693
Albums Rated
2.8
Average Rating
64%
Complete
396 albums remaining
Rating Distribution
Rating Timeline
Taste Profile
1950
Favorite Decade
Reggae
Favorite Genre
US
Top Origin
Perfectionist
Rater Style ?
34
5-Star Albums
85
1-Star Albums
Breakdown
By Genre
Top Styles
By Decade
By Origin
Albums
You Love More Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Wonderful Rainbow
Lightning Bolt
|
5 | 2.29 | +2.71 |
|
Sweetheart Of The Rodeo
The Byrds
|
5 | 2.83 | +2.17 |
|
Rings Around The World
Super Furry Animals
|
5 | 2.97 | +2.03 |
|
Pacific Ocean Blue
Dennis Wilson
|
5 | 3.08 | +1.92 |
|
Queen Of Denmark
John Grant
|
5 | 3.12 | +1.88 |
|
The Holy Bible
Manic Street Preachers
|
5 | 3.15 | +1.85 |
|
John Prine
John Prine
|
5 | 3.22 | +1.78 |
|
Rust In Peace
Megadeth
|
5 | 3.24 | +1.76 |
|
Cross
Justice
|
5 | 3.27 | +1.73 |
|
Kenya
Machito
|
5 | 3.28 | +1.72 |
You Love Less Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Grace
Jeff Buckley
|
1 | 3.74 | -2.74 |
|
Funeral
Arcade Fire
|
1 | 3.55 | -2.55 |
|
Surfer Rosa
Pixies
|
1 | 3.49 | -2.49 |
|
Unknown Pleasures
Joy Division
|
1 | 3.48 | -2.48 |
|
Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea
PJ Harvey
|
1 | 3.38 | -2.38 |
|
The Downward Spiral
Nine Inch Nails
|
1 | 3.34 | -2.34 |
|
Horses
Patti Smith
|
1 | 3.31 | -2.31 |
|
Daydream Nation
Sonic Youth
|
1 | 3.29 | -2.29 |
|
Francis Albert Sinatra & Antonio Carlos Jobim
Frank Sinatra
|
1 | 3.28 | -2.28 |
|
GREY Area
Little Simz
|
1 | 3.24 | -2.24 |
Artists
Favorites
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Beatles | 7 | 4.57 |
| Michael Jackson | 3 | 4.33 |
| The Doors | 3 | 4.33 |
| Black Sabbath | 3 | 4.33 |
Least Favorites
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| The Fall | 2 | 1 |
| The Chemical Brothers | 2 | 1 |
| The Jesus And Mary Chain | 2 | 1 |
| Sonic Youth | 3 | 1.67 |
| Morrissey | 2 | 1.5 |
| Primal Scream | 2 | 1.5 |
| Björk | 2 | 1.5 |
| Christina Aguilera | 2 | 1.5 |
| Cocteau Twins | 2 | 1.5 |
| The Mothers Of Invention | 2 | 1.5 |
| Arcade Fire | 3 | 2 |
| My Bloody Valentine | 3 | 2 |
Controversial
| Artist | Ratings |
|---|---|
| Emmylou Harris | 1, 4 |
| Van Morrison | 2, 5 |
| PJ Harvey | 1, 4 |
| Leonard Cohen | 4, 1 |
| My Bloody Valentine | 4, 1, 1 |
5-Star Albums (34)
View Album Wall
Popular Reviews
The Jam · 10 likes
2/5
I refuse to believe this isn’t a parody project created by Fred Armisen.
English Rose is a beautiful song though.
G. Love & Special Sauce · 6 likes
1/5
This dude wants to be black sooooo bad.
Fairport Convention · 6 likes
2/5
This shit belongs in the background in a Wes Anderson movie
Beatles · 5 likes
5/5
Strikes a perfect balance between simple, folksy pop, and the deep, innovative songwriting that The Beatles would develop in the years following this release. Not a single second of wasted runtime.
Dr. John · 5 likes
1/5
I love Dr. John’s hits, but this album is just ass. Most of the tracks are more like chants than actual songs, and the recording sounds like pure crap.
1-Star Albums (85)
All Ratings
The White Stripes
3/5
My fav songs were all ones that felt like classic White Stripes, like Blue Orchid, or were trying to sound like a specific genre, like Little Ghost being a country song. The choice of instrumentation in a lot of songs is weird, and just feels like Jack White got bored or is intentionally trying to distance himself from what made The White Stripes successful
Patti Smith
1/5
Her voice is terrible, and given way too much emphasis in almost all the songs. Free Money is the only decent song, since it’s more of a rocker that drowns out her voice.
Jorge Ben Jor
3/5
The songs all blend together, but it’s a fun enough vibe that you really don’t mind. Nice to listen to in chunks.
Pink Floyd
4/5
Some overly long intros, outros, and interludes, but the actually meat of the songs is incredible. Definitely an experience to listen to.
Sarah Vaughan
3/5
Definitely a vibe, but the songs are very samey, so the whole album just sorta blurs together.
Dwight Yoakam
3/5
Pretty generic country that suffers from tonal whiplash and thin sound
The Smashing Pumpkins
4/5
Really great alt rock that borders on heavy metal from time to time. Huge sound, some memorable compositions, good contrasting dynamics.
Tracy Chapman
2/5
Pretty boring sound overall. That sort of genre-less “easy listening” stuff that I’ve always disliked.
Muddy Waters
3/5
Quintessential blues, which means lots of feeling, but repetitive songs. Water’s voice is powerful. Mannish Boy is one of the few songs I don’t mind repeating one riff for 5 minutes.
Kings of Leon
1/5
Boring and irritating at the same time. The singer’s intentional vocal fry and constant deep reverb on the guitar are just grating and get tired after the first song.
John Cale
4/5
Very enjoyable album with lavish string arrangements. The only bad thing I can say about it is that there’s no real standout song.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
2/5
Every sound on the album has that slightly overdriven, treble-heavy sound that is emblematic of a lot of 00s indie, but that I have always found extremely grating. A couple good songs at the end of the album where the singer isn’t screaming while simultaneously swallowing the mic.
Eminem
4/5
Great beats, amazing rhymes. Lyrics range from completely over-the-top to deep and meaningful. I didn’t know that Eminem had songs like Rock Bottom, but I have a new appreciation now that I know he doesn’t just do meme-y songs.
R.E.M.
3/5
Pretty standard rock music. They definitely picked the right song from the album to be a hit, Stand is a bop. Can’t imagine picking to listen to this in 1988 over all the other stuff coming out.
Metallica
2/5
If you’re a Metallica mega fan, you’ll love this album; it feels like a celebration of the band. As a semi-fan, I kinda just want to hear the songs I like as I know them. The orchestration doesn’t really feel like it adds much to a lot of the songs, with a couple exceptions for some mid-paced songs.
Butthole Surfers
1/5
Just terrible. Not one redeeming quality. Nothing to even say about it besides that it sucks.
Judas Priest
3/5
Judas Priest inspired a lot of the thrash bands that I love, but I just can’t get into them. It all feels so cheesy, almost like a parody of itself. A bit fun to listen to, but there’s nothing to really chew on.
Buena Vista Social Club
4/5
Very pleasant listen, with a nice variety of piano, guitar, horn, and vocal leads. I can just feel the sentimentality coming from these songs, despite not being able to understand the lyrics.
The Cure
2/5
They really front-loaded this with the two worst songs. The rest are better, but not by much. The vocals and guitar both have this terrible reverb all over them that make them almost unlistenable, so the best songs are those that focus on bass and drums, like The Hanging Garden.
Brian Eno
4/5
First half is sorta artsy rock songs, second half is super chill vibe songs. Both good, but I preferred the slow half, despite not usually liking that kind of tempo in music.
The Good, The Bad & The Queen
3/5
Pretty standard “indie” stuff. Kinda just sounds like my least favorite Gorillaz songs over and over again. Overuse of sampling and effects.
Pearl Jam
3/5
Pretty generic rock music, with a voice that is impossible to take seriously. Best song by far was Porch, which is the only song that really ratchets up the intensity. Can’t believe people get off to this band so hard.
Earth, Wind & Fire
5/5
Every song is a bop. Interesting sound choices throughout. Great messages to all the lyrics. Wanted to start over the moment it ended. Just lovely all around.
Fats Domino
3/5
Fun 50s tunes, but very samey.
Deep Purple
4/5
Proto-metal at its finest. Every song feels like it is pushing the limits of the players’ abilities. Despite the length of the songs, they still all manage to have a hook or riff to latch on to to keep the songs consistent within themselves.
Girls Against Boys
1/5
Talk about repetitive. They choose 1 or 2 notes and then just drone that for the whole song while the singer grunts barely audibly into the microphone. Just bad. No standout song, not even a standout moment.
Elliott Smith
3/5
Some songs are way too whiny. If he used his full voice on every song, it would have been way better.
Elton John
4/5
Definitely didn’t need to be quite as long as it was, but everything here is at least decent, and the best songs are very good. Loved a couple of the non-hit songs just as much as some of the hits.
Fela Kuti
4/5
Had no idea I was a fan of Afrobeat until now. I love how long the songs are; it really lets you live in the groove. The musicians are all in the pocket, but maintain a looseness so that the music keeps its heart and authenticity. The call and response vocal style serves to bring you into the music even harder.
Sheryl Crow
4/5
Surprised how much I liked this. She has a great voice, and all the musicians play their part flawlessly. Every song feels unique and necessary to the album.
Bon Jovi
2/5
Every song has the exact same tempo and feeling. Cheesiest lyrics ever.
Norah Jones
2/5
Soooo boring. The kind of music that boring middle-aged women that think they’re bougie listen to while sipping wine.
Miles Davis
3/5
Jazz has a high floor, but a low curling. I’ve just as rarely heard jazz that I love and jazz that I’ve hated. It all sits right in the “kinda nice” zone, and this is no different.
Radiohead
2/5
Radiohead staying the most overrated band ever. Every song is just a guy scream-whining over a repetitive beat.
Charles Mingus
4/5
Every song feels like it takes you on a journey. They’re all different enough to keep you interested, but still all fit together thematically. There are repeating motifs throughout that are fun to catch.
James Taylor
3/5
A couple decent songs, but pretty boring overall. The instrumentation is bit too sparse, save for a couple songs that feature horns or slide guitar.
The Smiths
2/5
One of the most annoying vocal styles I’ve heard, with lyrics that ramble and melodies that don’t even sound musical. The best songs are the ones that depart from the sound one would usually associate with The Smiths.
Johnny Cash
4/5
A couple excellent songs, many good songs, and maybe just one stinker. A bit overproduced, and the duets feel like they’re pandering a bit, but the core is still Johnny and his guitar, and you can’t argue with that.
The Divine Comedy
2/5
Lounge singer wannabes. Not even sure what kind of person would listen to this.
Hole
3/5
Pretty standard riot grrrl sound and lyrical theming. Feels a bit on-the-nose most of the time.
Robert Wyatt
1/5
It’s like this dude heard Pink Floyd and said “what if I just kept the annoying shitty parts?”
The Who
3/5
Just like with the Metallica live album, this is best enjoyed by someone who is already a fan of the band. A few of the songs get too jammy, and with the 3 instrumentalists all doing their own solo, the coherence of the songs sorta falls apart. Still great energy though, and some banter between songs, this is what you want from a live album.
Otis Redding
3/5
Undeniably great voice, but maybe trying to do too much. I’d rather listen to the original version of a song like My Girl because the vocals are a lot more consistent. Satisfaction was great though.
Dr. Dre
3/5
Love the G-funk sound, it has a certain badass yet laidback feeling that just hits right. Although it’s a great sound, I don’t want to listen to it for an hour straight. Could have used a little variation. Also could have put Snoop on the album cover; I swear he has more bars on this record than Dre.
Beyoncé
2/5
Pretty standard generic pop fare, but with some awesome booming bass. The songs really lack the great hooks you expect from pop though.
Incredible Bongo Band
4/5
Was worried from the band name and title that this would be a gimmick, but it is genuinely great instrumental funk with lots of impressive percussion.
Sufjan Stevens
3/5
Too long. Definitely could have cut it down to just the tracks that have an actual identity. Half the songs are just whimsical for the sake of whimsy and don’t really feel like they’ve had much thought put into them.
Metallica
4/5
So well produced, you can hear everything even through all the distortion. This is about as heavy as you can get while still having mainstream appeal. All the songs are almost the same tempo, so they all sorta serve the same purpose. My Friend of Misery has an amazing guitar solo that I never see talked about anywhere, even in guitar circles.
Pavement
3/5
Pretty standard 90s indie slacker stuff. Dude really needs to stick to his baritone register; every time he tries to sing high, it’s like nails on a chalkboard. Could definitely use some more memorable riffs and melodies.
The Specials
3/5
A couple good songs, a bunch of meh songs, a couple bad songs, so it all levels out to be pretty meh.
Kate Bush
1/5
This is some of the most ass music I’ve ever heard. The 80s truly were a low point for society.
3/5
Each song has its own identity, but they are all just repeat the same riff the entire time. Would work better in a funky soul playlist than as a straight album listen.
Ice Cube
2/5
It was fun to get this album so soon after Dre’s The Chronic. Dre’s production on that album is so much more unique compared to this very generic effort. The more serious, societal focus of the lyrics is admirable, but it comes off as inauthentic.
