Journey Complete!
Finisher #592 to complete the list
View User Albums Summary1089
Albums Rated
2.92
Average Rating
100%
Complete
In Rainbows
Radiohead
Favorite Album
Rating Distribution
Rating Timeline
Taste Profile
2010s
Favorite Decade
Grunge
Favorite Genre
UK
Top Origin
Wordsmith
Rater Style ?
98
5-Star Albums
123
1-Star Albums
Breakdown
By Genre
By Decade
By Origin
Albums
You Love More Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Remedy
Basement Jaxx
|
5 | 2.68 | +2.32 |
|
Alien Lanes
Guided By Voices
|
5 | 2.75 | +2.25 |
|
Gold
Ryan Adams
|
5 | 2.84 | +2.16 |
|
Rip It Up
Orange Juice
|
5 | 2.9 | +2.1 |
|
Music Has The Right To Children
Boards of Canada
|
5 | 2.91 | +2.09 |
|
Will The Circle Be Unbroken
Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
|
5 | 2.98 | +2.02 |
|
Killing Joke
Killing Joke
|
5 | 2.99 | +2.01 |
|
The Man Who
Travis
|
5 | 3.01 | +1.99 |
|
Heartbreaker
Ryan Adams
|
5 | 3.02 | +1.98 |
|
Slanted And Enchanted
Pavement
|
5 | 3.03 | +1.97 |
You Love Less Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Black Holes and Revelations
Muse
|
1 | 3.59 | -2.59 |
|
Licensed To Ill
Beastie Boys
|
1 | 3.56 | -2.56 |
|
Frank
Amy Winehouse
|
1 | 3.45 | -2.45 |
|
The ArchAndroid
Janelle Monáe
|
1 | 3.45 | -2.45 |
|
Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden
|
1 | 3.41 | -2.41 |
|
Hot Rats
Frank Zappa
|
1 | 3.36 | -2.36 |
|
Tommy
The Who
|
1 | 3.34 | -2.34 |
|
British Steel
Judas Priest
|
1 | 3.3 | -2.3 |
|
Kenya
Machito
|
1 | 3.27 | -2.27 |
|
Femi Kuti
Femi Kuti
|
1 | 3.25 | -2.25 |
Artists
Favorites
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Radiohead | 6 | 5 |
| Beatles | 7 | 4.71 |
| Arcade Fire | 3 | 5 |
| Nirvana | 3 | 5 |
| Steely Dan | 4 | 4.5 |
| Pixies | 3 | 4.67 |
| The Smiths | 3 | 4.67 |
| The Cure | 3 | 4.67 |
| Wilco | 2 | 5 |
| Pavement | 2 | 5 |
| The Smashing Pumpkins | 2 | 5 |
| Belle & Sebastian | 2 | 5 |
| Ryan Adams | 2 | 5 |
| Led Zeppelin | 5 | 4.2 |
| R.E.M. | 4 | 4.25 |
| Beck | 3 | 4.33 |
| The Stooges | 3 | 4.33 |
| My Bloody Valentine | 3 | 4.33 |
Least Favorites
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Tom Waits | 5 | 1.6 |
| Jane's Addiction | 2 | 1 |
| Love | 2 | 1 |
| k.d. lang | 2 | 1 |
| Missy Elliott | 2 | 1 |
| Megadeth | 2 | 1 |
| Christina Aguilera | 2 | 1 |
| Bee Gees | 2 | 1 |
| Slipknot | 2 | 1 |
| Rufus Wainwright | 2 | 1 |
| The Divine Comedy | 2 | 1 |
| Leonard Cohen | 5 | 1.8 |
| Roxy Music | 3 | 1.67 |
| Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds | 5 | 2 |
| ABBA | 2 | 1.5 |
| Suede | 2 | 1.5 |
| Fairport Convention | 2 | 1.5 |
| Randy Newman | 2 | 1.5 |
| Everything But The Girl | 2 | 1.5 |
| Sepultura | 2 | 1.5 |
| XTC | 2 | 1.5 |
| The Mothers Of Invention | 2 | 1.5 |
| Genesis | 2 | 1.5 |
| Iron Maiden | 2 | 1.5 |
| Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band | 2 | 1.5 |
| Björk | 4 | 2 |
| Johnny Cash | 3 | 2 |
| Kate Bush | 3 | 2 |
| Tim Buckley | 3 | 2 |
| PJ Harvey | 4 | 2.25 |
| Elvis Costello & The Attractions | 4 | 2.25 |
| Stevie Wonder | 4 | 2.25 |
Controversial
| Artist | Ratings |
|---|---|
| Kraftwerk | 4, 1, 4 |
| Beastie Boys | 4, 1, 4 |
| The Beach Boys | 2, 4, 5 |
| Dexys Midnight Runners | 3, 4, 1 |
| Nick Drake | 5, 2, 4 |
5-Star Albums (98)
View Album Wall
Popular Reviews
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
3/5
Surprisingly average. The known songs are absolute classics but the remainder of the album is just filler. Would never put on to listen to full album. 3/5
16 likes
John Cale
3/5
Pretty solid album. Started a little slow but ended up enjoying it more than I expected to. My player started shuffling through a 2nd time after the first listen and I 1) didn't realize it and 2) liked it even more the further I got, so this might be one that really builds with additional listens. 3.5/5
5 likes
PJ Harvey
1/5
Surprised on how much I didn't like it. Seemed like atonal rock music with no melody whatsoever. Seem to remember trying to give PJ Harvey a try in the past and having a similar response. 1.5/5
4 likes
Suede
2/5
I was super excited to listen to this album since I have heard so much about it and how important it was in Britpop formation. Overall was pretty disappointed...super generic and nothing all that special about it. 2.5/5
4 likes
Arcade Fire
5/5
Fantastic album. Top 10 all time for me. Such a great introduction for folks to indie. 5/5
4 likes
1-Star Albums (123)
All Ratings
Buffalo Springfield
2/5
Old Neil Young. 2nd song more Laurel Canyon sound (like it). Enjoyed the more country parts of the album, but overall very underwhelming. 2/5
Cheap Trick
3/5
Michael Jackson
3/5
A little disappointed. First two songs (the well known ones) are bangers. The album kind of never gets going after the strong start. Less end to end staying power than other MJ albums. 3/5
Solange
1/5
Not my cup of tea. Appreciate the messages throughout the album but the music didn't captivate me in the least. Looked forward to it ending. 1/5
Frank Sinatra
3/5
Decent background music. Nothing that crazy by modern standards, but I am sure the bossa nova sound getting more mainstream was big at the time. Doubt I would listen again. 3/5
Guns N' Roses
5/5
Absolute classic. Night Train my favorite. 5/5
Sonic Youth
3/5
Not my favorite Sonic Youth. Shadow of a Doubt a highlight.
The Black Crowes
5/5
Love this album. Honestly feel it is one of the most underappreciated of the 90s. Absolute classic. 5/5
The Only Ones
4/5
First time hearing of this band...enjoying the sound. Serious Television vibes. Seems like they would also have influence on future BritPop (Pulp esp.). 4/5
Jeff Buckley
2/5
Really not that impressed. 2 decent songs...the rest is just kind of uninspired.
Eagles
4/5
Great debut. Take it Easy is an awesome song to lead off an album. Love the country rock sound, but I don't think the full album is a strong as some of their later efforts. 4/5
Big Brother & The Holding Company
2/5
Not a big Joplin fan (one of the most overrated 60's artists). Enjoy Piece of my Heart but could pass on the rest. would never choose to listen to this 2/5
David Bowie
2/5
Solid but not spectacular. I feel like this album gets cred as a life-time achievement award. 2/5
Common
3/5
Solid but unspectacular album. Go and The Food are the highlights. Interesting to hear all the Kayne production from early in his career. 3/5
Lorde
4/5
Not my usual cup of team but I enjoyed a few songs. I can understand why this was so critically acclaimed at the time and I certainly appreciated it more this listen than when I have previously. 3.5/5
Talking Heads
4/5
Really enjoying this one. Not sure how I hadn't listened to this entire album in the past. Definitely starts stronger than it ends. 4/5
Wilco
5/5
Great album by one of my favorite bands. Although probably my least favorite out of the first 4 albums, it is still one of my favorite albums period. Love the country sound and the steel guitar elements. 5/5
Penguin Cafe Orchestra
4/5
Really enjoying the sound for a collective I had never heard of. Will have to listen to the rest of the catalogue. The sound of someone you love... is a highlight. 4/5
3/5
Has some interesting parts...I enjoy the more rockabilly side of things. I didn't remember X having that type of sound. Overall the early 80s punk sound isn't my favorite...prefer more post punk. 2.5/5
Red Hot Chili Peppers
3/5
Decent album. I like the hits songs fairly well...Scar Tissue is a top 3 RHCPs song IMO. Feel like some of the album serves as filler. 3/5
Beatles
4/5
Solid album. Appreciate that it is the first to feature nothing but original compositions. The highs are super high, but I don't think it has cover to cover playability the same as later albums. 4/5
Kraftwerk
4/5
Really love the early synthesizer sound. Europe Endless is my fav. Great background music (which I guess is what ambient type music tries to be). Rating gets docked for lacked of diversity...too much of the album is just a riff on the TEE staple. 4/5
The Rolling Stones
4/5
Fun album. Part of a great run in the 70s. 70s Stones s by far my favorite Stones.
Leonard Cohen
2/5
Not a huge fan of this sound. First time I have listened to Leonard Cohen in earnest. It is interesting but nothing I would choose to listen to again. 2/5
The B-52's
4/5
Love the B52s sound. So different for the time...especially coming out of Athens Georgia. Just fun songs all around. 4/5
Alanis Morissette
4/5
So many classics. Amazing how many iconic singles are packed into a single album. You Learn is likely my favorite. 4/5
Morrissey
3/5
Decent album, although I much prefer the Smiths versus Morrissey solo (something Mar's jangly guitars). Bengali in Platforms and Suedehead are highlights. 3/5
David Bowie
4/5
Solid album. Generally enjoy all vintage Bowie. Life on Mars? is probably my top Bowie song period. The full album is a good listen, but I don't think it has quite the impact to get the perfect 5 rating. 4/5
Van Morrison
3/5
Enjoyed this much more than I expected. Brown Eyed Girl might on one of my least favorite/overplayed songs, so I was pleasantly surprised by how much this sound was appealing to me. 3/5
ABBA
1/5
really not a fan. Not typically into the europop sound and this one was even blander than usual. wouldn't listen again (and kind of upset it will be in my spotify algo now). 1/5
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
3/5
Surprisingly average. The known songs are absolute classics but the remainder of the album is just filler. Would never put on to listen to full album. 3/5
Cypress Hill
2/5
Decent early 90s rap. Doesn't blow me away. I do like B-Real's nasally delivery, but that is probably the most memorable part of the album. 2/5
Frank Zappa
1/5
Not a fan. Too many extended jazz type solos. Not my cup of tea. looked forward to it ending 1/5
Pink Floyd
4/5
Like it more than I remembered, but it has been 25+ years since I have listened. Much more than the more famous songs. 4/5
Willie Nelson
2/5
I enjoy the outlaw country sound, but I think the lack of the full band backing in a major way makes this one not hit well for me. Entertaining enough, but again not likely something I would listen to on my own,. 2/5
Arcade Fire
5/5
Fantastic album. Top 10 all time for me. Such a great introduction for folks to indie. 5/5
Bob Dylan
4/5
Enjoyable album. Really have never listened to full album Dylan before. Felt it got a little repetitive at the end and the songs were a bit long. 4/5
The Magnetic Fields
2/5
Way to long. Some of the songs were interesting (I need a new heart my favorite) but I think there was too much filler to get to 69 songs.
Buddy Holly & The Crickets
3/5
Iconic. Appreciate its importance in Rock n Roll history. Some fun songs as well. 3/5
Van Halen
3/5
Has some fun songs that I really liked, but felt nearly half the album was well below average. 3/5
Jimi Hendrix
2/5
Never been a massive Hendrix fan. The album is ok, but much prefer other artists from this era. 2/5
Sheryl Crow
2/5
Really nothing remarkable about this album at all. I thought I would maybe like it more than I did. Nothing more than top 40 background music. 1.5/5
Aretha Franklin
4/5
Liked it more than I anticipated I would. Fun and iconic songs. Doesn't overstay it's welcome. 4/5
Bob Dylan
3/5
Decent album. Enjoy the more upbeat songs (Queen Jane, Like a Rolling Stone). The song length did drag on at times. Felt like they could be 3-4 mins vs. 5-6. 3/5
3/5
Very disappointed. Have listened to quite a lot of Blur but mostly Parklife onward. Was surprised on how unremarkable all this sounded. 2.5/5
Run-D.M.C.
4/5
Surprisingly fun. I wasn't aware I would be big as big of a fan of 80's rap. Songs all sound very similar but they were were enjoyable. 3.5/5
Nine Inch Nails
4/5
Great sound. Listened to this a decent amount when it came out, but I think I was too young to full appreciate it. Makes me want to go back an revisit full catalogue. 4/5
Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark
2/5
more like architecture and mundanity...not a very exciting album. Honestly thought the band were one hit wonders and was surprised to see that album on this list. Would much rather listen to Kraftwerk. 2/5
Dire Straits
2/5
It was better than I anticipated, but has a very similar sound across all songs. Decent overall record but probably not something I would listen to again. 2.5/5
Talking Heads
3/5
Typical Talking Heads, but I think I like it less than Fear of Music. Overall they are super innovating for their time and always a solid listen. 3.5/5
The National
4/5
More enjoyable of an album than I recall it being. I know I listened a ton when it came out, but it doesn't have lasting power the same way Boxer does. Still a solid offering. Really like Conversation 16 and Bloodbuzz Ohio. 4/5
PJ Harvey
1/5
Surprised on how much I didn't like it. Seemed like atonal rock music with no melody whatsoever. Seem to remember trying to give PJ Harvey a try in the past and having a similar response. 1.5/5
The Saints
3/5
Interesting melodic punk from a band I had never heard of before. Really just average though, but I did enjoy the inclusion of the horns. 3/5
The Auteurs
4/5
Very interesting from a band I had never heard of before. Thought it started out much stronger than it ended, but did enjoy. 4/5
Thundercat
2/5
Couldn't really get into it. Seems very repetitive for a full album of this type of sound. I do think that Thundercat is more suited as a featured artist or collaborator.
Jimi Hendrix
3/5
Decent album. Enjoyed a few of the songs but I tend to tire of Jimi Hendrix. Purple Haze is super iconic though. 3.5/5
The Clash
4/5
Great album. Amazing to think this came out so close the the Sex Pistols...punk really blew up at the same time. The Clash are definitely my top 70's era punk band. 4.5/5
Dr. John
4/5
Really funky album! I had no idea this was the sound of old Dr. John. Enjoyed a lot. 4/5
Wire
4/5
Enjoyed this one after never listening to The Wire in the past. Fun album. For being a post-punk progenitor I was slightly surprise on how "punk" this sounded. 4/5
Various Artists
3/5
Classic Phil Spector sound. Certainly iconic, but I have a hard time separating the music from the man. In general I am not much of a pop christmas music fan. 3/5.
Derek & The Dominos
4/5
Hadn't listened to the full album before...so much more than Layla. Really well crafted songs that are a joy to listen to. 4/5
Deerhunter
5/5
Great album. Really enjoy pretty much all Deerhunter up through this album. Desire Lines was one of my favorite songs from this era. 5/5
The Adverts
1/5
Really nothing all that interesting....definitely the most generic out of the "formative late 70s British punk bands" we have listened to before. Had never heard of them prior to this listen and nothing I heard made me felt I should have... 1.5/5
Sade
2/5
Boring album. I semi-enjoy Smooth Operator, but the rest of the album pretty much put me to sleep. 2/5
Gang Starr
2/5
Anonymous early 90's rap sound...forgettable. 2/5
Yes
4/5
Love Yes...and Prog rock in general. Great musicianship coupled with some catchy melodies.
The Slits
3/5
Interesting...had seen many references to this album but never heard the sound before. Enjoy that it is very unique within the scheme of other post-punk albums. 3/5
Pulp
1/5
I have tried many times but just can't quite get into Pulp. Really the most disappointing of the Britpop elite. This album is no different. Nothing really struck me as worth listening to again and I was looking forward to it ending. 1.5/5
Jane's Addiction
1/5
Jane's Addiction doesn't really do much for me. The only song worth listening to was Jane Says...the rest are just noise to me. I honestly would rather listen to Porno For Pyros. 1.5/5
Jane Weaver
3/5
Had never heard of Jane Weaver prior but was pleasantly surprised. Decent sound although nothing stood out as amazing. 3/5
Aerosmith
3/5
Solid rock album. Have always enjoyed Aerosmith's more famous songs, but the filler works decently well. 3.5/5
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
2/5
Pretty much like any other Elvis Costello that I have listened to. Solid but not amazing. 2.5/5 PS I do like the UK artwork FAR more than the US version.
Elvis Costello
2/5
more of the same Elvis Costello. Just doesn't do much for me. 2/5
Manic Street Preachers
3/5
Decent album. Have tried to get into MSP in the past with limited success, but enjoyed this listen more than in the past. A Design for Life easily my favorite. 3/5
Earth, Wind & Fire
3/5
Fun album, but I think there are probably better EW&F offerings. I feel like it could have been more up beat/dancy. 3/5
Coldplay
4/5
Great album. Easily my favorite Coldplay album (although Parachutes is pretty good as well). The Scientist is my favorite song. 4/5
Carpenters
1/5
Elevator music. I had seen reference to the Carpenters as punchlines to many jokes and I now know why. 1.5/5
UB40
2/5
Nothing special...background reggae music. Really surprised by the inclusion on this list at it doesn't seem that important in music history either. 2/5
Manu Chao
1/5
Latin music is not typically my thing, and I even found this sound more blasé than usual. I would love to pretend like it was profound or moved me, but I just wanted it to be over. 1/5
Green Day
3/5
Has a couple of decent songs, but I definitely prefer earlier Green Day. Nothing they have done post-Dookie is that amazing IMO (although this is probably the best).
