Journey Complete!
Finisher #540 to complete the list
View User Albums Summary1089
Albums Rated
2.64
Average Rating
100%
Complete
Favorite Album
The Downward Spiral
Nine Inch Nails
Submitted Album
Neon Golden
The Notwist
Featured Review
Rating Distribution
Rating Timeline
Taste Profile
1950
Favorite Decade
Grunge
Favorite Genre
US
Top Origin
Critic
Rater Style ?
102
5-Star Albums
250
1-Star Albums
Breakdown
By Genre
By Decade
By Origin
Albums
You Love More Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Scum
Napalm Death
|
5 | 2.07 | +2.93 |
|
Antichrist Superstar
Marilyn Manson
|
5 | 2.47 | +2.53 |
|
Follow The Leader
Korn
|
5 | 2.66 | +2.34 |
|
Slipknot
Slipknot
|
5 | 2.67 | +2.33 |
|
Arise
Sepultura
|
5 | 2.73 | +2.27 |
|
Phaedra
Tangerine Dream
|
5 | 2.73 | +2.27 |
|
Konnichiwa
Skepta
|
5 | 2.74 | +2.26 |
|
Roots
Sepultura
|
5 | 2.79 | +2.21 |
|
A Wizard, A True Star
Todd Rundgren
|
5 | 2.84 | +2.16 |
|
Tical
Method Man
|
5 | 2.94 | +2.06 |
You Love Less Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Can't Buy A Thrill
Steely Dan
|
1 | 3.72 | -2.72 |
|
Californication
Red Hot Chili Peppers
|
1 | 3.7 | -2.7 |
|
21
Adele
|
1 | 3.69 | -2.69 |
|
The Joshua Tree
U2
|
1 | 3.67 | -2.67 |
|
L.A. Woman
The Doors
|
1 | 3.66 | -2.66 |
|
Getz/Gilberto
Stan Getz
|
1 | 3.65 | -2.65 |
|
The Stone Roses
The Stone Roses
|
1 | 3.64 | -2.64 |
|
The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill
Lauryn Hill
|
1 | 3.64 | -2.64 |
|
1999
Prince
|
1 | 3.6 | -2.6 |
|
Morrison Hotel
The Doors
|
1 | 3.59 | -2.59 |
Artists
Favorites
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Radiohead | 6 | 5 |
| Beatles | 7 | 4.86 |
| Metallica | 4 | 5 |
| Nick Drake | 3 | 5 |
| Johnny Cash | 3 | 5 |
| Nirvana | 3 | 5 |
| David Bowie | 9 | 4.22 |
| R.E.M. | 4 | 4.5 |
| Peter Gabriel | 3 | 4.67 |
| Elliott Smith | 2 | 5 |
| Green Day | 2 | 5 |
| Sepultura | 2 | 5 |
| Megadeth | 2 | 5 |
| The Smashing Pumpkins | 2 | 5 |
| Portishead | 2 | 5 |
| Beck | 3 | 4.33 |
Least Favorites
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Steely Dan | 4 | 1 |
| U2 | 4 | 1 |
| Morrissey | 4 | 1 |
| Elvis Costello & The Attractions | 4 | 1 |
| Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds | 5 | 1.2 |
| Dexys Midnight Runners | 3 | 1.33 |
| Tim Buckley | 3 | 1.33 |
| Kings of Leon | 3 | 1.33 |
| The Smiths | 3 | 1.33 |
| The Doors | 3 | 1.33 |
| ABBA | 2 | 1 |
| Bee Gees | 2 | 1 |
| Robert Wyatt | 2 | 1 |
| Love | 2 | 1 |
| Everything But The Girl | 2 | 1 |
| Elvis Costello | 2 | 1 |
| Red Hot Chili Peppers | 2 | 1 |
| Adele | 2 | 1 |
| Barry Adamson | 2 | 1 |
| The Specials | 2 | 1 |
| Ryan Adams | 2 | 1 |
| CHIC | 2 | 1 |
| M.I.A. | 2 | 1 |
| Christina Aguilera | 2 | 1 |
| The xx | 2 | 1 |
| The Rolling Stones | 6 | 2 |
| Echo And The Bunnymen | 3 | 1.67 |
| The Velvet Underground | 3 | 1.67 |
| Roxy Music | 3 | 1.67 |
| The Byrds | 5 | 2 |
| Bob Dylan | 7 | 2.14 |
| Taylor Swift | 2 | 1.5 |
| Orbital | 2 | 1.5 |
| Happy Mondays | 2 | 1.5 |
| The Verve | 2 | 1.5 |
| Billy Bragg | 2 | 1.5 |
| Primal Scream | 2 | 1.5 |
| Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band | 2 | 1.5 |
| Eagles | 2 | 1.5 |
| The Mothers Of Invention | 2 | 1.5 |
| Spiritualized | 2 | 1.5 |
| Dusty Springfield | 2 | 1.5 |
| XTC | 2 | 1.5 |
| Stephen Stills | 2 | 1.5 |
| The Divine Comedy | 2 | 1.5 |
| The Jesus And Mary Chain | 2 | 1.5 |
| Emerson, Lake & Palmer | 2 | 1.5 |
| Neil Young | 4 | 2 |
| Leonard Cohen | 5 | 2.2 |
| Madonna | 3 | 2 |
| Prince | 3 | 2 |
| Deep Purple | 3 | 2 |
| Yes | 3 | 2 |
| Joni Mitchell | 4 | 2.25 |
| The Kinks | 4 | 2.25 |
| PJ Harvey | 4 | 2.25 |
| Björk | 4 | 2.25 |
Controversial
| Artist | Ratings |
|---|---|
| Kanye West | 5, 3, 1 |
| Fleetwood Mac | 4, 1 |
| Isaac Hayes | 1, 4 |
| Ice Cube | 4, 1 |
| Todd Rundgren | 5, 2 |
5-Star Albums (102)
View Album Wall
Popular Reviews
Kings of Leon · 21 likes
2/5
This album is really heavy soft rock. Perfect for the dentist office. None of the songs have definition and all sort of just bleed into each other. Honestly this sounded like one song with breaks throughout to me. It's not really bad or anything. Just nothing ear cathing.
The Rolling Stones · 11 likes
1/5
Repatative and boring. Maybe they should have stuck with the covers. And why is this so long? And how are the stones considered as big as the Beatles? This is all I thought about while listening to this creepy to underage girls snoozefest of a record.
Morrissey · 8 likes
1/5
It's okay to be a whiney bitch. It's not okay to be Morrissey.
The Verve · 7 likes
2/5
Nothing happens for 54 minutes. This band has never done anything worthwhile. Their hit isn't on this record but even that is a ripoff where the verse and chorus are the exact same.
Marilyn Manson · 6 likes
5/5
I've listened to this record in the hundreds of times. I was a massive MM fan in the 90s. But at 42, I still listen to NIN but I've left MM behind. I think I grew out of it. And Manson's rape issues make this a little different to listen to now. I'm still rating this high. It changed goth in the 90s and it led all us kids looking for something heavier than Nirvana into the open arms of metal.
The other thing to mention about this record is it's narrative arc. Not a lot of concept records really work. They don't take you on the journey the artist is trying to sell. And it gets annoying when artists try and force a concept when there isn't on there (looking at you Corgan). But this is an actual, honest to god (pun intended) concept album. Telling a story through music and lyrics with a begining, middle, and end.
1-Star Albums (250)
All Ratings
Muddy Waters
2/5
I know I am supposed to be blown away by this. Maybe at the time it was revolutionary. But this does nothing for me.
The Clash
2/5
Punk has gotten so much better. This record is okay I guess. I am sure it was jaw dropping at the time.
Jerry Lee Lewis
2/5
The fact that it's short helps this album a lot. It really does feel like the same song over and over.
Fleetwood Mac
4/5
I mean. This record is the classic album. 5 stars.
Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five
4/5
This is a fun record. 80s hip hop is so different to what we have today. And this is a great entry into that world.
Nick Drake
5/5
This is a classic for me. I love this record.
Dr. Dre
4/5
This is still a great record. But you have to be in the right head space for it. Times have changed and some of the content has not aged well.
Steely Dan
1/5
This is not a good record. 90% of it is filler. May be a competitor for most dad rock album of all time.
Animal Collective
4/5
When this record first came out, everyone was glowing over it. I liked it okay, but it makes you work too hard for the quality of it. It's different. But just to be different.
B.B. King
3/5
Okay I guess
Black Sabbath
2/5
Just because something is a first, doesn't mean it's good. There is some passable stuff on this record. But you have to wait for it. And the solos are so out of place. Where's the flow?
ABBA
1/5
Ugh. I work hard not to yuk peoples yum. When ABBA comes up, I respect peoples opinion. But this is utter shit.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
3/5
I recognized the singles from this record but I am not sure if I ever heard the entire thing. It's got some great moments but too few ideas are reused too often. Overall this is a great album, but it's not as consistent as some of the other records on this list.
Koffi Olomide
2/5
The early 90's synth piano sounds on this record really have not aged well. Other than that, this is a great record. Not in my wheel house but good for what it is. I just struggle to get over those synth drums and trumpets.
Taylor Swift
1/5
This album is total trash. I knew of Swift but hadn't heard much of her music before this. I have no idea how this would end up on a list of greatest albums. There's nothing here of value.
Joni Mitchell
4/5
I like this. It's really good.
Machito
4/5
This was a fun album. Short and different from what I am used too.
Johnny Cash
5/5
I love everything about this album. It's perfect.
OutKast
3/5
There is a lot of cool stuff in here. But it's all burried because the record is just too long.
Pet Shop Boys
3/5
Rush
5/5
Great record. I loved it.
Burning Spear
3/5
I have never enjoyed reggae music as a style. But I respect the protest and social activism involved. Having said that, this record is fine. Nothing in here sticks out to me, but I am not an expert in this style.
Steely Dan
1/5
This is the best Steely Dan record. And it still sucks.
The Lemonheads
3/5
Early 90's alternative has not aged well. This is fine but really boring.
Neneh Cherry
2/5
The hit is pretty good I suppose. But this is just early 90s pop. Not for me.
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
4/5
As with all Neil Young; songs are awesome, vocals are bad.
Bruce Springsteen
3/5
Too country for my taste. And I like the e street band stuff. But this is a good record for what it is. Bedroom demos...
Fiona Apple
4/5
The hits are legit bangers. But there is a lot of fluff here.
Sufjan Stevens
1/5
The buzz about this album, and Sufjan in general was insufferable. His navel gazey music sucks and so does this album. Even the "hit", Chicago is just one long chorus with a single break down.
Kanye West
5/5
5 records in a row that are basically perfect. This is the last of it. It's super sad what's happened to him since. But this record is amazing.
Crosby, Stills & Nash
3/5
Historically this record was important. But it's honestly rather boring. All the songs are very similar and the instrumentation is identical in every song.
John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers
3/5
Other than the "new" guitar tone that this album inspired, I never got this record. zzzzzzzz.
Suede
4/5
I love the songs on this record but it sounds really rough for it's era. And I can never quite make out what the lyrics are.
The Monkees
3/5
Meh. It's just the Beatles D sides.
Pet Shop Boys
2/5
This record was not as good as their other on this list. The electronic instruments sound hollow in 2022. The songs themselves are pretty good. But they have not aged well.
Incubus
5/5
This is one of those records that comes out when you are the right age to hear it. It may not actually be a 5 star record. But listening to this on my CD walkman walking to and from my McJob at 20 puts this in a very special place for me.
Alice In Chains
4/5
I was never an Alice In Chains fan. Though I have heard this record enough that I knew it by heart. Maybe I am a fan...
John Lee Hooker
1/5
I honestly can't tell if there are more than one song here. It all sounds exactly the same. Right down to the reverb that is so heavy handed, I can barely hear the vocals...
Goldfrapp
1/5
Their later records were fun and danceable. This was not. What IS this?
Aretha Franklin
3/5
I respect, but really don't enjoy this album.
Underworld
2/5
90s electronica is very distinct.
MGMT
4/5
This record was all the music nerds talked about in 07 or 08. I remember being annoyed by the hype. But I like the record none the less. This was a fun listen. I hadn't thought about it in years.
Al Green
4/5
The dynamic range here is amazing. This was pre "sound wars" so every instrument gets a lot or room to breath. These songs are truly classics and while this is not my style of music, this album fit's this list perfectly.
Beck
4/5
While I like Beck's later work more than the stuff that made him famous, there is no doubt that this album is packed with bangers.
Boston
5/5
I haven't listened to this record since the 90's and it's a trip down memory lane. It sounds so good.
Bee Gees
1/5
This is awful. I really hate to yuck anyone's yum. But it's hard for me not to judge someone who likes this. I am still trying though.
Linkin Park
5/5
Linkin Park is such a weird band. Accused of making the same record over and over, they release something completely different but it sucks. Accused of being to squeaky clean, they try to dirty up their image with a remix album that was explicit lyrics. It looked desperate and they still seemed like a bunch of nice boys, which I am sure they hated.
Meanwhile, this record is a legit banger. The perfect album for the end of FM radio rock.
Shuggie Otis
3/5
This is one of those records that is impossible to categorize. Wikipedia has 5 different labels for what it is. And I love that about this album. Parts of it are a little too elevator muzak for my taste, but overall this sounds great and FEELS great.
Ride
4/5
Every song is good. No song is great. There are better shoe gaze records from this era. But this is a fun listen.
Ghostface Killah
4/5
I really liked the flow of most of the tracks on this one. Hadn't heard it before. Skits are still cringy though.
Guns N' Roses
4/5
I have heard this record sooooo many times. GnR has never been a favorite of mine. But this record is a great one.
Isaac Hayes
1/5
I don't know. This whole album feels like it was cheesy when it was new. It's well put togeather and some of it is catchy but really only because of the movie it is the audio for.
Beatles
5/5
Revolver and Rubber Soul are the transition albums between the Beatles safe pop side into the more loose hippy style. I like this record quite a bit but it's still a little too sacrine for me to consider it a 5 star record.
Britney Spears
1/5
Why? Why do I have to relive this? This record was garbage in the 90's when I had to hear the song every 40 minutes on the Blockbuster Trailer tapes. And it's shit now. This is the worst record so far on this list. I did make it though. And now I am having a bad day.
LL Cool J
2/5
This record is fun but cheesy. I had only heard the hit from it until today. Some lyrics have not aged well. Overall this was okay.
Orbital
2/5
Starts with a star trek reference? Sadly I wasn't high, and at a rave.
Wu-Tang Clan
3/5
Flow flow flow...
Tito Puente
3/5
A little of this goes a long way. But it's good.
Paul Simon
2/5
Never been a fan of Simon. I'm still not. It's just... Nothing.
Dexys Midnight Runners
2/5
They have a sound and they stick to it. So, there's that...
Hüsker Dü
2/5
Wow. They changed a lot of same sounding crap in here... Like a lot. And this sounds like shit too which really doesn't help.
Aerosmith
1/5
I hate Aerosmith so so much. This record sucks.
Funkadelic
3/5
The guitars are certainly top notch and it's place in history is clear. And it's funky as hell. But I just felt like it didn't go anywhere.
Elliott Smith
5/5
I didn't know about Elliott Smith until after his death. But have since become a huge fan. I know this record back to front. When it came up, I tore through it like I always do. Elliott is so out of step with everything but his music is somehow just familiar.
Metallica
5/5
Total banger.
Happy Mondays
1/5
I don't understand how this was ever popular.
Gary Numan
4/5
I liked a lot of this. You can see how good he would get later in his career. Cars and Metal are the clear standouts. A lot of the rest felt like filler. But considering the year, I think it's forgivable.
Fugees
2/5
Super not my thing.
Janet Jackson
3/5
Kind of boring. But as pop albums go, this isn't the worst.
Bonnie Raitt
1/5
I don't have anything nice to say about this. It's the lowest common denominator of music, country or otherwise. It's music for people who don't have any of their own thoughts in their heads. I'm mad I had to listen to the whole thing.
Radiohead
5/5
Likely in the top ten records ever made. Some of the best songs ever written are on this album and the album as a whole flows perfectly. This is a masterpiece.
The Clash
3/5
I feel like this would have been the best music for me had I been a teen at the time. As it is now, it's rather dated. Still good. But hasn't really held up.
Run-D.M.C.
3/5
A lot of these classic records just aren't aging well. Those 808's sounded amazing back in the day. Istill think this record is good. But it's a lot more difficult to lose myself in it.
David Bowie
3/5
I like Bowie's hits but his early work non hits just bore me. I hope Black Star is on this list. Buuut that's not this album.
Lorde
4/5
This was alright. It tries to be anthemic when it doesn't have the balls to be so. I have only heard her hit until now. And this wasn't a bad listen.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
2/5
Eh.
Various Artists
1/5
All Christmas music is bad. This is bad. How is this even on the list?
Motörhead
3/5
I had only heard Ace of Spades off this record and in fact had only heard one other Motorhead song from the Crow soundtrack before today. I get the appeal of this and I like it myself. But I have some questions. Why are all the songs the same tempo? Why is this cover art so awful? Why so many fade outs at the end of songs?
Turbonegro
2/5
This was okay I guess. Nothing really that special. Maybe it was in Norway which is why it landed on this list. But by 1998, there was better sounding, better implemented, better written punk and rock out there. And the name of the band, while probably not negatively intentioned, is not going to help them. I had not heard of them before today. And it's likely I will never hear them again.
Daft Punk
3/5
Never been to a dance club as my concerts are usually heavy music. So I haven't really been present where this style of music would really be at it's most relevant. And I certainly don't want to gatekeep but I have never understood how Daft Punk did well on the radio. Having said that, I liked this album. I recognized a few bars here and there and I enjoyed listening to this. I also have a soft spot in my heart for freshmen records that really knock it out of the park. And this seems to be one of those.
Gang Starr
2/5
Well put together. Great flow. Some weird background effects that remind me of Halloween. But this was fine.
U2
1/5
Not a U2 guy. I did listen all the way through this. It sucked. U2 sucks.
Youssou N'Dour
3/5
This is one of the things I love about doing a record a day. This was so different than what I'm used to and so much fun to listen to. I never would have know about it.
Rod Stewart
2/5
This is peak boomer rock. Not for me.
Paul Weller
1/5
This is some sort of soft rock nothing music. Dad rock without the hooks. It's. This is nothing.
Nanci Griffith
2/5
This all sounded the same to me. I'm not a country fan so maybe that is an issue. But this also didn't change my opinion about country music.
Throbbing Gristle
2/5
This record, more than Kraftwerk, has the DNA of all the great industrial bands of the 90s and 2000s. NIN has been my favorite band since 1994 and while this is no Downward Spiral, I get the reference.
Public Image Ltd.
2/5
This is fine one you get past the first track. My guess is that barrier has stopped a lot of listeners over the years. Unfortunately "fine" is all I can give to the rest. It's rather boring.
Cream
2/5
Lots of recognizable tracks on this. Eric Clapton. Sucks what he did to his own legacy.
Manu Chao
4/5
I loved this. Never heard of him before. It's weird and low-fi before lo-fi was a thing. I have followed him on Spotify and will be listening to more of this. This is exactly the kind of thing I signed up for.
Radiohead
5/5
Not as good as Kid-A But this is an easy 5 star record. This is a classic that resonated at the time as much as it does now. 2+2=5 is a favorite. And the opening to this album blasts off into exactly where I want to be with Radiohead.
The Strokes
3/5
I was a broke 20 year old when this came out and sort of missed the garage rock thing that was happening. I heard a couple Stokes songs on the radio but never had this CD. This is good, but very same sounding. The vocal compression, the tempo and tightness all l lend to this album sounding too cohesive.
Pixies
2/5
This is not aging well. I get it. But man. It sounds tinny and loud.
Robert Wyatt
1/5
This sucks.
The Replacements
3/5
It's so weird how this record swings back and forth between new wave and punk. I like it, but always have trouble with this eras production. The drums and guitars just seem so skinny.
Dire Straits
2/5
Peak dad rock. It goes nowhere, tries and fails to be cool, and in the end leaves me feeling disappointed.
Frankie Goes To Hollywood
1/5
How many covers are in here? What is this? How does this shit get made? Surely there were better bands for the A and R guy to sign at the bar that night.
Missy Elliott
4/5
I was super surprised how many of these tracks I knew. I liked this a lot. The flow is fun and I like her perspective.
Supertramp
2/5
I recognize the melody in the first song. No idea where from. It's VERY 70s. Lots of wasted time. Then right in the middle, the singer sounds like the bad lip reading guy from Star Wars. I recognize this came out pre memes. But I couldn't help but laugh. This isn't good.
The Cramps
3/5
The punk aesthetic is cooler than the music. Over and over again I am reminded of this. I'm a fan of everything. But this early punk just does not resonate. There's not enough for me to love.
Willie Nelson
3/5
This is a bunch of lullabies. Super happy it's not pop country. And I like the concept that it's going with. But this is very sleepy.
Penguin Cafe Orchestra
2/5
This record should be renamed, "let's fuck around for an hour playing same sounding songs." It's not bad actually. But there is nothing here.
Fiona Apple
2/5
This felt longer than it was. I tried this when covid broke out. It wasn't for me then. I still struggle with this. I usually like weird music that makes people question my sanity. But this just doesn't do it for me.
The Fall
2/5
This record feels oily. And very samey sounding the whole way through. I like the way the bass was recorded. The clicks on each bass note was really pleasing. But I'm clearly looking for reasons to like this. It's fine.
Nas
5/5
So weird how polarizing this record is. I get that people may not like rap but the whole point of this is to broaden your mind to new types of albums and sounds. This is one of those. It's really, really good. Like 5 star good. I wish it we're longer. I've heard it a few times over the years and am always surprised at how good it is. The flow, the lack of skits, the consistent lyrical drive. This is great.
John Lennon
3/5
I feel like Lennon wrote Imagine and maybe jealous guy and just used filler for the rest. This record really struggles in the first half. sucks. And it feels like he blows the wad on that first track. It's get's okay by the end but this is not up to the level that I would expect from one of the two main Beatles.
Bob Dylan
2/5
Supposed to hear some great stories here. But the chord changes are ciclical the songs just run on forever. I can't focus because everything going on is bad. I just can't catch this. This is only 55 minutes, but it feels like two hours. In a bad way.
Sugar
3/5
Pretty standard fuzzy alternative here. Nothing surprising here if you have heard late 80's/early 90's alternative before. It's not bad. But a little boring. Husker Du is better if you are looking for something like this but with more bite.
The Boo Radleys
2/5
I really dig all the guitar pedal use. But I don't hear this genre crossing band that people are talking about. This album is standard shoegaze. Acoustic guitars followed by fuzz. Sure there's a little horn here and there or the odd piano. But that was also normal at the time. Something else super normal at the time? Limp wispy vocals. Which this album has a LOT of. And I hate it.
Beach House
2/5
Zzzzzzzzzzzzzz. Zzzzzzzzzz.zzzzzzz. zzzzzzzzzzz
Basement Jaxx
3/5
Yo Yo Yo YoYoYoYo Bumtsbumtsbumts. Werd.
