Precisely as shit as I expected.

Seriously? Another Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young album? Or is that another Crosby, Stills and Nash album? I don't really care. I get how they were very influential and obviously a bit of a supergroup. But... They're not really that different to warrant having more than one entry here.

Hard no. Some feedback guitars followed by sugary sweet, unengaging melodies and lyrics.

The opener ist fine. Too long, though. Which is a fine indicator of the overall impression this album left. It's the worst kind of noodling. It's noodling, but the production tells you that not a single note is actually improvised, which adds an aseptic, sterile quality to this record.

Easy listening, but a bit... Boring. Apologies to the fans, I know lots of people hold him in very high regard indeed.

Great voice, lush instrumentation, some interesting drug references. Still... Gets a bit schmaltzy after a bit.

Tricky. Very mixed bag. I can see how it was seminal at some point, but I'm not really enjoying it (not hating it) today.

First time I actually listened to any of their stuff, although I'd heard of Traffic before. I can see where they got their status from.

Some decent tunes, but some fillers as well, and Jack's voice gets a bit old on this surprisingly long record

Quite decent and not as... Mindless? As I expected

I appreciate Beck has an artistic vision. It's just not one that does anything for me. Also, he should not rap. Ever.

Not as good as Love & Hate. Still very good.

Confirms The Doors are not my cuppa.

Not my cuppa

Forgettable

Very pleasant.

I like some of NO's songs, but this album is u listenable for me, especially thanks to the production but also Bernard Sumner's surprisingly insecure vocals.

This sounds *incredibly* dated, with the sole exception of the title track, which isn't dripping in 80s production values quite as much as the rest of the album. When Doves Cry is the one track where those production values... Sort of work. Surprisingly tough to listen to.

I appreciate her artistic vision and she definitely has her very own sound, aesthetic and everything. Love her voice, too. But overall, this is just too dark for me and it's a matter of being equally unaccessible (to a point) and me not wanting to actually enter any further.

80s hair metal and poser guitars at the end of the 70s. Not exactly what I need.

Unlistenable is a mild way of putting it.

Still a bit rough, but an indication of things to come

Still quite revolutionary-sounding, but the repetitiveness isn't balanced that well (yet).

Pleasant

Not what I expected at all. Quite serene, but even while smoothly gliding through snowy landscapes on a high speed train... Ultimately a bit boring.

Terrible cover, terrible music.

I really do wonder why this is on the list. It's not bad as such, but there's nothing here that I would classify as particularly original or standing out.

This is way too Bruce Springsteen adult contemporary for me in songwriting, singing and instrumentation, except it was recorded more recently.

Much less challenging and enjoyable than expected, besides "Feedback".

Not having listened to this in ages, it made me realise how it is a bit of a let-down after OK/Kid A/Amnesiac.

You believe their conviction and drive, but musically it's just not interesting enough for me.

One star for the title track, the reast really isn't my cuppa. Smells of football dads living it up while also reassuring themselves that they have feelings, too.

Some interesting instruments take care of providing an air of decorum. That said, not an album I will be coming back to an awful lot.

I'm usually very sympathetic to the little sibling of the really popular guy/girl (I'm talking Tusk vs Rumours of course). But Tusk really falls short for me I'm afraid.

Great album and (unfortunately short-lived) return to the scene, but not without a couple of duds towards the end (Boss of me, Dancing out in space),

Phew. Especially the production really didn't do anything for me. It just sounds so sterile and lacklustre.

It's an amazing achievement in sampling stuff and assembling things into something else completely. Its very loop-based nature does get on my nerves quite a bit quite quickly, though. Frontier Psychiatrist will forever stand as an everlasting piece of genius.

Some decent tunes, but my God, is the mix awful, with her vocals so undefined and remote.

First listen in 15 years. Confirms that it's not a bad album, but my least favourite by Arcade Fire.

Not my genre, but an excellent album

Sorry, but this is just too boring for me, never mind I realise this is all technically excellent playing.

Yadayadayada. Not bad, not my cuppa. Never really was.

It's country. It's got topless women and religion. It's not my cuppa.

The Floyd album I've listened to the most as a teenager, and the album I've tired of the most.

I appreciate the lyrics, I do. Shane was a great storyteller. But musically, almost as tough to get through for me as a country album.

It's alright. I can see how it was quite groundbreaking, and you see and hear the references all over the place. It's just not my kind of music.

A pretty fun album, although their Comfortably Numb is still a hard skip. Not entirely sure why it's on this list. But then again... Maybe because there has to be some stuff on the list that's just feel-good enjoyable with hints of Bee Gees, Elton John and songtitles about boobs.

If there's any AC/DC album that can be enjoyed as a whole, it's this one. But my God, are the drums monotonous.

A very mixed bag for me. I'll revisit some individual tracks but not the whole album.

Listening to this turns me into a middle-aged American dad pumping his fists into the air to this and screaming "hell yeah, man" to every single guitar solo on this.

Ambient music had its time. This reminded me why we're using the past tense here. Also, it's way too long.

The Cure. An acquired taste I just cannot get myself to acquire, try as I might.

Just way too much pleasantness and pomp and circumstance and pathos.

As usual with Elton John for me... Some absolute killer tunes, but a whole album's worth is just too much. Particularly this one, which is heavy on the really grand piano, strings, big emotions. It's just too much for me. As a side note, the production on the drums really is godawful. Worse than St Anger. There, Elton John and Metallica in one short review.

It's alright.

I really wasn't looking forward to this one. Not after the Royal Albert Hall live album. But. This one is actually alright. Lots of bended/stretched vowels, which combined with his limited vocal range gets a bit tiresome after a while. Still. Quite alright even if you don't listen to the lyrics that closely all the time.

Got this after some pathos-heavy early 1970s Elton John. Couldn't have been more delighted.

R.E.M. One of those bands like The Cure that have a huge indie fanbase and that, beyond a few individual songs, I really can't get myself to get into. They seem like really decent guys and I respect the way they called it quits without falling out, but at album length, they're really not for me. Well. Actually. I remember liking Monster (is that on this list) a bit more than all other R.E.M. albums. But that's really not saying much.

The repetitive loop bits tend to go from charming to really annoying really quickly.

It's sort of pink and hardcore and sick but in a way that wouldnt immediately make my mom turn it off.

Hadn't listened to this in ages. Used to like it more than I do now, but I appreciate it's a ground-breaking album in terms of bringing this music and the artists to the wider audience they deserve.

A lot better than I remembered it, to be honest. Unfortunately, the incredibly great Karin Dreijer feature is not on this album, though.

Have absolutely no idea why this is on the list. Run-of-the-mill indie stuff. Badly produced, too.

Much better to listen to than Madman Across The Water. Very dated-sounding intro, though, and you do wonder what on earth he was thinking with Jamaica Jerk-Off.

It's alright, I guess.

Grand, like, but not something I can get hugely excited about.

I found myself not really liking jazzy albums that much any more, whereas this was grand. Could have done without that last medley, though.

Not as lo-fi as I expected. Talking 'bout a Revolution has of course been played to death, which is a little unfair to it, because it's a good little number. On the whole, very solid, but I probably won't revisit this any time soon because it's not really down my alley, even though I do see why it's on the list.

The state of Pop in 2014. And pretty much today still. Well-produced, some catchy tunes, some forgettable ones, some decent lyrics, some cringey ones. At the end of the day... A bit forgettable despite the hits.

Haven't listened to this in ages, and will surely come back to it. Some distance actually makes me appreciate it and its impact a bit more.

Probably my biggest discovery of this project so far, 150+ albums in. Also gave me a new appreciation of early Midnight Oil (a band I was really into for a good bit, and which is sadly missing from the 1001 albums list).

Didn't hate this nearly as much as I thought. Actually sort of enjoyed it besides the fact it's probably 4 or 5 songs too long. Feels a bit weird to give this a 3, but that's where we are.

Incredibly well-produced - and the profuxtiin is fairly timeless, too, especially considering what decade we're in here. There's also more happening here musically/instrumental than I expected. Sonically, it's very much started its own genre, so it deserves to be on the list. And yet. It's very... Adult contemporary, content-sounding and sort of lacking in drive. And I know I'm being mean to Sade here, without wanting to.

An album to fall to sleep next to your old lady by.

Rap/hip-hop generally isn't my cuppa at all. I've listened to Kendrick before (not this album) and he's an artist from that genre I actually enjoy, and this album is no exception. That said, I won't spin it many more times going forward.

Tubeless shouting over angular guitars. One song after another, after another after a Beatles cover in the style of tuneless shouting over angular guitars. Gets very tiresome very quickly for me.

As happens often while working through the 1001, this is one of those albums that you dread as it comes up. You know it's in a genre that doesn't do anything for you, and it's also from a band you have a life-long aversion to. So me giving this two stars is quite the compliment because I can appreciate it actually broke new ground as diaspora reggae, with very socially conscious lyrics to boot. And its miles removed from the boring, trite rubbish they would produce later. And yet. It's reggae, and it's UB40.

