I’m a big silver jews fan, but I have to admit I was surprised (though not upset) to see this on the list. I think I’d only listened to it once before. It’s probably their 3rd or 4th best album, so does that mean the others will be here as well? This is no American Water, but it’s a great album. Berman was one of the greatest lyricists of all time and his low voice complements the sleepy country vibe perfectly. This album gets better as it goes. I Remember Me, Tennessee, Friday Night Fever, and Death of an Heir of Sorrows are fantastic.

Can’t believe I’ve never heard this before. This is the best of old school rap - mcs just trading high quality bars. Rivals anything tribe has put out

Despite the excellent venue name, this is not my thing at all. Great voice but the music doesn’t make me feel anything. I enjoyed the ad lobbing at the end.

No reason for this to be on the list when Blue Lines is also on it. I guess it’s fine.

An absolute classic. Debased is one of my favorite album openers of all time. The sheer energy sets the tone for the rest of the album. The iconic bass line in Here Comes Your Man also deserves mention.

An excellent album but has a few too many bland songs for a 5. The singles are phenomenal. Bridge over troubled water is one of the most beautiful songs of all time (although I kind of prefer Cash’s cover). I do think it should have been the last song instead of the first because the rest of the album can’t live up to it.

My life got easier when I admitted that I straight up like new wave. This was fun. This is the Day was my fave.

This is a 3.5 for me. I’ll round up because of their influence and a lot of it is quite good, but I’ve never been able to get into talking heads. Byrne’s voice kind of drives me crazy

The more I hear pop albums the more I’m reminded of the quote from the meeseeks in Rick and morty - “We’re not supposed to live this long! It feels weird!” I think it’s inherently difficult to write an exceptional pop album. The genre is more suited to the EP. The singles on this were great but I thought it was about to end like 4 times.

Was not in the mood for this. You could’ve told me it was Grateful Dead and I would’ve believed it. Not sure why it needs to be in the list.

I think I preferred Green to this, but there’s still a lot to like here. Excellent lyrics and the melodies are engaging.

Waiting room music

One of those groups I’d heard of but never listened to. I was liking this but it it is too long and a little repetitive. Still, clearly an influential band. I can especially see the line from them to a group like the feelies.

I wouldn’t be interested in listening to this as a studio album, but it’s so fun to hear the crowd going crazy in this. Hard not to enjoy it.

Oh man. I get why this is on the list and understand rap was still in its infancy, but frankly this was preposterous.

Never listened to this album full through. Very much a time capsule of that late aughts early 2010s vibe. Two doves was my favorite.

Kind of got distracted listening but it’s not bad. A high 3.

The Master’s Call is a bop

Not as bad as the I thought it would be based on the name but still not at all for me. Just scrapes by with a 3.

Very boring. Some ok parts but definitely a slog

Obviously a great set of pipes on Sinatra but the pace of this was all off and just didn’t keep my interest.

What a dumb album. None of these songs needed to be 6 minutes and I would argue this album does not need to exist.

I’ve never understood the acclaim the beastie boys get. I’ve listened to 3 of their albums and each one is as obnoxious as the last.

Man, this guy is French af. Amsterdam had me hype, the rest was fine.

Impeccable production. The misogynistic and homophobic lyrics are unfortunate but also not uncommon for rap at this time. Snoop’s energy and authority are a highlight.

Could’ve done without LA Blues but fine otherwise

Good not great. I enjoyed the first half better. The second half sort of felt like kraftwerk on an aphrodisiac and was a bit much for me.

I’m not a big fan of the song Hotel California so this didn’t have much for me. Nothing was awful and Wasted Time was pretty good but most of it just felt plastic.

Hm. This was rough. Some ok sounding stuff but this is well beyond post punk if you ask me.

Never heard of this group. Fun album. Mr. Wendal, U, and Natural we’re faves.

Björk really just does whatever she wants. This didn’t particularly do it for me but I thought There is More to Life Than This was a fascinating song.

Free bird!

While I don’t think this quite deserves all of the acclaim it gets, it’s a nice pop country album.

Man, everybody in high school was always telling everybody to listen to the black keys. I liked this, but I do feel like it leans heavily on that specific, somewhat distorted sound. Many songs are similar. These Days was my favorite, although I was kind of hoping it would be a cover of the Jackson Browne song.

I’ll admit I’ve never given Queen a real try, but I’ve never heard a song of theirs and thought, “I want more of this.” So, an album was too much. No desire to hear this again.

Not quite a 4 for me but almost. I liked having it on in the background

This gets a 4 for the beautiful and talented guitar playing. It’s not something I’m ever dying to hear but certainly not bad. I’m sure I would like it more if I could understand him half the time.

Steely Dan doesn’t really do it for me. It just makes me think I’m back in the car as a kid listening to my dad’s music. Not bad, not something I’ll seek out.

My first real exposure to ABBA. First song was the best and the rest was fine. Just short of a 4 for me.