The Cars
2/5
This sounds like it’s too focused on seeming fun and upbeat, and it comes across as insincere. It’s like they were specifically making it to be used in cheesy movies. Very unmemorable.
Bob Marley & The Wailers
4/5
Such chill vibes. Love the reggae instrumentation, with very simple drums, the off-beat guitar that is more percussive than melodic, and the bass and organ driving the melody in the instruments. Very unique sound when compared to most pop and rock.
Antony and the Johnsons
1/5
Tiny Tim?
Kraftwerk
2/5
Can’t imagine anyone listening to this seriously. Some nice sounds that are reminiscent of retro video games.
The Police
3/5
Very well-produced. Each instrument is crisp and clear and fills its sonic space fully while not overlapping with the other instruments.
Beyond the production though, the songs are a bit boring. They just sorta came up with one riff and repeated it for most of the song, while singing lyrics that lyrics that sound like 8th grade poetry.
The Jam
2/5
I refuse to believe this isn’t a parody project created by Fred Armisen.
English Rose is a beautiful song though.
Manic Street Preachers
5/5
Completely beyond surprised by how much I loved this. The influences of metal, punk, and goth all come together to create a perfectly balanced album, flowing from the chromatic riffage of metal to the rapid power chords of punk and the quiet emotion of goth. Many songs make clever use of guitar and vocal effects and digital recording techniques, while others stick to the classic sounds of punk. The lyrical content is deep while not seeming too pretentious or naïve. I loved each song more than the last and wanted to relisten to the album later the same day.
Radiohead
2/5
A couple decent songs, but most of the songs are just a 1 bar riff repeated ad nauseam with the singer whining over the top of it. There’s no memorable hook, no powerful bridge, no dynamic changes in most of the songs.
Thin Lizzy
3/5
Very generic 70s hard rock. No reason to listen to this album over anything else of the genre.
Queen
4/5
Some truly incredible songs, and some kinda shit songs. The good songs are so good you kinda forget the silly little songs are even there.
Ghostface Killah
2/5
Pretty generic sample-heavy hip hop. I much prefer when there’s a written synth line or when the samples have been so chopped up that they aren’t recognizable. This is just straightforward samples under pretty straightforward bars. Way too long too.
Michael Jackson
5/5
Now this is a proper album! All the songs feel unique, but still feel like they belong together. MJ’s voice is so good, and the layered vocal harmonies make it feel even more powerful. The auxiliary percussion abounds and makes each song’s beat feel deep and groovy. Perfectly produced, with fun, beautiful songs; what else could one ask for from an album?
Abdullah Ibrahim
2/5
Pretty standard jazz. Doesn’t have as much of that African flair that I was hoping for. Feels like it’s missing a certain element to make it unique.
Jefferson Airplane
2/5
Feels more like a parody of 60s music than a real coherent album. Everything muddled by too much reverb. Very overrated.
Various Artists
4/5
Didn’t think a Christmas album could be much more than overly-sentimental schlock, but this is some genuine fun. Will become an annual holiday listen for sure.
Brian Eno
3/5
A couple great sorta funky songs, but also a couple stinkers. I appreciate the ingenuity of using loops and samples, but I hate when a loop is only a couple seconds long. It gets tired QUICK
Mylo
2/5
Pretty bad Daft Punk dupe.
Dexys Midnight Runners
2/5
Some songs sound like they’re being sung by a drunk uncle, others are fine. A bunch of random talking in a couple songs, which is always annoying. Best song was a ripoff of Warren Zevon.
The Stone Roses
3/5
Pretty generic rock. Not really much to say about it.
The White Stripes
4/5
Great record. Almost every song is memorable and recognizable. The sparse instrumentation gives it a unique sound that no other band can fulfill.
Mott The Hoople
3/5
Kinda just makes you wish you were listening to Bowie.
The Stooges
2/5
Very simple and sloppy. The kind of music you make with your first band when you’re 14 years old.
Gil Scott-Heron
4/5
Politically charged lyrics that feel deep and meaningful where so many others just feel cringey. The music has a nice free flowing feel.
Talking Heads
4/5
Very fun album that manages to be fun without feeling too fake or poppy. All the songs are kind of the same pace and feeling though.
Motörhead
3/5
As a metal fan, my peers are always fawning over Motörhead, but I just don’t get it. They fall in this middle ground between rock and metal that leaves you wanting more. Most of the songs have very simple, forgettable riffs. Ace of Spades is of course the standout song, the rest are just meh.
The Magnetic Fields
4/5
Very pleasantly surprised by this one. I figured with 69 songs, there’d be a lot of stinkers, but not a bad song here! The songs all manage to have a unique identity, while all still sounding coherent. Great album to put on in the background at a party and not have to worry about finding something new to play in 40 minutes.
Donovan
3/5
Maybe the most late-60s thing I’ve heard.
The Who
3/5
The radio format of this is a definite a gimmick that distracts from the “real” songs on the album. This album does not highlight the members as the instrumental virtuosos they are known to be. The songs are pretty basic.
The Doors
5/5
Every song is great. The music and lyrics play together perfectly. The heavy focus on the organ gives The Doors a unique leg up on a lot of the other classic 60s psychedelic rock stuff.
Iron Maiden
4/5
Pretty great early metal. Not a fan of the operatic, vibrato vocals that Iron Maiden brings to the table, but the heavy featuring of Steve Harris on bass makes up for that shortcoming.
Emmylou Harris
1/5
Probably one of the most boring things I’ve ever heard. Every song just sounds like endless vamping, and you’re left waiting for the song to properly start every time.
Public Enemy
3/5
Pretty standard hip hop. The political messaging feels authentic, but I always want at least a little levity when I listen to rap.
Stan Getz
3/5
Decent music, but each song is pretty much indistinguishable from any other.
Violent Femmes
5/5
Such a unique sound that was so far ahead of its time. This feels like a 90s album, despite nearly being a 70s album. The sparse, mostly acoustic instrumentation allows for a more raw feeling, that plays into the album’s heavily emotional themes.
Cream
2/5
A couple decent songs, but the album is mixed so terribly that it’s tough to listen to. The drums sound as if they were recorded through a brick wall, lacking any treble. Meanwhile, the guitar fuzz has way too much treble.
Bruce Springsteen
4/5
Great songs, very well produced. The songs do get a bit samey outside of the hits, though.
Grizzly Bear
3/5
Pretty standard 2010s indie pop. Takes itself too seriously. Two Weeks is the obvious standout.
Bad Company
3/5
Quintessential 70s rock. Very well produced, but the songwriting is lacking. Plus, the guy’s voice sounds like the whole Creed/Pearl Jam thing 25 years before it happened.
Billy Joel
5/5
I always thought BJ was kinda cheesy, but after listening to a proper full album, I have changed my tune. He’s a legit musical heavyweight. Vienna is one of the very best piano songs out there.
Beastie Boys
4/5
Great album with disparate influences that all coincide to make a complete piece. It’s tough to mix hardcore punk, jazz, and rap all together and have it work out, but the Boys pull it off and manage to give everything the same kind of attitude that ties it all together.
3/5
The contrast with the chaos really makes those brief moments of harmony feel much sweeter. The drums are way too boomy, and make pretty much the entire album sound bad.
Jungle Brothers
3/5
Pretty different vibe than any of the other rap that I’ve listened to from this list thus far. It’s jazzier, funkier, more lo-fi. Lacking any recognizable hooks.
The Streets
2/5
Lots of VERY off-time rapping. Is it intended to sound amateurish and shitty? I really can’t tell.
I do appreciate the narrative nature of the album, so it’s at least interesting enough to warrant an extra star for that.
Radiohead
2/5
Another Radiohead album down, yet I still feel like I haven’t heard a song. Still baffling that people go gaga over this shit.
AC/DC
3/5
A bit repetitive, but actually a lot of fun. Simple songs, high-flying vocals, catchy melodies.
Ella Fitzgerald
2/5
So many slow songs. Lovely instrumentation throughout though.
Joanna Newsom
1/5
Absolutely atrocious. Every song sounds like it’s being made up on the fly. Terrible vocals. Just the worst.
Arcade Fire
1/5
I was just hoping for some sort of melody or hook or something, but, alas, it’s just looping shit with whining vocals, like Radiohead.
The Allman Brothers Band
3/5
Very impressive musicianship on display here. Opens with the two worst tracks, which are mostly standard blues fare. The rest of the songs are more exciting. Definitely leaves you wanting a nice structured 3-minute song.
The Kinks
4/5
One of the very few albums I’ve heard that sounds close to the mid-period Beatles. The lyrics are all a bit too nostalgia-ridden.
Nirvana
4/5
Some great interpretations of great songs, but the sloppiness and dead air between tracks really take away from the whole experience. A lot of people will probably find those things charming, but they’re just not good.
Meat Puppets
2/5
Shoulda left these songs to Nirvana, smdh
Ride
3/5
Upon learning that this was “shoegaze”, I thought I’d hate it, but it ended up being fine. It bridges the gap between the post-punk sounds of the 80s and the grunge sounds of the 90s. I’m not a fan of either of those genres, so it ends up being pretty meh.
Radiohead
5/5
Absolutely baffling that a band can put out this masterpiece of an album, and then put out trash like the other albums of theirs that I’ve been served thus far. It’s like at some point they forgot how to write melody, how to sing, how to write chord changes, it’s just insane. Every song here is excellent.
Willie Nelson
3/5
I love Willie Nelson and the whole outlaw country thing, but this album is a noted departure from that style. I can see the appeal, but for me, it's far too light. Very reminiscent of easy-listening elevator music. Still some great arrangements of the songs though.
Louis Prima
4/5
Very high energy. Makes you wanna bust out dancing. Extremely well-produced for how old it is. An album that is mostly carried on fun alone.
The Black Crowes
3/5
Absolutely generic rock. Not much to say about it.
Tori Amos
2/5
Way too piano-forward. This is one of those albums that makes you kinda wonder who it’s for. I can’t picture the type of person who wants to hear this. Happy Phantom is a good song though.
3/5
The hit songs are the only ones with any sense of dynamics. Every other song just picks a tone and sticks with it for the whole 3 minutes. Pretty generic rock
U2
3/5
Some interesting sounds and melodies, but mostly generic rock. The production on most of the songs sounds super thin, with the bass having almost no body to it at all.
Gene Clark
4/5
The best songs here were the more country-sounding ones. The title track was genuinely annoying with its repeated riff.
Beastie Boys
3/5
There are a few songs here that I really enjoy, but most of the album features beats that feel too thin. A lot of the beats are just drum machine, with no interesting samples or synths to accompany the percussion.
Funkadelic
2/5
Extremely overrated. A lot of noise, very little funk. Probably one of the shittiest album openers of all time.
Queen
3/5
Some songs nearly bordering on heavy metal, which is cool, but they all seem so unfocused. Every song has like 6 different sections and they’re impossible to follow. You can never get into a groove.
Talking Heads
3/5
Couple good funky songs, but the production feels so thin. No bass frequencies to speak of. Drums too loud, and always playing the same beat in every song.
The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion
1/5
Sounds like someone asked a first gen generative AI to create a White Stripes album. Pretty trash.
Grant Lee Buffalo
2/5
Extremely generic rock. Choruses repeat way too many times in some songs. Idk how anyone would ever be in the mood to listen to this.
TV On The Radio
2/5
Who is this for? It’s like techno-infused rock that doesn’t make you wanna dance.
Steely Dan
4/5
Incredible musicianship on display. Very chill, funky vibes. My only knock against it is that it is a bit TOO chill. There’s really only one mood that this goes with.
Taylor Swift
3/5
After listening to this, I can really see the appeal of Taylor Swift. Her lyrics are very simple, but portray a kind of bittersweet nostalgia that could really resonate with someone who has had the same kind of experiences. The music is pop as pop can be, with some songs harkening back to 80s synth pop, while others feel like the dirty pop of the 2000s.
So it’s all very good if it’s what you’re into, but it’s just not for me.
Lorde
3/5
Standard female indie pop stuff. Liability is the standout song, and makes you wish for a more piano rock kind of album.
Tom Waits
4/5
There are a couple stinkers here that sound like legit goblin music, but then there are some softer songs where Tom doesn’t play up the raspy voice schtick, and those tunes are just sublime.
The Cure
4/5
Man, idk how this band went from this wonderfully produced album to the trash that was Pornography. A lot of the songs have this subtly sinister energy that is harder to create than something that just sounds outright evil. I also appreciate that they don’t overuse the synthesizer. Definitely could have used more memorable vocal hooks.
Joni Mitchell
4/5
Very unique blend of folk and jazz. Lots of excellent musicianship on display. Really missing some memorable vocal hooks/choruses. The vocals just sorta ramble and the melody feels like it’s being made up on the spot.
Miles Davis
3/5
The second track is miles ahead of the first track, so it averages out to be pretty meh
Metallica
5/5
A total riff-fest. Leaves you wanting more, despite how long it is. Each song feels like it takes you on a real journey. Killer production that keeps everything clear while being heavily distorted.
a-ha
2/5
Couple decent songs, but mostly a lot of synths and programmed drums. If you’re doing synths and programmed drums, why make the most basic, boring music imaginable?