Enjoyed it more than I expected. That violin in Running Dry was unnecessary, though. Still - grand old album.

Ah, a Yeah Yeah Yeahs album, and one of their finest at that. "Runaway" is an eternal masterpiece, and "Zero" is a perfect opener.

Yeah, they sing in great harmony and at times it sounds almost classical. Which is exactly why I can appreciate others liking it - but me, not so much, despite the psychedelic elements thrown in.

I forgot how funky they could be. But. It feels like an extended series of jams, often with ad-libbed lyrics that you wish they hadn't put on record. So it feels like something enjoyable in a club for an hour but not as enjoyable for an hour in record.

Lots of energy, and probably not a minute too long (or short).

Easy listening, but a bit... Boring. Apologies to the fans, I know lots of people hold him in very high regard indeed.

What a smashing debut album. Basically, their first three albums are outstanding and fairly untouchable.

Just not my cuppa. A bit too... Hectic?

Elevator music. Well-crafted elevator music. Still. Elevator music.

It's pleasant enough, but I have no idea why this is on the list. As in: Zero idea. Particularly considering it's an Australian band while other Australian acts like Midnight Oil and Regurgitator, which were much more groundbreaking at their time, are missing.

Some true gems, as you would expect from Queen, and probably more coherent as an album than most of their albums. Still... More noteworthy for the gems than as an album as such.

Very, very much of its time. She's really getting very excited about really bad electronic versions of hi-hats and tambourines. And that's in the first few seconds of the album, which has a surprising amount of cringeworthy production, raps and lyrics. I mean... She's definitely matured since then, but I can't bring myself to give this 2 stars. It's just... Phew. It has so much really bad 80s stuff on there in bloody 1989.

Double live album from the 70s. Oh dear. But. This is very well recorded. Not precisely sure why it's on the list, but I did enjoy this way more than I expected.

I find myself a bit ill-equipped to really judge this. The hits are familiar territory, of course, but I was never hugely into them. In fairness, it's easy to appreciate that this was groundbreaking, mixing rock riffs and rap, all produced by Rick Rubin, no less. And it hasn't aged as badly as a lot of other 80s stuff. Some clever lyrics at times as well. That said, there's a lot of cringey stuff there, too, and the constant shouting voice and persona get old really quickly. Lastly, Fight for your right doesn't get any less obnoxious with time.

The opener ist fine. Too long, though. Which is a fine indicator of the overall impression this album left. It's the worst kind of noodling. It's noodling, but the production tells you that not a single note is actually improvised, which adds an aseptic, sterile quality to this record.

Lots of stories of lonesome men, grief and a certain degree of idiocy. Not a whole lot of musical variety.

Nice enough, and it of course has one of the greatest tracks of all time on it (you know which one). Torn between 3 and 4 on the whole, and this is the lucky album that gets rounded up because I did a lot of rounding down recently.

Oh, second Queen album in as many weeks. I was hugely into them around the time Freddie died, and have since taken a more nuanced view. They're one of the major singles bands to me but never really did it for me as an album band. And this album confirms that. Very much. There are sooooo many ideas in this, but they're not very focused. Sure, Bohemian Rhapsody a few years later also had tons of idea, but the song structure actually made some sense and was coherent. Whereas here there's a lot of "oh, let's just stick this chanting and screaming here, attach the weird guitar overdub to it, too, because, hey, props to Brian, we can't leave that out". The production is also weirdly muddy and overall it ends up not being a particularly coherent or great album.

Going through this list makes me realise that Prince for me is a lot like Queen. Some indestructible hits and great individual songs, but by God, I really can't stand most of his albums as a whole. This is just so steeped in 80s production. Including tons of synth drums, which is ironic considering there is a bloody big drum kit on the cover. Also, a lot of the songwriting isn't... Really going anywhere. Except to the next 80s synth sound. You can put all of these songs over any big hair 80s romantic drama movie abomination. And I don't mean this in a sort of nice, nostalgic way. Although I'm sure many will.

Phew. Freed from the Beatles, I have very little time for any of the individual members. John particularly. This is an album with one evergreen that's been played to death... And then there is a whole bunch of incredibly mediocre songs that are variations of blues routines and Beatles-esque ballads and Beatles references. And I get that John wasn't a particularly peaceful person in his younger years, and he was openly compensating for that with all his peace and love stuff in the 70s. But my God, is this getting dreary really and cringey quickly. Having said all that. It's well-produced and I'd much rather listen to this again than to Sign O the Times by Prince. That album got 1/5, so this has to be a 2/5.

Musically I enjoyed this way more than I expected. Which really isn't saying much, because I expected 1/5 on that front, which this isn't. Quite. But my god, if this isn't an incredibe collection of cringeworthy lyrics, I have no idea what is. So... It's between 1 and 2 stars. Tough one because I'd be marginally less inclined to turn it off than other stuff. Not sufficiently so to round up to 2 stars, though. So there you go. Enjoyed it more than I expected and it still only comes in at 1/5

Oh dear. Great lyrics and songwriting drowned in 80s production. I really wish somebody did a reworking of this album. Jo Cocker did a cover of First we take Manhattan which isn't going easy on the adult contemporary production, but it still stands so tall above Cohen's original in that regard, it's not even funny. And the whole album is like that, and First we take Manhattan isn't even the worst offender (that title goes to Jazz Police). I thoroughly enjoy Cohen's last four albums, but this is such a hard pass for me... So... Dear estate of Leonard Cohen, can we have a more timeless rework, please? Because there are some good songs here, buried beneath all that shitty production.

Pleasant background jazz.

One of those people where I perceive they're held in high regard - and I absolutely can't connect to what they're doing. It's pleasant enough, but it doesn't stand out to me in any way.

These guys have listened to a lot of Kraftwerk and decided to do their own. With mixed results. Doesn't really stand on its own feet, and the bits that are not obviously Kraftwerk-esque aren't that convincing, really. Kosmischer Läufer does a better job of emulating Kraftwerk while still being more than just an hommage.

Hadn't listened to this in ages. Oh boy, what a reminder of the great storytelling and incredible musical assuredness it was to revisit this album 18 years later.

I know it's an iconic album, and yes, some indestructible smash hits are on this. And I know why it's on the list, and how culturally important and influential it was/is. Still. I give out stars based on how much I enjoyed this, and on that basis, it's a 3/5.

Didn't get why it was so big back in the day, still don't get it some 20 years later. It's a collection of fairly bog standard boring songs with fairly listless melodies, if you even want to call them that. Just doesn't click at all with me. And it's way too long, too.

Honestly, I knew the song everybody knows off of this album. So... I didn't really know what to expect. Not much, maybe. And actually... This is a GRAND album.

Seriously? Another Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young album? Or is that another Crosby, Stills and Nash album? I don't really care. I get how they were very influential and obviously a bit of a supergroup. But... They're not really that different to warrant having more than one entry here.

Okay, I guess, doesn't particularly excite or offend me.

Boring.

I can see how this was kind of groundbreaking in its theatricality and ESC-compatible campness at the time. Yet: Bit too much for my taste, especially the vocal flourishes, and I prefer the traces this album certainly left in the mainstream.

Oh dear. The Cure. Again. Why? A band I never really got the hang of. But. This has the one single song of theirs I truly appreciate, Lullaby. And Lovesong. And. Fuck me, this is a grand album overall and I wouldn't mind listening again, in fact, I kind of want to.

Yes, groundbreaking, a bit hard to connect to it for me because teenage/twen angst and anger isn't really where I'm at right now. At all.

Yeah. Uhm. I lose interest in this very quickly. I mean. It's not total shit, it just doesn't interest me, and I'm not entirely sure why this is considered a groundbreaking album. So. 1 star? 2? 1 seems unfair.

Yeah. No.

There is that one fairly funky Stevie Wonder album on the list, which I enjoyed. There is also this, which is Stevie Wonder as I originally got to know him - the somewhat schmalzy adult contemporary singer of ballads and writer of songs that don't quite want to make you dance, and all sound vaguely similar and familiar. I have much more time for funky Stevie than I do for schmalzy Stevie.

A lot weirder than I expected. Wish I hadn't read up on what Oldfield has been up to more recently. But anyway. It's a grand album, but maybe a bit too instrumentally wankerous and too influenced by medieval melody lines and instrumentations. It's also one of those big ones on the list that I was very much aware of but never actually gave even the shortest of listens. Glad I did, but I probably won't come back to it very often if ever.

I'm selective buying music these days, but I actually own a physical copy of this. So.

A lot of songs that have been played to death, of course. Astounding how many this album has, I had no idea.

Phew. Uhm. Not sure how this is really an album, to be honest. One vinyl side of concept, followed by a collection of non-album singles and miscellaneous songs. Liked it more than I thought I would, but it's still Simon & Garfunkel, a duo that certainly earned its place, albeit not necessarily in my frequently played artists playlist.

Music to drive across the USA by. Music to write Tarantino or Coen brothers movie scripts by. Kind of too short for either, really.

