Gorgeous glimmering music, loud and powerful yet gentle and soothing. Impeccable atmosphere. Best song: Take Care

Me and my girlfriend did interesting things in the back of my car to this Best song: The Girl from Ipanema

Okay so uh. There’s interesting stuff happening here. It’s not unlistenably bad. I kinda want to give this a 2 just for the fascination factor of it, but I’m rating it in the middle because I’ve heard enough. It’s not good. What the captain is doing is not for me. But I support him.

It's just OK. Not crazy about the sound of the band; pretty meh 90s alt type stuff. Her vocals are expressive but nothing I'm particularly drawn to. I do hear flashes here that intrigue me. Interestingly abstract lyrics and plenty of passion. I'd be interested to hear one of her later albums, but not a huge fan of this one. Best song: Dress

I don’t really get this one. It’s got some good elements but there’s no real hooks, the singer is just kind of whatever, and none of the songs stick out much. Feels like it’s halfway between punk and new wave in a bad way, not really achieving the strengths of either genre.

Awesome bass. Pretty repetitive, I’m guessing for dance reasons. Weird in a good way. Not as many good hooks as I would hope for. Best songs: Mothership Connection, Give Up the Funk, Night of the Thumpasorus Peoples (💨)

Awesome talent choosing to churn out murder fantasies and bad jokes. I just can’t get behind the lyrics; funny quips mingle with stuff that makes me feel gross. Call me a Gen Z snowflake prude I guess. I will admit that Eminem surely has some consciousness of what he’s doing here (see Role Model, or especially Stan on the next album), but that’s more of a justification than meaningful context. More removed from the lyrics, it’s generally just kind of same-y and repetitive. Some good beats, some mid beats. It’s a young and hungry rapper on a lot of drugs spewing out a bunch of gross stuff, self-aware or otherwise. Best song: My Name Is

Weird, repetitive, not catchy, not a nice singing voice. Yet kind of intriguing anyway? It’s definitely atmospheric, and as much as I don’t care for his voice it adds to that nervy, icy vibe that the whole album has. I wouldn’t listen to this again but I can appreciate what it’s going for. Frankly baffled he got a #1 in the UK off of this though. What is going on on that weird island. Best song: Random

Pretty standard synthpop… but pretty good listening. Good melodies, good song structures, hit-or-miss hooks. First half of the album is stronger than the second. Could be a 2 or a 3; 2.5 seems right. Not really my thing but perfectly decent. Best song: Take On Me (shocker)

Really weird. Too weird. Musically interesting(?). Do not understand the painful wailing on Give Us More Money or the whole idea of Persian Love. Probably like a 1.5. Best song: Cool in the Pool(???)

Really solid album. Pop and hard rock and prog and opera(??) in a mix that only they could pull off. And as overplayed as Bohemian Rhapsody is it is still an awesome song idc what anyone says. Best song: Bohemian Rhapsody (You're My Best Friend deserves a shoutout though)

Very fun, if kinda stupid. The beats are obviously dated but some of these genuinely rip. Girls maybe brought the whole album down a point on its own. Best song: The New Style

Very breezy, laid-back, kinda soft rock. It makes the album good mood music but it kinda works against it in the sense that some of the songs end up blurring together. The sound is a bit mealy-mouthed, like the Carpenters or something, and the little injections of jazz hurt more than help. Still, she has such a nice warm voice that it carries the sections I found dull. Best song: Help Me

What is this. I did not enjoy it. Best song: Penguin Cafe Single???

Interesting downbeat album. Great use of strings, nice guitars, soft but rhythmic and well-mixed. The singer’s decision to sound like either late-career Bob Dylan or Tiny Tim on almost every song does bring it down, though. Best song: Up with People

Incredible voice, full of character and passion. The backing band at times doesn't have much impact; a little too much 80s synth. Not necessarily catchy, kinda lacking in good hooks. Best song: Private Dancer

Energy, lyricism, beats, power. As far as old school hip-hop goes this is pretty strong. Sometimes the loops are too obvious/loud and that becomes grating. Could definitely do without the NOI references but I guess that’s where they were at. Best song: Rebel Without a Pause

Awesome voice, smooth yet sparky sound. Things do get kinda repetitive near the end, particularly with the backup singers who are the most gratingly dated element here (though I do still like them sometimes). Not the most substantial album but a nice listen. Best song: If You Need Me

Awesome guitars, good rhythms, good melodies, good vibes. Call me a basic southern white boy but this is good music right here Best song: Simple Man

Smooth yet expansive sound with lots of great instrumentation. All songs are listenable yet have some of depth. Still, I don't think I would put this on much again. It's distinctive and well-made, yet not totally for me. Best song: Bloody Well Right

I don’t really get this one. It’s got some good elements but there’s no real hooks, the singer is just kind of whatever, and none of the songs stick out much. Feels like it’s halfway between punk and new wave in a bad way, not really achieving the strengths of either genre.

An interesting one. Great instrumentation, very atmospheric soundscapes. Singer is hit-or-miss and so are the melodies. Some songs sound divine and others sound loud and badly produced. Overall I think the good slightly outweighs the bad here as the highs are quite high. Best song: Two Weeks

Very impactful for obvious reasons considering the context of the time. Still pretty entertaining. Beats are harder and bouncier than a lot of other 80s hip-hop, and Ice Cube and Eazy E are both distinctive and energetic rappers (MC Ren...... well he's not BAD i guess). As far as the subject matter, it's a pretty accurate document of the mentality and vibe of this time for them, if not an accurate document of what was literally happening, lol. Not the kind of thing I'm really attracted to or like to surround myself with these days, but I get it and it's valid artistically. Also what was going on with that last song. Did the label just demand a crappy dance instrumental. Best song: Fuck tha Police

Really love the sound here. The jangly guitars can be a little thin, but they always give the bass a lot of room to pop and give the songs body. The band just sounds really tight. Good melodies. Michael Stipe’s voice is kind of an acquired taste, but overall really enjoyed this. Best song: Radio Free Europe

This dude must have inspired an entire generation of whispery singer-songwriters. The album itself is quaint, and frankly a little boring, but I can’t help but find it oddly touching. Crushingly intimate, like he’s singing right to me. The fact that it's shorter really works in its favor; doesn't overstay its welcome. Not something I’d put on much, but sincere and worthwhile. Best song: Pink Moon

Smooth music with occasional bursts of energy. Pretty repetitive and lacking in melodies/hooks to hang on to. Not particularly inspired songwriting. Nothing wrong with this but not something I’d really choose to listen to. Best song: Lay Your Lovin’ on Me

Groovy, chill, bassy, spacey. A very fun listen. I already knew from limited exposure that I was into the acid jazz sound and this is just further confirmation. Best song: Music of the Mind

Very raw and bluesy. Strong, consistent sound. No one song really stands out from the crowd. Guitar sound is kind of rattle-y and thin. Singer sounds like an OK-but-slightly-drunk Mick Jagger impersonator. A solid album overall. I didn't listen to the CD tracks. Best song: Yesterday's Numbers?

Great guitar album. Was dreading the long songs, but I actually found myself vibing to them and being lower on the shorter, more vocal numbers... and the reason for that is probably Neil's voice. I'm not a stranger to him and I think there's a certain resonance to it, but that tends to hit more on his acoustic stuff. With this kind of backing, he mostly just sounds weak and thin. Not many melodies to speak of, either, despite whatever's being attempted on that last song. Band is consistently pretty great though. Best song: Love and Only Love

Very loud and raw. I can pick out things to like here; nice riffs, nice rhythms, good stretches; but overall the vibe here is just not for me at all. Some songs/sections of songs (Meatmaker, most of Kiss Like Lizards, the ending of Seasick) are straight up unlistenable. Wouldn't ever put this on again. Best song: Spike Island

A good palate cleanser after Thursday's noise rock. Often repetitive, but consistently sharp and lively. Surprised by how much I liked him as a vocalist. Wish there was more guitar. Very nice albeit not something that left a huge impact. Best song: Worry, Worry

Outside of Pet Sounds, the Beach Boys were definitely a singles band. Still, this is nice listening. Love the harmonies, love the pure simple sound, and the length is pretty much perfect. Why did they record themselves eating lunch as the final track? The world may never know. Best song: When I Grow Up (To Be a Man) [Love Help Me Rhonda, but the recording on this album isn't the best version.]

Fun, quirky sound. Lots of over-long songs that felt more like jams. Sometimes the quirkiness went a little too far into weird as well, though I wasn't totally negative on that. Overall a very interesting album from a great talent, although I was only really into a few songs. Best song: 1999

Slow, almost to the point of sleepiness, but mostly a nice vibe. Vocals might not be to everyone's taste but I like the simplicity and gruffness. Contemplative and fittingly old-sounding. Weary more than dreary. Could be a 3 but I'm feeling generous. Best song: California Stars

As someone who's never heard a Leonard Cohen song, this is an interesting one. He's obviously a talented lyricist, with some legitimately piercing images. A couple songs achieved a cold atmosphere that really matched the lyrical content. But when I look at the product as a whole, I have to admit that this is pushing pretty far against the barriers of what I consider listenable music. Half or more is a guy mumbling in monotone over a five-second guitar line repeated to death. Fascinating, good as poetry, but not something I liked much as music. Best song: A Bunch of Lonesome Heroes

Heard this one before. For a band that started out as Andy Warhol's controversial, challenging art-rock weirdos, this is a shockingly intimate and comfortable album. Soft and gentle without being mushy or forgettable. Even The Murder Mystery, while not exactly an easy listen, is a lot quainter and friendlier than their earlier long experimental stuff. Overall a really pleasant album with some gorgeous ballads. Best song: Candy Says

Mid punk album. Sure why not. Idk why it’s on the list. Best song: No, Your Product

I’ve heard enough this is awful. The penguin album deserves a 2 in retrospect. Best song: none

I love this, call it my Hee Haw heritage I don’t care. There’s a couple very dreary same-y sad songs that do drag things down a bit. Also I love the live cut of Act Naturally but i do have to confront that that’s not on the original album. So it’s tough… but whatever YEEHAW Best song: Wham Bam

Vaguely familiar with Sufjan Stevens before I heard this, heard a few songs. I was really gripped by this. Folk music crossed with orchestral pop and indie rock(?) in a blend that seems kinda precarious but turns out positively gorgeous. The songwriting and melodies are the common links that hold everything together. Long, weird, disjointed, and not helmed by a traditionally strong singer, but ultimately beautiful. I’ll return to it. Best song: John Wayne Gacey Jr.

Swaying and sharp, with lots of great trumpet playing. Maybe too experimental for me, although it’s hardly free jazz or something. Could use more devoted listening.

As someone who thinks the title track is corny I had low expectations, but this is pretty solid early 70s rock. More of a concept album than I would have guessed. Decent mix of tempos and styles. Nothing world-beating but mostly entertaining. Best song: Blue Turk

All-time great band entering their peak. Songs hard, production simple but strong, and probably some of Jagger’s best vocal performances. The opener and closer do sort of carry the album, but they’re contenders for the best opener and closer I’ve ever heard so do I really care? Best song: You Can’t Always Get What You Want

It's just OK. Not crazy about the sound of the band; pretty meh 90s alt type stuff. Her vocals are expressive but nothing I'm particularly drawn to. I do hear flashes here that intrigue me. Interestingly abstract lyrics and plenty of passion. I'd be interested to hear one of her later albums, but not a huge fan of this one. Best song: Dress

Listened to this before. Marvelous. Packed full of overdubs yet never feeling overly busy. Comforting and calming yet challenging and fascinating in equal measure. I can't get into the nitty-gritty of every little musical touch and I get how some might find it boring, but I love this. I could put it on any day of the week and twice on Sunday.

A fun listen, full of catchy hooks. Pretty much the definition of same-y, although they do at least vary the tempo a few times. Not mixed particularly well, though maybe it’s a problem on my end. Maybe singlehandedly started the pop punk revival? Definitely a good album, even if it’s pretty mood-dependent for me in terms of how I feel about it. Best song: When I Come Around

Old school British blues. This doesn’t quite sound like the Stones to me yet since it’s almost(?) all covers. Still, it’s fun, gritty, and fast with a clear sound and identity, despite some weak numbers. Best song: Carol

Lots of quiet-loud dynamics. Songs definitely have some depth and variety, though there’s something about the sound I can’t totally gel with. Not something I’d be inclined to return to, but certainly interesting. Best song: Flower

I vibed with this, though I didn't love it. Some good hooks, some dumb lyrics. Definitely see the Britpop + pop punk meld of influences. Best song: Lost in You

I thought this was pretty cool. Definitely different, rooted in atmospheres and suites instead of traditional pop song structures, and I think it works for the intended vision. Very pastoral/medieval English vibes, with a big sweeping sound. In my head I always associate them with 80s synth and solo Phil Collins, so I'm interested to explore more of the Gabriel-era stuff.

