960
Albums Rated
2.54
Average Rating
88%
Complete
129 albums remaining
Rating Distribution
Rating Timeline
Taste Profile
2010
Favorite Decade
Hip-hop
Favorite Genre
US
Top Origin
Perfectionist
Rater Style ?
20
5-Star Albums
68
1-Star Albums
Breakdown
By Genre
Top Styles
By Decade
By Origin
Albums
You Love More Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Yeezus
Kanye West
|
5 | 2.75 | +2.25 |
|
Only Built 4 Cuban Linx
Raekwon
|
5 | 2.84 | +2.16 |
|
The Renaissance
Q-Tip
|
5 | 3.24 | +1.76 |
|
1989
Taylor Swift
|
5 | 3.26 | +1.74 |
|
Liquid Swords
GZA
|
5 | 3.29 | +1.71 |
|
Channel Orange
Frank Ocean
|
5 | 3.33 | +1.67 |
|
Fear Of A Black Planet
Public Enemy
|
5 | 3.34 | +1.66 |
|
Be
Common
|
5 | 3.35 | +1.65 |
|
Speakerboxxx/The Love Below
OutKast
|
5 | 3.46 | +1.54 |
|
Butterfly
Mariah Carey
|
4 | 2.48 | +1.52 |
You Love Less Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Dummy
Portishead
|
1 | 3.71 | -2.71 |
|
Kid A
Radiohead
|
1 | 3.7 | -2.7 |
|
Moondance
Van Morrison
|
1 | 3.69 | -2.69 |
|
The Gershwin Songbook
Ella Fitzgerald
|
1 | 3.51 | -2.51 |
|
Rio
Duran Duran
|
1 | 3.5 | -2.5 |
|
Surfer Rosa
Pixies
|
1 | 3.49 | -2.49 |
|
Hail To the Thief
Radiohead
|
1 | 3.45 | -2.45 |
|
Amnesiac
Radiohead
|
1 | 3.42 | -2.42 |
|
More Songs About Buildings And Food
Talking Heads
|
1 | 3.42 | -2.42 |
|
Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea
PJ Harvey
|
1 | 3.38 | -2.38 |
Artists
Favorites
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Public Enemy | 3 | 4.33 |
| Kanye West | 3 | 4.33 |
| Michael Jackson | 3 | 4.33 |
| Jimi Hendrix | 3 | 4.33 |
Least Favorites
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Radiohead | 5 | 1.6 |
| Tom Waits | 4 | 1.5 |
| Elvis Costello & The Attractions | 4 | 1.5 |
| Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds | 4 | 1.5 |
| Neil Young | 4 | 1.75 |
| Talking Heads | 4 | 1.75 |
| Peter Gabriel | 3 | 1.67 |
| Van Morrison | 3 | 1.67 |
| Echo And The Bunnymen | 3 | 1.67 |
| PJ Harvey | 3 | 1.67 |
| Neil Young & Crazy Horse | 3 | 1.67 |
| Leonard Cohen | 3 | 1.67 |
| Bob Dylan | 7 | 2.14 |
| The Divine Comedy | 2 | 1.5 |
| Dexys Midnight Runners | 2 | 1.5 |
| LCD Soundsystem | 2 | 1.5 |
| The Fall | 2 | 1.5 |
| The The | 2 | 1.5 |
| Depeche Mode | 2 | 1.5 |
| Pet Shop Boys | 2 | 1.5 |
| Public Image Ltd. | 2 | 1.5 |
| Pere Ubu | 2 | 1.5 |
| Happy Mondays | 2 | 1.5 |
| David Bowie | 9 | 2.22 |
| The Who | 4 | 2 |
| Brian Eno | 5 | 2.2 |
| Arcade Fire | 3 | 2 |
| Deep Purple | 3 | 2 |
| Pixies | 3 | 2 |
| Madonna | 3 | 2 |
| Morrissey | 3 | 2 |
| Roxy Music | 3 | 2 |
| Tim Buckley | 3 | 2 |
| R.E.M. | 4 | 2.25 |
| The Kinks | 4 | 2.25 |
5-Star Albums (20)
View Album Wall
Popular Reviews
Sinead O'Connor · 4 likes
2/5
Similar to a lot of albums on this list, good singing but too slow and doesn’t grab my attention.
David Bowie · 2 likes
2/5
Great sounds in the background, but I don't think David Bowie still had it by this point.
Arcade Fire · 2 likes
2/5
Boring and inoffensive alternative. Felt like I was listening to a guy have an existential crisis for an hour.
The Zutons · 1 likes
3/5
Didn't know what to expect with this one, but ended up really liking it. Looking forward to hearing more from this group.
Talking Heads · 1 likes
1/5
Sounded like an album of people who try to be different just for the sake of being different. I'd pay to not have to listen to this again.
4-Star Albums (121)
1-Star Albums (68)
All Ratings
Gorillaz
2/5
Average. Lo-fi hip-hop tracks stand out more than the alternative rock tracks.
Eminem
3/5
First full Eminem album I've listened to. Brain Damage, If I Had and Role Model are the best songs. Solid rapping and production. I can think of 4-5 rap albums from 1999 better than this though.
Peter Gabriel
1/5
Not for me.
Eagles
3/5
Hotel California the song is a classic. Life in the Fast Lane might be my favorite from the album. Rest of the album is good, but not my taste. I liked how short and compact the album was.
James Brown
4/5
Good mix of jazz/blues/rock. James Brown is an impressive live performer.
2/5
Favorite song was Starlight. First half sounded like a Radiohead cover band, with the middle being more grunge and unique (which I preferred). The backhalf of the album went back to sounding like Radiohead.
Slipknot
3/5
Haven't listened to this since when it came out when I was in middle school. I enjoyed re-listening to it. The breakdowns were great throughout the album. Dead Memories was my favorite, I wish they had included more clean vocals on this album.
Pretenders
1/5
The sound of this album is painfully stuck in the late 70's/ early 80's and the lyrics come off as trying to be angsty and edgy.
Finley Quaye
2/5
Good singer, but I found myself enjoying the instrumentals more than the singing. No real takeaways from this one.
Aerosmith
3/5
I knew Back in the Saddle, but never knew the name. Sick as a Dog is my favorite track. Objectively a good album, but like most stuff from the 70's not my style.
Radiohead
3/5
Okay. Don't get the hype around this album.
Gotan Project
2/5
Production was good, but the vocals lowered the rating. The album also fell off on the back end.
Bad Company
3/5
Pretty good, sounds a lot like Pink Floyd. Some songs sounded familiar. Really enjoyed the guitar, especially on "The Way I Choose"
Arcade Fire
2/5
Good, but unmemorable album
Joan Armatrading
2/5
Great voice, but the album is a snoozefest.
Aerosmith
3/5
Janie's Got a Gun was my favorite. Not their best work, but Aerosmith still brought it on this one.
Jah Wobble's Invaders Of The Heart
1/5
Unorganized collection of random genres and vocals. There were some passages of some songs that were average, but no one track is even good on this. Then you add in the bad vocals on each track and there is nothing positive about this album for me.
Lorde
2/5
A little too slow overall. Supercut is the best song.
Elton John
5/5
I underestimated Elton John, this was incredible. Front to back this was amazing. The pacing and transitioning between songs were perfect.
Franz Ferdinand
3/5
Good album. Take me out is a 8/10. Rest of the album sounds too much like that song without being better.
Bob Dylan
3/5
A little slow in some parts, but the singing, guitar and harmonica were great. Didn't feel too dated even though this was from the 70's.
David Bowie
2/5
Great sounds in the background, but I don't think David Bowie still had it by this point.
The Divine Comedy
2/5
Fun album, but not one I'd revisit.
Tom Waits
3/5
Great background instruments throughout. The comedic and storytelling lyrics were fun at first, but start to drag as it goes on. Regardless still a fun record. Feels like a snapshot into history.
Dusty Springfield
2/5
She has a great singing voice, but this album is just too dated for me.
Ananda Shankar
3/5
I didn't know it was possible to shred this hard on a sitar. Really fun album.
The Monkees
2/5
Good albums for the 60's. Forget That Girl was the best song. Randy Scouse Gilt sounded the most modern.
Nightmares On Wax
4/5
Really fun trip-hop album that feels like you're chilling at a jazz club. I was surprised by how long it was that it only dragged in a couple spots. Looking forward to keeping this in rotation.
Neil Young
2/5
A lot of country style folk throughout the 60's and 70's it seems. Good voice, but the music failed to draw me in.
Jeff Buckley
2/5
Average overall, long stretches where the songs sound the same and it makes the album drag.
King Crimson
4/5
An album that almost demands you sit back and absorb its immersive soundscape—featuring incredible production. I understand the hype around this album now.
Buena Vista Social Club
2/5
Fun and energetic introduction to Cuban music. Not an album I'd ever listen to again though.
Deep Purple
2/5
Average rock, instrumentals are good but vocals are super dated. Space Truckin is the best song.
Tom Waits
1/5
Went into this expecting more like what I heard on Nighthawks at the Diner. Instead I got instrumentals and vocals that were grating to listen to for almost an hour.
R.E.M.
2/5
Great instrumentals, but the singer's voice has always sounded grating to me.
R.E.M.
2/5
Stand is the best song. Rest was bland.
Radiohead
1/5
Experimental, but not in a good way. Felt like they were trying to make a Nine Inch Nails album. Not sure why this album is on this list.
CHIC
3/5
Good Times is a timeless classic and has been sampled more than I can remember. Lyrics are forgettable, but the production is solid on every song.
Peter Gabriel
2/5
Sledgehammer is good, but all of the instrumentals are painfully from the 80's and there is a reason that style died quickly. Also his voice has always been grating.
Hanoi Rocks
3/5
Really enjoyed the instrumentals. Vocals were hit or miss throughout, but a fun album overall.
The Vines
3/5
Felt like a stereotypical early 2000's alternative album. Nothing bad to really call out, but also nothing that really stood out. Not an album I'd re-visit. Outtathaway and Homesick were my favorites.
Deep Purple
2/5
Good songs and a decent performance, but not sure why a live album like this is in this list. Especially when there wasn’t any cultural significance to this show.
ABBA
2/5
Dancing queen is a classic, none of the other songs really hold up to that song. Upbeat songs are fun.
Stevie Wonder
4/5
Incredible album. Recognized a ton of samples and influence this album had on other works. Too many good songs to pick a favorite.
Nine Inch Nails
2/5
Good industrial rock, the lyrics were lacking for me though. Favorite song was Ruiner
Queen
4/5
Great album. Freddy Mercury showed why he was one of the best ever. Instrumentals were great as well. You're my Best Friend was my favorite. Rock version of God Save the Queen was awesome.
Germs
2/5
Only giving a 2 because this reminds me of playing Tony Hawk games as a kid. I can tell the influence this had, but still a little to disorientating and raw for me.
William Orbit
2/5
Another decent instrumental album bogged down by weird vocals and spoken word.
Al Green
4/5
Let's Stay Together is a classic and my favorite track. No bad songs on this album and Al Green shows why he's a legend.
The Flaming Lips
2/5
Instrumentals are the only reason this isn't a 1/5. The vocals are grating. Sleeping on the Roof was my favorite (straight instrumental).
Girls Against Boys
2/5
Favorite song was Billy's One Stop. Instrumentals were good, but album was mostly forgettable.
Joni Mitchell
2/5
Help Me was my favorite. Pretty good album, a couple songs sounded like songs from the 90's. Some of the ballad-type songs dragged and made the album feel longer.
Van Morrison
1/5
Into the Mystic was the only song I somewhat liked.
Jefferson Airplane
2/5
Somebody to Love was my favorite. Great instrumentals and solid vocals. I can tell this album was influential. A couple of the slower songs dragged, but the majority of the album was up-tempo.
Led Zeppelin
3/5
Whole Lotta Love/Living Loving Maid/Ramble On are the standouts and tied for my favorite. Guitar solo on Heartbreaker was incredible. Amazing instrumentals and singing throughout.
Incubus
4/5
I Miss You was my favorite. Awesome instrumentals, vocals and lyrics throughout. All the songs had my attention. Great album.
Ice Cube
3/5
When Will They Shoot was my favorite. Good early 90's West Coast rap album and the first full Ice Cube album I've heard. Not as good as The Chronic though.
Echo And The Bunnymen
1/5
No real positives from this album.
Christine and the Queens
1/5
Make some sense was the most complete song on the album. Not completely bad, but really no positives on this for me. She's a good singer, but the music was so average at best.
Pixies
1/5
Experimental, but not in a good way.
Sonic Youth
3/5
The instrumentals throughout this are fast paced and incredible. I can tell this album inspired a lot of 90's & early 2000's alternative bands. The vocals are really the only thing holding this back from being a 4 for me. [Silver Rocket] probably wins out as my favorite.
The Verve
4/5
I've been waiting to hear a British alternative/rock album like this. A good mix of standard alternative with just the right amount of rawness and experimentation. I felt like only a couple songs didn't stack up to the rest, which was surprising since this album is over an hour.
The Adverts
1/5
Sounds like generic 70/80's British punk, but not as polished and versatile as something like the Sex Pistols.
Thin Lizzy
2/5
Standard 70’s rock that is done way better by other bands. I’d rather their studio album(s) be put here rather than an hour and a half live album.
The Lemonheads
2/5
Rudderless was my favorite. Average alternative album.
Dexys Midnight Runners
1/5
Generic and unimaginative 80’s music.
The Killers
4/5
Mr. Brightside is perfect and the obvious best song on the album. I hadn't heard the complete album before and was pleased by how strong the rest of the tracks were.
The Beach Boys
3/5
For being such an old record I was surprised how much I liked this. Fun songs throughout and interesting they have an early version of a skit at the end.
LCD Soundsystem
1/5
This style of blending electronica and rock can work and actually be really good, but this album doesn't show that. Had never heard anything by LCD Soundsystem before and was excited to finally listen. I'm going to listen to their other albums, but this was not a good start.
The Flying Burrito Brothers
2/5
Average, no real takeaways from this. Album dragged in a couple spots.
The Beach Boys
3/5
Had never really listened to the Beach Boys before and was suprised by how much I liked this. The album was fun and felt like the right length.
My Bloody Valentine
2/5
The first MBV album I've listened to. Decent industrial sounding instrumentals and vocals, but not an album I'd listen to again.
Motörhead
2/5
Ace of Spades is a classic, but this isn't an album I'd spin through again.
Snoop Dogg
3/5
Fun album, but one I used to enjoy more when I was younger. Gin & Juice is a classic, but Doggy Dogg World is my favorite.
Dinosaur Jr.
3/5
Never heard of this band, but I really liked this project. Freak Scene and They Always Come were my favorites. Feels like this album influenced a ton of 90's alternative artists and has a lot of elements that were used in 2010's pop-punk. Unfortunately the songs fell off in the second half of the album.
Common
4/5
First time I've ever listened to a complete album by Common and this did not disappoint. The production and rapping are incredible and gel together well. The entire album is great, but The 6th Sense is my favorite.
Radiohead
1/5
I genuinely don't understand the hype around this band, everything I've heard is bad or below average. There were not positives on this album for me except recognizing Frank Ocean sampled like 10 seconds of the intro of one song. One of the worst albums I've ever heard.
1/5
Not good and the half screaming type of singing doesn't work for her. You Said Something and We Float were the only half decent songs.
The Psychedelic Furs
2/5
The instrumentals were really good and captured the elements of what people like about 80's music. However the singer's voice was hard to listen to.
N.E.R.D
2/5
Okay, but NERD improved significantly on Seeing Sounds.