Van Morrison
2/5
I love Brown-Eyed Girl and Moondance from Van Morrison, so I was really hoping like this, but it’s not quite there. The lyrics are rambling, he does his raspy scream way too much, and the instrumentals vacillate between too boring and too jazzy and weird.
Tears For Fears
3/5
I really wish the guy didn’t sing in that stupid fake crooner voice.
Kendrick Lamar
2/5
Man, talk about overrated. I’ve heard nothing but raves for this for the past 10+ years, and this is it? You don’t need to put a voicemail skit into every single song, dude. You’d think in a genre defined so much by rhythm, that the rapping would actually be on beat, but I guess not.
The Young Gods
1/5
Utterly disconnected album. The only through-line is the wannabe Tom Waits vocalist’s constant grumbling. Almost unlistenable.
The Sonics
4/5
Great songs performed with rawness and high energy, what more could you ask for? It made me dream of being a kid in the 60s and having bands like this performing at parties.
Brian Eno
4/5
Very rarely is an artist able create something wholly novel that also feels like it should naturally exist, but Eno’s creation of ambient music does exactly that. It’s not some obscure, avant-garde creation that few can appreciate, but a genre that serves a purpose and excels at it. This is music that anyone can hear and appreciate at any level, totally fulfilling the goal of creating music as forgettable as it is engaging. The story behind the album is more interesting than the album in a vacuum.
Dire Straits
5/5
One of the greatest guitar records ever made. Every song has a unique vibe, but the album is tied together by the intricate guitar work and gravelly vocals. Sultans of Swing stays one of the best songs of all time.
The Cure
3/5
Splits the difference between Seventeen Seconds and Pornography. A few snappy, catchy tunes, with Lullaby standing out as the best song on the album. But also a few overly-echoey, garbled moan-fests that I wanted to skip.
CHIC
4/5
Great album to listen to as a bassist. Every song has a great groove, but all do get a bit repetitive.
3/5
This starts out pretty good, feeling almost like a modernized version of classic Bowie stuff. But it pretty quickly wears out it’s welcome, and then there’s 20 more minutes of music after that. They really could have edited this down into something special.
Country Joe & The Fish
4/5
Good songs with some unique sounds and effects that add to the experience.
Prince
3/5
The drum machine songs are quite repetitive and kinda annoying, but the tunes with the live band are absolutely killer. Really would have worked better as two separate albums as opposed to a double LP.
Blondie
2/5
This late-70s/early-80s “new wave” wannabe punk stuff is always the most underwhelming music. Not a single memorable melody in the bunch.
Jamiroquai
4/5
Funky jams!
Fela Kuti
3/5
Feels a bit unpolished compared to the other Fela Kuti I’ve listened to from this list so far (Zombie). Ginger Baker didn’t really bring anything important to the table.
Sly & The Family Stone
2/5
Some songs sound so terribly low-quality that they’re almost unlistenable. Basically missing everything that you want from a funk/soul album.
Jethro Tull
2/5
Not really sure who this is for. Half the songs border on heavy metal, and half border on fairytale folk music. None of the harder songs have any consistent beat, and rely heavily on toms, which has always sounded bad.
Lauryn Hill
3/5
Really don’t get the hype for this. Pretty standard hip hop stuff.
Morrissey
1/5
How is a 45 year old man not embarrassed about these “I’m 14 and this is deep” lyrics? Or the fact that they’re sung over the most generic music ever written. It’s an absolute joke that this clown is as popular and enduring as he has been.
Primal Scream
2/5
Some of the dub songs were chill and nice, but a lot the other songs were just terrible noise.
Laibach
1/5
The political messaging is intriguing, but the music is utter shit.
Van Morrison
5/5
Every song here is great. It seamlessly blends low-key folkiness with the vocal energy of soul. This is perfect music for kicking back with a beer in the dog days of summer.
Eagles
4/5
Well written, well performed, and very well produced, but is missing a certain something to make it unique and interesting amongst a sea of generic dad rock.
Fishbone
3/5
Very fun 90s vibe with tons of energy, but no real memorable tunes.
Throwing Muses
1/5
A big theme for Gen X is being a slacker and just generally not giving a fuck. But there’s a big difference between a band that appears to not give a fuck but is actually an extremely talented group of people, and this album, which genuinely sounds like the members did not give a fuck about learning their instruments or music in general.
DJ Shadow
4/5
Great chill-out album. The warm hiss of spinning vinyl permeates every moment.
The Band
3/5
Cripple Creek is a great song, but the non-hits are all extremely forgettable. Was really hoping to like this.
Beatles
5/5
What a fitting end to the Beatles’ recording career. Songwriting and musicianship on full display. Perfect variety of styles to represent and showcase each member of the group. Innovative recording techniques. Just perfect.
Hookworms
3/5
Very generic indie pop. Not much to say about it. Totally fine.
My Bloody Valentine
4/5
It seems like a lot of bands in this list have tried to emulate the sound of this album, but have somehow completely missed the mark and come off as inauthentic. This feels very real and raw and emotional, and at the same time, manages to present an interesting soundscape to go along with it. The overdriven guitars create such a huge sound, and the use of samples in some of the songs lends an eerie tone.
John Lee Hooker
2/5
This feels like it’s missing a lot of the passion that makes the blues what it is. I think this is a case of people praising something just because of the legacy of the artist, and not the quality of the work itself. It’s a legacy album.
The Killers
2/5
If the whole album was danceable like “Somebody Told Me”, this might be decent, but it’s just mostly bad and forgettable.
Songhoy Blues
2/5
The best songs are the one that lean more “African” and less “blues”, but overall, they’re all too repetitive. Unfortunately, that leaves us with half a decent album, and half forgettable.
Led Zeppelin
3/5
This album is like a shit sandwich, but the shit is actually the bread while the middle is delicious. Celebration Day would have made an excellent album opener.
The Smiths
2/5
Morrisey as at his usual shitty level, sounding like he’s making up the words and melody as he goes along. The funky bass lines and catchy guitar hooks keep this from being a complete travesty.
Beatles
4/5
It may sound like sacrilege, but I find this album overrated among The Beatles’ releases. George kinda ruins it with all his sitars and droning. Throw in another couple songs in the vein of For No One and I’m Only Sleeping, and you have yourself a masterpiece, but as it stands, there are a couple songs here that I would skip, so it can’t get all 5 stars.
The Prodigy
2/5
Not at all for me. The distorted sounds take away from the “danceability” of the tracks.
Coldplay
2/5
If you like Coldplay, I don’t trust you. This is the most generic shit ever. NPC music to its very core.
Lloyd Cole And The Commotions
2/5
So forgettable, I can’t even remember if I listened to it.
Stevie Wonder
4/5
When the songs hit, they really hit, but this is way too long. Could definitely cut at least 2 songs, and eliminate some of the overly long codas that are in nearly every song. Sir Duke stays one of the greatest songs ever though. Contusion is an awesome prog jazz fusion thing. I Wish is an absolute bop.
Deee-Lite
2/5
A lot of very repetitive songs, but this album is meant to be danced to, not listened to, so I can forgive it slightly. Groove Is in The Heart is by far the best song on the album. It’s the only one that has a nice thick bass tone
Moby
2/5
Man, Moby wasn’t kidding when he said he stacked the back half of this album with songs to put you to sleep. I thought the album was fine in the first half, but that kinda ruined the whole experience. I enjoyed the unique synthesis of old recordings with modern digital sequencing in the first few songs, but it just goes so downhill after that.
Björk
2/5
Björk clearly has and amazing voice and a flair for the unique and dramatic, but the phony electronic sounds on a lot of the album really detract from the experience.
Mudhoney
2/5
Utterly forgettable. More 60s inspired than a lot of the other grunge I’ve heard.
Le Tigre
3/5
I usually hate this kind of stuff, but this was pretty good.
The Byrds
5/5
Just pure Americana goodness. Nothing bad to say about it.
Beck
4/5
Great variety of songs, each with unique sounds and tones.
Paul McCartney and Wings
5/5
Great songs from one of the greatest songwriters of our day. Immaculate production.
The Slits
1/5
Hot take, but I don’t think people who can’t play their instruments should be putting out records
The The
3/5
One of the few synthy 80s albums I’ve heard that doesn’t sound completely soulless. You can feel the passion here. The songs all blend together, though, and there are no real memorable hooks.
Arctic Monkeys
2/5
A lot of incoherent British rambling. They’re trying to be high energy while not being exciting or danceable. The best parts of the album are the couple slower parts where you can actually understand what’s going on.
Funkadelic
3/5
This is more like what I would expect from a band called “Funkadelic”! Maggot Brain is hardly funky at all, and feels more like experimental rock, but this has some nice funk to it.
Supergrass
3/5
Some nice high energy songs with plenty of variety. Nothing really stuck out though.
Mekons
1/5
Who is this for? Atrocious singing. Instruments sound like they’re coming out of a Casio keyboard.
808 State
2/5
Some chill PlayStation game menu vibes, but not much substance.
The Byrds
2/5
The vocal harmonies here were just made for country, but they insist on playing all this psychedelic crap. Gram Parsons was the best thing to happen to this band.
Kanye West
4/5
This could have easily been a 5-star if some of the fat was removed. “Runaway” alone almost makes up for some of the mediocre songs.
Elliott Smith
2/5
Another case of a lot of people liking an artist because of the circumstances of his death. Just a bunch of whining over some very uninspired instrumentals
Stevie Wonder
3/5
Some great tunes between a bunch of slow, boring ballads.
Nirvana
5/5
Incredible vocal melodies delivered with an effortless rasp. Engaging instrumentals that bring new and interesting chord progressions into what is usually a by-the-numbers genre. Just an all-around amazing album that really works as a collection of masterfully-written, varied yet cohesive songs.
Fatboy Slim
2/5
The sampling and chopping is great fun, but it gets tired pretty quickly.
Black Sabbath
3/5
Missing a lot of the darkness and rawness that I love in the very early Sabbath. This is trending a bit more in the direction of Les Zeppelin, which might be good for some, but not for me.
The Beach Boys
3/5
One of the most overrated albums ever. Sloop John B is the best song, by far. A lot of the other songs are very forgettable.
Holger Czukay
4/5
Very pleasantly surprised by this artist that I’ve never heard of! The music is sorta ethereal in the way that it’s very jammy and formless, with a variety of sounds in each song.
Os Mutantes
3/5
Some cool instrument choices, and a psychedelic sound that goes beyond the usual mountains of reverb and legato delivery. Wish I could understand the lyrics!
Janelle Monáe
4/5
One of the few hour-long albums I’ve listened to so far that didn’t feel way too long. Great, catchy songs that all feel connected, yet sound quite different.
Michael Jackson
4/5
Funky jams, but not quite as funky as Off The Wall, a bit more pop- and rock-focused. Still, incredible number of hits for one album, incredible production, songwriting and vocals are on point. Just missing a bit of a soul.
Jimmy Smith
3/5
Pretty chill as background music, but nothing here that really demands your attention. The first track is a nice combination of jazz and blues.
Dr. John
1/5
I love Dr. John’s hits, but this album is just ass. Most of the tracks are more like chants than actual songs, and the recording sounds like pure crap.
Orbital
1/5
Most of the songs sound like a kid playing on a Casio keyboard. There’s one cool kinda industrial metal-ish song, but it lasts for about 30 seconds.
Bad Brains
3/5
I only knew Bad Brains as punk. Didn’t realize they started doing crossover/metal stuff. Would have been way better with a different vocalist.
Willie Nelson
5/5
None of the songs really stand out on their own, but as a collective unit, it is a beautiful saga, with intimate instrumentation and soulful performance.
The Rolling Stones
3/5
Pretty generic rock. Absolutely crazy that people put this band on the same level as The Beatles.
Culture Club
2/5
If you like the whole 80s vibe, you’ll love this, but there’s really nothing of substance here.
The Waterboys
2/5
All the songs kinda blended together.
Nitin Sawhney
2/5
The blend of pop music with South Asian sounds was pretty interesting, but nothing really stuck with me.
John Lennon
3/5
“Imagine” is one of the most beautiful songs ever written, and if you think it’s naïve, you’re wrong and an ass. But it’s not enough to save the album. Half the songs go on for way too long and the album leaves you wanting for some of that signature Lennon non sequitur.
Al Green
3/5
Great sound, great voice, just gets a bit repetitive, even despite its short runtime.
Fred Neil
2/5
This guy’s voice is pretty whack. Sounds like John Daker at times.
CHIC
3/5
Great sound. The piano, bass, and guitar all work flawlessly together. The songs just last way too long and get so repetitive.
The Beach Boys
3/5
Honestly liked this more than Pet Sounds. The production sounds less muddy because there’s like 1 layer less of overdubs.
Blur
3/5
It really feels like this dude is pushing as hard as possible to sing with the most obnoxious London accent possible. That aside, it’s pretty good variety of sounds that form a coherent album of songs.
Hugh Masekela
4/5
This is exactly what I want from jazz. Perfect balance of written riffs and improvisation, with a variety of instruments features across the tracks.
Elbow
2/5
Every song is just slow moaning with a bunch of reverb. You can tell the album was recorded very well, but it’s just wasted on this.
Iron Butterfly
4/5
I only knew the title track, which is excellent and epic, but the first half of the album is great too! It’s the good kind of “psychedelic” that isn’t just reverb and harpsichords.
Air
3/5
Very chill stuff with a nice variety of sounds and textures.
