391
Albums Rated
3.19
Average Rating
36%
Complete
698 albums remaining
Rating Distribution
Rating Timeline
Taste Profile
1960s
Favorite Decade
Rock-and-roll
Favorite Genre
US
Top Origin
Wordsmith
Rater Style ?
35
5-Star Albums
21
1-Star Albums
Breakdown
By Genre
By Decade
By Origin
Albums
You Love More Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Exile In Guyville
Liz Phair
|
5 | 3.02 | +1.98 |
|
Crazysexycool
TLC
|
5 | 3.07 | +1.93 |
|
Honky Tonk Heroes
Waylon Jennings
|
5 | 3.14 | +1.86 |
|
Live Through This
Hole
|
5 | 3.28 | +1.72 |
|
Chirping Crickets
Buddy Holly & The Crickets
|
5 | 3.29 | +1.71 |
|
Celebrity Skin
Hole
|
5 | 3.29 | +1.71 |
|
Be
Common
|
5 | 3.35 | +1.65 |
|
Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
|
5 | 3.38 | +1.62 |
|
Beauty And The Beat
The Go-Go's
|
5 | 3.39 | +1.61 |
|
Tidal
Fiona Apple
|
5 | 3.45 | +1.55 |
You Love Less Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
The Chronic
Dr. Dre
|
1 | 3.33 | -2.33 |
|
Bitches Brew
Miles Davis
|
1 | 3.3 | -2.3 |
|
The Slim Shady LP
Eminem
|
1 | 3.29 | -2.29 |
|
Street Life
The Crusaders
|
1 | 3.09 | -2.09 |
|
Ambient 1/Music For Airports
Brian Eno
|
1 | 3.08 | -2.08 |
|
Music For The Jilted Generation
The Prodigy
|
1 | 3.07 | -2.07 |
|
Ghosteen
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
|
1 | 2.97 | -1.97 |
|
Swordfishtrombones
Tom Waits
|
1 | 2.95 | -1.95 |
|
AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted
Ice Cube
|
1 | 2.93 | -1.93 |
|
Gris Gris
Dr. John
|
1 | 2.88 | -1.88 |
Artists
Favorites
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Beatles | 4 | 4.5 |
| The Clash | 2 | 5 |
| Hole | 2 | 5 |
Least Favorites
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds | 2 | 1.5 |
Controversial
| Artist | Ratings |
|---|---|
| Tom Waits | 1, 4 |
| Miles Davis | 4, 3, 1, 2 |
5-Star Albums (35)
View Album Wall
Popular Reviews
Arctic Monkeys
3/5
Not bad but a lot of Arctic Monkeys songs just sound like Arctic Monkeys songs.
26 likes
TLC
5/5
Damn I loved this album when it came out. It's hard to explain to someone today just how cool TLC was and what kind of place they occupied in pop culture. For representation's sake, this is my 145th album and only the SECOND all-female group beside the Go-Gos.
22 likes
The Crusaders
1/5
This album actually made me angry because it felt like I was waiting on hold for 40 minutes - this is telephone hold music!!! Only the title track has vocals and is a bit more disco-influenced, but there's a mismatch between the jaunty tune and the lyrics about life on the street.
10 likes
4/5
This is the first artist that I've heard of - This is a solid album and PJ Harvey gets high marks for being influential, but it's not quite a 5 star album for me. Some obvious influences are Patti Smith on "Good Fortune" and Neil Young's Cinnamon Girl on the opening of "This is Love". There's also a great collaboration with Thom Yorke of Radiohead.
7 likes
Liz Phair
5/5
Rounded up to 5. Liz Phair is a mix of singer-songwriter and grunge rock. You'll be able to relate to this if you've ever been a mess, had a bad relationship or dealt with shitty men.
3 likes
1-Star Albums (21)
All Ratings
Michael Kiwanuka
4/5
I wouldn't have found this album on my own and I had never heard of the artist (apparently he's more popular in the UK) but it was quite good - a modern album with elements of retro soul. 4/5 stars as I felt that the album became a bit slow and ambient.
Jane Weaver
3/5
I wasn't sure what genre this would be - its sort of a dreamy electro-synth-pop. It's not bad, but I found the beats and some of the lyrics to be repetitive.
4/5
This is the first artist that I've heard of - This is a solid album and PJ Harvey gets high marks for being influential, but it's not quite a 5 star album for me. Some obvious influences are Patti Smith on "Good Fortune" and Neil Young's Cinnamon Girl on the opening of "This is Love". There's also a great collaboration with Thom Yorke of Radiohead.
Fatboy Slim
2/5
I remember when this album came out in the 90's and there was literally no escape from the catchy singles "Rockafeller Skank" and "Praise You". The other tracks are fine but I found a lot of it to be repetitive - most of the songs literally repeat the same phrase over and over. I need more drugs to enjoy this.
Queens of the Stone Age
3/5
QOTSA is a popular band but this album is a curious choice for inclusion on this list since it didn't have any of their hit singles or do as well commercially. It's sort of a grunge/stoner rock album with shades of Soundgarden and Black Sabbath and the opening track was a bit Radiohead-esque.
Ray Charles
3/5
I was aware of Ray Charles, but I couldn't have named a single song of his. The first half of this album was big band music and the second half was orchestral ballads. As a modern listener, I found Charles to be an amazing vocal talent but the orchestra and lyrical themes didn't age as well (10/12 songs are about romantic relationships and most of those are about failed relationships). The cover photo is a bit misleading as this is not a piano-focused album.
Manic Street Preachers
4/5
I wasn't too familiar with this band so I had just assumed that they were Britpop like Blur or Oasis, so this album was a pleasant surprise and was an enjoyable listen during a long drive. Would listen again, but can’t give it 5 stars because the album was solid but not an outstanding masterpiece.
AC/DC
5/5
I was in the mood to turn my brain off and ROCK!!! so I'm glad to get this today. 40 minutes of straight-up rock anthems. I'm going to give this 5 stars because it's a classic good time. My only criticism is that at least 70% of the lyrics are about how much they like having sex with women... maybe mix it up a bit and throw in more lyrics about partying or Satan?
The Incredible String Band
2/5
Experimental psychedelic folk... much of it sounds like a bunch of stoned hippies noodling around with instruments but there are some harmonious parts where I can understand how this type of music influenced bands like Led Zeppelin.
The Crusaders
1/5
This album actually made me angry because it felt like I was waiting on hold for 40 minutes - this is telephone hold music!!! Only the title track has vocals and is a bit more disco-influenced, but there's a mismatch between the jaunty tune and the lyrics about life on the street.
Björk
4/5
Not my usual thing but I respect what Bjork is doing. I overlooked her music in the 90's because the media focused on her portrayal as a kooky manic pixie dream girl and I assumed that her vocals were heavy on screeching and yowling. I was pleasantly surprised to listen to this album that was crafted with layers of texture, and now I think that (as with most female artists from the 90's) Bjork was overlooked in favour of her male peers.
Dexys Midnight Runners
3/5
My previous knowledge of this band was limited to Come on Eileen. This was a decent (but not amazing) album of ska-influenced 1980s British pop.
