488
Albums Rated
3.48
Average Rating
45%
Complete
601 albums remaining
Rating Distribution
Rating Timeline
Taste Profile
1950s
Favorite Decade
Rock-and-roll
Favorite Genre
US
Top Origin
Wordsmith
Rater Style ?
114
5-Star Albums
30
1-Star Albums
Breakdown
By Genre
By Decade
By Origin
Albums
You Love More Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
A Grand Don't Come For Free
The Streets
|
5 | 2.67 | +2.33 |
|
Southern Rock Opera
Drive-By Truckers
|
5 | 2.82 | +2.18 |
|
Want Two
Rufus Wainwright
|
5 | 2.84 | +2.16 |
|
Want One
Rufus Wainwright
|
5 | 2.91 | +2.09 |
|
Dog Man Star
Suede
|
5 | 3 | +2 |
|
The Coral
The Coral
|
5 | 3 | +2 |
|
Sometimes I Wish We Were An Eagle
Bill Callahan
|
5 | 3.02 | +1.98 |
|
Meat Puppets II
Meat Puppets
|
5 | 3.02 | +1.98 |
|
evermore
Taylor Swift
|
5 | 3.04 | +1.96 |
|
Tuesday Night Music Club
Sheryl Crow
|
5 | 3.05 | +1.95 |
You Love Less Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
The Queen Is Dead
The Smiths
|
1 | 3.66 | -2.66 |
|
Illinois
Sufjan Stevens
|
1 | 3.49 | -2.49 |
|
Blackstar
David Bowie
|
1 | 3.48 | -2.48 |
|
Wish You Were Here
Pink Floyd
|
2 | 4.3 | -2.3 |
|
Ace of Spades
Motörhead
|
1 | 3.29 | -2.29 |
|
Crooked Rain Crooked Rain
Pavement
|
1 | 3.24 | -2.24 |
|
Before And After Science
Brian Eno
|
1 | 3.09 | -2.09 |
|
Here Come The Warm Jets
Brian Eno
|
1 | 3.07 | -2.07 |
|
Hot Shots II
The Beta Band
|
1 | 3.01 | -2.01 |
|
Brown Sugar
D'Angelo
|
1 | 2.92 | -1.92 |
Artists
Favorites
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Michael Jackson | 3 | 5 |
| Stevie Wonder | 4 | 4.5 |
| Deep Purple | 3 | 4.67 |
| Jimi Hendrix | 2 | 5 |
| Nirvana | 2 | 5 |
| Rufus Wainwright | 2 | 5 |
| Creedence Clearwater Revival | 2 | 5 |
| Aretha Franklin | 2 | 5 |
| Dire Straits | 2 | 5 |
| Queen | 2 | 5 |
| Van Halen | 2 | 5 |
| Beatles | 5 | 4.2 |
| R.E.M. | 4 | 4.25 |
| Prince | 3 | 4.33 |
| Peter Gabriel | 3 | 4.33 |
Least Favorites
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Brian Eno | 4 | 1.75 |
| The Mothers Of Invention | 2 | 1.5 |
| Joni Mitchell | 3 | 2 |
Controversial
| Artist | Ratings |
|---|---|
| The Smiths | 1, 4 |
| Pink Floyd | 5, 2, 5 |
| R.E.M. | 5, 5, 2, 5 |
| PJ Harvey | 4, 5, 2 |
| David Bowie | 3, 3, 4, 5, 1, 4, 4 |
5-Star Albums (114)
View Album Wall
Popular Reviews
Giant Sand
1/5
The concept is there. But my heavens these vocals are so bad they just kill the whole album. The lyrics are also... just very meh. Sometimes people try way too hard to make lyrics that seem philosophical or deep but this time, they just fall flat. It's a bunch of pseudo-intellectual drivel.
7 likes
Faust
1/5
This was… noise. Did I need to be on drugs to enjoy this? It wasn’t good.
5 likes
Jimi Hendrix
5/5
This is one of the best albums thus far on 1001 albums. It hits hard, beginning to end, though All Along the Watchtower is obviously the most famous one on here (for good reason.) Truly a great album.
3 likes
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
1/5
This is definitely one of the albums that has ever existed. It has tracks I think identify as songs? Man straight up, this album was absolute trash. Maybe if you were in the middle of a coke-fueled binge this would be passable? No idea, but man this was a bad album.
1 likes
Sufjan Stevens
1/5
This is probably just me. But I absolutely can't stand Sufjan Stevens' music. It's pretentious drivel with an extra heaping dose of ridiculous noise thrown in the background. Pretty sure this was the worst album thus far.
1 likes
1-Star Albums (30)
All Ratings
The War On Drugs
4/5
Mostly great album, has a couple pretty skippable tracks. Nice ethereal indy rock sound. Very high production value, and the album as a whole is a quite lovely concept.
Keith Jarrett
3/5
Really good piano performance. Nice variations in each piece. That said, it's just not my thing. This one is a pass from me.
Cyndi Lauper
3/5
Has 2 bangers and a whole bunch of meh. It's definitely the 80s, both good and bad.
Fleetwood Mac
5/5
This album is just rock solid. Wonderful guitar riffs, great vocals, great concept. 5/5
The Who
4/5
I struggle with The Who. Are they a serious band? Are they a purely commercial enterprise? Are they just some dudes having fun? I still have no idea. But this album is a ton of fun. The sound is a bit all over the place, and the guitar playing is pretty loose. That said... it's a really good listen.
De La Soul
5/5
This album is a blast. Early hip hop at its best. Quirky sampling, fun lyrics. I loved everything about it.
Fela Kuti
4/5
Really fun, active album. That said, jazz/jazz fusion really isn't my thing. It was a neat listen once, not something I'm going to return to.
The Cure
2/5
Noise with rhythm, that's the single most basic definition of music I've heard. And this was really close to hitting that definition on the head. I see no good concept here. The music is dull. Maybe this was really just meant to be enjoyed while high? Whatever the case, it was a big miss from me. I'll be perfectly happy if I never hear this album again.
Bill Callahan
5/5
I was hooked from the first sounds. The songwriting is gloriously clever, the instrumentation is a fantastic accompaniment to the themes of each song, and the album as a whole is a really good concept. Also goodness, I wasn't familiar with Bill Callahan coming into this, but I'm a fan. What an awesome bass-baritone voice.
Massive Attack
3/5
This is such a subjective thing I suppose, but I just didn't really enjoy this album. The whole concept of their sound just isn't my thing.
Joanna Newsom
2/5
I love the concept. But her pronunciation just drove me nuts.
Beck
4/5
Prince
4/5
I really like Prince, so this was right in my happy zone. That said, I don't think this is Prince's strongest album. It's really good. But it also has some tracks that are very mediocre (The Ballad of Dorothy Parker, Hot Thing being two examples). Still a really solid listen.
Suede
5/5
I wasn't overly familiar with Suede coming into this, but was very pleasantly surprised. I loved this album. Probably my fav album of the day thus far.
The xx
3/5
This was a little too experimental for my personal taste. Nice production value, but too many tracks just sounded like someone tossed a bunch of samples from a random noise generator together and hoped to produce something unique. It was... unique, but not particularly inspiring.
John Grant
5/5
I found this quirky and fun, but my goodness his voice stole the show. What a voice. This was a great album.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
3/5
Deep Purple
4/5
D'Angelo
1/5
Man this album just wasn’t it.
Faust
1/5
This was… noise. Did I need to be on drugs to enjoy this? It wasn’t good.
Meat Puppets
5/5
What a fun album. It’s punk. It’s rockabilly. It’s country rock. It’s just a boatload of fun.
Jerry Lee Lewis
5/5
Jerry Lee Lewis was a master of his craft, and this album really let that craft shine. I thought this was an incredibly well-mixed live album. Great from beginning to end.
Fugees
5/5
Great album. Some really enlightened lyrics combined with awesome sampling throughout. I thought the Chinese Restaurant Skit was incredibly well-done, and an awesome addition to the album. I can see why it was considered groundbreaking at the time, and it holds up well.
The Divine Comedy
2/5
Just wasn't for me. I'm not a fan of 80's-90's pop, and this was many of the worst parts of that era. Pretty bland lyrics, not a great sound. This one's a pass.
Billy Bragg
4/5
I liked the general vibe here. Nice almost-country but with a Brit twist. That said, it had some pretty meh filler tracks. So, good potential on the album, but I don't think it hit as high as it could have.
Stan Getz
4/5
I’m not really a jazz fan, but this was a good album.
Simon & Garfunkel
3/5
I went into this expecting to like it more than I did. I've liked many of Simon & Garfunkel's songs, but this album just contained too much experimental filler. I'm sure some will say the lyric writing is genius. Outside of a small handful of songs, I found it far too pretentious.
Simon & Garfunkel
4/5
Much better than the last S&G album. This one really was them at their best. Such good variety within the album. I thought "Keep the Customer Satisfied" was a particularly great track. And Cecilia is always a bop.
David Bowie
3/5
In theory I should like David Bowie. He's just a bit out there for me I guess. It was an ok, not spectacular album for me.
Elis Regina
4/5
This album was fun. Some really great tracks, made for a very fun experience.
