Thoughts before listening: I've never heard of this before. Must be British. Review: Yep...it's British. Over the top, theatrical Brit pop to be more precise. I don't really like it. 2-stars

Thoughts before listening: The best American band of all time and one that has really shaped my musical interests as an adult. Growing up in the 90s, with Jerry Garcia dying when I was 14, I never actually saw the Dead live, but their legacy was the blueprint for much of the music I would chase throughout most of my young adult years. This is a document of their early, purely psychedelic live shows, and in some ways it's more interesting than good I guess. Still though it's an important recording for an important band. Review: What the Dead don't get much credit for is their songwriting, which often gets overshadowed by the psychedelic live show and the fans. On their 70s albums they wrote some absolute gems, which unfortunately don't show up on this album focused on the craziness of their 60s era live shows. I understand why other reviewers on here are throwing 1s out for this album. It goes way out there, especially opening with a 24 minute "Dark Star" that certainly has it's moments, but also has plenty of meandering atonal sections as well. This is the version of the Dead that was the house band for Ken Kesey's acid tests, not the one selling out football stadiums in the 80s and 90s (let alone Dead & CO's 20+ sold out shows at the Sphere). I like both versions of the band, but I certainly personally prefer arena rock Dead. The highlight here is "St. Stephen">"The Eleven">"Lovelight", just an exceptional suite of songs with energy that's missing from much of the "Dark Star". All in all this is an interesting listen showing an early stage in the life of an institution of American music. While this album isn't a 5-star album to me within the Dead's catalog (that's reserved for American Beauty, Workingman's Dead, and Europe 72) I'm giving it 5-stars here since it'll be the band's only inclusion on the list....and to counteract the inane 1-star reviews.

Thoughts before listening: Kick out the jams motherfucker! Review: So I get that its important in the history of rock music and youth culture that in 1969 the MC5 were out there playing loud dirty rock n roll and dropping f-bombs on record, but that doesn't mean I have to like it. This isn't great. The recording is very muffled sounding and while the band has a ton of energy, their songs aren't necessarily all that great. Maybe its a you had to be there type of a situation? Anyway, I added the title track to my playlist and while the music/recording is probably a 2 to me, I'll give this 3-stars because of its importance.

Thoughts before listening: This is definitely a classic album that continues to influence indie and punk artists. I owned this back in the day, and remember especially loving "Heroin", but I have not listened in a long time. This is one of those albums that you respect for its influence more than actually falling in love with, but maybe my perspective will be different 20 years after initially listening. Review: The VU certainly had a unique sound for their era. This is psychedelic rock thats totally different than anything the west coast bands like the Grateful Dead and Jefferson Airplane or the British bands like the Beatles and Stones were doing. The VU utilized out of tune guitars that create a chugging drone instead of playing riffs and guitar solos. There is certainly a direct through line from the VU to Sonic Youth to a band like King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard. My favorites 20 years ago were the more upbeat songs and that remains the case today. The slower, often weirder songs (usually sung by Nico) like "All Tomorrow's Parties" just aren't as enjoyable to listen to. "I'm Waiting for the Man", "Run Run Run", and "Heroin" are my favorites on this album. I still feel that "Heroin" is the real gem here with its slow build in intensity to a final crescendo that is meant to replicate a drug high. Really good stuff. This is a 3-star album with the score being brought down by the inclusion of a handful of songs that are too abstract for their own good.

Thoughts before listening: I don't know what's on this album but I'm sure it's great. I know this is one of Parliament's most celebrated records so I'm excited to listen. Review: Yep...this is awesome. This is the definition of funk music (as they remind you over and over again) and a lot of it is very recognizable since its been sampled so many times in hip hop songs. Mothership Connection and Give Up the Funk are the best songs, but I enjoyed the whole album. Some of the talking was annoying and there is definitely a lot of repetition to the songs, but this is still a fantastic record.

Not what I expected and surprised with the number of songs I recognized i.e. Coconut. Reminds me of Lennon solo albums a bit. I like it.

I understand why people praise this album, but outside of the hits I don't necessarily love listening to it. Wouldn't It Be Nice, God Only Knows, Sloop John B, etc are great songs but the rest just doesn't draw me in. I give this a 5 on production value but a 3 on listenability.

This was never really my thing, but I have a ton of nostalgia for this album. This was the sound of rock radio during my college years. It's better than I remember thinking at the time when I dismissed it as bland corporate radio rock. The hits are all very catchy and definitely better than most of Linkin Park's contemporaries, but the rest of the album is a little bland. Their sound is closer to 311 than other rap rock groups of the time which is a good thing.

This was the first Kendrick album I heard, and I immediately loved it. Probably not as good as TPAB, but i have listened to this one more. I haven't paid much attention to rap as an adult, but this is great.

One of Led Zeppelin's best. I have always liked the groove in these songs and the album includes one of their absolute best songs in Kashmir. Other highlights for me are in My Time of Dying, Houses of the Holy, Trampled Under Foot, and Ten Years Gone.

This is my first time hearing this album although I definitely know Le Freak. The rest were new to me. It's pretty good, but probably not something I'll come back to. I like Nile Rodger's guitar throughout, but a lot of the songs seem repetitive and overly long. That may just be par for the course for a disco album. Best song other than Le Freak is Savoir Faire which is a cool jazzy instrumental. I Want Your Love is pretty good as well.

AC/DC style riff rock with Jim Morrison vocals. I like it. Electric Ocean reminds me of Alice in Chains and the Cult is likely an influence for them.

Probably my favorite Pink Floyd album with the title track and Shine on You Crazy Diamond being among their overall best songs. That leaves only Welcome to the Machine and Have a Cigar which I count among the band's top deep tracks as well. This will be the first album I've listened to where the entire album gets added to my playlist...some of the best guitar playing ever recorded.

This is my least favorite of the original Pixies albums, so I'm kind of surprised it was included. It's not bad necessarily, just not one that I go back to a lot. In general reviews tend to rank this above Trompe Le Monde and I disagree...Trompe is a much better album. Still though there are some great songs on here including Velouria, Allison, and Dig For Fire.

I really like Promised You a Miracle, but the rest of the album isn't doing a ton for me. The dark new wave sound really isn't one that I gravitate to, and I doubt I would ever go back to this album. That being said, I've always thought of Simple Minds as one hit wonders so it's interesting to hear one of their albums without that one hit.

I used to own this album on cd back in the day. I'm not a huge fan of the lo-fi sparseness of a lot of the songs, and while I enjoy some of it, the album never really clicked with me...then and now. I prefer when he does a more full arrangement such as with Pictures of Me, but that sound only shows up on a couple tracks. Overall I don't hate the album but its not really my cup of tea.

Really good album that I owned and enjoyed when it came out. Not an all time classic however, and it does not include their best song (Wolf Like Me). I'll add a few tracks to my playlist but probably won't go back to this one again.

Not for me. I don't really like Antony's voice and the music isn't my style. I felt the same way when this came out and was making all the critics lists.

This is the type of album that makes listening to this list so much fun. I've heard of this band but didn't really know what they sound like. This is very good albeit far from groundbreaking. Definitely has a cool Sticky Fingers/Exile era Stones vibe mixed with a little Nuggets-style garage rock...which is great. I'll be adding a number of these songs to my playlist.

Absolute classic album and I'm not really a big U2 fan. I'd always heard how great this album was but basically avoided it until I saw them play it live at Bonnaroo. It deserves the accolades. Hard to beat an album that starts with 3 of the best songs of all time. This also includes some great deep cuts like Bullet the Blue Sky and Red Hill Mining Town.

I had forgotten how good this album is. In my mind Nothing's Shocking was far and away their best, despite Ritual having the big hit, but this is some great stuff. Been Caught Stealing is popular for a reason, but the real showstopper here is Three Days. Wow....I love it. Janes was special because while the other alt rock, punk inspired bands of their era were rejecting the excesses of 70s classic rock and 80s metal, they fully embraced it. Great riffs, epic songs, guitar solos, a rock star lead singer, etc...alternative bands weren't supposed to have these things. I LOVED these guys back in the day, and it was nice being reminded why.

This is kind of boring to me and really isn't my thing. In the 90s I thought this was what music would sound like in the future, but now it just sounds like a 90s sci Fi movie soundtrack throwback...something like Strange Days.

I'm not a big fan of the old timey folk sound of Scarborough Fair to open the album, but the rest is really good. I especially like how they follow that opener with the very 60s rock inspired Patterns. Homeward Bound and the Big Bright Green Pleasure Machine are favorites and I also like the Dylan mocking A Simple Desultory Philippic.

One of my favorite albums of all time. Absolutely a 5 star rating from me.

Touch Me I'm Sick! This is right up my alley and is a huge influence on a lot of bands that were extremely important to me back in the day. That being said, I never really listened to Mudhoney all that much back at that time outside of their My Brother the Cow album that I owned. This album is pretty good, with 3 or 4 songs that really stand out as some of the best from that era. Touch Me..., If I Think, and In n Out of Grace are all great.

Sinatra's voice is obviously great throughout, and the music has a cool vibe to it...however, I probably won't go back to this album. This does not include any of Sinatra's big classic songs, and outside of The Girl From Ipanema, nothing here is really grabbing my attention. All very pleasant well performed songs, but feels like background music more than anything else.

I really enjoy this album, but it does suffer from the same issues I have with a lot of rap albums: too many interludes and the lyrics can make it a tough listen. I feel the same about a lot of metal and punk albums too...maybe I'm just old and I'm definitely conscious of music I'm not comfortable playing around my daughter. There are some great songs on here i.e. King Kunta, Alright, Blacker the Berry, and i.

I feel like I should like this more than I do. There are some definite highlights like Freak Scene and Pond Song, but overall I don't love the album. I think it's too sludgy and suffers from the same lo-fi production issues as a lot of 80s indie rock. I like Dinosaur Jr in general and J Mascis is a great guitarist, especially in a scene not necessarily known for musical chops, but I tend to prefer their 90s and later albums.

I'm not really enjoying this all that much. These songs all sound like intros, and nothing is really grabbing my attention. I keep expecting the beat to kick in or something...but it never happens. The self titled song is the best of the bunch here and it does get a full band, rocking treatment. I wish the whole album sounded the same.

I was excited that this album came up today as its one thats been on my radar for a long time, but I have never actually listened before. Its pretty good although the songs I already knew i.e. Jeepster and Get It On are definitely the best ones here. I also like Life's a Gas and The Motivator.

Another album I bought and owned when it first came out. There is a lot to love here, and some of Outkast's most iconic songs are on the album, but I can't help to wish that they had edited this to one cohesive album. Like with most hip hop albums the interludes and skits are unnecessary...and there are a lot of songs that feel like throwaways. In general I prefer Big Boi's Speakerboxxx over Andre 3000's The Love Below, but there are good songs on each. Andre's Hey Ya and Roses are iconic singles of the era, but Big Boi's side is just more of a cohesive album. From an influence perspective it's BB's Funkadelic vs Andre's Prince.

This is just okay to me. Not really sure why this made the list, but I guess it was influential to a lot of cool 70s and 80s musicians. It's too theatrical or something for me, and I probably won't listen again.

One of those albums that I've never listened to despite always seeing it on lists like this one. The description would always turn me off, and after listening I'd say my reaction was justified. This is just okay to me...and I'm typically a big fan of anything punk related. This really doesn't sound like what I'd classify as punk though. There's definitely a snotty attitude to the vocals, especially coming from a female in the 70s, but the music is mostly a reggae inspired new wave sound. Their cover of I Heard it Through the Grapevine is fun.

Awesome album with some great songs. I own this on vinyl and listen frequently. This has some of Stevie's biggest bangers with Higher Ground and Living for the City. I also really enjoy He's Misstra Know It All and Golden Lady for deeper cuts.

This was okay. I've heard other Can songs that I do enjoy, but nothing was really grabbing me on this one. Maybe too ambient or something for me.

This is another band I had never heard before. Sounds like the Flaming Lips...which is a sound I really like. That being said, I'm not sure I would have put this on the list, but I am glad to have heard the album.

This album has a cool vibe to it that I enjoy. Organ-based jazz funk music.

This is a fun album and Paradise By the Dashboard Light is an all-time banger of a song. I love the piano on these songs. I read a review that compared this sound to Born to Run and I can see it. They certainly both have a certain epic quality to the songs that really draws me in. There's definitely some cheesiness, and a couple of the ballads are too theatrical, but overall I'm glad to have listened to this album.

Cult of Personality is great! One of the best songs from the late 80s/early 90s alternative scene. The rest of the album is just okay to me. There are some cool funk rock songs and the guitar playing is awesome throughout...I especially love the slap bass. Funny Vibe is probably my favorite of the rest of the songs. This is pretty much how I felt when I saw them in the 00s...killer guitar but only a couple songs that really drew me in. The 2nd best song from the live show was a cover of Crosstown Traffic.

While I certainly don't hate this album, it definitely feels like it made the list through a bit of recency bias when the book was published. Its a good album, but seems a little obscure to make a list like this one. Too Many Birds and My Friend are very good songs that have been added to my playlist.

Public Enemy is awesome and this is a great album. Very abrasive and in your face style with loud sound collage style beats. The stuff Chuck D is rapping about is still relevant today...and his style is more yelling than rapping. There's a certain rock quality to their sound while still very much being a hip hop group.

Love this album so much. Nirvana was one of the most important bands to me when I was a kid, but as an adult this is the one I go back to the most. So many great songs on this from About a Girl to The Man Who Sold the World to Lake of Fire. The best though is Where Did You Sleep Last Night...Kurt's scream at the end is an iconic moment of the 90s. Definite 5 star from me.

I'm sure this was very influential for the era, but it's not really doing much for me.

I love this album. When this came out in 2001 it had the energy of the punk rock that I loved at that time, without being pop punk. It was just really catchy rock music with great hooks and a cool aesthetic. Indie rock/power pop I guess, but whatever its called I like it. This always felt underground to me, so its interesting to see them now headlining festivals. I never really paid much attention to their later albums, but they obviously have remained popular despite never being household names. Regardless, this album is great and definitely one of the best rock records of the the 00s.

I could listen to Willie sing anything, but this album of jazz standards is an especially great use of his voice.

Motorhead is a huge influence on a lot of the music I grew up listening to, but outside of Ace of Spades, I have never really dug in much. This album is great as a way to hear a bunch of the best songs from their peak. Everything kind of sounds the same, but its definitely a fun listen. That being said, I wish the sound was better as the live recordings aren't the best.

This is my first time listening to this album although I did know a couple of the songs. Its okay. Many songs have very dark and personal lyrics that I don't love, and some of them feel like sketches or ideas instead of fully fleshed out songs. The best track on here is Working Class Hero which is an all time great song to me...lyrics are still dark but its a universal message instead of one that feels like Lennon's personal diary entry. I also like Mother and I Found Out.

Great album. I came in knowing the big hits like Sir Duke and Isn't She Lovely which are all deserving of their classic status, but I was surprised by how much I enjoyed a lot of the deep cuts: - Contusion is an unexpected jazz fusion instrumental that is great. - Pastime Paradise is instantly recognizable as the basis for Gangsta's Paradise, but the song itself is a true standout on this album. - Black Man has a really cool groove. - As is one that I didn't think I knew...until I listened and it was instantly recognizable with another great bass groove. This is a long album with long songs that's never boring, and that has lyrics that are often providing meaningful social commentary. I really enjoyed this album and its definitely Stevie Wonder's masterpiece.

Not something I would typically seek out, but its pretty hard not to like Tito Puente. I have always enjoyed big band swing music, despite rarely listening to it, and adding Caribbean sounds to the mix makes for an enjoyable listen.

There She Goes is great...the rest is just okay. Surely there are 1,001 better albums than this one.

This was the first Outkast album I owned...and it's probably my favorite as well. BOB blew my mind the first time I heard it and it still just sounds so unique. So Fresh & So Clean and Ms. Jackson are some of their best big hits and the album is full of great deep cuts as well.

I've always really liked the song Maps from this band, but I have pretty much ignored the rest of their releases. This is pretty good, and I enjoyed listening more than I thought I would. Definitely stands out from other similar 00s era indie/alt rock bands, many of whom were influenced by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. Zero is my favorite song on the album.

Spiritualized is one of those bands where I really like a lot of the songs that I hear, but something doesn't really click when I try to dig into their albums. There are some great songs on here like I Want You, Run, and Shine a Light, but others that are kind of a slog to get through. Definitely a little too droney and slow for my tastes. That being said, the highs on this album are great.

Thoughts before listening: I remember Pharrell being in this group, but this album cover is not one that I recognize. From what I remember about them, they have kind of a rap/pop/rock mix to their sound and were pretty popular at the time. I'm pretty surprised this is on the 1,001 list though as I don't remember it being highly touted at the time. Review: Yep...this is basically rap/r&b with rock guitars. Definitely not rap metal ala Limp Bizkit...and better for it. This is okay...a lot of this sounds like Happy-era Pharrell meets like Maroon 5 or something...very poppy style rock. According to Spotify listen stats She Wants to Move is the hit here and that makes sense. It's definitely the catchiest song with kind of a Santana-style guitar solo going underneath the music. There are a couple other songs I like fine, but overall this isn't for me.

Before listening: I don't know too much about Joan Armatrading although I have heard her name before. I believe she is 60s folk similar to Joan Baez. Review: This is definitely folk inspired but also more powerful than I thought it would be...there's a little more rock edge to the production than her contemporaries like Joni Mitchell and Joan Baez. Very cool sound with a great voice that was likely a big influence to someone like Brandi Carlile. Down to Zero and Love and Affection are the best songs on here which shows in the Spotify stats...they have 13mil and 32mil listens compared to less than 1mil for the other songs. Thats a shame though cause there are other great songs on here...Water With the Wine and Join the Boys are 2 that I especially enjoyed.

Thoughts before listening: I've heard of this band and the album cover looks familiar, but I've never listened to them. My initial thought is that they are 80s synth pop, but I'm not really sure. This is the type of album where I'm often surprised to recognize a song or two, but I definitely can't name any of their hits. Review: This isn't for me. The bass player is really good...kind of has a disco feel to his playing that I'm enjoying, but everything else isn't really doing much for me...and I might even call it annoying. This is the sound people are thinking of when they say they hate 80s new wave music.

Thoughts before listening: another surprising entry for a 00s/10s era indie rock band. I was listening to this type of music back then but barely remember these guys. I'm sure it'll be fine. Review: yeah I'm not really sure what to think. The falsetto vocals are annoying and the lyrics are dumb. The music is fine I guess but not really my thing. Indie pop with dancey beats and chiming guitar. Definitely feels like something that made this list because the editors felt they needed to add some recent albums.

Thoughts before listening: This is my favorite Springsteen album. Review: There's not much else to say about this. I love this album. The hits are popular for a reason, but I love the deep cuts on this...Adam Raised a Cain, Candy's Room, Prove It All Night, etc. All great songs that remained heavy hitters in Bruce's live shows.

Thoughts before listening: I'm pleasantly surprised to see this on the list. I was a teenager when this came out and I remember it being a big deal to my friends who were into metal. I was more into punk rock than metal but I did hear this at the time. It was too dense and the vocals were too much of a growl for me. I'm interested to see what I think of it now as an adult. Review: This is definitely dense and I'm still not a huge fan of the growled vocals, but I'm not hating this album. There's definitely a cool groove and great percussion to these songs even though it's not necessarily my style. The music sounds a lot like what Korn and the Deftones were doing around that same time. The songs with tribal chants are cool and interesting.

Thoughts before listening: I think this is British rap although I've never listened to this guy before. I like The Streets and I remember when Dizzee Rascal was a big deal, but other than that I don't know that much about the British hip hop scene. This probably won't be my thing but I'll give it a shot. Review: This is fine. The British accent and slang does make this unique from the American hip hop I am more familiar with. Like with a lot of hip hop albums the skits are dumb and its hard to relate to the lyrics. Overall this probably isn't something I'm going to go back and listen to, but it's okay for what it is. I did add a couple songs to my playlist.

Thoughts before listening: This was one of the earliest albums I ever bought and definitely the first Zeppelin album I ever owned. In college I had a professor ask us to bring in an example of of the quintessential rock n roll song and I brought in Rock n Roll from this album. Review: This is a classic. Every song on here is iconic, even something like the Battle of Evermore which is a definite departure from the typical Zeppelin sound. The combination of heavy rock with folk inspired sounds was revolutionary for the time and has always set Zeppelin apart from the other early hard rock bands. This is a definite 5 star album and all songs are getting added to the playlist.

Thoughts before listening: I'm sure I'll know a lot of songs on this album but I've never listened before. I really like the hits, so I'm sure the album will be great. Review: Yeah, this was very good. I expected a folky album and there is that aspect to the sound, but there's definitely more of a pop rock production to these songs. Wild World and Father & Son are great and I also really enjoyed Sad Lisa.

Thoughts before listening: When I was into ska music in the 90s Madness was always listed as one of the original English ska bands along with the Specials. I LOVE the Specials, but I don't know all that much from Madness except for Our House which is on the album. Review: This is okay. Seems more like new wave pop than ska, although there are some horns in the mix. There is kind of a carnival sound to a lot of the music. Our House is a great song and very iconic for the 80s. Other than that I enjoyed Tomorrow's Just Another Day but nothing else really stands out to me.

Thoughts before listening: I don't know what's on this album but I'm sure it's great. I know this is one of Parliament's most celebrated records so I'm excited to listen. Review: Yep...this is awesome. This is the definition of funk music (as they remind you over and over again) and a lot of it is very recognizable since its been sampled so many times in hip hop songs. Mothership Connection and Give Up the Funk are the best songs, but I enjoyed the whole album. Some of the talking was annoying and there is definitely a lot of repetition to the songs, but this is still a fantastic record.

Thoughts before listening: I know this one. Great album. Review: Television gets called a punk band but that's mainly cause they came out of the CBGBs scene. This is more of what would come to be called indie rock or post-punk. Really good guitar playing throughout and a huge influence on many of the bands I grew up listening to. The title track is the best song here and the second half of the album isn't as good as the first.

Thoughts before listening: I know the Germs but have never listened to them. They are always listed as an early LA punk band with huge influence on the scene as well as Pat Smear's first band before Nirvana and the Foo Fighters which means they should be right up my alley. However, I had always read that they were super sloppy, especially Darby Crash, and for whatever reason I just never sought it out. Seems like one of those albums that makes the 1,001 list for its historical significance more than its quality. Review: The music on this recording is a lot less sloppy than I had assumed...from a little research it seems this is thanks to production by Joan Jett. I am especially liking the bass in these songs and there are some great punk rock guitar riffs as well. It is very easy to hear their influence on the 80s punk bands that I love like Bad Religion and especially the Descendents. Only problem for me is that I don't love Darby Crash's vocals. Its too growled and slurring....even more so than the bands that came soon after them. Lexicon Devil is the one song I recognize on this album and its really good. Definitely has a similar vibe to the Ramones, especially with the gimme gimme lines, that I feel a lot of the LA bands avoided. I also really like the bass in Richie Dagger's Crime and Strange Notes. Overall this is a nice early snapshot of the LA punk scene that would have a huge influence on much of the music I listened to in high school. Unfortunately this album isn't on Spotify, and the songs that do exist are all from live recordings that are virtually unlistenable and show the side of Darby Crash I had always avoided.

Thoughts before listening: I only really know Lenny for his late 90s hits, especially Are You Gonna Go My Way, Fly Away, and the cover of American Woman. I always found him to be an interesting throw back to 70s style rock, but his music wasn't something I paid a ton of attention to. I definitely haven't listened to his earlier albums like this one. I think I know Let Love Rule and maybe Mr. Cab Driver. Review: This is pretty good but it's definitely derivative of 70s rock. Nothing revolutionary here.

Thoughts before review: Feels like another fairly obscure 80s British new wave band. I don't recognize this album cover or any of the songs names. This probably isn't going to be for me. Review: Yeah not really my thing. Slow, gothy synth pop. Usually on these types of albums I recognize a hit or 2 but not here. The only song I recognize, and also my favorite song on the album, is their cover of Velvet Underground's All Tomorrow's Parties. I'm adding that one to the playlist.

Thoughts before listening: This was one of the gateway albums for me to punk rock, but I'm surprised it's on the list. I feel like it's generally considered the lesser of the 3 big 90s pop punk albums (...and Out Come the Wolves and Dookie being the others). I have a ton of nostalgia for this album and will be adding quite a few songs to the playlist I'm sure. Review: I know every word to every song. This has been a fun listen, but I still feel like it's a lesser album compared to its peers. The Offspring just aren't in the same league as Bad Religion, NOFX, Pennywise, Bouncing Souls, etc...not to mention Green Day and Rancid. I had also forgotten how some of the cheesy jokey stuff they'd later become known for was already showing up on this album.

Thoughts before listening: I know the Cars and will probably recognize a lot of this album, but I've never heard this before. I have always thought of them as simplistic pop rock, but I know they get praised a lot by music critics. I'm excited to dig in a little deeper on them. Review: This is really good. Sure it's pop music, but it's also really catchy, smart songwriting. The hits on this album are some of the most memorable, timeless songs released in the late 70s. Considering their contemporaries were punk, prog, disco, etc it's refreshing to have a band that was out there just playing solid rock n roll songs. 4-stars.

Thoughts before listening: If this has Wait and Bleed on it then I love that song. Otherwise I know Slipknot is well respected in the metal scene but they were never my thing. I always thought the costumes were gimmicky. Review: I didn't like this music when I was listening to punk rock back in the day and I'm definitely not into it now. That being said, Wait and Bleed is still a banger and one of my favorites of the nu metal era. There are definitely some parts in the other songs that I can enjoy cause they do seem to have a knack for catchy choruses, but those are few and far between...and usually just one part of an otherwise annoying song. I especially hate the death metal vocals and raps that are used throughout. This just isn't for me.

Thoughts before listening: I love ZZ Top's 70s albums, but I have never listened to this one. They changed their sound a bit in the 80s to become more radio friendly and went hard on the gimmick of their beards...and it worked. I know this album was huge and I'll probably know most of the songs. I'm sure I'll enjoy this, but it's hard to think it's better than an album like Tres Hombres. Review: The hits are definitely poppy, but they're also iconic songs that have been mainstays of classic rock radio throughout my life. Its hard to deny just how catchy this album is while still very much being a blues rock album. I am enjoying listening to this more than I thought I would. Gimme All Your Lovin, Sharp Dressed Man, and Legs are undeniable bangers, and I am also enjoying some of the deeper tracks like Got Me Under Pressure. That being said, the album is very much front loaded with the 2nd half being pretty weak. There are some questionable things here such as Thug's Don Henley vibe meets slap bass breakdowns and too many throwaway songs with dumb lyrics (i.e. TV Dinners and Dirty Dog). Overall though this is a fun listen.

Thoughts before listening: Todd Rundgren is an enigma to me. He gets massive praise from music nerds and critics, but I don't recognize any of his songs on Spotify. I know he's in the rock n roll Hall of Fame and produced a lot of well known records, but when I have tried to listen to his music, it's just fine to me. Sounds like other 70s rock bands like Steely Dan. I do understand that he changed his sound a lot and I've seen where this album is labeled as experimental, so maybe the "hits" on Spotify aren't representative of his full discography. Anyway, I'm excited to try this album out. Review: So this sounds like Steely Dan meets Frank Zappa with some Beatles melodies thrown in as well. I think I like it, but its also a lot to take in on one listen. This is one of those albums where a lot of ideas show up but not always in the form of a fully fledged out song. There are bits and pieces of great melodies that are then abruptly ended for some weird avant garde art rock song...much like Frank Zappa. That makes for an interesting if not always fully enjoyable listen. There are some really good songs on here. International Feel, Zen Archer, Sometimes I Don't Know What to Feel, Is It My Name?, and Just One Victory are great tracks that I am glad to add to the playlist. A lot of the other songs are either sappy ballads or complete weirdo arty excursions that just aren't for me.

Thoughts before listening: This is my uncle's favorite band. I know Run to the Hills and their other hits, but I have never really listened deeply to them. I think the Satanic imagery has always made me shy away from Iron Maiden, but I am always surprised that their music isn't really all that dark. Review: Yeah...this is good. Its a really fun listen with upbeat tempos, cool guitar riffs, and walking basslines. Also vocals that are actually sung instead of being growled like a lot of metal bands. Bruce Dickinson is almost operatic in his delivery and it adds a certain epic quality to these songs that is often missing with most modern metal bands. I certainly prefer this to something like Sepultura that I have listened to from the 1,001 Album list. Run to the Hills is such a great song and really stands out on this album. The galloping pace makes for a fun listen and that same intensity is used throughout the album. Other highlights include The Prisoner, The Number of the Beast, and Hallowed Be Thy Name...and all of these are considered staples of the metal genre for good reason. I am happy to add all of these songs to the playlist.

Thoughts before listening: I know this is a classic full of iconic songs but I've never listened to it. I do know a few of the songs, and they're fun late 80s/early 90s California gangsta rap. I'm sure the lyrics will be a turn off for me, but I'm excited to hear this album. Review: I really enjoy this album, but as with a lot of the hip hop on here the lyrics make it a tough listen. Still though, I love this era of hip hop where they are rapping over backing tracks that are mostly sampled from 70s funk bands. I like NWA's group approach with distinct individual voices and personalities from each of the members. Eazy-E, Dr. Dre, and Ice Cube especially are icons of the genre so it is cool to hear them together interacting on these songs.

Thoughts before listening: Good one although I've never owned or listened to this. I know it's Sabbath's debut and typically called the first heavy metal album. I know Paranoid and the greatest hits albums much better than this one, but I'm sure I'll enjoy it. Review: Yeah, I enjoy this. Its definitely different than what would become known as heavy metal, with this feeling more just like a slightly more abrasive form of British blues rock ala Cream. It's really good though. The Wizard is my favorite song on the album, and I also really enjoy the opening self titled song. 2nd half meanders a bit and this definitely is not their best album.