The Smiths
3/5
It's hard to rate this album - it's certainly influential and there are a couple of great tracks like \"Bigmouth strikes again\" and \"There is a light that never goes out\", but then there are terribly stupid lyrics (\"Some girls are bigger than others\") and mopey lyrics (\"Never had no one ever\"). Also, I don't care for Morrissey.
Radiohead
5/5
This is the 14th album generated for me, and it's the first album where I've previously listened to the whole thing.
I wouldn't consider myself to be a particular Radiohead fan, but I'm rating this 5 stars for quality and impact on modern music. It sounds surprisingly current (I felt super old when I realized that this album was released nearly 25 years ago!) and really captures the mood of our current dystopia.
The Waterboys
3/5
I guessed "80's Celtic pop rock" from the cover. It was fine.
Bad Company
4/5
Straightforward 1970s stadium rock. Well done, but seemed somewhat soulless. The vocalist was good.
Waylon Jennings
5/5
This is my first country album and it's actually really good!
John Lennon
3/5
The first 3 songs were good but a lot of the album seemed like filler. Lennon is like "LOL, I beat my wife but I can’t help it because I'm just a jealous guy!"
The Go-Go's
5/5
I love the Go-Go's! This album is a perfect slice of nostalgic pop heaven.
Pixies
4/5
I love the Pixies and this album has some great tracks but I don't love 100% of it.
Gang Starr
3/5
It's ok, I get that it's influential but most of the lyrics are just bragging about how great they are. Some tracks are better than others.
Cornershop
3/5
This album is an eclectic mashup of several different genres. I was expecting the album to be similar to 'Brimful of Asha' (the only song I knew) but it's all over the place.
Sisters Of Mercy
4/5
I always assumed 80s goth rock would be cheesy (the album cover didn't help), but this was quite good.
Elvis Costello
3/5
Decent. Some of the songs are great, some are middle-of-the-road.
The Sonics
4/5
A lot of these songs are covers, but the Sonics were very influential to garage and punk rock.
Donovan
4/5
There are some great songs like "Season of the Witch" and "Sunshine Superman" but I'm not as into the more medieval-sounding tracks. Donovan is quite talented and I prefer him to some of the other psychedelic pop stars of his era.
Minor Threat
3/5
I was a bit surprised to find this album on here. I like punk rock but Minor Threat is just OK - I've never been into hardcore or straight edge.
Blur
4/5
Decent Britpop album.
Morrissey
2/5
Meh, it's Morrissey without the rest of the Smiths. He's too whiny for me.
Iggy Pop
3/5
I like Iggy & the Stooges and David Bowie separately, but a Bowie song with Iggy singing in a way that doesn’t suit his voice is merely OK.
Caetano Veloso
3/5
1960s pop meets Brazil. I found the story behind this to be interesting - the Brazilian government felt so threatened by this music that the singer was arrested and exiled? Crazy.
DJ Shadow
3/5
It's cool that this album was made up entirely of samples, but it still seems like background music to me.
Tom Waits
1/5
This was a difficult listen. I had a hard time getting through the first couple songs. Some of the later songs were better. I'm giving it 1 star because I dread ever listening to this again.
Beastie Boys
5/5
I don't personally care for the Beastie Boys but this album was fun and the production was superb.
Primal Scream
3/5
Funky 90s dance rock
Little Simz
4/5
Little Simz is a talented rapper and this is a really intense and heartfelt album. However, rap isn't really my thing.
Deee-Lite
2/5
Groove is in the Heart is great, but the rest seemed like generic dance music to me. The music is fine, but I'm downgrading my rating because it's basically a one-hit wonder.
Stevie Wonder
4/5
Giving 4 stars for talent, but a lot of this is too sappy for me.
Metallica
3/5
This album has potential but the production and sound quality was poor. It needs to be remastered or something.
Beastie Boys
4/5
Just had Paul's Boutique less than a week ago. This album feels more sprawling - on one hand it's more funky, laid-back, and instrumental and on the other it's more gritty and punk rock.
LL Cool J
3/5
It's OK I guess.
Talking Heads
4/5
I like the Talking Heads and this album. It seems odd that this particular album is on the list though - they have a couple more popular albums with bigger hits.
David Holmes
3/5
Hmm, I like to think that I remember this era pretty well but I'd never heard of this artist or album. The music was decent - it was like a soundtrack for a movie set in NYC - but I'm not sure of the criteria for inclusion on this list.
Black Sabbath
3/5
This was pretty good; however, not THE best Sabbath album and there weren't a lot of tracks that obviously stood out from the rest.
Neil Young
5/5
This is a really classic album. I decided to give it 5 stars despite Young's singing voice and the mistake that is "Every Man Needs a Maid".
Rod Stewart
4/5
Decent, liked the instrumentation and Stewart's raspy voice. A bit commercial-sounding though.
Various Artists
4/5
A Christmas classic. Skip the last song.
Lightning Bolt
1/5
It's just noise.
Billie Holiday
2/5
Billie has a great voice but this album is really slow and depressing.
Metallica
3/5
Music is pretty good. Lyrics are cliched.
The Adverts
4/5
I was familiar with "Gary Gilmore's eyes" but hadn't heard the rest of the album. I feel like the Adverts are underrated in the history of punk rock and new wave.
Cypress Hill
4/5
I knew of Cypress Hill as a stoner rap band, but had not really listened to them outside of a couple of their more popular songs. I liked the music and production - really funky and interesting. Not a fan of some of the lyrics which covered your standard rap topics like threatening people with guns, getting high, bragging about how cool you are, getting laid, hating cops, etc.
Otis Redding
4/5
Otis Redding has an amazing voice that is a treat to listen to. However, many of these songs are covers with mixed results. "Satisfaction" with horns was pretty cool, but the chorus of "My Girl" was jarring to listen to with a solo singer as the harmonies have been replaced by awkward pauses and drawn-out notes. I had no idea that this was the original version of "Respect" but Aretha Franklin's cover is superior. Also, who/why is the random blonde lady on the cover?
Carole King
5/5
This album is a bit softer than my usual, but I think it deserves 5 stars. This album has a warm, cozy, lived-in feeling personified by the photo of the artist sitting on a window seat with her cat. According to Wikipedia, King wrote or co-wrote every song as well as singing and playing keyboards and piano.
Arcade Fire
4/5
Decent indie rock album with varied styles and influences.
The Prodigy
1/5
I'm not really sure why this particular Prodigy album is on the list. They've had more popular albums (with vocals). This one is generic 90's rave music.
Nightmares On Wax
2/5
Nice instrumental background music for working. I can't give it a high rating since I'm not sure why it's on this list.
Heaven 17
3/5
This was fine. 1980s British political synth-rock.
The Velvet Underground
5/5
Very influential album and great songs.
Dr. Dre
1/5
Zero stars for the lyrics. Are you old enough to remember the moral panic over vulgar, violent and misogynistic gangsta rap lyrics? Yeah, this is that.
Ute Lemper
1/5
Wow, this is ~VERY~ dramatic and bizarre. The highlight is the duet with the even more dramatic male singer where Ute gets nostalgic about being beaten and forced into prostitution.
T. Rex
4/5
Great classic album, no bad tracks. Gave it 4 instead of 5 because some of the songs sound fairly similar.