The Sabres Of Paradise
2/5
Norah Jones
5/5
In reality, this is an album full of the same song. Different lyrics, but stylistically they're basically the same. But Norah Jones is just so good at what she does, it made me not care. One of the best easy listening album's I've ever heard.
Television
4/5
Really nice rock album, but just lacked something. I think it needed 1 really "hit" track to make it a truly dynamic album.
Jimi Hendrix
5/5
This is Hendrix at his best. Crazy guitar riffs, really weird lyrics, and overall awesome tracks all the way through. Great album.
Giant Sand
1/5
The concept is there. But my heavens these vocals are so bad they just kill the whole album. The lyrics are also... just very meh. Sometimes people try way too hard to make lyrics that seem philosophical or deep but this time, they just fall flat. It's a bunch of pseudo-intellectual drivel.
Coldcut
3/5
Ray Charles
4/5
Sigur Rós
3/5
Ethereal rock isn't my fav, but this was quite well done. That said, I'll be happy to not listen to it again.
Nirvana
5/5
One of my favorite albums. Sure it suffers a bit from being really just one sound for an entire album, but... that one sound was groundbreaking.
Jeff Beck
4/5
A Tribe Called Quest
3/5
John Coltrane
4/5
I've come to grips with the fact I'm never going to be a jazz guy. But this was really solid. Coltrane is famous for a reason, the sax runs are just phenomenal. Great album.
Sufjan Stevens
1/5
This is probably just me. But I absolutely can't stand Sufjan Stevens' music. It's pretentious drivel with an extra heaping dose of ridiculous noise thrown in the background. Pretty sure this was the worst album thus far.
My Bloody Valentine
3/5
Has a nice experimental rock vibe, but there's too much of one thing through the album: super filtered distorted guitar. It's fine for a couple tracks. A full album of it was a bit much.
Hugh Masekela
4/5
Still not really a jazz guy, but this was a good album. There's a lot of variety contained within, and the instrumentation is absolutely top notch.
Sheryl Crow
5/5
Paul Simon
5/5
I love the variety in this album Paul really stretched for this album, pulling in some blues, country, and even a bit of bluegrass elements into this alum.
Me and Julio Down By the Schoolyard is the famous single from this, but goodness I think Armistice Day should get more love. Great slide guitar, and some really underrated lyrics.
Bruce Springsteen
2/5
The music is really good. Bruce's voice just doesn't do it for me, especially on this album.
Roxy Music
2/5
The few decent guitar runs were very too infrequent to redeem this very mediocre album. The vocals are meh. Just a very meh album.
Mudhoney
4/5
Mudhoney never really got the love they deserve. This is a great grunge album. The songs were fun, everything about this album was a really good listen.
Elliott Smith
5/5
Something about this album was just... right. It's just such a good listen.
The Offspring
5/5
OutKast
3/5
I enjoy Outkast, but this isn't my favorite album of theirs. Nice early low-fi beats to many of the tracks. The Way You Move is a really nice track, but honestly otherwise its two discs of forgettable music.
Morrissey
4/5
I enjoyed the variation within this album. Starts bordering on some nice edm tracks, then transitions to a bit of pop and finally heads to pretty straight rock. Really good. The vocals are also top notch.
Taylor Swift
5/5
Evermore is a bit of a slow burn. The first time I heard it, I wasn't a huge fan. Listened to it a bit more over the last year and it really does grow on a person. I'm not saying its for everyone, but man it's a really good, well-crafted album. The lyrics are rich, the music is just the perfect addition to the lyrics to help them really soar. Really a 5/5 album.
R.E.M.
5/5
Green is a fabulous album. Stand is probably the truly standout track, but the whole album is full of bops. Just an awesome straight up rock album.
Paul McCartney and Wings
3/5
Various Artists
5/5
One of if not the best Christmas albums around. Phil was obviously not a good human being, but man his production skill were absolutely top notch. Great album.
Pink Floyd
5/5
Rufus Wainwright
5/5
I wasn't overly familiar with Rufus Wainwright coming into this, but I was pleasantly surprised. The opening song is fantastic with the marching band sound going behind the lyrics. And it just gets better. Really one of my favorite albums thus far.
Marvin Gaye
4/5
5/5
Franz Ferdinand
4/5
You never have to wonder what you're getting with Franz Ferdinand. They're that fun rock sound that they along with a few others really embraced in the early/mid 2000s. Some people love it, some people hate it. But this was a good album through and through. Not perfect. They along with Jack White need to find a closer relationship with a guitar tuner at times, but still an enjoyable, fun experience.
Eels
3/5
There are some definite highs on this album. My Beloved Monster is a great track, and has some good nostalgia factor from Shrek. But much of the album was just pretty average. It wasn't bad, but not something I'm planning to return to.
Air
2/5
As a movie soundtrack, it's not bad. As a standalone album, it doesn't do it for me. Too much ethereal music meant to just accompany a movie. It's got some really good pieces, but as a whole it falls a bit flat for me.
David Crosby
2/5
This isn't Crosby at his best. He always hit his highest heights while playing in groups. The Byrds and the several iterations of Crosby, Stills, Nash, etc. all reach heights that this album fails to reach. It's not a bad album per se, but it's very safe. It has one sound/recipe and really doesn't deviate from it much. You can tell it's David Crosby from beginning to end, but aside from that, it's not really an album I'd deem worthy of inclusion on this list.
The Black Keys
3/5
Solid but uninspiring.
David Bowie
3/5
So let's divide this into pros and cons.
Pros: This is undeniably David Bowie. Has his distinct take on rock through and through, and it's produced very well. The instruments are really well done. Very good production value to the entire album, and it's worth a listen because of that fact.
Cons: David was very much past his prime for this album. The vocals leave much to be desired. And as that was a great strength for David in his earlier years, that's a really sad miss on this album. It also means it just doesn't compare to his earlier work.
Alice Cooper
4/5
There are some really good highs on this album. Elected, Billion Dollar Babies, and No More Mr. Nice Guy all stand out as great tracks. There are a few filler tracks, but honestly it's a quite good album. It has the almost required slow ballad in Mary Ann, though I will say it doesn't hold up well at all to other similar ballads by groups of the same era. Still, a good solid album that's worth a listen.
Burning Spear
3/5
I don't enjoy Reggae, but this was a well done album for those who do.
Morrissey
4/5
Solid rock album. There wasn't really a highlight track for me, but just a nice solid listen throughout.
Dusty Springfield
3/5
A Tribe Called Quest
4/5
The Hives
2/5
Big Black
2/5
1 song of The Hives is phenomenal. Great aggressive punk rock. 2 songs is good. A full album honestly is a bit much. It starts to sound just frantic. I liked it less and less as the album went. Unfortunately, the first song is by far the best song on the album, and its just one long downhill slide for the rest of the album.
Ride
2/5
This is one where in theory I should like this. I enjoy alt rock. I enjoy rock from the early 90s. But this one just didn't do it for me. To much just... noise in this album.
The Smiths
1/5
This was just not a good album. The vocals were all over the place. The guitar playing was sloppy. The lyrics were... a thing. Altogether they combined to make a very regrettable experience.
Johnny Cash
5/5
There's a reason this album is so lauded. It's just pretty darn perfect. Every song fits just right, the crowd interaction is perfect. It's really a phenomenal piece of art.
Prince
5/5
This might be the best album I've had thus far. The guitar work is just masterful (as expected) but man, the sound is just out of this world for several tracks. Computer Blue was an unexpected gem.
Einstürzende Neubauten
1/5
How on earth did this make the list??? This was an awful album. I don't find a single redeeming quality in it. It's just experimental noise. This is right up there with the absolute worst albums I've been given so far.
Hot Chip
3/5
Nice soft rock/electro pop album. No real standout track, but it made for a nice listen.
Dolly Parton
4/5
Not my favorite Dolly album, but still very solid. The title track is a great song, as is Traveling Man. Really for me it's just missing that one big track to take it over the top for me.
Blur
3/5
This album is a wild ride. It ranges from grunge to indy rock to circus waltz (The Debt Collector). I'm not sure how exactly to rate it so I guess it gets 3 stars. It's a mediocre grunge album. It's a mediocre indy rock album. The Debt Collector is actually a quite good track. So, weird album. Not great album, but not bad either.
Slipknot
3/5
Rocket From The Crypt
1/5
I'm generally a fan of punk. But... this shouldn't be a 1001 album. It's just a generic derivative of the punk that came before. Absolutely a pass for me.
Death In Vegas
2/5
Oh joy. Another album of noise. At least this one has some sort of melodic structure unlike the German nonsense from last week.
Adele
4/5
I don't think I want to like this album. But... It's actually quite good. I really just knew Adele as the lady with awful vocal technique who kills her voice, but she shows a range of technique and style that I wasn't expecting through this, going from the expected powerhouse ballad (Hello, When We Were Young) to a sound harkening back to some early 90s piano ballads (All I Ask) with a bit of the unexpected coming in the drum groove of I Miss You. I won't say it's going to have the staying power of a true classic, but it was better than expected.
Bob Marley & The Wailers
3/5
I like Bob Marley quite a bit. But this isn't one of his better albums.
