Radiohead will always be the band that a generation of people who wanted others to think they were 'deep intellectuals' and 'get music' said was their favorite. If you tell me Radiohead is your favorite band, I don't need to know anything else - I know exactly what type of person you are. I don't dislike Radiohead but I'm sort of indifferent about them. They have some good songs but if I never heard them again I wouldn't really count it as a loss. This album is fine. It's a good listen but it doesn't really stand out from any other album of the time to me. And I get the hate for Thom Yorke, he does seem like a super pretentious dude and that totally carries over into his band. I actually like his voice which is a sticking point with a lot of people. I can't really pick a favorite song, or even one to highlight, from this album. They all run together but in sort of a good way. The songs are structured well although they never really take off but I think that's kind of the point. 3/5

Solid record. Classic Isaac Hayes. Musicianship is excellent, I love the grooves on this one. Arrangements are great. Wonderful voice on this man. By The Time I Get To Phoenix kind of starts off slow but picks up about hlafway through and finishes strong. I actually liked the shorter version better. Not a 5 star record, but a solid 3.5. Rounding up to 4 for the awesome sounding drums on this album.

This one starts off a little slow and stays that way for really the whole album. It's not bad, just not what I would expect I guess. I also think it sounds a little thin, guitars in particular, but I feel like thin sounding guitars are kind of an R.E.M. signature. That's one of the problems I've always had with R.E.M. - I always feel like they need to fill out the sound spectrum a little. I felt myself kind of drifting out of attention throughout this whole record. Does that make it background music? I hate to use the word 'boring' but it kind of was. I was excited when this record came up for the day but left a little disappointed. There are certainly songs I like on this record, Everyboy Hurts, Drive, Monty Got A Raw Deal, Man On The Moon. But I wouldn't play this whole album again. 2.5 stars

I don't think I'd ever heard this but the cover is vaguely familiar to me. And as far as mid 80s new wave albums go, this one is much less like a cheesy movie soundtrack. Maybe this is more like 80s art pop than new wave? I don't know but I dig it. Happiness Is Easy is a great song. April 5th is kind of a weird slow spot and I think might have worked better as the album closer rather than the side one closer. It didn't really make me want to turn the record over. The second side plays a lot like the first, a slow spot towards the end. All in all I really enjoyed this album and I'll definitely listen to it again. If I saw it in the record shop I'd probably pick it up. 3.5/5 round to 4 for the re-listenability.

Not sure I'd really call this 'country and western' music but that's a bonus for me really. I mean it's Ray Charles, you know exactly what you're going to get. Fantastic voice on that man. I'm pretty sure he could sing the assembly instructions for an Ikea bookshelf and it would be great. That said, I don't think I can give this more than 3/5 and it's definitely not his best work. It's a good album but this kind of music just doesn't blow me away.

Probably don't need another Big Lebowski quote on here so we'll skip that. This album is...fine. The title track is great but even that I normally skip when it comes up on a playlist or the old fashioned radio. I confess that I had never actually listened to this whole album, and I don't feel like I ever will again. Victim of Love was the only other song I really liked on this album and I'm not sure I had ever actually heard it before. I have Life in the Fast Lane with a passion. In the end, this is The Eagles and I'm just not a fan.

This is one of the classic albums of all time. What’s not to like? Groundbreaking for the rock industry at the time and it still holds up well today.

Pretty solid but not his best. I mean Don’t Stop Til You Get Enough is fantastic but the rest of the record doesn’t keep up and second half of the album kind of blends together.

This album is kind of hit and miss. Hurt is amazing, Bridge Over Troubled Water was good. Some of the choices he made were kind of strange. Did we need a Johnny Cash version of Personal Jesus? No, no we didn't. The production was kind of all over too, some of it was fantastic and some of it was basically like if your grandpa recorded covers on a 4 track in his living room. Which this probably was. Was it just me or does anyone else hear him softly whistling as he breathes through his nose on a couple tracks? Don't get me wrong, Johnny Cash was a national treasure but I feel like this doesn't really deserve the accolades it received when it came out, Hurt accepted.

Like most people, I've heard all the 'hits' from The Kinks. But most of this album was new to me. It was fairly standard brit pop from the 60s. I don't think I would revisit this one at all but it wasn't like I was waiting for it to be over. Would be a solid 2.5/5.

This is totally not for me. Just not a fan of hip hop at all. At least I didn't skip any songs but I was so glad when it was over.

Fantastic record. I feel like this is one of the first, probably the first, record you would play for someone who has never heard jazz before. This is a record you can sit and listen to and pick apart or you can throw it on in the background when you're doing other things. Whether or not you like jazz, this is something that anyone who just appreciates music will be into.

Pretty solid 80s stereotype. There are a few good songs on there, Rio and Hungry Like the Wolf are classics. I enjoyed Hold Back the Rain and Save a Prayer too. All in all, I feel like you know exactly what this record is going to be by looking at the cover. It's like an 80s pop rock time capsule.

I can see why people are so divided over this one, it's not exactly something you can just throw on any time. You have to be in the right mood for it. Some people would just say it's noise and I think that might be fair but if you listen to what's happening it's great noise. Musicianship is superb as always with Mingus. It may not be my favorite jazz record of all time but it's still a great listen and typical for this style so I feel like it would be a good record to start with for someone trying to get an expanded view of jazz.

I feel like this is what you get when your band consists of a drummer who can't really play time very well so just bashes around randomly, your guitar player only knows three power chords and two strumming patterns, and you don't have a singer so your weird neighbor from across the street comes over and makes random sounds in the mic which are mostly in time but not always. And what's with an album that has 28 songs and is 33 minutes long? I love metal but this doesn't really count. 2 stars because at least there are real instruments present.

Is this a great album? Yes. Overrated? Probably. It is an important record for sure, the impact it had on music in the 90s and after is undeniable. I love it and even though I've heard most of the songs dozens of times, it was good to give it a listen back to front; I probably hadn't done that since I was a kid.

This is not exactly what I thought it would be having heard the Butthole Surfers that everyone knows. I remember these guys as almost like a joke band from when I was in school. I'd only ever heard some of the stuff they released in the mid 90s. Although there's a lot on this album that could literally be taken away, I mean like 70% of it is basically just weird sounds, the actual songs are pretty solid. Some of it is vaguely Primus-esque but without the amazing bass if that makes sense. Some of it is pretty straightforward 80s punk. You've got a song in Thai with an accordion in the background. But all together it kind of works. A weird band with an unfortunate name, I feel like I can let this one rest.

Kicks off with the best Stones song and ends strong with another banger. What comes in between is not quite as strong. None of it is bad, but after Gimme Shelter anything is going to be hard pressed to really shine. On the whole a great album and definitely worth listening multiple times.

I love this record. It's a perfect album to have in the background at a cocktail party. I play it while making dinner at least once a week. It's fun, well played, and well recorded. A wonderful record that everyone should have.

This is not to my taste. I can appreciate that she has an amazing voice but I played the whole record and can't recall any song at all. 2 stars for her vocal abilities but would never listen to this again.

I don't get the hate for this. It's a decent rocker, fairly heavy but not overbearingly so, good instrumentation. The bass especially stands out to me. I can definitely see the influence from Iggy Pop/The Stooges. Some of it is kind of dated, sure, but most of the albums from this time are. It kind of falls into a "post grunge we don't know what to do anymore but we all like 70s punk and the White Stripes" category which isn't a bad thing. It does get a little repetitive, that's true. But they certainly deserve more than the whopping 1,440 listeners they have on Spotify...

I felt like this album was a little bit irritating. Like I just wanted to skip through all the songs. It's definitely a vibe album but I'm not sure what that vibe is. I think it just missed the mark with me. Maybe it just wasn't what I was expecting but I can't imagine wanting to listen to this again.

Sounds like Metallica. I know people love the 80s Metallica, and I don't disagree necessarily, but I feel like this album in particular is basically one song that's an hour and five minutes long. Maybe that's what they were going for? I don't know. I mean fast double bass drum and guitars chugging nonstop gets a little wearing when there isn't really anything to break it up. Guitar solos are brilliant, if a little derivative. One and Harvester of Sorrow are the only songs that really stand out on this one. Also I think the production could have been better. For an album that was trying to be heavy the mastering seems like it was a bit tinny or something. Like it could have been fuller and they needed more lows and low mids in the mix. I might come back to this one day but I'd have to be in the right headspace.

This is not the best Stones album by any stretch but I do think it's a decent album. One I would probably come back to now and again although nothign really stands out. With Stones records it seems like you usually get one or two huge hits with a bunch of filler and this is not that at all. It all solid but there aren't any big hit that everyone knows. And I kind of like that. Not a 4 star album but a solid 3.5.

This record is a solid "throw it on when you're feeling a little melancholy but don't want to sink down too far" vibe. I feel like this is better listened to all the way through rather than just picking a song here and there - it stands up better as a whole instead of in pieces. I really enjoyed this one but not sure I'd call it a superb album worthy of 5 stars. Solid 4, maybe 4.25.

I like this album, Me and Julio, Mother and Child Reunion, and Duncan in particular. Paul Simon is a wonderful songwriter, better than Dylan in my opinion and they are always compared for some reason. Maybe just beacuse they were doing similar things at the same time? Anyway - as good as Paul Simon is, I feel like eveerything he did with Garfunkel is better than his solo stuff. It's odd because Garfunkel by himself was not stellar (to be generous), but the records they made together were so much better than either of their solo endeavours. I can't give this record more than 3.5/5.

Liked Silver Raven, No Other, Strength of Strings. A lot of this record is too country for my taste. Absolutely awful cover artwork. Looks like an elementary school art project and if I just saw this in a record shop there's no way I would give it a second glance.

I don't know what to say about this one. People will swear it's "a classic" but I'm not really sure I agree. There are a couple decent songs on here, Judy Blue Eyes of course, but I feel like the reason this album is beloved now is purely nostalgia. Great harmonies throughout, but if the strong point of the record is good harmonies that's not really high praise. The music was certainly better when Neil Young joined, regardless of him actually breaking up the band. Someone else said that CS&N was better with Neil Young and Neil Young was better on his own, and you can't really argue with that. In the end I feel like there were loads of albums that sounded just like this in the late 60s/early 70s and this one doesn't really have anything that makes it stand out. 2.5 out of 5 but rounding up because of the 10/10 David Crosby moustache on the cover.

This is a super chill record but it all blends together. Maybe that's the point. It's not bad but it doesn't really hold your attention at all. It's not something you would sit down and listen to intently, more soemthing you would put on in the background. Like this is what would be playing in the waiting room at a wellness spa in Santa Fe that has lots of incense and natural soaps for sale.

This record is again a pretty straightforward picture of early 90s pre-grunge (or maybe grunge tangential) alt rock. There's aspects of classic punk, grunge, pop. It's not exactly groundbreaking. I remember hearing Mrs. Robinson all the time when I was little and I think that's probably the best song on this album. In the end this album fits in with the rest of the bands from this time that were doing the same thing - Spin Doctors, Gin Blossoms, Better Than Ezra, The Breeders, etc. It's sort of a time capsule of when music was transitioning from the punk and glam metal of the 80s to something heavier and more depressing but there existed a couple years with light, dare I say inconsequential, sort of sparkly sounding alt rock before grunge really took hold.

I always liked Beck's voice. It's got a nice quality that really shows on this album. And it's good to see an artist like this that doesn't just make the same record over and over again. And while this one doesn't have some of the grit that his earlier records do, I think it holds up very well. Arrangements are good, vocals are great, production is top notch. Lost Cause has always been one of my favorite songs of his. I also really like The Golden Age, End of the Day, Already Dead, and Sunday Sun. A super chill album to throw on and enjoy a cocktail in the evening. I think this is one that gives a better experience listening to it as a whole rather than just a random song here and there.

Love this album. Reminds me of a more improvised George Winston. It's wonderful to imagine him just really getting into playing and having such a great time doing it. I had never heard of this album or Keith Jarrett before but I will definitely be looking up more from him. This is the kind of thing I was hoping for when starting on these 1001 albums - new (to me) music that I can explore deeper.

I'm not sure what to think about this record. Great voice, good arrangements. But I just don't really think this kind of contemporary pop is something I really enjoy. I had certainly heard k.d. lang before, and liked a few of the songs I have heard over the years but had never listened to a whole album. From this record, Constant Craving was obviously my favorite but I liked Season of Hollow Soul too. However, I'm not sure that I would seek out anything else from her just based on this record. It goes a little to far into country territory for my liking. Ultimately, I feel like is is a decent record but when it was over I wasn't left wanting more.

I would assume that there are other Springsteen albums on this list. I'm not sure why this one is included. I get the motivation/historical aspect of this album being writtend and recorded right after 9/11, but this isn't really an record I needed to hear. I did like Further On, but that was really the only stand out for me. I've never been a huge fan of Springsteen anyway and this album hasn't changed that at all. Dad rock supreme and forgetable at that.

How can anyone not like this? Guaranteed to lift your mood. Everything about this record is exactly as it should be and the production is 10/10. Bootsy Collins in particular (of course) is a highlight throughout and I like that the bass seems to be brought out front a little instead of being buried in the mix. But that's also just common for funk I suppose. Absolutely some of the best bass lines of all time come from Bootsy and this album seems to showcase him all over. It's too bad there aren't really mainstream funk bands anymore. I feel like the funk genre spent a relatively short time in the limelight and it's too bad it died out.

This is a super nostalgic album for me, as I'm sure it is with a lot of people. Takes me back to middle school as soon as it starts. I mean Wonderwall, as much of a sort of pop culture joke as it is now, is a fantastic song. I feel like if there was a mix of 20th century music sent into space for posterity, Wonderwall would be one of the first songs added to the list. Champagne Supernova, Don't Look Back In Anger, and Morning Glory are wonderful as well. And I always liked Roll With It. Is this a 5 star album? I don't know. It depends on your mood I guess. On most days I don't think it would be for me and honestly there are a couple songs I'd probably skip if they came up randomly.

What more needs to be said about Hendrix? Probably the greatest guitar player and innovator of all time. Nothing was the same after Hendrix and while I think I like Are You Experienced better as an album, Voodoo Chile has always been my favorite Hendrix song. Listen to both albums back to back you have some of the greatest guitar music ever created merging into one long record.

If you put all the 80's synth-wave records into a blender, this is what would come out. Cool disco bass lines, lots of synthesizers, overly dramatic vocals. It's certainly fun although I don't think I'd call this absolutely something you have to hear before you die. I can appreciate that this is not everyone's jam, and although I enjoyed it, there are better examples from this era that I would imagine are forthcoming on this list.

Not a fan of hip hop at all. I liked some of the Gnarls Barkley stuff that Cee-Lo did but I just can't get on board with hip hop. 2 stars because he has an interesting voice but I hate this kind of music.

Solid record. Classic Isaac Hayes. Musicianship is excellent, I love the grooves on this one. Arrangements are great. Wonderful voice on this man. By The Time I Get To Phoenix kind of starts off slow but picks up about hlafway through and finishes strong. I actually liked the shorter version better. Not a 5 star record, but a solid 3.5. Rounding up to 4 for the awesome sounding drums on this album.