Repetitive house music isn't my thing but as a 90's kid, the Basement Jaxx were kind of hard to ignore. They were on a lot of the soundtrack of my youth. Though I didn't listen to this specific record, I never liked or disliked them.
Listening to this now, it fine. I see it's appeal. But listening to it on a Saturday morning while drinking coffee and playing a game on my cell phone is not exactly the intended venue for this sort of thing. I will say, it gave my sub a workout.
Lou Reed
3/5
I don't know how I feel about this. On the negative side, a lot of this feels too lose for my liking. Like he is making it up as he goes along. Also, as someone who has kids, hearing crying in a song is grating and I HATE it. It almost doesn't matter if the song is good, it's an auto turn off. The guitars and piano are very floaty. Not a lot of instrumentation. Which I can get down with. But there isn't much here for me.
Belle & Sebastian
2/5
Never been a huge fan of soft rock.
The Verve
1/5
"The Hit" is a 6 minute long song with the same 8 bars repeated throughout. No tempo, time signature, or chorus/verse changes. It's been crap since I heard it in the 90's and it's crap now. The rest of this is filler. And at a whopping 1 hour 15 minutes... Jesus what were they thinking?
Tim Buckley
1/5
Dear God this sucks. What the fuck is this? 6 versions of the same shitty wannabe jazz. How did this get made? How is it considered socially relevant? Ugh
Led Zeppelin
2/5
Okay. But overrated.
Earth, Wind & Fire
4/5
You can hear the joy in this record. It's crazy how great this sounds. Not exactly my style of music, but I've heard parts of this record many times over the years. It was nice to listen to the whole thing.
Jimmy Smith
3/5
I wish I got jazz. This sounds great and I recognize why this would be a significant record worth hearing on this list. But it does nothing for me. And I wish I knew why.
Bob Marley & The Wailers
3/5
This is Bob Marley's biggest record. And I get it. It sounds amazing and the hooks are catchy as hell. But I HATE reggae and ska music so much. It's so hard for me to get past it. I respect Marley 100% and I recognize his genius. But dear lord I hate reggae music.
Pearl Jam
5/5
I have loved this record since it came out. When Grunge was happening, I was obsessed with Nirvana and Pearl Jam was too soft for me. Now, at 42, I still love me some Nirvana but Pearl Jam tends to get more spins at my home. This record is basically perfect. It's cohesive, it flows really well, and there isn't a dud to be found.
Blue Cheer
2/5
This is kind of a mess. It really is a proto record. But it should just be remembered for that. At least it's short.
Pulp
2/5
If I had to describe this, I would have a hard time. It's depressing soft rock. But it's not good or bad. It just kind of hangs there. For a really long time. This record feels LOOOOOONG.
Femi Kuti
4/5
This was a lot of fun. I love the beats, I love the jazzy shit. This was great.
Frank Ocean
1/5
This sucks. Nothing happens. He just randomly says dumb shit over non songs and then plays old tv in between the "songs". This sucks.
Roni Size
1/5
I had to Google to see if this was the world record holder for longest album. Honestly, even for a record meant for the club... It's just 3x too long. It's a 3 star album dropped to a 1 star because of the length.
Hole
4/5
As a teen, I assumed that Kurt wrote most of these songs. I think I had been programmed to dislike Love just like we had all been programmed to hate Ono. But the reality is that all people are complicated and have problems. Listening to this record now as a 40 something, I am saddened by it. It's good. Really good. I should have given it more attention at the time.
The post punk on here is great. And the grunge undercurrent is undeniable. It's great. And I will now go listen to the rest of Hole's very small catalog.
1/5
I HATE U2. Like a lot. But I really wanted to give this piece of shit album a fair shake. No need. It sucks, just like the rest of thier crap. There is sooooo much filler here. I had heard the hits before and those are just regular crap. But there are no deep cuts. No b-sides. It's a couple of songs destined for FM radio and playing at the grocery store, then the rest is just jerking off with multi delay. U2 sucks. Fuck this band. And fuck this album.
Fugazi
3/5
I want to like this. But nothing stands out. It's a good album. But not a great album. I give plus 1 star though (maybe unfairly) simply because I adore Fugazi's work ethic and view on Capitalism.
The Cure
3/5
I really like The Cure. But this record, while I am sure it was ground breaking at the time, doesn't do anything for me in 2023. It's boring and doesn't really go anywhere.
Little Richard
2/5
I don't think I'd be into music if this is what it sounded like. And I get how earth shattering it was at the time. I just can't get into it now.
The White Stripes
4/5
A surprising number of bangers on this one. But a lot of wasted time too. In general, I like The Whit Stripes and White himself is doing amazing things. Not sure this is one I would play over and over but I liked it.
UB40
1/5
Reggee sucks. I usually agree with the messages in the lyrics. But the music itself is garbage. This is no different.
Rahul Dev Burman
3/5
This was a lot of fun. Not really a soundtrack person so I think that kind of hurts. But I enjoyed it
Gang Of Four
2/5
This record has a ton of great ideas. But they never seem to get taken advantage of. The songs don't seem to go anywhere. But the influence that this sound had on other bands is clear. I hear Arctic Monkeys and other jangly British bands here. Overall this just landed a little boring. But it was okay.
The Rolling Stones
3/5
I am a Beatles > Rolling Stones person. I don't mind the Stones but they are not a favorite. I liked this record but it leads with the hit and wastes the rest of the time.
Jane Weaver
1/5
This record should be called, "Drones in the round". And that's not a compliment. This record doesn't even have a wiki page. Which shouldn't be a requirement for the list, but in this case, it should be an indication that the record shouldn't be on the list. It's a one idea, flat record not worth your time. Then randomly in the last couple of songs, some dude talks. Rambling unoriginal cat away Tool lyrics as though they are super deep. Jesus it's so bad.
Bad Brains
4/5
I have heard about Bad Brains a lot over the years but have never gotten around to listening to them. Right off the bat, this is good but is aging as poorly as the rest of 80's metal. But, this is awesome. It's thrash. But punk as hell and it hits hard. Everything on this is so clean and punchy. Some of the vocals are silly looking back almost 40 years. But this album is great. I loved it and will be following Bad Brains on Spotify.
Supergrass
4/5
I liked this a lot. I don't know Supergrass all that well but enough that I knew I would dig this. I never thought of them as a British band before and while that does not change my rating, it did sort of reset where I was coming from with this record. It probably is too long. But I think that may be my only complaint about it. The songs are great and the sound has aged really well.
Bauhaus
2/5
I happened to see Bauhaus live three times by accident. In all three cases, I thought that I liked Peter Murphy, but that the songs, even the good ones, were way too long. That is my review of this album. Too long song's for what is in them. The audio quality is great though and it's aged as well as it can. But I was bored. And Bella Lugosi's Dead isn't on this one. So there wasn't much for me to sink my teeth into.
Billy Bragg
2/5
Wilco is responsible for two amazing albums that are likely on this list. Yankee Hotel Foxtrot and A Ghost is Born. The rest of their output has been mediocre at best and that is okay. This record is clearly one written and recorded as a passion project due to their love of classic Guthrie and old style country music. Again, it's totally fine.
But it shouldn't be on this list. Because this is not a top album in ANY measure. It sucks. Again, that's okay. Not everything has to be mind blowing. But it shouldn't be here.
Love
1/5
This wants to be something it's not. It's just boring, self important, and tired.
Pink Floyd
3/5
This album has a lot of wasted on it. I would say half of it is totally wasted time. The other half is good. I like it. Floyd is a good band. Maybe a little overrated.
Solange
1/5
Beyonce sucks and this is even worse. This only exists because of another shit pop singer and it's obvious. I'm hard pressed to think of a worse record on this list. Why is this on the list of 1001 records I HAVE to hear? Wtf? I really struggled to force myself to get through this. It's all the same. It's OBSESSED with race in the weirdest way. And nothing on here is worth my time. (Or yours)
The Byrds
3/5
I don't particularly like this album. But country changed to something so much worse in the late 80s and has never recovered. Just the fact that this is actual country, done competently raises my review of it. Having said that, the outtakes at the end of the Spotify version were far better than the record 8tself.
Kanye West
3/5
Reviewing this is so complicated. This album changed rap when it needed to be changed. The music is phenomenal and a lot of the rapping is really, truly amazing. But a lot of the content has aged very poorly with a lot of sexism throughout. Reviewing this record in a vacuum is really difficult as Kanye has now allowed his mental illness to ruin his career. This was an achievement in the genre. And it's been sullied. One other thing to note. The final track on the album, "Last Call" is a complete waste of time and there is no excuse for it to be almost 13 minutes long.
Mudhoney
2/5
I really wanted to like this. But I just didn't the songs are just sort of there. With no soul at all. What's really weird is, I listened to it an hour ago and can't remember ANYTHING from it. Not a good sign. I was really hoping to like this.
Missy Elliott
2/5
I didn't like this album as much as the other Missy record on here. The songs themselves didn't pop the way her later work did. This isn't bad by any stretch though.
The Flaming Lips
5/5
This is a favorite of mine. I like Pink Robots better but this is an easy 5. I LOVE albums that are weird and disjointed and the Lips are exactly that. The melodies are great and the songs have this feeling like they are going to fall apart angry second.
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
2/5
I continue to not get Neil Young. I like the idea of taking a live album and over dubbing it to sound better. But the songs will rule, and these songs don't.
Ramones
4/5
I enjoy post punk and all it's Varients more than actual early punk. And 8 never really understood the whole Ramones thing. But this album has an energy that can't be denied. And it's impact is very apparent. This is a classic album. Not my fav, but deserves to be on this list in a way a lot of other albums in it do not. This is culturally significant.
Lambchop
1/5
This is an album of non songs. It evokes nothing, means nothing, and does nothing. What is this? The wiki says it's the 5th album by this band. How is that possible? Sometimes this list is total shit
The La's
1/5
Listening to this record I started to wonder if I liked music. This is nothing. Even the hit was forgettable in the 90 as it is now. This record really makes me wonder a lot about how I view music. It's a little Beatles. A little Oasis. But the most boring of both. Combined into an hour long wash of meh. Everything is grey and humans have ruined the earth.
Everything But The Girl
1/5
At it's best, this is decent, unoffensive, and kind of boring. Tons of Amen Break drums here with that 90's mom soft rock singing. But at it's worst, this is awful. Mirrorball specifically stands out as the kind of 90's mall music I have spent a lifetime trying to avoid. Too bad there is so much of it here... Another one star record from me.
The Modern Lovers
1/5
1000lbs of respect for John Cale. But I really didn't get anything out of this. It's the debut, so maybe they needed time to grow or something. But there is nothing here.
Bob Dylan
2/5
This isn't as bad as Dylan usually is.
Van Halen
4/5
Gallons of ink have been spilled on this band and all of it's members. And though I am not a huge fan, this album has something special. It's HEAVY. But not in a way that would turn off non metal fans. It's a relentless party and it's tongue in cheek all the way. But it's not ironic. It's just happy to be what it is. Other than "Jump", this record is very cohesive and a really fun listen. Jump is just out of place and the synth drives instead of the guitars.
Primal Scream
1/5
53 minutes of non songs. Cool... Not! This is bad. Another time I've questioned why it's on the list.
Led Zeppelin
3/5
It's Zep. Not for me and the riffs, while great, just feel overrated.
Queen
4/5
I like Queen and I like this. I think the first track is a little weak and lacks focus. But then the rest of the album is amazing.
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
1/5
In what world did someone give these no talent hacks an hour and eighteen minutes to just make noise?! This is a literal waste of my time.
As someone who has made music for years and can play multiple instruments, this does not take talent. Despite what people say, there is nothing complicated going on here. It just sucks.
It actually makes me angry listening to this. GOD DAMMIT why do I have to listen to this fucking album?!?
The Jam
3/5
I liked this quite a bit. It's a little REM but not as good as REM. The last track is a banger. I struggle with the reggae elements as I both dislike when it's done "right" and I don't think this was done correctly. Overall this was a good introduction to a band I had not heard of before.
1/5
It's everything Dylan wrote on this list? Another hour and a half of crap. The second half is marginally better. But let's not go crazy with praise. It's still crap.
Marilyn Manson
5/5
I've listened to this record in the hundreds of times. I was a massive MM fan in the 90s. But at 42, I still listen to NIN but I've left MM behind. I think I grew out of it. And Manson's rape issues make this a little different to listen to now. I'm still rating this high. It changed goth in the 90s and it led all us kids looking for something heavier than Nirvana into the open arms of metal.
The other thing to mention about this record is it's narrative arc. Not a lot of concept records really work. They don't take you on the journey the artist is trying to sell. And it gets annoying when artists try and force a concept when there isn't on there (looking at you Corgan). But this is an actual, honest to god (pun intended) concept album. Telling a story through music and lyrics with a begining, middle, and end.
R.E.M.
4/5
I love REM. Never my first go to band but everything they do is sort of a warm blanket. This isn't my favorite of theirs, but it listed me up none the less.
3/5
In the 90's, Blur was always advertised to me as an Oasis or Radiohead level of good. And I was a massive Radiohead fan and I enjoyed Oasis as well, so I always assumed Blur would also be something that I enjoyed. But I just never got it. Song 2 was alright but nothing else really grabbed me. I gave up on them long ago and even with the Gorillaz, I love what's going on, but the music just didn't do it for me.
Listening to this though may have changed that. It's not mind blowing or anything. But I REALLY enjoyed this record. It could just be my mood, but I am super glad this came up today and I will give their other albums a spin as a result.
Röyksopp
3/5
This was the most cool album on here so far. It sounded great, though it dragged on a little as most records of this kind do.
Bad Company
3/5
I knew quite a few of these tracks so this band had plenty of exposure. Not sure I liked this. It's very much of it's time. It's well put together but it didn't really do anything special for me.
Elvis Costello
1/5
This isn't good. I don't even know what I would call this. It's super not good
The Byrds
1/5
Every cover sounds the same. The Monkees did it better and even they sucked. Jesus bloody hell this sucks.
The Monks
1/5
I get why this record is influential to punk. Super clear about that. But this isn't good. Every track is a staccato mess with a brow beating message. So even though I agree with the message, this record still just sort of sucks. Another 60s artist held up too high.
Jimi Hendrix
3/5
This feels very long. But not in good way. There are so many hits here it's impossible to deny this records impact. And I like a lot of it. But it's just sooooo long.
Black Sabbath
3/5
Like the other Sabbath records, this is so ingrained in our culture, and so much has changed, that this really isn't heavy anymore. I liked a few songs, but I could leave most of this.
Funkadelic
4/5
I knew of this record. In vinyl circles, it's considered a classic. But I'd never heard it. This is great. It's nasty and funky exactly how I need it to be. It's so weird. And I love it.
Beck
5/5
I didn't really like Beck when he was trying to be weird. But starting with this album, he moved into a more mature style with lush layers and more cohesive sounds and messaging. This record sounds like it was recorded during a series of sunrises and I really like it.
Syd Barrett
1/5
I find it totally fine and 100% acceptable for artists to complete vanity albums. There is nothing wrong with that and there are times when they come out great. I say that to make it clear that I don't have a problem with this record existing. But despite it's historical context, it has no business on this list. It doesn't show the listener anything special about Syd and the songs themselves are not good. So I'm afraid this one is a dud.
Jurassic 5
5/5
Dude! This was a total surprise. I knew the name of this group but had never heard them before. I love the beats on this. The glow is sooooo good and it's got this this laid back happy vibe I'm loving. Totally adding Jurassic 5 to my rotation.
Faust
1/5
Oh look. Another album where somehow 5 good ideas translated into an hour and 15 minutes of noise... Cool.
Tom Waits
2/5
You would have to do a lot of convincing to make me believe Tom doesn't just make this shit up as he goes along. His entire career is an attempt to be a drugged up Sinatra. It's not working for me.
Bruce Springsteen
3/5
Holy cow the snare on every 2 and 4 of this record is so consistent. It's maybe the most defining feature of this record. As for the review, it's alright. I am not a fan of this kind of rock. This is well put togeather and I have always liked Springsteen's message. Then the record just sort of ends...
Hot Chip
3/5
I liked this a lot. Except some of the singing. One of the vocalists kind of grates on me. But the record is good!
Soft Cell
2/5
The hit continues to be fun if a little annoying. This albums sound is very cohesive. Which is the final compliment I'll give it. It wants to be sexy and cool. It manages to be neither. Instead, it's kind of sad and gross.
Otis Redding
4/5
My father listened to the local oldies station what I was growing up and multiple songs from this were staples. I suppose I do have some nostalgia for it. But I'd never listened with a critical ear before today. It's good. Ole Man Trouble was a nice opener. I think this record sounds very much the same throughout. Which is frustrating. Otherwise, this is alright.
The Prodigy
3/5
An hour and 18 minutes of repetitive genetic music. Honestly, there is a very specific time and place this could ever be thought of as good. And I don't have any ex, and I'm not at the club, and it's not the 90s.
Cyndi Lauper
4/5
This had to be the least annoying pop act of the 80s. It's not really my thing. But the two hours are fun enough and I like the quirkyness of it
The Fall
4/5
This is noisy and falling apart. That's a compliment. This is good.
4/5
I get why this was a big record for women in the late 60's and 70's. The lyrics are super awesome. I love them. And old school country has it's charm. This is very much not my thing. But I am scoring this high none the less. This isn't my kind of banger. But it is a banger.
Ice Cube
4/5
This record is unrelenting. I knew a few of the tracks already and was really impressed at how well they fit in with the rest of the record. I also had no idea that Korn had covered Wicked. I assumed it was them just messing around with their friends. Funny that Ice Cube is on the cover. Both versions are great. This is great.
Bob Marley & The Wailers
3/5
I should go back and copy paste my review from past Bob Marley reviews. If you like reggee, there is nothing better than this. But I can't stand reggee. Sure THIS reggee has a history of positive social messaging. But I just can't stand the sound. I extend this dislike to ska as well.
Ravi Shankar
3/5
I mean. He is super awesome on the sitar. And this is super pleasing. But this doesn't make me feel anything. And I am not currently high. Which is a statement that probably is more than a little disingenuous.
Sister Sledge
1/5
Elevator music has more depth. Disco sucks.
James Taylor
1/5
I hate this so much. It's sugary and gross. Safe mom rock for the masses. A mention of weed is out of place I'll admit but this is as bland and American wholesome as it gets. And it sucks.
The B-52's
2/5
Never been a fan of being weird for weirdness sake. Also, what are these songs so long?
Moby Grape
2/5
This band was not going to be the next Beatles. This is boring. And while I feel bad for what happened to them, they are not very good musically.
Public Enemy
4/5
Listening to Public Enemy is always like attending the most aggressive party in the city. This record is no different but feels less cohesive than some of their other efforts. I am still digging it though, and for 1990, this was ahead of it's time. It has deep layers like PHM from NIN and the rapping has already taken the leap away from simple rhyming to a more complicated sound. Great record.
Red Hot Chili Peppers
1/5
Meh.
Guided By Voices
3/5
There's a song on here where someone is snoring in it. This album is weird. I like that it's just a collection of stuff. But all the fade outs are distracting. A little focus could have made this better. But I get the feeling that was not the goal.
The Rolling Stones
1/5
Repatative and boring. Maybe they should have stuck with the covers. And why is this so long? And how are the stones considered as big as the Beatles? This is all I thought about while listening to this creepy to underage girls snoozefest of a record.
Dennis Wilson
2/5
I didn't get this. Like I don't get Pet Sounds. It's just too safe. Too FM radio. It feels old. And not in a good way.
Brian Eno
3/5
I wish these songs had more than one idea in them. I think only twice did anything change in a song. Kind of a let down.
Soul II Soul
1/5
Every note. Every second. Every vocal trill. Every electric piano. Every fake internment. Everything in this record pisses me off. I don't just hate this record. It activity makes me angry.
ZZ Top
4/5
This knows what it is and executes very well. My biggest complaint is the number of fade outs to end songs. ZZ Top is not my kind of music. But I get this.
Todd Rundgren
5/5
Woah! This is totally unexpected and really awesome. Holy shit this was good. It's WILD and all over the place. But it still holds togeather in this super weird way. Unexpected 5 star.
Kanye West
1/5
I remember vividly this was the album where I left Kanye. Maybe I shouldn't have been willing to put up with his bullshit to this point. But this album sucked. AND sucked. This record actually makes me feel like a bad person.
Wilco
3/5
One of my favorite albums of all time is Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. And I really enjoyed Ghost is Born and the live record from Chicago which features many of these songs. But everything else Wilco has made just didn't click with me. Including much of this. Maybe Tweedy is too deep into his drug days or something but that Wilco magic just isn't there on this record. It's sooooo close. And when they lost that magic after they hit big, it too is soooo close. I want to like this more. I just can't.
Michael Jackson
5/5
Gallons of ink have been spent talking about this album and there is nothing I could say here that would be new or interesting. I don't usually like pop too much and am not really an MJ fan. But this record still slaps. Sometimes, everything just comes togeather. This basically a perfect pop album.
ABBA
1/5
I get it. People who like to possibly like radio pop would totally dig this. Good for them. But this is hollow pop crap. And the hit count on this one is lower than their other efforts, meaning it's hollow pop crap that doesn't have the hooks. So it's just crap.
Orange Juice
1/5
Seriously. What the hell is this? Total garage.
Eminem
4/5
I was a broke 18 year old metal head when this came out. I was down with Em at the time but had other CDs to buy. By the time of his next record, I was a fan. But I never owned this one and only really knew the hit.
This record is alright. it doesn't have the hooks of the Marshall Mathers LP but it's still got that flow and great beats. Not Em's best. But it's up there.
Genesis
4/5
I love Genesis. This one is a little long. Songs like Counting out Time are amazing. And some of the instrumentals are really great. This is a great album. It just drags a bit.
The Magnetic Fields
1/5
Self indulgent shit. There is no reason for this to be here. This is trash. All the hours. Nothing of value.
Fleet Foxes
3/5
I've heard this record a few times since 8t came out. I keep thinking I should like it, and Fleet Foxes. But I just can't get into it. It's very well made. And the songs are really well thought out. There is way too much reverb for me but that's just a choice. I assume they were going to dreamy. But all I hear is a tile bathroom on every vocal.
I'm scoring this higher out of respect for it. It's solid. Just not for me.
Black Sabbath
4/5
The back half of this is really weak compared to the front half. But it doesn't matter. It's metal being born.
The Birthday Party
1/5
Nick Cave gets better. Waaay better. This is just noise.
Eurythmics
1/5
The ultimate 1 hit wonder. This album has the hit. So. That kind of tells the whole story here.
Blur
3/5
I continue to believe that I like Blur, or even Gorillaz until I listen to either. Then I realize I just don't. I am not sure why but it just doesn't grab me. Having said that, this record was different than all of the other records coming out at the time. It really did not conform to any of the macho, heavier or darker sounds that were getting popular in 1994. So credit where credit is due.
Madonna
2/5
Never been a fan. But this record was huge
Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
3/5
I am not a country fan but I like Blue Grass. This is that old school country which is way better than all the modern crap. This is a legit good album. I loved all the in studio talking as well. It lent a live feeling to the record. It was too long. But I assume that is mostly because they wanted everyone to have a chance to shine.
