1001 Albums Summary

To this day I still don't understand the appeal of Eminem. He's like the nu-metal of hip hop - an historical mistake that should never be repeated.

I had a "cool" friend in Webelos that got this record when it came out and it was honestly my first real introduction into thrash/metal and it blew my mind at the time (and still does, honestly). "One" was on heavy rotation. Probably Metallica at their most technical: there's a level of depth and complexity that doesn't take away from strong lyrical themes of corruption, war, etc. It's a shame because the follow up to this (and beyond) is a totally different band. Maybe this was as far as they could go with the genre so change was inevitable? The only knock on this record is the shitty, shitty mixing, with Newsted's bass nearly mixed out on some tracks.

Definitely not their best set of songs, but the standout tracks are classics ("My Generation," "The Kids are Alright," "A Legal Matter"). There were much better albums coming, but in 1965 the powerful sound of drums and guitars was something that had never been captured on a rock record before. One of those groundbreaking records that wasn't the band's best, but demands a level of respect.

This record was my first introduction to The Chemical Brothers and it blew me away at the time. Innovative, stylish, and focused (even though it kicks off with the all-out frenzy of "Block Rockin' Beats"). It doesn't restrict itself to a specific genre of electronic music, spanning big beat, drum n' bass, breakbeat, and even some psychedelic rock. Amazing record all around.

Consistent in mood, style, quality, lyrics, polish, and self-confidence. This is the record that defined the CCR "mythos", and maybe that's why this is in the book over Cosmo's Factory, Green River, or Willy and the Poor Boys. Proud Mary is their best ever song though, so hard to imagine it being left out.

Will my kids look back on Pearl Jam, Nirvana, etc. and think of that as "dad music" like I do with this crap? I mean, my dad had good taste! He got me into Zeppelin, Sabbath, Creedence! Why did he think this garbage was worth his time? Guess it's something to talk about at Christmas this year...

This is a classic, stacked with songs that have become radio standards. There aren't any weak tracks on this one, though some songs break through (no pun intended) into legendary status. Even the Beatles wanted to capture the same energy of this record on Sgt. Pepper's.

I was ready to write this one off as some singles with fillter, but this is a solid album - it sounds more like REM than I would have ever guessed. Well crafted tunes that definitely hold up over time. The album is well-deserved in its accolades as a "cornerstone of American new wave."

Never did like Bruce (still don't), but I'll grade on a curve because he's at least saying something and backing up the working class.

I really like this record. It's a different side of PJ Harvey, at times channeling Patti Smith, at times her take on a pop song, and only one or two cuts that are traditional PJ Harvey rawness. My favorite: "You Said Something"

I know everyone says this is a "funk metal" band, but this album goes between synth-metal, Mother Love Bone glam, and Alice in Chains w/o the harmonies. That's not a bad thing because this record still sounds great and is a great intro to Mike Patton and the directions the band will take on the follow up record.

In my college days this record was like holy artifact. Listening to it again now after so many years, it doesn't give me that same "spiritual experience" but it's still a landmark record that was/is insanely influential on many of my favorite artists.

An album that gets better and better the more you listen - it takes a few passes to truly appreciate the wit and turns of phrase in the lyrics and the richness of the musical compositions. Consistent all the way through and each member has their moments of creativity and expression, all held together with Stuart M's strong songwriting. I didn't think this was my favorite Belle & Sebastian record, but after this listen I think I've changed my mind and awarded it a rightful place at the top of the list.

Nope, can't do it. I friggen hate Billy Joel, always have, always will. I really tried though!

One could consider this as the bands magnum opus, though I still prefer Siamese Dream. This album was huge when it came out, and it honestly holds up nearly 30 years later. The songs aren't necessarily linked by any themes or narrative (other than maybe being a 90s teen) but it works as a cohesive unit nonetheless. Does drag a little in parts, but there are more than its fair share of great tracks.

Whoa, this album is interesting. Exactly the type of thing I want to encounter on this list. Glam meets art-rock with a dash of prog and avant-garde. This isn't novelty though, the songs are well constructed and catchy.

The record that defined Elton as we know him: the larger than life star. An album that showcases every aspect of his personality with a huge blockbuster sound. Three amazing singles, and another single that's unfortunately my least favorite EJ song ever. A variety of styles (both good and not so good) providing at least something that resonates for pretty much everyone.

I avoided this album when it was released because "Criminal" was ubiquitous and unavoidable, and to my small mind, that meant "too commercial to be any good." Kids are dumb, this album is amazing, and I'm worse off for never giving it a chance back then. At least I get to experience it for the first time here and now.

Well crafted record, though not really my jam.

I'm a fan, and this sound still holds up 13 years later. Great debut.

This came out of left field, in a good way. Lemper's stage musical singing chops really shine, and the musical compositions are top notch. I was unaware of Lemper's pedigree as the (THE) modern interpretive authority on Kurt Weill and "Tango Ballad" is perhaps the most interesting interpretation on an album of very interesting interpretations. Not sure I'd listen to this on repeat, but when in the mood this album hits all the right spots.

