My 1001 Albums Journey

1030

Albums Rated

3.13

Average Rating

95%

Complete

59 albums remaining

Rating Distribution

Rating Timeline

Taste Profile

1990

Favorite Decade

Hip-hop

Favorite Genre

Top Origin

Balanced

Rater Style ?

143

5-Star Albums

1-Star Albums

Breakdown

By Genre

Top Styles

By Decade

By Origin

Albums

You Love More Than Most

Album	You	Global	Diff
Boy In Da Corner Dizzee Rascal	5	2.55	+2.45
Duck Rock Malcolm McLaren	5	2.62	+2.38
Chelsea Girl Nico	5	2.63	+2.37
New Boots And Panties Ian Dury	5	2.68	+2.32
The White Room The KLF	5	2.78	+2.22
Planet Rock: The Album Afrika Bambaataa	5	2.79	+2.21
Chris Christine and the Queens	5	2.81	+2.19
Club Classics Vol. One Soul II Soul	5	2.82	+2.18
A Walk Across The Rooftops The Blue Nile	5	2.86	+2.14
All Hail the Queen Queen Latifah	5	2.88	+2.12

You Love Less Than Most

Album	You	Global	Diff
A Night At The Opera Queen	1	3.95	-2.95
Van Halen Van Halen	1	3.62	-2.62
Moving Pictures Rush	1	3.56	-2.56
Come Away With Me Norah Jones	1	3.37	-2.37
Hot Rats Frank Zappa	1	3.35	-2.35
You Want It Darker Leonard Cohen	1	3.32	-2.32
Wish You Were Here Pink Floyd	2	4.3	-2.3
In The Wee Small Hours Frank Sinatra	1	3.27	-2.27
Winter In America Gil Scott-Heron	1	3.25	-2.25
Rust In Peace Megadeth	1	3.24	-2.24

Artists

Favorites

Artist	Albums	Average
Bob Dylan	7	4.86
The Rolling Stones	6	4.5
Johnny Cash	3	5
Nick Drake	3	5
The Smiths	3	5
Beatles	7	4.29
Nirvana	3	4.67
The Band	2	5
Super Furry Animals	2	5
Oasis	2	5
CHIC	2	5
Suede	2	5
Led Zeppelin	5	4.2
R.E.M.	4	4.25
Beastie Boys	3	4.33
Michael Jackson	3	4.33
Jimi Hendrix	3	4.33
Prince	3	4.33

Least Favorites

Artist	Albums	Average
Emerson, Lake & Palmer	2	1
Leonard Cohen	5	1.8
Queen	3	1.67
Van Halen	2	1.5
Pere Ubu	2	1.5
King Crimson	2	1.5
Rush	2	1.5
John Lennon	2	1.5
Sonic Youth	4	2
Björk	4	2
Yes	3	2
Tom Waits	4	2.25

Controversial

Artist	Ratings
Portishead	1, 5
Air	5, 2
Yeah Yeah Yeahs	2, 5
Primal Scream	5, 2
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band	1, 4

5-Star Albums (143)

View Album Wall

A Christmas Gift For You From Phil Spector

The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars

Never Mind The Bollocks, Here’s The Sex Pistols

Live 1966 (The Royal Albert Hall Concert)

People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm

3 Years, 5 Months And 2 Days In The Life Of...

Popular Reviews

Listened to this 2 days ago. Can’t remember a thing.

Where to start…like most people , this was not an easy listen. Walking down Tottenham High Road, it was tough ti distinguish between background noise and the “music”. Either way, respect to Throbbing Gristle for doing this, the record company for releasing it, the % of people of were inspired by this to make something better. ✊

Toilet

Ace

Painful. At some points, genuinely painful. Dummy was one of the 90s best albums. Turns out I can’t say I like Portishead anymore.

1-Star Albums (50)

The Psychedelic Sounds of the 13th Floor Elevators

D.O.A. the Third and Final Report of Throbbing Gristle

All Ratings (1030)

Music for people who don’t know what music to like.

Sadly this album fills like filler in their catalogue. A few okay cover versions (Money, You Really Got a Hold on Me)and original tracks. If this were not a Beatles album, I don’t think this would be on the list of best albums ever.

Dross

Like many here, knew and loved the Sweet Jane cover but didn’t know anything else. All a bit one tempo for my liking.

A tuneless facsimile of some much better bands. Sounds very pretty dated in 2024. Has no place on the 1001 list.