Pearl Jam
4/5
Enjoy Pearl Jam...it had been a long time since I had listened to Ten cover to cover. Was surprised on how much filler there was. The hit songs are HUGE but it doesn't wow me as a complete product. 3.5/5
The Byrds
4/5
Enjoy the Byrds sound. Much better than their earlier hits which I think are way over played. Solid album. 4/5
Elbow
3/5
Disappointed for it being a mercury award winner. Very slow without a lot of redeeming melodies. 2.5/5
Rocket From The Crypt
2/5
Really disappointing record. Feel it is just anonymous 90s major label punk. Not surprised it didn't catch on in the US. 1.5/5
U2
3/5
Solid but not spectacular. Has some good songs but certainly not the best U2 album. The famous songs like One and Mysterious Ways clearly the best. 3/5
Living Colour
2/5
Not my cup of tea. Interesting band and great musicianship, but I didn't find the songs to be all that catchy. 2/5
Pavement
5/5
Amazing album by an amazing band. Probably not my favorite Pavement album cover to cover (that would be Wowie Zowie), but does have one of the best songs ever (Gold Soundz). Fillmore Jive, Silent Kid, Cut Your Hair...all amazing. 5/5
Joni Mitchell
3/5
Interesting album. Much more jazzy than previous JM albums I have listened to. Enjoyed it but probably wouldn't listen again. 3.5/5
Arcade Fire
5/5
Love Arcade Fire. Their 4 album run from Funeral - Reflektor includes some of my most formative music. When this album came out I think I likely ranked it 4th out of those 4 album (Funeral #1, Neon Bible #2, Reflecktor #3) but it seemed much stronger on this listen. Made me very nostalgic for guitar driven indie rock. Ready to Start is the clear highlight, but all of the first 3 songs are bangers. 4.5/5
The Who
3/5
I have felt that The Who is the most overrated of the classic rock staples. However, I enjoyed this album far more than I expected to. Thought all the ads interspliced were interesting, especially for the era.
Rod Stewart
4/5
Really great album. Rod Stewart has such a distinctive and interesting voice. Absolutely LOVE Maggie Mae, but the rest of the album has a great sound to it. 4.5/5
Elvis Presley
2/5
Never been a huge fan of the old Elvis sound. In terms of formative rock I like Bill Haley and the Comets much better. I appreciate this for what it is though. Didn't realize until this play through that he didn't really write any of his original hits. 2/5
Stevie Wonder
2/5
Not the best Stevie wonder album. Overall mostly forgettable....thought I would like it more. 2/5
Cee Lo Green
1/5
For ever reason this album has just never worked for me. I remember being so surprised that it was as lauded as it was back on release. I enjoy Cee-los voice and his rapping, but the sounds just are interesting enough to me. 1.5/5
Radiohead
5/5
Probably my favorite album by one of my favorite bands. Absolutely classic. 5/5
Suede
2/5
I was super excited to listen to this album since I have heard so much about it and how important it was in Britpop formation. Overall was pretty disappointed...super generic and nothing all that special about it. 2.5/5
Stevie Wonder
2/5
Another OK Stevie Wonder album. I really like Stevie's singles, but the album is a ton of filler. His Greatest Hits comp is really great though. 2/5
Jorge Ben Jor
4/5
Really enjoyed the sound. I honestly wish there were more non-english language albums on this list. Plan to listen to more of the artist in the future. 3.5/5
Kraftwerk
1/5
I have enjoyed some Kraftwerk in the past, but this album was pretty terrible. The title track had some interesting parts, but as a whole was WAY too long. The rest of the album just seemed like filler. 1/5
The La's
2/5
One of the most disappointing albums I have listened to on this journey so far...I LOVE LOVE LOVE There she Goes. Probably a top 10 single for me all time, but the rest of the album is mostly filler that 1) doesn't have the same jangly sound and 2) doesn't really have the same pop ascetics. 2/5
Prince
4/5
Fun album...never fully appreciated Prince until the last few years. Super musicianship with fun poppy tunes. 3.5/5
4/5
Really fun album. Starman and Moonage Daydream back to back is an amazing 1/2 punch. Not sure it is as great cover to cover as a few other Bowie albums. 4/5
Les Rythmes Digitales
4/5
Fantastic album and very excited/surprised to see it on this list. I thought I was so cool listening to this in high school, and it still holds up well over 20 years later. 4.5/5
Love
1/5
Really nothing redeeming about this album. Have no idea why it would ever show up on this type of list...1/5
Brian Wilson
2/5
I remember being SOOO pumped when this album came out...spiritual successor to Pet Sounds...hell yes! I probably got through it twice before dismissing it. Approached this listen with hope that maybe I missed something 20 years ago, but my memory was affirmed. Something is overall missing from the "Beach Boys" sound in this release. 2/5
The Chemical Brothers
4/5
Loved this album. I had missed Exit Planet dust back when it came out...didn't start listening until Dig Your Own Hole. I think this is now my favorite Chemical Bros release. Love the slowdown songs at the end of the album. 4/5
Waylon Jennings
3/5
Decent album. I am typically a fan of the Outlaw Country sound but didn't love this one as much as others I have listened to. 3/5
Bob Dylan
1/5
Couldn't wait for it to be over...late period Dylan is soooo overrated (really sucks). 1/5
Ella Fitzgerald
2/5
I enjoyed it for what it is. Probably not something I would ever choose to listen on my own. Was a little disappointed that there was little to no scatting or even upbeat jazz song (which I guess should be expected for Gershwin). 2.5/5
Alice Cooper
3/5
Enjoyed this one more than I expected. Had heard Schools Out many times but hadn't been exposed to much else. Fun album that has some high moments. 3.5/4
Fatboy Slim
3/5
Absolutely loved this album when it came out, but surprised now but how little it holds up. The songs were way too long in general...didn't need 6 mins per. Gangster Trippin top song. 3.5/5
Underworld
3/5
Solid electronica. I find it interesting that most of Underworlds drums/backbeat all sounds the same. 3.5/5
B.B. King
2/5
Decent album for what it is....I am just not a massive blues fan. Most of the songs sound too similar for my taste. BB is a GREAT singer though...really enjoy his voice. 2/5
Blur
3/5
Not the best Blur album, but still listenable. Loved Song #2 when it came out, and it is still and enjoyable song. 3/5
Fiona Apple
3/5
As much as I feel like I should, I just can't get into this. It has some interesting and somewhat catchy tunes (Shameika, I Want You to Love Me and Ladies are highlights) but I find this is overall just a trying listen. 2.5/5
Paul Simon
5/5
Really great album. Love how visionary it was for the time...really nothing like it. 4.5/5
Isaac Hayes
2/5
Nothing that memorable. I don't mind this type of music in general....only think holding it back from being a 1. Otherwise it was just there... 1.5/2
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
2/5
Kind of generic prog rock....which isn't a terrible thing if you're a fan. Overall wasn't super impressed with EL&P vs. Rush, Yes, and other prog staples. 2/5
Ice Cube
2/5
Decent late eighties/early nineties rap. I really like Ice Cube's style, but like later period gangsta rap more. This is a little too close to the NWA/80s style. 2.5/5
Alice Cooper
3/5
Fun album. Have enjoyed Alice Cooper far more than I expected to. 3.5/5
Fats Domino
3/5
Enjoyable. Nothing I would choose to listen to. 3/5
Emmylou Harris
3/5
Classic country...so much better than modern country. Have always enjoyed Emmylou's sound. 3/5
Ramblin' Jack Elliott
3/5
Like the background story on Ramblin' Jack. Had never heard of him before. Not my typical music but I did find it enjoyable. I like the folksy sound. 3/5
System Of A Down
2/5
I appreciate the musicianship and the unique sounds presented by SoaD. But metal/nu-metal isn't really my jam. I owned their follow up album (Toxicity) but never was able to listen to that one completely. 1.5/5
Milton Nascimento
3/5
This one started with a bang! I honestly thought I was going to love it but found that it dragged a bit across the middle/end. 3/5
Def Leppard
4/5
Really like the Def Leppard sound. This is my favorite album of theirs. Every song sounds like a single. 3.5/5
Beatles
5/5
One of my favorite albums of all time! My top Beatles album....consider the medley my top Beatles song. So many highlights! 5/5
Aretha Franklin
3/5
Nothing but a solid Aretha Franklin album.
The Disposable Heroes Of Hiphoprisy
2/5
Never had heard of this artist but enjoyed the sound. Kind of a tough listen at times because I felt you really had to concentrate on lyrics to get full impact of music. Appreciate it for what it is. 2.5/5
Iggy Pop
4/5
Cool album...one I had been meaning to listen to for a while. I have been a big fan of the Stooges in the past and almost enjoyed this one as much. Interesting that Bowie essentially wrote everything but the lyrics. 4/5
Queen
3/5
I rather enjoy Queen, but feel this album is a bit on the overrated side. Killer Queen is a banger, but the rest I could potentially pass on. 3/5
Ladysmith Black Mambazo
4/5
Loved this music. Will be exploring more of their catalogue. Had obviously know that Paul Simon worked with a South African group for Graceland but didn't know they had so many albums of their own. 4/5
Peter Frampton
4/5
Frampton Comes Alive has always intrigued me by the fact that the live versions of these (great) songs are the defacto versions....you never hear the studio versions anywhere. I need to go back and listen to the studio versions just to compare, but the album (and the use of the talk box) is great. Would have been a great show to see back in the day. 4/5
Jimi Hendrix
2/5
Not a huge Hendrix fan in general, and this may be my least favorite album that we have listened to on this list. Just average late sixties rock IMHO. 2.5/5
The Kinks
3/5
I have been wanting to listen to more kinks. This album had some highs but end to end wasn’t that amazing. 2.5/5
Simon & Garfunkel
2/5
Nothing great about it. Just average mellow folk. 2/5
Bruce Springsteen
2/5
Had always wanted to listen to this album and get more into the boss. Going to take more than this one to get me there. Just a little too subdued for me. 2/5
The Chemical Brothers
4/5
Great album, if not a little too long. Think I like the earlier Chemicals a little bit better, but still fun. 3.5/5
Television
4/5
Probably my favorite CBGB era band...this album is a classic. Really enjoy hearing the influences they had on so much of the more modern music I enjoy. 4.5/5
Tracy Chapman
3/5
Decent album, but not really in my wheel house. 3/5
Elvis Presley
2/5
Overall better than earlier Elvis that we have listened to, but still not something I would ever choose to put on. Got really repetitive towards the end. 2.5/5
The Byrds
2/5
honestly nothing special. 1.5/5
Johnny Cash
2/5
Expected to enjoy this one more. Just a little too samey throughout. 1.5/5
Fairport Convention
1/5
Boring album. 1.5/5
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
2/5
I have liked the most post punk side of Nick Cave, but this ballad version wasn't the greatest. 2/5
Amy Winehouse
1/5
Not a good album. Pretty boring to listen to...1.5/5
Pixies
4/5
The Pixies are a band that I have always felt like I need to listen to more. This album solidified that position...enjoyed it quite a lot. Hopefully there is more on this list. 4/5
Jeru The Damaja
1/5
Kind of similar to almost every early 90's rap album included on this list so far. Largely anonymous and forgettable in my opinion
1.5/5
The Lemonheads
3/5
The Lemonheads (and Evan Dando) always show up on lists of super influential early 90s bands. While I feel the music is decent, I don't find anything about it particularly interesting or captivating. I also can't STAND Mrs. Robinson...such an overplayed song. Overall an average record. 3/5
Johnny Cash
2/5
Similar to the past Johnny Cash albums...just ok but ultimately more underwhelming than not.
Lauryn Hill
3/5
Better than I expected. 3.5/5
The Electric Prunes
1/5
wow this was bad and boring. 1/5
Talk Talk
2/5
Some interesting and enjoyable parts mixed in with elevator music. 2/5
The Verve
2/5
I in general LOVE 90's music...and have always considered myself a bit of an Anglophile. But this is boring. 1.5/5
Tito Puente
4/5
Like this a TON more than I expected to. Just really fun music. The mambo sound is probably once of my favorite latin dance music types. 4/5
Bob Dylan
4/5
Maybe my favorite Dylan song is Subterranean Homesick Blues...the rest is decent. Above average as far as Dylan goes. 3.5/5
Billy Bragg
5/5
Great album. Really enjoy the concept and the execution is a lot of fun. 5/5
4/5
Really good album. First half is amazing...2nd half is solid to above average. 4.5/5
Gene Clark
3/5
decent album. I enjoyed the first song but the middle end started to get fairly unremarkable. 3/5
The Beach Boys
2/5
Not good. I LOVE earlier Beach Boys, but really feel they were lacking after BW's breakdown. 2/5
Foo Fighters
2/5
Always felt this album was a bit overrated. I like future Foo Fighter albums a bit more than this one. I do find it amazing that Dave Grohl is such a talented songwriter but never tried anything in Nirvana. 2.5/5
Quicksilver Messenger Service
1/5
Sick of these uninspiring 60s psychedelic albums. Nothing remotely interesting going on in this album. 1/5
George Jones
2/5
Old time country...just not really my thing. 2/5
Fela Kuti
4/5
Liked this one. Songs were really long but it worked well as background music while I was working. Would listen again and to more by Fela Kuti! 4/5
Radiohead
5/5
amazing album. the one that got me first into radiohead. 5/5
The Doors
2/5
Really kind of an overrated band. This album has what are probably my favorite songs by the Doors, but in general I can take a hugh pass on this band. 2/5
Mudhoney
2/5
Started terrible, but I felt the back half of the album had a few redeeming tracks. 1.5/5
Sparks
2/5
I really wanted to like this more, but it kind of fell flat for me. 2/5
The Yardbirds
1/5
Not for me. It was so unremarkable I hardly even remember anything meaningful about it.
Arrested Development
4/5
Great album. Really fun production and the messaging is very interesting.
Queen
4/5
Solid Queen album...better than Sheer Heart Attack. You're my best friend is a top Queen song in my book. 3.5/5
The Icarus Line
1/5
Really not that great. Couldn't wait for it to end. 1/5
Miles Davis
2/5
I really wanted to like it, but it became a little tough to listen to. But still better than some of the stuff we have listened to hear...I feel like I could at least put it on the background and forget about it. 1.5/5
The Monks
3/5
Really interesting stuff. I had never heard of them but enjoyed reading about them. Can definitely see the groundwork of punk being laid with this music. 3/5
Supergrass
3/5
Good album. Solid but not spectacular.
Depeche Mode
3/5
I really like the Depeche Mode sound. Feel like this is isn't the best of their albums though...Violator would likely be better. Hopefully it will be on the list. 3/5
PJ Harvey
2/5
I would like it if that is the end of PJ Harvey on this list. Just cant get into it. 1.5/5
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
4/5
Better album than Fever to Tell. Hadn't given the Yeah Yeah Yeahs as much of a serious listen before and I am glad I did. 4/5
The Zombies
4/5
Surprised how much I like this one. Great sound that is fresh even today. 4/5
Motörhead
2/5
Not a massive fan of the sound but I didn't think it was awful. 2/5
N.W.A.
2/5
Largely repetitive. In general not the biggest fan of 80s rap. 2/5
Bauhaus
3/5
Bauhaus are one of the fewer seminal 80s "alternative" bands that I hadn't spent a lot of time with. This album makes me feel the rest of the catalogue is worth some further listens. Overall a really solid sound. 3.5/5
John Cale
3/5
Pretty solid album. Started a little slow but ended up enjoying it more than I expected to. My player started shuffling through a 2nd time after the first listen and I 1) didn't realize it and 2) liked it even more the further I got, so this might be one that really builds with additional listens. 3.5/5
Violent Femmes
4/5
what a great album! I had been burned out on some of the classics (Blister, Gone Daddy) but I really enjoyed the other songs far more than I expected to. 4.5/5
The Offspring
4/5
Honestly surprised on how well this album holds up. This was one of the first CDs I ever purchased, and although I liked it quite a bit, I didn't think it was as good end to end as the other CD I bought at the time (Nirvana Unplugged). Happy to relieve it today though. 4/5
Pulp
3/5
Better than previous Pulp albums. Still probably my least favorite of the bigger brit pop bands. 3/5
Lynyrd Skynyrd
4/5
Lot of fun songs. Free Bird is pretty played out, but still a great one. 4/5
Mike Ladd
2/5
Average late 90s indie hip hop. Really doesn't do much for me. 1.5/5
Prefab Sprout
3/5
Never had heard of this bad but liked fairly well. Really polished sounding pop. 3/5
Santana
2/5
Eh...kind of uninspiring. 2/5
Beastie Boys
4/5
Really fun album. Love the Dust Bros production...very similar to one of my all time favorites Odelay. Part of me wonders what the Beastie Boys trajectory would have been if they would have made subsequent albums with this duo. 4.5/5
The Kinks
2/5
Meh
The Triffids
2/5
Never had heard of this band before. But overall is was just unremarkable 80s pop. Probably would never listen again nor really care to hear any singles. 1.5/5
Dwight Yoakam
2/5
I am not opposed to country, but this one didn't do as much for me. Not really my style. 2/5
Kacey Musgraves
4/5
Hadn't listened to this album despite being a fan of her first release. Really enjoyed it. 4.5/5
The Avalanches
5/5
Love this album. Such a classic that was steeped in so much mystery for the longest time as well. Would love to see a comprehensive list of all the samples they used. 5/5
Aimee Mann
3/5
In general I am pretty big Aimee Mann fan. This is a solid but less than spectacular album...just typical AM sound. 3/5
Drive Like Jehu
1/5
Really not good at all. Songs way to long. Couldn’t get into it. 1/5
Leonard Cohen
3/5
Interesting. Liked it more than other Cohen I have listened to, but that may just be because of how raspy his voice is. Glad I gave it a go. 2.5/5
Pink Floyd
3/5
Not the greatest Floyd. Some decent highlights though. 2.5/5
Bob Dylan
3/5
Probably the best type of Dylan. Like the singer/songwriter vibes. 3/5
New York Dolls
4/5
Fun album. Has read a ton about this one but never really listened. 4/5
Lou Reed
3/5
Started with a bang but felt it dragged on a bit the further I got into it. Really wanted to like this more.