Metallica
5/5
My brother had shit taste in music most of the time. But he owned this cassette and played it a lot in his Jeep. Which was super cool. And while it's not my favorite metal album, it was one of my first. And the riffs are still have melting.
The Afghan Whigs
1/5
This is boring. The angst can't save this. It's just boring. Everything sounds the same.
The Offspring
4/5
Ah junior high. This record still feels weird to me. It's the first record that I heard that openly talked about sex. Is it "real punk"? Who knows! Is it dangerous? Probably not. But it felt dangerous. And that's all that matters.
Elton John
2/5
Tiny Dancer is a legit banger. And the orchestration on this record is really top notch. But I was bored by a lot of this. Where are the hooks? Was this record a victim of 1970s one hit, and a bunch of filler? It kind of felt that way.
Adele
1/5
This is a very long 48 minutes. So. Fucking. Boring.
The Associates
2/5
I'm going to give this record credit assuming they were experimenting with new technologies. It did come early in the synth scene. But that is about the only nice thing I can say. It was early experimentation. Because this record sucks. The songs suck, the flow sucks, the vocals suck. This sucks.
Cypress Hill
3/5
I'm a sucker for The Hill. But the beats drag a little. It's still great, but I was a little bored.
John Coltrane
3/5
Jazz is hard for me to rate. There are to many doodledtdoos on this for me to really enjoy it. But that doesn't mean it's bad.
Stan Getz
1/5
It has that song that everyone sorry of makes fun of, The Girl from Ipanema. But this is boring, well made jazzy non music. It's fine I guess.
Talking Heads
3/5
I wish I liked Talking heads more. Psycho Killer is a banger. But a lot of this was good, but same sounding.
Patti Smith
1/5
Awful. There are no ideas here. It's the same song for 45 minutes. And the song sucks.
Beatles
5/5
Not the best Beatles, but an easy 5 none the less. The were so far ahead of everyone at the time.
Miles Davis
3/5
Lots of doodlydoots here. So many in fact that there are only 5 songs in this whole album. It's good. But for me. But good.
Prince
1/5
I dislike this immensely. Prince is cheesy and while he's a really great musician, none of it ever leaves that cheesy 80s lane. Also not helping was his planet sized ego. This just isn't for me.
Keith Jarrett
2/5
I liked this for about 10 or 15 minutes. After that it was just sort of banging on the piano for another 50 minutes. It's not bad. But a little monotonous.
David Bowie
4/5
Bowie is pop... Sort of? Kind of not any one thing. And this is one of his best. An easy 4 for me. And I'm sorry happy that Trent Reznor introduced him to me as a teenager.
Elvis Costello
1/5
Hard no. This turbo sucks. There is nothing new Costello every brought to the table. It's just bad.
Nirvana
5/5
The number of times I've listened to this one... This is a flawless record. A band at their peak and a man at the bottom.
Television
2/5
After the first two tracks, I was in a good place with this. Then track 3 is a 10 and a half minute version of track one? Bumbump bumbump for ten minutes. After already hearing it before?
Slint
2/5
If I wrote this, I'd break up band too. There is one cool moment toward the end of washer for about 30 seconds. The rest of this is a waster of time.
X-Ray Spex
3/5
This album opens great. Noisy and full of puss and vinegar. It doesn't hold however. By the end of the record, you can hear new wave sneaking in. Still a fun one though.
The Band
2/5
The audio equivalent of going to a barbeque then watching a baseball game. Not a compliment.
Genesis
3/5
Not their best in my opinion. Those last two songs could be 4 total of they just ended then on time...
Talking Heads
3/5
Had I been born a decade earlier, The Taking Heads would have been my favorite band. The music here is great. But it's constrained by the cruft of it's era. Way to much reverb, to sparse of instrumentation. It's missing some key things to really make it pop.
Sonic Youth
5/5
While it did beat some sonic hallmarks of it's time, this is basically perfect. An amazing piece of indie rock.
The Black Keys
2/5
I am soooo bored. This must be what people mean when they tell me they don't get Radiohead. I don't get this. I saw them live once at some festival and I remember thinking the same thing about their set. "I am bored. When is it over?"
Todd Rundgren
2/5
This is a lot... Of wasted time. There are actually a few moments of good stuff here. But there is much dad rock and studio fucking around that it gets buried. And I'm starting to understand why ppl don't like double albums. They are great when it's music you like, but painful when it's crap like this.
The Streets
3/5
The story is interesting. The rapping is jilted but functional. But the music is way too repetitive. The beats were fine. They just didn't switch anything up enough. That's the only thing here I'm marking off for. This is good otherwise. Not great. But good. Otherwise.
Count Basie & His Orchestra
3/5
This was quick and easy. I didn't get much from it but it takes talent to make music like this so I'll give credit where it's due.
Violent Femmes
3/5
Lots of recognizable songs here. I like many of them. This record is anxiety inducing in a big way and I can't pinpoint why. It's heavy sounding but acoustic and electric with little to no distortion? The constant strumming? I just don't know.
Amy Winehouse
2/5
So many 5 star reviews and I just don't get it. Her voice is good. But there are a million people with great voices. The music fine and sounds old without all the cruft that comes with old music. Which I think is fine. But this is really not special in any way. It's a record made by producers for a singer with an alcohol problem.
The Cars
5/5
So many classic tracks on this album. The Cars influenced a lot of my favorite bands and records like this one really stand out.
Peter Gabriel
5/5
Every track on this album is a legit banger. Peter Gabriel is the most interesting artist to come out of the 60's and 70's music scene. 'So' is a fascinating album that I forget about sometimes and it doesn't deserve to be forgotten.
Eric Clapton
1/5
This record fucking sucks. Eric Clapton sucks. What a shit way to start my Saturday.
The Black Crowes
3/5
When people ask why rock died, you can answer with bands like The Black Crows. Literally nothing original to be found here. Every note, every vocal has been done to death. If this came out twenty years earlier... maybe. But by 1990, this had been done a million times. It's a snoozefest from start to finish.
GZA
3/5
This will likely be the most 90's thing I hear this week. I hadn't heard this before and really enjoyed it. Though as with a lot of rap albums from the 90's, I could have done without all the skits. But, it's a tradition and I won't dock points for it.
Morrissey
1/5
I was a little too late and a little too I to metal for Morrissey. Hearing this now, I would have been I to it for sure. This is legit a great record. Some dull spots here and there. (we'll let you know, certain people I know.) It would be a 4 for me. But fuck Morrissey. I totally get the shame fans feel as I have it too with Marilyn Manson. Why do these guys have to be such wankers? One star because of the man.
Raekwon
2/5
I had trouble with this one. The beats were too monotonous and while the flow was alright, it was not really a stand out. This seems like a weaker Wu side project. On the surface this is fine, but I wouldn't say this is a top 1001 album. It's just sort of meh. Also, a lot of these lyrics have not aged well. Which is kind of normal for 90s hip hop. But the homophobia and misogyny was rather pronounced here.
David Bowie
5/5
Heroes has more going on. This is okay but they're isn't enough happening for me to really get into it. Having said that. It's Bowie... So it's amazing in any case.
Beastie Boys
4/5
So many legit bangers in the first half of this one. I'm not a huge fan of the Beastie Boys, but this record really does show how talented they are. I just wish the back half was less filler than the first. Even so, some of the punk tracks back there were really good.
Arctic Monkeys
4/5
I always thought Favorite Worst Nightmare was the better album. This one has the attitude but not the songs or flow. But it's still really good.
Living Colour
4/5
I knew the two hits from this record and have always thought they were good. But listening to the rest of this was a lot of fun. There is so much positivity and hope coming off this thing. Even when the subject matter gets heavy. Most of these albums, I stop when the deluxe songs kick in. But I stuck around for all of this. Great record
Eagles
2/5
A couple of songs here are good I guess. I don't like it. It's very boomer sounding.
4/5
Love Bowie. Though I seem too mostly like his hits more than his deep cuts. This record doesn't have as many hits on it as some of his others. But this record is quick and really solid. I enjoyed it a lot.
Arcade Fire
3/5
If you are going to be pretentious, you have to be good. And these sad anthems aren't fitting that bill. Sure there are some good tracks here, and I flirted with Arcade Fire around the tie this record came out. But in the end, it's hollow and not much happening.
Bob Marley & The Wailers
2/5
It's not Marley's fault that I can't stand reggae and ska. But after listening to this and a few other albums by him, I still can't stand it. I appreciate his message. But I still dislike this immensely.
Pixies
2/5
This is the second Pixies album I have gotten for this project. I think the last one was better. This album just doesn't have the standout tracks that some of the others do. This album feels very cohesive, just missing the hooks.
The Mothers Of Invention
1/5
This record is a time machine. 40 minutes feels like two hours. And it's a long two hours. This sucks.
John Lennon
2/5
I only wish his post Beatles work was half as good. Sadly, other than Imagine, which isn't on this record is the only standout. This is a lot of soul searching with a little whining. It's boring. And if below him.
Johnny Cash
5/5
This is such a banger of a record. Cash's attitude and balls to sing those songs in front of those men is beyond epic. Johnny may have been a country singer, but he is more metal than most modern metal bands.
Deerhunter
1/5
In what world was this, "released September 27, 2010 to universal critical acclaim."?!? There is nothing here. It's a total waste of time and the band should be ashamed for having made this. This is 46 minutes of filler.
Cowboy Junkies
3/5
This is fine if a little boring. I am happy to hear records like this in the 1001, even if this really isn't for me.
Curtis Mayfield
3/5
The instramentation here is phenomenal. Not a big fan of funk but I did recognize a few tracks. Overall this was really good.
The Kinks
3/5
This was okay. Still feels like a knock off Beatles. Maybe a little more punk. But not a lot. This is still really safe.
Scott Walker
3/5
Somewhere between Nick Drake and a crooner. I prefer Drake. But this isn't bad.
Led Zeppelin
3/5
I have a hard time lingering to Zep without thinking about they and cultural appropriation. They didn't borrow licks from blues. They stole them and made it big with them. This album is good, as all of their records are. But it's tainted.
Big Brother & The Holding Company
3/5
This was good. I liked the game love feel. But Joplin isn't my thing. I'm glad this is on the list.
Spiritualized
2/5
There aren't any songs here. Just soundscapes. Which, I guess isn't bad? But this isn't good. It's like if you took the actual songs out of an Oasis record, this is what would be left.
Elton John
4/5
This is a 5 star album marred by being a double album. Side 1a is awesome, side 2b is pretty good. But the middle sides are total filter.
Kendrick Lamar
2/5
This record made me feel old.
Beck
4/5
I liked Beck more the later in his career he got. While I enjoyed the silly and weird albums, these later ones scratch an itch that no one else really can. This record is great. It's a mishmash of styles and it all works well togeather. Nothing sounds out of place because nothing is IN place. It's super fun.
David Bowie
3/5
I love Bowie but this is not my favorite of his. Golden Years is a good song but the rest sort of plods along. This is a good album. Just not a great album.
Cocteau Twins
2/5
This is the most 80's records I've ever heard. Was it recorded in a cave? The reverb just drips off every instrument. All the songs sound the same too.
Creedence Clearwater Revival
2/5
The boomer flow is heaviest with this record. If you like that sort of thing, this would be great for you. I however, do not have fond memories of these sorts of bands.
Jean-Michel Jarre
3/5
I'm super impressed by this collection of songs. For 1976, this is really impressive. But this is not an "album". And probably should not be on this list. It's definitely an audio collection of note. But should not be here.
Tori Amos
2/5
As a NIN fan, I had always heard that Trent Reznor and Tori Amos has some kind of relationship and that he helped produce some of her music. If true, it was not this record. It's not a bad record. But it's painfully boring. The whole thing is just sort of forgettable and sleepy.
Common
1/5
This record was very aggressive lyric wise. I liked the parts that weren't misogynistic. But holy shit... I am glad times have changed.
JAY Z
4/5
This came from the era of JAY Z I like. Smooth flow, fun beats.
The Beach Boys
2/5
I have tried to listen to the beach boys multiple times in my life. People say Pet Sounds is a masterpiece. I don't get it. This is lame barber shop crap.
Ladysmith Black Mambazo
2/5
Fun. But very samey.
Dusty Springfield
2/5
Elevator music. Devoid if value.
Barry Adamson
1/5
Maybe there aren't actually 1001 records worth hearing before I die...
Deep Purple
1/5
A band with such iconic albums released the most over the top corny solo filled borefest of a live album. The ratio of song to solo wankery is like 1:5. I'm not exaggerating. It's exhausting. Also, Black Night is on here THREE FUCKING TIMES. And Speed King is on here twice. Who decided that was a good idea? That adds up to 37 minutes and 45 seconds of TWO FUCKING SONGS.
The Blue Nile
1/5
Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Zzzzzzzzzzz
Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Z
The Specials
1/5
Ska is the worst form of music. I hate this more than I rationally should and I've let it run my day. God damn this sucks.
Doves
3/5
This is exactly what I imagine a Coldplay b-side disc would sound like. It's all Coldplay track but missing that something extra that set them apart in those early albums. This isn't bad. A little boring. But fine.
Talking Heads
3/5
I want to like this more than I did. It's catchy, but there isn't anything here for me to really fall in love with. I like other Talking Heads records better.
Fela Kuti
3/5
This was unexpectedly fun. It hit all the right spots for me.
SZA
2/5
I am having a hard tie with this record. Not every record needs to be for me, a middle aged white male. However, two things came to mind while I was listening to this.
First, I remember when Marilyn Manson first hit big and his lyrics were shocking to society. Later in his career, he started saying shocking things just to say them. Just to get a rise out of people. SZA, on this album is clearly trying the same thing. But it's 25 years later. People don't get shocked like that anymore. And since none of this is on the radio, there is no one to offend.
Second, I kept thinking while listening that SZA is obsessed with game playing with people. And my thought was confirmed when she literally claimed that she wasn't. You can't be upset that your man cheats on you when you cheat on him as well. And pitting people against each other for the chase isn't nice.
I know this makes me seem like a conservative asshole. I swear I am not. I am not judging SZA at all here. But her lyrics, which are the stand out as they are laid on a bed of rather boring R&B and hip-hop audio tropes, leave much to be desired. Nothing new here.
The 13th Floor Elevators
1/5
What a bore. All of this sounds the same.
Cat Stevens
3/5
Two of the songs were alright. I can't say this is a favorite of mine. But. Yeah. I like this. Singer songwriter simplicity is good.
The War On Drugs
3/5
This is okay at first. It has this heavy, old school Americana feel to it that I can kind of get behind. But it never really goes anywhere. And by the back half of the album it's just fine in too long.
New Order
3/5
Eeeeh this was okay. I think I'm in a shit mood though.
Shack
2/5
It's like Oasis and R.E.M wanted to record togeather but had a series of uninspired days in the studio resulting in the most boring super group record of all time.
The Police
2/5
I'm not a huge fan but I recognize this record for what it is. The two hits are alright I guess. This feels like cultural appropriation. And I can't shake it.
Steve Winwood
2/5
I think you had to be there at the time for this one. It's a little Phil Collins, but without the talent or ego. I respect the songwriting. And the fact that he's a multi instrumentalist. But this did nothing for me.
k.d. lang
2/5
What? I'll have to go ahead and say this is the biggest shocker of an album. I thought I'd lang was pop.
Holger Czukay
3/5
This is super weird in the best way. It holds together really well and holds up despite being from the 70s. Probably won't listen again, but this was good.
Kings of Leon
2/5
This album is really heavy soft rock. Perfect for the dentist office. None of the songs have definition and all sort of just bleed into each other. Honestly this sounded like one song with breaks throughout to me. It's not really bad or anything. Just nothing ear cathing.
U2 sucks. Honestly is every U2 album on this list? How? They are truly awful. And this album is from AFTER they were relevant. So it's not even like it's one of the albums considered good!
Michael Jackson
3/5
Sone good stuff here. Not a huge fan of disco. But when MJ does it, it does carry more weight. Overall all this is okay. I like some of the more pop stuff better.
The Mamas & The Papas
1/5
I'm glad that society grew out this type of music.
Dinosaur Jr.
2/5
Noisy, early alternative, this record is alright. It runs a little long and the last two tracks try to pull off a magic truck the band is not capable of. Overall this is alright but the same ness and the vocals are kind of a let down.
Terence Trent D'Arby
1/5
Hard one star. This dude works really hard and it's still crazy boring. Despite his claims, this is no Sgt. Peppers. This just sucks.
The Gun Club
1/5
Rockabilly punk could be good. But this want. All the songs sound the same and I get the feeling I wouldn't like this guy if I met him in person.
Green Day
5/5
From the opening drum hit to the secret song about being alone, this record is a banger through and through. This is what I thought punk for a few years there in the early 90s. And I loved it.
Os Mutantes
3/5
This is the kind of thing I want to hear. Non US and Europe music. Even if it's clearly based on what was happening in those places at the time. This record is wild too. Way out there. Totally hippie and free.
The Temptations
4/5
When I was in my early 20s I worked on a factory floor where funk and r&b was played every day all day from cassettes over a PA. Even though I was, and am a metal head I always liked a good chunk of what I heard on that floor. And this album was played a lot and it's really a great record. It swings back and forth between funk and r&b in a natural way. My only complaint is that it's actually too short. I would love about 15 more minutes.
The Darkness
3/5
I still don't really like this. But I really like Justin and I have to admit it is catchy and fine really well. It's just too silly.
50 Cent
2/5
At the time, I remember thinking somehow that 50 Cent was kind of the pop hip-hop guy? Despite his street credentials, his party anthem hits just seemed to be more happy and silly than some of the other rappers at the time. Listening back to this, I still feel this way. But it's clear that 50 did not think of himself like that. I think this record is "meh". It contains all of the misogyny of hip-hop from the time, which is a real bummer. And I was bored for quite a bit of this despite the smooth flow of 50 himself.
John Martyn
3/5
Comparisons to Nick Drake are impossible here so I won't try to pretend otherwise. It's not as good. By a long shot. And that's okay! This is really well instrumented, solid singer songwriter. And it's good. But it's a little uninspired and no single track moves me at all.
My Bloody Valentine
3/5
There is a lot here too love. But holy hell there is so much wasted time on this record. All those great ideas only really should fill half of this thing. I love shoegaze and this is super cool shoegaze. But this could be better with just a little tightening up.
Parliament
2/5
I liked this record a little less than done of the others kind of felt like this one had less direction. Less of a hook.
Willie Colón & Rubén Blades
5/5
I loved this. I listened to it now than once and I'll probably add it to my rotation. It's super bright and fun, the horns and strings sound amazing, and it's so outside my normal wheelhouse, I get excited knowing I have something this different to listen to.
William Orbit
2/5
Why are these techno records so long? Like every one is over an hour. And it's all just a repeating snoozefest. There is nothing here worth listening to.
David Bowie
5/5
It's Bowie during his most productive period. Some of the tracks toward the end are padded a bit. But this is an easy 5.
Stereo MC's
2/5
I think this record is trying to say deep things. But it's soooooo cheesy I can't hear any messages. This never hit in the US. But there was certainly cheesy crap here in 1992 not too dissimilar to this. This is crap. Let's be clear about that. But it's crap that lives in its moment. And it does that rather well.
Ryan Adams
1/5
A.A. Bondy released his debut album in 2007. It is a masterpiece. And I would not be surprised if he took inspiration from Ryan Adams. Adams didn't invent this style of singer/songwriter country pop style. But this particular brand seems more rare than some others. This album just doesn't click the way Bondy's does.
It's good. But it doesn't elicit the emotional heft it's trying too. Songs like "Come pick me up" are too cliche stylistically to move me and the slower tracks lack vocal and lyric lines that me stop and take notice.
The reality is this is a really well put together record made up of forgettable songs. There's a proto something here... But whatever that thing is, it was taken and implemented by others.
I should note I didn't find out he was a likely rapist until after I had heard the record. In this case I dropped my score from 2 to 1 stars. So only a small effect overall. But fuck this guy. I also think it's funny how butt hurt he gets when compared to Bryan Adams. I almost changed my review to one about Bryan, then realizing I was reviewing the wrong guy half way though. That would have been fun. But I ran out of time.
Kings of Leon
1/5
This came out during a period in my life when I couldn't afford CD's or even the Internet for a bit there. So I missed the garage rock thing. It flashed so fast that by the time I would have gotten into it, it was over. I only share that to say that I had never heard this before but only by coincidence. I like the Hives and The Vines okay I guess but I haven't much history with any of them.
Why does every song have the same rhythm? Like drums and guitars are the same rhythm for 75% of this record. Cutting to the chase, this is not good. It's super bland, the guitars sound like shit, and there is nothing here to hook anyone.
AC/DC
5/5
So many musicians I adore and respect count AC/DC as one of their favorites. But I never got it. I'm ignoring the "every album sounds the same" refrain, which has been talked about to death in the case of AC/DC.
This is one of the most confident records I have ever heard. Every guitar lick, every base and drum line, every lyric exudes confidence. It's a confidence that so many bands try to front, but very few actually convey.
This record is also really well put togeather. The songwriting is tight, there is zero time waste, and it sounds great. This record really benefits from listening with good speakers or headphones. It's getting a high score from me even though it's not really my style.
I also should mention that I spent the rest 9f the day listening to other record from AC/DC. Their career really came out banging at the start. It's crazy.
It totally belongs high on this list and I'm super glad I heard this one. Before today, I only knew the hits.
Drive-By Truckers
1/5
This sucks. And there's a lot of it.
The Icarus Line
4/5
Aaron North makes every note chaos in the best way here. As he always does. This album is sloppy and it is barely holding together. And that is the genius of it. Not many hooks or traditional riffs. Just wild punk rock played with the energy of the sun.
Elvis Presley
2/5
I'm not an Elvis fan. Was wondering when I would get him. This wasn't bad but none of his hits were on this one. Still not a fan.
Primal Scream
2/5
Generic. Repetitive. Boring. Long.
Sepultura
5/5
This was one of my first metal records. Max has been a large influence on me since the 90s. This record is an easy 5 stars and should be considered one of few non American or European classics.
Joni Mitchell
2/5
There are better Mitchell records out there.
Michael Kiwanuka
5/5
This is GREAT! Never heard of this artist before and I am getting strong TV on the Radio vibes but a little more chill. It's modern but has touches of classic 60's rock. It's recorded perfectly too. DAMN this is good. This is a banger and I am now following this dude on Spotify.
Slipknot
5/5
Yes I was the child of a divorce. Yes I have a step-dad who was/is cool as hell but I was angsty when this came out. Yes I loved Korn at the time. And yes. I first heard this record at my job, and I am not kidding, at my job at Blockbuster Video the same year I graduated High School. And Yes. I FUCKING LOVE THIS RECORD.
Scritti Politti
1/5
This is absolute hot trash of the highest order. Nothing here is worth hearing them or now. This should not be on the list.
Yes
3/5
The good parts are really good. But the weird country influence is jarring and really distracts from the rest.
Sam Cooke
4/5
This was great for a live record in the 60s, the sound is crystal. The energy is way up there and I enjoyed every track.
Pixies
3/5
Couple of classics on here and a few modes as well. Overall a good record.
