508
Albums Rated
3.05
Average Rating
47%
Complete
581 albums remaining
Rating Distribution
Rating Timeline
Taste Profile
2010s
Favorite Decade
Grunge
Favorite Genre
US
Top Origin
Wordsmith
Rater Style ?
74
5-Star Albums
49
1-Star Albums
Breakdown
By Genre
By Decade
By Origin
Albums
You Love More Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Scott 2
Scott Walker
|
5 | 2.64 | +2.36 |
|
...Baby One More Time
Britney Spears
|
5 | 2.67 | +2.33 |
|
Electric Prunes
The Electric Prunes
|
5 | 2.73 | +2.27 |
|
Group Sex
Circle Jerks
|
5 | 2.75 | +2.25 |
|
BEYONCÉ
Beyoncé
|
5 | 2.86 | +2.14 |
|
D.O.A. the Third and Final Report of Throbbing Gristle
Throbbing Gristle
|
4 | 1.88 | +2.12 |
|
O.G. Original Gangster
Ice T
|
5 | 2.97 | +2.03 |
|
Sunshine Superman
Donovan
|
5 | 3.09 | +1.91 |
|
Under Construction
Missy Elliott
|
5 | 3.14 | +1.86 |
|
If You're Feeling Sinister
Belle & Sebastian
|
5 | 3.18 | +1.82 |
You Love Less Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Catch A Fire
Bob Marley & The Wailers
|
1 | 3.63 | -2.63 |
|
After The Gold Rush
Neil Young
|
1 | 3.63 | -2.63 |
|
The Velvet Underground & Nico
The Velvet Underground
|
1 | 3.62 | -2.62 |
|
The Velvet Underground
The Velvet Underground
|
1 | 3.54 | -2.54 |
|
Rust Never Sleeps
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
|
1 | 3.53 | -2.53 |
|
Blonde On Blonde
Bob Dylan
|
1 | 3.5 | -2.5 |
|
Blue
Joni Mitchell
|
1 | 3.49 | -2.49 |
|
Disraeli Gears
Cream
|
1 | 3.47 | -2.47 |
|
The Köln Concert
Keith Jarrett
|
1 | 3.39 | -2.39 |
|
Bossanova
Pixies
|
1 | 3.38 | -2.38 |
Artists
Favorites
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Public Enemy | 3 | 4.67 |
| The Smashing Pumpkins | 2 | 5 |
| Depeche Mode | 2 | 5 |
| Pink Floyd | 2 | 5 |
| Radiohead | 4 | 4.25 |
| David Bowie | 6 | 4 |
Least Favorites
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Joni Mitchell | 3 | 1.33 |
| The Velvet Underground | 2 | 1 |
| Bob Dylan | 4 | 1.75 |
| Neil Young | 3 | 1.67 |
| Pixies | 3 | 1.67 |
| Bob Marley & The Wailers | 3 | 1.67 |
| Ryan Adams | 2 | 1.5 |
| Dexys Midnight Runners | 2 | 1.5 |
| Van Morrison | 2 | 1.5 |
| Massive Attack | 2 | 1.5 |
| Bee Gees | 2 | 1.5 |
| Elvis Costello & The Attractions | 4 | 2 |
Controversial
| Artist | Ratings |
|---|---|
| King Crimson | 5, 2 |
| Eagles | 5, 2 |
| Metallica | 3, 1, 4, 5 |
| Nirvana | 5, 4, 2 |
| The Doors | 4, 5, 2 |
5-Star Albums (74)
View Album Wall
Popular Reviews
Kanye West
3/5
Ugh. This album got me through some tough times, and was the first album that made me realize rap is more than bling and women. But man he is one terrible human, and you can already see it on some.of these songs. Now more than ever I can't tell if he's a genius or just an idiot who every one looked into the meani of his music a little too much
4 likes
Dire Straits
3/5
It's just middle of the road music? I understand this is good guitar work, it just seems competent? like he's so good he doesn't have to try? It's just so boring background music to me.
3 likes
Peter Gabriel
5/5
There's so many layers to this album and many of them are personal. How can an album be both a great singles album and a fleshed out full length? Really incredible.
2 likes
Syd Barrett
1/5
If his band didn't go on to make one of the best selling albums of all time, would this be relevant?
2 likes
1-Star Albums (49)
All Ratings
Metallica
3/5
The Smiths
2/5
The Smashing Pumpkins
5/5
David Bowie
3/5
Individual tracks are amazing but seems a bit inconsistent and long
Fats Domino
2/5
Led Zeppelin
5/5
Metallica
1/5
I don't really understand why this is on a best album list? It's a greatest hits with an orchestra? If I wanted that I would have listened to an apocalypica album. That being said I've never listened to this on principle but it's well done... Greatest hits album.
Norah Jones
2/5
Steely Dan
2/5
While it's nice to finally know the origin of elevator music of the 80s and 90s, this album is a meh for me. It's becoming painfully obvious a straight white man wrote this list...
Liz Phair
3/5
Not what I was expecting. Can't decide if that's a good thing or a bad thing. I think definitely worth another listen
Elvis Costello
4/5
Fugees
4/5
Iron Maiden
4/5
Surprisingly better than I thought. I don't know what I was expecting but that wasn't it
Ryan Adams
1/5
Big meh for me. Just feels like he's pulling from obscure late 70s folk and not adding anything to it. There are plenty of bands that do what he does of that era that isn't pastiche
Devendra Banhart
1/5
So boring
Scott Walker
5/5
So very weird
Songhoy Blues
2/5
Alanis Morissette
5/5
When I heard this was going to be turned into a musical I couldn't imagine. Now listening to this the whole way through, it's amazing they didn't sooner.
The Stone Roses
2/5
It's ok. I didn't actively hate it but it's nothing id listen to again. Gangly British garage band.
Paul Simon
4/5
Astor Piazzolla
2/5
I don't even know. This is such a left curve I can't even be mad about it.
The Velvet Underground
1/5
I don't think I've taken enough drugs in my life to make this album make sense
Talking Heads
3/5
It's a good groove
Curtis Mayfield
3/5
Baaba Maal
4/5
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
2/5
Doesn't feel very urgent?
The Police
3/5
King Crimson
5/5
Prince
4/5
Marvin Gaye
3/5
Its a hard album to listen to. But I feel if I listened to it a few more times it would grow on me. Gets an extra star for that I guess
Sonic Youth
4/5
The White Stripes
3/5
I assume there are other white stripes albums on this list? This seems like one of their less essential ones? Still decent though I guess
James Brown
5/5
Best live album I've ever heard!
Kelela
4/5
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
4/5
Wow this is dark. You need to be in a mood to listen to this
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
3/5
It's a lot. I kinda get the point of view of the punks now...
Nirvana
5/5
I never really liked Nirvana. I think I was born just a few years too early. But re-listening to it (probably for the first time in 20 years), I forgot how many singles were on this album. That and I just know all the songs...
Paul McCartney and Wings
3/5
Feels like he is running out of ideas? The singles are 100% jams, but the rest just feels like parts of beatles songs that was never really flushed out. I think he thinks so too as he does a lot of reprises from the hits.
The Only Ones
2/5
It feels like a band that seems to be in between genres and probably brought about other bands. I think I respect the band, but I don't think I like to listen to it.
Yes
3/5
I love me some yes. That being said, I really hope this isn't the only yes album, because this band just gets weirder and more grandiose after this. All positives in my book.
Jimi Hendrix
3/5
his music is always fun, just gets a little long listening to it all in one sitting
The Who
3/5
A straight person's idea of a musical. At least it's a fully conceptual "album" better than some of the albums on this list...
The Doors
4/5
The National
5/5
Such a unique sounding band that doesn't seem to fall into a gimmick of that uniqueness.
LCD Soundsystem
4/5
It's such a great album but it really comes at the expense of their last album. A "final" album hits different when it isn't their final album..
The Soft Boys
3/5
David Bowie
5/5
I think maybe it's because it's been a while since I listened to Ziggy stardust but I really liked this album. It was almost feral. And the piano? Wild. Loved it.
Beatles
5/5
Always go back to my favorite Beatles album
Peter Tosh
1/5
Never been a fan of rastafari music because of its blatant sexism and homophobia. But yeah. Smoke some more weed and claim one love. As long as it's your narrowly defined definition.
No thanks
William Orbit
2/5
So very 90's
Sepultura
3/5
Blondie
4/5
I think the non-singles are more interesting... probably because I haven't heard them a couple 1000 times. There's a lot of fun variation.
The Cure
4/5
Really sets a mood. Not mad at it.
Ian Dury
1/5
wow. this is terrible.
Dion
3/5
I don't know what to make of this. It feels like a lot of bands have ripped this sound off. Little obsessed with NYC though
Donovan
5/5
So much weirder than his greatest hits, which is the only thing I've heard of him before. Should have found this earlier. Love it.
Cyndi Lauper
5/5
Hit after hit. Solid pop album!
Various Artists
2/5
I mean. It's Christmas music. Good for you popping up on Christmas, but still
Leonard Cohen
4/5
better than his later works. he actually sings? He can still set a mood though. and that mood is dark. Which is always a good thing
Buffalo Springfield
2/5
a little too bluesy for me? I now see why no one liked the 80's iteration of this...
Sex Pistols
2/5
Sometimes when I listen to music from this list it's been many years since I've heard the album and I get nuance I didn't get when I was younger. This sounds exactly like I remember. I guess I don't actively hate it...
Depeche Mode
5/5
LOVE
The Zombies
5/5
So good
The Notorious B.I.G.
4/5
Really good. But depressing and now I know where all the good beats came from.
Blue Cheer
3/5
Did the White Stripes just rip these guys off?
The Residents
1/5
completely unlistenable. I get it avant-garde. but its not good?
Beatles
3/5
I didn't realize how misogynist this early stuff was. Especially johns songs. Kind of put a bad taste in my mouth with the Beatles if I'm honest.
ABBA
5/5
I wonder what other pop musicians will be retroactively deemed geniuses once they aren't on the radio every half hour, 24-7. I love it.
The Jam
2/5
Just. Not for me. Was someone in highschool when these bands where cool? Seems so isolated...
The La's
2/5
"why do I know this band? Why do I know this band? Ah there it is.
Marvin Gaye
3/5
The Strokes
2/5
Seems very much of it's time. Very one note.
Nina Simone
5/5
So dark and so wonderful. That voice and the way she tells her narrative. No idea how.she got away with that.
Tori Amos
5/5
First album I got that is actually in .y current rotation. So visceral. I love her.
Cocteau Twins
2/5
It feels like listening to nothing. The album changed over to their next album and I didn't notice for 20 minutes. That being said, it's not bad listening to it, I just forgot I was listening to music. If that makes any sense...
Bruce Springsteen
3/5
Johnny Cash
5/5
What a great live album. There is really a connection between him and the prisoners. The music is that reason. such a earnest set.
Dizzee Rascal
1/5
I just don't think this would be on the list of an American wrote this list. I feel there are better rappers in America. I know I'm probably biased though. Probably a cultural thing...
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
3/5
I recently stopped drinking coffee, and this album sounds like I currently feel. I'm not quite sure if that's a good thing or bad thing...
Public Enemy
5/5
4/5
the first 4 songs are incredible. cosplaying as americans. love it. gets a bit wishy washy as it goes along though.
Pink Floyd
5/5
I mean. For every definition this is the definitive "album" first one there's no question on a 5
Deep Purple
3/5
I mean I guess? It's not terrible. Organ wails.
Beatles
2/5
Oh man. After listening for the first time in a VERY long time, I'm beginning to understand why Brian Wilson was perceived as such a genius. Most of these songs are just terrible. And John Lennon really did not like women. I really love their later stuff so I don't really know what to make of this...
Guns N' Roses
4/5
I think this is as close to a guilty pleasure I have. It's just all so stupid. All these clumsy euphemisms for things but then every other word is fuck? So stupid. I can't help but love it. Will I ever listen to the whole album again? No, but some of the songs are amazing.
Stevie Wonder
3/5
I'm always really expecting of Stevie Wonder and always sort of disappointed by his albums. Maybe I want too much?
Pulp
4/5
So British. But I liked it more than I wanted to.
Manu Chao
1/5
Simon & Garfunkel
5/5
I need to listen to all their albums now. Not just their greatest hits...
Magazine
3/5
Best post punk album I've listened to on this list so far... Still never listen to it again
Ella Fitzgerald
3/5
This is a lot of music. Very much not my style, but it's nice background music. Next time I'm hosting gay men 'of a certain age' I know my soundtrack now.
CHIC
3/5
I love the grooves but the songs feel either too long or too short. Bet it would have been amazing live...