Stevie Wonder
4/5
I try to like Stevie Wonder due to his obvious talent, but some of his songs are just so syrupy. I prefer the tracks with more funk or social commentary. It's fun to pick out the samples that have been used in other songs like "Gangsta's Paradise" and "Wild Wild West".
Leonard Cohen
2/5
Don't listen to this album if you're feeling depressed - it just might push you over the edge! The first track is utterly depressing and makes Cohen's voice sound awful. The second track is about Biblical child sacrifice. Fortunately the album picks up a bit after that.
Norah Jones
4/5
I thought this would be bland Starbucks music, but Norah won me over with her charm. Her voice is great and I found this album to be really calming. Still, I never want to hear "Don't Know Why" again since it was SO overplayed when this album came out.
Prince
4/5
Funky, double album that doesn't feel like filler.
The Notorious B.I.G.
3/5
I liked the rap style, beats and production but as usual, I dislike rap lyrics.
Eagles
3/5
This is total dad rock. Some classic singles, some tracks that don't stand out.
Tortoise
2/5
I'm not sure how this band or album is important or influential.
Van Halen
3/5
Cheesy 80s rock. Has the three singles you've heard a million times (Jump, Panama, Hot for Teacher) as well as some lesser tracks.
Tears For Fears
3/5
Extremely 80s sound, but not bad.
Pavement
3/5
Pretty standard 90s alt-rock.
1/5
This album is utterly bizarre and could be effectively used as an instrument of torture. It's interpretations of old free jazz music but played much faster and less competently. This is album #73 and it's the first one I haven't been able to finish.
The Temptations
3/5
It's fine.
Roni Size
3/5
Not too bad for electronic/drum & bass music.
Sonic Youth
4/5
This is a pretth good Sonic Youth album.
Arrested Development
4/5
This was a pretty decent and funky album.
The Byrds
4/5
My late grandmother loved this band, so this album reminds me of her.
John Grant
3/5
This was a bit quirky but I liked some of it.
Funkadelic
2/5
A lot of this seemed like a jam session. One of the songs had random noises including a mooing cow.
The Allman Brothers Band
3/5
Hard to know how to rate this - they are good musicians but this album is more jamming than actual songs.
2/5
It's ok... a bit boring, bloated and self-indulgent.
David Bowie
3/5
Not what I expected. A lot of ambient electronic sounds.
LCD Soundsystem
3/5
Fine
Radiohead
4/5
This was decent but I preferred OK Computer.
Robert Wyatt
1/5
This was experimental, but not in a way that I enjoy.
Q-Tip
4/5
Cool and funky album
Ananda Shankar
4/5
This was pretty cool! It's the reverse of the Beatles, etc. "borrowing" from Indian music.
Metallica
3/5
It was fine, but I expected it to be more than the sum of its parts - I sometimes felt that the band and/or the orchestra were drowning each other out or that the two were clashing.
Travis
4/5
Judging by the cover I thought this would be generic late-90s pop-rock but I enjoyed this album more than I expected.
Yes
3/5
This is the second \"Yes\" album in about a week. I liked this one better than the last one. It seemed a bit more structured and cohesive.
Thin Lizzy
3/5
Thin Lizzy are good live musicians, but to me this is just more 70's arena rock that is technically well played but generic.
Leonard Cohen
4/5
This is my second Leonard Cohen album generated, and he has improved significantly since the last one.
Amy Winehouse
3/5
Amy Winehouse before she'd fully grown into her stage persona. I liked some songs more than others. Didn't care for the lyrics of "stronger than me".
Butthole Surfers
1/5
The only listenable track was "Human Cannonball". The rest is just crap.
John Martyn
2/5
Something about this guy just bothers me.
The Clash
5/5
Ten stars out of 5
Madness
3/5
I like Madness and Our House is a classic, but the rest of the songs didn't stand out to me.
Basement Jaxx
3/5
It was pretty good for dance music.
Meat Loaf
4/5
This was like the Rocky Horror Picture Show with motorcycles. I kind of dig it though.
R.E.M.
4/5
Solid album.
Billy Joel
4/5
I thought this would be cheesy (and the cover art is creepy AF) but it was above average. Classic feel and none of the songs were terrible.
Ice Cube
1/5
Hooray, another dose of violent misogyny. This one goes straight in the trash next to Dr. Dre.
Frank Ocean
3/5
Smooth
Charles Mingus
3/5
Instrumental jazz.
Jimi Hendrix
4/5
3.5 stars
Magazine
3/5
Shot By Both Sides plus some fairly generic songs.
Prince
4/5
Some great tracks and a few average ones.
Motörhead
3/5
A straightforward live album from Motorhead. Perhaps this is essential listening for Motorhead fans, but I could take or leave it.
Bruce Springsteen
5/5
I'm not really a Springsteen fan but I can't deny that this is a strong and well crafted album.
System Of A Down
4/5
System of a Down has such a unique musical, vocal and lyrical style that stands out from other heavy bands.
Ravi Shankar
2/5
I get that this influenced 1960s music, but I found it to be somewhat boring and the "lessons" unnecessary.
Rocket From The Crypt
3/5
I like Rocket from the Crypt, but am surprised that this is considered a must-listen album.
Massive Attack
4/5
Nice chill album
Sex Pistols
5/5
Fuck yeah! One of the foundational punk albums.
4/5
Never been a U2 fan but this one has a lot of their hits.
Beatles
5/5
Extremely influential album full of hits.
CHIC
2/5
Generic disco music with one hit, "Le Freak".
Jeff Beck
3/5
It was fine I guess.
The Triffids
3/5
I didn't have any strong feelings about this album.
Eric Clapton
3/5
3.5 stars - not bad, but nothing really stood out to me. I'm not sure why Clapton covered Bob Marley's I Shot The Sheriff.
The Undertones
3/5
I like the Undertones but I'm not able to give them a top rating as their music and lyrics are fairly simple.
Elvis Presley
5/5
Short but sweet. I can see why girls went crazy over Young Elvis.
Kendrick Lamar
4/5
Decent. Socially conscious rap.
The B-52's
4/5
Fun album. ROCK LOBSTER!!! The cover of Downtown wasn't great.
Supergrass
4/5
This is pretty good. I liked the manic energy of the title track and 'Alright' was a throwback.
The Byrds
4/5
I knew of the Byrds but didn't know that they made a country album. 3.5 stars.
Iron Butterfly
3/5
The classic "In-a-gadda-da-vida" and some other songs. The other songs were decent but this band seems like a one-hit wonder.
Joy Division
3/5
Good background music while working. Not particularly memorable.
Turbonegro
4/5
High energy rock & roll with occasionally ridiculous lyrics. It was fun, I enjoyed listening to it, but I probably won't listen to it again. I'm rounding this up to 4 stars because Turbonegro is a surprisingly influential and popular band for some reason.
Elliott Smith
4/5
I assumed this would be depressing but Smith is a gifted singer-songwriter.
Led Zeppelin
4/5
A classic, but I'm going to round it down to 4 stars. Excellent considering it's their first album and there are some familiar hits. However, the songs that weren't released as singles don't particularly stand out to me and it's more bluesy that their later albums with a lot of "oooh baby baby baby".