As others have stated before me: A classic example of 80s production, which I'm the first to say hasn't aged well at all. Although this is still way better done production-wise than Leonard Cohen's I'm Your Man, which is probably the lowest depth the 80s sunk to. His estate should really consider doing a re-recorded version to strip off the 80s shite. Wouldn't be a bad idea for Private Dancer, either. Weirdly, I can't stand the Rain somehow works with just that production. PS: Oh dear, this also contains not one but two butcherings of classic songs by The Beatles and Bowie.

Knew the band name, had no idea what to expect, except I thought they had male vocalists. Got 80s ethereal female vocals with a influence from something I can't quite point to any more because the kids are listening to a song about a rhino having to poo.

There's Disintegration, and there's the rest of The Cure's catalogue.

Hadn't listened to this in ages. Such a mixed bag. The first two songs are a showcase of outstandingly GOOD 80s production. I mean, there is such drive - the opening/title track clocks in at over 10 minutes, doesn't really have THAT many different lines of lyrics, and you're still entertained the whole way through. War and Two Tribes are good. Then comes a cooldown. Grand. Then it gets... A bit tricky. I kind of get the Springsteen cover, but then... Bacharach? Then something that showcases bad 80s production and boring songwriting. And then an instrumental that probably inspired Enigma. And then...a sort of bebop/rockabilly song about fisting. Anal fisting. Not what I expected and something I need to remember to slip onto an innocent-sounding playlist alongside Bobby Brown Goes Down. Then two more decent tracks with very driving bass lines, and of course: The Power Of Love, a love song to love which makes it so universal and timeless. In the end... When I first listened to it I didn't quite realise how gay the whole album is (well, I was 16 or so, not gay myself, lived in a very rural area... so a lot of the references and not so hidden innuendoes went totally over my head), and the fact that even on repeated listens, you can delve in the gayness - or just ignore it and enjoy what is mostly a very decent, driving, danceable album. Plus an outstanding, no holds barred pompous, romantic ballad, done very right. All of which was and is probably part of the continuing appeal of the songs and the band. And my God, Trevor Horn can produce. And damn, on finishing the album, I want to put the title track back on. Just skip San Jose and Wish The Lads Were Here, and you're looking at a great album, honestly.

Another example of fairly GOOD 80s production. Sounds much less dated than most of its contemporary albums. And there are so many layers of keyboards, percussion, interesting time signatures and rhythms (especially for songs that would broadly qualify as pop) to keep you interested even on the 200th listen of eg Sledgehammer. All without ever losing focus. What irks me the most, I suppose, is a certain perspective Gabriel tends to have in his lyrics, which... I can't put my fingers on. Regardless, this certainly is a groundbreaking album in terms of songwriting, blending avantgarde and world music influences with an incredible catchiness.

Reggae isn't my scene at all, but this was quite enjoyable.

I can see why this is on the list, but honestly I prefer their later work and Gaz's solo albums because they're stoll playful but... A bit more focused/refined.

Sorry, this just doesn't do anything for me. It isn't rubbish, but I just can't connect to this album.

I have no clue about this kind of music, so I don't know if this is really a standout album in its genre. But I enjoyed it.

I really hate the fuckin' Eagles.

The list needs more of this vibe.

So Billy Bragg and Wilco - both of whom I'm not exactly a fan of, but don't have anything against, either - write music to go with unsung Woodie Guthrie lyrics. Which...you know. Is grand for Guthrie fans, I suppose. Because they also stay really close to how music by Guthrie himself would have sounded. But I really, thoroughly do not get why this made the list. It's perfectly fine musicianship, combined with perfectly fine lyrics. But if Guthrie had written, recorded and released the music himself, this wouldn't be one of the Guthrie albums on the list. So... Why is it on the list with Bragg and Wilco doing the honours?

So, yeah, Clapton can play guitar. Besides that, this, to me, is a totally unremarkable blues album that also clocks in way too long.

Oh. One of the classics I know but have never actually listened to. Decent album. Won't go into my heavy rotation, but it did give me an appreciation of why Led Zeppelin are still held in such high regard.

There was a time when I would have enjoyed Indian instrumentation over western beats more than I do now.

It's obviously got two standout tracks in One way or another and Heart of Glass. The rest isn't bad per se, but not very interesting. The drumming with its too frequent cymbal use for single accents is actually surprisingly annoying to my ears.

Another Elvis Costello album. And I am still left eternally wondering why he has the status that he has. This is... Okay.

It's an okay album. Music to scratch your itchy feet by.

Love this album, love its predecessor a tiny bit more. Still... As the predecessor isn't on this list, this gets the 5/5 from me that Hot Rail should get. Not to belittle this one at, all, it's a very solid 4.5 in any case for me. Both are outstanding albums that whenever I listen to them make me wonder why there isn't more music out there in a similar style.

Oh Jesus. My first association... PAPER PLANES. Turned from a dancefloor favourite to an annoyance. Also, hasn't she turned into a bit of a conspiracy nutjob lately? Anyway, on to the music. Phew. I appreciate the layers expertly laid on top of each other and all sort of making some sense. Nothing here is a coincidence. You can also hear loads of influences. First two that come to my mind have a connection, even - Tom Tom Club and My Life In the Bush of Ghosts. The thing is: So many of the choices made are just so annoying to my ears. High-pitched repetitive samples. Give me a claustrophic feeling of being on some sort of trip without an off button, when I've only had a glass of beer. Which of course means there IS an off button to what I'm experiencing. Jimmy is weirdly annoyingly catchy in a way that might make me want to come back to it in the same way I sometimes need a dose of Gwen Stefani's Watcha Waiting for. But by and large, I never want to listen to this album again.

There was this one guy at school who really liked George Michael around the time of this exact album. And somebody later lent me the Ladies & Gentlemen compilation. None of it connect at all. George Michael has since grown into this somewhat odd figure in my head whom I sort of followed and who I have an appreciation of sorts for because... Well he had a huge influence on pop music, and the amount of hit singles he had with Wham! (and what incredibly hard to shake earworm each single is) is just astounding. So I felt well-prepared to do as the title implies - listen without prejudice (and don't you hate when there's a Vol 1 in the title and no Vol 2 ever happened?). And here's the long and short of it: Freedom! 90 is a great track. I skipped the rest of the first four songs. And then comes Cowboys and Angels, and the mood shifts quite a lot. The whole Symphonica stuff a few years before his death kind of makes sense. Songs like Cowboys & Angels or Mothers Pride shows his ambition. They also show where and how he saw himself. Problem is... I don't really have much time for the tons of symphonic albums pop stars did for a while. Also, he's just way too self-important. Then follows an incredibly sugary pop song, a song not quite as catchy as Freedom! 90, but with some funk nevertheless, plus a reprise - and that's it. So. Three decent tracks, a lot of ambition, but ultimately a really mixed bag for me.

Very seriously... Why are there three Stevie Wonder albums on this list? Or are there even more? It's the third I got, anyway. This is probably the one of those three that actually belongs. But as others have already observed... There are some kick-ass numbers on this album, and then you have the sickly-sweet stuff that drags proceedings down a lot. Because there is just so much of it.

It's fine. His vocals are surprisingly imperfect in quite a lot of places. Not sure if I find that charming.

This was an album I really dreaded. As it turns out: Rightly so. Serious case of having to separate the art and the artist for me. By all accounts, Springsteen seems to be a good guy, and for those inclined to go and see him live, he absolutely delivers the goods. But my God, I cannot stand this. Born in the USA is so obnoxious in how it trots out the same keyboard riff for over 4 minutes. Followed by another song that stretches out precisely one idea for over 3 minutes. Next up: Basically the same idea and chord progression as Born in the USA, but arranged in a kind of country barnyard rock style. And it kind of... goes from there. Also, the lyrics are just so incredibly in-your-fucking-face, I can't bear it. Sure, not every piece of lyric needs to be a super-subtle poetic masterpiece. But all of this is like... the equivalent of a letter a 17 year-old who's never been away from home and who's never been one to read or write much would send home while being away on an excursion for a week.

So this was recommended to me ages ago. And I haven't listened to this in ages. Still holds up really well and I'm pleasantly surprised to see it on this list.

Why is there a second Cocteau Twins album on this list when they both sound absolutely indistinguishable from each other? Okay, I'm being harsh. This does sound a bit different from Treasure. But not sufficiently so to warrant two entries on this list for the same band. Has elements of Kate Bush hiring Peter Hook as the bassist, plus lyrics that definitely inspired Sigur Rós. I can't say much more about this. It's not rubbish, but for me, listening to this drove home that dream pop really isn't my genre.

Honestly, Norman Fucking Rockwell! should be the Lana Del Rey album on this list. None other. By a long shot. That said... listening to this album again made me appreciate it a bit more than I did previously. There isn't a bad song on this, and it's impressive to se her development as a songwriter. However. There were too many times here when a decision was made to never go beyond a very tame mid-tempo at best. And given the production and instrumentation is pretty much identical on all songs, it's an album that easily sort of drifts into the background, and at some point you realise it's over. Which is a pity, because there are some great songs here.