Derek & The Dominos
2/5
White men playing middle of the road blues music. Layla is alright.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
1/5
I stupidly checked and I'm not even half way through all these Elvis Costello albums yet. This one is the worse so far. He leans into his whiny voice. Clearly this author was the height of cool in 1979. Unfortunate for the rest of us.
Megadeth
3/5
The War On Drugs
4/5
It's like if Tom Petty and the heartbreaker's made an album in the style of death cab for cutie. I'll probably listen to them again
Charles Mingus
2/5
Clearly these are some talented musicians, but I just can't into the music they actually play.
Public Enemy
4/5
It feels important. Like kids should learn about it in school. As music itself, I don't know. Some day I'll listen to it again
Missy Elliott
5/5
Why have I only heard the hits? Great album. Timbaland at his best too. Before he became a parody of himself.
Ride
2/5
Boredom on repeat
Arcade Fire
3/5
It's a great album but the lead singers accused transgressions taints their stuff a bit for me.
Bon Jovi
3/5
The lyrics are so over the top. And so earnest. But it's adorable
The Damned
1/5
Sounds like Ringo starr leading the Ramones. Every time I have to listen to these post punk albums I listen to a Kyle minogue album after because I know whoever picked these albums would just hate it.
Syd Barrett
1/5
If his band didn't go on to make one of the best selling albums of all time, would this be relevant?
Iggy Pop
2/5
Singles are good. Love Iggy pop as a person, but some of these songs get repetitive.
Radiohead
4/5
I waited in line at midnight for this album and I love me some Radiohead, this album relistening to it years later it feels like it lacks an immediacy of there later albums yet all the anxiety and depression is gone that made their earlier albums so groundbreaking to me as a anxiety ridden depressed 20 something. That being said when the jambs come they come at 100. I think this is about the time I got into electronic music and this doesn't disappoint. The slow songs just feel like dead weight though.
Beastie Boys
3/5
The music is incredible, they truly love music. Feels like an Oscar winning soundtrack of a fake band invented by a music critic in the best way possible. I can't stand their annoying chipmunk voices though.
The Charlatans
1/5
Never thought I'd get listen to everyone in England that could play a guitar. But here we are with this lost. Mid range at best. A song by stone roses came on after this and it was like a breath of fresh air. I hate stone roses.
Emmylou Harris
4/5
I don't know if it's the last 15 albums were terrible post punk albums or if I genuinely liked this album. So soothing and dark and heartbreaking. Probably worth another listen when I'm feeling that mood.
Muddy Waters
3/5
Not really my taste, but it's amazing hearing a lot of style that exists in modern music already in his.
Fleetwood Mac
3/5
I could never really get into this album except maybe the hits, so I really wanted to listen to the lyrics this time listening to it. Instead I ended up having a fight with my husband over the phone in the middle of listening to it which seems pretty apt. Still don't quite get the album but. I think I get the essence now.
The Smiths
3/5
Surprisingly better.than I remember it to be..the music is amazing. I just can't stand Morrisseys voice. So over the top.
Creedence Clearwater Revival
3/5
Ok. Gets a little repetitive but nice and short
Dexys Midnight Runners
2/5
Ugh. It feels like the worse parts of other better bands. Not for me.
Keith Jarrett
1/5
No. Every roommate I've had that thought they were better than everyone else had this on vinyl. It's terrible.
Sister Sledge
4/5
Fun!
ZZ Top
3/5
Interesting. Not what I was expecting. Before they becqme a charicature I guess? What I thought derrick and the dominoes should have been. They understand what they are playing and are pretty good at mixing genres. Still not really my jam. But good.
Tom Waits
1/5
Tried to poke this guy for years. Not going to happen.
Sarah Vaughan
3/5
Adorable little album. Beautiful voice, but it just reminds me of Starbucks for some reason
Britney Spears
5/5
This album is a mess. But probably by design to get a single out of it matter what. I'd this a decent album? No. Is this an album id listen to again besides the first 2 songs? Also no, but man does it hit a zeitgeist. Plus I'm only giving this a 5 because I know that there are assholes just giving this a 1 because it's brithey and I have to void one out
Michael Kiwanuka
5/5
Blew me away. New favorite album. Thanks!
Metallica
4/5
This is probably the most Metallica of Metallica albums. At least in pop culture? Solid album, iconic cover. Songs get a bit tedious though.
The Velvet Underground
1/5
Nico and the banana cover is the only things saving this from a 1. So annoying.
Anita Baker
3/5
When I was younger and this came out I wondered what adult contemporary would sound like when I was an adult. Guess it doesn't really exist anymore, but now that I'm an adult I get the appeal. Very middle of the road
Stan Getz
3/5
I don't know how to rate this. It's background music at best. I assume it was revelatory at one time? Maybe? Just seems like someone is trying to hard to impress if I heard it anywhere other than this list...
The Rolling Stones
2/5
Did they only sell their soul for singles? Why is the rest of this album so terrible yet still come up with sympathy for the devil??
Linkin Park
3/5
I never really liked them when this came out which was weird because I liked the big metal of the time and I think I know why now. They are way to intense. And singular in what they sing about. It tends to come off as over the top and just not for me. But they are good at what they do.
Kanye West
3/5
Ugh. This album got me through some tough times, and was the first album that made me realize rap is more than bling and women. But man he is one terrible human, and you can already see it on some.of these songs. Now more than ever I can't tell if he's a genius or just an idiot who every one looked into the meani of his music a little too much
Slipknot
2/5
Pure pastiche. They would do better off putting the bands they ripped off on this list. Is kiss on this list too? Because that is all they are. Musicians are talented at least. Was pleasantly surprised.
What if God doesn't care?
Indeed slipknot. Indeed.
Kanye West
3/5
This was my favorite Kanye album, then never listened to an album by him after this. Listening to it again, the lyrics are terrible, but the music is still amazing. What would have happened if he stayed as another timbaland? I don't know how to rate this because his influence is so large in the music culture. So many great musicians exist because of him. But man what a horrible piece of shit human. Since everyone gives a 1 or a five I'll split the difference
Lorde
4/5
So happy weird ass music like this can be popular. If I was 15 years younger this would be right up my alley.
Boston
3/5
So middle of the road. It's like the most boring parts of queen and the eagles. But I'm now a dad and I can honestly say I grooved a bit.
Nick Drake
5/5
Definitely a mood, but it's just so good in a way I was not expecting.
Leonard Cohen
2/5
He's just not a singer? He creates amazing stories, but I was quite literally falling asleep listening to this.
Talk Talk
3/5
It seems I can handle his voice for exactly one song. First song was great, then it just got grating.
Bruce Springsteen
4/5
He is dark. Probably my favorite album from him so far. Still probably wouldn't go out of my way to listen to it normally though.
Calexico
5/5
It's been a while since I gave a 5 and I really like this music. Not going to look up why the bands name and cover is terrible just going to be in a good mood today.
Pet Shop Boys
3/5
I love some pet shop boys songs and this probably felt really fresh when it came out, but now it sort of sounds like a theme song to a weather channel...
Radiohead
5/5
2Pac
4/5
It's so weird to hear actual rap. It's been a while. He definitely paints a picture of hardache, ik just not a fan of his voice. Like he's trying too hard..
Paul Simon
3/5
Seems quite inessential in his overall album output besides 2 songs...
David Bowie
3/5
It's a weird album. The songs seem long, but only 6 songs? I don't know. I think I realized David Bowie makes albums to actively listen to. If you are just listening to it while doing other things it's not very good? But if you are doing nothing but listening it's much better. Don't know how don't know why.
Scissor Sisters
5/5
The only band I've ever wanted to be in. They have better albums but I can't not give them 5 stars!
U2
5/5
Might not have the strongest u2 singles but a much better overall album than anything I've heard of them. So wildly different than their later stuff. Not that either is better, but it seems like they weren't just writing for the singles here.
Minutemen
2/5
I'm giving this album a 2.
I hate everything about this band, this album, everything. But it gives me a very specific nostalgia that I can't help but feel happy. I hate that the most.
Radiohead
5/5
The most Radiohead of Radiohead albums
Lou Reed
3/5
Honestly? Way better than I thought it was going to be. Way better than velvet underground. Must be a sweet spot in drug addiction I guess.
The Stranglers
1/5
Hey. Are you a cis white male guitar based band from the late 70's/early 80's that's vaguely mad? Why don't you be on my best of album list!
Seriously just shitty version of the Doors.
Brian Eno
2/5
The Stooges
3/5
Thelonious Monk
2/5
Amazing musicians but this is probably dating me as all I can hear is this music would be great on an episode of Mr Rogers neighborhood.
Ray Charles
3/5
I'm 150 albums in and I'm way over thinking this. I went into listening to these albums purposely avoiding Wikipedia until after I listened and rated them. However..
I don't really know how to rate this. It's not an album i'd ever listen to because it just doesn't really do anything for me. But it feels "important"
At the same time I don't even know the cultural significance of this album to quantity why it's important. I think these are covers. Would it be more important to put the albums of the original artists on this list to add context, or does ray Charles significantly altrs the music enough to warrent the album to exist being on this list even with the album being context free? Then does any album on this list follow that? I'm sure there are plenty of albums I like on this list because of the context it exists and I like the album BECAUSE of the cultural significance that I do understand. What even makes a great album. Maybe I need to get a copy of this stupid book.
Anyway I have it a 3
I don't know
Al Green
3/5
Fatboy Slim
3/5
Barry Adamson
4/5
Run-D.M.C.
3/5
The Band
2/5
I absolutely hate Bob Dylan, so I guess they are better for not having him as the lead anymore. Still dull.
Pet Shop Boys
4/5
Over the top. Love it
Serge Gainsbourg
1/5
I don't get it. I suppose it being in French has something to do with it, but it just comes off as sleazy.
Cypress Hill
3/5
I'm sure they are hard as hell or whatever. but it just sounds like stoners trying to prove they are bad ass. I'd probably give them a 4 but fags are way better than cops.
Joni Mitchell
1/5
Never liked her voice, and I think it's more the resignation she sings about then the actual singing itself. We didn't accomplish anything in the 60's so why bother? such a boomer sentiment.
Pink Floyd
5/5
It's a bit much. And kind of one note. But to make a compelling story for two albums is quite the feat
James Taylor
1/5
This is so bad. The whitest boy alive singing blues
D'Angelo
4/5
Soulful. And filthy. Nothing I would normally ever listen to, but it's good
Sheryl Crow
3/5
I always really felt the lyrics of the songs, but it never really felt like she believed what she was singing. It's one of those albums that had hit after hit on the radio at a certain point, then it was gone.
The Go-Go's
3/5
Our lips are sealed because a nuclear eat worm in my head for three days after listening to this album. I couldn't get to sleep because it just kept repeating in my head. I'll give it a 3
Tracy Chapman
5/5
It's a wonderful, dark, depressing album
Pretenders
2/5
I don't know. some of the songs were interesting, but it's still just a generic post punk band with a woman in the lead. Is there as many disco albums as post-punk in this list? somehow I doubt it...
Maxwell
4/5
I wonder how many kids were born because of this album.
Van Morrison
1/5
I don't think I've ever heard anything so grating and terrible outside of bands trying specifically trying to do that on purpose. his voice is like nails on a chalk board and the music has no rhythm or any relationship to his singing. I think this is the first album I actively want to give a 0. How did this become popular?
Lynyrd Skynyrd
3/5
Stevie Wonder
5/5
This is a great album. It feel like what I imagine a Stevie Wonder album should be. Couple hits, and the rest of the album is hidden gems that I'm too much of a moron to know.
The Isley Brothers
3/5
solid album. Lyrics sort of sounds like an incel wet dream, but generally a good grove
Erykah Badu
2/5
I don't know. A stoned person singing with a Marley annoys me. Groove is ok
The Divine Comedy
3/5
What a terrible name for a band. I feel like Scott Walker did this better?
B.B. King
4/5
A lot more fun than I anticipated. I found myself clapping along. Live seems to be his place
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
5/5
I must have listened to this album 1000 times. It's both the party that is starting to fray at the edges and the come down. No notes.
Snoop Dogg
3/5
is it just me or is this album a little homoerotic?
Laura Nyro
3/5
I can definitely see that she is definitely a muse for some of my favorite musicians, and there are glimmers of perfection. when she starts talking about cocaine?? amazing. but I just don't particularly care for the parts that the 1970's singer/songwriters overused. Interesting but probably not anything I'd listen to.
The Electric Prunes
5/5
I loved it. Precursor to heavy metal
Lauryn Hill
5/5
Yeah. This is a good album. I'm surprised how young she sounds and the lyrics themselves. I suppose that's the theme of the album, but it just felt really fresh and new even 25 (!) years later.
Eagles
5/5
I think this is as close to a guilty pleasure I have. I hate the people that listen to this band and I hate the members of this band, but this is such a solid, emotional album. I probably listen to it a couple times a year.
