My 1001 Albums Journey

Album	You	Global	Diff
Hejira Joni Mitchell	5	3.13	+1.87
Close To The Edge Yes	5	3.19	+1.81
McCartney Paul McCartney	5	3.25	+1.75
Bongo Rock Incredible Bongo Band	5	3.26	+1.74
Live At The Star Club, Hamburg Jerry Lee Lewis	5	3.28	+1.72
Melodrama Lorde	5	3.31	+1.69
The Yes Album Yes	5	3.31	+1.69
Sunday At The Village Vanguard Bill Evans Trio	5	3.32	+1.68
A Girl Called Dusty Dusty Springfield	5	3.33	+1.67
Brilliant Corners Thelonious Monk	5	3.33	+1.67

Album	You	Global	Diff
Kid A Radiohead	1	3.71	-2.71
The Low End Theory A Tribe Called Quest	1	3.7	-2.7
Illmatic Nas	1	3.61	-2.61
good kid, m.A.A.d city Kendrick Lamar	1	3.61	-2.61
Licensed To Ill Beastie Boys	1	3.56	-2.56
Straight Outta Compton N.W.A.	1	3.51	-2.51
Paul's Boutique Beastie Boys	1	3.47	-2.47
Speakerboxxx/The Love Below OutKast	1	3.45	-2.45
Sound of Silver LCD Soundsystem	1	3.42	-2.42
Get Behind Me Satan The White Stripes	1	3.41	-2.41

Artist	Albums	Average
Led Zeppelin	3	5
Beatles	3	5
Pink Floyd	4	4.5
Yes	3	4.67
Michael Jackson	3	4.67
Dusty Springfield	2	5
Joni Mitchell	2	5
Rush	2	5
Dire Straits	2	5
The Police	2	5
Creedence Clearwater Revival	3	4.33
Steely Dan	3	4.33
Simon & Garfunkel	3	4.33

Artist	Albums	Average
Public Enemy	3	1
Beastie Boys	2	1
Missy Elliott	2	1
My Bloody Valentine	2	1
The Fall	2	1
PJ Harvey	3	1.67
Radiohead	3	1.67
A Tribe Called Quest	2	1.5
OutKast	2	1.5
Tom Waits	3	2

Artist	Ratings
Kendrick Lamar	4, 1
Blur	4, 1
Miles Davis	5, 5, 2

Motörhead

4/5

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.

It's A Shame About Ray

The Lemonheads

4/5

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.

Layla And Other Assorted Love Songs

Derek & The Dominos

4/5

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.

Closer

Joy Division

1/5

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.

My Life In The Bush Of Ghosts

Brian Eno

1/5

Not for me

Foo Fighters

4/5

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.

The Clash

4/5

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.

Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music

Ray Charles

4/5

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.

Channel Orange

Frank Ocean

1/5

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

Winter In America

Gil Scott-Heron

4/5

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.

Lost In The Dream

The War On Drugs

2/5

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.

Devil Without A Cause

Kid Rock

3/5

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.

The Gershwin Songbook

Ella Fitzgerald

5/5

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

Two Dancers

Wild Beasts

2/5

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

Boston

5/5

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.

Kind Of Blue

Miles Davis

5/5

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

Billion Dollar Babies

Alice Cooper

2/5

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

KE*A*H** (Psalm 69)

Ministry

1/5

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

Devotional Songs

Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan

4/5

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

Sunday At The Village Vanguard

Bill Evans Trio

5/5

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.

The Genius Of Ray Charles

Ray Charles

5/5

Relaxing soulful and smooth. Vocals and instrumental flawless.

Electric Warrior

T. Rex

4/5

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

Birth Of The Cool

Miles Davis

5/5

Cool jazz. Loveyit!

Madman Across The Water

Elton John

5/5

A masterpiece!

Timeless

Goldie

3/5

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.

Peter Gabriel 3

Peter Gabriel

4/5

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

Moon Safari

Air

3/5

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

Young Americans

David Bowie

3/5

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

Tracy Chapman

5/5

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

People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm

A Tribe Called Quest

2/5

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

Crosby, Stills & Nash

5/5

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.

Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere

Neil Young & Crazy Horse

3/5

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.

The Band

4/5

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

Rage Against The Machine

3/5

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

To Pimp A Butterfly

Kendrick Lamar

4/5

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.

Songs Of Love And Hate

Leonard Cohen

4/5

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

I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You

Aretha Franklin

5/5

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.

Penthouse And Pavement

Heaven 17

2/5

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.

Destroy Rock & Roll

Mylo

1/5

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

Third

Portishead

1/5

She can’t sing. Not for me.

The Suburbs

Arcade Fire

3/5

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.

Songs For Swingin' Lovers!

Frank Sinatra

5/5

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

Fly Or Die

N.E.R.D

3/5

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.

Hunky Dory

David Bowie

3/5

A few brilliant moments among mediocrity.

Live 1966 (The Royal Albert Hall Concert)

Bob Dylan

3/5

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.

Le Tigre

1/5

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.

Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables

Dead Kennedys

1/5

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.

The College Dropout

Kanye West

2/5

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.

Armed Forces

Elvis Costello & The Attractions

4/5

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

3 Years, 5 Months And 2 Days In The Life Of...

Arrested Development

2/5

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

Gorillaz

3/5

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

Odessey And Oracle

The Zombies

4/5

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.