Derek & The Dominos
4/5
Incredible guitar work. Layla has gotta be up there as one of the greatest songs ever.
4/5
Bowie is such a good frontman. The way he sings and the words he chooses all the listener to get a real feel for his intelligence and charisma just by hearing him. That said, this album does leave you wanting a bit more variety in tone and instrumentation.
The La's
2/5
Pretty generic rock, absolutely lacking any hook or edge.
The Doors
4/5
Despite featuring my 2 favorite Doors songs, this album as a whole really doesn’t hit like their debut album. Still excellent.
Stephen Stills
3/5
They really put their worst foot forward with this one. The first few tracks are very generic blues rock, but the rest of the songs are nice, folksy tunes that work a lot better. Still way too long.
OutKast
3/5
I get that it’s a double album, but I don’t get why it had to be 2 1-hour+ albums, instead of 2 45-minute albums. It just goes on too long. Great and not so great songs on both discs.
Snoop Dogg
3/5
Great chill-out album, but not so great in most other contexts
Bob Dylan
4/5
Nice variety of tones and tempos, with lyrics that draw you in. Makes me excited to listen to more Dylan
Pantera
4/5
About as brutal as you can get before you start to weird the normies out. Every instrument is tight as hell, with the performances aided by the snappy production. Vocals are also killer.
Elvis Costello
2/5
Very sloppy performance and production. No memorable songs. At least there’s a nice energy behind it.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
3/5
A marked improvement from the previous album. This one actually sounds like it was recorded by musicians and professionals, and features sone actually memorable tunes. Still comes off as generic and doesn’t really feel like it has an identity.
Little Richard
3/5
Great energy, but all the songs end up blending together.
Pink Floyd
5/5
One of the few albums that truly feels like a complete experience. It’s not just a collection of songs like so many others. The production is top-notch, and there’s a great variety of sounds and tones.
The Smashing Pumpkins
3/5
Totally bloated. The good songs are all diluted by forgettable ones. The singer has great clean vocals and amazing screams, but instead chooses to sing in this zone between the two that just comes out as nasally and is very difficult to take seriously.
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
3/5
Only a single memorable hook on the whole album. Seems like they’re too preoccupied with the harmonies to actually write interesting melody.
Pixies
2/5
The first song sounds like surf rock, the second song is practically black metal. Then the rest of the songs are just so forgettable and generic.
Amy Winehouse
3/5
Songs are decent, but I really don’t get why she gets so much praise. It’s not like she arranged the songs and everything.
A Tribe Called Quest
3/5
Some very chill beats, but the songs get a bit same-y after a while.
The Fall
1/5
Absolute ass. Way too much repetition. Very bad production.
The Saints
2/5
The first song gives you hope for maybe hearing something unique or interesting, but it ends up just being this dude shouting in British for the rest of the record.
Nine Inch Nails
1/5
Reading the wiki on this album is far more enjoyable than actually listening to it.
Franz Ferdinand
2/5
Nothing here stands out from all the other indie stuff that was coming out around the same time.
Miriam Makeba
3/5
Nice to hear something different for a change, but I can’t see myself going back to this.
Pixies
1/5
Bad production, poor musicianship, whining vocals. Bad stuff.
Christina Aguilera
2/5
She’s got a great voice, but definitely overdoes it a bit. A lot of the songs sound very similar.
Fleetwood Mac
5/5
The first five tracks represent perhaps the greatest opening run of tracks of all time. Every song on the album has its own identity, while still feeling cohesive as a whole. Every vocalist and every instrument are perfect. Production is immaculate.
Common
3/5
Chill hip hop that still maintains an edge.
Morrissey
2/5
The first Morrissey/Smiths thing I’ve listened to that was just kinda bad, as opposed to abject garbage.
David Bowie
5/5
Great songs. Love the piano sound. Bowie’s voice is amazing. Nothing here to not like.
Paul Simon
4/5
Very typical Paul Simon sound, but no real standout song to note.
Adele
2/5
Great vocals and melodies, but they are out over the most generic instrumental arrangements imaginable.
R.E.M.
2/5
They really just pick one dynamic level and stick with it for the whole song. Very little variety.
Doves
3/5
Very 2000s indie. Lots of reverb and shimmery sounds. Nothing really stands out.
Simon & Garfunkel
4/5
Some of the greatest songs ever, but some others just feel like filler. Very close to 5 stars, but just misses the mark.
Kraftwerk
2/5
Some interesting sounds, but way too repetitive. Albums like this make me wonder, who is this for? Who is putting this on in their car and jamming along?
Curtis Mayfield
2/5
All the songs blend together. Some nice chillness to it, but too one-note to maintain interest.
Soundgarden
4/5
I’m a grunge hater, but this was so good. The intervals and progressions they use really go beyond the basic “grunge” stuff and actually come close to being progressive rock. 70 minutes flew by.
Silver Jews
3/5
Could have been a far better album if the guy could sing in tune.
Saint Etienne
1/5
Such a forgettable album, I’m not sure if I actually listened to it or not.
Sonic Youth
1/5
Shit like this is what makes Gen Z the absolute worst.
Fiona Apple
3/5
Pretty boring piano music, but very well-produced. Just very forgettable.
Portishead
3/5
The OG lofi beats to relax and study to
Deerhunter
3/5
These guys really wish they wrote Rubber Soul
John Grant
5/5
My favorite thing I’ve heard from this project so far (about 250 albums). The lyrics are quirky and darkly humorous and poetic and touching. The instrumentations range from folksy guitars to Beatlesque piano to synths, and they’re all incredible. Just brilliant in every way.
Barry Adamson
2/5
Some interesting variety, but it seems like Mr. Adam son was too focused on creating that variety instead of creating some good songs.
Radiohead
3/5
Some interesting stuff going on, but also a lot of the Radiohead staples of boring loops and whining.
Jimi Hendrix
3/5
All the songs kinda blend together. Hendrix is definitely a “greatest hits” kinda group.
Sonic Youth
3/5
Better than the last Sonic Youth album we listened to, but Gen X is still the worst generation for music.
Janis Joplin
3/5
Bobby McGee is an excellent song, obviously, but the other ones all kinda blend together.
Depeche Mode
2/5
The 80s really had the worst pop music of any decade.
Supertramp
3/5
Pretty forgettable. They hadn’t learned to make super catchy tunes yet, but I know they’ll get there.
Jeff Buckley
1/5
This is another one of these that just confuses me. Who is this for? Who puts on this generic crap and rocks out to it?
Can
2/5
I’m sure this was a blast to create, but it’s a chore to listen to. Jam bands should never record.
Baaba Maal
2/5
The vibes are continuously killed by the terrible synth sounds.
The Flying Burrito Brothers
4/5
Some great, non-traditional country tunes.
Black Sabbath
5/5
It’s so refreshing to listen to a band doing something completely unbeholden to prior conventions. This could have easily been another blues rock snore-fest, but the way they focused on riffs and tone gave it a completely unique sound that spawned an entirely new genre. Every member of the band is playing at max capacity on their instrument, and Ozzy’s unique voice is like the cherry on top.
Alanis Morissette
3/5
A few good songs and a lot of utterly forgettable songs. Trim the fat, and you’d have yourself a great album.
Sparks
3/5
Decent songs, but the vocals are terrible. Rapid-fire syllables, buried in the mix, with strange enunciation, makes for utterly incomprehensible lyrics.
Manu Chao
2/5
Another one of those albums that makes me wonder, who on earth is listening to this? Just a bunch of drum machines.
Simon & Garfunkel
4/5
A collection of short, catchy tunes, on a sub-30 minute album. Wonderful harmonies, as always.
Talking Heads
4/5
Great, danceable songs, with a quirky delivery.
David Bowie
4/5
I understand what they were trying to do with the 2 sides of the record contrasting in style, but I think this is one of those rare records that should be listened to on SHUFFLE. Hearing the snippets of rock songs in between the long ambient tunes would give the album a nice flow from song to song. “Alluring” is the best word I can use to describe this one.
Carpenters
3/5
I didn’t like the mix on this at all. It sounded so thin, like it was ran through an AM radio. Songs were all pretty forgettable, besides Close To You, which I heard everywhere growing up. The 70s were such a strange time for pop music.
Bill Callahan
4/5
Some nice, folk-inspired indie tunes, with some unique sounds thrown in. Chill vibe.
Mercury Rev
3/5
These guys wanna be the Beatles so bad.
Prince
4/5
Liked this much better than the other Prince we listened to so far. Purple Rain is a perfectly epic album closer, and the initial run of songs kicks the album off with high energy.
OutKast
3/5
Just like the last OutKast album we listened to, this is way too long. Cut out the skits and interludes (BREAK), and cut 1 or 2 songs and you’d have a great album. As it stands, mid
Drive Like Jehu
4/5
So many riffs! And so many unique chord progressions. Every new section of each song was like a nice surprise.
Happy Mondays
1/5
The only good part of the album is when they rip off Lady Marmalade for one line.
Bee Gees
4/5
Pleasantly surprised by this! Lovely songs, very well produced. Definitely has me interested to hear more Bee Gees
Aretha Franklin
4/5
Great songs, great voice, classic soul sound. Not much to dislike here.
Sigur Rós
2/5
Radiohead and its consequences have been a complete disaster for the music industry.
The Pogues
4/5
Never really understood the “punk” classification of this band. This album is 100% Irish folk, and it’s totally awesome. Great songs.
The Libertines
2/5
“My favorite genre of music is when it sounds like no one cares about what they’re playing,” said no one, ever.
1/5
Man, who listens to this?
Led Zeppelin
4/5
Alright, who was gonna tell me that Zep’s best song was a random deep cut from Physical Graffiti called “In The Light”? Great variety of songs compared to some of the earlier Zeppelin albums.
Pink Floyd
3/5
Too many long, slow instrumental sections. Wish you Were Here is a good song, but also the only one that’s way too short.
Screaming Trees
2/5
Forgettable. Boring. Generic. So many albums that sound just like this on this list.
Lenny Kravitz
1/5
This is so much worse than I thought it would be. It’s got the wimpiest, flattest mixing, but the dude is doing his best Prince imitation with horrible, screeching vocals.
Billy Bragg
3/5
Was really excited when I read about the concept of the album, but it ends up just being pretty meh.
Michael Kiwanuka
3/5
Every song hits the same slow, soulful tone. Would have liked a couple more funky, upbeat songs thrown in to add some variety.
T. Rex
3/5
Was really hoping for more out of this. It’s got that Bowie feeling that I love, but none of the unique melodic decisions that Bowie comes up with. All the songs end up sounding very samey, and the hushed vocals get tiring quick.
Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan
1/5
The only album in this projects I far that I couldn’t finish. They just pick one best and repeat it for like 8 minutes. So bad.
Deep Purple
4/5
The organ tone is so good. The musicianship on every instrument is killer. Great riffs, great songs.
Fairport Convention
2/5
This shit belongs in the background in a Wes Anderson movie
The Offspring
3/5
The biggest hit of the album is the one song that doesn’t sound like every other song, which makes sense. Dude’s voice gets tiring after 2 songs.
Iggy Pop
3/5
I can see why this was having a resurgence in the 00s, it sounds just like every indie rock band from that era. Decent variety of tunes.
Todd Rundgren
4/5
Pretty great! With the big exception of the ear-piercing glockenspiel in the last song, and the alien dog fight.
Tom Waits
2/5
Terrible voice, repetitive songs, yet there is something strangely alluring about it that prevents it from being 100% ass
The Who
4/5
Much better than some of the more straightforward rock albums of The Who that we’ve listened to previously. Great songs with memorable melodies that still maintain that hard rockin’ edge.
Nas
3/5
Quintessential rap. Nothing about it really sticks out.
Stan Getz
2/5
The dry saxophone sound gave me chills in the worst way.
Dirty Projectors
3/5
Some very cool moments that border on math rock, but also a lot of generic sparkly 00s indie.
Stevie Wonder
3/5
Very well-produced and well-performed, but it feels like more than half the album is ballads. Just makes the whole thing feel like a downer, despite there being a couple great, high-energy songs.
Super Furry Animals
5/5
Very reminiscent of some of my favorite stuff: The Beatles, Tally Hall, They Might Be Giants. Every song is a great, and there's a huge variety in songs and sounds.
The Go-Go's
2/5
If you like the 80s sound, you’ll like this. I don’t, so…
Boston
3/5
Very cleanly produced and performed, but all the songs sound way too similar. The last song is the only one that ramps up the tempo past the unexciting mid tempo used on the rest of the album.
The Black Keys
2/5
How do you write an album this long and have every song sound the same? It’s all so thumpy and mid-tempo. Also, got very tired of the “retro” vocal effect after the 2nd song.
Rocket From The Crypt
4/5
Enjoyed this a lot more than I expected to! Great, high energy songs. Some interesting riffs and some unique sounds on a few songs.
Robbie Williams
2/5
For all the flashiness, it just ends up feeling soulless. And that bonus track is the most cringe thing I’ve ever heard.
Johnny Cash
3/5
As much as I love Johnny Cash, this record is just way too short on content, with long breaks between every song and one song being played twice.
Beatles
4/5
Very well-performed, with a few flashes of genius songwriting, but also a lot of mindless poppy boy-band lyrics with simple arrangements.