The Smashing Pumpkins
5/5
Such a great album. Contains some of my favorite pumpkins songs. Corgan is a wizard. 5/5
Chicago
4/5
Far exceeded my expectations. Had heard all the hits before but the whole album just had a great sound/vibe. Would dive into more of the early Chicago catalogue. 4/5
Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five
2/5
Like the more hiphop/rap songs. The song that sampled Tom Tom Club was my favorite, and the Message is always a classic. That being said, the rest of the album was largely disappointing and not worth noting. 2.5/5
Beatles
4/5
I am a much bigger fan of mid to late Beatles, but this album does have some good ones. I like this is the first time you get an inkling of what the Beatles are to become. 4/5
Ravi Shankar
4/5
Really cool...like Indian classical music. Makes for great background listening. I appreciated the lessons that he gave on each song as well. 3.5/5
Animal Collective
4/5
Animal Collective...a band that I typically feel I should like more than I do. Long time indie media darlings, MPP was the first album that I even remotely liked, but still felt it was much too over rated. Unfortunately this was also the last MPP album I have really enjoyed. 4/5
ZZ Top
2/5
Perfectly fine classic rock sound that is really iconic...I just got tired of it by the end of the album. Not something I would ever go to in order to listen on my own. Do think their look is hilarious though. 2.5/5
AC/DC
3/5
I really like ACDC in small doses, but given the relative sameness of their songs a full album gets to be a bit much. 3/5
Stevie Wonder
2/5
Yet again basically the same as any other Stevie Wonder album we have listened to. Nothing spectacular. 2/5
A Tribe Called Quest
4/5
LOVE ATCQ. Really the first rap group that I ever really good into. This album is always considered a classic, and while I really like it, I still prefer a few others slightly. Scenario is an absolute banger. 4/5
Simple Minds
2/5
80s synth pop is fine, but not something I would typically seek out. Didn't realize that Simple Minds had such a history. Overall just decent. 2.5/5
Neil Young
4/5
Really like Neil Young. This is an album I hadn't listen to much in the past but felt it was great. 4.5/5
Tina Turner
3/5
Decent album, just not really my style. 2.5/5
Thin Lizzy
2/5
Way too much Thin Lizzy...and I actually like Thin Lizzy. Would have been better just including a studio album. 1.5/5
Rush
5/5
Great album. Love the musicianship of Rush. And what about the voice of Geddy Lee? How did it get so high? I wonder if he speaks like an ordinary guy?
4.5/5
Dexys Midnight Runners
3/5
Eh just ok. 3/5
Femi Kuti
1/5
Each song was WAY too long and honestly I couldn't tell them apart. 1/5
2/5
I really like Yes and prog rock, but this was just an average to below average, kinda bland offering. Just nothing but endless songs with little redeeming value. 2/5
Can
2/5
Disappointing for a Can album. Had listened to other albums in the past and found them far superiors to this one. This one just sounded like background music. 1.5/5
The Prodigy
4/5
Probably the album that first got me deep into my electronica/techno phase. I think it holds up amazingly well. So many bangers. 4.5/5
Billy Bragg
4/5
Fantastic album. Familiar with Bragg through his Mermaid Ave series, but this one had some great finds. Will dig into his discog more. 4/5
Elvis Costello
3/5
My favorite Costello to date. Really like "Watching the Detectives". 3.5/5
Radiohead
5/5
A good album by one of my favorite bands, but not necessarily to the level of most of their catalogue. Still great compared to most other bands. 4.5/5
Amy Winehouse
3/5
The Band
3/5
A little too long, but does have some absolute classics. 3.5/5
Soul II Soul
2/5
Interesting...most of the songs sounded way to similar though. 1.5/5
Jeff Beck
2/5
Like the backing band and Rod Stewart. The songs are a bit too blues and drag on a bit long for my liking. 2/5
Charles Mingus
2/5
Worth listening to, but my undiscerning hear has a hard time appreciating was is/isn't great jazz. Do enjoy as background music though. 2.5/5
Isaac Hayes
2/5
The main Theme Song is absolutely amazing...the rest I could leave alone. Too much movie soundtrack. 1.5/5
LL Cool J
2/5
Nothing spectacular. Only enjoyed it slightly more than some of the formative rap albums on this list. 1.5/5
Lightning Bolt
1/5
Wow. I really wanted to not hate it, but I hated it.
Taylor Swift
4/5
Liked this album far more than I anticipated. Was pretty familiar with the songs from listening to Ryan Adams' cover version for a long time, but the originals were all bangers. 4/5
T. Rex
4/5
T. Rex is always an interesting listen. I feel like I should be into Marc Bolan more than I am...but overall I felt this was the best of his work I have heard. 3.5/5
Youssou N'Dour
2/5
Decent album, but I feel it was below average for the afro-pop I have listened to on this list so far. 2.5/5
Sly & The Family Stone
3/5
Decent songs. A few seemed to go way to long. Nothing that really moved me though. 2.5/5
Talking Heads
3/5
Another solid TH album, but each one leaves me wanting a little more. 3.5/5
Queen
2/5
Not the best Queen album. I much more prefer the later work. 2.5/5
Bob Marley & The Wailers
4/5
Good album that contains some of my fav Bob Marley songs (waiting in vain, Jammin). 4/5
Dr. Dre
5/5
Fantastic album. Love the G-Funk sound. Let Me Ride, Dr. Dre, G Thang...all absolute classics. 4.5/5
Ali Farka Touré
2/5
Not your typical Afropop, but still very similar sounding throughout the album. Nothing special. 2.5/5
k.d. lang
1/5
Really not good. 1/5
The Smiths
5/5
Amazing album. The second side has some absolute bangers. Really enjoy the jangly sound pioneered by Marr. 5/5
Solomon Burke
2/5
Just average early rock n roll. Nothing special. Would never listen again. 1.5/5
Johnny Cash
2/5
Just another lame JC album. 1.5/5
MGMT
4/5
Fun album. The singles are all absolute bangers. The rest borders on fill status. Still a worthy listen. 4/5
Harry Nilsson
4/5
Surprisingly good album. Had heard a few of the more well know hits before, but generally it was solid front to back. 4/5
The Pharcyde
4/5
Quite a fun album. Much better than most of the formative rap that has been included so far. Solid 4/5
Rage Against The Machine
4/5
Definitely the best Rage album, but still one that I find is ideally consumed in smaller batches. It does start to sound slightly samey the more I listen. But overall a lot of fun. 3.5/4
Jethro Tull
3/5
Solid classic rock, but nothing amazing. 2.5/5
Bebel Gilberto
2/5
Nothing but chill latin sounds. Every song sounded the same to me. Good if you're looking for that type of vibe, but nothing I would seek regularly. 1.5/5
Sabu
2/5
Another background musicable latin music album. Nothing special. 1.5/5
The Verve
4/5
Better than I anticipated. I had always felt the Verve was Bitter Sweet Symphony and not much else, but the whole album is a decent listen. 3.5/5
The Crusaders
3/5
Decent album for it being more jazzy. 3/5
Elliott Smith
4/5
Elliott Smith is a fantastic artist. Figure 8 is probably his weakest (or may be 2nd weakest) album. Hopefully there are a few others on this list. 4/5
Small Faces
2/5
Started strong...kind of ended weakly. Not my cup of tea. 2.5/5
Can
3/5
Really like the beginning of this album. The last couple of songs (the noise set) was really pretty terrible and brings down the overall score significantly. 2.5/5
Bob Dylan
2/5
Not my favorite Dylan (but at this point I am not sure I have a favorite Dylan...it all may just be meh to me). 2/5
Eh, nothing special. Just average folksy early 70s rock. 2/5
Suede
1/5
I feel that I like Britpop...which means I feel that I should like Suede. However, no matter how much I try, I really don't care for Suede. Now I am thinking...do I even really like Britpop? 1.5/5
Tom Waits
2/5
Very interesting, but not my cup of tea. Such a distinct voice. 2/5
The Go-Go's
4/5
Surprisingly good. Appreciate that they were a huge pop sensation that wrote all their own songs. 3.5/5
PJ Harvey
2/5
Better than previous PJ, but still not my cup of tea. 2.5/5
Röyksopp
2/5
Ehh...nothing special...and I typically like this type of music.
Tears For Fears
3/5
Love the hits...head over heels is an absolute banger. However there was too much filler. 3/5
Le Tigre
3/5
Just nuts...all attitude, but in a good way. 3/5
Queen Latifah
3/5
Surprisingly good. Had never heard this early QL before and I felt it was the best I have heard from her. 3/5
Buena Vista Social Club
2/5
Nothing special. Have enjoyed some of the latin flavored music quite a bit so far, but this one seemed very monotonous...2/5
2Pac
4/5
Really a great listen. Doesn't have the hits from other 2pac albums, but I enjoyed it end to end. 4.5/5
Leftfield
2/5
Just a meh electronica piece. Nothing special. 2/5
Orbital
3/5
Formative sounds in my musical fandom...I still remember being blow away by a Halcyon & On & On remix that contained a mash up of Bon Jovi and Belinda Carlise...I thought it was the most amazing thing ever.
Solid album with a distinctive sound. 3.5/5
Bruce Springsteen
2/5
I so want to like the Boss...but the Boss rarely does it for me. 2/5
Kanye West
4/5
Better than I remember it being. I have always felt this was overrated (still do) but maybe appreciated it more this listen. 4/5
King Crimson
2/5
Nothing particularly interesting about this one. Prog rock like this just cracks me up. 1.5/5
Songhoy Blues
2/5
Meh...ok I guess. 2/5
Anita Baker
1/5
Not really my jam. ok I suppose. 1.5/5
Nas
4/5
Such a different sound from other contemporary rap...but I loved it. Was a big G-Funk sound fan growing up and now feel I missed out on this. 4/5
Hole
5/5
Really a great album. Had never listened to it much growing up and now regretting that I hadn't. 4.5/5
Hole
3/5
Solid album, but not as great as Live Through This. 3.5./5
Cat Stevens
3/5
I really like Cat Stevens, but was surprised on how much this album didn't captivate me. I felt like a lot of the songs were just average filler. 3.5/5
Tricky
3/5
I'm a bigger Massive Attack fan than Tricky, but this ends up being solid background music. Still feel it is slightly overrated though. 3/5
Red Hot Chili Peppers
2/5
Love Under the Bridge. Wish Soul to Squeeze was on this album. Give it Away is solid...the filler songs are really bad. Glad I never bought this when I was younger. 2.5/5
Fela Kuti
2/5
I feel I like Fela is better in small doses. This album really started to sound samey the further I got into it. Decent, but slightly irksome. 2/5
Fiona Apple
2/5
Not really my jam. Ok. 2.5/5
Beck
5/5
I can't say enough about this album. The more I think about it...I feel this one shaped a lot of current musical tastes over 25 years later. Such an amazing album front to back...the production is absolutely amazing. For a long time I considered this to be my favorite album, and I am glad to see it hold up till today. 5/5
The Doors
2/5
The doors might be the most overrated band ever. Blah. 1.5/5
Randy Newman
1/5
Really lame. Can't really get into his style of music or his voice. 1.5/5
Sonic Youth
4/5
I enjoyed it more than I expected. SY albums are kind of tough listens and I am glad this one resonated with me. 4/5
John Lee Hooker
1/5
Not my jam...nothing really compelling about it. 1.5/5
The Stranglers
3/5
Super surprised I had never heard of this band before. A+ album title and overall a pretty solid album. 3/5
Everything But The Girl
1/5
Uninspiring background music. Prefer to never listen again. 1/5
Dead Kennedys
4/5
I have a soft spot for the DKs. One of the first punk bands I kind of got into. Jello Biafra is kind of an enigma to me as well...really hard to tell in his lyrics if he is just being ironic or laudatory in any way. 4/5
The Hives
4/5
The Hives always have some entertaining and energetic songs. Great fun. Surprised that a compilation album made it on this list versus one of their studio albums. 4/5
Little Simz
4/5
Really liked it...which is unsurprising given how much I tend to like English Rap. The production was pretty top notch. 4/5
Travis
5/5
Really great album. Just well above average songs from start to finish. Highlights are Writing to Reach You, Why does it always rain..., She's So Strange...could go on. 4.5/5
The Mamas & The Papas
2/5
Ok. Not my cup of tea though. But I do love the song “Do you wanna Dance.” Especially The Beach Boys version. 2.5/5
Nirvana
5/5
One of the best ever. A lot of my wonder taste in music can be traced here. 5/5
The Velvet Underground
4/5
Great album. Just an interesting vibe the whole way through. 4.5/5
The Damned
4/5
Liked it...great sound and far more catchy than most formative punk bands. 3.5/5
Arcade Fire
5/5
Great album...not quite the tour de force that is Funeral, but a worthy follow up. I may have listened to this one more than Funeral back when it was released. 4.5/5
JAY Z
2/5
Always felt that Jay-Z is one of the most overrated rappers of all time. The was fairly tiresome and boring (Girls Girls Girls is the only highlight). 1.5/5
Paul Revere & The Raiders
2/5
Nothing spectacular about it...generic 60's rock pop. Meh. 1.5/5
Moby
4/5
I bought this album when it first came out, but never got into it. I don't think I fully appreciated it at that time. I was very surprised by how much I thoroughly enjoyed it this time around. So much depth to the songs...a great adventure through the full album. 4/5
John Lennon
3/5
I tend to be disappointed by Lennon solo albums, and this one follows that. Imagine (the song) is amazing. I was surprised by how much I liked Oh Yoko! though...maybe the 2nd best on the album. 3/5
Rod Stewart
3/5
Decent. I have been a little surprised by how much I have liked the Rod Stewart albums so far. 3/5
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
2/5
Interesting, but likely would never listen on my own. I like Prog rock...but this is WAY out there. 2/5
Daft Punk
3/5
Love Daft Punk...this album gets a little long at times. Has some absolute bangers for I feel it has never resonated with me from a full album standpoint. 3.5/5
James Taylor
5/5
Fantastic album....could listen to JT all day. Love his voice and his style. This one contains some of my all time favs. 4.5/5
The The
4/5
Pretty cool...interesting sound that I would gladly come back to. 3.5/5
Grant Lee Buffalo
3/5
Solid album...despite never hearing I think I think a little higher hopes than what was delivered. 3.5/4
Pantera
2/5
I am not a metal fan...it just seems to be all (angry) vibes to me with little redeeming quality. However...I felt there was just a little something on this album that peaked my interest enough to move it off the 1 line. 1.5/5
The Stooges
4/5
Love the Stooges. Previously a huge fan of Fun House but hadn't given Raw Power enough of a listen. Search & Destroy is likely my favorite early punk song...such a jam. 4/5
Frank Ocean
4/5
Wasn't a giant fan of this album when it came out...so I was very surprised by how much I enjoyed it listening this time through. I think I am starting to understand/appreciate the hype. 4/5
Hugh Masekela
2/5
Just average jazz...more meh than anything. The album looped around on me and started over and I didn't even realize that I had head it before it was that generic. 2/5
The Temptations
2/5
Just ok...not my cup of tea. 2/5
Morrissey
4/5
Enjoyed this...always like the Smiths but haven't always like Morrissey solo. This was a good one. 4/5
R.E.M.
5/5
Great album. Probably my second fav REM. Early REM is the best REM!! 4.5/5
Cyndi Lauper
4/5
Surprisingly great album. A lot of fun songs and I love the 80's pop sound. 4/5
Love
1/5
I would Love to not get another Love album in this list. Bleh. My son caught me listening and said it sounded like a terrible band imitating the worst of the Beatles. 1/5
Suzanne Vega
2/5
Meh. Nothing special. 2/5
Linkin Park
2/5
I guess it is ok for what it is. Just can’t really make it work for me. 2/5
Dusty Springfield
2/5
Ok I guess. I don't really like Son of a Preach Man, but the rest was ok. 2/5
Faith No More
1/5
Kind of sucks...not my jam. 1.5/5
Dusty Springfield
3/5
Decent...like the classics (although non-Dusty version are likely better). Much better than Dusty in Memphis. 3/5
SAULT
3/5
It was interesting. Modern R&B is still something I just have a hard time getting into. 3/5
The Soft Boys
4/5
What a great find...really like it. Had seen RH live before but didn't appreciate him as much as I probably should have. 4/5
The Rolling Stones
5/5
Fantastic album...likely the best of the Stones. Maybe not as many hits, but just so solid end to end. Has my favorite Stones song of all time...Tumblin Dice!! 5/5
AC/DC
5/5
Love ACDC. Probably not a perfect album but pretty close to it. 4.5/5
Metallica
3/5
I like this older Metallica more than the newer stuff, but still can't get into thrash metal too much. I am always impressed by the musicality of these guys, but Kirk and James can absolutely shred and Lars is a pretty great drummer (at least in the faster type stuff). 2.5/5
Paul Weller
2/5
Nothing special, but it wasn't terrible either. 2/5
The Modern Lovers
2/5
I really want to like the Modern Lovers...I love the concept. But every time I listen to them I just get a little bored. It does seem pretty influential, but I think the Stooges are far for formative for the punk sound and are of the same era. 2.5/5
Run-D.M.C.
2/5
Meh. I guess it was influential...but kind of boring. 1.5/5
Dexys Midnight Runners
4/5
Surprisingly great. Fun sound to the songs. Would 100% revisit. 4/5
2/5
Eh...80's pop. Kind of sterile. Nothing I would ever chose to listen to. 1.5/5
Sonic Youth
3/5
Not the best Sonic Youth. I really want to like SY more than I do...and I feel like I should, but it is pretty much just always average for me. 3.5/5
The Rolling Stones
5/5
Another great Stones album. Not quite the masterpiece that is Exile...this one still has some great bangers that has to be a 5/5.
