You know, I wouldn't usually be excited for a 76-minute long album. That is, unless, it's from an artist that I'd want to listen to for 76 minutes at once. Fortunately, I am more than okay with listening to 76 minutes of Elton John, especially since this is some of his best work. This album's amazing! I love the variety in the sound of the album. You've got slower, more emotional songs like "Candle in the Wind" balanced out by fun, energetic songs like "Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting". Both styles work very well. I noticed a few themes that show up throughout the album like love and fame. That's pretty cool. Of course, Elton John's singing is top-notch, with the writing on the whole album being just as good. I've got to give props to Bernie Taupin for his work on this thing. Somehow this album doesn't drag on as much as one might expect. Is the album pretty long? Yes, and I think a song or two could've been cut. Regardless of that, this is absolutely an album that's worth listening to. 5/5.

I mean, it's 80s hip-hop. What do you want me to say? This album has everything that one would expect from 80s hip-hop. Group name-dropping, socially conscious lyrics, elements of African culture. Those aren't bad things, they're just things I've already experienced through other similar albums. I will say though that there is a very feel-good energy in "Done by the Forces of Nature" that makes this a pleasant listen. There's some good messages in here. I especially like the messaging in the song "Acknowledge your own History" with what it has to say about history and culture. I also like the part in that song where they diss Christopher Columbus. I just think that's funny. The beats are well made and the rapping is decent. Overall, while this album doesn't stand out much to me, it's still a positive, albeit a bit long, experience that gives me no real reason to truly dislike it. Light 3/5.

Wow. This is garbage! I genuinely don't see the value in this at all. Most of the songs aren't songs. In order for me to call something a song, you have to have some sense of rhythm, melody, or ideally, both. There's only like two songs on here that fit that and they both suck. The rest of the album is just pure noise. Sometimes it's just talking, other times it is literally just random noise. One songs on here was originally an actual song, but for whatever reason why sped up to become 16 seconds of sped-up garbage. I hate this. This infuriates me. This might be my least favorite album of all time. Everything here is stupid. I can't even call this music. Fuck this album. 1/5.

I want to start this review with the one complaint that I have about it. I did not enjoy listening to "The Murder Mystery." I have... respect for the song, but it just give me too much of a sensory overload that I feel like if I ever listened to this album again, I would probably skip this song. But would I ever listen to this album again? Yeah, probably. Aside from the one skippable song, this is basically a perfect album. Going back to when I listened to Lou Reed's "Transformer" a while back, my one complaint with that album was that I didn't like Reed's singing. Fortunately, his singing in this album is a million times better. The singing from the other members is great too. The songs have interesting writing that makes you really think about these songs. The instrumentation and tone are expertly crafted as well. Overall, this is a (mostly) phenomenal album, and I'm willing to excuse the one song that freaks my brain out and give this album a 5/5.

What is there to be said about Pet Sounds that hasn't been said already? This is probably one of the most influential and important albums of all time. But does it deserve that status? Yeah, it totally does. This is a pretty solid album by today's standards, but by 1966 standards? This thing is a freakin masterpiece! This whole album is very finely crafted to make something great. The singing, both when solo and all together, is quite good. The writing and lyrics are impactful, leading to this whole album feeling very personal to Brian Wilson. The instrumentation is very diverse, and the tone ranges from very feel-good in songs like "Wouldn't It Be Nice", to quite somber pieces like "Caroline, No". Overall, while there may be a few albums I've given a 4 that I might like more than Pet Sounds, the sheer impact and impressive nature of this album warrants a very deserved 5/5.

There it is. The first album of this journey. Also the first album of what is arguably one of the most legendary rock bands of all time. And oh boy, what a debut. For this being their first album, it's spectacular! The sound immediately captured me in its fantastic energy. Eddie's guitar work will always stand the test of time. And do I even need to mention Eruption? Easily one of the greatest rock instrumentals of all time. It’s not a perfect album or anything, but it is very fun and good. I'm kind of lucky to get music that appeals to me like this as my first on the journey. I am now very excited to see what else this generator brings me. 4/5.

"It's like Moz once said, 'Hold on to your friends.' Morrissey. The Smiths. You don't know 'Meat is Murder'? It's one of the best songs ever written about industrialized beef consumption." Well, Eagleton Ron, let's see about that. I did not know what to expect going into this album. I've never heard a Smiths song before today, so going into an entire album might be somewhat of a risky move. Honestly, I thought it was pretty alright. I really liked the instrumental work. The guitar on tracks like "The Headmaster Ritual" and bass on "Barbarism Begins at Home" were pretty neat. Despite what I've heard about Morrissey as a person, his vocals are pretty good. I think some of what this album has to say is pretty good too. This is far from a bad album, and I see why it and it's band is iconic, but I don't think I'll really ever get a hankering to listen to it again, and it's not gonna stop me from eating cheeseburgers any time soon. 3/5. 7/10 if it was out of 10. EDIT: As it turns out, I actually like this album way more than a lot of albums on the list, I just didn't know that would be the case two albums in. This is pretty good. 4/5.

This is definitely a pretty cool album alright! Similarly to The Smiths, I had never heard a Pixies song before. Unlike The Smiths, I'm not entirely sure if I had even heard of them before either. They did, however, influence some other bands that I like, so I was very eager to give this album a shot! And I gotta say, it was worth that shot. This album is great! The sound is pretty unique, but it really strikes a chord for me with it's blend of the lighter surf-rock and darker grunge styles. I think I saw a review on this site or some other site that said that some of the tracks don't stand out much on their own, but work really well together to form a great album. Honestly, I kind of agree. There were some great songs, don't get me wrong. I really liked Velouria, All Over the World, and Dig for Fire, for instance. But I feel that the experience of this album as a whole is probably better than the experience of most of these individual songs. Overall, I think this album is really good. Perhaps I'll be able to appreciate it a bit more once I get to some of their more popular albums like Surfer Rosa and Doolittle. Or maybe I'll like this one less in comparison. Who knows? But for now, I think I'll give it a 4/5.

This album marks a few firsts for me. Perhaps the most notable of those being my first country album of the project, my first 60s album of project, and my first live album of the project. I definitely enjoyed listening to this. This is kind of a similar thing to the previous album I reviewed, "Bossanova", where the experience of the album is better than listening to its individual songs. This is made even more prominent with this being a live album where you can hear the reactions of the audience during the transitions between songs. Honestly, the energy of the crowd and Johnny himself are what make this such a fun listen. The songs are pretty good, but they're a bit basic and not really my thing. I do really like Johnny's singing though. His voice is iconic for a good reason. What's potentially even better than the songs, however, is just the feel of the whole show. The way the crowd reacts during songs like "San Quentin" is pretty entertaining, and the way Johnny plays along, clearly knowing how the prisoners feel, is just as good. I don't like the censorship though. Overall, I liked the experience, as well as the context behind it all, but I don't really see myself listening to it again. I have a lot of respect for Johnny Cash, however. Perhaps I should've listened to the legacy edition instead. From what I've heard, the legacy edition content includes some pretty neat things involving other artists. High 3/5.

I'm kind of surprised to get an album from an artist as big as Michael Jackson this early on, but it's definitely a pleasant surprise. There's not really a ton to say about Bad. Contrary to its name, this album is quite good. Obviously, Michael's vocals are very unique and good. Some of the songs on here are quite forgettable, but the memorable ones are great! Obviously, the title track, as well as Smooth Criminal, are absolute classics. The sound of the album is very 80s. Even though I haven't heard it yet, I do feel like this album has a hard time living up to Thriller, but it is definitely a pretty good successor from an all-time great artist. Even if that artist may have allegedly been pretty weird with kids. Still, I am making it a goal to separate the art from the artist for this project. HIGH 4/5.

I just keep getting luckier and luckier, don't I? From Johnny Cash, to Michael Jackson, to David Bowie. A back-to-back-to-back string of legendary artists. This is the first real concept album that I've reviewed so far. This album is essentially a rock opera telling the story of the titular androgynous alien rock star himself. From the moment he comes to a dying earth, to what seem to be his dying moments. I don't really know what to say about this album. It is absolutely a masterpiece. For once, I don't think there are any bad songs on the album. All the others have had at least a song or two that weren't quite as good as the others. This one though? All of the songs are bangers, both on their own and as a cohesive album. The sound is triumphant and glorious, yet also showing a sign of the loss of glory that Ziggy himself faces throughout the album's story. Bowie's vocals are great, with the backing tracks being even more awesome. Everything just comes together to form an absolutely legendary album from a legendary artist. 5/5. The first of the project.

Well, a week has already gone by. And oh boy, do we have an interesting album to end the week with. This also marks a few firsts for me, similarly to the last one, the most notable of which to me being my first album by a female artist and my first non-rock or rock-inspired album. Funnily enough, that's not the only connection to the last album I listened to, as David Bowie actually covered the title track from this album. It might seem surprising, but I don't think I had heard of Nina Simone before today. I gotta say, this was a great introduction. I can't really say that this album had a bad song on it. The tone was very consistent and wonderful, despite this being a compilation album. Her voice is very pleasant to hear. The piano work was quite good. Some of the songs are about meaningful topics that weren't sung about as much in the 60s, with Four Women being the pinnacle of that. After doing some research, I can absolutely see the impact of this album and artist. And seeing as this is apparently the only one of Nina Simone's albums to be on this list, I feel like giving this album a 5/5 is the right call.

Behaviour (or Behavior for Americans like me) is definitely an interesting album. Apparently it's quite different from what is usually to be expected from the Pet Shop Boys, and I can kind of tell. Early on, this album didn't seem that amazing to me. Unlike a few of the albums I've listened to so far, I feel like the second half is better than the first. This might be kind of weird to say, but I feel like I'd enjoy listening to just the instrumentals of some of the songs more than the versions with vocals. The instrumentals, by the way, are amazing. I really like the chord progressions and instrumentation. Fun fact: some of the guitar work for this album was done by The Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr. Pretty neat how some of the albums I've done for this project are connected to each other. This album has some pretty interesting subjects that it tackles. I didn't even notice at first that the opener "Being Boring" was supposed to be about AIDS. The ending was pretty good. I thought it was weird at first that it didn't end with the song called "The End of the World," but Jealousy proved to be an even better finisher. Overall, I don't feel that passionately about this album, but it's pretty good nonetheless. High 3/5.

I can't believe these guys copied the famous Icelandic pop group BABBA and their classic song "Disco Girl". All Gravity Falls references aside, this album's pretty alright. I'm not huge on it or anything, but it's definitely not bad. ABBA isn't really a band made for full album listening. You just kind of throw on some of their songs during a community college Halloween party (I didn't say anything about referencing other shows). The instrumentals are pretty neat. Dancing Queen is an absolute classic for good reason. The singing isn't bad at all. I'm not the biggest ABBA fan out there, but I do respect them and their music. I just don't think the full album experience is anything special. The bonus track "Fernando" slaps though. Overall, pretty catchy and well done, but nothing to write home about. 3/5.

Would you look at that. The first album I've listened to so far from the 21st century. Neat! Anyway, this album's alright. I think the general concept with what American Dream wants to say is pretty good. The subject matter is quite modern and the writing does good at showing these themes at times. The song "black screen" is a pretty good and a nice tribute to David Bowie. I think some of the instrumentals are pretty groovy. The bonus instrumental track "pulse (v.1)" really shows that LCD Soundsystem knows what they're doing. I do have a few problems though. Even though some instrumentals are really good, others have some weird decisions at times. My other problem is that it could've been a bit shorter. I don't really think this needed to be nearly 90 minutes. Because of this, it kind of dragged a bit at points. Overall, probably one of my least favorite albums for this project so far, but I wouldn't call it bad, and I see why others like it. I can definitely see this being subject to change, as other albums that show up might be a lot worse. light 3/5.

And here we have the most overt pop album I've done so far. It was also released the year I was born! Anyway, this one's okay. I think Christina is a really good singer. Her voice lends well to these songs. The writing and subject matter is a bit basic, though. The album is a bit too long, but unlike the last album I listened to, LCD Soundsystem's "American Dream," that comes from the amount of songs, as opposed to the length of the songs. Something interesting about this album is the clear split between the first and second halves in terms of tone. The first half is fairly consistent, with the same general sound and use of horn samples throughout. The second half started by feeling pretty unique, then it made me uncomfortable, and it ended fairly strongly. Overall, nothing amazing, but a pretty decent album all things considered. 3/5.

Well, I can't say I was something like this to happen so soon. We return to the world of LCD Soundsystem. I already listened to American Dream just two days ago, so how does Sound of Silver compare? I do think I liked it a bit more. For one, it's shorter. One of my big complaints with American Dream was just how long it was. Sound of Silver is still decently long, but I wouldn't consider it too long. What I would consider it, however, is repetitive. Each song typically contains a few lines that are repeated throughout, with the title track having just 5 lines total. The sound itself is also quite repetitive throughout the album. It didn't really drag or anything, but some songs definitely suffered a bit from the repetitive nature of this album. I think that's why my favorite song on the album was definitely the album's closer "New York, I Love You, But You're Bringing Me Down." I didn't think this album would have a better closer than Black Screen, but they proved me wrong. I guess it's kind of the other way around though, seeing as this album came out 10 years before American Dream. Overall, pretty decent and maybe a bit better than American Dream, but I still don't think I'm a huge LCD Soundsystem fan. 3/5.

Well, that was definitely the weirdest album I've listened to so far. It's also my first non-English album, so that's neat. I actually liked this one quite a bit. As stated earlier, this album is very weird, but I think it's in a good way. It is psychedelic rock after all. This album goes all over the place, and yet somehow makes it sound somewhat cohesive. The lyrics, while I don't fully understand them due to the language barrier, yielded some good results when I put them into google translate. Despite having never heard of this band or album before today, I think this album deserves to be on here because of the cultural context behind it and the fact that it's just a fun album with plenty of surprising turns in its direction. low 4/5.

Wow. What an album. This is the most recent album that I've listened to for this project so far. I can't believe I hadn't heard of Michael Kiwanuka until now. This album is phenomenal. The titular Michael Kiwanuka is a really good singer. The lyrics and subjects for these songs feel very personal to him. The sound is simultaneously classic-feeling and quite modern. This album has so many seamless song transitions, you'd think he was crazy. And I love it! This album really is just a great package. I've seen some people (including a certain "Internet's busiest music nerd") say that the album's interludes don't really work. I disagree. I think the interludes really drive home the feel of this album and provide more of those glorious transitions. This is easily the best album I've listened to for this project in like a week. 5/5.

First off, I want to start by saying that I really like the name "The Flying Burrito Brothers". I just think it's really funny. With that positive statement out of the way, I am not the biggest fan of this album. Given the name of both the album and artist, you'd expect something really weird akin to the Os Mutantes album I listened to a few days ago. In reality, it is merely serviceable country music. I really do not like modern country music, but classic country's alright. It's just not really my thing. And you know what, that's okay. This album's sound is pretty good. The lyrics and subject matter are fine. Nothing really stuck out to me. I wouldn't call it bad per se. I'm sure there are people who would really like this album... but I'm not one of them. I will however show it some courtesy due to its influence and the fact that it's a country album that I didn't absolutely hate by giving it a low 3/5.

Ramones by the Ramones is a pretty influential album, but not a very impressive one overall. This is one of the first real Punk albums ever released, so that's pretty cool! The sound of the songs is pretty neat, especially for the time. I do, however, have a few problems with this album. For one, it is quite repetitive. Even if I like the sound of the album, all of the songs sound the same, so there's not as much substance as I would like. Instead of feeling like 14 songs, it just feels like one 29-minute long song. Speaking of which, this album is really short, but I guess that's a good thing with the aforementioned repetition. Also this album has some really weird lyrics, and not in a good way. Take for instance, the second song, which is about wanting to beat a kid with a baseball bat. Yeah. Or the last song where the singer claims to be a Nazi (although that one can be explained by the perspective being from a Hitler Youth member). Overall, I definitely understand why this album is on here, but it's nothing really special to me personally. High 3/5.

Fifth Dimension by the Byrds is definitely an album that exists. I though it was alright. It is a fairly important and influential album, as it helped lay the groundwork for psychedelic rock. However, this album on its own isn't anything that I find that special. It's decent, but not much more. The fact that 4 out of the 11 songs are covers makes it feel less original than it should. There are some bonus songs as well, but I didn't really see a ton of value in them. I like the sound of the album, though. It's nice. Some of the songs are pretty good. The general feel of the album is good. It's nothing special, but I definitely wouldn't call it bad, and I definitely understand why it's on here. 3/5.

I gotta say, I was pleasantly surprised by how good this was. I wasn't looking forward to it that much at first. I didn't want to do another 60s album, I wasn't interested in doing an album mostly comprised of covers, the album cover didn't seem interesting to me. When I listened to the album, however, I really liked it. It was pretty good. The titular Otis Redding has quite a good singing voice for the songs he wants to sing. Despite most of them being covers, the songs fit together quite nicely. I really like the instrumentals, what with the brass and keyboards and all. I don't have much to really say about this album. It's just a really good soul album. It's kind of like a "greatest hits" of soul music in a way. I think this project is starting to make me realize how good soul music can be. Because of that and the impact it has had on soul as a genre, I think I'm going to give this a 5/5.

On The Beach by Neil Young is a pretty good album, alright. It's only 8 songs, but none of them are particularly bad. Neil's a pretty decent singer. The whole album has this really well done feel where it's fairly melancholic, but not too depressing. The subject matter fits that as well, with some varied topics ranging from Neil's feelings on his career to Charles Manson. Apparently, this album is connected to some of Neil's other albums, so I may want to listen to those later. Luckily, or unluckily depending on who you ask, Neil Young has more albums on here than most other artists, so I'll eventually get to experience more of his long career. In conclusion, this album is just a solid folk rock album. I think I'll give it a strong 4/5.

I want to start this review by getting a potentially controversial complaint out of the way. I'm not a big fan of Lou Reed's singing in this album. I can tell that he can sing if he wants to, but it doesn't sound like he wants to. Half the time it just sounds like he's talking. He does good when he tries though. However, despite my complaint there, I think everything else about the album is really good. The instrumentals are quite good and have some interesting sounds with each song. I really like David Bowie's work on this album. The pacing and of the album is just right. I think the biggest and most important thing to discuss about this album is the lyrics and subject matter. The fact that an album all about drug use, sexual orientation, and gender identity released in 1972 is astonishing. The songs get their points across quite well. Overall, while the singing could've been more interesting, this album is quite good and absolutely deserves to be on this list. high 4/5.

This album is kind of like the opposite of Transformer for me. I think Madonna is a pretty good singer. Don't get me wrong, I think Lou Reed's singing could grow on me with future listens to other Lou Reed albums as well as the Velvet Underground albums, but I wasn't a big fan of his singing. What I'm trying to say is that while I think the singing was the worst part of Transformer, I think the best part of Madonna's "Music" is her singing. Nothing else really stuck out to me that much. I didn't like the sound on a lot of the songs. I just don't think that the contrast between the techno sound and the almost folk-like sound work well together. Some of the songs dragged on for me. Did "Paradise (Not for Me)" really need to be 6 minutes? Some of the songs were good though. I think the closer, Gone, is the best song in the album. The editing just isn't my thing a lot of the time. Overall, I can see why others might like it a bit and I understand why this album is on here, but this just isn't my thing at all. low 3/5.

Despite the band's name, I did not find this album to be very special at all. As much as I can appreciate the instrument work that went into this album, I didn't really care for the sound. None of the songs really stuck out as being that great to me. The singing wasn't anything to write home about. I can appreciate some of the lyricization for some of the songs, with there being some good messages in there as well, but other songs just didn't really make sense to me. While I can appreciate what this album tried to do and I have respect for the band itself, I just don't think I am a fan of this type of music. low 3/5.

I wasn't sure I would be a big fan of this album going into it, but I was very pleasantly surprised by just how much I liked it. There's something about this album compared to other synth-heavy albums I've listened to already (i.e. Behaviour, both LCD Soundsystem albums, etc.) that just really clicks with me. The sound is synthy, but also quite a bit darker than the others. I feel like I shouldn't have liked the sound much given my current track record, but it just works for me for some reason. The vocals stuck out to me as being quite good. The lyrics and subject matter are somewhat connected throughout each song without it seeming too repetitive. I don't really know what else to say. I think this album is pretty cool. Very high 4/5. EDIT: This might actually be one of my favorite albums of all time. 5/5.

A Rush Of Blood To The Head is a good album in my opinion. Coldplay is one of those bands that you either love or hate, but I don't think I'm really in either camp. I don't think they deserve to be hated on, but I can see why someone might not like Coldplay that much. With that said, I did like this album in particular. I think that the overarching theme of relationships and existential crises is handled in a good and interesting way. The songs of the album are pretty alright. Clocks is an iconic song for a reason, and the other songs don't disappoint either. The singing is pretty good. The album is definitely on the longer side, but it didn't really drag for too long. This album isn't perfect and I don't really see myself listening to it again in the future, but it is without a doubt a well made album that I respect. Light 4/5.

And here we have an album that just kind of exists to me. I don't really know what I can say about this album because of how neutral I am to its existence. I think the singing is pretty good. Bonnie Raitt definitely isn't a bad singer, I'll give her that. The songs are nice, albeit a bit repetitive at times in terms of what the songs are about. The instrumentals are fairly simple, but they get the job done quite well. Does this album deserve to be called "Album of the Year" at the Grammys? Probably not. Maybe this album was important and groundbreaking at the time, but it doesn't really seem special to me now. Still, I will acknowledge that is definitely not a bad album. 3/5.

I wasn't looking forward to this album that much at first. It just kind of seemed like another random uk rock album I had never heard of to pad out the 1001 albums. Instead, what I got was arguably the best rock record I've listened to for this project so far. This thing is spectacular! I'll start with my one complaint, however, and that's the fact that I can't understand the singing sometimes. That's not a huge issues though, and the singing is good otherwise. The instrumentation kind of reminds me of Meat is Murder by The Smiths, but better, in my opinion. I did like that album, and in retrospect I'd probably bump it up to a low 4/5 instead of the 3 that I gave it, but I do like this album more. I think it's a pretty unique album that defined a somewhat important cultural scene back in the day. I think some of the ideas like having one song that's basically the one before it but backwards is a pretty novel concept, even if Don't Stop is probably the worst song on the album. I really liked the other songs though. Songs like Made in Stone and She Bangs the Drums really stuck out to me as being top-notch. The whole album has a fairly consistent tone, yet still gives some variety. Overall, a phenomenal album that I can't believe I hadn't heard of until now. 5/5.

This album's pretty alright. It's definitely not bad, in my opinion. I'd call it good even. The album started off very strongly with the band's most famous song by far "Bitter Sweet Symphony". And yeah, that song's an absolute classic. The other songs aren't bad though. Some of them drag a bit, like the back-to-back "Catching the Butterfly" and "Neon Wilderness", but most of the others are good. The singing is somewhat hit or miss, but when it's good, it's good. It's almost a concept album of sorts, all about life. I think it works well. I like the inclusion of a secret instrumental at the end, but why is the break in between so long? Overall, I think "good" is kind of how I feel about this album as a whole. I don't feel super strongly about it either way. It's just a decent album. light 4/5.

What is there to be said about Pet Sounds that hasn't been said already? This is probably one of the most influential and important albums of all time. But does it deserve that status? Yeah, it totally does. This is a pretty solid album by today's standards, but by 1966 standards? This thing is a freakin masterpiece! This whole album is very finely crafted to make something great. The singing, both when solo and all together, is quite good. The writing and lyrics are impactful, leading to this whole album feeling very personal to Brian Wilson. The instrumentation is very diverse, and the tone ranges from very feel-good in songs like "Wouldn't It Be Nice", to quite somber pieces like "Caroline, No". Overall, while there may be a few albums I've given a 4 that I might like more than Pet Sounds, the sheer impact and impressive nature of this album warrants a very deserved 5/5.

I know I said there wasn't much to say about Pet Sounds that hadn't already been said, but I genuinely don't know what to say about Abbey Road. It's The Beatles, likely the most iconic and influential band that has ever or will ever exist, at what is arguably their peak. Some people could go into a whole rant about how overrated The Beatles are, but I just can't. This album is a masterpiece by today's standards. Imagine how groundbreaking this was in 1969! The variance in tones and moods, the vocal harmonies between the band members, the writing, everything about this album is just phenomenal and very experimental for the time. The medley in the second half is mind-blowing at times when you think about the culture of the era. I can't really think of a song on here I don't like. Even something like Maxwell's Silver Hammer, as weird as it is, is still enjoyable for me. I think my favorite thing about this album is the finality of it all. You can feel that the band knew this would be the last album that they ever record. It adds this mood to the second half in particular that feels like the finale of a really good TV show or movie series. I haven't even listened to the other albums from before this, and yet, this feeling still shined through. It cannot be underestimated just how influential and amazing this album and band are. 5/5.

Well, after listening to Pet Sounds and Abbey Road back to back, this seems like a bit of an end to a streak I had going with extremely iconic and beloved albums. This album, however, isn't bad. For one, I think that Solomon Burke has a phenomenal singing voice. His singing is easily the best part of this entire album. The compositions aren't bad on their own. All of the songs on the album are at least decent. My main problem with this album, however, is how similar it feels, not just to itself, but to other music. All of the songs are quite simple in terms of lyrics and the compositions are a bit too similar to each other for any of them to stand out. It also feels a bit derivative of other pieces of music from the era. Overall, a decent soul album, but not one that really sticks out to me. 3/5.

You know, every album I've listened to for a project has given me some reason to say, "Yeah, I could see this being one of the top 1000 or so most important albums to listen to." Whether the artist and/or album has an iconic legacy, the ties to a specific genre or music movement give it historical value, or the album is just really good, these albums (for the most part) all make sense to be on this list. Teenage Head by Flamin' Groovies does not make sense to be on this list. Between Wikipedia, Apple Music, and the description on this very website, the only thing of value that I gathered about this album is that Mick Jagger liked it. That's it. But hey, something doesn't have to be popular to deserve recognition. Maybe this album is really good to give it that value. Well, if you're looking for a really good album, look somewhere else. This album has two songs that I thought were decent (Yesterday's Numbers and Whiskey Woman). The others made me feel practically nothing. While this album isn't horrible or anything, and I didn't feel any true negativity while listening to this, I can not find a good reason as to why this should be considered for this list. 2/5. The first of this project.

Now this is an album that deserves to be on this list. I'm not really a fan of pop music in general, but Lorde's Melodrama is an album I can get behind. Everything about this album is very well crafted. From the lyrics, to the beats, to the storytelling. This is an incredibly well-made album that I have a ton of respect for. This almost doesn't feel like a pop album just because of how conceptual it is. This is a pretty good example of a concept album, with the whole album telling a story relating to the start and end of a relationship, beginning and ending with the party that started it all, going over the early obsession phase, the breakup, the acceptance of the breakup, and more. Overall, while this type of music isn't really "my thing" per se, I have a ton of respect for this album and artist and I can absolutely see why this is considered one of the best albums of 2017. High 4/5.

Why is there not a single song on this album about buildings or food? I can't believe I was lied to. All jokes aside, this album's pretty alright. I really like the instrumentals for this one. The whole album is very funky and I like that. The lyrics, while some songs had me a bit stumped as to what they were about, were well written and some of the meaning behind some of the songs were quite good. The pacing of this album is pretty alright as well. Now, let's talk a bit about what is, if I had to guess, the most divisive aspect of this album and band; the singing. I feel like David Byrne's singing is very love-it-or-hate-it. I myself think it's really goofy most of the time, but sometimes the singing is pretty good. I don't hate listening to the singing, but it's not the ideal experience for me. Overall, this album is definitely influential and I understand why people really like it. light 4/5.

Wow. What a beautiful work of art. This was one of those albums where I kind of had to listen to it to understand if the album deserves to be on this list or not. What I found while doing research was widespread critical acclaim, and even with that, I was still shocked at how great this was. Everything is so expertly crafted, and it honestly feels ahead of its time. The singing is emotional, the tone is consistent, and the writing is quite good. This is basically "Depression: The Album" and I mean that in the best way possible. Everything feels so organic, which is really sad when you think about it. Still, this is an absolute work of art that was severely underappreciated in its time. Thankfully, it has received widespread acclaim in the decades since this album's release, and has deservedly been included in this list. 5/5.

This one's okay. I'm starting to run out of things to say about these albums. I definitely respect this album for being one of the first real psychedelic rock albums ever made. That gives it value and a reason to be on this list. The album itself definitely isn't bad. The instrumentals are good. The writing can be good at times. The singing is hit or miss for me. Sometimes it's good, other times it isn't. I think the singer does good screams. These reviews are really starting to blend together, aren't they? Oh well. This album isn't really anything special to me, but it was a nice short listen that I would call a milestone album for this specific genre of music. High 3/5.

I'm starting to feel like this list has every single britpop album ever made on it. Oh well, at least this one's pretty good. I like it. After listening to quite a few pop-punk albums for this project, I'm still not entirely sure how to feel about it, but I will say that this album is basically the perfect blend of pop and punk. The whole tone and mood of this album is consistently great and very enjoyable, with the exception of We're Not Supposed To. I didn't like that song very much. Other than that one song, this album is quite good overall. The singing is good, and the instrumentals complement that singing quite well. It's probably the most British album I've listened to so far, but that's not really in a bad way. This is definitely a solid album, and I somewhat understand it's inclusion in this list. light 4/5.

Let's start by getting this out of way: Yes, John Lennon was not a great person. However, I am here to listen to and review these albums primarily by how good they are, with the cultural impact of the album being the only other thing that even remotely impacts the rating. With that said, this album is just kind of alright. First of all, it does kind of peak at the beginning with the title track. There are other good songs on here, but I do feel like the titular "Imagine" is probably the best one. John's singing is pretty decent as well. The songs topics range from simple declarations of love for Yoko to what is arguably one of the first popular diss tracks in "How Do You Sleep?". That's honestly kind of funny. The instrumentals are quite good at times, and I really like George Harrison's guitar work. Overall, not the best work from a Beatle that I've heard, but it still isn't bad. High 3/5.

This is kind of a weird one for me in terms of how I feel about it. There are definitely things that I like. I think that the instrumentation, while a bit noisy at times, is well-made and I can tell that the people at My Bloody Valentine have a talent for making music. Everything else about this album just doesn't click for me though. The singing, if you can call it that, is weird and slow and I don't think I like it much. I don't exactly know what this album is supposed to be about. Obviously, not every album needs to be high concept, but I'm just not sure what they were going for. I'm not the biggest fan of the whole feel of the album, but I can see why others like it. I just don't really "get it". It's well made and I can appreciate the work that went into it, especially with how long it took to get this thing to finally come out, but I just don't think it's for me. I'm definitely willing to give this band another try later for some of their other albums that are also on this list, but I don't really see why this one specifically needs to be on here. Low 3/5.

Wow. What a great album. This one gives off a similar feel to Five Leaves Left by Nick Drake, another album that I listened to recently for this project. Honestly, I think I like this one a bit more. The sound of the songs themselves is great, with the singing and instruments complimenting each other quite well. The instruments in particular really stuck out to me as giving off the perfect type of sound for an album like this. What really elevates this album is the writing. This whole album is very self-reflective and very personal, which gives the lyrics a whole new level of gravity to what's being sung. This is just another expertly crafted album by another tragic artist that absolutely deserves to be on this list. 5/5.

I have to say. This album was way better than I was expecting it to be. While I still haven't listened to a rap record for this project yet, this album does have hip-hop-esque production. That production, by the way, is really well done. And I mean that in the good way, not the steak way. This whole album just has immaculate vibes all throughout. The use of sampling suits the album very well. The singing is oddly fitting for an album with beats like this one. Speaking of beats, they're really good as well! This album's mood is perfectly executed, and there really isn't a bad song. This album gives me similar emotions to Violater by Depeche Mode, another album I've listened to for this project. Honestly, I should've given that one a 5 in retrospect, and I think this one deserves a 5/5 as well.

Well, well, well. If it isn't the first artist to give me a 5/5 for the project. My hopes for this one were quite high given Mr. Bowie's track record for me so far. Did he give me another 5/5? Well, I think Heroes barely misses the mark. This is still a pretty good album. It goes in some interesting directions, the instrumentation is great, and the singing, while not quite as consistently good as it was in Ziggy Stardust, is still pretty good. Speaking of instrumentation, Robert Fripp's guitar work is great, and the talent that went into this album is insane. The title track is really good, and some of the other tracks are quite good as well. I think my big complaint is that it just feels more confused than Ziggy Stardust. That album had a concept and it ran with it. Heroes doesn't really seem to have any major goals in mind. It starts with some pretty standard rock tracks before going into a more avant-garde set of instrumentals in the second half. I can appreciate the willingness to do more than the basics, but I don't really know if that switch worked for me as much as it could have. The instrumentals did make my math homework quite a bit more bearable though. Overall, Heroes is a pretty good album, but I definitely wouldn't call it my favorite of David Bowie's catalog. 4/5.

Well, here's a pretty weird album. But you know what? I liked it. This is an album that goes in a few interesting directions that come together to form a pretty solid album. The opening track didn't sell me and is probably the worst on the album. Once the other songs started, then it started to reel me in before closing on another somewhat weak note. But the stuff in between those two songs is quite good. The sound was well made. I've seen some reviews on this site claiming that all Rufus does is whine instead of sing. Honestly, I don't get where those people are coming from. I think that the singing is just fine. There's some pretty interesting subjects in the songs, and this album definitely shows the range of the artist. Overall, I thought this album was pretty decent. Although, maybe listening to Want One will make me understand it a bit more. light 4/5.

You know, I can't say I was ever expecting to listen to a female-fronted punk album featuring saxophone solos in it. Anyway, this one's okay. I was quite intrigued when doing research and also when I started the album. It's definitely an interesting album to say the least. The sound is pretty good, with the saxophone solos being a great touch. The lyrics and writing touch on subject that remain relevant to this day. However, I have two main problems with this album. First off, I'm not the biggest fan of the singing at times. It just doesn't really resonate with me all that much. Secondly, and this is the big one, is that after a few songs, this album became quite repetitive and samey. Each of the songs just kind of blended into each other. Overall, not a bad album, but not the greatest thing in the world. I do think that another rock album with saxophones from another band could be an interesting idea though. light 3/5.

This is an absolutely fascinating album. To start off, it's a concept album, and a great one at that. The idea of an album all on the "downward spiral" of a man is one that can either be really good or really embarrassing. Fortunately, this one ends up in the former of those two categories. It is a very haunting album, to say the least. The writing captures that feeling of incoming madness and tells a great cohesive story. I have an immense amount of respect for this album. However, my respect for the album is quite a bit higher that how much I actually like the album. It's quite well made, but I don't really know if the sound of it is for me. The vocals feel too quiet at times, and I can see where they were going with the editing on the vocals and instruments when it comes to the concept, but I just don't really know how to feel when it comes to how good I think it sounds. The final thing I need to bring up is whether or not I prefer the original or the Johnny Cash version of Hurt. I think both versions have very distinct feels and honestly tell different stories. They're both very good in their own ways. Overall, this is an expertly made concept album that I'm never going to listen to again. 4/5.

This is some good stuff right here. This is a pretty short and focused album. It knows what it wants to do, and it does it in 7 songs throughout 36 minutes. This is just a really solid punk album all throughout. The writing fits the time period while also not aging too poorly (even if some parts can be made uncomfortable if you think too much about Iggy Pop's history). I really like the instrumentation on this album. One big problem I've had with some of the punk albums I've listened to is that they get pretty repetitive. Fortunately, with only 7 songs, this album doesn't have the time to get repetitive. The songs actually stand out from each other. I do think this album could've been a bit crazier though. With a name like Fun House, you'd think that this would be like an actual circus. This album is not that, but it's still pretty good. The vocals could've been better, but could've been a lot worse. The screaming was pretty good when it happened though. Overall, a pretty good punk album. 4/5.

I want to start this review with the one complaint that I have about it. I did not enjoy listening to "The Murder Mystery." I have... respect for the song, but it just give me too much of a sensory overload that I feel like if I ever listened to this album again, I would probably skip this song. But would I ever listen to this album again? Yeah, probably. Aside from the one skippable song, this is basically a perfect album. Going back to when I listened to Lou Reed's "Transformer" a while back, my one complaint with that album was that I didn't like Reed's singing. Fortunately, his singing in this album is a million times better. The singing from the other members is great too. The songs have interesting writing that makes you really think about these songs. The instrumentation and tone are expertly crafted as well. Overall, this is a (mostly) phenomenal album, and I'm willing to excuse the one song that freaks my brain out and give this album a 5/5.

What a great album, man. I wasn't expecting there to be any movie soundtracks on this list, but if there's any movie soundtrack that deserves to be on this list, Superfly is a strong pick. Even when looking at this album on its own, it still tells somewhat of a story and serves as a concept album of sorts about drug abuse. Despite the subject material, this album is very funky, and I like that. Curtis's singing is quite good and works well with the songs. I think the instrumental songs added quite a bit to the album's concept to really make you understand what's going on in the story better. The pacing works wonders for this as well. Overall, this is a great album with a great concept that manages to stand out as both a great accompaniment to a movie that I might want to watch in the future, and an amazing standalone concept album. 5/5.

Here's an album that I'm going to forget about as soon as I finish this review. Look, this isn't a bad album or anything. I think the instrument playing in particular is good enough. I just don't really care all that much. Maybe I would've cared a few weeks ago, but at this point it might be possible that I'm starting to become numb to 60s and 70s rock. The writing on these songs is incredibly basic and the singing isn't that impressive to me. On a more positive note, at least the songs don't all sound the same. They sound similar, but fortunately it's not too repetitive. I guess I kind of understand why this is on here from an impact standpoint. Apparently this album and band was pretty big in Japan and Cheap Trick did influence bands that I do like such as Nirvana and Green Day. However, this album in particular does nothing for me. 2/5.

Electric Light Orchestra's "Out of the Blue" is another example of an album that I would call "pretty good." I think this album has a lot going for it. The production on this thing is top-notch. The instrumentation, the editing, and the whole flow of the album are very high quality, especially for 1977. The songs are quite enjoyable. Some of them are a bit somber in their theming, and others are Mr. Blue Sky. Speaking of which, the big hit from this album and ELO's biggest song ever is a hit for a reason. Sure, it is a bit overplayed and I may have heard it in too many movies by now, but it is absolutely a good song. The singing is alright. It's not the best singing I've heard, but it definitely isn't bad though. My main complaint about this album is that it's too long. This thing did not need 17 songs. Oh well, at least it wasn't annoying as well. The length really isn't that big of a deal. Overall, this is a solid album with some good songs. Light 4/5.

Here it is. The 50th album. And on Thanksgiving too! I'm genuinely shocked that I've managed to have the dedication to doing this for 50 whole days. So, is Def Leppard's Pyromania fitting for an occasion like this? Not really. This is a very basic rock album. The writing is fairly simple, the riffs are made to be catchy, and it's a very accessible album as a whole. Does this mean that the album is bad? I wouldn't say so. I enjoyed listening to this album. I just don't think it's anything too special. Bands like this thrive more on their standalone big hits than their full-fledged albums. Overall, this album does its job of being an accessible metal album and that's about it. It's fun and cheesy, but not exactly a masterpiece. High 3/5.

After 50 albums, I finally got a hip-hop album. I've never really been a hip-hop guy. I've always respected the genre, I just don't really listen to it all that much. Despite that, I was quite excited to finally listen to a hip-hop album for this project. So, does Ill Communication by Beastie Boys disappoint? Absolutely not. This is a very interesting album right here. It goes all over the place in the best way possible. I said that it was a hip-hop album, which is correct, but it also has elements of rock and jazz as well. Somehow, all of those blend together to form something good. The lyrics are very referential, with there being common theming between the references like jazz artists. I think the most interesting part of the album is the fact the second to last song is straight up a song all about Buddhism. That's just really interesting to me and I don't know why. I guess my main complaint is that the vocal effect on the vocals doesn't really resonate with me much. It just kind of makes it hard to understand the lyrics at times. Overall, this is a fascinating album and a somewhat worthy pick of being my first full hip-hop album that I've listened to. High 3/5.

You know, there's a lot to commend about this album as far as the time it was released in goes. This album is quite important. It was the first album of The Rolling Stones (one of the biggest and most influential bands of all time) that really hit it big. It also did some things that hadn't really been done before. The opening track "Mother's Little Helper" was apparently the first pop song ever written about middle-class drug dependency, at least according to Wikipedia. The song "Goin' Home" was one of the first popular 10-minute+ long songs, so that's kind of neat. However, I did not really like this album that much. I respect the album in regards to its musical talent and cultural significance. I think the singing and instrument playing is quite good. However, I have two major complaints. For one, it does get somewhat repetitive. It's not the most repetitive album I've ever heard that still gets points for its cultural significance (cough cough, Ramones, cough cough), but it is definitely somewhat noticable. Secondly, the biggest complaint of them all, is that the writing has not aged that well. This album is remarkably misogynistic at times, and was even criticized for this all the way back in the 60s when it released. I definitely felt uncomfortable at times with songs like "Under My Thumb" in particular. Overall, definitely a culturally significant album, but not one that I really liked listening to. 2/5.

Okay. So for whatever reason this album is like an enigma of sorts. The website says this album released in 1957, even though it released in December 1956, the album cover on this website is one that I couldn't find anywhere else, the album isn't on my streaming platform, and weirdest of all, the wikipedia link on this website links to the article for Fats Domino himself, rather than this album. Maybe things are just really weird with 50s albums (of which this is the first I've listened to for this project). I seriously have no idea what's going on here. Anyway, this album's alright. It's some pretty basic 50s rock and roll, which isn't really a bad thing. I think that this serves as a pretty good representation of music at the time. Mr. Domino is quite an influential artist, having influenced the likes of Elvis Presley and The Beatles, however I was not able to find much evidence supporting the major cultural impact of this specific album. Maybe this is more of a representation of him and his career as a whole. Regardless of that, I give this album a high 3/5.

This is a nice little album right here. Simon and Garfunkel are definitely one of the most legendary duos in all of music, and after listening to this album, I can kinda see why. This is another short album, but it doesn't feel like it went by too quickly. The songs are fairly simple, but they're good. There are some interesting things to look at here. The closing track seems pretty fitting for right now given that it's basically Christmas time and the world is still in the never ending chaos that is the 2020s. Speaking of now, this album has aged pretty well. The writing is, again, a bit basic, but still well thought out. The mood is a bit somber, but not too somber, with some lighthearted moments thrown in there. I don't have much to say. It's a solid folk rock album, and that's kind of it. High 3/5.

This might be the cheesiest album I've listened to for this project thus far. However, I would be lying if I said I didn't enjoy this album. This is early 80s hip-hop in its purest form. This album is a bit repetitive at times, and some of the songs do go on for a bit too long. Fortunately, there's only 7 songs, so it is pretty short overall. Still, there is a nearly 6 minute long song about how much the group loves Stevie Wonder. I can't blame them, but I don't think the song needed to be that long. The title track, which also happens the be the album's closer, is an all-time classic. I wasn't sure if I had heard it before listening, but once it started, I recognized the beat, although it may have possibly been from another song that sampled it. Overall, a decently influential album that, while fun, doesn't really offer a whole much to stand out as an exceptional album. 3/5.

I am going to say what is quite possibly the most controversial thing I have said for this website so far. I don't hate nu-metal. Don't get me wrong, there is some really bad nu-metal out there (I'll get to you eventually, Limp Bizkit), but it also has some decent stuff. This album is almost that. I didn't dislike this album as much as I thought I would. It wasn't that good, but it wasn't horrible. The vocals, could've been better, but definitely aren't the worst vocals I've ever heard. The instrumentals had some weird choices (turntable moment), but weren't really bad. The writing occasionally had some of that vulgarity that comes hand-in-hand with nu-metal, but wasn't too constant or that horrible when it was there. Despite those, I thought the album was kind of okay at times. This album isn't even fully nu-metal. Some songs don't really have those elements, like at all. Overall, an okay album, but not one with a ton of impact or anything to really stand out all that much. 2/5.

I don't know if I was in a bad mood or what, but I did not like this album. It basically represents everything that hasn't appealed to me with some of the albums on this project I've done so far. It's repetitive, unoriginal (I'm fine with covers, but with only 3 out of the 12 songs being written by the Everly Brothers themselves, it's a bit too much on the "they didn't write these songs" side of things), boring, and worst of all, it hasn't aged well! That first song. Oof... That is what you call an uncomfortable listen. I guess this serves as a representation of the music of the time, but maybe I just don't like the music of that time. I also don't like the singing. I don't know why, I just don't. The instrumentation is probably the best part of the album, and even then it's only average at best. Also, what's with all the fade-outs? I know I'm nitpicking at this point, but it happened for what I think was all of the songs. With all of those, as well as this specific album not really having much impact (even if the artists have had a slight cultural impact), I think this album warrants my first ever 1/5.

Now this is some great music right here. After getting my first 1/5, I was really hoping that I would get something that was at least decent to follow it up. Luckily, Tea for the Tillerman is a great album. I really don't have any complaints. Cat Stevens is a very unique singer, but I definitely like his singing. I like how he's able to vary his singing depending on the song (or in the case of the absolute classic that is "Father and Son", depending on who's speaking in the song). The writing is meaningful and goes over various topics that are both personal and still relevant to many people to this day. The instrumentation is pleasant, with there being some variety in what instruments are used for different songs. Overall, this is an amazing album that, because I'll probably grow to like it even more over time, deserves a 5/5.

I genuinely can't tell if this is a good album or not. Every other album I've listened to, I've been able to determine whether it was good or bad. Abbey Road is a good album. A Date With The Everly Brothers is a bad album. As for Talking With the Taxman About Poetry? I don't know! This album has some stuff going for it. The instrumentation isn't bad at all. The way the music sounds is pretty decent. The writing, while a bit weird at times, contains some good lyrics. The messages are definitely respectable as well, with "There Is Power in a Union" being a fairly nice song about, well, power in forming a union. There's just one *small* problem with this album. I can't take this seriously, and it's all because of the singing. It's not painful like others on this site have said. It's just goofy and not fitting for these songs. Maybe with a better singer this would be definitively good. However, I can't say that I didn't feel anything. If there's one thing that this album isn't, it's boring, which should warrant a 3 or higher, but can I really say call this a good album? While there was some genuine enjoyment, some of it was also pretty ironic. Is it bad? Is it good? Well, I think I should look at cultural impact as a sort of tiebreaker, if you will. I wasn't able to find any significant cultural impact for this album, with Billy Bragg's career having a very minor cultural impact. Because of that, I think giving this album a high 2/5 seems fair.

Don't get yourself ready for another rock album. We've been lied to. This is not another rock album. This is, as the name does not suggest, an 80s hip-hop album, and a mediocre one at that. I'll start with the thing I like. The beats aren't that bad. I liked them at times, and they were pretty well made. That's really the only thing about this album that stands out though. The rapping itself is just kind of okay. The lyrics are repetitive and uninteresting. The album also kind of drags a bit. It may only have 7 songs, but those songs range from nearly 4 minutes to 7 and a half minutes. Why? I don't know. My overall problem with this album is that it lacks substance. Most of the songs just feel like, "Hey, we're rockin' and rappin'! Here's the crew!" It feels like a couple of singles cobbled together to form a not-so-cohesive package... probably because that's what it is, at least according to the wikipedia article. Overall, this is an album that starts with a pretty decent hip-hop song, before continuing into an uninteresting drag, produced by someone with some major allegations against him. 2/5.

Finally, an album that I can say, with 100% confidence, is deserving of being considered and album that you should listen to before you die. It feels like I haven't gotten very many of those lately. Luckily, this is a phenomenal and absolutely iconic album. You'd think that, given my track record as of lately, a 9-song, 44-minute-long album would drag quite a bit and have songs that feel like they never end. Somehow, that isn't the case. All of these songs are great, even if some of them could be seen as "filler-y". Admittedly, this album is strongest with the opening and closing tracks, but everything in the middle is still amazing. The usage of synthesizers and other instruments creates what are arguably some of the most iconic riffs of all time. I really liked the vocals. All of the singers do great jobs, and the screaming in particular was some of the most satisfying screaming I've ever heard in rock music. The album feels cohesive, yet varied at the same time. Overall, this is a legendary album, and a really good one at that. 5/5.

Okay. Aftermath did not leave a good taste in my mouth for Rolling Stones albums. Sticky Fingers definitely has more impact than Aftermath, as well as higher praise. I mean, it does have a JoJo stand named after it, so clearly it must be better, right? This would be the part where I break the bad news and say that it isn't, but fortunately, Sticky Fingers is a way better album than Aftermath. Everything about it just works for me in ways that Aftermath didn't. I definitely liked the instrumentation more. The brass usage was definitely unexpected, but very welcome. The writing was also immensely better. My big complaint with Aftermath is that it just hasn't aged well. While Sticky Fingers isn't completely devoid of questionable lyrics (looking at you "Brown Sugar"), it definitely isn't as egregious as it was there. The songs are quite a bit more thoughtful as well. A lot of them are about drugs, but that fortunately doesn't get repetitive with how varied the songs can be. This album isn't perfect and it is a bit too long in my opinion, but it is a pretty good album that definitely deserves to be on this list. Strong 4/5.

If I had to describe this album in two words, those words would be "nothing special." This is certainly an album that exists. It's not horrible or anything, but it's not particularly interesting. The most interesting thing about this album is Rod Stewart's singing, which is interesting, but not exactly for the right reasons. I don't like it. It sounds like an elderly Chris Rock trying to be a mediocre folk artist. The other parts of this album are just kind of fine. The lyrics are okay, the instrumentation, while somewhat varied, doesn't stand out that much. This album kind of suffers from what I call "Long-Ass Song Syndrome", where an album has a fairly low song count, but most of the songs are way longer than they need to be, so the album kind of drags a bit. Think about it. Why does "Come Across Shorty" need to be 6 and half minutes long? More importantly, why is this album on the list? Rod Stewart had 10 number-one albums in the UK. Gasoline Alley was not one of them. This album has little to no cultural significance whatsoever aside from being one of the first albums of a pretty popular artist. Overall, this is a forgettable album that has no real reason to be on this list. 2/5. I sure hope the next album I get isn't another 70s rock album.