The Temptations
3/5
This is one of those unfortunate albums that hits extra hard on track 1 with an incredible track, and then gets worse and worse as the album goes on. I think Runaway Child, Running Wild has a really neat vibe and concept, but unfortunately outside the first 3 tracks, this was a somewhat forgettable album. Not the Temptations best for sure.
Lana Del Rey
4/5
This is a quite objectively good album. I'm not the worlds biggest Lana Del Rey fan, but the concept here is really solid, and the execution throughout the album is just spot on. Don't come in expecting to get a ton of hard, loud songs, but just really well mixed, well sung mostly ballads that tell a good story.
Travis
4/5
The White Stripes
5/5
This album is excellent. From beginning to end, there's not a down track to be found. Little Ghost was an unexpected treat.
Little Richard
3/5
Little Richard was obviously an incredibly influential figure in the history of rock and roll. And he was seriously good at what he did. However, an entire album of the exact same formula song after song was a bit much. By the end, I was left asking "when will it be done," "are we going to get any variation at all?" The answer to that second question was unfortunately, no.
This album has some definite highs. But it's just too one-note on style/sound to go higher than 3 stars.
Aerosmith
3/5
Aerosmith had some amazing albums in the 70s. They had some amazing albums in the 90s. Outside of Permanent Vacation, their 80s output was very mediocre, this album included.
This album is pretty forgettable. Monkey on my Back is a nice refreshing track, but otherwise, it pulls in some of the worst parts of the 80s with really corny synths underneath some fairly forgettable distorted guitar work.
There are a couple of singles from this album that are at least semi-famous, but still, for me it's not really Aerosmith. It was Aerosmith trying desperately to stay relevant in a changing music scene before they finally rediscovered the magic in 1993 with Get a Grip. I honestly don't really think this album deserves a place on 1001 albums.
Air
4/5
Up to this, I'd been quite unimpressed by the electronic offerings from 1001 albums. This one finally felt worthy of inclusion on this list.
Air does a great job of setting up and layering each track. I've been extremely impressed with the structure they utilize.
New Star in the Sky was a particular delight. The chord structure was unexpected and really enjoyable.
Beyoncé
3/5
I'm struggling trying to review this fairly, so I'm going to divide into good/bad aspects.
Good: The mixing is absolutely top notch. The guest artist appearances are spot-on. The instrumentation is really good for a (mostly) hip-hop album. There's a lot of nice variation in this so it does't grow particularly stagnant at any point.
Bad: I just don't like it. Beyonce has some really good tracks in her catalog. Shame none of them came from this album. It really just comes across as a self-absorbed person writing narcissistic songs about how awesome they are. The instrumentals also get incredibly repetitive within several tracks. So while the album itself never grows stagnant, individual tracks could've used with some more dynamic development.
So there ya go, that's why I'm struggling here. I guess it gets 3 stars because I feel like less does it an injustice. It's a fine album for people who like this style. I just don't.
Radiohead
3/5
I think How to Disappear Completely is a really good track on an otherwise forgettable album. I'm just not a huge Radiohead fan. They're... fine. But that's as far as I can ever go with them. This album is no exception.
GZA
5/5
This was really good. The opening title track is honestly phenomenal. Really a great album of the day.
Stevie Wonder
5/5
I was already familiar with "You Are The Sunshine Of My Life" and "Superstition," but I now think this album deserves even more recognition than it already gets. This is a truly great album. Honestly, there's not a single track that is a let down. Every track is almost a totally distinct musical journey than the one before. 5/5 and one of the best albums I've reviewed so far.
David Bowie
4/5
Much better Bowie album than the last. It's still not his best, but it provides a nice listen.
Milton Nascimento
5/5
This is the kind of album that is a bit hard to review, simply because it wasn't written for or out of my cultural context. There is much to like here for me. The instrumentation is excellent. The singing is good. But man the entire thing is just so different from what I would normally listen to. I think it probably deserves 5 stars for what it is.
The Who
4/5
I have really two minds on the who. On one hand, they wrote some really catchy tunes. But man, they became so over-commercialized that they're nearly ruined for me. If their music hadn't been so overdone on marketing campaigns, this is probably a 5 star album for me, but... eh 4 sounds right. This is a good album. If it was almost any other band it's probably a 5.
Coldplay
4/5
If this album only had the first 4 songs, it’s a 5 star album. But the final 6 songs really let it down. They’re not bad per se, but they’re just meh modern rock songs that pale in comparison with the arranging genius at work on Clocks and The Scientist.
Rufus Wainwright
5/5
I apparently am a Rufus Wainright fan. Because I loved this. The entire album is just amazing.
DJ Shadow
3/5
Endtroducing is a somewhat pioneering album with some of the ways Shadow manipulated sequences into tracks. I respect it. But I don’t really like it. That said, I’m not sure that this is really meant to be “liked” in the normal sense. I think it’s meant to really make you think. And it does a good job at that.
I came into this thinking U2 might be the most overrated band in history, and I’ve found nothing to change my mind with this album.
Marvin Gaye
4/5
I really just equate Marvin Gaye with date night music, but this album was much more than that. There's some really good, deep lyrics in this album that surprised me. The title track is fantastic, and it sets the tone for what is a lovely album all around. Maybe could've used a bit more variety, but Gaye knew his sound, and he leaned into his strength well.
Otis Redding
5/5
Otis Redding is fantastic. This is a phenomenal album. So many of these tracks were later recorded by other artists that became huge hits. But they all come back to Otis Redding. The entire album is full of hits. From start to finish, there's really not a low point to be found.
Kanye West
3/5
It's hard to separate the modern day Kanye with the earlier music of Kanye. I'll try. This album is pretty good. Personally, I think it goes a bit long, but it's got some real high points. Jesus Walks is a great track, as is Through the Wire. But it's also got some pretty meh filler between good tracks. Not one I'm likely to listen to often, but it was a good once through.
The Streets
5/5
Alt Hip Hop is definitely not a genre I'm overly familiar with, so take this with a grain of salt: this album was a blast and a half. The lyrics told some great stories. Fit but You Know It is hilarious. Incredibly witty writing combined with some really well done instrumentals make this a memorable album. I hope to get more like them.
Frank Sinatra
4/5
One of the gold standard albums of lounge-room music of the 40s-60s, this is Sinatra at his best. Outside You Make Me Feel So Young and I've Got You Under My Skin, it's full of really fun standards of the era/style. That said, it gets to be a bit much by the end of this album for anyone who isn't a huge Sinatra fan.
The Verve
3/5
I've listened through this album several times before this. It's quire nice, though I will say it gets a bit one-note by the end. I can only do symphonic light rock for so long before it makes me sleepy.
David Bowie
5/5
Such a fantastically weird album. David Bowie was wild and wacky with his music creation, and it created some truly memorable albums, Young Americans being a great example. Probably not one I'd want on repeat for long periods of time, but it's a great change the pace album. And there's not a bad track on here. 5 stars all around.
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
4/5
The harmonies are excellent. Really good album. However, the songwriting on a good part of this album just wasn't for me. It's a good album still, but not what it could be.
Peter Gabriel
3/5
Blood, Sweat & Tears
4/5
Crosby, Stills & Nash
4/5
Sex Pistols
4/5
Iggy Pop
2/5
Green Day
5/5
The Cramps
4/5
If you like punk, you'll probably like this. If you don't like punk, it won't be for you. This is unashamedly punk through and through. Personally I quite like this, but I will say I think I'd get pretty tired of it if I tried to listen more than once every few weeks or so.
Creedence Clearwater Revival
5/5
This album is simply phenomenal. My personal favorite CCR album.
The Police
3/5
If this was just a review of the album highlights, this is 5 stars all the way. But man there are some snoozers on this album. I wish it ended better as well. The last 3 tracks really just feel forced to get the album to length. Personally I'd be happier if it was just shorter and they left those on the cutting room floor.
Sonic Youth
3/5
Sonic Youth was quite a groundbreaking group in their day. And I can see why. Some really unique tonal approaches to their guitar work. Some nicely put together tracks. That said... man this just wasn't my jam. Groundreaking, absolutely. Enjoyable to listen to for more than a couple of tracks? Eh....
Patti Smith
3/5
What an interesting album. I'm not sure I'd say I love it, but I respect the heck out of what I just listened to. It's pretty all over the place both lyrically and musically, but it's incredibly well-done. It's not something that'll go into my regular listen rotation, but I'm glad I got to listen through it. It was a pretty unique experience.
The United States Of America
4/5
This is a glorious celebration of psychedelic experimental rock. Definitely not something I'll listen to all the time, but it's a fantastic album, and was really a groundbreaking album in its day.
Frank Ocean
4/5
Really good album beginning to end. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Judas Priest
3/5
Solid in your face, unapologetic classic rock. If that's your jam, this is an album for you. If that's not your jam, you'll likely give this one a pass. I thought it was a solid listen. Nothing overly extraordinary, but a solid classic rock album.
The Stooges
3/5
David Bowie
1/5
Why on earth is this in this list? This has to be Bowie's worst album, and it's not even close. I'm going to be real happy never listening to this again.
Slipknot
1/5
Boy, wasn't one Slipknot album enough? I wish I could give this 0 stars.