Like most Americans, I knew nothing of this band outside of "Come On Eileen". A couple of songs have a heavy The Specials influence. I can't get past the vocals. I appreciate hard-to-understand singers, but something about the recording quality of the vocals and his accent makes a lot of it incomprehensible.

Stone cold classic. "There is a Light That Never Goes Out" was the walkout music at my wedding. 'Nuff said.

Kind of reminds me of the Allman Bros' At Filmore East, but (a) it's not actually live (they added crowd noise to the studio recordings), and (b) it's not as good. "Piece of My Heart" is of course the standout, and "Summertime" is a pretty good cover. I guess as a paragon of the late 60s San Francisco scene it deserves some credit, but it's just a lot to get through if you "weren't there, man."

Incredible debut. 3/4 of the tracks on this album are stone cold classics. The only fault is the muddy sound that comes close to doing his revolutionary guitar work a disservice. Not enough of a fault to rate this any lower than 5 stars though. Just an amazing record front to back.

This might be the most consistent LCD Soundsystem album in their catalog. It has an urgency and almost nervousness to the sound throughout - anger, longing, fear, and James Murphy's trademark self-awareness - without sounding the same as previous efforts. Lyrically it's as strong as any of the three earlier albums. It helps that the return was a huge surprise, and instead of delivering just a nostalgic cash grab, they produced a great record.

This album shows Joy Division at their full potential: sprawling, chaotic, energetic, neurotic. The band experiments with sound, mixing, melodies, rhythms, and vocals. If it's not better than Unknown Pleasures - and it probably is - it's a step forward and leaves you longing for what the band might have come up with next had they the chance.

Sonic Youth's magnum opus, still one of the best records ever, though perhaps I have a strong bias in favor of my "musical discovery" years. Don't just listen to me though, listen to all of the bands and artists that cite this work as a major influence. Starts off with two amazing singles (or what passes for a single for Sonic Youth) but my favorite is probably the Trilogy that ends the second side.

Ugh, no... just... no. 2 stars because they at least play their own instruments and like, my dad kinda likes this album.

Great combination of electronic music and R&B. Back in the 90s, this is what I pictured R&B sounding like in "the future." Pretty strong songwriting, even though this genre is not really my jam.

Buzzcocks are unfairly known as a "singles band" but this album is a showcase for the bands talent and influences. It succeeds as an album from production to musicality to songwriting.

I've always thought of The Cardigans as a novelty band (what if we had a lounge lizard act with twee vocals?), and this album didn't do much to dissuade me of that notion. I was giving it a fair shake until I hit the ridiculous "Iron Man" cover and I fell off the ride.

Very much in the vein of Eels, Elliot Smith, and Bright Eyes, and maybe even The Beta Band or Grandaddy. I didn't find it as good as any of those bands tbqh, but it's still listenable and the lyrics are earnest.

Good, but not great record. Some major standouts but the rest feels just kind of under-developed in a way. Quick tangent: there's something about the recording on this that dates it as 1998-2000. Sounds just like the recording and mix of Muse's Showbiz, VAST's debut album, Days of the New, etc. Something about the compression ratio of the vocals, the drum mix, or something.

This album defines "90s electronica" for me and is a stone cold classic as far as I'm concerned.

I don't know if I like this as much as Bookends or Bridge, but it's good. Really good.

A debut album that tells you exactly who this band is, what they are about, and what type of show they're going to put on live. The album is like a cannon ball blast - 35 minutes of getting down to the business of rocking you to 11. Oh, and here's a handful of tracks that will be come classics, and a new guitar sound you've never heard before that's going to change the landscape of rock music for the next decade.

Probably the only VU album showcasing the potential of every member of the band. Impossible to overestimate the influence of this record, and thus, impossible to give less than a 5.

This album is a reaction to the reviews of the earlier Psychocandy. The wall of sound is gone, but the "style" is still there. Songs are a little more drawn out and the band explores the space - it doesn't sound empty at all. I don't like this album quite as much as Psychocandy or Automatic, but there are some killer tracks and it's still a great record.

"Grand Funk Railroad paved the way for Jefferson Airplane, which cleared the way for Jefferson Starship. The stage was now set for the Alan Parsons Project, which I believe was some sort of hovercraft."

Great album and I'm glad the band relented and went ahead with recording "Run, Charlie, Run" and "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone"

Took all of my willpower to give this a shot. I'm not a fan of this type of pop music to say the least, but since Taylor writes her own songs I figure she's at least a step ahead of her competition. The hits you've heard because they've been playing in every grocery store and on every other commercial for the last 8 years. The filler was better than I expected and when she falls back on her strengths (earnest lyrics, straightforward melodies) the songs are good.

