Endlessly repetitive looping, briefly interrupted by the sound of me skipping to the next track.

Above average heavy metal, with some creative high-points. Keeps between the lines and doesn't drift into other lanes. Well-produced. Great to play while drag racing.

Danceable and high-energy 90's alt-rock mixed with melodic acoustic tunes. Tight and well-produced. Bonus - nostalgic Simon & Garfunkel cover. Listening to the 30th anniversary release with a dozen acoustic demos - all first class. Enjoyable album. Added to favorites.

A deep dive into the blues. Classics mixed with musings. The anniversary editions much longer than the original. Cherry pick your favorites and you have plenty to enjoy.

The guy just cannot sing. He is monotone and sounds like he’s in a hallway. The rhythm is good but invariant. If I remove the vocals it might be a good backing track. There are a few creative moments but the whole thing is very simplistic and quite limited. They sound like a bad Talking Heads imitation. Reading the article it seems the band blamed the producer for a bad job. Sounds like he did what he could but there’s only so much lipstick you can put on a pig.

Not for me

Post-Grunge era hard rock done garage band style. It’s either for you or it’s not. For me it’s a good listen for contrast to their later stuff which is better IMO. I would not call it Beatle-esque as one reviewer described it.

Hi energy dance rhythm and lyrical rebellion mixed with lots of dirty screaming guitar. No wonder The Clash made it so big. They may not have invented punk but they taught the world how good it can be.

Ray was a bit before my time, but I am lucky to have several kids who play orchestra. One is a trumpet player and one is piano. So I have come to appreciate jazz and R&B. My first impression looking at the cover was that I had missed something historically where Ray Charles invented country music. But digging in I can compare it to Postmodern Jukebox where popular hits are performed in a distinctive period style. If done well and with exceptional performers this concept works. Ray and his orchestra certainly fill the bill. After many decades that is where this album lands. As a period piece. A novelty. No matter how much raw energy and swing a genius like Ray Charles can muster to mix oil and water it will ultimately separate. Unlike Elvis who created something transformative that has stood the test of time this attempt to cast country in a an R&B mold produced a beautiful but ultimately dated result. An artifact. A curiosity. I enjoyed it though.

Nothing remarkable about it. I don’t know why it is on this list.

Not on any music feed but a reviewer kindly posted a link to a YouTube version. This was a great mix of music and poetry and brought me back to those dark days of Watergate. Others have said this is not his best work so I will explore further.

Might make good background music for a low key party where guests don’t want their conversation interrupted. The monotonous rhythm tracks, plain vanilla vocals and heavily processed guitar and keyboards will help it fade into the backdrop. I counted 18 musicians and 16 studio members in the Wikipedia article - for an “indie” album. Really?? With that staff I would have hoped you’d find something creative to showcase. But maybe I expect too much. Don’t misunderstand me. I don’t dislike it. But on a bucket list of must-listen albums this is a head scratcher.

I’ve heard Kid Rock singles (edited) but this is his first full album I’ve heard. Although I never liked that rappers steal (oh no wait they in ter po late) the melodies of famous songs I think the music in this album grabs you. Which is what I like in a rock album. By side two it was pretty repetitive though. Seems like he ran out of steam after the first half. His lyrics are set around a very limited group of ideas. I’m no expert on the rap rock genre so no idea if it was a breakthrough but it was new to me. Overall enjoyable.

59 tracks and all great songs. I’ve never heard anything like it. A little before my time but still a great album.

Nothing outstanding about this. Became background music and I stopped paying attention. Vocals were a bit off IMO. Not a fan.

Written before I even listened because when this album first came out it shook the world and changed rock music forever. I know the melodies of every song on it from memory. I was in HS then. We first heard the singles on cheap car radios and I remember the first time I heard the album through headphones. It was like nothing I’d ever heard before. Not only did the album have us mesmerized but the technology used to create it (which today can be done digitally) soon provided the means for future musicians to do the same by giving them an easier way to control distortion independently from volume. Many albums on this list are misplaced IMO but not this one. It was a true ground-breaker. I’m giving it a 5 because there is no choice for anything higher.