Arrested Development
2/5
Too long. Too many beats that sound like they were made in Guitar Pro. Very repetitive.
Jane's Addiction
2/5
Dude’s got the voice of an annoying twerp. Generic songs.
Khaled
3/5
Interesting blends of genres and sounds. Feels very nostalgic.
Jerry Lee Lewis
4/5
Totally infectious energy. Very nice audio quality for being a live recording from 60 years ago.
Sade
2/5
Nice sound, but every single song sounds exactly the same.
Green Day
3/5
Some nice melodies, but also some very cheesy lyrics. It's hard to take seriously at times.
Sly & The Family Stone
4/5
Some great jams! Honestly one of the few albums in this project so far that I felt was too short.
U2
2/5
Most generic rock music imaginable, as expected from U2.
Nick Drake
3/5
Love the chill, folksy vibe, but the vocal melodies really leave something to be desired. Not a single memorable hook to be found.
The Verve
2/5
More of that generic brit pop that the creator of this project loves so much. Very forgettable.
Megadeth
5/5
Can't get much better than this. Tight, fast, heavy, inventive riffs, impeccable production. Perfect.
Fun Lovin' Criminals
3/5
Genuinely surprised by how unique and varied this album is. Most of the rap albums we've had so far have been fairly repetitive.
Miles Davis
3/5
Very chill jazz. Brilliant musicianship, but it does all kind of blend together.
Massive Attack
2/5
Chill rap, but it all kinda blends together.
Kate Bush
3/5
Much better than the other Kate Bush we listened to on this project. The vocal hooks pull you in like they should, and the drum machine-based production feels more fleshed out.
The Stooges
2/5
Kinda like The Doors, but without any talent or interesting sounds.
Beatles
5/5
Strikes a perfect balance between simple, folksy pop, and the deep, innovative songwriting that The Beatles would develop in the years following this release. Not a single second of wasted runtime.
Korn
2/5
Repetitive riffs that often consist of just one or two notes, no memorable choruses to be found. The best part is when he goes “mmm dah dah eee dah dah eenadada”
Michael Jackson
4/5
If it wasn’t for the atrocious ballad track, this could have been a 5-star pop classic, but that song just drags the album down.
LCD Soundsystem
3/5
Some absolute crap and some moments of brilliance. On the whole, it averages out.
Hot Chip
4/5
Surprised by how much I liked this! Lots of nice sounds, melodies, and harmonies. Each song is distinct, while the album still feels coherent. Good stuff!
Laura Nyro
1/5
All the songs sound the same, with that terrible, warbly voice and far-too-quiet instrumentation. Wanted to turn it off.
The Rolling Stones
3/5
A couple good songs, but mostly forgettable stuff. Very sleazy sound.
The Dave Brubeck Quartet
4/5
Finally, some jazz that is interesting and really goes places! The opening track and Take Five are obvious highlights, but the chiller songs are a nice reprieve from the odd time signatures.
Beatles
5/5
Such variety, such masterful songwriting. Even songs that are considered amongst The Beatles’ worst are still fascinating to listen to and lend to the album’s enigmatic quality.
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
3/5
Lots of fun musical moments, but not a lot of substance.
The Chemical Brothers
1/5
Boring af. Doesn’t take advantage of electronic music production to do anything interesting at all.
Love
3/5
The songwriting on this album has far outpaced the playing abilities of the performers. Some of the guitar solos in the first and last tracks are legitimately ear-splitting to listen to. In the end, it all averages out to a meh album.
Marvin Gaye
4/5
The opening song is an absolute classic, and the rest of the songs are just as good.
Lynyrd Skynyrd
5/5
Every musician is a master of their instrument, every note is full of soul and necessary to the song. Tunes are catchy and inventive, with a nice variety of tempos and feels. Just a perfect album, front to back.
The Kinks
3/5
Some cool moments, but a lot of same-y songs.
D'Angelo
2/5
Sorry, Dunkey, this one’s not for me.
Yes
4/5
As a bass player, this is an excellent album to listen to. Not sure I would have enjoyed it as much as a layman, but I am what I am.
James Brown
2/5
Still haven’t had a live album in this project that has been worth the time. This period of James Brown just isn’t as iconic as his later 60s/early 70s output.
Joan Armatrading
2/5
Tracy Chapman owes her entire mediocre career to this woman.
Jacques Brel
1/5
Why is this on here? Dude isn’t even singing, just talking.
Quicksilver Messenger Service
2/5
Another live jam album. Sloppy playing and over-long tracks.
3/5
Another case of “these guys wish so badly that they could be the Beatles.” A couple decent songs.
Marvin Gaye
2/5
A lot of the songs are very meandering and unstructured. The songs that are structured aren’t good enough to save it.
Beatles
4/5
Incredible performances on vocals and instruments. Incredibly catchy songs.
The Sabres Of Paradise
1/5
Too long, too repetitive. You have the whole world of electronic music production at your fingertips and this is what you make? Such a waste.
Goldfrapp
3/5
Lovely voice. Some very nice sounds. Definitely a 2010s indie movie credits vibe.
Missy Elliott
3/5
Pretty standard hip hop. The title track is awesome, surprised I’d never heard it before.
Foo Fighters
3/5
I appreciate that there are some unique sounds and chord progressions here, but DG manages to take those assets and make them sound as generic as possible.
The Isley Brothers
4/5
Killer sound! Every song is so lush and layered with rhythm and harmony. Wanted it to be longer.
Nina Simone
3/5
Such a powerful voice. I wanted the songs to have a bit more energy so we could really hear her belt it out, but it only happens a couple times on this album. Most of the songs are low and slow, not my speed.
Pink Floyd
3/5
Some unique sounds and melodies separate this from the usual psychedelic crap that’s found on a lot of these 60s albums.
Milton Nascimento
2/5
Half the songs feel exactly the same. There are about 2 tracks that are worth listening to.
Neil Young
3/5
Couple good songs. Inconsistent sound throughout the album can be quite jarring.
Paul Simon
4/5
A handful of excellent songs and a couple forgettable ones.
Tom Waits
3/5
Some interesting sounds, but his voice is just too much. A couple good songs, but also a couple songs that were needlessly repetitive.
The Sugarcubes
1/5
Terrible in all senses. Instruments sound awful, vocals are meandering and out of tune. Just a waste of time.
Hanoi Rocks
2/5
One of the worst genres of music, but at least there’s some catchy choruses.
The Doors
4/5
A couple crappy songs keep this album from true greatness. Love the back-to-basics sound of it though, and I love Ray Manzerak on the honky tonk piano.
Joy Division
1/5
Could use a little more reverb…
1/5
Repetitive riffs and screechy vocals. Absolutely nothing interesting here.
Supergrass
3/5
Better britpop than any Oasis or Blur that I’ve listened to so far. Nice variety of sounds.
The Specials
4/5
Excellent variety of sounds and song tones, with a coherent through-line and consistent attitude. Nice big band sound with horns and organ adding layers to the classic rock instruments.
Johnny Cash
4/5
Some great songs. Give My Love To Rose made me cry. But there’s still just too much yapping between tracks for it to be a perfectly rated album.
Led Zeppelin
4/5
Stairway is undoubtedly one of the greatest songs ever written, but there are a couple stinkers on this album. Four Sticks is a terrible song.
Marty Robbins
5/5
The harmonies, the instrumentation, the tales of heartbreak and revenge, the pastoral nostalgia, this album is just an absolute treat to listen to from the first moment to the last.
Soft Machine
3/5
If the first track was as good as the other 3, this could’ve been something great. The first track just sucks so bad.
Black Sabbath
5/5
Killer riffs. Every band member is embellishing, but never overplaying, and never coming out of sync. Ozzy’s voice is so unique and fits the music perfectly.
4/5
Some great songs, but they don’t feel quite as interesting and varied as contemporary releases by The Beatles.
Meat Loaf
3/5
A rare case where I’m docking points for an album doing too much instead of not enough. Every song is this huge epic that builds and builds and builds again after you think it’s ending. Some might get a kick out of that, but it’s just not what I listen to music for.
Nico
3/5
Wasn’t expecting to like this after the first song, but the sound is strangely alluring. All the songs kind of hit the same note though, and her voice is quite pitchy.
The Sensational Alex Harvey Band
2/5
Strange combination of rock with horns and goofy vocals with laughable lyrics. Every song is too long and repetitive.
Afrika Bambaataa
2/5
Very thin beats with pointless lyrics. Kinda missing the 2 things that make hip hop worth listening to.
The Flaming Lips
3/5
Started out really liking this, but as each new song sounded exactly the same as the last, it became stale.
Simon & Garfunkel
4/5
As much as I love Simon & Garfunkel, they’re definitely a “best of” group. Every full album I’ve listened to in this project has just had a couple major stinkers.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
3/5
Can’t believe people go crazy for this guy. It’s just a bunch of rockabilly, and he doesn’t even sing, just kinda talk-shouts the lyrics. People really take this seriously?
Django Django
3/5
Some nice sounds, but the songs are a bit repetitive, and the whole thing feels a bit soulless.
3/5
Some absolute killer bass lines can’t quite save the generic 80s sound. The orchestral flares are nice, but the vocal reverb and gated drums are just so corny.
AC/DC
3/5
It’s AC/DC; you know what you’re going to get. They do it well.
Bob Marley & The Wailers
3/5
A couple excellent songs, but mostly songs that just exist.
Mike Oldfield
3/5
The first few minutes really felt like they were building up to something exciting, but each side of the album is more like a series of vignettes than a coherent, continuous composition. Bit of a let down.
Peter Gabriel
3/5
A couple good, funky songs, but mostly slow, forgettable ballads. Very well-produced.
Wilco
4/5
Very nice country-adjacent indie. Nice variety of sounds and tempos. Maybe a bit long.
The Clash
2/5
One of the most overhyped bands ever. Every song sounds like it’s being sung by someone with a speech impediment or a mental deficiency. There’s about 1 song’s worth of good moments throughout an hour-long album.
Kendrick Lamar
3/5
Why does every rap album, no matter how serious, always have a cringe-inducing song about sex that totally undercuts the message of the work as a whole? Such a silly trope. A couple decent songs tho.
Television
3/5
I can hear the influence this had on a ton of stuff that came after, but it’s not very exciting itself. I appreciate that they tried to stray from pentatonic rock riffing, but the result just doesn’t do it for me.
De La Soul
3/5
Pretty middle-of-the-road classic rap. There was one real funky song that I loved.
5/5
Every song is a legit masterpiece (except George’s).
The Fall
1/5
Some of the worst shit I’ve ever heard. Dude can’t sing to save his life. He just talks the words, not even in key. Absolute trash.
Ute Lemper
1/5
Patti Smith really influenced a lot of trash.
Garbage
2/5
Can definitely see the influence this had on tons of other 90s stuff. Too bad it’s the worst of the 90s stuff that they influenced. The songs are all homogenized. They pick one riff and just roll with it for the whole duration of the song.
Leonard Cohen
4/5
Very surprised by this! I’ve heard about Cohen for years, but was never interested in his music. This album is so nice and folksy, with deep and interesting lyrics. Some unique sound choices.
My Bloody Valentine
1/5
Terrible all around. Over-distorted guitars, whiny, incomprehensible vocals. Everything is so repetitive.
Machito
5/5
Didn’t think I’d be rating any instrumental albums as 5 stars, but this album is just incredible. The layers of percussion keep the energy up continuously. The layers of brass sound so bright that they just cut through everything, right into your soul.
The Beach Boys
4/5
Do people really prefer Pet Sounds over this? Genuinely great songs with some crisp production.
Arcade Fire
3/5
Middle-of-the-road Obama-era indie. Not much to say about it.
The Triffids
2/5
A couple decent songs, but mostly just that thin, echoey, terrible 80s sound.
Stereo MC's
2/5
Every song is so repetitive. Just kinda boring.
R.E.M.
3/5
Pretty generic “rock”, with some little flourishes that make it stand out from the crowd a bit. Very thin sound though.
Portishead
3/5
Much better than the other Portishead album we listened to on this project. Some interesting sounds. Wish the vocals weren’t so breathy though.
Def Leppard
1/5
Laughable to think that people were listening to this thinking it was hard or heavy when Metallica’s Kill ‘Em All was released the same year. Just terrible stuff.
Frank Zappa
2/5
Some interesting sounds, but way too much jamming. Might be fun to play, but not listen to on an album.
Steve Earle
2/5
Generic and cheesy. The worst of 80s production combined with the worst of country. Featuring maybe the worst song I’ve ever heard “Little Rock n Roller”. At least we get to hear some pedal steel guitar.
William Orbit
1/5
Electronic music will never click with me. It’s interesting as a tech demo, but it is just painful to actually listen to. I can’t fathom anyone sitting down and putting this on and having a good time.
Van Halen
3/5
Ahead of its time. If you told me it came out 5 years later than it did, I wouldn’t even question it. Impeccable guitar playing and bravado vocals.
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
3/5
A couple good songs and a couple clunkers average out to a so-so listening experience.
Brian Eno
4/5
Lots of unique sounds and totally original styles. The vocals border on goofy at times, which kinda takes away from the experience, but the sheer novelty of this record earns it high marks.
Cocteau Twins
1/5
I don’t want to know what kind of person willfully turns this shit on to listen to.
Beach House
3/5
Some nice sounds, but overall mostly generic.