There can't be many albums that have 3 songs with over a billion streams on Spotify. Undeniably amazing voice - whether you like her music or not, you have to appreciate that she can sing. I had heard a lot of this record but never all the way through. The trouble with this album is that it's sort of scattered. Some great songs (that everyone knows) but then a lot of filler. I've seen other reviews for this album saying it's like a greatest hits record but I don't get that at all. There are some bangers on here for sure but the whole album? I don't know. It flows well and I actually like how it kind of alternates a bit between the ups and downs. But the downs are forgettable, like just to fill in space to the next great song. 3.5 but rounding down to 3 for some reason.

I'm not too familiar with Cyndi Lauper. I've heard a couple of her songs, Girls Just Want To Have Fun and Time After Time of course. My first introduction to her was probably in The Goonies. I get the comparisons to Madonna for sure. A couple solid tracks, a lot of pretty standard 80s pop but if that's what you like then this would be a great album for you.

This is a solid record for sure. The arrangements are great and the songs all build really well. Good lyrics, good instrumentation, great production. Just based on this album I would imagine that Arcade Fire puts on a great live show, I have never seen them but I hear their live shows are pretty amazing. Had this been the first thing I ever heard from Arcade Fire I would definitely go back and listen to more of their stuff.

I've always liked the Pixies, Surfer Rosa in particular. And while I have probably heard most of this record before, never all at once. I like how this album is decently hard, has softer moments, and flows really well from song to song. Standouts for me are Rock Music, Down to the Well, The Happening, and Stormy Weather. It's a short record but it does what it does well. 3.5 stars but round up to 4.

This one starts off a little slow and stays that way for really the whole album. It's not bad, just not what I would expect I guess. I also think it sounds a little thin, guitars in particular, but I feel like thin sounding guitars are kind of an R.E.M. signature. That's one of the problems I've always had with R.E.M. - I always feel like they need to fill out the sound spectrum a little. I felt myself kind of drifting out of attention throughout this whole record. Does that make it background music? I hate to use the word 'boring' but it kind of was. I was excited when this record came up for the day but left a little disappointed. There are certainly songs I like on this record, Everyboy Hurts, Drive, Monty Got A Raw Deal, Man On The Moon. But I wouldn't play this whole album again. 2.5 stars

I feel like this is an album that everyone has heard a bunch of times. And deservedly so, it's got to be one of the best records of the era and probably the best album The Who recorded. Baba O'Riley is definitely a strong start but has never been one of my favorite songs. The middle does kind of sag a little but I think that's where you kind of intentionally put the songs you know aren't as strong. But even My Wife or The Song Is Over are still pretty decent. Finishes super strong, Behind Blue Eyes is always amazing. It's a fun album to listen to, great work. Still 5/5 despite it's flaws.

Dad Rock supreme. I guess it's like Grandpa Rock now. I mean it's fine. I've kind of always hated the Bayou/Southern Rock as a genre. And from a band from San Francisco no less. A lot of people love it, and that's fine, but it's just not something I care for. I listened to the whole album and didn't even add any songs to my Liked playlist on Spotify which is super rare for me. None of the songs on this record are bad, I guess, just not something I would be upset to not hear again. 2.5 stars because I do appreciate the instrumentation and musicianship, it's just not for me.

So I've always had a prejudice against U2, or maybe to be more fair against Bono. Sure, he's done good things, but he's one of those people that needs to give up his ego and self-importance and just be a decent person because it's the right thing to do rather than for personal gain. And I don't know how but his arrogance seems to carry through to his vocals. Bono aside, this album has some good high points. One, of course, but I also really enjoy Until The End Of The World, The Fly, Mysterious Ways, and Acrobat. They build songs really well and I love The Edge as a guitar player, stupid name aside. Apart from their early albums which may be considered some kind of punk-lite, they layer instruments and arrange the music really well and always have a super full sound. I guess I've always just kind of written most of U2 off because Bono is not my favorite person. They have written some songs that I really like, Joshua Tree is a fantastic album, maybe I should try to get over Bono and appreciate them for their music. Giving this one a solid 3.5 stars but rounding down because...Bono.

I had heard of Baaba Maal but can't say that I had heard anything he had done outside of the Black Panther movies. I feel like he's the first one on this list for me that I actually knew about but had never listened to. So I sort of knew what to expect with this album. It's very interesting to me to hear an artist from West Africa who was influenced by American blues, jazz, soul, and R&B which were all really based on African music in the first place. I enjoyed this album and would definitely listen to it again if I was in the right mood.

An interesting record for sure. All of the hate for her voice is unwarranted. Yes, tons of vibrato but it works. For the most part. Obviuosly a deeply personal album and it's sort of haunting and beautiful at the same time. It's short and sweet. Intrumentation is great but her voice doesn't quite live up to what it could have been in a lot of the songs. In the end, I think for such a personal record, it's hard for listeners to really connect with it because most of us have not had these same experiences. That's not to say it's bad by any means, just hard to find anything to really make me want to listen again. One thing that really takes away from this album - it's uneven volume. Dynamics is one thing but I feel like I shouldn't have to adjust the volume level multiple times during an album, let alone during one song, to keep it from becoming too loud or too quiet. 3/5 stars, losing points for the uneven production.

Bruce Dickinson's first album with Iron Maiden. He's undoubtedly one of the best singers from the 80s metal bands. Not all of the songs on this album really showcase how great we was but he does shine through more often than not. The first half of the album is a little standard as far as early 80s metal goes and it does get a little repetitive, but all of side two is super strong, Gangland maybe less so than the others. Three songs that almost anyone would recognize is not bad for an album that's 40+ years old. I'll give this one a solid 3.5, rounding up because of the iconic album art.

I much prefer instrumental jazz to vocal jazz but I do love a good live album. This one is particularly great because it makes you feel like you're sitting there at a table with a cocktail in front of you. It's a super chill album, put it on while you make dinner or throw it on after a long day at work. It doesn't really demand anything of you. I'm not sure I'd call it one of the top 1000 albums of all time but when you think about it 1000 albums is a lot of slots to fill. 3/5 for me but I'd definitely play this again.

I get a little tired of the 60s/70s folk. Especially in the 70s when it started to lean really heavily into country. Thie record is simple and unremarkable. For a fairly short album it was kind of a slog. I might have skipped a song or two after a couple minutes. I don't know what else to say. 2/5

I've listened to this album a bunch of times. Aerosmith was my favorite band for a long time when I was a kid, until I got to high school probably. This album is an absolute banger. Top notch instrumentation, great vocals, decent production. Two all time classic songs - the guitar work on Walk This Way is undeniably brilliant but I think as I've grown up it's probably one of my least favorite songs on the album. I've always loved some of the less well known songs on this record - Uncle Salty, Adam's Apple, Round and Round, You See Me Crying. Personal issues with various band members aside, it's hard not to love this. I'll always have a soft spot for this band, they were instrumental in building my love of music as a kid. So this album gets a 5/5 from me.

I hate hip hop. But remember when hip hop was sort of lighthearted and fun? That's what this is. If you like nostalgic rap this is for you. It's not for me. It's not as unlistenable as modern hip hop but I got tired of it after about ten minutes. Because of the way the genre has changed, would this be considered novelty rap now? 2 stars because at least it has nostalgic value I guess.

Wonderful album. The thing that always strikes me about James Brown is how great his band is. This record is no exception. I wish they would record live albums like this still - no overdubs (probably), lots of audience noise, uneven in parts, electrical hum here and there, all the good and the bad. Anymore a live album might as well be a studio recording with applause between songs. This album is as close as you can get to being at an early 60's James Brown show. Highly enjoyable and replayable. I'm curious as to why it was decided to only include half an hour of material. Seems like a double live would have been a good choice for this. Loses 1 star just because it's so short.

I don't get why this album is on this list. I mean it's not a bad album by any means, but I feel like a live album on this list would have to be included because it captured something spectacular. I wouldn't call this spectacular. Deep Purple is a band with unquestionably good musicians, but I don't know why this album would be special. It's good for sure, but I would imagine that Machine Head is on this list that would basically make the inclusion of this record sort of superfluous. 3/5 because it's a good album but probably not one that really needs to be included here.

I don't know what to make of this album. It's kind of like a compilation of Broadway-style songs featuring different vocalists. I was sort of surprised to see this was from 2000 for some reason. I don't really know who the intended audience for this record would have been at that time. I mean there are some cool songs here but I guess I don't really get why it was made. It sort of seems like these songs were all cast offs from failed Broadway shows and they just lumped them all together. It was interesting to listen to, not offensive in any way, flowed well from one to the next, but I won't be listening to this album again. 2.5/5 rounding up to 3.

This is a solid record for sure. I don't get why it kind of gets a lot of hate for being 'white guy blues'. It's not like they're trying to be BB King or Muddy Waters. I think I like El Camino better but this is a super fun album - great sound, good songs, good riffs, good drums. I dig it. Would absolutely play this one again.

No more hip hop please. It's just not for me. I've tried with all the records people claim are 'the best' but I just can't stand it. The misogynic lyrics, abject violence, self aggrandizement, terrible tropes of 'look how dangerous I am' and 'look how much money I have'. It's all just laughable. This record is no exception. I wanted to like this album; part of the fun of this project is finding something that you didn't think you would like but end up enjoying. I was sort of hoping this record might make me enjoy hip hop a little more. Alas, no. It was the same thing I've heard over and over from hip hop artists for the last 30 years. Parts of this album were actually gross, which isn’t something you can say about a lot of music. Like who needs to hear him getting a blowjob? Especially one that he forced the girl to give after she repeatedly said no. No thanks, hard pass from me.

An interesting record for sure. Solid Brit post-punk/new wave that is decently experimental for the time. The vocals in particular stand out for me - some songs are almost like a Morrissey/Bono/Bowie/Robert Smith mashup, No and Love Hangover in particular. I like it. Listening to it now, some of the songs do sound like they're straight out of a terrible low-budget movie from 1983. Super cheesy but not specific enough to really be nostalgic. Some of the songs are like if you asked a band to write something by The Cure but with more synth. On the whole, the album is pretty decent. Lots going on and lots to keep your attention. It's a little long, I feel like 23 songs and an hour and a half is just a little too much so it loses points for that. Solid 3.5/5 but not strong enough to round up to 4.

It's been ages since I listened to this album. For all the accolades it gets, I was hoping for more when it came up today. That's not to say it's bad or that I disliked it, I guess I was just expecting to be blown away. The production is amazing, great sound and instrumentation all the way through. The songs are...fine. Wouldn't It Be Nice and God Only Knows of course are classics and probably on most people's top 100. Sloop John B is a song I totally forgot about but I always loved. All that said, this is a super fun record and I would absolutely listen to it again. This is one of the albums that if I saw it in the record store I would pick it up for sure and play it a few times a year. So in that sense, it’s a good one to me. #2 album of all time as suggested by Rolling Stone (for what that's worth)? Definitely not. But enjoyable nonetheless. I'd give it a 3.75/5 but will round up to 4.

I've always really liked African Blues. Which is sort of an odd genre when you think about it. I can definitely see why Ali Farka Toure gets compared to John Lee Hooker, particularly the voice but he's not quite as gravelly. Excellent guitar playing on this record and his tone in particular fits perfectly for his style. Listening to this record makes me think that he was probably just a cool dude to hang out with, no idea if there is any truth to that. Overall this is a super relaxing album and it's great that it was included here. 4/5

Probably the album that most people think of when someone says Metallica. Lots of good stuff on here and I did enjoy going back and listening to this one all the way through again. Say what you will about Metallica, musically or otherwise, there are a lot of great songs on this record. I get that thrash metal isn't exactly for everyone, and there's a valid argument that this album isn't exactly thrash metal anyway, but it's undeniably solid. I think where this album is lacking most is in production. It's not bad but I think the balance between the low and high frequencies is off a bit. Maybe it's sort of scooped? I'm not sure. I listened to the original, not a remaster, so maybe that's something they fixed later on. I've never been a huge Metallica fan but I really like this album. I probably wouldn't go out and try to find it at the record store but I would play it again for sure. And maybe pick it up if it happened to be at the record store and I didn't want anything else. 4/5

Right off I could tell that the recording/production on this one was great. Fantastic acoustic guitar sound is the first thing you hear. Great voice as well. Kind of a low-key album that's sort of a downer in a lot of ways. I like it. Listen to this on a rainy day on good headphones or a good sound system, not on little computer speakers and not on a phone. I think a lot of the brilliance of this album is just in the way it is recorded and how all the parts work together so well. I also never really realized what a great guitar player he was. Maybe I just never really paid attention before but his playing on this record at least was fantastic. I wonder why he never gets mentioned in the same breath as Paul Simon? It would be interesting to see what he would have done had he not died so young. The folk/folk-pop/folk-rock genre from this time was relatively short-lived and I feel like he may have gone on to more experimental things. All in all, this is a stellar album. Maybe not a 10/10 but good enough for a 5/5 because 4/5 is not enough.

I don't really have much to say about this one. It's not bad. Not particularly great either though. I get that it was sort of an early pioneer of the shoegaze genre and I can definitely see how a lot of what came after followed suit. I like it, I wouldn't necessarily seek out anything else from them based on this record. It's simple enough to sort of fade into the backgroud if you're doing something else. But some great guitar sounds, solid musicianship, vocals are just kind of ok and tend to get lost in the mix. 3/5

Ugh, I'm done with hip hop. I've tried. I just can't do it. This is boring, monotonous garbage. There is absolutely nothing good about this record at all. It's literally the same tropes and ridiculous rhymes as any other hip hop album since the mid 90s and I feel like that's the problem with the whole genre. The last song is the only one with any semblance of good lyrics but the bar was set so low already it’s not exactly an accomplishment. Same exact beat in nearly every song, somewhere in the neighborhood of 80bpm I think. Terrible cover art too, it looks like something a high school kid did in art class while trying to look like a badass.

I mean it's Stevie Wonder. It's not gonna be bad. Probably not Stevie's best but even at that it's pretty solid.

A great record, except for The Girl Is Mine. That's quite possibly one of the worst pop songs ever written. But there's not much else to say about this album that hasn't been said. It still holds up pretty well 40+ years later. I throw it on the turntable a few times a year. 4/5 because any album that includes The Girl Is Mine can't be 5 stars.

I just can't get on with hip hop. I hate it. Not even going to review these anymore unless there's something notable to say.

This is a really fun album. A little simple maybe but great for kind of "play it in the background while you have an outdoor summer cocktail party" kind of vibe. It didn't blow me away by any means but it was fun to listen to. Solid 3.

I first heard about Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan from Jeff Buckley who said that "he's my Elvis" and I always thought that was a very interesting way to put it. I never really liked Elvis and would take Nusrat any day. Wonderful music on this record. I get that it's not for everyone but I am glad to see it included here. Chances are anyone who is only vaguely familiar with qawwali music heard it from Nusrat. Unbelievable vocals on this album, though I can't understand what he's saying but you don't really have to. The man could sing. And the energy in this recording can really be felt. Even though I wouldn't listen to this all the time, I still have to give it 5/5 because it is a brilliant record that everyone should certainly hear at least once.

