1001 Albums Summary

Some timeless classics

meh!

Never heard of Wire before and I'm not surprised - mediocre punk, lacks the raw energy and excitement of other punk bands.

Experimental, definitely not mainstream. Could be improved with a joint or two.

It has some good songs, but I always thought that it was a bit pretenious and self-indulgent - my opinion hasn't changed.

Didn't like The Smiths in the 80s and I still don't like them. The title of their 1984 single "Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now" sums up how I feel after listening to this album. Pretensious self-righteous twaddle. Anyone whinks that The Smiths were great should listen to "Frankly, Mr Shankly" - surely, they're taking the piss.

I was expecting pure metal, but the album is actually quite melodic in places. Nothing that grabs me.

A classic, featuring the eponymous 1999, the brilliant Little Red Corvette, and the hypnotic Automatic.

Pleasant, with a couple of stand out tunes. Would make good background music for when I'm working.

Straddles the border between genius and insanity, veers between radical and self-indulgent.

A classic Cream album with two of their most famous tracks "Sunshone Of Your Love" and "Tales of Brave Ulysses", but also with the totally weird "Mother's Lament".

Are they called The Cardigans because they're a bit wooly? Defintely the strangest and most uninspired version of Iron Man that I've ever heard.

One of my all time favourite albums including the stupendous tracks Baba O'Reilly, Won't Get Fooled Again, and Behind Blue Eyes. I was never much of a fan of the Who, but these three tracks are outstanding.

I've not listened to Alice In Chains before and they'r enot bad. A cross between the heavy metals riffs of metal kings Black Sabbath and the harmonies of Wishbone Ash. I like them and might even get the album.

Too repetitve. I like electronic music and I'm a big fan of Tqangerine Dream, but this is electronic baby food for the ears.

I can see the attraction but it's not for me - I wouldn't turn it off though.

I can see whey this album was largely ignored by critics and the public at the time of its release - the big mystery is how it got on this list.

Surely there are better Elvis Costello albums? Apart from "Watching The Detectives" - which wasn't on the original album - I don't think that I've heard any of these tracks before. Average.

Great stuff - full of energy and life. Irish Folk-Punk at its finest. Loved it.

Definitely not a timeless classic - it sounds like a cross between The Damned and The Stranglers, and very much late 1970s / early 1980s.

boring soft jazz-rock-folk - baby food for the ears.

Saw Devo live at Knebworth in 1978 - definitely a Marmite band. Who can forget the quirky (I Can't Get Me No) Satisfaction, the controversial Mongoloid ,and the definitive Devo track Jocko Homo?

I wouldn't listen again through choice, but I would listen if there was no other option. Some songs are quite pleasant but not really my type of music.

Sounds good until the singing starts - sounds like th singer is in pain. Spotifiy played Warsaw by Joy Division song after playing this album and in comparison it seemed like a happy song.

Not a fan of this particular Neil Young album, especially folloing on from "After The Goldrush" and "Harvest" - both of which I prefer.. Yes, some of the songs show real emotion, but to my ears, the vocals on some of the tracks sound off.

Always liked Depeche Mode, but I wasn't familiar with any of the songs on this album. Not bad, but not great.

Not really a jazz fan, but this album has the classic "Blue Rondo à la Turk" and the unforgettable "Take Five"; the rest of the album - meh!

Liked the opening blues track. Some of the other tracks sound like they're very much of the 60s but not too bad. Some tracks remind me why I never really got into Captain Beefheart.

Interesting album. First couple of tracks are reminiscent of the Rolling Stones, but then you get the haunting We Will Rock, and then it morphs into a proto-punk, some years before "proper" punk arrived on the scene.

Pleasant, but not exciting. Wouldn't switch it off, but wouldn't play it by choice, and I would not be upset if I never heard it again. I'm not surprised that I'd never heard of this band before today.

Wikipedia describes this as Psychedelic / Progressive Soul / Funk - I'd describe it as inoffensive soulful funky lift music and nothing to write home about.

A couple of great tracks, but I prefer the earlier Talking Book and Innervisions albums. There are a couple of standout tracks including Isn't She Lovely, As, and Pastime Paradise which was later covered by Coolio as Gangsta's Paradise.

A couple of good tracks, but most are just a whining Jewish-American intellectual.

Started off like 70's funk, but it's a interesting mix of ragga, reggae, dub, latin, and ska. I liked it.

It's beginning to sound a bit dated now, but it's fared a lot better than most of the punk albums from that era.

Haven't listened to this in years. This type of soft-rock is beginning to sound a bit dated now, but still a few stand-out classics such as "Show Me The Way", "Baby, I Love Your Way" and "Do You Feel Like We Do".

Classic big-band music. Personally, I've never seen the point of it, but I beleive it was very big in the 30s, 40s, and 50s.

Is it me, or does all hip-hop sound the same? The game seems to be to try to spot the sample.

It's hard to believe that this is now more than 40 years old, so I guess that's why it doesn't sound as fresh and exciting as it did back then. Abit dated, but still good.

Apart from a few tracks such as "Sara" and the quirky "Tusk", I thought that this was a pretty lacklustre album, certainly not as good as "Rumours".

Quirky, harmless, not exciting; not sure how NME gave this an "album of the year" award

I never understood the attraction of C&W, but I was surprised by the snetiments expressed by the lyrics of the title track. Otherwise, not an album for me.

Beginning to sound a bit dated now, but it's still a classic. An historic album.

Country and Western of the worst type - lot's of twanging guitars. Hate It

It's French. Need I say more?

You can tell it's from the 60s. Lot's of harmonies, but some experiemtal stuff as well.

Classic songs from The Temptations

Quirky - hard to assign to a particular genre; some tracks are like C&W performed by Lou Reed. Some tracks feel a bit pretentious.

Part of the soundtrack of life in the late 90s, early 00s. Includes the ubiquitous "Praise You", plus the classic "Right Here Right Now".

How is this spce-rock? Hawkwind are spce-rock! This is quite pleasant, a bit spaced-out maybe, but that's it.