Thoughts before listening: This is a surprising entry to the list for Emmylou Harris. She has a large back catalog of 70s country classics, but they include a 2000s album from her? Weird. I am expecting more of a folk album than country, and I am sure it will be enjoyable. Review: This is basically the definition of adult alternative. Its a very mature sound with strong production and well written songs....its also a little dull. Not bad necessarily, just not overly exciting to me. Definitely a stark difference between this and other recent albums I've gotten on here like NWA and Iron Maiden. I am listening with the lyrics pulled up onscreen, and these are great story songs with deep messages. Mostly dark and emotionally charged words with music that sets a similar tone. The song Red Dirt Girl is the only one I had heard prior to this listen, and it is probably the best song here. I also enjoyed I Don't Wanna Talk About It Now and My Antonia. Overall this was a fine listen, but its probably not something I'm ever going to play again.

Thoughts before listening: Another band that I love but only really know the hits. I've seen the Last Waltz a bunch and probably owned a compilation cd of theirs, but I don't think I've heard this album. I'm sure I'll know most of the songs though, and I definitely know that this is considered a masterpiece. Review: Yeah this is awesome. Such a great album. The hits are some of the best songs of all time with The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down and Up On Cripple Creek. I remember the first time I ever heard these songs when my roommate in college took a music history class and started playing them...and I loved them immediately. These songs feel timeless as if they should have existed for years before the Band actually wrote and recorded them. I forget just how much I love the Band. They were looking back to older music styles with country and jazz elements in their sound while still very much being a contemporary 60s rock group that played at Woodstock. Outside of the hits this album has so many absolute classic deep cuts: Across the Great Divide, Rag Mama Rag, King Harvest, etc.

Thoughts before listening: I never really paid much attention to the brit pop bands of the 90s even those that got a lot of press such as Blur. I think this album has Song 2 on it which is a great 90s alt rock single, but most of this album will be new to me. I generally like what I've heard from Blur so I'm sure I'll enjoy this. Review: So this also has Beetlebum on it....and I do love that song. That plus Song 2 make for a pretty great and iconic 90s 1 - 2 punch to start the album out. I am not hearing much else that is drawing me in though. It is all perfectly fine alt-rock, but I don't really get the hype. I am sure if I listened to Blur back in the day I would have massive nostalgia for this album (like I did with the Offspring), but without that reference point this is coming up a bit flat for me. There are some songs that I enjoy like Country Sad Ballad Man, MOR, On Your Own, and the punk sounding Chinese Bombs, but nothing that reaches the heights of those first 2 songs. Those will be the only ones going on the playlist.

Thoughts before listening: This will definitely be a first listen for me. I believe these guys were a 60s San Francisco band in the same scene as the Grateful Dead, Jefferson Airplane, and Janis Joplin. I'm expecting psychedelic blues rock with lots of guitar solos...I also assume that I'll enjoy this. Review: There is definitely some great guitar work on this album. The first half of the record is just a jam on Who Do You Love broken up into multiple instrumental parts, and the second half continues the same mostly instrumental vibe. This is just okay to me. I'm sure these guys were awesome live, but on a studio album they come off a little boring. Lots of guitar noodling that doesn't really go anywhere. Maybe this lack of songs is why their contemporaries like the Grateful Dead and the Allman Bros had 50 year careers and Quicksilver Messenger Service were left as a largely forgotten also ran. As for the playlist, the best song on here is the multi-part Who Do You Love, but that's broken into different tracks that won't translate well to a playlist. I'm adding the first Who Do You Love as well as the next track What You Love which is a really good guitar jam. I'll also add Mona which is an original although it sounds very similar to the Grateful Dead's take on Not Fade Away All in all these guys were an early jamband and I love jambands! However, like with most jambands, they're style just doesn't translate very well to studio recordings. Maybe I can find a live show to listen to.

Thoughts before listening: I didn't like these guys 25 years ago and I probably won't like them now. That being said, I felt the same about Linkin Park and ended up at least enjoying the hits from a nostalgia angle. Perhaps the same will happen here. I know Korn were respected at the time as good musicians, this brand of angry rap metal just never spoke to me. Review: Freak On a Leash and Got the Life are both good songs for this genre. There is definitely a nostalgia to these songs as they were HUGE during my high school and college years. The rest of the album sounds like more of the same with fewer hooks. Then they trot out Fred Durst to get all homophobic on a song and I'm done. This sucks. This is the music Trump fans listened to in high school. 1 star.

Thoughts before listening: Tom Waits has always been one of those artists that I know I'm supposed to like, but I just cant really get into him. I think its mainly because of the growled vocals. I've listened to the classics like Rain Dogs, and I used to own Bone Machine, but a lot of his material just seemed inaccessible to me. That being said, I know this is one of his earlier recordings, and I don't think he was quite as harsh sounding back then. I am expecting jazzy blues with really good lyrics and a lot of attitude. Review: Yeah....definitely not as gravelly as he would become although that raspiness is definitely there. The music sounds like a late night jazz or blues club in New York City with a weathered, ragged voice singing over top...but at least he's singing here instead of the carnival barker approach he would bring to later releases. Tons of style coming through in both the music and Tom Waits' vocal delivery that I am enjoying. The best known songs on here are the title track and Jersey Girl both of which are great...I thought the latter was a Springsteen cover, but its actually the other way around as Tom Waits wrote the song. I also really like the ballads Saving All My Love For You and Ruby's Arms which shows off the range and emotion that Tom Waits possesses, despite his rough delivery. I am glad I got a chance to listen to this album, and I will likely seek out more of Tom Waits' material, especially the 70s albums.

Thoughts before listening: One of my favorite albums of the past decade. It sounds like 80s roots rock ala Dire Straits or Tom Petty with great guitar work. Basically the epitome of dad rock...so in other words right up my alley. Review: This is an album where a few songs are so good that it doesn't really matter if all the tracks aren't on that same level. In this case Under the Pressure, Red Eyes, and An Ocean Between the Waves are 3 of the best rock songs released in my adult years. I absolutely love them. I have long been obsessed with a KEXP radio performance they did around the release of this album where the DJ got emotional while they played these songs. Its just such a perfect throwback sound to 80s style rock, but with a guitar approach that makes it feel new and vital. That being said, this is not a 5-star album to me. There are a lot of long, slower paced songs that tend to drag at places. These are well written songs with nice melodies and interesting guitar work, but they just don't have the same effect as the bangers.

Thoughts before listening: This comes up a lot on best albums lists but I have never listened. I think that's mainly cause 69 songs is A LOT of songs and it just seems like a daunting task. Plus I have heard bits and pieces of the album and I don't really like what I've heard. Review: Wow, right out the gate this album has some really nice songs on it. Wonderful melodies and super catchy pop rock songs. Stylistically this is lo fi pop rock with a bunch of different influences on the songs: some remind me of the Smiths, some sound like Irish folk songs, there are some country rock tunes and some that jse electronic inspired instrumentation. There are definitely too many songs, and a lot of this feels like half assed songs thrown together to meet the silly 69 tracks concept. The highs are very high, but the lows are something I'd never go back to. Also, I don't have time for nearly 3 hours of music...I tried to listen all the way through, but once I realized there are some jokey throwaways on here I started skipping a lot. I tried to cheat a bit and looked up best of lists to help pick and choose tracks, but there is very little consensus. Tracks that were at the top of one list would be at the bottom of others. That certainly speaks to just how polarizing this album can be as well as the stylistic variation throughout. There are definitely highlights here: I Don't Believe in the Sun, All My Little Worlds, The One You Really Love, When My Boy Walks Down the Street, Long Forgotten Fairytale, Papa Was a Rodeo, Luckiest Guy on the Lower East Side, and Death of Ferdinand de Saussure. Overall this is way too hit or miss to get a good score from me, although I will happily revisit the songs above that I added to the playlist.

Thoughts before listening: I'm pretty surprised to see this on here. John Spencer Blues Explosion were a big deal underground band in the 90s, but they seem to be mostly forgotten. They definitely aren't mentioned with the same reverence as a band like Pavement is. That being said, I do feel that they should be considered as a major influence on 00s bands like the White Stripes and the Black Keys...alt rock/punk bands playing blues based music. My memories of this album are that the JSBE updated their sound with some hip hop type beats but still remained firmly in the trashy blues world. I don't think I've heard this before so I'm excited to listen. Review: Well I was mainly wrong on the hip hop beats thing. There are a couple songs that are like a more punk rock Beck or something, but they come off as jokey interludes more than anything else. This album is mostly just a really dirty garage punk take on Mississippi delta blues. It's a little annoying if I'm being honest. It sounds like he's doing a bad Elvis impression with a ton of effects on his vocals throughout. I should have been into this back when I was listening to rockabilly punk bands like Rev Horton Heat, but I wasn't.. after listening, I can tell why: JSBE just don't have the melodic songs that drew me to those bands. I'm sure these guys would be really fun live, but this just isn't translating to record for me. It's too abrasive and seemingly focuses more on style than actual songwriting. In fact, I don't hear any songs that I like enough to add to my playlist.

Thoughts before listening: I remember when this came out and the Arctic Monkeys were being hailed as the next big thing in rock...at least since the Strokes I guess. They certainly have seemed to sustain much more of a career than I thought they would. The only song I remember from this album is I Bet You Look Good On the Dancefloor...and it's really good. Review: ...Dancefloor is still the best song on here, but the whole album is pretty good. This is catchy alt rock with plenty of hooks and overall a fun listen. I hear a lot of the Libertines and the Strokes in what the Arctic Monkeys were doing which is appropriate since those two bands hit right before the AMs and garnered similar praise for their debut albums.

Thoughts before listening: I'm surprised to see a mid-career Paul Simon album. Graceland and Rhythm of the Saints are both great as is his early stuff post-Simon and Garfunkel, but this is one I'm not familiar with. I generally enjoy Paul Simon so I'm interested to hear this one. Review: So doing a little research it appears that this came out right before Paul Simon released Graceland...that's a superior album with this one being a bit of a mixed bag. Some songs suffer the same fate of a lot of 60s and 70s artists in the 80s...It's overproduced with unnecessary synths and other sound effects bogging down the songs. There are also silly lyrics in some songs like Allergies and Cars Are Cars that make this album as a whole come off as an afterthought likely thrown together to meet a record contract obligation. That being said, there are some really nice tracks on here. The title song, Song About the Moon, and The Late Great Johnny Ace in particular standout as classic examples of Paul Simons' strengths. Well written with nice melodies and strong lyrics. Overall this is an enjoyable albeit lesser known entry in Paul Simon's catalog that I'm glad I got to hear..although I am a bit surprised it made this list considering how many truly essential albums he has released.

Thoughts before listening: This is cool neo-soul from the late 90s/early 2000s. This was never my thing but I'm sure I will enjoy this...probably more than I would have when it was released. If this has Tyrone on it then that's a great song that I mainly know from My Morning Jacket's cover. Review: Tyrone is not on this album, but I like what I am hearing. Awesome grooves throughout these songs and Erykah Badu is a great singer. I especially like the jazzy backing instrumentation with funky walking bass lines that creates a laid back vibe. That being said, this does drag a bit at times. The whole thing stays in a very similar groove throughout, and while it makes for a pleasant listen I would have appreciated some changes in pace. The best songs are the two biggest hits from this album: Didn't Cha Know and Bag Lady. Those are getting added to the playlist.

Thought before listening: Krautrock. Classic album and one that I've heard before. I'm usually surprised by how organic Can sounds cause I think of Krautrock as mechanical and like a precursor to electronic music. This is my 2nd Can album on this list, and I did not like the first one...I believe I have enjoyed this on previous listens though. Review: I definitely like this better than the first one I listened to. This is pretty good although the long songs are way too repetitive including some that in my opinion are too avant garde for their own good (Augmn and Peking O). I do love the guitar work on this album though, especially on the song Halleluwah which stays interesting throughout its 17 minutes thanks to the guitar. My favorite tracks are that one and the opener Paperhouse.

Thought before listening: One of the most important hip hop releases of the 90s. This was the debut of Snoop Dogg and essentially kicked off an entire West coast hip hop movement. I have definitely heard this and probably owned it as well. Review: I love the 70s funk samples that are the base for this album. So many great bass lines and grooves. This is a really good album, but I feel the same on this one as most rap albums. The lyrics and skits were funny novelties when i was in high school, but as an adult I just cringe at them. It cheapens the whole experience of listening to these albums. Still though, this contains some amazing songs, including Nuthin' But a G Thang which is as iconic as a song can be from the 90s. Fun listen that gets a 4.

Thoughts before listening: 70s soul/r&b. The title track is awesome, but I don't know anything else about this record. I'm expecting a mixture of funk and disco songs with a couple ballad torch songs thrown in a well. Review: Okay, this is a cool disco record that reminds me of the Chic album I got earlier. Disco isn't something I seek out and listen to regularly, but I have been pleasantly surprised when those albums come up on this list. The musicianship on these tracks is just so much more organic sounding than dance music from the 80s and beyond. This album is no exception with great basslines and cool little guitar licks throughout. Right out the gate I know the groove in the first song He's the Greatest Dancer without recognizing the actual song...this must have been sampled on something from the 90s (I cheated and its on Gettin Jiggy With It). Lost in Music is another very good song, and of course the title track is iconic. There are some songs on this album where I am little bored, but overall I enjoyed listening to this. 3 stars.

Thoughts before listening: Another album that feels like the editors were grasping at strings to get modern bands on their list. I remember these guys making end of year best album lists, but they have not proven to stand the test of time like the albums on this list from the 50s - 90s. There certainly are some albums from the 00s and 10s that have become modern classics, but this isn't one of them. I am expecting this to be British electronic inspired indie rock with some catchy songs, but ultimately not something that I would consider one of the 1,001 albums you have to hear. Review: This sounds like the 80s music I don't like. Its extremely poppy without any edge to the music at all. Pretty boring and I am finding myself skipping most songs. Even the 2 songs with 10 million + listens on Spotify are just saccharine poppy disco sounding indie rock. I thought these guys were more of a dance punk type band i.e. LCD Soundsystem, but they are not. This just isn't for me.

Thoughts before listening: I love pretty much everything Radiohead has released, and this album is no exception. That being said, I typically don't consider it on the same level as their classics like The Bends, Ok Computer and Kid A. This is still a very good album that I will enjoy listening to as part of this list. Review: This album is where Radiohead started to move slightly away from the more electronica inspired sounds of Kid A/Amnesiac by mixing in some of the alt rock sounds they became famous for on the Bends and Ok Computer. They would go further down this route for their next album In Rainbows, and in my opinion Hail to the Thief is a lesser album than those that surround it. The album starts out with a legit rocker in 2+2=5, and its an awesome track. That vibe continues with Sit Down, Stand Up's build to a frenetic climax before reverting back to more minimalistic dancey sounds for the next few songs. I also love There There and Myxomatosis which are two of Radiohead's most high energy and popular live songs. Other songs I enjoy on this album include Go To Sleep, Where I End and You Begin, A Punch Up at a Wedding, and A Wolf at the Door. In general this album is a mixed bag of great highs and a few lows that aren't necessarily bad, but do keep this from being a 5-star Radiohead album. This will get a 4.

Thoughts before listening: X is a band that has been on my radar since I was a high schooler listening to punk rock, but I pretty much only paid attention to the first album until recently (I love the first album). I have heard this album and it is very good, so I am excited to give it another listen. Review: I love X's sound. The rockabilly inspirations, the male/female vocals, and the fact that they have a very polished sound for a punk band at a time when most bands in that scene still valued sloppiness over everything else. In that regard X were one of the biggest influences on much of the 90s punk I would later be obsessed with not to mention bands like Rev Horton Heat who would mirror their fusion of punk rock with rockabilly sounds. Wild Gift is great even if it doesn't have quite the same legendary status of their first album Los Angeles. If anything there is even more of an approachable poppiness to their sound on here. The best songs are The Once Over Twice, We're Desperate, and White Girl, all of which are getting added to the playlist. This is a 4-star album.

Thoughts before listening: I know the Kinks. Everybody knows the Kinks. I know \"Lola\" and \"You Really Got Me\" and \"All Day and All of the Night\" and I am pretty sure that I have even listened to some of their albums like Muswell Hillbillies. I have not however heard this album, and I feel like there is a HUGE Kinks discography that I no nothing about. What I do know about the Kinks is that whenever I hear their deep cuts I tend to really like them. Catchy, unpretentious, short little pop rock songs. Its like a pre-cursor to punk rock without all the snottiness. All this to say that I am glad to get my first Kinks album on the 1,001 List and something tells me that this will be right up my alley. Review: Sunny Afternoon is on this album and that is an all time great 60s rock song. The rest of the album is what I expected: super catchy, unpretentious pop songs with lyrics skewering 60s British culture. Nothing else reaches Sunny Afternoon's heights, but this is an enjoyable listen. A few songs do rise above the rest: Dandy, Session Man, Holiday in Waikiki, and House in the Country.

Thoughts before listening: I have heard of Terence Trent D'Arby but I am not sure that I would know any of his songs. He is definitely mentioned a lot as an example of a certain type of 80s/90s artist, but I am not really sure what his sound will be. I am thinking artsy R&B with elements of alt rock included. Review: I was pretty spot on with my guess. This sounds like a more serious, less playful Prince. I can hear Michael Jackson and Stevie Wonder in these songs as well. The album is okay although not typically the type of music I would listen to. I don't love the 80s style production that makes a lot of the backing music sound manufactured and inauthentic. Apparently Wishing Well was a big hit while Sign Your Name has the most Spotify listens, but I have never heard either before. My favorite songs are "Dance Little Sister" and "I'll Never Turn My Back on You" which both utilize a 70s Stevie Wonder style sound. This is a 2-star album to me. Its certainly not bad, but just isn't really my style.

Thoughts before listening: I own this on vinyl although I haven't listened all that much. "Aqualung" is probably Jethro Tull's best known song and its a great example of 70s proggy hard rock. "Cross-Eyed Mary" and "Locomotive Breath" are also classics that have lived on through cover versions by the jambands I love. Review: I like the combo of hard rock songs with more folky tracks that is at the core of everything Jethro Tull does. The fact that Ian Anderson is known for his flute playing means that Jethro Tull was always going to be a standout from the typical 70s hard rock bands. I also appreciate that while there are some elements of prog rock here the band tends to shy away from the over the top excesses typically associated with those bands. The anti-religion themes of the lyrics aren't something I can identify with and typically would be a turn off for me. That being said, a deeper read shows more of a questioning of the organized religion of 1960s Britain that Ian Anderson grew up in than a true attack on Christianity.

Thoughts before listening: Later era David Bowie album released not long before his death...although it's not his last album since Blackstar was released as he was dying. I don't remember there being a lot of excitement around this album, but there must have been some for it to make the list. I love most of the music Bowie put out so I'm sure I will enjoy this as well. Review: Well this is pretty good. Definitely better than a lot of the 00s and 10s albums that have obviously been added because the editors felt a need to include modern albums. That can mostly be attributed to the fact that this is very much a David Bowie album. While this is not on the level of his 70s heyday, this is still full of well written and interesting songs that certainly are better than a lot of his 80s and 90s output. I give this a solid 3 star rating knowing that the classic Bowie albums will be 4s and 5s when they eventually show up on this list.

Thoughts before listening: 70s British punk rock band that were contemporaries of the Sex Pistols and Clash, but never received the high accolades of those bands. The Adverts have mostly been forgotten to time, and while I have heard the band name, I have never actually heard their music. I like a lot of early punk rock so this should be something that I enjoy. Review: This is better than I was expecting with some very catchy songs that are more akin to a pop punk sound like the Buzzcocks than the snotty attitudes of the Sex Pistols. The sound is really good with clear vocals and music that avoids the typically murky production of early punk rock. I am pleasantly surprised with this one and really can't believe this has never crossed my radar before. That being said, the song quality is a bit of a mixed bag. I really like "One Chord Wonders", "Bored Teenagers", "Gary Gilmore's Eyes", "No Time to Be 21", and "The Great British Mistake" but the rest of the album can be a little bland. Not bad necessarily, just doesn't really have any hooks to pull you in. Ultimately this is a solid 3-star album that doesn't quite rise to the heights of its contemporaries that have reached legendary status.

Thoughts before listening: This is appropriate for Christmas. Looks to be classic Christmas songs but with Phil Spector's over the top orchestral production style. I am sure this will be great. Review: This is a nearly perfect Christmas album. The Phil Spector wall of sound style really elevates these songs, and he is working with some of the best female vocalists of all time: Darlene Love, The Ronettes, and the Crystals. The versions of Sleigh Ride, A Marshmallow World and Christmas (Baby Come Home) on this album have become staples of Christmas playlists so it is fun to hear them amongst the other songs recorded in those same sessions. This is a 4-star album. That being said, I will only be adding one of these songs to the playlist: "The Bells of St. Mary" which is the only discovery I made while listening (and its a very good track). Great as they are, these songs don't make sense outside of the context of Christmas. I would rather add this album to my Christmas record collection to bust out every year during the holidays than add something to a playlist that I end up skipping 11 months out of the year.

Thoughts before listening: This is a great classic rock radio album with songs that have been staples of those stations throughout my life. Its also commonly considered one of the greatest debut albums of all time...especially considering the fact that their later albums all pale in comparison. I have heard this before, and certainly know the hits, but am looking forward to listening as part of the 1,001 list. Review: This thing starts out with an all time banger in More Than a Feeling and then just continues from there. There are 8 songs on this album and 6 of them are hits. MTAF, Peace of Mind, Foreplay/Long Time, Rock & Roll Band, Smokin', and Hitch a Ride are instantly recognizable to anybody that grew up listening to classic rock radio. The number of hits would make for a fun listen even if the music was mindless drivel...but its not. These are well-written songs with memorable hooks, smart riffs, and strong vocals. Other than MTAF being very overplayed I really can't think of many criticisms for this album. I guess their sound was a bit derivative of other bands that came before them, but when the songs are as good as these that doesn't really matter. I will be adding all of the hits mentioned above to the playlist, and while I don't think this is a 5-star album it is definitely a solid 4.

Thoughts before listening: Psychedelic rock from the 60s. I'm pretty sure I've heard "I Had Too Much to Dream Last Night", and it's definitely an all time great psychedelic song title. That being said I don't really know what these guys sound like. I'm not necessarily expecting this to be jammy with guitar solos like the big San Francisco bands of the era, but rather more trippy hippie pop rock music...perhaps similar to the Nuggets style garage bands. Review: This is definitely psychedelic garage rock. Their sound is pretty close to what the Stones, Who, Pink Floyd, etc were doing in their early years before they grew up and became arena rock stars. Lots of reverb and echo on the guitars with some other psychedelic elements sprinkled in. There is also a proto-punk quality to this and I can definitely hear their influence on many of the bands that came along in the 70s and 80s. When it comes to the quality of the album, I'm reminded of a band like MGMT who came up with some absolutely classic songs of their era, but never quite released a cohesive album. Songs like "I Had Too Much to Dream", "Sold to the Highest Bidder", and "Get Me To the World On Time" are perfect examples of 60s psych rock that I'm glad to add to the playlist. However, they're surrounded by a lot of filler that keeps this from being a classic album. I'm giving this album a 3 while the hits are 4s.

Thoughts before listening: I know Loveless but have never heard anything else from MBV. Assuming they didn't have a major change in sound prior to that album, this should be alt rock with heavily distorted guitars that create a noisy, droney soundscape. MBV are known as originators of shoegaze so that's what I'm expecting here. Review: This album is okay, which is basically how I feel about Loveless as well. I really like some of their songs, but others just don't work for me. These guys are best when they crank the pace up and rock out. Otherwise the wall of distorted guitar sound just becomes an irritating drone. The best songs on this album are "Lose My Breath", "When You Wake You're Still in a Dream", "Feed Me With Your Kiss", "Sueisfine", "You Never Should", and "Nothing Much to Lose". All of these songs are fast paced, fully formed songs that remind me of Dinosaur Jr with fewer guitar solos. The rest of the songs on this album sound like noisy demos in need of major editing and production work. This album gets a 3 from me.

Thoughts before listening: Quiet, introspective folk music. I'm expecting some nice melodies and lyrics, but an overall sleepy album. I feel like I have heard this before, but I'm not sure. Review: This is a little less sleepy than I was anticipating, although there are certainly some slow, maudlin songs that drag in places. However, there is a driving rhythm to a lot of these songs that I'm enjoying. \"Hazey Jane II\" and \"One of These Things First\" both have a jazzy swing to the music that I'm quite enjoying. Overall I can see how this is considered a classic album, and I'm reminded quite a bit of later artists like Elliott Smith. However, like with ES, the slow depressing songs just drag down the album as a whole. I give this a 3.

Thought before listening: Ah yes. Another completely forgotten 2000s release that made the list cause the editors wanted recent entries. So far these have been less than stellar. 2002 was the height of my music nerd days and I have no recollection of these guys. My guess is Brit pop with dance beats. Review: So apparently these guys were known as Band of Bees in the US. I have at least heard that name. This isn't dancey Britpop...it's got a laid back, almost reggae vibe to some of the songs with others having more of a psychedelic 60s meets lounge sound. This isn't my thing and I definitely don't think it warrants inclusion on the 1,001 list. 2 stars.

Thoughts before listening: Classic album from Bowie's best era. I'm sure I'll know a bunch of the songs on here, but this isn't one of the albums I've heard. I do love this era of Bowie so this should be good. Review: So apparently this is the album after Ziggy Stardust, and it's definitely an extension on that sound. This is glam rock but with jazzier elements mixed in, and I like it. This is definitely a weirder, less accessible album than it's predecessor but that just makes for a more interesting sound. Overall this is a 3 compared to the elite albums in Bowie's catalog, but it's still a really good album.

Thoughts before listening: Early Beatles when they were still writing catchy pop rock songs. It's got some absolute classic tracks, but overall isn't as strong of an album as their later releases. Review: I always forget just how many covers the Beatles used to do. This album is full of classics for sure, but a lot aren't actually their songs. Still though it contains some of their earliest self written hits as well as a number of deep cuts which are getting added to the playlist: It Won't Be Long, All My Loving, I Wanna Be Your Man, and Little Child are examples. This is a 4 star album.

Thoughts before listening: Never heard of these guys before. I'm assuming it's very British new wave and most likely won't be for me. Review: I actually enjoyed this more than I thought I would. These guys have a pretty cool sound thats closer to the Cure than the overly poppy new wave that I was expecting. It's definitely still synth heavy but it's got a bit of a gothy darkness mixed with kind of a David Bowie vibe that I'm liking. This is a 3 star album.

Thoughts before listening: I used to own this album when I briefly flirted with an interest in industrial music before giving into pop punk. I remember enjoying Ministry although I typically dislike most of their lyrical themes. If this has Jesus Built My Hotrod on it then that's an all time great 90s song. Review: Yep...Jesus Built My Hotrod is on this album and its as good as I remember. NWO and Just One Fix are also really good songs. The rest of the album is just okay. Much too dense in most of these songs with buried vocals singing some really dumb lyrics. The "hits" have dumb lyrics too but at least they're fun. This is a 2-star album to me despite the 3 songs I am happy to add to the playlist.

Thoughts before listening: Fun British power pop style alt rock. I got into these guys a little in the 00s. I'm interested to see how much I remember. Review: Yeah, this is pretty good. Really catchy and melodic alt rock thats not life changing, but certainly makes for a fun listen. There is a lot of British 90s/00s bands on the 1,001 list, and I think I can safely say I prefer these guys to much of what has been included. The closest comparisons are probably Blur who came just before them and the Arctic Monkeys who came just after, and I think I prefer the Libertines' sound to either of those bands. I know that I owned a Libertines album back in the day, but it seems that it must have been their 2007 greatest hits release. Its strange that a band with only 2 albums would have put out a greatest hits comp, but perhaps it was an attempt to break into the US market since they never really blew up over here like they did in the UK. Or maybe since they imploded so quickly, largely due to Pete Doherty's sobriety and legal issues, their label just needed a new way to repackage their limited catalog. Either way, my recollection of the Libertines is a strong one because I was only hearing their best. The hits are "Can't Stand Me Now", "What Katie Did", and "What Became of the Likely Lads". All very good songs that are getting added to the playlist. I have also enjoyed some of the deeper cuts like "Music When the Lights Go Out", "The Man Who Would be King", "The Saga", and "Road to Ruin". There are some weaker, throwaway tracks on here but overall this is a nice snapshot of 00s era British indie rock. I'm giving this 3 stars.

Thoughts before listening: One of the greatest albums of all time. Not a weak song on this album and includes Springsteen's 2 most iconic anthems in Thunder Road and the title track. Review: This album just hits so hard right out the gate with Thunder Road. I love the imagery in this song (and the album as a whole for that matter) where Bruce paints a picture of idealistic youth when a car means freedom and running away with the love of your life is the only thing that matters in life. Bruce's talent is in portraying the ultimately mundane hopes and dreams of the everyman in a way that makes it seem like the most important story that's been told. While the lyrics are the star here, the album wouldn't be the classic it is without the music that accompanies the words. The piano and sax take the lead and create an epic sound that adds to the drama of the lyrics. When a song like Jungleland slows to a crawl and then builds back to the "down in Jungleland" peak, it's being driven by the power of these instruments. Easily a 5 star album.

Thoughts before listening: I know this is a classic, but I've never listened to it. "It Was a Good Day" is an all time 90s rap banger so that will be awesome to hear. I'm sure I'll enjoy this, but as always the lyrics will be hard to connect with. Review: This is not what I was expecting...this definitely isn't a party album. "Good Day" is one of only a handful of songs on here that use the West coast laid back funk sound of Dr. Dre that Ice Cube came from in NWA. Much of the album reminds me more of Public Enemy's sound collage hard rock style with relentless beats and raps that are angrily spit out with almost a punk rock attitude. This is a very pissed off album heavily inspired by Rodney King and the resulting riots, and while not always a fun listen it is very effective. This is a 3 star album. "Good Day" and "Check Yo Self" are getting added to the playlist.