TV On The Radio
3/5
Indie Rock is by far my favorite genre....TVotR is one of those bands I have never been able to full embrace. Just not my jam completely. Not sure why I don't get it. 3/5
Taylor Swift
3/5
It was an interesting listen. Not sure I would return to it but I appreciate it for what it is. Impressive for someone who has been so pop focused to shift like this. 3.5/5
Willie Colón & Rubén Blades
2/5
Ok...not sure I prefer salsa vs. other genres of latin music. 2/5
Massive Attack
3/5
Never listened to this MA album...was disappointed (still decent overall). I love other stuff and Tricky solo. Maybe this one is just too dated. 3/5
Alice In Chains
3/5
Certainly not the best grunge band (are they even grunge?) but they still have some bangers. I have always loved Would? but it is interesting that I prefer the unplugged versions of a lot of these tracks. 3.5/5
Todd Rundgren
4/5
Surprisingly great album. See a lot of influence over later 70s power pop acts (hear a ton of Big Star). Will return to this in the future!! 4/5
Doves
3/5
Doves are decent. I feel other albums are better than this one, but this one has some enjoyable (but maybe less memorable) moments. 3/5
Nirvana
5/5
Such a classic...has been an internal debate for me for a long time if I actually like this one better than Nevermind. Not nearly as many radio friendly unit shifters on this album, but that may be why it was more influential on my musical tastes now. 5/5
Creedence Clearwater Revival
2/5
Highs are high, the rest is just meh. Interesting that this album is the origin of Chooglin. 2/5
David Holmes
1/5
I like Electronica (used to LOVE it), but this is bad Electronica. 1.5./5
Machito
1/5
Meh...nothing special. 1.5/5
The White Stripes
3/5
Has some interesting moments, but overall I think this one isn't quite as good as it's reputation. Couldn't love it when it came out...can't love it now. 3/5
George Harrison
5/5
Pretty great album. Not sure it is full on Beatles quality but it has some amazing pieces. 4.5/5
Erykah Badu
3/5
Not my favorite genre, but it did enjoy it slightly. 3/5
Ananda Shankar
4/5
Really fun album. Love the blend of Sitar and rock. Sitar in general is a great sound and I think this is my favorite example so far. 4/5
Paul McCartney and Wings
4/5
Great Beatles solo album...one of the best. I think McCartney solo is probably the pinnacle of post-Beatles output. 4.5/5
Missy Elliott
1/5
Not the biggest Missy fan...which I think means I am not the biggest Timbaland production fan. 1.5/5
The Cardigans
2/5
Nothing special. I always liked the sound of Lovefool decently well, so had high hopes. Disappointed again. 2/5
Roxy Music
1/5
Not great. As influential as RM is, I never seem to appreciate them at all. 1.5/5
Frank Sinatra
2/5
It is Frank...sounds like every other Frank. 1.5/5
Black Sabbath
2/5
Don't love Sabbath...hadn't really heard much off this album but it seemed like more of the same for me. 2/5
The Smashing Pumpkins
5/5
Such a great album. Often feel it has some of Corgan's deepest compositions. As I have gotten older I have started to appreciate Siamese Dream maybe more, but this is probably the most influential double album in my life. Top Songs: Stumbleine, 1979, Muzzle, Galapagos, For No One 5/5
Louis Prima
3/5
Not bad...enjoyed some parts of it. Jump Jive and Wail is a great song. 3.5/5
Finley Quaye
1/5
What a freaking awful album! Absolutely nothing going on of any interest...just a boring slog. Maybe the worst album yet...would give zero if I could. 0/5
Sex Pistols
4/5
I love a few songs on this album, and I really appreciate what it represented at the time, but I can't quite put it on the pantheon of amazing albums. 4/5
Method Man
3/5
Decent...pretty much love Wu Tang stuff. 3/5
David Bowie
3/5
The first have is pretty solid...surprised on how bleh the rest is. Just ok. 2.5/5
Screaming Trees
2/5
Never could really get into screaming trees. Felt this was a really below average offering. 1.5/5
The Charlatans
3/5
Had never previously heard or heard of them, but found it be moderate Brit pop Oasis rip offs. No single song seemed all that memorable. 3/5
GZA
3/5
Typical Wu Tang...which isn't a terrible thing. 3/5
Grizzly Bear
3/5
I love Indie from this era (formative music for me) but have never been able to really love Grizzly Bear. Decent stuff but just doesn't grab me the way other similar artists do. 3.5/5
Joni Mitchell
2/5
I don't like jazzy Joni Mitchell as well as singer-songwriter style, but it is decent. 2.5/5
The Youngbloods
1/5
Surprised on how terrible this album was...there was nothing appealing about it. 1/5
Beastie Boys
1/5
Maybe the worst Beastie's album. Very juvenile in humor and appeal. 1.5/5
Guided By Voices
5/5
What a great album. Sometimes I wish the songs were a bit longer, but it definitely is a great listen front to back. 4.5/5
The Beach Boys
4/5
The Beach Boys were probably my first popular music love. Amazing stuff. Brian Wilson's harmonys were incredible...such a savant. This album has some great tunes, but is just kept off the highest marks line. 4.5/5
The Waterboys
2/5
Started out decent but lost my interest throughout the listen. In the end I felt it was just average. 2/5
George Michael
2/5
Better than I anticipated...the fast and more upbeat songs resonated with me far more than the slow downs. Still not likely to be anything I would really listen to again. 2.5/5
Aerosmith
3/5
Decent...I don't love Aerosmith but enjoy some of the highlights on this album...Sweet Emotion, Walk this Way, absolute classics. 3/5
Judas Priest
1/5
Most of it was complete garbage...but the songs had the quality that at times I found myself muttering aloud "breakin the law....breakin the laaawww". 1.5/5
Green Day
5/5
An amazing album. While not my first intro into punk (that would be Smash) this definitely set off a long standing love affair with pop punk and bands with the Lookout sound. Tre Cool has to be on the of the best drummers in the business, and the songs all have such amazing pop sensibilities. 5/5
Cocteau Twins
4/5
Love the Cocteau Twins. The Dreamcore/Shoegaze sound is one that always seems to resonate with me. This album is pretty solid throughout, and has one of my alltime favs (title track). 4.5/5
Def Leppard
4/5
Guilty pleasure of mine...kind of love the pop metal sound. Foolin, Photograph, absolute bangers. 3.5/5
DJ Shadow
4/5
I have owned this album for a very long time, but this was the first time I had listened all the way through. While I did find it an enjoyable listen, I am not sure I put it on a pedestal the same way that critics seem to have in the past. 3.5/5
Joni Mitchell
3/5
The best JM album we have listened to yet. Maybe it was closer to the bridge from her singer songerwriter days to her more jazzy days. 3.5/5
Primal Scream
2/5
Never quite understood the appeal of Primal Scream. It is all just so average. 2.5/5
CHIC
3/5
The album starts really great. The upbeat songs are really fun. Just not suburb quality end to end. 3/5
Pink Floyd
1/5
Pretty terrible. Not a fan of Syd Barrett. 1.5/5
David Crosby
2/5
Solid 70s country rock. Nothing more, nothing less. 2.5/5
The Who
3/5
Liked it better than I anticipated. Typically can't really abide the Who, but this one seemed fairly un Who like. 3/5
Dr. Octagon
3/5
Crude, but liked it surprisingly well. One of those albums that I had heard/known of for ages but never gotten around to listening to. 3.5/5
Tori Amos
1/5
Not a big Tori Amos fan...probably my least favorite of the old Lilithcore artists. 1.5/5
Rush
3/5
Love Rush, but this album always seemed slightly overrated. I like the medley, but could pass on the rest of the album. 3.5/5
The Roots
2/5
just can't get into it. I think I bought this album when it came out on the strength of great reviews...yesterday was the first time I ever got through the whole thing. 1.5/5
David Gray
4/5
Used to really love this album...in fact it may have been my most listened to album of 2000. Don't think it holds up quite as welll...or maybe I wasn't in the right mood yesterday. Surprised to learn Say Hello, Wave Goodbye was a cover...that was probably my favorite song on the album. 4/5
Super Furry Animals
2/5
Nothing special. Below average Brit pop. 2/5
Kate Bush
3/5
Decent stuff. Funny that Runnin up that Hill became such a cultural phenomena. 3/5
Radiohead
5/5
What else can be said...an absolute masterpiece by what has historically been my favorite band. What an amazing bridge from the "alternative" era sounds of the Bends to the genre pushing behemoths they exemplified from this point forward. 2 of my top five RH songs ever on the front half (Paranoid Android & Let Down...which was my go-to song on 5 am drives to winter swim practice in high school). Not a bad song on the album...even fitter happier has a place. 5/5
Germs
2/5
Nothing spectacular. In general I find formative Hardcore vastly inferior to the modern analogue. 2/5
Siouxsie And The Banshees
4/5
Solid. Hadn't ever listened to early Banshees. 3.5/5
Billie Holiday
1/5
Was the album all just the same song? I heard different words pertaining the love throughout, but other than that it was just one block of indifferent warbling. 1/5
Bad Company
2/5
Certainly some highlights, but even those don't really move me the way you would expect from an alltime classic. It does still surprise me this was like the first big signing to the Beatles label. 2.5/5
The Strokes
4/5
I quite like The Strokes, but also feel they may be the most overrated band of all time at the same time. I feel this album is just an above average Indie staple, nothing like the era defining masterpiece most exalt it as. 4/5
Kate Bush
1/5
Pretty awful. First exposure to older Kate Bush. Hopefully my last as well. 1/5
The Clash
5/5
Fantastic album. Love Rudy Can't Fail, Clampdown and so many others. For coming out of the formative punk scene the clash always surprise with how fun their music is. 4.5/5
Shivkumar Sharma
3/5
Interesting sound. Enjoy the Indian classical vibe. 3/5
Iggy Pop
3/5
Funny how much this Iggy sounds like Bowie...but that isn't a bad thing. 3/5
The Beau Brummels
2/5
Decent but unremarkable. 2/5
Jane's Addiction
1/5
Can't really stand Jane's Addiction. Feel like Been Caught Stealing is by far one of their better songs...and it is just average in the 90's pantheon. 1.5/5
Tom Waits
1/5
I just don't get Tom Waits. Carny music...1.5/5
Emmylou Harris
3/5
Solid. 3/5
The Mars Volta
2/5
One of the enigma like bands that I feel I should like far more than I do. Have owned this album since release date. Have tried to listen countless times...just never clicks. 2.5/5
Fleet Foxes
5/5
Love this album. Probably my least favorite FF album at this point (4 albums deep) but it is still a masterpiece. 5/5
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
3/5
Solid, but not the best Neil Young album. 3.5/5
Throwing Muses
4/5
Started out strong and interesting...was a tired by the end. Overall a pretty cool band I had never had exposure to in the past. 4/5
Motörhead
2/5
Ok for what it is. Not my cup of tea. 2/5
The Cramps
3/5
Really funky...seems like a bad that would be amazing live. Not sure I love the recorded sound though. 2.5/5
Eminem
2/5
Not a giant Eminem fan...the production on this album sounds a little too gimmicky in my opinion. Maybe just a terrible era for Rap honestly. 2/5
Creedence Clearwater Revival
4/5
Great album...maybe the best CCR I have heard beginning to end. Really enjoy most of the songs. 4/5
Sepultura
1/5
Just can't do metal like this. 1/5
Happy Mondays
2/5
Ever song was roughly the same. Pretty easy to understand why this didn't catch on in the states. 2/5
Slint
4/5
As a big classic indie affcianado, I had tried to get into Slint in the past with little success. However, on this more critical listen I felt it ended up being far better than I ever thought before. 4/5
Goldfrapp
2/5
Way too down tempo...not my thing
The xx
5/5
Fantastic album. Blew me away when I first heard by how atmospheric and minimal the sound was. Such a great mood setter. 4.5/5
Kid Rock
1/5
So bad...yet at times I found myself groovy to it a little bit. But overall just junk music. 1.5/5
Count Basie & His Orchestra
3/5
Solid for what it is. 2.5/5
Scott Walker
3/5
Had always wanted to listen to some SW before...was interesting, especially for its time. Probably not something I would go back to however. 2.5/5
Metallica
2/5
Interesting concept...way to long. Probably wouldn't listen to again. 2.5/5
Elliott Smith
5/5
My first introduction to Elliott Smith...such a classic. Probably still my go-to singer/songwriter acoustic sounding album. 5/5
Leonard Cohen
1/5
Just can't do Leonard Cohen. 1.5/5
Boston
5/5
I unabashedly love Boston. Such a fun album. 4.5/5
Iron Butterfly
2/5
Not really may thing. The title track is interesting but I do find it shocking how well this album sold back in the day. 2/5
The Temptations
3/5
Decent. Wasn't really familiar with any of the songs but I enjoy this type of music well enough. 2.5/5
N.E.R.D
1/5
Nerd just doesn’t do it for me. No matter how critically acclaimed it is. 1.5/5
The Sabres Of Paradise
2/5
Somewhat Interesting dance music. One I had never heard of. 2.5/5
Eagles
4/5
Pretty good. I am a little tired of Hotel California the song but can definitely appreciate it for what it is. 4/5
Maxwell
3/5
Not bad...overall I have enjoyed some Neo-soul in the past, and this is about the best I have encountered. 3/5
Lambchop
2/5
Meh...interesting but really not that great. 1.5/5
Stereolab
4/5
Interesting...would definitely give them more of a listen. 3.5/5
The Flaming Lips
5/5
Enjoyed this one far more on this listen than I ever had before. Great album. 4.5/5
Scissor Sisters
2/5
Pretty overrated imo. Bought this album on hype when it came out and this was the first time I had ever heard the whole thing. 2/5
The Band
4/5
Solid easy listening music. Love The Weight. 4/5
Megadeth
1/5
Terrible even by Metal standards. 1/5
Frankie Goes To Hollywood
1/5
Basically an entire album of the same sound...not for me. 1/5
Teenage Fanclub
4/5
Love Teenage Fanclub. This is a great album, but not one of their best. Still a classic. 4.5/5
Steely Dan
5/5
LOVE this album. Steely Dan was one of my father's faves and I have a lot of fond memories of hearing this with him. Such amazing production and sound. 4.5/5
The Notorious B.I.G.
3/5
Juicy and Big Poppa are absolute classics. Didn't care for the rest of the album as much as I figured I would. Not necessarily an all time great. 3.5/5
Jimmy Smith
2/5
unremarkable jazz. decent background music I suppose. I didn't hate it. 2/5
Supertramp
2/5
Nothing great.
Kelela
2/5
Meh. 2.5/5
The Allman Brothers Band
2/5
Meh..too long. Don't do blues jams all that much. 1.5/5
Creedence Clearwater Revival
4/5
I really enjoy albums from this run by CCR. Just solid music all around. 3.5/5
The The
2/5
Nothing special. Went into this one expecting far more. Would never listen again. 2/5
Big Black
1/5
Big Black has got to be one of the most overrated bands ever. Just a bunch of aimless noise. I appreciate what Albini has done as a producer, but the music blows. 1.5/5
The Who
2/5
Don't love live albums, don't love the Who...not a great combo for me. 2/5
Michael Kiwanuka
3/5
Decent. 3.5/5
Dizzee Rascal
4/5
Dizzee has such a unique voice and style. I feel this album really paved the way for future Grime rappers...a genre I still enjoy to this day. 4/5
Sam Cooke
4/5
Really fun album. Hadn't listened to much Cooke but will definitely return to this one and others. 4.5/5
Laura Nyro
2/5
Decent...she definitely had talent. One I had zero exposure to before hand. 2.5/5
Devendra Banhart
3/5
Decent...I general like folk like this, so it was enjoyable. Just nothing that blows your socks off. 2.5/5
Sisters Of Mercy
4/5
Surprisingly enjoyed this one quite a bit. The slower songs weren't that great, but really like the dark 80s synth sound of the rest. 4/5
Bruce Springsteen
4/5
Man...I really want to love the boss. Born to Run is such an alpha tier song, but the rest just isn't on the same level. 3.5/5
Lupe Fiasco
3/5
Decent. Not a huge fan of rap of the era. 3/5
k.d. lang
1/5
Just blows. What a terrible album. Would go negative if I could.
Tim Buckley
3/5
Funky, but ultimately not my cup of tea. 2.5/5
The Replacements
5/5
What an amazing album...absolute classic. In the words of Eddie Argos of Art Brut...I found myself baffled in my early 30's wondering "how have I only just discovered the Replacements?" Clearly the highlight of an impressive catalogue, including some of my all time favs like "I Will Dare" and "Seen Your Video", this one could truly be considered "My Favorite Thing". 5/5
My Bloody Valentine
5/5
The album that all other shoegaze is compared against. Such an amazing guitar sound...it is no wonder Kevin Shields basically had to retire after this one. So influential that Billy Corgan and the Pumpkins pretty much ripped it off for Siamese Dream. Such a vibe...as someone who generally doesn't care about lyrics this type of music is very much my alley. Probably why it is a top 30 of all timer for me. 5/5
The Dave Brubeck Quartet
4/5
A ton of classics on this one...great easy listening music. 3.5/5
David Bowie
2/5
Not the best Bowie album. Didn't really feel that it had any highlights. 2/5
XTC
2/5
Ok...I enjoyed about a third of it and could leave the rest. 2.5/5
De La Soul
4/5
Fantastic album. The type of album that probably could have gotten me into rap music 5 years earlier if I would have discovered it as an early teen. Up there in the pantheon of formative rap. 4/5
Neil Young
4/5
Classic Neil Young...lots of memories of my father listening to this one. Just a solid listen end to end. 4/5
William Orbit
3/5
Decent. Worked as solid background music, but it wasn't amazing. 3/5
Not even my favorite more modern/poppy U2 album, but still a worthwhile listen. 3.5/5
Steely Dan
5/5
Love the Dan. Another great album. 4.5/5
Japan
2/5
No prior exposure, but there may have been a good reason for that. Overall nothing special. 2/5
Nico
3/5
Starts much better than it ends. The second half is certainly keeping this for being elite. 3.5/5
David Bowie
4/5
This is just a great "album" listen. The sum is definitely greater than its parts. I can see why it is so influential. 4/5
Pavement
5/5
Didn't need to listen, as these songs are pretty much imprinted on my soul. Such an amazing album by one of my all time favorite bands. 5/5
Blur
4/5
Fun album. The highs are super high...but this album suffers from the same issue I find with all other Blur albums. A below avg. Blur song just really blows IMO. That being said, this is probably the best Blur has to offer beginning to end. 3.5/5
Booker T. & The MG's
4/5
Great album...exactly what I expected it to be which was just a solid jazzy album. 3.5/5
TV On The Radio
2/5
Really disappointing. Probably the most overrated of the early aughts indie bands. 2/5
Gary Numan
4/5
Better than I anticipated. Really cool vibe...not a huge fan of his voice, but I get over it with how much the rest is amazing. 4/5
Bad Brains
3/5
Liked it better than I anticipated, but still was looking forward to it being over by the end. Definitely an interesting sound. 3/5
Todd Rundgren
4/5
What a funky album! Couldn't have been any different than his previous album. All that being said, I rather enjoyed it for what it is. Makes me want to dig into more...I really enjoyed his medley. 3.5/5
Public Image Ltd.
