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787
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3.45
Avg Rating
163
5-Star Albums
72%
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302 albums remaining
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786
Written
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0.24
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3.45
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2020s
Favorite Decade
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20
1-Star Albums
5-Star Albums (163)
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You Love More Than Most
Albums you rated higher than global average
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scum | 5 | 2.07 | +2.93 |
| Chocolate Starfish And The Hot Dog Flavored Water | 5 | 2.47 | +2.53 |
| Shalimar | 5 | 2.66 | +2.34 |
| Phaedra | 5 | 2.73 | +2.27 |
| Maverick A Strike | 5 | 2.75 | +2.25 |
You Love Less Than Most
Albums you rated lower than global average
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Never Mind The Bollocks, Here’s The Sex Pistols | 1 | 3.46 | -2.46 |
| Vulgar Display Of Power | 1 | 2.97 | -1.97 |
| Electric Ladyland | 2 | 3.95 | -1.95 |
| A Wizard, A True Star | 1 | 2.83 | -1.83 |
| Is This It | 2 | 3.82 | -1.82 |
Artist Analysis
Favorite Artists
Artists with 2+ albums and high weighted score
| Artist | Albums | Avg | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beatles | 5 | 4.6 | 4 |
| Stevie Wonder | 3 | 5 | 4 |
| David Bowie | 8 | 4.25 | 3.91 |
| Joni Mitchell | 4 | 4.5 | 3.86 |
| Bruce Springsteen | 3 | 4.67 | 3.83 |
| The Beach Boys | 3 | 4.67 | 3.83 |
| Curtis Mayfield | 2 | 5 | 3.8 |
| Fela Kuti | 2 | 5 | 3.8 |
| Eminem | 2 | 5 | 3.8 |
| Rush | 2 | 5 | 3.8 |
| Led Zeppelin | 5 | 4.2 | 3.75 |
| Queen | 3 | 4.33 | 3.67 |
| Talking Heads | 3 | 4.33 | 3.67 |
| Pink Floyd | 3 | 4.33 | 3.67 |
| U2 | 3 | 4.33 | 3.67 |
Least Favorite Artists
Artists with 2+ albums and low weighted score
| Artist | Albums | Avg | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Robert Wyatt | 2 | 1.5 | 2.4 |
| Sonic Youth | 5 | 2.2 | 2.5 |
| Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds | 4 | 2.25 | 2.57 |
Popular Reviews
Pere Ubu
1/5
Didn’t even get through the first song. If your album opens with tinnitus then go fuck yourself
45 likes
Amy Winehouse
5/5
Loved this album!
I used to live in an apartment and my upstairs neighbour was a huge coke head. Whenever he went into a coke rage I would press my speakers up to the ceiling and blast “Rehab”. Nice to hear it again!
6 likes
Metallica
5/5
Just a killer metal album. Probably the best Metallica album we’ve gotten on this list. Loved Battery, Master of Puppets, ok pretty much all the tracks. It does get a little samey by the end but by then you have a pounding headache from head banging so who gives a shit
3 likes
Jerry Lee Lewis
3/5
The best part of the album is when the crowd is chanting “Jerry Jerry Jerry” and I get to pretend it was recorded at a taping of The Jerry Springer Show
3 likes
Justice
5/5
Rarely does a band drop a 5 star debut album and then get BETTER from there but that’s the trajectory for Justice. I hope there’s more of them on this list.
This album is the answer to the question “What if Daft Punk had continued putting out music like their first few albums?”
2 likes
4-Star Albums (222)
1-Star Albums (20)
All Ratings
ZZ Top
3/5
Decent album. Basically contains all of the ZZ Top songs you know. The other tracks are fairly forgettable.
Linkin Park
2/5
Borderline unlistenable.
However I appreciate what LP did for their fans and the fact that their music saved people from very dark places in their life. Maybe if I had listened to this in 2000 as a high schooler it might have resonated with me more. But as an adult this does nothing for me.
2 stars because the singles are decent enough
The Jam
3/5
Decent little album! Not my type of music but I’m glad I listened to it. The final track is a pretty sad story that sadly rings true to this day.
Ray Charles
4/5
Enjoyable album from Ray Charles. None of it is country music though
Curtis Mayfield
5/5
Loved it. Funky and soulful
Public Enemy
4/5
Landmark hip hop album. Top tier production and sampling although it sounds dated by todays standards. At the time when it was released I’m sure this album was mind blowing for people. It’s sad that, in terms of the issues addressed by this album, not much has changed culturally.
Definitely worth a listen as it seems to capture the feeling of society at the time. Also it’s very funny to picture Flava Flav playing Huey P Newton in a movie as teased in Burn Hollywood Burn
The Replacements
4/5
This album is all over the place in terms of sound and style. Punk, acoustic, alt rock, the softer side of grunge, “Gary’s got a boner” and so on. There’s probably at least ONE song on here that you’ll like. And it’s Gary’s Got a Boner!
For me, I liked Sixteen Blue, Androgynous, Unsatisfied and Answering Machine. What? Did you think I was going to say Gary’s Got a Boner? Grow up
Billy Bragg
4/5
Really enjoyable album! I’m not familiar with Wilco or Billy Bragg but after listening to this I’d like to hear more.
Stand out tracks
- Way over yonder in the minor key
- Birds and Ships
- I guess I planted
- One by One
- Hesitating Beauty
LTJ Bukem
1/5
I am not the audience for this album
Keith Jarrett
3/5
The making of this album is way more interesting than 60 minutes of “vamping”
David Bowie
4/5
Fascinating album. Takes a hard left turn halfway through that makes for an interesting journey into sound and theme
Little Simz
4/5
Very unique voice in hip hop. Really enjoyed it. From the first song you’re locked in.
Jimmy Smith
4/5
That’s some jazzy chicken🐓
Britney Spears
4/5
As my wife said “If you could wear out a CD then this CD would have worn out in my discman”
What a landmark pop album! As a 90’s boy I was NOT into Britney Spears (until her Rolling Stones covers obviously) but returning to this album as a MAN I can honestly say it’s a great pop album.
Not only are the singles catchy as hell, the album cuts like “Deep in my heart”, “Thinkin About You” and “Soda Pop” are great too. This album completely changed pop music and it’s easy to see why.
It’s Britney bitch!
“Email my heart” is a junka though
Tori Amos
3/5
This is a beautifully produced, less fun Fiona Apple album.
Korn
1/5
If this album is on the list but Astro Lounge by Smash Mouth or Zoot Suit Riot: The Swingin' Hits of the Cherry Poppin' Daddies by the Cherry Poppin’ Daddies isn’t, than this whole list is bullshit.
Badu nam na heee nam na he ma amirite guys?!?
Fela Kuti
5/5
Love some Fela Kuti!
Can
3/5
A fluff in the wind. Pretty good background music
Orbital
3/5
That was definitely 90s electronic music. No doubt in my mind
Dolly Parton
4/5
Enjoyable album from Dolly. Having only heard Jolene and Working 9 to 5, this album is exactly what I was expecting
Boards of Canada
2/5
If you’re looking to space out for almost 90 minutes because every song sounds the same… brother have I got the album for you!
Dinosaur Jr.
2/5
Maybe I’m just getting old but this just sounded like a lot of noise to me. Open powerchords are fun but Yeesh throw a bit of variety on your record Dino Jr.
The Lemonheads
2/5
So I think I figured out how this list was made… if an album had 1 “hit” single off it then it gets added to the “1001 ALBUMS to listen to blah blah blah”. I guess a mediocre cover of Mrs Robinson counts as a hit single because otherwise I have no idea how this album made the list.
I don’t think the author of this list actually listened to many of the full albums because man… this list is full of stinkers
Led Zeppelin
4/5
Look… it’s Zeppelin. Is it one of their best? No. But it is still pretty damn good? Hell yeah
Marvin Gaye
4/5
I liked this album. Why not get it on?
Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark
3/5
It’s fine!
Daft Punk
3/5
The hits are great but the rest is boring to annoying
Leonard Cohen
4/5
A somber album by a great artist at the end of his life. AND it doesn’t have Hallelujah on it so that automatically earns it an extra star
Saint Etienne
2/5
This list must have been made in the 90s which would explain why there’s so much bland euro trash electronic music on it. That stuff was new and hip and cool when it came out. Now though? This is FAR from an album you need to listen to before you die
Everything But The Girl
4/5
Very nice! Like Sade crossed with the Pretenders
Siouxsie And The Banshees
5/5
What a surprise this album was! Lovely gothic punk. This one’s going into the rotation
Jeru The Damaja
4/5
Every song on this album bumps AND the cover features the World Trade Center on fire. What’s not to love?!?
Emmylou Harris
4/5
A lovely album. Her voice is captivating
Dire Straits
4/5
Take notes Korn! This is how you put a hard F slur in your song and get it on the radio.
For real though this a damn good album. The hits are great and Brothers in Arms is an excellent closer.
Coldplay
3/5
It’s fine. Clocks is a damn fine song at least
The B-52's
3/5
These are the stupidest songs I’ve ever heard. But I love it!
Steely Dan
4/5
I LOVE Steely Dan! This isn’t their best album but there’s a lot of great stuff on there. Any major dude would tell you that!
Blur
5/5
Loved it! Gorillaz minus the hip hop. Damon Albarn is such a unique musical mind.
Haircut 100
4/5
Duran Duran meets Club Tropicana by Wham. Good!
Heaven 17
2/5
Eh I dunno chief. This isn’t for me
John Coltrane
2/5
Not really for me. A lot of noise
Radiohead
4/5
It’s a pretty good album with some beautiful songs on it. Didn’t know much about Radiohead going in but was pleasantly surprised
Jack White
3/5
Jack White is a very talented musician/singer. But his brand of quirky, bluesy, Bo Diddly oldies is not really for me.
3 stars because there are some groovy tunes on the album like Love Interruption, Blunderbus, Hip (eponymous)poor boy, Take Me With You When You Go
Fairport Convention
3/5
The song in French is great! The rest is just cookie cutter 60s singer songwriter stuff
Muddy Waters
2/5
Every song sounds like the Roseanne theme
Isaac Hayes
5/5
Very listenable
5/5
A masterpiece
Sly & The Family Stone
3/5
Another case of “a couple hits means this is a MUST LISTEN ALBUM” when you could just stick to the hits
Meat Puppets
2/5
Pretty audacious of the author to put his high school punk band’s album on this list. Some of the melodies are good. The singing is done in a style I can’t stand.
Hookworms
4/5
Was pleasantly surprised by this one! Really great sounds and rhythms and energy. I knocked a star off because it all gets kind of “samey” by the end
John Cale
5/5
I loved this album. Being familiar with the title track I wasn’t sure what to expect from the rest of the album but it delivered big time. Beautiful symphonies! This kind of album is what this list was made for
Songhoy Blues
5/5
What a pleasure this album was
Joni Mitchell
5/5
Love this album. Carey is a favorite
Sheryl Crow
4/5
The hits are stone cold classics. The rest are eh
Van Halen
4/5
The hits are bangers!
Deep Purple
2/5
A good example of the downfalls of a live album. 2 hours of jacking off without context is a hard sell. Highway Star goes hard though!
Neneh Cherry
3/5
Pretty good vibes. Buffalo Stance is a hit. A good example of the super conscious music that would go on to define certain genres in the 90s
Garbage
3/5
Pretty good! Sure sounds like men have treated Shirley Manson like shit
Nick Drake
5/5
Beautiful
Eagles
4/5
Lots of good stuff on here. The gold standard for country rock
Kelela
4/5
Really enjoyed her sound! Will listen to again
ZZ Top
3/5
Some fine songs but La Grange slaps
Santana
4/5
1 Santana Album You Need to Hear Before You Die
Bob Dylan
3/5
There’s some good songs on here but Bob Dylan has never really been my thing
Rod Stewart
4/5
Loved all the mandolin and violin on this album. Total Linsanity!
Rage Against The Machine
4/5
Here I am. 13 years old. Writing an angst ridden blog and blasting this album. Making a difference in this world.
Taylor Swift
4/5
This album and Folklore remind me of Born and Raised/Paradise Valley by John Mayer. Interesting detours with some of their most interesting work lyrically and musically. The title track is a great song
Happy Mondays
3/5
Musically this album was really cool and unique. Vocally i hated it. This particular English accent is so awful in music. Sounds like a drunk yelling in my ear down at the pub
The Zombies
4/5
Really enjoyed this one. It’s like Pet Sounds had a little British baby
Throwing Muses
2/5
A less good version of Siouxsie and the Banshees
Tom Tom Club
2/5
This album was a disappointment. Knowing the history and talent involved in the making of it I was really excited to see what came out of it. A bunch of friggin nonsense. At least we got the best to Fantasy by Mariah Carey so it wasn’t a total loss
DJ Shadow
4/5
Oh what’s this? One of the best examples of sampling ever?!? I used to love this album back in the day so it was very nice to return to it. Drags a little in the middle but overall it’s terrific
Amy Winehouse
5/5
Loved this album!
I used to live in an apartment and my upstairs neighbour was a huge coke head. Whenever he went into a coke rage I would press my speakers up to the ceiling and blast “Rehab”. Nice to hear it again!
808 State
3/5
Yeah it’s fine I guess
Ray Price
5/5
Love this album. Ray Price has a lovely voice
Foo Fighters
3/5
The Foo Fighters are just fine! Big Me is a pretty great tune. The rest all just blurred together
Living Colour
3/5
As a die hard wrestling fan I was excited to see this album pop up. Cult of Personality is great! The rest of the album is funky and heavy and for some reason it didn’t really click with me. This is definitely an album I’d like to give another chance
Buena Vista Social Club
5/5
Love love love this album. It’s basically just the best Cuban musicians taking a victory lap.
HOWEVER!!!! I prefer the live versions of most of these songs. This kind of music just sounds better with the energy of an audience behind it.
The Byrds
2/5
Eh I only got about halfway through this one. Just didn’t grab me
Elvis Presley
4/5
Really enjoyed this. Suspicious Minds is THE GOAT
Dr. John
2/5
This is the shittiest carnival I ever did see
Curtis Mayfield
5/5
One of the best soundtracks. Heater after heater after heater
Various Artists
5/5
Didn’t listen to this. Instead I listened to “Spending Christmas with Frank D’Angelo” by Frank D’Angelo. Here is my review of that.
Beautiful Christmas music by a king at the top of his powers. 55555 stars
Steve Winwood
2/5
Spanish Dancer is a good one. The rest is pretty forgettable 80s synth pop
Marianne Faithfull
4/5
I liked this? I think I liked this. Maybe a lot? But also I couldn’t tell you anything about it. But I definitely enjoyed it! That cover of Working Class Hero is excellent!
Einstürzende Neubauten
1/5
I am not the audience for this album. Not to be snide but I’m not sure WHO the audience is for this album
Bob Marley & The Wailers
5/5
The quintessential Bob Marley album. Pretty much everything you want is on there.
Aretha Franklin
4/5
“I don’t like Aretha Franklin. All she does is scream” - my mom
Mom’s wrong this album slaps
Nirvana
3/5
The hits are great but the rest is… eh? Having heard it for the first time I think the moment passed me by
Elton John
4/5
Really fun album!
Roxy Music
3/5
Eh. Probably didn’t need to hear this before I die but it wasn’t terrible
Pere Ubu
1/5
Didn’t even get through the first song. If your album opens with tinnitus then go fuck yourself
The White Stripes
3/5
Fine. 3 stars because Seven Nation Army is a stone cold classic. The rest of the album is alright but it’s mostly just Jack rambling nonsense while Meg rides the shit out of that cymbal
The White Stripes
3/5
I enjoyed this one more than the White Stripes album I got literally yesterday. However I didn’t enjoy it more than 3 stars. “Fell in love with a girl” is a pretty good song!
Travis
4/5
Pleasant surprise! Love this era of rock
Gang Starr
4/5
Untouchable samples, masterful flow, clear lyrics. This album is terrific!
T. Rex
5/5
T Rex at their best!
Cheap Trick
2/5
I mean… it’s a live album. What do you expect? At least I know where that shitty radio version of “I want you to want me” came from
Talvin Singh
1/5
I do not enjoy music like this at all
The Band
3/5
Pretty good! Sounds like a lost Grateful Dead album. The Weight is undeniable
Massive Attack
4/5
This album is a great mix of rap, electro, dub and more. Every time I hear a Massive Attack album I think “I should listen to more Massive Attack” and then I don’t but that’s not on them!
The Velvet Underground
4/5
Great until the Murder Mystery. I haven’t felt my enthusiasm die for an album so quickly. Loved the rest of it though!
Wilco
4/5
Pretty enjoyable! I look forward to listening to it again
Metallica
4/5
Oh fuck yeah bud. Enter Sandman is a beast
Nick Drake
4/5
When we got Bryter Layter I was wondering if Pink Moon would show up. And here it is! Not as good as Bryter Layter but there is a lot of good stuff on here. The title track sticks with me especially. Love his voice
Jeff Beck
3/5
Nice to hear Rod Stewart again!
Van Morrison
3/5
Eh sometimes I like Van Morrison and sometimes his voice grates. Tonight was grating.
Dire Straits
5/5
My favorite Dire Straits album! Great song after great song and friggin Sultans of Swing is on there. What more could you want? F slurs? Just wait a couple albums you bigot!