Smooth jazz horns and piano. A little before my time but thoroughly enjoyable.

Simplistic rock style not worthy of a best of the best list. Found myself skipping half played tracks.

I can understand why the CIA uses this genre of ‘music’ to torture prisoners. At least the rhythm was consistent.

Melodic dance music in Hindu with vocal harmony. Great energy. Not something I’ve heard before. Quite an adventure. Well done.

Cool jazz piano. Very slick musicianship. The version I heard had a bunch of live takes that were studio quality. This guy is the real deal. I didn’t get much jazz as a kid but I gave this record a second spin.

Relaxing soulful and smooth. Vocals and instrumental flawless.

Heavy overdrive on the guitar paired with great rhythm made this a good listen. Enjoyed it!

Cool jazz. Loveyit!

A masterpiece!

Creative but repetitive and redundant. This is what happens when you have a good idea that’s not big enough for an entire album so it becomes cookie cutter. Enjoyable but limited.

Tense drama and raw percussion gives way to lyrical creativity and finally to an easy finish.

Interesting electronic music with some great moments. Use of auto tune not impressive.

Occasional brilliance surrounded by mediocrity. Covering the Beatles was a low point.

Really great folk album. Vocals and guitar well done. Fast Car got tons of airplay when it was released but this is my first listen to the whole album

Repetitive rhythm with juvenile lyrics. Sounds like a middle school poetry assignment done the night before due date.

I listen to tracks from this album every week. It’s so good I can’t find the words to describe it. Listen to it. Then do it again. Once more. Ok now repeat that. Yeah. You get the idea. Maybe it’s the superb three part vocal harmony. Or the hypnotic finger style guitar. Or the poetic and deep imagery in the lyrics. Or the…wait…let me listen again to be sure. Yeah. That’s it.

There are some great songs on this album but I get why folks criticize it for rambling. Editing and some additional takes were needed. Despite the vocals the guitar tracks are entertaining. Overall good. Not great. Coincidentally the last album I listened to was CSN which is a masterpiece and with whom Neil soon became CSNY. This pales in comparison.

I’m hearing Grateful Dead and lots of country. Not bad for what seems like a garage band sound.

Angry metal rap. Would like it better as a teen. Well executed.

A rap album I like? Must be dreaming. yeah this was different. Lots of interesting stuff start to finish. Didn’t have me poking the skip halfway through the tracks. Well done.

Really different with semi poetry reading mixed with acoustic guitar. More like an open mic night than a music album.

She has such an amazing voice that each track is a treat to hear. I only ever heard the singles released until now. Glad it got on this list.

Danceable rhythm. Definite 80’s sound. Synthetic and sterile. Human League roots. As rock fans we loved to hate the Human League MTV videos. Maturity and nostalgia make it enjoyable today. Still a bit simplistic lyrically making it sound like a group of robots singing. Only so much I can handle before skipping ahead.

Endlessly repetitive looping, briefly interrupted by the sound of me skipping to the next track.

She can’t sing. Not for me.

Overall a good album with a mix of electronic and strum/singalong. Mostly upbeat with a melancholy undertone throughout. Surprised it won a Grammy. It’s not THAT great.

A great voice is always a winner no matter what genre. Sinatra had one of the greatest.

A great effort went into writing and producing this album. Points for vocal harmonies on several tracks. Good job by the rhythm section. Still a bit limited with tracks sounding like copypasta.

A few brilliant moments among mediocrity.

I’ve got mixed opinions. He’s a great songwriter but just can’t get past that voice. Fortunately the band played the last half and made the album worth the bus ride it took to listen. If I had been anywhere else I would have found something worthwhile to do instead. 11 minutes of Mr Tambourine Man with a lengthy harmonica solo consisting mostly of the same 8 notes? I agree there’s a lot of creativity in his songwriting and I get that he’s been a great influence on a lot of bands that came afterwards - some who are my all-time favorites. But I would rather listen to covers of his songs instead of him.

