597
Albums Rated
3.87
Average Rating
55%
Complete
492 albums remaining
Submitted Album
Pony Express Record
Shudder To Think
Rating Distribution
Rating Timeline
Taste Profile
1990
Favorite Decade
Punk
Favorite Genre
UK
Top Origin
Cheerleader
Rater Style ?
152
5-Star Albums
7
1-Star Albums
Breakdown
By Genre
Top Styles
By Decade
By Origin
Albums
You Love More Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Rock Bottom
Robert Wyatt
|
5 | 2.39 | +2.61 |
|
The Modern Dance
Pere Ubu
|
5 | 2.48 | +2.52 |
|
Duck Rock
Malcolm McLaren
|
5 | 2.65 | +2.35 |
|
Cee-Lo Green... Is The Soul Machine
Cee Lo Green
|
5 | 2.65 | +2.35 |
|
Venus Luxure No. 1 Baby
Girls Against Boys
|
5 | 2.66 | +2.34 |
|
A Grand Don't Come For Free
The Streets
|
5 | 2.67 | +2.33 |
|
Bitte Orca
Dirty Projectors
|
5 | 2.69 | +2.31 |
|
Alien Lanes
Guided By Voices
|
5 | 2.75 | +2.25 |
|
Scream, Dracula, Scream
Rocket From The Crypt
|
5 | 2.77 | +2.23 |
|
Sweetheart Of The Rodeo
The Byrds
|
5 | 2.82 | +2.18 |
You Love Less Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Arrival
ABBA
|
1 | 3.51 | -2.51 |
|
Hybrid Theory
Linkin Park
|
1 | 3.39 | -2.39 |
|
Emergency On Planet Earth
Jamiroquai
|
1 | 3.27 | -2.27 |
|
The Healer
John Lee Hooker
|
1 | 3.19 | -2.19 |
|
BEYONCÉ
Beyoncé
|
1 | 2.86 | -1.86 |
|
Tarkus
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
|
1 | 2.79 | -1.79 |
|
White Blood Cells
The White Stripes
|
2 | 3.67 | -1.67 |
|
Hard Again
Muddy Waters
|
2 | 3.61 | -1.61 |
|
Brothers
The Black Keys
|
2 | 3.57 | -1.57 |
|
The Suburbs
Arcade Fire
|
2 | 3.5 | -1.5 |
Artists
Favorites
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| David Bowie | 6 | 5 |
| Radiohead | 6 | 4.67 |
| Brian Eno | 5 | 4.6 |
| Beatles | 4 | 4.5 |
| The Who | 4 | 4.5 |
| The Beach Boys | 3 | 4.67 |
| Beck | 3 | 4.67 |
| Steely Dan | 3 | 4.67 |
| Black Sabbath | 3 | 4.67 |
| Led Zeppelin | 3 | 4.67 |
| Portishead | 2 | 5 |
| Elliott Smith | 2 | 5 |
| Fatboy Slim | 2 | 5 |
| Massive Attack | 2 | 5 |
| Prince | 2 | 5 |
| The Smiths | 2 | 5 |
| Rush | 2 | 5 |
| Blur | 2 | 5 |
| Pixies | 2 | 5 |
| Siouxsie And The Banshees | 2 | 5 |
| Iggy Pop | 2 | 5 |
| The Pogues | 2 | 5 |
| OutKast | 2 | 5 |
| King Crimson | 2 | 5 |
| Suede | 2 | 5 |
| Sonic Youth | 4 | 4.25 |
| Michael Jackson | 3 | 4.33 |
| Elvis Presley | 3 | 4.33 |
| The Kinks | 3 | 4.33 |
| Miles Davis | 3 | 4.33 |
| Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds | 3 | 4.33 |
| R.E.M. | 3 | 4.33 |
Least Favorites
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Emerson, Lake & Palmer | 2 | 1.5 |
| Aerosmith | 3 | 2 |
Controversial
| Artist | Ratings |
|---|---|
| ABBA | 1, 4 |
5-Star Albums (152)
View Album Wall
Popular Reviews
Happy Mondays · 8 likes
3/5
I understand why this is such an important album for the Brits, but to Americans, it falls flat more than soars.
It's a good album, but it's nothing earth shattering for us, and I don't think it rises above the stuff it inspired and brought about several years later with Brit-Pop and Brit-Rock of the mid to late 90's and early 00's.
Michael Jackson · 3 likes
5/5
Michael Jackson was formative for me, and this album has what was my favorite song as a kid, "Billie Jean."
It's just a complete classic.
The Last Shadow Puppets · 2 likes
5/5
I have never been a big Arctic Monkeys fans and still don't like their first album and really only truly like their much newer stuff. However, I loved this debut album from The Last Shadow Puppets from the moment I heard it. It is a throwback to earlier Brit Rock sounds, but it is very cleverly done and pushes things in a new direction and is not just retro.
The Jesus And Mary Chain · 2 likes
4/5
I think this is a very good album, but it's impact is really more in how influential it was and helped establish a genre of music that would continue thereafter.
I was surprised to hear a lot of similarities in this album and bands like The Psychedelic Furs.
Overall, I really like The Jesus and Mary Chain, but this album mostly passes by. I much prefer "Honey," one of their later albums. I'd probably give "Darklands" 3.5 stars, but I am going to round up, because I do think they are a great band and very influential.
Kraftwerk · 1 likes
5/5
I haven't listened to much Kraftwerk before, but they are always mentioned by every electronic musician I read interviews or autobiographies of. Therefore, I've always been interested in listening to Kraftwerk for myself.
"Autobahn" was a very relaxing and fun listen for me. The title and longest track is an epic, in its own almost ambient way. The rest of the songs fit right in, and I found myself wanting to relisten to the album after it was done.
For the time of release, I also can see the huge influence it had on artists I admire like Eno and, of course, all those other electronic musicians.
4-Star Albums (271)
1-Star Albums (7)
All Ratings
Michael Jackson
4/5
"Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" is one of my top 2 MJ songs (along with the very similar "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'), and I think it is really one of the greatest pop songs every written, period.
I think "Off the Wall" is the first song where the album starts to drag at all. "Off the Wall" is a good song, but it is an odd precursor to "Thriller" with the spooky/strange elements.
After that song, I think the album is less impressive and more disco-pop. It's good, but it's really those first 4 songs that were showing how he'd keep evolving.
The Beach Boys
5/5
I mean, what can I say. I think is one of the top 5 albums ever made (Stereo Mix). The only downside is that they hadn't written "Good Vibrations," yet, as I think adding that song to his album would just make it transcend basically anything else...
As much as I like a lot of intentionally dissonant anti-pop music, I do think that there is something about the way music and the human brain works that being able to make something truly artful with some experimentation that still is able to have pop elements that tingle the brain is one pinnacle of the art form, and Brian Wilson did that.
Bob Dylan
3/5
I genuinely liked the first two songs a lot, and "Shelter from the Storm" (second to last song). Other than those, the album is what I've always known Dylan for, the great lyrics and songwriting inside a folk style I don't particularly care for, personally.
I can definitely see why this is a pivotal album and one to experience, at least once, but it's not one I'm going to return to myself.
Neil Young
4/5
I like every song on this album except maybe "A Man Needs a Maid," and I think the album holds up as a very influential album for folk and rock. It has hard hitting drums and some of his guitar playing has always been more of the rock side of folk, even when he's not playing electric guitar.
I think the biggest flaw with the album is that it doesn't feel as cohesive as it could. The songs don't flow as well as I think they would, if the album was made and released today.
Portishead
5/5
"Dummy" is definitely an "album out of time." I feel it could have come out any time in the last 30 years and feel just as unique and fresh.
I have a hard time saying with Portishead album is my favorite, but their first definitely has the impact from being the first to introduce their unique blend of elements.
Gibbons voice is beautiful and haunting, and the music is a perfectly sparse landscape with a light touch of trip-hop.
Radiohead
5/5
"In Rainbows" is Kid Amnesiac Part 3 to me, which is to say that I love it, as much as I love "Kid A" and "Amnesiac."
There are 4 Radiohead albums I don't like (only 1 less than the number I do like), including the one between "Amnesiac" and "In Rainbows" (called "Hail to the Thief"). So, I'm definitely not a Radiohead fan that just likes their entire output.
However, like many Radiohead fans felt, at least at the time, "In Rainbows" was a return, and their whole stunt of putting it out for free (or whatever donation people wanted to give) made it a big deal.
I also have a personal nostalgia, in a way, because my Dad knew I liked Radiohead and really tried to use it as a point of "bonding" to bring it up, talk about it, and ask me about it.
Wilco
4/5
I have always given Wilco "a hard time," because I was an Uncle Tupelo fan and then sided with Jay Farrar and Son Volt after the split, liking the more rough alt. country sound than the poppy smoothed-out version that Jeff Tweedy went with.
However, I have gone back and listened to them a little more over the years, and I definitely can appreciate this album a lot more now that it is in the past and doesn't feel just like the thing everyone was giving their attention and support to while Farrar and other alt. country were ignored.
They remastered this album last year, and it sounds very well produced. There are lots of little details that reward listening on headphones.
And the songwriting can't be denied, really.
I highly recommend listening to "Being There," if you like Wilco at all (and haven't already, of course), because that is the one thing I always really did like by them, as it is stripped down and more to the roots of alt. country. "A.M." is also good, as it is the least poppy of the Wilco output (because it was their first album).
When the album came out, I would have given it 2 stars. 10 years ago, I would have given it 3 stars, but it continues to grow on me.
Eminem
2/5
The best praise I can give this album is that it could be great with better lyrics.
I only give this album 2 stars instead of 1 because of the beats and the rhythm that Eminem displays. Some of his lyrics are clever, but the vast majority are juvenile, and there are a fair amount that are beyond disturbing. "Kim" is a song that I feel goes way too far, even compared to "murder ballads" that are popular in western music traditions.
I've never been a fan of Eminem, and listening to this album now, 23 years later, only solidifies my feelings on him for the past two and a half decades.
Motörhead
4/5
I don't spend too much time listening to Motorhead, because my personal enjoyment of listening to a full album isn't as much as many other artists I'd prefer to listen to, at any given time.
However, their classic songs like "Ace of Spades" are great, and I do enjoy listening to them from time-to-time.
Also, the impact of Motorhead is so huge, and it is very easy to hear why, when listening to the album. Their brand of Rock'n'roll was very fresh, hard driving, and simultaneously upbeat and heart-pumping in its aggressiveness.
Brian Wilson
4/5
For me, the value of Brian Wilson's Smile is simply from hearing the end product that took him decades to produce.
However, I would prefer to go back to Smiley Smile for the original recordings and the time and place those represent.
There is no way Brian Wilson could ever fully recreate where his mind was at the time he started the songs, and even if he was the primary songwriter, all the other Beach Boys influenced their records, the song structures, and, of course, the harmonies.
Therefore, I'm glad this album exists, and I think that, simply due to the many amazing songs on it, it deserves a lot of praise. However, I prefer the Smiley Smile versions of every song that is present on both, and I can't help but listen to Smile and think about how it could have been so much greater if it would have just been finished in the couple years after he started it.
Michael Jackson
4/5
"Bad" is not the classic that "Off the Wall" or "Thriller" is, but I still think it has a lot of amazing songs.
Songs like Bad, The Way You Make Me Feel, Man in the Mirror, and Smooth Criminal are top tier Michael Jackson songs, and songs like Speed Demon and Dirty Diana are highly underrated songs.
I was a huge Michael Jackson fan, as a kid, and "Bad" was likely the height of it, though I think it started with "Thriller" and lasted through "Dangerous."
Michael Jackson's voice, dancing, and overall physicality was still at its height during "Bad," and I definitely think it is still one of the greatest pop albums ever made.
Pink Floyd
4/5
I don't know if I've ever listened to "The Wall" all the way through, though I've obviously heard most parts of it.
Overall, I enjoyed it. The classic rock and blues style is not my go to, and it is essentially a Rock Opera which I will not likely revisit often.
However, "Comfortably Numb" is definitely an amazing song that I do genuinely love and will go back to via a "Greatest Hits" or "Singles Collection" at some point.
I agree with some critics at the time that said the album was pretentious and over-the-top. However, it obviously had a huge impact on people and the music scene, particularly for Prog and Rock. Therefore, I do think it is deserving of praise.
ZZ Top
3/5
I was surprised to find that I really liked the first two songs on this album and found most of it enjoyable enough to listen to.
I do not like "La Grange," but that could partially be due to hearing it on the radio so much growing up. I just find the main riff a bit cheesy in that song.
Overall, I can't see myself going back to this album, really, but it was a nice listen through once, and it's good to have a reference point for ZZ Top and this style of classic southern blues rock.
Elvis Presley
3/5
Music from this era is heard an interpreted differently for me than music made from the late 60's or early 70's and onward.
Music from the 50's and early to late 60's was literally made just to make people feel good. It wasn't made to make an artistic statement or expression, really.
Every once in a while, I'll put on old stuff like this in the house, because it is relatively peaceful and good for having in the background.
I can understand the impact, even though it's not something I'll really seek out often.
Chicago
2/5
I found this album very difficult to listen to. At the best times, I found it to mildly interesting, but I found most of the album tolerable, and there were moments and entire songs that were annoying to listen to.
Jam bands and this sort of jazz rock are not genres I generally enjoy, but I'm only giving it 2 stars instead of 1, because the talent is obvious from the playing of the instruments to some of the complex compositions.
When it comes to Chicago, I'm really only interested in Peter Cetera "soft rock" era, though.
Elliott Smith
5/5
If I could give this album 4.5 stars, I would, but I'm rounding up to 5 stars, because this album and Elliott Smith, in general, is one of my favorites ever.
I just think that "Either/Or" lacks cohesion and flow through it.
"Figure 8" is extremely cohesive and flows the entire way through it, from song to song, and feels like one complete piece.
"Either/Or" feels more like just a group of random - but very good - songs.
Still, songs like "Rose Parade" give me goosebumps nearly every time I listen to it/them.
Eels
2/5
First off, this song does not belong on the 1001 Albums I Must Listen to Before I Die...
Eels was always an above average alternative rock band to me, and listening to this album this many years later doesn't really change that.
I liked "Not Ready Yet," and there were a couple other songs that surprised me, but most of the album was very standard and didn't really impress me that much.
I will give it 2 stars, because it is not bad, but it just is not an album I would ever tell anyone that they had to listen to, for any reason.
Eagles
3/5
I can understand why this album is on the Top 1001 list, as it has had a huge impact on people and music for half a century, but it has always been a very bland record and music to me (the entire Eagles discography).
Hotel California isn't as annoying to me, at this point, as it used to be. It did just kind of fade to the background as I was doing other things, and it didn't irritate me.
I'd totally put The Eagles in a movie about people wasting their lives doing drugs on a beach or a "coming of age" where someone snaps out of it and eventually starts doing something with their life. And, it is impressive that, reading the Wiki page and quotes from Henley, that is pretty spot on for what the concept was.
Frank Sinatra
4/5
It's sometimes hard for me to listen to Sinatra, as I've heard many stories that he was not a nice guy, and he was basically just a pop star of the era - a person that had a bunch of other people writing good songs for him, and he just had a nice voice (I also may like Tony Bennett's voice better).
But, I find listening to this album or some of Sinatra's other stuff rather soothing at times.
They are mostly very good songs, composed and recorded well, and it's pleasant to listen to.
Of course, this music was monumental for the time, and it has stood the test of time, due to the compositions and being recorded very well.
5/5
David Bowie is probably my favorite solo artist of all time, so I have a complete bias.
While I don't think Ziggy Stardust is his best album, it's definitely around the Top 5, and it's a view into a time gone by where innovation and artistry in music was at fullest display.
The songs are catchy but, just like Roxy Music, and other music of the time, it is avant garde in its intent to push musical and cultural boundaries.
The Kinks
4/5
I love so much of The Kinks library. They had many different eras, but they were revolutionary in so many ways from straight-up Rock and Roll to Brit Rock/Pop.
"Face to Face" is a solid 4-star album to me. "Something Else" and "...Village Green..." are the 5's in their catalog. (And there are some Kinks albums that are 2's for me...)
"Face to Face" is a promise of things to come, for me, rising above their previous work, and leading directly to those amazing albums in just the next 2 years!
Sex Pistols
3/5
There's no denying the impact of this album and this band - from the thousands of people that heard this record and formed bands and even bands like Joy Division that actually started due to members meeting at Sex Pistols shows.
I've never been a real fan of punk music, mostly staying with the second wave, the influences, and only occasionally dipping my foot in.
I also think, at this time, there are so many other albums so much better. However, I get why someone would say, "you need to listen to this particular punk album that really pushed this type of music into the popular culture."
Little Simz
3/5
I'd never heard of Little Simz before, and the album only being from 2019 still feels like not enough time to say whether it is truly one of 1001 albums someone must listen to...
However, the album was good. It didn't grab me in any extraordinary way, and she's not going to be a new favorite, at least not based off this listen, but I will listen to it again and listen to some of her other stuff.
Tim Buckley
3/5
I can understand why this is a pivotal album for Buckley and maybe folk, but it feels a little too aimless for me to be a "classic" or something I'd really revisit.
Gypsy Woman is mostly just annoying, at this point, while other songs are starting to blend good songwriting with more experimentation.
I'd be more interested to hear his last two albums, as he was continuing to learn how to write his own lyrics and perfect his songwriting techniques.
Bill Callahan
4/5
At first, I didn't recognize Bill Callahan's name, until I looked at the Wikipedia page and saw that he is Smog.
"Songs of Devotion" is a 5/5 to me, an amazing album, and "Accumulation: None" also got a lot of play from me.
"Sometimes I Wish We Were An Eagle" doesn't hit me the same way as "Songs of Devotion," but it is still very good.
I definitely want to revisit both his Smog and Bill Callahan releases, as I did lose track of him, at one point, and I am glad to see he is still making great music.
Jurassic 5
4/5
I personally prefer "Quality Control" By Jurassic 5, but they are one of my favorite hip-hop groups. Chali 2na is one of my favorite rappers ever, and their first couple albums hold a strong place in my mind from the time of their release.
This album isn't a perfect release for me, so I don't feel I can give it 5 stars, but I'd probably give it 4.5, if I could.
Muddy Waters
2/5
Muddy Waters is exactly the stereotypical blues that I do not like.
I can appreciate the musicianship, but "Mannish Boy" always felt problematic, and I find the whole album very boring, as it just feels like the same blues music I've heard over my whole life.
I do like some blues, whether its the really old Robert Johnson type stuff or the more "experimental" Jon Spencer Blues Explosion type stuff.
However, Muddy Waters is the exact brand I just don't appreciate.
Talking Heads
4/5
I have always liked a few songs by the Talking Heads, but there were also silly things about them that made it so I couldn't get into them.
However, I've always wanted to go through their discography, and listening to this album finally has convinced me to do so.
I really like this album. The songs are playful, but they are definitely artistic and full of purpose.
I still imagine that once I get more into their 80's output, I will lose some of my appreciation, but I definitely will revisit this album.
The National
4/5
As a fan of The National, I don't believe "High Violet" to be their best album.
My favorite National album is "Trouble Will Find Me," but then "High Violet" and "I Am Easy to Find" are probably tied for second.
Musically, though, I believe "Sleep Well Beast" to be their most interesting album that I also return to.
The National have mostly become a caricature of themselves, at this point, with their 2023 releases.
However, I still appreciate Berninger's lyrics, and "Bloodbuzz Ohio" is one of their songs that affected me the most, as I'm also from Ohio.
I still have a distinct memory of driving to Ohio with my little toddlers in their carseats, playing "Bloodbuzz Ohio," and getting teary eyed about the thoughts of how I return to the state and the place my family has been for several generations, "but Ohio don't remember me."
Sinead O'Connor
3/5
I really love Sinead O'Connor, and I recently went through her entire discography, even purchasing a few CD's for albums that aren't streaming.
I find "I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got" to be one of her most dated-sounding albums and one that I don't feel holds up like others in her discography.
There are great songs, but I don't feel she had really found what she actually did want to make, yet (wink wink).
To me, it's not until "Faith and Courage" that I really find her music incredibly powerful. "Sean-Nos Nua" is my favorite, and I also really love "Throw Down Your Arms" and "Theology."
I also think I've almost listened to Prince's version of "Nothing Compares 2 U" more, at this point, and prefer that version (yes, I know he wrote it).
Public Enemy
4/5
It is amazing to me how well this album holds up for being hip-hop from 1988, but it shows how ahead of their time they were.
My only gripe with the album is that it feels like a compilation. I think it is too long and doesn't feel like the albums fit together well. However, that is also not surprising for the time it was released.
Overall, it's still a really great album and such great songs. "Prophets of Rage" is still so powerful and better than most hip-hop today...and also as good as anything from the "golden age of hip-hop."
The White Stripes
2/5
I have never liked The White Stripes. From the very first time I heard them, when their first popular single made it to the radio or MTV, it was exactly the wrong thing for me.
There are some songs on this album I kind of like, such as "I'm Finding It Harder to Be a Gentleman," and "Expecting" rocks much more than I was expecting to hear.
However, in general, the super stripped down approach is not appealing to me, especially when it leads to lyrics like in "Little Room" or triteness such as "I Fell in Love with a Girl," which feels like a throwaway song, to me.
I do like some other bands that may seem related in a "Garage Rock" genre, such as The Hives, but their punk inspirations, more clever lyrics, and more complex instrumentation and parts make them much more.
Kanye West
3/5
This album is mostly "pleasant" and fine (except some of the skits, but a lot of Outkast's skits are bad, too).
The style, though, is what I don't like. The P. Diddy, Jay-Z glitzy/flashy rap stuff
However, it was fine to listen to. Honestly, not even one song really grabbed me in a way where I care to return to it. However, it was nowhere near the pain I was in listening to Eminem
I tried really hard to not think about how much of an idiot he is and picture him more "hungry."
Lauryn Hill
3/5
I have never been a big Fugees fan, and I never really personally liked Lauryn Hill's music due to the R&B elements, which is a genre I generally do not like. As with all genre's, there are exceptions, but this album is not one of them.
I honestly can see how it is a 4 to a lot of people and a 5 to some, especially for the time, with the blend of R&B and hip-hop in a classic but still modern way. It is definitely respectable compared to a lot of the other stuff coming out at the time.
However, looking at other albums that came out in 1998 in the hip-hop genre, I was busy listening to Hieroglyphics, Outkast, Goodie Mob, Jurassic 5, Black Star, and Beastie Boys.
Tom Waits
2/5
I can understand how Tom Waits style, particularly with this album, at the time it was released, would be something extraordinary.
Unfortunately, I only liked one song on the album, "Downtown Train."
Otherwise, it was a chore to listen through due to the style of the music that sounded more like a soundtrack for a film about Carny Music.
I have no doubts about Tom Waits skill as a lyricist and songwriter, but I would rather listen to something more stripped down or more of a rock tilt.
Buzzcocks
4/5
I really liked this album. I've never heard it before and probably only heard a few songs by the Buzzcocks, in general.
This album reminds me of The Kinks but with a punk mindset.
I definitely am intrigued to listen to more (early) Buzzcocks.
Also, this is so much better than The Sex Pistols...
ZZ Top
3/5
I liked this album much better than "Tres Hombres," which is also on this list.
"Eliminator" grooves more steadily and is pleasant to listen to.
Some of the songs like "Legs" and "TV Dinners" are embarrassing, but I really dug the first 4-5 songs.
I don't know if I'd want to listen to this entire album again, but I could take half the songs out and put them on a comp, or, at least, it makes me want to maybe try another ZZ Top album...
Santana
3/5
I am not a fan of latin-infused music, and I also don't really like guitar solos as a primary feature of music. Therefore, this album and Santana have never been for me.
However, there is a lot of great groove in the album, and the musicality and composition is so much better than something from a Steve Vai or Joe Satriani or any number of other flashy guitar solo focused artists.
Bill Evans Trio
3/5
The performances on this album are great. The bass player is outstanding, and the standout was the solo on "Solar."
However, this type of jazz borders on "elevator music," for me, and I don't find anything about the specific compositions to stand out and bring me back.
Part of it may be the piano-focus, which is not as appealing to me as saxophone or even more bass or drum emphasis.
However, I would revisit this album in the future while cooking or cleaning around the house.
Deee-Lite
3/5
This album surprised me in many ways.
I was expecting something extremely cheesy and "90's dance pop" sounding, but there are a lot of tracks that really stand up, even now.
Overall, I think the album is less cheesy than even the first Prodigy or Moby albums.
However, the first half was much stronger than the second, and I didn't enjoy the album, overall, factoring in the second half that left me feeling more bored and disinterested, by the end.
I am intrigued to listen to some solo Towa Tei albums, though, as he is still putting out music as recently as last year.
For me, personally, I'd probably give this album 2 stars, but as with many albums on this list, I can see the impact and the reason a lot of other people might like it, and I think that deserves 3 stars.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
4/5
I still personally only like one album by Elvis Costello, which is the one he did with Burt Bacharach.
Otherwise, I don't really care for his voice, and that prohibits me from appreciating other albums.
However, his songwriting skills, and the arrangement and composition of the songs is so impressive. There is so much going on at almost any given moment, that I do believe Costello deserves all the praise he gets.
I'd probably give this album 3 stars for me, but I bumped it up to 4 due to the fact that I can't deny the art, even if its not to my personal taste.
Carole King
5/5
I have to give this album 5 stars, simply due to how many amazing songs are on it. It's hard to believe so many would be on one album.
"Tapestry" is also just a folk classic, and even though I may not regularly listen to it, the effects of it are in so much music I listen to.
MGMT
5/5
I think "Oracular Spectacular" is a modern classic, and it's amazing it came from two young Connecticut boys on their first album...and that they haven't been able to create anything equally amazing.
I wouldn't necessarily want them to do the same thing, but it's obvious they've had to run from the initial fame and success, and I just hope they can eventually circle around to something else that is as good.
This album, though, is catchy, but it has some deep meanings hidden inside. The arrangements can be rather complex while letting the main melodies sit on top.
They obviously had a great producer, but the bones of the songs are, themselves, so solid.
Happy Mondays
3/5
I listened through all of the Happy Mondays discography just earlier this year.