GZA
3/5
Nice chill beats, and bars that are full of personality. The flow is basically the same on every track though.
The 13th Floor Elevators
3/5
The whooping jug sound is highly annoying, but the album is mostly decent rock.
Tito Puente
3/5
Some nice, energetic tunes, but nothing really stands out in the end.
Mariah Carey
2/5
Well-produced with a great voice, but soooo generic. Also, it’s impossible to have any real hook when the singer’s voice jumps all over on every single like of every song.
Janet Jackson
1/5
Some of the absolute most generic shit I’ve ever heard. First couple songs sound like banging on trash cans.
Beth Orton
1/5
Every song sounds like a buildup to a song that never arrives. Way too much reverb on the voice.
k.d. lang
2/5
A couple good songs. Dont know why they put two of the worst songs as the first two tracks. The production is so thin, but at least we get some pedal steel guitar.
The Kinks
4/5
Nice variety of songs and styles. The more I listen to The Kinks, the more convinced I am that they were the closest that anyone contemporary got to The Beatles.
The Yardbirds
3/5
Decent balance of hard rocking songs and more unique songs. I actually enjoyed the “ya ya ya” song more than any of the others on the album.
Mj Cole
1/5
God this was just bad. Like the worst PS2 menu music vibe imaginable. Like a chimp trying to sound like Fatboy Slim.
Bonnie Raitt
2/5
Absolutely generic. No words to describe it.
Lightning Bolt
5/5
Possibly the most surprising album I’ve heard on here yet. I knew of the band, but I hadn’t listened to them because the categorization as “noise rock” was a turn off. The energy and unique sound they bring with this album is far from mere “noise”. The expressionist soundscapes combined with the song titles made listening to the album feel like walking through an art museum, reading the placards and being washed over by art.
My hobby as a bass player may have also contributed to my enjoyment. The sound had so much texture that I could feel what he was playing in my own hands.
Big Star
4/5
Very Beatlesque. Feels like a precursor to Elliott Smith, but prettier and less whiny. Great melodies.
Alice In Chains
3/5
What a way to open album: “AAAAUUHHHH!” Some decent riffs, but pretty repetitive.
Joe Ely
2/5
Was hoping this would sound a bit more classic, but I guess the late 70s is still too new to sound like the kind of country music I really enjoy.
Prince
2/5
Again with all the weird sex stuff. A couple decent songs, but also a lot of boring drum machines and synthesizers.
Oasis
2/5
Every song kinda hits the same vibe and tone. I absolutely hated the way this dude pronounced some words: “sunsheee-ine” and “acksheee-un”.
Ryan Adams
3/5
Well produced, with a decent variety of styles between songs. Very Americana. Any song taken on its own is just kinda boring tho. No dynamic changes, no “wow” moments. Just one riff and one dynamic the whole way through each song.
Ozomatli
2/5
One good song, Dejame En Paz, but that one song is so good that it really saves the whole thing from being a total waste.
New Order
2/5
The worst of the 80s sounds, with reverb and synthesizers aplenty, but some undeniably catchy lines.
Weather Report
4/5
An excellent bass album, to be sure. That Rumba Mama song in the middle kinda kills the momentum. Excellent instrumentation with the sax, bass, and keys all playing together nicely.
Roni Size
1/5
Total load of crap
Minor Threat
3/5
Pretty decent punk, but suffers from a lot of the problems with the genre.
Public Image Ltd.
1/5
Pretty awful stuff. The first track is the worst, by far, but every song is just a repetitive bass line with plonking guitar and moaning vocals.
Frank Black
4/5
Nice variety of rock styles, all performed well and produced well. Longer album, but at no point was I thinking that it was too long.
Rod Stewart
3/5
Great voice, but the songs themselves are very meh. They all have that problem where they sound like they’re building up to something that never comes.
Dolly Parton
4/5
Great voice, poignant songs. Surprisingly great bass album.
Public Enemy
3/5
Don’t see why this is praised any more than any other rap album. Sounds pretty much like a lot of other classic rap.
Brian Wilson
4/5
Very lavishly produced with incredible instrumentation. Cellos, organs, harpsichords, all the bells and whistles (literally!). Listening to this album is like an auditory carnival. Nearly a 5* album, but is really missing some memorable hooks.
Aerosmith
3/5
Well-produced, catchy tunes with a hard rock edge. The deep cuts are as good as the hits, which is rare for a lot of the albums on this list.
Pere Ubu
2/5
A couple interesting moments, but a mostly nonsensical noise. At least it’s not boring.
fIREHOSE
4/5
Nice variety of sounds. Some great bass work. Feels a little sparse at times, but I think that’s what they were going for.
Kraftwerk
4/5
Love the impressionistic concept. The 20+ minute title track truly feels like a perfect representation of a long car trip on the highway. Nice variety of sounds from the synths, beyond the classic bleeps and bloops.
Led Zeppelin
4/5
I forgot how good the deep cuts from this record are. Whole Lotta Love, the big hit, is really the worst song on the album, but it’s still decent.
Brian Eno
3/5
Some interesting sounds and arrangements, but the songs all sorta hit the same tone. Eno’s monotonous droning vocals don’t add much to the excitement either.
The Who
2/5
Not as heavy and raucous as the reviews would have you believe. The tracks all sound thin, and the songs are all pretty generic in form.
Thundercat
4/5
Very vibey. A lot of the songs all hit the same tone, and the falsetto also gets a bit repetitive. Killer production though, and of course great bass work.
Cyndi Lauper
2/5
Time After Time is a great song with such a unique and memorable melody. Every other song is generic, forgettable 80s stuff.
Echo And The Bunnymen
1/5
The only part of this album I got any enjoyment from was the 10 seconds of fast guitar strumming on Gods Will Be Gods.
Roxy Music
3/5
Started really strong with the first few tracks, but the back half was totally forgettable.
Sinead O'Connor
2/5
One decent song among a bunch of forgettable stuff. Her voice is pretty grating.
Germs
2/5
I get that it wouldn’t really be punk if the singing was any good, but it’s just soooo bad. Grating to listen to.
Cypress Hill
3/5
Decent beats, decent flow. Pretty much the epitome of the generic 90s rap sound.
Madonna
3/5
Enjoyed this more than I thought I would. Nice vocals with a Daft Punk vibe in the music. Better pop than other stuff that was coming out around the same time.
Pere Ubu
3/5
Infinitely better than the first Pere Ubu album I got. This one contains actual music! The dude’s voice is so terrible though.
Alice Cooper
4/5
Wow! Did not expect to like this so much. I always thought Alice Cooper was kinda corny, but the deep cuts go hard. A lot of sneaky good bass lines, and some killer vocals. Also great variety of styles and tones.
Dusty Springfield
3/5
A unique, pleasant voice. A nice early-60s vibe.
2/5
The first half is some of the most generic Imagine Dragons-type shit I’ve heard. The second half saves it a bit by having some guitars and some riffs.
LCD Soundsystem
2/5
Every song is way too long and WAY too repetitive. They pick a short little two-beat riff and just repeat it for 5 minutes. There are a couple nice vibes, but they get annoying after so much repetition.
Bruce Springsteen
3/5
Decent songs, well produced SBC performed, but his voice is so ridiculous that it’s hard to take it all seriously.
Hawkwind
3/5
Cool concept of blending music with sound effects and poetry, but a lot of it ends up being jammy nonsense. Lenny kills it on bass tho.
Count Basie & His Orchestra
2/5
Every song kinda hits the same notes and just blends into one.
Hüsker Dü
1/5
Badly performed, terribly produced and mixed, awfully repetitive. One of the worst things I’ve come across on this project so far.
Aimee Mann
3/5
Alanis Morissette wishes she was Aimee Mann. The first half of the album is a bit samey, but the second half slows things down and there’s some good tracks. Left me hoping to hear more of her on this project.
Kacey Musgraves
4/5
Very nice balance of country and pop with a decent variety of sounds, immaculate production, and great hooks.
Pixies
4/5
One of the biggest improvements between albums for any band on this list. The first album was sloppy and terrible, but this is clean, sleek, and catchy, with a good variety of sounds and songs that are all the perfect length.
Ray Charles
3/5
Great voice, but the songs are all a bit generic.
Heaven 17
2/5
Starts off pretty decently, but the second half of the album does away with real string instruments in favor of pure digital bloops and bleeps.
Wilco
3/5
All the songs have the same vibe. Some interesting sounds and instrument choices, but just not enough variety.
Dexys Midnight Runners
4/5
Lacks any song quite as perfectly catchy as “Come On Eileen”, but it’s a nice combination of Bowie, 2nd wave ska, and soul.
Common
2/5
Pretty forgettable. Sadly, Kanye still remains the best rap artist I’ve heard on this project.
Faust
1/5
Droning, repetitive, lacking anything fun or memorable.
Animal Collective
4/5
One of the best electronic albums on this list so far, because they actual take advantage of the technology to create a huge sound. The songs are so deep and layered that I constantly found myself discovering new sounds in the songs the longer they went on.
Dexys Midnight Runners
4/5
Most of the songs on this aren’t as good as those on the debut, but “Come On Eileen” is such a great song that it just elevates the whole thing. And “Jackie Wilson Said” is nearly as great of a song!
Public Enemy
3/5
Classic hip hop that kinda just sounds like all the other classic hip hop on this list.
Magazine
2/5
With a better singer, this could have been decent. As it stands, it’s just generic rock with a terrible voice.
The Byrds
2/5
These guys could not write an intro, outro, or bridge to save their lives. Every song comes in on one note, and just stays on that note the whole time.
Neil Young
4/5
Really nice blend of folk, country, and blues, with Young’s soft vocals and the sparse production lending a chill vibe.
Sonic Youth
1/5
Terrible all around. Every song on this 70-minute album sounds the same. Every vocal is terrible. The bass has no attack, leaving the whole thing sounding so thin and wimpy. Sonic Youth have gotta be one of the most overrated bands of all time.
Rufus Wainwright
4/5
The first couple songs are incredible, but the rest all sorta hit the same two tones. Impeccably produced and written with true talent.
LTJ Bukem
1/5
I love listening to the same 1-measure drum loop for 5 minutes at a time.
Primal Scream
1/5
A couple decent songs, like the opening track and “Damaged”, but the rest just feel like half-finished concepts over shitty drum loops.
Carole King
4/5
Great songs, poetic lyrics that stay mostly in the realm of relationships and their complexities. I was pleasantly surprised to know 4 songs from this album, 2 made more popular by other artists, and 2 that I never really knew the artist of. After listening to this, I won’t forget who wrote these songs.
Air
3/5
Very surprised that I had a decent time with this soundtrack from a totally random movie that I’ve yet to see. I think it being a soundtrack does a lot to keep it from pure sucking: for one, it does away with any possibility of some annoying vocalist and terrible lyricism, and it also ensures that all the songs have some degree of variation and brevity. Just by those virtues, and random film soundtrack is probably better than about half the albums on this list.
Faith No More
4/5
Funky, thrashy, arty, irreverent, all things I like. Slap Mike Patton’s voice on top and you’ve got something good.
The Dictators
2/5
Silly, but not in a cool way.
Paul McCartney
4/5
A low-key Paul vibe with stripped down production, but the voice and the multi-instrumental skills are unmistakeable.
Jimi Hendrix
4/5
Great variety of sounds and tones, without much variety in instrumentation. Kind of an amazing feat. The reusing of some motifs gives the album a nice through-line. Obviously incredible guitar work.
Bauhaus
2/5
Pretty repetitive and poorly produced.
Nick Drake
4/5
The chill vocals over actual instruments instead of just solo acoustic guitar gives Nick Drake a whole different vibe that I love.
Pet Shop Boys
3/5
The fact that this came out in 1990 means that these guys weren’t just chasing trends with this album. This synthy sound was on the way out by then, which means that these guys genuinely thought that this was the best way for them to express themselves. That leads me to appreciate it as slightly more than another generic 80s pop album.
Liz Phair
1/5
Terrible singing, bad instrumentals, generic sound on every song. Just a waste of an hour.
Tom Waits
3/5
I sincerely wish I could get past his voice, because everything beside that is pretty great. His voice even works in a couple of the slower bluesy songs, but then it absolutely doesn’t work in the ballady songs.
Gang Of Four
3/5
Some decent, unique riffs, some nice bass work. Way too repetitive and none of the riffs are really memorable.
Incubus
4/5
Very surprised by how much I liked this. Some jazzy and funky influences. The songs all follow the same formula, staccato verse and legato chorus, but each song is distinct enough that it doesn’t get tiring.
George Jones
4/5
Lovely classic country. Maybe a bit too pretty, missing some of that outlaw edge.
Cee Lo Green
2/5
His voice is quite annoying. The production is also pretty bad, with the kick having way too much bass, leaving everything else to sound thin by comparison.
Christine and the Queens
1/5
How are you going to make a generic 2010s pop album and not even make any of the songs catchy? Without catchy melodies, pop is just completely empty.
Genesis
2/5
Some flashes of brilliances amongst a sea forgettable faffing. Too much focus on long songs with complex structures, and not enough focus on just writing a good song.
David Crosby
2/5
Pretty uninspired stuff. Not a single standout melody. It’s trying at once to be both experimental and straight-ahead folk and ends up falling between in no man’s land.