Besides the hit on this album, this was my first conscious exposure to Crowded House. I enjoyed this, actually, and this really tastes a LOT like Wilco. Or the other way round, given these guys were first. I have half a mind of checking out some more of their stuff.

Hadn't listened to this in ages. My god, I'd forgotten how seemingly flawlessly it combines elements of genres I don't particularly love into one really fucking tight, grooving album that just makes your feet move and your head nod rhythmically.

Over an hour's worth of blues noodling.

Old-fashioned in a fairly timeless way.

Very ambitious but ultimately also a bit pretentious and definitely too long.

Tiresome.

I adore "I'm new here", Scott-Heron's late masterpiece. I also enjoy some of his earlier songs. But this, at album-length... It's not bad, but doesn't engage me at all, I'm afraid.

Pretty decent album, flows nicely. Doesn't stand out as such, though.

I'm not hugely into this genre at all, but this was a great listen. Totally unexpected, too. Good stuff.

Wants to be smooth and... Something else, I'm sure. Ends up being tedious to my ears.

Folk rock. The good kind. Kind of. Still folk rock.

I hate the fucking Eagles. And fucking Linkin Park.

It's very much conceptual prog-rock, isn't it? Sort of in the vein of Tommy and The Wall. It's a genre that, for me, hasn't aged terribly well at all. Partly because it has a tendency to take itself too seriously, leading to unnecessarily long albums.

Needs more reverb and distortion. Also, not enough cowbell

Iconic and whatnot. In this kind of became what the album and the band set out not to be.

It's alright, but with the power of hindsight probably not an entry in the list that anybody would or should be fighting tooth and nail to keep.

I can see how they were groundbreaking, I just don't think it holds up that well some 35 years later. And Shaun Ryder's voice has an irritating effect on me after a few songs.

Definitely a unique album at the time it came out. Some good tunes, some forgettable ones. What strikes me, and maybe I'm biased because I'm listening with a cold on the couch, is how nervous and uneven this album feels.

I knew a couple of songs, even did a cover of Paranoid ages ago with a band I was in. But I never really gave Black Sabbath much credit. Turns out - credit is definitely due. Great album. And it's in luck because I'm torn between a 4 and a 5 and feeling like I'm giving out too few 5 star ratings.

I hated this band when this came out. It had so many ubiquitous songs on it. When I saw this come up here I dreaded it. Turns out time has turned me a lot milder towards it. I accidentally made it through the whole expanded edition and it was grand.

The samples and lyricism are outstanding. It's got a nice flow to it, too. But to me, not a seasoned hip-hop listener at all, the lyrical content tends to be very repetitive, variations of the same two themes. Still, if there's a hip-hop/rap album that gets 3 stars from me, this is probably it.

Hard no. Some feedback guitars followed by sugary sweet, unengaging melodies and lyrics.

I'm not an Elvis guy. He's grand, like.

All over the fucking shop. They tend to be better when they're a bit more melodic (to my ears, anyway), and that's saying something because I gave Teenage Fanclub a 1/5 for being to sugary-sweet melodic. The album is a wild ride, but I wanted to listen to it again after an hour of listening to something else. So... That's a good thing, I guess.

The Ian Curtis biopic, Control, is one of my all-time favourite music-related films. In the context of that movie, Joy Division's music really works for me. Flawlessly. Outside that context, though, I appreciate how they broke new ground, and I appreciate the odd song. But overall, their debut is just a constant gloomy droning sound, claustrophobically produced, that prevails.

Reminds me a bit of The Smiths. With the advantage of the singer not being as obnoxious as The Smiths'. And the disadvantage of this album being a tad bit more boring than any Smiths album I know.

The absence of new Tom Waits music in almost 15 years (and no sign of this changing any time soon) is made more bearable by the existence of his back catalogue, this album being one of the greatest entries in that discography. Hearing this for the first as well as the 20th or 50th time, it's still utterly original and intricate in its themes and instrumentation. And its vocal delivery, of course.

This is not really my favourite genre or decade. But. It does put me in a good mood. And sort of makes me sway and tap my feet. Some of the recording/editing artefacts still audible are a bit odd, though. Like this was a bit of a rushed job that nobody bothered to clean up in the last 60+ years.

It's not bad per se, it's just boring to my ears. And it makes me wonder... If this is on the list, why isn't any of Amadou & Mariam's albums?

The first song is a bit too omnipresent, of course. Still... On first listen after ages, it's a great album.

Not a folk person usually, but I can get down with this.

Some outstanding tunes, but also some duds. Which is a shame - at 20 songs, it comes in long, and cutting the four or five songs that aren't quite up there with the rest of them would still have been an album's worth of material. A bit curious in retrospect how much she sings about boys/him/he and it does sort of make you think about her image at the time and how she must have felt about that.

Adult contemporary dad rock of the not-so-cringey kind.

I'd previously given this less credit than due, I think.

He was quite popular in the indie scene (as I followed it) ages ago. I didn't get it back then. Tastes change with age, so I thought this was as good a chance as any to give Adams a second chance. Turns out I don't find it as bad as I did back in the day but it's still a 3/5 at best for me.

It's all very competently played, with a very unexcited, laid back attitude and atmosphere. Which makes it perfect to play in the background while sitting in a café, or while having a wine with your significant other and reminiscing. It ultimately also makes the whole album a tad boring.

It's definitely a rough listen, which I've come to expect with Tom Waits. That said - I really enjoy it, even though it's not an album for your elegant dinner party.

It's okay. Not particularly memorable for me, despite the sex-laden lyrics.

Much better than any other Doors album I've listened to so far. Starts off with a weird alternating pattern of generic blues rock and stunning, original song.

Jesus, this is almost 30 years old. I feel old now. This was revolutionary in how it gave voice to a sort of female anger. Definitely not the first, but incredibly influential and successful at the same time. Pity that the most annoying song on this album - Ironic - became its most successful track.

This was such an eye-opener in its depth, musicality, atmosphere... Everything. For some reason I hadn't listened to this album for ages, and relistening to it, it hasn't lost any of its impact and ages incredibly well.

80s new wave pop shite. Sorry.

One of the better electronic/ambient records from that era.

Not a particularly exciting or uplifting record.

This makes me aggressive, and not in a good way.

Pathos, instrumentation, vocal delivery... Everything is turned up to 11 on this album. Which sometimes makes it seem a bit pretentious, but even that was obviously part of the equation when it was conceived. This is obviously too much of everything, but it's great this stuff exists precisely because of it - even though I definitely won't start listening to this album on a more frequent basis now.

So all three of Drake's albums are on this list. This is number three for me (so I'm through now). And yes, they're all very good. But they're also not that vastly different in the grand scale of things to warrant putting all three of them on this list.

First thought in my mind: Huzzah, more British new wave. Yeay. And this totally delivered on that expectation. Which means I'll never listen to this again.

First actual Police album I ever listened to. The hits are absolute standout tracks, some of the other songs are okay, some are unnecessary. Also...I think Stewart Copeland is an outstanding drummer, but on this album it often sounds a bit like even when he's doing tons of little fills and other things, he's still bored and adds more stuff still. Which is often a bit too busy for my taste.

Simon & Garfunkel, a duo that certainly earned its place, albeit not necessarily in my frequently played artists playlist. And Jesus, I expected some more acoustic guitar singer/Songwriter stuff like on the previous S&G albums I got, instead, this album launches straight into its title song that pulls absolutely no stops on the pathos - it's MUCH more sappy than I remembered it. A sort of pseudo-Greek/Latin/Italian/no idea folky thing follows, which is fairly awful. It gets a tiny bit better after that. The good news is: Simon & Garfunkel have 3 albums on this list, which makes this the last one I'll have to listen to.

Another British album that did things back in the day, I guess. Doesn't do much for me, though.

I knew precisely one track from this. This is ridiculously well-produced and mixed. Everything is precisely where it needs to be and gets precisely the right attention in the mix. There are the lyrics, of course - honestly, I hear a lot of what is often interpreted as misogyny as an obvious dig at misogynists. But yeah, if this was the shit right now and my kid was listening to it, I'd probably be worried, too. That said, there are bits in the skits on this album where there isn't that much distance between the artist and his art. And there are also songs that aren't... That great. Still... Overall, and considering it's not my genre at all, and I hadn't listened to this before at all, it's still an excellent album, and and album that definitely belongs on this list.

Not as great as I thought it was going to be after the first few songs, which I really enjoyed. Still - very solid, and a nice musical hange on this list.

I used to own a physical copy of this back when it came out, actually. Then I realised I also owned some Strokes, some White Stripes, and very deliberately didn't own any Lynyrd Skynyrd. I also realised how incredibly annoying the singer's voice is after a short while. Later still they put out stuff I legitimately detest. So... This gets a 2 because I need to be able to go lower in case any other of their albums come up.