I mostly found it disappointing, because I think their albums are just a "time and place" thing that really doesn't hold up today.
"Bummed" is fine, and it is fine to put on in the background.
However, any significance I feel lies in how it fits in historically and the impact it had on bands that did much better things that do still hold up.
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
2/5
I haven't listened to a lot of ELP, but I have always respected them.
I have a fair amount of respect and personal liking of the progressive rock genre. However, I felt this Live album was not a great display of that genre, this many years on...especially compared with early works of Genesis, Yes, Rush, and others.
I didn't dislike this live album, but I can't imagine wanting to listen to it, again, as it just didn't feel like it had a lot of substance and just passed without me noticing much change throughout at least 30 minutes of it.
Radiohead
5/5
"The Bends" is still one of my favorite albums by Radiohead. I think it is perfect post-grunge, alternative rock, and it has great avant-garde elements. It is even more impressive that it is one of its kind, among their own discography, especially.
I'd probably give the album a 4.5, but I can't round down to 4, because I still sometimes think this may still be my favorite Radiohead album, if I had to only pick one...
Willie Nelson
4/5
I've never heard this album before, and I was surprised by the starkness, similar to Springsteen's "Nebraska."
I can also see a direct line from this album to Colter Wall, who I really love.
I actually wish this album was a bit longer, but I will be listening to it again.
Dire Straits
3/5
The guitar work is very impressive, and there are some great melodies, and what just sounds like effortless songwriting.
However, I'm not a fan of the blues sound that is continuous throughout, which means I doubt I'll ever want to listen to this album, again.
Still, as with many albums on this list, I understand the impact, and "Sultans of Swing" will always remind me of my dad.
Miles Davis
5/5
I, historically, was not a fan of Jazz...until I found more of the experimental, avant-garde stuff... Also, I have not typically liked brass instruments as solo instruments, but this album mixes the trumpet so well, it isn't as brash and grating as I usually find brass.
It's hard for me to not give this album 5 stars. I think it is too long, and I would prefer saxophone over trumpet...
However, the compositions and the music is just so intriguing and amazing to listen to. I'm definitely a convert!
Brian Eno
5/5
I am a very big Eno fan, from his work with Roxy Music to his latest ambient albums.
Another Green World is a transitionary album, but it doesn't miss on either side of the fence, between more standard rock song structures to film score-esque interludes.
Lucinda Williams
4/5
I've liked this Lucinda Williams album since it came out. I was getting really into alt. country like Uncle Tupelo, Son Volt, Old 97's, and others at the time "Car Wheels On a Gravel Road" came out, and it fit right into all of those.
It also felt like a re-invention for Williams.
Norah Jones
2/5
Of course, Norah Jones has a lot of talent. She can play piano. She can sing. She writes her own songs...
However, this type of coffee shop music is exactly the type of music I can't stand to listen to, so I just can't rate it highly.
Aretha Franklin
4/5
Aretha is obviously a classic, and even as someone who doesn't care for R&B, I can't deny her genuine, authentic talent, and the songs are just all so solid.
I personally prefer Carole King's version of (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman. However, Franklin's version is also great.
I'm not sure I'll go back to listen to this album again anytime soon, but it is deserving of all the praise.
Cornershop
4/5
I really love this album and have since it came out. It is a classic brit pop album with Indian influence, and it is very groovy and catchy.
It was and is not some incredibly revolutionary sound that would drive others to mimic it, but it is just a great combination of all the things they were trying to do.
And, of course, the real secret sauce, to those that know, was Dan the Automator, who was producing amazing albums left and right at that time.
Big Star
5/5
This album is a Rock'n'roll classic. Every song just bleeds heart and groove and energy.
There isn't a lot more to say, because it should be heard and studied by anyone that likes rock music and is nearly perfect.
I think there are a couple flubs in the flow of the album, but it doesn't take away from an overall 5 star score.
Bruce Springsteen
4/5
The only Bruce Springsteen I really like is his slower, more somber stuff like "Nebraska."
However, I highly respect him, his playing, and his songwriting.
I just find that nothing really stands out to me on his more rock albums. Everything just bleeds together.
I don't feel it has the catchy hooks of a Petty or the hard-hitting lyrics of a Mellencamp.
I'd probably give this album a 3.5 based on a combination of my respect for Springsteen and my actual preferences.
Supertramp
5/5
I discovered this album just in the last few years when looking for hi-res albums to listen to on my new headphones.
Since then, I've fallen in love with it. To me, it is a nearly perfect prog rock album.
It is highly listenable, catchy, but it has a lot of depth and beautiful playing.
Various Artists
5/5
I was surprised to learn I had heard almost every one of these songs almost every year, and I love these versions, but I never listened to this full album.
What a classic sound, beautiful arrangements, and perfect execution.
This will be in rotation every Christmas going forward!
Sepultura
4/5
I never listened to Sepultura until a year or so ago when my friend recommended them to me. I'd like to go through their entire discography, but I've only istened to 3 or so albums, so far.
This is the second time I've listened to Roots, and I do really like it.
My main complaint is that it feels too long. An hour and twelve minute album can feel epic and intentional, but this album feels like they just wrote too many songs and put them all on one record, instead of releasing b-sides or maybe doing a double-disc or saving some for another album.
I'd actually be very interested in trying to cut out a few tracks to make a lean 45-50 minute album...or see if fans have already proposed leaner cuts.
I think that, if Sepultura would have cut 20-25 minutes of the album, I would give it 5 stars.
Beck
4/5
Back when "Guero" came out, I was a little over Beck and felt Guero was re-treading old ground, an "Odelay Part 2."
However, I went through his entire discography earlier this year, and I found that I liked Guero much more than I remembered, and, this many years away from it, it does feel like a look back at a different time in alternative radio rock music, music that really doesn't get made, now, not with the same bold audacity and confidence that an artist can be well-paid, well-known, and make something that pushes a little outside of the boundaries of what else is on the top of the charts.
Overall, I do not think it is a perfect album, and I still like "Midnite Vultures" more, but I'd put "Guero" right under "Odelay" in a ranking of his discography:
1.) Midnite Vultures
2.) Modern Guilt
3.) Mutations
4.) Odelay
5.) Guero
6.) The Information
7.) Morning Phase
8.) Sea Change
9.) Hyperspace
10.) Old crap & Colors
Björk
4/5
The Black Keys
2/5
The Black Keys are what they are. They write blues pop songs. I just don't like blues, and I don't like the radio-jingle style of writing they do.
So, I can't give this one stars, as they play well, and there is obviously talent and skill in the songs they write.
However, it is very much not for me, and this album, if anything, is the epitome of what they are to me, for better (for other people) and worse (for me).
Otis Redding
4/5
I honestly can't imagine myself listening to this album much, if any, as I am not into much R&B or Soul music.
However, there is no denying the number of influential songs on this album, and it is the real, classic music that actually has soul, instead of the way a lot of R&B music just became genre music - which is fine, if you like the genre, but this Redding album really does transcend just a genre and, if anything, helped defined a genre.
I'm also amazed at how they recorded this album in under 24 hours, which just goes to show how these artists could really play and had all their stuff together to just give a performance, instead of writing in the studio or just trying to piece things together and hope for something good.
I'd probably give this 3 stars for me, personally, but I am bumping it up to 4, because I do think it has the influence to the larger music world. It just happens to not be my cup of tea.
Cyndi Lauper
3/5
"She's so Unusual" feels a bit out of place, for me, on this list, as the album, as a whole doesn't feel entirely essential or substantial upon listening.
However, it is impressive it was her first solo album with "Girls Just Wanna" and "Time After Time," as those songs are still played regularly today and obviously had a large impact on the pop music charts at the time.
The album very much is a time capsule, and that is notable, but I can't imagine myself wanting to listen to the entire album again.
Neil Young
3/5
As someone that likes Neil Young, I just find this album okay to good, not great.
There aren't really any standout songs to me, and I question it being on t his list.
However, I do generally like the album and would listen to it again.
I also find the subject matter and the message Young was trying to convey compelling and interesting, especially for that time in music/musician culture.
Def Leppard
4/5
I was very surprised at how much I liked "Hysteria."
I was expecting something more "80's Metal" like Motley Crue, but I now feel like Def Leppard is more "80's Rock" like Journey or Foreigner.
The melodies are much smoother, and the production is very high.
If I could remove "Pour Some Sugar On Me," I think it would elevate the album even more, as that song feels so cheesy and lame compared to the other songs on the album.
However, I could see myself listening to this album again and more of their music, now that I know their non-singles are better than some of their singles like "Pour Some Sugar On Me."
Ray Charles
4/5
I'm not sure how often I may go back to this album, due to the length and that I'm not so into R&B. However, there were some great tracks on this double-disc that I was really into.
I believe it was "It Makes No Difference Now" that really surprised me.
I'm also not a big fan of Charles's voice, but I do have a lot of respect for what he did with this album, both musically and culturally, doing all these covers of white country singer's songs that would get a new audience interested in a black singer's music in 1962.
Fatboy Slim
5/5
I have always loved this album. It feels epic and remains fresh due to no one else really ever being able to copy Fatboy Slim's sound fully.
I do wish I could remove "Illin in Heaven," as it is just silly, and "Praise You," while a great song, never felt like it belonged in the flow of the album, to me.
Overall, though, I do revisit this album every year or so and have since it was released.
Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan
2/5
I respect the culture and tradition that this album represents, but, for me, it has very little value.
It obviously has no lyrics for me to connect to. It wasn't written to have hooks or to be "progressive" musically or challenging artistically.
The album is a reflection of a culture and spiritual tradition and utility, which I don't share or connect to.
Emmylou Harris
3/5
I really love Emmylou Harris, generally, but I feel like this album lacks a solid impact for me, at this point.
There are some great songs, but many of them feel dated and not as relevant. I feel her later work holds up better, personally.
Again, as an artist, she is a legend, and I'm happy to have listened to this album, but I'm not sure this is the album I'd go back to for her.
Sufjan Stevens
5/5
Illinois is not my favorite Sufjan album. Out of the two state albums, I prefer Michigan, which also isn't my favorite album overall of his.
However, Illinois has so much breadth and depth does showcase his abilities to write meaningful, affecting lyrics and complex compositions.
Marvin Gaye
5/5
I've heard the song, "Let's Get It On," but without the context of the whole album, the classic R&B just doesn't appeal to me.
However, listening to the entire album, it really is amazing, flows so well, is performed perfectly, and obviously has had such a huge impact.
For me, I'd probably put it at 4 stars, but I have to give it 5 stars for the impact and influence.
Kendrick Lamar
3/5
I want to like this album, and there are a couple songs I do like. I genuinely think "Swimming Pools" is an excellent song, and "Real" is very good, as well.
However, most of the album didn't appeal to me, and "Backseat Freestyle" sounds like a joke song to me.
I can recognize the flow Lamar has and some of his lyrics on the album are good, but I'm guessing this album doesn't truly reveal the content that won him the Pulitzer.
I'd probably give this 2 stars based on my own enjoyment, but I can see the potential in his flow and music and also recognize how much he has meant to so many other people.
Slayer
5/5
I feel I have to rate this album 5 stars. It is so monumental and has had such impact on metal and metalcore music.
Personally, I'd probably give it 4 stars, just for my own enjoyment in 2024, as well as how often I'd ever return to it, but the extra star is definitely earned, as the album does still hold up in many ways, especially in how easily you can hear the impact on heavy music even today.
Julian Cope
3/5
Unfortunately, while I can respect where Julian Cope is trying to go with his avant garde music, most of this album falls flat for me. It also feels very disjointed, and while there is 75 minutes of it, I don't think most of it is very memorable.
There are some good songs on the album, and I think the last song may be the best, but I feel he needed to cut out a lot of it to just keep the best songs and give it a better flow.
I listened to the three Teardrop Explodes albums last year, and I liked those better, though I didn't know, at the time, that Julian Cope went on to have such a long solo career.
Nirvana
5/5
I return to this MTV Unplugged album at least once a year, even though I rarely ever listen to any studio albums by Nirvana any longer.
The grit and rough vocals, the sparseness of the instrumentation, and the somber mood fits in with so much of my listening habits, that it has just become a staple.
I think we could imagine an Unplugged where all the albums where Nirvana's, and it was a real "Greatest Hits" or "Best Of," but the covers on this album are part of the "secret sauce" that I believe always elevated it, as it essentially creates content you can't get on their albums. In other words, this album is not just an "acoustic versions of songs you'd rather listen to the originals of."
Steely Dan
5/5
An absolute classic.
I always forget this album is only about 40 minutes, because it is so epic and monumental.
However, the length just goes to show how lean and strong it is all the way through.
Bruce Springsteen
3/5
"Born to Run" feels like a midway point between his more somber material like "Nebraska" and the more upbeat hits he made his living from.
And in the same way, it is right in the middle, rating-wise, as I could see myself listening to this album again, but I'm almost always going to go back to "Nebraska" instead.
Production-wise, I really do think this album sounds really great. I would prefer the vocals be pulled back a little, but, otherwise, it sounds so real, raw, but also clean.
Pretenders
5/5
This album is a classic in New Wave and Post-Punk, for sure.
I really like it, but it's not an album I go back to very often.
I'd probably give it 4.25 or 4.5 stars, for me, personally, but I have to give it 5 stars based on the influence and impact on top of just being great music.
Thin Lizzy
5/5
I'm amazed at the production quality and sound of this live album. It does sound live, but there is minimal to no crowd noise most of the time, the instruments don't sound blown out, and the vocals sounds great and don't ever fade out.
Therefore, this really does serve as kind of a "best of" with a lot of energy.
I haven't listened to enough Thin Lizzy, but this is a great starting point.
My instinct is to give it 4 stars, because it is live and not an actual album. Even though it is great, being a live "compilation" album makes it feel less impactful to me personally than a recorded album.
However, just taking it for what it is in the context of a list of albums someone should just check out, I can see how someone could say, "This is the best Thin Lizzy experience to get a good grasp of what they were."
Malcolm McLaren
5/5
I really love this album. It is a bit quirky for something to recommend to everyone to listen to, but the first track is really sublime and feels timeless. If you would have played that first track and said it was a new song by Damon Albarn, I would have believed it!
The rest of the album is very early hip-hop, compiled seamlessly like the DJ's that wouldn't really show up for years later.
The album, as a whole, really does feel like a lost link or precursor to so many other hip-hop and DJ acts that I've loved for two decades.
Beatles
5/5
The song, "A Hard Day's Night" has become one of my favorite Beatles songs.
I went from not liking the Beatles when I was younger to truly admiring them, now, and I think this album is a perfect example of what they did for Brit Pop and Rock, in general, especially for the time.
I still prefer early Zombies, but I can't deny the genius of the Beatles.
Massive Attack
5/5
My favorite Massive Attack album is "Mezzanine," which is essentially a perfect album to me.
However, "Blue Lines" is still 5 stars. It is beautiful, haunting, smooth, and heavy.
The Sonics
3/5
I'm sure this album had some impact at the time in music, but it's hard to hear it, at this point.
It took me a long time to appreciate The Beatles, but once I did, I understood the genius in their well-polished hooks and complexities under the surfance.
And I still prefer early The Zombies work to all of that music at the time.
The Sonics just feels like something along the way that, at least with this album, just produced white person rock versions of other people's songs. It's got value, but I can't give it too much credit based on what I hear.
Kraftwerk
5/5
I haven't listened to much Kraftwerk before, but they are always mentioned by every electronic musician I read interviews or autobiographies of. Therefore, I've always been interested in listening to Kraftwerk for myself.
"Autobahn" was a very relaxing and fun listen for me. The title and longest track is an epic, in its own almost ambient way. The rest of the songs fit right in, and I found myself wanting to relisten to the album after it was done.
For the time of release, I also can see the huge influence it had on artists I admire like Eno and, of course, all those other electronic musicians.
The White Stripes
2/5
I just don't like The White Stripes or what they do. I can appreciate some "garage rock" for the energy and a lot of rhythm guitar riffs, but the simplified bluesy take of The White Stripes doesn't do anything for me.
John Lennon
4/5
I was very surprised to like this album.
I was not a Beatles fan for a long time, and I really was not a Lennon solo fan even after I learned to appreciate and even like The Beatles.
However, this album is much more interesting than "Imagine" ever was to me, in its production and compositions.
It is more "rock" than folk in a lot of ways, and I was interested the entire way through. I would definitely listen to it again.
Radiohead
5/5
I have loved this album since the day it came out, and it's still one of my favorites, especially combined with Amnesiac.
I don't like every album Radiohead has put out. As of the time of me writing this, I haven't liked their last two albums, but I do love both The Smile albums. So, Thom Yorke and Johnny Greenwood can definitely make music that hits me in all the right places.
Kid A didn't start my love of Radiohead. I heard Creep at the time, liked The Bends singles, but it was when OK Computer came out that I really connected with them and included them in my regular listening.
Kid A was never quite as revolutionary to me as other people, as I instantly connected it to sounds like Aphex Twin and Tortoise, but Radiohead obviously took those sounds and made it their own and have kept with that line since then.
The Stooges
5/5
Any single Stooges album can feel lacking compared to a good compilation, until the listener really thinks about how revolutionary their sound and approach was, at the time.
"TV Eye," along is one of the greatest songs written, in my opinion, especially in the genre of "rock."
The energy, the wild freedom, the disregard for safety or caution are all qualities I think that American Rock brought to the world, and The Stooges are its most pure form and creators.
Carpenters
4/5
This is another album that I'd probably give 3 stars for my own personal enjoyment, but I have so much respect for the talent and skill and songwriting that I have to give it 4 stars.
While The Carpenters still aren't likely going to be something I pick to listen to, they are very pleasant when I do hear them, and I can hear the brilliance in their songwriting.
Listening to them yesterday morning was a nice way to start a morning, and there are several songs like "We've Only Just Begun" that I genuinely really like.
Gang Starr
4/5
After listening to "Step in the Arena," I looked up other hip-hop albums released in 1991, and I'm amazed at what all was coming out in the genre at that time. It really was so transformative with things that still hold up today.
My biggest issue with "Step in the Arena" is the same as many other hip-hop albums at the time, which is that they felt like a compilation of songs, rather than having a flow through the album.
However, the individual tracks are so strong, and both the music and the lyrics still stand up to today's standards in most ways. Styles may have changed, but I can still trace any hip-hop I like back to groups like Gang Starr.
Fela Kuti
4/5
I had a lot of fun with this (live) album. This is a perfect example of something that I will likely put on in my house while cooking or cleaning, and I may even explore some related albums. However, it is unlikely to turn into a genre I listen to reguarly.
The recording is so well done, the instruments sound great, and the energy can be felt even this far away from when it was performed.
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
4/5
There are a couple really great songs here, including the first one ("My My Hey Hey").
However, much of the album feels rather forgettable to me - not unpleasant, just doesn't feel there is a lot to hold onto.
I had to read about the impact of the album to really understand what it did for rock and grunge music, especially.
That being said, that impact is so large, and while I may give this album 3 stars, I do feel that 4 stars is deserved based on the impact at the time to so many other bands I appreciate to this day.
The Sugarcubes
4/5
I've heard some Sugarcubes songs before and gone through the entire Bjork discography, but I've never listened to a full Sugarcubes album.
To me, at this point in time, "Life's Too Good" sounds like an Icelandic B52's - a quirky new wave outfit.
I like the album, though it is not one I'm going to go back to regularly.
There is a lot of great music behind the vocals which obviously take center stage.
LCD Soundsystem
2/5
I've never been a fan of LCD Soundsystem. I tried to watch the documentary years ago but got too bored, and, unfortunately, that's how I find this album. The music just goes one "speed" and the vocals feel bland.
I wish I could understand what so many other people hear, but it isn't for me.
Stereo MC's
2/5
I thought the first two songs were pretty good on this album, and a couple towards the end, but the middle was mostly what I expected - dance tracks that feel like they are from the 90's.
The best parts of this album made me think of early Massive Attack or The Prodigy, but I'd definitely go to one of those bands before ever listening to the Stereo MC's, again.
On a positive note, the album was still better than I expected, as I was expecting something more in the style of "Pump Up the Jam."
The Who
5/5
This may be my favorite, or at least one of my favorite albums by The Who, because it gets away from some of the silliness that is some of their other stuff like Tommy, and I really don't think "Who's Next" has a bad song on it.
It is straight-forward rock that I find enjoyable to listen to. There is a reason it sounds "just" like Classic Rock, at this point, because it is one of the things that set the standard.
Prince
5/5
A classic album with no bad songs that revolutionized American pop (rock) music.
The remaster changes the sounds of some of the songs. "Darling Nikki" sounds less heavy and hits less hard, but it is much more intricate with the new mixing/mastering.
The Cardigans
3/5
The Cardigans are one of my favorite bands, but "First Band on the Moon" is one of two albums of theirs I never listen to.
Their last two albums are two of my favorite albums of all time, both 5 out of 5's, and Gran Turismo is a 4.5 or 5 from me, as well. Life is an easy 4 out of 5 and represents what I think is their best straight pop album.
However, while "First Band on the Moon" has some good songs and good moments. Overall, it feels less substantial and like their "radio album" in the same way Nada Surf's or Radiohead's first albums feel that way. Even though "First Band" is not The Cardigans first album, it feels like a shift for them...before they realized they'd rather make darker and more mature material.
Aerosmith
2/5
I have never been and am still not a fan of Aerosmith after listening through this album.
I can respect some of the musicianship, but the actual music and content and vocals are not for me.
The xx
2/5
Honestly, the only reason I'm giving this album 2 stars instead of 1 is because it is very non-offensive and is fine to just play in the background.
However, I feel it is extremely lifeless and has no edge or anything interesting to capture my attention.
I can't imagine why it is on this list when there are dozens or even hundreds of post-hardcore or post-punk albums that are brilliant and are guaranteed to not be on the list.
Elvis Presley
5/5
This is just a classic album. It's still fun to listen to, and even though I won't put this on normally, any time I do listen to it, I"m going to realize the huge impact and the fact that it is still very much listenable today, unlike some other things from the time.
The Smiths
5/5
An absolute classic and brilliance from the drums to the bass to guitars and vocals.
Even though "Strangeways, Here We Come" is my favorite Smiths album, "The Queen is Dead" is arguably more listenable for most people and repeated listening.
I could listen to this album every month and not get bored with it.
I absolutely love it.
Morrissey
3/5
I'm a huge fan of The Smiths, and I like all of Morrissey's solo albums since "You are the Quarry," but I have never really loved his solo work from the late 80's and 90's.
The rockabilly and heavier guitar work in most of these songs just overpower his vocals, in my opinion, and don't gel the way the work from Marr or his solo work does.
There are some good songs on this album, though. "Tomorrow" may be my favorite, but there are others that are great, as well. I just will go to many other Morrissey albums before ever going back to this one.
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
1/5
I like a lot of Prog Rock, even from this era, but I can't understand ELP, at least not this album or this time in their career.
Nothing about this album was memorable, and I don't understand the influence this album would have, as there is just so much better stuff from that time and a few years later.
Joan Armatrading
4/5
I really liked this album. There were only two songs I didn't really care for ("Water with the Wine" and "Tall in the Saddle"), but the rest reminded me of other folk from that time like a Joan Mitchell or others that I like.
The production and mastering also sounds great, making this a very great surprise for me - something I didn't know about before and will return to again.
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
4/5
There are some very strong classics on this album. I didn't even realize "Our House" was on here, until I listened through it.
The variety of the folk voices among the four songwriters is very impressive, and the songs are pretty much as strong as they could be for that time and style of music.
Deep Purple
3/5
It's solid classic rock, and while I don't like very bluesy rock, this toes the line, only slightly more than a Black Sabbath.
Overall, I am surprised and impressed at how much I did like it, but it won't be a new part of my regular rotation or anything.
"Space Truckin'" was likely my favorite track, as it sounds very proto-stoner rock.
Aerosmith
2/5
In some ways, I do like some of the riffs and even some vocal melodies and lines on this album.
However, then there are times when it starts to sound like the Aerosmith they were going to become, which I cannot take.
So, all-in-all, this album is okay. I'd call it listenable, but I did not like it, as a whole, and wouldn't want to go back to it.
Pet Shop Boys
4/5
Pet Shop Boys are a group where I prefer a Greatest Hits to any single album, but "Very" is a good one all the way through.
I thoroughly enjoyed the listen even though it didn't really have much of what I consider their best songs.
Overall, though, I think it is a great representation of their overall sound, especially during the 80's.
The Vines
2/5
I remember when this album came out. I liked the unhinged nature of "Get Free," especially when it was performed live, but I felt the rest of the album was incredibly underwhelming.
At this point, I feel the first 5 songs on the album plus "Get Free" are pretty good, and they are better than I remember. But from track 7 to the end, I found the album boring and often they were trying to do odd genres that just didn't work well, especially when mashed together.
I could give this 3 stars because of how much I did like tracks 1 through 6, but that's less than half the album, and I still think they were so overrated, even at the time, and they don't belong on this list.
The Hives were and still are so much greater in every way, have stood the test of time, and probably still aren't on this list while The Vines apparently are...
Black Sabbath
5/5
A brilliant and beautiful album. The beginning of so much that I love and a true example of how Black Sabbath and other early pioneers of heavy music were very much making "real music" that matched what else was coming out at the time, both in quality of the musicianship and of the songwriting.
While they would continue down a path to establish their style with bigger "hits," this album feels so real and raw, as it was just coming from a very honest place as they wore their inspirations on their sleeve but did it all in their own way.
Queen
5/5
This album is even better than I remember, and I did remember it being great.
I got really into Queen as a teenager and then listened through all their albums quite a few years ago, but I didn't remember exactly how much I really love this album.
Queen is obviously known for their hits, of which there are many, but listening through their albums reveals their other tracks that were not just filler but really created complete albums, and "A Night at the Opera" is Queen's epic opus.
Fatboy Slim
5/5
I've always kind of liked "Better Living..." better than "You've Come a Long Way..." by Fatboy Slim.
It is more straightforward in what it is doing, electronic music-wise, but that makes it feel more consistent, even though the tracks were recorded at different times.
It doesn't feel quite as exciting this many years out, for me, but I still think it is really great and has a lot of really great tracks and is also still very much a view into that time when electronic music really started to take over, and we got so much in the following 5-6 years...