Elvis Costello
4/5
I wasn't overly familiar with Elvis Costello, but this was a rocking good time. And honestly he was ahead of his time. This sounded like an album from 1993 or so, not 1977. A thoroughly enjoyable experience.
Steely Dan
4/5
Solid rock album. Reelin' in the Years is the standout track for me, but there really isn't a bad track on here.
Gary Numan
3/5
Really well done, well-mixed album. Cars is a great standout track. Not really something I'm going to regularly return to, but that doesn't take away from what is a solid album.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
5/5
This album was perfection.
Beck
2/5
The Doors
4/5
This album starts out with a bang with Roadhouse Blues, and though I don't think it quite rises to those same heights again, it stays solid all the way through. Has some nice variation between tracks, and makes for a really good listen.
Parliament
5/5
Its funky delicious. Seriously, this is a blast of an album. Give Up the Funk is obviously the most well-known track, but honestly there's not a bad track on here. Great album.
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
1/5
This is definitely one of the albums that has ever existed. It has tracks I think identify as songs? Man straight up, this album was absolute trash. Maybe if you were in the middle of a coke-fueled binge this would be passable? No idea, but man this was a bad album.
The Band
4/5
Arctic Monkeys
5/5
I just absolutely love the Arctic Monkeys. They get 5 stars always.
Beastie Boys
4/5
It's not the best Beastie Boys album, but it's good. It's definitely them from beginning to end. Tons of energy, in you face lyrics, and a lot of whimsical interjections.
Jimi Hendrix
5/5
This is one of the best albums thus far on 1001 albums. It hits hard, beginning to end, though All Along the Watchtower is obviously the most famous one on here (for good reason.) Truly a great album.
The Style Council
3/5
This album is just all over the place. It takes you on a journey from classical jazz to early hip-hop to smooth jazz to lounge to light rock. It truly is quite the listening experience. But it's somewhat hard to rate effectively. There's not really a standout track on here. You're the Best Thing is the most well-known track, but if you don't know that, it's not really one that sticks out. All-in-all, it's a good, not great album.
Tangerine Dream
3/5
If you love dark soundscapes, this album will be for you. If, like me, you prefer to not question your sanity repeatedly over the span of 2+ hours, give this album a pass. I won't argue that it's not quite brilliant. This was academic synth soundscape heading into mainstream. And it's incredibly well done. But it's (to me) just not enjoyable.
Supertramp
4/5
Daft Punk
4/5
Daft Punk knows their style and does it arguably better than anyone. Great album, with Around the World as the standout track.
Bruce Springsteen
4/5
Klaxons
3/5
I came in expecting to really like this album. Some good straight forward in-your-face rock? Score. Unfortunately, this just didn't deliver on my expectation. It's not a bad album, far from it in fact, but it's not a great album either. Solid, middle of the road rock album that doesn't really stand out in any way.
Brian Eno
3/5
1001 albums really likes experimental electro. This has to be my 10th or 11th experimental electro album, which feels like more than enough. Anyway, onto the album itself. I was utterly unfamiliar with Brian Eno and David Byrne coming into this, so I was flying completely blind. And what I found was some quite melodic experimental electro not completely unlike some of the soundscapes from Tangerine Dream. This is more melodic and dynamic than that, but the groundwork is there. This album is quite interesting, fusing some very early hip-hop, industrial, and some early techno vibes together to form a somewhat cohesive album. If you're not into experimental electro, this won't be an album for you, and honestly it's probably not one I'll return to. That said, it was an interesting listen.
Genesis
4/5
By sales and streams, this isn't the most popular Genesis album. But honestly, it might be their best. This is a gem of an album, the final release of the Peter Gabriel days with Genesis.
The mixing is often whimsical, but the lyric writing tells a really cool story if you read through the entire double album, sort of a prog rock take on Pilgrim's Progress.
The synth work is pretty flawless, but man honestly Phil Collins drumming really steals the show on this album. He's just such a good drummer. Great album, great showpiece song in The Carpet Crawlers.
Talking Heads
3/5
All in all it's a good album, with a couple standout tracks being Uh-Oh Love Comes to Town and Psycho Killer. I also now know where Modest Mouse developed their sound from. It's a good, maybe not great listen.
Oasis
4/5
Oasis made such a pivot from the 80s into the 90s. This is a really good (and obviously very popular) album, pretty much beginning to end. It sort of skirts the line between mainstream rock and punk a bit, but still stays true to who Oasis was as a band. A really enjoyable listen.
Rage Against The Machine
4/5
Rage Against the Machine is honestly somewhat hard to rate for me. It was groundbreaking. Still is in many ways. Very in your face, anti-establishment nu-metal. The instrumentals are absolutely top notch. Zach de la Rocha's vocals are unique and almost instantly identifiable. Now, 32 years on from its debut, I think culture needs this album more than ever. No, it's not always a pleasant listen. If you really listen to the lyrics, they're often very challenging. You're not going to get any ballad's or "beautiful" music, but everything on this album is done with absolute excellence. It's a bit of a transcendent experience every listen.
Simple Minds
2/5
Wow. A 3 record mega album. That was... a long listen. Man honestly, this was a bit of a slog. By the end, every song starts sounding the same. I'll be ok to not return to this one again.
MGMT
4/5
Really great example of indy-rock gone mainstream, which was what most mainstream rock turned into in the 2000s. This really is a great album. It has some incredible highs and no real serious lows. Really good listen beginning to end.
Depeche Mode
3/5
This album hasn't aged particularly well, but I can respect what it was in its time. Though the sounds are very much just a period of their time, the album is very well done and well produced. Probably not one I'll return to, but it was at least an interesting listen.
Funkadelic
5/5
This album had no right to hit as hard as it did. My goodness. What a phenomenal album. Not a single bad track, just absolute top vibes beginning to end.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
3/5
Finally an album I was familiar with. It's fine. I've listened to this a few times. I know some consider it pretty groundbreaking and special. To me, it's just a fairly good rock album that takes a few small risks. All in all it's a pretty safe album. The lyrics are really good, and the concept is good. But it's just not really something that's going to stick with you long term. And I still don't really get why O Children was the top billed track on here.
Wilco
5/5
Whoever curated this list must just have an affinity for 2000s ethereal pop-rock, because this has to be the 20th album like that so far. This one thankfully is really good. Though it may not be my fav genre, it's a really good album. It's just experimental enough to be really interesting, but not so much that it verges into atonality or anything. Honestly the vibe I'm really getting here is Bastille before Bastille was a thing.
The more I listen, the more I like this. This is a sneaky 5 star for me.
The Coral
5/5
Sort of a reverse Elvis Costello here (since this list has loved giving me Elvis Costello albums lately). Whereas Elvis Costello was very much ahead of his time, this is a throwback to a lot of sounds from the 70s. It's very much in the psychedelic rock world, but it also pulls in some really lovely folksy sounds as well as some strong indy rock influences. This is an absolutely lovely album. I'm not sure why Dreaming of You is the only real "hit" from this album, but it deserves far more love.
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
4/5
What a fun rock album. Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers really harken back to the older days of rock and roll, both with their sound and songwriting. Yet they also managed to keep this quite fresh. Really nice listen.
The Mamas & The Papas
3/5
The Mamas and the Papas knew their sound, and they did it well. Unfortunately, this album is really one note. It's basically the same song from beginning to end with very little variation. There are a couple pretty cool tracks. I think Straight Shooter probably hits harder than the rest of the album, and Spanish Harlem is a pretty cool track. But... it's just a pretty meh album.
Roxy Music
2/5
This was a disappointing album. Roxy Music has some great songs, but sadly none of them are on this album. This one is a pass, and I'll happily not return to this one.
Kings of Leon
3/5
Probably not the absolute best Kings of Leon album, but it's alright. There's a couple pretty solid tracks. My problem is KoL tries to take itself WAY too seriously sometimes. It's a rock band, it's not that philosophical. The middle section of this album just tries too hard.
The Residents
1/5
Oh come on now. Why on earth did this album make this list? This is terrible. This is probably the second worst album I've reviewed thus far. Just... skip this one if it comes up on your list y'all. It's not worth it. There are just no redeeming qualities found here.
Nine Inch Nails
3/5
N-I-N has a cool vibe and sound that defines their albums, and this is no exception. It's a cool mesh of hardcore electro and metal, and it makes for an interesting listen. That said, I don't find a ton of variety in their music. Its either a fast N-I-N song or a slow one. Wash, rinse, repeat. Good for a listen or two, probably not an album I'll consistently return to.
The Velvet Underground
5/5
This album is one of the few I'll argue literally every person truly does need to hear before they die. This is a transformative experience. My review can't really do it justice. Go and listen.
The Beta Band
1/5
Experimental nonsense. That's this album in a nutshell. I could've been fine without hearing this before I die. s
Stephen Stills
5/5
This album is one of the few I'll argue literally every person truly does need to hear before they die. This is a transformative experience. My review can't really do it justice. Go and listen.
Brian Eno
1/5
Was one Brian Eno album not enough? Seriously, who decided to stick two of these on here? Goodness. This gets 1 star just for being wildly unnecessary.
Beatles
5/5
The Strokes
5/5
My Personal Favorite album from The Strokes. It doesn't have a ton of variation, but The Strokes are some of the best at their particular sound, so they don't really need to vary a ton. Songwriting is on point, just a really enjoyable album.