Little Simz
2/5
Pretty bad. She claimed she had bars on the first track, but the majority were wack. Some of the beats are the only reason this is a 2.
Radiohead
1/5
So bad. Horrendous album and band.
Kid Rock
1/5
I went in with low expectations and was still disappointed. I'm not a hater of rap rock, but Kid Rock doesn't do a good job of mixing the two. Wasting Time was the only song where I felt he found the right balance.
Manic Street Preachers
2/5
Some different rock genres going on in this album. I preferred the more alternative tracks, but overall the album never really grabbed my attention. Sounds like a standard mid-90's rock/alternative album.
Carole King
2/5
So far Elton John is the only singer who can make this genre of ballad songs from the 70’s palatable.shes a good singer, but didn’t do anything musically to catch my attention.
Sinead O'Connor
2/5
Similar to a lot of albums on this list, good singing but too slow and doesn’t grab my attention.
Boston
3/5
Fun 70's rock album that doesn't run for too long. Only downside is I had to listen to this one too much growing up.
Alice In Chains
3/5
Great grunge rock. The only drawback with this one is a lot of the songs sound too similar, which causes the backhalf to drag.
Portishead
1/5
I've seen this one on a lot of best albums lists and had been holding off. Went in with high expectations and was let down. The guitar and industrial sounds were okay, but the droning singing didn't resonate with me. This feels more like a movie soundtrack with no real direction or cohesiveness.
The Doors
2/5
Good guitar and drums, but large parts where the songs are directionless.
Bob Marley & The Wailers
4/5
Bob Marley is a legend for a reason. Great range and awesome transitioning on this one.
Norah Jones
3/5
Great voice and backing instruments. Got Christmas vibes from this one for some reason. However, another singer-songwriter album that doesn't really differentiate itself from others albums in the same genre. Was surprised to see this is one of the top selling albums of all time. Shoot the Moon was my favorite.
The Black Keys
3/5
Really liked the scuffed sounding mixing on this one, I like that the instruments weren't polished. It started strong, but it lost me in a few parts and I would've preferred a ton of other vocalists on these songs than the one we got.
Digital Underground
3/5
Definitely sounds super dated now, but for the time the sampling and lyrics are good. Not an album I'd re-listen to, but I'm glad to have heard it.
The Avalanches
4/5
Didn't know what to expect when I started this and my initial thoughts were this was a bit jumbled, but then once embraced that I started to enjoy the ride. This is an incredible beat and sample album. I especially got hype when the Raekwon Glaciers of Ice sample came on.
Japan
2/5
Good production and mixing, but completely forgettable.
The Fall
2/5
Great instrumentals, but the vocals subtract most of the goodwill I had towards this album.
Killing Joke
1/5
I usually don't mind industrial sounding music, but this was bad.
Funkadelic
3/5
Solid production. This was awesome through the first half then it lost me, brought me back and lost me again at the end.
Minor Threat
3/5
Standard 80s punk album. Great riffs and breakdowns.
Brian Eno
2/5
I can recognize the production value on this, while also recognizing how boring this is.
Various Artists
4/5
Solid Christmas album with a lot of these renditions being the classic go-to-versions of the songs. Nothing more to really add.
Isaac Hayes
3/5
Been a while since I've seen Shaft. The score is great, but not something I'd listen to on its own again.
The Electric Prunes
2/5
Some good riffs scattered throughout this, but this album failed to have any songs impress me.
Tina Turner
3/5
Not typically a fan of 80's music, but Tina Turner's great voice drew me in. Wish the backing instruments were more powerful. I ended up liking her version of Let's Stay Together more than What's Love Got to Do with It.
Justice
2/5
Okay album. The sampling here is much less impressive than something by Daft Punk or the Avalanches.
The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion
1/5
Not sure if he was serious with this or ironically doing avante-garde punkish music. Either way it's bad.
Kings of Leon
4/5
I remember when this came out and hearing Sex on Fire and Use Somebody. Those are great along with the other standouts like Notion and Revelry. Kings of Leon really impressed me with this album.
Black Sabbath
3/5
Solid heavy metal album that helped pioneer the genre. Great riffs, but Ozzy grew into a better singer as time went on.
George Michael
2/5
Decent production and great singing, but most songs just fall flat here. Freedom! 90 was the best song by a lot here.
Ryan Adams
3/5
Good folksy alternative album, but once again a lot of the singer-songwriter albums on this list have a problem where the songs blend together to the point where it's hard to differentiate between songs.
Green Day
3/5
Good punk album, but hard to rate it above a 3 when I factor in how much better their follow-ups are.
Talking Heads
2/5
If I didn't know anything about this album going in I would've been able to tell you it was a late 70's or early 80's record by the vocals. The singing is painfully stuck in that time period. The production was good, but more so in a I want to see if any rap producers sampled these instead of a wanting to listen to this record way.
Joanna Newsom
1/5
This was tough to get through.
Bob Dylan
2/5
I don't hate Dylan's voice like a lot of people do, but this one still doesn't do it for me outside of "Like a Rolling Stone".
Tears For Fears
2/5
I know most of the songs from this album are considered timeless classics, but I just couldn't get into it.
Iron Maiden
3/5
Solid instrumentals, especially guitar riffs, and vocals throughout. Wish I could get more into 80’s rock.
UB40
2/5
Mid reggae
Talvin Singh
2/5
Production was actually pretty good, but the spoken word really subtracted from the good of this album.
Television
2/5
I was grooving to this at first, but the novelty wore off as the album continued.
Black Sabbath
3/5
Great album with classics like Iron Man. 70/80's rock will never be my go-to, but this was great.
The Prodigy
4/5
Really really good. Not sure if it's better than Music for the Jilted Generation though.
Arctic Monkeys
3/5
Pretty good Brit-rock album. Solid instrumentals and I liked the singer's unique voice.
The KLF
3/5
Groovy 90's British electronic music.
The The
2/5
An album packed with all of the bad from 80's music, with almost none of the good qualities from that decade.
Barry Adamson
2/5
Not really sure what genre this one was. Okay, only really enjoyed the songs with hip-hop inspired drum beats.
The Strokes
3/5
I had always heard of this album, but never got around to listening to it. Pretty much got what I expected based on reviews I had seen. Great riffs and drumming and good singing, but ultimately nothing out of the ordinary for a 2000's alternative album. Just solid front to back.
The Kinks
3/5
I enjoyed the faster songs on here, which surprised me because I struggle with a lot of 60's albums. Slower songs are the reason the rating is dragged down.
Jack White
3/5
Great music with a variety of styles, the only drawback here is that Jack's voice kind of wears on me as this goes on.
Bob Marley & The Wailers
4/5
Great reggae album, even though I didn't enjoy this one as much as Natty Dread
Justin Timberlake
4/5
This one is littered with classics. Would rank it higher if not for a couple songs that don't quite reach the heights of the singles. Great album regardless.
Big Star
3/5
I was surprised to hear the That 70's Show theme here. Really good alternative album from a band I had never heard of before this.
Talking Heads
2/5
Copy and paste what I said about "Fear of Music". One thing to note is that Once in a Lifetime is prob the best song between the two albums.
Pearl Jam
4/5
Solid front to back from Pearl Jam. Not much else to say.
Anita Baker
4/5
Incredible singing and although I'm not usually a fan of 80's production, this album was nicely produced. I liked the concise run time because if this went over 50ish minutes I would've started to lose interest.
Public Enemy
4/5
Classic album with political lyrics/messages that are still relevant. Chuck D shows his knowledge of politically charged music history with how he helped craft this album. There's a reason this album is so influential to so many rappers, especially those that came through in the 90's.
Kendrick Lamar
5/5
Hard to put into words how great this album is. I remember hearing it when it first came out and instantly loving it. Front to back filled with bangers and thought provoking songs interchanging throughout.
Paul Simon
2/5
Good world-genre production. I've never been a fan of Paul Simon's singing though.
Jethro Tull
2/5
Not bad and I like the flutes, but it was hard to get into this. Just isn't for me.
Steely Dan
3/5
Good unoffensive 70's rock. Felt like a palate cleanser for some bad music I've gotten from the list lately.
The Go-Go's
3/5
I wish the vocals on this were mastered a little cleaner. I felt like the muted vocals took away from the songs, even though it made the solid instrumentals more pronounced.
Afrika Bambaataa
3/5
Funky and certainly influential as I recognized different parts that were sampled in rap, not to mention RATM basically ripped Renegades of Funk verbatim. However this is definitely sounds outdated and will be higher rated by people who were around when this was revolutionary.
Tangerine Dream
4/5
Nice spacey sounding electronic album. I wasn't excited when the first song was 17 minutes, but was surprised by how much I liked this.
Nick Drake
4/5
Crazy how this sounds like a late 90's/early 2000's alternative album (like something Elliot Smith would put out). Shows how this album was ultra ahead of it's time. Near-perfect instrumentals on this one and the only drawbacks were a few parts where I felt the vocals didn't mesh with the instrumentals.
The Modern Lovers
3/5
Great instrumentals that are fun to listen to, but the vocals on this are bad. The singer is trying too hard to sound like a 70's Britipop singer
The Clash
5/5
Classic front to back. Crazy how they made each song unique, but had the album still feel cohesive.
Red Snapper
2/5
I was interested on where this album was going after the first song, but it fell off significantly as it went on.
Nas
5/5
Impossible to overstate how much this album shaped my taste in music. I must have been 14/15 when I first heard this and it completely solidified my love of rap. The lyrics, flow, production, etc. throughout this is perfect. NY State of Mind or Life's a Bitch are in my top 10 rap songs of all time. The stretch from NY State of Mind through The World is Yours is prob the best 3 track run in any rap album. Just an incredible album front to back with an iconic cover to match.
The Boo Radleys
3/5
This what Britpop/Shoegaze should be, fun and unpretentious. This one is definitely all over the place and eccentric, which I loved, but that also means their is gonna be a few misses when the album is 17 tracks long.
Megadeth
3/5
Instrumentals on this are insanely good, but the vocals are too 80's for me.
Santana
3/5
Groovy and fun, not much else to add to this.
Adele
4/5
Incredible voice/production and each song felt unique in their own right. Not an album I'd return to often just because most of the album has been overplayed by now, but still a great album.
Underworld
3/5
Pretty much the definition of okay. Some highs and some lows, mostly the lows were the droning vocals that annoyingly distract from the instrumentals.
Moby
2/5
A few good tracks with a lot of filler. The blues vocal samples got repetitive, but then the droning vocals came in and I wanted the blues samples back.
The White Stripes
3/5
Pretty standard late 90's/early 2000's alternative album. I was surprised that this was their 3rd album, because they still sound a little raw throughout this.
Napalm Death
3/5
Dope instrumentals and breakdowns. I feel like I'm more used to this style of singing than the average person and can still find it grating over the course of 28 tracks.
Ella Fitzgerald
1/5
Singing is fine, but I've never been one to groove to some 50's swing. Also way too long.
Radiohead
2/5
After hearing Planet Telex I thought I was finally in for a good Radiohead album. But then they followed that track up with more pretentious rock.
Youssou N'Dour
3/5
Pretty good, interesting to hear once but wouldn't listen again.
Donovan
1/5
The first track was a fun blend of psychedelic rock and folk. Then the second track started the streak of pretentious folk songs. The Trip was a nice style shift to something more like the opening track and then the album closed out with more pretentious folk.
2Pac
4/5
2Pac is on top of his game in terms of lyrics and flow on this one. A couple skips on this one for me, but Dear Mama will always be a classic. Lord Knows and Old School are standouts as well.
The Stone Roses
4/5
I wish more music from the 80's sounded like this.
Lou Reed
2/5
Just okay. I know Walk on the Wild Side was/is popular, but it really only registered for me because ATCQ sampled it.
Metallica
3/5
Great thrash metal album. I think this one will rise with subsequent listens.
Dire Straits
2/5
The songs just seemed to wander and never really go anywhere.
Madonna
2/5
Like a Prayer is a classic song, but the rest is just safe unimaginative 80's pop.
Pink Floyd
3/5
Good concept, but too long.
Massive Attack
3/5
The songs I like I really like, but a few of the slower songs on this drag it down.
Aretha Franklin
4/5
With classics like Respect, Good Time and A Change is Gonna Come I feel like 4 has to be the lowest I can give this
Dr. Dre
4/5
Definitely a classic and one that I remember hearing for the first time in my early teens. Dre and Snoop are good, but not great on this in terms of flow, lyrics etc. However their are some classics and I enjoy bumping it every now and again that it definitely deserves a 4.
Ozomatli
3/5
Genuinely had no idea what to expect before going into this one. Was pleasantly surprised by the rock/latin/rap fusion going on here. I liked the Spanish lyric sections, but the rapping is where this album gets high praise from me.
Foo Fighters
3/5
Good debut from the band, but their follow-ups are a significant step up from this.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
1/5
The vocals on this sound like something you'd find on a soundcloud track that has 14 listens and the person recorded on a cheap mic in their bedroom.
Hole
4/5
Didn't know what to expect with this, but really really enjoyed it. A lot of passionate angst, dope lyrics and bangers going on here.
Caetano Veloso
2/5
This has some groovy moments, but overall it's stuck in that 60's rock sound that is hit or miss for me.
Van Halen
3/5
Jump is a classic, but the rest of the album doesn't hold up as well.
Fleetwood Mac
5/5
Fleetwood on top of their game. Can't think of a reason this isn't a 5 star album.
Rod Stewart
2/5
Fine, but not something I'd put on myself.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
2/5
I enjoyed more of the hard-rock parts on the album, but the slower acoustic song "Breathless" might've been my favorite song. Overall the album just felt painfully average.
The United States Of America
3/5
Different. Not always in a good way, but it has its moments. The Garden of Earthly Delights was my favorite and the Mac Miller sample caught me completely by surprise.
Ride
4/5
Wow. Near perfect instrumentals and the only real drawback is the vocals are too droning in parts. This project is getting me into 90's Britpop/shoegaze (expect for Radiohead, I'll never like them).
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
1/5
Wow this was bad.
Air
3/5
I only knew of Air from "Alone in Kyoto" being played on Blonded Radio back in the day. Good album that doesn't do anything crazy and doesn't overstay it's welcome.
Hugh Masekela
3/5
Pretty good, I'm glad this project is introducing me to more jazz. Also loved having this on in the background while reading.
John Lee Hooker
2/5
Decent blues album with a great opener featuring Carlos Santana, but the rest of the album fails to meet the bar set by the opening track.
The War On Drugs
2/5
It's hard for me to explain but I feel like the vocals don't match the production on each song. Regardless this album is too one-dimensional. I feel like if I heard this at 18 I would've really liked it, but my music taste is different now.
Tom Waits
1/5
Calling vocals and instrumentation that you would expect from a drunken person "experimental rock" is an insult to experimental rock.
Parliament
4/5
Groovy all around.
Jeff Beck
2/5
Great instrumentals and mixing, but not much else exciting going on here.
Keith Jarrett
3/5
Another jazz album I'm glad this project introduced me to. Solid front to back. Gonna add this to my playlist for when I'm reading.
a-ha
3/5
The production on this is incredible.
Good, I especially liked "Love Lives Here" and "Debris". I look forward to revisiting this.
OutKast
4/5
One of the many incredible albums by Outkast. They showed their Southern style as well as their ability to mesh genres here with classics like So Fresh, So Clean, Ms. Jackson and Spaghetti Junction. Their is probably only a couple tracks I'd take off, but they don't detract from the album's greatness.
Os Mutantes
3/5
Groovy and fun. The breakdown on the first track surprised me and sounded super modern for an album from 1968.