Probably the peak of MTV Unplugged as a program/concept? Some of the hype was definitely due to the unavoidable reality that Kurt had just died when it dropped and the record company was looking to capitalize, but it's also a legitimately great performance. Some songs gain a totally new atmosphere with this backing; Pennyroyal Tea feels downright menacing as a solo acoustic song, and On a Plain feels much better suited to this environment. It's not perfect. The sound is sometimes muted to the point of sleepiness, there's too much mumbling between songs, and Plateau and Oh Me probably could have been left off the set list without a problem. But the highs are high. It’s a quiet, reflective, soul-baring recording from a legendary band dissolved too soon. Best song: Where Did You Sleep Last Night

Abstract, dark, compelling. Not every song hits equally but they all contribute to a rich, unsettling atmosphere. The jazzy instrumentation fits very well. A swan song for an artistic giant. Best song: Lazarus

Definitely interesting. Some songs are way too repetitive for what they have to offer, but there are a few legit bangers here. More than anything I appreciate how unique the blend of styles and influences is. Best song: Paper Planes

Yep this was definitely a Nick Drake album. I think I liked it a little less than Pink Moon, even though in a lot of ways this one was actually more engaging; more varied song structures, sounds, a few more instruments, etc. I did enjoy it, although it is kind of soft and blurry in the middle. I fully understand the praise he gets even if he's not an everyday kind of listen for me. Best song: Three Hours

What the hell is this 😭 This is almost a 1 because I'm almost certain I will never touch this again, but yknow what, they're vibing, they're grooving. Groove is in the heart Best song: Good Beat

Wow that was lowkey the same song 12 times. And sometimes I liked the song, but by the end yeah I was kinda tired of it. Jailbait’s gonna bring it down a point. Best song: Ace of Spades but it could probably be any of them

Great atmosphere and guitar sound, good dynamics. Sometimes Bono’s a bit much for me but when he wants to be he’s an incredible vocalist. Album starts off extremely strong before tapering off through the middle, but overall this is pretty excellent. Best song: I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For

Groovy. Probably a little too straight-up dance for me; not much variety, overlong songs (particularly when it’s one I don’t care for). Still liked it mostly. Best song: Around the World

Really into the atmosphere of this. The old-school sound combines with Lang's heavy, yearning voice for a dark, almost film noir vibe on many of the songs. It's somehow both devotedly old-school, with a sound straight out of the 1950s, and yet really off-kilter and unique in its context. The last song doesn't quite fit but is neat as a tribute to the singers who inspired it. Not for everyone, but I'm a fan. Best song: Tears Don't Care Who Cries Them

It's not the worst thing I've ever heard. It's not good at all, either. I honestly couldn't wait til it was over so I think it has to be a 1. On a wider note I'm not sure I get this one's inclusion. I guess it's a historical interest thing to know what Syd Barrett was doing after he left Pink Floyd, but like, who is this for? This album feels more like a set of demos or 30 mins of noodling around in the studio than an album. Best song: Octopus? maybe?

I'm a little surprised by how much I love this, though I guess I shouldn't be considering the obvious mid-60s influence. The band is crazy tight: sometimes big and distorted, sometimes jangly and sweet, always working just right for the song. Even the two super-long jams don't feel excessive to me. Hate that it seems like they never put out anything else on the level of this, though I'll still seek out their other work to see for myself. Best song: She Bangs the Drums

I think rap rock/rap metal is usually an ill-advised medley, but I’m almost convinced it could work off of this album because it rocks. Anger, power, rhythm, awesome awesome guitar playing. Best song: Killing in the Name

Very interesting and unique. Sound is light yet spacious and serious, drifting you through the clouds. The kind of ambient music I can get behind. Not something I would have sought out on my own, but a cool project that I'm glad the list introduced to me.

I liked this, though I didn't love it. Breezy country-rock with occasional interjections of heavy guitar. Never been a huge Eagles person (beyond Hotel California, that one rules) but have always been cool with them, so no surprises here. Best song: Take It Easy

Grungy 90s indie rock. Not terrible, but kind of tuneless and boring despite all the gestures at experimentation. Not a fan of the vocals. Best song: maybe Homemade

Soulful (shockingly enough). Something to vibe to and feel. Great strings. Sometimes overlong and self-indulgent, but consistently passionate and self-assured. Best song: Walk On By

Not all that big on Zeppelin’s acoustic stuff and that’s the main focus here. There are a couple strong tracks, but they’re not exactly brilliant songwriters and it’s harder to hide when they’re not rocking out. It’s still a solid album, just not their best to me. Best song: Since I’ve Been Loving You

The talent and vision here are pretty obvious. Big sweeping soundscapes, pretty string arrangements. Honestly, I can’t love this because it makes me feel uneasy. There’s a piercing quality to the vocals and the droning empty spaces that get under my skin ever so slightly. It’s a unique and artful album that deserves props, but as of now I don’t see myself listening again. Best song: Olsen Olsen?

I do not like Taylor Swift very much. I am also perfectly willing to concede that this is a pretty decent album. Well-spun story songs, polished production, downbeat sound. It’s a pleasant listen that achieves the wintry acoustic vibe it’s going for. I also have to admit that despite the folksy window dressing, Taylor Swift is still 100% Taylor Swift, and so the album is only going to go so high for me. I don’t really like her singing voice, and as much praise as her lyrics get, I feel sometimes they're clunky and overwritten in the name of being “heartfelt.” Also, as tired and unfair as it is to scrutinize Taylor’s personal relationships… wow so many Taylor Swift songs are breakup songs. Like SO many. I just wonder if she gets tired of writing them. She has to, right? Best song: willow or no body no crime

Solid if mostly unexceptional acid rock. I like the title track a lot and don't mind the length on principle, but it does drag some in the middle. Best song: In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida

I wouldn’t listen to this all the time, but that doesn’t stop it from being awesome. Not for everyone what with her yowling voice and a few long rambling songs, but to me this album is core essential rock n roll, poetic yet passionate. I’m gonna make her mine make her mine GEELOHARAYAYE Best song: Gloria

Dark, sludgy, heavy, dreary. Definitely on the more metal side of grunge. Solid riffs and rhythms throughout, though a few songs overstay their welcome (Sickman). There’s a definite style and mood that the album commits to and executes well, though it’s not one I especially enjoy. Best song: Rain When I Die

Pretty solid grungy rock. I’m impressed that it’s a one man show as I would not have guessed that from the sound. Starts out strong before settling into a rut of just OK. I would throw it on again. Best song: This is a Call

I like this a lot. Definitely felt like a concept album even though I can’t identify a story or even a central theme in the lyrics; the sound itself is sepia-toned like the album cover. Great melodies. Did wish I was listening to the Joan Baez version of Old Dixie, but I’ll respect the original. Best song: Up on Cripple Creek

Album starts out pretty bright and friendly before getting weird fast. Not a huge fan of the lead singer, but he fits the sound/vibe: ghostly and ephemeral, youthful and yearning. I can't say I liked it all too much, but I am seriously intrigued by it and willing to return. Best song: Thank You Friends or Femme Fatale

Fun, chill, vibed out, funky, future-thinking. Awesome. Best song: Chameleon

Chaotic, messy, rapturous soundscapes. Definitely get how innovative this was when it dropped; compared to In a Silent Way this feels several clicks beyond what it was going for. Not a listen I fully love or would return to much (I think), but very interesting and important. Best song: Sanctuary

Pretty rough. Lyrics are about as dumb as can be, nothing sticks out instrumentally or vocally, and the melodies rarely hit, if at all. In spite of all that, I can’t deny that it’s tapping into a cool fusion of genres. The opening stretch is pretty decent too. Best song: Preaching the Blues

I really like this one, which doesn’t surprise me based on my love of Gorillaz + limited past exposure to Blur. It’s kind of a hard album to get a grip on; sincere but sarcastic, super pop but indescribably weird in a way that pop albums rarely are, nostalgic for the past and dismissive of it in the same breath. Definitely one I’ll return to. Best song: End of a Century

I would never have found this album on my own, and I doubt I’ll revisit it much if at all, but I am really glad to have heard it. Grim and unnerving, yet light and spacious, with some great beats. Sometimes repetitive, but a worthy listen. Best song: Science Friction

Simple, vibrant rock. Lots of energy, great guitars, driving rhythm throughout, strong songs. Really nothing to criticize for me. Best song: The Dark of the Matinee

Got kind of excited after Debaser but the album that followed didn’t really live up to it, save one or two songs. Not bad by any means, just weird, prickly, and sort of aimless. There is an interesting mix of pop hooks and hardcore aggression going on; I can see how Nirvana was influenced a lot by this. Best song: Debaser

Yeah it's 70s glam. Big, cheesy, sometimes fun, occasionally a slog. A perfectly decent listen even if it's nothing exceptional. Best song: I'm a Cadillac / El Camino Dolo Roso

A pretty great feel-bad album. Confrontational, angry, but at the core it feels sad more than anything. Lots of muscle to the sound: if Alice in Chains represented the metal side of grunge, this might be the punk side. Second half is weirder and weaker, but still a strong project. Best song: Doll Parts

When people around my age talk about how much they love 80s music, I’m convinced they are only thinking of like the nine 80s hits everybody’s heard, including the stuff by Janet’s brother. They have not listened to this in full. Was it bad? No, not by my definition. Were the drums cool sometimes? Sure. But it all just keeps going and going and going for an hour, and every song has even cornier synths and even bigger echoier drums than the last song, and over it all Janet squeaks like a ten year old doing her best Whitney Houston impression. Goodbye 1980s. Please don’t come back. Best song: State of the World

Solid songwriting, good hooks, good energy. I'm not big on Alanis's voice (though it's distinctive, at least) and the whole thing is drenched in a mid-tempo minor-key 90s malaise that I'm iffy towards. A good example of how I like grunge itself but don't like its effects on the pop music of the decade. Either way, this is a pretty good album. It does get a minus for Head Over Feet, which is a deadpan snore with terrible lyrics, but it also has an all-timer breakup song, so it must be respected. Best song: You Oughta Know

They have a very definite shtick which you're probably going to like or dislike without much in-between. I like it, though I do think a whole album of sunny close-harmony folk-pop (even a relatively short one) is a little much for me. So it's kinda corny and quite dated, but I do enjoy a lot of it. Great melodies and, of course, harmonies. Best song: Spanish Harlem

Loud, aggressive. Very loud, very aggressive, in fact. I don’t like Jello Biafra’s voice but I do like the tempo and sound of this album. It’s kinda same-y and it stumbles in places (like the ending of Chemical Warfare and the splitting headache it gave me), but the closing stretch won back most of the goodwill it lost. Best song: Holiday in Cambodia

Great vocals. Love some of the interaction with the audience. Surprised by how crisp the audio quality is. The extended jams don’t totally land for me, but the band is really tight. My favorite part might be the album cover lol Best song: Please Please Please Medley

I enjoyed this one. Lots of cool instrumentation, pretty good sense of melody, suites/sections that were memorable and easy to follow, and a really big sound that wasn’t too pretentious. I’ve never really been into prog rock or instrumental rock, but this is a good listen.

Radiohead still coming into their own and already very good. I think the idea of them as this super grim mopey band is mostly a stereotype, but it is reinforced by this one, probably their mopiest album. (There’s literally a song called Sulk. I mean. Come on.) Beneath all the dreary moods there are some gorgeous melodies on quality songs, a great mix of rockers and ballads and mid-tempo combos with big choruses. Instrumentally they’re nothing particularly special yet, but Thom Yorke’s ghostly wail is already here and pretty powerful in my book. Best song: Street Spirit (Fade Out)

Bob Dylan has never been more Bob Dylan than this: a bunch of long songs with weird lyrics crooned in an ugly nasal whiny voice. On paper that sounds kinda terrible, yet I really really like this album. For one thing I just think Dylan’s an excellent songwriter, winning a Nobel Prize for his craft for good reason. For another thing the instrumentation and arrangements are really expert stuff, thanks in no small part to the Nashville session musicians who worked on the album. And then the last track is, for my money, one of his greatest songs and worth all 11 minutes… though it is, you know, 11 minutes, so your mileage may vary. Best song: Sad-Eyed Lady of the Lowlands

Kinda repetitive and not the greatest rapping I’ve ever heard, but on the same points, the production is strong and consistent, and the vibes are impeccable. Some really excellent and influential beats. Shoutouts to Busta Rhymes’s random show-stealing appearance on the final track. Best song: Jazz (We’ve Got)

Simple, dusty, rough-cut yet weirdly tender. A country concept album executed in fittingly humble fashion. The story isn’t especially coherent and it’s got a couple too many short ditties and repetitions of the main theme, but the whole product feels very solid and authentic. Love the sound and the few central songs. Best song: Can I Sleep In Your Arms

Pretty groovy. I’m not particularly struck by anything in a good or bad way, though there are a couple cool riffs and licks. Overall this one just kinda passed over me. Best song: Freddy’s Dead

Beats minimal but hard, raps way more dynamic than I expected, and actual effective fusions of rap and rock. Quite a solid album even if it’s clearly dated. Best song: It’s Tricky

Fitting to the name, this whole album sounds very nervous, from the thin high-tempo guitars to David Byrne's panicked wail of a voice. That gives it a vibe I can't really compare to anything but which I inexplicably like. It's very fun and groovy as well as being weird and artsy, and those two things never feel like they're in conflict with each other. Definitely a band I'm excited to explore more. Best song: Life During Wartime

The hardest rock had ever rocked at the time. I’ve heard this album before and I wouldn’t say I love it, I can’t put my finger on why, but I still like it a lot. Bonham’s drumming is crazy. Best song: Dazed and Confused

There’s clearly something going on here, I just don’t think I’m getting it. Spooky 90s dance with lots of wailing backing vocals and jungle drums. Interesting but not very exciting to me.