I've always hated the 60s organ sound in rock. I don't know who came up with it or why more than just that one guy thought it was a good idea. I feel like the only reason anyone listens to this record is because of the last song; it's kind of like a rite of passage I guess. It's an ok 17 minute jam but still not as good as any of the other sort of jam bands of that era. The rest of the album is pretty generic 60s psychedelic pop rock that's not really worth the time to listen to again. I think this record is on this list simply because of the title track and it sort of being novel at the time it was released. Giving this one a 2.5 rounded to 2 because of the damn organ.

Dude it's Led Zeppelin IV. What's the world coming to if you don't give this a 5/5?

I'm a little surprised to see this album pop up on this list, it's not one that I would have thought of including. The problem I always had with Alice in Chains is that Layne Staley's voice is just so aggressively irritating. It's like "dude you sound like you could actually sing, stop whining through every song." I get that he had a super sad life and demise but I wish he'd sing instead of complain. The music is a bit repetitive but the sounds are mostly decent, if that makes sense. I feel like the drum sound is lacking a little, they're sort of flat sounding and could use a little more depth. But guitars and bass sound good. There are definitely some good songs on this record, Down in a Hole and Would? are both great. Rooster gets played a lot but I think I've heard that one enough. I hadn't actually listened to this whole album in years. It's not bad, 3.25/5 I think, but I'd not really make a point to listen again and if most of the songs came up on a playlist I'd probably skip them. Rounding down to 3/5 because of the whining and the stupid, contrived cover.

I love these old live records from the 60s where they didn't record from a mixing board but set up microphones in the room and picked up what they picked up. Great energy from this record. I know this album has been called one of the best live albums ever recorded and although I don't know that I would go that far, I do think it's a great example of what this kind of performance was like back in the day. A really fun album that shows how great Sam Cooke was as a performer. It's so short though, I don't know that I would give this more than like 3.75/5. I'll give it a 4/5 since 3/5 isn't enough.

This album starts off like a mix between Radiohead and Joshua Tree-era U2 (think Bullet the Blue Sky). It's a cool vibe with a lot of great sounds but kind of trails off after the first half or so. Just kind of fades into the background of generic 90s pop rock. It's a decent album and just based on this listen I would probably look up some of their other stuff if I hadn't heard anything else from them. But I don't know that I would call it a great record by any means. 3/5

I think the problem these days with synth pop is that it has been parodied so much since it was popular that even the actual synth pop records from the 80s sound like parodies now too. You kind of have to listen to this record keeping in mind the state of music when it was released. There are actually some great lyrics on this album - "I love you, you pay my rent" is obviously tongue in cheek but it's surprisingly apropos today. Not much else to say about this one. It's ok. 2.5 rounded up to 3.

Proof that you don't have to play real instruments or write lyrics to get famous. This is not for me. I've never been a fan of house music and the repetition on this is mind numbing. Such a relief when it ended.

I feel like this album is kind of a prelude to the 80s. If you like New Wave music you'll dig this. Elvis Costello seems like he's probably an interesting guy. I like this album even though it may not be his best work. I'm not really sure what else to say about this record - it's got catchy songs, good lyrics, full sound. It's not something I would play all the time but I definitely enjoyed listening to it. 3/5.

Interesting that this is the first album in 100+ I've come across that was taken off Spotify. But it's another banger from Funkadelic. Some of it is a little silly, sure, but it's not often you find this kind of mix of great music that is not meant to be take seriously. As always with pretty much anything George Clinton related, the musicianship is what really stands out here. Just fantastic playing all around. Maggot Brain, as always, is a treat. Absolutely one of the best instrumentals of all time. 4.5/5 but rounding down to 4 because of the ridiculous album cover that looks like something I drew in 3rd grade.

It seems weird to say but I had never heard of this album before. After reading some reviews and some of the Wikipedia about it, I am sort of surprised that I never had. It's a great album. It's got that 'tight but somehow still sloppy' sound that a lot of the bands leaned into in the 90s. Great sound. Great bass playing. Great sounding guitars. Some of it is very Billy Corgan-esque. It holds up pretty well and I think if this album were released today, it would be hailed as a throwback to when indie rock was becoming a bit more mainstream. A pretty solid 4/5 from me but wouldn't rate it higher than that.

This album sort of plays like the demo made by that band in every high school that every knows will make it someday. Do they ever make it? I don't know. It's disjointed, has some decent playing, horrible vocals, mediocre production, and not enough fully fleshed out songs for a record so supplements with weird noises and "instrumentals" here and there. All in all, I feel like this is an album by a (seemingly) super new band that shows some promise but never got it together. 2.5/5 rounded down to 2 because I can't think of a reason to round up.

Who doesn't like the white album? It's got some of their best songs on it although I feel like there is a lot of filler. I've always loved this album and while I don't think it would really merit 5/5 it's definitely one of their best. Truth be told, I don't know if the Beatles really had a single album that would be 5/5 - lots of great songs but each album they made always had some slow spots.

Amazing guitar playing right from the start on this one. The solo on Summer Breeze especially is absolutely fantastic, just really great soulful playing. I had a lot of fun listening to this record. It would be a great album for like hour 4 of a long road trip. Picks you up and gets you in a happy mood. 4/5

Is this a brilliant record? No. Is it groundbreaking? Not really. Does it deserve to be on this list? I like it. The Slits were sort of the punk band that was really only punk for a short time before they recorded this album. This album plays more like an early ska record. It's raw, uncomplicated, and inexplicably good sounding, maybe vocals excepted. You can certainly see who they were looking to for influence and I think as an all female band they had a good influence on bands that would come after. Even still, an all female rock band is relatively rare which is a shame if you ask me. They formed as teenagers who didn't really know how to play instruments and somehow landed a spot opening for The Clash. That in itself is something that would be so foreign to any band starting today. So does this record belong on this list? Yes, I think it does if not for them being sort of one of the pioneers of all female rock then certainly for their cover of I Heard It Through The Grapevine. 3/5

How had I never heard Working Class Hero before? Fantastic song. The rest of the album is just ok. I think the lyrics for the most part were great. I've seen people call it pretentious or high minded but I think it was just a really personal record. I don't think I'd actually buy this record or even really play it again though. It gives a look into John Lennon's state of mind right after the Beatles broke up which is interesting but kind of makes you realize that the brilliance of the Beatles was at least in part because they were together. 3/5

This record is a little hard to pin down. I like it, but I'm still not really sure what to make of it. I've seen it compared to albums by The White Stripes and The Strokes and I don't see that at all. It was just released around the same time. I kind of feel like the album plays a lot like the cover looks - just lots of different stuff all over but it all kind of works together. Still, I'm a little surprised to have found it on this list. I really liked I Remember When, Dreaming of You, Waiting for the Heartaches, and Bad Man. I'd listen to this again for sure, and would probably pick it up and throw it on from time to time if I saw it in the record shop. 3.5/5 but rounding to 3 because it's not really a 4/5.

Not sure I'd really call this 'country and western' music but that's a bonus for me really. I mean it's Ray Charles, you know exactly what you're going to get. Fantastic voice on that man. I'm pretty sure he could sing the assembly instructions for an Ikea bookshelf and it would be great. That said, I don't think I can give this more than 3/5 and it's definitely not his best work. It's a good album but this kind of music just doesn't blow me away.

A solid record from the 60s. It's very very dated so it loses points for not exactly holding up well. But for what it is I think it does what it does well. It's not going to blow anyone away but if you'd never heard S&G before I can't imagine you wouldn't find something you like about it. It's probably better than 3/5 but I don't think I could really give it 4/5. See, this is why we need at least a 10 star system instead of 5.

Not sure this is the Yes album I would have picked for this list, and I can't imagine there would be a second one. Probably picked for I've Seen All Good People. Anyway, when you listen to Yes you just have to marvel at the musicianship. I mean these guys could play for sure. Say what you will about the vocals, that seems to be a common sticking point, but just briliant playing. Yes always get compared to Rush (and Rush is much much better) I think because of the musical complexity and the high vocals. I dig it. Having said all of that, there are definitely better prog bands. I know that this was way before some of the heavier progressive music but some of this record in particular sounds a little thin. 3.5/5, was going to round up to 4 but rounding down to 3 because yesterday evening it took me like 30 minutes to even remember what the album was for that day and I feel like a 4/5 shouldn't have that problem.

Man that woman could sing. It's kind of funny how many versions of all of these songs I've heard over the years. From this record Respect gets all the attention but I've always just been kind of lukewarm on that one. My favorite is I Never Loved a Man, the guitar part in the middle always sounds so great. But this album starts super strong and then kind of drops off in the middle for me a little bit. For me personally, this isn't an album I would listen to all the time. It's great, sure, but it's just not my thing. I'd give it a 3.5/5 but will round up to 4 because it's Aretha and regardless of taste, that woman was amazing.

I like the first half of this album much better than the second. The first half is like a cool blend of motown and funk, it's great. The second side is pretty much a straightforward motown record. Not bad but nothing really stands out to me. I'd like to give it more but 3/5 is where it lands.

A great, great record. Starts off strong and keeps it up throughout. Hard to believe this album is 55 years old. Some of these older albums seem dated by production, the sound, playing ability, vocals, etc. This is not one of those albums. I feel like if this album was released today, it would be a massive hit. The only real slow point for me is You Shook Me which is ruined by that damn organ and is a pretty straightforward blues cover. But this album is raw, well played, well sung, well recorded (in just 36 hours!), and well produced. You can just picture these guys in a dingy bar somewhere banging out these songs. Not a perfect album but you can't rate this less than 5/5.

I like this album a lot. I've always really liked Nick Cave in general and had never listened to this album all the way through. I like how it's almost two albums smashed together - the first half is more in your face and the second is a little softer and more ballad-ish. I think it was a good idea to release it as one long album instead of two short ones - it flows really well. I would rate this somewhere between 4 and 5, but didn't like it quite enough to give it a 5 so 4/5 it is.

This is actually the first time I've really ever listened to Tim Buckley. I would call this a fairly standard 60s folk/pop/singer-songwriter record with some forrays into soft jazz. After being a huge fan of his (vastly more talented) son for years, I have to say I am a little disappointed. It's ok, but is definitely dated and sort of drags a little. Fantastic lyrics though, it seems (from just this record anyway) that his real talent was as a lyricist. I feel like he does have a really great voice but this album doesn't really showcase it at all. So I think I'd give this one like a 2.5, round up to 3 for the lyrics and hope that his other records are better.

Remember back in the early 90's when people still went to roller rinks and they had a shitty DJ playing god knows what? That's what this album is. It's not even well done for what it is. Repetative, irritating, no real instruments, mediocre vocals, and boring all at the same time. Hard pass from me. And, though no fault of the record, not on Spotify so it's a little irritating having to skip through the occasional ad on YouTube. The funny thing about that is there were a couple times I couldn't even tell an ad was playing. That's not what you want from a great record. I have no idea why this album would be included on this list. All that said, I didn't skip any songs and though I was glad it was over, it was not the worst album on this list so far so an extra point for that I guess. 2/5

My second album from him on this list. I think I liked Djam Leelii a little better. This one includes some of the cheesy 90s synths that I'm not usually a fan of and they sort of take me out of it a bit. I love the vocals though, great singning. I only wish I knew what he was saying. After this album I can say that I am a Baaba Maal fan. His music isn't something that I would put on to actively listen to but I would definitely play this around the house or while working or something. I'll give this one another 3/5.

So if you had never heard the Beastie Boys before, or maybe more interestingly if you had never heard music before, and were coming at this totally blind with no preconceptions at all, I feel like your first thought would be "wow this is terrible". And objectively I think I kind of agree. I don't think novel production methods and recording in random apartments in LA make a good album. Sure it was different for the time, that doesn't mean it's good. But then I remember this list is 1001 albums to hear before you die, not 1001 good albums to hear before you die. So should this be on the list? Yeah I guess so just because it was different at the time it was made. Do I enjoy it? No. It's too bad because I do like some of the Beastie Boys other stuff, but I am not a fan of hip hop at all, and I suppose this counts. I'll give it a 2/5 because it's not terrible to listen to like a lot of other hip hop but it lacks anything that would make me want to listen again.

Just the concept of this album is brilliant. And Johnny Cash is absolutely the perfect one to have done this. I'm not a fan of country/western (if that's what you can call this) but I do like some Johnny Cash and I feel like this is him at his best. Add in the crowd noise and the banter between songs and you get a fantastic experience listening to this album. This is probably the only album of his that I would consider buying if I ran across it at the record store. And I'd throw it on every now and then. 4/5 because as great as it is, it's still not exactly my kind of music.

A super solid early 70s rock album. Straightforward, no weird recording effects, nothing special about how it was recorded, nothing novel in terms of instrumentation or production. It kind of makes you wonder why it was included in this list. But whatever the reason I'm glad it was. It was fun to listen to and I love how it isn't perfect by any means. I do wish that Rod Stewart had been the singer for all the songs, I wonder about the fights they must have had around that descision. Not much else to say about this one, solidly middle of the road. 3/5

I've never understood the attraction to Linkin Park, but apparently people love them for some reason. I'll never understand why. It's just super generic and way overproduced. It's predictable and trite. It's unimaginative and boring. I feel like they tried so hard to make a popular radio record that any creativity they had as musicians was right out the window. And I've always hated Chester Bennington's vocals - it always sounds like he's trying so hard but just can't get it right. Top it off with sophomoric lyrics and forced rhymes and it results in...this. Linkin Park is pretty much the stereotypical sound of early 2000s nu-metal. They kind of took the lowest common denominator of all those other bands and somehow packaged it up and sold millions of records. The reason I know this album is bad is that I didn't even get irritated by it. Like it was just kind of sound washing over me, it played and I didn't even really notice. Absolutely nothing draws you in. And to me that's worse than a record that you just don't like. 1/5

Some of the songs on this album that are more soul and less hip hop aren't terrible. I hate hip hop, it just does nothing for me at all. She's got a great singing voice and I wish this album had been more of that. The more reggae sounding songs were cool too. It's just ruined with the rap that sort of takes over. And what's with the skits? Like how did that become a staple on hip hop albums from this time? It's weird and takes you out of the album. 2/5

The Smiths are always sort of polarizing. Or maybe it's just Morrissey that is polarizing and that gets projected onto the band. With these reviews I try to just focus on this one album in isolation, without regards to the individual members of the band or what else they have done or said. It's hard sometimes, but I do my best. Honestly I don't get the hate for the music from The Smiths. Even if it isn't quite to your taste, it's smart, well crafted, well played, and well sung. This album in particular ticks all those boxes. Some killer guitar work on this album as well, though sometimes you really have to listen for it. All in all, I think this album would be like a 3.75 for me. While I enjoy The Smiths style, it's not something I would want to listen to all the time. But when you're in the mood for it, it kills.