DJ Shadow
3/5
A mix of really good and boring tracks throughout. I wish more beat tapes would either shorten the run time or if they insist on being an hour long, find a way to keep the listener's attention.
OutKast
5/5
Two Outkast albums in one week is nice. Although this album signaled that Outkast were starting to prefer being solo artists, they still combined to make a classic. Big Boi brings it on the first half with multiple rap classics and Andre takes it home on the back half with soulful and jazzy tracks. "The Way You Move" and "Hey Ya" are the clear standouts and still classics 20 years later, but the whole album is great.
The Cure
3/5
I've always seen this album on best albums of all time lists, but never got around to listening to it. After listening I see why so many people include it in those lists. For me, the instrumentals are incredible throughout with the only drawback being that the vocals are hit or miss depending on the song.
R.E.M.
2/5
“Laughing” was incredible, but nothing really else impressive on this album.
CHVRCHES
4/5
Incredible album front to back. I remember hearing CHVRCHES the first time with "We Sink" on FIFA 14. That led me to hearing "The Mother We Share" and ultimately this album. Glad to see this included in the list.
Arcade Fire
2/5
Boring and inoffensive alternative. Felt like I was listening to a guy have an existential crisis for an hour.
The Zutons
3/5
Didn't know what to expect with this one, but ended up really liking it. Looking forward to hearing more from this group.
The Dandy Warhols
4/5
This is what a Radiohead album would sound like if they actually made good music. Great 90's Brit-rock album.
David Bowie
2/5
Standard Bowie album that starts out with a timeless classic and dwindles down over the rest of the album.
Talking Heads
1/5
Sounded like an album of people who try to be different just for the sake of being different. I'd pay to not have to listen to this again.
The Beau Brummels
2/5
Easy listening, but unimaginative and boils down to just standard 60's rock.
Lynyrd Skynyrd
3/5
Classic southern rock
R.E.M.
3/5
Great record. I’ve really only ever been a fan of their classics, but this album expanded their catalog for me.
Kanye West
4/5
This one takes me back to freshman year of high school. One of the best albums of the 2010s and Kanye's most cohesive work. This album is packed with so many top producers, great features and classic tracks. It sucks Kanye went crazy.
Pink Floyd
3/5
Great, but doesn't match the heights of Dark Side of the Moon.
Beth Orton
2/5
Not bad, but a lot of filler you have to sit through to get to the good songs. I enjoyed a few songs, especially "Pass In Time" and the grunge/folk elements of the production. However, over an hour long album her voice can start to be hard to listen to at times.
Crosby, Stills & Nash
2/5
Nice chill folk music, but completely forgettable.
Scritti Politti
2/5
Sounds like they were setting out to make an album with only radio friendly song. The result is an album where no song stands out.
Pantera
3/5
I've never been a big fan of Pantera, but I found myself enjoying this one. Although the front half is stronger than the back half.
Miles Davis
4/5
As smooth as it gets.
Iggy Pop
3/5
Fun 70's rock from a legend.
Leonard Cohen
2/5
I liked "Suzanne", but outside of that song everything else was too slow and droning.
Devendra Banhart
2/5
Good instrumentals, but his voice is tough to listen to.
Led Zeppelin
3/5
Legendary band with a great album here.
Deep Purple
2/5
An example of a solid 70's rock album. Drums and guitar were incredible, but I wish the vocals kept up with the production value. I don't think I'll ever be a huge fan of most 70's and 80's rock albums.
Weather Report
3/5
Really great structure and musicianship. Not sure if I'll return to this one though.
Jurassic 5
4/5
Just dope rapping, production and sampling. I can't believe I've been sleeping on this album. The last 6 or so tracks were just back-to-back incredible and a great way to close out the album.
Femi Kuti
3/5
Fun Afro-inspired jazz/funk to listen to on a chill afternoon.
Emmylou Harris
1/5
I try to be positive, but this was tedious to get through.
Rage Against The Machine
4/5
A lot of power, anguish and angst. I hadnt heard this album in a while, so I’m glad it popped up on this list. Dope album.
Otis Redding
3/5
Classic after classic on this one. I need to research rap samples from this album, it has to have been picked apart by producers.
Prince
3/5
Good, but Prince has better albums in Purple Rain and Controversy that reach better heights and don't drag on so long.
The Smashing Pumpkins
4/5
Just a great album and one that holds up really well 30 years later.
Janelle Monáe
2/5
Good singing by Janae and intriguing production, but I just could not get into this album for some reason.
Abdullah Ibrahim
4/5
Whenever I get a jazz album I never know what to expect, mostly because I haven't expanded my music catalog enough. This album blew me away though, great album.
Malcolm McLaren
2/5
Groovy, but this album has no idea what genre it wants to be. The hip-hop tracks were good, but unimaginative for a time when hip-hop was the wild west. It's also jarring going from hip-hop to latin music so quickly and without any transition.
New York Dolls
3/5
Good version of American glam-rock/early punk.
Fleet Foxes
3/5
Pretty good. It's like a folkier version of "Only by the Night" by Kings of Leon
David Bowie
2/5
I can appreciate what Bowie was going for here, but I'm not really trying to listen to experimental rock from a 68 year old Bowie.
Bob Dylan
2/5
I'm starting to get a little Bob Dylan'ed out after this 3rd album given to me. I'm afraid of how many more I have to go. I think I enjoyed his harmonica the most on this album compared to the other two, but this one definitely dragged on too long.
The Zombies
2/5
I like hearing different experimental albums, but this one was largely forgettable.
The Smiths
2/5
The instrumentals are so good, but then Morrissey's vocals come in and ruin the songs.
2/5
The vocals took me a minute to get into, but once they did I started to like the singing style. My biggest gripe is that some of the songs are aimless and go in varied directions, but despite that parts of this sound super modern and seems like this influenced groups like the White Stripes and others.
Willie Colón & Rubén Blades
3/5
I don't speak spanish and I'm not well versed in salsa music, but based off pure vibes this was fun.
GZA
5/5
My favorite rap album of all time. The intro sample is incredible and pulls the listener in immediately (it is also my favorite movie sample from any Wu-Tang album). Every song is perfect on here and tells a unique story critical to the album. GZA's rapping is compact and he doesn't waste any rhymes or lyrics while RZA on the other side perfected the abstract production he developed on Enter the Wu-Tang. No bad verses, no bad instrumentals/samples, and no bad features. A perfect album.
Miles Davis
4/5
A 2 song 40 minute album. King shit.
Fishbone
2/5
Some good ska/punk tracks here mixed in with some sub-par tracks.
Dusty Springfield
2/5
Good singer, but way too 60's sounding for me.
David Bowie
2/5
Just okay, nothing more nothing less.
2/5
Standard old school country. Title track is great and catchy, but the rest not so much.
Belle & Sebastian
1/5
Would it kill the singer to show a little emotion? A complete waste of decent instrumentals.
Sade
3/5
Smooth and has plenty of classics. Sade's singing is great and the production is consistent, but I wish it had a little more edge to it.
3/5
I have no idea what any of the lyrics were saying, but I really enjoyed the soundscape Suba created here. I wish more tracks were like the opener, that probably would've made this higher rated.
Brian Eno
3/5
I always have soft spots for instrumental/ambient albums I can throw on in the background while reading or doing chores. Brian Eno exceeded my expectations on this one. This album is definitely get more plays from me.
Louis Prima
2/5
Fun and eccentric, but not something I would return to.
Marianne Faithfull
2/5
Good production with lackluster vocals.
The Temptations
3/5
Groovy, but also eccentric and all over the place. I enjoyed the ride regardless though.
Throwing Muses
3/5
Good, not great, 80's punk.
Fats Domino
3/5
Legend of the game.
Cee Lo Green
2/5
Some good tracks with impressive singing and production, but the sound is all over the place and too many misses on this.
The Residents
1/5
I don't need this in my life.
Depeche Mode
1/5
The vocals on this are so bad and stereotypically 80's that it borders on parody.
Jorge Ben Jor
2/5
I enjoy the non-english language albums on this list because I most likely never would've listened to them on my own. This one is vibey in parts, but overall a bit too wacky and over-the-top for me.
AC/DC
3/5
The title track, Shot Down in Flames, and If You Want Blood are the standouts for me. The rest is solid, but doesn’t reach the heights of those 3.
Gene Clark
2/5
An album where I didn't know what to expect with each song, which can be fun but here it just felt jumbled.
Prince
4/5
Prince was truly one of a kind. It's hard not to love this with Prince's funk, suaveness, uniqueness, etc in top form here.
X-Ray Spex
2/5
Horrendous vocals. The instrumentals are the only thing slightly saving this.
Love
3/5
I enjoyed this one. It doesn't do anything crazy or unique, but it's just nifty throughout.
John Lennon
2/5
Fine, but the mixing is off and makes the listening experience worse.
Charles Mingus
3/5
I'm not well versed in jazz, so it's gonna take a few more listens for me to feel solid in my rating. But on first listen I really enjoyed this.
B.B. King
2/5
Fun vibe with the live band and crowd interaction, but not an album I'd return to.
KISS
3/5
Really fun and kick-ass record from a legendary group.
Fugees
4/5
Dope production, rapping and singing with carefully crafted lyrics. All around amazing.
Khaled
2/5
Nice change of pace, but not something I will ever listen to ever again. "C'est la nuit" is a beautiful song.
Kate Bush
1/5
If I was sitting down when I was listening to this I would've fallen asleep.
Marvin Gaye
4/5
A legendary album filled with beautiful and magnificent storytelling. Gaye was a master with his lyrics and sound throughout. I've listened to this many times, but each time makes me realize more just how influential this album has been on generations of artists that followed.
Fairport Convention
2/5
Not bad musically, just not my style at all.
Donald Fagen
2/5
Extremely middle of the road album. A couple radio friendly hits mixed in with some misses for me.
D'Angelo
3/5
Solids R&B album front-to-back from a VA legend, but I've always felt Voodoo was better and more complete.
Buddy Holly & The Crickets
3/5
A couple snoozers on here, but also some straight heat that makes up for the lesser tracks.
Slint
3/5
Production on the first few tracks was incredible with the only drawback being the vocals. As the album continued the production value dropped, but this is still a very good album overall.
Nick Drake
2/5
I loved Pink Moon so I had high hopes for this, but this never reached the same heights. The production and instrumentation was great, but the vocals weren’t on the same level and I felt like the mixing was off.
Bruce Springsteen
2/5
This suffers from the fact that I’ve heard his material from his peak. This takes a backseat to his later material.
Hawkwind
1/5
This album is a trip, not a good one, but definitely a trip.
Everything But The Girl
3/5
Music for shopping at Zara/H&M (not in a bad way). The first half of the album is way stronger than the back half.
Everything But The Girl
2/5
I had never heard of this group and now I've got two of their albums in back-to-back days. I enjoyed the other much more than this one. This one was just unoffensive 80's soft-pop. "These Early Days" was a fun track though.
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
2/5
This started strong and I preferred the fact that it was a live album instead of a studio. But as this went on it fell off hard for me. The experimental guitar on the back-half helps salvage something positive.
The Young Rascals
3/5
60's pop-rock isn't usually in my wheelhouse, but I found myself really enjoying this album.
Stevie Wonder
3/5
Good, but not up to par with Stevie's best.
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
2/5
Standard 70's rock with nothing special.
The Mothers Of Invention
3/5
Incredible production for an album from the 60's. This really pulls me in in parts and then other parts were tough to sit through. Overall a fun experience though.
A Tribe Called Quest
4/5
As someone who is a fan of The Low End Theory and Midnight Marauders, I've surprisingly never made it around to listening to ATCQ's debut. I enjoyed this as the production is crisp and you can see they are starting to develop their classic sound. The downsides are the lyrics and flows are definitely dated and this feels more like a Q-Tip album with Phife Dawg only providing features. One of the things I love about their later releases is Q-Tip and Phife Dawg going back and forth and neither of them dominating the stage.
Buffalo Springfield
2/5
The ending of "Bluebird" had some really nice production, but other than that the album was below average.
Bill Evans Trio
2/5
This project is helping my figure out what type of jazz is for me. This was fine, but doesn’t impress me as much as some others I’ve heard from this list.
The Byrds
2/5
Below average, even for the 60s.
Frank Sinatra
2/5
Sinatra’s singing was smooth, but I would’ve preferred this was an instrumental album because I much preferred the backing music. Ultimately the elevator music accusations are true with this one.
Nirvana
4/5
A “classic” that I had never gotten around to listening to. A great intimate feeling acoustic set. I was surprised this was more lesser known tracks and covers, but I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Beck
2/5
Eclectic and unfocused on a track-to-track basis.
The Yardbirds
2/5
Average production even for the 60's with vocals painfully from that decade. Feels like this is trying too hard to imitate the Beatles or the Beach Boys.
Eurythmics
2/5
Title track is a classic, but the rest is just droning vocals with cliche 80’s synths.
Violent Femmes
2/5
Some catchy parts. Some fun parts. But overall mostly shouty vocals and average production.
Björk
4/5
I had never listened to a full Björk album before and was absolutely blown away by this. Her vocals take a minute to get used to, but once I got used to them I was hooked in. The production on this is insanely well done.
Belle & Sebastian
3/5
At first I thought this was gonna be a folk rock snooze-fest, but the album really picked up when it switched to 90's Oasis-style alternative/Brit-rock. The vocals really hold this one back from being higher.
Neil Young
2/5
Vocals are still hit-or-miss for me, but I enjoyed the more experimental production on this.
Willie Nelson
3/5
Chill vibes from Willie. Certified legend status.
Stan Getz
3/5
I don't know much about bossa nova, but this was a lot of fun. Bonus points for this being recorded in D.C. and one of the artists being from Suffolk.
Aimee Mann
3/5
Super average 90's alternative/pop-rock album, but not in a way I completely hate. Nothing new or exciting here, but I still had fun listening.
Coldplay
4/5
Great debut album. Although the music wasn't groundbreaking or experimental, they still made it unique.
Michael Jackson
4/5
Considered a classic for a reason. I was surprised when I found out it took him 5 years to follow-up on Thriller, but the time in between the two paid off. It sounds like it's from the 80's, but with this album that doesn't bother me as much as other albums I've heard from that time period. Incredible production and singing from front-to-back.
Rod Stewart
3/5
Rod Stewart's voice can be grating a lot of the time. Here though I absolutely loved how it meshed with the production.
Sister Sledge
4/5
Funky and fun. A pristine example of good 70's disco production with great vocals on top.
Animal Collective
3/5
Experimental alternative/indie-pop that you can tell is from the mid to late 2000's. A unique album with each song being hit or miss for me.
Jacques Brel
2/5
I usually like the foreign language albums on this list, but I couldn't get into this one.
David Bowie
3/5
This gets a 3 based off Moss Garden and Neuköln alone.
Taylor Swift
5/5
A classic and a great full embrace of pop by Taylor.
George Jones
3/5
Groovin through George Jones’ pain
My Bloody Valentine
2/5
Some okayish production somewhat saves this, but overall pretty bad from a well-known group.
Green Day
5/5
An album that helped define my childhood.
Stephen Stills
2/5
This had potential after the first song, but fell off after.
The Bees
2/5
Average production mixed with lazy vocals. Not a recipe that excites me.
2/5
I've never heard of XTC before, and I'm not sure this was the best place to start
Public Enemy
5/5
Rowdy, rude, and in your face. Flavor Flav with a bigger role than on ITANOMTHUB. Chuck D in prime form. Perfect production from the Bomb Squad.
Lightning Bolt
3/5
Glad they realized 41 minutes was the perfect length for this and didn't drag it out. Some dope sections throughout this.