Amazing infusion of New Wave sounds with The Attraction's classic touches. Insightful lyrics about world politics, imperialism, life, love. Catchy melodies. What's not to love about this classic?

Was dreading when this one was going to appear. it was actually more tolerable than I was expecting.

Oh hell yeah. The first side is a massive jump forward from the classic Motown sound into a "psychedelic soul", the source material for the funk sound of the 70s. Poignant lyrics, great instrumental compositions, and harmonies and vocals as good as ever. The second side dials it back a little with more subtle touches of the experimental first half, which IMO, weakens the record. Still a great album though.

Album is solid, with a number of standouts. "Stir it Up" is a top 2 Bob Marley & The Wailers song.

Oh FFS... how in the world did this crap make the list? This style/genre/shameful detour of rock music should be forgotten and lost to the sands of time. And this isn't even their "best" album - it's easily the most cheesy representation of this nonsense.

The covers pale in comparison to the originals, but wow, the originals are solid: growth from the previous record and a glimpse at the band's true potential. Hard to give this a 5 star rating as I feel there are too many covers and it's not nearly as good as records to come. But this record is better than many other 5 star records on the 1001 list, so...

One of those albums that you have to hear and appreciate, but you'd have a hard time listening to on repeat. I love it when bands are pushing the envelope and this record certainly does that in spades. Helps that Kurt Cobain and Doug Martsch cite this as one of their biggest influences.

Kind of an Aphex Twin "lite" but enjoyable enough. I have a soft spot for 90s electronic music.

I mean, it's a classic and a pioneering "alternative" record. Rate it up there with the best REM, The Cure, The Smiths.

Pretty good - similar to anime OSTs in that it's as much a score as it is a typical "soundtrack". Quite enjoyable and it pairs well with the film. Stranger Things, Twin Peaks, and any score by Daft Punk or Vangelis are in the same vein.

Some of the tracks sound a bit dated, but others still hold up. The blending of blues and gospel with his own lyrics on top of breakbeat and other electronica made a pretty fresh sound in 1999. It's still a good listen and the singles are still catchy. One of those albums that I would have rated higher back when it came out.

I never boarded the Wilco hype train, but this was better than I expected. Solid set of songs, with some nice standouts.

Funk was never my cup of tea, but later bands obviously cite this as a major influence.

I don't really get this one.

Another one of those albums (and bands) that I rate highly because of the impact it made on me when I first heard it. It still holds up today - hell it sounds like a greatest hits collection. If you listen to this and don't want to dance (or at least bob your head once in a while) you are likely a robot and not a human.

Definitely was not expecting this from The Beach Boys. Completely different sound and songwriting. Some huge misses but also some amazing songs.

Jack Elliot sounds like Woodie Guthrie. Bob Dylan sounds like Jack Elliot. He did the whole "pretend to be a country bumpkin though really from a privileged upbringing" before John Fogerty did it. Can definitely see why this album is in the book even though I'm not a huge folk fan. If you like folk, this is a classic. If you don't, it will be grouped w/ Dylan and you'll rate it the same.

Holy crap. Is this the best live metal album of all time? Full throttle from the start. Amazing versions of "The Hammer," "Ace of Spades," "Overkill," and the finale of "Bite the Bullet / The Chase is Better Than the Catch" is incredible.

I couldn't really get past this sounding like a novelty act, though to completely contradict this statement, I felt the strongest song was the "California Sun" cover LOL.

Both bleak and optimistic at the same time. A sense of loss permeates the entire album contrasted with sparks of encouragement or maybe even hope. Musically, this is Pink Floyd at their sharpest and tightest, with intricate interplay between all instruments, melodies, harmonies, and solos. Just an all around classic that might not be quite as pioneering as Dark Side of the Moon, but IMO it's just as essential.

This is basically as good as Michael Jackson's Thriller. The singles are pop classics.

You can definitely tell that some 70s-80s rock and pop drew influence from this record. Sure, the world music aspects lead up to Paul Simon and Peter Gabriel, but the folk aspects and the way the songs are constructed remind me a lot of Led Zeppelin I. Others sound like repurposed drinking songs ala The Pogues (this is not a bad thing). Some of the vocals and harmonies remind me of Belle and Sebastian. Now that all being said, there are still some tracks I had a hard time getting through. "The Minotaur's Song" sounds like they got high and had a laugh or two - I have no idea why it's held up by critics as a highlight of the album.

Started off OK, then I didn't get it, then it got better and I kinda got it.

Some decent tracks. I've never been a big fan of UK garage/UK-style house, and even if this is a landmark record of the genre, it still doesn't really resonate with me.

Great record. Rhymes, beats, themes, samples - all done exceedingly well.

Essential psychedelic album and an interesting mix of Syd Barrett's pop song structures and the more traditional Pink Floyd improvisational pieces.

The "musicality" (?) of this record, and all Eels records, really, are amazing. Harmonious, haunting, emotional. It's like the Eels signature sound. I loved this record when it came out, and listening to it again that hasn't changed.