Maverick A Strike

Finley Quaye

3/5

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

Sulk

The Associates

1/5

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.

At Mister Kelly's

Sarah Vaughan

5/5

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.

Electric Music For The Mind And Body

Country Joe & The Fish

4/5

Twangy psychedelic rock. Good listen overall. Added to favorites

They Were Wrong, So We Drowned

Liars

1/5

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.

Cosmo's Factory

Creedence Clearwater Revival

5/5

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

Play

Moby

4/5

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.

Here, My Dear

Marvin Gaye

3/5

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.

Never Mind The Bollocks, Here’s The Sex Pistols

Sex Pistols

4/5

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.

Highway to Hell

AC/DC

4/5

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.

Chocolate Starfish And The Hot Dog Flavored Water

Limp Bizkit

3/5

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

Reign In Blood

Slayer

2/5

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

Paul's Boutique

Beastie Boys

1/5

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

The Köln Concert

Keith Jarrett

5/5

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.

Dusty In Memphis

Dusty Springfield

5/5

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.

Melodrama

Lorde

5/5

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

Live At The Star Club, Hamburg

Jerry Lee Lewis

5/5

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

Pieces Of The Sky

Emmylou Harris

4/5

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

Siamese Dream

The Smashing Pumpkins

4/5

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.

Blood Sugar Sex Magik

Red Hot Chili Peppers

4/5

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

Fuzzy Logic

Super Furry Animals

3/5

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

You're Living All Over Me

Dinosaur Jr.

3/5

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

Electric Ladyland

Jimi Hendrix

3/5

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

Bayou Country

Creedence Clearwater Revival

4/5

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.

The Queen Is Dead

The Smiths

3/5

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.

The Yes Album

Yes

5/5

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

Court And Spark

Joni Mitchell

5/5

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

She's So Unusual

Cyndi Lauper

5/5

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.

Your Arsenal

Morrissey

1/5

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?

The Wildest!

Louis Prima

4/5

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!

The Velvet Underground

4/5

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.

G. Love And Special Sauce

G. Love & Special Sauce

2/5

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.

Violent Femmes

4/5

Fun garage band rock. Enjoyable.

Five Leaves Left

Nick Drake

4/5

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.

The Next Day

David Bowie

3/5

High energy dance music with that Bowie voice.

Garbage

4/5

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

The Bones Of What You Believe

CHVRCHES

4/5

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

Blood On The Tracks

Bob Dylan

4/5

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

The Undertones

2/5

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.

Slayed?

Slade

3/5

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.

Head Hunters

Herbie Hancock

4/5

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

Take Me Apart

Kelela

4/5

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

Maggot Brain

Funkadelic

2/5

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.

Permission to Land

The Darkness

3/5

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.

James Brown Live At The Apollo

James Brown

3/5

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

Tellin’ Stories

The Charlatans

4/5

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

Can't Buy A Thrill

Steely Dan

5/5

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.

Ellington at Newport

Duke Ellington

4/5

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

Disintegration

The Cure

3/5

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

Supa Dupa Fly

Missy Elliott

1/5

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.

Moving Pictures

Rush

5/5

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.

Rock 'N Soul

Solomon Burke

4/5

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

Wild Is The Wind

Nina Simone

3/5

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

Axis: Bold As Love

Jimi Hendrix

3/5

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

Led Zeppelin

5/5

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.

Solid Air

John Martyn

3/5

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

American Beauty

Grateful Dead

4/5

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

Searching For The Young Soul Rebels

Dexys Midnight Runners

4/5

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

Fear Of Music

Talking Heads

3/5

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.

Vulnicura

Björk

2/5

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

La Revancha Del Tango

Gotan Project

4/5

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.

Marquee Moon

Television

4/5

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

1989

Taylor Swift

4/5

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

One Nation Under A Groove

Funkadelic

4/5

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

Qui sème le vent récolte le tempo

MC Solaar

3/5

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

Chirping Crickets

Buddy Holly & The Crickets

4/5

Great old-school rock & roll album.

Celebrity Skin

Hole

3/5

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.

Maxwell's Urban Hang Suite

Maxwell

4/5

Great vocalist. Basic rhythm. Great overall? No.

Ramones

4/5

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

Let England Shake

PJ Harvey

2/5

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.

Rio

Duran Duran

4/5

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

School's Out

Alice Cooper

4/5

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.

The Stone Roses

4/5

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.

Rust Never Sleeps

Neil Young & Crazy Horse

3/5

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.

If You Can Believe Your Eyes & Ears

The Mamas & The Papas

4/5

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.

Ágætis Byrjun

Sigur Rós

3/5

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

Bug

Dinosaur Jr.

2/5

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

Diamond Life

Sade

4/5

Smooth rhythm and cool saxophone surround flawless vocals. A really soothing mix.

m b v

My Bloody Valentine

1/5

Low quality audio is full of static. Really ruins anything good in it which is not much. Lacks most of what makes bands successful.

25

Adele

5/5

Adele could sing the menu at a restaurant and it would bring the house down. That heartstopping voice is second to none.

The Slim Shady LP

Eminem

4/5

Raunchy comedy rap with clever lyrics. Rhythm is solid. Not a big rap fan but I enjoyed it.

Hot Shots II

The Beta Band

2/5

Not particularly entertaining. No pop no fizz. Kind of boring Sort of like poetry reading. Best part? It was short.