B.B. King
3/5
B.B. King is a worthy inclusion on this list. But I wonder about a live album. There really isn't much gained by this being a live album. It's a slightly worse mixed regular album with a bit of crowd scream. It wasn't a bad album, but it wasn't necessarily one I'd choose for this list. He's got several better albums out there.
Beatles
4/5
It feels almost blasphemous to not rate a Beatles album 5 stars, but I don't think this one gets there, especially when I had the White album earlier this week. This is still a very good album, and a really solid listen. It just doesn't quite rise to the same standard of other Beatles albums.
Red Hot Chili Peppers
5/5
Excellent, excellent album. RHCP are an unpredictable band, or at least were in this era, and this album is perhaps the best example they produced of this. You get shades of grunge, shades of funk, shades of blues, shades of alt rock, even a bit of country rock in a couple of places. Under the Bridge is the viral track from this, but the whole album is incredible.
Gorillaz
4/5
Ok this one is hard to rate. Gorillaz are impressive by just about any metric. The art meets digital enterprise meets music is an incredible accomplishment. But the music is... weird. The lyrics are largely nonsense. This almost feels more like academic music than a mainstream album. It's definitely worth repeat listens, but more because you find something new every time than because it's actually enjoyable.
The Rolling Stones
5/5
Maybe not the most highly regarded Stones album, this really is a fun listen. Very much continuing their return to rhythm and blues that characterized early Stones material, this album is full of surprises. Harmonica, solo violin, saxophone, bongos... there's a lot packed into this.
It helps that it's bookended by two incredibly solid tracks in Gimme Shelter and You Can't Always Get What You Want. Seriously, what a great way to start a week.
Big Star
3/5
I feel like this band must have influenced Coldplay. It's like a less-good Coldplay album in many ways. There's a ton of potential here, but the sound just isn't tight. Good individual instruments, but no one was able to blend it together into something beyond that. The vocals are also very meh. It's an ok listen, but not something I'll be returning to.
The Waterboys
5/5
Kraftwerk
2/5
More German noise. At least this one is somewhat melodic.
The Flaming Lips
4/5
Eminem
4/5
Another struggle. It's unapologetic, it's catchy. But my stars its just so profane. Not one I could review at work.
Ella Fitzgerald
5/5
Wow, what an album. Ella Fitzgerald has long been considered the pinnacle of jazz vocals, and for good reason. This is just absolutely fantastic. Every track is great, with great arrangements by the Gershwins. Just a great album.
Public Enemy
3/5
Incredible Bongo Band
4/5
This was... Oddly enjoyable. Not a regular listen or anything, but I'm glad I heard it.
Steely Dan
5/5
4/5
Pentangle
3/5
Hawkwind
1/5
Scott Walker
3/5
Moby
3/5
I wish Moby would've been more selective on what made it on this album. There are some real highlights. Flower is probably my favorite track on here. But man there are some snoozers on here. Probably not an album I'll return to, but I'd happily listen to a much more curated version.
Marty Robbins
5/5
Marty Fobbins is just a classic. Great album beginning to finish.
Elton John
5/5
Love this era of Elton John. One of the best eras of any artist out there. Madman Across the Water isn't my absolute favorite album from this era, but it's a good one. Starts off with a bang with Tiny Dancer, and then just has a bunch of really solid songs. Great listen.
Bob Dylan
2/5
Did guitar tuners exist in 1965? Boy this album is tough to listen to because of the really awful guitar tuning. I know Dylan is a classic, but outside Like a Rolling Stone, the rest of this album is a pass.
Anthrax
3/5
I enjoyed this more than expected. Really nice example of 80s metal, and you can hear some of the things that push the genre into the 90s with the slightly more modern sounds out of the guitars and the mixing. Caught in a Mosh was the highlight track for me, but the whole album stays quite solid.
Joni Mitchell
2/5
The Zombies
3/5
Robert Wyatt
4/5
I weirdly like this. It’s normally not my thing, but this is kinda cool.
The Charlatans
2/5
I was underwhelmed. Very mediocre album beginning to end.
Nick Drake
4/5
Nice mellow acoustic album. I can see why Nick Drake is credited with so much influence over several decades worth of acoustic/folk music.
3/5
Love the Beatles earlier stuff. But this one just doesn’t quite do it for me. It’s fine. Just gets a bit too weird.
The Dave Brubeck Quartet
5/5
This was groundbreaking jazz. The time signatures are incredibly impressive. Also, one of the few straight jazz albums I legitimately enjoy.
Ali Farka Touré
4/5
This was a fascinating album. Really fun listen, though not really something I’ll return to.
Joni Mitchell
2/5
Too much Joni Mitchell. One album was plenty. 2 is too many.
Duran Duran
4/5
Great album from beginning to end.
The Icarus Line
1/5
Whyyyy do we get so much noise rock on here? Terrible album.
The Rolling Stones
3/5
This is an album of 2 parts. The first 5 songs are fantastic. Great variation, and really the Stones at some of their best. But man the second half of this album is snoozy. Shame it couldn't have just been a slightly long EP.
Paul Revere & The Raiders
4/5
Really fun 60s rock album. It does struggle a bit with a lack of variety, but it's Paul Rever & the Raiders. They have a sound, they stay loyal to it, and they do it well.
Tom Waits
4/5
It's Tom Waits. If you like him (and I do), you'll likely enjoy the album. But it's definitely not for everyone. One of the quintessential songwriters of the latter 20th century, his genius is all over this album. But... It's pretty trippy. I had a good time.
The Velvet Underground
3/5
It's fine. Not an overly memorable album
R.E.M.
5/5
Fantastic album.
Thelonious Monk
4/5
Weird, experimental jazz at it's best. I don't know that I'd call it a fun listen, but its definitely an interesting listen.
Khaled
3/5
Ok, so as someone who really doesn't enjoy Arabic pop, I'll try to be unbiased: There are some real high points in this album. C'est la nuit is a lovely song. The sound mixing is impressive on this album. Khaled shows some pretty wide range through this album, and there is a lot of variation that shows a very talented individual and backing instrumentalists. But, all in all, it's just not (for me) a very fun listen. The vocals tend to head off into unexplored territory too often. Several of the faster tracks head towards a weird quasi-Bollywood pop sound, which isn't enjoyable. It's an ok album. I'll be ok not listening to it again.
The Damned
2/5
Yay, 70s noise rock. Just my fav.
Prefab Sprout
3/5
Not a bad 80s pop album. When Love Breaks Down is a standout track. Not sure if it's really got the staying power of other 80s albums, but it's a decent enough listen.
Pixies
4/5
On the surface, this is a pretty standard album that hits right in that transition from 80s rock into grunge. But the more you listen, the more complex this gets. The harmonic structure is really impressive throughout the album. Definitely worthy of inclusion on this list.
Radiohead
2/5
I always want to like Radiohead. I just don't. This album is meh for me.
Napalm Death
1/5
I don't mind metal, it's not my fav, but it's ok. That said, this wasn't good. The "singer" can't scream well. It's just... it sounds almost like funny animal sounds. I wouldn't have put this album on the list.
Beck
4/5
This was a great album. A good amount of variation throughout, some really standout tracks, and an enjoyable experience from beginning to end.
John Prine
3/5
Radiohead
4/5
Finally, a Radiohead album I can get behind. This was good.
Sly & The Family Stone
3/5
Britney Spears
2/5
It’s nostalgic. And still just as bland as it was in 2000.
The Kinks
2/5
Meh. Sorta worse Beatles.
Curtis Mayfield
3/5
Fiona Apple
3/5
If you like moody blues, this’ll be an album for you. But it does start to feel pretty monotonous by the end.
Deep Purple
5/5
This album was weird and funky. I loved it!!!
Drive-By Truckers
5/5
This might have been my most... unexpectedly awesome album thus far. This thing is phenomenal. Great tracks, all the way through. It tells a really good story, and the music is top notch. Really fun listen, and one I think I'll add to my regular listening rotation.
Deep Purple
5/5
The xx
3/5
Metallica
5/5
Kraftwerk
3/5
This list seems obsessed at times with early German techno. It's just not my jam. This was... fine, but I'll be happy never listening to it again.
LL Cool J
4/5
Rahul Dev Burman
2/5
If we could remove the female vocalist from a few tracks, this would be a solid album. However as we can't, that really brings this down.
Sparks
4/5
This is a weirdly good album.
The Who
3/5
I always struggle with The Who. On their own, they're fine. But they sold out so very hard and became just wildly over-commercialized that their music just sounds derivative now, which is funny because originally it wasn't really derivative at all.
Anyway, this album is just a typical The Who album. It's safe, it really doesn't take a lot of risk, and it has a couple really solid tracks. That said, why on earth does it have 24 songs, including a couple just... useless tracks. Pinball Wizard is an awesome track. But... still, not sure I can really recommend The Who.
Dr. Dre
4/5
Great album. Early 90s rap was a great time in the genre, and this was one of the best albums that came out then. Not really SFW, but a great album.