This is probably my favorite Bowie record. Just an amazing collection of songs: inventive, clever, interesting, and catchy at the same time.

Not really sure he achieved the "lyrical depth" he was hoping for with this batch of songs. The music isn't helping any: while moody, it's very vanilla and lacks any sort of impact or edge, though perhaps my impression is biased by time. Doesn't suck, but is just not all that interesting.

An all-time classic.

Nope

A great showcase for her vocal range and energy and you can see why she has been so highly regarded as a singer. A couple of standout tracks, and even the filler is pretty good.

This album lives up to all of the praise and "importance" that history has placed upon it. It represents one of those moments in music history that changes the rules of what can, and should, be done. A true masterpiece.

This is soooo much better than their later albums. Lydon is still mad and has something to say. The band has purpose and wants to move music in a new direction. That said, it's not perfect, but it's trying.

Great set of pop tunes. Songwriting, melodies, and harmonies are all spot on. Reminds me a little bit of Rubber Soul era Beatles, a little bit of early Matthew Sweet, and maybe Robyn Hitchcock, though it lacks the edge of the latter two artists.

I don't know how to rate this... At first I was put off by another "crooner record" (and the Phil Spector wall of sound) but then halfway through "Jackie" the lyrics caught my ear and I had multiple double-takes. Then "Next" comes in and it is clear that this isn't Tony Bennett: these Jacques Brel songs have something interesting to offer. Overall it's the type of thing I'm hoping to encounter on this list: something I've never heard of, something outside my usual listening, and something that, on reflection, was probably groundbreaking and influential.

Kind of a hybrid/fusion of his folk style with The Beatles/Rolling Stones. Contains some classics. Overall excellent listen, though I still prefer the more overtly political songs of his earlier career.

Disjointed and jaded, though that's probably the whole point. Some well worked songs, some experimentation, some earnest lyrics that translate to being tired of being on the road. A couple of classic songs. Overall not the best Bowie but still pretty good.

"Little Wing," "Wait Until Tomorrow," "If 6 was 9," and "Castles Made of Sand" automatically make this a 3 or 4 stars out of 5. The songs are a little more tightly crafted than those on his first album, though it's probably not as revolutionary. I get some R&B influence, some jazz, and some experimentation. He's got a vision for where he wants his music to go and he's working through it on this record.

Arena rock global breakthrough for a band that was lumped into Britpop but was always more of a classic rock and roll band. These songs aren't artful, nor do they have much substance, but they tickle that part of the brain that wants to rock out. Classic 90s record. My only real complaint is in the mixing/mastery of the record as it is heavily compressed. Not sure if it's responsible for the "loudness war" or if it was a casualty, but it annoys me.

The Bob songs sound so different than the Grant songs it's almost like they each are writing their own solo efforts and just pushed the two sets of songs onto the same album. This isn't a bad thing though because each songwriter is going in their own new direction.

I can't believe I missed this record when it came out. Added bonus, has Steve Albini's recording "style" all over it.

Doesn't hold up to the test of time, mostly due to the casual misogyny that the band would later apologize for. Probably the most consistent Beasies record though - all tracks are listenable and close to "singles" vs. some of the later output that had a lot (a LOT) of filler. So I have to rate this in balance...

Oof, the high levels of compression on this recording isn't the worst I've ever heard, but it's not great. Decent set of songs though - consistent themes and interesting lyrics permeate the record, decorated with catchy hooks. Couldn't escape either "Malibu" or the title track on the radio in the late 90s. Still, not up to the level of their early 90s stuff.

Disclaimer, I can't stand the Rolling Stones, other than a small handful of exceptions, and this album contains a couple of them. I honestly don't know what it is about the Stones, specifically, that bugs me, but I didn't get much of that on this record - it wasn't a bad listen, which surprised me.

This is what grunge actually sounds like, though the production value on this one is pretty high. Decent set of songs, with a couple of standouts. Like a lot of punk records, this could start to get a little monotonous if it were any longer.

I love the sound on The Cure's goth records. Exploration of space, mood, and ambience. Easy to listen to this on repeat a bunch of times.

Probably the Beastie's magnum opus, though the second side loses the plot with a lot of filler and what seem like unfinished cuts. The strength of the singles alone are enough to call this a classic though.

Probably in the band's top 3 albums. One of those "turning point" records that changed the band's direction, so I see why this one was included in the book. Not as good as Violator, but maybe as good as Speak & Spell?

I somehow missed out on this band entirely and I'm worse off for it. Wow, what a great record. You can hear everything from The White Stripes to Pixies in this, but none of the bands drawing influence are able to completely capture the mix of punk, blues, and garage quite like this.

I wore out this cassette in middle school. I can't believe a lot of it still holds up (though I have a soft spot for politically charged rap/hip-hop from the late 80s and early 90s). My only complaint is that the recording is compressed within an inch of its life and could sorely use a remaster.