Illinois

Sufjan Stevens

3/5

Eclectic mix of instruments and lyrics make this an enjoyable experience. Strange subject matter though. A balled about a serial killer is not what I expected in an upbeat album.

AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted

Ice Cube

3/5

Another n!99a calling n!99as n199a. Not my preference in subject matter. Engaging nonetheless.

Meat Is Murder

The Smiths

3/5

Not a big fan. Vocals are better than the last from this band but still meh

Roxy Music

4/5

I’m not a big glam fan but the instrumentals on this one were really good and despite the vocals I enjoyed it

A Girl Called Dusty

Dusty Springfield

5/5

An incredible voice. Great R&B with a mid sixties Motown feel. Amazing she was not more popular in the US.

Yeezus

Kanye West

2/5

Lace of musical content makes this - like most rap - low quality and uninspiring.

Woodface

Crowded House

4/5

Good album. Very entertaining

Tapestry

Carole King

5/5

Superb performance by a brilliant vocalist and songwriter. Deep emotional lyrics backed by a rich tapestry of instrumental music. A rare glittering gem.

Remain In Light

Talking Heads

5/5

The most rhythmically complex music I’ve heard. Really fun album that gets me moving.

Speakerboxxx/The Love Below

OutKast

1/5

Skipped through this one in a hurry. Life is too short to listen to bad music.

Beauty And The Beat

The Go-Go's

4/5

Fun dance and singable bubble gum pop rock album.

Music in Exile

Songhoy Blues

4/5

Really good Blues. Hard to judge lyrics when I can’t understand the language.

Sound Affects

The Jam

2/5

An uninspiring album. Nothing exciting happening here.

Black Sabbath

4/5

Metal like you would play at a Halloween party. Really dark.

3 Feet High and Rising

De La Soul

3/5

It’s a rap comedy album. Basic drum machine rhythm. Not the worst I’ve heard.

Call of the Valley

Shivkumar Sharma

3/5

Mellow Indian music. Very relaxing.

The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill

Lauryn Hill

2/5

Your basic rap formula. Nothing to see here. Move along.

Pyromania

Def Leppard

4/5

Well executed 80’s pop metal. Musicianship was still a focus in this decade. Maybe that focus will return.

Jagged Little Pill

Alanis Morissette

5/5

Amazing voice and lyrics backed by a 90’s signature band. Such raw energy. Nobody sounds like her.

Bitte Orca

Dirty Projectors

2/5

A few bright spots but generally not for me.

Eagles

4/5

Tight rhythm and great songwriting. Creative melodies and vocal harmonies. Great album

Illmatic

Nas

1/5

Life is too short to listen to bad music like this. Skip quickly through each track. Consider skipping the album entirely.

Make Yourself

Incubus

3/5

Basic metal mostly uninspiring. The hidden gem saving it from the trash is Drive with a great acoustic melody and soothing rhythm. Good vocals and lyrical imagery.

Another Green World

Brian Eno

3/5

Brian Eno is on another planet. Nothing bad about it but I admit I don’t get it.

Pacific Ocean Blue

Dennis Wilson

2/5

Nothing bad about it but nothing memorable either. A couple of toe-tappers but not one ear-worm. A bit cookie-cutter. A totally forgettable album.

The Stranger

Billy Joel

5/5

Top shelf in every way. Songwriting vocals instrumentals production. This was the way, back before talent and musicianship was replaced with attitude and electronics.

Damaged

Black Flag

1/5

Give a few preteens enough instruction to hack out a crude melody and keep time. Then have them come up with lyrics about drinking and partying. Plug them into a PA and turn up the volume. This is what you get. It’s the first thing a garage band knocks out for a cover because it takes minimal talent and musicianship. This has no place on a best-of list.

Straight Outta Compton

N.W.A.

1/5

Embodiment of everything wrong with gangsta rap and why I can never appreciate it as an art form. Completely negative and misogynistic drivel that maligns even the groups it attempts to represent. Offensive in every way. Deficient in musicianship and talent, it substitutes electronics and attitude in their place. I don’t care how “important” anyone thinks it is. I will never be a fan.

Elvis Presley

4/5

Great voice and tunes. A bit dated but still fun to hear a lot that influenced later bands.

Africa Brasil

Jorge Ben Jor

4/5

Really good instrumentals. Intricate and engaging rhythm. Horn section is tight. Hard to say for lyrics not in my language. Not repetitive at least.

A Christmas Gift For You From Phil Spector

Various Artists

4/5

Great Christmas album. Among the best I’ve heard.

This Nation’s Saving Grace

The Fall

1/5

Uninspiring instrumentals and simplistic and repetitive lyrics briefly interrupted by the sound of me hitting the skip button. They stay on time at least. How did so many bad British bands make this list?

The Low End Theory

A Tribe Called Quest

1/5

Your basic rap album. Nothing new to see here. Move along.

Only By The Night

Kings of Leon

4/5

Good album with a couple of great songs. The rest is not nearly as impressive as the hits.

Street Signs

Ozomatli

4/5

Except for the rap songs this is a great album. I can’t understand the lyrics but it sounds great.

Time Out

The Dave Brubeck Quartet

5/5

Great album. Too bad it was so short!

Microshift

Hookworms

3/5

Not bad for electronic music.

Beyond Skin

Nitin Sawhney

3/5

Good album overall. Not a rap fan but there was other good stuff and the female vocalist was excellent. Would be better without excessive and repetitive references to atomic testing. Not that it’s a bad thing but it’s just overdone.