Vocals are very reminiscent of David Bowie, overall sound is quite pleasant - not rock, but not pop either.

Interesting, like a funky version of Santana.

Not the album cover that I remember! Classic Hendrix at his best - Crosstown Traffic, Voodoo Chile, Gypsy Eyes, All Along The Watchtower, and Voodoo Child (Slight Return).

Rock? Folk- rockmaybe, although given that they're American, country-rock is probably more appropriate. And they try to be funny on some tracks, but fail miserabvly. I can understand why I've never heard of this band before.

Not sure why this particular Traffic album was chosen - hopefully some of the others will make an appearance later on. Very 1960's but hints of what's to come.

Didn't like it. Rock should be exciting - this is boring.

I was never a deadhead for some reason, Not quite what I was expecting from a band that was once one of the loudest in the world. Reminded me of Man but more "mellow" if you know what I mean. Would I buy it - probably not, but I would definitely listen again.

Based on the first track, I was anticpating yet another uninspiring punk album, but it was better than that. Nothing really grabbed my attention though.

I liked it. Similar to Faithless and The xx.

Some Dylan classics - "Subterranean Homesick Blues", "Mr. Tambourine Man", and "It's All Over Now, Baby Blue". I also quite liked "It's Alright, Ma (I'm Only Bleeding)" which I'd nevert heard before.

Undecided. Quirky, moody. Previously, I was only familair with the Johnny Cash cover of "Hurt".

Some of the tracks sound so dated, but then they are almost 60 years old! Apart from "Over, Under, Sideways, Down" I've never heard any one these songs before.

It's Slipknot - do I need say anything else?

I was already very familiar with the opening track "Wordy Rappinghood", but the other tracks were new to me. More of the same: strange, quirky, avant garde - mixed feelings.

Apart from the brilliant and controversial title track, the rest of the album is uninspiring.

Intesring mix of styles, mainly singer-songwriter, but opening with an arabic sounding song, and including some in an opeartic style. Not really my style of music, but pleasant background mudic.

Starts off as punk-rock, but then morphs into some sort of country-rock. Not impressed.

The tracks "Astronomy Domine" and "Interstellar Overdrive" are portents of greatness to come. Other tracks, including "Flaming" and "Bike", are typical of the psychedelic music of that era.

I'm not a C&W fan, but that voice is just amazing. I wasn't familiar with most of these songs, but I liked them; I never knew that Johnny Cash did a cover of "Green, Green Grass of Home". The album captures the atmosphere of the concert succinctly.

This album is older than me! Historic slice of American folk-blues.

Four stand-out tracks: "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'", "Thriller", "Bbeat It", and "Billie Jean", but then you have the naff "The Girl Is Mine" - even so, a stupendous album.

Quite pleasant, but nothing special. I'd never heard of Nick Drake before - it seems that he only made three records before his premature death.

Interesting mix of musical styles and languages. I preferthe reggae tracks.

Quite good, but not outstanding - would make a good support group, but I wouldn't pay to see them.

I had to occasionally remind myself that this was Bruce Springsteen and not Bob Dylan, but I prefer this "Americana" style to his rock.

I'm not usually a jazz fan, but this is quite funky in places, mellow in others - very enjoyable.

Apart from "Common People" the album is pretty average.

Angry rap metal. Brilliant, especially "Killing In The Name Of"

Another classic album from "The The".

What can I say? The title track is perfection.

What can I say? This was their debut album and yet it contained such amazing and groundbreaking songs, such as "Break On Through", "light My Fire", and "the End", not too mention ""The Crystal Ship", and "Alabama Song".

Not my favourite Talking Heads album - the only highlight is the classic "Psycho Killer".

The production might be great, but I prefer the energy of their earlier albums.

More classic music from The Doors: the rocking "Roadhouse Blues", plus the moody "Waiting for the Sun" and "The Spy".

Although I was never a big rock 'n' roll fan, this is part of my musical history. Without the likes of Little Richard (and others) we would never have had the music we have today. Revolutionary!

This album doesn't contain any of their big hits (as far as I'm aware); some tracks sound like The Beatles, while others are a bit country and western in style, with a couple of very experimental tracks thrown in. Interesting.

A mix of Irish/Scottish folk and rock, but neither one nor the other. Not bad, but not great either. I keep expecting each song to turn into their big hit "The Whole of the Moon"

Very strange album. Slovenian death metal with Queen covers and songs in German.

I've never "got" Hip-Hop. Boring!

I wouldn;t have classified this as hip-hop. Interesting mix of styles and samples.

Many have covered "Without You", but perdonally I don't think that anyone has bettered the Nilsson version. Anumber of very commercial songs, e.g. "Gotta Get Up", and "Jump Into The Fire", plus the rather annoying "Coconut".

Classic ZZ Top, contains the signature "La Grange".

The ultimate Hawkwind album and one of the best live albums ever.

Dark, sombre, and moody - classic Joy Division. Love it!

The album that inspired countless musicians. Some tracks are a little bit too experimental for my taste, but there's a couple od stand-out tracks like "Venus In Furs".

I thought that Taylor Swift was C&W, but I had to check that the opening track "Welcome Yo New York" wasn't Lady Gaga; the entire album was pop music and could have been by any female artist, Not bad, but nothing blew me away either.

Loved the bluesy "The Fun Lovin' Criminal".Interesting corss between hip-hop, blues, funk, rap, and rock.

Dated. Some of the tracks sounded like they were from the soundtrack of a Western movie.

I didn't realise that punk was still a thing in 1995, although "Mansize Rooster" sounds like it could have been inspiration for the Kaiser Chiefs. I quite like the classic "Alright" but didn't realise it was by Supergrass - if pushed I would have said Blur or Squeeze. Pretty average on the whole.

Probably groundbreaking at the time, but not for me, although I quite liked "Easy Money".

Not a fan of C&W, and not a fan of this albu,m.

To me a lot of American punk bands seemed to be fake and just trying to attract attention with their "look at me I'm a bad boy" antics designed to shock - this band is no exception and it hasn't aged well.

Who? Pleasantly boring.

