My previous commentary got wiped out some how, but honestly, it was about as important as this album really is/was. That is to say, not so much. To sum it up, OK is hardly worth the time and is likely taking up a spot on this list that should be going to a far more deserving album. I'll give it 2 stars because there is some interesting live instrumentation on this album, but it's not enough to save the otherwise boring electronica album..

Very Pet Shop Boys start to finish. Some gems on this album, but ultimately, this album exists in a very specific time in history and doesn't really hold up in the modern music world (that sounds more negative than I mean it). A number of the songs get a little repetitive and drone on for a little too long, but the themes and emotions throughout are relatable and at times hard hitting.

It's amazing this band isn't more beloved than they are and In Budokan was what it took to finally get these guys a top 10 single.

What else can there be said about ABBA...

Bad is a great record with a bunch of classic pop hits, but not MJs best overall album. Much like Thriller, this album feels a lot like a collection of hits more than a cohesive album, I mean, 8 of 11 songs charted as singles in the US alone with 5 of them reaching #1! Maybe when the album came out it felt more cohesive but with time and it's overall legacy started feeling more like a greatest hits. Still a fun listen tho

Sure, it's a clever album with good musicianship, but my god is it a chore to get through.. I'd be more than happy to not spin this one again

Tom Waits has a wonderful gift for songwriting, composition and storytelling, not so much so for singing. He's for sure an acquired taste and won't be everyone's cup of tea. I enjoy it his music, albeit in spurts and small doses. Great record, but not one I'd listen to in regular rotation

Spotify is missing tracks 5, 6, 12 and 13, making it hard to get the full seamless album experience. Good album all the same with a industrial jazz vibe

I enjoy Aimee Mann's song writing but for some reason the way she delivers those songs always feels a little lack luster to me. Great production from Jon Brion as always. I can see how this would be an essential album to listen to, but it doesn't have a lot of replay value for me.

Stone cold classic

Interesting album. Not sure if it's good for background music, or putting on headphones for a dedicated play through.

Good album, not their strongest or most exciting though. Largely just ambient sounding instrumentals, almost sounds like it's incomplete with Robert Smith not yet having recorded the vocals

Not my cup of tea

interesting choice to add to a list of "must listen" albums. All in all, it's a good record, Morrissey has a timeless voice and the songs are well crafted. That said, he's still a racist POS.

Fun album, but not my cup of tea

Luckily I already have this album, it's a legit classic. Sadly it's not available on Spotify to stream

Not for my tastes. Also, the over compressed, digital samples are just grating on the ears...

Sounds far more modern than his contemporaries, including his brothers in the Beach Boys were doing. Brilliant album

Artist not available to stream on Spotify, but songs I was able to locate on Youtube are quite good

not my cup of tea but a solid classic

probably the only RHCP album I've listened to all the way through on my own and without skipping a track

Not really my kind of thing, but makes good background music while working.

It's ok I guess. Whomever created this list is a bit of a Morrissey fan boy though, because there's too many albums on here of his. Love me some Marr though.

I don't know why I just don't get Rush..

Classic album with some incredible songs but the era wasn't very good to this genre in terms of the mix. Wish the album had a more balanced sonic range, would get another star out of me for sure

meh

What else can there be said about ABBA...

Urban Hymns is a bona fide classic 90s britpop album. Ashcroft's smooth vocals and melodies paired with big spacey verbed out guitars, and well layered production. The obvious big hit, "Bitter Sweet Symphony", I think is the main reason this album even makes this list. Undeniably memorable, but just as much so for the copyright debacle as the song itself. All in all, it's a good album, but suffers from most of the songs sounding pretty similar throughout. Throw it on in the background while you cook dinner or study or work. It's not an album I'd say you want to sit down for a fully dedicated listening session as the somewhat repetitive feel of the album can be a bit of a drag over the 75 minute runtime (knock about 5 or so minutes off if you skip the silence between "Come On" and the pseudo sci-fi sounding instrumental hidden track "Deep Freeze")

If you're only in it for powerful lead vocals, energetic songs, beautiful harmonies and big lead guitars. This isn't the album for you. But if you want some well crafted/written indie alternative music, then don't skip this record. E's vocals are considerably limited, but his lyrics and song craft are downright masterful. The bands only radio single "Novocain For The Soul" kicks off the album with some creative and uplifting yet depressing lyrics like "life is good, and I feel great, cause mother said I was a great mistake". "Susan's House" is a spoken word track over a simple drum groove that should not be skipped. And everyone who grew up in the 90's will remember "My Beloved Monster" from the OG Shrek soundtrack. Personally, 5 stars, no notes

I once heard a friend refer to a band as "very Syd Barrett-y". I don't remember the band he was talking about, but I remember the music feeling fairly jarring and "herky-jerky", if you will. After finally listening to this record, I can say with confidence that I now fully understand and will be using that phrase comfortably in the future.

