196
Albums Rated
3.36
Average Rating
18%
Complete
893 albums remaining
Rating Distribution
How you rate albums
Rating Timeline
Average rating over time
Ratings by Decade
Which era do you prefer?
Activity by Day
When do you listen?
Taste Profile
2010s
Favorite Decade
Hip-hop
Favorite Genre
US
Top Origin
Wordsmith
Rater Style ?
49
5-Star Albums
13
1-Star Albums
Taste Analysis
Genre Preferences
Ratings by genre
Origin Preferences
Ratings by country
Rating Style
You Love More Than Most
Albums you rated higher than global average
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heaux Tales | 5 | 2.68 | +2.32 |
| Phaedra | 5 | 2.73 | +2.27 |
| Group Sex | 5 | 2.74 | +2.26 |
| Strange Cargo III | 5 | 2.77 | +2.23 |
| Oedipus Schmoedipus | 5 | 2.79 | +2.21 |
| Mama Said Knock You Out | 5 | 2.91 | +2.09 |
| Brown Sugar | 5 | 2.91 | +2.09 |
| O.G. Original Gangster | 5 | 2.97 | +2.03 |
| Future Days | 5 | 3 | +2 |
| evermore | 5 | 3.04 | +1.96 |
You Love Less Than Most
Albums you rated lower than global average
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Melodrama | 1 | 3.31 | -2.31 |
| Since I Left You | 1 | 3.28 | -2.28 |
| Dry | 1 | 3.24 | -2.24 |
| Everything Must Go | 1 | 3.11 | -2.11 |
| Tubular Bells | 1 | 3.1 | -2.1 |
| Behaviour | 1 | 3.04 | -2.04 |
| Something/Anything? | 1 | 3.03 | -2.03 |
| The Nightfly | 1 | 3.01 | -2.01 |
| The Man Who | 1 | 3.01 | -2.01 |
| Steve McQueen | 1 | 2.98 | -1.98 |
Artist Analysis
Favorite Artists
Artists with 2+ albums
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Led Zeppelin | 2 | 5 |
| The Cure | 2 | 5 |
Controversial Artists
Artists you rate inconsistently
| Artist | Ratings |
|---|---|
| Pixies | 5, 2 |
| Funkadelic | 2, 5 |
| U2 | 5, 2, 2 |
5-Star Albums (49)
View Album Wall
Popular Reviews
Todd Rundgren
1/5
What a slog. I had to call it at track 21. Some mix of yacht rock, parade/humor rock, and what? Slut was pretty offensive and I consider myself one. Such a monumental waste of time. God I will never do this again.
16 likes
Adele
5/5
I don’t want to hear it. This fucking album. So many incredible songs on one album. AND SHE WAS 21. Yes I cried listening to this even after all the times I’ve heard these songs.
12 likes
Taylor Swift
5/5
Jesus Christ this woman has me in a choke hold. Never heard this album before and it’s instantly my favorite TSwift album. Her lyrics are Bob Dylan level. I SAID IT.
11 likes
Lightning Bolt
4/5
Never heard of them. Went in blind.
Ooooh, yeah, vibes. Love this. Instantly reminded of And You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead. Not sure why you'd bother with the vocal track except as possibly a hint? It's def growing on me.
Crown of Thorns had an AC/DC guitar riff vibe to it. Fun!
Okay, yep. Def an Elaine album. Certainly not for everyone, but I'm down with a well-done noise rock album for background music.
8 likes
Isaac Hayes
5/5
Anyone who doesn’t like this album doesn’t know 1) what great music is 2) how to have fun.
8 likes
1-Star Albums (13)
All Ratings
N.W.A.
4/5
Opening track, Straight Outta Compton is iconic. Fuck the Police--not what I remember it being. Seemed so 'hard' at the time, and the cursing and n'word is--but it has a lot more storytelling and interesting mixing in the background. The rest of the album doesn't have any great hooks. Forgot the lack of traditional song form (choruses, bridges, etc). I'd definitely not listen to it today--but it's a Hall of Fame record for its historical impact. 4 stars for its place in history.
Duran Duran
3/5
I didn’t realize how groovy the bass was on this album. The Chauffeur was a new track for me and a favorite. I dig DD, but I don’t see myself listening to this end-to-end very often.
Johnny Cash
5/5
A perfect album. No skips. What an opening track! This album has it all—great songs, energy, sound, and the audience participation! The way JC interacts with the audience, his band mates… all that, and he was committed to playing for inmates.
The Smashing Pumpkins
4/5
Wow, wasn’t prepared to like this as much as I did. They got SO HYPED UP later in their career that I just refused to pay attention to them. I’ve never listened to the whole album before, even though individual tracks are basically my youth’s soundtrack. Very Seattle grunge. It really holds up as a sound of an era.
Sigur Rós
5/5
You either love this dream pop Icelandic faerie stuff or you hate it. You can guess where I fall. (Re-listening to this album after over a decade brings back so much emotion… I almost cried for my lost youth during starálfur.)
The Avalanches
1/5
I adore the two standout tracks—utterly fantastic blending/mashing of music. Those tracks are five stars. Everything else is tiresome—fast. I feel like those tracks are a promise and the album just completely fails to live up to them. I want to give two stars just for those favorite tracks, but if an album makes me want to turn it off… well.
Radiohead
3/5
This came out the year I graduated high school. FPT still makes me feel something. It mean that Pablo Honey was a fluke and Radiohead were something. The slow songs are the best tracks, unfortunately.
Mike Oldfield
1/5
Prog rock from a very conservative douche (loves Trump and Brexit). Nothing else you need to know.
5/5
This is a forever album. I was 10 when this album came out... Still a great listen, 35 years later. I'm surprised tracks like Exit and Bullet the Blue Sky don't get more love.
Megadeth
2/5
Whew. Okay, so definitely better than Anthrax. Better sound, drums, and vocals. A little more variety of sound. I'm still not into thrash--and I'm trying! I like punk! But it's a no from me, dawg.