4/5
I liked it! Almost better than the Sex Pistols. Can't wait for more to show up in the future. As someone who wasn't around during this time, it blows my mind that John Lydon went to such a wildly different sound in such a short period of time. 3.5/5
Venom
1/5
Not a good album. I just can't do metal like this. 1/5
Serge Gainsbourg
3/5
Way different than anything I normally listen to. I kind of wish I could have understood the sing/speak that was going on, but from what I have read I doubt I really want to. 3.5/5
Sonic Youth
4/5
Easily the best Sonic Youth album...really like this one as a full album listen. The title track is also a top 2 SY song. 4.5/5
Jefferson Airplane
2/5
A little surprised by the sound...a little less psycadelic than I anticipated. That probably isn't a good thing when it comes to JA. 2/5
2/5
Not quite sure why this album made the list. I feel it was almost the definition of average in every way. 2/5
Christina Aguilera
1/5
Such a long and terrible album....honestly nothing redeeming about it. 1/5
Mekons
3/5
Really kind of fun...a type of music that is right up my alley. Still didn't quite love it. 3.5/5
Robert Wyatt
2/5
New to me...probably never again. 2/5
Bee Gees
1/5
Bleh...disco bee gees are the only Bee Gees I recognize. 1.5/5
Jacques Brel
3/5
Had never listened before...pretty solid. Would 100% listen again. 3.5/5
Ms. Dynamite
1/5
Just super lame R&B...was hoping for more grime sound. 1/5
The Thrills
3/5
Wanted to like this more than I did. The guys voice is a bit polarizing I imagine. 2.5/5
Calexico
3/5
Had never heard their solo stuff...just to collab with Iron & Wine. Didn't hate, but it didn't really impress me much either...seemed just there. 3/5
Richard Thompson
4/5
Another new one to me. Definitely better than most. I like all the different styles present. 3.5/5
Nirvana
5/5
Such an iconic album. One of the first I ever purchased on my own and really helped me gain a full appreciation for Nirvana. 5/5
Goldie
2/5
Ok...but WAY too long. I am a decently large EDM type music fan, especially from this era, but Drum N Bass was never really my thing. 2/5
R.E.M.
4/5
Not the best REM album, but still one that I enjoy listening to. 3.5/5
Faust
2/5
Krautrock...something I soooo wish I enjoyed more than I do. I feel like it would open up a whole slew to clever & cool bands that I could spend years exploring. Instead it typically falls flat like this one did. 2/5
The Undertones
4/5
Pretty cool album...fun punkish sound. Really lighthearted that works well. 4/5
Air
3/5
Classic chill album...but one that you 100% have to be in the right mood for. All vibes. 3.5/5
Megadeth
1/5
If I had to listen to Megadeth I suppose I would want to listen to this album. But it still was terrible. 1.5/5
Mike Oldfield
4/5
So much potential, but I think it ultimately fails to live up to it. While I enjoyed it I would much rather listen to modern electronic music or even classical. 3.5/5
The Mothers Of Invention
1/5
Low key really dislike this album. Just too out there (and I like weird music)...and the vocal delivery kind of annoys me. 1.5/5
Led Zeppelin
4/5
Honestly maybe the most underrated (by me) Zeppelin album. Really solid end to end...not many LZ albums that don't have a few duds. 4.5/5
50 Cent
4/5
Some bangers....but a lot of filler too. In Da Club is just too good to keep it that low though. 3.5/5
Super Furry Animals
4/5
Kind of a fun album...maybe on the upper tear as far as brit pop type albums goes. 3.5/5
Anthrax
3/5
So much better than I anticipated...might be my favorite thrash album I have ever heard. Catchy choruses and great driving riffs. 3/5
ABBA
2/5
Ok for what it is...i'm just not a huge ABBA fan. 2/5
D'Angelo
2/5
Neo Soul ain't my thing...I honestly wish I liked it more. 2/5
Yes
3/5
Classic of prog...Roundabout is such a great song. The rest I can take or leave, don't really move me much. 3/5
Fun Lovin' Criminals
3/5
Very surprisingly solid. One album that I was shocked to find on this list, as it didn't have that much of a cultural impact in the states. But definitely more than the single. 3/5
Blue Cheer
2/5
just meh...don't really enjoy proto metal all that much. This is basically more of the same. 1.5/5
The Jesus And Mary Chain
3/5
Dig it, but most of the songs sound very similar. 3.5/5
Merle Haggard
3/5
Decent country...of the type I like decently well. 2.5/5
Kings of Leon
2/5
Kind of blah...never could really get into them. 2/5
Public Enemy
4/5
I really need to listen to more Public Enemy! Such energy and style...I can understand why they are such an important artist. 4.5/5
The Style Council
1/5
Really bad. Nothing that really appeals to me at all. 1/5
The Flaming Lips
4/5
Probably my favorite Flaming Lips album...just so strange. Love it. 4.5/5
Alexander 'Skip' Spence
2/5
Nothing I had ever heard of before...very different. Not sure I buy how influential it is though...may need another couple of listens. 2.5/5
Janet Jackson
4/5
Pretty great...have been sleeping on this album since it predated my music listening by a year or two. Would 100% come back to it. 4.5/5
Goldfrapp
2/5
Just average...mayhaps a bit too slow. 2/5
Queens of the Stone Age
2/5
Decent, but way too long. Just could never really get into QOTSA. 2.5/5
T. Rex
4/5
Yet again T. Rex surprises me with how great it is. Just a fun vibe and sound over the whole album . 4/5
Van Morrison
4/5
Van Morrison...who knew he was this good? Not I...I had pretty much despised Brown Eyed Girl and refused to give other songs listens in the past, but the dude is just great. 4/5
Roni Size
1/5
For the most part I really enjoy electronic music of this era, but this one is 100% NOT one of those. Nothing but rapid drums beats for a LONG time. 1/5
Ash
3/5
A Britpop band that I hadn't heard much of before...definitely on the harder side of britpop. Decent enough overall.
Eric Clapton
2/5
Just ok...not a huge clapton dude. 1.5/5
Dagmar Krause
1/5
As musical I would listen for enjoyment...straight 1/5 and absolutely terrible. As a historic artifact that offers an interesting view into the mindset of a Soviet republic I found it fascinating.
Coldcut
1/5
Better than some bland dance music...but just barely. 1.5/5
Mj Cole
1/5
More sterile and unremarkable dance music. Hard to be really excited about this stuff. 1/5
3/5
Decent...not my favorite protopunk (much prefer the Stooges) but can understand the influence. 3/5
The 13th Floor Elevators
2/5
Interesting...the electric jug behind all the songs was semi distracting/annoying. Outside of that I am a decent fan. 2.5/5
Dinosaur Jr.
4/5
Solid classic indie album, but one that I think it is slightly overrated. Some good songs, but J. Mascias's voice wears on me after a while. 3.5/5
Culture Club
3/5
A bit catchier than I expected. 2.5/5
The Pretty Things
3/5
Surprisingly great. Another that was completely new to me that I rather enjoyed. 3.5/5
Mariah Carey
2/5
Mariah Carey is one of my favorite pop stars, but this album isn't the one for me. Maybe the worst of her 90s output. 2/5
The Byrds
2/5
Pretty lame Byrds offering. Nothing special at all. 2/5
Parliament
4/5
Really enjoy Parliament. Great album, great band. Just really fun music. 3.5/5
G. Love & Special Sauce
1/5
Don't love G. Love. Always felt it was super overrated...this listen backed that up. 1.5/5
The Sensational Alex Harvey Band
2/5
Really, really wild. Had just heard of Alex Harvey for the first time on a recent podcast. Just super wild and on the strange side of glam. Nothing that I would prefer to come back to though. 2/5
Buzzcocks
3/5
Pretty typical early punk. Decent, catchy, but ultimately nothing special. 2.5/5
Arctic Monkeys
2/5
One of the MOST overrated indie albums ever. Decent, but not AOTY status like it was hyped at the time. 2/5
Death In Vegas
2/5
More mid techno. 2.5/5
The Libertines
3/5
Another that I feel I should like more than I do. Honestly prefer the follow up album to this one. 3/5
Depeche Mode
5/5
Love Depeche Mode...this album is all killer no filler. 4.5/5
Prince
4/5
Not a perfect album, but one that is still pretty amazing. 4.5/5
The Streets
2/5
I just don't get The Streets...I try and try, but it just always falls really flat for me. 2/5
Khaled
3/5
Love the international sounds that get included on this list...really expands my repertoire. This was another that pleasantly surprised me . 3/5
Funkadelic
4/5
Pretty amazing. Had heard a little in the past but didn't expect to like the full album as much as I did. 4.5/5
Afrika Bambaataa
3/5
Solid, fun, but ultimately needs a little more diversity of sound. 3.5/5
Radiohead
5/5
Might be the most underrated Radiohead album. Back half has some of my favorite tunes. Such an amazing run. 5/5
Air
4/5
Solid soundtrack to a solid movie. The actual songs are top notch...the background stuff is a straight vibe. 4/5
Slipknot
1/5
Yeah...Slipknot just isn't my jam. 1.5/5
Django Django
4/5
Really different sound, but one that is great. Had listened before, but not as active as this time around and I really enjoyed it. 4/5
The Cult
1/5
Dumb butt rock...other older Cult much better. Couldn't wait for it to finish. 1.5/5
Pixies
5/5
Some of my favorite Pixies songs. Absolutely classic. River Euphrates, Bone Machine, Gigantic. Bangs Bangs Bangs. 5/5
Stan Getz
2/5
Nothing special, but decent background music. 2/5
The Go-Betweens
2/5
Nothing to write home about. 2/5
Aerosmith
3/5
Not my favorite Aerosmith, but has some catchy tunes. 2.5/5
Dennis Wilson
2/5
Not sure why this album is considered such a cult classic...nothing special about it at all. Probably the 3rd time I have given it a go in my life. 2/5
Sepultura
2/5
Not usually my jam, but have always been intrigued by the native Brazilian elements that they include in the music. 2.5/5
Gorillaz
3/5
Much better than I anticipated (and I may even own this album). I really don't like Clint Eastwood...super overrated imo, but the rest of the album "filler" was surprisingly engaging. 3/5
Sufjan Stevens
5/5
Such an insanely brilliant album. Thinking that Sufjan could easily be a classical composer if he wanted to...the arrangements are that amazing. Biggest highlights are Come On! Feel the Illinoise, Predatory Wasps, Casimir Pulaski. This album has been such a huge part of my life for so long...such a shame he abandoned the 50 States project. Would be amazing to have an Indiana entry. 6/5
Leonard Cohen
1/5
LC just doesn't do it for me. Every song is the same...not sure why he (and Tom Waits) is someone I just can't get into. 1.5/5
The Psychedelic Furs
4/5
Great album! Not one I had listened to previously, but I am sure I will come back to it again. Hidden gem. 4/5
Spiritualized
2/5
I love shoegaze & dreampop, but that was about he most boring version. Lazer Guided Mediocrity is more like it. 2/5
Madness
3/5
Decent (at least what I was able to cobble together from Spotify). 3/5
Nanci Griffith
4/5
Hidden gem perhaps? I liked it far more than I anticipated. My kind of country. 3.5/5
Funkadelic
3/5
Funky! But the filler is forgettable. 2.5/5
U2
4/5
Classic...not the best front to back but has a lot of amazing songs. 4.5/5
Genesis
1/5
Wow...I don't hate prog, but this was a slog. It went way to long, and I didn't love the songs. Was thankful when it was done and I am rating this a one. 1/5
Buck Owens
3/5
Solid...I kind of enjoy this type of country...reminds me of my grandfather. 3/5
The Cure
5/5
Top tier album, although maybe not the Cure's best. Still love it end to end though. 5/5
The Young Gods
1/5
Not good. I don't love really like industrial generally, and this is even really bad industrial. 1.5/5
Slade
3/5
Not to bad for a band I had never heard of. Glam Zeppelin. 3/5
Skepta
4/5
Love grime. Love Skepta. Great production. 4/5
The Byrds
4/5
Pretty great. Probably sleeping on the Byrds a little. Don’t love MTM but the rest was enjoyable. 3.5/5
Bert Jansch
3/5
Decent folk, but nothing spectacular. 3/5
Simon & Garfunkel
4/5
Mrs Robinson is super overrrated, but still a solid album. America is amazing. 3.5/5
Everything But The Girl
2/5
Not sure why EBTG gets two entries on this list. Similar to the first, this was completely average (maybe even slightly below). 2/5
Joan Baez
2/5
Not sure why she was such a counter cultural icon. The music was nothing special...just average traditional folk. 1.5/5
The Young Rascals
3/5
A little bit more than just Groovin'. Enjoyed. 3/5
Thelonious Monk
4/5
One of the better jazz albums we have listened to on this journey. Would 100% return to more Monk. 3.5/5
Bill Callahan
4/5
Awesome album. Liked it far more than I remembered from past listens. 4.5/5
Sugar
4/5
This is an album I think I would have been all over as a 13-14 year old...not sure why it missed my radar at the time. Seems like it made a bigger impact in the UK than the US. Doesn't sound much like Husker Du at all, but I think that is a good thing in this case. 4/5
Big Star
2/5
Not the best big star...I really like the earlier stuff but could pass on most of this. 2/5
Pet Shop Boys
2/5
Fine...not sure I would ever relisten. Just a big blah. 1.5/5
The Who
1/5
Terrible...just can't abide the Who. 1.5/5
The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion
1/5
More like Jon Spencer Blows Explosion. 1.5/5
The Zutons
2/5
Unique use of the sax in a non-ska setting. Unfortunately it doesn't really hold my interest all that much. I just chalk up the Zutons at the end of of a long list of anonymous early to mid aughts rock bands (Klaxons, The Bravery, etc.) 2/5
Christina Aguilera
1/5
Now I don't consider myself a huge poptimist, but I don't hate that type of music either. This one was just a complete slog though...Dirrty about the only redeeming factor. 1.5/5
M.I.A.
3/5
Despite owning this album from release, I think this is my first full listen. Overall ok, but nothing amazing. Really benefits from the production. 3/5
Missy Elliott
1/5
The Rain = one of the most overrated songs of my youth. I continue to hear it heralded as a visonary amazingly piece, but I can't stand it. The rest of it is just blah as well. 1.5/5
Astrud Gilberto
3/5
Good vibes...not the best but a worthwhile listen. 3/5
Justin Timberlake
4/5
Some real bangers. Not 100% quality front to back but a worthy listen. 3.5/5
Pere Ubu
2/5
Definitely Avant Garde, but a decent album regardless. Probably nothing I would return to but I could understand its influence. 2.5/5
Bob Marley & The Wailers
4/5
Never can really go wrong with Bob Marley. While the songs aren't all that diverse, such a great vibe...always feels sunny. 3.5/5
Herbie Hancock
3/5
Not my jam typically, but it is at least listenable. I will say the cover is absolutely AMAZING. 3/5
Blondie
4/5
Pretty solid end to end. Not a huge fan of the biggest blondie hits (maybe because I have heard them too much) but the rest of the album was of really high quality. 4/5
Bruce Springsteen
4/5
Great album. Really enjoy the singles, but the rest of the album is worthy as well. Listening to it reminded me that "Dancing in the Dark" was maybe my first favorite song growing up. Distinctly remember hearing it on the radio on my way to and at Preschool. 4/5
Lenny Kravitz
3/5
Surprised this was the album out of the potential LK albums they could feature that shows up here. Overall just average. 3/5
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
2/5
Might be the worst Neil Young album I have listened to. Can definitely see how influential he was on the grunge movement, but this just wasn't all that great. 2/5
Ray Charles
2/5
A bit to adult contemporary for me...I like the more upbeat Ray Charles. 1.5/5
Ian Dury
2/5
Definitely on the weirder side. Not someone I had ever heard of before. I had much higher hope based on the premise but it ultimately fell flat with me. 2/5
Miles Davis
3/5
Great jazz album. Wouldn't have minded listening longer. 3.5/5
Crowded House
2/5
Not sure why this CH album was so heralded...seems like filler music. Wasn't bad, but certainly didn't strike me as something I would have ever considered buying at the time of release. 2/5
Circle Jerks
3/5
Solid classic punk album, but nothing special compared to others of it's era. 3/5
Ice Cube
4/5
Great album. Today was a good day is an all time fav of mine. Doesn't quite hold up to the other West Coast classics of that era though. 4/5
1/5
Meh. Pretty forgettable. 1.5/5
Coldplay
5/5
Great album. Early Coldplay is just so good. Yellow was basically the soundtrack to my freshman year of college. 5/5
Adam & The Ants
3/5
Much better than I expected. Pretty funky. 3/5
Abdullah Ibrahim
1/5
Maybe the most unremarkable jazz album yet. 1/5
Tortoise
3/5
I really enjoy this kind of rock/jazz fusion "post-rock" sound. However, this isn't my favorite Tortoise material by far. Overall a worthy listen but doubtful it would be returned to. 3.5/5
4/5
One of the better Dylan albums we have listened to on this list. Great second side with the full band (outside of Like a Rolling Stone). Can appreciate the live energy. 4/5
Ray Price
1/5
Pretty awful...I almost dislike this type of country more than modern popcountry. 1/5
The Byrds
4/5
Solid album...really enjoy the move to country rock. 3.5/5
Eels
4/5
I continually forget how underrated the Eels are. Really solid album from front to back. 4/5
LTJ Bukem
2/5
Not my type of techno. 2/5
David Ackles
1/5
Seems somewhat influential on modern chamber pop, but still didn't care for it at all. 1.5/5
Fugees
2/5
Nothing near the seminal album it is portrayed as. It has some decent moments, but most of it is forgettable. Just never fully understood the appeal. 1.5/5
1/5
Yeah...as much as I would like XTC just doesn't do it for me. Would rather have that hour of listening back. 1.5/5
The Who
4/5
Generally don't love The Who, but considering this has what are likely my two favorite Who songs (Baba O'Riley and Won't get Fooled Again) I think I have to rate it relatively high. 4/5
Wu-Tang Clan
5/5
Pretty solid album. Not my fav WuTang but still a worthwhile listen. 4.5/5
Paul McCartney
2/5
Surprisingly bleh album. Maybe Im Amazed is an all time classic, but a lot of the other numbers just seemed like goof off filler. 2.5/5
X-Ray Spex
2/5
One in many proto punk albums that I am sure was far more groundbreaking at the time, but just falls a bit flat today. 2/5
Tom Tom Club
4/5
Love Tom Tom Club. Still crazy to me that a goofy side project maybe produced the most notable song of the Talking Heads universe. Such a talented group to do this without Byrne. 4/5
Nightmares On Wax
2/5
Ok...a little long and repetitive. Doubt I return. 2/5
Hüsker Dü
2/5
I really want to love Husker Du, but each time I listen it just doesn't speak to me the same way The Replacements or other contemporaries do. This one is even below average for what I have heard. 2.5/5
Gene Clark
4/5
Rather liked this one. Shocked that it didn't register much with audiences at the time. Just a smooth, easy listen with a great vibe. 4/5
Sarah Vaughan
4/5
Better than I expected. Easy/fun listen. Would have been a blast to be there. 3.5/5
Kendrick Lamar
5/5
Probably my favorite rap album of all time. Such an amazing track list that tells a pretty incredible story. 5/5
Björk
3/5
How many times have I really wanted to like Bjork...more than I can remember for sure. While this album is perfectly fine, it doesn't really strike me as being all important the way it is typically revered. 3/5
Pet Shop Boys
3/5
about like every other Pet Shop Boys album. 2.5/5
Lucinda Williams
3/5
my kind of country. solid album end to end. 3.5/5
Beatles
5/5
Amazing album. #3 on my personal list of Beatles albums. My first favorite Beatles song was "In My Life"...such a great song. 5/5
Dinosaur Jr.