Big dark pop, still mostly in the disco era but dipping its toes into synthpop. It’s soft in the middle but makes up for it with some great top tracks. A unique vibe executed with the signature ABBA polish and hooks. Best song: Slipping Through My Fingers

I’ve always respected Billy Joel and his thing from a slight distance, never being a huge fan, but this album might have changed my mind. This is really clean and hook-filled pop rock, nine tight tracks with no real skips. It's still a bit on the schmaltzy side for me... but there's nothing wrong with some schmaltz every now and then. A great album either way. Best song: Scenes from an Italian Restaurant

Very chill, pretty smooth, sometimes aimless, sometimes weird. A nice listen that didn't inspire a lot in me. Best song: You Make It Easy

The perfect mix of sleaze and sarcasm with kindness and gentleness. Embraces the cheese of glam rock and the 70s as fully as anyone (Satellite of Love) while injecting it with bites of understated darkness (Walk on the Wild Side). Lou Reed is probably one of the best examples of an extremely limited singer who succeeded by knowing exactly how to write for his voice. Love the weird mix of jazz and cabaret influences too. A fantastic album, up there with Ziggy Stardust at the peak of glam for me. Best song: Perfect Day

Wow that was an odd one. This album sometimes feels more interested in being quirky than it is being, well, good, but it’s a legitimately interesting brew of jazz and blues and rock with an unmistakable mood and approach. Lyrics are strange but help build the seedy old-school America atmosphere, and the same goes for Waits’ warbly roar of a voice. I didn’t enjoy it much, but I appreciate it. Best song: Tango Till They’re Sore

Don’t think I’m into the whole noise rock thing. They’re an OK indie pop band covered in feedback noise for no apparent reason. I guess there’s something there with the contrast between soft melody and harsh noise, but it didn’t stick for me. Best song: The Hardest Walk

Not the strongest album from a creative perspective but well-performed and passionate. I expected Janis Joplin to have a big ballsy showstopper voice, and she does obviously do that, but I was impressed by her range and sensitivity. The band is solid too with some great blues guitar. Not an all-time great but a worthy inclusion. Best song: Piece of My Heart

Chill, smooth, certain. Teetering on the edge of mushiness but I don’t think it gets there: too many good melodies and the jazzy instrumentation feels professional and organic, not saccharine. A high-quality and highly relaxing album. Best song: Moondance

Goes hard in the early tracks before tapering off in the second half, though there are hits and skips in both parts. Timbaland’s beats are pretty great, though it is funny to skim the 1997 takes calling them “futuristic” since I think they’re more just weird and memorable. All in all it’s good, though I don’t think it’s her best based on what else I’ve heard. Best song: Sock It 2 Me

A pretty mellow album with a nice sense of melody. It's a weird mix of sounds since there's sort of a rustic vibe from the banjos and harmonicas that crosses semi-uncomfortably with the singer's thin whispery indie voice. Overall it's interesting and pretty pleasant, although not something that hits me hard. Best song: Say It Ain't So [hi, Dubya]

Marvin Gaye’s heavenly voice hits some sultry lows. I guess it’s overproduced from a certain perspective but it hits the lush vibe perfectly. Wouldn’t you rather make love children… as opposed to war ☮️ Best song: Let’s Get It On

Very atmospheric and emotionally heavy. Really impressed by the production job, I’ve heard some Joy Division before but had no idea their live style was much closer to “normal” punk. A great example of how production can wildly change your sound. It’s quite a downer and none of the songs really hit for me, so I probably won’t come back, but it’s a fascinating and well-constructed album. Best song: She’s Lost Control

Even as a massive Beatles fan I’ve never been especially attached to the White Album. I still liked it a lot, but in my mind it couldn’t hold a candle to the Beatles’ “true masterpieces” like Revolver or Abbey Road. My thinking was always influenced by the infamously fraught recording process, where a chaotic and disjointed set of sessions resulted in a pretty chaotic and disjointed album. I guess for me this album represented the beginning of the end for my favorite band, so it was hard to have too much affection for it. All that being said, I’ve rarely done full listens of the White Album, and actually doing one for the first time in a long time helped me realize how much this album teems with creativity. The Beatles try any genre, any style, throw em all at the wall and see what sticks, and they all come out a bit of fun at the worst and masterful at the best. They might be tired and annoyed at each other, but they’re also utterly unserious and having fun at flower power culture’s expense, from tearing down their own mythos in Glass Onion to dismissing the hippies' all-bark-no-bite politics in Revolution 1. And of course John, Paul, and George are all pretty close to the top of their game as writers. When the first side alone features Back in the USSR and Dear Prudence and While My Guitar Gently Weeps, they all could have gone home and celebrated a hard day's work (night?) in my book. Could this album still have been improved by cutting the obvious chaff like “Wild Honey Pie” and “Why Don't We Do It in the Road?" Yes. Is it still chaotic, disjointed, and overlong? Yes. None of that takes away from its magic and beauty. It is, warts and all, the Beatles. Best song: Blackbird

Lavish, tuneful, funky, fun. Disco executed about as perfectly as it can be. Best song: I Want Your Love

Cool mix of styles, definitely rock but with a lot of funk and soul and folk influence. I like his voice, though a few of the lyrics were kind of, uh, dodgy, and some of the songs dragged on too long. Best song: Let Love Rule

Definitely a big and expansive album. There are good songs here, but I’m not huge on the whole product. Some 70s fluff vibes with weaker rhythms and vocals. Impressive for the aspect of him doing (almost) all of it himself, if nothing else. Best song: Couldn’t I Just Tell You or You Left Me Sore

I’m too familiar with this album to really talk about it in any objective way so I’m not gonna try. I love it to death. Even if you hate it, 100% a must-listen. The Beatles at their greatest intersection of creative energy and unity as a group. Best song: this time it was Tomorrow Never Knows

Kinda weird, kinda unsettling, and I lost focus multiple times. Still pretty captivating in a lot of ways. Some fascinating sounds and beautiful harmonies. Best song: Frou-Frou Foxes in Midsummer Fires

Kinda creepy but kinda calming rock-electronic fusion. A unique sound that was worth experiencing, although there's not many individual tracks that I could say much about.

A little bit sleazy and a lot of fun. My thing with glam rock is weird bc I'm honestly not even much a fan of the visual style, which I know was a big piece of the appeal at the time. I guess I feel like they were carrying forward the legacy of 60s pop moreso than the other "new" genres of the 70s: lots of attention to melody, simplicity, immediacy. Anyway it's good. Catchy songs, good guitars. Best song: Rock On

I used to think I liked punk but honestly maybe I don't. Or maybe punk has to be catchy for me to like it. There's nothing wrong with this album it's just kinda dull and the vocals aren't good and the sound fails to leave an impact. I'm sure it's good in some artsy way but I have no desire to hear it again.

Lowkey and relaxing. Draws on African influences in ways that are generally interesting instead of distracting or distasteful. A strong listen. Best song: Graceland

Seriously dark and heavy music; an unwell guy smearing his soul across an audio file. Maybe the weirdest thing about it is that beneath the abrasive layers it's kind of a groovy album, full of great rhythms and unique song structures. I come away from this thinking Reznor is an extremely legit musician who thankfully seems to have worked past his mid-90s issues that caused the subject matter here. Best song: Closer

A very pleasant and pretty lightweight album. Great melodies, not much variety, a little pretentious in the lyrics. Length is good. Best song: Scarborough Fair

Great beats, smooth delivery, impeccable old-school vibes. Best song: Who’s Gonna Take the Weight?

What a weird album. I still don’t really know how I’m supposed to feel about it, and it could probably use another listen that I’m not willing to commit to. There’s something there though. I think… I liked it. Best song: Suspended in Gaffa?

A dark, swirling world of crime reflected on over jazzy bassy boom-bap beats. Lyricism is crazy with the internal rhymes. The peak of gangster rap. Best song: Life’s a Bitch

Opening stretch wasn’t bad but I didn’t really enjoy this despite the jazzy stuff. Corny and kinda dull. Would be willing to try again. Best song: Barrytown?

Abstract, jazzy, political, purposeful. Maybe a hair overhyped, as I don’t enjoy this as much as Good Kid Maad City or Damn, but it’s a great album with a clear vision. Best song: King Kunta

Overplayed? Sure, but also super polished, classy, melodic, and delivered by a showstopper of a vocalist. Adele will age well. Best song: When We Were Young

Not huge on the vocals. The sound is weird and hard to nail down, but I like the production. It’s the sort of thing I would like, but this doesn’t fully click with me for some reason. I’ll probably revisit at some point. Best song: Lazyitis

Pretty close to pop/disco perfection in the first half, not as strong in the second, but still a fun listen. A very light and happy album, floating in midair. Best song: Don’t Stop Til You Get Enough

Whoa what a voice. Songs vary in quality, but it’s a pretty consistent 60s soul vibe. A strong album though I’m not especially taken by it. Best song: Respect

Okay I don't even hate this but there's no way this is a greatest hits album. THIS is the best of what they had??? Best song: Hate to Say I Told You So

Weird, icy, dour, atmospheric. Definitely reminds me of Bowie's Station to Station, though not as high-quality. A very dense and interesting album although not one I'd want to listen to much. Best song: China Girl

I liked the early jazzy one and the Milestones interpolation, but otherwise a thoroughly strange album that didn’t click with me. I certainly can’t knock it for diversity or atmosphere, though. Best song: Something Wicked This Way Comes

I like this one. Lots of hooks and melody. There’s a pervasive Englishness that might turn some people off but I think it creates a distinct mood and style (and, obviously, it fits the concept). Good songwriting. Best song: Australia

A chill album built on top of minimal beats. The energy is very consistent, but few songs stand out over others. Rapping is never bad but never impressive. An album you listen to for vibe above anything else, if this is the vibe you want. I like the more experimental and sample-heavy final song quite a bit, but it doesn't really fit with the album that precedes it. Best song: Acetate Prophets

Yeah it's 80s hip-hop. I think this is one of those genres where I had more affection for it when I'd heard less of it, not to say it's bad, but it's just a sound that maybe benefits from the distance of nostalgia. Anyway it's cool. A couple bangers. Best song: Doin' Our Own Dang

Yeah that’s an excellent album. Her voice is so warm and rich yet there’s also these great moments where it gets sharp and brassy. Her voice is very instrument-like in that way, adjusting and curving around notes in so many interesting ways. Really enjoyed it. Best song: How High the Moon

I liked this more than I thought I would on first impression. Very well-defined vibe, punk-ish, grim, industrial (not even the genre, just feels like run-down urban factory music). Not really my style but neat enough.

Aw yeah. Classic southern rock. Great guitars and grooves. Best song: Gimme All Your Lovin’

Great raps. Love the chipmunk soul beats. That Kanye West fella who made some of em seems pretty talented. Wonder what he’s up to these days Best song: Izzo (H.O.V.A)

Happy, colorful, thoroughly strange, and thoroughly creative. Psychedelic pop through a Brazilian lens. I’m not sure if I’ll ever return to this but I had a very good time. Best song: Senhor F

It’s very 90s. Very grungy. Very much music. Sure.

Weird genre mix: kinda funky, kinda rock, kinda pop. Lyrics, when I noticed them, led to some eye rolls. A solid album though not one I would seek out. Best song: Dlz

The guitars are obnoxiously loud, obnoxiously treble-y, and distorted to death for no evident reason. The lyrics are often faux-deep drivel. Liam Gallagher’s snide sneer of a singing voice is easy to get sick of. A lot of the songs are same-y. All this is true, and this album still kicks an insane amount of ass. Best song: Champagne Supernova

Hippie folk rock, random bites of electric guitar/rock jamming. I’m kinda mixed here because I really enjoy some of this but other parts feel dated and boring. There’s only a couple of songs that bring it all together for me. A bit of a hodgepodge but a solid one. Best song: Our House

A very fun and heavy album. The last funk rock album didn’t impress me much but I get why these guys are (were?) kings of the genre. Best song: Give It Away

A fantastic album. The concept and the story are well-made without dominating, but more than anything the songs are just really strong. Kendrick on the top of his game. Best song: Money Trees

This album was cute-cute in a stupid ass way Best song: Best of Both Worlds?