Ray Charles
4/5
The songs are great but those horns are a little loud Ray! You might be blind but I don’t want to go deaf
Echo And The Bunnymen
4/5
Weird but fun! Good energy. 4/5
N.W.A.
3/5
My wife “Okay we get it. You hate women”
Me “No babe they don’t hate women they hate bitches. And unfortunately all the women they know are bitches”
There’s some great songs on here but it’s about 7 songs too long. Pretty relentless and one note for the most part as well
Fiona Apple
4/5
I love this album. Criminal is a stone cold classic
Miles Davis
2/5
Jazz jazz jazz whatever
Nirvana
3/5
There’s a few pretty good songs on here but overall it’s not really my thing. It all gets pretty samey by the end but “Something in the way” is great!
Al Green
5/5
Perfection from top to bottom. Al Green is the man
The Roots
4/5
Worth it for Cody Chesnutt
Nine Inch Nails
4/5
How delightfully unpleasant! I used to date a goth chick who was super into NIN. I didn’t get it then but I do now. They are dope as frick
Snoop Dogg
4/5
Lyrically it’s aged poorly and the beats get pretty samey as the album goes on and the fact that there isn’t some kind of radio segment to tie it all together at the end seems like an oversight… but this album is so fun!
“I’m fresh up out my coma”
Willie Colón & Rubén Blades
5/5
Outstanding. An album like this is what this list is all about. I never would have found this otherwise and I absolutely loved every second of it!
Duran Duran
3/5
Hungry like the wolf is a banger. I wasn’t a big fan of the direction most songs took. Well produced and sounded tremendous though!
Buzzcocks
3/5
Normally everything about this album would annoy me. I’m not a punk fan and I do not like that version of an English accent. But this album just worked for some reason. It didn’t blow me away and I’ll never return to it but I enjoyed it during my listen and am glad I heard it before I died
Judas Priest
5/5
It’s so nice to hear an album where the singles aren’t the best songs on it (looking at you Rio by Duran Duran).
Never heard this album before and absolutely loved it top to bottom. I’m not even a big metal fan but something about this album did it for me. I was hooked by that high note Rob Halford hits at the end of the first song.
Can’t wait to kill myself and join Satans army!
Christine and the Queens
2/5
Sounds like an Emily King album but not as good. Only listened to the French half because I don’t have the time or patience for 90 minutes of this.
Circle Jerks
2/5
Totally not for me but “World Up My Ass” bumps it up a star
George Harrison
4/5
I really enjoy this album. However it’s too long as are ALL double albums
Paul McCartney and Wings
5/5
This was a staple in my household growing up and I just love it
Nas
5/5
The perfect rap album. Nas is a master lyricist and Illmatic is the best example of that.
Everything But The Girl
2/5
Her voice is very nice but this album was booooooring
Janis Joplin
3/5
Not bad but the first half all sounded the same. Me and Bobby McGee is a banger though!
Wild Beasts
2/5
This album was the pits but it reminded me of Foxy Shazam so I listened to them instead and I gotta say, Foxy Shazam is a pretty good band!
FKA twigs
2/5
This is the soundtrack to a sad lap dance from your goth girlfriend
Radiohead
3/5
Spooky depressing music. I loved it!
Guided By Voices
2/5
This album did nothing for me. But it wasn’t unpleasant so 2 stars
Bob Marley & The Wailers
3/5
There are better reggae albums and there are better Bob Marley albums. This album is fine
Orange Juice
5/5
Loved it! Was ready to write it off when I saw the album art (figured it was another shitty punk album) but as soon as those synths hit in the first song I knew this was something special. So many different genres represented here. I base my ranking on whether the album would join my record collection and this one definitely would.
Wu-Tang Clan
4/5
The only good Wu Tang album! Not as much ODB as I’d like. Full of great tracks and each member really brings the mother fucking ruckus.
Kacey Musgraves
4/5
Love Kaceys voice and this album is great. The only thing holding it back from 5 stars is her corny ass lyrics
“That bar down the street don’t close for an hour. We should take a walk and look at all the flowers”. Yeesh
UB40
3/5
I love UB40 but this was some forgettable reggae.
Van Morrison
5/5
Love this album. The best example of his voice
Elvis Costello
3/5
Elvis Costello has always been a 3/5 for me. This album did nothing to change that. Just fine!
Eminem
5/5
Such a confident debut. Funny, corny, controversial. It’s a classic
Genesis
2/5
This album stinks and like basically all double albums… it’s too long
Guns N' Roses
3/5
The hits are some of the best rock songs ever. The rest of the album is fine. It all balances out
Jamiroquai
4/5
My feet were tapping!
TLC
4/5
Loved this album. Waterfalls is the GOAT
Elvis Presley
2/5
I like Elvis. He has a phenomenal voice and his presence is undeniable. This album is Blue Suede Shoes and then a bunch of B sides at best. Definitely not required listening
Kate Bush
2/5
Maybe I’m just in a bad mood but I did not enjoy this album. The song about the computer was very dated and I enjoyed that. But otherwise this one was a bit of a dud
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
2/5
It’s insane to me that this was released less than a month after Elephant by the White Stripes. If you told me Yeah Yeah Yeahs were the producers for Elephant and snuck in after recording sessions to record this album, I’d believe you.
Nice to hear Maps again but that might just be my Rock Band nostalgia talking
Le Tigre
2/5
First minute of the first song is pretty good!
When assholes say they hate Hipster music, this is the music they are referring to. Just bleh. Also I’m probably just too dumb to understand all the cool references they’re making
Joan Armatrading
4/5
Love this album. Drags a little by the end but that only knocks one star off. Her voice is great
Femi Kuti
5/5
Really enjoyable! Modern afrobeat
Anthrax
2/5
Not really for me. Talented musicians and song writers though! I’d just rather listen to Iron Maiden if I was ever in the mood for this kind of music
Isaac Hayes
3/5
Normally I really enjoy Isaac Hayes but this album was just boring. That cover of “By the time I get to Phoenix” was painful to sit through. If you’re only going to have 4 songs on your album at least make them interesting please
Primal Scream
2/5
Some cool ideas and interesting sounds. It all just blends together but overall there are waaaaay worse albums on this list. Just listen to “Movin on Up” off Screamadelica and that’s all the Primal Scream you really need
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
4/5
Surprisingly I actually enjoyed this album! That first song especially hit just right. I might even listen to this album again
Joe Ely
4/5
I really like this album. West Texas Waltz and Honky Tonkin were my favorites. Plus there’s synth on this album?!?!? In 1978?!?! On a country album?!?!? Loved it
Willie Nelson
4/5
Great classic country album. Willie has the best voice
Public Image Ltd.
1/5
I was listening to “Little Miss Can’t Be Wrong” and realized… oh I haven’t checked out today’s album! Can’t believe I turned off The Spin Doctors for this.
Alternate review:
To quote Billy Madison “Here’s a nice piece of shit”
Aerosmith
2/5
Back In the Saddle is a banger and also the Unofficial theme song of Pure Boys Podcast but the rest are just bleh
Queen
3/5
I enjoyed this album and think I’ll like it more on subsequent listens. Nevermore and Seven Seas of Rhye are my standouts on this listen
Eagles
2/5
Completely front loaded. Title track is great as is “Life in the fast lane”. New kid in town is fine. The rest is completely forgettable. This album is on the list for the 2 songs I listed above and that’s it
Spiritualized
3/5
C+
But don’t ask me about the album because it was so C+ absolutely nothing stood out to me. It wasn’t a terrible listening experience… just completely forgettable
Moby Grape
2/5
Another forgettable British pop/rock album. This list is full of them apparently
Iron Maiden
5/5
Oh fuck yeah bud. Had a flag of this album on my bedroom ceiling when I was in high school and this album kicks as much ass now as it did then
The Rolling Stones
3/5
Fine. A little bluesier than I’d like
Calexico
5/5
Maybe it’s the horns or maybe it’s the damaged woman on the cover I want to make my wife but I loved this album
Frank Zappa
2/5
“Peaches en Regalia” is a great song. The rest is just so so but I’m also not the biggest fan of jazz fusion. I want to rate this higher. I want to appreciate Zappa. This album didn’t do it unfortunately. Maybe it’s just me
Erykah Badu
5/5
My favorite Erykah Badu album. Just a vibe from top to bottom. ❤️❤️
Iggy Pop
5/5
Loved it! Or maybe it was just lust.
Get it? See what I did there? Cause it’s called Lust for Life!
Killing Joke
2/5
There was some cool stuff on this album but I still don’t like punk (or post punk in this case).
I enjoyed how 80s and electronic it sounded at times. As well as the weird filters on the lead vocals
Radiohead
2/5
This album just didn’t click for me. Radiohead is very hit or miss and unfortunately this one was a miss
Baaba Maal
5/5
Loved it! Unique sound. Great rhythms. I’m a sucker for albums that aren’t in English
The Rolling Stones
3/5
Maybe I’m just not the biggest Stones fan. I at least knew a couple songs on this album but overall it was just okay. They must have some albums that are spectacular though right?
Pretenders
4/5
The Pretenders are great and this album has many examples of that. Loved “Brass in Pocket” and “Tattooed Love Boys”
Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan
4/5
If you like Indian music in general, you’ll dig this album. If not… brother you’re going to hate this thing
Fiona Apple
5/5
Love this album. She has evolved so much as an artist since her first album and only seems to be getting better. It’s a weird, painful, honest album and I don’t think she’s sounded better.
The Doors
3/5
LA Woman is a pretty good song. Jim Morrison is a dumb persons version of a wise sage. I should know, I used to think Jim Morrison was the shit and I was dumb as fuck in my youth
R.E.M.
3/5
I’m not the biggest REM fan and this album didn’t convert me, but it was enjoyable enough and there are certainly worse albums on this list. It all gets kind of samey as it goes on
Buffalo Springfield
4/5
Lots of classics on this album and just stellar songwriting all around. Mr Soul and Bluebird are the obvious standouts
Morrissey
3/5
This is music Grandpa Munster would love
The Killers
4/5
Lots of good songs on here. I’ve never really given the Killers a chance before but I enjoyed it. “All these things that I’ve done” is a bop!
Boston
5/5
An easy 5 stars. In my opinion this is the best debut album by any band. Perfect from top to bottom
Ghostface Killah
5/5
Loved this album in 06 and still love it now. The sampling is on point! It’ll make you get up and do the Damon Dash
Paul Simon
3/5
The hits are untouchable on this album. The rest of it is pretty boring unfortunately. Armistice Day is pretty groovy too. I’d argue he put out much better albums after this one.
Simon & Garfunkel
4/5
Really enjoyed this one. Much sillier than I expected and those synths (?) on the first tracks go HARD.
The Black Keys
4/5
Completely front loaded. But the highs are very high. Everything after Sinister Kid is a skip
The Rolling Stones
3/5
The hits off this album are great. The rest just weren’t for me. There must be a Rolling Stones album that’s great front to back but I don’t think this is it
Little Richard
3/5
This album “Wop bop a loo bop a lop bom BLEW” Just kidding I like it but I thought of that earlier and wanted to use it.
Fun album but almost every song sounded exactly the same.
Nina Simone
3/5
Powerful, emotional performance. First half of the album was very enjoyable. Second half dragged as the songs all got very samey. Also the reveal of the final name in Four Women made me burst out laughing which was probably not her goal when writing that song
Basement Jaxx
2/5
I can respect the talent and craftsmanship that goes into an album like this but that doesn’t mean I’m going to like it. No “Where’s your head at” so what’s the point?
Also I think I’m past the age where putting women’s sexual moaning in songs is cool. All it guarantees is I won’t be playing that song in public or buying the record
3/5
I was going to give this a 4 but other than the first track nothing stuck out to me. War sucks and the military sucks yeah yeah yeah we know. I wonder if this is an album where you should read the lyrics while listening to get the full picture.
Air
4/5
What a delightful album. Really easy to listen to and I enjoyed how laid back it was.
Grateful Dead
5/5
Easy 5 stars. So many enjoyable songs on here including Ripple aka the best song ever written
The Byrds
4/5
A groovy album baby yeah
Pixies
2/5
This just wasn’t for me. Talented lads but I am not the audience for this album
Supergrass
2/5
I spent the first half wondering why it made the list, then I heard “Alright” and knew this was a one hit wonder album. The sped up song sounded kind of cool but that’s about it. “Alright” is a good song at least
Iggy Pop
4/5
Really enjoyed this album. I’m guessing this is one of the Bowie produced albums because it just straight up sounds like a dirtier grungier Bowie album.
John Martyn
5/5
Easy 5 stars!
I have a distinct memory of being in my 20’s and being tasked with entertaining a relative who was in his early teens. He was looking through my iPod and commented that I have terrible taste in music. First off… rude. Second… he pointed to the song title “Big Muff” as evidence of my bad taste. He didn’t know shit
Adele
2/5
Look… Adele has a phenomenal voice and “Skyfall” is the best Bond theme but I just don’t like the rest of her music. Ok “Remedy” was a pretty good song.
Also this album came out right when I was going through the worst breakup of my life so hearing the singles again was a real fun trip down memory lane. Didn’t affect my score, just a fun realization
Ananda Shankar
5/5
Didn’t know I needed this much sitar in my life. Jumpin Jack Flash is a revelation
Talking Heads
4/5
Some great songs and some hunk songs. Houses in Motion is terrific!
Bon Jovi
4/5
“I’ve seen a million faces and I’ve rocked them all” Fuck yeah bud that’s worth a couple stars all on its own. This album was better than I was expecting.
Buddy Holly & The Crickets
3/5
The music your grandpa finger-banged your grandma to. That’s real! He told me and then made me smell his fingers. It was gross
Led Zeppelin
5/5
It’s perfect
Grateful Dead
2/5
I love the Grateful Dead’s studio albums but my god they are insufferable live. 2 stars because they are talented musicians.
Blondie
3/5
I wanted to like this more. Heart of Glass is great! The rest just didn’t do much for me and Debbie Harry sounds like a lunatic on One Way or Another
Finley Quaye
5/5
What a surprise! Right in your eyes! Funky 90s reggae who would have guessed it?!? Not for everyone certainly but certainly for me
The United States Of America
2/5
Weird and annoying. Mostly annoying. Is this album on here as a prank? A joke? A yuck’em up?
Led Zeppelin
4/5
Most of this album is really good! The rest is just shitty blues and drum solos
Jean-Michel Jarre
5/5
I loved this album! Turns out im a sucker for synthy soundscapes. I should have expected this given how fond I am for Plantasia and the Lil Bub albums. It’s corny and silly but it works for me
Sonic Youth
2/5
This album was not for me at all. But I have a good friend who loves Sonic Youth so I’ll give them an extra ⭐️
Antony and the Johnsons
5/5
A beautiful bummer. The kind of raw honesty and emotion that makes you go “I hope things worked out for this person”. Loved it
OutKast
3/5
The circumcision has already begun!
Like all double albums it’s too long and there’s plenty of skippers. Speakerboxxx is the superior of the two albums but even it’s completely front loaded. “Hey Ya” might be the catchiest song ever made and I’ll always love “Roses” for giving us a radio hit that ends with the word Bitch like 100 times. But overall just listen to the singles and “Dracula’s Wedding” and you’ll have a better time
Stupid ass bitch
Jefferson Airplane
3/5
It’s a trip and there’s lots of good songs on here. It gets a little long but overall it’s a fine listen
Bruce Springsteen
5/5
Today is my wife’s birthday so luckily this album is an easy one. Bruce Springsteen is the best and this album kicks ass. Amazing saxophone solos. Bruce is just shouting lyrics with so much passion and emotion. 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Herbie Hancock
3/5
Some groovy things on this album but I found a lot of it… annoying? Just the sounds and notes he was playing were very grating at times. Also a friend convinced me to see Herbie in concert once and it was the worst show I’ve ever sat through so that might be colouring my view of this album
Amy Winehouse
3/5
Not nearly as good as her other album on here but still pretty enjoyable. Lounge music over hip hop beats must have been pretty groundbreaking back in the day!
Goldie
1/5
I’m really starting to think I don’t have a way into Drum and Bass. I’ve tried and tried but I just can’t stand it. If you dig it then I envy you because this list is FULL of albums that sound exactly like this to me. Bleh
Also 2 hours?!? Come on man
I gave up about 50 minutes in a listened to the album “Supervision” by La Roux instead. Way better use of my time and yours
Koffi Olomide
4/5
Pretty fun afrobeat album! I’m a sucker for albums that aren’t in English so this tickled me just right
Otis Redding
4/5
Otis Redding has my favorite voice in soul music. This album was very pleasant. I wasn’t wild about some of his covers but overall it was an enjoyable time
Van Halen
5/5
I really enjoyed this album! Way more than I was expecting. I loved how fun and corny Van Halen were at times (Ice Cream Man, I’m the One) and how damn good their harmonies were. Does it deserve a 5 stars? Probably not but fuck it I’m feeling trill this morning
Eminem
5/5
So turns out despite how distasteful his lyrics can be I really loved this album. So many hooks and fun beats. Funny and cringey and sad. I think he didn’t like his ex very much
Talking Heads
4/5
Lots of songs I didn’t know on here and I really enjoyed them. The hits are obviously bangers even if I’m not the biggest fan of Psycho Killer. Aren’t all Talking Heads albums at least a 4?
Ms. Dynamite
4/5
Dy-na-mi-tee was my long boarding JAM back in the day. I’ve never heard the rest of the album so it was a treat. She’s got a Lauryn Hill delivery at times and I really enjoyed the reggae influences. Solid album I wish she had done more than just 2.