Even though this album loses its way toward the end, I’m gonna give it a 4 because I loved how strange it was. First few songs were great and Dear God was a strong closer. Man, this was a doozy.

Pretty weak. Felt like soft hardcore.

I think I’ve gotta go 5 here. Never listened to this before but I loved it. So much more heft than I’m used to with The Beach Boys. A Fay in the Life of a Tree was my favorite but everything was good.

“I shot a man in Reno just to watch him die” - is there a cooler line than this? Is there anything more hardcore than recording a live album in a prison? Answer to both is no. This album rocks.

A hugely important album whose influence can’t be overstated. Shoe gaze isn’t for everyone but I do think this record is accessible. While this isn’t something I’ll always seek out I’ve gotta go 5. When You Sleep and Sometimes are phenomenal, but the real strength is it’s cohesiveness and style.

An interesting album with a lot to like, some stuff to dislike. Ultimately an enjoyable listen. In Every Dream Home a Heartache was fantastic

Loved reading about the backstory of this album, super cool. Of course I wish I could understand the lyrics but this was solid.

Can’t beat this for country. I know a lot of these (most? All?) are covered standards, but this is a tremendous album.

I try to be open with music but I struggle to understand why, or frankly even how, someone creates something like this. It felt like a bad trip. I’m sure these guys had some grandiose vision and it all makes sense to them but I detested this album and never want to hear it, or its stupid song titles, again.

I’m torn between a 3 and a 4 here because this drags way too long but it’s got a lot to say and says it well. Mind Over Matter is some of the best rapping I’ve heard in any early 90s hip hop. Once it got to the hard rock it lost me. I’ll round up to 4 for his work on SVU.

The magnum opus of one of my favorite songwriters. I appreciate this album more each time I listen to it. I know the length is controversial, but if you go song by song, almost all of good, and many are outstanding. The diversity of the songs helps with listenability while maintaining a cohesive sound. There are too many favorites to list here, but on this listen I was really into Asleep and Dreaming and You’re My Only Home. I would recommend everyone listen to this album at least twice (doesn’t have to be in one sitting!) Top 15 record for me, maybe top 10.

This was pretty good, but I think it was mostly due to the covers. A high 3.

Faith is of course a classic, but the rest was too sensual for me. It’s a good sound and I can see why it would be popular but not for me.

This stressed me out, but it had more of an impact on me than jazz usually does so I’ve gotta give it credit.

Another old skool rap album that loses its way in the back half. Some excellent rapping here though.

God’s song was the only real highlight here for me. Dayton 1903 annoyed me.

This was some solid Elvis. That fever cover did it for me.

I liked a decent chunk of this but disliked a bunch as well. It’s pretty cool sounding but I was ready for it to be over.

It’s wild to think of what passed muster lyrics wise back in the day. I certainly didn’t mind listening to this but it’s just so dated it’s hard to take seriously. Just shy of a 4.

A high 3. I think a lot of this sounded pretty generic but it wasn’t bad. Some good hooks. Nice little song about killing a woman for not liking you to close it out.

Björk lives in that low to mid 3 territory for me. Most of this indistinguishable from her other stuff. I did think Unison was excellent.

I don’t think I knew this band wrote Two Weeks. This album does have that 2010s indie sound - fleet foxes, dirty projectors, arcade fire - but it does have some of its own personality. My favorite was While You Wait For The Others. A light 4.

While I didn’t have the best time listening to this album, I think as background music it would be fine so it lands on the 3 spot

Quite long but I won’t hold that against it. My biggest complaint is that the style of this album was all over the place, but the songs were actually quite solid.

I have to admit, this way better and more palatable than I expected. I didn’t think there would be an alt rock vibe to it. It still has many problems that most metal poses to me - mainly anxiety and overwrought, weird kid at school lyrics. A high 2.

Title track is a certified banger but I feel like the rest just can’t live up to it. Still, some solid pop.

This was cool. Pretty wild to imagine seeing muddy waters play hoochie coochie

Stevie Wonder is another one of those artists that just makes me think of being bored listening to my dad’s music in the car as a kid. His voice is too smooth for me. Still, this is a great album. Obviously Supedstition is a classic but my fave is Blame It On The Sun.

I remember when this came out and the world lost its collective mind. Gotta give this album credit for its impact, but nobody can deserve as much hype as Beyoncé receives. There’s a decent amount of filler here in between the hits. Maybe I’d feel different if I watched the videos along with it. I don’t know, just didn’t do it for me. My faves were the ones everyone knows.

Love this voice. A nice, quick listen.

Not sure why there’s so much PJ Harvey here. I thought this was fine.

This was a game changer for me when I first heard it (probably ‘08 or ‘09). A soft spoken album with a lot to say. me and the Major and Get Me Away are the classics but there are no bad tracks here. An ungenerous take could dismiss this as meek twee, but the execution is nearly flawless and it’s hugely influential.

Seems pretty important. Lot of good beats. I’d do a 3.5 but just can’t give it a 4.

