Back in the early 70s, ZZ Top was basically a Texan version of Rush.

Surprisingly poignant and arresting. I wouldn't have figured a singer/songwriter could be this engaging. Also, it very much sound like the product of a tortured artist who wasn't going to survive.

Surprisingly cross-genre, almost jammy. Lots of hints of jazz, soul, and R&B in addition to CCR's southern rock core.

Well, I tried. I just do not get Lou Reed whatsoever.

I'd never heard a lick of this band before, although the name was familiar. The sound is halfway between The Police and XTC, with some excellent and innovative guitar and bass. But the real star is Paul Weller's voice and insightful lyrics.

Definitely a seminal moment in electronica, this album grabbed my attention back in the day for the way it crafted melody out of texture, and its prediction of synthwave and 80s retro to come soon after. That said, it feels a bit dated now. (This is also the first album on the list that I already knew intimately before I saw it here.)

Ahhh, simpler times. We had just survived Y2K, and everything felt fresh and new. I remember being thrilled when Blur and Bay Area hyphy collided in this stunning debut, although I couldn't for the life of me remember any of this music, save Clint Eastwood of course. A fun musical journey, whether or not it's familiar.

This is a staggering debut album, full of hits both recognizable and novel. It turned Southern rock into a cohesive art form, even while pushing its envelope.

Look: I love electronica and ambient music and vintage synths (hell, that's what my degree is in), but I'm not sure this is even the best TD album.

I don't know how I managed to have never heard of this band before. The music, somewhere between Soul Coughing and Propellerheads, would have been on heavy rotation for me about twenty years ago. You can almost hear the reckless post-Y2K glee!

This is a game-changing masterpiece.

A surprising amalgam of styles from two different eras, this album has elements of both 60s psychadaelia and 70s prog rock. Also, this album showcases the oft-overlooked fact that Vincent Furnier was and is a hell of a singer.

Back in the early 70s, ZZ Top was basically a Texan version of Rush.

I like it just fine, although it never ever ever occurs to me to actively want to listen to it. Why is that?

Surprisingly listenable and relevant 50 years later. Listening to this, I can hear both contemporaries (like Yes and Magma) and unabashed descendants (Radiohead comes immediately to mind).

This very much reminds me of the mid-90s: overblown and bland.

If you've never heard this before: this album contains "Bohemian Rhapsody." So, imagine an album where that song makes sense. That's right: it's an insane blender of styles and unchecked ambition. There's a harp on here. Also, young Freddie Mercury is even more amazing than I remember. Also, Brian May deserves the props and respect that he gets.

Surprisingly poignant and arresting. I wouldn't have figured a singer/songwriter could be this engaging. Also, it very much sound like the product of a tortured artist who wasn't going to survive.

It's aight.

This is worth all the praise that it gets. Joni Mitchell is an actual songbird. I don't know how she does it.

I'd rather listen to Fat Of The Land... but really, I'd rather listen to Chemical Brothers.