Hot Chip
2/5
I really tried with Hot Chip. Their single and video “I Feel Better” was really fun and stupid (and also not on this album). But I haven’t enjoyed anything else I’ve heard from them. It’s got all the right ingredients but it just doesn’t work for me. To quote Pablo Francisco “I love spaghetti but it’s got shit on it!”
Brian Eno
3/5
This album left absolutely no impression on me.
Stevie Wonder
5/5
Easy 5 stars. Maybe not as perfect as “Songs in the Key of Life” but pretty damn close.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
4/5
I actually enjoyed this one! Nice to find out what song the older brother was singing in ET.
5/5
Stopped mid conversation with my wife to say “Is this the Twilight baseball scene song?”
Way more sci fi than I expected and I loved that. First time listening to Muse
5/5
Really enjoyed this. Sounded like a south of the border Stevie Wonder album at times. Glad to find out they have more depth than just Lowrider!
Ash
3/5
Fine. Sounds like a less good Foo Fighters
Dinosaur Jr.
2/5
I just don’t think I like Dinosaur Jr
Ice T
5/5
I can’t believe I’m giving this album 5 stars but I fucking loved it. It’s like Straight Outta Compton but good! “Throw me in jail, I won't even try to make bail
Put me in the gas chamber and watch me inhale” is a HARD line.
Also I thought there were only 2 good rap album skits “Deez Nutz” and “Ken Kaniff”. But then I heard “Evil E-What about Sex?” and knew I had to amend my list. Nothing funnier than gangsters BEGGING to hear about a sexcapade and big titties
Johnny Cash
4/5
Normally I don’t enjoy live albums but this one was brief and entertaining. I didn’t know Cash was so funny. I don’t know if I can explain this properly but this recording was truly of a performance and not just a list of songs with an audience like most live albums
Ministry
1/5
Respectfully, gay barf
Traffic
3/5
This album left no impression on me. I enjoyed it but couldn’t remember anything about it
Taylor Swift
4/5
Really solid pop album. Wildest Dreams is a great song!
k.d. lang
4/5
Loved this album. There are so many mixtures of genres and sounds. She sounds like she should be doing music for English translations of Gibli movies.
So many great songs including but not limited to
Miss Chatelaine
Constant Craving
Still Thrives this love
Cyndi Lauper
2/5
I was fully prepared to give this album 3 stars because it was fine and then the last song came on and just what the hell is that about?!? I don’t like her voice or how she sings on most of the songs.
“Time After Time” is a great song though!
3/5
Yeah fine whatever more punkish music. Sort of like Blondie
Radiohead
5/5
I was feeling depressed today so I was looking forward to this album! It did the trick ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ what a fun time
Kraftwerk
4/5
Au-to-bahn
Love the journey this album takes you on
Madonna
2/5
I mean… it’s Madonna doing euro club music. On paper that sounds like an album I wouldn’t like. “Don’t Tell Me” earns it an entire star on its own but other than that this is a hard pass for me
Queen
5/5
Loved every second of this album. Even enjoyed Bohemian Rhapsody… a song I’m good with never hearing again (although I fully admit it’s the perfect proper song to end the album).
The whole album has an air of pomp. It feels like you should be raising your pinkie finger when you listen to it. Freddie sounds incredible as does the rest of the band. Plus it features 39, Death on Two Legs, You’re My Best Friend and Love of my Life. Which is all just killer Queen ;)
Adele
2/5
Certainly the best out of the 3 Adele albums I’ve been forced to listen to for this list but still not for me. “I’ll be waiting” is a bop and I enjoy “Take It All” and the bridge on “Rumour Has It”.
“Someone Like You” is imo the worst song ever written. I hate it. She is a colossal piece of shit in that song and I just do not understand how people are inspired or find her actions admirable. She finds out an ex has a great life and has found happiness and she GOES TO HIS HOME and sticks her nose in his business because she’s not over him. THEN she has the audacity to be like “why are you acting shy?” Maybe because you’re trying to ruin his life? AND THEN she tries to act like the bigger person “Nevermind I’ll find someone like you. I wish nothing but the best for you two”. Bitch YOU tried to ruin this relationship. You don’t now get to walk away like you’re making some noble sacrifice. You literally said you turned up “out of the blue uninvited”. She sounds insane in this song.
Look I know it’s ridiculous to get this upset over a song
3/5 but I’m taking a whole star off for Someone Like You
Suicide
1/5
What the fuck is this shit?
Emmylou Harris
5/5
Emmylou Harris has one of my favorite voices in music. This album is gorgeous.
LCD Soundsystem
3/5
Was going to give this 4 stars because I was enjoying how “Beck”ish it was but then the songs started to sound annoying. On a different day it would have been a 4!
Small Faces
4/5
The spoken word stuff is good once but the songs slap!
David Holmes
2/5
Didn’t really enjoy this album. Some of the beats were interesting and groovy but overall not for me. Really didn’t enjoy the talking clips just played under the music. So distracting
Bruce Springsteen
4/5
Contains some of my favorite Bruce songs like “Badlands” “Promised Land” “Prove it all night” and some of my least favorite “Adam Raised a Cain”. All in all it’s a solid album that’s sandwiched between two amazing albums in his discography
Richard Thompson
4/5
Like Paris 1919 I was familiar with the title track and excited to hear the rest of the album. I loved the Celtic sounds and both singers sound great! Lyrically it’s a bummer but I still really enjoyed it.
4/5
Very 80s. Would fit well on a record shelf near Duran Duran and Haircut 100
Jane Weaver
3/5
Boring white girl indie music. Your wife will love it!
Jerry Lee Lewis
3/5
The best part of the album is when the crowd is chanting “Jerry Jerry Jerry” and I get to pretend it was recorded at a taping of The Jerry Springer Show
OutKast
4/5
Very funky! Better than both Speakerboxx and The Love Below obvi. Nice to hear Erykah Badu
Mercury Rev
5/5
What a surprise! Loved this album. Reminded me of The Flaming Lips or the Polyphonic Spree.
Beastie Boys
4/5
Quite possibly their best album in terms of live instrumentals. Does it reach the highs of Hello Nasty? No but I think it’s my second fav Beastie Boys album
AC/DC
5/5
Oh fuck yeah bud! “You Shook Me All Night Long” and “Shoot to Thrill” are killer songs
There’s a reason people go through an AC/DC phase when they’re first getting into rock music. It’s super accessible, simple music with big drums, even bigger guitars and lyrics screeched by a grown man with the voice of a harpy. Lyrics about the devil and Hell. Just awesome stuff. This is their best album hands down
Crowded House
4/5
Really upbeat and fun. Reminded me of late 80s/early 90s Rush at times. I didn’t know any of the songs besides “Weather With You” and unlike other one hit wonder albums on this list… this one was actually good all the way through
Raekwon
2/5
This has always been one of my least favorite Wu Tang solo albums from that initial run. I’ve just always found it really one note and boring. Also it’s way too long. This listen did not change my opinion
Sex Pistols
1/5
Dreadful
The Temptations
3/5
Fine! Not my favorite Motown album but the title track is a heater
Fleet Foxes
5/5
Love this album and “Helplessness Blues”. They just had such a fun sound on these two albums. The harmonies are on point, the lyrics hit in the soul and musically they’re perfect for a summer day in the mountains.
David Bowie
4/5
Golden years! A classic. Really enjoyed all the songs on this album. The first track is basically a side unto itself.
Love
3/5
Pretty standard baroque pop music. It’s fun but nothing to write home about
Madonna
2/5
2 stars because the music video for Ray of Light is pretty cool. Shoutout the Kabbalah!
Pantera
1/5
Yeah fuck this. I don’t want my listening dollars to go towards this band fronted by a white supremacist Nazi shit head. Pantera died with Dimebag and that’s where it can stay
The Velvet Underground
3/5
Enjoyed this one a lot more when I was younger and first started smoking weed. It’s still good but my patience for songs like “Heroin” and “Venus in Furs” has eroded. Nico has a great voice though and it’s always a treat to hear her
Jah Wobble's Invaders Of The Heart
3/5
Could not find anywhere to listen to this album
The Kinks
3/5
Pretty standard classic British pop music. Dandy stands out!
Yes
3/5
Roundabout slaps. The rest is looong
The Avalanches
5/5
The high water mark for sampling. Just an enjoyable ride front to back. Frontier Psychiatry is quotable as hell! And he also made false teeth
Todd Rundgren
4/5
Love this album (with the exception of the song where he is in love with a 17 year old what the fuck). However the album is too long. A whole bunch of the middle could be trimmed out. Those first 3 songs are heaters though!
Beastie Boys
5/5
Top 3 Beastie Boys album. The samples on this album sent me on such a wonderful musical journey as a kid. It shaped a lot of my musical taste.
Also I lip synced “Hey Ladies” for a church youth group lip sync battle when I was too young to understand how horrifying that must have been to the adults in the room. I did not win
The White Stripes
4/5
Well colour me surprised. I was wrong. Turns out there is a small sliver where the White Stripes rock and Jack Whites goofy carnival shit intersect that actually sounds pretty good. This album is that intersection. I enjoyed most of the songs on it!
Alexander 'Skip' Spence
3/5
Eh I didn’t mind it but it got pretty boring and weird after a while
Soundgarden
2/5
Not really my jam but Spoonman is a bop!
Beastie Boys
3/5
This album is fine. Considering I recently got Paul’s Boutique this felt like a big step down in terms of quality. Cool 80s hip hop sound and it’s also funny to hear vocal riffs that they would sample across all their future albums. Lyrically it’s aged the worst out of their albums and I get that they’re playing characters or whatever but it still detracts from the listening experience
The Auteurs
3/5
Totally fine! I’m not huge into this kind of music but I get how it’s appealing to some people. I’m just not depressed or English enough to connect
Lloyd Cole And The Commotions
3/5
Totally fine! I’m not huge into this kind of music but I get how it’s appealing to some people. I’m just not depressed or English enough to connect
Janet Jackson
4/5
Loved it! Great dance music. Rhythm Nation is a friggin BOP! Lyrically it’s still very relevant unfortunately. It’s sad to see not much has changed for folks.
Cream
4/5
Now THATS some 60s rock and roll. Sunshine of your love is a great song!
Prince
3/5
Ok first off I like Prince. Maybe I just didn’t listen to this album correctly because it felt too long and not as engaging as some of his other albums.
LCD Soundsystem
4/5
Hey if the other LCD Soundsystem album I listened to was his Beck album then this one is his David Byrne album
David Bowie
4/5
Lots of great Bowie songs on here! There’s a couple of cringy tracks sucking up to other artists near the end of the album that bump it down a star but overall it’s a great album
Kid Rock
3/5
Kid Rock is a hateful shit head. I went into this album with low expectations. It’s not bad. The hits are great. There’s just so much other music out there why spend your time listening to this?
Björk
3/5
Beautifully produced. Weird interesting melodies. But I didn’t really like it a whole lot. Pagan Poetry was a high point!
Pink Floyd
5/5
This album is a triumph of storytelling and music. The emotional journey this album takes you on is a rocky one but satisfying. Yes it’s a double album and all double albums are too long but this one has always worked for me.
And yes I was obsessed with this album in high school, how’d you know?
Metallica
2/5
This one didn’t do it for me at all. I like their story songs so “One” was a great miserable romp! Other than that it was a lot of well played noise.
The Cardigans
4/5
Ok this album was a 3 until I heard that delightful cover of Iron Man. That plus Love Fool bump it up to a 4. Fun album
Scissor Sisters
4/5
Now THIS was my jam back in high school. I have distinct memories of driving around in the Bangin Bonneville and pumping this album. Although listening to it now I probably was only pumping a couple of songs but still… they’re good songs!
ABBA
4/5
Strong pop album but one of the best pop acts of all time. Lots of songs your mom loved when you were a kid.
Fernando is spectacular!
The Isley Brothers
4/5
A great groovy album. Loved the covers and of course Who’s That Lady
Donovan
3/5
The title track and Season of the Witch are both great songs. The rest of the album is a lot of fantasy nonsense that while enjoyable … doesn’t give me any desire to return to it.
Bebel Gilberto
5/5
Right up my alley! Perfect music for doing dishes, hanging out after a long day of work, going for a walk/drive, relaxing before bed. This album does it all!
Steely Dan
5/5
Love Steely Dan and love this album. Peg!
Fun Lovin' Criminals
3/5
The Scooby Snacks band?!?!? Look this is a fun album and all but how pissed are G Love & Special Sauce that THESE guys are on the list and they’re probably not?!?
Tom Waits
4/5
What a tremendous album! Have always been aware of Tom Waits but any time I tried to get into him I wouldn’t get far. Hang Down Your Head was such a shock when I heard it. “This is just a normal song! Almost sounds like Springsteen”. I thought Tom Waits just did haunted Mardi Gras/pirate music.
Still the kind of music you listen to in private and then wait a long time before sharing it with loved ones or friends. It’s a big gamble but if they did it then brother you’ve got a friend for life!
Queen
5/5
Listened to this album 3 times today. It’s certainly not the most iconic work of theirs but god damn do these songs sound great! So many stellar moments throughout.
The Modern Lovers
3/5
I’ve listened to this album 3 or 4 times over the past 15 or so years trying to get it. I see it on “best of” lists all the time and it’s constantly praised as this phenomenal rock album. I don’t get it. It just sounds like a band who really wanted to make a Velvet Underground album but forgot to add all the weirdness and experimentation that makes VU so unique.
They can all play their instruments well enough and my wife was bobbing her head to it so that’s worth a couple stars I guess
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
2/5
No thanks. I didn’t enjoy Trout Mask Replica and I didn’t enjoy this
Frank Sinatra
5/5
Great album perfect for any occasion. You’ll feel as cool as Mel Gibson in “What Women Want”
The Cars
4/5
This album was a blast. The Cars were such a fun band and this album is the best showcase of that. All the singles off it are great
Fugazi
3/5
Lyrically I really enjoyed it. You are not what you own! Musically I can’t think of any time in my life when I’d be in the mood to listen to this again. Talented lads no doubt but just not for me
Björk
5/5
This album was great! I didn’t love the other Bjork album we got and didn’t have high hopes for this one. But then it was just a really fun 90s euro dance album. Madonna take notes!
The Smashing Pumpkins
4/5
So many great songs on here. Love Billy’s nasally baritone. A little long but hearing the blueprint for all alt rock to come was worth it
Faust
2/5
Fine weird German music. The last song started great and then it just added a ton of shitty distortion. You can definitely skip this one
Ice Cube
2/5
Did not enjoy this very much. It was like a worse “Straight Outta Compton”. “It was a good day” is pretty good but the rest can kick rocks.
Alright his line about the Statue of Liberty being a bitch was pretty funny
The Sensational Alex Harvey Band
2/5
Like a worse T Rex album. Thumbs down
Meat Loaf
5/5
Beatles
5/5
Love everything on this album. It’s probably the bottom of the 5’s on their 5 star album list but that’s still a 5! It’s also wild that they cram that much into 34 minutes. You’d swear the album was twice that length (in a good way!)
Mike Oldfield
4/5
Listened while watching IMAX Coral Reef Adventure and that made for a very nice experience. Pairs well with the ocean
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
2/5
Self indulgent bleh. Too long and too up it’s own ass
Neu!
4/5
A fun chill album. Not at all what I was expecting. Im a softie for this kind of music
The Chemical Brothers
4/5
What a start and end to the album! Block Rockin Beats gets a star on its own. Everything in between got kind of samey but I enjoyed it. Good stuff
The Stooges
3/5
If you like the Doors but hate the keyboards then you’re going to love this album!
Leonard Cohen
3/5
Really lovely song writing but I don’t think I’ll return to it. Not sure when I’d be in the mood for this kind of music
Robbie Williams
3/5
Angels is a great song. Most of the rest of the album is enjoyable but none of it was particularly memorable.
Lorde
3/5
Taylor Swifts goth sister over here
CHIC
4/5
These folks know how to find a groove and stay in it. Sometimes too long but with an album this funky it’s hard to complain!
Echo And The Bunnymen
3/5
Pretty boilerplate new wave. Enjoyable and fun but not much else too it
Blur
3/5
Liked it well enough. Not as much as their other album we got.
Slade
3/5
Basically the most generic 70s rock music you can imagine. It’s enjoyable but there’s nothing here you haven’t heard before
The Clash
4/5
Really enjoyed this album. Lots of big hits and even though it’s too long it’s still a jolly good time. Rudie Can’t Fail is a friggin bop!
The Doors
2/5
I asked my wife what she thought of this album. She replied “we listened to an album today?” Forgettable but the instrumentals were enjoyable sometimes
Beach House
5/5
LOVE me some Beach House. This and Bloom are my favorite albums of theirs so it’s a no brainer to give this 5 stars. Her voice is beautiful.
Zebra is a standout song and a great way to start the album
The Kinks
4/5
Fun kitschy British music for Queen and country. Paints an idyllic picture of life in the countryside. Sounds lovely
Method Man
3/5
Ticaaaaal
Tical ticaaaaaal
Why are there so many mediocre Wu Tang solo albums on this list? ODB better show up at some point so we can at least listen to one of the good ones!
R.E.M.
3/5
I can’t…
STAND when I hear REM
Mi-chael Stipe
Thinkabout this album and how bad I thought-it-was
Jk it was fine and REM are a fine band but I just don’t have any desire to listen to them
Bruce Springsteen
5/5
This album is a juggernaut. Great song after great song. No notes. 10/10.