Okay. This album does not deserve to be on this list. It simply does not have enough cultural significance or substantial quality to warrant its inclusion. Fortunately, more recent versions of the 1001 albums book have omitted this album from the list. With that said, this album isn't that bad, at least compared to the other albums that I've claimed do not deserve to be on the list. The sound is pretty good at times. It's somewhat interesting. The singing could be better, but it could be worse. The writing was a bit confusing, and I'm not exactly sure what most of the songs were about. The album doesn't really drag on for too long, which is good. I did actually like this album at times. However, it is fairly forgettable and, as stated earlier, is not significant or excellent enough to belong on this list. However, I will give this album credit for being decent and give it a light 3/5.

So, are these guys fighting against Foo or for Foo? Weird band names aside, this is pretty great. First off, I have to commend how this band is even successful in the first place. The fact that the drummer of one of the biggest bands of the 90s managed start a band as the frontman and have it become nearly as successful as Nirvana was is immensely respectable. I have nothing but admiration for Dave Grohl. Speaking of Dave, despite the album sharing the name that would belong to a full band, this album is, for the most part, just Dave Grohl. And you know what? He does a pretty good job. This man has to have a crazy amount of talent to play all of the instruments, do all of the writing, and the singing for this one album. Good job! Anyway, all of the aforementioned aspects of this album are pretty good as well. The songs are memorable and stand out from each other. It's not necessary to have listened to Nirvana to understand this album, but it does help knowing the context behind everything to understand songs like "I'll Stick Around" and "Alone + Easy Target". I like the tone most of the time. Some songs aren't quite as good as others, but the whole album's pretty solid. However, I have to admit that it might have made more sense for "The Colour and the Shape" to have been the Foo Fighters album of the list. I mean, that's the one with Everlong on it. What more could you say. Despite that odd choice on the book author's part, this is still a solid album and a representation of what would come of grunge post-Nirvana. 4/5. EDIT: I no longer "have nothing but admiration for Dave Grohl."

If there's any genre that I listen to on my own time more than any other, it's probably metal. And yet, I haven't gotten an outstanding metal album yet for this project. Sure, I started with Van Halen and that was pretty good, but I have yet to get a truly defining metal album for this project. Until now. This is a really good album from one of the greatest metal bands of all time. Say what you will about their later albums or Lars's drumming or whatever. Their first 5 albums are some of the best of the genre, and this was the last of those. This is probably the band's conservative album. Not so much in the political sense (aside from Don't Tread on Me), but rather in the sense that it's not quite as experimental as albums like Master of Puppets or And Justice For All. Despite that, the style is so finely tuned that nothing else matters (see what I did there?). There is some variance in here. Look at this album's two most iconic tracks, Enter Sandman and Nothing Else Matters. The sounds have similar aspects, but the tone is very different between the two songs. The instrument playing is quite good, as this was near the end of Metallica's peak. I was surprised by the quality of James Hetfield's singing for songs like "The Unforgiven". Metallica's performance when playing live can be hit or miss, but the studio quality for those early albums was top-notch. The writing is solid and gets the points across well. Those points, by the way, remain relevant to this day. Overall, while this album probably isn't Metallica's best, it does remain as their most successful album, and absolutely deserves to be on this list for its excellent quality and cultural significance. Light 5/5.

This is not a review of an album. You want to know why? Because Better Living Through Chemistry by Fatboy Slim is not an album. It is a collection of random beats. That's it. Let me just say that I don't have a problem with instrumental songs or albums. I haven't listened to any other instrumental albums, but I do know that they can be good and meaningful. You don't need to use lyrics to have emotion in a song. You can use aspects of the musical composition like chord progression to tell a story. This collection of beats does not tell a story or do anything unique of the sort. It's just beats. The beats aren't bad. I could see these making for good songs. That's just the thing. These could make good songs. However they do not stand out enough on their own to constitute as good songs. They're serviceable background noise I guess, but they don't really have much value beyond that. Why is this album even on the list? Fatboy Slim apparently has better albums, one of which is also on this list! I think it's just another classic case of "We wanted to represent an artist so we used their debut album even if it's far from their best work." Overall, I don't care about this one. It's well made, but it doesn't mean anything to me. 2/5.

You know, R.E.M. has never really stuck out to me as being one of the all-time great bands, but after doing some research that I hadn't done before, I can see why people consider them to be among the greats. They were one of the first big alt-rock bands, and with this being their debut album (what's with all the debut albums on this list, by the way?), Murmur serves as one of the first major alt-rock albums. So how does it hold up? I think it holds up pretty well. This is a good album. The writing is admittedly a bit confusing, but it just works for some reason. You can still feel that there's something to be said with each song. You can't hear it though. Yeah, the singing is a bit unintelligible at times, but I can tell that Michael Stipe is a decent enough singer. The instrumentation is quite nice, and has the perfect balance between positive and negative vibes. It kind of makes me feel similar things to how I felt with Meat is Murder by The Smiths all the way back for my second album of the project. However, this album doesn't have a weirdly, kind of mid title track, so I do think this is a better album. I don't even know why I'm comparing those two albums other than "I kind of felt similar feelings when listening to them." Anyway, this is good debut album from a pretty iconic band. 4/5.

I do not like this album. Let me explain why. The sound of the album is just kind of okay. It is passable early 80s punk rock. The bass is good at times. The singing is fine. It does nothing for me, but it's not inherently bad. Those are the positives. I don't like anything else. This might just be the most repetitive album I've ever listened to. Why does there need to be 15 songs if they all sound the same? All of these songs are practically the same thing, both in terms of sound and lyrics. Three of songs (20%) have the phrase "Boys will be boys", including a song of the name "Boys Will Be Boys". That should tell you what this album is like. Most of the songs are just about girls. That's it. I couldn't discern anything else! This album has absolutely no lasting impression; not just on me, but on culture as a whole. This album does not deserve to be on this list. I. Don't. Like. It. 1/5.

Would you look at that. This album's pretty good. I liked it. However, I don't have much to say about 3+3 by The Isley Brothers. The singing is quite good. The sound is nice as well. Some songs lean more into funk, while others are closer to soul music. There's enough variety in the songs, both in terms of lyrics and sound, for it to not get too repetitive by the end of the album. The lyrics definitely aren't bad. This is just a pretty decent funk/soul album. I do have to point out that the Isley Brothers are still a thing, albeit with different brothers. The fact that these guys started in the 50s and still go today is very impressive. From what I've heard, this album is one of their best, and I believe it. This is some good stuff. light 4/5.

Well, I think this might be the biggest surprise out of any album I've listened to so far. First of all, I was surprised to even get a relatively modern album. Sometimes it feels like this list is just 90s and earlier, so getting something from 2012 felt pretty nice (even if that was 11 years ago). What really surprised me with In Our Heads by Hot Chip is just how much I liked this album. I was really worried that I wouldn't be a fan of this album. I don't know why, but I just wasn't that excited. After listening to the album? This is pretty great! I had to make sure that I was in the right mentality for this album, as I had heard that it wasn't anything super mindblowing or complex. I just had to expect a pretty fun album with decent music. With that in mind, this album managed to exceed my expectations. The singing and writing are admittedly not the most special, but they're not actively bad either. The album is also a bit long. The sound of the album is where my praise really comes in. My favorite thing about this album is just how different each song is. They're all clearly the same genre, but each song stands out from each other in a way that a lot of albums just don't. This is a very good album that serves as a nice fun listen for someone looking for some good electronic music. Strong 4/5.

Look. There are definitely some positives to "Ready To Die". However, there are also some very obvious things about this album that make my enjoyment of it lower that it probably should be. I should start with the positives. Obviously, The Notorious B.I.G. is arguably one of the greatest rappers of all time. His voice makes his rapping stand out in a great way. His flow is absolutely impeccable, and I do think that he is a great rapper. The sound of the album is also quite good, and there are some great songs on here. Unfortunately, this album has some major missteps. The writing, for one, falters at points. Sometimes, the "gangsta rap" lends itself to some thought-provoking tracks like "Things Done Changed" and "Juicy". Other times it just kind of ends up feeling edgy and unnecessarily vulgar. I'm fine with songs have controversial lyrics if they have a point to them. However, not all of these songs feel like they have a point to make beyond being about Biggie's history with crime. Finally, I have to talk about the skits. Sometimes they work to further tell a story, like at the end of "Warning". However, a lot of the times are just kind of gross. I have to admit; this was the first time I ever had to skip a song on an album. The interlude was just... no. On top of that, the ending skit of "Respect" was similar in that they are both just sex sounds. That's not music, and it kind of ruins the listening experience of the album. I'm sorry, but that's just how I feel. I understand the value of this album. It serves as a harrowing tale about the dangers of inner city crime, and Biggie himself is a phenomenal rapper. However, the skits and lyrical matter drag this album down to being one that I just don't personally enjoy listening to as a whole. 3/5.

I can't say I expected to get 2 rap albums in a row, but I'll take it I guess. Anyway, Boy In Da Corner is a weird album. It was one of the first big albums of the Grime genre, and I can't say I'm the biggest fan of it. It's not bad or anything. I just don't really get it myself. The rapping is decent enough. I don't really know if the accent works for rapping though. The beats aren't bad. They're well made. The writing isn't the best, but it's good at times. Surprisingly enough, I did somewhat start to warm up to it a bit by the end. That took a while though, as this album does drag quite a bit. Overall, I kind of understand why this was put on the list, but I wouldn't really recommend it myself. It just isn't my thing. High 2/5.

This might just be the most depressing album I've listened to so far. And I listened to a Nick Drake album! However, that is not a bad thing. Björk's Vulnicura is a concept album of sorts, focusing on emotions surrounding a real-life breakup of hers, among a few other things in the later songs. This album is executed wonderfully. This also ended up being the most artsy album I've listened to so far. This isn't the kind of music that you or I would listen to casually during a normal day, and that's fine. Different kinds of music can serve different purposes, and this album happens to succeed at its purpose. The sound is quite interesting. I really like the usage of string instruments, and the occasional electronic sound adds even more things to pay attention to while listening. The singing, while somewhat hard to understand at times due to the vocal effects, is very good. The writing is pretty simple, but oh so very effective. You can really feel that there's a story being told, and the given emotion that a song focuses on can really shine through. It's all very personal. It is, like the past few albums I've listened to, a bit long, but it works better here since the feelings one experiences regarding a breakup last for quite a while. Overall, while this is definitely not the kind of music that I listen to, Vulnicura does exactly what it wants to do in a very unique and respectable fashion. Light 4/5.

Wow. Now this is a great album. It's pretty cool that Kate Bush and her music got a resurgence in popularity recently, and based on this album, which happens to include the song that got really popular, it's absolutely deserved. The sound is quite interesting at times. I really like the usage of different instruments, particular on side A. You've got a cello in the title track, some really good strings in "Cloudbursting" and even a didgeridoo in "The Big Sky". When your album has didgeridoo in it, that automatically earns my respect as an album willing to take interesting directions. The writing is probably the highlight of this album for me. It's very interesting and does a great job at telling the story. Speaking of story, this is somewhat of a concept album, at least for the second half, which tells the story of someone lost at sea. While I do think that the first half is stronger from a music perspective, I highly respect side B, also called "The Ninth Wave" for doing something neat. Overall, this album is excellent and really paved the way for other artists to do similar, yet very different, things with their music. 5/5.

Well, well, well. We meet again, Madchester. I've listened to a few albums from this fairly niche movement before, and I quite liked them. The debut album from The Stone Roses in particular stood out to me as a truly great album. So how does Bummed by Happy Mondays compare? Not well. I did not care for this album. The sound is pretty decent. It's somewhat repetitive, but I wouldn't say it was too repetitive, even if it was kind bordering that edge. The singing was okay at times, but also was just kind of dumb at others. The lyrics don't make much sense to me. I couldn't really gather what most songs were about, and when I could, it was about drugs or sex. I just wasn't interested in this one. Apparently this band has another album on this list, so I'm not excited for that. However, apparently that album is better than this one, so I'll try to remain optimistic whenever that comes up. For now though, this album gets a 2/5 for being uninteresting.

What the hell did I just listen to? I don't know how to feel about this! The sound is just weird. It's decent at times, but at others it just feels like noises. The singing is horrendous. Sometimes it sounds like Waluigi with weird voice effects. The falsetto is even worse! It genuinely sounds like Chris Chan at times (if you don't know who that is, good. Don't google them.). The writing is nonsense, and the theming is unclear. This album is just a load of nonsense! But you know, at least it's interesting. At least I can laugh at this album for how goofy it is. It actually kind of wraps around to a sort of "so bad it's good" type of deal. There's enjoyment to be had in the madness, even if it is completely ironic. Also, at least it's only 35 minutes! So, while I can't in good consciousness give this a high rating and I never want to listen to this again, I can at least give it the courtesy of not being a 1 since it actually stands out and isn't completely void of effort. Low 2/5.

And so, we return to the world of Björk. I listened to Vulnicura a few days ago for this project, and I quite liked it. I thought it was a really good album. So, how does Medulla compare? Well, I think this one's good too. It's very refreshing to listen to an avant-garde album that doesn't make you want to tear your ears off after listening to Duck Stab yesterday. I think the idea of having an album focused primarily on a cappella is one with some substantial merit to it. While this album isn't totally instrument-less, it does focus on instruments less than the average album. Björk's singing is still quite good. This album was released 11 years before Vulnicura, and her voice didn't change much in that time, which is something that I consider to be good. This album isn't as focused as Vulnicura. That one was clearly a concept album through and through. While this album does occasionally go back to common themes tying to motherhood and politics, it's not as evident through the lyrics, which are a bit more abstract than they were in Vulnicura. Overall, while I liked that album a bit more, I do still think that Medulla is a good album, and my opinion of Björk's music remains a positive one. High 3/5.

I've never been this happy to get a classic rock album. I didn't think I'd miss all of them, but after getting some other, more abstract stuff, sometimes it's just nice to kick back and listen to something classic, and it's hard to get more out of classic rock than Led Zeppelin. This album's pretty good. I really like the variety that's here. One thing I don't miss about a lot of classic rock albums is how samey the songs can feel. Luckily, Physical Graffiti has diversity in it's sound between each song. My opinion on Robert Plant's singing varies at times. Sometimes I'm not really feeling it, but most of the time I can definitely enjoy what it adds to the songs and performances of said songs. The writing on this album is also quite good. It's aged well, for the most part. This album is definitely a bit long and some of the songs definitely drag a bit, but it's not the worst instance of an album dragging I've heard so far. The sound in this album is quite great. The band's members definitely have substantial talent, and I think that Led Zeppelin's sound is extremely iconic. Overall, while it's not my favorite classic rock album, Physical Graffiti is still a really good album that deserves to be on this list. Strong 4/5.

First off, I just want to say that "The The" is kind of a dumb band name. It's not the worst band name that exists, but I just think they could've come up with something better. Anyways, Soul Mining is a pretty good album. I really wasn't expecting to like it as much as I did. The album does start with the worst song, but it gets significantly better after it. The sound is very 80s, but it's not bad. I think the instrument usage is solid. The singing is quite different than what I expected from an early 80s English rock band, but that's also a good thing. Sometimes it's good to listen to different styles of singing. What really stands out about this album is the writing. This album really does have a way with words that turns songs like "The Sinking Feeling" and "Giant" from good songs to great songs. Overall, I think this album is quite good. Light 4/5.

Hey, look at that. A fairly modern album. You don't see a lot of those on this project, so it's pretty cool to get something new regardless of if it ends up being good or bad. Fortunately, I really liked this album. Let's start with the positives. I think the sound and production on this album is excellent. Thundercat clearly has a talent for music, which can be easily seen through things like the production of the album, as well as his bass playing. I also like his singing. It's nice. Another thing that I like is the whole feel of the album. It's nice, but also thought provoking. It manages to have songs about death that aren't completely depressing for a change. Speaking of which, the writing is alright. Some lines are kind of silly, but there's a charm there. I have two problems with this album. For one, it is a bit long and some of the short filler tracks are a bit unnecessary. Finally, the features could've been better. I think they do fine enough, but they don't really enhance the songs as much as they could have. Overall, this is a very nice album and a change of pace from what I usually get. Also, Fantano was wrong. This is not a 6/10. It's at least a 7. As for my own 5 star rating, I think I'll give it a light 4/5.

Merry Christmas and happy holidays everyone! I think it's really fun that the guy who runs this website decided to give everyone the Christmas album on Christmas itself. You know, I can't say I've ever wanted a Christmas gift from a convicted murderer, but I will gladly take "A Christmas Gift For You From Phil Spector", because this is some good stuff. There really isn't much to say. This is an album with some absolute Christmas classic. They're some pretty good covers too. Some of these, like the Ronettes version of "Sleigh Ride" are even considered by many to be the definitive versions of these songs. The songs themselves are good Christmas songs. None of them have aged particularly poorly (although as long as you're not including Baby It's Cold Outside, I'm pretty sure you're set). It does end weirdly with Phil Spector thanking the listener over an instrumental of Silent Night. Obviously that's weird now with what we know about Mr. Spector, but even on its own it's kind of a weird way to end the album. Overall, it's nothing crazy, but a nice little treat for the Christmas season. High 3/5.

You know, I'm kind of surprised it took this long to get a Bob Dylan album given how highly praised he is. Oh well, I got one now and I thought "Bringing It All Back Home" was pretty good. You know an album's iconic when all of its songs have wikipedia articles. I'll start by talking about Dylan as a singer. Sometimes he's good, other times he's not. It kind of fluctuates for me. I didn't like his singing in the opening track, but it was alright for the rest of the album. Where Bob Dylan really shines though is not in his status as a singer, but as a songwriter. This is a man that knows how to write a song. The writing is fairly abstract, but it gets its point across quite well. I definitely think he makes for a better folk artist than a rock artist. I feel that the second half of this album, which focused more on folk than rock, is more consistent in its quality than the first, more rock-focused, half. Overall, while I'm not the biggest Bob Dylan fan in the world, I definitely see the value in his music, and am not opposed to listening to more of his albums in the future. Light 4/5.

This is a pretty good album right here. I listened to Murmur by R.E.M. a few weeks ago and I thought that was quite good. Honestly, I like Document more though. The band's sound is definitely a bit more refined here than in Murmur. Case in point, the singing. It was kind of hard to hear the singing at times in Murmur. Now, Michael Stipe's singing is at the forefront of the album, and it's quite good. He's a pretty good singer that is largely responsible for R.E.M.'s iconic sound. The instrument playing also adds to that, with the whole album having a consistent, yet not too repetitive, feel to it. The writing, I feel, was also drastically improved from that album. This album's a lot more political than I expected it to be, with songs that clearly commentate on things the Reagan administration and even a song that directly name drops McCarthy in the title. Overall, this is a great album that reaffirms the opinion I gained from listening to Murmur that R.E.M. is a pretty good band. High 4/5.

Here we have an album from an artist that I really didn't know anything about prior to today. Needless to say, I was definitely intrigued to see if PJ Harvey's music was anything that stood out to me. Fortunately, I think that this album is pretty good. I think the singing is very interesting. She's got quite a bit of range, which is never a bad thing. She also gets Thom Yorke from Radiohead to do the verses on one of the songs, which is pretty neat. The sound is nice. It is some solid alt-rock if I do say so myself. There's definitely variety in the tone of each song. The writing is good as well. Love is a common theme throughout the album, but it's not too repetitive and the songs do stand out from each other. Overall, this is a pretty solid album and I'm intrigued to listen to more of this artist's albums later in the project. Light 4/5.

This album's great. I've been needing more good rap music for this project, and "Be" by Common absolutely delivers. Common is a pretty good rapper. I think his flow is nice and the writing is good. The album has a consistent tone and common theming in regards to what Common wants to say, which works well in this album's favor. The production on this thing is also quite great. As much as I hate Kanye West (I'm not calling him Ye) now, he definitely had a talent for music production in the past, which is something that is especially evident in albums like this. Overall, I don't really have a ton to say. This is just a pretty good rap album. 4/5.

This is an album that exists. You'd think with a name like "Super Furry Animals" that this band would have something unique and weird in a good way. Instead, Rings Around The World is just kind of mediocre. The singing isn't bad, but I'm not particularly impressed by it. The sound quality is okay. It sounds weird at times in regards to the production. The writing is fine. Maybe I'm just in a bad mood or something, but I just don't really get this album. I thought it could maybe be a light 3 at first, but then this weird thing happened at the end of "Receptacle for the Respectable" that I didn't like at all so I bumped it down a bit. I see no reason for this album to be on the list. It doesn't have enough cultural impact or quality to justify its inclusion. Apparently they're notable enough to have 2 albums on this list. Isn't that just great? 2/5.

Well, here it is. The last album of 2023. I've only been doing this for a few months, but the end of the year is still an important milestone. So, does G. Love And Special Sauce feel like a good album to end on? Probably not. It's not like this album's insanely iconic or anything. It really doesn't need to be on this list. But is it good? Eh. It's fine. I like the instrumental sound. I think that the jazz and blues influence was a good choice to make. The last song wasn't good though. However, I must specify that it is the sound of the instruments that I like, because the singing, if you can call it that, isn't great. He sounds weird. There might also be an effect on his voice, but I honestly can't tell. The writing is also confusing. I can kind of tell what some songs are about, but others don't really make sense. That can be good, but I don't think it works here. Overall, while this album is pretty decent from a sound perspective (mostly), it doesn't really stand out to me in much of a good way other than that. High 2/5.

Well, here it is. The first album of 2024. I've only been doing this for a few months, but the beginning of a new year is still an important milestone. So, does Illmatic feel like a good album to start the year on? Absolutely. This is what a 1994 debut album that deserves to be on this list looks like. Everything about this album is just so immaculate. The beat production and sample usage creates this sound that really exudes this feeling of being in New York's inner city. I've never experienced that for myself, but through this album I can kind of see what that's like. The rapping itself is on a whole other level. Nas's internal rhyming on this thing is excellent and very impressive. The writing lends itself well to telling its story through some of the finest rapping you will ever hear. The one feature this album has, AZ's verse on "Life's a Bitch", is just as good as what Nas offers on that same song. That's not to mention how the pacing on this album is great too. My big problem with a similar East-coast 1994 debut rap album, Ready to Die by The Notorious B.I.G., was that it could've had better pacing, what with all of the skits and such. This album starts off with something like that in "The Genesis", but everything after that is just straight-up rapping. Overall, this is often considered to be one of the greatest hip-hop albums of all time, and while I'm not an expert on the genre, I can definitely see why people feel that way. The impact of this album is hard to understate. 5/5.

This one's alright. I think the best way I can put this album is "It's nothing special, but it also doesn't give me any reason to dislike it." It is perfectly average. The singing was worrying at first since I didn't really like the talking style of the first song, but then she started actually singing in the second song which sounded good for the rest of the album. The sound was decent. I really liked the bass in the last song. The writing was a bit basic and it was somewhat repetitive in theming at first, but it got better in the second half. I do like how the royal imagery of "The Queen and the Soldier" carries into "Knight Moves". I just think that's a neat theming idea. Overall, this is a decent folk rock album. 3/5.

Time for another artist to join the "I've gotten 2 albums from them for this project" club. This time, the Beastie Boys are back with their second album, Paul's Boutique. This one's okay. The writing could be better, but it's not that bad and could've aged worse. The rapping itself is still something that I'm not huge on, but it's not ear-grating either and I can see why it has its fans. The album goes on for quite a bit, but it doesn't drag too much. However, this album is not on the list for its sheer quality or anything (at least I don't think it is). No, this album is on here, and deservedly so, for technical reasons. This album is just a master class in the power of sampling. Most of the instrumentals on this album is sampling. One could say that this album is unoriginal as a result. However, I see this album for the technical accomplishment that it is. The sampling all works quite well, and this album was a sort of pioneer in that regard. Overall, while I think I liked Ill Communication more, Paul's Boutique certainly isn't bad. High 3/5.

What a surprise! Two returning artists in a row was not something I was expecting, but it is definitely something that I am more than okay with. Anyways, Bridge Over Troubled Water is really good. I thought that Parsley, Sage, Rosemary, and Thyme was good, but nothing spectacular. I knew that there had to be something better in Simon and Garfunkel's catalogue. Fortunately, the iconic duo went out with this, which is widely considered to be their best album. Despite the fact that I haven't heard their other albums besides the two that I've gotten for this list so far, I would probably agree. The songwriting on this album is top-notch. It's very personal at times in regards to the then soon-to-end relationship between Simon and Garfunkel themselves. The sound on this thing is also great. I like the variety between each songs and their influences. The pacing is also quite good. It doesn't drag on or end too soon. Overall, this album absolutely deserves to be on this list for its quality and cultural significance. 5/5.

Here's a weird album. First of all, it's not on the streaming services, so I had to listen to it on YouTube. That doesn't really say anything about the quality of the album, but it might say something about its cultural significance. Anyway, as far as sound goes, this album's solid. It is some good funk music. The instrumentation is quite good and well-produced. The writing could've been better. It didn't exactly stand out to me that much and the nonsense moments like in the fourth song lack substance. The singing is good at times and somewhat forgettable at others. Finally, this album is just too long. There aren't very many songs, but they all go on for so long. Overall, this is an okay funk album. Not the best I've heard, but not particularly bad. 3/5.

Another returning artist. Nice. I wasn't really a big fan when I listened to "Music" by Madonna all the way back in October. I thought the singing was fine but nothing else stood out. Fortunately, "Ray of Light" is a significantly better album. The singing is still solid. Not much else to say about it. The writing is probably better. I don't really remember much about that other album's writing, so I can't exactly compare that much without looking up the lyrics for the songs in "Music", which isn't something I feel like doing. The sound is definitely what makes this album better. It's a lot more cohesive and the direction on what this album wanted to do is much clearer. One problem that both albums share is that they both drag. Every song on "Ray of Light" is 4 minutes or more. I don't think these songs needed to be as long as they are. Overall, I definitely understand why this album is on here and it's a significantly better Madonna album, I'm still not the hugest fan overall. High 3/5.

Wow. This sucks! Not only that, but this album seems to have almost no cultural significance whatsoever. Why is this on the list?! The singing is extremely boring and not at all enjoyable to listen to. The sound is listenable at best and painful at its worst, which also happens to be its most common. The writing doesn't make much sense. I can kind of see where this band may have been going for with the witch theming, but it doesn't feel cohesive whatsoever. I really don't know what to say. This is just worthless. Why the guy who made the book this website is based around thought this was a good addition is beyond me. Nobody should have to listen to this before they die, and if they listen to it after they die, they're in hell. 1/5.

Here's an interesting album right here. Queens of the Stone Age is one of those bands that I've heard good things about, but didn't really know what they were like or if I would like them. Well, after listening to their debut album, I can sort of see why people like them. The sound is interesting works to create a unique feel that I haven't heard from many other albums. The writing is kind of hit or miss for me, but has potential in my eyes. The singing is not really my thing but I can see why others might enjoy it. I feel like this album may not have been the best to represent this band however. From what I've seen, there are other albums from Queens of the Stone Age that are more beloved and deserving of being on this list. I feel like this is probably another case of "debut album syndrome" where the book just decides to represent a well-known artist through their debut album regardless of its quality or how well it represents the artist. The band does have another album on this list though, so maybe I'll like that one even more. For know, this album gets a high 3/5.

For most people, Motorhead is one of those bands where you really only know them for one song. That was certainly the case for me, so I was quite excited to listen to the full album that the iconic "Ace of Spades" song comes from. After listening to this full thing, I was somewhat disappointed. This is not a bad album, not in the slightest. It does, however, have some major flaws. For one, it's pretty repetitive. The sound, which I like, feels the same all throughout, leading to there not being much to miss out on. The writing is sometimes samey but usually pretty decent. Finally, as far as big problems are concerned, there is one song on the album that is kind of gross. I don't like that song very much, but the other ones are alright. The title track is obviously amazing. This is the song people think of when Motorhead comes to mind, and I don't think that's a bad thing because this song is awesome. The other ones are good (save for that one), but don't really stand out much overall. Lets talk about the singing for a bit. Lemmy's one of those singers that you either love or hate the sound of. I think its funny. He sounds like an anthropomorphized pack of cigarettes, but that makes Motorhead sound unique in a way. Overall, I do really like Motorhead's sound and I think they're definitely an iconic band that deserves to be on this list, but this album did have some things left to be desired that hold it back a bit. 3/5.

Time for some more classic metal! This time, I'm looking at Deep Purple In Rock. Deep Purple has never been the biggest name in metal, but I think they served as an important stepping stone for the early foundations of metal. Obviously they weren't quite as important as a band like Black Sabbath for instance, but they've got some well known songs and albums, like this one! Anyways, this album's pretty alright. I like the sound. It's cool and the guitar solos are even cooler. I love a good guitar solo, and Ritchie Blackmore delivers some great ones in this album. The songs focus more on quality than quantity, with there only being 7. Fortunately, they're quite good. There's some variety in the writing, which is practically a godsend for early albums like these. The singing isn't bad. Overall, this is a fun album that serves as a good representation of early 70s metal. High 3/5. Barely misses that spark it needs to be a 4.

I have a lot to say about this album. First of all, it definitely deserves to be on the list. Marvin Gaye is arguably one of the most iconic soul singer-songwriters of all time, and Let's Get It On is one of his most iconic songs and albums. Does the quality line up with the impact though? Yeah. It does. The best thing about this album is easily the singing. It is immensely satisfying to listen to. The writing is solid. One thing that would normally be a huge turn-off for me is just how much this album is trying to be a turn-on, if you know what I'm saying. Yeah, this album is very suggestive, but hear me out. You could look at these songs all having the unifying theme of sex and ask "Is that all he knows how to sing about?" However, you could also view this as a concept album. And you know what, it does a good job with that concept. If I wasn't a total virgin, I would totally have sex to this entire album. The subject matter of the album was not only groundbreaking for the time, but it also meant a lot to Marvin Gaye himself. Knowing what Marvin Gaye had to go through in his life makes this album feels a lot more personal than it would with any other artist. So, honestly, I look at this album and say, "Here is an artist making an album about a subject that people didn't want him to care about. He takes the idea, runs with it, and presents it all in a very beautiful way." Overall, I think this album is quite good. 4/5.

100 ALBUMS! I have reached another milestone, and with it comes another album to listen to. Is "Electric Warrior" by T. Rex worthy of being my 100th album? I'm not sure. Despite the fact that I haven't heard of this album until now, this album definitely deserves to be on the list. It was one of the first, if not the first, glam rock albums ever made, which is definitely significant in my books. You can really hear that too. There were multiple parts in this album where I thought, "Yeah, I can see how this influenced David Bowie". In a way, the connection to the first album I ever gave a 5 kind of do make this deserving of being album #100. But is this album good? Yeah. The singing isn't my favorite. Sometimes it's good but it isn't always that way and it's kind of weird for some songs. The writing has good aspects such as interesting concepts and good imagery, but isn't always the most intriguing. The album is slightly repetitive, but it's not that big of a deal. Overall, this is a decent album that is worthy of being on this list, but not quite the big celebration I was hoping to get with album 100. Maybe #200 will be something great. High 3/5.

I'm running out of ways to start these reviews. This album's good. I wasn't expecting to like this album much at a first glance. I started to become hopeful when I did some basic research to find the reasoning for this album's inclusion. After listening to it, I can safely say that this album is pretty good. The singing works most of the time. You don't see female-fronted rock bands all the time, so it's cool to listen to something that's a bit different for once. The writing is fairly unique and has this dark energy to it that wasn't common for the time. The sound is pretty interesting. This has been called somewhat of a concept album, but it's pretty loose one. It really only has concepts in regards to its sound. This album is really ahead of its time in many ways. If I listened to this without knowing the year it released and someone asked me when I thought this album released, I definitely wouldn't have said 1981! I can definitely hear and see the influence that this album had on future alt-rock and post-punk artists in the years that followed this album. Overall, this is a great album that paved the way for others like it to come. Light 4/5.

This is a great album right here. I was pretty excited to listen to this one since The Kinks are a band that I've actually heard of. And you know what? For my first time listening to their music, they did not disappoint at all. "The Kinks Are The Village Green Preservation Society" is not only an extremely influential album, but a really good one as well. While this certainly isn't the first concept album ever made, this was one of the early great examples of what a concept album can be. Most songs on this album focus on the theme of nostalgia and preserving memories. This is very evident with the songs, but fortunately, they don't all feel the same because of it. These songs are quite distinct in terms of both sound and lyrics. Both of those aspects, by the way, are great. I like the varied instrument usage throughout this album, even if quite a few of those instruments were actually just a mellotron. The writing is also quite varied. There are a few songs in the second half that don't really fit the theming and are a bit weaker than the other songs, but that doesn't really detract from the experience much. The sheer influence of this album is hard to understate. This band and album influenced so many other iconic bands and songs that in turn would be super influential on their own. It was kind of funny to find out that the opening of Mr. Blue Sky was practically copied and pasted from a song off of this album. Overall, this is a great album that absolutely deserves its place as one of the top 1001 albums to listen to before you die. 5/5.

Let's get this out of the way. Fuck Jerry Lee Lewis. I can't believe that guy even had a career after people found out that he MARRIED HIS 13 YEAR OLD COUSIN. Anyway, this album isn't even that great to begin with. There really isn't much to this album. It's a live album, something that I believe I've only experienced once all the way back with that Johnny Cash album I did a while ago. That one was alright, not necessarily because it wasn't made by a pedophile, but because it had something special with its energy. Johnny's interactions with the crowd made it feel special, especially given the context. This album just kind of has cheering from the crowd and that's about it. The music itself is decent as far as sound. It's passable 50s/early 60s rock and roll, but it's not original at all. Jerry Lee Lewis only wrote two of the thirteen tracks off of the album. I know that that was kind of the norm at the time, but that still doesn't sit right with me, especially since he was also racist and most of these songs were originally written by black artists. Okay then, I could try to separate the art from the artist! The problem with that is how much he name drops himself. One of the two songs that he wrote was called "Lewis Boogie". So apparently, he's also a narcissist! On top of that, most of the songs are about love and stuff, so it's even harder to get that knowledge out of your head when you know that the song could've been written about a 13 year old. Overall, even if I could separate art from the artist, the content's of the album are not only negatively affected by the knowledge of what the singer did, but also aren't original or spectacular enough to warrant listening to this ever again! 1/5. Rest in piss Jerry, you piece of shit.

First of all, I just want to say that this album has one of the worst names for an album that I've ever heard. This genuinely gives off the same energy as that one Limp Bizkit album that I am sadly going to have to listen to later in the list. With that being said, I actually kind of really liked this album. This thing is freaking weird and I love it. The sound is unexpectedly thrashy in comparison to what I would expect from industrial metal, although that could just be because my main source of industrial metal was in The Downward Spiral, an album that I listened to earlier for the project. Honestly, I liked the sound of this album quite a bit. The vocals had a similar effect to those on The Downward Spiral, but they do still stand out a bit in comparison. The writing is kind of all over the place a bit. Also, hearing this album say the phrase "Jerry Lee Lewis is the devil" after listening to a Jerry Lee Lewis album for this project LITERALLY YESTERDAY was actually hilarious and I can't believe that that happened. It's true though. That guy sucked, unlike this album. The song that that lyric comes from, "Jesus Built My Hotrod", might be the highlight of this album for me. Finally, I do have one other complaint. Some of the songs, and to a lesser extent the album as a whole, did drag a bit. It could've been a bit shorter. Overall, this is a very weird industrial metal album that enjoyed listening to. Light 4/5.

Oh hell yeah, something recent! I mean, I guess it was 5 years ago, but that's still a lot newer than 99% of the list. Anyways, this album's really good. The rapping style of Little Simz is definitely unique. I haven't really heard anything like it until now, but that's definitely not a bad thing. It's a rare case of a British rapper's raps not being overshadowed by the accent. The rhymes are usually really good too. Sure, you do have a few moments akin to rhyming the n-word with itself 8 times in a row, but those are few and far between and also not that egregious. The flow on the whole album is very nice. The beats are also quite well made. They have a nice vibe to it while still having each song sound a bit different. The features on this thing are also quite good. The last album that I got that was as recent as this one was from Michael Kiwanuka, which is funny because he actually has a feature on the last song of this album. His music work on that album was a 5/5, so obviously, he does a great job with his feature here too. The other features are also pretty good. Overall, this album is a great sign of things to come for this artist, and I can totally see why Fantano gave this a 9. High 4/5.

You know, I wasn't that excited to listen to this album. Instrumental hip-hop made entirely from samples didn't really interest me at all. However, upon listening to this album, I discovered that it's actually really good. This wasn't just an album made from samples. Apparently, it was the first album to be made entirely from samples, so it has a reason to be on this list, alongside my opinion that the musical contents of this album are also quite good. The sample usage is quite impressive and it pulls from a variety of songs from artists like Metallica, Bjork, and some band called Nirvana that isn't actually the Nirvana you think it is, but rather a 1960s British rock band. The whole sound of this album is quite nice to listen to. The vibes are absolutely immaculate. There's also quite a bit of variety in the sound. My one problem with this album is that some songs go on for far too long, but with some of those basically being two songs in one, I can excuse that. Overall, this is quite an impressive album that absolutely deserves to be listened to before you die. Light 5/5.

As if there wasn't enough already, it's time for some more 60s British rock. Cream was never the biggest band, but they garnered a pretty good reputation during the short few years of their formation, as well as the decades since. You know, aside from Eric Clapton being... Eric Clapton. With that said, this album is alright. It's not the most special album I've listened to, but it doesn't really have too many major faults for me to knock the album down much. The instrument playing is quite good. The sound is somewhat different in comparison to other bands of the time, which is rarely a bad thing. I lightly bashed Eric Clapton earlier, and while I stand by that when it comes to him as a person, he was a pretty good guitar player, I'll give him that. The wah-wah usage was apparently unique at the time, so that's cool. The writing doesn't stand out much, but it definitely isn't bad. Some of these songs are pretty cool. "Sunshine of your Love" is iconic for a reason, and the other songs are pretty decent as well. Overall, while this album doesn't stand out to me much, it nevertheless deserves its inclusion on this list for being decently significant for pop culture and also not bad. High 3/5.

This is a nice little album right here. I'm kind of surprised that I haven't gotten more solo albums from former members of huge bands. The only one I can think of off the top of my head until now was Imagine by John Lennon, so getting an album from a former Beach Boy was a pleasant surprise for today. And you know what? I really liked Pet Sounds when I listened to it, and I liked Pacific Ocean Blue as well. The album definitely has some common elements in its sound with what I know of the Beach Boys, but it also stands out pretty well. The sound has quite a bit of variety throughout the album. Each song sounds different and has a different theme to it. The singing is great. Did you really expect it not to be? There isn't much more to say. This is just a very solid album. Light 4/5.

Sorry Os Mutantes, but I think I've found my new favorite Brazilian album. What can I say? I like me some good thrash metal, and Arise by Sepultura delivers just that. This is a pretty good thrash metal album, which is just what I need to thoroughly enjoy it. The sound is great. The riffs and solos are pretty good. The vocals are definitely growly, which fits the nature of thrash metal like this, but they are still intelligible, which is always a good thing. The lyrics are a bit nihilistic for my taste at times, but are still well-written and have some good points at others. This album's not perfect or anything. It does get a bit repetitive by the end, but I don't really care that much. I really enjoyed listening to this album, and that's good enough for me. 4/5.

I don't really have much to say about this album. This is really good. Van Morrison's singing style is pretty unique for an artist like him, but I like it. I think he makes it work. The writing is nothing crazy, but certainly isn't bad. The sound of this album is quite nice. I like the varied instrument usage throughout the album. I've heard some people say that the second half is quite a bit worse than the first half. I would probably agree, although the second half isn't that bad. Overall, this is just a solid album that deserves to be on this list. It's a real shame that Van Morrison is kind of a wacko these days, but what are you gonna do about it? 4/5. Good album.

You know, I'm kind of surprised to get another live album just a little over a week after the last one I got. Fortunately, not only I do respect James Brown more than Jerry Lee Lewis as a person (although, unfortunately, he wasn't perfect either), I also liked Live At The Apollo more. This album isn't really special to me, but it's at least decent. James Brown was a really good singer. His screams are undeniably iconic and would justify him having multiple albums on this list, if he had more than one album on here. Apparently this is his only album that's on here. That doesn't seem right. Anyways, the writing is fairly basic, but that's to be expected of early 60s music. My biggest problem with this album is the mixing. I can only hear the singing in my right ear. That's a problem. This also doesn't really feel like a live album. A live album should really make you feel like you're there at the performance. This is just kind of music that is being played. Overall, not the most interesting album, but not particularly bad either. Light 3/5.

I think I'm starting to regret doing this project. First of all, fuck Marilyn Manson. Second of all, fuck this album. It's not good. I was hoping that I could at least separate the art from the artist by enjoying the album, but the album isn't good enough for me to do that. I'll start with my one positive. The sound and the instruments are mostly tolerable. The guitar riffs, drum playing, and bass lines aren't that bad. There are, however, moments of noise. Painful noise. Painful noise that brings back bade memories from that Liars album that I listened to a few weeks ago. Still, the musical style of this album isn't particularly horrible. Everything else though? Not good. The vocals, while varied between songs, are never enjoyable to listen to. The pacing is pretty bad as well. This thing just does not end. Finally, my biggest problem, the writing is just gross. I think to look at what makes this album suck so much, we have to compare it to another 90s industrial concept album that Trent Reznor helped produce, that album of course being The Downward Spiral by Nine Inch Nails. I think that the main thing that makes that album work for me is that it's clearly a story about a fictional character. There may have been some elements derived from Trent Reznor's personal experiences, but it's still a clear story about a character. Antichrist Superstar doesn't feel like a story about a character. It just feels like Marilyn Manson himself screaming about his own life, which doesn't paint him in a flattering light. I know he was supposed to be this counter-culture icon or whatever, but it just feels gross to listen to this because it gives off the energy of a whining incel. Also, he says the n-word in the first song. Why the fuck did he think that was a good idea? Is he stupid? I get why this album's on here. The album and band do have the cultural significance to back its inclusion. However, it still sucks and I never want to listen to this creep's "music" ever again. 1/5.

I'm gonna be honest. I genuinely did not know that Kate Bush had a second album on here. I obviously knew that Hounds of Love would be on here, but I didn't expect to listen to another album of hers. I'm not upset or anything, I'm just a bit surprised. And why would I be upset? I really liked Hounds of Love, and The Sensual World is pretty good too. A lot of what I liked about Hounds of Love does carry over to this album as well. Kate Bush's singing is still very unique and pleasant to listen to. The sound is still very majestic, with this album also featuring some neat contributions from people like David Gilmour from Pink Floyd (speaking of which, why haven't I gotten a Pink Floyd album yet?). I think the best thing about this album is the storytelling. Songs like Deeper Understanding and This Woman's Work have such a way with words that makes Kate Bush's music really stand out. Overall, while I do consider Hounds of Love to be the better album, The Sensual World is still a really good album. Light 4/5.

You know, it's been a while since I've gotten an album that many consider to be one of the greatest albums of all time. I've gotten quite a few albums that have been highly praised, but not many, if any at all, of the albums I've listened to so far have been consistently put on a pedestal as high as that of OK Computer. This is one of those albums that people praise like its their god or something. But does OK Computer deserve this praise? Yeah. It totally does. This thing is, to put it simply, a masterpiece. The sound was groundbreaking for the time. To get British rock of a more somber nature like this in comparison to the dominating Britpop scene of the 90s was something that would forever change popular music. I really like the sound. It has this aura to it that is very hard to explain, but it just keeps you hooked the whole time. Thom Yorke's singing is certainly interesting. It gives everything this sense of emotion that is hard to replicate. The writing is very well done, with overarching themes enhancing the full album experience. One thing that I really didn't expect was that this album has a "weird song" that actually works for me. There are some very good albums out there that happen to have a "weird song" that does kind of drag down the experience just a tiny bit or even more in some cases. For instance, I really liked The Velvet Underground's self-titled album, but felt that the penultimate track, "The Murder Mystery", was a bit too unpleasant to listen to and it kind of dragged the experience just a tiny bit. OK Computer also has a weird track with "Fitter Happier". But for whatever reason, that track works in a full album setting. While I wouldn't want to listen to it on its own, the track does add something of value to the experience of listening to the whole album, which is something that I really have to commend. The other tracks are also quite great. I like how the sound can go from being fairly whimsical in a song like "Subterranean Homesick Alien" to being very somber and emotional in songs like "Exit Music (For a Film)". It ensures that the album doesn't get repetitive or boring. Overall, there's a reason why many people consider OK Computer to be one of the greatest, if not the greatest, albums ever made. While there a few albums that I might like more, I can absolutely see why so many people consider this to be the best of the best. 5/5.

You know what they say; good things don't last forever. I'm not saying that because of any "good album streaks" ending or whatever, I said that because this album doesn't last forever. Morrison Hotel is pretty good. Let's start with the best thing about this album in my opinion. I really like Jim Morrison's singing. I just think it sounds nice and different from other singing styles. It's a real shame that he died as young as he did. The rest of this album's sound is also quite good. It's nothing crazy, but it is very solid. The writing and lyrics aren't bad. There's some variety on here and the album doesn't really have any notably bad songs on it. Overall, this is a pretty good album and I wouldn't be opposed to listening to more albums from The Doors later for this project. Light 4/5.

So, does this count as my second Neil Young album or my first Neil Young and Crazy Horse album? I've been keeping track of which artists have given me multiple albums so far, and I need to know if Neil Young is now part of that list or not. It won't matter eventually, but I still want to know. Either way, this album is really good. I still think Neil Young is a pretty decent singer. The instrumentation is also quite good. Something interesting about this album is that it's split into clearly defined acoustic and electric sections for each half of the album. Surprisingly, this doesn't result in any weird pacing issues. The electric nature of the second half gets eased into despite there only being four songs on that part of the album. Another interesting thing is that this is sort of a hybrid between a studio album and a live album. It definitely feels more like than the former than the latter, but there is just a slight hint of what makes live albums different from studio albums. The writing is pretty good at times. There's a reason why the lyric "it's better to burn out than to fade away" is as iconic as it is, even if some of that fame is attributed to something very very sad. Overall, this is a great album that deserves to be on the list. Still, it's not quite my favorite album to contain the word "rust" in the title. I'll review that one eventually since it's also on this list. This one is a pretty close second place though. High 4/5.

Would you look at that? Just 4 days after I asked why I haven't gotten a Pink Floyd album yet in my The Sensual World review, I finally get one! And in the same week as Radiohead too! This has been a great week so far for my album listens. Anyways, Wish You Were Here totally lives up to the hype. This is really good. There's only 5 songs on here, so naturally those songs were made to be longer to compensate for that. However, they don't really feel that long. For as long songs like Welcome to the Machine and both sections of Shine On You Crazy Diamond are, they don't drag on at all. For Shine On, that can be explained by it being split into different sections, but the whole album has really good pacing. The songs are all excellent. I could probably talk about all of them individually, which is something I don't usually do. And I will! Shine On You Crazy Diamond is just such a great idea that gets executed flawlessly. The different sections vary, yet flow into each other without anything being jarring at all. Also it has a saxophone solo that surprisingly works really well! Welcome to the Machine and Have a Cigar are similar songs in concept, but stand out in comparison to each other and other songs. Having a guest singer on the latter definitely aids in that variance. The title track is just a masterpiece. It perfectly encapsulates the feeling of wishing that someone you love was still here with you, even if they may not actually be dead. Finally, closing out with the rest of Shine On is a bold move, but one that definitely pays off. The whole sound of this album is excellent and results in the experience having this great vibe to it all. The singing is quite good. There is so much to say about this album that I unfortunately don't have the time to get into. This is just an excellent album, and I am very excited to get to other albums like Dark Side of the Moon and The Wall later on. 5/5.

You know what they say; good things don't last forever. I'm not saying that because of the length of this album, although it is quite short. I'm saying that because I had a really good streak of albums going, and now it's over. This album sucks. Well, okay. That's a bit harsh. I'm not a fan though. Let's start with the positives. As far as instrumentation and sound go, the album's not that bad. The chamber-pop sound does work fine enough. The singing is also tolerable. It is basically just a worse Frank Sinatra though. I have two main complaints with this album. Problem 1 is that it has absolutely no reason to be on this list. Apparently there's another album from The Divine Comedy on here, but that one, from what I've read, has an argument to be made for its inclusion. It's not a great argument, but it is an argument. But this? I see absolutely no reason for this to be one of the top 1001 albums to listen to before you die. Like, why does The Divine Comedy get two albums on here but Weezer and MF DOOM get absolutely nothing? That doesn't seem fair to me. Finally, let's talk about this album's writing. It's bad. Straight-up. I don't get it. The album starts out innocently enough. The writing isn't great, but it's not horrible. Once you get to the song "If...", then things start going downhill quickly. That song just sucks. The line "If you were a tree I could put my arms around you and you could not complain" seems pretty rapey to me. The last stanza about a dog is just straight-up creepy. And the horse lines. Horses are brought up in two songs, with another being implied to be another horse song, and the way he sings about this subject makes me worry if this guy wants to pull an Enumclaw (DONT GOOGLE ENUMCLAW HORSE BY THE WAY). Overall, this is just not worthy of being on this list. I don't get it man. 2/5.

I'm starting to get annoyed by the sound of singing British men. I don't like this album. Soft Cell is the definition of a one-hit wonder. If you go on to Apple Music and look at the top songs from Soft Cell, the top 7 are just different releases of Tainted Love. And that's not even their song, so it doesn't even really count. This version and the original Gloria Jones version are about the same in quality for me. That song, at least, is pretty good. The others? Hoo-boy these are bad. The synths are fine. They're serviceable. The singing was kind of annoying as stated earlier. The writing does not stand out at all except for the very few moments that make you seriously question what you're doing with your life. Like, why am I listening to a song called Sex Dwarf. Let me repeat that. There is a song on this album called "Sex Dwarf." SEX. DWARF. I don't care anymore. This album's bad. It has no reason to be on here aside from one song that they didn't even write. 2/5. Tainted Love saves this from being a 1.

Finally, some good music again. This time, it's The Flaming Lips, a band that I have vaguely heard of before and that's about it. Seriously though, this album is pretty good. I have a few minor problems to go over first. First of all, it is a bit long. It doesn't drag too much, but it is somewhat noticeable. Secondly, the singing isn't bad, but it isn't everyone's thing, and I could see why someone else might not like it. That's it for complaints. Time for praise! I like the sound of this album. It's not the craziest thing out there, but it is just a nice solid pop-rock sound. I like it. The writing is also quite good. There are some great songs on here. Songs like "Race for the Prize" and "Waitin' for a Superman" are so good that they have two versions on this album! The alternate versions are at the end, so they don't really have any negative bearing on the whole album experience. They're just kind of nice to have. The other songs are good as well. There's some good emotion to this album, with prevalent themes like death and the struggles of life being executed well. Overall, this is a great album that serves as a nice listen for the end of a middle-of-the-road day. 4/5.