Maybe the closest to sounding like The Smiths of any of his solo records. He seems in his element on this record, like he's gained enough confidence as a solo artist to craft a solid set of songs. Some great selections on this one and he hasn't lost is wit and wordplay.

Highlights: his vocal performance might be the best form of his career. He was able to sneak a couple of anti-establishment songs onto the record. Other than that, it's pretty standard Elvis fare. if you like Elvis you'll love this record. If you aren't an Elvis fan you won't find this any different than his other stuff.

Typical 70's "Foghat Rule" album - double, live. The sound on this is really weird - apparently they overdubbed most of it in the studio and just left in the drums and audience noise from the live shows? You can tell the sound is really off. If you like Thin Lizzy I'm sure this is a fantastic record. Unfortunately, I don't like Thin Lizzy...

Like XO, this album has a "Beatlesesque" production quality. Fantastic collection of pop songs, though it could benefit from a little more editing (it seems to drag towards the end - maybe it's too long). Would have loved to see where Smith was going on future albums, but it wasn't to be. Overall a great capo to a career cut far too short.

Some really great songs in between some obvious filler. Something about the blending of rock and Irish traditional music that is just pleasant on the ear. The lyrics are biting and sorrowful, adding contrast to the bouncing and infectious instrumentation.

The music is a great mix of new wave and punk aesthetics. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to get past the misogynistic lyrics on a number of the tracks.

Another great example of an album I would have never listened to were it not for this list. Pretty interesting set of cuts, even though I can't understand most of the lyrics.

I love this band. There are better records to come, but this one has some classic songs and is a showcase for the band's potential.

"The Girl is Mine" sucks, and Michael Jackson as a human being was despicable, but this album is so historic you have to rate it a 5/5.

This record must be the primary influence of bands like Wilco. Kind of an alt-country vibe, though to me there is much more to it: English punk, new wave, some reggae, some rockabilly, even some folk. Has there every been a country song with polyrhythms? Very interesting record that tackles heavy themes of life in a village during wartime. Another great representation of the type of album I'm hoping to encounter on this list.

A landmark album for the band and for the prog rock genre as a whole. I remember "discovering" this record when I was in high school through friends (my dad was never a Rush fan) and it blew me away.

If you like reggae you are kind of required to love this album (even if Bob Marley isn't your favorite). Kind of the quintessential Bob Marley & the Wailers record. Politically charged, yet laid back at the same time. Has at least 3 of his most recognizable songs. Consistently good throughout.

Oh FFS. This shit should have been incinerated with all of the other hazardous nu-metal waste and relegated to - at best - a minor, MINOR footnote in music history. Just utter garbage that wasn't worth anyone's time when it was released, let alone now. If only we could rate 0 stars...

I've never understood the hype for Leonard Cohen, so this one surprised me a little in its consistency. The closest approximation I can think of is that it sounds like Simon & Garfunkel, though the lyrics are more rooted in "the real world" rather than literature and art. Sometimes if you close your eyes his voice has a Lou Reed quality to it, though maybe that's some of the lyrical content. A couple of interesting tracks ("Sisters of Mercy", "Stories of the Street") but the rest isn't really my cup of tea. I have to grade on a curve though as I have with other "influential" records on this list that I don't find all that appealing myself.

It's like a Jim Jarmusch film - a complete story rooted in the events of a normal everyday life (if your life involves going on holiday in Spain, losing money, and trying to gamble on football in an attempt to get that money back). This concept album somehow effectively blends dark comedy with real emotional resonance of love, loss, heartbreak, and tragedy without it being a complete parody of itself. Amazing record. I was a fan of Original Pirate Material and for whatever stupid reason never really gave this a proper listen. Glad this came up on the list because I'll be returning to this frequently.

Oof, sounds like an amalgamation of everything from Jason Mraz to George Ezra, which is certainly not a complement. Vox got really, really grating about halfway through the record. Not an enjoyable listen.

Positives: surprising depth to the lyrics and themes; she has a unique and interesting voice and vocal styling Negatives: the synth arrangements date this horribly - you can tell it's a 2010s record (oh, the dude from Fun. wrote most of the music, that explains it...); it doesn't distinguish itself enough from other pop acts on the radio - the only way I know this isn't, say, Grimes or Lady Gaga is that her vocals are pretty unique.

A classic album that brought garage rock back to the mainstream. Every song is good, and many are paragons of the genre.

A stone cold classic, maybe even the greatest jazz album ever recorded. I struggle to put into words how to describe it - just listen to it. Then listen to it again and again.

The album explores how war shaped England, but it could easily be transplanted forward 10 years as an observation of the hyper-nationalism around Brexit as these themes are very similar. The punch of the lyrical content is almost masked by the softness of the sound, but to me it becomes something haunted. A wonderful record.

