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3.06
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Albums
You Love More Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| The College Dropout | 5 | 3.31 | +1.69 |
| My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy | 5 | 3.42 | +1.58 |
| good kid, m.A.A.d city | 5 | 3.61 | +1.39 |
| Supa Dupa Fly | 4 | 2.92 | +1.08 |
| Ctrl | 4 | 2.92 | +1.08 |
| Crossing the Red Sea With the Adverts | 4 | 2.98 | +1.02 |
You Love Less Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wish You Were Here | 2 | 4.3 | -2.3 |
| At San Quentin | 2 | 3.8 | -1.8 |
| Tea for the Tillerman | 2 | 3.69 | -1.69 |
| The United States Of America | 1 | 2.61 | -1.61 |
| Electric Warrior | 2 | 3.54 | -1.54 |
| Now I Got Worry | 1 | 2.52 | -1.52 |
| Surfer Rosa | 2 | 3.51 | -1.51 |
| Parklife | 2 | 3.38 | -1.38 |
| Garbage | 2 | 3.38 | -1.38 |
| Blue Lines | 2 | 3.38 | -1.38 |
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Favorites
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Kanye West | 2 | 5 |
5-Star Albums (3)
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Popular Reviews
Traffic
2/5
Traffic dares to beg the question: "What's worse than 70's boomer rock?" It's 60's boomer rock. I could see any one of these tracks being used in a movie that somehow makes it enjoyable. This is old bar music through and through. Another case of "It's not terrible, but not good either" This album started off ok, but it just keeps getting worse further in. I could listen to this if it was playing on a speaker in a building, but probably wouldn't like to be stuck in a car playing it on a road trip
This is a strong 2/5
I think I'm becoming more jaded as this goes on...
25 likes
1-Star Albums (2)
All Ratings
Blur
2/5
Painfully British. Doesn't really start off super strong. The first song on the album was alright I guess. Bank Holiday sounded like a song that would be in a racing or extreme sports game in the mid-2000s (ps2, early 360 era). Most of these sound like bad Gorillas songs. Not a fan of the first disk (like a 4/10 rating) it's not terrible, but not a fan of the lead singer for the most part, but some of the instrumentals are pretty good sometimes they are kinda just mediocre. A lot of songs have cool starts in the production then as more voices (instruments) are added they kind of detract from the cool introduction. London Loves has neat sections, but ends up getting ruined by the lead singers singing; the instrumental part sounds like it would be in Teen Titans as a background song to that British villain.
Disk 2 starts off much stronger than disk 1. Never mind it was only the first song on Disk 2 Magpie that was ok; the next two songs arent good. A good portion of Disk 2 aren't "new" songs ast they are just Acoustic versions of songs. a remix and a Frensh version of their songs. So far Beard is the only song I remotely like a good amount and thats because there is no singing and is very jazzy (chaotic jazz). Holy shit Red necks and Alex's Song were probably the worst 2 songs I have heard in a while. 3/10 for disk 2
Overall probably would rate the whole experience a light 4/10 (red flanel)
The Last Shadow Puppets
4/5
A much better-sounding British rock band than Blur. The beginning and end of the album were pretty good, but the middle songs kind of blended together and weren't super memorable. Was still a pretty enjoyable experience. The lead singer has a good voice as it is the Artic Monkeys guy, and the backing tracks are all pretty well done. I like the almost spaghetti western-style instrumentation used in a large portion of the songs.
A good 6/10 or 7/10
3/5
Very standard U2-sounding songs. Nothing really stands out as really good, but nothing is particularly really bad. The first two tracks are songs I've heard a lot so that's neat I guess. overall pretty average. Really got tired of their sound midway through the album. Can only take so much of Bono singing in the same way. He's got a weird way of moaning/singing in all their albums. Was gonna give it a 3/5 but its probably closer to a 2
Jurassic 5
4/5
Finally some good fucking food. The first track (excluding the skit first song) gives big A Tribe Called Quest vibes. Really liking the Jazzy production and the way they swap flows between the member's mid-verse. Ok, this is REALLY like A Tribe Called Quest and Pharside. It's interesting that it doesn't have any of the members but sounds so similar. Break is a standout song that has great production and good flow. Thin line is great because it has Nelly Furtado. Basically, the whole album was full of good shit barring like 2 songs. The last song was interesting as it was just an instrumental.
So far this is the best album that we have listened to. I actually added a good amount of the song to my rotation
Overall really good. It may be a little derivative, but that isn't inherently a bad thing. I vibed with a lot of the production on the songs and all the group members flowed together really well. I don't want to say it was a 5/5 but it was overall really good in my opinion.
A strong 4/5 (would be 4.5 if I could give half stars)
MGMT
4/5
I listened to this album about 1 or 2 years ago and remember it being aight. There are 3 distinct tracks that are really good and are designated as "classics" so they probably carry the album. This is actually a lot more enjoyable than I had expected. I had heard a lot of people say that the rest of the album wasn't good compared to the singles on it; while that is true the other songs are pretty good and have a different feel to the singles. There are songs that seem to take inspiration from 70's rock and others that are more experimental sounding (especially for the time) Overall it is better than I expected.
Frank Ocean
3/5
I know this is an iconic album, but I can't remember if I have ever heard it before. Heard Blond for sure, but not this. Didn't know there was a song with Andre 3000 on this album so I'm looking forward to that I guess. It's definitely a good album and I can enjoy listening to it passively, but so far nothing is really catching my ear. Right now it's not really my cup of tea so to speak. I've really liked Frank Ocean in other songs that he features in, and there are some songs on this album that I really enjoy, but I can't get into this album the way I want to. I really want to like it, but it's too slow for me.
Adam & The Ants
3/5
Oh no. More British rock... The first track was actually pretty good though. This definitely sounds like it was made in the '80s (for better and for worse) Has a similar soundscape to Davide Bowie. I had thought for a moment that he was in the band. Its pretty good, but this is a 39 song album... I'm starting to get tired of it. The first disk was infinatly better than the seccond one. Overall pretty good I'm hesitant to put this up there with other 4/5's but I feel that it is better than the 3/5's I have... kinda wish this was on a 10 scale
The Teardrop Explodes
3/5
I'm so tired of every album being a British rock band. This is inoffensive I guess. Just feel like getting the same type of music over and over, and having it all sound similar is going to make me instantly have a negative reaction to it even if it isn't that bad. Most of the songs have good bass lines. Not a fan of the singing, but the instrumental part of almost all the songs is catchy and pretty enjoyable. It almost carries the songs to make them good.
Probably a light 3/5
The Specials
2/5
Very British ska music. It's ok I guess. Not my style honestly. Probably a 2 or 3 Honestly it isn't terrible, but I don't really find most of the songs very good. Sonically it is ok I guess, but I would not want to listen to it
The Sonics
2/5
This is very much a product of the time where the main backing track is a very simple/barebones drum and guitar lick. It is like the epitome of classic rock. Grandpa's favorite rock band vibes. This is the type of music that would be used in the soundtrack of a movie probably directed by Edgar Wright. Really not a huge fan of this. It's not terrible but the random screaming of the lead singer is getting really grating after a few songs. This sounds like "Beach boys at home"
Jamiroquai
4/5
I have listened to Virtual Insanity before and liked it so this album is pretty similar in a sense. The instrumentation/production is really good. I sometimes really like the lead singer's voice and other times it can be annoying (kinda like red hot chili peppers but not as bad). The production may just carry this album to a 4 for me even if the singing would otherwise put it in the 3 range. This album has a 10 and 8 minute long song on it so that might just knock it down a whole score. Unless it has a drastic movement change in the middle there is no reason a song should be that long. The thing is I like Revolution 1993 (the 10 minute song) but man it kind of overstays its welcome. Could have easily been 5 minutes shorter and nothing of value would have been lost. The last song on this album is a didgeridoo song called Didgin' out... that might just bring this back up another score
R.E.M.
3/5
I've heard of this band before, but don't know any of their songs. This is Dad rock through and through. This is the type of music that people who say "modern music isn't as good as it was back in the day" would listen to. It's ok I guess, but I am already tired of the lead singer's voice halfway through the first song.
I can see the musical significance and merit in this album, but I'm not vibing with it. It's pretty boring tbh.
Like a low 3/5 for me
Hole
2/5
You can totally see the bold girl's nipples on the cover of the album. This is very 90/00's grunge rock and I'm here for it. It's not terrible, there are some good songs, but overall not super capturing me. It started out strong but ended up pretty boring after that.