This album basically is the 90s. With probably 4 of the best songs to come out of grunge, this album undeniably had a major impact on music. Arguably some of the best musicianship of the grunge era, the outro guitar solo on Alive and the guitar tone across the whole album in general is enough to make this one of the best grunge records. Certainly a definitive album and one that I feel like most anyone who's a rock fan would enjoy. 4/5

I can't really figure this album out. I don't know who it would be for. It's not really bad, some of the instrumentation is inventive. Great drums and bass throughout. Vocals are super off-putting. I'd never heard of this band before and after this album I might go find some of their other stuff if the mood strikes. It's interesting to listen to, weird for sure. I'm just not sure I get what they were trying to do or say. Hard to rate because I don't really like it but it's not bad. I'd give this like 2.5 but I can't bring myself to round up to 3 so it's a 2/5 I suppose.

This seems like a weird choice for a Bob Dylan album for this list. I mean yeah he should absolutely have an album or two on the list, but this one? I mean it's a good live album but if there are one or two other Dylan albums on this list I don't know why this would be included. Anyway, never been much of a Bob Dylan fan. I appreciate that he was an icon of folk music (for whatever reason) and a good lyricist, I wouldn't go as far as calling him a poet. I was ready to be done with this after just a few songs. And I hate the folksy harmonica, it's just not my thing. I feel like if you were really into Bob Dylan then you'd love this. Everyone else is going to be a little bored with at least the first half of this record. I mean really the first half just drags on and is basically close to an hour of the same thing over and over. The second half picks up a bit when the full band comes in and it starts to hold your attention a little better. But the dude just can't sing. I mean slurring words and tones doesn't cover the fact that he just can't do it. I've always found him to be supremely overrated and this record shows exactly why. 2/5

I like the Beatles. I'm not one of those crazy Beatles fans that can tell you everything about every album and who their barber was during the recording sessions. I think the Beatles persona sort of transcended the music they made and it's hard to listen to it objectively. Like, it's the Beatles - you're just supposed to love it, right? That said, I feel like this album is sort of hit and miss. This record seems like it was the prelude to the Beatles getting weird (super high) and I like their weird stuff a lot better. This album is good, but if I was going to make a 'best of' compilation of the Beatles, I don't know that anything from this record would be included. 3/5

I'm only sort of casually familiar with Bob Marley. I mean I know all the songs that everyone knows and have heard a few of his albums randomly over the years. I've always really dug his music but never felt the need to go out and actively listen to it all. I really liked this album, it's a total mood album. Always glad to hear Jamming, that's probably been my favorite song of his since I first heard it. The rhythms in his music are so great. I don't know what it is but it just makes you sort of relax a bit, and that's funny to say because a lot of his songs are about such serious topics - poverty, oppression, spirituality, revolution, and just general struggles of Jamaica. Great music to sort of just have on in the background when you're doing other things but still fun to sit and really listen. This specific album has a lot going for it - great sound and production, interesting instrumentation, brilliant lyrics and signing. It's super tight but sort of loose and free at the same time. I love how some of it is almost like a reggae/funk fusion. 3.75/5

I love this album. The whole thing is such a vibe. I feel like Nick Drake is one of those semi-under-the-radar artists that has a cult following but most people wouldn't know who he was. I'm not much of a fan of the singer/songwriter genre in general but he is a bit different. Particularly this album. It's dark and sort of haunting and his voice is perfect for what he's singing. It's super short which I think fits with the overall theme and mood of the album. It's simple. It's all about the emotion and lyrics. Nothing else to say, really. If you're in a mood (happy? sad? lonely? I don't know) listen to this album and it will be just what you need. 4/5

An odd choice for a Neil Young record on this list. I mean I would have to think that he's got another one or two on here for sure. I wonder why this one was chosen? It's a good album but as far as essential Neil Young I don't know if I would count this record. Maybe that's just me. I feel like you either really like Neil Young or you hate him. I like him, super unique voice for sure and I always appreciate that. He's good at crafting a song and a wonderful guitar player. For this particular album, I feel like it starts off great with My My Hey Hey and then kind of just goes down after that. It's too much of the softer kind of singer/songwriter Neil Young and less of the harder rockier version and I much prefer the latter. A decent album though, 3.5/5 rounded to 3 because, come on, a live album with studio overdubs like this isn't exactly a live album.

I feel like, as one of the most famous albums of all time, this one is kind of weird because it only has a couple of songs that everyone would know. Really I bet if you asked random people if they'd heard of this record almost all of them would say yes but then if you asked to name 3 songs from the album, most people couldn't. But it's a great record. I mean it's Stevie Wonder, how can it be bad? Solid 4/5 from me.

Another album that kind of sounds like a soundtrack from a cheesy 80s movie. I had never heard of this one and probably won't seek out any of their other stuff. It's not bad. It's not great. It is interesting listening to this kind of thing as a sort of time capsule but there's nothing really notable about this album, I can't remember how any of the songs went the next day. It sounds like any small band in the 80s. 2.5/5 from me, will round to 2 for the sheer forgettability of it. I do, however, appreciate the use of real instruments and the so-bad-it's-actually-kind-of-good album cover.

Starts off super cheery and light which I wasn't really expecting given the title. It keeps up that vibe throughout but if you listen to the lyrics it's not quite as sweet and happy as it would seem. I get a kind of 90s-pop meets the Smiths feeling from a lot of these songs. I think it's the vocals - it's almost like he's a sweeter voiced Morrissey. Overall, this record is nice, sincere, uncomplicated but not to it's detriment, and very well recorded and produced. I dig it. 3.5/5 rounded up to 4.

I love this album. I'm always a sucker for a good rock band with a strong female singer. And while this may not exactly be super heavy or hard rock, I love it. She has a fantastic voice, the instrumentation is great, songs are well orchestrated. This record is a must have for anyone who likes women-in-rock and probably for just rock fans in general. What more can you ask for? I'm glad this album was on this list. I'd heard a few songs from this album but had never sat and listened to the whole thing before. It flows really well and all of the songs fit together really nicely. It's one weakness is that I wish it ended on a stronger note, but still 5/5 for sure.

I used to listen to this album all the time in middle school. Haven't played the whole thing through since then probably. I remember really liking the whole album and listening to it again after so many years, I don't think it really holds up as well as I thought it would. There are a few fantastic songs on this album - Tonight Tonight, Bullet with Butterfly Wings, Zero, 1979. Zero is probably my favorite on the album. But outside of those the record kind of drags a little bit. I think the 2 hour play time is excessive. I can see why this album has such mixed reviews. Billy Corgan certainly isn't for everyone. Assuming this is the only album on this list from Smashing Pumpkins, I'm surprised they chose this one instead of Siamese Dream. I know this one was commercially more successful and was higher up on the charts but I think Siamese Dream is a better album. 3.5/5 from me, rounding to 3 because it should have been half as long.

You could debate this album based on genre - is it punk (no) is it pop (yes) is it pop-punk (kind of). I was never really into Green Day. I mean the music is cool - good guitars and bass, solid drumming. But then Billie Joe Armstrong starts to sing and it all falls apart for me. A whole album of his voice is just too much. Which is a shame because he seems like a good dude in general. I wish I liked this more than I do. It's super nostalgic even though I never really listened to it back in the day, it was unavoidable for a few years when it came out so I heard it a lot regardless. It's fine, I guess. A generous 3/5 from me.

So this is definitely a super weird album. But I don't get the hate for it. I mean I would never have guessed this was the Bee Gees, maybe that's why? People see Bee Gees and you automatically think 'disco' but this is not that at all and (apparently) the Bee Gees did a lot of other stuff before they got famous for disco. Honestly I had no idea this album even existed. A sort of 60's folk rock concept album that occasionally delves into what seems like cheery film score. I wouldn't be surprised if they were intending this to be made into a film. But I don't know, man, this is not really for me. It's not bad for what it is I guess. 2.5/5 rounded to 3 just because of the surprise that this is the Bee Gees.

Another one where I'm confused as to why this is included on this list. Maybe I don't know enough about her or Hanns Eisler to get why this is really relevant? She's got a great voice, that's for sure, so I really enjoyed that aspect of this record. I was kind of excited when I saw this was listed as a jazz album but it is decidedly not jazz. Showtunes for sure. I tried to find the German version but couldn't with a quick search though I'm sure it's out there somewhere. I mean if showtunes is your thing you'd probably love this, for me it's not something I ever need to hear again. 2/5.

I can never decide if I agree with what others have said about this list including live albums. I mean there are some absolutely amazing live albums out there that everyone should hear. So far I have not come across any of those on this list. This one included. I mean it's a good record - fun to listen to, well played, lots of energy. But especially the original version being 6 songs and 37 minutes, that's barely enough to get an idea of what a band would be like live. And this album has been released in so many different versions it kind of seems like a cash grab. I don't know, I'm kind of conflicted about it. A solid album but I wouldn't ever buy it. And as a live album, if you had never heard The Who before I can't imagine this would make you want to go and explore their catalogue more. 2.75/5 which is a shame.

This is one of my favorite albums of all time, top 3 for sure. It's just so perfect in every way - instrumentation, production, lyrics. And, man, that guy could sing. What a voice. I mean I know that music is subjective to a point but if you don't like this album, sorry you're wrong and need to go back and listen again. Jeff Buckley was one of the few geniuses we've had in modern music. So much of the music that came after Jeff Buckley would not have happened without this album. It is a masterpiece and it is so sad that we didn't get more from him in his much too brief life. ∞/5

This is a very interesting album. A couple songs in and it's not what I expected. It's super dramatic and almost operatic. Not what I would typically think of as metal or hard rock as it is labeled here. I don't really know what to make of it. It kind of trails off for me towards the end and fizzles out with the last few songs. The vocals are very strange too - like he doesn't have a bad voice but it's not one that I would really want to listen to. It's forceful but not exactly musical. All in all this is a weird album and I think I need more than one listen to really get it. 2.5/5.

I think this is one of those albums that people love or hate. Yes, it's pretty repetitive, a lot of the songs are the same chords played at the same tempo, and the vocals may not be for everyone. I love it. It's raw, messy, energetic, and fun to listen to. And super influential - think of all the kids playing in their parents' garages that started a band after hearing this record. And their parents hated it. Is it one of the best albums ever made? Not, of course not. But it is a great album for sure and absolutely deserves to be on this list. 4/5

One of my favorite Bowie albums, although he can do no wrong in my book. His evolution from one album to the next is always amazing to me. This record in particular being between The Man Who Sold The World and Ziggy Stardust is completely different from either but still recognizable as something that only Bowie would do. I don't care how many of his albums are on this list, we always need more. This album would be a 5/5 for Changes and Life on Mars alone.

I will admit I was less than excited when I saw this one pop up. 70s bubblegum pop is not really my kind of music. I think I had probably heard at least most of this record before. I mean amidst the sea of disco at the time this was released I can understand why people liked it so much. It doesn't hold up for me though. I mean imagine if When I Kissed the Teacher was released today.... I don't know, the whole 70s synthesized pop dance music is just something I can't really get on board with. Great vocals on this record though, so I enjoyed it for that. But ridiculous and sappy lyrics for the most part. I know a lot of people love Abba (#128 in the world on Spotify as I write this???!?!), I am not one of those people. 2/5

There seems to be an excessive number of Kinks albums on this list. Maybe it just seems that way to me because like every third album or more is 60s/70s pop? This record is another fine example of late 60s Brit pop that I could definitely have gone my life without hearing and not been worse off. I mean there are a couple good songs on here but nothing life changing. 2/5

Loved this album. One thing I like about Muddy Waters records, and this record in particular, is that they sound like they are recorded in a room with everyone just jamming together. And most of them probably were recorded that way. It makes you feel like you could be in a dingy club somewhere and just happened across this amazing band. I hope it was a conscious choice to produce this album with a sort of airy quality that makes it sound like a live performance in a decent sized room. And you can't go wrong with Muddy Waters, really. So much of the music everyone loves would not have happened without Muddy Waters and his ilk. As far as traditional electric blues goes, there are only a handful of guys who did it better. 5/5

I've always felt like the Stones are one of the most overrated bands of all time. I love a few of their songs but for me, a greatest hits record would be enough. That said, Keith Richards and Charlie Watts are both among the best at what they do. For this record, there are some bangers on here - Brown Sugar (if you don't listen to the lyrics at least) and Can't You Hear Me Knocking are great. I've never liked Wild Horses. The rest of the album is sort of unremarkable to me. I think this is just one of the albums that you're supposed to like from a band that you're supposed to like. There's nothing wrong with this record, really, it's just sort of beige. 2.5/5 rounded up to 3.

I don't think I'd ever heard this but the cover is vaguely familiar to me. And as far as mid 80s new wave albums go, this one is much less like a cheesy movie soundtrack. Maybe this is more like 80s art pop than new wave? I don't know but I dig it. Happiness Is Easy is a great song. April 5th is kind of a weird slow spot and I think might have worked better as the album closer rather than the side one closer. It didn't really make me want to turn the record over. The second side plays a lot like the first, a slow spot towards the end. All in all I really enjoyed this album and I'll definitely listen to it again. If I saw it in the record shop I'd probably pick it up. 3.5/5 round to 4 for the re-listenability.

Radiohead will always be the band that a generation of people who wanted others to think they were 'deep intellectuals' and 'get music' said was their favorite. If you tell me Radiohead is your favorite band, I don't need to know anything else - I know exactly what type of person you are. I don't dislike Radiohead but I'm sort of indifferent about them. They have some good songs but if I never heard them again I wouldn't really count it as a loss. This album is fine. It's a good listen but it doesn't really stand out from any other album of the time to me. And I get the hate for Thom Yorke, he does seem like a super pretentious dude and that totally carries over into his band. I actually like his voice which is a sticking point with a lot of people. I can't really pick a favorite song, or even one to highlight, from this album. They all run together but in sort of a good way. The songs are structured well although they never really take off but I think that's kind of the point. 3/5

It's Ray Charles, you know what you're getting. Fantastic voice. But as with the other album of his on this list, the record just doesn't blow me away. I mean I liked it but it just kind of washes over you. 3/5

I'm happy to see this record on here, I've always loved it. Santana is one of those guys who can play one note and you know it's him. He has such a unique style and sound and there's just an unmistakable tonal quality to his playing that nobody else can replicate. And I really think this album has some of his best playing. The whole fusion of Latin jazz, rock, even samba is something that everyone should hear and I think most would appreciate. I can understand that this kind of music might not be up everyone's alley, but you can't deny the musicianship on this record is top notch. Production is great too - such a big sound and very well recorded. I just wish it was longer. 4.5/5

It's always fun to have an album that I have never heard of before. Never even heard of this band before. I must confess that when this popped up and I saw a band called White Denim and that they were from Texas I immediately thought I was in for a shitty country pop album. But what I got was a super fun bluesy/psychedelic/indie/pop rock record that even has some forays into acid jazz. Really cool guitar parts throughout. Great vocals. Good song structures. Terrible album cover. I'll have to listen another time or two but on the first listen this was a great album. Overall I really liked this record and will definitely be listening to some of their other stuff. I'm giving this one a solid 3.75/5.

Ok so I have to start by saying I hate Stevie Nicks. Always have. And I don't know why, I'm usually a sucker for a female singer in a rock band. I liked Fleetwood Mac a lot more when they were a bluesy psychedelic band with Peter Green. Stevie Nicks sort of ruined them a little bit for me. That said, I do like this album. I think this is one of those albums that every likes because you're told it's good all the time. It is a good album but not one that I would really ever pick to listen to. Maybe once every few years. One of the best albums of all time? Not for me. But it definitely should be on this list. I'm sort of conflicted as to what rating to give. It's better than 3 but it doesn't make it to 4 for me. Do I round up for the general acceptance of the album as being great or do I round down based on my personal liking of the record and the silly, childish cover?