Thoughts before listening: I was into Arcade Fire's first album and was excited when this one came out. It's okay, but didn't grab me like the first one. I remember only really loving a couple songs, and in general I prefer the Suburbs to this one (Funeral is still their best though). I'm interested to see if I appreciate this more now than I did at the time. Review: Definitely not my favorite but AF, but there are some really good songs on here. AF create a big sound with lots of different instruments and musicians that lend a certain grandiose quality to these songs. This is the sound of 00s indie rock as it ascended the charts and started headlining festivals. When the melodies match the epic musicianship it's very effective, but this album is uneven to me. There are some definite highlights in "Keep the Car Running", "Intervention", "(Antichrist Television Blues)", and "No Cars Go", but overall I still feel this pales in comparison to the albums released before and after. Too many mid tempo songs that just don't click with me even though I do really like the songs above.

Thoughts before listening: I love it. Johnny Cash is one of the greatest voices of all time and his music is part of the fabric of America. Both of his live prison albums are legendary, but San Quentin has always been my favorite. Review: Johnny Cash is absolutely on fire on this album. He's telling jokes between songs and delivers a high energy set that really riles up the inmates attending the performance. This is punk rock before it even existed, and the crowd noise acts as an additional instrument that elevates these recordings while making you feel like a member of that audience. The Legacy Edition of this album is absolutely the best way to listen, and is the version I once owned on CD. The original is only 30 minutes while the LE expands this to capture not only the full Johnny Cash show, but also bits of the openers in Carl Perkins, the Statler Brothers, and the Carter Family. I especially enjoy the Statler Brothers' "Flowers on the Wall". From the Johnny Cash songs, these are absolutely definitive versions of these songs that add a certain fire missing from the studio versions. "Big River", "I Still Miss Someone", "Wreck of the Old 97", "I Walk the Line", "Folsom Prison Blues", "Jackson", "Orange Blossom Special", "San Quentin", and "Ring of Fire" are all timeless songs enhanced by the live setting. The true star here (of both the original and LE version) is "A Boy Named Sue" with Johnny dropping naughty words (including the infamous bleep) and the inmates loving every minute of it. This is easily a 5-star album.

Thoughts before listening: This is definitely a classic album that continues to influence indie and punk artists. I owned this back in the day, and remember especially loving "Heroin", but I have not listened in a long time. This is one of those albums that you respect for its influence more than actually falling in love with, but maybe my perspective will be different 20 years after initially listening. Review: The VU certainly had a unique sound for their era. This is psychedelic rock thats totally different than anything the west coast bands like the Grateful Dead and Jefferson Airplane or the British bands like the Beatles and Stones were doing. The VU utilized out of tune guitars that create a chugging drone instead of playing riffs and guitar solos. There is certainly a direct through line from the VU to Sonic Youth to a band like King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard. My favorites 20 years ago were the more upbeat songs and that remains the case today. The slower, often weirder songs (usually sung by Nico) like "All Tomorrow's Parties" just aren't as enjoyable to listen to. "I'm Waiting for the Man", "Run Run Run", and "Heroin" are my favorites on this album. I still feel that "Heroin" is the real gem here with its slow build in intensity to a final crescendo that is meant to replicate a drug high. Really good stuff. This is a 3-star album with the score being brought down by the inclusion of a handful of songs that are too abstract for their own good.

Thoughts before listening: I never really got into AC/DC, but their songs have been mainstays throughout my life heard on the radio, at restaurants, and at sport events. I obviously know the title track to this album, but I don't know what else is on here. Probably a couple more classic hits and lots of songs with catchy riffs and plenty of double entendres in the lyrics. It's AC/DC so I know this will be dumb but a really fun listen. Review: Well the only song I recognize is the title track, but I might as well know them all since this is unmistakably an AC/DC album. Since this is the last album with Bon Scott many people would say this is actually the final real AC/DC album. They would certainly polish their sound to insane radio and MTV success with the next one Back in Black. I really enjoyed listening to this album. My favorite songs were the title track, "Beating Around the Bush", "Shot Down in Flames", and "If You Want Blood". Really though I could have put any of these songs on the playlist. AC/DC have an unmistakable sound and they do it very well on this album. This is 4-stars.

Thoughts before listening: I obviously know Queen, but I don't think I've ever listened to a full album other than A Night at the Opera. I don't know what is on this album, but I know it will be theatrical 70s hard rock. This is certainly an iconic cover so I assume this is one of their bigger releases with likely some massive hits. Review: Well there aren't any hits on here. This is early Queen a year or two before they became the massive hitmakers that we know so well. It seems that they were still trying to figure out their sound, and while you can hear glimpses of the over the top theatricality found on later songs like "Bohemian Rhapsody" or "Don't Stop Me Now", the songs on here do not reach those heights. This is a pretty good album that is in league with the other hard rock bands of the era, particularly the Who in their arena rock opera phase, Led Zeppelin, and Black Sabbath. The true star of this album is Brian May who lays down some awesome guitar work, while Freddie Mercury still hadn't quite developed the style that would make him one of the greatest vocalists of all time. As far as songs go, these are interesting, but nothing really stands out. Many of the lyrics are surprisingly fantasy based (ala Zeppelin and Sabbath) with songs about ogres and black queens. My favorites are "Seven Seas of Rhye", The March of the Black Queen", and "Ogre Battle". This is a 3-star album.

Thoughts before listening: This is the third Bowie album I've gotten on here, and again it's not one of the truly classic records. I've heard this before. The song "Young Americans" is an all time great track. From my previous listens, I don't feel that the rest of the album matches up to the title track, but I'm looking forward to listening with fresh ears. Review: Well I forgot that "Fame" is on here as well, so that makes two classic songs. This album is pretty good, with Bowie abandoning his glam rock sound for one inspired by soul and r&b, but nothing else quite hits the highs of those two hits. The song "Fascination" is pretty good, as is his cover of "Across the Universe", but ultimately this is largely forgettable outside of the two hits. 3-star album.

Thoughts before listening: One of my favorite band names of all time, but I don't know their music at all. I'm thinking this will be post-punk in the same vein as a band like Joy Division. I tend to like 80s alt rock so this will probably be a nice surprise. Review: This is certainly on the darker side of 80s new wave, and I really like it. "This is the Day" is one of those hits you know you've heard before, but you cant quite picture any details about it i.e. music video, placement in a movie, etc. "Uncertain Smile" comes later and includes an extended piano solo that elevates the song as a real standout. Both are great songs on an enjoyable album.

Thoughts before listening: This album came out when I was in high school...and it was huge. It's still huge, at least from a critical standpoint. I've never actually known anyone that would list this as one of their favorite albums yet its consistently at the top of best of the 90s lists. Maybe my friends and I aren't the target demographic. For me, I've never listened to this although I certainly know the hits, especially "Doo Woo That Thing" which is a perfectly fine late-90s neo soul hit. In general though I prefer Lauryn Hill's work with the Fugees. Review: I really like Lauryn Hill's overall vibe and her skills as both a singer and rapper, but I still don't see why this album has so much hype. I'm not hearing much here that sets this apart from her 90s R&B contemporaries like Mary J Blige, Janet Jackson, Aaliyah, etc. In fact I'd say those others have more memorable hits, and although "Doo Wop..." and "Ex Factor" are both great songs, I still consider "Killing Me Softly" from the Fugees to be the quintessential Lauryn Hill song. This is a 3-star album.

Thoughts before listening: This is my second early Queen album in a week. The first one (Queen II) was a bit surprising as it was before they had fully developed their sound and were still coming off as a Who or Zeppelin sounding band. This is the next album in line so I suspect it will have a bit more of the over the top theatrical sound they'd become famous for. "Killer Queen" is on this album and that definitely is closer to the Queen we all know. Review: This is definitely closer to the real Queen sound, with a couple of their most enduring songs in "Killer Queen" and "Stone Cold Crazy". Both of those songs are a fun listen, but overall this is definitely an improvement on the previous album. Where I felt that Brian May was the star of that record, Freddie Mercury is starting to exert himself as the true attraction on this one. This is a 4-star album.

Thoughts before listening: Well this is the most recently released album I've gotten so far. I know that people go crazy for every Lana Del Rey album, but I don't really understand the hype. I enjoyed parts of Norman F'n Rockwell, but everything just sounds the same to me...mid-tempo, laid-back pop music which never really draws me in. Review: Man this is so slow...and the whispered vocals are very hard for me to get into. This is like a poppier, female Bon Iver...who I feel the same about. I can understand why people like this, but it's not something that I'm going to go back to very often. 2-stars.

Thoughts before listening: I know this is a jazz classic with a timeless track in"Take Five", but I have never listened all the way through. My (largely uninformed) assumption has always been that this is pop jazz for the masses...but the inclusion on so many greatest albums lists means that it must be well respected. I look forward to hearing this in full. Review: Wow...this is such a classic sound. This is one of those albums where you recognize a bunch of the songs without actually knowing who's playing. They're just that much ingrained in our lives. They're consistently played while you walk through the airport or eat at a restaurant or in the background of a TV show. This album has 2 of those songs in "Take Five" and "Blue Rondo a la Turk". What you also don't tend to notice when hearing something like Dave Brubeck as background music is the level of complexity in these songs. There are wonderful melodies here but also some highly technical musicianship on display. This is far from muzak. Very interesting album that I'm giving 4-stars.

Thoughts before listening: SOAD were always my favorites of the nu metal scene although i never owned any of their records. There is a complexity to their music and lyrics that sets them well above the Limp Bizkit set. Most of the SOAD music I know is from the Toxicity album, so I may be less familiar with these songs. Review: Well this certainly sounds like the SOAD I know and enjoy. I do recognize "Sugar" which is a very fun hit of the late 90s as well as "Spiders" which is much more restrained and anthemic. Both are complete bangers that easily rise above the fray in what was a mostly terrible time for mainstream rock music. The rest of this album falls in the same vein with a mix of high energy metal mixed with more playful styles, often inspired by their Armenian heritage, that you wouldn't typically hear from their contemporaries. This is a 4-star album.

Thoughts before listening: I never owned this album, but the hits were pretty ubiquitous for someone obsessed with music at the time. I was never a huge fan of the techno/electronic scene, but I did like the Prodigy's more rock approach to the genre. I'm sure I will recognize quite a few songs on here and that the nostalgic enjoyment will be strong. Review: Right out the gate I recognize "Smack My B Up"...this is a very memorable song and video. I believe I even may have seen the controversial video during its one time airing on MTV. Furthermore, I am well aware of "Breathe" and "Firestarter" which again were songs I enjoyed during high school without actually ever loving this band. All in all the album is fine. It wasn't something I gravitated to 25 years ago and it likewise isn't something that I find myself loving today. There are certainly some fun songs on here that I am happy to add to the playlist, but this is ultimately a 3-star album.

Thoughts before listening: I don't know much of Lou Reed's solo work outside of the hits, but I do know a lot of it can be challenging. I feel like I probably won't like this all that much, but I'm definitely interested to listen to a full album. Review: This is a very nice surprise. I am rather enjoying this album even if I have never heard these songs before. I always loved Lou Reed in the Velvet Underground, and his talk singing vocal delivery is one that instantly draws me in. This is much more of a rock sound to this album than I was expecting, especially the guitar solos on "How Do You Think It Feels". I also like "Lady Day" and "Caroline Says I". There are some songs that don't work for me, and the lyrics are all pretty dark, but overall this was a nice listen. 3-star album.

Thoughts before listening: One of the earliest hip hop groups. I'm expecting lots of funk samples, dj scratches, and old school style rapping. Should be fun. Review: This is such old school hip hop that only 2 or 3 songs would qualify as the genre. The rest are basically 70s style funk/soul including a Stevie Wonder tribute. The rap songs are fun though, especially "The Message" which is iconic for its place in hip hop history. "Its Nasty" has a fun sample of "Genius of Love" by the Tom Tom Club and "Scorpio" is unique with the robotic effects on the vocals. This is 3-stars for the influence it played on what was soon to come with popular music.

Thoughts before listening: Awesome album that was one of the first I ever bought with my own money. This is full of iconic 90s alt rock songs, and I'm excited to listen for the first time in a while. Review: So this album is as good as I remember, but for some reason, it hasn't stayed in my rotation like a lot of their contemporaries' albums like Ten, Vs, and Nevermind. In fact even in the Soundgarden discography I typically would say that I much prefer Badmotorfinger, even owning it on vinyl. That being said, this is a great album, and the hits on here are absolutely some of the best from that era. \"Spoonman\", \"Blackhole Sun\", \"Fell On Black Days\", and \"The Day I Tried to Live\" were massively popular at the time and they still stand as great songs today. This album also has some quality deep cuts in \"Superunknown\", \"Limo Wreck\", and \"Kickstand\" that I had nearly forgotten about before my listen today. Now there are definitely some filler type songs on here that drag this out a little longer than it needs to be, and that is probably why it hasn't stuck with me like the other grunge albums. This is a 4-star album.

Thoughts before listening: I always like A Tribe Called Quest when I hear them, but I don't believe I've listened to any of their albums all the way through. They have a cool vibe and style to their music that I enjoy, and the lyrics are typically easier to relate to than other 90s hip hop. This will be a fun listen. Review: Man this is a lot of fun. I love the mix of jazzy backing tracks with old school style dj scratches as well as the overall laid-back vibes of this album. Q-Tip has one of the smoothest flows of any rapper I've ever heard, and I've always enjoyed when he pops up on other rappers' songs. Listening to a Tribe record where he is the featured voice is a great experience. Despite never digging in to the group's music before, they have been a constant presence on the periphery of my music interests for years. They show up on best of lists and their songs get added to playlists regularly. Songs from this album like "Anita Applebum" and "Can I Kick It" may not have been "hits" but they're absolute staples to music fans that grew up in the 90s and 00s. This is a 4-star album cause while it's a great sound, it gets a little samey across 14 songs.

Thoughts before listening: This is a 5-star album, and one of my personal favorites. I was first introduced to this through Phish's cover, but the Talking Heads soon became a band that I loved all on their own. Review: Yeah this is great. Such a unique sound for the Talking Heads at the time, and I have always loved the tempo of this album. Especially with the first 5 songs, they are playing funky, world music inspired songs but at the tempo of the punk scene they came out of. I have always appreciated the Talking Heads' place as a bridge between the late 70s CBGBs punk scene and the more party aspects of 80s new wave. Those first five songs are the star here: "Born Under Punches", "Crosseyed and Painless", "The Great Curve", "Once in a Lifetime", and "Houses in Motion". These are the whole album to me and some of the best songs of their era. I am less of a fan of the final three spacey, moody songs that follow, but the quality of the top of the album still makes this an easy 5-star for me.

Thoughts before listening: I know "Take On Me". Assuming that's on this album then it'll get added to the playlist because it's one of the best 80s pop hits. The band however are not typically talked about as anything other than one hit wonders who put out a catchy song with a killer video, so I'm surprised by the entry on this list. I'm expecting poppy 80s new wave, and I'm really interested to see what they sound like outside of the hit. Review: Well, this album wastes no time getting to the point with "Take On Me" as the opening track. It's still a great tune even detached from the video. The rest of the album ranges from fine to outright cheesy. I do recognize one more song in "The Sun Always Shines on TV" which was a minor hit...and its definitely the second best song on here. The rest are very of their time light weight pop songs, that just don't do anything for me. This is a 2-star album for the strength of "Take On Me".

Thoughts before listening: I was into this album and "Take Me Out" is a great song. I seem to remember liking at least one or two more from this album as well. This is certainly one of the better 00s indie rock albums, but I don't feel it's a greatest album of all time. Review: I had forgotten how much I enjoy this album. I don't believe I ever had the CD, but I definitely had these MP3s on my iPod. The style here is very reminiscent of other 00s era indie bands i.e. Modest Mouse, Spoon, the Strokes, etc, but Franz Ferdinand wrote some great songs that make them rise above that crowded genre. "Take Me Out" is definitely the star here, but it's not the only high point on this album. I also really enjoy "Jacqueline", "The Dark of the Matinee", "This Fire", "Darts of Pleasure", and "Michael" which all show that these guys had a lot more to them than just one hit. Perhaps it's just my own preference for the 00s indie sound as compared to 80s new wave, but if I'm comparing this against other recent one hit wonder albums I've heard on this list like a-Ha, I'm choosing FF every time. This is a 4-star album.

Thoughts before listening: Not my favorite album by the Black Keys, but this is the one when they started becoming alt rock stars instead of underground indie rock cult heros. I enjoy this band quite a bit and have even seen them a few times, so it'll be nice to re-listen to one of their classics. Review: The hits are definitely catchy and it's overall a fine record. It's not however something I would consider to be one of the 1,001 best of all time. I added "Tighten Up", "Howlin' For You", and "Sinister Kid" to the playlist, and I'll be glad to hear those when they come up. The album however is 2-stars to me.

Thoughts before listening: Overproduced 80 hard rock. The hits are classics, although I believe Pyromania is the bigger album with bigger songs. This should be a fun listen, and I've been pleasantly surprised by the deep cuts on a lot of the big hard rock albums on this list. Review: I don't really like this. I mean I know a lot of these songs and "Pour Some Sugar On Me" is really fun, but this brand of hard rock just doesn't do anything for me. This is what the bands I like from the 80s were rebelling against. I can recognize that this is "good" while also really not enjoying it. 2-stars.

Thoughts before listening: I own this album on vinyl and I like it well enough I guess. "Layla" is an all time great song and there are plenty of other winners i.e "Bell Bottom Blues" and "Little Wing". Its also a long album that gets boring at times, so it will be nice to throw the better songs on the playlist. Review: This album is a classic for a reason...and not nearly as boring as I remember. Its full of classic blues-based rock n roll songs played by top notch musicians, including Duane Allman adding slide guitar throughout. "Bell Bottom Blues", "Keep on Growing", "Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out", "Key to the Highway", "Tell the Truth", "Little Wing", and of course "Layla" are all going on the playlist. 4-star album full of 5-star songs.

Thoughts before listening: 90s Brit-pop that wasn't as popular as Oasis and Blur...at least in the US. I don't believe I've ever heard these guys before. Review: This is okay. The songs are catchy and anthemic so I understand why they were popular. That being said, I'm not hearing anything that suggests this album should be considered one of the greatest of all time. Maybe if I grew up listening to the Charlatans I'd feel differently. There are certainly 90s American alt-rock albums that I'd put on my personal 1,001 best albums list (i.e. the Toadies), but I'd be shocked to see them on here just like I am with these guys that seem like also-rans of the UK 90s scene. "One To Another" is a good song that I've added to the playlist. 2-stars.

Thoughts before listening: I believe this is 60s garage rock/proto-punk from Seattle. This should be an interesting listen because I've always seen them listed as influences on a lot of my favorite music. Review: This is pretty good. Something cool about a bunch of kids getting together, covering some songs, and writing a few of their own. That being said, there's nothing particularly special about these guys compared to 100s of other bands from the 60s other than that they recorded an album and were from Seattle. I feel like their praise largely comes from being local cult heroes often cited as influential by the grunge bands of the early 90s. 3-stars.

Thoughts before listening: Joni Mitchell is an artist that I respect immensely, even owning a few of her records, but I just can't get into her music. I think her voice is to "warbly" for me or something. Blue is one of the albums I own, and it certainly is one of the more approachable in her catalog. Review: This has some songs I really do enjoy like "All I Want", "California", "Carey", "River", and "A Case of You". Those would all be getting added to the playlist if Joni's albums were on Spotify. For the other songs I just cant get into it. I recognize that the lyrics are confessional and have a ton of meeting for Joni's fans, but I just can't get past the vocals and rambling song structures. This is a 3-star album to me.

Thoughts before listening: One of the Stones' greatest albums and therefore by default also an extremely worthy inclusion on this list. Exile on Mainstreet and Sticky Fingers get most of the attention in the Stones' 60s/70s output, but this one is nearly equal in quality. Excited to listen to this. Review: This is really good with some absolute classic songs, but also one of their sloppier albums. This has some songs on it that just never quite come together, sounding more like demos than a finished product, and keep this from reaching the heights of the Stones' 5-star classics. Still though, the strength of "Sympathy for the Devil", "Jigsaw Puzzle", "Street Fighting Man", and "Salt of the Earth" are easily worth a 4-star rating.

Thoughts before listening: This is Bjork's band before she went solo. Poppy Icelandic indie rock with Bjork singing overtop...this should be interesting. Review: I've always loved Bjork's voice but rarely love her music...it's too weird and out there for me I guess. This however is much more up my alley with it's late 80s/early 90s indie rock sound. With the male and female vocals I'm getting kind of a post-punk X vibe. I'm really enjoying this and will be adding a few songs to the playlist. 4-stars.

Thoughts before listening: I don't know what's on this album, but I'm sure it's going to be a fun listen. Run-DMC we're innovators in the hip hop scene and while their brand of rap is nearly archaic at this point, it's also a very classic, familiar sound. Review: This is great. It's definitely an early form of hip hop but I love Run-DMC's style. The rock backing tracks and the call and response raps with two distinct voices are now an iconic sound. This album is their debut and while they would release bigger songs later on, there are some classics on here with "It's Like That", "Rock Box", and "Sucker MCs". Those are going on the playlist and this album gets 4-stars.

Thoughts before listening: I like Leonard Cohen for the most part. His best known songs are very powerful, but his slow, almost talking, baritone singing can be a bit of an acquired taste. Review: This album starts out with its best song in "Suzanne" which is a great slow burn of a song that subtly builds throughout its runtime. The rest of the album is similar in style, and while I certainly know it is all high quality music, its just not really my style. 3-stars.

Thoughts before listening: Of all the early punk bands, the Clash have been the biggest influence on the brand of punk rock I've always gravitated to. This is my favorite release by them, even better than London Calling which gets most of the praise. There are a ton of iconic songs on this genre-defining album. This will be 5-stars. Review: A less snotty, more tuneful take on punk rock than what contemporaries like the Sex Pistols were producing at the same time. They also brought a point of view to the lyrics tackling social and political concerns that turned Joe Strummer into a generational spokesperson. "Janie Jones", "I'm So Bored With the USA", "White Riot", "London's Burning", and "Career Opportunities" are aboslute classics of the punk genre and 70s rock as a whole. Easy 5-star album.

Thoughts before listening: Fishbone were a big deal to a lot of the punk and especially ska bands that I listened to in high school with everyone from the Red Hot Chili Peppers to No Doubt to Sublime calling them out as an influence. Yet I somehow never really got into them. What I have heard is a fun mashup of metal riffs, horns, punk attitude, and soulful singing. Review: I like this. My favorite thing about Fishbone is that while the music is fairly reminiscent of the 90s ska bands that would come after them, the vocals are much better. Angelo Moore has a great soulful voice that really compliments this style of music moreso than the punk smarl of those later bands. The band also brings in r&b elements to their songs that sets them apart from both their contemporaries and followers. Best songs are "Freddie's Dead", "Mighty Long Way", "Bonin' In the Boneyard", and "Subliminal Fascism". 4-star album.

Thoughts before listening: I remember "Brimful of Asha" which I'm assuming is on this album. That's a great song, but I don't know anything else from them. Feels like this will be folky indie rock with samples and hip hop beats...like a British version of Beck. Review: "Brimful of Asha" is a great song, and the rest of this album follows in a similar vein. This is about as 90s as an album can be sounding like Odelay with Bollywood samples. I enjoy it, but it's nothing groundbreaking. 2-stars but pushed up to 3-stars because "Good to Be on the Road Back Home Again" name checks Chattanooga.

Thoughts before listening: This is the Lou Reed album that gets the most praise from journalists. I was pleasantly surprised by Berlin when that came up on this list so I'm excited to listen to this one as well. Review: This is great. Reading up on this album I see that David Bowie and Mick Ronson produced it which makes sense cause this sounds like 70s era Bowie glam rock. There are some absolute classics on here in "Perfect Day", "Walk On the Wild Side", and "Satellite of Love", but I'm also enjoying "Vicious", "Hangin' Round", and "I'm So Free". Overall a very good album that presents a much more radio friendly take on Lou Reed's sound that stands out in a discography filled with tough listens. 4-stars.

Thoughts before listening: I have always considered this to be the quintessential Doors album, and I really like their self-titled debut and LA Woman quite a bit as well. As a whole I enjoy the Doors and consider them one of the better 60s bands. A lot of modern music fans like to dismiss their impact largely due to Jim Morrison's antics, but their music is awesome and has been a major influence on a lot of the punk and indie bands I love. Review: Confirmed that this is my favorite of the Doors' albums with "Peace Frog" probably my favorite song. Other strong tracks include "Roadhouse Blues", "Waiting for the Sun", "Blue Sunday", "You Make Me Real", and "Maggie M'Gill". This is the band's most focused blues rock album and I think thats why I like it so much. Just straightforward rock songs some of which have gone on to be classic rock radio staples. 5-stars.

Thoughts before listening: This album is a mainstay in best albums lists, both for the 60s as well as of all time. I know that it has "Son of a Preacher Man" which is a classic song, but I do not know any of the other tracks. In fact, this has always seemed to me like a bit of an oddity for those lists. Review: This is okay. "Son of a Preacher Man" truly is one of the best songs of all time, but the rest of the album stays in a mid-tempo soul sound that just isn't all that interesting to me. Dusty certainly has a nice voice and these are well arranged songs, but its just not my style. 2-stars.

Thoughts before listening: This is basically the blueprint for southern rock. Being a southerner myself Lynyrd Skynyrd is very important for a lot of the bands I grew up hearing on the radio, for better or for worse. This is a classic full of iconic songs, and despite the punchline that Skynyrd and "Freebird" have become years after their peak, this is a great album. Review: Any album where half of the songs are "Gimme Three Steps", "Tuesdays Gone", "Simple Man", and of course "Freebird" is going to be a fun listen, but this was even better than I remember. I also enjoyed some of the lesser known songs like "I Ain't the One". There's great guitar throughout this album and an awesome classic rock sound. Definitely a 5-star album.

Thoughts before listening: One of those bands I've always heard of but know very little about. This album is not one that even looks familiar to me...Psychocandy is the album I typically see getting praised by music sites. Dark brooding indie rock or maybe gothic punk I think. Review: Definitely not as dark as I was thinking. This sounds like a lot of 80s indie/college rock...especially the Pixies who famously covered one of their songs. This is a sound I connect with and enjoy, and while nothing on this album is blowing me away, it is certainly enjoyable. "Happy When It Rains", "Down On Me", and "April Skies" are very good songs that I'm happy to add to the playlist. 3-stars.

Thoughts before listening: I don't know a ton about these guys other than that I believe they are electro Euro-pop and that they had a few hits in the 90s. They definitely were bigger in Europe than the US. Review: I saw another review that said this is the sound of trying on clothes at Gap in the 90s...and yeah thats about right. Slow, soulful singing over non-descript techno beats. Its pleasant music I guess but not for me. I am giving this 2-stars cause its not offensive, but also pretty boring.

Thoughts before listening: One of the greatest live albums of all time. This is 5-stars. Review: Bluesy, jazzy southern rock with killer guitar. Duane Allman is one of the greats on his instrument, especially for a slide player. So much energy in these songs that get pushed to the next level when the slide solos take over. The band would go on to be a huge influence on jambands and others that focus on their live shows over everything else, and this album was really the blueprint for that sound. Absolute classics in "Statesboro Blues", "Stormy Monday", "In Memory of Elizabeth Reed", and "Whipping Post". 5-stars.

Thoughts before listening: Former Velvet Underground member that I don't know much about as a solo artist. Lou Reed was always the bigger star, with John Cale being portrayed as an avant garde artist. I'm expecting art rock with lots of ambient soundscape type pieces. Review: This is more orchestral pop music than the post-rock I was expecting. I hear a bit of the Velvet Underground in the instrumentation and arrangements, but this is quite a bit different from the sound of his former band. On initial listen, "MacBeth" stands out as a flat out rocker that immediately draws me in. Overall I don't hate this album but it's not something I'd go back to often. 3-stars.

Thoughts before listening: This is a bit of a surprising entry to this list. The Vines always seemed like also-rans of the 00s garage rock movement, paling in comparison to bands like the White Stripes and the Strokes. Maybe they were a bigger deal in Europe? Anyway, I'm sure I'll recognize a song or two from the radio or an Apple commercial or something. Review: "Get Free" was a hit and a pretty good one at that. I'm also enjoying some other songs like "Factory" and "Ain't No Room". The singer has a Kurt Cobain growl and the music seems better produced than their peers, although in some ways that detracts from the sound. There is also a bit of a Britpop style that sneaks in. All in all these guys took a little from a bunch of different popular alt-rock styles and mixed it together...and its more fun than I thought it would be. 3-stars for being an enjoyable, albeit pretty generic listen.

Thoughts before listening: I never really understood the hype on Lorde although "Royals" is a good song....I don't think it's on this album though. Pop music isn't typically my thing but I'm sure this will be fine. Review: Well right off the bat "Green Light" is recognizable and a very good song with an even better chorus, and "Supercut" was a fun track later in the album. The rest of these songs are just okay to me. I don't know if it's cause Jack Antonoff produces all of their albums, but a lot of recent female singers have a very similar sound...thinking of Lorde, Taylor Swift, Lana Del Rey, etc. It's a lot of mid-tempo songs with lyrics that are more spoken/whispered than sung. This came before Taylor's folklore/evermore but the vibe is almost identical. This is a 2-star album.