Leftfield
3/5
The review that said this was music from a PS2 racing game was correct, but in a good way. Also I'm pretty sure they sampled the Macarena on the first track.
Blur
3/5
Pretty good, but definitely stuck in the 90's. Song 2 is the clear standout.
Beastie Boys
4/5
Great sounds and a lot of versatility shown. I enjoyed the different styles and sounds, but from an album cohesion standpoint it was slightly disordered.
The Police
2/5
I like the chill vibes, but this really falls off in the back half.
The Streets
2/5
Below average concept with a horrible execution. WASPY dude rapping off beat on some average at best beats isn't a recipe for success.
The Temptations
3/5
Groovy and soulful.
Echo And The Bunnymen
2/5
This has the elements to be something I would like, but just completely falls flat for me.
Ramblin' Jack Elliott
2/5
Too much ramblin' for me.
3/5
Happy to add this one to my relaxing/slow day music rotation.
Primal Scream
2/5
Painfully average with a lot of tracks that should’ve stayed on the drawing board.
Dizzee Rascal
3/5
Some good UK-specific drill beats, but Dizzee's flows and bars are average at best on this. It's prob not fair to compare the two, but US rap in the 90's was already more imaginative than this.
Jeru The Damaja
4/5
Certified underground classic. Jeru provides great bars and flow, but Preemo steals the show with gritty and abstract production.
5/5
Top-tier 90’s Brit Rock.
Queens Of The Stone Age
3/5
90's dad rock. Not bad, but it would be hard for any album like this to get above a 3.
The Dave Brubeck Quartet
4/5
The epitome of cool jazz. This is what I'd want to hear if I was chilling in a jazz club.
Kraftwerk
4/5
This impressed me in 2024, if I heard this in 1978 my mind would've been blown.
Crowded House
2/5
A 90’s album painfully stuck in a sound from the 80’s.
Cypress Hill
4/5
Super fun and creative album. A relic from an era of rap that was the wild west when the genre was innovating at warp speed.
Elastica
2/5
No track had a good singing performance.
Pixies
3/5
I liked this so much more than Surfer Rosa. I still have a few drawbacks about this album, but I see why it was so influential. It was definitely ahead of the times.
Fred Neil
2/5
Chill country, but honestly too chill. I could've used some more emotion here.
Elliott Smith
3/5
Good 90's emo/alternative album, but I expected much more given how popular this album is.
Van Halen
3/5
Great shredding, but the muted screaming vocals found in a lot of 70's rock has never been for me.
George Michael
3/5
Just a fun 80's pop album.
Jane's Addiction
3/5
I wish every song could've been as good as Jane Says.
Ray Charles
4/5
Ray was in his bag here.
Beatles
3/5
Starts off with a bang but slows down as the album progresses.
Gary Numan
2/5
Very impressive synth-work and I can tell this album is influential, but everything outside of the synths leaves a lot to be desired for me.
System Of A Down
3/5
It’s been a while since I’ve heard this album. It’s still great, but doesn’t hit as hard as it did when I was an angsty teenager.
Bob Dylan
2/5
I liked how upbeat this was compared to some of his other works, but something about Bob Dylan's music just doesn't land for me.
Small Faces
3/5
Impressive for 1968. The front half was better than the back half though.
The Stranglers
2/5
Another 70’s album I just can’t get into to.
Grizzly Bear
2/5
Some interesting parts to this, but unfortunately those sections are mostly drowned out by the stereotypical hipster indie sections.
Blondie
2/5
Fun, but not an album I'd revisit (even despite all the classics).
Pixies
2/5
You can see the transition from 80's alternative to the more grunge style of the 90's happening here, but this one is still a miss for me.
2/5
Certainly ahead of it’s time, but still not for me.
Red Hot Chili Peppers
3/5
Album definitely drags in the middle, but still solid. It could’ve benefited from cutting a few tracks.
The Cardigans
3/5
I hadn't heard of the Cardigans, but was familiar with "Lovefool". Overall a really fun pop rock album.
Mike Ladd
2/5
I love rap and this was still hard for me to sit through. It sounds like something someone recorded in their dorm room and uploaded to Soundcloud.
Baaba Maal
3/5
I'm glad the project introduces me to albums like this. I wish it was shortened by a few tracks though.
Metallica
4/5
A couple filler tracks, but still kick ass metal.
Bert Jansch
2/5
Impressive guitar skills, but not much else standing out for me.
Morrissey
2/5
I liked the grimy instrumentals, but not much else.
Jerry Lee Lewis
3/5
Nothing to hate, but also nothing to love on this one.
Ali Farka Touré
2/5
Decent background music for me, but not much else I take away from this.
Beatles
3/5
I enjoyed the variety of sounds the Beatles were able to craft, but on the flip side I think the sequencing could've been done better. Altogether an insanely creative album for the 60's.
Frankie Goes To Hollywood
2/5
An album that was made for the 80's and probably should stay there. Also the Born to Run cover came out of nowhere.
Solomon Burke
3/5
From a high level this is a a great compact soul record. On a deeper level this is a great showing of vocal range, a mix of soul/rock instrumentals, and much more.
Jane Weaver
2/5
Some interest synth and dreamy-alternative sections. I'm confused on how something so average made it onto this list though.
Neneh Cherry
2/5
Fine in increments, but painfully stuck in the 80's.
Elton John
4/5
A classic from Elton John, but not as cohesive an album as "Madman Across the Water" was.
Fatboy Slim
4/5
Listening to this was fun, but Fatboy Slim definitely has better records.
Roxy Music
2/5
Nothing really here for me outside of a few interesting instrumental sections.
Mariah Carey
4/5
Great album showcasing some of the best 90's R&B had to offer. I feel like you don't hear the singles off this album as much as the singles off her previous album, which makes it feel less timeless than Daydream but it's still a great album.
David Bowie
2/5
My 6th Bowie album so far and my response is pretty much the same as the others. Bowie is solid, but not great here. I'm waiting to hear a cohesive album from him that really blows me away.
Leonard Cohen
2/5
Too slow, too dreary, and too boring.
Aerosmith
3/5
Good mix of kick-ass rock and somewhat-alternative (for the 70's) songs.
Common
5/5
Instrumentally - This is Kanye at the peak of his high-pitched soul sampling beat production. He took what the likes of Just Blaze and other producers were doing and reached an entirely new level by himself. Lyrically - Common shows us the experienced craftsman he is, which given this is his 6th album should be no surprise. To add, Common sounds just as hungry as ever on this. This album is the cherry on top of a great run of albums.
Bruce Springsteen
3/5
The boss brought it, but unfortunately it drags too long. This one starts to fall off the longer it goes.
Beck
2/5
A more melancholy Beck than I'm used to. Some good here (with really no bad tracks), but definitely a lot of meh filler that could've been refined.
David Bowie
3/5
I enjoyed the soul influences and something about Bowie's voice impressed me more here than on most of his other records I've gotten.
The Rolling Stones
2/5
Any goodwill regarding this album that I got from the first song quickly left as the album went on.
Grant Lee Buffalo
2/5
This feels like I was transported to a coffee shop in the early 90's and have to listen to a guy play grunge-folk for the entire place.
Faust
2/5
Interesting and certainly ahead of its time, but didn’t pull me in enough to want to explore their other works.
The Rolling Stones
3/5
Good, but certainly didn't live up to the hype that surrounds it.
LCD Soundsystem
2/5
The good songs I really vibe with, but the others just sound like TJ Maxx/Target music.
Billie Holiday
2/5
Good singing, production, and compositions. However vocal jazz is just not my jam.
Kings of Leon
3/5
I enjoyed this. It’s like a more raw version of “Only By the Night”.
Blur
3/5
Overtly British, but in a good way.
Chicago
2/5
I'd start liking with a song, but then it'd kept going for an extra 5 minutes to the point I no longer liked it. Rinse and repeat for the majority of this album.
Paul McCartney and Wings
4/5
The title track is a classic and the rest of the album, except for a couple tracks, matches the production quality and genius of Paul McCartney.
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
2/5
More meh from Mr. Young.
Simon & Garfunkel
2/5
Simon & Garfunkel create a soothing and comforting vibe, but as a cohesive album I found this tedious and dull.
The Only Ones
3/5
The vocals are grating, but the instrumentals kept me enamored throughout this.
The Sabres Of Paradise
2/5
In a time where electronic music was experiencing a ton of innovation, you have this which is just pointless sounds and noises.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
2/5
Clean vocals and production, but not something I'd re-listen to for fun.
The Undertones
3/5
Nothing bad, but also nothing incredible either. Just a solid punk album.
Dion
2/5
No idea why this album is on this list.
Derek & The Dominos
2/5
Good, but loses it's luster by being too long.
Bee Gees
2/5
This gets better as it goes along, but was still average at best.
Spiritualized
3/5
I can kinda see the vision they had with making a 90's alternative rock album with elements of electronica, gospel, grunge, etc. However they didn't stick the landing smoothly.
The xx
3/5
For such a talented group this felt unimaginative and too similar to a lot of alternative/electronic indie that was coming out in 2017.
The Offspring
3/5
Super fun 90's skater punk album. The type of album you shouldn't take seriously (in a good way).
The Chemical Brothers
2/5
Some cool breaks mixed in throughout, but even if I heard this live I wouldn't be impressed.
Simply Red
2/5
Fine, but this really is JCPenny's music.
Cream
3/5
I really liked this at first, but felt like it failed to expand on the initial sound as it went on.
Gil Scott-Heron
4/5
Production that is full of life and a political message that is still relevant. Great album.
Big Brother & The Holding Company
2/5
"Piece of My Heart" is fantastic, but the rest of the album paled in comparison.
Shack
2/5
I like 90's Britpop, but this felt uniquely bland and stale.
Suzanne Vega
2/5
The production was fine, but the lackadaisical vocals make this a drag to get through.
Burning Spear
4/5
I knew I was in for a treat when I immediately recognized "Marcus Garvey" as being sampled by Mos Def for "Do It Now". The rest of the album held up with a vibe that is infectious.
Dirty Projectors
3/5
The songs I liked I really liked, but this was a very inconsistent album.
Ladysmith Black Mambazo
4/5
I didn't understand most of what was said, but that didn't matter. This is impressive. I wish it had a little more "edge" to it, but enjoyed this regardless.
Yes
2/5
Less cohesive than the other project from them I got.
Culture Club
2/5
Great start to the album, but unfortunately it fell off as it went along. Still a fun album in parts, but too much filler.
The Pharcyde
3/5
I see what they were going for, but I feel like the execution just didn't work out. But that can sort-of be expected during such a revolutionary time of Hip-Hop.
Lambchop
2/5
Alternative music with a tinge of country. This made for an interesting listening experience, but didn't leave me with a lot to come back to.
Billy Bragg
2/5
It was hard to stay awake during this at points.
Sonic Youth
2/5
Not bad sound wise, just unorganized as an album.
Frank Sinatra
3/5
Masterful singing by Sinatra, but every song being about heartbreak starts to get old as this goes on.
Scott Walker
2/5
He has singing chops, but this album isn't for me.
Stevie Wonder
4/5
Soulful production with tranquil vocals from Stevie layered on top. A lot to like here.
Nanci Griffith
4/5
I wasn't initially excited diving into a folk/country record from the 80's, but this completely blew me away. Nanci Griffith is an incredible singer and the production is powerful without overshadowing her. In fact it perfectly lifts her up her vocals.
The Coral
2/5
They were trying a little too hard to sound like an early-70's band.
CHIC
3/5
Really fun record.
Simon & Garfunkel
3/5
This is another album where I can recognize its beauty, even though it may not align with my personal taste.
ZZ Top
3/5
I enjoyed the blues influence on this album. Goes without saying that "La Grange" is a classic.
Beastie Boys
3/5
I love hip-hop and what the Beastie Boys did for it. The album features excellent production, innovative sampling, and solid lyrics, but suffers from a lack of variety in the flows.
The Birthday Party
1/5
It's upsetting to think that people spent money on this.
The Pogues
3/5
Some good, some bad. A fun experience regardless.
Ray Price
2/5
This made for fine background noise while working, but definitely not something I'd ever return to.
Rush
2/5
Fun vibe, but not something I'd come back to.
LTJ Bukem
2/5
I enjoyed this sonically, it reminded me of N64 videogame music. As a complete record though this dragged on way too long.
The Rolling Stones
2/5
Way worse than any of the other Rolling Stones albums I've had so far.
Stan Getz
3/5
I'm not sure where I first heard "The Girl from Ipanema", but as soon as I heard it I immediately recognized it. Very smooth flowing album, albeit a bit repetitive although the short-run time doesn't make that too big of an issue.
Pulp
2/5
This wasn't hardcore, it was just bad.
The Smiths
2/5
The production is innovative and full of life, but Morrissey’s vocals are really distracting and don’t pair well with the rest of the band.
3/5
I got more into this as it went on. Nice composition and transitions.
The Saints
3/5
Pretty good punk rock from a group I had never heard of before. Nothing groundbreaking, but solid. I enjoyed the faster songs, which thankfully was the majority of the tracks.
The Who
1/5
I like the Who, but this was difficult to listen to. I get the concept, but they should've kept this hidden.
Ali Farka Touré
2/5
This seems like something I'd like, but I couldn't get into this.
Johnny Cash
4/5
An authentic and legendary performance in a unique location.
Randy Newman
2/5
I think I understand the concept, but man this is not it…
Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark
3/5
The vocals were not my cup of tea. However, the production, mostly because of it its prominent use of synths, had me engaged throughout.
MC Solaar
3/5
Since I don't speak French I can only judge this on beats and flow, both of which were good for 1991.
New Order
2/5
"Love Less" is a near-perfect song. It's a shame the rest of the album didn't get anywhere near the heights of that song.
Goldie
2/5
If you think of this as the soundtrack to a PS1 racing game it makes it more tolerable.
Korn
4/5
Sonically incredible with riffs and lyrics that are in your face. I love the Nu-metal and Rap crossover sprinkled throughout. Korn was really at the top of their game here. I only wish this was a few tracks shorter.
The 13th Floor Elevators
2/5
Initially, I found this engaging; however, my interest diminished as it went on. This definitely seems like an album I would’ve enjoyed if I was still in my late teens.
Coldcut
2/5
This started out okay, but took a sharp dive pretty early on. I'm also not sure why these British beat tapes from the 80's insisted on being so long.
Electric Light Orchestra
3/5
I remember my parents playing this record a lot growing up. Solid 70's rock.
Queen
3/5
Heavier and thrashier than their more well known albums.
The Shamen
3/5
Honestly this is Kids Bop-esque dance music. However, there is something about the positive vibes from this album that are infectious. With all the negativity in the world, we should be embracing more art like this.
Pavement
3/5
An album "stuck in time", but in a good way. A nice illustration of what 90's alternative/indie rock could do.
Songhoy Blues
2/5
While I have appreciated the majority of the African albums featured on this list, this particular one, despite its lively nature, failed to capture my interest.
The Good, The Bad & The Queen
1/5
If this was the singer trying their best, then I don't want to hear them on an off day.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
2/5
I didn't mind the slowness at first, but it started to become a drag as this went on.
Boards of Canada
2/5
This has good moments, but is way too long to the point where I lost interest in the good parts as they arose throughout the back half of the album.
The Police
2/5
Some fun vibes, but also some songs that should've never made the cut.
Brian Eno
2/5
The worst I've heard from Eno. He should've stuck to instrumentals.
David Ackles
2/5
This started off bad and didn't get much better as it went on.
Shuggie Otis
3/5
Groovy, but wish the songs had more "meat on the bone", for lack of a better term.
Buzzcocks
2/5
Raw, in a good way with an infectious energy. This is a good showcase of punk at the time, but not an album I’d return to.