Brian Eno
3/5
Experimental pop/rock with electronic components. It was fine. I can see why it's listed as it probably sounded ahead of its time when it was released.
Portishead
3/5
This was nice background music to listen to while working.
Dinosaur Jr.
2/5
Mostly OK, except that \"Don't\" is physically painful to listen to and is literally one of the worst songs on 134 albums I've listened to so far.
Supergrass
3/5
This seemed fairly generic, and why are there multiple Supergrass albums on this list? I just got one last week.
Talking Heads
4/5
Good, not the best Talking Heads album though.
The Smashing Pumpkins
5/5
I was instantly transported back to the 90s when the intro to Cherub Rock kicked in. This is a classic and still sounds amazing.
David Bowie
4/5
Good, but not my favourite Bowie album.
The Stone Roses
4/5
Nice indie pop album. You can hear how the Stone Roses influenced future musicians.
Dusty Springfield
3/5
3.5 stars. Dusty had a great voice, but this is a cover album and I liked some of the originals better.
a-ha
2/5
One-hit wonder. They put the hit as the first track on the album so there's not much point in listening to the rest of this album of typical 80's synth-pop.
Coldplay
2/5
Coldplay just sucks. Boring basic music for boring basic people.
Earth, Wind & Fire
3/5
Average rating - funky, inoffensive.
TLC
5/5
Damn I loved this album when it came out. It's hard to explain to someone today just how cool TLC was and what kind of place they occupied in pop culture. For representation's sake, this is my 145th album and only the SECOND all-female group beside the Go-Gos.
The Black Crowes
4/5
Album cover: What We Do in the Shadows
Album contents: Crown-pleasing 90's rock
MGMT
4/5
I don't like a lot of synth music but this is a solid album.
Fred Neil
4/5
First impression: what the hell? Creepy album cover with songs about dolphins and cocaine?
Listening to album: Wow, this is surprisingly good.
Siouxsie And The Banshees
4/5
I wished for a time machine to take me back to an 80's goth club, but this album will have to do.
The Smiths
3/5
Fine I guess, but why does this list have so many Smiths/Morrissey records?
The Jam
3/5
I've heard "That's Entertainment" but the rest of the album sort of ran together.
A Tribe Called Quest
3/5
I know they are well-regarded but I found this to be a bit tedious.
Buddy Holly & The Crickets
5/5
I unironically love Buddy Holly.
The Jesus And Mary Chain
3/5
'Just Like Honey' is a classic and is a 5/5. The rest of the album doesn't compare and is more of a 3/5. I'm rating based on the majority of the tracks.
Bebel Gilberto
3/5
She has a nice voice and the music is chill and relaxing, but it's a bit too easy listening for me.
The Teardrop Explodes
3/5
Not bad, but not particularly memorable either. There seems to be a lot of random new wave/post-punk type bands on this list.
3.5 stars. I thought the singer sounded like Rod Stewart... sure enough, it was.
Jah Wobble's Invaders Of The Heart
2/5
Was expecting reggae from the name, but instead this is 80s-sounding British pop with some world influences. Nothing really stood out to me.
The Verve
3/5
Not bad, 90s brit-rock, Oasis meets early Radiohead.
The Doors
4/5
Good, Doors & Jim Morrison are highly overrated though.
Elvis Presley
3/5
This seems really produced for a "Live" album.
Jefferson Airplane
4/5
Grace Slick singing: 5 stars
Boring Guy singing: 3 stars
Overall: 4 stars
Gil Scott-Heron
3/5
Most of the album was mildly annoying jazzy improv. The last track was more beat poetry and was great - unfortunately still highly relevant today.
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
4/5
Mix of excellent and average tracks.
Deep Purple
2/5
These guys have amazing technical skills. I just don't enjoy listening to this - it's too frenetic and self-indulgent. There is a 20-minute track.
Miles Davis
4/5
This was the first instrumental jazz album I really liked - it didn't sound all the same or like elevator music.
Led Zeppelin
4/5
4.5 stars. Some massive tracks and a handful of less memorable ones.
Eurythmics
3/5
3.5 stars. Decent early 80's synth music with strong vocals.
The Electric Prunes
3/5
Odd album. The first song was a banger but the album was a grab bag of 60's psychedelic rock, songs that were almost 50's bubblegum pop, a medieval song, a silly ragtime song about the Toonerville Trolley (licorice dick anyone?). It's the 1960s, so the songwriter sometimes comes off as a bit of a weirdo when writing about women.
Rage Against The Machine
4/5
I listened to this and now I want to break something.
Shuggie Otis
3/5
Not bad for background listening. I've definitely heard "Strawberry Letter 23" (although I had no idea of the title or singer).
Emmylou Harris
3/5
Emmylou Harris is lovely but the production is a bit too slick for me.
The Jesus And Mary Chain
4/5
I recently got 'Psychocandy', which had a stronger single (Just Like Honey), but overall 'Darklands' is a better and more accessible album as it's more poppy and the fuzzed-out guitars are toned down a bit.
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
3/5
Obviously 'American Girl' is the big single from this album, and I've also heard 'Breakdown'. However, this album seemed like fairly generic boomer dad rock. I feel like Petty is the Great Value brand version of Springsteen.
Chicago
3/5
This album had some good parts but was uneven.
The Only Ones
3/5
Decent. Have heard 'Another Girl, Another Planet' and I think a couple other songs. This list seems biased towards British New Wave bands.
Terence Trent D'Arby
4/5
Funky, soulful 80's pop. I actually like this guy better than Stevie Wonder - he's less saccharine. 4.5 stars.
Dire Straits
3/5
Chill but shallow dad rock.
Grizzly Bear
2/5
I've actually heard the second song before, on a Spotify indie rock playlist. The first couple songs were interesting but the album seemed to quickly lose focus and become boring.
Aerosmith
4/5
Walk This Way, Sweet Emotion
Jane's Addiction
4/5
I don't personally like Jane's Addiction, but I'll give them 4 stars for their influence on alternative music.
Led Zeppelin
4/5
Kashmir is epic. Some of the other tracks just sounded like... Led Zeppelin.
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
1/5
Keyboard noodling
Pere Ubu
1/5
Much of this was pointless noise.
Muddy Waters
3/5
Live album, I didn't have any strong opinions about it.
Cyndi Lauper
4/5
Fun album, influential for both 80s music and female artists.
Willie Nelson
2/5
This was very "easy listening" and Nelson's voice sounds thin compared with other classic country artists.
Kate Bush
4/5
I don't really get it, but it doesn't sound like anything else.
Jorge Ben Jor
3/5
Nice atmosphere & nice to have something not in English but seemed kind of shallow.
Hookworms
3/5
Another album in the "didn't mind as background music" category
Oddly structured album - if this came out during the vinyl era, it would have an A side of massive commercial hits and a B side of slower songs with observations about life. Later U2 is too slick, calculated, radio-friendly and preachy for me.
Jacques Brel
4/5
Not my taste, but this guy is talented.
Eminem
1/5
Eminem has talent, but he's made a choice to spend it on cartoonishly over-the-top violence and misogyny.