This, along with having seen them live in 1998, confirmed my suspicion that my overlap with this band is precisely one song: If you tolerate this your children will be next (not on this album).

Ooohh. This slaps. Early premonitions of Drive Like Jehu or Mclusky or Future of the Left. Weird for sure, but good weird. And it's so cool to hear something so original here.

Not as terrible as some reviews here make it out to be, but nowhere near as good as Ute Lemper and the people who made this album obviously think it is. Very self-important.

Second Eminem album within the space of a week. Production is once again ridiculously on point. And again I can't help but feel that a lot of the controversy about his lyrics at the time had to do with insufficient listening comprehension. Or lack of willingness to pay attention. Which isn't to say that there isn't stuff in there that isn't up to scratch. But for a lot of the big items at the time, there's mostly a very obvious second layer. Most obviously in Stan, where it's clear the artists doesn't condone quite a lot of what he's expressing in his lyrics. I also realise it's a - welcome? - change to listen to the uncensored version rather than the cleaned up edits that MTV used to play all the time. Overall, though, this is a bit too aggressive compared to the Slim Shady album (which I gave a 4/5), and not as melodic/playful, and I was kind of glad when it was over. So... As I kind of feel like I'd listen to the Slim Shady album again, while I'd give this a pass, we got a 2/5 on our hands here.

Marginally more listenable than Born in the USA. Springsteen is one of those separate the art from the artist cases for me. He seems like a genuinely sound person, but I cannot for the life of me bring me to enjoy his music.

Echoes of Dylan, Joplin, Drake... And forebodings of Bill Callahan. Not very interesting despite the backstory.

The amazing thing with this album is that within two years of it, they made Rubber Soul, then Revolver a year later, and Sgt Pepper's another year later. You really wouldn't guess from this collection of songs.

Much like Portishead - which absolutely holds up to this day - I remember this as an outstanding album. Listening to it now, though, it's still very well produced, but not nearly as moving, swallowing you whole, as I remembered it to be.

An enjoyable wild ride of an album. Covering folly sounds to electronica and pop and it still kind of makes sense.

It's a weird one for sure, because it kind of loses the Trans Europa Express theme about halfway sure, so I feel it's an album that cheats me a bit. And while I've got Schaufensteruppen as an earworm a day later, I'm not that fond of that song. So all in all, from their classic period, it's not my favourite album, but still a very good one.

Separating the art from the artist is an important skill. I actually enjoy a lot of Morrissey's music, especially his solo stuff. But my god, is he an insufferable prick.

Hard to listen to because the sound quality is just so crappy

Grand, like.

For some strange reason, Stop Making Sense, a clear 5, is not on this list. Remain in Light is, though. And while very good and innovaative in terms of the way they work with effects, repetitive riffs etc., the songs sound a bit too restrained at times compared to Stop Making Sense.

I got this the day after Remain in Light by Talking Heads and I was surprised how much common DNA there is to these two records. Enjoyed it way more than I expected and want to listen to it again.

The concept sounded preposterously pretentious when I read it, and the first few notes confirmed my fears. But then it was actually alright. I mean you kind of have to applaud the ambition shown here. That said, Deezer gave me a deluxe edition, which adds a historically important second live recording of the same songs. And I wasn't really keen on going through the whole thing twice in a row. So does that make a 2 or a 3? 2 seems a bit mean-sprited. But not being keen on a second listen isn't really material for a 3...

Fucking ABBA. Incredible songwriters that make it seem so easy to write strings of earworms. Top-notch production, too. Very questionable aesthetic choices, including this album cover (trademark (R) against the band name and all). How kind of sugary it all is, though. It really isn't my kind of music, but those earworms still work on me. Oh - Money, Money, Money is a great song. Tough to rate, because I'm fine never listening to this album ever again (except Money, Money, Money), but do think it's an achievement.

It's not shit, but does absolutely nothing for me.

I can see how much of this was quite ground-breaking in the mid-80s. The expressive dancing, the production, the sampling, Bush's voice of course. But for me, it's very dated sounding with its really clean production and liberal use of what I think is fretless bass. And it isn't something I really have any ambition to revisit, although I absolutely think this album has earned its place on this list.

Mile Rodger is the master of funky production. The songs themselves left me a bit wanting, though, as a few of them maybe dragged repetitively on a bit longer than strictly necessary.

This is the sugary Beatles. Yes, even what they did in their early days became very significant very quickly (coming from playing rock 'n' roll covers), but for me, the Beatles started to become interesting around the time of Rubber Soul/Revolver.

Jazz. Jazz, jazz. Jazz. Jazz.

I didn't enjoy "Are you Experienced" as much as I'd expected. So I started listening to this with some hesitations. And here we are: 5/5.

Haven't listened to this in a while. Absolutely stands the test of time. Eid ma clack shaw being the standout track for me.

I expected a banger... It's Isaac Hayes. And then I realised this really is just a soundtrack album. Not songs from the film, but the music that accompanies various scenes in the movie. A disappointing and a bit boring exercise.

I my first reaction to getting this was "okay, this is Springsteen album #3, and can we please be done with him, then?". Now. That was a bit unkind towards this album, which, to me, is way more bearable than any of is other stuff. It isn't so overly 80s adult-contemporary produced, and basically a collection of songs and stories not dissimilar to Bob Dylan, harmonica and all. I actually found that the original Born in the USA Demo was on the tapes that were the foundation for this album. Lo and behold - in that shape, it's actually a very listenable track. I'll never be a fan of Springsteen's, but this album actually takes some of the edge of my overall dislike for his music.

My first introduction to Pet Shop Boys, and I really got into them for about two or three albums after this. Still a great, great cover, too. The production seems a bit sterile on renewed listen, but nowhere near as bad as a lot of other stuff produced in the 80s. One More Chance is probably the song on this album that has aged the worst to my ears.

His voice is certainly an acquired taste, but musically, this was a surprisingly diverse, interesting and enjoyable experience and I can absolutely see myself going back to this a few times.

I expected to want to turn this off two songs in, and... I didn't. So in that regard, it's a success, I suppose. There's a lot of trying to figure out life. Love, sex, and money, specifically. And I think the fixation on the money bit is what just rubs me the wrong way. Especially when sort of mixed up with love and sex, as in the immortal line "that money keeps that pussy wet". Yes, the song as a whole also has bits in there that look at things from a perspective of not having money. But the catchy, endlessly repeated bit is about that money keeping sexual organs in a state of arousal.

So for some weird reason, I of course knew the band's name but never consciously heard any of their stuff. And for some reason I had always grouped them into the same kind of adult contemporary dad rock genre as Chicago or Boston or Springsteen or whoever. I was relieved to realise how wrong I was. But. There are cool funky bits here, but nothing that would disqualify it from being a soundtrack to make love to your partner by But by God, is All About Love a schmaltzy song.

This is all very pleasant, peaceful and all the arrangements seem effortless. They even manage to not screw up a cover of Help!

This is just a bit too much testosterone-overdosed fist-pumping. 1970s/80s heavy metal, basically. I can't see myself ever going back to this for any reason whatsoever.

I used to own this. And on re-listening to this after about 20 years I had the same feeling I had when I decided to sell my physical copy back then. This album starts with one or two songs that really kick you. And then the songs get gradually worse and boring and the singer's vocals really annoying and... Dare I say off-key?

Exhausting.

I'm aware Bowie was a fan, and I was looking forward to my first full album listen of anything by LCD Soundsystem. I was underwhelmed.

It's the Ramones. Which means it does absolutely nothing for me, apologies to everybody who holds them dear to their hearts.

American 1970s folk with sugary melodies and vocals. Does not float my boat.

Hadn't listened to this album in absolute ages and was prepared to be a bit disappointed. I wasn't. At all. Such a confident statement and so many great tracks.

I had a Queen period around the time Freddie died. I came out of that period with an appreciation of what incredible hit writers they were - and what incredibly mediocre album writers. Which also means: any good Queen song you've probably heard to death, and any deep cut is not really worth your while. This is no exception. Death On Two Legs is almost an exception to the deep cut rule I just mentioned. Besides that... There are more. musichall-esque novelty songs here than I remember. Some of them INCREDIBLY annoying. Plus that car song which even 30-odd years ago I found incredibly stupid and which hasn't gained much since. And a faux country folk stomp song makes as much sense to me today as it ever did. Ie very little. All of that said... Yes, their sort of erratic writing/output is part of what made them create the outstanding stuff they certainly have in their discography. Like Bohemian Rhapsody. And this album definitely was influential in the way it was written and produced (so much better than previous Queen albums!). I still don't really enjoy it an awful lot as an album.

Why on earth does he keep trying to rap. He shouldn't. Ever. Ruins many a good song on this album.

The Last truly great Coldplay album. It's a cliché, but boy, was I disappointed in their trajectory from here on out.

Some obvious bangers here, but as an album, it's surprisingly incoherent although I applaud their fearlessness at this point in their career.

