1001 Albums Summary

this is my first time in a while visiting this one. i can totally see why people really like it, and i really liked a lot of it too - its hooks are really full, the instrumentation knows exactly what it wants to be, and some of the lyrics would be really crushing if they weren't absolutely meme'd to death (i told gannon this - in the end would have absolutely CRUSHED ME if i was a teen going through it in 2000) there are a lot of iconic tracks on this one - one step closer, crawling, by myself, in the end. it's a cultural staple for good reason, and it's a lot more artful in its anger than contemporary tracks like break stuff (fuck you, fred durst). it falls into some of the trappings that i hear with a lot of late 90s/early 2000s music - "we have computers! let's use the computers!" leads to some unnecessary sounds and effects throughout this one, especially on cure for the itch. unfortunately for hybrid theory, it will be forever cemented in the time period it came out in, so it will always be slightly corny, because rap rock is almost always at least slightly corny. sorry. some of the tracks are kind of same-y, too, like in the end and pushing me away, because the genre as a whole kind of limits itself. you rap, and you rock, and you yell, and you angst. it works well here, though, because linkin park is one of the two most insightful and creative groups of people to touch this genre (again, fuck you, fred durst. you suck) ((the other group is system of a down, by the way. all love to serj)). i think the reason i never fully got into linkin park when most people did (teenage years) is that when i'm angry, i listen to sad tracks - phoebe, sufjan, etc. so, i never really fully got the appeal of music like this, this more angry self-reflection. but, again, i can see why other people are really passionate about linkin park, because their work has the potential to really resonate. it falls in well with the other standards i usually find myself judging albums with - it's cohesive, it knows what it is, and it has memorable tracks and moments that i'll take away. while i don't personally see it as an "album i HAD to listen to before i died" or anything like that, i'm glad i revisited it through a critical lens, because i feel like i get it a lot more than the last time i listened.

this album is so, so fantastic it's been way too long since i got into this one, but this brand of 60s folk-rock is so excellent, and it's made better by the absolute triumphant guitar work (acoustic and electric) on every track. my bassist brain is making me say this: i could have asked for a bit more from the bass on a lot of these tracks. i get that you need your foundation, but you gotta let those low tones shine, especially when so much of your guitar playing is in upper registers. you set the scene does a great job of letting the bass shine, and thus is one of my favorites on the album. the combination of tones on the acoustic and electric is so, so cool. i can only hope and strive to get my guitar tone similar to that of the electric on daily planet or live and let live. such a forward, aggressive sound that fits so perfectly into the soundscape that's being created. the thing about 60s acoustic/folk-y stuff like that is that the lyrics can get... a little silly: What are you seeing? (I see...) How do you feel? I'll feel real phony when my name is Phil Or was that Bill? or Oh, the snot has caked against my pants It has turned into crystal There's a bluebird sitting on a branch I guess I'll take my pistol I've got it in my hand Because he's on my land alright man. very cool, thanks. luckily, if you get past that, there are some really insightful lines in this album. and, even if you don't like any of the lyrics, the instrumentation is top notch and makes this album worth listening to on its own. i want to give a special shoutout to the horn section on this record, they have a lot of really great stretches that add an extra dynamic to the already fantastic band. love is a totally revolutionary group, and it's very good that they got their due, even if it wasn't necessarily right at the time of release.

fucking pixies, man. so, so foundational on my early journey into developing my own music taste at 12 or 13. surfer rosa is a frequent listen for me. this album is badass. everybody knows gigantic and where is my mind, but this album is painted top to bottom with iconic alternative tracks that served as the basis for so much of the music i love today. pixies is on the list of inspiration for any indie rock artist. the instrumentation isn't necessarily mind-blowing now, but i can't imagine it not being life-changing when it came out in 1988. it's got incredible guitar tones used on really smart and interesting riffs, and some really memorable but simple bass lines (especially gigantic. that line will stick in my mind forever). lyrics are genius, sound is genius, album is cohesive. this is an easy, easy 5. one of the best alternative rock albums to ever grace this earth. long live pixies

this is the first blind spot album for me. even though i’ve never listened to endtroducing before (sorry i am a fraud), i am so glad this album is in the rotation. i love jazz rap, and i love soul samples, and albums like this is foundational for a lot of the rap i love today. deejaying (djing? dj-ing?) is a lost art in our modern era. producers like madlib are legendary, but they’re only legendary because folks like dj shadow paved the way. there’s something about a legitimate, real record scratch on a track that just gets me. i’m not one to listen to (non-jazz) purely instrumental work often, but i can definitely appreciate this album for what it is. songs like building steam with a grain of salt are a love letter to the soul/funk that paved the way for sampling and hip-hop instrumentals. songs like the number song place this album in time with contemporaries like aphex twin. these tracks are long, and some of them are a little heavy/kind of tough listens, but there’s a serious artistic intent behind every song that i just absolutely dig. i’m glad i was able to get to this one. it’s a staple in a genre full of blind spots for me.