Tank Battles

Dagmar Krause

1/5

I only listened to a bit of it but it’s not for me.

The ArchAndroid

Janelle Monáe

3/5

The new age synth electro genre is not my thing. It’s not terrible I’m just not into it.

Hot Rats

Frank Zappa

5/5

I didn’t get any Zappa as a kid because it wasn’t on the radio. I had to hear it as an adult when I could afford the albums. Too bad I missed a lot. This was great to hear again.

Butterfly

Mariah Carey

2/5

She really should stick to Christmas songs.

Hard Again

Muddy Waters

2/5

Yes I know he inspired great guitar players but it just doesn’t do it for me.

Teenager Of The Year

Frank Black

1/5

Iggy Pop made headlines 25 years before with better songs so trying to be his clone is no success plan.

Kings Of The Wild Frontier

Adam & The Ants

4/5

A few good tunes. I bet they’re fun to watch live.

The Downward Spiral

Nine Inch Nails

1/5

I skipped extra quick through this album just in case I happen to die in the middle. I didn’t want this to be the last thing I heard.

The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars

David Bowie

3/5

I don’t like Bowie. What I like are his greatest hits. When he’s on he’s great but when he’s off he sucks. This album has maybe four great songs and the rest I can’t skip past fast enough.

Central Reservation

Beth Orton

3/5

Started strong with great vocals and a driving rhythm and then plateaued to become repetitive.

Signing Off

UB40

3/5

Either you like reggae or you don’t. I do. This album is good. Not great. I especially liked the saxophone parts. A bit cookie cutter though.

Fear Of A Black Planet

Public Enemy

1/5

Basic bad rap crap. Life is too short not to skip bad music like this

One World

John Martyn

2/5

Unimpressed.

Planet Rock: The Album

Afrika Bambaataa

1/5

Electro and rap have a kid. But the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.

Kimono My House

Sparks

4/5

At first I had my doubts but as I got deeper the music got better. This is actually quite good!

The Dark Side Of The Moon

Pink Floyd

5/5

Never fails to blow my mind. Since first hearing it as a teen in 1973 this has always been top tier.

Emperor Tomato Ketchup

Stereolab

2/5

Not impressed. Sterile and superficial with lyrics in French. Nothing really interesting.

Haut de gamme / Koweït, rive gauche

Koffi Olomide

3/5

It’s calypso. Would work for a beach party. Not bad. Not my favorite style.

Brilliant Corners

Thelonious Monk

5/5

Really cool jazz. A real treat. Wish it ran longer.

If I Should Fall From Grace With God

The Pogues

3/5

High energy and generally good but repetitive. Makes a good soundtrack for a chase though hills and trees

Franz Ferdinand

3/5

Not bad but nothing outstanding and not my first choice.

Something Else By The Kinks

The Kinks

3/5

The wanna Beatles had a few decent tracks but even their best is no better than a demo track by their role models.

Purple Rain

Prince

3/5

Not bad but not my thing.

Green River

Creedence Clearwater Revival

4/5

Great album. Good vocals guitar and rhythm.

Francis Albert Sinatra & Antonio Carlos Jobim

Frank Sinatra

3/5

A bit dated for me.

3 + 3

The Isley Brothers

3/5

Had high expectations after the lead single was a huge hit. Then several inferior covers tanked that hope.

With The Beatles

Beatles

5/5

A real treat after the recent string of bad luck in album selection. Every track is a keeper. Although they got better with age it’s still great.

Giant Steps

The Boo Radleys

1/5

Take mediocre lyrics and add meh vocals then combine them with cacophony and you get this. Hard pass.

Bone Machine

Tom Waits

1/5

This is really bad. I can’t believe it made a list of anything that doesn’t suck. But it actually won a Grammy? I don’t believe it. I couldn’t hit the skip button fast enough.

Sheer Heart Attack

Queen

4/5

Really dramatic driving hard rock. Well executed and heavily produced with layered vocals and guitar riffs. Great rhythm.

Apocalypse Dudes

Turbonegro

2/5

Cookie cutter metal with juvenile lyrics.

Catch A Fire

Bob Marley & The Wailers

4/5

It’s a reggae album. You either like it or not. I do.

Let's Stay Together

Al Green

4/5

Great voice and smooth instrumentals. Some big hits too

Under Construction

Missy Elliott

1/5

Gutter rap. Gangsta rap. All of it is total crap.

Trafalgar

Bee Gees

3/5

One really good track on this album. The rest is really just filler.

Sound of Silver

LCD Soundsystem

1/5

Experimental electronic music is not for me.

Arthur (Or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire)

The Kinks

3/5

It's VERY British.

E.V.O.L.

Sonic Youth

4/5

Better than I expected

Liege And Lief

Fairport Convention

4/5

Fun. Never heard of them before.

Graceland

Paul Simon

4/5

Not his best. But some gems here.

Dire Straits

5/5

Great album start to finish. Smooth rhythm and melodic blues guitar that’s never overdone (I’m looking at you Hendrix). Never thought “when will it end?” on any track.

Come Away With Me

Norah Jones

5/5

Wow what a voice! She could - as they say ‘make a living singing the menu’. I could listen a good long time.

The Healer

John Lee Hooker

4/5

Good Blues guitar. It’s been done better. Can’t say it is outstanding.