The Charlatans
4/5
I'm a Charlatans fan, and this is a very good album, though it is not my favorite by them. I actually like their 2001 album, "Wonderland" best, and like some of their other albums after that, a lot.
To me, I prefer albums from other Brit rock/pop bands from the 90's, and while The Charlatans fit and made good music through that time, it wasn't until the end of the 90's and early 2000's that I felt like they started standing out, to me.
However, "Tellin' Stories" is strong all the way through, and I didn't feel there was one bad song on it.
Tortoise
4/5
I have always been a big fan of this album and "TNT."
Tortoise were an even bigger inspiration than I think a lot of people gave them credit for.
When Radiohead put out "Kid A," my coworkers and I instantly were like, "Oh, it's Tortoise plus Aphex Twin with Radiohead's Brit rock mixed in."
Just solid songs, playing, and great production for the time and how small that scene was, especially at the time.
Solomon Burke
4/5
I don't like a lot of soul music, but this was a great listen. The pace and tempo of the songs really live up to the "Rock" in the album title, and his voice is equal parts smooth and enough grit to be interesting.
I'd definitely listen to this again.
Nick Drake
5/5
All of Nick Drake's albums only really suffer from one thing, being too short...
However, otherwise, the brilliance of his songwriting, and how far ahead of his time that he was makes him a tragic genius.
I believe his impact on modern music is still unfolding, as you can even hear how modern indie guitar has some roots in what must have seemed so unusual at the timto anyone listening to Drake.
What a loss for humanity and music Drake's death was.
Ramblin' Jack Elliott
3/5
There are some songs I liked to some extent, but the performance and presentation makes them feel more like a bar performance than listening to something being recorded for more active listening.
I am happy recordings like this exist, so that these old folk and field songs are not lost to the ages, but it doesn't make it great listening today.
I feel these songs are something historical that you'd listening to in a museum context more than modern songwriting made for the type of listening or artistic expression we are used to today.
The Lemonheads
3/5
This album is fine. There are some songs that are every very good, but, as a whole, it doesn't rise above "average" to me, and even though I know Evan Dando is a great songwriter, I don't think this album is consistent enough at a high enough quality - and I'm personally not aware of some larger impact this album had beyond what many other albums at the time had.
De La Soul
5/5
I didn't remember how many amazing samples were on this album, including Hall & Oates and Steely Dan.
The flows are amazing, and while the skits are pretty bad, especially at this point, the songs are strong from beginning to end, and it is an absolute classic that set a precedent only a couple years after rappers were speaking half the speed and with 10% of the variety and poetry and content.
Linkin Park
1/5
I just have never understood the appeal of Linkin Park. They have little to no dynamics, no real original sound, and nothing that appeals to me other than maybe that "Cure for the Itch" is budget DJ Shadow...
To me, Linkin Park embodies what was very wrong about modern rock music or "nu-metal" at that time.
Ramones
5/5
Absolute classic and genre-setting album that still holds up today.
These songs are still being put in films, especially indie films about young rebellion, and that speaks to the "universal truths" in the songs and the album.
Missy Elliott
3/5
This album was better than I thought it was going to be, based on my memories of the singles and the fact that I really didn't like this style of hip-hop and R&B at the time.
However, I think it stands up pretty well, especially the first half.
The second half of the album started getting too silly and off-the-rails for me with some of the music samples sounding like someone making random mouth noises or choruses/hooks that relied too much on "the preposterous."
I can definitely understand why other people would really be into this album, though.
Eagles
2/5
This isn't my least favorite Eagles album, but I still don't like the Eagles.
I like the brevity, and there is some more rocking on this album than the boring schlock they turned into.
I still wouldn't choose to listen to it, though.
fIREHOSE
2/5
I thought this would be something I was really into, but I didn't connect with the music, and I found the vocals more annoying than exciting or interesting.
Watt's bass playing and tone is great, but that's really the only thing I liked about it.
Prince
5/5
This album is even greater than I remember it.
I have listened to a lot of Prince, including this album and Purple Rain, but I mostly go back to Hits I & II if I'm going to just get a little hit of Prince.
However, it must have been longer than I thought it had been since I listened to "1999" all the way through, because I was very impressed by all the quirks and the flow of the songs and the length of many of them that went far beyond just his normal pop hooks.
I definitely am going to be listening to this one again soon.
Bob Dylan
4/5
I understand the brilliance and impact of Dylan, and this album is more rocking and grooving than a lot of his stuff, but it is definitely too long, and it would be better with a different singer, in my opinion.
I think his voice got a bit better a bit later in his career, but I don't really love it during this time.
Therefore, the only time I'm likely to go back to this album is for "academic" purposes.
I have to give it 4 stars, though, due to the songwriting ability and the consistency of the songs that would make it an easy 5 stars, if I liked the singing better (and it was a bit shorter).
Curtis Mayfield
3/5
There are some very classic songs on this album, of course, but I am not a fan of Mayfield's voice.
I also personally think the live nature of the album hurts it, as I obviously can hear the energy, but I don't particularly like the sound, the intros and outros, and all the banter and crowd noise.
Sam Cooke
3/5
The biggest knock I have about this album is just the fact that it is a live recording. Yes, there is energy to it, but the crowd noise really hurts it for me.
This is also not the type of music I'm really going to put on myself, but there are so many classic songs, and they really do hold up as just great songwriting.
I'd probably give it 4 if the recording quality was better, but I feel I have to put it at 3 just because of the recording quality.
Yes
4/5
I was surprised I liked this album so much, as I have heard Yes before, and I always felt they got a little too silly with their proggy-ness, similar to ELP.
However, I thought this album had a lot of good pop-type hooks, and the music was fun and interesting.
I will definitely listen to this album again, and it makes me want to listen to more Yes to see if the stuff I heard before was maybe just a certain era of their career (perhaps with different personnel).
Queen
4/5
"Sheer Heart Attack" was my favorite Queen album when I was younger. However, it doesn't hold up as well for me, now. I think "A Night at the Opera," which came up a week or so ago, holds up better with it having more complexities.
I think I liked "Sheer Heart Attack" more before due to its more straight-forward rock with some glam.
"Killer Queen" is still arguably my favorite Queen song, so I still really like this album and what it does, but it is no longer my favorite, I'm afraid.
Ray Charles
4/5
I found this album enjoyable, but it's not really my kind of music, and I don't see myself going back to it.
However, there is no denying it is well written, well performed, and just generally good music.
4/5
I didn't like this album as much as the first Yes album, but it was still very good.
The first 3 minutes of the first song blew my mind, as it sounded very much like "math rock" and avant-garde indie noise rock from the 00's... decades ahead of its time.
After that, it was very much 70's prog, but this album and the first Yes album have definitely made me a fan whereas I had only heard random stuff before and never dug into their discography.
David Bowie
5/5
I have to give this album 5 stars, even though it isn't even in my Top 5 Bowie albums.
However, it has so many songs that are just timeless like "Changes," "Oh! You Pretty Things," "Andy Warhol," and some other really good songs.
However, this album is not as good as The Man Who Sold the World or The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust, to me.
Hanoi Rocks
2/5
This album was better than I expected, but that's not saying much. There were songs that were some solid 80's rock and roll, but too much of it seems forgettable, throwaway, and a relic of a time that contains a lot of music most people are happy to just forget.
The Rolling Stones
5/5
I can't not give this 5 stars. Even if I'm not the biggest Rolling Stones fan, there is no denying the monumental impact and influence this album had and still has, in certain ways, and the staying power of the songwriting.
My favorite track on the album is Gimme Shelter, but there are so many other really great songs, especially some of the ones that weren't hits.
Rush
5/5
I am not a Rush fanatic, but I'm definitely a fan, and 2112 is a masterpiece for them and such a huge part of rock and progressive rock history.
I don't feel there is a bad track or section on the album, and the way they were able to make the long epics while still making the album rock and grab a mainstream crowd is an achievement.
David Bowie
5/5
It's hard for me to pick a favorite David Bowie album, after "Blackstar," but "Aladdin Sane" is my favorite Bowie song.
This album, as most of his, has several hits and monumental songs, and it is a journey through several different moods and sounds.
It is definitely one of his best...of which there are many, in my opinion.
Super Furry Animals
5/5
I love this album and have loved it since it came out. I never got much into other Super Furry Animals albums, but this album is a brilliant mix of so many different sounds and styles of songs, and I think every single one is great. Many songs are just beautiful, many are funny, and many groove or rock with great riffs and hooks.
Mudhoney
4/5
I never got into Mudhoney back in the day, because they were too fast, and I grew up liking the slower pace of grunge and post-grunge.
However, I have gotten into a lot of other bands that were pre-grunge like The Melvins, and Mudhoney sits in a similar place there, for me.
I really enjoyed this album (I listened to the 1990 track listing).
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
4/5
For me, personally, I'd probably give this a 3.5, as far as my enjoyment and desire to listen to it, again.
However, I recognize the brilliance in the songwriting and composition, and I now understand why so many people love Nick Cave. Therefore, I bumped it up to a 4.
I thought the second disc was better than the first, moodier, a bit darker, but also more concise and distilled, in a good way.
I definitely want to check out more Cave, now!
Marty Robbins
4/5
Honestly, I almost want to give this a 5, just because it is so fun to listen to and has such classic songs. However, I can't quite feel it deserves that, for me, due to it being more a "flash in the pan."
However, it is a fun listen and something I could see myself putting on around the family when making dinner or cleaning up.
Brian Eno
5/5
I listen to this album and all of Eno's ambient music regularly. I really connect with the concept - of having some "music" in the background almost all the time, and I like to play these albums in my house when people are over for a casual atmosphere or when I'm cooking or cleaning sometimes.
Eno helped create an entire genre that is growing even more today due to the way it connects people to another mental state.
Deep Purple
3/5
I didn't like this album as much as "Machine Head," which we listened to previously, but this was a fun enough listen.
It mostly was just "70's rock," which is fun, but it wasn't anything revelatory or that memorable.
Manu Chao
4/5
At first, I just thought this was going to be a style of music I don't particularly like, as it is not my culture or something I ever grew up listening to.
However, when I heard "Bongo Bong," I was immediately amazed at how it sounded like a Gorillaz song...but 3 years before the first Gorillaz album.
The rest of the album had a lot of other surprises, and while it is not going to be a new favorite, I can see myself listening to it again, and I'm amazed at how it was ahead of its time.
Fiona Apple
3/5
I can recognize the talent Apple has, and I don't think this is a bad album, but it is very much not for me, and I mostly had to just tune out to make it through.
However, I applaud the part it played in brining strong female voices to music in the 90's and the part that played in feminism.
Creedence Clearwater Revival
3/5
I was very surprised a the production quality of this album and the remaster. It sounded great through my headphones in stereo.
However, I've never liked Creedance, mostly because of the vocals. I don't like the sound or delivery, so I find them very hard to listen to.
I also just don't typically like Southern Rock. So, I recognize the influence of this album and the talent and the songwriting, but it's not for me.
4/5
I was a huge fan of Muse from their second album, Origin of Symmetry, through Black Holes and Revelations. My friends and I had to import Origin of Symmetry, because it wasn't released in the US, at first.
After "Black Holes," I felt they started to just retread old ground and lost interest in what they were doing.
However, those first three albums AFTER their rebirth are still incredible. Great music, musicianship, and very powerful delivery and vocals.
The Yardbirds
4/5
I think this album is fine, even good, but I don't think it is as good as say The Kinks, so I can't see myself going back to this often. However, I recognize the musicianship and influence, and I do want to check out more Yardbirds, now that I've listened to one of their albums all the way through.
Happy Mondays
3/5
I understand why this is such an important album for the Brits, but to Americans, it falls flat more than soars.
It's a good album, but it's nothing earth shattering for us, and I don't think it rises above the stuff it inspired and brought about several years later with Brit-Pop and Brit-Rock of the mid to late 90's and early 00's.
Johnny Cash
3/5
I'd probably give this a 3.5, if I could.
I love Johnny Cash, but I don't feel this is the best showcase of him. It shows his personality and attitude, at least at a certain time in a certain environment.
However, I think there are many other albums of his I'd put before this one, including his recording at Folsom and the albums he did at the end of his life.
Dr. Dre
3/5
This is one of the albums that made me dislike West Coast Hip Hop for a long time. I just wasn't into the sound, the rapping style, or much of the content. Even though East Coast and Southern Hip Hop had a lot of similar content, it also mixed in other topics I found more appealing.
Listening to it, now, I do like it more, as I have, for a while, started to appreciate West Coast Rap more.
However, I still wouldn't choose to listen to this over many other Hip Hop/Rap albums.
Digital Underground
2/5
A lot of the samples and music are much better than I expected. I was surprised to hear the Hendrix sample.
However, I didn't really like anything else about it. It wasn't offensive in content or style, but it also wasn't something I could imagine myself seeking out again.
Bruce Springsteen
4/5
I really liked this album and had never heard it before. It reminds me a lot of the mid to later Mellencamp albums, as both seem to have gotten to a place where they are just doing what they want, not caring about trends or hits.
I didn't realize until most of the way through that many (if not all) of the songs are about 9/11. That changes it a bit, but for me personally (someone that wasn't in the Northeast US when 9/11 happened), I can still listen to the album as a song about people in a more general sense.
I will definitely listen to it again. The only reason I don't give it 5 stars is it doesn't pull me in or feel particularly fresh in any real way. It's just very solid.
The Who
3/5
This is a hard one to rate for me, because I do like some "The Who," but I think this album has greatly been overshadowed through the years and mostly falls flat today.
The song, "My Generation" is still great, but "I'm a Man" is very cringey. Then, most of the other songs are forgettable.
So, while I want to give this a 4 just based on influence, I think I have to round down and give it a 3, since I can't give it a 3.5, which may be my real score.
Stevie Wonder
3/5
I think this album is fine, and it has some very nice-to-listen-to parts, but it didn't really grab me, and I already forget most of it. I think he's made better music that I've connected with more.
The Police
4/5
I thought I'd heard this album all the way through before, but I definitely didn't remember "Mother," and even though it's not a great song, I don't think that's the point. It broke up the album and added diversity I didn't know this album had.
Overall, there are brilliant tracks on the album, even if some are now overplayed
Marianne Faithfull
2/5
This isn't a bad album, and there were a couple songs I thought were okay...and I can definitely see how it is likely a precursor for New Wave or "proto-new wave."
However, I find her voice grating, and I just didn't feel it holds up today, even if it is a good one-time listen "for historical purposes."
Michael Kiwanuka
4/5
I think this is a really great album, and I almost want to give it a 4.5, but I feel I have to round down, because it doesn't do anything revolutionary to me. It's just really solid.
I like his voice, and I really like the smoothness of his songwriting.
However, once it's over, there isn't really any one song I can recall.
I will be listening to more of his work, though, because I could see him becoming a favorite.
Badly Drawn Boy
4/5
I really liked this album. One of my favorite soundtracks is the "About a Boy" soundtrack by Badly Drawn Boy, but I wasn't a fan of his other work when it was released.
However, 25 years later, I can appreciate this debut album MUCH differently.
It still is a bit boring at times, and it doesn't put me into a state of "excitement" that would make me give it 5 stars, but it's definitely 4.
Fleetwood Mac
4/5
A lot of this album is still too 70's pop-rock for me and overplayed (for my tastes), but I do like a lot of the songs.
I have to give it 4 stars for the influence, even if it is maybe just a 3 or 3.5 star album for me.
Tears For Fears
4/5
I love this album and every song on it...but it's too short. That's my only complaint. However, for that reason, I prefer "The Hurting" over this album.
However, this is an album I will go back to over and over, regularly, throughout my entire life.
The Mamas & The Papas
3/5
I can respect many of the songs on this album, from a songwriting perspective, and I think "California Dreaming" is a very good song.
However, it's not really my thing, and I generally don't like the general vibe and approach and do not get excited about listening to this music.
Ash
2/5
I think there are some good songs on this album, but I really dislike the way the pop is melded in. Songs like "Girl from Mars" are just not something I appreciate or want to listen to.
I do think the first couple songs have a great energy and vibe, and there are some good guitar sounds throughout, but even though I could imagine finding other albums by this band I might like, this album wouldn't be one.
The Young Rascals
3/5
This album was fine, and "Groovin" is a classic song that I never knew was by this group.
However, overall, there isn't a lot on this album that seems very relevant in 2024. It obviously inspired other music that came after but not in a way where I think revisiting this album sets it apart of from what it inspired and what built on top of it.
Joni Mitchell
4/5
I have liked many Joni Mitchell songs I've heard over the years, but I've never listened to a full album.
I can't say I love this album. It has several great songs, but, overall, it is not one I feel a need to revisit again.
However, the power of her songwriting is so strong, it is hard to deny, and I do want to listen to more of her albums, now.
The Band
2/5
I have never found The Band appealing. They've always felt bland and boring to me.
Upon listening to them, again, they feel like a "poor man's Grateful Dead" in a lot of ways.
"Whispering Pines" kind of sounds like a Neil Young song, though, which I like.
Overall, I still can't say I like The Band or really understand why so many people love them.
White Denim
3/5
I was expecting something more bluesy or garage rock from the name of this band. I've heard of them before, but I always associated them with The White Stripes or Black Keys.
I can't say this album blew me away, but there were a couple songs I liked, and, overall, I can see why people would like the vibe, especially in a warmer climate or summertime listening.
I may check out more of their music to see if any of their other albums make a bit more of a connection with me.
Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
3/5
I'm amazed at how well recorded and produced this music is. I obviously know that, at that time, there was a lot of great recorded equipment and studios, but this is not the type of music I felt would get that attention and time and effort.
That being said, even though I do like a lot of Appalachian music and western/folk music, most of this music is not something that really inspired or spoke to me.
I can see myself putting this on while working around the house - I definitely see the value and appeal. It's just not something that speaks to me, as I would rather listen to one of many other southern folk musicians I like.
Faith No More
4/5
This is not my favorite Faith No More album, or even possibly my third, but it has grown on me since the release.
I heard it as a precursor to rap-rock and nu-metal when it came out and was not a fan.
However, Mike Patton is now one of my favorite vocalists, and I often go back to Faith No More as "feel-good" music for me, now understanding what they were doing and how it led into the other amazing albums they did, such as my favorite "Angel Dust."
The Offspring
4/5
To me, this album is all about nostalgia. There was a time I really liked it, as a youth, and then I "outgrew" it. And later, only 5 or so years ago, I went back and have an appreciation for it, similar (though less) than "Nevermind" in the pop-hooks with attitude that "Smash" also has.
I'd probably give it a 3, overall, as it is nothing revolutionary or anything I'd die on a hill to defend, but I'm bumping it to a 4, just because I personally enjoy it.
Funkadelic
4/5
I was surprised to like this album so much, but so many parts reminded me of the Hendrix "Band of Gypsys" material, and it had some really great sonic space and a feeling of place to it.
I am giving it 4 stars, kind of rounding up, because I did enjoy it. However, in the end, it doesn't really have a lot of substance that really makes it that memorable to me, personally, and not something I can see myself listening to regularly.
Gorillaz
5/5
As a longtime Blur fan, Dan the Automator fan, and Del the Funky Homosapien fan (and Kid Koala), I was super excited for Gorillaz and have loved the first album since its release.
I went through every Gorillaz album last year, and I still would say the first album is at least tied as my favorite.
Christine and the Queens
3/5
After starting the English version of the album, I switched to the French version.
Overall, I think it is pretty good, but it also didn't blow me away or amaze me in any particular way.
I can't imagine myself listening to it again, but it definitely wasn't bad, and I could see her making an album I did really get into, but this one just mostly passed without anything really hooking me.
Mariah Carey
3/5
I have a new appreciation for this album after always lumping it in with Brittany Spears or Christina Aguilera.
However, I now see it really is legitimate (modern) R&B that was then used as a template for many other R&B singers, especially female ones.
There are one or two songs I liked on the album, but, mostly, I did not personally like it. However, I will give it 3 stars, as I can definitely appreciate the impact.
John Coltrane
4/5
As someone that only got into jazz recently, "A Love Supreme" was recommended to me just a couple months ago, and I listened to it then for the first time.
The only part I don't like is the one time there is speaking, someone saying "A Love Supreme" over and over, but, overall, I really love the album, and I'm honestly surprised at how short it is, but it doesn't outstay its welcome.
Bob Marley & The Wailers
4/5
Great album. Not a lot of huge hits, but it is consistent and "clean" all the way through. It feels and sounds refreshing, and it is laid back and "cool" all the way through.
Definitely a solid album I will put on again.
Blue Cheer
4/5
I have to give this 4 stars, just because it is essentially the grandfather of "Stoner Rock," and while it is mostly feels dated, it still has an energy and a legacy.
I do revisit this album every few years, in the same I do some other classic rock.
Paul Simon
4/5
This is a solid folk album.
I haven't listened to much Paul Simon outside of Simon & Garfunkel and "Graceland."
However, I can say I'm a fan of this album, and I do want to listen to some of his other stuff to see how much more I like that isn't "Call Me Al" type stuff...
Barry Adamson
3/5
This album sounds like a good movie score. It definitely has a lot of great music and is varied, especially for the time, but nothing ever stood out enough for me to think I'd ever return to it.
I can't find a fault with it, but I keep going back and forth on whether I should round up or down from about a 3.5, which is what I probably would give it. A 4 seems too much, as it didn't pull me in, and it doesn't feel that monumental, for what it is, but it is good and well done. I have to use my personal tilt to give it a 3, but, again, I do feel it is maybe a bit more than that.
The Verve
5/5
I think this is a brilliant album, and every time I listen to it, I'm amazed at the number of amazing songs on it.
The album is obviously known for bittersweet symphony, but there are so many other amazing tracks like the back-to-back "Sonnet" into "The Rolling People" into "The Drugs Don't Work."
I'd probably give it more of a 4.5 than a straight 5, but a 5 will work for this scale.
Alice In Chains
5/5
I obviously knew about Alice in Chains from the time they were "current," but I was more into Stone Temple Pilots, Pearl Jam, and Nirvana.
However, several years ago, I went back and found that, now, I really love Alice in Chains and the haunting vocals and lyrics.
I think I prefer their third, self-titled album most, but "Dirt" is a classic and still hits hard in so many ways, a timeless classic.
Finley Quaye
4/5
I have heard of Finley Quaye before, but I don't recall his music.
However, I really like this album. It was very refreshing.
His voice is smooth, the music and production is great, and the songs are very nice for a summer day.
I'm going to listen through the few albums he put out after this one, as well.
Skepta
3/5
I thought this album was fine, but the longer it went on, the less I liked it. It definitely has style, and I like it better than a lot of the modern US stuff, but it just made me want to listen to Dizzee Rascal, who I find more interesting and quirky.
The Dandy Warhols
5/5
I love this album. It was pivotal in my musical development, and even though it feels more trite now, in 2024, I still think it is a great achievement for alternative rock with strong vibes and catchy hooks.
Amy Winehouse
3/5
This album is fine, and I clearly recognize the talent, but I was never a fan of Amy Winehouse, mostly because I just am not a fan of this style of music or what she is trying to recreate.
I can understand, though, how someone into old R&B and Soul music would like her modern-retro take on the genre/style.
Peter Gabriel
4/5
I like this album quite a bit, now, but that has a lot to do with learning where Peter Gabriel came from and what made him make a song like "Sledgehammer," which I basically categorized as "adult contemporary" when I was younger.
The album is relaxing and sounds great, but it definitely doesn't hit like other albums from that era that I'd rather listen to like his ex-bandmate Phil.
The Everly Brothers
4/5
Listening to albums from this time is funny for me, because I wouldn't choose to do so, but when I do, I think it triggers something in my brain that has second-hand nostalgia just from a lifetime of that US history being passed down from old tv/movies (Happy Days, Grease, etc) and elementary school musicals (Beach Boys).
Plus, there are just so many classic and powerful songs, some that have been redone by other artists just due to the great lyrics.
Suicide
4/5
Definitely a revolutionary album. I like it. I'd probably give it 3 stars for enjoyment and likelihood of listening to it, again.
However, what it did for punk, goth, noise rock, and even new wave is amazing.
Stevie Wonder
4/5
This has to be my favorite Stevie Wonder album...
I haven't heard them all, but there are just so many amazing songs, and the whole vibe is smooth and calming the whole way through.
And "I Believe (When I Fall in Love It Will Be Forever)" is just a top tier song.
Electric Light Orchestra
4/5
Great album. Just so many great songs and great mood.
Yes, it's "Beatle-esque," as Jeff Lynne himself calls it, but it's great.
I'll still take The Zombies over anything else in the "genre," though :)
Metallica
3/5
I remember when this album came out, that it seemed novel that an orchestra was playing with a "metal" band.
However, this far out, I don't find it a very essential album, especially because I think the original recordings are the more historically relevant.
However, there are some really good versions of their songs in this recording such as "Nothing Else Matters."
The Doors
3/5
I like The Doors, and "Morrison Hotel" is a fine album, but I don't think it is their best, and if it made my Top 3 albums of theirs, it would be 3rd. However, I may even put it 4th.
So, ultimately, yeah, I think it is good, but I can't really say, at this point, that it is anything I get as excited about as their other stuff that is more poignant and still haunting to this day.
Lou Reed
4/5
There are some really good songs on this album, and it definitely has a strong vibe. I want to give it a 3.5, but I think I have to bump it up to 4 due to the artistic audacity, if you will.
I think "Sad Song" is also just beautiful.
Paul Revere & The Raiders
4/5
This was a fun little album and much more "hard hitting" than I expected. I feel it is also much more substantial in regards to the history of rock than I thought. Still "Beatles-esque" in a way but has some Rolling Stones and some American heaviness as well.
Charles Mingus
3/5
I like Charles Mingus a lot, but this album was a little too "Swoozy," and I wasn't really into the classical guitar.
So, it's definitely not a bad album, and I could see myself putting it on in the background, but it's definitely not a favorite or one I'm going to go back to often or really want to actively engage in, likely.
Fats Domino
4/5
Fats Domino is definitely a vital part of rock and music history, but I don't personally enjoy listening to it much, besides the novelty.
So, I have to give it 4 stars, I feel, though, personally, I'd probably give it more of a 3. I just can't undervalue the impact he had by going down even that low.