Beautiful album with Nick Drake's signature acoustic sound and masterful song writing. Maybe not the most exciting album you'll hear, but certainly one of the most soothing. Some of my favorite tracks include "Thoughts Of Mary Jane", "Time Has Told Me", "Way To Blue" and "Day Is Done"

This album is probably that kicked off my love for the Beatles. Fantastic album with some of the best rock songs (maybe more pop than rock by modern standards) out there. That slap you in the face chord that starts "A Hard Day's Night", to beautifully melancholic "And I Love Her" and "If I Fell", to the head bopping tracks like "Can't Buy Me Love" and "Tell Me Why". While not my favorite Beatles album, it's certainly firmly planted in my top 100 albums of all time. Also one of the best band movies out there. Making light of the Beatlemania of the time with a bunch of sly jokes. The media party scene with classic one-liners, like when someone asks Lennon "How'd you find America?" and he simply replies with a straight "Turned left at Greenland".

The grandfather of so much music to come, truly a legendary and influential album by all counts. 4 stars because some songs wouldn't impact the final product if omitted, such as "Endless, Nameless"

Classic punk with that classic raw production. Good energy and surprisingly upbeat

It's safe to assume that At The Drive-In were fans of this album as you can hear it's influence all over their albums from their original run (Acrobatic Tenement to Relationship Of Command). I missed these DLJ during their heyday, but they're going to be rotation going forward for sure.

Not really my thing, but sure

Classic rock with a pop flare at some of it's finest. Not every song on the album is great, but when it hits, it hits just right. \"Have you heard Bad Company by the band Bad Company of their album Bad Company?\"

On this album, Gaye really wants to get it on and keep getting it on. He really lets you know where his intentions lie instead of beating around the bush.

It's amazing this band isn't more beloved than they are and In Budokan was what it took to finally get these guys a top 10 single.

This is the 4th album with the name Scott by Scott Walker. Definitely cut from the same cloth as Neil Diamond (or at least a similar pattern). It's an ok album I guess, nothing too exciting start to finish.

Interesting album with a varied mix of afro, middle eastern and latin beats and instrumentation but not interesting enough to make up for the lack of excitement throughout the whole album. Not really sure why this one would make a list of albums you have to listen to for any reason.

It's an ok album, kinda one note/bland overall, certainly not indicative of their jam band reputation. Feel like this is another questionable addition on this list, but I'm sure this isn't intended for everyone to love everything (see: Mike Oldfield's Tubular Bells..).

Some of the beats go pretty damn hard, but "grime" isn't really my thing and production on these earlier albums feel somewhat dated to my ears. Overall sound doesn't hold up as well to modern hip hop with the somewhat thinner sounding instrumentation, but that's just my 2 cents. "Fix Up, Look Sharp" is a bop, check out the live version off the deluxe version of Tongue n' Cheek.

Bad is a great record with a bunch of classic pop hits, but not MJs best overall album. Much like Thriller, this album feels a lot like a collection of hits more than a cohesive album, I mean, 8 of 11 songs charted as singles in the US alone with 5 of them reaching #1! Maybe when the album came out it felt more cohesive but with time and it's overall legacy started feeling more like a greatest hits. Still a fun listen tho

I know this was a pretty big album when it dropped but it's honestly a snooze for me. Both Jamie and Romy have done far more interesting music outside of this very empty sounding album (can't say the same for Oliver only because I haven't listened to any of his solo work). It's not a bad album, it's just a boring album.

Fun album with a few big hits. The album as a whole flows but if you aren't intimate with every song, it can kinda bleed together since most of the songs have the same feel/production/sound. Really is a staple of that boogie rock with a pseudo punk ethos.