2/5
Dino Jr...a band I should probably love that I just don't connect with. This is a below avg. offering from their catalogue as well. 2/5
David Bowie
4/5
Great Bowie album...just a fun soulful vibe through out the whole thing. Young Americans the song is a super underrated piece in his entire catalogue. 4/5
Spiritualized
4/5
It is fine for what it is. Did drag on a little bit at times but I didn't hate it. 3.5/5
The Smiths
5/5
Love the Smiths. This isn't their best album at all, but still a stone cold classic. 4.5/5
Jack White
3/5
Hadn't ever listened to JW solo stuff that much. About what I expected. A decent sound but not all that long term listenable for me. 2.5/5
The Last Shadow Puppets
1/5
Hot garbage. The arctic monkeys are pretty bad in their own right…this just seems like a contrived take on their sound. So happy it was only 35 mins. 1.5/5
Meat Loaf
3/5
Fun one. I think I like part two better but overall this is a solid album. 3/5
Nick Drake
5/5
Quite good. Like this even better than Pink Moon. 4.5/5
Dire Straits
4/5
Better than I expected. Pretty well produced strong 80's sound. Mark Knopfler is a pretty impressive dude. 3.5/5
Snoop Dogg
5/5
One of my favorite rap albums of all time. Solid 5/5
Miriam Makeba
4/5
What a great album. Finding out the "Day-O" song was a South African song was a treat. Would 100% listen again. 4/5
Napalm Death
1/5
Just awful. 1/5
Fairport Convention
2/5
Nothing particularly remarkable. 2/5
Iron Maiden
1/5
Not my cup of tea. I suppose it is ok for what it is, but there is so much more I would prefer to listen to. 1.5/5
The Shamen
2/5
Below average Electronica...albums like this really seem of a certain time and place and if you weren't there is just doesn't seem as relevant. 2/5
Al Green
4/5
Awesome. Love Al Green. 4/5
Malcolm McLaren
3/5
Side A rules...Side B slows just a bit. Overall a worthy listen. 3.5/5
Beyoncé
1/5
Sucked.
OutKast
3/5
LONG album. Speakerboxxx is the superior part, but in general this is a below-average OutKast offering. 3.5/5
Bon Jovi
3/5
Lots of bangers on here, if that is your speed. So much has been overplayed though...I wonder if that impacts my rating. 3.5/5
10cc
2/5
Such a strange album. Sounds like a Avant Garde Queen. 2/5
Giant Sand
2/5
The very definition of unremarkable. Don't really recall a single redeeming thing about the listen. 1.5/5
The Specials
4/5
Awesome album. So influential on future ska artists. 4/5
Miles Davis
2/5
Probably the least remarkable Miles Davis we have listened to on this list so far. 2/5
Traffic
1/5
Really surprised an album like this would make the list. There are others I didn't like, but that was more genre preference. This is the type of music that would be up my alley, but it was just boring. 1.5/5
Tim Buckley
1/5
So bad...this type of folk just doesn't do it for me. Seemed liked Medieval lute cospplay with no talent at times. 1.5/5
Robert Wyatt
2/5
Not my cup of tea. Little too avant garde. 1.5/5
Ride
3/5
Solid...in general I love shoegaze. Not sure this really fits my idea as a pillar of the genre though. 3.5/5
The Jesus And Mary Chain
4/5
Great album. Better than the last JMC album we listened to. I think I have been sleeping on them a bit in my regular listening...will have to come back. 4.5/5
Madonna
4/5
Better than anticipated. Madonna is a huge talent. Hard to not like her music if you have any appreciation for 80s pop. Cherish is by far my fav. 3.5/5
Os Mutantes
2/5
Such a strange album. Never would have imagined such a blend of psychadelic and latin. 2/5
Aphex Twin
5/5
Classic album. While I am a bigger fan of Selected Works II, this one is still a great listen from time to time. 4.5/5
The Rolling Stones
2/5
Early Stones aint the best Stones. 2/5
Einstürzende Neubauten
1/5
Quite possibly the worst album I have listened to on the list so far. Grating. -1/5
Christine and the Queens
2/5
Fine. 2.5/5
The Isley Brothers
4/5
Isley Bros are pretty solid. That Lady is such an amazing song, and I rather enjoyed the rest of the album. 4/5
Barry Adamson
2/5
Ok as background music. Some of it was a bit much. 2/5
Adele
2/5
Not a big Adele person...I suppose it is ok for what it is. 2/5
Incubus
3/5
Better than I remembered it being. 3/5
Echo And The Bunnymen
3/5
Feel like Echo and the Bunnymen are a little slept on. Definitely a strong Joy Division sound...which is fascinating given how contemporary they were to one another. 3.5/5
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
2/5
Not a huge Indie Sleeze fan...this fits right in there. Some highlights, but not enough to offset the mundanity. 2.5/5
Scott Walker
1/5
Such a weird album...especially for the time. Not really a fan however. 1.5/5
Black Sabbath
3/5
Much better than I anticipated. I think later Ozzy probably colored a more negative opinion than would be deserved. 3/5
The Good, The Bad & The Queen
2/5
Really overrated offering from one of the more overrated contributors out there. Not a lot redeeming about this one. 2/5
Muddy Waters
2/5
Just classic (boring) delta blues. Not my cup of tea at all. 2/5
Rufus Wainwright
1/5
Man...I had a hard time with this one. Just not my cup of tea. 1.5/5
Franz Ferdinand
3/5
I feel this era of music is one of the weakest, and this album does nothing but back that up. Should be right in my wheelhouse yet I find it surprisingly lacking. 3/5
Jurassic 5
3/5
Solid...but not nearly as great as ATCQ and other similar sounding rap groups. 3/5
Blood, Sweat & Tears
4/5
Much better than I expected. Surprised on how jazzy it was, but it really worked for the album. 3.5/5
Madonna
2/5
Way below earlier Madonna output. 2/5
Traffic
3/5
Surpisingly decent. 3/5
Randy Newman
2/5
Randy is such an interesting cat...don't think there is any chance that an album like this gets made today (even if it is a concept album. 2/5
Belle & Sebastian
5/5
Love B&S. This album is up there as one of their best (if not the best). 5/5
The Velvet Underground
2/5
Really unremarkable offering from a band I have quite enjoyed in the past. Not sure this one deserves its placement. 2.5/5
Astor Piazzolla
3/5
Interesting. 3/5
Weather Report
2/5
Kind of a strange album. Not the best. 1.5/5
Black Flag
3/5
Pretty iconic as far as hardcore goes. I like a little more melodic music in general but still enjoy this for what it is. 3/5
Turbonegro
2/5
Such a strange album. Really not great. 1.5/5
Ministry
2/5
I can't really do the less poppy side of Industrial. 1.5/5
Carole King
4/5
Really great album. Such great songwriting. Can easily see why it is such a classic. 4/5
Billy Joel
4/5
Billy Joel was one of my first favs. Such range as an artist who just make excellent pop songs. 4.5/5
Ryan Adams
5/5
RA is one of my favorite all-time artists. This album starts out with on of my top 5 songs in his catalogue. I do think it suffers a bit from slowing down too much on the second staff, but it is still a killer in total. 5/5
The Dictators
3/5
Very interesting album. Can definitely see this album's influence on the future punk movement. 3/5
Duke Ellington
3/5
Just an average jazz album. Decent for background music. 2.5/5
Supergrass
3/5
Not as great as Coco, but interesting enough. 3/5
Morrissey
3/5
Better than I anticipated...had been a huge fan of Moz's solo work. Very political. 3/5
2/5
pretty strange. I remember trying to get into Liars in the past with no avail. Can understand why. 1.5/5
Portishead
4/5
Classic album. While I do appreciate it, there is something about it that limits it to getting into the upper echelon of elite albums for me. 4.5/5
Neneh Cherry
3/5
Solid...kind of fun album. Not one I had a lot of exposure to in the past. 3.5/5
White Denim
2/5
Strange album from a band I wasn't familiar with. Kind of a mash up between jam and psychedelia. Not my jam though...1.5/5
Destiny's Child
1/5
Can't stand this shit. Just not for me....I wish I had my 71 mins back. 1/5
Fugazi
4/5
I really enjoy Fugazi. Some of the songs are top notch. This album doesn't quite get into 5/5 territory though. 4.5/5
4/5
I need to listen to more Kinks! Enjoyable from start to finish. Great songsmanship and composition. 4/5
Silver Jews
4/5
Silver Jews...great band. Bigger into their early stuff than this later era, but still an solid album. 4/5
David Bowie
4/5
Love me some Bowie. Great album. 4/5
The Undertones
4/5
The second Undertones album...and another banger. How had I never heard of this band before? Dug it. 4/5
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
3/5
Maybe my best NC experience yet...maybe was just in the right mood. 3/5
Cowboy Junkies
2/5
Such a low key album. Solid for what it is. 2.5/5
Garbage
4/5
Big surprise on how much I liked it. Really disliked the hits from this album, but I supposed it suffered from over exposure. 4/5
The War On Drugs
5/5
Classic. 4.5/5
David Bowie
3/5
Typical Bowie. Good but not the greatest. 3/5
Kate Bush
2/5
Try as I might...just don't get Kate Bush. 2/5
Magazine
2/5
Remarkably unremarkable. I just listened in the last 24 hours and can't even recall much about it. 2/5
Radiohead
5/5
One of the best ever albums by one of the best ever bands. Not much more can be said. 5/5
The Everly Brothers
3/5
Per my ten year old "It is good. Not like good for today, but good for old music". 3/5
Cocteau Twins
4/5
Love CT. Not the best album but still a great vibe. 4/5
Simon & Garfunkel
3/5
Slightly overrated. But has my fav S&G song (only living boy). 3/5
Miles Davis
3/5
Decidedly average. 3/5
Genesis
2/5
Prog...might be a wee bit much prog on this list. 2/5
Badly Drawn Boy
3/5
Much better than I anticipated. I had bought a BDB album back in the early aughts (after reading great reviews) and found it unlistenable. This one was much better, although it tailed off at the end. 3.5/5
5/5
Might be a tad overrated as far as Beatles albums go, but still one of the all-time greats. A Day in a Life is my fav Beatles song, so it definitely has that going for it. 5/5
a-ha
3/5
Surprising depth from a one hit wonder. The faster songs were much more enjoyable than the ballads. 2.5/5
Elvis Presley
3/5
Best Elvis album on this list. Definitely like early era EP the best. 3/5
Siouxsie And The Banshees
2/5
I really appreciate music of this era (and atmosphere). That being said, this one didn't grab me as much as others have. 2/5
Soft Cell
3/5
Good to slightly great. A lot more to SC than Tainted Love. 3.5/5
Peter Tosh
2/5
Meh...might even be bleh. Unremarkable. 2/5
Brian Eno
4/5
Better than I anticipated. Can see why he is the GOAT. 3.5/5
The Velvet Underground
2/5
Certainly not the best VU album. Was slightly disappointed. 2.5/5
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
5/5
Great album! Nearly a perfect encapsulation of that era and sound. 4.5/5
4/5
Not the best Oasis album, but still a banger. 4.5/5
Stephen Stills
3/5
A little long, but still solid. Didn't have any standout songs. Length drops it 0.5 pts to 2.5/5.
Lou Reed
2/5
Pretty bad Lou album. I can see why this one was maligned at the time. 1.5/5
Dirty Projectors
2/5
Might be the most overrated album of the era. Should be right in my wheelhouse but I just can't get behind it. 1.5/5
Haircut 100
4/5
One of the better "new to me" new wave albums we have heard. Solid end to end with a really fun vibe. 4/5
Dolly Parton
3/5
Much better than I figured it would be. Solid listen. 3/5
Bee Gees
1/5
Disco Bee Gees are great....Trafalger BGs not so much. 1.5/5
Kraftwerk
4/5
Might be the best Werk. Interesting album. 3.5/5
Basement Jaxx
5/5
Classic of electronica...one of my most listened to albums of that era. First half definitely exceeds second, but all a fun listen. 5/5
Joanna Newsom
2/5
An album that should be right up my alley, but one I can't get behind no matter how many times I give it a try. This one just doesn't work for me. 1.5/5
James Brown
3/5
Definitely seems like a classic of the genre. Just not my favorite genre. 3/5
Holger Czukay
2/5
Interesting album, but not my fav. 2/5
New Order
5/5
Not the best new order album, but not their best is still outstanding. 4.5/5
Talking Heads
5/5
Love Talking Heads. Love this album. One of my favs. 5/5
Rufus Wainwright
1/5
Seriously! A second one...ugh. Just not an interesting listen at all. 1.5/5
The Kinks
3/5
Not as great as later era Kinks, but still a worth while listen. Waterloo fantastic. 3.5/5
1/5
I really don't like this band. Really annoy me. 1/5
The Pogues
5/5
I am always struck by how much I love this album. I might just be a sucker for banjo. Overall just really fun. 4.5/5
Joni Mitchell
4/5
Great album that has some real classics. However a little uneven. 4/5
The Dandy Warhols
4/5
Perhaps an underrated album. This band is certainly polarizing, but I did enjoy it for the most part. 3.5/5
Ali Farka Touré
2/5
Ok...semi sterile but decent for background music. 2.5/5
Incredible Bongo Band
5/5
So much fun! Just a cool album end to end. Love the drum beats. 4.5/5
John Grant
1/5
Insanely bad. Nothing redeeming about it whatsoever. 1/5
Echo And The Bunnymen
3/5
I went in expecting quite a bit more out of an E and the B-Men album. 3/5
Joy Division
5/5
One of my top albums of all time. Love it. 5/5
Richard Hawley
2/5
A little too slow/ballady for my tastes. 2/5
Burning Spear
3/5
One of the better Reggae albums we have listened to on this list so far. Enjoyed it quite a bit. 3.5/5
The Monkees
2/5
Subpar even by the Monkees standards. 1.5/5
Jamiroquai
3/5
Funky. Interesting. Overall pretty solid. 3.5/5
Soft Machine
1/5
Way to long. Better served as background music. 1.5/5
Syd Barrett
1/5
About what I expected...which is total crap. 1.5/5
Leonard Cohen
2/5
Better than other Cohen we have listened to, but he just doesn't do it for me much. 2/5
Soundgarden
4/5
I honestly don't remember this one being this good. Maybe I was too Nirvana centric at the time, but this one 1) absolutely holds up and 2) has some HUGE highlights. Really liked My Wave and Fell on Black Days. 4.5/5
Fleetwood Mac
2/5
Really unremarkable for a Fleetwood Mac album. Doesn't contain any of my favorite songs. 2.5/5
Ute Lemper
1/5
sucked. not my jam at all. 1.5/5
Morrissey
2/5
Decent Morrissey, but doesn't come close to Smiths level. 2/5
Crosby, Stills & Nash
3/5
Solid but not amazing. I like CS&N (probably prefer CSN&Y), but this is a below avg. offering. 3.5/5
Bruce Springsteen
4/5
Pretty solid album. Was my first Bruce album I bought in real time. Probably swayed by glowing Rolling Stone reviews. 3.5/5
Roxy Music
2/5
Nothing remarkable...I just don't get Roxy Music all that much. 2/5
Elton John
3/5
The singles are fun, the rest of the album seemed a little bloated. I think many of the songs suffered from being too long. 3/5
Stan Getz
3/5
Solid Jazz/Samba fusion. 3/5
Kanye West
4/5
I liked this better at the time than I do now on relisten. I think some of that may have to do with how Kayne has gone off the deep end in recent years.
However, it might still be my favorite Kanye album. 4/5
R.E.M.
4/5
I know this a classic in REM land, but I don't love it the same way I do their 80s output. Still solid though. 4/5
Donovan
3/5
Starts off strong, but fades at the end. 2.5/5
FKA twigs
2/5
I appreciate the production, but not something I would want to listen to regularly. 2.5/5
Ramones
5/5
Love the Ramones. Love this album. The sound and look that launched a million pop punk bands. 5/5
George Michael
2/5
Not the biggest George Michael fan. It was ok I suppose. 2/5
Michael Jackson
5/5
What more can be said about this absolute classic. I'm still amazed on the skill and ingenuity every tine I listen to it. 5/5
The Stone Roses
4/5
I adore the first two songs on this album. Feel the rest never quite lives up to that lofty promise. 4.5/5
Curtis Mayfield
3/5
Maybe a slightly disappointing listen given what I had previously heard of Mayfield, but overall pretty average for this list. 3/5
Tom Waits
1/5
WTF this shit is bad...why do I not get it? Tom Waits has to be one of the most overrated dudes of all time. 1/5
Laibach
1/5
I barely finished. That bad. 1/5
The KLF
3/5
Pretty solid for a band I had never heard of before. 3.5/5
Ice T
4/5
Like it far better than I expected going in. Surprised this one never hit my radar given the timing should have worked better for me as a youngin. 4/5
Madonna
2/5
Definitely like 80's or even early 90's Madonna better...the Euro pop M kinda sucks. 2/5
Tom Waits
2/5
Better than other Waits, but I would still prefer to never listen. 1.5/5
Brian Eno
4/5
A really great album! I can see a ton of influence it had on future bands (Talking Heads and LCD in particular). May need to review more old Eno. 4.5/5
Public Enemy
4/5
Everytime I listen to PE I feel there is more I should be listening to. Great beats, amazing lyrical content. Great stuff. 4.5/5
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
1/5
I just can't...I get it is supposed to be brilliant. But I can deal without this brilliance. 1/5
Marilyn Manson
2/5
Ok...not really a go-to anymore for me. Just to angry (and troubling). 2.5/5
Raekwon
3/5
Typical WuTang fare...as expected. 3/5
Neu!