This album is super weak. Every time I hear Paul Simon's solo stuff I always think how much better he was with Garfunkel. He was a great songwriter for the most part but whatever Garfunkel contributed to the music really made it stand out for me. I'm kind of surprised that this is the second of his solo albums I've had so far on this list and I'm not even 20% of the way in. Surely we could have just had one or two S&G records and called this box checked. I saw another review that called this album something like 'sanitized world music for white people' and I think that's really the best description. I won't be coming back to this one. 2/5

So this was a total shocker for me. I liked this album a lot more than I thought I would. I knew of The Go-Go's of course but never really gave them a shot, just kind of wrote them off as a bubblegum pop kind of thing probably just based on We Got The Beat which I've never really cared for. But damned if this album wasn't a lot more than I expected. It's almost like punk-lite, early new wave, 80s girl rock, sappy pop all blended together. The songs are not necessarily complicated but they are well structured and super catchy and well palyed. It's sad that they basically just fizzled out. I think the production on most of this album could have been a little better but maybe that's just a result of the time and them being an all female band. I can't imagine that they were working with super great producers and engineers. It's not bad but I wish it had a little better balance in some parts and the sound was a little fuller. It's mostly kind of tinny. But still, it's a great record and I'd absolutely pick this one up if I saw it in the record store. 4.5/5 rounded up because of how great the surprise was.

I've always loved this album. She had an amazing voice and was such a great performer. Her life is a sad story and I feel like listening to this album you can hear all sides - her struggles, hopefulness, longing for help, striving for independence, maintaining dependence on others, wanting to improve, wanting to stay as is. I mean really that all shows up in just Rehab. It's a brilliant record and was made that much more meaningful after her death. I wish we had more performers like Amy Winehouse around today. 5/5

This album sounds like what you would expect from a stereotype of punk. Like if someone was making a movie and one scene needed some late 70s punk music for some kind of montage but the production didn't have money to buy rights to anything commercially released so they just decided to find someone on the crew to 'record something that sounds like punk music'. This album would be that recording. It's great if you like it. But I guess that can be said about anything. 2.5/5 rounding up to 3 because I had no idea that Pat Smear was in this band or even old enough to be in this band.

Classic Stan Getz. And one thing I love about this album over Getz/Gilberto is the guitar playing - I think Charlie Byrd was a much better guitar player. This album kicks off with Desafinado which is fantastic and would fit right in on the Getz/Gilberto album but I really like the guitar part better here. The rest of the album is good but not great. I would listen to this every now and then but it's not something I could listen to all the time like Getz/Gilberto. Solid 3.75/5.

I try to keep these reviews focused only on the album and the artist and the music they made and not bring in any kind of personal issues they may have had. It's not always easy. That said, as far as the music goes, this album has a lot to offer. It's soooo 80s. It's a really interesting record as a follow up to Thriller, lots in common but it definitely goes in a different, more 80s direction. I've always really liked the title track and The Way You Make Me Feel. That's a great way to open a record. I think the problem that this album has is that it's almost so over-produced and saturated with 'new technology' that his voice sort of gets swallowed by it all a bit. Not that you can't hear the vocals or anything, but just that he had such an amazing voice (one of the best ever, really) but it sounds a little artificial or like it's going through too many effects filters and takes away from how naturally strong it is. Not for the whole album but definitely in parts. Not as bad as Autotune, thankfully, but I felt myself thinking "that's too bad" a few times. All in all I think this is a really strong record, definitely more modern sounding that what he did before it. I think I like Thriller better though. I'd rate this one at like a 3.9/5.

The second album in a row I have to preface by saying I'm only commenting on the record and listening to it for what it is, separate from the artist that made it. On a personal level, fuck this guy. I remember when Marilyn Manson sort of came into the spotlight. It was different than anything I'd heard back then and middle school me loved it but didn't really know what to make of it. I used to really like his music and got into it more as I got older but at this point have sort of given him up due to the recent revelations about him as a person. I do think that maybe what makes this album great is the contributions the band made and not necessarily Manson himself. This may be totally wrong but I get the feeling that Manson is a super hard guy to work with (as evidenced by the revolving door of band members) and that the rest of the band, whoever they may be at the time, are likely responsible for the bulk of what's recorded. Some of the lyrics on this album are very smart and offer an interesting point of view into a different way of thinking than is typically seen in mainstream media. Some of the lyrics are super cringey now, though maybe that's looking at them with nearly 30 years of hindsight. And a lot of it seems to be 100% for shock value, but I think that was the intention all along. I mean the album is called Antichrist Superstar. Beautiful People is a fantastic song and by all accounts was written largely by Twiggy. Play that song for anyone of a fairly large age range and they're not only going to recognize it but tell you it's probably the best songs Manson did and maybe one of the best of the 90s. Dried Up Tied Up is great as well. As is Antichrist Superstar. But there were a few songs I had to skip. Probably just because I don't think Manson really deserves much of my time anymore. This is a tough one to rate. Some of it I really like, some of it is fine. If the whole album was as good as the handful of strongest tracks, it would be a fantastic album. As is, it's middle of the road and I was ready to move on before it was over. 2/5

Maybe a little too electronic for my taste, but a decent album nonetheless. It's almost like if you gave The Cure or Joy Division or maybe The Smiths a lot of 80s synths. Not really too much more to say aobut this one, admittedly I listened to it while I was sort of focused on something else and it sort of just flowed over me. I'll listen again but I'm confident in giving it a 3/5.

I enjoyed this album but I don't really get why some people were raving about it. I can sort of see the super early punk starting to emerge but it was mostly just kind of a straightforward rock album from the 60s. Nothing that would make me even really think to look to see who it was if I heard it randomly somewhere. 2/5

Frank Zappa seems to be sort of controversial, with a lot of people lauding him as a genius and others simply calling his music noise. It's not mainstream by any means. I feel like most musicians would love this album, the average everyday music fan probably not as much. From interviews and things I've seen about Zappa, he seems like he would have been a really interesting guy to sit down and talk to. For this album specifically - amazing guitar playing. And the tones he gets are unbelievable. Just fantastic throughout and really made me want to listen to this as loud as my ears would allow. Also Max Bennett on bass has to be mentioned - although the basslines are not super complex they are really interesting and played to perfection. Great bass tone too. Particularly on Willie the Pimp. That song has a groove that can't be beat. Production on this album is great as well, nothing overshadows anything else, sound quality is good, levels are balanced. Zappa said this album was "a movie for your ears" and that's certainly an apt description. It sort of devolves into a little more avant garde in the second half that I think most people wouldn't really care for but I like it. The horns on the second half of the album are great, but again not to everyone's taste. This is a hard one for me to rate because while I love it, I'm not sure I would give it 5/5. This is another case where we need ratings out of 10. This would be a solid 9/10 for me but I don't think I could rate it a 5/5. Maybe more like 85/100.

The idea of rock/pop bands playing with an orchestra was certainly not new when Metallica did it but I feel like they sort of reignited interest for the concept. Especially for a band whose songs tend to have a lot of orchestration already, or at least the potential for it, like Metallica, it makes a lot of sense. A solid idea for sure and this is probably one of the better records to showcase it. Sometimes these albums can sound like just different mixes of the band rather than the complete addition of an orchestra, this one does a wonderful job of blending both elements. One thing that stands out about this album which is different than a lot of the other albums like this is that they actually wrote parts for the symphony rather than just having them double notes, chords and melodies that the band was already playing - it was a genuine addition of music in this case. The problem with this album, other than Lars randomly beating drums to whatever song is playing in his head at the time, is that unless you're a big Metallica fan this is going to be too long. I get that it's a recording of the whole live show(s) but the casual listener will probably stop about halfway through or just listen to a handful of songs they know well already. The track list is basically a 'best of' album so I think most songs will be recognized by most people but the audience for this album was probably never meant to be widespread. All in all, it's a good record but loses points from me just because I'm not a huge Metallica fan and it was a bit of a chore to sit through the whole thing. 3/5

I have to confess that this is the first time I've ever listened to a whole Grateful Dead studio album. They aren't exactly known for their studio work. Now I can see why. This album is boring. I've always found their live recordings to just be so-so anyway but this is almost unbearable. It's like a shitty country album where most of the songs are played too slowly and there are never any changes. Terrible vocals. Sloppy instrumentation. Poor production. It must be a lot easier to like after you've dropped acid continually for years. The one saving grace is Truckin' which is decent, or is it just the only mediocre track on an album otherwise full of absolute trash? 2/5 for Truckin' and the use of real instruments, albeit poorly played.

I like this album. It didn't really blow me away but I enjoyed it nonetheless. Not a whole lot to say about this one, it's pretty standard 80s alt. Sounds pretty raw and edgy, well played, interesting compositions. I dig it. 3.5/5 but rounded down because there wasn't anything that really wowed me.

The funny thing about this album is that if you told me it came out in 1967 I wouldn't have any reason not to believe it. It sounds a lot like any of the Brit pop from the 60s with maybe a little bit of new wave starting to creep in here and there. I only listened to the original 10 songs, the 30 bonus tracks on Spotify seemed a little excessive (was there ever really a demand for those?). I was ready to move on after those first ten. This is one of the albums that isn't bad but I found myself thinking "surely there was another album that could have been included instead of this one?" 2.5/5 rounded up for the hilariously weird and bad album cover.

I love when albums come up on this list and I can actually go over to the record collection and listen to the vinyl. This is one of my favorite albums and I've listened to it countless times. There's so much to love about this album - as with all Prince, the musicianship is outstanding. Prince was one of the best guitar players of all time and the thing that really impresses me about how he orchestrates his music is that he rarely takes a self-indulgent guitar solo. Everything he does serves the song and not all the songs need the most amazing guitar solo ever written. Unless you knew how great he was, the average listener wouldn't hear this album and think "wow that guy can really play". This album has what I consider to be one of the most perfect album sides in music. Side 2 of this album is utterly brilliant - the songs are amazing, they flow from one to the next perfectly, starts off with an absolute banger, stays strong, ending on another banger that is definitely in contention for the best song ever written. I see a lot of people on here saying that this album is good but Sign O' The Times is better, and while that album is another brilliant piece of music, Purple Rain is the better album to my ears. 5/5

I wouldn't call this the best punk album of all time as many do here, but it's a great example nonetheless. Maybe a little less brash and...more well played than a lot of the other punk albums of the time. Does that make it better? I'm not sure. One thing I love about early punk is that so much of it was just angry teenagers or 20somethings who picked up instruments as an outlet. It was raw, edgy, loud, and not particularly refined. This album doesn't necessarily fit that description. Though it seems weird to dock points for the band members being too good at their instruments for the music they're playing. As for the songs - a lot of them will be instantly recognizable for most people. I feel like this is an album that the majority of people have already heard at least once. It's perhaps not quite challenging enough for my taste, especially for a punk record. But the songs are built well, played well, well recorded. This is kind of a must have for record collectors. I like it but I don't think I would ever find myself listening to it very often. I don't want to call it weak, that's not the right word for it at all, but I just feel like it's lacking something that I hope for when I go into a punk record. I'd give this one a 3.5/5 but will round up for a fantastic cover photo. But again, the album is a little more tame than the cover would suggest...

So dance pop is totally not my thing. I hate the overproduction of this album. I hate the terrible autotune that's on most (all?) songs. There is more to making music than synthesized beats, phased shitty drum sounds, and autotuned vocals. That's like the worst kind of album I can imagine. I do like some of the stuff that Madonna did in the 80s and maybe early 90s but this is pretty unbearable. I was close to giving this album an extra star because I rather enjoyed Gone but then American Pie followed. WTF? I have always hated the original version of that song and this has to be some kind of joke. Like how many people heard this before the album was released and none of them thought to say "You know, Madonna, this really is not something to which you should subject the world"? 1/5

Went into this one completely blind which is always a gamble. It's categorized here as Pop but that's definitely not it. I really enjoyed it. I could see playing this album in the summer while just hanging out in the afternoon or having people over for cocktails. Very interesting arrangements and, once you listen, it's actually a lot more intricate than it first seems. It makes sense that it was produced by Brian Eno. I'll probably keep this on regular rotation for a while and will totally buy it if I see it in the record store. Also, is this the greatest album cover of all time? Perhaps... 4/5

I remember when this album came out, these guys were lauded as musical geniuses the likes of which we had never seen before. While that's definitely not true, the album isn't bad. It's kind of middle of the road mid-2000s pop alt. Kids is a good song although I kind of got sick of it from hearing it so much. Time to Pretend is solid as well. I feel like more than being musical geniuses, MGMT were better at knowing what kind of sound would sell at the time. The lyrics are pretty bad for the most part, but the songs are catchy in a 2007 kind of way. The second half of this album falls away and is completely forgettable. I feel like MGMT kind of came and went as the sound that they capitalized on faded away. Apparently they came out with a new album about 5 months ago (Feb 2024) and it only has a few million plays on Spotify. I've not heard any of it so can't really comment but I would imagine that true musical geniuses would get more than a couple million plays in 5 months. For this album, 3/5 is generous I suppose.

Dad rock supreme. Springsteen seems like he'd be a cool dude to have a beer with. He's definitely an iconic rocker from back in the day. I just don't really like his music that much. I can appreciate that his band is fabulous, I actually do like his voice, I just don't connect with any of his music really at all. I'd heard this album a few times before, but not in years. It's a fun album but not one that I would ever really put on to listen to. Great sax, seems a little ahead of the 'cheesy 80s sax' that was in everything for a while. Good bass too. Favorite song was Jungleland - it sort of played a bit like a song from a Broadway show. I think my favorite thing about this album is actually the Telecaster on the cover, would love to have that bad boy. But the album is fine, just not really to my taste. 3/5

I was actually a little surprised to see this album pop up today. I had Exodus a few weeks ago and that seems like it would pretty much cover the necessary Bob Marley. This is a decent album but surely there's nothing on this record that Exodus doesn't do better. This is maybe a deeper dig and I feel like there could have been something else added to this list in its place. The record is fine, nothing spectacular. If you like Bob Marley, you'll like it. If you're not a reggae fan, this won't change your mind. 3/5

Would this album be on this list if it didn't have Tiny Dancer on it? I don't think so. That's a brilliant song, one of Elton John's best, but the rest of this album is run of the mill. And what's up with Indian Summer? No way he could record that song anymore. I liked Levon and Madman Across the Water, the rest of it is nothing I would really ever listen to again. I don't know what else (if anything?) from Elton John is on this list, I would imagine the self titled album or Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (or both) probably are. It would be a really weird choice to pick this to be the only Elton John record. I'll give this one a 2.5/5, mostly for Tiny Dancer.