Goldie
3/5
I was pleasantly surprised at this album, as it was calming enough to listen to while I worked, but I think it is much too long, and it felt mostly the same in many parts. I think that with one or two songs to break some of the "sameness" and a cut of 20 minutes or so, it could be much better, but nothing much stood out to me enough to give it more than a "good" rating.
Isaac Hayes
4/5
I was very pleasantly surprised by this album/soundtrack/score.
I didn't expect it to be bad, but I thought it would all be like the "theme song," but I was surprised by all the orchestration and diversity in the score.
I really enjoyed a lot of the music, and there are some compositions that are so much better than so many other orchestrated scores, from the personality to the deep emotion.
Jamiroquai
1/5
I will be honest, I don't like Jamiroquai. I never have. I find the vocalist's voice annoying, and I don't like the music. It sounds like "generic modern funk" to me.
Bob Marley & The Wailers
5/5
I used to very much dislike Reggae, mostly due to the similar guitar strumming pattern and much of it sounding the same to my untrained ear.
However, many years ago, I learned the power of the music and beauty of it.
"Exodus" is an obvious classic, with so many amazing songs. The production is great, especially with the latest Deluxe Edition, and the music stands up today as much as it ever did.
I haven't listened to enough of Marley's albums, in their entirety, to say this is his greatest album, but from what I know of his songs, this one definitely feels like one of the heaviest hitters. It does make me want to dive into the rest of his albums, though, to decide that for myself.
The Magnetic Fields
5/5
I have loved this "album," 3-disc set of songs, since it came out. Listening back, the first disc is definitely the strongest, but there are so many incredible songs on the second and third discs, as well.
And, just in general, there are songs that are just complete classics, now, such as "The Book of Love" which was covered by Peter Gabriel.
Just brilliant songwriting and beautiful, sincere yet sardonic lyrics.
The Mothers Of Invention
4/5
This album didn't blow me away. I could see how it may have been more "mind-blowing" at the time, but, now, it just feels like a good, quirky album with good hooks but kooky lyrics.
I do like it and would listen to it, again, and I do want to check out more Mothers of Invention Albums.
The Smiths
5/5
"Meat is Murder" is perhaps the one album by The Smiths that took me longest to really understand. They tried many different things, and it wasn't as much the stereotypical Smiths sound but also not the more experimental sound of their last album.
However, at this point, I really love "Meat is Murder," especially the title-track.
ABBA
1/5
I wanted to like this album, going into it.
I know some ABBA songs are adjacent to other easy-listening/soft-rock that I now enjoy from the 70's and 80's.
However, while the first couple songs on this album weren't that bad, I felt it got worse and worse as it went on, and I couldn't wait for it to end.
It was too much disco and hokey adult pop for me, unfortunately.
Jerry Lee Lewis
4/5
I thought this performance was fine to listen to. The music is obviously very important to rock-and-roll, and Jerry Lee Lewis, musically was about as powerful a piano player for that time.
However, I've heard a lot of Lewis over the years, and he's just not someone I ever purposely choose to go back to as his music doesn't really speak to me in any real way.
I do feel I have to give the album 4 stars for the recording, the energy, and the impact, even if I personally may only give it 3 for my own enjoyment.
Public Image Ltd.
4/5
I found this album surprisingly interesting and engaging. There were some moments that were a little "too much Johnny Lyndon," but most of his vocals were interesting and played nicely with the music - in a much more interesting way than The Sex Pistols.
Overall, I found it to be an interesting Post-Wave album that I definitely want to hear more of.
Beyoncé
1/5
I find this Beyonce album embarrassing, which is how I feel listing to Swift. Obviously, Beyonce can sing, but the content of the songs and the overall content feels so trite and juvenile - but not in a cool angst or rebellious way.
I am not a fan of voices like Beyonce, already. I can recognize the skill and talent, but I already don't like most soulful, gospel-rooted singing.
Then, on top of that, many of the songs just sound like they were made for a CGI movie soundtrack or are just embarrassing with bad lyrics and repetition.
Billy Bragg
4/5
I liked this album. It is simple, but that's the point, I think. Guthrie's folk songs were simple in sound and structure, often, but deep in meaning.
I think Bragg and Wilco do a nice job imagining these songs in their style, which fits Guthrie's legacy well.
Not all of the songs had a big impact on me, but there was really great ones in there, and I'd listen to this again.
Jorge Ben Jor
4/5
I really liked this album. I was expecting something very different, and what I heard was something that sounded more modern, experimental, playful. Parts of it reminded me to the tongue-in-cheek Cornershop debut, for example.
I will definitely listen to this album again.
Parliament
4/5
I'm not a big fan of Funk music, but this album is so much a classic, I can't even deny it. Also, I like that it is a little more chill than some of the later Clinton-style funk.
Overall, I did enjoy it, and there are just so many songs on this album used for hip-hop and referenced in a lot of music later.
Led Zeppelin
4/5
"Whole Lotta Love" is my favorite Led Zeppelin song and always has been.
The rest of the album is also great.
As much as I've heard so many LZ songs, I've never listened through every album, so I feel that when I do, I'm often surprised at the flow of them, as they aren't all "hits."
However, I did like this album and will revisit it.
Rocket From The Crypt
5/5
I absolutely love this album and band and the main mind behind it, John Reis.
The riffs are powerful but also "groove" in the way old rock and roll does.
The lyrics and vocal style is fun and hooky.
And this is one of the first bands to ever show me that you could have horns in a rock band without it sounding like "ska" (the latter being a genre I've always dislike).
Overall, critically, I might give this 4 stars, but it is 5 stars for me all the way.
Elton John
3/5
Critically, I feel I should give this a 4, but I'm such not an Elton John fan, and I found this album to be too long and drag for me, so I'm giving a reviewer's tilt down to 3.
There are some good songs on the album and obviously very famous ones, but many of it feels schlocky to me, and I just don't like his voice or his delivery most of the time.
Michael Jackson
5/5
Michael Jackson was formative for me, and this album has what was my favorite song as a kid, "Billie Jean."
It's just a complete classic.
Blur
5/5
This was the album that got me into Brit Rock, and I still think so many of the tracks are incredibly brave and innovative.
"Song 2," for all the overplayed flack it may get at this point, is still a great song and hits hard - just like "M.O.R." and "Chinese Bombs," and there are just so many other atmospheric odd-ball brilliant tracks like "Essex Dogs" (a favorite song of all time for me) and "Death of a Party," "I'm Just a Killer for Your Love," "Strange News from Another Star" plus beautiful songs like "You're So Great" and "Look Inside America."
I genuinely love every track on the album. "13" may be one of my favorite albums of all time, and "Modern Life is Rubbish" is my go-to Blur album, but the self-titled album is just as special and wondrous to me.
Daft Punk
4/5
I love this album, but I don't give it a 5, because I don't think it is transcendental for me. "Discovery" is definitely a 5 for me, but "Homework" is just fun and funky in the way I like "funk." It's solid all the way through.
Metallica
4/5
I have never been a big Metallica fan. However, I've actually been going through their discography in the last couple weeks, slowly.
I got in trouble when I was like 12 for borrowing a friend's CD of The Black Album, but I never ever bought a Metallica album or listened to them after that, only heard them on the radio, of course.
There are one or two cheesy songs on it that I wish would have been cut (I think "My Friend of Misery" may be one of them).
But, otherwise, I really do like the moody metal that it is, and I think it may become more a part of my rotation in way it really never was.
D'Angelo
3/5
This album and style of music just isn't for me. There are some R&B songs and albums I can get into a bit, but this album is not one of them.
I have nothing against it, as a whole, and there is some great playing, and I could see how this would be important to a lot of people.
Lynyrd Skynyrd
3/5
I have never been a Lynyrd Skynyrd fan.
I do like some southern rock or music with souther rock influences, but Skynyrd has always been a step too far for me.
However, I was surprised how many of their "hits" were on this first/debut album, and I do understand why people do like them and why some of their songs are so popular.
Guns N' Roses
3/5
It's hard to deny some of the impact of many of these songs, but, also, I feel that the influence of Guns N' Roses has dwindled, at least among the type of music I like.
Rose's vocals are grating for me, and a lot of the subject matter doesn't hold up with the hit and classic songs being so overplayed.
Overall, I feel that if I ever would choose to listen to GNR, it would be a "greatest hits," as many songs from "Use Your Illusion" I & II would need to be on it, for me.
Elis Regina
3/5
I understand the appeal of Elis, for the time and for Brazil, and I the production and quality of the music is such that I can understand why others outside of Brazil would also like it.
However, I found it mostly boring and only one or two songs really stood out to me, in the moment.
So, unfortunately, it's just not for me, though I definitely did not hate it or have any active dislike for it.
Screaming Trees
4/5
I very much respect Mark Lanegan, and I do like is voice in many ways, but I've never really gotten attached to Screaming Trees or his work.
The album I listen to the most with him on it is when he was in Queens of the Stone Age.
Overall, "Dust" is a very good album, but it isn't that memorable to me besides a couple of the singles/catchier tracks.
It is solid music, though. So, while I may give it a 3.5, I'm going to round up to 4.
Arcade Fire
3/5
Arcade Fire always seems on the edge of being appealing to me, but they are just a bit too blase and boring, when it really comes down to it.
It feels like they are "color by numbers" in the way they do many things "right" for indie rock but also don't seem to stand out or take enough risks or are edgy enough in any ways for m.
However, I can't complain about the music, really, and there definitely is some talent in the music and some of the lyrics.
I just wish I could really feel at all attached to it or challenged in any way.
Wu-Tang Clan
5/5
Absolute classic and stands up as strong, if not stronger compared to so much of what is out there, today.
I haven't listened to this album in at least half a decade, and it was an absolute joy and like rediscovering something that blew my mind once again.
Miles Davis
5/5
I may give this 4 stars for me personally, as I'm not as much a fan of brass lead instruments like trumpet, but the saxophone parts are great, and the overall composition is amazing.
And there is no denying the influence and power of the album.
Ryan Adams
3/5
I like a lot of Whiskeytown, but his solo stuff has skewed to pop-rock, and I don't like his particular brand of pop-rock.
I think "Heartbreaker" is better than "Gold," as well.
However, this album is not actively bad or offensive. It's just mostly boring for me, except a few songs like "Harder Now That It's Over."
Mike Oldfield
4/5
I'd probably give this a 3.5 for myself, but it is pretty amazing all that it does for the time it came out.
It's both very experimental and avant-garde while also having a lot of ambient elements.
I'm not sure how often I'd listen to it, casually, but I do very much respect it.
Goldfrapp
3/5
Honestly, I thought this album was okay, but I don't think it is nearly as good as their first album or even as good as their second album. I may like this more than their third, but I just still don't think a lot grabbed me from this album to give it more than a "good."
Beatles
4/5
Yes, it's a great album, but it's not nearly my favorite by them, and I don't really desire to go back to it. However, the influence is obviously insanely large, and it is a fun listen.
And "Nowhere Man" may be one of my favorite Beatles songs.
Jack White
4/5
This album really surprised me, because I hate The White Stripes, and I don't like the particular bluesy, stripped-down rock White does in other places like with The Raconteurs.
However, I liked this album, from the piano to the more complex melodies in many songs. It is more subdued in most songs, which I really like.
There were one or two songs that got a little too Stripesy, but I generally did enjoy it.
I'd probably give this a 3.5 stars, but I feel myself pulling towards 4, just because I do think I'd listen to it again, and it surprised me so much, I do have a good feeling towards it, right now.
Jimi Hendrix
4/5
I thought I had listened to this album before, as I owned a couple Hendrix CD's over the years.
However, so much of the album seemed foreign and surprising to me, in a good way.
I think it should have been cut down from the 74 minute runtime, especially the first 15 minute song. However, I was, overall, happy with the listen and would definitely listen to again.
Though "Band of Gypsys" is still my favorite Hendrix album.
Bob Dylan
3/5
I would like to give this 2.5 stars, because I personally didn't like it much, but it isn't a bad album, and there were a couple songs I did enjoy.
However, most of it just turned out to be boring, and the last song was a slog. I don't mind a 16 minute song, and I understand what he was trying to do, but I didn't feel it justified itself.
And, in general, that's how I felt about much of the album, unfortunately.
Rush
5/5
There is a part of me that would honestly give this album 4 stars, because even though the songs are all great and there are so many classics, I actually feel it should be longer and should have more to fill it out.
As it is, though, it is quick, to the point, and then it leaves.
But, due to the classic songs and influence, and the fact I can listen to it at any time, I have to give it 5 stars.
The Temptations
4/5
I enjoyed this album much more than I expected. There are such great songs and not "just" old R&B, to my ears, with more variety and just a lot of depth.
It also took more risks than I would have expected.
Cream
4/5
Having heard some Cream before and obviously knowing Sunshine of Your Love, I thought this would be more "classic rock" and less "Brit-rock," but I was happy to hear more of the latter.
I really enjoyed this album and am more curious if any of their other stuff leaned closer to The Kinks than Zeppelin as I previously thought.
David Holmes
3/5
I thought this album was just "good." It didn't "wow" me or impress me or really make me want to add it to my "collection" to go back to, but it was chill and easy to listen to the one time.
The "interviews" in between the songs were mostly annoying to me, though, and that is a big piece of why I can't see myself listening to it, again.
Portishead
5/5
This album is so impressive on so many levels. It's a great album, and even though I love their first two, this one feels more modern to what music became after the initial trip-hop days.
And, after 11 years since their second album, for them to make such an incredible follow-up is so impressive.
Tom Tom Club
2/5
I think this is a "time and place" album. There are a few songs I thought were pretty good, but most of it was just "fine," and I thought the first song was actively bad.
However, I can see how it would be a big deal in 1981 and setup other New Wave acts.
For me, though, I'd give it a 2.5, but I have to round down to 2, since I mostly didn't enjoy it.
Kate Bush
5/5
I may give this 4.5 stars, but that's only because there are some times it drags, and the spoken word parts aren't as rewarding on repeat listens.
However, the album is pure genius from front to back.
Obviously, the hit song is great on all levels, but the rest of the album is also just beautiful and revolutionary.
I also hear so much in this album that influenced so many other artists I listen to today.
Rage Against The Machine
5/5
When this album originally came out, I didn't like it. As a youngster, I didn't like the "rap rock" aspect of it, and I wasn't into heavy music like this.
However, into the early 2000's, I started listening to much heavier metal and hardcore, and groups like Orange 9mm brought me back around to Rage Against the Machine.
At this point, I view this album and the follow-up as timeless classics, brilliant, and inspirations to musicians that play all kinds of music from hip-hop to rock to metal to even people that can just admire the lyricism.
The Rolling Stones
3/5
There are some great songs on this album, and I'd probably give it a 3.5, but I feel the length really hurts it, especially because I didn't feel it was cohesive in any real way. It just felt like a compilation of songs, and the great ones just blended in with the many "good" ones.
If there was a 45 minute version, I feel I could really love it and want to return to it a lot, but 67 minutes means I don't know how often I'd want to go back to it.
Dolly Parton
4/5
Just a great little album. Nothing mind-blowing for me, personally, but I really liked it, as it's the type of folk and western/southern/Appalachian music I really like. a Classic
3/5
This was a nice album. Nothing about it "wowed" me or really spoke to me personally, but I did find it fun and easy to listen to.
I'd probably give it 3.5 stars, because it was better than "middle of the road" for me, but I have to give it 3 on this scale, because it doesn't rise to what I think a 4 is, for me, which is something I would want to go back to or put in my rotation.
Kraftwerk
4/5
I really loved this album. It's hard for me to give it 5 stars, because, it didn't really blow me away and isn't an album I'm going to be listening to all the time, but I definitely will put it on when I need something chill or in the background while I'm working or am doing things around the house.
I was surprised at how smooth and almost ambient it is, as I didn't think Kraftwerk made music like this, having only listened to their later stuff that has more teeth.
George Harrison
5/5
I was not a big Beatles fan or George Harrison fan a decade or so ago, and a large part of that was due to the output of the Beatles in the 70's and 80's.
However, as I've gotten older, I've learned to appreciate the music and realized that albums like "All Things Must Pass" aren't just "hippy music" but is folk-rock that has inspired so much music since.
Harrison always comes off as sincere, in tune with his instrument and music, in general, and just knows how to write hooks and beautiful music.
Elbow
4/5
I'd probably give this 3.5 stars for me. I still love the first Elbow album, and I just personally don't think this one is as good as that one.
However, it is good, and it has gotten me back into them, not realizing how many albums they have put out over the years.
I'm very happy there is still a band putting out the kind of British music they do.
Stevie Wonder
3/5
For me, personally, this album was good but nothing that really grabbed me at all.
I think it's definitely one of those "for fans of the genre" things, because I can't get excited about it, personally, but I could see how R&B fans or whatever would return to it and really love it.
I did recognize a few songs, and It's great to hear the full context, but it's not an album I see myself revisiting - though it is obviously not a bad album at all.
Koffi Olomide
3/5
I honestly don't understand what makes this album one of only 1001 albums I must listen to.
I understand it is from a different country and cultural background from mine, and that it is likely important to that culture - and I 100% respect that.
However, I found it to just be fine, not as impressive even as other things I've heard from other artists doing similar music. It was smooth enough and easy enough to listen to, but I just was never really impressed or found any part of it to grab me at all.
I'd probably give it 2.5 stars, but I just feel I have to round up, as it definitely wasn't bad, and I didn't hate listening to it.
R.E.M.
5/5
"Green" is not my favorite album by R.E.M., but it's so good.
It's just comfort listening for me, at this point. It's solid all the way through, entertaining, and calming to me.
I'd probably give it 4 stars in a more "objective" state, 4.5 with a personal bend, but I think 5 stars is where I have to land on this scale for how much I personally love it even over the greatness of the album and the impact of it, even to this day, where it has proven it will stand the test of time and is relatively timeless.
The Clash
5/5
For me personally, I might give this 3.5 or 4 stars, depending on the day, because while I do like it, it is not the kind of music I normally want to put on. I was not raised on punk music, and so much of this album does not resonate with me that much, beyond enjoying having it on every once in a while.
However, there is no denying how monumental this album is and how much it influenced. It's influence is so great that it can be clearly heard in bands two or three generations removed that may have not have listened to this album directly but listened to bands that were so strongly influenced by this album.
So, I'd probably give this 4.5 stars, but I'll round up to 5, because it just feels right to say this is a 5 star album.
Rufus Wainwright
3/5
The compositions on this album are very nice, and there were some songs that I somewhat liked, but, overall, Rufus Wainwright has never been for me, and this album didn't change my mind.
However, it is pleasant enough to have on, and I can definitely understand why some people really like his music.
The Slits
4/5
I actually like this Slits album quite a bit.
As someone that was not "raised on Punk" and only likes the occasional punk band, I was not expecting to like this album.
It reminds me a bit of The Clash and even The Police in that it is still kind of "new wavey" and eclectic and got the reggae influence.
The Jesus And Mary Chain
4/5
I think this is a very good album, but it's impact is really more in how influential it was and helped establish a genre of music that would continue thereafter.
I was surprised to hear a lot of similarities in this album and bands like The Psychedelic Furs.
Overall, I really like The Jesus and Mary Chain, but this album mostly passes by. I much prefer "Honey," one of their later albums. I'd probably give "Darklands" 3.5 stars, but I am going to round up, because I do think they are a great band and very influential.
Steely Dan
4/5
"Pretzel Logic" is a great little album, distilled down to a couple hits, and a lot of great tracks.
However, it's not my favorite by them, and it sometimes feels cheap at how much they tried to just write an album of hits.
Overall, I still really like it, and "Rikki Don't Lose that Number" is a classic.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
3/5
I thought this album was fine, but only the last two songs made me feel much of anything, and I still think neither get close to the height of "Maps" as a song.
Overall, it's a fine album, and I can't find faults to put it at a 2, but I can't say I have any interest in ever listening to it again.
Love
2/5
Unfortunately, I found this album boring and uninteresting.
I guess I can see how it would have made a splash, at the time, but I actively disliked it.
The Isley Brothers
4/5
I'd probably give this 3.5 stars from me, because I did like it much more than I thought I would, but it's still not really my thing.
However, it is very powerful music, and it has obviously been very influential.
I'm glad I got to listen to this all the way through.
P.S. I can now see where the British singer David McAlmont got his style!
Fishbone
2/5
I really did not like this album. I'd probably give it 1.5 stars, but I'll give it 2 instead of 1, because the band at least has integrity and was trying to do something unique.
I just personally don't like anything that came out of their attempts.
I don't like funk rock or funk punk, and if I want something like this, I'll go Bad Brains every single time.
Fleetwood Mac
2/5
I found this album to be extremely dull and boring.
There were some good songs, with "Tusk" probably being the best, in my opinion.
However, most of the album felt forgettable and basically unnecessary, especially at the length the album is.
I don't think the music is actively bad, but it is just so dull that I can't imagine listening to it again in its entirety.
Arcade Fire
2/5
Unfortunately, just like "Neon Bible," I found this album very boring and "one note."
I was hopeful when listening to the first two songs on "The Suburbs," as they had an almost alt-country feel and a bounce to them. However, after those, the rest of the album continued in just one block of sound that I found very unappealing and dull to listen to.
Neither the vocals or music ever surprises me or seems to have any dynamics to "wake me up."
Neu!
4/5
I really liked this album. I was expecting Kraftwerk, but I got a precursor to M83, Mogwai, and other post-rock acts.
I was surprised at the punk vocals towards the end and the transition, but it all still felt like it fit and was all good.
I definitely will be listening to more of their albums.
Ray Price
4/5
I liked this album, and I would listen to it, again, but it's not something I'd likely have in a regular rotation but something I'd randomly put on at my house while cooking or cleaning.
I do listen to some modern "Western" music, and it's obvious that part of their ancestry was Ray Price.
Laibach
4/5
This is the album Laibach really started creating their dark, industrial pop songs, and I love it. They made even greater albums later, but this one still holds up, especially with the 2024 remaster. And, of course, it inspired Rammstein and Type O Negative.
Miles Davis
3/5
This is definitely a good album, but it's more subtle and ambient in nature than exciting, and, therefore, for me, it also is less memorable.
However, I did like it. I just don't think it really wowed me in any way.
R.E.M.
4/5
Not my favorite REM album, one too many "radio songs," but still a great album and better than most other things out there. So many brilliant songs like "Nightswimming" and just a "happy place" album in so many ways.
GZA
4/5
One of the foundational hip-hop albums and one of the best Wu-Tang-associated albums. It could be maybe one or two songs shorter, but it's hard-hitting all the way through.
David Crosby
3/5
I liked this album more than I thought I would, and I do think it is interesting, but in 2024, I don't think it holds up for more than a historical piece. It is something peaceful to put in the background and fulfills a certain appetite for meandering, hippy folk, but I'm not sure I'd listen to it much. So, I'd probably give it 3.5 stars but don't feel I can give it 4 stars, because I just don't think it really resonates that deeply despite the cult status. It's "good" but doesn't feel so "essential" to me, in 2024.
Anita Baker
3/5
This album was fine, but as someone not into R&B, I cannot find anything I truly like about it.
It's not bad music by any means, but it just isn't something I can get into.
I feel like giving it less than 3 stars is not fair, as I was never annoyed by it, but I'd probably give it 2.5 stars if I could.
Talking Heads
4/5
Talking Heads have always been a band that I have respected but didn't enjoy listening to beyond a few songs. Because of this list, I have listened to a couple albums now that have made me grow to like listening to them more.
"77" isn't going to become one of my favorite albums, at least any time soon... But I did enjoy it, and it definitely made me realize that there was a time when Talking Heads evolved past their very initial rough sound but had not yet fully become the 80's outfit that started to feel more of a caricature, which I know was purposeful, but it also became less appealing to me at that point.
Beatles
4/5
I'd give this album 3.5 stars. I like classic Beatles, but I prefer some other bands like The Zombies if I want to listen to a similar sound.
It is enjoyable, but, at this point, the real revolutionary stuff is the later stuff, of course.
Radiohead
5/5
I have a hard time picking a favorite Radiohead album, at this time, as I love The Bends, OK Computer, and Amnesiac pretty much equally. They, long with Kid A and In Rainbows are all 5 star albums for me.
OK Computer also was a formative album for me, changing my entire worldview and view of music.
Radiohead
5/5
Another of my favorite albums by Radiohead. I prefer it over Kid A, though, with the release of Kid A mnesiac, they are restored to the double-album as originally intended and do compliment each other.
Willie Colón & Rubén Blades
3/5
I liked this album more than I thought, because this is really not my style of music.
I can't see myself ever returning to it, but it was upbeat, energetic, and an easy listen.
Beastie Boys
4/5
I've never been the biggest Beastie Boys fan. I respect them and have really liked their music from time to time, but I go long periods without listening to them...and the album I almost always return to is Paul's Boutique.
Ill Communication has a lot of power to it, plus some nostalgia from my side of things.
I can easily see this album being a 5 for a lot of people, but it just doesn't quite get there for me, personally. It's a great album, but it's not on a whole other level (especially than Paul's Boutique, which I still prefer).
Cocteau Twins
5/5
I love Elizabeth Fraser and the Cocteau Twins.
Their music is timeless, ethereal, absolutely beautiful.
The Mothers Of Invention
4/5
I can understand how this album would be revered from certain people at the time for challenging so many things so early in music history/development. At this time, however, it is only just okay and fine, to me.
I'd probably give it 3 stars for my own personal enjoyment, but I do think that the listener has to remember it is from 1966, and that is very early for the way it is playing with musical convention and listener expectations.
Therefore, I bumped it up to a 4 to take into account the influence and impact.
Penguin Cafe Orchestra
4/5
I really liked this album and music. As soon as I saw it was produced by Eno, I knew I'd have interest, and while it didn't blow my mind, it was very pleasant and interesting.
I definitely want to listen to more Penguin Cafe Orchestra.
This album was better than I expected, but I can really only stand some earlier U2, at this point. Personally, Bono's voice and delivery grates on me and this album and a lot of their later stuff is just too pop in its delivery.
"Beautiful Day" is basically a meme song for me, as it feels trite.
The music was mostly good, and "New York" was a song I truly did enjoy.
I might give it 3.5 stars, but, for me, all it is a good pop rock record, nothing truly amazing, which is also why it makes sense to me that it sold so many copies...