Thin Lizzy
2/5
I fucking hate live albums... It's ok. Would probably give this a 3 maybe a 4 if it was a studio album. That is the only thing keeping this thing from being a 1
2/5
3/5
I know I like a good portion of David Bowie's work and I like quite a few songs, but I am not vibing with this album super hard right now. It is certainly good no doubt, but I'm not in the album 100% Probably a high 3/5 Starman might just carry this to a 4/5 because it is so good/iconic
New Order
3/5
This feels like generic 80's pop music. Synths are nice and the (what I assume are 808s) are pretty good. Not bad, not particularly great. The instrumentation is good, but not a fan of the singing. This is an album that would get sampled in modern music solely for the backing track. Probably a 3/5
Culture Club
3/5
I mean this album has Krama Cameleon so if the rest of it sucks this guarantee's that it gets a least a 2/5. This is very indicative of the sound that pop songs had in the early 80's/ late 70's. You can hear the influence of Motown, Stevie Wonder, and Michael Jackson. It's ok. I don't love it, but it's not bad. There are a few songs that are alright, but they don't carry the album.
3/5
Bruce Springsteen
3/5
Bruce Springsteen the champion of New York, New Jersy, and the Jews. This album is ok. Not very good, not very bad. Yet another 3/5 for the books.
A low 3/5
John Grant
3/5
Kinda chill. Some of these lyrics seem like jokes, but it's uncertain if it is or isn't. It is easy to listen to, but I don't find myself wanting to listen to it more. It's not terrible. Another 3/5 I guess
Sufjan Stevens
3/5
Kinda atmospheric. Like the piano, very floaty. It starts off strong with the first 3 tracks but gets more boring/generic after that. Picked up a bit in the latter half of the album. It was alright I hesitate to give it a 4 because the highs did not make up for the lows. The lows of the album weren't as drastically bad as others though. This is probably another 3 for the books
3/5
The Charlatans
2/5
Oh boy, more British rock... The sheer volume of British rock albums in this list has almost irreparably tainted my view of British music artists. The flavor of this band is a whiney lead singer and lackluster instrumentation. Probably a 2/5
Neil Young
2/5
Forgot this MF pulled all his shit from Spotify. This is some Boomer music through and through. This isn't terrible, but I really am not much of a fan. This is a 2/5
Justice
4/5
Wow, an album I actually know. D.A.N.C.E is such a modern classic that it might rocket this album to an instant 4. This album fucking rules. The bass lines are fantastic, and the overall production is great. There are only 2 or 3 songs that I don't completely vibe with, but they are still good and I would rather listen to them than most of the other albums we have had to listen to. This album feels so ahead of its time for something that was released in 2007. Super influential to whatever this genre of electronic music is. It sounds like something that would get released in the late 2010s. I would say this was a precursor to Dubsetp without being as annoying as dubstep. This isn't quite a 5, but it's pretty close. A strong 4/5 (4.5)
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
3/5
This is pretty alright. Nothing really jumps out as super great, but not extremely boring or bad. Another 3/5
Pink Floyd
2/5
They chose this over Dark Side of the Moon? This isn't bad, but it's british rock from before the 2000's so I'm instantly tired of the genere. I'll give it a 3 I guess, but I'm not enjoying it a whole lot. It's not agregously bad like other british music we have had to listen to though. The nice thing about this is that not all the songs have singing/lyrics. There is a song that is 9 minutes 40 seconds long, and it sucks too. Immediatly dropps this thing to a 2.
Manic Street Preachers
3/5
I swear I have heard the first track on this album somewhere, but can't remember where or when. This is alright. It's pretty good, but I wouldn't give it a 4. Probably a high 3. Sometimes it sounds like the lead singer is trying to do his best Freddy Mercury impression
The Sugarcubes
2/5
Started out as generic pop rock, or what I assume is pop rock, but got extremely boring halfway through the album. Not the worst thing I have heard but this is teetering on the edge of mediocrity threatening to fall over into the "bad" territory for a large portion of the album. The guy speaking in the background of "Sick of Toys" sounds like German Slowthai.
This is a low 3/5 maybe a high 2/5
T. Rex
2/5
The album artwork is like the JUSTICE album. Unfortunately, this isn't even close to being as good as that album. This list has a highly disproportionate amount of rock and rock-adjacent genres. As an album that came out in the '70s, it falls under some of the trappings of most 70's music where they don't know how to end songs. Most of the songs are pretty boring too. "Get it on" is the most popular song on this album and while it is ok it deffinetly sounds like something that would be playing in a rundown bar where the average age is 55 and if you are under that age you are getting hit on by someone at least 20 years older than you and is gives big creep vibes. Needless to say this I am not liking this much at all. It isn't terrible I can see the musicallity of it, and the merrits of it. I wouldn't mind it all that much if it was playing in the background somewhere (most likely a bar as mentioned) but I don't want to liten to more of it if I had to.
A strong 2/5
Gary Numan
3/5
Album art looks like something out of a B movie horror film. This feels like proto-electronica. If this guy was making music today he would be making similar stuff to Zed or The Chainsmokers or something. It's not terrible but I don't like it a whole lot. This has that "Here in my car" song so it carries this album from a 2 to a 3
Traffic
2/5
Traffic dares to beg the question: "What's worse than 70's boomer rock?" It's 60's boomer rock. I could see any one of these tracks being used in a movie that somehow makes it enjoyable. This is old bar music through and through. Another case of "It's not terrible, but not good either" This album started off ok, but it just keeps getting worse further in. I could listen to this if it was playing on a speaker in a building, but probably wouldn't like to be stuck in a car playing it on a road trip
This is a strong 2/5
I think I'm becoming more jaded as this goes on...
Nina Simone
3/5
I've heard of this artist before, but don't think I have ever heard one of her songs. I can tell just by looking at her Spotify page that this isn't her most well-received album so it is an odd choice. The second track is used as a sample in "The Story of OJ" by Jay-Z so I am already familiar with it/like it. This seems like it is a soul/blues album and while I don't typically listen to that genre it is pretty good. This is pretty chill music that I could listen to in the background. There are only a few distinct songs that I really like, but overall this is still pretty enjoyable.
Nina's voice has a particular timbre that is enjoyable to hear, and adds a somber quality to her songs; especially her slower songs. I can tell there is probably a lot of subtext in her lyrics that I don't quite get because I don't know the full background, and there are probably old-timey sayings/slang used that I don't understand.
A solid 3/5
PJ Harvey
2/5
This is some alternative/grunge rock subgenre, and I am really not vibing with it. It has musical merit but specifically the song Legs is really not pleasing to my ears. This is a low 2/5 for me
Otis Redding
3/5
This is that guy that was sampled on that "Watch the Throne" song. This has the OG R E S P C T song; it's not 1 to 1 with the Jackson 5 song, but I can tell they took some inspiration from this song. This is soul music through and through. It's pretty good too. I wouldn't have this as a 4, but it is a strong 3 definitely. It is very apparent that this is a super influential album because at least 3 or 4 tracks have elements or snippets I have heard other artists use, and that's not even as samples they just copied or were heavily inspired by the sound/lyrics.
Deep Purple
3/5
This is a band that would be on Guitar Hero if I've ever heard one. It's pretty generic 70's rock for the most part. That being said it's not bad. The first track is pretty good. I could see myself listening to this in the car with my dad. They do suffer from the 70's music trope of "This song doesn't have a good ending so we'll just stop/add an instrumental part at the end that pads the runtime" Oh these are the "Smoke On The Water" guys. This is music that would be playing in a biker bar though. Really just any bar that serves an older crowd.
Can't decide if this is a low 4/5 or a high 3/5
It's a 3/5 because they have a 7-minute song that takes 4 minutes to start
Pixies
2/5
I honestly don't know what grunge is exactly, but I would probably point to this album if asked for a grunge album. I really am not liking this. The main and supporting vocalists are very annoying to listen to (for me). The backing music is alright, but nothing special. So far this just sounds like dirty, whiney industrial rock. I could see some of these songs being in a skate video/montage or a skateboarding-themed video game.
This is a 2/5 for me
Pulp
3/5
I had a feeling that this was going to be British rock based on the cover. Sounds like music that would be in the background of that one Teen Titans villain who I only remember for the hypnotism and being very British. It's not awful but man is it pretty generic. There are a few songs that stand out above the rest, but overall it isn't really capturing me. Honestly, it's probably closer to a strong 2/5, but for the sake of it not being super off-putting it's a low 3/5
This is why having a 5-star system is a detriment in this regard. Some of my 3s are a lot better than others. Though most people don't use the 10 point system well so I see the merit of the 5 star system.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
3/5
This is the first artist we have gotten more than one album for and it had to be Elvis fucking Costello. It's inoffensive, but nothing really jumps out at me. There are a few somewhat catchey sections of songs, but i'm not vibing with any of it super hard. Another 3/5 for the books. Almost blue is the best track on the album solely because it is a ballad
Orbital
3/5
This is a neat little experimental electronic album. Some of the sounds they are getting are pretty impressive for 1993. The first track was very reminiscent of "Come Out To Show Them" There is a 9-minute track, but I didn't hate it throughout. I would describe this mostly as a 90's movie hacking/computer wiz scene music. This would definitely be in something like The Matrix
Yet another 3/5 Though on principle I should be giving it a 2/5 because it has multiple 9+ minute tracks.