Also the way he says “We like the same clothes” in Bobby Jean always makes me laugh
The xx
2/5
The XX must represent the listeners cartoon eyes as they sleep through this album. If the singers sound bored to be here then why should I care?
Rufus Wainwright
3/5
Interesting musicianship but it didn’t really do much for me all in all. I only listened to about half the album truth be told
Iron Butterfly
3/5
Title track is very long but very enjoyable. The rest is all so so
David Bowie
3/5
Look just because it’s a David Bowie album doesn’t mean it automatically gets added to the list. I found myself skipping a lot of songs that were frankly, annoying. Fire your piano player DB
The Sabres Of Paradise
1/5
I was so intrigued by the title of this album. Imagine my disappointment to find out it’s yet another bland, uninspired electronic album. The only thing worth listening to on here is the song “Theme” because it reminds me of Oceans 11 or Catch Me If You Can.
Bonnie "Prince" Billy
3/5
The star of the best Kanye West music video does his best Radiohead impression and it’s pretty good!
I always enjoy seeing Will Oldham so this was exciting. It’s a big bummer of an album but we’re all going to die someday so it fits just right!
The Darkness
5/5
It’s 2006. I am 18 and A friend of mine has burnt me a picture disk CD containing both Permission to Land AND One Way Ticket to Hell… and Back.
I am rocking the fuck out
Count Basie & His Orchestra
4/5
I love music like this and this album was pretty dang good! Plus with a cover like that how could you not like it!
Jimi Hendrix
4/5
Look this album rocks and was all over the Waynes World OST but Jimmy Hendrix is real bad vibes. He’s super talented but his songs really bum me out based on his musical choices, lyrical subject matter and special effects. It just clicked on this listen.
I found myself enjoying the drumming this go around. Especially on Manic Depression
Terence Trent D'Arby
5/5
Another album I wasn’t expecting much from… I like Wishing Well and that’s all I knew. Turns out this album kicked ass and I loved it. What a fun era for music and he sounds great
R.E.M.
3/5
Can we be done with R.E.M. please?
New York Dolls
4/5
This album started and I did not enjoy it. All I could think was “There’s no way this guys singing career lasted more than a couple years”.
By the end though these Dolls had completely charmed me! Really interesting and enjoyable song writing choices, open and honest lyrics and damned if his singing didn’t grow on me too. Good stuff!
Nico
3/5
Some beautiful musical arrangements (which she famously hated), the definitive version of “These Days”, and then like most Warhol related projects… some extremely off putting moments that sour the whole experience.
Leonard Cohen
2/5
This album was a bummer. I like his voice and this album doesn’t contain Hallelujah so that automatically earns it a star
The War On Drugs
4/5
Dreamy pop rock. This isn’t an original thought but this album reminds me of Dire Straits. Love Under the Pressure! What an album opener
SAULT
5/5
Fired this one up on a road trip
“What kind of album is it?” My wife asked
“I don’t know”
Literally 5 seconds into the album
“It’s an album about black excellence”
The Strokes
2/5
Strum strum strum. Bruv bruh bruv
Marvin Gaye
5/5
Soulful, honest, a singular vision. As true today as it was when it was first released. I love this album!
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
2/5
I did not enjoy this album. I just don’t think Nick Cave is for me
Björk
4/5
It’s Björk at her Bjorkiest and Rahzel for crying out loud! Not sure when I’d be in the mood to listen to this again but it was a really fun ride. This list has taken my Björk knowledge from 0-3 and each one has been very different. I think I like Björk?
Rod Stewart
4/5
Exactly as good as the other Rotten Roddy album we got! Really enjoyed Country Comfort
The Prodigy
5/5
I remember Big Shiny Tunes 2 opened with Breathe followed by Song 2 and Semi Charmed Life and I just gotta say… that was an untouchable opening to another 5 star album
Jazmine Sullivan
2/5
Mom can we have SZA?
We have SZA at home
Arrested Development
3/5
The singles earn the stars. The rest is boring and annoying hippie blabber
Supertramp
4/5
The first side of this album is stellar. Dreamer is a very nostalgic song (obviously regarding the Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle) and the rest is the rest! Definitely listen before you die. And believe me… you’re going to die
Rahul Dev Burman
5/5
What a true delight. I loved how funky it was. I loved how sloppy it was. I loved how shrill it was. I loved it!
PJ Harvey
2/5
Basically every alt rock album. Not my fav
Brian Eno
3/5
Brian Eno would go on to create and produce some amazing albums after this… but this ain’t one of them brother.
Fleetwood Mac
3/5
I dislike almost all double albums. There’s usually a 5 star album buried in there but there’s so many bland songs that they all end up as 3 star albums (with a few exceptions). This album is no different. There’s some great songs on here (That’s All for Everyone, Tusk) and just as many uninteresting ones. Oh well!
Donald Fagen
5/5
Absolutely loved this album. Great choral harmonies and island vibes.
Slipknot
3/5
Some very groovy tunes on here but the screaming got tiresome by the back half. I enjoyed a lot more of it than I was expecting and that’s always nice!
The Who
2/5
So The Who wrote a rock opera huh? It fucking sucks
Stereolab
4/5
Not at all what I expected. Sounded like the OTHER music from Katamari Damacy. Just funky lounge music in another language. Good stuff!
Slayer
5/5
Not my type of music at all but I fucking loved this album. Those drums!! Big as an atomic bomb. Surprised to learn Rick Rubin produced it but of course he did. I also enjoyed that it was less than 30 minutes. All killer no filler (which is probably not on this list but should be #justiceforsum41)
Duke Ellington
3/5
That’s definitely a jazz album!
2/5
It’s fine and it was nice to hear Thom Yorke but this album just wasn’t for me
Common
4/5
Not to be an old head but it was nice to hear some hip hop that had something to say. The beats are sumptuous and the rhymes are smooth. Lots of great guests too. Pretty good album baby yeah
Ramones
4/5
Someone once described the Ramones to me as “The Beach Boys if they played as fast as possible” and after listening to this album I have to agree. Lean, loud and fast pop songs. At 29 minutes there’s not much to complain about!
Jimi Hendrix
4/5
Like I said in my last Hendrix review… bad vibes all around. But there are some great songs and moments on this album. Okay I love a lot of songs on this album but ugh I just feel like shit after listening to Hendrix. Bold As Love is a 10/10 song though
Always nice to hear Rotten Roddy! “Stay With Me” is a great song and always reminds me of Wedding Crashers. Fun album
Leonard Cohen
2/5
I’m tired of Leonard Cohen albums. This synthy nonsense did not do it for me. Nice to hear where the bummer opening song to Justice League came from at least!
Drive-By Truckers
2/5
Huh? Why in the hell is this album on here? It’s boring, poorly recorded and way way way too long. It IS a good example of a rock opera though. In that it does tell a story but none of the songs are good. But there sure are a lot of them!
Beatles
4/5
Just a stellar collection of pop songs. Plus it includes “Till there was you” which is one of my favourite Beatles songs. It’s not as good as what would come later… but damn those loveable lads from Liverpool could write a catchy tune
M.I.A.
3/5
Inventive, original, irritating. When this album dropped there was nothing that sounded like it. And maybe for good reason. The sounds she chooses for this album are often grating and annoying. But Paper Planes, Come Around and the song with the rapping kids are all pretty great tracks. Also obligatory “MIA is a nut case now so good for her”
Django Django
5/5
What a surprise! Love it when a complete unknown blows me away. Reminded me of Goose in a positive way
Arctic Monkeys
2/5
Look my reasoning is petty but I can’t stand the lead singers voice and accent. It made the album unlistenable. Which is a shame because I liked the lyrics and the music was fine enough. But bleh overall
Q-Tip
4/5
Immaculate production! I love Q Tip but in general I think he’s stronger with other people. This album is good but I wouldn’t say great. “Life is better”, “Gettin up”, “We Fight/We Love” are all great tracks!
Also this is probably not anything but 808s and Heartbreaks released the same month as this and changed music forever. It’s weird that both albums were essentially showcases for drum machines (it’s literally on the cover of this one) and both artists rocked a similar asthetic (seriously look at the cover of this album then go look at how Kanye dressed at the time) but Kanye’s is the one people connected with more. Imagine a world where this album ACTUALLY caused a musical renaissance the way “808s” did?
Muddy Waters
2/5
Yep that’s a Blues album. Sounds exactly like every other one we’ve gotten on this list
Sleater-Kinney
3/5
I just don’t think I’m a big fan of this kind of indie rock. They’re all talented but it’s just not for me
A Tribe Called Quest
4/5
Lots of great songs on here and some songs that haven’t aged very well. This isn’t my favorite album from Tribe but it IS a classic
Love
3/5
“Alone Again Or” is a pretty good song. The rest is pretty generic 60’s British pop rock.
Pink Floyd
5/5
I mean… it’s Dark Side of the Moon
Neil Young
5/5
Wasn’t familiar with this album and was pleasantly surprised to find all the Neil Young songs I knew were on it! What a collection of honest, real and sometimes brutal song writing. Loved it!
Def Leppard
2/5
Why is this on here? Photograph and Rock of Ages are fun radio hits but the rest is just boring dad butt rock. You can definitely die before hearing this. In fact… I wish you would!
Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
4/5
Loved the first disc of this! Would have been a 5 except the second disc is very repetitive. But everyone involved is phenomenally talented and how can you not love this bluegrass sound! Tennessee Stud is a great song!!
Pink Floyd
3/5
Nerdy folk rock by a band that would make great albums… later
Arcade Fire
4/5
Are you a Millenial in your 30s who grew up in the city? Then this album is for YOU! I completely missed this one when it came out but it was an enjoyable listen! I get while it was so popular
Red Hot Chili Peppers
2/5
Under the Bridge is great! The rest is funky but annoying. I don’t think I’m a Pep Head
Robert Wyatt
2/5
That first song was great! The rest was weird and boring and sounded really amateurish. What a shame because I loved the album cover too!
Fatboy Slim
4/5
Really fun album that’s buoyed by great singles. Praise You is a 5/5 on its own!
Turbonegro
3/5
Totally fine straight up rock and roll. 🤘 with songs like “Rendezvous with Anus” you can’t miss!
Peter Gabriel
2/5
I mean… this album felt pretty up it’s own ass. It sets the tone of the 80s being a really shitty industrial time for some music. I enjoyed the last couple songs but overall it wasn’t very good. Family Snapshot wtf was that song?!?
The Rolling Stones
2/5
Ok this list has made me listen to 3 Rolling Stones album and honestly… I do not get why they are so highly regarded. They’re a 3 star band AT BEST. The first two songs and Street Fighting Man are all you need off this album. The rest is awful and someone needs to sue Jack White because he based his entire solo career on the song “Dear Doctor” and that was a terrible mistake. That’s right I dislike the Stones so much that Jack White is catching strays
Solomon Burke
4/5
A solid soul album. Doesn’t do anything to break the mold but if you like soul music you’ll like this one!
King Crimson
2/5
Booooooring
Frank Ocean
5/5
Love Channel Orange. The emptiness of a life of excess. Such a strong debut.
Elvis Costello
3/5
Alison and Less Than Zero are great! The rest is just typical Costello Buddy Holly cosplay
PJ Harvey
3/5
Didn’t enjoy the first 2 PJ Harvey albums we got and didn’t really enjoy this one much either
U2
4/5
It’s the real thing! In fact… it’s even better than the real thing! Lots of great tracks on here and the whole band sounds good. I’m not a huge U2 fan but I definitely see why they are as popular as they are
5/5
Cannot believe this is getting a 5 but here we are. This album bops so hard. People criticize Fred but I can’t imagine anyone else selling it as hard as he is. Just silly masculinity at max volume. Unrelenting. And all the slow songs sound exactly the same. Echoey guitar and soft voice. But overall it’s fun to listen to by yourself while doing dishes. Outro is awful as well. Still a 5 star experience!
Sabu
2/5
This should be for me. I should like this. But it’s just bongo bongo bongo I don’t wanna leave the Congo over and over! Try a new instrument
The Afghan Whigs
3/5
That was definitely some alt rock!
Electric Light Orchestra
5/5
Nobody sounds like ELO! All of these songs are so infused with life and charm. The hits are HITS and the rest of the stuff is all good fun. Shoutout to Wild West Hero. Unsung classic
Pearl Jam
4/5
Enjoyed this one a lot! Really didn’t like how hard songs about homelessness and school shootings hit in this day and age but what are you gonna do? As someone who isn’t a fan of grunge music… Pearl Jam were the best grunge band
The Only Ones
3/5
The definition of a 3 star album. Pretty bland and right up the middle. Nothing to write home about but not bad
Peter Gabriel
3/5
It started off so strong! But then it fell off a cliff. The orchestral arrangements in the back half of the album were great, but I just didn’t really enjoy any of the songs past Solsbury Hill
TV On The Radio
3/5
Tv on the Radio had a pretty hot 15 minutes of fame and I missed it so I was stoked to see what all the fuss was about. Pretty forgettable!
The Vines
2/5
I can’t fathom how this album made the list. Talented Aussie dog c*nts for sure, but there’s absolutely nothing on here that feels original or worthwhile. “Get Free” is fine but it’s better in the “Angry White Boy Polka” by Weird Al. Is Weird Al even on this list?!?
Motörhead
3/5
Started off really strong. The first 4 or so songs were awesome! But then it all just blurs into the same thing. Plus that jail bait song was awful YUCK
Tom Waits
4/5
Tom Waits seems like a charming, affable low life and I it’s very endearing. This is a fun album. I couldn’t imagine listening to individual songs on it as it plays better as a whole. Good stuff!
The Jesus And Mary Chain
2/5
Not for me
The Saints
2/5
Eh The Ramones, The Stooges and David Bowie did it better. This particular album is not to my tastes
Alanis Morissette
5/5
Fuck yeah bud I love this album! My cousin made me a cassette that had most of this on one side and the Space Jam soundtrack on the other. If you have a more 90s thing than that you can shove it up your ass with your Talkboy! “Get outta here you nosy little pervert or I’ll slap you silly.”
Deerhunter
2/5
Absolutely nothing of note. You’ve heard this type of music before and done better by other bands
The Jesus And Mary Chain
2/5
Yep still not for me
XTC
4/5
This album sounds like XTC wanted to make Pet Sounds their own way, and it’s pretty good!
Jimi Hendrix
2/5
3 good songs. 3 good songs on an hour and 15 minute album. The rest is either boring blues or faffing about. For the life of me I don’t know why this album is on here other than to complete the Hendrix Trilogy. Buy the best of Jimi Hendrix instead so you can hear the good songs and skip the rest. Ok I’m being a little harsh. There are other good songs buried in this album but man is it way to long and a lot of the back half feels like a waste of time
Gary Numan
3/5
Every song sounds like a piece of the song “Cars” until it all clicks into place with said song. Except for the “Where’s your head at” sample. That song’s different. Overall it’s a pretty pleasurable plisten
Justice
5/5
Rarely does a band drop a 5 star debut album and then get BETTER from there but that’s the trajectory for Justice. I hope there’s more of them on this list.
This album is the answer to the question “What if Daft Punk had continued putting out music like their first few albums?”
The Police
4/5
The hits are all great. The reagge tone to a lot of the album is very enjoyable. I dig it!
Morrissey
4/5
Having never heard Morrissey before I didn’t know what to expect. I enjoyed how upbeat this album was musically. Should probably give it a closer listen but probably won’t!
Dr. Octagon
3/5
Like all albums produced by Dan the Automater… I want to like it more. The rapping is good enough and the production is… good? I just don’t know why this stuff doesn’t click with me more.
David Bowie
4/5
Another Bowie album with great songs in the first half and weird soundscapes in the second half. I dug it though! Plus Sound and Vision is great!
Baaba Maal
4/5
Right up my alley. A little too pitchy sometimes but the music was great. Especially loved that corny ass 80s track in the middle of the album
Lou Reed
5/5
Hey this was a weird album full of corny love songs and songs about presumably being off drugs. This was not what I was expecting but I actually kind of loved it!
Siouxsie And The Banshees
4/5
Pretty one note spooky witchy rock music. It kicks ass but it all sort of slurs together. That cover of shelter Skelton though!!!!
The Damned
5/5
Really thought during “Looking at You” they were saying “Do the Bartman” over and over again. It wasn’t but it’s still a 5 star album. Was this stuff all over the Jackass and CKY soundtracks?
Hawkwind
3/5
Strike one its a Live album that was meant to be experienced as a live event with very engaging visuals.
Strike two is its over 2 god damn hours long
But there’s no strike three. As background music while you live your whole god damn afternoon it’s pretty good! I wouldn’t recommend it but I did enjoy my time with it well enough
The Who
4/5
Better than Tommy! Very creative and fun. Just a good batch of songs. Plus in the context of the album I was expecting a reveal for “I can see for miles” that it was an ad for glasses or something like that.
Richard Hawley
5/5
A surprising 5 stars. Had no expectations but ended up listening to it 3 times today. “Just Like The Rain” slaps!
Slipknot
3/5
More of the same from ol Slipknot. I think I liked their debut more?