Nice easy listening. This wasn’t a revelation for me or anything but very good.

This was fun to listen too, if a bit saccharine and Budweiser-y. Kind of lost its way in the middle but picked up at the end. You’re Missing was my fave

These writers are thirsty for Björk. Not for me.

The second half won me over

Never listened to this whole album before. The hits are great and the rest is solid. Maybe a little repetitive - they really leaned on that opening strummy rift - but a quality album.

Very fun, a little long

Long, boring, and repetitive with no standouts. I usually give this kind of music some leeway but this was just rude.

I like the style but the execution is a little flat and disappointing. Songs by themselves are fine.

Buffalo stance is very very good but the rest of this was kind of ridiculous

The hits hit and the rest is fine. A high 3

While I do think that Thriller, Beat it, and Billie Jean is one of the best trio of consecutive pop songs in history, to me the rest of the album just isn’t consistent enough to get to a 5. Still very very good. Sorry!

Only able to listen to some of the songs on this due to Spotify licensing but I got the gist. Pretty good but nothing stood out.

I liked this but just shy of a 4. Opening track is by far the best but I also liked Insanely Jealous of You. Some interesting punk-ish elements.

About as good as 90s NY hip hop gets. Savage and consistent.

Wow this was so much better than The Birthday Party. Real Tom Waits energy. Had it on in the background which maybe helped. I’d like to listen to it again more closely. As of now a high 3.

Hard to get too excited about this. None of it is particularly interesting. At least there’s some variety. Scrapes by with a 3.

This was wild. I liked it though. Frisbee was my favorite - great riff

Such high caliber song writing. A little long but it doesn’t really let up. Red-eyed and Blue is an amazing song title. Not quite a 5 but Wilco will get one.

I mean, come on.

I forgot that American Pie was 9 minutes. A fun song but definitely the main reason this album is on the list. I liked Everybody Loves Me Baby a lot too. Took a strange turn at the end.

This was cool. Had a massive attack vibe but more lively. Not sure when I’d listen to it again but glad I did.

Ugh I don’t know. Musically I liked a lot of these songs, especially the ones with some dancey elements. Mother is my favorite. But the concept of the album itself I found overwrought. The album is too long. Maybe drugs would help. Kind of at a 3.5 but I guess I’ll round up.

Great album. Not many of their big hits on this one but just really solid and also a little different. More instrumental and darker. Definitely want to listen again. Love Vigilantes and Face Up were my faves. A high 4.

More of a feminist text than an album. It doesn’t quite compare to Sinister, but still a lot to like. Electronic Renaissance and I Don’t Love Anyone we’re the highlights.

Very good, not quite for me so will fall short of a 5 but a lot of good songs. Why does he say Julio like that?

Not really for me. Smoke on Water is fun if course, but also it’s so overplayed maybe I should hate them for it.

This was interesting!

Excellent album. Love Goes On is the obvious standout but the whole thing is chill and consistent. I’m All Right is another fave. A high high 4.

Eaaaasy 5. An absurd number of hits on this one. My favorite is probably I Know It’s Over. Morrissey may be an asshole but he knows how to write a lyric and I love his voice. If I had to choose I’d say the Smiths self titled slightly edges this out but they are both magnificent.

An unnecessary, aimless Oasis knockoff

Obviously dated but pretty fun.

Can’t say I particularly enjoyed this but it sounded nice.

Bouncy as hell and pretty unique. The One was good. I think this falls just shy of a 4 but a worthwhile listen.

Kind of a snooze. I feel like this needs to be listened to in a meadow somewhere. Nice sounding but every song sounds the same and his vocalizing gets to be a bit much.

Some good beats, but this was a little too disco and repetitive. I preferred Very.

A classic. Title track, Turkish Song, Fairytale, and Lullaby of London are all phenomenal. The expanded edition is a little long, but all of the extra songs are good (especially those Dubliners collabs). Worms was weird. As a whole, this is unique, brash, confident, energetic, and gorgeous. May not be for everyone but definitely a record everyone should listen to.

Solid. I’ve never listened to Rod Stewart but this was not what I expected. A lot of heart and good musicianship. Maggie May was my favorite.

Not for me but fine.

This is just on here for Piece of My Heart, which, fair. A lot of the other tracks had the feeling they were made up on the spot. A cool time capsule I guess. My favorite part was at the end when the guy was promoting “The Who, from England”

I remember my brother listening to Sebadoh after he got into dinosaur jr in high school. I liked a few of their songs but not much else and that kind of holds true here. I’m not a fan of noise for noise’s sake, so a lot of this album didn’t really do it for me. ‘Soul and Fire’ and ‘Homemade’ were the only real highlights

I like jazz but don’t know much about it, so it’s hard for me to tell what’s “good”. I liked listening to this but could’ve done without the extended introduction.