Sleater-Kinney
3/5
This is okay but I was really hoping for hooks. Every song I'm waiting for the hook. And by the end, there were none.
Kraftwerk
5/5
I've heard chunks of this record over the years and have always been impressed, with an astrix. And reading the reviews you see it all over the place. This record is mind bogglingly ahead of its time and would have been insane to hear in 1979. And it's also awesome that we've come so far that here in 2023, it's normal for modular synths to be in mainstream music. But it doesn't hold up.
While this record 100% should be on this list, it's now a VERY important footnote in musical history. It's a first. An impressive one. But it doesn't hold up to today. And that's okay!
I loved hearing it all the way through.
2/5
I hadn't heard the Kinks before today. Gotta say, it's really meh. A lot of bands tried to sound like the Beatles. This was not a good attempt.
R.E.M.
5/5
Every time I hit an R.E.M. album I end up spending the entire day listening to them. Such an amazing band. This record only produced 1 or 2 hits but the whole thing is great.
Radiohead
5/5
I have every note of this record memorized. When this thing dropped, it changed my entire world view on music. I had been a fan of Radiohead before. But this. It blows me away every time I hear it
Mudhoney
3/5
I've never given Mudhoney a proper listen before despite being in the orbit for many years. It's good, not great. They have the sound. They have the attitude. But they are missing the hooks and riffs. I still enjoyed this though. It's got a lot of heart.
The Triffids
1/5
This. What the fuck?. This is. This is one of those records that couldn't sell for a dollar at the record store. How the duck is this crap on the list? Can I give a zero? This deserves a zero.
Sepultura
5/5
This album shows a lot of growth for the band and it's a legit banger of a record. But in two albums, they will perfect their sound and become one of the best metal bands of all time. This record is awesome. But the next two are even better.
Iron Maiden
4/5
Never been a huge Maiden fan as I grew up with less cheesey, heavier metal. But I love some of these songs. It's just my first pick.
Ray Price
3/5
I supremely dislike modern country. But I've grown to like dinners like Cash and Willie. But this is not that dirty of country. And it's not the modern crap either. This is like a Sinatra wannabe with a southern twang. I don't really like it. But it's not the worst thing I've heard.
The Young Rascals
2/5
Says nothing. Does nothing new. Totally inoffensive in every way. And a total bore. There was a lot going on at the time, any this band captured none of it. But at least it's short...
Booker T. & The MG's
2/5
Eh. Pretty samey throughout. Not bad. The one song everyone knows is in there... meh. Meh. ... ... yeah. Meh.
Mylo
2/5
"Thou shall not make repetitive generic music." As usual with DJs. Good ideas and cool grooves wasted by boring repetition.
Joe Ely
3/5
Was not expecting a lot from this. But it really caught me off guard in a good way. Boxcars is a legit banger and many of the other tracks had be stopping to listen. This record is short, Texas and the perfect bridge between the 70's and 80's. It FEELS like the 80's. And I really enjoyed it.
The Byrds
2/5
Eh. It's alright. I get that maybe it was considered more experimental at the time. But it's really sloppy allover. And you can tell that sloppiness was not on purpose.
3/5
I knew two of these tracks but had never listened to the whole thing. This is some great funk. It went on a little too long but I liked all the tracks.
1/5
What is this? NO! No. Stop. This is the worst. This is as generic as it gets and should have been elevator music when it was NEW.
Depeche Mode
3/5
When this hits, it's amazing. But I feel like it doesn't hit enough for the significance it receives. It's good. But a lot of filler.
Garbage
5/5
Claus 90s. A little overproduced. But basically perfect for it's time.
Bruce Springsteen
3/5
I've tried this record a number of times. It's a classic for sure. Just not one for me.
Prefab Sprout
2/5
Well. It's 80s alright. But is it good 80s?
Joan Armatrading
3/5
Fine I guess. Rather forgettable.
Stevie Wonder
3/5
I do like his hits. But they aren't here. This is still alright. A little too disco at times. I do wish some hits were on here...
System Of A Down
5/5
I loved this record when it hit in '98. It's so raw and sloppy while holding togeather perfectly. Their later albums never gave me the same feeling. But this one is a certified banger. My favorite track on here is Peephole. It's just so outlandish and weird. I love every second of it.
Digital Underground
1/5
This is now the worst thing that I have ever heard in my life. And there is sooooo much of it. Who the FUCK thought ANY of this would be worth listening too? This is so bad, it put me in a bad mood for the day. How the fuck did this shit make it to the list? And I would like to hear how many of these guys have been #metoo ed. Ask the songs are about date rape.
The Smiths
2/5
So here we have to put up with Morressy, and it's a boring Smiths record? There are no hooks here. It's just waves of reverb and whiney bullshit. Which sucks. Because I normally LOVE whiney bullshit. Fuck Morressy.
Beatles
5/5
Not my favorite Beatles record. I prefer Rubber Soul and later. But this record is a banger for it's time. And while others here will continue to say the Beatles are overrated... Well there has been a lot of shit on this list from '64. None of it is really any good. None of it takes risks or defines a generation of music. So on that merit, this crushes.
The Rolling Stones
1/5
Stones. No thanks.
10cc
1/5
I listened to this this yesterday morning and I literally can't remember what it sounded like. It can't be good if it had that little impact.
Eels
4/5
I really dug this record. Not sure why I haven't heard it before. I was the perfect age for this record when it was released and the weirdness of it is right up my alley. This is good. I almost wish it was a little harder at times. The lyrics are Beck/The Flaming Lips level weird which I also like.
Jethro Tull
2/5
It really feels like they were making this up as they went along. There really isn't any definition to the tracks. It's just sort of rolls along song after song only being broken up by random flute solos? It's weird that years later they would be considered a metal band and beat out Metallica... I don't get it. It isn't bad. Just...
Steve Earle
1/5
Country Springsteen? No thanks. I muscled through. But hillbilly Mellencamp is not for me.
Queen
5/5
There is a little bloat here and the weird song about the drummer wanting to bang his car. But this is still a hard 5. The bloat can be forgiven here as when this thing slaps, it slaps hard.
Coldplay
4/5
I know everyone bags on Coldplay. And I wouldn't say I'm a fan or anything. But this record does have some cool shit in it. It's got a mood I can dig. And when it came out, it was really just for a certain kind of person who felt like music had moved passed where they were. Rock was all dudes screaming and hip-hop isn't for everyone. So this would have been perfect for that kind of person.
The Beau Brummels
1/5
There are so many of these 60s psychedelic bands on this list. And almost all of them should have just been given by time. This is one of them. There is nothing of value here.
Klaxons
2/5
Very meh. I remember when this came out and thinking this was incredibly mediocre. My option has not changed.
Amy Winehouse
2/5
I disagree she was a good singer. She just want that special.
Alexander 'Skip' Spence
1/5
If the author removed 60s psychedelic rock, the book would only have 500 records in it. This is yet another shitty half baked record that should not be on this list. And it's over an hour. Great... By the end of this, dude is literally just making shit up as he goes along. This is trash.
Elis Regina
3/5
This is really good soft rock for its era. Some of the electric piano instruments have aged very poorly. But the song structures hold togeather really well regardless. I don't know what the songs are about but I feel them which is more important anyway. This isn't my style of music. But this is great.
Curtis Mayfield
2/5
Very forgettable.
The National
5/5
While Boxer and Alligator may be better, this record feels most urgent. It's also around three bands peak. After this, everything has been rather boring. This is peak sad dad music.
5/5
The summer after this cave I was 14 or so and I was cutting a lot of grass. The next year I found out about metal. But this summer Oasis was king. I hadn't yet gotten high. But I assumed it sounded like this record.
Peter Frampton
2/5
Live albums are great if you like band that's playing.
Little Simz
4/5
I really dig this. I liked the flow, I liked the beats. Never heard of Little Simz before. This was a great addition to my musical history.
Liz Phair
2/5
Too much filler. The legit songs are okay but there is a lot of just single chord stroking here.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
2/5
I don't get Nick Cave. And I don't get this. This is like Bruce Springsteen without the talent. It's just sort of this one note show tuney way over the top single note thing. Not. Good.
Massive Attack
2/5
This is better than some techno in this list. It's let repetitive and doesn't have the same bpm in every song. But there aren't any stand outs here for me either.
Deep Purple
2/5
Nothing says metal wire like a bitchen Hammond organ solo...
Minor Threat
4/5
Short, angry, brash, fresh. This record slaps. Hardcore isn't my favorite punk. But it doesn't matter here. There is so much spirit, it overcome everything.
The Temptations
3/5
An early funk album from 1969 that opens with Fuzz on the guitar... This record has a lot going on. It's cross genre, it's fidelity is really high, and the songs flow really well. I do wish there was some differentiation in the verses. They all sort of blend togeather in my head. Choruses are real stand outs though.
ZZ Top
3/5
Like all ZZ Top, this is alright but a little boring. Their hit is on here so that helps.
Kelela
1/5
In the second track, there is this whistle wheeze that repeats through. It the sound my dog makes before he throws up on the carpet at 3 am. That kind of covers my thoughts on this. This also contains a bunch of cliche retread pop and r&b elements. This is boring.
DJ Shadow
4/5
I come back to this one every few years and really like it. It's not my normal style of music but this one really stands out.
CHIC
1/5
Disco is bad. The guy can't save this.
The Allman Brothers Band
1/5
They started in 71, and I think they are still playing the first guitar solo... An hour and 18 minutes of the same exact guitar tone, same key, and same bpm for over 90% of it. This is trash. No matter how much you want to figure them for being a jam band. This is utter trash. Just a guitar player jerking it in front of hippies.
Gram Parsons
1/5
Gross.
Ice Cube
1/5
This sounds awful. The beats are really dated and have aged rather poorly. And there is a lot of woman hate here. More aging poorly.
David Bowie
5/5
I knew his hits and was kind meh about Bowie. My favorite musician, Trent Reznor always spoke so highly of him. When he died, I bought this on vinyl just to kind of check out what his last album sounded like. There are some fairly cheesy dated but Bowie sounds in there. But this record is genius. It's shocking how much it grabs the listener. I've never heard anything like it.
This record, his last got a 42 year old man into Bowie long after he was topping charts. This may be the best last record by any artist. Honestly, it's a masterpiece.
Herbie Hancock
3/5
This was okay. Kind of not my thing and I fell asleep during part of it.
Sebadoh
2/5
Woah. This is not good. These songs are just a mess of weird. And not in a good way.
Electric Light Orchestra
2/5
There is a reason that Blue Sky is a hit and nothing else is remembered. This record is 99% fluff. Just directionless navel gazing with the occasional cool moment here or there. The one exception is the hit. I don't mean to say that all songs should be verse/chorus/verse. Rather, the songs here lack hooks, catchy moments, some semblance of order... It's just all a blur. Except Blue Sky, which also prolly shifted the 10 million units.
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
2/5
I don't hear any Neil Young here. The guy is good. But the rest is meh at best. This"supergroup" is missing a key component or two.
2/5
I'm 90% sure this was a Culture Club cover band that somehow got a hold of a bunch of actual Culture Club b sides and recorded them. This is that band without the great hooks.
Alice Cooper
3/5
This was alright. Not a huge fan of Cooper as it is kind of cheesy now. But had I not grown up with Marilyn Manson, I would have probably loved this. Songs are good I suppose but I want them to be way more hard rock than they are.
Rufus Wainwright
4/5
This wasn't bad. A little Thom York, and a little Elliott Smith. I liked it.
Khaled
2/5
Bletch. I would love to hear some actual Algerian or other middle eastern music. But this is just garbage pop sung in a style. And Imagine.... Jesus Christ what a bad version. I was wondering if he had the balls to say "No religion" and it appears he did that right... so. I don't know. There are moments on here that I like. The first track is actually really good. And some bits in the last 10% of the record are alright as well. But overall, this isn't good.
Rufus Wainwright
2/5
Not bad. But very forgettable.
Anthrax
4/5
Of the big 4, Slayer was my favorite musically, and Anthrax was my favorite attitude wise. But I never really liked the Joey's sung vocals and I really never like chanted slogan style vocals from Joey and Scott.
This is a 5 star album for sure. But I really struggle to get past the singing. But I don't think that should be a black mark against Joey. He seems like a great dude and he has done a great job of sperating himself from the pack.
Beatles
5/5
A classic.
Can
2/5
Holy shit! I made this same record in 1994 when I was 13 on my Yamaha MT4X 4-track recorder! I think I still have the cassette in my moms basement!
Yes I realize that technology has changed and all but this is a waste of everyone's time. Sometimes influential isn't good. This is one of those times.
The Mothers Of Invention
2/5
I wish I "got" Zappa. Truly I wish I did. It's just all weird for weirds sake to me. I just want to be a part of it. But I'm not. This sucks. And I hate that I hate it.
Tim Buckley
1/5
Eh. The volume of these 60s and 70s rockish records is way too high. This is just another in a long line of them.
The Sensational Alex Harvey Band
3/5
This goes on so many direction. 50s doo wop, cabaret, punk. It's all over the place. And it's okay. Some of the lyrical ideas are rather put there and don't fit the music. But it's okay.
The Kinks
2/5
Eh. It's fine I guess.
Joni Mitchell
1/5
This isn't for me to get. But I don't get this. The music is slushy with no real form. And she isn't singing to the music anyway.
Miriam Makeba
3/5
I liked this change of pace. This music was soulful and pleasant.
3/5
I am really hit or miss with Muse. A lot of their earlier stuff was super riff heavy with a little operatic flourish thrown in. But they seem to be trying to turn into Queen... And it's not working for me. This record is okay. But there is a lot of wasted space in here and I think it's trying to be more profound than it is.
Elvis Presley
4/5
It's Elvis. We all know what this is.
Flamin' Groovies
2/5
I never liked the Stones. And I don't like this. So I suppose their connection through Jagger's thoughts on this album makes sense. It's well put together and all. It's just empty and doesn't elicit any excitement from me. I am sure had I been a teen in '71, I would feel different.
4/5
By the time this record came out, I had move on from Limp Bizkit. The rawness of that first record wasn't there during the second for me. By this third record I thought the band wasn't going to be a thing anymore. But I was wrong.
Despite the fact they make fun of my favorite band in the opening track, and despite the song Rollin', one of the dumbest lyric lines ever, this record slaps. And it's thanks to Wes. He made this record what it is. The guitars on this are fantastic. And Boiler may actually be the best Limp Bizkit song.
Fred Durst couldn't ruin how good this record sounds. It's just too good.
I will say in closing however that there is 16 minutes of literal wasted time at the end of this record. There is nothing of value after Hold On ends. Ben Stiller is funny but come on... Ugh. Losing a star just for that alone.
Paul McCartney and Wings
3/5
This was alright. I had heard the hits but not the whole thing. I do think there was some magic that the Beatles that just never materialized in any of the solo work. I know Wings had a rather popular Greatest Hits record years after this. It's just... It's just not the same.
Rush
3/5
I've been on the edge of rush most of my life. I'm a huge Tool fan and I like all the navel gazing. But none of these dings grab me like some of their other songs. There's no Tom Sawyer here. It's good, not great.
Tricky
1/5
Even after using hooks by Portishead and early Smashing Pumpkins, they still aren't as cool as the Sneaker Pimps. This just needs more hooks. There isn't enough here to be good. Nothing really happens on this record. And there is a lot of record
Einstürzende Neubauten
3/5
I get why this record is so low rated. And it's really not very good. However. It came out in 1981, and didn't use computers. This thing is so far ahead of it's time that it had zero chance at being "good" in the traditional sense. It could use some melody. But otherwise, this is a great piece of history.
Nick Drake
5/5
This record is so good. I've been searching for a copy on vinyl for ages. It's so sad and warming at the same time.
Chicago
1/5
The actual songs here are fairly good. Too bad this album has so much guitar wankery. It literally ruins a good album. If it weren't for all the extra jerking off, this would be a 4.
MC Solaar
2/5
I wanted this to be better. I love the flow but the beats are all the same. It's kind of monotonous after the first three tracks. The rapping sounds super solid and I love hearing it in French. I just with the music itself had some variation.
Lana Del Rey
1/5
This record has zero cultural relevance, does nothing new, is not good. Not sure how this made it to the list the year it came out. I'm sure it'll get pulled at some point. It's total crap. The songs to have definition, but the breathy mumbling and word sluring isn't getting high marks.
Def Leppard
3/5
Cheesey radio friendly butt rock. Some of the courses really get me anyway.
The Residents
1/5
No.
NO!
Taylor Swift
2/5
I am fine with Swift being a huge star. But her music is the cultural equivalent of a pop tart. Sugar on top of card board. There is no meat in these songs. It's all a sugar rush. I didn't get much out of this.
Megadeth
5/5
Of the big 4, my favorite was always Slayer. And I usually think of Megadeth as the scrappy little brother due to Dave's relationship with Metallica. Which is all to say that while I like Megadeth okay, they are not my favorite. This record slaps though. It's a little cheesy, but that's more age than anything. The vocal is still a whiny mess.
The Prodigy
5/5
Techno is usually repetitive and boring after only a few bars. Prodigy has never had this issue. Every repeated loop has something special. You are not allowed to be bored. The Music and lyrics are offensive and amazing. This record is not my type of music. And it's flawless.
The Go-Go's
4/5
I was in a really bad mood when I started this one and when it was over I was in lass a bad mood. New wave is not normally my jam but this actually made me feel better. So I'm giving it high marks.
Janelle Monáe
4/5
I don't know what to call this. But I like it. A lot. From the Metropolis iconography to the genre bending music, this record slaps. Never heard of the artist or this record. But I'm a follow on Spotify now.
Peter Gabriel
4/5
I'm a fan of Peter Gabriel. But other than the hot on this one, I'm a little less enthusiastic. This record is too all over the place. Maybe that is what he was going for. But it doesn't feel cohesive the way his Genesis work did. It feels more like a collection of songs. There are better records by him out there.
Everything But The Girl
1/5
Okay. Real talk. How does a group like this get signed? There is no bar for a talent scout to see them perform. There is no demo where someone would hear this and want to pay for more. And this is the FOURTH record by them! Additionally, who was like, yeah, 4th record, let's just use the beats that come out of the Casio keyboard we bought for $100 that's meant to teach children how to play piano.
This record sucks. It's not even good elevator or dentist office music. It's total shit.
11 songs in btw. They choose to use a real guitar and some Hammond organ and bongos. They waited 11 so gs to use real
Django Django
4/5
This was odd. I liked it. A little repetitive and the vocals weren't too my taste. But this is still really good
Method Man
5/5
This was... a lot of fun. I am a metal head who likes some rap. And this fits that category. It didn't drag with a bunch of wasted time or skits. The flow was great, his voice is clear and sounded awesome. Dude, full marks on this one.
A Tribe Called Quest
3/5
I liked this a lot but it hasn't aged well. All the tracks bleed together and tracks about pagers and women just don't hold up in 2023. As a time capsule, this is great. And the flow is admittedly super smooth too. Oh and it's fairly positive! Which I like from a hip-hop album.
But age has not been kind to this record.
Duke Ellington
2/5
With all the praise this received I was ready to give this a high score. But I just don't get it. Multiple times in this record he just squeals at me for no reason. And why is this over 2 hours long? It's not good. As an I production to the form or as a first Duke.
Elbow
5/5
Easy 5 for me. Going in, I had liked 8 of these tracks already in Spotify. I went ahead and like the other two. This record slaps. Elbow is criminally underrated.
Neu!
3/5
A little repetitive. But I can tell it's influence other bands throughout.
John Grant
3/5
Okay. This sounds like it wants to be dub step but doesn't have enough bass for it? I don't know probably not. It's ambient. And okay. A little long? I don't know
Fela Kuti
3/5
Fun. Lots of drumming. Super positive.
Arcade Fire
2/5
Never been a fan of Arcade Fire. This didn't change that. But I may have accidentally listened twice? This felt like 2 hours, not 50 minutes. I don't think it sucks THAT bad. But it does suck.
CHVRCHES
2/5
I've seen Churches and Metric live. With the exception of a little guitar, completely interchangeable. The start of this record is a synth drenched soundscape that's boring but fine. By then though it's all boring 808s and a Casio piano. I don't know what happened here. But the end of this is wildly lazy.
The Band
2/5
Opening song had me convinced it was the opening to a shitty sitcom. This record did not resonate with me. It just sounds like slow dirty hill music. Which is fine. But nothing special really.
The Electric Prunes
2/5
It's trying to say something that the lyric writer doesn't quite have a handle on. All these psychedelic rock bands would be gone in a few years. They all sounded the same. None of them were bad per se. But they are too drenched in reverb and the songs just aren't hook laden enough for them to be remembered. This isn't bad. And it's short thankfully. But it's also not memorable at all.
The Flying Burrito Brothers
2/5
Super forgettable country.
M.I.A.
1/5
"Thou shall not make repetitive genetic music" This record is so damn repetitive. Even paper planes, the hit, repetitive.
Neil Young
2/5
I literally thought "ugh" when I saw what this was.
Iggy Pop
3/5
Iggy was on star trek deep space nine. It was cool.
PJ Harvey
1/5
This is... not good. It's pretentious, boring, and haz literally zero stand out moments. Someone asks this for every album so I guess it's my turn. Why would this album make it to the list? It's not culturally significant, it's not influencing anyone of note, and does nothing new in any way. It's just crappy indie rock.
Jefferson Airplane
2/5
Souch unibeat on this record. It's like super primal. And the entire thing is drenched in hall reverb. Them there's the acoustic guitar jerk off session. Not sure I like it. Even with the hit.
Serge Gainsbourg
1/5
Music, 5. This is fun, engaging, and super different. Love the guitars and drums big time. I love the dudes voice, and the woman singer is alright too when she pops in. Buuuuuuuuut then I read about what the album was about. There is no way I can give this more than one star. I know times have changed but common! Fucking gross.
So here we have a 5 star album getting a one because of some Epstein wannabe pedo shit.
The Style Council
1/5
Not every experiment should be published. Sometimes an idea isn't working out and shouldn't be put to tape and spread to the masses. Just saying.
Peter Gabriel
5/5
Mmmm Peter Gabriel. The perfect mix is experimental and pop music.
Pantera
4/5
Pantera is not my favorite metal band. I love the groove, but not the southern pride crap. And while I respect their place in metal history, it's hard to overlook done if their bullshit. This is a good record however. Some really great host and vocal work.
2/5
I wanted to like this now than I did. It is just sort of boring. My mond wandered through most of it and if anything exciting happened, I must have missed it. Even Thom couldn't save it.
Crowded House
1/5
I don't require that every band be dour and depressing. But this is like this emotionless, not fun Wiggles. Maybe? I don't know. It's not good or engaging. Sometimes the vocal wants to be John Lennon. THat also sucks...
Dire Straits
3/5
Crazy how front loaded this is.
Gene Clark
3/5
This kind of record is not for me. But it was good for what it is. To me it's rather forgettable. Though I did enjoy the record as it went on and became less twangy.
Girls Against Boys
2/5
I like the rawness of this but there is nothing to look forward too. No riffs, no breakdowns, no moments of feeling anything really. In the end it all just melts togeather.