Stankonia

OutKast

2/5

Not a rap fan.

Bongo Rock

Incredible Bongo Band

5/5

Really good album.

Since I Left You

The Avalanches

2/5

Moments of brilliance dot the cloudy skies of this album.

It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back

Public Enemy

1/5

Rap is crap

Chemtrails Over The Country Club

Lana Del Rey

3/5

Good album. Not great. A little different.

Machine Gun Etiquette

The Damned

3/5

Some bright spots in an otherwise uninspiring album

The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn

Pink Floyd

3/5

Ok album. For the time it was original but now quite dated.

Licensed To Ill

Beastie Boys

1/5

And I thought they couldn’t get worse.

GI

Germs

2/5

Not for me

California

American Music Club

4/5

Good album. Never heard of them before. Not on radio Playlist.

Grace

Jeff Buckley

4/5

Good album. Never heard of him before. Surprised but probably never got airplay on mainstream radio.

Space Ritual

Hawkwind

2/5

Over 2 hours of crap.

Highly Evolved

The Vines

3/5

Better than I expected. Wide range of styles. Well played

Black Monk Time

The Monks

2/5

Really rough amateur stuff. In 1966 it may have taken a lot to produce this but not by today’s standards

Blunderbuss

Jack White

4/5

Good album

Frank

Amy Winehouse

4/5

Wow what a voice!

Superfly

Curtis Mayfield

4/5

Good album. Horn section is tight.

Dookie

Green Day

4/5

Good album

Olympia 64

Jacques Brel

3/5

Music is good but lyrics in French. Sorry I can’t speak French.

The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway

Genesis

4/5

Great album.

Honky Tonk Heroes

Waylon Jennings

3/5

Good country album

Back At The Chicken Shack

Jimmy Smith

3/5

Jazz. Pretty good.

Phaedra

Tangerine Dream

2/5

Electronic sound effects. Not for me

Wish You Were Here

Pink Floyd

5/5

Great album!

Jazz Samba

Stan Getz

3/5

It’s jazz. Nothing special.

São Paulo Confessions

Suba

3/5

Good. But in Spanish?

Moss Side Story

Barry Adamson

2/5

Not for me

Beautiful Freak

Eels

3/5

Meh

Power In Numbers

Jurassic 5

2/5

Rap crap

Foxbase Alpha

Saint Etienne

3/5

Different. Not bad. Skipped a couple that droned on repetitively.

Femi Kuti

4/5

Good with some great

All Things Must Pass

George Harrison

4/5

Great solo Beatles album

Marcus Garvey

Burning Spear

3/5

Reggae music

Live!

Fela Kuti

3/5

Not bad

In The Court Of The Crimson King

King Crimson

4/5

Great progressive rock album.

Parsley, Sage, Rosemary And Thyme

Simon & Garfunkel

4/5

Good album with some great songs

Music Has The Right To Children

Boards of Canada

2/5

Not a fan of electronic music

Born In The U.S.A.

Bruce Springsteen

4/5

It’s ’80’s Bruce. Between the dance tunes and the bad lyrics they managed to put some good music together.

Talking Book

Stevie Wonder

4/5

Some great songs on this album

Follow The Leader

Korn

3/5

For the metal head in all of us.

Dance Mania

Tito Puente

4/5

Okay so it’s very dated swing dance stuff in Spanish. But it’s very good

The Renaissance

Q-Tip

2/5

Rap is crap

In A Silent Way

Miles Davis

2/5

Bringing It All Back Home

Bob Dylan

4/5

Stardust

Willie Nelson

3/5

Rubber Soul

Beatles

5/5

One of my favorites

Green

R.E.M.

4/5

Solid guitar based melodies. Good. Album

White Blood Cells

The White Stripes

3/5

Crude high school garage band.

The Boatman's Call

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds

3/5

All the songs are quality written and recorded but halfway through I realized they’re all about the same.

Bookends

Simon & Garfunkel

4/5

Great hits plus hidden gems. Good album

The Sounds Of India

Ravi Shankar

4/5

Good intro to the stuff you hear on many Beatles albums.

Tonight's The Night

Neil Young

4/5

Good album. Some hidden gems.

Horses

Patti Smith

3/5

I know she’s an icon and everything but I just can’t connect on that level.

Who's Next

The Who

4/5

Good album with great A and solid B sides.

Fred Neil

3/5

He’s very talented but the selection is too long. Why not just pick an album instead of a compilation of his entire career?

Walking Wounded

Everything But The Girl

3/5

Not bad. Meh

Raw Power

The Stooges

4/5

Better than I expected. The guitar player was surprisingly good.

Hot Fuss

The Killers

3/5

Not bad. One hit at least

There's A Riot Goin' On

Sly & The Family Stone

3/5

Not bad but not for me

Oracular Spectacular

MGMT

3/5

Well executed but not for me

Sunshine Hit Me

The Bees

3/5

A few good ones

Junkyard

The Birthday Party

3/5

Not for me

It's Blitz!

Yeah Yeah Yeahs

2/5

Not my style

Mothership Connection

Parliament

3/5

Not my style

The La's

4/5

Surprisingly good

So

Peter Gabriel

4/5

Good album

Natty Dread

Bob Marley & The Wailers

4/5

Good album

The Marshall Mathers LP

Eminem

2/5

This is a joke right?

Sex Packets

Digital Underground

2/5

Typical hip hop. Not for me.