The original formulaic Christmas record. Plus cheesy spoken words from Spector himself. It's all a bit much.

I liked their hit album, and this isn't bad. But it has absolutely no business being on this list.

Jesus, how much pathos can you put into a single album. This is all just too much, and doesn't really interest me at all, although she is obviously a talented singer. But really... Getting through this was an absolute chore.

I hated this kind of music back in the day and listening to this now I found my stance on this has absolutely not softened.

Wow, Wars of Armageddon is an incredibly annoying piece of cacophony. Other than that, it's grand, but not necessarily something I'll come back to very often.

Very confidently girly - and very 80s.

This apparently holds a special place in a lot of people's hearts and minds. It's my first time consciously listening to this band and it's all decidedly forgettable to me.

Does less than nothing for me. Orchestral Thom Yorke? I like Radiohead, but I couldnt make it through this.

With some of the 60 years (!) of hindsight, there's a bunch of very questionable lyrics here. So in that sense it is very much of its time. It has some great moments, too, though.

As somebody already pointed out: It very recognisable as The Beach Boys. The pioneers of having a signature sound. Which they've driven to an absolute extreme because to me, every song sounds exactly and precisely like any other song by them. Possibly with rejuggled lyrics, but I can't even be sure their songs actually do have different lyrics, because... It wouldn't even be necessary. Also, thanks to those legendary harmonies it all sounds so sugary sweet you're at risk of getting diabetes from listening to this

The intro riff for Money for Nothing is still quite the thing, even though I've heard that song way too many times. Besides that, though, we have annoying 2/4 pseudo-rockabilly pop song and an incredible number of really slow, ultimately boring, songs.

I expected to hate this because of that incredibly annoying remix of Brimful of Asha. Which isn't actually on this album. And lo and behold... The original version is grand, like, and it's a grand album. Could have done with maybe a couple songs cut from it that make it feel a tad bit long in the end without being really that inspired pieces of music. Could have otherwise been a 4/5 candidate.

AC/DC is kind of stupid, but kind of cleverly so. Four to the floor and riffs and licks that all sound vaguely the same - and are immediately identifiable as AC/DC. Oh, and they're making sure to hammer home the chorus. Again. And again. Touch too much (which I'm assuming is about premature ejaculation) being the one that really stuck with me here - half the song was just that phrase repeated. I've turned off other stupid rock shite and given 1 star for it, but somehow I never felt like turning this off, although I'll never listen to this whole album ever again. Because... Why would I? Still... Better than KISS by several light years.

Not my cuppa, but kind of a fun one regardless.

Pretty cool and impressive stuff, especially for 1972, although probably not something I'll be playing an awful lot.

I kind of get why this is on the list, as Adamson manages to create atmospheres and scenes in my head. But as I'm not an A&R person, nor somebody who's looking for somebody to write the soundtrack for my next movie, it's a fairly pointless album to me.

John Lee Hooker with aseptic 80s production and collaborators, kicking off with Santana rhythms and smoothness. The album you didn't know you needed. Because you didn't need it. It's the blues album your parents may have, who have zero time for blues music otherwise.

Groundbreakingness understood although it's not necessarily something I'll put on an awful lot. But... It's also something I'm sure I'll listen to again at some point.

Kinda boring for my ears.

Another album with/by Paul Simon. Way too many on this list. When maybe one Simon & Garfunkel and one solo album (Graceland) would make sense.

One of the first of its kind and it's a bit unfair towards this album that you tend to judge it by all that muzak that replicated its formula and was played ad nauseum in wine and beach bars in the late 90s and early 2000s. So it sounds a bit clichéd now, but it was a major blueprint for that cliché. How do I rate this, though?

It's alright. Like. Uhm. It has these seemingly unironic pieces that sound like they want to be the Beach Boys (Anyway the wind blows) as well as bits that make you wonder what on earth obliged them to put them to tape, let alone press them onto a record. Besides a general appetite for tomfuckery (The Return of the Son of...) It's also rather long. You could say I didn't care much for it but realise some people may disagree with me on that. Not a lot of people, though. Loud people, probably.

There's a sitar on the cover of this album. There's a sitar on the songs of this album. There's now a sitar echoing in my ear canals. Bit of a novelty album.

This does absolutely nothing for me.

Precisely as shit as I expected.

Very much of its time. Really tiresome in a surprisingly large number of places. Benefited much less than you'd expect from being the album I got right after Kid Rock.

I enjoyed this more than Rum Sodomy & The Lash. Fairytale of New York is a stone-cold classic, of course, and actually as indestructible and Shane seemed and felt in his younger years. Puts me in the mind of banter and craigh with the lads and lasses down at the pub, with pints aplenty and some singing along. This album also made me realise that Shane was a great, great storyteller - but the band were absolutely top notch as well. Having said all that... Listening to this sober on the commute to work, by song 10 I definitely started to feel hung over and regretful of having had one pint too many. The last one was probably off.

It's better than expected, but still not great. Outstanding production doesn't make a great album, and beyond this taking home the prize of "producer and singer most trying to be the next Quincy Jones and Michael Jackson" I'm not entirely sure what to make of this. But yes, all questionable nastiness from Timberlake towards Spears aside, Cry Me A River is a great pop song.

I can absolutely see why this is on the list. But the cover makes me feel queasy. And the vocals show very little variation while being in a range that I find curiously annoying after a bit.

Definitely influenced Peter Gabriel. Not sure I'll be coming back to this much, though.

Slightly less unpleasant than her other album on this list. Which means... She has TWO albums on this list. Why?!? Deduct one star because....down with that sort of thing!

What a trip. Can I give all scores at once?

Much more enjoyable than I expected. I hated them back in the day and in this case my view has softened with time.

69 - nudge, nudge, wink, wink - love songs. It would have been nice if they hadn't left quality control to the listeners. Because I'm very sure there is an album's worth of good love songs on this. But very definitely not over three albums' worth.

It's a smooth affair, but nothing that really stood out to me.

The three hit singles are supremely annoying, mostly thanks to their repetitive, squeaky keyboard riffs. The rest is actually quite decent.

I know they earned their place. But this was a tough one to listen to, not least because it's an album that shows how hitting all the notes you're trying to sing isn't always that easy.

So yeah, if you're a full-on rock fan, this is the shit. It's what led the way for many that followed. But. It's not that markedly different from their debut, which is also on this list and it does feel like they're ovrrrepresented a bit. But then... I'd rather have another LedZep album than yet another album from Simon and/or Garfunkel.

Absolutely not what I expected, and I don't quite know what to make of it, to be honest. His vocal acrobatics are impressive but also tend to get a bit tiresome. It's grand, like, but doesn't really float my boat at all, I'm afraid.

Another Neil Young entry on this list. If you like Neil Young, you'll like this. If you don't, you won't. Which yet again show how some artists and genres were considered with great nuance - oooh, this establishes him as an artist and it should be on the list because of that, but on THIS he wrestles with his inner demons like on no other album, whereas on THIS he plays the best guitar he's ever played. Which - over 420 albums into this - is getting supremely annoying, especially because other genres, acts, and countries are treated with a much broader brush if not completely ignored.

Lemmy was the quintessential hard rocker. Quite the character. An institution. I knew that much before listening to this. Now I also know that I do not care one little bit for the music his band made. And there's "Jailbait", a song that really hasn't aged at all well thanks to its topic of "better not ask her age" girls being backstage.

This album absolutely deserves to be on this list. It showcases how much Frantz and Weymouth brought to the sound of their main band. It's also an early adventure in sampling, and making something out of fairly repetitive patterns and riffs. It's no wonder elements of this album have been sampled so much. But. As an album, it's not a very enjoyable listen for me. It's often more like listening to a sound library than to a music album.

I like her album "When the pawn..." (the title goes on for a bit longer than that). And everything since is just not my thing in the end. Firstly, you obviously have to wait ages before anything is actually released. And then you listen to it, admire her voice, admire the care she puts into every little sound. But then you also find that her songs sound like they're about to burst open into something truly great and transforming. And then they never really do. Instead you end up feeling like you're listening to loads of great ideas arranged fairly chaotically and without enough focus. A bit like a weaker Tom Waits album. There, I said it. Also, lyrically were still mostly looking at variations of the same themes as 25 years ago.

I respect Kate Bush as an artist who certainly has a vision and absolutely sees it through. It's a pity I really have no idea how to like her music more than I do.

A very mixed bag. Some really crappy songs and some decent ones.

Everything But The Girl before their uber-hit Missing. You realise very quickly indeed why they weren't big before Missing. I find this incredibly boring and the worst kind of synth-dominated aseptic 80s ballad. Yes, the whole album. Extra point deduction would be well-deserved for combining gratuitous 80s sax with senseless, soulless programmed cowbell on "I always was your girl". But 1 is the lowest ranking already.

Shit, this is actually a decent listen.

The title makes it look like a compilation album, but it isn't, as Wikipedia tells me. It's Fats' third studio album. And I expected a decent, but sort of middle-of-the-road R&B/rockabilly sort of affair. It isn't. It's a great collection of tunes. It really is, and it's a delight to listen to.