Simply Red
2/5
Not to be a crabby American, but it seems that any artist from the British isles that has one hit in America instantly seems to be on this list. The album is the worst kind of straight white male, middle of the road 80's music that is completely forgettable. It sounds like no one in this band is having any fun except the singer. and if it wasn't for that one hit and the last song which some how sounds like a supertramp song if their singer had a head cold I'd give this a 1.
Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
2/5
I understand keeping a record of Americana but it is so long and the interstitials are so distracting. Also I had a roommate in college that would practice playing a banjo whenever he was drunk, so I have bad memories of this type of music. My kid danced to it in the car though, so I guess it's not a total waste...
Jerry Lee Lewis
2/5
Incredible performance, piece of shit human.
Dire Straits
2/5
I understand he's playing a character and he's actually talking about himself, but it feels gross hearing a straight man say that. That being said I have this on vinyl for some reason and every 10 years or so I try to listen to this album thinking it will be better than it ever actually is. just sort of dull.
Led Zeppelin
3/5
I bit disappointed. Seems a bit bloated and not a whole lot of fun. A middle zeppelin album.
Small Faces
1/5
No
Frank Black
2/5
Better than what I figured this vanity project would be, but seems all over the place. Indifferent at best.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
3/5
This is a really solid album, and if I haven't had to listen to ALL his other lesser albums from this list I probably would have given this a 4, but the fact that I physically cringe when I hear/read his name he loses a point.
Fleetwood Mac
4/5
I think I liked this better than rumours? It's a bit too long and cumbersome, but the songs are generally more interesting to me. I'm generally one that likes the music more than the lyrics though, so I think that has something to do with it.
Eminem
3/5
its so depressing it is that people live their lives with such a terrible upbringing and try to make a place for themselves in the world. I grew up with people like this, and how they both are so vulnerable and then lie about how bad ass they are. its a dark place that I don't really like to visit. I haven't heard anything hes done recently, but it would be interesting how he navigates the politics when he both was polarizing but never really political. Anyway. It's a great album but I hate listening to it because its a little too emotional.
Massive Attack
2/5
This is one of those albums that were always around me, but I've never had an interest to listen to, and now I know why. I just don't think I ever did enough pot to get this. can't dance to it, not enough of substance to have to understand. it's just background music to do drugs to.
Nanci Griffith
3/5
What I picture Taylor Swift would be if she wasn't a megalomaniac.
The Auteurs
2/5
Its a band you hear in the background of a coffee shop that thinks its cool, but hasn't been cool since 1998
Kate Bush
5/5
perfection. no notes.
Portishead
4/5
I haven't listened to this album in many years, mostly because I remember it feeling a little dated, but listening to it, it holds up surprisingly well. There are 2 or three songs in the middle that feel a bit off, but if anything its a much better album then I remember. dark and moody, but still a decent groove.
The Pogues
2/5
I understand the idea of picking albums outside of dominant cultures, and this isn't terrible, but how is this different from any other half drunk "irish" band on any stage in the world right now? yeah there's a bit of punk ideas thrown in there, but I just don't see it.
Duke Ellington
3/5
Not my music of choice, but I had a hard day of concentration so it was some nice background music.
Jean-Michel Jarre
4/5
Very atmospheric, but I can see a lot of music being influenced by this. Specifically any euro dance music in the last 30 years. I'd listen to it again while working. It's good zone out music
Elvis Presley
3/5
My mom's favorite song by Elvis is in the ghetto, so I heard it a lot growing up, so there's a certain nostalgia to that, otherwise, its just a sort of middle of the road album? I don't hate it.
OutKast
3/5
Wow it really is two completely separate albums. They are both good, I actually like big boobs more traditional hip-hop/rap album. Clearly andre 3000 is trying something different,but you can clearly see in hindsight he was going to make a flute album. It was coming. Not that there is anything wrong with that album but it seems the more "pop" the more bored he sounds. It's a wild album.
Van Morrison
2/5
Considering the amount of terrible white "soul" singers from the British isles, he's probably the best, but man I just can't listen to his grating voice that long. 4 sides of a record is 3 too many.
Björk
5/5
It's experimental, yet has amazing pop hooks. I feel that it might be a little dated with the for its time dance hooks, but I feel like every pop star that is interesting right now is ripping off her sound. It's great.
Belle & Sebastian
5/5
It's such a small and intimate album, it feels too frivolous to be a part of this, but that's sort of why I love it. It is such a self contained universe that it makes for such a great album in a way that many albums are just either greatest hits or the one good song sticks out like a sore thumb. All these songs seem like one part to a whole.
Dire Straits
3/5
It's just middle of the road music? I understand this is good guitar work, it just seems competent? like he's so good he doesn't have to try? It's just so boring background music to me.
Haircut 100
3/5
I feel like I'm starved for some 80's music that isn't terrible punk this list seems to like that I'm giving this a higher rating than it probably deserves, but a little more new wave, a little less try hard "guitar" band. I guess a 3?
Frank Sinatra
4/5
I'm on board with this. First concept album? yeah it definitely belongs on here. not exactly what I would listen to, but it's better than I thought it would be. Gets a little long, but it's good background music when you are feeling sad.
Throbbing Gristle
4/5
Nothing makes me happier when there is an artistic movement that pushes boundaries and then one artist decides to take those boundaries to the most obscene conclusion and destroys the movement in the process. I love the idea of this band, but I will never listen to this ever again. It actually made me a bit nauseous. But clearly some of my favorite bands are inspired from this. I also think it's hilarious that reviewers think they can make this. Fucking do it then.
Frank Ocean
5/5
It's a great groove, I like how he creates worlds in his lyrics. I don't think it's quite a 5, but there's a lot of dumbasses in the reviews thinking that if there's no guitars is terrible so here's my little bit of help with that.
Cat Stevens
3/5
It's better than I imagined it to be. It's pretty dull, but in comparison to his contemporary James Taylor that I listened to last week its like a hurricane. Nothing I'd listen to again, but I understand the cultural significance a bit more now.
The Incredible String Band
3/5
SO first off when I glanced at the musician I thought it said string cheese incident. Needless to say I was going to quit this list if that was true, so anything is a relief. That being said, this album is UN-listenable. It's just a group of people drugged out of their mind making noise. But that being said, I'm happy this album exists and is definitely of an era. I'll give it a 3.
Sonic Youth
3/5
you get what you paid for. A noise band that wants to be lo-fi. If they actually tried to be a proficient band, these would be some great pop songs, but they want to be brooding and crabby. fine.
Supergrass
3/5
It's not terrible, I'm a fan of certain brit-bands, but it just feels like they aren't doing anything new? Oasis tapped into a certain type of arena rock that was loud but also interesting and Blur interrogated class culture in a very specific way, but this feels like a pastiche of the Beatles filtered through the most banal parts of the 90's. I wouldn't turn it off if it was on the radio, but I'm definitely not seeking this out.
Neil Young
2/5
I finally figured out why I hate his voice listening to this right now. He's speaking in falsetto. That isn't singing. hes just talking? I don't get it.
The music isn't terrible, but man. that voice kills me and I like a lot of terrible singing. But. This isn't singing?
Big Black
4/5
I was not expecting this to be good. I feel like this is the band that every basement show I saw in college wanted to be. loud and angry but with this drone like beat that drives every song. it's incredible. If I heard this at 15 I probably would be way more into noise/punk music. I want to give it a 5 for what could have been, but I'll be honest. I probably won;t listen to this again until I try to get my kid into noise music.
The White Stripes
3/5
The most white stripes of white stripes album. I don't get the rules of minimalism, but I assume Jack black does.
3/5
I feel like she should have at least one hit that played on pop radio stations too much and I assume its misogyny that she doesn't just so I can say her one single was good but the rest of this album is kinda meh, but instead I guess she just took some b side radiohead songs from the bends era. It's OK I guess.
Led Zeppelin
3/5
Horny white British nerds pretending to be black American blues musicians. As a white nerd I'm not completely turned off of led Zeppelin generally, but this album kinda rubs me the wrong way. I think it's just too much led Zeppelin.
Bee Gees
2/5
I really wanted to like this. I love over the top stupid vanity projects. Melancholy and the infinite sadness is my favorite album, but man this goes hard. What a rough listen. It's like listening to someone trying to find a point of view and going nowhere.
Doesn't help that I hear Jimmy Fallon singing half of this.
Only gets 2 stars because I think it's hilarious that everyone was expecting a disco album.
Tears For Fears
5/5
Finally an 80's album that is actually good.
The Human League
4/5
It's clearly an album on a learning curve. Creating a pop album on a machine that was only starting to gain prominence is wild to me, but the album is kind of a clunker until you get to that massive hit. And that song is so well done it just makes the rest of the album sound even worse.
That being said the album works solely on attitude and the "idea" of this album tickles me in the exact same way that people are down voting it. I think they understand its pretentious. That's the whole point. If they didn't have attitude what is left? a bunch of nerds plunking on computers?
Anyway it gets a 4 just on attitude alone. And that banger of a last song.
Mudhoney
2/5
I don't know. this is a "culturally relevant" band for a certain group of people so I guess it should be on this list, but the only thing I thought of was angry white boys don't really make bands anymore they just sit on the internet and crap on people.
Just a little boring for my 2024 ears.
Deep Purple
3/5
Initial thought: ugh a live album by another British band that only made it to America with one mid level single.
By the scream on the second song: of shit its Jesus from Jesus Christ Superstar! The best musical ever! Definitely get to 3 stars on that alone.
Otherwise pretty good. Hate live albums, but this isn't the worst.
N.W.A.
3/5
I'd say this is probably the top 10 culturally significant albums of the last 50 years. It has to be on this list. That being said it is so juvenile and just mostly rapping about rapping. Way less bitches and cop killing than I thought (although there is a lot). It's just a bunch of kids who were given the opportunity to speak and they were a bit overwhelmed I think. That being said what they did say became a complete institution. Glad I listened to it once. 2 for personal enjoyment, 5 for cultural relavencyy
Soft Machine
3/5
Well. It sure is a lot. I can here a lot of people who I can only assume was influenced by it. I love good prog rock but this really veers into jazz which I'm not a huge fan of. If it wasn't for the rhythm section this would have gone completely off the rails...
But some parts of this album I was getting into. If they could have trimmed ten minutes off of each of these songs I'd listen to it a lot more...
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
3/5
+1 for Kylie minogue
-1 for O'Malleys bar
Supergrass
2/5
As an American this sounds so derivative and uninspired. It's not a bad album, but I feel like I've already listened to this album a few times already on this list. Not essential at all.
The Black Keys
3/5
An American band pretending to be a British band pretending to be an American band. I'm exhausted. I feel like I've heard all of these songs over the years but I've never really been interested enough to seek out this band or this album.
Jethro Tull
3/5
Do I like goofy Jethro Tull? Sure. A lunatic playing a flute fronting a rock band. What's not to like. Is this an essential album? Probably not.
Eric Clapton
1/5
Just. No.
Sabu
2/5
not for me. It's a little too grating. that Simba song felt like an Ice Pic into my brain
The Roots
3/5
Man this is produced so well. I think it should be on this list for that alone. It feels so intimate, but the style evolves depending on what the song's vibe calls for. But it is too long and gets a little tedious. There are some wild creative things going on here, but some of the songs get overly repetitive. generally I like the vibe. It would be good to have in a background of a hip dinner as long as some of the offensive lyrics aren't understood..
Buddy Holly & The Crickets
3/5
It's wild that most of my cultural history starts with this era of music and all it really is is country western with a dancable drum beat behind it. Seems like it's kind of bridging those two genres in a way that I found the first Britney spears album did... Poorly.
Jorge Ben Jor
3/5
It's a good groove. Should it be in this list? Of course. Will I listen to it again? Eh. Probably not.
5/5
I have the same conflict with this album I do with hotel California by the eagles. This is one of my favorite albums but I hate everyone and everything that is associated with this. I must say I know a lot less about this band outside of this album but the fans and the pretentious non political political lyrics of their more recent albums leave me a little annoyed. But that last song is as close to a perfect song I've ever heard on my life. Just for that song I'm giving this a 5. They also tried to stretch into different genres on here that they really don't in any of their other albums as well as most bands of this genre don't either. Its a solid album for a terrible arena rock band.
Gotan Project
1/5
International musicians playing the bare minimum to make an album. It's bad when the remixes at the end are more creative than the actual songs...
Machito
3/5
Should it be on the list? I don't know. Probably. Nice little groove though.
R.E.M.
4/5
I REALLY want to like R.E.M. because they were cool before I ever knew what cool meant. and some of their songs are so great, but most of them I don't think I'll ever really get, and at this point in my life I don't care anymore. I'm giving them a 4 for nostalgia sake.
GZA
3/5
I realize when I listen to music I don't really listen to lyrics and it's really to my detriment when listening to this type of music. I think I need to listen to it again.