Raw Like Sushi

Neneh Cherry

4/5

Great blast from the past. My feet feel like moving on this one.

The Wall

Pink Floyd

5/5

Really a masterpiece

Hejira

Joni Mitchell

5/5

Like a cool breeze on a summer day ❤️

Like A Prayer

Madonna

4/5

I skipped this at first because I said I didn’t feel like listening to Madonna right now. But when I played it I was reminded how superbly talented and capable she is. Her voice. The writing and production. The work they put into it to make it perfect. All top tier. No compromise. That’s a star.

Paranoid

Black Sabbath

4/5

About as dark as it got back in 1970

Fetch The Bolt Cutters

Fiona Apple

4/5

Weird but strangely entertaining.

Hearts And Bones

Paul Simon

3/5

Probably my least favorite Paul Simon album

Joan Baez

4/5

Beautiful voice and guitar playing.

Appetite For Destruction

Guns N' Roses

4/5

Great guitar licks always make me smile.

Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots

The Flaming Lips

3/5

One good track and the rest is background music for a video game

BEYONCÉ

Beyoncé

4/5

Good but not great. She’s got a great voice though!

(Pronounced 'Leh-'Nérd 'Skin-'Nérd)

Lynyrd Skynyrd

4/5

As southern as southern rock gets. Good hard driving rock with an edgy guitar right up front.

Bad

Michael Jackson

5/5

I remember when MJ was a little boy in the Jackson 5. He was very cute then. My older sisters loved him. We danced to his music from tweens on. My kids got hooked on his music as tweens when his untimely demise was announced. My grandkids will probably be fans. He was as good as they get.

Born To Be With You

Dion

2/5

A collection of 20 b-side rejects.

Histoire De Melody Nelson

Serge Gainsbourg

3/5

The guitar player was great! Lyrics in French though.

Born To Run

Bruce Springsteen

4/5

Great album

Untitled (Black Is)

SAULT

1/5

Not my thing

The United States Of America

1/5

This is a joke. Right?

Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea

PJ Harvey

2/5

She’s overrated

Cee-Lo Green... Is The Soul Machine

Cee Lo Green

3/5

The guy sometimes sounds like Steve Urkel.

2112

Rush

5/5

Epic

Harvest

Neil Young

3/5

Meh

War

U2

4/5

Good album

D.O.A. the Third and Final Report of Throbbing Gristle

Throbbing Gristle

1/5

When the lead track spends a good chunk of time cycling the instrument cable in and out to make that noise we all hate, you just know the album is going to suck.

Electric

The Cult

4/5

Great band

Brothers

The Black Keys

3/5

Not bad but using the same rhythm for most of the album gets boring.

Movies

Holger Czukay

2/5

Not my thing. But it was short so…

Floodland

Sisters Of Mercy

3/5

Not terrible but so one dimensional I can only take a few tracks before I look for something else

Truth And Soul

Fishbone

3/5

High energy and interesting lines. Not my favorite genre though

The Black Saint And The Sinner Lady

Charles Mingus

3/5

Mostly good sometimes great, often too far out there for me.

B-52's

The B-52's

4/5

What a thrill to relive all those 80’s dance parties I remember. Along with many more that I can’t remember.

Innervisions

Stevie Wonder

4/5

Stevie at his best and most political.

After The Gold Rush

Neil Young

3/5

Done By The Forces Of Nature

Jungle Brothers

2/5

Rap not for me

Headquarters

The Monkees

3/5

Created as an act for a kids tv show. Aside from their handful of hits their stuff is meh. Why listen to them when you can have the real Beatles?

Gunfighter Ballads And Trail Songs

Marty Robbins

4/5

Fun to hear these old cowboy songs. This album came out towards the end of Hollywood’s westerns obsession, ensuring a big audience. For all its quality it shows its age.

Either Or

Elliott Smith

4/5

It’s like the Escher Demos - stripped down to the basics. A melody and a beat and a lyrical idea. I hope to discover what more there is of him.

Water From An Ancient Well

Abdullah Ibrahim

2/5

I got a preview - Apple Music wanted $10.99 to listen to it all - and concluded it is not for me.

Blood, Sweat & Tears

4/5

Prototype for “rock with horns”. Good album

Pretenders

4/5

The Pretenders are a great band but they would be nothing without Chrissy Hynde. She’s got a great voice. Check out Mystery Achievement for a good example of her sonic capabilities.

Modern Life Is Rubbish

Blur

4/5

Good album. Singable. Melodic. Rhythmic.

Survivor

Destiny's Child

3/5

Not my style

Rising Above Bedlam

Jah Wobble's Invaders Of The Heart

4/5

Surprisingly good.

good kid, m.A.A.d city

Kendrick Lamar

1/5

Hip Hop not for me

Bright Flight

Silver Jews

1/5

This is a joke, right?

If I Could Only Remember My Name

David Crosby

4/5

Yes it’s not his best but who doesn’t like more CSN?

Crime Of The Century

Supertramp

4/5

Enjoyed it.

Frampton Comes Alive

Peter Frampton

4/5

Good album. Lots of live performances

Lost Souls

Doves

4/5

Makes an Okay backing track

The Beach Boys Today!

The Beach Boys

4/5

Good surf rock. Yeah!

The Doors

3/5

Good album. Couple of hits.

Murmur

R.E.M.

4/5

Fun and danceable.

