but also rootsy.

Great album. Classic torch songs.

This is the sort of thing I would have probably loved if I'd heard it nearer the time - though maybe it would have been too old by then!

Some brilliant songs here - and sounding so fresh!

Powerful, weird stuff.

A good sound, but not really for me. Some outstanding tracks, though.

Some good tracks but I didn't feel the whole album hung together very well.

Unbelievably powerful - incredible mix of songs.

Good album - the hits are definitely the best tracks.

I'd never heard of him, but really liked this.

Really nice album - very restful.

This is a really good album, with some great tunes on it.

This had a lovely sound.

This didn't really float my boat.

A nice album - not sure if it's a classic, though.

A bit rambly for me.

I can respect this, but I didn't enjoy it.

Very good album - I missed it first time round, because I didn't start listening to them until Losing My Religion. If I'd heard this, I wonder if I'd have been hooked then.

A pure slice of late-70s England...

Lovely album. Some beautiful songs.

A perfect pop album.

Not all the tracks on this are equally brilliant, but it's a great album nonetheless.

Nah, not for me.

This didn't excite me.

This didn't really grab me.

Great - very varied.

I'd never heard this, but I liked it. Very summery sound.

This was good - a varied set of sounds. But I don't think I'd rush to listen again.

OK, I quite liked it.

I really liked this - atmospheric & weird.

This one didn't do anything for me, really. It didn't stand out.

I would never have guessed this was Brian Eno. I think he was better when he went instrumental.

Really good album - very varied & very south of England.

Absolute classic! Not a bad song on the album.

Very good but not 100% consistent.

Very good - especially for its time!

This didn't really stand out for me. I expected more.

This is a really good album, which must have been groundbreaking at the time.

I liked this, but apart from the hits it didn't blow me away.

This was more enjoyable and catchy than I had expected.

A totally classic album - not a bad track on it. That voice, that image, everything!

This didn't stand out for me as much as I had expected it to.