Thoughts before listening: This is brand new to me. Never even seen the cover. I am going to guess European dance music of some sort. Review: Well this isn't dance. More like classical orchestral music with a German singer. Theatrical and almost operatic sounding with lyrics in both German and English. I am sure this was extremely impactful in a 1980s cold war environment, but it is not resonating with me. This is however well performed music with a strong vocalist that is getting a 2-star rating.

Thoughts before listening: My Bloody Valentine's comeback album. I constantly see them get raved about by music journalists and I never really got it. So far on this list I've had their pre-Loveless album and it was fine. I'm sure I'll enjoy this as well. Review: I dont really like this. It's all just so droney and many of the songs don't feel complete. Every song is just a wall of noise with whispered vocals. I remember liking a few songs on the earlier album that stuck to more typical late 80s alt rock sound, but that is missing from this album. I'll give it 2-stars for at least being interesting even if it isn't actually enjoyable.

Thoughts before listening: I don't know this album or artist. Maybe some sort of avant garde folk music...not really sure. Review: That was okay. Certainly not unlistenable but also didn't really do much for me. Kind of soft rock with some experimental sounds mixed in. 2-stars

Thoughts before listening: This is a very good album by a monster band. There are some outright classics on this album, including the title track which has always been over of my favorite by them. Looking forward to listening Review: "War Pigs", "Paranoid", "Iron Man", and "Fairies Wear Boots" alone would make this a 5-star album, but even the deep cuts are killer. Absolutely one of the most influential albums of all time, essentially creating the metal genre. I've always loved that despite the crazy places metal would go, the originators were just doing a slightly more distorted take on 60s blues rock. Easy 5-stars.

Thoughts before listening: Proto-punk from Detroit led by Iggy Pop. It's really fun primitive rock n roll with a wild man singing. Good stuff. Review: I really like most of this album. "1969", "I Wanna Be Your Dog", and "No Fun" are absolute classics. "We Will Fall" however is a completely unnecessary 10 minutes that hurts the album as a whole. 3-stars for a mostly fun album.

Thoughts before listening: Huge album for me growing up. This came out when I was 12 and was just starting to pay attention to music. At one point I would have said this was Nirvana's best album, but it definitely is not as good as Nevermind. This is a darker, more punk rock album that unfortunately was Kurt Cobain's final studio recording. Review: Yeah this is great. I have a ton of nostalgia for Nirvana and these songs meant so much to me when I was a teenager. This would have definitely been one of the first albums I ever bought for myself. "Heart Shaped Box", "Frances Farmer Will Have Her Revenge on Seattle", "Dumb", "Pennyroyal Tea", "Radio Friendly Unit Shifter", and "All Apologies" are favorites that are going on the playlist. 5-star album.

Thoughts before listening: This is a nice surprise this morning. I really liked this album when it came out although I wouldn't expect it to be on this list. Maybe thats just because years of reading music magazines has instilled in me that everything old is better than everything new. Anyway, I know there are some great songs on this album so I look forward to revisiting. Review: I have a very soft spot in my heart for Grizzly Bear and other 00s-10s folky pop rock bands like Fleet Foxes. This is the sound of my young adult years and I really like it. I might have more nostalgia for the 90s alt-rock bands, but I think I enjoy this music better. This album is really good, with some absolute gems of the era, especially "Southern Point" and "Two Weeks". 4-stars.

Thoughts before listening: I love the Band and this album is one of their best along with their self titled. This will be classic song after classic song so I'm sure I'll add a bunch to the playlist. Review: This album starts slower than I was expecting, but from "The Weight" on it's about as classic of list of songs as you will ever hear. "Long Black Veil", "Chest Fever", and "I Shall Be Released" are great, but my favorite of the bunch is "This Wheels On Fire". 4-stars from me cause I just don't love the first half of the album.

Thoughts before listening: I'm surprised to see this on the list, but I really like this album. I play this for my daughter quite a bit. Review: This album is full of pleasant, well crafted songs with smart lyrics and catchy melodies. I'm not sure it's truly one of the greatest albums of all time, but it's certainly an album I enjoy quite a bit. My favorites are "Slow Burn", "Space Cowboy", and "Rainbow". 3-stars.

Thoughts before listening: Another of the 00s indie folk albums that has proven to stand the test of time and remains as a standout of that era. While Sufjan's overly ambitious plan to release an album about each state stalled at 2, he would go on to put out a wonderful body of work spanning 3 decades including last year's Javelin. Still, Illinois remains his masterpiece. Review: This is simply one of the most fun, joyful albums I've ever heard, even when the subject matter is dark i.e. a song about John Wayne Gacy. Orchestral pop ditties with thoughtful lyrics and melodies that get stuck in your head. This came out when I was 24 and has remained in my rotation for going on 20 years. Favorites from this album include "Come On! Feel the Illinoise!", "John Wayne Gacy, Jr", "Jacksonville", "Decatur, or , Round of Applause...", "Chicago", "Casimir Pulaski Day", "The Man of Metropolis Steals Our Hearts", and "They Are Night Zombies". My only complaint is that the instrumental orchestral pieces between songs can be a bit much, but they do help to tie all the songs together as a whole cohesive work of art. Easy 5-stars for me.

Thoughts before listening: This week has been nothing but 00s bangers. The White Stripes were an incredibly important band to me in my 20s, and Jack White is probably the ultimate rock star of that era. This is a great album. Review: Right out the gate this album hits you with "Seven Nation Army" which is quite possibly the last great rock anthem, becoming part of American culture as a jock jam, Guitar Hero track, and even popular marching band song. Few songs outside of the 60s and 70s classic rock hits have had that kind of reach. Other than that song, this album is full of bluesy stomps powered with a punk rock grit and Jack White's unique guitar playing style. I love it. 5-stars.

Thoughts before listening: One of those 80s/90s college rock bands that I've heard of and read about for years but never actually listened to them. In general I do like this style of music so I'm excited to try this out...if I can find it. It's not on Spotify and the YouTube links appear to be dead as well. Review: This is okay. It has a cool punk vibe that I'm enjoying, but it's also a compilation of the band's early demos so it has an unproduced quality to it. Not uncommon in 80s indie rock so it sounds very much of the time. The songs are all pretty good with Kristin Hersh's yelp standing out as the star of the show. From reading music magazines in the 90s, she was a huge deal in certain music circles, but I don't really know much about her. I'd give this 3-stars, but I did listen to their later output that's actually on Spotify....and it's really good so I'll bump them up to 4-stars.

Thoughts before listening: I think this is my favorite MJ album. While his brand of 80s/90s pop and r&b isn't typically what I gravitate toward, it's hard to deny that his hits are bangers...and there are a lot of hits on this album. Review: The hits are great..."Bad", "The Way You Make Me Feel", "Man in the Mirror", "Dirty Diana", and "Smooth Criminal" are all iconic songs for a reason. I also like "Speed Demon" and "Leave Me Alone" which weren't hits but are really fun songs. That's 7 out of 11 songs that I really like so I'll give this a 4.

Thoughts before listening: This came out my senior year in high school and was a very big deal. Moby seemed like the future of music, and while EDM is still certainly popular, Moby has completely disappeared from popular culture. This style of music was never really my thing, but I do tend to enjoy it more as an adult than I did 25 years ago. Review: This is just okay. The best songs are the hits: "Porcelain", "Southside", and "Natural Blues". The rest of the album is either background music or blues samples with techno beats. It reminds me of the music playing in a Gap changing room or something. 2-stars.

Thought before listening: I think these guys were Bowie adjacent with a proggy glam rock sound maybe. This is one of those bands that are often mentioned as an influence on bands I enjoy, but I've never actually heard their music. Review: Ok so this has nothing to do with Bowie or glam rock, rather being jazzy psychedelic prog rock. This album is very out there and trippy, and while these tracks are too long for their own good, I'm actually enjoying this quite a bit. I'm not going to add any of these 20 minute songs to the playlist, but I will rate this 3-stars as an enjoyable albeit very odd listen.

Thoughts before listening: 80s Brit pop or new wave of some sort I think. I am not really sure, but typically when I don't instantly recognize an 80s album on this list its something that was popular with British music journalists. I'm sure this will be fine. Review: This is better than I thought it would be. Sometimes it sounds like U2, sometimes its the Smiths, and others its just kinda generic pop rock. This certainly wouldn't be on my personal top 1,001 albums list, but its not terrible. I like the song "Was There Anything I Could Do?" while the rest of the album is pleasant enough and has actually grown on me on repeated listens. 3-stars.

Thoughts before listening: Kanye from when he was still interested in putting out smart, fun hip hop bangers. This is a fun album with lots of iconic songs. Kanye is insufferable now but I still enjoy his early albums. Review: This album is great...even if Kanye is like the worst person ever now. So many great songs and even the skits tend to fall on the right side of funny where as most rap album skits are cringey as hell. "We Don't Care", "All Falls Down", "Spaceship", "Jesus Walks", "Through the Wire", and "Slow Jamz" are all very good songs that are getting added to the playlist. 4-stars.

Thoughts before listening: This is my third MBV album on this list, and I've been pretty underwhelmed by the other ones. I know that Loveless gets massive praise from music journalists, but I've never really listened to it. I'm excited to hear a classic, but based on their other albums I'm not over optimistic that I'll enjoy it. Review: Well right out the gate I really like "Only Shallow", which is a song I've heard before. The massive wall of sound guitar with ethereal female vocals is a great sound that would go on to be highly influential for the 90s alt-rock to come. The second song however is back to what I have disliked about the other albums: structureless, droney songs that sound like incomplete demos. That sound permeates the rest of the album with only a handful of songs actually adding melody and structure to the guitar noise. I'll give this 3-stars but in general, I don't get the hype for MBV...they certainly don't need 3 albums on this list.

Thoughts before listening: I remember 50 Cent being extremely popular, but not something that would necessarily make a list like this. More pop rap made for the radio than anything else, although his association with Eminem and Dr. Dre probably helped get him a little more critical recognition. There will be some fun songs on here I'm sure, but its probably not my thing. Review: \"In Da Club\" was massive when it came out, and it's still a great 00s era hit. Songs that become that big have a way of worming their way into your conscious to a point that even if you typically would completely avoid their sound, you end up with a ton of nostalgia for the song. That's totally the case here. That being said, I don't really like the rest of this album. The songs with Eminem are okay, but overall it sounds like every other rap album from that era with the same tired lyrical content as well. It's also long as hell...I don't need 20 tracks and over an hour of this stuff. 2-stars mainly for \"In Da Club\".

Thoughts before listening: I am new convert to this album having only recently picked up a used copy at a record store on a whim. I knew the Pretenders were well respected, but I only really knew their hits. I never would have listed them as one of my favorite bands, but this album is really good. I'm glad to see it made the 1,001 album list. Review: Yeah I love this album. It is so much more than its massive hit "Brass in Pocket". Sure thats a great song, but the power of this album is the rockers that bring punk rock attitude with pop hooks and strong musicianship. Songs like "Precious", "Tattooed Love Boys", "Private Life", "Mystery Achievement", and my personal favorite "Lovers of Today" are the highlights here. 4-stars.

Thoughts before listening: This is where Radiohead abandoned alt-rock for more of an electronic sound. At least that was the story when it came out, and because of those reviews, I avoided this album for years. I've since come around, and it's definitely a great album that sits near the top of Radiohead's discography (OK Computer is still their best). Review: This is a weird album in all the right ways. There is a krautrock propulsion to many of the songs, and while there are certainly fewer guitar solos than on past albums, this is still a rock record. If anything, this was ushering in a new era for rock music that would focus more on atmosphere and mood than traditional rock song structures. Easy 5-star album for me.

Thoughts before listening: As a 90s punk fan Black Flag were enormous. Every band I liked cited them as an influence and their logo was as iconic as it gets. I do like a lot of what they do, but I never really got into them. Maybe it's too hardcore for me or something. I felt the same way about a band like the Bad Brains, and I gravitated to the more melodic hardcore of Descendents and Bad Religion. I'm excited to see this as my album today though. Review: I stand by my long held belief that Black Flag is a tier below the more melodic punk bands, despite their status as giants in the scene. Maybe I'm just not a Henry Rollins fan or something. It's too much one note yelling and barking instead of singing like the bands I prefer. Anyway, I do like some of these songs, including the absolute banger of an opening track with "Rise Above". That is definitely one of the best songs of the punk genre. Other than that, the more melodic the song the better for me: "Six Pack", "TV Party", "Gimmie Gimmie Gimmie", and "Depression" being the best of the bunch. I'll give this 4-stars for being so important to a genre I love, but Black Flag still just isn't one of my bands.

Thoughts before listening: Another album on this list that I own. This isn't my favorite Flaming Lips album, but that's only because Yoshimi is a masterpiece. Still though this is a very good album that I've consistently listened to for years. Review: I love that the band that became known for a novelty song like "She Don't Use Jelly" ended up becoming even better known for releasing nearly perfect orchestral pop albums. These songs are extremely catchy pop gems and blew me away the first time I heard this album. "Race for the Prize", "The Spiderbite Song", "Waitin' for a Superman", "Suddenly Everything Has Changed", and "Feeling Yourself Disintegrate" are all absolute gems that have stuck with me long after I first heard them. I'll give this 4-stars for the fact that Yoshimi is Flaming Lips' best and because there are a couple of boring duds on the album.

Thoughts before listening: This was the first White Stripes album I ever heard, and its a great one. I love the band, and this is their second best album behind Elephant. Review: Yeah this is great. This is an album I would have discovered in college, and I have distinct memories of hearing songs like "Hotel Yorba" for the first time. This really drew me in at the time because it has the attitude of the punk rock I had been listening to for years but mixed with blues and country elements which I had been discovering at the time. As an album this is a tier down from Elephant, but some of the songs on here are at least on par with that album. "Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground", "Fell in Love With a Girl", "The Union Forever", "We're Going to Be Friends", and "I Think I Smell a Rat" are my favorites. All in all this is a great album that I have a lot of history with. 4-stars for being a lesser album than Elephant and for some weak tracks.

Thoughts before listening: I like the Roots and used to own this album, but I don't often see this listed on best of lists like this. While it'll be nice to re-visit these songs, this seems like something that made the list because it was released around the same time as the book. This typically isn't even considered the Roots' best album. Review: This is certainly an electric album, with lots of different sounds and styles over 16 tracks. There is a lot to like here with my favorites being "Thought @ Work", "The Seed 2.0", "Break You Off", and "Water". That being said, there's a lot of songs on here and not everything is a good as these. This is a 3-star album.

Thoughts before listening: The Beach Boys are great. They released some of the best songs of their time which have remained staples for 60+ years. That being said, outside of Pet Sounds, you never hear about individual albums. They're mostly a singles band with their greatest hits compilations being the typical go to. Looking at the tracklist on this album, it seems like there are only a couple well known songs. Not sure I need to hear an album of Beach Boys deep cuts, but here we go. Review: This is fine. As an album I like it as much as Pet Sounds in that it's a mix of incredible songs and others that just don't do it for me. Apparently this was the band's first album after Brian Wilson went into his non-touring exile where he focused on songcraft and production over everything else. That era produced some absolute classics, but it also wasn't as \"fun\" as the earlier surf rock songs. The first song here is one of my favorites in \"Do You Wanna Dance?\", although I know the Ramones version better than the Beach Boys. Other highlights include \"When I Grow Up (To Be A Man)\", \"Help Me Rhonda\", \"Dance Dance Dance\", and \"Please Let Me Wonder\". The rest of the album is pleasant enough but too slow to really do much for me. I'll match my Pet Sounds rating and also give this 3-stars.

Thoughts before listening: Early rock n roll with Jerry Lee Lewis' wild man piano playing leading the way. I don't believe I've ever listened to JLL outside of his hits, so it'll be interesting to see what this sounds like...especially being a live album. Review: 8 songs in 22 minutes and all high energy piano led rock songs. This is definitely fun with some absolute early rock standards on here, but the live production is a little annoying. I love live albums, but the crowd noise on this one is distracting (I feel the same way about James Brown's Live at the Apollo). "Money", "Great Balls of Fire", "Good Golly Miss Molly", "Long, Tall Sally", and "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On". All classics that I'm glad to add to the playlist (also what a playlist this is, in the last 24 hours I've added songs by Jerry Lee Lewis, Slipknot, and Ice-T). This is a 3-star album.

Thoughts before listening: Kraftwerk gets cited A LOT by music journalists as a forefather to a lot of modern music. In general I think I know what they sound like, but I've never sat down to listen to one of their albums. I'm expecting synth heavy instrumental music with a driving beat. Review: Well it's not all instrumental with a few songs having monotone almost robotic vocals. This sounds like a mixture of video game/sci Fi movie soundtrack music and early 80s European new wave like Thomas Dolby or Gary Numan. I'm sure Kraftwerk were a huge influence on both. Is it possible to understand an album's importance but also not really like it? That's what's happening here. I get that Kraftwerk were innovators, but I don't particularly enjoy the music they inspired. I will say that when their songs take on a more traditional pop form, it's a bit more enjoyable...songs like "The Model" and "Neon Lights" fall in this category. Still though, it's just not for me so I will give this 2-stars.

Thoughts before listening: Never heard of these guys before...must be British. Based on the year of release and cover I'm going to say this will be punky new wave. Review: Definitely British, and this is more of a power pop sound than the new wave I was expecting. Reminds me a bit of Elvis Costello maybe or some later 80s post-punk bands. I can also see these guys being an influence on a band like the Libertines. It seems like the biggest hit was "Another Girl, Another Planet", and thats probably the best song here. As a whole, this is a nice surprise of an album. 3-stars.

Thoughts before listening: I love LCD Soundsystem, and this is a very good album. I think "All My Friends" is on this one which is a post-2000s classic. It'll be nice to re-visit this today. Review: Once again, the 2000s albums feel more like "my music" than the 90s ones while also still feeling modern sounding. LCD Soundsystem has a cool sound that pulls from 80s new wave and punk (especially Talking Heads) while adding its own dancey, industrial flair. "All My Friends" is definitely a post-2000s classic with its steady driving beat that slowly builds over its 7:43 running time. I also enjoy "North American Scum", "Us v Them", and "New York I Love You but You're Bringing Me Down". 4-stars.

Thoughts before listening: Pre-psychedelic classic from the Beatles. This is a fun era for the band even if it doesn't quite rise to the masterpiece level of their later output. I'm pretty sure I've never actually listened to this album, but I'm sure I'll know most of the songs. Review: This is not as good as the later releases, but it certainly has its own charms. The hits such as "A Hard Day's Night", "And I Love Her", and "Can't Buy Me Love" are about as iconic as songs can possibly be. For deeper cuts, I really like "I Should Have Known Better" and "Things We Said Today". Overall this is a fun album showcasing the early Beatles sound which would change dramatically in only a few short years. I definitely prefer the later albums, but I do appreciate that this is the first time the Beatles only released songs that they had written themselves. This is 4-stars.

Thoughts before listening: I never thought I would listen to a George Michael album, but here we are. The title song is a great 80s hit and I remember liking it as a kid. I know this album has gotten more respect over the years than I remember at the time. In the late 80s/early 90s this was the pop music on MTV that soon became the antithesis of everything I became interested in as I entered my teenage years. In general I'm able to appreciate this type of pop music more as an adult than I would have back then, so perhaps I'll enjoy this. Review: "Faith" the song is still great. "Father Figure" has an incredible chorus, but the rest of the song falls victim to cheesy 80s ballad production. In general this reminds me as a lesser version of what artists like Michael Jackson and Prince were putting out in the 80s. There are some catchy songs here ("Hand to Mouth" and "Monkey" are my favorite deep cuts), but its just not for me. 2-stars.

Thoughts before listening: This is my 2nd slipknot album which seems a bit excessive. The first one at least had \"Wait and Bleed\", so I'm not sure what this one could possibly have on it to justify the inclusion. I didn't like the first album so chances are I won't like this one either. Review: Well, I have to say this is better than the first Slipknow album I listened to. While there are still pummeling moments on this album, the band is definitely leaning on their pop hook writing abilities a little more on this album...especially on songs like "Sulfur", "Psychosocial", and "Dead Memories" which I am enjoying quite a bit. This is a 3-star album for the strength of these 3 catchy songs.

Thoughts before listening: One of the albums from Bowie's Berlin era. This one gets a ton of praise from journalists but I've never found this phase of his career to be as fun as the Hunky Dory/Ziggy Stardust era. I'm excited to give it another listen though. Review: So this album is a little hit or miss for me. I like the actual rock songs such as "Sound and Vision", "Speed of Life", and "Be My Wife" which sound like a precursor to much of the late 70s/early 80s indie rock I love so much. However, I am not as into the Brian Eno ambient stuff. I mean I understand the talent that goes into those songs, its just not something I gravitate to when listening to music. If this was all avant garde rock songs I'd give it 4-stars, but instead this gets a 3.

Thoughts before listening: No idea what this is. I'm assuming some sort of techno/EDM record. Being from 2001 I might have some connection to the sound having heard it at a club or something, but this was never really my scene. Review: This is pleasant enough although not my style. More ambient background music than the more hard dance I was expecting. I enjoyed listening to this while working, but I'm not adding any of this to my playlist. 3-stars

Thoughts before listening: Is "F You" on this? That's a great song. I don't know anything else by Cee-Lo Green (besides his Gnarls Barkley stuff) but he's southern hip hop soul music. I'm sure this will be fun to listen to. Review: It's always interesting the albums on this list that came out in the early 2000s around the release of the book. The editors were having to make a lot of guesses on modern releases that would go on to be classics. There are a lot of 00s era albums on this list that have been completely forgotten in the 20 years since. This is one of them. This doesn't have "F You" which is far and away Cee-Lo's biggest solo hit. What is on here is fun and I'm enjoying listening to it, but I hardly feel that this rises to the status this list should demand. It certainly hasn't proven to have the timeless staying power of the 70s Stevie Wonder albums it's paying homage to. This is a 2-star album.

Thoughts before listening: I know Ice-T but I've never actually listened to one of his albums, and looking over the tracklist I don't recognize any of these songs. I'm sure this will be fine, but probably not really my thing. Review: This is just okay. I can't relate to this at all, and I'm not really into Ice-T's brand of rap. There aren't a lot of pop hooks here and most songs have a similar sound. There is definitely a Public Enemy influence to the music on this album, but PE are much more interesting, especially with their lyrics. Best song on here is "Body Count" which was Ice-T introducing his rock band...and I like him as a metal singer more than a rapper. This is a 2-star album.

Thoughts before listening: Classic 60s poppy folk rock record. Assuming this has their hits on it this should be a fun listen. Review: The Mamas and the Papas' hits like "Monday Monday" and "California Dreamin'" are the sound of the 60s. It's pop music reminiscent of the early Beatles mixed with the sounds of the 60s folk movement that the band members were associated with. Perhaps it's the male/female communal group vocals, but there is a certain hippie idealism to their sound without being overly psychedelic. This is ultimately pleasant pop music with a handful of catchy singles surrounded by pretty forgettable filler songs. 3-stars mainly because "California Dreamin'" is such a great song.

Thoughts before listening: Very recent album. I remember this getting a lot of praise in 2021, but it's not really my thing. Also feels like an odd choice for the list. In general its hard to evaluate the recent entries on this list that is so focused on an album's legacy and inspiration to future releases. Review: As far as modern R&B goes this is pretty good. I like the concept of story songs that are each inspired by different female perspectives. This album won Grammys and made the top of a ton of best of the year lists. Its a good album, but its just not something that I relate to. Perfect example of an album that I can respect even if its not really my style of music. I will give this a 3-star rating, but I don't really know that it belongs on this list.

Thoughts before listening: One of the most highly regarded hip hop albums of all time, but I don't believe I have heard it before. Review: Yeah I've never heard this before, and you know what...it's great! I get where the praise comes from. This is closer to something like A Tribe Called Quest than the gangsta rap coming out at the same time. I'm really enjoying Nas' laid back rap style over jazzy beats with some interesting lyrics that aren't all violence and sex. 5-stars.

Thoughts before listening: Early country music with some songs that have become staples over the years like "El Paso". Should be an interesting listen full of story songs with an antiquated sounding musical style. Review: Yeah, this is fun. Marty Robbins has a great, soothing voice and these songs are like little western movies with the stories they are telling. The music is pretty typical for the 1950s era of country music, and there are some interesting little guitar licks happening low in the mix. Not something that I would typically come back to very often, but I'm glad to have heard this today. 3-stars

Thoughts before listening: I really enjoy the Replacements, and this widely considered one of their best albums. That being said, I don't believe I have heard this album as a whole. I certainly will recognize some songs, but Tim is the only Replacements albums that I own. Review: Yeah, this is good, but it's not my favorite from the band (Tim or Pleased to Meet Me are better). I love the Replacements' sloppily played and punk inspired rock n roll, and this album has that in spades even if they have better songs on other albums. My favorites here are "I Will Dare" and "Unsatisfied" both of which are classics of 80s post-punk indie rock. I also really like "We're Coming Out", "Sixteen Blue", and their Kiss cover "Black Diamond". 4-stars because assuming Tim is on this list it's getting the top rating.

Thoughts before listening: Well, I never thought I'd sit down and listen to a full Christina Aguilera album, but here we are. These sorts of pop and r&b albums just aren't my thing, but I have found I can appreciate them more now than I would have at 25 when this was released. She certainly has a powerhouse voice, and I'm sure I'll recognize some of the hits on here, so perhaps this will be better than I think it will be. That being said, looks like this is 2 discs and well over an hour long, not sure I'll have it in me to listen to this whole thing. Review: Yeah, this is about what I'd expect from a Christina Aguilera album. Great singing on the R&B inspired pop bangers and even better singing on the ballads. This is split into 2 albums with disc 1 being the pop songs and disc 2 being more "jazz" inspired. A lot of the disc 1 production sounds super dated to 00s pop with things like record scratches and synthy fake horn blasts. Disc 2 is a little more organic sounding, but this is still very much a pop album. Maybe I just wasn't paying attention to pop music in 2006, but I don't recognize any of these songs. I feel like I could rattle off 5 - 10 Christina songs, but none of them are on this album. I can't say that any of these songs are really standing out to me despite having nice vocals throughout. I thought I would at least like the music on the "jazzy" disc, but it's still very much a pop sound. Mainly just feels like an attempt to cash in on her Lady Marmalade sound. This is a 2-star album.

Thoughts before listening: I didn't like the first Stooges album I heard on here as much as I thought I would. In theory I should love their primitive take on rock n roll, but only a few songs really grabbed me on that one. I'm interested to see if I feel differently about this album. Review: "Search and Destroy" is such a great song and a perfect way to kick things off. I'm definitely enjoying this more as a cohesive album than the first one with the guitar work and Iggy's vocals being the stars here. Other highlights are "Gimme Danger" and "Raw Power". Now I'm trying to figure out if I prefer the original David Bowie produced version or Iggy Pop's later remaster. Seems like this is a major debate with Stooges fans, with many preferring Iggy's sludgy version because that is supposedly what the Stooges wanted this album to sound like at the time. For me, I can certainly understand this stance, but I think I'm liking Bowie's version better. Either way, this is a 4-star album.

Thoughts before listening: This has been an iconic, right of passage album for my entire life. Growing up as a kid in the 80s and teenager in the 90s, Guns n Roses were MASSIVE. They were the absolute best of the LA hard rock and metal scene with a sound that was more punk inspired than the glam indebted overly poppy music so many of the contemporaries were playing. This is GnR's first and best album, and one that I thoroughly enjoy. Review: Yeah this is a nearly perfect album that is an absolutely essential addition to any collection. This is the best 80s hard rock album, and I'm not even really a big fan of that genre. The GnR sound is a Stones swagger mixed with AC/DC style hard rock and a punk rock attitude, and they have some great songs as well. "Welcome to the Jungle", "Paradise City", and "Sweet Child O' Mine" are classic rock staples that hold up as the years go on, but even this album's deep cuts are great. Listening for the first time in a long time, I was reminded of how much I enjoy songs like "Its So Easy", "Mr. Brownstone", "My Michelle", and "Think About You". 5-star album.

Thoughts before listening: I believe this is noise rock that had a huge influence on 90s alternative bands, and I think Steve Albini may have been involved. I've never listened to these guys before so this should be interesting. Review: The album isn't on Spotify so I can't add any songs to the playlist, but I though it sounded pretty good. I listened while mowing the lawn, so I did not pay much attention to the lyrics which the internet tells me are pretty hardcore, but I guess that is fairly standard for 80s punk bands. As far as the music, I can hear their influence in a lot of the 90s alternative bands that I used to be into, especially on the industrial side. I hear quite a bit of Big Black's sound in Ministry which makes sense with both bands coming up in the same Chicago scene. This is a 3-star album.

Thoughts before listening: One of the original 70s supergroups with C, S, N, and Y all having spent time in popular 60s rock bands as well as releasing their own solo music. CSNY mixes these guys' rock chops with more singer songwriter folk songs all sung with some of the best vocal harmonies of all time. I own this album and know it will be an enjoyable listen. Review: Yeah this is good stuff. When Neil Young joined up with C, S, and N he added his ragged guitar style to their folky harmonies to great results. The first CSN album has some great tracks, but also gets diluted a bit with some folkiness that comes off as too sickly sweet for its own good. Neil Young helps to keep this album on track with all 10 songs being strong. My favorites on this album are "Carry On", "Almost Cut My Hair", "Helpless", "Woodstock", and "Our House". 4-stars.

Thoughts before listening: I used to always say I didn't like U2. They were too over the top and showy, and I just think the late 90s/early 00s was a bad era for them despite their massive popularity. That being said, I have started coming around on their 80s output and can understand why people are obsessed with them. This will be my first time listening to this album as a whole, and I am excited to listen to it. Review: "Sunday Bloody Sunday" opens this album followed soon after with "New Years Day", and both are highlights in U2's career. Even when I was largely dismissing the band, I recognized these as great anthemic songs. Other songs I am enjoying include "Two Hearts Beat As One", "Red Light" (especially the horns), and "Surrender". This album has often been cited as U2's most rock album, and there is a certain propulsion to these songs that proves this to be true. I am enjoying the Edge's guitar throughout and Bono sounds great as well. I still think the Joshua tree is their masterpiece, but this is a more enjoyable listen than their later more popular period. 4-stars.