She blew me away when she appeared on Live Aid and I bought this album on the Monday. It's still relevant and still a great album.

Never understood the attraction.. Includes the iconic "I'm A Man", but little else of interest.

1970's soul/r&b/funk. Pleasant enough but not earth shattering - no "Move On Up", or "Superfly".

Groundbreaking album: the eponymous track "Exodus" is brilliant, as is "Jamming", "Waiting In Vain", and the "One Love / People Get Ready" medley.

It's hard to beleive that this album is over 50 years old - it's still a great album. The opening track "Take It Easy" is timeless.

I was never a big Bruce Springsteen fan and could never see what all the fuss was about. That said, this album contains the classic Springsteen tracks "Born in the U.S.A.", "I'm on Fire", and "Dancing in the Dark".

Very likeable English folk music. I was familiar with the title track "Pink Moon", but not the other songs. Quite liked it.

Not bad, but top 1000? I don't think so, as it's nothing special.

It's from the 80's - lots of synthesizers and drum machines. It's OK.

Great album, includes two of my favourite R.E.M. tracks "It's The End Of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)" and "The One I Love".

Not really my type of music - it does nothing for me.

Being white, middle-class, and British, I guess that I'm not really part of the target audience which is fine with me because all sound the same to me.

A masterpiece.

I just don't get Hip-Hop, but some people obviously do and that's fine - each to their own. Just not for me.

Soft Hip-Hop? Boring.

A cheerful version of Joy Division, but boring. Just a wall of noise.

Not a big Johnny Cash fan, but what more needs to be said about his magnifcant version of "Hurt"? It's such a powerful song anyway, but with his voice, the tempo, and the backing track - it achieves new heights; this song always sends shivers down my spine. An album mainly of covers, his singing on some tracks is not good, but a fitting obituary to the man in black.

The queen of Soul/R&B - what a voice! Not necessarily the best selection of her songs, but it includes the incomparable "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman", and her version of the gospel classic "People Get Ready" (later also covered by Bob Marley).

Average, nothing special.

Who? Amercian country-folk singer. Nothing to get excited about.

I quite liked it. Reminiscent of both White Stripes and Cream.

Meh! It's OK, but nothing really grabs my attention.

Boring crooning.

Various C&W and folk music standards from the 50's and 60's reworked by Ray Charles in various styles including R&B, pop, and jazz. Not for me.

Apart from the odd Van Morrison track, I've never been a fan of his rock/jazz/blues/soul blend.

Apart from "Orange Crush", I wasn't familiar with anything on this album, but I quite like the album.

Reminds me of Bad Company, with touches of Rod Stewart and the Faces, with a bit of Led Zeppelin blues thrown in for good measure. I liked it.

Does nothing for me.

Paul Weller was in The Jam before he was in The Style Council - you couldn't get two totally different groups. The Style Council are a strange mix of jazz, soul, and funk. Not for me.

Interesting - what Black Sabbth would sound like if they did the blues? Also reminds me a little bit of Stray.

I don't see what all the fuss is about?

Unable to listen to the album on Spotify as it's only available with a premium subscription, but I assume it's up to Neil Young's usual high standards.

Although I can't stand Oasis as a band, especially the Gallagher brothers, there's no denying that their music is brilliant.

Experimental or pretentious? Curious mix of art-rock/pop/funk/jazz. Not really a fan.

Three tracks stand head and shoulders above the rest: "Lucky Man", the hypnotic "Bitter Sweet Symphony", and the heart wrenching "The Drugs Don't Work".

Supposedly one of the classic 4, but this album in nway is as good as "Talking Book" or "Innervisions".

It's Motörhead with Lemmy! The title track "Ace of Spades" defined a genre, but the other tracks sound pretty sameish to me.

Space-Rock? I don't think so. Not bad, but not great.

Is it metal, punk, or rap or some combination of all three? They can't seem to make up their mind and neither can I - some tracks are boring, and some are meh, but nothing really grabs me.

Never heard of this band and I can see why. Continues to receive critical acclaim - from who? Based on the number of plays on Spotify, the only people that listen to this album are redirected from here. Hippy experimental music music reminiscent of early Pink Floyd, but not as good.

I don't see the influences from Bruce Springsteen or Neil Young and Crazy Horse - more like a mellow Bob Dylan. But I quite like the album.

I was never really big on the Rolling Stones. There's "Tumbling Dice" of course, but apart from this, "Shake Your Hips", and "Ventilator Blues", this album doesn't seem to have a lot going for it. In my opinion, it definitely isn't one of their best.

Steely Dan light. I was never a big Steely Dan fan, although I liked some of their stuff. This album does nothing for me apart from make me drowsy.

I remember when this album came out and how revolutionary it was. Some of the tracks are beginning to sound a bit dated now, but "Too High" and "Higher Ground" are still relevant. The stand out track, of course, is "Living for the City" which even by today's standards is stupendous in its scope, and unfortunately, is more relevant than ever.

Unable to listen to album without upgrading to Spotify Premium! Album contains the classic "Cinnamon Girl", "Down By The River", and "Cowgirl In The Sand" (all of which I have on the "Decades" album). Classic Neil Young.

A strange mix of rock and ska-funk. I just don't understand how this is rated as one of the top 1001 albums?

Typical mid-70s soul-funk. You had to be there I guess.

Interesting. 60's folk-rock-pop with a bit of psychedelia and some country thrown in for good measure.

I'm a fan of Neil Young, but the guy has made some many albums over the years, it's hard to keep track. I'd never heard this album before, although the opening track "Walk On" seemed familiar. I liked it.

Boring. I was expecting C&W and didn't even get that.

Country music that's older than me! Some of the songs show their roots in Irish folk music, but mostly this is the type of country music that I can't stand - twanging guitars, whiney vocals, and depressing lyrics.

Obviously very talented singer-songwriter, just not really my type of music.

Pretentious twaddle.

I wasn't a big fan of this album when it first came out, and I'm still not a fan.

Contains the singles "Accidents Will Happen" and "Oliver's Army", but the rest of the album isn't bad either.