you guys i think david watts is gay the kinks are so cool, and ironically, a little bit like david watts from the album's opening track - kind of above it all, aloof. there's a certain attitude that comes with listening to kinks tracks, where they know they're contemporaries with some really great rock bands, but they just kind of don't care. they're content filling songs with la la's and doot doo's and shit because they're just having fun. the music is catchy, it has that quintessential 60s guitar and piano tone, and it's not trying to reinvent the wheel or anything. the kinks are somehow both underrated and perfectly rated - no one talks about them as rock legends like the beatles, the rolling stones or the who, because they're not, but they're still a really solid group capable of putting together some great works with a lot of staying power (you really got me, waterloo sunset, lola, all day and all of the night, etc). this album isn't super cohesive, the only thing holding it together is its general aloof nature. it doesn't stay within a certain genre, but that's not necessarily to its credit. the final three songs of this album is its best stretch, in my opinion. even then, with how catchy afternoon tea is, it's about making fucking tea. the kinks could have been legends if they tried harder. this is one where i'm like "did i really need to hear this before i die, or could i have just listened to waterloo sunset for the millionth time? did i really need to hear harry rag?" the biggest indictment on this album is comparing it to its contemporaries. here are some albums that came out in 1967: the doors debut s/t donovan's mellow yellow jefferson airplane's surrealistic pillow, which has white rabbit and somebody to love here are some albums that came out in 1966: pet sounds, the best record of all time revolver by the beatles blonde on blonde by bob dylan if you can believe your eyes by mamas and the papas framing this album that way, is it really one of the most essential 1,001 albums, or did the author just really like the kinks? i dunno. this one is okay. it can be funny and silly, but it's really not great. i really do like waterloo sunset, though. great track.

Golden years, gold whop whop whop Golden years, gold whop whop whop Golden years, gold whop whop whop Don't let me hear you say life's taking you nowhere Angel Come get up, my baby Look at that sky, life's begun Nights are warm and the days are young Come get up, my baby There's my baby, lost that's all Once I'm begging you save her little soul Golden years, gold whop whop whop Come get up, my baby Last night they loved you Opening doors and pulling some strings Angel Come get up, my baby In walked luck and you looked in time Never look back, walk tall, act fine Come get up, my baby I'll stick with you, baby, for a thousand years Nothing's gonna touch you in these golden years Gold Golden years, gold whop whop whop Come get up, my baby Some of these days, and it won't be long Gonna drive back down where you once belonged In the back of a dream car twenty foot long Don't cry, my sweet, don't break my heart Doing all right, but you gotta get smart Wish upon, wish upon, day upon day, I believe, oh Lord I believe all the way Come get up, my baby Run for the shadows, run for the shadows Run for the shadows in these golden years There's my baby, lost that's all Once I'm begging you save her little soul Golden years, gold whop whop whop Come get up, my baby Don't let me hear you say life's taking you nowhere Angel Come get up, my baby Run for the shadows, run for the shadows Run for the shadows in these golden years I'll stick with you, baby, for a thousand years Nothing's gonna touch you in these golden years Gold Golden years, gold whop whop whop Golden years, gold whop whop whop Golden years, gold whop whop whop Golden years, gold whop whop whop Golden years, gold whop whop whop Golden years, gold whop whop whop Golden years, gold whop whop whop Golden years, gold whop whop whop Golden years, gold whop whop whop Golden years, gold whop whop whop

i love led zeppelin. they're a really talented group of individuals, and come together as a unit very well. a good portion of these songs could and should be considered classics. BUT!!!! for everyone ounce of grief we give elvis for stealing rock and roll from Black people, we need to give led zeppelin the same grief. behind its guitar solos and slightly unsettling moans, whole lotta love is just willie dixon's "you need love," adapted from a muddy waters recording. now, due credit is given in the year 2022, but this album came out in 1969. do you think white people cared that they stole this track? absolutely not. so, as a result, they became idyllic rock gods because of their tasty licks and shredding voices and pounding drums (also john paul jones was there too) here's a list of songs on this album that were either ripped off from Black artists entirely or "inspired by" Black songwriters who were given a paltry writer's credit: whole lotta love the lemon song moby dick bring it on home that's 4 out of 9 songs. i dunno. this is an album that was truly legendary to me as a kid. my dad got the led out all the time, and i was always happy to hear it. these songs are great, they're just not theirs, and there's a hurtful history behind the music on a lot of these tracks, and the tracks that make led zeppelin the iconoclasts that they are. when they write their own music, they write about hobbits and shit, because they're actually nerds. if i were to look at it from a general talent lens, this album is insane. we all know that. led zeppelin is a group full of crazy talents, and they popularized the concept of blues rock for a white audience of dudes with really shitty haircuts, like my dad and his friends in akron, ohio. i owe a lot to bands like led zeppelin, because it made my dad who he is and in turn shaped me and my taste. there's a bittersweetness to this record, but you can't deny that it's damn good. also it's pretty funny that robert plant sings from a cuck's perspective on heartbreaker

nothing is special about this band. they have some singles that may be “important” to listen to, but none of their albums aside from toys in the attic matter enough to listen to front to back. rocks is no exception. the songs are same-y, the lyrics are boring, steven tyler gets grating after a couple of songs. back in the saddle is the only song i could really stand, and it’s probably because i listened to it growing up. this album and this band can kick rocks. no more thank you

this album is catchy as hell!!!!!!! get funky, baby!!!! all things considered, this is an 80s pop record. it's got the familiar drum loops, that iconic 80s synth, and all the catchiness of its contemporaries. it's also got a little bit of rap in there?? unfortunately, pop-rap from this era is incredibly cheesy, and she's got that 'i went to the hat store today' flow a little bit (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1bbBqnG_cg) neneh cherry's most familiar contemporary is madonna, and it's easy to see why the two would draw comparison, but i feel like this album has a little bit more to say than most of madonna's work. "inner city mama" has a whole hell of a lot to say, as does "the next generation." neneh cherry was pregnant while she was writing this album, and you can tell she was looking towards the future when she wrote these lyrics. i liked this one. i don't know if it's gonna go in my regular rotation or anything like that, but i'm glad i got to listen. not necessarily my cup of tea genre-wise, if i'm gonna go 80s i'm gonna get more alternative than this, but as a whole, really not bad.