Janelle Monáe
3/5
I expected to really dislike this album, but I didn't.
However, the best and worst thing I can say is that it just sounds like a lost Outkast album that Monae found and recorded her own way... but I don't think it is as good as "The Love Below," and I'd rather listen to that every time.
I might give this a 3.5 stars, because she is trying for something, but it just doesn't hit enough for me or impress me enough to really say I'd add this to my library or listen to again.
AC/DC
4/5
I wasn't a fan of AC/DC when I was younger, but as I got older, I learned to appreciate the raw Rock and Roll that they are and what they did for the genre as well as metal.
Back in Black is a fun listen, and I think it is well deserving of praise for doing something powerful and heavy yet appealing to so many people that wouldn't normally listen to a man screaming as much as singing.
Ozomatli
4/5
I own the first Ozomatli album and really like it. I never followed the rest of their career, but I was happy to hear this album is great, and I am excited to listen to more of their albums now that I'm reminded of them.
Just a great mix of styles, hip-hop and latin styles.
Garbage
4/5
I really like this album, but it's not perfect. It has lulls and some odd tracks that could have been made better. The best songs on the album are incredible and classics, for me, but I can't quite give it 5 stars.
This is still an album I go back to from time to time ever since it was released.
Television
4/5
I enjoyed this album more than I thought, but it just really isn't my thing, in the same way that I've never got into Pavement or The Replacements.
I like some jangly guitars in a lot of British music, but this particular style of indie sound from Television and others just doesn't click with me.
Again, I didn't dislike it, but it I didn't love it.
Obviously, this sound was very revolutionary for 1977, though, so I do think I need to bump it up to 4 stars even if I may personally only give it 3 for my own enjoyment.
Pixies
5/5
This is not my favorite Pixies album, but I think all the original albums are worth 5 stars. They still sound amazing, and the songwriting is still surprising and fresh, even after I've listened to them so many times.
Yes, many bands took things from The Pixes, but no one has been able to completely replicate or replace what they did, and I don't think anyone ever will, especially this far out. There were just too many things that led to the lightning in a bottle that were that band.
Yes, the Pixies themselves are still around and making new music, but even they are obviously something different.
Run-D.M.C.
5/5
I was surprised how much I liked this album. I expected it to be more "cheesy" than it is. However, there are several songs that hit really hard, and having both Walk this Way and Tricky on the same album almost makes it feel like a compilation, at this point, due to how much I've heard those in my life.
Overall, it's hard to not give this 5 stars, because it is fun, and even if I won't personally listen to it much, it obviously had such a huge impact on music, in general, helping define hip-hop and rap.
Genesis
4/5
Gabriel era Genesis is not my favorite, but I did listen through their entire discography and have a much greater understanding and appreciation for their entire catalog and journey from where they started to where they ended up.
"Selling England by the Pound" is a large album, in concept and in sound. I think it is deserving of high praise, and it is a bit of "comfort listening" to me, at this point, though I still would only give it a 4, at this point, as I don't think it is their best, personally, and I think it just holds up as a very good prog album from that time.
Siouxsie And The Banshees
5/5
Honestly, Siouxsie and the Banshees' output has always been a mixed bag for me.
I love their Bauhaus and Cure-esque goth output, but their more new wave stuff doesn't always hit me the same way (though still good).
Juju is a beautiful album that hits in all the right spots for me, from Siouxsie's vocals, which are as good as ever on this album, to me. And the music gives me goosebumps.
Incredible album that deserves to be listed in the top bracket of any 80's Goth list (and arguably, 80's music, in general).
The Streets
5/5
I love this album, along with The Streets' first and second albums. This one, though, being a whole story all the way through does get elevated even above the great music and style.
I'd probably be tempted to give this a 4.5, if we could do half stars, but I can't give it 4 based on how good it is and how much I enjoy listening to it every time I do.
Songs like "Blinded by the Lights" and "Dry Your Eyes" are just beautiful and give me goosebumps.
The Velvet Underground
4/5
I liked this album much better than I expected. I have a lot of respect for The Velvet Underground and Lou Reed, but I have never really liked their output.
Besides The Idiot and Transformer period Lou Reed, I tend to not personally enjoy his other work.
However, this album was more folky and more smooth and enjoyable for me.
I'd like to listen to it again to try to fully understand the reason it has been lauded so much, as not a lot stood out to me, but it is good songwriting, and it obviously had influence.
Curtis Mayfield
4/5
I'd probably give this 3.5 stars, if I could, because the music is very good, and the production is amazing, but it really is not my type of music or something I get excited about.
However, I understand the appeal and the musicianship and songwriting, and I do respect it.
FKA twigs
2/5
FKA Twigs, as an artist is obviously not terrible. She has a nice voice and can sing, and the music also not "bad," but I mostly found this album very non-interesting.
I don't feel it really pushes anything forward, and since it also isn't something appealing to me, I really can't justify giving it more than 2 stars. I may give it 2.5, but I don't think it fits with what I consider a 3.
TV On The Radio
3/5
I have never been a fan of TV on the Radio. However, I don't think I've ever heard anything from this album.
I do still think they are very overrated, and I still don't like their early stuff, but this album surprised me, and while I can't see myself going back to it, I didn't hate it, and there were parts I did enjoy.
Overall, I do think it is a good, varied album, and it brings together several types of genres into a cohesive package.
For me, personally, I'd probably just give it 2 stars for my personal enjoyment, but I think 3 stars makes sense for it being influential in the NYC and American indie music scene.
George Michael
4/5
This album is more consistent than I thought. I knew the singles, but I expected the rest to feel less cohesive. However, I really do believe the whole album is very good.
I really enjoyed the listen, even if it may not become a part of my regular rotation.
There is, of course, some nostalgia, too, but I firmly believe part of that is because Michael really helped define pop music at that time and still influences today.
Jefferson Airplane
4/5
I'd probably give this 3.5 stars for my own personal enjoyment, but there is no doubt this had a huge influence.
I just don't like it enough to give it 5 stars, as this is not the type of album I would go back to regularly, but there are some flashes of brilliance amidst the psychedelia.
And, of course "White Rabbit" and "Somebody to Love" are classics that most people have heard one way or another.
Simon & Garfunkel
4/5
This is another 3.5 from me that I bumped up to a 4 due to impact and influence.
I do like the album, and there are some classics, but, at this point (in 2024), I'd rather listen to other music by S&G or, better yet, other folk artists.
However, there is no denying what this album did for so much music, especially modern folk and indie artists.
Sly & The Family Stone
3/5
There's nothing wrong with this album. I understand the appreciation, and it was fun to listen to, but it's not particularly my style of music and doesn't have enough hooks that makes me feel like I'll come back to it.
However, I have a lot of respect for these artists making what was revolutionary music in an "easy to swallow" package for a large audience, especially for that time.
Spiritualized
4/5
The 3rd and 4th Spiritualized albums ("Ladies and Gentlemen..." and "Let it Come Down") are two of my all time favorites, but I never got into his other albums much, and I'm not sure I ever listened to this first album by him.
I really enjoyed it, though it is not nearly as good or at the same level he achieved with his 3rd and 4th albums.
For my personal taste, I am going to bump it to 4 stars, though I'd probably give it 3.5, and I could see people giving it a straight 3, if it isn't so much their type of music.
a-ha
5/5
There was a time when I may have given this whole album a lower score, as I was only really into the hits, "Take on Me' and "The Sun Always Shines on TV."
However, over the last 5 or so years, I've really gotten into New Wave and Post-Punk music, and I now really appreciate this entire album.
I'd probably stop at 4 or maybe 4.5 stars, but I think that I have to give it 5 stars on this scale, because it is just such a great album, and "Take on Me" is one of those "one in (10) million" songs that will be timeless.
Buddy Holly & The Crickets
5/5
I have to give this 5 stars, because it's just such a classic and still great to listen to. Yes, it's very early rock and roll, but the songs are still great. It's a different kind of classic than The Beatles, but it's similar in that it is still very listenable and enjoyable today.
Count Basie & His Orchestra
3/5
Of course, this album is full of great compositions and great playing, but big band just isn't my style. It's not bad, so I can't give it below a 3, but I also will never listen to it again, so I can't give it above that. :)
Basement Jaxx
4/5
I love this album. I'm not sure it is revolutionary, but it is very fun and consistently good through the entire thing. I have fun listening to it every time that I do.
Overall, I feel that 4 star average is probably fair based on it being good but not anything I'd put as a pinnacle of music.
1/5
Definitely 1 star for me. The only songs that are decent to me are the song where only Scott Weiland sings (I'd probably listen to that again) and the song with Method Man and Redman, though that isn't enough for me to actively go back to the song.
Otherwise, this is too juvenile and cringe for me.
The Zutons
2/5
This album is fine. I don't think it's bad, but it also doesn't do anything for me, personally. I hate to give it less than 3 stars, because there is a lot of talent in the songwriting, but I feel it would be disingenuous to give it more than 2 stars, since I really didn't personally connect with it, and I don't think it doesn't anything terribly special. It just feels okay.
Willie Nelson
4/5
I really liked this album. It was relaxing. There are some memorable songs, but it generally just passed by like a calm wave for me.
I will definitely go back to this album.
R.E.M.
4/5
Great album. Definitely not my favorite by them, but I do think it is better than some of the other albums with the bigger hits like "Automatic for the People."
Bad Brains
4/5
Great album. Smoother and more consistent than some of their other albums, but it still has intensity and really speaks to a group of people and a generation that were making their own voice. It is still revolutionary as no one can really replicate what Bad Brains were doing, especially for the place and time.
Nirvana
4/5
I don't think this is a perfect record and never did, but it is very good, and it had a large impact on so many people.
At the time, I was more into Stone Temple Pilots and Pearl Jam and some other bands in the scene, and while I liked In Utero, it wasn't my favorite of the genre.
Listening to it, now, I still see the brilliance in so many of the songs, but, again, it's not some perfect album or something that I think completely reinvents the wheel. But it is very good rock and roll that did push some boundaries and expanded Nirvana's and the grunge style.
Black Sabbath
4/5
Another classic album. Not the one that blew my mind, but I still do really like it and think it is very important.
Not much else to say. This will always be a progenitor of a lot of music I listen to and something that still is very listenable and enjoyable today that I will continually go back to.
Joy Division
5/5
A Classic. Pure. Raw. Dark. Beautiful. Poetic. Moving.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
3/5
For me, "Maps" alone saves this album from a 2. Most of the album is pretty good, some songs are just okay, and the entire album is "serviceable," but "Maps" is, I think, an incredible song.
Overall, though, this album and band suffers from a lot of the same stuff that many millennial indie bands suffer from, which is just being too edgeless most of the time.
Earth, Wind & Fire
4/5
This was a good album. It's still not my preferred style of music, and I'm not sure I'll ever go back to it, but I can't give it below a 3.5, because the songwriting and musicianship is just too good. The whole album is smooth while having funk and is cohesive.
Jacques Brel
2/5
I'm sure this had some significance in 1964, especially to the French, but, at this time, to an American, I found no pleasure in listening to this recording. It isn't terrible music, so I'll give it a 2, but I didn't find it interesting, progressive, or something I feel has any lasting influence on me or most of the music I listen to.
The Chemical Brothers
5/5
I love the first few Chemical Brothers album, and I like all of them.
This isn't my favorite album by then, but it still was very important. This album helped push electronica into the mainstream in a way that it had never been before, and the years from the late 90's to early 00's had such amazing "mainstream" electronic acts like Chemical Brothers, Crystal Method, The Prodigy, Massive Attack, and more...
Led Zeppelin
5/5
I may give this a 4.5 if I could, but I really can't give it below 5 stars, personally, just due to the fact that it does have songs that are still impressive while also just being so monumental and influential.
Even if you take out "Stairway to Heaven," there are still monster tracks like "Black Dog," "Misty Mountain Hop," and I really love "Going to California" as a quieter, beautiful and emotional song.
Harry Nilsson
3/5
I understand some of the significance for this album, but it just doesn't feel substantial enough for me to give it above a 3.5, and since there are no half stars, I have to round down, in this case.
There are some good songs, but so much of it is too silly and lacks weight for me to consider it something influential or impactful enough for me.
Iggy Pop
5/5
I have always loved this album, as a great harmony between Bowie and Pop. I love the raw rock of Iggy's other work, but this album is unique, fun, and a different way to absorb Bowie.
The Thrills
3/5
This album was fine, though I also found it boring much of the time. It just didn't really do anything to challenge me, whether it was lyrics or the music. It felt like the type of modern indie music that has all edges sanded off.
I'd maybe give it 2.5 stars, but I don't think it is fair to give it 2, because it's not bad, and I could see how some people would really like it.
Hugh Masekela
4/5
Personally, I would probably give this a 3.5, because I was surprised at how much I did like it, but it did go on too long, and I still found parts too much like hotel lobby jazz.
I do understand the significance of it, though, and I do think it is better than just fine, if you factor in the composition and the performance.
It's hard for me to distinguish between the albums I give a 3 just because they "aren't bad," and the albums I give a 3, because I have a hard time putting them up to a 4. I really wish I could give half-stars so I'd have 2.5, 3, and 3.5 to distinguish those. :)
Pixies
5/5
Just a great album, and it holds up just as well today. It really is timeless and such a "quiet" revolution in music. It is fun to listen to while also having complexities and things that have changed indie and alternative music ever since.
Herbie Hancock
3/5
This is another that is not for me. I just don't like the funk. It's not a bad album, and I did appreciate parts of it and never found myself hating it, but I have no interest going back to it. I'm glad it didn't go too long, though, which keeps it at a 3 for me instead of lower.
The Young Gods
3/5
For the year this album came out (1989), I'm very impressed by the variety and the hard-hitting industrial sound of some songs like "Longue route."
However, many of the other songs, such as the first song, have a cabaret style that I just really don't ever like.
I do like the singer's voice, and I could see myself liking some of their music more, if it stuck to more of the KMFDM style industrial rock.
The Sabres Of Paradise
3/5
I really wanted to like this album much more than I did, because it does remind me of other music I really like such as Moby or even Aphex Twin's ambient work.
However, I found most of the album boring, and, again, not because it is more ambient, but because it just didn't have the "magic" I like in those other artists' work.
I am impressed with what they were doing in '95, so I may try the album again in a few months.
Jeff Beck
3/5
I'm not a blues fan, but I was happy that this album was mostly a classic rock album with only a couple true blues songs.
Overall, it's still not something I love or would go back to, but I definitely appreciate Beck's playing and songwriting. It doesn't just sound like a "guitar album," but it does have actual songs with well done vocal melodies and song structure.
The Doors
4/5
I'm not sure any album by The Doors has really held up, at this point. Yes, there are still millions of fans and a lot of still-fervent fans and new people finding them every year. However, with so many artists that have taken from The Doors and made newer versions and the drugged-out approach of the 60's out of vogue, listening to The Doors does feel like looking through a window to a different time.
That being said, I do still like an occasional listen to them, and I think one could argue "L.A. Woman" is their best album, though I may be split between this album and "Strange Days," myself, and I think many may believe the first album or "Waiting for the Sun" are better with their strong singles and being more approachable.
In any case, I think this is a classic album that should be listened to, even if I don't think it holds as much relevance as it did maybe into the late 90's.
The Pogues
5/5
I listen to this album at least a few times a year. I like many other songs from their career, but this album does have so many classics and is great all the way through and is really the pinnacle of their output, as far as I'm concerned. The albums before are still very good, but the album after lost a lot before McGowan was then out.
Definitely an album that still holds up and is just as relevant as Irish culture continues to come back after centuries of oppression.
Paul McCartney and Wings
4/5
I might give this 5 stars if it just went a bit farther and stuck with me more. Of course, the title track is a famous single, and I can sing that easily. However, while I do like the rest of the album, and it goes to weirder (in a good way) places than I would initially imagine, it still doesn't hit a significant enough level for me to be completely wow'ed or want to put this in my regular rotation.
That being said, I do want to listen to all of McCartney's solo work, at some point, because I have listened to a few of his solo albums, and I was very surprised at how experimental he got and how much he pushed things in a similar way to someone like David Bowie (though Bowie is still my strong preference).
Richard Hawley
2/5
While I do not think this is bad music, I think it is mostly very "edgeless" and watered-down.
It reminds me a bit of music like Nick Cave or Elvis Costello with Burt Bacharach, but "Coles Corner" rarely had anything of interest and just felt like something that would play in the background of a movie about old people.
I did like the last few songs the most, when it got more somber, but it still wasn't enough for me to ever want to listen to this album again.
John Lee Hooker
1/5
This is exactly the kind of blues music I don't like from the 70's and 80's. It lacks the grit of early blues music with too much shine, and it reduces it to something that feels like the blues' version of elevator jazz.
There are some impressive guests on this album, but if I ever want to listen to blues music, I'm going to listen to much older stuff, stuff made to sound more like older blues, or listen to more avant garde/experimental blues stuff.
Creedence Clearwater Revival
3/5
As much as I want to like CCR, I just can't. The "bayou blues" sound just is painful to my ears. Obviously, they had a lot of talent, and there is a lot to the songwriting, and their influence and impact was huge, so I'm bumping this up to a 3. However, I just can't go higher than that based on my own personal (lack of) enjoyment and the fact that many bands I like most were not the ones influenced by them.
5/5
I might give this a 4.5, but I do think it holds up and is a fun album. I didn't even like Oasis at the time, but I have grown to appreciate them.
What they lack in subtlety or even some amount of experimentation, they make up for in solid songwriting and just being able to piece together songs that fit together completely from every aspect of the band and sound.
Jazmine Sullivan
2/5
I really didn't like this EP. The singing is good, and the music is relaxing in a lot of ways, but I just can't connect with the content or the group the content is for. The whole thing feels immature and juvenile and a bit depressing. I already knew cheating was bad as a teenager...
Coldplay
4/5
I'm a fan of the first 3 Coldplay albums, though I haven't listened to them in a while, and I like them in the order of their release. So, this is my second favorite album by them, next to "Parachutes."
In any case, this album still has some edge and some odder tracks. This was when they were somewhat still being somewhat compared to Radiohead with some of their tracks like "Daylight," though you can already see where they were going with songs like "Clocks."
Overall, I still think this album holds up and shows the heights of Chris Martin's writing and how talented they are. I just wish they would have stayed closer to this sound than what they ended up becoming.
Supergrass
4/5
Even though I've known Supergrass for a long time, I never really listened to them much. I have heard some of their later stuff, but I was surprised how much of this first album is more like The Kinks than The Rolling Stones. I have always thought they were more like the latter, based on some of their singles and later albums.
However, I want to listen to more of their albums, now, and while I still didn't like this as much as other Brit Rock/Pop albums from the time, I did really like it.
Frank Ocean
3/5
I'd give this 2.5 stars if I could, because I was impressed with some of the album, particularly the first third, but it then devolved into something more forgettable.
However, I do want to check out his "Blonde" album, as I've heard many people like that one best, and I find his talent and sound good enough for me to explore more.
Depeche Mode
5/5
Depeche Mode is one of my favorite bands, of which I have many, but I always love putting them on and hearing both the depth of the lyrics and sounds and way in which they turned things into catchy hooks.
Violator has so many unbelievable songs, all while staying cohesive and supremely impactful.
I don't think all of their album's are 5's, but I think "Ultra" may also be, and likely one or maybe two others.
Blur
5/5
This is not my favorite album by blur or maybe even my top 3, but I still believe it is a 5 star album, because it both had the impact and the integrity and still holds up due to it being such an amalgamation of so many influences that it creates something so original and fresh that has never been replicated.
It's also such a pick-me-up due to its mostly up-beat nature. Even the slower songs have an ornate and flowery quality.
David Bowie
5/5
This is one of my favorite albums of all time. It is incredible how amazing it is, one of David Bowie's greatest albums and achievements, and even though he was gone too soon, it is equally amazing that it was his last.
From beginning to end, it is impactful with incredible depth of emotion, composition, and lyrics.
The Verve
4/5
To me, this is the real "The Verve." "Bittersweet Symphony" is a good song, and that album is also incredible, but "A Northern Soul" is really what they were as younger lads putting their own sound out into the world.
The sound is a mix of "shoegaze" and the same Manchester sound that led Oasis in the direction they went.
It really is a sound that has to wash over you, and I think Ashcroft has his own unique voice and lyrics that help separate them from what could have ended up as much more niche (as many shoegaze bands are).
Metallica
4/5
I don't love this album as much as some of their others, but it's also not near the bottom of my favorites from them. I have never really been into thrash metal, but going back to Metallica's older albums, at this point, gives me a lot of respect of where they came from, their work ethic, and their skill.
So, I may only give this a 3 stars for my own enjoyment, but I definitely have to respect and appreciate what they did for Metal music, in general, and the huge sound they put into the world.
Elliott Smith
5/5
I still like Either/Or and XO better than Figure 8, but I can't give Figure 8 less than 4.5 due to some of the amazing songs on it, even if I wish they were a bit "rougher" and more "raw" in production.
"Everything Means Nothing to Me" and "Everything Reminds Me of Her" are two of the most beautiful songs I know.
Taylor Swift
2/5
No matter how much I have tried, I just can't muster up any significant respect for Swift beyond being able to collaborate to create pop hits.
I don't find any artistic significance to her work, and even trying to listen to her as pop music, I find her version unchallenging and bland. The best two songs off this album sound like Lana Del Rey rip-offs.
I like plenty of pop music, but there is a way to do pop music in a way that isn't so entirely predictable and surface-level.
Johnny Cash
4/5
I believe this to be a seminal album, due to Johnny Cash's songs and performance but also due to the still unique circumstances of him playing live at a prison and recording it.
Upon this latest relisten (as I've heard it several times), I was struck by how many things were not ideal about it - some issues with Cash's voice, him breaking and laughing in a couple songs, poor transitions between songs.
However, it still captures something very real.
Amy Winehouse
2/5
Again, same as Winehouse's other album, this one is fine, and I understand why fans of the genre (R&B) would like it, but I don't find anything very interesting and definitely not nearly as impressive as people make her out to be.
I don't like her voice, and the songwriting is fine, but, again, it's not a genre or style that makes me feel anything new or significant, personally.
OutKast
5/5
I'd give this double-album a 4.5 stars if I could, because I do not feel it reaches its full potential, but it mostly achieves what it seeks out to do, and that is very impressive given the audacity Outkast had to release a double-album with two different approaches on each album from each artist in the group.
I am a bigger fan of ATLiens and Aquemini, but their scope was smaller, and they are impressive because of the unique style and the way Outkast created something new and original in the hip-hop space that connected with so many.
Stankonia is hard-hitting and has amazing songs on it, as well, but we saw a different side of Outkast with Speakerboxxx and The Love Below that could have been a disaster but instead was something special - and turned out to be a record of their falling apart, as a group.
All-in-All I think both of the discs can stand as albums on their own, but they wouldn't be as impressive without the other on the other side.
Nick Drake
4/5
I'd probably give this a 3.5, but I will round up to 4 just because Nick Drake was doing something and making music so different than almost anyone else and has had such a lasting impact on so many indie and folk singers to this day.
Listening to this album reveals the past of so many artists like Sufjan Stevens, Elliott Smith, The National, and so many others.
The Go-Go's
4/5
This is an absolute classic album that I believe is still underrated, as far as the general public remembering and continuing to laud and give it its praises.
The level of brilliant pop and new wave on this record and consistency is not found in most other new wave and 80's pop albums.
There are several 5-star songs on this album, but I don't think every song is at that level, and I think that brings it down a bit. However, as I said, this is a classic and deserves to be on this list, for sure.
Blood, Sweat & Tears
3/5
I didn't recognize any songs until "Spinning Wheel," and I also recognize the song after, "You've Made Me So Very Happy," and those are all good songs and speak to the particular time this album was released to in the late 60's to the US hippy culture.
However, the rest of it felt just a product of its time and too meandering for me to feel that it really rises to a level of great composition or songwriting.
I don't think it is bad, and, as I said, it does represent a time, but I don't think it carries as much value as it did then besides a couple of the singles.
Coldplay
5/5
This is still my favorite Coldplay album, from a time when we thought they were going to be another Brit-Rock band like Travis or maybe more quirky like Radiohead.
The band turned into a pop hits machine, but this album still feels "pure," a bit dark, a bit odd in the best ways.
"Yellow" is just such a beautiful mellon collie song.
OutKast
5/5
I'd give this a 4.5, because, while it is an outstanding hip-hop album that also brought in so many fresh sounds and had big hits, there are parts of the album and even songs like "Ms. Jackson" where things falter just a little bit and bring the album down a bit for me.
However, it's still an outstanding album that shows the strength of Outkast, while they were together.
Booker T. & The MG's
4/5
You really can't find much fault in this album. Maybe vocals would have made it feel more modern...maybe it would have made it worse all around.
There are several classic songs on it that I didn't realize were from this album.
The playing is impeccable, and it just sounds smooth and full of life.
Venom
4/5
As a piece of history, I can't give this album less than 4 stars. No, I probably won't listen to it, again, and it doesn't sound much like what I like about "modern" Black Metal, but this was the beginning.
The vision and confidence and audacity to take this step in 1982 is pretty amazing, and while someone would have done it, if it wasn't them, they should still be commended for it.
Boston
4/5
To me, this is a "very high 4." My only issue with putting it above 4 is that the entire album is not as memorable or great as the singles and a few others. The entire album, in itself, is not as good as it could be, and much of Boston's discography is that way, unfortunately.
Boston made some of the greatest rock and roll songs, and the rest of their output is mediocre and doesn't reach the heights of a Big Star or have as many singles to offer as a Journey.
Little Richard
5/5
I'd give this 4.5 if I could, because it is obviously a complete classic, and Little Richard helped launch Rock and Roll. However, there are a couple tracks that aren't quite at the level as the others. They are good but not as outstanding as much of the album.
However, what else can I say, everyone should hear this album before they die.
Steely Dan
5/5
I think this is a 4.5, as it is great, and there are several really great songs, but it doesn't have the transcendent properties they achieved with later albums like "Aja." Therefore, this albums feels a little more tame than I think it could have.
It is still a classic, though, and I can't go down to 4 on this scale.