The Coral
2/5
I don't know man... Maybe there are only 500 records I must hear before I die. This wasn't one of them. But it's not a 1 star either. I just don't know.
Jane's Addiction
3/5
This is not my favorite Janes record. As it stands, I kind of only like their hits, and I don't like this hit. So this one isn't as important to me. It's still competent, but it's not as raw and dreamy as I want.
Foo Fighters
5/5
I'm surprised how polarizing this record and the Foo's are here. Though I suppose people don't remember rock when this thing came out. This record was one of few rock records at the time that wasn't terminally depressing. There is a sadness here. But Dave is carrying on. And this record felt fresh. Dave and Kurt were never going to be John and Paul. This was needed to let Dave shine. And nirvana would not have continued being the band it was had Kurt lived. This is born out of a mess of emotions and a crazy time in music. It's a classic.
Rage Against The Machine
5/5
An instant perfect album from start to finish. No fat to be found in this thing. It's all vinegar and kicks to the teeth. A true record one must hear before they die. It is a product of it's time and place, and a true piece or art.
Pulp
3/5
This was weird, and new to me. It's anthemic and has a show tunes quality I think. Not something I will go back to but it was a fun listen.
Red Snapper
2/5
This wasn't bad. But I was bored. And it was super repetitive. Which I didn't like.
Julian Cope
2/5
I am usually in for the super weird stuff. But this was weird in a boring way. There just wasn't anything in there for me. It felt like a REM cover band in a few moments. And those moments were actually really good! There were other good moments as well. But no good entire songs. Which I would think would be crucial for a record to be successful even if half of this list is trying to prove otherwise.
Gil Scott-Heron
2/5
20 minutes before sing with chords and a beat. I know it's jazz or whatever. But this is just sort of naval gazing. And many of these songs don't have an ending. They just sorry of face out. I suspect it's because they aren't real songs. The message may be great. But the package is lacking.
2/5
This is a fun pace change. It's not really innovative but it doesn't fit in a genre either which I like. It's a little like a bar band with synth. But then the last three tracks are just crappy dub.
The Young Gods
4/5
What the duck is this? And where can I get A LOT more of it?!? Fuck yeah this is like industrial metal with Moody edges. New fan here. I can't believe this was 1989! It sounds middle 90s to me.
The Waterboys
1/5
Walmart Bruce Springsteen goes on for almost 2 hours. Dear God no.
R.E.M.
4/5
REM hit before I was old enough to get it. I feel in love later during the Monster years. This record is good, but it feels "proto". They haven't settled in their sound yet and everything is a little raw. Less polished.
Scissor Sisters
2/5
While I did enjoy the cheeky nature of this and the I felt the songs were well put together, modern disco is not something I would want to hear. Some of these songs are good. The opening track Laura is actually rather good. But in the end, I was just sort of "meh" through the whole thing.
Echo And The Bunnymen
2/5
It was short. That's the best thing about it. It wants to be what the Cure became but it doesn't see what's going to make that work.
The Good, The Bad & The Queen
3/5
Just like the Gorillaz. Almost good. But there is something of about it. It's missing something to make it catch.
The Velvet Underground
3/5
Yeah yeah yeah. Take you're bonus stars for being heralded. This should be renamed to, "the art of the drone".
Scott Walker
2/5
Some crooner shit today. Alright. I didn't get laid listening to this so that didn't work as expected. Taking another start of for that.
Pavement
3/5
Pavement themselves are not my favorite. But they do belong on this list. I would say they are more influential than the Velvet Underground. Alternative has lasted over 30 years at this point.
The Cardigans
4/5
I was waaaaay too cool for this band in 1996 but that single was everywhere. Now, I kind of like this whole thing. I think the down tempo tracks drag a lot but I really liked the instrumentation. I am okay with the slight disco flavor of some of this as well even though disco sucks.
David Crosby
1/5
It says a lot that Crosby needs all this talent to make such a shit record. It is also telling why the super group he is famous for needed 9 grade A musicians to make a good record. This is boring dog shit. Nothing happens here. It's total trash.
Frank Sinatra
2/5
I don't know. It's forgettable. It's short. It's well orchestrated. But it feels so lazy. It's probably not. But it feels that way.
Green Day
5/5
This one is a little harder for me to rate. Not trying to burry the lead or write a book. It's either a 3 or a 5.
I was in Junior High when Dookie hit and it was a HUGE record for me. I never became a die hard Green Day fan, but that record was on a rotation in my bedroom and on the bus too and from school.
But by the time of American Idiot, I was pushing 25, and while I had fond memories of Green Day, they were just memories.
This record is good. Really good. It doesn't have many weak spots. But it doesn't feel as urgent as they want me to feel about it. It isn't as punk. I don't know if any of this is fair. I guess I will just shut up and give it 5.
Morrissey
1/5
It's okay to be a whiney bitch. It's not okay to be Morrissey.
Peter Tosh
1/5
38 minutes of the same crappy song. Reggae sucks.
Buffalo Springfield
2/5
Ugh.
Songhoy Blues
3/5
Each song was great at the start but the beats never went anywhere. Something this beat heavy can't be so monotonous.
Cheap Trick
2/5
Live albums are usually only good if you are already a fan. This is the perfect example of that. The two guys are fun, the rest of this is a guitar wankfest.
Bob Dylan
1/5
I still haven't forgiven him for picking up an electric guitar. Was something people said. Meanwhile, this dude got obsessed with the harmonica. This album sucks. And Bob Dylan is a shit poet, singer, and songwriter.
Billy Joel
4/5
Short, poppy without being too pandering, chock full of bangers. Not my favorite album, but this slaps.
Metallica
5/5
Yes Metallica became a joke. But the first 4 are all masterpieces. This, despite the fact that it sounds worse than it could have over some childish hazing, is still an EASY 5. \m/
Marianne Faithfull
3/5
This did not sound like 1979. And that is a compliment. It was good. Though I am now thinking back to it and am having trouble remembering the music. Only a few things got stuck in my dumb brain. There are some spicy lyrics in there for sure. But the music itself wasn't too memorable I suppose. This is "good" as far as I am concerned.
Magazine
4/5
I liked a lot of the guitar lines in this record. Like a lot. But the rest of it was a little boring. I think this record would be best served blaring from a car's cassette deck.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
1/5
Sometimes I have to just muscle through an album that really shouldn't be on here. Costello is crap. He sucks and his music lacks finesse or merit
Kate Bush
4/5
I liked this a lot more than I thought I would. I am baffled why this was not popular in the US in the 80's. As a kid of the 80's who heard a lot of pop back then, I would have liked this a lot more than Madonna and Cindy Lopper. This album has a lot of cheesy instruments but is a legit banger.
Jane's Addiction
2/5
When is good, it's great. But there is a lot of water time here.
Ian Dury
2/5
It's not too long. And it's mixed well. I guess. But this sucks. It's weird out of no where on occasion. A fat sound turned out to be a synth. Some out of place cursing. But it still sucks.
Motörhead
2/5
One overplayed but decent rock song followed by 17 more attempts at the same. And while I realize it was a different era, jail bait is gross. Also, love albums are only good for fans 90% of the time. This is one of those times.
Kings of Leon
1/5
God I hate this voice. Sorry I guess since it's not his fault. Now I feel guilty for judging this guy for his shit grating voice. Dammit!
Quicksilver Messenger Service
1/5
This HAS to hold the record for most guitar wanking on an album of all time. Total 100% wank fest. Nothing happens except the wank.
Creedence Clearwater Revival
3/5
A classic album. Lots of hits. Great sounding audio. But this boomer shit is grating too me.
The Stone Roses
1/5
If never actually heard the since risers before this. It's very forgettable.
Johnny Cash
5/5
This record made a lot of waves when it dropped. Beyond the NIN cover that got so much buzz, there was a lot of cool shit in here. I was/am a massive NIN fan and Cash's version of Hurt just became a standard. Every other track just seems to fall into place.
TLC
1/5
It does have cultural significance. But I hated it then as a teenager and I hate it now as an old.
Christina Aguilera
1/5
Jesus CHRIST pick a fucking note already! This fucking sucks. And there is a LOT of it. I'm so fucking mad I have to listen to this shit. It's going to ruin my day. Like how fucking vapid do you have to be to play voice mail from fans praising you in the middle of your album?
Cocteau Twins
2/5
Very samey. There isn't any definition here. It's also very 1990 sounding which has not aged well at all. Also, didn't understand one word of it.
Malcolm McLaren
2/5
The song's on this record are a weird mix of genres and I love that. The interludes with the radio show are lame, and I can't shake the feeling they were then as well. I remember rolling my eyes in the early 90's at those types of skits. This came a little earlier, but in any case, they were a low point.
The Charlatans
3/5
Did Oasis sue them? If not, Noel should. This is a direct ripoff.
The Vines
3/5
I get why this was a big deal at the time. But I just didn't get the garage rock thing. This isn't bad. But it's boring. So. Eh
Antony and the Johnsons
2/5
But s fan of the vibe. Music is okay?
John Cale
3/5
Pretty sure everything this guy shit out made it on this list. This is fine I guess. Rather forgettable.
Air
3/5
I really liked how moody this was. The talking track was a little... Not so great.
Happy Mondays
2/5
Everything in here is taken from other artists. Bob Dylan, Culture Club, The Cure... It's all just poor versions of what others have done.
Donald Fagen
1/5
If you weren't really into music in the 80's, this is the story of thing you would listen to. And I hope that sentence is taken as the insult it's meant to be.
Common
4/5
I miss the old Kanye. He was so good before he went nuts. Common is fine. But this is a Kanye record. And it's a good one.
Dead Kennedys
5/5
I'm not a huge fan of this early punk style but I really dig this. It's not something I would listen too often, but it has the right snarl, the right, pace and length, and the right mix of accessable and punk elements that a metalhead like me can follow along.
Tom Waits
3/5
Some okay stuff here. But mostly gibberish
Big Star
3/5
Sounds good for its era.
De La Soul
3/5
This was a fun, if cheesey 80s hop hop record. All the standard stuff that entails applies.
Lenny Kravitz
4/5
I didn't know how I missed the train on Lenny Kravitz. This is really good. I think it's like his heavier output that must come later. But other than all the fade outs, this is great.
Pere Ubu
3/5
This is wicked weird and will get extra stars for just being way out there. The recording quality is high and the songs barely hold together in the best way possible.
Kate Bush
3/5
This records leans into the weird in a way I really like, but last any hooks that make me want to return to it. I hate to be the person who only likes Running up the hill, but that was weird and haunting AND had the hook. This album just needed that something extra.
Manic Street Preachers
2/5
This is like a crappy version of a 90s movie soundtrack. It's nothing. Actually nothing.
Robert Wyatt
1/5
This sounds like a pop artist who wanted to make something artsy but didn't really have any ideas. So the record just bumbles along making weird noises for weirdness sake. So this is a fail for me.
Ananda Shankar
3/5
I kind of dig the Moog meets Sitar aspect of this album. The cover was... awful but thankfully was only one track. Overall I think this is alright, if not forgettable. I wouldn't listen to this again and didn't add any of these tracks to my favorites but this is okay overall.
Madonna
1/5
Gross. Not pop. Not upbeat. The guy is an obvious attempt to add SOMETHING for the radio. The cultural appropriation is up front in every track. This sucks in almost every way.
Sade
1/5
I'm proud to say I've been making fun of this cheesy crap since the day it came out.
King Crimson
4/5
This record has so much reputation to live up to I am not sure it ever could. It's a great record, but it lags at some points. So the highs are crazy high, but there is a lot of just meh in here as well.
Saint Etienne
3/5
This was alright. Kind of fun at parts. Not something I would come back to though. It drags a lot.
Sonic Youth
3/5
I want to like Sonic Youth more than I do. This record is too cool for me in so many ways. It smells it's own farts and talks about wine.
Alice Cooper
3/5
Proto Manson is not as scary. This was a surprise in the server that it wasn't all dude rock.
The Chemical Brothers
2/5
Thou shall not make repetitive generic music.
Thou shall not make repetitive generic music.
Thou shall not make repetitive generic music.
Thou shall not make repetitive generic music.
Thou shall not make repetitive generic music.
Thou shall not make repetitive generic music.
Thou shall not make repetitive generic music.
Thou shall not make repetitive generic music.
Love
1/5
I truly hate everything about this. It's derivative in a time when it would be really hard to be so. Not one song has anything interesting in it.
Nine Inch Nails
5/5
This record is easily in my top 5 favorite records of all time. The first time I heard it, it scared me. I was not prepared for the anger that it delivers. And if your headspace isn't right when you listen, this record can do damage.
There is nothing more medically abrasive than Trent Reznor at his peak. He tore through his first 5 records with a real anger. Not some spooky Halloween thing like Marilyn Manson or the NuMetal that followed this release.
This record is a true masterpiece. It's hard to drink in. Just as it should be.
XTC
2/5
This wants to be a Beatles album sooooo badly. But it's not near good enough. The theme of the album is fun I guess.
Hole
4/5
The peaks in this are really high but there is a lot of filler. I want MORE snarl.
Brian Eno
3/5
A lot of this was really boring. I liked the openings to these songs. But a lot of them didn't go anywhere.
Heaven 17
3/5
I can't help but to think this album is on the list because the author had the lp in his collection rather than because this was culturally significant. Pioneering is a weird way to describe this. Doing something early is cool and all. But it would have to be also be coupled with good to be worthy of this list. Sadly this isn't good.
Pink Floyd
1/5
Holy crap what a waste of time.
A Tribe Called Quest
4/5
Fun beats, great lyrics.
Bebel Gilberto
3/5
I didn't know good bossa nova from bad. This was find in a small dose for me. But it did feel like a dentist office.
The Fall
2/5
Someone let this band record FIFTEEN times. I first to believe it. This is monotonous, out of time crap.
Prince
4/5
I get it. It's Prince so it has to be rated higher even though it's so stuck in it's time that it hasn't aged as well as some other 80's albums. Well fine. You can have your inflated score. But I do want to point out that Purple Rain isn't a good song. It's boring and too long.
Christina Aguilera
1/5
Nothing says female empowerment quite like 25 dudes writing songs for a pop star. There is good pop out there. There was good pop WHEN this was released. This is just a bunch of bad ideas jammed together. And why is it so long?
The Specials
1/5
Fucking ska. Holy hell is there anything worse. This is awful in every way.
The Notorious B.I.G.
2/5
Too long, embarrassing skits, hasn't aged well. The flow shines through. But holy hell this didn't she well.
David Bowie
5/5
Not my favorite Bowie but this record was great.
Madness
2/5
Our House was an earworm from my childhood that I'm glad I have now found. The rest of this is trash. Our House isn't really that good either. It just plays well in my memory. This should be skipped.
The Avalanches
1/5
Dear God. What repetitive generic bullshit is this?
Talvin Singh
1/5
This was very long. And VERY meh.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
1/5
Stop saying "black hair". Oh my god! The rest of this is no better.
Metallica
5/5
Live albums continue to be an issue on this list. If you're not a fan of the band, the live album is not going to be a good time.
Despite that, this is fairly unique in terms of mixing the symphony with Metallica. And it's done well. I like Metallica so in my case I'm eating highly. But again, when live albums for bands I don't like come up, it's never good. So this being on the list is problematic.
Merle Haggard
3/5
This was okay. A little slow for me but good.
Dusty Springfield
1/5
Every boomer is drooling over this one. It's covers from a bygone era with tons of cultural appropriation. The reality of this is that it's a frozen dinner served on a TV tray. And why is every song a fade out? It's so annoying.
The Smashing Pumpkins
5/5
This is on my mt Rushmore of albums. It covers so much musical ground that there is something for everyone. Yes it's long. But it's all good. And even the singles had bsides with another 15 tracks that could have been on this record. This is one of the best records to come out of the 90s hands down.
Dizzee Rascal
4/5
As an American, this felt so fresh when it dropped. I listened to this and lady sovereign a ton for a while there. It's aged okay I guess. But it's a little like being in the club with the lights on at this point. It was fun to hear this again.
Grant Lee Buffalo
1/5
I bet moms listening to light rock radio in the 90s loved this. Almost every genre had better examples of this tepid generic crap in '93. How is this on the list? Also any story about someone hanging out with a mysterious person who disappears and it turns out to be a ghost is stupid. It's lazy writing for children.
Siouxsie And The Banshees
3/5
You can tell why this was so influential. Though none of the songs really grabbed me, and the vocal was intentionally discordant, this whole record is like a blue print for punk. It is a little monotonous as all the instruments are played with the exact same gain, levels, and style throughout. Which does sort of hurt it some.
Brian Eno
3/5
This was what it says on the tin. It's ambient. I listened right after waking up and doom scrolled to it. I did doze off some. So I guess that's a compliment.
The xx
1/5
This is an utterly forgettable album with zero definition. There's nothing to see here. Move on to the next.
Throwing Muses
3/5
I liked a lot of this album. I think the tracks would have been better served in a different order. And the singer's singing didn't have enough variability. But those issues aside, this was a welcome quick jaunt into post punk that was a great start to my day.
Stevie Wonder
5/5
20 years ago I would have hated this. But as I get older I'm recognizing how awesome Stevie Wonder is. His sound is so awesome. So warm. So positive. This record slaps.
Creedence Clearwater Revival
2/5
I'm really struggling with boomer shit lately.
Tracy Chapman
3/5
This was socially a great record. I loved the messages. But was super easy listening 80s style which I struggled with.
Tom Tom Club
1/5
"I've never heard of this band..."
"I guess this okay. A little relative..."
"Oh. It's that song... Fuck..."
"This is really relative..."
The Teardrop Explodes
3/5
I do like how urgent this sounds. A lot of the 80s post punk wants to sound this urgent but can't. I too am tired of all the British new wave on this list. But this is not as bad as some others. It is a little samey sounding. I will also say that the first half is far superior to the second half of this album. It's almost like they ranked the songs from best to worst and then just shipped it that way.
Nirvana
5/5
I wonder how many gallons of ink have been doesn't reviewing this record. I didn't need to add to it. It's a stone cold banger of a record.
Aretha Franklin
3/5
Respect is a classic. But nothing else here is really that interesting. And Respect is on here twice. Lol
David Ackles
3/5
This is some clangy artsy stuff for theater kids in a high school.
Elvis Presley
2/5
Super meh. No wonder it took like 40 years to hit gold. I would argue I did not need to hear this one before I die.
Bert Jansch
2/5
Nick Drake did it way better.
The Undertones
2/5
This has a great start but kind of couldn't keep me interested.
Leonard Cohen
2/5
Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. Honestly, there's only real music on once track here. The rest is just noodling around in guitar in a way that is not clear.
The Verve
2/5
Nothing happens for 54 minutes. This band has never done anything worthwhile. Their hit isn't on this record but even that is a ripoff where the verse and chorus are the exact same.
Spiritualized
1/5
I don't usually like to say this about an artist but I'm making an exception in this case. ANYONE and I mean literally ANYONE could make this record. It took zero talent it effort to make this.
Coldplay
5/5
I know I know. It's cool to shit on Coldplay. And yeah it's not even true that Coldplay is just a band you listen too while waiting for the next Radiohead record. But holy hell this record rips. Melody's for days, and some legit song writing make this a certified banger of a record.
Run-D.M.C.
4/5
Hip hop grew up so fast. Got so much better... And worse oddly. But this is really fun to listen to now. So simple.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
1/5
Everything Nick Cave has ever released is on this list. As always he sings monotone 90% of the time while the soundtrack to 80's PBS specials plays in the background.
Mike Oldfield
1/5
This album feels like eternity. Get to the point already. Ugh
Led Zeppelin
4/5
Good. Better than their first few records which stole from blues a little too much. I just can't can't into it.
Stephen Stills
1/5
1 hour and 12 minutes of boomer bullshit.
Ramblin' Jack Elliott
3/5
I don't know what to say about this. It's super old school country. Not my genre but wasn't bad.
Beth Orton
2/5
Kind of boring until she starts taking about sex. Then it's still boring but my interest was peaked for a minute. This record is a bit of a Lilith Fair stereotype which isn't doing it any favors in the artistic integrity department.
John Martyn
2/5
Utterly forgettable. Also mixed poorly. The vocal say eat back in the mix.
Incredible Bongo Band
2/5
Bongos huh? And that's the whole thing? Like on every track there will be a bingo solo? Huh. Well. Alright I guess.
a-ha
1/5
They knew take on me was the hit. The only hit. They put it first to make it easy for people to play on vinyl. One good song.... one star.
Dexys Midnight Runners
1/5
I think one or more of those 6 people cut from the band was needed. 10 people is too many, but there are few actual songs here. Just a lot of fixing around.
Mj Cole
1/5
TWO HOURS OF THIS SHIT?! COME ON!
This is generic repetitive trash and there is no world where this should be on any list of things that don't suck. And I'm not saying this from a place where I'm just having a difference of opinion. This is actual trash.
The Libertines
2/5
I'm writing this while about half way through as I'm afraid I'll forget about this as soon as it's done. It's okay. But really super extra forgettable.
Germs
4/5
I hadn't heard this and only knew the band because their guitar player, Pat Smear, would later join Nirvana and later again, the Foo Fighters. This is really good punk. I usually prefer post punk or pop punk. But this is clear and raw. It's solid.
Gillian Welch
4/5
Sometimes albums are about when you hear them. I probably would have given this three stars. It's a little too sparse and the arrangements are a little too simple. But this hit me at the right time, in the right place.
John Prine
3/5
I liked this quite a bit. I'm not into Country or Christianity. But I still got a lot out of this. It's got some super fun rock and psychedelic moments as well.
Small Faces
2/5
Waaaay too many bits in this album. The music is fine. But holy hell there is a lot of filler.
Brian Wilson
3/5
I don't know how to rate this. I've never liked the Beach Boys and I've never understood why people compared them to the Beatles. These harmonies are what I expect from the main Beach Boy. But they are boring. So it's just me waiting for the album to end.
Hawkwind
2/5
It's odd how the writer of the 1001 didn't seem to get that live albums, especially double lives albums, are ONLY enjoyed by fans of the band. There isn't room for this sort of thing. Or MAYBE 1001 albums is too many? I think there are more records that would deserve this spot, though I will not sink as low as to try and name them here. Bottom line, this sucks. Because I don't like free form rock jams and I don't like this band. So listening to a lot of it is annoying.
Paul Revere & The Raiders
2/5
It's pop. It's old. It's like the Monkeys. It's not that bad.
Hanoi Rocks
3/5
Bright but forgettable.
The Stooges
4/5
Every track is a busy of noise and energy. It's cool. But as the tracks go on, they just don't go anywhere. I totally get why this was big at the time though. There was nothing like this in 70.
Lupe Fiasco
3/5
The middle third of this is a 5. But the beginning and end are do bloated it really hurts this entire record.
The White Stripes
4/5
The highs are really high on this one. Unfortunately, there is a lot of mid and low here as well. This is still a banger. But it's not the most consistent White Stripes record.
Björk
4/5
I've never been a fan. But maybe I should be? I liked this. It's weird. But not as weird as her normal stuff? Or maybe I was just in the right mood?
Mott The Hoople
2/5
This sounds familiar, but I've never Heard this band. It's pretty typical of the sound from that era. Which I'm this case really isn't a compliment. This will be a band I forget about the second I move to the next one.