Sly & The Family Stone
3/5
It's OK. Obviously "Everyday People" was the big hit. I looked up the date of the Doors' hit Light My Fire and that was released 2 years earlier, so it doesn't seem particularly original to be releasing a song with "Baby, light my fire - I wanna take you higher".
Miles Davis
3/5
Classic jazz, mostly instrumental except the vocals on the final track.
Stereo MC's
3/5
Decent background music
Doves
3/5
I've heard "Caught by the River" before, though I didn't know the name of the song or band. I guess you could call this power pop - it was fine to listen to, but there wasn't much that stood out to me.
The Human League
3/5
This album is very 80's but I enjoyed it.
Todd Rundgren
2/5
Most of this was pedestrian pop-rock. The spoken word interlude where he explains studio recording mistakes was odd and the slut-shaming song is just cringeworthy.
Traffic
2/5
Fairly generic 70's music - I'm becoming bored of these types of albums.
The Specials
2/5
I like the Specials but this didn't need to be on this list.
Amy Winehouse
5/5
Amy Winehouse was the real deal.
Bonnie Raitt
2/5
I had to turn this off halfway because this type of music grates on my nerves. Slick, overproduced pop-country. I'll be generous and give this two stars because I like Raitt's voice and she was obviously a big influence on the likes of Shania Twain.
Boston
3/5
This is a pretty short album. It feels like 'More than a feeling' with some other songs tached on.
The Roots
3/5
It's fine, but I feel like its attempts at a profound message got a bit muddled.
Ladysmith Black Mambazo
3/5
African a capella group. Enjoyed this, though it was a bit samey. Out of 207 albums I believe this is the first African artist, which is inexcusable considering the human history of music.
The Kinks
4/5
I enjoyed this album. The Kinks are underrated in North America compared to their more famous contemporaries.
Dr. John
1/5
This is awful. A white guy cosplaying as a "voodoo priest". His Wikipedia page says that he was inspired by minstrel shows. Just no.
Taylor Swift
3/5
I appreciate how Taylor Swift has grown as an artist and songwriter; however, this really isn't my thing.
Michael Jackson
4/5
I have to give this album 4 stars for having Bad, The Way You Make Me Feel, Man in the Mirror and Smooth Criminal all on one album. This album was released in the context of Jackson as the most popular artist in the world, and not yet some tragic pedophile weirdo.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
4/5
Fun dance-rock with a fantastic vocalist.
Eagles
3/5
More Dad music.
John Prine
3/5
John Prine is a gifted country singer-songwriter but there is nothing special about his voice and the arrangements weren't the best. For example, I much preferred Angel from Montgomery when covered by others
Green Day
4/5
As a fan of earlier Green Day, I didn't care too much for this when it came out. It seemed like they were trying too hard with the rock opera and heavy-handed political lyrics. Listening to it now I don't mind it - the songs still hold up.
Johnny Cash
4/5
Legendary. Not quite 5 stars.
Roxy Music
3/5
Fine, 80s pop music. Exploitative cover art.
Mj Cole
2/5
I got tired of this halfway through.
Paul Simon
5/5
I'll be nice and give this 5 stars, well-written songs with no filler.
The Avalanches
2/5
More electronic music.
The Strokes
4/5
Solid modern classic rock album.
Wire
3/5
3.5 stars. Decent post-punk. I feel like Elastica borrowed from Three Girl Rhumba.
John Coltrane
2/5
I know this album is supposed to be important, but improvisational jazz really isn't my thing.
John Martyn
2/5
Kinda boring, singer sounds drunk.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
1/5
Unlistenable drivel.
Bob Marley & The Wailers
3/5
This is fine but honestly a bit repetitive and I don't understand why Bob Marley is so much more famous than other reggae musicians. I also disagree with Rastafarianism.
Randy Newman
3/5
My knowledge of Randy Newman was limited to Toy Story and that Family Guy bit making fun of him, so this is better than I expected. His lyrics have a vein of dark satire about America, such as enticing people into slavery and nuking the world. His voice must be an acquired taste though.
Jerry Lee Lewis
3/5
It would have been wild to have seen this live.
Miles Davis
1/5
Ugh, I CANNOT endure this - I made it through the first track and realized that the second track was more of the same, so I stopped before it could give me a headache. It seems like a bad jam session with the musicians playing random notes. The trumpet frequently makes off-key squealing and squawking noises that grate on my ears.
Madonna
3/5
Some fun 80s hits, some cheesy moments.
Nanci Griffith
4/5
I had never heard of Nanci Griffith but she is a gifted country singer/songwriter. It's easy to see how she influenced the likes of the Dixie Chicks. I'm personally not a fan of country though.
The War On Drugs
2/5
This is fine, but I'm giving it 2 stars because it was a bit boring and didn't need to be on this list.
Beatles
4/5
I'll give this album 4 stars because it has some great singles, but I thought it was an incoherent mess that also had some mediocre tracks.
CHIC
2/5
Boring.
Neu!
3/5
I can see why this is on here because it sounds similar to current ambient/indie music and was ahead of its time. However, I can't envision myself seeking this out to listen on purpose.
Count Basie & His Orchestra
3/5
This was fine, just like all the other instrumental albums on this list. I didn't notice when the album ended and Spotify started playing another artist.
Scott Walker
2/5
I seem to have missed Scotts 1 through 3 and did not expect the album to open with a mariachi band? This wasn't completely terrible, but I didn't love it.
Supertramp
2/5
Too prog-y for me. Fluctuated between melodramatic and boring.
Liz Phair
5/5
Rounded up to 5. Liz Phair is a mix of singer-songwriter and grunge rock. You'll be able to relate to this if you've ever been a mess, had a bad relationship or dealt with shitty men.
The Magnetic Fields
1/5
Thanks, I hate it. I hate everything about this. The gimmicky premise, deadpan "singing", dumb lyrics, lazy melodies, nearly 3 hour play time, and even the immature 69 joke.
Paul Weller
2/5
File under adult contemporary. I thought the last track was much better before realizing that the album had finished and Spotify was now playing another artist!!!
R.E.M.
4/5
This didn't seem groundbreaking until I looked up and realized that it was their debut album from 1983 - by those standards it's an excellent slice of upbeat-sounding jangle pop.
Hawkwind
2/5
Self-indulgent prog rock jam with a bit harder edge. I didn't notice when the album started repeating again from the beginning.
Marty Robbins
4/5
I enjoyed this album - it's 1950s nostalgia for the Wild West, and Robbins has a smooth voice.
Beatles
5/5
One of the best Beatles albums. Has a minimum of their ridiculous songs.
Antony and the Johnsons
2/5
This honestly sucks, but I'm giving it 2 stars because I guess it's meaningful to some people?
Jane's Addiction
3/5
This was oddly sort of boring.
Prince
4/5
Good times.
Incredible Bongo Band
2/5
This is instrumental covers of songs including "Satisfaction" and "Inna-gadda-da-vida". I don't understand who this is for or why it's on the list.
Napalm Death
2/5
Grindcore really isn't my thing.
Patti Smith
4/5
The way that Patti sings "Jesus died for somebody's sins but not mine" is the best opening line ever. Patti is cool but her music is a tad overrated.