Led Zeppelin
5/5
Plant was 21 and Page was 25 when this album was released. Insane. Even if you don’t like this kind of music, how can you deny this kind of talent?
Beatles
3/5
Mid-60s Beatles. Pre-Pepper Pop! It’s good, but I’m not a Beatles fan.
Carpenters
2/5
Oof, I remember watching a documentary/movie of Karen Carpenter and her death when I was a child. The opening track is sung so heart-breakingly even though the lyrics are about beginnings (not ends). I can’t say I like this version of east listening, but I have to acknowledge the beauty of her voice. Three stars for her voice, minus a star because the music is just so boring.
a-ha
2/5
I mean, it’s not unlistenable, but there’s a reason I only know of one of their songs even though they’ve made ten albums. Some glimpses of good synth pop, but not nearly enough, and the only great pop is the opening track.
Jane's Addiction
3/5
Yep, just as I remembered it. Stop and Been Caught Stealing are so energetic. Navarro’s guitar is great. PF’s vocals are as nasal as I remember (weep). I want to give it a higher rating for the Gen X culture, but it just not an album I’ll be going back to.
U2
2/5
I will have another relisten because I met a fan who put Pop and this album as his top two! But for now, I just don’t dig the sound of the album.
The Beach Boys
2/5
First time listen, and I am really shocked all the indie people love this album so much! It’s talked about in the same breath as the White Album. I expected something really different based on the hype. California falsetto harmony/layered singing brass surf pop, and that falsetto harmony/layered brass surf pop thing doesn’t spark joy for me. Listened twice just in case I was missing something.
Adam & The Ants
1/5
No.
Waylon Jennings
4/5
Oof this is hard. I love a classic honkey tonk album, and this is certainly one. But is this the best? A true five star? Another four star ratIng—but I suspect this could have been a five star if I had grown up with it.
ABBA
4/5
ABBAAAAAAAA the presence of Dancing Queen garners 3 stars, and the highly underrated title track gives it a 4th star. Was a delightful grocery shopping listen. I was dancing in the aisles the whole time.
Ray Charles
3/5
Wow. Orchestral C&W sung in a sort of jazz/soul style by Ray Charles. I don’t know what I expected but it wasn’t all the strings. Very ‘40s easy listening? Is it possible to even rate this? Not something I’d listen to on the regular, but I’m glad it exists.
Beatles
4/5
First ever listen to that album! It’s a doozy. I see why folks put it in the list of best ever. Epic, and such a variety of sounds. Never been much of a Beatles fan—but respect where respect is due.
Anthrax
2/5
I honestly can’t tell if this is a cover band. So many of the songs sound the same: exact same tempo and drums. Not sure how this became seminal in the genre.
Björk
4/5
Björk added to the sonic landscape with this album. It isn’t my favorite and far from her best, but it was the beginning of something that took a while for other artists to catch up to.
Willie Nelson
2/5
There is no point in Willie Nelson doing a cover album, much less of jazz/lounge standards. He adds nothing to these songs.
Shuggie Otis
5/5
Am I old? Because this was awesome. Jazzy noodle-y 70s guitar vibes. Gentle. Ground zero for the 70s revivalists bands. And as soon as I heard Freedom Flight I knew it was sampled or covered somewhere.
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
4/5
A short album. Another classic 70s sound… I’m starting to tire of noodley guitars and harmony and tambourines. But it’s the sound of a generation for sure.
Bonnie Raitt
4/5
This is an album (tape!) from my childhood. I listened to it so many times... I was singing Have a Heart from memory. The voice, the slide guitar, the lyrics. Bonnie is a blues rock legend for a reason. She gets what it is to be a woman.
The Smiths
3/5
Tough one. I love big mouth, and I like the bopping feel of some of the songs. But the slightly off key moaning/mumbling just isn’t for me. The Smiths are more than three stars, but not today.
Bob Dylan
3/5
Oy. His voice is so nasal, but it’s always been about the lyrics, hasn’t it? A couple of great songs about relationships. I need to listen to it again. Torn between a three (never been a huge fan of him singing his own songs) and a four (the lyrics, right?).
Thundercat
3/5
The constant return to the sounds of the 70s is exhausting. At least this was R&B 70s. Still.
Fats Domino
4/5
Hmmmmmm. Classic sound/fun, but obviously not something I would listen to randomly. Might be fun background party music.
Neneh Cherry
2/5
Sooooo I remember when this came out and I basically feel exactly the same way now as I did then: I should probably like this more than I do, but this tracks do nothing for me. :/
Digital Underground
3/5
Some funk, some New Jack sound, love Shock G’s smooth voice/raps—gives me jazz hip hop/alt hip hop feels (a La Digable Planets, Tribe Called Quest, US3 etc). Very listenable—the lyrics/tracks don’t make come back though.
Barry Adamson
5/5
wowwwww!!! I had never heard of this artist, album, or any of these tracks before. This is most definitely an Elaine album. Weird, sometimes MJQ, sometimes frightening. Eclectic. Spotify played Badalamenti’s Dance of the Dream Man (from Twin Peaks) right after. All you really need to know.
Lou Reed
5/5
So many stunning tracks. I think I held off on Lou Teed because of the hype around how he was the start of indie… but it’s all there. The Strokes, Radiohead, Jack White… I can hear so many garage rack bands in this album. And hearing Perfect Day in its original environment (rather than the Trainspotting soundtrack) was fun. This was a LOT better than expected.
Fela Kuti
4/5
Four tracks, 10+ minutes each! It’s Fela, so they all have a danceable vibe.
Orange Juice
1/5
Resounds like the background music to an 80s movie—like, not the soundtrack part but the background prom music to a second-rate movie. Lot of trumpet/flugal horn. Love the 80s, but not this 80s.
The Auteurs
2/5
Okay, I don't hate this! I can't quite put my finger on who this sounds like, but definitely a classic new wave/garage rock type sound. A little fuzzy in the vocals, a little backfeed in the vocals/guitar. Nothing super compelling happening. I'm leaning toward two stars because it's just so bland.