Sugar
4/5
Hey look, it's Smashmouth before Smashmouth! Haha, because I know Smashmouth so much more, this felt derivative, but I think Smashmouth is the derivative one. Anyway, this was an enjoyable listen.
Antony and the Johnsons
4/5
I don't love the vocals. The vibrato is just too much. But... dang it all, this is a really fun album. Fistful of Love is a phenomenal track. Maybe not a 5 star album, but an enjoyable listen for sure.
Beastie Boys
5/5
On of the best rap albums ever. Such a great time all the way through.
Stevie Wonder
5/5
Pretty sure this is the best album I've had to listen to so far. I mean come on. The Duke and Pastime Paradise on one album? This thing is straight fire.
Stevie Wonder
4/5
This doesn't quite reach the heights of the two other Stevie Wonder albums I've reviewed so far, but it's still a good album with a couple real standout tracks in Higher Ground and Don't You Worry 'Bout a Thing.
Radiohead
2/5
Maybe I'm just not sophisticated enough for this. But this just wasn't a fun listen. Definitely the worst Radiohead album I've had so far. I'd love for it to be the last.
Madonna
3/5
Steve Winwood
3/5
The Doors
3/5
This was... a hard album to rate. Theoretically it's a great album. Has a couple absolute bangers. But I'm not sure if I was too sober or what, but it just didn't click for me.
OutKast
3/5
Anita Baker
3/5
Good vocalist. Just not my cup of tea.
Beatles
5/5
Muddy Waters
3/5
Gotta love a good Blues album. It's well done classic 12 bar blues. It struggles with the same problem most classic blues albums have: basically every song on the album sounds the same. Same forumla, similar instrumentation, it really just starts to get a bit stale by the end.
The Who
2/5
Curtis Mayfield
4/5
I’m not always a big fan of film albums. This however, was pretty great.
Badly Drawn Boy
5/5
One of my favorite albums so far!
Kelela
2/5
It’s meh club music. Pass.
Queens of the Stone Age
3/5
Miles Davis
4/5
The Smashing Pumpkins
4/5
This album is kinda weird in that its an album by a fairly unapologetic rock band, but their slow ballads are significantly better than their hard/fast songs. Pretty good, enjoyable album.
Aretha Franklin
5/5
Beastie Boys
3/5
Pet Shop Boys
3/5
Michael Jackson
5/5
Louis Prima
4/5
Louis Prima was an interesting fellow. He genre chased to stay relevant for his whole career. This hit in his Vegas years, and is probably his best album. Definitely his most well-received album. It's honestly a really fun listen. It has phenomenal energy throughout, and though I'm not certain there's truly a standout track or two, it just is a really solid swing album that's a pretty enjoyable experience.
JAY Z
2/5
I'm just not a JAY Z fan. I know he's well regarded. Just not my thing. This was an album I could've been just fine not hearing.
The Velvet Underground
4/5
Stevie Wonder
4/5
Pearl Jam
5/5
Michael Jackson
5/5
Silver Jews
1/5
Why on earth did this make the list? This is awful.
Suicide
1/5
Boy, two terrible albums in a row. This was an awful listen.
Elastica
4/5
Pretty good straight rock album. Some really good sounds, and some nice, unappologic rock. Yeah it's probably a little derivative, but it's tough to not be anymore with the entire rock genre.
Miles Davis
5/5
The musicianship is impeccable. I'm still not a huge jazz guy, but this is a great album.
Kendrick Lamar
2/5
I just don't see the appeal. Great production value, but the lyrics are often nonsensical, and there's just not enough to it.
Ryan Adams
4/5
This is a breath of fresh air. I hadn't ever heard this album before, but it's really good. Maybe not something that's going to withstand the test of time in 50 years, but it's just a good solid listen.
SZA
1/5
Well, she can sing in a vocal range of about 5 notes, she can't pronounce, and the samples on here are just... really rough. Obviously it's popular, just not my cup of tea.
The Stooges
4/5
Didn't really expect this to go quite so hard. Fun album. The vocals aren't the absolute top, but they're good enough to make for an enjoyable listen.
The White Stripes
3/5
One part of me loves The White Stripes. The other part of me will always despise the fact that Jack White somehow doesn't understand the concept of a guitar tuner.
Taylor Swift
4/5
The Go-Go's
3/5
SAULT
5/5
Tough album to really rate. Probably worth 5 stars, but not a particularly comfortable listen.
Method Man
2/5
Meh
Buena Vista Social Club
4/5
Charles Mingus
4/5
The Isley Brothers
3/5
This was... ok. I honestly thought it would be better. Mostly songs that were done better by other artists.
R.E.M.
2/5
It's R.E.M. Every single song on every single album sounds exactly the same. It's fine for 1 song. An album of R.E.M. is way too much.
New Order
3/5
Not a bad album, but largely forgettable. Pretty standard 80s pop fare. Elegia is the most well-known track, and it's good. But honestly, it could cease to exist and I'm fairly certain that zero people would actually care. It's fine. It's not a poor listen, but it's not particularly enjoyable either. It's fine and safe.
Spiritualized
3/5
The concept here is pretty cool. Lots of samples are looped, extra synth/electro sounds added and each song just sort of builds as it goes. Some nice academic 20th century theory is behind this, and the execution is really well done. It's just not an overly exciting album to listen to. Pretty much every song is the same formula of just constant build. I got pretty bored with it about 4 tracks in. So, cool concept, solid execution, mediocre listenability.
Destiny's Child
4/5
Tracy Chapman
5/5
Such a special album. The world could use more Tracy Chapman. The lyrics are spellbinding, the melodies are memorable, and the instrumentation is simple yet just... the perfect vehicle to deliver the lyrics. As close to a perfect album as I've heard.
Elvis Presley
4/5
Not my favorite Elvis album, but a solid enough choice. In the Ghetto is always a good listen. Lacks some of the pizazz of his earlier catalogue, but still makes for a pretty good listen.
The Cure
3/5
This was a bit of a disappointing listen. The Cure is a great band. Not my fav album. Has a couple notable tracks, but all in all this is a miss for me.
American Music Club
4/5
This was an unexpectedly enjoyable album. Honestly, this is what REM should sound like. Shame REM got famous while American Music Club faded somewhat into obscurity.
The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion
2/5
The 90s would've been fine without this album. Really not a ton of redeeming qualities to it. Maybe not a 1 star, but no higher than 2.
Lynyrd Skynyrd
5/5
Primal Scream
1/5
More noise rock. Mixed with experimental electro. Hard pass.
5/5
Iron Maiden
3/5
Harry Nilsson
3/5
Ray Charles
4/5
The B-52's
5/5
It's weird. It's wild. It's wacky. But dang it's fun. One of the zaniest, most awesome albums in all of history.
George Jones
4/5
It's tough to really describe the influence George Jones had on the country/western genre. He came into a genre that had been defined by the likes of Hank Williams, Roy Rogers, and other similar artists who sang "cowboy music," and left having completely shifted the scope of the entire genre. Of course he didn't do it all alone, but he had a huge part to play in redefining the genre as it transitioned into the 90s.
That said, this album has some aspects that don't hold up super well. George's voice is top notch, that can't be knocked (sure it's got twang, but... it is what it is.) However, the sound design is very much a product of it's time. The strings especially are very dated, in a not particularly nostalgic way. It can make for a somewhat less-enjoyable listen.
I respect George Jones. I respect classic country. But I'm not sure I'll return to this album. It wasn't a particularly enjoyable listen.
Bert Jansch
3/5
Eminem
3/5
Boy. Well... This album is nostalgic. But my stars, it's so profane it's hard to listen to.
The Killers
5/5
Amazing album. The first half of the album has the famous tracks, but honestly the second half may be the better part of the album. Some really awesome slow-burn jams on the second half, including Glamorous Indie Rock & Roll, which should've been just as famous as Mr. Brightside. One of the best albums we've had so far.
The Cure
4/5
Bebel Gilberto
3/5
Bad Company
4/5
It's pretty safe standard rock, but it's a pleasant listen. Probably no real genre altering choices made here, but just good ol rock. Definitely nothing wrong with a dash of that from time to time.
Booker T. & The MG's
4/5
I think this was a single they were forced to create an album for. It's... definitely one of the albums that has ever existed. Lol, it's honestly an interesting album. It's honestly just a few guys jamming out with a loose chord structure, vamping back and forth for an entire album. It's cool at times. It's very lackadaisical. And... I don't know, I kinda like it.
Cocteau Twins
2/5
It was 1990. And this album was trying DESPERATELY to cling to the 80s. Definitely not the album for me.
Aretha Franklin
5/5
Great, album. Great vocalist. Just... top notch.
Alice In Chains
4/5
If you've ever spent time in a crossfit gym, you've likely heard this album ad nauseum. Them Bones was I swear the theme song of my high school gym. The actual album is well done. Songwriting is pretty great. The sound design and mastering is well done. One of the better early grunge albums, and it did a great job setting the stage for some also great rock albums in the 90s.
Peter Gabriel
5/5
I was pleasantly surprised by the range on this album. It's definitely still Peter Gabriel, but it's a very complete and well-done album.
Motörhead
1/5
Dude this is 1 song repeated for an entire album. And it's only a mediocre song to start with. Man. I could've done fine without this one.