Great sound and atmosphere. Probably need more knowledge of the band to be moved by the Syd Barrett tribute element of it but I was still kinda moved. Good album. Best song: Wish You Were Here

Calm, meditative folk songs with occasional bursts of rhythm. Only a few songs stick out but a really nice listen all in all. Best song: Father and Son

I wasn't excited for an hour-long album of ambient music but this legitimately delivered. Bassy atmospheric music with structure, menacing tone, and melodies that are mild but latch onto you. Interested to check out more. Best song: We Are the Music Makers?

Songs of sweeping sorrow. Marvin Gaye’s standard sexiness tempered by misery, making for a weird and distinct emotional tone. Great vocals, subtle but twisted and stretched. Drags at times and more focused on mood than melody, but a strong and memorable breakup album. (Maybe one of THE seminal breakup albums along with Blood on the Tracks?) Best song: When Did You Stop Loving Me, When Did I Stop Loving You

Obviously there's not a lot of variety here, but I love Sinatra. Immaculately warm vibes. Best song: I've Got You Under My Skin

Not very exciting but perfectly listenable jazz. Hammond organ brings a cool element. Wish the drums weren’t so quiet in the mix.

A highly strange and highly expansive album. The first listen was mixed, but the second was more rewarding, particularly with the long jams. Listening on headphones helped also. Closing pair of songs are incredible. Best song: All Along the Watchtower

Not quite peak Radiohead but a dark, rich album that's worth exploring. An interesting halfway point between the electronic paranoia of Kid A/Amnesiac and the ultra-clean arpeggiated rock of In Rainbows. Best song: 2 + 2 = 5

Wow that’s a raspy voice. The blues rock stuff was kinda forgettable but the more acoustic stuff was pretty good. Decent album all in all. Best song: Maggie May

That shrieky falsetto the singer loves to use got on my nerves kinda fast. That aside, it's a solid album. Very 70s with the bright crunchy guitars and big dramatic vocals. Best song: Friday Night

Sometimes repetitive within songs, but pretty varied as a whole. Relaxing, creative, polished, smooth. Not sure I'd do another full listen anytime soon, but pretty fulfilling. Best song: Inside

A great album from a master songwriter. I do think the electric numbers aren’t the strongest: Outlaw Blues and On the Road Again could have easily been left off, She Belongs to Me and Love Minus Zero are a little too similar, and he just isn’t tapping into the bite and drive he’d later access on Highway 61. So it borders on a 4, but some of his greatest solo acoustic numbers are on the second side so gonna give it full marks. Best song: Mr. Tambourine Man

Long, dreary, drawn out notes, blah vocals. I liked Bittersweet Symphony but this was a disappointment. Also the cover kinda creeps me out cuz they look like vampires. And not the cool kind of vampires, the skinny white guys living in a castle for 500 years kind of vampires. Best song: A Northern Soul

A perfect one to pop up for the weather getting colder. Reflective, beautiful, melodic, impeccably crafted. Not for everyone or every mood, and no, they’re not “authentic” country woodsmen, but who really cares? Probably the only thing I can fault it for is spawning a few too many sub-par imitators. Best song: Ragged Wood

Yeah I could not finish this one. I kinda liked Rain Dogs but no.

Relaxing and pleasant with a glittery, smoky sound. Nothing especially stands out, to the point that it borders on boring, but a very solid easy-listening type of album. Best song: I Can't Make It Alone

Yeah this rocks. Awesome riffs, great energy, great vocals. The couple of more anthemic songs don’t really land for me but otherwise 🤘 Best song: Breaking the Law

I was kinda dreading this one, but there are a lot of fun and interesting moments here. There is, of course, also plenty of self-indulgence: the feedback track alone drags down the score. All things considered, they’re a notable act and it’s worth experiencing their very famous live sound, even if it’s a pass for you. Best song: Turn On Your Love Light

I'm a big fan of Sound of Silver, and this album lives up to it. Dense and heavily-layered soundscapes with great grooves, great atmosphere, powerful rhythms, emotional punch. A lengthy album with a lot of lengthy songs, yet I never felt bored or unfocused (save, maybe, at the end). A great comeback. Best song: how do you sleep?

The perfect hard rock album. No notes, wouldn’t change a thing. Best song: You Shook Me All Night Long

Cool. The opening medley is a little much (is there any particular reason all the sections couldn’t have just been songs?) but I think it’s neat. Good instrumentation. Liked the dorky fantasy lyrics, not so much the libertarian stuff. Best song: 2112 Medley

That was pretty sick. Wish the sound was a little bit heavier but otherwise pretty unimpeachable hard rock. Best song: Smoke on the Water

I’m not gonna give it a 1 because it’s not terrible, but wow I do not like this. That version of All Tomorrow’s Parties abandons basically everything I like about the song. Limp-wristed mewling synth pop. Best song: The Other Side of Life(?)

Album started really strong and didn’t completely hold that momentum, but overall really tuneful and enjoyable. Best song: Natalie’s Party

Good raw sound. Sort of an aimless album at times, but isn’t that kind of the point? A clear predecessor to punk, grunge, indie, etc., except for this guy it wasn’t a put-on. Best song: Round & Round?

A laid-back, bluesy, shuffle-y rock album. Fittingly unexciting but pleasant, with some interesting musical stuff. Best song: I mean I don’t want it to be Money for Nothing bc of the slurs. But I’m sorry, it’s Money for Nothing

Classic Stones. Not as hard-edged as their best stuff, but still a great bluesy pop album. Last song is a little excessive but everything up to that point is tight and sharp. Best song: Paint It Black

A lengthy downbeat album that threatens to become interesting but never really does. The bass is pretty good and the doubling of the voices is an interesting effect. Beyond that it’s a kind of a snore. Best song: Wear You Out

Great passion and fire. Ew to Farrakhan. Beats get same-y, but a few hot tracks here. Best song: It Was a Good Day

Sounds like background music to a 60s comedy spy movie. I love it. Band is great, songs are great. Best song: Comin’ Home Baby

All killer no filler. Catchy, bright, happy, high-energy rock. Best song: Foreplay/Long Time

Well I have to throw out a disclaimer that Kanye is bad and I don't feel great about giving him some pittance of streaming revenue. His decision to start openly spreading antisemitism sure turned me off of him as I think it did a lot of people. But if we're just looking at the album then I have to profess that it's very very good. A generational shift point in the genre for sure, bright bouncy production, oozing with charm and authenticity. All that talent, and look what he's done with it. It all falls down, huh? Best song: All Falls Down

Rock at it's loudest, rawest, and nastiest... well, at least by 1969 standards. That rawness is the album's main feature but it isn't completely a strength to me; there's not many coherent songs here. Super hard and passionate performances, though. Best song: I Want You Right Now

Spacey, trippy, bluesy psych rock. You can tell the genre and its conventions, and particularly its experimental elements, are still up in the air as this isn’t the most exciting album in a lot of ways, but it’s a fun and approachable listen.

An odd little album with some nice melodic choruses and some big booming drums. Very 80s. Best song: Heartland

Ethereal, moody, dirge-y. Some good melodies and a very certain vibe. Could grow on me. Best song: Alameda

I’m surprised by this considering I’m not a big fan of 80s pop or Cyndi Lauper’s voice, but this is good. Like REALLY good. All killer no filler synthpop. Best song: All Through the Night

Stripped-down old-school rock. I like Tom Petty’s whole thing on paper but I’ve always had a hard time getting into it outside of the big hits. It’s a very decent short-and-sweet album with no particular flaws but not much that thrills me. Best song: American Girl

An interesting one. Sometimes melodic and breezy, sometimes prickly and unfriendly, occasionally both at once. The whole sleazy downbeat indie vibe here is not really one I can get 100% behind, but a solid album with a spirit all its own. Best song: Gold Soundz

Gorgeous glimmering music, loud and powerful yet gentle and soothing. Impeccable atmosphere. Best song: Take Care

A very pleasant surprise after my meh feelings toward Dry, and a confirmation of my impression that she had a lot to offer despite that. A great turn-of-the-2000s rock album with melody, grit, and heart. Best song: A Place Called Home

Very distinctive, atmospheric. You can tell it's foundational for metal but maybe not metal itself because a lot of the album is just heavy blues stuff, close but not quite there, and honestly kinda monotonous. I wouldn't put this on it again but I liked a good amount of it. Best song: Black Sabbath

Ultra-polished R&B-flavored pop. The hits are good and the rest is at least passable. Album’s too long. Doesn’t hit me hard but worthwhile. Best song: Rock My Body

Not a huge fan of the big band sound in jazz, at least not compared to what smaller acts do, but there are good moments here. That big sax solo (mostly) met the hype. Best song: Diminuendo and Crescendo in Blue

A pedophile mumbling over elevator music. Yeah, absolutely not.

The production is pretty expansive and creative, though a lot of the songs themselves feel like afterthoughts for the simple joy of snipping together beats. Still more or less enjoyed it. Best song: B-Boy Bouillabaisse medley

This might be my favorite Stones album? It's weird because they're supposed to be rock gods and then this album is 80% acoustic country and blues music. Five coke-addicted art students from London shouldn't be able to pull off this type of music this well, but if you ask me they got a serious handle on it. And the classics are, of course, classic: the opener alone demands you to listen to the rest. Best song: Sympathy for the Devil

Okay so uh. There’s interesting stuff happening here. It’s not unlistenably bad. I kinda want to give this a 2 just for the fascination factor of it, but I’m rating it in the middle because I’ve heard enough. It’s not good. What the captain is doing is not for me. But I support him.

Super slow burn and sort of same-y, but I’m crazy about the vibes here. Incredible atmosphere and an arresting singer help form a strong if unorthodox album. Best song: 200 More Miles

Good songs delivered by a warm, rich voice to simple, earthy music. Don’t need much more than that for a good album. Best song: Way Over Yonder

An unfriendly and slightly strange album; the Pavement influence is pretty clear. It’s interesting to see their style filtered through more of an indie rock approach, but I don’t know if I enjoy it too much. Opens really strong before getting hazy and kinda boring. Best song: Beetlebum

Christmas :) I liked it. Phil Spector knows his stuff even if he is a murderer or whatever Best song: Sleigh Ride

Well it’s definitely Bob Marley. A very solid reggae album though not my favorite material I’ve heard from him. Best song: Midnight Ravers

That wasnt very good

This is quite something. On the strange side and sometimes icy, but also full of moments of beauty. Layered production, varied sounds. If you can learn to love Bjork’s voice and get past the weird lyrics this is really strong. Best song: Unison

Not the most energetic listen, but a fulfilling one. Humble and reflective ballads from an old master. Best song: Hurt

I like the sound although most of the songs don’t quite get there for me. Also I’m honestly not into his vocal approach; there’s a ton of falsetto and it’s pretty thin and breathy. Overall kind of forgettable. Best song: When Seasons Change

This project has done a number on my opinion of punk rock in general. This album did very little for me until the pretty fun final song. Best song: Smash It Up

I'm not sure what I was expecting out of a "folktronica" album; acoustic guitar backed by beeps and boops?; but this really surpassed whatever those expectations might have been. Occasionally sluggish but often beautiful. A real treat that I will definitely revisit when the mood is right. Best song: Sweetest Decline

Certainly not bad but pretty unexciting. It all just kind of chugs at one of two speeds (mid-tempo or slow) without much melody or variety. The random injections of "YEAH! GUITAR TIME" are more strange than anything. Didn't do much for me. Best song: Firefly?

Kinda corny with a self-indulgent final song but not gonna lie, pretty damn good. Almost makes me believe in the Springsteen mythos. Best song: Thunder Road

A very solid but only modestly interesting soul album. Really well-crafted and thoughtfully written. Think I could have stood for a little more variety, or maybe a little more melody to go with the atmosphere. Best song: Final Days

Not super impressive but perfectly solid. A little weird, pretty jangly, interesting atmosphere. Would try it out again. Best song: Happy Death Men

I've heard some hype for this one over the years and yeah that's a great album. Interesting that it's always connected with punk, because it's not really punk at all yet it definitely *feels* like punk for some reason. The singer's kinda bad, which is an issue, but the music is really something and often sounds years ahead of its time. Best song: Marquee Moon

Equal turns brooding and cheesy. The lead singer throws me because he always maintains that very light and airy English dandy voice, which gives everything a definite tone but also makes the boring saccharine stuff even worse. Some good beats and nice melodies, though. Best song: To Face the Truth

Starts off really strong and has some great tracks, but then I don't know what it is with Green Day. It might be the monotony of their sound or just how extremely overplayed they were when I was a kid, but I have a hard time doing a whole album of this. Funnily enough for a punk band, there's also a consistent problem of songs being dragged on longer than necessary; Wake Me Up When September Ends would probably be twice as impactful if they just cut it to 3 minutes max. Then there's the "message"/protest element of it and in the end that just feels a little shallow. But there's no question it's a classic album with a couple classic songs. Best song: American Idiot

Yeah it’s REM. I like REM. It’s good. Yeah. Best song: Orange Crush

Psychedelic rock peaked hard and early, this album being one of the key examples. It’s interesting bc it’s not particularly “psychedelic”; it’s much less trippy than something like early Pink Floyd; but it fuses dark blues rock with poppy color in all the right ways. Best song: Tales of Brave Ulysses

A very creepy crawly album with a lot of interesting samples and structures. Not very enjoyable, but worth experiencing once I would say. Best song: La fille de la mort?