yeah alright fine this shit is revolutionary or whatever. i used to listen to it when i was 14 and think i was the coolest kid ever, because it was the SEX PISTOLS and they were LOUD and BRASH and RUDE and they HAD SOMETHING TO SAY ABOUT POLITICS IN THE UK i love punk music, and i love political protest music. this album was revolutionary for both, and despite the fact that this album is rather tame in comparison to most modern punk, every punk musician owes some bit of acknowledgement to this album and this band. they weren't very talented, they haven't aged great, but damn it, this one is a necessary listen. anarchy in the uk remains one of the coolest songs ever when put in its historical context

ohhhhh yeah baby let's go tito puente was doing so much cool shit as a band leader in the year 1958. lawrence welk wasn't doing this shit i'm sorry he just wasn't. there was not an american market for dance mania in the time it came out, and the american market is so so dumb for not wanting this record. there are very few albums that make me actually want to get up and move, but this album makes me want to put a rose in my mouth and woo a woman with the language of dance again, with some of these albums, i'm like, "did i really need to hear this?" yes, i needed to hear dance mania by tito puente. this was a blind spot, but it never will be again, as i will remember these sweet grooves and wonderful orchestral arrangements for the rest of my life puente was a percussionist by trade before becoming a band leader, and you can absolutely tell. every single one of these songs has a really tight and individualistic groove, the non-drum percussive instruments (marimba, etc) add so much to the bottom layer of this arrangement, and oh my GOD the horns are so good in every single song music is supposed to make you feel stuff. a lot of the stuff i love evokes a strong emotion in me - love, sadness, longing. i love dance mania, because it inspires a great joy in my heart that i just cannot shake. it's cutting through this overcast seattle day and shining the sun into my soul, man. i get the fuck down with tito puente and his orchestra.

this album is... really sexist?? why is this on here i get being mad about a girl cheating on you but christ almighty man this is just silly sorry she cheated on you bro, have fun being an incel i guess at least the new wave instrumental stuff is interesting

all of these songs sound the same this is another punk group that seems soooooo so tame by today's standards but was totally revolutionary when it came out. some of the shit on PUP or IDLES records would make joey ramone shit his pants this album and the rest of the ramones work deserves credit, because it's the form that has been innovated upon 10 times over. ramones and contemporaries inspire 80s punk and new wave which inspires a million genres in the 90s and the permutations of influence are endless and exist in part because of albums like this but at the same time, while appreciating that, i can say that this album is lowkey boring by today's standards and is kind of a slog to listen to. it's alright, in the purest sense of the word. the chord progressions are same-y, every chord is on a down-stroke, the gang vocals are present in every track, and you can't even understand what they're all saying half the time. it's usually just [girl's name] is a [descriptor] i think? eh. i can't complain. there are worse albums on this worse, and there are better. this one is important, but it feels very corporate. when your songs are used in a marvel movie, that's where your punk cred goes to die

the rhythmic switch-up in the first song game me aggressive whiplash apparently the lead singer recently said he regrets not joining the IRA as a younger man, which is pretty wicked. this is another blind spot for me, but i'm very glad to have listened to it, because the irish roots mixed with punk sensibilities is pretty damn cool there's an inherent joy that comes with listening to people play music that connects them to their roots - i'm pretty sure i have some irish in me (because my beard is fucking red) but have never connected to any culture on my dad's side of the family, so it doesn't necessarily mean as much to me as it would an irish person, but you can tell these guys really like playing it the sound can get a little busy at times (literally just count the strings in that above picture) because there's so many instruments and band members but i think it does a bit to separate it from the non-irish punk stuff that was coming out in the 80s pretty cool listen. not one i'll likely revisit but good stuff

fugazi sets the high watermark for early hardcore punk. this is NOT a blind spot for me, as i very much enjoy this band's bass-heavy and exciting songwriting. a lot of punk bands put the bassist in the corner, but not fugazi they're inventive, lyrically clever, loud, and unabashed. this album came out in 1990! so influential, so cool, overall very fun and interesting stuff. love love love this band and so many bands they influenced

what a perfect, perfect album this shit is truly transcendent. it's regarded as one of, if not the best hip-hop album of all time, and truly deserves that title. lauryn hill raps her verses and sings her hooks, and she's one of the best to ever do both. how? no one knows. but we are so blessed to have this as a result it's poignant, nostalgic, romantic, soulful, wise, and catchy as hell. this album was made with HEART, and it shines through in every second. i'm so glad i got to listen to this one again. i listen through it at least two to three times a year, and this was a good reminder to do it again. i love this album so damn much how can iiiiii explain myseeeelf