I have to admit that I was a little disappointed in this one. After reading a handful of reviews on this site, I was hopeful that this would be one of the hitherto undiscovered (for me) amazing albums that I'd really love. Alas, not the case. It's pretty generic 60s/70s pop rock. A couple good songs here and there but nothing to really grab my attention. It is well played, well recorded, well produced, and fun to listen to but I can't see myself going back to it again. 2.5/5

I can file this away in the "once was enough" drawer. Am I glad I listened to this record? Yes. Does it belong on this list? Not really, although I can see how it was sort of the start of the industrial genre. Very surprised that this was recorded and released in 1978. I actually kind of liked some of this album, there were some really interesting things going on and the lyrics, for what they were, were actually pretty good for the most part. Even still I don't think I can really give this more than a 2/5.

I feel like this is an album that your boomer mother/grandmother listened to endlessly in college. It's super dated and kind of lame. I've always liked I Feel the Earth Move but I'm not sure I can really say as much for the rest of the album. I can appreciate that she has a great voice and the album was recorded really well - the sound is fantastic. I just don't really like the music. Objectively, this album may be better than I'd rate it but for me, I struggle to give it any higher than a 2/5. I just can't really get on board with it.

I love this album. It might not be one of my favorite jazz records but it's hard to find anything to dislike about it. It's super mellow and great to have on in the background after a long day. One of those albums that probably everyone should have and listen to from time to time. I don't know if it's one I would really sit and intently listen to, more just throw on to have music in the background. Most people would probably be at least vaguely familiar with Take Five and I think that's probably the standout on this album. The rest might not be quite as good and there are other jazz albums I'd pick from this list over this one but you can't really go wrong throwing this on. 4/5

I like Scott Walker's voice. I don't really like this music. It's just sort of...lame. There’s a song of his here and there that I like, but none from this album. The singer/songwriter genre is not one I've ever really liked much. And this is especially cheesy. Nothing else to say, I won't be listening to this again. 2/5

Loved this album. It's samba but also something more. Like if Portishead made a samba record and leaned really hard into the samba part. It's super interesting and I really enjoyed it. Now, was it good enough for the producer to run into a burning building and die of smoke inhalation to save the masters? No. But morbidly ironic then that it shows up on this list... 4/5

Ok. So yes, Ella Fitzgerald was amazing. This album has an amazing cover. 3+ hours of anyone singing Gershwin songs is decidedly less amazing. And also - it's cheating to have this album on the list anyway. Might as well include any number of 'best ofs' if we allow this one. And is this the longest album on the list? I decided when I started this project that I would listen to all the albums all the way through and at least give every song a chance before skipping them as a last resort. I never thought that the album that would try my patience the most (so far...) would be Ella Fitzgerald. It's not that I don't like it, it's just too long. And this kind of vocal jazz is just not that interesting to me. I think that unless Ella Fitzgerald is like your top favorite of all time, most people will probably be bored of this after the first 10 songs max. So I don't really know how to rate this one and am going to just give up and call it 2.5/5.

Leonard Cohen was a really brilliant songwriter and the writing on this album is still fantastic. Super personal but still very poignant and relatable lyrics. It's dark and sad but oddly comforting at the same time. Although I've never really been a fan of this kind of 'spoken word over background music' kind of stuff, I really did enjoy this. As a sort of farewell to the world, this album really stands out. It's hard not to compare this record to David Bowie's Blackstar but maybe that's not fair. Or maybe it is - both being composed and recorded by brilliant men knowing they are about to die. Kind of morbid but interesting to see the different approach each album took. Blackstar is immensely better. I think this one is a solid 3.5/5. I don't think I would listen to it again but I am very happy to have heard it once.

Country music wouldn’t exactly be my choice, but at least this is better than the garbage pop country we have to live with now. And Dolly Parton is a damn treasure of humanity for sure, I'm just not someone who would ever listen to her music. But I listened to this. That's really about all I can say about it. I guess I'll rate it a 2.5/5 because I can see why people like it and it was short and sweet.

I don't think I'd call this Dad Rock because it isn't really rock. Maybe it kind of is but I think you can see in this record that Steely Dan didn't really like the rock category in general. I've never really liked Steely Dan and I am fairly certain I'd never heard any of this album before. It's a little better than what I know as their radio 'hits', I do enjoy the kind of jazzy aspects of this record. But it's not really turning me into a fan. It's certainly well orchestrated and well played, I'll give them that much. And I love the album cover, super cool. I'm giving this on 2.5/5, won't listen again but I didn't really struggle with it like I expected to.

Really enjoyed this album! I love the whole Afrobeat genre in general and this was really great. I'll definitely throw this on and play it all the way through in the evening while enjoying a cocktail or making dinner. But I also really liked that you can pick it apart and listen to the actual musicians and what each one is doing. Sax is great, horns are great, fantastic bass, superb vocals. This is the kind of album that most people, especially in North America/Europe, which I would imagine is the majority of people going through this list, probably don't hear too much but absolutely should. Exactly what this list was made for. One of my favorite 'world' albums from this list so far. 5/5

Is this the best album of the 60s? Maybe. Absolutely transformational as far as it's effect on pretty much all music that came after. Hendrix's best album to my ears. It's kind of stereotypical to say that Hendrix was the best guitar player ever, but it's not really a stereotype if it's true. I am astonished every time I hear him. I would love to be able to hear this album for the first time again. Or be able to hear Hendrix for the first time again. I feel like that's one of those experiences that's wasted because you're too young to appreciate it. Nothing else to say about this album that hasn't already been said. 5/5

Ugh, hip hop is just so bad. I honestly don't get how people listen to this and think that it is somehow meaningful or profound. The lyrics literally sound like something that a stupid, horny 7th grader would come up with by trying to write things that he thought the older kids would think were cool. I just can't get on with it. I mean if you like this, more power to you, but listen to the words and maybe reconsider. I get so tired of this entire genre being so degrading to women and self-aggrandizing. Please stop it. And as if the lyrics weren't bad enough, why the hell is this just absolutely laden with autotune? It really is like he stepped back and asked himself, "this already terrible, how can we make it even worse?" I'm just at a total loss as to how this kind of music is so popular. 1/5

This one sort of came out of nowhere, at least for me. I can't really say I'm up on all the tango greats. This was a fun album, you don't really hear a vibraphone much anymore. Maybe not a record I would play a lot or even again, really, but I enjoyed it today. It would have been a great show to see live, I think this kind of music is a lot better to experience seeing it played rather than just listening. But it was good nonetheless and I am happy to have heard it. 3/5

Man it's been a long time since I heard this album all the way through. I loved this one back in the day. I feel like music has gotten less and less experimental since this came out and we're worse off for it. A weird album but also a great one. This record still holds up pretty well for being almost 30 years old. And it makes me feel ancient to think that this album came out 30 years ago. As for the songs - Devils Haircut and Where It's At are classics from this time. And I always loved New Pollution, that's probably my favorite from this album. It's just got such a great vibe. The whole album does really. This is a fantastic record to throw on at like hour 3 of a day-long drive. It does kind of fall off for me a little towards the ends but it's a great album and well worth listening to multiple times. 4/5

I feel like Neil Young is a 'love him or hate him' kind of musician. I love his voice, always have. Super unique. And while the whole acoustic singer/songwriter, vaguely county, vaguely folk genre isn't really my cup of tea, I do really like most of his music, particularly the more rock-oriented stuff. Oddly, I've always hated Crosby Stills Nash & Young. Anyway, for this album specifically, there's a lot to like if you can get on with the vocals. And I know that not everyone can. But the songs are pretty brilliant. Neil Young has always been a great lyricist and this album has some of his best. Great guitar work too, particularly on Southern Man. Funny how Lynyrd Skynyrd totally missed the point of that song. Or maybe they didn't and were just like 'fuck off this is how we like it' which seems a little more likely. I'm totally in Camp Neil on that one.... But this album is super short which is kind of a bummer, would be nice to have just another two or three songs. 3.5/5 rounding up because 3 seems too low.

Definitely a good album to listen to if you want to hear the very beginning of metal. Comparing this to the Black Sabbath self-titled album and Paranoid (which I think both came out the same year as this?), I think both the Sabbath records were better. Led Zeppelin III came out in 1970 as well, for what that's worth. One thing that really sticks out about this album to me though is the vocal style - in the 80s there were tons of bands doing the 'metal scream' thing and this is one of the first albums where that's really present like 10 years before it was a standard thing. I think there's also a case to be made for this album being one of the first in the stoner rock genres. One thing I've never liked is the organ in this kind of music. It just always seems so out of place. I guess it was a product of the time and it didn't really last very long but there are so many albums from this time period that have it at the forefront of the mix. But guitars, bass, and drums are super solid on this record. I love the early 70s guitars that just sound like the amps are cranked all the way and the tubes were probably smoking. The sort of characteristic 70s sloppy/loose drum sound. It's all great. I like this album more than Machine Head. I don't really like Smoke on the Water and this whole album is just a little more raw than what you get on Machine Head. And this kind of music just sounds better less polished. Child in Time is my favorite song on this one I think - I do love a 10min+ song with movements and amazing guitar. 4/5

This album was inescapable for a few years. I hadn't heard the whole thing in a long time. It's still a decent album. Jacqueline and Take Me Out are great of course. One thing I love about this album is that it doesn't all sound the same. I mean it's recognizable as the same band obviously, but especially for a first album it's not like they found one sound and stuck to it. There's a lot of different things going on. A lot of it is sort of like indie rock/disco which is a weird mashup that somehow works. I love the bass on this album. A good disco bass is always super fun and mixing it in with an indie rock album is a win in my book. I'm not sure I would really call this a great album but it's fun. It has a good vibe, is fun to listen to. I'm a little torn on the rating - I'm not sure it's a 4/5 but I think I like it better than 3/5. So who knows. I guess I'll round down because when it was over, I wasn't really hoping for it to keep going. So 3/5 it is I suppose.

So Just Like Honey is fantastic, really great song and mixed well. I also really liked Cut Dead and Some Candy Talking, they all seem to have been produced by the same guy. But then it's like they got a new producer or engineer or something. The vocals are just buried and drowned completely. I like this album but whoever did the mixing didn't do them any favors. The songs are good but not recorded very well and it's kind of a shame. I'd love to hear a remix of this record that boosts the vocals and evens the rest out a bit. I think that would be a great album. It's interesting because you can totally see the influence this had on a lot of bands in the late 80s and early 90s. Giving this one a 3.5/5 but rounding down for how uneven it is. A little more attention to mixing and it would be a solid 4. Giving this one a 3.5/5 but rounding down for how uneven it is. A little more attention to mixing and it would be a solid 4.

I'm always a little daunted starting an album that's 2 and half hours long by someone I've never heard of. Seems like I should have heard of him before now, though. This is a good album. Some of the songs have a sort of not-quite-as-dark Nick Cave feel to them. Some are more folksy. Some are straightforward rock and borderline punk. Some get a little avant garde. Even a couple that edge into country. It's a very unique album and although I don't think anything really stands out as something I couldn't live without hearing again, it's all pretty decent and I'm glad to have heard it. I'll echo what others have said - it's too long. I found myself being ready for something else about halfway through although I did really enjoy the second half, particularly the (mostly) instrumentals. And I feel like with a really great record, even given the length, I shouldn't want to listen to something different before it's over. This is another tough one to rate for me. I did really like it but don't think I'll ever listen again. Maybe a few songs here and there. But it is a great work and I'll definitely look up more of his music because of this album so I think it's 3.5/5 and I’ll round up.

I vaguely remember listening to some of this a long time ago back in middle school. It's pretty standard mid 90s alt, but I dig it. I don't think it's world-changing at all but it's a solid album. A little generic sounding perhaps, but that may just be listening to it 30 year later. I liked a lot of the songs but there was nothing that was really memorable or that made me want to listen to other albums of theirs. Nothing else to say about this one. 3/5

I was actually a little surprised to see this album pop up this morning. I know there are (rightly) quite a few Bowie records on this list but this one seems like an odd choice. Don't get me wrong - I love it but I didn't think it was really much of a commercial or critical success compared to other albums he's released. Maybe just listening to this album and Blackstar back to back gives kind of a telling look into his mindset as he reflected on aging and then knew he was close to death. I remember when this album was announced - his first in like ten years or something and nobody even knew he was working on it. And Where Are We Now as the lead single seemed odd to me. It's a great song but sort of a downer. But I remember going out to buy this album on the day it was released and playing it over and over for the next few weeks. As with all Bowie records, the musicianship on this is impeccable. And I absolutely love the way his voice aged. Compare this to Ziggy Stardust and then Let's Dance and then Earthling and then Reality and then Blackstar. His vocal changes over the years, whether he was putting them on or just getting older, were fabulous. And this album particularly seems like you can just hear him embracing the reality of getting older and having the deeper voice of an older man. While I don't think this album is as great as some of his other records, it's still recognizably Bowie and he can really do no wrong in my book. And while I don't think I would give this one a flat out 5/5, it's definitely 4.5/5. And you have to round this one up. Because Bowie.

Who doesn't like Nina Simone? What a voice. You sort of have to be in the right mood for this, but it really hits when you are. Lilac Wine is an absolute gem of a song. Beautiful and sad and well written and everything you could want. A great relaxing album to throw on in the background. Not completely mind blowing but it's definitely an album to play every so often. 3.5/5.

This isn't really for me. It sounds a lot like Creedence and I was never a fan. Good guitar work, and decent bass lines. But for the most part the music is just boring to me. I'd never heard of Moby Grape before and I don't think I'll really seek them out at all. 2/5

I like that the early to mid-90s really brought out a whole slew of strong female musicians. It seems like up until then the entire music industry was basically a boys club. It has gotten better since then but up until the 90s there were really only a handful of successful female bands/musicians. I have to give Sheryl Crow credit for being on the forefront of that movement. Although I don't really care for her music much, I can respect her for what she has contributed to music over the years. Her songs are catchy as hell. And this album at least is recorded well and very balanced. It is kind of dated and generic maybe but it's better than a lot of other albums from this time. 3/5

What if a band from 1967 travelled in time and tried to make it in the early 2000s music scene? That's pretty much what this album is. Or maybe it's just like Artic Monkeys trying to sound like it's 1967. Either way, I kind of like it. It's not anything super unique or revolutionary but it was fun to listen to once. Huge sound throughout which I appreciate and there is a lot going on. Some of it sounds a little like a movie soundtrack. I saw one review that said something about it sounding like a James Bond movie and that's about right. But like old Sean Connery James Bond. I don't think I'd listen again but there were a few songs I liked. But now that it's over I can't really recall how they sounded. 3/5

I went into this album with a bunch of ideas about it already in my head. I used to like it a lot years ago but I expected it to not hold up as well listening to it now. It's still pretty great. I mean name another band who writes a song in 15/8 time (Limo Wreck). I love a song with an odd time signature and weird tuning and there's a lot of that on this record. Apparently by mistake, from what I understand they just wrote songs they thought sounded cool and didn't worry about the time signatures. Just goes to show what an amazing drummer Matt Cameron is for being able to deal with that. I feel like music could use more of that kind of experimentation now. While it's recorded and produced well, I do feel like some of the actual instrument sounds are a little generic sounding now. Back in 1994 they definitely were cutting edge but if you told a guitar player now to dial in a generic grunge tone, this is the sound you would get. That's not necessarily bad I guess but looking back it doesn't really stand out among the rest of the genre. Vocals are a different story - Chris Cornell was one of the best and most unique vocalist ever. I love that he was one of the 90s guys that didn't just try to sound like Eddie Vedder. So I liked this one more than I thought I was going to. I'd listen to it again for sure. Not all the time but if I saw it in the record store I'd buy it and play it every now and again. 4/5 not least for the song in 15/8. Because damn, man.