My favorite Hole album - powerful riffs with great hooks, personal lyrics covering a variety of topics from post-partum depression to being a woman in a male dominated society, and catchy melodies. Definitely follows the early 90s "grunge" pattern but it works amazingly well with Love's vocal ranges. The raw power of her singing in "Violet" gets me every time.

Beautiful instrumentation and arrangements. The lyrics are either thematic or deeply personal. Everything seems to click into place and fits his vocal range nicely. It does drag a bit, especially the second half, but it's a very interesting record.

I know I'm supposed to like Prince but I've never really understood the appeal. I guess you had to be there. The singles are ubiquitous by now if you've ever been in a public place or like, watched a film that was made in the last 40 years.

One of those landmark albums that needs to be graded on a curve based on how new it was at the time (the first time a lot of people were exposed to the James Brown live experience) as well as how influential it has become. The show has high energy from start to finish and the group is tight all the way through.

Oof. Corny, boring, and the synth really captures that crappy 80s Jefferson Starship sound.

Great record that's a bit of a departure from the earlier Kinks releases (mostly ballad/character portrait type songs vs. all-out rockers). Nothing here sounds like filler, really.

Awesome soundscapes helped by the rich production and imagery of the lyrics. A paragon of the goth genre, even if I do think The Cure were slightly better at it.

I never really got into The Afghan Whigs when I was younger, and that was a mistake. This album is a masterpiece of the breakup genre (if such a thing exists). It hits all of the right notes for me: brooding, self-deprecating, wallowing in despair.

I honestly don't see how this is any different than the other flavorless bands of the era. I know Slash and Hetfield (and even Kurt Cobain) have cited this record as a huge influence, but to me, it's just standard tool box rock fare who's only highlight is that it's only 35 minutes long.

Maybe it was the mood I was in while listening to this, but I didn't think of it much more than a relatively OK 80s indie album.

Kind of a landmark album, both for the band and for the music scene. It's pretty unique in the R.E.M. catalog in that it doesn't really sound like anything else they ever made. There's a depth to the music and lyrics that require multiple listens.

While it doesn't have the singles of their earlier albums, it is up there as either the best or second best Sabbath album. Coked out of their minds they somehow recorded an album that embraces their darkness, excess, and experimentation while maintaining a consistent lyrical theme throughout. Overall it's just a fantastic listen.

*deep breath*... yeah, no, I can't do it.

A groundbreaking, innovative, absolute landmark of a record.

Only a couple of standouts (obviously including the amazing single) on an otherwise "samey" album. I guess I was hoping for something more, though at least the album is consistent. I was surprised by the sophistication of some of the lyrics and some tidbits here and there do sound like early Depeche Mode maybe?

When you describe a live act as "tight" you are describing an act that is not only performing at their highest capable level but are nearly symbiotic in their relationship with the minds of the other members on stage. Calling this version of Bill Evans Trio "tight" does a disservice to the players as they are operating at a level beyond even that. The bass is amazing in these sessions. The interplay and countermelodies against the piano are just groundbreaking, and the percussion is a guide keeping everyone on the path while letting them explore their surroundings. I'm so glad that these top tier Jazz recordings are included in the book, as it is the only uniquely American art form, and it would be a shame not to recognize how influential it has been on music in the 20th century and beyond.

I only know of this band because of Sandy Denny's duet with Robert Plant on "The Battle of Evermore." This album is the exception to the adage "never read a book by its cover." The title tells you exactly what to expect from this record. It's actually not bad, just that folk is almost rarely my jam. I enjoyed it more than I expected to though. Good compositions, recording quality is pretty good, and there are some hooks there.

I listened to the hell out of this record when it came out, and it holds up great. They're like a modern version of Oasis - the whole album is about what it's like as a teenage lad in Sheffield. Everything is played at a breakneck pace but still has hooks and catchy choruses. Kind of a breath of fresh air to be honest.

Not the best Queen album by a large margin, but I see how it was significant, especially in the history of the band. It shows where they are going with their sound - sounds much more like Queen than their first record. "Side Black" is much better than "Side White". I wish the entire record was more of that.

Grunge sounds more like Mudhoney than Nirvana or Pearl Jam. Pretty important record/EP and it holds up pretty well today. The deluxe version runs a little long in the tooth, especially since I can't tell much difference between the final versions and the alternative recordings.

Probably the best overall Flaming Lips record. They did some pretty creative stuff, musically, on this one, and while the songs do start to bleed together in the middle, it's an enjoyable listen overall due to the standouts.

A, if not THE, pioneering rock and roll record. As Lennon indicated, there would be no Beatles without Elvis Presley. Giving it one additional star due to the influence it had on rock and roll.

As much as I don't want to like a nearly Kim Deal-less Pixies album, this collection of songs is just amazing.

The band at their peak. Great record.

Good mix of house, ambient, 60s pop, and a handful of other electronic genres. Plus it leads off with a Neil Young cover. What's not to like?

A collection of Davis' pioneering "cool jazz" recordings, marked with a distinct style and incorporating polyphony and harmony techniques drawn from classical music. Great set of polished, focused tunes.