this has much less of the major issue i had with led zeppelin II, so much more of this is original, and the blues that they stole is more properly credit and obviously more of a tribute than a rip-off led zeppelin really finds themselves here, to pretty fabulous results. it's not their fault, but the punch of immigrant song has been ruined over the years due to its inclusion in commercial products like thor ragnarok (jack black singing it in school of rock is okay) out on the tiles is an underrated zeppelin classic - holy shit the lead guitar on that one is so cool. my main issue with this one is that robert plant is a little more grating here than on other albums. he's such a talent, but he's so often scream-singing here that it starts to get on the nerve a bit i like the more acoustic direction on a few of these tracks, especially bron-y-aur stomp. page is such a great guitarist, so hearing him bust out an acoustic is awesome and a big change of pace from a lot of early zeppelin much better than lz 2. hats off gents

this bowie character is kind of a freaky weirdo you guys heroes/the berlin trilogy is in kind of a weird spot in the bowie cannon. it's post-ziggy, pre-let's dance, in an era where bowie was working to shake off that los angeles influence and do something less for listeners and more for him. it is decidedly devoid of songs like young americans and diamond dogs. this album is a reflection of that. it's weird and chaotic while you listen but has a sort of peace in its lack of commercialism. the song heroes has become commercially anthemic thanks to that movie with the flowers on the wall, but this album in general has a sort of intentional inaccessibility that i really dig. the song heroes also makes me cry pretty instantly upon listening. i have always always wanted to perform that song for an audience, but hold an internal fear that i would totally butcher it. it's so moving and emotionally raw, it's no wonder that everyone who hears it in adolescence has it stick with them for life. "yes, we're lovers, and that is a fact. yes, we're lovers, and that is that." come on man. so simplistically beautiful. shoutout the guys from king crimson, fripp and belew, for playing guitar on this album too. they really make heroes a complete and perfect track. brian eno's influence is also undoubtedly felt on this album, as well as its berlin trilogy partners. it's really interesting that bowie decided to pull from an area as desolate and difficult as west berlin in the 70s. that's wild and very thoughtful in a very bowie way. this is art rock perfection, and i love it, and the rest of the berlin trilogy. bowie will always and forever be a favorite of mine, because he is a cool genius and writes raw shit like this

fuck stranger things for popularizing a song i already knew was one of the best of all time

nick drake is such a fucking talent drake begets elliot smith begets bright eyes begets phoebe bridges. there is so much here that can inspire others to create great work if you couldn't tell by everything about me, i love nick drake and have listened to his tragically small catalogue all the way through several times over though i prefer pink moon, as do most people, five leaves left still holds drake's gut-wrenching lyricism, with more of a blues-y/early country sensibility than his other folk-centric work. there's less of his usual, iconic stripped-back sound, replaced instead by band and even occasionally an orchestra. it's cool, but it takes away a bit of what i love about his intimate, person-to-person style. doesn't matter. this album is a 5/5 as is the rest of his work. thanks, nick

mid utero nirvana mid sorry seattle

okay yeah i can see why the doors are so well-regarded the doors are one of my classic rock blind spots - my dad wasn't too fond of them, so i never heard a ton of the deeper cuts. i grew up with people are strange and touch me, not songs like waiting for the sun. waiting for the sun is immediately one of the coolest songs i've ever heard. it's like if imagine dragons had artistic integrity and lived in the 70s. it's all the good stuff about the type of dramatic pop they make and none of the sellouty-ness of it all. this is just an angry rock record, and it's pretty damn good at it. morrison absolutely kills the keyboards on this one. he's a damn good keyboard player, but he's REALLY in his bag here. legitimately impressive stuff on tracks like peace frog yeah this is good. i'm glad i listened through this one

theme from shaft forever goated, shoutout knowhow by young mc the rest is okay. the movie's legacy is complicated. isaac hayes has some good stuff in his catalogue but eh

I don't know why I love her like I do All the changes you put me through Take my money, my cigarettes I haven't seen the worst of it yet I want to know that you'll tell me I love to stay Take me to the river, drop me in the water Take me to the river, dip me in the water Washing me down, washing me down I don't know why you treat me so bad Think of all the things we could have had Love is an ocean that I can't forget My sweet sixteen I would never regret I want to know that you'll tell me I love to stay Take me to the river, drop me in the water Push me in the river, dip me in the water Washing me down, washing me Hug me, squeeze me, love me, tease me 'Til I can't, 'til I can't, 'til I can't take no more of it Take me to the water, drop me in the river Push me in the water, drop me in the river Washing me down, washing me down I don't know why I love you like I do All the troubles you put me through Sixteen candles there on my wall And here am I the biggest fool of them all I want to know that you'll tell me I love to stay Take me to the river and drop me in the water Dip me in the river, drop me in the water Washing me down, washing me down

hey this isn't the one i like the beach boys pre-pet sounds are silly and fun, but there's still a musical complexity there to admire. the harmonies are crunchy, there's some cool experimentation in the instrumentals. it's still brian, and all those kids are still really talented! there's just something about those high, wailing harmonies that makes this stuff really click. even if it's cheesy-ass surf music, there's an effort and sincerity that makes this stuff stand the test of time. i know i'm biased, but i just fucking love the beach boys man. i really do. except for mike love. fuck mike love.