ZZ Top
5/5
This is rock as it should be rocked. 5 stars, fantastic album.
Adam & The Ants
4/5
I came into this not knowing a ton about Adam & The Ants, but I came away at least somewhat of a fan. Really an enjoyable album. Like the sound design a lot.
Earth, Wind & Fire
5/5
Now this is a 5 star album for sure. Everything about it is phenomenal.
Dire Straits
5/5
One of my top 5 favorite albums of all time. Just... so, so good. The guitar work is impeccable. Songs are a blast. It's so good.
fIREHOSE
4/5
Weird concept album by an 80s alt rock band? Sign me up! So, this maybe isn't the best album out there. But it's actually pretty neat. Vocals are meh at best but instruments are pretty top notch.
Talvin Singh
2/5
I try. I try hard to enjoy music that comes out of India or is inspired by music from India. But man it's just not enjoyable for this western set of ears. This is impressive in scope. But not an enjoyable listen at all.
Pavement
1/5
Man I just can't get past the vocals on here. They're rough at best. They're bad enough that it really just ruined the album.
Fela Kuti
4/5
I'll probably never be the biggest jazz fan, but this was a pretty enjoyable listen. Fela Kuti was so instrumental in bringing African jazz into the mainstream, and you can hear why with this album. Each piece is composed incredibly well. The musicians are top notch, it's really a joy to listen to. A cool listen for sure.
Derek & The Dominos
4/5
Nitin Sawhney
1/5
I've come to realize through this list that I just don't enjoy music with Indian influence. This was... Pretty profoundly meh. Very well done, but the Indian influences really took it down several notches.
Peter Gabriel
5/5
This is an amazing album beginning to end.
The Pretty Things
4/5
I wasn't familiar with The Pretty Things, but this was a very enjoyable albm.
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
4/5
Michael Jackson
5/5
The Notorious B.I.G.
5/5
Man this is a bop.
The Temptations
3/5
Prince
4/5
William Orbit
2/5
Man, there are too many experimental noise albums on this list. At least this one doesn't assault my ears like some.
Joni Mitchell
2/5
Joni Mitchell just didn't make music I enjoy. Heck of a songwriter. Just not my thing. Also: Jungle Line almost made this a 1 star album. What an absolutely terrible song.
Penguin Cafe Orchestra
4/5
What a fun album. It sounds like the music from Avatar the Last Airbender. I know I harp on experimental noise, but this album is just... awesome.
TV On The Radio
3/5
Black Sabbath
4/5
Love the variety in this album. Really, really good.
Willie Nelson
5/5
Talking Heads
3/5
I swear this sounds like a Modest Mouse album from the 2000s. It's... Fine.
Robbie Williams
3/5
Pretty average late 90s rock. Has some good nostalgia factor, but not my fav by any means.
James Brown
3/5
I don't love live albums generally. And this one was... Decidedly meh.
Jorge Ben Jor
3/5
We've had a bunch of these Afro-jazz albums on this list. I think this is about enough.
Bob Marley & The Wailers
3/5
Boom chaka boom chaka ad naseum for an hour. Was good for a couple songs. Then gets old.
Joan Armatrading
5/5
This was a really enjoyable album. Has some hints of Tracy Chapman in it.
Mekons
1/5
Instrumentals were a 3/5. Vocals were a 1/5. Honestly one of the 2 or 3 worst vocal performances in over 200 albums so far. I was happy when it ended.
Alice Cooper
3/5
1 good song and 33 minutes of filler. Weird album.
Brian Eno
2/5
Nas
2/5
I... cannot understand why this got as big as it did. It's just not really an enjoyable album. Nas's rap rhythm is a bit offputting, and the lyrics really don't capture a whole lot. Pretty mid.
Arcade Fire
3/5
Why does every rock album from the early 2000s sound exactly the same? You could have told me this was by Modest Mouse and I wouldn't have blinked. It's... fine, but pretty forgettable.
The Clash
5/5
This finally ended an extended streak of mediocre albums with a bang! What a great album! The Clash were musically savvy in a way that really allowed them to transcend normal genre expectations. At their heart, they're still pretty straight up punk, but man you get some reggae, some funk, some good classic rock, and one heck of an enjoyable album.
Violent Femmes
4/5
Really solid album. Has a few filler tracks, but it makes for a solid listen.
The Associates
3/5
The Beach Boys
4/5
Metallica
3/5
I came into this expecting to love this album. I generally enjoy Metallica, but... this one just felt lacking to me. It was fine, it wasn't bad, I won't say it's not a fine album. But... it just doesn't really stand out much in their catelog for me.
Frank Zappa
3/5
Queen
5/5
Willie Nelson
4/5
Not a ton of "new" music on this, but some really great renditions of some old favorites. Probably my 2nd favorite recording of Georgia On My Mind, and a quality recording of Blue Skies. Honestly though, I think the less-lauded 2nd half of the album is more my speed. You get to really hear Willie be Willie, both good and bad.
The Last Shadow Puppets
5/5
The Pogues
4/5
Unique album. I find this one a little hard to rate. I love the unorthodox instrumentation in it. The vocals are... unique, though I liked them more than I thought I would once it got going. 4 stars might be high. Might be low, I'm really not sure, but it's a really neat listening experience.
The Dictators
3/5
It's not a bad album. But it's honestly just a pretty forgettable standard rock album. Not really much of note here.
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
4/5
Dusty Springfield
4/5
Nirvana
5/5
Kate Bush
4/5
Tito Puente
5/5
Dire Straits
5/5
Bob Marley & The Wailers
3/5
Boom chaka boom chaka boom chaka ad nauseum for 10 tracks. Look, there's 1 good song on this album. No Woman No Cry is really good. But seriously it's an entire album of 1 sound. I'm over reggae at this point.
Mike Ladd
2/5
Motörhead
3/5
Donald Fagen
3/5
Bob Dylan
3/5
I just... man. Bob Dylan is tough for me to properly rate. Heck of a songwriter. Absolutely atrocious vocalist. Makes for a really tough listen.
Buddy Holly & The Crickets
5/5
Venom
2/5
Foo Fighters
5/5
Creedence Clearwater Revival
5/5
Blur
4/5
LCD Soundsystem
2/5
The epitome of "ok." Safe, boring album.
Songhoy Blues
5/5
UB40
2/5
Much boom. Much chaka. Ad Nauseum. Reggae man. There's too much of it on this list.
The Band
5/5
Al Green
4/5
Solid R&B album that still carries on some of that Motown sound from the 60s. I actually think some of the less-heralded tracks on this album are the best ones. I really liked "What Is This Feeling" and "I've Never Found a Girl." Maybe not the absolutely top of the top of albums, but a thoroughly enjoyable listen.
Mylo
3/5
Pretty enjoyable electronic/house album. I'm not a huge house fan, and that's pretty much all this album is, but it's ok. Not something I'll listen to again, but it was an ok experience.
M.I.A.
2/5
The Thrills
3/5
Garbage
4/5
Funkadelic
3/5
The Byrds
3/5
Solomon Burke
5/5
An unexpectedly enjoyable album. Pretty cool from beginning to end. The instrumentation on You Can't Love Em All was particularly enjoyable.
Ananda Shankar
1/5
Blahhhhhhh.
Van Halen
5/5
Absolutely chock full of bops. Fantastic album.
Beth Orton
3/5
The 90s were a weird decade for music. Sort of a tamed down Alanis Morisette, it got pretty sleepy after 2-3 tracks. Honestly sounds a bit like elevator music. Maybe not a "bad" listen, but not something I'd go out of my way to listen to again.
The Mothers Of Invention
2/5
I've come to the conclusion I just don't love Frank Zappa. This is musically intersting. Lots of variation within this album. But dang the vocals are just cheeks. I'm glad it's over.
Brian Wilson
3/5
I mean... Boy. The Beach Boys are iconic. Brian Wilson by himself... much less iconic. This is fine. But its really just a less good Beach Boys album.
Talking Heads
4/5
Crazy how things come back around. You could tell me this album came out in 1999 and I'd believe it. Pretty ahead of their time with this one, and it makes for a pretty cool listen.
Cream
5/5
I think this just grows and grows on me the longer I listen. Really solid album.
XTC
3/5
Snoop Dogg
5/5
I know it's nostalgia, but I just enjoy Snoop's skills. Great album.
Pink Floyd
2/5
Have you ever had a friend who thinks of themself as "an intellectual?" In reality their "intellectualism" is just their excuse to be pompous and ridiculous about mundane things or to embrace incredibly unpopular opinions. This album is that friend. I think it wanted to be an intellectual album. Instead, we got an album that takes itself way too seriously while having the overall plot/musical development of the average sea cucumber. What a pompous, unfortunate album.
Ryan Adams
2/5
A fairly mediocre and forgettable album.
Gil Scott-Heron
2/5
Turbonegro
1/5
Well. This album sucks. Not really much else to say. An easy 1 star.
Tori Amos
3/5
Michael Kiwanuka
5/5
One of the newer albums on the list, I think it well earns its place. Really solid songwriting throughout, and it really took me on a journey. Great album.
Run-D.M.C.