The Shamen
1/5
Maybe there was a time that this didn't feel dated and cliche, but all I can think is that any of these songs could have been on a surge soft drink commercial.
Shuggie Otis
2/5
Generic soul. I guess it's fine. Not what I would search out. But generally inoffensive. Can't say that is the picture of things I need to listen to before I die though.
Burning Spear
2/5
There's a lot to unpack here, and I'm not the person to do that. I found myself moving to the music, but the politics of Marcus Garvey and rastafari in general is really off putting in a lot of their stances.
Moby
5/5
There are so many reasons why this album should be on this list, but at the end of the day it's just a great album
Dusty Springfield
4/5
There's so many musical references I get now. And did Annie Lennox just straight up steal her voice for much of the 90's? This needs to be on the list, I just personally like the people referencing her better.
U2
3/5
They are really trying to be an international hit band at this point. And when it hits it's increased, but the rest of the album? Middle of the road slog fests. If they had three songs on a best singles I'd rate them 5 in a second, but the whole album? Not so much.
Hot Chip
3/5
That first song is one of the best songs I've ever heard. The rest of the album feels like it's daring you to say it's garbage. where is the line between genius and trash? I don't know but this threads that needle very carefully. A pop album that lacks populism. 2000's were a weird time.
Orbital
3/5
I feel like chemical brothers do a better job of being interesting without it feeling repetitive. But the repetition might the point?
Herbie Hancock
4/5
I can definitely see why he had crossover success. It's very much of his genre, but it is also good enough to stand on its own. It's a good listen
Big Brother & The Holding Company
3/5
I didn't absolutely hate this like I thought I would, but there is a lot of cultural baggage here that I'm not sure I can disengage from that. It seems like my 3 rating is my o can't decide what to do with them rating.
King Crimson
2/5
Flavorless and artificially held together. Sounds like a good title.
Sufjan Stevens
3/5
One of those albums that always coexisted in my life but I never really listened to it because of the people that liked it. Honestly not what I was expecting, way more musical than I thought, which makes way more sense that they are making a musical of it, but still not really my jam. For a certain set of geriatric millennials this encapsules a very specific type of hipster and for that it should be on this list. Will I listen to it again? Probably not.
Bee Gees
1/5
Is this better than Odessa? Probably. It's tighter and there's some mediocre Beatles rip-offs? Sure. But the maudlin songs are so bad. And it just feels like a contract fulfilling album. Don't understand how this gets on this list
Nirvana
4/5
I hate live albums and I hate unplugged albums because 99% of the time it's just a shitty greatest hits album. I'm also not really a fan of Nirvana. But they really tried to manipulate the medium into something really unique. Even the songs that they already recorded feels different and this could easily be considered an album of theirs and not just another live album. Still hate live albums though so it gets a 4
Gorillaz
4/5
I really loved this album when it came out and listening to this again really dates me. Their newer stuff is so much darker, and listening back it really feels like an experiment that got away from Damon albarn. I think the blur albums after this album were so much better because of this as well as the rest of the Gorillaz albums became way more nuanced, but this now sounds like a guy noodling with some musical toys. Still really good, but not as good as I remember
Franz Ferdinand
4/5
This is better than I remember as a silly one hit band, but I still think other bands were better at this type of hipster rock. The faint comes to mind. I'd be really interested if this band is remembered in 25 years. Still pleasantly surprised
Richard Hawley
2/5
Elvis on Zoloft.
American Music Club
1/5
I can't decide if purposely grating noise bands or uninspired guitar pop is worse in this list. Just because you can play a guitar and we're on indie radio doesn't mean it's good. The fact that they are ripping off other better bands doesn't help. Highway 5 is the only song I'd ever want to hear again, and that's only if nothing else was available.
Billy Joel
3/5
He's got such a great voice. Somewhere in between Paul McCartney and Elton John, but man some of those lyrics are so creepy. Even when he's trying to be nice comes off so condescending. I'll split the difference
Sigur Rós
5/5
Love this album. Love this band. Didn't realize how much of a noise band this was until relistioning to it again.
Femi Kuti
3/5
Is it good music? Sure. Nothing wrong with a little fun now and again.
Nine Inch Nails
5/5
Such a dark great comprehensive album. I never realized how nuanced how he delivered his vocals. It's like the album exists inside his head, yet feels so expensive too.
Ramones
4/5
It's so stupid in such a sincere unironic way. I can't really place why it works, but it works in a way almost no other punk bands do. Such solid tight band, harmony without any sense trying to hard... Not a fan of this type of music, but can't deny how well this works.
Bruce Springsteen
5/5
I liked this more than I wanted to. It has the early/ mid 80's filler in the middle of the album, but when these songs hit, they hit hard. It's a nostalgia of a place that the right seems to idolize, but tells a truer story of hardship and struggle. Even includes a fuck you to them in the form of "Glory Days." Can't believe I'm giving a 5 star to an album my mom likes.
The Cure
3/5
Somehow if I were to describe it this would be a stereotypical cure album, yet the parts don't seem to add up to a whole. I feel like they actually got their voice later in their career. Instead this is a weird mix of the smiths and joy division that ends up being a bit boring.I really hope this isn't the only cure album because this really doesn't seem like the album that cure should be represented by.
Q-Tip
2/5
I want to like q-tip but it feels too technical and not really very emotional. Which I think hip hop needs a bit of?
Janelle Monáe
4/5
She is one of the best singers and the writing is great. This album is actually better than I remember, but it's a lot all the time. This feels like it could easily be 3 albums and not how it's placed on the album. Then the songs themselves are just... To much? Trying a bit too hard? I don't know. The whole album seems busy and it starts to distract from the star, Janelle herself. That being said I remember it being a lot worse when I heard it when it first came out so maybe in 20 years it will sound perfect?
Youssou N'Dour
4/5
If you listen to it as a whole it's a good time. Great to hang or to go out and party. If you listen to the individual musicians it's pure insanity. Its like every member of this band randomly picked a song in a different time signature and just started playing and some miracle they all end up starting and stopping at the same time. It's incredible to listen to. Probably one of the most competent musicians I've heard on this list. Seems like the actual music is a little basic but they clearly know how to play.
Count Basie & His Orchestra
3/5
It's a nice change from the terrible post punk that I seem to be getting recently, but it's hard to get into a groove with this album as the tempo and tone is all over the place though. I would have liked a moody album and then more of a lounge album, but I don't know. Maybe that's how people listened to albums once upon a time?
Pixies
1/5
I get the album with the fight club song is on here and probably an early noise album of there so the creator can pretend he knew them before they were cool, but this is too much in the weeds for me. I'm done.
The Fall
2/5
Great they could record the same song 12 times and call it an album... At least it's a great band name?
Queen
5/5
Over the top silliness. No notes.
The Specials
2/5
The whole time I was listening to this I wondered if Gwen Stefani would still be famous if not for this album. That's how boring this is. I think I'll take the advise of it's up to you and just walk away.
Santana
2/5
Play guitar, but make it sensual. Imma pass.
Ice T
5/5
I genuinely liked this album and I'm shocked. It is definitely not meant for me a white boy from middle America, but at the same time it's directed to me? It's so interesting how much he can change the tone even within the same song. It's hilarious to see how he ended up, but taken as a snapshot, it's a great time capsule of 1991 and frightening how relevant it still is.
Christine and the Queens
4/5
Is it a good album? Yeah. Right up my alley. Is it an important album? I don't know. I was in my prime when this album came out and I know teegan and Sara were more prominent, as well as quite a few other queer/women/trans acts that seem in my eyes as more popular. At least in America. Not to say that there can be only one non cis male white person on this list, but I'd be surprised if any one of those other bands are on this.. so I think this should be on the list but I hope there's about 4-5 other albums of this era too...
Air
4/5
Sexy boy is one of my favorite songs of all time. The rest of the album is pretty hot or miss. I'm not really into downtempo, but better than I remember. More good then bad.
Led Zeppelin
4/5
I really like when they interpret the American music they are heavily influenced by. It's when it's just straight up copying it, that's when it gets a bit hokey. Most of this album is the second one. But man. Stairway rules.
Thin Lizzy
1/5
Why is this essential? It's such a dull album. I didn't realize it was a best concerts of all time? Because this doesn't do anything that an actual album doesn't do better.
Nirvana
2/5
This is why I hated Nirvana. It's a bit of a mess. Seems he was trying for two albums one was a single friendly album in the vein of nevermind and the other album was a "sticking it to corporate greed" album and it just makes anything good in this just unlistenable as an album. I think by the MTV unplugged he had sort of resolved those two impulses. So it would have been interesting to see what the next album could have been. But this is just awful.
The Stooges
2/5
I don't know how to rate this. It's really not my style, but it's not bad? I understand Iggy pop is a cultural force, but it's less about his actual music and more about his attitude so what does mean in terms of their albums? Especially when I have nothing invested in this. I like to think there's always nice surprise when it comes to these popular artists, but it was exactly what I thought it would be. Kinda meh.
Eagles
2/5
It's fascinating they are more a country rock band and a lot more stripped down then the album I know -hotel California. I think I can actually hate this and not be so conflicted. Just general 70's rock. Can't stand who they are and who likes them so I'm ok giving them a lower score.
The Rolling Stones
2/5
Why does this have to be a double album? I just don't get rolling stones. It's just a bunch of drunks playing mediocre blues. maybe I'm missing something
Sam Cooke
3/5
I do not understand why it has to be live. It's annoying that we have to laid some sort of authenticity instead of any sort of sound quality. That being said I didn't realize he sang all these songs. I'm definitely looking into him more.
John Lee Hooker
2/5
I thought I just hated British white boys playing blues, but I guess I just don't fundamentally understand what I'm supposed to like? I understand there's an emotional aspect but man the music is just so basic. First few songs were ok. I guess. Clearly he has an influence on rock. Especially British rock of the 70s but man. Kinda don't understand.
Little Simz
4/5
It's a great album.
I am genuinely curious how popular it is in England though. Because this just doesn't exist in America, and it's really annoying how much this is Angelo centric. I guess as an American I'm getting a taste of my own medicine, but I wish there was a little consideration on what this list means in all the English speaking world...
The B-52's
5/5
Do I personally like this album? I don't know. Is it important? for us gays OF COURSE. You get a 5 just for existing.
Bob Dylan
2/5
I was starting to understand why he is an icon. he is a poet not a singer. but this album just kept going and going. I think its the absurdity of it, and that's why people liked it. He is his generation's skibidy toilet. and probably one of the first versions of that. an excuse for kids to say you don't understand. Is it good? no. Did he do it first? well he was the most famous first. guess that gives him a 2. Looking forward to giving the rest of these ones, because I know this isn't the only dylan album...
Iron Maiden
3/5
Black Sabbath but make it 80's. Last few songs are bangers.
Isaac Hayes
4/5
Pure Isaac Hayes. Not a fan of these incredibly sex positive musicians becoming conservative Christians. but the album is exactly what you expect. Sex, disappointment, more sex.
Ash
2/5
Middle of the road third generation grunge band. There are better contemporaries than this band, and I wouldn't put them on an essential list.
Nitin Sawhney
2/5
Musically this is diverse and well made. Lyrically this is an important album. The two do not connect at all though. the music is so bored of the themes of the words being said, and the lyrics are so much more intense than the come down off a hangover music that is being played. I have no idea how to rate that.
Judas Priest
5/5
yeah. I'll give this a 5. I mean how else does heavy metal and leather meet? Plus the album wails.
DJ Shadow
4/5
Much better than I was thinking it was going to be. Downtempo, but I actually enjoyed the groove. There's a reason bjork loved him.
Massive Attack
1/5
What does this add that all their other albums don't already do? I honestly couldn't tell the difference between this and any other one of their albums. One massive attack album on this list I don't like, but I get. To have this on here is just dumb.
Black Sabbath
4/5
I do love me some black Sabbath, but can't say I actually listened to this album. Pretty good. Didn't realize they wrote changes. Ozzys career in the 80's makes more sense
Michael Jackson
4/5
What a great album. Slick, simple and killer grooves. Very clear why he became so famous.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
4/5
it's definitely a comedown album, and I think the first song or two plus the name confuses that. I think that's always why I avoid this album even though I love 2-3 songs in this album. I think if it was played in reverse I wouldn't be so depressed and exhausted by the end of it. But it's a great album, well written and probably one of the better bands of that era, if not the best. but. man this is a downer of an album...
Neil Young
2/5
Whiney bob Dylan. The more I listen to him the less I like him
Morrissey
3/5
I was really dreading this one. Not a fan of Morrissey and the early 90's were pretty annoying generally for British alternative. But not as bad as I thought? Still rather dull but I was expecting the worst. I wouldn't turn this off. But definitely wouldn't seek it out. Better than Neil Young that I listened to yesterday.