Janelle Monáe
4/5
I had heard of Janelle Monae but wasn't familiar with her music. She is a real talent and her music is ambitious and unique. It's like the offspring of Octavia Butler and Prince. I won't give this 5 stars because I felt that it lost steam in the second part.
The Stooges
2/5
I like the Stooges but this isn't my favourite album.
Joni Mitchell
3/5
Joni Mitchell songs just sound like Joni Mitchell songs.
Buck Owens
3/5
Not bad for country
Hole
5/5
This follow-up to Hole's best album 'Live Through This" is warmer, shinier and has what I imagine to be a Los Angeles feel. Every track is great. I don't understand the hate for Courtney Love but I suspect it has something to do with latent misogyny.
The Kinks
4/5
I find that the Kinks are underrated in North America despite superb songwriting and storytelling.
John Cale
3/5
Fine, no complaints. Prefer the Velvet Underground.
The Clash
5/5
Fantastic debut album from "the only band that matters". The songs are simple and catchy; they haven't yet reached the peak of their creative powers that they would achieve with London Calling.
Elbow
2/5
Mopey depressing version of Britpop. The reason to hear this album before you die is that it may drive you to suicide.
Sade
2/5
Extremely bland and inoffensive.
Nas
3/5
Some of it is pretty catchy, but I can’t tell if he's glorifying or criticizing the gangster lifestyle and honestly I don't care enough to find out.
Missy Elliott
3/5
Respect for Missy, but this genre has never been my thing.
Sigur Rós
3/5
More ambient music. Did not have any strong feelings about this.
Orange Juice
3/5
From the cover, I thought this would be early 80s new wave, potentially with a reggae infusion. It wasn't bad but was not memorable either.
Tom Waits
4/5
I strongly dislike some of Waits' music, but this is actually really good! It has a Southern Gothic kind of energy.
Steely Dan
2/5
Insipid. More dad rock.
Miles Davis
2/5
This album was two twenty-minute tracks of improvised jazz. I wasn't impressed by some elements like the horns.
Red Hot Chili Peppers
4/5
This has some real classic tracks, but I can't shake the feeling of being molested by Anthony Keidis.
The Rolling Stones
4/5
"Gimme Shelter" and "You Can't Always Get What You Want" are the high points at either end of the album. The rest of the album has a blues/country influence.
George Michael
2/5
Lame and corny. Not even the good version of 'Freedom'.
Black Flag
4/5
Influence on music: 5 stars
How much I personally enjoy it: 3 stars at most, I like punk but not so much hardcore.
Average: 4 stars
Lana Del Rey
3/5
It's not terrible, but it's Lana Del Rey repeating her schtick. Her affectations are occasionally grating; for example, the breathy voice on 'White Dress'.
Fleetwood Mac
5/5
Contender for one of the best albums of all time. Almost every track feels like a greatest hit.
Wilco
4/5
Pretty good for indie rock. Didn't seem too whiny and there were some differences between the songs.
Germs
2/5
Glad to see punk rock representation but I never really liked the Germs. They didn't have an innovative sound or impact the mainstream so they don't really need to be on this list.
Jimi Hendrix
5/5
It's crazy that not only are all of these songs on one album, but it's their debut album.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
3/5
3.5 stars. "I Want You" was the best song on the album. Why so many Elvis Costello albums on this list?
Van Halen
2/5
Technically well done but feels slick, shallow and soulless. This is the music you'd get if you asked an algorithm to write 80s rock.
Common
5/5
I'm not a rap fan but even I can tell that this is good. I like the retro influence and the lyrics are clever.
Spiritualized
3/5
Another "it's fine, good background music" album.
Iron Maiden
4/5
Powerful album with fantastic vocals & instrumentation. Removed 1 star for the parts where the lyrics dipped into cliche territory.
Dolly Parton
3/5
Dolly Parton is a treasure and has a gift for songwriting, but there was some cheesy inspirational stuff on this album.
LCD Soundsystem
4/5
I was positively surprised that LCD Soundsystem wasn't just electronic music. This was better than average.
Throbbing Gristle
1/5
I think there's something wrong with my headphones. They seem to be making random, nonsensical noises.
The Cure
3/5
Enjoyed the atmosphere, but the songs didn't really stand out from one another.
Johnny Cash
3/5
Rating a 3 since the inclusion of this album is absolutely redundant - I already got "Folsom Prison"! Do we need to listen to Johnny Cash playing every prison in America? This album also seems to have a worse sound mix than "Folsom".
Bob Marley & The Wailers
3/5
Decent, but also seems like inoffensive reggae for white folks.
Queen
3/5
Somewhat over-the-top, like the coked-out orgy in the cover photo.
Echo And The Bunnymen
3/5
Perfect atmosphere going into fall. Killing Moon is awesome, rest of album is fairly standard goth-tinted new wave.
Minutemen
3/5
Influential, I just don't love it. Seems like the kind of thing hipster dudes listen to in order to prove their taste in music.
Dusty Springfield
3/5
Dusty Springfield has a great voice and 'Son of a Preacher Man' is a classic. The 1960s production is sometimes over the top and I found the latter part of the album to be less interesting.
The Shamen
1/5
Early 90s techno. Had to turn this off because it was starting to give me a headache.
Cocteau Twins
3/5
80s dream pop. Relaxing.
The Last Shadow Puppets
3/5
Pretty good. Franz Ferdinand with a bit more influence from 1960s movie soundtracks.
SZA
3/5
I thought SZA would be Wu-Tang style rap but this was more laid-back, R&B influenced music. It was nice but the tracks all sounded similar.
Prefab Sprout
2/5
Lame, boring 80s pop. The author of this list seems to favour this type of music for some unfathomable reason.
Michael Jackson
4/5
3.5 stars - the first two songs are classic bangers but a lot of the album is influenced by the disco that was popular at the time.
The Pogues
4/5
One of the Pogues' best albums. The Pogues are like the Irish version of outlaw country and influenced the likes of the Dropkick Murphys and Flogging Molly. Not going to give this 5 stars since many of the tracks seem to be based on traditional songs.
Screaming Trees
3/5
I like Screaming Trees, but this is an odd pick. This album was released after the heyday of grunge (although this album isn't purely what you'd think of as grunge) and doesn’t include their best-known song (Nearly Lost You).
Penguin Cafe Orchestra
2/5
Just weird - some of the instrumentals were chill, some a bit annoying, and I swear there was some repetition. Didn't care for the vocals or keyboards.
The Stooges
4/5
Far ahead of its time. Best track is "I Wanna Be Your Dog". It still sounds sleazy, sexy and a bit dangerous in 2022 and I imagine it would've been mind-blowing in 1969. However, I didn't like all of the songs equally. For example, "We Will Fall is an indulgent 10-minute track that's like the Doors meets Velvet Underground. I prefer when the Stooges stick to garage rock and proto-punk.
The Cardigans
3/5
I knew the Cardigans as a 90's one-hit-wonder (at least in North America). I was expecting poppy songs about relationships from a sweet-voiced singer. I wasn't expecting the retro touches, occasional swear word, or Black Sabbath cover. I personally wouldn't listen to this album again, but 3 stars for effort.
Garbage
4/5
Solid album, lots of hits, love Shirley Manson. Subtracting 1 star because it's somewhat manufactured.