A solid Bowie album, not my favorite of his, but it's still a classic. More groovy than a lot of his earlier work, and certainly stands on it's own in the middle of an incredible run of albums (Ziggy was less than 3 years prior with Aladdin Sane, Pin Ups, and Diamond Dogs between them!). Just on the topic of sheer output, Bowie released at least 1 album a year from '69-'80 and not a flop among them. Young Americans gives you the title track and "Fame" as the 2 massive singles, an interesting take on the Beatles "Across The Universe", a fun collab with Luther Vandross in "Fascination", and in my opinion, not a skip on the album. 4 out of 5 only because by Bowie standards, it's not his best and most influential album that he's released, but that's hard to do with his catalog surrounding this album.

A blink and you'll miss it classic punk album. 14 high octane tracks clocking in just shy of 16 minutes. Perfect hardcore punk with a diy sounding production, delightfully unrefined performances, zero nuance or subtly from frontman Keith Morris, but why would you be looking for anything more/less in the genre? I fully support this album making the list.

Wild and interesting album to be sure. Certainly not Hounds of Love or The Kick Inside, but it's certainly an album of all time. It's a weird record that takes a number of plays to get into and can be a little unsettling at times, but it is a good album overall, even if it's not her most user friendly or popular releases. If you want more approachable version of one of these tracks, check out Ra Ra Riot's version of "Suspended In Gaffa" 3.5/4 stars

Ronald Isley is the definition of butter when it comes to vocals. Dude is smooth as it gets! Good album but not my favorite from them, still some great tgracks though with the ever famous "That Lady" and a beautiful cover of Seals and Crofts' "Summer Breeze" and a fun take on The Doobie Brothers' "Listen To The Music". It's a good listen, but not sure if I'd call it a mandatory album. Overall, I give it 3/5

Some solid jams breaks, but just not my thing. Never been able to get into the Dead.

Have Mercy! I'd agree that this album is a staple for rock/blues/boogie-woogie. Kicking off with a killer 1-2 punch to open the album with "Waitin' On The Bus" and "Jesus Just Left Chicago", but the following "Beer Drinkers..." is a little weak across the whole track except for Gibbons' solo. The song list as a whole has some ups and downs, with some weaker tracks in the mix but great playing all the same. Of course you have one of their biggest hits before switching up to a more 80's pop working of their core sound on the album Eliminator with "La Grange". All in all, a good album despite it's flaws. I'd give it a 3.5 if I could, but don't feel quite right giving it a 4, so 3 stars I guess

Arguably one the greatest rock/pop albums ever recorded. There's nothing more that really needs to be said. 5 stars for me.

It's a quintessential jangle-pop album, no doubt. Some great tracks on this album, but I'm not sure I'd actually consider it their best album, I'd probably tag the self-titled debut for that. The title track, Bigmouth and Some Girls are songs certainly worth checking out. Also, fuck Morrissey..

There's so many albums out there that sound exactly like this that I'm not sure why this would be considered required listening. It's an generally fine record but nothing that really seems to set it apart from others. Just check out the "Fans also like" section on Lloyd and co.'s Spotify page and it's just more copy pasta of the same sort of act. If the list that has this album listed is really limited to a finite 1000 total records, then get this one off here to make room for something better.

Completely forgot about this album. When I was in high school, so many of my friends were obsessed with the track "Bongo Bong" to the point that it became more of a novelty than anything else. The album itself is clever, with an almost seamless transition between every song across the album with exception of a few pointed stops. As a whole, it definitely feels like it was written to be a singular project more than a collection of songs thrown together. Overall, I enjoyed it, even if I'm not likely to come back to it for another listen anytime soon. The immediate nostalgia upon hearing "Bongo Bong" was a trip though, right back to my freshman year of HS. A strong 3/5

I've never been big on the singer/songwriter sound and tend to prefer music with a little more energy to it. That said, hard to argue with the staying power of songs like Wild World and Father and Son. Cat Stevens is a legit tour de force when it comes to songwriting and has a buttery delivery of said songs. Tea for the Tillerman is nice, tight little package of songs barely over 35 minutes, and makes the most of that short runtime. Notable songs: Wild World, Miles From Nowhere, Father and Son