Time for another returning artist! This time, we return to Nick Drake, and artist whose debut album, Five Leaves Left, was given a 5/5 by me a few months ago. Now, I'm listening to his second album out of three, Bryter Layter. By the way, all three of his albums are on here, and I'm getting them in release order. Neat! Anyway, this album, like Five Leaves Left, is insanely good. It's fairly different from that other album. It's significantly more upbeat, which isn't a bad thing. Don't get me wrong, the depressing nature of Five Leaves Left is a big part of what makes that album such a good piece of art. However, I kind of like this album's blend of emotions. Bryter Layter does get emotional, but the overall sound is more accessible and laid-back in comparison to the consistently drab (but not in a bad way) sound of Five Leaves Left. However, despite the differences, everything else that made that album great still applies here. The singing and writing in particular are still excellent. The writing especially still holds up as being quite good. Let's talk about the sound itself. I like it. It just has this nice cozy feel to it that I feel isn't something that many of these albums have had. Don't get me wrong, I love a good crazy album every once in a while. But sometimes it's nice to just sit back and listen to something nice for a bit. The pacing is also near-perfect. Nothing drags or ends too soon. Overall, this album is just as good, if not better than Five Leaves Left, and I'm very excited to get to Pink Moon eventually. 5/5.

Well, this is an interesting change in pace. Surprisingly, this is the first grunge album I've gotten for this project! You'd think I would've gotten one in the 100+ albums I've gotten so far given how big grunge was in the 90s, but I guess the list needed more Britpop so I had to wait. Still, it's better late than never, because Superunknown by Soundgarden is amazing. I really like this album. This is my first time ever listening to Soundgarden, and they did not disappoint. I've always heard of this band and its frontman Chris Cornell with people giving nothing but praise, but even I didn't expect to like it this much. The sound is so captivating. As reliable as 4/4 is, it's always cool to switch things up in the time signature department every once in a while. The riffs and solos are quite good. And the singing? Top notch. Chris Cornell truly was an amazing singer. The writing is also solid. There really aren't any bad songs on here. Overall, this is a great album that I am happy to have listened to before I die. 5/5.

Alright, Deep Purple album #2! I listened to Deep Purple in Rock just under a month ago, and I thought it was a solid classic rock album. One thing that I saw when doing research for In Rock was that the general consensus for the best Deep Purple album was that it was either that or Machine Head. Well, after listening to Machine Head, I now have an answer for which one I like more. I'm gonna have to go with Machine Head. I mean, it's the one with Smoke on the Water. What more can I say? Well, quite a bit actually. I feel like, in retrospect, In Rock was a bit repetitive. Not the most repetitive album I've ever listened to, but it did feel a bit samey in some regards. I feel that Machine Head is a more sonically diverse album, albeit just slightly. The songs on this thing are pretty good. The aforementioned Smoke on the Water is an absolute classic and a pretty good song. The other songs are quite good too. I really like Pictures of Home and Never Before. The singing is still pretty decent. The lyrics are solid. There isn't a ton to say. I think that this is a pretty good improvement on what worked in Deep Purple In Rock. Light 4/5.

Okay, I have to tell the story about this insane coincidence I experienced in regards to this album. Last night, I was looking around on itch.io for games and I saw one that included the phrase "a day in the life" in the title. So me, having brain rot, said out loud, "Oh my god, a day in the life? Beatles reference?" I then noticed the time and decided to check on what my next album would be. As I did this, I, again, said out loud, "Now watch me get a Beatles album." Lo and behold, I got Sgt. Pepper's and, needless to say, I was shocked. You know what else is needless to say? "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band is a really good album." What can I really say? It's The Beatles at the start of their peak. The songwriting is solid with there being a very light, but noticeable, concept for the album, making this one of the first notable concept albums to really hit it big. The sound is still great. I listened to the most recent mixing of this album and it sounds great. There's some nice transitions between songs and the variety between each and every song on this album is just wonderful. There's some very interesting choices that, in my opinion, work to make this album better. Letting George make his Indian-inspired song, having a song that only features John, Paul, and string instruments, and various others make this a very bold album for the time. And do I even need to talk about the sorta aforementioned "A Day in the Life?" That ending is just magnificent. Overall, while I do like Abbey Road more, Sgt. Pepper's is a great album that deserves to be considered one of the best of all time. 5/5.

I've never heard of this guy before, but apparently he had a song in the Shrek 2 soundtrack, so I trust that this guy has enough cultural significance to be on this list. However, I don't like this album. I've never really understood what people mean when they say that certain music is "pretentious". I get it now. This is pretentious. Maybe I just don't get it. I'm sure this has value to some people. I'm not one of those people. I think the background music works. If this was just instrumentals, it would be a decent background noise album but nothing more than that. Possibly high 2 or light 3. However, things change once this guy starts talking. Not singing, talking. Well, okay. He does actually sing a few times in this album. His voice is weird. It's not the worst voice I've ever heard, but it's not great. He could probably sing, maybe. It's very racially ambiguous. That's not important, I just felt like mentioning it because I don't know what else to say. The things he says don't really make sense. I'm tired. This album drags for way too long. I can't wait to listen to the other 4 albums this guy has. Yippee! I'll give it a light 2 because there's a semblance of something valuable here.

Going into this album, I wasn't that excited. I could tell that there was a good intent behind the album based on the research I did, but I wasn't sure if I would like the album or not. Fortunately, I thought it was a good album. I like the singing. It's nice. The concept behind the album is certainly respectable. Although, if I had listened to Exile on Main Street before this one, I would probably be able to appreciate it more. The sound is good, but it gets slightly repetitive near the end. The writing is also well made. Based on the pre-research, I expected it to be way too vulgar for my tastes. Fortunately, while the themes are always there, it really isn't that bad in that department. Overall, this seems like the kind of album that I'd be able to appreciate more on a re-listen, if I ever decide to do that. High 3/5.

It's time for another album that isn't on my streaming service! Fortunately, there's only been three of them, so that's good. Honestly, this is by far the best one I've had so far. My one major problem off the top of my head is that some songs drag a bit. Everything else is great. I like the singing. It's very soulful. The sound is pleasant to listen to. None of the songs are particularly bad. It's kind of interesting to hear a sort of prototype of rap in some of these songs. The writing is also quite good. Songs like The Bottle are able to tell great emotional stories, while songs like H2Ogate Blues provide political commentary that remains relevant to this day. Despite being made in 1974, this album honestly reminds me of some of the poetry and music that came out of the Harlem Renaissance all the way in the 1920s. It's cool to know that the stylings of such an important cultural movement were able to remain in art 50 years later. Overall, this is a great album and I wish it was available on the streaming service. Light 4/5.

Here's another album that I don't really know what to say about. It's some good art rock. I like the sound. It's a great blend between being accessible and being weird, and I like that. The singing is solid. The writing is pretty good. The fact that this album was originally released just 7 days after 9/11 and yet songs like "Jesus, Etc." (great song by the way) reflect that tragedy very well with lines referencing tall buildings shaking is pretty neat. There's some other really good songs on here. I can totally see why people really like this album, but I can also see why others aren't entirely sold on it. I think it's solid. Not the worst thing to come out of September 2001, but not the best (if only Toxicity was on here). High 3/5.

OH HELL YEAH! Queen has always been a band that I really like, but I've never really dived deep into their albums. I've always just kind of listened to and really enjoyed their big hits. So, after listening to Sheer Heart Attack in its entirety, do I still really like Queen? Of course I do. This band is excellent. The sound is just exquisite. The guitar work is always a joy to listen to and solos like that of the album's opener "Brighton Rock" show off that great talent. The drumming and bass help make it so that the sound is as lively as it is. And the singing. Do I even need to explain what makes Freddie Mercury's singing so great? No I don't. Everyone knows that he's one of the greatest singers in all of history. The songs are great. Some songs don't hit quite as hard as the others, but the ones that are great are really great. The aforementioned "Brighton Rock" sets a great stage for the album. "Killer Queen" is easily my favorite song on the album and one of my favorite songs from Queen's discography. It's just SO GOOD man! The triple transition from "Tenement Funster", "Flick of the Wrist", and "Lily of the Valley" is just so satisfying to listen to. I could go on. Overall, while I'm willing to bet that Queen has better albums, Sheer Heart Attack is still a great album from one of the greatest bands to ever perform. 5/5.

This is a great album right here. I feel like I've been getting a weirdly high amount of indie rock lately. I'm not complaining, I'm just noting that it's a thing. And why would I complain? Funeral by Arcade Fire is an amazing album. This album is very consistent in its tone, but in a good way, rather than a mind-numbingly repetitive way. There's common theming throughout the album making it a light concept album of sorts. The sound is very good. There really isn't a bad song on here. The writing is thoughtful, which makes sense given that a lot of the theming on this album comes from some of the band members having recently lost some of their relatives. I like the singing. The balance between the two main singers is nice. It's crazy to think that this was Arcade Fire's debut album. I can totally see why this is considered one of the best albums of the 2000s. I like it. 5/5.

Finally, B A N A N A. Yeah this album's really good. It's one of the most highly praised and iconic albums of all time, and that's for a good reason. I think the best word to describe this album is "revolutionary". The sound is abrasive and the writing is dark in its subject matter. These weren't common attributes for music in 1967. This album changed that. Without it, music as a whole would likely be less powerful, less unconventional, and less willing to take risks. The songs are quite unique, not just for the time, but right now. The singing is definitely interesting. Having Nico do some of the singing was a great move since, while I feel this is arguably him at his peak, I can understand if someone wouldn't want to listen to Lou Reed's singing for 11 songs straight. The sound, while noisy and unpleasant at times, has a purpose at all times. The harsh sound and rapid acceleration of the song "Heroin" encapsulates the experience of a heroin rush, or so I've heard. It definitely sounds like how I've heard drug experience be described. The album is also thought provoking. This really is just a very culturally significant album. From the change it brought in music, to the absolutely iconic album cover painted by the legendary Andy Warhol, this is absolutely one of the top 1001 albums to listen to before you die. 5/5. That's three in a row!

Now this is one of the albums of all time. It's fine. The musical contents are respectable. The guitar work is nice. Jerry Garcia's a good guitarist, but he's not the kind of guy whose tap water I should be drinking, at least according to a certain anthropomorphic gecko. The writing, when it's there, is serviceable. I can see some ideas in there. I have a big problem with this album. It just goes on and on. It feels like 75% of this album sounds like a jam session. That's it. There is no reason why this needs to go on for 75 whole minutes. There also isn't a reason for this album to be on this list. Well, okay. This album does have some technical accomplishments, and I genuinely forgot that this was made in 1969. However, it's a live album that doesn't really come with the limited pros of a live album. While I can respect the sound and improvisational work of the album, I just don't really think I want to go back to it all that much. Light 3/5.

Oh boy. There's certainly some things to be said about this album. Nu-metal is quite possibly the most polarizing music sub-genres out there. Some people enjoy it, but a lot of people hate it. So, would you be surprised if I told you that I don't hate "Follow the Leader" by Korn? I know, right? I think Korn's sound, at least instrumentally, is actually pretty interesting and I kind of like it a bit. It has this dingy feel to it all that isn't present in a ton of popular music. I think Jonathon Davis is also a fairly interesting vocalist. The weird grunts are not painful to listen to and his actual singing aids that aforementioned dingy tone. The writing could be better, but it's not the worst thing in the world. There are some decent songs on here. There are also some terrible songs on here. Namely, "All in the Family", which is just not good. The features are weird. I wasn't the biggest fan, but they weren't all bad. Overall, while I can absolutely see why others would despise this album and avoid it like the plague, I don't hate it. I find it to be a very interesting album that isn't the worst thing I've ever heard. It was somewhat enjoyable at times, and given how this album, for all intents and purposes, brought nu-metal in the mainstream to reign in the late 90s and early 00s, I can also see why this album was included on this list. Light 3/5.

It's kind of surprising that after over 130 albums, this is only the second 50s album I've gotten. I guess it really shouldn't be that surprising since the album era didn't really kick in until the 60s, but that's still kind of crazy. Anyways, this one's really good. I'd go so far as to easily call it the best live album I've listened to for this project so far, even if the original version, the one I listened to, isn't entirely live. This is an instrumental album, and a great one at that. One thing I really like about this album that I didn't expect from older music like this is that the tone in each song is pretty different. Sure, it's all the same instruments and such, but each song on this album has a different feel than the one that came before it, which is super respectable. The sound is quite good. There's some nice solos in there, with the one from "Diminuendo and Crescendo in Blue" obviously being the highlight. Perhaps the full version is an even better experience, aside from the sheer length. I don't know if I feel like doing that, but it wouldn't be worst idea for music to listen to. Overall, this is a very impressive album for 1956 and a solid collection of instrumental jazz. Light 4/5.

Wow. This is amazing. The Flaming Lips did not disappoint when I listened to their album, "The Soft Bulletin" about 2 weeks ago. I really liked that album. And yet, there were able to outdo themselves just a few years later. "Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots" is truly something special. The sound is quite a bit different than it was in their previous album, but I like it. You'd think that the more electronic and top-40-esque production would result in something that lacks what made prior work so great (I call this pulling a Raditude). However, Yoshimi manages to make something that seems more accessible at first, but retains the complex writing and musical compositions of The Soft Bulletin. This album also improves on problems I had with that album. The singing is better. The album now has a perfect length in comparison to The Soft Bulletin, which was a bit long in my opinion. The writing is still great here. The overarching themes make this a sort of concept album, with the first four songs telling a specific story that comes from the album's title. All of the songs on this album are great. I really like this album. I truly had no idea that I would like the Flaming Lips this much. 5/5.

I like this album. Some people don't, but that's okay. Not every type of music is going to appeal to everyone. Fortunately, Aja by Steely Dan is an album that appeals to me. I enjoy the sound of this album. It's got a nice blend of rock, jazz, and blues to it. The instrument work is quite nice, and the production is very high quality. The songs are good. There's only 7 of them, and they're all pretty decent. The writing is solid. There's some thought put into it. Would I call it one of the greatest albums ever made? Probably not. I get why others would, but I don't. The album is somewhat repetitive, but with the album only being 40 minutes, it's not that big of a deal. Overall, this is a good album that I don't get the hate behind. 4/5.

This is it. This is what they play in Hell. I genuinely believe that, if there is a hell of some sorts, the music that plays there sounds like this. Is that a bad thing? YES. OF COURSE IT IS. The sound is atrocious. Half the time it sounds like suffering and pain. That's especially the case with the vocals. As others have pointed out, listening to this album occasionally feels like I'm being screamed at Hitler, which is fitting given that, like Hitler, this album belongs in the depths of Hell. The writing is bad. I google translated it from German to English, and most songs are just filled with random grim phrases strung together. I really don't know what to say. If anyone wants to experience what Hell sounds like, this is it. Here's the album for you! I don't want that though. People shouldn't listen to this before they die. Maybe if the vocals were better I could give it a 2, but as it is, this album gets a 1/5. The first one I've had in three weeks. I can see why this is the lowest rated album on this website.

Well, after listening to the absolute nightmare that is Kollaps yesterday, something like this is exactly what I needed. This album rocks. Jimi Hendrix is quite possibly the most highly praised guitarist of all time. Does he deserve it? Absolutely. While it could be argued that his guitaring isn't special by today's standards, the reason why that could be is that so many other guitarists have been inspired by Jimi Hendrix. For coming from the 1960s, this is an absolute marvel. This album as a whole has some faults to it. It definitely feels a bit unfocused and the album does go on for a bit too long. However, that's not to say that I felt tired at the end, mainly because the album ends with its two best songs. I'm sorry Bob Dylan, but "All Along the Watchtower" is, for all intents and purposes, Jimi's song (although, to be fair, Dylan's version is pretty good as well). And "Voodoo Child (Slight Return)" is also an amazing track. The instrumental work is outstanding. Obviously, Jimi's guitar work is phenomenal, especially by 1968 standards, but the other sounds are also great. The singing and writing are both fairly solid. This is a really good album. 5/5.

Well, this was a lie. This album is neither modern, country, or western. Anyways, this is a very groundbreaking, albeit fairly middle-of-the-road in terms of quality, album. I'll start with my biggest complaint, one that has been repeated for various older albums at this point. It's kind of repetitive. Most songs feel the same, which is kind of to be expected. However, when the album is fairly short and the quality of the songs is as high as it is, it isn't as big of a deal as it is with other album. The sound is great. While it doesn't really feel like country, which may be good or bad depending on who you ask, you can still feel the emotions that come with the best, most honest country music. Ray Charles, of course, was a great singer. The instrumentation elevates his singing to create a very high quality album. The main reason why this album deserves to be on this list is more so about the cultural significance rather than the actual album itself. This thing, as stated earlier, was groundbreaking. It's kind of funny since a lot of popular music in the 50s was white men covering songs made by black men, while this album is the complete opposite of that. How neat! This album broke racial boundaries and is considered an important album for a good reason. So, with every thing in mind, I think this album deserves a light 4/5.

You know, out of all the albums on this list I've gotten so far, I think this album has had the biggest disparity between how much I thought I would like it, and how much I actually liked it. Based on things like the name, album cover, and apparent lack of a strong enough reason for this album's inclusion on the list, I didn't think I would like N.E.R.D's "Fly or Die" that much. However, I actually really like this album. First off, I just want to say that I had no idea that Pharrell Williams was in a band. I just think that's kind of cool. Second of all, this album is pretty unique. I really like the blend of various genres. The wikipedia article said this was rap rock, which was another reason I thought I wouldn't like it. However, there's a lot more soul influence than I thought there would be. There really isn't that much in here I'd truly call "rap rock", or maybe this album just shows what it can actually be. This whole album has this feel-good energy to it. The writing is a bit basic at times, but not in a painful way or anything. The singing is nice, the album doesn't go on for too long. I do have one complaint though. The ending was a bit underwhelming. Not the last song specifically, that one was good. All of them are good. I just liked the first few songs overall more than the last few overall. This is a real sleeper hit you guys. I can't believe no one told me how good this was! 4/5.

Let's start with the elephant in the room. "Group Sex" is a terrible album name. There may be worse album names out there, but this might be the most infuriating for how blatant it is. I think "blatant" is probably the best word for this album. The sound is loud and fast, just like the album, which breezes by in 15 minutes. There are entire songs longer than this whole album. The singer isn't great. He's like the worst result of Joey Ramone, Billie Joe Armstrong, and Lemmy Kilmister having, well, group sex. The sound is fine. I don't care. Short album gets short review. 2/5.

Now here's a divisive one. Red Hot Chili Peppers is another example of a very love it or hate it band. Some people love them while others find them annoying. As for me, I can see aspects of both in my opinion, though I do lean more towards the former. Californication is a pretty solid album. I like the sound. I think John Frusciante's guitar playing is nice and there's a good reason why Flea is one of the only examples of a band's bassist being the most popular member. I don't love Anthony Kiedis's vocals though. They work on songs like the title track, but other songs like the opener "Around The World" aren't my thing as far as vocals go. The writing is also a bit hit or miss. Some songs are very introspective and really come from personal experiences that warrant writing songs about them. Others aren't quite at that level. I will say that the first half is quite a bit better than the second half. Overall, a good album with some good songs, but I can see why people dislike this band and album, even if I myself have a mostly positive opinion of it. High 3/5.

I mean, it's 80s hip-hop. What do you want me to say? This album has everything that one would expect from 80s hip-hop. Group name-dropping, socially conscious lyrics, elements of African culture. Those aren't bad things, they're just things I've already experienced through other similar albums. I will say though that there is a very feel-good energy in "Done by the Forces of Nature" that makes this a pleasant listen. There's some good messages in here. I especially like the messaging in the song "Acknowledge your own History" with what it has to say about history and culture. I also like the part in that song where they diss Christopher Columbus. I just think that's funny. The beats are well made and the rapping is decent. Overall, while this album doesn't stand out much to me, it's still a positive, albeit a bit long, experience that gives me no real reason to truly dislike it. Light 3/5.

This one's alright. I don't really know if it needs to be on here since there are apparently other, better Beck albums. On top of that, I don't really know if Beck has had enough of a cultural impact to warrant having 3 albums on here, but sure, I guess. This album isn't bad though. I like the overall sound. The instrumentals are nice. I'm not the biggest fan of Beck's vocals, but they aren't particularly bad or anything. The writing is unique. I guess that's kind of to be expected from the guy whose most popular song starts with the line "In the time of chimpanzees, I was a monkey." That song isn't on this album by the way, or any of the albums of his that are on this list. That's weird, but okay. What stands out to me for this album is the variety in both writing and sound. Some songs are very clearly in the alternative rock field that Beck established himself to be a part of, while others are almost hip-hop like in a way. The writing is also about a variety of things, although many tie into similar themes. Overall, a decent album with some pretty positive aspects. 3/5.

Time for (what I believe to be) my third Brazilian album! I liked the debut album from Os Mutantes as well as Arise by Sepultura, so how does Jorge Ben's "Africa Brasil" compare? It's also really good! I guess there's just something about the Brazilian albums I've gotten so far that appeals to me. What appeals to me with this album is the sound. It's funky and I love it. The singing and writing are also both pretty good, even if I can't understand it. Though, from what my browser's translations gave me, there's some substance in these writings. Overall, given the quality and the apparent cultural impact that Jorge Ben has in Brazil, I think this is a worthy inclusion in this list. 4/5.

Wow. This is garbage! I genuinely don't see the value in this at all. Most of the songs aren't songs. In order for me to call something a song, you have to have some sense of rhythm, melody, or ideally, both. There's only like two songs on here that fit that and they both suck. The rest of the album is just pure noise. Sometimes it's just talking, other times it is literally just random noise. One songs on here was originally an actual song, but for whatever reason why sped up to become 16 seconds of sped-up garbage. I hate this. This infuriates me. This might be my least favorite album of all time. Everything here is stupid. I can't even call this music. Fuck this album. 1/5.

You know, after listening to Throbbing Gristle yesterday, all I wanted for today was something that I can actually call music. Fortunately, "Apocalypse 91... The Enemy Strikes Black" by Public Enemy is actual music. That music happens to be pretty decent. It's not really my personal thing, but I still see the appeal. The rapping is good. It's got a nice flow to it. With that said, I definitely liked Chuck D's rapping a lot more than Flavor Flav's rapping. The writing is pretty solid. Public Enemy has this very direct and punchy approach with how it handles politics that I can really admire. The instrumentals are also good. The album does go on for quite a while, but there's just enough variety to warrant listening to the whole thing. Besides, the last song has Anthrax on it. That's just awesome. Overall, a solid rap album with a purpose. 3/5.

Happy Leap Day everybody! This is the only leap day that I will listen to one of these albums on. Will this album make this day memorable at all? No. I wouldn't say so. This is a perfectly fine and serviceable album. Does it belong on this list? Not really. This album doesn't really have a ton of cultural impact. Although, admittedly, Bert Jansch himself, despite not being super well known himself, did influence quite a few artists that I like such as Neil Young and Nick Drake. Nick Drake in particular is the interesting one since, prior to listening to this album, I saw quite a bit of comparison in the reviews to him for this album. After listening to the album, I can kind of see it. The voice felt more Bob Dylan-esque for the first song, but later songs did give me an idea as to how someone could make comparisons to Nick Drake. This album isn't as good as his stuff though. A decent portion of the album is instrumentals, which is an interesting choice. His singing is fine. The musical contents are a bit samey, but not the worst in the world. The writing is probably the best part of the album, but it's still just kind of solid. Overall, nothing I really feel like revisiting ever again, but a pretty harmless album that's significantly better than a lot of the "this shouldn't be on here" albums that I've already listened to. 3/5.

You know, I feel like it's been a while since I've gotten an album from a truly legendary artist. I've gotten albums recently from artists or groups that I'd consider "iconic", but no one that I've gotten in the past 10 days or so is anyone that I would consider as legendary as Elton John. The guy's just awesome, and so is this album. It's really good! The album opens with one of his most well known songs, "Tiny Dancer". Needless to say, it's a great song. The rest of the songs are also great. The sound on this album is very pleasant to listen to. Elton John's singing is just phenomenal. The instrumentation is very good. Elton John's piano work in particular is always great. The writing is solid. Overall, this is a great album from a truly iconic artist. 4/5.

150 albums. I wasn't sure I'd get this far. This is actually the first 50-album milestone where I've gotten an album from an artist I had already gotten! 50th was my first Def Leppard album and 100th was my first T Rex album, but Face to Face is not my first album from The Kinks. I listened to Village Green Preservation Society about a month and half ago and I really liked it! So, how does Face to Face compare? Well, it's definitely an earlier album of theirs, that's for sure. It kind of gives of similar vibes to earlier Beatles work. It's good, but not nearly as groundbreaking and top-notch as later work. There are things that I really liked about Village Green that are here in Face to Face, but in a way that isn't as refined as it would be in later work. There is a variety of songs in terms of writing and sound, but there aren't as many songs that truly stand out. In fact, the only song on this album that's really seemed to make an impact is Sunny Afternoon. That song is great, and there are other really good songs too, but this album isn't really anything spectacular. I like the sound and singing, but as stated earlier, it does feel a bit too similar to early Beatles. The writing is quite good. I do like it. Overall, while Village Green is still a much more noteworthy and better album, Face to Face is still a solid collection of songs with a loose theme to tie them together. High 3/5.

Alright! I haven't gotten very many solo albums from former members of iconic groups so far, so getting a Paul Simon solo album is neat. While I hadn't heard much about this album in comparison to something like Graceland, Hearts and Bones is actually pretty good. The sound is varied. One complaint (if you can call it that) that I have is that the final three songs give us one of the funniest tonal shifts I have ever heard in an album. You have two mostly serious songs with historical ties to tragedy with a funny car song in between them. That's just hilarious. Anyway, I still like Paul Simon's singing. The writing is pretty solid. Overall, while this might be a somewhat redundant pick for this list, I can see why some people have called this his most underrated album. I'd go so far as to say I liked it more than S&G's "Parsley, Sage, Rosemary, and Thyme", but not as much as Bridge Over Troubled Water. I'm feeling generous, so I'll give this album a light 4/5.

Well, well, well. It finally happened. There have been 16 artists until now who have given me two albums for this generator (15 if you don't count the Neil Young and Crazy Horse album as being from the same artist as the Neil Young I've gotten). However, I have not gotten three albums from the same artist until now. The artist to first bestow three albums upon me... is Björk. I don't know how to feel about that. I don't dislike Björk. Quite the contrary. I thought Vulnicura was really good and Medulla, while not quite as good, was still not a bad album. It's just that Björk isn't really the kind of artist that I expected to ever listen to this many albums from in my life, especially before ever listening to a single full album from artists like Nirvana and Stevie Wonder. But, that's besides the point. Do I like Debut? Well, if I'm going to be honest, I think this is my favorite Björk album yet. Her singing sounds the same, which isn't a bad thing. I know singing experts would probably tell me that her voice has changed a lot since 1993, but I don't really hear it which, again, isn't a bad thing. The writing is pretty solid. She's not afraid to get weird while also remaining mostly comprehensible. One thing that makes listening to three Björk albums a potentially worthwhile experience is that she is an artist who is more than willing to experiment with each album. This is a very different album than the one's I've listened to before. This album has a lot more pop and electronic elements to it, as well as a generally more upbeat mood. That's not to say it's too positive or anything. There's still this aura of mystery surrounding each song. There really isn't a bad song on here. It's crazy to know that Björk's first album (even if technically wasn't her first) is so good. So you know, after listening to this album, I'd say that Björk being my first three-album artist is a good thing. High 4/5.

Well, this is an album. I find it weird that I've only gotten 50s albums and they're all from 1956 specifically. Did albums just not exist before 1956 and then stop existing from 1957 until 1960? Anyways, this album is one that exists. Country music has never been my thing. 50s music has never been my thing. You put the two together and you get an album that I'll forget about in a week. The singing is okay. The duo work is respectable. Definitely a bit cheesy. The sound is certainly repetitive, but not unlistenable. The writing is where this album gets interesting. It's quite dark at times. The last few songs in particular tackle things like war, murder, and grief. I mean, I guess that counts as a tragic song of life. There's quite a bit of Christian imagery in here. I'm not a Christian, so that does nothing for me. Overall, this is a forgettable album, but I surprisingly don't hate it in a similar way to similar albums like "A Date with the Everly Brothers". Light 2/5.

Did I just listen to something? I guess I did. Tangerine Dream's "Phaedra" doesn't really feel like an album to me. It feels more like 40 minutes of ambience. But hey, it's some damn good ambience. The production of this thing is immaculate. The sound makes for some decent background noise at times. I feel like I would enjoy this album a lot more if I just laid in bed and zoned out for 40 minutes. Perhaps then I would "get it". For now, I guess the best thing I can say about this album is "it has a purpose that it succeeds at." It kind of makes me feel like I'm in space. Fortunately, that's more so in the "drifting away in nothing" way and not the "lack of oxygen boiling my blood" way. It doesn't do much for me, but perhaps it will at another point in my life. I'll give this thing the benefit of the doubt. Light 3/5.

From one ambient instrumental album to another ambient (mostly) instrumental album. It's kind of weird that I got two in a row of that. Interesting. Anyway, this one's pretty alright. It's a film soundtrack, which I believe I've only gotten once before with Curtis Mayfield's Superfly soundtrack. I think Superfly was better, but that's irrelevant. This one does it's job well. The sound is nice. I can tell that it fits a story. I haven't seen the movie that this score is from, so I'm not 100% sure if it fits the story or not. There isn't much to say. It's some solid instrumentals. High 3/5.

Okay. I just want to start this review with something that caught me off guard in the best way possible. When I was doing the research about this album, I found out who the members of Jurassic 5 are. The name "Chali 2na" stood out to me because I knew for a fact that I had heard the name somewhere before. I just wasn't sure what it was. Lo and behold, he was Neil DeGrasse Tyson in an Epic Rap Battles of History video. I had no idea that that guy was a legitimately successful rapper in a somewhat popular group! Anyways, this album is actually quite good. I like it. It kind of makes me feel similar things to how I felt listening to Fly or Die by N.E.R.D. Most of this album has this positive energy to it that is always nice to see. The flow in this album is amazing in my opinion. It just lines up well. The members actually play off of each other very well. The beats are nice. The writing is solid. My one complaint is that the song "One of Them" feels pretty out of place in this album. That's really it. I like this album quite a bit. 4/5.

Finally, another artist I've heard of before. Although, that isn't much to say since the only thing I can think of when The Offspring comes to mind is that one Sam O'Nella clip. Anyways, this album isn't bad. It's a decent punk rock album. Throughout this journey, I have noticed some things that are common-place for certain genres. In particular, I have noticed some tropes of punk-rock. Tropes that are in here. Most of the songs on this album are quite short and pretty similar to each other. There's some light political commentary, but also some songs that are just there because why not. The sound on this album is good. The singing reminds me of Crazy Taxi, which makes sense given that The Offspring's music was in Crazy Taxi. I've never played Crazy Taxi. This review might make it seem like I dislike the album, but that isn't true. It is a perfectly fine album. 3/5.

You know, I'm kind of surprised that I haven't gotten very many albums from Australia or New Zealand so far. I believe Melodrama by Lorde is the only one I've gotten until now. Anyways, Woodface by Crowded House is a pretty good album. I did like Melodrama more, but like most of my album comparisons, this is completely meaningless. This album is enjoyable though. The sound is just nice. I like the singing. The harmonies work well. The writing isn't the best, but it does the job. I wasn't sure if this deserved to be on the list, but seeing as how these guys seemed to have had a much bigger impact in their home turf than in America, as well as the quality of this album, I'd say this is a decently deserving album of being on this list. High 3/5.

Man. It feels like it's been forever since I've gotten an album that I was actually excited to listen to. Every day for the past week or so (possibly even more) I've clicked on the next album button wondering "is this it?" Well, fortunately, "Is This It" is, in fact, it. This album is awesome. I love it. It feels like what the modern equivalent to something like The Velvet Underground would sound like in the best way possible. I think the clearest example of this is in the singing. Julian Casablancas is like if Lou Reed was a good singer. That was a joke, but I do like this singing more. The sound is just great. It's like the perfect mix of punk, alt-rock, and even pop at times. The writing is quite good as well. There's depth to this album. There really isn't a bad song. The popular ones like Last Nite are deservedly popular, but even the tracks that don't get talked about as much still stand strong. This isn't that important, but I find that both the original album cover and the replacement are quite good. I think the original fits the album better, but I do really like looking at the replacement. Although, that's not to say that the original isn't visually pleasing in a different way, if you know what I'm saying. Overall, this is easily the best album I've gotten in a while, and my second favorite album of 2001, only behind Toxicity by System of a Down. 5/5.

Hooray. More British punk. My favorite. Those are the thoughts that were in my mind leading up to me listening to this album. However, I was pleasantly surprised by this album. Don't get me wrong, there are still some major problems I have with this album. The writing is a bit basic, but not the worst I've ever heard in an album. The singing is easily my least favorite part of the album. I just don't like it. However, the instrumental sound is enough to make my overall experience with this album somewhat positive. I can definitely hear how these guys influenced more modern groups like Green Day. There's some decent variety in these songs, something that most other punk albums I've listened to lack. There's a song in 6/8 time signature for crying out loud! This album has memorable parts to it, which is a godsend for albums like this. I will say though that the second half is quite a bit better than the first half in my opinion. Overall, while this is far from my favorite album ever, this is also far from my least favorite album ever. Good job Buzzcocks! I don't like your band name, but this album's alright. 3/5.

Hell yeah. What can I say? You can't go wrong with some Jimi Hendrix. I honestly don't know whether I liked Electric Ladyland or this one more. I might have to do some relistening, although I'll probably wait after I've also heard Are You Experienced before I do that. This album is just awesome. The sound, as is to be expected, is phenomenal. Jimi's guitar playing was incredibly ahead of its time and holds up very well. The rest of the sound is also amazing. I really like the drumming on songs like Spanish Castle Magic. The singing is good. The writing is solid. There's some loose connected theming here without the album feeling repetitive. This is just an all-time classic from a true legend of music. 5/5.

Nice. Another great album! George Michael is an artist that I've always just kind of known as "The Careless Whisper Guy" and not much else. I knew he was famous, but I hadn't heard much of his stuff. I didn't even know he was in Wham! Anyways, this album is really good. I wasn't sold on his singing at first, but it grew on me and I appreciate it. The sound is quite nice. It's a solid pleasant sound that I can't really pinpoint a genre for. The closest I'd call it is R&B, but that doesn't really paint the whole picture. The writing is also very good. There's substance to these lyrics, and every song has a purpose, leading to the album not feeling samey. Overall, this is a good album, but not quite in the top echelon for me. 4/5.

Alright! It's time for my second Bob Dylan album. You know what? I really liked this one. This is a truly legendary album right here. A lot of what I had to say about Bringing It All Back Home applies here too. Bob Dylan's singing is hit or miss, but when it works, it definitely works. The instrumental sound in this album is top-notch. Everything about the instruments just works wonderfully. The songwriting is easily the best thing about this album. The ability that Bob Dylan has to tell a full complex story in a song like "Tangled Up in Blue" or "Lily, Rosemary, and the Jack of Hearts" is one that not very many songwriters have. While there are overarching themes, and it is speculated that multiple songs on here were written about Dylan's then-wife, each song's story stands out to create a great collection of stories in the form of amazing songs. Overall, this album absolutely deserves to be on this list for its cultural impact, and the sheer talent and quality behind it. 5/5.

I don't care about this album at all. Why should I? It has little to no cultural impact and should not have been included on this list over more impactful albums. How do these guys get on the list but artists like Louis Armstrong, MF DOOM, and Weezer get absolutely nothing? This whole album just feels derivative. I've heard people compare this album to Bob Dylan, with it said that he inspired this album. Well, and I'm saying this as someone whose last album they listened to before this was a Bob Dylan album, I don't see it. If anything, the singing in this reminds me more of Lou Reed than anyone. Even then, this guy's worse. The sound is fine, I guess. It's just that the jangle-pop sound can be heard through infinitely better and more significant bands of the time like The Smiths and R.E.M. The writing is nothing to write home about. The messaging is basic. I just don't care about this album. It means nothing to me. 2/5.

Eh. This album exists and that's about it. These guys call themselves disposable, and they're absolutely correct. This album could be removed from the list and I wouldn't bat an eye. I wouldn't be surprised if this album wasn't in the most recent version of this book. The beats are pretty decent, I will say. They definitely work for what they were going for. The rapping itself is just kind of okay. Nothing crazy. It's mostly just talking. The writing is confusing at times. It's a bit repetitive and sometimes it just feels like buzzwords. While I do respect this album and I can see what these guys were going for, I just don't really care enough about the final product to warrant thinking about this album ever again. 2/5.

I mean, what can I say? It's Queen. In the 5 weeks it's been since I listened to Sheer Heart Attack, my opinion of Queen has not changed much. They're still one of my favorite bands, and Queen II adds further reinforcing to that. This is an interesting album to include on the list, as it serves as a good representation of what early Queen was like before they started to lean more into the stadium appeal of songs like "We Will Rock You" and "Don't Stop Me Now". As great as those songs are, I actually really like the sound that albums like this and Sheer Heart Attack are going for. Everything I said about that album remains true here. The instrumental work is still amazing. Freddie Mercury was one of the greatest singers of all time even in 1974. The transitions on this thing are unlike any other. One thing that makes this album stand out is just how fantastical it is, particularly in the second half. Songs like "Ogre Battle" and "Seven Seas of Rhye" just have this whimsical and magical feel to them that makes them such great listens. Another standout track is "The March of the Black Queen", which almost acts a sort of precursor to "Bohemian Rhapsody" in that they both feature very distinct sections across a fairly long run-time. The first half is good too, just not as good as the second half. Overall, this album is great and Queen is still one of my favorite bands ever. 5/5.

If there was an award for "album with the title that least fits the sound of the album," it would go to this. You give me an album called "Shake Your Money Maker" and I'm expecting some off-the-wall dance music, not southern blues rock. Anyways, this album is fine, I guess. I have some problems. The sound itself is okay. There's definitely talent, I will admit. The singing is alright. I'd even call it good. The writing is okay. However, there is an overarching problem that I have with this album. It feels unoriginal. This album was made in 1990, yet it feels like it's trying too hard to sound like something from the 70s. I'm not saying that every song has to feel like it came out in the year that it came out. Some songs can fit an older style, while others can be ahead of their time. However, while I could potentially respect an album that serves as an homage to 70s rock, it feels like this album uses that less as a source of inspiration and more as a crutch that this album is bound to. Overall, while I can say that the contents of this album are objectively not bad, I just don't really care about it personally. 2/5.

Well. That was certainly an interesting listen. I went into this album with a worry, but also a bit of hope. I had heard people call this album nonsense, which made me fear another Throbbing Gristle or Liars situation. However, Frank Zappa is a fairly iconic and respected figure. I mean, he has a Guilty Gear character named after him! There has to be something special about this guy, right? Well, fortunately, I was pleasantly surprised by this album. Sure, there are definitely some noisy and unpleasant parts of this album. However, in comparison to some of the 1/5s that I've given, I respect this album and the vision behind it. There's an overarching theme and points to be made. Do I agree with all of them? Not fully, but I can see what these guys were trying to say. I mean, "your mind is the ugliest part of your body,"? I get it. I also didn't hate the sound all of the time. There are some songs on here that, while certainly weird, were enjoyable to listen to. The chaos does lean towards something like The Residents at some points, but at other times it feels more controlled like System of a Down (my favorite band). Overall, while it has its problems, I would say that listening to this album was an overall positive experience that I don't regret. I can see why this is on here! 3/5.

Dude. This is awesome. I kind of love this album. I'll start with the one thing that was negative at first. I wasn't big on the vocals at first. They were 80s punk vocals, which I've never liked. However, weirdly enough, they kind of grew on me. They're not my favorite vocals, but they work at times. As for the rest of the album, it's just great. The writing is unique in a great way. The things these guys have to say make a lot of sense, and the writing gets their points across quite well, in addition to being entertaining. However, the sound is what makes this album so amazing. While there are some similar songs, it doesn't feel repetitive, unlike other punk albums of the time (looking at you, Undertones). There's tempo changes and stuff. I love tempo changes! Also, I like this version of "California Uber Alles" a lot more than the Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprasy version that I listened to a few days ago. The guitar tone is energetic and fitting for the energy of the messages. The bass? Oh my god. The bass in this album is just wonderful. I love it so much! I think I know why I love this album so much. Between the heavy-handed politics, the guitar riffs, and the sheer insanity of this album, it kind of reminds me of System of a Down. I think I've mentioned (or at least implied) before that System of a Down is my favorite band, so hearing something even remotely similar to them is just what I need. Apparently these guys influenced SOAD, and I can hear it. Overall, I was very surprised by just how passionate I am about this album. I might have to check out the other Dead Kennedys albums. 5/5.

I want to start this review by bringing up a weird pattern I've had with albums lately. You see, 9 days ago, I got my second Jimi Hendrix album, which I gave a 5. After 1 album from a new artist, I then got my second Bob Dylan album, which was also a 5. This was followed by 2 new artists and then my second Queen album, also a 5. Finally (at least for now), I got 3 new artists, and my second Elliott Smith album. You notice the "1, 2, 3" going on there? That's just funny. But does the 5/5 part continue? Yeah, of course it does. I really have no complaints about Either/Or. Everything I said about Figure 8 applies here. The sound is still great, which is impressive considering it all comes from one guy. The singing compliments the tone of the album very well. The songwriting and storytelling is still top-notch. It's a very cohesive experience that feels very personal. There's variety in everything. This is just an amazing album. Unfortunately (or fortunately depending on how you see it), I'm not sure I'm in the right headspace for the album right now, but I can tell just how good it is anyways. What can I say? This is a masterpiece. 5/5.

Hell yeah. This is some good stuff right here. Not every album on the list needs to be some emotional masterpiece. Sometimes, it's just nice to do some headbanging to some classic metal, and it's hard for metal to get more classic than Judas Priest. This album's great. The sound is strong, and the songs manage to stand out from each other. I really like Rob Halford's vocals. There's a reason why he's considered to be one of the all time greats of metal vocalists. The energy of the album goes on for the perfect amount of time. Songs like "Breaking the Law" are absolute classics and very good songs. The writing is solid. Overall, I don't really have that much to say. This is just some great early metal. It's awesome, and I want more of it. 4/5.

Look. My criteria for my album ratings is somewhat complex. I'm not going to explain the whole thing right now, but I have something to say. My criteria for giving an album a 1/5 is that if I am upset that I listened to a given album, that album gets a 1/5. I don't mean that in a "This album is sad" kind of way, I mean that in a "This project would be better without this album" kind of way. It is the simplest rating criteria that I have. I am upset that I listened to this album. How can you have so many albums from 1994 on this list (This is my 9th!) with some of them being worthless, culturally insignificant trash like this, and yet the Weezer blue album is nowhere to be seen?! WHY?! That album is awesome! This? I hate it. The sound itself is fine, I guess, but it leaves no lasting impact on me. There are some great instrumental albums out there with enough impact to warrant an inclusion on this list. This is not one of them. I've probably written reviews for this site that are longer than the wikipedia articles for this album and its band combined before! But you wanna know the biggest issue with this album. It does not fucking end. It lasts for 76 whole minutes, with there being multiple songs that go for 8 minutes each! On top of that, the songs are kind of repetitive. I'm pissed off. I genuinely question what logic there was behind this album being included. Wikipedia says that this was the first techno concept album. First of all, I don't believe that for one second. There had to have been something before this. Second of all, what is the concept for this album? Being shit? If so, good job "Sabres of Paradise," you succeeded! Now get out of my sight. 1/5.

Dude. After listening to a boring 76-minute long album with no cultural impact at all yesterday, an energetic 42-minute long album from a group that's sold over 100 million copies is exactly what I needed today! Rio by Duran Duran is a great album. I love it. It deserves to be on this list not just because of Duran Duran's cultural impact during the Second British Invasion of the 1980s, but also because it's just a damn good album. The sound is top-notch. Everything from the bass, to the vocals, to the instruments that only show up once like the saxophone in the first song and the ocarina in the last song just works to create a very energetic and fun album. The writing is solid, the pacing is perfect. It kind of reminds me of a more energetic Depeche Mode, and if you're making me think about Depeche Mode, you're probably doing something right. This is awesome and it's way better than that stupid Haunted Dancehall album. High 4/5.

Ah yes, The Smith. Just one of them. Here we have the first of four Morrissey albums that I'll be listening to for this project. He definitely does not deserve four albums, but if any of his solo albums are going to be on this list, this one makes more sense than the others. Anyways, I didn't hate it as much as I thought I would. Is it as good as the one The Smiths album I've gotten so far? No, definitely not. However, this album isn't that bad, but it's not perfect. I'll start with a complaint that I don't think I've ever made before. The singing is decent, and the instrumentals are quite solid, but I feel like they don't mesh well with each other. Anyways, the writing is certainly interesting. Some of it makes sense, other parts don't. I was expecting the album to feel like The Smiths, but it really didn't at all. That's fine and all, I just don't like the sound of this album as much. Has this album aged all that well? Not really. Sometimes it's for funny reasons, like in the first song where he brings up how America's never had a black president. Other things relate to more serious topics regarding who Morrissey is as a person. Overall, this album's fine, but kind of forgettable. Low 3/5.

Well, the pattern ends. I have now gotten 5 new artists in a row. Damn. Anyways, this is a fun album. My first experience with grime through Dizzee Rascal's "Boy in Da Corner" wasn't the most positive one. Maybe I just wasn't in the right headspace, but my thought upon listening to that album was "I don't think grime is for me." However, the great thing about listening to multiple albums from a certain genre is that preconceived notions can be disproved. I actually did go back to a few songs from that album after this, but I still am not really a fan of that album. Despite that, I actually like Skepta's "Konnichiwa." This album isn't the most serious thing out there, but it doesn't have to be. The rapping is enjoyable to listen to. The writing is solid and not too problematic. The beats are probably the best part. They just go so hard for no real reason. The album's not perfect, don't get me wrong. I did feel like the appeal of the album did start to dwindle by the end of the album. That's not to say that this album dragged or went on for too long. 44 minutes is like the perfect album length. However, it didn't feel quite as special after twelve songs. The features are also just fine. Overall, this is a surprisingly enjoyable album. Fantano was in the right when he gave this a 7/10. That would be equivalent to a 3.5/5, so I'll round up and give this album a light 4/5.

Well. That was aggressively mid. I see no reason why this should be on the list. There are many other albums on this list that basically do what this one does but with more cultural importance and quality. Even the vocals are a bit too reminiscent of Bob Dylan at times. Basically, imagine a Bob Dylan album but with worse writing and no real meaning behind it. That's what this album is. I felt nothing listening to it. The song "And I've Seen Her" aged like milk. The others are okay I guess. The second to last song, "The Wolf of Velvet Fortune" is probably the best one. The sound is fine. I'm not upset that I listened to this, but it really isn't anything special to me at all. I'm not upset that I listened to this, mainly because it's only 28 minutes. I am going to forget about this as soon as I finish this review, and I'm okay with that. Low 2/5.

Alright! Beatles album #3! This time, we have Rubber Soul to look at. This is generally considered to be the turning point for the Beatles where they finally started to make truly amazing albums. I haven't heard the albums that came before this, but that seems about right. Regardless of if this was their first great album or not, it is definitely a great album to be sure. While their sound isn't quite as experimental or polished as it is on the other albums of theirs I've heard (Abbey Road and Sgt. Pepper's), it's still very strong. The writing, sound, and singing is all still great though. Not every song is as good as the rest. I thought "The Word" was just alright and the album ends with what is probably the worst one on the album, "Run For Your Life." This album does however contain some truly amazing songs though. Songs like "Norwegian Wood", "Nowhere Man", and especially "In My Life" stand out as being some of the best songs that you could listen to in 1965. Overall, while Rubber Soul isn't my favorite Beatles album, it is still a worthwhile listen that serves some importance in the career of the most iconic band to ever exist. High 4/5.

Well this is a harmless little album right here. Does it need to be on this list? No, not really. However, I'm not upset at all that I listened to this. It's just nice. I don't really get a lot of 50s albums, so it's something different. The sound is a nice change of pace from the standard genres like rock, pop, hip-hop, and soul. It has a purpose and it fulfills that in every way it needs to. The instruments are pleasant and the singing/chanting works well. It does feel a bit quiet at times, but that's not that big of a deal. I'm sure this album has more value to other people and groups, but for me, it just serves as some decent background music. 3/5.

I feel like Bob Dylan's been coming up more than usual lately. Between me getting my second Dylan album just over 2 weeks ago and the various Dylan-inspired albums I've gotten since, it's definitely a noticeable pattern that has continued with my third Bob Dylan album today. However, this one's pretty different from the other two I got, mainly because this one released over 20 years after those other two that I've gotten. Because of that, the most obvious thing that's changed about Dylan is his voice. It's noticeably aged, but that's not a bad thing. I feel like his voice in this album is more consistently good, whereas earlier albums were kind of hit or miss in that regard. This version of his voice creates a different atmosphere than his earlier work, but the quality hasn't managed to take a hit. This is still a pretty good album. It's not perfect, don't get me wrong. I know I've defended Bob Dylan's singing, but I did not need to hear it for 73 straight minutes. If the last song had just been cut down from 16 and a half minutes to a normal song length, then we could've had a decent album length. Anyways, on to the positives that aren't the voice since I already went over that! Bob Dylan's songwriting is as strong as ever here. The storytelling and world building is still that of a man with lots of talent, now with 20 more years of life experience. The sound is nice. It's a little repetitive at times, but I still enjoy listening to all of these songs. Overall, while it's not a perfect album, this is yet another solid collection of songs from Bob Dylan. Light 4/5.

Mmm... nice. You know, I didn't really know anything about this album before today. I had seen it when I looked up the complete list of albums for this project, but I didn't know anything about the actual album itself. As it turns out, this is actually a pretty influential album right here. The album sold over a million copies and popularized the bossa nova genre. After doing my preliminary research, I came to the conclusion that this album deserves to be on this list. That conclusion was further supported by the thoughts that were entering my head when I listened to this album, because it's really good. Is it a bit repetitive? Yes. Do I care? No. The vibes here are just immaculate. I love the singing, the sound and compositions are top-notch. This is just a great collection of some nice music to just sit back and relax to. High 4/5.