Mike Ladd
3/5
Love the concept of the album, but like a lot of these concept rap albums the production seems a bit muddy the more you listen to it. I just wish the music was as good as the lyrical content.
The Beau Brummels
3/5
This seems to be getting a bit in the weeds of middle of the road 60's bands/albums. Never heard of them and it's a decent album but sounds like something that was on the radio and you would forget it the second the next song came on.
Prince
5/5
Holy hell this is a good album. The production value is insane and would have been amazing in any style he wanted to make. but with these songs its just about the most perfect album I think I've heard on this list yet. I found myself constantly grooving along to this. Man. I know I've heard every one of these songs individually, but to be on one album is incredible. 10/5
5/5
It's not perfect, but it fits the era perfectly. just a great album and a great feeling.
The Streets
2/5
I was avoiding this album. The streets are so uniquely British that I have no way of really understanding how this is supposed to be listened to. That being said it's incredibly well produced and the lyrics and sounds of life are quite effective. But it all just comes off as a really corny musical. Feels very much outside looking in and really inauthentic. But maybe that's how British listen to rap?
Tangerine Dream
1/5
I want to like this, but it's just so abrasive in the most dull way possible, I moved between bored and annoyed in equal measures. How does that happen? At least throbbing gristle wasn't dull...
Brian Eno
2/5
It is a Brian Eno album. I don't know what else to say. The only single was on the last album, this is just his decent into mediocre Philip Glass.
Beatles
4/5
It's weird that I'm getting the beatles discography in order. I think this is the first "good" album by them. in that it feels like a cohesive album and not a series of songs. That being said, John Lennon is still creepy as hell. The more I listen to these early albums the more I realize just how good Yoko ono was to him as a person? or at least as a songwriter. Run is such a demented and terrifying song. But I love In My Life. Probably one of my favorite songs of them. I'm having a hard time giving this such a low rating because of that one song, but man what horrible lyrics...
Depeche Mode
5/5
I listen to this album once a week..love it.
Aerosmith
4/5
As someone who was around junior high when this came out and the band instantly labeled as a junior high band, I kinda get it. The lyrics are pretty juvenile but listening to it now the music is surprisingly complex. Decent album. The double entendres aside.or maybe because of them?
Otis Redding
3/5
I think if anything it just proves the genius of Aretha Franklin. How you can change a song about implied spousal abuse to a women empowerment anthem by barely changing a word. The rest of the album is good. satisfaction is better here than the rolling stone version. Honestly better than I was expecting. He's got such a unique voice.
Dexys Midnight Runners
1/5
I don't understand the appeal. I think something is lost in translation as it goes across the atlantic. No matter how many times I hear he is a genius will convince me that this is good.
The Doors
5/5
I think this is probably the best doors album. Jim Morrison is nuts but not quite belligerent. Band is tight but still hungry. Clean and well produced and I'm struck with how full the band sounds with just the core members instruments. Is the little girl references creepy as hell? Yes. But I know it gets worse the more fucked up he got. I think this shows why they were a unique and interesting band without jumping the shark. I also never knew I had a censored version growing up. The fucks in the end were a new touch I haven't heard before.
Jurassic 5
3/5
I don't know. It's one of those bands that are important, but it also feels like they wrote it so people will think its important. In a way people are vegan so they can say they are vegan to anyone that will listen. They have a really good flow, the lyrics themself are kinda meh. Well produced, it just seems like I'm listening to broccoli.
Ms. Dynamite
1/5
Are there worse albums on this list? Definitely. Should this be on the list? No. It's so middle of the road it sounds like she is bored halfway through this album. So repetitive and and dull jumping around genres because it feels like she can't get anything to stick. Is there a 35 minute good album in this? Maybe but I'll never listen through 80+ minute snooze fest again to find it.
Alexander 'Skip' Spence
1/5
It's wild to me just how much of the 60's and I guess the basis of rock and roll generally, is based in mental illness. and how much of a double edged sword it is. because just like the Syd Barret album this is completely unlistenable. and it's just inconceivable to me that they would let someone this ill access to a recording studio now. not to mention that this is celebrated while he lived homeless without access to any help for years.
Still probably need way more access to mental health both in America and England, but man. this is just painful.
Arrested Development
4/5
Tennessee is a perfect pop song. It's been lodged in my head for 30 years..Mr Wendell is terrible. I think that sums up the album. Some of the best pop/rap beats and lyrics mixed with some terrible interstitials.
Earth, Wind & Fire
4/5
It's weird to think that there was a time that this album didn't exist? This just feels like it's just always been in the background of everything. It exists and doesn't. It's good but not good enough to seek out? It's a classic in that it's the perfect example of middle of the road?
Stevie Wonder
3/5
I'm always mildly disappointed with a Stevie Wonder album. I think it's all about managed expectations. I expect something subversive or at the least artistically innovative, but my takeaway is mildly pleasant and a little too sweet. That being said, this album did unlock a little bit more appreciation for him. you can't help get sucked into his little musical world. There is substance there mixed with the song about his baby. there is quite a lot of genre bending. but it all seems so ephemeral.
Heaven 17
3/5
The lyrics are insane in the best way, but I'm now wondering how many bands in England sounded like the human league in the 80's.
The Pretty Things
3/5
Feels like an interesting bridge between the 1960s psychedelic era and prog rock of the 70's. No idea how influenced they are, but it's a nice little musical detour. Gotta say it was a bit dull, but makes me a bit more interested in the band which I've never heard of before..
Living Colour
3/5
I always thought cult of personality was a faith no more song. Guess I need to learn not to white wash my bands.
It feels like listening to a lot of these pre nirvana alt bands they are very much looking for the single and the album is just whatever is left over. Might just be me though? It's solid and some of the songs at the end really start rocking.
Jack White
3/5
It's a decent album by a great musician who seems to be experimenting outside the guitar+drum+ singer motif. Is it a relevant album? Meh.
Peter Gabriel
5/5
There's so many layers to this album and many of them are personal. How can an album be both a great singles album and a fleshed out full length? Really incredible.
Donald Fagen
1/5
This style of music fascinates me in a way that ancient Egypt fascinated people before the Rosetta stone. Absolutely nothing about this music speaks to me. It's almost in a foreign language, yet it was somehow popular, even played on the radio?! And still is to a section of the population. Pop culture really hit a weird twist with yacht rock. And this album is the yachtiest of yacht rock. I feel like this is music for people who thought Billy Joel was too "ethnic".
I will never understand this and I will judge people who do. Completely fascinating though.
Public Enemy
5/5
It's interesting to hear a rap album of this era specifically not mention beefs or objectify women. Yet I bet the people that say that is the only reason they don't like rap still not like this. There is so many bands directly influenced by this album and not just rap. I hear obviously ratm but I also hear Beck.
I don't quite know how to word this, but it's such a breath of fresh air to hear a consice call to action for the black community. And that a third of the band is flav a flav. What a world we live in
Mariah Carey
3/5
My favorite part of mariahs singing is in her mid range where there's some real power in her voice. There's not a whole lot of it here. I understand she's stretching her style range here but i feel like you have jimi Hendrix on guitar and he's playing rhythm. She stays in the higher head voice throughout most of this and it gets a little grating, but there is no denying her talent. Singer and songwriter.
Oasis
4/5
So pure and innocent in a way most music really wasn't at the time. A little rough and tumble. But that only adds to it.
The Last Shadow Puppets
2/5
There is a fine line between creating a diverse yet cohesive album that has a singular point of view but also keeps it interesting for an hour... and just playing the same song for an hour. This is the latter. Not that it's a bad song. But this whole album could have been edited down to an enjoyable single.
New York Dolls
2/5
Mix between the clash and the Ramones? Unfortunately I'm not a fan of either... I think American punk lasted longer because there were less rules about what is and isn't punk. It's decent background music
Turbonegro
2/5
So stupid. If it wasn't almost an hour long it would have been a 3 but this grows thin after 25 minutes.
Frank Sinatra
3/5
Pop in the most pure most schlocky form. It's not good but it is exactly what it should be. Out of date, dull and designed specifically to sell. It makes a lot of the decisions music from the 60's made make a lot more sense to me
The Temptations
3/5
Well this album was a decision. Clearly trying to find something different and unexpected. Don't really know if it works, but a for effort.
Taylor Swift
3/5
After just listening to Frank Sinatra this is very much of the same vein. Pop music designed to sell that's sort of out of step with pop culture but so produced and slick it doesn't matter. I can't imagine how she goes about picking a single when any one of these songs are completely interchangeable. But of course that's the point and what makes her a genius. When everything is at the exact same caliber she can't go wrong.
Fleet Foxes
3/5
The harmonies and the echo effect on the vocals feel like listening to honey. The actual music is a bit dull, but a decent listen on a cold winter day. Never listened to this album the whole way through when it was popular and I kinda see why. You kinda get the best and jist with the singles
Jeff Beck
2/5
If rod Stewart sang for led Zeppelin and the guitarist can't stop noodling. Clearly talented but mostly annoying.
Bob Marley & The Wailers
2/5
Let's make a fun dance genre about your creepy religion and make it sad. It's a no for me bro. I know it has to be here but how did this become the genre defining album?
Pixies
2/5
How can an album be the most popular album from the band and the least pixies sounding album? I just can't get into this. The music is trying to be abrasive while they also seem to be trying to be marketable. It just ends up being annoying.
N.E.R.D
3/5
It's a catch 22. His voice doesn't work for the music they are playing. And I think he knows it. He tries to hide how smooth and soulful his voice really is when he tries to growl out some of these lyrics. But at the same time without his voice it would just be a generic band. It's. Ok.
Alice Cooper
3/5
This is so stupid. If the Beatles teamed up with black Sabbath to write a musical. It's terrible, but Alice Cooper needs to be on this list so this is probably the one to do it.
Joan Baez
3/5
I can't stand her voice, I can't stand the music and I don't like acoustic guitar, but I think I finally get why people like/liked this. Obviously as a middle aged white dude it's not for me. She's kind of a fucked up girl singing her kinda fucked up music and I can totally get why that would be popular. She is probably the only one I really get of this era. The other female singer songwriter types of this era seem to be trying to be this weird and always feel forced.
Miles Davis
3/5
Background music. I forgot I was listening to it. I think his later albums got more experimental and I assume they are on this list, but this feels a little generic. Great musicianship is stellar but I zoned out...
Louis Prima
5/5
I just love this. It's so irreverent and fun in the stupidest way. I'm definitely playing this at the next party at my house.
Aerosmith
3/5
Is this an essential Aerosmith album? Absolutely. Do we really need more than one Aerosmith album on this list? I don't know. It is interesting to see how they evolved as a band. It's subtle but it's there. They seem to be trying to immitate a good mid era Beatles album, and that's a pretty ambitious feat even if they don't reach it. I'll give it a 3 for effort.
Elliott Smith
2/5
Yes I understand he's a great musician. Do we really need more than one album of the generally same songs though?
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
1/5
I thought the more of hear this guy is finally get it. But man. It's just terrible. I hate how he doesn't really sing but clearly doesn't have any flow like a rapper either. I must have dozed off because somewhere around the halfway point someone plugged in a guitar which at least made it listenable. Probably because it went a little way to masking his horrible lyrics and voice. Every time he is on my list I swear at myself for blowing to listen to these albums the whole way through.
Bob Dylan
1/5
This is terrible. I try, but its just sex drugs and terrible pop culture takes from what sounds like a 15 year old trying to piss off his mommy.
Skibidy toilet for baby boomers.
Elton John
4/5
It's just incredible how many singles he produced with one album. Even the non singles would have been singles to a lesser artist. Just crazy to think how everything you touch turns to gold. Let's just not talk about the Jamaican song...
Fiona Apple
3/5
The negative reviews are hilarious because the point of the album is exactly what they don't like. I've always meant to listen to this and thanks to the list I finally have. It's figuratively and literally a deconstructed criminal.
Its not really what I would go out and listen to again, but if someone said that they liked this album I'd probably want to be their friend.
Ice Cube
2/5
This album feels very theatrical. It's almost like he is playing a part. The woman hating seems put up on especially when he has a guest rapper come on at the end and undercuts it. One would assume this woman is buddies with him, the same way flav a flav is. Would he really talk about violent abortion with her in the room? I doubt it. I don't know it's all very ghetto drag to me. He has a good sharp flow but I can't listen to these misogynistic lyrics about hating women, hating gays, hating mexicans?(?) When you are trying to get respect for yourself. Putting down other people for your own gain feels really disingenuous and gross.