Leftfield
1/5
An hour and nine minutes of generic repetitive elevator music. Again. I don't get how one country could pump out souch of this crap in the 90s. How did any of this turn a profit?
Badly Drawn Boy
4/5
This one surprised me. I liked it a little bit.
Weather Report
1/5
Zzzzzzzzz.
Massive Attack
3/5
Okay. Kind of forgettable.
Simple Minds
1/5
Usually when talentless bands release an album in the 80's there is at least one hit written by some some songwriter not in the band. NOT HERE! This album doesn't even have a hit...
Sly & The Family Stone
4/5
This record was played a lot on cassette on boomboxes at my first job. I don't think I ever listened to it on nice speakers in a room that wasn't a warehouse floor. It's a banger for sure. Not my kind of music at all. But holy hell does it rip.
Fun Lovin' Criminals
1/5
Lol. The sliver of time this has to be popular could be measured to an egg timer. Let's leave it in the past.
Caetano Veloso
3/5
This was a fun jaunt but not something I would want regularly. It's still that derivative psychedelic thing.
Jazmine Sullivan
1/5
This is thankfully short. I say thankfully because it is not good. At all. It's both boring and cliche. Maybe there should be a ten year rule for this list. Because there is no way this will be on it in ten years, let alone remembered by more than a handful of people.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
1/5
This feels uninspired. The whole horror aspect of this feels like it was chosen because this old man didn't have anything else to talk about. Which totally makes sense. It's his ninth album. The music was also boring. Three tracks with features is also an indication there is nothing new to see here.
It's clear everything Nick Cave ever put to tape is on this list. That's becoming a bummer... He's never done anything that exciting.
Travis
1/5
The only interesting thing on this record happened in the secret song. And by interesting I only mean that it wasn't as white bread as the rest of this record. This isn't bad. It's just the most bland record I've heard in years.
The Human League
1/5
Usually a band like this would put the hit first. Ballsy leaving it for the end of the record.
Ice T
4/5
Great flow, good songs, bad skits, sexism. Yup, it's a 90s hip-hop record...
Lynyrd Skynyrd
4/5
This album does have some certified bangers. It's really hard to seperate the art from the artist here though. I think it's a little hypocritical of me to seperate for John Lennon and Marilyn Manson but not for these dudes. This record is really good musically.
Paul McCartney
4/5
A lot of sketches on this I wish he would have built out I to something more. One known banger that would have easily been a Beatles hit had they been together. This album is small, weaker, raw. It's good. Not great.
Fairport Convention
3/5
This was a nice surprise.
Megadeth
5/5
My order for the big 4. Slayer, Metallica, Megadeth, Anthrax. I like all 4 but only really love the top two. Having says that... This album is a banger. A little too great on the solos, but the songs are solid.
Astor Piazzolla
2/5
This was a mix of PBS children's programming and a weird panic attack where I'm a delivery boy but trying to ride a bike in lose sand.
Carole King
4/5
I really dug this record. It's the right kind of chill and I love her viewpoint. I started more than one sone as I knew them but didn't know from where.
The Divine Comedy
2/5
Woah. wany Newton called. He said you're trying to hard to get panties thrown at you on stage. First track was actually really quirky and made me think I might like this. But then... Well. At least it's short.
Prince
1/5
Usually when an artist wants to make a double album, let alone a triple, they have a lot of really great hooks waiting to fill it. There is nothing like that here. This is an hour and a half of fucking around with super simplistic crap that does not warrant anyone's attention.
This record felt like a punishment.
Stevie Wonder
4/5
This would be a perfect album without some of the outros which seen to go on forever.
Destiny's Child
1/5
Pretty typical 2000's pop. Nothing wrong with that. But pretending it's good because of its cultural relevance is a disservice. It's not good. But is culturally relevant.
The Louvin Brothers
3/5
Interesting but not for me. Then In the Pines grabbed my attention as it was covered by Nirvana on their unplugged in New York show. Kind of a fun little footnote.
The Velvet Underground
1/5
Not one of these tracks goes anywhere. I expected a lot more from one of the most renowned bands of all time.
Steely Dan
1/5
I just don't get Steely Dan. People race about Aha, but it's just boomer bullshit. This record is no better.
Yes
1/5
Boring Boomer Trash.
Marvin Gaye
3/5
It's got the drip. But beyond that, it's solid is a little reparative.
Suicide
1/5
Experimental is fine. But there has to be SOMETHING to grasp on to. There is nothing here. Actually nothing.
Nightmares On Wax
2/5
Chill. But way too long. And very repetitive.
Marvin Gaye
3/5
I feel like Marvin should have taken some time to gather his thoughts about his divorce. This is neither sexy nor thought provoking.
2/5
This record wasn't as bad as the last Yes record but I wouldn't say it was good. I like the idea here but there has to be SOMETHING to hold onto. Some melody or something.
Emmylou Harris
4/5
Lots of feelings here. LOTS. It's good. Even if country isn't my thing. It might be if modern country wasn't the pop wannabe shit show it is today. This has a lot going for it.
The Smashing Pumpkins
5/5
Top 5 best Rick albums if all time. This record is heavy, lush, thick, and full of both bone jarring riffs as well as amazing melodies. This is peak Pumpkins and I can't speak highly enough for it.
Dion
1/5
This is total shit, and there is a lot of it. The fact that this is the 14th record by this guy is wild to me. His artist bio in Spotify and his 2.7 Million monthly listeners is baffling to me. Who the fuck is listening to soulless garbage pop from the 70's?
Elastica
2/5
This is alright. Though as others have pointed out, kind of a ripoff. Odd that they really never went anywhere though. It's 90s fm radio bait for sure.
Fishbone
2/5
The ska elements and some of the more 80s stylings of this make it a hard listen.
Randy Newman
3/5
The most American thing I'll hear today. It really bugs me how many of these songs just sort of end without ending. It's super disruptive. Okay over all though.
Buck Owens
2/5
Lol
PJ Harvey
2/5
Not the best. It seems lacking in the hook department. Nothing here really to get into.
White Denim
4/5
This was a cool little record. It was in and out and there weren't any low points. I may listen to more of this group.
Louis Prima
4/5
Influential doesn't cover it here. I am not a fan but this record has spawned a lot of other music.
Boards of Canada
2/5
Why are all electronic albums so boring. Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
The Rolling Stones
3/5
Beatles > Stones. I think there is one good song here. It's not fun to listen too for me.
Finley Quaye
1/5
Reggae is the worst genre of music ever conceived. Ska is a close second. This is total shit. The nasally vocal and pseudo psychedelic influences make this even worse. I'm trying to remember if there is a worse record on this list.
Meat Loaf
3/5
Eh. This 90s teenager preferred the second one.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
1/5
Every shit thing he thought got recorded. And all of it made this list.
Van Morrison
1/5
The quality of this recording is outstanding. Unfortunately this list isn't regarding the quality of 1970s pop acts live recordings. If you don't prefer this artist, you will not enjoy this. It's long. And sounds the same throughout.
Carpenters
2/5
There is really no meat here. It's so clean and perfect that it loses meaning as it costs everything it touches with sugary syrup. I'm old enough to remember the end of their career. People who didn't really listen to a lot of music LOVED the Carpenters. I suspect it was because it was so easy.
The Sabres Of Paradise
1/5
When you're making repetitive generic shit, it's easy to make a lot of it.
The Jesus And Mary Chain
1/5
I didn't believe for a second this sounds like this on purpose. This sounds like shit. And it's hard to tell if anything good if buried under all the nose. This is clearly a band trying to sound good and failing but now are claiming it was on purpose.
Leonard Cohen
2/5
This is pre gravel voice. Not sure what to do with this one.
Kendrick Lamar
2/5
I've heard about half these tracks before and for the most part, I liked this record. But it is really monotonous. None of these tracks really differentiate themselves in a meaningful way. It's also super relative and has a weird prayer toward the end.
The Thrills
2/5
This is better country than 90% of the crap coming out of the US in the past 20 years. It's good. But I didn't like it.
Led Zeppelin
3/5
Everyone knows at least a few of these tracks. I'm not a huge fan. But this is better than their first record and had some cool stuff in there
Dolly Parton
4/5
This was great. To short even.
The Youngbloods
2/5
A bore. Disjointed. Wants to be deep but it's just shlock.
Roxy Music
1/5
I listened to this yesterday morning and literally don't remember it.
Joy Division
3/5
I love depressing music. Way more than I probably should. But I didn't get get Division. I've tried a bunch. But I just don't get this.
The Stooges
5/5
Yeah yeah yeah it's punk and it's Iggy. Take your stars.
George Jones
3/5
I thought this was a good way to start the morning. Not my favorite style of music. But old country is miles ahead of the new stuff.
LCD Soundsystem
3/5
I expected to hate this. But it wasn't bad. It dragged here and there and was too long at the end but I kind of looked this one.
Joni Mitchell
2/5
As someone who isn't a fan, this is hard to get into. None of her known songs are here and there is a lot of cheesy backing tracks to her poems.
Blur
3/5
I've tried to like Blur and the Gorillaz. But it's just the wrong mix of styles for me. Whatever that regge influence is just annoys me. Song 2 is a banger for sure though. It's simplicity does a lot of work here.
New Order
2/5
Zzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Grateful Dead
1/5
15 minutes into the first track and they seem to still be tuning their instruments. At one point I started humming a different song while the Dead were playing something else. I wasn't distracted at all. I only bring this up to say that NOTHING happens on this record. It's just fucking around for like over an hour. The Greatful Dead suck.
The Auteurs
1/5
This album does not earn the level of pretentious that the band name, album name, and cover presume.
Muddy Waters
3/5
This was really good but I think I would enjoy it more in a smaller dose or maybe even in person. That's not to say the record was too long. Maybe just felt that way to me. Generally, each track felt a little same to me.
Willie Nelson
1/5
Standards? This is not my favorite Willy.
The Who
2/5
Another live double album. I'm getting tired of writing the same review. If you don't like the band already, a live double album is not going to resonate.
Christine and the Queens
1/5
Weird how something with so few new ideas would suck this hard. Like, if you're going to be derivative of a genre from 40 years ago, at least steal the good parts. This one won't stay on the list for long.
The The
4/5
Good. Really good. I looked the touch of industrial in this.
M.I.A.
1/5
A cool sound that's repeated through the whole album thus making it boring. She's anti vax and a 5G conspiracy whack job though. So the max number of stars is 1.
Marty Robbins
4/5
This is deceptively dark. The melodies are white bread and sound happy while the content is dark as any modern rap album. Old school country is so much better than the pandering red neck shit we have today.
The Who
2/5
Good concept. But bad execution. This is not a good album.
The Saints
2/5
This is the safest punk of all time. Why only horns on the first track? Why is the album so long? Why are the songs so long? Where's the snarl?
The Hives
2/5
Eh. I never got into the garage rock thing. This is fine I guess but there's nothing here for me to feel.
Goldfrapp
3/5
I enjoyed the drippy synth of the earlier records more. There were to many down tempo songs here for me.
Ali Farka Touré
3/5
Great blues but missing some of the melody I really connect with. This is a banger though by an artist I didn't know until now.
Kid Rock
1/5
I have given listening to this a second thought as I didn't want Spotify to judge me and fuck up my algorithm. Fuck kid rock and fuck this trash record. I did listen. It sucks.
Frank Sinatra
3/5
Eh. They all just wanted to fuck
Joy Division
3/5
I am supposed to like this more than I do. But all I wanted to do was go to the mall to buy Doc Martin's.
Jack White
3/5
This is a good first solo. But he was peaking on the White Stripes when they broke up so this feels like less of a record. Still good though.
Pink Floyd
4/5
I get that they are telling a story here, but there is to much of it. The songs are mostly good but there is too much down time.
Slayer
5/5
This is the pinnacle of thrash. Not a wasted note, not a single moment of respite. Just a brutal kick in the teeth from the first second to its short end. \m/
My Bloody Valentine
3/5
I'm the 90s I had a shitty strat, a Zoom 505 multi effects pedal and carpeted 10 inch practice amp. I would sit on the edge of my bed and wonder what it was like to be high while making noises just like this album.
The Only Ones
2/5
The lyrics on this thing feel like a run on sentence.
Billie Holiday
2/5
These songs all sound the same.
Adam & The Ants
3/5
Weird in a fun way but super forgettable for some reason. I'm writing this the morning after I listened to it and I can only remember my feelings. None of the songs.
Pentangle
3/5
Even in 69 this would have felt derivative I think. It wants to be all of these things except itself. It's not bad or poorly put together. It's just kind of meh.
SAULT
2/5
The backing music is great. I like the mantras. But there needs to be more. Most of these tracks are JUST the mantra, or just a total waste of track time. Like, there needs to be some more here. Also, all the God stuff is cringe af.
3/5
Eeeeeh I don't know about this one. Super influential. But not that exciting to me. Some good proto punk sure. But. Eeeeeh.
Nitin Sawhney
2/5
There were bands at the time doing this same style, but much better. This was forgettable. I've never heard of this group before and literally forgot about them between the time I listened and the time I wrote this review.
Tears For Fears
3/5
When this hits, it hits so hard. But then there are songs like Broken... You're in a studio. Why use a digital keyboard?!? Just use a real piano! The misses here are as big as the hits.
Meat Puppets
4/5
Lots of people reviewing this record didn't listen to it. Yes his vocals are bad and yes some of the tracks are noisy. But this record has heart. Big time.
Billy Bragg
1/5
I didn't like this. The songs all sort of just smooshed together and when the second disc started, I didn't know because all the tracks sound the same. This is not a good record. I don't know what else to say.
Black Flag
3/5
This record goes by fast. Rollins is now an elder statesman of punk. But at the time this was so raw. It's not my favorite. I do prefer some melody here and there. But this was huge.
George Harrison
2/5
I get it. He was a Beatle. But like... This needed an editor. Someone to tell Harrison that the good ideas here are being drowned with hundreds of wasted bars. This is considered a serious classic and I do not get it.
N.W.A.
3/5
A classic that isn't aging well. I love the lack of skits and the anti police lyrics. But the sexism is just plain weird.
Rod Stewart
2/5
One of the most prominent boomer voices in music. Can't sing, it's just raspy.
LCD Soundsystem
3/5
Better than most electronic albums from the era. Mostly because the songs go somewhere. It's also not as long as most, which serves this record well.
2Pac
2/5
I don't know. Great flow, love his voice. But he was such a bad person. And somehow he still speaks to religion. It's just. This is rough.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
1/5
Ugh. Fuck me ANOTHER Elvis Costello? He's a hack.
Morrissey
1/5
Usually I have to weigh the music against the level of asshole and artist is. Morrissey is a known asshole so that usually would hurt an albums score. Here though, the album sucks anyway. This one isn't any good. So it's easy to score.
The Go-Betweens
3/5
Decent 80s sad rock sound. Morning I haven't heard before.
Nick Drake
5/5
I feel like Nick Drake gets forgotten to often when people talk about influential artists. All the of his albums are perfect. This one may be the most produced. But his melancholy voice still shines through.
Sarah Vaughan
5/5
I liked this. It was cozy and loose in all the best ways. I love the crowd. I love the songs. This was just great.
Dexys Midnight Runners
1/5
Someone needs to let the demon out of this boss throat.
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
2/5
This was uniquely stupid. But it was short. And half of it was wasted time. My dad has some Emerson, Lake & Palmer on vinyl. They have cool jackets. But the music is crap.
Death In Vegas
2/5
This would be 100% cooler with a chick singer. It has major Sneaker Pimp vibes but the second the guy sings, the "cool" factor goes away.
James Brown
2/5
Where are the hits? This was a ton of band hits with some same sounding signs in between.
Roxy Music
1/5
This record is famous for its cover. Nothing to see here...
Kacey Musgraves
1/5
This is just pop worth enough "country" thrown in so the tight jeans and pickup trucks crowd will listen. Another trash record.
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
4/5
This record is a little hit or miss for me. I can tell what is coming and it's going to be genius. But this is not quite baked yet. Which is totally fine since it's a debut.
Doves
3/5
The Oasis of Indy? Lol. No. But this was alright. A little forgettable but there was some solid high anxiety chill in here.
AC/DC
3/5
Good. Not great. Good.
Blood, Sweat & Tears
1/5
This record sucks. Even this version of smiling phases sucks. This record really sucks.
Traffic
1/5
I'd never heard this record. My wife said she recognized one track. I thought this was rather forgettable boomer trash.
Dinosaur Jr.
4/5
Abrasive and unpredictable. This records suffers a little in the back but is an awesome sonic journey. I've known about this band for ages but have never given them a listen. I liked this a lot. I sampled some other Dinosaur Jr. tracks and I really like their later stuff.
Rocket From The Crypt
2/5
Horns are bad. Loudness wars are bad. Staccato playing gets old fast.
Miles Davis
2/5
Why all the waiting for something to happen? 13 minutes into the second song, the album has it's climax but it's gone before you really get a release. Then just more waiting.
Belle & Sebastian
2/5
As I listen to this, I get the feeling that it was recorded on school nights in the basement of a house filled with kids and a wife who shushes this guy for playing to loud. Everything is so subdued and soft. "Don't be too loud tonight." She scolds, "I just put the kids to bed."
It's like the whole thing was recorded under a blanket washed with that laundry detergent they make for infants.
Like his doctor told him that if he got to upset or energized, that his heart would explode.
Like he was trying to prove to his grandmother that all rock music didn't have to be abrasive.
Korn
5/5
Korn was the band that ushered me into metal. I was 14 when the self titled record came out. And it changed my life in a very positive way.
I don't listen to Korn much these days. It's cheesy and sometimes embarrassing. Nu Metal is having a resurgence at the moment. But I'm not returning to it. I've moved on to other genes of metal and I'm happy with my memories of Korn and a few other nu metal bands from the era.
But I strongly feel like this was the peak album from the era. It's not Korn's best record, but this third record is kind of like a thesis of the genere. It captures all of the elements that make it what it is. It's got a lot of really songs on it. And a few big misses. But it is culturally significant. And it's the last good Korn record.
The Crusaders
2/5
I feel bad for this band. They didn't ask to be elevator music. They just wanted to play cool ass jazz.
Jacques Brel
3/5
Not bad. Not knowing what he's singing about was a little frustrating.
Björk
1/5
I didn't get it. I debated pretending to get it. But I just don't get this.
Paul Simon
3/5
Some good some boring. Typical Simon.
Grizzly Bear
2/5
Lots of slow whiny mumbling here. It's not that bad but it gets old-really fast.
Joanna Newsom
1/5
These aren't songs. It's like random music without melody and lyrics made up on the spot. And why so long? This is a half an hour album with a half an hour of padding.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
1/5
Apparently every shitty not this hack committed to tape is something I must hear before I die. Well. I'll continue to mark each a single star.
The Dandy Warhols
1/5
Jesus Christ get to the point! This record is 90% droning with nothing happening. What was the point of, "Pete international airport"? What the fuck?!?
Björk
1/5
More Bjork... Well. Have another single star.
Bob Dylan
2/5
I'm what world do you not time your guitar before recording a track?!?
Marvin Gaye
4/5
A classic to be sure. Though I was annoyed when the songs didn't really start it end.
Queen Latifah
4/5
Super not for me but I totally get it.
FKA twigs
2/5
These aren't songs. Which is totally fine. But I think the hype was because it's weird and not because it's actually good.
Fats Domino
3/5
This was fun. Foundational music like this is quaint today but still had it's place.
The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion
2/5
There is a lot of wasted time in this thing. The actual songs are alright. But this should be half an hour long tops. An hour and 19 minutes is insane. Even if you cut the ads, the length ruins this record. Mr. Spencer should have cut the fat.
Skunk Anansie
4/5
This was surprisingly good. I was a little nervous with all the comparisons to Evanescence, one of the cheesiest, radio rock bands of all time. But this has actual grit. Other than a female singer, there is no comparison.
The slower songs felt a little out of place and kind of meandered a bit. But other than that, this really rocked.
Iron Maiden
4/5
\m/
Pet Shop Boys
3/5
I kept getting them mixed up with the bloodhound gang. Not sure why that would be. This was okay. But now I want to listen to raunchy comedy music.
LTJ Bukem
1/5
Thou shall not make repetitive generic music.
Thou shall not make repetitive generic music.
Thou shall not make repetitive generic music.
Thou shall not make repetitive generic music.
Thou shall not make repetitive generic music.
Thou shall not make repetitive generic music.
Thou shall not make repetitive generic music.
Thou shall not make repetitive generic music.
Thou shall not make repetitive generic music.
Thou shall not make repetitive generic music.
Thou shall not make repetitive generic music.
Thou shall not make repetitive generic music.
Thou shall not make repetitive generic music.
Thou shall not make repetitive generic music.
Thou shall not make repetitive generic music.
Thou shall not make repetitive generic music.
This is ACTUALLY three and a half HOURS of the same beat with no variation in speed or intensity. This may be the worst record on the list. Maybe of all time.
Simply Red
1/5
Dear god. This is truly awful. I remember this single. It was bad in the 80's. It's bad now.
Jamiroquai
3/5
This album doesn't have his hit. Forgivable. This one is fine. It's fun and a little quirky.
TV On The Radio
5/5
I saw these guys open for None Inch Nails sometime between 2005 and 2010? I've been hooked ever since. They get lumped in with the Indy bands from their era but that are not Indy.
The Disposable Heroes Of Hiphoprisy
3/5
A little too bonk on the head with the messages. But it was fine. Beats were okay.
Neil Young
2/5
I continue to struggle with Young's music. This is no different.
Frank Sinatra
4/5
Kind of biting after a while. But I was listening in the morning. This record is meant to be listened to at night after you're supposed to be asleep.
3/5
While this never becomes"normal", it does sort of become less insane the further it goes. Or never gets to anything melodic. This was intentionally unlistenable. And I respect that.
The White Stripes
4/5
When the White Stipes hit I had moved out ofy parents house and was barely making ends meet. I couldn't afford the CDs and while downloading music was definitely a thing, I didn't download this. So I kind of missed the boat on the White Stripes.
I heard a few songs here and there and they were great though. Going back now, I find that this album, as well as the others are super inconsistent. The bangers are top tier bangers. But there is a lot of filler. I love the moxy of this album. But I was bored between the bigger set pieces and the end of the record just sort of trails off.
Suzanne Vega
1/5
This album is like when a 2 year old tells a story. It's just made up as it goes along, meandering in circles not making any real sense. It's not offensive and it doesn't have a point.
Air
3/5
Eh. Fine but forgettable.
Sly & The Family Stone
1/5
This was oddly not good. It doesn't feel like an album. Just a bunch of jams and goofing around. Not for me.
Slipknot
4/5
The first Slipknot record came out whole I worked at Blockbuster video and I would listen to it on CD while walking to work. Iowa was an extension of that sound and was similarly great. By the time this record came out, I had moved out of my parents house and couldn't afford to buy CDs. This got missed.
This is more polished. And the tempos vary which is a nice chance of pace. But this feels somehow less brutal. There are clearly different metal influences in here. Which is nice. But it just doesn't click the way those first two did. Now I need to go listen to Subliminal verses and see what's going on there.