yeah i'm not listening to this one believe women

it says a lot that the song done entirely as a joke on the of-the-moment alternative rock is one of the better alternative rock songs of its era blur albums are like episodes of seinfeld. they're not really about anything, and nothing really happens. that's completely alright, because damon albarn is really good at putting together an album that doesn't say much, doesn't do much, but is still really enjoyable. it's kind of wild that blur was pitted up against oasis back in the day, but none of these songs other than song 2 are the cultural staples that songs like wonderwall and don't look back in anger are today. there's no one playing beetlebum or on your own on an acoustic guitar at a party, even though both of those songs are better than wonderwall blur is cool. they've always been cool, and they'll probably be cool forever. there's a very kinks-ian "i don't care" kind of attitude to so much of their music, but they're a little more innovative than their equally pompous predecessors.

it's not an exaggeration to say that this is one of if not the best pop albums of the past decade and change. this shit rocks green light is a hell of an opener. lorde has a habit of making really impactful full albums and having certain songs (royals, green light) pulled away from the work as a whole and taken into the greater pop culture lexicon. green light as its own song is fucking fantastic, but it's also a really great opener for the picture lorde is trying to paint on melodrama, the picture of living life as a young woman feeling a full spectrum of emotions i love this album, you should too - it's really accessible (intentionally) while also bringing some really interesting and complicated musical stuff into the mix. all-time pop record right here

LET'S FUCKING GOOOO LET'S GO STEELY FUCKING DAN OH HELL YEAH i joke a lot on social media but steely dan really is the pinnacle of white people soul music there's so much complexity in their songwriting but it still manages to be the catchiest, hookiest shit in the world. i have no idea how they manage to so effectively combine music theory and pop sensibility black cow is so fucking catchy. the title track is high art. deacon blues is maybe the best song ever, i'm not kidding. this album has PEG on it dude, on top of all of the rest of these fucking songs. what a work of art i don't even have the words to describe why steely dan brings me the amount of joy they do, but this band is an integral part of my very being and that will never change. all hail fagen and becker

mama cass fucking rules. this is carried by some laurel canyon heavy-hitters, monday monday and do you wanna dance, but it's really solid throughout. i prefer the beach boys "do you wanna dance" cover but i really like the feel they give this one. got a feelin' is really simple, but really emotional because they give it such texture. that's the name of the game for the mamas and the papas - they take something pretty simple, but give it layers that are delightful to hear

i’m sorry man, i just can never get there. i respect serj as a frontman and songwriter but, eh

this was not an essential album to listen to before i die i have a feeling the programmer of this put this in here two weeks is a really catchy song. the rest, eh. they don't do well what other experimental groups like animal collective do well

this album was originally written in 1967 - it's the follow-up to pet sounds, the greatest album ever, and a reply to sgt. pepper, another one of the greatest albums ever (but not the greatest. suck it, beatles). in 2004, this wasn't doing much, but in 1967 - yeesh. this would have blown it all wide open the first time i ever listened to this album was not on a beach boys binge, actually - it was after seeing its placement on rolling stone's 500 greatest albums ever. i had always heard that smile was a bit of letdown, so to see it ranked 399 was a surprise to me. i decided to try it out, risking the perfect image i had of brian wilson as a songwriter after listening to pet sounds countless times. not a letdown, not a blemish on wilson's record. a credit to his talent, even in 2004, a little less than 40 years than it was originally written. it's goofy, it's earnest, it's loving, and it's really really good. it's nowhere near pet sounds though, but that's not its fault. nothing can touch pet sounds. thanks again, brian, for this and for everything.

the bee gees are fucking great. there's so much talent that goes into making music that sounds this good, and voices that mesh this well. always always a cool listen

what a weird and silly little album there's no way i needed to hear this before i died ska is good though

yeah man yeah rush is basically all of the most talented people you know all put into a room, but they don't really mesh together. i love moving pictures, and i love the band rush, but oftentimes it just feels like they're waiting for one prodigy to be done so they can have their turn to solo. lee, peart and lifeson are all so talented, but they're less of a cohesive unit and more of a bunch of dudes. somehow, they still managed to make an incredible album with one of the most iconic songs of all time. tom sawyer's 7/8 time signature is iconic, and it will stand the test of time. also, none of the lyrics make sense. doesn't matter. fucking banger

i don't have to say anything about this album. jesus christ what a masterpiece. i give a lot of albums 5s, because i fucking love music, but this is a 6. it's a 10. it's a 100. goddamn.

what a strange little album. it didn't do much revolutionary, but it knew what it wanted to be and did it well. pretty good, not essential.

there is a lot of only so-so new wave/punk on this list. meh i get that this was 1978 so it's a tad early but it doesn't do anything better nor does it set up a path for its later contemporaries. meh, again

what a silly opening to an insightful and gorgeous masterpiece of a record bob dylan is, obviously, one of the greatest talents the world of music the world has ever seen, despite sounding very silly most of the time. there is a reason why he's allowed to sing that way - he is the greatest lyricist to ever exist. we start with a silly opening in rainy day women, followed by a traditional blues track in pledging my time. the first traditional "dylan-y" track is visions of johanna. it's got a soulful organ and understated guitar, and paints a beautiful lyrical picture (with some real silly shit in there too) one of us must know is one of my favorite songs ever - it is quintessential dylan. it wraps you in a warm sound hug while making you shed a tear with what it's saying to you. i fucking love bob dylan man. this album has a couple of REALLY popular dylan songs on it - i want you and just like a woman. i want you is catchy as all hell. just like a woman is sad as hell. they are both amazing. i could list out every song and why i love it but i don't really want to. i'm just gonna listen to one of us must know over and over again for the next few days. he's BELTING that chorus. the words he writes mean so much to him, and you can really tell. love you bob