Miles Davis
4/5
Definitely way more experimental and electronic than the previous Mile Davis albums I got. I was impressed by how well I enjoyed this, while being extremely different than his other albums.
The Monks
2/5
This album's production is both creative and influential. The vocals align with the creativity of the production, but their harshness affects the overall listenability of the album.
Robert Wyatt
2/5
Instrumentals were fine, only to be ruining by the singing.
Miles Davis
4/5
Smooth free-flowing jazz from Miles Davis. I was surprised to see this was a compilation because the album transitioned from song-to-song so seamlessly.
Blue Cheer
2/5
Add this to the list of albums that I really like the production on, but feel like the vocals reduce my enjoyment of.
The Isley Brothers
4/5
This album is so good that it makes me sad that I'm not a member of the Isley family.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
1/5
It just kept getting worse as it went on.
Joe Ely
3/5
This album creates an smooth atmosphere reminiscent of driving a pickup truck in a rural area with the windows down.
Björk
3/5
I was more familiar with Björk's vocals/singing style going into this album after getting Vespertine earlier in the list. I enjoyed the modern sounds, but still found myself hoping for more of what I heard on Vespertine.
Mercury Rev
2/5
Not annoying, but also not good. Convincingly average.
2/5
Some decent moments on here, but overall it felt like a poor Nine Inch Nails imitation.
Beck
3/5
With as experimental and out-there Beck is, there are always going to be hits and misses on his albums. Beck did a good job being experimental, but also having a sense of cohesiveness throughout the album.
Slipknot
3/5
Good, albeit this is a genre I much preferred when I was younger. The drums are always elite on Slipknot projects.
Ice Cube
3/5
Ice Cube's lyrics and flow are good here, but the production would benefit from being a bit more stripped down. Too much is going on in the background.
Grateful Dead
2/5
I'm sure seeing them live is an incredible experience, but as a studio album this was just average 70's folk rock. Sugar Magnolia was the stand out for me and I wish it was more songs like that.
The Sonics
2/5
Super raw and lo-fi. If you're going to cover classics you need to add your own twist or improve it in some fashion. Not just do a worse version of it.
Buck Owens
2/5
I'm sure this is influential in the honkey-tonk sub-genre, but overall this isn't for me. There were a few standouts like "Let the Sad Times Roll On".
Sonic Youth
2/5
Some solid glam rock, unfortunately it's tainted by an aura of pretentiousness.
Public Enemy
4/5
Lyrically and sonically a dope PE record. Although this doesn't hold up to ITANOMTHUB or Fear or a Black Planet.
Björk
2/5
I enjoyed Vespertine and Vulnicura, but this is way too vocal-driven for my liking.
Curtis Mayfield
3/5
A delightful brisk album from a legend.
The Cars
2/5
Unremarkable vocals mixed with forgettable instrumentals did not make for a memorable listening experience. There were a few catchy moments on this, but not enough for me to have any takeaways.
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
1/5
I know defenders of this album will stumble over themselves just to tell you it's a masterpiece because they intentionally meant to make it sound bad, but I don't buy that. This album sucks with the only redeeming part for me being a 10 second riff in the middle of "Veteran's Day Poppy".
The Blue Nile
3/5
I really only enjoyed the vocals on “Tinseltown in the Rain”, but man these instrumentals were flat out great. They made this album a joy to listen to.
The Undertones
2/5
One of those albums where I don't have anything to nitpick, but after listening don't have any moments from the album I remember. Bang average.
The Rolling Stones
3/5
Forward-thinking instrumentals that sound polished. A big downside is that this is the UK version that doesn't include "Paint It Black".
Eagles
3/5
I'm admittedly not well-versed in the Eagles outside of Hotel California, but I found this smooth and enjoyable.
The National
3/5
Solid alternative/indie that shows qualities of what the genre was like in the late 2000's/early 2010's. My only issue is that I kept waiting for this to take that next step, but it never did.
Air
2/5
Fine, but nothing memorable.
Elvis Presley
2/5
The upbeat songs were enjoyable, but the ballads really dragged this out. Which is hard to do on an album that's less than 30 minutes.
Supertramp
3/5
I’m not typically a fan of 70s rock, but this was a fun record.
Giant Sand
1/5
I should've taken chore being in the title as a warning.
The Specials
2/5
I liked the first song, but after that there weren’t many positives on this album.
Iron Maiden
3/5
Nothing special, but definitely kick ass metal.
Barry Adamson
2/5
I understand the concept, but the execution didn't work.
Johnny Cash
4/5
Johnny Cash singing about guns and coke in a prison...amazing.
Destiny's Child
3/5
Some standout tracks, but overall pretty standard late 90's/early 2000's R&B.
American Music Club
2/5
Pretty good, but in a way that I don't want to return to this. I enjoyed it for what it was though.
Nico
3/5
If you told me about this album without me listening to it I would've assumed I'd hate it, but I actually found myself enjoying this one. The beautiful production mixed well with her unique vocals. The only negative was some of the songs dragged longer than they needed to.
The Chemical Brothers
3/5
Good, albeit cliche, 90’s electronic. I’m just glad this one didn’t overstay its welcome. 50 minutes was a good length.
T. Rex
2/5
A rock album that was low energy.
Thundercat
4/5
Thundercat doing what he does best in a fun manner. I hate that this mid-2010's hip-hop/soul/jazz fusion is starting to fade away.
The Prodigy
3/5
A balance of "this is incredible" mixed with "this is dragging on way too long".
Beatles
3/5
My first time tackling this album. The Beatles have been a massive blind spot in my music listening history. Overall I found myself enjoying this and can easily see why this is considered a classic by so many. For me I found side-one more enthralling, with side-two still being very good, but not as punchy as the first. I'm excited to give this one more listens.
Elvis Costello
1/5
"This Is Hell" was actually written in reference to listening to this album.
Randy Newman
2/5
Cinematic production, but Newman's voice is too much to bear.
Adele
4/5
A showcase of Adele's impressive vocals. A lot of songs from this album have shown they have staying power.
Peter Tosh
3/5
A bit slower than I was expecting, but still good vocals from Tosh with great instrumental backing.
50 Cent
4/5
Classic rap album and one of the first I can remember listening to. It starts with the iconic coin dropping and includes classics like "Many Men", "In Da Club", and "21 Questions" with underrated hits like "What Up Gangsta" and "Heat". 50 Cent brings it on every song and a wide array of producers hit their marks production wise as well. It's crazy to think this was his solo debut and he made an album this highly-praised.
The Cure
2/5
The instrumentals were good, but I was expecting more from the Robert Smith.
Wire
3/5
Given it's a 21 track album, there was a balance of good and average tracks. However, I didn't find any songs bad and really enjoyed the guitar riffs.
TV On The Radio
2/5
I'm ok never listening to this again.
Neil Young
2/5
Neil should try to make his voice less grating.
Arrested Development
2/5
Fine, but for an album from 1992 this sounds like it could have been from 1988. For a time when rap was changing so rapidly, I would expect to hear more innovative sounds from an album on this list.
Frank Black
2/5
Nothing of note here. Just generic below-average 90's alternative with no character.
Tricky
2/5
This album should be nowhere near this list.
Iggy Pop
1/5
No thanks. No redeeming qualities on this.
Fairport Convention
2/5
This grabbed my attention at first, but lost it pretty quickly as this went on.
M.I.A.
3/5
As big as "Paper Planes" is, I'd never actually listened to this album in full. After listening, "Paper Planes" completely carried it, some other tracks were good, but came nowhere close to that song.
Duke Ellington
3/5
Extremely fun listen.
John Martyn
3/5
The guitar work really sold me on this album. Martyn's voice took me a minute to get used to, but once I did I found it meshed well with the instrumentals. No bad songs on this album, just songs I feel don't match the standard set by the best tracks.
Beatles
3/5
Good, but not great. I see why Beatlemania kicked off around this time, but the Beatles have much better projects.
David Crosby
2/5
Boring semi-folk/psychedelic rock for fake hippies.
The Youngbloods
2/5
Some nice guitar riffs, but that was about the only positive for me.
Todd Rundgren
2/5
This started off well, but then just turned into generic unoffensive 70’s soft-rock. If this was shorter this might’ve gotten a higher rating, but 25 songs was a lot to listen to without much variety. Also the random intro track about audio errors was odd.
Elbow
2/5
Largely boring and uninteresting.
John Lennon
2/5
Okay, but this mostly showcases that Lennon thrived much more as a member of the Beatles.
Count Basie & His Orchestra
3/5
Solid big band record that didn't overstay it's welcome.
Coldplay
3/5
"The Scientist" and "Clocks" are definitely the stars of the show here. I was actually pretty underwhelmed by the rest of the album.
Traffic
2/5
Just fine.
Thelonious Monk
3/5
I'm glad this list is introducing me to more jazz. This was a fun listen. It reminded me of Herbie Hancock.
Sex Pistols
3/5
Energetic and kick-ass punk, although some of the songs are more miss than hit.
Minutemen
3/5
Good, albeit a bit too long. Like a lot of punk albums the songs blend together at a certain point. However I felt the band did a decent job adding some variety throughout the album.
Eric Clapton
2/5
Decent vibes, but still not doing much for me.
Lucinda Williams
2/5
Country with a tinge of 90's indie rock. This was fine, but there is a good reason I've never heard of this.
Def Leppard
4/5
I've never really listened to Def Leppard outside of the hits, which there are many of on this album. Obviously I was impressed with the singles, but also found myself impressed with the rest of the album.
Lou Reed
2/5
Okay, but Reed's voice can be grating at times. Also this album felt a bit all over the place.
The Roots
4/5
More up-tempo than what I'm used to from the Roots. I enjoyed this more fast paced and in-your-face production and bars from them. Front to back a super powerful and enjoyable record. Every member brought their A game, as did every feature.
3/5
The first three songs are top-tier, but the rest of the album doesn't come close to those.
The Notorious B.I.G.
4/5
The lyrics and flows on this from Biggie show the talent he had. My biggest gripes with the album are the skits and the fact it has too much filler. Also probably not the best look for Biggie that Method Man outperformed him on "The What". Regardless, "Juicy" is still a perfect song to me and "One More Chance", "Big Poppa", and "Suicidal Thoughts" are classics. I just wish Biggie had slimmed this down a bit.
Björk
2/5
More of the style I don't like from Björk on this.
Primal Scream
2/5
This album changed so much from song to song that it's really hard to say what I liked and didn't like.
Arcade Fire
2/5
Felt very meh about this one. It sounded similar to other 2000's indie rock and I couldn't follow the album theme.
Orbital
2/5
Not horrendous, but I'm not in a rush to listen to this again.
Jimmy Smith
3/5
Smooth and makes for nice casual listening.
Metallica
4/5
Kick ass all around. Riffs, drums, vovals, pacing, etc.
Sebadoh
3/5
Super interesting record. I felt like it didn't take itself too seriously, but rather was just solid 90's indie rock with a hint of grunge.
M.I.A.
2/5
I liked this more than “Kala”, but it still wasn’t doing much for me.
Doves
3/5
I like when the list introduces me to albums like this. It's nothing mind blowing, but I enjoyed this album. It's definitely got an early Coldplay feel to it, but a bit more experimental.
Pet Shop Boys
1/5
Boomers will make fun of music made past 2010, but willingly listen to this...
Metallica
3/5
Dope songs made better with the San Francisco Symphony included. My biggest drawback is with the runtime for this.
Siouxsie And The Banshees
3/5
I was surprised to see this album was from the early 80’s. I found it to have a lot of elements I hear more in early/mid 90’s grunge/indie rock. Fun album that was ahead of its time.
Tim Buckley
2/5
Extremely below average.
The Beta Band
2/5
So painfully below-average that it makes me question the author's other picks.
2/5
Interesting and light-hearted fun, but not something I’ll be coming back to.
The Sugarcubes
2/5
I recognized that that was Björk immediately. I kept waiting for the songs to go somewhere and take that next step, but they never did.
The White Stripes
3/5
"Seven Nation Army" is the clear standout, but the rest of the album is solid.
Tom Tom Club
2/5
Not my cup of tea, but I can appreciate the fun vibe they tried to curate. Also points for creating the track that Mariah sampled for "Fantasy".
Madonna
2/5
This started off promising, then took a turn for the worse, then kind of got back to being good, then got bad again. Wildly inconsistent song-to-song.
TLC
4/5
Silky smooth production with a great blend of R&B, Rap, and Pop.
Leonard Cohen
1/5
Wow this was a chore to get through.
Public Image Ltd.
1/5
This is certainly music.
Dire Straits
2/5
“Money for Nothing” and “Walk of Life” are definitely classics. The rest of the album was meh.
Janis Joplin
3/5
Energetic record from an iconic voice.
Ian Dury
2/5
Unique, just not necessarily in a good way. I kind of see the vision though.
Bonnie "Prince" Billy
2/5
Dudes will secure a record deal and record a gloomy album instead of going to therapy.
Fiona Apple
2/5
Some decent moments, but the rest was just so boring.
Milton Nascimento
3/5
Another album where I had no idea what they were saying, but still found lots of enjoyment from.
Spacemen 3
2/5
This had some good ideas/sections, but they needed to be fleshed out because it mostly came off as erratic.
Magazine
2/5
I tried, but the vocals on this were just so bad.
King Crimson
2/5
This has it's moments, but this mostly felt directionless.
The Damned
2/5
I loved how this started, unfortunately it fell off as it went on.
Queen
2/5
I'm fine with this not having any of the hits on it, but Queen seems like they were still developing their sound here. I can see the vision that led to their success, however this album falls short.
PJ Harvey
2/5
I enjoyed the grungy vibes, but Harvey’s voice just doesn’t do it for me.
Heaven 17
1/5
Not good by 1981 standards and definitely not good in 2025.
Hüsker Dü
2/5
Given this is 20 tracks long and over an hour, there were some definitely some dope moments. As a cohesive record though this was below average.
Pere Ubu
1/5
The vocals were so so bad. Decent to average production couldn't save this.
Skepta
4/5
Wow what a throwback. I learned about Skepta in 2014 and was immediately blown away with UK grime. I remember the build up to this album and listening to it the day it dropped and being impressed. There are definitely some songs that were made to be more radio-friendly and commercially successful that stray away from his previous more underground style, but nearly 10 years later this still holds up insanely well.
Drive Like Jehu
3/5
Raucous and in your face punk. This was fun to listen to on a gloomy Tuesday while I worked.
Raekwon
5/5
In my top 5 rap albums of all time and one of the greatest concept albums I've ever heard. Raekwon took a massive step up from 36 Chambers, RZA bent his production style to show his versatility, Ghostface played the co-star role perfectly, and the rest of the Wu all brought their A game on their features. “Criminology” is one of the best rap beats of all time and “Incarcerated Scarfaces” is some of the best bravado rapping ever. Just a dope album from front to back that helped start the mafioso rap genre that inspired legends like Nas and Jay-Z.
David Holmes
3/5
Off the wall, but I really vibed with this.
Soft Cell
2/5
Sometimes you just have to admit certain music isn't meant for you. This was meant for UK club-goers in the 80's and not for me sitting at my desk working in 2025.
JAY Z
4/5
This album showcases the best of Jay-Z. He was in top form with great production from producers like Just Blaze and Kanye. Also Jay was in the mode of wanting to show he was the king of New York by taking direct shots at Nas, Mobb Deep, etc. Those disses didn’t work out for Jay in the end, but it gave us some great bars and had Jay rapping on another level.
AC/DC
4/5
Dope album front to back. I can't believe I considered this group "dad rock for boomers" when I was younger.