A pretty quaint and humble singer-songwriter album despite the synths and backing vocals. Leonard Cohen has his clear limitations, and I almost didn't make it through Take This Waltz, but there's some decent songs in a well-defined mood here. Best song: Tower of Song

An intensely 90s album. Not really what I would choose to listen to most days, but I also get dance tracks are meant for, yknow, dancing, so I can live with how crazily long some of the songs are. Lots of cool bass and wobbles. Best song: Firestarter

I'm not really a reggae connoisseur but I know what I like and I love this. Expansively produced with Marley wailing triumphantly over everything; music of love and joy. The type of album you can listen to over and over. Best song: One Love / People Get Ready

Well that was pretty strange, sometimes unsettling, and mostly interesting. Some of the more abstract stuff and orchestral sections got on my nerves, but this is more or less a weird listen in a fun way. Rock on ya nerds. Best song: Larks' Tongues in Aspic, Pt. 2

I feel almost bad for this take but this album is boring. I can't explain why but nothing here jumps out to me because it's just a soup of boring. Comfortable boring, but boring nonetheless. I'd be interested to hear her with a more spare backing; a solo coffee house set type of thing. Best song: Somebody Who Loves You

Whoa. Now that rocks. It does bash and crash a little longer than needed in some spots, but yeah. It rocks. Best song: Search and Destroy

Psychedelic pop in its heyday. This does drag in a couple places, and it’s one of the few examples of a band where I think a label/manager really should have stepped in and meddled by just making Grace Slick the full time lead singer, but it’s fun and hazy and creative. Best song: Somebody to Love

You know it’s good when you immediately start it over when it’s done. So fun and vibrant and sharp. Loved it start to finish. Best song: Just a Gigolo / I Ain’t Got Nobody

Grunge’s leaner, louder, messier predecessor. Honestly kind of disappointing. Lots of thrashing and screaming without much melody or purpose. Best song: No One Has

Me and my girlfriend did interesting things in the back of my car to this Best song: The Girl from Ipanema

Happy, lazy, quirky, bright. A little too hazy at times for me, but a pretty pleasant listen. Best song: Dennis and Lois

CCR in their short but sweet prime is pretty hard to top. It was funny the day I learned they were more or less all California hippies because I had assumed for years they came out of an actual swamp in Louisiana. The album certainly sounds it. Best song: Born on the Bayou

Mellow artful R&B perfection. Every song weaves its own fascinating story. Love the beats and his buttery-smooth vocals. I have listened to this one before and loved it for a long time so I am biased. Even if he doesn’t know how to perform live. Best song: Pyramids

Album starts pretty strong and doesn’t close quite as well but I honestly like it a lot. I think music nerds react badly to Coldplay because they are “safe” and pop-focused but I don’t think those are dirty words. Great melodies. Best song: Green Eyes

I mean it’s Thriller. It practically solved pop music. Yeah it’s good as hell, shocker of the year. Best song: Billie Jean

Extremely 80s synthpop album. A few catchy songs but this is kind of an exhausting full listen. Certainly interesting in its atmosphere, at least. Best song: Play to Win

Very quaint and whimsical. Honestly, it verges on too quaint and whimsical. Still, Ray Davies is clearly a talented songwriter and there are plenty of lovable moments here. Best song: Picture Book

Never listened much to Elton John but this does pretty much live up to the hype. Catchy, bright, sparkly, well-produced pop rock. Interesting prog-rock opener and mix of styles. A great album. Best song: Bennie and the Jets

Fun catchy high-energy hard rock. Def one of the best live albums I’ve heard. Best song: Surrender

60s psychedelic throwback. That sounds like something I’d super for on paper but it does fall flat on occasion, mostly because it gets a little too interested in being wEiRd and turns hokey. Some good songs and a solid sound here, though. Best song: Dreaming of You

Definitely different from what I'm used to and definitely not something I'd always be in the mood for. Still, the passion and talent at work here are pretty clear. Great driving rhythms and sometimes mesmerizing vocals. Worth hearing.

OK yeah, it’s another Nick Drake album with… luxurious arrangements? Strings? Brass? What’s going on? This is definitely the odd duck of the three just due to its production, though I don’t feel substantially different about it. His voice is frankly too weak to sell some of these songs, but the album is sometimes beautiful. One worth coming back to once or twice. Best song: Northern Sky

Motown’s crowning achievement, a timeless and beautiful album. The gorgeous music shimmers and gleams while Marvin’s voice yearns for happier times. The album is deeply political but never preachy, infused with purpose and emotion. Love the way that melodies and sounds repeat and develop over the course of the album. Incredible work by an incredible artist. Best song: Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)

One of the most intensely 60s albums I’ve ever heard. It even came before the Summer of Love, so you could argue this was pretty forward-thinking towards that era. Not a lot of great songs here and the sound is pretty thin, but there’s a charm to it that I can’t really put aside. Best song: Sunshine Superman

There’s a couple decent songs, and I can see how this probably influenced the Britpop bands. I certainly don’t think I needed to hear this before I die, though. Best song: There She Goes

Not a bad album, but a pretty boring one that failed to grab my attention outside of a decent opening stretch. Not a fan of their vocals. Unopposed but unimpressed. Best song: The Calvary Cross

Sharp, muscular, jazzy funk music. Didn’t totally understand the messaging but definitely felt the music. A really solid and quick album (without the CD tracks). Best song: Zombie

I can’t front, I know Fats Domino is a big deal and a huge influence on rock music as a whole, but this is grandpa music. Just not very interesting from a modern perspective. Best song: Blueberry Hill

This isn’t that bad or anything, I think I’ve just reached the point where I’m extremely tired of yet another random British band from the 80s or 90s. Best song: Something 4 the Weekend

A hard one to evaluate. Definitely not something that I felt was an essential pick for the list. Sometimes interesting but sometimes boring in more or less equal measure. At the end of the day I just didn’t enjoy it very much. Best song: Human Being

A rich and engaging fusion of Western music with Indian music. My attention does drift away a little from the longer more improvisational stuff, but there’s a lot of interesting turns there, too. A worthwhile, unique listen. Best song: Mamata (Affection)

Thick, sharp, heavy as hell. Built around riffs, which is a good choice because most of them are great. Several of the songs and the album as a whole could definitely be shorter, but I still enjoyed it a lot. Metal isn’t always my thing but Metallica usually hits the spot. Best song: One

A beautiful and highly polished send-off. Sometimes upbeat, mostly reflective, always fully realized. The title song is and probably always will be one of my all-time favorites. Best song: Bridge Over Troubled Water

Yeah. Street life. Life. On the street. Yeah. Best song: Street Life

A long, muddy, feedback-drenched album that I’m sure Pitchfork loved. Interesting moments here, though describing what the vocalists are doing here as “singing” would be pretty generous. Best song: 100%

A very slam poetry jazz/soul album. Often a little much, but lots of good piano and organ.

A couple of the album tracks are just okay, and a couple of the hits do get on my nerves, but otherwise this is pretty excellent pop music. If there’s one thing I always have to credit Taylor Swift for it’s her ability to move between styles and registers for each project, which goes back to her songwriting. Best song: Wildest Dreams

Few albums have more clearly reflected what an artist was going through than this one. Dylan expresses sorrow, anger, regret, and a whole lot more in this bitter self-examination. Not every song is a total winner, but the highs are startling in maybe his last truly great album. Best song: Tangled Up in Blue

A sweeping and occasionally beautiful country(?) album. Sometimes a little too syrupy and overlong. Best song: Life’s Greatest Fool

It’s almost a 4 because Charles is such a great singer and there are some great arrangements here, but it does struggle to engage me at times in the middle. Still a very worthy listen. Shoutouts to the lyric “was I gay… til today?” Best song: It Had to Be You

After one hour I have learned I do not like tango

Bright Beatlesque pop rock. A little sappy at times, but pretty breezy and enjoyable. Best song: Without You

A very 70s odyssey, almost insufferably campy and dramatic… emphasis on the almost. A fun and entertaining ride chock full of great vocals. Best song: Paradise by the Dashboard Light

That started kind of OK before turning into utter bullshit

This might have the most whoops + yelps per capita of any album ever made. Despite all its weirdness it mostly sounds like 80s slop to me. Best song: The Magnificent Five

Whatever new wave even is, I don’t usually like it unless it’s coming from the Talking Heads. Love their off-kilter but rock-solid rhythms and the thin, wiry guitars. Pretty weird but highly listenable. Best song: Psycho Killer

An artsy piano pop epic full of drama and beauty. The first half is excellent but the second half is a lot more uneven (or at least experimental), leaving me uncertain how to rate it. Definitely one worth experiencing. Best song: Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God)

Well it’s definitely post-punk. I was gonna give this a 3 until I realized it took like five tries for me to drag myself through this album.

A more understated and "literary" brand of rock opera. Pretty disappointing considering how much I loved Transformer; a little too dour and serious, and honestly kind of same-y. Best song: Sad Song

A very pleasant album that rarely excited me. Probably could have used some cutting and editing, but a nice one to throw on. Best song: De Camino a la Vereda

Whoa that’s one of the most incredible guitar solos I’ve ever heard. Tempted to give the entire album a 5 off its strength alone but not sure I’m quite that high on it. Still a strong product as a whole with a really tight band. Best song: Maggot Brain

Dark grungy rock full of pounding riffs and great vocals. A little too overlong and mopey, but more or less a strong album. Best song: Black Hole Sun

A very pensive and mature album, probably my favorite I’ve heard by REM. Lots of radio hits on here, which is kinda funny since it’s pretty quiet and slow. Definitely one worth replaying. Best song: Nightswimming

Yet another British post punk/alt band from the 80s. I’m torn here because there’s nothing bad (except the first song and its out of tune main riff), there’s just nothing here I really want to hear again. Best song: She is Mine

Love the style and the energy. Amazing rhythms, as you’d expect with Ginger Baker on it. This and Zombie have made me a fan. Best song: Black Man’s Cry

Some cool psychedelic guitars but those can’t really save this giant pudgy slog of an album. Overlong and self-important.

Well I don’t think I will ever be the world’s biggest fan of Mr. Dan in all his steeliness, but I did like this album better than the last one I heard. Pretty cheery and straightforward with some good melodies. Best song: Reelin’ in the Years

An immaculate first half followed by a pretty lengthy and self-indulgent second half. Still, there is so much good music here that it barely matters. A bright and joyful album. Best song: Sir Duke

These guys might not have saved rock ‘n’ roll like the pundits thought they would but they pulled it off in my heart. Not a perfect album but a really important one for me as a teenager that cemented my love for guitar rock. Still can sing every song. Best song: Hard to Explain

A very folksy and cozy album in the early psychedelic tradition. Verges on forgettable, but consistently pleasant with a hair of edge. Best song: Nine Pound Hammer

A very adequate hair metal album, which is above par for my baseline opinion of hair metal. Mixing is kinda awful as the vocals are often washed out, but a pretty fun sound and mix of songs.

Probably my least favorite album from a band that I usually love. I get the impulse to experiment and show you can do more than just bash and crash, but piano-based indie-country-blues (or whatever you call this album's sound) is not the best use of these two's talents. There's still several good songs here, but the whole product is messy and not particularly cohesive: almost feels like a collection of B-sides? Best song: Blue Orchid

Just like 25 this was definitely Adele. It was definitely good. She will still age well. All this said Adele does kinda make the same album over and over so I don’t have a lot to say. But hey it’s a good album. Best song: Someone Like You

“Country rock” sometimes makes me cautious as that can involve a giant tasteless mish-mash of girls-n-trucks songs with 80s guitar solos, but this is a very humble fusion of the two genres’ basics with some great songwriting. Really enjoyed it. Best song: Goodbye’s All We Got Left

On the one hand, it’s a powerful and unique voice set free in a brisk, tasteful album. On the other hand, I had to listen to all four minutes of “The Naughty Little Flea.”

A very solid rock album though there’s not a lot on it that really grabbed me. Definitely sounds very “of the time” for that early 2000s rock revival. Best song: Get Free

A rich and tumultuous suite featuring some gripping work from a master of the form. Not my favorite of Coltrane’s albums, though I understand why it gets the lion’s share of the accolades due to its high concept and how it serves as a bridge into his more inaccessible free jazz stuff. Still a tremendous and necessary album.

The two big hits are great and the sound is very definite, self-assured, and often convincing. It’s also pretty busy and over-produced, and while the album itself is a good length several of the songs overstay their welcome. I think 80s synthpop just struggles to land for me in general, but as far as that genre goes this is pretty strong. Best song: Hungry Like the Wolf

There’s parts of this I enjoyed but overall kind of a banal listening experience. Very plain and muted.