Nothing original here. Seems like I’ve heard this clone before but with better execution. Repetitive and monotone. Seems like it was someone’s HS music class project. What criteria got this album on a list of ‘must listen’? I had to force myself to listen to at least part of each song on my commitment to the list.

Certainly I just HAD to hear such great tunes as “I Kill Children” and “Let’s Lynch the Landlord” before my demise. They get a point for staying on tempo at such a breakneck speed, and at least the ‘songs’ are short.

Rhythm was good and much of the lyrics formed an entertaining story. But it’s too bad someone with so much influence chooses to use it to knock education, widely understood to be the best opportunity to escape poverty.

Singable danceable and melodic. A refreshing change from the cacophony that’s come through this week.

Not the most creative or interesting album. Some bright spots though.

Some really remarkable moments among a mediocre garage band effort. Covers a lot of genre-ground. Vocals need help.

Vocal harmonies give it a haunting vibe. Classy piano melodies. Psychedelic tone throughout. Must be the keyboards. I’m hearing Beatles and Beach Boys. Won’t leave my head. Well done.

Good reggae album. Not a genre I know much about but it sounded good to me!

The opening track was an instrumental. I was thinking this was an 80’s style upbeat synth pop album so maybe listenable. Then the next track - the vocals. When I say this sounded like my cat hacking up a furball, I’m not kidding. He actually burps into the mic in one song. That’s when I heard the most refreshing sound - the sound of the skip button. The fact that this album is 23 tracks makes it the most skipped so far in my journey. An occasional instrumental gave me a reprieve. But overall I have to say this has been one of the worst of the 50ish albums so far. What label in its right mind pays to produce such garbage? Reading the wiki article - which I always do AFTER I listen to the album - makes me think either the reviews were paid for like some 80’s version of an Amazon rating scam or the music critics were collectively insane at the time.

What a difference a great singer makes! Great vocals are essential IMO for anything other than instrumental. Her voice is epic and I was amazed at how seamlessly she improvised the lyrics to the last song. Too bad it was a short album.

Twangy psychedelic rock. Good listen overall. Added to favorites

If this were made in 1964 rather than 2004 there might be some reason to consider this innovative. Anyone with basic knowledge could record random noises into a loop and call it music. Sorry but this album on the same list as some of the best music ever limits the credibility of the whole thing.

Great high energy rock tunes. Singable lyrics with foot stomping rhythms. Distinctive John Fogerty vocals. This is a keeper.

I really like this album even though I don’t usually like electronic music. It’s well done. But the looping does get monotonous on a few tracks. But the use of actual instruments makes the difference. Some good acoustic guitar too. Which you don’t usually hear in electronic music.

Marvin Gaye has a great voice. Aside from some brief moments this album fails to capture his best. The rhythm section was great. The sax had some rough moments. I heard a squeak or two and some strain on the high end. Thematically one dimensional overall.

The thing that made the Sex Pistols different from a lot of other punk bands is that they actually had musical talent. That is one thing that kept this from being the skip fest that a lot of these “must listen” albums were.

Basic hard rock. So simple most novice teen bands can cover them. About as meat and potatoes as you can get. Part of every classic rock playlist.

Made my finger less prone to hitting the skip button than most in this genre. Still not a fan.

Great for those times you need to break a detainee. Guaranteed to speed up any CIA interrogation.

I read recently that it is possible to breathe through your anus. This album proves that it is also possible to sing through it.

How many solo piano performance albums can you name? I’m coming up with a few. How many of them were recorded live AND comprise production quality concert tracks? This makes the Koln album truly unique. Did you notice the audience stood and applauded for two encores? Can you imagine even playing the piano that long? Kieth Jarrett is truly amazing as I was reminded while listening to this album.

What a fantastic voice. Knocked my socks off! She had a couple of hits in the 70's but I hadn't heard the whole album before. Mix of Motown and Blues. Well done.

Great album filled with rhythm and melody and lyrics with hauntingly real emotion.

Barn burning rock and roll. Jerry was a great singer and songwriter and guitarist. Love all his stuff. Live or studio doesn’t matter.

I was amazed at the vocals. Harmonized right through the key changes. Incredible voice.