I mean... It's very sexually-minded. An album to make love to your lady/gentleman by. But this album has been so influential (and thus deserving of its place on this list) that it's really become the blueprint of a trope that's been hard to take seriously since Flight Of The Conchords' "Business Time".

I expected a novelty album. And it sort of is. I mean... A (insert slightly off-kilter instrument here)-oriented cover of Satisfaction is as novelty as it gets. But. It's an enjoyable listen. Very much so.

It is what it is. Not made to be actively listened to on headphones. So I used it all wrong and ended up a bit bored.

British punk from the late 70s

It's like Eminem without any of the humour or self-reflection that redeemed parts of his discography.

I actually enjoy this more than Maggot Brain. If only they could keep themselves from taking a stroll down noodling street at least ever other time.

This is too much of everything. Show-off musicianship. Mediocre, self-important lyrics. 80s production. 80s song structures and melodies. Wow. This is truly terrible. Truly, truly.

Did you know Dylan is in Electric LaDYLANd? Well, there you go. This is probably my favourite Dylan album so far on this list. Weirdly. Because it has a lot of simple country & western style shuffle numbers on it, which I tend to not enjoy greatly. Still, it has a certain drive, which is good. That said... This is Dylan album number 4 for me, and that's a lot already, and a lot, too, considering there are three more waiting for me.

London Calling is obviously the better album.

What a breath of fresh air on this list! I'd heard of him as one of the founding fathers of Krautrock, but never listened to any of his solo stuff. Glad I did!

To quote one Alan Parzridge: "Just noise"

It's a grand album, like. But why there would be another album by Love on this list besides Forever Changes is a mystery.

Not usually my genre, but this is a very decent listen - and from knowing Midnight Oil's Breathe, Malcolm Burn's really organic production is instantly recognisable.

That's a LOT of high-pitched wows/waaaaahs and similar screams, and too loud in the mix. Well. "Mix", as if this had actually been mixed.

Wow, does his voice get on my nerves really quickly.

Pleasant, unexciting. The background choir mostly a bit too sugary for my taste.

Lots of noodling.

I expected to hate this. And it's actually a fine album. Whether it was one that I would have gone "crap, never listened to that one" before I pass on to the next world... I'm not sure. But it's a fine album. Simple as that.

Not something I'd listen to for pleasure, to be honest, because it's... Just a bit too unknown for my ears to enjoy. You can tell it's well played and produced, and it's a breath of fresh air to get something on this list that isn't more or less American or British mainstream/mainstream-adjacent stuff. Still... Hard to go for more than 2 stars.

Okay, but fairly boring after a bit

I'm always surprised how Prince has some immortal hits - and how I find most of his albums absolute chores to listen to. Especially the 80s stuff. Not dissimilar to Queen, who have some immortal hits, but who also have mostly mediocre albums.

Some other review had it right - it's weird how every song sounds like something that would stand out as kicking ass if it was played on the radio, but as a whole album, this just sounds very same-y. Very reminiscent of Monster Magnet. With slightly less testosterone and a bit more polish.

It's very of its time. Where's your head at is a great track. But it isn't on this. So if you feel like getting an idea of the sound of late 90s/early 2000s hedonism... This is probably it.

Not their best album, necessarily. But still a great album.

A real fun album from a band I had kind of dismissed as not that relevant in the grand scheme of things. But this is good. Truly. One wish, though: A proper remix/remaster, as this really sounds very tinny.

I used to like jazz much more than I do now. This is grand, though.

Oh, goodie. A genre I don't enjoy, and an artist who's an absolute muppet of a person and a waste of space. Listened to a bit of it and am glad I can go ahead and not listen to it with extreme prejudice, not having to bother with separating the art and the artist.

Groundbreaking I guess, also a bit tiresome after a while I'm sure.

Polished, overproduced pop jazz. Meh. Not really noteworthy at all.

Well, there's Tainted Love. Indestructible no matter how many people cover it, how many times it gets played on the radio, at your uncle's 3rd wedding reception, 80s night at the local nightclub, etc. Also, Sex Dwarf is an interesting song title - but the song sort of fails to deliver on it. There is a lot of 80s electronica, angst and cold neon lights turned into music. Gives me a nuclear world war teenage angst, cold neon light feeling that I don't appreciate much at all.

They have a knack for churning out catchy riffs and hook lines. And the man himself as a private citizen seems to be a decent human being. But. By God, the catchy tunes and riffs are so stupid any annoying. Well, except for the bass line and drums at the start of Keep the Faith, before the rest of the band joins in. But that's a different album, anyway. But there's Livin' on a Prayer here, which also starts with an okay bass line before the keyboards come in and all the rest, making it an 80s hair rock anthem. Well, it's socially conscious, much like Springsteen's stuff. But by God I really can't stand the music. If you're wondering: A friend of mine at school was hugely into them, that's why I srill know more about their discography than I wish to know. It's all a bit too much. And yet. Drunk at my uncle's 3rd or 4th wedding reception, I can't guarantee that I won't be air-guitaring and air-fist-pumping to Livin' on a Prayer. So Bon Jovi has that questionable honour over KISS in my hook. Still. What a chore to get through this.

A bit boring.

Schmalzy.

Very decent indeed.

I loved Anton Corbijns biopic about Joy Division and Ian Curtis. And I absolutely know why they're on this list. I just find Joy Division incredibly hard to listen to because Ian Curtis wasn't really that great a singer, and the production is a bit too wonky.

Fairly ahead of its time given it's from 1979 but sound like Duran Duran in the mid-80s. Still not my cuppa.

Okay, but groundbreaking how exactly?

This gave me nervous ticks and made me aggressive when it was new and fresh and exciting. It's no longer new nor fresh, and seems a bit formulaic in hindsight (which I know is a bit unfair). It still gives me nervous ticks and makes me aggressive, though.

You could listen to this on repeat as background music and still not remember a single song the next day.

No idea what I'd make of this if I came across this without ever having listened to any Nick Cave besides Wild Roses maybe. As it stands, I know this album but just haven't listened to it in ages - great to get back to after ages, and it's still absolutely excellent.

Another one of those obviously influential British albums I don't really enjoy that much.

Really low-key enjoyed this. The band name is obviously very misleading, though. Would have been a 4, but then I found it's actually from the early 2000s, which is exactly what it sounds like. So not quite as trailblazing as I thought initially, when I was somehow under the impression this was an 80s or 90s record.

It's one of the few rap/hip-hop albums I ever owned, which is saying something for me. In the end I did realise it still simply isn't my genre, try as I might. Still, as great a hip-hop album as I've ever encountered.

Pleasant and surprisingly timeless. Not very exciting, though.

Not as bad as I feared, but still absolutely not what I was missing in my life. Although Stewart's later works fall into that category to a much higher degree than this, which I wouldn't mind playing in the background. As long as it's not on repeat.

Another British post-punk album. Hooray. Not.

Yet another LedZep album. This is outstanding, though.

I feared this, because I like George - who doesn't - but tend to find his solo works a bit too sugary at times. But once My Sweet Lord was done with (mercifully early on), this turned out to be a bloody good record that I really enjoyed. Could've done with a bit less instrumental stuff at the end, and I also never, ever want to hear My Sweet Lord again. Still, a solid 4/5.

I somehow thought The Byrds were a bit like... The Small Faces or something. But Jesus... Country, and somewhat Christian country at that. Absolutely not.

Quite the schmalzfest. Tough to get through and more reminiscent of Engelbert Humperdinck and the likes than of the disco stuff they produced later.

Blue Monday, True Faith, a few songs from the Get Ready album. The more New Order I listen to, the more I'm convinced that that is the entirety of works that justify New Order ever existing in the first place. This album, or any track from it, certainly doesn't justify the band's existence.

Very 80s, but strangely enjoyable because of their gusto.

Notable for being a sort of generic 1960s folk-rock-pop with very up-down-up-down vocal lines, telling stories about painters of women and timekeepers and suchlike. Always on the verge of achieving a certain likeness to Cat Stevens or even Syd Barrett in sound and quality of songwriting. But not ever getting there by a long shot in the end.

This is pretty shitty.

I dreaded this (see what I did there?) a bit. Reggae isn't my scene and tends to annoy me a bit after a relatively short time. This is fine, though, and would be absolutely grand as the soundtrack to a day at the beach with a cocktail or two and/or an ice bucket with a bunch of bottles of characterless beer.

There is more than one The The album on this list. That makes absolutely zero sense even if you don't hate them as much as some reviewers here do. Essentially 80s, but not even iconically so.

I consider this to be one of the Stones' great records. Alongside Let it Bleed, released within a year of this one. And yet, besides one or two standout tracks, as an album it never gets even close to a 4 out of 5.