Arctic Monkeys
3/5
I was never a fan of Arctic Monkeys when they came onto the scene, mostly due to this album. I just don't personally find it that interesting. And while I think it is fine, I just still don't think it is as amazing as so many say.
I do think they have evolved into a more interesting and complex band, however. I just think their first two albums are too close to other indie rock at the time that was too focused on being "hip" or "sassy."
John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers
3/5
I thought this album was good, and I liked it better than most blues rock, but I still can't personally give it more than 3 stars. I'd probably give it 3.5 on that scale, because it's better than "average," but it just didn't wow me, especially due to the genre.
Overall, though, I can understand how some people would spin this a lot, if they are into that classic blues rock.
Siouxsie And The Banshees
5/5
I'd give this 4.5 stars if I could, but I'm going to bump it up to 5 for this scale, because this album and band was just so influential for so many artists afterwards and started a sound that is being carried forth still today.
I don't think it's their best album, as it was a first of what they would later improve upon.
However, it is still amazing to me to think of such young kids (as they were at the time) creating such a brand new sound that would help push and change music forever.
Roni Size
4/5
I do think this album goes on too long... even if you just listen to Disc 1, but both Disc 1 and 2 are very good and brought a very well made and fresh style in a way that is easily digestible, just as many other electronic acts did at the end of the 90's.
This is definitely an album I'd put on again while doing house work or working or something where I want an upbeat piece that moves but does demand my full attention to appreciate.
Jimmy Smith
3/5
I thought this was good, but it wasn't anything revelatory, and when there is so much other amazing jazz on this list, I'm not entirely sure why this one is also here.
However, it is obviously not bad, and I can understand why fans of this style would have this in their rotation.
Lou Reed
5/5
I'd give this 4.5, but 5 stars on this scale, because while Lou Reed may not love how many people constantly still talk about this album, it is my love of Bowie that is the same reason I love it.
The songs are just a great mix of Reed and Bowie, and it fits perfectly with the Bowie sound that he also used with Iggy Pop.
Aerosmith
2/5
I am not an Aerosmith fan. I have heard them all my life, and there was a time when I may have liked "Dream On," but that was even overplayed.
However, especially once Tyler's voice changed in to that shrill scream, and they became an 80's radio rock version of themselves, I can no longer really appreciate them, based on my tastes.
The lyrics are also mostly questionable... "Big Ten Inch Record"
There are some good, classic rock songs on this album like "Round and Round," but songs like "Sweet Emotion" and "Walk This Way" were radio hits but feel trivial and goofy at this point in time.
I just think there are greater rock bands and records out there if you're not into what became hair metal and radio rock.
Sebadoh
3/5
I want to really like this album, as I have liked other things by Sebadoh, and I like this style of noise indie rock/pop.
However, I feel this album is too uneven. The songs rarely flow into each other, and while I do like variety in albums a lot, in this case, it felt disjointed.
The songs were also good but really didn't amaze me.
I could see this growing on me, but I just feel there are better examples of this style of music and delivery (for example, The Wicked Farleys.)
Pere Ubu
5/5
I would give this 4.5 stars for being so powerful, a great mix of styles, and very original and brilliant in so many ways - but I do think it lacks the final push to a truly 5 star album.
However, I'll give it 5 stars here, since we can't give half stars.
I've heard of this band before but never really listened to them or listened to this record, and this will definitely become a part of my digital collection and rotation!
The Dave Brubeck Quartet
4/5
This is a great album. And while I understand and see the impact from exploring other time signatures and feels, it ultimately still doesn't push enough boundaries or hit a level of perfection for me to give it a 5.
I'd give it a 4.5, but for this scale, I feel a 4 is more appropriate, as I'm unsure if I think it absolutely should be in the 1001 list. It's a great jazz album, but I'm not sure if it stands out as much to me as others.
Radiohead
3/5
I really like "2+2=5" and "There, There," and there are a few other songs that are good, but there are several songs on this album that are too bland, and the overall album just suffers for it, making it the first Radiohead album since Pablo Honey that I did not like and still don't, overall. I do have more of an appreciation for this album as time goes on, but I'd just rather listen to The Bends, OK Computer, Kid A, Amnesiac, or In Rainbows, which I think are all 5 star albums, in their own ways.
Leonard Cohen
4/5
For me, this hovers between a 3.5 and 4. It's very good songwriting, as Cohen is known for, but it doesn't hit for me as it does for other people.
I think the live track towards the end is a bit distracting, production wise, but, again, there is no denying the songwriting and his ability to write such poetic and effective lyrics.
The Youngbloods
3/5
I thought this album was fine, good for a 60's Greenwich folk rock album, but I don't really see how it sets itself apart enough to be part of this list.
Nothing really stood out to me on the album, and, again, I didn't dislike it, but I've already heard better representatives of that particular time and place.
G. Love & Special Sauce
3/5
The main thing that hurts this album is its length. If it was 10-15 minutes shorter, I think it would be much easier to digest and not wear out its welcome quite so much.
This is the type of album that I like to come up on this list, because it's not really something I may revisit but is just a nice change from my normal stuff.
Talking Heads
4/5
I have never been a huge fan of Talking Heads, and they have never been able to blow me away. There was a time, I didn't care much for their jerky post-punk. However, I have grown to understand them more and like some of their albums.
Remain in Light does feel somewhat epic in what it covers and has songs that stand out on their own, too.
I'd probably give it a 3.5, but I think a 4 is warranted for this scale due to the artistry and impact on larger music.
David Bowie
5/5
Not all of David Bowie's albums are 5 stars, but this is another one, for me.
It is epic while only being 38 minutes long.
It has upbeat songs like Sound & Vision (and first half of album) while also having looming, brooding, almost ambient compositions like Warszawa (and second half of album).
TLC
5/5
I like this album much more than I thought I would. The song with Andre 3000 is particularly great. Overall, it does stand up, and it has a lot of amazing songs.
I'd maybe give it a 4 for my own personal taste, since I'm not so into R&B and some of the album falls flatter to me, for that reason. But, I'd bump it up to 4.5 to add a bit for the overall influence and impact. However, since we can't do half-stars here, I'll bump it up to 5.
The Divine Comedy
4/5
In a way, this album reminds me of Pulp. Obviously, the vocal style is different, but there are many aspects that feel similar, from the direct and wry lyrics that have some dark humor and romanticism, which also reminds me of Magnetic Fields.
I know I have heard The Divine Comedy before, maybe even this album, but I never really got into them. I definitely want to listen to more of their albums, though, after this one.
Ultimately, this album doesn't jump out and scream, "One of the greatest albums of all time," to me. However, it is very good, and I could see this being an album that will instantly connect with some people and grow on others and be an album a lot of people would go back to over and over due to the lyrics.
Sigur Rós
5/5
Sigur Ros are a band that felt like they were from another planet when they arrived on the scene.
It's not that there isn't other post-rock and orchestral music or that other singers don't sing in languages other than English or in falsetto.
However, the ethereal sound of Sigur Ros and the mix of all the elments they put together has still made them mostly a unique experience, and they've been able to replicate it without making the same album over and over.
This album is the original that took off, and while it's not my favorite by them, at this point, it has at least a couple of their best songs, and the whole thing is just beautiful and still a classic.
The Flaming Lips
4/5
I never got as into this album as other people did, especially at the time of its release. However, it is a very good album. It just doesn't hit any higher level to me, as it mostly just glides past with the same feeling the whole time, which, again, is good but doesn't connect with me on a deep level.
4/5
Great album. I didn't remember that Thom Yorke was on this album, as I haven't listened to it in a long time.
I don't think it is an album that will blow people away, but it is just solid all the way through, and PJ Harvey has an attitude and aura that can't be denied.
Queen Latifah
3/5
I may give this a 3.5 based on the fact that it is an album that came out in '89 and doesn't sound as date as some other stuff in hip-hop at that time. Plus, being a female MC, especially at that time, was pioneering.
However, I feel there are better hip-hop and stuff that is still more listenable today. Therefore, I can't personally bump it up to 4.
Caetano Veloso
4/5
This was definitely better than I was expecting, and I found the first track, especially to be pretty epic and grand feeling with the build up and the instrumentation.
As the album went on, it felt more and more forgettable for me, so I'd give this a 3.5.
But for its time, and the way it mixes a lot of influences and then undoubtedly influenced a lot of other music from Brazil and else where, it deserves, I'll bump it up to 4 for this scale.
The Cure
4/5
I think this is a great record, and I love The Cure, but I don't think this is as groundbreaking as a couple albums they made after. It is a very good post-punk, new wave type album that shows the incredible promise and trajectory The Cure were going on!
Kendrick Lamar
4/5
I've been waiting for this album, because it seems to be one of the more controversial picks - not because so many people dislike it, but because so many people think it is so absolutely incredible.
I was already given Kendrick Lamar's "Good Kid, M.A.A.D City" and didn't love it. It was okay, but I was told that "To Pimp a Butterfly" was his real masterpiece.
So, I think this album, "To Pimp a Butterfly" is very good. It may be "great," but it is much too, way too overhyped.
I still think there are much greater hip-hop albums out there, personally, though I understand it is a matter of taste. I would take all but the first and last Outkast album over this and think they are more revolutionary and grand in presentation. Or Danny Brown and JPEGMafia's album or even Danny Brown's "Atrocity Exhibition" as a more modern album that I think competes with this Lamar album (Lamar is actually on "Atrocity Exhibition").
But, anyway, I am giving this 4 stars, because I did like it overall, but I still think it is much too over praised.
Beck
5/5
I listened to this album a lot in the 90's, and I revisited it and Beck's whole discography a couple years ago.
I think Odelay feels a bit its age, unfortunately. However, I think it is still fun trip of nostalgia for those that knew it or a view into a time when something this fresh could come out of left field. There really aren't much being created like this with this production, right now, because the state of the industry doesn't really allow it.
Therefore, I could really give this a 4 based on how much I may really want to listen to it nowadays or 4.5, but I think 5 is deserved if you take into account where it came from, how much it really was "everywhere," and how original it really was at that time, mixing together so many things into every song.
Fred Neil
4/5
I'd give this 3.5 stars, personally, but I'm going to bump up to 4 stars, as I think it deserves that more than 3 stars.
This is not something i think I'll revisit much, but for 1966, I think it has a nice mix of genres and good/interesting songwriting.
I didn't expect something that was a mix of more folk music and almost Elvis-like crooning.
MC Solaar
4/5
I am between a 3.5 and 4 on this, so I'll give it a 4 on this scale.
The music feels ahead of its time, or at least, I can see the influence on groups and amazing music that followed, such as Massive Attack.
The vocals are okay, but I feel the album is too long, and some of the vocals don't fit the mood as well as I wanted them too. They felt too bouncy for music, and I just wanted the whole thing to feel more "moody" like Massive Attack.
Overall, though, it is not a bad listen, and I do think it is impressive for the time and still feels relevant all these years later.
Guided By Voices
5/5
I am a little torn between 4 and 5 stars, because I really wish the production was better, for one.
Second, the greatest strength of the album is also its weakness, that every song is one to two minutes long, and there are a lot of them!
That concept makes the album keep moving, and there are so many great songs that, because of the format, never wear out their welcome.
However, it also means we don't get to sit on songs and have them stick in our heads as much as I'd like to make it more memorable.
But I already want to go back to it and also listen to more of their albums, because I did like it so much, and it is incredibly impressive how many amazing songs and ideas are displayed here - enough for multiple albums if they had wanted or if another band had written them instead.
So, I'm going to give it 5 stars on this scale but would probably do 4.5.
Iggy Pop
5/5
To me, this is a classic, seminal album. It is, of course, a collaboration with Bowie and Pop, but it was also a sort of "comeback" album for Iggy Pop and showed even more range, which has benefited him to this day.
It's hard to say where Iggy's career would have gone without Bowie stepping in and without both The Idiot and Lust for Life, but I feel all signs point to "not very good."
However, I think every album on this album is great or at least very good, it feels cohesive, and it doesn't outstay its welcome.
James Brown
4/5
I personally liked this more than most "classic" James Brown I've heard throughout my life, as it was closer to jazz and soul than "funk."
For this music, the live atmosphere makes sense and makes it feel more alive, though the cheering and whooping would bother me on further listens.
But, yeah, the music is classic and timeless, and the performance is completely top tier.
The Byrds
4/5
This is a very "easy to listen to" album, and I think it is one of the better/best folk rock albums I've heard. I'd like to listen to it again, but I did find it enjoyable, and I really can't give it less than a 3.5-4, because it is very well done and does seem significant to the time and basically was a supergroup.
The xx
3/5
I think this album is good. I'd give it 3.5 stars, but I can't give it 4. It doesn't feel particularly outstanding to me, and I think there are much better examples of even British bands doing a similar style like London Grammar, who deserve to be on this list much more than The xx. I cannot fathom why The xx have two albums on this list...
Machito
4/5
I'm not personally into this style of jazz, but it's amazing this came from the 50's! I can only imagine how groundbreaking and new and other-worldly it must have been to folks in the US or England, and I can only imagine the impact it must have had on music thereafter.
Adele
3/5
I'm very torn on this rating, because I want to give it a 2.5, because 2 feels too low for an album that does contain a couple songs that I do see the talent and vision in and can understand why people like them. However, the album is so one-note and gets much too repetitive and a slog that it doesn't feel like a 3, as I don't feel someone that treads so much on just piano and sad vocals really should rise to 1001 albums.
I think I have to settle on a 3, even though I feel it like pulls the album higher than it deserves in an average score.
Songhoy Blues
3/5
This album was fine, and I thought the last 4 or so songs were good and fun to listen to, but as someone that is not a blues fan, generally, I found the first half of the album rather bland. Even though I can definitely recognize the adversity these musicians went through and what this album may mean for their story and where they come from, ultimately, compared to all the other music made in the last 70 years, I do not believe this album belongs on this list. I would much rather hear something more traditional or maybe more rock-inspired that has more edge to it.
Peter Tosh
4/5
I'd probably give this a 3.5 star rating, as it is good, but it's not incredible, I don't feel, even for its time. The back third of the album gets pretty dull and doesn't have the excitement or engaging reggae of the first part of the album.
I feel there are better Peter Tosh albums to put on this list, but I have honestly not listened to his music in a while. However, I do at least now want to listen to some of his other albums.
Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five
5/5
I think I might give this 4.5 stars, because I do think one or two of the R&B numbers are not quite up to the level of other parts, but there is a lot more variety to this album than I thought, and the funk and at least som of the R&B songs are good and make for a nice flow throughout the album.
And, of course, "The Message" still holds up as an amazing song. It's a solid beat, and even though the rhymes are primitive compared to today's hip-hop, they hold up better than some other stuff from that time and genre.
UB40
4/5
I have to give this 4 stars. I was very pleasantly surprised by the very relaxed sounds, having only known UB40 from their singles, which I associate heavily with the late 80's / early 90's soung.
However, this album was very solid, laid-back reggae, and while it is too long, it is very good music and fun to listen to.
B.B. King
4/5
I'm not a Blues person, but I do feel that the presentation and instrumentation on this recording, combined with the time it was made, push it above a 3 for me.
Isaac Hayes
4/5
The first song on this album is incredible. Several other songs are really good. The last song is much too long and boring, despite it trying to tell a story. However, I admit part of that could be a difference in upbringing, culture, time, and place.
Overall, I understand the impact of this album, and I waver between a 3.5 and 4, so I'll give it a 4 here.
Deerhunter
4/5
I'm not as blown away by this album as many seem to be, but I often find a lot of indie music from the 10's to be fairly toothless in a lot of ways. I do not find this album toothless in that way, entirely, but the back third starts to go that direction. The first 2/3rd's has a lot more pop hooks than I was expecting, and the music is a great mix of shoegazey indie semi-noisy rock.
Ghostface Killah
4/5
I'd give this a 3.5, but I'll round up to 4, as I do think this is just a solid hip-hop album. I don't think it rises to some other level. It doesn't break a lot of standards or challenge much in the way of what Ghostface, Wu-tang, or hip-hop has done before, but it is just very solid and quality, real stuff.
The Beau Brummels
3/5
This is another that I feel is a 3.5, but I am rounding down here, because while I do appreciate the music and the context of it, I don't feel it really holds up even as much as more contemporary critics pen it. I feel there are many better examples of this type of psychedelic folk and especially in the larger folk scened of the 60's.
4/5
This is definitely not my favorite album by The Kinks, and the two before it are both 5 stars to me, making the comparison to this one tougher.
I do think this is a great album and continues a lot of what The Kinks were doing, but it's not as great and, therefore, I have to give it a 4.
It lacks some of the cohesive arc I felt the two before it had and also doesn't have any of their most memorable songs.
Iron Butterfly
4/5
In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida is still great and still deserves to be heard by anyone who likes rock music. The rest of the album is fine, but I think Side Two still carries this to 4 stars for its influence on music, especially heavy rock and, eventually, metal.
The Beach Boys
4/5
Classic Beach Boys, in their transition from car and surf songs to something greater. You can hear their path to "Pet Sounds," though they aren't there, yet.
However, it's still a classic. Classic American Rock'n'Roll songs with a hopping, fun vibe.
Joe Ely
4/5
I'd give this a 3.5, but I'll round up to 4, because I do think it is a very well-done version of what it is trying to do. This from Wikipedia is a great encapsulation of what I feel:
The Los Angeles Times wrote that "Ely's pure, unadorned vocals and wry, gently philosophical songs revive the Hank Williams-Lefty Frizzell honky-tonk tradition in country music without showing any traces of nostalgia or self-consciousness.
I could see myself putting this on again. Not going to be a huge favorite, but it's easy to listen to and, especially for 1978, pretty surprising, as I would have believed it was released in 82, 88, or maybe even early 90's.
Elvis Presley
5/5
I'd give this 4.5 stars, as it is my favorite Elvis release, though 2 of my favorite songs from this era are only on the reissue from 2000 (Kentucky Rain and Suspicious Minds).
Overall, I just think it sounds amazing, the music is both epic and just a top-notch country-tinged rock album.
Spiritualized
5/5
I have to give this at least a 4.5, as I just think it is a brilliant and beautiful album. The first song is, in my opinion, one of the greatest rock songs written - again, just beautiful. And while the rest is not quite as cohesive as I'd ultimately like, it is an outstanding demonstration of what Jason Pierce can do, someone that has focused on a particular brand of music and still making great music in that vein today.
Brian Eno
4/5
A great album. Not is best. Maybe deserves a 4.5, but I don't think it is a 5, so I'll say it's a 4. I'm not sure I think this is one of his albums that everyone must hear, but it is solid, very good, and better than a lot of other music, as most of his music tends to be...
KISS
4/5
I think "Beth" is genuinely a great song that still holds up today for almost any listening fan. Many of the other songs are also great classic rock songs, and I understand how KISS would have inspired and led to many hard rock and metal bands today. Therefore, while I find it hard to give this 5 stars, as I can't imagine myself listening to it again, I can't deny the power and influence that was KISS, and this album doesn't really have a "bad" song.
Common
4/5
I have heard Common before, and I never had any issues with him, but his music also never clicked with me. This album came out at a time where I was looking for hip-hop that was either even more classic sounding like Jurassic 5 or really bombastic like Outkast.
However, now, going back to it, I really enjoyed it and could see myself listening to it again.
Girls Against Boys
5/5
I have to give this album 5 stars, as it is by one of my favorite bands ever, one of my favorite "genres," and it represents a musical approach very underrepresented on this list - that of American independent bands that were intent on making something fresh, challenging, and didn't care about success or popularity.
It's always hard for me to pick a favorite album by Girls Against Boys. It probably is not this one, but they made a few albums that all compete, including this one.
Destiny's Child
2/5
No, it's not offensive, and there is some soul in it, but it's also just a lot of showy pop fluff made to make a lot of money with silly lyrics and predictable song structures. I'd probably give it 2.5 stars, but I really can't give it 3.
The Coral
4/5
Listening to this again, having never really "gotten them" before, I now hear that they were really doing a throw-back to The Zombies and The Animals and other 60's British rock. "Dreaming of You" is one of the biggest examples, but there are many of the other more Psychedelic tracks that harken back to The Zombies, too. It's not exactly what I want out of that kind of sound, but the more I listen to it, the more I appreciate it.
I think this deserves a 4 for just being able to write a song like "Dreaming of You" when they did and produce a full album that does have a modern take of that 60's rock.
Brian Eno
5/5
Just a brilliant album that has a lot of carry-over from Roxy Music and Fripp but also has a lot of Eno doing his own thing and showing some of what was to come. Beautiful, edgy, and easy to listen to, all at the same time.
Van Halen
5/5
I'd give this 4.5 stars. At one time in my life, I would have given it 2, then 3, then maybe 4, as it continues to have grown on me as I've gained more appreciation and perspective for what they were doing, and the "80's hair metal" type sound has also become more tamed than when I was a young 90's kid. I definitely can now hear how their mix of synths and heavy guitar, combined with catchy hooks and incredible guitar work really is something special - even if I still don't like a lot of their other output.
Duran Duran
5/5
I love this album, this sound. It is a "happy place" for me, and I often go back to similar music, because it is not only poppy, up-beat, and full of life, but it is also very well written, performed, has true depth, and does it's own challenging and experimental things in rock and pop music.
The Blue Nile
5/5
I thoroughly enjoyed this album. It reminds me of some of the slower and more ambient music of Talk Talk or some similar 80's bands. I have heard some random songs by The Blue Nile in some 80's playlists, but this was my first time listening to an entire album, and I now want to listen to all of their albums.
Tom Waits
4/5
I gave this a 3.5, but I have to round up, because I do respect Waits and can see how he really always was doing his own thing and trying to make something that often was the antithesis to what many other artists were doing, creating his own kind of grungy folk americana.
However, I personally just don't enjoy listening to most of his songs.
The War On Drugs
4/5
I'd give this a 3.5, I think. When it first came out, I was excited by a band and album that was going back to 80's rock like Petty and Springsteen and others. However, it feels like a shadow and facsimile of those things rather than a continuation or something that really stands beside them, to my ears.
So, it's not bad music and is pretty easy to listen to, but I just never really want to listen to it on my own time, as I'd rather just go back to the older, original stuff.
Super Furry Animals
4/5
I don't think this album holds up nearly as well as "Rings Around the World," but "Fuzzy Logic" is still a refreshing album to have come out in 1996, and it shows a lot of their skill and songwriting aptitude and goals and is a great debut album.
My Bloody Valentine
4/5
Listening to this album now, I'd give it 4 stars, but it is a tough call, because I could see someone giving it a 4.5 or even 5 stars based on the time it came out and the massive influence it had even up to today.
There still some great songs and great sounds on this album, though it is very disjointed. It wasn't until Loveless they made an album that I believe will be timeless and forever be 5 stars.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
5/5
It's hard to give this less than 5 due to just how well it does what it is trying to do and the epic nature of the soundtrack to the poetry and all the powerful emotion. I'd probably give it 4.5 if I could give half stars, though.
The Strokes
4/5
I've never been a fan of The Strokes. I find their music too muted, and I always preferred other bands from the same time and "era" such as Interpol and White Lies who have more variety, dynamics, and do more exploration in their music. However, I'd give this album a 3.5, as it is definitely not bad, and I do understand why people like it. I just still don't think it is a 5 star or absolutely outstanding album when taken into the larger musical landscape and context.
The Black Crowes
5/5
It is hard for me to believe this was recorded in 1989 given the rest of the musical landscape at that time. Perhaps it was not so odd as it seems now, pre-grunge, at the tail end of everything that was 80's music. Obviously, rock-and-roll always persists and continues, and I can hear the influences from southern rock such as ZZ Top and Skynyrd, British rock such as The Rolling Stones, and so much of the blues (again, on the rock side). In any case, I've always liked this album, though I don't like much of the blues and have a complicated relationship with southern rock. I struggle between a 4.5 and 5, but on this scale, it's an easy 5.
Soft Cell
2/5
Yes, Tainted Love is a great song, and Soft Cell's version is great. I consider it a classic of 80's electronic pop music. However, I could only find a couple other songs that felt relevant in 2025 when there is so much better music out there from the 80's, electronic, pop, et cetera. I'd give this a 2.5, but I don't think I can give it higher than that.
The Who
5/5
Taking only 6 songs from such a long set feels so funny, as it really feels like a sampler. The quality of the recording is just amazing, even to this day. You can clearly hear every instrument and has a perfect mix with the vocals, as well. The entire band was completely on point, and the songs are just classic. And the banter is funny and entertaining. I just think it would have been better with at least 2-3 more songs on the original release. It's hard to not give it a 5, but I do wish I could give it a 4.5 due to it being too short and just not feeling as complete as I think it should - even with the extended My Generation, which is cool but still not the same as if there were just more songs.
John Cale
4/5
Nice little album that reminds me a bit of Brian Eno's early post-Roxy work. I definitely will be checking out more of Cake's albums. Nothing super spectacular here but just good stuff.
Joanna Newsom
4/5
I really like this album, but I still can't help but feel like it is missing something, something to break up the storytelling and novel's worth of words. I will revisit it and the rest of her work, but I have a hard time giving it a 5 right now, though I could maybe give it a 4.5 if that was possible.
XTC
4/5
I like a lot of XTC, and I do think they were something special, but I have a hard time giving any of their albums 5 stars. I think they have mostly 4 star albums, but they never feel strong enough throughout the entire album. I do love the more expansive sound and songwriting on this album compared to some of their others, but it still didn't hold up 100% through the entire thing. So, I think a 4 or 4.5 is about as high as I could go, personally.
Massive Attack
5/5
Great album. Not as great as some of their other albums, but I can't give it less than a 4.5 and will leave it at 5 stars for this scale. The song "Protection" is just brilliant, classic, and a song I will never get tired of.
The last few songs start to stumble a bit, particularly The Doors cover, but the rest of the album pulls everything up, to me.
Simon & Garfunkel
4/5
I could see how this would be a 5 star album to someone that really loves and connects with these songs and music, and while I do think there is great songwriting, I feel like a lot of it comes out pretty "toothless," even for folk. The arrangements and way the songs are done don't go far enough to truly display the work, which I think some other artists' covers of these songs has since corrected.
King Crimson
5/5
Pure genius, originality, timeless, powerful, subtle, a journey.