The lyrics and skits on this album have aged like milk, but you can’t deny the raw talent and production quality here. I have to admit I was even bopping my head to the wildly homophobic ‘Marshall Mathers’. ‘Kill You’, ‘Stan’, and ‘The Real Slim Shady’ are standouts

Never listened to Common before but I really dug this. No particular songs stood out but the album as a whole solid mid 2000s rap. Bouncy but had heft. The vintage Kanye is an added bonus.

Pretty neat but instrumentals can only do so much for me. Light my Fire and Raghupati were fun. I’ll keep this album in mind if I do any psychedelics.

Very little to like about this for me. Somehow both repetitive and disjointed.

I’m sure that Nirvana is on this list, so I don’t know why I would also need to listen to this before I die. As an album though it’s decent. Mudride, If I Think were good.

Very nice to listen to. I’m sure I’d give it a 5 if I knew more about jazz.

It’s strange to listen to this album alone in an apartment. From the sound of it, it set the tone for the 80s and I’m sure it’s had a huge influence on pop. On its own though it didn’t quite hit the pleasure center in my brain that great pop should. Maybe I’d enjoy it more on the dance floor.

I’ll admit I’m cynical when it comes to the beatles, but cynicism only goes so far. This album slaps. Starts off strong with tax man, which is almost proto-punk. Eleanor rigby is eerie and beautiful. Yellow submarine, an objectively ridiculous song, somehow isn’t out of place. For no one is also a highlight. Just a great piece of work.

I appreciate what these guys set out to do, and the originality and influence of this album. Overall though, the execution is slightly off and felt one-note. I found myself checking to see when it would end. Five Man Army was decent.

Another “influence” album. Overall too british for me. I guess I could see myself listening to it again on a walk in the woods or something. A very cellular song was my fave.

Classic rock. Would probably give it a 4 if I didn’t hate Robert Plant’s voice.

If you like ska, you have to like this album. As someone lukewarm to it at best, I found the middle of this album to be a little hard to get through. A Message to You Rudy is of course the best song by far and a bop. Doesn’t Make it All Right and the unfortunately titled Little Bitch were also decent. Would listen to again if I was feeling like a rude boy.

Very close to giving this a 5, but just a bit top heavy and didn’t quite stick the landing. This is one of those bands I’ve heard of a bunch but never actually listened to. Great album overall. You can see the influence on bands like the magnetic fields. A Different Point of View was my fave.

I’m a big silver jews fan, but I have to admit I was surprised (though not upset) to see this on the list. I think I’d only listened to it once before. It’s probably their 3rd or 4th best album, so does that mean the others will be here as well? This is no American Water, but it’s a great album. Berman was one of the greatest lyricists of all time and his low voice complements the sleepy country vibe perfectly. This album gets better as it goes. I Remember Me, Tennessee, Friday Night Fever, and Death of an Heir of Sorrows are fantastic.

I had to start listening to this album again after finishing it yesterday because I couldn’t decide if I liked it. I got about halfway. It’s certainly not bad and it’s got a cohesive vibe and is interesting. Kind of at a 3.5 but gonna round down because it just doesn’t have the it factor

God, this was a bummer. I’m glad I listened to it because I’d never heard true goth music before, and it’s fascinating to hear how different the cure was (how did this same band put out just like heaven two albums later?), but it’s not for me. The unchanging drum beat made it difficult to distinguish between songs, which I’m sure was intentional but ultimately resulted in a wall of gloom with no real payoff. I’ll stick with joy division for my mopey tunes.

These are all the same song!

As far as live albums go this is pretty good. It’s fun but Motörhead gets repetitive to me

Even though they’re different, this reminded me of the Hangman’s Beautiful Daughter. Both are pretty and create their own little world, but the music itself didn’t move me. Spotify only had the 2 CD deluxe version so I’m not sure how much of this was on the original release so that may cloud my score. Holy Man was by far my favorite and I also really liked the instrumental outro in Time.

A solid, energetic Brit punk album. I don’t think of heard of these guys before and glad to have listened to it.

I guess this is indie dance pop? Whatever it is it’s well executed here. I feel like I’ve heard Heads Will Roll dozens of times and never knew it was the yeah yeah yeahs. Skeletons, Hysterics, and Little Shadow were my faves. Excellent album cover.

I’ve never gotten into Elliot Smith, but I’ve also never really tried to (maybe because liking Elliot Smith would be too painfully on brand). His talent as a songwriter is undeniable, and you can hear his influence on artists like Alex G. There aren’t any bad songs on this album but it was still underwhelming. The first 2 tracks were my favorite and after that it was fine to listen to but nothing great. I expect to feel more emotions listening to such an emotional album.

I liked this a lot more this time around than I did when I first heard it a while back. More of a vibe than an album, but in a good way. Refreshing. Sounds and Vision was great.

Liked this a lot. It must have been sad hearing this right after he died. There’s a decent number of covers but I don’t mind that, especially in a live album.

I feel like this album was mostly just included for the title track, which is fair - it’s a great song. The rest of it didn’t really move the needle for me.