Yep. That was an album. This was my second experience with Christina Aguilera, and I'd say I enjoyed the two albums about the same. This is a solid pop album. As stated in my Back to Basics review, I think that her singing is quite good and impressive. The instrumentals are decent. They vary in quality, but most of them are good. The writing is pretty personal actually. The big reason for why this whole album feels personal was because Christina felt that her debut album wasn't personal enough, with her not really getting any creative control. This album was said to be her true debut, and I can see that. Is this my favorite album in the world? No. It really isn't my thing personally. On top of that, this thing is just way too long. They probably could've cut half the songs from here and all of the desired points would have still come across in a meaningful way. However, I have an immense amount of respect for this album and can see why it's on here. High 3/5.

Oh boy, another album with ties to Bob Dylan. Look. I like Bob Dylan, but I feel as though I've gotten too many albums recently that are either from Bob Dylan himself, similar to Bob Dylan in a noticeable way, or, in the case of this album, directly tied to Bob Dylan. Also, before I talk about the album itself, I just want to say that "The Band" might be one of the worst band names I've ever heard. It's just super pretentious. Fortunately, despite my complaints, this album definitely isn't bad. Despite the ties to Bob Dylan, this album doesn't really feel like an album of his. There are aspects that are reminiscent of his work such as the songwriting at times, but this album manages to stand out as something original and not riding off of another artist's popularity and style. There's a good genre mix in here, with aspects of rock, country, and r&b showing all throughout. The sound is solid, with singing that compliments the writing. The writing is quite good. Overall, this album definitely has the impact and quality that an album needs to be included on this list, even if it's not my personal favorite album ever. Light 4/5.

Meh. This album bores me. This was considered one of the best albums of 2000? I don't get it. I haven't even listened to albums like Kid A and Stankonia yet, but I already know that those albums are better than this. That's not even taking albums that I have heard into account that I did enjoy more like Figure 8 and Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea. The sound on this album is fine. I can respect the blend of various genres. Some songs lean more into country elements, others feel more like a chamber pop type thing. The singing is serviceable. The falsetto isn't great, but everything else is alright. The writing doesn't really speak to me. It just feels like words are entering my head and exiting right out. Maybe that's a me problem, but I have seen others call this album unfocused and nonsensical, so I don't think that's the whole truth. The mixing isn't great either. The vocals felt too quiet. Also, what does this album have to do with Nixon? Nothing about this album makes me think of him. Overall, this album really doesn't need to be on here and is just kind of forgettable. 2/5.

If I had to describe this album using one of the words from its title, corners wouldn't make sense at all, so I'll just go ahead and call this album brilliant. This is some great jazz right here. The work that went into this album is tremendous. The mastery of the instruments, understanding of music itself, and complexity behind the compositions make this a great listen. It serves well as good background noise for other tasks, but also has enough depth to it to be able to spend the whole 42 minutes just analyzing the sound. All of the instruments just blend well to create an album that's well worth a listen, or maybe even multiple. Light 4/5.

Well, well. What do we have here? An album from the current decade? Who would've thought?! I've finally reached an album from the 2020s! There are a very small amount of albums from the past few years on this list, mainly because we just don't know how culturally significant many albums from the recent years will go on to be. That brings us to an important question regarding this album in particular. Why is this album on the list? It's not particularly well-known. Well, my theory is that this has less to do with music culture and more with the world's culture in 2020. 2020 was a year of many shocking things that still impact us today. Obviously the COVID-19 pandemic was the biggest of these, but not far behind were the Black Lives Matter protests brought upon by the deaths of individuals like George Floyd and Breonna Taylor. Let's not beat around the bush any further. This is a protest album. That's why this album is on here. It represents the cultural attitude of the time. In particular, the black cultural attitude of the time. You see, I'm white. This means that I am not the target demographic for this album. However, that does not mean that I'm unable to appreciate this album and what it stands for. This album has some great messages about police brutality, self-love, and faith. Do I personally relate to any of it? No. But if this album was able to relate to its target demographic during the time it came it, then I would say that this album was a success in that regard. The features are solid. I find it interesting that every album I've gotten so far from 2019 or later has involved Michael Kiwanuka in some capacity. Is he just that great of an artist? Yes. The musical contents of this album could admittedly be better though. As much as I respect what this album's saying, it is a bit too blunt with it at times, making the album feel less like an actual album and more like affirmations or preaching at times. That's not necessarily a bad thing, it just isn't for me personally. The vocals are serviceable. The album does go on for a bit too long. The album is fairly repetitive. However, this album is an overall positive experience, just not one made for me specifically. High 3/5.

Time for my second bossa nova album involving Stan Getz of the week! Yeah this album is very similar to Getz/Gilberto, which is an album that I listened to 6 days ago. My thoughts are basically the same, with the exception of this album not having as much of a cultural impact despite coming earlier. I guess it's one of those things where this album helped lay the foundations, but Getz/Gilberto perfected it to the point where it's the one that popularized the genre. Basically, this is the Wolfenstein 3D to Getz/Gilberto's DOOM. Still a good album, but not quite as great as the other one. The sound is still here, although the singing that I really liked from that other album is missing. What gives? Anyways, this album is perfectly fine, but a bit of a redundant pick when you have a better and more culturally impactful album from one of the same artists that is also on this list. High 3/5.

Guys I'm tired. I am tired of Bob Dylan. THIS IS MY FOURTH BOB DYLAN ALBUM AND MY THIRD OF THE PAST MONTH! I don't even dislike him or anything, I'm just tired of getting all of these albums that come from him or are inspired by him or involve him in some way. Still, regardless of my frustration with the random album generation, I have to admit that this is an objectively great album. I could say a lot about this album, but I don't really need to because I've said it all about the other albums of his. The songwriting and storytelling are great and the singing is very love-it-or-hate-it. "Like a Rolling Stone" is a great opener. There's a decent variety in this album's sound. It's another Bob Dylan album. What can I say? High 4/5. Now please give me at least 2 months before another one of these.

This album name is an utter lie. This isn't hardcore! Oh well, at least the album is good. With how much I've seen complaints about the overabundance of Britpop on this list, I haven't gotten very many Britpop albums as of lately, and the one's I've gotten so far have been mostly alright, with Pulp's "This is Hardcore" being no different. This album is fairly Bowie-esque in a way, mainly with the singing at times. I kind of like it. The sound is pretty enjoyable to listen to. The writing is slightly repetitive and the album is a bit long, but those are minor issues that don't really impact the album all that much. I think this is a pretty good album. Not the best I've listened to, but a fairly solid album that gives me a good first impression of Pulp. Maybe I'll like Different Class even more! Light 4/5.

Time for another artist I've heard of! I've been on a good streak with that lately, but that's mainly because two out of the past 4 albums I've gotten were from artists that I've gotten earlier in the project. Kraftwerk is a fairly iconic band, so I wasn't surprised to see one of their albums in here. Based on my research this seems to be the album that put them on the map of popular music. After listening to it, I guess I can see why. Is this my favorite album ever? No. Not even close. It's a good album though. The sound is enjoyable to listen to. I like how the album doesn't just throw everything at you right away and builds up to the different sounds that it wants to make. The whole feel of the album is pretty mystical. The 22-minute long title track is probably the most interesting song on the album for multiple reasons. This seems to be a love-it-or-hate-it kind of album based on the reviews I've read from this site. I'd say I'm closer to the love it side, but I'm not super passionate about it. Still, this album is pretty good, and I'm excited to hear what else this band has to offer from the two other albums they have on this list. High 3/5.

This is a solid album right here. The White Stripes are, in fact, a band I've heard of, but I had really only heard one of their songs before, so getting to experience an album of theirs was an intriguing experience. This is not the album with Seven Nation Army on it, but it is the album that truly kickstarted their career, so I'd say it deserves to be on here in addition to their other album Elephant. If it was just this album, then I'd have some questions, but the two of them both being on the list is something that I can accept. The sound of this album is quite nice. One interesting thing that this album does that I haven't really seen a ton of is that this album goes for more of a quantity over quality approach with the songs. That's not to say that the songs are bad, it's just that there's a higher focus on making more short songs rather than fully fleshing out ideas for specific songs. Fortunately, each song is short, so an album with 16 songs ends up being a tight 40 minutes rather than a 70+ minute slog. I like the singing. I think it fits the overall feel these two were going for. The songwriting is decent. There's a very unique feel with this album that I'm not sure how to put into words. It feels raw, but not too heavy. I guess that's garage rock for you, and this album spearheaded the 2000s revival of garage rock in addition to other albums like Is This It by the Strokes. I don't like this album quite as much as that one, but this one is still pretty good. 4/5.

FINALLY. It is about time that I got a Black Sabbath album. What's funny is that I got this after an album from The White Stripes. I got white and black. That's funny. Anyways, I am very happy to finally get to this band since, in my opinion, they are one of the most important bands to have ever existed. I say that because, for all intents and purposes, Black Sabbath created metal music. They may not have made the first metal song, but they were the first true metal band. However, Vol. 4 isn't an album that I've seen a ton of discussion on. My research brought me to the conclusion that this is generally considered to be one of their better albums, but there isn't as much cultural impact for this one compared to the band's other albums on this list, those being their self-titled debut and Paranoid. Despite that, this is a great album. The sound is just amazing. Every member brings something to the table. Tony Iommi's guitar work is practically perfect, Geezer Butler serves as a great bassist, I really like Bill Ward's drumming, and of course, I can't forget about Ozzy Osbourne's impeccable vocals. There's a decent amount of variety on this album. It's mostly heavy, but you also have the song "Changes" which is just a straight up piano ballad. I certainly didn't expect that. There really isn't a bad song on here. I think my favorite may be "Snowblind," which was originally supposed to be a title track before they changed the name of the album. This song is particularly notable to me not just because it may be my favorite of the album, but because it was covered by System of a Down, which is a band that I have gone on record to say that they are my favorite band. Honestly, I don't know which version of the song I like more. This album is great, but I feel like there's probably going to be better on here, so I'll save the 5s for those. High 4/5.

Time for Rolling Stones album number 3! It's been a while since I got one of these, about 4 months as a matter of fact. I did not like my first album of theirs, Aftermath, and I thought my second experience of theirs with Sticky Fingers was pretty good. Beggars Banquet was released between these two albums and, fittingly, my enjoyment of this album was between those two as well. I like this album significantly more than Aftermath mainly because it has less offensive writing. I was actually hopeful that I would get to experience an entire Rolling Stones album without an offensive song in it, but then "Stray Cat Blues" comes on and Mick Jagger just has to sing about having sex with a 15 year old! God damn it! Anyways, back to comparing this to their other albums, the sound is kind of in between those two, but it does lean closer to Sticky Fingers as a whole. There are some pretty good songs on here. The album's opener, "Sympathy for the Devil" is one of the band's most accomplished tracks, and for good reason. That song is pretty good. It has an interesting concept that is executed well. I think the album also ends on a good note with "Salt of the Earth," which is another good song. Not every song works, but the ones that do work pretty well. The overall sound is decent. It feels consistent, but not too consistent to the point of monotony. Overall, while this is not my favorite Rolling Stones album, it certainly isn't my least favorite. 3/5.

I can't believe I actually got this on a Sunday. That is hilarious. I love getting weird little coincidences like that on this journey. Anyways, this is a solid little jazz album. It serves as good background noise and that's basically what my thoughts on this album amount to. The sound is nice. All of the instrument playing is good. The album length is good. It's not too short, but not too long. The live nature of this album really isn't all that noticeable. You kind of forget that this is a live album until a song ends and you hear the audience clapping. That's really the only live element to this, and that's okay. I'm not really a fan of live albums anyway, so I'm happy with this. The compositions are good. Overall, while this album doesn't stand out to me much, it also doesn't do anything wrong. High 3/5.

Now this is a great album right here. It's been a while since I got an album with a song I've definitely heard before. I think the last one was British Steel which I listened to about 3 weeks ago. Today, we have one of the best selling albums of all time, Hotel California by Eagles. I find it weird that they're called "Eagles" and not "The Eagles" but whatever. Anyways, this album absolutely deserves all those sales because it's great. I'll start with my one problem that isn't even really a problem. It peaks at the beginning. The title track off of this album might just be one of the greatest songs ever made. None of the other songs capture that perfection to quite the same degree, though they are all good songs. Everything that makes Hotel California a great song does apply to the other songs and the album as a whole, just to a slightly lesser extent. I do like the vocals, but the song and album as a whole stands out with the other aspects even more so than that. The writing is great, the pacing is effective, and the sound is amazing. I really like the guitar work. It lends itself to some great moments, with the highlight easily being the solo at the end of the title track. Overall, this is an amazing album that absolutely deserves the praise and fame it's gotten over the years. 5/5.

You know, I'm kind of surprised it took this while to get a reggae album. I got a ska album pretty early on, but that's not really the same thing, nor is it what I think of when reggae comes to my mind. If there's one artist that I think of when I hear the word "reggae," it would have to be Bob Marley. Because who else would I possibly think of? He was basically "The Reggae Guy" and for good reason. This album's pretty good. It makes me feel nice. The sound is pleasant to listen to while still having some depth to it. The singing feels very authentic and true to his culture. The lyrics are thoughtful and adds to this album's feel-good nature. Obviously, "No Woman, No Cry" is the best song on this album, though the other ones aren't bad. Overall, this is a solid album that serves as a good representation of a genre that I respect, but don't really feel all too passionate about myself. High 3/5.

You know, I'm kind of surprised it took this long to get an album from a Wu-Tang Clan member given that there are five albums from the Wu-Tang Clan and its members on this list. Oh well, it's time to talk about Fishscale. This is a solid album. I like the variety in the songs. I think a big reason for this is because of how many producers are on here. There's quite a few of them on here, perhaps the most notable of which is MF DOOM. Given that he doesn't have any of his own albums on here, I'm happy to see that he has some representation on this list, even if this album did get removed from later versions of the book. I'm not a fan of skits in hip-hop albums as a whole, but the ones on this album aren't too egregious. Ghostface Killah's rapping is alright. I can definitely hear how he and other East-Coast rappers like Nas are cut from the same cloth. The album is a bit long, but I didn't really feel like it dragged too much. The writing is pretty good for the most part. Overall, while this is not my favorite hip-hop album I've gotten, it's still pretty decent. High 3/5.

Man this is an amazing album. I've listened to an album from The Doors before. I liked Morrison Hotel and I also really like their self-titled debut. As was the case with that album, the highlight for me is Jim Morrison's singing, which still holds up as being very unique in the best way possible. The instrumental sound in this is very enjoyable. I really like the organ keyboard thing they've got going on. The writing is very interesting. This is perhaps most obvious with the final song, fittingly titled "The End." Not every song hits quite as hard as the best of the best from this album, but the best songs are truly fantastic and the worst songs are still pretty enjoyable. It's crazy to think that this was their debut! It's another debut album that absolutely deserves its inclusion on this list. Light 5/5.

You know, I wouldn't usually be excited for a 76-minute long album. That is, unless, it's from an artist that I'd want to listen to for 76 minutes at once. Fortunately, I am more than okay with listening to 76 minutes of Elton John, especially since this is some of his best work. This album's amazing! I love the variety in the sound of the album. You've got slower, more emotional songs like "Candle in the Wind" balanced out by fun, energetic songs like "Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting". Both styles work very well. I noticed a few themes that show up throughout the album like love and fame. That's pretty cool. Of course, Elton John's singing is top-notch, with the writing on the whole album being just as good. I've got to give props to Bernie Taupin for his work on this thing. Somehow this album doesn't drag on as much as one might expect. Is the album pretty long? Yes, and I think a song or two could've been cut. Regardless of that, this is absolutely an album that's worth listening to. 5/5.

Time for another artist that I've heard stuff about but never really listened to! Sonic Youth is a pretty influential band that doesn't really get talked about a ton. This was one of their first albums to hit it big, with it being the first album with their "standard" line-up. I'm not entirely sure what to think about it. It's a fairly avant-garde album, which is something that has been pretty hit-or-miss for me. Some of the more avant-garde or artsy albums I've gotten are pretty good, while others are some of my least favorites of all time. Fortunately, this album leans much closer to the former. If there's any album I've listened to that I've thought "I hope this grows on me," it's this one. There's things to like here. The whole feel is very mysterious and dark. It's noisy, but not in an annoying way. This results in a unique sound that takes a while to click with you. It still hasn't fully clicked with me, but I have a feeling that it will eventually. The writing is interesting, with it taking influences from some unexpected places. I like that there are multiple vocalists with such different vocal styles. Overall, I like this album, but I feel like other Sonic Youth albums may end up being more my style. Still, I respect this album and may (KEYWORD: MAY) even bump up the rating if I revisit it in the future. High 3/5.

Wow. 200 albums. It's kind of hard to believe that I've made it this far. For 200 days now, I have listened to an album nearly every day. Some of those albums are iconic masterpieces that everyone should listen to in their life. Others are the complete opposite of that. Fortunately, most of the albums have leaned closer to the former than the latter. Even more fortunately for today, Paris 1919 by John Cale is one of those albums! I was a bit miffed when I saw that this of all albums was #200 initially. I mean, a solo album from a former member of the Velvet Underground? I was hopeful that the album was good, but I didn't really see much of a reason for this to be on here at first. However, a few things happened that changed my perspective on John Cale's inclusion on this list. For one, I realized just how expansive his career is. He didn't just work with the Velvet Underground. He's also had appearances on some other albums on this list, with one of them being Bryter Layter by Nick Drake. I love that album! I didn't know he was on there. Also, apparently his version of Hallelujah was the one used in Shrek. That's just awesome. Being in a Shrek movie doesn't automatically mean I'll like an album from an artist (see my review of Nighthawks at the Diner by Tom Waits), but it adds some credibility to their name in my eyes. On top of all of that, in addition to some other instruments, John Cale frequently plays the viola. I play the viola! The viola is such an underrated instrument, and I'm always happy to learn of more violists. Finally, there's one more thing that happened that made me understand this album's inclusion on this list. I listened to the album. I know, right? Honestly, this album's really something amazing. The sound immediately hooked me with the piano on the opening track. The variety in each song is very respectable and I like it. The singing is quite good. I think John Cale is a good vocalist who is, dare I say, better than Lou Reed. The writing is quite solid as well. Songs like "Andalucia" and the title track are just great songs in every regard. Overall, this album is a very pleasant surprise that is, in my opinion, better than any of the other 50-album milestones I've gotten yet. High 4/5.

It's kind of crazy that this is my fourth album with Paul Simon involved. Honestly though, I'm fine with it for a few reasons. I mean, two of them are Paul Simon and the other two are Simon and Garfunkel, so they're kind of different things entirely. On top of that, the two Paul Simon albums are pretty different. Hearts and Bones is kind of what you'd expect from "Paul Simon solo album." It's not bad, far from it actually. It's a good album. However, Graceland is just way better. It's so much more unique. The sound is fantastic. The multicultural influence adds to this experience to make it something truly special. The impact that this had regarding South African music was so huge that Nelson Mandela himself invited Paul Simon and his band to play in South Africa once apartheid ended. That's just awesome. I love the bass work on some of the songs. Everything here is just so fun and energetic. Paul Simon's singing is solid. The writing is nice. This album is just one of a kind and is very worthy of this list. 5/5.

You know, I was really hoping this album would be good. It's one of the lowest rated albums on the website, and despite that I hoped that I would be able to see the value in it that others couldn't. So what if it's an avant-garde post-punk album? I've enjoyed avant-garde albums and I've enjoyed post-punk albums. They're not for everyone, but I was at least hoping that Dub Housing by Pere Ubu is just one of those things that fits that bill as well. But no... Unfortunately, the people on this website were right. This album's terrible. I'll start with the positive. The sound at times is not bad. I think that the instrumentals on the first few tracks gave me hope that this could be somewhat tolerable. The instrumentals for most of the songs have that Talking Heads vibe I was hoping for this album to have. That's it. That's the positive. I don't like anything else. The vocals might just be my least favorite vocals ever. I can't stand them. They're so ear-grating that it's not even funny. At least the vocals on albums like Duck Stab by The Residents were comical in a way. This one just hurts. The writing makes zero sense whatsoever. It's fine to have confusing writing if there's still a goal in mind. I don't think there was a goal in mind. These guys just shat out what they thought was quirky and let it release in stores. Finally, I said that the instrumentals on SOME songs were good. However, there are a few tracks, mainly on the latter half of the album, that are painful to listen to. You'd think that the instrumentals would be good given the lack of the horrendous vocals. And yet somehow, the instrumental "Thriller!" is probably the worst track on this album! I tried justifying in my head a reason for this to get a 2, but I just couldn't. This is awful. 1/5. And I'd still rather re-listen to this than Haunted Dancehall!

Oh boy. There is a lot to say about this album, mainly because of how much there is in this album. This is my first 90+ minute-long album for this project. I've gotta say, I'm pretty happy this was the first one. If my first one had been something I was unfamiliar with, it may not have been an easy listen. Fortunately, this is my fourth Beatles album, so I'm very familiar with the Beatles at this point. I've also thoroughly enjoyed all of their albums until now, and the White Album is no different. This is a great album, but it's not perfect. First off, let's get the obvious out of the way. This thing is really REALLY long and a lot of the tracks are kind of filler songs. Between that and the cultural impact, this is kind of the One Piece of albums. Now I'd much rather listen to 90 minutes of the Beatles than most other artists, but a 90 minute album is still very long and many tracks could've been cut. Anyways, the musical contents are great as always. You can't really go wrong with a late Beatles album. There are some truly amazing songs on here. From beautiful thought-provoking tracks like "Blackbird" to fun and heavy tracks like "Helter Skelter." There are definitely some weaker tracks though. Fortunately, most of them are short and fairly insignificant like "Wild Honey Pie" and "Why Don't We Do It In The Road?" Even then, those songs aren't really confusing or anything, just kind of there. The same can not be said for "Revolution 9." Back in my OK Computer review, I brought up the idea of "weird songs" like that album's "Fitter Happier" or "The Murder Mystery" from The Velvet Underground. "Revolution 9" might just be the most infamous "weird track" of them all. I didn't care for it, but I somewhat respect it in a similar vein to the latter of those two earlier examples. While I'm talking about the "weak tracks," some of you might be wondering, "What about Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da?" You know what, I don't get the hate for that song. It's perfectly fine. Anyways, the sound of this album is great, the writing is good, and the best songs are masterpieces. This is a Beatles album. I don't think I need to explain anything else. The White Album is a great, albeit needlessly long and bloated album. High 4/5.

Okay. So this album is called "Electric Music For The Mind And Body." That implies that is some sort of electric album, right? However, this album comes from Country Joe and the Fish, which to me implies that this is a country album. Well, as a matter of fact, it's neither! This is instead the millionth psychedelic rock album on this list. You know what that means! It's fine. I'll give this album some credit. I think the sound is pleasant enough. It's a bit trippy, but it's not painful to listen to. The electric guitar (I guess there is something electric about this music after all) is pretty solid. The sound is pretty raw at times, which is okay. I actually like the singing quite a bit. It's not my favorite, but it's pleasantly surprising. The writing could've been a bit better, but it's not egregiously bad or anything. Overall, while this album gets props for being decent, it doesn't really need to be on this list. Light 3/5.

You know, my track record for punk albums hasn't been the best so far. I mean, there's a reason why, as of me writing this review, punk is listed in the "worst genres" part of my summary. Until now, there was really only one punk album I'd gotten that I felt passionate about (Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables). On top of that, while it's not necessarily a bad thing, every punk album I've gotten until now, with one exception, was from the 70s or 80s. What about the 21st century punk, huh? Well, if you want a punk album from this century, you'd be hard-pressed to find one better and more important than American Idiot by Green Day. Green Day has always been a band that I've liked, but have never really dived deep into. I've gotta say, American Idiot is a modern masterpiece. The sound in this thing is just amazing. The guitar and bass work is practically perfect, with the riffs for each song standing out in their own unique ways. The drumming is really something special. Tré Cool is just an absolute beast. The singing is great. I think Billie Joe Armstrong is a strong contender for the best singer in punk. The way each song stands out is just amazing. You have of the best energetic songs I've ever heard with songs like the title track balanced out by deeply emotional tracks like "Wake Me Up When September Ends." The addition of the Bohemian Rhapsody-esque multi-part suits with "Jesus of Suburbia" and "Homecoming" do a lot to aid in this album's story. Speaking of which, let's talk about the story. This is a concept album through and through. The overarching narrative is quite possibly one of the best I've seen in an album. The sharp song transitions represent the rapidly changing mental state of the main character, and the story actually feels complete. Overall, this album's awesome. It might just be one of my favorite albums of the project so far. 5/5.

I feel like this is the album that I've had the least to say about. It doesn't have a ton of cultural significance, but it's not too low to the point of there being no good argument for, at the very least, Steve Winwood himself having an album on here. His career has had some notable points. The album's sound is solid. It's very Steely Dan-esque in both the singing and sound. The writing is okay. Nothing about this album is groundbreaking, but the album is perfectly serviceable to the kinds of people that this kind of music appeals to. High 3/5.

Alright, another punk album! Getting two punk albums in three days isn't something that I really wanted to do, but it's something that I'm fine with on account of both of the albums being good. While this isn't my favorite punk album, it's FAR from my least favorite. I quite like this album. The vocals are the make-it-or-break-it thing for me when it comes to punk. Entire albums can be ruined for me if I don't like the vocals. Fortunately, I enjoy Ian MacKaye's vocals. As is often the case, the instrumentals are where this album really stands out. Every song is just so high-energy and fun, and I love that. The guitar riffs and bass playing is amazing. The drums do feel a bit samey for each song, but that's not a big deal. That kind of applies to this album as well. The album is a bit repetitive, but that's not a big issue for two main reasons. Reason 1 is that the album is only 22 minutes long, so the album doesn't really give you enough time to feel burnt out from hearing similar songs for a while. Reason 2 is that even though the songs sound the same, that song that each one sounds like is pretty good, so I don't really care. The writing is very respectable and I appreciate what it has to say. Overall, this is easily one of the better punk albums I've gotten, and a pretty influential one despite Minor Threat only having one album to their name. 4/5.

This is a very interesting album to look at. It's a slow, melodic, almost jazzy album released in a time when popular music was dominated by pop, rap, and the occasional alt-rock or nu-metal band. And yet somehow, this album sold over 27 million copies and is one of the best selling albums of all time. What? I never hear people talking about Norah Jones, so I'm not exactly sure what to say. Then again, I wasn't around in 2002, so maybe she was much bigger of a deal back then. Still, the high sales are enough to warrant this album being on this list. As for the quality? It's fine. I like the singing. I think the instrumentals are pretty decent. The album is pretty repetitive though, and the writing didn't really stand out to me that much. Overall, this album isn't really my thing, but I get why it's on here. 3/5.

Well, that was an album. I certainly listened to it. You know, the group who made this album, Basement Jaxx, complained that dance music of the time was "very shiny and so robotic" and that there wasn't much feeling in it. That's how I feel about this album. This is one of those albums that really don't need to be on here, but don't particularly upset me with their inclusions. I mean, this album sold approximately a million copies, so it's not like there isn't an argument for this album to be on the list. It's just not a very compelling argument. This album sounds fine. Some songs are pretty okay, others are kind of annoying. The vocals are varied, I'll give the album that. The writing is uninteresting and repetitive, kind of like this album as a whole. Did this really need to be 57 minutes long? I don't think so. This album's okay. I'm just gonna move on now. 2/5.

I feel like I've gotten a lot of solo albums from former members of well-known groups lately. Well, okay, maybe it's not "a lot," but with me getting albums like Fishscale, Paris 1919, Graceland, Arc of a Diver, and now this all in the span of two weeks, it's definitely noticeable. Fortunately, none of those other albums were bad, and The Nightfly is not an exception. This is a good album. The sound definitely reminds of Donald Fagen's work with Steely Dan. This is just a feel-good album. I like the singing and the instrumental sound. They're both very pleasant to listen to. This album has a good blend of complexity and simplicity. With only 8 songs, there really isn't a bad one on here. I like the writing. Overall, this is a nice album that I'm happy to have listened to. 4/5.

You know, I wasn't sure how I'd feel about this album at first. This is one of those 2010s album picks that feel like they were made as guesses to what would become influential rather than what did become influential, as this band and album are completely new to me. However, I saw praise for this album when I did the research, and the reviews on this website seem mostly positive. Fortunately, I like the album. I wasn't sure of it at first, but it grew on me as I kept listening. The singing is solid. The writing is interesting. The sound is pleasant to listen to. It's got a good blend of modern and classic. I can definitely hear inspiration from groups like The Grateful Dead. Overall, while this inclusion in the book was a bit preemptive and this really doesn't need to be here, I am not upset at all that I listened to this solid album. 3/5.

Here we have The Fat of the Land by The Prodigy. There is a reason for this album to be on the list. It's decently popular. Apparently it's sold over 10 million copies, which is nothing to scoff at. Also, I've heard of this band and one of the songs on this album. Granted, I only know of it because of Epic Rap Battles of History, but that's still me having heard of the artist. Anyways, is this album good enough to balance its popularity? Yeah. I'd say it is. It's not my favorite album. Hell, it's not even my favorite album of 1997. But, it isn't my least favorite of 1997 either, and that's good. This album's pretty fun. The sound is bombastic and I enjoyed each of the songs. The writing isn't particularly meaningful, but does it really have to be? In an album like this? No. No it doesn't, and that's okay. This album succeeds at its goal. Are there problems? Yes. The album is too long, in my opinion. That's basically the one problem that I can describe without having to go into extreme detail about why this album just isn't really my thing personally. So yeah, this is a good album, but not one that personally appeals to me all that much. 3/5.

Okay, I highly doubt that this was intentional, but I got this album on the anniversary of the album releasing! That is just insane, assuming that it is a coincidence. It's kind of eerie, just like this album. I've heard great things about The Cure, so I was excited going into this album. Fortunately, unlike other highly praised bands with dark slow sounds (I'll understand you eventually, My Bloody Valentine), I immediately see the appeal of this album. This album has been considered post-punk, but the only thing that reminds me of post-punk at all is the vocals. Even then, Robert Smith's vocals are still different and unique enough to make this album something special. The sound is dark and mysterious, but I like it. I can really feel the atmosphere of what they were going for here. This album is seen as a pioneer of gothic rock, and gothic is definitely a word that describes this whole album. The writing is intriguing as well. There's actually a few common themes that loosely tie into the album's title. Well, okay, the album isn't actually about pornography itself. Rather, there are loose themes of sex and the nature of it sprinkled into a few of the songs. Overall, I like this album. I am very excited to get into this band even more with their 2 other albums on this list. Light 4/5.

I genuinely don't know if I've heard of this guy before. I feel like I've heard the name James Taylor before, but the name is so generic that I may have either made the name up on my own, thought of a different person, or misremembered an amalgamation of other names. It is possible though that I have heard of this guy because he seems to have a decent cultural impact, with this album selling over 3 million copies in the US. So, is this album good? Yeah. I liked it. The singing is good. It works for the style of music he wants to make. The sound is also quite nice. The guitar work is solid and the rest of the sound is also pleasant. There is a decent variety in the songs. The writing is thoughtful and there isn't really a bad song on here. Some songs blend together a bit, but others stand out. Overall, this is a pretty good album. I would be surprised to see that it didn't win the Grammy for album of the year, but it all makes sense when you see that it lost to Bridge Over Troubled Water. Light 4/5.

You know, Louis Prima wasn't really the trumpet-playing Louis I expected to see on this list, but I'll take him. I mean, Louis Armstrong probably should be on the list, but I don't think Prima "stole his slot" or anything. I don't know why Armstrong isn't in the book anywhere, but at least he has something on the user list, so I'll get there when I finish the whole 1089. Anyways, this is a good album. I enjoy Louis Prima's singing. It's very joyful and serves as the perfect voice for an animated orangutan. Another artists named Keely Smith also provides vocals on this album, and hers are amazing as well. The instrumentals are very enjoyable to listen to as well. There's a very good blend of the popular genres of the time. Rather than feeling like any other 50s rock and roll album or any other jazz album, this album blends the two to stand out in the crowd. The writing, while slightly questionable at points, is never offensive or even ill-intentioned. It's just kind of funny to hear backing vocals of the word "gigolo." Overall, this is solid album that I'm happy to have listened to. High 3/5.

I mean, what do you want me to say? Am I really going to argue against The Dark Side of the Moon being called one of the greatest albums of all time? No! And I'm not going to do that because The Dark Side of the Moon is absolutely one of the greatest albums of all time! Everything about this album just works perfectly. The songs all flow into each other seamlessly. This might just be the most cohesive album experience I've ever had. The connecting themes of life make this a truly unforgettable listen. The sound is phenomenal and the singing is great too. The writing is compelling and immersive. I get it. I'm not special. I know everyone calls this one of the greatest albums of all time. But for me to argue against that would just be lying to myself. This is easily one of the best albums I've ever heard. It might actually rival Abbey Road for my current favorite album on the list. I think this goes without saying, but this album gets a 5/5.

I'm gonna be real with you all, I was dreading this album when I first got it. I mean, an English punk-reggae fusion album from 1979? That sounded like Hell to me. I just "knew" that the vocals would be annoying, the lyrics would be meaningless, and the songs would all sound the same. I was so caught up in being upset that I got such a "bad album" right after The Dark Side of the Moon that I didn't even realize until just before I listened to the album that it was from an all-female band! I just thought the album cover was a random thing they found from like a movie or something. Anyways, this album, despite my preconceived notions, wasn't bad. It was kind of like Germfree Adolescents by X-Ray Spex in a way. A surprisingly tolerable English punk album with a female vocalist that does something instrumentally to stand out from other punk albums. My main worries were that the vocals would be annoying. Fortunately, while they were a bit quiet and hard to understand at times, I wouldn't say I found them annoying. The writing has variety and isn't meaningless. The sound is fine. It's perfectly fine. I think I kind of enjoyed it. This is FAR from my favorite album I've gotten for this project. Again, I listened to The Dark Side of the Moon yesterday. This is nothing compared to that album. But, I respect this album. I'm not upset that I listened to it. I can see why it's on the list. This is an album with value. It's just not really my thing personally. Light 3/5.

You know, I feel kind of bad for the last album I got. Cut by the Slits should be an album that I remember for what it is. A unique, inspired album that, while it isn't really my thing, is an album worthy of my respect and time and was way better than I thought it would be. Instead, it seems I will only be remembering that album as "the one that came between two of the greatest prog rock albums of all time." I got The Dark Side of the Moon the day before, and now I've got In The Court of the Crimson King the day after. That's neat. Anyways, I say these are two of the greatest prog rock albums of all time not just because they both have immense cultural significance, but because they're also both amazing. I already talked extensively about Dark Side in that review, so now it's time to explain why I like King Crimson so much. Compared to Dark Side, In The Court is a much more somber album, with the lyrics focusing on heavy allegories for the Vietnam and Cold Wars. This is perhaps most evident in songs like "Epitaph" and the title track. The variety on this album is great too. Despite there only being 5 songs, it feels like there's more, mainly because some of them are split into multiple sections. If you compare a song like "21st Century Schizoid Man" to one like "I Talk to the Wind," you get two pretty different sounds. I've mentioned 4 out of the 5 songs now, so I might as well say something positive about "Moonchild" just to say something about all 5 songs. I like that one. Despite being 12 minutes, it surprisingly doesn't overstay its welcome. None of the songs do, and neither does this album. The singing is pleasant, even with the crunchiness of the aforementioned "21st Century Schizoid Man." I love the sound. The chord progressions are just beautiful. Overall, this is another amazing album that I get the hype behind. 5/5.

You know, if I had a nickel for every time in the past week that I got one of the greatest prog rock albums of all time immediately followed by a 70s English punk album with a hint of reggae influence, I'd have two nickels, which isn't a lot, but it's weird that it happened twice. However, while Cut by The Slits, as solid of an album as it is, isn't generally considered one of the greatest punk albums of all time, the debut album from The Clash is. The Clash is one of the most iconic and important punk bands out there, or so I've heard. After listening to this album, I can see why. This is a damn good album right here. I enjoyed it. There's a decent amount of variety here, which in an early punk album is practically a godsend. In terms of sound, the tone is consistent but not repetitive. When it comes to lyrics, while there are common themes throughout the album, each song doesn't feel like a rehashing of the last one. The sound, by the way, is quite good. I actually like the singing! I really like the guitar tone. The bass and drums get their jobs done perfectly. For some reason, this album feels longer than it actually is. I don't know why, but this just felt a bit longer than 35 minutes for some reason. That isn't a bad thing though. There's good messages in this album. There's even a cover of a reggae song that fits perfectly into the album! Overall, I really like this album. It is definitely one of the better punk albums I've gotten so far. High 4/5. I'm probably gonna save the 5 for London Calling, whenever I get it.

You know, it's been a while since I got an album from Neil Young, and even longer since I got one that didn't have "& Crazy Horse" in the artist credit. Although, Crazy Horse is still important to this album's story, as it was dedicated to one of the band's then-recently deceased members. Anyways, this album's alright. I don't really have any major issues, but I still feel like something small might be missing. The positives of the other Neil Young albums I've gotten are still here. I like his singing, he's good at writing, and the sound is great. There's some common themes, which is usually nice to see. This isn't my favorite Neil Young album so far. If anything, it's probably the least interesting so far. However, this is still a solid album that I would consider good. Light 4/5.

Okay. I feel like I've gotten a lot of punk lately. Fortunately, most of it has been good, but it's still something I've noticed. Anyways, is Fire of Love by the Gun Club one of those good albums? Eh. I don't know. This album just doesn't interest me. It doesn't really do much to stand out at all. The singing is okay. It kind of sounds like Mick Jagger at some times, Lou Reed at others, and some third artist that I can't think of at the rest of them. The instrumental sound is also just kind of okay. It's not the most repetitive album I've gotten, but there also really aren't any songs that stick out to me as being truly great. The writing could be better. Again, it could be worse. This still isn't the worst punk album I've ever heard. But that's all this album really has going for it. This album is the definition of "it could be worse." I mean that in a few ways, as there are many ways that this album could've been worse. It could've been way longer, the vocals could've been more annoying, they could've said the N word a few more times. If any or all of that stuff applied, there could be a 1/5, and if the album was more interesting it could be a 3/5, but as it stands, this album is gonna get a 2/5. Also, the album cover is really bad.

Man, it has been a while since I got some classic soul music. I think the last one I got was that Ray Charles album I listened to all the way back in February, meaning that it's been nearly 3 months! And you know, I've kind of missed it. Because of this project, I have a newfound appreciation for music like this, and this album is a good representation of it. The sound is nice. I enjoy the singing, and the multiple members of the Temptations allows for more variety in each song. The instrumentation is also great. I think the highlight of the sound in this album is probably this album's biggest hit, "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone." Needless to say, that song is great, and the rest are quite good as well. The writing is solid as well. With only 8 songs and a few repeat themes, there isn't much ground that gets covered, but what they do sing about fits perfectly in an album like this. Overall, this is a solid album that I enjoyed. It's not the best soul album I've gotten, but it's still quite good. High 3/5.

Well, I had a whole review for this, but I accidentally closed the tab and I don't feel like writing all that I said again, so I'll be kind of brief. I see the value in this album, but it's not really for me. Missy Elliott is iconic, yes, but I just don't really feel much with this album. I'll start with praise. I think she is a fairly solid rapper. The features are okay. The beats and music production are quite good. Timbaland definitely has a talent for it. As for my problems, it really just boils down to "it doesn't personally speak to me." The writing is kind of weak. I feel there's too many shoutouts to the featured artists. I obviously support giving credit where credit's due, but this is kind of overkill. The album was a bit long. None of the songs were that memorable to me. It felt kind of repetitive in a way. Overall, I understand why this album's on here, but it's not my thing and I have problems with it. Low 3/5.

Jesus Christ there's more psychedelic rock on here?! Isn't there enough already? Whatever. I don't like this album very much. I think that "The United States of America" is both a terrible album and band name. That's the name of a country not a band. Anyway, as far as music is concerned, this is annoying. I was able to respect this album for having a female lead vocalist, which led to the album standing out in comparison to its competition, but then she just stops singing about halfway through and suddenly it turns into every other psychedelic rock album ever. There's some parts that are just really noisy for no particular reason. While it does fortunately lean closer to something like Frank Zappa than something like Throbbing Gristle, I still think the album's bad, just not as bad as the latter. Still, not as good as the former. Also, the writing is just kind of okay. I've seen multiple people on this site compare this album to both Sgt. Pepper's and Os Mutantes. This album is nothing in comparison to those albums. I really like those albums, this one is just kind of annoying. At least the strings are good. High 2/5. It's at least better than the other 2/5s on account of the fact that I'm considering a revisit of this album in the future when I'm in a better headspace.

Alright. This is good. I think this is a pretty fun album. It definitely feels Scandinavian. I can hear similarities to artists like Björk and ABBA. This is a nice middle ground between the simpler, upbeat nature of the latter and the more experimental, occasionally melancholic nature of the former. I like the singing. Again, it definitely reminds me of Björk. The sound is very pleasant to listen to. It's cheery, but not mindless. The instrument work is quite good. The writing is also solid. I think the funniest thing about this album is that it has a cover of Iron Man by Black Sabbath. As soon as I started listening to the album, I knew that the Iron Man cover would be something special. It absolutely did not disappoint. I can't say I ever expected to hear a Black Sabbath cover in music that sounds like this, but I'm happy to have listened to it and this album before I die. High 3/5.

You know, sometimes I come across albums on this list that really have no reason to be on the list. Some of them back this up by being garbage. Other lesser-known albums manage to be unique in some way and also not be terrible. Fortunately, Feast of Wire by Calexico is much closer to the latter than the former. While I have never heard of this and don't really think it needs to be on the list, I do respect this album for trying something kind of new. This album is a blend between indie rock and alternative country. While I have gotten plenty of albums that fit the former, I really can't say I've gotten to listen to much alternative country at all. I think it's a lot better than mainstream country, at least in the present day. I think modern country is terrible, but this is alright. The singing is solid and the writing fits the vibe. The sound is enjoyable. The instrumentals that are dispersed throughout really showcase this. Overall, I'm happy to say that this relatively unknown band has made a bit more money thanks to me, but I still don't really feel all that impressed and wouldn't really listen to this again any time soon. High 3/5.

I don't know how to start this review. It's getting hard to come up with unique ways to begin without feeling like the review just starts with no build up. Anyways, this album's good. Solange is an artist that doesn't get much discussion surrounding her. When it comes to musical members of the Knowles family, pop culture gravitates towards her older sister. What's her name again? Oh right, Beyoncé. So yeah, Solange was always going to have a hard time living up to her sister. But honestly, I think she succeeds with this album. I haven't really dived into her sister's work, but I can tell that this album is up there in quality with it. The themes and messaging of this album is quite great and very respectable. Everything feels connected without the album feeling repetitive. I like the singing. The instrumental sound has the modern soul feel that has proven to appeal to me with albums like Kiwanuka. The album has 21 songs, but a lot of them are short interludes, so it's really more like 12 songs. The album fortunately doesn't drag despite lasting for over 50 minutes. Overall, this is a great album that I can see having a positive, somewhat long-lasting legacy. Fantano gave this a light 8 and I kind of have to agree with him. That translates to a light 4/5.

Howdy y'all! (I'm sorry, I had to.) If there's one thing that you can do to feel like a badass cowboy, it's busting out some Red Dead Redemption 2 with Marty Robbins playing in the background. Unfortunately, I don't own RDR2, so I guess I'll just stick with the Marty Robbins. Gunfighter Ballads and Trail Songs is an absolute classic of an album. It's just a nice collection of, as the name suggests, gunfighter ballads and trail songs. The songs are all quite similar to each other, but I choose to look at this album less as a repetitive collection of similar songs and more as an early concept album pertaining to cowboy life. If you envision the cowboy singing this with a guitar, then the album feels very atmospheric and almost like a journey of sorts. The singing, by the way, is great. The tone of the singing is just perfect for this kind of music and the multiple layers of the singing aids in making the sound as good as it is. The instrumental sound also fits the vibe perfectly. The writing and storytelling is quite good. Of course, the album's opener "Big Iron" is the biggest highlight for me, but the other songs are also of a similar level of quality. Overall, this album is great and serves its purpose extremely well. High 4/5.

It has been a hot while since I got a Pixies album. My first album of theirs was Bossanova, their third album. But that's not the only context where it's the third album, as it's also the third album that I ever listened to for this project all the way back in October 2023! I've been pretty excited for this day to come ever since, as Surfer Rosa as seen quite a bit more acclaim. So, does this album live up to the hype? Yeah, I think it does. This is a much more aggressive album in comparison to Bossanova. The sound is more raw thanks to Steve Albini's production. The writing is also more taboo and intense. There's some great songs on here, but all of them are eclipsed by what is easily the band's most popular song, "Where is my Mind?". While I do agree that it's an amazing song and it's probably the best on the album, I can't help but feel that it's kind of out of place. Like, the other songs are quite heavy and written about things like sex and violence, and then you have this slower song about scuba diving (though that is just the literal interpretation). This is one of those rare albums where being loud and noisy actually works. Still, it isn't quite perfect enough to warrant a perfect score. High 4/5. Maybe Doolittle will be the one to break the barrier.

Well, that was an album. It kind of reminds me of Fly or Die by N.E.R.D. but worse. This one didn't do it for me. I respect the genre blend, I guess. The sound is mixed. Some songs are alright, others are kinda boring. There's some weird tonal shifts in this. I'm not a fan of the vocals. The writing is okay. I was really worried that there would be constant band name drops given that they said the phrase "Fun Lovin' Criminal" in the first two songs, but those were the only times the phrase was said in the album. This thing's pretty long too. It's kind of all over the place, honestly. It's also kind of concept album? Interesting. Anyways, this one just doesn't appeal to me. High 2/5.

Sure. Why not put this album on the list? Surely there aren't any other albums that deserve to be on this list more (there are). Whatever, at least this album is okay. I was really worried that this would be another Haunted Dancehall situation. I mean, these are both mid-1990s British techno albums that last over 70 minutes each. Can you blame me for thinking this would be garbage? Fortunately, even before listening to Second Toughest in the Infants (what?) I saw that the wikipedia article was longer, so clearly this album is more deserving of being on the list. Fortunately, this album's actually not garbage. It's far from my favorite album, but I don't hate it. The sound is actually good. It's not the most interesting, but it's not bad either. There are definitely other albums that do this sound better though (Violater, my beloved). The singing is alright. The sound variety is decent. The writing is certainly unique. My biggest problem, of course, is how long this thing is. Did it really need to be 73 minutes long? I don't think so. Still, this is solid background music. If you ever have some work to do for 73 minutes, maybe put this on in the background. You might like it more than I did. Low 3/5.

And for the third artist to give me four albums, we have Neil Young with the album Harvest. I've liked the Neil Young albums I've gotten so far, but unlike the other members of the 4-album club (which as of right now is comprised of Bob Dylan and the Beatles), none of his albums have yet to cross into 5 star territory. However, if there's any album of his that can do it, it's probably Harvest. I mean, it's his best-selling album, many have called it his best album, and it even got a JoJo stand named after it! It passes all of the tests for if the album deserves to be on the list or not. So, does the album live up to the hype? Yes. Yes it does. Neil's singing is still good. The instrumental sound in this album is great. It's simple, but very pleasant. What elevates this album to a whole new level for me is the songwriting. Between the four albums of his I've listened to now, the songwriting is absolutely at its peak in this album. The tone of the whole album is just top-notch. Do I feel like finally giving Neil Young a 5 star rating? Yep. This is it. 5/5.

This is one of those albums that really doesn't need to be on here but doesn't anger or even baffle me with its inclusion, unlike other albums. (Am I just gonna be known as the guy that hates Haunted Dancehall?) Anyways, Back at the Chicken Shack doesn't upset me with its inclusion because its a perfectly fine album. The musical contents are solid. The writing is nonexistent, but that's okay. Instrumental albums are valid too. The sound is nice. It does feel kind of samey throughout, but with only 37 minutes of run time, it doesn't drag or get old. This album isn't very compelling, but it also gives me no reason to think negatively of it. Light 3/5.

I can't say I expected two jazz albums in a row, but hey, I'm here for it. Back at the Chicken Shack was silly jazz, but now it's time for the serious stuff. It's time for what is arguably one of the most important and greatest jazz albums ever released, A Love Supreme by John Coltrane. I have consistently seen this album praised as being a masterpiece of jazz. Do I agree? Of course I do. Am I really going to deny this album the praise it deserves? No! This thing's amazing! Despite not having any lyrics aside from "A Love Supreme" in the first song, there's a feeling of raw emotion that comes from the music here. You can tell that this music meant a lot to Mr. Coltrane. The music by the way is an absolute marvel of musical prowess. The technical skills behind the instrument playing is beyond perfect. The album is only 33 minutes, and because of that, this one of the only albums I've ever listened to that makes me wish it was longer. Still, as it is, this thing is an absolute masterpiece. If you've never been able to get into jazz as a genre, I feel like this album would be a great way to get in to it. 5/5.

Dude. I had no idea Dire Straits was this good! Dire Straits is a band I've heard of, but I never really checked them out before. After listening to their self-titled debut, I see the appeal. This whole thing is just a very pleasant smooth experience. I like the vocals. I can hear a slight influence from artists like Bob Dylan but I can still hear that Mark Knopfler is a pretty unique singer. Speaking of Mark Knopfler's work on this album, the guitar work is great too! He, along with his brother David, allow the band's music to sound as smooth as it is. The writing is solid, with the tone being very consistent, but not too repetitive. There really isn't a bad song on here. Obviously, "Sultans of Swing" is an absolute classic, but the other songs are just as good. This is a great introduction to a band I'm excited to hear more of. High 4/5.

It's time for another one of the best-selling albums of all time! Here we have Bat Out of Hell by Meat Loaf. Given the name of the album (and maybe the artist) and the album cover, you'd think this was something super heavy and dark. While this album does have rock elements to it, it's fairly soulful as well. Like, most of these songs could be classified as ballads. Anyways, despite being misled by that, the album's pretty good. I like Mr. Loaf's vocals. They're very good. The writing is mostly solid. The instrumentals are great. I like the disparity between the hard rock and piano ballad parts of songs. Is this album pretty cheesy? Yeah. Do I care? No. While this isn't my favorite album, not by a long shot, it's still a great album that absolutely deserves to be on this list. High 4/5.