It says the album lasted 1.5hrs. Felt like 8.

A couple of bangers and some other fun tracks. Better than expected.

I’m most reviews here, only knew of the band through Nirvana. Love they got some pop off the back of Unplugged and exposed to a new audience. The fact three songs were included says enough about the album’s influence on the Kurt. A bit messy for my tastes but pleased I got to hear the whole album.

Absolute classic. One of my favourite albums ever made…from the whoops of Gimme Shelter to the crescendo of the closing track..brilliant. Their peak in my opinion.

Effortlessly great. A few top tier songs amongst funky instruments and cool hip-hop beats. Not listened to this all the way though since I was about 17.

Still sound fresh. You can feel the energy of 1960s New York. Love it.

Some great songs, production and use of samples. Enjoyable listen even if personally struggled with the language and misogyny.

The most underrated band from the British 90s music scene. Some great songs, taking the best of The Beach Boys, Psychedelic rock and soul. A peach of a record.

Never listened to anything quite like this.

5 Stars for ‘straight to you’ the rest of album a 2.

Listing to this was a SLOG. I hope this raised a smile that this made the 1001 to those who like this kind of music and hates everything mainstream on here.

I’ve heard 42% of children born in 1985 were conceived to this album. Facts aside i really enjoyed this album. Yes, it’s as smooth as silk, and the production is a bit dated in places but ‘your love is king’ sounds timeless and Sade’s voice distinctively beautiful.

You can hear the influence it has had but songs do t quite hit the mark. Pretty forgettable, sadly.

Save a handful of albums, I don’t think many genres have dated as badly as grunge.

20% lacking to make it half way decent.

Not really my typical style of music but truly an Album You Must Hear Before You Die!

Hardly music

Pretty cool. Pretty samey.

Easy to mock as lightweight but although the music is of a time it doesn’t sound too dated. Upbeat and more listenable than much of the 1001.

Agree it’s an album to listen to before you die. No way I’m listening to this again.

This. Is. Pop. Majestic, beautiful crafted and like candy to my ears. Love it. Fun police one star-ers. Get over yourself.

Good music build on the past and creates something new. This album does exactly that.

Bonkers but why not.

One trick ponies but injected new life into the rock scene. Funky hits to make it an enjoyable enough listen.

Best thing The Beatles did for their legacy was to split up.

Changed what was accepted as creditable rap music. Content and attitudes grate at time but no denying the genius of the high moments.

Perfecto

Breathtaking. From start to finish

Appreciate the intent and aspiration of a double album but for me, the songs just don’t stand up.

Ace

Much more enjoyable than expected.

A perfect little album. Songs about chocolate, girls and growing up. Will resonate with most generations in the early stages of coming of age.

Five starts… just because! At least 4 REALLY good songs.. love on the rocks with no ice , worthy of a mention just for the title. There is leaning into hamming it up, then there’s The Darkness. The moments of sheer joy far outweigh the poor bits.

‘Stripped’, it is not. Over produced and takes itself a bit too serious for a pop record with not much to say. Great voice and all that but aside from a couple of tracks, most of it a bit bland for my taste.

How to turn one hour into three. Some good songs but lost amongst the chaos.

Some unbelievable highs and some turgid lows. The excess is the making and the breaking of this album. Either way, thanks for title track which I hope is playing though my head as I leave this mortal coil.

Makes cool seem effortless

A record filled with such warmth it’s like it’s being played live just for me. Simple and complex at the same time. Can’t imagine a time in my life when I would want to listen to this. Perfect.

One of the many Bowie albums you wished was actually good.

Meh, meh, meh.

One or two songs aside, I’m convinced that anyone with a weeks practice with a guitar, a piano, plus a bottle of Jim Beam could get pretty close to the producing a similar work.

I assume this is what the future sounded like in 1976

Why is there not more harp based music on the 1001 i asked myself the other day. Lo and behold, what pops up but Ms Newsom. This is going to be tough listen, don't worry…it’s only 5 tracks…oh jeez

Love this album. Weller is a truly underrated writer and even in these punky pop song, it shines. The Jam were one of tightest three piece bands ever. The album sounds like a time capsule to being a youth in Thatchers 80s Britain.