Thoughts before listening: Taylor Swift has taken over my household. My wife is obsessed and Taylor is her go to when picking music. I like it for the most part, but I would never choose to listen since its just not the type of music I tend to gravitate to. However, as far as pop stars go Taylor is about as good as it gets. My favorite by her is the Folklore album, but 1984 has a ton of huge pop hits and is overall a very good album. I also love how much Taylor melts the worst people so she gets bonus points for that as well. Review: Yeah this is good. Its hard to deny just how catchy this album is. "Blank Space" and "Bad Blood" are my favorites hits with "Welcome to New York" and "Wish You Would" as my favorite deeper cuts. This is a 4-star album.

Thoughts before listening: I remember these guys being a big deal with music writers back in the day, especially the British press. In my mind they were a big deal in the post-Radiohead, pre-Coldplay British alt rock world, with a sound that hits on all of the anthemic pop rock elements of Radiohead circa The Bends. Similar to a band like Keane. Review: Meh. This isn’t very good. This sounds like what you’d get if you took “Karma Police” or “High and Dry” and removed all the cool interesting parts. It’s just vanilla pop rock with anthemic choruses. I remember the songs “Turn” and “Why Does it Always Rain On Me” which are the 2 best songs here. 2-stars.

Thoughts before listening: I certainly know the Temptations, but I’ve never seen this album cover be though. This is a 60s Motown soul group that has some massive songs. Looks like this album has at least one of those songs with “I Heard It Through the Grapevine” which will be nice to hear. Review: These are the types of albums I like discovering through this project. I knew the Temptations transitioned from being Motown hitmakers in the 60s to a more psychedelic funk sound in the 70s, but I had never really dug in other than the Psychedelic Shack album I once picked up on a whim in a record store budget bin. The first three songs on this album have an incredible sound that is quite different from what the Temptations had released prior to this album. All three of these songs are going on the playlist, and I especially enjoy the 9 minute "Runaway Child, Running Wild". The second half is more traditional 60s soul sound that the Temptations are known for. This is an enjoyable listen, but nothing is standing out. 4-star album.

Thoughts before listening: I've never really listened to Bjork. I mean I know her bigger 90s alt rock songs, but I've never actually listened to a full album. It always seemed like it would be over my head or something. I know Debut and Post get most of the love (and contain the songs I'd recognize) so it'll be interesting see what this one is all about. Review: Oh yeah...the fully acapella Bjork album. This was probably the point when I decided Bjork just wasn't going to be for me. On a listen through this morning I was probably right. I mean it's objectively good with Bjork having an amazing unique voice, but this just isn't the type of music I'm ever going to sit around listening to. That being said, this made for a solid album to mow the lawn to this morning. 3-stars.

Thoughts before listening: Well this is one of my favorite albums of all time. This came out when I was 12 and just getting into music. It blew my mind then and continues to blow my mind when I listen now. It’s such a big rock sound for an alt rock band whose peers mostly leaned heavily on the punk rock aesthetics of angst over technique. Really helped them to stand out from the pack, and the songs from Siamese Dream remain absolute top of the heap of 90s alt rock. Review: This album still just sounds so modern and vital. Many of the Smashing Pumpkins' contemporaries are starting to sound dated 3 decades past their primes, but Siamese Dream could be released today. Its a timeless record that has been an absolute joy to revisit after a few years without listening. Many of these songs will get added to the playlist, but I especially like "Cherub Rock", "Today", "Hummer", "Disarm", and "Mayonaise". This is a 5-star album.

Thoughts before listening: Classic 70s funk/soul album that I have never listened to before. This makes all the best album lists and I'm sure I will recognize a few songs, but this has just never been something that I sought out to listen to. I am glad this album came up today so I finally get a chance to hear it. In general I really enjoy 70s funk so I'm sure this will be great. Review: "Pusherman", "Freddie's Dead", and the title track are enough to make this album an all time classic, but this whole thing is great. 5-stars

Thoughts before listening: I think this is 80s post-punk with maybe a rockabilly vibe. Something like that. I know they get cited a lot as an influence by bands that I enjoy, but I admittedly know very little about them. Sometimes the 80s underground punk stuff is right up my alley and sometimes its a little too out there for me. Review: Okay so I pretty much nailed what this would sound like, and I actually quite like it. These guys definitely have a bit of an X or the Cramps sound with rockabilly and blues elements getting mixed into the typical 80s punk style. Also a direct influence on later bands like Reverend Horton Heat who I was a huge fan of growing up. I'm glad to have heard this album, and having a reason to finally listen to an a band long on my periphery is exactly why I am doing this project. 4-stars

Thoughts before listening: British 70s punk rock band that has been around forever. I know that their sound has evolved over the years, but in 1979 I believe this will be kind of a post-punk, pre-new wave kind of sound. Highly influential band that has been cited as an influence by musicians I love. Review: Meh. This isn't for me. I love a lot of punk and indie music, but it still needs song structure and melody to catch my interest. For the most part this is very repetitive, atonal music with Mark E Smith ranting over top. There are a few standouts such as the first song "Frightened", and I enjoy "2 Steps Back" as well. 2-stars.

Thoughts before listening: Well this is a first, back to back albums by the same band. I just reviewed the Fall's first album and I found it to be pretty meh. A few good tracks but mostly atonal music with Mark E Smith talk singing over it. Maybe this will be better? It seems like the Fall added some dance sounds to their repertoire later in their career so perhaps that will be reflected on this album. Review: Okay, this is certainly better than the first album, but I just don't think the Fall is for me. For the most part talk singing isn't my thing, and that seems to be Mark E Smith's specialty. This is not the dance inspired music I was expecting (apparently that was a late 80s thing for the band), with the music here definitely having a bit more tunefulness from the first album. This is still very repetitive with songs that don't really go anywhere though. As I said, it's a little better than the first album, but it's still 2-stars for me.

Thoughts before listening: Probably the biggest alt rock album of the 90s that I just didn't really care about. All the drama around the Gallagher brothers must have turned me off, or maybe Oasis just seemed lame cause I was so into punkier stuff at the time. Whatever it was, I never paid much attention to Oasis. That being said, their hits are undeniably good songs so I'm excited to actually listen all the way through. Review: This is good. "Wonderwall" is an outright all timer of a song, while "Don't Look Back in Anger" and "Champagne Supernova" are iconic anthems of their own. 4-stars

Thoughts before listening: I don't really know too much about these guys outside of "Killing Moon" which isn't on this album. I believe they're similar in vein to the Smiths or the Cure...new wave era bands that had a few hits, but also huge cult followings making them big influences on the post-punk and indie rock world. Should be good. Review: Yeah I like this quite a bit. Apparently "The Cutter" and "Back of Love" were the hits on this album, and that makes sense because they are very catchy songs. In general, this is indicative of the 80s alternative sound, and I am enjoying most songs. 4-stars

Thoughts before listening: I enjoyed Nico's contribution to the Velvet Underground's debut well enough but ultimately I don't think she's for me. I'm pretty sure I've never heard this album, and it's also nothing I've ever sought after either. I'm expecting sad music. Review: Nico has a very unique voice that I like, but it also always feels like its on the verge of being off key. I really like her cover of "These Days", but nothing else is really standing out to me. In general this is a pleasant listen (for the most part...a couple songs get a little out there), but not something I am likely to come back to. 2-stars

Thoughts before listening: This album gets talked about A LOT, but this will be a first listen for me. I believe Portishead is considered trip hop with ethereal female vocals...this is typically the type of music I respect more than enjoy which is probably why I have never sought this album out despite the acclaim. Review: This is not the type of music I would usually listen to, but this is good. I definitely remember \"Sour Times\" being a big deal on the college and alternative radio stations I listened to in the 90s, so it is nice to hear a familiar song. These guys get a ton of style points and their sound is very interesting. Lots of cool sounds mixed into what amounts to moody, slow burn, jazzy music with emotive female vocals. My favorite song is \"Glory Box\". 4-stars

Thoughts before listening: These guys are a pretty big deal to a lot of music fans, but I don't really know anything about them. 90s British alt rock I think but not from the Britpop or Madchester scenes. I am not sure what to expect. Review: Okay so reading up on thesa guys, they started as a rebellion against the popular British alt rock bands of the time with a sound that leaned closer to punk rock and metal. However, after their guitarist/songwriter mysteriously disappeared, they regrouped and released this album which showed a move toward more accessible alt rock. I kind of remember that story from when I was a kid, but these guys were never huge in the US. Anyway, this is okay. I don't recognize any of this despite being VERY into alternative music in 1996, and that includes the hit "A Design for Life". I feel like a lot of mid-90s British bands ended up on MTV and college radio, but even these guys' big song didn't cross my path. The album is full of catchy rock music that sounds like a lot of other 90s bands, but there's definitely nothing groundbreaking here. I like the horns in "Kevin Carter" which is probably my 2nd favorite song. 3-stars

Thoughts before listening: I love CCR. Country influenced rock that came out long before alt-country was ever a thing. I feel like these guys are somewhat overlooked amongst 60s bands despite their massive and enduring hits. I don't know what all is on this album, but I'm sure I'll know most of the songs. Review: Yeah this is great. CCR just put out so many great songs that have stood the test of time, and many of them are on this album. This starts out with "Ramble Tamble", an all-time great deep cut, before htting you with "Travelin' Band", "Lookin' Out My Back Door", "Run Through the Jungle", "Up Around the Bend", "Who'll Stop the Rain", "I Heard it Through the Grapevine", and "Long as I Can See the Light" all of which are staples that I have listened to throughout my life thanks to classic rock radio. This is easily a 5-star album.

Thoughts before listening: I've seen Justin Timberlake live. It was pretty good although it was so overproduced it felt more like watching a Broadway musical than a concert. Anyway, I respect him as a singer, and I'm sure I'll recognize some songs on here, but pop music in general just isn't my thing. Review: This sounds very dated to the early 2000s which is a time I was VERY into music and VERY much opposed to stuff like Justin Timberlake. I am having flashbacks and an immediate negative reaction to this. "Cry Me a River" is the best song here, but I really don't like the rest of it. Sounds like Michael Jackson with less vocal talent. It all just sounds so bland...and the lyrics are embarrassing. 1-star

Thoughts before listening: Zappa is one of those artists that I want to like because I'm told I should like him, and I have tried over and over again...and I find him very polarizing. There are some absolute gems in his catalog but there is also a lot that is unlistenable. Hot Rats falls in the first category. I love this album. Excited to listen this morning. Review: This album starts out with the great "Peaches en Regalia" which was a song I knew from Phish's cover long before I listened to Frank Zappa. This is followed immediately by "Willie the Pimp", and these represent my favorite songs on the album. I also enjoy "The Gumbo Variations" which even at 12 minutes long never gets boring and keeps great energy throughout. Overall a fun to listen to jazz-rock album that is getting 5-stars.

Thoughts before listening: I know these guys are a big deal in the hip hop world but I've never listened to them. I'm sure this will be good. Review: Yep...this is the type of hip hop I like. Jazzy beats with cool guitar licks sampled in and laid back vocals...and no skits. These guys were stars of the 90s underground rap scene which is one that I mostly missed at the time but has grown to be my favorite sound in the genre. This was an enjoyable listen this morning. 4-stars.

Thoughts before listening: Damon Albarn from Blur with a bunch of studio musicians, producers, and rappers hiding behind cartoon personas. I've never been super into the Gorillaz despite really enjoying some of their songs i.e. "Clint Eastwood". Review: This is okay. Eclectic sound bringing in a lot of different ideas and styles all with a hip hop beat. Most songs are definitely trip-hop inspired with monotone rapping mixed with Damon Albarn's britpop style, and like a lot of his projects (i.e. Blur and the Good the Bad and the Queen), I feel like there are more ideas than complete songs here. The only song that really grabs me remains "Clint Eastwood" although there are some others I am enjoying like "5/4". 3-stars.

Thoughts before listening: I've heard of 10cc but I know nothing about them. I feel like they maybe had a couple hits in the 70s but were never huge stars. Maybe more of a critic favorite type of band than one that was selling out arenas. Review: Well this is definitely eclectic. I am getting a bit of a Steely Dan vibe with their melodic, poppy take on rock music with irreverent lyrics and varying styles mixed in throughout. "Clockwork Creep" namechecks Chattanooga in the lyrics so thats an immediate add to the playlist. I also like "The Wall Street Shuffle" and "Silly Love". Overall this is a fun listen that I can tell was likely a favorite of many 80s era indie and college rock bands, especially someone like Ween who was doing their own ironic takes on different styles not typical of a rock band. 3-stars cause while there are good songs its a little inconsistent.

Thoughts before listening: Latin inspired hip hop funk group. This band used to hit my radar cause their style got them booked on a lot of the jamband festivals I was going to. Pretty surprised to see them on this list though since I never thought of them as being overly well known. Review: So Santana's Supernatural album meets Jurassic 5? This isn't bad, but as has often been the case, it feels like the editors missed when trying to guess which mid-00s albums were going to stand the test of time. This has largely been forgotten over the last 20 years, and quite frankly I don't remember it making much of a splash back then either. Best song here is "Saturday Night" which has a chorus that sounds like what Eminem was doing around the same time mixed with a ska style breakdown in the chorus. I am also enjoying the more Latin inspired songs. Very chill sound...this gets 3-stars.

Thoughts before listening: Never heard of this band or seen this album cover, so I have no idea what to expect. I'm sure I am way off but the cover looks like it would be like sea shanty punk or something....it'll probably be some sort of dance music though. Review: Should have known it was mostly forgotten 90s/00s British pop rock. I was ready to hate on this, and after the first few songs it got better. This started out sounding like Oasis or Blur retreads, but there are some pretty unique and cool songs on the second half of the album such as "Streets of Kenny" and "Re-Instated". Overall this probably isn't one of the 1,001 best albums I've ever heard, but I'll give it 3-stars for having some interesting moments.

Thoughts before listening: Now this is a mid-00s album that I actually enjoy although I might not agree its deserving of this list. To me, Beck peaked just before this album with Mellow Gold, Odelay, and Sea Change, but I did own Guero on cd at the time. I have not however listened in a long time, so I am glad to have a reason to revisit this album. Review: This is good, but I still agree that it doesn't rise to the heights of Beck's earlier albums. There are some good hits here like "E-Pro" and "Girl", and I really like "Black Tambourine" and "Hell Yes" as well. However, there is a lot of filler on this album, with most of the highlights being on the first half and the album losing steam in the second half. 3-stars.

Thoughts before listening: I really enjoyed the Superfly soundtrack that I got on here a couple weeks ago, so I'm sure this will be good as well. I'm expecting 70s funk and r&b perhaps with more of a political undertone to the lyrics. Review: Yeah this is fine though definitely not as fun of a listen as Superfly. This album gets into a little more of a slow jam and introspective territory. Favorite songs are "Jesus" and "Billy Jack". 3-stars

Thoughts before listening: Serge Gainsbourg is a name I recognize but not one I know much about. I feel like this is likely 70s French easy listening pop music, but that doesn't sound as cool as Serge Gainsbourg's reputation would have me assume. Review: The music sounds really cool, but I hate talk singing. Even when it's in English and I know what's being said I still just find it to be more distracting than enjoyable. This is not something I'd ever choose to listen to on my own, but I guess I'm glad I've now heard it. 2-stars cause the guitar in the first song is pretty cool.

Thoughts before listening: I really enjoy the Smiths and own a few of their albums, including this one. I haven't listened in a while so it'll be nice to revisit this morning, although I don't typically consider this one of their better albums. Review: Its always nice when I can listen to an album I actually own, as I did this morning pulling this out of the record cabinet before going out to my office for work. This album is pretty good, but it just doesn't have as many songs that catch my ear as their other albums. Still though this is a 3-star record with the following songs getting added to the playlist: "Nowhere Fast", "The Headmaster Ritual", "Barbarism Begins at Home", and "Rusholme Ruffians".

Thoughts before listening: Late 90s Madonna with an attempt to modernize her sound with more techno inspired musical style and introspective lyrics. The song "Ray of Light" is an all time great pop song, and in general I'll probably like this album more than I would one of her earlier releases. Review: This came out at the height of my music listening days and I'm kind of surprised by how much I recognize. Nothing quite rises to the highs of the title track, but this is fine. I will say though that the length is a little much at over an hour. These songs all kind of blend together as they utilize very similar beats throughout, and I found myself getting bored. I didn't really like this style of music 25 years ago and I don't really love it now either. 2-stars

Thoughts before listening: Early British punk rock band that I believe delved into new wave later in their career. Despite being a big punk fan, I have a pretty big blind spot for most early British punk bands that aren't the Clash, Sex Pistols, or Buzzcocks. I'm interested to hear this. Review: Well this album is from 77 so I expected much more of a hard punk sound, but they come right out the gate with an organ. Definitely some snotty vocals, but also lots of melody in these songs. "Sometimes" opens the album and is a great song with an almost Doors style organ solo in the middle. Not at all what I expected, in a good way. In general, that's the sound here, punk attitude with very melodic new wave style songs and the organ over top of everything. Other great songs include "Hanging Around", "Peaches", and "Get a Grip on Yourself". 4-stars.

Thoughts before listening: I love Jay-Z. At one point he was one of few rappers who I was actually buying albums from along with the Beastie Boys, Eminem, Wu Tang Clan, and a few others. I'm not sure if I owned the Blueprint, but I definitely know it cause it has a lot of great songs. Glad to listen to this today. Review: Some will say this is pop rap (it is), but its also really good. There are so many hits that were absolute staples of the early 00s, even for someone like me that wasn't actively paying attention to popular music at the time. Its hard to deny how good songs like "Takeover", "Izzo", "Girls, Girls, Girls", "Heart of the City", "Song Cry", and really just the whole album. I'm giving this 5-stars.

Thoughts before listening: Wings is Paul McCartney's post-Beatles 70s arena rock band. I've never listened to this album, but I know that the title song is an all-time great pop rock song. Something tells me the rest is going to be cheesy throw away songs, but maybe not. Review: This thing certainly kicks things off on a high note with the title track followed by "Jet". Both are staples of classic rock radio and very fun listens that I'm happy to add to my playlist. After these I was expecting a major dropoff in quality, but you know what? Paul McCartney can write a hell of a pop rock song (duh). There are a few duds, but for the most part this is a really good album. Other songs I'm enjoying: "Mrs Vanderbilt", "Let Me Roll It", and "Picasso's Last Words". 4-stars.

Thoughts before listening: I know nothing about this, but the premise of a soundtrack to a fake movie doesn't sound very promising. Review: Meh. This was okay. The music wasn't bad per se, it just kind of went nowhere. Soundscapes that would play as background music to a movie, despite there not actually being a movie. 2-stars.

Thoughts before listening: I know this is 80s new wave and I recognize the cover so I'd assume there will be a hit or two that I'll recognize. Review: Well, this certainly sounds like the 80s. Synths and drum machines and beeps and bops dominate. This just isn't my style of music but it's a fine album. \"Don't You Want Me\" is an all time banger. 3-stars.

Thoughts before listening: Absolute stone cold classic that came out right when I was starting to pay attention to music. This was HUGE for my generation. Everyone who's parents would allow them to listen to rock music had this...which of course meant I had to listen to my friends' copies. Still though the videos were all over MTV, and even without being allowed to own this until much later, I have very early memories about Metallica and this album. Review: I know that I'm giving this 5-stars cause of its important to the rock music of my generation, but listening has been an nice reminder of just how good this really is. Opening with "Enter Sandman", this albums comes out the gate with one of the biggest rock songs of all-time. From there the hits include: "Sad But True", "The Unforgiven", "Wherever I May Roam", and "Nothing Else Matters", all of which remain highlights of the earliest days of my music interest.

Thoughts before listening: 70s funk band with some massive hits. Outside of the hits I don't really know their music so this should mostly be new to me. I'd assume there will be some big songs on this album, but I don't recognize the cover. Review: Well, I know the first track. "Shining Star" is one of those songs that everyone recognizes without really knowing who actually wrote and recorded it. Its a great, fun song which is a pretty good description for this whole album. This is the sound of 70s radio friendly funk and soul music, with a mixture of upbeat party songs and more introspective ballads. The musicianship is top notch with jazzy bass lines and horn punches throughout, and its just overall a pleasant listening experience. 4-stars

Thoughts before listening: 70s NYC punk scenesters who leaned into their pop tendencies to become massive new wave stars and eventual rock n roll hall of fame inductees. I believe this is their first album and generally considered their best. Debbie Harry is one of the coolest rock stars of all time. I'm sure I'll recognize half of this album, but I believe this will be the first time I've ever listened. Review: Okay so it seems this was actually Blondie's third album, but it is their biggest. There are some huge hits on here, but it starts with my favorite song from them which is "Hanging On the Telephone". Great pop song with a punk rock attitude and tempo. This is followed by "One Way or Another" which is one of the band's most enduring hit songs that also retains a punk grit alongside the pop melodies. "Sunday Girl" and "Heart of Glass" both come later in the album to really hammer home that this is truly an all-time classic. I am also enjoying quite a few of the deeper cuts on here like "I Know But I Don't Know", "11:59", and "I'm Gonna Love You Too". This album is just so influential to so much of the music I would come to love, essentially laying the foundation for much of the pop punk and indie rock to come later. 5-stars.

Thoughts before listening: Does this have "Criminal" on it? I'm pretty sure it does cause the second album has the crazy long name. "Criminal" is a great song, but I haven't paid much attention to Fiona Apple otherwise, despite massive critical obsession with every album she's put out. I'm glad to have a reason to listen to something that is so widely revered. Review: Man, I had forgotten just how many hits there are on here besides "Criminal". "Sleep to Dream" starts this off and is immediately recognizable as song that had a big impact upon its release. "Shadowboxer" is another song that I had forgotten about but was pleasantly reminded of this morning. In general, this is alt-rock music based around jazzy piano that has memorable songs that interest me much more at 43 than they would have at 15 when this album was released. The album lost steam a bit toward the end, but then finished with a bang with “Carrion”. 4-stars.

Thoughts before listening: Another album that I own, so I always enjoy being able to grab the record in the morning instead of queueing up Spotify. Early Santana has a very cool sound with Latin inspired music mixed with heavy rock and virtuoso, jazz-based guitar playing. Excited to revisit this album today. Review: Yeah this album is as great as I remember it. The hits are huge: "Black Magic woman/Gypsy Queen" and "Oye Como Va" have become mainstays of classic rock radio for a reason, and the album maintains this quality throughout. I especially enjoy the one-two punch of the heavy rock of "Mother's Daughter" followed by the latin-flavored instrumental "Samba Pa Ti". The stars of this album are of course Santana's guitar playing, but also the Latin percussion throughout. 5-stars

Thoughts before listening: Another album I own. I love Dire Straits' guitar work and the songs are definitely catchy. "Sultans of Swing" is an all-time great song. Review: Yeah, I like this. There is definitely a cool almost country vibe to these songs, very reminiscent of JJ Cale. I also like how Mark Knopfler's guitar is constantly doing little runs throughout the songs without being overly flashy. Just a nice compliment to the music adding textures throughout. Only real problem with this album is that "Sultans of Swing" overshadows everything else. The rest are perfectly fine, midtempo tunes, but I just want to listen to "Sultans" on repeat. 5-star song on a 3-star album...so I'll give it 4-stars as a whole.

Thoughts before listening: This is one of those bands that I know I should really like, I enjoy what I've heard, but I've never actually dug in on them. Glad to have this pop up today and to give it a shot. Review: This is fun. Maybe I just have a soft place in my heart for this brand of hard rock, but I rather enjoyed listening to this album. I especially love the looseness of a live album, and despite this one reportedly being heavily overdubbed in studio, this was right up my alley. There is a Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band vibe to the performances here that I was not expecting. There are some classics like "Jailbreak" and "The Boys Are Back in Town", and I am also adding songs like "Rosalie" (Chattanooga reference in the lyrics!), "Dancing in the Moonlight", and "Massacre" to the playlist. 4-stars.

Thoughts before listening: I own this one...and its awesome. I am a bit of a recent convert to the Cure despite enjoying a number of their hits for years. It just always seemed like there was a lot to unpack with the band, and I never took the time to dig in. Perhaps I felt they were too dark and goth for me, despite their extremely catchy pop hits I was drawn to. I am glad I finally gave them a chance however since they truly put out some of the most interesting albums of the 80s, least of not which is this album that consistently ranks as their best from critics and fans. Review: This album is definitely a mood with dark, droney sounds throughout. I am not always a fan of this sound, but it just works here. I especially love that the dark is often broken up with perfect pop songs like \"Pictures of You\", \"Lovesong\", and \"Fascination Street\". This is a long album that awards patience as songs can take a while to get to the point, but when they do, there is a lot of memorable vocal melodies, guitar lines, and lyrics to be found. 5-stars

Thoughts before listening: I'm pretty sure I've listened to this before. I know its Dennis Wilson's solo album he put out after the Beach Boys had peaked and he was hanging in LA with all the 60s/70s rock stars. I can't really remember what this sounds like, but I feel like it will be typical 70s LA folky rock style. Review: Well, this isn't LA folk rock. I was expecting more of a Crosby Stills Nash/Joni Mitchell vibe, but instead this is more of a straight forward 70s rock album with a bit of a Beach Boys vibe mixed in. The best songs here are "River Song" and "Pacific Ocean Blue". There are also a lot of slow ballads that drag on and keep me from really enjoying the album as a whole. 3-stars

Thoughts before listening: Maybe my favorite Bowie album? If not it's definitely up there. I certainly heard this one and fell in love with it before I ever heard Ziggy Stardust. Review: This has "Life On Mars" on it which is an all-time great rock song, not to mention "Changes", "Oh You Pretty Things", "Song for Bob Dylan", and "Queen Bitch". This is possibly the best album by one of the most important rock artists of all time. What surprised me the first time I heard this was just how much it rocked, with some awesome 70s glam rock riffs on these songs. Hard to give this anything other than 5-stars.

Thoughts before listening: Sonic Youth is one of the most polarizing bands for me. They wrote some amazing 90s underground anthems like "Teenage Riot" and "Kool Thing", but they also have some stuff that is way too out there for me. I don't know this album, but I fear it's going to fall in the latter category. Review: This is okay. There is definitely a cool aesthetic to pretty much everything Sonic Youth does, and that comes through here in spades. I have tried for years to like this band, but I still just don't enjoy listening to them all that much. Its too atonal and weird for its own good or something. I know this is a selling point for their fans, but I guess I'm just a pop music fan. Even with punk and alt-rock bands I need catchy melodies and cohesive musicianship to really enjoy it. Best songs are "Schizophrenia", "Tuff Gnarl", and "White Cross". 3-stars.

Thoughts before listening: This album is a really big deal to British music journalists, but never really made much of an impact in the US. I think I've listened to it and it's fine. Late 80s/early 90s British alternative rock that was part of the Madchester scene of dance punk bands. Review: I don't really get the hype with these guys. There are definitely some good songs here such as "I am the Resurrection", but all in all they're just a fairly normal sounding post-new wave alt rock band. There are some 60s era psychedelic call backs and maybe a couple nods to dance music, but ultimately this is a poppy indie rock album. I feel like the Stone Roses are just another (maybe the first?) in the line of overhyped British bands i.e. Oasis, Blur, Arctic Monkeys, Coldplay, Libertines, etc. None of these bands are bad, and they all have some great songs, but they just don't blow me away. 3-stars

Thoughts before listening: Love this band, despite being a little darker and moodier than most music I enjoy. These guys were putting out albums through my 20s and 30s that felt like "adult" music that I should be listening to, especially coming out of listening to primarily punk rock and jambands. I very much enjoy all their albums including this one, which includes one of their best songs in "Bloodbuzz, Ohio". Review: I think I'd probably give most National albums a 4 with maybe a 5 for Boxer or Trouble Will Find Me. There are some great songs on this album, most of which fall in the back half of the album. "Bloodbuzz Ohio" is the centerpiece and still one of the best songs of its era. Other great songs include "Afraid of Everyone", "England", and "Lemonworld". In general this includes some of the band's best songs, but ultimately drags in a few places keeping it as a 4-star album.

Thoughts before listening: I remember this being a really good album. That being said, Kanye is a major douche which makes it hard to enjoy his music anymore. Judging purely based on how much I like the actual music though, I'm sure I'll love this. Review: The music on this is awesome. Some of the best production of its era. A lot of the lyrics are cringey at best with Kanye really coming off as the misogynistic POS he would soon prove to be on a lot of the songs. Still though, these songs are fun to listen to, and I'm adding a few to the playlist. 4-stars.