David Bowie
3/5
Pop/disco/saxophone Bowie. Aside from the hits (Young Americans, Fame), this was forgettable and the cover of Across the Universe was mediocre.
Pretenders
3/5
Good but would be just be average without Chrissy Hynde's vocals.
Frankie Goes To Hollywood
2/5
Very dated 80s music. Not sure why this is on here as it was a one-hit wonder (at least in North America). I keep getting albums with unnecessary covers- this time it's Springsteen and the 1960s song San Jose.
David Bowie
3/5
It's the hit song Heroes... plus some other random songs. Later, the album gets into ambient instrumental territory.
PJ Harvey
4/5
Love PJ Harvey. Solid album.
Kanye West
3/5
Good production and guest stars. Don't like Kanye himself.
Emmylou Harris
2/5
Too many sad dramatic overproduced country ballads. What's the point of covering Coat of Many Colours? Why the Beatles cover?
The Afghan Whigs
2/5
This just bothered me for some reason. The singer sometimes sounded like an uncool Trent Reznor, the music sounded like a 90s pastiche, and some of the lyrics are hilariously bad (see: opening line to Be Sweet).
Goldfrapp
2/5
This is like lounge meets electronic meets movie soundtrack - nice to have on in the background, but I don't understand why it's on this list. I might use Oompa Radar as background music for my haunted carnival, but wouldn't listen to it otherwise.
Foo Fighters
3/5
Catchy, but I always thought that the Foo Fighters were the more radio-friendly Dad rock devolution of grunge. I also prefer Dave Grohl's drumming to his singing.
The Chemical Brothers
2/5
I remember the era where this album found some mainstream success. Some tracks are good (Setting Sun) but some are generic, annoying and/or repetitive.
Silver Jews
3/5
Indie-alt-country. Somewhat boring.
The Modern Lovers
3/5
Ahead of its time but annoying in places.
The Beach Boys
3/5
This seems unnecessary to include in the list - why not just Pet Sounds?
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
2/5
Murder ballads sound cool, but I dreaded listening to more Nick Cave after the execrable Ghosteen. I find his "quirkiness" irritating, and I had to skip the Wild Rose song because it was on the CD that my abusive former workplace used to play on repeat.
Arctic Monkeys
3/5
Not bad but a lot of Arctic Monkeys songs just sound like Arctic Monkeys songs.
Yes
3/5
Not as annoying as I'd feared, and much shorter if you don't listen to the deluxe album.
Fishbone
3/5
I thought Fishbone was a ska band, but the ska influence on this album is minor.
Black Sabbath
5/5
How could I not give this classic album 5 stars when it opens with War Pigs and Paranoid? Foundational for so many genres including metal, grunge and stoner rock.
Joy Division
5/5
Very influential album. I imagine that nothing else sounded like this when it was released. The singer's struggles with mental health are relatable.
The Yardbirds
3/5
Good but not particularly memorable.
Hole
5/5
One of the best albums of the 90s in my opinion. I feel like Hole's music gets overshadowed by people's judgements of Courtney - I didn't read the comments before rating in case I had to wade through a sea of sexist trash.
Fiona Apple
5/5
Rounding up to 5 stars because it's hard to believe that Fiona Apple was only 18 years old when this was released. The vocals, lyrics and music are hypnotic.
Megadeth
3/5
This was a good album to listen while cooking. My thoughts: lots of shredding, somewhat cliched, lyrics silly at times. I bet this sounded more original when it came out.
Creedence Clearwater Revival
4/5
Pretty good, has the hits Born on the Bayou and Proud Mary. I always thought it was funny how CCR's whole Southern/swamp act was fake.
Nina Simone
2/5
I understand the cultural significance or whatever, but this just sounded dissonant to me (and not in a good way).
The Police
4/5
Not bad for mainstream 80s music and but I've personally never been a fan of the Police. I'll give it 4 stars because most songs are either hits or decent (except for "Mother" - that was awful!)
The Kinks
3/5
The Kinks are one of the best British Invasion bands, but this album is too precious and twee for me to rate it more highly.
Ice T
4/5
Hard to know how to rate this... I don't personally like it, particularly the lyrics, but the production was better than the other gangsta rap albums.
Buena Vista Social Club
3/5
Nice background music. I'm ignorant about Latin music and it all sounds similar to my ears.
Bob Dylan
5/5
Not a Dylan fan, but this was better than I expected. Bob Dylan is a good songwriter but I don't love his voice or harmonica, although the imperfection may be the point. I've rounded my rating up due to popularity and influence.
Eels
3/5
Weird that this is on the 1001 Albums list. I've heard "Novocaine for the Soul" and don't mind this album but I didn't think the Eels were that popular or influential.
The Zombies
4/5
Good British Invasion band. Time of the Season is an absolute classic. The lyrics were better than expected - for example, there's a song about religious leaders encouraging young men to go fight in wars despite never having to witness the horrors of war themselves, and a song about how the singer is genuinely happy for the couples he knows who are in good relationships - not a common subject!
Frank Sinatra
2/5
This album makes me feel like a 1950s housewife on Valium. Slow crooning.
The Rolling Stones
5/5
Classic album, no bad tracks. I have a hard time listening to "Brown Sugar" due to the lyrics but have to remember that this was released in the 60s.
Tori Amos
2/5
Ugh, no. I thought Tori Amos was somewhat quirky but this was just melancholy and depressing.
The Temptations
3/5
Nice, but had to give it an average rating because I've heard better versions of Heard it Through the Grapevine and a lot of the song titles/lyrics were along the lines of "baby I need you, don't do me wrong".
The La's
3/5
Power pop, not bad. The album with There She Goes.
The Killers
3/5
I've heard the two singles a thousand times and I didn't think the other tracks were anything special.
George Michael
2/5
Faith is a great pop song, but I always found George Michael creepy. He's creepy when trying to cajole someone into having sex with him (I Want Your Sex) and obviously extra-creepy on Father Figure. Did he have to introduce fat-shaming of children into Look at Your Hands?
Nirvana
5/5
Now this is a live album that deserves to be on this list. Most of the live albums I've had so far are "Band plays their popular songs but live!" and I've heard they employ tricks like stitching together the best takes from multiple tour dates or adding studio overdubs. This album captures a single live performance that adds to Nirvana's sound and legacy. The cover songs feel like a homage to Nirvana's influences rather than "let's play this other band's song in our style!" Cobain sings with raw emotion and there is a haunting feeling that he's performing at his own funeral.
The Cure
4/5
I enjoyed this, although it doesn't seem like everyone would. I like the moody, atmospheric vibes and will try to remember to listen again in October.
Depeche Mode
4/5
It was fine, I gave it 4 stars for including Personal Jesus, Enjoy the Silence & Policy of Truth.
Don McLean
3/5
Between 3 and 4 stars. I forgot to rate this right away and although Don McLean goes on the "dad" pile it didn't give me as generic of dad vibes as some other albums, but I recall that it had a depressing vibe.
Erykah Badu
4/5
Good neo-soul album with intelligent lyrics.
The Dictators
3/5
Maybe on 1001 punk albums, but on 1001 all albums?
Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
4/5
3.5 stars. I like bluegrass music and this is done well, but good lord this album could use some editing. I don't need to hear the musicians chatting.
Santana
4/5
Nice chill album. Mostly instrumental but the instrumentals aren't boring.
Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark
3/5
Not bad. 80s dark synthpop revival. Listened in background at work.
Radiohead
3/5
2.5ish stars. Personally, I think Radiohead has a sweet spot between modern rock and postmodern experimental... this is over the experimental line for me.
Metallica
5/5
I'm not really a Metallica fan but this album has Enter Sandman, Sad but True, Unforgiven, Wherever I May Roam, Nothing Else Matters... that's 5 stars plus the other tracks weren't bad either.
Britney Spears
2/5
This album is like candy, it looks shiny and colourful but it rots your teeth.
Roxy Music
3/5
I expected this to be just 80s synthpop (I realized afterwards that this came out in '72 so it was really ahead of its time), but I liked the quirkiness - there were some DEVO vibes and the singer even channeled a bit of Jello Biafra from the Dead Kennedys (!) but ultimately not all of the songs and I didn't like Side 2 as much.
Louis Prima
3/5
This is fine I suppose.
Marilyn Manson
3/5
I tried to separate my listening experience from the 90s hype and controversy and the fact that Manson is actually a trash person and not just acting. This album is fine, some good tracks, and Manson isn't a great singer but has a unique style. In my opinion, the same songs are better when interpreted by other artists (ex. Tourniquet by Rasputina).
TV On The Radio
4/5
I like TVOTR. This album is above average but not 5-star territory.
Bon Jovi
3/5
3.5 stars. Album has some big catchy hits, but it also seems like this is what you'd get if you told an AI to write radio-friendly 80s stadium rock.
Television
3/5
I was going to call this post-punk, but it came out in 1977 so the "post" part is inaccurate. It's basically the other side of the punk rock coin - they seem to have a lot of common influences, but on one hand you have one- or two-minute songs and "hey ho let's go" and on the other side you have 10.5-minute songs and art school jokes about about falling into the arms of Venus de Milo. I rate this 3.5 stars because the music and vocals didn't have a ton of range and the last part of the album seemed to blur together.
Violent Femmes
5/5
I looked this album up - it's their debut (!) and came out in 1983 (!). This is way too good for a debut and way too ahead of its time for 1983. I'm too young to have firsthand knowledge of the reception this album got when it came out, but I imagine it being like the Velvet Underground where few people bought it but it had a massive influence on alt rock. This album opens with the one-two punch of Blister in the Sun and Kiss Off. Other standouts include Add It Up and Gone Daddy Gone. The only skippable track is Please Do Not Go.
Finley Quaye
3/5
Reggae (with other genres mixed in) updated for the 90s. Like everyone who lived through that era, I've heard the catchy hit "Sunday Shining" (now I know it's not "Sun is Shining"). Finley Quaye seems like a bit of a one-hit wonder. The music is fine but the rhymes are sometimes stilted and occasionally make little sense ("I'm a hero like Robert de Niro" - um, de Niro usually plays a criminal.)
Simply Red
2/5
Lame, dated 80s music. Kudos for dissing Ronald Reagan though.
Blondie
5/5
Fantastic new wave album and Debbie Harry's vocals are perfect.
Radiohead
4/5
In my review of Radiohead's OK Computer, I noted that the themes of technology and alienation remain even more relevant today. Unfortunately for the world, the themes about politics and the state of the world in Hail to the Thief are just as relevant today. My main criticism is that it seemed like there was a lot of droning.
The 13th Floor Elevators
3/5
They have a cool psychedelic garage sound and I'm sure they were influential and ahead of their time, but nothing comes close to the legendary first track.
Stevie Wonder
3/5
Too High and Higher Ground are good, but Stevie Wonder just doesn’t resonate with me and this album doesn't change that.
Fats Domino
4/5
Rounding up to 4 due to Fats Domino's influence on rock & roll.
Venom
3/5
Ridiculous but fun, like Metalocalypse.
Rush
3/5
Fine, not a huge fan of prog rock and singing about Satan and weed isn't as edgy as it used to be.
Oasis
3/5
Not their best album. Middle-of-the-road Britpop.
Beck
3/5
Definitely different than the music I associate with Beck. This is mostly straightforward guitar music about heartbreak for adults. Who hurt you, Beck?
Paul Revere & The Raiders
3/5
The first track was a banger so I had high expectations for this album; however, there were some questionable choices... girl in the 4th row, the instrumental dedicated to some girl he hasn't even met and the song with the Spanish lyrics sung phoenetically all suck, and what's with the weird Beach Boys ripoffs near the end? I'm giving it an average rating because I did enjoy some of it.
Nine Inch Nails
3/5
Looking back on this from 2023, it's still good bit also repetitive and cartoonishly angsty.
Sinead O'Connor
3/5
I appreciate that she had something to say, I just didn't love this. Plus the biggest hit is a Prince cover.
Air
3/5
Nice background music, but I didn't really notice when it switched to another artist.
Beatles
4/5
Well done, but a lot of these are covers and the relationship themes get a bit repetitive. 3.5 stars.
Astrud Gilberto
2/5
This was endearing but annoyingly corny.
Stan Getz
3/5
Inoffensive background music. I can imagine this record playing at a 1960s cocktail party.
Willie Nelson
2/5
From what I know of Willie Nelson, I expected him to be more outlaw country but this is more old-fashioned songs about dyin'.
Justice
3/5
Surprisingly I didn't mind this - enjoyed some of the dark/retro vibes.
Missy Elliott
3/5
This is OK, but I feel like Missy got brainwashed into being mainstream, acting sexy and losing both weight and personality.
Elton John
3/5
I'm being generous by giving this 3 stars because I'm sure that Elton John is talented, I just find his music to be unpleasantly corny.
The Cars
3/5
On one hand it's got some great hits - on the other it's shallow, slick and glossy. A reflection of its time.
4/5
These guys are idiots, but I have fond memories of this album and it has a lot of good tracks.
Kanye West
3/5
This was fine, didn't mind it. Trying to separate the art from the artist and not let the fact that Kanye is a garbage human being influence my rating.
1/5
Can I give this 0 stars? I thought nothing could possibly be worse than Kid Rock but clearly I was wrong. It took everything I have just to get through the second track (first actual track after "Limp Bizkit in tha house!" intro). This flaming pile of excrement is dated to a specific moment in pop culture and toxic masculinity that I hope is forever buried in the past.
Janet Jackson
3/5
Production and vocals are great, but there are a lot of slow jams. I don't think Janet Jackson gets enough credit or respect.
Duran Duran
3/5
Two iconic 80s singles (Rio, Hungry Like the Wolf) plus some other songs.
Brian Eno
1/5
Seriously? This is indistinguishable from any of the tracks on YouTube/Spotify with titles like "BEST DEEP SLEEP MUSIC LOFI CHILL RELAX SLOW BRAINWAVE CALM". Track 1: hitting piano keys in a repetitive motif with ambient droning in the background. Track 2: aaaaaaahhhhhhh with ambient droning in the background. Track 3: piano + aaaaahhhhh. Track 4: synth instead of piano.