They put their blood sweat and tears into this Best song: And When I Die

Swirling indie rock with lots of shimmery guitars and falsetto vocals. This is really polished and well-produced though often a little too weird for me to fully connect with it. Not a fan of the vocals. Would probably revisit. Best song: This is Our Lot

Hard to know what to say. Probably one of my ten or so favorite albums ever made. Every last song is a classic. If Bowie never made anything but this he'd still be a legend. Best song: Moonage Daydream

My favorite live album. Such a distinctive atmosphere and concept. Love the interactions with the crowd and the way he infuses this pretty grim and dour set of songs with life and color. The masterwork of an all-time great. Best song: Jackson

I dunno, just not really feeling this one. Some cool atmosphere but not a fan of the singer and lacking in memorable moments or melodies. Best song: Desire Lines

A weird little album. The singer isn't very good but I still find him kinda charming, and the songs range from banal and empty to refreshingly direct. I do think there's a good pop rock band here but they only sometimes manage to emerge. Best song: Astral Plane

I’ve always kinda liked their two hit singles from 2008 and this is pretty well-made on a technical level, but wow do I not like it. Very sludgy. What is the lead singer doing. Best song: Slow Night, So Long

A slightly quirky and highly energetic album. Very British with a very nasal singer, but consistently charming and melodic. Best song: Lose It

Middle career Beatles, in transition to being considered “serious artists.” The first proper Beatles album I bought so I have a lot of affection for it. Maybe their most laid-back and pastoral album, very folk rock. Best song: Nowhere Man

A very clean and well-made album, though not an especially memorable one. A few of the songs were intriguing and the production was slick throughout. Best song: On Hold

Pretty quintessential Led Zeppelin. More spacious and dramatic than their debut but not quite as raw and immediate. Very good though not what I would consider one of my favorite albums or anything. Best song: Heartbreaker

Ziggy’s darker, weirder younger brother. I get why this album hasn’t had the same level of staying power because the mix isn’t that great and it’s not super immediate, but still a strong and rewarding album with a lot of interesting twists. Best song: Cracked Actor

Big, messy, wild, and brash, but also clinically tight and sharp. I think this has some of the Stones’ best work on it, but it also gets sloggy in the middle and there are a few throwaways, so it’s hard to rate. I think I prefer their more focused albums but there’s a lot to love here. Best song: Tumbling Dice

Wow that’s a lot of music. I consider myself a fan of Outkast but I’m both overwhelmed and underwhelmed by this collection—and I do think collection is a more accurate word than album, because this is two solo albums mashed together without much cohesion between the two projects (aside from both being packed full with mostly unfunny skits). Both of them are solid but not especially memorable, and listening to them back to back doesn’t elevate either of them. I think it deserves a spot on the list because it received so many accolades at the time and it produced one of the biggest singles of the decade, but I don’t think it’s an ideal showcase of this duo’s talents. Best song: Hey Ya

Maybe my least favorite album title so far, but actually a pretty solid album behind it. Some good heavy tracks and some surprisingly strong use of orchestral drama. Great singer. Best song: Lately

This isn’t bad or anything but wow is it not hitting for me. Pretty boring. Surprising lack of edge considering the album cover. Best song: The Thrill of It All

Sweet, mild, and soothing. Some might say they provide variety but I actually think the serene vibe is hampered a bit (and the saccharine vibe amplified) by the blues songs and the big band in the closer… either way, they don’t detract much from the whole product. Best song: Fire and Rain

It may not be a magnum opus, but I still find this really engaging and well-made. Great use of motifs, and while the story isn’t especially coherent I also don’t think it’s a complete mess. Really love the mix of softness and hardness in their sound. Deserves its classic status. Best song: Go to the Mirror

Beautiful harmonies and (usually) melodies in a much simpler and more focused album than Deja Vu. It’s hippie music but damn if I don’t like a lot of hippie music. Best song: Judy Blue Eyes

A legendary voice explores some soul standards (and one rock standard). Really like how the sound is tasteful but maintains some bite. Smooth, easy listening. Best song: Wonderful World

Well that was an unremarkable but acceptable 2 until the final song. Dinosaur Sr I think you should give this kid a hug.

Very few artists are capable of making music this bright and easy while infusing it with weight and importance. Tight, focused, varied, and exceptional. Best song: Living for the City

Opening pair of tracks are fantastic and the rest of the album ranges from OK-to-good. Is the last song supposed to be like an apology for manifest destiny?? Some weirdness aside it’s definitely worth a listen or two. Best song: Hotel California

I of course know the title track, but beyond that this album was surprising, and often not in a good way. It’s a little too icy and weird for me, and Bowie stretches his voice further than he should to mixed effect. The instrumentals also didn’t really land for me. All that said, I get that it’s one of those albums you probably need to invest some time into to really “get,” and I appreciate just how odd and experimental it is. Best song: Heroes

Kind of a weird one but not unenjoyable. Has a movie soundtrack vibe, particularly with the title track. Some good melodies, and the failed experiments are at least trying something. Best song: Theme from Casanova

Well that sure was two hours of a dude grunting “SPACE… SPACE…” over some C-tier Black Sabbath instrumentals. Best song: Down Through the Night

The fact that it features a few of the greatest guitar riffs ever played pretty much guarantees this is a good album, but there is also zero filler here, not a single missed beat, and many interesting ideas to boot (Planet Caravan?!). Fantastic. Best song: War Pigs

Very Monsters Inc, and that is a high compliment. A little more traditional than Getz/Gilberto but a high-quality and highly relaxing album nonetheless. Best song: Desafinado

A very thoughtful and well-constructed folk album. Maybe lacking in energy here and there, but largely engaging, reflective, and rewarding with a couple genuine classics. Best song: Fast Car

A very 2010s/Trump-era pop album. A couple heavy hitters in the first half but some parts border on generic. Very well-produced but lacking in personality. Interesting vocal cadence and phrasing (though not always in a good way). Best song: The Walker

90s slacker rock with a lot of bright, quick, punchy songs. Kind of feels like an attempt to mainstream the Pixies’ sound or at least fit it into the grunge/alt paradigm (ironic considering the Pixies laid part of the foundation for that paradigm), and I don’t think it totally succeeds. There’s also not really enough meat on the bone here to justify an hour-plus length. Despite all this, a pretty enjoyable listen. Best song: Thalassocracy

A pretty unique singer-songwriter album with a deadpan singer and some pretty odd lyrics. Some good melodies. A couple of the songs are strong, but there’s a lack of variety and kind of an unsettling vibe about the whole thing from the album cover on down. Slurs never help either. Best song: It’s Easier

Grizzled guitar-heavy southern rock. Not quite as into this one as Eliminator; it’s a bit rawer and realer, but it’s just not quite as fun to listen to. Still, far from bad. Best song: La Grange

Dark, minimal, muscular, very bluesy. It was interesting to see the direction their sound grew in from their debut, which is similar yet very different. It’s a pretty good but not especially notable album until the final song, which is such a masterpiece it elevates the whole project. Best song: Riders on the Storm

Heavy, trippy, and fun to listen. Also the rare 60s proto-metal album that actually does sound like metal. Best song: Summertime Blues

Some great melodies and guitar lines. Closes pretty strong too. That said, sometimes I am just not in the mood to hear Morrissey sing. Best song: Barbarism Begins at Home

A pretty light and engaging first half followed by a more repetitive second half. An interesting fusion of electronic music with rock/punk. Best song: Isi

An unfortunately heavy chunk of this is overproduced schlock, though what is good here is quite good. Besides, even the songs I don’t care for are performed pretty professionally and convincingly. Best song: Shining Star

Rich, meaningful, emotionally heavy. Sound can verge on boring sometimes, but consistently classy and well-executed. Best song: Four Women

Weird, groovy, dance-friendly. Good ebb and flow to the tracks. A fun and memorable listen. Best song: How Do You Do?

A very simple, short, and sweet album. Really enjoy the fusion of pop, country, and rock-n-roll. A little same-y. Best song: So How Come

Very stately and well-arranged. Boring in places, but quite original and often interesting. Best song: Train Song

I get that Metallica got a lot of criticism for going “mainstream,” but this sounds more like a streamlined album than a compromised one. A little too long, but really heavy, tight, and memorable. Best song: Nothing Else Matters

A pretty solid album with a lot of welcome 60s homage to the sound. That being said there’s something that screams hipster about this album that I can’t put my finger on but it definitely annoyed me. That’s kinda irrational though. Best song: Pretty Mary Kay

This is an interesting case where I don’t find this particular set of tracks super exciting (except for a couple genuinely great ones), but I have a huge appreciation for this album’s aesthetics, innovation, and place in music history. So in a vacuum it’s merely decent, particularly by today’s standards, but all the surrounding context is enough to elevate the score for me. Best song: Europe Endless

I want to like this, and there are a few strong songs, but honestly this is not fun to listen to. It’s somehow a little too experimental yet also pretty boring? Something’s just not clicking. Best song: Rhymes and Ammo

It fits the bill as pretty evil- and gross-sounding music (by a pretty evil and gross dude, at that). This is definitely not something I would seek out on my own, but I do have to give it some credit for its vision, plus a few good guitar riffs. Best song: The Beautiful People

Swing music is one of those genres I have plenty of appreciation but little excitement for. This album doesn’t really contradict that opinion, but it’s certainly worthy and well-performed.

Unexpectedly edgy in the first half and more of what I was anticipating in the second half. Neither is better than the other: a strong blend of tradition and experimentation, built on a foundation of powerful vocals and hypnotic rhythms. Best song: Hey Girl

The contradiction of Pearl Jam is that their arrival, along with Nirvana and Alice in Chains and all the brothers-in-arms in grunge, was supposed to herald a new and raw and more authentic brand of rock—and yet this album, even more so than the hordes of hair metal slop being churned out in the late 80s, sounds tailor-made to be blasted over the PA system in your local Home Depot or beer garden. The formula for most of these songs is simple: enough heavy guitar to appeal to the average American macho man, but mild and hook-y enough to serve as inoffensive background music. I would argue Pearl Jam's music, and Ten specifically, became the blueprint for two whole decades of mainstream radio rock, the two decades that completely and utterly killed the format... yes, Pearl Jam fans must confront the uncomfortable reality that there is probably no Nickelback, no Creed, no Hoobastank without this album. Without those bands and their overpoweringly muddy and divisive sound, rock radio stations may never have fallen apart. Based on all this information, you might comfortably assume that the album is trash and it killed an entire genre of music’s mainstream relevance and so it should be hated for generations to come. But the contradiction spreads further and deeper, because you know what? This album really IS good. Like, all-hits-no-misses levels of good. This album's formula works. Pearl Jam knows how to write some melodies, and Eddie Vedder's unconventional wailing and moaning feels like it should be a huge miscue, but instead it suits those melodies perfectly. There really is realness, rawness, and edge here: a song like Jeremy would never have hit the radio before this album dropped, but these guys sell it perfectly. So what do you do with Ten? I would say you can't really blame a band for what record executives and hack imitators choose to do with their style; it would be foolish to blame the Beatles for every two-bit boy band that came in their wake, after all. Still, I don't blame anyone for passing on this one just for how overdone its sound became, and for all it represents. I find it fascinating how you could point to it as the root of rock radio’s demise, but I'm happy to enjoy it for what it is. Best song: Jeremy

I was not excited when I saw this come up but I can’t lie, that was pretty sick. Great guitar, great melodies, and great energy. Best song: Show Me the Way

Well that has to be one of the most thoroughly lame albums I’ve ever heard. Jethro Tull enjoyers please keep enjoying them. I will pass. Best song: Aqualung

Lots of interesting sounds and vibes here. A little self-absorbed in that way only indie rock can be, but it has some good melodies, some nice bass, and some cool ideas. Best song: Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots, Pt. 1

Zeppelin's magnum opus. A statement so massive that it came out in only the second year of the 1970s and yet it loomed over the whole decade. Big, brash, stupid, stupendous, overplayed as all hell, and, yes, a wonderful album. Best song: Rock and Roll

I may have spoken too soon when I accused Aqualung of being the lamest album I’d ever heard. Best song: Slightly All the Time

Considering it's the namesake of one of the most extreme musical genres out there, and that its cover is literally just Satan's face, this is a surprisingly sludgy and unexciting album. The singer's deadpan grunt drags the tone down more often than not, and the guitar solos are pretty good but they're few and far between. All that said, I would have liked this less if it was actual black metal, so there weren't many ways to win me over here. Best song: Buried Alive

It almost sucks that most people only know this album (and this band) for being the source of that one sports arena song, because this is a cold stone classic. The White Stripes have a dead-simple blueprint: blues-ily flail around on guitar and drums (and ONLY guitar and drums) for a few minutes at a time, throw in some quiet-loud and stop-start dynamics, and pivot to acoustic guitar once in a while. Sounds like there's not much room to grow there, but that formula has somehow progressed and elevated here in a way that doesn't betray its principles while still evolving into new frontiers. The band kind of peaked here and then just gave up two albums later, which implies Elephant might be the limit of what two blues-punk wackos (only one of whom actually knows how to play their instrument) can accomplish. I'm cool with that, though, as this is a pretty awesome peak. Best song: Little Acorns

Bigger and more atmospheric than the last Smiths album, though I don’t feel too differently about it. This is succeeding at what it wants to do, I think I’ve just learned I’m not the world’s biggest fan of what the Smiths want to do. Best song: Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me

The Stones at their sharpest, nastiest, sweetest, heaviest, and best. Let’s just try to forget the words to that first song. Best song: Wild Horses

When this album sits down and focuses on the music, the songs are actually quite strong. The problem is it doesn’t do that a ton. I get that for a lot of people the artwork of this album is the story it tries to tell, but I found it confusing and distracting rather than contributing any kind of cohesion to the final product. Roger Waters certainly has his vision, but I wasn’t much for it. Best song: Comfortably Numb

Well it’s very bluesy. Some good guitar, as you’d expect. Not particularly inspiring or weighty, but certainly not bad and probably influential. Best song: What’d I Say

Oh goodie, another band from the Steely Dan/Jethro Tull school of rock music. Just what I wanted. Best song: Mr. Skin

My second album with Clapton on it in three days, oh boy. This one starts quite strong, but when the nine-minute jams start rolling in is when I start to lose interest. The title track is remarkable in some places (the beautiful instrumentals of the second half) and irritating in others (LAYYYLUHHH!!!). Overall worth hearing if far from a masterpiece. Best song: Bell Bottom Blues

Edgy but polished, grimy but pristine, Blondie somehow straddles two worlds in late 70s pop and pulls it off. A fun listen with some depth. Best song: Heart of Glass

A very consistent vibe, folksy brassy party time. Not totally my thing, but pretty well-written and well-executed. Best song: Feelin’ Alright?