Grizzly Bear
3/5
It was alright. Had a pretty good start, but the middle was pretty bland. Overall not terrible. Was thinking a low 4 initially, but it is probably closer to a high 3
3/5
I don't know if I can stomach 2 hours of shitty British rock from a band that I already don't like that much. Of all the bands to get another entry on this list I was hoping Blur would not be one of them. I feel like Blur was just an experiment for Gorillaz to actually get a good start. The first track isn't bad...
They have a really good knack for making great instrumental tracks that are utterly ruined by the lead singer. I'm really glad he got a lot less annoying/better at singing by the time he started Gorillaz. His voice is just not enjoyable to listen to. If they just didn't have any vocals these songs would be significantly better.
Low 3/5 I guess. It is solely carried by the instrumental.
Simply Red
3/5
I was baited into thinking this was British pop by my friends. This is a lot more Jazzy/soul-like/alternative than rock. It's pretty good and enjoyable to listen to. The lead singer doesn't have a silly accent so it's even more enjoyable. The slower songs are still good, but not really my speed. Their use of sax and horns really compliment the music in a way that doesn't make it sound like it's trying too hard to be ska or any other type of genre. They do a really good job of mixing genre's track to track. The song Jericho has some serious Michael Jackson vibes to it.
I was going to give this a 4, but the middle section of the album slows down a lot. While they are still good tracks they don't really "wow" me a whole lot. It picks up more toward the end of the album and really closes it out well. It's a pretty short album consisting of about 10 songs (not including the extra remixes and extended tracks).
It got close to being a low 4 but the mid-section really dragged the album down. It's a high 3/5
Grateful Dead
2/5
Not only is this boomer rock to the Nth degree being a Grateful Dead Album it has almost completed the triforce of my most hated things in music: live music recordings, and songs longer than 6 minutes. The first fucking track is 23 minutes long! I can tell this wouldn't be bad if it was just a regular recorded album. The one redeeming quality is that you can't hear the crowd in the background of the recording. Sound quality is still shit tho even on my dinky laptop speakers I can tell.
This is an immediate 2
Eminem
4/5
Oh man if this was like 5 or 6 years ago I would be pretty hyped about this. I've heard most if not all this album, so I know I liked it. I haven't been as big into Eminem in recent years, but I still have some of his songs in my rotation. This album has some... problematic parts that I cringe at now, but overall it's still good. The first song is almos the definition of "Murder music." This album was super influential for the hip hop scene and has permiated through pop culture even today. We got the term "Stan" from this album. I feel like this is just me gushing, but even if I dont vibe with em as much anymore this is still a good album. The music videos were iconic too. Dre was on the production so you know it's fire. Honestly this album has a lot going for it.
Definetly not a 5, but a solid to low 4/5
The Stooges
3/5
You can tell a boomer made a majority of this list because most of the albums are from before 1990. If you told me that this album was made in a day I would believe you. Most of these songs sound like they were made almost on the spot. Especially the lyrics. This feels like "Baby's first rock band" This isn't offensively bad, but man if it isn't super shallow and boring. The instrumentation is the saving grace, and even then it isn't anything to write home about. I actually enjoy the less popular song on this album more because they feel more focused and have a less "I just put this together" sound. For the 60's this is pretty out there and experimental I guess so it has merit for paving the way for a lot of bands that have used their style
Was going to give this a 2, but might just be a low 3
I'm sure this is/was influential in some way, but today it is pretty bland. Not a whole lot of what I am hearing is making me go "Wow" It's ok though. Pretty inoffensive. The biggest wow factor is the fact that this is an album that came out in the 70s that doesn't really have the pitfalls that a lot of 70s music has.
Not great, but not bad 3/5
Jane's Addiction
3/5
This sounds like music that would go in a tony hawk game, an extreme sports game, and/or a 3D Sonic game from the 2000s. Don't really have too much to say about this album/band. Sometimes the lead vocalist was annoying/grating to listen to, and other times he was fine. Instrumentation was pretty good, and a few songs had great bass lines.
Another 3/5 for the books
Simon & Garfunkel
3/5
These guys are like classic pop folk music. I'm willing to bet that at the time this album was released this was very artsy. It's kind of boring to listen to most of the time, but I don't hate it. Whenever I hear their name I think of Garfunkel and Oates which then makes me think of Hall and Oats 2 bands that are much more enjoyable to listen to. This album has Mrs. Robinson which is a classic that I always thought was a Beatles song.
There are like 3 good songs on this album, and the rest are all just ok
This is a 3/5
Kanye West
5/5
A controversial artist now for obvious reasons. I still really like this album though. I wouldn't say it's my favorite Kanye Album, but it definitely has a lot of bangers. I have almost this whole album in my main playlist so needless to say I like it even if I hate Kanye as a person. Separate art from the artist and all that. This album was so influential in Hip hop that it's kind of insane. There are so many memes around it too. It basically helped start Niki Manje's and John Legend's careers. Niki really killed it on Monster which is crazy because she was a "no-name" at this point (and I don't even like her that much) I stand by my thoughts that songs shouldn't be longer than 6 minutes, but he makes it work on all but runaway (it could have ended way earlier) Runaway did have a short film attached to it though.
I am really on the fence about whether this is a low 5/5 for me or a high 4/5. It is probably the best album we have gotten so far and I already had it in my rotation for years. Aside from a Kendric album (not DAMN) or Graduation, I don't know if there are many others that could top this album that could be on this list since it has mostly been mediocre boomer and British rock subgenres.
The Who
3/5
Literally only know this band from the song "Baba O'Riley" They definitely get bonus points for being an English band that doesn't sound English. This has "My Generation" on it so at the very least it is a 3. I don't have a whole lot to say about this album. It's pretty generic rock at this point. At the time it was probably very influential.
3/5
The Smiths
3/5
I was going to say this sounds like proto Morrissey, but upon looking up how to spell his name I saw that he is the lead singer of this band... where he got his start in music... It's alright. Although it isn't particularly gripping it is still enjoyable and pretty good for the most part.
Creedence Clearwater Revival
3/5
I am already pretty familiar with this band as I have 2 or 3 of their songs on a playlist. They even have the Vietnam War protest song turned pro-war song turned meme "Fortunate Son." This album unfortunately does not have that song on it. They've got a good sound: their instrumentation is usually pretty good, and the lead singer has a very distinct and nice voice for rock. This album has some pretty good cuts on it, and others that aren't as good, but still not bad. It is wild that find out that they are the original performers of Proud Mary (rolling on the river) Despite it being mostly known as a song performed by Tina Turner. Kind of like "I Will Always Love You" turned into a Whitney Huston Song even though it was originally a Dolly Parton song.
I want this to be a 4, but the other mid cuts that surround the good ones bring this down ever so slightly. It's a high 3/5
Marty Robbins
4/5
This got mo fucking Big Iron on it. Doesn't matter if the rest of the album is good or bad this is at the very least an instant 3. This album is definetly what it advertises. It is essentially a bunch of wild west songs. Its pretty good in that regard. All the song tell a story some of them are related others are different. It is kind of an anthology album in a sense. Robbins has a nice voice and the way he does falsettos and elongates notes is pleasing and distinct. Although the instrumentation is nothing too complicated it gets the point accross great and really compliments the wild west vibes of the album.
System Of A Down
3/5
I wouldn't call this classic metal, but this is a classic metal band to me. I'm a bit sad this isn't the Chop Suey album, but it still has their iconic sound/vocals. This band/sound they have makes me think of back in the early 2000's watching/hearing music like this when hanging out with my cousins who were in middle/high school. It's hitting the nostalgia in a good way. I like how chaotic and high-energy the songs are. It's pretty good music to hype you up. I will say that it is like eating only the same thing for a week. It is great at first but starts losing its appeal after a long time.
Yes
3/5
Yo, this has the Jo-Jo "To be Continued" song on this. Roundabout is the only song I know this band from, and it's a great song but suffers from being a song from the 70s in that it is about 2 or 3 minutes longer than it should be. Looking at the runtimes of the rest of the album I can see that this is the case for most of the songs... I want to like this, and I do, but having songs this long and not doing much with the extra time is not ok. It has some good songs on here, but they just drag on for far too long and sometimes don't seem to have a good central theme.