Not the Boss's best album, nor most popular, but a solid record all the same. Opening track, "Badlands", comes right out the gate and hits you in the face with a classic Springsteen sound you'd hear cranked in a packed dive bar. He doesn't give you a chance to settle in as "Adam Raised a Cain" wastes no time with a dirty rock groove that hooked me right away. "Something in the Night" is a great piano ballad of sorts but I don't care much for Bruce's nasally vocals in the opening. "Candy's Room" has good energy but is just ok and then it's another piano ballad with "Racing in the Street". Then it's more signature Springsteen with "The Promised Land" and "Factory". "Streets of Fire" is a lumbering track that throws a little Gilmour-esc solo at you with a good "soft/loud" dynamic between verse and chorus. The album closes with "Prove It All Night" and the title track, the former of which is one of my favorites from the album with a great hook and the latter sounding much like the rest of the album. Suggested tracks: Adam Raised a Cain, Streets of Fire & Prove It All Night 3/5

Beautiful instrumentation and arrangements, great songwriting by a number of brilliant artists, but Nico's "singing" just sounds flat and dead on every damn song. While I am into this genre generally speaking, I just can't get over Nico's voice. These Days is a beautiful song, but you should go listen to The Black Keys cover of it instead.

Neil Young is one of those odd successes in my opinion. Brilliant song writer and guitarist, and while he's a reliable singer, his voice isn't all that pleasant on the ears. All that said, this is a great record with some of my favorite Neil tracks. Notable songs: Cinnamon Girl, Down by the River (the big single), and the title track. Also check out the different takes on "Cinnamon Girl" by Smashing Pumpkins, Susanna Hoffs/Matthew Sweet, and Type O Negative, and "Down by the River" by Buddy Miles.

Alright album with a real americana/country tinge to it. Most of the album is pretty mellow with the exception of a few tracks, so if that's not your thing, skip this one. If nothing else, check out the track "To Be Young"

There's only a handful of double albums out there that are "all killer, no filler" and in my humble opinion, this is easily in that group! However, in classic punk fashion, you still get all 19 songs in an almost fleeting 65 minutes. Notable tracks: ALL OF THEM, DAMNIT! But seriously, "London Calling", "Spanish Bombs", "Lost in the Supermarket", "Clampdown", "Train in Vain"

The album is called \"Timeless\", but at nearly 2 hours long, this album has overstayed it's welcome. Sure music changes and evolves all the time, but ironically, this album sounds very dated and I'm convinced the author put this album on the list because they owed someone a favor. Most of the songs are over 6 minutes of dragged out, bloated 90s drum and bass. 1/5

Wasn't sure what to expect once the first song started with all sorts of old school electric rhythm sounds only for it to transition into a very Hot Chip, LCD Soundsystem, !!!, MGMT mix of early 2000's indie dance punk. There's a certain nostalgia I got from this record This is my first experience with this band but I'll likely be digging into the rest of their catalog in the future. Check out "Static Resistance", "Opener" and "Each Time We Pass" 4/5

Would you call this "proto Father John Misty"? I haven't checked out the rest of his catalog yet, but FJM did debut 2 years later in 2012 and this album feels like it was the foundation before Tillman added all the strings and additional orchestration that usually fill all his albums. All in all, it's an ok album albeit not that exciting. None of the songs really popped out at me or excited me in any way. It's just solid mid.

Stan Getz has a solid catalog, and this is no exception. Put on "Samba Dees Days" while you're making dinner and dance around the kitchen. Sip on a glass of wine while enjoying Getz's signature breathy sax style on "Samba Triste" and "Samba De Uma Nota So" with perfectly paired runs with Charlie Byrd's guitar. Honestly, there's nothing about this album to dislike, it's just so pleasant and easy. This album screams dinner party or wine bar and tapas. Pair with a nice and light Pinot Noir or medium bodied Cabernet

Tim's vocals are incredible, but I confess I'm not really into this album that much. It's good, it just didn't leave any sort of lasting impression for me.

I remember how big the hype was around this album was when it came out. Beck makes a hard pivot from the sound of his previous albums focused on sample driven, alt rock, pseudo psychedelia, funk rock, hip hop and disco to a lush, acoustic driven, heartfelt album of folk rock perfection. Check out Paper Tiger, Guess I'm Doing Fine, Lost Cause, Round The Bend and Sunday Sun

I miss this version of AM. Energetic, hard hitting, cutting, angsty and punked up.