5/5
Boston
5/5
Everything But The Girl
2/5
Honestly not sure why this made the list. It's a smack average 80s pop album. It's ridiculously safe. No genre driving, just a very forgettable album.
The Good, The Bad & The Queen
3/5
This is an interesting inclusion. I typically enjoy folk rock, and this was a perfectly fine album of folk rock. But... it wasn't particularly inspiring. There are some truly amazing folk rock albums out there, and this was... merely ok.
Billie Holiday
4/5
No one did it quite like Billie Holiday. A full album might be a bit too many jazz balads, but man she does them well. She emotes so well, and really draws the listener into the performance. Definitely a worthy inclusion on this list.
John Lee Hooker
3/5
Delta blues is always a tough genre for me to rate. It takes a lot of talent to really make something with the Delta blues because you can't hide poor musicianship behind a wall of sound. But, it's also limited because of genre constrains, making a full album of delta blues a bit... too much of the same old, same old. I struggled to stay engaged for the whole album. It's fine, but not one I'll return to.
3/5
These fellas seem angry. I'm not sure what they're angry about, but definitely angry. This album is nostalgic, takes me back to high school workouts. I don't know that it's music designed for much else other than working out and moshing. It's... a solid album of what even genre does this count as, just hard rock? It's fine.
Buffalo Springfield
5/5
Love the harmonies. Buffalo Springfield is an almost criminally underrated band. Great album, and a fantastic addition to the list.
Serge Gainsbourg
2/5
The Go-Betweens
4/5
This is an interesting album. At its core, this is a soft rock/folk rock album, but you can really see that Teh Go-Betweens were trying to blur genre lines a bit through here. You can see hints of where music was trying to go as it broke into the 90s as grunge swept the world. You can still see it harken back to the disco days of the late 70s and early 80s. All in all it's a cool listen.
Caetano Veloso
2/5
Meh. Could've done without this one.
Youssou N'Dour
3/5
Stan Getz
3/5
Van Halen
5/5
The Smashing Pumpkins
4/5
Lloyd Cole And The Commotions
3/5
Fairly standard light 80s rock. Not sure why it made the list, fairly unremarkable and safe.
Black Sabbath
4/5
Not my fav Black Sabbath album, but solid nonetheless.
Jeru The Damaja
3/5
Decent samples, not really my thing.
Finley Quaye
3/5
Pretty catchy, though I did get a bit bored by the end.
Chicago
4/5
A neat addition to the list. Love Chicago's instrumentals.
ABBA
4/5
Röyksopp
3/5
Deee-Lite
3/5
Missy Elliott
2/5
David Gray
5/5
Elvis Presley
5/5
Just a fun album. Probably not Elvis's best, but it's a great album.
Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark
3/5
Pink Floyd
5/5
Groundbreaking in many ways. The lyrics are pretty heady, but it's really the instrumentation that drives this album. A true pioneer in prog rock, this is a really, really great album.
Fred Neil
4/5
Awesome bass-baritone voice. Maybe not an album that has aged particularly well in some aspects, but enjoyable enough overall.
Paul McCartney
3/5
A bit mediocre honestly. Has a couple good tracks, but otherwise a pretty forgettable album.
Q-Tip
2/5
Simon & Garfunkel
4/5
Lenny Kravitz
3/5
2 good tracks and a bunch of fill. Meh. Definitely not the best Kravitz album.
Jungle Brothers
4/5
Really good sampling, nice lyrics and guest appearances. Good album.
The Byrds
3/5
This honestly feels like 1 song and a bunch of filler. My Back Pages is phenomenal. But it feels like they basically used all their creativity on that one song and had nothing left for the rest of the album.
Isaac Hayes
2/5
A thoroughly forgettable early R&B album. 4 songs. The final one is 18:44. Which is about 18 minutes longer than it should've been. Pretty sure this list would've been better without this album.
Buzzcocks
3/5
Fairport Convention
3/5
PJ Harvey
5/5
An unexpectedly refreshing album. It's a very raw experience. Lots of electric guitar with nothing but a distortion pedal, raw vocals with very little mixing on them, and the songwriting itself is very emotional and raw. A great listening experience.
Kings of Leon
5/5
I have great memories of 2008 when this album released. There hadn't been a good "rock" album that really spoke to me released in a good bit. Then out of nowhere, this hit and it absolutely slapped. 17 years later, it still slaps. Just straight up, unapologetic rock. I wish I could hear it for the first time again.
The Pharcyde
4/5
Worth it for Passin' Me By. The album as a whole is whimsical, but not really my thing. Passin' Me By though... boy that track hits hard. I'm glad the album made this list just for that song honestly.
New York Dolls
2/5
I just can't with the vocals. I know they're stylized. But blech. Off-key talking and yelling should be reserved exclusively for Tom Waits.
Carpenters
5/5
Absolutely stunning. Sure sometimes the instrumentation is pretty dated, but come on. Those vocals are a masterclass.
Neneh Cherry
3/5
David Holmes
3/5
Queen
5/5
Honestly maybe the best album of all time. Said without an ounce of hyperbole. Not sure if I'll find a better one than this on this list.
Belle & Sebastian
2/5
Moody movie music from the 90s. Not my cup of tea, but it had some ok moments.
Hole
4/5
Good in-your-face, unapologetic rock. Not pretty per se, but a really fun listen.
Animal Collective
2/5
Do you ever think, "What if I combined the Everly Brothers, random electro patches, and the sound of a microwave into an album?" Well boy do I have the album for you. I want to like it. But there's just enough nonsense that I don't.
Liz Phair
4/5
Honestly a pretty enjoyable album. Maybe not one that'll ever be in a discussion about the best albums ever, but definitely a solid album that's an enjoyable listen.
Big Star
5/5
Wow. An unexpectedly amazing album.
Billy Joel
5/5
Billy Joel is my personal favorite artist ever. So this is an automatic 5 stars. What a fantastic album. Goes from power pop to ballad and everywhere in between. This really showcases Billy's artistic range well.
Alexander 'Skip' Spence
2/5
Unfortunately, I think you need to be on acid to really enjoy this album. Out of tune instruments, whining vocals, weird effects thrown in at inopportune time... I'd never had included this album on this list.
David Bowie
4/5
I unfortunately think I've finally embraced the fact that I just don't enjoy Bowie's music all that much. It's genius, and the mastering is absolutely top notch. I just don't like it. That said, I'll not knock and album just because I don't like it. This really is a brilliant album.
The Roots
3/5
Gotan Project
4/5
An oddly catchy album.
4/5
Maybe the only enjoyable Bowie album. Still overrated, but at least listenable.
Screaming Trees
3/5
Killing Joke
3/5
TLC
3/5
A couple bangers and a bunch of meh. I mean, it's incredibly stuck in the niche period it was produced in, but TLC were also super influential in developing R&B for the next decade.
CHIC
4/5
A good, solid disco album. Pretty sure this is the first straight disco album on the list, and it was well-chosen. "Good Times" is the notable hit, but the rest of the album is quite solid as well. Nice addition to the list.
Raekwon
1/5
Man. This one was so explicit it was hard to find a good time to listen to it. I think I'd give it 0 if I could.
Heaven 17
3/5
Kendrick Lamar
3/5
Meh
Tears For Fears
5/5
Christine and the Queens
2/5
Small Faces
3/5
Sister Sledge
4/5
Echo And The Bunnymen
2/5
Orbital
1/5
Well. It's an album. Did it deserve inclusion? Nope. But, the author thought otherwise, so there we go. A thoroughly unenjoyable listening experience.
Beatles
4/5
Not my fav Beatles album. Still good, but not their best.
The Monks
3/5
R.E.M.
5/5
Really solid REM album.
The Smiths
4/5
Pretty fun album, full of 80s pop-rock.
PJ Harvey
2/5
Noise, somewhat out of tune grunge rock. It's fine, but not really notable.
Public Enemy
3/5
Van Morrison
5/5
What a great album.
The Everly Brothers
3/5
The album is largely meh, but there's a couple real treasures on here, with Cathy's Clown really being a standout track.
Le Tigre
2/5
If The Killers and The Go-Gos had a baby, it'd be Le Tigre. It should be amazing. Yet... somehow it just turns out to be less than it should be. An unfortunately forgettable album.
Bee Gees
2/5
A one song album. Take away "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart," and this isn't even an album worthy of inclusion on any list like this. Very one-note.
3/5
The Mothers Of Invention
1/5
Man I just don't like Frank Zappa's music. This still isn't an exception.
Ali Farka Touré
3/5
Billy Bragg
2/5
Brian Eno
1/5
Man what an obnoxious, overly pompous album. In a weird way this might be my least favorite album in the list, though it's by no means the worst musically.
2/5
Siberian Khatru is a bop. The other two songs (yes, an album of 3 songs somehow made this list) are just... meh. It's an album that takes itself far too seriously for the first 2 tracks. If this album had just been Siberian Khatru, it's probably a 4 or 5 star affair. The first two tracks hurt it for me.
Dinosaur Jr.
2/5
I really wish I knew why this album is so obsessed with noise rock. I'm at 491 out of 1001, and I bet we've had 50-60 noise rock albums that are just... wall of sound noise through many of their tracks. This was not fun to listen to. While maybe less true noise rock than most of the others, it still just felt like too much.