This had potential to be a 4, but it is a low 3
Radiohead
3/5
This is like one of the classic/quintessential 90's rock albums. I've seen this album art everywhere. That being said I am finding that I am not a huge Radiohead fan. Something about the way their lead singer's voice/the way he sings really puts me off. The instrumental is pretty good in most of the songs, but it's nothing to particularly write home about for the most part. I can see the merit in what they are doing here, but I just don't really enjoy it all that much. Honestly, some of these songs sound like proto-Muse songs but without the interesting things that make Muse songs good. They are a band slightly older than Muse, so it seems they were at least somewhat of an influence on their sound/style. It's not a chore to have to listen to them, but I'm not particularly enjoying the experience (don't hate it either though)
The music enjoyer in me is saying this should be at least a 3, but I really didn't enjoy this all that much and my heart says it should be a 2
Probably gonna settle on a low 3 because I can really see the merit in these songs, and have almost enjoyed them, but never really got there.
The Byrds
2/5
Wow, 60's boy band?! I wonder if they are doing a riff off the Beatles/Beachboys? ...They are. I really am not a fan of this style of singing/music in general. It isn't super interesting in the way the singing is delivered, and many times the instrumental is just pretty bare bones. I'm sure this has good themes and the lyrics talk about something important but it's hard to judge lyrics only by listening to a song once and I'm not subjecting myself to multiple listenings of this album. This isn't terrible by any means, but it is not remotely good either. I will say they seem to be trying to do interesting things experimenting with early phasing (unless that is an issue with the recording)
A solid 2/5 to strong 2/5
Sister Sledge
4/5
Holy shit a different genre than some subgenre of rock. How refreshing. This has some big mo-town vibes but also has a really good backing track. I could definitely see the first track being sampled to make a really good city pop-type song or just a funky hip-hop song. I kind of really hate the title track song "We are family" mostly because it gets overplayed (especially at weddings) I've never heard anything else from this group, so this is actually refreshing. I really like the way they use short guitar plucks? It has a really distinct and pleasing sound which pairs well with the short violin/string hits they use in a lot of songs. The slower ballad-type songs are not really very good and honestly don't do a good service to the album, but luckily there isn't a whole lot of them. Honestly "We are Family" wouldn't be so annoying to me if I hadn't heard it so many times, especially in so many cringe-worthy situations.
Overall discounting the remix songs this is a short little album and honestly, it's pretty good. My main gripe is that the slower song are not nearly as good as the other tracks and that the album looses steam towards the end
A solid to light 4/5 though.
Ray Charles
3/5
Yo is this some mfing jazz/big band shit? Some of these songs are songs I could see myself jamming out to in a Fallout game, others are kind of super boring. It's generally the much slower songs that really drag this down. The more upbeat jazz songs are really good though.
Overall it's an ok album that gets dragged down by it's slower songs and bloat. A solid 3/5
Radiohead
3/5
Was much better than the other radio head album we listened to. Likely because it was basically a different genre, and contained less singing
Fun Lovin' Criminals
3/5
This is like proto Limp Bizcit/Smashmouth but less shit. I like how they do the rock-rap thing but with less rock and more rap. You can really hear the jazz influences in some songs too and I enjoy that.
Overall not bad could not super gripping though.
A strong 3/5
Queen
4/5
Yo Queen is just so good there is no way this is anything other than at least a 3. I was surprised at how different and modern the opening track Death on Two Legs sounded. They really had a different sound that was unique, especially in the 70s. This album has so many different bangers on it: I'm in Love With My Car, You're My Best Friend, Love of My Life, fucking Bohemian Rhapsody. Even if I don't like some of those songs as much now as I did before they are still certified classics. It's kind of wild how they can do songs in such different sounds and still have a lot of the defining features that make them, them. '39 is a perfect example. Sounds like an entirely different band for most of the song until the guitar comes in and Freddy starts singing.
I appreciate that they did so many weird and quirky songs, but they really are a theater kid-type band because of it. I just made myself upset with how true that last sentence is...
Easy 4/5 (regular)
The Streets
2/5
This first track is not good. This is almost too British for hip-hop. It feels like his flow and rhyme scheme are super rudimentary and like he started rapping about a year before this album at best. Some lines feel like they were written by a 40-year-old boardroom guy who only knows that you rhyme in rap and that is it. I really hate the way he does an asynchronous speaking voice over the beat that just seems like he is talking over the beat and not trying to follow. Sometimes the production is good, but other times it is just super generic. I'm trying to see hear what his influences are, but it's so hard to really pick one out. I guess E40 but that is only because he doesn't rap on beat a lot (and it sucks). He has the talent, but the sound he has on this album is just not hitting me. I feel like there isn't much energy behind this.
I think this is just a high 2/5 Not a fan of this. And I like a lot of hip hop
Dolly Parton
3/5
Oh, nice Dolly. Wish this was the album with Jolean, but I'll take it. This is good, and while I do enjoy this. It is a bit slow for my taste. The fast/upbeat songs are great, but the slower songs aren't really my speed. Dolly has a really distinct and soothing voice though; I'll give her that. Some of the guitar parts in some of these songs sound like they would fit in "Hawian" or SpongeBob music. I really appreciate how concise the album is though. It isn't too short nor too long at a cool 27 minutes 21 seconds.
Overall pretty good, but I didn't vibe with it as much as I would like.
A strong 3/5
Lynyrd Skynyrd
3/5
Only know this band as one of THE Boomer bands and through Free Bird. This is kind of the definition of classic rock. Much like other rock albums the slower songs really kill the momentum and enjoyment of the album (most of the time) The slower songs here aren't that bad, but I am still not a fan. It's interesting that most of their most popular songs come from this album. What is even more interesting, but not super surprising is that Free Bird isn't even their most popular song (according to Spotify.) It's Sweet Home Alabama. Makes sense since Free Bird is a 9-minute song.
This is a high 3
The War On Drugs
3/5
This is a modern alt rock band that seems to have a lot of slower more atmospheric songs. I like them as something that I can just put on in the background and not really worry about. There isn't really much to say about the album. It's good, but not really something I would actively search for again. One detriment though is that the songs are extremely long.
Would have been a solid 3/5, but is more of a low 3/5
Frank Black
3/5
This is pretty inoffensive 90's rock. Feels a little generic, but overall not bad. Nothing stands out in a positive or negative way. Just kind of exists. There are way too many songs on this album man. It's only 1 hour long with 23 tracks, but man does it feel like it goes on for twice that time.
Was a solid 3/5, but is more of a low 3/5
Massive Attack
2/5
This sounds like the slower music that would go into The Matrix. Not a huge fan. It isn't awful but I'm not enjoying it.
I was gonna give it a low 3 but after pausing to go do something else and comming back I can't bring myself to listen to the rest of it.
This is a high 2/5
Amy Winehouse
4/5
Well, the only song I know from her is Rehab which feels bad since she was obviously a good singer that ended up dying early from losing her battle with addiction. This is actually really good. I am in a predicament of sorts. I enjoy this for the most part and Winehouse is good at singing, but I don't think I would put most of these songs on a playlist.
A low 4/5
Red Hot Chili Peppers
3/5
Man, this is one of those bands where sometimes they are really good, and other times I can't stand them. You really gotta be in a mood to listen to them which I think is due in part to the lead singer. The first track starts out pretty strong and has a really good bass part in it. You know it might just be that most of the time when the lead singer is singing is when I generally don't like the band/songs as much. Their instrumentation is great in this album though. If it were just someone else singing I think this would be a really good album. It's really interesting because the instrumental is actually really good, but the lead just ruins it most of the time.
This album has 19 tracks and a run time of 1hr 19 minutes. This is too much of a band that I usually would rather not listen to. This is a low 3/5 only on the merit that the instrumental carries the fuck out of this album
Queens of the Stone Age
4/5
The sound they have in this album is like what I think of when I think of 90's/early 2000's rock music. I like the sound that they have going on but it kinda drags on. It is a 1-hour album but it feels like 1.5x as long. If it was trimmed down I would give it a better review.
This is a high 3/5
Elliott Smith
3/5
The beginning of the album is definitely better than the rest of the album. It starts out as regular 2000s indie/alternative music and then kinda devolves into a "sad boy" version of that. This sounds like something that would be in some show or movie about teenagers going through a rough time, or on a sad section of Scrubs. It's not really terrible, but I wouldn't want to listen to most of the songs on this album again if I had a choice.
A low 3/5
Joni Mitchell
3/5
This is alright. I like that it has a lot of jazz influence. Not something I jive with a whole lot, but not terrible. It's very 70s in the way that she sings and the instrumentation used.