Man, I remember when this album came out. Alanis was everywhere. Knowing this album was like the way for people to know that you were cool back in my 6th grade days. It's still a great album, but as others have said it does sound a little dated 30 years later. But so do a lot of other albums on this list. I remember the first time 12 year old me heard You Oughta Know, "man this lady is pissed off and she's a fucking badass!" I still love that song. Really, most songs on this album are great. I enjoyed listening to again, it had probably been like 25 years at least since I heard the whole thing all the way through. This record is probably one of the best mainstream albums of the 90s and I don't think many would argue. Perhaps not a solid 5/5 in my book but damn close enough.

Ok. So far I haven't found any hip hop album that I liked. They're all so bad. I had hopes for this one when I saw the cover, it's a cool image. Pressed play and all my hopes were immediately shot. This is so much garbage. Why the hell is this on the list of albums I need to hear? I mean even though hip hop is not my taste, I understand why all the hip hop records I've come across so far are on the list, but this? It's just 100% terrible and has no redeeming qualities whatsoever. The lyrics literally sound like a 7-year-old wrote them. Or maybe the kid we all knew in high school that either thought it was funny to have a 7-year-old sense or humor or just never grew out of it for some reason. Either way this record is trash and should be forgotten so future historians don't accidentally come across it thousands of years from now an judge us by it. “No wonder they died out” they’ll all say. 0/5

I hate when albums aren't on Spotify. But at least this one had an official playlist from the band's YouTube page instead of being uploaded by some random dude who recorded it off a cassette. Those are always fun... As for the record - I'd only ever heard Our House before. And I don't really feel like I'm missing a whole lot. It was fine, nothing really stuck out and it wasn't bad. Just forgettable. It's...fine. But like others have said, what the hell is going on with the cover?!?! Yeah pretty sure blackface is not something you should showcase like that. 2/5.

This album is really quiet. Like most of the time it's super soft sounding and then you'll get a guitar part that comes in at normal volume. It was really strange to listen to. Fantastic voice on the vocalist, really nice but way too quiet in the mix. But the music just sort of washed over me and I didn't really feel any kind of connection to it at all. Also the whole record is really slow tempo. Like I felt like it was dragging most of the time. I'm not a country fan and this album didn't really do much to change that. I wouldn't call it straight country though, maybe country-folk or country-adult contemporary. Vocals were absolutely the best thing about this album. 2/5

I don't think I'd ever heard any of this before. Just have heard various covers of it before. It's hard to tell though because it sounds a lot like any of the 50s/60s soul/R&B. I guess maybe it was a little behind the time? It's good for what it is, just not exactly to my taste. He's got a great voice, though, that's for sure. I can definitely see how this was a major influence on a lot of music to come, so I am happy to have heard it and would agree that it belongs on this list. It's just not one that I would really play again. 2.5/5 rounding up because it seems like the right thing to do.

I'm not really sure how much to say about this one. It's Otis Redding so it's great. But as great as it is, I just don't connect with this music much. Or maybe it's not that I don't connect with it, it might be that it just sounds so dated to me. Not just this album but the whole soul and early R&B genres in general. I think this kind of music, though great for the time, just doesn't play as well anymore. I don't know. It's a great album but would I ever seek it out again? Probably not. 3/5

Nope. Sorry. This is just more stereotypical, self-aggrandizing, misogynistic hip hop that all sounds the same. The lyrics are stupid, the music is bad and monotonous, mixing is uneven. There are no redeeming qualities in this at all. I don't connect with this kind of music whatsoever. A waste of an hour and 13 minutes. 0/5

This is a pretty basic album. Instrumentation is simple, production is simple, mixing is rudimentary. But I think that's the point of this one. It sounds like an album that was recorded in someone's garage. The use of a drum machine instead of an actual drummer kind of irks me a little. Typically I'm a sucker for female rock bands but while I like this, I don't think I would really play it again. I find myself thinking that this was sort of a missed opportunity and that the songs would be so much better with a little step up in production. I love the message, I love the sentiment, but the music is just lacking a little for me. I would be very interested to hear some other things they did after this album; I feel like they were a band that could have grown into something great. I wanted to like this record more than I did and I think I'd rate it like a 2.75/5.

I seem to get hip hop albums in waves. This one isn't as bad as some of the others. Coming from the super early days of the genre, it's not so much glorification of drugs, misogyny, guns, sexual assault, violence, hating women, using women, that the genre has turned into. It is pretty monotonous still but in sort of a different way than hip hop is now. The lyrics are still dumb but not as bad as more recent hip hop I guess. It's actually kind of funny to see how tame this genre was in its infancy compared to what it's grown into. All in all, I'd give this album like a 1.5, I'll round up because it's mercifully short at about 40 minutes.

I've really gotten to like Neil Young over the last few years. I've always liked his voice but never gave him too much of a chance outside a few songs. I'm not sure why. I guess maybe because I hate the sort of Crosby Stills and Nash kind of genre and he's certainly done a lot of that. I really liked this album though. It's super chill, the instrumentation is fantastic, vocals are great (if you like Neil Young's voice anyway...), and it's great lyrically. Absolutely stupid and contrived cover. Maybe more than any of his other records this is one that I would throw on, make a cocktail, and just kind of hang out with it. Overall, I'd rate this one at about 3.75/5 maybe approaching 4. Nothing really stood out but it's all solid.

This album is decent. It's not as good as The Queen Is Dead. But it's pretty middle of the road Smiths. A fantastic album lyrically, like all Smiths records. I do really like how big this album sounds - there are a lot of things going on but it never sounds busy or out of control. It's also a very clear sounding album, like you can focus in easily on each individual instrument and follow along with just that the whole time. It's maybe not as cohesive as The Queen Is Dead, each song seems more of a standalone effort towards a whole if that makes sense. I don't know that I would really seek this album out to listen to again. I probably wouldn't even pick it up at the record shop if I saw it there. It's good, but it's not one I feel I need to own and play frequently. 3/5

I'm not sure why this album is rated so low. It's not bad at all, I enjoyed it. It's sort of reminiscent of Tom Waits. Maybe like dollar store Tom Waits. A lot of the reviews talk about how bad his voice is but I don't get that. I mean it's not fantastic but it's not off-putting at all. I feel like this record has got some interesting things going on, and I really like how most of it is arranged. The lyrics are sort of pseudo-pretentious, like if you weren't really listening you might think he was saying something profound. He's not. I feel like he based the whole record on a thought of "if I play a quiet, slow, and simple guitar part and sort of talk-sing in a deep voice it will sound better than it actually is." There's definitely something about this album that feels like it could be any singer/songwriter that's playing at a local brewery on a Tuesday night. Does that mean it's bad? No. But I can see why no one has ever heard of this before. Did I get a little bored with it by the end? Yes. 2.5/5 but I'll round up to 3.

Wondered how long it would take to get this one. There isn't anything new to say about this record. Is this the best Beatles album? Yeah I think so. It's got its share of 'why'd they even record this?' songs as all their albums do. Like what the hell did we really need Maxwell's Silver Hammer for? Though it does sound like classic Beatles now that I think of it. But this album has a handful of the best songs they did, which for the Beatles is saying a lot. I don't agree that this is the best album ever recorded but it would probably be a top 10 for me. Maybe top 20. I also think it's funny that everyone rags on George Harrison for his songwriting but he wrote, according to plays on Spotify, the Beatles most popular song, Here Comes The Sun. By a huge margin. I was sort of surprised to see that. 5/5

I really liked this album. I do agree that this list is a little heavy on 80s British post punk/new wave but I enjoy most of it so it works out. For a first album I think this is a really strong record, especially in a genre that was so new at the time. I feel like they may have been trying a little too hard with the cover but I guess it fits with the whole theme of the album - dark and moody with a kind of hopelessness about the state of the world. Or maybe that's thinking about it too much. Anyway, I liked this album a lot and will definitely be coming back to it at some point. 4/5

Ok. So this sounds like a parody of 80s rap. I mean I guess that shows that it's super representative of the genre at the time, but it is really dated. That's not a bad thing though - I still contend that hip hop is pretty much all terrible and has just gotten progressively worse since the inception of the genre. So while this is not great music (to my ears) it's not as bad as almost any hip hop record that came after. Absolutely the best thing about this is Flavor Flav in the background making nonsensical and random rhymes or else throwing in the 'yeeeah boyyyee' at every opportunity, it's sort of endearing. Plus one star just for that. But don't get me wrong, this music is still bad. I appreciate the politics behind this, the social commentary, the perspective that they bring, but I just can't get on with hip hop at all. 2/5

These early rock albums are always interesting to me. I have trouble imagining what it would have been like to hear this kind of music for the first time. I don't think this record is really anything spectacular but I think it was a good idea to include it on this list because it really does kind of show where rock music was going at the time. Just a few years after this you had the first Zeppelin album and this is certainly tame compared to that. But this is a good example of when these bands were trying to make harder and more aggressive sounding music. As for this record in isolation, it's just ok. The title track is obviously the standout. The rest really does just sound like standard British Invasion pop that is slightly leaning into the heavier realm. The Ox is great, though pretty much a Wipeout rip-off. I feel like I should like The Who more than I do but I just never really have. I think they are one of the bands where all of them are amazing at their respective instruments, but they just never really made a lot of music that wowed me. 2.5/5 but rounding up to 3 just for the title track.

This album is super lame. But maybe I just wasn't in the mood for it today. The whole San Francisco folk/country/rock genre is not one that I've ever liked and this as an early example didn't exactly sway me the other way. If you were born in like 1950 you probably love this and would think 'yeah this is real music' while mixing your Metamucil in the morning. But it's weak, it's sappy, it's super dated. Not for me. Plus one star for a pretty cool album cover I guess. 2/5

I'm a little shocked this album is on this list. Live albums with lots of overdubs are cheating in my book. And the whole thing isn't available on Spotify, so that's strike 2. The musicianship on this album is incredible, overdubs or not. Really great playing all around but particularly drums. Brian Downey was incredible and underrated as a drummer. But here's the thing - as great as the playing is, I still just don't really like Thin Lizzy. I don't know what it is. I hate The Boys Are Back In Town, always have, but other than that I don't have any strong feelings about any of their music one way or the other. I'm not wowed by it, but I'm not put off by it. If Thin Lizzy ever comes up randomly, I'll probably turn it off to find something better. It's beige. For this album, 3/5 I guess?

Nope, another hip hop album that does absolutely nothing for me. This one maybe has a little more production value than most others I've heard on this list so far but it's still just bad music. Repetitive to the point of droning. Another album that sounds like a 12-year-old kid trying to sound cool for an older crowd. This record seemed to go on forever and after looking to see how much was left all I could think was "oh god I'm only halfway through". I thought it was funny that someone else complained about the last track being 12 minutes long, but I mean this is really just like one track that's an hour and 15 minutes. It's maybe not as bad as most of the other hip hop albums I've heard so far, but still only going to be like a 1.5/5. I suppose I'll round up because, although present, this album wasn't stereotypically laden with misogyny like most hip hop records.

It's hard to rate this album. I don't like hip hop at all but I'm not sure that's how I would categorize this one. Sure there are hip hop elements to it but compared to Paul's Boutique they have diverged from that quite a bit. The vocals for most of this record are the only thing that are really hip hop about it. Well the sampling too I guess. I think maybe it's also because you know that the Beastie Boys are sort of doing the hip hop stereotypes half in jest. But then Sabotage comes on. I could listen to that song all day. As simple as it is, one of the best bass lines ever recorded and super fun to play. I feel like if Sabotage had been written by someone else it would be hailed as one of the best rock songs of all time. It is a little bit out of place on this album for sure. After Sabotage Sabrosa is great, super funky and I love the double bass. Name another hip hop record to feature a real double bass. Sure Shot is decent as well. I think what I appreciate about this album most is how it changes genres but still all fits together. The handful of (mostly) instrumental tracks are great, really liked all of them. I hate to say that you can see actual musicianship that is absent in other hip hop records but that's kind of true. The more straightforward hip hop tracks are my least favorite from the album but I still enjoy those more that almost all the hip hop I've heard up to this point. But how to rate it? I don't know. I mean Sabotage is probably one of my top 20 (top 50 maybe?) favorite songs of all time and there are a few other songs on this record that I really like. Although I think I like the songs that most people would call the throwaway/filler songs. I think I'd give this like a 3.5 and will round up pretty much just because of Sabotage and the use of a double bass.

There isn't a whole lot of world music on this list but what there is has been pretty great. This one is no exception. I had never heard of this artist or album before but I really enjoyed it. No clue what he's saying but that doesn't really matter. The music is great. It's got a kind of funky samba feel to it. It is pretty dated, like I can hear the 70s all over this thing. It also seems like something that would be used in the soundtrack for an old movie where they went to Brazil and needed 'something that sounds like going to a nightclub in Brazil in the 70s'. Maybe a little stereotypical but the music is good at least. 3.25/5

I love The Cure. They were always one of those bands that I never really listened to intentionally but any time I heard them at random I really loved their music. I'm glad to have heard this album today, I think I had heard it before but it's been ages. It's kind of a vibe album - put it on when you're in a certain mood and it's exactly what you need. It's very dark and depressing. I don't know if there are really any standout tracks on it for me. And I do think it is a little monotonous but as short as it is it doesn't get boring. I think there are better albums from The Cure, giving this one a 3.5/5 but rounding down because there isn't a reason to round up.

Shout has to be one of the most iconic songs of the 80s. Instantly recognizable for anyone who has heard music before. And then Everybody Wants To Rule The World comes along and it's probably only slightly less iconic. It falls off a little after that but is a great album nonetheless. Perfectly encapsulates the pop music of 1985. I find it hard to rate this one too, 4 seems a little high but 3 isn't enough. We'll call it 3.75/5 and round up.

Ok so I know Joni Mitchell is like one of the classic musicians of all time but I just think this is kind of boring. I mean it's not bad, I just would never listen to this on my own. I can't really point out anything that stands out to me, good or bad. It's boring at best but a little irritating at worst. Also, is that a penis coming out of the road on the cover? What the hell is up with that? This is my first album from her on this list, I would imagine that Blue is probably on here too, but it would be weird if this was the one album of hers that they picked for this... 2/5.