I was not looking forward to this album one bit. Of all the artists I've gotten albums for already, Wilco was certainly not on the list of artists that I'd want to listen to for 76 minutes straight. I thought that their so-called magnum opus, Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, was pretty good, but not great, and I definitely don't think they need three albums on here (one of which is with another artist that I don't care for, Billy Bragg). However, this album pleasantly surprised me. I mean, at least the album's 76 minutes of songs that actually stand out from one another rather than 76 minutes of pure boring garbage (I'm looking at you Haunted Dancehall). The praise I gave to YHF still applies here, but with a much longer runtime. The singing, writing, and instrumental sound are all solid. I respect alternative country for doing its own thing and not blending in with the modern corporate country that I loathe so much. Overall, I don't want to listen to this again, but I may have to revisit Yankee Hotel Foxtrot as I can clearly see that Wilco isn't a bad band at all. 3/5.

Look, there's only so many times you can listen to a 60s/70s psychedelic rock album and have it still interest you. This album's good, but I'm probably going to forget about it. Don't get me wrong, I like the album. The sound is nice. The singing is good. There's good variety in the songs, so at least the album isn't repetitive. The pacing works. The writing is decent. This is a pretty good album that just kind of has the unfortunate circumstances of being the 35th psychedelic rock album I've listened to for this project. It's a solid album, but there's certainly better ones I've listened to. High 3/5.

And for the next artist to be added to the three-album club, we have R.E.M.! It's been like 5 months since I listened to an R.E.M. album, so I'm more than okay with listening to Green today. I though Murmur and Document were pretty good, and Green is no different. Well, okay. It's different, but it's still pretty good. It's pretty clear that the band went through a shift in sound at one point. Comparing this album to an album like Murmur or even Document to an extent is kind of crazy. As for what I like more, I'm not sure. It's all great. Of course, I still like Michael Stipe's singing, and the instrumental sound is still great. The writing is also very good. Some songs are a bit basic, but you also have songs like "The Wrong Child" and "Orange Crush" that stick it own terms of what the songs say. "Stand" is a really good song too. I had a bit of a moment when I realized that was the song that played in that one Parks and Rec scene with Ben's stop-motion movie. I don't have much to say. My opinion of R.E.M. is still quite positive. I think I might like Document a bit more, but it's a close call. High 4/5.

I mean, it was kind of inevitable, wasn't it? Knowing the albums I've gotten on the list so far, it was kind of obvious that U2 had to be on here somewhere. But you know what? I'm not gonna argue against them. They're a very popular band, and The Joshua Tree is their best-selling album. This thing that sold over 25 million copies, so I agree that this album should be on the list. You wanna know another reason why I think this album deserves the inclusion? The album's really good. I think Bono's singing is pretty solid. The sound of the album is pleasant. It is a bit repetitive in the instrumental department, but as long as the sound is good, that's not a huge issue. The writing is varied though. There are overarching themes, but it doesn't feel bland to me. What I really like is that this album takes inspiration for the writing from various different countries. Obviously, there's an Irish influence given the origin of the band, but there's also influence from countries like the US, UK, and even some Latin American countries with the album's closer, "Mothers of the Disappeared." Overall, this is an absolute classic that definitely deserves its inclusion on the list. Light 5/5.

Hmm... a band that prominently performed in drag and were often rejected by labels out of fear they were gay? On the first of June?! Wow. Of all the coincidences pertaining to this project, this may be one of the funniest yet. As for the album itself? I didn't really care for it much. It's a pretty run-of-the-mill 70s hard rock album. The singing is okay. Not bad, but it doesn't really stand out. The instrumental sound is solid. There's nothing fundamentally wrong with it. It, again, just doesn't stick in my head. The writing is 70s rock writing. They sing about drugs and women. What a surprise. Overall, It definitely feels like an early Rolling Stones album. I don't really like early Rolling Stones that much. I see the value in the album, but it doesn't really appeal much to me myself. High 2/5.

Okay. Ambience. Sure. I mean, it's got Brian Eno's name attached to it, and he's one of the greatest producers in music history! I don't really know what I was expecting, and I don't know what to say. It's 42 minutes of ambient music. But hey, it's some great ambience. I listened to this while drawing and I gotta say, it was a pleasant experience. The sound is quite enjoyable. Would I want to listen to this in an airport? I mean, it's not the most fitting in my opinion, but I certainly wouldn't be upset if this started playing. The instrumentation is quite good. Overall, this is probably one of the most important ambient albums of all time, so it deserves the inclusion on the list. High 3/5.

Boy do I love being able to pronounce the names of albums! It's a shame this album's name is in Icelandic, a language I know nothing about. However, that is the one thing about this album that gives me shame. Even then, it isn't really shame. I was just joking, and I learned how to pronounce the name of this album. Everything else about the album, though? I love it. I was really worried that I wouldn't "get" this album. This is an album that I've seen quite a bit of praise for online, but I wondered if this would be another "m b v" situation or not. Fortunately, it's not (I'll still give My Bloody Valentine another shot when I get to their other albums on the list). This Sigur Rós album is one of the most unique albums I have ever heard, and it's amazing. If there's one word I can use to describe this album, it would be "ethereal." The sound is so interesting. I feel like I've escaped the confines of the planet Earth. Even the somewhat noisy parts at least sound cool. This album is like the perfect blend of Portishead, Björk, and some other thing that I can't think of. The singing is nice. I don't understand it, but from the research I did, the songs have interesting writing. I think the biggest accomplishment of this album (other than arguably being the most important post-rock album ever released) is that it kept me hooked for 72 whole minutes. With practically every other 70+ minute long album, I've complained about it being too long. This? No complaints. I was enticed with every single song on this album. This is an easy 5/5 for me.

Would you look at that? We've got a topical album today! Because of his recent single and upcoming album, people have been talking about Eminem more than they have been for some time, so getting this album when myself and many others are thinking about Eminem is pretty neat! Anyways, this album's an absolute classic. I don't really need to explain why it's on here. It's probably the most acclaimed album from one of the most iconic rappers of all time. It really just boils down to that. The album's certainly an interesting one to look at today. The big thing people look at is the writing and the nature of the writing. Look, I'll say that there were parts where this album was a tough listen. Songs like "Marshall Mathers" and "Kim" are the obvious examples of this. However, I feel like there were points to be made. Like, one could say that the writing is just offensive for no reason, but I'm here to say that it's offensive for a reason. I think some songs boil down to it being from a character's perspective like on the opener "Kill You," while others make a point about the world like on "Who Knew." I'm not excusing it per se, I'm just saying that I can still see the appeal of the album today. Speaking of which, the musical contents are pretty good. The beats are fun, and when they're not fun, they're like that on purpose like on songs such as "Stan." I enjoy the rapping. I think Em is at his slimmest and shadiest when he's just having fun and not trying to be the fastest rapper or whatever. The technical skills are still there though, and they're great. The features are solid and the skits are tolerable. Also, there are some great songs on here. The obvious highlights are the aforementioned "Stan" as well as "The Real Slim Shady." These two songs represent a great dichotomy between fun Eminem songs and serious Eminem songs. Overall, while I have problems like the album, namely certain lines and the overall pacing, there's no denying that this is an interesting and very important album that I would say I enjoyed as a whole. Light 4/5.

Welp, that was pointless. Yeah, I don't think this album needs to be on the list. There aren't a ton of Australians that I would consider legends. Among my very small list are Steve Irwin, AC/DC, and the "Democracy Manifest" guy. Notice how the Triffids aren't on that list? It's because I've never heard of them before, and to be honest, it doesn't even seem like they're that popular in Australia either. As for the quality of the album itself, it's kind of mediocre. The singing and instrumentals are solid, I'll give the album that. However, they are a bit repetitive. The writing is fine, I guess. Some songs felt a bit too similar to each other, but whatever. Overall, it's kind of mid, and didn't need to be on here, but I didn't hate it as much as other people on this website did. High 2/5.

Hey, look at that! Another iconic album, and a great one at that! I feel like, aside from the Marshall Mathers LP a few days ago, I haven't gotten very many 2000s albums as of lately, so getting Hot Fuss by the Killers was a nice treat. The sound of this album is pretty unique. The instrumentals are all great, and the singing is pretty good. I liked every song on here. Obviously, "Mr. Brightside" was a highlight and is an iconic song for a reason, but I also really liked songs like the album's opener "Jenny Was a Friend of Mine," as well as the rest of them. I will admit that the first half is definitely stronger than the second half, but the latter 6 songs are still pretty good. The writing is solid as well. I certainly enjoyed this album quite a bit and it absolutely deserves to be on here, but I think it just barely misses the mark of being among the best of the best. High 4/5.

You know, I didn't really want a returning today. I don't know why, I just didn't. However, if there's any artist that I'm cool with getting another album from today, it's probably Jimi Hendrix. Because of today, I can finally say that I've listened to every Jimi Hendrix Experience studio album that released in Jimi's lifetime. I did it in reverse release order over the span of nearly 4 months, but I did it! So, how do I feel about Are You Experienced? It might just be the best one. I wasn't sure at first. It was more Jimi Hendrix. What can I say? You can't really go wrong with him, but it was still something I was used to. However, there's two important points I need to make. One point is that the album got better. I don't usually listen to bonus tracks, but because of the two US and UK versions of the album, I decided to listen to the Deluxe Edition which includes all of the songs from both versions, as well as a few extras. Because of that, the album went for a bit longer, but I think it was worth it because those later tracks slap. The title track might just be my favorite on the album. I genuinely can't believe that that song was released in 1967. "Stone Free" is a really cool song. I can see why Araki named Jolyne's stand after it. Speaking of songs on this album with JoJo stands named after them, the opener "Purple Haze" is a pretty cool song as well. Every song on this album is great. But there's a second point that I need to make. You see, even though I was, in fact, experienced in regards to Jimi Hendrix's music, the people weren't when this album released. This was his debut. This was brand new to the people, and it changed everything about music. Jimi's guitar playing is what made him such a revolutionary legend. Sure, his singing, the song's writing, and the rest of the instrumentation is great too, but it's the way that Jimi Hendrix used his guitar that made him the legend he is today. So yeah, this is an extremely important album that I thoroughly enjoyed. 5/5.

Okay. Why is it that like half of the hip-hop albums I've gotten come from 80s/early 90s (occasionally early 2000s) rap groups that nobody talks about anymore? I'm not upset to get albums from hip-hop groups. There are plenty of albums from rap groups that I want to listen to eventually. "Three Feet High and Rising," "The Low End Theory," "Stankonia," stuff like that. I'm not getting those albums though. I'm getting the weird obscure stuff, and I'm tired of it. I'm especially tired because a lot of the albums, including this one, are kind of meh. I don't care for Sex Packets. The rapping is fine. I didn't hate it. The beats are okay. Nothing particularly stands out to me. The writing is interesting. This is a concept album, but it doesn't really go as far with it as I'd like it to. The concept is about the titular "sex packets" that are basically pills that give you a sexual experience. However, they really only bring this up at the end of the album. The other songs are just your standard 80s/early 90s hip hop affair. Rapping about rapping, rapping about girls, you get it. Imagine if the album had songs about the business of the packets or whether or not society approves of their usage or not. You actually could have a pretty neat concept for a story right there. They just don't really do anything with it. Also, this thing is pretty long. I don't really feel anything with this album. It's fine, but I don't think it needs to be on here. 2/5.

The Beatles were a really interesting band when you think about it. They were huge and are treated like gods of music or something. And yet, despite that, they didn't even make music for 10 years. The experience of being a Beatle must have been such an interesting one, especially in the time after the band's breakup. And the best way to look to see what was happening with the band members after the breakup is to look at their solo albums after the breakup. All 4 Beatles had/have interesting careers with interesting albums (one of which, John Lennon's "Imagine", I already listened to), but if there's one ex-Beatle album that I've seen praise for more than any other, it would have to be All Things Must Pass by George Harrison. George doesn't really get talked about much in comparison to the rest of the band. He made some of the band's best songs like "Here Comes the Sun" and "While My Guitar Gently Weeps," but I feel like I've seen more people today talking about Ringo than George. Despite that, this album has been put on something of a pedestal. So, does it deserve that? Absolutely. The first two thirds of this album are, in my opinion, perfect. Every song is just phenomenal. I really like songs like "My Sweet Lord," "Wah-Wah," and "What is Life." You get to hear about things like George's thoughts on his band mates and his absolutely fascinating spiritual journey. The sound is amazing. It's very Abbey Road-esque in a way, and that's still my favorite Beatles album to this day. The last third, dubbed the "Apple Jam" isn't as interesting, but it's at least a fairly enjoyable jam session. The album is very long, the longest one I've done so far as a matter of fact! And yet, I still didn't feel like it was dragging in a way that I felt for other, much worse albums. Also, getting this album on a weekend day definitely helped. Overall, this is a masterpiece. I think this might be one of my favorite albums yet. 5/5.

I have now reached album 250! For this 50-album milestone, we have my third David Bowie album, Station to Station. I'm quite surprised to see that this is only my third Bowie album, when other artists like Bob Dylan, the Beatles, and Neil Young have already given me four despite having less albums on the list than Bowie. Oh well. It's a shame too, because every Bowie album I've listened to so far has been phenomenal, and Station to Station is no exception. This album's inclusion (to me) serves as a representation of Bowie's "Thin White Duke" era, which was certainly an interesting and important part of his career. This was an era marked by a few things, namely cocaine. However, despite Bowie's heavy cocaine usage in this time frame, he managed to produce an amazing album with this one. It's only 6 songs, but they're all great. The title track is Bowie's longest recorded song, and it's awesome. "Golden Years" is a pretty neat song as well. Something interesting about this album is that it ends with a cover of "Wild is the Wind," a song that is perhaps best known for Nina Simone's rendition, which is funny because that album of hers with the song on it came right after my first Bowie album of the project! I think Bowie's cover of the song is also really good. His singing on, not just that song, but the whole album is amazing. I really like the instrumentals. Overall, this is another absolute classic from one of the greatest music artists to have ever lived. 5/5.

What is this? It's garbage, that's what it is! Look, I was not looking forward to this. It's another album on the "worst albums" section of the global stats page on this website, and I can see why. The most enjoyment I got from this album was when the first song mentioned the name Bridget, which made think of Guilty Gear, leading to me playing Guilty Gear. I really like Guilty Gear, but I do not like this album. The sound is unpleasant to listen to. Not quite in the same way as an album like Kollaps or the Throbbing Gristle one, but enough to say that I didn't enjoy listening to the album. The singing is a part of that. It's kind of annoying. The writing is just there. The whole album feels like an acid trip at a really shitty renaissance fair. However, I wasn't sure that this deserved a 1/5 for a bit. I mean, it's bad, but my disdain for it isn't nearly as high as it is for an album like Haunted Dancehall or Hypnotised. I really had to ask myself the question of "Am I upset that I had to listen to this?" When I think about it, I hate the album, but every reason that I don't like it is just a lesser version of a reason for albums that I hate more. As stated earlier, it's not fun to listen to, but not as painful as some of those noise albums I got. It certainly drags, but not as much as an album like Haunted Dancehall. I don't respect the band for getting into Scientology, but they're still not as evil as someone like Jerry Lee Lewis or Marilyn Manson. But honestly, I think it's the fact that all of these things are in combination with each other that makes me answer that rhetorical question with a yes. I am upset that I listened to this album, just not as upset as some of the other albums. High 1/5 (that means closer to a two).

I'm gonna be real. I wasn't looking forward to this. This just seemed like another mediocre 90s UK inclusion that really didn't need to be on the list. However, I actually kinda liked this one. It's not amazing or anything and I wouldn't go as far as to say that I loved it, but I certainly liked it. The singing is pretty alright. It kind of feels like a Scottish version of Nick Drake, and I am very fond of the Nick Drake albums I've gotten so far. The sound is fairly pleasant and also a bit varied. The writing is pretty good. The album doesn't drag for too long. There is no reason for me to dislike this album. Is it the most deserving of being on this list? No. But is it a solid album? Yeah. I think it is. High 3/5.

Imagine writing an entire album to express your infatuation with a fellow musician's wife. Couldn't be me. That could only be one man. Well, okay. I'm sure others could do it too, but no one could do it quite like how Eric Clapton and the other members of Derek and the Dominos. Eric Clapton may be a racist antivax piece of shit, but he's a talented racist antivax piece of shit. This is a damn good album. Is it long? Sure. It could've been a bit shorter. But it's definitely not the worst 76 minute long album I've ever heard (I have got to stop complaining about Haunted Dancehall). The singing is alright. The writing, while a bit repetitive, is solid. The best part is easily the instrumental work. Songs like the iconic "Layla" stand out as being really good songs. I mean, there's a reason why this is the one that's mentioned in the title. I hate to say it, but this is a really good album. 4/5.

You know, with the exception of the Rolling Stones, every artist so far to give me multiple albums has been one that I had a pretty positive opinion of from the first album of theirs that I listened to. Even then, I knew that I would eventually find a Rolling Stones album I cared about, and I was right. I did not care for my first Fatboy Slim album, if you can call it that. I myself refer to it is a collection of random beats. However, I have seen more praise for You've Come a Long Way, Baby than that other one. So, do I care for this album more than the first? Well, I do, but only by a tiny margin. I really just don't think I care about Fatboy Slim. Is he talented at making beats? Sure, I guess. I just don't feel anything when listening to this. There's enough substance here for me to actually call this one an album, but not enough for me to like it. The added words make the album feel more complete, but they're so repetitive that it doesn't really matter. There's some okay songs on here. I thought "Praise You" was pretty solid. Other songs just aren't fun to listen to. That third song really made me want to fucking-fucking-fucking-fucking end it all right there. I don't really care at all about this album or artist, and I'm happy to say that Fatboy Slim doesn't have any more on the list. 2/5.

This one's alright! I've needed something like this lately. I feel like I haven't gotten a ton of funk albums, so getting one is always a nice surprise. Also, I feel like I've gotten a lot of long albums as of lately, so getting one that's a nice 38 minutes is good for me. Anyways, the album's good. I like it. It's just a fun funk album. George Clinton always knows what he's doing, and what he's doing is pretty neat. This album is kind of a concept album with its themes of space. Cool! I like that. It helps make the album stand out. The sound is great, the writing fits the theme well, and the singing is solid. There isn't much to say or complain about. This is just a nice album to listen to for some fun funky goodness. Light 4/5.

Oh, a 60s psychedelic album? You shouldn't have! Seriously, you shouldn't have. I've gotten enough of these already. Oh well, at least the album's good and the artist's important enough to be referenced in JoJo. This album's alright. Is it my favorite psychedelic album? No, but it's also not my least favorite. I actually enjoyed it. I might enjoy it more if it wasn't my 38th psychedelic rock album, but whatever. Is it special? No, but it's good enough. The singing is solid. The writing is pretty decent. The sound is good. The sitar usage is respectable. There's some pretty good songs on here. None of them are particularly bad. I think "Season of the Witch" is probably my favorite. Overall, this is a perfectly fine psychedelic album. Nothing crazy, but nothing bad either. High 3/5.

Alright, another group I've heard of! This is certainly an album that you could argue for inclusion on the list. The group of Crosby, Stills, and Nash is pretty well known, and with this being their debut, one could say that these three artists coming together for the first time is enough for the album to be on here. The album also deserves to be on the list because it's quite good. I think this is a pretty solid album. It's very pleasant. The singing from all three guys is nice. The writing is alright. The sound is enjoyable. I have no reason to dislike this album, and plenty of reasons to like it. This is just a great folk rock album. There's not much else to say. 4/5.

If you're looking for a hot take, this album is not the place for you, because I think Thriller is a pretty great album. I know, right? It's only the best-selling album of all time. That alone warrants the album's inclusion, but it's important to know why this album is the best-selling one. There's many factors that led to this, but the main thing is that it's Michael Jackson, one of the most significant figures in the history of pop culture, at his absolute peak in both popularity and talent. Say what you will about him as a person, but the talent that Michael Jackson and the rest of the people involved with this album was immense. Each song stands out and there really isn't a bad one in the bunch. There's a reason why 7 of the 9 songs on this album were singles. This resulted in what is arguably the greatest three-song-string in any album ever with the songs "Thriller," "Beat It," and "Billie Jean." The sound is excellent and the singing is great. The writing could be a bit more varied, but the differing styles of each song makes the album not feel repetitive. The extra music talent is also important. Things like the production from Quincy Jones, the writing from other people such as Rod Temperton, and the occasional appearances from people like Paul McCartney and Eddie Van Halen really stand out to make this a safe candidate for greatest album of all time. Is it my personal favorite? No. But there's no denying that this is an insanely important album that also happens to be really good. 5/5.

I WAS JUST THINKING ABOUT THIS ALBUM! I literally looked at the list of albums, noticed the album cover thinking it was Bad Company and thought "Wait, is Bad Company on the list?" I went to check and realized that they're on here and thought "Oh cool, another artist on the list that was referenced in JoJo!" Not even a minute later, I clicked the next album button and Bad Company is right there! HOW?!?!! Weird mind powers aside, this album's pretty good. I'd say it's one of the better 70s rock albums I've listened to. The sound is solid and so is the singing. The writing is alright. A bit repetitive, but mostly pretty good. The album's nice and short so it doesn't drag. This is just a good experience. They may call themselves a Bad Company, but they're pretty good in my eyes. 4/5.

Isn't it weird that, between Bad Company yesterday and Buena Vista Social Club today, I got two albums in a row that contain a song that's also the name of the album which is also the name of the band that happens to start with a B? I think that's weird. You know what else I think? I think this album's pretty good. I feel like I've had a really good track record with non-English albums so far. Albums such as Os Mutantes, Getz/Gilberto, Ágætis Byrjun, and now this have all pleasantly surprised me with how much I enjoyed them. The sound and singing are quite pleasant. It feels distinctively Latin American. I translated the lyrics and the results were also positive. My one complaint is that it's a bit repetitive and long, but that's not that big of a deal in comparison to other albums that go on for way longer and are way more repetitive. This is just a nice album that somehow managed to sell over 8 million copies. Wow! Good job Buena Vista Social Club. You deserve it. Light 4/5.

Hooooh boy... I'm scared to say something about this album. Taylor Swift is arguably the biggest music artist of the past 10 years. Because of this, she has developed something of an... interesting fanbase. A lot of people treat her like the greatest musician to ever live. I remember in my high school weights class the students would ask for Taylor Swift to play, which led to various days of deadlifting to nothing but her music for 40 minutes at a time. I hated those days, but I know realize that they prepared me for this, the inevitable Taylor Swift album listen. Here we have her 2014 album, 1989. In my opinion, this album... is alright. It's not really my thing personally, but I can see the talent and I respect the album. I can see why this is popular. The production behind the sound is pretty good when it comes to the beats and stuff. It's definitely modern but there's a little 80s influence that aids in making the album decent. I will say, for as long as I've thought that Taylor Swift was overrated, I've always been able to recognize that she's a good singer. The writing is a bit mixed for me. Some songs are pretty solid. Of the big hugely popular songs I've heard before, I think "Blank Space" and "Style" are pretty alright. I don't know if this is an unpopular opinion or something, but I think "Shake It Off" and "Bad Blood" are probably the worst songs on the album. Maybe I'm biased from how overplayed those songs are. I don't know. Overall, this is a perfectly fine pop album. Again, it's not really my thing. But I don't dislike it. It's solid. I still think she's overrated though. 3/5.

Oh boy, another English electronic album. I don't care about this one! I've had some very good electronic albums from artists like Depeche Mode and Portishead as well as albums that I just don't care about from artists like Fatboy Slim. This album leans a lot closer to the latter than the former. Why am I even calling this an album? I really don't even consider this product to be an album. It's more like a collection of random beats. The beats themselves are whatever. They're okay. Some of them are fine, others aren't great though. I really did not like the second-to-last song. Fortunately, the album is mostly instrumental, meaning that we don't have to deal with another "Fucking in Heaven" situation. Still, this album's mid. And of course these guys have two albums on the list as well! Great. How great. 2/5

Oh my god. I listened to Nirvana not long before generating the album in hopes of finally getting a Nirvana album, AND IT ACTUALLY WORKED. This is it. This is definitive proof that I can somehow occasionally manipulate the album I get. Anyways, I FINALLY GET TO LISTEN TO NEVERMIND! I have been dying to listen this album eventually, so I am so happy that it finally got generated. Needless to say, this album's awesome. Every band member stands out to make the album as great as it is. Dave Grohl's drumming is outstanding all throughout. Krist Novoselic's bass playing gets its moments to shine on songs like "Lithium" and "Lounge Act." And of course, the fantastic guitar riffs, guitar solos, and vocals come courtesy of the one and only Kurt Cobain. There's an amazing balance between the high-energy grunge anthems like "Smells Like Teen Spirit" and "In Bloom" and the much darker slow tracks like "Something In the Way" and "Polly." "Come As You Are" is another stand out track in my opinion. There really are no bad songs. Even the hidden track at the end, "Endless, Nameless" is certainly an interesting listen to close out the album. Overall, this is an amazing album that absolutely deserves all of the praise it gets. 5/5.

Yes. It's Yes time. This is a great album. I don't know a ton about Yes. But if there's one thing about this band that I know, it's the song "Roundabout." That's the opener on this album and it's amazing. I've never heard the full 8 minute long song until today. It's great, and so is the rest of the album. There's a few little ditties in there that are kind of fun, but the album really shines with the longer more complete songs. In particular, the aforementioned "Roundabout," as well as "South Side of the Sky" and the album's closer "Heart of the Sunrise" stand out as truly phenomenal songs. The sound on this album is very pleasant. The guitar and bass work is just top-notch. The drumming and keyboard work is also quite great. I like the vocals. They give a very positive vibe to the songs. Overall, this is an amazing prog rock album, though not quite my favorite one. High 4/5.

Well, here's an album that I had no expectations for. From the research, this seemed like an album that didn't need to be on the list, but also doesn't have zero reasons whatsoever for inclusion. Like, it's nobody's first or even hundredth pick for a list like this, but it also isn't low enough to be on the level of something like Haunted Dancehall. However, everything depends on one simple question... Is this album good? Fortunately, I think it's pretty alright. It's fairly different from a lot of the other indie rock albums on the list. There's a bit of funk and soul influence in here. That's nice. The singing, instrumentals, and writing are all pretty solid. There's really no reason for me to dislike this album. It's not my favorite album or anything, but I respect it and can kind of see why it might be on a list like this. High 3/5.

Okay, hear me out. I like this album. I think it's pretty alright. The instrumental sound is interesting. It's very 80s. I really like the bass. The singing is alright. It fits the vibe. The writing is pretty decent. There's some good songs. However, while I like the album, if someone told me that they hated this album, I'd kind of get it. With albums that I've seen people complain about that I liked like Aja by Steely Dan, I don't really get the hatred. It's not for everyone, but I think it's great and don't see why someone could just despise it. I can kind of see it with this album though. The writing is a bit repetitive, it could be seen as a bit generic, and I can kind of see how someone would think that the album hasn't aged all that well. I mean, is it really one of the best albums of the 80s? It's not even the best album of 1982. I liked albums like Thriller, Pornography, and even Rio more. Overall, I can see why someone wouldn't like this album, but I think it's perfectly fine. 3/5.

What's this? An obscure 90s english electronica album that I actually liked? What universe is this? So yeah, I actually kind of enjoyed this one. I really thought that this would be another Haunted Dancehall situation. Fortunately, this was way better. This might actually be one of the best (mostly) instrumental albums I've gotten so far. It's not quite as good as something like Endtroducing, but it's sure as hell better than something like both of the Fatboy Slim albums I've gotten or the aforementioned Haunted Dancehall. I listened to this album while building a Lego set, so maybe the usage as background music made me enjoy it more than I would if I just listened to it on its own. The sound is just really engaging. That's what my praise really boils down to. I have problems, sure. Despite my focus on other things at the time, I can kind of tell that the album gets a bit worse as it nears its end. I liked the first few songs a lot more than the last few songs. The vocals don't really do it for me either. They're fine, but not that important to the overall package. I feel like this music would work really well in something like a video game documentary. Like if you've ever seen a Summoning Salt video, that's what I'm imagining. Overall, while this doesn't really need to be on the list, I feel like this album is somewhat of a hidden gem. It's a shame it's not available on Apple Music. It's almost a 4, but I don't know if I feel comfortable rating this on the same level as albums like The Downward Spiral or even the Marshall Mathers LP. High 3/5.

Alright, Steely Dan album #2! I really liked Aja, and I think Can't Buy a Thrill is pretty good too. I probably liked Aja a bit more, but this is still some good stuff. The blend of rock, pop, and jazz is probably the most defining aspect of Steely Dan's music. It might be a reason for why some people dislike them so much. The pop elements don't appeal to rock fans, the jazz elements don't appeal to pop fans, and the rock elements don't appeal to jazz fans. However, that blend also happens to be exactly why I do like them so much. The musical talent behind this band is just immense. Songs like "Reelin' In The Years" and "Do It Again" showcase this through things like cool guitar solos and interesting chords. The singing is nice, the sound is pleasant, and the album isn't too repetitive. This is just a very nice album that reaffirms my belief that the Steely Dan hatred is unwarranted. 4/5.

Would you look at that? Another iconic album! Blondie's Parallel Lines is not only a very interesting album, it's also very good. I really like it. The sound is very fun and enjoyable. Debbie Harry's vocals are very unique and I like it. The instrumental sound is quite varied between the songs. And yet, despite that, the album still feels focused and consistent in tone despite the different influences and tones between songs. The writing is solid. The genre blend is very commendable. I can't really say that there's a bad song in the bunch. Obviously, the big hits like "Heart of Glass" and "One Way or Another" are great songs, but even the lesser known songs like "11:59" and "Fade Away and Radiate" are very good in my opinion. This is just a great album right here that may grow on me even more with time. High 4/5.

Now this is a fascinating album right here. Pink Floyd is a very iconic band that I've had good experiences with in regards to their prior albums that I have gotten. However, when I say "prior albums" I mean that in terms of albums I listened to before this one. However, in a chronological sense, there are no albums prior to The Piper at the Gates of Dawn because this was their first album they released. Because of that and various other traits, this album feels drastically different from albums like Wish You Were Here and The Dark Side of the Moon. The vibe is just completely different. It's more whimsical and the sound leans a lot closer to psychedelic rock rather than the progressive rock the band would become known for. On top of that, this is their only album to heavily involve Syd Barrett, as his mental health heavily deteriorated after this album's release, leading to him leaving the band. Enough with the facts, it's time for my opinion on the album. I like it. It's a very good psych rock album. The sound is nice, and so is the singing. While the album doesn't feel much like Pink Floyd, there is one song that kind of has those foundations. The instrumental song "Interstellar Overdrive" has the same ambitions that later songs like "Echoes" and "Comfortably Numb" would have. I also like the album's opener "Astronomy Domine." Overall, this is a fascinating album that managed to not only revolutionize psychedelic rock, but also kickstart the career of an amazing band. Light 4/5.

You know, I wasn't really looking forward to another group hip-hop album, mainly because a lot of the ones I've gotten are just kind of okay and don't have a ton of impact. However, after doing a quick bit of research, The Score by Fugees is an album that definitely makes a strong case for inclusion on the list. Apparently it's sold over 22 million copies. Wow! Also, even though I only vaguely recognized the album cover and name, as it turns out, I have in fact heard one of the songs from this album before, so it kind of passes the "I've heard of it test" that helps justify an album's inclusion. On top of that, the album itself supports the inclusion by being really (and I mean REALLY) good. This is one of the best hip hop albums I've heard yet. The beats are just phenomenal. It's very consistent in tone, and yet various songs just stick out. The group's three members all work together very well. Wycleaf Jean and Pras both do a great job with their verses and have very fun flows to them. However, while the guys are both great, I think the standout performance on this album absolutely belongs to Lauryn Hill. Her presence on the album turns this already good album into an amazing one. The features are also pretty good. The skits don't really impact the album in any negative way. The writing is fun at times, but also somewhat serious. The songs are all great. This is just an amazing album that absolutely warrants inclusion on a list like this. 5/5.

Eh. It's fine. It's kind of like the 1970s equivalent of that Norah Jones album I got earlier. It's perfectly fine, but it doesn't really stand out. Both of the singers are solid. I do like Karen Carpenter's singing more though. The instrumental sounds are also fairly decent. A bit samey, but it's not too big of a problem, especially since the sound is good. The writing is perfectly fine as well. This album is one that I can see someone either loving or hating. Except me of course. I'm in the middle. I think it's alright, but I can see why others don't like it that much. 3/5.

Okay. Not bad. This is a decent little album right here. It's alright. It feels quite classic with a hint of modern indie in there. This thing wears its influences on its sleeve. I detected a very strong influence from both the Velvet Underground and the Rolling Stones. The song "Gone Daddy Gone" felt especially similar to the Stones. I can also see how this would influence later groups like the Strokes, but that could just be the influences for this album speaking. The sound of the album is quite solid. Both the singing and instrumental work feel somewhat varied throughout the album, yet consistent in tone. The same can't quite be said about the writing, which does feel a bit repetitive, though not too repetitive. Still, it is noticeable. The writing, however, is pretty good. Overall, this isn't my favorite album, but it's far from my least favorite. I can totally see how some would love it and others would hate it. 3/5.

You know, when I reviewed Evol, my first Sonic Youth album that I got back in April, I said that I felt that other Sonic Youth albums that would show up later might be more in line with my taste in music. Fortunately, I was right! I really like Goo. Is it my favorite album ever? No, but I would say I liked it a bit more than Evol. The writing is interesting. There's a strong variety in the songs. The singing is interesting. The use of different vocalists for different songs gives Sonic Youth a unique identity, even though there are some vocalists of theirs that I like more than others. I'm sorry, but I'm not the biggest fan of Kim Gordon's vocal performance on this album. The sound is great though. It's raw, but still palatable. It's not for everyone, but it is for me. Overall, this is a solid album. My opinion of Sonic Youth is quite positive now instead of just slightly positive. 4/5.

I'm gonna be honest, I don't think I'm a Beastie Boys fan. I've listened to three of their albums now. The first two that I heard, 1994's "Ill Communication" and 1989's "Paul's Boutique" were alright. I respect those albums and they have some good songs, but they're not really my thing. As for their 1986 debut, Licensed to Ill? I just don't like the album. The juvenile parts of this one really make me appreciate the more mature elements of those other albums. Don't get me wrong, there are things to commend with this album. The production, courtesy of industry legend Rick Rubin, was quite revolutionary for its time. But that's what this album is... a product of its time. The lyrics are just bad. If you drank a shot for every time they say the world "girls" on this album, even if you were to exclude the song "Girls," you'd still die of alcohol poisoning. And don't even get me started on how many times they say each other's names. I swear if I hear the names Mike D, MCA, or Ad-Rock ever again, I may just hurt someone. Anyways, I feel like the Beastie Boys are at their best with this album when they lean into their punk influences more and combine it with hip-hop instead of just going with straight hip-hop. This is why songs like "No Sleep till Brooklyn" and "Fight for Your Right" work for me, while all of the other songs don't. Overall, while this album may convince me to revisit their later work eventually, I don't think the Beastie Boys started out on a very strong foot. 2/5.

Dude. This is unlike anything I've ever heard before. There's so many conflicting things interacting when you listen to De-Loused in the Comatorium by the Mars Volta. It's catchy, yet emotional. The lyrics are somewhat nonsensical at times, and yet the whole album tells a compelling story. Oh yeah, this is a concept album, and a damn good one at that. Imagine the theatrics and conceptual uniqueness of an album like The Black Parade by My Chemical Romance (how is that not on the list?) mixed with the prog rock talents of a band like Rush or Yes. That's this album, and it's amazing. The Rush comparison is also quite fitting in regards to the vocals. They're the kind of vocals that kind of have to grow on you, and I can see why others would be annoyed by them. I for one think they work quite well with the emotional beats of the story. Why don't more people talk about this album and band? Seriously, this is some amazing stuff right here. 5/5.

Welp. Time for more Taylor Swift. Hooray. Whatever, this is the last one on the list, so I never have to listen to any of her album ever again. As stated in my 1989 review, the music really isn't my thing. I'm gonna be honest, I have some problems with this album. I'll start with praise. The production is quite good. It's very clean, which works for an album like this. I also respect this album for the exploration of its themes. However, this also ends up tying to one of my big problems with this album. It feels kind of repetitive. It might just be me, but for the first half in particular, the songs just felt a bit too similar to each other. Fortunately, this isn't nearly as big of an issue in the latter half or so. I also wasn't the biggest fan of the singing, which feels a bit bland to me here. The writing also isn't my favorite. I can't explain why. Unfortunately, I may be biased. As stated in my 1989 review, Taylor Swift's music has effectively been shoved in my face for years. Combine that problems involving her fandom and you get a general lack of interest in listening to an artist's music. I've really tried with these two albums to look critically and avoid any preconceived notions, but it's really hard. If you like this album, I totally get it. I can see good things here. I just don't personally care about it, and that might be my own fault in a way. I'm sorry. Low 3/5.

I feel like I've gotten a lot of repeat artists recently. In the past two weeks, I have gotten my second Steely Dan album, my third Pink Floyd album, my second Sonic Youth album, my third Beastie Boys album, my second Taylor Swift album, and now my second Talking Heads album. Interesting. Anyways, I really like this album! I liked More Songs About Buildings and Food, but I felt it could be improved on. Fortunately, it was improved on in its followup, Fear of Music. My two big complaints with More Songs were the singing and writing. In hindsight, I don't know why I complained about the singing. I said it was goofy, but I don't know why I had a problem with it. Maybe it just grew on me or something, but I like the singing on Fear of Music. It's fun. I complained about the writing being a bit unclear in More Songs, which was fixed in this album. These songs are quite interesting, and the writing provides some interesting messages. The songs are good, and the sound is fun. Despite the fun sound of the album, it's also weirdly dark in a way. I saw someone say that this album could also be called "Music of Fear" and I think that's pretty fitting. Songs like the closer, "Drugs" embody that very well, and the themes of songs like "Mind" and "Air" fit that as well. There's lots to say about this album, but I think I'll leave it at that. This is just an amazing album that cements my liking of Talking Heads. Light 5/5

You know, I don't want to downplay the work of FKA twigs on her debut album. However, if I had to explain how I feel about LP1, I think my best way to do it is by comparing her to another artist. I know, that's probably not the best way to go about doing things, but I'm not really comparing her to another artist. I'm comparing how I feel about her to how I feel about another artist. The way LP1 makes me feel is similar to how I feel about a Bjork album. Not a specific one, just Bjork albums in general. Is this the kind of thing I'd listen to on my own time? No. It's not my daily music. However, I hear a lot of talent on this album and highly respect it. This is pretty good. The production is immaculate. It's very well put together. The pacing is also nice. I like the connected themes throughout the album. It makes LP1 a concept album of sorts in regards to its provocative theme. The singing is nice, the instrumental sounds are pleasant to listen to, and the album doesn't go on for too long. It feels distinctly modern without a lot of the problems that make people dislike "modern pop music." Overall, this is a pretty good album, even if I probably won't go back to it much. Low 4/5.

Oh wow, another obscure 90s British alt-rock album. Yippee. This is another one of those bands that has like one somewhat well known song and that's it. "There She Goes" is a solid song. It's not my favorite thing ever or anything, but it's not a bad song. The album as a whole is kind of mid though. I'll start with my biggest complaint. The singing is annoying. It just is and I can't explain why. At least the instrumental sound is fine. It's not great, but it isn't painful to listen to. The writing is whatever. It isn't particularly bad, but it doesn't interest me at all. That's basically what this album is. It's basically just a worse version of R.E.M., a group that has 4 albums on the list. Why does this need to be on the list? Does it really need to be on here? I don't think it does, mainly because of its low cultural impact and the fact that it doesn't do really anything that other albums from more iconic bands do better. 2/5.

You know, I've kind of been missing out on some classic solo hip-hop work as of lately. I feel like I've gotten quite a bit more group albums as of lately, with my last solo hip-hop album being over a month ago. Anyways, I was very excited to get this album for the project. Of all the Wu-Tang Clan solo albums, GZA's Liquid Swords is among the most acclaimed. This is for a good reason, as the album is really good. I liked Fishscale, but it doesn't really hold a candle to Liquid Swords. Though this is GZA's album for a reason, the album does feature the entire Clan (at the time) in some capacity. Most of them get features at some point, and RZA was even the main producer. Needless to say, they all do a great job with their work. The beats on this thing are quite fun. They're well made. The flows from everyone stand out as being very well though out and are also very enjoyable. The skits, if you can call them that, don't bring the album down in any way. They all tie into the album's general vibe quite well. The writing on this thing is great. The way everything just flows effortlessly is very respectable. Overall, this is (as of right now) my current favorite Wu-Tang solo album, and one of my favorite hip-hop albums of the project so far. High 4/5.

This is some good stuff right here. Earth, Wind & Fire is a fairly well known band all things considered, but I've never really dived into their stuff before. I've always liked what I've heard though, and this album is no different. This is just a great funk album. The singing is very pleasant. I like it. The instrumentals are well made. They're very fun as well. The writing is also nice. Everything contributes to this being a very feel good album. It's not the most complex thing ever, but it doesn't need to be. It was also a movie soundtrack. It's not the best movie soundtrack I've gotten for this project. Hell, it's not even the best funk movie soundtrack I've gotten for this project. But this is still a very nice album to listen to. 4/5.

I don't know man. This feel like a bit of a redundant pick. I mean, did we really need a Syd Barrett solo album on the list? Is his career noteworthy enough to be here? Is his debut album "The Madcap Laughs" really necessary to listen to before you die? I'm not sure. Is the album bad? No. I wouldn't say that. If you really liked Piper at the Gates of Dawn, you'll like this album. It is a well made album. I'm just not super invested in it personally. The sound is good and I appreciate the variety between each song, both in terms of the sound as well as the writing. The writing is certainly interesting. The singing is good sometimes but not always. The album goes on for a decent length. Overall, while I'd still call this a good album, I probably wouldn't include it on my own personal 1001 Albums list over albums that are better and more important in my eyes. 3/5.

Sure. Why not. I've heard the name Jeff Beck before. I was pretty hopeful for this album, but then I found out something that worried me. Jeff Beck didn't do the vocals on this album... Rod Stewart did. I didn't really like his album Gasoline Alley that much when I listened to it back in December, and his voice was a reason for that. However, I feel like his voice is better here. Sure, I still can't get the feeling that he sounds like Chris Rock out of my head, but the vocals on this album feel bluesier than on Gasoline Alley, and I kind of like that. Who knew that 2 years would make your voice more annoying. The writing is also just kind of fine. It's a bit repetitive, but I wouldn't say the writing's bad. Where this album really shines however is in the instrumental work, which is great. Jeff Beck's guitar work is quite good. Dare I say, it's great. The other instruments like the pianos, bass, and drums add to the sound in positive ways as well. Overall, this is a solid album, but not one that I'm super passionate about. High 3/5.

How do I say this? How do I review this album while making sure to properly give every important opinion I can on this album. I mean... it's Purple Rain. What can I say that hasn't been said already? This thing is an absolute masterpiece. This is absolute 80s perfection right here. There's no denying the fact that Prince was, is, and will always be a legend, and this album is proof of that. Everything about this album just works perfectly. Prince's singing is incredibly varied. Some songs have him hitting intense falsetto and emotional screams like "The Beautiful Ones." Some songs have him going a bit lower like "When Doves Cry." Either way, it's amazing. The writing is great as well. The only song that I'm not 100% sold on with writing is "Darling Nikki." It's still a good song though. When that's the weakest song on the album, that's how you know you've got an amazing album on your hands. And the sound. It's beautiful. The energy of songs like the opener "Let's Go Crazy" balanced with more somber songs like the closer "Purple Rain" works amazingly. The title track is just phenomenal. It's one of the best closers for an album I've ever heard. There isn't much else I can say. This is one of those albums that's absolutely iconic for all of the right reasons and then some. I get it. 5/5.

This one's alright. This album is weirdly balanced in terms of things I have to praise and things I have to complain about. As far as praise goes, I like Anita Baker's singing. She's good at it, and the vibes this album is going for fit the singing quite well. The sound is also pleasant to listen to. The writing is also solid. As for my complaints, it mainly boils down to this album not standing out much and feeling repetitive. With the "not standing out" point, I feel that this album just kind of exists. Nothing really stands out to me that much. Even the things I praised are things you can experience in better albums. As for the repetition complaint, yeah it's kind of undeniable. This is a very repetitive album. However, it's not the worst repetitive album I've ever heard. Don't get me wrong, I still feel like all of these songs were practically written to be the same both musically and lyrically. However, when the one song that they all feel like is pretty good, you can't really complain too much about the album. Overall, this is a fine album, just not one I feel like revisiting ever again. 3/5.

I mean this in the nicest way possible, but this might be one of the gayest albums I've ever listened to. This band was actually one of the first openly gay pop acts ever, at least according to Wikipedia. I guess that's an argument for inclusion on a list like this. As for the album itself, it's alright. I wouldn't call it bad, but it's not my favorite. Somehow this album manages to be both pretty ahead of its time and incredibly dated simultaneously. It's ahead of its time for being a pretty explicit album by 1984's standards (the year, not the book). As for the datedness of the album, that mainly boils down to the sound. It's very 80s. Some might love that, others may hate that, and I'm fine with it. The singing is pretty good. The writing is decent. Though, a large reason for that is because of the decent amount of covers on this album. The album's also pretty long. Overall, while this is far from my favorite album and I wouldn't be too upset if this was cut from the list entirely, I can still see some value in this, as it's a decent, albeit flawed album all things considered. 3/5.

Oh boy, another obscure British 90s electronica album. What am I gonna say about this one? I. Don't. Care. About. This. Album. Why is this on the list? I don't know! I'm starting to think that I just don't like electronica music. That might just be the one genre I can't get in to. Nothing about this interests me. The writing's repetitive and doesn't mean much to me. The sound is okay, sure. The production is well done. The last song was at least somewhat interesting with its darker tone and whatnot. This thing also drags. Am I really surprised? Not really. This doesn't need to be on the list. Low 2/5. Also the album cover looks goofy as hell. That's not important I just wanted to say that.

Alright, another iconic album! Led Zeppelin IV is arguably one of the most iconic albums ever released. It has been praised to a degree that very few other albums have. I mean, it's the fifth highest rated album on this very website! But does it deserve this high praise? What do you think I'm gonna say? Of course it does. I think the most impressive thing about this album is that it was released in 1971. Obviously, great music had been released by 1971, but this just feels way ahead of nearly every other band from this time. The blend of hard and soft sounds creates a lot of variety in the feelings this album gives you. All of the band's members provide something of value to this band. Robert Plant's vocals are probably my favorite part, but Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones, and John Bonham all deserve plenty of praise as well. All of the songs are great too. Obviously, "Stairway to Heaven" is insanely iconic for a reason. It's just an amazing song that I'm listening to again as I write this review. Songs like "The Battle of Evermore" retain that song's emotional high points, while songs like the opener "Black Dog" add a bit of fun into the mix. Overall, this album truly does deserve the praise it gets. Even if I personally wouldn't call it the greatest album ever made (there are quite a few albums on this list that I like more than it), I can totally see why others would call this the greatest album ever. 5/5.

Well guys, I think we've found the least deserving album of being on the list. I mean, this album doesn't even have a wikipedia article! It just links to the artist. That doesn't do this album any favors, and neither does the article itself, as all I got from it was that Koffi Olomide is a horrible person. As for the album, I don't like it. It's boring. The actual instrumental sound is fine enough, but it does nothing for me. The singing isn't really my thing. The writing means nothing to me, but that's because of the language barrier. Remember, giving an album a low score because it's a language you don't speak is not valid and also prejudiced. From the google translates, the lyrics don't mean much to me anyways. So that's not that big of an effect on the score. While I can not critique this album for being in a foreign language, I can critique it for other things like being way too long and repetitive. However, as much as I don't like this album, I can't justify giving this a one as the musical contents aren't inherently bad. I have to eliminate my bias of the low cultural impact and heinous actions of the musician, and at least give this album some credit for being well made... is what I would say if this thing AT LEAST HAD A WIKIPEDIA ARTICLE. High 1/5. I AM upset that I had to listen to this.

Now this is an album I can get behind. I wasn't sure what to expecting when I saw this was a folk punk album, but I am very satisfied with what I got. This album's kind of like Marty Robbins' album "Gunfighter Ballads and Trail Songs" in that it evokes the vibe of a certain aesthetic, but whereas Gunfighter Ballads evokes a cowboy theme, Rum Sodomy & The Lash evokes this sort of Celtic wartime feel to it that's hard to explain, but once you start listening, you just kind of get it. I get it. This album put a big old smile on my face for nearly the whole time, and when I wasn't smiling, it was because of the emotional nature of some of the later songs, namely the 8-minute closer "And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda." The singing is something that seems very love-it-or-hate-it, but I think it fits the album's vibe very well. The writing contains some pretty good storytelling that also fits the vibe. Of course, some of these songs are actually traditional folk songs, but the original ones are great too. The production is also great. The production comes courtesy of Elvis Costello, and if any of the 6 ALBUMS that he has on this list are as good as this one, then maybe I'll be okay with listening to 6 ALBUMS OF HIS. I'm very shocked that I haven't gotten any of them yet. I was conflicted on what score to give this album, but then I realized something. This album has a very specific goal in mind with its aesthetic and appeal, and it succeeds in accomplishing that goal with flying colors. Because of that and the enjoyment I had with this album, I will give it a light 4/5.

Alright! This is a good album right here. First of all, I just want to praise the album cover for a bit. It has this underground comics vibe supplied by Fritz the Cat creator Robert Crumb. I like it. Anyways, the album itself is also pretty good too. Of course, the most notable thing about this album is Janis Joplin's vocals. This is my first time hearing her vocals, and I can safely say that the praise is absolutely warranted. I really like her vocals. The rest of the album's sound is also great. I like the guitar tone. The songs, of which there are only 7, are all quite good. Overall, this is a fairly short album that I really like. 4/5.