This is a mid 3/5
Boston
3/5
More Than a Feeling is the only song I know from these guys, and it's a classic even though it is boomer rock. This is alright I guess. They suffer from the pitfalls of all music in the 70s where their songs are longer than they need to be and kinda just fade out. Their guitar riffs are nice though. Definitely getting proto-metal vibes from this. I kinda like this (not enough to put it on a playlist though)
A strong 3/5
The Avalanches
4/5
This is very chill and easy to listen to music. Nothing super jumps out at me, but that isn't a bad thing. I rather enjoy this. I can easily vibe/listen to this. They give me big Fatboy Slim vibes.
Overall pretty good. Nothing really jumps out, but it is easy to vibe to.
A low 4/5
Public Enemy
4/5
I've been meaning to listen to this. This being very early hip-hop/rap it's very simple in it's production and the flows they use. While it is simple the content of what they are saying is much more important and holds more weight. Flava Flave is a really good hype man. He's got a good chemestry with Chuck D. This definetly has a hippity hop trpe flow. Kida like that Hannable Burres clip on T-payn's podcast. It's not bad, but I feel like these guys would make much better music if they had come up even 5 or 6 years later than they did. This is still very good and a extreemly important and influential album/group. There are so many lines and samples/sections from a lot of the songs on this album that get used/referenced in songs not even 10 years after this album came out. It's crazy how influential this group was to hip hop
A low 4/5
Pink Floyd
2/5
This is a 5 song album, but two songs are over 10 minutes long! I hate the mere notion that I have to listen to songs that long. The first 4 and a half minutes of the first song is just ambiance, and it doesn't start having multiple voices in the music until later (voices being other instruments) Actual voices come in at the fucking 8-minute mark! This sucks! The music itself is passable but does not warrant the songs being as long as they are. The title track is good, but I'm not a big fan of it. It doesn't elevate the score for this album 1 bit either.
This is a 2
Willie Nelson
3/5
This is ok. I'm not a huge fan of how slow and ballad-like these songs are, but the musicality of it all is good.
A 3/5
White Denim
4/5
It's alright for the most part. It's kinda like music that would be made in the 70s or 80s but without the pitfalls of the time and with modern production.
A light 4/5
Missy Elliott
4/5
Missy is one of the GOATs in hip hop, and a trailblazer for females in hip hop. I've never actually heard any of the songs on this album surprisingly, but if they are anything like her other hits they should be good. Turns out the sample on Sock it 2 Me is used in a bunch of different songs I've heard, specifically a Watsky song I used to listen to; this song is better. The title song is actually one of the weaker tracks for me. I enjoyed a lot of the other tracks more. The second half of the record is weaker than the first half, but is still pretty good.
This is a low 4/5
FKA twigs
3/5
I honestly can't believe there is an album here within the last decade! This is pretty good. She has a good voice and the production is really good and experimental (not too much tho). Overall this is ok. It's not really something I super enjoy, but it is still pretty good. I like the different things she does with the production and her vocals.
A high 3/5
Emmylou Harris
3/5
Kinda sounds like Doll. Turns out she covered one of Dolly's songs. This is ok I guess. Not terrible, but not super good or interesting.
A low 3/5
The Jam
3/5
This is just another British rock band. Nothing really super special. They're not terrible, but there really isn't anything great about them either. Their guitar licks are alright I guess...
Some of these songs feel like they could be done better with a better band, or if someone took a sample from them and created another much better song.
This is a low 3/5
Garbage
2/5
Is this grunge? I can see this music being in a movie or show about an angsty teenage girl from the 90s or early 2000s. I am really not a big fan of this. It has musical merit and I can see why someone might like it, but not me. The instrumentation is boring and dated, and the way the lead singer sings is not enjoyable to me.
This is a 2/5
Shivkumar Sharma
3/5
This sounds like something that would play in a cafe or some niche store. Could be a part of a movie soundtrack too. This is just a sort of run-of-the-mill type instrumental album. Not bad, but not anything to write home about. It's ok. Just kinda background music and that's about it.
A 3/5
Pretenders
3/5
This is ok I guess. Didn't really have any standout songs while passively listening. Just kinda serviceable rock music I guess. Their bass lines are nice I guess. The lead singer has a nice enough voice.
A 3/5
The Divine Comedy
2/5
This is pop? The Wikipedia entry has to be wrong. This is painfully slow. The guy has a good voice, but it really isn't clicking with me. The biggest saving grace is that this is only 31 minutes long. There really isn't anything musically wrong with it; I am just not enjoying any of the songs on this album
A high 2/5
Aretha Franklin
3/5
Aretha is one of the GOATS. This isn't music I would typically listen to, but it is still pretty good. I wouldn't have it on a playlist per se, but it is still enjoyable to listen to. She has got a really good voice that really carries a lot of her songs.
A high 3/5
The Temptations
3/5
Seems like these guys are the original(?) writers of "Heard it Through the Grapevine" I do like me some Motown music so this is pretty good. It's passable music but doesn't really have as good of a vibe as like Jackson 5 or something like that.
A strong 3/5
Iron Maiden
4/5
This is one of those classic metal bands; now turned boomer music. They are still pretty good though. Overall pretty good metal. Not grating and overly produced. There were a few slower songs that I didn't like as much but overall was not bad. Nothing really jumped out at me as something I really needed in my music playlist, but it was still enjoyable
A low 4/5
Bob Dylan
2/5
This is ok I guess. I know Bob Dylon is a very famous artist, but this really doesn't jump at me in a particular way. I was going to give this at the very least a 3/5, but I am painfully bored of it and I've only gone through half the album. There is also a fucking 16 minute song so this is an auto 2/5
The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion
1/5
This starts out really bad with straight-up screaming and clipping microphones... This is an hour and nineteen minutes of just awful music. There is some musical merit to this for sure but I really really do not want to listen to this shit.
The first 1/5
Björk
3/5
Iceland's queen, and most famous artist. She is like the definition of art pop in both a positive and negative way. Overall this is an interesting album because she is willing to be really weird with how she sings and the production. It's not the most experimental thing I have listened to, but it is still a deviation from the cookie-cutter pop that gets shat out even in the 90s. It is interesting to think how this would sound with more modern production.
Overall not bad, but not really my vibe. A solid 3/5
David Bowie
3/5
I don't want to say this is by the numbers rock, because by no means was it by the numbers when it came out, but it's been so influential since it came out that it has become by the numbers. Overall this is pretty good, but other than the first track on the album most of the songs don't do much for me. It is still a really good album, just not really something I could see myself playing more than this one time.
A solid 3/5
George Michael
3/5
This reminds me of Chip Skylark's My Shiny Teeth and Me for some reason. I can only really describe this as inoffensive '80s music. Not much more to say about it. It's alright, nothing really jumped out to me in a significant way.
A sold 3/5
Baaba Maal
3/5
It's nice to have music from different countries. This is very ambient and chill to me as someone who can't understand a word of what is being sung. Although the instrumentation is not super complex it is still done in a way that is appealing to the listener. Not something I would willingly listen to again, but not something I would be upset about if it was on somewhere.
This is a low 3/5
Can
3/5
Pretty inoffensive rock jazz fusion type music. Could see this playing in the background of a yuppy cafe. Nothing jumped out at me as great, however, nothing jumped out as bad either. Just kinda IS. Very tempted to make this a 2/5 on the principle that this has 8+, 9+, and fucking 19+ minute songs.
A low 3/5
Pixies
4/5
This is a very different album. I like that they try to do different things sonically from song to song. Overall pretty neat. I enjoyed it a lot more than I thought I would, especially after the bad second track.
A low 4/5
Soundgarden
3/5
This is like the 90's version of Dad/boomer rock. It's ok. Some tracks have better vocal and musical production than others. Guitars are usually pretty good. Sometimes the singer's voice is good, but sometimes it's not very good. Not at the "Red Hot Chili Peppers" level, but slightly similar in that regard. Pretty musically inoffensive.
A high 3/5
Sugar
3/5
This is just generic 90's/00's rock. sure the sound may have been new then, but it became commodified and was essentially pop, so it no longer is as good as it was. This is the type of music that would be in a teenager-focused movie/show at that time. It isn't breaking any new ground, but isn't terrible. Would not listen to this again if I didn't have to.
A low 3/5
Björk
3/5
Has Bjork's signature floaty voice and production, but has a dark tone in most of the songs for a nice juxtaposition. Liked this better than the last album of hers we had to listen to, but still wasn't super into it.
Feeling a strong 3/5 for this one
Elton John
3/5
Wish this was the album with "I'm still standing" He is really pushing it with the first track being 11 minutes long. Bennie and the Jets make up for it tho so I will allow it. The first half of the album is a better than the seccond half which is much slower.