If you like Steely Dan, then you will like this. I don’t really like Steely Dan

There was a feature in the UK Sunday Times on the mid 90s on Nick Drake. I was a teenager and the image of him wrapped in a blanket intrigued me. The story was fascinating but there was no instant way of getting the music, I was hooked before I had heard a note. Just the description of the haunting melodies, melancholy lyrics and unusual fingers picking playing was enough. I had to save up to but a three album CD set I found in a music magazine which then took another week to arrive. Hearing the introduction to ‘Time has told me’ I already knew i was in safe hands. It felt like this was my little discovery, this achingly beautiful collection of song, knowing how the story ended was somehow tragically fitting. I’d like to think there were others who discovered Nicks music that day, following the same steps and having this special music in their lives.

As heartbreaking as a story told only from one side can be.

As forgettable an album as I’ve heard.

Painful. At some points, genuinely painful. Dummy was one of the 90s best albums. Turns out I can’t say I like Portishead anymore.

Cash was such a dude

I get the same feeling listing to this as I do when I wake up from a really lovely dream. uplifting, comforting, vivid, but without any true understanding of what just happened.

Nice to get something different, even if I didn’t enjoy it. If this is the best German avent-garde has to offer then so be it. Sure this was an inspiration to Bjork which in itself is not a bad thing.

This album is ace. Hopefully the impact it had to inspire others to delve deeper into what at the time were obscure music for western audiences countered some of the cultural appropriation issues.

I would like to think when Nick was deciding what to name the album, when “ Abattoir Blues / The Lyre of Orpheus” popped into his head, he thought… I think this is just about Nick Cave enough.

Some low’s…Cars, Allergies and high’s …train in the distance, Rene and Georgette.

It would not surprise me if these are the same individuals who were behind Jive Bunny and the Mastermixers.

An uncomfortable listen at times but in this list on merit.

-An easier listen all the way through than the majority of albums in the 1001.tick -a bit different. Tick -fun, funky, tick -does not take itself seriously. Tick 5 stars for the hell if it.

Call me old fashioned but all the ‘look how cool I am talking about raping people’ is a no. Music , 3

Yes it’s all been done before but it’s upbeat, some good tunes and hopefully turned some people at the time to something different.

You can really hear the influence this album had on lots of bands. Love it.

Not for me but pleased for this challenge to make me listen to the whole album. Assume this is intentionally ‘accessible’ which is why they went more mainstream than most.

Much like Neverland, this resets what a pop song could be. Love it.

H2ogate Blues is a must listen to track in March 2025. Otherwise this was a tough listen for me. ‘ Daddy Loves you ‘ is the kind of song this fella to played for his kids and was added to the album in error. Like Ben Folds Five without the humour or dare I say it, soul.

Enough good pop songs to keep the album moving along but sure there are hundreds of similar albums in the same genre and out at the same time to warrant inclusion in the 1001.

Almost entirely torturous, ‘when we were young’ however is heartbreakingly moving.

Half way though I thought I’d give it the benefit of the doubt and go for 2 stars. By the end, solid one.

Utterly forgettable, listened to it twice without realising it was on repeat and was most of the way through again before I noticed.

The more you ignore me, and now my heart IS full, are both spectacular - the rest fairly forgettable. Trying to judge the music for the music in this exercise so no marks off to ANY individual whose views or behaviours I disagree with.

Wanted to give this a 5 for originality, variety and ambition. The longer it went on, the harder that was to justify.

The lows are LOW the highs are fantastic.

Impossible to give this 5 stars after hearing ‘email my heart’ however there are enough bona fide pop bangers on here to make it an easy listen and tick the right boxes for those with certain music sensibilities.

There are moments of pure perfection in this album. You can tell every beat, note and grainy crackle has been thought about. Underneath it all are some great tunes, delivered into something which at the time was both familiar but fresh and new.

I had never heard of Nanci Griffith before today and it was a pleasant surprise. Typical country tropes but solid songwriting that reminded me of James Taylor. Nice.

Some magical songs included here. ‘sweetest decline’ evokes memories of relationships which have broken down which I’ve not even experienced. “What are regrets? - They're just lessons we haven't learned yet.” I prefer the remixes of the title track and would have liked to have heard more of that influence on a few more of the songs. Either way, utterly beautiful In parts.

This sounded like nothing else when it came out as far as I was concerned. Fresh, modern and distinctly London. Still makes me proud to be British and of what multiculturalism really means.

There are clearly some good songs in there somewhere, but this production and format has not aged well at all.