I waited for over ONE HUNDRED DAYS to get another metal album. My last one was Black Sabbath's Vol.4 which I got back in April. Now, I finally got another metal album! And of course, IT'S THE SAME BAND. I can't help but be a bit miffed that I went this long without any metal albums only for me to finally get one that happens to be the same band as the last one. But that negativity didn't last long, as I love Black Sabbath. The band, the album, and the song, are all incredibly important. This album, Black Sabbath's 1970 self-titled debut is, for all intents and purposes, the first metal album ever released. That is huge. This album changed music forever. And I say that that's for the better. Imagine being the average music listener in 1970 and you play this album. When the first song, "Black Sabbath" plays, you're just shocked at what you're hearing because it's unlike anything you've ever heard before. It's very dark and sinister in a way. While that song and, to an extent, this whole album may seem very tame today, this was shocking in 1970. However, unlike other bands that were shocking when they started (cough cough, Marilyn Manson), Black Sabbath is actually good, like really good. Everything I said about Vol. 4 applies here with the added knowledge that this is the one that started it all. Ozzy Osbourne's harrowing vocals, Tony Iommi's fascinating guitar playing, Geezer Butler's flawless bass playing, and Bill Ward's respectable drumming come together to form something truly special. The title track is amazing and dark, but later songs like "The Wizard" and "N.I.B." manage to be slightly lighter and bluesier yet still heavy. Overall, this is an album that changed music for the better by marking the birth of metal. On top of that, the album itself has managed to age remarkably well despite coming before conventions of the metal genre were established. While there are certainly better albums than this, both inside and outside of metal, there's no denying that Black Sabbath by Black Sabbath is a truly magnificent album that deserves all the respect it can get. 5/5. Here's hoping I can get more metal albums pretty soon.

Now this is how you go out. With a bang. David Bowie had a very long career with many albums. I would know, as this is the fourth one I've gotten for this project, and there's still 5 I haven't gotten yet. And that's not even half of all the albums he released! Anyways, Blackstar was the last one he released in his lifetime, as Bowie would tragically pass away just two days after this album's release and his 69th birthday. Of course, the close proximity of Bowie's death and this album release have affected how people view this album. This feels intentional to me. This is clearly a swan song, and David Bowie knew this. This feels like a final album. Death does appear as a theme in this album. But does the album hold up on its own? Absolutely. This album is just phenomenal. Bowie's voice aged very well, as it still sounds quite good here despite him being in his late 60s at this time. The instrumental sound is also quite interesting. The influences come from many different place. There's a clear jazz influence on this thing and even an influence from contemporary hip-hop artists like Kendrick Lamar and Death Grips. That's just awesome. All 7 songs on this album are amazing. There's not a single bad one or even a bad moment in one of the songs. Blackstar manages to have some energy while still being incredibly emotional. There's so much more I could say, but I'm not sure I could put it in to words. This album, and what it represents, are immensely meaningful and create a truly fantastic experience that deserves all of the praise it can get. 5/5. R.I.P. David Bowie.

Would you look at that? It's my first album from 2009! This one's alright. It's far from my favorite album, but far from my least favorite as well. It's not the kind of thing I feel like listening to much at all, but I respect this album. It's quite well made. The sound is quite pleasant to listen to. The vocals and instrumentals are both big parts of this. Clearly the instrumentals stand out as one of the most popular songs from this album, "Intro," is an instrumental. The writing is solid. My problem is that is a bit repetitive and I can see why others would call this boring. I personally wouldn't call it boring to the extent that I've seen others call it, but it is a fairly slow album, so I can see where those people are coming from. However, I personally like this album, but I wouldn't really say that I love it. High 3/5.

You see, this is one of those albums that would only be on the list in 2005. My guess as to why this album was chosen initially is that in 2005, someone working on this book (probably from the UK) was looking for a more modern jazz-adjacent artist to put on this list. There, that person found this album, one which saw modest success, and put it on the list. Of course, Amy Winehouse would become a much more iconic artist as a result of the success of her 2006 album Back to Black. Because of that, this album was apparently removed from the list and replaced with Back to Black, a decision that I totally understand. I've seen a lot of praise for that album, but not as much for Frank. I kind of went into this album totally blind. As for how I feel about it? It's good. It's not my favorite, but it's still good. Amy Winehouse's singing is phenomenal. There's no going around it. It's easily the best part of this album. The sound is also quite pleasant. The writing is certainly interesting. I feel that it's maybe a bit lyrically repetitive, but I view that as more of the sign of a concept rather than laziness. The writing is quite personal and honest though, and I like that. This album is pretty long though. Overall, this is a solid album that makes me excited to get to Back to Black eventually. High 3/5.

Here's a weird little album right here. I've never heard of Dr. John, the night tripper, but he seems like a fun character. His voice is certainly interesting. It's pretty Tom Waits-esque in a way. I don't know how to feel about that. Anyway, the musical contents are also decent. This album's pretty short with only 7 songs across 33 minutes. They're not the best 33 minutes of music I've ever heard (albums like Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables and A Love Supreme have it beat in that regard), but they're okay. I think it just boils down to this kind of music not really being my thing personally. I respect this album, but it doesn't really make me feel that much. The sound is solid. The writing is fine. Overall, this album doesn't do much for me, but I can see enough value in this for me to give this a low 3/5 as opposed to something lower.

I think it says a lot about this list that even the more recent albums are clearly heavily influenced by music from before the 2000s. Although, given how meh the popular music of 2014 was, I can't blame the book writers for wanting to think about the past a bit. Anyways, this album's alright. It's not the most interesting album ever. I mean, I could certainly name a few more influential and better indie rock albums. But there's clearly quite a bit of talent here. The sound is very pleasant. There's a good blend of acoustic and electric sounds. I like that. The singing is interesting. It's very Dylan-esque at some points. The writing is pretty good. I have some complaints, but they're pretty minor. This album is a bit long and the songs do kind of blend together a little bit. However, this is still a pretty good indie rock album if that's your thing. Fantano gave this a 7 and I kind of agree. So I will round this album up to be a low 4/5.

It happened. It finally happened. I finally got a Rolling Stones album without an offensive song in it! I didn't think it was possible! That must automatically make Let It Bleed the best Rolling Stones album I've listened to yet, right? Well, I don't want to say that it's because of that, but I think this is the Rolling Stones album I've heard so far. Let It Bleed is amazing. I've seen some people complain that it has a really good opener (Gimme Shelter) and a really good closer (You Can't Always Get What You Want) with 7 songs of filler in between. While I agree that those are the two best songs on the album, I wouldn't call the rest filler or even bad. The rest of the album is still quite good. Everything just works well in this album specifically. The sound still has elements of their early work and yet it still feels like they were doing something special here. The writing is the best it's been, at least as far as I'm aware. Mick Jagger's singing is still fun, but the addition of some extra singing in the songs I mentioned earlier as well as the song "You Got the Silver" adds some variety to the album. The pacing is practically perfect. I'm at a loss for words. I actually loved a Rolling Stones album. Sticky Fingers was really good, but I think Let It Bleed has become my new favorite (though that could just be recency bias as I haven't heard Sticky Fingers in a while). This thing is great. Light 5/5.

300 albums. It's kind of hard to believe. And I'm not even 30% of the way through the list! So, how do I feel about this album being my 300th album? I mean, it's not the best 50-album milestone I've had (album 250 was Station to Station and it's kind of hard to top a Bowie album), but it's not the worst one. This is easily one of the best live albums I've gotten so far. I was pretty worried at first when I saw this was a 76-minute long live blues rock album. But hey, it is far from the worst 76 minute long album I've ever heard (Haunted Dancehall, am I right?). The sound is thoroughly entertaining. There's a lot of talent here with things like the guitar work. The singing and lyrics are both quite good as well. The elements of jazz mixed in with the blues rock provides a good genre blend. The album's pretty long, but there are albums that felt slower than this for sure. The live elements like speaking from band members and audience noise are minimal, but still present enough to provide a cohesive experience. Overall, this is a solid album, but not the best one I've listened to this week. My last album, Let It Bleed, would've certainly made for a better milestone than this. Light 4/5.

Well, I can't say that I expected to ever listen to a full album from Randy Newman of all people, but I'm kind of happy I did. Randy Newman is an artist that I've heard plenty of songs from before, but there's one thing in common with the context I heard them in. I heard them all in animated movies. But you know, I've always liked what I've heard. I always did like the music in the Toy Story movies. But now, I get to talk about his music outside of that! And I've gotta say, it's pretty solid. The sound is familiar territory, mainly in regards to the singing, which I should've expected given that it's still Randy Newman. It's pretty good though. His music is kind of like Bob Dylan's in a way where the songwriting is the main focus as opposed to the singing and instrumentation, because while both of the latter things are good, it's the songwriting that makes this a listen that's worth your time. There's an element of satire that I didn't expect to be there, but I gladly welcome it. It makes this music stand out from the movie stuff. There's a solid variety in what's written about, including religion ("He Gives Us All His Love" and "God's Song"), America ("Political Science" and the title track), and whatever "Simon Smith and the Amazing Dancing Bear" is supposed to be about. The many short song approach aids in this variety. Overall, it's not amazing or anything, but Sail Away is a pretty good album that makes me appreciate Randy Newman's musical talents a lot more. High 3/5.

This one's alright. It's certainly better than the last non-English album I got (fuck you Koffi Olomide). Is it the best one I've gotten? No. I definitely liked the albums from groups like Sigur Rós and Os Mutantes more. However, I can certainly see quite a bit of value in Clandestino, even if it's not really my thing personally. One interesting thing about this album in comparison to others is that different songs are in different languages. Most are in Spanish, but some of them are in French, Brazilian Portuguese, and even English! The writing is decent from what I can tell. It's got some good variety. The singing is pretty interesting. It's kind of Sgt. Pepper's-esque in a way. The sound is pleasant. It doesn't go on for too long, and none of the songs do either. It's pretty fun. Overall, this is a decent album that I can see the appeal of. 3/5.

Another live album already? I just got one a few days ago! Anyways, This one wasn't quite as good, but was still one of the better live albums I've gotten. First of all, I'll start with the problems. For one, it's pretty long. It was long enough for me to feel great when the album ended, but as I've said about many albums, it certainly isn't the worst 76 minute long album I've ever listened to. This being a live album definitely makes the length more understandable. Secondly, the album is a bit repetitive. It's not the most repetitive album I've listened to, but it's noticeable. Now it's praise time! This album's pretty fun. It's just some good simple hard rock akin to something like Def Leppard and even Van Halen at times. I'd say I like this more than the former but not quite as much as the latter. The vocals are pretty decent. The writing is too. The sound is the highlight of this album. There's definitely some talent that you can hear through the basslines and guitar riffs/solos. There's not much else to say. It's a good fun hard rock live album. High 3/5.

You ever get worried that you don't actually like a certain artist and that you really only like the one song or album you've heard? Well fortunately, I can safely say that that does not apply to me and Depeche Mode. I loved Violator. I can't believe I initially gave it a 4. That has since been remedied. But yeah, that album is phenomenal, so I was very excited to see if the album that came before it, Music for the Masses, holds up too. Fortunately, it does! Well, okay, I have to say one thing. Violator is the better album. I can confidently say that. However, Music for the Masses is still a great album. You can still hear the things that make Violator so special. The dark atmosphere, the stellar vocals, and the eerie lyrics are still there, albeit not quite as refined as they are one album later. Certain songs even remind me of specific songs from Violator. For instance, "Nothing" kind of gave me "Sweetest Perfection" vibes. I really think I'm gonna have to check out the other Depeche Mode albums after this. This is just great. High 4/5.

Alright, back-to-back repeat artists! My first PJ Harvey experience wasn't quite as special as something like my first Depeche Mode experience, but I did like Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea quite a bit. I thought it was a pretty good album. As for her debut album, Dry, it's also pretty good! The sound is great. It's just a solid alt-rock style that appeals to me. The vocals are unique in a good way. The writing is solid. Many of the songs give off similar vibes and might be similar in what they're about, but the writing for each song combined with the sound creates a desirable variety in its tracks. Overall, while I liked Stories marginally more, Dry is still a good debut that shows a considerable amount of talent right from the get-go. Low 4/5.

First off, fuck John Phillips. That guy sucked. It's a good thing he's dead so I can feel comfortable listening to this album on streaming. I mean, I could've said the same thing about Jerry Lee Lewis, but I didn't. Maybe it's because this is from a band with other living members that get the money instead as opposed to a solo live album where the shithead says his own name and puts his last name in one of the songs that makes it okay to me. Whatever, let's move on from that. Something something "separate the art from the artist," you get the idea. This album's alright. I like the vocals. The presence of a whopping FOUR vocalists really adds a variety in vocal sound that you don't get much with music like this. At most it's usually two singers. The instrumental sound takes a bit of a backseat in this one, but it's still solid. The songs themselves are alright too. The highlight of course is "California' Dreamin." That song's pretty great and was an easy add to my "Best of the Albums" playlist. The others are good too. I like this album. I don't love it, but it's good. High 3/5.

Now this is a hip-hop group that belongs on this list! A Tribe Called Quest is arguably the most acclaimed hip-hop group that I've gotten an album from so far. They're certainly up there. Here we have their debut album. I've been getting a lot of those lately. Does this album hold up? Yeah. I'd say it does. This is a pretty good album right here. It's definitely one of the better hip-hop albums I've gotten so far. The beats are great. There's an element of light jazziness that gives this album a different vibe in comparison to other acts of the time. And you know what? I like that. Of course, the jazz elements apparently end up increasing in later albums of theirs, including their most acclaimed album, and this album's followup, The Low End Theory. I'll have to hear that for myself whenever this generator decides to give me that album though as it fortunately also appears on this list. Another thing that apparently increases on later Tribe albums is the presence of members that aren't Q-Tip. Despite being a group, the vocals in this album primarily come from Tribe's de facto leader, Q-Tip. While he does a great job and I can see why he's the leader, I did enjoy Phife Dawg's verses and hope to hear more of him on The Low End Theory. The writing on this album is also solid. It's a nice album. Songs like "Can I Kick It?" showcase the joys of music quite well. The album's closer "Description of a Fool" is an entertaining call-out making fun of abusive boyfriends. "Ham 'N' Eggs" is about healthy eating. Everything comes together to make an album that's fun but also a bit chill. It's a mellow fun, you know? Good album. Low 4/5.

Well, it's time for the fourth, and final, R.E.M. album of the list. I'm gonna miss these. I truly had no idea going into Murmur for the first time back in December that I would end up liking them as much as I do. So how is Automatic for the People as a closer on this arc of my life? I think this is the best one yet. While there is still enjoyment to be had, there's a deep layer of emotion in this one. This is most evident in songs like "Everybody Hurts" and "Try Not to Breathe." These songs are supplemented with your more high-energy tracks like "Man on the Moon" and "Ignoreland." That's not to say that one is better than the other. Every song on this album is quite good. But the variety on this album is really something special. Everything else that makes the prior R.E.M. albums great is here and they're arguably better than ever. Everything from the writing to the instrumental talent to Michael Stipe's singing is all spectacular in this album. I can totally see why people say this is R.E.M.'s best album. I can understand why someone might prefer the other albums, but this one is my current favorite. Because of that, I think this warrants a light 5/5.

What is with this list and these British 90s one hit wonders getting whole ass albums on the list? Why is this band here? They have one popular song and it's not even the version from the album that got popular! It was the remix by Fatboy Slim, an artist that I have gone on record saying that I don't give a crap about, that got popular! So that did not make me excited for this album at all. So, after listening to the album, how do I feel about it? I mean, it's fine, I guess. I don't really care about it that much. I'll give it this, it was different than what I expected, and by extension, different from the rest of the obscure 90s British indie albums on the list. This album's big song, "Brimful of Asha" is alright. It's not my favorite "one-hit" to show up on this list, but it's probably not the worst. The rest of the songs are whatever. Some are okay, but others are kind of interlude type things that just pad out the runtime. This album kind of dragged a bit. At least it ended on somewhat of a high note, but I don't think the final song is good because of what Cornershop did. I think it's good because it's Norwegian Wood. It's kind of hard to make a song like that sound bad. The sound is fine. It's got elements of Indian music to make things a bit interesting. But then again, speaking of the Beatles, that was something George Harrison had done 30 years prior to this album's release. Whatever, it's at least something I can respect about this album. The writing is fine, I guess. I just don't really see why this needs to be on the list. There's better albums with this kind of vibe that do it better. High 2/5.

I LITERALLY JUST LISTENED TO THIS ALBUM. I decided to start what I call the "Mega Album Mini Project" where I listen to every album on the list that's over 2 hours throughout the end of Summer so I don't have to listen to them after a long day of school or something. I started with this one because it's the shortest of the collection. I LITERALLY LISTENED TO THIS OVER THE PAST TWO DAYS. Of course, I'm not going to listen to it again, even though it's a good album. So here's the review that I wrote yesterday (as of when this review is being uploaded). Wow. That was something. This is a great album right here. I'll start by addressing something very important right off the bat. This album is very long. There's a reason why I listened to this and 2+ hour albums when I had the free time in the summer instead of just waiting for the generator to give them to me. However, the 2 hours of runtime are not wasted in Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness. There's a good variety in this album. Some songs are heavier and more aggressive, while others are more ballad-like than anything. These two styles come together to form a complex album with complex themes that get explored quite well. The sound, regardless of if it's heavy or light, is pretty good. The instruments sound cool. The vocals on the other hand are something to get used to. Billy Corgan's vocals are certainly interesting. They're the kind of thing that needs to grow on you as you listen. Fortunately, I'd say they kind of grew on me. Not fully, but enough to say that I can defend his singing. It fits the themes of the album. The writing is great. There isn't a clear story here, but you can catch glimpses of general themes like relationships and adolescence. Overall, while this is certainly a daunting listen, I'd say it's worth it for any alt-rock fan. I never knew the Smashing Pumpkins were this good. High 4/5.

I mean this as an entirely sincere compliment, but this might just be the funniest album I've ever listened to. This is what an album like Duck Stab should've been. Weird, but not painful to listen to at times. It feels less like Devo is trying to be as weird and off-putting as possible and more like they're trying to make good music but they happen to just be fun, weird guys so the music ends up being weird too. And I mean that as the good kind of weird, not the bad kind. The writing is silly but also genuine and good. The sound is off kilter, but there's still elements that can appeal to less experienced music listeners. The vocals are pretty Talking Heads-esque which is not a bad thing. I do happen to like Talking Heads more, but this served as a pretty good introduction to Devo for me. I'd never really dived into their stuff before. I just vaguely knew them as that band that the guy who made the Rugrats music was in. Needless to say, my opinion of Devo is now positive instead of fairly neutral. Overall, while this album is certainly not for everyone, I had quite a bit of fun with it, especially in comparison to other albums that could be considered weird and off-putting. High 3/5.

If I had a nickel for every obscure British album with the word "seventh" in the name that I got in the past week, I would have two nickels, which isn't a lot, but it's weird that it happened twice. Anyways, this one's alright. I don't love it or anything, but I would call it a good album. Alison Goldfrapp's vocals are a bit incomprehensible at times, but at least they sound nice. The instrumental sound is nice too. There's a pretty solid blend of electronic elements with the acoustic folk base. It works. The writing is respectable and good. I like the songs. None of them are particularly bad. They kind of blend together, but this isn't the worst instance of that happening especially because the songs themselves are good. I don't have a ton to say. This is a pretty good album. High 3/5.

It's stuff like this that affirms my belief that there are, in fact, no objectively bad genres, at least as far as broad genres are concerned. I've never been a fan of country music. However, the country music I've been exposed to is primarily what I would call "modern bro-country." You know, stuff like Florida Georgia Line, Jason Aldean, and Luke Bryan. I hate that music. It's so bad. I can't stand it. However, country as a genre is not objectively bad, and I know that because of Dolly Parton. Well, okay, there's other important artist like Johnny Cash that also affirm that belief. Dolly Parton is truly an American legend, and for good reason. Not only is she a stunning philanthropist (in more ways than one), she's also a pretty good musician. This album is quite good. The opening title track is just a great song, but the rest of them aren't bad either. Dolly's vocals are impressive and a joy to listen to. The writing is also solid. The sound is pleasant to listen too. Overall, while country isn't really my thing, there's no doubt that this is a solid album that has a lot going for it. High 3/5.

First off, I just want to say that it's pretty cool that this album has both an English version and a French version. I only listened to the French version as it seems to be the version most people consider to be better, but it's cool that both options are there. Anyways, this album's good. Like a lot of the albums I've gotten recently, it's not really my thing personally, but I respect this album quite a bit. Is it the most essential album of 2018 that they could've put on the list? No, but it's not the worst pick they could've made. At least it represents a country and language that don't already have a crap ton of albums on the least. The sound is pretty good. The production has a good blend of classic synth-pop and modern pop production. The singing is pretty decent too. I translated the lyrics from French to English and they're pretty unique. Overall, this is a pretty decent album that I can see the appeal of. However, I don't really feel like going back to hear what the English version is like any time soon. High 3/5.

This fucking sucks. Yeah, I said it. Not that anyone cares since I don't think anyone even gives a shit about this album in the first place. Why is this even on the list? Well apparently, this guy was a big inspiration on Nick Cave, a musician that Robert Dimery seems to have a gigantic boner for since he has 6 ALBUMS on the list. If any of those 6 albums is anything like this, I might just quit the project entirely. I don't know if I can handle 6 more albums like this. I'll start with the one decent thing about this album. The instrumental sound is not bad. I don't particularly care for it, but I can respect it for what it is. However, everything else about this album is so bad that that barely even matters at all. The singing? Atrocious. Absolutely horrendous. It's Pere Ubu levels of bad. And I literally said that the vocals in Dub Housing were the worst I had ever heard! And somehow the writing is even worse! It's awful! "Gang Bang" has some of the worst writing I've ever heard in a song before. But all of this begs the question... the ultimate question to determine if this is among the worst of the worst. Am I upset that I listened to this album? Well, despite the admittedly okay instrumental aspects of this album, my answer to that question would have to be a resounding YES. 1/5. The only sensation that Alex Harvey makes me feel is pain.

I'm gonna be honest. I don't really care for this album that much, but it's still WAY better than that Alex Harvey album I got yesterday. This is an album that I can absolutely see the appeal of even if it's not really my thing. The singing is alright. It's good. The instrumental sound is solid too. The harmonica talent in particular is nothing to scoff at. The writing could be a bit better. It's a bit repetitive and hasn't aged the best. The last song makes me uncomfortable. Why did so many singers in the 70s sing about wanting to fuck underage girls?! It's gross, and yet somehow it was more comfortable than like half of the last album! The most popular song on this album is undeniably "Mannish Boy," a song that proved that this album has more cultural impact than the last one because it has a JoJo character named after it, and that's one of the ultimate tests of the cultural impact of a piece of music from the past 60 years. That song is good, as are most of the others. Overall, this album's fine. I don't really care much for it, but there are some pretty good elements to it that could warrant a higher rating for someone else. As for me... I think I'll give it a 3/5. I've been giving a lot of those lately. I don't know why. Hopefully that changes soon.

Finally, an album that I was actually excited to listen to. The past 6 albums have ranged from albums that I really like to albums that I actively hate. But now, I can finally say that I have listened to the top album of all time on Rate Your Music. The people have called To Pimp a Butterfly the greatest album of all time. So, do I agree? Well, I personally wouldn't go that far, but I can absolutely see why others would. This is a truly wonderful album of a caliber that we only see every once in a while. I really only have praise to give to this album. The production on this thing is magnificent. The strong influences from funk, soul, and jazz create an aura that not many other hip-hop albums have. Even the interludes have a sense of musicality to them that you don't usually find in the interludes of other hip-hop albums. The writing is top-notch. The overarching themes of race, fame, and culture are utilized flawlessly alongside a few other songs that dive more into the mental state of Kendrick Lamar himself. Speaking of Kendrick, his rapping is some of the most unique rapping I've ever heard. The flow is certainly impressive and him changing the way he raps based on the perspective of the verse is just amazing. There's a deep personal core to this album that isn't the most accessible for newcomers. And yet there's still some pop sensibilities that allowed this album and Kendrick's music as a whole to become as popular as it has. I really don't know what else to say. Though I may like a few albums more than this, it would be hard for me to say that TPAB is anything less than a masterpiece. I get it. I see the appeal. To the surprise of nobody, I will be giving this album a 5/5.

Normally I would complain about how most of the 2010s picks on this list are obscure indie rock albums with low cultural impact, but I just got TPAB yesterday so I have no right to complain about that right now. Anyways, this album's good. It's not my favorite, but it's good enough for me to feel like it's someone's favorite. The sound is interesting. It's got an interesting genre blend. It's very indie, with a bit of a shoegaze-like feel to it. The vocals fit that as well. It's a good vibing album. There's some good emotion to it. The writing is pretty decent. This is just a solid indie rock album. Fantano gave it an 8, which I think is a bit high. However, I wouldn't put it that much lower. Maybe like a light 7 or something. I thought about giving it a high 3, but it's better to initially overrate an album than it is to underrate it. So instead, I'll give it a low 4/5.

It seems as though I've finally gotten out of the rut of 3/5 albums. Daydream Nation is a great album. I know, right? This is my third Sonic Youth album of the project, and it is easily the best one so far. This just feels the most like a cohesive musical statement. The sound is noisy yet still weirdly pleasant to listen to at times. It's probably the best part of the album. That's not to say that it falters with its other elements. The vocals enforce this sense of angst that ties the whole album together. The writing is certainly interesting, but still quite good. The album's opener, "Teen Age Riot," is one of the band's most popular songs, and for good reason. It's a great song, and the others are almost as good as it. Daydream Nation is 70 minutes long, but the album is so sonically dense that it doesn't drag whatsoever. It kept me engaged, which is something of an accomplishment for 70+ minute long album. This may not be the best 70+ minute long album that I've listened to this week. I do prefer To Pimp a Butterfly. However, there really isn't any reason to compare the two albums given how different they are, so I won't! But there is one thing that makes these albums similar in my eyes. They're both phenomenal pieces of music. I'm proud to announce that I finally loved a Sonic Youth album. Light 5/5.

Well, well, well, well, well. We meet again, Mr. Dylan. I said well 5 times because this was my 5th album of his, making Bob Dylan the first artist on the list to give me 5 albums. However, the spread of those albums was not very even as my third through fifth albums of his were all in the span of a month. Because of that, I wasn't as passionate about the music my reviews for Time Out of Mind and especially Highway 61 Revisited weren't as positive as they could've been otherwise. I might even have to relisten to the latter to see if it's worthy of being a 5 or not. In that review I "requested" for at least two more months before another Dylan album. And would you like at that? It's been four months without one! I'm okay with that, and I am in the mentality to properly praise Bob Dylan. However, that doesn't mean that what I have to say is entirely new. A lot of what I'm about to say is repeated from other albums of his. His singing is still very love-it-or-hate-it. I myself still feel mostly positive about it though, especially earlier in his career. Speaking of which, this was only his second album ever! And you know what? For being his second album ever and his first one to be mostly comprised of Bob Dylan originals, it's really good! The musical contents are a lot more simple than later albums. All songs but one are just Dylan's voice, guitar, and harmonica. This creates a more personal atmosphere of sorts that allows this album to excel in its simplicity. But as is always the case with Bob Dylan albums, the songwriting is the highlight. I cannot stress enough just how good of a songwriter Bob Dylan is. The album's opener, "Blowin' in the Wind" is probably Dylan's most iconic song, and for good reason. It might just be one of the best songs I've ever heard. I also really like "Masters of War." It's weirdly aggressive but in the best way possible. However, I do still have complaints about this album. It's not perfect. I think that the wonder I had with the first few songs died down a bit near the end and I don't think that's just on me. I do feel like the beginning of the album is stronger than the end. The latter half is still good, but not quite as good. It's not as cohesive of an experience as something like Blood on the Tracks, my current favorite Dylan album. So, overall, The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan is an impressive, albeit somewhat flawed, album that showcases that Bob Dylan had a lot of talent going into his second album. I'd go so far as to say that this is his true debut, and the beginning of a long and fascinating career. High 4/5.

You know, when I first got this album, my first though was "Come on England. Why are you trying to do reggae? Can't you just leave it to the Jamaicans?" However, after listening to UB40's Signing Off, I realized that those were stupid questions, because this album is pretty alright. I actually had no idea that reggae has as big of an impact on British music as it does. So you know what? It's not like there isn't an argument for this album being on the list. I say let it stay. It adds some variety and is also, as I stated earlier, a decent album. The thing that surprised me the most was with the singing. I was really worried that it would be super annoying. Fortunately, I was wrong. The vocals were softer than I thought they'd be, which isn't a bad thing. I liked it. The sound was a bit repetitive, but was similarly pleasant. The writing was also alright. It's fairly political in a good way. It's not really what I was expecting, but I was pleasantly surprised by it. This album isn't really my thing personally, but I have quite a bit of respect for it. It was quite a bit better than I thought it would be. 3/5.

Would you look at that? It's the oldest album on the list! You know, if I had decided to listen to these albums going in release order while still starting the day I did, I would've listened to this all the way back in October! Anyway, how does this album hold up? Well, I think it holds up decently well. I really liked this album! I think it goes without saying that Frank Sinatra was an incredible singer. His voice is very smooth and pleasant to listen to. The sound of his music is quite cozy. I like it. It's soft but engaging. The writing, and to an extent the sound, is somewhat repetitive. But I don't think it's that big of a deal when it's as good as it is. These songs are all about heartbreak. In a way, this is one of the first concept albums ever released. The songs are all written by different people, but they work well together in this package. For being released in 1955, this is a surprisingly heartfelt and mature album. The theme is handled in a respectable way. I saw a review on this site comparing how Sinatra wrote to how artists like the Everly Brothers by highlighting the absence of bitterness in Sinatra's writing while the Everlys wrote like incels (their words, not mine). As someone who proudly gave A Date with the Everly Brothers a 1/5, I have to agree. The maturity in how the topics of heartbreak and failed romance are handled makes this album a breath of fresh air in comparison to other music of the time. While this album isn't perfect, it manages to be a very important release in music history that's aged pretty well while also having that 50s charm. 4/5.

I mean, it's 80s hip-hop. What do you want me to say? I'm just kidding. Apparently if I start my review like that it ends up being more popular than my other reviews. But yes, I do have things to say about this one. For one, Run-D.M.C. is one of the most iconic hip-hop groups of all time, certainly more iconic than some of the other 80s/early 90s hip-hop groups I've gotten. And with this being their debut, I can see why this is here. Although, I would say Raising Hell makes more sense for inclusion. Fortunately, It's also included on the list, so we'll be seeing how good it is later. As for their self-titled debut, I think it's a solid album. It's not amazing or anything, but it's fun and it does the job. It's quite influential in the development of hip-hop, and I can tell. It still sounds a bit dated, but it's better for an album to be a bit dated in the sound department than for it to have aged poorly in the lyrical department. Speaking of which, the writing is similarly fun. I think my favorite song is "It's Like That," which says some good things about society. Some songs do still do that thing early hip-hop groups do where they rap about themselves and their origin story or whatever, but at least these guys do it pretty well. The beats are decently well made. The actually rapping is entertaining. This album's alright. I like it. High 3/5.

Oh boy. What an album. This might just be one of the most fascinating albums of all time. It's also a lot to handle and discuss about. I really don't know if I can do this album justice with my writing. To start, The Wall is one of the most conceptual concept albums to ever be conceived. It tells a clear narrative in an excellent way. You can actually understand the main character of the album. Of course, it might be easier for one to do that with the album's film adaptation, but the album version does quite a good job fleshing out the character of Pink. Speaking of flesh, the album's opener, "In The Flesh?" establishes everything about this album quite well. It's also a pretty good song. Most of the songs are quite good. Some aren't as good as others, but when a song on this album is great, it's phenomenal. All three parts of "Another Brick in the Wall" add to the story in unique ways, with the second (and most iconic) part being a stand-out. Songs like "Mother" and "Hey You" give this album an emotional core, while others like "Young Lust" and "Run Like Hell" give the album some energy. And of course, I would be hard-pressed to review this album without bringing up "Comfortably Numb," which might just be one of the greatest songs ever made. The sound of the album is varied with all of it being quite great. The singing is similarly varied and always fits the song. The writing is truly something to behold. The story is emotional, harrowing, and deep. This isn't my favorite Pink Floyd album, I'll say that. I did like both Wish You Were Here and The Dark Side of the Moon more. But this is still an absolute accomplishment of an album that has stood the test of time in a way that very few albums have. 5/5.

What is happening right now? I went from 6 albums in a row that were all 3s and one 1 to a streak of 9 albums with only two 3s and everything else being above that. I'm not complaining that I'm getting great albums now, but where where they earlier? I was getting demoralized for a bit there. Anyways, that's over because now I'm getting albums like Marquee Moon. I love this album. It's amazing. I get the hype. The pacing is perfect. There are some albums I've gotten that are great but aren't perfect in the pacing department. Case in point, the last album I got, The Wall. I love that album, but I wasn't just saying that it's a lot because of the heavy subject matter. I was also saying it because the album's 82 minutes long. Marquee Moon? A tight 46 minutes. I'm fine with long albums, but I do prefer albums in the 40-minute range. The writing is pretty good. There's things to think about. But the sound is what I love the most about this album. The singing is fun. It's not for everyone, but it gives me a sort of Talking Heads vibe that I do enjoy. And the instrumental sound? Awesome. The guitar work is stellar. The riffs and solos stand out and are very fun. The rest of the sound gets the job done excellently. With this album being released in 1977, it's also influenced later iconic bands like Joy Division, R.E.M., and the Strokes, making Marquee Moon a no-brainer for a list like this. This is a truly excellent album that has stood the test of time for 46 whole years and will do it again for another 46 and beyond. 5/5.

God I love grunge. I don't know what it is, but anytime I get a grunge album on this list, I'm practically guaranteed to love it, and Dirt by Alice in Chains is now exceptions. Alice in Chains was one of the big 4 grunge bands in the early 90s, and they managed to stand out from the others in (in my opinion) two notable ways, both of which are related to their sound. The first is that their music is much more metal-adjacent than bands like Nirvana, Soundgarden, and Pearl Jam. This is perhaps most obvious in Dirt's opener, "Them Bones," a song that actually manages to make 7/4 time signature sound cool as hell. The sound of this album as a whole is just excellent. It nails intense sound in songs like the one I just mentioned and the song that follows it, "Dam That River." However, slower, more melodic songs like "Down in a Hole", "Rooster", and the closer, "Would?" also manage to succeed in their beauty. The other thing that makes AiC stand out is the singing. All of the big grunge bands have great singers, and you can get some amazing performances from Kurt Cobain, Eddie Vedder, and especially Chris Cornell. However, the other bands don't have the harmonies of AiC. The way that the voices of Layne Staley and Jerry Cantrell harmonize is truly stunning, as is everything else about this album. The writing and theming is striking, and the pacing is perfect. This album is just phenomenal. What more can I say? 5/5. And for the second time ever, I have now given three 5/5s in a row. Here's hoping I can get a fourth!

Some people are going to hate me for saying this, but fuck 'em. This is one of the greatest albums ever made. I love Rage Against the Machine. Everything about their music and this album speaks to me on every level. The sound is so crazy and unique and awesome. Everything from Tom Morello's unconventional guitar playing to Tim Commerford's heavy bass playing to Brad Wilk's intense drumming to Zach de la Rocha's iconic vocal style comes together to form some of the most intense music I've ever heard. And I love it. There's something magical that happens every time you hear one of Zach's famous UGHs that truly makes you feel like raging against the machine. Speaking of the machine, let's talk about the writing of the music! You see, unlike some people, I actually understand what they're saying in these songs. This is some truly revolutionary stuff. It's a shame that a lot of it still applies over 30 years later. All of these songs go crazy. "Bombtrack" might be one of the greatest album openers ever. It perfectly sets the stage for what the next 9 songs will entail. And it's immediately followed by "Killing in the Name"?! How did they make an album this great?! That song is, of course, amazing. "Know Your Enemy" is another one of my favorites from the album, and the presence of Maynard James Keenan in the bridge is the closest we'll get to having a Tool album on the list. I can't believe there's not a Tool album on the list. Overall, I love this album. It is an aggressive, powerful album with so much to say. These messages are rapped and screamed in ways that I could never. I don't know what else to say. Maybe I should think less about what to say and more about what to do. That is the ethos of Rage Against the Machine. 5/5. Four in a row, baby!

You know, punk is a genre that really tends to be hit or miss for me. Bad punk music ends up being really annoying to me, but the feeling that I get from a great punk album is hard to find in most music. It's always nice to get a great punk album. Fortunately, the Sex Pistols made one and then never made an album again. Why did they only make one album? Oh boy. That is not a story that I am equipped to tell. However, what I can tell you is how I feel about this album. As stated earlier, I think it's really good! The writing is not perfect, but still manages to succeed in providing the things that I like about punk such as nonconformity and heavy-handed politics. The instrumental sound is pretty good too. It's very fun. One thing that makes this album great in terms of both writing and sound is that each of the songs feel somewhat different from one another. They all have the same general style to them, but there's enough variety for this album to not get stale or repetitive. But of all the elements that make up a punk album, the one that affects my opinion the most is arguably the singing. There's a reason why I said that bad punk can be "annoying." It's the singing. Fortunately, I enjoyed Johnny Rotten's vocals. He maybe an insufferable twat, but he knows how to make these songs fun. They're definitely something that you either love or hate. I can totally see why others would hate these vocals, and I'll admit that I won't always be in the mood for them, but I think they're funny enough for me to say I enjoyed it. I like the way he sometimes rolls the r's. Overall, while this isn't my favorite debut punk album (that honor currently goes to Dead Kennedys), Never Mind the Bollocks is certainly an iconic album that's worthy of being on this list for both its historical importance and the fact that it's really good. High 4/5.

Well, I accidentally deleted the review I had. So here's a shorter review of this Motörhead live album. I said in my Ace of Spades review that Motörhead's music is pretty repetitive. Fortunately, this album is less repetitive on account of many of the songs coming from different albums. In a way, I kind of liked this one more than Ace of Spades. The album, not the song. The song is on this album though, and it's as great as ever. Other songs like "Overkill" are also fun. One thing I should've highlighted more in my Ace of Spades review is how much of a legend Lemmy is. I may not be the biggest Motörhead fan, but there's a reason why people have called Lemmy a god amongst men. Despite the fact that I was an actual child who had no idea who he was when he died, I still miss that man. Let's wrap this review up real quickly. The sound is fun, but still fairly repetitive. The live album nature is not too intrusive. The album's fun, but not the most memorable. High 3/5.

Wow. The difference in sound between this and The Joshua Tree is actually insane. I had no idea that this is what U2 was earlier in their career. But you know what? I like it. War is a pretty good album. I think I liked The Joshua Tree more, but this one's also a solid album. The sound is much closer to something like a post-punk album, largely in part due to The Edge's guitar sound not being fully established at this point. The writing has a political focus, making this a pretty interesting listen lyrically. Not every song is great, but the one's that are are pretty good. The album does start with it's strongest outing, "Sunday Bloody Sunday," but other songs like "New Year's Day" are also solid. Overall, I still have a pretty high opinion of U2. I know, right? I prefer The Joshua Tree, but I could honestly see someone else feeling differently. That's the neat thing about music opinions. They're all subjective, and that's good. 4/5.

For the first time ever, I have now gotten three repeat artists in a row! Oh well, I can't be too upset considering that all three albums have been, at least, pretty good. "Pretty good" is basically how I feel about Led Zeppelin II. Admittedly, it's probably my least favorite of the three Led Zeppelin albums I've gotten so far. Led Zeppelin IV and even Physical Graffiti were better in my opinion. However, I don't want to downplay the importance of this album, especially considering that this album is quite important. It's certainly very influential. I have problems with it, sure. I do think that it is a bit repetitive in some regards and the writing isn't always great. However, there are some truly commendable elements of this album. The sound is great. It's got a bluesy core while still being a bit heavier than what was to be expected of music in 1969. Songs like "Heartbreaker" exemplify this excellently. Most songs on here are pretty great. "Whole Lotta Love" is a classic. I really like "Ramble On." It might be my favorite of the album. Back to the sound, the singing is quite fun and the instrumentation is on point at all times. Overall, while I like the other Led Zeppelin albums more than this one, there's no denying that Led Zeppelin II is an iconic album that absolutely deserves the praise despite its faults. 4/5.

Another repeat artist? I'm gonna be honest, I'm starting to get tired of it. Oh well, at least this is another amazing album. I know I already rated the other Queen albums on this list very highly, but this might just be the best one. There's just something special about A Night at the Opera. I think it might be the willingness to be special. This is a bold album with bold ideas that absolutely pay off. I mean, the album starts off with a pseudo-diss-track towards the band's original manager with "Death on Two Legs"! That's interesting! The foundations made by Queen in their earlier albums are still here. The sound is still excellent. Freddie Mercury's vocals are still phenomenal. The production on this thing is insane. There's so many good songs on here. Not all of them hit as hard as the best ones, but the ones that are great are just phenomenal. Songs like "You're My Best Friend" exemplify the fun of Queen, while others like "Love of my Life" bring some emotion to the album. And yet, the impact of 11 of the 12 songs on this album combined pale in comparison to the impact that this album's biggest song has had. The song, of course, is "Bohemian Rhapsody." I could go on an on about this song. Call it overplayed or overrated or whatever. All I'm saying is that there's a reason why people have called it one of the greatest songs ever made. It's just such an innovative, wonderful song that serves as an absolute marvel of a musical masterpiece. I really don't know what else to say. This is Queen's finest outing (at least as far as I'm aware), and when their earlier work is already as amazing it is, it's no surprise that this album is a 5/5 in my opinion.

Well, at least it's something different. My streak of albums from artists I recognize is now over, as I have never heard of this before. Fortunately, that is not a sign of the album's quality. I had no expectations going into this. How do I feel after listening to it? It's alright. It's solid. I didn't love it, but I'd say this is a good album all things considered. It's not the most original album ever. I can definitely see where the Björk comparisons are coming from. However, I do think they're a bit overblown. This is still a different type of listen. It's not as good of a listen as Björk's better albums, but it's still different. The sound is somewhat interesting, as are the vocals. The writing's fine. It's not the most memorable, but what are you gonna do about it? I like this album, but it's not really my thing in some regards. I can see why they felt like including this on the list, but I can also completely understand why it was removed in later versions of the book. High 3/5.

Now this is an influential album right here. My first A Tribe Called Quest experience was with their first album just under a month ago. I'm a bit miffed that there wasn't much time between the two (as well as the sheer abundance of repeat artists I've gotten as of lately), but those feelings are strongly outweighed by my positive feelings on this album. Every piece of praise I had for their debut applies here, but to a stronger degree. The jazz influence was certainly there in their first album, but it is in full swing on The Low End Theory. They even acknowledge that in the first song on the album! Speaking of songs, there's some great ones on here. Of course, you have the classics like "Check the Rhime" and "Scenario" that are obviously great. However, the deep cuts from this album like "Skypager" and "What?" are pretty good as well. There aren't really any bad songs on this album, which is good. The rapping is even better on here than the debut. My big complaint on the debut was the lack of Phife Dawg. Fortunately, there is no lack of Phife Dawg on The Low End Theory. He is here and he is great. Q-Tip still does great as well, and even though he doesn't rap, the work that Ali Shaheed Muhammad provides on this album is essential to what makes it so great. The sound is excellent, the writing is enjoyable, and the pacing is much better. This album has aged magnificently and its influence remains in and outside of hip-hop to this day. The Low End Theory may not be my favorite album to release on September 24, 1991. I personally liked Nevermind more. But there is no denying that this is a legendary album that deserves all of the praise it has gotten over the years. Light 5/5.

Dude. This is weird. But you know what? It's a good weird. Roxy Music's self-titled debut is a very fun album. A word I've seen people use to describe the sound of this album is "eclectic" and I would have to agree. The sound is widely varied, and I really like that. Bryan Ferry's voice is one of those love-it-or-hate-it voices in a similar way to someone like David Byrne from Talking Heads. The vocals here are certainly weird, but very fitting for an album like this. The writing is probably thing I cared for the least. It's not bad, it's just probably the least interesting part of this album. I might be wrong though. My one other problem is that some songs are a bit long. The overall album is a great length, but some songs drag a bit. However, there are some pretty good songs here. Despite not being on the original album, I'm very glad I listened to "Virginia Plain." It's probably the best on the album. As for the best song that was on the album's original pressing, I'd probably have to go with "If There is Something." That one's good. It's fascinating that this marked the beginning of Brian Eno's musical career. Yes, the guy responsible for an album called "Ambient 1: Music For Airports" also did some funky keyboard work for an album like this. Crazy. Anyways, this album's pretty good. It's not for everyone, but I liked it well enough. Light 4/5.

Oh wow, another British post-punk band from the 70s/80s. What a surprise. I definitely needed more of this. Yeah, I didn't care for this album much. I'll start with the praise that I have. I actually do like the instrumental sound quite a bit. It's pretty interesting. I'd call it good. "Frightened" is a pretty solid song. The album is a pretty decent length. The rest of the album isn't my cup of tea. I respect this album, but I just don't really vibe with it enough to give it a super high rating. The vocals are fine, I guess. They're okay and aren't too annoying. The writing could have more substance to it. I feel like this album needs more to keep me engaged. I don't know what it is, but I feel like this just could have been a more fun album. It's not the length. I can see potential here. This could be a great album, it just needs a bit more to it. Oh well, maybe I'll find that in one of the other two albums that this band has on the list. Really? 3 albums for The Fall? You serious? Those other two better be damn good albums. 3/5.

This is truly the album of all time. The notes are musical. The writing has words. I definitely listened to this album alright. Yeah, this album's just kind of okay. There's nothing particularly wrong with this album. It's perfectly fine. The singing is not too annoying. The sound is acceptable. The production is pretty solid. Apparently the guy who did it also helped produce for some of Elliott Smith's albums, including the two I've listened to. That's nice. I just feel that this album doesn't do anything that hadn't been done before or during the time this album was released. I mean, when you have better, more iconic garage rock revival bands like the Strokes and the White Stripes on the list, adding the Vines feels kind of redundant. British media really loved this album for some reason. They called these guys the next Nirvana or something. Really? I don't hear it. NME also called this the 2nd best album of 2002, only behind Coldplay's "A Rush of Blood to the Head." I certainly wouldn't go that far. There are quite a few albums from 2002 that I like more than this one, including the Coldplay one. I can see good things about this album. It's just that it's not a very exciting addition to a list like this. I don't get the reviews saying that this is soulless or anything, but I also don't get this being one of the best albums of 2002 when albums like Yoshimi Battle the Pink Robots exist. 3/5.

Damn. What an album. I've heard plenty of good things about Unknown Pleasures in the time leading up to me finally listening to this album, and I've gotta say that it did not disappoint. This album is absolutely fascinating. There's a lot that I could say about it. The sound is great. It's bleak, but not entirely unpleasant to listen to. Ian Curtis's vocals are a bit haunting, especially when you take his lyrics and his life story in to account. Speaking of which, the writing is great. It's very deep and personal, and I love it. There's some great songs on here. The opener "Disorder" is pretty good. The back-to-back string of "New Dawn Fades" and "She's Lost Control" is amazing. Even the weaker songs like "Wilderness" are still pretty good. The pacing is perfect. I also really like the album cover. It's neat. I really like this album. It's not my favorite, but I could see it growing on me over time. Still, I can absolutely see why so many people consider this to be a masterpiece. Light 5/5.

You know, for all the complaints I've seen about the list having too much britpop, I haven't really gotten much of it myself so far. What's even better is that most of the britpop albums I have gotten have been pretty good, and Suede's Dog Man Star is no exception. This is a great album. I really like it. I'm a big fan of the sound. It's kind of Bowie-esque in a way. It's a very minor way, but definitely a way. The singing is pretty nice too. The writing is solid. One thing I like about this album that applies to many aspects of the album is that it's a bit darker than most britpop. A lot of British alt-rock from this time and movement tended to be very upbeat and geared towards "the lads." While this did result in some good albums (take Supergrass's I Should Coco for example) it also was kind of dumb in some ways. This album is certainly more upbeat than something like a Radiohead album, but not quite as much as one from a group like Oasis or Blur. There's a good balance here. It's not the deepest album, but it's still got a good amount of substance to it. Good album. High 4/5.

More post-punk?! Come on, give me something different already. I don't even dislike post-punk or anything, I'm just tired of it. I've gotten like three post-punk albums in the past 5 days. That's the same as the amount of hip-hop albums I've gotten in the past month. That's insane. On top of that, this album has John Lydon (formerly known as Johnny Rotten) on vocals, which is a problem because I just got the Sex Pistols less than two weeks ago! I'm not upset that this is here, I just think now was the worst time for me to get it. Anyways, at least the album's pretty solid. It has problems, sure. The first and last songs aren't my thing, largely because of how long they are. The last one in particular is not great in my opinion. The vocals on it sound like Carl Wheezer from Jimmy Neutron. The 6 songs in between are good though. "Public Image" is probably the best one. Aside from the last song, the vocals are pretty similar to the work on Never Mind the Bollocks, which means they could be more annoying. I miss the "r" rolling though. The writing is okay. It's vague, avant-garde post-punk writing. What do you want me to say? The sound is cool though. I don't have much else to say. I just want some more variety in what I get, even if what I'm getting now is pretty solid. High 3/5.

That was nice. This is a nice album. I like it. I'm cool with it being on the list. It's different from other things. It's a folk album that has clear classic roots but also feels modern at the same time. That's a good thing. The sound is very pleasant to listen to. I love it. It makes me happy. The singing is similarly nice. I like the harmonies. The writing is quite good too. This whole album makes me feel cozy in a way. This album makes me want to go outside in the fall. It's not quite fall yet, but at some point in the future, I would love to spend a fall day in the forest listening to this album and then come home to binge watch Over the Garden Wall again. That would be nice. This album's great. I wish I had more to say. High 4/5.

I mean, it's Paranoid. What do you want me to say? This is easily one of the greatest, most important metal albums of all time, and by extension, one of the greatest albums ever. Everything I said about prior Black Sabbath albums applies here. The sound is still phenomenal. This album takes the feeling of doom that their debut captured so effortlessly and refines the sound to be a bit more accessible, yet still so special and awesome. There is not a single bad song on here. I could say something good about all 8 of them, so I will. "War Pigs" might be one of the greatest album openers ever. I love it. "Paranoid" is an absolute classic that shows that the guys were able to increase the energy of the sound perfectly. "Planet Caravan" is so radically different from the other Black Sabbath songs and it weirdly works. "Iron Man" is just awesome. Everything in it just works. I really like the weirdness of "Electric Funeral." "Hand of Doom" is super underrated. It's great. "Rat Salad" is a very fun instrumental that really shows the technical capabilities of the band's instrumentalists, especially drummer Bill Ward. Finally, "Fairies With Boots" is a great way to close the album. Tony Iommi's guitar work is just the best, Ozzy Osbourne's vocals capture the themes of each song perfectly, Geezer Butler is a great bassist, and I already complimented Bill Ward. This album is just amazing. Easy 5/5.