It's an alright album, but I got tired of it after a while a strong 3/5
The Doors
4/5
This is blues rock I guess? It's alright for the most part. Nothing I particularly enjoy a whole lot, but slightly better than the average album on this list. For something that came out in 1970, it sounds like something that should have come out 6 - 10 years after. Thankfully it doesn't suffer from the pitfalls of other 70's music and the songs are concise and don't have any padding or overstay their welcome. The instrumentation/production is pretty good too. I don't know much about this album, but it feels like it would or should have been influential for the genre at the time. It didn't overstay its welcome either being only 37 minutes long.
I was going to give it a high 3, but this has earned a low 4/5
Dire Straits
3/5
The only song I know from these guys is "Sultans of Swing" which is a really good song. The instrumentation used in this album is great, but this suffers from Read Hot Chilli Peppers syndrome where the lead singer can be good sometimes, but most of the time his voice isn't good/annoying. This sucks because the instrumentation is fantastic, but the guy's voice or the way he sings is not good. Sometimes it sounds like the lead singer is doing a bob dylan impression
If the singer weren't so bad this would be a low 4...
This is a high 3/5
Van Morrison
3/5
This is a pretty alright blues and jazz inspired album
a strong 3/5
Miles Davis
4/5
Not a fan of the fact that all but one song on this album are over 10 minutes long, but this is apparently a really good jazz album and Fantano gave it a 10 so I will allow it this time. This is like J A Z Z. It is what most people would think of when you say jazz probably. Its chaotic and experimental at times, and does some really cool stuff that is definitely super ahead of its time. I wouldn't add any one of these songs to a playlist based on sheer length of the song, and because it is just so out there, but this is still really good.
A low 4/5
The Doors
3/5
This is music that I would describe as late 60's or early 70's music. It sounds like something that would be in an Austin Powers movie or something. Honestly, despite being an American band, this sounds like British people trying to sound American. It's alright I guess. Nothing to write home about
A solid 3/5
Steely Dan
3/5
The other champion of the Jews besides Springsteen. This was ok. Nothing bad, nothing good. Just alright.
A solid 3/5
Metallica
3/5
I wish I was pirating this album out of spite. They're an ok band but man if they aren't annoying with who can and can't play their music. This album enters with enter sandman which is a great song, but I remember my shitty high school football team coming out to this song thinking they were hot shit only to lose every game but like 2 or 3 during my entire time there
Green Day
4/5
Oh man, I remember really liking this album as a kid. My sister had the CD in a little blue case, and we listened to it all the time. Most of the songs on this album are bops too. What is strange is that this version of the album has some tracks merged together into one ex: Holiday/Boulevard of Broken Dreams.
This is a solid 4/5 I just have too much nostalgia for the album. I'm glad this still holds up for the most part aside from their use of the f slur in one track
Bob Marley & The Wailers
3/5
The most gentrified reggae artist ever. His music is still pretty good and chill, but not something that I would willingly put on except for very rare occasions.
This is a solid 3/5
Aphex Twin
3/5
I am familiar with Aphex Twin and have listened to their music before, but I don't remember much about them. This sounds like songs that would be ambient music in the Matrix trilogy. They aren't bad because of that. They are actually quite good, but there isn't anything that is sticking for me. This is like the music from SpongeBob that Mr. Krabbs was trying to request on the radio.
A strong 3/5
Dion
3/5
Apparently, this is the guy who made the song "The Wanderer" which is much better than anything on this album. The sound he has on this album is much more subdued compared to his earlier work which is more early '60s rock. It's not bad, but I don't find it very interesting to listen to. Most of this is slow songs which I'm not a fan of. I actually really like his voice, but the structure and cadence of the album aren't appealing to me.
This is a low 3/5
Megadeth
3/5
It was ok. Was a metal album for sure. Could be hype at times if I was listening to it more actively. A solid album tho
A high 3/5
N.W.A.
4/5
These guys are the pioneers of modern hip-hop and gangster rap in general. It is kind of crazy how much hip-hop changed not 5 years after this album came out. This is a good album, but the flow and instrumentals are very rudimentary, and "hipity hop" This group also birthed the extremely successful individual careers of Dr. Dre, Ice Cube, and Easy E.
This is a light 4/5
LCD Soundsystem
3/5
This is alright alternative music. It reminds me a lot of The Killers in the way the lead sings/sounds. This was alright. Some songs were better than others; was thinking a light 4, but there were more "ok" songs than anything else.
A strong 3/5
Beastie Boys
3/5
These guys are the original "rock-rap" group. Sometimes their style of yell-rapping is hype and I'm really into it, other times it's really grating and I want nothing more than to turn it off. These guys still fall into the 80's "hippity-hop" flow, but it isn't as noticeable because of the way they perform and trade words in verses. This is an alright album and they are pioneers for the genre, but I got tired of their style pretty early on.
This is good but not a 4. I'm feeling strong to decent 3/5
You can tell the person who made this list is one of those "I only like old school rap" type people because most of the hip hop albums have been from before 1993 which is crazy.
Genesis
3/5
Never heard of this band, and it's a band from the 70s so my expectations were low. Was pleasantly surprised. The first track starts out kind of weak but picks up pretty quickly. They definitely got an "ok?!" from me. This seems like a niche band, but a lot of the things they do with their guitars are things that I would expect to hear from much more modern music. I like that these guys are experimental with their sound. Not a fan of how long the songs are. They suffer from being a band of the 70s and the tropes that follow that.
A strong 3/5
Japan
3/5
This is a very 80's sounding album for a 70's album. It's aight I guess. The instrumentation and use of synths and electronic music are neat; especially for the time. Nothing really jumps out at me though.
This is a solid 3/5
Yes
3/5
Kinda sad this isn't the album with Roundabout, but I'll take it I guess. This band suffers from all the tropes of being a '70s band in a bad way, unfortunately. Their songs are good but could either be split into more or just have their runtime cut down by a minute or 2 at least. I actually like this album quite a bit, but because of the '70s band tropes, they fall into it kills it for me. This would be a 4, but imma have to downgrade it
This is a strong 3/5
Jimi Hendrix
4/5
Honestly, I thought Hendrix was a one-man act and didn't have any other band members. Turns out that was a no. This is a pretty good album. Perhaps a bit too long for my tastes but still pretty good. Turns out he does kind of lives up to the hype.
This is a low 4/5
American Music Club
3/5
It's not on Spotify so i''m not gonna listen to it. It's probably a 3 tho
SZA
4/5
Either this list is more up to date than I thought and we are just unlucky getting mostly 60's and 70's songs or whoever makes the list really likes modern female R&B/Hiphop artists like H.E.R and SZA. Not complaining though. She has a really distinct style of singing and voice. She had a huge influence on the style of modern female R&B singers with so many people copying or iterating on her style. This is a pretty good album even though it's not something I would really reach for when choosing something to listen to. I've only ever heard her as a featured artist on songs, so hearing her on her own is pretty different.
This is a low 4/5
Radiohead
3/5
I wasn't a huge fan of the last two Radiohead albums, but this one is markedly different. I much prefer this style to their previous one. The slow songs are still not appealing to me, but I feel like they are better in this album than in previous ones. This could have been a low 4 if there weren't so many slow songs.
A strong to decent 3/5
3/5
These songs are too damn long. These are pretty alright I guess. There are a lot of slow songs though so it isn't really my speed. They are a good mix of soul and jazz though.
This is a strong to decent 3/5
Blur
2/5
Still don't like this band. I just see it as a bad proto-gorillas. Song 2 is the only good track on this album. Much like the other blur albums on this list this was painfully mediocre.
A strong 2 to light 3
Johnny Cash
2/5
This is a live album and thus I am not listening to it. like an auto 2/5
Kings of Leon
3/5
Really surprised to see this band on here. I remember listening to a few of their songs when I was a kid and never would have painted them as a super influential or well-received band. This is an ok album. Nothing really screams that this is something that would belong on this list. "Use Somebody" was a huge song for a while, and still gets used in shitty TV. This kind of feels like a band that got bastardized by the music industry and Hollywood corporations. It's either that or they got fed up with all that and decided to make music that appealed to the band members instead of the music labels or whatever.
This is a solid 3/5
The Vines
3/5
This certainly is rock music. Some tracks have big homages to popular rock songs of the 70's 80's and 90's. They make some pretty good music, but still somehow have a lot of the style that rock in the 2000s had.
Overall not bad, A strong 3/5
U2
3/5
I really don't want to listen to U2 right now, but Sunday Bloody Sunday is a pretty good song so I will give this a 3 and call it a day
The National
2/5
Not a fan of the style of singing in this. It is very subdued. The instrumentation is good I guess
This is a high 2/5 or low 3
Dexys Midnight Runners
3/5
This is "English Pop" but I would probably classify this as early ska, or rock music that teeters on the edge of ska. Strangely enough, I have heard one of the songs on this record a lot, I just never knew the name of the song or artist. This is a pretty alright album all things considered. The slower songs/ballads bring it down for me quite a bit though. If it weren't for that this would be a low 4.