Crosby, Stills & Nash
5/5
Much like Sheamus from the WWE, this album is just banger after banger after banger after banger
Joan Baez
4/5
Pretty, harmless folk music. Some decent versions of songs that would be done better in the future. She’s got a lovely voice
The Zutons
4/5
This album took a few songs for me to warm up to it. But overall it was a fun ride. The Zutons seem like the Old 97. In that they’re a super talented band that makes really enjoyable songs but is missing some element to achieve main stream success and appeal.
The Jam
2/5
The most generic British pop punk album. We get it author… you’re British and grew up listening to punk/new wave, then you got older and got into 90s electronica. Good for you!
Nightmares On Wax
2/5
What a long and trying album of “On Hold” music
Joy Division
4/5
Never listened to Joy Division before and enjoyed this album quite a bit! Gloomy!
Beatles
4/5
Not their best but still very enjoyable pop music
Fela Kuti
5/5
Now that’s some afrobeat!
Joni Mitchell
4/5
Washed over me like a soft wave of folk. Not much stood out but I feel like I will enjoy it more on future listens
Björk
3/5
This album was… fine? It didn’t have a distinct identity like the other 3 Bjork albums I’ve gotten so far. Lovely arrangements and a very pretty sound but didn’t leave much of a lasting impression
Lucinda Williams
3/5
If you told me this was a Sheryl Crow album with no hits on it I’d believe you. Ok “Can’t Let Go” is pretty good. But it’s mostly just sad songs about people’s sad lives
Mariah Carey
2/5
Mariah has a nice voice and can hit those awful high notes but this album is overall pretty meh. If you like boring beats, record scratching and vocals so poorly layered you can’t understand any of it… you might love this album!
Bob Dylan
3/5
Full disclosure… I listened to this album the wrong way. Had it on while doing dishes instead of sitting down and reading the lyrics along with the songs. Because of that I just don’t get what people think is so brilliant about Dylan. The only album of his I like top to bottom is Nashville Skyline.
I found myself wondering if his lyrics are actually deep and interesting… or does the fact that he emphasizes every single word trick people into thinking his lyrics are deep? Maybe if I’d paid closer attention I’d have an answer.
Regardless, this album has too many bluesy songs on it for me to give it more than a 3.
5/5
Normally when every song is identical on an album that’s a Negative, but for some reason it didn’t bother me with this album. Loved these country songs about heartbreaks and shitty dudes!
Yes
5/5
I think I dig this progressive rock. Plus “I’ve Seen All Good People” is an all time classic
Coldplay
4/5
Took a date to Laser Coldplay™️ and totally made my move to hold her hand during “Yellow”. 4 stars for how hard my heart was racing despite her being a 4
Tracy Chapman
5/5
Really honest songwriting and a beautiful soulful voice. I only really knew Fast Car off this album but was blown away by the rest of the songs. Definitely joining my vinyl collection
The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion
1/5
The worst album to get for Christmas
CHVRCHES
3/5
Enjoyable enough pop music. Only knew the first song but thought the rest of the album was just fine
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
3/5
What is this? Half the time everyone is off tempo. The songs are loooooong and not in an interesting way. Neil Young is better than this
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
5/5
Great harmonies, great songwriting, just a great album overall. Folk music zenith
Deee-Lite
5/5
What a surprise! Really dug this groovy, funky, silly 90s party album.
Elliott Smith
3/5
This album was pleasant but overall left very little impact on me
Dwight Yoakam
4/5
Classic old school country. The 80s and 90s country music just hits different. Nothing fancy, just slide guitars, twang and songs where you press a gun to a woman’s head and pull the fucking trigger till it goes click. You know… classic country stuff
The Boo Radleys
2/5
Long and annoying noises. At one point I thought “how much longer do I have to listen to this?”, checked and saw I was only halfway through, bailed. Don’t waste my time with garbage rock like this
Beck
4/5
Love this album. A little too much yelling and shrieking to give it 5 stars but nobody makes music like Beck. This album is a really good example of early Beck
Suede
5/5
So this album was a total surprise. A nice mix of styles and sounds. Don’t let the man’s taint on the front cover dissuade you from checking it out. Loved the lead singers voice. Reminded me of older Geddy Lee
The Dandy Warhols
3/5
As someone who watched the documentary DIG a bunch as a teenager it was interesting finally listening to an album by one of the two bands featured in that movie.
This album is fine. Nothing mind blowing like I was expecting. I think Sloan did it better and without all the pretension. Overall I probably won’t listen again but I’ll have the lyric “I never thought you’d be a junkie cause heroin is so passe” stuck in my head for life. So thanks ya fucks
The Teardrop Explodes
3/5
Kind of interesting Brit psychedelia. Nothing ground breaking. It felt like the songs on Spotify were out of order. Songs would slam to a halt and it always sounded like the next song should just flow into the previous on but they don’t. It’s hard to explain but I think this album needed to be resequenced
Ravi Shankar
4/5
Really cool album. Took Mr Shankars advice to heart and listened with an open mind. While I had a hard time following the patterns he described the music was very enjoyable. Bhimpalasi was probably my favorite track. Would definitely listen again
Peter Tosh
5/5
The older I get the more Peter Tosh usurps Bob Marley as my favorite reggae artist. This is a delightful collection of songs. I especially enjoyed “Why Must I Cry” this time around
Portishead
4/5
Zero 7, Massive Attack, Bjork were all artists I thought about while listening to this. The record scratching had me concerned at first but this was a nice chill listen. Great background music
Sepultura
2/5
They can play the hell out of their instruments and there was some cool Brazilian instruments and rhythms but this was overall a thoroughly unpleasant listen. Why are the most difficult to enjoy albums so long? If this was a tight 40 I would have enjoyed it a lot more but much like the Slipknot albums we’ve gotten… I don’t want to be screamed at for over an hour. “Ratamahatta” was pretty interesting at least… wait is this where the Korn man got his Badu nam na hemas from?!?!?
Tito Puente
5/5
Like all millennials my first exposure to Tito Puente was when he sang a delightful song on the Simpsons about Mr Burns dying and frying in Hell… so I had a general idea of what to expect here. Man I loved this album!
Elvis Presley
3/5
Elvis is fine. I’ve never been blown away by his music but I understand that he was groundbreaking and a maverick and no wonder he was so popular. This album was just fine. Fine fine fine. Thank you very much
John Lee Hooker
3/5
Look… I’m just not going to become a fan of the Blues. It’s just boring and uninteresting to me. But this album had Santana and Los Lobos so that bumps it up a star from my usual 2 for Blues
Jethro Tull
4/5
A classic! Love the jazz flute. They’re playing the shit out of it! Cross Eyed Mary slaps and the whole album is pretty enjoyable through and through
Pulp
3/5
Another forgettable Brit rock album, it’s fine but way too long and nothing really stood out to me
Belle & Sebastian
4/5
Pleasant tunes! I never gave these folks a chance before because I was a snob who hated their name… but I’m glad they came up on this list. I don’t know if this is required listening but I enjoyed my time with it
Serge Gainsbourg
2/5
Normally I’d be psyched to get an album like this but honestly this album was just boring.
The Go-Go's
5/5
Just a perfect bubblegum pop album. Pure fun. I had only heard the singles before this listen but the Go-Go’s have a new fan!
ABBA
5/5
What happens when a pop band breaks each others hearts and implodes? You get this! ABBA’s “Rumours”. I love this album. Mature song writing (except Two for the Price of One which is fun but kind of off putting), beautiful vocals, so much emotion. “Slipping through my fingers” is the best song about parenthood… I say as a dink. Just a great album top to bottom
James Brown
3/5
It’s a Live album so that’s already a minus 1 Star. The songs are, for the most part, so short that they’re over before you really get a chance to groove on them or in one instance… so long and meandering that it makes you wonder how it made the cut. The band sounds amazing (as to be expected) and JB commands the crowd like no one else can. But it’s a LOT of Mr Brown screeching and the crowd screaming so even if you’re digging the music there’s not a lot to return to. I was pretty disappointed with this one and I’m a huge James Brown fan.
John Grant
5/5
What if the Scissor Sisters and Father John Misty had an angry, hurt, gay baby? Loved the lyrics, loved the music, loved his willingness to embrace taboo. Just loved this album. What a surprise!
Sade
5/5
Love this album. Just smooth and easy and romantic and lovely. Sade’s voice is a soothing balm. The perfect album for a date night in or relaxing on the couch or going for a drive or basically anything calm. Well deserved spot on the list
k.d. lang
4/5
Didn’t know KD Lang was a country crooner but I loved it! Great music, her vocal performance reminds me of Anna Calvi, and “Tears don’t care who cries them” is a great! Really enjoyed this one and am going to check out her earlier albums before this one which are described as “cowpunk” on Wikipedia and I gotta see what the h*ck that means
Sebadoh
2/5
Never thought I’d feel second hand embarrassment listening to an album but here we are!
The Electric Prunes
3/5
When you need music for your groovy movie set in the 60s but you don’t want to pay for “Incense and Peppermints” just play any track off this album and that’ll do the trick
Television
2/5
Maybe I was just in a bad mood today but I did not like this album. Just shitty long guitar solos that go nowhere, boring lyrics and boring vocals in general. Like a shittier Rolling Stones somehow
Randy Newman
5/5
Imagine only knowing his Toy Story stuff and then turning this on and hearing Randy Newman drop the N word so many times in a song?!? And what a crazy choice to OPEN THE ALBUM with it!
I can’t decide if Randy loves America or hates it. Either way I loved this album! Goofy sounding songs with weirdly adult lyrics makes for a fun time.
Miriam Makeba
5/5
Great African music. Feels like this would have been successful during that phase of kitschy tiki bar, pacific island music phase of the 1960s. Plus it has the a prototype of “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” that goes hard!
Miles Davis
5/5
That’s some jazzy jazz! I was expecting the horns to be overbearing but all the instruments are really well balanced. Loved it!
Hole
3/5
This must have been a “you had to be there” kind of album because there is just nothing that stands out on here to me. Competent music and Courtney Love sounds just fine. I only know her as a walking disaster though so it’s hard to take this “F U entertainment industry” stuff seriously. But again… at the time I get why it would have been edgy and popular. Plus there’s kind of nips on the cover!
Metallica
5/5
Just a killer metal album. Probably the best Metallica album we’ve gotten on this list. Loved Battery, Master of Puppets, ok pretty much all the tracks. It does get a little samey by the end but by then you have a pounding headache from head banging so who gives a shit
The Coral
3/5
The “most annoying person you know”s favourite album.
Since I was already familiar with Tally Hall and Man Man the novelty of this totes random stuff didn’t wow me like it might have in 2002. That being said it’s a fun album with a lot of interesting stuff going on musically. Plus I’m a sucker for harmonies and they LOVE a harmony. Overall the annoying and the good balance each other out
George Michael
4/5
What a collection of soulful pop songs. Faith kicks things off on such a high note. Father Figure is super emotional. I Want Your Sex is borderline comedic with how unsubtle it is. And the rest! The second half of the album seems to fall off a bit but man I enjoyed this sucker top to bottom
Bonnie Raitt
4/5
Loved the pop/country mix. Nick of Time is a killer song and a great way to open the album as it sets the tone for what’s to come. I was expecting a bunch of twangy country music and while it has shades of that it’s way more accessible and enjoyable. I’ll be returning to this one again
Funkadelic
3/5
Loved every song with the exception of the first and last songs which were so awful they each knocked a star off. What a weird unbalanced album. I get what they were going for with those two tracks but man they were unpleasant to listen to
Megadeth
3/5
This isn’t really my jam but these fellas can play the hell out of those instruments so that’s gotta be worth a couple stars right?
The Style Council
4/5
What a treat this album was! Fun jazzy lounge music in the first half, pure 80s nonsense in the second. A Gospel hits like a brick and the album really doesn’t let up from there. The two halves are completely incongruous with each other and I wonder why the album was made that way? Either way I enjoyed the heck out of it!
Bob Dylan
3/5
It’s 72 minutes of Dylan playing the blues 🫡🔫. Some of it’s not bad but this is mostly my nightmare come to life.
Elton John
5/5
A classic from ol EJ. I think Elton’s first few albums are his best and this one is a good example of why. Simple arrangements. A lot of it is just him and a piano. But when the songs open up with more symphonic and choral elements it doesn’t go too far over the top the way he would on future albums. Tiny Dancer and Levon are classics for a reason! Normally I give 5 stars to albums I’d add to my record collection but since this is already in it that’s an easy 5.
Dead Kennedys
3/5
Whether you like this album/band or not it’s impossible to talk about it without sounding like a self important twat. So let’s just say… 3 stars. Good enough. Viva Las Vegas is a hoot. On to the next one
Steve Earle
4/5
What a great country album. Loved his guitar sound. Lyrics about shitty rural life and the dream of escaping it. Good luck bud!
5/5
Easy 5 stars. One of the most inventive, influential and fun albums of its era NAY all time. What else can you even say?
Also check out the cover album done by Easy Star Allstars. One of their best as well!
Aretha Franklin
5/5
Pretty easy 5. Aretha Franklin is the Queen of Soul for a reason (although at this point I guess she was just Lady Soul. The Queen hadn’t passed away yet). Just great song after great song. “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman” really struck me this time. Just a gorgeous performance. How can you ask for anything more? I guess my only critique is it doesn’t gel as an album but as a collection of great songs it doesn’t miss
Country Joe & The Fish
2/5
Just a forgettable psychedelic bleh album. I have no idea why it’s on here
Common
5/5
It sure was nice of Kanye “Nazi” West to let Common do some rapping on his own album! Common sounds great, the lyrics are easy to get and the production is very YE. Honestly as good as Common is on this album it just made me sad to listen to that old Kanye production.
Sorry to make this review all about him but his presence over shadows Common on every track. “Testify” is the most egregious example. That sample is SO LOUD during the verses. But every song bumps and damn it I loved it!
Also Kanye = Anakin Skywalker. You were the chosen one!
MGMT
4/5
Really fun creative album. Forgot how many hits were on here. I’m knocking a star off because I was checked out by the end and didn’t notice that I was 3 songs into a Spotify Recommends playlist.
Cat Stevens
5/5
I’ve loved this album for years! Yusuf has such a unique voice. Sounds weak but has a lot of power. Beautiful lyrics and catchy songs. Seriously every song on here is fantastic! “Miles From Nowhere” was the standout track on this listen. Just a great song about the journey of life
GZA
4/5
One of the good Wu solo albums!
The Monks
4/5
Like a precursor to Gogol Bordello. Super crunchy punk folk. I bet Tarantino loves this album
Spiritualized
2/5
So this is what edging feels like!
Eurythmics
4/5
Only knew the title track but loved how dated and corny a lot of it sounded. They wrote a lot of bangers though! And the best song about safe sex
Dolly Parton
3/5
Was really excited when this album popped up. Three of the best female voices in music doing an album together?!?!? What a cream dream! Unfortunately I found it mostly underwhelming. Obviously they all sound great but the songs were just kind of uninteresting with the exception of the two standards that close it out, which were lovely! I really wanted to like this more but I just found it forgettable. Maybe a relisten would help. Oh well!
Khaled
3/5
If this would have been a tight 40 it would have been a 5. But the longer it went on the less I enjoyed it and at an hour 18 I’ll never return to it. Which is a shame because there’s good stuff all over the album but holy shit dude someone needs to tell you No every once in a while
The Black Crowes
4/5
The best dive bar album. If there’s sad drunks sitting at the bar crying… chances are they’re listening to “She Talks to Angels” (or Lightning Crashes by Live let’s be real). I overheard a guy at a local dive bar/karaoke spot say “That’s the most beautiful song ever written” and I just gotta say… listen to more songs dude. But this albums hella fun and there’s lots of bangers to sing along to on a road trip
Missy Elliott
4/5
Funky, soulful R&B/hip hop. Too long as are most albums I’m realizing. But Missy and Timbaland are an untouchable team and Missy has a great singing voice. Plus it’s always nice to hear Busta talk his shit!
Shack
2/5
Generic as FRICK! I wanted to give it a 1 because I really disliked listening to it but “Captain’s Table” was pretty great and bumped it up a star. If the author of this list wasn’t British there is zero chance this album would be on it. Just completely forgettable in every way. If you’ve heard British pop rock you’ve heard this album. Literally brings nothing to the table. This album sucks ass. It’s a piece of shit. Fuck this album and fuck you
Super Furry Animals
3/5
Mom can we get Blur? We have Blur at home.
Another British whatever that’s only on this list because of there the author is from. We haven’t gotten a single Japanese, Chinese, Scandinavian, Brazilian, German, Portuguese, or other language album but we’ve gotten a ton of bland forgettable British pop/rock. Bad list? No! Bad YOU
Neil Young
3/5
Honestly whatever Neil Young. Some songs were decent, some were shitty blues, all were forgettable. Right down the middle 3 stars
Ian Dury
2/5
I mean… how do you even review an album like this? The music is competent but everything else is just junk. This is music your weird, non British uncle who’s waaaay to into Fawlty Towers and Monty Python listens to unironically. This is music for creepy dudes who ask women in bars if they want a little “slap and tickle”. This is music for people who emulate Austin Powers’s mannerisms sincerely. Seriously… try any Austin Powers pickup line in a non British accent and see how far it takes you.