Circle Jerks
5/5
Oh man this took me BACK. I hope I get to rate Give Me Convenience or Give Me Death because boy do I have a story. That album opened up the whole genre of late 70s/80s punk to me that, it seems, I still very much love. This is a great album. Took me back to The DPC (Downtown Performance Center) in Tucson and high school (and beyond) and angst and lyrics and band flyers and everything. Operation really hits differently today than it did in high school lol.
Air
3/5
Oh man. I remember when this album came out, and I pretended to love it, but really only loved the opening track. But they're French! Honestly, it was all just to swoopy and chill. Well, sadly, 23 years later I'm old enough to find this to be great background music while I work. Apparently you have to be old to really dig this.
Isaac Hayes
5/5
Anyone who doesn’t like this album doesn’t know 1) what great music is 2) how to have fun.
Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five
3/5
Scorpio really gave me some electro vibes. Whole lotta pop-n-lock/break dancing music here. Honestly not sure I’d ever chose to listen to this again, but I appreciate that this is an important part of the Black music/dance/DJing/hip-hop landscape. Two stars for listenability, another star for historical importance.
Donald Fagen
1/5
Devoid of anything if interest. Ruby baby was sheer agony. At some point there was a cow bell keeping beat. 38 minutes was too much. I never ever want to experience this again.
Brian Eno
4/5
My kind of 70s! Love the “glam-rock art pop” (thanks Wikipedia!) sound. Driving Me Backwards, On Some Faraway Beach, Some of Them Are Old, and the title track were all highlights. There were a few misses (Blank Frank was bad bad), but I really enjoyed listening this. I could definitely see owning this on vinyl.
The Cure
5/5
Loved the “gloomscapes” (Wikipedia comes through again). The Forest is still always so good! Def the background music to dark winter dinner, book reading, and tea sipping. I listened to this three times in a row so I’m going to have to give it five stars.
Miles Davis
5/5
Come on. Five stars. I have nothing to add that hasn’t already been said about this album. Come back to me when we get to the harder stuff, like Bitches Brew.
Finley Quaye
4/5
Loved it. I knew Quaye from Massive Attack and Tricky, but this was the first time I have listened to this album. Sunday Shining must have been on a soundtrack or mix tape or something. Def a good bop. Very listenable album, but some of the tracks were just a little too empty of sonic or emotional value to make this a true five. A *lot* of highlights, though.
Marianne Faithfull
3/5
Tough rating. I’ve never heard Marianne F, but I knew that voice had to be iconic then and now. Several songs really got me feeling things—especially the proto girl rock/Liz Phair stuff, but then (especially on the first listen) some of it felt just a little too country. I’d listen to some songs but not the whole album again.
Lauryn Hill
5/5
Listened on repeat while making dinner and then for some time after. It’s as moving and beautiful and touching and soulful and ground-breaking now as it was almost 25 years ago. We’re all sad she never did anything but this album, but LH can do whatever she wants with her talent, and I’m grateful we got this out of it.
Various Artists
3/5
Do I punish this album because of the serial abuser and murderer PS??? It’s a fine Christmas album full of fun boppy old time classics, and each of these artists deserve air time. I’ll be blocking Silent Night from any future plays.
Todd Rundgren
1/5
What a slog. I had to call it at track 21. Some mix of yacht rock, parade/humor rock, and what? Slut was pretty offensive and I consider myself one. Such a monumental waste of time. God I will never do this again.
Cream
4/5
Wow okay so I guess I know a lot more Cream than I thought. I get it now. The fuzz, chunky low sounds, the voice. It’s every movie soundtrack set in the late 60s/early 70s. A couple of weaker tunes, but just a solid rock album.
Miriam Makeba
2/5
It’s something like slow South African ballad things. Several tracks actually remind me of 1950s Hawaiian ballad things. This is a tough call, but I think I’m going to give it a 2/5 stars. Her voice is lovely, I care about South African music/art/culture, but this is gonna put me to sleep. Like, I just can’t think of when I would want to listen to this album again. One More Dance was outright frightening.
The Offspring
5/5
Story time. This album came out my junior year of high school. My first boyfriend (Jeremy) and I listened to it incessantly. Listening to it now brought back all these fun memories of screaming the lyrics at the top of our lungs as we drove around or hung out with friends. After high school Jeremy got addicted to heroine. It was a long slow decline. He OD a few years ago and he’s dead now.
RIP Jeremy. I can’t see or hear anybody but you when I listen to this album. And when I do, it’s nothing but joy.
AC/DC
4/5
Crunchy classic screamy rock and roll. Read that Angus regretted Get it Hot, and I can see why. Fun. Not something I listen to on the reg, but definitely fun.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
3/5
Hm. The darlings and everybody loves the lead singer. Gentle, good, probs a fun show, easy to sing along with. I think I am jaded because everyone loves them. Probably better than three stars but so be it.
Lightning Bolt
4/5
Never heard of them. Went in blind.
Ooooh, yeah, vibes. Love this. Instantly reminded of And You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead. Not sure why you'd bother with the vocal track except as possibly a hint? It's def growing on me.
Crown of Thorns had an AC/DC guitar riff vibe to it. Fun!
Okay, yep. Def an Elaine album. Certainly not for everyone, but I'm down with a well-done noise rock album for background music.
Pet Shop Boys
1/5
SO. I clearly have at least one Pet Shop Boys song that I know, and yet I've never listened to any others. That voice is not one to spend much time with. How Can You Be... was the moment at which I knew PSB were not going to be a band for me. Went downhill from there. How was *this* the "must listen to" album???? It was getting annoying at the end (the voice, the balladry, the lack of pop hits...). I'm between a one and two stars, so it's gonna be one. :(
3/5
Yep, Devo is Devo. Never listened to a whole album but didn't disappoint. Quirky, minimal, affected. It's a vibe, but not one I see myself embracing very frequently.
Muddy Waters
5/5
Dude, Muddy Waters is an icon. Newport is iconic. Muddy Waters at Newport is iconic.