A great album, one of U2's best. For me the stand-out tracks are "Sunday Bloody Sunday" and "New Year's Day", but I also like "Drowning Man" and "40".

What can be said about the classic "Good Times" - a staple of any party in the late 70s / early 80s, and still played today. But apart from "My Feet Keep Dancing", the rest of the album is meh.

More 1960s folk-psychedelic-rock - it all sounds so dated now.

I find gangsta rap confusing. I understand where they're coming from, but to me there doesn't seem to be any real anger - a bit like American punk - it just seems to be designed to shock rather than start an uprising.

There's no doubting their influence on punk, but I wasn't a big fan in the 70s, and I'm still not really a fan. My favourite track is "Jet Boy" and I remember them performing this on the Old Grey Whistle Test.

Not sure. Reminds me of Yes, Caravan, Camel, and various other British prog-rock bands. Not bad, but nothing really excited me.

Interesting album, reminded me of OMD and Joy Division, but some tracks were more dance than electronica. Really liked "emotional haircut", and quite liked "black screen".

Although I was never a big Rolling Stones fan, what I can I say about this album? The opening track "Brown Sugar" is an all-time classic. I also quite like "Wild Horses". I also like the blues tracks, such as "Can't You Hear Me Knocking", "You Gotta Move", and "I Got The Blues".

Hip-Hop meets Gansta Rap. Not for me.

Apart from the timeless "Waterloo Sunset" I was unfamiliar with the rest of this album, even though "Death of a Clown" was also released as a single in 1967. Quite pleasant, but except for the aforementioned "Waterloo Sunset", I wasn't really that enamoured with the album.

That voice! Blues-Rock. I really liked the album - I especially liked the laid back "Graveyard Train" and "Keep On Chooglin'". The album also features their hit "Proud Mary".

A classic album. It was so different to everything else at the time that it took me some time before I liked it. The original UK version of the album didn't include their hit single "Virginia Plain" but the US version did, as did later UK versions.

I've never heard of this band before and I didn't remember hearing anything from the album before but "Party Fears Two" seems vaguely familiar. Didn't like it, and thought it was a bit boring. Going by the number of Spotify plays, not many other people like this album either.

Another great blues rock album from CCR. Includes their hits "Green River" and the timeless classic "Bad Moon Rising".

I was and I am still not a Frank Zappa fan, especially the jazz-fusion style of this predominantly instrumental album, as exemplified by the track "Peaches en Regalia" which is familiar from various compilation albums. The only non-instrumental is "Willie the Pimp" and features vocals by Captain Beefheart. Some tracks, especially "The Gumbo Variations", reminded me of the album "Between Nothingness & Eternity" by the Mahavishnu Orchestra.

Wikipedia says that the group's music is alternative country/country rock/folk blues and it's none of these and all of these at the same time - it's quite unique. Recorded in a church around a single microphone with no edits, mixing, or overdubs, the sound has a very natural sound, and the vocals from Margo Timmins are ethereal. I liked the album, especially "Blue Moon Revisited (Song for Elvis)". Music to chill to.

What can I say, one of the best live albums ever. Still one of my favouritetes.

Interesting album. It's not quite depressing, and not very angry, but you can feel the lead singer's pain.

This album popularised Bossa Nova in 1964 - it's now 2023 and it's not popularising Bossa Nova in our house. Boring.

A much underated album in my opinion - it contains such classics as "My Sweet Lord", "Wah-Wah", "Isn't It A Pity", and "Beware of Darkness", plus "if Not For You" ( A cover of a Bob Dylan song) and the title track "All Thnigs Must Pass". So many great songs, and his death was such a tragic loss to music.

A superb album - an album that everyone should own. The standout tracks for me are "Matty Groves" and "Tam Lin", plus the hauntingly beautiful "Crazy Man Michael". Sandy Denny's vocals are sublime and her untimely death was a tragedy.

Wikepedia gives the genre as "Post-Hardcore, Indie Rock, Noise Rock" - of these "Noise Rock" seems to be the most appropriate for this truly depressing album. The album's only claim to fame that I can see seems to be that one of the tracks, "Bulletproof Cupid", was used in the "Need for Speed: The Run" video game soundtrack. Not sure how this got into the "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die" list?

Liked it, especially their hit "Sex on Fire".

Tango had a threesome with Jazz and Classical giving birth to Nuevo Tango. Boring.

I'd never heard of Solomn Burke before today. Pure 1960's Soul/R&B - I liked most of the album.

French Jazz-Rap - I think that says it all. Two of my least favourite music genres combined and performed in French!

A great album which includes one of my all time favourite tracks by The Cure - the brilliantly bleak but hypnotic "A Forest" - you can just imagine being chased through a forest on a moonlit night. The album also includes crowd favourite "Play For Today".

Interesting debut "solo" album from a guitar legend which features Rod Stewart on vocals on several tracks. The highlight of the album is "I Ain't Superstitious", a Willie Dixon cover, but it's not the only cover on the album - other's include "You Shook Me", "Ol' Man River", and "Greensleeves". The album also includes "Beck's Bolero" which is actually credited to Jimmy Page.

Apart from the massive "Song 2" - woo-hoo! - and the hit single "Beetlebum", I wasn't overly impressed with this album and found some of the tracks a bit of a dirge.

I'm unable to listen to this album without upgrading to Spotify Premium. I have the tracks \"Carey\", \"Cailfornia\", and \"River\" on a greatest hits album, and of these three I really like \"Carey\".

Wikipedia gives the music genre as experimental rock / electronica / psychedelic rock; I would call it depressing pretentious rock suitable for use as the soundtrack of a bleak sci-fi movie set in some dystopian future. Although I quite liked "We Carry On" which reminded me a bit of Joy Division.

Apart from the legendary track "Suzanne", this is an album for fans of Leonard Cohen. I never understood why he was so popular because he sounded so depressing - it must have been a 1960's thing.

Moody, slightly depressing - were the 1990's really that bad? For me, "No Surprises" is the highlight with its haunting melody.