The British have a mixed record with interpreting American forms of music. Rhythm and blues? Imperfect, but pretty great. Jazz? Not much to talk about, but inoffensive. Rap? An assault on the ears. Best song: Fix Up, Look Sharp

Really inventive and well-executed. Definitely weird, but a legible and interesting mix of genres. Really enjoy the jazzy stuff and the guitar work. Best song: Willie the Pimp

Bombastic and epic, but also sludgy and sluggish. Probably more interesting in concept than in execution. Not bad, but I don’t need two hours of this. Best song: The Call of Ktulu

A quiet, raw, and honest album, laying the groundwork for who knows how many earnest singer-songwriters. The songs are pretty excellent and the focus and vision are clear. I hate to be prissy about this, but the number one issue is that Neil’s shrieky singing voice is just never going to be my cup of tea… I got over that issue with Bob Dylan, but I can’t get all the way there with him. I also think Neil’s hard rock side isn’t perfectly integrated—Southern Man is great, but When You Dance is a mismatch. Summing up, it’s a well-written and sometimes beautiful album, even if the performances aren’t always my favorite. Best song: Southern Man

I always appreciate it when the generator gives me the opportunity to hear a new genre and/or culture. That being said, this sounds like background music at a resort with some dude moaning in French over it. Best song: Désespoir

Bright, spacey, fluid, and super well-produced. Not every song connects with me, but the three big singles are so good and the vibe is so well-established that I still come away with pretty good feelings about this one. Best song: Electric Feel

A heartbroken album, with the sadness amplified by Harris’ voice sounding like it might break at any moment, a la Tammy Wynette. Just like Wynette, though, there’s a lot of power in that vulnerability, and the album as a whole exists in that power too. A little dirge-y at times, but really emotional and effective. Best song: Boulder to Birmingham

I’m pretty sure I prefer this to Born to Run, which feels a little blasphemous but I have no qualms about it. A lot of artists were terrified of the 80s, but Springsteen leans into them and I think he succeeds. The album feels genuinely bright and celebratory even though most of the songs are about small-town desperation and misery, and that’s an interesting emotional mix that I don’t think could be pulled off without this style of production. And, of course, most of it is just damn catchy. Best song: Dancing in the Dark

Impeccably crafted, smartly written, and a pretty fun listen to boot? Surely Lauryn Hill became the next hip-hop mega star and broke the doors down for women in—oh. I don’t want to dwell on Lauryn never really capitalizing on this album because it’s more sad than anything, but it is too bad this is basically all we ever got from someone who seemed to be a budding master. Thankfully, the album is still here and is still great. Best song: Doo Wop (That Thing)

A very weird and pretty polished genre mish-mash. Quite listenable even if I didn’t love some of it. Worth hearing if only for the novelty. Best song: The Paris Match

A very unique sound, mixing post-punk with funk and, uh, disco? That sounds kinda awful but I actually think it works, more or less, even if I don’t love some of the production choices. The singer is a bit of an acquired taste, too. I enjoyed it all in all. Best song: Rip It Up

Not Paul’s finest work, though I tend to agree with the modern re-assessments that this album was under-appreciated when it released. The scattered, unfinished nature of the album reflects Paul’s own scattered frame of mind as his life’s work disintegrated around him… or he was too lazy and/or stoned to finish the songs and accidentally created lo-fi as a genre. Either way, it’s got Maybe I’m Amazed on it. Best song: Maybe I’m Amazed

A titanic showing by a titanic band. Big, nasty, and melodic, minimalist in setup and maximalist in scope, with some killer musicianship. Best song: My Generation Medley

An elegant, fully realized, and impressive display of virtuosity on the piano. There’s a lot of engaging sections and cool musical moments here, too, not just a display of raw talent. Keith could stand to moan a little less, though.

When I was 16 years old in 2015 or so, I was kind of a big Black Keys fan and I actually bought this album on iTunes, one of my treasured gift-card-off-the-Walmart-rack purchases. Today I have mixed feelings about the Black Keys and their sound. To sum it up, they sometimes feels like the beer commercial version of a much better band. But isn’t that kind of an elitist take? The Black Keys were a valuable window into a wider world of rock music for me, and I imagine I can’t be alone in that. Maybe in the years since they blew up in the early 2010s, they’ve actually become under-appreciated? Anyway, the album. There are a few great songs here alongside a variety of mid bluesy filler. The production is objectively pretty strong, as everything’s very clear and sharp, but something about this fuzzy yet clean sound isn’t clicking for me. I could definitely get in a mood where this album hits for me, but it’s telling that I can remember finishing Brothers for the first time as a teenager and feeling my love for the Black Keys starting to fade. There’s something about this album, and this band as a whole, that just feels hollow and overcooked. But hey, they can still write some great singles and you can still have fun listening to them. Best song: Everlasting Light

High-octane, hard-edged, swinging and pounding music. Almost feels like a more rap-oriented companion to Rage Against the Machine, although that’s sort of a labored comparison that probably doesn’t do either album proper justice. The production is a little too busy and crazy for me on most songs, but this is still a fairly rewarding listen. Best song: Bring the Noise

It’s definitely the blues. Pretty dated, but a sharp and well-executed set from one of the kings of the genre. Best song: Got My Mojo Working

A huge achievement by the Beatles’ most undervalued member, bursting with creativity and spirituality. The length is a little much, but I think it’s appropriate to the album’s scope and its massive Wall of Sound production. I can also take or leave the Apple Jam, but I consider those to be bonus tracks and not really a part of the main album. Either way, this is George’s day in the sun as a songwriter that deserves to be taken just as seriously as John and Paul. Best song: Isn’t It a Pity (Version 1)

I’m pretty sure I prefer this to The Low End Theory—it’s not quite as focused, but the beats are fresher, the lyrics are stronger, and there’s a little more range. Great production as you’d expect. Could be a little shorter but a really solid album. Best song: Can I Kick It?

Really melodic with some great harmonies and cool multi-section songs. Kinda dorky in that distinctly prog-rock way, but quite enjoyable. Best song: Yours is No Disgrace

Damn. That rocked.

I saw a post not long ago talking about how Snoop Dogg was in a weird situation where he had become known more for his cultural legacy and not his music. I listen to this album and I find that hard to believe considering the incredible beats and buttery-smooth delivery. Then I pay attention to the lyrics and I realize how hard this album clashes with Snoop’s wholesome modern image as your friendly weed-loving uncle, because this is an aggressively misogynistic set of songs. I guess the fact that he was a scion of gangsta rap is part of the entire joke of Snoop being considered so wholesome today, but I feel like a lot of people wouldn’t consider it quite so funny anymore if they were reminded of what he was actually saying back then. Can you ignore it? Sure, but it’s part of the package whether you do or not. This is a fun and brilliantly produced album, but it is something of a relic for good reason. Best song: Gin and Juice

Wow that's disappointing. I get that the scattershot sound of this album probably helps it sound authentic for a lot of people, but this straight up does not sound good. The three singers clash and run into each other a ton, and the production is kind of a mess. There's some strong songs here, but I have serious trouble enjoying them. Best song: The Weight

I've got plenty of respect for Public Enemy, but man I was not necessarily angling to hear another hour-long Public Enemy album within a week of the last one. The production is good but clearly dated, and the raps are dynamic but sometimes heavy-handed. I also just flat out got tired of Flavor Flav. I can't pinpoint why, I got nothing against him, I'm just not very into hearing Flavor Flav's voice anymore. Best song: Fight the Power

This album fuses country with British post-punk, and it sounds just as weird as you’d expect. This isn’t very good in a lot of ways but I’m kind of into it regardless. Best song: Lost Highway

I was not excited when I saw Julian Cope's name attached to this album... but this is good! It mixes new wave with psychedelic pop in interesting ways while staying anchored by strong melodies. The horns can be a little much but I really enjoyed it. Best song: Treason

Well that definitely sounds like some dudes on drugs in a random home studio in Georgia. Best song: Sweat Loaf?

A cool and unique take on American blues/rock. Not the most exciting, but pretty well-executed. Best song: Sekou Oumarou

Long, heavy, dramatic, and pretty interesting if occasionally boring. His voice took a little getting used to but I think I liked it. The arrangements never really hit a sweet spot for me, either too formal and "arranged" or too slapdash and experimental, but I still would say I liked this more than I didn't. Best song: Hiding All Away

A raspy, ethereal, orchestral rock album with a highly original sound. That original sound did not really click with me, but it’s certainly a fascinating one. RIP Dennis. Best song: Rainbows

A pretty enjoyable if not very impactful electronica album. There wasn't a lot of music going on in the last couple tracks, but the atmosphere was solid throughout. Some good bass. Best song: Water from a Vine Leaf

Well you can definitely tell it was made in the 80s. There’s some interesting ideas and decent atmosphere here, but I don’t especially like any of the songs, so that’s kind of a hard problem to overcome. Best song: Living in Another World

Leonard Cohen’s voice might have about as much personality as a wet sack of gravel, but you know what, I will concede it. The man can write some songs. Best song: So Long, Marianne

That was pretty sick. Lots of great guitar, cool Latin rhythms, highly smooth vibes. I liked it. Best song: Black Magic Woman

Smooth and warm. Traces of pain give some depth to plenty of joy. Drags a little, but overall a full slate of classic soul. Best song: Let's Stay Together

That went hard. Deep Purple is not the most inspiring band in the world, but damn do they go hard. Best song: Child In Time

Sharp, dark, bluesy. Drags a bit in the middle but there’s some really strong stuff here. Best song: Roadhouse Blues

Some great grooves here, but pretty scattered and lacking in melody for my taste. Not necessarily what I’d be looking for out of this band, either. Best song: Funky Music Sho Nuff Turns Me On

Really gritty and electric album, great energy. Waters’ voice grounds the music, which already has a great balance between edge and old-school blues fundamentals. Quite enjoyed it. Best song: I Can’t Be Satisfied

Cool and smoky with high-quality production and some strong melodies. Quite unorthodox but in a welcome way. I’m no Scott Walker fan, but I can hear and even appreciate his influence on this album. Best song: Standing Next to Me

A wild, creative, and mildly disorienting mix of dance(?) music. The whole concept doesn’t totally click with me, and neither do some of the songs, but there are some great moments here. Best song: Frontier Psychologist

That’s definitely fascinating but too weird for me to enjoy it very much. Brian Eno has a lot of interesting ideas, but he is not a good singer and only a couple of these songs really grab me. Still, I come away curious to hear his other albums. Best song: On Some Faraway Beach

Woohoo it’s Elvis. He is kinda old and kinda lame already, but it’s still Elvis. Extremely schmaltzy, but a couple great songs. Best song: Gentle On My Mind

Great flow and vibe to this album. Strong musicianship, love the jazzy touches. Took a little extra time with it to really get a handle on it, but once I did I really enjoyed it. Best song: The World is a Ghetto

I wouldn’t listen to this again but I will give it some credit for its originality. Doesn’t save it from being kind of a snore unfortunately. Best song: Ok

Slow, sorrowful, grim, and soulful. Great songwriting, pretty solid production, and of course it has the big hit. Worth more listens. Best song: Nothing Compares 2 U

The pop/rock songs are mostly very good and the blues/R&B songs are mostly very mediocre, so kind of a mixed bag. Definitely the beginnings of something good, though. Keith Moon’s drumming is so insane. Best song: My Generation