The Velvet Underground
2/5
I went in knowing this was an influential group from the 60's, but after listening I was left underwhelmed.
The Stooges
2/5
This album has it's moments, but overall it wasn't my style. I can easily see why it's influential though.
Quicksilver Messenger Service
2/5
Really good guitar skills, but this album was mostly directionless and honestly didn’t have any moments that stood out.
Dagmar Krause
2/5
An interesting storyline and the singing/production are good, just not for me.
Simon & Garfunkel
2/5
I enjoyed the large production on this album, but Simon’s voice is so hit or miss. He devalues some good songs with his talking and droning voice.
Skunk Anansie
2/5
This alternated almost by song whether I liked this or not. I loved the energy, but ultimately this was just too disjointed and inconsistent to give higher than a 2. I wanted to like this more than I did.
Van Morrison
2/5
Fine, but a live double album is usually going to be a chore to get through and this was no exception.
N.W.A.
4/5
One of the most influential albums of all time. Ice Cube's bars and Dr Dre's production are the main stars of the show, but the rest of the group showcased their skills well. For a group to only have two studio albums, but one of them to be so well known (everyone and their mom has heard of this) just goes to show how important and influential this album was, not just on music but on American culture.
Jimi Hendrix
5/5
One of those albums where I was just amazed front to back. I still can’t comprehend how Jimi Hendrix was so ahead of his time.
Sigur Rós
3/5
Going into this I was only familiar with "Hoppípolla", which I love. This entire album was a similar vibe to that song, which was both good and bad. The production and song composition are beautiful, however this thing can start to drag as it goes on. Regardless I'm excited to explore more from this group.
Terence Trent D'Arby
3/5
Over-produced in parts, but overall I enjoyed this.
Stevie Wonder
3/5
Not as good as his other albums, but still impressive.
T. Rex
2/5
Outside of "Bang a Gong" there's really nothing noteworthy here for me. The stripped down sluggish vocals weren't doing it for me.
Maxwell
3/5
Smooth, although without really any memorable moments. It's still good enough to keep in rotation though.
Goldfrapp
2/5
Even when the pace picked up this still managed to be boring.
Bob Marley & The Wailers
4/5
A perfect encapsulation of Bob Marley's talent. This album gets stronger as it goes on, with "One Love" being the perfect ending.
The Byrds
3/5
The guitar and drums stood out as impressive and innovative for the 1960s. The album maintained a solid pace throughout and never felt drawn out. While the vocals lacked strength, they didn’t detract from the overall experience.
Black Sabbath
3/5
Solid album with a heavy and dirty sound that Black Sabbath makes palatable to the listener. The guitar work on this album is the clear standout.
Happy Mondays
2/5
The mixing on this sounds like the singer and the rest of the band never talked to each other. They're on completely different pages with this. A great example of some of the worst elements 80's Brit-rock had to offer.
Steely Dan
3/5
This album doesn't do anything spectacular, but does well as an assortment of smooth laid-back rock songs.
Drive-By Truckers
1/5
Looking back, the only moments that stood out from this album were memorable for all the wrong reasons.
The Auteurs
2/5
This was fine for background listening, but not much else. It only ever got to an okay-level, never went beyond that.
Einstürzende Neubauten
1/5
Sure I know people say this is “innovative” and “influential” for industrial music, but honestly this is just noise to me. I’m not seeing what fans of this album are.
Jane's Addiction
2/5
This has it's moments, but it mostly felt disjointed. Which I'm guessing is because it was a weird mix of elements from 80's rock and experimentation of sounds that become prominent in the 90's.
Megadeth
3/5
The guitar and drums are dope and consistent throughout this, but the vocals are so hit-or-miss.
Rocket From The Crypt
2/5
An album that benefits from not taking itself too seriously. Also the band has great chemistry, but this lost it's luster as it went on.
The White Stripes
2/5
I appreciate that they tried a new sound with this album, but this was just not for me.
Dr. Octagon
2/5
Throughout this the beats are consistently decent (good never great), but the bars consistently disappointing. Decent flows in parts, but really nothing noteworthy. Also the Dr. skits just take away any goodwill from the better parts of this album.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
2/5
Another tough listen from Mr. Costello. Although at least this one was better produced than the other albums I've heard from him.
Earth, Wind & Fire
4/5
Typical EWF, upbeat and fun to listen to.
Christina Aguilera
3/5
I grew up in the 2000's so I have a love for the pop from that decade and this album captures both the highs and lows from that era. For the highs the hooks and melodies are catchy and blending of genres makes for great features from Lil' Kim and Redman. For the lows this album is bloated and over-produced in parts. Overall it was a fun listening experience.
The The
1/5
Spoken word style vocals over British synth pop is never gonna win me over.
Serge Gainsbourg
2/5
This isn't the worst thing I've ever heard, but this is certainly lacking a lot of redeeming qualities.
Beatles
4/5
I liked all the Beatles albums I've gotten on this list so far, but I was still waiting for that wow factor that helped me fully understand how they got so big. I think it finally clicked for me with this album. I love how experimental the Beatles got on this one, it's the perfect showcase of the entire group's talent.
Orbital
2/5
Fine for a 90's electronic record, but also nothing extraordinary for a 90's electronic record.
Kraftwerk
3/5
I didn't hate this and I didn't love it. Honestly I'm still not 100% how I feel about this, but I feel like it did enough to get to 3 stars.
Prefab Sprout
2/5
Some decent ballads on here, but too much 80's department store loudspeaker pop on here for me to enjoy it too much.
Sly & The Family Stone
4/5
An incredible display of creativity, charisma, and unity that comes together in an album that remains vibrant and timeless.
Fun Lovin' Criminals
2/5
This feels like the Kidz Bop version of Limp Bizkit. At least those guys had an edge to them.
Fatboy Slim
2/5
Ingenious? No. Unique? Somewhat. Too Long? Yes.
Morrissey
2/5
Idk if it was the mixing or production or something else, but this sounded like someone doing karaoke in a bar rather than a studio-recorded album.
Liz Phair
3/5
I didn't know much about Liz Phair going in but I enjoyed this. This album stood out, which is impressive because a lot of great alternative albums came out in the 90's. I was surprised to see this didn't particularly well during it's release, although it's impact seems to still be potent.
The Style Council
2/5
I usually enjoy albums with a variety of sounds, but this one took it too far—there were so many shifts in style that it completely lost its sense of cohesion. The songs I liked were good and the songs I didn’t like were meh, but no one song really blew me away.
2/5
A record filled with in-your-face anthems with a base of 80's punk and some innovative sounds that clearly was an inspiration for 90's punk/grunge bands. I can see the influence this record had while still acknowledging it's still a little too raw for my taste. I'm glad this list introduced it to me, even though I most likely will not revisit.
Solange
4/5
Another album I can remember listening to shortly after it dropped. Solange's vocals are the clear standout here, but an underrated aspect about this album is the cohesiveness of it all. The songs flow from one to the next so flawlessly. Solange manages to do this while also having every song sound unique. It makes for a great listening experience.
Black Flag
2/5
An interesting listen, but not an album I'll ever return to.
Marilyn Manson
2/5
Edgy just for the sake of being edgy. The production on a few songs somewhat saves this, but overall still bad.
Bill Callahan
2/5
So this guy really only has one way of singing?
Little Richard
3/5
This gets a 3 for the cultural impact. I'm not gonna return to this in the future, but I still found it enjoyable and the musical influence is obvious throughout.
The Incredible String Band
1/5
It's upsetting to know that Woodstock festival goers we're subjected to a 20 minute set from this group.
Le Tigre
2/5
Creative, but a bit too much over the place for me.
Scott Walker
2/5
This album has passion and production that sounds ahead of it's time, but honestly I couldn't get over the singing style.
Brian Wilson
2/5
There are some decent parts here, but overall you can tell these are mostly just Beach Boys throwaways.
Yes
2/5
Fine, but nothing more than just fine.
Kanye West
5/5
This isn't Kanye at his peak, but this is potentially him in his most innovative era. I remember the hype around this album before it released, then finally getting a hold of the leaked files and liking it so much that I still went and bought it at FYE. The influence this album had is insane. It sucks this album came out when Kanye was in a self-destructive period that just kept on spiraling to where he is today.
Christina Aguilera
2/5
Christina is a great singer, but she can’t overcome an over-produced and bloated album. Preemo didn’t bring his A game on the songs he produced, which is disappointing.
Robbie Williams
2/5
Better than I expected going in, but still mostly just extremely generic Brit-pop. Why did they make this guy a monkey for a movie?
Astrud Gilberto
2/5
A chill vibe, but not a lot of substance.
Depeche Mode
2/5
Some decent production in parts, but really nothing else good to say about this.
Iron Butterfly
2/5
I enjoyed the instrumentation and that was about it.
Astor Piazzolla
2/5
This might sound harsh...but this is a bit too boring for my taste.
The Replacements
3/5
I enjoy the punkier sounds of this more than the folk-rock-esque sections. Knowing nothing about this group coming in this was surprisingly good.
The Thrills
2/5
Upbeat and well produced, just not something I can find myself listening to again.
Madonna
2/5
The production on this is all over the place. “What It Feels Like For a Girl” was the only highlight.
Gene Clark
2/5
A better version of Bob Dylan, but still not doing it for me. Dope album cover though.
Red Hot Chili Peppers
3/5
I obviously knew the hits going into this, but had never heard the full album so I didn't know what to expect to get from the unheard tracks. I enjoyed the first half, but somewhere in the second half this lost the spark it had earlier. Ultimately leading it to ending without the spark I was hoping it would bookend with.
PJ Harvey
2/5
After the first two songs I thought I was finally getting a good PJ Harvey album. Unfortunately this got worse as it went on.
Nina Simone
4/5
Minimalist, but in a good way that leaves a mark on you.
Marty Robbins
2/5
Good performances, but each track blended together a bit too much. This had some fun moments though.
Queen Latifah
4/5
Incredible production and Queen Latifah killed it with her bars.
Frank Zappa
3/5
Still not really sure what I just listened to, but I enjoyed it.
Led Zeppelin
2/5
Fine, but this could've been cut down. It became a drag towards the end.
Bob Dylan
2/5
This just kept dragging on and going nowhere.
Mekons
1/5
You know it's bad when an album was only 35 minutes and it still felt like a massive waste of time.
Fugazi
3/5
Solid post-hardcore album from front to back.
Stereo MC's
1/5
My cat died this morning and the algorithm gives me this trash album :(
Suede
2/5
This would've been better if they didn't have a karaoke singer as a vocalist.
Spiritualized
3/5
I enjoyed the second half much more than the first. I'm still not entirely sure how I feel about it overall, but I liked it well enough to give it 3 stars.
Soundgarden
3/5
Some great highs, albeit a bit stuck in the 90's.
Jean-Michel Jarre
2/5
Some decent composition and I’m sure this was ahead of it’s time, but I just can’t get out of my head how this sounds like the outdated synths from A Clockwork Orange.
Wild Beasts
2/5
The second track was decent, but the rest was just completely unmemorable.
Ice T
3/5
Dope production and bars, albeit way too many songs.
10cc
2/5
The first half was surprisingly amusing, which made the fall off in the second half was disappointing.
Neu!
2/5
The first half was solid background listening music, but singing in the back half was a bit too jarring.
Carpenters
2/5
Better than expected, but still never better than something I'd hear in Macy's and think "that was decent".
Meat Puppets
2/5
Remarkably forgettable.
Tim Buckley
2/5
Average folk rock.
Sonic Youth
3/5
Better than any of the other Sonic Youth albums I've gotten from this list. They do better when the are more stripped down and raw. Less is more for them.
k.d. lang
2/5
Great voice, but some of these songs were close to putting me to sleep.
Todd Rundgren
2/5
Some really cool synth moments, but that was about all that interested me on this.
Dexys Midnight Runners
2/5
Not good, but at least it was upbeat so that's worth something.
Dead Kennedys
2/5
11 year old Guitar Hero playing me would've enjoyed this a lot more.
The Verve
4/5
"Bitter Sweet Symphony" is known by everyone, but the rest of this holds up as well. Great brit-rock album.
Pet Shop Boys
2/5
Why was this style of singing where you aren't really singing so popular in 80's pop?
Guided By Voices
3/5
About what I expected from a 28 song 90's rock album. Some good, some bad, and a lot of genre mashing.
The Last Shadow Puppets
2/5
Meh. A 2000's indie rock album that sounds like a lot of other 2000's indie rock albums.
Echo And The Bunnymen
2/5
This group getting 3 spots on this list was not necessary.
Laibach
2/5
The production was dope, but the singer's voice and style gets old very quick.
Shivkumar Sharma
2/5
A dope listen, but not something I'll return to.
Antony and the Johnsons
2/5
Unfortunately they chose to make the singer the centerpiece of the album, which really only works if you are a remarkable singer, which this singer is not.
Cowboy Junkies
2/5
I've got nothing bad to say about this album, but also there was nothing of note on this entire album.
Sam Cooke
5/5
Electrifying live album.
Deerhunter
2/5
Add this to the pile of other generic late 2000's alternative rock records. Nothing distinguishable on this from a bunch of other similar bands from the same time.
Joan Baez
3/5
Incredible voice. Not a surprise she crushed it at Woodstock.
Venom
2/5
Feels like a parody album. So much better metal out there that could’ve been on this list.
Van Morrison
2/5
Some decent songs, but mostly dross.
The Mothers Of Invention
1/5
This feels like one of those albums that just straight sucks (somewhat intentionally), but if you don't like it people are gonna act like you just aren't smart enough to "get it".
The Libertines
2/5
Raw and unpolished music can be fine, but it needs some charm to it and this did not.
The Young Gods
2/5
This being a french industrial rock opera made for a tough listen.
The Afghan Whigs
3/5
Pretty bog-standard 90's alternative. Good thing I'm into that style.
Bob Dylan
2/5
I liked the first couple tracks, but after that this drifted off into a worse direction.
Sarah Vaughan
3/5
An incredible voice. Listening to this made me jealous I wasn't at a concert that happened like 40 years before I was born.
Throbbing Gristle
2/5
Based on what I knew about this album beforehand this was not as bad as I expected this to be going in. However, most of the decent parts on this are balanced out with sections of droning sounds and skits.
Richard Hawley
3/5
I got Christmas vibes on this album for some reason. Slow, but a good listen.
The Byrds
2/5
Got boring pretty quick.
Mudhoney
2/5
The review that said these sounded like songs left off a Tony Hawk videogame was right.
Scissor Sisters
2/5
Songs like "Mary" and "Take Your Mama" were good, but the rest was sub-par.
Nirvana
3/5
I went into this only having heard the classics, which I love, and was expecting the rest of the album to hold given the legendary status of this album. After hearing the rest I was actually let down. The album is good and influential, but the hits were just on another level compared to the rest.
Simple Minds
2/5
Not the worst 80's British record I've gotten on this list, but that also isn't a ringing endorsement of this record.
Soft Machine
2/5
Track 2 was so good it almost made me forget how poor the rest of the album is, especially track 1.
Syd Barrett
1/5
By trying to do a lot, he’s managed to do nothing good at all.
Badly Drawn Boy
3/5
A wonderfully soothing album. The only downside is it drags on a couple songs too long.
Sisters Of Mercy
2/5
It always amazes me how poor vocals weren’t drawback in the 80’s. Production was great at least.
Pink Floyd
4/5
The highs are great, but there were a couple tracks that came and went without me even really noticing.
Oasis
4/5
Great from front to back. Although I think they really perfected their sound on their next release. This is great in it's own regard though.
Neil Young
1/5
Tonight's the Night...that I'm finally free from the shackles of having to listen to Neil Young.