I used to think I hated the Pogues. Don’t think I’ve heard a more beautiful song on this journey than ‘a rainy night in soho’

Apparently I listened to this album 2 days ago and forgot to review. Double checked my listening history, and there it was. I have zero recollection of a note. Felt obligated to listen to again.another 37mins later I’m no better off.

Proof it’s possible to have a great sound but no good songs

Heard a little Billy Bragg and zero Wilco but really loved both the music and the concept. Parts were genuinely joyous.

Worth 5 stars for pulling this off. Groundbreaking

Had never of Lupe’s name or music but really enjoyed this. Varied , accessible, no real cringing at the lyrics (save the Tim Westwood shout out in the outro)

A fantastic mix of about 18 different types of music. FAB

‘Can’t stand me now’ aside - underwhelming. The noise in the music press at the time was that the libertines had revitalised and revolutionised music in the same way as the sex pistols did. In reality I think they were little more than a UK inspired.

The more I listen to Elvis Costello albums, I less I like Elvis Costello. Shipbuilding, everyday I write the book need to retain that special place in my heart as a full album of his ridiculous voice is driving me crazy.

If any human a guitar , a cord book, a lynyrd skynyrd greatest hits cassette and ONE week , I’m convinced can make a better album than this.

Love the strut. You can feel the confidence the band have together let by Phil. Sadly the songs themselves are a let down

Nope

Toilet

Today, for avoidance of doubt, I would not attend a 22min concert of cover versions by an alleged murdering, racist, hebephiliac. That aside, 5 starts.

Dull. Appreciate times have changed but Elvis was away for 2 plus years, this was the big comeback?! A bunch of soulless covers and insipid love songs.

Clearly he inspired later Dylan , who at least delivers the gruff delivery with some grace.

Thanks to this exercise to remind me that “Love Song” exists.

This is exactly the kind of music I wanted to discover by doing this challenge.

Concept 5/5 Execution 2/5 Songs 2/5 Pain of the almost 3 hours of listening 1/5 At a push there is an albums worth of songs on here, would that make the 1001 - almost definitely not. (…Almost because there is a lot of dross)

Listened to this 2 days ago. Can’t remember a thing.

I don’t like show tunes, and now I know songs that sounds like show tunes is also a things.

This feels pioneering in fusing dance and rock/indie my songs just don’t stand up.

Okay in places but give me ‘The Lover Speaks’ debut album any day.

721 albums in and ive not heard anything as beautiful as some of the music on this album. The title track draws you into the world Van Morrison has created just for you. The album ebbs and flows, there are moments of musical perfection, intertwined with randomness.

I often wonder, how can a band or artist create one song of immense brilliance and nothing else in their career. 5 stars for Paper Planes. A generous 2 stars for the rest.

5 stars for the general madness of The KLF, the standout tracks on this album, and taking me back to the early 90s

Some absolutel bangers.

Magnifique! I sure I loved this more because I couldn’t understand a word. I might well have been about violence against men and women and dropping racial slurs but the musicality and variety was ace. Listen to this for the first time in the early 90s and thought myself pretty cool but feel this is the first time I’ve really appreciated was a great record this is. Very bon

Like being transported to NYC in the early 80s

Funkadelic indeed

R&B purists will scoff but 5 stars

I have a really loud guy I sit near at work. This really helped

For Baba

Fast losing patience with this insipid style of music.

Producer: bad news, Frank. We forgot to write any songs for the album Frank: no worry I can just croon random sentences. People will buy the album on the strength of my voice alone. Get the band to play whatever, mate. I’ll work it out. Producer: but what about actual tunes? Melodies, verse, chorus, verse etc? Frank: fuck that. I’m Frank Sinatra, I can do what I want.

Neil Young could record himself pissing into a bucket and it would have a good chance of making it onto the list.

First two Björk albums were ace - this was a tough listen.

Prefer the first album, personally but it’s Christmas Eve and I’m feeling generous. 5 Stars

I think there might a been a good song in there somewhere, but the vocals made this a hard listen.

Not the best album by a long way but the fact they feature is something. hats and peace at last are magic.

Worthy of another listen. Some interesting stuff and the good songs jump out. If the album were shorter it might not be as noticeable, sadly the album drags and is 6 songs too long. Would have been 4 stars with the best 12

After a fairly scathing review of their debut, I loved this album. The version I had included the acoustic versions which upon a second listen of the original’s showed even more depth. On my third listen back to back. Thanks to 1001 for this

Muso’s of the world erupt at an album of fun tunes.