Funky soul from the masters - pure 1970's nostalgia. Noted for it's title track and their number one single "Family Affair".

Another album from LCD Soundsystem in the top 1001 albums? Not sure why? It just seems to be more dance-electronic-punk-rock, but nothing special, although I quite liked "North American Scum".

I've never got rap - to me all the tracks sound the same. Apart from their hit "Fight For Your Right", I don't see much to commend in this album. Some of the tracks sound like they could be Weird Al Yankovic parodies.

This was their debut album? Amazing! The highlight for me is "Metal Postcard (Mittageisen)", but I also liked "Jigsaw Feeling" and their cover of the Lennon-McCartney song"Helter Skelter".

The Young Gods are a Swiss band who sing in French. Wikipedia gives the genre as Industrial Rock, Dark Cabaret, Symphonic Metal, some might call it pretentious. I quite liked "Rue des Tempêtes" but could quite happily live without the rest of the album.

I like it. It's a strange mix of ambient, soul, blues, and funk, but good. Music to chill to.

Another CCR album - more rock / blues, and even some rock 'n' roll. I especially liked "Run Through the Jungle", and the classic "Up Around the Bend"; I also like their cover of "I Heard It Through the Grapevine".

Who? The album is meh, a mixture of confusing depressing folk rock country music recorded following the musician's release from a psychiatric hospital - it's obvious that he wasn't in a good place, mentally speaking and some tracks sound like he was heavily medicated. Why this is in the 1001 albums you must hear before you die is anyone's guess.

A welcome return to their sound from the mid-1980s, but a largely forgettable album. For me the highlight is "New York", but I also liked "Grace".

Contains the classic "Like a Rolling Stone" and "It Takes a Lot to Laugh, It Takes a Train to Cry".

Pure 1960s psychedelic rock - it hadn't aged well.

Metal. Nothing grabbed me.

Boring.

Pure Metallica. The title track is worth the price of the album by itself.

Pure Pet Shop Boys, but nothing really stood out for me.

Contains the beautiful "Who Knows Where the Time Goes?", plus "Si Tu Dois Partir" (a French version of Bob Dylan's "If You Gotta Go, Go Now"), and "A Sailor's Life". Sandy Denny's voice was angelic.

Not bad. I guess the album would be more relevant to me if I was female.

Most of this album is just noise and it gave me a headache. Wikipedia says that this "album furthered the band's move away from the no wave genre towards more traditional song structures, while maintaining an aggressively experimental approach" - what a load of pretentious bollocks. If this is their move to more tradional song structures then I hate to think how dreadful their earlier albums must have been.

I liked it - music to chill to. My faourite was the first track, "Water from a Vine Leaf", which reminded me of Enigma.

Not bad. Quirky, especially the vocals. It's different, but I don't really see what all the fuss was about.

Apart from the massive "Stay with Me", I wasn't a big fan back in the day, even though a lot of my friends raved about this album. I'm still not a really big fan.

Apparently their biggest hit was their cover of Neil Young's "Only Love Can Break Your Heart" - I think it's dreadful. As for the rest of this alternative dance / trip hop album, "Carnt Sleep" wasn't bad, but I wasn't impressed by "Nothing Can Stop Us" which apparently was a hit single in 1991.

WTF! Wikipedia gives the music genre as Shoegaze / Neo-Psychedelia / Noise Pop, and then defines Shoegaze as a subgenre of Indie and Alternative Rock characterized by its ethereal mixture of Obscured Vocals, Guitar Distortion and Effects, Feedback, and Overwhelming Volume - what a load of pretentious bullsh*t! It's just a wall of noise.

If you were a teenager or older in the 1970s you probably have a copy of this album. A classic album with so many great tracks. The epic title track was such a powerful song of love and hope, and still is, even today. Then there's "The Boxer", another great song, plus "Cecilia" and "El Condor Pasa (If I Could)"; all of these songs were part of the soundtrack for anyone living through the 1970s.

Quite pleasant. Dreamy folk-rock-pop.

Never heard of this band before, and Wikipedia says that this album wasn't a commercial success when it was released in 1978 (some 4 years after it was recorded) - I can't say I'm surprised. Depressing. Doesn't even make it to mediocre.

I wasn't a fan of this sort of jazz-rock-funk then, and I'm still not a fan today. The album is not unpleasant, but it just doesn't grab my attention.

I always thought of UB40 as more ska than reggae, butthis is a hardcore reggae dub album - loved it.

Another great album from Kate Bush, not one that I've heard before.

Sounds a bit dated now.

So many great songs, especially "Eleanor Rigby".

Apart from their massive hit "Walk This Way" with Aerosmith, I'm not a fan of hip-hop or rap-rock or whatever this is. First time I've ever heard the full-length version of "Walk This Way" and I loved it.

I remember seeing them perform "Dreamer" on The Old Grey Whistle Test and I bought the album the next day. Still one of my favourite albums of all time.

One of their better albums. Production wise this album is excellent. The first three tracks on the album "Where the Streets Have No Name", "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For", and "With or Without You" were all massive hits.

Very strange album. The track "Sweat Loaf" parodies the riff from Black Sabbath's "Sweet Leaf", while "Kuntz" samples a Thai country music song.

Not their best, but "Yellow".

Great album, especially the title track "Back in Black", and "You Shook Me All Night Long".

Sound quality is not to the standard one would expect from a live album these days, but it captures the essence of his performance. Some great songs - most of them classics.

I've never been a fan of country music, but I was familiar with the opening song "Time of the Preacher" from the BBC series "Edge of Darkness".

Great debut album with some absolutely stupendous tracks, including the classic "Sultans of Swing", plus "Down to the Waterline", "Water of Love", "In the Gallery", and "Wild West End".

I've heard the title track, "Moondance", before but never realised that it was by Van Morrison, but I've never really been a fan of this style of jazz rock.

A great album with so many great songs. My favourite song from the album is "Heartland" and I remember watching the video for this on MTV in the 1980s, but I also really like the title track "Infected".

Not a fan of Jazz, especially Jazz Funk. This album didn't do anything for me - elevator music.