Radiohead
4/5
Tough. Sonically great album. Vibe-y, mellow, classic Radiohead space-y-ness, very chill. York’s vocals really work with this mature mellow rock. Love the bass/drum mix. Okay, guess I like the album.
Stereolab
2/5
Okay, so some of the tracks were the kind of quirky French electronics and I dig, but then other tracks were downright annoying. 2.5 stars. Rounding down because I accidentally saw Paul’s rating lol.
Little Simz
5/5
Tops. Voice, lyrics, beats. Vibes. You’re not ready for pussy in power. Venom.”
The Mothers Of Invention
2/5
Okay, though it was going to be 90s rock. Realized much too late I was thinking of Machines of Loving Grace. Tracks were at attempts at Led Zeppelin? Anyway I will never listen to this again. Somehow late sixties made derivative boring.
Oasis
3/5
Wow. NOT what I was expecting. I’ve listened to a ton of Oasis and love them but I’ve not listed to this specific album lots. Some gems, but a lot is frankly not good.
Stevie Wonder
4/5
So I'm never a fan of SW's slowest songs... they just don't hit me the way they're supposed to (looking at you, You and I/Blame It on the Sun (side side note: I think it's due to production as much as songwriting)). But anything above a ballad tempo is perfection. Of course we love the mega hits off of this, but I also loved the funk of Maybe Your Baby and the country/folk/blues feel of tracks like Big Brother. Not the highest peaks of SW, but a solid album.
Cocteau Twins
3/5
It's baffling to me how they pick the albums for this. Blue Bell Knoll is better. I'm an old timey mod girl (goth, believe it or not, was after me), so the spooky echo-y siren thing works for me. Some good tracks, but not a whole album listen for me.
Dexys Midnight Runners
2/5
Tough! I hear that emotion, and a couple of tracks really pulled me in. But it’s not an album I’m going to toss on unless it’s background to a party, and even then probably not? The voice would edge into whiny too many times. Not enough mix in the mix… just not enough. But E for effort.
The Incredible String Band
2/5
Not offensive sonically, but without value for me. At times I couldn't tell if it was a theme/comedy/genre album. Commune vibes.
The Youngbloods
3/5
Okay, I think I get this. At first I thought "we JUST heard a late 60s folk/rock band!" Yeah, I vibed a little bit. Def better than the Incredible String Band.
Blur
3/5
I really wanted to like this more than I did 😭 A couple of great tunes (Boys/Girls far and away the best)… I guess it’s always just been the Gorillaz for me.
John Coltrane
5/5
Classic classic classic--doesn't make it any easier to absorb. Even now that first track, I still don't really know whether the drums, the piano, and John were in the same room. It somehow still all comes together, the magic of jazz and Coltrane and that band. Not as "listenable" as Kind of Blue, so I don't love it as much as that album, definitely still five stars.
Willie Colón & Rubén Blades
3/5
Great opening lick. Siembre opening lick also amazing. Wish the whole album sounded like those eight bars. Love the music, the slightly nasally/strained vocals not so much. The vocal style is common. Classic, but this is a wedding/party album only.
The White Stripes
2/5
Oh man. Some tracks are all time faves (Fell in Love with a Girl, We’re Gonna Be Friends), but a lot of cruft. And those first three tracks—all time whine in his voice. Oof. A rough two stars. (And I like Jack White!!!)
Janelle Monáe
5/5
This puts so many albums on this list to shame. The talent and beauty of the music is ridiculous. Oh Maker is on a whole different level. I wish there were more stars to give.
Pink Floyd
3/5
Okay. Let’s drop some acid and make (or listen to) a record. Never heard this before. I was obviously expecting a lot more guitars. Fun, but Floyd is now Dark Side of the Moon or the Wall for me, so less of this and more of that preferred.
William Orbit
5/5
I was not prepared for how much I would love this album. Like, I thought "oh hahah college raves and video games soundtracks." Then it played and I can't describe how immediately I loved it. Track after track, too. Listened to it twice because I didn't want it to end. So, I guess I should listen to William Orbit more and just let go of the electronica stigma.
Jazmine Sullivan
5/5
Holy crap. Wow. Speechless. What did I just listen to. My god. This hit me so hard. This is incredible.
Bob Dylan
4/5
I think I’m old enough to appreciate this album a little now. His nasal voice is rough to take, but yes yes the lyrics are everything with this one. “You will start out proud to steal her anything she sees. But you will wind up peeking through her keyholes down upon your knees.”
Radiohead
2/5
Blasphemy? I don’t know. But this was a 2.5 album for me. Didn’t hate it but not something that I love. Definitely deserves to be on the list, but this just isn’t my every day music. Rounding down because I’m sick of white men creaming themselves over Radiohead.
Travis
1/5
Oy. Not as bad as Donald Fagan, but I really don’t want to listen to this again.
Moby
5/5
Yep, still love this album. Loved the mash up of Black folk/heritage music and dance music, and ambient/chill tracks like Everloving. I know this album isn’t for everyone, but it definitely has a place in my sonic landscape, even after 20+ years.
Crosby, Stills & Nash
3/5
Weird how far back in the mix the music is. How many CSN(Y) albums are on this list? They harmonize (?) just fine. Weird/bad mixing aside, this was a fine album. Nothing changed my world here.
Ella Fitzgerald
4/5
Iconic, and probably should be a 5-star album for that reason alone. But just this side of too sleepy for me.
Simon & Garfunkel
4/5
Love this album. A couple of bum tracks keep it from being a five star album, but the hits have been hits for 70 years for a reason. Love El Condor Pasa and Cecilia! What was it about those 60s/70s women, sleeping around?
The Slits
2/5
With a name like The Slits I was really hoping for some punk or riot grrrl sound. Not to be. I’m all for kooky/arty female 70s music, but the cover of heard it through the grapevine was the only standout here.
Taylor Swift
4/5
Oh man this was close to a five stars album. Blank Space and Bad Blood alone are five stars. But the filler tracks are really bad-basic (I Wish You Would—I’m looking at you). Love this pop.