I always thought of these guys as Daft Punk knockoffs, and this listen didn't change my opinion there. I mean, it's a relatively catchy listen, but it differs from their betters by lacking subtlety and depth.

Solid debut. Demonstrates the band's unique spin of garage rock on top of 1960s rock influences. Or maybe it's the new "power pop," I don't know. Not as good as Damn the Torpedoes, but still pretty darn good.

Very good, polished, pop record. Likely would be better appreciated and would have had better sales if it came out five years later. Karen Carpenter is a great drummer.

Dense production and deep lyrics. Requires repeated listens, each one better than the last. A true classic.

I guess I didn't realize this was its own genre (grime). I always associated this sound with "UK Hip Hop/Rap". I like it.

"I hate the fuckin' Eagles, man." - The Dude

"I hate the fuckin' Eagles, man." - The Dude

I never understood the appeal of Dire Straits. Middle of the road stuff, or below. Is there any real difference between this and say, Bryan Adams, John Mellencamp, Supertramp, or Foreigner? All inoffensive, all boring, all ignorable.

The singles off of this album were being played in every public building in the mid-90s. Decent listen even if it's not my thing.

Stone cold classic. Top marks.

Catchy and satisfying "chill" electronica, similar vibe to Saint Etienne. Not groundbreaking but still influential.

Sounds like a mix of Tori Amos, PJ Harvey, Lorde, and St. Vincent, sprinkled with Fiona Apple's vocal styling. Definitely a challenging listen, which makes it really interesting and thematically apt for the COVID-19 world.

Honestly, the best parts of this album are the Cash originals. Overall it's a pretty haunting record, especially in retrospect. The best covers are the Depeche Mode, Sting, Tex Ritter, and Hank Williams songs.

Kind of the quintessential "British blues" album and Clapton's first showcase as a blues guitarist. Depending on your perspective, that could be a good or bad thing.

Not really my jam but I get how it was a big breakthrough. Compared to Wu Tang Clan it's pretty cheesy and superficial other than a couple of key tracks.

Music for middle schoolers, but like, it's extremely creepy for 6th graders to be singing some of these lyrics... Everything from the dynamics, to the melodies, to the instrumentation, to the production sounds so manufactured and fake - it's boy band music but made by an overtly sexualized minor.

I was surprised how much I liked this one.

That "Default" song annoyed the hell out of me when it was released, but the rest of this album is pretty interesting.

Like most of Roxy Music's stuff, I don't really "get it." They've always been labeled as art rock, but this album is basically a straight ahead pop rock record, and a not very interesting one at that. To be fair there is one or two tracks that are exceptions ("A Really Good Time" and maybe "Out of the Blue"), but the rest just seem fairly boring Maybe this was what Tom Petty, The Cars, etc. were using as inspiration for their sound?

I have definitely heard many of these songs before without even realizing it. I guess it's the "standard" for which salsa music is held to. I liked it!

I classic and there's nothing I can say about this one that hasn't already been said. It is simply a legendary record.

The "Americana" moniker overpowers this one. It definitely sounds like a mix of Tom Petty, Bryan Adams, and The Boss. I only like one of those three influences, which might be a contributing factor in the rating I'm giving this one.

Another one of those where I have to separate the artist from the art. This album could have gotten way out of hand, but they balance the melodrama with true earnest intensity and rich instrumental arrangements. Nothing on here seems fake or overdone or contrived, which is a massive improvement over their contemporaries. That they achieved this with a debut album is all the more amazing.

You know an album is a masterpiece when it's incredibly technical and sophisticated, but is still accessible and enjoyable. A blend of African, Eastern, traditional/folk, and Jazz that comes together just perfectly.

Another one of those records that defined a genre. Simultaneously beautiful and angry, intense and relaxing. A work of art that is one of the best albums of the 90s.

I can't really add anything to what's already been said about this legendary record.

I feel that I should have liked this more than I did - it seems to tick all the right rap/hip-hop boxes for me, but for some reason it didn't grab me. Maybe it's the production - everything is muddy, the drums seem to clip, and the vox is buried underneath everything else.

This seemed like a gimmick at first, but then I couldn't stop listening to this record when it came out. Not their best album, but maybe their catchiest.

Some of the best songwriting the band has produced. I know the band (and others) call this their best record, something about the production and instrumentation (particularly the use of drum machines and saxophone maybe?) really date the sound for me. Still, it's a great record, just not as great as The Queen is Dead, IMO.

This was literally the first album I bought on CD. This might be THE most political of the band's releases. It starts off hitting like a hammer and the aggressive pace doesn't let up for about 5 or 6 songs. Another great record from an incomparable group of artists. The completely unnecessary Anthrax duet prevents this from being a true classic.

Pioneering jazz-fusion record that still sounds pretty fresh today.

Liked it slightly more than I was expecting.