Some have considered this album to be part of the garage rock revival, but I'd say it's a little more inline with the early dance-punk that was starting to take off in the early 00s with the likes of LCD Soundsystem, Bloc Party, Franz Ferdinand and others. A little more raw production getting that garage rock tag, but the energy of the album is more bopping around while staring at the floor in a dark, dirty basement night club in NYC. Each track hits you with searing energy and sharp edges with the only seemingly polished break you get in the whole album being "Maps", but even that has massive wall of guitar hitting you in the bridge, never really letting you relax until the album closer Modern Romance. Listen to: Man, Pin, No No No, Maps, Y Control

As many have already pointed out, the cover art is far more exciting than the album and I'm inclined to say they're not wrong. It's an alright album but nothing to write home about. I wish I could give it an even 2.5/5, but since that's not an option, I'll bump it up to a 3 for making me feel like I'm doing something inappropriate with the cover art on my work computer.

How drunk was the person that decided you had to listen to this album? I mean, there's nothing about it that should have landed it on this list. I think what makes it even worse is it's a whole double album with the second disk full of demos of the same unremarkable songs that make up the first disk. There's this weird mix of very typical 80s alternative/pop male lead vocals and country pedal steel guitar on a number of tracks that just doesn't make sense in my mind. The lyrics I've been able to pickup on are barely surface level deep and there's just really nothing that has me wanting to hear this record (or any of their other albums) again. Maybe use this album to kick off a new list of 1001 albums that would have made no difference to the world had it just not been made. 1/5 (because that's as low as it goes around these parts)

Probably one of MJs better solo albums. Right out the gate you're shaking your shoulders with good vibe dance grooves with Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough and he doesn't give you any reason to stop until the second half of the album. Rock With You, Workin' Day and Night, and Get of the Floor will keep you moving. The title track starts off a little less energetic with a cackle that I think it could do without but picks up quickly and gets you back into the boogie. Kicking off the second half, Girlfriend is a chill poppy bop of a track with a bouncy bass line, smooth harmonies and catchy melody. You'll still be bopping your head. Finally you get a sweet ballad about lost love and heartache with She's Out Of My Life. Very simple production that just servers to highlight what we've already known about MJ's vocal power (I get chills every time I her the "deeeeeeep in side" crescendo). I Can't Help It is a return to the disco dance vibes, albeit at a slower tempo that the first half of the record, but the tempo picks back up throughout It's The Falling In Love (fucking bop and a half) and closing the album with Burn This Disco Out. Certifiable classic album, a disco banger before MJ sets in stone his claim as "King of Pop" with Thriller

Legendary album but maybe not as revolutionary today as it was when it came out. I still give it a spin or 2 a year for the nostalgia. Listen to: Bodies, No Feelings, God Save The Queen & New York

Big band esc jazz, lounge-y, feel good background music. All in all a very pleasant listen. Can't say I recognize any individual songs from this album outside of this listen or that I'll come back to this record on my own volition, but I enjoyed it while it lasted. Side note, I feel like I was actually a little more productive at work with this in the background than the other albums I've had on this list that make you pay more attention (or in some cases question why you're even listening to it)

The number of Spotify listeners/streams on this album would imply it's probably not that important of an album. Even AllMusic wrote "it never found it's audience". Probably because if you're looking for classic singer-songwriter fare, you'd be somewhat disappoint by this way-off-broadway theater schlock. I though I was going to get something along the lines of Jackson Browne or Dan Fogelberg or James Taylor, but instead I was "gifted" with odd stories about wishing something was a one night stand or rain in California, flat vocals, disjointed lyrics and a musical production more suited for the high school play it sounds like it was conceived for. To quote Mr Horse from Ren & Stimpy; "No sir, I didn't like it"

Somehow this album perfectly encapsulates the hangover I'm currently working through and I'm not sure how that makes me feel.. I thought the vocals in "Dry and Dusty" were just in my head, but no, they're right there! Honestly I don't have a ton to say on this album either way but I don't think I'll be revisiting it anytime soon.