It's like being transported back to the 1970s! I wasn't too keen on his style of jazz fusion, psychedelia and progressive rock back then, and I'm still not a fan.

The title track "Rio" was my introduction to Duran Duran and I immediately liked it. But you also have two of their massive hits "Hungry Like the Wolf" and "Save a Prayer" on the same album - great album.

Opens with the highly experimental "EXP", but also contains the massive "Little Wing", and one of my favourites, the heavy "If Six Was Nine". Other highlights include "Castles Made of Sand" and "Bold As Love".

I bought the single "Theme from Shaft" and it's still an amazing track, but for the rest of the album that Spotify allowed me to listen to - meh!

Not a fan of Rap, but I quite liked the controversial "Takeover" mainly due to it's sampling of "Five to One" by The Doors and the use of David Bowie's "Fame".

This album contains the classic "Love the One You're With" and features an impressive line-up of guest musicians. The rest of this Folk Rock album is OK, but apart from "Go Back Home", (which features Eric Clapton on electric guitar in superb form), it's nothing special.

This is not the sort of Soul music that I remember, this is Progressive Soul, Psychedelic Soul, possibly even Soul Jazz. There's no doubt in my mind that Isaac Hayes was a genius, but I'm not sure if this album is for me.

What can I say about this beautiful album. Some of John Lennon's finest work with so many great tracks: "Imagine", "Crippled Inside", and "Jealous Guy" are the stand-out tracks, but let's not forget "I Don't Want to Be a Soldier", "Gimme Some Truth", "Oh My Love", and "How Do You Sleep?".

Loved it. Will add this to my wishlist.

This is the type of Jazz that I just don't get - to me it's chaotic and lacks form, which are probably the same reasons why some people rave about it. Not for me.

Meh! Boring, mediocre at best. Please explain how this is in the top 1001 albums of all time?

A classic album, perhaps even more relevant today than when it was released.

I can't stand country music.

Quite pleasant in a dreamy sort of way, but doesn't excite me.

I wasn't a big Rod Stewart fan back in the day, but this album has the classic "Maggie May" which was the soundtrack to the summer of 1971, plus "(Find a) Reason to Believe" which was actually the A-side of "Maggie May".

Was never a big fan of Steely Dan's jazz rock style, but I quite liked "Rikki Don't Lose That Number".

Apart from the classic tracks "Somebody to Love" and "White Rabbit", this album also contains the stunningly beautiful "Today".

Apparently and according to Wikipedia, the genre for this album is Grime, but to me it could be Hip-Hop or Rap. Not too bad.

I just don't get Hip-Hop. The only track that I recognised was the annoying "The Magic Number".

Apart from the singles "Take On Me", "Hunting High and Low", and "The Sun Always Shines on T.V.", it's not bad, but nothing to write home about.

An album of mostly covers of other artist's songs. It's OK, but not great.

R&B with an electronic twist. It's different, but the tracks began to sound a bit samey.

A great album from the first lady of soul music. Features the classic track "Respect" written by Otis Redding.

Interesting album. Very 1970's, but advanced for it's time.

It's beginning to sound a bit dated now. Contains their hit "My Perfect Cousin".

Interesting album. Wikipedia classifies it as alternative / punk rock - it has the energy of punk but quite a few years after punk rock peaked. The vocals - some of which are in Spanish - vary in style, sometimes depressing, sometimes angry, often distorted. My favourite track is "Vamos" because of it's driving beat.

A superb album, full of great tracks: "Harvest", "Heart of Gold", "Old Man", and my favourite "The Needle and the Damage Done".

It's pleasant enough, but boring.

Meh!

I'm not a big fan of this style of progressive art rock, but it paved the way for others.

I just don't get it - I'm sure that for some people it expressed how they felt, but not for me. There's no much in the way of music to speak of, and the lyrics - if you can call them that - are depressing.

Interesting album. The first track "Walt Whitman's Niece" sounded like they were drunk, and the second track "California Stars" seemed to have the same tune as the first track? After that, the album settles down into a very pleasant folk rock / bluegrass album; I particularly liked "Way Over Yonder in the Minor Key". For me, Billy Bragg's vocals on "She Came Along to Me" sound awful.

Jazz - I just don't get it!

Pure Prince. For me, the best track is the title track "Sign o' the Times".

A mix of funk rock and rock rap - neither of which I particularly like. I quite liked the soft rock tracks "Breaking the Girl" and "I Could Have Lied", but otherwise I'm not a fan - and this is supposed to be their best album?

The majority of the album is so-so, a pleasant mix of pop-rock-soul-funk-jazz, very much an album from the 1980s. But then you have their hit "Money’s Too Tight (to Mention)" and the massive "Holding Back the Years" with Mick Hucknall's superb vocals.

Soft-rock-funk. Meh! Don't see what all the fuss is about.

Boring American country-rock.

Can white men play the blues? They most definitely can. Loved this album even though I'd never heard any of the tracks before.

The album that gave us "Candle in the Wind", "Bennie and the Jets", "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road", and "Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting". A classic album.

Musically it's OK - I suspect that it's the band's association with gay culture and the band's name that account for this album's inclusion. I wasn't impressed with their cover of Pink Floyd's "Comfortably Numb".

I just don't see what all the fuss is about - medicore at best.

Very strange mix of musical styles from a band I'd never heard of before today; Wikipedia gives their music genre as Cowpunk, Psychedelic Rock, Bluegrass, Folk, and Americana - they seem to be as confused as I am! Dreadful album.

They were yet to fully develop their songwriting, but there's a glimmer of the greatness to come, for example "All My Loving". Hell this was 1963, and this was only their second album. I also really liked "All I've Got to Do" and "I Wanna Be Your Man", plus their covers of "Till There Was You", "You Really Got a Hold on Me", and "Money (That's What I Want)".

A fabulous voice, it's just a shame that it's not really my type of music - pleasant but insipid jazz blues pop.

A classic album (and film) with so many great tracks: the title track "A Hard Day's Night", "I Should Have Known Better", "If I Fell", the beautiful "And I Love Her", the ebullient "Can't Buy Me Love", plus "Things We Said Today". Part of my soundtrack for the early 1960s.