The Beta Band
2/5
I admit I fell for the hipster hype after seeing High Fidelity. But the 3 EPs is where that hype stopped for me. The vibe is right but the songs are completely hollow. Another better band, Elbow, got the vibe and the songs right and are The Beta Band's lunch.
This record has the vibe. But it's boring. It doesn't go anywhere. It just sort of siren songs you in promising something it can't deliver.
Tom Waits
4/5
Tom Waits is such a weird artist it's hard to describe what he's even doing. He's making traditional music is the most unsettling way. This album feels timeless and scary. My only complaint is that it gets a little "normal" at the end.
Steely Dan
1/5
This sucks so hard. It's soulless trash Rick for people who think they like music.
Tina Turner
1/5
Why not use a real piano when you are trying to get natural piano sounds? Because it's '80's pop music and it sucks. The 80's produced great music. So there is no excuse to sound like this.
The Bees
1/5
Two dudes wrote and recorded this but there are six dudes in this band? What the fuck is this? Hipster Slipknot? Additionally, this album is some weird soft indie shit. Like, you have to actually write songs to be good. Did they know that?
Eagles
1/5
Oh. No thanks. I'm with the dude on this one.
Queens of the Stone Age
3/5
This sounds a lot like the B sides from the first Foo Fighters record. Queens would go on to make some really awesome music. But this is not the best freshman record. Which is totally fine. Just not sure why it's on this list. Towards the end, there is a lot of wasted time. Hour long records are not a requirement.
Echo And The Bunnymen
1/5
I though this band was from the 60s for some reason. I wonder who I was thinking about... Anyway. This sucked.
Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark
3/5
Not what I expected. Not bad. Though l little long for what it was.
The Chemical Brothers
3/5
Holy shit! A techno record under an hour long! They tried to respect my time!
Talking Heads
5/5
Easy 5. This record is one of very few that sounds like a bunch of non songs that are just getting along as great humable trax.
Miles Davis
3/5
Not for me. But hearing jazz every once in a while is all good in my book. And this seems like a great jazz record.
G. Love & Special Sauce
2/5
I don't get this. It's trying to achieve the same super chill and weird vibe that Beck had achieved during the same time period. But nothing here was all that catchy. I'm down for weird. But you also have to mix in some solid tracks. This felt almost empty.
Thin Lizzy
1/5
I should copy paste my review from almost every other live album on this list. But I just keep writing it over and over.
If you don't like the band, you likely won't like the live show. There are some exceptions. Cash at Folsom prison for example. Shows that had a purpose that elevated the music in a way rather than taking a snapshot of the band at a moment in time.
It's not that this show or the music in it is played poorly. It's that a concert recording is normally serves three purposes.
1. To give the fans something close to what they may remember from their own live experience.
2. To cap off an era of a bands output. Like a thesis statement to an era.
3. To fulfill a contractual agreement with a record label.
None of these reasons are bad. But when it comes to the band Thin Lizzy, I personally don't fit into any of those categories. And most listeners won't. This record is not culturally significant. It doesn't do anything that hasn't been done before, or better. It's just a live recording. And should not be in the book.
Neil Young
2/5
Nah. I'm good. I didn't need more of Mr. Young. It's his voice. I know I know. But I can't get past it.
Solomon Burke
3/5
A fun listen. Historical for sure.
3/5
I wish this went more places. Was potential here. Word so many people didn't even listen to it.
The Last Shadow Puppets
4/5
This was a huge surprise to me. Favorite Worst Nightmare by the Arctic Monkeys was in constant rotation when I was in college. The CD never left my car. And yet I had no idea there was another band... This isn't as good as the other band but now I have a lot of new shit to listen to. And I'll be listening to this again.
Lou Reed
5/5
I turn 44 next week and Wild Side still creeps me out. This is not my favorite record but is a certified banger for sure. The stand out tracks stand out so much that people know them without knowing who write them or what album they are from.
Devendra Banhart
2/5
AA Bondy does this same thing much better. I struggle to believe the weight of these vocals and the songs themselves are missing the melodies needed for the mood he is going for.
Fatboy Slim
3/5
Not as repetitive or generic as some of the other electronic music in this list. But it's still not that great.
Laibach
4/5
Woah. This is fun. My only gripe is that each song is one good idea on a loop throughout with no variation. But I really liked this.
Def Leppard
3/5
Lots of huge hits. Super 80s styling. Pre one armed drummer. It's fine I guess.
By the way. Who needs bass? This record.
The Pogues
4/5
This was different and fun. And just enough.
U2
1/5
When metal albums come up, record on here often just mention how much they can't stand the genre. I struggle to understand what they mean. Then I get U2.
A band for people with no personality.
A band for people think they are into music but only listen to the most generic radio friendly, chosen by record executives garbage.
A band for people who now say their favorite genre is Indy.
I literally don't get what anyone sees in this trash. I did make it all the way through. But now I'm in a bad mood and have a headache.
Venom
4/5
I love metal. But the further back in time I go, the less I like it. There's a certain rhythm that metal gained that just isn't there in the early years. This is punishing in a great way. It's a little cheesy and the tracks sound the same. But it's influence is clear.
Nico
1/5
Only capable of singing 3 notes? Befriend the right people and it won't matter! This album sucks. The music sucks and nico can't sing for shit.
Buddy Holly & The Crickets
4/5
A classic. Dated to be sure but it's place in history is cemented to be sure. My dad used to listen to records from the 50s and this felt like a warm blanket. Not something is listen to regularly. But fun to visit.
Dr. John
4/5
So weird. I loved it. This must have been so far ahead of it's time. This is why I'm listening to all these records.
Super Furry Animals
2/5
Annoying FM effects and staccato vocal tics open this record. These guys want to be the Beatles. Sorry fellas, your record is just annoying...
Randy Newman
4/5
What I think of as the voice and sound of Americana. It's underlying current of dark stories sugar coated with this happy go Lucky music. But at the same time there is a profound sadness and weight. It's such a weird thing. And I love it.
Dolly Parton
3/5
Not sure what I expected here. And I'm not sure what I got.
Dwight Yoakam
3/5
This was rather forgettable. Not in a bad way. Probably just not the kind of thing for me
David Holmes
1/5
Thou shall not make repetitive generic music.
Thou shall not make repetitive generic music.
Thou shall not make repetitive generic music.
Thou shall not make repetitive generic music.
Thou shall not make repetitive generic music.
Thou shall not make repetitive generic music.
Thou shall not make repetitive generic music.
Thou shall not make repetitive generic music.
Thou shall not make repetitive generic music.
Thou shall not make repetitive generic music.
Laura Nyro
2/5
Sounded more modern than it was. Still rather forgettable. Writing this the next morning, I can't remember any specific tracks at all.
Jimi Hendrix
2/5
Most of this isn't songs. It's like little song ideas that never come to pass. And there is A LOT of it. Like dude, get an editor for fucks sake. Don't put the only two actual songs last.
Kate Bush
3/5
I liked this. It was more acceptable than the last one of hers o heard. I think had I been a ten in the 80s I would have linked this.
Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan
3/5
I feel like each song had a good idea but they didn't go anywhere. Singing is top notch, I just wanted less monotony from each track. Also double albums are ROUGH if you're not a fan already. I'm not letting that hurt the score though.
Depeche Mode
2/5
As someone who isn't already a fan, this was hard to get through. I like a lot of the soundscapes but there isn't enough meat to sink my teeth into. And the back chunk gets really drone like in a way that grated my nerves. The last track was kind of a fun track in the sense that it felt like the closing credits to a film. But by then, I was a little meh about the whole thing.
Talk Talk
3/5
The opening of this album does not do it any favors. It feels very soft rock but it has some other elements that might feel at home on an Elbow record. I don't know if Talk Talk is one of their references, but I could see it.
This record has great ideas, and some songs I was bobbing my head too. But it gets monotonous. And I really struggle with that.
New York Dolls
3/5
I've read about the New York Dolls but never given them a listen. I'm not a huge fan of early punk so I've stayed away. This has the same issues I have with that early punk but I do like the party vibe. And some of these tracks were catchy. I totally get why they are considered pioneers.
Pretenders
3/5
Woah. Right off the bat, those vocals are RIGHT up front. I only knew the guys by the pretenders. This is good. The last couple of tracks were not my favorite. But I liked this quite a bit
The Yardbirds
1/5
The vocals suck... Like really really suck. And the mixes are inconsistent. I'm sure there are positive things to say but I couldn't get past the poor mixing
Emmylou Harris
2/5
This felt like the ghost of something. I actually would like to hear an album from earlier in her catalog. And I think I did earlier in this project. This album just feels like it's tired.
My Bloody Valentine
3/5
The opening track is rough and I wish it weren't there. I liked the rest quite a bit. Sure it drones on. But in a cool way.
Sonic Youth
3/5
I wish I was cool enough to be deep into Sonic Youth. This is clearly an awesome record. I just don't get most of it.
Portishead
5/5
This record is so good. Oddly the love record from New York captures some of the songs better. But this mood is so pronounced.
David Gray
1/5
This must have never made it to the States. I have no recollection of this at all. My SO says she knew the hit(s) but I literally didn't recognize anything.
This wasn't good though. In fact, this is the white bread of music. Nothing really going on and the only people who would be interested don't know any better.
Orbital
1/5
I don't know how any electronic music made it to this list. But there is a lot of repetitive, generic trash on this list. And this is peak generic trash.
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
1/5
Unknown why Neil Young is so popular. He did some cool stuff with Pear Jam. But this just isn't good. Maybe I had to be there or something.
George Michael
1/5
This is peak era for padding a record with one hit. Honestly this should just be a cassingle.
Donovan
3/5
The one song is good. You know the one. The rest... Eh
Radiohead
5/5
Easily one of the best records of all time. And it's like the third it forth best Radiohead record. The opener and the coser of this record are maybe in the top 1001 SONGS ever written. Many bands have a sophomore slump, The Bends is so much better than their first record that Radiohead reputation was sealed right here. This is one of the easiest 5 out of 5 records on this list.
Michael Jackson
3/5
The hits are massive but the middle third of this record is forgettable. Also, it's pop. So there is a limit to how high I can rate this thing.
Eminem
5/5
I was 20 when this came out and angry. And even though I was a metal head, this was still up my alley. Listening now, it's a little harder to take. Kim is ROUGH. But I still get it. And this record, as wild as it is, it's still full of touch points.
The Cult
1/5
I hadn't heard this particular record before. What the fuck happened to this band? The answer is Rick Ruben clearly. They had this cool hip goth thing going and this is just jock bro bullshit. Fuck this album. It would have been like a 2 or 3 on it's own merits. But knowing what they did before compared to this... yeesh.
Alanis Morissette
5/5
Yeah it lives in 1995. But it played on pop stations and rock stations. There's something about this record that hits so hard it can't be ignored. It's honest. It's gen-x. It doesn't care what you think.
Anita Baker
1/5
I still don't understand why anyone choose to use an electric piano in the studio. Synth? Sure. Your making sounds specifically different. But if you're sticking to the standard piano sound, why use a crappy sounding one in the studio?
Additionally, no offense to Mrs. Baker here, but her vocal style brings nothing special. There are tons of singers like her. So even though her voice is great, there's nothing special here AND the music is dated and cheesy.
The Pretty Things
1/5
They didn't understand what made the Beatles popular. But they tried to be The Beatles. It didn't work. And like Puddle of Mudd trying to be Nirvana, a failure occured.
Baaba Maal
3/5
I'm around 820 records in at this point and I'd say less than 10 have been non western albums. I welcome these and am really glad I heard this. It's pretty good, but too long for it's sound. But I dig it.
Jungle Brothers
1/5
This was a bit of a snooze. The beats were all the same sounding and the lyrics were a chore to sit through. I'm not saying I want rap to be about thug life. But I do want it, and all music, to have some emotional heft.
Frank Zappa
1/5
It's like they took all the unused notes from the rest of 1969s albums and put them in this. Honestly, if you're out there jamming with your friends and having a blast, awesome. But we don't need to hear you all jerking off together.
Van Morrison
3/5
This could have really used a hot to anchor the rest of the tracks. He sort of mumbled his way through this one.
Queen
3/5
Not the best Queen. But this was from a time when bands had a few records to find their footing.
Abdullah Ibrahim
3/5
I dug it.
Ryan Adams
1/5
If a lyrical trope exists, this chode of a man used it on this record. Not one original moment in an hour and 14 minutes.
Big Black
4/5
Never heard of this before and I really dig it. This guitars are pushed so hard. The vocal is good but it needs variation.
David Bowie
4/5
Everything this guy touched was amazing. I feel like Bowie has to be graded differently because everything would just be a 5 compared to most other bands.
Tim Buckley
2/5
I was incredibly bored during this. It's not bad I guess. Just really boring. It's short though. So that's good.
Aerosmith
3/5
Some of this is gross 70s style macho shit. Some is album filter trash. But then there are the gems. I'm not sure the gems save it.
Don McLean
1/5
The ultimate boomer story. Write a great American anthem and live off it for 50 years. Then deny that COVID the vaccine was safe...
The KLF
1/5
I agree with their decision to not have this on streaming. It should be wiped from the face of history. Repetitive, generic, trash.
KISS
3/5
So innocent and not dangerous these guys were.
5/5
There's no fresh take for this record. Every second of it has been dissected and talked about.
The Velvet Underground
1/5
More self aggrandizing bullshit from the Underground. Bletch
Goldie
1/5
Jesus Christ this may be the most shit record I've ever heard. 2 hours of generic, relative 808s while a woman sings nothing words off key. Fuck everything about this Euro trash shit pile of a record.
Richard Thompson
4/5
I really liked this record. And I know I'll never hear it again. The name and band will completely leave my head and it'll be gone. Which super bums me out. This reminded me of A. A. Bondy and a few other bands that I really enjoy, but don't hear often enough.
Simon & Garfunkel
3/5
When this hits, it does really well. The issue here is that synth and the tracks that didn't go anywhere. It feels like a high school project.
Cornershop
3/5
The window for a record like this was so small. It's a lot of padding and the cover is lame. But there is this 90s glow here that is undeniable. It fills this record with a weird positivity. A weird feeling that everything will be fine.
Derek & The Dominos
1/5
Holy cultural appropriation Batman! This is the musical equivalent to all that Egyptian shit in British museums.
Madonna
3/5
This isn't for me. There have been way worse albums on this list. But Madonna just is not my speed.
Minutemen
4/5
I'd heard of Minutemen. But never heard them. I'm a metal head who never really fell in love with punk. But this was a LOT of fun. And I was totally digging it, even if it wouldn't be in heavy rotation for me.
But then... the opening chords from Jackass tickled a primordial nerve in the back of my brain. 5 stars. Jesus Christ that hit hard.
Arrested Development
3/5
I owned the CD when it first hit and I only listened to who tracks on it with any regularity. I see why as I listen to the whole thing now. There is a lot of not catchy stuff in here. The good is really good though.
Pink Floyd
5/5
There's nothing I could say here that hasn't been said here.
Giant Sand
3/5
This record falls together too rarely for it to be a classic for me. I like records that are loosely held together but this is a little too loose. And the last track is suuuuper tight! Like wth?
Wilco
5/5
I love everything about this record. The instrumentation is weird and sorry of broken. The vocals are unsure delicate. Even the story of this records failure to be released by WB, leading to the band releasing this on their own. This record shouldn't work. But it's a classic piece of Americana. It's one of my favorite records of all time.
Bruce Springsteen
3/5
I've tried really hard to get into Springsteen. I just can't. It's too traditional, it's not loose enough, and saxophone doesn't belong in rock music.
Bob Dylan
3/5
Almost every song on here has the same rhythm. I never noticed that before about Bob Dylan. Anyway, it's a chore to listen too.
Jah Wobble's Invaders Of The Heart
1/5
Holy cultural appropriation Batman!
Le Tigre
4/5
I saw Le Tigre play as the backing band for Peaches three days in a row opening for Nine Inch Nails. Peaches was great but a little one note for me. The band looked bored. This record was really good. Kind of wish Peaches only sang like half a set and Le Tigre played some of this.
Sonic Youth
4/5
I love the dissonance. I love how sloppy it is. But every time I hear Sonic Youth, I think the same thing. "Less reverb". It's fine to out reverb on something. But holy hell, they just drench EVERYTHING with it. I know it's a choice. I know it was the 80s. But there's just too much.
More boomer shit that did not need to be listened to before I die.
Ray Charles
3/5
This was good. But I want later Ray Charles
Richard Hawley
2/5
This was really boring. And very forgettable.
Aerosmith
3/5
I just don't get Aerosmith. It's too, party, sex for me.
Faith No More
5/5
Strait fire.
Killing Joke
3/5
Killing Joke is listed as an influence to some of my favorite bands. But this just didn't do it for me. It's missing any hook. Which isn't always a bad thing. But in this case, I just couldn't get into the groove with the record. I love the sound. The love the attitude. Just didn't love the package.
Mariah Carey
1/5
This is the Target of Pop albums. It's trying to be classier than Walmart, but only stupid people are getting tricked by the attempt. This was a really hard hour of listening.
The United States Of America
3/5
I'm giving this score out of respect for them being true to themselves. At least that's how I felt listening to this. The music itself is not good. But it's honest. And I respect that.
Shivkumar Sharma
3/5
Like many people here, I listened on YouTube to get the original version. The Spotify version is a remake by the artists son.
This album is good, but not great. I dig the tones and all but this is very same sounding throughout. To the point that I think even half the length would have been too long.
The Soft Boys
4/5
A pleasant surprise. I really dig this edgy REM. Super good!
Culture Club
2/5
I like Culture Club okay but this is pretty lame. They clearly knew they had one hit and passed the rest of this.
American Music Club
1/5
This is a joke album right?
3/5
It's Devo alright. Too cool for me. Fun! Some filler.
Tangerine Dream
5/5
I liked this a lot more than I thought I would. It does this thing where it lets you drift in your thoughts until BAM it sucks you back. I love it. I wish it were longer. Though that is more likely the fact I heard it on a weekend. If it were a weekday, I may have thought it was the perfect length.
The Doors
1/5
One middling track at the end of this record cannot save all the filter here. This album sucks.
Tortoise
3/5
Utterly forgettable but pretty chill.
The Doors
1/5
Two Doors records in the span of five days. I know this whole thing is random. But I just... God dammit the doors suck so hard. Fuck me. I'm going to have to really prep to listen to this shit.
Me five hours later: yeah, it's shit.
Mike Ladd
1/5
This started okay. Some potential. But very quickly just got boring and repetitive.
Franz Ferdinand
3/5
I still feel like this era of bands was cheesy. But I just can't get past it.
The Beach Boys
4/5
I never understood how this album effected the Beatles so much. It's not anything like what they were doing at the time. Which is a compliment. The number of bands trying to be the Beatles and failing was shockingly high.
This record is good, though not my style at all. It's historical significance is also really high. I'm taking a star off here due to the number of fade outs, which pull me out of songs in a really negative way.
Beatles
5/5
There is nothing I can say to add to the history of this record. It's a masterpiece.
The Slits
1/5
Weirdly labeled as punk when it's just low quality reggae. I know a lot of that early British punk included a lot or reggae, but this is not that. This is just kind of crappy AND boring. A one two punch that kills this for me. Also, that cover sucks. So...
Radiohead
5/5
It's telling that a record that sits in the bottom half of Radiohead's discoraphy is still an easy 5. Not a lot of bands have 6 or 7 perfect records. This is one of them.
Van Halen
5/5
It sounds cheesy now, but when it came out...
The Sugarcubes
4/5
Wow. Bjork but good. Huh.
The Beta Band
3/5
"I shall now sell 5 copies of The Three EP's by the beta band."
That moment will be the most famous this band will ever be. Their music is fine. But nothing special. The movie should have picked Elbow or something for more impact.
This particular album has two or three really good tracks. But the rest is filler.
Norah Jones
3/5
My dog won't settle and it's 4am on a Saturday. I brought him down stairs for a chance to go outside, then some water.
I find something on my phone to read and wait for my dog to fall asleep while my eyes burn from lack of sleep. There is a storm brewing outside but it's still far off.
This record feels like that feeling. It wants to be a classy version of the end of a night of gambling. But it's just a tired Saturday morning with a sick dog.
The Beach Boys
3/5
This ain't your mom's Beach Boys! It's dark and edgy. Not very good... But dark and edgy.
Leonard Cohen
1/5
I have no idea what people were thinking in the 80s. The music has aged so badly that I can't hear anything else besides a Casio running into a million dollar soundboard.
Japan
3/5
Proto synth pop... Huh.
King Crimson
1/5
Apparently you didn't need to actually do the rock part of prog rock if you're king crimson. There is nothing here. It's just goofing around.
Elliott Smith
5/5
An easy 5 from me. Smith has a way of drawing me in and holding me in his perspective. The songs barely hold together in the best way and the lyrics are HEAVY.
The Zombies
4/5
So many of these 60 psychedelic bands just didn't get it. This band got it. And they didn't get the game since they broke up. Such a shame. This record is pretty good. Good enough that I went and listened to their other albums too.
Barry Adamson
1/5
No thank you to this one.
Nina Simone
4/5
I liked the feel of this more than I thought I would. This was somehow less strict than her other records.
The Mars Volta
3/5
A massive fan of At the Drive-In, I've tried many times over the years to get into Mars Volta. This record is good. But it doesn't connect with me the way the previous band did.
Thelonious Monk
4/5
That opening track starts a little too jazz for me. But the rest of this was super fun. I may buy this on vinyl if I come across it.
Moby
4/5
1. Each song is a reasonable length. Something very rare in electronic music. But the record itself is too long.
2. Yeah yeah yeah he sold out or whatever. Anyone who cares about that is just jelly.
3. Yeah he used music created by black people to enrich himself. Somewhat problematic even when used to good effect.
4. This record is entertaining! Heaven forbid a record is a fun listen.
5. It's not aging well sonically.
Ash
5/5
Holy shit. Never heard of this band and I was a teen in the 90s. This fucking rocks. How did I never hear this? So much fuzz it's like every song is made out of Velcro! God damn this is good.
fIREHOSE
2/5
I didn't understand this. It wasn't bad. It wasn't anything really.
Red Hot Chili Peppers
1/5
Stupid, long, awful. How they ever got popular is beyond me. And god damn put on a shirt for fucks sake.
3/5
This was fun. Weird but not too out there. It still was a bit to 70s for me but I liked it alright.
Robbie Williams
3/5
This is a 1 star pop album. But my wife says it's has to be at least a 3...
Jorge Ben Jor
4/5
The opening track was converted by one of my favorite metal bands, Sepatura. I had no idea it was a cover. Knowing the words was a weird experience.
This record rocks. The rhythms are so good. I just wish there weren't fade outs.
The Who
1/5
So. Much. Padding. Dear Lord this whole album has one song.
Screaming Trees
3/5
I've heard more about the Screaming Trees than I've actually heard the screaming trees. This was okay, but forgettable. I don't think this would have been novel by 1996. It's certainly not bad by any measure. Just kind of meh.
The Pharcyde
3/5
This was super fun. I've never heard of these guys before and I love how irreverent they are.