Buttery vocals and harmonies across this entire album, but that's what you get with the Temptations. Great arrangements and production too. Side note, I don't think I ever heard the album version of Papa Was A Rollin' Stone and didn't realize it's almost 12 minutes long! Over all it's a fine album, albeit fairly forgettable as it sounds like most of their catalog and just going of the numbers it would appear most Spotify listeners only listen to 2 songs off this album seeing a play count drop off 75% between the 2nd and 3rd most played tracks and then another 50% between the 3rd and 4th with the latter getting just shy of 155k at time of this writing and half of this album not even that much. Ultimately, it's a Temptations album so you'll get exactly what you expect from a Temptations album. Listen to Run Charlie Run, Mother Nature, and Do Your Thing 3/5

My previous commentary got wiped out some how, but honestly, it was about as important as this album really is/was. That is to say, not so much. To sum it up, OK is hardly worth the time and is likely taking up a spot on this list that should be going to a far more deserving album. I'll give it 2 stars because there is some interesting live instrumentation on this album, but it's not enough to save the otherwise boring electronica album..

How serendipitous that I just watched Stop Making Sense last night. Just about everyone I know that likes Talking Heads cite this as their best and most influential and innovative album, and I don't completely disagree. I always find myself flip flopping between this or Speaking In Tongues for their best album. Meanwhile, Remain in Light is a fantastic blend of styles with new wave, funky bass grooves, afro-beat percussion, hypnotic rhythms, spacey synths and abstract guitars. The first half of the album far more exciting and energetic while the last few songs kinda drone on with David Byrne more or less monologuing over very Brian Eno influenced backing tracks. It's a great album, highly recommend, even if it's not their most successful and single laden album. 4/5

What a banger from Elvis and company, solid from start to finish. The mix didn't age as well as the songs on it, sometimes sounding a little mid focused or over compressed, but that doesn't detract from the quality performances across the whole album. The issues in the mix actually do help to highlight just how awesome the bass lines are in every song bringing the instrument almost in front of the vocals at times. Check out "No Action", "This Year's Girl", "Pump It Up", "(I Don't Want To Go To) Chelsea", "Little Triggers", "Lipstick Vogue" and "Radio, Radio"

What a delightful album, short and sweet with a great mix of cutting rock and roll, acoustic folk, CS&N-esc harmonies and some Beatles influenced guitar leads. The whole album comes in under 30 minutes and is worth a few plays. Since it's so short, there's no reason to point out specific songs, just give the whole thing a spin. Fun tidbit about this album, it came out only 3 months after The Grateful Dead's debut and out performed it on the charts. Both bands originate from San Francisco and come from the same music scene. As mentioned by others, it's not available on Spotify but you can find the whole album on YouTube.

I've never really been a Sufjan fan. He's an undeniably talented songwriter but when I originally heard this album around it's release back in 2005, it just wasn't my cup of tea so I just carried on with my life not giving any further though to Mr Stevens other music. Since then however, I've expanded my horizons and feel like I can better appreciate this almost 20 years later and boy is it a delightful album. Illinoise is wistful, clever and beautiful, from start to finish and I don't even know where to start with specifics of the across the album, as the whole thing is a masterclass in modern song craft. Whether it be the up beat, bouncy 5/4 on the title track, or immediately followed by the somber acoustic "John Wayne Gacy' Jr.". The album flows seamlessly from one track to the next with lush strings and little segues of applause. I don't know what else to say about this other than it's a 4/5 for me.

You hear a lot of people talking about bands like Drive Like Jehu, American Football and Cap'n Jazz being the founders of emo music by way of the midwest emo scene, but I'd argue it was the early 90s indie rock/power pop bands that came shortly after 80s new wave and during the rise of grunge that set the tone with heartfelt lyrics sung softly over a wall of guitar and drums. This album/band helped form my own music over the years along with the likes of Big Star, The Posies and Superdrag. Listen to "What You Do To Me", "I Don't Know", "Metal Baby"

meh.

Ramblin' is a bit of an understatement, but at least he has some sense of direction, Oakland is, in fact, across the bay from San Francisco... Ramblin' Jack meanders his way through the album, caterwauling, mumbling and giving "here's a song about..." exposition. A reasonably talented songwriter, but seemingly found his limitations and decided to just stop there and not push himself any further. Ultimately, this album is very forgettable and it's highly unlikely that I'll remember any of it because I won't be coming back to it, ever.