A bit depressing. Quite liked "Hiding All Away" and "O Children".

Another Hip-Hop album, albeit from an English rapper (of Nigerian descent). Not as "in-your-face" as some other Hip-Hop albums, but I still just don't get it.

A great album. Opens with "Wouldn't It Be Nice", and continues with such great songs such as "Sloop John B" and "God Only Knows".

What an album, my favourite Yes album after "Close To The Edge". Opens with "Roundabout" and closes with "Heart of the Sunrise", with "Long Distance Runaround" and "The Fish (Schindleria Praematurus)" inbetween.

I don't know what to make of Radiohead - they capture the atmosphere of the UK in the 1990s and can sometimes sound depressing, but the overall sound and feel of the album is one that I like.

What a strange album - very 1970s (and so very dated). An album of covers of popular songs from the era heavily featuring bongo drums, conga drums, rock drums, and brass - includes their version of "Apache", "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida", "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction", and "Wipeout". Weird.

I'n not a big fan of this style of jazz-rock-blues, but you can hear echoes of ELP and other 70s prog-rock bands. Contains their hits "Spinning Wheel" and "You've Made Me So Very Happy" (a cover of a Brenda Holloway song). I liked their "Variations on a Theme" (an adaptation from Erik Satie's "Trois Gymnopédies") before the first version went into a weird big-band jazz style. I also quite liked their cover of Traffic's "Smiling Phases". The track "Blues – Part II" interpolates "Sunshine of Your Love" and "Spoonful".

The title track, "London Calling", defined a generation, but the rest of the album - which is a strange mix of various musical styles - doesn't live up to the promises made by the title track.

Opens with the classic "Blowin' in the Wind", and also includes "Girl from the North Country", "Masters of War", "A Hard Rain's a-Gonna Fall" and "Don't Think Twice, It's All Right".

Some of the songs on this album reminded me of other bands, but who influenced who is hard to say. Not the groundbreaking album that I was expecting, but not too bad either.

Spotify only lists two albums by Dagmar Krause, and this album isn't one of them. Wikipedia lists the genre as cabaret, jazz, avant-garde, so I doubt if I would I have liked this album anyway.

Surely one of the most influential albums of all time? I don't think that there's a single track on this album that isn't good.

Who knew Richard Hawley was a crooner? Not what I expected from someone who was such a important part of BritPop. It's pleasant enough, reminiscent of the 50's and early 60's, but it's all fairly innocuous and slightly boring. My favourite track was "The Ocean".

What can I say about this album? The opening track "Welcome to the Jungle" sets the scene for a great album, and the massive "Paradise City" and "Sweet Child o' Mine" confirm the greatness. It's just a shame that Axl Rose is such an egotistical twat.

What genre is this? Wikipedia says that the genre is Southern Hip Hop / Funk / Pop / Jazz-Funk / Avant-Soul / Progressive Rap which suggests to me that they don't know either! The album is boring and confusing - I just don't get it.

A lot more polished than some of their earlier albums. Contains the hits "Start!" and "That's Entertainment".

Wikipedia gives the music genre as Psychedelic Pop / Dream Pop / Indie Pop / Noise Pop - change pop to pap and you'd be close. Prentious boring noise!

Contains some of their biggest hits from the 1960s including "Monday, Monday" and "California Dreamin'".

Interesting album, varying styles, but all drum heavy (which isn't a bad thing). Liked the album, and particularly liked "Instinct Blues".

Allegedly one of the greatest albums of the 1990's, but not, in my opinion, stand-out great, although I quite liked the album. Alt-Rock / Grunge, very reminiscent of Nirvana, perhaps not surprising given that they shared the same producer. I quite liked "Cherub Rock", "Soma", and "Silverfuck".

Spotify wouldn't let me listen to the first three tracks without paying to upgrade. Mostly harmless, pleasant Soul / R&B, a flashback to the 1970s when this style of music was massive. The track "Just My Imagination" was a tad annoying because it sounded very similar to "Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me)" by The Temptations , which may or may not have been the intention.

Overall I preferred their next album, "Get Behind Me Satan", but this album contains the absolutely massive "Seven Nation Army". I also really liked "Ball and Biscuit" and "Hypnotize".

Not as jolly as some of their other albums, but "Our House" makes up for this.

Not to everyone's taste I know, but a groundbreaking album. The iconic "Walk on the Wild Side", plus the original version of "Perfect Day"; also worth a mention are "Vicious" and "Satellite of Love".

Sounds a bit dated now, but it captures some of the energy of the Punk era in the late 1970s. Quite liked "Identity" and especially like the title track "Germ Free Adolescents". On tracks like "I Live Off You", you can begin to hear the start of the Ska resurgence that followed.

I wasn't too sure what to expect from an album described as thrash / progressive metal, but I liked it - it's very musical in places. I really liked the almost an instrumental "To Live Is to Die".

Meh! I don't see what all the fuss is about? His cover of Soft Cell's "Say Hello Wave Goodbye" feels too slow.

In some respects my favourite Deep Purple studio album due to the outrageous opening track "Speed King", not to mention "Child in Time".

Like it, especially their hit "Take Me Out".

Different from earlier Abba albums, but quite pleasant - I liked it. For me, the stand-out track was their hit "One Of Us".

Apparently the defining album for the "shoegaze" genre? Pretentious, depressing, and boring, but I've heard worse.

Started a change in direction for Stevie Wonder, highlighted by the superb "Superstition"; also contains the hit "You Are the Sunshine of My Life".

The title track "Highway to Hell" is a great classic hard rock track; the rest of the album is also good, but not great, although I really liked "Beating Around the Bush".

The keyboards that open the first track "Back at the Chicken Shack" could be by any prog-rock or blues band from the late 1960s or early 1970s, but it soon evolves into a jazzy r&b style. Other tracks are more jazz than r&b. I liked it.

Hard rock from the late 1970s; the opening track "Runnin' with the Devil" sets the mood perfectly. The guitar playing on "Eruption" is pure guitar hero stuff. Really liked their cover of "You Really Got Me" by the Kinks.