man i loved this album when i was in high school lmao i still do, just not as much. this album is perfect for a tragic period of lost love and mourning, but it does NOT hit the same when you’re in a stable relationship still respect the craft and the experimentation. the cure is widely regarded as post-rock/new wave essentials for a reason. love u robert

i don't think any of the teenage white guys wearing the album cover on a t-shirt really get just how fucking fantastic this album is i went to laser floyd with my family when i was like 8, because my parents are weird and took their kids to a thing they used to go to in the 70s. i remember being enraptured and a little scared. the "encore" song that they picked for our show was "brain damage." the red lasers that formed images of axes and blood flash back in my brain whenever i hear that song, and sometimes when i hear this band in general. i love it and hate it all at once. up until pretty recently, i was bored by this album. not by floyd in general, they have albums that are better than this one (shoutout animals and atom heart mother). i was bored by it, probably partially because it was so popular and i heard it a whole hell of a lot growing up, but i also don't think i really got it either. there's a lot of quiet introspection on this very loud record. there's something so understated about some of the lyrics, juxtaposed with the experimental and loud sound. so many first-time listeners are blown away by how it sounds, and less about what it's saying. there's fairly easy concepts, like the entirety of "money." a song like "time" is also not complicated but gets more and more emotional the later in life you listen. but the music isn't to be discounted either. the bass line on money is SO SO iconic, yet so so simple in its delivery. the vocal performance from clare torry on great gig in the sky never fails to make me tear up. there's so much to love musically about this album, but that's just not what it's about. this is a master work, especially for the time it came out. i am no longer bored by dark side of the moon, because i looked past the music and into the soul. david gilmour is a pretty sick guitar player tho

it's so, so wild to listen to this band in its early stages, compared to its fleshed-out form that we know it today. this was merely the execution of an early idea. there are some songs on here that are just blur songs. albarn very clearly has multiple different "modes" in his head when writing for blur, gorillaz, and in his ambient solo career. songs like 5/4 are blur mode, on a gorillaz record. songs like the culturally universal clint eastwood and tomorrow comes today are the early stages of the gorillaz mode that we know now. there's a lot of really great, lowkey tracks on this one. it's not gorillaz's best, but it is a really strong debut effort for a really cool and interesting experiment that's still running to this day.

no offense man, i just find this album and rod's voice really grating there's a lot of special special rock music in this world. rod stewart does not have a hand in making much of that special rock music. the title track is alright, maggie may is alright, the rest i could really have lived without hearing, basically ever. eh.

does not move me. sorry

fun and festive. not my first choice for christmas music, but still very fun nonetheless! i prefer my xmas stuff less traditional, so i usually go for more alternative covers than these, but this collection is undeniably good and cheerful. i'm not gonna rate it higher than a 3 because it doesn't SUPER fit into the greater music cannon (aside from the artists and producers attached to the songs), but still a fun time and will be a seasonal revisit when i need to put on something that isn't weird

fine jesus i was wrong about radiohead yorke is pretentious but an elite vocalist and songwriter, his voice and the album’s instrumentation is just dripping with emotion i can see why people like this band. this is great great alternative rock

come on man. come ON turn me UP don fagen does not disappoint when given total creative control. he has such a clear vision on this record. the steely dan sound has always been a relaxing one to me, but fagen pulls from some different influences here to bring a bit more intensity in spurts. but, in the end, it’s a steely dan album through and through, with more melodica steely dan did green flower street at their phoenix show this year, and it got me to re-listen to the nightfly. i was sold then, and i’m sold now. what a great record, a great musician, and a perfect body of work

pretty sure this dude was a flagrant racist. remembering a story about him refusing to shake jimi hendrix’s hand. totally checks, because he stole his entire bit from Black people. i am not stunned. meh

a very cute post-punk moment. doesn’t do anything better than contemporaries, but understands its medium and performs well within it. probably would listen again

fuck eric clapton

yup! still the greatest rap album of all time. glad i took the time to check again, for like, the 10 millionth time

eh!

nah man this album is fucking perfect i'm sorry my fav nepo baby i love u julian

i GET it. it's just not my thing. like, i get it. i do. but i'll never like it

yeah man ska revival with a new wave twist. very cool. heard "a message to you rudy" a million times but have never really taken the dive to listen to this album as a whole. glad i did

alright, it's gotta be said: queen is corny. i'm sorry, it's just a fact. freddie mercury is obviously a legitimate talent, as is the rest of the band. but, somehow, there's still a bunch of corny-ass dad rock in their catalogue. there are some legitimately amazing songs on this album - you're my best friend is a personal favorite, and obviously bo-rhap will stay in the pop culture lexicon forever. queen hits when they hit, and really miss when they miss. this is true of a night at the opera, and the rest of their discography. they are a "greatest hits" band, and the world will see that one day.