2/5
Not bad for early punk. It's just really not for me. I have a really hard time finding early punk menacing or aggressive in any way. Also, I don't think the guy should be singing in this record. That chick has a cool voice so maybe just let her do all the vocals?
The Dictators
2/5
Wow. This is a lot. It's the right length. And it doesn't take itself to seriously. But it's also just abrasively there.
Paul Simon
3/5
Not his best. But it's also not bad really. Simon just seems to be reaching for something he didn't grasp here.
The Byrds
3/5
Meh.
Erykah Badu
1/5
Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. There is literally nothing here to talk about.
The Police
2/5
Overrated.
Bruce Springsteen
1/5
Woah. Not good Boss.
The Damned
3/5
Good for early punk. I like the attitude here. Playfully disrespectful is great. The guitar work is not that good as some people here have said. But this was good
Coldcut
1/5
I hated this from the first cheesy stupid note. An hour later it was still going. Nothing of value happened. And I am angry for having to listen to it. This is the in the bottom two or three records of the 1001 list for sure. FUCK. THIS. ALBUM.
Jeff Beck
3/5
Well that was horney. No wonder Rod ended up with 8 kids.
Ali Farka Touré
3/5
I really dig the blues influence here. It was a little same sounding but overall a good listen.
Ute Lemper
1/5
Holy shit this is shit. The lyrics are shit. The singing is so over the top. The music itself is reaching for something it will NEVER achieve. This thing is an hour long turd. Dear God
T. Rex
3/5
Alright. This is kinda fun.
The Stooges
3/5
There are a lot of duds here. A lot of filler. And when it's good, songs just sort of fade away instead of ending. And it never feels finished.
PJ Harvey
4/5
I still love quiet loud quiet after all these years.
Les Rythmes Digitales
2/5
The cheesiness and length (under an hour) of this record are doing a lot of heavy lifting here. This isn't a good record. It's repetitive and boring. But it's better than most the electronic dreck on this list.
Duran Duran
3/5
A start each for the three good songs on here. The rest is fine I guess. Just not my favorite
Beyoncé
1/5
Vapid, empty, shit. Lowest form of pop written by white dudes for the radio. Total trash. And FUCK you for making me listen to this shit for an hour and a half.
Fatboy Slim
2/5
The other album by Fatboy slim on this list has less repetitive, better hooks. Maybe this one should be left off the list?
Maxwell
3/5
Pretty sexy. Not my thing but I totally get why this is on this list. Super well made. And super smooth.
Bee Gees
1/5
I thought this disco shirt sucked. Turns out they sucked before then.
The Cure
5/5
I was sad when this ended. Though to be honest I was sad when it started too.
Ella Fitzgerald
2/5
This is honestly just too much. Even if you bought the vinyl back in the day, there is no way you were listening to all this in one go. It's all very good. But waaaaaaay too long making it not really good for this list.
I will say though that this is HORNY. Like big time. At one point, Ella (Calling her that now that I know her sexual preferences so well) asks some lover to fuck her rough. She sings it 50's style so it's not so obvious. But... She want's some rough sex. Wow. Should have led with that.
Ministry
4/5
While I have always loved nin more, Ministry holds a special place in my musical history. And this is their 3rd best record IMHO behind Mind and Land. It's a total banger.
Big Star
4/5
"Oh this song was covered for That 70's show."
"Oh Elliott Smith covered that song? I had no idea."
Traffic
3/5
Eeeeeh. This was okay. Extremely okay.
The Roots
3/5
Eeeeeh. This was fine I guess. I don't think it's the classic that people have told me it is all these years.
Bill Callahan
2/5
Yeah this is not what it needs to be. I'm down with some sad dad music. But not like this.
Sonic Youth
4/5
Still love Sonic Youth. But can never tell if I love them because of the music, or if I love them because, as a music snob, I'm supposed to.
The Cure
4/5
This record slaps. But there is a lot of dead air. It's more than I remember and it hurts the record some.
Charles Mingus
4/5
Everyone solo for half an hour!
Sinead O'Connor
5/5
The music here is dreadful. It's boring, repetitive, and lifeless. And it seems to go on forever. And yet, one action made on a TV show raises all of this shit from a 1 star all the way to a 5.
She gets a 5. But the record is shit.
The Divine Comedy
1/5
This guy has to be a sexual predator.
The Psychedelic Furs
1/5
Was this more than one song?
Leonard Cohen
2/5
HRM. I didn't like this at all. Maybe it's me. I don't get it
Afrika Bambaataa
2/5
Same tempo for all but one song plus the exclusive use of 808s kind of tinted this for me. I need some variation.
Super Furry Animals
2/5
Eeeeeh. This was fine for a brit pop record. But I wouldn't say it's iconic in any way
The Smiths
1/5
The way he talks about meat makes me hungry for a cheeseburger. Fuck Morrissey
Radiohead
5/5
Perfect from start to finish. A masterpiece that is socially relivant, smart and timeless. A master class of the form.
Slade
2/5
It's like the Beatles, with zero finesse.
Pavement
3/5
While I was listening to this, I kept thinking it was really good. But then I noticed that I can't remember anything from it now that it's over. In fact, I am 90% sure I owned this on CD when it was new. But forgot all about it. That makes rating this really hard. It's good, but completely forgettable.
Snoop Dogg
4/5
This was more fun than it should have been. Despite the regrettable content, I enjoyed this a lot.
Oasis
3/5
Super mid. Weirdly mid considering what came next.
Suede
2/5
This came out in 1994?!? Holy derivative batman. I laughed about loud at the opening line of "The Wild Ones" so pretentious and yet cheesey at the same time. This is just awful.
Aphex Twin
2/5
Ooh I love my ugly boy
So rough and tough
Don't care about anything but me
Yes I just love him cause he's so crazy
Just crazy about me!
Otherwise this is repetitive trash.
Dirty Projectors
1/5
Bletch. This hipster garbage sucks. Eeech.
Mercury Rev
3/5
This was alright. I wish it went somewhere more often. But I mostly liked this.
Iggy Pop
2/5
Drugs are bad kids!
The Pogues
4/5
This is not my kind of music but I respect the hell out of this.
Wild Beasts
3/5
I didn't mind the singing on this and I've heard worse Indie music. But like most Indie music it just sort of sits there. Happening at me.
Public Enemy
4/5
Super fun to go back and listen to this again. It's been since the middle 90s since I've heard this one. It's not quite as good as some of their other early work. But a blast none the less.
Hookworms
3/5
This was fine. I liked parts of it.
Wire
3/5
Good punk.
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
2/5
This record is okay, until it's not. How much fuck around time does one album need? Here it's half.
Brian Eno
3/5
I get this. But I could have used a little more standard sign writing to pull me in.
Waylon Jennings
3/5
Quick in and out. Not bad.
The Zutons
2/5
I forgot about this record WHILE IT WAS PLAYING. That's how unmemorable it is.
Bob Dylan
4/5
It's Dylan. Not a lot to say that hasn't been already.
Astrud Gilberto
2/5
It's hard to believe this isn't a joke.
Butthole Surfers
3/5
I wish this had a little more structure. I love the weirdness. But just a little more song structure would make this really great.
Joan Baez
1/5
This is super extra not for me. Like, I'm sure someone finds this amazing or whatever but to me just a waste of time. There's nothing here!
Nirvana
5/5
This record is likely in the top 20 of all time across all genres. Nevermind gets a ton of love, and that's great. But In Utero if a step beyond.
The Rolling Stones
2/5
2 good tracks and a ton of filler. At least this thing is short.
The Dave Brubeck Quartet
5/5
Awesome jazz that shouldn't be considered entry level but is
Lightning Bolt
2/5
Tons of potential, very little delivery. You have to provide SOMETHING for people to latch onto.
Justin Timberlake
1/5
Like. When they were done recording, did anyone think maybe to cut the shit songs and only put in what they knew would hit? This is a 2 star, lowered to a 1 on account of it being OVER AND HOUR LONG!
Beastie Boys
4/5
Juvenile but extremely socially relevant. I like some of these tracks quite a bit even if this is not for me. But this record is one of those records that everyone knows.
Lloyd Cole And The Commotions
2/5
Standard 80's pop. Only picked because the editors are British.
The Flaming Lips
4/5
This is a great record that drags a little in the middle.
Janis Joplin
3/5
Okay. Not great. But okay.
Simon & Garfunkel
3/5
Sleepy boomer music. I'm sure it was groundbreaking at the time.
Simon & Garfunkel
2/5
Another record by these two taking a spot from one of the many bands with no record on this list. It's a shame.
Stereolab
4/5
More here than I expected. Sure there is plenty of untsts untsts untsts. But the songs have more to them than just that. Kind of liked this.
Milton Nascimento
3/5
This started really well but I struggled to stay interested as it went on. I'm planning on listening to more to see if it was my mood.
Spacemen 3
1/5
2 hours of droning. That's what there is here. It's fucking bullshit.
Kraftwerk
4/5
This isn't as good as their first record. It's not as catchy. But still a banger of an album
Roxy Music
3/5
Eeeeeh. This is fine I guess. Nothing really stood out to me.
Buzzcocks
4/5
This is hella good punk. I was sick today when I listened to it and the snarl made me happy for a bit.
The xx
1/5
I can't imagine how seeing this live would be any good at all. Nothing happens and everyone is whispering. This is lame.
Circle Jerks
4/5
This record does not mess around. Every song has a point, and they make it without wasting any time. I like this pretty good.
Arcade Fire
2/5
Always sort of been meh about Arcade Fire. Funeral is the record I've heard more than once. This is about the same as that one. Kind of just okay throughout.
Portishead
5/5
Portishead has to be one of the coolest bands of all time. And this record just oozes chill. It's truly amazing how it captures me.
Sex Pistols
4/5
This is a really fun record. The songs are catchy and the snarl is perfect. Accusations about the band being"manufactured" aside, these kids were actually punk. And they lived it. Which is sad.
The Byrds
1/5
Zzzzzzzzzzz. Zzz. Zzzzz. Zzzz.
Harry Nilsson
4/5
I had no idea I knew this guy so well. No idea how he has slipped past me this long. That lime in the coconut song sucks big time. But the rest of this is REALLY good
TV On The Radio
4/5
While Science and remaining light are better albums, TV's output is consistently amazing. This is a great band that never really clicked with a larger audience. It's too bad. Bands like this should be at the top of charts instead of what's there.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
1/5
Costello is so overrated. There is no excuse for how many of his records are in this list. They all suck. They are all forgettable. This one is no different. There are so many bands who aren't in this book and turds like Costello are just hanging her with 10 records. It's bullshit.
Beatles
4/5
I was going to do this whole bit about how this record was bad because the Beatles had gone hippie. But the reality is, these early records are fine, but not great. The significance of this release has been diminished by time. It's still good though.
Sisters Of Mercy
1/5
Rather forgettable. NOTHING here really stands out. Weird.
The The
1/5
This was bad. I don't have anything else to say. It was just bad.
OutKast
4/5
When this record hits, it's hits big. But when it stumbles.... woof it's bad. Half the run time would have gotten this thing a 5 star.
Can
4/5
Unexpected, super engaging, and beyond cool.
Calexico
4/5
I liked this waaaay more than I thought I would. Indie music gets such a bad wrap. And honestly, this shouldn't be lumped in with it. This blending of genres is exactly the kind of thing I like. This was great.
Supergrass
4/5
I miss alternative music. This is so fucking good. And it's not even a favorite artist of mine. It's great through and through.
Soundgarden
5/5
Grunge is such a bullshit title for any band. This one especially. This rocks. It's different and fucking awesome. It's a little long, but I'm not sure what they could have cut.
Frank Black
2/5
Ultimately this record is just boring. Which. Well it shouldn't be.
Neil Young
2/5
Just like every Neil Young album. Drab and pretentious.
The Isley Brothers
3/5
My wife was out of town yesterday when I listened to this and now she's pregnant...
Tom Waits
2/5
This one wasn't as good as some of the other Tom Waits I've heard. It's lacking something.
Stevie Wonder
4/5
So many certified bangers.
Lauryn Hill
1/5
I felt nothing but boredom. "Everything is Everything". Genius...
Björk
3/5
Okay. She gets weirder on future releases. Not sure if that is a good thing or not.
Bill Evans Trio
4/5
This was great but I still need more melody. I live the live feeling of this and the drum and bass are wonderful.
Ray Charles
3/5
Pretty good. But I like some of good other stuff better.
Fleetwood Mac
1/5
This record sucks so hard I had to go back and listen to Rumours to make sure I remembered correctly that it was the masterpiece I remember it being. Don't worry. It is. I get that it would be really hard to follow up with Rumors. But why make a double album of total shit? And all that money spent? Just wasted on this thing.
The Jesus And Mary Chain
2/5
This record is so forgettable I can't remember it and I finished it half an hour ago.
808 State
2/5
Not as bad as some of the other edm in here. And thankfully short.
Miles Davis
2/5
I'm clearly just not smart it cool enough to get this.
Tom Waits
2/5
I don't think this is his best.
Siouxsie And The Banshees
2/5
I did not like this. I like woman singers fronting rock bands bands so that was good. But the music here was just not good for me.
Cee Lo Green
1/5
This was mid. And it turns out the guy is a loser who beats women. So ...
Sabu
3/5
This was really fun. I wish there was more music like this on the list.
Bobby Womack
3/5
This isn't for me. Its alright. It feels kind of strange but I think that it probably didn't at the time?
Blondie
4/5
The hits on this are massive and I still have a crush on Debbie Harry all these years later.
Soft Machine
1/5
SMH. What a cruel joke. There is no excuse for this sort of noise. This isn't Prog. It's not Jazz. This is just TWO HOURS of fucking around.
Gotan Project
3/5
This would be a 4 star if it were half as long. The entire album is one idea, one sound, one very specific style. It's too monotonous after two tracks.
Isaac Hayes
4/5
Three killer tracks in a row and then a total dud.
Silver Jews
1/5
This album makes me wonder if I like music at all.
Mekons
2/5
This album had one idea.
Bonnie "Prince" Billy
2/5
Zzzzz zzzzz zzz zzzzzzz zzz.
The Doors
2/5
"I'm a backdoor man." "Ride the snake." Horny and shit poetry. The doors are overrated and gross.
Adele
1/5
It's okay to write a sparse track with powerful lyrics about something you feel passionate about. But 12 in a row? Naw dawg. Imma pass.
Brian Eno
3/5
Good. Not great. But good.
Napalm Death
5/5
This isn't my favorite album. But I had added multiple tracks from this album to my liked playlist before today. Added one more this time. It's awful in the best way.
N.E.R.D
3/5
Hmm. I didn't remember this group but they have a hit on another record I do remember. This record was okay. Nothing amazing but I liked it alright.
The Stranglers
2/5
I would call this punk. It's kind of boring rock with a slow something or other. It's not good though
Santana
2/5
Why was this so popular? He's a great guitar player but there is sooooo much wasted time throughout this thing. It's got zero direction.
Deep Purple
3/5
Good old fashioned boomer rock. Better than most. And if course those two massive hits help.
Drive Like Jehu
4/5
This record is a breath of fresh air. I loved it. I would be a 5 if it were shorter. Albums over an hour are just too much.
Grateful Dead
3/5
I've tried a few times to get into the dead. I've listened to the suggested soundboard recordings and I've listened to the studio records. It's all just meh. I think they may be overrated.
Aimee Mann
1/5
Sterile, boring, radio friendly slop. The cover is awesome so I'm bummed. But I'd expect to hear this at my dentist office
Skepta
5/5
Oddly, I like a lot of Grime when I'm exposed to it and yet I never seem to seek it out. This was good. I really liked it. Flows were good. I could have used more production on the music side of things but that's a minor nitpick. I still really don't get the obsession with Japanese culture. It's rather cringe but doesn't get in the way enough to be a huge issue. Wu Tang had the same problem.
Public Enemy
4/5
A classic. Not much to say here about it. I wish it were a little shorter. But awesome nice the less.
The Undertones
3/5
This is fine for punk. It just hasn't aged well. I don't know off hand if it was revolutionary at the time. But it just sounds like everything else.
Gorillaz
3/5
I really struggle with the Gorillaz the same way I struggle with Blur. The great songs are legit 10/10 bangers. But there is so much filler that I can't get into it. All in all this is a good album. But those bangers. Holy shit they go so hard.
Teenage Fanclub
2/5
The music is as generic as it's cover.
R.E.M.
5/5
Once of the best bands of the last 50 years and I think they are underrated. This album is packed with classics. Easy 5 stars here.
T. Rex
2/5
I'm not cool enough to get this.
Sparks
3/5
I really liked this, for half of it. But the sctick got old about half way through and started getting in my nerves.
Fever Ray
4/5
Really dig this record. Not sure if I had ever listened all the way through before. It was nice to do so now.
Sigur Rós
5/5
This album is so cool it's frozen. It makes you wait for every note. And I love it for that.
Stan Getz
3/5
Mercifully short. I get that this was a had and all but that doesn't mean this was actually good.
The Who
5/5
It's a classic blablabla wherever they peed on the obelisk yadda yadda yadda.
Deee-Lite
1/5
Fuck this album. God damn fuck this record.
The Rolling Stones
2/5
I just don't get the Stones. These songs aren't good.
Echo And The Bunnymen
2/5
100% forgettable. I actually had to go look at the song list this morning before writing this review. For a minute there I thought I hadn't listened to it.
Iron Butterfly
1/5
The poster child of one hit wonder. This record sucks. And so does the hit. Uh oh.
Ms. Dynamite
2/5
This was pretty paint by numbers. Especially for the early 2000s.
Lucinda Williams
1/5
This is somehow the most generic thing I have ever heard while also sounding like cats being strangled. This may be the most grating record I have heard.
Beastie Boys
3/5
I hadn't heard this whole record before. I like the Beastie Boys hits usually so I expected a decent time. Sadly not this time. There just isn't anything here for me. But that's okay. I think this one is just okay. For me.
The Jam
3/5
Being born in 1980, I somehow missed the first wave of punk and New Wave. I am sure it was mind blowing at the time. But this has not aged well. It's SHOCKINGLY dated. I understand why people love it though. One of my favorite records is Pretty Hate Machine by NIN. Also sounds very dated. I tried... I just couldn't get into this.
Country Joe & The Fish
2/5
I didn't really like this. I think I could smell the band through my phone. It was just too much hippie.
Morrissey
1/5
Fuck Morrissey.
The Smiths
1/5
I had a Morrissey album yesterday. This has to be some sort bad luck right? How is this guy on this list so much?
Fuck Morrissey.
Leonard Cohen
4/5
I don't think this is as good as some of his other work. Yes that opening track is a legit banger. But being compared to Black Star by Bowie maybe is a bit of a reach. In the end, this is solid but there are better Cohen records out there.
Jimi Hendrix
3/5
There is a lot of wasted time on this thing. Just noises and screeches. Get to the actual music Jimi!
Van Morrison
4/5
I 100% forgot this record! And it's really great!
Gene Clark
2/5
Screeching cats in a bag are more melodic.
The Kinks
2/5
This isn't bad. But it's not what I would consider good either. It's just sort of there. Somehow just this lifeless thing that wants to be weird.
The Sonics
2/5
So forgettable.
Stephen Stills
2/5
I mean... Woof. He really needs Crosby, Nash, and Young to make this work. This is just naval gazy garbage.
The Killers
4/5
Some really good tracks here. When this landed it was everywhere and kind of annoyed me. Now that we're past the hype I can say, it's not bad.
k.d. lang
2/5
Adult contemporary is a hilarious genre name. It's like she want trying to make music. This album is like she isn't even trying.
Jeru The Damaja
4/5
The production on this is killer. Super lush all the way through. I really liked this one and I'm adding it to my rotation.
Q-Tip
4/5
I had heard of Q-Tip but had never heard his music before. Holy crap this was really good. It's funky it's got a great flow. This is like REALLY GOOD.
Kraftwerk
3/5
I didn't love this one as much as some of the others on this list. Maybe there are fewer unique sounds? I'm not sure. It's good, not great.
The Adverts
3/5
This is good punk. Still not my favorite, but good.
Thundercat
2/5
I appreciate weird. But it has to be paired with substance. And this has none. It's just boring.
The Who
2/5
Good. Not great. I think maybe there is too much Who on this list and this is the one that could have been left off.
Haircut 100
1/5
How is something this lame so long?
The Shamen
2/5
It's worse than the music that Ross made in that episode of Friends.
Jeff Buckley
3/5
I don't know about this one. Parts were good but there felt like a lot of water space.
Sheryl Crow
2/5
So adult contemporary I can feel the denim rush against my skin
Bon Jovi
2/5
Never been a fan. This is just too cheesy.
Fred Neil
2/5
Cool voice and there is that one massive hit. But the rest? Eeeeh
CHIC
1/5
Thankfully short record. But the songs are so long and there is no real definition during them. It's ready to just say disco sucks. And it does. But this record wouldn't be good anyway. Nothing really happens in most of these tracks.
The Incredible String Band
1/5
Jesus Christ. Fuck anyone who had anything to do with this. This record makes me hate dirty stinky hippies much more than I already did. God damn it makes me so mad.
Fairport Convention
3/5
The first disc of this was surprisingly good. The original material I mean. I expected to dislike this but it was alright.
D'Angelo
2/5
I get it. This is like THE record to have sex too. But at 53 minutes 16 seconds long, what is anyone supposed to do with the other 51 minutes and 15 seconds? Talented? Absolutely. Wasteful? Also yes.
Dr. Octagon
2/5
The actual rap is fine here. The beats suuuuuck though. They are biting as hell.
Justice
4/5
I didn't expect to enjoy this but it was really good. It's still a lot of repeating blips and bloops but there is enough variation here to keep me interested.
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
1/5
This sucks.
Manic Street Preachers
3/5
Really dug the music. But despite watching BBC television my entire life, I can't understand anything the singer is saying. It was almost comical how few words I picked up listening to this.
Buena Vista Social Club
4/5
The first half was better than the second. But this was great.
Pere Ubu
1/5
Total waste of time.
The Everly Brothers
1/5
To bad these boys couldn't say what they really wanted...
Hugh Masekela
4/5
Taking one star off for the length. This is great. Just a little too long
Ozomatli
3/5
I've heard much better Latin albums that probably would have been better for this book
Baaba Maal
3/5
The early 90s based keyboard instruments quite literally ruin the songs they are in. I was around then and can say 100% for sure they sounded like crap then. They sound like crap now. This album good. But it REALLY suffers from the synth they used at the time.
George Michael
4/5
Lots of earworms on this one. Soooo horney. Holy cow.
Judas Priest
3/5
It's just so cheesy. I love metal. I love all the flavors. And I love this. But I was a teenager when grunge hit and this just couldn't age well against the grittier types of music that came after.
Dagmar Krause
3/5
Holy hell this is weird. And I am here for it. I am not sure I would put this on my regular listen list or anything but I really love how off the wall this is. It's almost like what I would assume Klingon opera would actually sound like.
Public Image Ltd.
2/5
I don't need verse chorus verse to have a good time. Weird albums are often something I look forward to. But this is just aimless noise with nothing really holding it together.