I never really bought into The Killers. They seemed way too polished and manufactured, and sounded just like every other garage/dance type bands coming out in the 2000s it was hard to tell them apart from everyone else. Listening to this now, it is slightly better than I remember, but most of my initial criticisms still hold. I get that this was like, the longest charting album ever in the UK or something, but popularity doesn't mean it's good art. I mean, I'd rather listen to this than plenty of other things, but that's a pretty low bar.

TV on the Radio took what they learned from the experimentation on Return to Cookie Mountain and crafted a more straightforward set of songs that still contain the depth, ambition, and complexity (especially lyrically) that marked their previous effort. "Halfway Home" is a strong opener that sets the bar for the entire record - it never really dips below the quality laid out from the start. A thoroughly enjoyable listen and one of those albums that shows hidden bits and pieces on subsequent listens. What more could you ask for?

Good-to-great album that doesn't quite reach the level of Bookends. Contains a handful of classics but also a few duds that drag it down a bit.

One of the best albums of the 90s and easily as good as Nevermind, Ten, and Dirt. Classic.

I was kind of ridiculed for thinking this was a good record back when it came out. Who's laughing now? MUHAHAHAHA

The definitive Elvis Costello sound, songwriting, and attitude.

A final masterpiece by the legends. Explores the same themes that grunge bands would pick up again 15 years later.

A bit of a reaction to the bland, "good vibes" hard rock of the era. This is a mix of gritty and dark lyrics with music to match. Axl's vocal range is the stuff of legends. Sounds a bit too much like Aerosmith, too often for my tastes, and the lyrics haven't dated well (unless you still enjoy heavy doses of misogyny). Still, it's a groundbreaking record and the band probably would have been even bigger than they were if it weren't for another music scene ready to redefine the genre on the short horizon.

Great album. You can tell the band had ambition and an idea of how they wanted to grow their sound and it worked. The ballads are solid (which The Verve is known for after Urban Hymns), but the rockers are the stars on this record.

My favorite Radiohead album. A masterpiece.

Might be my favorite Pumpkins record and definitely the one that gives me the most nostalgia. Not a single bad track, really.

I read somewhere that this album was so big that it made Diamond Dave think he could leave and make it as a solo artist, thereby destroying one of the best rock bands of the era. If that's true, it's the one bad thing about this record. Yeah, even the synths are great - get over it. Probably Van Halen's best set of original songs.

Classic punk rock record. The difference between this album and The Buzzcocks is that The Undertones seem to be having fun and have zero pretension in their view of the world. Not sure there's a single bad track on this record.

A challenging listen because it's about 10 years ahead of its time. Incorporates everything from pop, to krautrock, to electronica, and even movie soundtrack ambience. Not my all time favorite Bowie album, but it might be him at his most creative and groundbreaking.

Radiohead's first "all-time classic" in a career of at least 3 or 4 all-time classics.

The opening 3 tracks on this record are amongst the best album openers of all time. Not their best record but I mean, The Clash... ugh, I'll give it a 4 but it's really a 4.5

This is the "art rock" template, at least as far as the general population is concerned. Incredibly innovative and catchy. Later records of theirs sold more, and perfected they're sound and concept, but this was the first.

This is one of the best live recordings of all time. Haunting, intimate, and beautiful all at the same time. The songs fit the acoustic Unplugged style perfectly and the chosen covers take the performances to another level. An absolute classic, then and now.

Their first album had moments, but this is the album where The Pogues figured out who they are. It's not quite their best one, but it's close. Everything just gels on this one. Punk meets folk, but not gimmicky, nor pastiche of either genre - it just works and it's new and fresh.

This album sounds 5 years ahead of its time. Totally the foundation for acts like O.M.D. and even Culture Club. Good set of songs and I actually love the Velvet Underground cover.

This band merits an almost The Eagles-level of hatred from me, but this is definitely their best record. Maybe that's easy to say because it's also their most popular. I can listen to some of these cuts once a year or so, which is high praise from me.

It's a toss up for the best Bon Scott era record between this and Dirty Deeds, but I think this narrowly beats it out.

I mean, come on, a top 3 Beatles record is an easy 5 out of 5 if not 6 out of 5

Great set of songs - kind of like their previous album never happened. Morrison does sound baked/drunk on some of these, but it makes it sound more realistic and almost like it's live. Production value is stellar (though maybe I was listening to a remaster?).

The best of The Cure's goth-era records as everything works together to form that "textured mood" (lyrics, sound, production, pacing, etc.)

Takes me back to a time where the internet was new and hackers sat in dark rooms listening to music like this.

I mean, how could this not be a 5?

Such a great debut album. They managed to carve out a unique sound during a time when there were a number of really, really good bands coming out of the UK with their own "unique sound."

Been waiting for this: "The Stone Roses is a Stone cold classic"

A slightly more refined sound over their previous album Because of the Times, though maybe not in a good way. Was the only reason this one was chosen is because it made it into the supermarket playlist?