I thought this would be a drag but pretty interesting. It’s not something I’d likely seek out again but I can see why people like it. Would give it a 3.5 but rounding down for Geddy Lee’s voice.

My main issue with this is I don’t know if it’s good for what it is. That said, I liked this more than I thought I would. Parts were unpleasant, but overall it felt like there was structure which I appreciated. I’m glad I heard it but unlikely I’ll listen to it again. On Fire was my favorite.

Was hoping to like this more. Overall it was fine but a lot of the songs just felt like they were missing something.

Glad to get some old school in the mix. I loved the beats throughout and some of the Latin influence, but the rapping was pretty lackluster even by 90s standards.

Was liking this but it really fell off halfway through. Really a 2.5 but I’ll round up to keep my 3 streak alive.

Just so boring. I can’t do 75 minutes of slow, repetitive love songs without something to break it up. Those strings are going to haunt me in my sleep. I’d be happy to listen to any of these songs on their own but I never want to hear this album again.

Solid.

A year or two ago I would’ve given this a 2, but I’ve come to really appreciate country/Americana so this worked for me. Also a pretty interesting album title for the 50s.

It’s impossible to separate this from the cultural baggage of wonderwall but I tried. This isn’t bad at all but feels a little self important to me somehow. A little long.

The first track had me really excited but then it kind of fell into that generic 60s sound. Worth a listen but nothing I’m dying to hear again.

I don’t find this kind of music particularly interesting, but I’ll give it a 4 on the strength of Frankin’s voice, which is astonishing. Aint no way was my favorite

First reggae since I’ve come aboard and it’s refreshing. This is great, but I like the sound of most reggae so it’s kind of like jazz for me where I have a hard time telling the good from the bad.

I don’t think it’s out of line to give this a 3. I respect the musicianship and there’s a lot to like in this (dark star and the eleven were highlights), but jamming loses a lot of its charm when it’s recorded, and the dead lose a lot of their charm when you’re sober. Is an 8 minute song if feedback really necessary? I’m sure this would wonderful to see live but as an album listening experience it left a lot to be desired.

A solid offering from willie. It’s hard to get to excited since it’s all covers, but nice to listen to.

Let’s get this out of the way: rock operas are dumb. The story is usually so thin and vague that it becomes meaningless, and they seem to be an excuse for artists to write ranging songs with no melody. This is my second time listening to Tommy and I still just don’t get it. If you take each song on its face, none are very good and many are asinine. Why is pinball mentioned in like 3 songs? Does Tommy play pinball? Do I care? I understand why this is on the list but it’s just not for me.

I’m torn between a 3 and a 4 here. Long Black Limousine is by far the best track imo, but is a cover. Kentucky rain was also good. The rest are solid. I’ll go with a 4 because I recently saw the bio pic.

Fun and ridiculous, if a bit repetitive. I can’t take ZZ Top seriously. They sound like a parody of themselves.

This was good. First two tracks are standouts but I was also fascinated by how dark We Will Fall was. Will listen again.

Excellent album. Probably more of a 4.5 for me but I’ll round up in honor of all the Bruce heads in this group.

This is similar to what’s the story morning glory in that it’s cultural reputation precedes it. On its own though, there’s a lot to like here. I enjoyed the bouncy vibe of the opening track and the brutal honesty of You Oughta Know. I feel like there’s something Dylanesque about a lot of the songs. Head Over Feet was my favorite.

I’ve listened to some Smog before but I don’t think I’ve heard Callahan’s self titled stuff. This is pretty pared down, almost trance-like at times. Reminded me of Willie Nelson a bit. You could argue it gets a bit dull but I think the song writing is strong and ultimately it’s a really nice album to listen to.

This felt long and I was surprised that it was only 50 minutes. That said I didn’t dislike it. Might have to give it another listen.

Really cool vocal work. Unlikely I’ll listen to it again but glad I heard it.

A great album I’ve never paid much attention to. Hard to believe it came out in ‘04. Wake Up famously made the trailer for Where the Wild Things Are look good and the first track is a classic. My faves were Crown of Love and Rebellion.

It’s Radiohead so I feel like there’s very little I can add to the conversation. As an album it’s cohesive and eerie. It’s missing the oomph to make it a 5 for me but great nonetheless. All I Need, Reckoner, Videotape are the faves. All I need

Interesting listening to this the day after In Rainbows. I’m no Radiohead super fan but compared to yesterday this album feels completely outmatched. Other than that though there’s nothing really wrong with it. I liked The Soft Season.

I don’t really believe in “guilty pleasure” music, but if I have any this is it. The second Hole album I’ve heard and the second one I’ve really enjoyed. No one’s doing anything particularly innovative here and it is painfully 90s, but I’m a sucker for raw lyrics.

Message in a Bottle gets this to a 4. Rest of the album is good enough.