I don’t think I can be friends with anyone of dislikes sister sledge, it means they don’t like Nile Rogers and Nile Rogers is one of the top ten humans ever to to born.

Majestic

That was a LONG 35mins. Noise for the sake of noise.

There might be a good song or two in there somewhere, but Tom does not make it easy.

If I were 20 years older, it’s likely I would have listened to this on repeat - I’m not, so I will never listen to this again.

Seems like everything needs to be just right for a song to land. Didn’t get the balance right for me.

Extra point for the name

Praise be! Love everything about Saint Etienne.

Iconic music, iconic cover,

Possibly my favourite album of all time.

This is one of the albums of my childhood. When I was about 11 I found my mums old vinyl collect , alongside a few beaten up Beatles records was this. I can remember every crackle of the stylus against the over played grooves.

Joyful

We live in an imperfect world. The US sport of American football is only open to 32 teams, and yet the winner each season has the title of world champions. 20 years ago, someone decided to write a book called the 1001 albums to listen to before you die - a bold but foolhardy undertaking, but sure, why not fella. Go for your life. People moaning about this being too British , too middle of the road, not enough ‘insert niche music sub-genre’ - can do one. Enjoy (or not) music you would not ordinarily listen to - surely that is the point of this. The debate is good, highlighting preferred albums is good, if you like this - you might like that is good. Bemoaning the construct while dedicating almost 33 months to this endeavour seems pointless to me. If that floats your boat, fine. If not stop and go back to listening to music you know you know you like.

Tick in the box the fact this is undoubtedly an album to listen to before you die. Title track , fine - not my thing but I get it. Would probably have been three starts if not for the the two nonsense tracks at the end. Did people in the 70s listen to these and chuckle along each time (I assume they are intended to be humorous?)

Perfectly imperfect. heartbreaking

Given the horror of Lennon’s childhood, I hope creating this was cathartic—even if the result feels like a mess.

Joyful

Admittedly U2 are easy to hate on, but this thick’s the boxes of variety, accessibility and most importantly as part of this project , enjoyable.

This album that proves TS is a proper song writer. Written in the middle of lockdown and collaborating with the national and Bon Iver is incredibly brave for an artist fames for accessibility, Melodys and pop hits. That said, TS again proved her inability to edit herself in both obsession that everyone is against her and in picking out the best 12 tracks that would make a far superior album.

Good start to the album, drifted second half

A rubbish INXS

Sheryl Crow deserves at least 40% of the royalties …or vice versa

5 stars for a 4 star album - bump up for cover, culture significance and Ferry/Eno

Redefined rock and roll pop

Still sounding fresh - bright and vibrant music and a slice of early 90s joy

I’ve always been of the view that 20% of Bowies music is up there with the finest every record, 20% is fine - the remaining 60% is largely shit

Top tier album on this list. Timeless, breathtaking, eye opening, and a different side to one of the most influential bands of the 20th century

First sound is very different to the rest of the album

This is what a hangover feel like. No matter what happens you can’t get comfortable and there is an incessant yet ever changing noise that you can’t escape.

Majestic

Somehow, I don’t hate Slipknot

A rare treat of a Bowie album brilliant the whole way through

Good off to a good start then drifted.

Nick Cave is in an infinite battle to out Nick Cave himself.

sounds very Counting Crows to me. Might dig a bit deeper.

Listen to this twice in a row, somehow feel that is enough to give it 5 stars

Still stand up 30 years later. Rarely a more apt album name

Graat voice. Dull tunes

Not a prefect album by any measure, but surely that adds to the magic.

The highs of Arcade Fire are amazing. This is not.

At album 997 and feeling generous. Not too familiar with Sugar - people are beating up on this but I’m on the third listen so 5 stars.

Intrigued by the artist name and album title. Sadly that was the high point for me.

It’s easy to dislike UB40s music, and I do. But I love Britain. I particularly love Britain for being multicultural - this album is as British as the Beatles and every other band that has been inspired by music from around the world and the melting pot of where it was made.

Seems there is a huge difference between albums you enjoy and a 1001 albums to listen to before you die.

Better than expected ..but too long

One of the few albums that sounds like nothing else on here.

Bowie could have recorded himself farting in a jar and some people would have given this 5 stars. He was a genius, no doubt but his albums save a small sample have been more miss than hit. Releasing this days before his death will mean this will forever be remembered and one of the all time greats.

Can you like an album and be vehemently against paedophilia? I hope so.