Dig Me Out

Sleater-Kinney

2/5

Gurl-Punk

Songs In The Key Of Life

Stevie Wonder

4/5

Good album. Great hit songs

All That You Can't Leave Behind

U2

4/5

It was a good album. It sold well. It had one big hit single. There are a lot better U2 albums. Why include this one?

Apocalypse 91… The Enemy Strikes Black

Public Enemy

1/5

Hybrid Theory

Linkin Park

2/5

Green Onions

Booker T. & The MG's

4/5

Great and familiar jazz instrumentals.

Brutal Youth

Elvis Costello

3/5

Here's Little Richard

Little Richard

3/5

Live At The Harlem Square Club

Sam Cooke

4/5

Mama Said Knock You Out

LL Cool J

1/5

Lam Toro

Baaba Maal

3/5

Rhythmic world music

The Who Sell Out

The Who

4/5

Creative album. Very unique

Highway 61 Revisited

Bob Dylan

4/5

It’s Dylan. ‘nuf said.

Slippery When Wet

Bon Jovi

4/5

80s hair band with talent

Gentlemen

The Afghan Whigs

4/5

Surprisingly good.

1999

Prince

3/5

Dance rock.

Group Sex

Circle Jerks

2/5

Punk garbage

Deja Vu

Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young

5/5

After listening to Radiohead I needed something good. This is that and more. One of the best acoustic supergroups ever and this album has many of their hits. Thank you for rescuing me!

Life's Too Good

The Sugarcubes

4/5

Overall good. It had a lot of interesting stuff going on.

Tres Hombres

ZZ Top

4/5

Blues guitar

Suede

2/5

Not for me

Cypress Hill

1/5

Sucks

In Rainbows

Radiohead

2/5

A real snoozefest. I give credit for good execution and production but this is glorified background music.

Eliminator

ZZ Top

4/5

Metal guitar gods

Ritual De Lo Habitual

Jane's Addiction

2/5

Sucks

The Velvet Underground & Nico

The Velvet Underground

2/5

Not their best

Kid A

Radiohead

1/5

Sucks

Bossanova

Pixies

2/5

Amelodic drivel

Moondance

Van Morrison

4/5

Good

Physical Graffiti

Led Zeppelin

5/5

Great!

Third

Soft Machine

3/5

Good horns

Abattoir Blues / The Lyre of Orpheus

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds

3/5

Meh

A Date With The Everly Brothers

The Everly Brothers

3/5

Pre Beatles guitar duet. Hearing the Beatles right after was contrast- EB prob sang someone else’s lyrics

1984

Van Halen

5/5

Great album.

Heroes

David Bowie

3/5

Not a big Bowie fan.

High Violet

The National

4/5

Surprisingly good

Juju

Siouxsie And The Banshees

3/5

And I thought AC/DC was simplistic. I really liked a few tracks but not a huge fan. I bet their live show was great.

Automatic For The People

R.E.M.

4/5

Great album

Vol. 4

Black Sabbath

3/5

Dark album.

Scott 2

Scott Walker

4/5

Not my style but very talented and well executed

Thriller

Michael Jackson

5/5

MJ at his finest

Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1

George Michael

3/5

Shleep

Robert Wyatt

3/5

The guy cannot sing. Instrumentals are good.

...And Justice For All

Metallica

4/5

Surprisingly good. For a metal band

Brothers In Arms

Dire Straits

5/5

Great album. Guitar magic on hits and blues instrumentals. Plus the sax comes out for some cool jazz.

Triangle

The Beau Brummels

4/5

Dylan clone. Not bad

Coat Of Many Colors

Dolly Parton

4/5

Pleasant country tunes by a fabulous vocalist

Venus Luxure No. 1 Baby

Girls Against Boys

3/5

Metaling

Hail To the Thief

Radiohead

2/5

The vocals suck

Off The Wall

Michael Jackson

4/5

Great album

You Want It Darker

Leonard Cohen

4/5

Good voice

Led Zeppelin II

Led Zeppelin

5/5

Excellent album

From Elvis In Memphis

Elvis Presley

3/5

Dated but good quality

Fleet Foxes

3/5

Not for me

Chris

Christine and the Queens

3/5

Dance music.

Bubble And Scrape

Sebadoh

3/5

Good rhythm guitar but overall meh

Fever Ray

1/5

Not for me

At San Quentin

Johnny Cash

3/5

Enjoyable if dated. My version was censored. 🤬

Leftism

Leftfield

1/5

Not for me

Paul Simon

5/5

Great Album

Sweetheart Of The Rodeo

The Byrds

4/5

Great tunes.

Queen II

Queen

4/5

Never heard of this before. Must get low airplay.

Brown Sugar

D'Angelo

1/5

Crap

Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor

Lupe Fiasco

2/5

Rap crap

Veckatimest

Grizzly Bear

2/5

Not for me

Sincere

Mj Cole

3/5

Better than rap

NEU! 75

Neu!

3/5

Kinda interesting but really out there. Not really my thing

Nighthawks At The Diner

Tom Waits

2/5

It’s a comedy show

Boy In Da Corner

Dizzee Rascal

1/5

Crap

More Specials

The Specials

2/5

It’s a joke. Right?

Rid Of Me

PJ Harvey

1/5

She can’t sing and the instrumentals are nearly as intricate and complex as an AC/DC album. I can think of any number of teen garage bands that sound better than her.