I don’t see why this needs to be on the list when we know Pet Sounds will be making an appearance. Do You Wanna Dance and Help Me Rhonda are classics and rightfully so, but the other songs seem stuck in the 50s, even though this came out in 65. Songs about how your sister’s boyfriend better be nice to her and how you’re too young to get married (??) feel like they belong on a kidz bop album

This album’s brevity is it’s strong point. I don’t necessarily mean that as an insult - I think it encapsulates the essence of hardcore punk. It wouldn’t make sense for this to be 40 minutes. Music wise this was fine, though I’d rather be listening to some early replacements.

There’s just something about Nick Drake’s voice that drives me crazy. I don’t think this album is bad but I didn’t really get anything out of it.

I did not really enjoy listening to this. I appreciate the ambition, but music is hard enough without trying to cover all these genres. Feeling 2.5 but I’ll round up Buffalo Gals.

Good background music

The highs are so high but the b sides just don’t cut it to get it to a 5. Great listen overall though. Excellent production. I’m sure others will have more to say as I’m relatively unfamiliar with Bowie

Another album where the b sides take away from it. Hard to grade this since half the songs are covers and I feel like out of the originals and covers, it was 50/50 in terms of what I enjoyed. Would this be on the list if the artist had a different name? Hard to say. Ultimately though a worthwhile and mostly enjoyable listen.

Let’s take a moment to appreciate the audacity it requires to write a song about telling your child that you murdered their mother. It’s insane. This album is high energy, crass, violent, infectious, and could not be made today. Like the MM LP, from a rapping and production standpoint it’s impeccable. He just seems to be having so much fun and is so self aware that I don’t see how you can’t like it. My favorite is I’m Shady, where he breaks down some of the braggadocio from earlier in the album. I don’t think this beats out MM LP (which I regret not giving a 5), so this gets a 4.

I don’t know who the audience is for this but it sure ain’t me. Hurt is of course a classic but doesn’t make up for the aimless cacophony of the first hour.

I think it’s saying something that I’ve heard most of these songs out in the wild before. Maybe a bit repetitive but overall a strong album of quality pop

Better than I expected. A lot of the guitar was impressive. Definitely not my thing but certainly understand its presence on the list.

The list is in a mood this week. Can you imagine seeing these guys live? I have a soft spot for punk but this is a bit too angry for me. TV Party is an iconic song but this falls just short of a 4.

This was good. Even though it’s long it kept up the pace and didn’t really have any lulls. Had that nice 60s sound. I do wish the production was more consistent - the mix of mono and stereo tracks was a bit jarring. Party Line, Queen of Darkness, Sunny Afternoon, and Mr Reporter were the faves.

Foreign music can be tough for me since I’m very much a lyric guy, but I was really digging this. Unfortunately it was way too long and really dragged at the end.

Really good. This is the best REM record I’ve heard but I feel like it’s not as talked about as Murmur or Automatic.

That voice will always do it for me. CCR stayed in their comfort zone for this one but that’s good enough.

This was cool. Never heard of this group but a few of these songs sounded familiar. A more intense Spiritualized. Side note: I really wish artists/Spotify would publish original track listings for all albums. Lord Can You Hear Me was my fave.

Ignoring the terrible name, I don’t like music that seems to come from a place of pure derision, which this does. Sounds like a bunch of smart asses trying to be edgy. I’d much rather listen to Minutemen.

Maybe not my favorite Dylan album but excellent. Idiot Wind, You’re Gonna Make Me Lonely, and Rosemary are my favorites - just classic Dylan spitting bars.

What a classic. God Save the Queen, Seventeen, and Anarchy in the UK is such a devastating 1 2 3 combo.

This was fine. I don’t think I’d ever heard Coconut in its entirety before and it is fun, if maybe a bit appropriative.

Ehh, this is the kind of electronic that does nothing for me. It’s scattered and feels like an MF Doom album without the rapping. Frontier Psychiatrist was ok.

So much baggage with Coldplay. This is not bad, but it does kind of feel like they hit on a formula for a song and have been riding it ever since. The Scientist is better than Clocks. This would be a good 3.5.

I question the need for this album in addition to Funeral because I don’t think there’s much of a difference in tone, but that’s a well documented comment on this list. Still, it’s a good album.

Can’t beat the vibes on this one.

This was fun. I imagine this collab turned heads when it came out. Wildflowers was my favorite.

Never listened to this full album before. You can hear a lot of influence in it today. Sort of proto folk punk? Besides the obvious blister in the sun, I really enjoyed Prove My Love and Good Feeling.

This was insane. I was going to say that a lot of this sounded like he forgot he was recording, but after reading the Wikipedia article it seems like that was actually the case. There were a handful of decent songs (Weighted Down was the highlight) but overall this is not good. Apparently he thought they would edit and flesh this out. Not sure why they would choose to release it as is.

Listening to this, you can’t help but sigh and wonder where it all went wrong. This is a fantastic album and it’s not even his best work. The sampling is out of this world, the rapping is clean, smart, and funny. Jesus Walks is a classic, but imo it does kind of foreshadow his later Christianity overload. Still, a triumph.