The Go-Go's
4/5
This is a shockingly good album. Some great pop bops (We Got the Beat), but some great darker tunes (Automatic). I feel like with a little modern production this could be an all time album?
Justice
5/5
Oof took me back to first hearing them and then the covert at Union Transfer. A couple of tracks don’t reach the heights of the others, but the others are so good it’s impassible not to give this five stars.
SAULT
2/5
I really want to like this. I appreciate the Black affirmations. Sorry Ain’t Enough and Bow were great. The rest was just sleepy ☹️
Can
5/5
5 out of 5. Love the vibes. Experimental, but I get what’s happening. Love it.
Fiona Apple
4/5
So the opening tracks are just as amazing as I remember… and then I remembered how slow the rest of the album is. Very lounge act. Lyrics are incredible, but this is too sleepy for me to listen to the whole thing on a regular. A shadow boxer is just too much. 3.5 stars. Rounding up because she was young and that voice is amazing.
Pixies
5/5
Five stars!!! Oof both evocative of a previous life and still fucking good all these years later.
Adele
5/5
I don’t want to hear it. This fucking album. So many incredible songs on one album. AND SHE WAS 21. Yes I cried listening to this even after all the times I’ve heard these songs.
Pixies
2/5
Not offensively bad, but definitely none of the catchy Pixies tracks I love from their early albums. Nothing to return to on this really.
David Bowie
3/5
Why changes the known track off of this? oh pretty things and queen bitch were much better! Still, not a lot of catchy tunes here. Can’t say I love this. 2.5 stars, rounding up for Bowie.
PJ Harvey
1/5
Plants and Rags is bad. I know a hot girl singing atonally is a thing, but this album does nothing for me. I want to worship at the alter of PJ but this isn’t the alter I want to be at.
Goldfrapp
2/5
I didn’t know I knew one of the tracks (Eat Yourself). Very sleepy. “Cologne Cerrone Houdini” almost had me feeling something—but honestly Beck did it way better. “Twee,” according to Spotify. Sleepy twee?
Fatboy Slim
3/5
So. Repetitive. But some of these tracks are so foundational to the 90s electronics scene I can’t help but give three stars. I listened this and a whole bunch of other albums in the second half of the nineties… is there a German word for unwilling nostalgia?
Primal Scream
2/5
Don’t hate this, but no standout hits for me. Not sure I’d ever listen to the whole album again.
Manic Street Preachers
1/5
Of course I’ve heard the name, but I’ve never listened to a single song. This was agony. The singer had a lot of enthusiasm. I cannot understand why this band is so popular.
Arcade Fire
4/5
Ingrained in me. I can’t even tell if I like it any more. It just exists as part of my sonic landscape. Yes, he’s whiny. I just don’t seem to care.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
4/5
A very Elvis Costello album. I dig it. I used to think his voice was too whiny, but I guess I've finally aged out of that tone that bothers young people but not old people. It's a solid album--but even more solid in the first half.
Nas
5/5
It's as good as everyone has said. This album is 27 years old!!! It blends "street" rap with the trip-hop/horns backing and beats and political rap. I'm only on my first listen and suspect it will take many more to fully ingest this. Easy five stars.
Lorde
1/5
This was very, very bland for me, and I didn’t take to what she was trying to do with her voice. There was one song that made me think she was trying to be the granddaughter of Tori Amos. Disappointing, really.
The Temptations
2/5
The raspy falsetto teetering on the edge of tones were hard for me to cotton to. I’d never heard that version of Heard It through the Grapevine! Credit to their prolific catalogue and their historical presence/impact, but this is not an album I’ll be spinning for the heck of it.
Wild Beasts
3/5
I went into this completely blind--never heard of the artist or album. Wow. So, like, I really like the music! And I could get behind the vocals, AND THEN! Ugh, kooky falsetto chirping/yelling/warble. Is this a concept album? One of the hardest ratings I've had to do--so much to like, but I just don't think I'll be coming back.
Arctic Monkeys
4/5
When I first heard Arctic Monkeys way back when, the lack of melody made it hard to get in to. Now I love this album. Pace, rock guitar, and a singer who is sometimes yelling.
Television
4/5
You can either manage his voice and the guitar twang or you can’t. I definitely vibe with this. Title track is killer. Didn’t know that Elevation was the basis of RHCP Californication! Some REALLY great tunes.
Ash
3/5
Who are these people and why have I never heard of them? Such a classic mid-nineties sound, and I’m in heaven. I almost wish this was a 2020s album doing a throwback sound. I assume they (he) was born in 1977 (as was I). A specific, happy, fuzzy “indie” sound that instantly evokes an overexposed music video of plaid-wearing skaters and blue skies. Errs just on the wrong side of non-descript.
Funkadelic
2/5
Opening track gets all the stars! Precipitous decline after that :( Cholly and Maggot Brain were not bad. I was expecting the whole album to be like track 1. Disappointing.
Soft Cell
2/5
Tough to rate. Tainted Love is a forever track (from Motown?!?!), and Sex Dwarf def has its moments. Memorabilia isn’t technically from this album, but rightfully lauded. Everything else I think I’m just a little too American and not quite old enough to connect with. Like the dirty sexy theme, but honestly wouldn’t listen to the whole album unprompted again. 2.5, rounding down because there just isn’t enough here for me.
Queen Latifah
3/5
Undeniable for its place in history, and the energy, lyrics, and production are high. That early hip-hop sax/horn section! But I’m not going to be listening to this very frequently… 3 stars (ugh, want to make it at least 4 for the Grammy win, but I just don’t love this album.)
Donovan
4/5
Vibes, man. Opening track is a banger. Other than that, nothing off the charts here, but just a solid vibe-y sixties album. Could def imagine owning this on vinyl and mellowing out on a Sunday.