Faith No More
2/5
A good one time listen, but I will not be revisiting this. For a metal/hard rock album some solid instrumentation and expectedly some rough vocals in parts.
Aphex Twin
4/5
A thrilling adventure of soundscapes. Xtal is exceptionally beautiful.
Miriam Makeba
2/5
Really pleasant vocals, but not something I'd return to.
Kraftwerk
2/5
Some good sections, but nothing to write home about.
Talk Talk
2/5
If you asked AI to create a bog-standard 80's new wave album, it would give you this.
Teenage Fanclub
3/5
A solid record from a band I had never heard of before. Fun vibes.
The Black Crowes
2/5
Not bad, but also nothing spectacular. The guitar work was pretty good though.
Lupe Fiasco
4/5
Now this was a fun surprise to get. I used to bump "Kick, Push" so much back in early middle school. I hadn't heard the rest of the album in almost 20 years. The thundering production and Lupe's smooth flows are a great combo.
The Who
3/5
Short and sweet. Perfect length for this album.
Booker T. & The MG's
3/5
Smooth instrumentals. I didn’t expect to know any songs going in, but immediately recognized “Green Onions” (never knew the name of it).
Big Star
2/5
Easily forgettable.
Stephen Stills
2/5
Too long for an album that never really leaves first gear.
Kacey Musgraves
3/5
Good album, albeit a little too radio friendly for my liking.
Dinosaur Jr.
3/5
Super fun raw punk-adjacent album.
David Bowie
2/5
Bowie took more risks on this album than his previous ones I’ve gotten, and it does not pay off for him in my opinion
Creedence Clearwater Revival
3/5
I obviously knew "Bad Moon Rising" and enjoy that song, but enjoyed the rest as well. It's always a plus when an album doesn't drag. Easy listening for a smooth 30 mins.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
1/5
Oh no...I'm not sure who this style of singing is for.
Dwight Yoakam
2/5
I'm thankful this was a short album because the boredom was hard to overcome in parts.
Tim Buckley
2/5
Droning and boring.
Cheap Trick
2/5
It took them a few songs to get going and even then the performance still felt average. Also the crowd interaction was pretty minimal for a live album.
Michael Jackson
5/5
Yes, this does completely live up to the hype.
John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers
1/5
I thought this jumbled terrible type of singing was reserved mostly to the 80's. I guess these guys paved the way.
Don McLean
2/5
The title track is so good, but then after that it nosedives pretty quick.
Q-Tip
5/5
Another standout album in Q-Tip's discography. Even 20 years into his career, he continued to showcase the strength of both his lyrics and production skills. For being released in 2008, this project offered a refreshing old-school approach to rap during that era. Considering how many classics Q-Tip has contributed to, it's wild that he's still underrated.
The La's
2/5
I obviously knew "There She Goes", but never actually knew who sang it so it was cool to learn the group who wrote that. Outside of that this album was bland. I don't need every song to be a carbon copy of that, but none of the other tracks came close to that track.
Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan
1/5
I know I'm more than likely missing some cultural context for this, but I didn't take anything away from listening to this.
Beatles
3/5
I never know what to expect with a Beatle's record, just because they've covered so much ground in their discography. I enjoyed listening to this less-polished record.
Hole
3/5
A grunge album with a lot of bounce, which makes for a fun listen. Only downside is this falls off a bit in the back half.
Paul Weller
2/5
Quintessential dad rock. The instrumental tracks being the best kinda tells the whole story.
Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five
3/5
An album that is actually less hip-hop than I expected. The Message is the standout and just that song alone has an insane amount of influence on the genre that it's impossible to think about the history of rap and not mention it. The rest has a fun/groovy vibe, but doesn't live up to the title track. This album definitely deserves to be here because the influence is just that strong.
Sonic Youth
2/5
Some super dope thrashing instrumentals on this, but too many dull moments balance out the good of those.
Ash
3/5
Super fun 90's rock album. Definitely a relic of the time, but that's not a drawback.
The Go-Betweens
2/5
Not bad, but also nothing of note.
Mj Cole
2/5
Certified mid.
The xx
2/5
“Intro” is good, albeit somewhat overplayed, but the rest is just music for shopping at H&M
The Triffids
1/5
Finishing this was a testament to my patience.
The Magnetic Fields
1/5
If this was strictly instrumental this would get a 2, but the droning vocals drag this down to a 1. I also can’t think of any reason for an album to be 3 hours except for being pretentious.
The Beach Boys
2/5
Some good tracks, but a bit disjointed.
Talking Heads
2/5
The music gets a plus for being upbeat, but man these vocals suck. I think Talking Heads might have been one of those bands you had to be around to get because I’m not seeing what everyone else is.
Wilco
2/5
19 songs is just way too long for an album like this.
The Hives
2/5
Every song sounds the same.
Jimi Hendrix
4/5
A fantastic record that although it drags a bit in the middle never loses its luster.
Marvin Gaye
4/5
A masterclass in being smooth.
U2
3/5
Nothing special, but the band was in-sync and cohesive on this.
The Clash
3/5
A quick, but memorable ride. What quintessential punk should be.
Rufus Wainwright
2/5
Too many albums on this list where they start great then either the artist or label wants more songs and the artist has no idea how to fill the extra time other than repeating what they’ve been doing.
Peter Gabriel
2/5
Like his other this mostly comes off as a jumbled mash of song styles that don’t flow well together. “Solsbury Hill” was great though.
Kendrick Lamar
4/5
An extremely powerful and important album, especially of the last decade. Kendrick's flow is top tier and his lyrics reached new highs here. The only real downside is the runtime and it feels cluttered at times, although sometimes I think Kendrick wanted it to sound cluttered in parts.
Ms. Dynamite
2/5
Some good and some bad, but way too inconsistent to get above a 2 for me.
Amy Winehouse
2/5
This started out great, but lost it's luster when it didn't change any style wise over the rest of the album. Hearing the same sample as Nas' "Made You Look" was a bit jarring haha.
Brian Eno
2/5
I’m sure this is influential, but it’s also disorganized and hard to listen to in parts.
Prince
4/5
Prince at some of his most innovative and fun. I really enjoyed how loose he was during this.
2/5
Fun, but nothing memorable. I did enjoy the vocals, which I typically don't on these 80's pop records.
Jamiroquai
2/5
The first song was good, but the Stevie Wonder impression got stale quick.
Alanis Morissette
3/5
This started out rough, but got significantly better quickly. Super fun 90's album.
De La Soul
4/5
When a group has great chemistry and is having fun, you get a great album like this.
Elvis Costello
3/5
Not something I'd typically like, but something about this had me enthralled.
The Waterboys
2/5
Better than I expected, but this fell off quickly.
2/5
Good, but at the end of the day it's a standard performance with an average sound recording. Although I will say the bootleg aspect of this is cool.
Ghostface Killah
4/5
Just a dope product from Ghostface, per usual. There is a reason he has had the most consistency out of anyone from the Wu. All the features killed it too.
Suicide
2/5
Experimental doesn’t equal groundbreaking. This was mostly annoying to get through.
Genesis
2/5
About what I would expect from an hour and a half album on this list. Some good, some bad, and some that should've been cut out.
Ray Charles
3/5
Good, but I feel like this doesn't pack a punch as strong as some of his other stuff.
Maybe two songs I enjoyed? Not anywhere close to U2's best work and should be nowhere near this list.
The Doors
2/5
Some innovative sounds for 1970, but still a good amount of misses on this.
Ryan Adams
3/5
Smooth and enjoyable throughout.
2/5
I didn’t need this album to have a smash hit like “Song 2”, but the whole time I was begging for it to give me something, but it was just so uneventful. I guess given the title maybe they set out to make the album equivalent of your morning commute…
Supergrass
3/5
I wish this was a little shorter, but this was a fun ride.
The Rolling Stones
2/5
Yeah it's got some historical context, but this is below average.
The Allman Brothers Band
2/5
For a live album on this list, nothing special.
Morrissey
2/5
Morrissey’s singing is so so bad.
Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
2/5
Decent for a one time listen, but still this was a slog to get through.
The Jesus And Mary Chain
3/5
This was fun.
Elis Regina
2/5
Not bad for a one time listen.
Harry Nilsson
2/5
Some decent songs/moments, but this isn't doing it for me.
Laura Nyro
3/5
I had never heard of Laura Nyro before, but was immediately impressed by her voice. Some songs don't really know what they wanted to do on this, but overall I thought it was admirable.
The Fall
1/5
The vocals sucked and I couldn't get into the instrumentals.
Sheryl Crow
2/5
This is mostly music meant for grocery stores, but it still has its moments.
The Jam
2/5
I wish the singer tried as hard as the rest of the band.
The Teardrop Explodes
2/5
To generic new-wavy for my liking.
The Soft Boys
2/5
Some diverse sounds that sound innovative for the time. However so many different styles left a lot of room for less impressive songs.
Pavement
2/5
I don’t expect much from a vocalist in a punk band, but I wish the singer gave me something more. I was begging for a shred of creativity. You can toss this in a pile of a ton of similar records from the 90s.
Hot Chip
2/5
I’d be lying if I said this didn’t have me nostalgic for the early 2010s. However it also reminded me of some bad genre mashing that happened at the time.
Sugar
4/5
The vocals don't hit on every song, but the vibes are still there and incredible. This record highlights some of the best parts of 90's alternative.
Nirvana
3/5
Thrashier than "Nevermind" and I like it. Kind of similar to that record though as the hits were a step above the other tracks, but I much prefer this record.
Led Zeppelin
2/5
They set the bar high with "Immigrant Song" and never reached those heights again on this record.
Sly & The Family Stone
3/5
More polished than "Stand", which made me a little lower on this record than that one. The group benefits more from the gusto, which was lacking more here.
The Kinks
2/5
Some innovative sounds, especially for a 60s rock record, but this didn’t resonate with me.
Big Black
2/5
Very interesting, but extremely hit or miss for me.
The Mars Volta
3/5
Decent record that felt more alternative to me than prog-rock. Bonus points to this one because it featured a lot of elements that I wasn't widely hearing until the later 2000's.
Rush
2/5
A fun album that unfortunately falls off after “Limelight”.
Incredible Bongo Band
2/5
I immediately recognized the first few notes of “Apache” from Grandmaster Flash. I love when I don’t recognize an album, but connect the dots from other parts of music history. On top of that this is just an insanely fun album.
The Everly Brothers
2/5
Not a date I agreed to.
Super Furry Animals
2/5
This album would’ve been impressive if it came out in 1966, but it didn’t…it came out 30 years later. More Britpop filler for the list.
Supergrass
2/5
The first half was great Brit-pop. The downfall happened around halfway through when they decided to switch genres.
The Disposable Heroes Of Hiphoprisy
2/5
Not terrible, but it feels like they stole Public Enemy's flow and did it in every worse way possible. It is neat as a time capsule to the time's political issues.
Wu-Tang Clan
5/5
One of my most listened to albums of all time. A staple that I discovered in my pre-teen years. One of my best memories from my teens was listening to this while drinking and smoking with some buddies on the 20th year anniversary of its release.
Daft Punk
3/5
A ton of fun classics and although it tails off at the end this is still fun all the way through.
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
2/5
Creative for sure. However the execution was lackluster in parts.
3/5
It's definitely junk food music...but I love junk food. I would've preferred Significant Other on this list (it's their best album), but this has hits. Also Fred Durst is a more complex character than people gave him credit for, which is mostly his own fault for why people view him that way, but I digress.
The Slits
2/5
Infectiously fun to start, but it lost its spark as it went on and never really branched out.
Creedence Clearwater Revival
3/5
This made me feel like I was in a chopper over Nam
Frank Sinatra
2/5
Smooth songs and Sinatra has an incredible voice, but it's always going to be a chore for me to fully appreciate a record like this that isn't my cup of tea and runs for 40+ minutes.
Fela Kuti
4/5
A fun jazz record, I love it when the list shows me things like this. It’s also insane to read the background on this record.
Tracy Chapman
4/5
I obviously knew "Fast Car" coming into this, but man I was still blown away. Her storytelling is excellent and makes you feel the heaviness of the stories she's telling, while also making them catchy as hell.
The Pogues
2/5
Not something I would expect to like, but the first 3 songs were impressive. The only issue was as this went on it stayed the same, but was a drop down from those first 3 songs.
fIREHOSE
2/5
Outside of "In My Mind" this was forgettable. When the final few tracks started I thought this was making a turn for the better, but ultimately those songs also we're forgettable.
Billy Joel
3/5
I've never listened to a full Billy Joel project before, much more catchy that I expected.
The Jesus And Mary Chain
2/5
I appreciate the decision to go with a raw, distorted sound, but I was hoping the singer would introduce some variation to counter it
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
1/5
Genuinely, who is this for?
Dolly Parton
3/5
I wish more country sounded like this.
David Gray
2/5
The singing ranged from average to above-average between songs, without really having any emotion. The production really carried this project.
The Gun Club
2/5
A unique genre-mashing record. If they were gonna go with style they should've cut some tracks as it grows stale by the end.
Fiona Apple
2/5
Firmly in the "not great, but not bad" category.
Tom Waits
1/5
Saying this was rough to get through would be an understatement.
Bonnie Raitt
2/5
The first track was surprisingly good, but the rest dissolved into generic 80's radio-friendly pop-rock.
Paul Simon
2/5
I can never get into Simon's singing style. I don't understand how he is as famous as he is.
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
2/5
Decent, but for a supergroup not a ton of variety.
Eels
2/5
Pretty mediocre. Nothing on here that many other groups from the mid-90's weren't also doing.
SAULT
2/5
Spoken word style vocals aren't my cup of tea, but the production was great and it tied together nicely on tracks like "Wildfire" with more traditional vocals. If more songs were in that style I would've enjoyed this more.
Butthole Surfers
2/5
"Human Cannonball" is the only song saving this from being a 1
Def Leppard
2/5
This started off with such a bang and then just tapered off into mediocrity. Disappointing.
ZZ Top
3/5
Nothing special, just fun as hell.
Blood, Sweat & Tears
3/5
Wonderfully composed.
Elliott Smith
2/5
More whiny and disjointed than "Either/Or". I plan to explore more of his work, but so far I gotta put him in the overrated category.
Led Zeppelin
3/5
If I heard this in 1971 my brain probably melted by how innovative it sounds.
Run-D.M.C.
3/5
In the context of when this came out, it's incredible how innovative this sounds compared to the Message, which only came out a couple years before. The flip side is how fast the genre kept innovating that this record became dated only a few years later when Eric B & Rakim, De La Soul, etc came along. Still a great record, but it definitely serves more as a snapshot of rap at the time it was released.
U2
2/5
Not too many thoughts on this one, it just came and went without really doing too much.
Bruce Springsteen
3/5
Another solid album from the Boss.
k.d. lang
2/5
Interesting and unique production for a "country" record, which was nice. However, the laid back and frankly slow tracks just never resonated with me.
Ministry
2/5
Certainly interesting, if nothing else...
Julian Cope
2/5
How Much Can I Take? Not much to be honest.
2/5
The back half is better, but still not getting that wow factor that I would think Bowie albums would have. I’m afraid I thought higher of Bowie’s music before I started this challenge.
The Pretty Things
2/5
I'm beating a dead horse with some of these reviews. Another 60's record with some innovative sounds, but largely not much to say in terms of a complete record.
The Who
2/5
Cool concept, but I don't think it was executed nicely. I came in only knowing "Pinball Wizard", but definitely had some other positive takeaways like "I'm Free". Overall I think the album starts and ends on strong notes, but the middle just wanders aimlessly, which when you're doing a double album is a big letdown.