Kacey Musgraves
3/5
The production on this album is impressive. Almost like if justice produced a country album. She's also a great singer, but it just feels flat? I don't know. It's interesting but not something I find I could listen too on a regular basis.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
2/5
I have been getting a lot of double albums recently and they are getting really draining. This one should have just been two albums. They are both good and both are pretty different stylistically so why do they have to be on top of each other? I don't need this much nick cave in one sitting. And he's not saying anything that two albums couldn't have done.
Which is too bad because I think of all the authors obsessions Nick cave is probably the only one that warrants multiple albums on this list because his albums are so different stylistically .
Certainly not Elvis Costello.
I'm just tired.
George Harrison
5/5
This is my karma for complaining about how many double albums I gotten recently. This is probably the only triple album that works because of the very specific circumstances that came about to make it. Mostly because it's a fuck you album. The music is incredible but does it need to be three albums? Probably not. Only does because he needed to prove a point and it really comes across.
New Order
4/5
I'm conflicted. I love this band but this album has always been a bit boring to me. When they get it right they create amazing singles but most of these... Aren't.
The Verve
1/5
The guitars are so fuzzy they just become static at certain points and his voice can peel paint. If I want a mid tier 90s brit band I'd just listen to pulp. No thanks
Sly & The Family Stone
3/5
I feel like with a title/cover like that there should be a more call to arms type of moment, but it seems more like a personal mantra then any sort of external force. The album starts to pick it's groove by the second side and I see bands like air clearly got their sound from this. Or stole it wholesale. It's a steady feeling but nothing I would jump out of my seat for like say funkadelic. Solid 3
Bob Marley & The Wailers
1/5
Not a fan of misogynistic lifestyles mandated by and explained away through ones cultural differences. Even if he didn't personally believe the worst parts of reggae culture he definitely made it popular. I'm just not interested. Also exodus is already on here. Is this just to fill up the lack of black artists he has on here?
Elton John
2/5
I feel like if I made this list I wouldn't be going this deep into Elton johns catalogue. But that being said, I heard levon on the radio a day after I listened to this so I guess people like this album? Just seems too country to be olhos self titled and too orchestrated to be honkey tonk chateau. Seems like a drug induced mess to me.
Bert Jansch
1/5
I'm not going to rationalize my opinion on this. I just hate it. From the first note. It's terrible.
Yes
3/5
I love yes. Is it really a yes album if one side of the album isn't one long song though?
Röyksopp
3/5
I love this band, I don't think I've listened to this album all the way through though. It feels a bit shaky compared to their later albums. All the elements are there, but it just feels timid? I don't know about 2/3 the way through it seems to kick in though. Not what I was expecting but good. Hopefully this isn't their only album on here because I don't quite think this album gives them justice.
Beck
5/5
This was the first "cool" album I bought. Its such an odd album in that it all feels cohesive in the way it's so random and almost searching? Its not the best album but I think that's the point. When it works it's magic and when it doesn't it's still a whole lot of fun. My 5's are getting weird
The Flaming Lips
4/5
I think I listened to this a bit too much when it first came out. I was obsessed. I still think it's an amazing album but it feels like they lose some steam about half way through.
Travis
3/5
I could never hear the connection between muse and Radiohead until the third song of this album started. Because he's clearly trying to sing like thom Yorke but sounding like the lead singer of muse. It's wild how there is a whole subgenre of bands that tried to rip off the sound of the bends when no one really liked that album outside of England. I feel like this was an album that was advertised everywhere but I never actually heard a single song off this album. I'm a sucker for yearning voices but I don't know how relevant this is as an album
The Thrills
3/5
Jason lytle if he wasn't cool. I feel like two is too harsh but they definitely aren't a three. Fuck it I'll be nice.
Red Hot Chili Peppers
3/5
I remember this being a more full sounding album. The mix is terrible. That being said the band is so in sync it's a great album. I also think the singing is kinda terrible, but I don't think it really needs to be good. It just sets a general tone. First side would be a 4 but they get a bit lost in the weeds on the second side.
Duran Duran
4/5
I'm a sucker for Duran Duran. The non hits are a bit blah but man you know when a single hits. They really hit.
Beach House
3/5
I never was into them because they felt really smug about their schtick. Listening to it now I've mellowed out and this sounds a bit more up my alley. It still gets a bit repetitive and dull but not as bad as I remember.
The Jesus And Mary Chain
2/5
The soundtrack to a straight to video movie that takes place in a goth bar, but the band that plays these songs in the movie clearly never touched an instrument until 30 seconds before they started filming. The bar is just a set from golden girls lit like an operating room with two bats on the wall.
Guess what I'm saying is they clearly don't live up to their name.
Caetano Veloso
2/5
Not what I was expecting from the cover. The music is really good, but the singing is just so terrible. Probably on purpose like a tom waits sort of way, but I hate tom waits too.
The Police
3/5
What a weird album. Of course this has to be on this everyone had it and there's so many singles. But so weird. And I can't quite figure out why it feels weird. The drummer plays the same driving beat throughout the album and it's turned wayyyy up. The guitarist is stuck in the early 80's which I guess is sort of ahead of its time? And then there's the rest... I can only imagine how much weirder this would be if those parts weren't there? Lyrics are insane and the intros to some of these songs are almost avant garde jazz? I don't know. It's unsettling.
Joy Division
4/5
Better than I remember. Like a goth Jim Morrison. I just can't square the circle that this band ended up being new order
John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers
2/5
Ugh. Did Eric Clapton own the only blues album in England? Its just so derivative.
Slipknot
2/5
Fucking Slipknot. I had a string of banger albums so of course it couldn't last.
Is it a good album? No
Does it mark a point in culture? Probably. It just made me wonder what are the sad white boys listening to now a days? That virgin Andrew Tate? Guess there are worse things than slipknot. Anyway this album has a time and a place. I think this is better than the other one on this list (2 seriously?)but still not good.
Queen
4/5
It's hilarious how side one is generally a decent British band and side two is just Freddie Mercury (trademark). I wonder how different the band would have ended up if they went with the first sides sound. Good album but they clearly had growth.
Joan Armatrading
3/5
I was very pleasantly surprised by this. I was fearing the worst. Thought I'd give it a four but gets a bit repetitive. I think I'd prefer a single to an album.
The Prodigy
4/5
Finally a good electronic album on this list that is enjoyable to listen to. Gonna take a star off because the first song hasn't been funny in a very long time.
Badly Drawn Boy
2/5
This is tedious except the single. That's pretty good.
Everything But The Girl
4/5
This is better than I was expecting. I came in thinking ugh. Early 90's British electronica at its most pastiche. And sure it's that, but it it also seems to be the best of that era. I really liked hanging out in clubs where this type of music played in the background. Music to drink fancy cocktails too.
Bob Dylan
2/5
Doesn't feel as douchy as his earlier albums, but he ruins my goodwill to him by making every one of these songs longer than they need to be. God he's so annoying.
Bob Marley & The Wailers
2/5
Ugh. This better be the last of these. I think this might be the best? It feels a lot more of the moment and less trying to be something more than it is. I also didn't realize that Eric Clapton probably wouldn't have a solo career of it wasn't for the fact that he just t stole this sound which makes me hate him even more.
Otherwise not interested.
Cream
1/5
So Eric Claptons whole career is just ripping off black artists?
Cool cool cool.
Christina Aguilera
3/5
It's too much album. And man she has a chip on her shoulder. I understand why it's a double album because she said fuck you that's why. It's well produced and well thought through, but it's two albums and not the way she decided it either. I thought I'd get sick of her vocal fireworks but instead I got sick of her constant complaining how no one respects her and she sexy but can't say the word cock? I don't know. Looking at how Sabrina Carpenter now just glazes over this whole thing so much more e seamlessly I feel bad Christina had to deal with the bullshit.
Lightning Bolt
4/5
If you fed the concept of punk music into an AI program and removed all cultural comtext this is what would come out. It's a wild juxtaposition to.say daft punk which is built completely with computer technology and precision beats yet somehow manages to maintain a certain humanity through humor and context, this is humans playing physical instruments (at least it sounds like it?) but seems devoid of all human attachments. I'm not sure I like it per se, but it's definitely interesting. I didn't loose interest listening to it that's for sure!
Prefab Sprout
2/5
I don't know. I seem to understand the British music scene a bit more from this list. But seriously this isn't interesting music. I don't understand where this stuff keeps coming from.
The Cars
5/5
A perfect pop album. This is what we lost when pop musicians had to be pretty too. Seriously though every song is amazing and that this isn't a greatest hits just blows me away.
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
2/5
First three songs: oh this is better than I thought it would be. Then, fucking Neil young. I have no idea what he brings to this band other than one of the whiniest voices in pop culture. Rest of the album 3, he brings it down to a 2
The Cardigans
3/5
Why are there albums on here that should just be a single? The single on this is produced differently than the rest of the album. Why? Just make an album that sounds like the single and you might have more than one hit? That being said that one song is fucking killer. Plus the iron man cover is pretty hilarious. Rest of the album just gets whiney about 2 songs in.
Manic Street Preachers
3/5
The music doesn't really seem to align with the interstitials and the lyrics. Maybe it's a bit dated but it feels a bit safe for what the politics are.. generally okay ish rock.
Klaxons
4/5
They keep coming up in my random playlist generator but I wasn't too impressed with the singles. The rest of the album is amazing though. Should have searched them out earlier. Moving them into my steady rotation.
Joni Mitchell
2/5
Honestly better than I was fearing. Still she's going for things she really shouldn't be.
Crosby, Stills & Nash
3/5
it's fine. great simon and garfunkel harmonies. mild political slant without any sort of call to action. average 1960's. nothing to complain about. decent.
David Bowie
5/5
It's more interesting as a final album and the idea of recording it than the sum of its parts. It's an amazing final album not necessarily a great album if that makes sense. He captured exactly what I imagine it would feel like dying. He creates a groove and an atmosphere that doesn't have any filler which I feel is on a lot of his albums. All in all not an album of listen to a lot but an album that does exactly what it needs to do
Kid Rock
2/5
Ugh. He's just the worst. What was interesting about this is how well the music is produced? There's a lot of influences in this music without it being pastiche. Too bad he has to rap? Song? Over it..
Billy Bragg
1/5
Do people actively search this out and sit down at the end of a day and listen to this? Or is this just an album people have to show how liberal they are without actually being liberal? It's just so boring.
Solomon Burke
4/5
this is really good. It sounds so familiar, and I feel like It's Hank Williams? I assume hank stole this sound, but I'm not trying to be woke... don't know, but I really like his voice and the style. great album.
Rage Against The Machine
5/5
amazing. no notes. perfect for the zeitgeist of the time, still as relevant as ever.
The Cult
2/5
It feels like such a sell out sound. They were in LA once and tried to make the most dull "1987" style music they could based on that memory. Guns n Roses came on after then and I could instantly tell the difference even before Axl's voice came on. Just dull.
5/5
obviously its a 5, but I can see why its a bit controversial. It is a really eclectic mix of emerging genres and I never realized just how Paul heavy this album is. Mostly because John's are sonically more diverse, but Paul trudging along picking up the slack with his dumb little pop ditties. It's an interesting album that creates a journey in the best way an album should.
Killing Joke
2/5
For what era this came out it's pretty stellar. Would it be something I'd ever listen to again? Nah.
Metallica
5/5
This band always misaligned with me. This is their first album that I became aware of them so to start to hear all the sellout accusations then seems goofy. Looking back i think they were probably just too stupid to understand that whole thing. I think this album would be full blown comedy the likes of spinal tap but I also think they don't understand humor or irony or much of anything. But because of that this is almost a perfect album. It's so straight and so stupid but man they get away with it because they are 100% serious about it. Which is even more stupid.
Billie Holiday
3/5
I can't listen to her without thinking of David Sedaris. her voice is definitely one of a kind. I want her to get a little more excited? feels very languid. but Not bad.
Orange Juice
2/5
a combo of shitty police and shitty peter gabriel doesn't make for a good album.
Justin Timberlake
3/5
this sure is a snapshot of a very specific time. and for all his shitty behavior and terrible personality, his tenacity really shows on this album. the producers he got to do this album and the "lets just try anything and see what sticks" feel of this album proves he wanted to be famous at any cost. I guess he got what he wanted? the music is hokey and dated but isn't that what pop music is?
Deep Purple
3/5
It's a pretty forgettable allbum. There seems to be a signature organ riff going on with this band, but Jesus Christ superstar as a lead singer is pretty solid. A for singing c for the music.
Talking Heads
3/5
I never really liked talking heads, and I never really understood why Radiohead, one of my favorite bands liked them so much htey named their band after a reference of theirs. just yesterday I was listening to Radiohead and I realized in comparison to the fusion pop, rock, techno musicians out right now, Radiohead feels a bit pedestrian. I think that is what happened to Talking Heads. It was probably a revelation when they came out, but in retrospect feels a bit clunky and dated. I think this band deserves attention in that it inspired a whole genre of music I specifically am into, but in a pure listening quality, it's just a boring repetitive groove that any black musician of this era did way better.