Femi Kuti
4/5
It’s hard for me to rate these because I know so little of Nigerian music except Fela Kuti. I loved how the music sounded live, and of course the Afrobeat with full band sounds amazing—energetic, passionate. The lyrics were really moving. Four stars, but I wish I knew more of Nigerian and African music to compare it to.
Suede
2/5
Oof that opening yelp really sets a tone. Found this British Invasion exhausting. I know there’s a suede song out there I like, but it wasn’t here.
LL Cool J
5/5
I love this album! Remember when he performed Mama Said Knock You Out on VH1 Unplugged? Yeah, he was part of the first rappers to do unplugged shows. Also hard to compute that “comeback” was even a part of this. Around the Way Girl makes me FEEL. Ugh. This album has sexy, fun, hard vibes throughout. Listened to it several times!!
Lynyrd Skynyrd
5/5
I really want to not like this but is really a five star album. Pretty dang solid through out. I might be genetically programmed to like this music. Watched a lot people my parents’ age get stoned to this, have cookouts with this album on, play Free Bird and divorce each other and cry. Sigh. Like it or not a cultural touch stone.
Love
3/5
Another 60s album that’s sounds like all the others! I didn’t know one of my favorite Mariachi El Bronx songs is a cover (of the opening track). Nothing to hate here, but nothing that makes me understand why this album rather than PLENTY of other acts putting out interesting music. (This is basically the 60s version of the Ash album earlier… why?)
Public Enemy
5/5
Wish I could give more than five stars. Lyrics, Chuck D’s voice, mysic/sound… all iconic. Love this album. I remember growing up in Arizona when this album came out and us kids saying “yep, we banned MLK day and now Chuck D will never come here.”
The Pharcyde
4/5
Love this early 90s (and beyond) alt hip-hop. Want rate it highly, but if PE’s Apocalypse is a five star, this is a 4. Really good, but there are still greater heights in this genre.
Dwight Yoakam
3/5
I looooove me some Dwight. The Mexican influenced tracks (the title track and Streets of Bakersfield) are my favorites, and really make me feel like a lazy afternoon in Tucson. Not my favorite Yoakam album, but definitely belongs in the rotation. 3.5 stars, rounding down because not enough Mexican accordion.
John Martyn
4/5
Previous to this listen I only knew JM from the Church with One Bell covers album. His cover of Portishead is transcendent. This album is dynamic, arty, folky, a little druggy… I’m all about it! Solid 4.5 stars! Rounding down because I heard Nick Drake in my late teens/early twenties, so the laws of imprinting mean his albums get the round up.
Sleater-Kinney
5/5
I really love this album. Riot Grrrl greatness! Corin Tuckers voice—powerful, and that tremolo or whatever it is… ❤️
Roxy Music
2/5
Never heard them before. Started off really good! Then the yelping/yodeling/warbling vocal thing? Okay for a sort of “hey this was popular once.” A couple of tracks (like Sea Breezes) will be great on a mixtape. Not going to be listening en toto to this again.
Dire Straits
5/5
I’ve been a DS fan since I was a child (“I want my MTV…” guitar riff…. Video. I mean, Money for Nothing is probably an actual neural pathway.) Lovely album. Hits, a little mellow here and there, and tat beautiful voice and super clean/mellow guitar sound (not a fuzz pedal in sight!) Love Making Movies more, but this is easily a 4.5 album. Rounding up ‘cause I can!
Michael Jackson
5/5
Q-era MJ is the best MJ.
ABBA
2/5
Hm. Easy listening ABBA? Really loved the first track, and some others really had a groove, but as a whole album, pretty sleepy/unremarkable. The Day Before You Came has a hell of a beat, but the vocals are just. So. Euro slow.
Aimee Mann
1/5
I’m on track 5 of 12 and I can barely go one. I will finish, because I refuse to let Aimee Mann win this. My god, what was it about the nineties and white, insipid voices that can’t hold a note/sing in tune, and let’s not even start on the lyrics. How on god’s earth did this album get on this list.
Iron Maiden
4/5
Well, after Aimee Mann this sounds like Beethoven. Not my type of music, but the guitars, bass, and drums are legit. A lot more swing to the drums than I expected. Singer can sing. Incredible debut album. Torn between 4 and 5 stars.
The Smiths
2/5
Okay, lyrically I get why this was catnip to broody teens. But the crooning over swaying andante tempos? I’m going to need a lot more guitar angst to make this work for me (How Soon Is Now, and nothing less). Paint a Vulgar Picture was particularly bad.
Ice T
5/5
Oof this is almost a skip album (the sex song was my least favorite). So many tracks are timeless. This is hard, musically adventurous, artistic… and that last track—incredible end. His voice and lyrics and attitude and intellect are five stars. Iconic album.
The Mamas & The Papas
2/5
A couple of classics, but California dreaming was the only really good song. The male lead has a lovely voice. Think the rest were involved because of drugs and shagging? The tinny production/recording did them no favors. No going to come back to this.
Prince
5/5
Sigh. That’s how you open and close an album. Still a killer soundtrack after all these years.
The Beach Boys
3/5
Good Vibrations came on and I was ready to give this three stars. Then I realized it was just Spotifyinf playing more BB 😭 Still, this album is better than Pet Sounds. Blonde blue-eyed beach bops have a place, but, again, not a mood I see myself returning to. 2.5 stars, rounding up because this is better than PS.
System Of A Down
2/5
Hm. Not my music, but I know this is musically not awful. A couple of punk-like moments on Soil (yay), and the opera-like moments are interesting (but a lot of the vocal theatrics—like in Mind—are not). I will never choose to listen to this, but two stars feels harsh. 2.5 stars but rounding down—a tolerable two?
Randy Newman
3/5
Dig the voice, but this all sounds like a Pixar movie. Somehow this man has no soul whatsoever. Old Man sounded awful but the song was sad. Also, this dude was born and raised in California. Why he sing like NoLa?
The The
2/5
Eighties “rock” (lol). First track felt like Top Gun, then it was downhill from there.
The Cure
5/5
THIS IS NOT A DRILL.