HOW HAVE I NEVER HEARD OF THIS BAND BEFORE??!! What happened to society to let Fishbone go unnoticed? This is amazing! I love this album! The sound is so unique and wildly varied and insane and I love it! The blend of ska, funk, and even metal influences is just awesome. The singing is nice too. The writing on here is just as varied as the sound. You'll have a song like "Subliminal Fascism" with a Dead Kennedys level of obvious political messaging that come two songs after "Bonin' in the Boneyard" which is exactly what it sounds like. The cover of Curtis Mayfield's "Freddie's Dead" at the beginning might be one of the best song covers I've ever heard. But why is this band on the list? As I said, Fishbone is far from the most well-known band ever, and my feelings on how good this album is are entirely subjective. Well, as it turns out, Fishbone is actually pretty influential in the underground, and has garnered a pretty strong cult following over the years. They've even influenced a number of very well-known artists and bands like the Red Hot Chili Peppers, No Doubt, Ice-T, and Primus. There's an argument to be made that if there's a thing that can be considered the "most important" of something, then the thing that influenced that first thing is actually more important. Many people consider Sgt. Pepper's to be the most important album of all time, but since Sgt. Pepper's was strongly influenced by Pet Sounds, does that make Pet Sounds the real most important album? I guess what I'm trying to say is that sometimes the greatest things in life are also the most underappreciated. I'm also trying to say that Fishbone is really good and should've been way more popular than they were. Light 5/5.

Well, at least it's an important post-punk album this time. Not only it Magazine's Real Life an important album in the development of the post-punk genre, it's also really good. This thing is awesome. The sound is great. It's quite varied and unique. Comparing the tones of songs like "Definitive Gaze" and "Shot By Both Sides" is pretty crazy. The latter of those two songs is just amazing, and the former is a pretty good opener. The vocals are pretty solid as well. I definitely like Howard Devoto's vocals more than I did the vocals on the album I got from his former band Buzzcocks. The writing does its job well. I do have problems though. While the best songs on this album are total bangers, the weaker ones don't really do much for me. They're fine, just nothing special. I praised the vocals earlier, but honestly they don't always work for me either. Those problems are pretty minor though. This album's great. High 4/5.

Finally, a member of my Australian legends list! AC/DC is simultaneously a very interesting band and a very uninteresting band. They're very popular, so I definitely think they deserve to have at least one album on here. Fortunately, they have two, with this being the earlier one. This album's pretty alright. The sound is quite good. I've always liked the riffs and solos I've heard of AC/DC. Although, I did just realize that, until listening to this album today, I had only ever heard like 4 AC/DC songs in my life ever. My belief has been reaffirmed with this album listen. Bon Scott's vocals are certainly unique. One may find them annoying, but I find them to be fun. Now, let's get the obvious complaint out of the way. Let's just say that there's a reason why people say that every AC/DC song sounds the same. This album's pretty repetitive in both sound and (for the most part) lyrical matter. However, while this does lead to a less interesting album, it does make Highway to Hell a pretty consistently solid album. Of course, it does peak with the title track at the beginning, but the others aren't bad. They're just not as interesting. Overall, this is a solid album from a pretty influential band. It may not be an album that I'm super passionate about, but I see the appeal and the importance of this album. High 3/5.

Welp, I guess I have to admit that I actually really like U2. Yeah, it's undeniable at this point. When you've listened to three albums from a band or artist and really liked all of them, you've officially reached the point of no return. You're a fan now. I guess I'm a U2 fan now. Admittedly, All That You Can't Leave Behind isn't the most inspired album ever. It's pretty similar tonally to The Joshua Tree, an album from 13 years prior to this one's release. The album's still good though, I swear. I don't get the hatred. I mean, the album starts with "Beautiful Day"! That's a great song. Sure, the album kind of peaks at the beginning. But the ending isn't bad. It's still alright, just not the best. I still really like the sound, both instrumentally and vocally. The writing is still pretty good, but not quite as good as it was on some of their earlier albums. This may not be the best U2 album or the best album of 2000, but I still like this album for what it is. 4/5.

Hmm... let's see. An obscure Scottish indie electronic rock album from the early 2000s with minimal success, a weirdly high amount of praise from one or two magazines, and a band where one of the first things the Wikipedia article mentions is that the band was praised by members of Radiohead and Oasis? Yep, I think I've found the album that most exemplifies the weird picks of this list. Only Robert Dimery could consider this album worthy of a list like this. I know I don't. This album's mid. The singing's kind of annoying to me. The sound is fine. It's not the most unique, but I respect the production. The writing exists. At first I was thinking that I was just not in the mood for this, but by the end I really started to feel that my complaints with this album were more legitimate than I thought. This thing kind of drags a bit near the end and is a bit repetitive. I just don't see why this is here. Apparently Kludge, a magazine I've never heard of, called this the best album of 2001. Really? You're joking right? I mean, how can you call this the best album of 2001 when albums like Is This It and Toxicity exist? Don't get me wrong, the release of Hot Shots II is not the worst thing to happen in 2001, but it might just be the least interesting. Hot Shots 2? More like, Hot Shots 2/5. It's a high 2 though. No wonder this got removed from the list.

Another repeat artist? I feel like I've gotten quite a bit of those lately. Oh well. I've been needing some more soul albums in my life, so revisiting the Temptations will do. This one's pretty good. Admittedly, I did like All Directions more, but Cloud Nine is far from a bad album. It's the earlier of the two albums and I can kind of tell. This doesn't really feel as refined as All Directions. Still, this is a perfectly acceptable soul album. The singing is pleasant and, well, soulful. The sound is also quite good. There are light psychedelic elements in there, but it's still a nice soul album through and through. The writing is pretty decent. This is some good stuff. It's nothing too groundbreaking or even special, but it doesn't need to be. Sometimes all a man needs is 34 minutes of some nice soul music, and this provides that. 3/5.

I like this album. It's good. This is just a nice 80s pop album. I like Peter Gabriel's singing. It's kind of hard to explain why I like it, but I do. Of course, there are guest singers as well, and they all do great. More albums should just have Kate Bush in them for a song. The sound is great. The synths and other instruments are awesome. There's a good balance between fun time and serious time. Speaking of which, the writing is nice. You have some fun, less serious songs like the classic "Sledgehammer" balanced out by a more romantic track like "In Your Eyes". There's good emotion all throughout. This isn't like a perfect album or anything. I mean, there's a reason why it lost Album of the Year to Paul Simon's Graceland. The reason is that Graceland is a better album (in my opinion). However, that doesn't make So a bad album. This album's really good. I absolutely see the appeal. 4/5.

Oooohhhh boy... I have a lot to say about this album. First of all, this album name and artwork is disgusting. Just absolutely gross. I don't like looking at it or hearing the album name. Of course, one could also say that about the name Limp Bizkit, but I've gotten kind of numb to that. Anyways, Limp Bizkit, am I right? They're certainly a band that exists. Now, Limp Bizkit was very culturally relevant in the late 90s and early 2000s, so there is an argument for this album's inclusion, especially considering that this is their best selling album at over 10 million copies. But is the album good? Uhh... no. Admittedly, Chocolate Starfish and the Hot Dog Flavored Water is not a very good album. However, it's not like there aren't good things in here. Limp Bizkit is a band with 4 very talented musicians... and Fred Durst, but we'll get to him in a bit. For now, I have to give the instrumentalists some credit here, especially guitarist Wes Borland. Though he is responsible for the horrendous cover art, the riffs that he plays are actually really good at times. Limp Bizkit's sound is certainly unique. I have to give them credit for that. The genre blend is commendable. There are some genuine bangers in here. I unironically really love "Rollin' (Air Raid Vehicle)." The other big single, "My Way" is also pretty good. They're guilty pleasures, sure, but I still like them. Now, let's talk about the bad. First of all, this album is long. 75 minutes is a lot of time to listen to any band for in one sitting. Secondly, the writing is just awful at times. The first actual song, "Hot Dog" is probably the worst offender here. Let's talk about Fred now. His vocals are kind of annoying. I can handle it for a little bit, but as I stated earlier, 75 minutes is a lot to handle. I've seen a lot of people just hate on Limp Bizkit relentlessly. Here's the thing. While I do get it, I can't say that I'm upset I listened to this album. While there are some awful songs here, the fun ones that I mentioned earlier honestly are worth it for me. This album is just dumb fun. Is it painful at times? Yes. However, I had a big smile on my face for a large chunk of the album. It's kind of like (hear me out on this one) Duck Stab by the Residents in that regard. They're not good (in my opinion), but I had too much pleasure to give this a 1. Still, this thing does have some major issues that make this an album that I'm not comfortable calling good. Still, I guess I kind of had fun during some parts. I don't hate Limp Bizkit. High 2/5.

Wow. This is exactly what I needed after Limp Bizkit. It's almost comforting in a way. I am familiar with Kraftwerk, with my most notable Kraftwerk experience being the time I listened to Autobahn for this very project back in April. I liked Autobahn, so I figured I would like Trans-Europe Express too, and something that I knew I would like all throughout was just what I wanted. And you know what? I got exactly what I wanted and then some. Some people might disagree with me on this, but Trans-Europe Express is a much stronger album than Autobahn. Well, I don't know if I can objectively say that. I'm sure there are people who prefer Autobahn's sound. I'm not one of them. I liked Autobahn, but I love Trans-Europe Express. The sound is just better in my opinion. It appeals more to me. This album feels a lot more cohesive in my opinion. The concept of this one, that being the titular Trans-Europe Express, is explored a bit more than the concept of the Autobahn was in Autobahn. It's not explored much, but it's something. The sound itself just feels more fun to me this time. I especially like the album's opener "Europe Endless." It's nice. This album is nice. It's just more interesting to me. Maybe I'm just not a fan of albums with 22-minute songs in them. I should stop comparing this to Autobahn. Trans-Europe Express stands out as a strong electronic album that makes me feel good. The sound is pleasant and also somewhat complex. It has a fun concept that's executed well. I love it. 4/5.

That was a nice little album right there. Yes, it is finally time for the last Simon & Garfunkel album of the project. The last one I got was Bridge Over Troubled Water back in January, so I was more than okay with getting Bookends now. After listening to this album, I can safely say that this is a great album. Admittedly (and take this with a grain of salt as I haven't listened to Bridge Over Troubled Water in a while) I do like Bookends a bit less than Bridge. However, Bookends is still amazing. It's just a nice album. It's quite short, not even half an hour long. I'm okay with that though. The 29 minutes are used quite well. There's some great songs on here. Of course, "Mrs. Robinson" is an absolute classic. It perfectly encapsulates what makes S&G such an iconic duo in music history. I also really like "America." It's a cozy song. The singing is quite great all throughout. The sound is very pleasant. The writing is amazing. It's not all perfect. I think the presence of "Voices of Old People" is kind of weird. It kind of almost works, but I'm not sure if it does. It at least fits the themes of the album. Overall, while this may not be my favorite Simon & Garfunkel album, it's still an impressive showcase of musical talent that deserves to be recognized in a list like this. High 4/5.

That was nice. Was it the most necessary album listen I've ever done? No, but it certainly wasn't the least necessary. I mean, at least this album has a Wikipedia article! Anyways, this album's pretty solid. I enjoyed it. The sound is nice. It's a bit different than what I was expecting from an album originating in Senegal. I guess I've just never really been exposed to Senegalese music before. I've gotta say, this album makes a strong first impression. The singing is good too. I don't know what they're saying, but that's not a problem with this album, it's just a language barrier. Remember, it's not okay to give an album a low score just because the singing is in a language different to the one you speak. It's a pretty respectable length if you only listen to the 8 songs that were originally included. Later versions of this album have 12 songs on them and I didn't really feel like listening to that much. Maybe I should have, or maybe not. This album's pretty good. It's not my favorite, but I can absolutely see the value in something like this. High 3/5.

Time for another band that I've vaguely heard of! I knew practically nothing about the Jesus and Mary Chain until today, so I didn't have any specific expectations. I've gotta say. This is some great music right here. I like this. The sound is pretty cool. It's pretty chill. It's somewhat fun, but there's also some noise there. Fortunately, it's the kind of noise that doesn't hurt to listen to, which I think works very well in an album like this. The singing is pretty interesting. I think it works very well with the feedback to create a unique vibe that I really like. The writing is pretty good too. Songs like "April Skies" are just wonderful in many regards. My biggest complaint is that there's just not enough of it! This album is only 36 minutes long, so I feel that I really didn't get to appreciate it as much. Fortunately, the Jesus and Mary Chain's debut album, Psychocandy, is also on this list. Apparently that album is even better than this one, so it must be pretty great. Still, Darklands is a really good album. 4/5.

Now this is some amazing jazz right here. I've been needing more jazz lately. It's a genre that I haven't gotten to experience that much of. I still haven't gotten a single Miles Davis album on here, and he has like 4 of them on the list! Anyways, Time Out by the Dave Brubeck Quartet will have to do for now. And oh boy, it sure does things. Easily the most interesting thing about this album is its use of weird time signatures. I love it. I've always had an appreciation for songs that are outside of the typical 4/4 time signature. I want weird stuff some times. The opener is mainly in 9/8! That's awesome! The compositions on these tracks are amazing. Funnily enough, the one song that wasn't composed by Dave Brubeck himself actually ended up being this album's biggest hit, "Take Five," which is also in a unique time signature, that being 5/4. That song is, of course, amazing. The other 6 songs are also quite good. Nothing in this album overstays its welcome, which is great. You love to see it. This may not be my favorite jazz album. I'd say A Love Supreme has it beat in that regard. But Time Out is truly a work of art that absolutely deserves the recognition it's gotten over the years like being put in the National Recording Registry and this list! High 4/5.

Hmm... okay. This is an album alright. Here, we have Timeless by Goldie, which is the earliest of three albums on this list from a genre known as drum and bass, a genre categorized by its characteristic drums (often in the form of break beats) and its bass. Despite this being the first one I've gotten from the generator, I have listened to the other two drum and bass albums on the list already. I did those ones because they were over two hours each, and were thus albums that I felt the need to listen to when I had free time so that I can do them during days where I have as much time to get through them as possible. Maybe I should've extended the minimum time to include this one. Let's move past that though. Back to the genre itself, this album is seen as a seminal album for the genre, giving it an argument for inclusion in this list. So, is this album truly Timeless? No, but that doesn't mean it's not good. I think this album's alright. Is it a bit too long for my liking? Yes, it is. However, the contents of this album are pretty good. This would've been a great album for me to do homework to if I had homework tonight, which I didn't. The sound is somewhat interesting. It's certainly more interesting than other 90s British electronic albums, that's for sure. The singing that shows up sometimes is neat. It's kind of Björk-like in a way. The sampling is good. I do have problems with this album, don't get me wrong. The pacing is kind of wack. The longest song, which is the first one by the way, is 21 minutes long, while the shortest one, "Angel," is just under 5 minutes long. That makes some songs drag too long while others feel tiny in comparison. Still, I respect this album for doing something different at the time. It may not be timeless or faultless, but it's still a solid album that I can see the appeal of. 3/5.

Well, shoot. There's no denying it at this point. I really like jazz, don't I? You know what? I'm gonna admit it. I like jazz. Sure, was today the best day for me to get a 76-minute long jazz album seeing as I got a really long album yesterday and a different jazz album the day before? Well, no. But darn it I still like this! The instrumental talent of jazz musicians like Hugh Masekela is something that I have learned to really appreciate. His trumpet playing in particular is awesome. The piano playing in here is also great. The compositions of these pieces is just crazy and it's amazing. This isn't the best jazz album I've ever heard. I think some songs go a bit too long and not all of them stick out to me. However, I enjoyed this album a lot and that's all that really matters. Light 4/5.

I get it. I finally get it. I understand the appeal of Tom Waits. When I listened to Nighthawks at the Diner back in February, I didn't see the appeal. I just thought it was mumbling over some decent jazz instrumentals. Surely there was more to Tom Waits than that, right? Well, it's September now, and I've listened to Rain Dogs, an album that is considered by many to be the best Tom Waits album. I've become accustomed and open to "weird music" in the 7 months since Nighthawks. Because of those reasons, I was very hopeful that I would be able to see what makes Tom Waits so great because of this album. Fortunately, I was right! This is a great album! This album is just so weird and all over the place. But you know what? That's what makes this album great. I respect this album because each song feels completely different from the last. Comparing the opener, "Singapore," to the closer, "Anywhere I Lay My Head," really makes you appreciate that. Like, how is a beautiful song like "Time" on the same album as something insane like "Cemetery Polka"? I don't get it, but I also do! Tom's vocals are also very unique and characteristic. I feel like I was way too critical in my Nighthawks at the Diner review, and me calling Tom Waits's vocals "not great" was wrong of me. What was I thinking? Do I need to relisten to that one? Now I feel that his vocals add to the strange feel of this music in a good way. The writing is pretty good too. While I don't love this album as much as others do, I feel like it's really opened my eye to the appeal of artists like Tom Waits. I sarcastically said in my Nighthawks review that I was "excited" for there being 5 Tom Waits album on here. But you know what? I'm not sarcastic about that anymore. I genuinely want to see what those other albums are like. Maybe, just maybe, I will become an actual Tom Waits fan. I wouldn't go that far now, but I do see the appeal of this album. High 4/5.

You know, sometimes it's nice to just get a run-of-the-mill decently successful rock act. As much as I may like some (key word: some) of the weird stuff I get, it can be nice to get something that I know I'll understand. Case in point: Tom Petty! I mean, he's a pretty well known name, right? I think he deserves to have an album here. Not only are Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers a successful group, but their self-titled debut album is pretty good! It's not amazing or anything, but it's nice. It's just a solid rock album. It's not groundbreaking, but it's not bad at all. The singing is nice. The instrumental sound is even better. The writing is solid, but not the most unique or impressive. It's a very short album, but that's not a bad thing. "American Girl" is not only the album's closer, but also it's best song. The album's good, I don't have much else to say. High 3/5.

That was nice. British folk rock isn't what I really needed today, but if it's an album as good as this one, I'm okay with whatever. At least this album is important to the development of the genre and thus has a valid reason for being on the list. You wanna know another valid reason as to why this is on the list? The reason is that the album is good. I really liked this album. The sound is pleasant and has this modern medieval feel to it. Like, you can clearly tell that this was made in the late 60s at the earliest, but the instruments make me feel like I'm at a casual ren faire, if that's even a thing. The singing is great. Sandy Denny's vocals are just wonderful. The writing is great too. It captures the vibes perfectly. What can I say? This is just a great folk rock album that simultaneously feels classic and a bit ahead of its time too. Some of the instrumentation kind of reminds me of what Led Zeppelin would end up doing in the 70s, so hearing this in 1969 is pretty cool. Light 4/5.

No offense to Baaba Maal or the country of Senegal, but why is this on the list, and why did I have to listen to it now? I mean, I just got the other Baaba Maal album like 8 days ago. I'm kind of burnt out on Baaba Maal. Not only that, but this album really doesn't seem to be nearly as impactful as Djam Leelii. I mean, this album doesn't even have a Wikipedia article! The last time that happened was with Koffi Olomide, and I gave that album a 1, largely because it has seemingly no reason to be on the list. Fortunately, I will not be giving this album a 1 because I do respect this album. I don't think it needs to be on the list at all, but I respect the album. There are definitely things to like about it. The sound is okay, as is the singing. I don't know what the lyrics say because I couldn't find them anywhere, but I'm sure it's not too bad. The album's not too repetitive either, which is a point over the Koffi Olomide album. I don't have anything else to say really. Lam Toro is fine, I guess, but I really don't see why it deserves to be here. High 2/5.

This album really makes you FEEL like you're in Illinois. For real though, this album's phenomenal. Illinois by Sufjan Stevens is one of the most critically acclaimed albums of the 2000s. My expectations were very high for this one. Fortunately, my expectations were met. There's really something special about this album. It's a concept album, and an excellent one at that. The focus on the state of Illinois is something that could be too narrow in scope for many artists, but not Sufjan. Despite the overarching setting, each song feels completely different from the last and they're all great. You have bombastic songs that exemplify the fun of the state like "Come On! Feel the Illinoise!" that fit in with the theme. And yet somehow a song like that is perfectly balanced by some of the most gut-wrenching songs you've ever heard like "Casimir Pulaski Day" and "John Wayne Gacy, Jr." and it works. Of course, you also have songs that find a nice point between the two like "Chicago" as well. Again, all of these songs are amazing, even the instrumentals. On top of the theme of Illinois, other themes like religion also seep their way into the writing. Speaking of which, the writing is amazing. The biggest reason as to why the concept works is because of how good the writing is. The sound is incredibly varied as well, but once again, it's all great. I really like Sufjan's singing. It fits the vibe of this album amazingly. I really cannot praise this album enough. This is one of the finest, most ambitious albums I've ever listened to. It kept me captivated for the whole 74 minutes, and I am very glad to have finally listened to this album. 5/5.

You know, if I had a nickel for every American alternative rock album released in 1992 that had a song named "Man On the Moon" in the second half, I would have two nickels, which isn't a lot, but it's weird that it happened twice. Anyways, between this and R.E.M.'s Automatic for the People, this is definitely the weaker album. This is what Foo Fighters sounds like to people who don't like Foo Fighters. It is the definition of average alt-rock. It's fine. I would call it a good album, but it's not exactly an interesting album. The vocals are okay, as is the writing. The sound is good, but not my favorite. That's really how I feel about this album. It's not my favorite. However, I did like it generally. It just kind of feels like filler. Light 3/5. And with that, I am official 1/3 of the way through the list!

I have to admit something. You see, all of my reviews so far have been after my first listen of an album. At most I had heard just a few songs from the album before for some of the more popular ones like Thriller and Paranoid. Rust in Peace is an exception. I actually listened to this album about 2 years ago because I wanted to explore metal a bit more and I saw a lot of people praising this album in particular. So, after listening to it a second time, how do I feel about Megadeth's fourth studio album, Rust in Peace? Well, and I may be biased seeing as this was one of the first albums I listened to that really got me passionate about music listening, but this is one of my favorite albums of all time. I love this album so much. I want to say something about every song, but I'll start with the general traits pertaining to the whole album that I love. The sound is just awesome. There's so much energy here and I love it. The mixing (the original 1990 mixing, that is) is really good. Some metal albums tend to have poor mixing, especially in the bass department (I'm looking at you, ...And Justice For All). Rust in Peace does not have that issue. The bass work from David Ellefson is amazing. Nick Menza's drum work here is also stunning. It doesn't get focused on much in the album, but it's still there and it's great. Of course, the thing that makes Rust in Peace such a special album, in my opinion, is Marty Friedman's guitar work. In particular, this album has some of my favorite guitar solos ever, with there being one in particular that stands out above the rest. There is one band member whose talent is a a bit more mixed though, at least according to most people. Yes, I am of course referring to the band's frontman himself, Dave Mustaine. Look. There's no debating over whether or not he's a good guitarist or lyricist. He just is. The debate comes when you talk about his vocals. Yeah, they're not great sometimes. However, I actually think they work really well on this particular album. They sound decent here. Are there better vocal performances in metal albums? Sure. However, I think that this album is not a good example of a bad vocal performance from Dave Mustaine. Going back to general elements, the writing is pretty good too. I feel like Rust in Peace is a very cohesive album despite the variety in songs. Speaking of which, let's go over each song and what they bring to the table. "Holy Wars...The Punishment Due" is the perfect opener. Everything I've said about the album so far is perfectly encapsulated in this song, It's a masterpiece. "Hangar 18" is one of my favorites. The second half in particular is especially fun, and the writing is good. "Take No Prisoners" is a very fast song that I just love. The talent shown in this song alone is just immense. "Five Magics" is crazy and I love it. It's all over the place in the best way possible. "Poison Was The Cure" has some particularly amazing bass work. The juxtaposition between the fun sound and the not-so-fun writing about Dave Mustaine's drug problems creates a very unique song. "Lucretia" feels pretty different from the rest of the songs, but it's great too. I really like Dave's vocals on this one. "Tornado of Souls" might be even better than Holy Wars. The song would already be great without it, but the guitar solo in this one is the stuff dreams are made of. It is honestly one of my favorite parts of any song ever. "Dawn Patrol" is probably my least favorite on the album, but revisiting it has given me a bit of a new perspective. I think the song does its job well and shows off some more great bass playing. Finally, "Rust in Peace...Polaris" is a great closer. Maybe not as good of a closer as Holy Wars is an opener, but still amazing. The theme of nuclear war is especially strong on this one. I know I yapped a lot about this album, but how could I not? It's literally Rust in Peace. It is easily one of the best metal albums ever made, and because metal is awesome, that makes it one of the best albums of all time, in my opinion. It is a metal masterpiece. 5/5.

Well, that's one way to follow up Megadeth. That's also one way to mark 365 albums done for the project. I've done this for a year. Well, okay, because 2024 is a leap year, I'm counting tomorrow's album as the one year mark, so sorry Beyoncé fans. However, that is the only apology I will issue to Beyoncé fans in this review. Quite frankly, they have things pretty good. This a solid album. Like most modern pop albums, it's not really my thing, but I do respect this album quite a bit. I think Beyoncé's a pretty good singer. She adds some character to these songs. The writing isn't my favorite, but it has it's great moments in there. The production is great. One interesting thing about modern albums to me is how many producers are on there. Fortunately, I didn't really feel like any of the production on here was subpar. Then again, I'm not an expert in that regard, so take that with a grain of salt. The features are mostly pretty good. Of course, the one problem with the features here is that I can no longer make fun of Drake for not being on the list in any capacity. The songs on here are pretty good too. I will say that the idea of a "visual album" that this album kind of pioneered is really cool. I didn't watch the visuals of this album, but I'm sure they're neat.I see the appeal in this album. It might not appeal much to me, but I get why others like it. I'm not one of those kinds of people who just endlessly complain about music from the 2010s onward being "all bad" because I know that that simply isn't true, and this album shows that. Strong 3/5.

Well, I feel like I can official say that I have now been doing this project for an entire year. I started on October 5th, 2023. It is now (as of when I'm writing this) about 8:00 PM on October 4, 2024. Every day on the calendar can be associated with me listening to an album from this list. I can hardly believe. Fortunately, I get to celebrate this occasion with an amazing album. This is just a phenomenal album right here. Bob Marley is a legend of music. If anyone gets to be called "the Reggae Guy," it's him. I already listened to Natty Dread and liked it quite a bit. However, there's something about Exodus that just makes it a special listen in comparison. Perhaps this album feels more varied, because it does. While the songs do generally have the same feel to them, it's more so in a "this is just what the artist sounds like" kind of way and not a "these all feel like the same song" kind of way. The writing is perhaps the biggest source of variety in this album. Some songs really hone in on the feel-good aspect of reggae. Songs like "Jamming" and the absolutely iconic "Three Little Birds" just make me happy. The whole album does bring great vibes. However, some of the songs on the first half in particular really have a lot of depth to the writing. I mean, the opener "Natural Mystic" has the line, "Many more will have to suffer / Many more will have to die." What? I did not expect that from this album, but it adds some depth to the music that is not a bad thing in the slightest. The sound is great too. The reggae style has practically been perfected in this album. Again, there's a similar feel to the songs, but each song has its little quirks and features that make them stand out from one another. I really have no complaints with this album. It's perfectly paced, it's got a great blend of emotions, and the sound is amazing. This is an essential listen to anyone who is even remotely interested in reggae. I'd even recommend this to people who aren't that interested in reggae just so they can hear how amazing it can be at its peak. Light 5/5.

Man, I am so happy that someone like this guy is on the list and not Chris Brown. Fuck Chris Brown. Me and my homies hate Chris Brown. Anyways, this album's good. I wouldn't say I love it, but it is a solid modern r&b album. I've never mentioned this before, but contemporary r&b is kind of what I was raised on, and by that, I mean that's what my parents listened to for a large part of my childhood. So I'm sure my parents have engaged in some Maxwell action before. I probably shouldn't phrase it that way. Let's actually talk about the album. This is somewhat of a concept album, which is something that always interests me. The album has a heavy focus on adult romance. That's it? I mean, I'm fine with an album having seductive writing. I mean I gave Marvin Gaye's Let's Get It On a 4! However, I feel like that's kind of the focus of contemporary r&b as a whole, which makes this album not feel like a concept album as much. But, another way to think of this is by looking at the release year. This was long before this style of music really hit it big, so this album plus a few others helped form the foundations of the genre. That gives this album value. The album also has value because it's good. I like Maxwell's singing. It fits the vibes very well. The writing is a bit repetitive, but certainly isn't bad. It gets the job done. The sound is pleasant and similarly arousing. The album's good, but it's nothing too special in my eyes. Still, I see the appeal. High 3/5.

Well, on the 1 year anniversary of me listening to my first ever album by The Smiths, we have another album by The Smiths. HOW?! How does this happen?! This may genuinely be the craziest coincidence I've had in regards to this generator, and I've encountered some weird coincidences. Am I going to have to wait until October 6, 2025 to get The Queen is Dead? Maybe? I don't know. Let's move on and talk about Strangeways, Here We Come. I liked Meat is Murder quite a bit. I initially gave it a 3/5 but that was because it was the second album I ever got and I didn't like at as much as the first one I got. Since then I have gotten that rating bumped up to a 4 because I realized that the album is quite good actually. However, it's not the best Smiths album. To be fair, I don't know if Strangeways is the best one either, but it's at least better than Meat is Murder. Everything that I liked about that album is here, but it seems that the band really improved on their style in the two years after that album's release. The sound is still very unique and pleasant to listen to. Johnny Marr's guitar work is just as great as ever, as are Morrissey's vocals and writing. Andy Rourke and Mike Joyce also do great playing the bass and drums respectively. I don't have much to say about them, but I figured that I might as well give them praise since I'm doing so for the other members. There's some wonderful songs on here. "A Rush and a Push and the Land is Ours" is strong opener. It really sets up a different feel for this album. "Girlfriend in a Coma" is a pretty similar song that has this weird blend between being very fun to listen to and having very sad lyrics that I kind of really like. I think "Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before" might be my favorite on the album. It's great. Overall, this is a strong album that really goes to show just how much talent there was in the Smiths. It's a shame that this was their last album. At least they ended strongly. High 4/5.

You know, it's always interesting to see a self-titled album that isn't the debut, because you never know what it's going to represent in their career. For the Beatles, it meant getting weird and doing whatever the hell they wanted to. For Metallica, it meant the start of a shift in sound to become more accessible. And for Joan Armatrading, well I don't know what it represents other than being good. I like this album. It's not a masterpiece, but it's solid. I like what I heard. The singing is pretty nice. The sound is fairly interesting. All of the descriptions I found beforehand labeled this as something like folk rock or singer-songwriter which gave me a certain impression of what this would be like. However, I'm sensing a much stronger funk and soul influence than I expected. But you know what? That's far from a bad thing. I mean, I like folk rock, but there's only so many folk rock albums you can listen to before it stops being interesting. It's always nice to get something that's a bit different but still somewhat familiar. It's especially nice when the sound is as good as this. The writing is also pretty good. Overall, this isn't the most fascinating album out there, but it is pretty good and sometimes that's all you need. Light 4/5.

What the hell! These guys are neither black nor monks! I can't believe this. You know what else I can't believe? I didn't hate this album. I wasn't sure I'd like this album much based on prior albums I've gotten. However, while I don't love this album, I do respect it quite a bit. I mean, this thing was super ahead of its time. This could've easily been released in the late 70s with little to no questions. But this album was released in 1966! That definitely justifies this album being on the list. As for the quality of the album itself? Well, I like the album, but it's far from my favorite. The vocals kind of fluctuate for me in terms of how I feel about them. Sometimes they're kind of annoying, but other times they fit quite well. The writing doesn't mean much to me either. It's not particularly bad, just not spectacular. The sound is alright. The organ is a bit overbearing, but at least it's played well. A very broad thing about this album that really struck me as being great is the presence of a punk-like energy. Between the nonconformity in sound, the sometimes political writing, and the general vibes of the album, I can definitely see how this was a big influence for the punk ethos as a whole. And you know what? That's great. That gives this album something that other "punk" albums like (I'm looking at you Hypnotised). Overall, I would say that I liked this album. However, my respect for this album is much higher than my actual enjoyment of the album. Still, I wouldn't really consider removing this from the list. It belongs here, even if I'm not the biggest fan of it myself. Solid 3/5.

Well, well, well, well, well, well. It took long enough. If there's one thing that's kind of infamous about the 1001 albums list (in my eyes), it would be the fact that Elvis Costello of all people has 6 whole albums on the list (1 for each "well" at the beginning of this review). Despite that, I have just now gotten my first Elvis Costello album over a year into the project. Statistically speaking, I should've gotten two or three of them by now, but I guess I had to wait. So, is my first impression of Elvis Costello a positive one? Yeah. I'd say it is. I really liked this album. My Aim is True is a strong debut album. Costello's voice is alright. I like other vocalists more, but he definitely isn't a bad vocalist. The sound is great. There's a consistent feel to it all, but there is a strong variety between songs. Comparing a song like "Welcome to the Working Week" to "Allison," the latter of which is probably my favorite from the album, really shows this. Like, you can tell this is the same artist and the same instruments. And yet, the vibes are pretty different, so that's good. The writing is also quite good. Apparently some of the book's selections as far as highlighted artists were made because of good songwriting, and Elvis Costello is an example of that. You know what? I can see it. These songs are good. There really isn't a particularly bad one. So, do I think Elvis Costello is worthy of being on the list? Yes. I do think that My Aim is True is a good enough and popular enough album to warrant being on the list. Is he worthy of having 6 albums? Well, we'll see about that when I get the other ones. For now, my opinion is positive. High 4/5.

Hell yeah! You can't go wrong with 80s thrash metal. Of course, thrash metal was largely defined by 4 specific bands: Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer, and the focus of this review, Anthrax. Despite being part of the "big 4", Anthrax isn't really talked about as much is its contemporaries. I mean, when it comes to peaks, they were never really as innovative as Metallica, as technically impressive as Megadeth, or as heavy and intense as Slayer. That's not to say that they weren't innovative, impressive, or heavy. I think Anthrax is definitely all of those things. However, their main appeal to me is how fun they are. Among the Living is a fun album. You just put it on and headbang for 50 minutes. Sometimes that's all you need. Of course, I don't want to downplay the great qualities that this album has, so I won't. The vocals from Joey Belladonna are enjoyable. Not quite as good as someone like James Hetfield's vocals, but he's probably a better vocalist than Dave Mustaine. The sound is great. It's a pretty consistent album in terms of tone, but when the sound is so great it hardly even matters. The lyrics are pretty good too. There's some solid variety. From commentary on the poor historical treatment in the song "Indians" to a Judge Dredd tribute in "I Am the Law." It's great! Anthrax definitely belongs in the pantheon of all-time great metal bands. I love this, and I want more. Give me more metal. Please. High 4/5.

Isn't it funny that I got Anthrax and Public Enemy back to back considering that they've collaborated with each other before? I think it is. You know what else I think? This is a great album. I think it goes without saying that It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back is one of the most influential hip-hop albums ever made. Fortunately, it's also an album that still holds up over 35 years after its release. The sound is quite good. The production is just phenomenal, especially for the time. The Bomb Squad really knew what they were doing with this one. The rapping is also great. It's quite fun, and I feel like Chuck D and Flavor Flav have a much better balance in this album than they do on the other Public Enemy album I've gotten for the project, Apocalypse 91... The Enemy Strikes Black. I think Flavor Flav works a lot better as a hype man than a stand-alone rapper. The writing is quite ahead of its time. Of course, you can still feel that this is, in fact, 80s group hip-hop. However, not every song on here is just "let's have fun rapping." You have plenty of songs with meaningful messages. I especially love "Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos." It really shows how meaningful hip-hop can be. Overall, while there are certainly hip-hop albums that I like more, there's no denying the impact that this great album has. It's great. High 4/5.

Well, there are worse bands to give two albums. I'll say that. This list really does love Britpop, doesn't it? But you know what? I'll give Suede a pass. I actually really liked Dog Man Star. I gave it a high 4 and I'll stand by that. So, my expectations for Suede's self-titled debut album were high, but not too high. I definitely wasn't expecting a better album than Dog Man Star. So, were my expectations met? Yeah. They were met exactly as I expected them too. However, while it's not as good, I would still say that I liked this album quite a bit. A lot of what I said in that review applies here, albeit with a bit of that first-album roughness. I get the comparisons to Bowie, but they do feel kind of overblown. I'm not as huge on the singing this time around, but it still isn't bad. The sound is great though. I do like the darker feel that this has in comparison to other Britpop bands of the time. Songs like "Animal Nitrate" stick out as being really good. The writing is also really good. I don't know if this needs to be on here, and I can see why others aren't as into it, but at this point, I guess I have to admit that I actually think Suede is (or at least was) a really good band. This isn't their strongest work, but it's still strong enough for me to give it a low 4/5.

What's this? I got Coldplay's debut album within 10 days of them releasing their newest album? How fun! Anyways, I know a lot of people don't like Coldplay, but I've gotta say... they started out on a good foot. Parachutes may not be the best debut album I've ever heard. I've heard so many that I honestly don't even know which one I'd call the best. However, Parachutes is also far from the worst debut album I've heard. This is a great album. A lot of what I really liked in A Rush of Blood to the Head is still here. There really isn't even much of a noticeable difference between the two in quality. Then again, I got Rush of Blood like a year ago, so my memory of the album isn't perfect. Still, I know what I liked about that album and it's also here in Parachutes. The sound is pleasant, yet also somewhat emotional. This is obvious in songs like "Yellow" and "Sparks" which are some of the highlights of this album. I like Chris Martin's voice. The writing is solid. I can definitely see the overall comparisons to early Radiohead that people have made with early Coldplay. Of course, I like what I've heard from Radiohead more than what I've heard of Coldplay, but I still really like Coldplay's first two albums. I don't really know which one I like more. Both are quite good. 4/5.

See guys! The Blue Album is on the list after all! I'm joking, of course. However, while I would love it if the Weezer blue album was on the list, I am perfectly content with getting Joni Mitchell's Blue instead. Why is that, you may ask? The reason is simple. This album's amazing. I've said this to a few other albums, but this might be the saddest album I've ever heard. Songs like "Little Green" and the title track are written in such ways that really capture strong emotions well. Speaking of which, the writing on these songs is great. I can see why the 1001 albums book listed Joni Mitchell as an example of a great songwriter. Of course, while a great songwriter can be successful despite having a weak singing voice (just ask Bob Dylan), strong lyrics are made even stronger with a good vocalist. Fortunately, Joni Mitchell is also a good vocalist. I really like her singing. It's nice. The sound is quite simple, but still excellent. A lot of the sound was provided by Joni Mitchell herself, though other artists like James Taylor contribute as well. They all do well with the music. Overall, this is a timeless album that absolutely deserves the praise it has gotten and then some. It is a true artistic statement of a quality that doesn't come all the time. It is, dare I say, a masterpiece. 5/5.

I get one day of something different and then it's back to late 90s/early 2000s British alt-rock. Of course. Oh well, at least this album's good. I mean, the two I got before yesterday's album were good as well, but you get the point. I had only vaguely heard of Manic Street Preachers before today, so I really didn't know what to expect. Fortunately, what I got was something quite good. I like this album quite a bit. The sound is probably my favorite part. It's not super complex, but everything comes together to form a sound that appeals to me. The singing and writing are also solid. There's some pretty good songs in here. The songs have a good enough variety to them. There's not much to say about this album. It is a pretty good alt-rock album. It's nothing spectacular, but it still appeals to me. Light 4/5.

More British rock? Really? Of the past 5 albums (including this one), 4 of them have been British rock. I know that's a broad label, but I still want more variety than that! But hey, at least they're all good albums, right? Well, I did quite like those Suede, Coldplay, and Manic Street Preachers albums I got earlier this week. I gave them all 4s! Is Slayed? also a 4? No. I wouldn't say so. This album isn't very interesting to me. The singing is alright. It's not bad, but not my favorite. It's kind of like a weaker Robert Plant at times. The sound is somewhat repetitive, but is decent enough for it to not be a huge deal. It's still noticeable though. The writing is also okay. It is similarly repetitive to a degree that isn't infuriating, but is still noticeable. I definitely wouldn't call this a bad album. I see the value in it. Nothing here is particularly bad. However, it's not special enough for me to particularly care about it. Maybe on another day I'd give it a lower score, but I'll give it a light 3/5 for now.

Is it more British rock? Sure. Do I care? No. I love Radiohead. OK Computer is still one of the best albums I've listened to for this project. Now I get to listen to Kid A! I'm just happy that I got Kid A before Amnesiac since listening to those two in reverse order would just be weird to me. So, how does Kid A compare to OK Computer? Well, I'll start by saying this: these are very different albums. Kid A marked a significant shift in Radiohead's sound. This was the point where Radiohead had really become something very different from what they originally were. This is perhaps most obvious in the song "Idioteque," which honestly feels like a different band. But you know what? I think that worked out well for them. Radiohead has arguably become even more successful than would've been before because they've explored their sound so much. But of course, the biggest pay off was that they made a phenomenal album. Kid A is truly something special. I genuinely don't know whether I like it or OK Computer more. The sound is just mesmerizing. I adore it. I actually think Thom Yorke's singing works better in this style than it did in the earlier sound. It feels more fitting. There are some amazing songs on this album. "Everything In Its Right Place" is such a perfect opener for this. It really hits home how different and unique this album is. The aforementioned "Idioteque" is another one of my favorites. It was kind of the point where my rating for this album was locked in. And of course, I would be remissed if I didn't bring up "How to Disappear Completely." Thom Yorke said that this was the most beautiful piece of music Radiohead ever wrote. I haven't heard every piece of music that Radiohead has made, but I definitely believe this claim of his. It truly is one of the best songs I've ever herd. I don't know what to say. This album would easily be many other artists best albums. And yet somehow, this is just one candidate for the best Radiohead album. Now that I've heard two Radiohead album, I think I can confidently call myself a fan. This is a band that really knows how to make amazing albums, and Kid A is among the best of them. 5/5.

Wow. This album's great. I feel like I haven't gotten as many albums from women within the past few months as I should. Sure, I did get Joni Mitchell, Joan Armatrading, and Beyoncé in the past month, but then you have to go back nearly two months to find the Dolly Parton album I got before those ones. Needless to say, Tracy Chapman's debut album serves as a nice source of variety that I've needed from this generator as of lately. Let's talk about the album now. As stated earlier, I think it's absolutely wonderful. Everything about this album just works. Tracy Chapman's singing is nice. I really like it. She really gets to shine on songs like "Behind the Wall," which only has her voice in it. Of course, most songs on this album aren't just singing. The other 10 songs all have instruments in them too. Fortunately, they're also great! The sound is generally fairly soft, with a heavy focus on acoustic guitar. There are moments where other instruments show up though. I really like both styles. The writing is arguably the highlight of this album. There are some absolutely amazing songs on here. The highlight, of course, is "Fast Car." What a song. That song alone justifies this album being on the list. Other songs like the opener, "Talkin' Bout a Revolution," and "Across The Lines" do a great job at focusing on social issues in an interesting way. Other songs like "Baby Can I Hold You" and "For My Lover" are just very solid love songs. This album's great. There are definitely albums I like more, but the impact of this album and the quality of its music are more than enough to justify this album's legacy. Light 5/5.

You know, I may be upset that so many of the albums I've gotten lately are British rock albums from bands I've already gotten albums from before in the past. However, that feeling typically goes away as I start listening to the album, as all of these albums have been great. Suede self-titled wasn't quite as good as Dog Man Star, but it was still solid. Parachutes was a strong debut that reaffirmed my belief that early Coldplay was actually really good. Kid A might be one of my new favorite albums ever. And now, we have to talk about my second T. Rex album, The Slider. I liked Electric Warrior. I didn't love it, but I liked it. It was actually my 100th album for the project, so that's fun. So, when I got a second album of them, I practically knew that I would like the album, but it wasn't guaranteed that I would love it. After listening to the album, I actually liked the album a bit more than I thought I would. This is some great stuff right here. It feels quite unique for the early 70s. The sound is strong. It's got some solid glam to it without being too annoying. The writing is interesting. I'd say it's pretty good though. The album's decently varied in terms of songs. That's usually a good thing. The singing is fun. Overall, I think this is a fun album that deserves its spot on the list. Maybe I need to re-listen to Electric Warrior to see if I like it even more now. 4/5.

This one's okay. I don't love it, but it's not the worst thing I've ever heard. It is slightly above-average 60s rock and roll. I have problems with this album, as well as things that I like. I'll start with the positives. I think the style that these guys have is pretty unique for the time. It's fairly high-energy in a strong way. The album doesn't over stay its welcome. It lasts exactly as long as it needs too. Finally, the writing could've aged worse. I've heard worse writing in this kind of music. Now for the negatives. First of all, while I praised the writing somewhat, that isn't really a praise for The Sonics as they didn't write much of this album. There's a few songs they wrote, but as is to be expected with artists from around this time, most of their music is comprised of covers. Secondly, the sound quality isn't great. I know this is from 1965, but it kind of hurt to listen to at times, especially when the singer does those screams, which is something that happens quite a bit. Speaking of which, this album is fairly repetitive. There's more repetitive albums out there, but there's also a sense of originality that is a bit lacking in this album. Overall, while I do have problems with this album, I generally respect it for what it is. It is a solid early rock album that managed to be decently influential. It could definitely be worse. Low 3/5.

Hell Yeah! There's a reason why metal is probably my favorite genre. It's just so cool, and bands like Iron Maiden are proof of that. I've always wanted to get into Iron Maiden, but I haven't really had the time. Now I have an excuse to listen to one of their albums, and their first one at that! So, do I like Iron Maiden's self-titled debut? Yeah! I like it a lot! The most notable thing about the first two Iron Maiden albums is the difference in lineup. The sound is a bit different on here from what I normally think of when Iron Maiden comes to mind, largely because Bruce Dickinson wasn't the vocalist until their third album. For the first two albums, we get Paul Di'Anno on vocals instead. While I love Bruce Dickinson's vocals, Paul Di'Anno absolutely deserves praise as well. He's a strong vocalist that makes these songs work. Other than that, the core of Iron Maiden is still here in full. The guitar style, fantastical writing, and sheer energy are present right from the very beginning. There are slower parts that also work pretty well in songs like "Strange World." Overall, while I'm sure Iron Maiden has made better albums since this one, their first album is still a strong debut. Unfortunately, it was announced earlier today that Paul Di'Anno passed away at only 66 years old. Damn. At least he will always have an important place in metal history. This album is a High 4/5. RIP Paul Di'Anno.

Well, after a whole year of waiting for the first Elvis Costello album, it's only fitting that I would get my second one less than two weeks after the first one. Of course. But this one's slightly different though! My Aim is True is just Elvis Costello, but Imperial Bedroom is Elvis Costello and the Attractions! They're completely different, I swear. They really aren't though. Making that difference a big deal is liking making a big deal over the difference between Neil Young albums and Neil Young and Crazy Horse albums. It doesn't matter. I don't want to say bad things about the Attractions though. They do a pretty good job with the instrumentals on this album. Of course, Mr. Costello himself also is still here singing in his unique style and writing lyrics pretty well. There's a strong variety in songs on this album. I have respect for this album for switching things up with each song. I can definitely sense a slight Beatles influence on this thing. Perhaps that comes from the fact that this album was produced by Geoff Emerick, who worked with the Beatles on albums like Revolver, Sgt. Pepper's, and Abbey Road. Overall, would I call Imperial Bedroom a masterpiece like the promotional material of this album said it would be? No. Honestly, I think I liked My Aim is True more. However, I still like this album. It's not the most essential album for a list like this, but I still like it for what it is. I'm not going to be one of those people who just gives this album a low score because of how many albums Elvis Costello has. I'm going to be fair, damn it! I think this album's a light 4/5.

Why is Iggy Pop looking at me like that? I can't describe the emotion on his face. Is he happy? Sad? I can't tell. Whatever. It doesn't matter. All that matters is whether or not I liked Lust for Life. So, did I? Yes. I did. I think this album's really good. There's a lot to like about this album. The sound is great. It's just a very strong rock sound. It's decently varied, and also stands out alongside other iconic and unique albums of the time period. Comparing this to other 1977 albums like Marquee Moon and "Heroes" doesn't make a ton of sense, but the fact that all of these albums are as great as they are really shows how great this time period was for music. Speaking of "Heroes," I really like the presence of David Bowie on this album. More albums should just have David Bowie involved. Iggy's vocals are solid. The writing is really only bad in one song. The production and pacing are excellent. This is a great album. There are others I like more, but that doesn't mean Lust for Life is bad, because it isn't. High 4/5.

Now this is an album that I had high expectations for. I mean, how could I not? Between Apple Music calling it the greatest album ever made, the overwhelmingly high praise I've seen for it online, and my own experience with Lauryn Hill's former group Fugees, there was a lot of high pressure for me to like The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill. So, did this album meet my expectations? Of course it did. This album's phenomenal. Would I call it the greatest album of all time? No. Absolutely not. However, aside from that one list, this album is properly rated. It truly is as amazing as people have said it is. Lauryn Hill was my favorite part of that Fugees album, so hearing her get to shine on her own here was great. Her singing and rapping is impeccable. Of course, she isn't totally alone. The features on this album are quite strong. The skits actually add to the theming of the albums, which is something that they kind of need to do. The actual songs are all great too. I especially love "Doo Wop (That Thing)." The themes of the album are also nice. The focus on things like love, spirituality, and gender are very welcome in an album like this. Despite lasting for 77 minutes, this album really doesn't drag. It's a bit long, but the time is spent well. Overall, this is a wonderful album that serves as an excellent showing of talent from Ms. Lauryn Hill. This album is truly one of a kind. Literally! She only released one album. I guess that technically makes this her worst solo studio album too. Let's not think about that. This album's amazing. 5/5.

I can't believe this is only my third album from 2006. The only other albums I've gotten until now from my birth year were Christina Aguilera's Back to Basics and Ghostface Killah's Fishscale. I liked those albums well enough, but Black Holes and Revelations by Muse is definitely my new favorite from the year. This album's awesome. The sound is just so cool. The space rock vibes are just incredible. There's some heavy moments in here that just wowed me upon listening to them. Matt Bellamy's vocals are pretty solid, as is his writing. Songs like "Starlight" and "Knights of Cydonia" really stand out as being awesome. I wouldn't call the album perfect or even a masterpiece. This is definitely one of those albums where it appeals to me specifically as opposed to being an objectively amazing album. I wouldn't quite go all the way with a 5, but I would definitely give this album a very high 4/5.