Catchy songs with an upbeat groove, but some of the sample interludes are a little to long and repetitive ("would you like some sweets willy?"), but overall sounds exactly like what I remember from early 90s dub and house music. Sarah Cracknell's vocals are soft and sweet and offer a nice break from the otherwise over repetitiveness of the album. I don't feel like this is required material, even if it may have been influential on the genre, it doesn't do much to excite me

This is the first album I've added to my saved music on Spotify in weeks (that wasn't already there). The first 4 tracks are great folk-ish songs with some elements of rock and delightful guitar work.

This was my first exposure to Lambchop and I almost bailed on the first song, mostly due to Kurt Wagner's drab vocals and somewhat sparse instrumentation, but luckily I stuck around for the second track. Grumpus is a nice bit of life added to this album after the snoozefest of The Old Gold Shoe. You Masculine You ends up being a bit of a cross between the first 2 tracks with very so-so vocals, but far more engaging arrangements (great melody, but the soft falsetto was distracting and ultimately just meh). So all that said, you can pretty much get a feel for this whole album in the first 3 tracks. Solid arrangements with beautiful strings and other accompaniment topped with dull vocals. I feel like this album would have been more enjoyable with a different singer. I guess 3/5?

Self-righteous, pompous, trite, unapologetic (literally) and fairly bland. Come listen to Morrissey spend 47 minutes and 20 seconds berate you about how he's so much better than you are or ever will be. Most of the songs are repetitive and drab with very few exceptions. "Irish Blood, English Heart" slaps tho.

Maybe periodically updating this list isn't what's needed anymore. Maybe it's time to just scrap it and start from scratch because like this album, there's a lot of fluff/filler on here that just doesn't need to be. There's nothing remarkable about this album at all. From off-key, whiny vocals to generic, uninspired performances (that awful flute in the intro track). Heck, this isn't even a popular album among their listeners on Spotify..

In case you ever wondered what raw power sounded like, look no further. Nasty bass, snarling vocals, heavy organ, this album absolutely drips attitude and punk ethos. "IV"? More like "V"! Been a long time fan of these guys and this album falls in my personal top 100 records of all time. This is a rare gem on this list that has been rather stale the last few weeks.

Very Pet Shop Boys start to finish. Some gems on this album, but ultimately, this album exists in a very specific time in history and doesn't really hold up in the modern music world (that sounds more negative than I mean it). A number of the songs get a little repetitive and drone on for a little too long, but the themes and emotions throughout are relatable and at times hard hitting.

What an aggressively mid record. It truly doesn't know what it wants to be, and I don't mean that in an "every song has it's own sound" kinda way. Every track is a mishmash of half baked ideas that never quite land. Seventies singer/songwriter esc at it's core with overwhelming drum loops, disconnected sound effects, ambient repetitive vocals. And that cover?! Some 14 year old boy probably saw this in the shop and thought it was going to be the coolest album ever, and then he listened to it...

If all you've heard of these guys is "Smoke On The Water" (or even worse, kids that just heard it for the first time playing it wrong/poorly at your local guitar store), I suggest putting that song out of your mind when listening to this. The opening track alone is straight face melting raw rock power! Bloodsucker feels like proto Jack White as he's definitely ripped off that guitar line on a solo track and the arrangement on more than one Raconteurs songs. Child In Time is a 10+ minute roller coaster with prog-y organ and haunting vocals, but really picks up at the 3:20 mark and you're right back to the brutal rock for just under 3 minutes before going back to the chill organ and back up again. The rest of the album is a lot more of the same, just hard hitting rock with thick organ and guitars, kicking drums, and powerful vocals. After this album, I finally get what all the fuss was about with these guys

Dream pop is dreamy. Honestly, this was a very enjoyable album (especially compared to a lot of the other suggestions I've been getting on here as of late). Ambient, sweet and well written. Fav tracks: Norway, Lover of Mine, Real Love

This album should serve as a reminder that just because a band was a "pioneer" in a genre does not mean their music will hold a flame to anyone they served as an influence to down the road. There's some interesting production choices on this album and for 1981, it was probably revolutionary, but by today's standards, it's an exhaustive listen. By the end of it, my jaw hurt from clinching my teeth... hardly a 1/5

I had this album on CD when it came out, so there's a tinge of nostalgia listening to it again all these years later. I feel like it still holds up for the most part. Well crafted jangle brit-pop, comforting melodies, great arrangements, snappy production. The tracks sung by guitarist Jez are great songs, but his voice is nasally and whiny and leaves much to be desired, while Jimi's smooth almost crooner delivery serves the songs very well. There's 2 "instrumental" passages on this album that could have been left out as they don't add anything to the overall listening experience. In the same vain, a number of songs on the album have long drawn out intros making the album a little bloated overall. That said, it's still a solid record and I can confirm that I still enjoy it after all these years.