Daft Punk
3/5
Probably the best EDM album that we’ve had so far. The constant “four on the floor” pulse with syncopated riffs on top makes for perfect danceability. The use of interesting sounds utilizing distortion and filters also keeps things interesting. Problem is, it’s just too damn long. If they kept only the best tracks, this could have easily been a 4-star album.
10cc
4/5
Great tunes with a variety of sounds. Great vocals and instrumentals. Doesn’t take itself too seriously, which is a huge plus when it comes to classic rock.
M.I.A.
3/5
Amateurish and unfocused, yet has something unique about it that draws you in at times.
Digital Underground
3/5
Opening the album with a funny song really sets the tone for what to expect on the rest of the album. Much better way to do it than to start serious and then thrown in a bunch of cheesy songs about sex in the middle.
The Mothers Of Invention
2/5
A couple decent songs. Most of the songs just sound like parody songs though. There’s some sort of inherent insincerity to Zappa that makes this thing a total drag to listen to.
David Bowie
3/5
I honestly liked the songs without vocals better than the ones with vocals. Great production, but the Bowie melody and songwriting just aren’t there.
Jeru The Damaja
2/5
Standard 90s hip hop. Nothing about it stands out in a way.
Eels
4/5
Nice variety of tones, some unique chord progressions and melodies. Great voice and production.
Stereolab
2/5
Most of the songs revolve around a single-measure loop, repeated for 5 minutes straight. I absolutely hate that kind of repetition. A couple of the songs escape that mold and manage to be kinda fun.
The Go-Betweens
3/5
Most of the songs sound the same, but there’s just enough variation to keep things interesting. Wouldn’t revisit, but didn’t hate it.
3/5
Some good energy, but does fall into some of the trappings of late-60s rock with an extended blues jam somewhere in the middle.
Peter Gabriel
3/5
Gabriel did himself a real disservice by eschewing cymbals. There’s a whole range of ultra-high frequencies that the cymbals fill in recorded music, and without that, the whole thing just sounds like it’s missing something. Which is a real shame because there’s some great melodies and lots of interesting sounds that would have been elevated by not arbitrarily cutting out one part of the drum kit.
John Prine
5/5
Incredible melodies and poignant lyrics. Slide guitar will always be an elite instrument. Nothing to dislike here.
Cocteau Twins
2/5
Very repetitive, with improvised vocal melodies that provide no hook at all.
Jane's Addiction
3/5
Some nice jams, but nothing groundbreaking. Terrible whining vocals over riffs that don’t go nearly as hard as they think they do.
Metallica
4/5
Some incredible riffs. The precision timing and complex song structures are genuinely impressive, but they do get a bit too long at times. The production/mixing is the big story with this album, and it is just a travesty what they did to Jason Newstead with this album. If his bass parts were audible, this could probably be bumped up a whole star.
The Rolling Stones
2/5
The that this album is mentioned in the same breath as Rubber Soul is an absolute travesty.
G. Love & Special Sauce
1/5
This dude wants to be black sooooo bad.
The Pretty Things
3/5
Most of the songs of lots of interesting layers of sound. Some decent melodies.
Britney Spears
2/5
She’s got a nice voice, but every song sounds the same, too sweet and poppy. The title track definitely deserved to be the hit.
Dizzee Rascal
1/5
How am I supposed to take any of this seriously when it’s done in this ridiculous accent?
Leonard Cohen
1/5
This guy should stick to poetry, because he can’t write a song worth a damn.
Joan Baez
2/5
Her voice is ridiculous, so I can see why it’s been parodied as the quintessential female folk singer voice. The songs are all way too similar. A couple nice moments.
Neil Young
3/5
His voice reaches some silly high notes hear and it turns a serious song into something laughable.
Marvin Gaye
4/5
One of the few times where the songs sounding the same actually works out. The chill vibe throughout sorta puts you into a trance when you listen, in the best way.
Herbie Hancock
4/5
The long track length really allows the songs to take you on a journey. Lack of lyrics also lets the music stand on its own. Every musician here is a master of their instrument.
Tortoise
2/5
Some interesting sounds, and some moments that border on prog rock, but mostly just repetitive, boring riffs.
Yes
4/5
A ton of interesting riffs that cover a ton of different styles over the course of the album. Doesn’t go off into full prog wankery for as long as a lot of the other prog rock albums on this list.
Kid Rock
3/5
The rock/rap fusion works, but produces a certain amount of cringe. The one kinda gospel song was actually pretty good. Definitely too long.
Pretenders
2/5
A couple fun songs, but this woman’s voice is just terrible. It sounds like she’s just making up the melody as she goes along.
Lambchop
3/5
A nice blend of country and soul, with lush instrumentation. It ultimately falls flat because the singer is whimpering strangely and there are absolutely no hooks to speak of.
Wild Beasts
2/5
Well-produced, but ultimately very forgettable. Not a single standout moment.
Steely Dan
5/5
Perfectly produced, well-written songs, adeptly performed. Nothing here to not like.
Barry Adamson
3/5
Interesting concept for an album, but the songs are inherently a bit boring because of the concept. Great background music, though.
The The
3/5
A nice 80s vibe that’s less synths and drum machines than many others of the time. “This Is The Day” is a great song.
The Monks
1/5
Pretty terrible stuff. The addition of the organ feels totally out of step with the vibe they’re going for. Unintelligible lyrics and utter lack of melody.
American Music Club
2/5
Pedal steel guitar couldn’t save this one. Every song is so slow and the vocalist sounds like he’s doing a bad Morrissey impression.
Prefab Sprout
3/5
Some flashes of brilliance, but mostly generic 80s new wave stuff. You’ve heard it all before.
Marianne Faithfull
2/5
Some decent songs. Not really a lot to say about it. Good if you like a raspy voice, I guess.
Fever Ray
1/5
Sounds like someone playing around with beats in their bedroom. Not good.
The Jesus And Mary Chain
1/5
Some of the worst shit I’ve ever heard. Guitars that distorted should not be paired with weak-ass whining moaning vocals. Drums don’t even come close to the energy of the guitars either. Just awful, and if you like this, I don’t want to know you.
ABBA
4/5
One of the most perfectly produced albums I’ve ever heard. Every instrument sounds pristine. The compositions are also great. Just wonderful pop music that doesn’t fall into simplicity like so much other pop music.
Kelela
2/5
Great voice, but everything else is pretty generic.
Sam Cooke
3/5
One of the better live albums on this list so far.
Fiona Apple
3/5
Nice variety of styles and tones. Love the little outros on most of the songs; reminds me of The Beatles. Nothing too memorable though.
The Only Ones
3/5
With a better singer, this coulda been something. Unfortunately, the Gordon Gano vocals only work with The Violent Femmes.
Iggy Pop
1/5
Pretty much awful in every way. Bad singing, badly produced, badly written. And then it went on to influence some of the worst groups ever.
David Gray
2/5
I liked how some of the songs were sorta bit-crushed like a bad Likewire download, gave the album a unique vibe. Beyond that, it’s all boring as sin.
The Cult
2/5
Every song is just a mid-paced rocker à la AC/DC. Very boring.
Pentangle
1/5
I did not enjoy a moment of listening to this. The vocalists, both male and female, sounded like they were trying way too hard to sound ancient and folksy and whimsical, and it just doesn’t work at all.
Einstürzende Neubauten
1/5
Scheiße
Queen
3/5
Some good moments, but it feels like they focused too much on making the songs long and complicated, rather than making them good.
Love
3/5
Some interesting ideas, like combining folk with string arrangements, but most of the songs amount to just two chords and monotonous vocals.
Joni Mitchell
2/5
Some nice instrumentals, but the vocal parts sound like they’re just being made up as they go. Very undefined melodies. Every song sounds the same.
The Replacements
2/5
Pretty generic and forgettable.
Waylon Jennings
4/5
Some good ol’ outlaw country. Often sounds too thin. Could have used another instrument in there for sure, just to flesh it out a bit.
Queens Of The Stone Age
3/5
Some nice riffs, but way too repetitive.
Peter Gabriel
4/5
Nice variety of sounds and styles, but the utter lack of levity and the constant gravitas really holds it back from being accessible on a more emotional level.
Beck
3/5
Some very pleasant songs that all hit nearly the same exact tone. Nice to listen to, but tends to fall into the background.
Suzanne Vega
1/5
Every song is so same-y, and it’s not a good vibe to repeat on every song. Very boring.
Arcade Fire
2/5
Every song feels so incomplete. They pick one riff or vibe and stick with it for a couple minutes. There are no build-ups or dynamic changes or bridges to speak off here.
Beck
4/5
Excellent use of sampling combined with real instruments and Lennon-esque lyrical absurdity. The songs do all kinda hit the same vibe, but it’s such a unique vibe and there’s just enough variation that you really don’t mind.
Dennis Wilson
5/5
Great voice, lovely instrumentations (always appreciate the bass harmonica), heartfelt lyrics, nothing to not like here. I’m thinking Dennis was the true genius of the Beach Boys. The only negative I can say is that there’s too much reliance on fade-outs.
Frank Sinatra
1/5
Was this an album, or just the same song 10 times in a row?
The B-52's
2/5
I like the idea of combining surf rock and new wave, but the voices are so grating, especially the women.
Iron Maiden
4/5
Great bass and guitar work. Vocals with just the right amount of grit. Memorable riffs.
Elvis Presley
4/5
The fact that this was recorded at 3 different studios lends a nice variety to the sounds on the album. Strong voice, good energy, fun listen.
Dion
3/5
A nice collection of songs that are absolutely ruined by the production. It will always baffle me why people were so obsessed with getting this guy to produce their records.
Skunk Anansie
4/5
Very pleasantly surprised by this. Had never heard of this band, but the vocals combined with the heavy instrumentation is a great sound. The slower, lighter songs definitely don’t hit nearly the same though and definitely drag the album down slightly.
The Prodigy
2/5
Voodoo People is a great song, and there were a couple other uptempo songs that made me wanna move. Every other song was midtempo and repetitive as hell.
1/5
Was this even an album, of just a couple of guys fucking around with a tape recorder?
The Blue Nile
2/5
Very generic and forgettable 80s stuff.
Don McLean
4/5
If this album was “American Pie” and “Vincent” back to back, 5 times in a row, it would get the same score. Those two songs are just so good and make up for the rest of the songs being pretty forgettable.
Tim Buckley
4/5
Just some good ol’ 70s rock! Love the funky soul influences.
Koffi Olomide
2/5
Pretty generic, overuse of crappy-sounding synths.
Tom Waits
1/5
Every other song is just him gruffly rambling about nonsense. I understand how some could think it’s cool, but to me it’s like listening to gravel in a blender… and it’s a double album of this shit!
Linkin Park
2/5
These guys were really working through some stuff with this album. Very emotional. Not for me at all though, even with the nostalgia.
ZZ Top
2/5
The synths and drum machines really give this album a phony sheen that is not at all enjoyable.
ZZ Top
4/5
One of the most masterfully produced albums I've ever heard. Every instrument is so clear. Many of the songs are simple blues stuff, but the southern boogie style gives it a dance-ability that a lot of blues doesn't hit. Very surprised at how good this is after hearing Eliminator yesterday.
The Flaming Lips
4/5
A record with a deep, layered sound. Well-written, well-produced songs. The only problems for me are that the songs all seem to hit a similar tone, and the vocalist sounds unserious and kinda sarcastic ghe entire time.
The Icarus Line
1/5
Each song has an intro that sounds like it’s setting up for some cool, heavy shit. Then each song proceeds into generic 2000s indie garbage.
The Mothers Of Invention
1/5
Only someone as dumb and shitty as Frank Zappa could conclude that The Beatles, the band that constantly innovated and knowingly alienated their audience in order to pursue their artistic vision, are “only in it for the money”. There are 1000 bands you could correctly attribute that to, but The Beatles are not one of them.
Also, the music on this album is terrible.
Rod Stewart
3/5
Great voice, but all the songs are very samey.
4/5
Classic country can do no wrong in my book. It always sounds nice, and I love the simple relatability of the lyrics. This album in particular is also super short and ends before you can start to tire of the similarity of the songs.
Miles Davis
3/5
The best parts of this album are the brief moments where the energy ratchets up and things turn into a lovely bit of controlled chaos. Beside that, it’s pretty generic chill jazz.
The Chemical Brothers
1/5
Who listens to this? Who prefers music with digital instruments over real instruments, and why?
Emmylou Harris
4/5
A lovely blend of folk and country with a great voice and some great songs.
Elvis Presley
3/5
Really missing that raunchy rock ‘n’ roll edge edge of his first album. His voice is certainly better and the arrangements are certainly more advanced, but it ends up feeling like a generic pop album instead of something unique.
The Beau Brummels
3/5
Pretty generic late 60s stuff with terrible Dylan-esque vocals.
The Lemonheads
2/5
Some of the most generic “alternative” music I’ve ever heard.
Guns N' Roses
3/5
Pop metal with an actual edge to it. All the instrumentalists can play well, and the vocalist has a very unique voice, for better and for worse. The hits are the hits for a reason, and all the other songs don’t hit nearly the same highs.
The Who
2/5
Missing the raw power and instrumental virtuosity that makes The Who great. You have an incredible vocalist in Daltry, but then give half the songs to Pete Townsend to sing? Absolutely baffling. The songs don’t work on their own, and as a whole, the “rock opera” is pretty bad and nonsensical.