Phew. This was definitely groundbreaking when it came out. On relistening after 17 years (according to my last.fm account) the looped sample on Find My Baby gets really annoying really quickly. Still, it's amazing how quickly it feels really familiar again, and for the most part, the production still holds up today. It's almost a pity how every single track off of this 18 track album has become an acoustic wallpaper for at least the Western world, thanks to Moby's very liberal approach to licensing his songs for ads, movies, TV, games, and anything else you could conceivably stick a soundtrack on.

Paul Rodgers, way before he became a part of Queen + Paul Rodgers, which was of course the best Queen incarnation we've been allowed to witness. Nah. This sure is an album full of songs in which the singer expresses his desire to fornicate all day and night. Using various different 1970s-compatible rock expressions for that desire. And this is still not quite as terrible as you might expect.

Another one of those bands I'd heard of before but never actually listened to. And another band I know I won't be coming back to an awful lot.

Some other review: "This album has some of the most complex and beautiful drum programming" Narrator: "It doesn't." The drum programming, just like everything else, is incredibly repetitive and tiring and it's yet another semi-obscure and - at best - semi-relevant British album on this list that makes you wonder why you're bothering with this project.

I definitely had to do a mental distancing exercise before listening to this, and for a moment wasn't sure if I wasn't gonna skip this. But... I haven't skipped any of the first 509 albums I got, I'm not gonna skip #510. I was familiar with Marilyn Manson before and actually owned two of the middle-period albums, but had never listened to this album in particular. Trent Reznor is all over this, as is a good portion of glam-rock and sickness. And I'm afraid to say it definitely has aged - but not terribly. I can still see how this would be kind of cathartic while you're driving at speed after losing your job, having a big (verbal, I feel I have to point out in the context of Marilyn Manson) fight with your partner, or any other such event.

Grand, but a bit same-Y after a while.

Appreciate this more than anything Clapton ever did solo.

They don't sound like I expected them to. Not a fan either way.

It has its qualities. But contrary to my 16 year-old self, I don't and can't appreciate them any more. This is all much too dad-rock for me. My 16 year-old self also hadn't realised how much of this album, including the cover, is really about sex. Not sure if that lack of awareness at 16 is reassuring or not.

Much has been said about the genius of Syd Barrett. And this shows some of it. Unfortunately, See Emily Play and Arnold Layne aren't on this, although Bike and Astronomy Domine are. Still... This is very much a band still trying to find its style and footing. It's historically important because it's the debut of one of the most influential and impactful bands ever. And because it's the only full band album with Syd Barrett. But as an album, it's very eclectic and erratic.

Not that well-recorded. Still pretty okay to listen to. Why exactly it's on this list, though, I have zero idea, given its run-of-the-mill 70s rock.

Very much a demonstration of how you should always ignore mono versions of albums unless you're a music historian. Stereo versions here are infinitely more listeneable. The quirky spoken word segments are really annoying after a bit. Besides that, enjoyable.

Starts off great and funky and cool and smooth. And stays that way, but you kind of lose interest a bit because the songs start to sound very familiar.

This reaffirms my conviction that RAM is the only worthwhile McCartney album from the 70s. The only other McCartney album besides RAM I even bother with is III.

Brecht-Eisler rather than Brecht-Weill. The dramatic agit-prop lyrics are obviously very similar. Eisler's music definitely comes across as less pop-oriented and easy to listen to than Weill's. I like that this is on the list because it's such an unexpected entry that actually broadens one's perspective (whether or not one actually enjoys it) rather than just being the 20th British New Wave album, or the 5th Simon & Garfunkel album. It's adds to the mystique that this album is pretty unavailable these days. In conclusion, though... I prefer somewhat more modern adaptions of Brecht/Weill/Eisler's works. This sounds fairly true to the original and it kind of gives me nervous heart jumps.

A very daring record even today, over 45 years after its release. Weirdly, I feel that the production of Byrne's vocals on this album really lacks in comparison to the live recordings on Stop Making Sense*. It just seems a little unfocused, which, coupled with Byrne's vocal style, can get a bit much or downright irritating at times. Unfortunately, this is, once again, one of those albums on this list that make me complain. Talking Heads have three albums on this list (77, Fear of Music and Remain in Light). Which is a lot, really, given they only ever released eight studio and two live albums before they split up. Considering there are a lot of live albums on this list, the mind boggles how Stop Making Sense is not on this list, and honestly... Fear of Music is probably the one that could be dropped in its stead.

Inititially, I liked this better than Sound of Silver. And then I realized it just started to sound like a lot of other bands put through a blender. Various 70s/80s British New Wave bands, plus Joy Division, Flaming Lips, Talking Heads... I mean... It's not bad per se, but I really don't get the fuss about this project.

Seems pretty pointless.

I remember liking how the band/project was retired. And based on that, I expected their music to be a bit more subversive. It couldn't be any farther from it. Incredibly polished, mainstream shite. The kind of music that never had any redeeming value for me, but still blocked the airwaves at the time and got stuck as an earworm in your head.

Enjoyable eclectic mix, certainly a band and album I'm glad I came across here.

I can see music now. It's weirdly fringed and chevroned with visible reverb.

It's not my thing, but I still appreciate this being on this list because for what it is - folk, medieval-esque folk music - it's quite decent.

Coincidentally (or not), I tried to listen to this storied album last year. I made it 4 songs into the record before abandoning it. One year later, against the background of Wilson's death, nothing has changed. All of Wilson's trademark sounds are here - the obnoxious harmonies, the busy vocal multi-tracks... And the fact it all unfortunately does not interest me in the least.

How much distortion can you put on ALL the recording tracks? How far back into these layers of distortion can you put the distorted, droney/dreamy vocals? Listen to this album to find out.

I do enjoy this a bit more than most of what Solange's more famous sister does. But it doesn't quite connect with me musically, although I appreciate the audacity present in the lyrics (both sung and delivered as spoken word).

Country-folk. I'm sure it does something for some people. Not for me.

It's not an album I would recommend as such. It's an experience, though, and as such highly recommended and something this list needs more of.

Even by Cave's standards, this is a heavy and dark affair. It's more like a gospel album than a classic Bad Seeds album, and sonically, the layers of keyboards and piano, with lyrics more spoken that sung, and very sparse background singing is just too homogeneous, and it makes me feel numb - which mightn't even be completely against Cave's intentions. But I honestly was glad when the album after this with Warren Ellis brought energy to proceedings again, and the next band album actually featured the Bad Seeds again not just in name.

It's fine. But honestly, it doesn't particularly stand out. I mean... There are the one or two or even three standout singles, but there are 18 tracks here. It doesn't give me much reason to revisit it again, honestly. It also begs - again - the question why there are so many Stones albums on this list. It's like the authors want to convince people that the Stones are/were more than what we've seen of them in the 80s. Honestly, though - Let It Bleed and Beggars' Banquet (both also on this list) make that point much more convincingly than this... Okayyys collection of songs.

Coming from a Rolling Stones album (Exile on Main Street) to this is like a breath of fresh air, even though nominally, this and the Stones aren't miles apart.

I enjoyed this more than I thought I would, to be honest. Not my new favourite record, but a worthy entry on this list and I'm delighted to have listened to this.

It's fine. Reggae. Not my scene. Third Marley album I've encountered here and it really is a case of... They all sound EXACTLY the same to me. Fine. But... Absolutely identical.

Very much of its time. On a bad say, this would trend towards 1/5 for me, but it's been an okay day, so... 2/5.

This is like a remix of Pet Shop Boys and Kraftwerk, but much, much less interesting/refined than either.

Sorry, with the first chords and that voice... I have no time for the musician Springsteen even though the person Springsteen seems to be a decent guy.

The SECOND pre-disco Bee Gees album on this list that I got so far. Both had absolutely zero business being on this list. Absolutely none. Incredibly uninspired, schmaltzy middle-of-the road shite.

Good stuff. Out there, yet listenable. Never heard of this bunch before and I'll probably dive into their oevre a bit more. Good entry on this list. This is what I'm here for.

Fairly boring.

Some surprisingly groovy numbers. And some not so surprising schmalz.

Costello album #3 for me. I still do absolutely not get people's fascination with him, nor why on earth he has three albums on this list.

Kate Bush is a national treasure. She's broken boundaries, pushed limits, strived to fulfill her very own vision with little or no compromise. She also seems to have quite a self-deprecating sense of humour. So, what's not to like? Well, the fact that her vision just doesn't align with my tastes at all. I'd sit down for a pint with her and I think she'd be great company to chat away an evening. I'd just hope she'd never bring up her music in conversation so we can avoid that awkward silence - or, after a few pints, my very wordy way of trying to express that I mostly appreciate the theoretical concept of what she's doing and how she's doing it, but not so much the actual result.

It's fine. Not sure why it's here, but it's fine. Mind you, I didn't pay much attention to the lyrics, but when I did, they tended to be a bit cringey. Starting with that spoken word intro with Cee-Lo's son.

This is a weird one. No idea what it's doing on this list, but I'm sort of glad it's here because it's a good listen, without being just more of the same stuff you already find on this list or hear(d) on the radio all the time.