I've always really loved this album. It's very different from most of the rest of his work but I think it really paints a great picture of his headspace living in France and Berlin with Iggy Pop. What a weird time that must have been. Sound and Vision is probably the best track but I also really like Breaking Glass, that song doesn't ever get the praise it deserves. I particularly like the live version from the Reality Tour album. What in the World is great too. All the songs are great, really. And I love the second side being mostly instrumental. It's beautiful and soulful and experimental and wonderful. Brilliant album, though I wouldn't consider it one of Bowie's top 5. But I love it and will listen to this over and over again for life. 5/5

Ugh what's worse than stereotypical, misogynistic, repetitive hip hop? Stereotypical, misogynistic, repetitive hip hop that's absolutely laden with Auto-Tune. And poorly done Auto-Tune at that. I honestly don't get the appeal of this at all. Call it genius all you want, I politely disagree. This is bad music. 1/5

I've never been a big country fan, especially not modern pop country. It's awful. I do appreciate some of the older stuff and Willie Nelson is in that camp for sure. He has such a great and distinctive voice and guitar sound. So I was actually a little excited that this one came up today. I had heard a couple of the individual songs from this record so I kind of knew what to expect with the full album and I didn't really anticipate getting into it that much. But most of this album I really liked a lot more than I expected. Stardust, Georgia On My Mind, Blue Skies, Midnight In Vermont are all fantastic. Unchained Melody is one of the worst covers I've ever heard. It's sooo bad. It just doesn't work at all the way it was arranged and played. Outside of that though, this is a great record that I would definitely buy and throw on in the evening to relax with a cocktail or neat whisky. 3.75/5

I hate this album. It's super lame. I mean the whole sound of it is just so cheesy and dated. The musicianship is solid but this genre just does nothing for me. The vocals are mostly lauded but I find them to be so stereotypical for this genre and time period. Not every song needs everyone in the band to sing all at the same time. The saving grace was Neil Young's contributions and the songs where his vocals are (mostly) solo are the best. But even then, the chorus rolls around and we have a sing-along again. CS&N were so much worse without him, so this album has that going for it I guess. There are some excellent guitar parts (mostly thanks to Neil Young) but that's not really enough to keep it from just being uninteresting. I feel like all the boomers that love this album love it purely for nostalgic reasons, and that's valid (for them) I guess - I'm sure there are plenty of records I like just for the nostalgia. But listening to this record 54 years later, it doesn't have anything that would make me ever want to put it on again. 2.25/5 rounding down.

Fleet Foxes are one of the bands that I just never got around to listening to for some reason. I have a lot of friends who love them, so I was excited to see this pop up this morning. I didn’t really know what to expect from this one... I remember reading a tweet or something celebrating the mercifully short-lived reign and welcome death of 'stomp-clap-hey' bands from the early 2000s and couldn't agree more. Fleet Foxes are definitely a stop-clap-hey band. This record is anyway. And while it isn't really to my taste, I do like this maybe a little better than some of the other bands that sounded just like this for a few years. Nothing about this really stood out for me except that it was recorded and produced very well. It sounds great. But I mean if that's the best compliment you can give, that's not exactly high praise for an album. I appreciate the musicianship, I just don't really like the music. I'm not sure I would really seek this particular album out to listen to it again, although I might listen to some of their other things. Maybe listen to some of their more recent records to see how (if?) they grew as a band and what kind of sound they have now. I'd be a little disappointed if it was more of the same but I suspect, as is the case with most of these 2000s indie folk bands, it probably is. 2.5/5 and I guess I’ll round up because rounding down doesn’t really seem fair.

I had never heard this album before though I think I may have heard Everything But The Girl a couple times randomly in the past. This album was not really as strong as others from the sort of mid-90s trip hop/drum and bass genre. It was fine but it was just sort of background music. I didn't hate it, listened to it while working and it was totally fine for that. Nothing in the music really distracted me from whatever else I was doing, it was just kind of playing in the background and was certainly serviceable for that purpose. I wasn't excited to get play this one again but neither was I really itching for it to be over. 2.5/5

This is a pretty good straightforward rocker. Sort of hard to date by listening - at times it sounds like 90s, sometimes like 70s, sometimes 80s. It's pretty standard as far as the music goes. I don't really dig the vocals so much but they aren't terrible. Tempo is pretty much the same all the way through which isn't really my favorite thing. Lyrics are pretty bad. Overall not a horrible album but probably a one and done for me. 2.5/5 rounding up because I actually do like some of the songs and it was well-played.

For as much as this guy said he made the best album ever recorded, I have to say that I am a little disappointed. That might not be the right word, underwhelmed might be better. First, this album just screams 80s pop and to me that alone disqualifies it from being called the best album ever. I get the comparisons to Prince but there really is no comparison there, this guy will never be Prince. I listened to this whole album and don't think I added any of the songs to my liked songs on Spotify. I didn't dislike any of it really, just nothing stood out. I would be interested to hear more from him, but I suspect he kind of got stuck making the same record over and over. It's fine, middle of the road for the genre. 2.25/5

I mean it's Aretha Franklin, it's gonna be great. Although it's not exactly my favorite genre of music, I always appreciate someone with this kind of ability. Great voice, great musicians, great sound. I feel like this is one of the records that, regardless of your musical taste, everyone will appreciate. 4/5

Loved this album. Great African jazz and I wish this list had more of this kind of thing. I know it's not for everyone, but the musicianship, energy, and passion in this album is undeniable. 5/5

There were a couple songs I really liked on this record but mostly it is just overbearingly generic 90s British alt-pop. If you had told me this was an early album from Oasis or Blur before they really found their individual sound, I wouldn't have any reason to doubt it. I feel like they were trying so hard to appeal to everyone that they made an incredibly bland album. Bland though it is, it isn't bad. It's well played and recorded and I would think that it might show some promise of growth afterwards if they just stopped trying to appeal to everybody. I would be more hopeful had this been their first or second record instead of their fifth though. 2.5/5 rounding up because I didn’t dislike any of it.

I like this album, although I don't think I'd really make a point to listen to it much. A good album to throw on in the background for a chill cocktail party. I feel like this album might be a bit overrated, it's not spectacular but it's certainly enjoyable. I don't really find myself focusing on it much though, just sort of letting it pass in the background. Inner City Blues is probably my favorite from this record, I've always really loved that song (that bass!). All in all a solid album but maybe not one I like as much as everyone says I should. 3/5

I love Brian Eno's work in general but have a great appreciation for his production work. Especially the stuff he did with David Bowie. But this album seems a little mechanical or something to me. Like it doesn't have the normal humanness to it if that makes sense. It's sort of sterile. While I still like it, I don't think this is what I would have chosen to represent Brian Eno on a list like this. 3/5

The thing about Bruce Springsteen to me is that his music just isn't what I want to listen to. I get the appeal it has for a lot of people but there's just something about the sound of all his records I don't like. Maybe there's too much in there with horns and keys and backup vocals. And on this album in particular there is so much reverb that much of it sounds cave-like. Springsteen seems like he would be a super awesome dude to hang out with and I appreciate his politics and the good that he does in the world. His music is just not for me. I mean there are some songs that I like on this album but if I never heard them again I don't feel like I would be any worse off. 3/5

This album was inescapable back when it came out. I probably haven't listened to the whole thing since then. Mr. Brightside is still pretty much played all the time. It's a good song and as many times as I've heard it I don't cringe when it comes on so that's a good thing I guess. Outside of that song, I like Somebody Told Me and Jenny Was A Friend Of Mine. The rest is pretty forgettable, it really fades away toward the end. Not bad, but nothing that would make me want to buy this album to listen to over and over. I get the hate for Brandon Flowers' voice. I heard someone say one time that he sounds like young Jerry Seinfeld trying to be a singer and that sort of ruined the whole band for me because that's pretty much all I hear now. 3/5

Super weird and experimental, for the time at least. I love the early stages of glam you can hear in this. This one is definitely not for everyone but I loved it. I'm not sure any specific song individually would be one that I would play just to hear it, but the album as a whole is great and I will definitely keep an eye out for it in the record store. 4/5

Ok so my thoughts on the Red Hot Chili Peppers have always been 1.) Flea is an absolute monster of a bass player. Like one of the best ever. 2.) Individually, Flea, Chad Smith, and whatever guitar player they have at the time are amazing players but for some reason when you put them together it's always a little lackluster. and 3.) While I respect the uniqueness of the vocals, Anthony Kiedis just isn't for me. Instrumentally, all of their albums are fairly decent and have some good grooves on them. Throw in the vocals and usually banal lyrics and you've lost me. This album pretty much ticks all of those boxes. And good god the sound on this album is terrible. Especially on the vocals, there's a weird quality about the vocals that just doesn't fit at all with the rest of the music. Like the highs on the vocals are turned all the way up and the bass on the instruments was boosted and it’s all just out of balance. The vocals and instruments are fighting each other the whole record. I can see the commercial appeal of this album though - it's pretty safe for most listeners. Like you aren't going to get a ton of people who just absolutely hate it. There are a couple of songs that are decent but it really does seem like an album they made by reworking discarded songs to sound more coherent when stuck together as an album. A little too safe and uninteresting for me. 2/5

Embarrassing confession: I had never listened to this album before. So far, probably the most famous album from this list I had never heard. God damn was I missing out. This album is such a perfect bridge of punk, post punk, new wave, and moody 80s alt. That’s like exactly one of my musical personalities. It’s just brilliant and was way ahead of its time. And not only was the record simply fantastic, it was exactly the right record for the headspace I was in when I played it. You can’t really ask for more than that. One of my favorite new-to-me (ashamedly) records on this list so far. 5/5

I mean Sympathy For The Devil is a great song. The rest is pretty much just standard/generic-sounding Rolling Stones. It's not bad, played well, fun to listen to, but I can't imagine that anyone would really care about this album if it wasn't the Stones. I would guess that this album is on this list just because of the opening song but I feel like surely there was another record that could have been included in place of this one. 2.5/5, will round up for the guitar solo on Sympathy For The Devil which has to be the coolest guitar solo with the worst sounding guitar tone of all time.

I've never really decided if I like Bob Dylan or not. Sometimes his music seems great and others it just grates on your brain. Like, dude enough with the poorly played harmonica already. And he's always hailed as like this poetic/lyrical genius but honestly I don't see that. I mean his lyrics are good but I don't really see that he's so much better than any number of other people in his same genre. As for this album, it does belong on this list though it isn't really one I would play again. But that could be said about anything by Bob Dylan really. I'm just not really a fan at all I guess. 2/5 for me on this. And as an aside, I'm confused by the choice of the cover photo. I would imagine that conversation went something like this: Bob Dylan: here's my new album (plays harmonica for a few seconds) all recorded and ready for approval (more harmonica) Record Exec: the songs are fine but you can't use this photo for the cover, it's all blurry and out of focus. BD: yeah well so is my voice, it'll be fine (harmonica) unless you want to pay for another photo shoot (harmonica) RE: yeah it's probably fine.

I kind of get sick of the sort of folk bubblegum pop from the 60s. It's just super lame. I mean I guess I see the appeal of it as something that's easy to listen to and won't challenge you at all but that's not really something I enjoy much. This being hailed as one of the best albums ever recorded is so strange to me - it sounds like countless other albums from the mid 60s. I was glad when it was over. 2/5

I can't imagine what it would have been like to hear this in 1977. It must have been so weird back then. Still pretty weird now, really. Psycho Killer is a monster of a song, I've always really liked that one. But the whole album plays really nicely; I think this is definitely a record best listened to front to back rather than just picking out a song here and there to add to a best of. While it doesn't have anything that really stands out and makes you sit and listen with your eyes closed, I will absolutely be on the lookout for this one at the record shop and will play it often. 4/5

I don't understand why this album gets all the hate. I mean yeah it does sound really dated, and 80s dated is not the best. But I rather liked it. Not world-changing in any way, but it was a good sort of 80s indie, would-be-psychedelic pop rock. I didn't feel the need to listen to the entire 2+ hour collector’s edition that was all that was available on Spotify, but the 10 songs on the original release made a fun album to hear this morning. I think I'd probably buy this record if ever came across it in the shop, however unlikely that would be... 3.5/5 but rounding down because 4 is too much.

This album sort of sounds like what a college freshman who just bought a guitar, synths, and some software would make in his basement with his girlfriend. That doesn't necessarily mean it's bad, it's just plain. Nothing inspiring about it at all. It gets boring and repetitive after hearing the same song over and over. I mean I can't for the life of me figure out why this album is on this list. Even with the bad albums I've come across or those I just don't like I can usually see why they would be included. But there is nothing special about this one way or another - it wasn't groundbreaking, it’s not profound, it's not novel in any way. 2/5

Ok so I genuinely like this album. Yes, it is probably overrated. I think it's either a love it or hate it record, probably like most anything that Lou Reed has his hands in. I mean if it was largely paid for by Andy Warhol, you must know that it's going to be pretty weird. And I like that. Especially for the time, this was way out of left field. It maybe doesn't hold up as well today, but it still is miles ahead of a lot of records that came from the late 60s. I think this is certainly one of the albums that 'you are just supposed to like' and I don't really see it that way. I can see why it has its detractors. But for me, it's great and I listen to it fairly often. 4/5

Ahhh another album that fell victim to the late 90s/early 2000s loudness wars. I don't really know why all the producers of that time suddenly thought, "you know what would make this album sound really great? If we just pushed all the faders on the console up all the way to make it sound like shit!" This album does belong on this list, it had a massive impact on music for a while. I feel like this was one of the decently heavy albums to actually break through to the mainstream. Everyone heard this record when it came out and, although it's not really innovative, it was new for a lot of people who had never heard heavier music before. I knew a lot of people who got into heavier music that they never would have listened to because of this album. And it's got to be said that the drums on this album (though terrible sounding because of the production) are great and often praised highly, but are perhaps a little too busy. Joey Jordison should get a ton of credit but I feel like he should have backed off just a bit. I'm not really sure how to rate this. I mean the music is good, the lyrics are dumb, it's well played, horribly produced. I hate the silly costume gimmick. And why the hell are there like 6,000 people in this band? I mean a trio or 4 piece sounding like this wouldn't be unexpected, why do they need so many people? Important to a whole generation of people. Probably hated by anyone over the age of 45. And dammit it makes me feel old that this album is 25 years old now. 3.5/5 but rounding down because it isn’t good enough to round up.

A punk rock opera, huh? I think I might disagree. I applaud the ambitiousness of this album but, good god I can't stand the way Billie Joe Armstrong sings. Really most of the pop-punk bands from back in the day, the vocals are all trash. This album was huge when it came out. I mean didn't they make a Broadway show off of this? No comment on the irony of that.... As with a lot of the other stuff from Green Day, I actually like the music fairly well. It's interesting, decently recorded, varies from song to song. But the vocals are just tough for me. Lyrically I think it's ok, a little simple and on the nose but not bad I suppose. I appreciate the message at least. Green Day is a band that I wish I liked more, I just don't. Mostly because of the vocals, I just can't get on board. Generous 3/5

I'm sort of surprised to see this album on the list instead of their first one. It seems like the first album would be on this list just because of For What It's Worth. Maybe that's on the list too? Although two Buffalo Springfield albums seems like a lot for this list.... Mr. Soul is a great song. I like that song much more than For What It's Worth which I've always been a little indifferent about. The rest of the album is decent, great guitars, pretty cool bass lines. I don't like the vocal style and the near constant harmonies but at least it's done well on this album. And what's up with the last song? Trying to be Beatles-weird or something? I probably wouldn't count it as much of a loss if I never heard this album again, or indeed if I never heard Buffalo Springfield again. And I hope I never hear For What It's Worth again, that's just personal preference though. 3/5