Hmm... sure. Why not? Let's just throw a random Bollywood soundtrack on the list. But you know what? I didn't hate this. I wouldn't even say I disliked this. It's alright! This definitely isn't my favorite album. I wouldn't even call it my favorite "world music album." However, I see the appeal of something like this. The sound is pretty good. There's some solid variety to each song that is kind of lacking in albums like this sometimes. I can definitely see how George Harrison was inspired by the music of India. I don't know what the writing says, but you can definitely still get a general feel for narrative structure in regards to this being the soundtrack to a movie. Apparently, the guy who made this soundtrack, R.D. Burman, composed the soundtracks to over 300 films from the 60s to the 90s. That is genuinely very impressive. Good for him. Overall, I don't love this album, but it's a solid piece of art that serves as a companion to a piece of art that I'm unsure of the quality of due to the fact that I've never seen this movie. The plot seems very interesting though. 3/5.

Alright, My Bloody Valentine round 2. It's been nearly a year since I listened to their third album, m b v, and gave it a 3. Since then, my perspective on music has shifted quite a bit, and I'm much more open to slower, more shoegaze-like music. I mean, I gave Sigur Rós a 5. That alone should be enough evidence. On top of that, I'm feeling exceptionally good today seeing as it is, in fact, my birthday. So, maybe I'm more open to positively reviewing an album like this, right? Right indeed. I get it now. I see the appeal of My Bloody Valentine. Loveless is a fantastic album. This is how you make a noisy album. Music with a sound like this was practically unheard of until this album released. The sound is excellent. The album cover perfectly encapsulates this. It's noisy and a bit unclear, but there are still clear musical sensibilities that create this hazy, atmospheric feel that I really like. There's also some decent energy at times. It's not exactly a happy energy, but it's much more musically active than what I remember from m b v. The writing is hard to hear, but looking at the lyrics gave me good results. There's a very consistent theme in this album that I feel is explored quite well. Of course, the sound is the stronger focus, so it doesn't matter as much. Still, it's nice knowing that the writing is good. There's some great songs on here. I love "When You Sleep." If you had to show someone a single song from this album to make them "get it," play this one. "Sometimes" is a great example of a less energetic song from the album. It's definitely more drony than a song like "When You Sleep," but that allows you to really appreciate the atmospheric aspects of the album. In conclusion, Loveless really is as good as I was told it would be. It's not my favorite album, but the cultural impact and quality of this album are enough for me to justify giving this album a 5/5. I guess I have to revisit m b v now.

And with this, the "listening to the Parliament-Funkadelic albums on the album list" chapter of my life has come to a close. I started with Funkadelic's One Nation Under a Groove way back in January, then listened to Parliament's Mothership Connection in June. Now, I'm going back to Funkadelic for their acclaimed 1971 album, Maggot Brain. I've gotta say, this is my favorite of the three albums. On first listen, I was kind of thrown for a loop. This album isn't really a traditional funk album. There's a much stronger psychedelic influence on here, with the tone even being somewhat somber at times. But you know what? Once I knew what the album was going for, I went back to some of the earlier songs and it clicked for me. This album's amazing. The sound is excellent. As stated earlier, there is a significant psychedelic sound, especially in the album's earlier songs. Of course, there are still funk elements. Songs like "Hit It and Quit It" and "Super Stupid" definitely feel like funk. And yet, there's still something special there that makes the sound stand out. The instrumentation is just phenomenal. The highlight for me is Eddie Hazel's guitar work. It's great all throughout, but it peaks with the guitar solo at the beginning of the album. I can see why people have called it one of the best guitar solos ever, because it probably is. And I've listened to the one from Megadeth's "Tornado of Souls," so that's saying something. The writing is pretty good, as is the singing. The general tone is all over the place in the best way. This might be one of the most unique, inspired albums I've heard. It's great. Light 5/5.

I'm gonna try to be brief on this one for once because I have to go somewhere soon. This one's good. It's very 80s, especially in the sound department. "Karma Chameleon" is a pretty fun song that is simultaneously ahead of its time and very dated. The other ones aren't as interesting, but are still solid. The singing is quite fitting. The writing is also alright. It's very funny that, between Funkadelic yesterday, and the band that Boy George was in today, I got two artists in a row that were referenced in Gex. The album's solid, but it's not my favorite. I wish I could say more. Strong 3/5.

BOOOORING. Do we really need more 90s British electronica on the list? No. I don't think we do. I think I've had enough of it by now. There is absolutely nothing special about this album to me. The sound is fine. It works for what it is. Unfortunately, what it is is uninteresting, at least to me. The skits, if you can call them that, are weird to me. They're not Ready to Die levels of bad, but they don't really serve a purpose to me. The album's pretty long, but it could've been worse. That's this album to me. It could've been worse. It's not quite at Haunted Dancehall levels of terrible for me, but it's still a very weak album pick for a list like this. Low 2/5.

Bruh. British new wave, British electronica, and Britpop all in a row? If any string of albums I've gotten so far represents this list perfectly, it's these past three albums I've gotten. And of course, this one happens to be from a band with another album on the list. I'm not too upset though because this album's pretty good. A lot of what I said in my review of the other Pulp album on the list applies here too. My complaints of that album being a bit long and the writing being a bit repetitive are kind of still here, but they're to a much lesser extent so it really doesn't matter at all. The singing is solid and somewhat reminiscent of David Bowie. The sound is my favorite part of Different Class. While some songs are similar in the writing, the sound differs quite a bit between songs, which is something that I like. Comparing songs like "Common People" and "Disco 2000" really show the talent of this album, partially because of those songs feeling different from each other and partially because those songs are great. The other ones are solid too. I don't have a ton to complain about. This is a solid album with an excellent sound and a pretty solid everything else. Did I like Different Class more than This is Hardcore? I'd say so, though I haven't listened to that other one in a while so I'm not entirely sure. 4/5.

Now this is the kind of music I'm looking for! I don't want another hundred British new wave and electronica albums, I want stuff like this! Despite not having any words, this album speaks to me. Head Hunters is amazing. Of course, I can't praise the writing or singing since those things don't exist in this album, so all I have to praise is the instrumental sound. Fortunately, I love the sound of this album. The blend of jazz and funk (junk, if you will) is wonderful. Some of these songs are pretty long, but they never drag. Speaking of songs, there's only 4 of them and they're all great. "Chameleon" is an excellent opener. It's the album's longest song, but it absolutely warrants the 16 minutes of runtime. "Watermelon Man" has this really unique sound that I absolutely love. "Sly" is just crazy in the best way possible. Finally, "Vein Melter" is a solid closer. It's pretty chill and I really like it, even if it is probably the weakest song on the album. Overall, this album's great. I will now eagerly wait for more albums like this. If only this website could give me some Miles Davis soon. I've heard his stuff is kind of similar to this. If so, I'm in for a treat with those. For now, Head Hunters by Herbie Hancock gets a light 5/5.

I want my 75 minutes back. I mean it. Why did I have to listen to this? What cultural impact does this album have? Not much. What about the quality? It's mid. This album is mid. It is yet another boring, long-as-hell 90s British electronica album. I literally don't even feel like writing a ton for this one. Just read my review of Haunted Dancehall by the Sabres of Paradise. That's how I feel about this album but to a marginally lesser extent. This shit is still uninteresting and unimportant. Haunted Dancehall is still worse, but these albums are way to similar for both or even one of them to be on the list. And of FUCKING course, there are TWO Orbital albums on the list! They barely even deserve one, especially when great artists like MF DOOM, Louis Armstrong, and Weezer don't have shit on this list! I'm upset. 1/5.

I needed this. I haven't had nearly enough prog rock as of lately, so I'll gladly take an album like this. I think Crime of the Century is a pretty solid album. Don't get me wrong. This is not the best prog rock album ever made. It doesn't have to be. Not every album is going to be on the same level as something like The Dark Side of the Moon or In the Court of the Crimson King. However, all I wanted from this album was some pretty good prog rock. Fortunately, that's what Supertramp have given me with this album. I like the singing. It kind of reminds me of Yes or Electric Light Orchestra. I know ELO isn't really prog rock, but I can make cross-genre comparisons, can't I? The writing is pretty good. There's some general theming here that makes the album a cohesive experience. It's a bit of a vague theming, but it's there if you listen hard enough. The sound, of course, is great. I like the keyboards especially. They really elevate songs like "Dreamer" to make them better than they would've been with weaker keyboard work. Overall, this is a pretty good prog rock album, which means I like it more than many of the albums on the list. 4/5.

Yep. This is definitely the self-titled 1980 debut of the Pretenders. I don't have a ton to say about this one. While that does mean I don't have any major praise, it also means that I don't have any real complaints either. This is a perfectly solid album that gives me no reason to be upset. The sound is fun. It's got a nice blend between new wave and punk that actually kind of works for me. The singing is also solid, as is the writing. "Brass in Pocket" is probably my favorite song on the album. I like it. Overall, this album's good, but it's not exactly exciting. Still, I respect it for what it is. High 3/5.

I know I just got Supertramp two days ago, but prog rock is still a genre that I need more albums from, so getting Rush today was a very welcome treat, especially to ease the tensions of election day here in the US. Anyways, this album's awesome. I love prog rock, and this is one of the all time great prog rock albums for a reason. All three of Rush's members bring something special to the table. Geddy Lee is a solid frontman. His vocals are an acquired taste, but his bass and keyboard work is undeniably phenomenal. I love Alex Lifeson's guitar playing as well. The solos on songs like "Limelight" really appeal to me. And of course, there's a reason why Neil Peart was considered the heart of Rush. His drum work is excellent. There's a reason why he's considered one of the greatest drummers of all time. His songwriting is also great. It's kind of weird that "Tom Sawyer," the one song Neil Peart didn't write, became the most popular one from the album. I'm not going to say this song doesn't deserve the popularity though. It's great. I love it. All of the songs here are amazing. "YYZ" is one of my favorite instrumental pieces of all time. It really shows the talents of every member at their absolute best. This album absolutely belongs on here. It is a strong showing of some exceptional music talent that you don't see very often. Rush is cool as hell, and this album is apparently one of their best. Light 5/5.

And now, exactly 300 days after my first Marvin Gaye album, I finally get another one! It's not the one people really really like, but Marvin Gaye is Marvin Gaye. I'm never upset to listen to his music. Although, I have to be honest... Let's Get It On is better. In fact, because the one I haven't gotten is one of the most critically acclaimed albums ever, I might as well just say now that this is the weakest album of his on the list. It's not bad, don't get me wrong. I think this is a good album. Marvin's singing is excellent as always, as is the instrumental sound. There are also some great songs on here. However, I have problems with the album. Firstly, it's a bit long. That's not a huge issue, but it's certainly noticeable. Secondly, the writing is a bit repetitive. This album was written about Marvin's divorce with his wife, and practically every song is about something pertaining to his marriage or divorce. While I do feel that the songs do pretty well with tackling different aspects of this topic, you can definitely feel that this album was written about one thing and one thing only. Overall, I definitely liked this album. This style of music just appeals to me in nearly every context. Despite this album's issues, Here, My Dear still manages to be a strong showing of music from an all-time great. Low 4/5.

400 albums. Wow. I'm running out of things to say about these milestones. Anyways, here's an album! I wasn't super excited for this, but I still kept an open mind. Fortunately, that payed off! I like this album. I don't love it, but I like it. I'll start with my biggest complaint about the band... the name. X? Seriously? Who named your band, Elon fucking Musk? I jest, of course. X is a punk band. These guys would hate Elon Musk (and rightfully so). While the writing on this album isn't overtly political, you can still feel the punk spirit at the core of this album. This isn't another Undertones situation we're dealing with here. I definitely wouldn't call this hardcore punk, but not everything has to be hardcore punk. There's definitely a slight ska influence, which seems to be a lot more common in punk than I once thought it was. The singing is fun. I like it. The sound is pretty good. I like the sound of other punk bands more, but that's just a personal preference. The tone of this album is very consistent, but because of the varied subject matter and the short album length, I wouldn't call this album repetitive. Overall, this is a solid punk album that I respect. It probably doesn't need to be here, but it also doesn't need to be removed. I'm okay with it being here. High 3/5.

Yeah, this is an amazing album. Were you expecting me to say something else? Aretha Franklin is arguably the most iconic female singer that I hadn't yet gotten an album from up to this point. This album is one of her most iconic, and for good reason. This album is excellent. Aretha's singing is just phenomenal. I totally get why people love her singing so much. The sound on here is strong too. It has a perfect blend of jazz and soul that I really like. The songs are great as well. While she did help write a few of these songs, most of them are covers. However, these covers are quite transformative in my eyes, both in terms of the sound and the perspective. The obvious example is in the absolutely legendary opener, "Respect." I like the original Otis Redding version. I did give the album it was on a 5 after all. However, this is basically Aretha's song at this point. Her slight lyrical changes and overall performance change the song from being yet another song about a man wanting a sexual relationship with a woman to the strong female empowerment piece it's seen as today. That is the beauty of this album. While no other songs live up to the example set up by "Respect," this album's other songs are still great and have a similar core to them. Overall, I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You is a strong album that has stood the test of time and left a cultural legacy that most albums can only dream of having. While there are albums I like more, I can not deny this album the praise it deserves. Also it's like the perfect length so it has that going for it as well. Light 5/5.

Here's an album that I'm not opposed to the inclusion of. I mean, this thing has apparently sold over 20 million copies! Def Leppard's Hysteria is clearly an album with cultural impact from a very well-known. This actually isn't my first Def Leppard album of the project, as I got Pyromania nearly a year ago at this point. So, which one do I like more? Well, and take this with a grain of salt because I haven't heard Pyromania in a while, but I'd say Hysteria is a bit better. The singing isn't my favorite, but it's not horrible. Joe Elliott is certainly not the worst vocalist in hard rock. The writing is solid. It does go a bit too far in the "generic 70s/80s rock" style for some songs, but it's not too repetitive and hasn't aged that poorly. The sound is probably the best part of the album. It's kind of hard to believe that the drummer only has one arm! The guitar riffs and solos are pretty cool, but not mind-blowing. That's basically what Def Leppard and other bands like them are to me. This album has some great songs. "Pour Some Sugar On Me" and the title track are particular highlights, and I wouldn't really say I actively dislike any of the songs. Overall, while this albums isn't perfect and is a bit on the long side, I would definitely consider this album worthy of being on this list. I like it. Low 4/5.

The Man Who? The Man Who what? Anyways, this album's pretty good. I wasn't expecting anything special, and while I wouldn't say I got something special, what I did get is still a solid album. Travis kind of reminds me of Radiohead and early Coldplay. Fortunately, I love Radiohead and early Coldplay, so while I wouldn't call this album as good as those bands, it still gives me some of the things that I love about them. The sound is where this is the most obvious. I really like this album's sound. It's just nice. The singing fits the instrumentals quite well. The writing is alright. It's not super interesting, but it doesn't have to be. My favorite song is probably "Why Does It Always Rain On Me?" I listened to it after first generating the album to see if I'd like it or not, and it gave me a good first impression. Overall, this is a nice little album that does its job and is also somewhat influential on what's known as post-britpop. Interesting. Light 4/5.

Time for an album from another one of hip-hop's legends! Ice Cube is certainly one of the most influential names in hip-hop history, largely due to his work with N.W.A. However, his solo work, which start with this very album, has also seen a considerable amount of success, so I can understand the inclusion of an album like this. So, how do I feel about AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted? It's fine. It's far from my favorite hip-hop album, but I've definitely heard worse. There's good and bad to this album. The production is great. It's interesting to me that this was largely produced by the Bomb Squad, a group largely known for their work with Public Enemy, because they're from the East coast, while Ice Cube is from the West coast. And if you know anything about early hip-hop history, you'd know how big of a deal the coasts were. The sound is great, and Ice Cube's flow is solid. The album is also a solid length, and is paced pretty well. My problems with the album largely lie in the writing. It hasn't aged the best. It definitely leans too much into the whole "I'm killing bitches" thing that gangsta rap has been criticized for over the years. The skits are also not my thing. They're not Ready to Die levels of "almost ruining the album" for me, but they don't add much in my eyes either. Overall, while I respect this album to a degree and can understand its inclusion, I'm just not a fan of the overall package. Still, there are definitely things to like here, so I can't be too hard on this album. Light 3/5.

Ooh... I like this. Echo & The Bunnymen is the newest addition to the "bands I had vaguely heard of but knew practically nothing about before getting an album from them" club, so I was definitely intrigued to see if I would like my first album of theirs, Ocean Rain. Fortunately, as I said in the beginning, I really like this album! It's kind of like Joy Division in a way, which is funny because both bands had frontmen named Ian. The general vibes here are pretty good. They're dark and mysterious, but not depressing. The singing fits this very well. The album is paced well, and is comprised of some pretty good songs. I especially love "The Killing Moon." That was an easy addition to my "best of the albums" playlist. Of course, the other 8 songs are great too, just not quite as great. Overall, this is a strong album that I wish I had more to say about. This is some great stuff right here. Strong 4/5.

Hmm... interesting. This is an odd little album right here. But you know what? I like it. I'll start with the issues I have before going into praise mode. The writing could be better at times. Some lines are a bit questionable, but I fortunately wouldn't call any of them offensive. Secondly, the vocals aren't my favorite at times. They're definitely not bad, but they work in some songs more than others. Now it's praise time. The instrumental sound here is pretty good. It's interesting in a way that I like. The basslines are especially something to appreciate. The pacing and general tone of the album are both solid as well. I don't have a ton to say. This is a solid punk album that definitely stands out more than many other punk albums on this list. It's a solid album. High 3/5.

Okay. I can vibe with this. This is a nice album. It's definitely different than the past few albums I've gotten. I'm really liking the variety of the past few weeks. Keep it up website! Anyways, back to Sister Sledge. The style of this music is fun. It's got some strong disco elements mixed in with a bit of soul. The presence of Nile Rodgers alone is enough for me to call this album good. I love his basslines. The singing is pretty good too. The writing is a bit repetitive, but certainly isn't bad. The album is quite consistent, with one stand out song in the title track alongside 7 other songs that are also pretty good. I like this album. High 3/5.

But I like rock and roll! I don't want to destroy it! Fortunately, this album was not responsible for the destruction of rock and roll. And why would it be? It's not like this album is good enough to do that, right? Well, it isn't. I'll say that. However, I don't hate this album. This Mylo album is FAR from the worst electronic album I've heard. I think that this album isn't bad and is, dare I say it, actually good. I don't love it, but I respect it. There really isn't much to focus on in writing, so I'll just talk about the sound. It's good. It grabbed some of my attention. I wasn't hooked on it for the whole 55 minutes, but I wasn't eagerly waiting for the album to end. The songs are alright. I guess that's what I'd call this album... alright. It's not my cup of tea, but I can see the appeal of this. Good job Mylo, you made an electronic album that I'm not upset by the inclusion of. I wouldn't include this on the list myself, but I'm not outraged like I was for something like Haunted Dancehall, because this album at least made me feel something. Light 3/5.

Really? This is what Kings of Leon is like? This is... completely different from what I thought it would be. I thought this would be like theater kid music or something! Although, I'm pretty sure I only thought that because because of that one joke from the glee club episode of Community. But yeah, here we have my first Kings of Leon experience. How do I feel? Confused, I guess? I have problems with this album. I'll start with what is probably the biggest one. I don't like the singing. It's kind of annoying. That's all I'll say about that. The writing also falters at times. Some songs aren't as good as others. The instrumental sound is pretty good though. I didn't love this album, but for what it is, I think it's okay. Maybe the other ones on the list will be better. Low 3/5. I'm on a bit of a 3/5 streak right now. Hopefully that changes soon. It happened the last time I acknowledged it, so maybe the website will do it again!

You wanna know something funny? Because it's been nearly 9 months since I got Guero for the album project, a child could have been conceived and born in between my first and second times listening to a Beck album. The child would've been born a bit prematurely, but they'd live, so I'll count it. Anyways, here's my second ever Beck album! I liked Guero well enough, but Sea Change is definitely an album that appeals to me more personally. The two albums are pretty different. This album goes in a much simpler direction, but that's not a bad thing. The writing in these songs isn't as abstract as the more typical Beck song, but it's not like it's dumbed down or anything. The lyrics still have depth to them, just in a clearer way. The sound is nice in both the instrumental and vocal fronts. The production is solid. The album definitely feels like a Nigel Godrich production, but it still stands out from other artists and bands he worked with like Radiohead. The songs are all pretty good. The tone is consistently solid. This is just a nice album. I really like it. Maybe the last Beck album on the list will be even better. Who knows? Strong 4/5.

Really? Goldfrapp has two albums on here? I don't know chief. I mean, I don't dislike Goldfrapp. I think both this and Seventh Tree are solid albums. I just don't think that Goldfrapp is noteworthy enough for two albums. Anyways, let's talk about Felt Mountain for a bit. I say "a bit" because I don't have much to say. This album kind of reminds me of Björk in a way. I've also seen comparisons to Portishead that I can kind of see. I like Portishead more though. The sound of this album is mostly good. There's some parts that don't interest me, but the variety in this album's sound is certainly respectable. The singing is kind of weird, but I wouldn't call it bad. This album's alright. I don't know which of the two I like more. Because of that, I'll give this album the same rating I gave to Seventh Tree. High 3/5. Good album.

Huh. That was interesting. But you know what? I really liked this album! It kind of gives me Fishbone vibes, which is not a bad thing seeing as I gave their album a 5. I wouldn't go that far with this album, but it's still great. This album does kind of get knocked down a few points on the cultural impact scale on account of suffering from "One Song with Cultural Impact and then a Bunch of Obscure Ones" syndrome though. As far as that one song goes, I love "Cult of Personality." It's just such a cool song. The other ones are okay, but the album really does just come out swinging with its opener and then not hit that high for the rest of the album. The album is a bit repetitive in the sound department, but when the sound is as unique as it is, it hardly matters. The sound of this album is just so fun! It's great. The singing is interesting. The writing is pretty good. I think this is a solid album. I can see why it might not appeal to others, but I really like it for what it is. 4/5.

Okay. Why are there two albums from the Verve on here? At least Urban Hymns had the one song these guys are known for. A Northern Soul is not a justified album inclusion. I'm sorry. The album's fine. It's good. I just see nothing special about this album that justifies it being here. The sound is pretty similar to that of Urban Hymns. Again, I'm sorry that I have to compare the two, but I'm also not sorry at the same time. The writing is alright. The songs are way too long though. Why does the album end with a 6 minute instrumental track? That's something that you do if your band has exceptional talent like Pink Floyd, not if you're an okay alt-rock band that most people have forgotten about. The songs are good though. I would call this album good. I just don't see why it should be here. 3/5.

How did it take over 400 albums for me to get Miles Davis? The man has 4 albums on the list and I had to wait this long for one of them? I can't believe this. You know what else I can't believe (except I totally can)? In A Silent Way is amazing. This was an excellent introduction to one of the greatest jazz artists to ever live. In A Silent Way stands out in the Miles Davis discography for two notable reasons. Reason 1 is that this album is seen as his first foray into jazz fusion, a decision that would cement the later years of his career as being just as important as the early ones with albums like this and its followup Bitches Brew. The other reason is that, as I said earlier, In A Silent Way is REALLY good. It's considered by many to be one of his best albums. Of course, I haven't listened to his other albums, but I can safely say that this is something special. The album is a lot more chill than I thought it would be. It's not entirely chill. There are fun elements in here. The general vibe manages to strike a great balance between the two, which works out quite well. The sound is just amazing. There's only two songs here, but both "Shh / Peaceful" and the title track keep you captivated long enough to really appreciate the artistry here. Honestly, that might be my favorite thing about jazz. The technical artistry at work on the best jazz albums is truly something to behold. The unconventionality of arrangements like these works to create a unique music experience that's pleasant enough to work as background music, but interesting enough to analyze as a work of art. This album is great. I love it. Light 5/5.

Well, I'm going to forget about this album as soon as I finish this review. Why is this here? What does this album accomplish that other early 2000s indie albums don't already have? This inclusion is pointless when better bands like the Flaming Lips and Wilco already have multiple albums on the list. Let's talk about the album now. The sound is alright, I guess. The fact that I'm even thinking about bands like the Flaming Lips is a good thing I guess considering how much I loved those albums. This album just isn't as interesting though. The writing is kind of weak and pretty repetitive. Seriously. This album has more singing about California than a Red Hot Chili Peppers album. Also it might just be me, but this album felt a bit long. Like, it's only 46 minutes, but something about this album just made it seem longer than it is. In conclusion, this is truly one of the indie albums of all time. Low 3/5. I'm talking 5/10 territory.

Now this is an excellent album right here. Electronic music generally isn't my thing, but this style just works for me. I'm definitely getting some Endtroducing... vibes from this album, which is fitting because both of these album revolutionized the art of sampling. Apparently this album was made from thousands of samples, which is just insane. And they all come together to form a very cohesive album that I love. Each song continues into the next, and I love it. I do feel like the whole album experience is probably better than listening to its individual songs, but that's not to say that some songs don't stand out. The title track and "Frontier Psychiatrist" are particular highlights. Those tracks are just amazing, and the rest of them work very well together. The vibes are great, and the album doesn't overstay its welcome. This is easily one of the best electronic albums I've ever heard. It's an absolute classic. Good job Australia! Light 5/5.

Ooh. That was good. This is an interesting little album right here. Meat Puppets aren't a super influential band or anything, but I think there's enough popularity to warrant this album being included. There's also enough quality for inclusion, as I think this album is pretty good. The style is pretty unique. I like the blend of various influences like punk, country, and psychedelia. It works pretty well. The singing is certainly interesting, but I think there's a charm to it. The songs are solid. Perhaps the biggest impact of this album was that three of its songs, "Plateau," "Oh, Me," and "Lake of Fire" were part of Nirvana's MTV Unplugged show, where they were joined by the two main members of Meat Puppets for the performance. That's neat! I haven't heard Nirvana's Unplugged album yet (I'm waiting for this generator to give it to me), but it's pretty cool that these guys influenced and got to work with Nirvana. Those songs are great by the way, as are the other ones on the album. Overall, this is a nice album that I enjoyed. 4/5.

Huh. That was... interesting. This is the first album in the bottom 20 of this website that I've gotten in a while. The last one I got was The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter by the (not so) Incredible String Band back in June. Because of the low rating, I was a bit worried for this album, but the album's also rated relatively high on Rate Your Music, so I went into Rock Bottom with an open mind. Fortunately, I think that paid off. This album isn't that bad! Don't get me wrong. I don't love the album, and I can see why people dislike it. This album isn't for everyone. However, for what it's worth, I think this is a decent album. The sound is odd, but not painful to listen to. I wouldn't even call it unpleasant. I'd just say that it's a bit unorthodox. The singing is also strange, but not the worst singing I've ever heard. I think one of the biggest reasons why I don't hate this album is that it's actually a good length with decent pacing. Too many albums just go on and on for way too long. This album is not one of them. It's a clean 39 minutes and it works. Overall, this isn't my favorite album ever, but I respect it and enjoyed it enough to call myself a defender of this album. It's okay in my eyes. It's not something I see myself going back to though. Low 3/5.

Alright. This is an album I can get behind. Lupe Fiasco is a man that I've heard of, but have never really dived into until today. I had heard good things going into this album, but had yet to hear any of the actual music. My expectations were fairly high. Fortunately, those expectations were met. This is a strong first showing for Mr. Fiasco. The album is a bit long (that outro really could've been a lot shorter), but that's really my only major complaint. The songs are pretty good. There really aren't any that I dislike. The production is great and was done by a lot of notable people, including Kanye West, the Neptunes, and even Mike Shinoda from Linkin Park! The features are also pretty good, with the standouts being Jill Scott's singing on "Daydreamin'" and Jay-Z's verse on "Pressure." The writing is just excellent. Lupe's flow and rhyming is top-notch. The theming and story-telling of the album is also great. Overall, this is an amazing debut album that I really liked. Good job, Lupe! Strong 4/5.

So this is what I get for album 420 huh? Damn. I really wanted that Snoop Dogg album today. That would've been hilarious. Anyways, this Buck Owens album is okay. It's nothing special, but it's good for what it is. The sound is fun. This is definitely sillier than something like a Johnny Cash album, but it works. The singing also fits the tone of this album very well. The writing is solid. The album and its songs are nice and short. Overall, this is a pretty decent little country album right here. I approve, even if it's not really my thing. 3/5.

A second album from the xx? Sure. Why not. I liked their debut well enough. That album was good and so is this one. The sound is solid. It's got a good blend between mainstream pop sounds and a general indie vibe. I can definitely hear an evolution in sound from 2009 to 2017, so that's good. The singing is alright. I like the presence of two vocalists. The songs are good. This album isn't excellent or anything, but it is pretty good for what it is. I really don't have much to say about this album. High 3/5.

Well... at least it's something interesting! This is definitely one of the more obscure albums on the list, but it's not another 90s electronica album, so I can at least appreciate that this album fills a very specific niche that hasn't really been filled by any albums I've gotten so far. Of course, that's not the only thing that I can appreciate Ozomatli's 2004 album Street Signs for. I think this album is good! The sound is lively and interesting. There's a strong genre and influence blend here, so that's nice. The songs are pretty varied. I guess if I had to compare this to any other album on the list, it would be that Jurassic 5 album I got a while back, which is fitting since that group's own Chali 2na was a guest on one of this album's songs. That's cool and all, but this album still isn't my favorite thing that he was a guest on. That honor, of course, goes to the Epic Rap Battles of History video he was in, where he played famous astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson. This album's a close second though. It's pretty good, but it doesn't really need to be here. Still, the inclusions is certainly not the most egregious inclusion on here. Solid 3/5. Definitely closer to a 4 than it is a 2.

You know what? I've heard worse. That's right! I didn't hate a 90s British electronic album for once! Well, okay, it's definitely happened a few times. However, I feel like I complain a lot about obscure British electronic albums from the 90s, so to hear that the KLF's The White Room was actually solid was a surprise to me. I think the biggest thing that makes me not hate this album is that it's not pointlessly long. This album's a nice 44 minutes, which is a good album length. The songs themselves don't go on too long either, which is nice. The songs themselves, by the way, are good. As always, I must admit that this style of music isn't really my thing. However, I definitely respect this album enough to give it some praise. It's a solid electronic album with a style that I like well enough. It's also decently influential. Of course, it's not the most influential electronic album on the list, but it's certainly more influential than a lot of the albums I've gotten so far, so it has that going for it. Good job KLF. You're alright. Low 3/5.

You know, I've always wanted to listen to an album from a band whose name is comprised of a US president's last name and an aerial method of transportation. Fortunately, Jefferson Airplane has me covered with their second album, Surrealistic Pillow. This album's great! Never before have I been so happy to listen to a classic rock album. The style here is very enjoyable. I like that it's not definitively one specific style of rock. Most albums fit comfortably into something like psychedelic rock or hard rock. This album largely has elements of folk and psychedelic, with a bit of blues in there as well. I like listening to this music. The singing and writing are both pretty good as well. I especially like Grace Slick's vocals. The album has some great songs, with the obvious highlights being "Somebody to Love" and "White Rabbit." Both of those songs are excellent, but the other songs are also enjoyable. Overall, this is just a nice album that I really like. Good job, Jefferson Airplane! High 4/5.

Dude. What can I even say about this album? I had very high expectations going into In Utero. I already knew I loved Nirvana, so I definitely knew I would like In Utero as well. I actually relistened to Nevermind pretty recently, and loved it even more than the first time. So, how do I feel about its followup? Is it better or worse than Nevermind? I don't know. I genuinely don't know. Both albums are excellent, albeit in different ways. Of course, there are things that both albums have in common. Kurt Cobain, Dave Grohl, and Krist Novoselic show off just as much musical talent in this album as they had in the past. If anything, there's even more talent here, especially from Kurt. His writing in this album is just excellent. I think the biggest think that makes In Utero stand out is the production. Steve Albini had a very different vision for this album in comparison to what Butch Vig had for Nevermind. This is a much rawer album in sound, but given the more personal nature of the writing, I think it works very well. Besides, it's not like the production's bad. It's still quite good, just in a different way. This album has some amazing songs. "Heart-Shaped Box" has always been one of my favorites. There's something about it that's just mesmerizing. Some songs really lean into the aggression like "Scentless Apprentice" and "Tourette's," while others are much more somber and personal like "Dumb" and "All Apologies." "Rape Me" is another standout track, largely for the lyrical matter. The song caught a bit of flack upon release, but Kurt made it clear that it's an anti-rape song, and I can definitely see that that's what he was going for. That song's pretty neat. Overall, In Utero is an outstanding album, and a great swansong for one of the most influential bands of all time... unless you count MTV Unplugged, but we'll get there when this website decides to give me that one. In Utero is amazing. 5/5.

This album's super cool. Jethro Tull are a band I've heard of, but didn't know a ton about going into Aqualung. Fortunately, my first experience with them was quite good, as I really liked the album. The sound is quite interesting, but I really like it. It's got quite a bit of hard rock with a prog rock core and even some folk rock elements. Perhaps the most notable folk rock element here is the flute that occasionally gets a solo. I like the flute. It makes the album and its songs stand out. Speaking of songs, this album has some, and they're pretty good. The opening title track is pretty good. The writing of it and the song that follows, "Cross-Eyed Mary" is a bit questionable, but I don't think there were gross intentions with them. "Locomotive Breath" is also really cool. The other songs are also great. The singing and writing are both above-average. The general tone is great. This is just a really strong album with some great songs that kind of vaguely tie together even if the band has denied this being a concept album. I think there was a concept though. The concept is that the album is really good, and if that's something they wanted to do, they succeeded. High 4/5.

Alright. I can vibe with this. This is just a nice soul/funk type album. The singing is pretty good. There's some solid emotion here. The writing hasn't aged poorly. That's a good thing. The sound is nice. It's quite pleasant, and also fits the writing quite well. "If You Think You're Lonely Now" is the stand-out track, but the other ones are still good. The general tone is quite sensual, but it works well. It's not my favorite "sexy album." I think Marvin Gaye has Bobby Womack beat in that regard. However, this is still an album that I enjoyed significantly. I don't have a ton to say. The album's pretty good. Light 4/5.

Of all the albums I've gotten so far, this might be the one with the most interesting history. I could go over the history of this album, but if you're reading this, chances are you already know the general history of Smile. This is one of three main projects that have come as a result of the original Smile project, along with the much earlier Smiley Smile from the Beach Boys in 1967, and the later Smile Sessions compilation album from 2011. We're not talking about those though. We're talking about Brian Wilson Presents Smile, the re-recording that Brian Wilson made in 2004. This is a fascinating album right here. The pacing and cohesion of the album is insane and I love it. The songs themselves are generally great. I especially love "Heroes and Villains" and "Good Vibrations." The sound is clearly based on a classic work, but still has some modern-ish elements, I think. I'm not an expert on that kind of stuff though. Brian Wilson's singing definitely has some age here, but I'd say his voice aged pretty well. Here's what I will say about Smile. If this was a Beach Boys album from 1967, I would definitely give it a 5. Hearing this in 1967 with all of the Beach Boys' involvement would've been groundbreaking. However, BWPS as a Brian Wilson solo project from 2004 isn't something that I would score as highly. This is still an excellent album, don't get me wrong, but my ratings are largely based on two things; quality of the album and cultural significance of the album. I do try to focus on the former, but I'm fully willing to admit that cultural impact of an album has absolutely affected my score of the album, for better or worse. In 1967, Smile would've been a groundbreaking record that somehow managed to be almost on par with something like Pet Sounds in innovation and quality. But in 2004, Brian Wilson Presents Smile is a cool look into what the result of an infamously unfinished album could've been, but isn't exactly the cultural game-changer that it could've been. While I do really like this album, I just don't know if I can go all the way with a 5. Still, Brian Wilson Presents Smile is an excellent album with some great ideas that has an interesting place in music history. I respect this album quite a bit. High 4/5.

It's been over a year since I listened to Want Two by Rufus Wainwright for the album project. Now, I finally get to listen to that album's predecessor, the aptly named Want One. It's kind of a shame that I had to listen to these two swapped. I feel like it would've made a lot more sense to listen to Want One before Want Two. Whatever, let's just talk about this album for a bit. I like it. I'd say it's about as good as I remember Want Two being. The things I liked from that album are definitely here too. The singing definitely has a sort of Thom Yorke-esque vibe to it, but I'm okay with that. The sound is nice. I don't think I said anything about the instrumental sound in the Want Two review. Obviously this isn't a review for that album, but I do want to say that the sound on Want One is pretty good. The writing is still quite interesting. It's good though. The album is a bit long in my opinion, but when these songs are as good as they are, I don't care that much. I especially like the opener, "Oh What A World" and "Go Or Go Ahead." There aren't really any bad songs on the album though. Overall, I like this album a good deal. I may want to revisit Want Two after this to see which one I like more. It's close though. 4/5.

Alright, Wu-Tang solo album #3! It's time to talk about Method Man's debut album, Tical. This one's pretty good. I think Method Man has a great voice for rapping, and his flow is strong. RZA's production on the album is great as always. It feels a bit different in comparison to the production on something like Liquid Swords, but it's still great. The lyrics are also great. One interesting thing about this album is that appearances of other Wu-Tang members is minimal. Aside from Method Man and RZA, the only other members to appear here are Raekwon and Inspectah Deck with one verse each. I'm okay with that though. Sometimes you just have to let Method Man do his thing and see if it pays off. Fortunately, it paid off. Tical is a good album. I wouldn't say it's as good as Liquid Swords, but I'd say it's a bit better than Fishscale. Light 4/5. I've now given 5 4s in a row, but I'm okay with that. It means it's been a while since I got a bad album, and that's all I really want.

Well, I've experienced the Velvet Underground with and without Nico, so I guess now's finally the time to experience Nico without the Velvet Underground... except it's not. See, despite this album being considered Nico's first solo album, the majority of instrumental and songwriting work was done by members of the Velvet Underground like Sterling Morrison, John Cale, and, of course, Lou Reed. However, Nico's voice is still the main focus of this album, which is good because it didn't get much time to shine on The Velvet Underground & Nico. I like Nico's singing. I didn't praise it in the VU&N review, but I'll praise it now. It's good. The sound is nice. It's a nice midway point between the Velvet Underground & Nico and The Velvet Underground (the album). The songwriting is pretty good, even if it isn't Nico's. The songs are nice. I'm looking at the reviews on this site and this album doesn't seem to be the most popular. I don't get the hatred for this album. Don't get me wrong, this is no Velvet Underground & Nico. I'm sorry for the endless comparisons, but it has to be done. That album is better. However, I like this album quite a bit for what it is. It's not a masterpiece or anything, but I like it. I just think it's neat. Light 4/5.

Okay. Why is this album here? Obviously, the Rolling Stones are more than iconic enough to be on the album list. However, as I'm sure you're aware, they have multiple other albums on this list, all of which are better and more iconic than their self-titled debut from 1964. I should know. This is my fifth album of theirs, and I'm still missing Exile on Main St. What does the first Rolling Stones album bring to the table? Um... not much. This is basically just a glorified cover album. Mick Jagger and Keith Richards only wrote one song for this album, and it isn't even that great. There is praise to give the band here. The instrumental sound is alright. Obviously, the mixing and general sound quality isn't great, but I can still hear what they were going for. I think Mick Jagger's voice has really grown on me throughout these albums of the Rolling Stones that I've gotten over the course of the project. It's good. The writing, as I kind of expected coming from an early Rolling Stones project, hasn't aged the best. It hasn't aged horribly, but it's not great either. It's definitely repetitive, with most of the songs clearly being about women. Overall, I just don't see why this of all albums needs to be here. We already have an early Rolling Stone album with Aftermath. I don't really like that album much, but I still know that that album has an important place in the band's history and is justified in being on the list. This debut is just kind of okay. It is nothing spectacular at all. If this wasn't from the Rolling Stones, this album would have no place on a list like this. I'm not upset I listened to this, but I do feel that this inclusion is very unnecessary given the quality and cultural impact of this specific album. 2/5.

This might be the most uncomfortable I've ever felt listening to an album. Here we have the acclaimed 1971 album Histoire de Melody Nelson by French musician Serge Gainsbourg. This album is freaking weird. This is most obvious in the album's premise. See, this is a concept album. Okay. I like those. What's the concept? It's about a man who hits a 14 year old girl with his car and then falls in love with her before her eventual death. Okay. What the fuck? Of course, I'm not one to complain about a piece of media being batshit insane. As a JoJo fan, I don't think I'm allowed to do that, as that would make me a hypocrite. However, I can complain about the glorification of pedophilia, and I will. The writing in this album is kind of gross. I don't like it. And yes, I checked the translations from French to English. I'm not one of those people who gives albums low scores because they're not in English. No, I give albums low scores for having songs that imply statutory rape. My other main complaint with the album is that I don't like Serge's singing, if you can call it that. Well, you can call it that... in some songs. It's fine when he actually sings, however there are other moments when he's doing a spoken word type thing that makes me more uncomfortable. Of course, this album isn't entirely bad. There's a reason why this album is acclaimed and on this list. While I don't like the story, it's at least interesting, so it has that going for it. My main source of praise for this album has to be the instrumentation, which I actually really like. There's good variety between the songs, and the way the songs are composed adds to the progression of the story. I like that. So, overall, while this album kind of grosses me out, I can see good things here. Given the influence of the album, I can understand why this album is on the list. I just don't really like the album myself. Maybe I'm missing something. I don't know. But hey, at least the album's short. Still, given the positive elements here, I can't say I'm entirely upset to have listened to the album. Low 2/5.

Wow. I really like this. I've seen some people on this website complain about this album. Admittedly, this kind of album isn't for everyone. However, it is absolutely an album for me. Anohni's singing is probably the most divisive aspect of this album. It kind of had to grow on me a bit, but I like it. It feels very genuine, which makes sense given the personal nature of these lyrics. This is probably the trans-est album I've gotten (and probably will get) for the project thus far. Songs like "For Today I Am A Boy" exemplify this quite well. Of course, not every song is about gender identity. Songs like "Hope There's Someone" and "Fistful of Love" are much more relatable to a general audience with themes of fear and love. Either way, I like these songs and their writing. The instrumental sound is nice too. It fits the vibe very well. There's some very interesting features here, including artists I've already discussed like Lou Reed, Rufus Wainwright, and Boy George. These features all work well. Overall, this is an excellently emotional album that really appeals to me. I love it. High 4/5.

Do I love this album? Yes. Am I biased towards anything that's considered progressive rock? Yes. What's the name of this band? Yes. Here we have my second Yes album, fittingly called The Yes Album. I loved Fragile, and I also really loved this album too! The style is basically the same across both albums which makes sense when you realize they both came out in the same year. The Yes Album only has 6 songs, but as is to be expected with prog rock, they're quite a bit longer. They're not too long though. The longest song here is the album's opener, "Yours is No Disgrace," clocking in at just under 10 minutes. I really like all of these songs. I especially like the back-to-back "Starship Trooper" and "I've Seen All Good People." Jon Anderson's vocals are fun and engaging. The instrumental work is excellent all throughout. Bass, guitars, keyboards, drums, you name it. It's all great. Overall, this is an outstanding album. I'm not entirely comfortable calling it better than Fragile, but I'm definitely thinking it. And I haven't even gotten their most acclaimed album yet with Close to the Edge! The moral of the story is that I really like Yes. High 4/5.

Well, I guess Disintegration's going to be my last The Cure album of the project. Oh well. Apparently we're saving the best for last. For now, let's talk about my second album of theirs and their second album ever released, Seventeen Seconds. I listened to Pornography (the album) way back in May and liked it quite a bit. Honestly, this might have to do with how my music taste has shifted over time, but I think I liked this one even more than that one. Maybe I need to revisit Pornography later on. For now, I'll give Seventeen Seconds the praise it deserves. This album's great. The sound definitely feels like post-punk, but there's a gothic vibe that really appeals to me in this album. Robert Smith's vocals are a bit spooky, but I really like them here. The pacing is great. The writing is interesting. All of the songs are good. The first non-instrumental song of the album, "Play for Today" is a great first impression of what the album will be like. "A Forest" is pretty cool. It's the most popular song on the album and I can see why. Overall, I really like this album. I'm not going to go all the way with a 5 for this album, but I'm sure Disintegration will earn that when I get there. Still, my positive opinion of the Cure has been affirmed by listening to this excellent album. High 4/5.

And here we have the newest winner of the "Most Literal Album Name" award! This is definitely what I expected an album called The Sounds of India to be. The only way this could be more literal is if the album was just recordings of life in India. What we have here is effectively an introduction to the stylings of instrumental Indian music, brought to us by acclaimed sitarist and George Harrison collaborator Ravi Shankar. Let me tell you, this is a man that knows his stuff. The bits of him talking about what he's doing with the music are nice, albeit a bit unnecessary for someone like me. The music is pretty good. It's very interesting to hear the differences in what non-western music focus on compared to the western music that I'm more familiar with. It's nice. The compositions are quite good. The Sounds of India is a pretty good introduction to what classical Indian music can be. It doesn't really do much aside from that, but it succeeds at its goal, so can you really call this album a failure? I wouldn't. I like this album. It may be a bit long and repetitive, but I'm happy I listened to it, even if I'm probably never going to listen to it again. High 3/5.

Well... that was an interesting album. Fortunately, it's definitely a good interesting album. It's kind of hard to compare Alien Lanes to any other album I've generated thus far. We have an album here comprised of 28 songs, which would make the album long if these songs weren't all incredibly short. The longest one is just under 3 minutes, and the shortest song lasts for a whopping 18 seconds, which is probably one of the shortest songs on this entire list. The rapid changing in song format and lyrical matter kind of reminds me of the Beatles White Album in a way, just way shorter. This is one of two things that give the album a demo-tape-like feel to Alien Lanes. The other thing is the production. The production here is very low-quality, but given the album's lo-fi nature, I'm assuming that was a stylistic choice. Honestly, I'd call it a good choice. I think the production gives the album a unique feel to it. I do think hi-fidelity versions of these songs could be cool though. The singing is solid, the writing is mostly decent, and the overall feel of the album is quite unique. I don't love this album, but I definitely respect it enough to see why it's here. High 3/5.

Here's a bit of a different album from what I usually get. I'm not exactly in the need for 80s gothic rock since I just got my second album from the Cure a few days ago, but I'm okay with getting this album since I think it's pretty good. Not as good as that other album, but still quite good. The sound is very 80s, but I wouldn't say it's aged poorly. It hasn't aged the best, but it doesn't sound too dated. The singing is interesting, but definitely not bad. The writing is good. The sources of inspiration for this album's songs is interesting, with some songs being inspired by a prior break-up of the band like "This Corrosion" and others being inspired by Chernobyl of all things with the opener "Dominion." It adds variety, so I'd say it's a good thing. This album definitely adds variety to the list. I haven't gotten very many albums like this, so I'm happy this album's here to fill in this niche. The album's also good. Light 4/5.

Where has this album been my whole life? I haven't listened to many 2010s albums for this project yet, but this Beach House album has easily become one of my favorites of the decade. Everything about Teen Dream just works. The atmosphere and sound are excellent. The general tone of the album is kind of hard to explain, but I love it. It's quite nostalgic. I guess the best way to put it is "dreamy," which is fitting as this is considered a dream pop album. I don't know what that means, but I like it. Teen Dream also has some shoegaze elements that I really like as well. Shoegaze has really grown on me over the course of this project. The singing is solid. There are other parts of the album I like more, but the singing is still quite good. The writing is wonderful. I love the emotion on this album. This is just such a pleasant album. There's better albums, sure. But there's something about this album that just speaks to me. Maybe it has something to do with my current emotional state. Who knows? All I know is that I love this album. Light 5/5.

This album's amazing. That's the start of the review. I'm running out of ways to start these things. This is Patti Smith's 1975 debut album Horses. I love it. This is definitely a landmark album in some ways. The fact that an album like this was released in 1975 is astonishing in the best way possible. The sound is excellent. The general feel is consistent, but each song's theming is distinct in a way to make each song stand out. Speaking of which, the writing of these songs is really good. The enjoyable sound is balanced by personal writing about things like growing up poor in the song "Free Money" or her younger sister in the song "Kimberly." The album's opener "Gloria" is just great. The singing is quite good. The progression of the album is perfect. As far as 70s debut albums from art punk acts that got their start at CBGB, I do prefer Television's Marquee Moon just a smidge, but there's no denying that Horses is an amazing first showing and an excellent proto-punk album that really stands out in a list like this. Horses is great. 5/5.

Kanye... oh Kanye. What the fuck happened? Kanye West used to be cool. Then he started getting egotistical, but his music was still good, so there wasn't a huge problem. Now? Not only has he gone even more crazy with the Hitler shit from the past few years, but his music isn't even good anymore! But you know what? I don't care. Well, okay, I do. However, while it's important to discuss Kanye's issues, I'm not going to be one of those people who just gives all of his albums 1 star without even listening to the music. I have to focus on the quality and impact of the actual album that is The College Dropout. Fortunately, this is his debut album, so none of the issues that I've mentioned even really matter. I'm saying all this stuff like I'm an expert, but this is effectively my first time ever really listening to Kanye West's music. So, how do I feel about The College Dropout? It's great. While I obviously do not love Kanye West as a person, I do love his debut album. Admittedly, this album isn't perfect. However, my only major issue is the length, especially regarding the final track "Last Call." Everything else is great though. Kanye's rapping isn't revolutionary or anything, but it gets the job done quite well. I enjoy it. The writing is pretty good. I haven't listened to his other albums, but I do know that other Kanye albums have some lyrical issues. The College Dropout's writing is very solid. There's funny moments that are actually entertaining and haven't aged poorly. This album has aged remarkably well overall, and the writing demonstrates this well. The subject matter for these songs wasn't as common for hip-hop in 2004 as it is now. You have songs on here about things like religion (Jesus Walks), self-consciousness (All Falls Down) and, of course, school (School Spirit). The variety in songs is just incredible. The concept here is interesting. The production is incredible and ahead of its time. The features are all great. The skits add value to the meaning of the songs and the album as a whole. Ultimately, I can understand why someone would struggle to separate the art from the artist in cases like this. I know I have before. However, I think we have to look at the bigger picture pertaining to the impact of The College Dropout itself. This album not only kick-started the career of (for better or worse) one of the most influential rappers of the 21st century, but it also showed the world that hip-hop was more than edgy gangster music. Of course, other albums did that before, but the influence of The College Dropout is hard to understate. The album's also really good. While Kanye West as a person would probably get a 2/5, I think I have to give The College Dropout a 5/5. The impact and quality are just too hard to ignore.