My Bloody Valentine
3/5
Second time I've actually listened to this. Pretty much the same thoughts I had from the first time. I don't understand the "Classic" shouts this get, but it is a very solid album with a unique sound.
Alexander 'Skip' Spence
2/5
Nothing interesting about this. Why is this on here? Because he decided to drop one mid album and never release again?
Jimi Hendrix
4/5
Rough around the edges in parts, but my god the guitar work here is incredible.
The Darkness
2/5
Sorry...I can't take those vocals serious. The rest of the band was great though.
Alice Cooper
2/5
Another one of those “I guess you just had to be there” albums.
Gillian Welch
2/5
After the first track I thought I was settling into a decent modern country record, but as this went on each track decided it wanted to sound like a different era of country, which felt disjointed.
Steely Dan
3/5
Infectiously fun vibes, albeit this falls off a bit towards the end. I know "Peg" from somewhere, but I can't place it.
Ute Lemper
1/5
Ballads are just not my thing.
Suede
2/5
I've enjoyed a lot of the Britpop on this list, but this one fell flat.
The Crusaders
3/5
Not a ton of variety, but a smooth ride with some nice soundscapes.
Tortoise
2/5
Glorified music for studying.
Waylon Jennings
3/5
Fun as hell.
Billy Bragg
3/5
Kinda endearing, not in a classical music sense, but in a listening to a drunk man in a bar in Leeds, England sing karaoke passionately but poorly kinda way.
Tori Amos
3/5
I wish more songs here were like "Precious Things" instead of being like "Happy Phantom". Regardless she's a great singer.
Pentangle
1/5
A lot of sounds mashing together that do not agree with each other.
Elvis Presley
2/5
I get the appeal of Elvis, but in terms of a full length album I’ve never heard him really put it all together.
Slayer
2/5
16 year old me would've enjoyed this a lot more than current me did. Fast paced and in your face, but not a whole lot of variation between tracks.
Michael Kiwanuka
3/5
A record that makes for smooth listening. This did just enough to get over for me. Looking forward to revisiting this.
Lauryn Hill
4/5
An incredible album front to back that incorporates a unique theme with the school class interludes about love. I wish Lauryn released more albums, but if she wasn't going to at least she gave us this classic.
Manu Chao
2/5
This had me at first, but starting dragging halfway through. I appreciate the vibe they were going for.
Eminem
2/5
Although there are some "classics" on here (Stan has always been wildly overrated to me), this is mostly just edgy lyrics for the sake of being edgy over some lackluster Dr. Dre beats.
Cyndi Lauper
3/5
80's pop isn't usually my thing, but Cyndi crushed it on this. I never realized "Time After Time" was her song. This has a really impressive tracklist.
2/5
I respect that they tried a lot of different and unique things on this record, but it just didn't land for me.
New Order
2/5
Half of the album was solid new wave and the other half was overproduced with cheap 80's synths layered throughout.
Bobby Womack
4/5
Goddamn, this was a fun listen.
The Kinks
2/5
A fun vibe, but, not something I'd listen to again.
Dolly Parton
3/5
Dolly and her voice are a gem.
Bruce Springsteen
2/5
Slow paced Springsteen is just not my style. I need him to give me some energy.
Linkin Park
4/5
I know the nu-metal style of music became somewhat of a joke as time went on, but c'mon this is great.
The Byrds
2/5
Some good tracks, but overall a little too folky for my taste.
Bauhaus
2/5
Some decent moments, but as a cohesive project this had too many down moments for me to give it more than two stars.
Lloyd Cole And The Commotions
2/5
Similar to other 80's pop records on this list, decent instrumentals but lackadaisical vocals really reduce this to mediocre at best.
Frank Ocean
5/5
There is so much I could say about this album. I remember being 15/16 and discovering Odd Future, which included Nostalgia, Ultra, absolutely loving it and then becoming a member of Odd Future Talk. I remember the day that the album cover was revealed and how much I loved the creative simplicity of it and talking with other member's about what we thought the album would sound like. Then him releasing his coming out letter before the album shipped and just being amazed by how eloquent of a writer he was outside of music as well. And then to finally get my hands on the album from FYE, pop it my car's CD player on the ride home from Chesapeake, and just get absolutely mesmerized by the record that Frank crafted.
"Thinkin Bout You" became the runaway single from this, but man I could go into detail about so many of these songs. I remember when "Pyramids" was released on Frank's tumblr with the Simpsons cover art and just loving the first half of the song seamlessly transition to the back half with a 1 minute of so long instrumental section. To staying up late-ish to watch him perform "Bad Religion" on Jimmy Fallon and wanting his Sidian, Ersatz & Vanes blue and red mix shirt so bad (I still want that shirt even though I think that company is defunct). But the song that still sticks with me the most is "Super Rich Kids". That's the one my HS friends and I would play over the loud speaker over and over again while we drank and talked about life.
So many great memories associated with this album that I'd love to experience again, but what makes the memories so special is that I was living my life to the fullest when I made those memories. With this album being such a critical part of them in that Summer and Fall of 2012.
Brian Eno
2/5
This might be a dumb statement (I don't know enough about 70's music history), but this sounds like he's doing a bad Bowie vocal impersonation.
James Taylor
3/5
Although his voice is great, I've never been much of a James Taylor fan outside of "Carolina in my Mind". However, I was very impressed with this.
The Velvet Underground
3/5
Similar to "Chelsea Girl" there is something to this album that pulls me in, even given it's not my typical style of music. Something mysteriously charming about a 60's minimalist record I guess.
Gram Parsons
2/5
Some slick guitar work throughout, but that's the only positive I took away from this.
Nick Drake
3/5
I can see the foundation of what he would become scattered on this record, but he just wasn’t able to put it all together here in a way that really pulls me in. It’s somewhat of a shame that this list gave me “Pink Moon” first because it was always going to be a bit of a letdown hearing his previous albums after listening to what many people consider his best record.
Pere Ubu
2/5
Solid drumming, but that's about where the positives for this record ends for me.
Merle Haggard
3/5
This was fun.
The Louvin Brothers
2/5
Sonically this is good, but it’s just not something I’m gonna ever return to.
Stereolab
4/5
Even though I didn’t understand most of the lyrics, this really resonated with me. Just awesome 90’s alternative production with some genre mashing layered on top was awesome to listen to.
Missy Elliott
3/5
Slick early Timbaland beats accompanied with sick rhymes from Missy. I really enjoyed this.
Soul II Soul
2/5
I'm sure these were big club hits in the UK club scene in the late 80's and early 90's, but for someone listening to this at home these fall flat.
Kings of Leon
3/5
A solid record. You can tell they were finding their sound here, culminating in “Only by the Night“, which is their best album in my opinion.
Living Colour
3/5
Obviously “Cult of Personality” is the standout, but the rest of this slapped.
Patti Smith
2/5
I enjoyed the tracks more when she wasn't singing.
Judas Priest
2/5
This was fun for a one time listen as a way to finally get around to listening to this critically acclaimed band, however I don't think I will be returning to this album ever. This album has made me want to check out more of the band's work.
Muddy Waters
2/5
Well composed, however what you hear in the beginning is as far as the sound develops. And for a genre so defined by jamming I was hoping this would experiment a bit more.
Roni Size
2/5
I don’t even think that this was groundbreaking for 1997. No reason for this to be here.
Funkadelic
3/5
I've always seen the iconic album cover, but never gave this a listen. I was pleasantly surprised and the soundscape they were able to create here. Although a couple moments dragged, that was not widespread on this. I can't wait to give this some more listens.
The Charlatans
2/5
This list has introduced me to so many good Brit-rock groups, that I can correctly identify this group as average at best.
Richard Thompson
3/5
The production on this is great, especially the guitar work. I found Linda's vocals were much much better than Richard's, to the point I would've preferred this only had Linda's singing.
John Cale
2/5
Soothing production, but too many songs that just wander aimlessly.
Grateful Dead
2/5
This was an opportunity to listen to a group that many hold in high esteem (one that I have never really explored). I left this massively underwhelmed. This was a compilation of live sauntering jam songs.
Orange Juice
2/5
Still trying to figure out how this style of singing was so popular in the 80's.
Sepultura
2/5
I enjoyed this at the beginning, the problem is that most of the album stayed inside that one sound.
Taylor Swift
3/5
Slower and folkier than her other work that I've heard. Not a huge fan of that style of music, but songwriting made this palatable.
Beastie Boys
3/5
I haven't really listened the Beastie Boys since I was in middle school. This definitely sounded better in my head reminiscing on the past than it does today.
Goldfrapp
2/5
Proof that just because you are a good singer, doesn't mean you are good as songwriting/composition. I can tell this was mid-2000's because you hear some elements of pop music of the late-2000's here. But like most early adopters, unfortunately falls flat.
Meat Loaf
3/5
Not my typical style of music, but I just have too much sentimental value of listening to my parents play this all the time when I was young.
Method Man
4/5
A solid album and performance from Meth given the circumstances around this album having to be re-recorded, but you can't help but wonder how much better the original could've been.
Beyoncé
4/5
Not many artists can make a pop record that stands the test of time, but Beyoncé showed here that she can.
The Cure
2/5
Some decent melodies and riffs, but this never came together for me.
Röyksopp
2/5
Nothing bad to really say about this, but it does just kinda exist. I guess the album title kinda describes it as such though, so I guess it met the mark?
Kanye West
4/5
A more sane and composed Kanye, however I much prefer his more creative projects (Yeezus, etc.). Still tracks like “Through the Wire” and “Family Business” are still in rotation heavy.
Mylo
3/5
This has it's moments and it's decent as some background noise while working, but that's about all this is good for.
Fever Ray
2/5
Sounds like something you'd find on soundcloud with less than 100 listens.
Guns N' Roses
4/5
Just classic after classic throughout this.
The Divine Comedy
1/5
I can't believe they were making bad 80's music well into the 90's.
The Beta Band
3/5
A bit of stereotypical 2000's alternative rock and about as risk taking as leaving your car parked, but there were some solid tracks throughout this, although it didn't really hold any stability throughout.
A Tribe Called Quest
4/5
A massive step-up from "People's Instincts...". The group was really coming into their form here, culminating in what I think is their magnum opus (Midnight Marauders). ATCQ's impact on rap cannot be overstated, especially at a time like 1991 where the sound was changing at a rapid pace.
Sufjan Stevens
2/5
I’ve heard a ton of praise for this album, so I was excited going in. After listening I was left thinking that this is mostly music for art students to fan over.
808 State
3/5
Pretty basic tbh, but lowkey this did something for me.
Fela Kuti
3/5
You know a live album is good when I'm upset I wasn't there live to witness it.
Turbonegro
2/5
Fun, but also cookie-cutter punk music.
Motörhead
2/5
"Ace of Spades" was the only highlight. If we're gonna have live albums on here, can they at least have a higher recording quality than this? The bootleg recording of the Bob Dylan concert sounded better than this.
The Sensational Alex Harvey Band
1/5
Oh to be a rocker from the 70's where you can put out anything and get praised.
Joni Mitchell
2/5
A bit to ballad heavy for my liking. The songs that were faster and Joni was flowing were much much better.
Koffi Olomide
2/5
A fun listen that at times has hilariously stuck in the 80's/90's production.
The Specials
2/5
Like being in an elevator in a David Lynch movie.
LL Cool J
3/5
Pretty innovative for a 90's rap record.
Bad Brains
2/5
Raw and definitely needed to be hashed out further. Also the concept of having the singer do a verse from a prison phone isn't interesting enough to actually do.
Roxy Music
2/5
I wish I had better language to describe how I feel about this album, but the best I can come up with is that this is just boring.
Public Image Ltd.
2/5
There are some decent moments sprinkled throughout this. The fact the group went for shock-value is unfortunate, because this had the chance to be great.
Rahul Dev Burman
3/5
This guy was cooking. Really fun.
The Doors
3/5
Hit or miss for the first few tracks, but after that this really took off. I get the hype around this group and Morrison now.
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
3/5
A unique twist to 60’s groove rock. This pushes the envelope on the genre, while still staying within bounds.
Can
2/5
Largely uninteresting and just drags on and on.
Erykah Badu
4/5
Infectious funky soul. This was a great listen and I can hear the influence here on people like Thunder Cat and Childish Gambino's "Awaken, My Love!".
XTC
2/5
Another British record where I go "Yeah it was decent, but I'm not sure I NEEDED to hear that".
Wilco
2/5
The instrumentals were great, but those wannabe Elliott Smith vocals were rough to listen to.
Happy Mondays
1/5
People like listening to this style of singing?
The Who
2/5
Like most live albums on this list, I’m not sure what makes this particularly stand out. Like yeah they sound good here and it’s cool to hear the interaction with the crowd, but The Who have such a great catalog that you don’t need to go into the bin and give me something average like this.
Duran Duran
1/5
I’m sure living in the 80s was fun, but man this music does not stand the test of time.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
3/5
Somehow manages to balance being rough around the edges with a polished sound. A fun album to listen to, especially considering I knew some songs even though I don't think I had ever heard of this band.
Ravi Shankar
2/5
An extremely cool cultural lesson, but not an album I’ll be returning to. I will say I am better for having had listened to this.
Sabu
2/5
An interesting album that I will never think about ever again.
Run-D.M.C.
4/5
Some outdated beats, but c'mon this has "It's Tricky" and "Walk This Way". Those alone make this a classic.
Pink Floyd
2/5
Just calling it psychedelic doesn’t mean it can be directionless. Pink Floyd shines much brighter when they have a concept in mind (e.g. Darkside).
Joy Division
2/5
Since I’ve been seeing this album artwork a ton over my lifetime and hearing praise for this album needless to say I was excited to crack into this one…only to be pretty let down. The vocals aren’t the prettiest, but the production early was more than enough to cover over that. However as this kept going and became rawer and harsher, it just didn’t hit for me.
Nitin Sawhney
2/5
This was a weird one. A soul-inspired record by a vocalist who sings different each song with random Indian production mixed in. Overall it does not work out.
Michael Jackson
4/5
It’s insane to think about how many hits MJ had. One of a kind musician.
TV On The Radio
2/5
I didn't glean much from this other than the observation it sounds like a more avant-garde version of the White Stripes and is also mainstream adjacent enough that it could ironically be played on the radio.
Herbie Hancock
4/5
Herbie in his experimental bag was a treat to listen to.
Roxy Music
2/5
Please god tell me there are no more albums from Roxy Music on this list.
Sleater-Kinney
3/5
Nothing special, but this is an enjoyable 90's alternative record.
Massive Attack
2/5
The beats were mediocre enough, but the vocals on each track just dragged this down further.
MGMT
4/5
A little bit of nostalgia is driving this review (great throwback to middle school), but man I forgot just how fun this album is. A nice blend of synth, psychedelic, and alternative elements with the runtime being the perfect length before this loses it's luster.
Paul Revere & The Raiders
2/5
An album that does a lot, but also nothing at the same time.
Love
2/5
I loved the sound of this initially, but around the halfway point it got stagnant and the back half just blended together.
Travis
2/5
Brit-rock without any of the positives of Brit-rock.
The Byrds
3/5
A joy to listen to. Experimental for the times and yet they nailed it.
SZA
4/5
Another album on this list I was lucky enough to be around for the release and hype for. Almost a decade later and I'm still impressed by what SZA did here. She took the R&B genre that was going through changes at the time and left her own unique stamp on it that inspired many artists to run with her sound, although not many could do it as well as her.
White Denim
3/5
This album was a sound that was fine-tuned by other groups later in the 2010s, but props to this group for being ahead of the curve. The back half of this album is where things really got going.