Skepta
2/5
I think I might be prejudiced againts british rappers. they all sound the same and honestly when they try to go "hard" like I think this one is(?) it feels a bit put on. Like I understand white people in england are probably racist. I think that country invented the idea, but you're sad you went to a fashion show and the news said you were too black? must be hard to deal with when you go to your next fashion show... Whatever. The music is tight and the flow is good, but I really don't see me listening to this regularly.
The Doors
2/5
It feels like a lesser version of their self titled album. I really wish these were presented in order sometimes, becasue I understand now why LA Woman was so different and.. boozy? because doing the same thing for three albums must have been boring. Or was it a return to something and they just didn't have the same spark? I don't know, but this feels like a tired dirge through most of this.
Neil Young
1/5
I hate him. I understand why this is his most recognizable album though. There's actually music on here. It's not just him whining while someone practices a guitar in the background. But the lyrics are terrible and his voice is just so grating. I almost gave this a 2 but that live song near the end killed it.
David Bowie
3/5
Well that's not what I expected. It's such a bizarre album that feels like a mix between Lou Reed and maybe Kate bush? Listening to the title track I don't think I ever realized how weird that song was either. Is it interesting? Sure. Would I have been pissed off if I bought it only hearing the single? Definitely. Drugs make you do some wild shit.
Jane Weaver
4/5
What a great album. THis is what I was looking for in this list: a great artist I haven't heard of. Amazing singing amazing music. I think I got a little bored by the end, but man. The Architect is a JAM!
The Fall
2/5
punk, but make it longer and less interesting. and this is the most excessive reissue songs added so far on this list and I'm 400 albums in. Just a slog to get through the original album, no way I'm listening to 40 +songs of this.
My Bloody Valentine
3/5
Billy Corgan just ripped this off didn't he? lol. It's good and atmospheric, but it gets a bit repetitive, much like the smashing pumpkins first album. It's better than I remember it being, but still not something I would turn on just to listen to.
Air
3/5
I'm always annoyed with this band. Their singles are so well done. Driving yet light. Melancholy but never sad. But then the rest of their albums are just ambiance. Which, I guess fits their name pretty well but leaves less than a stellar album to listen to. guess it makes sense that them as a soundtrack album artist makes sense. but again, there is very little substance here besides a mood and a single. That single makes up for so much though. It's just so annoying.
PJ Harvey
4/5
Its so raw and hard in a way that music just isn't now? It's really interesting just how music is recorded and how mistakes have emotional intent. I think that is what is missing in music. It's not the guitar and it's not the rock n roll per se, rather it is the human intent and concept that is missing in music. I'm not really into this type of music, but man it hits very different in 2025 than I think it did when I listened to it for the first time in the late 90's. It's like an extinct animal.
Bill Evans Trio
3/5
It's fine. It doesn't really do anything for me but they all seem like competent musicians. It was good background music on a Monday morning. I think I need something a bit more pep now though.
Taylor Swift
4/5
I found the other one of her albums she released in 2020 after 1989 was recommended on here and really liked it. This is very similar. I feel like these two albums really allowed her to mature as a musician and producer of music, and you can hear the influences on her pop music after these, but my god the lyrics whenever I actually heard the words are from a place of a life of no hardship of no real pain. it feels so flat especially with the depth the music has. If only the music of this album could be paired with the lyricism of lana del ray this would have easily been a 5 for me. but that being said this is a very strong 4. This is clearly the music she would be writing if no one was watching her. The fact that once COVID restrictions let up she went right back to the bland pop sound Is sad. Why she is this far in her career yet she still feels the need to be #1 and not an artist she could really be in the vein of Joni Mitchell and instead chasing katy perry is a bit depressing for a number of reasons. Thats a topic that needs an album. Well, I guess we got Anti-hero?
Black Sabbath
4/5
It's a little too random that this was given to me the day after Ozzy died. Are they fishing for higher stars? It's wild how this band came pretty much fully formed even by their first album in 1970!!?? It's great. I think their later albums were a bit more solid, but man this feels like it came out of nowhere. I mean the Beatles were still a band when this came out. Incredible.
Dr. Dre
5/5
This is definitely not made for me, but there is no other album that goes this hard. It probably good that I get this album halfway through this list, because any other albums around this era is so dated in comparison, but this hasn't aged at all. It is violent and sexist and gross, but it also feels real in a way that nothing else really does. All the other albums of this era on this list feel like they use that to prove they are hard. This feels like just a part of the story. well except the doctor's office. that was gratuitous. Its a great album.
Beyoncé
5/5
Two things. This record has been out way longer than I thought and 2 I've played the hell out of this album and didn't even realize it. It's such a great point in her career. She still is conscious of a pop sensibility but the album is personal and her own. I think this album allowed her to do anything she wanted after this. It's storytelling and music at it's best. Blue ivy is a teenager??
Raekwon
3/5
The beats and the samples are deep and well done. Lots of references to the past and what was happening in Europe at the time. But man. 18 songs of a pothead trying to be hard. Its a lot.
CHIC
2/5
Is it well produced? Yes. Musically it could have been produced today. But these songs go absolutely nowhere. Clearly music to do cocaine to. And the vocal arrangements are pure 1970s over the top.
The Killers
5/5
This is such a weird album that shouldn't work an american band that was influenced by eurotrash electro bands. I played this album to death when it came out. and when I came out. Andy your a star has such a place in my heart. I burnt out of listening to this eventually but listening again I now know why I listened to it so much. its one great song after another. and what a well conceived album from start to finish sonically. It's a perfect album in its time and place. Everything that people don't like about the album is why it works. its just so off kilter but that's the point. of course its a five.
Fela Kuti
4/5
Now that's a groove. I kinda wish the songs were even longer.
AC/DC
3/5
Is it better than I remember? Sure. Is it a terrible uninspired led Zeppelin rip off? Seems like it. Guitarist knows what he's doing and it's got a decent rhythm section. But that falsetto scream throughout the entire album just grates. I can see why they become popular, but man. After two songs I was over it.
Buzzcocks
1/5
WOW. I hate this. It feels like they are speeding up the record faster and faster as the album continues and his voice gets shriller and shriller. Yeah I get that's the point of punk. I still hate this so much.
Missy Elliott
3/5
Ugh. That homophobic asshole starting and ending the album really rubs me the wrong way. And it's hilarious how cliche the timbaland beats sound now. That being said there are some incredible songs on this. SOME.
Aretha Franklin
4/5
Great album but they really did her dirty recording this in a tin can
Jeru The Damaja
2/5
Almost made it through a rap album in the 90's without using faggot. Almost. I assume this was the thinking man's rap? He calls women bitches but only the "bad ones". Ugh. I've been getting a lot of early 90's rap and it's a little exhausting. Beats are fine. Got a bit jazzy. That's about it.
Wire
4/5
Honestly, much better than I anticipated. The music itself is quite contemporary. has a dance beat. The singing is how johnny rotten wanted to sing in the sex pistols. It's a good mash of punk vocals with an actually decent backing band. I still hate punk, and about 99% of the British music called "post-punk" but now this will be the metric I judge them by. Plus the art is incredible.
Coldplay
3/5
If it wasn't for the singles and a killer video this would have gone nowhere. What a dull album. Except those three singles. I always thought of them as Radiohead lite, but it's not even that. Its college dude in a corner playing acoustic guitar. When they hit, it's incredible, but man the rest of their stuff is so boring.
Barry Adamson
3/5
There's some interesting sounds in this album. Especially in 1989? Its very industrial. But does an album exist solely to manifest a career in soundtracks count as an actual album? I mean I understand it's an album to visualize, but it only feels like a half idea.
Kate Bush
3/5
Ugh. I LOOVED hounds of love, but this album seems to be rehashing a lot of the sound on that album without the immediacy of that album. The last two songs are perfection, but it was a bit of a slog to get there.
Rod Stewart
2/5
I do not get this guys appeal. If disco was too gay but actual rock and roll was too complicated. If you didn't get punk but the carpenters where too wholesome? I think the music is so devoid of any emotion and his voice is so grating. Was hoping there was something on the first album that was lost in his actual hits. But nope. Just terrible rod Stewart without anything I could sing along to.
Dusty Springfield
4/5
This was good. In the same way most white British women pretending to be black woman from the Mississippi Delta are. Its one of those albums where I know I've heard the name and the music is good then the single hits and I'm like ooohhh. This is why it's on here.
Doves
3/5
What a weird album. They went through so many different genres and then just ended on a very competent Coldplay album? It was wild. Interesting but not necessarily great? I don't know how to take it.
Michael Jackson
3/5
This has always been my least favorite mj album, and relistening to it it feels a bit rushed in a lot of places. Its a very sparce album which seems like a crazy word to use for Michael Jackson the perfectionist, but he clearly understands pop music of the era. The good songs work. Its funny to listen to dirty Diana and it feels so much like a sequel to Billie Jean and it just ended up a bit flat coming from him...
I don't know. Its a good album but not a great one like thriller or the one after this. Plus the added drama of his life, just left me a bit unfulfilled.
Basement Jaxx
3/5
Do kids still go to clubs with techno music blaring? I feel this is of a specific time and place I cherish, but in a vacuum the music gets boring and repetitive. They do seem to jump genres in interesting ways, but just because a cd fits 90 minutes of music, doesn't mean you need 15 songs.
System Of A Down
3/5
Man I still love spiders but the rest of the album is so dated. The further I go down this list the more I realize how crappy some of these albums were recorded. I also find the lyrics feel a lot less tongue in cheek and more just bitter and angry then when I listened to this in my teens. The musicianship is superb, but it's just a bit one note and unhinged. Probably one of the best of the genre though...
The Saints
1/5
At least it's not a British post punk? Its much more how American punk evolved, but there is one song that sounds exactly like the music on handyman hal and my two year old has destroyed me from that sound. Plus how many punk bands from 1975-81 are needed on this stupid list? Disco exists?
Tom Tom Club
3/5
Its got a good beat and the lyrics... Are ok. But man these songs are so long and go nowhere. I get it, it's for doing coke on a dance floor, but it makes for a sober listening on my way to work a bit tedious.
John Grant
4/5
I like this. And I'm pretty shocked I've never heard of him before..he's a gay father John Misty it seems? With some beck thrown in? Its very good, but his sort of aloof delivery which works to a devastating affect with father John Misty doesn't quite hot which is wild because I think John Grant actually has experience and has more to be devastated by. I am interested to hear his other albums now and see where he went with this.
The Mothers Of Invention
3/5
I think the word is tedious. This album absolutely needs to be on this list. Part of the reason I'm going through this list is to force myself to listen to these "important" albums, and I'm glad I did because there is some interesting aspects of this album. But man. Its a lot. That last song especially. Ugh.
The Boo Radleys
3/5
Oh my God. Just because you can put 90 minutes on a cd doesn't mean you should. If this was edited down to 10-12 songs I think this would have been really tight and they could have gotten some decent hits from what is here. But there is another editing and everything just feels spread too thin.
Joni Mitchell
1/5
I can't imagine a word where someone hears this the first time stone sober and think this is a good album. This is on the level of Neil Young in terms of unlistenable boomer nostalgia bs. I wanted to turn this off more than the noise albums designed to be unlistenable.
Parliament
3/5
They said they would deliver the funk and delivered as advertised. Its clearly a live band and this album just lays the groundwork for their shows.
John Prine
4/5
This would be a 2.5 at the most if it wasn't for the completely unhinged lyrics. This guy's nuts. Love it.
Hot dog bun.
Kraftwerk
4/5
Surprisingly better than I remember. I think the key is not giving myself permission to turn it off. Its obviously a key album to the digital my music I like, but I think it took more talent and I think there was more cultural relevance at least in America through switched on bach and the BBC composers that did the Dr who theme for mainlining digital music to the masses. This seems a bit dull and more by the books sequencing then actual music.
The Zutons
3/5
I've avoided this band because of the gimmicky name but it's honestly better than I thought they would be. Sort of a white stripes vibe. Not reinventing the wheel, but not terrible
MC Solaar
2/5
Hip hop is hard to rate generally because it feels out of date almost as soon as it comes out. Add that this is on French I don't even really know if he has a good flow as French generally has a good flow spoken. There are places where the music wouldn't sound out of place in sesame street, but I think it's pretty sexual so I don't know. For 1992 this is pretty advanced. Its good until you hit that reggae song. It was so so very bad.
Brian Eno
4/5
Wow. So much better than I was anticipating. There are some truly interesting sounds coming out of this album. I hear nin, Moby, and most of the electronic scene. It's just really annoying how they fight so hard against their pop inclination. Just be pop guys. You don't have to be obtuse all the time.