The song about his old man was decent enough and I laughed at the opening lines of Plaistow Patricia but that’s about it. This album sucked
Maxwell
4/5
A great album for a romantic evening of humping OR a solo evening in bed straight jorkin it
Marilyn Manson
1/5
Yeesh that album sucked
Sisters Of Mercy
4/5
Interesting getting this album the day after Merlin Mansens Antichrist Superstar. Feels like the precursor and an inspiration. Except this album was pretty good! Moody dark gothic 80s music. I’ll probably never be in the mood for it again but i definitely enjoyed my time with it! “1959” was a standout and I loved the choir that dives straight into the most 80s industrial music imaginable on “This Corrosion”. Good stuff!
Germs
1/5
Yep that’s a shitty uninspired punk album. Sounds just like every other uninspired punk album.
Badly Drawn Boy
3/5
Very “Shins”y. I liked it but forgot it almost immediately
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
3/5
All the people giving it 5’s probably fart just to enjoy the smell
Talk Talk
3/5
This list is having a weird Pavlovian effect on me. When I see an album I’ve never heard of, I am always excited to check it out. However! If the lyrics are sung in an English accent my expectations plummet. We’ve just gotten so many ho hum British albums that I just can’t be arsed to care about whatever mediocre junk the author thinks is important based on his heritage. Expand YOUR horizons dude or let go of your biases and make this the “501 albums you need to hear before you die” list. Mediocre
The National
4/5
Pretty good indie rock album! Reminded me of Lord Hurons first album at times. I liked it less as it went on but definitely still enjoyed it overall
David Bowie
5/5
How can it be anything less than 5 stars? It’s a Black Star!
Grizzly Bear
3/5
Man this album was EVERYWHERE for a hot minute in 2009. “Two Weeks” was a big hit for good reason and is the only thing saving this mostly boring indie album from being a 2 star special. Literally nothing else made an impression on me.
John Prine
5/5
Easy 5 stars. This album speaks to life, the destructive nature of man, loss and more all wrapped up in a fun folksy country twang. It has everything!
Joy Division
4/5
Gloomy but groovy!
Simon & Garfunkel
3/5
What a weird album. It’s very British which is weird because both Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel are American. It feels like it’s not sure who it is, what its identity is… if that makes sense. Some of the songs sound like The Monkees, some are pretentious folk music with DEEP lyrics, there’s even a Bob Dylan parody song. But there’s a couple of classics on there for sure. Homeward Bound is perfect! However I don’t think I’ll be returning to this one.
Ozomatli
4/5
What a groovy album baby yeah! Love me some Latin rhythms. Plus a Chali 2na appearance bumps it up a star all on its own. Music that makes me want to start a revolution against this current dog shit regime
The Stone Roses
5/5
I started this album incredibly jaded. The first song almost made me write it off as just a boring indie rock album. Then literally every other song played and I was blown away. What a fucking album! So many musical layers and tastes represented on here. You can hear the sound Oasis would capitalize on, Beatlesesque harmonies and guitar riffs, Scarborough Fair?!?!? “She Bangs the Drum” sounds like if Duran Duran made rock music. So original and unique. The template for so much of the rock sound of the 90s and beyond. Wow what a great album!
Also I know “Fools Gold” isn’t on the original release but it’s on the Spotify edition and holy shit what a groovy tune!
John Lennon
3/5
Fine? I guess with all the hype about John Lennon being the best songwriter of the Beatles I expected more? But he sure can ruin a good song by screaming! So good for him. “Working Class Hero” is a good one though
Kendrick Lamar
5/5
A landmark hip hop album. Kendrick’s best. Such an interesting and enjoyable mix of jazz and rap. So many great songs like “King Kunta” “The Blacker the Berry” “Alright” “You Ain’t Gotta Lie” “Complexion” “If these walls could talk”… ok damn near every song on the album. I enjoy the single version of “I” more than the album version but that’s my only gripe. I don’t even mind how long it is! A classic
Leonard Cohen
2/5
This is the last Leonard Cohen album I ever have to listen to and I couldn’t be happier! I just don’t get the appeal. I’m sure the lyrics are deep and moving to someone but they just sounded like nonsense to me. His “singing” was more plodding than anything and I found myself just skipping songs halfway through going “Yeah I get it Leonard I get it”.
So after listening to 5 Leonard Cohen albums I’m convinced that I’m the problem. There must be something there I don’t understand. Oh well at least I didn’t have to listen to Hallelujah!
Buck Owens
4/5
Really fun country western album!
5/5
Damn… I actually loved this album. Never gave U2 much thought… knew them from the radio. We had one of their albums on the list before this and I thought it was pretty good. But this album blew me away! Looking at the track list I figured it would be a front loaded album but I ended up enjoying a ton of the songs on the second half too. “Red Hill Mining Town” was a standout
Led Zeppelin
4/5
Some dizzying highs (Immigrant Song, Out on the Tiles, Gallows Pole, Bron-Y-Aur Stomp) and some pretty mediocre middles (Hats off to Roy Harper, Since I’ve Been Loving You, Friends) make this album pretty split up the middle. But the good stuff bumps it up from a 3 star to a 4. Not their best album, that’ll be LZ4 but certainly not their worst!
50 Cent
5/5
Holy shit was this the album of the year in 2003 er what eh? 50 put everything he had creatively into this album and it shows. Gangster rap that’s actually fun. Sure not every song is a masterpiece (the bonus tracks are particularly mediocre), it’s too long and some of the beats sound like “free beats to rap to” but he doesn’t phone it in on a single track. So many bangers. And there’s a silly little song where Young Buck woofs throughout the whole thing! What’s not to love?!?
Plus that Lapp Dogg verse on the P.I.M.P remix will live rent free in my head forever “I’ve got some butter pecan Puerto Ricans from the boogie down, that’s waiting on me to return so they can snatch these braids out and put my shit in a perm. Word”
One day we’re going to have to discuss Pimp culture and how it went mainstream around this time and it just fucked up a lot of young men and their views on women. Obviously now’s not the time but man… we had famous pimps! And they were silly little guys who talked funny and dressed funny and splashed money around… oh and also trafficked and abused women. “Keep my pimp hand strong” was something you heard people say sincerely?! Insane
Also special shoutout to Q Unit. The Queen/50 Cent remix album which is mostly shitty except for “Old Fashioned Outta Control Loverboy” which bumps
Pulp
2/5
Enjoyed Common People… the rest was ho hum creepy perv pop. This is a one and done for me
Rush
5/5
The titular track is a prog rock epic from its first notes to its haunting final lines. The rest of the album is fun straight up rock and roll. It’s not Rush’s best album but it doesn’t deserve any less than a 5 in my eyes. Hoping we get a bunch more Rush on this list!
Mekons
2/5
Awful. What a waste of time. Some of the music was okay but man… those vocals were some of the worst we’ve had on this list.
Booker T. & The MG's
5/5
Green onions?!? Groovy instrumentals of popular songs?!? Groovy instrumental originals?!? I can dig that SUCKAAAAH
The Clash
3/5
I am not a fan of punk in general… but The Clash wrote some good songs punk or not. But it’s still punk at the end of the day and a 3 is all I’m willing to give it
Metallica
4/5
I have an ex who was obsessed with this album and used to play it in her car all the time. It’s waaaay too long but pretty fun at times. The crowd just screaming “Obey your master” during Master of Puppets is pretty hype
Stevie Wonder
5/5
What a superb album. It’s probably the 4th best album during his Renaissance period and it’s still an easy 5. “Please Don’t Go” is the perfect evolution of Stevie’s Mowtown sound. “Boogie on Reggae Woman” is so funky and danceable. There really isn’t a dud on the whole album.
Solange
4/5
If this were a Roald Dahl book it would be called
“Solange Makes a Statement”
Laura Nyro
3/5
Yep that’s the 60’s! She has a lovely voice but this felt mostly like a Monkees album. And Poverty Train was terrible!
Lynyrd Skynyrd
5/5
Totally surprised at how much I loved this album. I knew a few of the songs but even loved the ones I wasn’t familiar with. “Tuesdays Gone” was the standout. And imagine hearing “Free Bird” for the first time when this album dropped?!? Fucking epic
Sly & The Family Stone
3/5
Sly & the Family Stone are a band I want to like. They’ve got all the ingredients and make funky music that I should enjoy. I just find them boring. I don’t know what they’re missing! This album was fine. But again… mostly boring
Simply Red
3/5
Wasn’t impressed when the album first started but it grew on me as it went on. A cover of one of my favorite Talking Heads song (Heaven) didn’t hurt either. “Holding Back the Years” made it clear why this album made the list and then the last couple songs were enjoyable enough.
I’d prefer to listen to Bobby Caldwell if I’m in the mood for this kind of music but that isn’t very often
Astrud Gilberto
4/5
Love me some calypso/bossa nova. Not sure what sets this album apart from any other in the genre but it was still a very enjoyable listen
Arcade Fire
3/5
Serviceable indie rock. Didn’t love it, didn’t hate it. Just consumed it and forgot it
Devendra Banhart
2/5
Bland annoying hippie shit
Led Zeppelin
4/5
Lots of classic songs on this one… and some shitty blues. Pretty standard Zeppelin album all in all
Dread Zeppelins version of “Your Time Is Going to Come” is better
Robert Wyatt
1/5
Fuuuuuck off with shit like this. Truly the Rock Bottom for this list. At least the other 1 star albums don’t take themselves so seriously and present themselves with so much self importance. Awful
Kings of Leon
3/5
I was grooving to some of these tunes. However none of it stuck with me. Their next album has all the songs I know by KoL and I don't particularly care about any of those ones either
Julian Cope
2/5
So Julian Cope is just a student of Jim Morrison huh. Way too long and indulgent. Way too up it’s own ass. “East Easy Rider” was groovy…
3/5
What a hilarious vibe change from the opening hype man to the vocals on the first track. Ridiculous. It’s a live album so it’s automatically a 2 until proven otherwise. Overall this album didn’t do much for me but it was blessedly short and some of the guitar playing was pretty rocking. Also the guy saying “Thank you” the exact same way at the end of every song was pretty funny
Dexys Midnight Runners
5/5
Maybe it was the drive through the mountains with the windows down, maybe it’s the fact that “Come on Eileen” is a certified bop, but I loved this album. Fun mix of styles and sounds. At times they sounded like Queen, at times The Darkness, but the whole album was just fun. I even enjoyed the bonus tracks. That Jackie Wilson song was great, the backup singers on Liars A to E were terrific, the horns throughout the album were great too!
Happy Mondays
4/5
Enjoyed this more than I thought I would. Very 90s dance music which was a surprise!
Laibach
3/5
If ABBA was fronted by Count Dracula. Maybe that’s a compliment? Either way this was the weirdest album we’ve gotten so far (and we’ve gotten some real shit before this). I think I actually liked it a lot but don’t think I can rate it any higher because if anyone catches you listening to this you have so much explaining to do
The La's
3/5
The fucking “There She Goes” album?!? Another example of author bias.
Here are some albums that could easily replace this one on future revisions of this list
Mind Control by Stephen Marley
Paraiso by Haroumi Hosono
Physical Thrills by Silversun Pickups
The Spirit of Apollo by N.A.S.A.
Violent Femmes
3/5
I recognize this first song!
Brown out
Hey it’s that song Gnarls Barkley covered!
The end
Sonic Youth
3/5
Sonic Youth is just not my thang. But they’re talented and obviously mean a lot to a lot of people so I can’t hate on them!
The Yardbirds
3/5
It was fine. Some interesting songs… some shitty blues. One and done from them and I think that’s all I’ll give it as well
David Ackles
2/5
Weird annoying songs that belong to the worlds shittiest, most heavy handed musical.
Penguin Cafe Orchestra
3/5
Penguin pubes! This album was okay. Some of it was nice, some of it was annoying. Those penguins can diddle a fiddle though!
Stan Getz
4/5
The most bossa nova to ever bossa nova. It has all the BN Bangers! A little too low key at times but overall it was a fun listen. Great background music which is sometimes just what the doctor ordered
Joni Mitchell
4/5
Coyote is a bop and saves this album from being 3 stars. The rest is good folk music but (at least on my listen) none of it stood out after that first track. Just nicely strummed songs with meandering lyrics
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
2/5
I just don’t really like Elvis Costello no matter how hard this list tries to convince me otherwise.
Bobby Womack
3/5
Some fun tunes on here and Bobby Womack has a great voice/scream but this album has no business being on this list. How is this required listening? Also shoutout to KFC baybee!
Orbital
2/5
Bleh. Boring electronic beats over nonsense vocal samples. Really ground breaking stuff. So glad I heard this before I died. Completely different from the other identical albums like this on the list. 🤱 Good use of a spot that could have gone to albums like:
-Dub Side of the Moon by Easy Star All-Stars
-Texture by Claude Larson
-Reflector by Daniel Donato
-Slipper imp and the shakaerator by Babe Rainbow
Astor Piazzolla
3/5
Had to shut it off after 4 songs. Talented musicians, really cool tunes, way too much fucking xylophone. So grating on the ears. Which is a shame because with less xylophone it would easily bump it up a star
Chicago
4/5
Love Chicago, this album is great! Some of the songs overstay their welcome a bit and the horns can be a bit much but what do you expect when you put on a Chicago record?!?
Beck
3/5
An interesting change for Beck, not at all what I was expecting. I enjoyed it but it’s pretty forgettable all in all. The orchestral stuff sounds nice though!
Abdullah Ibrahim
4/5
Pretty fun jazz album! And I’m not really a jazz fan
Alice Cooper
4/5
Didn’t realize how much of a goofy cartoon character Alice Cooper was. This album rocks and has horns and Broadway and suicide and so much more!
Alice Cooper
3/5
We literally had an Alice Cooper album yesterday and I think I enjoyed that one more. There’s some bangers on this one though! No More Mr Nice Guy is great
Paul Weller
3/5
This album left absolutely no impression on me. Beige paint
Ryan Adams
3/5
This is the whitest white person album with the whitest white man ever on the cover
Joanna Newsom
3/5
This album is the AI prompt
“Bjork makes a Disney movie where all the princesses get together and just vibe in the woods”
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
3/5
Yep that’s ANOTHER Elvis Costello album. Sounds like all the other ones we got
The Sonics
3/5
If the 1950s had a punk scene it would be these guys. This album is fun but I don’t think I’ll ever return to it
Sonic Youth
2/5
I STILL don’t like Sonic Youth
Cowboy Junkies
4/5
A low key country and western album. Maybe too low key at times. I got a little drowsy listening to this one despite enjoying it. That cover of Sweet Jane is great though!
Super Furry Animals
3/5
Honestly I’m so over these so called “iconic” British rock albums that all sound like Oasis crossed with the Beatles. England is creatively bankrupt apparently
Run-D.M.C.
3/5
Ground breaking at the time. Corny and quaint now. And it’s not even the good version of “It’s Like That”!
Bob Dylan
3/5
Like a Rolling Stone is a great song! The rest of the album was so so and man I got sick of that harmonica quick. Ease up on it Bobby!
Roxy Music
3/5
Whatever. This has been such a bad streak of mediocre albums and this sucker is no different. Why is this on here?
Lambchop
4/5
Pretty good! So funny that the Wiki states that despite being an American album it was a smash hit in the UK and then a lightbulb went on in my brain as to why this album made the list. Sort of Shinsy. I dig it
The Beach Boys
4/5
This has always been an interesting piece of the Beach Boys discography. It’s always felt like the “last” Beach Boys album despite not being so. Starting with the cover image “End of the Trail” coupled with the opening song. It very much feels like they’re saying goodbye to the carefree days of “Fun Fun Fun” and heading towards the environmental devastation we currently face. There’s still room for goofy shit like “Take a load off your feet” though! “Feel Flows” and “Till I Die” are the standouts but surprisingly I even enjoyed “Student Demonstration Time” and the blues usually sucks ass!
The Soft Boys
2/5
Not for me but at least some of the guitar work was interesting. Second song especially!
Ryan Adams
2/5
Ryan Adams is a pretender to the Bob Dylan throne! Opening with a discussion on King Dick Morrissey is sure a choice but the first song is pretty good! I dunno man but I doubt we needed more than one Ryan Adams album and so far zero Bryan Adams albums
Spacemen 3
2/5
Noise
PJ Harvey
3/5
This album was fine. Probably the most enjoyable PJ Harvey album we’ve gotten but… 4 PJ Harvey albums? Naa man we definitely didn’t need 4 of them. What about:
Continuum - John Mayer
The Take Off and Landing of Everything - Elbow (this one’s even British!)
Torn Screen Door - David Francey
Titanic Rising - Weyes Blood
Paul Revere & The Raiders
3/5
Out of all the albums that sound exactly like this one on the list… this one’s pretty good. Kicks is a groovy tune baby yeah
The Stooges
3/5
I think I like Iggys glam stuff better
Alternative review
To quote Grandpa Simpson “That’s right… I did the Iggy”
Teenage Fanclub
2/5
Here’s my boomer opinion… I’m over songs with a lot of distorted guitar
Cee Lo Green
3/5
Gnarly Davidson > Cee Lo Green and its insane to me that this album is on the list but neither of the Gnarls Barkley albums made it. Bad list? No! Bad YOU
The song with Timbaland bumps though and this albums continues to prove that anything Pharrell touches turns to gold. How he was sued for Blurred Lines and not Let’s Stay Together is a mystery to me but damned if that song isn’t the high point of this overly long and sometimes cringy album
Green Day
4/5
I don’t like punk music but this was some good pop punk!
Frank Sinatra
4/5
An album as cozy as walking through a crisp fall day. Like watching the best kind of Looney Tunes short.
