1001 Albums Summary

"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.

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.

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.

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.

"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.

"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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

"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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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."

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.

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

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."

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).

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."

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.

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."

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.

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.

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...

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...

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

"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...

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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

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).

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.

"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.

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.

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."

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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."

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.

"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.

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.

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."

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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."

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.

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 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 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.

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...

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.

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.

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...

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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).

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.

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.

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).

"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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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).

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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."

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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."

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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...

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 :)

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."

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.

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

"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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

"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.

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.

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 was formative for me, and this album has what was my favorite song as a kid, "Billie Jean." It's just a complete classic.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

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.

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."

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.

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."

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

"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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

"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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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."

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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).

I love Elizabeth Fraser and the Cocteau Twins. Their music is timeless, ethereal, absolutely beautiful.

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.

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...

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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).

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.

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.

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, 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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. :)

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.

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.

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.

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.

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."

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.

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.

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.

A Classic. Pure. Raw. Dark. Beautiful. Poetic. Moving.

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.

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.

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.

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...

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.

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.

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.

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.

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. :)

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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).

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.

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.

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.

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.

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...

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

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.

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).

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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."

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.)

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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).

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.

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 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.

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.

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.