Electric Light Orchestra
3/5
Yeah. Its elo. Beatles without any social awareness. I can definitely hear how most of the British bands co-opted a lot of these sounds too. Its good but too long and too overproduced, but that's kinda the point?
fIREHOSE
2/5
So this is the definition of college radio. Having growing up in the 90's this music always felt so dated to me. The Primus the ween etc played this trope to death. The stoner dick joke music. I will say these guys have a bit more diversity in music, but it's just nothing I can listen to.
The Temptations
4/5
Probably way out in left field for their typical album, but I liked it. Kept the melodies but jazzed up a bit.
Super Furry Animals
3/5
Did they give every guy that could play a guitar in England a record contract in the 90's? Its just pulp if they discovered a distortion pedal. Its not bad, but doesn't really tread in any sort of new territory.
Julian Cope
2/5
REM for incels.
TV On The Radio
3/5
I love TV on the radio. I realized I love the NEXT album though and had to play that right after listening to this. I think there's a lot of good things happening here, but they really coalesced in the next album. Good nor great
Roni Size
3/5
As a former consumer of this type of music (as in I would get fucked up and go to clubs that would play drum and bass) I feel like this is a bit academic. Too many musical references and not enough just grooving. Probably why a music nerd who probably never went out dancing put this on his list.
3/5
Its just so one note. Loud and abrasive it kind of had the opposite effect. Because there was no real variation it became white noise quite quickly. The only real jolt was the start of the last album when the drum style changed slightly. Basically noise music to study to.
Supertramp
5/5
The first side of this album will always be a 5 for me. I don't even care about the other side. It is better than I remember, but I've been obsessed with the first side since I was in my teens. I think it was the album art that drew me in and the lyrics about existential dread is what keeps me going back.
The Associates
1/5
I used to think I liked 80's music but now that I've listened to every garbage post-punk album britian has ever produced I have my douo. Everyone is worse than the one before. This one is so full up their ass i seriously considered not listening to it. The first time that's happened on this list. At least with Neil Young he has a humor to his shittiness
Skunk Anansie
3/5
Well that was unexpected. The sound is very much middle of the road rock from 1999, but the vocals are amazing. I wish she fronted a better band. Good. Not great. Funny how something like this never translated to America
Ryan Adams
2/5
I didn't understand Ryan Adams when he was cool and listening to this now I understand it less. Its basically American David Gray? How is this guy hip and David Gray a joke. I don't get music.
Public Image Ltd.
3/5
Before I started this list this band was the beginning and end of what I thought post-punk was. Some punk dude screaming over a band that was heavily influenced by dance music. And now that I've heard every post punk band England had to offer from the late 70's to the mid 80's.. nothing has changed. Put this album on the list and get rid of all the rest. Its the exact same shit. Wire can stay too.
The Byrds
2/5
These guys were clearly fucked up the whole time they were recording this.
The Smashing Pumpkins
5/5
I have long ago stopped listening to these songs as singles and only listen to this as a whole album, usually the second one, but I realized while the songs are great, the truly magical thing about this album is how they are arranged. Like he wrote a greatest hits just for a single album and this is the perfect live set list. The high points and low points all seem so expertly interwoven. I could listen to the end of Where boys fear to tread and the beginning of bodies forever just for that anticipation. He really hit a high point with this, and if it makes the people that hate him feel any better I'm pretty sure he resents this album as much as you do. He can't out do this for a million different reasons, and I think there is a part of him that is destroyed by that.
The Kinks
3/5
Good. Not great. I always think they are hyped as this amazing thing, and there are about 5 songs of theirs that I love and meet that hype. Not sure they are on here. I'll probably give the actual food album of there's a 4 when it comes up on my queue.
Mott The Hoople
3/5
I think it's consistently ok. I wouldn't want to turn it off it was on in the background of a party, but I wouldn't search it out.
Stan Getz
3/5
I didn't want to turn it off and it didn't make me want to pass out so that's better than 50% of this list. I'll probably never listen to it again though. Guess it's a perfect 3.
The Bees
2/5
Its not that I don't like it. I'm mostly indifferent to the mid singing and the random style of the music. But I know who listen d to this type of music in the early 2000's and it just leaves a bad taste in my mouth.
Germs
1/5
Unnecessary.
Johnny Cash
4/5
I feel like there really doesn't need to be two johnny cash albums in prison on this list, but this is barely music. It's pure attitude. It's good but not really an album of music per se.
Elis Regina
4/5
Something different and upbeat and original. Of course the guy who wrote the list would screw up which one to use. I want more of this, though I know I won't get it. Not something I search out, but definitely fun!
Ministry
3/5
I was always under the impression this band went harder than it actually does? It's such a bad ass name, I guess it just doesn't live up to the image I had in my head.
Sonic Youth
2/5
Is it an important album? Probably. Is it good? No. Is it better than the pixies. Oh yeah. Made me realize how similar this is to smashing pumpkins first album. What a weird intersection.
Ravi Shankar
3/5
Couldn't figure out why this is so low. Then I listened to it. Clearly it was picked based on the cultural impact and not the musical quality. There's much better ravi Shankar albums. But this isn't one of them. This is on the level of a children's instructional album.
John Lennon
3/5
The reviews of this are so lopsided hes either the most brilliant musician ever, or a rapist wife beater. I think this album and the one before it is him literally grappling with those two dynamics in his life. How do you declare a flawed human a geneous and how do you demonize someone who is trying to be a better person, albeit someone who will inevitably slip back into his old habits once the drugs get to be too much? I don't know the answer. His first few albums with the beatles, his songs are unlistenable because of how shitty he is to his love interests, and I think Yoko is very much his inspiration to get better. I don't know if he would have lived as long as he did if it wasn't for her. especially after listening to this album. This album is very up and down. He is trying to be a lot more raw, but is a lot more subtle than the last album. It doesn't quite work. A good but ultimately flawed album. much like the creator.
Tina Turner
5/5
Now this is an album. I love this. And I also realized she is my age when she made this album. Doesn't seem so old anymore...
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
2/5
Fucking Elvis Costello. Not the worst Elvis Costello, but the fact I have a reference point to that comment just makes me very upset with this list
Green Day
3/5
It's fine. You can tell they really want this album to suceed and for the most part it does. It just gets a little repetitive and it tries to be more serious than it is. They can say faggot because they are identifying as one. The rest of the slurs really date this.
Siouxsie And The Banshees
2/5
I was avoiding this album becasue of what I thought this would sound like, and I started listening to it and was relieved that it wasn't that. But as the music wore on, I realized it still wasn't my taste. just a different genre. I don't know. It's a darker smiths? just not what I would sit down and listen to. Probably culturally relevant though?
Saint Etienne
3/5
After about listening to about 500 of these albums I come to the conclusion that if they are British and unknown to me it is of a genre I like to call aggressively mid. They have no defining qualities other than it's a genre the author doesn't really understand and picked a British band that has those qualities and just signed off on it. Is this bad? No. Should this be on the list? Also no. Does anyone ever need to listen to this album the whole way through in one sitting? If you want to get angry about being bored then sure.
John Lennon
4/5
I got this right after imagine and this is so much darker and more raw. I think because of that it's a more cohesive album. There is a through line of searching and exposure. This feels like an emotional post-punk album ten years before post-punk. And so much better done. I always cry with his lilting singing of I just believe in me in God. It's so emotionally laid bare. It's incredible how that song is read by so many people on this comments as literal. The comments generally are so black and white. It's exhausting. This album is good and depressing and dark and exploitive and insular all at once.
The Byrds
2/5
There is some interesting sounds but I'd basically the beach boys on acid. Which sounds way better than this album actually is.
Fun Lovin' Criminals
1/5
I'm really beginning to hate this list. What the hell was this? I don't know the metrics of what makes this a good album. It's definitely not good. It's not culturally relavent and there's better versions of this type of rap. Just terrible in every sense. I used to think 1000 albums is a lot of slots to fill there's going to be some that has a lapse of judgement but man. I'm beginning to think it's just a crappy list...
Circle Jerks
5/5
This is so stupid. It's perfect. Pissed off at nothing and having a blast. This is what being 23 with no job and nothing better to do then getting fucked up feels like. Punk at it's purest. Any longer and I would have hated it.
Elliott Smith
3/5
When the same elements react a very specific way his songs are magic, but when they don't it just feels like a bad imitation of Elliot Smith. There's more of the later on this album. Don't know how that works, every one of his songs have the same basic format.
The Undertones
2/5
The ramones meet Blondie. And the combination somehow becomes worse than the sun of the parts. Not interested.
R.E.M.
2/5
Rem makes me so frustrated. How can a band that makes the song orange crush surround it with the dullest songs? They do this on every one of their stupid albums. Two or three absolute bangers and then jangly mumbly boring the rest of the album. My once a decade romantic idea that rem is good actually after listening to losing my religion one too many times always ends in heartbreak.
Django Django
3/5
Kind of the typical mid 2000's Indy band. Their visuals and the way they are hyped is better than the actual music. Mid tempo folk made with sampling. I guess.
ABBA
4/5
ABBA really was a singles band weren't they. You can clearly hear them making a move to musicals but man when those singles hit they hit HARD. Probably the only band that I would prefer a greatest hits on this list. Beautiful wy to end an era, just wish the songs that weren't meant to be singles had more care.
Miles Davis
3/5
Well. Not my thing but coming at the heels of bob Dylan this is like a breath of fresh air. Will I listen to this again? Nah. Not the worst thing on this list though.
Pentangle
2/5
This was different. British psychedelic folk? Seems so pastiche and niche but whatever.
Bob Dylan
2/5
Sigh.
Wilco is on this list aren't they.
The Undertones
2/5
The fact that there are two albums by this band tells me all I need to know about this stupid list. That said this is more refined and more well produced. And longer. They clearly have their own sound now. But I don't think any of that actually makes for a better album. Another meh for me
Pixies
2/5
Never knew the difference between pixies and Sonic youth. Now with the help of this list I realized sonic youth is the good one and pixies is just terrible talking heads if they were screamers. Gigantic is ok.
Stereolab
4/5
Sonic Youth
5/5
It might just because I've been listening to such garbage on this list but this feels like a breath of fresh air. It almost feels like a response and condemnation of the post punk that existed before it. Everything feels calculated. Everything from the rhythm to the vocals are dense and layered with nuance that is completely at odds with the mind numbingly simplicity of the alternative that exists before it. I was never a fan of this band but I think I understand the context of what they came from, how they influenced some of my favorite bands and just the nuance of the music to create music with noise. I think I found my new favorite album.
5/5
For pure nostalgia this is a 5 for me. It gets a bit washed out with too much sounds in the middle but man. Wonderwall? Champagne Supernova? 5 on those alone
Cowboy Junkies
2/5
Thought it would be more junkies and less cowboys. I was wrong
Marianne Faithfull
4/5
I don't know why I love her voice and hate bob Dylans. I think it's the lived experience of this voice. Truly an icon. I prefer her later stuff because some of these songs feel a bit dated but when this album hits it hits HARD.
Steely Dan
2/5
It's just so desperate. I don't know if the 70's just wanted to be so uncool that they were in fact cool? It just comes off a sleezy. I will never understand steely Dan.
Happy Mondays
2/5
Tedious.
k.d. lang
4/5
My God does she have a great voice. her sound is so pure and unrelenting. She could sing ANYTHING and it would sound amazing. why country and then easy listening? I don't know. Just listened to a christina aguilera album and she could have EASILY sang it better. just makes this music so much better.
Led Zeppelin
3/5
I see why they went a slightly different route after this one. It feels a bit forced by round 3 and they are really stretching those last few songs to get in a whole album. Concept became a nice way to redefine this band. It's ok. Fun but a bit forced. That first song fucking rules though.
The Good, The Bad & The Queen
2/5
So middle of the road. I like Damon albarn but this is just the vanity project everyone thought Gorillaz was going to y
Radiohead
3/5
I was way more interested in the kid A as an album not really this, and I think listening now I think I know why. There is a lot going on about alienation and a sense of not fitting in, but the songs are all roughly acoustic based. the acoustic guitar, the piano, even a lot of the singing is accapella (sp?). I don't think I was receptive to the music, and now it feels so traditionally a "band" with some wall of sound to fill in. I don't know what I'm sayig. I feel like Kid A was way more revolutionary than this album, I think depeche mode introduced sinister moods of guitar and synth better and more interesting than this, and I think Smashing Pumpkins Adore which was releases a year(?) later was more interesting with beats and technology with acoustic baking. I love Radiohead, don't get me wrong, but this feels like they were very much in process with this album.
Throwing Muses
2/5
It's not riot grrl it's not nu metal. And yet they are trying to be both? Their pop harmonies are nice but it just feels a bit dated for 2003. Breeders came on right after this album and it was so much better I knew instantly the album was over. Not great.