Vincebus Eruptum

Blue Cheer

3/5

Metal my universe. Not hit song too big a target.

More Songs About Buildings And Food

Talking Heads

4/5

Fun album

The White Room

The KLF

3/5

Meh

Kollaps

Einstürzende Neubauten

1/5

Sound effects for Halloween. Not music

Darklands

The Jesus And Mary Chain

4/5

Surprisingly good. Never heard of them before. Added to playlist

Bat Out Of Hell

Meat Loaf

4/5

Great album

Close To The Edge

Yes

5/5

Disneyland for the ears

Blur

1/5

As a guitarist this offends me

Everything Must Go

Manic Street Preachers

3/5

Meh

Beggars Banquet

The Rolling Stones

4/5

The Contino Sessions

Death In Vegas

1/5

Arise

Sepultura

1/5

No

Happy Trails

Quicksilver Messenger Service

2/5

Started ok but finished poorly

Loveless

My Bloody Valentine

1/5

No. Just No.

Get Behind Me Satan

The White Stripes

1/5

My high school kids’ band is better than this

The Last Broadcast

Doves

3/5

Not terrible

Public Image: First Issue

Public Image Ltd.

1/5

About as bad as it gets

KIWANUKA

Michael Kiwanuka

3/5

Alien Lanes

Guided By Voices

3/5

Infected

The The

3/5

Meh

Bridge Over Troubled Water

Simon & Garfunkel

5/5

Epic

Will The Circle Be Unbroken

Nitty Gritty Dirt Band

4/5

At first I didn’t appreciate it but several tracks in I got it.

Rapture

Anita Baker

4/5

Synchronicity

The Police

5/5

MTV Unplugged In New York

Nirvana

4/5

Songs From A Room

Leonard Cohen

3/5

Home Is Where The Music Is

Hugh Masekela

4/5

Good jazz album

Queens of the Stone Age

1/5

No

The Man Machine

Kraftwerk

3/5

It's German Techno.

Aftermath

The Rolling Stones

4/5

Don't Stand Me Down

Dexys Midnight Runners

3/5

Aja

Steely Dan

5/5

Great album!

Destroyer

KISS

3/5

Standard Kiss

Arrival

ABBA

4/5

Pornography

The Cure

2/5

Vocals suck. Not for me.

Don't Come Home A Drinkin' (With Lovin' On Your Mind)

Loretta Lynn

4/5

Early country can’t get more country.

The Notorious Byrd Brothers

The Byrds

4/5

Good early psychedelic album

Vento De Maio

Elis Regina

3/5

Not my style

Seventh Tree

Goldfrapp

4/5

Well done soft rock with good vocals

S.F. Sorrow

The Pretty Things

4/5

Need a second listen to be sure

Beach Samba

Astrud Gilberto

3/5

Well done but not my style

Yankee Hotel Foxtrot

Wilco

3/5

Simplistic guitar not bad. Monotone vocals not so great

Youth And Young Manhood

Kings of Leon

2/5

The guitar sounds good but them Mushmouth “sings” and I instinctively hit the skip button

Sister

Sonic Youth

3/5

Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)

Wu-Tang Clan

2/5

Fun House

The Stooges

3/5

Tanto Tempo

Bebel Gilberto

3/5

Well done but not my style

Elephant

The White Stripes

3/5

Just not quite there

GREY Area

Little Simz

2/5

Groovin'

The Young Rascals

4/5

Good band for the time. Horn and harmonica integration like other great bands. Overall well done.

D

White Denim

3/5

Larks' Tongues In Aspic

King Crimson

2/5

The Nightfly

Donald Fagen

4/5

Steely Dan

In Our Heads

Hot Chip

3/5

The Dreaming

Kate Bush

3/5

Freak Out!

The Mothers Of Invention

2/5

They're better when they don't sing

Kenza

Khaled

3/5

Buena Vista Social Club

2/5

Not into Latin

At Newport 1960

Muddy Waters

3/5

Truth

Jeff Beck

4/5

Guitar gymnastics with Rod Stewart on vocals

Fragile

Yes

4/5

Let It Be

The Replacements

3/5

Garage band

The New Tango

Astor Piazzolla

3/5

Kind of a sound effects album.

Heartbreaker

Ryan Adams

3/5

A rough cut album in a crowded genre with lots of options, where it doesn't stand out. Some bright spots though

Sweet Baby James

James Taylor

4/5

Reggatta De Blanc

The Police

5/5

Twelve Dreams Of Dr. Sardonicus

Spirit

4/5

Good album.

Want Two

Rufus Wainwright

2/5

Not for me

Exile In Guyville

Liz Phair

3/5

Document

R.E.M.

4/5

Two hits

O.G. Original Gangster

Ice T

1/5

Not my thing

Idlewild

Everything But The Girl

2/5

Not for me

Pretzel Logic

Steely Dan

3/5

McCartney

Paul McCartney

5/5

Doesn’t get much better

Guitar Town

Steve Earle

4/5

Good album.

The Specials

3/5

Not bad. Had one really good song

Heartattack And Vine

Tom Waits

3/5

Not terrible. Not great

Abbey Road

Beatles

5/5

If and when I expect my life to end I want Abbey Road playing on a loop until I expire.

Band On The Run

Paul McCartney and Wings

5/5

Great album

Live At The Witch Trials

The Fall

1/5

Iron Maiden

3/5

Better than average metal

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