Thoughts before listening: I've heard of this guy, but know very little about him or his music. Just one of those artists that got covered by music magazines in the 90s and in general were around the alt-rock scene. I don't know what to expect with the sound on this album. Review: Ah, so Julian comes from an underground British 80s band which likely explains his inclusion on this list. I'm not sure this necessarily rises to the stature of of the 1,001 greatest albums of all time, but its pretty enjoyable. The first song "Pristeen" reminds me of Velvet Underground circa VU and Nico, especially a song like "Heroin", as do some others on the album. Slow, chugging music that builds to a noisy peak. "East Easy Rider" has a cool funky rock vibe to it. "Hanging Out and Hung Up On the Line" is a flat out rocker. "Safesurfer" is a guitar freakout type song with some pretty killer solos throughout. All in all there are some really good songs here, and I'm glad I got a chance to hear it. 4-stars

Thoughts before listening: Political punk influenced folk music. I mainly know of Billy Bragg because of the albums he put out with Wilco. Review: This is okay although I probably should like this more than I do. I usually love early Dylan/Woody Guthrie style political folk, but something isn't really working for me here. Maybe it's the 80s production and electric/distorted guitars that aren't clicking for me. Electric guitars don't sound right to me when they're played solo without a full band. An acoustic guitar can produce percussive sounds and bass notes to make up for the lack of a rhythm section while the electric guitar just creates noise. That being said, this is growing on me the more I listen. Maybe it takes a while to get used to the music style. This probably isn't something I would necessarily listen to heavily, but I can respect the intent here. I'd like to hear this album done with an acoustic guitar. 3-stars

Thoughts before listening: I have never heard of this artist or album. Probably British? Maybe dance music? Not really sure. Review: Ok...this is a pleasant surprise of an album even if it probably has no business being on this list. Some of the music is familiar with krautrock rhythms and psychedelic textures throughout, coming off a bit like LCD Soundsystem's organic take on dance music. This is a sound I enjoy, so I am liking those songs. Some other songs have more of a dream pop sounds that is less interesting to me. Overall, it's nothing ground breaking so I give it a solid 3-stars.

Thoughts before listening: I like Elliott Smith quite a bit. I believe this is his more indie rock album whereas the older stuff was more folky with light instrumentation. I don't believe I ever owned this album, but I'm glad to hear it today. Review: This is pretty good. I am enjoying the full rock band arrangements not always found in Elliott Smith's songs. Elliott's voice always seems so fragile like its about to break at any moment but he always pulls off very nice melodies. Very good songwriter and it's a shame he died so young. Troubled soul who wrote some absolutely beautiful music while he was here. The more I listen to this the more I really like it. 4 stars.

Thoughts before listening: The best American band of all time and one that has really shaped my musical interests as an adult. Growing up in the 90s, with Jerry Garcia dying when I was 14, I never actually saw the Dead live, but their legacy was the blueprint for much of the music I would chase throughout most of my young adult years. This is a document of their early, purely psychedelic live shows, and in some ways it's more interesting than good I guess. Still though it's an important recording for an important band. Review: What the Dead don't get much credit for is their songwriting, which often gets overshadowed by the psychedelic live show and the fans. On their 70s albums they wrote some absolute gems, which unfortunately don't show up on this album focused on the craziness of their 60s era live shows. I understand why other reviewers on here are throwing 1s out for this album. It goes way out there, especially opening with a 24 minute "Dark Star" that certainly has it's moments, but also has plenty of meandering atonal sections as well. This is the version of the Dead that was the house band for Ken Kesey's acid tests, not the one selling out football stadiums in the 80s and 90s (let alone Dead & CO's 20+ sold out shows at the Sphere). I like both versions of the band, but I certainly personally prefer arena rock Dead. The highlight here is "St. Stephen">"The Eleven">"Lovelight", just an exceptional suite of songs with energy that's missing from much of the "Dark Star". All in all this is an interesting listen showing an early stage in the life of an institution of American music. While this album isn't a 5-star album to me within the Dead's catalog (that's reserved for American Beauty, Workingman's Dead, and Europe 72) I'm giving it 5-stars here since it'll be the band's only inclusion on the list....and to counteract the inane 1-star reviews.

Thoughts before listening: Oh look...more 90s British alt rock. For some reason I thought these guys were jazz fusion, but I realized I was wrong when I cheated a bit and looked at the Wikipedia before starting the album. I'm sure this will be fine. Review: Well, while this definitely isn't jazz fusion, they do use horns throughout many of the songs. Maybe I read a review 30 years ago that talked about the horns and they stuck with me (or maybe it was them stealing the title from Coltrane). Either way, this is definitely 90s alt rock. There are some cool songs here, but also a bunch of boring ones.

Thoughts before listening: Definitely one of the most popular 90s albums, but one that I mainly ignored. I mean sure the hits were EVERYWHERE and I have a certain level of nostalgia for them, but the album as a whole never really appealed to me. In fact, I'm pretty sure this will be my first time listening all the way through. Review: I don't love Alanis' voice. Its certainly unique and would be impossible to mistake her for anyone else, but I can't say its "good". This album does have some iconic hits which all have been added to my playlist, but ultimately this feels like had it not been hugely popular, it likely wouldn't have made this list on it artistic merits alone. I will give this 3-stars for the nostalgic connection I have to the singles, but this likely would have been a lower score if it had come from a different era than my prime music listening years.

Thoughts before listening: More British alt rock. I do like what I've heard from Supergrass, and the few songs that made it on US college rock radio stations back in the day are really good. I'm interested to hear a full album. Review: Seems like all the songs I know from this band were on their debut album. I don't recognize any of these, but that doesn't mean its bad. They write some catchy songs with nice melodies that are played at a fast, almost punk pace. These are all things I enjoy in music. My favorite songs here are "Richard III", "Sun Hits the Sky", and "Cheapskate". 3-stars

Thoughts before listening: One of my favorite albums ever. Some of my earliest music memories are of Chevy Chase in the \"You Can Call Me Al\" video, but I wouldn't actually listen to this album until much later in life when I bought the vinyl as an adult. It's just such a a cool sound with very memorable songs. Review: Yeah this is such a great album. I see a bunch of negative reviews on here talking about cultural appropriation, but are we not allowed to be influenced by other cultures? Paul Simon recorded in South Africa and employed South African musicians for both the album as well as the associated tour bringing them much more fame and success than than they would have achieved otherwise. I don't see how that's a bad thing. He also produced a masterpiece of an album. I love the general vibe and sound of these songs, many of which are getting added to the playlist. The bass and drums are especially fun on this album. Easy 5-stars.

Thoughts before listening: I believe this is jazz, and more specifically swing from the 40s or 50s probably. Assuming thats correct, I mainly know swing from the 90s revival of bands like Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, the Cherry Poppin Daddies, and the Brian Setzer Orchestra. That scene's connections to the punk and ska scene meant that I was actually somewhat into those bands and saw a few of them live at Warped Tour or opening for others. Anyway, I think this will be my first time knowingly listening to Louis Prima. Review: Ok so this is some of the most timeless music of all time. One of those that you've heard your whole life without actually realizing you were listening to Louis Prima. "Just a Gigolo/I Ain't Got Nobody", which opens the album, is a perfect example. Both songs in the melody are instantly recognizable...and both great. The horns are so distinctive in this sound, playing riffs and adding texture throughout, accompanying Louis Prima's voice which scats as much as it sings. Really fun listen. 4 stars.

Thoughts before listening: One of the greatest albums of all time. Growing up listening to punk and constantly hearing about the Clash, I was surprised by how much this really isn't all that punk. I always liked their first album better than this one. Then as I got older and my tastes changed I began to realize just how special of an album this is. Glad to have a reason to listen. Review: I might put every song on the playlist. They're all so unique and distinctive. The band is playing with so many different styles on this album, but it all sounds like the Clash. Punk, reggae/ska, jazz, rock n roll with guitar solos, etc it's all on here. This is definitely a 5-star album.

Thoughts before listening: Janet Jackson and especially this album have taken on a new level of respect that I feel was never really the case when it was released...or maybe he just lived in her brother's shadow. I remember this album being popular, but I don't feel like it was ever mentioned with the levels of critical acclaim it has garnered in recent years. All I know of the album is that "Black Cat" is a banger. Review: Okay, I recognize a few more songs than "Black Cat", but thats by far the best song on the album. Maybe it was just the sound of r&b at the time, but I don't like the production on these songs. They sound so fake and cheesy. This is what a lot of Michael Jackson's songs sound like, but I feel he had better songs. Or at least more songs that I have a nostalgic connection to. I found myself pretty bored with this album....until "Black Cat" came on and I cranked it up. 2-stars.

Thoughts before listening: This is certainly a classic album, but also one I don't believe I've heard. I mean I know the title track which is one of the sexiest songs of all time, but I don't believe I've heard the rest. Interested to see why it gets so much praise. Review: Man, Marvis was feeling randy on this album huh? "Lets Get It On", "Keep Gettin' It On", "You Sure Love to Ball", "Just to Keep You Satisfied", etc...just the names of these songs let you know what this album is about. The title track is a stone cold classic that is always nice to hear. The rest feels like retreads of that song despite Marvin's lovely voice. This is nice pleasant background music, but its not something that I feel I would listen to very often. 3-stars

Thoughts before listening: There sure is a lot of Leonard Cohen on this list. I just can't get into his music, but I guess I'll keep trying. Review: I hated this on first listen. Leonard Cohen with weird 80s synths? Sounded terrible. But you know what, something hit for me and I started liking this more. I ended up listening through 2 or 3 times. Its definitely an interesting album. 3-stars

Thoughts before listening: Is this going to be some sort of 90s British reggae? Doesn't sound very good if that's the case. Definitely never seen this cover or recognize the artist. Review: Well its not reggae although there are dub elements throughout. Lots of other stuff too. Apparently Jah (why I assumed reggae) was the bass player for Public Image Ltd which is a band I can't get into. Same for this. Theres just nothing here thats grabbing me and the vocals aren't very good either. I'm leaning toward a 1-star rating. I don't really like it.

Thoughts before listening: Huge record that I have never listened to. I obviously know "Nothing Compares 2 U" which is an amazing song, but I believe the rest will be new to me. I'm glad to have a reason to listen to this album for the first time. Review: This is okay. I'm not really sure what I was expecting, but I was surprised by how much it felt like a run-of-the-mill late 80s alt-rock record with some world music influences. "Nothing Compares 2 U" is such an amazing song, and nothing else quite reaches those heights...but really how could they? "The Emperor's New Clothes" is my second favorite song and overall this was an interesting album. 3-stars

Thoughts before listening: I'm pretty sure this is the album that has "Bohemian Rhapsody" and a bunch of other big hits. I've been pleasantly surprised by how much I've enjoyed the earlier Queen albums I've already heard through this project, so I'm happy to listen to their most popular album now. I don't think I've heard this all the way through before, but I'm sure I'll recognize most of this. Review: I do recognize a lot of this album, and I was correct about "Bohemian Rhapsody" which remains an all time great, over-the-top masterpiece. This album is a mix between great rock songs and silly, campy songs that are fun but grow tiresome. Other favorites include "I'm In Love With My Car", "'39", and "Sweet Lady". Overall its a fun album as are most Queen albums. I definitely like that they don't take themselves too seriously, even if the silliness can go a little too far sometimes. 4-stars.

Thoughts before listening: I own this record...it's okay. I mean Janis is amazing and some songs are classics, but it feels like there's a lot of filler on the album as well. Janis would go on to have a short but legendary solo career while the band wouldn't do much without Janis. Review: As an album, this is at its best when the band sits back and lets Janis cook. Sure there are some nice psychedelic rock moments sprinkled throughout, but really we're all here to hear Janis wail...which she does on some truly magical blues rock tracks such as "Piece of My Heart" and "Ball and Chain". Overall this is better than I remember it being, especially as an historical record of a fascinating time in popular music, and it's always a pleasure to be reminded of what a powerhouse Janis was. Too bad she couldn't avoid the pitfalls of the 60s rock lifestyle cause I'd love to see what she would have done as she matured as a person and artist. 4 stars.

Thoughts before listening: I really like Dire Straits in theory, but in reality I also can get pretty bored with them. Their hits are great, but their songs can all kind of run together and feel pretty similar across a full album. Its a good sound, but only in small doses. Anyway, I haven't listened to this in a while so I look forward to digging in today. Review: This album starts out so strong and then falls off so quickly. "So Far Away", "Money for Nothing", and "Walk of Life" start out the album with banger after banger after banger followed by "Your Latest Trick" which is the ultimate "hey...I know this one too" song. Then the second half hits and its just so dull. Mark Knopffler's guitarwork is strong throughout, but even his solos can't save these slow bore fests. 3-stars

Thoughts before listening: This album is very highly regarded and I know it has some huge hits on it. I own one Peter Gabriel album which is earlier than this one, and its okay. I don't love it as much as it feels like I should love it. I can't remember if I've listened to So all the way through before, but I'm looking forward to hearing it today. Review: "Sledgehammer" is a perfect pop song. Fun, playful, and catchy as hell, it would have been a massive hit even without its video, but when I hear the song I pleasantly think of watching MTV in the 80s and 90s as well. "Big Time" is another fun, funky pop song that is also going on my playlist. Both of these songs' inclusion on So is a bit misleading. This is a very mature, serious album where everything is good, I'm just not sure I'm enjoying it. The rest of the album is certainly not as fun as "Sledgehammer" and "Big Time" would indicate, with the best of the mature songs being "In Your Eyes" which is a great moody ballad. These were the 3 big hits on this album and I guess I'm just a normie who prefers hits to deep cuts. Oh well. 3-stars

Thoughts before listening: Another album universally loved by music critics that I feel like I've tried to listen to but just don't get. I know there's a story around this where Richard and Linda Thompson were a married couple that were getting divorced while the album was being made. Maybe I need to really pay attention to the lyrics to understand the appeal of this one. Review: You know what, a lot of this is really good. Some of the songs remind me quite a bit of music I love such as Magnolia Electric Company. I can definitely see this being a major influence on Jason Molina. Other songs have more of an Irish/English folk sound which is a little surprising at first, but I am enjoying those songs as well. Richard Thompson's background in Fairport Convention makes these songs make sense I guess. Also, apparently this wasn't the album where the couple were getting divorced, thats Shoot the Lights Out which is a reference to this, their first album. 4-stars.

Thoughts before listening: Alice Cooper is great. He wrote some timeless classic rock hits (i.e. the title track here) but also brought a level of theatricality to rock n roll. I have seen Alice Cooper a couple times, and his stage show is just straight fun. This should be an enjoyable listen today. Review: This album starts out with the title track which I love, but then it gets weird...and I like it. I mean its still very much a 70s rock record, but a song like "Blue Turk" with its jazzy breakdowns isn't what I'd usually expect from Alice Cooper. Having seen Alice live, I know his show is almost like watching a musical, so this album bringing almost a Meatloaf like theatricality probably shouldn't be a surprise. Also, on the title track, I'd never noticed the children singing background vocals...reminds me quite a bit of "Another Brick in the Wall". Other songs Im enjoying include "My Stars" and "Public Enemy #9". 4-stars

Thoughts before listening: Judas Priest is a big deal in the metal world, but it I've never paid much attention other than their hits. I think this will be my first time listening to one of their albums all the way through. I'm sure I'll enjoy it. Review: Its always interesting to me how tame early metal sounds when compared to more modern bands. This is basically just faster paced rock n roll that bares little resemblance to the death metal and hardcore music of today. This is a good thing to my ears. Judas Priest songs have great riffs with catchy melodies, fast tempos, and a lead singer in Rob Halford that helped define a certain style of metal singer with his voice that can go from menacing to high pitched screech sometimes in the same song. This album contains a couple certified classics in "Breaking the Law" and "Living After Midnight", as well as some deeper cuts I'm enjoying like "Rapid Fire", "Grinder", and "Steeler". Overall this is a very fun album that I'm glad that I had an excuse to listen to. 4-stars

Thoughts before listening: 60s psychedelic folk rock. Or something like that. I know that Donovan gets mentioned a lot but I don't really know much about him. Review: "Season of the Witch" is an amazing song and is pretty much the blueprint for 60s psychedelic rock. I found the rest of the album to be a bit boring though. Even the title track, which is one that I've always thought of as a big famous 60s hit, was too repetitive to really draw my attention. I was surprised that I didn't actually recognize the song, so maybe it's title is more iconic of the era than the actual song. 2-stars

Thoughts before listening: Well I guess this should at least be fun to listen to. Bon Jovi is one of those bands that you know are cheesy as hell, but you can't help singing along to the hits. I know this is one of their most popular albums so I'm sure there will be tons of well known songs. Review: "I've seen a million faces and I've rocked them all". Man this is such an over the top cheesy 80s pop hard rock album, but "Livin' On a Prayer" and "Wanted Dead or Alive" are great. Those 2 songs have remained mainstays of classic rock radio, sports arenas, and karaoke nights for a reason. They're big and dumb epic rock songs and there's nothing wrong with that. The other big hit on this album "You Give Love a Bad Name" doesn't quite rise above the cheeseball aspect, and I'd say the same for the album cuts. There's nothing on here that's pulling me in like those 2 main hits. 2-stars

Thoughts before listening: I have no idea. Never heard of these guys which means they're probably British underground alt rock from the 80s. Review: Allmusic calls this UK indie jangle music, so I guess I was pretty close. This is okay. Reminds me a bit of REM which is certainly a sound I enjoy, even if LC&tC doesn't have any songs that rise to the level of early REM. Overall this wouldn't make my own personal 1,001 best albums of all time list, but its not bad. Probably deserves more than 2-stars, but in the context of this list its definitely a 2-star album.

Thoughts before listening: Everything about Sonic Youth says I should love them, but outside of a handful of songs, I just don't. Its too atonal and weird for me maybe. Every album has a couple of interesting songs mixed in with a bunch of over distorted, tuneless noise rock non-songs. I'm not sure if I've listened to Evol before, but I'd expect more of the same. Review: So I think Sonic Youth is just going to be the band that I respect a whole lot more than I enjoy. At least not until later in their career when they started adding some melody to the mix with albums like Daydream Nation. I guess I'm just not as cool as I pretend. The best tracks here are the instrumental \"Death to Our Friends\" and \"Madonna, Sean, and Me\". Everything else is just so dark and droney and not for me. 2-stars cause I just can't give a respectable band like Sonic Youth 1-star.

Thoughts before listening: I love Black Sabbath, and Paranoid is one of the best albums I have heard from this project. I know that this is one of their classic albums, but I feel like I don't know as many of the songs on this one. I am sure it will be great. Review: Definitely not as many well known songs on this one as compared to the earlier albums, but this is still great. Black Sabbath was just so good with riffs and had a sound that was fully their own. The metal songs are obviously great on here (i.e. "Supernaut" and "Snowblind"), but I also love the tender ballad curveball they throw in "Changes". All in all another enjoyable listen from Sabbath. 4-stars

Thoughts before listening: I believe this is an earlier Stones album, and while I tend to mainly listen to their Exile/Sticky Fingers era, I do love a lot of their early songs. I don't know whats on this album, but I'm sure I'll enjoy this. Review: Ok. I think I was thrown off by the alternative cover used on this site. Once I opened this on Spotify I immediately recognized the album. Kicking off with "Paint It Black" means this album starts with one of my favorite songs of all time. I love that this song utilizes psychedelic/middle Eastern sounds. I love that there's an energy that borders on proto-punk. I love the weird little guitar riff that runs under the verses. I just love the song. It would be hard to top such a strong opener as "Paint It Black", and for the most part, Aftermath proves this to be true. That being said, there are some definite highlights here i.e. "Under My Thumb". I also learned about the different UK version (which actually uses the cover on this site) and it includes a couple of my favorite early Stones songs in "Mother's Little Helper" and "Out of Time". In general, I think the Stones were just still a singles band at this time, and while this was their first album of all originals, they were still a few years away from releasing true masterpieces. The good songs on here are enough to get a 3-star rating, but overall this isn't my favorite.

Thoughts before listening: I don't know much about Shuggie Otis. 70s soul I guess, but I don't associate him with any songs. I do believe he's well respected so maybe more of an underground type guy. Review: Oh, Shuggie did "Strawberry Letter 23". That's a jam, as is this whole album. Super cool, laid back funky soul music with lots of jazzy musicianship and guitar solos. 4-stars

Thoughts before listening: I used to always say this was my favorite Dylan album, but I think I prefer the early electric albums now. Still though it's an amazing record that captures Dylan at his folky best. Review: The amount of generation-defining songs on this album is amazing. "Blowin' in the Wind", "Masters of War", and "A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall" are absolute classics that rose above simply being good songs and have become part of the American songbook. These are political songs speaking directly to what was happening in the country in the 60s but still resonate now 60 years later. Few songs give me chills like "Masters of War", and few writers could create a lyric that speaks to the sentiments of the youthful 60s anti-war protestors quite like this: "How much do I know To talk out of turn You might say that I'm young You might say I'm unlearned But there's one thing I know Though I'm younger than you That even Jesus would never Forgive what you do" Other favorites for me on this album include "Girl From the North Country, "Don't Think Twice Its Alright", and "Oxford Town", but ultimately this is simply one of the best albums of all time. While I do tend to gravitate towards Dylan's later, electric albums, its nice to be reminded of just how special this album is. 5-stars

Thoughts before listening: Interesting addition to the list. I half a soft place in my heart for these early folk and country songs, although the recordings can often make them hard to listen to. Looking at the songs on the cover, I do recognize a number of these songs, mostly from covers by more contemporary bands. It will be nice to hear these songs in an earlier form. Review: Well, this definitely sounds better than I thought it would. Maybe I am listening to a remastered version, but its much more crisp than I was anticipating. Other than the clarity of the recording, this reminds me a lot of music that I have heard throughout my life. Being from the south, my family listened to and played old country music very similar to the Louvin Brothers. This album would have been released when my grandparents were in their 20s so perhaps this was something I actually heard them play when I was a kid. I really like some songs and others are a little grating honestly. I'll give it 3-stars.

Thoughts before listening: "Paper Planes" is great. One of the best songs of the 00s. That being said, a full album of that style of music might get a little old. Review: Wait. "Paper Planes" isn't on this album? Every song does kinda sound like MIA's hit but nothing is grabbing me quite like that song either. I'll admit this isn't my style, so a low score was definitely possible, but this is pretty fun. I'll say 3-stars.

Thoughts before listening: Madchester scene band that I know very little about. I've been surprised by how much all these once buzzed about Brit alt rock bands just don't do all that much for me, so I'm not too optimistic about this. Review: This is actually pretty fun. I'm hearing a bit of a punk attitude with psychedelic guitars and dancey beats. I think this all works well and quite frankly these guys probably could have been a big deal in the American jamband festival scene of the 00s. 3-stars

Thoughts before listening: I've seen a lot of people complaining in reviews on here about the amount of Elvis Costello on this list. I don't get the hate. Dude writes some super catch power pop songs. I own this album and think it's great. Review: This is a very good album, even if it doesn't have my favorite Elvis Costello songs. This was his debut, and I think albums like This Year's Model and Armed Forces are more consistent. That being said, there are some bangers here: "Alison", "(The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes", "Less Than Zero", and "Watching the Detectives" are all great. 4-stars

Thoughts before listening: One of Dylan's classic electric albums. I just got "Freewheelin Bob Dylan" earlier this week, so it's nice to have this as a counterpart to show the more rock side of his 60s output. This will be another 5-star rating. Review: Yeah. This is about as good as 60s rock gets. I love that Dylan abandoned the folk sound for straight up dirty rock n roll, that at times resembles something more akin to garage punk than the hippie rock of the 60s. Sure there's still some folk rock thrown in for good measure ("Desolation Row"), and the album also starts with a top 10 pop rock song of all time ("Like A Rolling Stone"), but it's the hard rockers that I love the most ("Tombstone Blues" and the title track). Definitely a 5-star album.

Thoughts before listening: I've heard this before but never actually owned it. The cover of \"Hallelujah\" is an obvious classic, but I don't remember this making much of a splash when it was released. At least not with my friends. Over time though, this has come to represent the 90s alt rock scene just as much as Nevermind, Ten, Siamese Dream, and all the other monster albums. I'm glad to have a reason to listen to it. Review: There is certainly a lot of emotion in this album, and every time I listen I am surprised by how hard it rocks. With "Hallelujah" being the most well known song, you expect more of a subdued and introspective sound, but there are plenty of distorted guitars and fast paces throughout the tracklist. Outside of the famous cover of Leonard Cohen's masterpiece, the songs that grab me the most are "Grace", "Last Goodbye", and "Dream Brother". All in all, this is a good album that possibly should have been more of a hit in the moment of its release, but certainly has earned the reputation its gained over the years. 4-stars

Thoughts before listening: Jeff Beck is a great guitarist. I know a lot of his solo work is instrumental, so perhaps this is as well? I believe Rod Stewart was in his band for a while though, so perhaps this has him on it. Either way, I'm interested that this is on the list and look forward to listening. Review: This is a mostly vocal album with Rod Stewart leading the way, but as is indicated by the album being listed under Jeff Beck's name, its definitely still a guitar album. There are a couple instrumentals on here, but Rod sings on most of the tracks. I don't believe I had heard this album before although a couple songs are familiar to me i.e. \"Beck's Bolero\". This is very good though with the cover of \"Morning Dew\", \"Ol Man River\", \"Blues Deluxe\", and \"I Aint Superstitious\" being favorites. 4-stars

Thoughts before listening: I love REM, but its interesting that Green made the list. Its certainly a popular album from them, but in general I have always thought of it as lesser than their other 80s output. I think this is my first REM album, so maybe those albums are on the list as well? Anyway, I'm always happy to have an excuse to listen to REM, even if this isn't their best album. Review: So in the grand scheme of 80s era alt rock releases, this is really good, but in the context of REM albums, its not one of their best. They just had so many great records, both before and after Green, that this falls somewhere in the middle of their catalog. Still though its has some great iconic moments such as "Pop Song 89", "Stand", and "Orange Crush", as well as some deeper cuts that I really enjoy like "World Leader Pretend" and "I Remember California". Still though, there are some lesser tracks on here that make it feel inconsistent as a whole, and this gets 4-stars.

Thoughts before listening: Another massive album that I've read about my entire adult life but always assumed wasn't for me. Airy, light ambient soft rock meets electronic music is what I've always thought this would sound like. Review: It's hard for me to rate something like this that is just so much outside of my personal music tastes. I just don't tend to listen to this type of spacey, slow groove based music although I certainly understand that it's objectively good. It's nice when someone like Beck or the Beastie Boys includes this style track in the middle of one of their albums, but I get bored quickly with a full record of that sound. That being said, I added "Sexy Boy" to my playlist and will give this album 3-stars.

Thoughts before listening: I remember when this was released in my final year of college. I was starting to transition my listening a bit from the punk and jamband world into more indie rock music, and Arcade Fire was at the forefront of that movement. This album was huge for those of us who were into that sound. I haven't listened in a long time, but I know that I will enjoy revisiting today. Review: What always drew me to this album was that it felt like a bridge from the punk rock of my youth to more mature music. I could hear a punk and emo influence in the general energy of a lot of these songs, but with more interesting instrumentation, themes, and song structures. There are some absolute anthems on this album that came to define the sound of the 00s i.e. "Wake Up" and "Rebellion (Lies)". I have never had the chance to see Arcade Fire live, but the videos always look like a great time, as these songs seem tailor made for massive group shout alongs. Definitely a fun listen that gets 4-stars.

Thoughts before listening: Frank Sinatra is great. I mean thats a pretty obvious statement I guess, but I feel like he often gets overlooked by younger generations because he represents such an outdated style of music. I do know that in general this album is the one of his that is most often praised by modern music journalists. I don't believe I have heard this all the way through, but I am excited to give it a listen. Review: What is often overlooked with Sinatra is just how good his bands are. Of course everyone knows that Sinatra has a great, iconic voice, but his band is really setting the mood throughout this album. And this album is quite the mood. This is slow, introspective Sinatra ballads with piano leading the way and plenty of strings to set the mood. This is definitely an album where I can see the talent, but I don't necessarily love what I'm hearing. Its too melancholy and slow for me, but I am glad to have listened to this. I think this is 2 Sinatra albums now where I didn't enjoy listening to the album. Maybe I'm just a Sinatra greatest hits guy...or maybe I just like upbeat, swinging Sinatra. Anyway, I'm giving this 3-stars.