Bauhaus
4/5
I love Bauhaus and Peter Murphy. This album is a tough one for me to rate, because it has absolutely amazing songs like Passion of Lovers, Hollow Hills, Kick in the Eye, Mask. However, it has other songs that are also great but just are a much different style that, to me, break up the album and make it less cohesive and less impacting than if the album was more consistent.
There is a part of me that wants to give it 5 stars, because I really do think all of the songs are great - even if they maybe feel like they should be on two different albums - but I just feel it lacks the impact that Bauhaus can have and ends up being an album that I really don't feel the need to go back to in full.
David Ackles
4/5
I'd give this 3.5, but I see no reason to not give it 4 stars on this scale, as it is solid, well-written music, even if it isn't something I won't really go back to, personally. It is interesting and did hold my attention much of the time. The variety is enough to feel like a bit of a journey.
The Pharcyde
4/5
This album feels like the start of an alternate timeline where fun, upbeat, funky, and somewhat goofy (in a good way) hip-hop dominated, and groups like Hieroglyphics, Jungle Brothers, Jurassic 5, and so on were top of the charts instead of gangster and more serious rap and hip-hop - some of which I do like, but that stuff just dominated more.
I don't personally think I'll go back to The Pharcyde a lot, but I do think it deserves to be heard and appreciated, and it does still hold up as "a classic that is still fun and engaging to listen to."
Sparks
4/5
There's really nothing about this album I can get too mad about. I don't think I'll personally go back to it, as it sounds too much like "cabaret" or "show tunes" to me, rather than "glam rock" as I like it. Part of that is the female vocal style, instead of male vocals. However, I can respect it and understand why a lot of people would like it.
Billie Holiday
4/5
It's hard for me to listen to this album and imagine what it was like when it came out. The mood, the compositions are great. I'm not a fan of Holiday's voice on this album, though. I understand that it was due to her being in her 40's after years of alcohol and drugs, and there is an element of the dark and raspy voice I like, but a whole album and even some entire songs just feel too languid and don't pull me in with a lot of the way her voice sounds.
So, I thought this would be an easy 5, but I have to give it a 4, as I just think Holiday could have had a better performance, personally.
Jane's Addiction
4/5
I have never been a Jane's Addiction fan, mostly because I don't like Perry's voice or his whole persona, and the lyrics never resonated, either. The music itself was, at one point, also not a style I was into. However, even though I was not historically a Navarro fan, I feel like this music does hold up better than I thought, and for the time it was released, I do find it pretty amazing. I wish the vocals were different, but that is a preference thing, and the popularity of a couple of these songs speak to how much influence this music has made.
Aimee Mann
4/5
I'd give this 3.5 stars, but I think bumping it to 4 is good for this scale, as there is nothing bad with the songs or presentation, and there is a fair amount of "experimentation" (for a pop rock album) and just good songwriting. It's not entirely my thing, but I could see myself putting it on in the future, if I want something that is upbeat and just well-crafted music.
Dinosaur Jr.
5/5
I'd give this 4.5 stars, as I think it is just a formative album, both for Dinosaur Jr. and so many genres from metal to grunge to "indie" to punk to emo and probably more. The guitar sounds are wonderfully captured and so raw but still controlled with great songwriting. And there are genuine hooks like with Freak Scene that are great, too.
The Beach Boys
5/5
This one hovers between a 4 and 4.5 for me, as there are absolutely amazing songs on here, particularly both of Brian Wilson's songs, "Til I Die" and "Surf's Up," which are both two of my favorite Beach Boys songs. And several other songs are good, too, but there are a couple less substantial songs such as "Don't Go in the Water," which starts the album. However, I do feel like the album deserves 5 stars on this scale for the accomplishment of how they were able to build a cohesive, exploratory album.
TV On The Radio
4/5
I've never been a fan of TV on the Radio, but this is probably their album I would like the most, as it sounds the most like Radiohead and a lot of indie music inspired by the experimentation of Radiohead at that time. Overall, I'd maybe give it a 3.5 for my personal taste, but I understand a lot of people do like this band, and they have had a big impact, making several more albums after this.
Leonard Cohen
5/5
This album hit me in a similar way to David Bowie's "Blackstar." Though David Bowie is a pinnacle of musical artistry for me, and "Blackstar" is at the top of my all-time favorite albums, I still found "You Want it Darker" affecting, beautiful, and tragic. I also found it a great listen and something I definitely will revisit. I'd give it 4.5 stars.
Liz Phair
4/5
I'd give this 3.5 stars, personally, as I don't personally feel this album has stood the test of time. However, I admit I was never a fan of the sound of the 90's female alt-rock. I support the voice it was giving to women and the empowerment of its fans, but I have never liked the voices or the actual music. However, reading a lot of reviews about this album, I know it was powerful for a lot of people, and I can understand that and how the lyrics, that almost seem to me like they are used for shock value, would actually have been very significant at the time.
Creedence Clearwater Revival
3/5
I personally think that, at this point, CCR's output had settled into a style that people either like or don't. However, it doesn't have the same impact as the earlier albums. Therefore, I personally don't think this albums should be on this list. It's fine. I have never been a fan, but I have nothing against the music, and I understand why some people really like it. I'd probably give it a 3.5.
Sabu
3/5
This is an album that definitely doesn't feel for me, as a white person of European descent - even more so than other things from around the world that have made more of an impact on mainstream music in the "West"/United States.
Overall, I thought there were some nice vibes and feelings from the music, and I understand the intent of much of it, though the vocals felt unformed in a way that doesn't fit with much of my musical sensibilities and likes.
So, I don't think this album really is for everyone, but I can understand its place and why it does make sense to people from a different background than me.
Eminem
3/5
I have to say that I was surprised by how much I felt that a lot of the music and some of the vocal grooves and rhythms were impressive, when I could put this on and ignore the lyrics. There is part of me that wants to give this 2 stars due to how bad the lyrics are - not just violent but also misogynistic to an extreme rate and, most of all, just immature and absurd much of the time.
But, I can recognize a lot of Dre's production work and also, as I said, there is no doubt Eminem does have talent with rhyming and rhythm, which, on this record, does salvage a lot of it (though I have yet to hear any other album I like at all).
Roxy Music
5/5
One of my favorite albums of all time by my favorite band of all time. Just a classic avant-garde, glam album with amazing songwriting and experimentation that goes on a journey while not really being bloated like a lot of prog-rock (which this is not).
Ian Dury
4/5
I think this is a 3.5. I like the silliness, and I could see how this may have helped Brit Pop later, and it is a relatively unique mix of elements, especially for the time it was released. I'm not sure I think it needs to be heard by everyone, but besides the lyrics on the first song, I thought it was a fun and enjoyable enough listen.
Baaba Maal
4/5
I would give this a 3.5, as I think it is too repetitive and lacks variation, for my tastes. However, I could see how, for someone that just really loves the music and mood, that would not be an issue. I do really like a lot of the guitar work, and I personally like the vocal style, and I would listen to this again, though I'd put it on in the background while doing housework or something like that.
3/5
This is another 3.5 for me. It's good, but it's nothing that feels very special. It feels like a trip-hop and R&B album with latin influences. So, while I do like it, I don't think it is something that really belongs on a list of "required" listening.
Ananda Shankar
4/5
Yes, this is a bit kitsch, but I think there is a real bridging of cultures at a time when that was something very new, and I think that the covers serve as a good part of that bridge, smartly placed at the front of the album, leading the listener into the deeper and more interesting stuff towards the end. I find the album very listenable and enjoyable for all that it is.
Les Rythmes Digitales
3/5
This album is fine, but I find it to be very unremarkable, especially compare to so much other great electronic music released around the same time from The Prodigy, Chemical Brothers, Crystal Method, Moby, Underworld, and many others.
Sly & The Family Stone
4/5
I think this is a great album that's very smooth, soulful, a little funky (less than I thought), and consistently good throughout. However, nothing really blew me away. It was just a nice ride that was calmer than I was expecting but something I will listen to again.
The Flaming Lips
4/5
I personally float between a 3 and 3.5 on this, but I'm rounding up to 4, because I do think they are well-crafted songs. However, I mostly find them to not say a lot to me and just float by. They feel almost too perfectly crafted to a sanded down sound that is pleasant enough for a lot of people to like it and not be offensive, but it also doesn't feel like it has a lot to entice me of anything more than that.
Cee Lo Green
5/5
Maybe not a perfect album, but I'd give it at least a 4.5. A brilliant hip-hop/rap album, better than anything by Kanye, JayZ, or Lamar, in my book.
Scissor Sisters
3/5
I'd give this a 3.5. I remember when it came out, and a lot of people at the record store I worked out loved it. I liked it, and it always reminded me of a modern take on Elton John, which is fine but nothing so monumental or revolutionary to me. I have a hard time bumping this up to 4 stars, as I just thing it is a little too simple for my tastes.
Wilco
4/5
This is my favorite Wilco album and only one of a few of theirs I like, because I don't like when they go too polished and too poppy - but this album is a little more subdued and raw, closer to Tweedy's alt-country roots. I also think some of the more uptempo songs have a bit more of a 70's rock sound, which I like. I think it should have been 1 disc, distilled, and it may have been a 4.5 for me. However, at its length, I think it has some duller moments and is a good 4.
The Soft Boys
4/5
I really like this album, having never heard it before, and it really does stand out in time, as a blend between something that could have been from the 60's and sounds that are very obviously from the 70's and leading into the 80's post-punk. Ultimately, I don't think it's a 5 star album for me, but it's a solid 4 to 4.5. I just think that it doesn't flow as well as it could. I actually listened to their first album, as well, and I think it is a bit more cohesive in its delivery.
The Icarus Line
4/5
I decided to listen to the first Icarus Line album before this one, as I have owned that one since it came out and remember being a bit disappointed with their second album (Penance Soiree), at the time.
I do like this second album quite a bit, now, but I do see why I would have likely been a little less enthused when I was younger.
The first album is much crazier, more energy, closer to screamo and post-hardcore of the time.
The second album is definitely an "evolution" and makes complete sense. It has almost no screaming, darker mood, slower but still the southern rock inspired sounds and riffs.
David Bowie
5/5
"TVC 15" is one of my Top 5 Bowie songs (and Bowie is my favorite artist of all time). However, this album isn't quite a 5 for me. I'd give it a 4.5 and will round up on this scale, but I do think it could have done with one or two more songs, and even though I like the slower songs, I don't think there are enough songs to justify the way they break the flow of the album, in my opinion. Still, it's a great album, classic, and at least half of the album are incredible, incredible songs.
5/5
I am very tired of U2 and Bono, at this point, and I think most of their albums are actually not good and several are very bad. However, this is one of 2-3 that I do think is good, both in songwriting and vibe and for what it did to music. Only a band from where they're from and their influences and their own view of roots and Americana music could make this album. I think it is maybe actually a 4 to 4.5, but I think it is definitely an extremely influential album deserving of this list.
X-Ray Spex
5/5
I'm amazed I've never heard this before, though I have heard of Poly Styrene and her activism. This album was great, though. Brilliant, brave, and a lot of beauty. The saxophone really elevates it in a fun way, but Poly's voice is also just perfect and sets it apart from so much punk and post-punk. I definitely will be returning to this album. I'd give it a 4.5, but I'm rounding up!
Jeru The Damaja
4/5
I think this is definitely solid hip-hop, though I don't like it as much as other things from Wu-Tang or Dungeon Family. That being said, I think it's at least a 3.5, and I feel like just given the fact that I could slot this in between an Outkast and a Gza album makes it worthy of 4 stars.
The Rolling Stones
4/5
I think this is a 3.5, but I'll round up due to the impact and early rock-and-roll history. Ultimately, though, it doesn't stand up to many other things that came out in 64 and 65 such as the Beatles, Beach Boys, and Zombies.
Meat Loaf
4/5
I can only respect this album for the vision and theatrics, but I also think it is extremely cheesy in many parts and doesn't resonate in 2025 even in the way it did closer to release or in the 90's when I heard a couple songs repeatedly. I think there are better ways to do a rock opera, but I approach this album like the soundtrack of a musical, and I can understand why it has fans. I'd give it a 3.5, but I'm rounding up to 4 for this scale.
Gene Clark
4/5
Honestly, I don't personally "understand" this record. It is not bad. I understand why the songwriting is good and why this would be in a genre some people would love, but it feels like country rock with some crooning that while being very good for that "genre" doesn't feel super essential to me. That being said, I'd give it a 3.5. I feel torn on whether to round up or down, but I will round up just because I can squint and see how I could come back to it and appreciate it more in the future.
Foo Fighters
5/5
I may regret giving this a 5, as I'm really floating between a 4 and 4.5, but I do think this album is still really great in a lot of ways. The "bedroom music" feel along with some of the great distorted and fuzzy tones and songs that felt very fresh at the time - and that I still appreciate. While I don't like any Foo Fighters past their second album, I do think this one and the second album are classics in Alternative Rock.
Eurythmics
4/5
Very good album that feels more substantial and influential for the time than this far after. However, it is pleasant, and it should be viewed as one of the bridges between the early electronica of the 70's into what became New Wave and Post Punk in the 80's.
Black Sabbath
5/5
Godfather of Heavy Metal. Brilliant and classic. Endlessly influential.
Pavement
4/5
I highly respect Pavement, and there is a lot of music I listen to that was directly inspired by them, but they occupy the same place as the Replacements in my mind - where I just can't get into them no matter how much I try.
I think that I just feel like they have good elements but aren't "all the way there" - which would also explain why I like so many bands that took what both those bands did and then took it to the next level, adding something else that then got me in (like better singing or a bit tighter in the case of Pavement, for example).
However, this album is an indie classic.
Wild Beasts
4/5
I love Wild Beasts, but I don't think this is their best album, and I think that while there are some absolutely amazing songs, I think it has "low" points and therefore doesn't go above 4 stars for me, 4.5 at its peaks. However, they are an important band that never got the credit they deserved, and I hope that they get "rediscovered" in time, maybe in part due to this list.
Mj Cole
3/5
I think there is some good stuff on this album, but it is much much too long, and it is too repetitive. If it would have been 40 minutes or an hour with more variety, it could be really great. However, it's mostly something to put on in the background with just two or three standout songs that, again, even lose some of their luster when in the middle of so much of the same beats and sounds.
Paul Simon
4/5
This is not an album I'm going to really put on of my own choosing, but my wife likes it, and I do respect it now that I'm older. When it came out, it blended in with so many other albums that felt just like "adult contemporary" and "mid-life crisis" music. However, I do now appreciate the exploration that Paul Simon was making into different styles and the musicianship and songwriting where he deliberately was getting away from his sad folk songs into something more joyful.
ABBA
4/5
This would be a 3.5 from me. I understand this is their opus, but I still think it falls below many other albums at the time, unless the listener is specifically looking for the soft-pop brand of ABBA. I don't think this is nearly as strong as other 4's I've given here, but it does feel bad giving it a 3, because I do think it is better than "fine"/"good" as there are some very good songs ("The Visitor" is my favorite) and some pure emotions and sincere songwriting.
Dirty Projectors
5/5
I have loved this album since it came out. I don't think it is perfect, but I'd give it a 4.5, as I think it does blend several things into something really special. It obviously is very inspired by 60's "outsider folk" and a lot of chamber music plus a lot of avant garde and elements of noise rock in the way it disrupts the rhythms and challenges the listener with new sounds and melodies.
Sonic Youth
4/5
There's a part of me that wants to give this more than 4 stars, because there is a lot of brilliance in the album. However, there is almost no flow or cohesiveness, and while all the songs are good, not all are great. Still, it is a great album worthy of this list.
Suede
5/5
One of my favorite albums by one of my favorite bands. It's epic, biting, classic while also being a commentary of both the present and future. The guitar work is sublime, and while I understand not everyone may like Anderson's vocal style, I think it is beautifully haunting.
Led Zeppelin
5/5
I can't give this anything less than 5 stars because of how groundbreaking it was and how listenable and amazing most of the work still is. Yes, it has some "white boy blues" on it, but it also has guitar, vocal, and drum work on it that still stands up today, as well as riffs that are still as rocking as ever.
Air
4/5
I like Air, but I personally don't like this album as much as the Virgin Suicides soundtrack or their second and third albums. It feels like a promise of what is to come with some really great songs and a lot that is definitely good but not something that blew me away until they progressed with their next few albums.
Janet Jackson
4/5
I might give this a 3.5, as a fun pop and R&B album, upbeat and lively. However, I do think it is a bit more important than that, so I'd round up to 4 anyway. There are a couple great songs, but most of it really isn't my thing, though I can appreciate it and just picture the coordinated dancing in my head...
The Good, The Bad & The Queen
4/5
I'm a huge Damon Albarn fan, and I do think this is a very good album, but it's basically just a more laid-back version of The Gorillaz and also rather similar to Blur's "Think Tank" record. So, all in all, I don't think it really belongs on this list, because I think the albums by Blur and Gorillaz are better representations of Albarn's songwriting.
Deep Purple
4/5
The quality of this recording and the musicianship is great. However, I prefer a little more "off-kilter" prog rock and less jamming. Therefore, while I see the value of this recording and the power of the band, the audience and purpose of the album becomes more narrow based on the improvisation and the fact that it is a live album that will only appeal to certain types of listeners based on preferences.
Green Day
3/5
To me, this just sounds like My Chemical Romance or other similar pop-punk-alternative from the 2000's. There is definitely a lot of polish and slick hooks, but it doesn't feel as raw as I'd want or as exploratory in the music. I'd give it a 3.5, but I really struggle to give it a 4. Maybe it would grow on me, but at this point, I just feel like it speaks to people that it really only feels like an elevated piece of work to people that really like pop-punk and the 2000's (not really) "emo" music.
Sade
4/5
I like this album, but it doesn't really stick with me. There are great songs, and it is a great vibe, but it is missing something for me. Sade's voice is great but a "favorite" that keeps me coming back, and the music is good, but it's neither catchy enough (most of the time) or complex and surprising enough (like a Steely Dan). Still deserves to be on the list for sure, and I could see how this could be 5 stars for many people, which is totally fair.
Astor Piazzolla
4/5
This was a very enjoyable listen - calm and eerie in the right ways. I expected something more "hokey" and was very happy to hear something I would listen to again when I want something more "ambient" but still interesting and with great performances.
Rufus Wainwright
4/5
I've never been a fan of Rufus Wainwright's voice, in particular, but also a lot of his songwriting sensibilities and style. However, he is a very good songwriter and composer, and there are songs of his that I could definitely see myself really loving if another band or artist were to do them in a slightly different way. Therefore, this album is a 3.5 or maybe 4 stars for me, weighing all of that. Not something I will go back to, but I do respect it.
Peter Frampton
3/5
My biggest problem with this album is that it is a live album. I think it really cheapens this project to have live albums, even if they were as popular as this one where it seemed like almost every adult in the 70's had a copy. There are a few great songs and a bunch that don't stand up as well now. The playing is great, but I don't think the energy is entirely there. I'd give it a 3.5, but I am not rounding up, as I just don't feel a live album should really be on this list and is not the best representation of how Frampton should appear here.
The Modern Lovers
4/5
I struggle with rating this, as the music for the time and the influence makes me want to give it a 4.5, which I'd round up to 5 for this scale. However, I also feel a lot of the music is unrefined, and that feels like a solid 4 to me. I'm amazed, though, that I never knew "Pablo Picasso" was originally by The Modern Lovers, as I never heard it before hearing David Bowie's version. ...And if you write a song good enough for Bowie to cover, especially at that stage in his career, that is really something. I'm going to give it a 4, as it is is rough and just doesn't hit the heights I even think it could. I want to somewhat compare it to Big Star, who put out an album that is almost perfect and was refined, even for a bunch of kids from the midwest getting no attention.
Sonic Youth
5/5
I have been listening through all of Sonic Youth's album, and I personally feel this is their first 5 star album that seamlessly and brilliantly mixes their noise rock with alternative rock and the amazing vocal and songwriting chops they had. Beautiful dissonance.
Wire
4/5
Funny enough, for a 35 minute album with 21 songs, I felt this album was too long. :) I think the problem is having 21 songs, regardless of how short they are, especially since they are all such a similar style. They are all very good, but I think they should have made a very tight 25 minute album with a max of 15 or 16 songs. Instead, this almost comes off as a compilation album. Again, the music is great, though. The energy, so many great hooks for such short post-punk songs, too.
Gene Clark
4/5
I think I'd really like listening to this in the right frame of mind, but, otherwise, it's just "good" to me personally. However, I definitely can recognize the songwriting skill and significance.
Pantera
4/5
Obviously, this is not the most sophisticated music or lyrical content, but it is metal. It is raw, fast, aggressive, emotional in its own way, and it still holds all of that along with its impact and influence. In a lot of ways, it may not hold up for most people, but it does in other ways, as it still remains what it was.
Neneh Cherry
3/5
Maybe this is a 3.5, and I think "Buffalo Stance" is strangely addictive and enticing to listen to, but most of it doesn't really stand up to me, and even in 1988, I think there were more interesting hip-hop acts that stand up better. I don't doubt there aren't other Cherry albums that are worth being on this list, but I'm not sure I believe this is actually one.
Throwing Muses
4/5
This is probably a 3.5 for me. I like the singer, but the guitar work lets her down. Most of the album feels underwhelming compared to contemporaries like Siouxsie Sioux, Bauhaus, Sisters of Mercy and others. The reason I'm bumping it up to a 4, though, is because I do feel the vocal melodies are interesting, and I will listen to this album again as well as their other work.
Alanis Morissette
4/5
I'd give this a 3.5, as there are some good songs on here. "You Learn" is a pretty good song, but I really do think "Head Over Feet" is a great song. I have always disliked "Ironic," and I find most of the other songs to not be for me. However, I can respect what she was doing and what she did for many listeners, especially for the female voice at the time.
Johnny Cash
5/5
Johnny Cash revived. Great selection of songs done by a master with unbridled emotion.
James Taylor
3/5
This is another 3 for me. Yes, there are at least a couple very good songs, but I also feel like James Taylor really sanded out too many rough edges from folk and turned it into something that mostly just feels like adult contemporary to me - made to be completely inoffensive and "radio folk."
The Triffids
3/5
This band/album reminds me of a lesser Saw Doctors (from Ireland) or the 80's output of fellow-Australian band The Church.
However, The Triffids doesn't stand up to time like those other two bands, I feel like what we're hearing is something that feels like a tier 2 representation of the 80's jangly guitar pop rock that doesn't really feel like it belongs on this list.
It's fine. It's good, but it's ultimately for "fans of the genre" and not so much as a showcase or something I think will ever take hold of a newer audience in a way The Church or other bands from the era consistently do.
Saint Etienne
3/5
I remember really liking at least one Saint Etienne album from the late 90's or early 00's, but this one wasn't it, and I think it must be another "time and place" album that only certain people from that era, and maybe also from the UK, really connect to. It's not bad music, and it is rather enjoyable, but it just feels like an imitation of something else and doesn't hold up for me as something significant in its own right. I am going to dig into their discography more to try to find the album that I liked a couple decades ago, but from what I remember, they evolved into something much better than this album.
Röyksopp
5/5
This is a 4.5 album to me. I've loved it since it came out. It's mix of chill electronica, some ambient music, some jazz, and just Scandinavian sensibilities fit right in with other great music from Iceland, Sweden, etc.
Orbital
4/5
I, of course, know who Orbital is, and I've heard some of their songs, but I don't think I've ever listened to a full album by them, and I really loved this one. It's not perfect, but it's very chill, relaxing, but still fun and interesting like a lot of electronica and EDM at the time. I definitely will be listening to this one and some of their other stuff in the future!
Thundercat
4/5
This album is probably a 3.5 for me. I really like Thundercat, and there are at least a couple absolutely amazing songs on this album, such as "Them Changes" and "Show You the Way," but my problem with this album is that it is too much "the same" throughout most of it. There are not enough dynamics, different styles of singing, or variety in songs to not make it feel too long and a bit boring at times. That being said, it's still better than a lot of other stuff out there, and I think it deserves a 4 on this scale.
Astrud Gilberto
3/5
This album was pleasant, but especially for someone with no real background with the genre, it just didn't feel "of significance" in any real way. It felt like something that I could easily put on, with some nice melodies, but it doesn't feel like it really does anything particularly spectacular or influential.
The Beta Band
4/5
I could see how this might not be for everyone, but it is undeniably good, and "original" in many ways. I think it is "very good," but nothing that blows my socks off. They found a formula to make very interesting songs in a style that cleverly mixes brit rock and electronica. I remember this album from when it came out but never truly got into them. However, I do like it and respect it.
Robert Wyatt
5/5
I think this is a 4.5, as it just only slightly falters to hit what I think could have been its highest heights. It holds back just a bit where I think Wyatt could have pushed things a little further. However, it's restraint is also part of its strength, and the experimentation with the almost ambient and film score like compositions makes it a great listen and something unique and with a soft-spoken confidence.
Paul Simon
4/5
A good album. Some upbeat songs mixed with some folk, and I think it works, maybe better than I think his pure folk and pure "world music" albums work. Still nothing that blows me away, but it is very good.
Megadeth
4/5
This may be an outstanding thrash album, but it's not exactly my thing, so I only thought it was "very good." :)
Brian Eno
4/5
I wanted to like this more than I did. I thought it would be more ambient and a little more "odd," but seeing the year it was made does explain why it still has a lot of the same DNA as the later Talking Heads with a lot of funk and R&B, filtered through Byrne. It is good but not something I'm going to go back to much, if at all.
The Darkness
5/5
I think this really is a 4 to 4.5 depending on how I look at it, but I am rounding up to 5, because the songs really are fantastic all the way through, it is fun, and it is/was really a breathe of fresh air at the time. Sure, it is a lot of classic rock mixed together, but it does it in a modern way, is consistent, and is just very, very good.
Everything But The Girl
4/5
This is a 3.5-4 for me. It's very good in parts, great mood piece, but it doesn't stand out a lot. However, it is consistently good, no bad songs, and the singing is great all the way through - the real highlight - with the music supporting her.
Germs
4/5
I'd give this a 3.5. Maybe it should be higher, but I just don't really like punk music that much, especially this style. I can appreciate their work, for the genre, though, and it's definitely not bad to listen to.