This falls just shy of a 4 for me. I’m just never really in the mood for talking heads. The Big Country was my favorite.

I liked this much more than Pornography. Still gothic but had that new wave vibe. Pretty cool. 1959 was my favorite.

This was good, but as an album it felt all over the place.

Fine? A worse oasis but whatever.

Solid album. Mercedes Benz is such a dry, clever song. Get it While You Can was my favorite.

What an album. Disorder is one of the strongest debut songs of all time. Those drums, the live wire bass line, the lyrics - outstanding. New Dawn Fades, She’s Lost Control, and Shadowplay is a killer sequence. The only thing you can ding this album for is its bleakness - it’s not something you want to listen to on a sunny day. But that’s part of the fun. Essential listening, easy 5.

It’s crazy how much she sounds like Michael Jackson here. I enjoyed the first third of this album, got a little tired of it the middle third, and thought the last third was unnecessary and boring and kind of weird.

Good, but runs up against my jazz 3 star wall.

Other than the famous singles, I found this pretty dull. I do really like those singles though so I’ll give it a 4.

As a yankee fan I will always have fond memories of Mariano Rivera walking to the mound with Enter Sandman playing. Plus it’s a great song. The rest of this album, especially the second half, does not live up to it. So many of the songs sounded identical and the lyrics were trying too hard imo. Not much interest in hearing this again front to back.

I liked this better than the black album, but it still suffers from some of the same problems (mainly repetitiveness). Good guitar playing. Self titled track was my favorite.

Liked this better than what’s the story, although it’s similar enough to not really be necessary on this list. Supersonic and Married with Children were the faves.

It’s UK week I guess. This was fine, but Slide Show was the only track that really caught my attention.

When it comes to pop I don’t think it gets much better than this and that’s why it gets a 5. Exceedingly listenable, excellent production, lyrics on point, and it doesn’t feel too long or repetitive which is my gripe with most pop albums. One note is that Green Light is an odd choice for an opening song - it’s so big it feels like a closer. But other than that this is a strong album that elevates the genre.

Never heard this one before. I liked the production. Songs were pretty uniform with the exception of We’re Gonna Be Friends. Would do 3.5 but I’ll round up.

Based on the album cover I was worried this was going to be another prog rock album, so I was pleasantly surprised when it started. A really nice, pretty low key sound. To me this felt like a 65/35 bob dylan/kinks fusion, and I may be crazy but some of it reminded me of parquet courts. Overall a good listen if maybe a bit derivative. Whizz Kid, I’m a Cadillac, and I Wish I Was Your Mother were my favorites.

I can see why this is popular but not for me. A high 3.

This was more serious than I thought it would be. I sometimes get a little exhausted by funk but I think this had a good balance and wasn’t too long. Everyday People and Sex Machine were my faves.

I enjoyed the ambitious yet stripped down nature of this. Kind of surprised it came out in ‘02. Seems more modern. Not sure if they were influenced by Grandaddy but I heard a lot of them in this. Do You Realize was my favorite.

If you wanna spoof the Beatles I’m all for it, but you’ve got to have some actual music to back it up. About half of this album was sped up spoken word and it got tiresome.

While I do think Once In A Lifetime is overplayed, this album is pretty solid. My complaints about Byrne’s voice and delivery still hold but this was fun enough to warrant a 4.

I think this has been my favorite Nick Drake so far. A solid listen for a walk.

I liked this a lot. According to the track listing it was not remastered, which would make the production that much more impressive. Opening track was my favorite. Just a good, funky jazzy time. A high 4.

This was fine but didn’t do anything for me. I do think it must have influenced Tracy Chapman since Fast Car came out 3 years later. An interesting 80s acoustic sound.

The Radiohead influence is big in this one. I think I need to listen to this again in a different setting than a commute. For now it’s a high 3 but could be a 4.

This was pretty good. I zoned out a bit listening to it because I was working but it got my attention a few times. Gonna go with a light 4.

Overall an impressive debut. I’m never dying to hear R.E.M but I never mind it either. Not my favorite of theirs that I’ve heard but really solid.

One of the funniest opening lines there is. This is a very good album that falls just shy of a 5 for me.

Didn’t really have an effect on me but no complaints.

Does Mudhoney need two albums on this list? No. But I found this album much better and more accessible than their previous entry here. The solo in Broken hands was sick. A lot of gave me Dinosaur Jr vibes. Seems like they were contemporaries. A solid rock album.

Not bad, listened in the background which I think was a good call.

At times felt a little boring, but ultimately I liked this. Beck’s lyrics were actually relatable. Lost Cause was by far the fave.

Long, but a lot of slaps on this. Listening to this today it sounds like so much else out there, but coming out in 2005 this must’ve influenced a lot of 2010s indie folk.

This was dope. Solid bars all around. Check the Technique was the highlight. Doesn’t quite have the oomph for a 5 but close.