Thoughts before listening: Johnny Rotten's post-Sex Pistols band. I don't know much about them, but I believe it can get a little out there. Weirdo 80s new wave style music with sneering punk vocals maybe? I've always assumed I probably wouldn't like this and it's not worth my time. Review: Man, this first song confirms all of the reasons I never listened to these guys. Its over 10 minutes of atonal post-punk jamming with John Lydon slurring weird ass lyrics over top. Pretty bad. While the sound is carried on through the rest of the album, PiL does at least add some melodic sense to a few of these songs. I was about to give them some credit for this, but the overall sound finally wore me down. I don't like this. 1-star

Thoughts before listening: Radiohead back when they were still just a great alt-rock band, and before they invented their own sound with Kid A and beyond. I really like alt-rock Radiohead, especially this album which contains some of their best anthems. Glad to see this wasn't overlooked for the later records which get most of the praise. Review: This is another album that I own, and that I absolutely love. I make the same mistake that critics do in often discounting this album as lesser than the later work, but the reality is that its great. The band certainly has a knack for epic, anthemic songs that many of their contemporaries did not. This is the sound that would go on to influence much of the late 90s/early 00s Brit rock of bands like Coldplay and Keane. Radiohead rocked much harder than any of those bands though. My favorites on this include "The Bends", "High and Dry", "Fake Plastic Trees", "Just", and "Street Spirit (Fade Out)". These are generational anthems that sound as good today as they did 30 years ago when they were released. 5-stars

Thoughts before listening: Supertramp is one of those classic rock bands that I like all their songs, but I have never really dug deep on any of their albums. I know they get a lot positive press while not being a household name. Review: This is pretty good although I'm a bit surprised that I don't recognize these songs. There is a theatricality to this that I was not expecting. Reminds me quite a bit of Queen and other early prog rock bands. Best songs are "Bloody Well Right" and "Crime of the Century". 3-stars

Thoughts before listening: I've heard of these performers, but I do not believe I've heard their music. I also do not recognize the album cover. Perhaps latin jazz of some sort? I definitely think this will be a first time hearing this. Review: Sounds like I'm at a Mexican restaurant. This is definitely a fun listen even if its not necessarily my cup of tea. I do remember going to Peru and this type of salsa music was everywhere so its bringing back very good memories. Even at dance clubs you'd hear Usher followed by a salsa song. I am glad to have been forced to listen to this today. 3-stars

Thoughts before listening: I really enjoy Michael Kiwanuka. I saw him at Bonnaroo a few years ago and got really into his album at that time. This one I'm less familiar with although I do believe I listened a couple times. A modern spin on blues based rock music with a singer who has more soul than most rock singers. Review: This is great. Very cool mix of R&B, blues, and rock. Michael Kiwanuka has a great voice, and he incorporates elements of many different styles that I enjoy. Its refreshing to get a newer album on here that I enjoy and thats a new discovery for me. My favorite songs are "I've Been Dazed", "Piano Joint", "Hero", and "Light". 4-stars

Thoughts before listening: I love the Talking Heads. One of the best bands of the punk/new wave scene, and one that I feel a lot of mainstream music fans know little about. Most people recognize "Burning Down the House" and maybe "Psycho Killer", but I think they see the band as on par with something like Flock of Seagulls, A-Ha or other 80s one hit wonders. Talking Heads are so much more than that, and I am glad that the 90s and 00s jamband and indie rock scenes really elevated them as the true trailblazers that they are. Anyway, I'm pretty sure this is their first album when they still leaned more toward angular, punky new wave music, as opposed to the more world music influences found on "Remain in Light". This should be a great listen. Review: You know what. I don't think I've actually heard this album before. The first song is definitely not familiar to me, and it surprisingly does include some Caribbean sounds that I wouldn't have thought would be part of their sound this early on. The rest of the album settles into more of that artsy side of the punk movement sound that I would expect from the band though. While I don't believe I've heard this album, I do know a lot of these songs because of the Talking Heads' excellent live album "The Name of This Band is Talking Heads" which includes their early material. In general, I'd say I prefer the live versions of these songs. Still though, this is an enjoyable listen. The ultimate highlight here is "Pyscho Killer" which remains one of their most enduring and well known songs. I'm also enjoying tracks like "Who Is It?", "No Compassion", "Don't Worry About the Government", and "Pulled Up". This is actually the rare album where the best songs are backloaded. Usually bands get the hits out of the way early, but I was a little bored by the early songs while 6 of the last 7 ended up on my playlist. 4-stars

Thoughts before listening: One of the Stones' classic albums from their best era. Off the top of my head I can't remember what's on this one, but the band put out nothing but heat in the late 60s/early 70s. I believe this one came out before Exile and Sticky Fingers, and while I believe those are their 2 best albums, I know that this one if great as well. Review: The Stones playing bluesy, sloppy honk tonk with pianos and horns throughout this album. I really enjoy it although there are a few songs that drag the album down a bit. Still though, "Gimme Shelter" and "You Can't Always Get What You Want" are absolute classics, and I also really like the song "Let It Bleed". All in all this is a 4-star album that doesn't quite match the Stones' high water marks from that era.

Thoughts before listening: I assumed for years that this was Springsteen's lamest album. The hits are catchy for sure but also cheesy as hell, and it just seemed like the type of album I wouldn't like. You know what....there's a lot of depth to this album. It's got massive hits for sure, but also some really good deep cuts. It's an album that deserves its classic status. Review: The hits on this album are some of the most well known songs of the 80s...."Born in the USA", "Glory Days", and "Dancing in the Dark". These have stood the test of time, and for good reason. They're memorable songs with great lyrics that adhered to more of a country inspired sound than Springsteen's contemporaries. While other 70s bands were adding disco and new wave sounds to their 80s albums, Springsteen was standing in front of an American flag with jeans and a tucked in t shirt and releasing an album of heartland rockers. While the hits would be enough to make this a special album, the deep cuts are what really draw me in. Songs like "Cover Me", "Downbound Train", "I'm On Fire", "No Surrender", and "My Hometown" don't have quite the mainstream recognition as the main hits, but they're certainly no less memorable. These are what really drives this as a cohesive album and why I'm giving this 5-stars.

Thoughts before listening: Well this should be funky. I know the theme song to this movie, and assuming the rest is on par, its going to be a fun listen. Review: This is definitely cool. Being a soundtrack/score, a lot of the songs are just instrumental tracks that would have played in the background of different scenes. That's not necessarily a bad thing, and I am quite enjoying these jazz and funk tunes. My favorites here are "Theme From Shaft" (obviously), "Cafe Regio", "No Name Bar", and all 19 and a half minutes of "Do Your Thing". 4-stars

Thoughts before listening: 80s all girl pop rock band that has some massive hits. My favorite thing about the Go-Gos is that they started in the LA punk scene before hitting it big. I've always enjoyed the songs I've heard so I'm glad to hear a full album from them. Review: There's definitely a pop punk inspiration here that I'm really connecting with. Sure the hits are fun, instantly recognizable ear worms in "Our Lips are Sealed" and "We Got the Best", but theres a lot more to this album. I'm especially enjoying "How Much More" and "Tonite", both of which have a slightly more polished take on what bands like the Descendents and Bad Rel this is aigion were doing around the same time. This is a 4-star album.

Thoughts before listening: There are a couple songs on this album that I really like, but I'm not sure I've heard the whole thing. In general though their sound is everything I love about 90s alt rock so I'm sure this will be right up my alley. Review: Definitely up my alley. This is very good indie rock with loud guitars (including guitar solos!) and catchy melodies. Pretty reminiscent of other bands I enjoy like Archers of Loaf and Superchunk. These were all bands that I missed at the time, but that I have grown to enjoy more than the bands I was actually into back in high school. My favorite songs were the ones I already knew (especially "The Concept"....awesome song) but it was an overall enjoyable album. 4-stars

Thoughts before listening: One of the best live albums of all time. The Who are an absolute monster on this recording which occurred during their best period. Review: This is the Who at their loudest and most powerful, and it makes for an exciting listen. That being said, it can be a little sloppy and chaotic which likely would be better received in person than on a recording. Still though, I'm a fan of live albums, and this is a must own as a document of one of the best live rock bands of all time at the peak of their powers. Best songs are "Substitute", "Young Man Blues", "Summertime Blues", and "Magic Bus". 4-stars

Thoughts before listening: A Dusty Springfield album that isn't the Memphis one? I've never seen any of her other albums getting praised so this is a little surprising. British female soul music is what I am expecting with this. Review: So I recognize a ton of these songs, but I don't think Dusty is the original artist. I am pretty sure that most of these songs were originally done by American artists, with many of them being done by black singers. Dusty has a great voice and these songs are arranged very well, which makes for an enjoyable listen. This is a 3-star album cause its not really my favorite style, but I can definitely hear that its high quality.

Thoughts before listening: This is a massive prog rock album that gets praised highly by those who like prog rock. I tend to enjoy prog rock although it can sometimes be a bit over the top for me. I definitely know the title track to this album, and I'm pretty sure I have listened to the whole thing before. I'm sure I'll enjoy this. Review: Oh yeah....I've heard this before. The opener "21st Century Schizoid Man" is as well known as "The Court of the Crimson King", especially with the refrain being sampled by Kanye West on "Power". These are both powerful songs that push a lot of my musical buttons, as does "Epitaph". As a whole, this is definitely proggy, and there are some parts that get a little out there for me, but all in all its an enjoyable listen. 4-stars

Thoughts before listening: I have never heard of this before. I'm thinking its going to be part of that 70s Brazilian scene that was mixing psychedelic rock with more traditional South American sounds. Review: Tropicalia is the name of the Brazilian musical movement I was thinking of. This is definitely part of that scene, but its much less psychedelic that I was expecting. This is essentially a pop rock sound with pleasant melodies and some interesting instrumentation. I can definitely hear where this album was likely a big inspiration to something like Paul Simon's Graceland, which is an album I enjoy quite a bit. I am not as distracted by the language gap as I have been on other foreign albums because I can connect so well with the music. I will give this 4-stars.

Thoughts before listening: Well this is quite fitting coming right after listening to Milton Nascimento's Clube de Esquina. I know this album was a big deal upon its release, but I do not believe I have listened to it. I also don't believe I have watched the accompanying documentary. I have been surprised by how much I enjoy the Central and South American artists on this list, so I look forward to listening to this as well. Review: Well this is quite different than yesterday's album. Where Milton Nascimento's music pulled from the traditional sounds of Central and South America but mixed with more modern styles, this album leans in heavy to the traditional music of Cuba. Its a really chill sound that is instantly recognizable as background music in restaurants or movies, but I have never dug in. This makes for a pleasant listen with excellent musicianship that sounds as if you wandered into a Havana jazz club and saw a bunch of old timers on stage performing. I'll give this 3-stars

Thoughts before listening: Early REM is my favorite era for the band (as it is for most non-casual fans), and Murmur is typically thought of as their best...at least from music journalists. Its also their debut. I am a big enough fan of the band to own all these early records and listen to them fairly regularly, but I forget what songs are on each album. REM has so many good songs from their early years that it doesn't really matter whats on this....I know I'm going to love it. Review: This album is very good, especially knowing that its the debut of such a massively important band, but it is not my favorite REM record. There are some great songs here: "Radio Free Europe", "Pilgrimage", "Talk About the Passion", "Catapult", "Moral Kiosk", etc all rank amongst the band's best, but I feel that that later releases like "Reckoning" and " Life's Rich Pageant" are more consistent. Still though, the influence of this album can't be understated. This essentially kickstarted the entire US college rock movement that over time morphed into alternative and indie rock. Essentially all music that I grew up loving in the 90s and 00s cite REM as a major influence. This is a 4-star album (only cause REM has other 5-star releases).

Thoughts before listening: Kick out the jams motherfucker! Review: So I get that its important in the history of rock music and youth culture that in 1969 the MC5 were out there playing loud dirty rock n roll and dropping f-bombs on record, but that doesn't mean I have to like it. This isn't great. The recording is very muffled sounding and while the band has a ton of energy, their songs aren't necessarily all that great. Maybe its a you had to be there type of a situation? Anyway, I added the title track to my playlist and while the music/recording is probably a 2 to me, I'll give this 3-stars because of its importance.

Thoughts before listening: 00s era Brit pop band. I remember thinking at one point that I liked these guys, but I've gone back somewhat recently to revisit them only to find I don't recognize any of their songs. Maybe on a deeper listen something will click. Review: I like this quite a bit. There are some weird and unnecessary sound collage parts, but there are some great songs on here as well. This is truly a pleasant surprise. Lots of Beatlesesque melodies and harmonies throughout, with a fairly varied sound. I am certainly enjoying this more than I have other Brit pop bands like Blur. 4-stars

Thoughts before listening: I really like the Smiths although Morrissey has become a bit insufferable over the years. All of their albums tend to run together to me, so I don't really have any thoughts on this one in particular, but I know its really good. In general the Smiths put out some of my favorite 80s albums. Review: Morrissey's lyrics and singing style gets all the press with the Smiths, but I really love their music. Johnny Marr was a very inventive guitarist, and the bass lines are high in the mix doing a lot of heavy lifting on the melodies. There are some absolute classics of 80s alt rock on this album including "The Queen is Dead", "Cemetry Gates", "The Boy With the Thorn in His Side", and "There is a Light That Never Goes Out". 5-stars

Thoughts before listening: One of the best albums from one of my favorite bands. This one doesn't get the praise like Paul's Boutique, and I personally prefer Check Your Head, but ultimately this was the Beastie Boys album that first introduced me to the band. "Sabotage" was a monster song for me and as whole this was a monster album in the 90s. Review: I love the varying styles that the Beastie Boys employ. Sure they are a hip hop group, but there's also punk rock, alternative, and jazz songs on this album. The Beastie Boys had a lot of swagger that really translated through their songs, and I have always loved how playful they are, with each member taking on a distinct voice and personality that they carry through all their albums. There are so many parts of these songs that have stuck in my head for 30 years now that I regularly reference as an adult....in fact I can still to this day recite all of "Get it Together", including changing my voice to match whoever is rapping each line, even Q-Tip's parts. Best songs here are "Sure Shot", "B-Boys Makin With the Freak Freak", "Root Down", "Sabotage", and "Get it Together". 5-stars

Thoughts before listening: Outside of the hits, I have a pretty big blind spot in my music knowledge for New Order. I know they were formed after Joy Division's lead singer died and have a more dancey/new wavey sound than that band. I also know they get a lot of praise from music journalists. I tend to prefer the new wave bands that lean more on the punk side of things instead of dance, so this may not be for me. Review: After the first song I was a little worried that this was going to be a complete dance, techno album. However, that first song is really not indicative of the album as a whole. By the second song "All the Way" I found a sound reminiscent of poppier songs by the Cure which is a very good thing to me. The music and melody is definitely led by the bass, but it has an organic, rock band feel as opposed to the first track's synthy, computer generated sounds. There are a few more tracks on here that dip into the techno feel, but overall I enjoyed this. 3-stars

Thoughts before listening: This band was huge with a lot of music sites I follow, but it just never seemed like something I would be into. I feel like this is going to be a dancey, dream pop, indie rock type sound. Review: So this is basically very minimalist, sparse, slow indie pop with whispered vocals. This really isn't my thing. I am sure there are people who love this album, but I am just not one of them. I'm giving this 2-stars.

Thoughts before listening: Guitar led African folk music is what I believe this will be. I know Ry Cooder was behind the Buena Vista Social Club album so I'd assume this is a similar concept of a modern recording for very traditional styled music. Review: This has a very cool, chill vibe with lots of interesting guitar work in these long jammed out songs. While there are certainly rhythms native to Africa this is very much blues based music with Ali Farka Toure singing in native languages. This makes for great background music, but it can get a little boring and repetitive. 3-stars

Thoughts before listening: Megadeth is one of those bands that I probably should love, but just never really got into. There are some songs that I like for sure, but as a whole, Dave Mustaine's voice grates on me. Metal as a whole has historically been hit or miss for me....I love Metallica, but the rest of the genre is often a bit too much for me to take. I always preferred the melodicism of punk rock and was never overly persuaded by the guitar heroics that are such a big part of metal. I am not sure if I have heard this Megadeth album all the way through before, so maybe this will be the listen that changes my opinion. Review: Well, I am enjoying this more than I thought I would. Dave Mustaine's voice is still not really my thing, but there are some pretty cool songs on here. This is much less one note than I was expecting. I did recognize a handful of these songs, more by name than sound, having seen them mentioned in guitar magazines or best metal song lists over the past 25 years. Overall in glad I listened to this...3-stars

Thoughts before listening: Dr. John's the best. I love his raspy voice and his updated, psychedelic take on New Orleans style blues and funk. I know that this is generally considered his best album, so I am excited to listen. I have definitely heard parts if not all of this album before. Review: This is pretty good although its a little slow and dark for my liking. I've heard more rock oriented covers of these songs, especially "Walk on Gilded Splinters", that I much prefer to these versions. Still though its the debut album of a major musician that went on to have a storied and varied career for over 50 years. This is 3-stars to me

Thoughts before listening: Outside of the hits, I have pretty big blindspot for Depeche Mode. I know they were immensely popular in the 80s and get a lot of press with modern music sites as well. It just always seemed like it wouldn't be for me. This isn't one of their albums I recognize, and I know I have never listened before. Review: This just isn't a sound that I am ever going to enjoy. With a few exceptions (i.e. the Cure) dark, moody synth driven new wave just isn't for me. The hits from this era of music can be fun, but best I can tell, this album doesn't have any of Depeche Mode's hits. At least not ones that I recognize. Ultimately this is pretty boring to me. 2-stars

Thoughts before listening: I've never heard of this before. Must be British. Review: Yep...it's British. Over the top, theatrical Brit pop to be more precise. I don't really like it. 2-stars

Thoughts before listening: The band that launched Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page, and Jeff Beck. I've always found the famous alumni to be more interesting than the Yardbirds' music, but maybe I've never listened to an album before. Review: Yeah this is okay. This is apparently the first Yardbirds record to fully feature Jeff Beck, and he definitely plays some cool guitar parts throughout. In general though, there just aren't a lot of interesting songs on here. Its all blues based with some psychedelic parts which I enjoy, but ultimately nothing is really pulling me in. I've never known the Yardbirds to be praised as an album band, rather as an important step in the evolution of rock n roll that put out a handful of cool songs. In general I'd say that is confirmed here, with the best songs being "Lost Woman" and "Over Under Sideways Down". 3-stars

Thoughts before listening: One of Beck's best. Its a slower, less playful sound from him with acoustic instruments and a focus on lyrics that really stands out as an outlier in his discography. I've always enjoyed this album although I definitely need to be in the right mood for it. Review: This starts out with such a great song in "The Golden Age" which employs a very organic sound with acoustic guitars and pedal steel adding texture throughout, but also some electronic/synth-based elements in the background to remind us that this is Beck and not some alt-country singer songwriter. "Paper Tiger" follows this up and is another fully textured song this time adding orchestral strings to the acoustic guitars to really flesh out the sound. Most of this album stays within a very similar sound and it makes for a very pleasant listen. Additional strong tracks include "Lost Cause" and "Sunday Sun". All in all I consider this one of the better albums by one of the best musicians of the 2000s and while there are a few boring tracks toward the end of the album, its getting 5-stars.

Thoughts before listening: This gets overlooked a lot in Radiohead's catalog, but I've always found it to be a nice continuation of the Kid A sound. That being said its definitely not on the same level as Kid A, Ok Computer, or In Rainbows. Review: So I enjoy quite a bit of this album, even if they go even deeper into the world of electronic sounds, further abandoning their guitar-driven alt-rock past. That being said, there are some throw away tracks here that keep this from being a fully cohesive listen, but luckily they are outnumbered by some of the band's better songs from this era. My favorites on here are "Pyramid Song", "You and Whose Army?", "I Might Be Wrong", "Knives Out", "Morning Bell", and "Dollars and Cents". Radiohead also put out a live album right after Kid A/Amnesiac, and in general, I prefer those versions to the album cuts. Still though this is a fine album thats getting 4-stars.

Thoughts before listening: The Ramones are awesome. I love that the band generally credited with creating punk rock had such a poppy and catchy sound. These are sped up, distorted takes on doo wop and Beach Boys style melodies instead of the snarling growl of other early punk bands like the Sex Pistols. I was always more into pop-punk than hardcore, and that comes directly from the Ramones. Review: The album that launched the punk movement, even if the Ramones themselves never became superstars. This is just such a fun listen with songs that have become absolutely iconic within the punk scene. There's really not a bad song on here, and I could add the entire album to my playlist, but I'll highlight that "Blitzkrieg Bop" > "Beat on the Brat" > "Judy is a Punk" is about as strong of an opening as any album ever. 5-stars

Thoughts before listening: I know absolutely nothing about Dion. I'm going to say it's 70s singer songwriter style soft rock based on the cover, although I'd assume it's got something else going for it to end up on this list. Review: So this is the 50s doo-wop guy of Dion and the Belmonts with a singer songwriter album produced by Phil Spector. Apparently this was mostly ignored in its time, but started getting name dropped as an influence in the 90s from some big time musicians. Its just fine to me. Pretty understated for a Phil Specter project, and none of the songs are really standing out to me. I think the best one I heard was "Your Own Backyard" which I have added to my playlist. Overall this is pretty boring and I'm giving it 2-stars.

Thoughts before listening: Muse has some pretty good songs, but I've never really seen a reason to listen to a full album. I've watched some live videos and they definitely seem to put on a good show so maybe I'll enjoy this more than I think I will. Review: So dancey alt-rock with guitar solos? This is just okay. "Supermassive Black Hole" and "Knights of Cydonia" are the best songs here. I think I know those from Guitar Hero. Anyway, this is 3-stars.

Thoughts before listening: Everything I have ever heard from Funkadelic has been great so I have no reason to think this won't be the same. I'm sure I'll recognize half of these songs from 90s rap backing tracks. Review: This one isn't on Spotify for some reason, but I found it on YouTube. This is definitely the classic Funkadelic sound, and I love it. Funk mixed with a rock n roll edge with guitar solos throughout. 4-stars

Thoughts before listening: I really disliked the first PiL album on this list, so I'm not holding out much hope for this one. Review: Maybe I'm just a pop simpleton, but I don't like very much about this album. Overly long, atonal music with Johnny Rotten ranting over top isn't something I'm ever going to get excited about. There are 2 songs on here I can stomach: "Annalisa" and "Public Image" (although do they really need to be 6 minutes long?). I'm adding those songs to the playlist and will not be listening to this album again. 2-stars

Thoughts before listening: Garbage is one of those bands where I like their hits, but in general its not for me. I think with multiple producers in the band their sound just comes off as too polished and overproduced. I'm sure I'll add the hits to my playlist though. Review: Yep, just how I remember this band. The hits are definitely catchy, but its just too "perfect". There is no grit to their music which sounds exactly like what it is: a bunch of people who make a living producing alt-rock hits getting together to write their own album. With this coming a day after getting Public Image Ltd, I can say that for the most part, I prefer this sound to PiL which was trying very hard to be anti-pop music. Although I will say that I prefer PiL's 2 best songs to anything I heard here...maybe its the shock value of finally hearing something enjoyable on that album as opposed to Garbage where everything basically sounds the same. Anyway, this is a 3-star album.

Thoughts before listening: Never heard of David Holmes, and I do not recognize this cover. I'm going to guess its British and either lo-fi indie folk or some sort of electronic music. Review: Its British electronic music...and pretty boring electronic music in my opinion. This just isn't a genre that I get very excited about, especially when its more an album of beats than actual songs. I'm just not hearing much here that rises above background music. 1-star for me.

Thoughts before listening: It is appropriate that I get this album today since Oasis announced their reunion yesterday. Massive album by a massive band for my generation that I never actually owned. I know all the hits by Oasis and I think I've probably listened to the album on Spotify before, but it just wasn't something I gravitated to when it came out. I'm going to say this will be a 4-star album...really good but not quite an all time great. Review: Oasis often gets lumped into the 90s Britpop world with bands like Blur, but Oasis is head and shoulders above their peers. This is a full fledged rock n roll band releasing catchy songs built to be played to arenas while those other bands, as I have learned from this project, tend to come off as sophomoric indie rock groups with more ideas than songs. No wonder the Gallagher brothers were so cranky about the constant comparisons. While Oasis' second album would have most of their iconic hits, this, their debut, certainly has its share of great songs. "Rock n Roll Star", "Live Forever", "Supersonic", and "Cigarettes & Alcohol" are the best tracks, but this is a very nice album with no real clunkers. I'm sticking with my initial instinct and giving this 4-stars.

Thoughts before listening: You know, sometimes I open this app in the morning and I know it's going to be a good day because I get to listen to a nice pleasant album all day...and then other times you realize that you'll have to suffer through Napalm Death. Being into heavier music in the 90s, I was aware of bands like Napalm Death who had been around for a few years putting out extreme metal albums, but I just always assumed it was going to be too over the top for me. Something tells me I was right. Review: So some of this music is good. Cool metal riffs that are played at a fast pace similar to hardcore punk or industrial, both of which are genres I can stand in moderation. However, where this band loses me is when the vocals start. This style of growled, incoherent singing is just such a major turn off for me. At least it means I can't understand the lyrics. I'm sure this is a revered album to fans of this style of metal, but I'm not in that demographic. 1-star

Thoughts before listening: These guys were a huge deal when I was starting to branch out my music tastes from the punk and jambands I had grown up listening to. They were constantly getting praise from all the sites I was following, but I never gave them much of a chance. I think it was the fact that it wasn't in English that kept me from paying attention. I'm glad I'll have an excuse to listen for the first time today. Review: This is post-rock in the vein of Mogwai, Godspeed You Black Emperor, and Explosions in the Sky, but Sigur Ros is a bit different because of the vocals. While those bands are fully instrumental, Sigur Ros sings in a way in which the voice is utilized as a part of the instrumentation as opposed to being used to convey a message. It doesn't really matter that I don't understand the lyrics here because the singing is still very effective as part of the overall arrangement of these songs. Now on the music, I have to say that I much prefer the sounds of the aforementioned bands to Sigur Ros. Sigur Ros leans heavily into orchestral and electronic arrangements as opposed to the more guitar-based rock stylings typical of the post-rock genre. I am finding myself getting a little bored with this album although there are certainly some interesting songs. I added a couple tracks to my playlist, but overall this is only a 3-star album to me.

Thoughts before listening: One of the better hip-hop groups. I never paid much attention in the 90s when they were releasing these albums but I love everything I've heard from them. I know this is one of their classic albums. Review: I like A Tribe Called Quest quite a bit. Their laid back, jazzy beats and slow drawl of a vocal delivery click a lot of boxes for more. There are some great songs here: "Buggin Out", "Scenario", "Jazz", and "What?" are all going on the playlist. That being said, as I said on my first review for the group, all of these songs sound very similar without a lot of variation. This keeps the album from being a true classic to me. I'll stick with the 4-stars I gave to their first album.

Thoughts before listening: I have a big blind spot for Thelonious Monk as I do for many of the jazz greats. This isn't one of the albums I recognize, but I'm sure it's great. Review: This is essentially the definition of jazz. Cool, laid back, piano driven with great players contributing throughout. This is background music for a hipster cocktail party in the 50s. Hard to complain about this, 4-stars.

Thoughts before listening: The ultimate high school and college stoner's anthem. While I was never much of a stoner myself, my friends certainly were so I have heard "Legalize It" plenty of time. I also owned a Peter Tosh greatest hits compilation at one time, and while most of the reggae I have ever listened to has been Bob Marley, I got really into that cd for a while. I am pretty sure I have never heard this album, but something tells me I will recognize more than just the title track. Review: This is pretty good. Peter Tosh came up as part of the Wailers, and his sound on this album certainly stays in a similar space to the music being put out by his more famous former employer. I will say, with my prior knowledge of Peter Tosh being his Essentials album, this record feels a bit like a let down. This seems to be the case with a lot of reggae artists where their compilation packages outshine the studio albums. Hell even with Bob Marley, his most well known album is Legend. Legalize It has some good songs that I am adding to the playlist (the title track, "Why Must I Cry", "Igziabeher", "Ketchy Shuby"), but as an album, its 3-stars.

Thoughts before listening: I know this made a lot of best of lists when it came out. I also know that its gotten some pretty harsh criticism from this project's Reddit channel. I feel like I listened when it came out and it wasn't really for me. Review: This is pretty good. Sure its too long and the spoken word bits are somewhat distracting, but the actual songs on here are enjoyable. Lots of good beats, a nice variety of sounds, and some really catchy tunes. My favorite tracks are "Stop Dem" and "Bow". 3-stars

Thoughts before listening: Well this is fun. These guys were the soundtrack to many high school and college parties even if I never owned any of their albums. I am sure I will recognize quite a few of these songs. Review: This is good although I am more familiar with and prefer their later albums, especially Black Sunday. Cypress Hill definitely have an iconic sound, largely thanks to B Real's unique voice. His high pitched, sing song style really stands out against the other rappers of their era. The backing tracks are reminiscent of the west coast style of the time with Cypress Hill being early to the game with their laid back, bass heavy beats. My favorite songs are "How I Could Just Kill a Man" and "Hand on the Pump". 3-stars

Thoughts before listening: For years I thought this was my favorite REM album, but I now think I prefer the early stuff better. There are some great, iconic songs on here, but it tends to drag in places with some slow, boring tracks. Still though this is REM's best 90's album and I am glad to have a reason to listen today. Review: Despite my belief that the earlier more energetic albums from REM are better than this, I can't deny that this is a masterpiece. Its just a largely somber, melancholy masterpiece as opposed to the fun poppy indie rock of their past releases. 5-stars

Thoughts before listening: I own a Keith Jarrett multi-record collection that I rarely listen to but really enjoy when I'm in the right mood. This will likely be an album of solo piano pieces that are very soothing in a background music for a cocktail party kind of way. Review: Yeah, this is exactly what I was expecting from Keith Jarrett. Long, meditative piano pieces...apparently fully improvised on stage. This album sounds amazing with the piano being recorded beautifully and you can even hear Keith stomping or singing along in the background from time to time. I also enjoy how the music goes through different movements, often slowing down and then picking up to a crescendo before coming back down. I don't think I am going to add any of these to the playlist, but I am certainly glad to listen this morning. 3-stars

Thoughts before listening: PJ Harvey is one of those artists that has been a mainstay of rock music writers since I started paying attention to music. Besides a few songs here or there, I have never been able to get into her, although I'm not sure I ever tried all that hard. I believe this will be the first time I've listened to one of her albums all the way through. Review: This sounds like 90s alternative rock which means I like it. The only track I recognize is "Sheela-Na-Gig" and thats a great song. Overall I wasn't blown away by this album at first, but it did start to grow on me on repeat listens. I think it was just so similar to other 90s alt rock albums I have listened to over the year that it didn't grab me, but I recognize that this is likely because PJ Harvey was a huge influence on a lot of those bands. This is 4-stars.

Thoughts before listening: This album gets a ton of praise by modern music sites even though I don't really remember it being all that big of a deal when I was growing up. At least not in the US...this might have had a bigger impact in the UK. Anyway, I feel like these guys are Britpop mixed with dance music. Review: I like this and can see why these guys get cited so much by modern music writers. The dance elements here really do distinguish these guys from the rest of the pack when it comes to 90s British alt rock bands, and I can hear where this could have been a big influence on a group like LCD Soundsystem. That being said, the album does drag a little with some of the songs being repetitive and overly long. I'll give this 3-stars although if I had a nostalgic connection with this album I'd probably go higher.

Thoughts before listening: I used to love the Chili Peppers and this album (although Mother's Milk was always my favorite from them). I very rarely listen to the band anymore for some reason though. Their songs are iconic for sure, but they just seem juvenile or something. Maybe its just that their later output became increasingly silly and poppy. Review: Man I have so much nostalgia built up around this album. RHCP were great musicians, especially Flea and John Frusciante, and this album sounds great. Anthony Kiedis' lame raps and lyrical subject matter have not aged well, although I remember really liking them 30 years ago. This album is full of massive hits ("Breaking the Girl", "Give It Away", "Under the Bridge", etc) as well as some deeper cuts that remain classics ("Suck My Kiss", "Sir Psycho Sexy"). This might be one of those albums that wouldn't get as high a rating from me if I didn't grow up listening to it, but thanks to nostalgia, I will give this 4-stars.