3/5
Chill, kind of great thinking music. Hear a lot of modern music in this album. 3/5
Spacemen 3
2/5
Seems like it would be more my taste, but this one fell a bit flat. 2/5
Metallica
3/5
Usually not my cup of tea, but I tend to enjoy older Metallica. 3.5/5
Pentangle
2/5
Largely forgettable. 2/5
The Stooges
4/5
Love the Stooges, but this is by far their least impactful album. Still enjoy it quite a bit though, but it really lacks vs. Raw Power or Funhouse. 4.5/5
Patti Smith
2/5
Love CBGB era music, but Patti Smith ain't it for me. 2/5
Koffi Olomide
3/5
A little more latin sounding than I expected, but solid non-the-less. 3/5
The Beach Boys
5/5
Love the Beach Boys...this album has some of my all time favs. However, I think it is somewhat uneven which holds it back from true 5 rating. 4.5/5
Roxy Music
2/5
I like Eno....don't like Roxy Music all that much. It seems like it something I could get into, but it doesn't work for me. 1.5/5
Metallica
3/5
The first half is actually pretty strong...I surprisingly found myself enjoying it. Metallica can write surprisingly catchy tunes. 3.5/5
The Police
3/5
Not the best Police...earlier stuff is slightly more compelling for me. Still solid. 3.5/5
Joe Ely
2/5
Exactly what the title implies. Completely mediocre. 2.5/5
Talvin Singh
2/5
Meh...maybe I would have enjoyed back in my techno years but this was just mediocracy in audio form. 2/5
Fever Ray
3/5
Fever Ray is an interesting listen, but so dense and semi-difficult that it is never something I actively seek out. 3/5
John Lennon
3/5
Interesting that contemporary critics were largely negative on this one...I could see it, especially compared to late Beatles works. Overall it is a decent album though, but not spectacular. 3/5
Deee-Lite
2/5
Just typical late 80's early 90's house influenced dance music. Okay I suppose. 2/5
The Specials
2/5
Definitely not the best specials album. Nothing really all that impressive from a band that I rather like. 2/5
Iron Maiden
2/5
Don't really care for Maiden in general, but this is probably about as good as they get in my opinion. 2/5
Beck
4/5
Love Beck. This album was quite a change for me when it came out. Didn't appreciate it much at the time, but it has grown on me over time. 4/5
Willie Nelson
2/5
Meh...don't dislike WN, but uninspired covers don't really get me excited. 2/5
The xx
4/5
Probably the worst XX album, but that is still decent overall. 4/5
Dion
1/5
Not my jam...a little too boring. 1.5/5
Nina Simone
2/5
Honestly was a bit dissapointed, but this was ok as a whole. 2.5/5
Gotan Project
3/5
Never heard of this, but was really decent background music. Nothing I would turn to though. 3/5
Jerry Lee Lewis
3/5
Fun and iconic music. Think I would like studio versions better but overall solid. 3.5/5
Caetano Veloso
2/5
Nothing remarkable. I just listened and can't remember much about it. 1.5/5
Bonnie "Prince" Billy
3/5
I've always felt that this album should be right in my wheelhouse, but for whatever reason it always falls slightly flat. I think this is the first time I have been able to listen all the way through. It is decent, but I don't get all the hype. 3/5
Baaba Maal
3/5
Nice, chill, great sounding music. 3/5
Kings of Leon
3/5
I don't quite get the love for the Kings of Leon. It is a decent album, but nothing revolutionary. 3/5
Elastica
3/5
Interesting album...doesn't really fit into the Britpop cannon..definitely more on the "alternative" side of things. Decent though. 3.5/5
Frank Black
4/5
Really solid album...but not quite as good as Pixies. Headache is an alltime classic though. 4/5
The White Stripes
3/5
Ok as far as White Stripes albums go...probably better than their debut. But nothing I would every go to. Jack White is an enigma for me. 3/5
Tim Buckley
2/5
Can't do it Tim Buckley...you're just not for me. 1.5/5
Common
2/5
Common isn't one of my favs...don't completely understand his critical acclaim. 2/5
ZZ Top
4/5
Pretty cool album. Had more to it than just the biggest hits. 4/5
Meat Puppets
3/5
Interesting blend of noise and avant-country. Decent album but not surprised I never go into them the first time around. 3/5
MC Solaar
1/5
Only thing remotely interesting about this was that it was in French. Otherwise it would have just been a terrible sanitized 90s rap album. 1.5/5
Drive-By Truckers
3/5
Something that is right up my alley, but didn't grab me right away. Could be better with subsequent listens, but overall I think it was a little too bloated. 3.5/5
The Divine Comedy
1/5
Bleh...really nothing interesting about this at all. 1.5/5
The Beta Band
4/5
Solid. Beta band just rocks solid tunes. 3.5/5
Julian Cope
2/5
Nothing stands out in this album. Just there. 2.5/5
Elis Regina
1/5
Probably the worst latin music album we have listened to so far. Just sounded like bad bossa nova disco. 1.5/5
fIREHOSE
4/5
Big surprise on this one. Never heard of them, but being Mike Watts band I am not shocked I enjoyed it as well as I did. 4/5
Beatles
5/5
Uneven as far as Beatles albums go...still a worthwhile listen. Dear Prudence and Blackbird are highlights. 5/5
Pet Shop Boys
2/5
Synth Pop past it's prime. Nothing I would choose to listen to on my own, but not terrible. 2/5
John Coltrane
3/5
Jazz...just jazz. 3/5
Gillian Welch
4/5
Solid...subdued. Will look into more of her catalogue. 4/5
Beck
4/5
Much better than I remember. I may not have been as into Beck as I should have been when this came out. As a HUGE fan for Odelay, this definitely scratches that itch. Poor mans Odelay. 4/5
Led Zeppelin
5/5
A classic album...Stairway to Heaven was (as was typical) my intro to Zeppelin. Loved this album as a kid but realized it was surpassed by other Zep albums (namely Houses and III). Going to California is a fantastic song, and still get chuckles over the blatant LOTR references. 5/5
Minor Threat
3/5
Ok...the EP is better. And Fugazi is FAR better. 3/5
Dolly Parton
3/5
Solid old school country (which is far better than the new stuff) 2.5/5
Country Joe & The Fish
1/5
Psych just ain't my thing. I am sure if you were there this would have been the most amazing thing ever. 1.5/5
Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
5/5
Oh man...this one caught me off guard. I absolutely LOVED it. As a huge sucker for Banjo, this one really sunk its hooks into me. Will have to explore the others in this series. 5/5
Orbital
3/5
Back in my techno days I was really into Orbital. Hadn't done this one, but it was just on the ok/meh side. 3/5
The Rolling Stones
4/5
You can tell the Stones were a band in transition at the time of this album recording...not the most amazing work but still pretty solid. Foretold of things to come. 3.5/5
The Stooges
5/5
My favorite Stooges album by far. Just a wild, boozy vibe. Love it. 5/5
OutKast
4/5
OutKast is never a dull moment. BOB is such an amazing song and one which I have a ton of memories on. However, all their albums can be a little uneven at times and their whimsical side sometimes grates on me. 3.5/5
Peter Gabriel
3/5
This album seemed to be a great example of PG transitions from Prog to a more pop sound. Surprised by the solidness. 3/5
Donald Fagen
4/5
Love the Dan. Love Donald Fagan. Solid album that holds its own against any contemporary Steely Dan. 4/5
Britney Spears
3/5
Starts out with straight fire but really tails off on the 2nd half. 2.5/5
Kendrick Lamar
4/5
Kendrick is one of my favorite all time rappers. This album is a bit of an enigma for me though...I enjoy many parts of it, but overall I can't put it on the pantheon of other greats. 4.5/5
Marianne Faithfull
2/5
Mid...only interesting part was that you started to hear a lot of 80's type motifs despite the fact this was a late 70s album. 1.5/5
The Fall
4/5
The Fall...such a interesting (and influential) band. One that I have tried to listen to many times in the past, but the discography is a little intimidating. This was a decent entry as far as to what I have listened to in the past. 4/5
Oasis
5/5
Definitely (not maybe) the best Oasis album. However, I don't think it quite hits 5 status for me. I enjoy the album, but nearly every song (outside of Live Forever, which is god tier) is just on the "Much Better Than Average" tier, which I am not sure makes this elite. 4.5/5
The Coral
2/5
I am always surprised when I come across a late 90s to early 2000s Indie album from England that I haven't heard of on this list. But each time I a reminded of why that is...that era of music from the UK just doesn't resonate with me at all. So boring!! 2/5
Simply Red
1/5
Largely forgettable outside of the one song that charted in the US. Kind of boring though. 1.5/5
Sinead O'Connor
2/5
Not my cup of tea. I suppose it wasn't terrible. 1.5/5
Throbbing Gristle
1/5
Noise...just noise. I knew this would be difficult but it ended up mostly being just boring. 1/5
4/5
I had tried some PJ Harvey in the past and not really loved it, but this one clicked for me (not sure if it right place right time or what). I have always enjoyed the Thom Yorke duets but the whole album was solid end to end. 4/5
The Prodigy
3/5
I used to listen to music like this almost to a fault. The highlights are pretty high (Voodoo People is a killer jam) but a lot of it gets to long and too repetitive. 3.5/5
Peter Gabriel
3/5
A huge pop movement for Gabriel....in your eyes is such an amazing jam. love that one. Others are ok. 3/5
The Jam
3/5
Solid...sounds very of that era. Would listen to more but wasn't blown away. 3.5/5
Skunk Anansie
1/5
It wasn't unlistenable...it was just the most boring, AI generic sounding rock I have ever heard. Just terrible. 1/5
Paul Simon
3/5
Generic Paul Simon. Could have been Simon and Garfunkel. Ok I suppose. 2.5/5
Eurythmics
4/5
Like this one surprisingly well, especially given that I really don't care for Sweet Dreams. The rest of the album was pretty funky/weird and could have almost been a modern indie/electric type sound. 4/5
My Bloody Valentine
4/5
Loveless is an amazing album...MBV, long in the coming, was a solid follow up but not quite to the caliber of its predecessor. Overall a worthy listen though. 4.5/5
The Fall
4/5
So much of the music I love today obviously has roots in the fall. Also an interesting listen. 4/5
Happy Mondays
2/5
Don't really get the Mondays (or Baggy, if that is what this is). Consider me a Stone Roses guy. 2.5/5
Lana Del Rey
1/5
Not good. LDR ain't my jam. 1.5/5
Neil Young
4/5
NY just bringing the jams. This one is no exception. Good stuff. 4/5
Red Snapper
1/5
Sterile and semi-boring. Don't remember a ton about it. 1.5/5
Deep Purple
2/5
Meh...pretty lame actually. 1.5/5
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
2/5
Basically just unremarkable Elvis Costello. 2/5
Girls Against Boys
3/5
Liked this better than I expected. I remember them from the Clerks soundtrack. 3/5
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
2/5
Just don't really do Nick Cave all that well. Was a little repetitive. 2/5
Klaxons
2/5
I'm like 0/eleventy on liking Indie Rock bands from England in the Aughts on this list. Just not my thing. 2/5
Boards of Canada
5/5
Maybe the perfect work album. Have enjoyed this one for a quite a long time. 4.5/5
Deep Purple
2/5
Guitar Solos. Drum Solos. Guitar Solos performed by the singer using his voice. This album has it all. Except what it take to keep my attention. 1.5/5
Minutemen
4/5
So influential. Some really solid highlights but not one I really seek out for cover to cover listening. 3.5/5
Elton John
2/5
Not the best John. Tiny Dancer is a jam but the rest was a little hohum. 2.5/5
TLC
4/5
Better than you would initially think. Love Red Light Special. Waterfalls is a bit overplayed, but overall a pretty solid album. 3.5/5
The Beta Band
3/5
Typical BB. Ok. Maybe a little on the weaker side. 2.5/5
Scritti Politti
1/5
Double meh. Even the hits were unremarkable. 1/5
Sigur Rós
5/5
Classic. Such amazing atmosphere. Have listened to this one a ton over my lifetime. 5/5
Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan
2/5
LONG...I suppose it is ok. Nothing I would ever choose to listen to however. 1.5/5
Led Zeppelin
4/5
Not the best Zep, but still solid. I would put this as maybe my 4th or 5th favorite album, but certainly better than II. 4/5
Antony and the Johnsons
1/5
I have tried to listen to this album a few times, but never got through it. Finally did this time, and it was pretty much as I remember. Not my style at all. 1.5/5
The Darkness
5/5
Such a fun album. Justin Hawkins has a way to encapsulating everything that is awesome about this type of music, and has amazing musicianship to go along with it. 4.5/5
Björk
1/5
In general I'm good with Bjork...this album doesn't do it for me though. Too out there. 1/5
Cream
2/5
Basically what you'd expect it to be, which is just blah. 1.5/5
Grateful Dead
4/5
I remember trying to get into the Dead when I was in middle/high school. This album was one that I dove into. I didn't really care for it much at the time...but now that I am older the country rock sounds resonate a bit more, and I appreciated it for more than just the "hits". 4/5
The Divine Comedy
1/5
Shocked there are two Divine Comedy albums on this list...must have hit harder in the UK. Nothing I would ever choose to listen to. 1.5/5
The Black Keys
2/5
Older Black Keys is at least interesting...this stuff is just sterile crap. 1.5/5
Curtis Mayfield
3/5
First time I have ever listened to this complete album. Decent overall, but nothing in there is as memorable as Movin on Up. Still solid. 3.5/5
The Human League
3/5
Love Don't You Want Me. The rest of the album is less catchy but similar vibey/sounding songs. Nothing bad. Nothing particularly amazing either. 2.5/5
New Order
4/5
Not the best New Order, but any New Order is better than most. 4.5/5
Terence Trent D'Arby
2/5
Meh...just a load of meh. 1.5/5
Shack
3/5
Had never heard of this one, and was pleasantly surprised. Not quite gripping enough to get to elite territory however. 3.5/5
LCD Soundsystem
4/5
Big LCD fan...hadn't listened to this album but since the year it came out. Surprised by how good I found it this listen...it holds up well against the previous two monumental albums. 4.5/5
Saint Etienne
4/5
Enjoyed this far more than I expected. Great vibe. 4/5
Prince
3/5
This type of Prince just doesn't resonate with me as much as I would hope it to. Maybe I need to give it more listens. 2.5/5
CHVRCHES
3/5
Fine for what it is...never a huge fan of this sound. 3/5
Marvin Gaye
5/5
Pretty amazing album. Love how it is so melodic and lush and at the same time tries to be a little politically confrontational. A true classic. 4.5/5
Gram Parsons
3/5
Solid Parsons, although a little on the slower side. Like the addition of Emmylou. 3/5
The Louvin Brothers
3/5
Needs some banjo to really speak to me. Ok though. 2.5/5
Led Zeppelin
4/5
Classic Zeppelin, but probably the weakest of their early albums. Still has some absolutely heaters...Ramble On is a personal fav. 4.5/5
My Bloody Valentine
4/5
Despite my being a pretty big MBV fan, this was my first time listening to the debut all the way through. Definitely not as good as Loveless but still solid end to end. 4/5
A Tribe Called Quest
5/5
Love Tribe. Love this album. The first rap group I ever really fell in love with and still a great listen whenever I go to them to this day. 4.5/5
Primal Scream
3/5
Never really got into Primal Scream. Seems like it should be in my wheelhouse, but it doesn't resonate with me the same as some of their contemporaries. This was fine overall though. 3/5
Manic Street Preachers
4/5
I had tried to get into MSP in the past with less success than what I had with this album. Maybe I was just need to go to the earlier stuff? Pretty solid all around...a little harder than their contemporaries. 4/5
Black Sabbath
2/5
Sabbath...the most influential band (and album) that I just ain't into. It's fine for what it is but it never really works for me. 2.5/5
Flamin' Groovies
3/5
Wild that I had never heard of these guys. Almost Rolling Stonesesque...fun listen. 3.5/5
Muddy Waters
2/5
Just Blues. Live Blues at that. Blues isn't my jam. 2/5
Björk
3/5
Might be my favorite Bjork on this list. A good blend of older songmanship and electronic sounds. 3.5/5
Dexys Midnight Runners
1/5
Way different from the other Dexys material I have heard. Not a fan. To mundane. 1.5/5
Steely Dan
4/5
All Dan is great, but not all Dan is created equal. This is certainly overshadowed by Aja and other late period masterpieces, but still a great album in itself. 4/5
The Cure
4/5
Solid cure album. Dark and moody. No real standouts or bangers, just great atmosphere. 4/5
Pretenders
3/5
Enjoyable. Had heard a few of the songs in the past but this was pretty solid end to end. 3.5/5
Steve Earle
3/5
Have always enjoyed myself some Earle. His Transcendental Blues might be the first pseudo-country album I ever purchased. This was another great entry into his catalogue, but relatively typical. Nothing amazing, just super solid. 3.5/5
Hookworms
5/5
Love this album, but had largely forgotten it. It was my #1 back in 2018 (not a great year for albums). So great front to back...a true no skips. 5/5
The Flying Burrito Brothers
2/5
Parsons should be a must for me, but this stuff never really speaks to me the way I would expect. It is just ok. 2.5/5
Nick Drake
2/5
Worst Nick Drake. I was pleasantly surprised by Byrer Later...opposite on this one. 2/5
Digital Underground
2/5
Hasn’t aged as well as other rap albums of the era. A little too long a well 2.5/5
Joy Division
4/5
Nowhere near the album unknown pleasures is, but still a worthy listen. However, as a big Joy Division fan I almost never go back to this one. 4/5
John Martyn
3/5
Really weird album for the late 70s. Had never heard of this dude before, but it almost sounded like it could be contemporary to today. It didn't amaze me though, but was solid. 3/5
Wilco
5/5
The one that started it all. I was a fan of Wilco before this album, but this one set me down a path toward them becoming what today is likely my favorite band. Such an interesting back story. So many interesting sounds. Just a labor of love (and hate) that ended in a masterpiece. 5/5
Fred Neil
2/5
Pretty blah. Folk type singer songwriter can work for me, but Fred Neil cannot. 1.5/5
Jean-Michel Jarre
2/5
Really nothing special. Not a 1, cause that is just for the vile crap, but nothing beyond. 1.5/5
The Fall
4/5
The Fall...every time I listen I hear so many of the contemporary bands that I love. Massive influence. Mark E. Smith has such an amazing delivery. 4/5