Grunge sounds better live than recorded. It’s the bottom end that matters. It makes the droning less of a background noise. The album? It’s good. Maybe great. Among the greatest of all time? Doubtful.

High energy funk with plenty of lyrical creativity. Several gems in here.

Straight ahead British rock. Lots of distortion on guitar. Good movie background music potential.

Alt rock before it was a thing. Gave me a meh reaction. Mediocre stuff in the long run.

Best track is a cover. The rest is mediocre. I was hoping for something more.

There is not a bad track on this album. The rhythm is hypnotic and the guitars and vocals really hook you. Some big hits too. Did not disappoint.

Melodically and rhythmically entertaining meets lyrically and vocally deficient. I wanted to like this album with its musical strengths but the monotone vocals and depressing and often just plain stupid lyrics got in the way. “Some girls are bigger than others … some girls mothers are bigger than other girls mothers“ is just plain stupid.

A musical Disneyland. Not a full moment in this one. YES to this one!

Great voice backed by a terrific band. Complex lyrics add to a great listen. Wish it were longer!

She’s so talented. It’s no surprise she was top of the charts. She had a great voice! And she was backed by good songwriting and studio work. But her fame faded quickly. Maybe getting involved in the pro wrestling scene diluted her credibility? Can’t be sure. But after listening to the album and hearing not only the hits but the great singing that didn’t get airplay it’s disappointing that her career was fairly short.

Once again I question the rationale for including this in a must-listen list. He has no vocal range. The vocals are flat and monotone. The melodies are simplistic. The guitar strum on one song sounded like it came out of a beginner chord book and it never changed throughout the entire song. Is this some middle school music project?

Jump up and down feel good swing jazz. Really enjoyed it. At first I wasn’t enthusiastic but changed my tune during the first track. Vocals are superb and the band is tight. No skips on this one!

Fun album. Not a lot of production just some instruments and vocals. Creative lyrics. Very entertaining. Singable ear worms coming from melodic chord changes. Wish it were longer.

Each track I was hoping for an instrumental. Each time they ruined it by signing. The music is enjoyable blues-jazz. The vocals had me twitching for the skip button.

Fun garage band rock. Enjoyable.

Beautiful finger picked acoustic guitar melodies. Piano and orchestra as well. Softy sung tenor voice. Moody lyrics. Inspirational but in a subtle way. I get why his music may have been overlooked. It’s very understated. Too bad he was not more popular during his too short life. I’ve never heard him before. He was truly an artist. Added to favorites.

High energy dance music with that Bowie voice.

Really enjoyable despite the name. Great vocalist and looks of good instrumental work and production. Added to favorites b

Synth pop. Not my genre but not unenjoyable. At home in an 80’s playlist. Someone put a lot of effort into it.

Probably the most enjoyable Dylan album I have heard. I’m not a huge fan but it was a good listen.

Late stage punk. Maybe call it ‘bubble gum punk’. Basic tweenage lyrics and not so edgy. Parent friendly for kids who don’t want to be grounded. Heavily produced. Not sure why it’s on this list. Nothing to see here.

80’s hair band. Burn the house down hard rock. I had to wade through the repetition of the extended edition. Seems like they played everything three times. When I was 16 this was the balls. Now I’m ambivalent.

Smooth jazz. A welcome change from the crap of the last few days. Well done.

Great vocalist! Soothing R&B for a slow evening. Very well done.

Some brilliant moments spread among borderline annoying and monotonous lines. Not sure if their other albums are like this but I was not very impressed.

A Queen clone. Not bad but why listen to a clone when you can hear the real thing? Well executed but not much original here.

Okay it’s a James Brown live show. It’s well executed and produced. Not sure it’s all that special.

Not a clone band so much as a mashup of several bands. Not so much like any one band that would make it unoriginal.

Great melodies rhythms and vocal harmonies. Doesn’t sound like anything I have ever heard before. Really unique. High quality. Well produced. A great album.

Great jazz album. This was 1956. The performance was amazing and live recording and production was perfect.