Thoughts before listening: Iconic debut album from the biggest band of the 70s. Zeppelin helped usher in a brand of hard hitting, bluesy rock on this album that led to countless imitators for decades. This is one of the origins of hard rock and definitely a major reason it became the defining sound of rock n roll for years. Review: Yeah this is great. What a way to kick off an album with "Good Times Bad Times" > "Babe I'm Gonna Leave You". Other favorites on here are "Dazed and Confused", "Communication Breakdown", and "How Many More Times". I like that this is decidedly not a pop album, with long songs including extended jammy sections and guitar solos. Led Zeppelin I is an important album that is also an enjoyable listen throughout. 5-stars

Thoughts before listening: Dylan's first electric album. This is a huge record with timeless songs. Should be an easy 5-star for me. Review: So while this is the album where Dylan went electric, this is still a bit of a transitional sound for him. While he certainly employs a full band, garage rock sound on half of these songs, there are a number of acoustic, folk songs on this album as well. It wouldn't be until Highway 61 Revisited that Dylan would fully lean into electric rock. While this album tends to get somewhat overlooked in Dylan's discography (at least compared to the heavy hitters), there are still some iconic songs here. "Subterranean Homesick Blues" kicks this off with what must have been a shock to Dylan fans at the time...pure proto-punk garage blues. Other favorites from the rock side of this include "Maggie's Farm" and "Love Minus Zero". The second half of the album brings more of the folk sound Dylan fans were accustomed to, but with still some absolute classics in "Mr. Tambourine Man", "Its Alright Ma", and "Its All Over Now Baby Blue". Easy 5-star album.

Thoughts before listening: I'm excited about this one. I know the hits, but I've never listened to this album. I've always dismissed these guys as your typical 80s pop fluff, but I've seen some write ups on them recently that have me intrigued. Maybe there's more substance here than I assumed. Review: "Shout" and "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" are both bangers that have stood the test of time and still standout as highlights of the 80s. I am also enjoying "Head Over Heels" which was also a hit although not as prevalent as the other two. The rest of the album is fine although these aren't good enough songs to rise above the 80s overproduction. Its the synths and weird muted electronic drums that drive me crazy about 80s pop music, and both of those sounds are prevalent on this album. 3-stars

Thoughts before listening: I know this is Kraftwerk's most celebrated album, but I feel like they are a bit much for me. At least on the first album I heard, it was too electronic sounding for my tastes. I know that part of the charm with Kraftwerk is that its humans manually making music to sound robotic, but it still just didn't resonate with me. I'd expect the same here. Review: Well, I think "bahn bahn bahn its the Autobahn" (not the actual lyrics) is going to be stuck in my head all day. I mean this is fine for background music while I answer all my emails this morning, but its really not something I'm ever going to sit down and listen to. Maybe if I can find the radio version of the title track I'll add it to the playlist, but otherwise I have no interest in the 20-minute version. I'm giving this 2-stars despite knowing how influential it is.

Thoughts before listening: One of those bands thats hit my radar for years, but where I know very little about them. Its from 1980 so I'm guessing it will be British post-punk/new wave sound. To be honest though I thought these guys were like a 60s garage rock psych band like ? and the Mysterians. Review: Ok...so this is an 80s new wave take on 60s garage/psych...at least according to Allmusic. Either way, its pretty good. These songs are all upbeat and catchy, and I really like the horns which adds a different element to their sound. The best song on here is "Reward". 3-stars

Thoughts before listening: Well this is fun. I used to own this album and I like it quite a bit. Like with a lot of rap album I'm sure the lyrics and skits will be more cringey than I remember, but I'm glad to have a reason to revisit this. Review: Yeah this is great. The group dynamic doesn't always work in hip hop, but Wu Tang really pulls it off. Each of these guys has their own distinctive voice and personality that really comes through in these songs. I like that Wu Tang has a laid back style to their beats, and there are some truly iconic tracks on here. My favorites are "Bring Da Ruckus", "Wu-Tang Clan Aint Nothing....", "C.R.E.A.M.", "Method Man", and "Protect Ya Neck". 5-star hip hop album

Thoughts before listening: I see this guy referenced on music sites all the time, but I have very little frame of reference for what he actually sounds like. I feel like it's some sort of outsider folk or pop but I'm really just guessing. Review: This is pretty weird and not really for me. Lots of atonal, avant garde sounds happening here. A few songs have some nice melodies but there will be something weird with the vocals or instrumentation that is just too much for me. 2-stars

Thoughts before listening: One of those albums that I always see getting praised, but that I know very little about. I know its jazz, and I feel like its Spanish flamenco inspired jazz perhaps? Not really sure. Review: So the internet tells me this is bossa nova not flamenco. Either way, its very enjoyable in a background music kind of way. "The Girl From Ipanema" is a recognizable song that I have already added to my playlist based on its inclusion on Frank Sinatra's bossa nova album. I can't say that this music is something I would typically gravitate to, but I can't deny that its high quality. I think this is a 3-star album for me personally, but I recognize that it probably deserves a higher score.

Thoughts before listening: One of my absolute favorite albums from my high school years. Not only is this full of catchy songs, but the production and sampling throughout makes it a truly unique listening experience. This is a poppy alt-rock take on the style that the Beastie Boys created on Paul's Boutique (Odelay was produced by the same people...the Dust Brothers). Review: I have always liked the variation in styles on this album. There is definitely an undercurrent of hip-hop beats and samples, but this isn't rap, with sounds across the board from alt rock to country to lounge. This is a 5-star record if for no other reason than nostalgia purposes, but the high quality of these songs justifies that high rating.

Thoughts before listening: I should really be a fan of Sonic Youth, but I just can't get into them. That being said, this is their most well regarded album and also has some of their better songs. Review: "Teenage Riot" kicks this album off and is one of my absolute favorite songs of all time. The general sound of this song with an upbeat driving tempo, monotone speak singing, and psychedelic guitar freakouts is carried out throughout the record to great effect. Despite some sections that get a little too out there for their own good, this really is a great album that deserves its reputation as Sonic Youth's best. 4-stars

Thoughts before listening: I want to like Guided By Voices, but I just can't ever get into them. I think it's mainly the crappy production. Robert Pollard writes some good songs, but it's hard to tell with the tinny sound. We'll see if this is the listen that changes that perception for me. Review: So they call this lo-fi I guess. There are definitely some great ideas on this album, but it all just sounds like sketches of unfinished demos. Maybe thats the appeal, but its just hard for me to get into this album. Best songs/ideas here: "As We Go Up, We Go Down", "Game of Pricks", and "Motor Away". In general, my opinion remains the same that there are some good songs here, but its a bit like finding a needle in a haystack. 2-stars

Thoughts before listening: I do not believe I have actually listened to this album before although I will probably recognize most of the songs. I have owned a number of Hendrix best of albums over the years, so I am not new to Hendrix, I just never went deep on his actual studio albums. In general I love Hendrix as much as most rock fans so I am excited to listen. Review: This has some really great, classic songs on it. "Spanish Castle Magic", "Little Wing", "If 6 Was 9", "Castles Made of Sand", and "Bold as Love" are perfect songs of the psychedelic rock era. As a whole however the album has some weak spots that fall into basic blues rock territory. Still though, these highlights are enough to make this a 4-star album.

Thoughts before listening: African style rhythms meets rock n roll drumming I guess? This one should be interesting. Review: This is great. I have listened to some Fela Kuti before and I always find it to be an enjoyable experience. Fast paced, percussion heavy jams. From reading up on this album, it seems that Ginger Baker was working with Fela to learn Afrobeat drumming, so while his presence adds a certain cool factor to this album, he isn't necessarily changing the sound....at least not in the Afrobeat meets rock n roll way I was imagining. Fela rocks both with and without Ginger. This is the type of album I was hoping to discover by doing this project. 4-stars

Thoughts before listening: There sure are a lot of Leonard Cohen albums on here. I know people love him, but I struggle with a lot of his music. Its just too dark and droll for my taste. There are, however, 2 or 3 songs per album that grab my attention so I would assume the same for this one. Review: As I listened to this album I felt that this might be my favorite I've heard so far from Leonard Cohen. The songs are looser and seem more lively than his other albums on this list. I was surprised then to read the Allmusic review and see that this is actually considered a weaker effort in his catalog. To me, his voice is less grating here and a song like "A Bunch of Lonesome Heroes" (which the Allmusic reviewer especially disliked) is one of the best I've heard from Leonard. I'll give this 3-stars.

Thoughts before listening: Gotta say I'm surprised to see another Sepultura album on this list. For the first one, my favorite songs were the ones with tribal elements mixed with the heavy metal sound. If theres more of that on this album than I am excited to hear it, but if this leans more into the cookie monster growl metal side of Sepultura it's going to be a tough listen. Review: This is better than I was expecting. Its definitely growly death metal which is usually a turn off, but there is also undeniable songwriting here. As someone not overly versed in the different metal subgenres, the music here sounds like thrash to me. Similar to bands I enjoy like Metallica and Megadeth. Thats a good thing to me and I am giving this 3-stars.

Thoughts before listening: I am not overly familiar with Siouxsie and the Banshees music. I know that Siouxsie was part of the London punk scene from the earliest days, but I feel like her music is more new wave/80s pop than punk rock. I also get the sense that her music can get a bit out there sometimes. Review: So I guess what I have always categorized as "out there" is just "goth", which is a post-punk subgenre that I don't typically love. With bands like Bauhaus the darkness pushes over to cheesy territories and distracts from what might otherwise be enjoyable songs. Perhaps its Siouxsie's voice which adds a brightness as opposed to the typical deep near drone of other goth singers, but I am not getting that from this album. This is enjoyable post-punk 80's music with strong guitar work and catchy melodies. I am adding a few of these songs to the playlist and am glad I had a reason to listen today. 4-stars

Thoughts before listening: This is typically considered the Beatles' best album. It definitely has a lot of their more "classic rock" sounding songs. I have always enjoyed this album and tend to agree that its their best although really all of their later albums are killer. Review: Abbey Road certainly lives up to its status as one of the Beatles' best. Its hard to add much more to the praise that this album has received, so I will just say that while I enjoy songs through out the tracklist, the best part is the ending song suite. This is an album full of classics that does live up to its reputation. 5-stars

Thoughts before listening: 60's psych garage rock led by Roky Erickson (I believe). One of those bands that I recognize by name, but where I don't know if I have actually heard any of the music. Review: Okay, so I definitely recognize this first song "You're Gonna Miss Me". This is sloppy, simple rock n roll with psychedelic flourishes mixed in throughout. Its easy to see where the through line is from this to punk rock in the 70s while also very much being a 60s sound. I can also understand why this wasn't very commercial. This just sounds like underground music, which is interesting since a lot of 60s underground music has been lost to time while the 13th Floor Elevators are making lists like this one. This is 3-stars

Thoughts before listening: I have always thought of the Carpenters as talented but ultimately extremely vanilla. Just 70s radio-friendly soft rock that would have very little critical appeal. Therefore it is surprising to see them on this list. This will certainly be my first time listening to one of their albums although I'm sure I've heard their music before. Review: Yeah. This isn't for me. I get that they're talented, but its just not something I would choose to listen to. This is despite having a couple extremely recognizable songs and a Beatles cover. 2-stars

Thoughts before listening: One of the jazz greats and another huge music figure I have never really listened to. I believe Duke Ellington is big band swing style jazz, but I may be wrong on that. I'm glad this is a live album. Review: Very enjoyable album of live swing music. From reviews I've read it seems that this was a transitional album with soloists that typically didn't play with Duke Ellington and brought a newer, fresher take to their parts. So from an historical perspective this is an important album and from a quality perspective its a great representative overview of its genre from one of the heavyweights. 4-stars

Thoughts before listening: I have noticed a recent surge in this album being mentioned as a major influence on modern musicians. I do not remember that being the case in the 90s and 00s, so its interesting that a newer generation has latched on to this. From my perspective, I have heard of Cocteau Twins, but I always dismissed them as new wave pop that wouldn't be for me. This will be a first listen. Review: So I can definitely hear a lot of this sound in some of the more recent dream pop bands like Beach House. This is better than I was expecting and is definitely more than just an 80s new wave also ran. There is a lot of effective moodiness to these songs and I enjoy the vocals. Not necessarily the type of music I'd typically be drawn to, but its enjoyable all the same. 3-stars

Thoughts before listening: One of Dolly's classics. Its pretty hard to hate on Dolly Parton, and I'm sure this will be great. Review: This is a very enjoyable album from one of the biggest names in country music history. 50+ years later she is a household name, and the title track to this album is a staple. Dolly wrote the bulk of these songs and really set herself up as not only a star in the making, but also a creative force within her genre. 4-stars

Thoughts before listening: Probably the most influential and important album of my life. I was 10 when this came out, and I remember very well the mania that surrounded Nirvana. This poppy take on punk rock and grunge would go on to define much of the music I'd listen to throughout not just my teens, but on into my adult years. Review: Yeah this is perfect. Even if I did not have such a nostalgic connection to Nevermind, it still just hits on so much of what I look for in music that I feel I would love it. Of course, it could also be true that the main reason I gravitate so much to this sound is because the album was so important at such a formative age for me that it ingrained this in my psyche. Whatever the case, this blend of fast, loud guitar based rock and extremely catchy pop songcraft is one I have enjoyed throughout my life. I am adding most of the songs to my playlist with my favorite "lesser known" songs being "Lounge Act", "Stay Away", and "On a Plain". This is 5-stars.

Thoughts before listening: Female led, dream pop indie rock. I remember this band being a big deal when this album came out, but I never gave it a listen. Seemed like it wouldn't be for me. However, I recently heard a song of theirs that I really enjoyed, so I'm excited to try this out. Review: Man, I can't believe I have been sleeping on this band for so long. This is really nice. Definitely moody and slow at times, but the instrumentation is great. This reminds me a bit of other bands I enjoy from the same era such as Fleet Foxes. I am glad to have been "forced" to listen to this album. 4-stars

Thoughts before listening: I'm expecting some old school, early soul music. I'm sure this will be great. Review: Solomon Burke may not have become a household name like many of his contemporaries i.e. Sam Cooke, Otis Redding, Smokey Robinson, etc, but that doesn't mean he wasn't putting out quality material of his own. This album is full of bluesy, soul music sung with a voice that can be sweet in one moment and then immediately turn into a growl. The fact that this album isn't full of well known classic songs actually enhances the experience from a discovery standpoint. Sometimes the older albums on this list are a little boring to listen to because I already know the hits. This is all new to me and has been a great listen. 4-stars

Thoughts before listening: Fugazi was such an important band and for a 90s kid that fancied himself as some hipster punk indie guy. While I wasn't actually any of those things, the music I discovered during that period has stuck with me throughout my adult life. This is an album I owned at the time, and while I don't necessarily think its Fugazi's best, I am glad to have a reason to revisit this today. Review: Interestingly enough, I remember not really liking this album all that much when I first bought it. I was more into pop punk at the time, so the lack of sing along melodies just didn't appeal as much to me. I also remember thinking that the song "Repeater" was annoying. The only song I really latched onto at that time was "Sieve Fisted Find". This opinion has changed over the years as my tastes have evolved. I now appreciate that Fugazi combined the aggression of punk rock with a more technically proficient musical ability. There is a jazz quality to the musicianship here and often the details within the music are as exciting as the words being shouted. 4-star album for me mainly because 13 Songs is their 5-star album.

Thoughts before listening: One of the all time greats. Considering I am pretty sure that I once had a Miles Davis poster on my college apartment wall, this is a pretty embarrassing confession, but I think I have only ever listened to Kind of Blue and Bitches Brew. I definitely don't remember ever hearing In a Silent Way. I am excited to listen to this...and to make my younger self just a bit less of a poser. Review: This is right up my alley. Two long tracks of jazz fusion studio jams with all the players getting a chance to shine throughout. And what a list of players! Besides Miles obviously, this album also has Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea, Joe Zawinul, Dave Holland, and John McLaughlin. I am especially enjoying John McLaughlin's guitar contributions here. I am adding both of these tracks to my playlist, and I am very glad I had an excuse to listen to this today. 5-stars

Thoughts before listening: These guys have been on the periphery of my music interests for a long time, but I don't believe I have ever really listened to them. In my mind they are kind of a rootsy take on alternative rock, maybe like the Replacements...but I have no real reason to think this and I may actually be confusing them with Buffalo Tom. Review: This is really good. I was pretty on point with my thoughts about their sound. This is distorted alt-rock but not punk rock. Definitely has a bit of a rootsy, country inspiration to their sound, but this is also not alt-country. This sound is right up my alley so its interesting that this band has remained on my periphery for this long. I have added a few songs to the playlist and am very glad this is on the list (even if its probably not one of the 1,001 albums I must hear before I die). 4-stars

Thoughts before listening: This was about the point when I started ignoring Kanye. I like his earlier albums through My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy quite a bit, but this one was released around the time when Kanye the insufferable personality started to overshadow any enjoyment found in his music. I also find the title of this to be insulting and egotistical. Review: In general Kanye's sound on this album is less poppy with the backing tracks mainly using distorted, harsh, industrial sounding beats throughout. Also lots of autotune making Kanye's voice sound robotic and mechanical instead of organic. "Black Skinhead" is the best song here and also the only one I recognized on my listen through. I'll add that to the playlist, but I just don't have any interest in listening to most of these lyrics ever again. 2-stars

Thoughts before listening: Traditional bluegrass meets 70s country rock. I feel like on past listens this isn't as good as I want it to be. Review: So I think my disappointment on earlier listens may be related to wanting this to be some sort of jamgrass album. It's not that at all. This is just old timey traditional bluegrass that was played by a younger generation in the 70s. There are some older musicians on here as well and sometimes their stories are a bit distracting, but overall this is a very nice listen. Lots of timeless songs that I am glad to have an excuse to add to the playlist I'm building from this project. 4-stars

Thoughts before listening: One hit wonders who seem to get more respect than other one hit wonders. This album cover doesn't look familiar to me so I'm thinking this is an album that doesn't contain the one hit....which is pretty on brand for this list. Review: So this is a weird album. Looks like this is Dexys Midnight Runners' weird, troubled 3rd album as they attempted to follow up the massive hit that was "Come On Eileen". There are some moments that I enjoy on here, but overall it's a confusing album. Lots of talking, some atonal singing, an extended section of a song where the music sounds just like "Come On Eileen", and another that is basically a straight rip off of "Werewolves of London". I would say that overall I did not love this album even if there were a few moments I did like. 2-stars

Thoughts before listening: Simon and Garfunkel are iconic 60s folk rock. The title track is a classic for sure, but its not one of my favorites. The rest of this album though contains some of the best songs of that decade. Review: So I certainly understand why the title track is so universally praised, but its just so overproduced that it rubs me the wrong way or something. I just want Simon and Garfunkel to play fun little folk songs I guess, which they do quite a bit on this album. "Cecilia", "The Boxer", "Baby Driver", and "The Only Living Boy in New York" all fit that description perfectly. I'll give this 4-stars for how much I enjoy those songs.

Thoughts before listening: I liked this album when it came out...I think there's a song on it called "Kick Push" thats pretty great. That being said, this definitely feels like another example of recency bias where the editors were trying to guess at modern day (at time of publishing the book) future classics. In this case they merely picked a current at the time banger that hasn't necessarily stood the test of time. Review: I do like this album quite a bit. Its sound is more akin to something like Jay-Z or maybe early Kanye than the gangster rap that was so prevalent in the late 90s and early 00s. Smart lyrics, catchy (maybe poppy) melodies, soulful jazzy beats, etc. This is a very enjoyable listen even if its probably not one of the 1,001 best albums of all time. 3-stars

Thoughts before listening: PJ Harvey is on this list a lot, and she has certainly been pretty universally praised from music journalists over the past 20+ years. I usually find one or two songs per album that I enjoy and the rest is just okay to me. I look forward to seeing if this album will be any different. Review: As usual there were a number of songs I liked and added to my playlist: "Good Fortune", "This Mess We're In", "Kamikaze", and "This is Love". As a whole the album was a nice listen while I walked to get groceries but probably not something I will go back to. I did actually recognize a number of these songs so I believe I had listened to this album before, probably on a playlist made from a best albums of the 00s list. 3-stars

Thoughts before listening: Early stuff from The Who when they were still the mod scene band as opposed to the stadium rock giants they became. Their early stuff has much more of an proto-punk feel with short pop songs played fast and loud. I love the title track to this album and in general am a big fan of this era of the band. Review: This is fun. The Who would definitely go on to bigger and better albums, but I do really enjoy their early sound. These are basically kids bashing out pop originals and blues/R&B covers in a style that would soon be called punk. There is definitely a direct through line from this sound to those early British punk bands...which is interesting since those bands were rebelling against the excesses of the 70s arena rockers such as The Who. 4-stars

Thoughts before listening: Massive album for the 80s with the title track and "When Doves Cry" being top tier singles for the decade. I have heard this before and like this quite a bit. Review: This album is just iconic song after iconic song. Even beyond the timeless hits from this album there are some absolute gems: "Lets Go Crazy", "The Beautiful Ones", "Darling Nikki", and "I Would Die 4 U". These are overshadowed by "When Doves Cry" and "Purple Rain", but they are ultimately what makes the album a classic is that these massive global hits are surrounded by deep cuts that could only be performed by Prince. A great album from one of the most important artists of my lifetime. 5-stars

Thoughts before listening: 80s pop rock band that mixes in Irish folk music sounds. I really like the title track to this album, but I don't think I have listened to the rest of it before. Review: I really like this album. These are anthemic pop rock songs that have a certain organic sound that really differentiates them from their 80s rock peers. Perhaps the utilization of traditional folk instrumentation could be interpreted as gimmicky, but I think it adds an element of authenticity missing from the more synth driven sounds of that era. The title track is a banger, but there are quite a few other songs here that I am enjoying. "We Will Not Be Lovers", "Sweet Thing", and "And a Bang on the Ear" are my favorites. 4-star album for me.

Thoughts before listening: I think this is the 3rd or 4th Sonic Youth album I've gotten on this project. They are very hit or miss for me with some of their songs really resonating ("Teenage Riot" is one of my favorite songs ever) and others just sounding like an atonal jumbled mess. This being one of their 90s, post grunge explosion albums makes me think it will likely fall into the good category for me. Review: Like with most Sonic Youth albums, there are some songs I really enjoy on here and others that fall into the too abstract and weird category to appeal to me. I think I see why Sonic Youth was always a band that floated around on the periphery of the music I loved growing up, but never actually became one of my favorites. They have moments of brilliance where I can see that they were a huge influence on bands like Nirvana and the Foo Fighters, but they just never quite allow themselves to tip over into the overt poppiness that those bands thrived in. Or maybe its more that every album has a couple pop tracks surrounded by a bunch of songs that are very alienating to casual music fans. Sonic Youth remained underground heroes while the bands that emulated them went on to massive success....and maybe that's exactly what Sonic Youth wanted. All that being said, there is a lot to like on this album. "100%", "Wish Fulfillment", "Sugar Kane", Youth Against Fascism", and "Purr" are all going on the playlist. This is a 4-star album.

Thoughts before listening: I think I remember these guys, but I don't remember them being all that big of a deal. Maybe they were huge in Europe or something? In my mind they're like a hard rock/techno combo sort of like the Prodigy maybe? I'm not really sure. Review: This is the sound that music journalists were telling us would be the future of music back in 1999 when this was released. Techno beats forming the backbeat of guitar driven rock music. As someone who was in college at this time and obsessed with punk, indie, and jammy rock bands, I never quite got the appeal of this sound. To me it was more what you would hear in the background of a sci-fi movie than something I was going to put on and listen to in the dorm room. Still though, I do have a certain nostalgia for this sound. I like a couple of songs here, including "Dirge", but overall this basically just sounds like background music to me. I'll give it 2-stars.

Thoughts before listening: I am typically not into ambient music so I have always avoided this album. I like some of Brian Eno's music, but 4 long ambient tracks just doesn't appeal to me. Maybe this will be nice background music while I work this morning. Review: So I won't be adding any of these songs to the playlist, but this isn't as difficult of a listen as I assumed. It does make for nice background music but with musical themes and textures that keep it interesting. This is very relaxing music reminiscent of what you would hear when getting a massage. Overall I am glad I had an excuse to listen to this although I doubt I would revisit...I also got a little bored by the end. 3-stars

Thoughts before listening: Cool, abstract indie rock instrumentals. I went through a phase where I was really into Tortoise, but its been a long time since I have listened to these guys. Review: So this album starts out with Djed which is one of Tortoise and the genre of post-rock's most celebrated songs. Its okay. There are definitely some interesting parts, but as a whole I find it to be too long and abstract to be one of my favorites. I do however enjoy quite a bit of this album. Its certainly a journey and takes some patience to make it through, but I find it quite rewarding. There are very interesting textures and styles being incorporated throughout, especially with the shorter songs. 3-stars

Thoughts before listening: I really like the Specials although I am pretty sure I have only ever heard their greatest hits. Looking at the track list for this one, I only recognize a few of these titles which is a bit surprising. I guess that most of the songs I know are from their first album. Anyway, I am sure this will be a nostalgic, fun listen. Review: Oh man...I do know a lot of these songs and I love them. I was really into ska for a while in high school, mostly of the ska-punk variety, and the Specials were celebrated as early innovators in that scene. I find them to be very difficult to dislike...catchy melodies mixed with the upbeat positive ska sounds. Its hard to hate on music with horns. 4-stars

Thoughts before listening: This was a big deal when it came out back in the early 90s...at least in terms of radio play and Grammy nominations. Bonnie Raitt has always been a little boring to me, but I also have probably never given her a fair listen. She just feels like a very adult contemporary version of blues rock. Review: Ok so I thought this was the album with "Something to Talk About" on it, but apparently this was the one right before. It also won a bunch of Grammys so I guess Bonnie had a pretty solid run in the late 80s/early 90s. I definitely had the sound pegged though...very adult contemporary with adult lyrics. Today this would likely be categorized as country music, but in the 80s it passed as blues rock I guess. It's technically very good but just not something I'd ever choose to listen to. 3-stars

Thoughts before listening: One thing I have learned from this project is that Blur is not as good as I have always assumed they were. In general I have found that they have a couple good songs mixed in with a bunch of halfassed tracks that sound like good ideas that never really got fully fleshed out. That being said, I know this is typically considered their best album, so maybe this is the one where it finally clicks for me. Review: This does feel like more cohesive songs than ones I have heard from Blur previously in this project. There are some songs here that I really like, mainly the hits like "Girls & Boys" and "Parklife". One thing this project has really highlighted for me is that while deep cuts exist, hits become hits for a reason. This is definitely Blur's best album, so I will give it 4-stars.

Thoughts before listening: Feels like this will be mid-00s era UK indie rock. I'm sure it will be decent but not on of the 1,001 best albums if all time. Review: This is fine. Reminiscent of other alt rock albums from this era but maybe with some more dancey elements mixed in. I guess it's a solid representation of 00s era alt rock radio music, but it's not hitting for me the way bands like Franz Ferdinand or the Strokes do. I added their biggest hit to my playlist and feel like this is 2-stars.

Thoughts before listening: I remember these guys. I feel like it was kind of a noise rock thing. Probably another example of the editors trying to pick cool recent music but mostly missing on what was going to become truly classic. Review: Definitely noise rock and definitely not my thing. I'm sure something like this was cool to see live, but on a studio recording it just doesn't work for me. Overly distorted guitar (maybe just bass guitar?) with barely distinguishable vocals and little in the way of melody or traditional song structure...just a droning noisy racket. Its definitely not boring, but also not very good. 2-stars

Thoughts before listening: Is this the Sex Pistols manager guy? I guess he put out hir own music in the 80s? Anyway I've never heard of this, but I'm going to guess its some sort of over the top new wave. Review: So I guess this is like a hip hop/world music hybrid. I recognize "Buffalo Girls" which I am adding to my playlist. This album is all over the place and I'm not really sure if Malcolm McLaren is actually involved in the music here...maybe he is essentially a curator? There are some good tracks, but overall this is pretty uneven. 2-stars

Thoughts before listening: This is one of the most universally praised albums of all time and an absolute classic of jazz. I have definitely heard this before. Review: This album sounds like organized chaos, but in a good way. All the musicians are seemingly off in their own worlds creating a cacophony of noise that is nevertheless engaging throughout. I also like how it all works as a single piece with Acts I and IV providing the intro/outro. My favorite act however is "Act III - Pursuance" as that is when the cacophony reaches its peak. This album is definitely deserving of its praise so I'll give this 5-stars.

Thoughts before listening: Adele has an amazing voice and in sure I'll know the hits from this album. This will be fine...probably the definition of a 3-star album in that it's not really my thing but I can't deny that it's good. Review: This is what I thought it would be. A few bangers I knew were by Adele ("Hello"), a few songs I recognized but didn't realize Adele songs ("Send My Love (To Your New Lover)"), and a bunch of filler. In general the filler was enjoyable because of Adele's voice and just the fact that power ballads about relatable subjects is hard to hate on. 3-stars

Thoughts before listening: I remember this being huge. I wasn't into the electronic/dance scene back in the 90s and I doubt I'll be into this today either. Review: Yeah this isn't for me. Repetitive and nothing is really drawing my attention. I'm sure this is fun music to dance to at a festival or something, but its just not something I'm interested in listening to sitting here at my desk this morning. I added "Rockefeller Skank" and "Praise You" to my playlist as a nice reminder that this existed, but otherwise I have little interest. 2-stars