Pretty standard blues for the era. Only song that really stands out from the rest of the album is the title track and that's entirely because of the Santana feature, he just comes out and punches you in the face as if to say "Hey! Santana is here!". The rest of the features do bring that artists' signature touch, but none of them as prominent as Santana's signature guitar tone and band. All in all, this album is just okay, nothing spectacular, just middle of the road blues.

If a record could have teeth. Maybe not the best mixed album, but the songs hit hard and PJ's vocals are great!

As an American, I'm a casual Blur fan as they were little more than "Song 2" on this side of the pond. That being said, this is a solid record overall. Certainly a staple for 90s Brit-pop/power-pop. I know Song 2 wasn't their typical sound, but beyond just the wall of guitar and quiet/loud production, there's something in the writing of that song that isn't found anywhere else in their catalog that I've found.

Two Blur albums almost in a row? I wonder how many more of their albums are on this list. It's an ok album but not great.

When your debut album is a literal greatest hits album. The Cars released a few other albums after this but I don't think any of them were as instant of a classic as their debut.

My notes were wiped and I don't remember them, but I enjoyed this album. Great playing all around by everyone even if the bass solo passages at times seem to go on a little long and diverge from the core feeling of the song a bit.

I could have sworn that I already had this album suggested but that might just be because I have it in semi regular rotation in my personal collection. This record is so damn smooth and buttery, a bona fide staple of early hip hop and also absolutely timeless. For a laugh, check out "Rap Promoter" if you want to hear what Kid Rock tried to rip off..

It's nice enough I guess. Sounds pretty much like all the other country, singer/songwriter, coffee shop music that came out around the same time. There's really nothing spectacular about it.

This is such a phenomenal album, but it is a hard listen knowing it was Bowie's farewell to the world. Haunting production from start to finish, even in the more upbeat-ish tracks like "Tis a Pity" and "Sue". There's a lot of prog elements to the album as well that keep it exciting and fresh. Favorite tracks: Blackstar, Girl Loves Me and Dollar Days

Maybe this album was more important when it was released, but it didn't really do anything for me as a full album. A couple tracks are bops, but the album as a whole just feels slapped together with no real sense of direction. Good bass grooves though

Steely Dan definitely deserves to be on this list but I'd probably pick a different album, like either album the one is sandwiched between. That said, it's a good record. I give it a light 4

These guys absolutely rocked. Awesome musicians, a solid live performance, and a great selection of tracks. But I don't think a live Thin Lizzy album should make it on a list of albums to listen to before you die. There's so many other live albums that could have been included instead of this one.

it insists upon itself...

Very avant-guard post punk. Siouxsie's vocals are some how both awesome and grating but no matter your tastes, they work here. Not sure how often I'll revisit this album, but it did send me down the Siouxsie and the Banshees rabbit hole which is full of wonderful music. I'd give this a 3, but since it resparked my joy for the rest of the catalog, it gets bumped to a 4

Opening track takes a moment to get some traction and I was going to just throw in the towel expecting just another run of the mill electronic act that plagues this list (seriously, how many copy/paste English electronic bands are on here?!?), and then those crispy-af drums came in and caught my attention. But was that it? No! The song kept going and drawing me in more and more. Truly a killer song and album opener. Sadly, the momentum doesn't carry and the next few tracks were bland enough that I drifted off and missed them until slipping back in with "Look At Where We Are", which is a beautiful yet somber tune. The album continues to be a bit of an up and down with some great songs, some less so. Some take a little too long to get off the ground, some punch you right in the face. It's not a bad record by any stretch, just not one I'll be coming back to as a full album, but definitely added a few songs to playlists.

This list already included his best works with "What's Going On" and "Let's Get It On". This album has some of the same signature sounds as those before it, but unlike those other albums, it doesn't really add anything that sounds out in his overall catalog. Gaye's smooth buttery vocals, croon-y ballads, occasional funky groovy vibes, and all are great, but it's nothing fresh.