God I love this album. Bought it on cassette at the mall at the age of twelve. My science teacher tried to be cool and listened to it and liked it. This was post-Depeche Mode Elaine. I had heard other Cure albums before (Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me was a vibe!), but this album sealed the deal. I’ve only ever worn black since then. 🖤
Harry Nilsson
3/5
Oh hey it’s the Russian Doll song! Oh hey it’s the Tarantino movie song! Def heard Without you on the radio as a kid. Alright not a bad album. I’ll never come back, but three stars for the Spanish version of Without You.
Hüsker Dü
3/5
Felt like this could have been on the Singles sound track. Not extraordinarily memorable, but gave me that 90s indie rock feel I love.
The Rolling Stones
2/5
Brits doing blues rock. I prefer disco Stones.
Supergrass
2/5
Lotta instruments. Pretty bland American rock. Two in row that just don’t get me feeling anything. Could imagine day drinking in a dive bar somewhere to some of these. 2.5, but rounding down because I just listened to the Stones and this does little different and it came thirty years after.
Red Hot Chili Peppers
3/5
I remember watching the documentary of the making of this album. It's definitely a classic. I fell off liking them decades ago, but there's no doubt that this album has a great sound and classics. Just not for me.
King Crimson
3/5
A little psychedelic, a little jam band, a little classic sixties rock. Not in love, but I *do* love that they kept the album to terse five (eight, with expansion) tracks. If you love them, maybe 2-3 tracks a side on vinyl would be crappy… Three stars for brevity when being weird.
Anita Baker
3/5
Anita is smooth. A little too mid-tempo/bland, but she’s a queen for a reason. 2.5 but rounding up for the icon.
R.E.M.
2/5
Not my least favorite REM album. They were really mellowing out at this point.
CHIC
5/5
Let’s Gooooo! This is a party. Sexy, danceable, smooth, fun. Even the slow jams were good.
Bruce Springsteen
3/5
First track is unlistenable. Peaks at Born to Run and then a steep decline. This meandering Americana doesn’t do it for me. Sorry Bruce, still wanna see you live tho.
Björk
3/5
Cooing. Breathing. Warbling. It’s a mellow vibe. I like Björk when she’s a little more growly and screamy.
Jane Weaver
4/5
Love the femme-y, electronica-y, gentle vibes. Loved it even more when my friend told me she was a Manc folk singer! Bumped this album up from a 3 to 4 stars. Yay for musical exploration executed well.
Stan Getz
5/5
I mean, is this a complete white colonization of samba, or is this jazzy/chilly heaven? Samba/bosa nova is itself a product of colonization! Can a colonial art form be further colonized? Any way, five stars for the chill factor, but I reserve the right to critique and update based on cultural violence.
Queen
4/5
I really love Stone Cold Crazy. Great rock album. Hard to separate Queen from their greatest hits. I'm giving this four stars: five stars for queer rock, knocking one down because I can't say the whole album was amazing.
The Police
3/5
The less common case where the second half of the album far exceeds the first half. Every Breath You Take has OVER 1 BILLION listens on Spotify!!! I feel like I keep regressing to the mean--this doesn't have enough in the first half to make me call this a 4-star album, but the second half is clearly timeless. 3.5 stars. Rounding down because I hate this system lol.
Pentangle
2/5
What in the commune did I just listen to? First track was 4 stars because it wasn't CSNY/Rolling Stones. But it got old quick. I can't imagine a person/group of color putting out this album with this (lack of vocal) quality and getting on this list. White mediocrity. Backing music was really good!
Tangerine Dream
5/5
Proto electronica! Whew the men in the comments on YouTube def paint a picture of the impact of this album. 4.5 stars for innovation/creativity/protean influence, rounding up because it’s not 60-70s rock!!
Kraftwerk
4/5
I’ve never listened to Kraftwerk before! So German! 4 stars because it came the day after Phaedra.
Erykah Badu
4/5
Great album. Neo soul EB goodness. 4.5 stars for sure. Just this side of too sleepy/too samesy for me to be a five.
Taylor Swift
5/5
Jesus Christ this woman has me in a choke hold. Never heard this album before and it’s instantly my favorite TSwift album. Her lyrics are Bob Dylan level. I SAID IT.
Bob Dylan
5/5
The only song I didn’t like was the cover of Make you Feel My Love. Nothing to maudlin, loved the country folky rhythmic vibe. 4.5 album, rounding up because this is some Dylan I can get behind!
Radiohead
3/5
Mummbly nasaly York croons over lush backing music. Not bad.
Os Mutantes
4/5
60s commune vibes—in Portuguese! It’s all there: fuzzy guitars, Hammond organ, lyrics in reverse, tambourine, quirky co-ed group. 3 or 3.5 stars, but rounding up to 4 for the fun factor.
Bob Marley & The Wailers
4/5
Bob Marley defined reggae for me and every American before me. Protest songs, love songs, songs of joy and praise. Iconic.
Jamiroquai
2/5
I might be too hungover for this. Every song sounds the same.
Motörhead
3/5
Surprisingly listenable! Of course they had to list after under age girls, write about, record it, and no doubt perform it. Was four stars, but knocked a star off for misogyny.
Dinosaur Jr.
2/5
I really wanted this to be better than what it was. Lollapalooza regulars, I thought I’d have more nostalgia/love. 2.5. Dropping to 2 for lack of interest.
Prefab Sprout
1/5
Christ. Fagan flashbacks. I almost called it at track three but persevered. Not rewarded.
Richard Hawley
3/5
Oof this did not start our well for me. Mediocre/derivative white man croons. The lounge/country thing just doesn’t do much for me— I felt the same about Willie Nelson’s lounge album. Not repulsive, but not much for me to love here. I will say, the album improved as I kept listening. Wish I could give it 2.5 stars. I’ll round up because it more tolerable as the album went on.
The Who
2/5
An acid concept album? Very sixties. Not many tracks I would return to. Such a love of the tambourine.
Jurassic 5
5/5
Love “underground” hip hop. Need a lot more of this.