One hit among mediocrity. Music is good but kind of goes nowhere. Would benefit from a better vocalist. Overall not bad

Gutter rap over a drum machine backing track. If you like listening to n1994s say n1994 then you do you. I prefer actual musicians creating actual music.

This album exemplifies what it means to be an all-time great. Innovative and well-produced with superb musicianship. This is what I expect from a must-listen albums list.

Great vocalist. Tight band. Mellow 50’s style dinner show type stuff. Not my genre but well done.

Mediocre songwriting and limited arrangements hamper an otherwise talented vocalist. There’s a lot better music in this timeframe.

It’s not clear to me, beyond the notable commercial hits, what there is to value in Hendrix’s catalog. The rhythm and melodies are too busy and unimaginative. They become repetitive. There’s a real lack of creative breadth there. I’m just not impressed

Great album! Drummer is amazing! Rhythm and guitar work is excellent. Experimentation in sound effects adds an otherworldly dimension. It checks so many boxes from blues, rock and metal.

Meandering lyrics among eclectic instrumental pieces with a moody feel. Not bad. Not great. Meh.

Upbeat rhythm and melodies. Really fun songs. Bit of blues and country. Guitar focused. Enjoyable.

Enjoyable high energy album. I heard it a couple of days ago so the details are a blur but I liked it.

Danceable and upbeat rhythms and creative melodies make this listenable. Who ever told this guy he could sing I’ll never understand. The instrumentals saved it.

Really not for me. She may have a capable voice but the format for me is a real turn off.

Very different from most mainstream music at least in the US and UK. Intricate rhythm and creative melodies make this a great listen. The vocalist is exceptional even though I can’t understand the lyrics.

Punk with arpeggios! It’s like Postmodern Jukebox for punk. A good singer would be a great addition. Overall not bad.

Well it’s TS so the execution and production you know will be perfect. And she has a great voice!

Really good album. Rhythm and instrumentals are creative and well executed. I’m not usually a fan but this is an exception.

The music is good but I can’t understand French so the lyrics are lost on me.

Great old-school rock & roll album.

She can’t sing. She can’t write songs. But she’s a famous rock widow. That insured good session musicians and production for her band’s album of simplistic melodies and uninspired lyrics. And it - along with the cover art - ensures Nirvana fans will buy the album. Bringing in a session vocalist and songwriter would have been an improvement. There’s one track with an acoustic guitar melody that I thought was impressive. It’s not awful. But not outstanding.

Great vocalist. Basic rhythm. Great overall? No.

High energy dance music with a punk theme. Great rhythm. Funny to hear the fake British accents. Overall well done.

She can’t sing. Or at least she’s not showing it on this album. Sounds like off key yodeling to me. Skipped the England track halfway through because I just couldn’t take it anymore.

Definite ear worm material I this high energy dance album. 80’s all the way!

Glam rock proto hair metal. Your first band did covers of Schools Out because it was simple to play and evokes freedom. Juvenile lyrics and simplistic melodies but the rhythm is good. A few songs show creative genius. Blue Turk for example mixes a toe tapping bass line with a saxophone for a cool feel. Then there’s the one with cats meowing in the background. I guess you can’t always be great. Overall not super impressive. But hey, it’s only nine tracks.

I like this album because, unlike many others on this list, the band has talent. Musicianship is emphasized on every track. The vocalist can actually sing, which puts him in the minority of the last hundred or so albums I’ve listened to. The guitar player and rhythm section are tight. Bass player is excellent. There is abundant creativity throughout. It exemplifies why I am on this journey - to discover great music that never made it to my local radio station. added to my favorites.

Creative songwriting and a great band help this album along. A bit more effort to really get the songs to the next level, along with improved vocals, would help a bit more.

The music of the 1960’s and 1970’s emphasized musicianship, songwriting and vocal excellence and harmony. It’s not easy to be great in all of these aspects but this band was. This album exemplifies these qualities and produced a signature sound and hits that have lasted close to six decades and still inspire young musicians.

A lack of actual musical instruments and foreign language lyrics make this uninteresting to me. Someone who can understand the lyrics would be able to rate fairly

Chaotic is about as descriptive as it gets for this one. Too busy.