Sebadoh
3/5
Sebadoh has been an enigma for me...absolutely a band I should love (probably more than Dino Jr.) but one that continues to elude me. This album was no different. Very much a GbV formula that falls a little flat. 2.5/5
Heaven 17
2/5
Had promise, but really tailed off as the album wore on. Nothing I would ever return to. 1.5/5
Keith Jarrett
4/5
Surprisingly great. Relaxing and much more melodic than most jazz. 4/5
Bob Marley & The Wailers
3/5
Pretty much what you would expect from Bob Marley. I think this is my first time hearing the studio version of No Woman No Cry...completely understand why the live version has become the standard. 3.5/5
Steve Winwood
3/5
Solid...I enjoy the sounds of SW. Would revisit as it gives me a few good songs to add to my 80s repertoire. 3.5/5
Mudhoney
3/5
Better than I anticipated (far superior to EGBDF). Still not nearly my fav grudge type album. 3/5
Shuggie Otis
4/5
Surprisingly great...especially the start. Would 100% come back to this one. 4/5
Michael Jackson
4/5
Album has some great highs, and some so so lows. Not quite the masterpiece that is Thriller, but solid overall. 4/5
King Crimson
4/5
Always an interesting listen. This album cover has captivated me since I was super young, finding it in my parents record collection. As an early teen I tried to listen, but don't think I ever full appreciated it until later in life. Still might be slightly overrated in the overall scheme of things. 4/5
The Residents
2/5
Weird, but not unlistenable. 1 and done is good for me on this one however. 2/5
Orange Juice
5/5
OJ is fantastic! Had always been on my list but not one I had dove into at all. Fun, funky and upbeat. 4.5/5
Sonic Youth
3/5
Not the best Sonic Youth, but still enjoyable. 3.5/5
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
1/5
Not the biggest NC&TBS fan, and this was bad by those standards. 1/5
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
3/5
Typical EC. Never really my jam although I think it probably should be. 3/5
Jungle Brothers
5/5
Was blown away by this one...a Native Tongues group I hadn't had exposure to before. Really, really liked it...almost as well as any Tribe album. 4.5/5
Robbie Williams
3/5
Better than I anticipated. As an American, the only RW I know is Angels. Loved that this one wasn't all ballads and had some distinct Britpop feel to it. 3/5
John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers
2/5
Meh. This version of blues rock cross over always is a little meh. 1.5/5
Kings of Leon
2/5
Ok I suppose. I think I prefer old school KoL better. 2.5/5
Ozomatli
1/5
Really unremarkable. 1/5
1/5
Oh man. What the hell was that?!?! I kind of like the aesthetic even though it was borderline unlistenable. Pure chaos. 1.5/5
Marvin Gaye
4/5
Love Marvin Gaye. However, this one isn't quite as good as What's Going On? Still solid though. 3.5/5
Barry Adamson
2/5
Interesting...but nothing more than atmosphere/background music. 2/5
The White Stripes
3/5
Maybe the best White Stripes album I have listened to...I appreciate the weirdness. Never been a huge WS fan though...always felt they were really overrated. 3.5/5
Joan Armatrading
2/5
Far better than I expected. 2.5/5
Mercury Rev
3/5
It was interesting. Started out with much more potential than I expected, but then started to drag a bit. 3/5
Bobby Womack
3/5
Interesting...I enjoy this old school soul funk sound. 3.5/5
Cornershop
4/5
Really great. Would be a 5 except I felt there were a few too many Raga freak outs watering it down. 4.5/5
Deep Purple
3/5
For what it is, it is elite. Have never really been into it that much though. 3.5/5
The Police
4/5
The Police is a band whose catalogue I really need to explore more. The hits are all a little overplayed, but the rest of the music is deep and has a lot of interesting things going on. 3.5/5
808 State
2/5
Meh. Just completely meh. 2/5
Grateful Dead
2/5
Not my cup of tea. I'm not the biggest Dead fan but this isn't my jam at all. 2/5
Led Zeppelin
4/5
Solid Zep. 3.5/5
Public Enemy
4/5
Really great. Maybe not quite as awesome as Fear of a Black Planet. Overall really wish I had listened to Public Enemy far more in the past. 4.5/5
Q-Tip
3/5
Love Q...he is my favorite Tribe member. Not an album I had listened to before and this one was largely meh. 2.5/5
Neil Young
3/5
Not the greatest NY. 2.5/5
Van Morrison
3/5
Enjoyable...always find myself sleeping on Van...probably because I think Brown Eyed Girl is one of the most overplayed and overrated songs. 3.5/5
3/5
Entertaining. Whip It is way overplayed but I appreciate Devo's aesthetic. 3.5/5
Janelle Monáe
1/5
Way to long. And I have come to decide that most modern R&B just isn't my thing. 1.5/5
Kanye West
3/5
I have a hard time separating the Kanye of today from the Kanye of the past. While I have enjoyed some of his music, I have very much felt he was always on the overrated ride. 3.5/5
Fleetwood Mac
4/5
Has some bops, but maybe I am soured a bit from it being overplayed? Still very good. 4.5/5
Gil Scott-Heron
2/5
Ok. Not as much spoken word as I expected. 2/5
Big Star
4/5
Great records, great songs and songsmanship. The more I listen to it the more I appreciate it. 4.5/5
Paul Simon
3/5
Ok. My PS exposure has mostly been Graceland and S&G. This was what I expected it to be. 3/5
Mylo
2/5
Meh...meh techno. 2/5
The Birthday Party
2/5
Was interesting...mostly because every song sounded the same, and that was Nice Cave yelling. 2/5
Sister Sledge
4/5
Wonderful! Fun record that obviously influenced a ton of later music. 4/5
Tangerine Dream
1/5
Pretty terrible. I am not opposed to ambient music, but these tunes just went on for EVER. 1/5
Wild Beasts
3/5
One of those albums that I would absolutely love if it wasn't for the vocal delivery. I find it extremely grating. The music is wonderful though. 3/5
The Blue Nile
2/5
Not my thing. Very homogenous as well. 1.5/5
Adele
2/5
I really don't like it, but I don't think it is bad enough for a 1. 2/5
Little Richard
3/5
Little Richard is always a good time. I enjoy this as well if not better than all formative Rock and Roll sounds. 3.5/5
Nick Drake
4/5
The most classic of Nick Drake's catalogue. If your mood fits this vibe there are not many records better, but I do find it isn't universal for all times. Still a great one. 4.5/5
Moby Grape
2/5
Not as bad as I was expecting. More rock than Psych. 2/5
Eminem
2/5
Ugh...I really don't care for Eminem. Too gimmicky, too much shock value for the sake of shock value, too much cartoony production. And it is probably way to overplayed from my college days. 2/5
The Associates
2/5
Had hopes this would be one final hidden gem for me, but this fell way flat. 2/5
The Doors
3/5
Have always felt the Doors to be quite a bit on the overrated side. This album has some interesting moments, but still nothing I would prefer. 3/5
The Gun Club
4/5
Awesome album! I have heard reference to TGC in the past (and enjoyed a cover of one of their songs by the Japandroids) but never dug in. This is some seriously good stuff! 4.5/5
The Afghan Whigs
3/5
Afghan Whigs...a band I have always felt like I should like more. Maybe it is because I didn't get in to them at the time? It is ok, but nothing that seems it would have even worked with me back in the mid-90s. 3.5/5
Korn
3/5
Korn is interesting. IMO the King of Nu Metal...certainly one of the most sincere. This album is not as good as their first two, but still a worthwhile listen in general. 3.5/5
The Cars
5/5
Such a great vibe. Ocasek is a genius. Love this album. 4.5/5
Hawkwind
2/5
WAY too long. Maybe a few interesting things but I don't think I would enjoy this concert at all. 1.5/5
Bill Evans Trio
2/5
Background jazz...really unremarkable. 2/5
Hot Chip
4/5
Hot Chip is always a good time. Never really doing anything different, but just making fun music. 4/5
Frank Sinatra
3/5
If Frank is your jam, this is great. Just solid old timey music. 3/5
Butthole Surfers
3/5
I know the BS are super influential in indie rock, but this is the first time that I have listened that I really enjoyed. Not the best album, but has its moments. Love that the Orbital sample comes from the first song. 3.5/5
The Sugarcubes
2/5
Not what I expected. You can definitely tell it was mostly a vehicle for Bjork. 2/5
The Boo Radleys
4/5
Pretty solid. Perhaps the forgotten Britpop band? 3.5/5
The Pogues
4/5
Love the Pogues. Maybe not quite as good as later albums, but RS&tL still can scratch that Pogues itch. 4.5/5
Don McLean
3/5
I feel American Pie is one of the most overrated/overplayed songs ever...maybe second only to Sweet Caroline. The rest of the album is decent though...folk rock I could halfway get into. 3/5
Stereo MC's
3/5
Connect is a straight jam. The rest is an ok listen. 2.5/5
The Bees
3/5
Had high hopes since this was an album I had never had any exposure to before. It was a worthwhile listen, but nothing that blew me away or captivated me on first go. 3/5
Pixies
5/5
While note quite as elite as Surfer Rosa, Doolittle still has a ton of amazing moments. Love this band and how they can take simple sounds and make them sound profound. 4.5/5
Hanoi Rocks
3/5
Surprisingly solid. Had heard a lot about them but never listened. Surprised they weren't bigger back in the day. 3.5/5
Jazmine Sullivan
2/5
This type of album never does it for me….no matter how lauded it is. 1.5/5
Brian Eno
2/5
I want to listen to more Ambient Eno. This isn't that. 2/5
John Prine
4/5
John Prine is such an icon. Great songwriting. Great story telling. Pretty underrated in the scheme of music. 4/5
Jah Wobble's Invaders Of The Heart
3/5
Interesting...Jah likes the Dub. 3/5
Sly & The Family Stone
2/5
I can appreciate Sly for what it is, but it isn't really my go to. 2.5/5
Public Image Ltd.
4/5
Like this one a lot! Crazy to me that Johnny Rotten pivoted so well from punk into this type of post-punk. 4.5/5
CHIC
3/5
Chic is always a good time. Solid album. 2.5/5
2/5
Classic country...all pretty much the same IMO. Can be decent if you're in the right mindset, but often not a big go-to for me. 2.5/5
The Jam
4/5
Much better than I expected. The Jam got some jams. Will return to this one. 4/5
Fishbone
1/5
For being at the forefront of Ska/Punk, this one was pretty blah to me. To sterile and pretty lame. 1.5/5
The Incredible String Band
2/5
What a WEIRD album. And not really in a good way. 1.5/5
The Sonics
5/5
LOVED this one. So much fun. Just rip roaring renditions of some great rock n roll tunes. 4.5/5
R.E.M.
4/5
This album starts to see REM transition from indie jangle into more "alternative". Not my favorite REM, but overall still great. 4.5/5
Slipknot
1/5
RWWWAAAHHHH...SLIPKNOT....RWAAAHHHHH. 1/5
Beth Orton
2/5
Standard singer songwriter fare. There was a time in my life I was far more into this type of music. That time isn't now. 2/5
Sleater-Kinney
4/5
Maybe been sleeping on SK. This was pretty solid. 4/5
Pere Ubu
3/5
Interesting stuff. Not my typical lane in Post Punk, but still a worthwhile listen. 3.5/5
The Smiths
4/5
This one is a bit strange as far as Smiths albums go. There isn't any standout songs when compared to the rest of their catalogue, but the album just works start to finish. More a vibe album perhaps. 4/5
Pink Floyd
3/5
Listened to it a decent amount over the years...it is fine. I am not a huge PFer. 2.5/5
The Killers
3/5
Have found the Killers to be one of the most overrated bands of the past 20+ years. This one didn't hit for me when it came out (despite owning it) but I felt it was slightly better on this much later listen. Not sure if it is quite a "classic" but solid none-the-less. 3/5
Marvin Gaye
3/5
My first real listen of late era MG. It wasn't bad, but nothing like What's going on. Probably won't return to this one. 2.5/5
Gang Of Four
4/5
Go4 is amazing. Damaged Goods is a classic, but the rest of the album is energetic and frenetic...a great time. 4.5/5
Otis Redding
4/5
Very enjoyable. Had never heard the germ for Respect before. 3.5/5
Liz Phair
4/5
Starts off as a complete 5/5 classic, but the back half wasn't quite as strong IMO. Still a solid album and I can understand while it is so historically lauded. 4.5/5
3/5
First time I have ever taken War seriously. Low Rider is so ubiquitous it kind of drives me crazy. Funky jazz fusion. 2.5/5
The Mothers Of Invention
2/5
So freaking strange. 1.5/5
Nitin Sawhney
3/5
A worthy listen, but a 1 timer. Seems very of its era. 2.5/5
Fatboy Slim
4/5
While not nearly as good as the subsequent album, this is still an enjoyable listen. Fatboy Slim was really my first love when it came to electronic music. 3.5/5
1/5
Just awful. Rollin' is semi fun though (get's the extra 0.5) 1.5/5
LCD Soundsystem
5/5
The album always surprises me. When released, behind a glowing pitchfork review I immediately bought, and then immediately dismissed. It just didn't resonate with me at the time as a 25/26 year old. However, now I feel the album is brilliant...and I don't understand how I didn't love it from first listen. 5/5
Björk
1/5
Late era Bjork is kind of a slog. Not my jam at all. 1.5/5
Echo And The Bunnymen
4/5
Not as gothy as I expected. Enjoyed it though. 3.5/5
Van Halen
4/5
Kind of wild that this came out in the mid(ish) 70's. Definitely ahead of its time. Enjoyed more than I expected. 3.5/5
Beatles
5/5
Classic. #2 Beatles album. 5/5
Ghostface Killah
3/5
Wutang solo isn't ever as good as the whole thing. This one was fine, but similarly to when it came out I had a hard time wanting to come back to it. 2.5/5
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
2/5
About like all Nick Cave. Meh. 2.5/5
Lloyd Cole And The Commotions
3/5
Another one I had never heard of. Decent, but ultimately not that memorable. 2.5/5
Slayer
2/5
If you're into Thrash Metal...I'm sure this is your jam. I am not that much however. 1.5/5
Tom Waits
2/5
More Tom Waits. Hopefully the end of Tom Waits on this list. 1.5/5
Brian Eno
4/5
Very illustrative of why Eno is the ambient master. Really enjoyed the first track. 3.5/5
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
2/5
Much better than Trout Mask Replica. Still nothing I would return to. 2.5/5
Beastie Boys
4/5
Fun one...another that I didn't listen to completely end to end despite the fact that I have listed to Sure Shot/Sabotage/Get it Together a million times a piece. 3.5/5
Doves
3/5
Doves always seem like there is more potential, but it never quite lives up to it. 3/5
Brian Eno
4/5
Some real earworm grooves in this one. Great work music...really able to channel and get in the zone. 4/5
Belle & Sebastian
5/5
Fantastic album...love B&S. This one is honestly bangers front to back. 4.5/5
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
4/5
Neil Young...he just keeps on Neil Younging...and that is a good thing. Hard to find nits in the Youngster. 4/5
Ray Charles
2/5
Standard easy listening fare. Not what I would really come to think of when listening to Ray Charles. 2.5/5
Duran Duran
3/5
The highs are high, the lows are not that low. It is pretty solid but not spectacular. 3.5/5
Stevie Wonder
3/5
Solid Stevie. Still nothing that tips into the 4+ range for me. 3.5/5
The Rolling Stones
3/5
Street Fightin Man is a banger...have a couple of other big highlights. The filler isn't as strong as some other Stones offerings. 3.5/5
Mott The Hoople
3/5
Better than anticipated. Great glam...they are certainly more than All the Young Dudes. 3.5/5
Electric Light Orchestra
4/5
ELO...just fun music. Used to be a guilty pleasure, but who really cares anymore? Just a pleasure now. 4/5
Peter Gabriel
2/5
Solisbury Hill is great. The rest is pretty forgettable. I don't think PG complete forgot his prog background for this one. 2/5
Norah Jones
2/5
Ok for easy listen, background music, but nothing I would likely choose to listen too. 2/5
Bonnie Raitt
2/5
Was dreading listening to this one...but ultimately it was better than I expected. 2/5
KISS
3/5
I really want to like KISS more than I do. It always just seems so resoundingly mediocre to me. Destroyer is no different.. 3/5
Steely Dan
4/5
Solid Dan. Still not as good and later stage, this is an enjoyable album. 4/5
John Martyn
2/5
Pretty much like the other John Martyn album. Interesting, but nothing that moves me. 2.5/5
M.I.A.
3/5
Always wanted to like MIA more...love the drums on these albums, but the rapping gets a little repetitive. 2.5/5
The Cure
5/5
Love this album...maybe my favorite of the early Cure. A Forest is a top 3 Cure song for me. 5/5
The Vines
3/5
It is fine. A little average for the times imo. 2.5/5
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
2/5
Probably the worst EC we have listened to on this list. Not a fan. 1.5/5
The Teardrop Explodes
2/5
Forgettable. It was there and I listened to it. 1.5/5
Marty Robbins
4/5
Surprise hit here. Fun songs that tell great stories. 4/5
Massive Attack
4/5
Very solid....no Mezzamine but a great listen regardless. 3.5/5
Beach House
5/5
Classic Beach House. Will I prefer the next album slightly more, this one is great as well. 4.5/5
Suicide
4/5
Such an interesting album. Truly pioneers for lots of future genres and way ahead of its time. 4/5
Baaba Maal
3/5
Typical Afro Pop. Enjoyable enough of a listen but won't go back to it. 2.5/5
SZA
4/5
Much better than I remember...pretty solid R&B. 3.5/5
The United States Of America
2/5
Maybe Psychedelic music was huge in the UK...I feel there are a lot on this list that are incredibly redundant. 1.5/5
Portishead
4/5
Enjoy the whole Portishead vibe. Have never felt this one stacks up remotely close to Dummy. I think people were just so excited to get another Portishead album they tricked themselves into thinking it was better than it really is. 3.5/5
Ryan Adams
5/5
One of my top albums by one of my top artists. He really shows off his songmanship on this one. Really torn overall on Adams given his surly (at best) demeanor but man can he write great tunes. 5/5
Killing Joke
5/5
Great one. Was surprised given I didn’t have much history here. Can see why it was so influential. 4.5/5
Stephen Stills
3/5
Meh. Just avg. 3/5
Rahul Dev Burman
3/5
Enjoyed far more than expected. Not super score like either. Some fun Hindi hits. 3/5
Janis Joplin
2/5
Meh. Janis J has always struck me as way overrated in the scheme of things. Still feel the same. 2.5/5
American Music Club
3/5
New one to me. Was solid enough but not as good as other contemporary "indie" types. 3/5
Justice
4/5
Fun one. Enjoy this one quite a bit. 4/5