Caetano Veloso
2/5
Not my thing.
Turbonegro
3/5
I appreciate a generic “rock” band that isn’t pretentious about what they do. The sheer simple honesty of this makes it so much more appealing than so many other generic “rock” albums that have been on this list. I also appreciate the levity in the lyrics.
Jimi Hendrix
4/5
After listening to so many other 1960s albums on this project, I can better appreciate just how innovative this album is. It really sounded like nothing else at the time. Love the combination of rock riffs with blues soloing.
B.B. King
3/5
If you’re even a tiny bit familiar with BB King, you’ll know what you’re in for with this. He’s one of the greats in his field, but I find the blues to be quite repetitive.
Bob Dylan
2/5
Every song sounds the same, it’s too long, and his voice is even worse than when he was younger.
The Incredible String Band
1/5
Pretty awful stuff. They used any instrument they could just to say they did, with no regard for whether they could play it or if it fit the song. Abysmal singing as well, sounded like the dude was being tortured at times.
The Cardigans
4/5
Had no idea this band was from Sweden, but now that I know it, the ABBA influence is very apparent. Combining disco and 90s alternative gives this album a very unique, satisfying sound. The singer’s voice is beautiful, her melodies are catchy, and the album overall is flawlessly produced.
Eagles
4/5
Great blend of country and rock with some wonderful vocal harmonies and a nice variety of moods and sounds.
Adele
3/5
The hits are really the worst songs on this album. “I’ll Be Waiting” and “One and Only” are genuinely great, supremely soulful tracks that perfectly suit her voice. She really needs a full band behind her, and not just a piano.
Sepultura
4/5
Compared to the other thrash classics on this list, Master of Puppets & Rust in Peace, this one is really lacking in the production department. It often sounds muddy, and a couple of the songs could have used one more pass to add some more interesting arrangements. Still brutal and awesome, with an incredible opening trio of songs.
Isaac Hayes
4/5
Uses long track length to its advantage. Each track builds a vibe and lets you live in it long enough that it starts to really get to you in a way that most standard-length songs don’t. Total vibe with a great voice.
Todd Rundgren
3/5
Some fun songs, but definitely didn’t need to be a double album.
Elastica
2/5
Utterly forgettable.
The Afghan Whigs
2/5
Very forgettable, but at least the rest of the album wasn’t as atrocious as the opening track.
The Rolling Stones
3/5
Can’t believe this has such high reviews. The double album’s worth of songs are all way too similar, and most of them just amount to gang vocals over a chord progression repeated ad nauseam. An absolute sham that these guys are mentioned in the same breath as the Beatles.
The Dandy Warhols
3/5
A nice blend of fun party songs and chill ambient songs, with a variety of interesting guitar sounds.
Fairport Convention
2/5
Still can’t stand the female vocals on these folky records. Some nice rocking moments, but mostly meh.
Bill Evans Trio
2/5
Pretty generic jazz. Sounds like it’s 100% improvised and there are no real motifs or tonal home to latch onto.
The Youngbloods
3/5
Nice balance of folk and rock, with a variety of tones throughout the album. Some standout bass work too.
Throbbing Gristle
1/5
The first few tracks aren’t even songs, in that they lack any rhythm or melody. The back half of the album at least has songs, but they’re still terrible.
Missy Elliott
2/5
The one hit song is nostalgic fun, but the album is mostly just generic hip hop. I do appreciate the positive messaging though.
Shivkumar Sharma
2/5
A chill vibe, with all the instruments coming together to create a nice texture. But ever song sounds the same, and they are all too long.
Small Faces
3/5
Nice variety of sounds and styles. The nonsensical narration between tracks on back half of the album is a fun addition to the concept album/rock opera idea.
The Darkness
3/5
You can tell these guys know their instruments and their music theory, but they are opting to make simple, fun songs because they are making a conscious effort to do so. This stands in contrast to so many bands on this list who make simple songs just because they don’t know any better.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
2/5
The Obama-era synth-heavy indie sound has gotta be amongst my least favorites sounds of all time. Still well-produced for what it is.
Little Simz
1/5
Absolutely cannot take this tapping seriously when it’s done in a British accent. Beats are trash too.
Jean-Michel Jarre
2/5
Decent for an all synth album, but there’s a very low ceiling for this type of album.
Aretha Franklin
3/5
Aretha’s undeniably powerful vocals absolutely carry this album. The rest is pretty standard soul stuff.
Bert Jansch
2/5
You honestly could have played the same song 9 times and the album would have sounded more or less the same. You need more than a man and a guitar to make a good album.
David Ackles
3/5
A lot jazzier and poppier than the album cover would have you expect. Very poetic lyrics.
XTC
3/5
Some nice variety, but the dude’s crooning voice is so irritating after only a couple songs.
The Notorious B.I.G.
3/5
Why do all these 90s hip hop albums need a terrible, cringe-inducing interlude about fucking? Could be a great album without that.
Simply Red
3/5
A poppy 80s album that actually utilizes real drums and a variety of styles. One of the better 80s albums on this list, but the songwriting is not very memorable.
Ali Farka Touré
1/5
Every song is so repetitive! This is supposed to be a guitar-led album, but the guitar tone is so thin and wimpy and the playing is uninspired. Not a single fun moment.
Randy Newman
3/5
Too many ballads, but Newman’s voice, piano playing, and lyricism are undeniable. Would love to hear another one of his albums with more variety.
Björk
1/5
Definitely unique, which I usually try to appreciate in art, but this is just so bad. Most of it sounds like it’s being made up on the spot, so I can’t imagine there was much thought put into the compositions. If these songs were carefully constructed and THIS is what she came up with, then I don’t even know what to say.
New Order
4/5
Wow! An 80s synth pop album that isn’t trash. The uber-distorted, funky guitars pair well with the synths to create something danceable but with an edge. The songs are very well-written, with pretty grand arrangements, and the vocals are your typical 80s Morrissey-style crooning BS.
The Thrills
3/5
Very “indie”. The songs all sound pretty similar, but it’s a decent enough sound. Some nice subtle country on a couple tracks.
The Beta Band
2/5
Some interesting sounds, but all the songs sound the same. All very flowy and legato.
k.d. lang
2/5
Very generic and forgettable.
Julian Cope
2/5
This guy wants to be Jim Morrison so bad, but he lacks the gravitas, and the music lacks any semblance of uniqueness.
Ministry
3/5
Some good riffs, but very repetitive. All the sampling is pretty cringe too.
Destiny's Child
2/5
A pop record should definitely be shorter than this. Absolutely hilarious that this is billed as a trio when Beyoncé sings 90% of the album.
The Jesus And Mary Chain
1/5
Terribly plain “rock” music with absolutely no edge. Mid-paced drum machines under generic chords and not a memorable line to be found.
Fugazi
2/5
Don’t know why this is called “hardcore”. It’s very emotional and mostly softer than what I think of when I hear “hardcore”.
Lana Del Rey
1/5
Every song is so slow and breathy. Would have loved just a single uptempo song!
Dire Straits
4/5
Flawlessly produced, lovely variety of sounds and textures. If this had just one or two more uptempo songs instead of being 80% ballads, it could have been an easy 5.
Spiritualized
3/5
Very vibey. Would have liked some more dynamic changes within each song. Felt a bit long, with no real standout moments, but still nice sounds and textures.
Justice
5/5
I usually don’t like electronic music, but I guess I have a thing for French duos, because these guys and Daft Punk are the two exceptions. On this album, you never know what’s coming next. The combination of hundreds of different samples from a huge variety of styles gives this album a super unique feel that is still incredibly catchy and danceable.
TLC
2/5
More generic 90s hip hop on this list. I really like one of the girls’ voice, and she sings so infrequently that it’s like a nice treat whenever it comes up.
Fugees
2/5
The more 90s hip hop I hear, the faster I’m getting tired of it. It all sounds so similar. At least there’s a relatively high floor for how good it sounds.
Richard Hawley
2/5
Some of the most toothless, generic music I’ve heard on this project. At least it’s well-produced and well-performed.
My Bloody Valentine
1/5
Pretty objectively terrible stuff. Off-time drumming, off-key vocals, poorly mixed. Could have been good if they put in some effort, but it just sounds like a band of 16-year-olds that don’t know what they’re doing.
The Monkees
2/5
A couple decent songs, and a lot of filler.
Marilyn Manson
3/5
A little bit too long. A few of the songs hit a lot of the same notes, but overall pretty good. Decent variety of sounds. I really liked the faster first song; wish there would have been a few more fast ones.
Willie Colón & Rubén Blades
2/5
All the songs sounded the same, not really a lot to say. Quite danceable.
Terence Trent D'Arby
3/5
Great voice, nice mix of ballads and funky jams. Any song from this album would fit perfectly over the credits of an 80s movie.
Rush
4/5
If it wasn’t for Gerry Lee’s voice, this had 5-star potential. Very impressive instrumentation and songwriting all around.
The Beta Band
3/5
Pretty surprised by this after finding the other album by the same group completely forgettable. Nice variety of sounds and textures.
John Martyn
2/5
A lot of acoustic guitar plinking and plunking and not much substance.
Burning Spear
4/5
Track after track off passionate reggae jams, flawlessly arranged and recorded. I didn’t find any riff or song to go on for too long. Everything just flowed nicely.
Big Star
3/5
The vocals are a bit grating, and the songs do end up blending together a bit, but mostly just good rock music.
Basement Jaxx
2/5
A couple decent songs, but most of them sound like some teenager playing with a sequencer.
Giant Sand
2/5
If this guy actual sang instead of whispering, this could have been something.
X-Ray Spex
3/5
Pretty good songs with terrible vocals averages out to a middling experience.
The Last Shadow Puppets
2/5
All the songs kinda blend together. Really can’t get behind this 2000s British alt crap.
Muddy Waters
3/5
Muddy Waters js clearly a blues master, but the simple format of the blues holds it back from ever being something I can really put on and jam out to.
Donald Fagen
4/5
Top notch production and some catchy crooning tunes. A nice alternative in the piano-based rock realm.
David Bowie
3/5
A couple unique songs, but most of the songs are very simplistic instrumentally. Some of the songs sound like generic REM-style “rock” songs, but Bowie’s vocal touches prevent it from being too bad to listen to.
Slipknot
2/5
Most of the songs are all the same, mid-paced with repetitive riffing. The first song was more thrashy, which was nice, and there are some great drumming moments throughout, but it’s not enough to lift this rating.
Neu!
2/5
Pretty forgettable stuff. They’re trying to do the ambient thing on the first half of the album, but it’s just so thin that it doesn’t work.
Devendra Banhart
1/5
I can’t hear another album of a guy mumbling over acoustic guitar. I just can’t do it.
Neil Young
4/5
So many albums on this list attempt to use the idea of “rawness” as part of their artistic expression, and so many of them just end up sounding like high schoolers plonking away in their first band. This album uses rawness in an extremely effective way that doesn’t detrimentally affect the musicality of the album. It’s raw in emotion, but not in performance. You can feel it without necessarily hearing it, and that is a very difficult rope to walk.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
2/5
Started off okay, but each song is too long, and the album on the whole is too long. The choir does help break up his grating voice, but it’s still grating when every song is 5 minutes long.
Bruce Springsteen
2/5
All the songs hit the same tones, and you can really feel the unpolished nature of the songs, in a bad way.
Christina Aguilera
1/5
Her voice is fine for one or two songs, but a double album of this is just way too much. Absolutely no reason an album like this should be this long.
David Holmes
1/5
If you have all the power of electronic music production, why do you just create basic tracks with guitar, drums, and bass? Might as well just learn the instruments and play them on the record if you aren’t going to be creative.
PJ Harvey
4/5
A nice variety of sounds, ranging from bluesy Southern rock, high-energy punk, and some more classic “alternative” sounds. Her voice even shifts to fit the style of each track.
Nightmares On Wax
1/5
Songs are way too long and way too repetitive. How can anyone listen to the same one-measure loop for 8 minutes?
Youssou N'Dour
2/5
Some interesting sounds, but a lot of repetition.
Minutemen
4/5
Now this is what a double album should be! They cover such a variety of styles but still keep their own unique sound. Crazy how much they can do as a trio.
The Teardrop Explodes
4/5
Is this what The Smiths and all those other terrible 80s bands were trying to sound like? This has actual good melodies with hooks, real instruments, varied sounds and structures. Good stuff.
R.E.M.
3/5
This almost earned a 4 from me, but the songs all sound just a bit too similar. By the last song I was glad it was over, which is a sign that an album can’t be higher than a 3.
SZA
1/5
Bad beats with terrible lyrics. Not much to say.
The Psychedelic Furs
1/5
More of that terrible droning crap that I hate.
3/5
Some fun moments, but the proggy nature of these super long songs means we’re lacking any real hooks or otherwise memorable melodies.
Ananda Shankar
3/5
Covers of rock songs in a raga format is such a good idea. And the other songs aren’t too bad either.
The Stooges
3/5
Guitars constantly playing out of key, lyrics grunted with little respect for melody, generally terrible production, but overall I didn’t hate it. There is some strange magnetism to the rawness, but not as much as some people make it out to be.
Sleater-Kinney
2/5
A whole lot of out-of-key hootin’ and hollering’ all over this. At least the instrumentals aren’t terrible.