I lied. It just had a snippet of a song from another band that I had heard a lot and I just thought they were the same band because they have a similar sound and the lead singer sounds very similar (British)
Feeling a strong to decent 3/5
Bruce Springsteen
3/5
The title track, while nice like 15 years ago, has been played by so many shithead bigot snowflake Republicans that it has forever tainted the track. I also find the sentiment of American patriotism in the song is almost propaganda and feels like it sparks nationalist feelings, especially in children. I guess I'm just too cynical and fed up with the America of today and the way the people of the generation this song was for fucked up and continue to fuck up the country with no remorse.
The rest of the album is okay I guess. A low 3/5 for boomer rock
Parliament
4/5
Love the funk music. There are aspects of the music that are very 70s, but overall it's pretty good. I wish there were more prominent bass lines though.
This is a light 4/5
Jungle Brothers
3/5
It's early hip hop so it is pretty rudimentary and has a lot of simple rhymes. The production is really good and I can tell it influenced the production of other albums in the following decade. Not really my vibe with how the flow/rhyme scheme is.
A solid 3/5
Public Enemy
3/5
This is definitely a step up from their previous album that was on this list. Their flow and production is much better. It feels like this is on the precipice of the larger style change in hip hop that went from rudimentary rhymes and flows to much different flows. This is pretty good though for how old it is. They do have "Fight the Power" on here and that song is great so not a whole lot of bad could be said about the album.
A solid 3/5 by today's (my) standards.
Daft Punk
4/5
These guys are the GOATS and had a huge impact on electronic music for years. I could already hear the impact they had on people RATATA and Fat Boy Slim. This is just a collection of really repetitive, but good songs.
An easy 4/5
Kanye West
5/5
Man fuck Kanye as a person, but this album is so fucking good. I got this in my rotation heavy already. It really is baffling that the guy who made this album and said "George Bush doesn't care about black people" ended up a fucking republican and worse, a Nazi. I'm not gonna gush too much about it, but this was so extremely influential in hip-hop that he basically shaped the next 15 years of hip-hop after this album after. From the production to the flows to the personal content of the album this was such a home run.
Hate the man, but love the album this is a light to decent 5 out of 5 no doubt.
Eagles
3/5
This is ok. Pretty inoffensive. Got tired of it a little over halfway through the album.
A low 3/5
Malcolm McLaren
2/5
Wow, so this is where Eminem got the line "Two ____ girls go round the outside" The songs are a lot worse than that, but I can see the appeal I guess. This is like super early hip hop, and not in a good way. I can tell that this was super experimental for 1983, especially from someone who was apparently from the UK. This is kind of a 2 pack of ass. There are parts of songs that have good sections, but most of these songs are super disjointed and not in a good way. I really can't get into this.
A high 2/5
Minutemen
2/5
I will reserve judgment, but this is a 40-track album, and I am not a fan of that. Some of these seem like they just had the band in the studio doing random riffs and whatnot, then decided to just put it in. It's okay, but feels unfinished.
A high 2/5
The Jesus And Mary Chain
2/5
Not a fan of how they "sing" or the style in which they sing. I'm fine with experimental noise rock/music, but that's if the singing or whatever else the noise accompanies is actually enjoyable. This fucking sucks.
This is a low 2/5, honestly might even be a 1
Creedence Clearwater Revival
4/5
Good blend of folk, blues, and rock. Leans very heavily on the rock though. I really enjoy a lot of this band's stuff.
A low 4/5
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
4/5
This was surprisingly good. Never heard an album from this guy, but I've heard of this guy before. Had some really good production/instrumentation. Was surprised this was an album from the 70's.
A light 4/5
Youssou N'Dour
3/5
This is pretty good music that has a good rhythm and instrumentation. It is easy to put on in the background and chill to it. It's pretty upbeat and faster tempo too; which is nice. Don't understand a word being said, but it still is pretty good. Wish the tracks weren't so long though. The track length is one of the only things dragging this thing down from being a 4/5. If they were shorter songs that meandered less this would be a lot better.
A strong 3/5
Billy Bragg
2/5
My first impression is "Painfully British"
Not a fan of this album or style. It is really simple stuff, but I just can't stand this guy's voice.
A high 2 out of 5
Massive Attack
2/5
It's okay musically. May be a bit chaotic at times (especially for the early 90s) but it doesn't really appeal to me. Not a fan of the singing, the production is good I guess, but the style/instrumentation is not appealing to me.
A solid 2/5
Echo And The Bunnymen
3/5
Pretty British, but not in a way that is bad... most of the time. It is very 80s though (which can be bad at times) Feels like it meanders a lot. It's alright. Sometimes I can vibe to it, other times I am tired of it. Not a huge fan of the overall production.
A low 3/5
Holger Czukay
3/5
This is very chaotic late-70s pop music. It gives a lot of MF Doom vibes with the different samples and sound effects from different things like movies cartoons and TV. Sometimes it's pretty cool and good, other times it's not and kind of samey and boring. It definitely has a lot of aspects that were ahead of their time. Sometimes it sounds like this guy is emulating Santana (who I am surprised we haven't seen)
A solid 3/5
Fleetwood Mac
4/5
Have only heard a handful of songs from this album, but it is full of bangers. Favorite especially going to The Chain. It's [the album] not perfect, but it is a really good blend of folk and rock (more rock than folk though). There isn't much else to say other than this is a pretty good album
A solid 4/5
Paul Simon
3/5
My first impression is that this is gentrified reggae for white people. This is ok I gues. Not really my thing, but I can see the merit. Production was pretty good at least.
A low 3/5
Marvin Gaye
3/5
He's got a good voice and the songs have iconic production. Wasn't really my thing, but it was still pretty good for what it was.
A solid 3/5
Ice Cube
3/5
Crazy how he went from this to being a Republican in the span of a few years, but I guess money changes people. He also went on to play a few cops in movies too... The production is a lot better than the NWA days, but that stands within reason. The flows and style are a lot better than those days too (in my opinion). The second half of the album is a bit more of a return to form. The flows are a lot more similar to NWA in that they are a lot more rigid. It's a lot of rhyming for the sake of rhyming (or at least that is what it feels like)
There are aspects that I quite like about this album, but overall it wasn't something that impressed me, especially compared to some other albums that came out the same year that pushed the genre forward a bit more. Although the first half of this album was a lot more in line with that.
A high 3/5 I fuck with the anti-police message in this
Pere Ubu
2/5
There are bits and pieces of songs that I like, but I'm not a fan of the way the lead singer throws his voice 90% of the time. Especially how high-pitched he decides to do it. I can sort of get behind the asyncopation and chaotic nature of the songs, but that only goes so far if the rest of the content isn't enjoyable.
This is unfortunately a solid 2/5 for me. There are some good aspects of it, but I just could not enjoy any of the songs in full.
Air
2/5
Really wasn't a fan of the first track. Thankfully the rest of the tracks were different and basically all instrumentals. They were ok I guess, but I wasn't vibing with them today. Maybe I would be on a different day? They were pretty chill and easy to listen to. Not bad overall, but not anywhere near good.
Feeling a high 2 to a low 3 on this one
Tracy Chapman
3/5
The first two tracks are really good; Fast Car is a banger. She has a good voice. While the production can be somewhat simple most of the time she carries the album with how good her voice is. The slower songs aren't really for me, but I can tell that they are good.
This is a strong 3/5
Green Day
3/5
It's ok. I like their later albums more. Here they kind of just feel less nihilistic and are just another angsty English punk rock band. Basket Case is like a peek into what their future sound would be like. I can see how they influenced bands like My Chemical Romance. Especially with the singing style and cadence. They really like overdrive on their guitars.
A low 3/5
The xx
3/5
Didn't know the band, but I know a good portion of the songs on the album. I will credit them for being direct influences on the creation of the Home Depot song. The intro song "Intro" has been used in so much Music, TV, Videos, and video games. It's a pretty chill/ok album altogether. Nothing crazy though.
A solid 3/5
Nirvana
3/5
Never heard of a Nirvana project before. They are pretty good but are pretty overhyped. I think I fuck with what Cobain stood for more than the music they made. That being said the music is still pretty good, and there are plenty of certifiable classics on this album. I certainly enjoyed specific songs, but overall it was just alright.
Feeling a high 3/5 from this
Dirty Projectors
3/5
I like how chaotic the production can feel while still sounding pretty good. His voice/singing style sounds super familiar, but I can't put my finger on why. Overall pretty alright.