Pavement
4/5
I like this one much better than "Slanted..." as I feel this album has many more song structures that feel whole and complex while still giving satisfying melodies. I may personally give it a 3.5, but there's part of me that could potentially see it growing to a 4.5 as I do want to revisit it in the future (which is not how I felt about "Slanted...").
Femi Kuti
4/5
This was a fun listen, and it obviously has a lot of life and culture in it. Overall, it's not something I'd really go back to a lot, but it is well crafted and a great example of the style and genre.
CHVRCHES
3/5
It's fine synth/electro-pop, but I just have never been able to get into Chvrches or understand how highly they are rated by others. I don't think the hooks are strong enough or the music stand out quite enough or the songs being unique enough from each other or other music out there.
The Velvet Underground
4/5
I think this album could have been great... with a couple more songs, less of the spoken word, a little less drugs. It has some great stuff and continues their exploratory approach, but it falls short, and I could see people giving it a 3 for some of it's missteps.
CHIC
4/5
This is between a 3.5 and 4 stars, for me. It has a lot of "hits" and (parts of) songs that became samples or played for a few seconds in movies or tv shows. However, as a whole, the disco-fueled album lacks enough for me to put it higher. And even though it is up-beat and dance-y, it's not quite something that I feel I'd go back to even if I was looking for something fun, as I think there are other albums with a bit more substance that also do that.
Rod Stewart
4/5
There are a couple great songs on here - the hits, "Maggie May" and "Reason to Believe," but many are just "fine," and they are most of the songs are covers or written by other people. So, it's a good album, but I think this is a 3.5 to 4, depending on how much tilt for the songs not being written by Stewart.
LL Cool J
3/5
This is a 3.5 for me, but I can't round up to 4. I just think there are too many other great classic hip-hop albums. This one feels like it sits in an awkward phase where it lacks a lot of the fun and personality of the early hip-hop but also doesn't have the refinement of the later stuff.
Talk Talk
5/5
This is a 4 to 4.5 for me. It's subtle. It's beautiful. It's something more unique than what most modern listeners may understand. For the time, but even now, it is unique. The craftsmanship into music that could have some major commercial appeal but still was pushing boundaries is sadly mostly missing today.
Youssou N'Dour
4/5
Good vibes. Fun, relaxing. I will definitely check this out again, especially during the summer. Nothing that blew my mind, but it is solid music.
Morrissey
4/5
I love The Smiths, but when it comes to Morrissey's solo stuff, it's hit or miss for me, and I actually prefer his more recent stuff from the last couple decades. However, "Viva Hate" is probably my favorite of his early solo work. It has a lot of great tracks, and the pacing is nice, with slower songs and some rockers. I think it's the prime example of his post-Smiths solo work until he shifted in the 00's.
4/5
This is a tough one for me to rate, because my personal enjoyment was a 3 or maybe 3.5. However, I can respect the songwriting and musicianship and what it would have been to those that heard it in 1970. There are no bad songs, in my opinion, and if it hit with someone, I could see it being a very strong, powerful album. Therefore, I'm putting it at a 4 for this scale.
Soul II Soul
3/5
With this one, it is almost impossible for me to hear what people heard in 1989, because it is a style of music that just never held up. And while I can acknowledge that it may have felt fresh at the time, like disco, I don't think something should be that well rewarded for a sound so transient. That being said, there are some things to like about the music and some of the singing in this album and how they do blend several influences together. I think an instrumental version of the album would be much better in the 2020's.
The Pogues
5/5
This is a 4 to 4.5 star album for me, but I have to give it a 5 on this scale. It has such amazing songs and really was an introduction to so much of the world of the punk-infused Irish folk sound of The Pogues that is timeless and both brutal and beautiful.
Small Faces
4/5
This was a fun classic brit rock album. I could do without a lot of the spoken word parts & intros, as I don't think those have aged as well as the music, but I think this is a solid album still worthy of time and attention.
The Hives
3/5
This is a 3.5 for me. I think having a compilation is a wrong move, though. It should have just been their second album, Veni Vidi Vicious. Most of the songs are good, and if I didn't know it was a compilation, I would like it more, but I just don't think this is a great way to show who The Hives are and how great they really can be.
4/5
Solid new wave 80's pop. I was already very familiar with ABC's hits, but I've never listened through an entire album. I was surprised how consistent this album is and how it really carries through with none of the songs feeling like filler. Great album, even if it is "just" hooks and theatrical 80's new wave!
Sleater-Kinney
4/5
My only problem with Sleater-Kinney is that a lot of their songs blend together for me. Their post-punk, noise rock, riot grrl sound is great, but most of their songs end up sounding too much alike to me. My favorite album by them is "All Hands on the Bad One," as it has more unique choruses and melodies. However, I think, in general, they have been consistent and a powerful sound.
Tricky
5/5
This album is a 4.5 for me, but I'm rounding up. It is a groundbreaking "trip-hop" album, but it is also just so original in so many ways and feels fresh even to this day, if you take it as one of Tricky's prime albums. It has danger but is also alluring and while it is maybe slightly too long, it is consistently great.
Kanye West
3/5
This is a 3.5 by me, but I feel the need to round down just to balance out all the insane praise West's work gets. Yes, the production is very slick, and he knows how to put a pop song together. However, after that, the lyrics are atrocious and often laughable, and many of the hooks are embarrassing. So, in the hands of a better lyricist or with a different vocalist, I think the often great music, beats, and tracks could be something much much better than what ended up here.
The Cure
5/5
This is a 4.5 that I'm rounding up, as it is a great album through, and even though I don't think it is perfect, it still stands out today, let alone at the time it was created - a breath of something completely new and beautiful and dark and dangerous and nostalgic.
The Byrds
5/5
A progenitor of the "alt-country" genre that created Uncle Tupelo to Wilco to many many others. This album doesn't blow me away in any emotional way or as something completely brand new, but it's a great mix of rock and country, and I think it deserves 4.5 or 5 stars and is a classic and just brilliant songwriting (again, for the genres).
The Associates
4/5
This is a 3.5 to 4 stars for me. I need to listen to it again, as it feels like it is much richer than a first listen can reveal. Yes, it is New Wave, but it is very complex, and I think the complexity comes off a bit chaotic at first. However, I think there is a lot of depth to mine, and I definitely do want to go back to it!
Marilyn Manson
4/5
I never liked Marilyn Manson's music. I always grouped it with nu-metal, and the attempts at "shock" from the band and singer just always felt so forced and silly. However, I did learn a long while after that a lot of the music was more industrial than nu-metal, and listening to this album in full for the first time really shows that. I didn't know Reznor was a producer, but it shows, and I do think the music on most of this album is good. "Beautiful People" is the weakest song to me, but there are some very strong ones, especially the ones that sound a lot like Smashing Pumpkins, as well.. All in all, I do have an appreciation for this album, now, even if a lot of it may be for Trent Reznor still.
PJ Harvey
4/5
I haven't heard any PJ Harvey albums from the last 15 years, and so I was surprised to see this one come up. I really liked it, as a brit folk album with a lot of personality and beautiful songwriting. I need to dig into Harvey's discography more, as I mostly only know her stuff from the late 90's and early 00's.
Big Black
4/5
I have known of Big Black for a very long time, mostly due to Steve Albini, but I never listened to them. I was very pleasantly surprised at how much noise rock and driving the sound was in a non-traditional punk way. Even though I think it has weak moments, for the time it was made, especially, the braveness of the sound and approach is to be commended. I definitely will revisit this album.
The Kinks
5/5
I have a hard time rating this between 4, 4.5 and 5. I think it depends on the scale and what I'm comparing it against. This isn't The Kinks best album, but it still has amazing songs and is one of the earliest examples of an album existing in the way it would for several decades longer, with a flow and dynamics. "Waterloo Sunset" is also one of the most beautiful songs ever, in my opinion.
Sarah Vaughan
3/5
I give this a 3.5 stars, but I find it hard to round up above 3 on this scale, because I just can't imagine it being a great example of even Sarah Vaughan's work. I understand that some of the vocal flubs, forgetting lyrics, is showing the fun and improvisation, but it just feels less impressive to me than many other great jazz records.
Robbie Williams
4/5
This is a 3.5 stars for me, but I'm rounding up, because while I think he mostly "apes" Brit pop/rock from the 90's mostly, it still is mostly good Brit pop/rock, which I think surprised most everyone that heard it. I owned "The Ego has Landed," and I actually never realized that was a compilation and not his debut album just re-released in the US...
The Roots
4/5
I could go a 3.5 or 4 stars, because I'm pretty split on this album. On the one hand, I really do like a lot of the music and the flows of the vocals. However, the lyrical content, like other Roots albums/songs I've heard, are lacking. I feel they have been present/spoken-of as more sophisticated than most of the radio rap and other hip-hop artists, but I feel a small percentage of their lyrics hit a level of other artists like Talib or Mos Def or Jurassic 5 or Del or even Outkast or Gza, et cetera.
Stan Getz
4/5
This is a fun, upbeat album, with a lot of texture and movement. It's not my favorite kind of jazz, but it's not "elevator jazz" and is something I could see myself putting on during a dinner party or when doing something around the house, which is when I mostly listen to jazz.
The Smashing Pumpkins
5/5
This is between a 4 and 4.5 to me, but I do think it is a classic album, both in rock and grunge and influenced many other artists as well due to the breadth on the album. I think it is Smashing Pumpkins' best album but also just one that has something for almost anyone.
Heaven 17
3/5
This is a 3.5 for me, but I can't really round up to 4 stars, as I feel the music is mostly novelty in this album. It sounds like Devo doing New Wave, which I can understand, but I would imagine a later album would pull it together in a better package. I don't dislike the album, but there wasn't a lot I really wanted to hold onto, and it just feels a bit too early to be praised too highly.
Devendra Banhart
3/5
I have heard Devendra Banhart before, but I never listened to a full album, and I have to say that, as someone that IS a fan of folk, indie folk, and even some psychedelic folk, this album doesn't do much for me. The album is not bad, and there are a couple really good songs, but I also thought there were quite a few boring songs, and the whole experience failed to capture me - either via the lyrics or the music.
Todd Rundgren
4/5
I have heard some Rundgren before, but I thought he was more on the blues rock side than the soft rock found in most of this album. I am impressed but a lot of it, but I can't say I really think it needs to be a double-disc or holds up the entire time. That being said, it is a pretty grand experiment, and I think it deserves a 3.5 to 4 stars. There are some really great songs, and the vision is an original one across the four sides.
Slipknot
2/5
I'd give this 1.5 stars. It is extremely derivative and just a more modern version of "butt rock." However, what they are imitating is at times pretty good, and the talent of the musicians definitely shows - just not the level of the writing or the quality of the actual whole.
Anthrax
4/5
I was going to give this a 3 or 3.5 (on rateyourmusic), but I actually liked the end of the album better than the beginning, and it really tipped it up to a 4 for me. I still don't really like thrash music all that much, but I am now convinced of this album's place with Slayer, Metallica, Megadeth, et cetera. I was also impressed with the production and clean execution of all the parts. The singing was the worst part for me, as I wanted something with more "character," but I did get used to it more towards the end.
The United States Of America
4/5
There are definitely some interesting sounds here that remind me of The Zombies, The Kinks, and The Beach Boys. It doesn't hit all of what it could be, but I think it is an interesting experiment and has some fun songs and nice compositions.
Echo And The Bunnymen
4/5
I love Echo and the Bunnymen, but there are only a couple albums I personally feel hold up all the way through, and this isn't one of them. It is a very good album, but this album mostly is just impressive for how original it was at the time, a couple good singles, and promise of what they would do. As a whole, it's good but not great, especially compared to some of their other albums.
Beck
5/5
This is a 4 or 4.5 for me, I think, but I also think that I need to round up, because this is a very beautiful, consistent album that was a "sea change" with a lot of music at the time and really did show a whole new side of Beck. Unfortunately, after this, I felt he most just repeated himself in different ways, which wasn't always to bad results but felt less fresh and new.
King Crimson
5/5
This is a 4.5 stars for me. It's hard for me to give King Crimson less than 4 stars, and while I don't listen to them often, every time I do, I'm so impressed with the brilliance of their songwriting and their exploration and experimentation. Artists like King Crimson are what keeps music as an artistic medium going.
Lloyd Cole And The Commotions
4/5
The song "Rattlesnakes" is so great. I've heard that one before on "New Wave" playlists, and I really like it. The rest of the album is very good, but it definitely is "of its time," and while I do think it should be praised, I can't say I'll go back to it a lot. I can a 3.5 or a 4, depending on how I think about it, so I'll round up. I think there are better albums that should have been on this list, instead of this one, but it is very good.
Nitin Sawhney
4/5
The most surprising thing to me is that this album came out in 1999. I listened and still listen to a lot of electronic music from the late 90's and early 00's, but this one has a production and style that feels like it is more recent. I liked the laid back feel of it and a lot of what it is doing. The style of the Indian music mixed in is not my thing, but I do like the overall vibe and production enough to give it a 3.5 or 4 on this scale.
My Bloody Valentine
5/5
I absolutely love this album. It is beautiful, heavy, noisy, melodic, the vocals, the guitars, the songs, the whole album is amazing start to finish. To me, this is a "perfect" album - for what it was trying to accomplish and what it did for music as a medium, influencing whole genres, and all those that connect with it.
Suede
5/5
This is one of my favorite bands and favorite albums. I love the raw energy with so much attitude and glam feel. I think it has stood the test of time, not necessarily because it feels like it could have come out this year but because nothing has ever replicated or replaced the sound.
Sonic Youth
4/5
I didn't like this album as much as other several other Sonic Youth albums, but I do think it is among their better half of releases. "Shadow of a Doubt" is likely one of my favorite Sonic Youth songs ever, though some of the other songs don't stand out much (compared to their other albums). EVOL is around where they really started to get their own sound that persisted through basically their entire career with little variations.
Dwight Yoakam
4/5
This is probably a 3.5 stars for me, but I have no issue giving it 4 stars, because I do think the music is great, and while I believe it is too polished and too close to "Nashville Country," it does have a lot of the roots and Appalachian feel. It's not nearly as good as a lot of other stuff out there that completely shirks Nashville, but it is in between and does have soul that modern Nashville Country doesn't.
4/5
This is a good, solid classic country album. Nothing absolutely blows my socks off, but they are great songs, done well, by a pioneer in the genre, especially for women.
Grizzly Bear
4/5
I can't say I think this is a work of genius or anything, but it is really well done, and I did enjoy it. It can feel toothless at times, but it does have a lot going on, much more than many other indie rock that stands off too many edges.
Calexico
5/5
I've been a fan of Calexico since the late 90's. Their music just always feels so purposeful and artfully made. It is a particular style, but I think their music is beautiful and worth anyone's time. I don't think their music always feels like something "revolutionary," but it's like a mastercrafted wooden chair that isn't something brand new but has little flourishes and surprises all around it and is just so well made that someone can't help but admire it from all angles.
Kacey Musgraves
3/5
I could maybe give this a 3.5, but I just think this is "good." She rips off a lot of great stuff (mainly Sufjan Stevens), and I think her music probably accomplishes her goal of mixing indie folk with pop country, but I find her voice rather plain, and the music doesn't explore enough new ideas or do anything else in a fun enough way for me. However, I could see myself listening to her Christmas album and wouldn't be upset if my daughter got into Musgraves' music instead of many other pop artists out there...
Beatles
5/5
This is an easy 5 on this scale. I'd maybe give it a 4.5 on rateyourmusic. It's a classic album, heavy in parts, light in others. It has groove, pop, and rock, and the influence could never be measured. I think it's one of the best Beatles albums, personally, as well.
Megadeth
5/5
Mostly, this album just flew by, as it is very consistent and the same tempo and dynamics the whole way through. However, I was impressed with how much I did like it, and I do want to go back to it, sometime. As far as thrash metal we've had on this list, I personally think this is much better than Anthrax and more consistent than Slayer (who has my favorite songs in the genre but other songs that don't hold up as well).
Hot Chip
4/5
I really liked this album. I do think there is a lot of "just indie pop" in it, but there are other parts that are really great. It's hard for me to think of it as a 5 star, as I think it mostly is just a really good version of something that was already being done. However, I could see it growing on me even more if I listen to it more.
Supergrass
4/5
I like this album, and it's one of my favorites by Supergrass. I don't know if I think it deserves to be on this list, as it is "just" really good Brit Rock, a mix of the Rolling Stones and the 90's Brit Rock sound, but I do really like it personally.
Al Green
4/5
I really liked this album, though it is not something I personally may go back to. It is definitely classic soul, beautifully done, and well performed. I could see someone giving this 5 stars, but I feel I lack the expertise to realize how significant this album is, other than a really good soul album.
Sonic Youth
4/5
I listened through all of Sonic Youth's albums just a couple months ago, and I think they have maybe 3 "eras," but I don't think that justifies more than maybe 2 albums on this list, and I think they have at least 3.
In any case, "Sister" is really the beginning of what Sonic Youth became. I think it is important, so maybe I'd put this on the list, but it's definitely not my favorite or what I think is the best example of what they finessed starting with this album/sound.
Cowboy Junkies
3/5
I found this album well done and well performed for what I could tell they were trying to do, but I also found it very tame and on the border of boring, as it neither challenged me or gave me any real emotion (even sadness like some slow music can do). So, ultimately, I don't understand why it should be on this list when there is already albums by Low, a slow, somber band with emotion and complex, interesting music, and there are other examples of alt-country-esque albums I think would be better, from that side of things, too.
The Saints
4/5
I found this album very enjoyable. I could hear a lot of Lou Reed and Velvet Underground but obviously with a more aggressive, punk approach. However, while it still feels "raw" and aggressive, it also feels refined and well produced in a pleasing way. I'd definitely go back to this. So, this is between a 3.5 and 4 to me, and I'll therefore round up
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
4/5
I didn't enjoy this album as much as some of Nick Cave's more recent albums. At this point, I can understand the significance of this album, being the beginning of this sound, but he has gone so much farther, that this feels like a pale comparison. Therefore, personally, it feels like a 3.5 to me, but I rounded up to 4.
Orange Juice
4/5
I really liked this album. I have a hard time giving it 5 stars, as I think it's mostly just good "Brit" New Wave pop, but I think it is very good, and I could see it being 5 stars if I knew more about the history, how much it was creating out of nothing, and the influence it had on the New Wave music to follow in the 80's. However, right now, it feels to me like another good 80's album to add to my "collection.
Todd Rundgren
4/5
This was a "fun" record for me. It was wild and experimental, at least in the mental, psychedelic sense. However, it also lacked a lot to "hold onto" and didn't feel solid enough for me to put it at 5 stars. However, I'd like to revisit it in the future.
Beastie Boys
5/5
I think this is a solid 4 to 4.5, just due to the influence and impact, let alone the quality of the music for the time and how much a lot of it really does hold up. It's a style that some have tried to copy, but no one has ever been able to actually replicate. I do like many of their other albums more than this one, but the influence of their debut is undeniable.
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
4/5
This is a very good album, but it's mostly showing Petty's potential and what was to come. It has "American Girl," but, otherwise, it's just solid rock music. However, it was a sound that he would refine and would make him one of the biggest rock stars of all time. And you can hear that on this album if you listen.
Ali Farka Touré
4/5
I've heard Mali music and African blues before, so this wasn't a new sound to me, though the album was new to me. It is a great example of the style, and I did like it. I felt it was too long, but it was solid, and I probably would go back to this album, as a very well-produced and refined version of the genre.
The Stranglers
4/5
I enjoyed this quite a bit. It didn't blow me away, and I've said in other reviews I've done that Punk is not really a favorite genre of mine, but this is the type of stuff that I wish I had heard earlier, as it really has a lot of variety and life.
Klaxons
5/5
I have loved this album since it came out. It has such energy, surprises, risks, catchy choruses,.and just a chaotic beauty.
Pulp
5/5
I am a big Pulp fan, and I admire them more as I get older. The wit, the craftsmanship of the music and songwriting. This album doesn't have their best songs, but it's arguably their magnum opus, and it is one of those albums that really is a feat and stands out of time as something of beauty (and, in this case, allure).
Fiona Apple
5/5
This is not my style of music, and I find some of the approach off-putting, but I can absolutely admire what Apple is going for, and I think she does it as well as anyone else on this album. No, I don't think it reinvents anything, really, but it is a mix of blues, r&b, acoustic rock, and baroque rock that she makes work across all the songs. I'm wavering between a 4 or 4.5, but I'm going to give it a 5 here, as this really is the peak of a "sub-genre" and better than so much else on this list.
Gil Scott-Heron
4/5
I like this album quite a bit. It is relaxing, smooth, and has a lot of beauty in it. At the end, I didn't feel like I heard anything that "new," but it is something I would definitely put on in the fall or winter around the house or to start a day.
Waylon Jennings
5/5
This is a nice, moody, classic country & western album. It's well done and the songs are well crafted. It doesn't have a lot of "oomph," but it's nice for what it is. I'm between a 4 and 5 on this one, as I do think it is just a great album that keeps to the best parts of country and western without getting into the garbage pop country sound that then evolved. In the end, I'll give it a 5 on this scale, as I think this could be a 4.5 for me, which I round up on this scale.
Arrested Development
4/5
I've seen this album cover so many times and never listened to it. I thought it was some form funk/rap punk - something similar to Fishbone. However, I was surprised how similar it is to a lot of hip-hop I like. However, I do think it shows its age in a way that some other stuff doesn't completely, with the production and approach. However, it is a very good hip-hop album that I'm very glad I listened to!
Arcade Fire
4/5
I have never really liked the Arcade Fire sound and "approach" to music, and I don't understand why they got as big as they did, though I think a lot of it has to do with the same reasons I find them usually bland, where other people hear a consistent sound that seems to have resonated with a generation after me.
In any case, this album is closer to other indie rock from the time, as this was their first album, and they were still forming what they wanted to become. I just personally think they ended up expanding on the parts of this album I don't care as much for, in the later albums.
I don't really ever revisit it, but I do find value in it, and I have some sentimental value attributed to it from my past life.
In the end, I think they did introduce something new to the modern music scene. I just wish, after this album, they would have done more than just create the same blanket of sound that doesn't click with me.
The Last Shadow Puppets
5/5
I have never been a big Arctic Monkeys fans and still don't like their first album and really only truly like their much newer stuff. However, I loved this debut album from The Last Shadow Puppets from the moment I heard it. It is a throwback to earlier Brit Rock sounds, but it is very cleverly done and pushes things in a new direction and is not just retro.
Van Morrison
5/5
I was very impressed by this album. I know Van Morrison, of course, and know he is more than "Brown Eyed Girl," but I still have never listened to this album all the way through. The psychedelic and open, expansive nature is what surprised me the most, but I think it works and is beautiful and very smart, if not genius, especially for 1968. It doesn't fall off into some druggy trip but stays focused and feels composted with intent.
Steve Winwood
4/5
Great little album if you like 80's soul, pop rock, especially. There is a lot of talent and amazing composition and playing here, but a lot of people may dismiss it for just the 80's part. Still, Winwood played all the instruments and wrote some amazing hooks and parts that come together here in a fun and interesting way.
Echo And The Bunnymen
4/5
Killing Moon is an amazing song, maybe one of the best "rock/pop-rock" songs ever written/made. However, most of the album is just good to very good and doesn't really rise to 5 stars for me, even as a fan of the band. Unfortunately, despite loving the band, there's only one album of theirs that I think is 4.5-5 stars, which is actually their 2001 album, "Flowers," as it is unshackled from their 80's output and creates something fresh and beautiful. For their 80's to 90's songs, I prefer their "Greatest Hits" to get all the peaks from the albums.
The Electric Prunes
3/5
For the time this came out, it is very impressive. However, it still doesn't rise anywhere close to The Doors or The Stooges, who also came out around the same time. I'd give this a 3.5, but I'm going to round down here, as I just don't think it has the juice for 4 stars here on this list.
Stereolab
5/5
I'd be happy with anyone giving this 4 stars, but I think that undercuts how much of a new sound and how influential the sound was when it was released. It predates Radiohead's Kid A by several years...because it influenced that and so many other sounds that came at the tail end of the 90's and into 00's.
The Who
5/5
I'm not the biggest Who fan, but this is a 4.5 for me just due to the substantial nature of it for the time it was released. There are some great songs, but the whole production is just varied and creative, and I think it is a pivotal point in early rock and roll.
Dexys Midnight Runners
3/5
I'm not really a "soul" guy, so this one is hard to rate. I do appreciate some of it. It takes a lot to write songs that feel so sparse but do continue to drive and have structure. The talking between the songs felt like a distraction, but I could see how that could have been novel at the time. However, I just feel like this thing has been done so much better. So, while I can admire some of it and understand why people would like it, it doesn't feel like "enough" for me to rate higher.
Ravi Shankar
3/5
I can definitely appreciate Indian music and what Ravi Shankar was doing in the late 50's to introduce the music, but this sounds more like an education piece than something that I can judge on musical and artistic merit, at least not more than 3 or maybe 3.5 stars.
The The
4/5
This is a 3.5 for me. I think it is some solid 80's post-punk, tells a story, feels grand in its own way, but it doesn't completely rise to "essential listening" to me, even if you are a fan of 80's post-punk like I am. It's more of a "hidden gem" if anything.
Maxwell
4/5
Great music, good singing, bad lyrics. Great audiophile listen on headphones. I'd give it a 3.5
The Sensational Alex Harvey Band
3/5
I would give this a 3.5 as a "for fans of the genre" and "good find for those that enjoy glam rock but have already heard all the more notable and influential releases." Even though I like it, personally, I don't see why it should belong on this list.
Teenage Fanclub
4/5
i know Teenage Fanclub, and I've heard them, a long time ago when I worked in a record store, but I wasn't a fan back then. However, now that I'm older, I appreciate it a lot more and can also understand why I may not have been as into their more laid-back sound. I do hear a lot of the Big Star in them, along with the Brit-Pop/Rock sound of the early 90's. So, I am a fan and do want to go through this album again and other albums by Teenage Fanclub in the near future.
Genesis
5/5
This album is easily a 4.5 or 5 stars, as it is just a brilliant piece of orchestrated music with so many dynamics and changes and consistently great songs. I have other favorite Genesis albums, but there is no denying the brilliance of this piece of work and a reason it has stood the test of time this many years later.