Some great tracks here. Not everything works but Back in Black followed by You Shook is killer. Hell’s Bells is a strong opener. Other than that a lot of the songs kind of blend together. Nothing is bad but it all follows such a formula. Angus Young is fantastic; Brian Johnson’s shrill voice gets to be a bit much. In the 5th grade I would’ve given this an easy 5. Listening to it now it’s close, but not quite there.

Im realizing that albums have an entirely different rating system when I listen to them on a walk vs in the background while working. This was on in the background which saved it. Pretty strange. I can hear notes of influence on Stephin Merritt. Black Sheep Boy was good. Just gets to a 3.

I’ll give this a 4 so Marty doesn’t get mad at me, but this didn’t do much for me. First 3 tracks are great. Rest of the album isn’t bad at all but I don’t see the big deal. I’ll give it credit for being interesting.

Can’t beat the vibes. Marley learned how to churn out the hits here.

I don’t deny the talent here, but I was bored by the end of it. I wished it was a Kendrick album.

I unironically love Bound 2. This album is such a departure from dark twisted fantasy but it’s refreshing. It’s both sparse and claustrophobic. Blood on the Leaves goes so hard. I can’t quite get to a 5 on it but high high 4.

Really nice listen. Judy Blue Eyes was my favorite but no real bad tracks. A good one to let wash over you.

Kind of mid tbh. I question if this would be in the list we’re it not a RS album. Not bad though. Under My Thumb is great.

This found its footing as it went on. I really loved the transition into Lightning Back. Also appreciated the concept of electronic folk. 3.5 but I’ll round up.

Gets the punk 3.

Title track is fun and the rest gets a little exhausting. I’ve never really understood the huge appeal.

Not quite a 5 but close. Candy Says, Pale Blue Eyes, Beginning to See the Light, After Hours - a lot to love here. VU eased back on the throttle but still put out a fantastic record with some of their biggest hits.

Second time listening to this and I liked it a lot more. It’s a sad album but sure-footed. Love his voice. Treaty was my favorite I think but this is better as an album than any track.

Not bad but didn’t do much for me. The song writing is good but his soft voice gets tiresome. Kind of felt like he was phoning it in with the song about cars.

I’m enjoying this kind of music more and more lately. Disco 2000, Feeling Called Love, and Underwear were standouts. Torn between 3 and 4 but I’ll round up

Pretty sparse. Fine listening in the background. Might be a 2 if I was listening to it on a walk

Walk This Way and Sweet Emotion saved this one. Not a big Aerosmith fan.

You Really Got Me is fun, the rest is whatever.

Opening track was my favorite. This kind of toed the line between good country and the overly sweet stuff I don’t like as much. I think it lost its way in the middle a bit.

Not bad. An interesting mix of styles. Still, very little stood out to me. God was the only song I really liked (and I liked it a lot). Fun fact: John and Yoko sat in the same row as my mom in a movie theater once.

Big Alanis vibes here, but I would say higher quality song writing. Just a real solid album with clever lyrics throughout. I think Mr Harris was my fave but a lot of good ones.

Liked this a lot more than I expected. Still a bit cheesy but a lot of really catchy songs and some grit too.

Pretty cool. I liked the eerie vibes. A soft 4.

It is what it is. Last song was pretty strange.

What was going on in the UK in 1981 that this was the best selling record? This had like 2 ok songs and the rest were completely forgettable or actively bad. Just seemed kind of aimless.

I’ve never spent much time with Sonic Youth but enjoyed this a lot. Good mix of rock, punk, and experimental stuff.

Never heard this one but seemed like solid Bowie. He kind of lives in that 4 range for me. Time was very good.

I’ve got a lot of respect for this album, but musically it’s never stuck with me as One of the Greats. Maybe it’s just because of how hip hop has evolved over time, maybe it’s because of the song Infamous Date Rape (which, why?), but it doesn’t get me going enough to be a 5. That said, it’s still an excellent, wildly influential album. Excursions is a phenomenal opener and the record doesn’t feel too long which I feel was a big issue in the 90s. I might like Midnight Marauders better.

It’s Britney Bitch. This was fine. Other than the first 2 tracks (both bangers) the rest is kind of generic and sounds like scrapped Madonna tracks. Autumn Goodbye was decent. I am also of course not the target audience for this. As a kid there was nothing worse than being accused of liking Britney Spears. I strongly believe we are the first group of people to listen to Baby One More Time the day after listening to Low End Theory. If my Spotify algorithm wasn’t in shambles before it sure is now.

God, I would love to know what kind of dirt PJ has on these list writers because this is getting out of hand. This was my favorite of her albums we’ve listened to so far - a bit more grungy and velvet underground-y. Plants and Rags was good. Still though, not much different from the other stuff. A high 3.

Idk.

Another odd Queen album. I feel like you really have to be in the mood for this. I did enjoy She Makes Me so I’ll go with a 3.

The swag on this is off the charts. Great album title too. Not something I’d likely come back to much but a great listen.