The Bees
4/5
Well colour me surprised! An unknown (to me) British album that’s actually good and not just shitty indie rock. These folks are actually creative!
3/5
A lot of drama queen reviewers for this one. Let me break it down
Does this album suck? Yes of course
Is it the worst album on the list? No of course not
Were they at least doing something different and interesting…whether they succeeded or failed? Yes!
Is it more interesting than the glut of boring British indie rock albums this list is inundated with? YES
Overall it’s a failed experiment but at least it’s interesting and I’m glad I’ve heard it once and never again
U2
4/5
Pretty good! Kind of peters out as it goes in but the highs are pretty high!
5/5
Ye ye ye ye get’em Devo. Sounds like a lost Talking Heads album. I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it having never really listened to Devo before. Jocko Homo got kind of grating but the rest is straight 🔥
Simon & Garfunkel
5/5
This is easily my favorite album of S&G and that’s primarily due to the fact that it’s basically a Paul Simon solo album. The dude can write a killer pop/folk song and this is just a taste of what’s to come. From the opening track to Why Don’t You Write Me the album is flawless! Then there’s a completely unnecessary live track to break up the run but the album ends strong after that. Shame they would break up afterwards because their harmonies are so good on this album especially Only Living Boy in New York. At least we would get My Little Town years later.
This album is a classic
D'Angelo
5/5
Do you think D’Angelo would have sex with a mid 30s hetero white guy? Asking for a friend
The Undertones
3/5
Slightly better than the other albums that sound like this one. Still won’t be returning to it
Tortoise
2/5
Boring music about nothing that goes nowhere. Good enough as background music but why would I have to listen to this before I die?
Kings of Leon
2/5
Two Kings of Leon albums? TWO Kings of Leon albums? No albums by Real Estate, Tennis, The Weeknd, Cigarettes After Sex? 1 album by the Black Keys but we get TWO albums by Kings of Leon?!?!?
Kings of Crunk has more place on this list! Bad list? No author… bad YOU
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
3/5
Fine and cool idea. But overall it’s a Live album and those almost always suck and the synth was grating. Still kudos for trying something different!
Mott The Hoople
3/5
Temu David Bowie. And this album doesn’t even have All the Young Dudes which is their only great song. So I dunno man. Listen to it or don’t your life won’t change either way
The Mars Volta
4/5
Never gave The Mars Volta a chance when they came out but damn I wish I had. This album rocked so hard! Great progish rock
The Cure
3/5
Goth as Frick! But not cool goth like a pale chick with black hair and big yabbos… sad goth like looking at a picture of modern day Robert Smith. Overall it was fine but his voice is very irritating to my ears. The Cure are just not for me
Wire
2/5
Generic British punk album #10
For the next list update feel free to replace this album with any of these (courtesy of my wife)
The Rise and Fall of a Midwestern Princess - Chappell Roan
The Gods We Can Touch - Aurora
When We Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? - Billie Eilish
First Body - Two People
White Denim
4/5
White Denim are just great and what a pleasant surprise to see them on this list! This isn’t my favorite album of theirs but it rocks and it’s funky and it’s a great indicator as to where the band would be heading. Good job list!
Gil Scott-Heron
4/5
To quote the top comment on the YouTube link
“😢😢😢😢😢 his music brings me to tears because it really shows the struggle of being a Black Man in America shit crazy man” @Omega_Gamer5
R.E.M.
4/5
Pretty good album! “Everybody Hurts” is the standout but the whole first half of the album is solid. But man… Everybody Hurts is so damn good. I’ve never really given it a real listen and was pleasantly surprised at the places it goes musically
Sufjan Stevens
4/5
Chicago is the standout but this albums pretty good! What a fun experiment this almost was. Imagine if he had followed through and did albums for all 50 states?!? That would have been dope
Bee Gees
4/5
The Bee Gees were great song writers and this album is proof of that. Just great soulful pop one right after ajother
The Beach Boys
5/5
One of my favorite albums of all time. Just an incredibly creative pop album. A fascinating evolution of the Beach Boy sound. Weird that Good Vibrations is on Smiley Smile when I always associate it with this album but it doesn’t even need it! 5 stars for “I know there’s an answer” alone
Portishead
4/5
A fun downtempo album with only minimal annoying sounds and that one acoustic song that slaps
Talking Heads
5/5
One of my favorite TH albums. It also helps that it’s the foundation for Stop Making Sense. Every song is filled with such energy and creativity, coupled with Byrnes yelping and you get an album that’s fun to sing and dance to. And what a closer with The Big Country! He sure hates flyover states!
The Disposable Heroes Of Hiphoprisy
3/5
Based on the artist name, album title and cover art this sounded exactly how I expected it to. It’s not bad, there’s some hard hitting writing and some of his rhymes are pretty dope but we’ve already got Public Enemy and Jeru the Damaja albums on this list… do we really need another album covering basically the same ground without adding anything new?
King Crimson
4/5
That’s some classic prog rock! What kid just getting into drugs didn’t rock out to this album?!? Still holds up.
Queen Latifah
4/5
Would have given this a 3 if I only listened to it once… but I just kept coming back to it throughout the day and damned if I didn’t end up really enjoying it. All hail the Queen and GIVE ME BODY
The Cult
2/5
A rare Rick Rubin miss. Just generic hard rock. Bland bland bland. And no She Sells Sanctuary or whatever it’s called?!? Why put a Cult album on here that doesn’t contain their only good song? This strikes me as the authors British upbringing rearing its ugly boring head again
TV On The Radio
3/5
I bet the crowd goes nuts when they all line up at the front of the stage to perform Ambulance. Other than that this album didn’t really make any impression on me other than I hated Bomb Yourself. Did we really need more than one album by these guys?
Jacques Brel
2/5
I mean… not good right? It all just blended together. His singing was weird and seemed to not carry a tune. His voice didn’t sound very good. The music was forgettable. I listened to it on a drive and it repeated once it finished and I didn’t notice until halfway through because none of the songs stuck out.
Feel free to remove this one off the list
MC Solaar
4/5
90s rap with a French twist?!? Cool!
John Martyn
3/5
The album cover for this album is the perfect description for it. Just a hand through air with no real lasting impact. Totally fine!
Tangerine Dream
5/5
Hey this was great! Even though I had to search it out on YouTube I really enjoyed it. Great moody synth stuff
Roni Size
1/5
Regardless of how the songs start… if you jump to the middle of the song… 9 times out of 10 they are identical. “Watching Windows” was okay but otherwise this was NOT an album for me
Don McLean
5/5
This was surprisingly good! Some mellow piano numbers, some upbeat tunes reminiscent of Loggins and Messina, the titular American Pie, Vincent!!! Yeah this was great
Minor Threat
2/5
21 minutes of hardcore punk music? Alright that’s fine. Not really my thing but for some reason I kind of dug this one. Not enough to rate it higher than 2 but not enough to give it the standard 1. That bass sounded really nice at times and the guitar tone was pretty nice too!
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
4/5
This was a fun pop album! Knew their song Maps (not on this album) and was pleasantly surprised to find I enjoyed a whole album of that soft voiced lead singer. Good stuff!
Sigur Rós
4/5
This album was very enjoyable and Norwegian or whatever! Perfect for a drive through the mountains on the rainy day. A little long though
3/5
Not as good as the other Yes albums we’ve gotten but still enjoyable in parts. Some of it sounded really sloppy though, which was weird. Overall this one probably didn’t need to make the cut
Creedence Clearwater Revival
2/5
What an opening! 5 stars for Born on the Bayou!
Unfortunately the album takes a steep dive in quality after that. Graveyard Train is awful and I’ve never been much of a fan of Proud Mary. Chooglin is a funny word but that’s about it.
Frank Black
3/5
Not for me!
The Everly Brothers
3/5
Some nice bubble gum pop music from a couple of heartthrobs from the 60s. Doesn’t leave much of a lasting impression but it was enjoyable in the moment
Willie Nelson
5/5
One of the first albums I bought on vinyl. Just a great showcase for Willie’s voice. The definitive version of Moonlight in Vermont. I love this album!
Brian Eno
5/5
I’m shocked by how much I enjoyed this album! Normally Brian Eno doesn’t quite do it for me but this one was great. It makes sense why he did so much great work with Talking Heads as well. Fun new wave even though it cools off by the end
Carpenters
5/5
Surprisingly great! I knew the hits but the rest was like an Austin Powers soundtrack. Very groovy baby yeah and not just because they cover “I’ll never fall in love again”.
The Verve
2/5
No Bitter Sweet Symphony so who cares? Another album that’s on here only because of where the author is from. For future revisions this album could be replaced by:
Americana - The Offspring
Gordon - Barenaked Ladies
Casiopea - Casiopea
Rosna - Laboratorium Pieśni
Bob Dylan
3/5
I’ve figured it out. I like Bob Dylan as a songwriter but not as a performer. Okay Tangled Up in Blue is pretty good by him but otherwise I’ll take Miley Cyrus’s cover of “You’re gonna make me lonesome when you go” any day
The Doors
3/5
Still not Wild about the doors but Break On Through is pretty catchy. Whisky Bar is AWFUL though!
Madness
2/5
Great album cover but boooooring ska album. Didn’t make me feel like skankin ONCE. “Our House” is the hit single and probably the only reason this album made the list. Life in England sure sounds like a bummer anytime a band sings about it!
The Pogues
5/5
Turns out all punk had to do to make me love it was inject traditional Irish folk songs. This album slapped! I kissed the Blarney Stone
The Who
5/5
Im surprised I loved this one as much as I did considering I hated Tommy and this was the follow up to it. They were firing on all cylinders with this one though. Dips a smidgen in the middle but starts and ends so god damn strong how can you not love it? Beep beep
A Tribe Called Quest
4/5
The album that taught me the term “Jimmy Hat”! Some stone cold classics and some not so hot tracks. But Ham n Eggs is definitely a SCC and you can’t convince me otherwise!
Also maybe my brain is just fricked but did they remix the beat in Mr Muhammad for the 25th anniversary rerelease? I remember the samples not syncing up well at the start of the song in the OG version but they sound a lot better now. Am I crazy? The “ba di ya” and the wump wump always sounded off beat to me but now they don’t. Q Tip PLEASE! Email me personally and let me know because it’s driving me mad
Stevie Wonder
5/5
This is my favorite album of all time
The Slits
4/5
The best female led reggae punk album with yabbos on the cover that I’ve ever heard!
Dizzee Rascal
2/5
Im more of a Skepta guy
Dexys Midnight Runners
2/5
Not good Dexy! Long indulgent songs with mumbled conversations instead of lyrics is not my idea of a good time. Definitely a One Album Wonder of a band
Cocteau Twins
4/5
“My wife’s going to love this!” Me… I think it’s pretty good. Some of it does sound like haunted Christmas carols though
John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers
2/5
Naaaa I am not about the blues at all
Gotan Project
3/5
Boring background music. The beats are so basic on this it’s ridiculous. The Spanish (?) is nice but that’s all it’s got going for it plus it’s waaaaay too long
Moby
3/5
Remember when Moby said he dated Natalie Portman when she was 18 and her response was basically… “Moby was some creepy guy who hung around me when I was a teenager”. Also remember when Moby put out a documentary all about what a hardcore party animal he was and how much he got frickin LAID and my response to it was “You’re still a huge dork Moby”. Of course you don’t remember that because it was a personal memory of mine.
Anyway Moby can still get stomped by Obie and this album is fine. Except Southside… that song is terrible. And the beat for Run On doesn’t quite line up with the vocals and that is irritating
The Dave Brubeck Quartet
3/5
To quote Bee Movie… “Do you like jazz?”
Yeah it’s fine!
Mj Cole
1/5
Bad
Black Sabbath
5/5
Just an absolute classic of heavy metal. Damn this album rocks
The Icarus Line
2/5
Yeah this was super not for me. Who is this for?
Gorillaz
5/5
What a debut! Just an eclectic mix of styles, inspirations and artists that leads to some of the catchiest and unique music of the 2000’s. Del the Funky Homosapien for goodness sake! If you listen to this album and don’t find at least 1 song that appeals to then I don’t know what to tell you. You just don’t like music.
Animal Collective
4/5
Fine chill music! It was enjoyable enough!
Mudhoney
3/5
Another album that makes me think that maybe 1001 albums was too ambitious for the author. This album isn’t particularly bad but there isn’t anything on it that stuck out to me as original or unique compared to other albums on this list. Some of the guitar and bass work was fine but I’ll never listen to this again and will promptly forget it by tomorrow
10cc
4/5
Pretty good album! That Hotel song was fun and the rest of the album breezed by. Probably not a Must Listen but I don’t regret hearing it
Doves
3/5
Meh. I’m running out of ways to review “iconic” British indie rock albums of the early to mid 2000s.
Rush
5/5
When I was in grade 12 I was doing a report in English class about Macbeth. I wanted to quote Limelight (All the worlds indeed a stage and we are merely players) at the start of the essay and didn’t know how to cite it. My teacher totally kept a straight face when I told her the quote and how I wasn’t sure if I should credit it to Getty Lee or Neil Peart. So Mrs H, wherever you are, thanks for not making me feel stupid when I attributed a literal Shakespeare quote in a Shakespeare essay to Rush
Also this album slaps so fucking hard
The Byrds
2/5
Maybe I just wasn’t in the mood but I thought this album fucking sucked. “Hey Mr Tamborine Man” is awful and the rest of the album was boring nothing. I spent the entire album waiting for something interesting to happen and absolutely nothing did. Give me William Shatner any day
Alice In Chains
4/5
Wasn’t expecting much but I kind of dug this! Obviously “Them Bones” and “Rooster” are the standouts but I was grooving on the rest of the album despite how heavy it got at times. Not bad!
3/5
Normally this is right up my alley but this one didn’t really do it for me. Oh well they can’t all be winners
Patti Smith
3/5
Not for me. The whole time I wished I was listening to “The Dutchess” by Fergie
Eels
2/5
Pretentious as fuck. First song was enjoyable… didn’t really like any of the rest of it… even the Shrek song. All of it was super unsubtle and that just didn’t click with me. I bet James Gunn loves this album (no shade to James Gunn it’s just that these guys reminded me of Spacehog and even Old 97’s)
Cocteau Twins
5/5
From the opening notes I knew I was going to love this album. Ethereal female rock with great harmonies and bass. Fantastic!
Belle & Sebastian
3/5
Tough album to review. On one hand I loved it musically. On the other hand I did not enjoy it lyrically or vocally. So I guess it’s a 3? Fine
Funkadelic
5/5
Very funky, very political, songs about doo doo. What’s not to love (other than the album being impossible to find)!
Run-D.M.C.
3/5
Not bad! Felt more mature and less corny than the other Run DMC album we got on here. Walk This Way would have been mind blowing back in the day and it’s still not too bad now.
Pet Shop Boys
3/5
Didn’t really do much for me. Found it mostly light and forgettable
The Associates
3/5
Gothic synth pop. Sounds good on paper… kinda boring in practice. Plus we’ve already had a couple albums like this so who cares
Sepultura
2/5
I did not dig this album. Plus it didn’t have the Braziallian influence of Roots so who cares. Why did we need 2 albums by these guys?
Mylo
2/5
Boring forgettable beats to chill and study to
The Flying Burrito Brothers
3/5
Pretty good country rock. Very Grateful Deadish. That last song was not very good though so that bumps it down a star
Fats Domino
3/5
Compilation albums feels like cheating for a list like this. However this album isn’t very good and all the songs sound exactly the same so I guess it’s a wash? Inoffensive and enjoyable enough but nothing really stands out
The Birthday Party
1/5
Had to seek high and low for this album and when I finally found it… it sucked!
Primal Scream
4/5
Better than any Moby album out there! Not every song hits but when they do…!
Supergrass
3/5
Fine but nothing really made it stand out
Tina Turner
4/5
Some absolute classics on here mixed with some pretty dated sounding pop songs. All in all though it’s a pretty enjoyable album! Shes a dancer for money!
Kraftwerk
5/5
Weird robot music! Listened to the German version and loved it!
The Fall
2/5
Yep that’s a punk album. Even when they’re “iconic” and “groundbreaking” it still just sounds like boring old punk
M.I.A.
2/5
Thought I was an MIA fan. Turns out I’m not! This album was not good and really makes me question why we propped her up when she came out. Paper Planes did wonders for her career evidently
The 13th Floor Elevators
3/5
Yep that’s certainly some psychedelic sounds. Is it enjoyable? Sort of? I’m never going to listen to this again in my entire life
The Beach Boys
5/5
Just a great collection of fun beach tunes. Plus that second verse on Help Me Rhonda goes hard as fuck, dude!
Goldfrapp
5/5
A rare British W. I loved the whole vibe of this album. Her voice is fantastic and I was never bored. Definitely adding this to my vinyl collection
The Velvet Underground
2/5
Yeah I think I’m good on the Velvet Underground. I’ve had my fill forever.
Napalm Death
5/5
The funniest album we’ve gotten on this list. Absolutely unlistenable but I loved every second of it. This band seems to consist of a werewolf on vocals, Goro on drums and an anthropomorphic guitar being tortured. The only lyric I understood was “You’re gonna die” and I was like… well duh dude.
No notes. Awful!
Bob Marley & The Wailers
4/5
Very enjoyable reggae album!
The Mothers Of Invention
4/5
Frank Zappa is annoyed by hippies and posers and so am I! I don’t think I’d listen to this album again for fun but it was an enjoyable experience. Plus it’s got a track called Hot Poop so that’s pretty nice
The Adverts
2/5
From the first note I knew I wouldn’t like this album… and I was right!