OutKast
5/5
This was released a year after J5’s power in numbers. This album!!!! Should have given Power in Numbers 4 stars, because this album—this album is 5 stars. Lyrics, dance, culture, pushing boundaries… it’s got it all.
Two stars. The first three tracks were so boring. Good on them for continuing to evolve and make music together 25+ years on. But this just isn’t the sound/lyrics that bring me to U2.
Missy Elliott
5/5
Whew!!! She came out hard and kept going. And the Guests! I still think Missy Elliot is underrated in popular culture. Love this album.
Joy Division
5/5
1979! Listened to the Sex Pistols and said we’re going to do something just as subversive but totally different. Really at 4.5 album, but giving it 5 stars for the goth in me.
The B-52's
4/5
I remember first listening to this album in high school. And my swimming coach was like, "rock lobster!" but in a derogatory way. Yes, the B-52s are camp AF. Which was great when I was learning about music that didn't get played on the radio. I loved them because they were female led, and "weird," and (I didn't really have the language for it then) pop-y. 52 Girls is a legit great bop. The screams on Dance This Mess Around are pure Riot Grrl, with a 50s keyboard and surf rock guitar sound. No, this isn't high art. But it's definitely something different, fun, and absolutely a good album. Three stars for a solid album, and a fourth star because it came out in '79! 46 years later I still like listening to it.
Lou Reed
3/5
Wow I really liked this more than expected! 3.5 stars, but rounding down because it was pretty sleepy in some parts.
Prince
3/5
There's a reason people only know the first two tracks. There are some great parts, but I'm really surprised how much this didn't move me. Am I too corp???? Wanna give it two stars, but it's Prince! Is this one of those albums I really need to listen to all the way more than once? Ended strong, so I'll give it three stars, mostly out of guilt.
Marvin Gaye
2/5
Is this proto-Yacht rock? This was mellow, very adult FM easy listening. Meandering at points. I think this is what yacht-rock was going for this whole time. Regardless, not for me. But I recognize the game.
The Rolling Stones
3/5
I know I know. One of the greatest (some say the greatest) bands to ever make music. Doesn’t make me want listen. Giving a third star for their greatness.
D'Angelo
5/5
Undeniable the greatness of this album. Made us all listen to music differently again. Could be released today and win awards.
Wu-Tang Clan
4/5
It's the Wu. It's great, and also I'd have to listen to the lyrics many times to catch everything (which is part of why they are so great). ODB is really good. Four solid stars for greatness. Holding one back because it's almost background music for me rather than the main show.
2/5
Wow NOT what I was expecting. First, ABC? Never heard of 'em. Then the album cover... okay is this some sort of mid-century classics? Then the opening funk bass! What! Whew, there are some not great tracks, but there are some endearing English vibes. Are they English? I haven't looked them up, but this is just such classic English synth/funk/dance/pop. The vocalist--he's every 80s/90s English vocalist! 2.5 stars! Rounding down because no I will not listen to this album as a whole again.
Elbow
3/5
Went in blind--never heard of these folks, never heard any of these songs. Loved the opening track. By Grounds for Divorce I thought, "Oh god. Am I old? I really like this album." Giving it a light four stars--I like this, but something I can't articulate right now about it makes me think I'll feel like a chump for rating it so highly. Giving me "over-rated white artist" vibes. And yet... it's hitting my moody mellowness. Okay, talked my self out of it. 3.5 stars, rounding down because I'm so conflicted.
Amy Winehouse
4/5
Well overplayed now, but what an album. Her voice has an affectation, and I really hate the open track, but it's impossible for me to deny both her writing talent, her vocal strength, or what a landmark album this was. Four stars for all that.
The Mars Volta
3/5
Am I into psychedelic rock? Not really. Did I dig this album? I did! Three stars for an interesting listen. Cedric Bixler-Zavala's vocals are fantastic, but not enough for me to want to make whole albums a frequent listen (or four stars).
Eels
2/5
Okay, so VERY 90s sound, and also, I'm shocked at how many of these I knew. OR DID I? Is it just the sound of the 90s that has lulled me into familiarity? Any way, sometimes familiarity breeds nostalgia and stars, and sometimes it doesn't. Nothing wrong with this album, but nothing I'm going to come back to.
Aretha Franklin
5/5
Lordt. There are five star albums, and then there are albums that transcend ratings. Iconic.
Lenny Kravitz
2/5
I mean, he's a great musician, but this was pretty boring for me.
Led Zeppelin
5/5
Five stars for the opening track alone! It's cliché to say this is the best album, but there's a reason folks love it. Solid, dragged a tiny bit in the middle, finished strong. Great album.
John Lee Hooker
4/5
Gentle, lots of guests, a legend. Nothing to hate, nothing that makes be see the world in a new way. Four stars for longevity.
The Pogues
5/5
You either like the Pogues or you don’t. I’m a fan. Giving it five stars because I could reposted many more times.
Goldie
2/5
I went to check how far along I was in the album and I was still on the first track! Holy fuck a 21-minute opening track. This is definitely not my style, but I'm sure somebody out there loves this drum/bass stuff. I loved going to raves but never liked D&B. I'm not on enough acid to want to revisit this.
Little Richard
5/5
Today I learned that Elvis Presley covered four of LR's songs on his two debut albums in 1956. LR is absolutely underrated for his style, contributions, influence, and song writing. He defined rock n' roll in the 50s and after.
Bob Dylan
4/5
My god do I hate Rainy Day Women #12 & 35. Beyond that, this is the Bob I remember hearing as a child and _not getting_. A lot of chunka-chunka-chunka-chunka rhythms and whiny (so nasal!!!) voice. I definitely have a higher tolerance for the sound today. Four stars for being so Bob seven albums in. Not many folks can make this many albums and have #7 have such an iconic sound.
Funkadelic
5/5
Ooooh I love this album! You and Your Folks... is one of my fave songs of all time. But is this FIVE stars? Tough call, but I'm going to go for it. Rounding up because I really love the stand outs, and the less "poppy/funky" tunes are still quality.