A high 3/5
Ray Charles
4/5
Lowkey a fan of this style/genre of music solely because of Fallout (which is kind of cringe, but whatever). This is a pretty good album. His voice is so iconic, and the presence of a big band backing him is great. I really like how they loved to use muted trumpets all the time in this era. The shitty tin can microphone quality also added a lot to it.
A low 4/5
3/5
It was ok. Kind of lost interest half way through.
A low 3/5
Marvin Gaye
3/5
It's ok. Sort of just more Gaye. Liked this slightly better than "Let's Get It On"
A Solid 3/5
Beatles
3/5
Oh boy, the most overrated band ever. Admittedly they aren't that bad, just super overhyped. They were very influentual to music though.
A reluctant solid 3/5
Janet Jackson
3/5
Crazy how her career kind of ended because of a wardrobe malfunction that she had no control over. This is how you know the music industry aint shit. Sometimes I like her style of singing, other times I don't. It feels like she could be less soft in how she sang. The production is very of its time, but it is really good. A lot of similarities to Michale Jackson for some reason...
Pretty good overall. Production Carries this for sure, but her singing isn't bad just not something I enjoy a lot. Feeling a strong 3 to light 4
OutKast
4/5
Now we eating some real fucking food right here. Most influential and Iconic hip-hop duo. The production is immaculate. The bars are godly. It's wild to hear such a young Jay-Z, Killer Mike, and Ludacris. I had listened to this a while back, but I have a newfound appreciation for most of the songs. There is a reason these guys are the GOATs. Admittedly this album is quite bloated; probably because it is basically a double album. Sperkerboxxx is basically a Big Boi album featuring Andre 3000 and The Love Blow is the inverse. Most of the tracks are good, but the run time just makes some less enjoyable than others. the baseline is high, so standout tracks need to be really good for them to well... stand out.
Overall a fantastic album from a fantastic duo. Feeling a strong 4/5 on this one
Ella Fitzgerald
4/5
She is one of the goats of big band/jazz. This was a really great chill album. Really like the vibes and feel of this album. Was... cozy. Would be nice to experience what it was like back then, but like without all the downsides.
Overall very enjoyable. A Solid 4/5
The United States Of America
1/5
Did not like this one bit. Couldn't get through 3 songs. was not for me
May be the first 1
Koffi Olomide
3/5
Production is pretty good. Although the beats/melodies are a little samey it is still pretty enjoyable. I don't understand a word, but the vibes are chill so it is easy to listen to.
Miriam Makeba
4/5
She is a pretty good singer. I like it quite a bit. Mbube seems to be where those fuckers stole the "In the Jungle" melody from. Overall pertty enjoyable.
A low 4/5
Sex Pistols
3/5
Very British. This the type of music to play in a racing game or a "punk" aesthetic video game. Not gonna lie, these all sound the same
Metallica
3/5
It's ok. The production is pretty alright. All the songs kind of sound the same. Overrated band tbh
A solid 3/5
The Adverts
4/5
Despite being British, and an album that I wasn't already familiar with on some level this was pretty good. Some of the songs kind of blended together towards the end, but this is pretty good; especially for an album from the 70s
Felling a low 4/5
Spiritualized
3/5
Sometimes they sound like they are doing a Bowie impression, other times they sound like proto Gorillas
Willie Nelson
3/5
Not a huge fan of country as a genre, but there are exceptions. Willie Nelson is one of them. Although this isn't super fantastic I don't hate it, and am perfectly fine with it as background music. What's crazy about this album is that it perfectly fits modern streaming. Most songs on the album are sub 3 minutes and it clearly loops well. Man was ahead of his time without even knowing it.
Led Zeppelin
4/5
This is like THE metal band. I've never actively sought them out, but I am surprised by the amount of songs on this album that I know or am at least familiar with. I know for a fact that 2 of the songs on this album besides Stairway to Heaven are in Guitar Hero/Rock band. Seems there is a reason this band is so revered. I kind of get it. Don't LOVE, love it, but it's pretty good.
Felling a light to solid 4/5
Joanna Newsom
3/5
Miles Davis
4/5
Anyone else naming their album "Birth of Cool" would be corny as fuck for this. Miles Davis pulls that off. This was extremely chill and easy to listen to. Good music to vibe to.
A solid 4/5
Michael Kiwanuka
4/5
Was pretty alright overall. Vibed to it while playing a game.
A light 4/5
Johnny Cash
4/5
Starts strong then sort of vibes out the rest of the album. His cover of Hurt is so good that the original bad was like "That is his song now"
A light 4/5
Dr. Dre
4/5
All my previous gushing went unsaved. The bottom line this album is good. And was a turning point for hip-hop.
A solid 4/5
Gorillaz
3/5
Really surprising that this is the album that made it to the list and not Demon Days or Plastic Beach. It is an alright album with a few bangers in there. I forgot how many instrumental tracks Gorillaz used to do. It's not bad, but it is nowhere near their best work.
Felling a strong 3 maybe a light 4 on a good day
Bill Evans Trio
4/5
9 Times out of 10 live albums suck. This is that 1/10 time it doesn't. This just sounds like a jazz album recorded in a studio (barring one or two tracks that end in applause) This is like coffee house jazz, but I still enjoy it quite a bit. Really a pretty good jazz album all around. It isn't the exact subgenre of jazz I like the most, but it is still really good.
I'm feeling a solid to strong 4/5 on this one.
Simon & Garfunkel
3/5
This is alt girl/boy music, but 60/70s pilled. It isn't terrible. But I am not the biggest fan of it.
Feeling a light to decent 3/5
The Verve
3/5
Bitter Sweet Symphony is the only song I know from these guys, but I guess the rest of the album is alright. It is kind of generic otherwise.
Television
3/5
They're ok I guess. The songs kind of just blended together for me. It certainly was rock music. I will say that they do not sound like music that came out in the 70s; would have this pegged as late 80s or early 90s. In that sense, they were ahead of their time. Nothing was particularly bad to me tho.
Feeling a light to decent 3/5
Elis Regina
4/5
I am surprised that I am familiar with this person and their music. She has a really good voice. I don't speak Portuguese but she do be spitting. Certain songs give a city pop vibe even though that was a more 80s-Japan music thing. Some songs have less energy than others, but overall this is still pretty good and enjoyable.
Feeling a strong 3 to light 4 on this one.
Billy Joel
4/5
The yin to Bruce Springsteen's yang. I like a lot of Billy Joel Songs so this is pretty enjoyable already. This is full of certifiable bangers (for white people) In my mind's eye I can see a lot of these songs in commercials in the '80s and '90s; Only the Good Die Young being the biggest offender.
The Temptations
3/5
This was alright. Didn't expect the "explicit language" but was overall pretty good. Couldn't help but think it could have been slightly better in some way.
A solid 3/5
Meat Loaf
3/5
I know of Meat Loaf but have strangely only ever heard "I'd Do Anything For Love" The title song is good, but way too long. Overall the sentiment for like half the songs. This guy loved ballads. I don't. There were portions of each song that were good, but the big picture wasn't doing it for me.
Feeling a strong to decent 3/5
Judas Priest
3/5
Dad rock. Not bad tho. enjoyed it overall, but i didn't really fuck with any particular song super heavy.
Feeling a strong 3 on this one
Sarah Vaughan
4/5
Her voice sounds so familiar, but I can't pinpoint where I have heard it. Might be featured on a different song I know. Probably was in a fallout game. She has got a great voice. Hate live albums, but somehow the two live Jazz albums from this list have been good enough for me to not even notice they were live albums. If it weren't for the first track and the song names I would not have known this was a live album.
Muddy Waters
3/5
An ok live album. It got a bit boring halfway through but was still serviceable.
Feeling a light to decent 3 on this one
Prince
3/5
This was an alright album. I could see where childish gambino got his influences for Redbone here. Overall it was fine, but wasn't entirely my thing for most of it. Still pretty good though
Feeling decent to strong 3
King Crimson
3/5
I hate this album art... The first track is pretty good. The others are fine, but I don't like them nearly as much.
Feeling a light 3 on this
Flamin' Groovies
3/5
This is ok at best. Some of these songs sound like the lead singer's excuse to do a bad Elvis impression.
Feeling a low 3 to light 2
Cat Stevens
2/5
It ok, but I wasn't a big fan
Don't have much to say
Feeling a strong 2
Richard Hawley
2/5
I can only describe this as slow and melancholy. I guess it isn't terrible, but I don't like it very much
Feeling a strong 2 on this one
Incubus
3/5
The most 90s-sounding album I have ever heard. Aside from Nervana.
Feeling a light 3/5
Kendrick Lamar
5/5
I've had the whole album in my rotation since I first heard it. This is why Kendric is the GOAT. I kinda like Section 80 slightly better than this, but this is still one of the greatest Hip Hop albums of all time.
Easily a Strong 5/5