My Bloody Valentine
3/5
MBV- Do you like Fuzz?
Me- It’s okay as long as it’s not the primary sound on every instrument and vocal
MBV- Yeah everyone loves Fuzz!
Creedence Clearwater Revival
3/5
Half the songs you want to hear from CCR… half a bunch of junk. Evens out to a 3
Dr. Dre
3/5
I’ve never been huge into The Chronic… the prank call on Deez Nuts is great but overall the album is pretty one note and way too long. Bitches and hoes and weed smoke blah blah blah. I understand that it pioneered a genre of hip hop and is culturally significant but overall I don’t really enjoy listening to it.
Joni Mitchell
5/5
Easily my favorite Joni Mitchell album. The perfect mix of catchy tunes and well crafted lyrics/poetry. Free Man in Paris?!?!? Classic! Raised On Robbery?!?? Classic! Help Me?!?!? Classic! It never ends!
Big Star
3/5
Meh
Dagmar Krause
2/5
I mean… weird and German. Interesting but overall not something I dig
The Mamas & The Papas
4/5
A collection of very enjoyable pop songs. Monday Monday especially stands out. And that’s mostly Papa!
Franz Ferdinand
4/5
Normally I think so called “iconic” mid 2000’s British indie rock albums are overrated as fuck. But this album had an energy and a sense of fun that really clicked with me. Take Me Out is the standout track but I’d forgotten about This Fire as well. Plus a song called Darts of Pleasure tickles me just right. Good time!
Frankie Goes To Hollywood
5/5
If someone told me this was the original soundtrack to Showgirls I’d believe them. Perfect for a production of Goddess staring Nomi Malone
Sonic Youth
2/5
I still don’t like Sonic Youth. This album was mixed horribly and was too long too
Charles Mingus
3/5
That’s some jazzy jazz but it’s mostly noise to me. Not my thang but I can appreciate the talent it takes to make this noise
Sister Sledge
5/5
Stellar album! Nothing but classics. It also is a testament to the quality of the tunes that so many of them were sampled by other artists.
Holger Czukay
2/5
A noble effort but not very good ultimately. I can appreciate ambient or world music for the most part but this just seemed poorly made. Not a fan!
Pet Shop Boys
2/5
Not very good pop music. Mostly annoying. I’m guessing they’re British
LL Cool J
3/5
It’s fine! Old and corny (following at times but his flow is stellar and overall it’s an enjoyable album. But this list really prioritizes early hip hop and largely ignores modern stuff. No Acid Rap, no Hell Hath No Fury, no Trilla or Deeper Than Rap?!?! Time to revise and get some of these oldies off of the list
Adam & The Ants
4/5
Fun album! I guess I just like gay British pop music
The Byrds
4/5
Some enjoyable country and western music by a band I haven’t generally enjoyed! This one was good though!
Klaxons
3/5
A buddy of mine was hella into this album back in the day so I’ve heard it a couple few times leading up to this. Always thought it was just fine! This listen didn’t change my mind. Shoutout to Devastating Dave the Turntable Slave
Beth Orton
3/5
Mom can we get Jewel?
We have Jewel at home…
Youssou N'Dour
4/5
Really groovy African tunes. Doesn’t hit as hard as Fela Kuti but still an enjoyable listen
Faith No More
4/5
Like a flaming cum shot this album hit just right! Epic steals the show of course but the rest sounds like a lost Metallica album without any killer guitar solos. Pretty good time!
The xx
3/5
After hearing those horns on the first track I got pretty excited but this album was mostly forgettable overall. Just kind of breezed by and left very little impression in its wake. I’m guessing this is another “iconic English album” that will be removed from the list in future revisions
Todd Rundgren
1/5
I hated this album. Every choice Todd made was grating, irritating and uninteresting. One of the most obnoxious albums we’ve had on this list. I’m utterly baffled by all the high ratings and praise this album has gotten on here. Please remove this one in a future revision and let’s forget it ever happened
System Of A Down
4/5
Totally based on nostalgia this is a 4! Very heavy and Serj has the most ridiculous vocals but man I listened to this a lot back in high school and it reminds me of good times.
The Crusaders
5/5
Funky, soulful, jazzy. I loved this album! Obviously the title track is the magnum opus but the whole thing is just so damn enjoyable. Great recommendation from the list
Ute Lemper
2/5
Boring but I didn’t find it as offensive to listen to as other listeners. However I still can’t stand Nick Cave and Elvis Costello so their presence really knocks this album down a peg
B.B. King
2/5
A live blues album is very much NOT up my alley. Barely made it through this one
Pixies
2/5
Did not enjoy ☺️
The Pharcyde
5/5
Fun hip hop album! Lots of great rhymes and funny bars. Plus some weird horrorcore rapping just to keep you on your toes. Like all rap albums of the 90s it’s got shitty skits and it’s 3-4 songs too long but damned if I really enjoyed it overall. Ya Mama, Passing Me By, Oh Shit and Soul Flower Remix are the stand out tracks but all the songs are pretty enjoyable
The Youngbloods
5/5
Surprised at how much I liked this! Also recognized a bunch of it but didn’t know it was all by The Youngbloods. Psychedelic folk is apparently right up my alley
The Hives
2/5
Basically take the worst parts of The Stooges and The Ramones and blend them together. First song was fine and then it was severely downhill from there
Def Leppard
4/5
First off… fucking stellar album cover!
Second… the first half of this album is fantastic. Those drums sound crisp, the vocals and growled in an almost comical way, the guitar riffs kick ass. I was shocked by how much I enjoyed the first half. Second half isn’t as strong but I rode the high of the first half and enjoyed it too.
Not quite a 5 star album. 4.5 for sure
Lana Del Rey
5/5
Listened to this on the drive to work on my last day at a seasonal job I absolutely loved, while realizing I didn’t get the winter job I was really looking forward too, on an overcast day. Absolutely perfect conditions for Ms Del Rey’s brand of melancholic nostalgia. I’d enjoyed her earlier stuff but fell off around Ultraviolence.
Holy shit was this album good! Beautifully sung, beautifully arranged. The last two songs especially blew me away. Very surreal to hear The White Stripes and Kings of Leon being mentioned nostalgically. I guess I'm back to being a Lana Del Rey fan?!?
The Streets
2/5
Naaa bruv this ain’t for me
Pet Shop Boys
3/5
More sad boy British pop slop. Can’t believe we’ve had several albums by The Pet Shop Boys
Fishbone
4/5
So thrilled that this was a ska album! The first song put me off but I enjoyed the rest of it. Probably going to listen to more from these guys
4/5
Really enjoyable album by the Blur Boys! This list has really shown me that I’m just a big fan of Damon Albarn. Obviously the Gorillaz are amazing but Blur is a top tier Brit rock band and i hear a lot of Albarn on every album of theirs we’ve gotten.
Van Morrison
4/5
Normally live albums are awful and this one is waaaay too long but Van Morrison wrote some great songs so there’s lots to enjoy at least
Aerosmith
4/5
Surprised how much I enjoyed this album. The Toxic Twins could write a kickass rock song! Love In An Elevator is great, loved how weird Hoodoo Vodoo was was, Dulcimer Stomp was very Led Zeppeliny. Yeah overall this was a fun album with an iconic album cover
Deep Purple
3/5
Found this album boooooooring
Neil Young
4/5
The iconic Neil Young album that every record store has at least one copy of on vinyl. It’s not bad but maybe I’m just not a big Neil Young guy. Old Man is great and reminds me of a party I was at where me and a solid 10 were just screaming this song at each other and harshing everyone’s buzz, total humblebrag. The rest of the tracks all just blur together though. And the last 2 songs definitely feel like afterthoughts. Damn maybe I didn’t like this album as much as I thought? I’ll say it’s a 3.5 rounded up
The Smashing Pumpkins
3/5
All double albums are 3 stars with a 5 star album buried inside. This one is no different. 2 fucking hours of Corgans nasally whine is too damn much. Someone in the studio needed to tell them No every once in a while.
Bill Callahan
4/5
Enjoyable enough but I probably didn’t need to hear this before I died.
Nitin Sawhney
2/5
Thievery Corporation, Zero 7, Massive Attack and many others are making the exact same type of music. I guess this one is supposed to be interesting because it has Spanish and Indian influences? And yeah that’s usually pretty dope but I found this album put me in a coma with how boring it was. A classic case of British Bias.
Sarah Vaughan
4/5
Lovely voice and fun performance! I enjoyed how novel the idea of recording a live performance was to the audience. This music is timeless
Elastica
2/5
The same old alt rock. The same old yawn inducing guitar riffs. The same old album we’ve had a bunch of times already
The Cure
5/5
Enjoyed this way more than I was expecting. Very dated sounding but I think that worked well for the music. Very artificial and melancholy. I think I’ll be checking out more from The Cure!
AC/DC
4/5
Just some classic AC/DC. No bells and whistles, just catchy guitar riffs and vaguely sexual lyrics. “Shot Down in Flames” is a great tune as is “Girls Got Rhythm”. I was going to give it 5 but it’s more of a 4.5 so round down!
The Human League
5/5
Loved this one! Very 80s… very Sega Genesis. Don’t You Want Me is a banger but I really enjoyed Do or Die. Listened to the album back to back today
The Prodigy
3/5
Pretty boring to my ears. I’m more of a Fat of the Land man
Tim Buckley
3/5
Pretty standard hippie folk pop. No idea why this is here
Prince
5/5
Easy 5. Princes masterpiece. Every song bumps (with the exception of Baby I’m A Star) and Prince just screams like a maniac. Dip yourself in the waters of Lake Manatunka and enjoy
Missy Elliott
5/5
Damn every song brought the heat. If you told me Timbaland produced a Clipse album but then replaced all their vocals with Missy I’d believe you. The beats on this album are insane. Loved it!
Big Black
3/5
Definitely a lot of anger, a lot of boredom and a lot of angst went into this album… not a very enjoyable listen though. At least it wasn’t just a standard boring punk album!
Radiohead
5/5
A hella fun bummer of an album. I thought I listened to this album a lot in my early 20s but that was because I was listening to Radiodread by Easy Star Allstars (a reggae interpretation of Ok Computer). Hearing Let Down not be a reggae bop was a trip! But overall this is a stellar album with songs that still make me tear up. Great stuff!
Culture Club
4/5
Fun enough!
The Go-Betweens
2/5
The blandest beige pop music. Absolutely nothing interesting going on but the author must have had this album on cassette while growing up so it HAD to make the list.
Feel free to replace this album with
Three Dimensions Deep - Amber Mark
Euro Country - CMAT
Made In America - Brad Goodall
Possessions and Obsessions - Parallel Dance Ensemble
Eterno - Prince Royce
G. Love & Special Sauce
3/5
Fun for about 15 minutes and then it just keeps going
Miles Davis
3/5
Not the worst jazz I’ve ever heard but certainly not life changing. It all just kind of mushed together and while some of it caught my ear every once in a while… overall I forgot it almost while listening to it. I know this album is iconic and praised as one of, if not the, best jazz album… maybe I just don’t love jazz? Eh take your 3 stars and leave me alone
Thin Lizzy
2/5
Live albums are almost always bad. A live album but the tracks aren’t even from the same concert is just baffling to me. You don’t even get the experience of being at the show… just listening to worse version of the songs you already like. Also way too long. I’m giving it an extra star because “The Boys Are Back In Town” is a banger
Death In Vegas
2/5
So boring
The Fall
2/5
Oh what’s this? A punk album! Not only that… an experimental punk album! I can’t think of anything worse
Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five
4/5
Pretty fun and corny album. Reading up about Grandmaster Flash was a good time too! Overall this has aged a little better than some early hip hop (looking at you Run DMC) and The Message is an all time classic track. Not the worst listening experience I’ve had because of this list!
Billy Joel
5/5
“Bottle of red, bottle of white. Whatever gets me laid tonight” - Billy Joel
fIREHOSE
5/5
An absolute shocker of a 5. I loved this weird little album. Liberty For Our Friend made it all click and wow yeah this album was a delight
David Bowie
5/5
Maybe my favorite Bowie album. The title track always reminds me of my friend The Beav. We used to drive around bumping it and singing along. Good times. Rest In Piss buddy
Paul Simon
5/5
A tremendous album! The African singers are great, the storytelling is engaging, there isn’t a single bad song on here. Under African Skies was the standout track on this listen but I’ve heard this album so many times that every song has been a standout at some point
Motörhead
2/5
AND DONT FORGET THE JOKER. Motörhead sucks. I am absolutely baffled by the praise heaped on them. Lemmy had a cool voice and collected Nazi stuff and made 1 song* and everyone loves him? Baffled. Flapped even!
*Correction… he made 2 songs “Ace of Spades” and HHH’s entrance music.
Beatles
5/5
Loved playing this album on Rockband: Beatles. There isn’t a skip on this album! And that medley at the end is such a delight. This is a great album
George Michael
3/5
Look… Freedom 90 is an all time banger. Put that shit on any time, any where and people will get hyped. The rest of the album is kind of boring though. I get he was going through things at the time and wanted to shed his old image but man… at least bring something interesting to the table. That cover of Stevie Wonder wasn’t too bad though
CHIC
5/5
Hell yeah man! Makes me want to dance in a club in the 80’s and do bumps of coke in the bathroom off a bankers dick. Nile Rodger’s guitar playing is iconic and these songs are timeless. The first song says it best “These are the good times”
Giant Sand
3/5
Like a less pretentious Nick Cave album. Still not very good but at least it didn’t annoy me. Also I kept waiting for “Somewhere Down The Crazy River” by Robbie Robertson to start playing. Giant Sand owes this entire album to that one song
The Who
3/5
Normally live albums are terrible but this one is fine. The banter between songs was fun and the band sounds good. No Boris the Spider though so who cares ultimately
Jurassic 5
5/5
One of my favorite hip hop albums. Funky and vibey and no one has a better voice for hip hop than Chali 2na. Endless good songs on here. Break, Freedom, A Day at the Races, High Fidelity, Thin Line, Hey, After School Special, and of course What’s Golden. The British dude saying “fucking good shit man fucking good shit” has lived rent free in my head since I first heard it. This album needs to be in my vinyl collection asap
Rocket From The Crypt
3/5
Not really for me but this would be a fun album to skate to. Just get out there and THRASH
Marty Robbins
5/5
Love love love this album! I once bought an entire crate of records because this album was one of them. The rest were mostly junk but it was worth it for ol Martys cowboy songs. I love that most of the people in these songs are absolute fucking idiots. El Paso is literally about a guy who shoots another man in a bar because he’s talking to a woman the first guy… likes? She doesn’t even seem to really care about him at all and he just guns a man down. He’s down bad. Marty wrote lots of great albums but this is his best!
Bob Dylan
3/5
Hey Bobby D you know what sucks… a 12 second high note played on the harmonica.
Black Sabbath
4/5
Really great album. More melodic and less heavy metal than other Black Sabbath albums and I dug that. Plus “Changes” is an all time classic so good for them!
Flamin' Groovies
2/5
Yet another example of “1001 albums is obviously too many for the author to handle”. This album is so aggressively uninteresting. By the time the dog shit Elvis impression started I was out. Please remove this one from future updates and replace it with
LUX by Rosalia
Lonesome Country by Lord Huron
Euro-Country by CMAT
Ritual in Repeat by Tennis
The Charlatans
2/5
So boring. So unoriginal. We’ve gotten this album a dozen times by a dozen different UK lads. Also the guy on the bottom right of the album cover has one of the most punchable faces I’ve ever seen
Bert Jansch
3/5
Started out decent but every few songs I knocked a star off. Just kind of bland folk music. I’ve heard that this album is super highly regarded but I just don’t get it. It’s fine
Goldfrapp
3/5
A generous 3. This album was airy and dreamy and so disappointing compared to Seventh Tree. Plus the sounds and instruments they used on this album were just baffling at times. Some really annoying electronic noise. But that moment in the first song where there’s a weird distorted noise and then the distortion clears and you realize it’s her voice, was pretty cool. Other than that, skip this album
N.E.R.D
3/5
Wish this was Seeing Sounds! This album is… okay? The Neptunes were an incredible production team but N.E.R.D. were an okay rock band (and they are mostly a rock band). There’s definitely some good tracks on here but overall it’s not a very good album. They’ve definitely put out better (including In Search Of and the aforementioned Seeing Sounds).
Beyoncé
5/5
Damn, so Beyoncé and Jay Z are fucking huh
Thelonious Monk
3/5
Another day, another jazz album, another 3 stars
Sonic Youth
2/5
Nice try list but you’re not going to make a Sonic Youth fan out of me
The Temptations
4/5
I was pretty put off by the first song which is the worst sounding live recording I’ve ever heard, but then the rest of the album was very enjoyable. Reminds me of Awaken My Love. Papa Was a Rolling Stone is a stone cold classic and the rest of the tunes were funky and soulful
Ride
2/5
Like the Monkees meets Soundgarden… bad and almost certainly on here because it’s British
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
2/5
Look obviously it’s tragic that Mr Cave lost his son, but this album was an awful listening experience. I just do not like Nick Cave. Please let this be the last album from him list… please list!
Butthole Surfers
3/5
Hot sludge. Fun at first but got pretty old by the end. Are the Butthole Surfers so prolific they needed multiple inclusions on this list?!?