???????? i much prefer zappa when he.... actually tries to play the guitar and make interesting music. like, this music is experimental and satirical, but to no end. maybe i don't get it? i feel like i do get it, but just don't like it. what a boring bit. satire has evolved so much past this point. this is irony-poisoned nonsense. there are moments where i chuckle, but it's not enough to hold up an album that just doesn't hit the mark.

bay area rap from the 90s is fucking insane the samples on this record rule, 90s rap rules, long live digital underground

early techno is really something, man. this is a pioneering album from a pioneering group. there's so much to kraftwerk that's still heard today, because they fucking rule. thank u kraftwerk

there's.... a lot of homophobia and sexism on this album it's a product of its time and the Black culture of the same timeframe, but YEESH there's some questionable stuff on here. "have the authority to kill a minority" is still an all-time bar though. there's a lot of Black liberation on this album that probably opened up the world views of a lot of suburban white kids at the time (i would have eaten up this album at 14 if it had just come out) i can see why it's revolutionary, but man has some of this stuff not aged well. this is like blazing saddles as an album

the title track is such a ubiquitous stoner movie track. bob marley did so much for reggae and its popularity in the US, but peter rosy didn’t get to reap that same reward. cool cool album

this is not an essential album. why are so many the new wave/alt albums on this list so boring

OH YEAHHH BABEY YEAHHH this shit is literally perfect lmao i give a lot of albums 5s but this one is a 10,000

come on man lmao is this REALLY an essential album come on eileen is a certified White People Classic i guess

man this guy is really sad work of art obviously. nick drake begets elliott smith begets bright eyes begets phoebe and all the masterful singer/songwriters we have today

yeah this was pretty cool. fun to branch out into other genres that i'm not super well-versed in

classic. duh

At home he feels like a tourist At home he feels like a tourist He fills his head with culture He gives himself an ulcer He fills his head with culture He gives himself an ulcer Down on the disco floor They make their profit From the things they sell To help you cover All the rubbers you hide In your top left pocket At home she's looking for interest At home she's looking for interest She said she was ambitious So she accepts the process She said she was ambitious So she accepts the process Down on the disco floor They make their profit From the things they sell To help you cob off And the rubbers you hide In your top left pocket Two steps forward (Six steps back) (Six steps back) (Six steps back) (Six steps back) Small step for him (Big jump for me) (Big jump for me) (Big jump for me) (Big jump for me) Two steps forward (Six steps back) (Six steps back) (Six steps back) (Six steps back) Small step for him (Big jump for me) (Big jump for me) (Big jump for me) (Big jump for me) At home she feels like a tourist At home she feels like a tourist She fills her head with culture She gives herself an ulcer Why make yourself so anxious You give yourself an ulcer

wanna disco wanna see me disco deceptacon is obviously incredibly iconic. one of punk's best and most straightforward tracks. that was all i knew going into the first time i heard this album a few years ago, but knowing more now, it's easy to see how special this album is. great stuff all around. happy that they're doing some shows this year

those britpop boys knew what they were doing. blur is and always will be better, but rock and roll star is a fucking classic

pretty sick psychedelic rock. i just love the quintessential 60s guitar tone on all these tracks, i want to capture that in some songwriting soon. really dug this one, had never heard it before.

this is pretty cool. not earth-shattering

wild samples. very interesting to see a modern pop culture icon in her starting steps

definition of perfection. duh.

lots of early punk-y fun here. iggy pop (who actually made a pretty decent album this year, funnily enough!) is clever and charismatic. this is definitely essential in the greater music cannon

this shit is crazyyyy man i love yes. such form-breaking stuff, so musically intuitive and interesting. love the "one long song" idea with four movements, similar to a classical piece. rad all around

pretty cool but generic late-60s rock. interesting use of effects on this album. cool stuff

not great. usually like singer-songwriter stuff but didn't hear much here that i liked.

yeah man yeah this is some really great jazz that i hadn't been interoduced to before. jimmy smith is one of jazz's many classic musicians, but i wasn't acquainted with him or his work. i am now, and he will now be in my rotation! i love the smooth organ tone on a lot of these tracks!!!

i'm gonna admit something... i've never heard this album. it's crazy! bc it's so well-regarded, but i had never gotten to it. i can see why people love jeff buckley, and i loved this as well, because i love a melancholy acoustic track. this is industry standard-setting stuff. respect.

nah this isn't essential sorry it's good. it's probably the last good cohesive album kacey musgraves will make bc she's now in the mainstream pop lexicon. i gave melodrama 5 stars! that's an essential modern pop record! this. is not. thanks for trying

somehow the best musician ever from seattle. somehow

not Gaye's best, so it can't be 5 stars, but Marvin Gaye on an off day is better than most

i get why this is essential, but that style of 80s mainstream pop doesn't super resonate with me.

this album is so looooong but it's so damn good sure shot is one of my favorite samples/songs in 90s rap the beastie boys did not give a fuck about anything and somehow made some of the best rap music of a really stacked era in a really stacked and talented area

ozzy used to be so cool

went absolutely crazy on this one. excellent instrumentals, catchy riffs and infectious rhythms. excellent excellent work

nope!!!!!!!! i refuse!!!!!!! i did NOT use to love kanye and his work so DO NOT ASK!!!!!!!!!!! it pains me to see someone so influential harbor such an objectively horrible and harmful worldview

you really have to hand it to them. green day was one of the most important rock bands for a really long time, and dookie was one of the reasons why. i used to be absolutely obsessed with this band, i really did. i don't listen to them as much anymore, but i respect their craft, especially this early stuff. feels more challenging, but isn't that always how it goes with bands that make it big? it was good to listen to sounds from a bygone era from a band that's cleaned up their act a lot

they should put this album cover on a t-shirt

as much as i LOVE miles davis, this isn't his best work, in my opinion. i see the artistic merit, but it's got a more big band-y sound than most of his other stuff, which isn't necessarily in my jazz palette. i prefer my brass instruments with intermittent solos, and more slow-moving. still great composition, just not my general tastes

respect the medium and the craft, but piano-led music is just not for me.