An all-time favorite. One of the tightest albums I’ve ever heard in terms of both production and performance; so smooth, crisp, and clean. It’s not perfect—I can take or leave Faust Arp and even Videotape—but to me this is Radiohead near the top of their game, fusing the mope-rock of their 90s with the electronic experiments of their 2000s to excellent effect. Best song: Jigsaw Falling Into Place

My favorite Springsteen album. I think Springsteen is a good (if repetitive) singer-songwriter who has trouble balancing that with his bombastic showman persona, but he strikes the balance as well as he ever does here. The performances are strong, the arrangements clean, and Bruce’s gravelly roar of a voice is at its most effective. Most critically, lots of great songs. Best song: Adam Raised a Cain

Parts of this are charming and I do like some of the beats, but so much of it is corny and inane that I can’t say I enjoyed it all that much. Also these guys seriously needed editors—did Doowutchyalike really have to be 9 minutes long? Best song: Underwater Rimes

Strange, creative, whispery, soothing yet eerie. Indie Disney is the best way I can describe the sound. This is not really my thing but definitely worth hearing. Best song: Endlessly

Woo, Yeezus. One of the most challenging albums I’ve heard (and actually enjoyed). It doesn’t help matters that Kanye West himself has become a more challenging guy to appreciate than ever, but I’m going to set that aside for now and just focus on Yeezus in its own context, at least as much as I’m able to. From the start, Yeezus is disorienting and confrontational. That’s not to say it’s some completely uncommercial experimental album, but it’s also not designed to be a friendly listen. If 808s and Heartbreak was expanding who Kanye West could be and My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy was a celebration of his accomplishments, then Yeezus is a furious assault on his past work, his fanbase, and even himself. Try to ignore the comically excessive bragging and boasting on “I Am a God” and “New Slaves” and just listen. Does this sound like a guy who’s having a good time? Beneath the uber-horny hyper-masculine bluster, Yeezus contains a barrage of negative emotions: anger, paranoia, and resentment abound. It’s the most aggressively misogynistic album Kanye ever made (which is saying something) and the lyrics tend towards vulgarity more than any coherent theme, but honestly, that matches what’s going on here sonically. This is the psyche of a man enraged by the world he lives in, one where he’s shattered every barrier to success and still feels like a second-class citizen in his own country, without a single real friend or even a real peer. (Note the crushing loneliness of “I Am a God”—he’s so arrogant that it’s made him despondent.) Pretty much all he’s got left to say now is some variation of “fuck all y’all.” The music itself is in a continual feedback loop with the troubled emotional state of the songs, and it sounds like nothing Kanye had done before. It’s full of chopped-up electronic noise, grinding synths and guitars, eerily empty spaces, screams and roars shoved through AutoTune. By the time we finally reach some familiar territory in the chipmunk soul of “Bound 2,” the song almost feels like a cruel mockery of his old work, a final goodbye to the awkward guy in the pink polo that he started out as. Now we’re left with this snarling megalomaniac, lost in his own myth, endlessly chasing highs at the cost of his own family, and apparently in love with Hitler. You listen to this album and it really shouldn’t be a shock that Kanye turned into what he is, he’s always been almost *too* honest about himself—after all, his masterpiece, Runaway, is a self-pitying confession about what a bad person he is… but I digress. One thing I want to highlight is the way Kanye sometimes breaks the hostile environment with sudden and emotive interludes: see the children’s choir in “On Sight,” the arena-rock finale of “New Slaves,” or the gospel bridge of “Bound 2.” It’s hard for me to identify why these sections work so well for me, even though they’re usually completely out of step with the songs they’re included in. A reprieve from the harsh sound font of the album? A reminder that there’s still some light among the darkness? I just like the melodies? Maybe all of the above, but whatever the reason is, they’re among the album’s most memorable moments. Many of these songs live on contrasts, the switch between soft and sharp, and the execution of that idea is pretty great. I don’t love Yeezus. It would take someone made of tougher stuff than me to love an album with this many jagged edges, that goes out of its way to spit in your face so often. But I do admire it, because in a musical world increasingly defined by the monotony that the streaming economy rewards, Yeezus sticks out as a legitimately bold move. I can’t think of an artist today with the sort of stature that Kanye had in 2013 who would release something this intense and unusual. It isn’t my favorite Kanye album, but it probably represents his peak as an artist who commanded real respect and attention. Now he commands none of either, and that just makes Yeezus even more of a feel-bad album than it already was. Would be a shame if he didn’t deserve it. Best song: Blood on the Leaves

Exceptionally average 70s rock. Consistent, if unexciting. Best song: Bad Company, by Bad Company, on Bad Company

Shimmery, emotive, yearning soul music, like someone threw Aaliyah and Beach House in a blender. Great atmosphere and vocals. I’m into it. Best song: Normal Girl

This is relatively innovative, smooth, and cleanly produced. All that said, there is something I find profoundly lame about this album that I can’t dismiss. Most of it sounds like the music that would play when the henchmen appear in a bad 90s movie. Best song: We Have All the Time in the World?

The energy and sharpness of this album are cool, but the sound is pretty thin, the production is blah, and the vocals range from nonstandard to flat-out bad. It’s definitely a unique spin on punk, so I can appreciate it but I’m not a big fan of it. Best song: Slideshow at Free University

“Sophisti-pop” is not a genre label that excited me on first glance, but this is not only sophisticated but also emotive, well-written, and well-produced pop. It’s certainly lacking in edge, but it makes up for it in craft. Best song: Polly

I'm not really into Curtis Mayfield's love for falsetto, but this is still a very fun yet weighty album with a crystal-clear concept. Strong melodies and rhythms. Best song: No Thing on Me (Cocaine Song)

Well it’s definitely Siouxsie—lots of wailing, icy guitars, and foam-soft drums. I acknowledge the very distinctive soundfont and vibe that this album has, I just don’t really enjoy it. Best song: Carcass

Well that doesn’t really sound like the Who. This is a solid psychedelic pop album, though I also find it pretty scattershot and unfocused. (But isn’t a lot of psychedelic music like that, for obvious reasons?) There are some very melodic and pleasant songs here, just not quite what I would be looking for. Best song: I Can See for Miles

Somehow enormous and intimate at the same time. Kate Bush isn’t the most approachable but wow can she knock it out of the park once you get drawn in. Will return at some point. Best song: Love and Anger

Well that wasn’t very pleasant. I do like some of the guitar riffs here, but I don’t really like music that tries this hard to be dark and intense. Best song: Hero

An ethereal electronic album that relies on atmospheres and textures. Consistently relaxing, occasionally interesting, and sometimes forgettable. Best song: Weather Storm

That was definitely better than the last grime album I got. Unfortunately, that doesn’t mean it’s good.

Kinda sounds like diet Bjork with more synths. Not always my vibe, but there are a few quality songs here. Best song: Happiness

There are decent songs here, though the theatrical arrangements aren’t really my thing. I almost came to like this album, but sadly I can’t really get past Rufus Wainwright’s voice. He sounds like Thom Yorke if you sliced out 75% of his range and ability to emote. Best song: I Don’t Know What It Is

Not as high on this as I am on most Radiohead albums. This is probably their most difficult release, clearly a companion to Kid A but more muted and mysterious than that already kinda challenging album. The songs don’t get all the way there for me, but it’s still an interesting listen. Best song: Knives Out

Very 90s, from the cover on down. There are lots of good songs here, sharp, melodic, and performed with a distinct style. A strong album for sure. Best song: Stupid Thing

Sounds like Sam Smith and James Blake’s love child freestyling over orchestra practice. Best song: Fistful of Love

Bright, expansive, creative, and fun. A little different but a real treat. This list’s Brazilian music has been hitting so far. Best song: Dos Cruces

There’s nothing really wrong with this, but wow did it leave no impression at all.

There are not a lot of bands out there who are dumber and louder than Kiss. They are truly music for the lowest common denominator. And damn if they don’t rock. Note: I was not aware until listening to this whole album how hilariously out of place Beth is. Also the music tries to sell it as this deep emotional song about separated lovers, but it’s literally just a dude at band practice telling his girlfriend sorry but we’re still practicing. It’s only fitting that one of the dumbest bands ever has one of the dumbest ballads ever. Best song: God of Thunder

The most striking thing about this album is the chilliness of it. I’d always thought of John Prine as this warm folksy Appalachian grandpa, with my only real exposure being his funny and warm “In Spite of Ourselves,” but this album reads as dispassionate and cynical. “Sam Stone” paints a haunting picture of addiction while punching you in the gut with its frank statement that “Jesus Christ died for nothing, I suppose,” and “Pretty Good” is a biting dismissal of the idea that anything really means anything. Prine weaves stories of average people suffering under a grim and disinterested universe. Even the more comical songs, like “Donald and Lydia,” tend towards a cosmic flatness, as two outcasts who seem meant for each other never actually make it happen; they’re destined only to “make love ten miles away.” The opener, an ode to marijuana in “Illegal Smile,” seems friendly, but even it’s openly about using drugs to escape the misery of everyday life. This is a DOUR album. So to me, while this album is good and Prine is clearly talented, it’s not hard to understand why he never gained the wide audience that songwriters like Bob Dylan or Neil Young or Paul Simon picked up. Dylan was often cynical, but that cynicism came from strong emotion; Young was often miserable, but he was also sentimental and had a rah-rah electric guitar side to balance it; Simon was often dispassionate, but his removed character studies are usually more charming than sad. Prine is all three of these things, and he makes no attempt to water them down or make his songs more palatable to a popular audience. That goes to the sound, too, as his dry bleat of a voice lends little color to the spare arrangements. Charitably, he’s an uncompromising sort of artist, too honest to be accepted by the general public. Uncharitably, his music is too damn boring and depressing to earn a huge fanbase. Either way, I come away impressed by his talent but not necessarily excited to hear more. Best song: Hello in There

Bouncy, pitchy, goofy pop rock. The songs are kind of hit-or-miss, but I can appreciate this. It’s pretty fun, and Pharrell knows how to write a hook. Best song: Wonderful Place

Well it’s a massively regarded album for good reason. I’ve heard Pet Sounds several times and it always felt more like something I’m supposed to love than something I actually love. This time I definitely appreciated its scope and its craft, especially for 1966 and especially coming from a teen-pop band of surfer dudes. There are a couple all-time classics, especially the heartbreakingly gorgeous God Only Knows. But I feel like, I dunno, some of the songs are just not really cutting it? The album’s production is super overpowering and it does all the work in the weaker tracks, and I don’t love the effect of that. But whatever minor criticisms I can toss at Pet Sounds, its place in pop music history is assured. Best song: God Only Knows

I’d always dismissed these guys as one-hit wonders, but this is a pretty bright and fun genre mix that shows they had more to offer than just the one hit. It is very 80s, for better and worse, but I enjoyed it. Best song: Come On Eileen

Not really sure what this had to do with Kenya, but it’s a solid swing album with a neat mixture of Latin rhythms. Best song: Blues a la Machito

British techno slop. Pass.

A bright and heavy rock album with some funk influence mixed in. Nothing special, but a fun listen. Best song: Cult of Personality

Sensual yet robotic, sharp, seedy. I’m not really into the vibe or sound of this, but I can see how it might have impressed a lot of people back in its era. Best song: Red Alert

My first exposure to Stephen Stills was watching the Americana Music Awards with my dad when I was around 15. He was receiving some sort of lifetime achievement award, and the ceremony closed with him performing Buffalo Springfield’s “For What It’s Worth” with a giant band for about ten solid minutes. For What It’s Worth is a pleasant (if overrated) song, and I was willing to go for it. Then the performance started, and I quickly realized this band was going to attempt to go full Americana and mix at least five genres together—rock and roll, folk, country, psychedelia, blues, and bluegrass were all there, and most of them were not welcome. As the band riffed on and on, as countless white man blues guitar solos rained down, and as old man Stephen Stills kept wailing the by-then meaningless hook (“STOP HEY WUT’S THAT SOUND? ERRYBODY LOOK WHAT’S GOING DOWN!”), I became so utterly disgusted that I resolved never to watch the Americana Music Awards again. Listening to this album, whether fairly or not, reminded me of that experience. There are a few songs I like here, but it’s just a big fat messy hodgepodge that goes on way too long for its own good. Best song: Colorado?

That was stupid as crap, but the guitars were pretty nice. Best song: Are You Ready (For Some Darkness)

A very odd little album for something that apparently was such a big hit. Listening to it I think mainly of Talking Heads, as it has a similar sense of paranoia, but it sounds much lighter and softer than them and I’m not certain that works. There are some boring moments and some bizarre turns (Mother??), but the good songs are really good. So it’s hard for me to get a handle on. Best song: Synchronicity II

That didn’t necessarily sound horrible, but wow did I hate it. Worked about as well as you’d expect white man sex funk to work.

I get why this album is a big deal, but man it is hideously dated. There’s just not a lot here that I find engaging. Best song: 30 Days