It wouldn't be Christmas without Phil Spector's 'wall of sound'. A bit kitschy, but who cares! Contains some of the classic Christmas sounds, including "Frosty the Snowman" and "Sleigh Ride" by The Ronettes, "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" and "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" by The Crystals, plus "Winter Wonderland" by Darlene Love.

I've always been an ELO fan and this album is one of their best. From the opening "Turn to Stone", to "Sweet Talkin' Woman", and the "Concerto for a Rainy Day" which comprises the second half of the album and includes the song which always puts a smile on my face "Mr. Blue Sky" plus "Wild West Hero", this is a brilliant album.

Part of the soundtrack for the 1970s. Contains the massive hit "American Pie", and the not so massive hit "Vincent".

Yet more Hip Hop - not sure why there shoud be so many in this list! Wikipedia gives the genre as Hip Hop, Conscious Hip Hop, Hip Hop Soul, Progressive Rap, Chipmunk Soul - what the hell is Chipmunk Soul? This album's main claim to fame seems to be that it was mainly produced by Kanye West.

Part of the soundtrack for the eraly 1980s. So many great tracks on this album: "Open Your Heart", "Love Action (I Believe in Love)", and the Xmas 1981 number 1 "Don't You Want Me".

I can understand why this style of singing - crooning - was big in the 50s, but there's no emotion and it's boring. Of course I'm familiar with the songs because this sort of music was always in the background when I was a child, until it was displaced by The Beatles and The Rolling Stones, et al.

Not really my type of music, but I really liked the massive "Hello"; I also liked quite liked "River Lea" and not just because of my connection to the river as a child.

Smooth soul and it doesn't get any smoother than this, especially "Smooth Operator" and "Your Love Is King".

Nothing special. Parts of "Quiet Heart" are very reminiscent of U2.

Not sure about this album. Is it metal, is it punk, is it rock, or some weird confusing mix of all three - Wikipedia says Alternative Metal/Hardcore Punk/Funk Rock/Funk Metal. I don't see why so many people should have considered this such an important album.

Dream Pop aka Shoegaze. Meh!

Very strange album. Wikipedia gives the genre as post-punk/dub-reggae/art pop, and yeah! I'm OK with the post-punk/dub-reggae aspects, but so keen on the art pop side of things.

A mix of Downtempo (Ambient) plus Drum and Bass, with South Asian overtones. I liked it.

Brings back memories of the early 80s when anyone thought that they could be in a band, although musically this is quite good, it's just the vocals that let it down - a bit Jonathan Richman meets Jilted John.

I just don't get Shoegaze, and I don't remember the early 1990s being that depressing.

Not a fan of this style of Jazz-Funk/Jazz-Fusion.

I'd never heard of Green Day prior to the release of "American Idiot" as a single and it was massive. The rest of the album is quite good, especially "Boulevard of Broken Dreams", but it comes nowhere near the title track.

The album - the first to be produced by Quincy Jones - that, for me, marked a change in direction for Michael Jackson, and a sign of greater things to come, typified by the opening track "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough", and the title track "Off the Wall".

Yet more Hip-Hop? The only thing that really differentiates this from all the other Hip-Hop albums is that this is "sung" by a woman.

Quirky, with a mesmirising voice. My favourite track is "Violently Happy", but I also like "Venus as a Boy", "Big Time Sensuality", and "Play Dead".

Classic Bob Marley & The Wailers, including the great "Stir It Up", and also "Kinky Reggae".

I hate Morrissey (and The Smiths).

So many great tracks on this album - the catchy "Sledgehammer" with its amazing video, "Red Rain", "Mercy Street", and the inspiring duet with Kate Bush on "Don't Give Up".

Quite liked it, but nothing really grabbed me.

Interesting. Wikipedia gives the genre as Garage Rock Revival / Art Punk / Dance-Punk, and it's too polished and too late to be regarded as true Punk. Vocals reminded me of Chrissie Hynde and The Pretenders.

I hate Morrissey - he's a pretentious twat.

Any album that contains one of my favourite tracks of all time,"Spellbound", has to score a 5, but the rest of the album is quite good as well.

Great album. Highlights are "Breakdown" and "American Girl".

Spotify wouldn't let me listen to "Music Is Love" or "What Are Their Names", presumably because Neil Young was one of the co-writers. Classic early 1970s folk-rock.

A great album with some fantastic tracks including "Love Her Madly", "L.A. Woman", "The WASP (Texas Radio and the Big Beat)", the bluesy "Been Down So Long" and "Cars Hiss by My Window", plus the atmospheric "Riders on the Storm".

Classic early 1960s R&B. Worth it for the title track "Green Onions" alone, but the rest of the tracks on the album - which are mainly covers - feel a bit dated now.

I'd forgotten how great this album was. There's the obvious legendary guitar hero "Free Bird", but the rest of the album is good as well, "Tuesday's Gone" and "Gimme Three Steps" to name but two.

Classic Elvis. The highlight is the soulful "In the Ghetto", but the rest of the album is meh!

A mixture of Blues, Folk, R&B, and Jazz. Wasn't so keen on the Jazz tracks, but I quite liked the other tracks. The song "Four Women" was controversial at the time because of its anti-racism lyrics. 3/5

I can't make up my mind about this album. It's sound is both unique and derivative at the same time - just when I think it's quirky and different, it reminds me of other bands but I just can't say who. The vocals are certainly marmite - you either love them or hate them.

Country music - lots of twanging guitars. Some nice harmonies though.

Wikipedia gives the genre as Blue-Eyed Soul / Folk Jazz and I would agree. Laura Nyro has a great voice but the album is boring.

Hip-Hop or the start of Rap? Or both? Either way, I wasn't keen.

One of my favourite albums by The Cure. So many great tracks, including "Pictures of You", "Lovesong", "Lullaby" (what a great video), "Fascination Street", and my favourite "Prayers for Rain" (which must be played as loud as possible). I would give this album 6 stars if it were possible.