what an insane group of talented people this is obviously one of the best hip-hop albums ever, it's hard to combine Wyclef Jean and Ms. Lauryn Hill and make anything but the best such an instant classic

really interesting and pioneering, obviously. not precisely my cup of tea genre-wise, but you gotta respect the medium and the experimentation behind the work

funk might be the best music genre to ever exist i'm just sitting here nodding my head relentlessly to this album. when funk is done well, with precision and expertise like this, it is second to none the bass lines, the dynamic gang and shredding solo vocals, the drum fills, the horns. this is ART, man we want the fucking funk

what a weird one. it feels so weird to hear pre-bookends/bridge S&G. not an area i'm super familiar with, and for good reason - this is pretty derivative! their sound grew to be so interesting and dynamic before an early end to their partnership, so it's weird to hear them sounding like every mid-60s folk-pop group eh!

pretty solid, as buffalo springfield often is. love the laurel canyon sound always

One, two, three, four, five, six Roadrunner, roadrunner Going faster miles an hour Gonna drive past the Stop 'n' Shop With the radio on I'm in love with Massachusetts And the neon when it's cold outside And the highway when it's late at night Got the radio on I'm like the roadrunner Alright I'm in love with modern moonlight 128 when it's dark outside I'm in love with Massachusetts I'm in love with the radio on It helps me from being alone late at night Helps me from being lonely late at night I don't feel so bad now in the car Don't feel so alone, got the radio on Like the roadrunner That's right Said welcome to the spirit of 1956 Patient in the bushes next to '57 The highway is your girlfriend as you go by quick Suburban trees, suburban speed And it smells like heaven, I say Roadrunner once Roadrunner twice I'm in love with rock and roll and I'll be out all night Roadrunner That's right Well now Roadrunner, roadrunner Going faster miles an hour Gonna drive to the Stop 'n' Shop With the radio on at night And me in love with modern moonlight Me in love with modern rock & roll Modern girls and modern rock & roll Don't feel so alone, got the radio on Like the roadrunner O.K. now you sing Modern Lovers I got the AM (Radio on!) Got the car, got the AM (Radio on!) Got the AM sound, got the (Radio on!) Got the rockin' modern neon sound (Radio on!) I got the car from Massachusetts, got the (Radio on!) I got the power of Massachusetts when it's late at night (Radio on!) I got the modern sounds of modern Massachusetts I've got the world, got the turnpike, got the I've got the, got the power of the AM Got the, late at night, hit 'em wide, rock & roll late at night The factories and the auto signs got the power of modern sounds Alright Right, bye bye!

this album kind of requires that you like thin lizzy. some good ones on here, but they're not necessarily always my cup of tea. fun listen, though, and cool to hear the crowd engaged

confusing legacy!

Late at night when the wind is still I'll come flying through your door And you'll know what love is for I'm a bluebird, I'm a bluebird I'm a bluebird, l'm a bluebird Yeah, yeah, yeah I'm a bluebird, I'm a bluebird I'm a bluebird Yeah, yeah, yeah Touch your lips with a magic kiss And you'll be a bluebird too And you'll know what love can do I'm a bluebird, I'm a bluebird I'm a bluebird, l'm a bluebird Yeah, yeah, yeah I'm a bluebird, I'm a bluebird I'm a bluebird Yeah, yeah, yeah Bluebird (bluebird) ah, ha Bluebird (bluebird) ah ha Bluebird (bluebird) Fly away through the midnight air As we head across the sea And at last we will be free You're a bluebird, you're a bluebird You're a bluebird, you're a bluebird Yeah, yeah, yeah You're a bluebird, you're a bluebird You're a bluebird Yeah, yeah, yeah Bluebird (bluebird) ah, ha Bluebird (bluebird) ah ha Bluebird (bluebird) At last we will be free Bluebird you're like me At last we will be free Bluebird (bluebird) ah, ha Bluebird (bluebird) ah, ha Bluebird (bluebird) All alone on a desert island We're living in the trees And we're flying in the breeze We're the bluebirds, we're the bluebirds We're the bluebirds, we're the bluebirds Singing, bluebird (bluebird) ah, ha Bluebird (bluebird) ah, ha Bluebird (bluebird) ah, ha

i get the appeal of iggy pop, and can see why people like this album, but can also see why this doesn't really appeal to me all that much. appreciate the technical aspect, but not his best work

a masterpiece that i've heard a million times

yeah <3

always appreciate lou reed's work. it's really hard to sound as ahead of your time as velvet/lou's solo career.

stop insisting we listen to below-average post-punk, even if there are folk sensibilities

i get the obsession with dolly, culturally, because she is a pure, raw talent. i also love many older country, more folk-adjacent catalogues. what a gem

history will look poorly upon aerosmith. they did nothing for rock